#MonthlyWrapUp

Tiina
Right, now this is a rather new feature on our blog. We thought it’d be fun to do a little wrap-up of our monthly highlights. I for one don’t review every book I read on this blog, but I do try to write up a review of everything on Goodreads. First of all, my favourite read of the month that was featured on this blog – Melissa Keil’s The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl. It is a sweet story about friendship and how endings lead to new beginnings. All this with a side of swoonworthy yet quiet romance so this book has it all. Another highlight of the month was the Locke & Key comic book series. It’s a limited run, so all the volumes are out for your enjoyment. The series it’s a darkly Gothic story of a family battling with grief and supernatural horror. It can be very graphic, and it was definitely scary, so if that is your jam, then what are you waiting for? Go read it! The first volume is Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft.

I have two other novels I want to mention. Firstly, a reread of Pride and Prejudice. It took me longish to read this time, but it was still as great as I remember. The romance is amazing, the characters are great whether you love or hate them. The novel is also incredibly snarky, which is always a plus. Secondly, my favourite non-fiction “read” of the month was the The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You audiobook by Robert L Leahy (narrated by Mike Chamberlain). It was an abridged version but it covered most of the main subjects that cause worry in people. I for one found it extremely helpful and would recommend to anyone who has generalised anxiety that isn’t too severe. The book just helps you come to grips and rationalise your worry – is it useful or do we just think it is? There are no miracle fixes but I definitely felt a little better after I put the steps into use. That’s it. These were the best of the best this month. I have been slumpy lately so hopefully there’ll be more five star reads in my future. Pro tip: audiobooks are a good way to feel like you are reading something, even if you’re not picking up a physical book every day. 

Coll
As with Tiina, I also do not review every book I read. Hell, if we did that our blog would be inundated with posts. So I just wanted to share my stand-out reads for the month of March that were not featured on the blog. My favorite book for the month of March was Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo, which is the second book in the Grisha trilogy. A quick background, the Grisha are a group of people who hold special powers where they can manipulate elements of nature such as water, air, sun, night, etc. There is a war raging in the country and the Grisha have been split between two leaders, one who has mastered the dark and one who has mastered the sun. As one side is trying to take over the world, the other is trying to save it. This book (and the series) is packed with so much imagination and action that it pulls you in instantly. It is a great series for fantasy lovers, and I think it would also be perfect for those who are not usually into fantasy because it integrates parts of many different genres, so there is something for everyone. 

When I go on vacation near the ocean I like to stick with reading ocean themed books, so this year I was able to fit two in over the course of the two weeks. The first was Secrets of the Realm by Bev Stout, and it was about a girl who poses as a boy to escape her past and get a job as a cabin boy on a ship. I flew through it and enjoyed it, but as much as I love YA this was slightly juvenile at times and I also felt it was too short. The other book was Blackheart's Legacy by Sally Copus, which is book one in The Odyssey of Jon Sinclair series. Jon’s grandparents own a time machine and a malfunction sends him and his grandmother to the Caribbean in 1692. They are separated and Jon is kidnapped and put on a pirate ship as the cabin boy of Blackheart. This book is entertaining and very heavy on the sailing theme, which I loved. It is also full of a lot of history but never once comes off boring or dry. I really did enjoy this and am excited to continue on with the series.

I read several other books during March, including Glitch by Hugh Howey (short story), Waiting for Godot (again), and the short graphic novel Dayglow, but I highlighted the main books I wanted to talk about. I hit a slight slump after getting back from vacation (the ol’ post-vacation depression) so I did not read as much as I hoped to or usually would, but April is looking to be a good month for me book-wise and I am looking forward to some awesome reads.

Lust & Wonder - Augusten Burroughs

Review by Coll
4 Stars

*I received this ebook from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I have always been fascinated by Augusten Burroughs, mainly for his ability to unabashedly share his colorful life with the world. Lust & Wonder tells the post-rehab story of the start, development, and downfall of Burroughs’ relationships after moving to New York City. You do not necessarily need to read Running with Scissors and Dry before reading this book, but I do recommend them because they give a great background of his life up until this book. Through his memoirs we witness the progression of his life: from Running with Scissors where talks of his dysfunctional childhood and growing up, to Dry, which deals with his alcoholism and rehab period. Now we now come to Lust & Wonder, where he works through the different meanings of love, lust and where they merge, as he tries to figure out himself and his romantic relations.  We also get a glimpse into his struggles with giving up alcohol as a vice and the start of his writing career.

I long ago got used to Burroughs’ brutal honesty and straight-forwardness, so I was expecting plenty of that in this book. However, to my surprise, it also was incredibly heartfelt and sweet. He retains his usual forthright nature though, and speaks openly about his serious relationships with three different men while living in New York City. I went through stages with this book where I could not put it down and was completely engrossed, to not being thoroughly motivated to read it because some parts seemed to drag on. However, these moments were not common for me and for the most part I really enjoyed the majority of this book. 

Burroughs not only focuses on his current relationships, but also references aspects from his past and how they still affect him. The book shows that we are not alone in our tumultuous encounters with others, and how everything we experience shapes not just us, but those we are connect with. He holds back nothing and explains the things that people can sometimes be too ashamed to admit, such as cheating, trust issues, stalking our partners, breaking up friendships, and the most difficult thing to concede to: being at fault. He is no stranger to his indiscretions and openly offers them up to us. Whether he is talking about his past alcohol abuse, his major paranoia, or his obsessions with rare and expensive gems, he shows that there will come a time where what we see as flaws will be accepted by another as just being a part of who we are. 

