Shades of Grey
By: Jasper Fforde

Series: Shades of Grey

Published: 2009

# of pages: 390

Quote: “'Unless the hole is MEANT to be square,' I said with a sudden erudition that surprised me, 'in which case, all the round pegs are the ones that are wrong, and if the ROUND hole is one that is not meant to be square, then the square ones will, no, hang on--'

'Shame,' said the historian, 'and you were doing so well.'” -pg 210

Official description: Part social satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller, Shades of Grey tells of a battle against overwhelming odds. In a society where the ability to see the higher end of the color spectrum denotes a better social standing, Eddie Russet belongs to the low-level House of Red and can see his own color—but no other. The sky, the grass, and everything in between are all just shades of grey, and must be colorized by artificial means.
Eddie's world wasn't always like this. There's evidence of a never-discussed disaster and now, many years later, technology is poor, news sporadic, the notion of change abhorrent, and nighttime is terrifying: no one can see in the dark. Everyone abides by a bizarre regime of rules and regulations, a system of merits and demerits, where punishment can result in permanent expulsion.
Eddie, who works for the Color Control Agency, might well have lived out his rose-tinted life without a hitch. But that changes when he becomes smitten with Jane, a Grey Nightseer from the dark, unlit side of the village. She shows Eddie that all is not well with the world he thinks is just and good. Together, they engage in dangerous revolutionary talk.
Stunningly imaginative, very funny, tightly plotted, and with sly satirical digs at our own society, this novel is for those who loved Thursday Nextbut want to be transported somewhere equally wild, only darker; a world where the black and white of moral standpoints have been reduced to shades of grey.

My opinion: Loved it!  It took me awhile to get into the world.  There were a few times in the first several chapters I thought it was a little stupid and wondered if I would like the book.  What I didn't know when I started is that this is a humorous book.  Not to say that the main point of the book is humor, or that there aren't many serious lessons and issues in the book, but it is all masked in humor and you can't take the details too seriously.

Yes, a world where people can only see certain shades of color and where they've created a caste system based on color is silly.  It's silly that there is a society that make up laws for every silly little thing.  So don't get bogged down by some of the ridiculousness.  It's a touching, thought provoking book with some really funny moments, not just silly ones.

The next book in the series is being published in 2013, just in time!!


Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Great writing, great characters, subtle humor, unique story line and setting, very thought provoking.

Other reviews:
Chrisbookarama

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A few months ago I started a blog about home schooling my preschooler.  I just did a post on children's Christmas books the other day.

The Postmistress
By: Sarah Blake

Published: 2010

# of pages: 336

Official description: In 1940, Iris James is the postmistress in coastal Franklin, Massachusetts. Iris knows more about the townspeople than she will ever say, and believes her job is to deliver secrets. Yet one day she does the unthinkable: slips a letter into her pocket, reads it, and doesn't deliver it. 
Meanwhile, Frankie Bard broadcasts from overseas with Edward R. Murrow. Her dispatches beg listeners to pay heed as the Nazis bomb London nightly. Most of the townspeople of Franklin think the war can't touch them. But both Iris and Frankie know better...
The Postmistress is a tale of two worlds-one shattered by violence, the other willfully naïve-and of two women whose job is to deliver the news, yet who find themselves unable to do so. Through their eyes, and the eyes of everyday people caught in history's tide, it examines how stories are told, and how the fact of war is borne even through everyday life.

My opinion:  Meh.  The separate characters' stories (Iris, Harry, Emma, Will, Frankie) didn't mesh well at all.  I read review that described it as sort of meandering and then petering out.  That's exactly how this novel is.  I understand that one of the points of the book is not knowing what happens outside the story...what happens on the edges.  Of course, the author claims she is writing this book to describe the edges of WWII, but I wondered if that's one reason she tapers off at the end without fully finishing or allowing the reader to understand all of the characters' thoughts.

I also don't really understand the significance of "The Postmistress."  And the intro really sucks, it makes it sound like the book is about something it's not about at all.


Why I gave this book 3/5 stars:  Not very well written, but it could be worse.  The middle part with the scenes of Jewish refugees traveling is very interesting.  The characters are hard to relate to and the entire book seemed pointless.


