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The Orphan Master’s Son

This book has been sitting in my pile of books to be read for at least a year, if not more (99% sure it has been there for two years).  I finally picked it up and started reading it, and then wondered why I had even bought the book. It was dense, slow to read, and left me wishing there was more.  Finally, it happened when the second part of the book came.  Here was the pace and the moving story line that I had been missing, the action that actually moved the book along instead of dragging it to a stop.The second part is what made the book worth reading.

I cannot help but wonder how accurate the depiction of North Korea is. Where did the author get his information from? How much is really an accurate portrayal?  Regardless, I know for a fact that I wouldn’t want to find myself living there regardless of the method.  But if it is a fairly accurate depiction, then I definitely found it enlightening.  North Korea is such a mystery to us, for it is almost impossible to go there (since you risk not coming back out), and visitors are not given a glimpse into the real life of its citizens, but instead are shown only what the government wants them to see.  Top it off with what is going on currently in the political scene with North Korea and the USA, and it was a very interesting insight into this country.

I do recommend picking up this book to read.  Just know that the first 200 pages are almost painfully slow, but after that the story will pick up and become truly interesting.  I wouldn’t say it is a beach read, but it is definitely one to read if you would like a fictional bridge into the world of North Korea.

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Beauty and the Beast (Timeless Fairy Tales)

If you have been following along, you know I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings.  I love them and truly feel that I cannot get enough.  It just is who I am.  The idea that you can take a story that has existed for years and tweak it, put your own spin on it, and create a new version is amazing.  Granted, not all of them are good, and some leave you extremely disappointed, but sometimes you find that gem that stands on its own.  This story falls in that second category.

Overall, there probably isn’t anything overly unique about this story.  Belle literally falls into the Beast’s life (through the glass roof), and what keeps her there isn’t a deal with the devil to save her father, but a broken leg.  Of course, she was spying on the cursed Prince to save her family, and the intrigue for most of the novel leads you to believe that she is working for the rival kingdom.  This adds quite a fresh take on the story, the spy who hates her captivity not because she is a captive, but because her inability to do her job could mean her family suffers.  Her captor is only grudgingly her captor, and it is truly his servants who are orchestrating her whole captivity in the hopes that she will be the one to break their curse.

This book was truly a delight to read.  IT had enough twists to make it different from the original retelling that it was unique, but managed to hang onto the spirit of the story itself.  It was a wonderfully easy read that is perfect to pick up when you don’t want a book that takes a lot of effort.

Read August 2017

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The Buddha in the Attic Review

This book took a bit of time to get into.  It is told from the collective viewpoint of several women who came to the United States from Japan as “Picture Brides” - women who married men based on their pictures and letters.  Everything is told from the collective we - some of us, others, we did that, this happened to many, a few had a different experience, etc.  Once you get used to the idea of the collective, it is much easier to read.

The subject matter along was truly interesting.  These women came over pre-WWII, and the story ends with their shipment off to the camps for the Japanese that was set up.  Their stories are different, yet the same, they experience a lot of the same hardships, yet different ones depending on where they ended up.  The story is the story of a group, a high level overview of the experiences.

Surprisingly short, this is an easy book to pick up and finish, perfect for a day at the beach when you just want to relax with something a bit more than just chick lit.  There are no names or characters that you are required to keep up with, just a collective group of women and their experiences in the new world.

Read July 2017

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Gone Girl Review

So I have finally read Gone Girl.  I know, I know, I am quite behind the trend.  To be fair, a friend gave me her copy in 2013 (yes, gave, not loaned; she apparently doesn’t like to keep books; she buys them, reads them, then gets rid of them; I do not understand her one bit), and I just never got around to reading it.  I started it, but couldn’t get into it.  So finally, it made it to the reading list as I worked through the giant stacks of books that I had acquired and yet to read, and I have to say it was alright.  I can see how it spawned a whole trend of psychological thrillers that have become popularly in recent years, but I think I waited too long to read it to truly appreciate it.  It had become too hyped up in my mind.

I will say the most fascinating part for me was trying to figure out what, exactly, Amy’s diagnosis was. Because it is very apparent that she is in need of some psychiatric intervention.  But that is the psychology student in me coming out.  Her scheming and machinations were interesting and well thought out, but it just wasn’t as thrilling or surprising as other books I have read in the past couple of years have been.  I guess I simply waited too long.

