Jules' Book Reviews

Book Review: The Blondes

2013-06-18T21:57:00.000-04:00

Title: The Blondes

Author: Emily Schultz

Pages: EBook 270

Summary: Hazel Hayes is a grad student living in New York City. As the novel opens, she learns she is pregnant (from an affair with her married professor) at an apocalyptically bad time: random but deadly attacks on passers-by, all by blonde women, are terrorizing New Yorkers. Soon it becomes clear that the attacks are symptoms of a strange illness that is transforming blondes--whether CEOs, flight attendants, skateboarders or accountants--into rabid killers.

Hazel, vulnerable because of her pregnancy, decides to flee the city--but finds that the epidemic has spread and that the world outside New York is even stranger than she imagined. She sets out on a trip across a paralyzed America to find the one woman--perhaps blonde, perhaps not--who might be able to help her. Emily Schultz's beautifully realized novel is a mix of satire, thriller, and serious literary work. With echoes of Blindness and The Handmaid's Tale amplified by a biting satiric wit, The Blondes is at once an examination of the complex relationships between women, and a merciless but giddily enjoyable portrait of what happens in a world where beauty is--literally--deadly

My Rating: 4.75/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: I enjoyed a few aspects of the book, the basic premise behind the disease and how it spread was interesting, and had that been more explored, I think there would have been less of a chance of me losing interest in the book. There were also a few things here and there that were hinted at and I wish the author took me as the reader down that way rather than, Hazel retelling what happened, to her unborn child. This was where the author lost me as a reader for the most part. No matter how I look at the book or what I took away from it, creepy thriller versus a satirical novel, how the author told the story, really influenced and had a negative effect on the overall story for me.

The book had two sides to it, a serious, creepy thriller versus a satirical thriller. On the more serious side of the book, I think was where the author seemed to shine the most. There were a few superbly written moments, that were only touched on, but would what was there, was fantastic. I found that the satrical side of things got a bit muddled and forced when the author did this. It didn't come across as a natural flow for the story and while there were a few moments that made me laugh, I think the book fell apart because it seemed to concentrate to strongly on the satirical side of things. I also found that anything to do with Gale didn't work well for me, she was a character and an aspect of the book that really needed to be toned down. Her appearances were repetitive and didn't really add much to the actual story.

The characters were also a big reason why the book didn't work for me. There was an entire cast of characters that didn't really invoke any emotion or connection to at all. I was bored with them all, and I never could get myself to like them to actually care what would happen.

Overall, the book started off with some interesting potential and while I found it to be an original read, it didn't work for me in the end.

Would I recommend it to read: I don't think I would, I found that the book just didn't come together enough for me to recommend it.

What to read next: This is another book I'm at a lost with. I picked the book up because, it was on the list of eligible reads for the 2013 Giller prize, long before the longlist/shortlist was released (basically any book published between a certain time frame goes on that list). So I'd say check that list out, I've found some interesting finds there.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI, EBook Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: The Painted Girls

2013-06-18T21:12:00.000-04:00

Title: The Painted Girls

Author: Cathy Marie Buchanan

Pages: 349

Summary: Paris. 1878. Following their father’s sudden death, the van Goethem sisters find their lives upended. Without his wages, and with the small amount their laundress mother earns disappearing into the absinthe bottle, eviction from their lodgings seems imminent. With few options for work, Marie is dispatched to the Paris Opéra, where for a scant seventy francs a month, she will be trained to enter the famous ballet. Her older sister, Antoinette, finds work — and the love of a dangerous young man — as an extra in a stage adaptation of Émile Zola’s naturalist masterpiece L’Assommoir.

Marie throws herself into dance and is soon modelling in the studio of Edgar Degas, where her image will forever be immortalized as Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Antoinette, meanwhile, descends lower and lower in society, and must make the choice between a life of honest labor and the more profitable avenues open to a young woman of the Parisian demimonde—that is, unless her love affair derails her completely.

My Rating: 7.5/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: Overall, I enjoyed the book, it had a good story, some good character development and for the most part it kept my interest, but it didn't exactly live up to the hype the book received. The book quite never captured me and I never got that need to read the devour the book in a sitting.

The story was slow moving, but I think it worked wonderfully for the book, it helped build the characters and ensured the story flowed naturally. Although I did find certain aspects of it, including the ballet practice to be a bit repetitive, it was still interesting to read about, and I think the author captured the day to day life of the sister during the time period exceptionally well. I also enjoyed how the author took equal time to concentrate on each sister and the progress throughout the book. Both story lines interconnected and wove in and out of the other which I enjoyed. Sometimes you were able to see a different view point of an event or the character's behaviour, without that part being retold - and I think it added something to the story.

The author also managed to show each sister's story and development consistently throughout the entire book, working in the twists and keeping the character development and the character's personalities true to the character. Unfortunately, while the characters were well developed, fleshed out characters, I found they weren't exactly likeable or characters I could really enjoy reading about. The trials and hardships they went through were well explored, but something was missing for me to truly enjoy them or want to like them enough to get into the book. I never had that drive to want to read on, to see what would happen with the characters, and how their story would end.

In the end, it was a good read, well worth reading, but it wasn't as extraordinary as I thought it would be.

Would I recommend it to read: I would. I don't think it lives up to the hype it's received, but it was still a good book to read.

What to read next: The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI, New Author Challenge

Book Review: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

2013-06-14T10:00:00.001-04:00

Title: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

Author: Ayana Mathis

Pages: 256

Summary: In 1923, fifteen-year-old Hattie Shepherd flees Georgia and settles in Philadelphia, hoping for a chance at a better life. Instead, she marries a man who will bring her nothing but disappointment and watches helplessly as her firstborn twins succumb to an illness a few pennies could have prevented. Hattie gives birth to nine more children whom she raises with grit and mettle and not an ounce of the tenderness they crave. She vows to prepare them for the calamitous difficulty they are sure to face in their later lives, to meet a world that will not love them, a world that will not be kind. Captured here in twelve luminous narrative threads, their lives tell the story of a mother's monumental courage and the journey of a nation.

My Rating: 7.75/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: The book was slow and character driven, but the author manage to create a very realistic cast of characters, who in the last chapters, left a haunting impression on me. While I may not have loved the book enough to inhale it in a sitting, it was a very good and worthy read.

The characters were well done. Both well created and developed, the author created a very interesting cast of characters, very flawed characters, and there are ones I found I disliked, but the author did a good job at creating a cast of very believable characters.

