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."

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!

How Not To Fall

four stars!

*I received this book via Netgalley for my honest review*

How Not To Fall by Emily Foster is a new adult romance that I at one point in personal correspondence called “a better 50 Shades of Grey but with less various beads and caning”. I still stand by that description. It is a great consensual romance story of two intelligent people - Charles and Annabelle - exploring their wants and needs. The most refreshing thing about this novel was how everything was discussed and talked through. There was never any issue of consent or lack of it. One side did not dominate over the other, and if they attempted to, they were called out on it. For instance, Charles is Annabelle’s postdoctoral fellow in the lab, and they both confess to mutual attraction, but decide to wait to act on their feelings until Annabelle graduates. It’s not often that the dominating side makes absolutely sure there can be no repercussions to either of them.

I think the main thing I loved about this book is how smart it was. First of all, it featured two academics, who may have been naïve in some things, but they never came off as dim or silly. In addition to that, the main male character was a feminist. It is slightly sad that this declaration made me so happy and was so unusual for a romance book, but I’m glad the author touched upon this subject. As the female protagonist says, “You see why I like this guy? He says it like it’s just understood that any reasonable person would identify as a feminist”. Exactly! I've read some other romances in the academic setting and this one was one of the more believable ones. The protagonists were serious about their education and the university wasn't treated as a mere backdrop or a setting.

I don’t think the book really had any big faults. I mean it didn’t fully resonate with me, but I think it may have been more about me feeling slightly slumpy than the novel. I even understand dragging out the story into a duology in this case, as it would be extremely illogical and unlikely that the tortured hero (not a spoiler, it's definitely implied right away) would find resolve in just 300 pages. Hence a slight cliffhanger warning here, but I think it was done incredibly well. Again I have to reiterate the fact that Annabelle stated some of the terms and stood by them, despite how hard it was for her or how the initial decisions were redrawn. I think it shows a great promise for the future of new adult novels. None of the characters really came off weak or fledgling, traits that can sometimes render them unbelievable and/or unlikeable.

This is a strong four, almost five, stars and I’d recommend it to anyone who prefers a steamier romance. It also had a literary twist, and was very quotable. I will definitely pick up the sequel. Can’t wait, in fact.

I turn my face to him. “Is there a book I can read about how to fight?”

He shrugs. “It’s not that complicated. The main thing is to remember that you like the other person enough to care about what they’ve done or said.”

Vinegar Girl

*I received this ebook from Vintage Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler is part of the Hogarth series, which features retellings of and modern takes on Shakespeare’s works. This one is a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. Kate Battista is a socially rather awkward curmudgeon. She is basically taking full care of her ditzy sister Bunny and absent-minded father, the brilliant scientist Dr Battista. The whole family is extremely set in their ways. Enter Pyotr, Dr Battista’s Russian research assistant whose visa is expiring. If you know anything at all about the original play, the rest really won’t come as a surprise: Kate’s father is hell-bent on marrying them off to get his assistant to stay in the country. However, differently from the original, the novel focuses more on Kate’s thoughts and feelings, than the machinations and countless admirers of her little sister.

In brief, I liked it a lot. It had a strong vibe of The Rosie Project in the sense that neither protagonist can read social cues very well, or in this case, Kate just doesn’t care about them. There was a lot of awkwardness and cringe-worthy moments stemming from total incongruence with even the most basic rules of politeness in society. At first glance, this rendered Kate almost completely unlikeable. However, several more chapters in, I suddenly found myself torn between disliking and liking her; it almost creeped up on me. The reader sees how a father’s inattention made Kate the way she is, which makes her way easier to understand. The small insecurities that started peeking through made her infinitely more relatable and likeable. What is more, the impending marriage upsets the careful routine and balance that ruled her life so far, and she’s finally made to leave her comfort zone behind.

