Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang

Partial Review based on partial ARC (Advanced Readers' Copy received in exchange for an honest review).

I won this audio book as a part of the Early Reviewers program on LibraryThing. It is a 9-disc book, and I began listening in earnest. Once I finished the first CD, I was delighted. Oh, I thought, this is going to be so good.

Alas. The remaining eight CDs were all blank. :'(
I have contacted the ER program and hope to get a replacement. Meanwhile, I will have to wait until I can get to the physical copy, and that may take quite a bit longer.

Based on the 1st CD, however, I expect this to be a strong and enjoyable book about extraordinary circumstances. I'm not sure who the baby is yet. I'm not sure what happens to Mary yet. I'm not sure how Waylon (sp?) fits into everything yet. But I look forward to finding out! A current 4 of 5 stars.

UPDATE:
I've now finished the audio book (checked it out from the library). It continued to be a wonderful, magical read. I loved the characters and thought the readers did a great job of bringing each of them to life. Weylyn is particularly endearing, of course, as I believe he was meant to be. I was surprised that I didn't mind the various narrators each giving him their own version of his personality more... it fit alright and I never felt that it was too jarring. Even though there really isn't much of a plot-arc, per se, I nonetheless enjoyed the love story (and, indeed, that's what it is) and the friendships and family lines. Definitely recommended. FOUR of five stars.

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

Review based on ARC (Advanced Review Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

The Roanoke Girls is set up as some kind of mystery  (by the book - from synopsis on back of book) -- Lane Roanoke's mother commits suicide, so Lane comes to live with her grandparents and cousin Allegra in a small town in Kansas. Lane "discover[s] the dark truth at the heart of the family" and runs away. Years later, when her grandfather calls to tell her Allegra has gone missing, Lane returns to figure out what happened to Allegra -- did she run? or "something worse"? Lane must now face the "secret" that made her flee while she attempts to discovery Allegra's fate and, at the same time, maneuver the relationships with her grandparents, friends, and ex boyfriend that she left behind.

Well, the "secret" is not really a secret -- although it is not explicitly discussed early in the book, it is fairly obvious what it *is* fairly early in the book. Although I don't give spoilers, I will say that this garners "trigger warners" for some readers. Fortunately, Engel did not feel the need to go into too much detail with her descriptions, for which I commend her. Although it is obvious what is happening, when, and with whom, the heart of the story isn't Engel's ability to shock her reader, but, rather, in her ability to explore one girl's response to such behavior.

I was impressed with the way Engel delved into a sticky and difficult area and show her readers how some would respond in such an extreme situation -- both the common and the uncommon responses. Although I thought some of Lane's thought processes were a bit repetitive and redundant at times (not so much in her *thinking* repetitively, which is likely, but in her presentation of the "shocking secret" as such to the invisible reader in an oddly redundant way), and although I probably would have liked a little more of the snippets we receive into the thoughts of various other characters, overall I thought that this was a great read. Uncomfortable at times, yes but worthwhile and definitely readable.

As for Engel's writing style, I found that I was immediately engaged in the story and found myself itching to return to the book until I was finished reading it. At a time in my life when I am otherwise rather preoccupied, this was a noteworthy feat! Recommended as a quick read with a touch of mystery (what happens to Allegra, not what the so-called "secret" is), a touch of romance, a touch of dismay, and a touch of hope. FOUR of five stars.

A Curious Beginning: A Vernoica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn

Review based on an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

This is one of those books that fall into the category of "I really wanted to like it..." I really did. I love the cover and I've heard very good things about the author. The plot sounded interesting as well: a young lady in late 19th century London is orphaned by the death of her aunt and decides to set off to continue world travels to study science, with the occasional fling along the way. But Veronica's plans are thwarted by her attempted abduction and the help of a mysterious German baron who apparently knows who she is (and her parents!) and offers to keep her safe. Veronica accepts the help in the hopes of learning more about her past/parents, and she is deposited with Stoker, an ill-mannered, angry, reclusive natural historian. Next Veronica and Stoker know, the baron is suddenly found murdered, and Veronica and Stoker choose to go on the run, hiding and seeking the truth.

Veronica Speedwell is apparently one of those beautiful ladies that every man must admire, and she has spunk to spare. Her character felt more like a caricature of a person than an actual person. She is steadfastly, annoyingly stubborn and insistent on repeatedly getting herself into trouble. I believe this was meant to show spunk, but it just felt immature and idiotic most of the time.

Stoker is supposed to be some sort of manly, gruffy gentleman-in-a-beast's-body sort of thing, which, again, was rather two-dimensional. In light of his actual personal history -- both his upbringing and what has happened since then -- his whole personality felt forced and intended to create attraction rather than a realistic character. I also found Stoker terribly annoying.

And worst of all was the relationship between the two. It was insufferable. If I actually knew these people in real life, I would probably need to remove myself from their vicinity ... as far as possible.

The bit characters were okay -- some were even intriguing. But with the book revolving around Veronica and Stoker and their forming relationship, I just found the whole thing rather boring and uninspired. I would probably recommend to people who enjoy those types of romance stories that are surface and obvious, with cliched tension and resolution. I didn't really think the mystery was much to speak of. It... just didn't matter to me.

