Tornado Brain by Cat PatrickMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
View all my reviews
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Monday, January 3, 2022
Monday, November 22, 2021
Saturday, September 25, 2021
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Review: This is How You Lose the Time War
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-MohtarMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love epistolary novels. Reading a story told only through the words of one person to another - with all of their own biases as they write - pulls me in like no other. It gives you a feel for the characters that just doesn't come through the same way as a traditional novel does.
This novel had been on my radar for awhile, to the point I'd even taken it out of the library and let it languish on my shelf until it needed to be returned. (That happens with far more regularity than it should.) Then, when I was looking for book clubs to join, this came up as the read for this month in one of them. What better way to make sure I read it than join a book club? I borrowed the ebook copy from the library and dove in.
I am so glad I did! This was one of the best stories I've read this year. Being a novella, it only took me a couple of hours to read it, but it didn't feel quick. Rather, it was like savoring a cup of tea, taking your time with each page. By the end, it was both a story that ended satisfactorily as well as one that you wouldn't be disappointed to see the next chapter.
Red is an agent for the Agency, traveling up and down the threads of the timelines to try to stop the incursions of the Garden and assure the timelines that she travels play out the way the Agency wants them to. One day, after a battle that ended exactly as Red had planned, she found a note on the battlefield. "Burn Before Reading" was written on the outside. And that began her unusual conversation with Blue, the Garden's agent equivalent to Red.
What follows is letters passed through their travels, each "written" and "read" in a different way (one was in the rings of a tree that Blue had grown to show the message that only Red could read). Between each letter, we get to see what the recipient was doing before the letter was found and how they came upon it. The letters start as short missives, speaking admiration of the other's skill. But slowly, the two start to share more about themselves and their world. As so often happens in our world, both had views of the other's society that didn't quite fit reality. And as each learned more, shared more, they found common ground. Love blooms, but how can they love in societies which want to crush one another.
The letters were a perfect growth from admiration to friendship to love. Starting from a place where Red isn't sure she should trust these letters from Blue and she isn't sure that she should trust the letters from Red, it weaves through pen-pal like sharing, Blue's sharing of letter etiquette and hidden meanings from time gone by, to declarations of love and finally, to a forced betrayal. It feels natural, though the otherness of Red, Blue and the world they inhabit feels very strange indeed.
The parts between the letters also serve to introduce another character - the seeker, who appears after the letter is destroyed, to take pieces of it into themself. By the end of the story, the seeker and their purpose is revealed and it adds a wonderful twist to the ending that I hadn't seen coming until it was revealed.
Much of the last quarter of the novel is told in a traditional narrative rather than via the letters, with a good reason that I'm not sharing so as not to spoil anything. But that is where the novel also really comes full circle and pieces from the past letters and intersections make perfect sense. It really was the only way for the story to come to a conclusion.
All in all, I highly recommend this novella. Especially if you like epistolary novels, non-traditional relationships, sci-fi and time travel. It has it all but it doesn't feel overcrowded. This is one that I'm going to have to purchase for myself so I can read and reread, as well as pass it along to others to do the same.
View all my reviews
Review: John Constantine: Hellblazer, Vol. 2
John Constantine: Hellblazer, Vol. 2 by Simon SpurrierMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have a thing for anti-heroes and magic. So it should be no wonder that I'm a fan of John Constantine. A majority of the time, he's doing the wrong things for the right reasons, and somehow, it usually works out in the end.
This trade paperback, at first, seems like little vignettes of John solving problems that only John can solve. Rescuing a mermaid, trying to explain to the royal stables why a unicorn is really a bad idea, dealing with a group literally worshipping the giant under London... But all of these things have one thing in common - a strange figure calling himself John Constantine seeding the world with stories become real. John needs to figure out who this guy is and how to stop him before not only is the world drawn into chaos but his friends are lost in the process.
Many of the stories could be read individually, but the best narrative is when they're read all together. Simon Spurrier has perfectly encapsulated John Constantine in the stories he's woven. The snarky, brash Brit is does what he can to save innocents but is also willing to sacrifice friends if it means that the world is safe. The secondary characters of his friends were interesting... not as fleshed out to me, but I haven't read the first volume so it's possible that I'd find out more by reading it.
I was very impressed with the way he told the story throughout. There was a small twist at the end that caught me off guard but I could see all of the breadcrumbs that led to it being the only conclusion. He was also very deft at making it clear which royal he was talking about in the second story without actually giving a name. Anyone paying attention to the news over the last couple of years will have caught it and, at least if you're like me, gotten a little chuckle.
