"The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic Prequel)" by Alice Hoffman

Disclaimer: I was given a free advance ecopy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher, Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. My opinion remains as forthright as ever.

Well, it's time to think back to all the things I loved about The Rules of Magic, because letting it sit without a review irks my perfectionism to no end, especially when the book was as powerful as this one is. It follows three siblings through their adolescence and into adulthood- choosing their own paths, while still trying to avoid the family curse.

I have read many of Alice Hoffman's books. This one, for me, was the best of the bunch- the only two that come close are Turtle Moon and The Dovekeepers. I think the reason this one is 5 stars while the others I mentioned only garnered 4.5 stars is because I read this one precisely when I needed it. My grandmother passed away last year on October 3rd, and I'd only begun to read this book a few weeks prior (and slowly, as I was trying to savor it). This book has themes of death, grief, and injustice that resonated with me as I side-stepped through my own familial dramas.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):

'Find your magic

'For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

'Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

'From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

'The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.'

What the future would be was yet to be discovered. As for the past, they already knew it too well.

            ~The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman, 73% Kindle edition

Whether you love, hate, or feel some sort of apathy toward your family members, they shape the way you grow up, and The Rules of Magic explores that avenue. I developed an immediate like for Franny and Jet, and a disgust for Vincent, who does typical teen boy stuff (or at least, what some of the typical teen boys I knew did). All of them are a bit lost in the world, and they cope with it in different ways, but in the end I found myself relating more to Vincent than any of the female characters (which I consider quite the miracle due to my initial dislike of him). 

Another of my favorite parts of this book is the fact that all of the Owenses have their own distinct plotline- and yet I never got bored or disinterested, even when most of their behavior was predictable. There was something delightfully operatic about this book that kept me reading even though some of the themes felt a bit too painful for me to touch at the time. Ms. Hoffman brought tears to my eyes and made me smile, even when I didn't want to.

The Rules of Magic is the sort of book you need when you don't know what to do. It is not, by any means, a self-help book, but it helped me nonetheless. Sometimes fiction is a much easier medicine than nonfiction to share ideas and stories, and I feel that is the case with The Rules of Magic. I recommend this book to everyone, whether you want to read it or not. Too bad, it's now my favorite, and therefore will be ruthlessly mailed as a gift to acquaintances and friends near and far for all occasions. 

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars for an extraordinary novel that helped me navigate 2017!

Age Advisory: Ages 16+ for sexual content, drug use, violence, swearing, and themes of grief.

Page Count: 369 pages

"Fifth Quarter (Quarters #2)" by Tanya Huff

Though this is the second in the Quarters series, you really don't need to read Sing the Four Quarters to read this book- the magic system is the same, but that's about it. However, I really liked Sing the Four Quarters (and it was funnier), so don't skip it unless you hate books about magic users.

I don't find myself drawn to books about assassins, but I'd never stray from the subject either- as long as it has an interesting plotline to pair with it. Vree and Bannon are a sister and brother who were trained as an assassin team, but end up in trouble when their target body-swaps with Bannon (for lack of a better term), prior to their target drinking some poison. Vree comes to the rescue and Bannon's spirit jumps into her body. Two souls, two differing personalities, in one female body. It leads to some fascinating situations, as you might guess.

My interest in this story grew from the fact that Vree was attracted to her brother Bannon sexually from the start. The author seems to have no qualms with making her characters sometimes unusually sexual beings, given most of her characters would qualify as either bisexual or pansexual (there were no apparent transgender people in this book, so I have no idea on the classification as of yet). However, let me say that the sexual parts of this book often have little to do with romance and more to do with lust- sex is basically given the same attention as what a character might eat or drink in a "normal" book.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'THE SONG OF DEATH-
'Bannon and Vree, brother and sister, they are assassins of the highest caliber who have long plied their trade for the Havalkeen army. But all their skill and experience cannot save them from a magic-sprung trap that will see the two forced to share one body when the very man they've been sent to assassinate steals Bannon's body for himself. How long brother and sister can coexist in one body neither can guess. And so they set out to catch and defeat this foe who has already bested them once.
'But when Bannon and Vree confront this master of a magic beyond their comprehension, he offers them a terrible choice - to continue their new dual existence forever, or to betray the Empire they have served all their lives. For it is not control of Bannon's body which is Gyhard's true goal but rather the body - and with it the identity and power - of the Imperial Prince!'

Vree and Bannon are a very close knit pair of siblings- however, there are some dysfunctional aspects to that as well. Vree basically has functioned as Bannon's mother, even though she's just a year older than him. I understand that some elder sibling/younger sibling relationships might function like that, but again, Vree is attracted to her younger brother- it wasn't quite as creepy as you might think, but it did leave this reader with some brain struggles as to why I loved Vree's character so much.

Add in Gyhard, the villain in this book, and there are lots of unusual conversations going on that speed up the plot dramatically. Though there is some action in this book, much of it is conniving or manipulation between Gyhard and the assassin siblings. Vree begins to have a downward spiral near the end of the book, but there are some surprising developments that bring that about. Although I love Vree, I'm not sure that I would want to share a body with either of my brothers' spirits- I guess I'm greedy like that.

Fifth Quarter is a gripping fantasy read that ponders relationships between siblings even as a race to a possibly life-saving solutions occurs. Due to its unusual aspects, I wasn't tempted to compare this with any fantasy book I've read previously, which may have boosted the rating- but then again, Vree's character had me reading with a raised brow from the beginning. If you enjoy fantasy that pushes boundaries, but somehow maintains that classic fantasy feel, the Fifth Quarter might be a good read for you.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an unusual fantasy that had me reading with raised brows.

