The Arrivants: A New World Trilogy by Edward Kamau Brathwaite

The Arrivants: A New World Trilogy by Edward Kamau Brathwaite
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A good collection of poems that address the topics of slavery and black Atlantic literature. As with all collections, some poems will speak more to the reader than others.
The poems range from almost story-like in narration to very metaphorical and lyrical.
As part of my Black Atlantic Literature class, this collection is a nice supplement to the autobiographical texts I had to read up to this point.

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One Potion In The Grave by Heather Blake

One Potion in the Grave by Heather Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Better than the first installment in this new series by Heather Blake, One Potion in the Grave had me hooked from the very first chapter.
The author is starting to feel at ease with the new series and the new group of characters and this shows in the easily flowing writing style.
The characters were funny, eccentric, entertaining and multidimensional and a joy to follow along in this story.
As with all of the author's mystery stories, I was unable to really figure out who the culprit was. The author keeps the story intriguing and fun.
This installment is a definite must-read for anyone, who adores Heather Blake's cozy mystery books. It will not disappoint.

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The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I am not quite sure how an author could turn an interesting idea and premise for a story into such rubbish. For the majority of the book I was under the impression that my inability to connect with the story was due to the fact that I was only ever able to read at best one chapter at a time. However, once I hit the 70% mark in the story, I knew that the problem was not with me, but rather with the author's writing, the characters and the non-existing plot. I was so mad that I spent two weeks working myself through the book that I vowed to never speak of this book again...after this very restrained review.
To begin with, I should start by explaining that the synopsis at the back of the book provides the potential reader with more intrigue than will ever actually be present within these pages, making this story extremely boring. The author's writing in general shows the lack of confidence and ease, which is required when attempting to write in the English style that was customary during the 1700's. It feels chopped and unnatural and the flow of the conversation/narration is constantly undermined by the very obvious attempts to be as original as possible in syntax and word choice. Furthermore, the reader does understand that the story is set in Scotland, therefore it is not appreciated when characters continue to speak in a dialect that is neither explained nor understood. The author needs to keep in mind that not all, who read her story will have a fundamental knowledge of the various Scottish dialects and in a story that switches back and forth in dialects this can cause a break in the flow of the narration (mostly because no one knows what is actually going on).
The characters, in particular the two protagonists of the present and the past, are flat, uninteresting and naive. I had great hopes for a representation of a female character that was successful and still had a good grasp on reality; however, I was greatly disappointed and annoyed by the "better-than-thou" attitude she exudes. The female character of the past was just unbearably dense. If one had pushed her off a cliff, I would not have been sad. She barely aided in moving the plot forward and could not have been more mismatched for the original premise of this story.
The plot, or lack thereof, was just plain atrocious. Every other chapter the reader would be subjected to a history lesson that was supposed to inform of the political happenings of 1708. Unfortunately, this was done through misguided dialogue that felt out of place, usually spanned an entire page, lacked clarity and at times came across as just plain silly.
Overall, I have to say it was a waste of time and effort to work myself through this collection of failed attempts at romance, fiction and history. I cannot and will not ever recommend this to anyone.

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Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life by Byron Katie

Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life by Byron Katie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I started reading this book I had a very strange sense of deja vu until I remembered that the first chapter had been assigned as required reading in a previous course. I was glad that I had the opportunity to read the entire book, since the first chapter did hold some interesting points.
In this book the author introduces her concept The Work, which provides a person the ability to see reality for what it is, reduce cognitive confusion and make peace with the uncontrollable aspects in life. The author simplifies that which most of us spend too much time worrying about and provides the reader (beginning practitioner of this concept) with the permission to judge (ourselves and other people) in the comfort of the page in order to uncover stressful elements in one's life.
Generally speaking, this book can be a good resource for finding peace within through the act of writing (non-creative/non fiction writing) and reducing stress. It is a book that needs to be treated like a manual, read and re-read as one familiarizes themselves with the steps and procedure of The Work.
Personally, chapters 7 and 9 contained the most value for me, someone who has been studying the field of (creative) writing for personal development, although up until chapter 7 the explanations and elaboration can seem a bit long winded and drawn out.
A word of caution: this concept is meant to aid in the acceptance of reality; however, I found the steps listed in the book may sometimes sound like an easy way into oblivion. Therefore, this concept is a process that needs time and practice.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone, who shows interest in the field of writing for personal development.

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Narrative Medicine: Honoring The Stories Of Illness by Rita Charon

Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness by Rita Charon
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I really did not want to review this book, because every time I think about it I get too worked up and frustrated to form any coherent sentences that do not resemble a very long rant. But alas, let me start by asking a very sarcastic question: Who knew that physicians would actually be better in treating their patients, if they only listened?
Well, the author uses that as her main argument for her book Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness, although not much "honoring" is actually present in this collection of personal experiences the author, a physician herself, shares with the reader. In chapter 1, the reader receives enough information about the author in order to paint a very clear picture of this physician, whose priorities with regards to her patients is skewed. Furthermore, she continues with the assumption that all physicians are, like her, more interested in meetings, conferences and only treating the ailing body without any consideration of the mental health of a patient. Until, of course, she stumbles upon the grande discovery that mind and body are actually connected, at which point she begins teaching all of her medical students the importance of patient narration and the inclusion of medical reports that are less clinical and more personal in nature.
The premise of the book seems promising and interesting, unfortunately, the author wastes too much time on the argument of a point, which should be quite obvious to most working in the health care profession. What really appalled me while reading this book is the way the author treated her own patients before she began actually listening to her patients (and in that sense treating them like human beings).
The writing, contrary to her teachings, is clinical, filled with quotes and references of literature and literary theory, giving the impression the author is hiding behind quality writing and theory, instead of making her own argument and experiential research speak for itself.
Having a few years of experience working in the health care profession myself, listening to the patient was the first lesson I was taught during my first internship. It makes me wonder what sort of physician the author actually is, considering it is the patient's health she is dealing with.
There is better research on this topic than this book and better experiential and applicable methods. Despite what others have written about this book, sadly I have to give it a pass.

