Review: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M.Valente

Series: Fairyland #1
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: All Ages
Paperback: 247 pgs
Audiobook: 7hrs 13mins
Source: Scribd Audiobook
Published - May 2012

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Rating: 5/5

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

What I really want to do is put this book in your hands and send you off to read it. I know I will not be able to capture what I love about this book as beautifully as Valente put it all together in the story. So I just want you to read it and see for yourself how lovely it is.
 
Though I had read this book before, I couldn't remember much of the actual plot. I reread this via audiobook and that turned out to be a fantastic decision. While reading really descriptive or flowery writing, I often skim and don't pick up all the details. With the audiobook I was forced to pick up on more details and really appreciate Valente's writing. 

The storytelling is brilliant and lovely. Even though the story seems to be aimed at children, I think adults can also pull a lot from this story and enjoy it just as much. Every sentence feels carefully constructed and intentional. The wording and phrasing is just so well put together. I, of course, enjoyed and delighted in it.

The characters are complex and intelligent. September makes friends with marvelous different Fairyland residents. The villains are sneaky and easy to empathize with. Much of this story feels like a cross between Narnia and The Wizard of Oz. It was wonderful to enjoy again and find I loved it even more than before.

My Last Review: Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

November Reading Plans & TBR

Once again I'm hoping to participate in some readathons this month and I've come up with some ambitious reading plans for the month. If I can stick to half this TBR I'll be very happy!

T5W - Characters I Want to Cosplay #AllHallowWeek

Cosplay is a really cool expression of fandom. I dream of doing it for real, but today I'm sharing my dream with you. If I could cosplay any five characters, I would choose these. Enjoy!

Review - Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews #AllHallowsWeek

 

Series: Hidden Legacy #1
Genre: Paranormal
Age Group: Adult
Mass Market PB -400 pgs
Source: Scribd Audiobook
Published - October 2014

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Rating: 3/5

Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

When I say mixed bad, I mean it for this book. There were things I really enjoyed like our narrator Nevada. She is a strong female character who has really interesting magic. The Houston in this world has a fascinating political dynamic and the origins of magic are interesting too. 

However, I had quite a few issues with this book as well. The pacing is a little slow and the story takes a while to get started. I think this was accentuated because I was listening to the audiobook. The villain is a little flat too. He wasn't very complex and I wanted more explanation about why he was doing what he was doing. 

Most of my issues were with the male lead of this book. First of all, there was a consent problem. "Mad" Rogan continues to pressure Nevada for a romantic/sexual relationship with Nevada after she rebuffs him. He is aggressive and ignores her boundaries which was very frustrating. My other issues were more about how Rogan was written instead of him. His interest in Nevada seems to develop overnight. He is nice to her and he works with her, but things go from vague to intense very quickly. It was such a quick pivot that I didn't buy into it. 

I also didn't believe his anti-hero personality. Even though Curran (the romantic lead in Kate Daniels) is an asshole, I believed he wore a mask in public from the very beginning. I didn't believe this with Rogan. He was too much of an asshole too often. Overall, he was very frustrating. I expected to like him and I did not connect with him. He had some redeeming qualities, but the constant asshole behavior overshadowed everything.

Since the entire trilogy is already published, I am interested in Nevada and the world enough to keep reading.

My Last Review: Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

Top Seven Spooky Books I Forget to Recommend (but are amazing)

As always at this time of year, I'm recommending spooky books and spooky media, but I know there are books I overlook because I'm recommending the ones that come to me immediately. Today for Top Ten Tuesday I wanted to talk about a few I forget to mention most of the time either because I talk about the same author or I read it a while back.

The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss - Though I posted a review for this book over the weekend, I've forgotten to recommend it to many people over the course of October. It is creepy and has just the right vibe for the fall season

Mercy Thompson: Hopcross Jilly by by Patricia Briggs,  Rik Hoskin (Artist), Tom Garcia (Artist) - The art style in this graphic novel isn't my favorite. The story, however, is scary! It freaked me out. You could read this without the context of the Mercy Thompson series but it would help. 

