Non-fiction November Wrapup

Non-fiction November is a project run by Olive and Gemma on BookTube (the bookish part of YouTube), and I heard about it via Jen Campbell’s channel. Here is the Goodreads page for the project: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/174090-nonfiction-november-2016

This is the first year I decided to participate. I don’t read much non-fiction, maybe one every couple months, but I decided to make a conscious effort to pick up a couple more. I did unexpectedly well! I started six non-fiction books in November. Confession time, I finished two of those in the first days of December but the Non-fiction November and December wrap-up sounded too bulky. Anywhoodle, mere details. It’s the thought that counts, yada yada yada. 

The first book I picked up was Code Talker by Chester Nez and Judith Schiess Avila. Chester Nez was one of the original Navajo code talkers, and creators, of the only unbroken code of modern warfare. One of the reasons for this was because the Navajo language – on which the code was based – was largely unwritten, so there wouldn’t have been an easy way to deconstruct the secret language. The memoir chronicles Chester Nez’s childhood and his years as a Marine. It’s fascinating, and reads like a thriller novel; mainly because my education didn’t focus heavily on the battles in Asia. I gave this memoir 4 stars. It’s accessible and not overly wordy. The book deals with war, loss of life, and racism, so it’s not exactly an easy read, but certainly a valuable one.

Then I read one of my favourite books of the year - Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. You may have heard of this because there is also a film coming out in January. I first heard about this just as the trailer came out and I promptly ordered the book. It seemed important to read the book first in this case. It’s about the African-American women that were working in NACA/NASA, and have largely gone unnoticed in the mainstream coverage of the development of NASA and the space race. It is a beautiful book that follows a few of the women working in NASA after World War II and during the Space Race. They had to work themselves up without the same privileges as others, battling not just gender but also racial inequality. It’s harrowing but wonderful, and deftly deals with the absolutely infuriating casual racism that was running rampant in that era (prisoners of war were served in bars, but not African-American soldiers that fought in the wars). My top non-fiction book of the year.

Then I decided to delve into a celebrity memoir. Is It Just Me? is written by Miranda Hart, who you may know from her TV show Miranda or then Call the Midwife. In this fun book she is in an imaginary dialogue with her younger self, and in doing so offers useful information on, well, adulating in general. It had some great insights and I laughed out loud a lot. It’s a solid three star book – I liked it, but it wasn’t spectacular.

This was followed by a slim adult picture book Lost in Translation. This one shows us 25 untranslatable words from different languages. This is almost a must-read and no doubt a fascinating read for all people who are interested in linguistics, translation, or pretty pictures combined with words ;-). It would also make a great present.

The two books I started in November but finished in December are Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli and Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. Both were excellent reads. I have forgotten seemingly everything from my high school chemistry and physics lessons, and the Rovelli book was a great refresher. The lessons are brief and meant for the layperson, so they are never too difficult or a trudge to read.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson is another memoir. Ms Woodson chronicles her childhood, moving between her life in Ohio, the South, and New York City. It’s beautiful and hard-hitting, and written in absolutely beautiful verse. I cried, I chuckled, and read bits of it out loud. Often.  I would recommend this to aspiring writers, I’m sure they will find a lot to relate to.

And that's it. The main take-away was how much fun I had, and I've found myself paying more attention to non-fiction. I can't wait to continue my adventures in space-related non-fic, for instance. Plus, the Read Harder 2017 challenge is soon upon us and that always helps to expand my reading horizons.

Last Minute [Bookish] Gift Guide - 2016

When talking about holidays or events that include gift-giving, there are two types of people. The ones who are well-organised and have everything purchased, wrapped, and mailed a proper time in advance. Then there are people who discover days before Christmas that they haven’t managed to buy one present. Of course, I am being overly dramatic since there are shops open almost throughout Christmas – at least in my part of the world – but let’s admit it, most of us get our gifts online. Thus, we are dependent on lengthier delivery times that come hand in hand with every holiday. So here’s a handy Last Minute Gift Guide for your bookishly inclined friend, family member or partner.

Tiina
In addition to bookish items – tote bags, jewellery, cute mugs, stationary – nothing beats a good old personalised reading recommendation in the form of a book. Here are five from me that should work for even the fussiest of readers. OK, that’s a lie. Some of these books expect you to get out of your comfort zone, but I promise you it’ll be worth it. Here goes.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. This is a contemporary LGBTQ+ romance. Maybe it’s not your thing usually, but if you like sweet and adorable YA books that strike a great balance between important issues and romance, then this is for you. Just read it. I was clutching this book to my chest for an hour after I finished it. I still think of it. Also includes letters if epistolary stuff is your jam. Warning: might induce a book hangover.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. Yes, it’s a non-fiction. Yes, it’s very science and literally follows mathematicians working for NASA, but it is absolutely fascinating. You get social injustice, you get science, and you get female empowerment. Triple whammy right there. There’s also a film coming out so whoever receives this book is likely to read it right away. If you want to gift someone a non-fiction book but think this is too intimidating, then Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli is a great starting point to science-related non-fiction. It’s all in the title.

Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera. This is literary translated fiction. Do you think it sounds like something that’s a bit of a trudge and difficult to get into? Alas, you would be wrong. This is a slim, almost novella-length, immigration narrative. It is not gut-wrenching, but it deals with injustice and prejudice in a way that’s not likely to make you want to throw the book across the room. The language is smooth and flows absolutely beautifully. Definitely one of the most effortless translations I’ve ever read.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. This memoir is written in verse and an excellent choice for someone who wants a quickish read, but is afraid of poetry. Most poems are accessible and even the most surface-level reading is a powerful experience. This works well for younger readers too. Definitely one of my top reads of the year.