A lot of this book was full of heartache and frustration. At times I wanted to scream at Burroughs for being so erratic, and other times I wanted to hug him and punish others for hurting him.  Lust & Wonder is not as humorous as his other books, it instead takes a more emotional and contemplative road. Where some might be bothered by this, it did not really concern me. Sure I missed his eccentric sense of humor sometimes, but the book still provided me with occasional laughter, while also giving me insight into another aspect of his life and personality. A more poignant and introspective side. Lust & Wonder represents a point in his life where he has matured, overcome a great deal, and is looking to settle down into as normal of a life as he can. It is a big transition from his other books, but one that I, personally, welcomed and appreciated. 

This book has its high points and its low points. I found myself exhausted at points with his tangents, but then I would realize how it is all important and in the end everything always comes together. Overall, I really loved Lust & Wonder. It evoked so many feelings in me and it felt so good to get to the point where it was making me smile and I was completely happy for Augusten. Reading a book by Burroughs is always a bizarre emotional roller coaster, but it is always completely worth the ride.  

“I know now: what is is all that matters. Not the thing you know is meant to be, not what could be, not what should be, not what ought to be, not what once was. Only the is.”

Interested in Lust & Wonder, check it out on Goodreads.

#FridayReads - March 25

Coll

Well vacation is over so I must immerse myself in books again to forget about the Caribbean. There are several books I plan on reading this weekend, one of which is Lust & Wonder by Augusten Burroughs. I was able to get an advanced copy from Netgalley and so far I am really enjoying it. It is an autobiography / memoir of the development and downfall of the relationships Burroughs was involved with while living in New York City, and examines the process of figuring them all out. The second book I will be reading is Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin, which I got in my Uppercase Box a few months ago. It is historical fiction / alternate history (also categorized as YA because of the main characters being teenagers) with some sci-fi and fantasy thrown in. So right up my alley! I am already sucked into this book and can’t wait to get back to reading it tonight! The third, and final, book I plan on reading this weekend is the sci-fi classic The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner. This book tackles a theme in sci-fi that we often come across, the consequences that would arise from the destruction of Earth. So yeah, that is it for this weekend. Well, as of now. Not saying another book or two won’t be thrown into the mix. ;-)

Tiina

Friday again! I’m not reading much this time. I am listening to an audiobook by Samantha Young, One King’s Way is a novella in her On Dublin Street series. I love the other books, but this installment is kind of underwhelming – the main female character is slightly unlikeable. In addition to that, I am planning on starting Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. It is fantasy and very Harry Potter-esque, apparently. If you have read Fangirl by the same author, you will recognise the characters. I am a little worried about it as I have heard mixed reviews, but I guess we’ll have to read and see. Obviously. You reading anything fun? 

So yeah, that is it for us for this weekend. What are your plans, reading and/or otherwise?

The Smell of Other People's Houses

4 stars

*I received this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

To start off, The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock is a double-winner in the Quirkiest Title and Most Gorgeous Cover category. The novel itself is set in the 1970s Alaska and follows several interconnected characters over the course of one year. What is more, the novel boasts multiple narrators (with unique and distinctive voices) and yet it never felt redundant. Everyone’s stories felt equally important and engaging and there wasn’t any filler-material. To be completely honest, I was sad to let the characters go and would have loved to know more about them. The novel could have easily been just a tad longer as I was definitely left wanting for more.

It is difficult to actually explain or discuss what the novel is about since it does feature so many different characters. Several of them are Native American and I think the novel deftly navigated the line of touching upon the issues prevalent in these communities, without hiding either the good or the bad. I like to feel as though I am learning something new and engaging with a subject without my emotions obviously being manipulated (Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian comes to mind). Furthermore, I loved reading a bit more about Alaska and its history. It made such a great backdrop to the story, the location alone emphasising the isolation of characters.

Most of the plot was centred around one town and its inhabitants. They struggled with poverty and the novel managed to highlight this without becoming overly emotional and sensitive. The characters suffered and I was heartbroken, but it didn’t feel like any of it was overly fictionalised or fake. As realistic as the problems were, at times it felt that the novel was tackling too many problems at once (alcoholism, domestic abuse, poverty, to name a few), but as I write this, I know they are all real problems that are often concurrent and deserve to be discussed. The choice of young adult narrators really helped in this instance.

Then again, as much as I did enjoy the multiple narration, I did find it difficult at first to remember everyone’s names. They were rather unusual and echoed throughout each other’s narratives, and I had a hard time placing people for the first couple of chapters. However, the novel does anticipate this issue and comes with a Cast of Characters in the beginning, so if you are reading a paperback copy it is always easy to flip over to that page. Another slightly negative aspect would be that the ending felt just a little rushed and too neat. I mean, I saw where things were going so it wasn’t necessarily a surprise (and this slight predictability isn’t bad in this case), but still, I would’ve liked some more explanation, discussion, or even an epilogue. I guess this is not a bad problem to have – to be left wanting more after finishing a book.