Age Advisory: Ages 18+ for incestuous thoughts, sexual content, the walking dead, violence, and a whole spectrum of brother/sister boundary-defying stunts.

Page Count: 416 pages

"The Incarnations" by Susan Barker

I received a free (and gorgeous) hardcover copy of this book via Goodreads' Giveaways. My opinion remains as impartial and forthright as ever.

With magical realism, generally you expect some rather happy-go-lucky magical elements along with a more disturbing storyline. For example, with one of my favorite authors, Alice Hoffman's work, generally the storyline could be strictly fictional, but the magical elements are what boost it out of the ordinary, enhancing the plot. With this story, the plot wouldn't work (at all) without the magical elements in place, unless you're a huge believer in past lives and reincarnation, in which case, disregard that assertion. The plot would not make sense in a strictly fictional setting of historical or contemporary, even in one of those odd, choppy, past-present overlap books. The Incarnations is dependent on a relationship between two souls throughout times and places, regardless of the shells those souls might be inhabiting.

This isn't one of those books you read because you are particularly in love with the characters- or at least, in my case it wasn't. I found myself none too sympathetic with Wang, even having seen his past incarnations. Every character in this book is decadently flawed, which is part of why I enjoyed it so much: I didn't enjoy the characters, but the flaws made them perilously mortal, so in a way, I did. I admired their humanity, frailty, and spirit, but it was difficult (if not impossible) to admire their actions.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'Who are you? you must be wondering. I am your soulmate, your old friend, and I have come back to this city of sixteen million in search of you.
'So begins the first letter that falls into Wang’s lap as he flips down the visor in his taxi. The letters that follow are filled with the stories of Wang’s previous lives—from escaping a marriage to a spirit bride, to being a slave on the run from Genghis Khan, to living as a fisherman during the Opium Wars, and being a teenager on the Red Guard during the cultural revolution—bound to his mysterious “soulmate,” spanning one thousand years of betrayal and intrigue.
'As the letters continue to appear seemingly out of thin air, Wang becomes convinced that someone is watching him—someone who claims to have known him for over one thousand years. And with each letter, Wang feels the watcher growing closer and closer…
'Seamlessly weaving Chinese folklore, history, and literary classics, The Incarnations is a taut and gripping novel that sheds light on the cyclical nature of history as it hints that the past is never truly settled.'

Beyond the imperfections of the characters, what makes this book compelling is the breadth of history and settings it covers. Most of it is set in China, with a few possible outlying meanderings. The characters, or the soulmates, are constantly at odds with each other throughout their reincarnations and always seem to have this unusual sibling rivalry (as best I can describe that relationship) going on. In most books, I would assume all these short snippets of past lives would make the entire book feel like a bunch of short stories, but with this one, the characters seem themselves (and are themselves) in every stage of their past lives. You wouldn't think Wang the taxi driver would be like he is in his first incarnation, but put a soul through a different set of circumstances and I think the answer would be yes.

I think what shocked me (despite having been warned of it beforehand) was the sheer harshness of the content of this book. Although I was easily drawn in from the first page, after the first 50-ish pages I had to stop and read something else because it was so blatant and unabashed. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just that my review won't prepare you to read the book, even if I listed all the content I could think of, like with my A Game of Thrones review. It's like falling asleep snug in your bed and being doused at midnight with a bucket of ice cold water. This book isn't for those who are sensitive to adult content- even halfway through, I kept being surprised with the turns in the story. A lot of people refer to such things in fantasy as grimdark- well, this is grimdark magical realism.

The Incarnations is magical realism that expands its bounds to romp in both historical and contemporary settings. Don't let it's cover fool you into thinking it's like a million other books, because this one is definitely a special shade of gray, gray morality, that is. If you enjoy unusual books without characters that seem particularly heroic (in either the anti- or plain hero fashion), set in a familiar country that seems unfamiliar once you finish reading the book, The Incarnations may be just the book you're seeking.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a magical realism with exquisitely flawed characters.

Content: Ages 18+ for all kinds of sexual content (rape, incest, castration, masturbation, and everything else you can dream up), violence, and the eating of strange meat.

Page Count: 371 pages in my hardcover edition

"Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1)" by Ilona Andrews

Full Disclosure: I only read this book because it was written by Ilona Andrews. I wasn't terribly interested in the plot or the cover, but then again, when I picked up Magic Bites, I wasn't *that* into urban fantasy, either. Since I've become an Ilona Andrews fangirl, all their books are on my Amazon wishlist, and this one had a recent price plunge. Given I'm in a rather 'meh' book mood, I assumed it couldn't hurt to read something by some authors I stalk.

Although this isn't technically like Written in Red, it gave me the same impression from the start. We have a lone heroine who runs an inn for some mysterious characters (at this point, only one). When dogs in her neighborhood start getting killed off, she decides to take action, especially when the werewolf in her neighborhood won't get involved. So what's a normal human woman to do? Perhaps things aren't as they seem...

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.
'And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.'

My favorite part of the book is... things aren't as they seem. I love that there's a bit of a mystery aspect to this book with regards to its paranormal content. More than that, there's plenty of snark to be had, an old sentient mansion (love that), and most importantly, a shih tzu. Why most importantly?

Tsuki and Torrie: Camping Canines

Back when Torrie was a freshly adopted beastie, we had another older dog named Tsuki, who was a shih tzu mix. I had adopted Tsuki when he was 15 (unbeknownst to my mother and I), and I was 16 at the time. It had come as a shock he was 15, and I made him promise me he would live a year. He lived to be a month shy of 18 years old. Shih tzus, for all their fluff, are tough little things- and I was glad to see that feature exhibited in Beast, the female shih tzu in Clean Sweep.