Now something for the comic book lover in your life. Bitch Planet (only one volume out so far) is one of the best feminist reads of the year for me. This sci-fi romp imagines a future where non-conforming women – who are, for example, out-spoken, non-heteronormative, overweight, not conventionally attractive - are sent to a different planet. Want to guess the name of it? ;-) This should be a great read for anyone whose sensibilities aren’t too easily offended.

Coll
For me a good book is one of the best gifts I could receive, no matter what the occasion. I am pretty sure everyone has a book lover in their life and showing them you understand their affinity (obsession) towards books will definitely put a smile on their face. So here are five books that have really stuck with me that I think almost any bibliophile would enjoy. 

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and  Jay Kristoff pretty much blew my mind and is in my top three books I have read this year (it is actually still holding onto the #1 spot). It is science fiction but not the type that would appeal to just sci-fi fans. It is also YA (but not your ordinary YA), which opens it up to a much broader group of readers. The story is amazing and keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat the entire time. Not to mention the phenomenal concept, execution, format, and structure of the entire novel, which adds a whole new level to the story. I feel this book would appeal to most readers and provides a unique and unforgettable reading experience. 

An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield is a must-read book, as far as I am concerned. Okay yes, it is a non-fiction book about space but it is so much more than just that. It is written in a way that any person can easily understand and relate to, whether they know about space or not. Also it is so much more than just a memoir of an astronaut. This book will make you look at the world around you and your life completely differently and will give you a new understanding and appreciation of everything around you, even the things you cannot see. 

His Dark Materials Omnibus (His Dark materials #1-3) by Phillip Pullman. Now I say the entire omnibus because it is a series that a person will want to read in one shot, all three books back to back. This is a YA fantasy novel but definitely not your typical one. It is incredibly beautiful, both in story and writing, yet also dark at times with a rather heavy underlying theme. This is one of those series that will stay with a person forever, a world you will miss being in, and characters who will always live in your heart.

11/22/63 by Stephen King is high up there on my loved books list and I do not personally know anyone who has read it and didn’t like it. Put out of your mind the usual thoughts you have of Stephen King and his writing, because this is a rather atypical book for him. It is not horror, first of all. I guess you could say it is a sort of alternate reality historical fiction time travel thriller. (That is a genre, right?) This is a book you could read multiple times and always catch something that you missed in a previous reading. 11/22/63 is a novel I feel you need to own in hard copy when you read it and it is one that you will go back and read many times. It also gives readers a new glimpse into the mind and talents of King.

For my final recommendations I am following in Tiina’s footsteps and going with a graphic novel, V for Vendetta by Alan Moore. Everyone knows this movie, but not everyone knows the book and I think they need to. Now I know not all readers are into graphics, but with V I feel like the fact it is a graphic does not even matter. The language is amazing and it is so well-written, not to mention incredibly intense and poignant. Also it is heavy on the word count for a graphic novel, which is something I really liked about it. I feel this is a book that could be for anyone. 

We would like to give one more recommendation gift for the book lover in your life, the Knock Knock Personal Library Kit. This kit comes with pockets that adhere to the inside back of the book, checkout cards, date stamp, ink pad, and pencil. Not only will this take you back to the old school days of checking books out from the library, but it also is a unique way to keep track of books to lend out and a way to make a book collection like a real library. 

#FridayReads - October 7

Colleen

Wait, how is it the weekends again already? I must have lost a few days somewhere. Ah well. With the approach of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) I am starting to slow my roll with reading so I have some time to brainstorm ideas for November. Not too much though, because I still need to finish off Read Harder 2016. Okay Colleen, get on with it. This weekend I will be starting Dawn (Xenogenesis, #1) by Octavia E. Butler, which will cover the challenge for “first book in a series by an author of color”. This science fiction/post-apocalyptic story takes place 100 years after Earth has been consumed by fire as the result of the final war on the planet. There is way more to it than that but I do not want to give away too much. I am incredibly excited to read it though.  This weekend I also plan on finishing up P.S. I Like You by Kasie West. This YA book is incredibly adorable (ah yes, my crush on YA lit) and the main character is someone my high school self can relate to so much. This story is about a girl who writes lyrics on her chemistry desk and the next day finds that someone has continued them; she then starts exchanging notes with this anonymous pen-pal. It is a quick read and not complicated but it is highly enjoyable. I also want to start on a few books about writing over the next few weeks, sort of a motivation for November. So this weekend I will probably start on No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty. This book is basically a pep talk on writing a book in a month and includes little techniques and ideas to help with the writing process. Sorry, that last one was more nerdy than exciting but I am kind of nerdy so there you go. ;-)

Tiina

My plans for the weekend? Threefold. One audiobook that’ll count for my food memoir prompt for the Read Harder challenge. Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good is a slow-moving, yet fun!, memoir about a Midwestern family and their adventures in food. The author of the book is recounting her own and her parents’ memories of growing up on a farm. I listen to it in the kitchen while cooking, and It’s great. Bonus? If I get hungry, I can eat right away. The second book I will be reading, and hoooooopefully finishing, is The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. Yes, I know, it was in my FR last week. In fact, it’s been on my currently reading list for 3 weeks now. I’m finally going to make myself get out of this silly slump and read it. I really am enjoying it when I do pick it up, but lately I just don’t reach for any of my books. And then, to make things interesting, I’m also planning on starting a review book that’s about an unnamed midwife in a dystopian society. The title is The Book of the Unnamed Midwife. I wasn’t even trying to be funny there. Anywhoodle, dystopians are not necessary my jam, but I love medical stuff so hopefully I’ll enjoy this particular novel. That’s it. Three’s enough, considering I’ll have out of town guests the whole weekend. Wish me luck!