All in all, I definitely recommend this book. I really enjoyed it and thus gave it four stars. It will break your heart, move you, and also give you hope for the future if you are in a bad place. There is a lot of evil in the world, but there are always the good eggs that attempt to balance it out. If you are still at all in doubt, then just look at the cover and do it anyway.

“At Dumpling’s you don’t have to look through shattered glass to see whose face it is, looking back out, warning you that the sound of glass breaking means it’s time to hide.”

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl

*I received this ebook from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil features a group of friends in a small Australian town during a possible apocalypse. Yep, you read that right. A small Australian town has been singled out as a place that would survive an impending end of the world. The narrator is an aspiring comic book writer/artist Sarah Jane Albany AKA Alba. Alba chronicles the everyday adventures of her and her friends – Grady, Caroline, Tiahnah, Eddie, and Pete – during the tumultuous weeks after graduating and before the awaiting doomsday. Since it’s set in Australia, the beginning of summer refers to the last two weeks of December for us from the northern hemisphere. The main character is an artist, so the novel features line drawings from her comic book about Cinnamon Girl (hence the title!). My ebook edition had them in black and white, I presume they will stay like that in the final version.

I have been reading a lot of books lately that are either actual comics or dealing with the history of them. Still, I have no shame in claiming I am a complete newbie in the genre, so unfortunately a lot of Alba’s references went over my head. However,  I still really enjoyed her enthusiasm and obvious love for the comic books and graphic novels. We should all be so lucky as to have a passion like this.

The novel is set a few weeks after the majority of the group of friends has graduated, so it doesn’t necessarily deal with any unexpected themes. They await their admissions results from universities, answers to job applications, and realise friendships and relationships are under pressure from moving in different directions. I guess you could really see the end of the year – and possibly the world – as a great metaphor for the end to an important chapter in their life. Or, you know, it could mean the merpeople from Mars will actually attack and kill all living beings on Earth. You will really have to read the novel to find out.

In itself, the book is cute, adorable, and will give you the warm and fuzzies, despite the possibly grim setting. I love the atmosphere the author created for this small town that is to survive the apocalypse and thus sees an influx of new inhabitants. It was stifling – partly due to the summer heat – but never completely terrifying, and this balance was very well done, I think. Although this is more a novel of friendship, there was also some romance, which was incredibly well done. Nothing completely innovative, but it was very sweet (gave me Fangirl vibes in its essence).

The only main problem with this reading experience – aside from my own lack of knowledge about comics, and a slight lag in pace in the middle of the book – was that the ebook I read had a lot of formatting issues. I presume because it was an ARC and I am certain those bugs and glitches were fixed in the final product. There were also some minor instances where I was a little confused as to the explanations about the past, but they didn’t really reduce my enjoyment of the novel.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this novel for people who love contemporaries but also know a little about comics, but it isn’t completely necessary, of course.  It is a solid 4,5 star read, although I rounded it up to 5 on Goodreads. Also, I will read everything else Melissa Keil writes.

“[M]ost stories can only start when you place yourself in them.”

Irish literature

green spines for the Emerald Isle

Growing up with an Irish grandmother, there were always plenty of Irish tales going around. When I was young I loved hearing the stories but never really thought to look into any specific literature to read on my own. Then in college when I saw there were Irish Literature courses offered I jumped at the chance to take them. It was not long before I was completely in love with so many Irish writers and their stories. So with a name like Colleen, growing up with a heavily Irish grandmother, and today being St. Patrick’s Day, it seemed fitting to do a chatty post on Irish Literature.

A quick background on Irish literature (I promise to keep this short, not like a college lecture) before we get into the books. Irish authors were highly influenced by the history and tragedy of their country, such as famine, colonization, rebellions, etc. There is often a sense of tragedy in Irish stories but that tends to be balanced out many times with all the absurdity and satire that is used quite often.  A lot of times the writing tends to be rather poetic, which gives it a certain beauty with the way that the words and ideas flow. I have always felt that Irish literature stands out from other genres for its distinctive style and essence.

I will start with a rather notable author but not with an obvious story choice, James Joyce and his novella The Dead. James Joyce (February 2, 1882 – January 13, 1941) is arguably one of the best known Irish writers, and someone who so beautifully encapsulated Ireland and its culture in his writing. While we all know books such as Ulysses, and Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, the story I would like to talk about is The Dead. This is a novella that takes place during a New Year’s Eve party in Dublin. Many might read this and think nothing happens, however I think the story is full of so much. There are many characters in the story but it closely follows a man, Gabriel Conroy, and his wife Gretta. The Dead deals with the changes and disillusionment that happen throughout the course of a relationship, along with the revelations that can come at our most vulnerable times.  It is unfortunate that this novella so often goes unrecognized by academics because I think it is stunning and I feel mesmerized each time I read it. So if you choose to go for Joyce, one of the most well know Irish authors, do yourself a favour and go for this under-recognized novella first. You will not be disappointed.

Of course there is also Samuel Beckett (April 13, 1906 – December 22, 1989), who is known for many of his stories such as Endgame, and the trilogy Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable (go read that one, seriously!), but I want to focus on his play Waiting for Godot, which was his first professionally produced play. It is a simple story of two men sitting by the side of the road waiting for the arrival of someone named Godot, and is mostly made up of their banter, wordplay, and sometimes nonsensical thoughts and ramblings. It has often been debated what the two men are waiting for and who “Godot” is so it is very much left open to the interpretation of each reader. In the end it is a story of the search for meaning in life and how much time is spent pondering something which we will never be able to understand or explain.