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Writing and Healing contributor Charles H. Anderson

Writing And Healing: Toward An Informed Practice by Charles H. Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am always hesitant in reading collections of essays that are supposed to provide greater insight into a specific topic to actually accomplish their purpose. However, I was glad to realize that this collection actually, for the most part, contains essays that include the theoretical frameworks for writing for personal development and healing, practical advice and application options within the classroom and community settings, as well as provides guidelines to begin writing for one's own personal writing practice.
I will gladly return to most of these essays for future references not only in my academic endeavors, but also for personal purposes.

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Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall by Susan Ee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While browsing through the bookstore throughout the summer I kept finding this book and kept being drawn to it, but I was reluctant to give it a try due to some disappointments in the young adult fantasy genre I have already experienced. However, I was asked to read it and give my honest opinion. With raised eyebrow and slight hesitation I began and was amazed. I almost forget what good young adult fantasy books are until this story. It was great a story with a unique voice and individuality in a genre that is filled with identical characters and plot lines.
It is so refreshing meeting a main character and heroine of a fantasy/adventure story that is down to earth, realistic, witty, not afraid to fight and get muddy and still show the humanity within her that allows the reader to sympathize and identify with her. The secondary characters are well fleshed out, with distinctive personalities that are atypical for this genre, which adds to the unique nature of this story. There exists chemistry between the main character and the antagonist, yet it is presented tastefully and without any cliches or sappy love story on the side.
The plot moves along at a constant pace that is neither too slow nor too fast. The author did a remarkable job in taking her time explaining and describing each stage of the main character's journey without lingering too much and making it painfully slow. It shows great talent and skill on the author's part to create a pace that is realistic and includes enough detail to keep the story interesting without sounding long winded.
The writing is excellent. The wit, the teenage view of the world mixed with the post-apocalyptic despair and the budding humour of a female character that is slowly reaching womanhood is a delight to read.
I was only able to read one chapter at a time for the first week of reading this book, which drove me almost mad, since this story gripped me from the very first sentence, which throws the reader immediately into the action. I clutched my reader in great anticipation to finish this book, physically and emotionally exhausted.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone, who appreciates a good story, great writing, fantasy, adventure and something other than teenage angst stuck between the pages.

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The Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Written by Himself by Olaudah Equiano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Truth be told, I was confused by this book, this "autobiography". The title says The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano and it certainly was interesting. However, I kept asking myself why reading this autobiography felt more like reading Gulliver's Travels than a former slave's account of his life.
It was very abridged, leaving out the horrors and tragedy that a slave may have witnessed by the hands of their owner. I sincerely do not want to sound bloodthirsty or in need of sensational stories, but the nature of the author's abridged narration left much to the imagination with respect to the brutality this person must have witnessed and endured. At the end, all the reader is left with is a succession of travel logs, mostly describing naval procedures and including naval language that leaves the modern reader at a loss from time to time.
As a whole this book was still quite educational, since it provided the narration from the point of view of the sufferer and one, who actually lived during the 1700's.
Once in a while throughout the narration and especially towards the end the reader can feel the anguish and long-lasting effects slavery has had on the author/protagonist.
Overall, I still found it an interesting and engaging read. It is a worthwhile reader to anyone involved in the study of black Atlantic literature.

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Round The Moon by Jules Verne

Round the Moon by Jules Verne
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was very disappointed by this sequel to From the Earth to the Moon. It seemed to me that the author followed an advice to change the narration style from narrator-focused to dialogue-driven, which diminishes the fantastic element that made the first part so interesting and adventurous.
Having said that, as a result of focusing more on the dialogue between the three characters present and the nature of the story and narration as a whole, these three men felt absurd in their behaviour and speech. The progress of the journey and the "science" behind such a journey to outer space cannot be easily described purely through dialogue alone, therefore the majority of the story felt more like a badly scripted after-school special.
Reading this story, which was so dragged out and uninteresting, made me look forward to the end of each chapter so that I could take a break from continuously rolling my eyes.
I was hoping for a story of great adventure, narration and science fiction, unfortunately I was left with nothing more than 148 pages of boredom. There were of few glimpses within the narration that resembled the narration in From the Earth to the Moon, which I so enjoyed and actually inclined me to give its sequel two stars instead of just one. Sadly it wasn't enough for me to reach for another Jules Verne book for a while.

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From The Earth To The Moon by Jules Verne

From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic, fictitious, scientific and educational. I was surprised by the narrative style the author chose to adopt for a story of such a genre, but it certainly added to its appeal.
Based on the synopsis I expected a bit more of an adventure story and less of a scientific endeavour explaining the foundation of how to travel into outer space. However, considering my scientific background and interest in astronomy, I was greatly intrigued by the mystery and fascination of the moon the author infused into this narration.
The writing is simple, yet detailed. The author explains scientific processes and phenomena clearly without sounding condescending.
Since it focuses mostly on the mechanics of planning a journey into space, the story is more focused on the narration and less so on the development of the various characters, although each character introduced has a very clear and distinct role and personality that matches the story as a whole precisely.
Generally speaking, the entire story, which only spans 136 pages, feels like a prologue to the actual adventure of the sequel "Round the Moon" and makes it impossible to read this story without its continuation.
I certainly recommend it to anyone, who enjoys science fiction, its humble beginnings in the 1800's, fantastic plots and out of this world adventures.


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The Muses Among Us by Kim Stafford

The Muses Among Us: Eloquent Listening and Other Pleasures of the Writer's Craft by Kim Stafford
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was unimpressed with this collection of anecdotes? Short stories? Inspirational, personal experiences?
I really could not take the author seriously after he wrote that he "gleans" inspiration from other people's conversations that he feels are creative and good enough to write down. Furthermore, I found that this collection lacked direction and purpose and didn't feel authentic. Every chapter I read I asked myself, if this was actually based on his own experiences or if it sprung from another person's moment of creativity that he happened to eavesdrop on.
Having said that, the chapters titled "Quilting Your Solitude" and "Happy Problems" did contain a few very good pieces of advice and tips to improve one's creative writing.
I had to read this one for a course I am taking, therefore, I will most likely refer back to it throughout the duration of this term for discussion purposes, but I would not necessarily recommend it.