#FridayReads - September 30, 2016

Tiina

Every time I write the Friday Reads – even though several weeks have passed - it always feels like time has flown by and it’s been two days at the most. Time moves way too fast. I also know I say the same thing every time. Anyway, now on to my reading plans. They are not going to be majestic. I think my main aim today is to finish off the last 90 pages of The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt. This is a Western that features, you guessed it, the Sisters brothers, or brothers Sisters as I mistakenly call them all the time. They are mercenaries and the novel follows their journey from Oregon City to California; it’s violent, and filled with random sidequests. I’m not sure I fully understand it but at the same time it’s a fun read, somehow. What else? I’m in a bit of a slump after my holiday so I don’t know if I’ll continue with The Wrath and the Dawn that I started last Monday, or just pick up something else. Maybe a new adult novel? Elle Kennedy’s The Goal in the Off-Campus series is a definite contender. Books that read fast and are entertaining at the same time are good for when you need to get yourself out of a slump. Also, I have been highly anticipating it since I read the third over a month ago. I really can’t wait to conclude the series. I’m heading on a trip to Amsterdam on Sunday and may only make a dent in my audiobook (Samantha Young’s The One Real Thing) as opposed to reading physical books, but as we’re going into a long weekend, I may find some more reading time on Monday, as well. You deserve a gold star for reading that long sentence. In short, the reading slump has taken over so I don’t really know my mood yet. That’s it. This was rambly, but that’s me. What about you? What are you reading?

Coll

Well this will be a rainy and blah weekend in here in New York City so I will be spending plenty of time indoors reading. Part of me wishes for warm and sunny weather, but then a bigger part of me is happy for the blah weather so I can be lazy all weekend and just read, drink wine, and play video games. I started Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy on Monday so I will be continuing with that. It is not an easy read, which I don’t mind, and it is written in a very unique way which I find myself really drawn into. I can’t wait to get further into it and see where it goes. I am also working on Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King. I have had this book for a while now and it is one of the King books I have actually not read yet. It contains two stories and is not so much scary and it is creepy and disturbing and I am obviously enjoying every second of it. To me it is perfect bedtime reading (Tiina would beg to differ). I am also still working on Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn for the Emma Watson book club, which I spoke about last week. Then I am hoping to start two new ones this weekend, both for Read Harder 2016 challenges. The first is Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai (East Asian author challenge), which is about a young girl who must relocate to America as a result of the Vietnam War. It is actually written in verse, which really intrigues me. Annnnnd, the final book I will mention is My Year Without Meat by Richard Cornish (for the food memoir challenge). It is about a man who was so in love with eating meat and decides to reevaluate his food lifestyle and how obsessed with meat he was by becoming vegetarian for a year. Being a vegetarian (and a person who was never in their life a big fan of meat) I am really interested to see what it was like for a meat lover to go to the extreme and turn vegetarian for a year. Whew, that is it for this #FridayReads I guess. Looks like Tiina and I have some big plans, now let us see if we follow through with them. ;-)

Happy weekend and happy reading everyone!

September BOTM Review - The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo - Amy Schumer

Review by Coll
5 Stars

So I have never been big into stand-up comedy (or comedy in general) and it is rare that I find a comedian I really like a lot. I could probably count how many comedians I am a “fan of” on one hand. Amy Schumer happens to be one of them. So when I saw her book, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, was being offered for the September Book of the Month I had to choose it. It has been on my TBR since it came out and this seemed like a sign to me that the timing was right to read it. I am so damn happy I did. Memoirs are not the easiest thing to review, so this may be quite short, but there were a few things I felt I should say about this book.

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo is a memoir, but with a whole lot more mixed in. Add comedy, drama, sex, feminism, sarcasm, and a boatload of scathing honesty and there you have it. I don’t want to gush about Amy, but I just want to quickly explain what drew me to her in the first place. It is not just that I think she is hilarious, but I love what she stands for too. She is a strong-ass woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. She doesn’t let all the trolls destroy her and she doesn’t try to change herself to be more “acceptable”. And honestly, I believe she is 100% acceptable as is. If you didn’t know those things about her already, you will definitely learn them while reading this book.

Going into this book I knew it would be funny and I knew it would be brutally and wonderfully honest. What I did not know what how much soul, emotion, and heartbreak there would be in it. Amy is completely up-front with so many things that she has been through, things that I never even thought she had experienced. She comes off so perfectly flawed and I loved knowing that she was just like anyone else in the world and not afraid to show it. I also praise her so much for her honesty in this book and how she did not hold back one damn thing, no matter who it would piss off. She talked about her childhood, her parents, her start in comedy, her love life, and so much more and never once tried to make herself seem like some flawless celebrity on a pedestal. It was amazing.

One thing I really appreciated in this book was that even when she spoke about some very heavy things from her life, she always lightened it up with some humor. She would add something mocking or funny in parentheses and she would include sporadic lists throughout the book that always made me laugh. Admittedly, sometimes the parentheses remarks seemed a little forced, but more often than not I enjoyed them. My favorite chapters were ones where she would include a diary entry from when she was young and include footnotes with remark to her younger self. (This made me wish I had kept my journals from when I was younger to do the same thing.) She also includes pictures throughout the book, as all memoirs do, and they are a great mix of perfectly composed photos and completely hilarious and “unflattering” photos. We all need to admit that one of the best things about memoirs are the pictures and we always enjoy it more when some of them are just a hot mess. ;-)

If you are a fan of Amy you need to read this book. If you are not a fan and don’t know much about her but are interested, then I also recommend you read this book. I found it refreshing to hear a celebrity talk about their downfalls, mistakes, and not hold back anything because it made it much more personal and real. I felt like I got to know Amy Schumer through this book and that if I met her I would feel like I had known her for years. When it comes down to it, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo made me not only love Amy Schumer more, but it also made me love myself more, and for that I thank her. I know that might sound weird, but if you read the book you will get it. Oh and yes, she really does have that lower back tattoo. ;-)

Interested in The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo? Check it out on Goodreads.