Getting into a more modern Irish author, there is Joseph O’Connor (September 20, 1963). He has written numerous books but the one I want to mention is Star of the Sea, a historical fiction mystery book is set in the mid-1800’s. It is about a family from Ireland who are aboard a ship (The Star of the Sea) on their way to New York City in the hope of a better life. They find that escaping their difficult life in Ireland is not as easy as they imagined and they are plunged into a mystery during their journey as a killer stalks the ship, taking the lives of many passengers as they try to make their way to a better lie in a new land. This book is both tragic and hopeful and I highly recommend checking it out.

I want to mention a few more great reads that I think you would enjoy. These might not be the books you think of when Irish Literature comes to mind, but they are by Irish authors and I feel they need to be mentioned.  Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (February 28, 1965), this is a book that broke my heart but that I loved so very much. It is a tale that spans decades in New York City from when Phillipe Petit traversed the space between the Twin Towers on a tightrope to the tragedy of September 11^th. It is beautiful and tragic in a way that only Irish literature can be. There is also Oscar Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900), of course. His book, The Importance of Being Earnest, I highly recommend. It is a humorous read that deals with mistaken identities, confusion, liaisons, and is full of the quick wit that Wilde had a knack for. This is a highly amusing short story that I think most people would enjoy.

I have left the bulk of this post on Irish literature into Coll’s extremely capable hands, however, I did insist upon adding my own paragraph on a largely undervalued Irish author. That is to say, Jennifer Johnston (12 January, 1930). She has written 21 novels (plus plays) to date and they all deal with themes of memory, the past, and often The Troubles (the Northern Irish conflict). So the novels can be political in several ways, but they also follow the fall of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy during the 20^th century and their interaction with the local population (the Anglo-Irish were considered not Irish by the locals, and not English by the English). The novels often have a Big House – the Irish country house - setting; naturally, since they deal with the aristocracy juxtaposed with the native Irish.  Some of her novels are discussed in schools and she has also been shortlisted for the Man Booker prize, but I do think she is largely underrated (although Roddy Doyle, for instance, has named her one of the finest Irish novelists). My personal recommendations would be Shadows on Our Skin (my favourite novel alongside Jane Eyre; heavily focusing on The Troubles), The Old Jest (made into a film The Dawning and starring Anthony Hopkins), Fool’s Sanctuary (more in the Big House genre), and How Many Miles to Babylon? (same, but also discussing the impact of WW I).  Her work is always rather concise and the volumes are slim, but the prose itself is so clean, brisk, and evocative, that one can’t help but admire her.  I hope you will give her a read!

All the authors we have mentioned in this post are just a few who make up the vast group of talented writers from Ireland. There is also W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Elizabeth Bowen, Molly Keane, Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Flann O'Brien, Colm Tóibín, Anne Enright, and many, many others. There is a great list of Irish authors on Goodreads that you could have a look at too: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/irish-authors?page=1

If you want to check out any of the authors we have mentioned, here are some links you can follow:

James Joyce: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5144.James_Joyce

Samuel Beckett: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/1433597.Samuel_Beckett

Joseph O’Connor: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/34713.Joseph_O_Connor

Colum McCann: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/14080.Colum_McCann

Oscar Wilde: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/3565.Oscar_Wilde

Jennifer Johnston: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/52834.Jennifer_Johnston

The Dog Master: A Novel of the First Dog - W. Bruce Cameron

Review by Coll
5 Stars

I originally chose this book because of my love for dogs and thought it would be interesting to hear someone’s take on the evolution of these amazing creatures we share our lives with. I was also curious about how someone would write a “novel of the first dog” because it seemed to be a rather challenging topic to approach. After a few chapters I found myself amazed at the job W. Bruce Cameron did with telling a story like this. Not only did he do an incredible job in proposing a theory about how a wolf became the first dog, but he also wove a story full of characters that I got emotionally attached to and whose lives I felt I was a part of. 

The Dog Master starts off with a modern day professor who is interested in discovering how the first dog came to be and it transitions into a story that takes place 30,000 years ago. The tale from the past can be viewed as either the professor’s theory or as what the actual historical account is, which the professor, nor any other human, will ever know about. There are several tribes introduced, each of which has different lifestyles, views, beliefs, etc. and some even harbor hostility towards one another. The story goes between different narrations, one of which is of a man who discovers an injured mother wolf with her pups, and how his bond with them grows as he helps to usher the first dog into existence. Throughout the book, the narrations of different characters become intertwined with one another and form a cohesive story that takes us through the evolution of a wolf to the first dog. 

In the beginning I was a little overwhelmed with all the characters that were being introduced and I was concerned it would become hard to keep track of everyone. That was not the case. Cameron did a brilliant job of making each character memorable and I was easily able to transition from one character’s narration to another. He was also able to portray the point of view of the wolves perfectly and made their thoughts believable, showing them as being intelligent and sharing similarities with humans such as reasoning, instinct, and emotion. He forms bonds between humans and animals through similar experiences, demonstrating that we really are not much different from one another. Cameron starts by showing us the evolution of the first dog but what becomes noticeable throughout the book is how he is also showing us an evolution in humans. As wolves grow to become the first dogs, people also grow to become more accepting of other humans and animals and we see that not only did humans teach animals but that animals also taught humans. Cameron quotes Dr. Temple Grandin by using his famous line “animals make us human.” 