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Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Bird Box by Josh Malerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To say that this story was haunting me for the duration it took me to finish would be an understatement. It stalked me. It gave me nightmares. It gave me this uncomfortable feeling, making me almost drop the book every time an unexpected noise startled me. I asked the sales associate at the bookstore for a creepy, eerie book and I certainly got what I asked for with this story.
The characters are well thought out with a certain degree of distance that keeps the reader interested and adds to the eeriness of the atmosphere.
The plot and structure of the narration was impeccably executed with the constant interchange between the past and the present.
The writing is crisp and clear, descriptive, yet not overly done so. It flows nicely and adds to the quick pace of the plot development.
In all, I spoke to about three or four sales associates at the bookstore before finally purchasing this book. The overall consensus was that of a spellbound nature. They seemed captured and entangled in the story and even though this is not usually my genre of first choice, it had me just as engulfed in it.
I recommend it to anyone, who likes psychological horror or wants to try a new genre.

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The Goodbye Witch by Heather Blake

The Goodbye Witch by Heather Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series and it is refreshing to find an author that is capable of maintaining the same level of quality writing throughout each installment.
In addition to the consistency of the writing and dedication to the story and characters as a whole, the author takes her time in developing the characters truthfully and evenly without the loss of plots and mystery.
In this story the characters (main and secondary) are the focus, although the mystery portion is still enjoyable.
The writing is still witty and includes laughs and even some sad parts.
The books in this series quickly became my go-to choice and I can hardly wait for the fifth book.
I certainly recommend this book and the series overall for anyone, who is in the mood for coziness, mystery and characters that the readers can actually enjoy reading.

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A Fatal Likeness by Lynn Shepherd

A Fatal Likeness by Lynn Shepherd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an intense story. I finished it two days ago and I still cannot find the words to write a review that is void of any spoilers and unintentional hints to the plot.
The characters are richly portrayed with the sort of depth that has the reader wonder at their intentions and waver between trust and mistrust. The main character or recurring character of Charles Maddox takes an unusual back seat in this investigation as we find out more about his uncle.
The plot is an elaborate and drama induced mess that resembles the lives of bored and overly wealthy people to a fault.
The writing still contains elements of Charles Dickens as was evident in the previous installment of the Charles Maddox series, but it wasn't until last night that I realized the intricate and intelligent inclusion of Mary Shelley's writing style from "Frankenstein" throughout the story. The author did a fantastic job in describing the characters in such a multidimensional way that I was constantly wavering between hating them and feeling something that could resemble sympathy.
The author changes the overall feel and atmosphere as well as the premise of the investigation in each book and in this installment of the series she focuses the reader's primary attention on the case rather than character development.
As mentioned above, this story is a glorious mess of emotional and psychological tension that has the characters involved and the reader spinning in confusion, trying to figure out how a group of people could get so tangled up with each other.
Not so much a murder mystery, yet still mysteriously intriguing, I recommend this book to anyone, who enjoys Victorian influenced writing.

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A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Well, that was crap.
I lost my review just as I was about to click "save" and since I don't believe that this story is worth spending any more time on it than absolutely necessary, I will only provide a short commentary.
The characters are flat, uninteresting and possess a sense of entitlement that had me rolling my eyes constantly by chapter 17.
The plot was great until I actually started reading the story and it became obvious very fast that this resembles more a 600-page long foreplay description than an actual story about paranormal entities and a mysterious manuscript.
The writing began to repeat itself by chapter 10 as the author was unable to move past describing gray eyes and gray sweaters. In general, the execution of the entire idea resembled a badly written daily soap opera that was more painful to witness than a train wreck in slow motion.
I am greatly disappointed by the author's lack of creativity and would not recommend this book to anyone. I will continue my search in finding good quality paranormal mystery stories, since this is definitely not it.

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Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo

Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unsure what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised how this short text piqued my interest. Considering the book is only 134 pages long and the story itself is divided into three shorter stories that evolve around the protagonist (and sometimes feel quite unrelated from each other), it was able to achieve depth of the character and a clear picture of the protagonist's experiences.
Having said that, at times I felt a bit left out, since various key pieces of information were not given and there were jumps in times and settings, which caused some confusion.
Overall, I appreciated the creation of a strong female character and insight into her perspective of European life.

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The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved the plot, the adventure, the fantasy and the execution of the story as a whole, but I have never had so much trouble finishing a story before this one. It took me 2 months to make it through this book and actually had to take an extended break from reading it, because my heart just wasn't into it.
Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic story. It was very well structured and contained a great deal of detail that aided in the reader's attempt to picture this world in their mind's eye.
Unfortunately, as I just mentioned, the narration was so long winded that I could not get myself to read more than a chapter at a time. In particular, I found the writing style very cumbersome. On one hand, the author attempted to infuse an aspect of "cuteness" by adapting the prose to children's reading level, but he then included very long run-on sentences that contained highly metaphorical descriptions. This made the reading experience quite a draining one at times.
Overall, I cannot and will not argue against a classic. It is an adventure that the reader lives through, instead of just reads about and the world the author created is without a doubt one to stay with the reader long after the story is finished.

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The History Of Mary Prince by Mary Prince

The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave Narrative by Mary Prince
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was heart wrenching to read about this poor woman and her life as a slave. Many times I had to remind myself that this was an account of actual occurrences and not fiction.
It is beyond my comprehension how people can treat others in such a cruel and gruesome way.
The narration of Mary's experiences was very well done. It conveyed the anguish she had to endure without an unnecessary element of melodrama.
This short text is a great resource to further understand the truth and ugliness that came with the West Indian slave trade.

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Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates

Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was hoping to have found another cute and worthwhile mystery series that included witches with the Magical Bakery Mystery series. Unfortunately, I will not continue this series, since it could not keep my interest.
It was a slow moving story that contained a lot of unnecessary details, which oddly enough were not explained properly so that the actual purpose of those descriptions seemed out of place, awkward and confusing.
I felt that the main character was only the vessel or object of moving the plot along. The author did not exert any effort to flesh her out and add some depth to her personality. I was unsure, if she was meant to represent a naive young woman or one, who possesses a sharp sense of humour. The secondary characters, one in particular, came across as unstable and inconsistent. At times I felt very uncomfortable reading of her actions and behaviour (it did not include anything inappropriate, it just felt odd and peculiar). Every other character felt perfectly created and one dimensional only to serve the purpose to move the plot along, without providing any believable interaction between characters.
The dialogue felt forced and unnatural and the overall narration came across as constrained, stumbling and stiff.
The murder mystery portion of this story made barely any sense and the "investigation" kept getting sidetracked by one or the other male character that seemed to be more important than figuring out "whodunnit".
I could continue picking out every point that led this story to fall short of its promise as a cozy witch mystery; however, I have to admit that after having read the Wishcraft series, my expectations may have been unreasonably high.
I think overall this is a very quick, easy beach read that can certainly make the reader forget their surroundings.

