Horrorstör: A Novel by Grady Hendrix (ARC Book Review)

"It was dawn and the zombies were stumbling through the parking lot, streaming toward the massive beige box at the far end."

Review: I have several ARC's in my possession but "point of fact" this is my very first one I'm actually reviewing BEFORE the books is released. When I first got word about this book and to look for it in the mail, I was VERY excited! I mean, just LOOK at that cover. I'm a HUGE fan of the IKEA catalogs. Notice I said of the catalogs and not of the actual store. To be honest, I've only been to IKEA once in my life. And once was enough for me to totally get the feeling Grady was trying to instill in the reader!

I want to first talk about the design of this book before I get into the actual story and sheer "true-to-life" creepiness about it!

It has the look and feel of an IKEA catalog. I know because the second I held it in my hand all I had to do was reach out and grab the Fall Preview IKEA catalog I just received in the mail a few weeks prior to compare the two. The dimensions are the same and for the exception of the stock paper used (IKEA uses magazine-type paper vs ORSK which is a more book-tpe paper) they are identical. I've had several people try to catch a glimpse at the cover of this book as I was reading it, probably wondering the same thing "why does her IKEA catalog look like a book?" I never bothered to correct the thought written all over their faces. Now, delving beyond the cover to the actual pages and chapters within it also has a feel of a catalog. There is the order form and map of the store in the first few pages as well as a blurb on the mission statement of the store. Each chapter is titled as a piece of furniture that makes appearances in the novel as the story progresses. I love the names of the furniture, just as obscure and unpronounceable as that which comes from IKEA itself!

As far as the story goes, I don't normally read thrillers. I prefer to watch them in complete darkness on the big screen. And even then it doesn't happen very often. Perhaps once a year at most! But I was too intrigued by the cover, look and feel of this book! It also helped that it's a short read considering the 400+ page novels I've been reading lately!

The premise is simple: large store is haunted by evil. Yep, that's it. But as simple as that might seem, it's much more complex once the mystery of who the evil is and why they are doing the haunting in this particular store unfolds. I was hooked from beginning to end even though I found myself cringing at certain moments, I had to keep reading to find out what happened next. And as the chapters progressed the pieces of furniture being highlighted as the titles got creepier and creepier, but I didn't care. I found myself wanting to know how they would be used and on whom. But perhaps I'm giving away too much?

If you frequent big box stores then perhaps this might scare you more than you'd like. I know for myself I'm glad I don't have to worry about visiting an IKEA store any time soon. It's 3+ hours away travel time for me to get to it! But from the one time I went I'll tell you, a lot of what Grady describes here as the look and feel of ORSK (the knock-off version of IKEA) is exact. I'm sure there really is a team of people who designed the store in that maze-like fashion specifically for sales purposes? I mean, doesn't anyone who has a store do the same thing? I would just hate to be in a place of that size, with virtually no windows, when the sun goes down, during a black-out! Nuh-uh! Especially not after reading this book!

Thanks for the scare Grady!

And be sure to get your hands on this book when it hits bookshelves Tuesday, September 23rd!

Synopsis: Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör comes packaged in the form of a glossy mail order catalog, complete with product illustrations, a home delivery order form, and a map of Orsk’s labyrinthine showroom. It’s “a treat for fans of The Evil Dead or Zombieland, complete with affordable solutions for better living.”—Kirkus Reviews.

Horrorstör

by Grady Hendrix

243 pages

Quirk Books, 2014

Suspense / Thriller

Read in 7 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Book Review)

"When I think of my wife, I always think of her head."

Review: When was the last time you picked up a book and simply could not put it down? It was so good you risked losing sleep and missing your train stop it was so good? The last time I read a book that was like that was probably The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. That was almost a year ago that I read that book.

Anyway, this book right here though!? I can't even begin to tell you how great this was. It's one of those "don't tell your friends..." kind of books because there is a twist and turn at just about every chapter. No, scratch that. There is a twist and turn on every freaking page!

I have to admit that I was even fooled. Oh wait, perhaps I've revealed too much in that statement already? I don't want to give away any spoilers. All I will say is it reminded me about that Lacey Peterson story from way back. We all just knew the husband did it. Remember that? Well, I put you in that mindset of what it's about. Just don't assume anything yet. I simply recommend you read the book!

Normally I shy away from "Bestsellers" if I can. I hate to be one of like several dozen reading the same book. So I decided to wait till the paperback came out. I also decided to add this to my list of must reads right away because the movie, starring Ben Affleck, is due out in October. Whenever possible I prefer to have read the book before I see the movie. I know sometimes that is ill advised. Especially nowadays when movies seem to be straying further and further away from the books they're supposed to be based on, but I can't help it. And it's rear for me to like a movie better than the book so why not enjoy the best parts first right?

I'm not going to say anymore in this review, cause like I said, it's one that can be spoiled even by divulging the slightest of details. I much rather you read it. And for those of you who might be like me, thinking this isn't the book for you cause it's outside of the genre you'd normally read, I want to say I felt the same way as well. For a while I didn't want to read it because thriller novels aren't really something I care for. And while this isn't on the level of Stephen King in terms of scare factor, the suspense is up there. I guarantee you'll be surprised at just how much you'll enjoy reading this and how quickly you'll finish it. So especially to those who think this is not their kind of book I say, take a chance and give it a read. Better yet, let's make this a challenge. I challenge you to read to page 24 and I dare you to stop after that. I bet you won't...

Synopsis: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

420 pages

Broadway Books, 2012 

mystery/thriller/suspense

Read in 4 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer (Book Review)

"It was no mystery why this part of the countryside had been christened the Black Forest."

Review: This is the third book in a series that most likely will go on for as long as Chris Colfer wants, and I don't think any fan of TLoS would mind. My only issue, and it's rare for me to have just one issue, is this book is the first time romance and crap like that has been introduced into the storyline for the main characters, Conner and Alex.

In this book it's been discovered that the Brothers Grimm have written 3 stories no one has ever read, but they left instructions that these stories were not to be read until 200 years later. Why? Well because they contain, to no one else's knowledge but Conner, some truth. And in that truth is a warning that evil is about to enter The Land of Stories.

