Book Review: The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night

 

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow (Crowns of Croswald #2)

by D.E. Night

Source:
After being approached by the publisher (Stories Untold Press) to read & review The Crowns of Croswald via NetGalley, I inquired about also being able to read & review the second book, The Girl with the Whispering Shadow, which they agreed to.

Genre:
Middle Grade, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic

Spoiler Warning:
This review contains spoilers for the first book in the series, The Crowns of Croswald and may contain some spoilers for The Girl with the Whispering Shadow.

Review:

When we left Ivy Lovely at the end of The Crowns of Croswald, she had just defeated the Dark Queen at the Ball, had learned her true identity, was given part of a Kindred Stone, and had discovered that the pirate she kept being drawn to in glanageries was actually her family's scrivenist, Derwin Edgar Night.

In this book, Derwin then sends Ivy off to "The Town" (the enchanted magical city of scrivenists, called Belzebuthe)  to search for the second part of her Kindred Stone and stay hidden from the Dark Queen. It just so happened that the address Derwin sent her to stay at in Belzebuthe belonged to none other than Fyn Greeley and his mother! Ivy spends much of the book running around with Fyn and his friends, getting into trouble and dodging a creepy shadow figure.

We got to see more of how the magic in Croswald works in this book, which I really enjoyed. Ivy spent most of the story either in Belzebuthe or on other adventures, and only a very small part actually at The Halls of Ivy. It was quite fun to get to know some other settings! The whole world of Croswald still gives me major Harry Potter vibes, and I enjoy it quite a bit.

In the first book, I didn't find that there was much character building of the secondary characters, like Fyn and Rebecca, but I found that was improved in this book (however I still don't much care for, or trust, Fyn). I did have a bit of difficulty keeping the members of the Quogo Club straight, but that is likely more a personal thing than the characters themselves.

I don't have much to say on the side of criticism - there were a few grammatical errors here and there, but nothing too serious. This second book also reads like a middle grade novel, which is great. There were moments when Ivy did act a bit more like a 16-17 year old girl than in the first book, but I still feel like she should be around 14, so her age still throws me off and is still a bit of an issue for me.

One of my favourite aspects of The Girl with the Whispering Shadow were the stars in Belzebuthe. I  love that the stars are wishes, and that a person can rent stargusters to putter around among the stars, and that if one were to catch a star, the wish inside would be granted...! Such a romantic and lovely idea! If I lived in Belzebuthe I would most definitely buy wishes/stars on a very regular basis. I also really love that because this magic system uses quills instead of wands, spells are actually written as well as spoken, and so good penmanship is of quite high importance. I have always loved penmanship, and taken pride in having legible handwriting - I think I would get along quite well in the world of Croswald!

 

I continue to recommend this series to others, and am looking forward to reading the next two books at some point!

My Goodreads rating:

 

Book Review: The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night

 

The Crowns of Croswald

by D.E. Night

Source:

I was approached by the publisher (Stories Untold Press) on Instagram, and was offered a free e-copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and following the author on Instagram.

Genre:
Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adventure, Magic

Review:

The Crowns of Croswald is the story of 16 year old Ivy Lovely, a lowly scaldrony maid, who suddenly discovers that she has magical powers, and is swept away to master her skills at the Halls of Ivy, a prestigious school of magic. She soon lands herself in all kinds of trouble as she seeks to find the truth about her past and the Halls of Ivy, and tries to keep out of reach of the Dark Queen.

This basic synopsis may sound very familiar to Harry Potter fans (how could it not?), and I did see many similarities between this book and some other magical series, but I was pleased to note that there were also many differences. Croswald is definitely a unique world all its own. The similarities between series were just enough to make it feel familiar, which is not a bad thing in my opinion.

As soon as I knew that this was a middle grade fantasy involving a magical boarding school, my interest was instantly piqued, and I feel like it mostly lived up to my expectations. The story flowed very well and there was just enough adventure vs world-building, etc. To be honest, I wasn't that drawn into it until about the halfway point, but after that, I was absolutely hooked and could hardly put it down for wanting to know what would happen next!

The Crowns of Croswald is promoted as being middle grade, and it does very much read like a middle grade fantasy adventure book. However, that being said, I was constantly surprised by the fact that Ivy is 16 years old. She doesn't act like a 16 year old (even one who's lived her life more or less sheltered in a dungeon as a maid), and 16 seems a little too old for the middle grade genre. I see that others have categorized it as young adult, which the protagonist's age would support, however the author and publisher classify it as middle grade, so I think that Ivy's age is a bit of an oversight by both the author and the publisher. It would have made more sense, in my opinion, for the main character to be around 12 or 13 years old, based on the genre, target audience, and Ivy's maturity. Perhaps I haven't completely grasped how the world of Croswald works, but it also felt a little unlikely that a magical school with four years of study would only begin teaching magic to students at age 16, unless we are to assume that the Halls of Ivy is meant to be more of a college, which really doesn't fit middle grade. However, the school doesn't feel like a college, so again, perhaps the ages are a bit of an oversight. Then again, we are assuming that all the first year students are the same age as Ivy, but maybe Ivy is older than the rest?

Some of the dialogue felt a bit awkward, in particular between Ivy and her friends. This may be because I didn't find that either Rebecca or Fyn were particularly well-developed characters; I think I would have liked to have just seen more of them and to get to know them better. Middle grade books are typically very friendship heavy, and I kind of missed that here. For example, all we really know about Fyn is a vague physical description, that he is a third year student and "class facilitator," and he always seems to show up when Ivy is getting herself into trouble (which really made me wonder whether he is good or bad?).

