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.

#FridayReads - Feb 26th

Coll
Well it is one week until vacation and I am trying to finish up a bunch of books before then, so I can start some new ones when vacation begins. This weekend I would like to wrap up Nowhere Girl by Susan Strecker, a book I received via NetGalley that is to be released March 1. I started it a few days ago and am waiting to get really pulled into it. I am about halfway through so hopefully that happens soon. I will also be reading Not if I See you First, the debut novel by Eric Lindstrom, which I received in my Uppercase Box a few months ago. I am really excited for this one (maybe because of the crush I have on YA) and am sure I will fly through it. Then there is Pride and Prejudice, the book Tiina and I were sooooo excited to get started on that we have made barely any progress with. Well that will change this weekend when we both make a dent in it! The last one I will mention is Anne of Green Gables. I read this ages ago and was inspired to read it again recently, so perhaps I will get started on that too. ;-) And yeah, I suppose that would be it for me this weekend.

Tiina
Right, as I am amidst the biggest reading slump of the century (at least I’m not prone to exaggerations), I am reading much the same books as during the last Friday Reads two weeks ago. My main focus at the moment is Pride and Prejudice, although it’s a reread. It is a slower read, but I really am enjoying the quiet snarkiness of Miss Austen. However, in addition to that, I did start another review book (Dawn Over Dayfield by Karenna Colcroft) so I’m reading a bit of that every day too with and aim to finish it over the weekend. The novel is a sort of a slow-build mystery and a slight romance (LGBTQ at that).  I will post the review here on Monday so keep an eye out for that! That’s the reading plan anyway. What about you, what are you reading?

The Man Who Spoke Snakish - Andrus Kivirähk (Translated by Christopher Moseley)

Review by Coll
4 1/2 Stars

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

You know you are good friends with someone when you will read a book for them. ;-) I had requested this book because I saw it was Estonian, and I thought it would be cool to read because that is where Tiina is from. So she asked me if I would be able to read it and review it today in honor of Estonia’s Independence Day, so here is my review!

The Man Who Spoke Snakish is an adult fantasy tale. I stress the “adult” part of that description because it has its moments of violence and gore, as well as coarse language. It was an adult fairy tale and I loved it so much. The book is set in medieval Estonia and takes place in both a forest and a nearby village. The main character, Leemet, lives in the forest and follows the old ways of those who can speak a language known as Snakish, which allows them to communicate with snakes and all other animals. But the world is changing, and those of the forest are leaving to settle in villages where they begin to worship God and look up to the Iron Men (knights). Leemet watches as everything around him changes and those of the forest are left to fight to preserve their way of life, and to prevent the old ways from being lost to civilization, religion, and ignorance. 

This story was highly fantastical and imaginative. You become completely immersed in a world where there are wondrous creatures and beautiful landscapes, all portrayed through rich descriptions. As you read you feel like you are part of the story and the old world, and it is such an enchanting feeling. But for all the beauty in this novel there is also much sadness and you are forced to feel the pain of the characters. This combination of beauty and pain makes for such a powerful story and saturates the reader with emotion and passion. The Man Who spoke Snakish is a stunning tale that will stick with you long after you have finished reading it.

As much of a fantasy story The Man Who Spoke Snakish is, it is also very deep and tackles some very critical subjects. The book is considered ecocriticism, where it shows and analyzes environmental issues and concerns, as well as the treatment of nature. Throughout the story we see the “progression” of people from being in tune with nature, to no longer understanding nature as they switch to a societal life. Then there are the animals, who go from living in harmony with humans to being frightened humans. Animals and people transition from understanding one another and working together to fearing and bringing harm upon one another. This draws a good parallel to the direction the world has taken where instead of humans living in unity with nature we have begun to take it for granted and abuse it. The book shows this change among species and way of life so perfectly and in a very profound manner. 

