Review - Taboo by Jess Michaels (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Erotica
Size: 272 pages
Publisher: Avon Red
Release Date: April 21, 2009
ISBN: 978-0061657719
Stand Alone or Series: Stand ALone
Source: Swapped
Rating: 4/5 stars


I’ve had this book on my bookshelf to read for a long time. A while back I was interested in reading some erotica that actually had a storyline and this looked like it would fit the bill. Then I got distracted by other review books and this sat on my shelf for years. I picked it up to read something fluffy, sexy, and short. It was a very well done book; had a good story line, great characters, and very well done sex scenes.

Cassandra Willows is a self-made woman in an era when that is unheard of; she’s made a name for herself as one of the most sought after Seamstresses in London. She has a secret though, she has side business making sensual toys for the aristocracy. Nathan Manning is the Earl Blackhearth and is still devastated over how Cassandra betrayed him when they were younger. She promised to run away with him and then never showed. Now he is determined to make her pay and has decided to blackmail her; she will be his mistress or Nathan will expose her secret side business.

This was a fun and quick historical erotica read. Additionally there is an excellent back story and a bit of a mystery to be solved as well. The mystery involves Cassandra and Nathan’s history and what really happened on the night Cassandra didn’t show up. The mystery is slowly and expertly revealed a piece at a time.

I enjoyed the characters and like that there was a decent story to support the relationship the two main characters developed. These two characters have a lot of history to support the relationship they end up in. They have excellent chemistry together and it was fun to read about them.

Cassandra is a wonderful heroine. She is strong, confident, and not afraid to pursue her own interests and pleasures. Still at points in the story she is tired and confused and vulnerable...it was a wonderful combination. Nathan was a wonderful male lead; right from the beginning you can see he loves Cassandra but is confused, hurt and angry at her for what he sees as her betrayal of him.

Despite the whole blackmail thing going on the sex scenes are all consensual. There are lots and lots of sex scenes in this book. I expected this to be a bit of a drag and slow the story down but it didn’t. The sex scenes were very creative and very well done. There is actual character development going on during the sex scenes, which kind of surprised me. There is a wide breadth of types of sex in here; all of it is male/female and monogamous. It spans bondage, toy usage, food usage, you name it. They were all tastefully done though and very sensual.

Overall this was an excellent historical erotica. I liked that there was a plot that drove the story and it was an integral part of the book (not just an excuse for more sex scenes). The characters were interesting and very well done; they had great chemistry. The sex scenes were creative and well done, they didn’t come off as repetitive or boring. I haven’t read a lot of erotica, but I would definitely recommend this for some interested in the genre.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Review - Strangers in the Land (The Zombie Bible, Book 3) by Stant Litore (3.5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Zombies
Size: 440 pages
Publisher: 47North
Date:October 16, 2012
ISBN:978-1612183923
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Zombie Bible series
Source: ARC from Amazon Vine
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. This seems to be the third book in the Zombie Bible series; I did not read the first two books but this book stands well on its own. It was decently written, a bit dense at times, but it was engaging enough.

This was a retelling of a portion of the Bible with zombies included. This is the story of Devora (an aging Hebrew prophetess), Hurriya (a slave girl who has suffered through many horrors) and Zadok (a legendary Hebrew warrior). The three of them journey from their home out into the Land in an effort to save their people from an onslaught of undead.

This story is a bit wordy and dense at times, but ended up being a compelling story with characters that were easy to engage with. The first part of the book drags a bit but that gets better as the story continues. Most of the book is told from Devora’s point of view.

Devora is a compelling character. She is a strong woman figure in a society where women are only valued for their child-bearing abilities. She values life above all, but is often forced to fight and take lives to protect her people. With Zadok by her side she is unstoppable, but in his absence she is strangely vulnerable.

There are a lot of politics going on in this book. Devora struggles for respect as a woman, so there is that going on. Hurriya, as a heathen in the Hebrew people’s eyes, struggles with cruelty and persecution of her people. There is a bit of an unrequited love thing going on here too. There are also all the rituals and laws that the Hebrew people follow, they say they follow the laws to protect their people from the undead. In truth there is some validity to that (for example raising cairns on the undead so they can’t rise again) but like most religions a lot of it is routine meant to comfort.