Overall, TWO of five stars.

Some Possible Solutions by Helen Phillips

Review based on ARC (Advanced Readers' Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

This is a series of short stories that all consider something unique, something out-of-the-ordinary, something bizarre. Some of them were excellent, some of them were thought-provoking, and all of them were interesting. I read this series of short stories in two sittings. Although Phillips seems to be a bit infatuated with the female body and perhaps a bit falsely cavalier about sex, the stories were nonetheless well executed, well-thought out, and well-manufactured in short story form.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys speculative or unusual fiction. I will give a brief response to each of the short stories below.

FOUR of five stars.

The Knowers Phillips starts out with a sci-fi type piece where you can find out the date of your ultimate demise, and with it considers how some might react to the possibility and the way such knowledge may impact a typical relationship. The ending is unexpected and I actually kind of loved it.

Some Possible Solutions delves briefly into a few ways to "solve" some relationship "problems." The first is a bit disconcerting in the best way (you know, that creepy, crawly, under-your-skin feeling).. I believe Phillips has taken real things people think about and taken them a bit further along in their "natural conclusions" progression. Well-considered.

I didn't think I liked The Dopplegangers that much while I was reading it, but I was disarmed by where it went and am impressed in retrospect.

The Messy Throes... was funny and a bit surprising.. consider if all of a sudden you alone had not frozen in time during a diner party..

Life Care Center was probably my least favorite of the bunch... I don't know, it just felt a bit bleak and unfocused. Which was probably intentional, but I didn't really understand how it fit in with the rest.

The Joined, conversely, may be my favorite. It considers a different kind of answer to the problem of human relationship insecurities, and, once again, surprises and impresses me with its ending.

Flesh and Blood is one of the more "bizarre" ones.. It removes certain objects from the narrator's vision and follows through her responses. This was also not one of my favorites.. I think because, unlike many of the others, I was "meh" about where it went.. It was sort of predictable.. but any short story collection will have one or two of these..

When the Tsunami Came is perfect in its short and sweet honesty.

Game was another I didn't particularly like. I think I understand what Phillips was trying to do with the dual story lines, but it's one of those views of an inane relationship that just didn't strike me in any way. I couldn't wait to be done with that one.

One of Us Will Be Happy... was also not one of my favorites. It felt a little forced and aimless at the same time.

Things We Do was another meandering relationship piece that felt a bit like Game to me.. just kind of meh. I'm sure some people will like these pieces the most -- but the review of depressing relationships has never been my favorite thing in literature.

R is one of my favorites. I love the perspective. This was a sort of quick view into a dystopia where weather and it seems jobs are controlled to protect people, and how two strippers(/prostitutes?) fare in such a world after experiencing something they shouldn't have.

Children was another great one -- where might a line be between insanity and truth..

The Worst was almost a satirical look at perspective. Enjoyed in its brevity.

How I Began to Bleed Again... touches on everyday pain and losses with a touch of mysticism and leaves just enough unanswered to satisfy.

The Beekeeper was an almost light story about a developing, unlikely relationship at a time of fear and worldly problems.. I liked the story and mostly liked the ending, but it was a little abrupt -- not what happens, but what happens after. (I know that's confusing, but I don't spoil :))

The Wedding Stairs is somewhat unsettling, somewhat shocking, somewhat sad, a little confusing, and very well done. Another one of my favorites in the bunch.

The final piece, Contamination Generation was hopeful and heartbreaking and so well executed. It is not-too-distant future in a world in which we have kind of killed nature, but in which the very rich and the middle-class (?) live side-by-side and the stark differences are outlined and felt. I wanted it go to somewhere different than it did, but Phillips was correct in her decision and it was the right ending to the whole book.

The Witch of Lime Street: Séance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World by David Jaher

Review based on ARC (Advanced Reader Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

This is a book with a fascinating subject: The existence and experience of spirits and seances and whether or not they are real (or were proven to be real and/or false). Houdini, named in the title, himself experimented with so-called psychic experiences, but as he never really did them but happened to be particularly talented at convincing people he was "the real deal," he was particularly skeptical about all others who claimed to in fact be in contact with spirits and/or the dead.

In addition to Houdini, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was heavily involved in the whole spirit world - he was an ardent believer of contact with the dead, largely driven by various deaths in his own life and others and the loss of so many people in the recent war and epidemic.

And then there is the famed Witch of Lime Street, the wife of a Boston surgeon. She is young and smart and appears to be genuine.

In addition, Scientific American created a contest to determine whether any psychic could prove his or her merits. And of course Conan wants Margery (the Witch of Lime Street) to enter the contest, and Houdini is on the committee to determine whether she (among others) are legitimate.

So, fascinating, right?! Right up my alley. Interesting historical topic about very interesting people.... and Jaher doesn't do a bad job. He just doesn't do a particularly good job either. I found the book often dragged and spent too much time re-explaining the same inclinations of the various peoples, rather than moving more quickly through the events and analyses. Nonetheless, I enjoyed learning more about the topic and found myself repeating the information I'd learned to others in (somehow) every day topic.