I did find that not all the stories connected together well, while the ongoing theme of Hattie and her influence on the children at the various points in life was there, I found that the book read as individual short stories, rather than a novel, or a collection of connected stories. There were times were the stories linked together, but I found most of them didn't flow into each other, which made for a choppy read. The last two stories/chapters in the book were both haunting and stunning, and were probably my favourite part of the entire book. It was the first time, everything was truly linked to create a novel, rather than interconnected short stories, and the focus point for the last to stories, was told wonderfully - it got me interested in the book again, after a few lulls in the book. They also gave me a whole new outlook on the book as a whole, and Hattie as a character.

In the end, I did end up enjoying the book quite a lot.

Would I recommend it to read: I would recommend it to read. There is a lot in the book to take from, and I think there are a lot of readers who would enjoy it.

What to read next: The Secret Life of Bees is the only book that pops into my mind.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, New Author Challenge

May Wrap-Up

2013-06-13T05:52:00.001-04:00

May was quite the month for me - as real life got pretty hectic between work and other personal events. So I didn't manage to read much, and it seems I'm still in a bit of a reading slump. Which I hate, because I find that when you're in a slump, I have an even harder time choosing what to read next, because not sure if the slump will continue or not. One of those things I suppose. June should be a little better, at least I'll have a little more time to read and post reviews - and become more social with everyone again. But May seems to have been a bit of a write off.

The Books

As I said above, I've been in a reading slump and there weren't a lot of fantastic reads this month. There were some good and interesting books - but still nothing that screamed awesome for me. I finished the mini-series from my SGA books and those books ended up being my favourites of the month. My least favourite books were Fishy ducky's Fables and The Blue Castle. But all in all, it was a slight improvement from last month, but not by much.

1. The Girl Who Fell From the Sky - Heidi Durrow - 7.75/10
2. Cream Puff Murder - Joanne Fluke - 7/10
3. Heidi - Joanne Spyri - 8/10
4. Secrets - (SGA 20/Book 5 of the Legacy Series) - Jo Graham, Melissa Scott - 8.25/10
5. The Inheritors (SGA 21/Book 6 of the Legacy Series) - Jo Graham, Melissa Scott, Amy Griswold - 9/10
6. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan - 7/10
7. Fishducky's Fables - Fran Fischer - 5/10
8. The Blue Castle - L.M. Montgomery - 5/10

The Challenges

I'm falling slightly behind on my challenges, but not by much. I think in the next couple of months I should be right on target - or hopefully, slightly ahead. A Few challenges are going wonderfully, and I think it's safe to say I'll have a handful done by the end of summer, so challenge wise, things are going pretty much as planned.

1. 100 Books in 2013 Challenge - 51/100 -51%
2. 2013 Category Challenge - 46/131 - 35%
3. 777 Challenge - 3/7 - 43%

4. Alphabet Challenge 2013 - 25/52 - 48%
5. E-Book Challenge 2013 - 25/50 - 50%
6. Finish That Series Challenge 2013 - 0/4 (Series), 1/7 (Books) - 0%
7. Ireland Reading Challenge 2013 - 4/10 - 40%
8. Mental Illness Advocacy Challenge - 4/12 - 25%
9. Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013 - 25/75 - 33%
10. Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge 2013 - 4/5 - 80%
11. New Author Challenge 2013 - 31/50 - 62%
12. Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge 2013 - 1/5 - 20%
13. War Through the Generations Challenge 2013 (American Revolutionary War) - 1/3 - 33%
14. 50 Book Pledge - 51/100 - 51%

Countries Visited

This month through my reading travels I "visited" The USA, Switzerland and England. Oh, and I went up to the Pegasus Galaxy.

Create your own travel map - TravBuddy

Books That Followed Me Home

Full House - Maeve Binchy
Heart and Soul - Maeve Binchy
The Painted Girls - Cathy Marie Buchanan
The Golem and the Jinni - Helen Wecker

EBooks

The Hypnotist - Lars Kepler
The Blackhouse - Peter May
Open - Lisa Moore
Signs and Wonders - Alix Ohlin
Away From Everywhere - Chad Pelley
Solomon Gursky Was Here - Mordecai Richler
Baggage - Jill Sooley

And that's it for may folks!

Book Review: The Blue Castle

2013-05-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Blue Castle

Author: L.M. Montgomery

Pages: EBook - 248

Summary: At 29, Valancy had never been in love, and it seemed romance had passed her by. Then a letter arrived from Dr. Trent, and Valancy decided to throw caution to the winds. Soon she discovered a surprising new world, full of love and adventures.

My Rating: 5/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: I couldn't get into this book, even with the majority of the theme being a women coming out and breaking some of the social constrictions, early feminism and all that. I personally found it boring with a cast of silly characters - it felt more like a poorly done satire - than anything else.

The first half of the book I slogged through - it was difficult to keep reading and there were times I nearly gave up on the book. In the middle, the book did start picking up - I appreciate what the author was trying to show with Valancy, I couldn't connect to it. The story itself wasn't the greatest, and I found all the characters lacked any sort of depth, and I didn't like the ending much at all either - like with the entire book, I felt it had a lot of plot strings, but nothing came together properly.

In the end, it wasn't the greatest of reads.

Would I recommend it to read: Hmm, I'm not sure on this one. It wasn't a good book, and while I suppose, there is some early issues of "feminism" in it, the book wasn't exactly one I'd call a good read. Although I do seem to be in the minority of this opinion, it's not one I'd recommend.

What to read next: I'd stick with the Anne of Green Gables, the author's talent seems to be better directed towards children, than adults.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI, EBook Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge

Book Review: Fishducky's Fables

2013-05-31T10:11:00.000-04:00

Title: Fishducky's Fables

Author: Fran Fischer

Pages: EBook 125

Summary: This book contains every single fairy tale, legend and nursery rhyme ever written (except for the ones Fishducky didn’t include).

Join Rapunzel, the Ugly Duckling, Snow White, Chicken Little, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty & the Beast, Robin Hood and many more beloved characters in this hilarious short story collection that will have you laughing out loud.

My Rating: 5/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: The book wasn't too bad, but it really wasn't cup of tea either. While there were a few stories and rhymes that made me chuckle, I found that the wasn't anything to special about any of them. Sure they were funny, and the author added an interesting twist to some of them to make them in to her own, but I found that overall, the individual stories didn't impress me much.

The writing was simple, to the point, and abrupt at times, but it worked with how the author tied her own personal twist to the stories.