Other reviews:
S. Krishna's Books
Bookfoolery and Babble

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The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir
By: Patricia Harman

Published: 2008

# of pages: 289

Quote:  "The couple had made the baby by accident and given him away on purpose, a gift to a family that couldn't conceive. . . . I've never forgotten their courage."  -pg. 60

Official description:Heather is pale and thin, seventeen and pregnant with twins when Patricia Harman begins to care for her. Over the course of the next five seasons Patsy will see Heather through the loss of both babies and their father. She will also care for her longtime patient Nila, pregnant for the eighth time and trying to make a new life without her abusive husband. And Patsy will try to find some comfort to offer Holly, whose teenage daughter struggles with bulimia. She will help Rebba learn to find pleasure in her body and help Kaz transition into a new body. She will do noisy battle with the IRS in the very few moments she has to spare, and wage her own private battle with uterine cancer.
Patricia Harman, a nurse-midwife, manages a women's health clinic with her husband, Tom, an ob-gyn, in West Virginia-a practice where patients open their hearts, where they find care and sometimes refuge. Patsy's memoir juxtaposes the tales of these women with her own story of keeping a small medical practice solvent and coping with personal challenges. Her patients range from Appalachian mothers who haven't had the opportunity to attend secondary school to Ph.D.'s on cell phones. They come to Patsy's small, windowless exam room and sit covered only by blue cotton gowns, and their infinitely varied stories are in equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting. The nurse-midwife tells of their lives over the course of a year and a quarter, a time when her outwardly successful practice is in deep financial trouble, when she is coping with malpractice threats, confronting her own serious medical problems, and fearing that her thirty-year marriage may be on the verge of collapse. In the words of Jacqueline Mitchard, this memoir, "utterly true and lyrical as any novel . . . should be a little classic."

My opinion:  After reading The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman, I was eager to read The Blue Cotton Gown, one of her non-fiction memoirs.  I was eager to read more birth stories since she had put variations of real birth stories in her novel.  I wasn't disappointed in the birth stories in The Blue Cotton Gown, but I do wish there had been more of them.  Harman follows several of her patients over the course of a year.  They aren't all pregnant and they have many different physical and emotional problems.  I was impressed by how Harman cared about each of them, even when she didn't want to.  I wish my midwives spent as much time with me and cared about my personal life so much that they would recognize me later.

The only thing I didn't like was her attention to her and her husband's financial situation.  It started feeling like a big pity party after awhile.  Sorry, but it was hard to feel bad for them when they have a vacation home on a lake in addition to their everyday house!!

There is a small amount of bad language.  Sexual descriptions.  Discussion of rape/molestation.  Miscarriages.  Graphic descriptions of the female anatomy and birth.  If this doesn't bother you I definitely recommend!


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Harman has an interesting life and I enjoyed reading each of her stories.  However, I didn't enjoy reading about her sex life or such a large amount about her financial situation.

Other reviews:
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The Light Between Oceans
By:  M.L. Stedman

Published:  2012

# of pages:  343

Quote:  "Isabel was squeezing the girl to her, sobbing at the touch of her, the legs fitting snugly around her waist and the head slotting automatically into the space beneath her chin, like the final piece of a jigsaw puzzle."  -p. 273

Official description:

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. 
Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them. 
M. L. Stedman’s mesmerizing, beautifully written novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God.” And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another’s tragic loss. 
The Light Between Oceans is exquisite and unforgettable, a deeply moving novel.

My opinion:  "Deeply moving" describes this book perfectly.  I don't even know where to begin.  I don't even know how much I liked this book.  But I can say that I related to it.  I felt what the characters were feeling.  I made friends with Isabel, I was on her side.  I smiled, I cried.

Isabel goes through 2 miscarriages and a stillbirth.  Her first miscarriage occurred on May 31.  2 days after my own miscarriage.  She feels shame for not being able to carry a baby.  How I relate to that...

Years later she finally becomes a mother who can hold a baby in her arms.  But fate is against her, a ticking time bomb, it's a matter of time before it all explodes around her.

I was on Isabel's side, but really, there is definitely no right or wrong side in this story.  It's just like life.  It's not fair.  Someone is going to be hurt, no one deserves it.  I was just rooting for Isabel because she experienced something I've experienced and I understood when she felt betrayed and angry.  At the end, Isabel does have a choice, which is more than many people would receive her in situation.  She doesn't choose the way I would have chosen.  I wanted to scream at her.  I was crying so much at the end of this book, but I respect the ending even if I wasn't happy with it.