Overall, a good historical account of a fascinating group of people and series of events. I would recommend to people interested in the subject, with the obvious caveat to simply "bear with" the parts that seem to drag.

Overall, THREE of five stars.

7 Minis! From romance to sci-fi, from 1 star to 4.5!

Cloud Atlas

I particularly enjoyed the New Seoul section (LOVE the way Mitchell wrote the concept of a corpocracy!). And I wasn't as thrilled w/ the Hawaii after-the-fall section. But, overall, a very satisfying and enjoyable read! Mitchell is clearly a master at enveloping his reader in the setting in which he's writing ... in a book that covers 6 completely different eras and perspectives, this challenge was nevertheless met with apparent ease. I can't wait to see the movie now! It's waiting for me at the library :) And I can't wait to read more Mitchell!
FOUR of five stars


The Golem and the Jinni

Just a beautiful written tale. It's about a golem (generally, a mass of clay made into human'ish form for the purpose of serving its master, usually for a brief, intense, and muscle'y task) who finds herself master'less almost immediately after being brought to life, while on her way to New York at the turn of the century. This is one "half" of the book -- what and how Chava (the golem) do in a small Jewish community in Manhattan. Around the same time, a jinni (genie), named Ahmad, is brought back to existence by a clueless Syrian in a small community, also in Manhattan. And of course they 2 meet. Amid their stories and challenges, including the one that may challenge their very existence, we get a little mythology and a little history of the 2 and the others who impact their lives. It is not fast-paced, but it is well-paced. It never seems to slow really, just keeps on going. It was a very complete and satisfying read and I'm glad I finally got to it!
FOUR of five stars


The Phantasmagorical Astrarium Compendium

which I received from NetGalley (for free in exchange for an honest review)... Ugh. Almost immediately, I began reading sentences to my husband, who begged me to stop because it was so bad. I got to about 5% and he asked why I was still going, and I said I thought I owed it at least 10% (it's ~400 pages.. I had it in Kindle format, so I'm not sure how many pages, exactly). It just... it's one of those books where every 3rd sentence (on average) ends in an exclamation point. Seriously. It was almost impossible to take it seriously. It also had .... I really didn't see the originality in it. It purported to be original, and it sounded interesting, but it pulled (way) too much from other classics and... well, at 10% I just couldn't anymore.
ONE of five stars


Paper Magician

Another great disappointment. I did finish this one (and it read quickly enough)... it just was... blah. It was incredibly predictable and cliched, even while attempting to do something different (a paper magician -- one who uses magic via paper).  So.... yeah. Ready to move on...
TWO of five stars


From Notting Hill with Love Actually

I know some people really enjoyed this (including a good friend of mine!), but I couldn't do it. I understand the concept was that the main character is obsessed w/ movies, but McNamara took it too far and made too little story up herself. The characters are flatter than 2-dimensional, and if the ooooooobvious love interest grins one more time.......... argh. So Yeah. Couldn't.
ONE of five stars


Queen of the Tearling (audio version)

great book! (though I did listen to it on audio, as mentioned, and I think the reader deserves a lot of the credit... I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much as a self-read book?) I found myself often moved by the story, and the characters have been richly drawn and compelling. I'm very much looking forward to reading the 2nd - Invasion of the Tearling! (and I also can't wait to see the movie, starring Emma Watson!)
FOUR AND A HALF of five stars


Bellman and Black

I also really enjoyed this. Glad that I had read the reviews criticizing it for not being just like Thirteenth Tale (which I loved)... it isn't just like it. It's a completely different book and, in most ways, a completely different kind of book. But Setterfield is still an excellent writer and I really enjoyed it. EsPECially once the whole "Bellman & Black" bit takes off (about halfway through). Probably surprisingly, I was somehow newly inspired in my own ... erm, desires that resemble B&B (no spoilers -- but, for those who've read it, not the macabre aspect of it all ;))
FOUR of five stars

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

It's about: Hannah, a teenager who decides to commit suicide. But, before she does, she makes recordings on tape cassettes explaining why and pointing to 13 very specific reasons (people). She tells her story from where she sees the beginning, and explains how each of the 13 people who get copies of the recordings either contributed to her decision or could have helped her and didn't.

The thing is, it's uncomfortable, and the main character is at times very off-putting and unrelatable - in many ways a typical selfish self-obsessed teenager... and yet, I think the book should be REQUIRED reading for all 8th graders. Maybe even younger, I'm not sure.

Asher did an amazing job of going through the actual psyche and impact that various words and actions have had on Hannah that led her to kill herself. And although these words and actions will not always have the same impact on all teenagers, it is certainly not unusual for this type of reaction -- the isolation and fear and depression that results. At the same time, Asher did an amazing job with Clay (the other narrator) and hope and awareness.