Overall, it was good for a chuckle, a quick read, but not one that impressed me to much - especially compared to other satirical books in the genre.

Would I recommend it to read: It's a fast read and entertaining at times, but it wouldn't it be at the top of my list of books I'd recommend.

What to read next: I'm not sure on that one, there are a lot of books and stories taking fairytales and classics and twisting them around, so I'd say check those out.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, EBook Challenge, New Author Challenge

I received this book from LibraryThings Early Review program in exchanged for a book review.

Book Review: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

2013-05-30T17:30:00.000-04:00

Title: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Author: Robin Sloan

Pages: 288

Summary: The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.

My Rating: 7/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: I liked aspects of the book, there were parts that were interesting to me, but as a whole it was a bit of a disappointment compared to the amount of hype it's received. It was okay, but not spectacular.

I did enjoy the books eclectic characters, and the main plot was a fun read. A bit odd, but it did make it worth reading. I just found that while the plot was fun and eccentric, it seemed to lack in depth and I found that it didn't come together well. I felt like there was a big piece of the story missing to make everything come together. I also found the book went overboard in mentioning things like, "Google", it began to feel like I was reading something sponsored by the company, rather than a book. And while the character were eccentric and fun to read about at times, they weren't very concrete characters, and where rather one sided - none of them are all to memorable and they were, at times somewhat stereotypical.

The narrative and writing were fine, and overall I did enjoy the book, but it wasn't a spectacular read like I thought it would be.

Would I recommend it to read: I would, it wasn't what I was expecting, but a good read, and a good choice for anyone who enjoys books about books.

What to read next: Hmm, I can't pick an actual title out, but more books about books would be a start.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: The Inheritors

2013-05-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Inheritors

Author: Jo Graham, Melissa Scott, and Amy Griswold

Pages: EBook 296

Summary: End game. The battle lines are drawn.

Queen Death is mustering her fleet. But who will stand against her? As conflicts and betrayal threaten to shatter Atlantis's fragile alliances with Guide's Wraith and the Genii, humanity's only hope of survival rests on the fate of an Ancient device - a weapon too terrible to use but too powerful to cast aside. A weapon capable of exterminating every Wraith in the galaxy, and with them every human carrying Wraith DNA.

With Queen Death's fleet fast approaching, Colonel Sheppard and his team must make their final choice. In the sixth and concluding installment of the STARGATE ATLANTIS Legacy series, the future of Atlantis will be decided - and more than one of her crew will be called upon to sacrifice everything in the fight for her survival.

My Rating: 9/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: This book was very well done, and I found myself anxiously awaiting what will happen next - and despite some of the issues I had it, it was an excellent close to the miniseries. I think the authors did a good job at collaborating on this, although there were a few times I could tell when it changed writers, the narrative and story came together wonderfully. The entire story as a whole and how it wrapped up the series, was amazing. I think the authors did a great job at tying up the story, making it a fitting ending, but leaving a lot of future possibilities for more storylines and twists, if the book series continues.

One thing I didn't like was SG-1's appearance - as much as I love them it didn't fit at all they were there, they were written out of characters, they were huge continuity issues, and how they came in the story and out just didn't work. It felt like it was an afterthought, because the book series may or may not continue. But I didn't like it, if SG-1 had been written in properly, then maybe I would have been okay with it, but I didn't like it.

Otherwise, I think with the exception of some of the shipping of characters, which I've addressed throughout the series at the hints, and the end scene with Jack and Sam, the issues I normally have with the series weren't there, or at least, as noticeable. The characterization, was for the most part, fairly spot on from what you'll see in the show, and I think as a whole, the Legacy miniseries, would fit in fairly well with the show.

All in all, great final book for the Legacy series.

Would I recommend it to read: Again, it's a book that is meant more for fans of the series, although I'd say watch the series, so you can read the books.

What to read next: The other books in the series, SG-1 or Atlantis, the entire collection is worth checking out (assuming you've watched the series the book is based off.)

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, EBook Challenge

Book Review: Secrets

2013-05-30T08:42:00.000-04:00

Title: Secrets

Author: Jo Graham and Melissa Scott

Pages: EBook 291

Summary: Old secrets, new truths…

It is the aftermath of battle. Scattered and struggling to regroup, Colonel Sheppard’s team face their darkest days yet in the war against the Wraith Queen, Death.

Continuing her perilous masquerade as Queen Steelflower, Teyla Emmagan’s friendship with Guide grows stronger. With his help she must journey into the Wraith’s distant past to uncover the shocking truth about their origin – and the key to Queen Death’s defeat.

Meanwhile, Rodney McKay has a different battle to fight as he struggles to regain his humanity in the face of the atrocity the Wraith have committed against him. With his life hanging in the balance, will Rodney be forced to do the unthinkable in order.

My Rating: 8.25/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: This one picks up right where the one before it left off - which worked out, except it had been a while since I read the one before it, so there were a few times I had to go and dig for what happened to keep all the plot threads straight. Although the books are part of the series, they are pretty much meant to be read back-to-back.

This particular book of the series, was one of the better ones - a lot is revealed and the authors show some different sides to the characters. They really dug down deep and it was interesting to see a different side to certain characters - although this was hinted at in the show and the other books, it was never explored, and I enjoyed it. Ronan was one of the most well done character - his never varied from the show, although I never liked him much as a character, I do appreciate the authors making sure his character remains true to what he's suppose to be. Although, one of my main issues with the book, was the scenes with Ronan, it began to feel repetitive after a while. I also had some of my usual character and continuity issues, although this one wasn't as bad as I've had in previous books - all in all this was done fairly well.

Overall, it was another good addition to the Stargate series.

Would I recommend it to read: Again, it's a book that is meant more for fans of the series, although I'd say watch the series, so you can read the books.

What to read next: Inheritors - the final book in the Legacy series.

Challenges: 100 Book Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, EBook Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge

Book Review: Heidi

2013-05-29T09:33:00.000-04:00

Title: Heidi

Author: Joanne Spyri

Pages: EBook 216

Summary: A Swiss orphan is heartbroken when she must leave her beloved grandfather and their happy home in the mountains to go to school and to care for an invalid girl in the city.

My Rating: 8/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: I read it as a child, but have no memory of it, so I finally came back to it, and I found it to be a nice, quick sweet read.

Heidi is a fun character to read about - although she doesn't seem to realistic in how she influences others, I still enjoyed the book, and often found myself smiling at Heidi and her interactions with others. The book was a bit repetitive, but it wasn't too bad otherwise. I think most of the issues I had with the book are due to the fact it is a book meant for children, so how it reads, how the characters interact are meant for a much younger audience - although I think it is well worth reading for all ages.