I found it interesting that the royals and sqwinches all attend the same school and the same classes together, while there is such apparent disparity between them in society. I really would have liked it if we would have seen more of what "normal" first year sqwinches are/should be capable of, and how they perform magic. I'm also wondering if the concept of time is actually different in Croswald than it is to us? It seemed that the school year passed very quickly, and I wonder if it was just a lack of reference points (other than moons) such as holidays or semesters to help note the passing of time, or if time just moves at a different rate in this world. Lastly, I wonder how or why the slurry actually inhibits magic?

I do feel I should mention some technical points while I'm here. These do not affect my rating, however they may affect others' ratings, and I think they are things to be noted by the publishers. There were a few spelling & grammatical errors in the e-version that I read. There was also one mistake that I found particularly disturbing, which is found on page 400 of the NetGalley e-book, wherein a background character called Coton is described as having "pupils as green as emeralds"  - as a general rule, human pupils are black and the iris has colour. If this character is actually meant to have green pupils, then it should be explained why (for example, what kind of creature she might be if not human).

Some of my favourite aspects of The Crowns of Croswald were Ivy's forever-fitting dress (I would love to have one of those!), the ballroom, the hairies, and the bedroom bars (how awesome would it be to have unlimited access to the perfect beverage - hot or cold - from the comfort of your bedroom!?).

To summarize, there were some aspects of the book that I didn't find relatable or believable or that didn't suit my preferences, but overall I did enjoy it and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series at some point. I also would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who has loved Harry Potter and Nevermoor, anyone who appreciates a good middle grade fantasy, and anyone who loves magic, boarding schools, and "chosen one" or "secret heir" tropes.

My Goodreads rating:
I gave this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars, but rounded up to 4 on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp

by Rick Yancey

Source: Unintentionally ordered through Indigo.ca

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure

About the book:
This is the first book in a Teen/Young Adult trilogy by author Rick Yancey (of The 5th Wave fame). I have read The 5th Wave, but admittedly have not yet finished that trilogy. I must also admit that I had certain expectations from this book, which were not exactly met.

This book features parts of Arthurian mythology, it's got some pretty intense high-speed chase and fight scenes, a bit of that "chosen one"

Alfred Kropp is a nobody. He's just a normal, albeit large, kid with average grades, with an absentee father, a dead mother, living with his uncle. Soon enough, Alfred's uncle gets them both into quite a bit of trouble, resulting in a theft and several deaths (including that of Alfred's uncle). Alfred spends most of the rest of the book feeling guilty for what happened, trying to fix what he thinks was his fault, and continuing to think that he isn't special (when, of course, he is).

Review:
There is a special place in my heart for medieval stories and the legends surrounding King Arthur and their retellings, so I was pretty into the synopsis of this book. The cover didn't grab me (just being honest), but the fact that it features the Sword Excalibur, and is written by the author of The 5th Wave, that was enough for me.

I mentioned that I unintentionally bought this book online... I try to give my nephews a book & something else for Christmas/birthdays, and my older nephew's birthday is January 1st, so I was on the lookout for two books for a teenage boy who likes sports, videogames, and fast cars. Well, Ready Player One was suggested to me and seemed a no-brainer. Two other series that were recommended to me were this one, Alfred Kropp, and the Alex Rider series. I couldn't decide which to buy, so I had all three books in my cart for the longest time. Then I thought I had decided on Alex Rider, and made my order, but when the box came, there were all three books. Whoops. So then, of course, I had a little dilemma over which books to actually give him (because I really wanted to read Ready Player One myself).... Long story, but I gave him the other two because they seemed like they would be more his style, and I kept this one.

So, all that to say that I did not intentionally buy this book for myself, but I decided to keep it because I'm a good auntie. And I decided to read it right off the bat in January, because, I don't know why... I just wanted to see if it was any good, I guess.

I gave the book 3.5 stars because it was ok, but there was just something about it that I didn't love. I didn't particularly like the dialogue, and Alfred's character... He was self-deprecating, which isn't exactly uncommon in young adult fiction, but he was kind of clueless and simple-minded. I suppose one could see that as being refreshing (as compared to the typical main characters in the young adult genre who are "wise beyond their years"), but it just fell kind of flat for me, especially when he turns out to be a sort of "chosen one." I might, someday, want to know what Alfred gets up to in the next books, but I definitely won't be going out of my way to acquire them.

My Goodreads rating:
I actually gave this book 3.5 stars, but as there are no half-star options on Goodreads, I rounded up.

Book Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove

by Fredrik Backman

Source: Found a used copy in a book sale

Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Humour

Synopsis:

A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.

Review:

This book had a slow start for me. It didn't quite grab my attention at the start. That was partially due to the fact that I was (once again) attempting to read several books at once. However, I had heard some really wonderful things about this book, so I definitely wanted to stick with it and give it a solid shot. I decided that I would need to set aside any other books I was reading and force myself to read A Man Called Ove, otherwise I would be too tempted to read faster paced Young Adult novels.

 

Once I was focused on this book alone, it was still kind of slow for me. There were some funny parts (poor old Ove just can't catch a break!), but it still didn't really mean much to me, and I was finding the flashbacks a bit annoying.

After about the 3/4 mark, however, I was completely invested. It wasn't that anything significant happened, or anything like that; something in my mind just clicked, I guess, and I suddenly really needed to know what was going to happen to Ove and his neighbours. I suppose I was also starting to see the picture the flashbacks were tying to show us.