Such an impressive feat.
An easy FOUR of five stars (based on audio version, listened to at 1.5 speed)

Two Years, Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

I don't know why this one was so hard for me to review. Rushdie has written a lyrical and poetic tale that is supposed to be a spin on 1001 nights. It is about a storm in the approximate-now (a little in the future) that resulted in 1001 nights of "strangenesses," a near-millennium long debate between two philosophers that began in the far past and continued into the time of the strangenesses, and a historical account of the narrators' ancestors, who began with one of the philosophers and continued into the 1001 nights of strangenesses. So right, that doesn't clear it up.

It's about a jinni who falls in love with a philosopher in the past, who allows him to mistreat her and refuse to marry her and give all of her children (with him) his legitimate name, and who passes back into her own world for nearly a thousand years, while their children have children and so on until there are many descendants all over the world and we are in the approximate-now. It is then about a re-awakening of the philosopher and his philosophical nemesis and their continued intellectual debate which turns into a physical war, apparently between the jinn and the humans but, at its heart, between the two philosophies. It then becomes about the war and the strangenesses that are indicative of that time when the jinn sought to take control and the humans, many descendants of the jinni-who-fell-in-love and her philosopher, who fo
ught back. And it is all told as a history, from the perspective of the future (near-1000 years in the future) descendants of the descendants.

Maybe that's why it's been so hard to review... it's much to wrap your head around. It is interesting and it is pretty and it is thought-provoking. It is romantic and harsh and philosophical. It is historical and analytical and distant. It is so many things (in not that many pages!), and it is a dense, thoughtful read. And it is enjoyable, but not fun. It is fulfilling in many ways, but not complete. Its focus is broad - covering millennia - and yet it is almost only about 1 person (the jinni who fell in love with a human). And it is even funny. Rushdie throws in a lot of repetition about the obsession of the jinn (sex) that, in lesser hands would have been infuriating but was, instead, point-making and amusing. I really appreciated a lot about the book. I liked Rushdie's story and imagination and his take on the 1001 nights.

What weren't so great to me were the pace and the fact that it seemed a bit unfocused. I would have liked the book to be a little more intentional about being 1 thing or another. I would have loved Rushdie's take on the fantastical or Rushdie's romance and philosophy or Rushdie's political waxing as a historical tome... but attempting all 3 at once ended up feeling a bit slow and cumbersome. It also felt a bit unfocused... I'm not sure why - it's not simply the time-period or the variety of characters that are covered - I think it was the constant shift in perspective, perhaps without enough of a shift in perspective. Maybe there was too much sameness with all the differences. I'm not sure, but it felt, to me, a little unfocused and a little belabored.

Nevertheless, I am very glad to have read this. I am looking forward to more Rushdie. I would definitely recommend to Rushdie fans. I would also recommend to those interested in a philosophical evaluation of our time with some fantasy thrown in for good measure. But I'm not sure I would recommend to someone looking for a quick fun magic-realism tale - this one takes on a more serious tone and pace.
All in all, THREE AND A HALF of five stars 

The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary

Review based on advanced reader copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What I think I enjoyed most about this book is the imagination that went into it. This is something I would like to recommend to my friends' children (only because I don't yet have my own!) because it's smart and thoughtful and ultimately has a good message without feeling preachy.

Saki (middle-grade) is forced to spend several days during her precious summer vacation in the village where her grandmother lives, preparing for the annual Obon ceremony (honoring the dead), rather than with her friends in her big-city Tokyo. She is, as expected, sullen about the retreat, spending the time with her family, and being without good signal on her cell phone. Looking for any way to have some real fun during this antiquated ritual time, Saki agrees to go with several local kids (typical troublemakers) to her family's property and dishonors it in an attempt to prove both her bravery and her coolness. Saki unknowingly invokes a death curse and opens the door to the spiritual world.

In the nights that follow -- the nights of the Night Parade -- Saki is guided by various spirits, meets good and evil spirits, and learns a lot about the village, the importance of the rituals and honor, and herself.

I thought Saki was written beautifully. She is a complex character, accurately depicting that pre-teen/teen angst, apathy, anger, care, and innocence all at once. She is frustrating and endearing and ultimately tries to do the right thing. I like that the path was not easy, that things were not always what they seemed, and that little efforts made big differences, both good and bad.

The book is pretty and soft and gentle, while addressing big and hard and deep issues. It is not fast paced, but it is steady and consistent throughout. And, as I said, ultimately, I think the things that Saki learns throughout her experiences in the book are great things. And I think the book pulls off an impressive feat by merging Japanese legends, universal truths, and difficult physical and emotion lessons with a beautiful, creative, and imaginative background, populated by a unique array of friends and foes.

I would definitely recommend (and give!) to smart middle and high schoolers open to something beautiful and thought provoking, and to anyone looking for the same!
(and a beautiful cover to boot!)
FOUR of five stars.

2 babies (smaller than minis ;))

Very cute and, from what other reviewers are saying, a cute Wodehouse parody-tribute. I haven't read any Wodehouse myself yet, but I intend to!

FOUR of five stars.










Some of the stories were great, some were ok, and a couple were pretty bad. But overall, a fine way to pass the day (stayed at home sick yesterday). This is definitely Chick-Lit or Rom-Com-in-Writing.

TWO AND A HALF of five stars.

The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier

SUCH a cool idea. This book is set in the not-too-distant future.