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Gone Girl by Gilliam Flynn

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

How does one review a book that they hated the first 95%? A psychological thriller that contains many twists and turns, Gone Girl is a strange compilation of he-said, she-said narrations that have the reader shake their head in confusion about who to ultimately believe.
As I said, I did not like the story for the most part, partially because of the choices the author made in developing the characters. For one, the reader is led down a path of disliking the first "main" character, then enlightened about the other "main" character, who we are supposed to dislike? Pity? Feel rage towards? The idea of playing with the story in order to show the depth and even disturbance of the human psyche was a great plus in this story, but it left nothing for the reader to anchor their belief and trust, someone they can join on this journey through the story and invest emotionally in the unfolding of the plot.
The plot itself is just a huge tangle of twists and "surprises". It becomes difficult to follow the narration and at certain points throughout these twists just seem over done and desperate to collect more exasperated gasps from the reader.
All in all, I should point out to a potential reader to abandon their expectation to find a compact, concise story. Once this is accomplished, the presentation of a person's psychological depth and capabilities provide the intrigue to keep a reader enthralled.
Personally, the first 30% of the book felt mediocre, but I was willing to continue. At about 50% the pace picked up and I was convinced this book would have a thrilling and intense conclusion, but by 60% I couldn't care less about the story anymore and was only reading on in order to see how the author chose to end this tangled mess. Only at 95% was I of the opinion that this was actually a decent story, if only I had suspended my hope for an ordinary novel.
It was different, it was bizarre and absolutely not what I expected, but it somehow worked. I would recommend this book to anyone, who is in search of something out of the ordinary.

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The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper

The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

What a disappointment! I was intrigued to read a paranormal mystery that includes Milton's Paradise Lost, but I would have never expected such a bad outcome.
I will keep this review short, because I really do not feel like wasting any more time on this than absolutely necessary.
The main character was flat, one dimensional. He did not possess any depth or could hold the reader's interest regardless of the fact that this story was narrated from his point of view in the first person singular. It is difficult to create a character that is supposed to appear distant from his life and surroundings without establishing such distance between the character and the reader. The secondary characters seemed stereotypical and were only included for the purpose of representing one character trait for each of them. They did not aid in establishing greater interest in the plot, the main character or the book in general.
The narration was poorly done. Pages and pages were used for non-sense descriptions about obvious and predictable "plot twists". Any attempt to add an element of eeriness fell short and got lost in the overly detailed and quite boring descriptions done by the narrator. Interactions between characters and even actions described felt awkward and not well thought out in the hopes of bringing forth a sense of mystique.
A quick note about the inclusion of Milton's Paradise Lost: quoting what seems like random passages and words that are somehow supposed to add up at the end of the story only causes the reader confusion. For those readers, who have not read Milton, it would have seem far fetched and unnecessary. And those, who have read Milton, feel cheated by its cheap use in the story.
Overall, I felt the story was a poor attempt at combining the idea of the Exorcist and including a lesson on 17th century English literature. I do not recommend this book and actually feel quite robbed of the time I spent reading it.

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The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The more I think about this book, the less confident I am of my rating and its impending review. It is a unique story that explains one person's (the author's) idea of heaven through the narration of an old man's ascent to heaven. But is this story really worth 4 stars?
Considering the length or rather "shortness" of this story, the author was able to create characters that were interesting. The main character was well described and contained some depth as the narrator provided insight into his psychological well being instead of only focusing on his physical actions. The secondary characters, with their limited appearances within the story, were strong enough to leave lasting impressions and aided in moving the plot along.
The plot was a simple, yet intriguing one and was kept alive superbly through the narrative style chosen by the author. The narration was that of a conversational style and kept the topic light, even though discussing points such as death and illness are never taken lightly.
The descriptions of the settings were beautiful and accomplished without over-embellishing for the sake of rambling on.
I assume my lack of enthusiasm/confidence for this story stems from the fact that as an explanation or even just a glimpse into someone's idea about heaven it was not fully fleshed out. As the reader, I felt something was missing.
Overall, it was a good and easy read and I would recommend it.

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The Good, The Bad And The Witchy by Heather Blake

The Good the Bad and the Witchy by Heather Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely adored this story. In addition to the humour the reader got to know (and hopefully appreciate) in the previous two installments, the reader is now in for a treat as an element of spookiness is added to the wonderful medley of genres that makes this series so endearing.
To begin with, the reader will find this story to be much more character focused as we can trace the development of the protagonist and the immediate secondary characters, and it also provides greater depths into the characters that are only specific to the story/plot of this particular installment. The reader also sees the fleshing out of the antagonist that provides greater depth to the overarching plot that spans the entire series, which was placed at just the right moment in the development of the story overall.
The plot of this book is enticing, the murder is more elaborate and, as I mentioned above, another element of story telling was added, the addition of an eerie undertone, which worked well for the season the author has chosen this story to be set in.
The murder was well thought out and the author took great care to lead the reader astray without confusing one, making it impossible to guess the culprit until they were actually revealed.
Overall, it was a great story, maybe even a bit better than the first two installments, and definitely a great continuation in the series. I would without hesitation recommend this book to anyone, who enjoyed the first two books as well as anyone else, who loves a good murder mystery with a hint of magic.

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A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake

A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Books in a series are always challenging to review for me, because I feel I should rate and review them independently and outside the context of the series. I was profusely torn between a 4- and 5-star rating, since I fell under the curse of raised expectations. However, other than the misfortune of following such a great first book, I could see no reason for not giving it 5 stars.
The author's talent and skill of including minute details in the intricate art of storytelling made reading this story a pleasure. From the subtleties of character development to the inclusion of small hints to who the murderer might be, the details accentuated the plot beautifully without giving away anything important that could spoil the ending.
The narration maintained its humour and quirkiness as the author kept the jokes fresh and unique.
As for the murder mystery part, I had a hunch about who the murderer might be very early on, but I was entertained and intrigued until the last page.
The structure of the book in this series does begin to feel a little formulaic, although the reader might be able to detect that this formula will not work for the overall future plot developments that the author prepared in this book.
Overall, it was cute and funny with a side of “whodunnit” and is a perfect quick read on the beach or couch for anyone, who is in the mood for a quirky murder mystery with a small town feeling.