Beyond that, I just liked the way the characters interacted- Ilona Andrews is great at making me laugh and making characters come to life. Dina really doesn't want the help Sean wants to give her, but she gets it anyway. The mysterious killings kind of took a backseat to that, so in a way this book was character driven- not a bad thing, in my opinion.

Clean Sweep is an absolutely flipping adorable urban fantasy read. I finished it with a smile on my face- more than I can say for most of my reads, which sometimes leave me with mixed feelings. However, it was on the short side, and being a lover of longer books, I had wanted a little extra- a little extra I'll have to get whenever I get my hands on Sweep in Peace, the next book in the series. So if you like urban fantasy and don't mind some sci-fi crossover, I recommend you look no further than Clean Sweep.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a read that brightened my day!

Content: Ages 16+ for violence.

Page Count: 235 pages

O.o.O.C.: "The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal" by Vicki Constantine Croke

Out of Orbit Critiques are the reviews on books outside my usual genres. In The Lady and the Panda's case, this book is a posthumous biography of Ruth Harkness.

When I started reading this, I was expecting a mildly engaging biography with maybe a little about pandas and China. Little did I know, this book tells you a lot about China and pandas, and while the story is about Ruth, it is also the story of how the Giant Pandas first came to zoos. Ruth may get the main plot, but there isn't much about her early and later stages of life- in other words, it isn't your typical biography. You have to want to read about pandas to enjoy this book. But really- who doesn't like pandas?

Appalling Panda Cuteness From GifSoup

The Plot: (As Seen on Goodreads)
'Here is the astonishing true story of Ruth Harkness, the Manhattan bohemian socialite who, against all but impossible odds, trekked to Tibet in 1936 to capture the most mysterious animal of the day: a bear that had for countless centuries lived in secret in the labyrinth of lonely cold mountains. In The Lady and the Panda, Vicki Constantine Croke gives us the remarkable account of Ruth Harkness and her extraordinary journey, and restores Harkness to her rightful place along with Sacajawea, Nellie Bly, and Amelia Earhart as one of the great woman adventurers of all time.
'Ruth was the toast of 1930s New York, a dress designer newly married to a wealthy adventurer, Bill Harkness. Just weeks after their wedding, however, Bill decamped for China in hopes of becoming the first Westerner to capture a giant panda–an expedition on which many had embarked and failed miserably. Bill was also to fail in his quest, dying horribly alone in China and leaving his widow heartbroken and adrift. And so Ruth made the fateful decision to adopt her husband’s dream as her own and set off on the adventure of a lifetime.
'It was not easy. Indeed, everything was against Ruth Harkness. In decadent Shanghai, the exclusive fraternity of white male explorers patronized her, scorned her, and joked about her softness, her lack of experience and money. But Ruth ignored them, organizing, outfitting, and leading a bare-bones campaign into the majestic but treacherous hinterlands where China borders Tibet. As her partner she chose Quentin Young, a twenty-two-year-old Chinese explorer as unconventional as she was, who would join her in a romance as torrid as it was taboo.
'Traveling across some of the toughest terrain in the world–nearly impenetrable bamboo forests, slick and perilous mountain slopes, and boulder-strewn passages–the team raced against a traitorous rival, and was constantly threatened by hordes of bandits and hostile natives. The voyage took months to complete and cost Ruth everything she had. But when, almost miraculously, she returned from her journey with a baby panda named Su Lin in her arms, the story became an international sensation and made the front pages of newspapers around the world. No animal in history had gotten such attention. And Ruth Harkness became a hero.
'Drawing extensively on American and Chinese sources, including diaries, scores of interviews, and previously unseen intimate letters from Ruth Harkness, Vicki Constantine Croke has fashioned a captivating and richly textured narrative about a woman ahead of her time. Part Myrna Loy, part Jane Goodall, by turns wisecracking and poetic, practical and spiritual, Ruth Harkness is a trailblazing figure. And her story makes for an unforgettable, deeply moving adventure.'

Amazingly, capturing a panda was not really Ruth Harkness's dream- it was her husband's. When he died before he could complete the task himself, she decided to go to China and try her hand at finding the semi-mythical beast. By the time she set out to find one, only bodies of the dead pandas had been brought back as proof of the animal's existence- the panda was the stuff of cryptozoology until about 1869, when the West realized their existence with the finding of a panda skin.

Although typically you can expect some degree of racism in any dealings with people of different nationalities in historic bios, this book was relatively clean of that, at least in the case of Ruth Harkness. She did make some very questionable choices later in the book, but during the majority of it, her sensibilities were almost modern. She was very much a woman 'before her time' throughout the entire book. There is one offensive term (coolie) used throughout the book, but I believe it was used to give you the character of that period in time.

This book really makes you think about how animals came to be in zoos, and how much they suffered during the times of the first zoos and menageries. Some of the descriptions made me nauseous as a 'tame' animal owner and nature lover. I personally have always preferred seeing wild animals in the wild, but realize that most modern city dwellers would never get to see them in person without the aid of zoos, which are (thankfully) much more humane than they used to be (depending on the facility).

The Lady and the Panda was a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. Not only was Ruth Harkness a female pioneer in exploration, she was also a fashionista, a widow, and someone who you really wouldn't think would be willing to climb steep hills in order to find a panda. Although we don't get much of a picture of Ruth in her earlier and later stages in life, The Lady and the Panda makes you want to rethink your next trip to the zoo. If you like pandas and adventure stories that may have the occasional slow point to them, I recommend this book for your next read.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for a story about pandas and the woman who brought them to our attention.

