4 Stars. I had my reservations about this. I love me a retold fairy tale, don't get me wrong. But it's all science-fictiony. Cyborgs? Androids? Not my thing. And then it's set in a future that sounds a little post-apocalyptic? Definitely not my thing. And yet, searching around for something mildly dystopian to read for a reading [...]
This is the story of Jeannette Walls's childhood growing up with a father who adored his children but who also neglected them shamefully and became downright scary when he drank. Her mother was a carefree spirit who couldn't be bothered to take care of her children. She thought it was good for them to learn to take care of themselves. The first story we get from Jeannette's childhood involves the horrible burns she sustained while cooking hot dogs for herself at the age of three. Childhood doesn't really get any better from there. I'm torn on rating this book. I read it in one day. I really couldn't put it down. But at the same time, this isn't the normal kind of book I read and I can't really say that I enjoyed it. I know that's not really the point with this kind of memoir, but I do typically choose to read for enjoyment. I don't really have much to say about it. I'm not a fan of non-fiction, but this did "read like fiction." I feel like I've read a memoir somewhat similar to this in the past. I know everyone's story is different, but I really think that reading the story of a charming alcoholic's daughter one time was enough for me. This was one time too many. I'd give it three stars except for the fact that I really did rip right through it. Reviewed November 30, 2008 Note: I read much more nonfiction these days, I'm proud to say! Read an excerpt. Buy The Glass Castle at Malaprop’s | Better World Books Friday Flashback Reviews are a weekly feature here on The Introverted Reader. These are old reviews I wrote on GoodReads. Thanks to Angieville and her Retro Friday Reviews for the inspiration and encouragement!…
The seventh son of the seventh son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a new born girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus? The first book in this enthralling new series by Angie Sage leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters and magykal charms, potions, and spells. Magyk is an original story of lost and rediscovered identities, rich with humor and heart. Another book I've waited too long to review... Magyk was a lot of fun to read! Funny and suspenseful, I kept turning the pages right through to the end. That means a lot when you consider that I read it while striding away on the elliptical machine at the gym. The Heap family reminded me a lot of the Weasleys--there were about a million of them, they were talented, and they were poor. But they loved each other a lot and that made everything okay. I guessed pretty early what was going on but this is a book written for the middle grades; they might not guess as quickly. I've had a lot of practice at this kind of thing! I need to track down the rest of the series soon. I need to see what's going to happen next! I recommend this for boys and girls from around the age of 10 and up. They should all tear through it the same way I did! Read an excerpt. Find author Angie Sage on Twitter and…
Captains Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call have retired from active duty in the Texas Rangers and tried to settle in to life as ranchers. When an old buddy shows up talking about how beautiful Montana is and how much land is available for ranching, Captain Call is seized with the idea of being the first man to drive cattle up there. He gathers a crew and, along with Gus and a handful of loyal workers, takes off to cover the 3000 miles to Montana. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this western. I've read a few of them, and even a few of McMurtry's other novels, but I didn't love any of them the way I loved this. It was just so epic in scale, it gave me a sense of how the "frontier" must have felt back in the day. And yet all these people wandered in and out of each other's lives in a way that is almost unbelievable. In a way it makes sense--there weren't many people, so surely they would all know each other--but the sheer distance makes it feel improbable. I guess I'll never know. It does make for good storytelling. The story switches back and forth between a lot of characters, which is occasionally a turnoff for me. It mostly worked in this book though. I never cared about Elmira one bit and couldn't wait to move on when I got to her sections, but even she served a purpose in the big scheme of things. I never had any trouble keeping track of who was who. Each character was so distinct that there was no danger of confusing anyone. Gus was hands-down my favorite character. I'll probably write a blog post about him alone one of these days. He had…
Author Mardi McConnochie imagines what the lives of the Brontë sisters would have been like if they had grown up on a remote island/penal colony off the coast of Australia. In this fictional tale, their father is the warden of the colony, paranoid to the point of madness and with a giant God-complex. He makes life hard for everyone on the island, including his daughters. Charlotte is the sensible one, Emily is overly sensitive with a large streak of the fey in her, and Anne is caught somewhere between them. The girls realize after their father is shot (it happens on the first page) that they need to try to take control of their own lives, and so they set about trying to earn money the only way they can--by writing. They know it's not a very practical plan when they live in Australia and all the publishers are in England, half a world a way, but what other hope do they have? Their father won't be around forever. I really don't know why this is rated so poorly on Goodreads because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe people are upset that the lives of these classic authors are so very fictionalized? I haven't read reviews yet to see what's going on. I love Jane Eyre and I tend to love Gothic stories. Seeing Charlotte Brontë in her own Gothic story was a treat for me. Emily irritated the heck out of me, but Wuthering Heights irritated the heck out of me too, so I thought she was well-represented. I haven't read any of Anne's work although I intend to. The island is so gloomy and atmospheric that it becomes a character in its own right. I felt so very bad for these sisters. Growing up alone like they have, they…
Vida Winter is called the Charles Dickens of her age. No one has ever been able to find out the story of her life. Any reporter who tries gets a beautiful story, but still, it's only a story. But now Vida is old and sick and she must share her story with the world. She chooses Margarate Lea, amateur biographer, to write the final story that everyone has been waiting for. I loved this! It has a very dark, gothic feel to it that reminded me of both Jane Eyre and Rebecca. Vida's story is full of twists and turns and is a delight to read. If you like the Bronte sisters, pick this one up. It's perfect for a dark and stormy day. Reviewed October 24, 2008 Read an excerpt. Buy The Thirteenth Tale at Malaprop’s | Better World Books Friday Flashback Reviews are a weekly feature here on The Introverted Reader. These are old reviews I wrote on GoodReads. Thanks to Angieville and her Retro Friday Reviews for the inspiration and encouragement! I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site.
