TBR: Books I'm Hoping to Read/Finish in 2017

Hello dear readers. After reading a few posts and challenges floating around the blogosphere, I've decided to put in writing my own little To Be Read list of books I'd really like to read/finish in 2017, which should help to reduce my TBR pile *ahem* room a bit... So without further ado, and in no particular order, the books I would like to read in 2017 are as follows:

1. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - I'm planning to do a read-with-me challenge through a website I stumbled across, which will go through the whole series, plus a biography if L.M. Montgomery, and watch movies/TV shows, over the course of the year. I am a pretty big fan of the Anne of Green Gables miniseries (starring Megan Follows), but recently realized that I've never actually read the books (*shock and awe*), so it is beyond time that I did! And it just so happens that I found the box set at the thrift store this fall for a whopping $1!
2. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern - There are so many OwlCrate books which will appear on this list after this, but this one is a definite must (April 2016)! I've been wanting to read it for a couple months, but my bestie and I were hoping to read it together and compare notes, but we haven't been at a point yet where we could both read it at the same time. Hopefully early January...
3. Da Vinci's Tiger by L.M. Elliott - the second OwlCrate book I received (December 2015). I liked the other items in the box, but this book held absolutely no appeal to me. I'm still not that into it, but I'd like to try to read it before getting rid of it.
4. The Love That Split The World by Emily Henry - another OwlCrate book (February 2016). I've seen a few good reviews about this one, so I'm hoping it will be good.
5. Everland by Wendy Spinale - this is another OwlCrate book (May 2016) that I didn't have much interest in. It came in the Steampunk themed box, and I was kind of overall disappointed with the box's contents. The synopsis of the book is intriguing, I'm just a bit concerned that it will miss the mark.
6. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab - this one came in the July 2016 OwlCrate Good vs. Evil box. I've heard really good things about this book and Victoria Schwab in general, so I kind of have high expectations for this book...
7. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West - I'm such a terrible person, but I absolutely judge books by their covers, and this one did not appeal to me in the slightest. The title and cover make it seem like the epitome of teenage high school romance, which I am very much over. But I will do my best to get through it before getting rid of it.
8. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake - from the September 2016 OwlCrate box. It sounds like a good read, I just haven't got around to reading it yet, so hopefully next year!
9. Heartless by Marissa Meyer - from the November 2016 OwlCrate. I enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles, so I'm hoping this one lives up to Marissa's reputation. It's also a great synopsis, so... *fingers crossed*
10. Winter by Marissa Meyer - speaking of the Lunar Chronicles, I started reading this one in January 2016 and could not force myself through it. I'd like to give it another shot. Depending how I feel at the end of it will determine whether or not I will look for Fairest and Stars Above.
11. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George - I ordered this one through Indigo early in the summer because I'd seen it around a bit, the cover intrigued me, and let's be honest, the outline? A floating bookshop with a bookseller who "prescribes" books to his clients? Sounds perfect!! It is nothing as I imagined and I've been picking away at it for months. I'd like to finish it and be done with it. I could just DNF it (Did Not Finish) but my momma didn't raise no quitter! Unless I really can't force my way through it and just hate it, then I may give in and quit.
12. The Ingenious Edgar Jones by Elizabeth Garner - This is another book that I started early in the year but wasn't all that into so I never ended up finishing it. I'd like to finally get through and move on. :)
13. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - Yet another book which I started this past year but didn't make it through. I want to read it simply because it is by J.K. Rowling, but I didn't like the writing all that much. I'm willing to give it a second chance, though.
14. United As One by Pittacus Lore - I finally picked up this final book of the Lorien Legacies (thank you, Indigo's Boxing Week sale), so I'm hoping to get through it next year as well, and finally put the series to rest. I haven't read the numerous complementary Lost Files, and don't really have any desire to at this point.
  

So anyway, wish me luck! I am planning to set a Goodreads goal of 40. I've read 29 so far this year (still need to double-check that there aren't a couple more I forgot to add), hopefully I will finish my current read in the next couple days. So I think that 40 is a reasonable and achievable goal (especially because I have achieved 52 in previous years, so I know I can do it!). Hopefully I will get caught up with 2016's reviews, and continue to review the books I read in 2017.

Edit: I did finish my book and therefore had a total of 30 books read in 2016. In the end, I decided to set my Goodreads goal at 35 for 2017. I will still aim for 40, but this gives me more wiggle room for those weeks and months where I don't feel like (or have time for) reading.

Unboxing: November 2016 "Wonderland" OwlCrate

Whoops! I just came across this post and realized I never published it! I guess I was waiting to try to get some good pictures of the individual items. But seeing as I am now anticipating the December box and will be posting an unboxing of that soon enough, I thought I had better go ahead and publish this one! If you'd like to see photos of the individual items, just let me know!

Hey guys! I'm so excited to share this unboxing with you, it's one of my fave OwlCrate boxes so far! First off, the back story. I've been subscribed to OwlCrate for about a year now (have skipped a couple months). In September they started doing a Five Day Photo Challenge on Facebook and Instagram. A winner was chosen on each site, for each photo prompt, and the prizes were a free month's subscription, so that means ten free boxes! I participated in the September challenge and won (woot!), and decided to get my November box free since I wanted it anyway, and had already paid for the October box!

So, now that we know where the box came from, I have got to say that I love Alice in Wonderland, although, admittedly, I have never read the books (shame on me, I know!). The quirky characters, the dream-world, the magic, it all appeals to me, so I was very much anticipating this box, and I am pretty happy with it!

The hints we were given was that there was an exclusive tea blend from Riddle's Tea Shoppe, and an item from Authored Adornments, and everything is inspired by, obviously, Alice in Wonderland. Squeee! Now, let's see what's inside...