Content: Ages 16+ for mentions of illicit affairs, mild derogatory terms, and lots of panda-monium.

Page Count: 294 pages of the actual book, with an additional 81 pages of references/acknowledgements, for a total of 372 pages.

"Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)" by Suzanne Collins

If you haven't read or seen The Hunger Games book or movie, there might be spoilers in this review for you. My review of The Hunger Games is here.

Personally, I don't think Catching Fire and Mockingjay add much to the excellence of the original book. If you really, really loved The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen, and her lovesick puppy Peeta, then you'll definitely want to read this book. This is a pretty great book, but compared with its predecessor, it lacks a certain something.

I think the biggest drawback for me of this book was the focus on what I'd call 'politics' and romance. Katniss must convince Panem that she's madly in love with Peeta, all while enduring flashbacks and what we'd label Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But then there's a twist that changes the course of the book, and we, the readers, are then sent off in another direction altogether.

The Plot:
Katniss and Peeta give their 'victory' tour, all while Katniss valiantly tries to convince the world she's in love with Peeta. But with an apparent rebellion beginning to heat up, will they be able to stifle it?

Because the synopsis doesn't mention it, I won't be discussing the major plot twist this book packs. What I will be discussing is although this book has a lot of plot points in it, it didn't strike a chord with me the way the first book did. Maybe because I never quite connected with the central characters, and without the one person I loved in the first book, Rue, I didn't feel all that sad when something bad happened to another character I didn't care about. The enigma that is Katniss Everdeen continues, and although I am *always* her when I take the book character quizzes, I still have no idea why. Perhaps because I don't feel anything for this book's characters?

Not that it matters that much now that the third book (and one of the third book's movies) is out, but the ending for this book is a cliffhanger. And I am of the opinion that this cliffhanger is not acceptable. It stops, I kid you not, in the middle of a conversation. Galling is the word I'd use to describe that lovely ending, and galling is not a lovely word.

Catching Fire is great, but has nothing on The Hunger Games. It's hard for a sequel to live up to its potential, and with this book, it had enormous shoes to fill and great expectations from me. I will admit, I'm a little hard to please with just about any book I read, and second books rarely seem to please me more than the first, but still. I recommend this one to those who love a good dystopian rebellion build-up, as long as you have Mockingjay on hand to finish the journey.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars for a sequel with a wince-worthy ending.

Content: Ages 14+ for the same reasons as its predecessor.

Page Count: 472 pages in my paperback edition.

"The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)" by Suzanne Collins

By the time I'd read this book, I had watched the movie, read the reviews, and been fed such HYPE that I was certain I'd give it two stars or less just because it bugged me. But I was also curious- who was this Katniss Everdeen? I'd taken many "Which book character are you?" quizzes, and always, always ended up with 'You are Katniss Everdeen'... when I really wanted Arya Stark.

I was also in need of quick reads to get my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2013 back on track, and picking up this trilogy was an easy choice.

The Plot: (From Goodreads)
'Winning will make you famous.
'Losing means certain death.
'The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.
'When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. , she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.'

My main issue with this book is the writing style, which no one else seems to object to. It was detached and made me feel 'blah', despite being in first person- or maybe because of it. I don't like many first person books, maybe because spelling out names makes sentences feel meatier and less like my second grade diary (or possibly, the first draft of my book).

Although the plot reminded me of previous books and short stories I've read, it was, in its own way, original- and probably the best part of the book. Even though many people have bemoaned the similarities to Ender's Game (a book with an MC I loathe), it didn't feel too derivative, probably because of the interesting details thrown in. The characters, besides Rue, fell a bit flat of my expectations, but really- if I lived in a dystopia, I'd be a little flat too. And not just in an emotional sense.

The Hunger Games wasn't what I'd thought it would be. Where I was warned on the news of 'extreme violence' that had supposedly induced nightmares in some teens, I found in reality it was tastefully done- I've read much more violent YA books in my time. Although Katniss may be a bit of an ice princess, her actions seem to speak louder than her words. If you're someone who hasn't read The Hunger Games, you may as well give it a try, because you'll never stop being asked "Have you read it, yet?" until you have.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an unexpectedly excellent dystopian.

Content: Ages 14+ for violence and killing (I wouldn't call it murder).

Page Count: 454 pages in my paperback edition

Similar Reading:

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung
A memoir I dubbed "The Real Hunger Games" because it perfectly describes it. Want to see real life dystopia through the eyes of a child? This is it.
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson (A Short Story)
This is the story that I was constantly reminded of while reading The Hunger Games, and it's also something I read in school. It's been paired with "The Most Dangerous Game" for my Mini Macabre Review Monday feature, which also bears similarity to The Hunger Games.

"Gone With The Wind" by Margaret Mitchell

Gone With The Wind: The Inheritance Edition, On Left

I decided I would read Gone With The Wind at the relatively young age of 13, mostly because I'd heard about it as being one of the most quoted movies of all time, and I preferred reading to watching films. I asked my mother to pick it up at the library for me, but she told me we had it. This was news to me- we had two major bookshelves in our house, and I'd never seen its title on either. As it turned out, the book we had was incognito- wallpapered over to make it last longer.

Gone With The Wind had been my deceased grandmother's all time favorite book. When she died, I was nine years old, and had no clue that the framed picture on my grandma's vanity had been Clark Gable, or that my grandma had ever had a favorite book. Her edition of Gone With The Wind is missing pages, scotch-taped together in most places, and overall in fairly dismal condition- but I managed to read it all the same.