Half of the book (every other chapter) is about "the City," where people who have died congregate. The city is big enough to accommodate everyone who needs to be there. But people are only there for a limited amount of time.... the citizens of the city posit that they are there as long as someone alive still remembers them, though of course they have no way of knowing for sure what the "rules" are of this apparent in-between place. They live out a sort of second life in the city, where they neither age nor procreate, but otherwise seem to live just as on earth, with loves, hatreds, anger, frustration, etc. However, there appears to suddenly be a rapid influx and then a complete falling away of the population of the city, and the remaining residents are trying to figure out what is happening.

The other half of the book is about Laura Byrd, a "wildlife specialist" who has been sent to Antarctica on an exploration expedition to determine how Coca Cola (her employer) will impact the environment if it takes from the melting ice in Antarctica to use in a new formula it is considering. She is there with 2 others, when they lose communication with their employer and the other 2 set off to find supplies and information. Thus, Laura is left alone and as time passes, her supplies run low, she continues to have no communication, and she has no idea when her 2 cohorts will return, if ever.

And.... I don't want to say more because how this all plays out is very interesting! Brockmeier has a lyrical writing style, with the ability to notice (have his readers notice) the interesting things happening around the characters, without losing sight of the characters and their development. The pace is not ... hasty. Rather, it is steady and almost calm. Yet, as the story progresses, the events become more urgent, and you continue turning the pages (well into bedtime) because you must know, as all the characters desire, what in the world(s) is happening!

It's a though-provoking piece, published nearly a decade ago, that brings up concerns of what is happening to the world around us and/or what COULD happen to the world around us if we're not more careful, without being preachy.  I would definitely recommend this to a patient reader looking for something a little strange, a little sci-fi, a little thoughtful.

FOUR of five stars

A bunch of minis

Soul Tracker

Here's Amazon's synopsis (it's better than what I would write at this point :)):
What if you could visit heaven and hell, traveling when and wherever you wish . . . without ever dying? What if your teenage daughter, the joy of your life, had died a tragic death and you discovered a way to visit her? What if there were people and beings, on both sides of the grave, who want to stop your return? These are the questions facing novelist David Kauffman. As a single parent he is devastated when his young daughter meets an untimely death. Desperate to contact her, he meets Gita Patekar, a beautiful and committed Christian with a scarred and shame-ridden past. She works for “Life After Life”―an organization dedicated to tracking and recording the experiences of the soul once it leaves the body. Despite Gita’s warnings that God is opposed to contacting the dead, David uses the organization’s computer to try to find his daughter. In the process they discover Gita’s organization has some very deep and dark secrets. A suspense-filled game of cat and mouse begins―both on earth and beyond the grave―as the couple work together, fall in love, and struggle to expose the truth . . . until they come face to face with the ultimate Love and Truth.

my brief thoughts: I really enjoyed this! The writing is not spectacular (it's not bad, it's just a little simple), but the pacing is good, the plot is interesting, and the characters are relatable and engaging. I read this book quickly, and I am definitely looking forward to the 2nd and 3rd in the series!
FOUR out of five stars. 

Americanah



I thought the first half was very interesting, but the second half felt more like the author's blog/autobiography/expose on race. It had potential, certainly, but, IMHO, could have used a stronger editor.
THREE out of five stars.







The Island of Dr. Libris




I liked the end a lot, but the bulk of the book was unoriginal and lazy - relying on already written characters and literary tropes to move along a slow plot.
THREE out of five stars.






Snow White and the 77 Dwarfs



I was just altogether unimpressed with this. It felt like the author thought s/he was really clever, but s/he really was not. So, instead of 7 dwarves, there are 77, so her chores are neverending. So, after 1 day, she seeks out the evil queen for some sleep. ?! But the illustrations were nicely done! :)
TWO out of five stars.




Betsy's Story, 1934
It was cute and I thought it picked up the pace and ended well. I "saw it coming" pretty early, though I am definitely an adult reading a kid's book in this case ;) It's about a rich little girl in England and her cousin in America who's lost her fortune and is struggling. And the rich little girl in England (Betsy) knows that there are additional secrets, some good and some bad, that are being kept from her by her mother and, seemingly, her relatives and/or house-servants. So she sets out trying to discover the secrets before the adults deem it time for her to know them.

The little girl was headstrong (she is 11 going on 12) and entitled and unaware of real life, it seemed. But she was sincere in her desire to help those less fortunate than herself when presented with the opportunity. Her intentions were often misguided and, well, childish of course, but she seemed eager to do right and understand more so she could do more. I thought there were interesting morals at play here, but the overall story seemed to be ... I don't know, too black and white, too simple, too abrupt, even for the appropriate age.

But like I said, cute and sweet and an ok way to pass a little time. :)

THREE and a half of five stars. 

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

This is an interesting piece of historical fiction. It is 1686 and Nella (short for Petronella), at 18, finds herself on the doorstep of her new husband, 39, who she hardly knows, but who is a wealthy merchant in a bigger city who is supposed to help her life become new and wonderful.