The writing style was well done and it's perfect for children to read on their own, or along with their parents, it seems to have a lot to take from it, particularly from a child's point of view or, you can just read it to enjoy a nice light read.

Would I recommend it to read: I would, it was a fund sweet read. I read it as a child, and I think it would be an enjoyable read for both young and old.

What to read next: Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables any childhood book really.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, EBook Challenge

Book Review: Cream Puff Murder

2013-05-28T13:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Cream Puff Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke

Pages: 233

Summary: Bakery owner Hannah Swensen has a dress to fit into and a date with her sister, Andrea, at Lake Eden's new health club, Heavenly Bodies. Dragging herself out of bed on a frigid Minnesota morning for exercise, of all things, is bad enough. Discovering the body of man-eating bombshell Ronni Ward floating in the gym's jacuzzi? Okay, that's worse. Nor does it help that there's a plate of The Cookie Jar's very own cream puffs garnishing the murder scene.

Trying to narrow the list of Ronni's enemies down to fewer than half the town's female population, Hannah has her plate full. Trouble is, when it comes to cookies--and to murder--there's always room for one more...

My Rating: 7/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: I'm surprised just how much I enjoyed the book, it was definitely better than I thought it would be. It was corny, and it wasn't a spectacular read by any stretch, but the overall story was fun quirky at times, and made for a nice read. It was fairly predictable at times, and I think that characterization was one of my biggest irks of the book. They all seemed to stereotypical and cardboard, they needed a little more substance. The story itself was done well, it wasn't a thrilling read, but it was fun to watch the main character go into detective mode.

It was a fun mystery to solve, and I loved the recopies - although they did make me hungry throughout the book and I'd likely pick up another book from the series just for the fun of it.

Would I recommend it to read: It wasn't a fantastic read, but it was a quick, quirky read, so if you're looking for something like that, than the book is worth checking out, or any book from the series.

What to read next: I'd say read some of the other books from the series.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Mystery/Crime Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

2013-05-28T11:03:00.000-04:00

Title: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky Author: Heidi Durrow

Pages: 264

Summary: Rachael, whose mother is Danish and father is African-American, loses both her parents and is forced to move to a new city to live with her strict African-American grandmother, but when she is immersed into an African-American community, her physical appearance draws attention and Rachel struggles with her own uncertainties about her identity.

My Rating: 7.5/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: Overall I liked the book, it did address a lot of important issues, was well written, but I felt that it was missing something, to capture the book better for me. I'm not sure what it is, but I felt like there was just something extra needed to pull me into the book. I did feel for Rachel, and I was constantly wanting to read on to find out about the truth of her past, and what her future will hold. Rachel was definitely a memorable character and I think the author managed to create her, and her story beautifully. I also enjoyed the multiple perspectives throughout the story - at first I was unsure if it would work for a story like this one, but I think it helped make the story all the more powerful and important. I especially liked the clips of the journal entries from Rachel's mother.

The book covers a lot of important issues, including racial discrimination, social-economic and mental illness, which was also something the author handled beautifully, as she managed to show all these, but kept it a very character driven story, I also appreciated that the story wasn't compromised to include all of this, it was very natural, in the author included it into the plot. There's so much to focus on in the book, how Rachel and those around her faced the trails and consequences of a mental illness, how Rachel identity's herself, versus how others identify her as.

In the end, I did like the book, but there's still that one thing, that I felt was missing from it, to make it extraordinary.

Would I recommend it to read: I would, I think there's a lot to take from the book, so there's a lot of different readers out there who would enjoy the book.

What to read next: I'm not entirely sure on that one, I'm currently reading Twelve Tribes of Hattie, and they have some similar themes in it, but I'm at a bit of a loss on this one.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Mental Illness Advocacy Challenge, New Authors Challenge

April 2013 - Wrap Up!

2013-05-12T09:48:00.001-04:00

April is gone, May is almost half way through - where is the time going? This month wasn't my best of reading months. I didn't read a lot of good books and I've been having trouble find something to really grab me. I really hope May is a better month for the quality of books.

The Books

This month, I seemed to be in a bit of a reading rut. There wasn't anything that grabbed my attention or impressed me. Most of what I read was average or worse. A couple of books shone through, but most didn't. To make things worse, because of this little rut I seem to be in, I've been finding it difficult to pick my next read - slightly unsure exactly what it will take to get me back on track. My favourite books this month were Winter Well and River of Stars. My least favourite was Tales From Firozsha Baag.

1. River of Stars - Guy Gavriel Kay (Review Book) - 7.75/10
2. The Other Sister - Lola Lemire Tostevin - 4/10
3. Four Dragons - Diana Dru Botsford - 7/10
4. Tales From Firozsha Baag - Rohinton Minstry - 3/10
5. King Leary - Paul Quarrington - 4/10
6. Winter Well: Speculative Novellas About Older Women - Various (Review Book) - 8.25/10
7. The Perfect Circle - Pascale Quiviger - 4/10
8. Gold Mountain Blues - Ling Zhang - 5.5/10
9. Quentins - Maeve Binchy - 6.75/10
10. Forgotten Country - Catherine Chung - 7.25/10
11. The Black Cloister - Melanie Dobson - 6.5/10

The Challenges

I'm still fairly happy with my progress on the challenges. I do need to focus more on certain categories in the category challenge - or I'll be in some trouble at the end of the year. The same goes with the Series Challenge. Otherwise, everything is right on track.

1. 100 Books in 2013 Challenge - 43/100 -43%
2. 2013 Category Challenge - 40/131 - 30%
3. 777 Challenge - 3/7 - 43%
4. Alphabet Challenge 2013 - 25/52 - 48%
5. E-Book Challenge 2013 - 20/50 - 40%
6. Finish That Series Challenge 2013 - 0/4 (Series), 1/7 (Books) - 0%
7. Ireland Reading Challenge 2013 - 4/10 - 40%
8. Mental Illness Advocacy Challenge - 3/12 - 25%
9. Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013 - 23/75 - 31%
10. Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge 2013 - 3/5 - 60%
11. New Author Challenge 2013 - 27/50 - 54%
12. Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge 2013 - 1/5 - 20%
13. War Through the Generations Challenge 2013 (American Revolutionary War) - 1/3 - 33%
14. 50 Book Pledge - 43/100 - 43%

Countries Visited

This month on my reading adventures, I visited. Germany, North Korea, India, China, Canada, Ireland

Create your own travel map - TravBuddy

Books That Followed Me Home

The Odds: A Love Story - Peter O'Nan
The River - Cheryl Kay Tardif
Beautiful Days: Two Novellas - Teng Xiaolan
Winter Well: Speculative Novellas About Older Women (Anthology)

Have a Happy May!