Read July 2017

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The Night Circus Review

The Night Circus must be one of my new, all-time favorite books. It is so well written, such a novel concept, and it is just beautifully done.  

I do find it kind of funny that within the last month I have read two books whose premise is a battle between magicians.  This one is far superior, but it is also meant for a more adult audience.  That truly may make all the difference. Needless to say, I loved how this one was structured, along with the depth of characters and their individual story lines that is not found in The Crown’s Game.

Each character, even those with only side parts, have their own history, their own story line, that plays an integral role in the overarching path of the story.  People that seem insignificant at the beginning, suddenly become extremely important towards the end.  It takes a truly talented writer to be able to give so many characters such detailed backgrounds, and then weave them into the story so seamlessly that it is hard to tell they have a bigger role until it happens.

I highly recommend picking up this book.  You will not be disappointed.  It is masterfully written, and just a simple joy to read.

Read July 2017

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The Neverland Wars Review

(So I accidentally deleted the copy of the review I had already written and cannot recover it...so basically this is my attempt to remember something I read what seems like ages ago)

So I was initially really intrigued by the concept of this story.  I love books that take fairy tales or other extremely common characters and reimagine them.  This book didn’t quite live up to my expectations.  It seemed overly detailed, which made it hard to get into, and it just seemed to drag throughout most of the story. 

I will say I am still rather intrigued by the concept, but I will not be spending money on the next book.  I will see if my local library has the series in its coffers, and read it in that instance only.  To spend money on a sub-par series just seems like a waste.

Read July 2017

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French Girl in New York Review

Like many of the books I read, I downloaded this one as a free ebook.  Unfortunately, this is one of those that I’m truly glad was free because I was overall not impressed.

It became very apparent early on in the book that this is a fairly immature writer.  The descriptions were over the top in many places, the grammar and word selection needs help, and it seems to me that there is a need for an editor’s involvement to help clean it up.  Overall, it wasn’t poorly written, but it definitely needs a bit of help.

I will say that I enjoyed the premise overall.  It was like a modern Cinderella story of sorts.  It was a novel take and definitely interesting to read.  With a bit more cleaning of the writing, I think the book would be a great foundation for the series.  I can honestly say I won’t be purchasing any of the subsequent books, but the author does show promise.

Read June 2017

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The Forgotten Seamstress

This book was a fun and interesting read.  The story is told in two parts: the first, a retrospective memoir of a woman’s life, from her time as an orphan through her years at a mental hospital; the second, a modern day mystery, attempting to trace the history of a quilt unearthed in an attic.  It is easily apparent that these two stories are related through this quilt, and as it continues to start to trace the path it moved, from the stages of its creation down to the possession of the current owner.

I will say, the closer I got to the end, the more strongly I felt about the outcome of the story.  It is obvious that Maria’s story is true, and it became apparent that she is the paternal grandmother by blood to the young woman who is trying to learn more about her grandmother’s friend who crafted this extraordinary quilt.  The predictableness of the outcome shouldn’t deter you, as the story is well written and well thought out.  

If you are a fan of the historical, especially as it, in turn, relates to our world today, then I highly recommend you pick up this book.  Add in the mystery and the work to uncover the true story behind the quilt, and you have a light easy read that is perfect for the summer.

Read June 2017

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Saint Anything Review

I fell in love with Sarah Dessen many years ago.  Yes, she writes YA meant mainly for young women, but the way she addresses many issues is quite impressive in my opinion.  Usually, yes, there is a guy, but getting the guy is not the end game for these leading ladies, but he does play an important role in helping her grow and develop and overcome the issues she has been facing.

Saint Anything follows this trend.  Issues at home with the family, all of the sudden being thrust into the public eye, the invisible second child doesn’t know how to cope. She makes changes, and suddenly finds herself in a group of people who truly care about her, look after her, and help her out.  From there, love and support continues to grow as she develops her confidence and finally helps her discover and show her role in the family to her parents.  In this book, the boy becomes her safety net, there to help catch her if she falls, giving her the confidence to be able to grow.

If you love Sarah Dessen’s work, then I believe you will enjoy this read.  It is light, quick, and easy, enjoyable, and I honestly couldn’t put it down (I stayed up until 3 am to finish it).  Definitely a good coming of age book.