As you might expect there is a lot of talking about God and praying to God in this book. There is also a lot of talk from the characters about how God doesn’t take good care of his people. This always bothers me a bit because I believe people should be willing to be proactive and take care of themselves. God is there to guide them, not run their lives.

In the second half of the book there are a lot of more traditional zombie mayhem types scenes where warriors are mowing down fields of hungry undead. There is a lot of gore in this book as well, so it is not for the faint of heart. You even have some scenes with super creepy zombie children. Additionally there is a lot of sexual violence mainly between the Hebrew men and the “heathen” women. So this is definitely an adult read.

At points the story reads like a Greek tragedy...a lot of people die in this story and no one is safe from an untimely death. This is definitely not an uplifting read, pretty much everyone dies. Still it was well done. The discussion of who are really the monsters here is also a good one. At many points in the book Devora has more to fear from her fellow humans than from the undead.

There isn’t anything super creative here, much of the zombie aspects to the story have been seen before. It is a decently written and engaging story though, if a bit wordy at points.

Overall an okay religious zombie read. It’s a bizarre combination to be sure. The characters are engaging and the plot is fairly compelling. The pacing could use a bit of work, it is a bit slow and definitely wordy for the first half of the book. It’s not necessarily a comfortable read (there’s a lot of violence and little hope in this story), it is also not an uplifting read. I guess I would recommend this to someone who wants to read a zombified retelling of a portion of the Bible. Kind of a specific audience but it is what it is.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Paranormal Reading Challenge
- TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Review - Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Size: 352 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Release Date: May 15, 2012
ISBN: 978-1423152194
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars


This was an absolutely wonderful book that gives an interesting viewpoint of World War II in a way that is engaging and absolutely engrossing.

The first part of the book is written as a confession/journal from a girl named Queenie’s point of view. She is being held hostage by Nazis as a British spy. As part of her “confession” she is relating the tale of her friendship with a female British pilot named Maddie.

The second part of the book is written as a journal from Maddie’s POV. I won’t say much more about that because it would spoil the story.

Both characters have very distinct voices. Queenie laughs in the face of danger and has an excellent sense of humor even in the face of torture. Maddie is more tentative but no less fierce.

I really enjoyed both perspectives. Queenie is fearless and can’t resist having a sense of humor about the strangest things. She occasionally plays pranks on the Nazis even knowing that they will punish her for it...just because she needs a good laugh. Despite the absolutely bleak setting of her story, she makes you laugh and as a reader I completely admired her.

Maddie is more timid. She admits to breaking into tears every time she hears gunfire, she admits to being terrified and at times hiding...but she is no less fierce. Despite her fears, she does what she has to. She is incredibly loyal and absolutely resolute. Her section of the book wasn’t as...dare I say given the subject matter...funny but it was still incredibly engaging.

You can tell Wein did a lot of research to write this book. It is a very interesting accounting of the roles of both female spies and female pilots in World War II. There are a lot of interesting facts in here and Wein states what is true and what is fiction in the Afterward. I really enjoyed learning about this aspect of World War II through the eyes of these two wonderful friends.

This book is also about friendship. It’s about how two women with completely different personalities can be best friends, about the loyalty of friendship, and the sacrifices that sometimes have to be made if you love your friend enough. It’s also about women first stepping into careers dominated by men and being darn good at what they do.

This book was impossible to put down. It had me laughing out loud at points. It also had me in tears at points, there are parts of the story that are absolutely heartbreaking... The story is uplifting in some ways, but I have yet to read a book about the Nazis that ends in a truly happy way. Honestly just thinking about what the women in this book go through upsets me even still.

So while not a comfortable read, it definitely makes an impact. It is targeted toward young adult audience. This is about war though; there is torture and there are horrible things described in this book. So just a warning to those who are sensitive to those things...but should you let that stop you from reading this book...absolutely not. These things really happened in Nazi occupied France and people should read about them.

