Category: Fantasy

Fantasy, Fiction

Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows, by Rebecca Ross

Kristie

I should really know better than to blatantly say “I’m not a fantasy reader.” Because, apparently, I AM a fantasy reader. It was just a matter of finding the right author. Rebecca Ross is that author.

Let me try and explain for those who also say they are not readers of fantasy, but perhaps like the Harry Potter series, like myself. What do Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling’s writing have in common with Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows? Fantastic characters who leap off the page. Beautiful, lyrical writing. Incredible word use and word economy, meaning that her metaphor choices are unique and she never seems to describe anything too much or too little. Plots and subplots which address important things like relationships, family, war, freedom of the press, the abuse of power, and so many other things that are both timeless and relatable.

Now that I have your attention, I’ll introduce you to the characters. While a war is being waged between two gods, a local newspaper called the Oath Gazette reports on the battles. In Divine Rivals we meet young journalists Iris Winnow, who is poor but talented, and Roman Kitt, who is educated and from a prominent family. At work, they are both vying for a single promotion. At home, they are secret pen pals, each using an enchanted typewriter handed down to them by their respective grandmothers. Ruthless Vows takes us deeper into the gods’ war, testing allegiances and letting unlikely heroes emerge.

I’m being purposefully vague. The reason being that these are two very special books that you need to discover yourself. There is no graphic language, sex, or violence, proof again of Rebecca Ross’ masterful, magnificent writing. I am just sitting here, shaking my head, knowing that nothing I say here can do them justice. They are beloved for a reason and Rebecca Ross, you have a new admirer.

10/10 very worthy stars for this duology.

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance

Theme: Time Travel Romances

Kristie

This week, in an effort to fulfill some challenges for my book group, I read two novels that dealt with time travel. I’ll admit, there were things I liked about both of them and things that I did not. But I did realize what a tricky subject time travel is in a story. There are many details to consider: how does the person fall into another time? Do they stay or return? Do they bring someone back or leave them forever? Who do they tell? How much does their visit disrupt the future?

Let’s take a look at the two books I read, knowing that the concept of time travel is something still unexplored in reality and that a suspension of belief is required in order to embrace it in a plot.

I struggled with both books, but I liked the way time travel was handled more in Forever You, by Leah Busboom. If you’ve seen the movie Kate & Leopold, with its lightning strike and time portal, then you’ll have an idea of the way country singer, Lacy, accidentally jumps from 2021 to 1855 in the blink of an eye. Half of the book is her life in the past, half of it is in the present. She grapples with the lack of modern conveniences and is very self-aware of what she can and cannot endure in an era when everything was more difficult. She never tries to be someone she isn’t and makes some hard choices. The events of the past and present are sewn together in a clever way and, though the story itself is a bit syrupy, I appreciated that it stayed focused on Lacy and her two important relationships without a lot of external distractions. 8.5/10 Stars

What the Wind Knows, by Amy Harmon, is mainly set in Ireland. In 2001, writer Anne Gallagher travels from New York to the Emerald Isle to scatter her beloved grandfather’s ashes. In a swirl of mist and fog she is transported eighty years into the past, landing in 1921 amidst the Irish War of Independence. She is mistaken for her namesake (her great grandmother) who had gone missing, and must adjust to the time period and the questions about her sudden “reappearance.” Revolutionary Michael Collins and his crusade for Ireland’s freedom from Britain play large roles, forcing the reader to juggle a lot of names, events, historical facts, and fictional characters. The writing is lovely, especially as Anne spends time with long-deceased family members, but I felt like the story was trying to accomplish too much, which became tiresome. I would’ve preferred a trimmed-down version without the political drama. The ending, while hopeful, felt a bit forced in order to gift wrap a satisfying conclusion. 8/10 Stars

Fantasy, Young Adult

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness

Kristie

I love making glorious book discoveries. I made one last night.

Despite the cover art, A Monster Calls is not a mystery or a thriller. It isn’t scary or violent. But it is sad. And profound. And thought-provoking. And hauntingly beautiful. And it is a Young Adult book.

Set in England, we encounter thirteen year old Conor O’Malley. He’s an only child, his parents are divorced, and his mother is sick. Very, very sick. But she reassures Conor that everything will be OK and she’ll recover. It’s a nice thought.