Read June 2017

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The Little Paris Bookshop Review

When I told a couple of my friends that I was starting to read this book, one of them wished me good luck.  She said that she had not been able to make it through the book because of the writing. My exact thought was “Great.  This is going to be painful.”  How surprised I was when I discovered that the book was in no way painful, but actually a joy to read.

This book spoke to me in a way that many others haven’t in quite some time.  I can’t put it into words exactly, but there is something about this book that spoke to my soul.  It filled a need I didn’t realize I had, and lifted me up at the very center of my being.  I really wish I could say more, but it is truly difficult to put into words.  All I know is that this book was the book I needed right now.

Aside from this, I love the thought of someone prescribing books to help cure what ails you, to help you cope emotionally and spiritually in this world.  I know there are literary therapists out there, and I want to become one, to help people find what they need in the books they can read.  For sometimes our problems cannot be fixed or solved by common counseling practices, sometimes it is truly hard to put into words what we need.  If I could find someone like Perdu, who could look at me, ask the right (yet very odd) questions and then provide me with the books I need, I think my life would improve drastically right now.  For I know I have been dealing with some very difficult things, a lot of which I struggle to put into words, and books have always been there for me to turn to when life gets to hard to handle.  To have a book do even more than that for me would be magical.

This book may not be for you.  That is okay. As Perdu says at one point, some books were written for only one person, others for many.  It may be that this is not the book for you right now, but maybe one day will be.  That can be said of many books.  Sometimes books have to be read at the right time by the right person to truly have the impact they are meant to.  The great thing is, books will never let you down.  They will be there for you when you need them, and in ways that no person could every truly help.  This book is truly a masterpiece for the bookworms, those who have trouble putting into words exactly what books mean to them, because they are often more important than air itself.

Read June 2017

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Rules of the Game Review

The thrilling conclusion to the Endgame trilogy continues much the same way as the previous two books.  There is still a puzzle to be solved, and there is still a fair amount of action, and the game itself is extremely close to being over.  I will say, though, that this book marked some pretty significant changes to both how the game was played and the amount of action.  This book saw more teamwork and less action because of this.  They have  discovered the secrets behind Endgame and the history of many of their lines, and now they are setting out to save the human race.

Furthermore, I will say that this book had a couple of Game of Thrones-esque deaths - those that come unexpectedly and out of nowhere.  It actually seriously pissed me off, but it is understandable.  But still, wasn’t expecting that to happen.

Finally, the book does end on a wonderfully hopeful note, which is a nice balance to the alien-induced apocalypse that is the primary focus of the trilogy.  So at least you end on a good note.

Read June 2017

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Sky Key Review

Much like the first book in the series, Sky Key is action packed and nonstop.  The story of the remaining players continues to push and move forward, with rarely a lull in sight.  I think the style of this book is what helps the action remain steady, for when one character reaches a lull – such as Sarah in her captivity – there are others whose stories are still moving forward to help take up the slack.  With so any characters to follow, it is not surprising that there is enough action to fill 400+ pages without slowing down.

Speaking of the number of players, one would expect some of the stories and characters to be lacking, for the effort to fully flesh out that many characters, coupled with their storylines, is immense.  But I did not find that the case here.  Each character is well rounded, several with development arcs (and the few that do not have them are not ones you would expect to develop at all anyway), and their individual storylines are well thought out and fully fleshed.  This is truly a marvel of character writing, especially since each player’s individual story plays an important role in the development of the overarching storyline.  Each has an equal contribution to play in the development of Endgame, and we can see the lines change and move, the outcome become more in question, the true ending also come into question as such characters learn and discover more about what exactly they are participating in and their power to manipulate the outcome.

I will say that I ignored the puzzle clues in this book.  Not having internet access at home makes it significantly harder to join in the puzzling, and I will once again renew my request for a solutions book. Explain what is going on and how it works.  Teach me the method behind the puzzles, for that is something that I also find truly fascinating.  Maybe one day when I have steady internet access I will attempt to solve them on my own, but right now that is not going to happen.  But it will forever remain an option.

Read June 2017

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Endgame: The Calling Review

This was my second time reading Endgame: The Calling, as, you can guess, to ensure I was completely up-to-date on what happened when I started the rest of the series.  I remember finding much of this book frustrating the first time I read it, and I have to say that hasn’t changed, but my ability to cope with it has.