Aside from the romances and heartbreaks that Alex and Conner endure I really like this book. I feel Chris Colfer is actually getting better as he goes along. The dialog is much better and the level of intelligence in terms of word usage, I feel, has increased slightly. I also like where the story is going and the fact that he's left himself room to play around with new fairytales without making the story too complicated. This book also deals with death for the first time in a way that involves forcing the reader to deal with true loss. The way he tells it though, it's almost like poetry and not harsh or truly sad either.

I want to end my review by also pointing out that for the first time this book has a cliff hanger that lets the reader know there WILL be a fourth book! I think this was very clever since most Young Adult books are rooted in the sort of Trilogy spectrum, and although this series is geared more towards younger than YA, I like that he saved the real cliffhanger ending for the third book in case there should be any doubt as to whether or not this was the last book. I tip my hat off to him and look forward to the next book!

Synopsis: In the third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series by Chris Colfer, the Brothers Grimm have a warning for the Land of Stories.

Conner Bailey thinks his fairy-tale adventures are behind him--until he discovers a mysterious clue left by the famous Brothers Grimm. With help from his classmate Bree and the outlandish Mother Goose, Conner sets off on a mission across Europe to crack a two-hundred-year-old code.

Meanwhile, Alex Bailey is training to become the next Fairy Godmother...but her attempts at granting wishes never go as planned. Will she ever be truly ready to lead the Fairy Council?

When all signs point to disaster for the Land of Stories, Conner and Alex must join forces with their friends and enemies to save the day. But nothing can prepare them for the coming battle...or for the secret that will change the twins' lives forever.

The third book in the bestselling Land of Stories series puts the twins to the test as they must bring two worlds together!

A Grimm Warning

The Land of Stories, #3

by Chris Colfer

490 pages

Little Brown & Company, 2014

Young Adult / Adventure

Read in 7 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

Maleficent adapted by Elizabeth Rudnick (Book Review)

"This is the story of the faerie Maleficent. Not the story you think you know. Not the one that starts with a curse and ends with a dragon. No. This is what really happened. And while it may have a curse and a dragon, it has much more. For it is a story of lost love, found friendships, and, ultimately, the power of a single kiss..."

Review: First of all let me say how much I love this movie. The proof is in the 4 times I saw it in the movie theater! It is taking everything within me NOT to see it again! I'm patiently waiting for it to come out on Blu Ray! I hope it's soon because the itch for me to see it again is steadily increasing. In the meantime, I picked up the book, and as you may have expected, I devoured every sentence in a matter of days!

To start, I did no background history on the book except to say that in my estimation I assume it was written AFTER the movie was made, taking its storyline from the script? However, I will tell you, there are distinct additions and subtractions between the two. Probably because what works on screen might not work in book form and visa versa? Or because the movie was already almost 2 hours long and so the director left a few things out, like scenes and characters?

In the book there is more back story to Maleficent. We find out about her parents in the first few pages since it starts with her as a new born faerie. Then it steadily continues to the part where the movie begins, with Maleficent as a pre-teen.

Having seen the movie 4 times it was easy for me to incorporate the characters looks while reading the book. I also did the same for their voices as well. It made the book come alive even more for me and it's definitely one that I recommend parents read to their children. It would interest both boys and girls. Similar to the movie, it's not as graphic in its descriptions of certain scenes and there is nothing in there a child of 7 or older couldn't comprehend.

I'm leaving this review short because I think I've made you, my avid readers, suffer enough with my (probably unhealthy) admiration of everything Maleficent related!

Have you seen the movie yet? Did you know Disney made a book to go along with it?

Synopsis: A deluxe novelization of the Walt Disney Studios film Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie.

This visually dazzling live action film explores the origins of one of the most iconic Disney villains: Maleficent, the infamous fairy who curses Princess Aurora in Disney's animated classic Sleeping Beauty. This "origin" story is told from Maleficent's perspective, intersecting with the classic in both familiar and unexpected ways.

Maleficent

by Elizabeth Rudnick

272 pages

Disney Press, 2014

Fantasy

Read in 2 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters (Book Review)

"I'm staring at the insurance man and he's staring at me, two cold gray eyes behind old-fashioned tortoiseshell frames, and I'm having this awful and inspiring feeling, like holy moly this is real, and I don't know if I'm ready, I really don't."

Review: An asteroid is headed to Earth and no one can stop it. Oh, there are plans from just about every country and government, but it is impossible. You'd think with the end coming, slowly, but quickly, all at once, solving a murder would be the LAST thing on ANYONE'S mind? Think again, because Detective Hank Palace doesn't just stop doing his job because there are bigger destinies at play. There's been a string of deaths where his co-workers see suicides at an all time high, maybe because they're scared of the impending doom so they are projecting what they cannot do themselves on the dead they encounter? Regardless of the circumstances Detective Palace does not believe these deaths are suicide. He believes they are being murdered and their deaths are staged to appear like suicide.

I found, as I was reading this book that the dialog as well as the first person narrative reads best out loud. I'd start reading it silently in my head, but then I found myself starting to say the sentences out loud because it sounds almost like a comic strip. A detective comic strip. Filled with the innermost thoughts of a detective torn between the people he loves around him and the work he feels he must do.

In short, this whole, end of the world thing is something the United States government did anticipate. It is rumored, and believed, by many, that the government has put in place a plan to remove certain high ranking and intelligent people off planet Earth and relocate them to the moon, if ever a disaster should occur where that was the only solution. Sounds crazy? Well it does to Detective Hank Palace who just will not believe that it's possible. He believes, and I would be inclined to agree, that it sounds like some freakish Twilight Zone episode. Live on the moon? Seriously?

If you like classic Noir detective stories, but with a post apocalyptic feel to it, then you'll love this book. Winters is able to seamlessly mix mystery, impossibility, suspense, romance, and doubt into this first book of a trilogy. It started off slow by by the middle I just could not put it down. It's not cheesy at all like I thought it might be and I actually found myself understanding Detective Hank Palace. Just because the world is ending doesn't mean he should stop doing his job, or care less about it. So while he's not exactly the last policeman, he is the only one willing to solve the murders, even if it means uncovering a truth he refuses to believe.