#FridayReads - September 16, 2016

Tiina
I'm going to jump right in and get to the books I'm reading. I'm on holiday right now, but weirdly, have had very little time to actually read. Mainly because I get car sick easily so reading in moving vehicles is out for me. I know you wanted to know. However, tomorrow I should have some leisure time so my main aims are to read a bit more of Heather Demetrios' I'll Meet You There, and then start MR Carey's The Girl With All the Gifts. I have already started the first, but it's slow-going for some reason. The writing's beautiful, but it deals with tough issues so it's not all sunshine and games. If I do well with these then I'm looking forward to Renee Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn. Or maybe something else, considering I bought 8 books to a 2-week holiday means I have plenty to choose from. I've only finished 3, to put things into perspective. What about you? Is anyone else enjoying the last summer weekend before autumn starts? Maybe wishing for a readathon to do some binge-reading? I know I am. Watch this space for more news ;-).

Coll
Well seeing as today I will come to the end of three books I am reading, it will be a weekend of new books for me! First will be one of the September books from the Book of the Month Club, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer. Needless to say I am super excited to read this one and cannot wait to start it. I will also be starting on the September/October book for the Emma Watson Goodreads group, Our Shared Shelf. The book is Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. It is about the oppression of women and girls in the developing world, focusing on those in Africa and Asia. It also sheds light on what some women in the world have to go through, how terribly oppressed women are, and points out how a huge part of world progress lies in unleashing women’s potential. I feel like I since I am reading two non-fiction, one of which is rather “heavy” (to quote Marty McFly), I feel like I need something a little lighter and more fantastical. So I think I will start the next book in the Expanse Series (yes I am still working on that but in my defense these books are massive) Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey. Shit is getting real in the universe and Holden and his crew keep getting deeper and deeper into this new and ongoing threat, the protomolecule. This book continues on with their story, a mix of sci-fi, fantasy, politics, and horror. So basically this book is a bunch more awesome. :-) 

Buddy Read Review - My Lady Jane

Coll's Rating: 3.75 Stars
Tiina's Rating: 3.5 Stars

T: This time we’re buddy reviewing My Lady Jane by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, and Cynthia Hand. These three ladies focus on one story in particular and then take vast liberties with it. I have to start with a confession, despite having studied English history, I couldn’t remember much about the actual Lady Jane Grey. So basically I went in with very little knowledge of the story: apart from the actual Henry VIII, his wives, and the succession issues. I did love how the E∂ians (pronouced Ethians) symbolised the Church of England. I think that was my favourite part. Such a clever twist.

C: Yeah I remembered a decent amount about Jane so I was excited to see how they would work that historical story into something more fantastical. There seemed to be a decent amount of research done by the authors before writing it, but it is a rather loose account of the story, which was the goal I guess. I am a HUGE fantasy fan so I loved the elements they used to twist the story into something more magical. E∂ians, people who could shape-shift into animals, and Verities, the people who opposed them, was a great way I think.

T: Exactly. I mean to take apart history like this you need to know the nuances well, and it worked in this case. The fantasy element was done well, it was really seamless. After reading the blurb I kept thinking how they’d work the horse thing into the story, and I was surprised as to how easily I accepted it. It is also interesting how the three authors worked well together. That can’t have been easy. Do you think each of them was in charge of one narrative voice (Jane, Gifford, and Edward)?

C: Oh yeah, I totally think they each wrote a certain character. I think that is why it worked so seamlessly for me. Usually I don't like author collaborations because they can be a bit choppy sometimes, but I think having each author voice a different character is a great technique to use. I also agree with you that the fantasy aspect was presented in a way that was believable to me, which is always a sign of a good fantasy story. Also is it just me or did this read a lot like a fairy take to you? The entire time I was reading I kept thinking "Hey this is so like a fairy tale for adults!"

T: Ha, good point about the fairy tale. It wasn’t my immediate thought, though. I got more Princess Bride vibes. And this reminds me of how I enjoyed the allusions to other more modern literature. I think it was a fun twist. By the way, they will also cover two more Janes: Jane Eyre and Calamity Jane. The first is my favourite book so I look forward to seeing how they fare with her. I don’t think the story needs too much changing, however.

C: Okay so as much as I did enjoy My Lady Jane, I did have a few issues while reading it. I don't want to give any spoilers so I will try to keep this vague but informative. Throughout the story there were little comments scattered about by the authors, usually relating to what was going on. While oftentimes I found these funny, they did start to grow tiresome at a point. I also found they went off on tangents sometimes that seemed unnecessary. So I had mixed feelings on that aspect. What did you think?

T: I agree. I’ll admit, for the first half of the book, they didn’t bother me all that much. I’m a huge fan of parenthesis, so I was definitely biased. However, in the second half (and especially in the last 50ish pages) they actually annoyed me. I understand they are meant to take you out of the story, but it wasn’t done perfectly, as it was more annoying that informative. Less would have been more in this case. Also, I think in general my hopes were too high for this book. I heard only good things and how hilarious it’ll be, so the whole novel actually fell a bit flat for me. Some of the jokes were even a bit lazy and obvious. They came

Cover comparison:
Paperback    vs    Hardcover

off as authors’ inside jokes, and those can be done well, but they didn’t all work here. My rating for this book is thus 3,5 stars. I liked it, I enjoyed reading it, but it wasn’t absolutely amazing. On Goodreads I rounded it down to 3 for a very superficial reason: I read the paperback and I just did NOT understand that cover decision. The hardback one is so crisp, lovely, and extremely striking. The paperback one comes off severely dowdy in comparison, although I see how it’s meant to look like paintings at the time. 
What about you, Coll? Rating?