I do recommend this book to all adults, but with the warning that it will be a hard read for those who have experienced miscarriage and infant loss.  It will pull at the heartstrings of all mothers and make us all so thankful for our beautiful children.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Beautifully written, characters with depth, a hard read, one that made me cry and wasn't completely satisfying at the end.


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The Graveyard Book
By: Neil Gaiman

Challenge:  R.I.P. VII

Published:  2008

# of pages:  320

Quote:
"There were three of them there, then, and Amabella was introducing Bod and he was shaking hands and saying, 'Charmed, I am sure,' because he could greet people politely over nine hundred years of changing manners."

"Really, he thought, if you couldn't trust a poet to offer sensible advice, who could you trust?"

Official description: After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . . 
Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

My opinion:  It was weird going to the children's section of the library to find this book.  I know that children's literature includes kids in middle school, but it just seems weird that this is in the same genre as picture books.

When it comes to ages, I would let my 5th grader and older read this book.  It starts out with the murder of a boy's family, which is pretty disturbing.  My heart ached thinking of the toddler boy wandering off on his own, even though it meant he was saved. I couldn't help but think of my own little boys wandering out of the house at night.

The book isn't all scary and intense though.  Most of it is pretty lighthearted, actually.  Bod is able to interact with all sorts of "people" from all sorts of time periods.  He learns to speak to adults and learn the truth about historic events from first hand sources.  I love how he was raised by everyone in a safe community, even if they were all ghosts.

The end of the book is definitely bittersweet.  Bod has so many adventures and meets so many people throughout the different chapters of the book.  The novel is a little disjointed at times, since some chapters almost seem like individual stories in themselves, but most of it ties together at the end.

I recommend this to children, young adults, and adults.  It isn't scary, but the beginning is a little and there are intense parts.  It is supernatural, but it isn't over the top or really serious.


Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Very unique story; interesting and likable characters; good "growing up" story about a boy who makes mistakes, but learns from them.

Other reviews:
Literary Musings
things mean a lot
Bold. Blue. Adventure.
Bookfoolery and Babble
You Can Never Have Too Many Books

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It's that time of year again!  I've been looking forward to R.I.P. for months, but as always, was late signing up.

The event officially starts September 1st and runs through October 31st.

Here's what it's all about:



I'll be participating in Peril the First and reading 4 books this year.

1.  Jamaica Inn  by: Daphne du Maurier
2.  The Red Tree  by: Caitlin Kiernan
3.  The Graveyard Book  by: Neil Gaiman
4.  We Have Always Lived in the Castle  by: Shirley Jackson


Are you participating as well?  I'd love to hear what you're reading and/or watching!


Previous R.I.P. challenges:
VI
IV

The Winter Sea
By: Susanna Kearsley
Published: 2008
# of pages: 527

Official description:  It is 2008 and Carrie McClelland can't hit the right note for her next novel, but an unplanned detour in Scotland, and a stop at the castle that inspired Count Dracula, sets her on a different path; a path that took her back in time exactly 300 years, to that same castle, and to a rebellion doomed to failure. Alternating between the contemporary setting and the past, The Winter Sea takes us at every turn into little known worlds; historical footnotes writ large, a history of Scotland and the Jacobite rebellion of 1708 and the possibility of genetic memory. Historical fiction at its best and Susanna Kearsley at hers, The Winter Sea evokes the writing of Thomas Raddall, Daphne Du Maurier, and Mary Stewart.

My opinion:  Wow! I didn't think I'd like this book much when I started it, but I ended up loving it. It's 2 books in one, and I love the way the author wove them together. I especially enjoyed the character of Sophia and the historical story line.  The time period of the historical story was neat.  I haven't read many books set in historic Scotland and although I've heard things about the Stewarts and the Union, I didn't know much, so this book was very educational for me.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, enjoyable characters, "what happens next?", I want to go to Scotland and see Slains Castle!

