I feel like I'm being generous when I give this book 3 stars, but not for the reasons you might think. The Thirteenth Tale gets 3 stars because I recognize there are plenty of people who like books like this, and then people like me where these are really not ideal types of books.
This is a dark, somber, and tragic tale that ultimately results in healing before the characters' final breaths. We follow the story of Margaret Lee, who is a writer with a tragic story. Margaret is requested by a famed writer, Viola Winter, to document her biography. It follows a ghost story, abandonment, intense (and let's be real, borderline psychotic) love, betrayal, and yes - even death.
The few heart-warming, joy-filled moments throughout the book come as slow yet craved as a good joint at the end of a shitty week - but only make it passable as the next tragedy builds up.
So for people who like these sorts of books, you likely will be immersed into this world and entangled stories with a joy and love of reading. You'd probably rate it 4 or 5 stars.
But for me? This was a bit too much tragedy for my tastes, and that is overwhelming in a different sort of way (hence 2 stars from me and a compromise at 3).
Happy reading!
--Jennifer
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Review: The Thief (Megan Whaler Turner)
The internet is terrible for something - and that's the spoiler that comes with knowing there are several books in this series. Had i not known that in advance, I would have been perfectly content with The Thief as a stand-alone book.
Semi-predictable fantasy tropes and some obvious character personality shifting aside, I really enjoyed this book and plan to continue in the series.
Without spoiling the book for anyone who wants a popcorn type fantasy book with some depth to both character and world-building, let yourself get drawn into three kingdoms decades (or perhaps a few millennia - hard to tell) after "the invaders" try to disrupt a spiritual way of living, where the Gods of Earth and Sky and Wind and Water and and and are previously worshiped. These three kindoms - Attolia, Sounis, and Eddis - are fractured and each left with remnants of their identities in the wake of the invaders' retreat.
You don't learn about this until about oh, 70 or 80 pages in.
The book begins with the introduction of the magus (no name given) and Gen - short for Eugenites (which is Turner's version of the God of Thieves). Gen is in the King's prison and the Magus offers him his freedom provided he steal something the king needs in order to marry the Queen of Attolia.
So an adventure ensues - Gen is an easy character to like, as is Sophus. I get the impression Gen is young - youthful disregard for authority and humble attitude is clear throughout how Turner describes him. But as the book wears on, there is a vast countryside unfolding. Each leg of their journey is met with additional myths and tales of the great gods in how the land is carved.
Combining any love of mythology with a medieval flare (and not in the style of Tolkien at all) kept this book interesting, easy, and not so predictable that I got bored. I breezed through it in a couple of days and found myself a little disappointed when it came to the end.
This is somewhere between 4 and 5 stars - not because of the depth of writing (as in Huang's book), but because I feel like this is a solid fantasy series that will appeal to diverse fantasy readers of all ages (even as young as 7 or 8).
Happy Reading!
--Jennifer
Semi-predictable fantasy tropes and some obvious character personality shifting aside, I really enjoyed this book and plan to continue in the series.
Without spoiling the book for anyone who wants a popcorn type fantasy book with some depth to both character and world-building, let yourself get drawn into three kingdoms decades (or perhaps a few millennia - hard to tell) after "the invaders" try to disrupt a spiritual way of living, where the Gods of Earth and Sky and Wind and Water and and and are previously worshiped. These three kindoms - Attolia, Sounis, and Eddis - are fractured and each left with remnants of their identities in the wake of the invaders' retreat.
You don't learn about this until about oh, 70 or 80 pages in.
The book begins with the introduction of the magus (no name given) and Gen - short for Eugenites (which is Turner's version of the God of Thieves). Gen is in the King's prison and the Magus offers him his freedom provided he steal something the king needs in order to marry the Queen of Attolia.
So an adventure ensues - Gen is an easy character to like, as is Sophus. I get the impression Gen is young - youthful disregard for authority and humble attitude is clear throughout how Turner describes him. But as the book wears on, there is a vast countryside unfolding. Each leg of their journey is met with additional myths and tales of the great gods in how the land is carved.
Combining any love of mythology with a medieval flare (and not in the style of Tolkien at all) kept this book interesting, easy, and not so predictable that I got bored. I breezed through it in a couple of days and found myself a little disappointed when it came to the end.
This is somewhere between 4 and 5 stars - not because of the depth of writing (as in Huang's book), but because I feel like this is a solid fantasy series that will appeal to diverse fantasy readers of all ages (even as young as 7 or 8).
Happy Reading!
--Jennifer
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Reflections - Week 24
So I realized that I'm not capable of commuting for 2+hrs a day, coaching teeball, and reading multiple books per week. This is good to know as I've already been signed up to coach next year. That means between March and June I'll read significantly less than the rest of the year.
Happily, I'm back at it, and will meet my goal of at least 52 books this year. Hell, I'm on track for way more than that. I'm happy to report I've found some brilliant new authors as a result of challenging myself. And I've also found some I don't really care for.
I'll update the reading list next week, but I'm still plugging along.