The Plot:
16 year old Scarlett O'Hara has a problem. The boy of her dreams, Ashley Wilkes, is engaged to someone else. It doesn't matter if other boys like her, she wants Ashley, and will do anything to have him. But with war on the horizon, will she be able to win him back in time? Or will her whims change when she spies the handsome Rhett Butler?

Chances are, you've met a Scarlett O'Hara in real life. Those women or men who chase after something they want, but when they get that something, they want something else entirely. They think happiness will arrive once they have that perfect person, who ends up being not at all like they imagined. In some ways, this book reminded me both of Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary, women who want happiness (or something along those lines [a happily ever after?]) and then end up ruining their chances at it by pursuing their whims. Not to say Scarlett doesn't eventually find her way, but she has moments when I want to slap her soundly for messing up.

Race is definitely a hot-button issue for this book. African Americans are not treated fairly (at all), and called despicable names. However, when I hear of people who "can't" read this book due to its content, I must ask them this: wasn't that the way black people were treated in pre-Civil War Georgia? If they were treated equally in this book, it wouldn't be historical fiction, it would probably be a fantasy, and a lot of what actually happened to black people in the South during that era is sugarcoated. On my 1950s hardcover jacket, I notice a distinct lack of black characters (one that is smaller than my pinkie looks like a portrait of Mammy), when really the novel is relatively racially diverse for its time (though not a "diverse book" by any stretch of the imagination). Although I respect that some people cannot abide the terrible things people of color are called and portrayed as in this book, I think as a modern reader, it illustrates how far we've come since 1937, and compared with some books I've read, is relatively moderate in racism (most books I've read worse than GWTW are no longer in print today, thank heavens).

Another aspect of this book (which is very mildly "spoiler-ish"- if you've seen the movie, feel free to read this paragraph) that is probably why my grandma loved it so is that Scarlett O'Hara was a widow. My grandmother lived in a time when men died quite frequently- she was widowed three times in total, ending up having to raise her preteen and teen children by herself. I really can't imagine losing three husbands as she did, and would imagine she felt she had a sister in Scarlett, who is also fighting her way through life quite often on her own with a great deal of spunk.

Gone With The Wind is a controversial book that glorifies the Old South, thus making it taboo for many people. I don't feel this book should be banned or scorned- it should be taken with a heavy dose of salt, and read simply for the story and characters, not the cringe-inducing race stereotyping. If you are willing to accept that this book was written at a time in our history where people of color were not enslaved, but not really free and this book is written about a place and time where slavery was a-ok, you shouldn't be terribly offended by this book. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the drama of the book, and felt suddenly like I understood my grandmother who had died four years prior to me reading it. An epic historical romance, Gone With The Wind is a great selection for any reader willing to look past its flaws to see its story.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars, for a flawed but expansive family heirloom.

Content: Violence, limited sexual content, bigotry, and racism. I read it at 13, but advise ages 16+.

Page Count: 1037 pages in my heirloom edition

Famous Last Words (non-spoiler):

"After all, tomorrow is another day."

            ~From the mouth of Scarlett O'Hara, by Margaret Mitchell

"The Mad Scientist's Daughter" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

If you have trouble with the idea of love befalling a human and a robot, you probably won't like this book, as that is the bare bones plot. I had trouble with the idea myself, but not enough to put myself off of snagging this as an ebook when the chance arose. When I think of robots, I think of I, Robot, and rogue robots running amok: I obviously lack the creative juices this author is sweating, because never in a million years would I say "romance", with regards to one between a robot and human.

This is one of the seemingly few slow-build romances nowadays, as a lot of authors are prescribing to the insta-love epidemic- love isn't so easily won, in my opinion. Even in cases where "lust-turns-to-love", it should take some time, and I didn't feel like that was an element in this plot. The robot arrives when the heroine is little, and it progresses as more of a friends-turned-lovers plot, quite uncommon in the modern romance arena.

The Plot:
Finn is a robot, who when Cat is little, is brought to live with her family, the Novaks. Originally, he is intended to be her tutor, but when testing reveals he hasn't taught her basics such as math, her parents enroll her in high school, where she is set apart from others due to being "the mad scientist's daughter", in addition to being rumored to have a robot in her household. Finn is given a job as Dr. Novak's assistant, but in a world where robots are considered less than animals, will Finn ever find acceptance beyond the boundaries of the Novak household?

As odd and twisted as this story was, I found myself really enjoying it. Sometimes sci-fi is a bit beyond my abilities in terms of imagining the world, but with this book, it was enough like our current world that it wasn't difficult. In the first part of the book, the author covers many years of Cat's life, but it is done in such a way that you have a feel her personality at each stage of growing up, making her seem more real. And while Finn's character remains static, there is a sense of growth in him as well, which I feel would be difficult to do when the character is a robot.

While the main gist of the plot is romance between a human and a robot, the story also includes ethical questions in regards to robots- will robots have rights? Will we, as humans, abuse robots in a world where they are prevalent among us? Will robots rebel against our slovenly ways? It's difficult for me to imagine robots living in every household, but I like to think that people will treat robots nicely: I haven't heard of people hating Siri yet (other than asking her ridiculous questions), and she is basically a disembodied android.

The Mad Scientist's Daughter is a feat of imagination in the relatively stale market of romance books, and though it is a book that deals with love, it can easily transcend the romance category. And while some books I read and review often disappear from my head as soon as a year passes, I can guarantee I'll remember this book easily next year, and into years after that. After all, it isn't every day I read a love story about a human and a robot.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars for a memorable tale of "love, loss, and robots"!