The artwork isn't exactly my favorite style - the kind of blurry, fuzzy, chaotic artwork where you don't always see things clearly. Though, to be fair, it is always interesting to look a little closer and see something in the background that you missed the first time. And even though it isn't my favorite style, it DOES fit perfectly with the world of John Constantine.
I'm going to have to pick up the first book just to get a better feel of what I missed. But Simon Spurrier's take on John Constantine is one I'll be happy to read more of.
View all my reviews
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Review: Norse Mythology, Volume 1
Norse Mythology, Volume 1 by Neil GaimanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'll be up front. I am a HUGE fan of anything that Neil Gaiman puts on paper, whether it be graphic novels, novels, non-fiction, television, radio or movie. Just let me at a Neil Gaiman piece and I'll be sure to enjoy it.
That said, I haven't read everything he's written. The novel Norse Mythology has been on my list for awhile but never seems to get read with all the other things I end up having on my shelves. So when I saw the graphic novel, and knew that I would be able to read it fairly quickly, I decided to pick it up.
I will admit to having a slight disconnect as I started reading because I've been watching a lot of MCU lately, so I had to retool my head to the non-cinematic view of the Asgardians. But the stories were so deftly told and the artwork so wonderfully rendered that I soon left Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth behind. The stories themselves were not ones I was familiar with, but I've read enough Norse Mythology (usually thanks to Neil) that I have an idea of the voices and tones of the different characters. And in every case, they matched up. Loki was as oily and tricky as expected. Thor was as brash and bold. Freya was exactly the type of haughty, "Men can't control me!" that I was expecting.
I'm hoping that they will do a volume two because I would love to see more of these renderings, immerse myself in more of these stories. Because if there's one thing I never doubt Neil can do, that is tell a great story.
View all my reviews
Review: No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves
No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves by Lee WindMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I regularly trawl my local library's website, looking at their On Order books for anything that might catch my attention. That is how I found No Way, They Were Gay? I didn't realize at the time that it was more a middle/high school focused book but since I love reading YA/Teen things, I was good with it. It just took a moment to wrap my brain around it.
The book is split into three parts - Men Who Loved Men, Women Who Loved Women, and People Who Lived Outside Gender Boundaries. Each section has an introduction that talks about a couple people who weren't included and then dives more deeply into those who were. Each section covers four people that fit in the category, and in each the author gives his researched reasons for why he came to the conclusion that he did. Even when I wasn't sure if I reached the same conclusion as Mr. Wind, I appreciated the time and effort he put into the research.
A few of the people I had heard of before - Shakespeare, Lincoln, Sappho, Ghandi, Eleanor Roosevelt - but many of them were complete strangers to me and it was interesting getting a glimpse into their lives and loves (many of which were hidden). I'm now more interested in finding out even more about Bayard Rustin, Catalina de Erauso, and Christine Jorgensen. Once my To Read pile gets a bit lower, I'll be looking into more books about them.
This is, in this reader's opinion, a great book for kids that may be questioning their own sexuality or gender. It's written in an easily readable style and, part lecture and part conversation. I'm definitely mentioning it to my 15 year old and, if he wants, I'll pass it his way. All in all, this was a good read and I'm glad I had the chance to savor it.
View all my reviews
Friday, June 4, 2021
Review: The Times I Knew I Was Gay
The Times I Knew I Was Gay by Eleanor CrewesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love autobiographical graphic novels. It love learning about people - and with a graphic novel, you get to know more about the person than just the words that they share - you get to literally see how they see themselves in the way that they draw themselves. I'd had this on my radar to read for awhile, but a combination of it being a book club read and it being Pride Month made me glad to pick this up.
Ellie's story isn't one of someone that knew she was gay from an early age. In fact, for a long time, she tried living a straight life and just thought she wasn't doing something right. This is the story of how she maneuvered trying to fit in, to hide parts of herself so that she would fit in with the kids around her. She talks about her relationships with men, her high school and college years, her realization that she was gay, and then hiding that realization from herself for several more years. She looks unflinchingly at the various relationships that she's had - friendships and family relationships as well as romantic ones. It's a wonderful story of acceptance that I would recommend to anyone, especially those who are either coming to accept themselves as they are or accept a loved one as the same.