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks - I often forget about this cute little story. It isn't exactly creepy, but it has a few elements of the supernatural involved. Super cute art too.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - I talk about The Raven Cycle all the time, but I forget to mention this lovely little creepy story too. Not creepy, it just has unsettling elements. I love this book and am hoping to start a reread on Thursday on the first!

 

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout - This book gets dismissed a lot because it is a paranormal romance story, but it holds a special place in my heart. I love Katy and Deamon. Their banter is hilarious and the two of them make a great team. 

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake - Everyone knows the Three Dark Crowns series by now, but this was my first venture into Blake's stories. Just like a few others on this list it is creepy and unsettling and contains the perfect blend of paranormal elements. 

The Magpie Lord by KJ Charles - This adult M/M romance is extra creepy. The magic system is sinister and the bad guys are willing to do some gruesome stuff. I often forget how creepy this is because I think of it as romance.

Review: Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews #AllHallowsWeek

Series: The Iron Covenant #1

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age Group: Adult 
Hardcover - 406 pgs
Source: Borrowed then Purchased

Published - June 2018
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Rating: 4/5 

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast. 

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify. 

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies? 

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.” Hugh and Elara may do both. 

Upon starting this book I wasn't convinced I could be won over to like Hugh let alone root for him. He is vile in the Kate Daniels Series and, even though he was a great foil for Kate, wanted him out of the books for good. Once again though, the Andrews have done what I thought was impossible. They won me over with Hugh story and his actions in this book. He does real penance for his actions and Andrews' came up with a very interesting twist to show he isn't the same person he was while working for Roland. It was clever.

Hugh still isn't an angel. He and Elera both have their issues, but their relationship is very interesting and they play on the same level. They are both powerful and are leaders in their own right. They bicker and remind each other of their faults OFTEN. Personally while I enjoyed the sexual tension, it still felt a little over the top. I would have preferred more plot tension rather than so much sexual tension especially since the sexual tension was resolved so quickly.

Even so, the world building and back stories of both characters are well done.  I really enjoyed the twists and turns we went on throughout the book. I really enjoyed all the references to the Kate Daniels Series. I'm really glad I read this before the final book in that series. It gave me a few hints as to what was coming in that final book.

My Last Review: Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

Reading Vlog: Costume Party & Maggie Stiefvater Signing #allhallowsweek

Last week on Monday I randomly decided to start a reading vlog since I was reading a bunch of different things. I knew I wouldn't finish them all by the end of the month so I wanted to capture some of my feelings about them in the moment. So often by the time I do a wrap up at the end of the month, I've forgotten some of my immediate feelings about the books I read. Anyway I also had an exciting week since I was planning to go to a costume party and go to a local book event. One of my favorite authors, Maggie Stiefvater, was coming to my area for Celebrate the Book which is a local library event. I was so excited, but I forgot to film a lot of the event because there was so much happening. In the end it was a fun and productive reading week!

Review: Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs #AllHallowsWeek

Series: Mercy Thompson #5

Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Age Group: Adult
Hardcover - 342pgs
Source: Purchased (used)
Published - March 2010
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Rating: 3.5/5

TW: Mentions of past rape, mentions of child abuse, mentions of torture, attempted suicide, discussion of suicide. 

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, never knows what the day - or night - may bring in a world where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist). But she is about to learn that while some secrets are dangerous whose who seek them are just plain deadly...

Mercy is smart enough to realize that when it comes to the magical fae, the less you know, the better. But you can't always get what you want. When she attempts to return a powerful fae she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.


It seems the book contains secrets - and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit.

Another Mercy Thompson book, another time Mercy gets herself in a heap of trouble. Even though I know this book in the series was important, I've forgotten most of the details. What I do remember is appreciating Mercy's strength as a character. Already in this series she's been through a lot and even though the trauma is over, it is never forgotten. Briggs continues to show how Mercy's assault impacts her life and relationships.  She helps people constantly throughout the series and this is one more time it gets her in over her head.

In this volume there is even more world building and details about the mysterious fae. We learn even more about Mercy's werewolf family and Mercy herself. Adam is, as always, supportive and protective of Mercy which I continue to appreciate. I missed Stephan in this installment though. Even so, there's nothing to quibble about in this book and I remember enjoying it. This book just didn't stick with me as much as some of the others have.