This book is novel: it is a book about a game that includes a game for the readers.  You can play the game alongside many of the characters, and there was a real-life game online for those who wanted to try to win the $500K in gold.  Needless to the say, both clues were hopelessly confusing, and it took the man who won the real-life prize over a year to solve all the puzzles.  I, personally, would rather have explanations and solutions to the numerous clues that the players are given in the book. For they are everywhere and none of them make sense to me.  I’m sure I’m missing key bits of information, but regardless, will someone please supply a solution and explanation manual for this series?  It would be much appreciated.

Overall, this book is extremely fast paced and relatively easy to read.  Keeping the players and their lines straight is a bit of a challenge, especially at first, but slowly you learn who they are and the constant identification of their lines amongst the players definitely helps.  The action in this book does not disappoint, either. It is more or less constant movement, puzzling, fighting, scheming, planning, and so forth for each of the twelve players.  With so many people to watch, it is understandable why the down town is so very limited.  The players are racing against each other, and therefore we must race alongside them as we jump from character to character.

A note on formatting: I did find the lack of paragraph indentions rather annoying.  You often don’t realize how helpful they are not only in distinguishing your location on the page, but also in general comprehension. When you have multiple characters viewpoints in the same chapter, it can sometimes confuse the issue of who is speaking, whose viewpoint you are looking from, or generally when there is a change in action or something happens, because the normal visual cue isn’t there.

To recap: this is a fast paced novel that is made for those who love action and puzzles.  Be advised that the chances of you being able to quickly discern any answer to the puzzles is slim without some brain power, but overall it does not affect your reading of the book (more like just make it frustrating if you want to know how they got the answer they got from what they were given).  It is a novel premise for a book, and while it may not be at the top of my list for recommending to my friends, it definitely is not one I would strongly discourage them against.

Read June 2017

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The Crown’s Fate Review

As a follow up to The Crown’s Game, I truly believe that this is the novel that we as readers needed.  It was the sequel we required to lay to rest the events at the end of the first novel and leave the world we inhabited briefly in a much better place. Though, as expected, this growth is a long and painful one.

I feel that this book explores more thoroughly than other YA books the consequences of actions.  The fallout from the Crown’s Game and the actions that brought it to a close, the choices the characters make followed by the results of those choices.  Over and over again we see a clearer, more direct line drawn between these outcomes. Pasha has an Enchanter who is only serving him because of a vow she made, one that punishes her if she doesn’t follow his orders.  Nikolai seeks his revenge on his brother and friend for his actions in forcing the end of the game.  Vika scrambles to hold both of the men she cares for together, tries to keep them from journeying any farther down a dark road than they have already traveled, and the outcome such decisions bring about.  The taint of acquiring power immorally, and how that taint affects not only the one who brings it about, but also all those it touches.  How closely belief and fear are tied together when it centers around something that the majority cannot understand or explain.  I feel that this book is about consequences, and how we learn to live with them, heal from them, forgive others, and move forward into what hopefully, in the end, will be a better future.

All that being said, I have to say I was a little disappointed that this was the end of the series.  Well, at least the end of this specific storyline.  Skye may choose to continue the series, but if she does it will have to be with a new storyline.  There is no cliffhanger, no desire to know what happens next.  Everything is tied up with a nice little bow.  All the wrongs have been righted, everyone has been forgiven, and together they are working towards a better future.  In a world of trilogies, this was a bit of a surprise, to say the least.  A pleasant one, though.  It was nice to be able to finish a series without having to wait a year for the next book.  

Overall, I enjoyed this series.  I feel that it has a very novel subject matter, it brings out some important lessons for YA fiction that I haven’t seen detailed so much, and it is a complete series now.  If you are looking for a 19th century novel that takes place in a novel setting, then I highly recommend picking up this series.

Read June 2017

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Born a Crime Review

I’m probably a bit late to the game, but before this book was put forward for my book club to read, I had never heard of Trevor Noah.  Now, of course, I know he is part of the Daily Show, but that is not a show I watch.  However, reading the stories from his childhood interspersed with his commentary on apartheid and live in general, was one of the best nonfiction books I’ve read in a while.