Outside Conor’s bedroom window is an old, gnarled yew tree. Each night at 12:07am the tree transforms into a monster (think Groot’s ugly cousin) who taunts Conor. The tree announces it will tell three stories. After the third story it will be Conor’s turn to tell the fourth one. And the fourth story must be his truth. If it is not his truth, the consequences will be dire.

We don’t know what this means. But we do hear the three stories. And we learn more about Conor’s life situation, which is steadily crumbling.

“….humans are complicated beasts…” says the monster. They are, indeed. So complicated, in fact, that they/we can change our perception of events to fit a certain narrative. It’s a defense mechanism, but we all do it. Sometimes it is necessary. But it can also be harmful to ourselves and others. And that is what this book is about. Beautifully written and full of unsaid messages and subtext, A Monster Calls is a unique treasure.

9.5/10 Stars

Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Women's Fiction

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie, by Rachel Linden

Kristie

Oh, those pesky “what-ifs” that we all carry around! “What if I chose that career?” “What if I married that person?” “What if I lived in that place?” “What if I had done/not done that particular thing?”

If only there was a way to know how things would’ve turned out if we’d taken a different path. And if there was a way…would you try it?

Lolly Blanchard is one month away from turning thirty three. She helps her father run their failing family diner in Seattle. It’s been ten years since her mother’s death. Her younger sister, Daphne, is sprouting wings to find her own way. But most of all, Lolly carries the memory of her time with Rory Shaw, the boy who got away. Now, as she reevaluates her life, Lolly comes to the frustrating realization that she has not accomplished anything she wanted to do. So many hopes. So many dreams.

If only.

This is a purposefully short review because I don’t want to get near anything that resembles a spoiler. I will just say that this lovely story touches on regrets and questions which enter every person’s life at some point. No matter how content and grateful we are, we still wonder. Unless…

What a wonderful, unique, redemptive book! I definitely want to read more by this author.

9.5/10 Stars

Children, Fantasy, Young Adult

The Ogress and the Orphans, by Kelly Barnhill

Kristie

I know a book is excellent if its effects are still lingering days after I’ve finishing it. Few have accomplished this as much as The Ogress and the Orphans, by Kelly Barnhill. Is it for kids? Yes. Is it for young adults? Yes. Is it for grownups? Yes. Yes, yes, and yes. It’s for everyone. If I could buy up a bunch of copies and pass them out on a street corner without looking like a weirdo, I would.

There is the Ogress. She has no name. She has no family. She has no friends. She cannot read. She has a great desire to belong. She has magical talents that benefit others and, even in her loneliness, she is compassionate and generous.

There are the Orphans. They have names that follow the letters of the alphabet. They are cared for by the Matron and her husband, Myron. They read and research. They closely observe. They are each other’s family.

There is the town, Stone-in-the-Glen. Once a lovely place where neighbor helped neighbor, it is now rundown and full of unhappy, suspicious people. Legend says it all began when a dragon burned down the library. Now the only bright spot is the colorful Mayor. He loves all and all love him.

What makes this book so special? What makes it a treasure for readers of any age? It is so layered with important messages that everyone will glean something from it. The writing is magnificent. The characters will remind you of someone you know.

Read it. Share it. Learn from it. Remember it. It’s marvelous!

10/10 Stars

Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult

Snape, A Definitive Reading, by Lorrie Kim

Kristie

snape cover.jpg

Definitive, yes. Interesting, no.

Anyone who has invested time reading and/or watching the entire Harry Potter series knows that there is much more to Severus Snape than meets the eye, and certainly much more than he appears in the very first book. Since the end of the series and as Snape’s true nature and motives have been revealed, the character has become an unlikely hero. It is for this reason that I had such high hopes for this book.

Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, has released several books with backstories of everything from Hogwarts teachers to the inception of Quidditch. They’re fascinating. And it makes sense. The backstories are coming from the same imagination that conceptualized the characters in the first place.

Snape, A Definitive Reading is the opposite of fascinating.

I see this book as one more example of someone riding on the coattails of someone else’s talent and success. There is nothing revelatory here, but merely a chronicling of every single time Snape and Harry Potter interacted with each other through the book series. And that, my friends, is A LOT of interacting. It’s as tedious as it sounds.

At the beginning I read carefully, but as time went on and the book maintained its dry format, I found myself skimming more and more. It’s a few hours I’ll never get back and, as a favor, I recommend you not waste your time with this book. You can do better and Snape deserves more.