And then the ending... Well, once I got there, I finally knew what everyone had been talking about! This certainly is a very moving story, with a tear-jerking ending. As curmudgeonly an old grouch as Ove is, he's a really loveable character. I enjoyed how we see Ove's crusty old frozen heart slowly melt and soften to encompass those around him - both new and old.

It was especially funny entertaining for me to read this story, as I work with the elderly on a daily basis. Trust me, I've met a few Ove's. Of course, Ove isn't really as old as he acts, which I suppose is part of his charm.

Overall, a touching story, and I do recommend it!





























My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Glass Houses by Louise Penny

Glass Houses

by Louise Penny

Genre: Mystery, Contemporary, Fiction

Synopsis:

When a mysterious figure appears on the village green on a cold November day in Three Pines, Armand Gamache, now Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec, knows something is seriously wrong. Yet he does nothing. Legally, what can he do? Only watch and wait. And hope his mounting fears are not realized.

From the moment its shadow falls over Three Pines, Gamache suspects the creature has deep roots and a dark purpose. When it suddenly vanishes and a body is discovered, it falls to Gamache to discover if a debt has been paid or levied.

In the early days of the investigation into the murder, and months later, as the trial for the accused begins in a Montreal courtroom on a steamy day in July, the Chief Superintendent continues to struggle with actions he’s set in motion, from which there is no going back. “This case began in a higher court,” he tells the judge, “and it’s going to end there.”

And regardless of the trial’s outcome, he must face his own conscience.

In her latest utterly gripping book, number-one New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny shatters the conventions of the crime novel to explore what Gandhi called the court of conscience. A court that supersedes all others.

Review:

As always, I must warn you that this post may contain spoilers. I don't find that I have much of a filter when it comes to these things.


Honestly, I don't think I will ever not like a Louise Penny book. I'm only sorry I didn't read this one sooner, and that when I did start reading it, I didn't give it the attention it deserved. I adore the world that Louise Penny has created in these books. Not just Three Pines, and not just because it's set in the region where I live... I love the people as if they were my own friends and neighbours, and I love the atmosphere, and I love the attention she gives to food.

So before I read it, I saw a ton of reviews that toted this novel as her "best one yet" and everyone saying it was their favourite... I won't say that, but I will say that it took on a slightly different feel, and I liked it. It made me cry, and that's usually a sign of a very good book. (Or maybe I was just an emotional wreck when I was reading it... Who knows?)

The story goes back and forth between the events leading up to a murder that took place in Three Pines in November, and the Montreal courtroom in July, where the case is being tried and Armand is giving his testimony.

Of course there is more to the story than the murder itself. In previous books, Louise dealt with corruption in the government; in this one she addresses drug cartels. In order to stop this one significant source of crime and death in Quebec, Gamache and his team must launch a huge top secret undercover operation which results in many more deaths, and crimes that they themselves must commit, for the greater good. The line between right and wrong is not always clear.

I mentioned it in my Goodreads review, but I'll say it again here, the last three chapters were really what got me. The major action scenes happen then (which were what made me cry), we finally discover who the murderer was, as well as the identity of the head of the drug cartel, and we are left in suspense to find out whether or not Armand Gamache will maintain his title as Chief Superintendent of the Sûreté du Québec!

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything

by Nicola Yoon

Source: I bought a paperback copy from BookOutlet

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

Synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review:

I'm gonna go ahead and say right now that this review contains SPOILERS. I just don't really know how to talk about books at any length without giving away pertinent information! I can't do it! I'm sorry! And like, I absolutely hate it when people spoil stuff for me (in fact, this book spoiled the ending of Le Petit Prince, which made me mad!), but I honestly don't know how not to! So, I'm just not going to try.

Alright, so, that said... I adored this story! I tend to shy away from very cutesy high school romances, but this one was different. Maybe because it wasn't actually set in a high school, or maybe it was just the writing. We're obviously still talking about a couple of teenagers, one being very sheltered, but the story managed to be youthful without being juvenile.

Here come the spoilers.


Maddy only really interacts with three people: her doctor/mother, her nurse Carla, and Carla's daughter Rosa (she does her classes online, so she is in touch with other people, but not in person). Maddy never leaves her house, because she is allergic. To everything. Or so she thinks...

Olly moves in next door, and Maddy is immediately interested. But can you blame her? An attractive, moody teenage boy dressed in black who does parkour? I was into him, too...

Anyway, so they start communicating through the window, and then exchange e-mail addresses, and then start IM-ing at all hours of the night... And then Maddy convinces her nurse to make arrangements for Olly to come over while Maddy's mom is away. And they, of course, fall in love, as is to be expected.

Olly's dad is abusive, and things get pretty interesting when Maddy witnesses him beating Olly and she runs outside to help him. If she really is as sick as she's supposed to be, stepping outside for even a moment should result in an immediate and grave reaction.

But nothing happens.

Needless to say, Maddy's mom is beside herself that Maddy would go outside, and when she realizes just how well Maddy and Olly know each other, and what's been going on behind her back, she fires Carla and forbids Maddy from talking to Olly anymore.

Maddy's not having any of that. She plans a trip to Hawaii (because it's on her bucket list), buys the tickets online with her mom's credit card, and convinces Olly to go with her, despite the potential risk to her health, because love makes you crazy like that, right? Olly begrudgingly takes her, and they spend a magical weekend together, but then she starts to get sick. Knowing all about her apparent illness, and already being concerned for her health and his responsibility for her, Olly rushes her to hospital, her mom comes to take her home, and while she is recovering (and not talking to Olly, because, how embarrassing to almost die in front of the boy you love?!) Olly's family moves away.