Overall an absolutely wonderful read. I enjoyed that this book gives a different look at the history behind World War II. I loved learning more about women spies and pilots of that era. The two women who feature in this book are absolutely stunning and engaging to read about. I could not put this book down. Seriously everyone needs to read this. If you are particularly interested in World War II, another great book about the Nazis and how they affected the general non-Jewish German population is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Early Review - The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd (4.5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Size: 432 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: January 29, 2013
ISBN: 978-0062128027
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in a Trilogy
Source: ARC through Netgalley.com
Rating: 4.5/5 stars


I got a copy of this book to review through Netgalley(dot)com. Thanks to Balzer and Bray and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book. This was an engaging and disturbing young adult retelling of the Island of Dr. Moreau.

Juliet Moreau is struggling to make a living as a maid; years ago her father disappeared and not long after that her mother died of cancer. Then Juliet hears rumors about a strange doctor staying in a nearby inn and sees copies of her father’s drawings. When she goes to investigate she finds the her father is not dead as thought, but merely on a deserted island continuing his questionable medical studies. She travels there with her childhood friend and Dr. Moreau’s assistant, Montgomery, and finds things more horrific than she could ever have imagined.

Excellent young adult retelling of The Island of Dr. Moreau. This story has a bit of a gothic/thriller type feel to it. The mystery unravels slowly. Those who are familiar with the Island of Dr. Moraeu won’t be surprised by what Juliet finds when she goes to her father’s island but you will be surprised as the mysteries surrounding Juliet herself are revealed.

The book is beautifully written and very well done. There is a bit of a love triangle here, which I am not a huge fan of. Still it was decently done.

Juliet is a strong character that is easy to admire and engage with. The other characters on the island are similarly interesting. You are constantly wondering why Montgomery continues to work for Dr. Moreau and what Edward’s mysterious background is. There is just a lot of mystery hidden within all of these characters.

The plot is very engaging and there are some huge twists in the story which caught me by surprise. There is also quite a bit of medical talk in the book since Juliet has been learning from all of the medical books her father left behind, I enjoyed this as well.

The book is definitely best for young adult and older. There is an attempted rape scene, torture, and rather gory maiming of animals...just a heads up to be ready for some disturbing gore.

Overall I found the book very hard to put down and very engaging. It was a fantastic read. The enjoyed the mystery and the twists and turns the story took. I also enjoyed Juliet, she is a strong female lead with some interesting aspects to her personality. I strongly recommend to fans gothic horror, who don’t mind a somewhat disturbing read.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Debut Author Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Early Review - The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Size: 352 pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Release Date: April 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0547688374
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: From Amazon Vine for Review
Rating: 5/5 stars


I got an advanced reading copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. When I started this book the main character just annoyed me, but as I continued reading it I got totally sucked into the story and couldn't put the book down. It ended up being an absolutely wonderful historical fantasy read.

This book is told from two viewpoints designated by two different fonts of type. The first viewpoint is Cecily; a privaleged English girl who is being forced to move to Wales because of her father's debts. Cecily thinks she is entitled to good living and is despertately unhappy that she has to give up good English living to be the lady of a manor in a backwater Wales town. The second viewpoint is Gwen; Gwen was the lady of the house until Wales was overrun by the English. Now Gwen is a servant in Cecily's house. Gwen is struggling just to survive and dealing with Cecily is not her idea of fun. Both girls are struggling to survive in different environments and the politics that surround them are tumultuous and out of their control.

When I started reading this book Cecily really really annoyed me. She is such a brat. As the book goes on you learn that there is more to Cecily than meets the eye. Cecily is not blind to the persecution of the Welsh people around her, yet she still feels entitled to her good life. Cecily ends up becoming a very real character who is torn between believing her father and English propaganda and learning from what she sees happening to the people around her.

Gwen is also a very complex character and I had more compassion for her right off the bat. If anything drives Gwen it is anger; anger at her position, at how her people are treated, and at Cecily. Again as the story continues we see that Gwen is also very complex; she understands Cecily's viewpoint and wonders how she would act in Cecily's position.

Watching these two girls, at first polar opposites, interact was fascinating. The thing that compels the story forward the most though is the impending sense of doom throughout. There are so many things going on here that are just wrong, as a reader you know things are going to implode at some point. This made it so I just couldn't put this book down. I knew something horrible was going to happen eventually, but I didn't know what it was or what our characters would have to endure by the end.