View all my reviews
Review: Once & Future, Vol. 2: Old English
Once & Future, Vol. 2: Old English by Kieron GillenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Old English continues on from where The King is Undead left off. Duncan is getting more secure in his monster hunting skills and, sad to say, it's becoming a bit old hat for him. Rose is getting more used to her role as researcher and Bridgette.... well, Bridgette is still as sassy and spunky as ever. This set of stories take us from straight Arthurian legend into another tale of old - Beowolf. And it is one heck of a ride.
I'm not as familiar with the Beowolf legend as I am with Arthurian legend, but I didn't feel that my lack of knowledge took anything away from the story. The story was written well enough that I didn't feel the lack of knowledge because the relevant bits were woven into the story. It was fun seeing the ways that Duncan and Bridgette had to change the stories slightly in order to prevail (as well as getting a chance to see what happens when her Home life and her monster fighting collide).
For me, though, the best part was seeing the change in Elaine. Rather than being all in for her story, she is starting to see that maybe she wasn't making all the right choices. Of course, she's also being used as well, and I'm very curious to see if she is able to fully pull away from the Court and side with Team Monster Hunter. I'm definitely invested in the story.
Now I'm just anxiously awaiting the next trade paperback. My library has the individual comics that have been issued before this but I'm trying hard to hold out.
This book covers issues #7-12. For my review of the first volume, see here.
View all my reviews
Review: Once & Future, Vol. 1: The King is Undead
Once & Future, Vol. 1: The King is Undead by Kieron GillenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm so glad that one of my book clubs had this as a reading choice for this month, because it hadn't been on my radar before now.
What if King Arthur were to come back, but not to unite the country (or the world) but to destroy it? And what if a young man, who had always been told by his gran that all those fantasies weren't real, found out that she had spent most of her life fighting those same stories? And what if that young man was now the key to making sure that Arthur doesn't make it back into this world?
I devoured both this, the first volume of the comic series, and the second, in a night because I was so caught up in it. It reminded me very much of Seanan Maguire's Indexing series, in that people are born to start taking on the aspects of people from historic fiction (Arthurian Legend, Beowolf, etc) and if things aren't stopped and the stories come to conclusion, then the world is in for a whole lot of hurt.
The characters are all very engaging and believable. Duncan's confusion at this grandmother he never expected existed, Bridgette's (Bridgette is his gran) spunk and instance that he can do this all while trying to hide it from the people in her Old Age home, Rose turning from bad first date to an integral part of their little team all made me want to root for them even more. It is interesting to see the origin of all of this group and why they are who they are. (I don't want to give away too much in terms of spoilers.) Arthur feels a bit flat and I didn't care as much for Elaine in the first book, but overall it was just a wonderfully enjoyable story that I'm looking forward to talking about and looking forward to rereading.
This volume covers issues #1-6. My review for the second volume is here/
View all my reviews
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Review: Taproot by Keezy Young
Taproot by Keezy YoungMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a book that never would have been on my radar if I hadn't joined a virtual Graphic Novel book club. And now I'm doubly glad that I had because this book was phenomenal.
Hamal is a young man that can talk to ghosts. Several young ghosts hang around him, including Blue, who seems to be Hamal's best friend. The owner of the flower shop that Hamal works at just thinks he's a bit weird, since no one else can see the ghosts. But that's ok, because Hamal is a miracle worker when it comes to growing things. But things aren't quite what they seem as the ghosts, including Blue, seem to disappear into a freaky wood every once in awhile.
There are so many things I love about this book. The art style reminds me very much of Rebecca Sugar's Steven Universe. The colors are more muted, more pastel. There are several panels where the art of the world is more the focus than the people (and ghosts) which really helps give a feel for the world. I love the bits of mystery, as well as the relationship between Hamal and Blue. It's a sweet story of what could have been in a different time... or maybe what can be now.
I also love how Hamal is accepting of his abilities. He isn't perfect with them - he hasn't figured out how to talk to the ghosts without looking like he's always talking to himself. And Blue does mention that it took a little while to come to terms with it. I also appreciated that Young didn't have everything between Hamal and Blue be perfect. A big moment in the book is an argument between the pair that pushes them apart for a little while - more for stubbornness than anything else.
That's not to say that I think the book is perfect. Ideally, I would have loved to see more of Hamal coming to terms with his abilities in a flashback. See how that affected his budding friendship with Blue. I also would have loved to see a bit more fleshing out of the other ghosts. They were very much secondary creatures but they were fleshed out just enough that I wanted to know more. But I also recognize that both those quibbles would have made the book longer and may have bogged things down. I would love to see more written in this world.