After one of the doctors from the hospital in Hawaii contacts Maddy to tell her she doesn't have what she thinks she has, Maddy begins to question her health. She starts snooping through her mom's files and realizes that it has all been a fabrication, all this time. It turns out that her mom had a sort of psychotic break after the accident that took Maddy's father and brother, and fear made her believe that Maddy was ill, and therefore do everything in her power to protect her and keep her safe.

Maddy, understandably, leaves her crazy mother behind and goes to find Olly to start a new life with him.

I thought Maddy was awesome - cool and smart and well-read and knows what she wants. Olly was obviously super cool, too - did I mention the parkour? And their love story was super cute. Like, so sweet.

I loved Carla, too. She so obviously cares for Maddy as if she were her own daughter, and struggles with suspecting the truth about Maddy and her mom.

Maddy's mom... It's obvious that she meant well - she only wanted to protect this surviving piece of her family... but she's straight up crazy. Though you suspect the truth from the beginning, reading that part of the story is heartbreaking. Maddy's mom was so delusional that she absolutely believed all of it. She had gone so far off the deep end as to have written articles in medical journals about her daughter's super rare disease, and dealing with it... So sad!

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder

by R. J. Palacio

Source: Given to me by my cousin, in a pile of other books

Genre: Young adult, Middle grade, Fiction, Contemporary

Synopsis:

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

Review:
I absolutely fell in love with Auggie! Such a sweet, endearing child character...

Born with a facial deformity, Auggie knows he's different. At 11 years old, he's going to school with other kids for the first time, and it is a big deal. Up until this point, he's been homeschooled by his mom, and has only had limited contact with other children (his two best friends, his sister, and her two best friends).

So many changes all at once for Auggie... Everyone knew Auggie would face challenges and teasing at his new school, and they tried to make the transition as easy as possible. The principle set up a meet-and-greet, before the school term began, for Auggie to meet some of the kids who would be in his grade. They were to show him around the school and generally be his first contacts. One of the boys turns out to be a bully, while another boy sticks up for Auggie and becomes his new best friend.

Auggie does endure some teasing and stares, but eventually he starts making friends and people start to get used to his appearance, and everything is going well, until *good boy* betrays him.

This is a great story for anybody, but should absolutely be required reading for middle school-aged children. It could be such a great teaching tool to show children the effects their words can have on others. Dealing with adversity, overcoming fears, bullying, coming-of-age are some of the issues touched on in this book. Highly recommended! But be sure to have your tissues ready...

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Peter Pan

by J.M. Barrie

Source: I bought this beautiful Puffin Chalk paperback online

Genre: Adventure, Classic, Fiction, Children's Literature

Synopsis:

One starry night, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell lead the three Darling children over the rooftops of London and away to Neverland - the island where lost boys play, mermaids splash and fairies make mischief. But a villainous-looking gang of pirates lurk in the docks, led by the terrifying Captain James Hook. Magic and excitement are in the air, but if Captain Hook has his way, before long, someone will be walking the plank and swimming with the crocodiles...

Review:

Every so often I go on a binge, buying and reading a bunch of classic books in a short period of time. This time around, it's been Classic Children's Literature. I have been reading quite a bit more middle-grade/kids' books this year, and several have been classics! And Peter Pan is, of course, one of them.

I have to admit that, as I was reading this story, I kept imagining scenes from the various Peter Pan movie adaptations I have grown to love: Disney's 1953 animated film Peter Pan, the 1991 movie Hook starring Robin Williams, and the 2003 live action film Peter Pan. I think the Disney animation is probably the closest to the book (although, it has been a long time since I've seen it...), but there are still some major differences. Of course, we know that most of the original fairytales were pretty violent and gruesome, and Disney has taken all that out to make them all pleasant with happy endings. Peter Pan is no exception: the book had much more violence than I was expecting. It is by no means gruesome, don't get me wrong, but let's just say it was darker than Disney had led me to believe.

I would not say with 100% certainty that, in this case, the book was better... Having seen and fallen in love with so many versions of Peter Pan, the original was somewhat of a disappointment. I think I will need to get my hands on J.M. Barrie's other Peter stories (particularly Peter Pan in Kensington Garden/The Little White Bird and Peter and Wendy) to see if my opinions of the original Peter change at all...

I've always felt a connection to the idea of Peter Pan; of everlasting childhood, never growing up, etc. Turning 30 just this past week has been especially difficult for me for this reason. Thirty sounds like such a grown-up age to me, and I just don't feel like it suits me... But actually, I've changed and grown so much, without even noticing most of the time...

But that's another story! Getting back to Peter... as I said, I've always felt a connection to those adaptations I've come to know and love, and the way that Peter is always portrayed, but the original Peter is not quite as wonderful (in my opinion) as his adaptations. This original Peter is manipulative, forgetful, vengeful, and childish (I mean, of course he is, but how old is he supposed to be? That's never been clear to me). He always has to be in charge, but is irresponsible, and can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality. The Peter Pan of my mind is playful and caring,

I am absolutely not the kind of person who analyzes the books I read, to find underlying themes and meanings. To me, a story is a story. I enjoy it for what it is at face value. Occasionally I come to discover some underlying ideas, but for the most part, books are what-you-see-is-what-you-get. That being said, as much as Peter Pan was a fun little adventure read, there certainly were some underlying tones of grief made obvious even to me. I would not dare to ever go in depth about that, but suffice it to say that, while I was entertained and amused, I was also left feeling sad, both because of events of the story and the tone. Not that the story has a sad ending, per se, but it's not exactly what I would call a happy ending either.