The family dynamic was presented extremely well. They all live in a sort of stasis; there are the same exact foods and routines to which everyone adheres. It made for a really strange reading experience, because at first it was hard to understand why anyone would put up with this kind of behaviour. Dr Battista’s character was the most peculiar and I didn’t really know what to think of him. He was selfish in a helpless way and almost came off as mean. Whereas Kate went through an obvious change, Dr Battista stayed largely the same – not really understanding his motives, or at least not thinking them through.

I did enjoy the writing style a lot. It was lyrical and yet so simple at the same time. The novel itself was rather slim and thus a really quick read. It probably doesn’t have the levity of Anne Tyler’s other works (not that it’s asinine or anything), but it was still a cracking read.  The humour was extremely well presented. I really enjoyed reading the novel despite the fact that I knew exactly where the narrative was going, as would anyone who knows even a bit about the original play (or has seen the countless film adaptations). Like I said above, it’s not a perfect one-to-one retelling of the original. Instead, this novel mixes aspects from different cultures with timeless notions of romance.

Plotwise, not much happened, but I was still interested in the story and found it almost impossible to put the book down. It is really such an oddball of a book. The finale was very comical and almost came off as a farce. I did like how Kate wasn’t made out to be completely subservient, so the ideas of homesickness and gender relations made this a powerful read for me. All in all, it’s a lovely romance and a comedy of manners. It brought a smile to my face, even though I’m still not completely sure what this book was trying to do. Four stars!

“It’s like men and women are in two different countries! I’m not ‘backing down’, as you call it; I’m letting him into my country. I’m giving him space in a place where we can both be ourselves.”

Wrong Place, Right Time

*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review* 

Wrong Place, Right Time by Elle Casey is the second novel in the Bourbon Street Boys trilogy (or series). I’ve had the first on my wish list for a while, and when I saw this as a possible request I had to jump on the opportunity. I got approved, and promptly bought the first book Wrong Number, Right Guy. They are companion novels so you can definitely read them as standalones, but I prefer seeing the character growth throughout the series.

This instalment of the series features Jenny, a single mother of three (pretty great) kids, and her budding friendship with one of the guys from the Bourbon Street Boys private security firm. They had instant attraction, but the actual romance was really slow-build, which felt realistic for two single parents, so I didn’t mind it at all. At first I was slightly disappointed in the less funny inner monologue of Jenny (May’s in the first book was full-on hilarious), but in hindsight I really appreciate how the author just didn’t do the same thing as in the previous one. Jenny’s less muted and PG lifestyle fit the book’s tone perfectly. She has kids, and in a lot of ways she’s more mature than May was when dealing with her work and family life. Paradoxically, she has very immature ideas and notions about some aspects of her life that didn’t ring true. Then again they were addressed later on in the book so I really love how the author handled all the “loose ends”, so to speak.

My favourite part of the novel was how strong the main character was. I know it’s a testament to what’s wrong with chick lit nowadays that I had to point this out as a special feature, but the main character was really kickass, and not in the physical sense. She handled her ex-husband’s shenanigans with poise, she raised her kids to be great and compassionate people, and she fought her own battles. Elle Casey’s heroines sure aren’t pushovers. Sure, the job offer Jenny got was very convenient (same with May in the first book), but they proved themselves to be worthy of it.

What is more, whereas the first book introduced most of the cast, this one delved a lot deeper to everyone’s backstories, and had a more serious undertone. Jenny is a responsible single parent, so it would make sense that her views on life and the ways she acts with other people are less flighty and breezy.

One of my problems with both books was that a lot of the inner monologue, and sometimes the dialogue, came off as very info-dumpy. There were instances of clear telling, not showing, which was a little grating. Another thing I found off was how the 32-year-old (!) woman was depicted as a “den mother” to all the college-aged kids in the software engineering world. In which world is it uncommon for people in their 30s to work in that field? I mean sure, she was probably seen as a mother figure in a way, but I’d say a 32-year-old person would easily be seen as equal by guys in their early 20s.  I did appreciate the company being depicted as a man’s world, however, and the references to the glass ceiling probably ring true. My last little nitpick would be that I noticed some incongruities when you read the two books in close succession. May insinuated Jenny was a party girl before her marriage, and a yoga enthusiast, but this wasn’t really evident in Wrong Place, Right Time; in fact, the opposite was implied. Maybe I missed something.