This book is written to describe an event in English/Welsh history and it is fairly accurate. As such I would recommend for older YA readers. There is an attempted rape scene in here, occasional bouts of torture and gore, and Gwen is forced to endure a lot of physical sexual harassment to survive. None of it is inappropriate and it all stays true to the story, but just a warning.

Coats has a wonderful afterward that addresses the actual history behind this book. While this story is a fictional account it is meant to replicate actual historical events. The story wraps up like real life wraps up; life goes on and the characters do the best they can.

Overall I ended up being blown away by this book. When I started it I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but as I kept reading I was absolutely enthralled by the story...I seriously lost so much sleep staying up late to finish this book. The characters are so realistic and so complex. I think that what makes the story so engaging is the realness to it. The other thing that made it engaging is the sense of impending doom that hangs over the story; you just know all the bad things happening are going to culminate to something horrible. Highly recommended for fans of historical fantasy/fiction. In fact I would recommend everyone read this; it is an excellent fictional account of a tumultuous time in history and very well written.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge
- Debut Author Reading Challenge

Review - The Eyeball Collector (Tales from the Sinister City, Book 3) by F.E. Higgins (4/5 stars)

Reading level: Middle Grade
Genre: Historical Fantasy/Horror
Size: 272 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: September 1st, 2009
ISBN: 978-0312566816
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Sinister City series
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the third book in Higgins Tales from the Sinister City series. All of these tales are separate stories, but the characters do have some cross over from book to book. I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first two books, but it was still a wonderful story. Unlike previous stories this story didn't really have any element of magic to it; it was a creepy and fun historical mystery with a heavy Victorian overtone to it.

Hector is the son on a wealthy wine merchant. He has led a life of privledge, only occasionally touring the destitute south side of the city which he finds kind of exciting. When his father's business is ruined because of his father's shady past in gin selling and his father perishes; Hector suddenly finds himself destitute and living in the horrible South side of the city. He is taken in by a nice woman and her husband but has sworn revenge on the man who ruined his father. When the very man who ruins his father hires Hector for his knowledge of butterflies Hector is given the perfect opporunity for his revenge.

This book wasn't as dark as the previous books, but it was still a pretty dark story. The majority of the characters are very realistic and flawed, at times they are not all that likable but they are always interesting. I loved all the knowledge Hector had about butterflies and poisons; it was fun to read about. I loved how characters from previous books are woven into small roles in this story.

Higgins does an excellent job painting a dark and creepy atmosphere. It is easy to visualize the surroundings. While the characters don't have a ton of depth to them, they are all very quirky and interesting.

The plot moved quickly and had some interesting twists and turns. I love the plan Hector comes up with for revenge; it is so creative, so elegant, yet kind of twisted. The concept of how revenge can twist a person is discussed and it was well done; yeah this is a theme that's been used many time in many stories before but it really works for this story and has a lot of creative elements to it.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, although not as much as previous ones. I didn't click as well with Hector as I have with the lead characters in the previous two books. I still loved the twisted and dark Sinister City, the quirky characters, and the creative turns the plot took. This is an excellent book for middle grade and older. It should appeal to those who like their mystery/adventure with a tad of the fantastic, a lot of dark and twisted strangeness, and a little bit of gruesomeness. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, The Lunatic's Curse.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Reading Challenge

Review - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Middle Grade
Genre: Historical Fiction
Size: 533 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: January 30th, 2007
ISBN: 978-0439813785
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars


I already read Wonderstruck and after reading that really wanted to read the Invention of Hugo Cabret. So, when I got this book for my birthday I was thrilled! This was a wonderful read. Selznick does such a wonderful job writing a story in pictures; he has a knack for bringing multiple generations of characters together to tell a wonderful mystery.

Hugo lives in a train station. He used to live with his uncle who winded the clocks in the station, but when his uncle disappeared he was left winding clocks on his own and hoping that no one would notice his uncle's absence and throw him out. Hugo has a side project too; he trying to rebuild an automaton that he and his father found in the attic of a museum. In his search for parts for his automaton he ends up involved with a bookish young girl and a bitter old toy maker. Little does he know that the mystery behind the automaton may be wrapped up with the new people in his life.