C: Oh man I was so torn on my rating. I loved reading the book and was always looking forward to picking it back up. To me it was a great example of YA historical Fantasy (is that a thing?) and I did find it quite funny at times. I caught some ASOIAF references (GoT for those who didn’t read the book series) and that I really appreciated. I was at 4 stars until something at the end irked me. It had nothing to do with the author comments, or the cover (I had a very pretty cover on mine and Tiina was quite jealous), but with the way a certain influential and well-known historical writer was represented at the end of the book. Vague, I know, but I don't want to spoil anything. Is this petty of me? I don't think so, I just know how I felt and went with that. I actually give it a 3.75 (4 on GR). I feel like for me it was above 3.5 but not a full 4. To some, that .25 of a percent might be insignificant, but it is huge people!

T: I wouldn’t say it’s petty since I know what Coll is talking about and the same thing annoyed me. It seemed like a last minute decision as it’d seemingly been a huge plot point throughout the book, but in the end the resolution was mentioned in passing. Very unsatisfying. So yeah, not quite a 4 star read for either of us but I would definitely recommend it to others. Well, mainly because Jane is every book lover’s spirit animal ;-) (You will get it when you read the book). I did enjoy the reading experience, and it was definitely unique among the books I’ve read.

C: Yeah overall I really had a great time reading this book. It is worth the read and I am glad that I own a signed copy of it (thanks Uppercase Box!). I also think a wide range of people would enjoy this book. It is fun, an easy read, and you will learn something from it too. I think it will also prompt people to go look into the story of the real Lady Jane (be prepared to be depressed from that though, fyi). So yeah, to make a long closing short, My Lady Jane is a really delightful book and we definitely recommend it.

“Armies aren't very good about carrying libraries with them. I can't imagine why. We'd fight so much less if everyone would just sit down and read”

If you want to hear from the author’s about how they, the writing process, and the book idea check out this adorable and very awesome Uppercase Box video on YouTube, with Cynthia, Brodi, and Jodi giving their accounts of everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zdiL83am0U

Buddy Read Review - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Tiina's Rating - 3.5 Stars
Coll's rating - 3.5 Stars

OK, so we decided to let the hype around Harry Potter and the Cursed Child die down a bit before we jumped onto the bandwagon. And by hype, I really do mean controversy. There have been a lot of issues surrounding the published script book, and it is universally acknowledged that it’s not the tightest of plays, plot-wise. Then again neither of us has actually seen the stage production so the review will focus only on the written version. Here’re our thoughts.

T: Right, so I’ll start with an odd disclaimer. Unusually for anything related to Harry Potter, I went into this with very low expectations. And I think I was right to do so. What about you? What were your thoughts before starting?

C: Oh, yeah. Same for me. I actually didn't mind waiting to read it until a month or so until after it was out. I didn't want to be swayed by the hype and I also wanted to disassociate it as much as I could from the original HP books. I just wanted to go into it viewing it as its own entity and not being influenced by anything else. I felt that was the best way to form an honest opinion of it, ya know?

T: Yep, I completely agree. I think if one was to listen to JK Rowling and read this as belonging to the canon, then the reader would be very … disappointed even. I mean after finishing I’ve read up more and more about it, and I think it did feel rushed, and most of the things I love about HP weren’t there. There was some humour, though, which I enjoyed. I think Scorpius was a hoot and a half. Is this a spoiler? I mean we find out quite early on that he’s a good egg.

C: Oh Scorpius was the high point of the book for me! I adored everything about him and the juxtaposition between him and his relatives. Is this a spoiler? I agree it felt rushed, but I attribute that to the format. I think the main thing this book suffered from was lack of detail. Any true HP fan will, either consciously or subconsciously, go into this book hoping for an in-depth and detailed story, and that is not what you get from Cursed Child. This mainly has to do with it being written in play format. I believe that as an actual fiction book this could have been quite amazing. I just felt I was not being totally immersed in the story or the characters and that is what I was really wanting.

T: I’m not sure it counts as a spoiler since we find out in the first act that Scorpius is not like his parent. And as to the rest you said? Exactly!! The facts and details are what were clearly missing from this play. I’m not even fully sure it’s about the format, for some reason it comes off as not a lot of thought went into this. I am not sure I’m making sense. I think it’s just a little cheesy, they always went for the most obvious joke, the most obvious “calming phrase” or a lecture on morality. It’s like all the characters were caricatures of themselves, not the real thing. Ron, for instance, was made out to be a boy in a man’s body, when everyone else had grown up. This may be controversial, ha!

C: Oh yeah, I had some issues with several character portrayals. Not only Ron but also Harry and Albus, as my main two to point out. However I can't help but wonder if this was done in order to make it stand out on the stage. Like if they went for dramatic character actions as opposed to subtle to make them stand out. Am I making sense? Now I don't want it coming off like I have only negatives to say about the book because there was quite a lot that I liked. Like the main premise of the story, for example, which I won't go into detail about so I avoid spoilers. I just thought it was quite creative and drew on a lot from the original books, which I quite liked. Not to mention there were several twists I did not expect, which made it more interesting. Also I found myself gaining a slight soft spot for characters that I would normally hate, which I think was Rowling's way of showing that people can change.

T: Yep, although there was a lot about the main plot that was very convenient, but I did enjoy a whole play on something that was only slightly dealt with in one previous book. And I think it in a way answered a lot of questions people would have about this aspect. It’s a used trope, sure, but it worked well in this world, and showed how we really shouldn’t meddle with… you-know-what. You’ll know if you read this script book.