This is a book that once you finish it you wish you were still reading it. It pulled me in from the beginning and by the end I was frantically reading with tears welling up in my eyes because of my urge to know what was going to happen with the characters, both human and animal, that I had grown to love. I also want to give credit to Cameron for his Afterword in the book where he brings us back to reality and makes us stop to think about the drastic evolution of wolf to dog, and the magnitude of it all. He also cleared up any little instances in the book that I was curious about, such as why the language of the tribes was so understandable and similar to modern English (which I won’t give the answer to, you will just have to read to find out!) Cameron puts the overall idea of the book perfectly when he states “The Dog Master is a work of fiction based on an indisputable fact: dogs are our companions, their fates inexplicable bound to ours.” As I said in the beginning, I originally chose this book because of my love for dogs, but it ended up to be more than just the story of dogs. It is also a story of humans and humanity and the bond we share with an animal that has grown from being a companion to being a part of our families.

“There are dangers everywhere, and I cannot protect either one of us against them.“

Interested in The Dog Master? Check it out on Goodreads.

#FridayReads - March 11

Welcome to Friday Reads! Just Tiina here today. Flying solo while Coll's chilling out in the Caribbean. Now, as to what I am reading. First some good news if you read this every Friday. I have finally finished up Pride and Prejudice. I don't understand why it took me so long for a while in the middle there, because I sped through the last 100 pages. Ahh, Darcy. OK, that's all the swooning I am allotted, and only because Coll's away. Sneaky!

I am trudging through Eggers' The Circle. It is still making me so angry and I keep putting it off. I will give it max 100 pages and if the characters don't wisen up I might DNF it and call it a day.
On a more positive note, I want to read a decent amount of Melissa Keil's The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl, which I am really, really enjoying so far. Some of the comic book references are way over my head, but that's purely my fault, and isn't really taking anything away from the actual novel itself. I will also pick up and give Marvels a go. It is an illustrated overview of the Marvel Universe from a photo journalist's point of view (if I'm not mistaken), and I've heard good things. Will see how it goes. A very comic-y weekend ahead, it seems!

That's what I'm reading this weekend, what about you?

Books about books!

My personal genre kryptonite – something I absolutely can’t resist – is books about books and reading. It can be about reading as such, or it can be loosely set in a bookshop or library, or feature a bookseller/writer/voracious reader/a mysterious book of Secrets. If the novel or non-fiction book deals with any of the forementioned, then I will add it to my TBR and attempt to read it. Here I will mention a few that have stayed with me over the years, and also add a few that I really can’t wait to read. A note of warning: once you start thinking about this subgenre, you’ll see these books everywhere!

I am by no means the only one who enjoys reading about other people reading. At least I hope I’m not! Here are a few recommendations of books I’ve read, and then a couple that I am aiming to read.

Fiction books first. One of the well-known ones is definitely Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s  The Shadow of the Wind. I found the English translation a tad awkward, but I think the story is definitely worth the time it takes to get used to it. The historical novel follows the son of an antiquarian bookseller who is pulled into an ominous mystery when he is given a book from the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. The novel is bookish, extremely quotable, and beautiful. Bonus points for being set in the beautifully evocative Barcelona.

If you love funny books and are not afraid of committing to a series, then I would recommend the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. The first one is The Eyre Affair and follows a literary detective (!) Thursday Next in an alternative version of Great Britain. It is extremely funny and so well thought-out that I urge everyone who loves books to read it. Next books in the series also feature characters from novels and other texts, and naturally hilarity ensues. Especially fun if you love Jane Eyre.

Possession by A.S. Byatt is another historical novel - it is historical metafiction - and covers a literary mystery. Two contemporary literary scholars attempt to uncover a previously unknown love affair between two Victorian writers. The novel includes excerpts of both writers’ work so A.S. Byatt is definitely one kick ass lady for managing that. “Literary critics make natural detectives,” as the protagonist says. Watch out, Sherlock.

I also have to briefly mention Roald Dahl’s Matilda here. You are never too old for Dahl’s children’s books and this one is a must-read for any avid reader.

On the non-fiction side I also have a few favourites. Firstly an epistolary memoir (written in letters) that is in my top three favourite books. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff is a bibliophile’s absolute dream. The memoir focuses on the author’s decades-long friendship with an English antiquarian bookseller, and it is just so heart-warming and great. Definitely tugs at your heartstrings.  Most editions also include Ms Hanff’s  diary from her first trip to London; her experience and outright joy over being there is especially relatable for people who have finally managed to visit their dream country.

The second must-read non-fiction book is Nick Hornby’s The Complete Polysyllabic Spree that collects articles he wrote for the cultural magazine Believer (the sequel is Stuff I’ve Been Reading). You don’t even have to have the same literary tastes as him, you’ll be pulled into the book regardless. Furtermore, it is best for people who love buying new books and/or reading about other people doing so. It’s fun, and it’s a good introduction to Nick Hornby if you are fearful of his novels. Not sure why you would be, but that’s what they say.