Another major component of this book is the subject of religion and falling into the beliefs of the masses, forgoing your own heart and mind to follow others. Depending on how you read this book it can be viewed as religious criticism, but I feel like it is done in an intelligent way, full of intensity, and not in a means where it bashes religion. This aspect also ties into the subject matter prevalent through the book of the dangers of over-civilization and the creation of societies that are indoctrinated to live their lives a certain way and believe only the things they are told. This is such a powerful message that really pertains to the world today and the direction that humankind is headed in.

One area where I feel like this book suffered had nothing to do with the story itself, but I think had more to do with the translation into English. I know translations are never easy and in many cases the story is affected by it, which was an occasional issue with the English version of The Man Who Spoke Snakish. I think some of the phrasing was not effectively translated and also there was an overuse of language at times which made the story seem a little wordy. The main problem this created for me was that the story felt a little dragged out at times. I do not want to fault a novel at all based on the translation, but it is hard to view it any other way when I cannot read the original text. I was torn between four and five stars, and I think if I had been able to read the original this would be a five star book for me; I kind of want to say I give it five stars for story and four stars for translation (hence the 4.5 star rating).

If I tried to express all my feelings and my full analysis of this book my review would be several pages long, so there are a lot of things I must leave out, unfortunately. What I will say though is that this may be an Estonian novel, but it is something that every culture and country could understand and learn from. The book uses a beautiful and savage fairy tale to act as a vessel for some very important issues in the world today and it definitely is a story that everyone could learn from. The Man Who Spoke Snakish is not a story that can be taken lightly; it is brutal at times, highly opinionated, and heartbreaking, yet always beautiful and imaginative.

“At that moment it seemed to me that we knew perhaps too much that others didn’t know, and on the other hand too little that was known to everyone else…”

Interested in The Man Who Spoke Snakish? Check it out on Goodreads.

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."

Reading Challenges!

Coll

I have been told that I might have picked up too many reading challenges this year, but I refuse to believe that. Of course I am doing the Read Harder 2016 Challenge. I always love the prompts for this challenge. I know Tiina will complain about the horror book but she always complains about horror. I will break her of that eventually. As far as I am concerned, I don’t think many of the prompts would be problematic for me, with the exception of a few. The collection of essays I was concerned about, but I will stick with an author I know I like and read Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. The audiobook might present a slight issue for me because I am not good with those. I blame my bad attention span when it comes to listening to people. Now as for reading a book out loud to someone, that one will be harder on my husband than me because he will be forced to listen to me read. Mwahaha. But yeah, other than that I think I will have a smooth time with Read Harder.

The second challenge I am doing is a basic A-Z challenge. Of course the hardest ones with a challenge like this are the odd letters, such as Q, X, and Z. For Q I will read Qualify by Vera Mazarian, the first book in the Atlantic Grail Series. It is YA sci-fi and I have heard good things about it so I am looking forward to it. For X I am stuck between two: X-It by Jane George, because it takes place in the year I was born (1980) during the punk era in New York City, and then XY Axis by Karen Bishop. For Z am planning on reading Zeitoun by David Eggers, which has been on my TBR for a while. That takes care of the hard letters and the rest should be okay.

Then there is the Thrift Books Challenge. This one is pretty short but Tiina added a little twist to which she’ll explain below.

My fourth challenge is a Word Hunter Challenge. It is simple enough: you find all the words in the provided word hunt puzzle (you know, the boxes full of letters where you have to find words and circle them) and read books whose titles include words found in the puzzle. Fairly straight-forward.

My fourth challenge is, well, the most challenging. ;-) The Classics Scavenger Hunt. There is a list of 50 prompts related to classics (50 years or older in this case) and you complete as many as you can. I enjoy a lot of classic sci-fi and horror so I will get to read a lot of those, but some prompts such as a book written by an author with a sibling author, a book written by an author with your same initials (another CZ, really??) and a few other will prove difficult. And what is with the challenge “A book from an author you love that you have not read yet“? How can I love an author I have never read? Yeah, I don’t know about that but okay.