*This paragraph contains a potential spoiler*
I had never truly felt sorry for Wendy until reading this original story. Wendy, to me, was always just lucky to have been able to spend so much time with Peter Pan, and live out almost every little girl's dream of being a mother with actual children to play house with! But in truth, Wendy was spoiled, and she fell in love with the one boy she could never have. The ending, when Peter comes back to see her for the last time, broke my heart. It's a bit like Tuck Everlasting where the boy comes back for the girl, but she moved on without him. You sort of feel happy for her that she had a wonderful and fulfilled life, but you're sorry for him that he missed it and that they didn't spend it together. *sigh*

 

Well... I think that's about all I have to say about Peter Pan. This is a much wordier review than I am used to writing... I hope I haven't sounded like a moron.

I'd love to know your thoughts on the original Peter Pan, and how it compares to the Disney animation in your opinion!

My Goodreads Rating:

Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls

by Patrick Ness

Source: Purchased a paperback copy online

Genre: Young adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Tragedy

Synopsis:

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

Review:

Apparently some people consider this book a horror (according to Goodreads), but I really wouldn't consider it that. There is a monster, there is a tragedy, and it is haunting, but it's no horror.

Everyone was talking about this book last fall when the movie came out. I wasn't that interested in reading the book, but I did kind of want to see the movie, so I gave myself permission to see the movie without reading the book first (gasp!), but in the end, I wasn't able to get to see it in theatres. English films usually only play for a couple weeks here, so you have to really want to see it and be able to rearrange your schedule, which I wasn't.

Anyway, so I didn't end up watching the movie... After a few months of continuing to hear people rave about this book, I did decide that I might add it to my shopping list and if I ever found it on sale for a good price I'd buy it, which just so happened a few more months later. So I ended up reading the book in May (yes, it takes me that long to review books!) and just wow. Wow.

A Monster Calls is an extremely moving story about a young boy struggling to accept his mother's terminal illness, and his feelings toward her. It touched me deeply because, though I am no longer a child, my mother recently had cancer and went through treatments. It was diagnosed early, and was very effectively treated, so not a tragic ending; but at the time, I still had to face the idea that I could lose my mother, which was pretty terrifying. Reading this story and all of Conor's fears... It resonated with me because of my experience.

It is a fairly short book, yet packed with emotion and good drama. It is beautiful, tragic, haunting, and most definitely leaves an impression. I highly recommend it, but you will need tissues.

I still haven't watched the movie... I think I bought it, but now I'm not sure and I will have to go check... Anyway, I will most definitely try to watch it soon: I'm due for another good cry.

Have you read the book? Seen the movie? How do they compare?

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

Kindred Spirits

by Rainbow Rowell

Source: I bought an e-version from the Google Play Store

Genre: Young adult, romance, fiction, short story, contemporary

Synopsis:

'Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.'
'Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?'
'Maybe.'

If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she's expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does.

What she's not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels.   

Review:
This was actually one of the first Rainbow Rowell stories I read. I don't recall exactly how many pages there are, but it definitely is a shorter one. It felt like it could have been a bit longer, and yet it was probably just the perfect length the way it was.

 

Elena's father instilled in her his love of Star Wars. She had dreamed of the day she could join "the line" to wait for the release of a new movie. When she finally gets her chance, it's not quite what she was expecting. There are only two people in line: the first a hardcore Star Wars fan probably her parents' age (Troy), the other a hostile boy around her age (Gabe). She thinks that maybe the others will join as the days progress... but they never really do.

 

Waiting in line is a serious business, and people just don't really do it anymore. People ridicule them. Elena's mom drives by frequently trying to convince her to come home. The movie theatre managers reminds them that they can buy their tickets online in advance, there's really no need to sit in line...

 

As the day approaches, Elena does her best to make the most of the situation: bringing a little life to the line, posting pictures of the fun to her Instagram, and trying to befriend Gabe. Despite his reluctance and hostility, Gabe helps her out with line etiquette (and peeing behind dumpsters in the middle of the night). As the countdown to release day approaches, Elena wears Gabe down, and attracts attention to the line with her Instagram posts.

It's a quick, cute, funny read, and the ending is both sweet and funny. I enjoyed it, but it's not one of my faves, so I only rated it a 3 on Goodreads, but I'd definitely recommend it!

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Love & Gelato

by Jenna Evans Welch

Source: Bought a hardcover copy online

 

Genre: Young adult, romance, contemporary, fiction

 

Synopsis:

“I made the wrong choice.”

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

 

Review:

I don't typically enjoy contemporary YA romance because I generally find them to be cloying and unrealistic. This was probably still unrealistic, and definitely cutesy, but for whatever reason, it wasn't too much for me and I was able to enjoy it.

I personally found it equally sad and happy. The story follows Lina's summer adventure to Tuscany, Italy from America, following her mother's death. It was Hadley's dying wish that Lina would go to Italy to get to know her father, Howard, whom she has never met. Lina's journey has a rough start, but she quickly makes some new friends and discovers Italy and all the wonders it has to behold - especially gelato!

Upon her arrival, Lina is given her mother's journal, which had been sent to Italy before she died. The inscription inside the front cover, "I made the wrong choice" prompts Lina to read it to find out more about this choice her mother made which she regretted, and to try to figure out what her mother saw in Howard.