My Last Review: The Strange Case of the Alchemist Daughter

Review - The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss #AllHallowsWeek

Series: Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club #1

Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Age Group: YA/Adult 

Hardcover - 402

Source: Purchased

Published - June 2017 

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Rating: 4/5

Mary Jekyll, alone and penniless following her parents’ death, is curious about the secrets of her father’s mysterious past. One clue in particular hints that Edward Hyde, her father’s former friend and a murderer, may be nearby, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture…a reward that would solve all of her immediate financial woes.

But her hunt leads her to Hyde’s daughter, Diana, a feral child left to be raised by nuns. With the assistance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Mary continues her search for the elusive Hyde, and soon befriends more women, all of whom have been created through terrifying experimentation: Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherin Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein.

When their investigations lead them to the discovery of a secret society of immoral and power-crazed scientists, the horrors of their past return. Now it is up to the monsters to finally triumph over the monstrous.

Though I have a few quibbles with this book, overall I really enjoyed it and will definitely be reading book two. These ladies find one another and protect themselves while the world tries to tear them apart. They are all different and have their own strengths. I really enjoyed how they fell in together and became a found family. Their arguments are in the vein of sibling disagreements rather than "cat fights." The dynamic between all of them is quite refreshing. There are girls using reasoning and science to solve crimes with other girls so of course I loved this! 

Onto my issues: 

First of all the pacing in this book doesn't fit. The last third of the book felt like a drawn out conclusion. The story was disjointed and several elements could've been reorganized to help alleviate this problem. For example, one of the girls' origin stories happened after what I considered the climax of the novel. This didn't fit after the events and would've created more suspense before the scene with the most drama. Th

I think there were a few word choices that, while they fit with the time period, could have been left out in modern times. There is a specific passage where Cat refers to America and Australia having "savages" that didn't add anything to the story. 

My last complaint was the choice to use the asides between our main characters in the text. The extra dialogue between characters was amusing and gave us a glimpse into what might be coming in more books so I did like the idea. However, in practice these extra conversations stripped all the tension out of the story! The girls are talking about this adventure in the past tense. They've all survived! It took some of the wind out of my sails when 
I realized this. 

My Last Review ⇒ The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

Finally Fall Book Tag (2018) #AllHallowsWeek

Two tags in one week! I wasn't planning on posting these back to back, but sometimes things happen and the video you planned doesn't turn out well. This tag is a really fun one. I love making this tag and the Fall Time Cozy Time Tag each year. The two of them have fun questions!

Review - The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Series: Standalone

Genre: Paranormal

Age Group: Young Adult

Hardcover - 308 pgs

Source: Purchased 

Published - March 2018

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Rating: 3/5

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters. 

What do you do when a book set in June has the perfect vibe for October? You recommend it to people in October of course! The Wicked Deep is a wicked mix of rainy coastal towns and 200 year old curses. It is a fun read to help with the witchy feel of this time of year.

The best part of this book for me was the atmosphere. Ernshaw did an incredible job of putting me in the town of Sparrow and on the island with Penny. I could see this book playing out as a movie in my mind. I read it on the beach in mid-July with sun shining down on me, but in my mind I was on the west coast shivering in the damp rain. The first half of the book was perfect in its set up and feel for me. I was sold when I heard this described as a mix of Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus. The first half of the book was that for me. I did question if magic was real like in Practical Magic and the three sisters that return to haunt the town felt a lot like Hocus Pocus.

Though the scenery was great, the plot was lacking. Especially in the second half of the book, a lot of the reveals were predictable. There wasn't much tension and the romance didn't compel me to keep reading even though it was a big part of the story. For a book that I had such high hopes for the execution really disappointed me. (Obviously I don't want to spoil the end, but if you've read this I'd love to discuss the end with you.) To me all the elements were there, but they didn't meld together well.

Throughout the book there were flashbacks to the three sisters who's deaths caused the curse. I really enjoyed these chapters and I wanted to read more from them. In the end their story was the really compelling one and I would have been interested to see a whole book about their lives. 

Overall several parts of this book were really good while others were just ok. I had a really hard time deciding on a rating for this since I wanted to love it so much. In the end I think coming down right in the middle at three starts is the way to go.