And yeah, I think those are all my challenges. I feel like that should be enough for the year. ;-)

Tiina

Like Coll I am doing the Read Harder 2016 challenge. I think it’s one of the most interesting – and yet at the same time doable – challenges out there. It comes with a handy .pdf printable with boxes to tick. So great! If you want, you can also use one book for more than one challenge. I will try not to do this, though. The only thing that could be considered “cheating” is that I’ll use an audiobook for more than one challenge. Also, when you send them a picture of the completed challenge, you get 30% off your purchase from the Book Riot shop. That’s a great incentive for readers who don’t have to put up with crazy international shipping fees ;-).

Now, that is not to say the Read Harder challenge isn't completely intimidating. There are 24 prompts, which is not a lot of books considering I managed to read over 170 last year (I also count short stories and comics if they are on Goodreads). However, there are quite a few that are well out of my comfort zone. Examples? A play. I tend to only read one a year (Wilde ones). Technically, that is good enough, I guess ;-). A horror book is also going to be difficult – I can only read those during daylight hours ;-). Yes, I’m a big pansy, and no, I’ve no idea why Coll is still friends with me. I also foresee issues with the books about politics and religion. I know they can be fiction, but still, that is not my usual reading fare. I mean, that statement is fully tautological since that’s the main aim of the whole challenge. Now, where was I? So far I’ve only finished with four prompts. A collection of essays (Mindy Kaling’s Why Not Me?), a book that I read out loud to someone (The Ladybird Book of Dating – this was hilarious by the way; I read it out loud to a colleague during a quiet moment in the library) and the final one so far, a book that is set in the Middle East (The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters). I could have read an actual e.g. Egyptian author for that one, I guess, but this one was just too tempting not to use it for the challenge.

The second one I’m doing is the Thrift Books reading challenge. There are only 12 prompts, so I made it a little bit harder by allowing myself to use only books that I actually own for this challenge. It’ll be difficult, since I’m too tempted by Scribd, my Kindle, and and the library I work in… One down, eleven to go in that one!

I am sure I will partake in a few readathons during the year – we’ll probably also repeat our own TBR-athon this summer where we come up with a few challenges and read only our own books for a few weeks. Great fun! Now, this was by no means as a brief post, but I hope you enjoyed it. Are you a fan of reading challenges? Do you even see the point of them? We’d love to know what you think! Thanks for reading and I hope you appreciate that I refrained from “challenging” puns! :) 

Flight of Dreams - Ariel Lawhon

Review by Coll
5 Stars

Publication date: February 23, 2016

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

I grew up in New Jersey and I remember visiting the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, NJ, where the Hindenburg met its devastating end. I was always amazed by the footage and it was something that seemed so unreal to me. When I saw this book I knew I had to read it. A historical fiction account of the flight and demise of the Hindenburg was so intriguing and let me tell you, this book was amazing. Hell I came about two seconds from missing my subway stop on the way to work one morning because I was so consumed by this book! That right there, when you completely forget reality, is a sign that you are reading something pretty damn good.

Flight of Dreams follows the Hindenburg, from the time it takes off from Frankfurt, Germany, through its flight, and to the disaster in Lakehurst, NJ. The cause of the fire aboard the airship was never fully determined and Lawhon used research, detective work, and creative imagination to construct a suspenseful, exciting, and plausible story about what could have happened that fateful day in May 1937. The story is told through the eyes of five people who were aboard the airship: the stewardess, journalist, navigator, American, and cabin boy. There are many other characters we meet throughout the book but the story is told by that main cast of five, each chapter being from a different point of view. The story is full of mystery and you find yourself constantly trying to figure out what will happen and who will play what roll in the end.

Each character is described so well and given their own unique personality, making it seem like we know them personally. You get attached to each one and cannot help but wonder throughout the book what will become of them. What I found absolutely brilliant, and commendable, is that Lawhon used the real people that she came across in her research of the Hindenburg disaster, giving each historical figure a fictional story and bringing them back to life for the reader. She weaved facts about each person into the story, in a way paying tribute to these people with details from their lives. I have read quite a lot of historical fiction and when you read something and learn that all the people in the book really existed, it gives the story a whole new meaning. Yes it is still fiction, but it is fiction with a tremendous amount of truth and history put into it and it makes the story more believable. 