By the end I found myself wondering, what would I do if I knew the exact date and time the world would end? Would I still live my life as I am now, or would I throw caution to the wind and behave recklessly? Am I Detective Hank Palace or his sister Nico? If I admit the truth to myself I'm probably Nico. Read the book and tell me who you relate to most?

Synopsis: Winner of the 2013 Edgar® Award Winner for Best Paperback Original!

What’s the point in solving murders if we’re all going to die soon, anyway?

Detective Hank Palace has faced this question ever since asteroid 2011GV1 hovered into view. There’s no chance left. No hope. Just six precious months until impact.

The Last Policeman presents a fascinating portrait of a pre-apocalyptic United States. The economy spirals downward while crops rot in the fields. Churches and synagogues are packed. People all over the world are walking off the job—but not Hank Palace. He’s investigating a death by hanging in a city that sees a dozen suicides every week—except this one feels suspicious, and Palace is the only cop who cares. 

The first in a trilogy, The Last Policeman offers a mystery set on the brink of an apocalypse. As Palace’s investigation plays out under the shadow of 2011GV1, we’re confronted by hard questions way beyond “whodunit.” What basis does civilization rest upon? What is life worth? What would any of us do, what would we really do, if our days were numbered?

The Last Policeman #1 (Trilogy)

by Ben H. Winters

318 pages

Quirk Books, 2013

Fiction

Finished in 5 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

A Gift of Love by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Book Review)

 "A French philosopher said, 'No man is strong unless he bears within his character antitheses strongly marked.'"

Review: This is a first of its kind review for me because it's the kind of book I'll go back to whenever I feel I need it. I usually don't read books like this that each chapter stands on its own but with the changes I've been going through in my life lately it was necessary that I read this book. I can't go into further detail on that just yet, but this book has been invaluable to me in the last week that I've been reading it.

This is simply a collection of sermons, many he wrote and worked on while he was in jail. What else is a man to do when alone for hours upon hours and days upon days, but write? And write he did!

"Transformed Nonconformist" is one that I've read and reread several times already. His words, if you have only heard his I Have a Dream speech, get better no matter how many times you read them. Depending on where you are in your life his words will effect each reader differently. Much like, I'm sure, Maya Angelou's writing would do.

I've heard people say, of not just Dr. Martin Luther King, but of other prominent writers and orators, that "you must read this book" or "you must listen to him/her speak" but I take a different stance from them. Sometimes you are in a great place and reading something like this might take you out of that good place you are in. There is nothing wrong with wishing not to spend your whole life knowing about the evils in this world especially if you do not feel it is your life's mission to do all you can to erradicate it. Not everyone can or will be a Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so if you must or if you want to read this book, keep that in mind. Cause he does, without warning, remove the blinders many of us wear, or make the reality we know, even more real, on humanity, and the evil that is within us all if we let evil win.

His sermons from Strength to Love is not for the faint of heart. So be careful who you recommend should read this book, if you should recommend it. First ask yourself why you read it? What did you get out of it? And what, if anything, do you hope someone else would get out of it after recommending it? These are questions I think about regardless of the author or the book, but even more so with this book.

Synopsis: The classic collection of sixteen sermons preached and compiled by Dr. King
 
As Dr. King prepared for the Birmingham campaign in early 1963, he drafted the final sermons for Strength to Love, a volume of his most best-known homilies. King had begun working on the sermons during a fortnight in jail in July 1962. While behind bars, he spent uninterrupted time preparing the drafts for works such as “Loving Your Enemies” and “Shattered Dreams,” and he continued to edit the volume after his release. A Gift of Love includes these classic sermons, along with two new preachings. Collectively they present King’s fusion of Christian teachings and social consciousness, and promote his prescient vision of love as a social and political force for change.

A Gift of Love

by The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

194 pages

Beacon Press, 1963

speeches/sermons

Continuous Reading

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore (Book Review)

"They waited at the dock, the three Venetians, for the fool to arrive."

Review: This book is a sequel to the ever popular Fool. I love all Christopher Moore books and in person he is just as funny as the characters he writes so well.

If you've read Fool you know that it's a very naughty twist on an old classic written by the famous bard himself, William Shakespeare.

Moore is able to take the classic language of Shakespeare and construct it in such a way that maintains the authenticity of the time and characters while seamlessly adding his own sense of brilliant destruction and hilarity. I still don't understand how he does it besides acknowledging his genius and his madness. For only a mad genius could come up with the countless tales he has spun for us (and specifically for me) his fans.

I've managed to meet Christopher Moore twice (briefly) by attending the book signings that have taken place here in New York City and now I have all 14 of his books signed by him!

This book weaves together not one, not two, but THREE Shakespeare plays! I leave it up to you to decipher which ones. Far be it for me to spoil that discovery for you! But trust me you'll want to read this book (and his first, Fool), as soon as you can! Be warned of the many foul words used as well as the scenes of a sexual nature. They are all necessary to the story and in good fun!

And, as I will always do when reviewing a Christopher Moore book, I urge you to read Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, without delay! It is the book that introduced me to the insane mind and world of Moore's, of which I am forever grateful. Regardless of how you feel or what you believe about religion, keep an open mind and you won't be able to hold back the laughter to the point of tears! You'll thank me later... so now, be gone with ye, and read his many books! Aaarrr!

Synopsis: Venice, a long time ago. Three prominent Venetians await their most loathsome and foul dinner guest, the erstwhile envoy from the Queen of Britain: the rascal-Fool Pocket.

This trio of cunning plotters—the merchant, Antonio; the senator, Montressor Brabantio; and the naval officer, Iago—have lured Pocket to a dark dungeon, promising an evening of sprits and debauchery with a rare Amontillado sherry and Brabantio's beautiful daughter, Portia.