Through the course of the book, Lina uncovers her mother's secrets, gets to know Howard, and falls in love - both with the city, and with the boy who shows it to her. It's a bittersweet feeling as we simultaneously watch Lina and her mother (through the journal) fall in love, and then learn the truths that change everything.

(Possible spoiler warning for this paragraph)
There's an air of mystery around Howard and Hadley's relationship that made me want to keep reading to know more. The friendship between Lina and Ren is sweet, and it was both frustrating and cute to watch them struggle with their feelings for each other. I really loved all the characters, but Lina and Howard were my favourites.

I gave this book 5 stars because it made me feel a range of emotions and I didn't want it to end. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA and romance.

I have always wanted to go to Italy, the language and culture has always intrigued me. But the descriptions in this book, of various landmarks and famous places, just made me want to go all the more! My best friend and I are tentatively planning a trip to Europe in 5 years (for our 35th birthdays!), so if that ends up happening, Italy will definitely be in the running for possible destinations!

 

My Goodreads rating:

 

Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab | Product Review: Green Leaf Baby

Hey guys! This is actually a combined review post, because the only pic I had on hand of A Darker Shade of Magic was with my new book sleeve (haha!). I pre-ordered this sleeve on Etsy from a Canadian seller (gotta support small Canadian businesses!) called Green Leaf Baby, and it arrived a couple weeks ago. It doesn't seem to be a product that she normally sells, but I really like mine, and I would definitely request another one from her in the future.

This one is made with an adorable Harry Potter print. It has these cutesy images of the four house mascots (lion, badger, snake, bird) and little wands doing spells. It's super cute! The lining is made of a soft grey minky material - so soft!

My only "issue," if you can call it that, is that I kind of think that book sleeves should have some sort of closure (zipper, Velcro, a button...) just to make sure the book doesn't slide out, especially with that super soft lining. This sleeve is big enough for all the books I've put in it so far, it's even a bit roomy (hence the need for some sort of closure).

Ok, now, on to the book review! :)

A Darker Shade of Magic

by V.E. Schwab

Source: Bought a paperback copy online

Genre: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.

Review:

I seem to start all my reviews the same way, but how many ways are there of saying, "I really enjoyed the book" or "This was a really good book"...?

I was excited to read this book. I've been hearing (good) things about it for over a year. It was the book featured in OwlCrate's first box (which was several months before I started subscribing). When it was chosen in one of my Facebook groups as the book to read and discuss for June, I was super excited! I kind of missed the discussion that happened, but anyway... I'm so glad I read the book.

I did find the story a tad slow at times, but I was never uninterested in what was happening, or in the characters. I really liked the character development - I loved the protagonists and hated the villains, as one is expected to do. I felt like I was supposed to like Rhy's character, because everyone loves him, but I really didn't. There's just something off about him. When he was flirting with Lila, my skin crawled. Ew. Just, no.

I totally fell in love with Kell, and I feel no need to explain or justify that. I wonder if anyone else would agree with me on this, but I felt a pretty strong Newt Scamander vibe (as portrayed by Eddie Redmayne in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) from Kell. He just has that same tall, lanky, kind of shy thing going on, the magical aspect, the smuggling, plus his coat... Newt's coat wasn't as magical or as significant to the story as Kell's, but it's iconic of him, and that's what I kept thinking of when I imagined Kell and his coat. In fact, I'm pretty sure Eddie Redmayne would be a good Kell... There is a Darker Shade of Magic movie in the works, by the way, so that's pretty exciting! :D

In my Goodreads review, I mentioned that I wanted to be Lila when I grow up: Lila is one of those characters (spunky, full of life, knows what she wants and how to get it, etc) that is the polar opposite of myself and just makes me wish I could be more confident and adventurous like her. Granted, she didn't have any real attachments to begin with, but when she packed up everything and ran off with Kell to a foreign world - not even knowing if the magic would take her - I just wish I could be so brave.

 

*sigh*

Anyway... I think there might have been something else I wanted to say, but I waited too long between writing sessions, and I forgot. Typical. So, suffice it to say that I really enjoyed this book, I highly recommend it, and I am looking forward to reading the sequels soon! :)

My Goodreads rating:

Book Review: Seven Deadlies: A Cautionary Tale by Gigi Levangie

Hi guys! I decided to try a different approach to book blogging for this post. I've seen some other bloggers format their review posts in this way and I like how concise and clean it is.

 

 

Source: I bought myself a copy

 

Synopsis:

Perry Gonzalez is not like the other kids in her Beverly Hills high school—a full-blooded Latina on a scholarship, living in a tiny apartment with her mother, she doesn’t have much in common with the spoiled, privileged kids who are chauffeured to school every morning. But Perry is a budding young writer with her sights set on Bennington—and her seven deadly stories are her ticket to the Ivory Tower. To pay her way, Perry’s been babysitting (correction: teenage-sitting) and tutoring the neighborhood kids, and she has seen the dark side of adolescence: lust for the “Judas Brothers” that leads to electrocution at a private birthday party concert; wrath that inspires new and perverse family bonds; and greed, in a young Bernie Madoff acolyte who conceives of a copycat Ponzi scheme involving his own grandmother.

Review:

What are my thoughts on this book? Well... I gave it three stars on Goodreads, so my thoughts are not terribly high. It was really the ending that ruined my opinion of the book and knocked it from four stars to three for me.