Book Review: The Black Cloister

2013-04-30T13:30:00.000-04:00

Title: The Black Cloister

Author: Melanie Dobson

Pages: 285

Summary: On Elise Friedman's eighth birthday, she lost her mother and any connection to her mysterious past. Raised by her loving stepfather, Elise has spent years trying to learn the truth about her mother, Catrina, and her birth family in Germany, but still knows very little. Now a young woman in college, Elise is travelling to her homeland of Germany to uncover her family's past, but what she finds is much more harrowing than she ever suspected.

My Rating: 6.5/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: There were aspects I enjoyed about the book, and others I didn't think worked out at all, but for a book I randomly picked off the shelves at the library, it did surprise me on how much I enjoyed it.

The parts on the cult, and the story behind it were done very well. The author created a very intense setting, as well as constructing a very good story, which was well thought out and planned - and for the most part it connected to the other parts of the story fairly well. But, what didn't work was Elise I felt that for most of the book, she as a character wasn't fully fledged out, she was rather stupid as a character and a lot of her dialogue and interactions with the other characters was rather forced. In fact, most of the parts of the book that wasn't in direct involvement with the cult wasn't executed as smoothly as it could have been - and a lot of it felt forced.

The plot itself was slightly predictable, but I did find myself wanting to read on to find out the results of the book. The ending was okay, a little to picture perfect for me - the epilogue (involving Michael and Sara) made me want to chuck the book across the room and rip it to shreds. I hated despised it with a passion. It really bothered me when I read that, and it did changed how I felt the book as a whole.

Overall, not a bad book - not my usual genre, or even book that would ever be on my radar, but it was better than I thought, even with the issue I had with it, and it was worth the chance.

Would I recommend it to read: I suppose I would. It wasn't my normal type/genre compared to what I normally read so I don't have much to go by. While I did have a lot of issues with the book, it wasn't bad in the end - and I think those who enjoy the genre, would like it.

What to read next: Our Daily Bread

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, Alphabet Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: Forgotten Country

2013-04-30T11:33:00.000-04:00

Title: Forgotten Country

Author: Catherine Chung

Pages: EBook - 227

Summary: On the night Janie waits for her sister, Hannah, to be born, her grandmother tells her a story: Since the Japanese occupation of Korea, their family has lost a daughter in every generation, so Janie is charged with keeping Hannah safe. As time passes, Janie hears more stories, while facts remain unspoken. Her father tells tales about numbers, and in his stories everything works out. In her mother's stories, deer explode in fields, frogs bury their loved ones in the ocean, and girls jump from cliffs and fall like flowers into the sea. Within all these stories are warnings.

Years later, when Hannah inexplicably cuts all ties and disappears, Janie embarks on a mission to find her sister and finally uncover the truth beneath her family's silence. To do so, she must confront their history, the reason for her parents' sudden move to America twenty years earlier, and ultimately her conflicted feelings toward her sister and her own role in the betrayal behind their estrangement.

Weaving Korean folklore within a modern narrative of immigration and identity, Forgotten Country is a fierce exploration of the inevitability of loss, the conflict between obligation and freedom, and a family struggling to find its way out of silence and back to one another.

My Rating: 7/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: There were aspects of the book I did enjoy and others I didn't, but for the most part, it was a well written and enjoyable read.

The characters were okay, they weren't likable, but they were unlikeable either. I think that if I had been able to connect to the characters a little better, the story would have had a different impact on me. Janie was a character who was difficult to like and because the story revolves through her perspective, it definitely influenced how I felt about the book. Her character was difficult to want to know more and I her to be an unreliable narrator.

The plot was slow moving, but it worked well with the book. It slowly explored the family and story and I appreciated the time the author took to develop things. I did find there were a lot of plot devices that were mentioned and hinted at, that never went anywhere. Sometimes issues were brought up, but never mentioned or explored again, and I think that was one of the biggest issues I had with the book. There was a lot of positional for development of both plot and characters but nothing ever came from it, because it seemed to be dropped off.

Despite some of my issue with it, it was a good book.

Would I recommend it to read: I would - even though it's a slow moving book, I think a lot of readers would enjoy the overall message behind it.

What to read next: Thread of Sky

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, EBook Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: Quentins

2013-04-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

Title: Quentins

Author: Maeve Binchy

Pages: 440

Summary: There is Monica, the ever-cheerful Australian waitress; the enigmatic Signora; an Patrick and Brenda Brennan, who have made Quentins such a legend. But even their life is not all it seems.

Now Ella Brady wants to make a documentary about the renowned restaurant but, as she uncovers more of what has gone on, she questions the wisdom of bringing it to the screen. And when she is forced to confront a devastating dilemma in her own life, Ella wonders if some stories should not be told. . .

My Rating: 6.75/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: Compared to the other books by the author I've read this one just didn't live up to the same standard as the others. In fact, it was a bit of a flop compared to the others.

The main storyline involving Ella was almost cringe worthy, I hated the entire plot line with her and everything to do with her. The story behind the restaurant and the characters wrapped in it, would have been a lot stronger if Ella had never appeared. Even the character herself was bad compared to what I've read by the author in the past, she was underdeveloped and lacked any real likeable qualities. But just the whole concept of her storyline, her affair and the fall back of it, not to mention her reaction, was poorly executed. I had no sympathy for her as a character, and thought she was rather stupid.

I did like the glimpses of some of the other characters I've read in other books, and although some books I haven't read yet, it was nice to see that they are mentioned again, without spoiling to much of what happened in their original storylines. Quentins, the restaurant was almost a character itself, and I wish the main focus was more on that, and none on Ella - the book would have been a lot stronger without her.

In the end, I'm glad I read the book, but it is definitely one of my least favourites by the author.

Would I recommend it to read: This particular book just didn't do the author justice. I'd recommend all her books to read, this one would just be lower on the totem pole of what to read by her.