All in all, the characters were likeable, funny, and endearing, so the book was a solid 4 stars. The few issues I had didn’t take much away from the general enjoyment of the novel. I’d recommend it to romance fans and newbies alike. I can’t wait to continue on with the third book when it’s released.

Vic: Fast

*I was sent a copy of this book by the author for a free and honest review*

Vic: Fast by Jerry Gill is the fifth standalone adventure novel in a series that features a reincarnated cave woman who is searching for her lost, true love. During this search, she gets up to different hijinks and (mis)adventures but, despite the premise, this is not a romance novel. I have not read any of the previous instalments, but I consented to a possible review because the subject matter of this particular book seemed interesting: an adventure in 1920s (ish) Australia. (I have been slightly obsessed with Australia lately.) 

I rated this book three stars, as the adventure part was kind of fun but the text itself was littered with minor grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, the editing process should have been a lot more intense as many errors would have been caught by a good editor. There were also quite a few non-fiction-y and unnecessary descriptions of everyday items. Then again, I think this has a lot to do with the author’s previous job as a non-fiction writer, and I for one understand occupational hazards.

At first the writing seemed to be a tad juvenile, but it evened out a bit in the end and became less awkward. I kind of enjoyed how the novel didn’t try to take itself too seriously and just did what it said on the tin: it’s an adventure novel with cryptids and kick-ass ladies as protagonists.I loved how they were never damsels in distress, but stayed alive thanks to their own knowledge of emergency medicine and survival techniques. I really enjoyed the friendship between the two pals, which was believable and not overly emotional, and the main mystery was also interesting and kept me hooked until the end. The idea of the novel as such was rather unique.

All in all, it is not really my usual reading fare, but I would have probably loved the books when I was younger and hooked on Buffalo Bill-esque adventure stories. There was some blood and gore, but nothing that a young adult reader couldn’t handle. However, I would definitely read the novels in the order they were published as I feel like I missed some in-jokes due to not having read the earlier books. They are quick reads and not too demanding, so I would recommend the book if you want something fun to read.

“Journeys are good for life and help you better understand both yourself and the world. Journeys, though, are things that end.”

Tumbledown Manor

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

Tumbledown Manor by Helen Brown is a meaty contemporary chick lit novel. Yes, maybe I made up a genre just now. It’s not exactly what most people would call “fluff”; a term I actually object to. The main character is about a writer named Lisa, who is celebrating her 50^th birthday when she accidentally finds out her husband is cheating on her. So, considering she’s originally from Australia, Lisa decides to take off and move back there to deal with both the breakdown of her marriage and also writer’s block. The latter part – the insight into her creative process – was my favourite part of the whole novel. She is writing a trilogy of historical novels (with a heavy dose of sexy romance) about the Bronte sisters, and Tumbledown Manor was also infused with random interesting tidbits about their lives. Yes, there were hindsight diagnoses and assigning medical conditions based on descriptions of people, but still, the writing process was fun to read about.

The novel also features a fixer-upper project –obvious from the title. I like these kinds of settings: a dilapidated manor-house, somewhere in the outback, that a single lady with gumption is trying to fix up. I mean, she wasn’t that far from a big city and even had access to takeaway deliveries and hardware stores, so it wasn’t completely unmanageable.

The novel also features a careful romance, it’s subtle and slow-burning with a couple of tropey “simple misunderstandings”. Still, I could get on board with it, and I liked she took her time getting over her 20+ year marriage. Oh, and there was also a slight mystery, but it was completely in the background.