It starts out with young Perry Gonzalez introducing herself to the Admissions Committee of Bennington College. Even though she is not yet old enough to be applying to college, she felt the need to show how capable, and in need of an escape, she is. She proceeds to tell the tales of seven of her privileged schoolmates who she was charged with tutoring. Each chapter tells one of their tales, and is entitled with the Deadly Sin of which the featured child is guilty.

The stories are a bit fantastical and exaggerated, but entertaining. I viewed them as the title implies: cautionary tales. Fables. Parables. Allegories. Fictional stories with sometimes exaggerated events to warn us of the consequences of our actions. And it would have been perfect to just leave it at that...

However, the author chose to include two letters at the end of the book: one more from Perry to the Admissions Office, with an admission that makes you question her sanity, and the second from Perry's mother to the Admission Officer Perry has been in touch with. It's that last letter that ruined everything.

The tales were fun, and the book was a quick read. I didn't hate it, but I would have preferred if the last two letters hadn't been included, or if they had contained different information.

Goodreads rating: ***

Book Review: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Oh Anne with an e! How I love you and your passionate, quirky, dreamy ways!

Sometimes it comes as a complete surprise to me when I realize that there are books I know all about, but have never actually read. This was one of them. I am very familiar with Anne of Green Gables. We had recordings of the TV mini-series at home that we would watch when I was younger; in college, there was a family who opened their doors to students nearly every weekend, beginning in October, to watch the mini-series and subsequent movie(s?); my mother had a box set of the first 3 books of the series that I always thought was so neat and liked to play with, even though I wasn't supposed to; I have been to PEI and to Avonlea village and the Green Gables house... I'm kind of a fan... but I had never actually read the books!

Then in the fall, when I made this realization, I came across the books at the thrift store for $1 (for the entire series, in box set!), and then a few weeks later, I found an online book club that planned to read the whole series in 2017 and I decided to join in! My mom is joining me on this adventure as well, or attempting to. She doesn't read nearly as much or as fast as I do, but even at her current pace, she should be able to finish the series this year if she wants to.

Illustration by Gaia Bordicchia

I remembered and anticipated most of the happenings in this first book from the TV show. Oh, how well Megan Follows played that spirited little redhead! I had not realized how many years were spanned in that first book - about six, I think! And, to be honest, I didn't really know that there were more books. At the end of my copy of Anne of Green Gables there is a little blurb about each of the next books and I really had no idea! It basically covers most of Anne's life!

Anyway, I don't really feel the need to say much more, except perhaps to recap some of Anne's more notorious antics: falling off the roof, smashing her slate over Gilbert's head, the hair dye incident, getting Diana drunk, nearly drowning in the river, and winning the award at Queen's but giving it up to be able to help out with the farm. 💚

Book Review: Dark Places

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

So I had written a couple of quick reviews when I first finished this book, but I'd like to expand a bit.

I was introduced to Gillian Flynn's writing a couple years ago when I read Gone Girl. I found it extremely captivating and the very essence of a thriller, so I had pretty high expectations for this book, and I was not disappointed.

To summarize, the story is about Libby Day, a woman whose family (mother & two older sisters) was murdered when she was 6 years old, and her brother was accused and convicted of the crime. She's grown up in the limelight of that crime, hating & fearing her brother, and living off the settlement money and donations sent to "little baby Day" by the public. But 25 years later, the money's run out, and it's time for Libby to grow up, face her fears, and learn what really happened that fateful night.

The story flips back and forth between the present and the days leading up to the murders. In the present, it's always from Libby's point of view, but the flashbacks are told from various points of view: the mother, the brother, etc. That makes is a bit hard to follow, but also adds interest as you try to piece together what happened.

Libby was my favourite. She is bratty and annoying from the start, make no mistake. I wanted to shake her and say, "Get over yourself and just do something!" a lot of the time, but I guess that's sort of the point, because as the story unfolds, she engages more and more and begins to come to life. I also pitied her her lot in life, and was rooting for her the whole time as she made new discoveries and ventured outside of her (many and irrational) comfort zones.

From the first page, I was absolutely gripped by the story. I read it over the course of a weekend, which is pretty fast for me. I think Gillian does an excellent job of keeping just the right amount of creepy thrills without it being overwhelming, scary, or horrifying. Not to say that the murders depicted weren't horrific, and I did get a bit squeamish with some of the descriptions, but it wasn't enough to turn me off of the story.

The ending was really not what I was expecting, at all. I had my ideas from the beginning of who the killer might have been and why Libby was spared, but I didn't suspect the outcome. Once it was presented, of course everything made sense, and I remembered all the little clues we'd been given throughout the book.

I highly recommend this book for lovers of thrillers, mysteries, crime fiction, etc! Gillian is a master at these, and I'm very much looking forward to reading her other titles.

Let me know if you've read Dark Places and what your thoughts were!

Book Reviews: The Buckshaw Chronicles #2 & Little Bee

from Indigo.ca

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag is the second book in the series by Canadian author Alan Bradley (sometimes known as The Buckshaw Chronicles). The stories, set in the 1950's, are about a young girl detective, Flavia de Luce, who has a passion for chemistry and, when she's not terrorizing her older sisters, solving mysteries (especially murders). She also gets herself into all sorts of mischief along the way. I happened upon the series when I was given The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (book #1, which I adored!) in a box of books. Since then I found books #2 and #3 in second-hand book sales, so I continue to keep an eye out for the rest of the books!
I recently learned that Alan Bradley has co-written an intriguing book called Ms. Holmes of Baker Street: The Truth About Sherlock, and just released a new Flavia de Luce mystery (September 21, 2016), which means there are now eight books in the series. I love the cover art of these books, and the poetic titles - combinations that are sure to catch my attention! The fact that the main character is a strong-willed young girl makes them even better; and add to that a Canadian author = hopeless case for me!

