Book Review: Jamaica Inn – Daphne du Maurier

Good Reads Synopsis:

The coachman tried to warn her away from the ruined, forbidding place on the rainswept Cornish coast. But young Mary Yellan chose instead to honor her mother's dying request that she join her frightened Aunt Patience and huge, hulking Uncle Joss Merlyn at Jamaica Inn. From her first glimpse on that raw November eve, she could sense the inn's dark power. But never did Mary dream that she would become hopelessly ensnared in the vile, villainous schemes being hatched within its crumbling walls -- or that a handsome, mysterious stranger would so incite her passions ... tempting her to love a man whom she dares not trust.

Review:

This was a fascinating book. For one, I wasn’t expecting the somewhat old-fashioned writing style but thought it really added to the mood of the story. Also, wasn’t expecting how matter of fact Mary was about relations between a man and a woman.  I particularly wasn't expecting this attitude from a romance novel that was supposed to take place in the time of horse and buggy. True, she grew up on a farm but it still seems a bit liberal for that time period. I did really like how honest she was about what motivated her to hang out with Jem. Even though she thought he was bad news, she didn’t make excuses for her behavior, just simply acknowledged that she like him and moved forward.

The reveal of the nature and the brutality of the crimes being committed was cause for reflection about how life was once. Even in places that were thought to be more civilized, life was still precarious. I do think Mary should have been a bit more concerned for her own welfare being isolated with her uncle and the type of company he kept. I feel like as a woman she would have felt a little more vulnerable.

The story was entertaining, the characters very well developed, and (even though mildly predictable at times) the plot was engaging. Netflix has released a movie based on one of du Maurier’s other books ‘Rebecca’. I’m going to have to exhibit some self-control and try to hold off watching it until I can read the book first. We’ll see how that goes!  

Book Review: The Girl from Everywhere – Heidi Heilig

GoodReads Synopsis:

Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father’s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.

As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.

But the end to it all looms closer every day.

Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.

For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.

She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.

Or she could disappear.

Review:

This book is perfect for a long weekend when you’re not in a big hurry. It’s one of those books that are a great read when you just want to relax and be taken someplace new. This book is more like a conversation with an old friend than an all-consuming love affair. Its engaging and entertaining but you’re not so sucked in that you can’t put it down. It might drag on a bit in a few places but I loved the characters so much that I didn’t mind spending extra time with them.

Another thing I really liked was at the end of the book you’re told what real historical events the book is based off of. The author has taken a single event in history and has created a whole fictional narrative around it. The story is a fairly clever way to interpret what happened. Heidi Heilig clearly has a good imagination. 

All in all, a wonderful book.

Book Review: The White Prince – Matthew Horton

GoodReads Synopsis:

Elgaard, year 320.

It was the eve of his sixteenth birthday and the royal ceremony in which he would receive his crown as heir to the throne. Everything was going according to plan until his wicked older brother returned.

Banished from his kingdom by a power-hungry enemy, a prince embarks on a dangerous journey to return and take his rightful place as king of a land cursed in a never-ending winter.

After an enchantment causes him to forget, Prince Rykus is raised far outside of the kingdom by peasants, remembering nothing of his royalty or his wintry powers. While working as a swordsmith, he befriends a pirate with a secret of his own and a bear who help to remind him of who he really is. Thus, he begins the adventure of returning to the barren kingdom and to fight for the crown, exacting justice for his brother’s betrayal and cruelty and he must do so before Elgaard is overrun by an even bigger enemy.

Murder. Revenge. Dragons. Winter. “The White Prince” is Frozen meets The Lion King meets The Pilgrim's Progress for a new generation of readers with a mind for fantasy and adventure.

Review:

Matthew Horton clearly has a great imagination. As I read The White Prince I couldn’t help but feel like his passion and excitement for the world he had created was seeping through the pages. The story is fast paced, full of adventure and fun characters.

I did find it a little frustrating because I really liked the plot and wanted to hear more! The world and characters could have been developed more. With how fast it moved it did remind me a little of a 'choose your own adventure book', like the kind I use to read when I was younger. You know, where suddenly you come across a troll and you have to choose to fight or run away. If you choose to run away, you find yourself on the edge of a cliff and then you need to decide if you are going to go back and fight the troll or take your chances jumping off the cliff. If I'm being completely honest, it reminded me a little bit of my own writing style and how I have tried to develop narratives more. So, not only did I enjoy the book but I also learned a lot!