However, of the many surprises Nella is confronted with when she arrives at her new home, one of the most confounding is how her new husband does not visit her bedroom and does not treat her as a husband typically treats his new wife. Instead, his gives her a replica of their home -- a "distraction" -- for Nella to furnish.

Nella seeks the services of a miniaturist to assist her and requests a few intro pieces. In return, the miniaturist sends Nella the requested pieces, along with a few unrequested pieces that seem to be exact replicas of items in Nella's new home. Does this miniaturist know the family? Has he been in the house? How did he create such perfect replicas?

Thus begins a subtle mystery as Nella both tries to stop the gifts and cannot wait for the next gift from the miniaturist, each new gift providing insight, prophesy, or explanation of happenings in Nella's increasingly complicated life.

We also meet her husband Johannes' sister Marin, an unmarried woman living in the house who almost seems more master of the house than Johannes or Nella, the "manservant" Otto, who has been educated and is more free with his relationship than Nella has ever seen before, their maid Cornelia who is not only fresh and forthright but, again, is more forward than seems proper for a maid. Add to that their "old friends" the Meermans and mysterious Jack Philip who seems to be more than the miniaturist's delivery boy, and the story has a complete and robust cast of characters, which take us through a short amount of time.

It was an enjoyable read. At times, it reads quickly and at others, Burton seems to relish the word as she slowly moves through the narrative. Overall, a satisfying read, filled with intrigue, tragedy, mystery, and love of many kinds.

Definitely recommend.. maybe a nice winter read with a cozy lap blanket and a warm fire.
FOUR of five stars.

Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

I read this in a day. It was easy to put down while other things were happening (conversations, driving, sleeping) and then pick it right back up again as if no time had been lost. It's a fast read, interesting, and definitely a page turner. It's a book I definitely thought about while I wasn't reading it.

It's about a girl (Jam, short for Jamaica) who loses the love of her life---although she only knew him for a mere 41 days, the feelings were so strong she is completely and utterly devastated by the loss. Like, well beyond normal processing. After so much time (nearly a year) has passed and her parents and teachers and friends simply do not know what to do with her, she is sent off to a school for special people (The Wooden Barn) --- for students who are intelligent but fragile.

Jam is placed into a class, Special Topics in English, which is apparently one of the most difficult classes to be placed in, and she has not even requested such placement. Jam's roommate is supremely jealous, having attempted to take the class herself, but Jam is, frankly, uninterested in all of it. She goes because she must. There are five students in the class. Their teacher, Mrs. Q, assigns one author for the semester and requires her class to write in journals that she provides. The author is Sylvia Plath.

As the class progresses, it becomes clear that the students in the class have emotions, responses, feelings, psychologies, or something else in common with Ms. Plath, and they slowly begin to open up with each other and Mrs. Q. Of course, other very strange things are happening to the students. I will quote the publisher blurb so as not to give anything away that has not already been given: Jam and her classmates are led "into a mysterious other world she and her classmates call Belzhar[. There], she discovers a realm where the untainted past is restored, and she can feel Reeve’s arms around her once again. But, as the pages of her journal begin to fill up, Jam must to confront hidden truths and ultimately decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to reclaim her loss."

It's a book that falls squarely into the magical realism category, which adds just the right amount of uncertainty, mystery, and mysticism to a story that is otherwise a teen drama about friendship, love, loss, and discovery. Although I do not typically love teen romance books, I really enjoyed Wolitzer's book that is more about the loss of love and recovery than anything else. It has its flaws .. some of the trauma that others have gone through seem much more severe than Jam's, yet she continues to mope in self-obsession and self-pity -- but I also felt that was actually pretty realistic for the teenage perspective. It is rather self-obsessed and has a hard time looking outside to gain perspective. And there are some "conveniences" that are a bit eye-roll'y, but overall, as I said, I just enjoyed it. It helps that I read it so quickly, I'm sure.

THREE AND A HALF of 5 stars.

The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter

I just didn't like it. I acknowledge that it's well written, so I can't give it a terrible rating. But it's Sooooo utterly dark and angry and depressing. It's "good".... but really wasn't enjoyable for me. Maybe if I had read more uplifting books lately, I wouldn't have felt so dragged down by it, but I came off of a couple of dark, angry books and ... honestly, when I finally finished the (200 page!) book, I could hardly bring myself to pick up another book.... (so glad I chose [The Martian]!!)

It's about ... well, it's weird because it's NOT about a magic toyshop. So, yeah, there's that. There's a toyshop, but ... there's no magic there. There's a hint of maybe supernatural or gothic or something ... like 3 times. Just a hint. But that's it. And ... it's easy to chalk it up to exhaustion, imagination, stress... rather than ANYthing supernatural at all. So you think you're reading a book about magic, but it's just not.

Melanie loses her folks and has to go live with her uncle in a dirty, poor part of London. Her formerly rich and lavish life takes a severe nosedive as she attempts to navigate a world in which the patriarch is an abusive, angry, oppressive force. And poor 15-year-old Melanie struggles with not being the loved, pretty, spoiled girl she once was, as her 12-year-old brother withdraws further into himself and her 5-year-old sister essentially forgets her former life. Along with her uncle are his mute wife (who is only ever referred to as "dumb") and her two brothers, one of whom Melanie finds herself simultaneously repulsed by and drawn to. And the uncle is a toy maker who hates many of his customers, and he is obsessed with life-sized puppets, which is creepy and weird.