Overall, I highly recommend this quick read. Especially if you enjoy reading a good combination of LGBTQ+ romance and the supernatural. I'm looking forward to rereading it and to talking about it with the book club.
View all my reviews
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Review: Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller's Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages
Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller's Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages by Michael Popek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I found out about the Forgotten Bookmarks website from my sister. She had won a giveaway the author was having. And since I love finding forgotten bookmarks, I decided that I needed to start following the site as well. I've read lots of interesting items that Michael Popek has found and it made me want to know more.
When I found out that he was publishing some of the items that he'd found in a book, I knew it was one that I'd want to read. The hardest part was waiting for it to get to me from the library. But it was so worth the wait.
The book is separated into chapters based on what the bookmark was - pictures, letters, lists, etc. It was fun to look through each item, wondering about the people that left the bookmark inside. Were they missing the picture? Was what they'd written in the letter resolved? Did they mean to take those four leaf clovers out of the book before selling it? Most of the questions would have to remain unanswered, but there were a few instances in which the author was able to tell us a little more. Sometimes the author was someone famous and it didn't take much research for him to add to the story. And that was always an added bonus.
But the best part, for me, was being able to relive some parts of my childhood. The family bookstore that Michael Popek runs is 45 minutes from where I grew up - Oneonta, NY. Being local, there were a lot of bookmarks, as well as a few books, that brought me back to my small town upbringing. I recognized cities and businesses, names of streets and times gone by. It made me look harder at each picture, wondering if it was someone that I knew. I didn't find anything definitive, but it still warmed my heart.
If you love finding ephemera from the lives of others, to find yourself partway into someone else's story, then I highly recommend picking up this book. It is well worth the read.
View all my reviews
Friday, February 8, 2013
Review: Dragon Slippers
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was first introduced to Jessica Day George's writing when I read about her book Tuesdays in the Castle. A sentient castle? Princes and Princesses who need to be in charge when their parents are feared dead? People out to get them? Perfect. As soon as I finished reading it at the end of last year, I put the next book in the series, Wednesdays in the Castle, on my Goodreads Want to Read list.
I don't know why I hadn't gone looking for more of her books. I think it was the sheer number of books already on my plate. So it wasn't until 3:00 this morning, wanting to find something to read on my kindle since I couldn't sleep, that I came across Dragon Slippers. Written in 2007, it is the first book in the Dragon Slippers trilogy. It follows the adventures of Creelisle (Creel) Carlbrun as she is first thrust into her aunt's daft plan of having a dragon - who no one knows for a fact exists - capture her so a nobleman can come rescue her and sweep them all away into the lap of luxury. (I told you it was daft!) Instead, Creel sort-of befriends the dragon and helps him avoid the tedium of fighting the nobleman in return for part of his hoard. It isn't what she expects, and it leads her on a journey she could never have imagined. And all because she wanted to open her own embroidery shop!
I was entranced by this book! For the last couple of weeks, I hadn't been feeling the desire to read. I'd pick up a book, read a few pages, and find something else to occupy my attention. But not Dragon Slippers. I didn't want to put it down to come get my kids ready for school. I had to see how Creel was going to get out of the first dragon's cave. I wanted to know if she'd quit the shop she was apprenticing in. I wanted to know what Larkin was up to. I just had to know more.
Part of what I enjoyed about this book is that it took elements of some of my favorite fantasy and wove them together into a wonderful work that is all it's own. The beginning, with Creel going on a long journey away from a house that didn't understand her had underpinnings of Talia in Mercedes Lackey's Arrows of the Queen (though, to be fair, Creel didn't have it half as hard as Talia did). Her relationship with Prince Luka reminded me very much of the movie Ever After - without her having to pretend she is someone other than who she is. The dragons coming back reminded me, in a small way, of the Dragonlance Chronicles. It was like George took my favorite parts of novels, cleaned up the bits that didn't work, and made it into a cohesive novel.
I loved the strong female characters. Creel had a backbone that I love to see in YA novels, because it shows young women that they CAN do whatever they want to do. The Duchess was the first to really support Creel with her embroidery - and was able to put spoiled Princess Amalia in her place. Even one of the dragons, Niva, is one of the stronger characters in the book. The men aren't exactly week, but generally the human men aren't as fleshed out in this book (beyond Prince Luka and Tobin). But this didn't really bother me - most of the rest of the men were just background characters anyway.