It was also obvious to me that Lawhon did some investigation into airships and the Hindenburg, and this type of detailed analysis is something I highly appreciate in books; it lends an authenticity to the story. Everything about the Hindenburg, from the exterior to the interior, was described quite vividly and I found it easy to picture everything in my head, as if I were on the ill-fated airship.

Flight of Dreams was very well written. Not only are the characters strongly developed, but the story-telling is also incredibly strong. There is no dull point, and from the beginning the reader is pulled into the mystery and it is intriguing to try and figure out who is hiding what. Each person seems to have their own secret that may or may not play into the outcome of the Hindenburg, and the book quite often has you on the edge of your seat. As I was reading and the point finally arrived where everything began to unfold, the realization of what was about to happen came to me. I thought to myself “This! This right here is it!” and from that point on it was impossible to put the book down (remember what I said earlier about almost missing my subway stop?). The plot was developed so perfectly, full of conflict and emotion, and I enjoyed every second of Flight of Dreams.

Overall I really recommend this book. Whether or not you have interest in the Hindenburg, this book has a little of everything that would keep most any reader engaged. In Flight of Dreams you find mystery, suspense, history, romance, tragedy, and happiness, sometimes all at the same time. I also recommend that you read the Author’s Note at the end of the book because it gives a lot of insight into the process of writing the book and there are many interesting things that Lawhon has to say. Sometimes tragedy can be written about beautifully, and that is something that was accomplished with Flight of Dreams. It is a book that you cannot help but fall in love with. 

Flight of Dreams will be released on Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Interested in this book? Check it out on Goodreads.

The Pool Boy's Beatitude - D.J. Swykert

Review by Coll
5 Stars

**I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

This book was not what I expected it to be, and I say that in a positive way. Jack Joseph is your atypical particle physicist turned pool boy and full-time alcoholic. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the universe and fully aware of the lack of definitive answers to any of the questions in life. This unnerves him to the point where he seeks comfort from a bottle and part-time self-medicates with prescription drugs to quit his alcohol addiction, a vicious cycle he cannot escape. He is a man who is unable to hold an honest relationship, and ultimately a person who just does not understand who he really is. Then he meets Sarah, a woman who does to him what no one else has yet been able to do, she makes him want to change into better person. Through the course of this book we follow Jack, with an insider’s view of his life. Following an ex-physicist, alcoholic, pool boy’s life might not sound very intriguing but trust me it is, and you have no idea what’s in store when you tag along with Jack Joseph.

The Pool Boy’s Beatitude is a very intelligent book, from the language to the subject matter to the science, psychology, and philosophy behind it. D.J. Swykert did an amazing job of weaving all these complex ideas together in a creative and entertaining manner. On a base level the book deals with what happens when you give up hope, but on a more complex level it tackles basic human needs, weaknesses, vices and love. Jack knows so much but what he doesn’t know are concrete, scientific answers to the universe and life, and he has a hard time dealing with this. He turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism and seems to sabotage himself over and over again as he struggles to come to terms with himself and reality. There is also a continuous, internal struggle of who is to blame for his actions.  We see in him the alcoholic’s tendency to blame others and the world around them for their mistakes and actions, but we also see him blame himself and take responsibility for who he is and where his life has gone. Throughout the book, the reader is witness to a man fighting with the good and evil inside himself.

From the beginning, I found The Pool Boy’s Beatitude to be reminiscent of Douglas Adams in terms of the style, humor, and intelligence behind it. It also reminded me of philosopher and author Albert Camus, who dealt quite often with coming to terms with the uncertainty and futility of life and how to deal with living. Where the first half of the book deals with Jack’s downfall at the hands of his questions, vices, and self-sabotage, the second half tackles his struggle to better himself, understand what things he can, and try to rebuild his life. 