Book Review: American Royals – Katharine McGee

Good Reads Synopsis:

What if America had a royal family?

When America won the Revolutionary War, its people offered General George Washington a crown. Two and a half centuries later, the House of Washington still sits on the throne.

As Princess Beatrice gets closer to becoming America's first queen regnant, the duty she has embraced her entire life suddenly feels stifling.

Nobody cares about the spare except when she's breaking the rules, so Princess Samantha doesn't care much about anything, either . . . except the one boy who is distinctly off-limits to her.

And then there's Samantha's twin, Prince Jefferson. If he'd been born a generation earlier, he would have stood first in line for the throne, but the new laws of succession make him third. Most of America adores their devastatingly handsome prince . . . but two very different girls are vying to capture his heart.

Review:

I was very intrigued and excited by the story line! I've never thought about it before, if George Washington had tried to be king. The world might be such a different place if he had. I couldn’t wait to read this book because I was so curious to see where it was going to go. I was filled with questions about what the world would look like. How much had America’s democracy shaped the course of history?

Unfortunately, when I finished it I was a little disappointed. The book had a somewhat egotistical feel, being mainly centered around the royal palace. Sure, there was mention of other places but not enough to take the reader anywhere else. Also, all the main characters Bee, Daphne, Nina, and Samantha felt very egocentric as well. They all seemed so caught up in their own personal love dramas that it was a bit melodramatic. I would have liked one main character to have some other problem, any other problem really.

Please, don’t get me wrong, I liked it. I did. I will definitely read Majesty. I just wanted American Royals to have a little more depth to it, a little more there there.

Book Review: Girl, Serpent, Thorn – Melissa Bashardoust

Good Reads Synopsis:

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.

Review (WARNING: there are spoilers):

I love this book because there are elements that do not conform to the cookie-cutter model of what a fairy tale typically is, even though it has the overarching feeling of a typical fairy tale. There is a princess, hidden way in a castle, and a handsome warrior comes to rescue her. The princess, and what she decides to do, is what stands between the forces of evil taking over the kingdom. You know, the typical stuff of fairy tales. However, this book brings you monsters that are not your typical monsters. These monsters are divs, “the demonic servants of the Destroyer”, and they come in all shapes and sizes; but they’re not all necessarily evil either. Then the handsome prince turns out to be the biggest monster of them all and the princess needs to rescue, not only herself, but everyone (with a little help of course).

What I also liked about this book was The Shahmar (handsome prince turned monster) and his desire to have a connection with Soraya (the princess). In her, he sees someone like himself, someone wronged by their family, alone and yet powerful, someone capable of taking what they want. He gained power by killing his family and he keeps pushing Soraya to do the same.  Perhaps, I am reading too much into it but it seems like if he can get her to murder her brother it will in some way justify his own actions. The dynamic gave the book more depth. I’ll definitely read more from this author.

Book Review: Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #2) - Holly Jackson

GoodReads Synopsis:

Pip Fitz-Amobi is not a detective anymore.

With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.

But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared but the police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way… and this time EVERYONE is listening.

But will she find him before it’s too late?

Review:

This book is so much like the first one in the way it reads! Which is both bad and good. The beginning it is a little hard to get into again and I’m not quite sure why, since I now know the characters from book one. But it took a while to connect with the story, which at first give me a real sense of disappointment. However, like the first book in the series, after that initial hump, I just couldn’t put it down. I burned through the last 2/3 in an evening. I’m not sure when it grabbed my interest but I went from being bored with it to a feeling of intrigue, wanting to know what was going to happen next.

I am happy to report that my unanswered questions from the first book were in fact answered in the second one. And that this mystery also kept me guessing for quite a bit of the book! Also, I quite like how text messages, transcripts of her interviews and case notes are all included. Reading the different points of view provided a amusing element to the story. Overall, it’s a fun little series.

Book Review: Darkest Minds – Alexandra Bracken

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Review:

I have a confession to make… I saw the movie before I read the book. I absolutely prefer to do it the other way around but sometimes that just doesn’t work out. What this means is when I read the book I didn’t imagine what the characters looked like, or their mannerisms, etc. I just saw the actors from the movie. But, with that said, I did like the movie so much that I had to go read the book.