Now, there were some aspects to the novel that I didn’t fully enjoy. Firstly, it featured a couple of odd-sounding metaphors and similes. The text seemed to be completely saturated with them to the point where it was difficult to actually understand what the author was trying to say. It did get better as the novel progressed! Secondly, the main character definitely did not act her age, in the sense that she was really immature at times and even silly. She just plain wasn’t as intelligent as I would expect a grown-ass woman to be. One of my pet peeves: she used an odd abbreviated text speech with her daughter, which I find kind of unlikely for a writer. I’ve met a few, and they all manage to type out most words, and wouldn’t be caught saying “Gr8”. I know she was perhaps trying to relate to her daughter but lady, use your words.

Also, I feel like the novel was trying to handle too many “issues” at once. It just seemed A LOT for one single person. The author did say she knows women (plural!) that these things have happened to, so it felt really artificial piling them all on the shoulders of this one lady. Even though the book outlined these possible issues, they weren’t really dealt with. For instance, Lisa’s son was openly gay and she accepted it as she should, but some other characters had weird issues with Ted’s sexuality and they were never actually addressed or analysed. Sidenote: I don’t think someone being gay is an issue. However, I took issue with the way people refused to accept it. That homophobia wasn’t really addressed within the family, which I find unrealistic. What is more, Lisa’s daughter Portia had a suspected eating disorder and that again was almost ignored by most of her family. Then there was a brief mention of cancer; of course also divorce, disability, racism. It just felt a lot for one woman, unless she’s a character on Grey’s Anatomy.

Thus, I am giving this book 3,5 stars. I rounded it up to 4 on Goodreads, but I actually think I’m right smack in the middle of “I liked it” and “I really liked it”. I know, this makes no sense. Tumbledown Manor wasn’t a spectacular literary masterpiece but it was fun to read, never a trudge, and it helped in getting me out of a reading slump. Cozy, is how I would describe it: I laughed out loud, I teared up. Also, I have gotten a bit more into Australian fiction lately. The author is originally from New Zealand so maybe Australasian fiction then :). If you like contemporaries or chick lit (in the best possible sense of the word), then go for it!

"After a lifetime of enabling others, surely she'd earned the right to make her own choices, no matter how outlandish?"

Paper Girls

*I received this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

Another comic book review, this time Paper Girls by Brian K Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, and Matthew Wilson. Now, I may not have professed my undying love for Saga here yet (another creation by Brian K Vaughan), so this is that moment. The first three volumes of that series were one of the first comics I read and they are still in my top three favourites (series-wise; also includes Bitch Planet and Locke & Key). However, I couldn’t immerse myself in the story of this one as easily. And that’s saying something when a space opera-ish Romeo and Juliet story is easier to grasp than four teenage girls on their paper route. OK, just kidding, that’s not even close to all this series is about… It’s set in America in the 1980s and features four young paper girls. They are delivering newspapers after Halloween when, well, shit hits the fan. And this is where it gets confusing. There are weird ninja-types, and then suddenly an apocalyptic atmosphere over everything, and the twists keep on coming. Oh, and maybe also dinosaurs? Nothing makes sense, and a lot of it is not meant to be figured out. I just found the story extremely confusing and not exactly enjoyable. Just a sidenote: in the end there were some very, very clever allusions – to what, I won’t say, as it can be spoilery – that made me smirk. However, even after finishing, I’ve absolutely no clue where this series is going. I mean the genre aspect became a little bit clearer, but that’s about it. I know, I’m being such a tease! It might be gearing towards a battle-esque situation, or it can just go a more technical route. And yes, I am well aware none of you understand what on Earth I’m on about.

I love the fact that the main characters are women, well, young teenage girls. There seems to be a fair amount of diversity as well, in other characters. There is also some excellent linguistic humour but, once again, I’m afraid I can’t exactly specify. Of course, it ended on a cliff-hanger so be prepared for that.

The actual artwork took some time to getting used to. I prefer clear and vibrantly coloured panels so this was a bit of a strange experience. The colour scheme here is more muted, leaning towards blues and purples. I guess the cover gives that away, as well. The events do take place during dawn, so of course it’s not all sunshine and games on the page. I did enjoy the way characters were drawn, it’s just the colour scheme that slightly irked me throughout. 