I think one of the things I found most interesting was his take on languages.  It is the part of the book that I noted the most – underlining, writing in the margins.  Because of how different South Africa is when it comes to racial groups, it is clear how language could become almost more divisive than skin color.  Much as his paler skin color allowed him to move easier between racial groups later in life, so did his ability to speak multiple languages.  And the fact that he brings up language being more of a social divider than race was novel, but also true.  Anytime he was an outsider, if he showed he spoke the language, he was accepted as one of the group, and it was often a means he used to avoid bad situations, such as muggings.  It made me think about how when I travel, I try to learn at least a few specific words in the language of the country I am visiting.  I have no hope of learning enough to actually converse with people, but I have found that greeting someone in their native tongue helps increase their willingness to help you with whatever you are looking for.  Even in countries where most of the population is bilingual – speaking both their native tongue and English – an honest effort to show that you are making an effort often brings sympathy and a greater willingness to help than simply starting in English and expecting them to understand you. Perhaps that attempt at using their language has a greater impact on their perception of you than I previously thought.  I always did it to try to avoid being the ugly or rude American, but maybe it also shows not only a greater respect for their culture, but also an effort to meet them partway in the game of communication.  I feel like there is something here to be fleshed out more, but Noah’s book definitely brings a lot of food for thought to the table when it comes to language and its role in social interactions.

One of the other things I truly appreciated was how Noah informed and illustrated what South Africa was like during apartheid and after.  Apartheid was not something that I studied during school.  Occasionally it was mentioned, but there never was a lot of time spent actually discussing it and how it worked.  Noah brings this part of the world and its history alive, giving facts about how it was upheld coupled with stories to show the direct human impact that it had.  It is truly the best way  to gain a greater understanding of this era, a great balancing of fact and anecdote. Despite everything he and his family went through, never once is Noah complaining about his life, whining or saying “look where I had to start”.  Instead, this was simply his life, and he is not a victim despite the fact that he was in most respects a victim.  His life, the origins of his life, gives a truly unique perspective on the time period, and a greater understanding of what it means to identify as one race when people assume you are another based only on your skin tone.  From the benefits his skin toned gained him to the problems it created, Noah paints a picture of what it was like growing up at the end of and after the fall of apartheid.

I highly recommend this book.  I feel that there are some great discussion topics within it, I can see it being used in AP classrooms to help give a bit of perspective on that time period, and it has its humorous anecdotes – like the one of Hitler visiting a Jewish school for a cultural show.  It has also been recommended that you listen to the audiobook of this novel as it is read by Noah himself.  I haven’t done that yet, but several people in my book club laud it.

Read June 2017

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The Crown’s Game Review

19th Century Russia, two Enchanters, and a Game for glory...and freedom from death.

If that is enough to spike your curiosity, then this book is for you.  Overall, I found it a good, light YA read.  I will say I was a bit disappointed to find a love triangle (if it was a bit one-sided/two-sided), but I was also glad to see that it didn’t become the focus.  It did, of course, play a key impact in the ending, and I was actually disappointed on that front, but what can you do?

Overall, it was a novel story line.  I’ve already ordered the next book (which was thankfully published a month ago), and look forward to seeing where the story goes from here.  The development will play a key role in my feelings on the whole love triangle outcome, and I have some lingering questions about the parentage of the Game’s winner.  I’m also curious to see if this becomes a trilogy (or longer).

Read June 2017

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The Chemist Review

Okay, if you are a fan of spy movies/books, then I highly recommend this novel.  It is fast-paced, full of intrigue, and overall enjoyable.

This novel picks up en medias res, with our main character on the run for reasons she is not sure of.  All she knows is that her previous employer wants her dead, they have attempted to kill her three or four times now, and they succeeded in killing her mentor and friend.  When they contact her and offer a trade: one more job for freedom, she takes it, which puts her on the path running once again, this time with others, and the opportunity to potentially figure out what put her on the kill list to begin with and hopefully to end the chase once and for all.  

I think one of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the fact that it is a small, female protagonist, who was not trained as a spy and is making do with the knowledge she has gleaned from books and movies and her own experiences.  She is extremely smart and intelligent, and her brain is obviously her best lifesaving asset.

Additionally, I enjoy Daniel and his trusting nature.  It is a nice counterpoint to both our protagonist and his brother.  He is truly the glue that makes their team work, despite the fact he has basically no experience or guile, nor a knack for this new world he has been thrust into.

Side note: Khan and Einstein make me want a personal protection dog extremely bad.  I want one I want one I want one.

Read June 2017