The first thing I saw upon opening the box, of course, was the reveal postcard, which I always set aside 'til later. Next I could see the tea tin. I obviously knew there would be tea in the box, and I don't like tea, so I knew I wasn't going to like that item. Last December there was tea from the same company and the smell was so strong and perfume-y I could hardly stand to have the unsealed tin in my room, and wouldn't dream of drinking the stuff, so I was pretty leery about this box for that reason... However, the tea actually smells quite pleasant and I may even be tempted to try it (but I know I won't like it, so why waste it? I'd like to sell it or give it away, but I really want to keep the tin...).

The next item was actually attached to the tea tin, which I didn't realize until I had finished unpacking the rest of the contents. It is a really cool Alice inspired magnet from Evie Bookish, which has the Cheshire cat's quote "Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality." I love the art, and the quote, so I was really happy with that.

Next I found the clip bookmark from Authored Adornments, which has an Alice quote as well. I don't know if they're all the same or not, but mine quotes the part where Alice famously exclaims "Curiouser and curiouser!" :) It's beautiful, but I don't honestly use clip bookmarks. I find them a bit too bulky and top-heavy to be practical, but it really is beautiful. So I'm not sure what I'll do with it, other than perhaps use it as a photo prop...

Next I found the collectible pin which matches the reveal postcard, depicting Alice falling down the rabbit hole. I really love these collectible pins, but I still haven't found a use for them yet.

By now I had pulled the paper squiggles out to reveal the most beautiful and playful (exclusive) cover I've ever seen of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and matching bookmark, from Rock Paper Books. It's gorgeous! I'm fairly certain I have a copy of this book somewhere, but I don't know where so I can't say for certain. So I am super stoked to have a copy, and this one is just beautiful!

And, last but not least, the featured book was Heartless by Marissa Meyer, with another exclusive cover! I was pretty excited about this mostly because I have only recognized one other author that's been featured in the OwlCrate boxes, and so this is only the second book that I would have actually gone out and bought for myself. And I didn't realize that Heartless is a sort of retelling of Alice in Wonderland, in the sense that it's the story of how the Queen of Hearts became the person Alice met. (I wonder if it will be anything like the snippet of her story we got from last year's movie Alice Through the Looking Glass?)

I can't say which item is my favourite, I really love them all.

Bib-li-o-phile Friday: Holiday Wish List

I've been participating on and off in a few weekly memes. Bib-li-o-phile Fridays is a weekly meme hosted by Aurora & Louise on Goodreads, and today's theme is Holiday Wish List. We are to pick out five books we hope to get this year for Christmas, or plan on buying for ourselves. I'll try to avoid books I've mentioned in previous posts as much as possible. This was the list I gave my mom a few weeks back(as always, in no particular order):

1. The Thousandth Floor - Katharine McGee
2. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows - Alan Bradley
3. Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
4. Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell
5. The Magician's Lie - Greer Macallister

I know which one she bought, because she used my Indigo.ca account to buy it so that I would also accumulate points. So, no surprises, but I get a book I wanted and points to someday buy another book, so that's ok. I will leave it at that for now, instead of writing a description about one of these, and wait to gush about the one I got after Christmas. ;)

Top Ten Tuesday: Things I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

This week's Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is all about what we want to see under the tree this Christmas! The prompt was "Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree (or non-book bookworm items)" and so I will be going halfsies and doing 5 of each.

5 Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

1. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee - Because I've heard good things about it.
2. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst - Because the cover... and it sounds really awesome. :)
3. I am Half-sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley - I've read the first two books of the Flavia de Luce series, and own the third, so having the next one (or two) would be great!
4. Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin - Because it sounds so awesome! I've seen it floating around Facebook and Instagram and I'm just so intrigued.
5. Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs - I haven't read Miss Peregrine's yet, and I don't know if you would have to have read them first to read this one, but I just like the idea of the short stories.

5 Non-book Bookish Items

1. Library card socks from Out of Print - So fun! Available in grey, yellow, and blue.
2. Magnetic bookmarks from Happy Hello on Etsy - There are way too many cute designs to choose from! I love the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beast themed ones, and I think I saw an Anne of Green Gables one as well!
3. Jewelry from Authored Adornments on Etsy - Her necklace pendants are particularly gorgeous, and she has a Sherlock ring. *thumbs up* I like all the Alice in Wonderland goodies.
4. Harry Potter Monopoly! Because how fun would that be?? Unfortunately there is no official game, only fan recreated ones. I wish I had more local bookish friends to have game nights and Harry Potter parties with which would warrant me making my own...
5. Customized bookplates or stamps from Etsy - There are tons on Etsy and they are so fun! I love the idea, but don't actually like writing/sticking things in books, so I'm not sure I'd actually use them...

Book Review: The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

Hello again reader(s). It's been a long time coming, but finally, another book review for you (and me)! :) Today I will be reviewing The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick. I bought this book from Indigo-Chapters this past year. I picked it out because it sounded a lot like The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, which I really enjoyed. I kind of get a kick out of stories about older people discovering themselves late in life, taking adventures, having fun. It inspires me and gives me hope for my future. ;)



An eccentric yet absolutely lovable widower embarks on a life-changing journey to undercover the secrets his wife left behind, in this poignant and curiously charming novel.
Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive. He dresses in the same gray slacks and mustard sweater vest, waters his fern, Frederica, and heads out to his garden.

But on the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death, something changes. Sorting through Miriam’s possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as India in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife’s secret life before they met—a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places.

Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters with big hearts and irresistible flaws, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is a joyous celebration of life’s infinite possibilities.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is a fun and adventurous read. It's about self discovery and learning to enjoy life. Arthur lives for routine. He has had the same daily routine for years, with only a few slight alterations over the last year since his wife, Miriam, passed away. On the anniversary of her death, he decides to do a little tidying up and get rid of some of Miriam's things which he wasn't ready to part with previously. In rummaging through her closet he discovers a box with a charm bracelet inside. It doesn't look like anything Miriam would have worn, the charms mean nothing to him, and yet who else could it have belonged to? Thus begins Arthur's journey.