This was another wonderful story by Selznick. I continue to be amazed at how well he can tell a story in pictures. The story is told half in pictures, half in words. The pictures are beautiful and match the tone of the story perfectly. As with Wonderstruck, this book portrays a sense of nostalgia (it is set in Paris in the 1930's). I love how Selznick makes the story cross multiple generations by having a young boy solve the mystery behind an older man's past.

Although this is more of a mystery driven novel than a character driven novel you can't help but love Hugo. Hugo is hard working and has wonderful dreams of finishing the automaton and presenting it to the rest of the world; the whole time you are really hoping that things will work out for him. The automaton he is working on is a wonderful mystery; you can't help but desperately wonder what the automaton is going to write when Hugo finishes fixing it. Then when he does fix it and it writes for him, what it writes creates a whole mystery all in itself.

The story is very engaging and hard to stop reading. I personally didn't know much about Georges Méliès and his movies; so it was wonderful to learn about this and makes me want to learn even more! What a wonderful thing to dedicate a book this creative and imaginative to a film-maker who first tried to bring fantasy to the big screen. As with Wonderstruck you can tell that Selznick did a ton of research when writing this book (he lists all of his references in the back). You can tell this book took a lot of time and dedication to write/draw and I enjoyed every second of it.

Overall this is just a wonderful book for all ages. Not only does the reader get help Hugo solve a magical mystery involving automatons, they get to learn more about Paris in the 1930's, and are introduced to the movies are Georges Melies. Readers young and old alike will find this to be a beautiful, intriguing, and creative read. It's a glimpse into the past with a bit of mystery thrown in. Highly recommended (as is Wonderstruck) to everyone. I can't wait to see what Selznick comes up with next.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Reading Challenge
- Get Steampunked!

Early Review - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Size:  400 pages

Publisher:  Doubleday

Release Date: September 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0385534635
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from Publisher
Rating: 5/5 stars

I got an eGalley of this book from the publisher for review.  This was an absolutely magical book.  It was beautiful and wondrous; a story that absolutely captured my imagination and drew me in.

The Night Circus, Le Cirque des Rêves, is magical and mysterious.  It appears completely set up and is only open at night.  Sometimes the things that take place inside it are a bit too magical.  What the innocent circus attendee doesn't know is that the Night Circus is actually an arena for a competition going on between two magicians.  Celia and Marcus have been forced to study magic from a very young age; their masters used very different methods of teaching.  Then the masters bound Celia and Marcus into a competition to prove which student was the best. 

This book is told from a number of perspectives.  Parts are shown to you from your perspective as an attendee of the Night Circus and parts from various characters who participate in the circus.  The majority of the book switches between Marcus's and Celia's story; with occasional interruptions by Isobel.

The descriptions of the Night Circus and the attractions there are absolutely magical.  Morgenstern writes in such a way that the tents come alive, mysterious and sparkling, in the reader's mind.  The premise of the book and the descriptions within the book are so creative and interesting.  I am not sure how Morgenstern thought up some of these things but I am glad she did because they were absolutely wonderful to read about.

The book is incredibly well written and while it has a fine literature feel to it, it is still incredibly easy to read and very engaging.  I read this book super fast, just because I had to know what was going to happen next.  The plot is intricate and very detailed, but never hard to follow.

Next there are the characters.  The book is filled with wonderful and quirky characters.  Celia and Marcus will both steal the reader's heart; they are absolutely lovable and engaging.  The relationship they develop is sweet and complicated because of the lengthy competition they face.

The book ends well and is wrapped up in a creative and surprising way.  When you think back to the story after reading the book, you realize how well planned out the plot was and how so many intricate things were woven together to make this wonderful story.