What to read next: Tara Road, Evening Class

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Ireland Reading Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge

Book Review: Gold Mountain Blues

2013-04-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Gold Mountain Blues

Author: Ling Zhang

Pages: 464

Summary: Gold Mountain Blues, a rich saga chronicling the lives of five generations of a Chinese family from Guandong Province transformed by the promise of a better life in Gold Mountain, the Chinese name for Canada’s majestic West Coast. In 1879, 16-year-old Fong Tak-Fat boards a ship to Canada determined to make a life for himself and support his family back home. He will blast rocks for the Pacific Railway, launder linens for his countrymen, and save every penny he makes to reunite his family—because his heart remains in China.

Spanning from the 1860s to the present day, Gold Mountain Blues relates the struggles and sacrifices of the labourers who built the Canadian Pacific Railway and who laid the groundwork for the evolution of the modern Chinese-Canadian identity.

My Rating: 5.5/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: There were times I did enjoy the book - the story was interesting, and the author did do a good job at showing the struggles of immigration and the effects on those who go and those who are left behind. Unfortunately, I found that because of all the different storylines, the generational aspects of the book never came together properly. In the end, it was a book that just missed the mark and it didn't exactly work out for me.

The characters were a bit of an issue throughout the book. There were a lot of them, over a large span of time and there wasn't one I could really connect to. Although the author did do a good job at connecting them all together, giving them a good solid storyline and their own place in the story as a whole, I found there was too much going on, and they all took away from each other's individual stories, and the impact it should have had on the reader.

While I did appreciate the long journey over a long stretch of time, it lacked fine tuning to create a solid story and one that would have kept my interest. I found there was a lot of emptiness to connect everything together, and it was easy to lose interest.

In end, there was a lot of elements that didn't work out in this book. While it had the potential to be an excellent read, it just fell short of that.

Would I recommend it to read: I think this one is one that's on the fence. It definitely wouldn't be very high on the list. But I do think there are some readers who would enjoy the book.

What to read next: Under This Unbroken Sky

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 777 Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Alphabet Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI, EBook Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: The Perfect Circle

2013-04-28T10:05:00.005-04:00

Title: The Perfect Circle

Author: Pascale Quiviger

Pages: 224

Summary: Marianne, a young Montrealer, has come to live in Tuscany to draw and write and examine her life. Here she meets Marco, a temptingly seductive man who still lives in his mother's house in the village and who's not prepared to commit himself to anything resembling a shared life. Though he breaks her heart, again and again, Marianne can only avoid him by returning to Canada. This first novel by Pascale Quiviger is marked by its luminous language and its unstinting look at what makes Marianne, and Marco, and, indeed, an entire village and the world beyond it, tick.

My Rating: 4/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: Initially the writing style pulled me, but the rest of the book just fell flat, making it a book that I struggled to finish.

The main plot didn't do much for me. In fact most of time it felt like it was at a standstill and I was waiting for something to happen with it, for it to progress more or for something to happen to make that one grab and keep me interested in the book. Unfortunately, that never happened.

The characterization also didn't work for me, from the lack of development to the fact none of them had any kind of likeable characteristic, it was yet another reason the book didn't work out for me, and a book that had me slogging through it.

The writing was fairly good and it was my main reason for carrying on with the book. It doesn't hold up its own against the plot, but the writing has an almost lyrical feel to it. Some of that lyrical style is lost due to the fact the book has been translated, but it was the one thing that kept me reading the book.

It was another randomly picked book of the library shelves, and another book that didn't work for me.

Would I recommend it to read: I don't think I would. There just wasn't much there to recommend.

What to read next: To be honest I'm not sure, the closet thing I can think of, based off the movie version is Under the Tuscan Sun.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Alphabet Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI, New Author Challenge

Book Review: Winter Well: Speculative Novellas About Older Women

2013-04-28T09:47:00.001-04:00

Title: Winter Well: Speculative Novellas About Older Women

Author: Edited by Kay T. Holt

To The Edges by M. Fenn
Copper by Minerva Zimmerman
This Other World by Anna Caro
The Second Wife by Marissa James

Summary: Disaster upon catastrophe forces an unlucky engineer to become someone more adventuresome. (To the Edges)

A tech-savvy private investigator stalks organ traffickers across a toxic cityscape. (Copper)

International hostilities on an alien planet turn a human architect into a dogged emissary for peace. (The Other World)

Enslaved by a monstrous lord, a sage seeks answers in the stars and finds more… desirable problems. (The Second Wife)

Older women take center stage in these four novellas. They may be wives, mothers, wise women or healers, but those archetypes are not their defining characteristics. Their motivations are their own, and they’re not interested in living in the background of someone else’s epic yarn

My Rating: 8.25/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: I enjoyed all of the novellas quite a lot while I liked some more than others, overall it was a very interesting and engaging collection.

Although The Second Wife was my least favourite, it did have an interesting and well throughout plot. Unfortunately, it didn't leave me with the feeling of me wanting to know more about the setting and history behind the society it was set in. When I was done the story, I didn't have that feeling of wanting more and compared to the others in the collection, it just didn't have the same appeal and pleasing factor to it I had with the others.

It's hard to say which is my favourite from the collection. As it was a fairly odd collection and the novellas range on vast range of speculative stories - including a mystery of a missing uterus (Copper). Which is incredibly odd, but it did have me reading it intently as I learned more about what was happening . It had some interesting twists and turns and a lot of interesting elements to the speculative setting, many which left more questions than answers, but all of which had me wanting more. If I had to pick one novella that stood out the most, it would have to be the first, To the Edges. Out of the three, that would be the one I'd want to see in a full fleshed out novel, and it was the one I found to be the most developed in plot, characterization and just kept me wanting more.

An excellent collection of novellas, and one I'd highly recommend.

Would I recommend it to read: I would, very well done collection, and a perfect fit for anyone who enjoys speculative fiction and short stories.

What to read next: I'd say check all of the authors other work.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, EBook Challenge

I received this book as a part of LibraryThings early reviewer program. I received a copy of the ebook in exchanged for a review.

Book Review: King Leary

2013-04-27T10:33:00.001-04:00

Title: King Leary

Author: Paul Quarrington

Pages: 232

Summary: Percival Leary was once the King of the Ice, one of hockey's greatest heroes. Now, in the South Grouse Nursing Home, where he shares a room with Edmund "Blue" Hermann, the antagonistic and alcoholic reporter who once chronicled his career, Leary looks back on his tumultuous life and times: his days at the boys' reformatory when he burned down a house; the four mad monks who first taught him to play hockey; and the time he executed the perfect "St. Louis Whirlygig" to score the winning goal in the 1919 Stanley Cup final.