There is one aspect about the play that I didn’t think was very nice.  I was warned about this before, and I didn’t think it’d be this obvious, but it was. Unfortunately, and so unnecessarily in this day and age. I’m talking about queerbaiting here. I didn’t know the term for this before The Cursed Child, and now I do, which is sad. I got a very strong feeling throughout the whole play that Scorpius and Albus are meant to be a couple. There were strong indications from the start, as if they are skirting around the subject of them falling in love, until it’s yanked away towards the end with very obvious and awkward manifestations of straightness. Did you get that feeling at all?

C: Yeah I was also a bit confused by that. There were certain connotations in the beginning that just got pushed aside towards the end and forgotten about. Maybe I was just reading too much into character interactions, but I feel like it was quite obvious and something most people would have noticed. I also noticed a few plot holes, and some things that had me stop and think "Well if this were the case,wouldn't we have noticed something in the previous books?". I feel like we are bashing the book though and it did have it's high points. After all we both ended up giving it 3.5 stars, so we did like it quite a bit.

T: I don’t think we’re exactly bashing the book, but a play that is so high-profile as this one – I mean Harry Potter is a world-wide phenomenon and there probably isn’t a person alive who hasn’t heard of it – it just seems like slightly shoddy work, to be honest. Too much controversy for a work like this. But I stand by my 3,5-star rating: for the nostalgia factor, for a good time, for some really great humour. I’d recommend it to other readers, but with a caveat of not expecting an eight Harry Potter novel. I know it’s obvious, but I’m sure many read it as such. I’m glad I read it, and I would watch it performed on stage if I ever got the chance. Unlikely, but hey, there ya go. Any final thoughts?

C: I think if it had not been sold as part of such an iconic series like HP this book would have not faced as much criticism, obviously. Looking at it for what it is, it was quite enjoyable, humorous, nostalgic, and well worth the read. Yes, there was plenty that I wish had been added or elaborated, but we don't always get our wishes. ;-) I did enjoy my time reading it and it gave me many great feelings and made me want to go back and reread the series (for the fourth time). I definitely think it should be read, but only if you go into it without expectations and minimal comparisons. In the end it did not make me think less of any characters, and it made me think more highly of a few, so in the end that is always a good thing.

Our rating: 3,5 stars, rounded up to 4 for Goodreads.

August BOTM Review: Circling the Sun - Paula McLain

Review by Coll
3 Stars

So I am a little late with this post, but it is summer so I am allowed to be a lazy. This review is on my August selection from the Book of the Month Club, Circling the Sun by Paula McLain. This historical fiction book chronicles the life of a woman named Beryl, who was born in England and moved to Kenya with her mother and father at a young age.  Her mother leaves to go back to England when she decides she cannot handle the new lifestyle and abandons Beryl to be raised by her father and the native Kipsigis tribe, who share the estate. The story follows Beryl as she grows, and struggles to retain her wild nature and unconventional lifestyle in the face of heartbreak, adversity, and being pressured to be a “proper” woman.

Circling the Sun pulled me in right from the very beginning and I really enjoyed it. The writing is done in such a vivid way that you can really picture Kenya in your head as you are reading, as well as all the people. McLain has this knack for giving such expressive accounts of the weather that you could almost imagine you were there, through the harsh droughts, and downpours of rain in the wet months. The character development was also wonderful. Beryl is such a strong woman with a wonderfully capricious nature, who you cannot help but love and root for the entire time. Whenever she was wronged in the book I found myself wanting to hurt whichever character it was that had ill-treated her. Even the supporting characters are portrayed well and you feel an emotional attachment to almost everyone in the book.

I often found myself struggling to deal with, and understand, all the rich people who had settled in Kenya and seemed so oblivious to much of the culture, nature, and hardships going on around them. They seemed to be in their own little world and I really felt enraged with them at some points. However, this is also something that you notice Beryl herself struggles with throughout the book. She does not always feel like she belongs in the same circle as the affluent people, and is quite often out of her element. So maybe the book was written in such a way to make the reader feel similarly to the main character, giving more of a connection. I just wish there was more about the native inhabitants of Kenya, because I feel it really would have added to a more authentic story.

One thing I ran into an issue with was the jumping over of periods of time, and leaving certain plotlines open and/or forgotten. I do not want to give away any spoilers so I will stick with vague examples. A character would be introduced into the story in a way that made it seem like they’d have a major role, or be the part of some emotional or important plot element. Then after a chapter they would be all but forgotten and remain in the story as only a vague background piece. Instances like that did not make much sense to me and it happened more than once. I found myself wondering “well whatever happened with that?” and I wish the book would have developed those points better or left them out completely. In regards to jumping over periods of time, a chapter would end and then the next one would start up days, weeks, or months later. It just made the story feel a little broken up to me.

When I give a book three stars I don’t see it as a bad rating, it is a quite good rating actually and means I enjoyed my reading experience a lot, but that there were a few issues that bothered me. I may have some grievances with Circling the Sun, but I must say that never once did I want to stop reading it or wish I had chosen another book. It was completely immersive, interesting, exciting, and very well written. I also found myself thinking about it whenever I put it down and was always excited to start reading it again. A small part of me wishes there had been more about Beryl’s ambition to fly planes and her success in that, but this book was focused more on her growing as a person and her horse training. Overall I think this is a great book to read if you are a fan of historical fiction (and even if you are not) and it will keep you engaged until the very end.

“People interest me so much. They’re such wonderful puzzles. Think of it. Half the time we’ve no idea what we’re doing, but we live anyway.”

Interested in Circling the Sun? Check it out on Goodreads.

Wrong Question, Right Answer

Here is a quick reviewella (coined by Coll, inspired by the word novella) in honour of the novel's release date.