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The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Short, simple and powerful. The reader is plunged into a sea of obvious and yet often forgotten life lessons and situations that almost feel like one has to unfocus the mind in order to get the true message of the story.
What intrigued me the most was the absence of the main character's name throughout the entire story, which worked beautifully with the main premise behind its message. However, the character did not seem any less tangible or multidimensional, since the reader obtained the point of view of this character and thus his thoughts and opinions.
The language and writing was, as mentioned above, simple and at times I could detect that it was translated from a different language, but it suited the style of the narration and the overall ambience of the story. Throughout the book the author chose to use a number of certain key phrases repeatedly and even though I am not a fan of much repetition within a text, these became part of the larger premise and slowly faded into the development of the plot.
The plot was also simple and straight forward. I felt that the author's intentions was not so much the creation of a fantastic plot, but more the journey that encompassed this plot.
The setting described was beautiful. The description contain enough detail to paint a picture in the mind's eye without providing too much information.
The story did include a few important passages/story referrals to various religions; however they did not over take the overall premise of it.
Overall, it is a powerful story that would have any reader ponder life and one's existence. I would recommend it to anyone, who is in the mood for a quick read with intellectual incitement.

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Harlem Duet by Djanet Sears

Harlem Duet by Djanet Sears
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A short play that looks at race, sex and the dissolution of a relationship. I enjoyed the element of "history repeating itself" as the playwright chose to show the same relationship during three different time periods. I was longing for more, though. The reader is provided with glimpses of the three time periods, where the present time receives greater attention than the other two past time periods. I hoped for a greater fleshing out of the characters in those lesser mentioned time periods.
Other than that, the characters and dialogue were strong and the plot was easy to follow.
Overall, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading plays.

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A Potion To Die For by Heather Blake

A Potion to Die For by Heather Blake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I could tell from the way the author chose to introduce characters and advance the plot that this book is clearly meant to belong to and be read as part of the new and probably longer lasting Magic Potion Mystery series.
I was a bit at odds with the first half of the story, since it plunged the reader right into the middle of the action, but on the other hand took about 170 pages to pick up the pace.
There was quite a group of characters introduced at the beginning of the story and one could feel the author's merciful accomplishment and talent in keeping them from causing much confusion to the reader. Having said that, it was difficult at times to find the actual main thread of the story and I found the overall atmosphere of the town/setting a bit lacking.
The main character was also kept at bay for the first half of the story, making me wonder if I would know enough by the end of the book to form an opinion about her. Many side stories and small tangents were introduced that I think will work quite nicely in keeping this series going for at least another two or three books, but I felt my patience tested as I struggled to form a clear picture of the main character.
The writing style was easy and flowed nicely. The dialogue and narration contained a few typical southern phrases and a bit of a dialect that added to the charm of the books setting of a small town in Alabama.
I was intrigued and impressed by the set up of the murder mystery element of the story. It was so interwoven and intertwined, yet simple enough to detect the obvious connections when thinking about them retrospectively. It kept me guessing and forming my own theories until the culprit was named. Considering the compilation of other genres within this story, this part did not suffer and I am thankful for it.
The magic in this series by the author was kept to a minimum, although one can tell that the foundation for further storylines already exists.
Overall, I found this story to be cute and by the end it certainly had me interested enough to continue with this series. I recommend it for anyone looking for a light summer read.

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The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think my rating will contradict my review a bit.
I liked the idea of the unlikely pilgrimage; however, I found that the author focused too much on tangents that took considerable attention away from the actual plot. The author attempted to create distance between the main character and his life/surroundings, unfortunately she also achieved distance between the reader and the story by always keeping it at arm's length.
I can't really comment much on the story and characters without unintentionally giving away much of the book as a whole.
I see the potential in the story and also the reality of life reflected in it, which is a refreshing take on a fictional story.
A quick note on the structure and writing style of the story, I have to admit I grew very annoyed each time I picked up the book again, since it took me about 20 pages every time to get used to the author's writing style again. The sentence structure was awkward at times and there existed no easy flow within the sentences and throughout some of the paragraphs. In addition, flashbacks were included in the narration, unfortunately there was no extra spacing or italicizing of the text describing the flashbacks to provide an aid in distinguishing those from current events. These would have been very helpful, since the author did jump in the narration quite a bit.
On a personal level, I am sad to admit that I could not connect with any of the characters or the story in general. This does not mean that it isn't worth a read, since it does represent the reality of hardship and grief.

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What Is An Author by Michel Foucault

What is an Author? by Michel Foucault
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was surprised how easily I was able to work myself through this one, relatively speaking. I have read other articles by Foucault that had me question my abilities in the English language. This one I could actually follow and will be able to use in an argument without having to research the meaning of it. I was intrigued by his argument, although I hoped he could have been a bit more specific with respect to some topics he addressed.
Overall, it wasn't bad and certainly worth a read for any English major.

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Structure, Sign and Play by Jacques Derrida

Structure, Sign, and Play by Jacques Derrida
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I never thought I would say this, but I wished this article could have been longer. I was very interested in Derrida's ideas and I felt the references to Levi-Strauss overtook his arguments. I know that was part of the point, I just really got enthralled by Derrida's viewpoints.
It's a very good article, although a bit of a challenge to get started; like relaxing one's brain while at the same time focusing on what is before one's eyes. I will definitely reference him in my upcoming term paper.

