Book Review: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (2019)

What happens when a story has a heartbeat?

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a young man who is constantly gazing into other worlds, whether this is by the books he picks up or the games that he plays. Then one day he finds himself on the edge of his own grand adventure. A grand adventure that looks similar to the book that he is currently reading. A book that has his name in it as one of the characters.

When I heard that Erin Morgenstern was coming out with a new book I was overjoyed. And of course, as all of my intentions go, it took several years before I was able to pick up “The Starless Sea”. I was ready for a world of magical, realism, mixed with whimsy, and crushing emotions and this book absolutely delivered on it.

Some readers may find this book a bit challenging to read because each chapter switches between the protagonist, the stories thatat the protagonist is reading, and almost everyone else in between. At times it feels as if the story is taking too long to go anywhere because you’re in the middle of the action and then you’re torn away by a fairytale. I will admit a first this was frustrating as it took me a while to get into the story, but then when I opened my mind up to thinking that I was the main character, and that I am reading the story that the character is reading, it became the more exciting.

This book is stacked full of allegory, metaphors, and analogies, and yet at the same time, it feels all meaningless, because this book is painfully aware that it is just a story. I think that is the main thing that I took away from this book. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with telling a good story.

I recommend this book to people who are fans of magical, realism, people who read the night, Circus, people who love the feeling of falling in love, those who love a happy ending, and those who may not want the story to end.

Overall Rating: 4 out of  5 stars

A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner (2021)

Three women connect across centuries. Caroline, who lives in Modern Ohio and is visiting London. Nella, the owner of an apothecary in 18th-century London, dispensing her wares to women who seek revenge on men. And Eliza, a 12-year-old girl who takes a liking to Nella. Caroline will discover the secrets of these two ordinary women, who left an extraordinary mark on history, though people may not know it.

I enjoyed this book! There wasn’t a sense of urgency in the book for me, but I still enjoyed reading about the lives of the three women. I wouldn’t quite put it in cozy mystery, but it doesn’t quite capture the thrill of something like “The DaVinci Code” either. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a lighter read, featuring women who take charge of their own lives.

Overall Rating: 3 out of  5

A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson (2020)

It took me half a year to finish this book. I chose it from BOTM because I only had a vague knowledge of Churchill and the first year of his position as PM isn’t something I knew much about; I knew him to be a great orator and I had standard knowledge on WWII. This book I believe gives you good insight on Churchill the father, the soldier, the man who was not afraid to wear everything on his sleeve. You learn of the pain London and England went through, the pressure that was placed on Roosevelt, the joys that people found even as their cities erupted in flame and smoke.

But if you are looking to learn about the tactics and day to day of WWII, this is not your book.

I enjoyed it, but it could be a bit dry. There is action between the intimate scenes of the Churchill family and numerous affairs of people involved in the war, whether as soldiers or diarists. However at times it was hard to tell if the intimate scenes were a reprieve from the horrors of the war, or a rock that sunk the pacing of the plot to the bottom of a rushing River.

It’s not a book that your mind is able to wander during. You have to be completely focused. And it made it better for me to read it a little at a time.

However, I am happy I read it, and it is very well written. While it took me a while to adjust to the multiple people (I’m a Tolkien and Martin fan so I’m used to reading lots of names, but knowing these people are real made me spend several hours online looking them up), it was nice to get a very well rounded view of one of the most critical and devastating events in modern history.

I say if you need a good nonfiction book about war that doesn’t solely focus on war, this is the book for you.

I would say what my favorite quote is, but it’s Churchill! One of the most quoatable figures in history. Throw a dart at one of his sayings and I am liable to say its my favorite for the day.

Overall Rating: 4 out of  5

A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.

Book Review: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014)

This was an absolutely gorgeous and heartbreaking novel. Switching back-and-forth between two protagonists, and the occasional interloper, Doerr weaves a tale set during World War II, involving a blind French girl, and an ingenious German boy. Both are trying to make sense of the world around them, while trying to survive.

Photo Credit: Goodreads

I am not a huge fan of war books because they are often so heartbreaking and tough for me to get through. And of course this book was no exception, but the language that the author employs made the story sound as if the words were being spoken to me directly. I got to know the characters on such an intimate level despite having to switch back-and-forth between different points of view.