Now all but forgotten, Leary is only a legend in his own mind until a high-powered advertising agency decides to feature him in a series of ginger ale commercials. With his male nurse, his son, and the irrepressible Blue, Leary sets off for Toronto on one last adventure as he revisits the scenes of his glorious life as King of the Ice.

My Rating: 4/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: Another book, that didn't work out well for me. While it wasn't a bad book by any stretch, this one failed to grab my attention, keeping my attention and nor did it make me want to read more or read anything else by the author.

I just couldn't get into the book. I didn't find the main plot to be one I wanted to read about, and felt that it didn't exactly come together well. While it worked at showing an old man rambling on about his glory days, I felt that it just didn't get executed well enough to make it a good read. I also failed to see the humour in this book. There was the odd part, but mostly I found it to be a very dry read.

The main protagonist, Leary, wasn't enjoyable to read about, he was a character that lacked a lot of likeable qualities and didn't stand out from other characters in similar books. None of the character really came out, they were rather one-sided and dull, making the character driven novel, rather difficult to get through.

In the end, this book didn't work out for me.

Would I recommend it to read: I'm not sure I would. It's different than what I normally read, and others seem to enjoy it, but it's not a book I'd tell others to read.

What to read next: The Best Laid Plans (for the "humour" element), And the four other nominees for the 2008 Canada Reads: Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson, From the Fifteenth District by Mavis Gallant, Icefields by Thomas Wharton Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Alphabet Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI

Book Review: Tales From Firozsha Baag

2013-04-27T10:11:00.003-04:00

Title: Tales From Firozsha Baag

Author: Rohinton Mistry

Pages: 256

Summary: In these eleven stories, Rohinton Mistry opens our eyes and our hearts to the rich, complex patterns of life inside Firozsha Baag, an apartment building in Bombay. Here are Jaakaylee, the ghost-seer, and Najamai, the only owner of a refrigerator in Firozsha Baag; Rustomji the Curmudgeon and Kersi, the young boy whose life threads through the book and who narrates the final story as an adult in Toronto. We see their passions, their worst fears, their betrayals, and their humorous acts of revenge. Witty and poignant, in turns, these intersecting stories create a finely textured mosaic of lives and illuminate a world poised between the old ways and the new.

My Rating: 3/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: To say this collection, didn't work for me is an understatement. By the time the book was done, I was glad to be done with the book.

There wasn't a single short story I enjoyed, or liked. There were ones I disliked more than others, and one that nearly made me give up reading the book altogether, Squatter. Which was probably one of the worst short stories I've ever read. The content of the story was less than desirable to read, although the ending had a message of immigration and differences of culture, which was an important one, how the author chose to show that message was rather did not work.

The rest of the stories had a few interesting qualities here and there, but for the most part they lacked any concrete development for the characters or the plot. There was never that interesting grab to pull you in, or anything to make me want to read the next story.

Overall, not a collection I enjoyed and not one I'd recommend.

I'll try out the author again at some point, as I do have another one of his books on my shelf to read, but this collection, has me turned off for now.

Would I recommend it to read: I wouldn't. This collection didn't work for me, and I wouldn't recommend it to read.

What to read next: Years of Red Dust - Stories of Shanghai. A Fine Balance.

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI, Mount TBR Challenge, New Authors Challenge

Book Review: Four Dragons

2013-04-27T09:49:00.001-04:00

Title: Four Dragons (SG-1 16)

Author: Diana Dru Botsford

Pages: EBook - 320

Summary: War games…

It was meant to be a soft mission, something to ease Doctor Daniel Jackson back into things after his time among the Ancients - after all, what could possibly go wrong on a simple survey of ancient Chinese ruins? As it turns out, a whole lot. After accidentally activating a Goa'uld transport ring, Daniel finds himself the prisoner of Lord Yu, the capricious Goa'uld System Lord. Meanwhile, SG1's efforts to rescue their friend are hampered by a representative of the Chinese government with an agenda of his own to follow - and a deep secret to hide.

But Colonel Jack O'Neill is in no mood for delay. He'll go to any lengths to get Daniel back - even if it means ignoring protocol and taking matters into his own hands…

My Rating: 7/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: There were times the book worked for me and other times that it didn't, for the most part it was well written, but it didn't work out for me in the end.

Some of the character were done okay, others just weren't up to par. Had this taken place a few seasons earlier, I think the author would have had the team dynamics, individual character quirks and supporting characters spot on. Unfortunately for me, they just weren't working for me during this particular time period in the Stargateverse, and it had a big effect on the book for me, because I felt that it didn't match up well enough for the timeline.

I enjoyed the plot, and the historical background the author put into it. But, it didn't work with what we already know about the series - think had this been a historical-speculative fiction book, that wasn't based on Stargate this book would have been fantastic. There was a lot of potential in it, but when you have a solid base to build on - with both characters and plot and going into the direction the author went in, I didn't come together strong enough for me.

The writing was well done, and the author is very imaginative, but this was another Stargate book that just missed the mark for me.

Would I recommend it to read: Hmm, I would to fellow Stargate fans. The book worked in the end, it wouldn't be the first Stargate book I'd recommend, but I'd still recommend it.

What to read next: The Drift

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, EBook Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: The Other Sister

2013-04-21T11:06:00.004-04:00

Title: The Other Sister

Author: Lola Lemire Tostevin

Pages: 230

Summary: Julia Brannon, an elderly woman who has moved into a retirement home is the protagonist of the novel, The Other Sister. Physically but mentally alert and acutely observant and intelligent, she is a feisty and at times cantankerous protagonist. Her daughter, Rachel, and her grand-daughter, Thea, have given her, as a move-in present into the retirement home, a laptop computer on which they ask Julia to record events from her past. Julia's recorded anecdotes cover many major historical events that affected Julia over the last century.

Born into a well-to-do family, Julia, unlike her identical twin sister, Jane, aspired to a life other than marriage and children. She rejected a suitor, whom her sister subsequently married, and chose to study philosophy in a era when there were few female philosophy students and graduates. After her graduate studies she remains at the university as an associate professor although she is never promoted to a full professor. She remains at her job until an event concerning her twin sister compels her to re-examine her choices and take another path. There is, at the heart of the novel, a startling mystery and revelation on which the plot depends, which is crucial to how Julia learns to apprehend the other.