4.5 Stars. Oh my goodness. How did I not know about this? I've come across vague statements about how many millions of people died under Stalin's regime in the past. I didn't realize the scale of it, if that makes sense. I somehow thought it was smaller groups of "dissenters" killed across many, many years and across a vast [...]
Chet and his human, Bernie, are a private investigating team. When a missing teen case comes their way, Bernie is initially reluctant to take it. He eventually does and the girl shows up under her own steam hours later. But then she goes missing for real. Bernie can just feel that something is really wrong this time. He and Chet go on the hunt, knowing that the more time passes without a ransom note, the worse things look for the missing girl. What a cute book! Chet just cracked me up! Unlike Enzo, the wise canine narrator of The Art of Racing in the Rain, Chet is all dog. His attention span is short. He loves a good steak. He loves treats and the people who hand them out. Unless that person is a perp. Then he'd rather have a bite of their pant leg. And he definitely wants to meet the lady dog he hears barking down the street... I had a good idea from pretty early on what was going to happen because Chet stumbles into it. The suspense comes from wondering if Bernie's going to figure it out in time. Bits of the story seemed implausible, but there are amazing animal stories in the news all the time. Who am I to say what Chet could or couldn't do? I read this on the treadmill at the gym, and it was great for passing the time. I was so caught up in Chet and Bernie that I didn't spend too much time watching the clock. I don't think I ever laughed out loud, but it was a close thing. I know I was grinning like an idiot a few times. Don't expect classic literature here, but if you're intrigued by the idea of a funny mystery told…
Picking up exactly where Episode 1 left off, Episode 2 finds Takeo and Kaede en route to a marriage at Lord Iida's stronghold. Takeo is still bent on revenge and Kaede is just trying to survive this brutal world of men. There's still a lot of potential in this series, it's just not getting places very fast. I must be losing my patience for series books as I get older! Kaede is growing fast and I wish more of the story was told from her point of view. Takeo has stalled out a little. I do think he's going to get better throughout the series though. I like Kaede's heart. I was very disappointed in the direction that Shigeru and Lady Maruyama's story went. I guess the Lady's actions make sense within the context of her culture, but I expected more from her. And I think that's really all I have to say. Readers who like books set in Japan will probably be pretty happy with it. I don't have a huge need to continue with the series, but you never know. My review of The Sword of the Warrior (Episode 1) Buy Across the Nightingale Floor: Journey to Inuyama at Malaprop’s | Better World Books I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site.
A successful WWII columnist, Juliet Ashton, has just published a collection of her popular wartime columns. But now she's looking to write a "meatier" book, she just can't find a topic she wants to live with throughout years of research. Then she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams, a native of Guernsey. He shares with her that her copy of Charles Lamb's book, The Selected Essays of Elia, helped him throughout the Nazi occupation of his island and asks her to help him find more of Lamb's writing. A correspondence begins between Juliet and Dawsey, and ultimately the other members of his book club. The characters in this book were wonderful. I was in love with all of them. They weren't all book lovers when the war started, but by the end, they had experienced how books can make the unbearable a little more bearable. The letter format lets you know the characters more intimately. I think that, other than the characters, what made this book really click with me was that it was obviously written by a book lover for book lovers. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book: "Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books." "Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers." "It was amazing to me then, and still is, that so many people who wander into bookshops don't really know what they're after--they only want to look around and hope to see a book that will strike their fancy. And then, being bright enough not to trust the publisher's blurb, they will ask the book clerk the three questions: (1) What is it about? (2) Have you read it? (3) Was it any good?" "Because there is nothing I would…