Happy Reading!
--Jennifer
Happily, I'm back at it, and will meet my goal of at least 52 books this year. Hell, I'm on track for way more than that. I'm happy to report I've found some brilliant new authors as a result of challenging myself. And I've also found some I don't really care for.
I'll update the reading list next week, but I'm still plugging along.
Happy Reading!
--Jennifer
Review: Zero Sum Game (S.L. Huang)
I achieved a first with Huang's Zero Sum Game: I have already put a hold on the second book in the series and it isn't even released yet.
That's right - I've never enjoyed a book (or author) so much that I reserved a book before it was released.
This book was incredible. Mathematics as a superpower, an anti-hero heroine, a conspiracy, government (or maybe not government) plotline, and some wicked cool, evocative imagery. The main character, a reclamation specialist named Cas Russell, somehow gets caught up in a huge, complicated political game of epic proportions. Used to working alone, she makes professional acquaintances along the way that have different pieces of the puzzle and work with her to bring down the bad (or are they good) guys.
There are so many wonderful lines - and I found myself wanting more and more of the story. I could picture everything so clearly, the streets and neighborhoods, the characters, the explosions. Everything. Huang clearly has a unique skill set and wonderfully creative mind that has me craving more.
I think she just surpassed my favorite author of all time. Yep, i'm that serious - this book unseated a 30-yr run with a different author as my favorite.
5 stars is so not even adequate of a rating. But, it gets 5 stars all the way.
Happy Reading!
--Jennifer
That's right - I've never enjoyed a book (or author) so much that I reserved a book before it was released.
This book was incredible. Mathematics as a superpower, an anti-hero heroine, a conspiracy, government (or maybe not government) plotline, and some wicked cool, evocative imagery. The main character, a reclamation specialist named Cas Russell, somehow gets caught up in a huge, complicated political game of epic proportions. Used to working alone, she makes professional acquaintances along the way that have different pieces of the puzzle and work with her to bring down the bad (or are they good) guys.
There are so many wonderful lines - and I found myself wanting more and more of the story. I could picture everything so clearly, the streets and neighborhoods, the characters, the explosions. Everything. Huang clearly has a unique skill set and wonderfully creative mind that has me craving more.
I think she just surpassed my favorite author of all time. Yep, i'm that serious - this book unseated a 30-yr run with a different author as my favorite.
5 stars is so not even adequate of a rating. But, it gets 5 stars all the way.
Happy Reading!
--Jennifer
Friday, June 14, 2019
Review: A Record of a Spaceborn Few (Becky Chambers)
I'm just going to come out and spoil this book for you, mainly because I read the first two in the series last year.
If you want a subtle, quiet, endearing book that tugs at all sorts of emotions while wrapping you up in a cozy blanket, this is the book for you.
Normally I don't like the flip-flopping that takes place between characters, a few pages at a time (reminder: I ripped Brinn's book apart for this). However, Chambers has a way with her writing that is so endearing that after i dealt with my annoyance of some characters (like the overly dramatic teenage boys) I enjoyed moving between each substory.
In a sense, this could almost be a standalone book from her other two - it's semi-related, but tugs at more universal and philosophical questions regarding ethics, evolution, exploration, tradition, and checking one's assumptions about the world around them. Everyone - and that includes the toddler Kai - evolves their mindset and situation (well, except for the 23-yr old Sawyer who met his fate about halfway through the book. Don't worry, his demise has a happy resolution). And I found it fascinating as I reflect on how I shift and evolve, as do those around me.
This is a solid meditation on time and what rich possibilities contact with other species has for humankind, while also reminding us to not fuck up our own planet so badly we have to abandon it and lose touch with the very things that do make us human.
Five stars all the way
Happy Reading!
Jennifer
If you want a subtle, quiet, endearing book that tugs at all sorts of emotions while wrapping you up in a cozy blanket, this is the book for you.
Normally I don't like the flip-flopping that takes place between characters, a few pages at a time (reminder: I ripped Brinn's book apart for this). However, Chambers has a way with her writing that is so endearing that after i dealt with my annoyance of some characters (like the overly dramatic teenage boys) I enjoyed moving between each substory.
In a sense, this could almost be a standalone book from her other two - it's semi-related, but tugs at more universal and philosophical questions regarding ethics, evolution, exploration, tradition, and checking one's assumptions about the world around them. Everyone - and that includes the toddler Kai - evolves their mindset and situation (well, except for the 23-yr old Sawyer who met his fate about halfway through the book. Don't worry, his demise has a happy resolution). And I found it fascinating as I reflect on how I shift and evolve, as do those around me.
This is a solid meditation on time and what rich possibilities contact with other species has for humankind, while also reminding us to not fuck up our own planet so badly we have to abandon it and lose touch with the very things that do make us human.
Five stars all the way
Happy Reading!
Jennifer
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Review: Sacre Bleu (Christopher Moore)
As the third Christopher Moore book I've read this year, this was definitely a different style than I was expecting. While both Lamb and Demonkeeping provided for delightfully witty, funny, and wholly inappropriate comedies that skirt the bounds of belief systems while making fun of organized religion in an on-point sort of way, Bleu was far more macabre and dark in its humor.