And the last quick recommendation for travelling booklovers: Jen Campbell’s The Bookshop Book. It is exactly what it says on the tin. It features amazing bookshops all over the world (often with pictures) and great literary tidbits. I finished the book with a 5-page Bookhop Bucket List so be warned. 

Now some books that I want to read. Alberto Manguel’s The Library at Night, a collection of essays on everything bookish. Then a memoir by Stephanie Staal (Reading Women: How the Great Books of Feminism Changed My Life) who recounts what she learned from reading famous feminist works. Also, as an avid romance reader, I immediately ordered Maya Rodale’s Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained. I am sure it’ll be fun. I don’t believe in guilty pleasures, but if someone you know does, then this will surely give you fuel to “defend” your reading tastes. Can’t wait to get to those soon.

You can also ask us for further recommendations or then head onto Goodreads via the following link.  ). Reader discretion advised on this list of books about books; you’ll end up with a severely increased TBR pile!  https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/books-about-books

Not If I See You First - Eric Lindstrom

Review by Coll
4 Stars

One thing I always remember to keep in mind while reading YA books set in high school is that I have to go back to the mentality that I had back then. That is such a rough part of life, with so many emotions, that sometimes you really need to take a step back in time when reading from the point of view of a teenager. Not If I See You First follows a few months in the life of Parker. After an accident severed her optic nerve, leaving her blind at the age of seven and killing her mother, Parker’s life changed dramatically. She built up her defenses and came up with her own list of rules that other people must follow. A few years later Parker loses her father and her life changes yet again. But she is determined not to let this break her. However, in an attempt to protect herself she is also, unknowingly, shutting out those around her.  

Not If I See You First is Eric Lindstrom’s debut novel, and an ambitious one, if you ask me. Not only is he writing from the point of view of someone who is blind, but from the point of view of a teenage girl. Hell I don’t think I could write about myself when I was a teenager, so for an adult man to succeed using the voice of a high school girl, I find that impressive. At first I was unsure how I felt about this book. It took me a few chapters to really get into it, but once I reached that point it was hard to put down. It is not an “action-packed” read, but it is compelling and interesting, and made me think about what it would be like to have my sight taken away from me. 

In the beginning of this book I was not a huge Parker fan. I thought she came off kind of bitchy and seemed to overreact a bit. As the story progressed I learned more about her life, started to understand her “rules” more, and developed such love and compassion for her that I found myself feeling protective. Lindstrom has a knack in this book for gradually having the reader get to know Parker (and the other characters) over time, where you go from judging them from first impressions to learning who they are. He successfully mimicked the process we go through each time we meet someone new. Every character also has major flaws, making them all seem so much more real and relatable.

If there was anything that bothered me about this book it was the reactions characters sometimes had to situations. There was a lot of sarcasm and moments of overreacting, and times where you want to scream at characters for things they are saying and things they are holding in. I tried to attribute it to the character’s personalities and accept it, but this might be something that some readers could find a little bothersome. The relationship part of the book also came off a little overdramatic at times. To think that we could find a soul mate in our early teen years is hard to take seriously and I had to struggle not to dismiss it as teenage drama. 

Through this book we go through a learning process with Parker, where she re-learns trust, understanding, and how to be herself again. I think Not If I See You First told more than just the story of a high school girl who lost her sight; it also told of how if we become overprotective of ourselves we will shut others out and then miss out on so many things.  I was torn between 3 ½ and 4 stars, but I decided to go with four. This is not a book for everyone, mainly because you need to be a YA fan, but I do recommend it to those who like this genre. It is a quick, fun, and adorable read. It is also not a book that you go into with the expectation of being taught something, but that is what it does and that is part of why I enjoyed it so much. From Parker’s first rule “Don’t deceive me. Ever…” to her last “There are NO second chances…” she teaches us something about ourselves as she is forced to learn about, and accept, herself.

“If you don’t understand just accept the confusion. Or embrace it.”

Interested in Not If I See You First? Check it out on Goodreads.

#FridayReads - March 4

Tiina

The weekend is almost upon us so it’s time for another Friday Reads! I am once again planning to read several books at the same time. I always have an audiobook going and this time it’s Shannon Stacey’s Heat Exchange. It’s romancey, and I’m not wholly sure about the narrator, but it was free on Scribd so doesn’t really matter. I am also planning on finishing up the Locke & Key comics. The series is scary and sinister, and funny. At the same time. Yeah, I’m not sure how Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez do it either. In addition to that I am also reading my book club book The Circle. Let me tell you people, I already have notes. Several in caps lock! Fingers crossed I hit my stride and can also finish up Pride and Prejudice. Well, at least I won’t be able to say I’ve nothing to read ;-)!

Coll

Well, here I am still trying to finish a bunch of books before vacation. I will definitely be finishing Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom. As with most YA (guilty not guilty pleasure) I am having a hard time putting it down. It is a really adorable and heartfelt read. I am hoping I will also be able to finish Immurement by Norma Hinkens. This is a YA sci-Fi/dystopian story, which was enough to make me want to read it. ;-) And the third book I would like to (hopefully) finish this weekend is Welcome Thieves by Sean Beaudoin. This is a book of black humor short stories that I am actually pretty into, even though I tend to have an aversion to short stories (King, Lovecraft, and Poe excluded). So yeah, I plan to finish these three books and also pick out an ocean themed book (yes I am a nerd who themes her books when traveling) for vacation. Looks like a busy weekend for me! Oh, yeah, and Pride and Prejudice. *sigh* Tiina and I are slackers with this buddy read.