The Darkest Minds is an easy read; the sentences just roll by. It takes no effort to jump right into the plot and hit the ground running. The book drops you right into the beginning of a dystopian world which allows the reader to really feel connected to the story. I was immediately hooked from page one. The story is written from Rudy Daly’s perspective, a young, rather pragmatic girl. What I like are the details. For example, when recalling a traumatic event in the past Rudy recounts, “It had rained the night before, so my parents sent me to school wearing red galoshes.” To me that just seems the way you remember things from childhood that stand out. Sure, you remember the event but there always seems to be some other specific details that ties itself to the memory, like the color of the shoes you were wearing or the way it smelled in the kitchen that morning when you were having breakfast. These details just give the character a personal feel; you connect with her.

The one thing in the story that doesn’t resonate with me is how parents could just turn their children over to “rehabilitation camps”. As a mother they would have to pry my child from my arms to take her away. I understand that for some of the more dangerous children you might think you are doing what is right for them but what about the children that have more benign gifts (like a Green)? I can’t be the only parent that wouldn’t part with my child, or once parted not try and move heaven and earth to get them back. But being fiction, I am willing to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the story. And a good story full of adventure, comradery, danger, mystery and of course a quest.

Book Review: The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

GoodReads Synopsis:

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now . . .

Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid's Tale is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.

Review:

Well, I’m now scarred for life; thank you very much Margaret Atwood. Oh, thank you to my sister, who is the only reason I read this book. My sister said she finished the entire book on a long flight, which might not sound like much but she rarely finishes a book. If she could not put the book down, I just had to see what it was about.

This novel is very well put together. Atwood paints a picture of a society that has mutilated religious ideals in order to twist life into a dream for a few but a living nightmare for others. The entire time I was reading this I kept thinking, “this could never happen,” women of the world would never let this happen. However, I then remember the photos I’ve seen of Afghanistan and Iran pre and post regime changes that implemented Islamic law. Those pictures clearly demonstrate– that we have already let this happen.  

The Handmaid's Tale exemplifies some of the darkest aspects of human nature but also illustrates some of the best, such as the love for a child. It’s a tale of perseverance through hardship and political upheaval.

Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) – Sarah J. Maas

GoodReads Synopsis:

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit – and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords – and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

Review (There are spoilers in this review):

This is a fascinating story full of fun, adventure and romance. I like how some of the characters are from other worlds and that you get just a glimpse into their own rich histories. I like how you’re not given the answers to everything. You never hear from Elain and Nesta about what happened to them in the Cauldron, or really get a true understanding of what Nesta took from it. The relationships that develop, be it as friends or as enemies, adds a nice depth to the story.

Two things that did bother me are: 1) when all the High Lords meet and 2) an aspect of the final battle. First, when all the High Lords meet there is a lot of petty squabbling and bickering, which could be expected from a group of ego centric immortals that have had to deal with each other for eons; however, some of their actions just seemed way to immature for people that are supposed to rule kingdoms. There is a lot of tongue sticking out and other childish nonsense, which is great when they are in an intimate setting, but just didn’t seem to go with the scene. Secondly, I think someone important (their father doesn’t count because you were never emotionally invested in him) should have died in the final battle. It seems a bit hard to believe that in a battle that big where everyone was fighting, that they wouldn’t have lost anyone important.

But when all is said and done I have to say I can’t wait to continue the saga!

Book Review: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) - Sarah J. Maas

GoodReads Synopsis:

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Review:

I liked this one even better than the first! It is all around a fun read and there wasn’t anything I didn’t like. The fae world is vibrant and the development of the relationships between all the main characters is so vivid; as I was reading I couldn’t help but continually think – I really want to see this as a movie!

SPOILER - The love story in the first book between Feyre and Tamlin always seemed a little superficial and it was delightful how Feyre and Rhysand become involved, developing a deeper connection. Some stories give the impression that they’re not quite sure where a story is going but Sarah Maas seems to have plotted everything out way before she put pen to paper, providing a cohesive and well-rounded world for the reader.

A Court of Mist and Fury, the second book in the series, feels like it should be the first and A Court of Thorns and Roses, the first book, feels more like a prequel to the series. Can’t wait for more of the adventure.

Book Review: Midnight Sun - Stephenie Meyer

GoodReads Synopsis:

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?

Review:

I just love these books. Something about the story just gets to me. I was a little leery to read the whole story from Edwards point of view, since I’m totally team Jacob 100%. But I have to say it was entertaining. Don’t get me wrong, Edward does not disappoint; he fully delivers in the area of melodrama and in being overbearing. Man, he can go on and on at times being so dramatic!