6/10 Stars

Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill

Kristie

The Girl Who Drank the Moon cover

After some very demanding months in 2019, I can now return to my beloved book review blog! I’ve read and listened to quite a few books over the last few months, but I narrowed them down to a handful of my favorites to include on this site.

A few weeks ago at a “Favorites” party I won the Young Adult book, The Girl Who Drank the Moon. The fact that it is a Newbery Award winner gave me hope. And, despite its fantasy genre, I decided to give it a try.

I’m glad I did.

Set in a gloomy, dystopian society, The Girl Who Drank the Moon is full of symbolism that spills over into our modern world. A government who swears it is protecting the people, even though they insist that one child must be sacrificed to the forest’s witch every year. Characters include a child who escapes the sacrifice, the aforementioned witch, a dragon, a swamp monster, a madwoman in a tower, and a young apprentice trying to figure out what is true and what is not.

I devoured the book in two days, then loaned it to a friend who is a high school librarian. She loved it too.

Do not be put off by the genre, as I first was, or by its target audience. Younger people may not understand every layer in this the book, and that’s OK. But they will still enjoy it. As an adult, I found the symbolism very powerful, worthy of a college paper.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is most definitely the best book I’ve read in a quite a while. There are some unexpected surprises, which I found very satisfying. And I’ve done my best not to include any spoilers here so that you can experience them for yourself.

9.5/10 Stars

Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult

The Astonishing Color of After, by Emily X.R. Pan

Kristie

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Back from a 3 week vacation through Utah, so I’m trying to catch up. I’ll be pasting in my Goodreads reviews on a few books I read while we were away. 🙂

Suicide, depression, grief. These are heavy subjects. Leigh Chen Sanders is trying to cope with all of them. Her mother is gone, depression has clouded their family for years, and now she and her father are trying to pick up the pieces.

And her mother? Her mother is now a bird. A red, fleeting bird who is always just beyond her grasp. Leigh is convinced of it. She is also convinced that the answers she seeks are in Taiwan with the grandparents she’s never met. Her father agrees to take her there.

The rest is a journey of memories and family revelations.

The Astonishing Color of After was my first foray into magical realism. I love the title and the concept of Leigh mentally transferring her mother’s spirit into a bird. But the story fell flat. Leigh is the crankiest, most unlikable character. She is rude to everyone, offended by everything, and acts as if her grief gives her a free pass to treat people horribly. She is at constant odds with her father, who is clearly just trying to keep the family afloat in these challenging circumstances. Yet Leigh never sees beyond her own needs.

The color imagery felt forced. Leigh is an artist and she thinks and feels in colors. But having a character like Leigh create beauty and meaning while being constantly sour does not work. I didn’t care for her, so I couldn’t care about her. Her supposed self-discovery is as ridiculous as her sudden lightheartedness at the story’s conclusion. Everything is tied up in a neat little bow….after all that? My head was spinning.

The reviews I read on the book were overwhelmingly positive, so I dove in with high expectations. Overall I found it to be tedious, very boring, and frustrating. I felt disconnected throughout the entire story and deeply disappointed in the unrealistic ending.

7.5/10 Stars

(My Goodreads Review)

Fantasy, Fiction

The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan

Kristie

the-keeper-of-lost-things-ruth-hogan

Three couples. Three time periods. A handful of colorful supporting characters.

And maybe…a little bit of fantasy.

If this book was a movie on a shelf, I would have a difficult time choosing its genre. Comedy? Drama? Romance? Philosophy? “Yes” to all because it incorporates all of those things. But it is also a quirky, creative tapestry of characters and their individual stories, woven together into a very unusual, but clever, novel.

At its heart, The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan, centers around Anthony Peardew and his lost love, an event which becomes the catalyst for everything that follows. The rest of the characters, even those who occupy more of the plot, orbit this initial story-line. Each is introduced in a methodical and timely way. All are sympathetic, with fully explored personalities.

What impressed me was that, despite the layers of plots and subplots, the novel was not confusing. Ruth Hogan’s writing is not just clever, but beautiful. The reader empathizes with every loss and every victory because, on some level, we’ve all had similar experiences.

