Introverted Reader

Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann: Book Review

I walked into the library on my lunch break to pick up a nonfiction book for my before-bed reading. I have enough unread novels at home. I was not going to check out any fiction. I grabbed the book I was there for and then started wandering the fiction stacks. It couldn't hurt to just look, right? OK, so I hadn't read anything by Patricia Briggs in a while. I needed to check out the next in the Mercy Thompson series since it was available. But that was it. Nothing else. I marched toward the checkout desk with blinders on. I would not be deterred. But, oh! What's that? Over on the "Staff Recommends" shelf? It's so pretty! My feet were going that way of their own volition. My hands were reaching for it. Beautiful and creepy. A quick glance at the back. Fairy tale? Sold. I had Beautiful Darkness checked out and in the car before my brain even processed what had just happened. It truly is a beautiful book. It's large and hardcover so it was very striking on display. The interior artwork is all gorgeous too. I took my time looking over each frame. The story--? So-so. It was very dark, in a Lord of the Flies way. I was never entirely clear exactly what happened, but I was clear enough. There's a murdered little girl in the woods. All of these fairy-ish creatures fled--her body? her mind?-- when she died. Now they're alone in a harsh world trying to survive. All of the personalities you would expect to see in this situation show up. The "Queen Bee," demanding that the others cater to her every whim. The caretaker who is doing her best for everyone. The outcasts. The sneaky manipulators. And a whole lot of clueless…

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker: Book Review

Tin Win is a successful lawyer who simply walks out of his life one day. His children have both graduated from college so he apparently has decided that he's a free man. There's a search but it quickly comes to a dead end in Bangkok. His daughter Julia decides several years later to go looking for him in Burma, his native country, after finding a love letter he had written to a woman named Mi Mi. She quickly stumbles onto a man named U Ba who is able to tell her father's story from his start as an abandoned peasant boy to the time he left Burma. Eh. I enjoyed this. And then I got to the end. It felt way too Nicholas Sparks-y to me. Nothing against him, that's just not my kind of book. At all. The book and translation are beautifully written and the audio version is fabulous. Cassandra Campbell is an excellent narrator. Burma is not a country that I've read much about but it was fascinating. The descriptions of Tin Win finding his way through the world as child, relying mostly on his sensitive hearing, were amazing. The story of his first love was heart-wrenching. But then I don't understand what happens. We are told how he ends up in America but I can't say that I truly get it. I can't lay out my questions without giving away spoilers, so I'll just say--why? I think it was a cultural thing. But it felt like a contrivance to set the story on the teary Nicholas Sparks path. So I obviously don't think this is for everyone but if you like reading love stories with your box of tissues nearby, pick this one up. Read an excerpt. Find author Jan-Philipp Sendker on his website and Facebook.…

Bookish Miscellany

Weekly Update for June 15, 2015

Welcome to my weekly update for June 15, 2015! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. She's taking a bit of personal leave so I'm also linking to Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. So, yeah. I've been busy with stuff and my blog has been more shamelessly neglected than usual. Sorry about [...]

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June 15, 2015

Personal Stories

Suicide Prevention

I've struggled with whether to write this post about suicide prevention. If you've been around long, I'm sure you've noticed I don't write many personal things. I'm a private person. The few posts I have written have been fun little stories, nothing serious at all. But I feel this needs to be shared, just in case it helps anyone. My husband and I lost a very dear friend on May 3, 2015 when he took his own life. I don't feel that his story is mine to share, so I'll only say that he was an Iraq War veteran who had been through more personal tragedy in his lifetime than anyone should have to experience in a full 80+ span of years. All of us who knew him well knew that he needed help and begged him to go somewhere or talk to someone or just--anything. But he never would and here we are. He was one of the most deeply kind, generous, and just mischievous people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and his absence is a loss not only to my husband and me and his other friends but to the world. Kindness feels like it's in short supply some days. So I'm writing this to ask that if you need help, please seek it out. There's no shame in asking for help. Everyone needs assistance getting through something in their lives. If you know someone who needs help, please don't give up on them. Here are a few resources: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline American Foundation for Suicide Prevention National Alliance on Mental Illness Some employers participate in the confidential Employee Assistance Network. See if your employer offers anything similar. Veterans can get help at Wounded Warrior Project, or find a facility of the Veteran's Health…