Small aside – I’m a little confused as to why his behavior was just acceptable. If I found out someone crept into my apartment and watched me while I slept I would get a restraining order. It’s concerning that this behavior is portrayed as a gesture of love. I’m sure that’s how every stalker views their behavior. Anyway, fun fiction novel so moving on.

I absolutely love that you get more insight into the Cullen family! Instead of seeing them from an outsider perspective you get to see them as family. It would be great if each one of them had an autobiography. They would be the best historical fiction novels and I would read them all!

Book Review: Annihilation - Jeff VanderMeer

GoodReads Synopsis:

Area X has been cut off from the rest of the world for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; the second expedition ended in mass suicide, the third in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another. The members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, and within weeks, all had died of cancer. In Annihilation, the first volume of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy, we join the twelfth expedition.

The group is made up of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist, the de facto leader; and our narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain, record all observations of their surroundings and of one another, and, above all, avoid being contaminated by Area X itself.

They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X delivers—but it’s the surprises that came across the border with them and the secrets the expedition members are keeping from one another that change everything.

Review:

I really wanted to like this book because of the premise. It’s about a badass all-female crew exploring the unknown, told from the point of view of a biologist. I am a female biologist. I explore remote field locations. Again, I wanted to like this book. But unfortunately, it really wasn’t my cup of tea.

Everything in the book is told in uncertainties. For example, a few excerpts:

“I don’t know why the word tower came to me, given that it tunneled into the ground.”

“Later I realized I might have misread her expression…”

“I don’t know quite what I saw.”

“I could not tell which part I craved and which I feared…”

“Perhaps I’d been wrong about curiosity.”

These few examples are from just the first few pages. I’m sure you can imagine how the rest of the book goes. The author does a great job of setting up a metaphysical landscape where the reality and nature of everything is brought into question. The whole time I felt like the book was slippery; like there wasn’t really anything there.

I know that this is a great example of a specific writing style. But this book is kind of like a Picasso to me; I can appreciate the ingenuity around the creation of the piece but I just don’t like the style.

Book Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder - Holly Jackson

GoodReads Synopsis:

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

Review:

If you’re looking for a fun YA murder mystery I would recommend this book.

First the bad. At the beginning it is a little hard to get into. At times, the writing in places seems a bit awkward. Also, I was not immediately emotionally invested with the characters and wasn’t quite sure why Pip was so passionate about what she was doing but later it does become clear. However, after that initial tiny hump I just couldn’t put it down, burning through the last 2/3 in an evening.

And now the good. As far as murder mysteries go this one actually kept me guessing for quite a bit of the book. There were definitely a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming but there were also a few things I was able to surmise. It was a good mix. Maybe a tiny spoiler… I SO wanted it to end in a large conspiracy that involved a ton of people from the town. But alas, it wasn’t quite that grandiose and, therefore, probably way more realistic. There were also a few unanswered questions which I think the author might be setting up to be answered in the sequel. Can’t wait to read the next one!

Book Review: Red Rising - Pierce Brown

GoodReads Synopsis:

“I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."

"I live for you," I say sadly.

Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

Review:

While this book is considered a science fiction dystopian novel, it’s a mild mixture of SciFi and fantasy, without the expected supernatural events and magical occurrences or deep scientific explanation. I would call it Speculative Fiction.

Truth be told, I was a bit skeptical of this book going into it. As an astrobiologist, a book that takes place on a terraformed Mars has the potential for lots of pitfalls - speculative science that just doesn’t have the facts right. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about suspension of disbelief in my recreational endeavors but when you are surrounded by planetary science all day, there is only so far one can forgive an author and forget the facts. However, I am happy to report that my fears were unfounded.

Not a hardcore SciFi book, Brown doesn’t go into the details of how everything works and, since the book takes place so far in the future, I was fine with saying, “sure, in a thousand years we could have that technology.” To me it presented a wonderful opportunity to imagine Mars in an entirely different context without worrying about the details.

It is a great story about a wonderful dystopian world, even if it is a little predictable in places; I won’t give any spoilers away, but you could see a few things coming. This, oddly enough, gave the book a comforting appeal. With good characters and good plot development, it’s just one of those books you like to like.

Nothing like a great story about a dystopian world on a terraformed Mars. It’s just one of those books you like to like.