My Rating: 4/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: While I enjoyed the first part of the book, but about halfway through I began to lose interest, as I found everything seemed to come to a standstill. The plot wasn't developing, the characters weren't developing, nothing was happening. It even started to become a bit repetitive, and I had lost interest. While there were two stories going on from past and present, I just couldn't get into the book. I didn't connect to the characters, and the lack of their development probably helped with that, mostly, I just couldn't get into the story.

There was an interesting twist in the book that briefly, regained my interest in the book and I wish the author had gone deeper into that twist. It was rather unexpected and I liked it at first, but I found that how it was explored or lack thereof, didn't end, and it didn't connect well with the rest of the story. Mostly, with the twist, I felt that it was revealed and then it was almost forgotten.

The ending worked well, I did like how the author ended the book, but Overall I found that the book didn't work for me.

Would I recommend it to read: I'm not sure I would. While it had its moments, I found the book didn't exactly work out in the end, so it wouldn't be high on my list of books to recommend.

What to read next: Quartet in Autumn

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Alphabet Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge, New Author Challenge

Book Review: River of Stars

2013-04-02T05:45:00.001-04:00

Title: River of Stars

Author: Guy Gavriel Kay

Pages: 630

Summary: Ren Daiyan was still just a boy when he took the lives of seven men while guarding an imperial magistrate of Kitai. That moment on a lonely road changed his life—in entirely unexpected ways, sending him into the forests of Kitai among the outlaws. From there he emerges years later—and his life changes again, dramatically, as he circles towards the court and emperor, while war approaches Kitai from the north.

Lin Shan is the daughter of a scholar, his beloved only child. Educated by him in ways young women never are, gifted as a songwriter and calligrapher, she finds herself living a life suspended between two worlds. Her intelligence captivates an emperor—and alienates women at the court. But when her father’s life is endangered by the savage politics of the day, Shan must act in ways no woman ever has.

In an empire divided by bitter factions circling an exquisitely cultured emperor who loves his gardens and his art far more than the burdens of governing, dramatic events on the northern steppe alter the balance of power in the world, leading to events no one could have foretold, under the river of stars

My Rating: 7.75/10

What I liked/disliked about the book: A very interesting, and almost mythical read, I found myself enjoying the book from beginning to the end, and the ending was one that left me wanting more.

I found the book to be very interesting, the time period and how the author told the story was extremely well done. While, it took me a while to get used to the authors writing style, I think it worked almost perfectly with the story and its characters. The level of care the author took to create the detailed history of the setting, along with the characters and their backgrounds was incredibly done. Everything was well researched, or imagined in a way that tied together well to create a solid, almost mystical story.

There were times I found I had to plough through. Not a lot happened, and while it was essential to move the plot and the characters forward, I found that there were a few parts that I had to tread through. Also, while the characters were superbly done and extremely complex I never had that one character that made me love the book and the story. Ren Daiyan came close at times, but for me the characters were missing something to make them become extraordinary. Although fans of the authors work will likely love Ren Daiyan .

I loved the ending, the last few pages really made the book and I found it to be a very fitting ending for the characters in the story. I think the ending was probably one of my favourite aspects of the book. The last few pages really picked up for me, and when I was finished I was left with wanting a little more.

Would I recommend it to read: I would, I think fans of the authors previous works would enjoy it. Along with anyone who enjoys historical fiction, fantastical fictional works. It may even be a good place to start with the author.

What to read next: Under Heaven

Challenges: 100 Books Challenge, 2013 Category Challenge, Alphabet Challenge, Canadian Book Challenge VI

Please note: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.

March Wrap-Up!

2013-04-01T18:24:00.000-04:00

And the first quarter of the year comes to a close. Anyone else feel that it flew right by? It sure did for me. Life has a way of speeding up these days. It's been an okay reading month, and first quarter. I'm a few books behind what I would like to be at, but overall, I'm happy with what I've been reading, progress on my challenges and my own personal reading goals.

The Books

This month was a good reading month. I was hoping to have a few more books read, but I can't complain with what I got read. It was the month of the EBook for me as well, as 6 of the books were EBooks. I read a variety of books this month to and took some chances on books that aren't my normal type of reads. I did seem to have a bit of a meh month with what I read. While I did enjoy most o what I read, I seemed to lack that awesome read! But, despite that, I am happy I'm trying new books and going a little out of my comfort zones, so all in all, I'm happy with what I read and accomplished this month. My favourite books were The South and Insurgent. My least favourite books were Sophia's Secret, The Earth Hums in B Flat and the Fort.

1) Sophia's Secret - Susanna Kearsley 5/10
2) Club Dead - Charlaine Harris - 7/10
3) The Earth Hums in B Flat - Mari Strachan 5/10
4) Insurgent - Veronica Roth 8/10
5) Dance of the Happy Shades - Alice Munro - 7.5/10
6) The Fort - Bernard Cornwell - 4.5/10
7) The Lighthouse - Alison Moore - 7/10
8) The Informationist - Taylor Stevens - 7/10
9) The South - Colm Toibin - 7.75/10
10) Song of Kosovo - Chris Gudgeon - 7.25/10

The Challenges

I'm still happy with how my challenges are going. I haven't completed any yet, but I have lots of time, and I'm going at a pace I'm comfortable with. Some will be finish within the next few months, while I know others will be right down to the wire. But I do have some good book options for my challenges, so far I think I'll be fine.

1. 100 Books in 2013 Challenge - 32/100 - 32%
2. 2013 Category Challenge - 30/131 - 23%
3. 777 Challenge - 2/7 - 29%

4. Alphabet Challenge 2013 - 19/52 - 37%
5. E-Book Challenge 2013 - 17/50 - 34%
6. Finish That Series Challenge 2013 - 0/4 (Series), 1/7 (Books) - 0%
7. Ireland Reading Challenge 2013 - 3/10 - 30%
8. Mental Illness Advocacy Challenge - 3/12 - 25%
9. Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013 - 18/75 - 24%
10. Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge 2013 - 3/5 - 60%
11. New Author Challenge 2013 - 20/50 - 40%
12. Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge 2013 - 1/5 - 20%
13. War Through the Generations Challenge 2013 (American Revolutionary War) - 1/3 - 33%
14. 50 Book Pledge - 32/100 - 32%

Countries Visited
I travelled alot this month through my readings! This month I "travelled" to Canada, USA, Ireland, Wales, Spain, Serbia, Kosovo, Germany, Scotland, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea

Create your own travel map - TravBuddy

Books That Followed Me Home

The Kissing Man - George Elliott
Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris
The Inheritors - Book Six of the Legacy Series
The Drift

And that was my March! Let's hope the second quarter is just as successful.