The book's spin on a dragon's hoard was wonderful (though I won't tell it for those who haven't read it and don't want to be spoiled). It was something that I hadn't seen coming but made perfect sense. After all, not all humans are the same, why should all dragons be?
The ending, however, made me angry at my local library. They didn't have the ebook copies of the second book, Dragon Flight for me to borrow. I think I may be spending some of my Christmas money on picking up the series.
View all my reviews
Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As I pointed out in the review before this one, this reading of the book was an audio book that I'd taken out for our long drive to Philadelphia. And, for all that I knew the story really well, this was almost like a first time read for me, because I got to hear it through the ears of my oldest son.
I'm pretty sure everyone out there knows the basic premise of this book. Harry Potter is the only one to ever survive the killing curse performed by the Dark Lord, Voldemort. And he did this at the age of 1. At that young age, with his parents dead, he is brought to live with his only remaining relations, the Dursley's. The Dursley's are a horrid bunch that try to make Harry's life as miserable as possible. It's only as his 11th birthday approaches that he finds out that he is so much more than the orphan child doomed to live the existence of a second class citizen under his family's roof. He finds out he's a wizard.
The Sorcerer's Stone details Harry's first year at Hogwarts, including some very strange happenings that result in a large confrontation at the end of the book. We also meet the people that are to become most important to Harry through out his years at Hogwarts and beyond: Ron Weasley, a boy in cast offs that becomes Harry's best friend; Ron's family, who become a surrogate family for Harry; Hermione Granger, the smartest witch of her generation and Harry's other best friend; Haggrid, the gentle giant of a man that is the gameskeeper at Hogwarts; Draco Malfoy, Harry's enemy at Hogwarts (because every hero should have one); Professor Snape, the potions teacher that also seems to have it out for Harry; Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster at Hogwarts that seems to know all but tell very little... the list could go on for hours.
As we listened to the story this time, Teddy was in the back seat, listening and asking questions as the story went along. He wanted to know why some things happened, what the meaning of some of the words were... he was engaged. And when we mentioned the possibility of getting the second book for our next travels, he was excited by it.
I've loved Harry Potter from the beginning. I bought the first 4 books through a book club and they came at a time when I was laid up because of back trouble. I read through these books like the pages would burn if I didn't get to them fast enough. And once I finished The Goblet of Fire, I picked The Sorcerer's Stone back up again. I can't say exactly what it is that appeals to me about this series. The first book is written to a much younger audience than my own 37 years. But it comes alive within the covers. Many of us have wanted to have that magical thing happen to take us out of our every day life and give us something spectacular. And Harry gets that. We get to go on his journey as he explores that spectacular world. We get to learn along side him about Quidditch and Butter Beer and charms and spells and potions.
Yet, for all that this world is fantastical, there's still a quality to it that kids will relate to. There's bullying. There's teasing. There are friends and enemies. There are teachers that they love and teachers that they hate. It's a wonderful combination of easy to relate to and fantastical enough to take us out of our own world. I think that's part of what's so endearing about the series.
I look forward to letting Teddy read the rest of these as he gets older. Because I really think that he'll enjoy it.
February 8, 2013
It is now almost 2 years later, and Teddy asked us to read this to him. I'd honestly forgotten, until rereading my previous review, just how enthralled Teddy was the first time. So it really shouldn't have surprised me.
Reading aloud to my boys (because Pete, about half the time, pays attention too) is a very different experience than hearing it read by a professional or even reading it myself. Teddy doesn't care for me trying to put on the accents too much, so those usually go by the wayside (much to my regret - doing accents is one of my favorite parts of reading!) And, since this is bedtime reading that we're doing together, there are times I need to go back and reread a section that he'd fallen asleep during the previous night. But, in many ways, it was a far more enriching experience to read the story to my boys or listen to my husband read it to them.
Now at almost 7, Teddy gets a lot more. He's in first grade and has larger class sizes. He's had to deal with bullies and kids he didn't like. He can relate to a few more things than he's been able to before. Through much of the story, he would try to guess what was going to happen next - sometimes he'd be right, sometimes he'd be wrong. But it was a great way to get his imagination running.
And he definitely enjoyed it. Tonight, we're planning on putting in the movie and then, before bed, starting in with the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I may amend this review later with Teddy's thoughts on the book (if I can get him to say more than "It was great - that's usually his level of communication after something, even if it's something he enjoyed). But I'm thinking that this is a series we'll be enjoying for quite some time - though I'm probably going to wait until he's a little older for books 4-7.
View all my reviews
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)