Book Review: The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle

Goodreads Synopsis:

The unicorn had lived since before memory in a forest where death could touch nothing. Maidens who caught a glimpse of her glory were blessed by enchantment they would never forget. But outside her wondrous realm, dark whispers and rumours carried a message she could not ignore: "Unicorns are gone from the world."

Aided by a bumbling magician and an indomitable spinster, she set out to learn the truth. but she feared even her immortal wisdom meant nothing in a world where a mad king's curse and terror incarnate lived only to stalk the last unicorn to her doom...

Review:

‘The Last Unicorn’ is a classical fairy tale – and the main characters even refer to themselves as being in a fairy tale. It’s all rather cute as they talk about how they can’t quit the quest because this isn’t the part in a story where the heroes get their happy ending or how they were wondering when the prince was going to come along. I know I saw the movie as a young girl but I really didn’t remember any of the details but I did remember loving it. And what little girl wouldn’t?…its about a unicorn! Although, I thought I remembered that the unicorn always sounded so sad. And in the book I think there is a little of that but as a grown up I did enjoy the personality that Beagle gives the unicorn. On one hand she’s very detached and unemotional, on the other she’s a little overwhelmed by everything. In short the story is whimsical – it’s creative and fanciful and sort of flitters a little here and a little there.

Book Review: Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming.

Review:

Delightful and disturbing – those are the best two words that I can think of to describe this novel. A first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. I don’t like reading books where the main character struggles with life and the whole plot is just the daily drama we all go through.  I can relate to that but why on earth would I want to read about it? If I were interested in those sorts of stories I would have been a therapist. ‘Sharp Objects’ had that sort of feel about it when it starts; I thought it was going to be one of those books. But it wasn’t!

You quickly head down a dark path into a small town where things just aren’t right. I’m not sure if Flynn is from a small town but she sure can portray the mentality, right down to the ingrained pecking orders, power dynamics and the desire to blame an ‘outsider’ for crimes clearly committed by someone in the community. Flynn also does an excellent job of creating the main character Camille. She’s completely messed up but you can’t help but like her. Somehow, Flynn lets you see inside her head by slowly revealing a deeper and dark psychosis all the while keeping her relatable. Instead of judging her you find yourself understanding why she is the way she is. Flynn offers a unique perspective on dark deeds by portraying them as human faults – not just pure acts of evil.

The story is very well written. Near the end you knew where the mystery was going to go but you still wanted to hear it for yourself. 

Book Review: The Princess Bride – William Goldman

Goodreads Synopsis:

What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams?

As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

In short, it's about everything.

Review:

‘The Princess Bride’ has held a very special place in my heart since I first saw the movie as a little girl. It’s just such a witty, fun twist on the classic princess needing rescuing theme. Who has watched it and not fallen in love! Or even better, not found themselves obscurely referencing quotes from the film at one point or another. I believe that the movie has become something of a cult classic but I’m not sure how many people have actually read the book as well. And I only recently found out that it was a book! If you have seen the movie the book will not disappoint. The two follow each other so closely that the reader will not be upset by any discrepancies. But with that said, the movie does follow the book so closely it can feel at times like you’re just reading the movie.

However, the book is not just the movie, or the movie not just the book. The book is more like two stories in one. The story of Buttercup and Westley is the one you know and love so well but there is another story in the book, the story of the young boy (Billy) whose grandfather read him the book when he was ill. The book actually starts when that young boy is a man and he rediscovers ‘The Princess Bride’. He takes you back in time to why he fell in love with the story in the first place and how when he rediscovers the story its not quite what he thought it was. I won’t say too much because it’s fun to find out on your own. I also really liked the short inserts about Florin history that isn’t portrayed in the movie. The whole book is darling and I’m so happy that I discovered it wasn’t only a movie.

Book Review: The Belles– Dhonielle Clayton

Goodreads Synopsis:

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

Review:

The Belles is a story that I think most can relate to on some level. We all feel the injustice of how much weight our world puts on beauty and yet we’re all guilty of it at some level. We like pretty things and we like pretty people. If you could do anything to your body, where would you draw the line? And what would be the personal cost?

The Belles digs deep into those ugly human traits of ego, vanity, and greed in a page turning novel that I just couldn’t put down. I know, I know “a page turning novel” is such a cliché way to describe a book, but it’s true! Camellia, the main character, is a naïve sweet girl, which after being sheltered all her life, is thrown out into the real world. The real world is one where hideous monsters have complete control. It was fascinating to see how Camellia learned to navigate in a world that she didn’t understand.