In The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, a TV puppeteer, Rupert & his assistant, Nialla, come to town. Rupert appears to have old ties to the Ingleby's - the strange couple whose son died five years earlier in an apparent, but suspicious, suicide. As the oddities begin to pile up, Flavia befriends Nialla, and investigates the Ingleby's son's death, as well as the shocking death of the puppeteer in front of the whole town. True to form, she also gets herself into a few tight spots. Ultimately, however, Flavia is instrumental in solving both cases.

Loved the book, and would definitely recommend it. :)

from Amazon.com

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

The number of books in my room, and all around the house, which make up my To Be Read "pile" is enormous... but, as true book nerds know, that doesn't mean you stop buying & collecting books. I went into my local new & used bookstore a few weeks ago (it's right beside where I work - a very dangerous work hazard!) and Little Bee was being featured at the front of the store, as a promotion for lesser-known books. The cover art and back cover blurb are what drew me in, and when I went to check out with it, the clerk told me she had also been intrigued by it and hoped I would let her know if it's good.

We don't want to tell you too much about this book. It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say this: It is extremely funny, but the African beach scene is horrific. The story starts there, but the book doesn't. And it's what happens afterward that is most important. Once you have read it, you'll want to tell everyone about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.

I mean, who wouldn't be intrigued be that, right?!

Well... it certainly was an interesting read. There's this unspeakable shared past that keeps being referred to throughout the book, which you think must be just terrible... but it's really not as bad as they make it out to be, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it's disturbing and unpleasant, but not the great horror I was expecting... The last, probably, 1/2 to 1/3 of the book was rather weak and not very interesting. It has a relatively happy ending, but it doesn't feel like it ended well. It was in no way "extremely funny," although I enjoyed Little Bee's dialogues and found her view of the world to be beautiful and amusing. It was a book that I couldn't put down at times, had me crying at times, had me chuckling to myself at times... but I really didn't love it, and would not recommend it.

Book Reviews: Brand New Friend & Wedding Night

I have been trying to review the books I previously read this year, before starting up the blog again, so this is a continuation of that. I decided to review these two books together as they were both quick, romantic, fluff reads.

When Rob's girlfriend asks him to leave London and live with her in Manchester not only will it mean moving cities, it'll also mean leaving behind his best mate in the entire world. Believing that love conquers all and convinced of his ability to make new friends, Rob takes the plunge.

Six months in, and yet to find so much as a regular drinking buddy, Rob realises that sometimes making friends in your thirties can be the hardest thing to do. With drastic action needed, his girlfriend puts an ad in the classifieds for him. Three excruciatingly embarrassing "bloke dates" later, Rob begins to truly despair. Until his luck changes . . .

There's just one problem. Apart from knowing less than nothing about music trivia, football, and the vital statistics of supermodels, Rob's new friend has one huge flaw . . .

She's a girl.

Brand New Friend is one of those stories that, if made into a movie, would be your typical rom-com, along the same lines as Made of Honor and Just Friends. It's a fun little adventure that explores the relationships between men and women, and asks us the question, Can men and women truly just be friends? The triangle between Rob & Jo & Rob's girlfriend is as cringe-worthy as one would expect. Because he thinks she would overreact, Rob lies-by-omission to mislead his girlfriend into thinking that his new friend Jo is a man. He also misleads Jo into thinking that his girlfriend knows all about her and is totally fine with the situation. Awkward humour follows...

I enjoyed this book, it was a fun sort of fluff read. It's a bit longer, I think, than a typical girly book, but not too long. The story progressed at a fairly comfortable rate. It was funny and awkward and sweet. I give it 3.5/5.

Lottie just knows that her boyfriend is going to propose, but then his big question involves a trip abroad—not a trip down the aisle. Completely crushed, Lottie reconnects with an old flame, and they decide to take drastic action. No dates, no moving in together, they’ll just get married... right now. Her sister, Fliss, thinks Lottie is making a terrible mistake, and will do anything to stop her. But Lottie is determined to say “I do,” for better, or for worse.

I went through a phase several years ago where I read a whole bunch of Shopaholic books, and then collected as many other books by Sophie Kinsella (as well as Madeleine Wickham) as I could get my hands on. But nowadays I can only read Sophie Kinsella's books in small doses, and I really must be in the right frame of mind. Wedding Night was an amusing fluff read, but there's just something about her characters that annoy me. That being said, I did like the book and all the silly shenanigans the characters get up to.

Fliss is the responsible sister. With a career and raising a young son on her own, she also manages to find time to look out for (and clean up after) her younger sister Lottie. Lottie is the carefree, flighty, happy-go-lucky sister. They didn't have an easy childhood, but Fliss always made sure that Lottie was happy and cared for. And Fliss feels like she can predict Lottie's next moves, because she always does the same things. So when Lottie's boyfriend doesn't propose when she's just sure he is, Fliss is completely prepared for the meltdown and the rebound hunt. What she isn't prepared for is for Lottie to make a promise of celibacy and accept a marriage proposal from a near stranger! Hilarity ensues as Fliss tries to stop her sister's wedding, and above all, prevent its consummation!

As I mentioned, there's something about Sophie Kinsella's characters that annoys me; maybe it's how completely air-headed they are, or the fact they're not very believable. But they are almost always amusing, and make for a quick, funny read. I give this one 3.5/5 as well.