One of the charms is an elephant with an emerald on it's back, with an international phone number engraved on the back. Curiosity gets the better of Arthur and he decides to call the number, regardless of what it might cost, to see if he might find some answers to this unfamiliar piece of jewelry. The number belongs to a home in India, and he speaks to a gentleman who did, indeed, know Miriam in the past, before she met and married Arthur. They have a very interesting conversation and the man extends an invitation to Arthur to come visit any time. Arthur, still in shock to have discovered that Miriam had a secret former life, now begins to look into the other charms and what they could mean.

Miriam and her charms lead him on a journey around the world, making new friends, breaking his routines and habits, learning new things, and discovering a whole new world. In the process, he learns things about Miriam he wishes he hadn't known and probably the reason she hid her past from him. He also mends his relationships with his children and neighbours, and becomes a completely different person.

It's a really heart-warming and inspiring story. I hope to lead the kind of life that Miriam led in her youth which will inspire someone else to change their way of life and discover a new world. Not the secrecy and "bad" things, but just the adventures, of course. :)

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'm Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017

Hello Reader(s)! So, I'm really not the type of person who looks up upcoming book releases. I just hear about books through friends, see things online and in stores, and read about books online (whether they be new releases or not). So I can't honestly say that I knew about any of these books before doing some research specifically for this post, but they do honestly sound like amazing reads. I won't be lining up at the door to buy them when they are released, but someday I'd like to read them.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday meme, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is "Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to For the First Half of 2017." Enjoy!

1. Caraval by Stephanie Garber - expected publication: January 2017. The cover is fantastic, and this line alone in the blurb on Goodreads is enough for me "Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game." It sounds like it might be a perfect magical mix of The Night Circus, The Hunger Games, and the Lunar Chronicles.

2. Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones - expected publication: February 2017. This sounds quite intriguing. Possibly a Beauty and the Beast retelling? Not sure. If it isn't meant to be a retelling, it seems like it could be considered one.

3. Hunted by Meagan Spooner - expected publication: March 2017. This one is actually a Beauty & the Beast retelling, so that should be good. And, again, the cover is gorgeous. :)

4. By Your Side by Kasie West - expected publication: Jnauary 2017. This just looks like a cute YA romance. I feel like I may have read other books by Kasie West, but I'm not sure...

5. Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller - expected publication: February 2017. A romance about pirates! Sounds like a good time!

6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - expected publication: January 2017. This blurb on Goodreads says it's for readers who loved The Night Circus. You know that The Night Circus is one of my all-time favourite books, right? So anything advertised as being similar to that is going to be on my radar! It's also a retelling of Vasilisa from Russian folklore, which Vassa in the Night also was, and I enjoyed that as well. So it should be good!

7. Gem & Dixie by Sara Zarr - expected publication: April 2017. A story about sisters from a dysfunctional family... I like it.

8. The Elementalist by V.V. Mont - expected publication: June 2017. Someone who can control the elements, and gets exiled for being a freak... yeah, I could get into that.

9. Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth - expected publication: January 2017. I love Veronica Roth's Divergent series, so I'll be all over this first book in her new duology, yes I will.

10. Wait For Me by Caroline Leech - expected publication: January 2017. Just another sweet YA romance, but this one is historical. Basically sounds like a tragic war-time love story. I could get into that. I bawled my eyes out watching Cold Mountain (Civil War; but still, tragic love story set in a war).

Book Review: After You - Jojo Moyes

**SPOILER ALERT**

Do not read if you have not yet read Me Before You!

 

 

Earlier this year I read Me Before You, the prequel to this book, about our main character, Louisa Clark, who becomes the caregiver for a quadriplegic man, Will Traynor, and their tragic love story. I enjoyed that story. Tears were shed, frustrations abounded, twists appeared to add a bit of hope to an otherwise depressingly predictable ending... And now comes After You, a continuation of Lou's story, one year later.

 

The book starts off dramatically enough, with Lou being terribly depressed after the events of the last year, stuck in a horrible dead-end job, and then she falls off the roof of her apartment building. Of course, one's immediate reaction would be to wonder if Lou will also end up a quadriplegic, like Will, and history will repeat itself. Amazingly, she survives the fall with minimal injuries. After spending some weeks/months back at home with her family while she recovers, she goes back to her London flat, promising her father that she will attend grief counseling.

 

The story at that point slows down and tends to drag on a bit. A new character comes into the picture, a 16 year old girl called Lily Houghton-Miller, who claims to be Will's estranged daughter. Louisa takes it upon herself to take the girl in, helping her meet & be accepted by her new family, etc. Lily brings a lot of stress and upset to Louisa's life, to the point where Louisa can take no more, which leads to more drama and a somewhat intense search.

 

There is, of course, a new love interest for Louisa, and near the end of the book, trauma strikes again, adding more action & intensity, and did cause some tears to be shed.

 

The last few chapters I personally found to be a bit choppy and confusing. Honestly, that was probably the point, but it felt a bit unnatural compared to the rest of the story.

 

The book could most certainly be read as a stand-alone novel. There is enough of the previous book mentioned to know what has happened and not necessarily need to have read it first. I enjoyed how certain issues were resolved in this book that were left "hanging" in Me Before You, such as Lou's relationship with her family.

 

As seems to be Jojo Moyes writing style, there were several small twists thrown in, which were just enough to make you think that the somewhat predictable ending will be different than you thought... but turns out to be exactly what you thought. However, she always manages to make you feel hopeful and satisfied in the end.

I enjoyed this book a lot, possibly more than the first (not quite so sad), and would definitely recommend it.

Bib-li-o-phile Friday: 5 disabled character

Hi! I'm really loving, but not really succeeding in participating in, all these great weekly memes! Anyway... Apparently December 2nd was National (U.S.) Special Education Day, so last week's Bib-li-o-phile Friday (hosted by Whoo Gives a Hoot and Foxes and Fairy Tales), which I missed!, was to list five books featuring characters with disabilities, and give a more in-depth description or overview of one of them. I have to admit that this was a bit of a challenge for me... But the goal was to find books that feature disabled characters, so that means they don't have to be the main character, right? And it says characters with disabilities, which could be physical as well as mental, right? That's what I'm going with, to make this easier. ;) Ok, here goes...