Content: Sexual situations, domestic abuse, and robot prejudice. Better read when ages 18+.

Page Count: 400 pages in the ebook edition

"Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" by Dai Sijie

When I started this blog, I set out to introduce people to new worlds, as well as critique fantasy books, sci-fi books, historical fiction books, classic novels, and books of those genres blended with romance. Somewhere down the line, I forgot to critique the historical fiction of authors who still live and breathe as of now. And so, without further ado, I introduce you to Dai Sijie (a living author), and his intricate historical fiction, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.

I picked this book up, as per usual, at a thrift store, and upon looking at the cover, my decision was made- I must read this. But, as time marched on, I didn't read it, that is, until last year, when my reading quota was down due to switching states. Dusting it off, I began to read, and found myself immersed in the Cultural Revolution of China.

If you want to learn about the Cultural Revolution, this is the book I would advise you to read. Although it is fiction, and admittedly, I knew little about the Cultural Revolution before I picked up this book, it gives you the experience of feeling like you've lived it, as much as is possible from the comfort of your own armchair. The characters aren't characters to you, they're people. Everything about the story seems so plausible that you are convinced that it somehow must be non-fiction, even though it is clearly marked "a novel".

The Plot:
Our unnamed narrator and his friend Luo (both teenagers) are sent to the countryside of China to be "re-educated" by villagers, on the mountain called "Phoenix of the Sky". There the narrator's violin is set to be burned, until the boys say that they can play "Mozart is Thinking of Chairman Mao" on it, saving it from destruction. Their alarm clock also causes a stir amongst the villagers, who are used to setting their day by sunrise and sunset. They soon meet the Little Seamstress, who lives on the other side of the mountain, and quite curiously, has a book set out on her sewing table, even though such items are surely banned if not written by Chairman Mao...

This book makes you realize how lucky you are to be able to read any book, no matter what the current leader of your country favors. And the ability to listen to the music of your choice, at any time, not just in the dead of night when the wind is howling. It educates us all on how we often take everything in our lives for granted, because often it is the little things that we like that we think make us unique.

For example, my view of my interests, if I could use books, music, tv shows, movies, ect.:

My favorite books are the Bible, Rebecca, the Lord of the Rings series, Gone With the Wind, The Hero and the Crown, and countless more. I love listening to Queen, the Killers, Florence and the Machine, classic rock, and the occasional rapper. I watch The Blacklist, Defiance, Sherlock, Elementary, and Ghost Hunters devotedly. My favorite movies are The Princess Bride, The Lord of the Rings movies, Star Wars movies, Star Trek movies, and Bridesmaids. I love reading, writing, painting, cooking, baking, and playing with my dogs.

The Cultural Revolution edition of me?

Err... I knit, cook, bake, paint Chairman Mao on walls, rewrite his quotes, and train my dogs to herd sheep.

Can you imagine how difficult it would be to separate yourself as an individual during that time? You wouldn't feel like yourself, because your interests were suddenly off limits, and even if you did manage to hide some precious books, you couldn't read them openly, unless your country's leader approved of them.

Nowadays, people like reading about dystopian societies, as in books like the Hunger Games, and Divergent. But before we read those, perhaps we should take a couple days to read up on our own histories of societies that weren't so great, even if the book is historical fiction.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a book that makes you think about many things, written in such a way that makes it easy to devour. There are countless moments where you laugh with the characters, and other moments that bring you to the brink of tears. It is, at times, difficult to continue, but in the end, it is a solid read about a most troubling time in Chinese history.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars for a beautiful portrait of a disturbing time in history.

Content: This book deals with difficult subjects, most notably abortion. Best read when 18 or older.

Page Count: 184 in my paperback edition

"Words of Radiance (Stormlight Archive #2)" by Brandon Sanderson

A critique on the first book in the Stormlight Archive can be found here.
This is a review on the second book in the Stormlight Archive series, and if you haven't read The Way of Kings, you should probably read it before reading this review. Be forewarned: these books are massive, 1000+ page tomes. You may end up dreaming about Roshar for the rest of your days...

I must inform you all: I didn't expect this book to be this incredible. As the second book in a series, often  the author often doesn't spend as much time polishing the prose, or is rushed to meet the publisher's deadline. Well, Brandon Sanderson (the Benevolent) is clearly a super-author, because his writing just keeps getting better, his action scenes more fluid, his characters more real.

When I first started the book, I thought Mr. Sanderson (the Benevolent) would end the book with a cliffhanger, as the main plot of this book seemed suited for it. I was wincing with the inevitable pain of not learning the fates of the main characters. Imagine my surprise when I read the ending, and most, but not all, plotlines were neatly wrapped up, to this reader's satisfaction. I became slightly confused. Why didn't Mr. Sanderson (the Benevolent) go the way of all the cruel authors before him, and leave us hanging? How could he be so... nice with his readers, and give us a good, well-thought-out, reasonable ending?

My only rational conclusion to these pressing queries? I can only guess it is because he wants to keep his title, as Brandon Sanderson "the Benevolent".

The Plot:
Jasnah Kholin and Shallan are headed to the Shattered Plains, while Jasnah recommends Shallan study up on a book called "Words of Radiance". Jasnah has managed to arrange a causal betrothal for Shallan to, if everything pans out, wed her cousin, Adolin. Dalinar's visions become more intense with every highstorm, and rumors about why he is sequestered away from everyone during those times begin to leak out. Adolin strikes up a rivalry with Kaladin, the newest captain of his father's guard, who everyone looks down on because he is a darkeyes, until he proves his merit. Rumor has it a strange man has been seen, flying above the Shattered Plains. An assassin in white continues his reign of terror by killing off leaders of different countries in Roshar. And a pattern emerges, in the most unexpected of places...