*I received this novel via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion*

Wrong Question, Right Answer by Elle Casey is a third in a series of standalone romance novels that centre around a private security firm, Bourbon Street Boys. This installment features Toni, a no-nonsense badass of a lady with a not-so-typical dark past. Since these are romances, there is an obvious love interest, Lucky. Plus, naturally, the other boys and their respective others that were introduced in the previous two novels: see here for the review.

On the surface level, the novels exhibit a known trope from older romance novels, however, I won’t mention which to keep this place spoiler-free. I didn’t know what to think of it, actually. It came off as slightly unbelievable in this day and age, and things seemed to progress and move really fast. On a deeper level the novel also deals with personal issues such as remorse and the inability to forgive oneself.  Both protagonists grappled with unfounded guilt over losing someone. They were blaming themselves and letting these emotions interfere in their lives, not allowing them to be happy.

This book was a perfect three star read for me. The kind where you really enjoy the reading experience, the characters, and cameos from previous novels, but there are a few (pacing) problems. The writing was decent, but felt slightly hurried at times. I risk sounding like a broken record, but the novel could have really benefitted from better textual editing. For instance, there were plotlines that were mentioned in the beginning, and then talked about later as newly found information.

All in all, the book had slight issues, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole series, and the characters’ gumption will stay with me for a long time. It is a fun trilogy (at the moment, not sure if there are more books coming out) that is definitely worth a read, even though this instalment wasn’t exactly as breezy yet tightly written as the previous two. As previously stated, I gave the novel three stars, because I liked it, and would recommend it to others.


"I'm just going to have to take the pain of my headache and bad choices like a woman. I'd take them like a man, but then I'd have to whine all day."

#FridayReads - August 12, 2016

Tiina

Well, well, well, long time no see. Read. We missed a couple of Fridays due to our busy schedules and summer holidays. We are back now to regular scheduling of a couple Friday Reads a month. I have a rather free weekend this time, and I am planning on doing a fair amount of reading. My main reads will be a book for my library book club, which is Han Kang’s The Vegetarian. It’s translated from Korean and features a women who decides to become a vegetarian, which is a controversial move considering the supposedly meat-centric South-Korean cuisine. I haven’t started as of yet, but it did win the Man Booker International prize, so hopefully it’ll be enjoyable. My second read is another buddyread with Coll. Woohoo! I do love my favourite buddy read partner. This time we’re working on David Mitchell’s The Bone Clocks. It started off oddly. There was a fun WTF-moment on page eight, and people? I am scared! It also gave me a semi-nightmare about having to pack for an apocalypse/escape from home so there’s that. That does not bode well. Then again my organised mind DID love the packing aspect. What am I even talking about now? Back to books. If I can, I also want to pick up Heather Demetrios’ I’ll Meet You There. It is a YA contemporary, but seems to deal with heavier themes than the usual YA fare, and focus less on the romance aspect. I don’t exactly know what I feel like reading so apart from the set book club choice and buddy read, my plans are wide open :). Can’t wait!

Coll

Similar to Tiina, I should have plenty of free time this weekend to read. The weather here is acting pretty drunk and the weekend will be a little over 100F (40C) so I will spend plenty of time indoors reading with the AC on. (What the hell did people even DO before AC?) My first book I am working on is Bone Clocks, the buddyread Tiina mentioned. David Mitchell is one of my favorite authors so I am incredibly happy to finally be reading this book. In typical Mitchell fashion, it is odd, creepy, intriguing, and beautifully written. Tiina finds it nightmare-inducing at points, I find it spellbinding. ;-) Needless to say I am really enjoying it. I am also reading Circling the Sun by Paula McLain, which is my Book of the Month Club choice for August. It is historical fiction about a young girl, Beryl, who was born in England but then moved to Africa with her parents at a very young age. Once there she is abandoned by her mother, who cannot take the new lifestyle and goes back to England. She is raised by her father and the native Kipsigis tribe who share the estate, learning more how to be free and wild than like a “lady”. The story follows Beryl though her unconventional childhood, her difficulties in growing up and being pushed to be a proper lady, and her desire to make her own way and fight to do the things that make her happy. I am actually really loving this book so far and find myself always looking forward to picking it up again. Then, finally, I am working on Abaddon’s Gate by James S.A. Corey, the third book in the Expanse space opera that has completely consumed me. It continues to be a wonderful mix of sci-fi drama, action, horror, and politics that I get totally immersed in. So yeah, those are my main focuses for this weekend. It should be more than enough to keep me occupied, I think. ;-)

So there you have it, our plans for this weekend. We would love to know what your reading plans are! :-)

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon - Stephen King

Review by Coll
4 Stars

Okay, so The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is not exactly a new book (1999) but after reading it a second time I really wanted to review it. I first read it when it came out 17 years ago. My mom has always been obsessed with Stephen King so she had me reading his books since I was a kid and I, in turn, fell in love with his writing. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is not what some people would think of as your “typical” King book. It is about a young girl, Trisha, who gets lost in the woods along a branch of the Appalachian Trail while hiking with her mother and brother. Her attempt to backtrack and find the trail again only takes her further into the woods, miles away from civilization. The one thing that stops her from completely losing it, is that she has her Walkman (like I said, 1999) with her and she is able to listen to the Red Sox games where her hero, Tom Gordon is the relief pitcher. Her fantasies of him saving her help her to cope with the worst of what nature has to throw at her, but can it also help her with the evil that is tracking her from deep within the woods?

Back when I was 19 and first read this I was a huge Yankees fan (still am!) and at first was unsure if I could read it since the hero was a Red Sox Player (any East Coaster will understand). But immediately after starting the book that tiny little fact meant nothing to me because I was so drawn into the story. This is not straight-up horror, like a lot of King’s books are, so don’t go into it expecting that. It is the survival story of a young girl, with some creepy elements thrown into it. I say this because I think many people went into this book expecting King horror, and that is not what they got. So I feel knowing what to expect early on will not cloud your judgement going into reading the book.