1. The Girls by Lori Lansens
This book is about a set of conjoined twins, Rose and Ruby, joined at the head. Rose has a perfect and healthy body, but her face is disfigured where they are connected. Ruby has a beautiful face, but a small and sickly body, which her sister has to carry on her hip.

2. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
First off, the title of this book is extremely misleading. The disabled character in this story is Phoebe, who has Down's Syndrome. Her biological father, who delivered her, had his nurse take her away when he realized her disability, and told his wife the child had died. The nurse couldn't bear the thought of leaving the baby at the orphanage/disabled home, so she ran away with her and raised her as her own.

3. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
This story is about main character Alice, and her journey through the discovery and progression of early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. It is incredibly touching and scary (realism), and by all accounts I've read, quite an accurate description of the early stages of Alzheimer's.

4. The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
The story is about two patients at an institution called the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded; Lynnie, who has developmental disabilities, and Homan, a deaf African-American man. They fall in love, Lynnie becomes pregnant, and they run away together to start their family. Plans don't work out quite the way they would have liked (Homan on the run and Lynnie back in the institution), but the baby is born in secret and raised outside of the institution.

5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
The main character, Christopher, is Autistic. He believes his neighbour's dog was murdered, and sets out to solve the mystery using the tactics of his favourite detective, Sherlock Holmes.

Feature: The Girls by Lori Lansens

“We’ve been called many things: freaks, horrors, monsters, devils, witches, retards, wonders, marvels. To most, we’re a curiosity. In small-town Leaford, where we live and work, we’re just ‘The Girls.’” 

Rose and Ruby Darlen are closer than most twin sisters. Indeed, they have spent their twenty-nine years on earth joined at the head. Given that they share a web of essential veins, there is no possibility that they can be separated in their lifetime. 

Born in a small town in the midst of a tornado, the sisters are abandoned by their frightened teenaged mother and create a circus-like stir in the medical community. The attending nurse, however, sees their true beauty and decides to adopt them. Aunt Lovey is a warm-hearted, no-nonsense woman married to a gentle immigrant butcher, Uncle Stash. The middle-aged couple moves to a farm where the girls – “not hidden but unseen” – can live as normal a life as possible. 

For identical twins, Rose and Ruby are remarkably different both on the inside and out. Ruby has a beautiful face whereas Rose’s features are, in her own words, “misshapen and frankly grotesque.” And whereas Rose’s body is fully formed, Ruby’s bottom half is dwarfish – with her tiny thighs resting on Rose’s hip, she must be carried around like a small child or doll. The differences in their tastes are no less distinct. A poet and avid reader, Rose is also huge sports fan. Ruby, on the other hand, would sooner watch television than crack open a book – that is, anything but sports. They are rarely ready for bed at the same time and whereas Rose loves spicy food, Ruby has a “disturbing fondness for eggs.”  

On the eve of their thirtieth birthday, Rose sets out to write her autobiography. But because their lives have been so closely shared, Ruby insists on contributing the occasional chapter. And so, as Rose types away on her laptop, the technophobic Ruby scribbles longhand on a yellow legal pad. They’ve established one rule for their co-writing venture: neither is allowed to see what the other has written. Together, they tell the story of their lives as the world’s oldest surviving craniopagus twins – the literary Rose and straight-talking Ruby often seeing the same event in wildly different ways. Despite their extreme medical condition, the sisters express emotional truths that every reader will identify with: on losing a loved one, the hard lessons of compromise, the first stirrings of sexual desire, the pain of abandonment, and the transcendent power of love. 

Rose and Ruby Darlen of Baldoon County, Ontario, are two of the most extraordinary and unforgettable characters to spring into our literature. As Kirkus Reviews puts it, “The novel's power lies in the wonderful narrative voices of Rose and Ruby. Lansens has created a richly nuanced, totally believable sibling relationship... An unsentimental, heartwarming page-turner.” The National Post writes: “Lansens’s beautiful writing is so detailed that it is often easy to forget that the material is not based on a true story. She captures what it would be like never to sleep, bathe, go for a walk, or meet friends on your own.”

It's been a really long time since I read this book, a couple of years, and I'm not exactly sure where the book is at the moment (probably in a bin in the attic...), so the best I can do is paste the above synopsis from Indigo.ca and try my best to remember anything else I can... Which isn't much. You will remember that one of my main reasons for starting this blog was as a means for me to remember which books I've read, so... if it isn't already blogged here, there's a good chance I don't remember much about it.

I don't even honestly remember where I got this book from. I feel like it was a gift, but I can't remember who from, or what the occasion was... It was either a gift, or I picked it up (new) at my local new & used bookshop Black Cat Books, simply because it sounded interesting and the cover was pretty - this is often the way it goes with me and books. I do occasionally read books based on the recommendations of others, but for the most part I just pick up books that look & sound interesting and I buy them. *shrug*

I do remember that this story helped feed my fascination with twins and, in particular, identical twins. I don't have any particular fascination with conjoined twins, but it's always interesting just the same. I love how that identical twins have this super close bond that nobody else can really understand. How they can know what the other is thinking, finish their sentences, feel what they feel. It's amazing. Of course, conjoined twins is a completely different story, but still.

I don't remember everything that happened (aside from arguments and falling in love and heartbreak), but my overall feeling after reading it was good. It's written from the points of view of both girls, which is always fun. Reading about the same experience from two different points of view is always enlightening. Everyone remembers events differently, especially depending on how they felt during the event.

Even though I can't remember everything that happened in the book, I would recommend it. :)

Hello Again Thursday (Hello December!)

Hey guys, I just thought I'd follow up on last week's non-bookish post about my craft sale preparations...