This book shows us is that not even the smartest people out there, the ones who understand the universe and space and physics, can fully understand themselves and life. It also shows us that it is okay not to understand everything, as long as we can understand what makes us happy. In Pool Boy’s Beatitude, Swykert focuses on human nature and our struggle and desire to understand ourselves and everything around us. It is a very smart book and a very human book. I really enjoyed reading it, partly due to my love of the universe and philosophy, but also because it is a well-written and engaging book. It may not be for everyone but if you want a book that touches on deeply philosophical issues, and challenges human behavior and our understanding of the world we think we know, then this book would definitely be for you. D.J. Swykert tells a story we can understand and created a character we can relate to. Jack is not a hero, in the heroic sense, and he is not perfect. He is human. He is a person doing the same thing everyone else in the world is doing, trying to be happy. 

“I awake believing coincidence solves most problems, answers most questions. Most of science believes we are a cosmological accident and everything was created from an explosion of a primeval atom, a Big Bang, not a lick of which they can prove. This is what we do know: beyond any reasonable doubt our universe began, we are here. Prior to us being here there was nothing; during and after the beginning there was something. This is the state of cosmology, what we believe we know about creation. No wonder billions of us choose to pray.”

Interested in this book? Check it out on Goodreads.

Romance

Recs by Tiina

Do you like romance novels? If not, then the first half of this post probably isn’t for you (in that case, scroll down right now for Coll's part). I, on the other hand, am a huge romance fan. I do read other books, but romances tend to be my guilty pleasures (if I believed in such things – never be guilty about what you read!) or tools to get me out of a slump. I started reading romance (Sandra Brown's and Nora Roberts' novels) when I was around 13 and have not been able to stop since.

Now, there are several subgenres to romance. Historical, paranormal, you name it. I believe there is something for everyone. There are books that focus heavily on the romance plot, and there are books where that part is kept in the sidelines. However, the following recommendations tend to be in the first category.

So, what’s your poison? Do you like more chick lit-y and rather chaste romance? Then I’d recommend an under-hyped Monday to Friday Man by Alice Peterson. Or then Dinner at Rose’s by Danielle Hawkins. Of course, there are oodles of books in this subgenre so it’s been very difficult to narrow them down to a few. Then there is The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. This is definitely not chick lit, per se, but it’s sweet and unique. Another one of my favourites is Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda. It focuses on a group of unlikely friends and I think it’s great. And you get extra points for reading translated literature!

At the opposite end of the romance spectrum is erotica, or then just new adult or romance with a fair amount of sexytimes. This is not for the underage or the faint-hearted. My favourite new adult author (meaning the protagonists are in their 20s and the plot itself deals with some heavier issues) is Samantha Young. I can heartily recommend her On Dublin Street series. It is also set in Edinburgh, so please read at your own risk. It may induce swooning. The audiobooks are great for this series. Just don’t listen to them out loud in a public space as someone will most likely walk in at the exact moment they mention quivering… Anyway.  Less well-known is perhaps Jay Crownover. Her heroes and heroines aren’t always that, but they are tattooed, pierced and hot. That is not to say all characters have to look perfect. One of my favourites, where the main female protagonist was not stick thin, was RL Mathewson’s Perfection. The series can be slightly formulaic, but they are really fast reads! On the more erotic side of things I guess Laurelin Paige’s Fixed trilogy is also good. Only if you like high levels of angst, though! Still, depends on which aspect you read it for. To be blunt, the sex is pretty hot in that trilogy. Too much information? Fine. I aim to please. No pun intended.

Now if you want romance with more mainstream representation of sex (as realistic as they can be in romances) then I’d recommend Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor novels or then Susan Mallory’s Fool’s Gold ones. By mainstream I mean the characters refrain from having sex every five minutes against every imaginable surface. Again, these tend to follow the same patterns, but the dialogue is usually funny and there is always a Happily Ever After.