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May 25, 2015

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman: Book Review

Reviewed September 7, 2009 Busy week + training + overtime=forgettable review. Sorry, guys. These stories/poetry were pretty dark. But then it's been a while since I read any Gaiman, so maybe I've just forgotten how dark he can be. I would really put this on a dark fantasy/horror lite shelf, but that's fine by me. As in all short story collections, some of these were winners and some were okay. Some that stood out were "A Study in Emerald"--A fun take on the classic Sherlock Holmes format. "October in the Chair"--Memorable more for the framework than the actual story, although that was pretty good too. "Bitter Grounds"--Pretty creepy "Other People"--I'm surprised I didn't have nightmares after reading this one. But that really has more to do with my own buttons than the story. "The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch"--Just might be my favorite. He stops in just the perfect place and tells just enough. Loved it. "The Problem of Susan"--Should have come with a warning a la Stephen King and The Dark Tower. He has a point, but I will never look at Aslan the same way again. "Feeders and Eaters"--I hate to pick on The King again, but I really think this one would have done him proud. Super creepy. "Goliath"--Absolutely perfect for what it was written for "The Monarch of the Glen"--I can't honestly say that I remember all that much about American Gods, except that I liked it. Still, it was fun to check in on Shadow. One last thing. There are a few poems scattered throughout the book. I did not care for the earlier ones, but as I continued reading, they improved, and I genuinely enjoyed "The Day the Saucers Came" and a few others. Highly recommended for Gaiman fans.…

Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman: Book Review

When I was offered a copy of Neil Gaiman's newest short story collection, Trigger Warning, for review, my first thought was to jump on it. I adore Neil Gaiman's work. He is one of only about three authors who get their own shelf name on my GoodReads account. And then I remembered that I wasn't particularly happy with The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I know I'm in the minority and I've never even written a review for it, but all I can say is that it was too weird, even for me. I hate feeling honor-bound to review a book that I didn't love so I wavered. Then I decided to go for it. I'm so glad I did! Overall impression: It started off with a couple of stories that I didn't particularly care for so I was getting worried. I'd read the third story earlier (In George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois's Songs of Love and Death) and enjoyed it, but still, it was a re-read. The fourth story started to catch my attention and by the fifth, I was hooked. There were probably one or two others I didn't care for in the remaining nineteen stories, but the collection overall is fantastic. And because I find it impossible not to mention what I think of every single story in a collection, here's where I get long-winded. "Making a Chair"--A poem about--you guessed it--making a chair. I assume Gaiman was pushing through some writer's block with this one. Haven't we all been there? You have a million real things to do but something unimportant proves to be a welcome distraction? "A Lunar Labyrinth"--Normally short horror stories scare me to death. So much is left unsaid. I can generally read Stephen King novels and sleep like…

Read more about the article <i>Five Nights in Paris: After Dark in the City of Light </i> by John Baxter