We just love knowing what other people read (or do) over the weekend? Any fun plans? Reading or otherwise.

Interview with Kevin Laymon, author of Future Winds

About a month ago I posted a review on Future Winds, by Kevin Laymon, a fascinating mix of science-fiction and horror. I really loved the book and had so many questions about it so I reached out to Kevin for an interview, which he was awesome enough to give me. 




Q: Future Winds was very complex and well thought out, how long ago did you have the idea for this story and how did it first come to you? How long did it take you to write?

A: I actually began writing a really dark, apocalyptic styled thriller called ‘Infidels & Insanity’ in the winter of 2014. I, myself, was in a really bad place at the time and Infidels reflected that. After completing some of the basics, I realized that the story was leading towards humanity’s inevitable departure from Earth. That got me thinking about a sequel where survival and the moral cost of species self-preservation would be the focus. Even though Future Winds is pretty dark, it is nowhere near as dark as Infidels. I changed gears and began working on Future Winds in the spring of 2015. Although Infidels was not science fiction, I was really excited to shift into writing Sci-Fi and that, obviously, is what Future Winds, in the end, became. I had to change up my mindset towards a project to preserve my own sense of sanity. *chuckles* Infidels is really that dark. When I can tolerate the mental drain, I will go back and write infidels then release it as a Future Winds prequel, but that won’t be for some time. 

Q: To me, it was not always easy to look at the human race as the good guys in Future Winds. Was that your intention when writing it? 

A: Yes and no. Everyone sees their own set of ideals as being correct, right? That is why they are your own personal ideals. But what if we could, for a moment, think outside of ourselves. Critical thinking is a dying ideal that I really do want to try and revive before it is too late. I don’t want to dabble into spoilers, but there are a few lines in the book that I really think help to tie things together. “Humanity was foolish to think that things would-spoiler, spoiler, spoiler, spoiler,” was a good one, I thought. *chuckles* We, as a species, do suck at times. I would love for people to wake up and realize that sooner rather than later so we can better ourselves, but hey, awakening is a very personal journey, right? To find one’s sense of self and to come to terms with who you are is, after all, by definition personal.

Q: What was the hardest part of writing Future Winds?

A: The hardest part of writing Future Winds was insuring that everything that happened in the story could be explained with Science. Now, of course, this is Science Fiction and that means there is plenty of room for imagination, but I also wanted to paint a story that was believable. Just because things do not seem scientifically possible today, doesn’t mean that they are impossible tomorrow. I had to craft a story that felt like it could exist tomorrow. Even the scene with Naberius and Abram can be explained in a somewhat scientific way if you dig deep enough into the story. 

Q: You have a lot of science and technical writing in this book, especially when it comes to weaponry and AI. Is this something you have a background in or did you have to do a lot of researching for this book? 

A: I have always been interested in tech but I wouldn’t say that I have any experience, per se, about how some of these things work. Basically, I would think about what I want first, then figure out a way to make it happen. Example, it rains fire on Planet Flare. I knew this would be a thing but only after deciding that it would be so, did I look into how best this could be explained scientifically. 

Q: Future Winds was brutal. I mean that in a good way. Was it your intention to write something so no-holds-barred when it came to this book or is it just something that happened as you were writing that you decided to stick with?

A: As I was writing, I had to stop and ask myself if I should tone things back a bit. I think that if I had, the story would have reached a broader audience and more people would have liked it, but I am against censorship on all cultural fronts. Human beings are brutal, the Cosmos are brutal, and in many ways, life itself is brutal. Looking back, I am glad that I stuck to my guns and told the story that I wanted to tell, the way that I wanted to tell it. Now if you were the type of person who is against this type of story, then clearly, Future Winds may not be for you, but one of the coolest feelings I have had about telling this tale is receiving praise from a few people who specifically said that they typically despise the gruesome stuff. It is a really cool feeling to satisfy someone who is out of their comfort zone.

Q: A lot of unexpected moments occur in Future Winds in terms of the plot and the characters. It really added a whole new level of shock value and I, for one, enjoyed nothing and no one being safe. What made you want to take the road of nothing and no one is safe? What would you say to anyone who was wishing for a “safer” story?

A: Well, I can tell you the way I achieved this. Whenever I felt as though I knew where the story was heading, as a writer, I got out of the car that I was driving and set the vehicle on fire before finding another means of transportation. I wanted to tell a story that was unpredictable and sometimes when authors and screen writers try that, they end up with a brick of cheese. I think I delivered the story in an impactful way and am happy with it, so if someone wanted a “safer” story, I would say that; I am sorry, but the cosmos is not a safe place to be and she cares not for your desire to feel safe. *Cackles maniacally--chokes on his coffee*

Q: You tackle a lot of issues in Future Winds, such as political corruption, nepotism, division of classes, military atrocities, etc. Was this something you planned on going into the book?