But their invitation is, of course, bogus. The wine is drugged. The girl isn't even in the city limits. Desperate to rid themselves once and for all of the man who has consistently foiled their grand quest for power and wealth, they have lured him to his death. (How can such a small man, be such a huge obstacle?). But this Fool is no fool . . . and he's got more than a few tricks (and hand gestures) up his sleeve.

Greed, revenge, deception, lust, and a giant (but lovable) sea monster combine to create another hilarious and bawdy tale from modern comic genius, Christopher Moore.

Note: The book, too, is a veritable work of art. Rich creamy stock is enhanced by two-color printing, featuring part/chapter titles, running heads, and folios printed in red ink. The text block has blue-stained edges. The book opens to reveal two-page spread endpapers decorated with a sepia-toned antique map of Venice; an antique map of Italy graces the book’s front matter, printed in red. The jacket sports a matte finish with embossed author and title type; gold foil embellishes the title and illustration detail.

The Serpent of Venice

by Christopher Moore

316 pages

William Morrow, 2014

humor / fiction

Read in 4 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about Christopher Moore, visit his site here.

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (Book Review)

"The train tore along with an angry, irregular rhythm."

Review: What an amazingly well written, spellbinding, rollercoaster ride of a book! And for all the reasons I usually end up not liking a movie that is based on a book too!

Usually I try to read a book before I see the movie. So far my record is heavily sided with reading the book first, but if it's a classic such as Strangers on a Train, it bound to happen that I've seen the movie first. The same thing happened with To Kill a Mockingbird, but I'm digressing. Going back to this book, let me start by saying, except for the title and character names the book and movie are polar opposites! Oh, and the starting plot, such as the discussion that takes place between the "strangers" on the train (see what I did there?) is the same. And I think it's because of the liberties (or lack thereof) that Alfred Hitchcock took in directing Strangers on a Train, that I can love both equally and appreciate them separately without taking anything away from each other.

As you all may know, this is was a collaborative read between myself and Alaina. And because she has recently undertaken reading the hefty Game of Thrones as a collaborative effort with another college friend of ours, it might be a while before we endeavor to do another. Although I will say, her pick was so awesome this go-round that I'm inclined to entrust her with the next pick! With the caveat that William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back obviously be among one that we do soon!

After discussing our favorite Hitchcock films we promptly began dissecting the novel thusly:

@NYCBookWorm84 Um, the major flaw being himself?? #TheCollaborators
— Alaina Patterson (@WillBeFunOrElse) May 1, 2014

No matter how you look at it, this book is an excellent guide on what could be the perfect crime of murder. Provided one of the two parties involved is not a complete and total schizo! I think Alaina would agree with me there?

@NYCBookWorm84 He was so obsessed with Guy that he endangered the both of them. #TheCollaborators
— Alaina Patterson (@WillBeFunOrElse) May 1, 2014

We seemed to have very little to say about the women in the book, of which there were four of! See, the main point to this suspense novel is that Bruno (the schizo) dreams of killing his father. He has come up with the perfect way of doing it where no one will get caught. How, you might ask? Simple. He'll meet a complete stranger, say, on a train. This stranger will, like Bruno, have someone in his life that, if they were eliminated, would make his life better. That's where Guy comes in. He's got a wife who also happens to enjoy fooling around on him, but won't divorce him. Guy wants the divorce so that he may marry Anne, a woman he actually loves and cares for deeply, and who, unlike Miriam, isn't sleeping around on him. The other two women are the mothers' of each of our main characters.

Bruno's mom, to me, seemed to have a sort of Norma & Norman Bates kind of relationship going on. I always felt like there was something just not right with that mother-son dynamic. Then there was Guy's mother, who is there for her son, caring, nurturing, but more of a mother than a best friend.

Of course there's a bit more to the story, but the whole idea is what happens inwardly to both Guy and Bruno after murder is committed. To make one more analogy, that I just thought of now, Bruno reminds me of that dude in The Tell Tale Heart and how he would have behaved if that short story dragged out much longer.

This is the kind of book that should be used in some creative writing college course. Analyzed and torn apart for self-reflection. I think I would have enjoyed comparing Guy and Bruno as some sort of thesis.

Synopsis: With the acclaim for The Talented Mr. Ripley, more film projects in production, and two biographies forthcoming, expatriate legend Patricia Highsmith would be shocked to see that she has finally arrived in her homeland. Throughout her career, Highsmith brought a keen literary eye and a genius for plumbing the psychopathic mind to more than thirty works of fiction, unparalleled in their placid deviousness and sardonic humor. With deadpan accuracy, she delighted in creating true sociopaths in the guise of the everyday man or woman. Now, one of her finest works is again in print: Strangers on a Train, Highsmith's first novel and the source for Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1953 film. With this novel, Highsmith revels in eliciting the unsettling psychological forces that lurk beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life.

Strangers on a Train

by Patricia Highsmith

256 pages

W. W. Norton & Company, 2001

mystery / suspense

Read in 5 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about Patricia Highsmith visit her Wikipedia page here.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (Book Review)

"I first discovered I was trash three days before my ninth birthday -- one year after my father lost his job and moved to Secaucus to live with a woman named Crystal and four years before my mother had the car accident, started taking pills, and began exclusively wearing bedroom slippers instead of normal shoes."

Review: I think this will probably be the one post where I will appreciate having put the first sentence of this book before you read my review. Hopefully it will serve to explain why I didn't like it. I have nothing against the story which I think is a pretty good idea and twist on an already great fairytale. I also didn't mind the "romantic" elements of the book, which I normally find a story could do without. What bothered me tremendously was the sentence structure and all around dialogue of the book.

I felt her sentences were disjointed and confusing to follow at times. Hence that first line to echo that sentiment. I also found the cursing a bit unnecessary. Unless it helps to further along a story I feel it is more of a filler than a character trait. In this case Dorothy and Amy (the main characters) both appear to be angry girls (women) who feel the need to curse in order to get their point across. Again, I don't think the story needed it.

I do like the sort of hat tip to Judy Garland having portrayed Dorothy Gale in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz. I mean the fact that the main character Amy's last name is Gumm. If you know the story of Judy Garland you know that her real name was Frances Ethel Gumm. I'm assuming that is why Danielle went with that name?