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It Takes A Witch by Heather Blake

It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought this book was absolutely super cute. The idea of combining the fantasy genre of magic and witches with the murder mystery genre is brilliant. Neither of the two very different genres ever overtook the story, nor was the magic kitschy.
The setting of the village was adorable; a feel good little place the reader can easily escape to.
The characters are believable and possess depth, although they are designed to be a bit stereotypical.
I have to include a sentence or two about the author's writing style, since I was quite impressed by the choices she made. Firstly, the author begins the story right in the middle of a hilarious scene that is meant to, and certainly does, grab the reader's attention and interest immediately. Secondly, since the entire story is written in the first-person point of view of the main character, the reader has the insight into her thoughts and feelings, which are expressed with wit and plenty of humour. During conversations the main character shares what she is actually thinking without saying. These little insights contain plenty of comedic relief that is unpredictable and contains individuality.
This book is a great quick read. It is cute, funny, a little bit sad, and contains a murderous twist whose perpetrator I could not guess.

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Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh, the tragedy. I am not referring to the plot of the book/series, but the unfortunate turn this series has taken with the third and final installment of The Infernal Devices.
I am sitting here at my computer, fighting the urge to go into depth and detail about all that turned this series from a promising fantasy trilogy into a heaping mess of teenage angst and "wannabe" emotions. Although, a few quick remarks on plot, characters and general execution by the author will follow.
Plot: being the last book in this series I expected more focus on the actual "action" part of the story. The villain had not made an appearance since the first book and I was under the impression that it was about time to give this conflict between good and evil its due attention. Unfortunately, I was wrong to hope. As quickly as the final battle arrived it was over, leaving me still in anticipation and unwilling to accept that it was over. After that, as before and during 99% of the second book, all attention was directed towards the Will-Tessa-Jem triangle, which felt squeezed of its potential long ago.
Characters: I bought the bond between Will and Jem and their genuine brotherly affection for each other. I felt Jem's character to be a bit flat, but even that I could still endure. Will just became a mess, a lovesick puppy, whose witty remarks were desperately missed. Tessa absolutely infuriated me. Who was she? What was her actual purpose? What character and personality traits did she possess that made two boys go completely gaga over her, while at the same time not one other character in the series seem to like her. Her character changed between being bold and speaking out of line to acting like a damsel in distress, who could barely hold a sword and managed to get kidnapped while still being held captive. She was inconsistent and not worthy of the title "heroine" of this story.
Overall, I have to say that the author seemed exhausted and tired of the story halfway through the third book. She mixed up names, her sentence structure became very awkward and the description of settings and characters were constantly repeated. I felt she lost sight of the actual purpose of the story after the first book.
I began to feel angry while reading Clockwork Princess, but was too stubborn to quit.
If I may speak frankly, I would recommend the first book, Clockwork Angel and then read the Wikipedia summary of the other two.

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Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What in the world did I just read?
The second installment of the Infernal Devices series seemed to have been just a filler or a bridge between the first and third. At least that is my utmost hope, since I cannot come up with a better reason as to why Clockwork Prince received better ratings than Clockwork Angel.
To point out a few instances that annoyed the heck out of me without "giving" away much of the mostly lacking plot, I will start with the character of Tessa. I found her still very underdeveloped, although now she is adopting an air of "better than thou", while most of the time being quite useless in moving the plot along. She does not have much depth and I just cannot muster up any sort of empathy or sympathy for her. Every other character is causally mentioned with regards to developing their personality, but fails to provide a greater union for the sake of the story.
The main plot is barely existing in this installment as the book primarily deals with a mixture of teenage angst, blossoming interests in the other gender and various other topics that would make for a great teenage soap opera.
None of the action, adventure and mystery of the first book was present in this one, only a 500-page dialogue that was mostly not even that important. There was one battle scene in the entire story (not that I am a bloodthirsty reader), which was disappointing when comparing it to the first book.
Even though I am disappointed by this installment, something kept me interested. Maybe it is still the hope of an epic finale in the third book and that a reader just has to endure the sometimes tedious bridges needed to connect all the missing links.
I will definitely read the third and final book of this series, but with some hesitation and suspicion.

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Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Actually, I am still on the fence about the rating: 4 stars, 4 1/2 stars, I really can't decide at this point.
Clockwork Angel was really good. It combined my love of Victorian London, its grime, its darkness and mysteriousness as well as Victorian literature with fantasy. Something I find difficult to come by and the author accomplished the merge of both splendidly.
This book falls under the category of young adult fiction/fantasy, therefore it is not too heavy. The author creates a world that intertwines that of the humans, yet keeps it oddly and distinctly separate from those that are ordinary.
There are few very minor points that were not really annoying, but rather noticeable. For one, the character of Tessa seemed at times a bit inconsistent, moreover I had the impression a few times throughout the book that she wasn't necessarily the protagonist at all. I am sure that since this was only the first installment of a three-book series her character will grow and become more complete. Secondly, the descriptions of characters and settings began to repeat towards the end of the book. Obviously, part of this is due to the fact that those two were barely changing, but the words used were the same ones over and over again. On the other hand, the author very uniquely described the inner struggle of the characters in a way I have never come across before.
Considering that a new world had to be constructed, the pace was good, not too slow or too fast. At the end questions were left unanswered in order for the reader to be frantically reaching for the next installment. Less than halfway through this book I was certain I will be finishing the series.

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The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this book. Moreover, I really wanted to enjoy reading this book. Unfortunately, I felt let down.
I found the narration confusing and jumping too quickly from one scene to the next.
The main character, who also acted as narrator was boring, since he lacked the foils of secondary characters to make his social awkwardness funny. The secondary characters were too far removed from the recount of his experiences and seemed flat.
As the story progressed, the main character's actions and the events described became more and more puzzling.
I did not laugh or even smile once while reading this story, but it did rekindle my interest in watching the show The Big Bang Theory.
Perhaps I expected too much. It was a light read and I would suggest it, if one was in a light chick-lit type mood.

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Critical Terms for Literary Study (Ed.) Frank Lentricchia, Thomas McLaughlin

Critical Terms for Literary Study by Frank Lentricchia
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Terrible. In my opinion it had no educational value at all.
The editor claims in his introduction that the purpose of this collection of essays is to offer the reader an application oriented approach to learning the value and use of literary critical terms. Unfortunately, most essays in this collection wander so far off the actual topic of discussion that neither application nor even a simple definition of the term is ever given. In one instance, the author of an essay succeeded in giving away the ending to five works of fiction that I had not yet read. After that I was reluctant to suffer through any more "essays", yet they were part of my reading list.
I am just glad that I did not have to pay for this book as the cost was already included in tuition, otherwise it would have been the second book in my long list of read textbooks to ever fly straight across the room.