All in all, this first volume was a three star read for me. It was interesting enough to finish, but nothing amazing as of yet. I feel like it was trying to be too obscure and difficult to understand. I mean, it’s important to strike that balance between figuring some things out and being confused; in this case, it was just complete bewilderment. Also, just a thought, but I think if I’d had a paper copy of this comic it would’ve been easier to read. For instance, there was one part where the panels ran vertically instead of horizontally – as in, I had to turn my head – and I’m not sure if that was a justified artistic choice. So yes, this book wasn’t exactly easy to grasp and read, but not necessarily in a bad way.

I think if you’re into the unknown, then you might want to give this novel a try. It’s definitely like nothing I’ve ever read before. I won’t be buying the issues or eagerly awaiting the sequel, but because of the respect I have for the creators, I might still pick up the next volume before I make my decision about this series. I may have kept this review just a tad vague, but I’d say that’s pretty much what you’ll get with first volume of Paper Girls. This is not necessarily a bad thing. If you love being kept on your toes and in the dark, then this comic may just be for you. If not, you might want to wait for the second volume to be published before you check the series out.

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.”

Dawn Over Dayfield

*I received this novel as a freely accessible e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Dawn Over Dayfield by Karenna Colcroft features Andy Forrest who visits the town of Dayfield to find out more about his birth father. While researching the historical records, he meets the local History Society archivist Weston Thibeault. Together they attempt to unearth secrets the town wants to keep buried. The novel is part mystery, part romance, and the latter part I really did enjoy, despite the fact it developed kind of fast. However, considering the events it is actually sort of believable. Very refreshing.

The writing style was fairly decent and for the majority of the book I was engrossed in the plotline.  Unfortunately, there was a lot of repetition about the townsfolk absolutely hating Andy’s family, which is the main premise of the novel. A contributing factor to this hatred was that the factory, which had always been extremely important to the town, had been owned and bankrupted by Andy's birth father's family. Although it is understandable that this would have a huge impact on the town, it just didn't make sense why the residents' hatred of the owners would extend to a son who was adopted and had never even visited the area before. Especially since there was a living member of the family (the protagonist’s biological grandmother), but she was left completely alone and then swiftly forgotten about in the narrative. If a person is really interested in the family history, then visiting the actual grandmother would make the most sense, no? Then again, maybe I missed an explanation about why that wasn’t done.

I also felt that the last third of the book was just too rushed and things didn’t make sense anymore. The mystery aspect was really the biggest weakness, perhaps. Everything seemed to be very predictable and obvious – and I’m not even that seasoned of a mystery reader! The big “showdown” towards the end just felt extremely random and I got the sense that all the build-up didn’t lead anywhere. Some loose ends were then suddenly mentioned and tied up in the last chapter so I was left dazed and confused as to the aim of the aforementioned climactic scene. Having read plenty of Nora Roberts, I know that suspense in romance books can be done extremely well, which is where this novel fell slightly short in my opinion.

All in all, even though I was interested in the events of the novel until the very end, I just felt that this particular mystery left a lot to be desired. I do no regret reading it, but the novel itself was average, hence the three stars. However, I would definitely be interested in trying out the author’s other gay romances.

Bitch Planet

5 stars!

Well, well, well, this is going to be my first 5-star review on this blog. I am starting off with half a disclaimer. Technically I got this comic book on Netgalley in exchange for my honest review, but I ended up actually purchasing it and reading my own copy, not the digital one.

Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue Deconnick and Valentine De Landro (co-creators) was a crazy ride. We are dropped right into the middle of an extremely patriarchal society. I mean, up to the point where a guy can send you off to another planet for being non-compliant (like, rolling your eyes at him or daring to be overweight overweight). Everything is ruled by, technically, Fathers and Mothers, but the latter are just well-groomed and compliant (and so far mostly white, it seems) versions of the former, doing all their bidding. It is disturbing to say the least and no woman is ever safe. This comic book series is not always a comfortable read, but considering the subject matter it doesn’t always have to be.