The basic story is that Amy is a girl who feels like the whole world is against her and doesn't want her, including her mother who is an alcoholic, who'd rather go out clubbing with her girlfriend than stay at home and be a mother. The proverbial tornado strikes Kansas. To be more specific, the trailer park where Amy lives with her mother and her mothers pet rat Star (the "next" Toto).

Obviously the tornado drops Amy, Star, and their trailer into Oz and hence the real story begins to unfold. As she travels the yellow brick road she learns that Oz is not what she's seen in the movie but instead Dorothy returned and has become a real mean S.O.B. to all it's inhabitants. She stealing magic all to herself with the help of Glinda and the other usual suspects; the Tin Woodman, the Lion, & the Scarecrow.

Basically, those who we all thought were good are now wicked and those who we all knew were wicked have banded together to do a "good" thing, i.e. working together to destroy the damage Dorothy has done in Oz.

All throughout the story everyone "looks to be Amy's age" and they all tell her not to trust them or anyone else for that matter. She gets frustrated and uses that anger to learn magic as well as how to fight. She is recruited by force to join the Order of the Wicked Witches (I think that's what they're called) to kill Dorothy.

This is clearly a Trilogy so don't be too surprised when I tell you the story ends without Dorothy having been killed. There is a cliff hanger though, as all purported trilogies must have. It was good enough and left enough unanswered questions to get me interested in reading the next book. However, I hope some questions are answered otherwise reading the third book, at this point, is definitely NOT a guarantee.

Synopsis: I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.What happened?Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.I've been trained to fight.And I have a mission:Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.Steal the Scarecrow's brain.Take the Lion's courage.Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

Dorothy Must Die

by Danielle Paige

452 pages

Harper Teen, 2014

Young Adult Fiction

Read in 5 days

Rating: ★★★

Amazon | BN

Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton (Book Review)

"When I learned of Aunt Dimity's death, I was stunned. Not because she was dead, but because I had never known she'd been alive."

Review: I have a small collection of what I like to call my "Penny Mysteries" which this book would easily fall into. It's my assortment of Mass Paperback books that usually are under 300 pages in length and have titles that are distinctive to the subject matter at hand. Some of them might deal with a main character who works at a restaurant/diner or some sort of book shop or button shop. Or some have catchy "murder titles" that will include some sort of pastry word or other identifier to let you know what the mystery is about. In the case of Nancy Atherton, all her books begin with "Aunt Dimity..." and follow with the subject matter. I must always begin a series from the beginning even if it might not matter one way or another. I'm just unique that way.

Aunt Dimity is, as you may have guessed it, an Aunt. And without skipping down to the bottom to read the summary (I put it last for a reason by the way) I can tell you that the series involves our main character, Lori, receiving communications from her dead Aunt Dimity. It is through these communications that she solves mysteries in each book. Quite interesting wouldn't you agree? Well, I suppose you'd have to have an open mind about ghosts and their ability to communicate to us from the other world. In the case of this first book, Aunt Dimity communicates to her niece by making words appear on a notebook that is only visible to her (and the son of the law firm of Willis & Willis).

The mystery isn't exactly as riveting as an Agatha Christie book, but as openers for a long line of books to come, it surely does lay a pretty good foundation. I took a liking to Lori straight away. She is a homely girl who never really had much in terms of possessions so when she finds out this Aunt Dimity actually exists and has included her in her will, it comes as quite a shock to her. See, to Lori, Aunt Dimity was always a main character in a long series of children's stories her mother used to tell her. How was she supposed to know that the person was real and the stories were real to some degree as well?

If you're looking for a quick read this is definitely a great book for that! I look forward to reading the next book in this series; Aunt Dimity & The Duke.

Summary: ...Until the Dickensian law firm of Willis & Willis summons her to a reading of the woman's will. Down-on-her-luck Lori learns she's about to inherit a sizable estate--if she can discover the secret hidden in a treasure trove of letters in Dimity's English country cottage. What begins as a fairy tale becomes a mystery--and a ghost story--in an improbably cozy setting, as Aunt Dimity's indomitable spirit leads Lori on an otherworldly quest to discover how, in this life, true love can conquer all.

Aunt Dimity's Death

by Nancy Atherton

256 pages

Penguin Books, 1993

mystery / fiction

Read in 3 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

 To learn more about Aunt Dimity, visit her website here.

April is National Poetry Month (Pt. 1)

I used to write poetry. Actually, I shouldn't put it quite like that. Anyone who is a writer of poetry knows there are days, weeks, months, sometimes even YEARS, where the poetic words just don't come. Or, perhaps they do but being your own worst critic you don't think they are worthy of being shared beyond your own eyes. I'm currently in the realm of not having written poetry for several years now, for a myriad of reasons. However, even though I write poetry, I must admit I've never been fond of poetry books beyond those I've acquired when purchasing the complete works of authors such as Shakespeare and Poe.

So, instead of writing poetry like this month encourages people to do, I'd rather read some poetry that I normally wouldn't give the time of day. And it's not because I dislike poetry. It's more than I've never found myself in a "let's read some poetry" sort of mood unless I'm reading the Psalms (but I won't bore you with my Bible reading...). This first book I want to showcase was recommended by my Pastor actually. And she's always got some good "spiritual" or "religious learning" recommends so I figured I'd try it. After reading the first few I'm glad I did.

There is a long history associate with the life of Malcolm Boyd and I encourage anyone who wants to read about his journey to visit his site here. I'd like to share two of his poems with you now. The first one I'm going to share happens to be the first poem in the book while the other, I'm not kidding, is one I randomly flipped to before leaving for work this morning, and I must say, it was just what I needed...

*It's morning, Jesus. It's morning, and here's that light and sound all over again.

I've got to move fast ... get into the bathroom, wash up, grab a bite to eat, and run some more.
I just don't feel like it. What I really want to do is get back into bed, pull up the covers, and sleep. All I seem to want today is the big sleep, and here I've got to run all over again.
Where am I running? You know these things I can't understand. It's not that I need to have you tell me. What counts most is just that somebody knows, and it's you. That helps a lot.
So I'll follow along, OK? But lead, please. Now I've got to run. Are you running with me, Jesus?