Other reviews:
Bookfoolery and Babble

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The Lies of Locke Lamora
By: Scott Lynch
Series: The Gentleman Bastard Sequence
Published: 2006
# of pages: 499

Official description: In this stunning debut, author Scott Lynch delivers the wonderfully thrilling tale of an audacious criminal and his band of confidence tricksters. Set in a fantastic city pulsing with the lives of decadent nobles and daring thieves, here is a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part Robin Hood, one part Ocean’s Eleven, and entirely enthralling.…
An orphan’s life is harsh–and often short–in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains–a man who is neither blind nor a priest. A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected “family” of orphans–a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting.
Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld’s most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful–and more ambitious–than Locke has yet imagined.
Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi’s most trusted men–and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr’s underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game–or die trying.…

My opinion:  This was such a unique and well-written book!  Lynch has created a very cool world as the setting.  The story is set in the city of Camorr, which is a group of islands separated by canals and joined by bridges.  Half of the city is wealthy/middle class and the other half is poor and neglected...the perfect atmosphere for the Right People, the society of thieves who all pay homage to Capa Barsavi, the king of thieves.

I loved all of the Gentleman Bastards.  Locke, Jean, the Salvara twins, and Bug.  Lynch did a great job with character development.  The small group of con artists are funny, witty, and smart.  They are also realistic.  I felt like I knew them and cared about them.  That makes the best books in my opinion.

They story line is also well-written.  The timeline switches from current events to Locke's past, as an orphan child joining the Gentleman Bastards.  It isn't hard to follow, but it all ends up coming together at just the right times.  There are plot twists, some shocking surprises, and a lot of action.

There's a lot of bad language, especially at the beginning.  But unless this is really bothersome to you, please give it a chance because it eases up and the story is well worth it!


Why I gave this book 5/5 stars:  Great setting, realistic characters, well-written storyline.

Other reviews:
things mean a lot
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The Duggars: 20 and Counting!: Raising One of America's Largest Families-How They Do It
By: Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar
Published: 2008
# of pages: 240





Official Description: 

This practical, positive book reveals the many parenting strategies that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar use as they preside over America’s best-known mega-family. Each time a new baby arrives, the press from around the world clamors for interviews and information. Visitors are amazed to find seventeen (baby number eighteen is due January 1, 2009) well-groomed, well-behaved, well-schooled children in a home that focuses on family, financial responsibility, fun—and must importantly, faith.Readers will learn about the Duggars’ marriage—how they communicate effectively, make family decisions, and find quality time alone. They’ll discover how the Duggars manage to educate all their children at home, while providing experiences that go beyond the family walls, through vacations and educational trips. And they’ll see how the Duggar family manages their finances and lives debt-free—even when they built their own 7,000-square-foot house.Answering the oft asked question—How can I do with one or two children what you do with seventeen(soon to be eighteen)?—Jim Bob and Michelle reveal how they create a warm and welcoming home filled with what Michelle calls “serene chaos.” They show how other parents can succeed whether they’re rearing a single child or several. With spiritual insights, experience-based wisdom,  practical tips, and plenty of humorous and tender anecdotes, the Duggars answer the questions that pour into the family’s Web site on a daily basis—especially after every national media interview and TV appearance—including their segments on the Discovery Health Channel’s “Meet the Duggars” series.

My opinion:  I started reading this book out of idle curiosity, not expecting to learn anything from it or even finish it.

Boy, was I wrong! This book was the answer to several prayers. From feeling insecure about new ministry responsibilities to parenting issues to what to do with some extra space in our house, this book has given me answers and peace.


The overall tone is very encouraging.  I expected to feel inadequate and guilty while reading this, like I often do when hearing about "perfect" families.   But although the Duggars have qualities and ways of doing things that I'd like to emulate, I feel encouraged and motivated.  This books makes it obvious that the Duggars aren't all that different from me.  They worked hard for what they have and were blessed in the process.  For some reason I thought they had always been where they're at now.  


I really believe that non-Christians will also find this book interesting and encouraging.  While the Duggars do share their faith in the book and talk about it throughout, it isn't pushy or really detailed.  


I just want to add, when I say I want to emulate the Duggars in some aspects of their lives, I do NOT mean that I will be having 19 kids!  I understand why they do, but do not at all feel convicted to do the same.



Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: An answer to prayers, easy to read, helpful and practical advice throughout, very uplifting and motivating.