This was probably my favorite, despite its far more serious and dark story. It's 1890, during the French Impressionist period, and Van Gogh has died. There's a strange, gnarled man referred to as "The Color Man" (or, Poop-on-a-stick, by the main character, Bleu). Bleu is Juliet. And Carmen. And Suzanne. And Merle Lasard. And Victorine. And she is the epitome of sex and lust and using her body as inspiration for all of these great artists.
Artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Toulouse leTrec, Renoir, and others.
A delightful mystery with a wonderful storytelling element of these greats of the Parisian coffee houses, brothels, and impressionist community of old. And new.
The book begins and weaves a sordid tale, that becomes enchanting and also makes me wonder if perhaps I was breathing in opium due to how crazy it got at certain points. And yet it never felt out of place as I reflect back on how the tale unfolded. It also ends in the year 2012. Throughout the book it covers a 40,000 to 50,000 year history - in very very brief detail - of humanity and inspiration.
Another 5 star book for me. Be prepared for intrigue far more than laughter.
Happy Reading!
Jennifer
This was probably my favorite, despite its far more serious and dark story. It's 1890, during the French Impressionist period, and Van Gogh has died. There's a strange, gnarled man referred to as "The Color Man" (or, Poop-on-a-stick, by the main character, Bleu). Bleu is Juliet. And Carmen. And Suzanne. And Merle Lasard. And Victorine. And she is the epitome of sex and lust and using her body as inspiration for all of these great artists.
Artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Toulouse leTrec, Renoir, and others.
A delightful mystery with a wonderful storytelling element of these greats of the Parisian coffee houses, brothels, and impressionist community of old. And new.
The book begins and weaves a sordid tale, that becomes enchanting and also makes me wonder if perhaps I was breathing in opium due to how crazy it got at certain points. And yet it never felt out of place as I reflect back on how the tale unfolded. It also ends in the year 2012. Throughout the book it covers a 40,000 to 50,000 year history - in very very brief detail - of humanity and inspiration.
Another 5 star book for me. Be prepared for intrigue far more than laughter.
Happy Reading!
Jennifer
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Review - Until Proven Guilty (J.A. Jance)
Well, as TeeBall season and coaching responsibilities seemed to drastically impact my reading abilities, I'm happy to report finally finishing a book. And, I have to admit I was a little skeptical about this book. However, it drew me in and I found myself connecting with the characters, imagining them vividly.
JP Beaumont is a Seattle PD homicide detective, with a new partner (Ron Peters). The book opens with a grisly tale of a 5yr old girl found murdered in the bushes. Not something I enjoyed as an opening, but i kept going, determined to get farther before casting judgment on the book. Ironically, I really enjoyed Beaumont as a character - a gruff, kermudginly sort in his early 40s. He was thorough and cautious, a man of few words despite the inner monologue of narration, which I found oddly enjoyable.
As the investigation continued, a religious cult, old fraternity rivalry, and love at first sight all made their literary debut. Oddly, I enjoyed the secondary character - a neighbor of the little girl who despised the religious cult leader, Michael Brody. Sophie the neighbor reminded me of Sophia from Golden Girls, the way she was described. And sharp as a whip with a crack sense of humor too.
Spoiler alert - don't root for love at first sight in a murder mystery. It doesn't end well.
I laughed often and shook my fist equally as often reading this book. Not a hard read by any stretch of the imagination, but a delightful one nonetheless. I may come back to the rest of the series at some point - these are good "popcorn" type books to fill in between denser material, and a good way to ease back into my neglected book list.
Next up is The Thirteenth Tale by Setterfeld.
Happy Reading!
Jennifer
JP Beaumont is a Seattle PD homicide detective, with a new partner (Ron Peters). The book opens with a grisly tale of a 5yr old girl found murdered in the bushes. Not something I enjoyed as an opening, but i kept going, determined to get farther before casting judgment on the book. Ironically, I really enjoyed Beaumont as a character - a gruff, kermudginly sort in his early 40s. He was thorough and cautious, a man of few words despite the inner monologue of narration, which I found oddly enjoyable.
As the investigation continued, a religious cult, old fraternity rivalry, and love at first sight all made their literary debut. Oddly, I enjoyed the secondary character - a neighbor of the little girl who despised the religious cult leader, Michael Brody. Sophie the neighbor reminded me of Sophia from Golden Girls, the way she was described. And sharp as a whip with a crack sense of humor too.
Spoiler alert - don't root for love at first sight in a murder mystery. It doesn't end well.
I laughed often and shook my fist equally as often reading this book. Not a hard read by any stretch of the imagination, but a delightful one nonetheless. I may come back to the rest of the series at some point - these are good "popcorn" type books to fill in between denser material, and a good way to ease back into my neglected book list.
Next up is The Thirteenth Tale by Setterfeld.
Happy Reading!
Jennifer
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