His style of writing is unlike any I've seen before but it sure does speak to me. He writes like he's just having a silent conversation with Jesus, which, essentially, is at the core of prayer, however you choose to do it. 

*Teach me understanding about the wholeness of my body and soul, Lord.

My legs stretch, cross, walk, stand still and run.
My mouth tastes, eats, drinks, kisses, shouts, whispers, talks, closes and opens.
My stomach fills, empties, growls, and is silent.
My shoulders bend, twist, lean over, and are straight.
My genitals are quiet, aroused, normal, mysterious, functional, private and public.
My back is unbending, bent, and filled with nerve ends.
I am grateful for my body.
I want to give it food, drink, iron, tenderness.
I am grateful for my soul.
I want to give it flowers, courage, vision, and love.
My head is the most familiar view of me held by most people.
My heart is unseen as it pumps away, yet its character is seen in my actions all of the time.
My eyes are the windows of my soul, but there are times I pull down the shades.

What new poet have you discovered during this National Poetry Month? Or what poetry have you written?

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (Book Review)

"I may how found a solution to the Wife Problem."

Review: Wow, did I love this book and did I need this book as well! That's probably why I read it in just 5 days time! This year has been pretty slow for me in the reading department so I figured I would try something a little out of what I've been reading lately. I think I made an excellent choice. I felt about this book the way I felt after I read The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. I just felt good. Sometimes we need that feel good book the way we need that feel good movie.

I just wanted to stay in the frame of mind that this book gave me for ever and ever. It's how I feel at the end of Sleepless in Seattle or Notting Hill. Two movies that were mentioned in this book by the way. It's essentially how I feel sometimes when it comes to "dating" and why go through the hassle of it. 

There's this guy named Don, who I swear is me if I were a nerdy guy. He analyzes everything and his social skills are seriously lacking. Except, again this is like me to a T, he counteracted that by being the class clown in school! That's totally what I did. Instead of allowing others to pick on me I made myself funny to others before they could do it to me. Anyway, this book, is the guide to my life, and probably to the life of others because he decides to devise a questionnaire in order to find the perfect life partner. Why didn't I think of that? Oh, I know, because it would never work! But Don thinks he's created a questionnaire that will quickly eliminate unsuitable women as well as those who may not be 100% truthful in their answers. 

He has all of two friends, a married couple, Gene and Claudia. The husband sleeps around on his wife but "it's okay" because they are in an open relationship. I don't have to tell you what happens there! Anyway, Gene, (as a joke I guess?) sends Rosie to Don, who thinks she is meeting with him as a possible candidate to be his wife. Of course, Don has tried out his questions on several other women and social meeting settings, all of which have failed. Except for Rosie who fails the worst out of all the applicants. But, there is just something about her that makes Don start breaking rules and creating reasons for needing to be around her and near her. Thus romance and happiness and love follows.

Unlike most romantic love stories though, this one isn't as clear cut and simple as you might expect, which is why I love it. It's not all that mushy yet it does have a feeling of romance and reality that I can appreciate. It's been optioned by Sony Pictures (I think) so I hope to catch it as a movie very soon.

Summary: THE ART OF LOVE IS NEVER A SCIENCE

MEET DON TILLMAN, a brilliant yet socially challenged professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. And so, in the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers.

Rosie Jarman is all these things. She also is strangely beguiling, fiery, and intelligent. And while Don quickly disqualifies her as a candidate for the Wife Project, as a DNA expert Don is particularly suited to help Rosie on her own quest: identifying her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on the Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you.

Arrestingly endearing and entirely unconventional, Graeme Simsion’s distinctive debut will resonate with anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of great challenges. The Rosie Project is a rare find: a book that restores our optimism in the power of human connection.

The Rosie Project

by Graeme Simsion

292 pages

Simon & Schuster, 2013

Fiction

Read in 5 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about Graeme Simsion visit his website here.

Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd (Book Review)

"The air in my crumbling attic chamber smelled of roses and formaldehyde."

Review: I wanted to love this book, and I'll admit that in the beginning I did. I absolutely loved it. So let me start by what I didn't like so I can end this review on some positive notes.

I must first say that I'm not deep into the Young Adult world, in that, there are probably hundreds of YA books out there right now that I have not read and have no intention of ever reading (ie. any John Green book). With that said, how I feel about this book, as compared to my review of the first book in this trilogy, The Madman's Daughter, should not be any real indication on how much I truly do like this book. There were just a few things I wasn't too thrilled with.

The romance aspect of all Young Adult novels is one I have yet to become accustomed with. I suppose there is some truth to the saying, "sex sells", but in the case of the literature I've read, I strongly feel it can stand on its own without any need to romance whatsoever. Unfortunately, teen angst is alive and well. Younger and younger generations yearn for it in just about everything they read. You can't even pick up a mythylogical story without having that forced upon the story. Anyway, without dwelling on it too much, the only part of the book I could have done without is the obvious triangle going on between Juliet and Edward and Montgomery.

As for the rest of the book I find the storyline of Juliet and what she's made of, both inside and out, to be quite brilliant. Megan Shepherd has managed to take a timeless classic, that I honestly didn't see coming, especially in this second book, and make it relatible to today. I'm not sure if it will make this younger generation want to go out and read Frankenstein afterwards, but it's a good way to engage minds in that general direction.

This second book leaves off, somewhat, where it left off, with Juliette going back home after the island she was stranded on, to her knowledge, ends up destroyed. She thinks she left behind her two loves for good, but she couldn't be more wrong. Who does she truly love? Why? And most importantly, why is there a brain in the hatbox of her best friends fathers study? All these questions and more will be answered in this second book. And the ending does not disappoint either. It leaves the long cast of characters (friends) journeying someplace new where they can hopefully figure out their next more, but who they're traveling with and where they are going, might leave them worse off than where they were.

Summary: Inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this tantalizing sequel to Megan Shepherd's gothic suspense novel, The Madman's Daughter, explores the hidden natures of those we love and how far we'll go to save them from themselves.