Other reviews:
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Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey
By: The Countess of Carnarvon
Published: 2011
# of pages: 292

Official description: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration for the hit PBS show Downton Abbey, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon and the basis of the fictional character Lady Cora Crawley.  Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war. Much like her Masterpiece Classic counterpart, Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon's ancestral home.  Throwing open the doors of Highclere Castle to tend to the wounded of World War I, Lady Almina distinguished herself as a brave and remarkable woman. This rich tale contrasts the splendor of Edwardian life in a great house against the backdrop of the First World War and offers an inspiring and revealing picture of the woman at the center of the history of Highclere Castle.

My opinion:  I saw this book at a small bookstore I visited in a town near Chicago.  I was intrigued since I had just started watching the series "Downton Abbey" on Netflix.  I had heard a lot about it for months and when I finally started watching it I fell in love!!  So this book caught my eye and I checked it out at the library when I came home.

I started reading it while reading a novel and it was hard for me to get into.  I figured it was just a boring history book and put it on the back burner.  But after a couple of weeks it was the only book I had left so I gave it my full attention.

Like I said, it took awhile, but I ended up really enjoying it!  It's not how I thought it would be, more of a day to day "story" of the family and servants.  For some reason I expected it to be more like the TV series, just with real historical figures.  But it's more like a history book and covers an extensive time period.  However, the Carnarvons' lives were filled with drama.  The entire family was involved in WWI and then Lord Carnarvon and Almina were involved in Egyptology, especially the discovering of "King Tut's" tomb along with Howard Carter.  I used to love reading about ancient Egypt and the discoveries of the Valley of the Kings.  It's neat to think that I once read about Carnarvon, but don't remember his name (instead Howard Carter's stuck in my memory).

It's kind of odd to think about this being the inspiration for "Downton Abbey."  I don't really get it.  Besides the fact that Lord Carnarvon married Almina for her money to save Highclere just like the Earl marries Cora for her money to save Downton, there doesn't seem to be much of a connection.  Of course, I haven't watched Season 2 yet...which I gather takes place during WWI.

I recommend this book to lovers of history and those who want to read an overview of WWI.  I think this would be an interesting way for high schoolers to learn about the time period.

Why I gave this book 4/5 stars:  Interesting record of historical events, especially WWI and the discovery of "King Tut."  Sometimes frustrating when it discovered people that were unrelated to the Carnarvons or their stories.  


Other reviews:  
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One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd
By: Jim Fergus
Published: 1998
# of pages: 320

Official description: One Thousand White Women is the story of May Dodd and a colorful assembly of pioneer women who, under the auspices of the U.S. government, travel to the western prairies in 1875 to intermarry among the Cheyenne Indians. The covert and controversial "Brides for Indians" program, launched by the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, is intended to help assimilate the Indians into the white man's world. Toward that end May and her friends embark upon the adventure of their lifetime. Jim Fergus has so vividly depicted the American West that it is as if these diaries are a capsule in time.

My opinion:  I liked that the author re-wrote history (with an explanation at the beginning).  The "historic event" he chooses is original and interesting.  If only someone else could take the same idea and write a better novel!  I didn't like the main character, May Dodd, at all.  She was hard to relate to, but also didn't seem realistic at all.  It felt like she was a modern day woman, an unfeminine modern day woman, put back in the 1800s.  I'm sure there were liberal, unconventional women in 1875, but not like May Dodd was in this novel.  I can't imagine even a modern day woman reacting the way May reacts when placed in a completely different environment, culture, and people group who don't speak the same language.  She wasn't a realistic woman, and that's what the book is about.  The physical and mental journey of white women whose lives are turned upside down.

She blasts everyone whose viewpoint isn't like her own.  That also includes Christians and I felt like Fergus realized he'd been too harsh and then included a Christian character that May likes at the end.  The reader doesn't get to know that character well, so it was odd when he seemed to be an important character at the very end.  Once again, I just felt like it was an obvious way for Fergus to pacify anyone he may have offended.

Most of all, I felt that it would have been better if there had been a different ending.  Since Fergus was rewriting history, couldn't he have rewritten history?  I think that would have been really neat.


Why I gave this book 2/5 stars:  Original story, interesting (and hopefully accurate!) facts about the Cheyenne history and culture in the late 1800s, unbelievable main character, too many unrealistic viewpoints for that period of history.