Are you tired of contemporaries? Well, there’s historical romance from different eras. For medieval romances I’d check out Jude Deveraux’s books. Velvet Song is one of my favourites. There are also Western romances! For that I can recommend Elizabeth Lowell. Yes, the men can be too untrusting, slightly mean and annoyingly alpha, but the ends are happy, which is the way I like it. Topaz is also pretty wonderful (great heroine!) and I look forward to reading more of Beverly Jenkins. If you like Regency Era-ish historical romance then Sarah MacLean is highly lauded. I also recommend Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series for a paranormal twist. The romance is not exactly in the foreground, but it is heavily discussed. Still, it’s funny, but be wary of bumpy carriage sex. You’ll know what I mean when you read the book. 

If you prefer more YA or tame novels then I can heartily recommend Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl or Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda (it’s LGBTQ+ and one of the sweetest books I have ever read). Easy by Tamara Webber also contains college-aged students like Fangirl, but it deals with some very heavy and yet important topics (rape on campus). An important read if you’re looking for a fictional representation of the subject.

And this is it. I know the post was full of recommendations with very little explanation of the plot. You can always ask me about it later! I’d say with romance one should always expect alpha males and some formulaic-ness, but I am not exactly trying to convert anyone to reading romance. My main aim really was to talk about my personal favourites and hope to inspire some of you to give these novels a shot. Life doesn’t always have to be sad and depressing. Sometimes you just want to see that awesome and funny lady (or man) find a partner in life. Even though you will forever be expecting to find your very own hot yet sensitive sexy sheriff/barkeeper/local business owner when you move to a small coastal town. 

Thank you for tuning in and happy reading!

Coll’s Two Cents

I am by no means a romance reader nor do I know much about it. But as the saying goes “there is something for everybody” and I feel that is also the case for those of us who gravitate away from romance. I will keep my part short and simple and just give some recommendations for those of us who are not avid romance readers. These books I am mentioning all involve a romantic aspect but it is further down on the subgenre list.

Time and Again by Jack Finney is one of my most loved books. Like, a book I hug when I finish it. Okay maybe part of my love for it is because it is historical fiction involving New York City, but there are plenty more reasons than that. It is a great mix of science fiction, time travel, historical fiction, and romance. It is not “sexytimes” romance, as Tiina would say, but the entire story involves a love story that is very sweet and brings up the question of how far you would go to be with the person you love.

Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin is a book I try to read every winter. This book seems to be hit or miss with readers and I think what you need to know going into it is that it is highly fantastical. The majority of the story revolves around a beautiful love story between two main characters, as well as a love story between the author and the city. One thing you need to know going into this story though it is quite lengthy with its use of language and takes magical realism to an extreme. Helprin has a certain style of writing that you either love or hate.

And then of course, there is the classic Gone with the Wind. Not only is this one of my favorite movies but it is also one of my favorite books and involves one of the most well-known romances in fiction. It packs in so much history, war, family, and all revolves around such an intense romance. It is constant drama in the best way. I am sure most people have seen the movie but if you have not read the book and are looking for some classic romance that is not overwhelming, then Gone with the Wind is it. 

So there you have it, three books you can check out if you are not a huge romance fan but would not mind a story with a hint of it. All three of the books I mention belong to so many genres that there is something for everyone in each book. 

First & Then - Emma Mills

Review by Coll
4 Stars

Okay I am just going to come right out and say it, I really liked this book. The entire time I was reading it I could not understand the affection I was feeling towards it. I am Colleen, Queen of All Things Horror, sci-fi extraordinaire and fantasy fanatic. So how could I be so into a YA, contemporary “romance” book?  But I was. (I put romance in quotes because I didn’t look at the book as straight-up romance.)

First & Then follows high school student, Devon Tennyson, through the first few months of her senior year. Devon is not the popular girl nor is she the outcast, she is a normal girl stuck in the middle trying to navigate family, friendships, the prospect of college, and growing up. The story is a modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice but with high school students. Oh and football. It is described as Pride & Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights and I found that to be pretty damn accurate. Devon also has a slight obsession with Jane Austen and often contemplates how she would have handled modern high school life, which was cute for the most part but I will say it got slightly overbearing at times. 