Back in London after her trip to Dr. Moreau's horrific island, Juliet is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget her father's legacy. But soon it's clear that someone—or something—hasn't forgotten her, as people close to Juliet start falling victim to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes. Has one of her father's creations also escaped the island? As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

Her Dark Curiosity

by Megan Shepherd

420 pages

Balzer + Bray, 2014

Young Adult Fiction

Read in 5 days

Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about Megan Shepherd visit her site here.

Cress by Marissa Meyer (Book Review)

"Her satellite made one full orbit around planet Earth every sixteen hours."

Review: This is the third book of a 4 book series and before I review it, please see my reviews on the first two books, in the Lunar Chronicles, below:

Cinder

Scarlet

I have to admit, this series is getting better and better as I continue to read them! I'm a huge fan of the writer more than I am of the books so I could be a little biased there, but I admire the fact that Marissa Meyer takes the time to communicate personally with her fans (including me!!) whenever we should ask her a question or just want to say how much we love her books! Not many authors would do that and so I feel it necessary to point out just how much she (and most other rising Young Adult writers) cares about her readers.

Firstly, this is a series that intricately weaves several fables together into one large fantasy filled with hope, despair, and a good old fashioned fairy tale as well. It all started with the all too common story of Cinderella (Cinder) but it was definitely not the one you may have seen on television! This version has droids and Lunars (really creepy human looking aliens), which you won't find in those fairy tales today. But it does maintain the same premise of a girl who seemingly has nothing but herself to look after, living with a step-mother who despises her, and two stepsisters. Luckily, only one of them is wicked, the other is actually quite sweet. But I won't spoil it for you in case you haven't read it yet. There's a Prince (Kai) who meets Cinder and invites her to the ball, where she loses her foot instead of her glass slipper! But you can see where the fairy tale and the fantasy meet and mesh together rather well. I give most of the credit to Marissa who's been doing a tremendous job.

Last year was Scarlet, and I don't think I need to go into the story of Little Red Ridinghood with you? But let's just say I'm sure a lot of the teenage girls quickly fell in love with the character of Wolf instantly. Me? Eh, I could take him or leave him. Personally, not until this third book did I find a character I could truly relate to.

Don't get me wrong, I realize Cinder is at the epicenter of this all. If not for her none of these fairy tales could ever have come together, let alone be fighting to rid the world of the truly evil Queen Levana! But by the end of the second book I didn't really like Cinder who hadn't truly found her confidence and I didn't like Scarlet who seemed a bit too over confident. I'm kind of like Goldilocks who didn't find the "just right" character until this book!

Cress (short for Crescent Moon) is someone who I related to from the very first page of the first chapter! The isolationism, the way she created a world for herself in order to keep her mind active and to keep from feeling like she's going crazy. Also, the way she imagines she's in a movie and essentially is talking to her younger self for company. I was almost ashamed to admit it, but that's ME! And I must thank Marissa Meyer for creating this character (almost just for me) so I would know I'm not the only weirdo! A little daydreaming never hurt anyone, especially if it relaxes you and helps you get through really difficult times. Which, for Cress, if not for her daydreaming and pretending, I don't think she could have survived outside of her satellite.

This story unites the characters who are going to essentially save the world. Namely Cinder, Cress, Captain Carswell, Wolf, & Iko who FINALLY gets a body! Oops, was that a spoiler? Sorry! Anyway, we get a brief glimpse into the life of Cinder's stepmother who I will never feel sorry for and of course we see the Prince as well. In fact, a bit of a kidnapping/rescue mission happens there. The wedding of Queen Levana and Prince Kai is scheduled to happen during this book, if you recall? This is assuming you've read the first two...well, things don't exactly go according to the Queen's plan.

The best part, aside from getting to meet and know Cress, is what happens to Scarlet! I don't want to give it all away, but let's just say through her we get to meet the main character of the fourth (and last) Lunar Chronicles book, Winter! Turns out she's the Queens daughter and I'm not quite sure yet if she's got one too many screws loose or if she's doing a really good job of pretending? Hmm...guess I'll have to wait for February 2015 when Winter comes out! So excited!

Summary: In this third book in Marissa Meyer's bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who’s only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she’s just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she’d ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Cress

The Lunar Chronicles, #3

by Marissa Meyer

550 pages

Feiwel and Friends, 2014

Young Adult fiction

Read in 7 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about Marissa Meyer, visit her site here.

Redwall by Brian Jacques (Book Review)

"Matthias cut a comical little figure as he wobbled his way along the cloisters, with his large sandals flip-flopping and his tail peeping from beneath the baggy folds of an oversized novice's habit."

Review: It's that time again! A little late, but probably one of the better collaborations Alaina, of That's What She Read, and I have done, mainly because we disagree about this book. I loved it and she didn't. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

We both got into this book differently as well. Whereas I was able to finish it in under a week, digesting the fantasy like an adolescent school child, Alaina was a bit harder to coax. I'd wager she gritted her teeth the whole way through the book, finishing it just so we could collaborate on it. And for that Alaina (who I'm sure will be reading this eventually) I thank you! I owe you one as well! Cross my heart. Next collaboration, no matter what the book, genre or length, the next one is all you! I figure it's the least I could do after putting you through the torture of this book!

@NYCBookWorm84 #TheCollaborators I'm going to start with: I didn't hate the book, but I didn't love it, either. I felt I was too old for it.
— Alaina Patterson (@WillBeFunOrElse) February 18, 2014

The story, if you can manage to wrap your brain around a fantasy of this caliber, is about a mouse kingdom called "Redwall Abbey" where a mouse by the name of Matthias turns from insecure to hero practically over night. With the help of Methuselah, the Abbott, Constance the badger, Cornflower, Jess the Squirrel, Warbeak, and a character that was both of our favorites, Basil Stag Hare!