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The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Incredibly creepy and disturbing. Those are the first two words that pop into my mind when asked to describe this book.
The Giver is a very short and quick read that took me three chapters to warm up to. I was convinced that it was just going to be a mediocre combination of Brave New World and The Hunger Games, but at the end I was racing through the pages to find out what would happen next, to learn more about this strange and controlled world and to get to know the main character better.
Considering that this book was only less than 200 pages long, I found the author did a very good job in creating characters that held the reader's attention and that were explained and even developed with few words and without any useless details.
I assume that since it is the first part in an installment of multiple parts is why it ends so abruptly and without a clear conclusion.
I liked it well enough to consider reading the next part and I would also recommend it to anyone, who wants to try the unfamiliar genre of fantasy without having to commit to an epic narration.

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A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have always appreciated the classic works that are set during the Regency period (i.e. Jane Austen) and have therefore sort of stayed away from "fan fiction" style romance novels that attempt to recreate life during that period with the addition of addressing topics that used to be taboo. I was afraid that these types of stories would be very cliched and more erotica than romance, specially after I saw what other books Goodreads recommended for me based on this book.
But I was completely wrong about this story. Yes, it did address topics that were seen too vulgar to put into words 200 years ago and could have seemed out of place with the time period this story was set in, but it worked quite well. For most of the novel I was giggling or smiling at the author's talent to infuse the stuffy rules of conduct expected back then with humour and hilarity that makes one realized how absurd these societal rules actually were.
The romance was tastefully written and the chemistry between the romantic leads was a blend of genuine attraction, passion and comedy. The characters were well developed and the plot did not get tangled up in some useless tangent that took away the focus from the main point of the story. It contained a lot of humour and wit, some drama (but not melodrama), some cheese expectant of chick lit and a little bit of steam that did not make me feel uncomfortable reading it.
This book was a nice light read that I looked forward to reading whenever I had a bit of spare time.

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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished this book yesterday, but was too much in a daze to form one coherent sentence until now.
From the very first page I was mesmerized, spellbound and led into a different world. The narration was so personal, it felt like the main character was speaking to you and only you; like this story was written only for the reader currently holding the book. The descriptions of the settings contained enough detail to provide a clear picture and invite the reader into the world of the story without being overwhelming.
The characters were richly created and showed depth, but the author took her time to let them fully develop in front of the reader, which added to the mystery of the story.
I will avoid writing anything about the plot of fear that I give away some small hint that could ruin the mystery that makes this story so powerful. All I can say is that this story is filled with mystery, elements of classic Victorian goth and shows the depth of human grief and tragedy.
I am rarely so immersed in a story that I cannot think straight when I am not reading it. Once I was so cold my fingers and toes were turning blue and I still was not able to put the book down for a mere two minutes to grab a blanket.
I certainly recommend this book, but don't expect to accomplish much else.

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Writing Jane Austen by Elizabeth Aston

Writing Jane Austen by Elizabeth Aston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was quite on the fence about this book. I liked the main plot. It was cute, it was different and very easy to read. However, the main character was not very likable. At the beginning all I could think of was "how can a PhD recipient be so dumb?", but then I realized that she was mostly shy and insecure. Throughout the story I found a few contradictions in her character that caused confusion and didn't mesh with the overall main plot. These contradictions were also present in the subplots and supporting characters that broke the flow of the story.
The story also contained a great many red herrings and suggestions for further plot development that were never mentioned again further along in the story nor explained.
The book also ends very abruptly. I never have been of such an opinion before, but I actually thought the story needed to be longer in order to achieve the full impact of the narrative.
Another first is my mentioning of style and editing mistakes. As I said before, this is a very cute story, but I found myself at least every few chapters treading along the narrative and realizing that the last two paragraphs made absolutely no sense. The same can be said for spelling mistakes. The editing was kept to a minimum, which decreased my enjoyment of reading the story.
I have to say, though, overall, I don't want to give it any less than three stars. Yes, the story still had unrealized potential that an experienced author should have utilized. But then again, I appreciated the simplicity of the story, the ease of writing and the relatively light subject matter addressed.

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The Shining by Stephen King

The Shining by Stephen King
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The back book cover of the edition that I bought includes a quote by The New York Times that says: "Scary...serves up horrors at a brisk, unflagging pace"... While I was reading the book I was wondering if they were reading the same story I was.
I was asked to read this book in an exchange for an honest review and I will try my best to remain as unbiased as possible.
Considering this story was written in the 1970's and I have been exposed to many horror-type stories (in movies and books) without making the acquaintance of King's storytelling first, most of the "shocking" scenes and "horrors" seemed predictable and lacking the final punch that gets your spine actually tingling. Furthermore, it felt like the author was so caught up in the process of dragging out the anticipation of something shocking and disturbing to happen by including countless, minute details that eventually defused the tension and left the reader struggling to recollect what the chapter or scene was initially supposed to be about. In addition to the abundance of details, the reader had to deal with the repetitive disclosure of facts that was given over and over again, making this read more of a work task than a thing of leisure.
Having said all that, the idea of the story, the plot, the human psychology and the fragility of it paired with the rare, but superbly written horror scene that lasted about one page almost 400 pages into the story, were very well thought out and had great potential. The few scenes, which did indeed deal with the sheer terror of the unknown were written to perfection, unfortunately they were few and not worth the almost 700 pages of this book.
I did not want to give The Shining only one star, because it had at times great entertainment value and a haunting quality that certainly caused more than a few nightmares.