I think King did a great job at portraying a child’s mind and actions. Trisha often ponders what her best friend would say in situations, what her parents would say or do, sings boy band songs, and obsesses over her hero/crush Tom Gordon. I also found it easily believable that a sports figure could be so important and savior-esque to her. Anyone who was a huge sports fan as a child had that one player they completely looked up to that seemed invincible. So I found nothing out of the ordinary about her using the Red Sox games as a grounding method and Gordon as an imaginary friend to help her through the woods. She also utilizes her survival skills that she learned from her mother, who is very into hiking, to find food and water while lost. However, she also does some incredibly stupid things that cause her more trouble. So basically she was being a typical child. ;-)

Now, of course, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon had to be more than just a survival story (this IS King after all) and there is definitely something creepy going on throughout the majority of the book. I don’t want to go too much into it and spoil anything, but Trisha knows she is being stalked by something when she hears twigs snapping, seeing movement out of the corner or her eye, feels like she is being watched, and comes across some grisly scenes that she knows no human or forest animal could have done. To me, this was one of my favorite facets of the story. To read a story about a little girl in the woods but still get chills up your spine from something evil and unknown is just such a great feeling, in my twisted opinion. ;-)

As far as the writing goes, it is good but definitely not King’s best. It seems a little rushed at moments and just not always as spectacular as his writing normally is. This is not saying it is bad though by any means. The story has that easy style of writing that King has mastered, where he immediately pulls you in, immerses you in it, and makes you feel creeped out and on guard the entire time. I feel like The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon would be really good for people who want to read King but are not huge horror fans (I am looking at you Tiina) because it balances survival, thriller, and horror quite well without being terrifying. It is interesting, quick-paced, creepy, and at times heart-wrenching and I definitely recommend it, especially as a summer read.

“The world is a worst case scenario and I'm afraid that all you sense is true”

Interested in The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon? Check it out on Goodreads.

Carry On

A quick note before we start. Today is Book Lovers Day! As a happy accident, this ties into my review very well, if not in initially obvious ways. Firstly, the novel I am about to discuss is a companion novel to one about a fangirl, a girl who writes fan fiction about her favourite series. Furthermore, the author itself was highly influenced by several well-known fantasy stories, so I think it's safe to say that the love for the book and reading definitely shines through here. Now, on to the actual review. I hope you enjoy!

First of all, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is one of my all-time favourite YA contemporaries. It’s sweet, it’s well-written, and tackles important issues that a lot of people can relate to. The main character in that book writes fan-fiction about a Harry Potter-esque series of fantasy books featuring Simon Snow – the Chosen One – and his sidekicks. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell is the fictional last book in that series. So like the Deathly Hallows. Unless Carry On is followed by a play...

The reason why I am mentioning Harry Potter in this instance is because the book really invited the comparisons. The author has also claimed she read a lot of fantasy novels featuring the “Chosen One” trope, and the book is actively reflecting that. There is a magic sword that appears when a character needs it, a “sorting” system in the first year, a headmaster the protagonist looks up to, initially a Draco Malfoy-ish enemy, etc. A lot of people have called this Harry Potter fan-fiction and have been thus turned off the whole experience. I started the book knowing all this. Sure, the beginning of the novel definitely offers several déjà vu moments from other boy wizard novels. It was a little grating, but somehow – and this surprised me – it really worked. I was on board. Spoiler alert: I gave this book four stars. Unfortunately, the ending was way too abrupt and slightly unsatisfying to warrant a higher rating. However, now that is out of the way, back to the review.

I liked the traditional storyline of a kid who thought he was ordinary turning out to be extraordinary. He goes to a magical school, finds friends and enemies (more like frenemies), crushes, and idols. Add a pinch of twists and turns and you get this novel. My favourite part of the novel was the inclusiveness of it all. Everyone was welcome, or at least tolerated, in the school, whether they be pixies or from a normal background. Furthermore, the novel features LGBTQ themes that Rainbow Rowell handled with her own special brand of sweet magic. Excuse the pun.

I think the main issue people have with this book is that it is very, very reminiscent of Harry Potter, in particular. I mean, I can’t claim that it isn’t, but the author definitely added her own spin to it. There is another little thing that bothered me, but this may be just me own fault. What I didn’t understand was whether this book is meant to be the actual canon in the Simon Snow world OR is this the book Cath was writing as fan-fiction in Fangirl? I’m guessing actual canon? I don’t know and haven’t been able to find out. Tangent over.

All in all, I realised that I could get over the glaring derivations from other well-known magical fantasy stories because there was a lot of originality in the magic system. I loved how it all rested on the magician knowing a language and its uses. I enjoyed the female characters who were self-assured and smart and confident. The tale itself was gripping, and despite all the quips I had about the ending, I really enjoyed the reading experience as such. It made me nostalgic for a proper fantasy series so I might pick up something else in that vein. As I said before, it’s a solid four stars. I’d recommend it to people who loved Fangirl, or who are just completists, as this is a companion novel to the aforementioned. It could also work for people wishing to temporarily fill a hole that Harry Potter left: just be ready for a lot of allusions.

Words are very powerful… And they become more powerful the more that they’re said and read and written, in specific, consistent combinations. The key to casting a spell is tapping into that power. Not just saying the words, but summoning their meaning… Which means you have to have a good vocabulary to do magic. And you have to be able to think on your feet. And be brave enough to speak up. And have an ear for a solid turn of phrase.


NB! I initially received this novel via Netgalley as a free read in exchange for my honest review, but I ended up purchasing my own copy and reading that. I am not sure whether that warrants a disclaimer, but still - only full disclosure here!