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Secrets of Eden
By: Chris Bohjalian

Published: 2010

# of pages: 362

Official description: From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Midwives, andSkeletons at the Feast comes a novel of shattered faith, intimate secrets, and the delicate nature of sacrifice.
"There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the author of wildly successful, inspirational books about . . . angels. 
Heather survived a childhood that culminated in her own parents' murder-suicide, so she identifies deeply with Alice’s daughter, Katie, offering herself as a mentor to the girl and a shoulder for Stephen – who flees the pulpit to be with Heather and see if there is anything to be salvaged from the spiritual wreckage around him.But then the State's Attorney begins to suspect that Alice's husband may not have killed himself. . .and finds out that Alice had secrets only her minister knew.
Secrets of Eden is both a haunting literary thriller and a deeply evocative testament to the inner complexities that mark all of our lives.  Once again Chris Bohjalian has given us a riveting page-turner in which nothing is precisely what it seems.  As one character remarks, “Believe no one.  Trust no one.  Assume all of our stories are suspect.”

My opinion:  Didn't like it very much.  It was depressing with all of the domestic violence and disfunctional characters.  The whole angel thing was weird and didn't really fit with the main story line.  I liked the plot twist at the very end (the last few pages!), but I wish the rest of the book had been less disjointed and the characters easier to relate to.

Why I gave this book 2/5 stars:  Depressing, graphic violence descriptions, weird characters that were hard to relate to, a whole theme in the book that wasn't really developed and didn't go with the rest of the book.

Other reviews:
S. Krishna's Books

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The Night Strangers
By: Chris Bohjalian
Published: 2011
# of pages: 375

Official description: From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Skeletons at the Feast, and Secrets of Eden, comes a riveting and dramatic ghost story. In a dusty corner of a basement in a rambling Victorian house in northern New Hampshire, a door has long been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long carriage bolts.             The home's new owners are Chip and Emily Linton and their twin ten-year-old daughters. Together they hope to rebuild their lives there after Chip, an airline pilot, has to ditch his 70-seat regional jet in Lake Champlain after double engine failure. Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, however, most of the passengers aboard Flight 1611 die on impact or drown. The body count? Thirty-nine – a coincidence not lost on Chip when he discovers the number of bolts in that basement door. Meanwhile, Emily finds herself wondering about the women in this sparsely populated White Mountain village – self-proclaimed herbalists – and their interest in her fifth-grade daughters. Are the women mad? Or is it her husband, in the wake of the tragedy, whose grip on sanity has become desperately tenuous?   
The result is a poignant and powerful ghost story with all the hallmarks readers have come to expect from bestselling novelist Chris Bohjalian: a palpable sense of place, an unerring sense of the demons that drive us, and characters we care about deeply. 
The difference this time? Some of those characters are dead.

My opinion: First of all, why is the book called The Night Strangers?  The title doesn't match the story at all.  Secondly, this is an intense, but not too scary, book!  I enjoyed reading it because it kept my attention, made me wonder and think about what was going on, and creeped me out without really scaring me.  I thought the blend of story lines was unique and while I was wondering if they would collide in a messy heap, I was pleasantly surprised when it all came together at the end.  I particularly liked the ending because it was unexpected and original.

I didn't connect with any of the characters and found myself frustrated with the character of Emily throughout the book.  Her husband is going through PTSD and depression, but she isn't very supportive or involved in his life.  And when things start getting weird, she doesn't question it until it's too late.

I can imagine this book being made into a movie.  It wasn't in depth enough (as far as the characters) for me to really like, but it was entertaining.  I recommend it to fans of horror, suspense, and paranormal fiction.  It has one brief sex scene and some language, but nothing overwhelming.  There's also a theme of witchcraft throughout the book.

I have to mention: I really liked another of Bohjalian's books called Midwives.  Excellent writing on an issue that is so controversial (at least where I live!).  It's also just a good story.

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars:  Interesting, easy read, unique story line, characters not easy to relate to, story line not engrossing enough to keep me completely hooked.