Bookish Miscellany

Five Nights in Paris: After Dark in the City of Light by John Baxter

So, I goofed. I was offered an opportunity to review Five Nights in Paris: After Dark in the City of Light by John Baxter and I accepted. I mean--Paris, right? I'm always up for a little armchair travel. Or real travel, for that matter. I had good intentions, but somehow time slipped away from me. Now I find that the deadline for downloading my review copy from Edelweiss has passed. So I thought I'd post the synopsis here to spread the word and do a little to remedy my error. Let me know if you've read it and what you thought! From GoodReads: The preeminent expat writer on Paris and author of The Most Beautiful Walk in the World takes you on an unforgettable nocturnal stroll through five iconic Parisian neighborhoods and his own memories John Baxter enchanted readers with his literary tour of Paris in The Most Beautiful Walk in the World. Now, this expat who has lived in the City of Light for more than twenty years introduces you to the city’s streets after dark, revealing hidden treasures and unexpected delights. As he takes you through five of the city’s greatest neighborhoods—Montmartre, Montparnasse, the Marais, and more—Baxter shares pithy anecdotes about his life in France, as well as fascinating knowledge he has gleaned from leading literary tours of the city by dark. With Baxter as your guide, you will discover the City of Light as never before, walking in the ghostly footsteps of Marcel Proust, the quintessential night owl for whom memory was more vivid than reality; Hungarian photographer Gyula Halász, known as Brassai, who prowled the midnight streets, camera in hand, with his friend Henry Miller; Louis Aragon and Philippe Soupault, who shared the Surrealists’ taste for the city’s shadowed, secret world; and Josephine Baker and other…

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April 29, 2015

Bookish Miscellany

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. I am still here! It's been a busy month or two. My parents' 40th anniversary was last month so my sister and I threw a party for them. Then we surprised them the following weekend with a family trip to Tybee Island in Georgia. We had a wonderful time! We drove into Savannah one day and it is gorgeous in the spring time with the azaleas blooming. I got my hands on some of my mom's old family photo albums for the party so I've been working on scanning those pictures before I give them back. My husband has also started a new job and he's completely off of night shifts. Yay! It's great to have him home with me every night! We're working to balance "me time" and "us time" now though. That said, I haven't posted since March 1. Holy cow. I did write one review, then I realized the book isn't published until June. Oops. It's scheduled but that didn't help me look like any less of a slacker. Posted: Nothing since March 1. Read since March 1: The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George, translated by Simon Pare--3 Stars Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman--4 Stars The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker, read by Cassandra Campbell, translated by Kevin Wiliarty--2.5 Stars Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman--4 Stars Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor, read by Khristine Hvam--4 Stars Raney by Clyde Edgerton--4 Stars Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, read by Grayce Wey--4 Stars Trader by Charles de Lint (re-read)--4 Stars Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan, read by Trini Alvarado--4 Stars Currently Reading: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown The Places in Between by…

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April 13, 2015

Bookish Miscellany

Weekly Update for March 2, 2015

Welcome to my weekly update for March 2, 2015! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. As predicted, I haven't had time to post much in February and March probably won't be any better. But here's what I've been up to since February 8 [...]

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March 2, 2015

Read more about the article <i>Dressing Downton: Changing Fashion for Changing Times</i> at Biltmore Estate

Screen and Stage Review

Dressing Downton: Changing Fashion for Changing Times at Biltmore Estate

I'm pretty sure I've never mentioned Downton Abbey here on the blog, but I am a big fan! My husband and I started watching it late and we're slow series watchers, so we only caught up right before the new season started in January here in the US. I can't believe tonight's already the season finale! No spoilers, please! I won't be able to watch it until later in the week. A photo of the Biltmore house my husband took several years ago So, anyway, we are incredibly lucky here in Asheville, NC. One of our biggest tourist attractions is Biltmore Estate, a huge house castle? built by the Vanderbilts in the style of a French chateau. It's beautiful. My husband and I spend a lot of time there, wandering the grounds, biking, and catching outdoor concerts. But now they've outdone themselves. They've brought costumes from Downton Abbey to display throughout the house! Aaaaahhhhhh!!!! I was so excited when I saw this exhibit was coming! It opened on February 5 but yesterday was the first opportunity we've had to check it out. Oh my gosh. The costumes are gorgeous! And there are so many! There are over 45, many of them very iconic outfits that we immediately recognized. Each costume has information posted about it in the room, detailing whether it was a new piece or a vintage piece from the era, the details of the fabric and decorations, which character wore it (generally including a picture of that character in the costume), and which episode it appeared in. I really liked being able to orient myself to the show like that. There were very few rooms in the upstairs part of the house that didn't have at least one costume displayed. The downstairs (servants' quarters) didn't have very many,…

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March 2, 2015