The sale took place on Saturday, November 26th. It was a nice day: not too cold, a bit of rain & overcast, but no storm. The location was easy to find and seemed to have been advertised locally, so I was still optimistic, right up until 11am. When I found my table, I realized that the tables were packed way too close together. It made for awkward set up, and an even more awkward day as we tried not to bump into the other artisans beside and behind us. That wouldn't have been too bad, but I was also upstairs. I heard from some shoppers that it was the first time they had used this upstairs space for artisans for this event, so I feel like it's possible that people didn't even come up. There were shoppers, but not as many as I would have expected. Artisans were wandering around as well, so it was really hard to tell the shoppers from the organizers and artisans.

In the end, it was a long day. Not a bad day, but a long day. I shared the table with my mom (she had homemade Christmas cards for sale), and I think between both of us we sold around $60 worth of merchandise. It's not bad, but I have done much better at the sale I usually go to.

So, feeling a bit discouraged at the end of the day, I posted the leftover ornaments to my Facebook page, and sold another dozen right off - go figure! I still have some left, if ever anyone is interested. :)

Thanks for listening!

Top Ten Tuesday: Holiday Gift Guide

This week's (a day late - woops!) Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is a holiday gift guide freebie. The ideas given were ten books to buy the YA lover in your life, 10 books to buy for your dad, etc. My list is going to be ten gift ideas a reader might like for Christmas.

Ten Bookish Items for the Reader in Your Life

1. A book subscription box: There are lots available, depending on your budget and where you live, and for different reading genres. I would say the minimum would be $25 USD per month. Most subscription services have one-month, three-month, and six-month plans - any of them would be appreciated by book lovers! The box I subscribe to is OwlCrate but there are so many more - a quick Google search will give you lots of options.
2. An Audible subscription: This would be based on your reader's preferences, some people don't enjoy audio books. Audible is a subscription site that sells digital audio books, which you download directly to your device - no need for CDs! Audio books are a quick way for readers to get through several books in a short amount of time. They also help them to be more efficient and multi-task, as they can be "reading" while doing chores or driving.
3. Magnetic bookmarks: Readers love bookmarks (so any will do), but the magnetic kind are particularly popular right now, and practical as they won't simply slip out. You can find lots of fun designs and awesome sellers on Etsy. One of my favourite Etsy shops for bookmarks is ReadandWonder.
4. Books: This may seem obvious, but not to everyone. I love books and reading, and my family knows it, but they rarely gift me books. Partially because they don't know what genres I prefer or what I might already have. However, I'm fairly certain that if you asked your reader for a list of title ideas, they would be happy to supply you with said list! Also, many readers enjoy having several copies/editions of the same book, so giving them a book they might already own isn't too big a deal. RockPaperBooks for example, carries classic novels with new modern art covers. They are gorgeous - any reader would be happy to receive one of these beauties!
5. Gift cards: Of course, gift cards can be given to just about anyone on your list. Some people don't like gift cards because they can be considered "impersonal," but they can be a really appreciated gift, especially for students or people on a fixed income. Personally, I enjoy receiving gift cards because for me, gifts are about the thought. If one of my loved ones didn't know exactly what to give me, but they knew I loved books and therefore gave me a gift card to a local bookstore, or a bookselling website I enjoy, I would still consider it a thoughtful and personal gift, and would be thrilled. For Apple users, you can also buy ebooks thru iTunes for Kindle, so an iTunes gift card would work as well.
6. eReader: This is a pricier gift item, and may be a matter of personal choice (some readers prefer to only read paper books), so you would have to know your reader's preferences. There are several eReaders and apps on the market today, the most popular being Kobo, Nook and Kindle, but again, a little research will go a long way.
7. Signed books: Maybe your reader has a favourite author? This gift idea would take some forethought and planning, but getting one of their books signed by their favourite author (with a personal inscription??) is sure to be a winner. How to get a book signed by an author: you have to go to a book signing event, or contact the author to ask if they offer book signing services. In most cases you will be required to send a copy of the book to the author along with a postage paid return envelope and a fee for the signing - it could get pricey. I've recently learned that some Barnes & Noble or Target stores in the US sell signed copies of books occasionally. So if you're lucky enough to live near one of these stores, this could be much more affordable option.
8. Reading accessories: This is again based on personal preference, but some readers like to use book lights for nighttime reading; Stick-It Notes or adhesive markers for marking favourite parts or quotes; pretty/interesting (and functional) bookends for their bookshelves (maybe they need a bookshelf!); a notebook for tracking their reading, or writing down thoughts & quotes, etc. The list could go on...
9.  Book cover items: By this, I mean items which are made to look like books, or have prints of actual book covers on them. T-shirts, posters, mugs, tote bags, phone cases, there are sooo many options! Redbubble or Society6 are good starting places. These are like Etsy (a single website housing many independent shops/artists), but seem to be a lot more art based, which is where your book covers will come in!
10. Fandom items: This is another gift idea that will require knowing your reader well. Do they love a particular book series that has a significant following? If so, there's a good chance there will be a myriad of fandom items your reader would enjoy. This could range from scented candles, to Christmas ornaments, to stationery, to jewelry... Lots of options are available for this idea as well. I, personally, am a big fan of Harry Potter, so I would be tickled pink to receive Harry Potter-themed items. HPGeneration has some really beautiful (if not pricey) items for this particular fandom.

Well there you have it! Ten gift items the reader in your life might enjoy this holiday season. Is there anything you would add? Which of these would be at the top of your list?

Tag: Opposite Books Tag

Reading (and therefore review blogging) has been pretty slow lately, but I've been getting into book tags recently. I found this tag from Dreamland Book Blog by doing a random Google search for book tag ideas - kinda lame, I know, what can I say? :) Here is the list:

1. First book in your collection/Last book you bought.
2. A cheap book/An expensive book.
3. A book with a male protagonist/One with a female protagonist.
4. A book you read fast/One that took you long to read.
5. Pretty cover/Ugly cover.
6. A national book/An international book.
7. A thin book/A thick book.
8. Fiction book/Non-fiction book.
9. Very (way too) romantic book/Action book.
10. A book that made you happy/One that made you sad.

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1.
First book in my collection:
Who could remember something like this?! I have no idea. I was going to attempt to list the first books I remember reading by myself, but I can't even remember their titles, so...
Last book I bought:
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, for $1 at the thrift store.