First & Then is very relatable. As I was reading it I would have flashbacks to my high school years and how so many of the things Devon was going through were things I experienced. Only with the exception that she was way cooler than me. That is actually one part of the book I had a few issues with. Well, not that she was cooler than me (I accept that), but that this regular girl was able to get along with every person she went to school with, whether they were the football captain, the hot guy, the cool girl, etc. Most people who were unpopular in high school would have to admit that this is slightly unrealistic. Or, maybe I was just way more unpopular than I thought. Who knows? What I loved about First & Then was how, in the end, the message was to take the time to see people as they really are and not listen to the things we are told about them or hear about them. 

One thing about the book that some people might take issue with is a lot of moments brought up do not get clarification or closure. For example, a character who has a complicated, underlying story to their life is not focused on and is only seen once or twice and we never find out more about them. Things like that pop up a lot in the book. If you think about it though, this is the story of a few months of a high school girl’s life and people had momentary impacts on her but their time is fleeting. And in reality that is kind of how it goes sometimes, especially in high school. So it did not concern me much but I could see how it might be bothersome.

When I finished the book I was stuck between giving it 3 ½ or 4 stars, but I decided to go with 4 after some mental debate with myself. I guess what it all came down to is I really had a good time reading First & Then. It is not ground-breaking literature but it is very readable and very relatable. It is a cute modern rendition of Pride and Prejudice, a quick read and has its “awe” moments and instances of emotion and frustration. And in the end what did I learn from all this? I can be a tattooed chick that is super into horror and sci-fi and still get sucked in by a YA contemporary “romance book”. And you know what? I am okay with that.

"Close your eyes, real tight, and then count to three hundred. That's all you have to do. You just count to three hundred, and when you open your eyes, five minutes will have passed. And even if it hurts or things are shitty or you don't know what to do, you just made it through five whole minutes. And when it feels like you can't go on, you just close your eyes and do it again. That's all you need. Just five minutes at a time."

Interested in First & Then? Check it out on Goodreads.

#FridayReads - Feb 5th

Tiina

As a very curious/nosy person (glad I’m not a cat) I like to know what other people are reading. Tit for tat like they say, so here’s what I’m planning on reading today and this weekend. I’ve never been monogamous with my books so I tend to have more than one on the go. At the moment I am focusing on Claire Fuller’s Our Endless Numbered Days for my library book club next week. It’s very disturbing already, but I’m not sure why! Also, watch this space for a future review! ;-) In addition to that I am reading Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things which is just very, very weird. It’s fiction disguised as found-footage. So far I think I like it a lot. Although I’m not a fan of people who say it when they’re on page 19 but there ya go. To keep my book hoarding in check, I’m also reading Willpower. I hope it helps because at this rate I will be able to open a lending library by summer. As to future plans? I’m really, really craving Pride and Prejudice! I think Coll agreed to make it a buddy read so I’m just the luckiest girl on Earth right now. There’s a hashtag there somewhere.

Coll

I feel like I am always over-ambitious with the books I plan to read over the weekend. I have all these grand plans and then I get sucked into video games and a lot of my plans go out the window. I always make sure to save my early mornings and late nights for reading though! I got an advanced copy of Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon, which I am reading and plan on reviewing in the coming weeks. It is historical fiction that tackles the mystery of the Hindenburg disaster. So far I am really enjoying it; it is exciting and I don’t know who to trust. I am also reading Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry. This is the book I pulled out of my TBR Jar for the month of February. Think detective story meets terrorism meets zombies. Seriously, a detective story about terrorists that employ a disease that creates zombies. Not kidding. It is different, definitely not what I expected, but I am really enjoying it. Since Tiina is reading a book on Willpower I am supposed to read something similar, and I am leaning towards a Buddhism book called Everyday Dharma. This is my third attempt at reading it; I just keep losing motivation. Perhaps what I need is to read a book on motivation. And yeah, there is that whole Pride and Prejudice buddy read I agreed to do with Tiina. I am mainly doing it so we can read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies right after. ;-)

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.