Also, I can't help myself, so a minor spoiler if you highlight the following: Shallan kisses Kaladin! And I knew it would happen, but... I must say I am a fan of that pairing. Not so much love with Shallan/Adolin.

As I read the final pages of this tome, I knew Mr. Sanderson (the Benevolent) had truly nailed it with this book. Epic fantasy at its best leads you places where you want to wander, lets you feel its magic as though it truly exists, and introduces you to characters you simply will never forget. Even with his zany multiple point-of-view system, you feel like you've known each of the main characters since childhood, and could actually be friends with them. Roshar feels like it exists, in some faraway galaxy, just waiting to be stumbled upon by modern science. The magic system leaps off the page, fathomable and rational.

How is it that I rated the first book in the series only four stars, while this one surpassed five? I've never had a series where the subsequent entries outranked the first installment, so this is a first, but I suppose it has something to do with the author himself. Brandon Sanderson (the Benevolent) is getting better with age. And I cannot wait to see what he writes next!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars for an exceptional second book to a new favorite series!

Content: Violence, guts, glory, and Stormlight, oh my! Recommended for ages 16+, due to content from the previous book (very harsh slavery).

Page Count: a Behemoth at 1087 pages in the hardcover edition.

"The Scibe (Irin Chronicles #1)" By Elizabeth Hunter

Note: The Second Book of the Irin Chronicles, The Singer, is being released today. If you haven't picked up The Scribe yet, now is the time!

I picked this up as an e-book on one of my prolific Kindle Daily Deal binges. The cover drew me, but not enough that I immediately started reading it.

When I actually started reading it, several months later, I grew concerned that I bought it by mistake (or a simple case of cover-lust). This book follows Ava as she seeks a cure for the "voices" in her head. I wasn't convinced that this would be anything other than one of those corny, really terrible romances that I accidentally buy on impulse. I mean... hearing voices? In a language you can't understand? And you can't figure out even a language that it might possibly be? Talk about cuckoo clocks.

I grudgingly continued, mentally berating the book on the improbability its plot being even viable for paranormal romance.

I was wrong. This book shattered my low expectations, while surpassing my 3.22 average rating (from GoodReads, love that feature). I presumed this book to only maybe scrape past the 3 star mark, when it, in the end, flew past my rather elusive 4.5 star degree quite easily.

The Plot:
Ava Matheson hears voices of an unidentifiable language in her head, that seem to emanate from other people. She's seen countless specialists of the mental and physical health variety, but she hasn't found relief, yet. Her newest doctor suggests a new specialist in Istanbul, and she says she may or may not visit him. (This is unrealistic- my medical specialists took as long as a year to get into). Anyhow, for the continuation of the plot, she goes. As she's a world renowned travel photographer, she's able to cough up the change and take the trip there. Our hero, Malachi spots her in Istanbul, due to his prey, the Grigori, having an obvious interest in her and trailing her every move. He decides to trail her as well, despite her obvious humanity. But is she truly what she seems?

Here's Why I Relished It:
The fallen angel trope is pervasive in romantic literature (yes, I consider romance literature, in some cases). Really, what is more dark-and-light/black-and-white than a man who is a fallen angel? They rebelled against God, choosing to join Lucifer in his bid to upend the "system". They were cast out of heaven, by a very irate God, who created them to be his messengers, his go-betweens, if you will. In this story, they're still in His relatively good graces. In the Bible, not so much. The mythology the author bestows them is fresh, enthralling, and completely different from what you'd find anyplace else. Fallen angels who use tattoos to enhance their powers? That ain't biblical. Tattoos are a major Old Testament no-no. And although I don't read too much "fallen angel" romance, I doubt that any have that.

The romance wasn't the ever popular insta-love. The hero describes Ava as "pretty" upon seeing her the first time, but only after prompted by his buddies. Not drop dead, cross my heart and hope to die gorgeous. I like this, as too often romance focuses on lust to brew feelings of "true love", and though something else is used to spark his interest in her, it feels authentic. And it is percolated slowly, over a reasonable period of time. Ava doesn't swoon upon seeing him either. Yes! This is romance I can tolerate without rolling my eyes.

There is a plot twist near the end. Do NOT read my review of The Singer if you haven't read The Scribe first. These books are indies, and deserving of your notice.

Rating: Wait for it, wait for it.... a giant surprise: 4.5 of 5 Stars for a lovely "fallen angel" romance!

Content: This is adult paranormal romance, with violence and sex scene(s). Ages 18+.

Page Count: 306 pages in the e-book

"Cyrano de Bergerac" By Edmond Rostand

Ah, the memories of days long past. Days when I actually sat at a desk, pining for a lunch break, or better: summer. I read Cyrano when I was in eighth grade, roughly seven years ago, but the book is still fresh in my mind. Convenient, as I don't have a hard copy, just my memories of it, which were quite vivid that particular year.

First of all, it is written in the form of a play, but don't let that deter you. This is classic literature, practically Shakespearian, just waiting for you to devour. Playwrights like Rostand and Shakespeare were the James Pattersons of their day, or better yet, the Woody Allens. They wrote for the masses, and their works were enacted on the stage, immersing the audience in their worlds.