2.
A cheap book:
My bff found me a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling for $0.50, I think that's probably the cheapest book in my collection, even if I didn't pay it myself.
An expensive book:
Generally speaking, I don't buy books at full price, so this could be any book I did buy at full price so, for argument's sake, I'll say that was The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. Really good book, by the way.

3.
A book with a male protagonist:
I've heard people say it before, that in YA books, male leads are pretty rare, and I'm starting to see that more and more! An obvious choice would be Harry Potter, but trying to think outside the box... I'll go with Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, main character Clay. I loved that book so much. It's definitely one I'd recommend!
A book with a female protagonist:
Obviously this would be super easy, because there are so many!! But, again, trying to think outside the box... The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey. I really like Cassie. I haven't read the last book of the trilogy yet, but I've enjoyed the other two.

4.
A book I read fast:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I'm pretty sure I read the whole trilogy in a weekend.
A book that took me a long time to read:
The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman. I liked the book well enough, but for whatever reason, I found it moved pretty slowly and so it took me a while to get through it.

5.
Pretty cover:
Assuming this is books I own, and not just books in general... I think probably I'd choose Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I think it's a beautiful cover, and it portrays the character very well. Plus it's my favourite book of the series so far (haven't finished reading them all).
Ugly cover:
I tend to pick up books based on their covers, so I don't own too many ugly books, except for hand-me-downs. I'll say my copy of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, seeing as it was very "well-loved" before I got it, so well-loved it has no cover.

6.
A national book:
I took this to mean a book written by an author from my country, Canada. In that case, I would have to, of course, go with Louise Penny. If I had to choose just one of her books, I guess I would go with Still Life, as it's the first of the series, and the one that got me hooked. :)
An international book:
I don't really consider the U.S. to be "international," so for a book by an author outside of Canada & the U.S., I'd have to go with The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern.

7.
A thin book:
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I just received the most beautiful copy ever in my November OwlCrate!
A thick book:
I have a single binding of all of Jane Austen's works (which I still haven't read yet!!), that's pretty huge!

8.
A fiction book:
If I Stay by Gayle Forman. It was such an emotional story and interesting point of view. I cried reading the book, but it was nothing compared to the mess I was after watching the movie later on.
A non-fiction book:
I feel like I'm always talking about the same books, but when it comes to non-fiction, what I have read leaves me with very few choices... The Tao of Martha by Jen Lancaster was a non-fiction I haven't mentioned on my blog before... It's not a favourite or anything, but it was a kind of funny and inspiring read. It's sort of like Julie & Julia, but the author used Martha Stewart as her example to follow for a year, vs Julia Child.

9.
A very (way too) romantic book:
In this instance, I'm going to say that romantic really means erotic, and would have to say 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James. Yikes.
An action book:
The Fate of Ten by Pittacus Lore. Pretty much the whole book is a battle scene. It was action-packed, but really didn't hold my interest. It took me a long time to read, and I have little-to-no recollection of how it ended. The series is getting a bit drawn-out for me.

10.
A book that made me happy:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I know I talk about this book all the time, but it is literally one of my  top three favourites. I hesitate to say absolute favourite, because who can choose, but... it's way, way, up there on my list. It makes me happy just to think about it. :)
A book that made me sad:
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It's such a tragic story of love between family members, and an unexpected ending. I just can't imagine being put in any one of those family member's shoes. It makes me sad, but it makes me thankful for my family and that everyone is healthy.

_________________________________________________________________

That was kind of fun and challenging! I'm not actually going to tag anyone, just do the challenge if you're up to it. Feel free to share a link to your post in the comments below, I would be happy to read your opposites. :)

Hello Thursday

Hello Friends,

It doesn't always have to be about books, right? Well, today it's not. Today it's just me chatting about what's up.

I've been trying really hard to get a post published this week, but it's just not happening. I have lots of ideas and so many drafts on the go, but I've just been really busy for the last few weeks and haven't had time to complete anything, and this week is especially crazy. I've been preparing for a Christmas craft sale taking place this weekend...

About a month ago, I heard that there was a possibility of a trip (through an organization I've travelled with before, to a country I've been hoping to visit) next fall that I really want to attend. So even though it's early days and they haven't officially announced the trip yet, I decided I had better start doing what I could to raise funds as soon as possible. Because, while I do have enough currently in my savings account, I'm already planning a trip to Florida this spring with my best friend, and that's going to end up taking a lot of my savings.

In the past, my most reliable methods of fundraising have been bake sales and Christmas craft sales. Since it was just in time for Christmas, I decided to go for it. I started whipping up some of my polymer clay tree ornaments, and found a sale that still had an available spot at a reasonable price and reserved.

I don't have a ton of stuff made up, but I've prepared five each of six different designs, plus a few others. Hopefully my table won't look too bare, and people will buy, buy, buy! :)

Around here, so far anyway, polymer clay is a pretty rare medium to see at craft sales. It's all about knitting, weaving, jewelry-making, toll painting, and card-making in these parts. At any given craft sale you will find at least one artisan selling these wares. So I do have unique-ness on my side. The style of my ornaments does not appeal to everyone, certainly, and I know that (in this area) the prices aren't necessarily what people want to pay for a Christmas ornament (however, I have priced similar sized polymer clay art online and they are about three times the price of mine...), but hopefully it will go well. I usually do pretty well, but I'm not going to the same sale I usually go to. I've never been to this one before, so I don't know how much traffic there will be, or if it's a big-spender crowd or not (most likely not).

So, anyway... all that just to explain my lack of bookish posts on the blog this week. I'll get caught up next week, at some point, I promise.

Until then, wish me luck at my sale! I'll see you all soon.

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!