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The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I needed a bit of time after finishing the book before I could write a review. I have always been fascinated by Louisa May Alcott, although I could never get myself to read Little Women except for a few excerpts for my American literature class during which we all discovered that it contains a very strong didactic undertone. Reading a story about Louisa that weaves fact and fiction so beautifully together and presenting her as a character with both faults and virtues that brings her alive as she would have lived back then is an invaluable treat for American literature enthusiasts.
The story itself is superbly narrated. It flows effortlessly with a steady but quick pace that will not bore the reader.
Louisa's character was witty, thoughtful, full of depth, weaknesses and strengths and the author made a great effort to provide insight into her psychology.
Since Louisa's father held such a dominant presence throughout her entire life, I have to make a quick comment about his character in this story as well. After having read a biography that focused one third on her father, I had an abstract idea of what this man could have been and what influences he practiced over Louisa. However, after having read this story the actual character of the father became more of a flesh and blood person than just a mere father figure. The author was able to take the facts and give the father a personality, which at times infuriated me to the core.
Overall, this story was well written, included a bit of humor, romance, family drama and tragedy, all in a perfect ratio.
I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a great story that is excellently told and also would like to read one author's idea of the real life Louisa May Alcott.
I would also suggest reading a biography on Alcott to fully appreciate the author's skill of combining fact and fiction in this story.

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Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

About half way through the book I thought I had quite a few things to say about it. Even after I was 80% done, I still thought of some points to mention. Now, after having finished the book, all I can say is "Really?" This plot had so many different possibilities and the author decided to go "there", taking it from something that could have had a lot of substance, addressing sensitive issues and topics in a slightly less melancholic way as it was told through the eyes of the lively main character. Yet at the end the reader can find themselves once again lost in translation between good fiction and fluff fiction that is meant to tug at the readers' heartstrings from time to time.
However, I thought the main character to be witty and, as I already said, lively. She had depth, strengths and weaknesses, although she came across as very naive. I found myself more than once hoping that she should have learned quicker from past experiences.
At the end, I am sitting and staring at my screen only capable of shrugging my shoulders in response to the question "what did you think?".
It is a quick and easy read.
Would I recommend it? I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but I would tell of its option, if one was in a quick and easy chick lit type of mood.

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The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd

The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished this book less than half an hour ago and I am still suspended in its world, not quite sure what is reality and what is just fiction.
I started reading it almost a month ago, picking it up here and there, only reading a few pages each time and then not touching it for over week. I can't explain why I was so reluctant to fully commit to this story at first, but it has become utterly clear to me now. Once you give it your full attention, it will not let you go until long after you have turned the last page.
The main character is richly created. He shows weakness and strength, and moreover does not seem superhuman.
The description of London in 1850 is absolutely remarkable, not only from a scenic point of view, which in this case includes the ugly truth of the industrial revolution, but also its raw and factual statements of life in an overcrowded city, far removed from the typical Victorian proprieties, ribbons and respectful courtships.
I tremendously enjoyed the subtle inclusions of Charles Dickens references and the author's skill and talent to incorporate elements of his writing style within her own.
With respect to the actual plot of this detective story, I was rather clueless of the extent and depth of the conspiracy the main character was to solve.
This book is a great detective story that, I think, fans of this genre would appreciate with the added bonus of including many snippets of information and points of interests to those, who are also interested in Victorian London and Victorian literature.

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Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

After work last night I decided to stay up until 1:30 am to finish the last bit of the book so that I could start my weekend without having to think about it. Once I closed the book for the final time, I had to ask myself what exactly I have been reading. To be honest, I picked up this book at a bookstore closing sale for 50% off and decided to give it a go just to see what all the hype was about.
Generally speaking, I felt I was reading the story line of a Lifetime network movie. I kept wondering when the actual conflict of the story was going to start, the characters, including the protagonist were two-dimensional at best without any depth, personality or character traits and about 100 pages into the story I was certain how this story would turn out. The only reason I continued to read this book is because I accidentally read the last page and was wondering how the author would tie up those loose ends.
Many people say they couldn't put a book down, because it was so good. I could not put this book down, because the quicker I got through this the quicker this story with its many cliches and inconsistencies would be over.
I always find it interesting to read a story from the perspective of the gender opposite that of the author's. In the case of this story, I felt the author deliberately kept from fleshing out the main character, because he was unsure of how to infuse a character with real feminine traits to bring alive a woman on paper.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to anyone, although I also would not refuse to lend it to someone, who is curious and wants to see what the fuss was all about for themselves.

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Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans

Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unsure what to expect, I started two books at the same time just in case I would get bored or frustrated with this story. However, I couldn't put it down. It was a very easy read, the story flowed nicely, although sometimes the jumps in months or even years required me to orientate myself anew (this didn't not take long, though).
I found the main character was more fleshed out and life-like throughout the first part of the book as compared to the second part where the plot focuses more on the conflicts within and involving the character.
There was never a slow moving portion in the narration and the story, even though it took up almost 500 pages, went swiftly and logically. The outcome was slightly predictable, but that was also evident in the title.
The reason why could not give this book a 5-star rating was simply because I found small inconsistencies in the main character as she matures throughout the story and the fact, as mentioned above, that she was easier to relate to in the first part of the book.
The book contains some simple truths about life and a great deal of background information about the vast and intimidating world of publishing.
It is a great read for lazy afternoons.

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It started out so promising. The small chapters that provided tiny glimpses into the various characters and their situations kept them far away from the reader to induce intrigue, but close enough to maintain interest. However, halfway through the book I grew very frustrated and annoyed by the turn of events this story had taken. All of a sudden the intrigue of the characters was gone and the actual plot seemed forgotten, plus I could detect a very annoying hint of the Romeo and Juliet concept being added for extra drama that was not really needed. I understand that this was partially important to the plot, but at this point it seemed unnecessary and could have been executed differently.
The climax of the story was pushed way back into the last few sections of the book and ended abruptly that left me unsatisfied, considering that at this point I had suffered through 100 pages to finally find out what this whole story was supposed to be about.
Generally speaking, I liked the characters and the concept of the circus to provide a home for these lost souls who have no home or other family, but then again this appeared to have gone missing in the tangle of the narration itself.
Overall, I can say that I liked the story. It was a nice change from my usual classic literature fix that plunged me into the world of magic and fantasy.

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Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barrron

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It was a compact story without any unnecessary descriptions of things that did not matter just to make the story longer. The creative decision to turn Jane Austen into a pseudo "detective" worked very well. The author used a slightly simplified version of the writing style Austen herself used to write in, which takes a few pages to get used to, but added only to the intrigue of the story as Jane narrates the story through diary entries. The editor's notes at the end of each chapter explaining customs and lifestyle of the 1800's was a nice touch.
As a detective story it was very well written and kept me guessing who the murder is until the last chapter (and I usually have an idea about halfway through any murder mystery).

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