Overall this was just a fabulous book.  I really enjoyed every little last thing about it.  The plot was intricate, the description beautiful, and just such a creative idea.  The atmosphere of the book is magical and mysterious throughout, but always engaging and easy to read.  Marcus and Celia are very engaging characters who are easy to love, they travel an interesting path together.  I really think everyone should give this book a read.  It is the type of book that should appeal to a wide audience and is appropriate for young adult and older.  If you love magic and mystery in a historical setting this is definitely a must read.  I will be watching out for future books from Morgenstern.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:

- 100+ Reading Challenge
- The Debut Author Challenge- 
E-book Reading Challenge 

Early Review - Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Middle Grade

Genre: Fiction
Size: 608 pages

Publisher:  Scholastic Press
Release Date: September 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0545027892
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: ARC from BEA
Rating: 5/5 stars

I got an advanced reading copy of this book at Book Expo America from the publisher.  I had been been wanting to read The Invention of Hugo Cabret for some time, but hadn't gotten around to it.  When I saw that Selznick was coming out with a new book, I was very excited to read it.  This was a wonderful book filled with beautiful drawings and a heartwarming story.

This book tells two storylines, one via pictures and one with traditional writing.  The first storyline is written and is set in the 1970's where a boy named Ben (who has lost his mother and never knew his father) flees his home on the Gunflint Trail in MN for New York City; he is trying to find his father based on some clues he found in his mother's stuff.  The second storyline is told in wonderful pictures.  This storyline is set in the 1920's and tells about a deaf girl named Rose who wants nothing more than to run away from home to live in NYC.

The way the two stories unfold is wonderful.  They are both set in different times with different people, but they still mirror each other as they unfold.  Eventually they entwine in a way that is fabulous, heartwarming, and clever.  This is definitely a coming of age story of sorts.  

With the two stories being set in the past, the story portrays a sort of nostalgia.  Both of the characters (Rose and Ben) are easy to relate to.  Both of them are trying to follow their dreams and do what their hearts' desire no matter how tough things get.

Both stories end up in the Museum of Natural History in New York; you can tell that Selznick did a lot of research to make sure that he got all of the details in the museum right.  It was fun to read about this museum after visiting it back in May. Another theme throughout this story was being deaf and how you deal with it; both Rose and Ben have trouble hearing.  Again, you can tell that Selznick did a lot of research into deaf people and how teaching for deaf people has changed over time.

The story ends well and is wrapped up very nicely.  It is such a fun and creative way to tell a story that not only spans the ages, but is full of adventure and the message to follow your dreams.  Sleznick includes information on the research he did for this book and a full bibliography in the back; there was a lot of research done!

Overall I was very impressed with this book.  It is so well done.  The drawings are spectacular and tell a magical story that entwines nicely with the written story.  I loved how the stories are set in different eras but manage to mirror each other.  I loved how the story is about following your dreams and finding friends in unexpected places.  The research done to write this book was phenomenal too.   I will definitely be picking up Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret and any books he writes in the future.  This book is a keeper and highly recommended for all ages.

This book goes towards the following reading challenge:

- 100+ Reading Challenge

Review - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (4.5/5 stars)

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Size: 350 pages
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Release Date: April 9, 2007
ISBN-13: 978-1565125605
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audible.com
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I had this book on my to read list for some time, when I saw that the movie was coming out soon I decided I better get to reading this.  I listened to this as an audio book and it was very well done; they have two readers one for Jacob in his twenties and one for Jacob in his nineties.  It was a good read and I enjoyed learning about the circus.

Jacob is ninety three and living in a retirement home, through his dreams and daydreams he relives a tumultuous time in his life in his twenties.  When Jacob is in his twenties he is getting ready to sit for his Veterinarian finals at Cornell University when he gets a call; his parents have been killed in a car accident.  Then when he gets home he finds out that the bank has seized his parents' house.  In a fit of grief and sorrow he abandons his exams and hops a train that just happens to be part of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.  Through a series of circumstances he ends up working for them as their vet; taking care of the exotic animals in their menagerie.  In the process of all of this he falls in love with a beautiful performer named Marlena who has a brutally viscous husband, who also happens to be Jacob's boss.

There were a number of things I liked about this book.  The story moves quickly and has a sense of mystery and doom about it as Jacob falls deeper into the seedy goings on in the circus and deeper in love with Marlena.  It is very engaging. 

It is clever how you see into Jacob's life in the present while he is in a nursing home.  These portions of the story really tug at your heart and give insight into an old man struggling to retain his sense of self in an environment where everything is sanitized and ordered.  These glimpses are bittersweet in contrast to the crazy life Jacob lived; obviously this man has lived and lived well and it is heartbreaking to watch him struggle with the descent into age that we are all faced with.