@NYCBookWorm84 #TheCollaborators I will say that Basil the Hare was my favorite character; I'm not sure I can say I loved him.
— Alaina Patterson (@WillBeFunOrElse) February 18, 2014

Aside from our mutual interest in Basil, I'm afraid that's where our feelings on the book parted ways. So in a change of tradition, I'm going to link you to Alaina's review of Redwall, and write mine as plainly as I can.

I found the language to be far above expectations, especially since it was written in 1986, a time when I thought, children's or young adults books were not so mature just yet? I guess I was mistaken because this book had death, brutal murder, villainous villains, and just really bad-ass bad creatures. There are no humans in this at all. It's all mice, rats, moles, birds, and everything in-between. But aside from all the evil characters, there are a few purely good ones. This is the quintessential good versus evil story where, of course, evil never wins, but will surely die trying.

Cluny the Scourge, a rat inside and out, is the evilest of them all, seeking to take over Redwall, but he has to get inside first. It's a virtually impenetrable fortress, but Cluny will not let up, and Matthias, our unsung hero, knows it. In order to get his confidence up to where he needs it, he feels he must seek out the sword that once belonged to one of Redwalls greatest Warriors, Martin. This search takes Matthias on an adventure where he makes friends with various creatures, including a hare, an owl, a cat, and an entire sparrow kingdom!

It really is quite a roller coaster ride that the reader is taken on, but you have to be willing to forgo your minds idea to rationalize how it's possible for a mouse to hold a sword and fight, let alone participate in a war with rats and moles and squirrels and sparrows involved as well! It is far fetched and impossible, but isn't that the whole point of fantasy? At least, that's what I always took fantasy to mean and because of that my mind was open enough to allow the impossible to be possible within the pages of this book.

Unlike my collaborator (and life long friend) Alaina, I will be continuing with the series. Look for my review of Mossflower (a prequel to Redwall) to come some time this Summer!

To learn more about Brian Jacques and his Redwall series, go to the main site here.

Summary: When Redwall was published in 1987 it catapulted author Brian Jacques to international stardom. And small wonder! This enthralling tale is jam-packed with the things we long for in a great adventure: danger, laughter, harebrained escapes, tragedy, mystery, a touch of wonder, a truly despicable villain, and a hero we can take to heart.

That hero is Matthias, a young mouse who must rise above his fears and failures to save his friends at Redwall Abbey. The villain is Cluny the Scourage, one of the most deliciously despicable rats of all time. The unforgettable cast of supporting characters includes the stalwart badger Constance, an irrepressible hare named Basil Stag Hare, and the elderly wisemouse Brother Methuselah.

But most of all there is Matthias, seeking his true destiny in a journey that will lead through danger and despair to true wisdom.

Redwall

by Brian Jacques

351 pages

Penguin Group, 1986

fantasy

Read in 5 days

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about the Legend of Redwall, please visit their site here.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (Book Review)

"A fug of tobacco smoke and damp clammy air hit her as she entered the cafe."

Review: I'm actually writing this review MUCH LATER than anticipated (after having read 3 other books in between) so you must excuse me if it seems a bit all over the place and disjointed. I promise to get back into the regular habit of reviewing a book immediately after I've read it. Most book bloggers would probably have just decided NOT to review a book if it was read several weeks ago? I'm not that kind of blogger. I feel if it was worth my reading cover to cover, it's worth my taking the time to review it. SO, with that said...

I had decided last year to read this book after seeing it several times in the book store and being intrigued by it's title and cover. I mean, look at that cover! Tell me you wouldn't AT LEAST pick it up in a bookstore and read the back just to see what it's all about?? Well, last year, when it was still in hardcover, that is exactly what I did. I became even more intrigued. However, my wrist being as delicate as it is, the weight of a book has become one of my main determinants when it comes to what I read. I'm not against reading a book in the comfort of my own home, but I find reading while I'm on the train to and from work (or wherever) is best for me. And I've sprained my wrist carrying a book one too many times for my liking. Hence why I opted to wait till this year when I knew the paperback edition would be released, making the weight a bit more manageable. If this is a factor for you as it is for me, I hope this paragraph was helpful!

Now, onto the story and structure. It's a bit different that anything I've ever read. I'm not unfamiliar with the idea of jumping around in history, even if it happens to be decades at a time. That was fine and expected seeing as this is about a woman who strangely dies and is "reborn" in a sense over and over again in a multitude of ways in her lifetime. It's a bit more complicated than that, but you get the idea.

Ursula is her name and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the scenes that covered her youth with her siblings and her mother. The idea that a child would understand what's happening to her so much so that she does all she can to prevent her own death or the death of those around her, if she can, is commendable. I felt for her and found the way she convinced herself what she was doing was right, to be something we all battle within ourselves all the time. The human condition...

The second half is Ursula all grown up and I honestly didn't care for it. There were too many decade changes happening and much too quickly. I had to keep back tracking to the first half of the book just to remind myself the year Ursula was born and what happened them versus what's happening to her now and so on. It can make you feel like you're reading a 1,000 page book as opposed to a just over 500 page book! I feel as though, in an effort to seem creative Kate Atkinson lost the humanity and dove head first into the bizarre and just plain impossible.

Don't get me wrong, in the first half she had me believing that this little girl really was dying and then living again, only to die again, over and over and over. It was as easy as one breathes for me to believe it because children, or childlike minds, don't allow outside doubts or negative outside forces to interfere in the impossible. As she got older and hardened by her very existence, so did I, with her. I guess that would make Kate Atkinson a great writer? Probably. But while I was expecting something a little less macabre by the end I'm afraid that's all that was left. Then it was over almost as quickly as it began.

Summary: What if you could live again and again, until you got it right?

On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born, the third child of a wealthy English banker and his wife. She dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in any number of ways. Ursula's world is in turmoil, facing the unspeakable evil of the two greatest wars in history. What power and force can one woman exert over the fate of civilization -- if only she has the chance?

Wildly inventive, darkly comic, startlingly poignant -- this is Kate Atkinson at her absolute best.

Life After Life

by Kate Atkinson

529 pages

Back Bay Books, 2014

Paperback 1st Edition

fiction

Finished in 10 days

Rating: ★★

Amazon | BN

To learn more about Kate Atkinson visit her site here.