Future Winds - Kevin Laymon

Review by Coll

4 Stars

**I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**

Science Fiction has always been one of my true loves. Now mix in some horror, a genre that I hold so much affection for, well then you can pull me into a story instantly. That is what Future Winds did for me. Humans find Earth to be no longer habitable and are forced to search the galaxy for a potential new home that can sustain life. Enter planet Flare, a planet with many key similarities to Earth, but also with many dangers such as high temperatures and brutal fire storms. What is important though is that Flare can sustain life, and with the technological advances humankind has made the planet can be shaped to fit the needs of humans. What cannot be shaped and changed is that danger that already lurks deep down in the planet, a danger that humankind if about to meet face to face.

It is a common theme among sci-fi novels to have a story of humankind needing to colonize a new planet, but this book threw in so many twists and changes to that theme that the story told was unique. Whatever you go into this books expecting, I can promise you that it will not be what you get. I found myself constantly shocked and surprised by plot twists and the direction the story took, which made this book incredibly hard to put down. Future Winds is brutal, violent, smart, and exciting. It does not sugar coat the idea of relocating humankind to a new planet. Instead it introduces so much danger, so many mistakes, and shows the violence that can come about when a species decides to take over a planet with wanton disregard for its nature and the current inhabitants.

Future Winds involves many different characters and throughout the course of the chapter it will switch from the point of view of one character to another. I was impressed with how seamlessly Laymon did this and never once was I confused or thrown off by a character switch. This writing style introduced so many different views and it made it hard to see any main character as solely a good guy or a bad guy. The book gives not only narration and dialogue from a character but it also their thoughts, which are written in the book in italic text. This delivers an intimate glimpse into the minds of the characters and what they are thinking that they dare not say out loud. 

The one thing I found myself wishing for in the book was a little more character development. I wanted to learn more about the cast of characters and what made them who they are. I love when I am able to have a deep connection with one or more individuals in a story and this was something that I felt was missing at times. There were also moments when I sensed a slight disconnect between the characters and their emotions, but in the long run that did not impact the story negatively for me. I looked at it as though the characters in the book had a job to do and were so focused on sustaining their world and their lives that there was not always time for sorrow or sentiment. 

A characteristic we always expect from science fiction writing is an underlying lesson, and this is a point that Laymon definitely delivers on with Future Winds. It tackles political corruption, nepotism, division of classes, military atrocities, and the self-importance humankind tends to have towards itself. To me the book warned of the blight that we could face if we continue to make “progress” through war and if we do not learn to treat all beings and lifeforms with respect. Overall I really enjoyed this book. It shocked me, made me laugh, made me cringe, and forced me to think about the world around me and our possible future. If you are a science fiction fan, a horror fan, or someone who is looking for something different and shocking then definitely check out Future Winds.

“Nature cared not for imaginary borders. These were but lines drawn in the sand by man.”

Interested in more about this book, check Future Winds out on Goodreads.

Welcome to Double Letters Book Club!

Allow us to introduce ourselves! We are Colleen and Tiina, two avid readers who tend to be quite passionate, fanatical, and downright obsessive when it comes to books. We decided to start this blog with one main goal in mind, to share our love of books and introduce readers to some books they may not have thought of reading before, or books that they maybe did not even know existed, and to possibly introduce readers to some obscure authors.

Books are amazing, and as any reader knows there is no such thing as too many books to read. We hope that our reviews will be helpful in generating interest in some of the books we feature and expanding your TBR lists. We are new to this so please bear with us in the beginning stages of this blog. We hope you enjoy our reviews and our various posts and we encourage you to comment on anything you would like.

What this blog and our intentions amount to is sharing our love of books and spreading that love around to our fellow book addicts. So welcome to Double Letters Book Club!