Other reviews:
S. Krishna's Books
Chrisbookarama

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Neverwhere


By: Neil Gaiman

Challenge:  Once Upon a Time

Published: 1996

# of pages: 370

Quote: "The marquis had told them where to wait, and then he had slipped away. From somewhere, Richard heard a baby begin to cry. The marquis slipped out of an exit-only door and walked toward them. He was chewing on a piece of candy."

Official description:When Richard Mayhew stops one day to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London pavement, his life is forever altered, for he finds himself propelled into an alternative reality that exists in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

My opinion:  It took a little while, but I ended up loving this book!  It's hard to explain why, but I loved the writing, the setting, and the characters.  It was full of adventure, but wasn't confusing or lacking in other departments.  There was a feeling of camaraderie between the characters that really drew me in.  It's a unique quest plot.  There's humor, but also danger, sadness, loyalty, betrayal, and violence.

It's hard to pick a favorite character.  Door is one of the main characters and she is a little harder to get to know.  But she's strong and has so many loyal friends who want to help her.  Richard is great, he behaves just as you'd expect and I love the parts he plays in Door's quest.  And the marquis is a fascinating character.  He's my favorite type of character....not all good, but not all bad.  Hard to figure out.

I recommend this book to fans of Gaiman, fans of dark fantasy or urban fantasy, and readers who are interested in reading a unique take on a quest plot.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Great descriptions, likable characters, humorous, unique twist on traditional plot

Other reviews:
things mean a lot

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11/22/63


By: Stephen King

Published: 2011

# of pages:  849

Official description:On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed forever.
If you had the chance to change the course of history, would you?Would the consequences be worth it?
Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.
Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

My opinion:  I have to rave for a second -- I love this book!!  Why did I love it?  I love the LOVE STORY.  I was surprised to find that in this book.  I expected it to be more like the other novels by King I've read, which are less personal.  What struck me most about the romance was how real it was.  It was beautiful and pure without being mushy.  I was trying to describe it to my husband.  I said, "If I told you specific things about the romance, it would sound hokey.  But that's the reason I liked it so much, it wasn't hokey."

And I love the setting in the late 50s/early 60s.  It was neat to read about life back then from the point of view of someone traveling there from 2011.  My favorite parts was when Jake described the food and drink.  It's neat to think about the fact that the food did taste better back then because most of it wasn't processed and filled with chemicals.  I was also amused at the descriptions of how predominant smoking was back then.  I can tell King is not a fan of smoking, which is great!  I think smokers reading the story will feel a little bad and hopefully rethink the habit for health reasons and to spare other people having to suffer the grossness.

There was a small part of the novel that referenced King's book, It.  I have never read It, but kinda sorta knew the basic plot and so recognized when the reference became a little more obvious (he talks about some characters from It).  I could tell the characters were significant when they were mentioned in 11/22/63.  I don't know if any of his other novels were referenced since I have only read Cell and Under the Dome before.

There was only one thing I didn't quite like, but it was minor compared to the novel as a whole.  I recommend this to lovers of sci-fi/time travel, fans of King, fans of historical fiction, and anyone who enjoys well written, detailed books. There is some bad language, but it's not overwhelming or used casually.

Why I gave this book 5/5 stars:  Well-written, detailed, touching love story, likeable characters.

Other reviews: 
Literary Musings

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The Snow Child


By: Eowyn Ivey

Challenge: Once Upon a Time

Published:  2012

# of pages:  386

Quote:  "Cradling a swaddled infant in their arms, mothers would distractedly touch their lips to their babies' foreheads.  Passing their toddlers in a hall, mothers would tousle their hair or even sweep them up in their arms and kiss them hard along their chins and necks until the children squealed with glee.  Where else in life, Mabel wondered, could a woman love so openly and with such abandon?"  -pg. 328

Official description: Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

My opinion:  I loved this book!  I can't explain all the reasons why without spoilers, but I can say that the writing is beautiful.  The characters are well developed and relatable.  I loved the transitions in the book...how we are right there with Jack and Mabel as their lives change.  I also felt like the novel was full of mystery.  I kept imagining what would happen next and coming up with theories, but was always surprised.

I think this book encompasses several genres.  It's a retelling of a fairy tale, but also magical realism and historical fiction.

I'd love to see this book made into a movie someday.  I wanted to be there.  The descriptions drew me in, they are just beautiful.