As the back cover states, this comic deals with intersectional feminism. That is to say, how women of different races, cultural and economic backgrounds are treated differently for the same supposed crimes. These issues are also really current in contemporary American culture. It’s gritty and hard-hitting, with a futuristic space setting. I gasped out loud several times and often felt terrified. It depicts the brand of patriarchal government where they are trying to persuade you that everything is for your own good, where you feel like maybe you really are the bad one for being non-compliant. No woman is allowed to stand out, be special, or have opinions. The really “bad” ones are sent to an auxiliary outpost, or in the vernacular, the aptly named Bitch Planet.

On a lighter note, I urge you to carefully read the faux-ads after each issue; they are absolutely hilarious and range from subversive Missed Connection bulletins to great products such as Agreenex (see below). The art is also great, colourful with different colour schemes (ie more muted for flashback) running throughout the trade. The panels don’t always run the way we’re used to, so sometimes I was confused as to which order to read them in: left to right on one page, and then on the other, or horizontally across the whole spread, or snaked over the pages. Still, this is a very minor quip. I have heard some people say there isn’t much action, per se. I kind of see what they mean, but there is build-up to a larger event and I really could not put the book down despite the lack of a linear progression of events. I actually liked piecing the characters and their stories together. There was a lot going on behind the scenes, and I found that very refreshing.

I heartily recommend this to anyone, whether you’re a seasoned comic book lover or a newbie. Especially if you think it is all right not to act or look a certain way. It is truly one of the best ones I’ve ever read and paints a scary picture of where inequality could lead us. Also, it is qualified as sci-fi AND satire so there is something for everyone. It is slightly over the top and there hasn’t been any real explanation on how the society actually got that horrible situation, but I think the backstory will probably be presented in future volumes. There is some graphic content, not as “bad” as in Saga, but there is a fair amount of full-frontal nudity, and violence, obviously. Also, don’t get attached to anyone, I think. Codename: Game of Thrones, for this one. I am even considering setting up a hold list just for this comic, so I can enjoy the single issues and not wait for the next trade paperback to come out. It’s not even on Goodreads yet. Sob! In three words: go read it.

“What’s wrong with you? Agreenex^TM: because he’s sick of your shit.”

Our Endless Numbered Days

4 stars

I read Our Endless Numbered Days for my real life book club. That was over a week ago and yet I still find myself struggling to form any coherent thoughts about the book. It made for a very interesting discussion, however, so if you’re looking for a good book club choice then I can recommend it.

The protagonist of the novel is Peggy Hillcoat. She is an eight-year-old girl whose survivalist father takes her to live in the woods after claiming that the whole world was destroyed and they are the only two left alive. However, since the book jumps between the past (Peggy’s childhood and consequent life in the woods) and the “present” (her recent return to civilisation), it turns out that the world did not actually end. This is definitely not a spoiler since this is revealed in the very beginning. The book has one major time jump in the middle of Peggy’s narrative in the forest, which I found a little odd, but I guess it was important to streamline her transition from an eight-year-old to a teenager. It did feel a little sudden, but maybe the shock value added to the general enjoyment of the novel.

Our Endless Numbered Days deftly deals with the relationship between parents and children, which I found to be a really fascinating aspect of the book. We learn that the father is essentially a kidnapper, and yet neither of the parental figures come off as purely good or evil. There is a lot of ambivalency and questionable parenting choices from both parents, not only the obviously mentally disturbed father.

Like I said above, I still don’t know what I actually think of this book. On the one hand, it was very creepy and disturbing, which is not something that I tend to look for in books. Then again, I was thinking of the book when I wasn’t reading it, and that is one of my favourite things. I still think of it actually. The author’s beautiful writing kind of lulled me into feeling comfortable until she revealed a new twist, and another after that, and another one. The ending was especially harrowing; it wasn’t left too open-ended, which you’ll enjoy if you’re like me and like concrete resolutions at the end of books.