Top Ten Tuesday: Movie Freebie

This week's Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, see the list of future post subjects here) is a movie freebie. I wanted to do my favourite book-to-movie adaptations, but I couldn't think enough to remember which movies were books first, and which books I'd actually read... So instead I'll be listing my top ten favourite movies of all time, that I could think of while I was writing this list (I love so many movies, it's really hard to pick favourites). And so, in no particular order, I give you my Top Ten Tuesday Favourite Movies:

1. Tuck Everlasting - I adored this movie, it was my #1 for a very long time, and I haven't watched it in years, but I still consider it top ten. I know the moral is supposed to be that immortality is not what it's cracked up to be, and that Winnie made the right choice, but it always just made me sad and annoyed with her, because I'm pretty sure I would have made the "wrong" choice.
2. Sherlock Holmes - I adore Sherlock Holmes. The BBC show Sherlock? Definitely top 5. But the Sherlock movies featuring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are definitely some of my favourites. The mystery, the music, the acting, the costumes... Beautiful.
3. Stranger Than Fiction - This is one of my favourites because of the whole concept it presents of literary characters being real and subject to the author's whims. Plus there's a super cute love story.
4. Because I Said So - I'm not sure what exactly it is about this movie that I love most... but it's got a great cast of actors, there's polka dots in every scene, one of the main characters is a baker so there are beautiful cakes everywhere, there's a love triangle... So many points to love!
5. Zootopia - I love animated movies so much, so I knew I had to list one, but which to choose? The two most recent ones I saw and loved were Zootopia & The Secret Life of Pets, so it was a toss-up between the two. But I just watched Zootopia again a couple weeks ago, so it won. Flash the sloth is my favourite - hilarious!
6. Alice in Wonderland - the Tim Burton ones, featuring Johnny Depp. Tim Burton is the perfect director for a movie such as Alice in Wonderland, because everything he does is weird and a little bit creepy, and that is exactly what Wonderland needs. The Cheshire Cat and Mad Hatter are my favourite characters.
7. Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - I've been watching the movies as I finish the books, but the last 2 I've watched have been awful representations of the books and have been a real disappointment to me. The first movie remains a favourite, and I've re-watched it several times (in fact, I think I'm about due to watch it again....)
8. In Time - I adore stories about time (time travel, immortality, reincarnation, etc) so this is right up my alley. And the whole concept of time being currency is crazy and insane and I love it.
9. Inception - Dreams have always been a source of intrigue for me. I have some pretty weird ones sometimes, or I did as a teenager anyway. The idea of being able to influence your dreams, to bring other people in with you, to go deeper into the recesses of a mind through dreams... very intriguing stuff.
10. Life As We Know It - I'm a sucker for a good rom-com. I love everything about this story (except of course for the deaths that set the whole thing in motion), and found that the main actors had a good chemistry. Super cute feel-good movie that always makes me happy.

Tag: Harry Potter Spells

Hello Readers,

Hello! Today I will be sharing with you the “Harry Potter Spells Tag”. I was tagged by my friend Paige at This is Paige From Book Club (you can read her post here), which she adapted from a BookTube video. There are ten questions, each derived from a spell found in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Here we go!

1. Expecto Patronum: A childhood book connected to good memories.

The Amelia Bedelia & Encyclopedia Brown series. These were some of my favourite books in elementary school, and so I have some very fond memories of picking them out of classroom library shelves to devour, and of course, being so excited to spot them in the Scholastic catalogue!

Amelia Bedelia was a maid always misunderstanding instructions because she was always interpreting English literally - these books introduced me to a silly character who was constantly making mistakes, but always made the most of it and still came out the lovable hero in the end.

Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown was a 10-year-old boy detective. His father was the local police chief, which gave Encyclopedia a unique look into crime solving. He had his own little detective agency where his peers would come to him with mysteries which he would solve (and you were given the clues so you could also try to solve them). These books introduced me to mystery and crime fiction, my favourite genres! I also had a crush on Encyclopedia Brown - what little girl wouldn't crush on a smart, handsome, kind, mystery-solving boy detective?!

2. Expelliarmus: A book that took you by surprise.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I like thrillers, but I don't actively search for books in this genre because sometimes they're just a bit too creepy for me. Unless I'm in the mood for that kind of thing. This book was definitely creepy, and just what I was looking for at the time. The ending actually took me by surprise. Maybe I'm just not a person who analyzes what I'm reading; perhaps I would have divined the ending ahead of time if I had analyzed a bit more. But happily, I didn't, so I was able to enjoy the surprise ending!

3. Prior Incantato: The last book you read.

Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter. I received this book in the October OwlCrate box (read my unboxing post here). The cover art was just beautiful, and the synopsis was too intriguing, I just had to dive into it right away! It was good, but a bit different and much weirder than I was anticipating. It's neither for the faint of heart, nor those who don't like fantasy.

4. Alohamora: A book that introduced you to a genre you had not considered before.

Facing Terror by Carrie McDonnall. This was the first biographical story I ever read which wasn't required reading. The book was given to me as a High School graduation gift by somebody from my church. I love hearing people's stories and real-life adventures, but I don't typically enjoy reading them. I did, however, enjoy this book, and have gone on to read several other biographies and autobiographies. It's still not a favourite genre, but I'm not completely turned off by them.

5. Riddikulus: A funny book you've read.

Hm, I've never really considered this question before, but now that I think about it... I don't think I've read very many "funny" books. I suppose that the Shopaholic books (or anything else by Sophie Kinsella) are amusing to a degree, but as for an outright laugh-out-loud book... I don't know!

6. Sonorus: A book you think everybody should know about.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I love magic, mystery, romance... and this book contains it all! I don't like to tell people too much about it, just trust me... it's amazing. I can't tell you how many times I have recommended this book. I don't know if the people I've recommended it to have actually read and/or enjoyed it, but that's another story... Haha!

7. Obliviate: A book or spoiler you would like to forget having read.

As much as I enjoyed reading the Twilight Saga at the time, the movies absolutely ruined the books for me. So much so that I never ended up reading the last book of the saga, and have no intention of doing so.

8. Imperio: A book you had to read for school.

So many of the books that I had to read in school became favourites; it's hard to choose one... So instead I'll just list the ones that were particularly striking in my memory: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (the first book that made me cry - and the movie adaptation was every bit as good as the book!), The Giver by Lois Lowry (the first book to introduce me to the dystopian genre), Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (just a really impressive story that has stayed with me).