It was hard to read at times.  The subject of infertility and stillbirth is hard for any mother to read about, I'm sure.  I know it will be even harder for those who have been through those situations.  But it's such a beautiful love story at the same time.


Why I gave this book 5/5 stars: Well written, unique story, beautiful descriptions.

Other reviews:
Book Nut
Literary Musings

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Rule #1: Have fun.

Rule #2: HAVE FUN.

Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!

Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.

Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time categories. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.


1. Enchantment  by: Orson Scott Card - Folklore/Mythology/Fantasy
2. Cinder  by: Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles, Book 1) - Fairy tale
3. Torn  by: Amanda Hocking (Trylle Trilogy, Book 2) - Fantasy
4. Neverwhere  by: Neil Gaiman - Fantasy
5. The Snow Child  by: Eowyn Ivey - Fairy tale


COMPLETED! MAY 24, 2012

Cinder


By: Marissa Meyer

Challenge:  Once Upon a Time

Series: Lunar Chronicles

Published: 2012

# of pages: 387

Official description:Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 

My opinion:  Loved it!  It's such a unique setting and an awesome re-telling of the story of Cinderella.  I liked the character of Cinder and found her easy to relate to although she is young and a little immature.  I also like how Prince Kai is drawn to her although she never looks "beautiful" in the world's eyes.  Sure, one of the "plot twists" was predictable, but it wasn't annoying and didn't ruin the book for me.  I loved finding some of the objects in the fairy tale version in the novel.  I thought it was very well written!


Why I gave this book 5/5 stars:  Unique setting and way of telling a classic fairy tale, interesting plot and characters, a book I was really drawn into (thought about it during the day and imagined myself in the story).


Other reviews:
Bookfoolery and Babble
It's All About Books
A Girl, Books and Other Things
Royal Reviews
Book Nut


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Enchantment

As one of the most consistently exciting writers to emerge in the last twenty-five years, Orson Scott Card has been honored with numerous awards, immersing readers in dazzling worlds only he could create. Now, in Enchantment, Card works his magic as never before, transforming the timeless story of Sleeping Beauty into an original fantasy brimming with romance and adventure.

The moment Ivan stumbled upon a clearing in the dense Carpathian forest, his life was forever changed. Atop a pedestal encircled by fallen leaves, the beautiful princess Katerina lay still as death. But beneath the foliage a malevolent presence stirred and sent the ten-year-old Ivan scrambling for the safety of Cousin Marek's farm.

Now, years later, Ivan is an American graduate student, engaged to be married. Yet he cannot forget that long-ago day in the forest--or convince himself it was merely a frightened boy's fantasy. Compelled to return to his native land, Ivan finds the clearing just as he left it.

This time he does not run. This time he awakens the beauty with a kiss . . . and steps into a world that vanished a thousand years ago.

A rich tapestry of clashing worlds and cultures, Enchantment is a powerfully original novel of a love and destiny that transcend centuries . . . and the dark force that stalks them across the ages.

The Night Circus

By: Erin Morgenstern

Published: 2011

# of pages: 387

Quote: "The stone feels heavier in your hand.
When you drop it in the pool to join the rest of the stones, you feel lighter. As though you have released something more than a smooth polishes piece of rock." -p. 283

Official description:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

My opinion: I'm not gonna lie, I was disappointed in this book. I read another review that summed up how I feel by saying that the elaborate descriptions make up 80% of the book and the remaining 20% make up the "plot."

I'm confused by the official description's claim that the two main characters, Celia and Marco, are engaged in a "fierce competition." I kept waiting for the game the two played to really start. And it never did. That's not a spoiler, I'm just warning y'all! The romance was also a disappointment. I felt that with the in depth descriptions, Morgenstern could have written so much more about the game and the characters, but instead she concentrated on the setting. And the setting is amazing! I wish I could go to the Circus of Dreams!

It was pretty confusing at first with the different viewpoints and time lines. But after the first 80 pages or so it started to make more sense. Everything comes together in the end, you just may have to flip back and forth a bit to keep track of the different time stamps at the beginning of each chapter.

Why I gave this book 3/5 stars: Underdeveloped plot and characters, confusing time lines, but neat imagery and setting.

Other reviews:
S. Krishna's Books
Book Nut
Literary Musings
It's All About Books
Chrisbookarama
life by candlelight

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