A: Life is complex and I feel like those issues are just a few ingredients in humanity’s tale of existence. I didn’t want to over complicate the story, but I also think that Future Winds dabbles briefly into some heavy topics, most of which there is really no right answer to. I mean at the end of the day, isn’t survival, our most primitive instinct, a battle against an inevitable fate?

Q: Did you always want to be a writer? 

A: I have always had a knack for storytelling. Up until this point, I have lived most of my life drifting through existence. Professional Drifter is the title that I would often use when referring to myself. Jumping from job to job, and city to city, I have traveled in the direction that my curiosity beckons to lead. I have learned a lot about life in these travels, but after being locked into a retail management job for 3 years plus years, I made the call in the April of 2015 that I would never work for a large corporation ever again. I quit my job and writing full time is now what I do. We can achieve great things when we work together, but at what point in history did human beings decide to subject themselves to others? *chuckles* Now, I am drifting off point, so will try and reel myself back in here, but writing is an art and creating art is a freeing experience. For me, being free is priority one in bettering myself. 

Q: Do you have anything in mind for your next book? Can we look forward to any books coming out by you in the near future?

A: In terms of writing, I spent my 2015 bouncing back and forth between two novels. It’s just how my brain works. So, the first is/was Future Winds, which came out on November 25th, 2015 and the second book is called Emotive, which comes out on April 5th, 2016. Emotive is a psychological thriller. Although, it is different than Future Winds in every way, I think that the two stories actually pair quite well, given that they were written together. Essentially, Emotive is about a dog who is learning about death as he searches for happiness and a reason to live. Here is the synopsis for Emotive: 
http://www.authorkevinlaymon.com/#!emotive/dm385

Q: Okay now this is one that I feel like I just need to know, what are your top three favorite books?

A: I am always afraid of this question because a lot of stuff just doesn’t age well. God forbid someone logged my answer to this question back when I was kid because Harry Potter & Stardust would have been the answer. LOL. Currently, my top three favorite reads would be:
1) Letters from Earth by Mark Twain. 
2) The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
3) 1984 by George Orwell

But again, that list could change in six-months-time. :-P


Check out Kevin's book Future Winds. 

You can also follow Kevin on Twitter @Kevin_Laymon for up to date news and info about him.

Nowhere Girl - Susan Strecker

Review by Coll
3 Stars

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I was really excited to read this book, knowing what I did from the description. Cady had half of herself ripped away when she was a teenager, when her twin sister, Savannah, was murdered. With the killer never being caught, the only way Cady could cope with the loss was to write suspense novels about murders. However, she could not escape her sister coming to visit her in her dreams, leaving her to wake with clues about the murder. Now Cady has an opportunity to put the pieces together and she tries to solve the murder once and for all, using her dreams of Savannah and first-hand accounts from a serial murderer that she is interviewing for her next book. 

I will be honest, I was a little let down by this book. I was expecting an intense and emotional crime thriller and what I got was a combination of romance, relationship and personal drama, with a side of mystery and detective work. For the majority of the book I felt that Savannah’s murder took a backseat to everything else in Cady’s personal life, and the book ended up being more of a mystery and a self-discovery journey. This is not necessarily a bad thing and I am sure others would like this story structure, but it was not what I was expecting when I began reading the book. 

One thing I did love about this book is the bond that is shown between twins, even when one is no longer around. The idea of having such a deep connection with another human being, where you can hear their thoughts and feel their emotions, it was just a beautiful phenomenon. In Nowhere Girl this was portrayed very well and it brought the idea of losing a family member to another level, because it is not just a relative but a part you. The author did a great job or writing this component of the story and it added an extra dose of emotion to everything. Knowing this powerful bond existed between two sisters made the loss of Savannah even more heartbreaking.

Okay, so for a while I felt like a jerk while reading Nowhere Girl because I felt like Cady was being overemotional and exceedingly self-deprecating, and I really did not feel much sympathy for her. Sure I felt awful that she lost her twin sister, but I just could not figure out why I was not feeling as much for her as I should. Then halfway through the book it clicked for me; it was lack of character development. Cady’s was not fully developed into a person I felt I knew. I like when I read something and have a connection with the character, and I feel their pain and joy. Unfortunately I did not get that with this book. While I knew a few things about Cady I did not know enough to build an emotional bond, so it was difficult for me to feel much compassion towards her. It is a shame too because she went through so much and had so many scars, but without a connection it was hard for me to be invested in her life.

I also felt like the main character flip-flopped a little with her emotions. Like something that would make her irate when one person said it, she would then completely accept from someone else. This inconsistency made the story a little unrealistic at times. It also seemed a little predictable. I was able to figure out several things, like who was the culprit for example, very early on. Also certain incidents in the book were red flags for me immediately, while the characters seemed oblivious to them for a long time. That level of predictability took a lot out of the book for me. 

Overall, this was not a bad book and it did hold my interest enough where I wanted to keep reading it. Unfortunately it was not what I was expecting and many parts, including the ending, fell flat to me, which is why I ended up going with three stars. If you are looking for a mystery that explores family, relationships, and secrets you might enjoy this. Just do not go into it like I did, expecting an unpredictable and fast-paced crime novel. 

“Trauma climbed along the corridors of my mind and wrapped itself around the present so I couldn’t really tell the two apart.”

Interested in Nowhere Girl? Check it out on Goodreads