Of course there are a few flaws: the writing was slightly dense at times and I did not fully understand the random time jump in the middle or all characterisation choices, but all in all, I would give the book a strong four stars. It can be a little heavy of descriptions, but they were beautifully done (if you have read or will read the book, watch out for the forest piano scene – gorgeous!), so it is not something I would actually consider a fault.

I definitely recommend this book for everyone. It is not easy to find a genre for this novel, though. It is YA, middle-grade, and literary fiction all at once. It is, of course, also a mystery, even though one of the main twists happens in the first few pages. Definitely worth a read and I will gladly pick up anything else she writes.

"In the middle, the river was a deep green, scattered with rocks poking their noses up for a breath. The water charged around them, creating eddies and whirlpools. Closer to the bank, the current dragged lengths of weed along with it so it seemed that long-haired women swam just under the surface, never coming up for air."

The Reader - book to film!

The Reader (by Bernhard Schlink) is a translated German novel about 15-year-old Michael Berg who has an affair with a much older woman, Hanna. Note, that’s the age of consent in Germany. The title of the book refers to Michael, who often read to Hanna from his assigned literature. Their tumultuous affair is rather short-term but it influences them both, in different ways, the rest of their lives. The novel itself deftly deals with guilt and blame that has affected several generations. It is a well-known book, so I’m sure it’s not spoilerific if I tell you it deals with Nazis and the Holocaust. The novel itself is often long-winded, but at the same time it’s not too emotionally charged, which really fits the subject matter. The quiet intensity got the point across more effectively, I think. This is one main difference that the film had – it was a lot more emotional, and it worked for the cinematic adaption.

The film (2008; dir by Stephen Daldry) was quite similar to the book, although the first employed the known cinematic device of Grown Protagonist Looking Back on His Life. I’m sure there’s a shorter name for it… Flashbacks, I guess. Other than this merely technical aspect of the narrative, the film was a fairly close adaption. As avid readers know, the book is usually better, but I think in this case the film held its own very well. Unfortunately, some pivotal scenes were left out and later referenced by a slightly corny – yet typical – flashback. You know the one where the Protagonist guesses The Big Secret. Or maybe I am just bitter the film dared to deviate from the source material. You will never know.

Some aspects of the film were slightly slow-moving and could have been edited out. I also watched the deleted scenes and felt most editorial decisions were justified. I’m sure the professionals of the trade are glad a novice like me approves.

As to the acting? Well, I guess the Academy Award speaks for itself. Kate Winslet was really, really good. Those court scenes gave me chills. David Kross, who played the young Michael Berg, was also good and had the moody surliness down pat. As to Ralph Fiennes? Is it inappropriate of me to say I’d love to listen to any audiobook he has narrated? Probably. He was often slightly stiff, but there was a scene in the end that made me cry, so really, what do I know?

I also really liked how the narrator’s thoughts were actually incorporated into the film by having teachers of professors say them. The legal aspect was also extremely intriguing. Do we adhere to the laws of our time or the laws of THAT time when judging crimes like this? Can we claim “there are matters one simply cannot get drawn into” despite the repercussions they would’ve had in that period? This is why I enjoyed the seminar discussions after each court session; I can’t remember them being as powerful in the novel itself. “Everyone knew.” Chills galore!

It’s good to see a film that stayed so true to the novel. I can only imagine how extremely emotional it is for people who haven’t read the book before. It is amazing that I feel for someone who did such horrible things to other people, and yet I hated the other defendants. It shone through that the author is a judge, I think. Definitely gave the book a more serious air.

My favourite parts? The court scene; another scene towards the end that would be considered spoiler-y Hanna learning to read and write, and of course all the scenes of Michael reading to her – those were very well done. All in all, I would recommend the book for people who are interested in how the atrocities committed by technically the select few will influence the whole of that generation, but also the future of the country.

“[S]o what would you have done?” Hanna meant it as a serious question.