Both the “keeper” and the “things” in the title are subject to discussion. While there are certainly actual objects that qualify as “things,” there are also plenty of abstracts. The key is to allow the story to carry you, the reader, through its ebb and flow, allowing all things to be revealed in time.

It is a worthwhile journey.

9.5/10 Stars

Fantasy, Fiction, Series & Collections, Young Adult

Every Day, by David Levithan

Kristie

every-day

In 16 years of life, “A,” an entity who is neither male or female, has lived every day in a different body. The name “A” is self given. That, an email address, and a favorite book are the only consistencies A knows. Everything else is a mysterious, Quantum Leap-style existence, with no relationships, no family, no connections.

Enter Rhiannon. On the day A inhabits the body of Justin, Rhiannon’s self-absorbed boyfriend, A connects. The dilemma is clear. How do you maintain a relationship, let alone explain your unique situation, when tomorrow is always uncertain? Uncertainties exist for all of us, but the variety of bodies, lives, families, distances, mental/physical health situations, and transportation options dictate the level of control A has in pursuing this connection.

With no rules and no explanation as to why A is destined to live this way, A has had to create rules. Try not to derail the life of who you are inhabiting too much. Try to be responsible with a body that is not your own. Embrace goodness. If possible, try to leave the person a bit better than when you arrived, even inserting some happy memories once in a while.

Seeing glimpses of so many lives has given A a bit of an advantage in some ways, but has also created some severe deprivations. If there is any positive lesson to be learned from witnessing A’s struggles, it is the importance of stability and loving relationships in a person’s life.

There is no doubt that David Levithan is a creative writer. I was much more absorbed in this story than with Dash & Lily. The author makes some fascinating choices with the bodies A inhabits.  I still think Levithan walks a tightrope in some of his themes and ideas, but I understand that is his prerogative. But as such, it’s my opinion that parents ought to pre-read his books.

As I mentioned in another review, I am not in the author’s target age demographic. I cannot help but look at his YA novels from an adult perspective. And, while Every Day was not peppered throughout with popular profanities (as in Dash & Lily,)  David Levithan’s strong social opinions took their place. It’s clear he has an unapologetic loathing for many things most people would consider traditional.

As far as plot, my main dissatisfaction with Every Day was the ending. It was horrendous because, in order to know what really happens next, the reader is forced to move on to the sequel, Another Day.  I don’t like feeling forced. (Does anyone?)

A half-hearted (and forced) 8/10 stars.

 

 

Fantasy, Fiction

The Time Keeper, by Mitch Albom

Kristie

The Time Keeper cover

“There is a reason God limits our days.”

“Why?”

“To make each one precious.”

Once upon a time there was no time. At least, the concept of time was unknown to mankind until a man named Dor began trying to measure it. In doing so, he changed the world. The question is, was it changed for better or worse?

Dor became Father Time, but not by choice. Like “Mother Nature,” Father Time is one of those mythical figures who has no holiday for us to celebrate, except maybe our individual birthdays where we honor the passing of time until we want to forget that it’s happening. However we try to control time, either by cramming as many activities into a minute or an hour; or with healthy habits, medicines, or cosmetic surgery to slow it down, it marches on. With or without us, Time marches on.

In his solitude as Father Time, grieving for his lost love and his mortal life, Dor watches two people on earth. One is Victor Delamonte, a self-made millionaire who has been diagnosed with cancer. The other, a smart but solitary teenage girl named Sarah Lemon, whose high school crush is, well, a lemon. Time, and the ever-futile attempt to control it, is about to play a huge role in both their lives. When these seemingly random lives intersect…I can promise you will never look at a clock the same way again.

Confession: When I “read” The Time Keeper, by Mitch Albom, I didn’t actually read it. I did something unusual for me, which was listening to the audio book available through my local digital library. It was read by Dan Stevens, a very capable reader who convincingly acted out the characters’ voices, and who is also playing the Beast in the currently popular Disney movie.

The author uses some beautiful imagery and phrasing, many that I wish I could’ve underlined, so reading the book is certainly not a waste of time. (Pun intended.) Listening to it was simply an experiment of mine in using my library’s audio book feature.

The plot is unique, truly unlike any I’ve read before, and the book would make a terrific book club selection if you happen to be in one. It encourages thought, discussion, and makes one pause at how our own individual lives and time are being used. Without a doubt, the most interesting book I’ve read in quite a while. Highly recommended.

9.5/10 Stars