So yeah. It's like a creepy, weird, dark, depressing story about terrible things happening to people. Terrible things.  But yes, it is well written. Carter has a talent.

So overall, three of 5 stars. Not enjoyable, but well done, if the story sounds like your kind of thing (and it apparently is for a LOT of people who really love this book).

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

My response in a sort of nutshell: It is so well written. Tartt seems to have really gotten into the minds of her characters to draw out their personalities and emotions and philosophies. The "happenings" -- i.e., what is actually going on -- for/in each phase of the book (Theo at ages 13, 14, 19, etc.) are quite interesting. The characters are all lovely -- even the ones you don't like! Of course Hobie is a favorite... reminds me a bit of a really smart Hagrid ;)  But. The only real "but" I have is there are a *lot* of pontifications... Theo is often musing on big life questions and Tartt herself seems to be inserting her own reflections by way of her various lists. These lists are not bulleted or numbered, of course, but I mean, she'll take a concept and then take it all the way to the end -- rather than simply stating something like "there were a lot of annoying types of people," she'll go through and list 'em all. Which is interesting and, as I say, SO well written... but sometimes made the whole thing feel drawn out a little bit much.

The synopsis in a smaller nutshell: Theo Decker loses his mom when he's a child -- only 13 years old. That's not a spoiler, you know that right away. The book takes you through Theo's life and covers all the consequences, physical and emotional and psychological, for the next ~14 years (not year-by-year, but more like phase of life by phase of life). I simply cannot say more about the plot because that would be a spoiler... but suffice it to say that Theo's life does NOT follow the normal trajectory, not even for someone whose mother died when he was 13.

Overall, a really excellent piece of literature. It's not a beach-read, nor a quick read, nor a plot-driven adventure. But it is engaging and cozy. Somehow, you feel wrapped up in the blanket of Tartt's novel, notwithstanding all the philosophical ponderings and rage and depression.

Definitely recommend... but make sure you have the time!
FOUR of five stars

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

It's not your standard mystery -- no detectives or cops (really).  Rather, it's sort of a family saga, multi-generational historical fiction with a compelling mystery wrapped up in it. It's a quick read, and it's one of those that is highly satisfying when it's all said and done.

What's it about? The blurb (so I don't inadvertently add anything by attempting my own synopsis ;)): "During a picnic at her family’s farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson witnesses a shocking crime, a crime that challenges everything she knows about her adored mother, Dorothy. Now, fifty years later, Laurel and her sisters are meeting at the farm to celebrate Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this is her last chance to discover the truth about that long-ago day, Laurel searches for answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past. Clue by clue, she traces a secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds thrown together in war-torn London—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—whose lives are forever after entwined. A gripping story of deception and passion, The Secret Keeper will keep you enthralled to the last page." (from Amazon)

It has plenty of "what?!" and "a-ha!" and "no ... that can't be..." moments, and an abundance of "aww" and "so sweet!" and other touching and moving moments. It's a great book for discussion and a great book for pondering.

The only things that I thought could use some improvement, as far as the writing was concerned, are the following: (1) I felt that there were a few characters who seemed like bit characters or those you didn't need to "hold onto" in your brain that later turned out to matter.... and so I found myself flipping back and forth a bit more than normal to try to remember who is this person that suddenly I'm supposed to remember; and (2) I thought the end, though great and satisfying in many ways, was a little abrupt. Can't say more, but there you have it.

Overall, a great book. I'm happy that my 2nd Morton didn't disappoint!
Definitely recommend.
FOUR (plus) of five stars.

The World Before Us by Aislinn Hunter

Review based on ARC.

This book has been quite the disappointment for me.  It's not that it's a terrible story and the writing is certainly poetic at times, but it took me weeks to slog through this... during the winter holidays, when I hoped to have accomplished much more reading!

The plot? Sounds so interesting... Jane is 15 and half-babysitting a little girl (the father is with them, but doing other things and Jane is charged with watching Lily) when the girl goes missing in the woods. Unable to move forward in her life whatsoever for the next 19 years, Jane obsesses over her failure and her devastation at the loss of Lily and the apparent loss of respect of Lily's father William, also Jane's first crush. So she spends her career focused on the same types of things that William (a scholar) also studies, and there is no surprise that their paths must once again cross. Where Lily was lost also happens to be the rough location of a lot of happenings surrounding (and the home of) certain historical figures (the Chesters, the Farringtons) about whom William and Jane study/research/write about/work in a museum about. This location also happens to be the rough location of the Whitmore convelascent hospital, from which yet another young lady, N--, had gone missing over a hundred years ago.

So right. You've got the two girls going missing, just sort of disappearing out of thin air, from the same location, and Jane who is able to research both.  So various ghosts converge on Jane to follow her around her life, hoping that someday she might stumble upon the answer of who they are, why they are there, and what happened with the missing girls.