The author has clearly developed a detailed image of this entire world in her head. The characters were so wonderfully developed and the background of the plot so intricate. My only criticism of the book is that some of the smaller things are thrown at you without any backstory or explanation. When I read its like I’m watching a movie and when I have to pause to work something out it pulls me out of the story. But they were big.

I can’t wait for the next one not just to see what happened next but to find out what’s going on!

Book Review: An Acceptable Time– Madeleine L’Engle

Goodreads Synopsis:

A flash of lightning, quivering ground, and, instead of her grandparents' farm, Polly sees mist and jagged mountains -- and coming toward her, a group of young men carrying spears. Why has a time gate opened and dropped Polly into a world that existed 3,000 years ago? Will she be able to get back to the present before the time gate closes -- and leaves her to face a group of people who believe in human sacrifice?

Review:

‘An Acceptable Time’ is the last book in the series and even though I am happy I’ve read them, I’m also happy there are not any more. In this book we again are taken on a journey back in time, about 3,000 years, to spend time with a native tribe called ‘People of the Wind’. Charles Wallace visited the ‘People of the Wind’ back in ‘A Swiftly Tilting Planet’; in this book Polly (Meg and Calvin’s daughter) is the one that goes back in time.

It’s a cute story but it doesn’t really seem to go anywhere. In the first four books in the series, L’Engle has had a point she wanted to get across, some grand statement. In this book it feels like she is trying to reconcile Druidry with Christianity. If I were to allow myself to speculate I would probably say she has some newfound interest in Druidry and wants it to be compatible with her long-standing Christian beliefs. However, to do this it would appear she is trying to reshape it to fit her ideals. For example, in the book a young druid casts runes and the bishop in the story proclaims “…these are not fortune-telling stones?” Then the Druid replies “No, No…The stones do not tell us what is going to happen, or what we are to do…” Now, I’m by no means a 3,000-year-old Druid but from what I’ve read Druids were known for their gift of prophecy.  But hey, who am I to judge.

I am a little confused as to how this book is really part of the series – other than the fact that they have some of the same characters. In the first three books it’s all about the fight against the Echthroi. I thought ‘Many Waters’ was just a little fun side story and that we would be returning to this theme in ‘An Acceptable Time’ but that didn’t happen and the Echthroi were not even mentioned. Just when I was starting to get onboard with the whole idea of shadow creatures taking over the universe!

On the whole not bad, however there are about 100 pages that can probably be skipped – its just 100 pages of Polly and the Bishop trying to convince her grandparents that they really are going back in time. It isn’t a great grand finale to the series but rather a cute story that can be read just on its own.

Book Review: Many Waters – Madeleine L’Engle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sandy and his twin brother, Dennys, are the practical, down-to-earth members of the Murry family. They have never paid much attention to their scientist parents' talk of highly theoretical things like tesseracts and farondalae. But now something has happened to Sandy and Dennys that drastically stretches their powers of belief. And, when disaster threatens the oasis where they have made their home, can they find a way back to their own time?

Review:

L’Engle’s writing is improving with each book that is for sure. And such strange little stories she writes! In this one she takes us back to a time when the Nephilim and Seraphim walked the Earth – when the sons of God slept with the daughters of man according to Genesis 6:1–4, New Revised Standard Version. And that is definitely a major theme throughout Many Waters. Lately we have seen the emergence of the Nephilim in popular YA books like the Fallen series by Lauren Kate and The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. However, L’Engle’s storyline is one of a more biblical rendition, placing the story line before the flood when Noah is building the ark.  The twins, Dennys and Sandy – the often brushed aside siblings of Meg and Charles Wallace – go on an adventure all their own and find themselves back in time.

I did find myself at times wondering it was really all that appropriate for children with phrases like “…her breasts delicate and rosy…” and talk of another’s beauty for sale and the use of the word “slut”. I was a little taken back by this but then the story is also sprinkled with mythical creatures like unicorns and griffins and manticore. I have to say that I did become attached to the characters and felt invested in the story line. L’Engle also clearly put a great deal of thought into what an early Earth would have been like with active volcanoes and active plate tectonics. L'Engle's story telling continues to improve!

I am fascinated by L’Engle’s clear interest in science and belief in God. As a scientist, I am not of the opinion that these subjects need to be mutually exclusive. The more I learn about the world around us the more I know that I do not know. Did the atom not exist before we could measure it, simply because we did not have the tools to measure it? …maybe.