At the time, I didn't realize Cyrano was actually a real person. Maybe my teacher covered that during my gratuitous sick days, but I was none the wiser. The similarities between the real Cyrano and his fictional counterpart include that they were both duelists, had a way with words, and were military men. The real Cyrano had a cousin who married Baron Christian of Neuvillette, his colleague, though the story between the two in the play is entirely fiction.

The Plot:
Cyrano, a French nobleman fighter, has a gilt tongue, a rather bulbous nose, and fears he is ugly and will never win the heart of his cousin Roxanne. His handsome comrade Christian isn't as gifted with words. Christian is also pining for the lovely Roxanne, and so Cyrano and he conspire. Christian will use Cyrano's words to woo her. This evolves into a series of rather humorous escapades, though seasoned with gravity of Cyrano's plight. There are darker plots afoot, but that is the main gist of the storyline.

A main theme in this book is the want for "a good death". To describe it to you, I'll pose you a similar query to one in the book: Would you rather die with sword in hand or drunk in a pool of your own vomit? That is the basic principle, and it drives one of the characters, though I can't tell you who.

I had never thought of such things when I was a 14 year old girl, but it remains a question I always ask myself at funerals. It is a macabre thing to think of, yet in some situations it brings comfort. I think most people in the world wishes for a painless death, and when I remember those people in my past who have been granted that boon, I often think of it as "a good death".

Cyrano de Bergerac is one of those rare books which make you think about topics like "a good death" despite it never occurring to you that there is such a thing. It is humor tempered with tragedy, honor entwined disgrace, and physical beauty contrasting with inner beauty. We often think we judge people on what is inside them, but sometimes you have to wonder about what our current "culture" says about us, as well as what Cyrano says about what people were like in Rostand's time.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars for profound meaning!

Content: I read this at a private Catholic school. There is very little to object to, save few scenes of    violence. Best read when 13+ years of age for comprehension.

Page Count: 240 pages

"The Hero and the Crown" By Robin McKinley

I love this book. I love the people who dwell in this book. I love the author of this book. I love almost everything about this book. I love that there is a girl with a sword slaying a dragon on the cover of this book.

One thing I do not love about this book? Er... well, the dragon looks kind of like an alien on the cover.

It should surprise you then, that the first time I read this book I thought something was really strange about it, and it was nearly relegated to the "donate" pile of books because of its strangeness. Why did I think it was strange? This was one of my first forays with true fantasy. Sure, I'd read about girls who rode unicorns, girls pretending to be boys to be apprenticed as knights or mages or some other trade. But I'd never before read a book where an author makes up words for things and uses the words in the book instead of the real word for it. Words for things like servants, degrees of royalty, and weird plants, that you had to remember in case the author mentioned that word again. That was a very foreign concept to me at the time, and it wasn't until later, when I reread the book I didn't understand, that I realized this was one of my favorite books I've ever read.

The Plot:
Our heroine is Aerin, a princess who is the daughter of a witch-woman and the king of Damar, though she is rarely treated like royalty. People think her mother meant to rule the land through a son, and so she died of despair when she had a daughter. Aerin is pretty much shunned by most of the royal family, save for First Sola Tor (inheritor of the throne, also her first cousin), who teaches her swordplay and whatever else tickles her fancy. This is an awkward thing, because they later have a kind of romance going on (though I really don't like Tor for her AT ALL) and he is her cousin. But, back in the day, Queen Victoria married her first cousin Albert, and it's legal in some of our very own States to this day.

Aerin is goaded into eating the leaves of the surka, a plant both poisonous and hallucinogenic to most people (royals can be killed by it, but not often), by her cousin Galanna (who hates her guts for many reasons). Aerin is sick for a long time, but finds solace in the library, and her father's former war horse Talat. She stumbles upon a book detailing a repellent for dragon fire, called kenet, and eventually lands the perfect ratio for dragon-fire-proof-ness. Thus begins her career of dragon-slaying.

While she has killed a small dragon, she hears rumors of the last of the great dragons, called Maur, harrying villages. She decides to go after Maur with her mad dragon-slaying skills, without her father's leave.

The Good Old-Fashioned Loverboy:
Luthe is a character you meet in Aerin's dreams. He is a healer, who eventually aids Aerin, when she finally gets around to meeting him, IRL. A tall blonde immortal with blue eyes, he enjoys long walks by the lake, and being heartbreakingly sincere in his love for Aerin. There's a scene near the end that emphasizes that, and it truly made my poor ten year old self cry. And I still cry when I read it. I have to admit, it was quite embarrassing growing up with a crush on a character in a book that none of my other friends had read, and so usually I kept my mouth shut (which wasn't difficult- I was a painfully shy kid). One time I did mention it, my friends said, "Who the hell is Luke? Like from Star Wars?" Needless to say, I died a little on that day.

The "My Best Friend":
Tor is, as I mentioned before, Aerin's first cousin. He enables her mannish behavior, and so I half like him for that. A black-haired mortal, he's heir to the throne, and fully supports Aerin in most things. He's an okay guy, the one she's expected to settle down with, and yet he isn't particularly my kind of hero.

The Ending:
I was disappointed, until I realized the ending isn't really the end of anything. Aerin is immortal. Robin McKinley also kind of talked about an extended ending. It is satisfying, though not what I wanted to begin with.

The Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! I loved this book. I dream of dragon-slaying, and my dreams were fulfilled when The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim came out. And also when I read this book.

Content: Implied sex scenes. I read this when I was ten and didn't catch on. Just for dirty minds...

Page Count: 246 pages

P.S. "Good Old-Fashioned Loverboy" and "My Best Friend" are songs by Queen. They also fit the characters to a T.