This all sounds very intriguing to me. But that's not really what the book is about. That's almost more just like the backdrop for what feels like an excuse for the author to philosophize and wax poetic, redundantly, repetitively, meanderingly, aimlessly, and frustratingly (for the reader).

Sure, Hunter seems to have an ability to put together pretty sentences, and she seems to have a desire to drop little "a-ha" sentences along the way that are supposed to make the reader ooo and aaa.. But, unfortunately, those moments were more eye-rolling moments for me.  I was frustrated that the *story* never seemed to move forward. Between Jane's inability to progress and her ghosts' obsession with the past or the moment (but never the future), it just stagnated. That's how the story felt to me.... stagnant. And, frankly, a little obvious. It was clear to me rather early on who the ghosts were and what they were doing there.  I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how it took them 19 years to figure out some of the things it took them 19 years to figure out.

And personally... I thought the love interest was a cheap throw-in. It seemed to be an unnecessary sub-plot point created for no purpose other than to add some ... I don't know, steamy interactions? Wasteful to me.

So what was good? Well, as I said, Hunter is able to put together pretty sentences. And there was a great idea and a certain amount of intrigue. And although I felt she spent too much time on the nitty gritty details of the Farringtons or the Chesters that were wholly irrelevant to the rest of what was going on, there were interesting stories there. Certain characters were interesting (George and Norvill), and some of the dialog moved. So it wasn't terrible.  It was just terribly disappointing.

This is one of those books that just takes one step at a time... there's no real point, there's no real climax, there's not even really a resolution... But Hunter has presented arguably thought-provoking points made by the characters, an interesting way to look at the world and people, and arguably relatable characters simply attempting to make it through their lives... if that appeals to you, you will likely enjoy this book!

Overall, 2 and a half of 5 stars (round to 3 on sites w/o half-stars). A middle-of-the-road rating.

Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

I'll not say too much about this.. It's epic. It is the perfect book to cozy up with during the cold, snowy winter nights. It's a love story and a story about love. It's a story about potential and about hope. It's a story about faith and perseverance.

The movie makes this into a story just about Peter Lake, and I'll grant that he really is one of the the "main character," insofar as that's relevant. And I can completely understand why the movie needed to limit the scope. Because the book is beyond a simple movie.

It is a story about winter itself. About the magic of winter and the pain of winter. About the cold and the warmth. About families, about couples, about self. It's a large book with a large story to tell.  It is slow reading because there is just so much to take in. The descriptions of winter cover pages, but it's a story of winter, so it is right.

I definitely recommend. But have patience, it is worth the effort.
FOUR AND A HALF of five stars.

Invisible Ellen by Shari Shattuck

I don't know how Shari Shattuck got her perspective, but she succeeded where Shriver (Big Brother) failed. After having finished Big Brother, in fact, if I had remembered why Invisible Ellen was on my list, I might have passed.

I'm glad I didn't.

This is a book about a woman who has spent the first couple decades of her life perfecting the art of being invisible to other people. Between the way she walks, her posture, the way she smooths hair over her face, stays in corners, etc., she has essentially become "invisible" in society. The reason for this is several-fold, but essentially, her life was hard enough to make her uninterested in participating it. So she's happy with her chosen invisible life. She has no friends, no family, works the graveyard shift at Costco, etc. And yeah, she takes her comfort in comfort foods.. the worst of it. Anything bad for you is high on Ellen's list of to-eats.

Then one day, on her way to work, a blind woman stumbles into her on the bus, and treats her like everyone else. Which Ellen is not used to. This blind woman is charismatic, friendly, and full of life and intrigues Ellen. So when the blind woman gets off the spot, Ellen, who is very early for work and only couple spots away, decides to follow her a little. Lucky she did because two men decide they want to mug the blind woman and as they're running away, Ellen suddenly decides to do what she never does... get involved. Ellen recovers Temerity's purse and Temerity insists on thanking her with a meal.

Thus begins the unlikely and unusual friendship of Ellen and Temerity, which is really what this book is about. As the book proceeds, the reader is let into more and more of Ellen's past and why it was so horrible and why, among her weight and her half-burned face, she hates many common environments and peoples.

It is an encouraging, hopeful, and honest book. A lot of bad things surround Ellen and Temerity brings her light. But Ellen is also able to substantially give back to the relationship in ways that Ellen cannot understand are worthwhile. Due in part to Ellen's ability to blend in with the background, she is privy to a lot of private information in the world, which she and Temerity decide to interfere in, just a little.

The book is funny, light, heavy, and moving. It's not perfect---Temerity's over-the-top laughing at herself wears a little thin and their involvement in some of the stories around them is a little-less-than convincing---but it's really very good.

And it does a really great job of providing a little insight into how someone like Ellen lives, why, and where it all leads, or can lead. I really enjoyed this and I'm thoroughly glad I read it.

And I'd definitely recommend the book. Especially to people who are seeking more understanding into the inner psyche of someone who has placed themselves on the fringes of society. Obviously everyone is different and has a different story, but here's one that makes sense and was presented in a respectful and, as I say, honest way. FOUR+ stars!