The majority of the story is about Jacob's life in the circus.  Gruen doesn't shy away from the nitty gritty including sex, violence, language; as such this is definitely an adult read.  Issues such as animal cruelty, squalid living conditions for workers, and the Depression are woven throughout.  Making the story very believable and easy to relate to.

All of the characters in this book are very human and engaging and have a lot of depth. Even the villainous characters (Al and August) have moments of graciousness and goodness.  While the main "good" characters do things that border on bad, if only through neglect.

The only thing that really bothered me with this book is that I thought Jacob made too many bad decisions and too many mistakes.  I understood that he was young and hot-headed, but at the same time he is supposed to be very smart...and well...let's just say he doesn't spend much time thinking about his actions.  A lot of what happened he brought on himself and I think that this was inconsistent with the way he was presented as an upstanding citizen and character.

The book ends well and should leave readers happy and smiling.  The story is expertly told and the look into the way a circus runs fascinating.  It would have been nice to have an afterward of Gruen talking about how accurately she represented the circus in this book.  Were all circuses like this?  Or was this one particularly bad?

Overall this was a very engaging story, I enjoyed it a lot, and am happy that I read it.  The characters are fascinating, the glimpses into both life in the circus and life in a nursing home intriguing as well.  I loved how the book was set up with us seeing the elder Jacob's memories/story through his eyes.  Definitely a book to check out if you are at all interested in circuses or people living during the Depression Era.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Reading Challenge
- Audio Book Challenge List 

 

Review - The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Middle Grade
Genre: Historical Fiction/Steampunk
Size:  400 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: October 1, 2010
ISBN-13:  978-0545203371
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Amazon Vine
Rating: 5/5 stars

 
I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program.  It was a fantastic read, I really enjoyed it.  Extremely well written, I loved the writing style and enjoyed how the stories of three children were woven together.

Giuseppe is an orphan who is living as a busker and trying to survive under a brutal padrone named Stephano.  When he finds a green violin that seems magical when he plays it he thinks it may help him escape back to his home in Italy.  Frederick is a clockmaker's apprentice who wants to make something spectacular so that he can make journeyman and set up his own shop.  If only he could find a way to build the head for his clockwork man.  Hannah is a maid at a hotel; she works long hours to support her father who is paralyzed, her mother who cares for him, and her two younger sisters.  When she finds out about a treasure hidden somewhere in the hotel she is desperate to find it.  These three teenagers find their mysteries and stories entwine.

I absolutely loved this story.  It takes place in London in the Victorian time period.  It is more about magical realism than any straight out magic.  There is a steampunk theme throughout because of all of the automatons and clockwork that Frederick does.   The writing is just absolutely beautiful; it flows wonderfully, is descriptive, and easy to read.  I really enjoyed the writing style a lot.

The characters are absolutely wonderful, they all strive to be the best they can and are hopeful despite their dank surroundings.  Each of the children has mysteries from the past that they need to solve and are striving to create better futures for themselves and those around them.  These characters were absolutely engaging and lots of fun to read about.

In the beginning of the book each chapter is from a different characters' perspective, but occasionally the characters cross paths.  Then as the book goes on the three characters' stories become increasingly dependent on each other and more and more entangled.

The plot was full of twists and turns and surprises.  You never knew exactly how anything was going to end up.  There are so many mysteries in this book and it was such fun to read how these mysteries were solved and there outcomes.

There is magic in this book but it is subtle.  In this case it is the magic's subtley that make it feel even more magical.  Guiseppe's violin playing is magical, Frederick's automaton are magical, and Hannah's search for the treasure is too.

I loved how nicely everything was wrapped up in the end.  This is a book suitable for all ages.  The story-telling is very well done and just expertly told.

Overall just a wonderful book. I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.  Readers who love mystery in a Victorian setting and with a touch of magic will love this.  The writing quality and story telling ability of the author are exceptional.  The characters struggle, but are hopeful and I love the way things end.  Just a wonderfully told story, I will definitely check out Kirby's future books.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Reading Challenge
- Get Steampunked!