9. Crucio: A book that was painful to read.

I will someday try to go back to finish it, but earlier this year when I tried reading Winter by Marissa Meyer... painful. Hopefully it was just the time when I was reading it. I had been looking forward to finishing up the series, and enjoyed the other books, but I literally had to force myself to read the parts that I did, and eventually just gave up.

10. Avada Kedavra: A book that could kill (interpret as you will).

Sadly, I could not interpret this as anything other than literal, and therefore simply could not think of a single book to fit the description. Sorry, Paige! I did my best!


Since I have nobody to tag, I'll leave it at that. If any of my numerous and adoring readers (haha!) decide to take this challenge, please share the link to your post in the comments below so I can go enjoy your interpretation of the Harry Potter Spells challenge!

Top Ten Tuesday: Recent TBR List Additions

Hey everyone! This week's Top Ten Tuesday (as hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is books I've recently added to my To-Be-Read list! This is a pretty easy one as I seem to be constantly picking up books, or reading about books I'd love to read!

If I haven't mentioned it before, my TBR is huge. And it's not so much a list or pile, as it is an ever-growing entity. But there are a few books that have migrated there in the last little while, so I've divided my list into books that are on my To Be Read list which I do not own, and books which were on that section of the list, but which I've recently acquired.

Five Books I Now Own & Must Read

Perfect by Rachel Joyce - It wasn't specifically on my TBR or To Buy list, but when I spotted it recently at a book sale and recognized the author, I couldn't leave without it.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - As I've mentioned often, I have been reading through the Harry Potter series this year, for the first time. I've basically just been reading the books as I bought them, and haven't really had the money lately to go buy the last 2 books new, so I've been waiting. But I managed to find The Deathly Hallows at a used book sale for $4, and my best friend found The Half-Blood Prince for $0.50!! This counts as one because... because I said so. :)
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - I actually had an e-version of this book on an e-reader that was gifted to me, so when the poor thing died, I lost all the books that were on it. I happened upon it at a book sale recently. 
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson - I had seen this one on Indigo several months ago and added it to my wishlist, it just sounded interesting. The cover of this one caught my eye, and when I realized it was one of my wishlist books, again, had to have it!
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis - This book is among the first images I pinned on Pinterest a couple of years ago, but have only just now managed to find an actual copy.

5 Books I Do Not Yet Own

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco - It seems as though everyone on The OwlCrate Society has been raving about this book and the cover is gorgeous and I just want to read it!!
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - The cover of this book caught my eye when it came out in paperback this summer. I saw it in a display at Indigo and drooled a little, but I have yet to buy it.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - My best friend tells me this is one of her favourite books and that I must read it, so obviously I have had to add it to the list. :)
Miss Peregrine's trilogy by Ransom Riggs - It's not just because of the movie! But the movie coming out reminded me of my interest in these books. I actually didn't realize it was a series until everyone started talking about them in anticipation of the movie.
The Maze Runner series by James Dashner - I was recently looking into these as a potential gift idea for my (13 year old) nephew, and started thinking "Hey... maybe I'd like to read these..." And I did love the movies, so...

Book Reviews: The Mermaid Chair & The Vanishing Season

Continuing to review the books I've read over the course of this past year, here we have The Mermaid Chair and The Vanishing Season. Enjoy!

from Indigo.ca

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

The Mermaid Chair was an intriguing title and a fun cover that I happened upon at a yard sale. I recognized the author, so I thought I would give it a shot. It was not as good as I had hoped, but I was still pretty hooked. Really interesting characters, and a lovely chemistry between them. But I find that sometimes titles can be misleading. There was indeed a mermaid chair in the book, but I didn't feel it had as much significance to the story as the title implies...

Jessie  is suffering from empty-nest syndrome and realizing that she's not sure whether she still loves her husband or not. Then she gets a call asking her to come home, to help take care of her eccentric mother who has been making questionable decisions. Jessie grasps the chance to get away from her own life. While she tries to help her mom sort through the reasons behind her strange behaviour, Jessie also tries to sort out her own feelings. But then she meets Brother Thomas, and her life suddenly becomes very complicated.

It was a good read, - a sort of self-discovery and love story - but took me longer than anticipated to read because it wasn't as interesting as I thought it might be. I don't think I would recommend it, just because I didn't love it. But it was good.

 

from Indigo.ca

The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

 

**SPOILER WARNING: I tried not to, but I think I may have inadvertently spilled some figurative beans with this one.**

I found this book at Chapters, marked down to $5. The cover and title appealed to me. It sounded like a pretty interesting concept:

Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger swell.

The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town.

I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.

All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig. I am looking for the things that are buried.

From bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson comes a friendship story bound in snow and starlight, a haunting mystery of love, betrayal, redemption, and the moments that we leave behind.

It's more or less a ghost story, told by the ghost. That is to say, it's narrated in the first person, from the point of view of the ghost or spirit (we're not quite sure which). It's about three teenagers in a small town: the brainiac new girl, Maggie; her neighbour, the eccentric rich girl, Pauline; and Pauline's best friend, Liam. It's a story of first love, of backstabbing friends, of broken hearts... but it's also a story of bravery & nobility & doing the right thing, and of moving on...

 

The ending is strange. It's simultaneously satisfying and dissatisfying. For good measure, at the climax we're sure that two of our main characters are going to die. Someone does die, but not who we're expecting. In the end we finally find out what/who is telling the story, but it's rather disappointing.

 

We're given the impression that there's a serial killer on the loose and so one of the girls might surely become a victim and die in that way. Then there is Pauline's carefree lifestyle, being sure that she will die young because her father did, which makes us think she will most likely be the casualty. There are also hints that maybe the ghostly narrator is someone who lived in Maggie's house hundreds of years ago, which was my preferred idea. But none of these were true, which was disappointing for me...

 

I liked the book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Young Adult and creepy reads.