The characterization of both the protagonists were fully fleshed out, dynamic, and evoked such as sympathy and me for their situations despite them being on opposite sides of the war. Doerr does not make any excuses for why the characters do what they do in a time of war. But this allows us to see the actions, the situations that they might find themselves in that lead them down their respective paths.

If you want a heavy read, gorgeous language, wonderful imagery, completed characters, and a lot of heartbreak this is the book for you. It goes without saying that because this book is set during World War II it is not the most bright of stories, but it still offers a ray of hope throughout the entire novel. So if war novels are your thing this is a good book too. I can completely see why it’s won a Pulitzer.

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Overall Rating: 5 out of  5

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My favorite quote:

When I lost my sight, Werner, people said I was brave. When my father left, people said I was brave. But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don’t you do the same? (Doerr 465).

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A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0) by Suzanne Collins (2020)

President Snow was destined for greatness, but his path to success is not so linear. Suzanne Collins explores 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, a post-war Capitol, and the 10th Hunger Games.

I was hesitant to read a book about one of the most horrible dictators in the history of this universe. But boy, I have to admit that I was blown away. Collins has such an amazing way of writing lyrics into her words, both actual lyrics and the lyricism that permeates the story.

Photo Credit: Goodreads

It’s such an interesting thing to read a prequel written after the main body of work. How knowing the end shapes your view of the beginning. No matter what, at the end of the day we know the horrors President Snow instilled in Panem for over 7 decades, and Collins in a very Hitchcockian type way, uses this knowledge to set a ticking time bomb for us as readers. I have no craving to know why a horrible person is a horrible person (in fiction at least) so I commend Collins in making me turn page after page to know how Snow came to be.

It’s only a view of a year in his life, and even then only over the course of a few weeks, but it’s transformative for young Snow. Not in the way that he becomes a different person, but only that he solidifies the foundation of his character. There are teetering moments in which I could see him change who he is, but at his core, a Capitol man he will always be. Adages about nature vs. nurture, and you can take the boy out of the jungle but not vice versa are appropriate themes for this book. I must congratulate Collins for writing about 500 pages about a few weeks, and not making each of those weeks the longest things in existence. I also love the cameos from some of our less polarizing characters we met in the original trilogy.

I will not say that this a must-read for Hunger Games fans. It was a struggle for me to start just because who wants to sympathize with a dictator? Especially when you’ve grown attached to the heroes of that universe. But I will say if you can get past that, you will be in for a treat.

Overall Rating: 4 out of  5

My favorite quote:

If he’d been useless and stupid, the loss of civilization would not have hollowed out his insides in this manner (Collins 495).

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A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.

Book Rambling: The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson (1948)

First of all, I love Shirley Jackson. I fell in love with her when I had to read The Lottery back in 7th grade. The teacher actually had us read it out loud so it went by

Photo Credit: Goodreads

slower than if I had just read it myself…so I declined to read aloud and read it quietly in class. When I was finished I was so confused, and then waited to hear the ending read aloud and I was horrified. Our teacher had to get us horrified pre-teens past the disturbing ending, and on to “unpacking” the story. I’m not here to discuss the brilliance of the story, but those 10 pages made me respect short stories as an art form.

Shirley Jackson is a queen of short stories in my opinion (and she remains a queen of short stories until I finally get around to reading one of her novels). While I bought this used book specifically to read “The Lottery”, my introduction to Jackson’s work, I absolutely adored all of the other stories I met along the way. She is able to evoke a range of emotions in the reader, almost always landing on a feeling adjacent to unsettling. She is able to take a pedestrian event and make it, for lack of another word, creepy. While most would agree that “The Lottery” is one of the most outright disturbing short works, gems like “The Tooth”, “And The Sailors”, and “The Witch” leave you slightly on edge is the most delicious possible way. I took my time reading this, but if I wanted I could have read it in a day. I will definitely keep it on hand to pick up and read a story from it now and again.

Overall Rating: 5 out of  5

My favorite story (besides The Lottery): Flower Garden

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A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.

A Book…Culling?

Yes. You read that correctly. This isn’t about a book haul, it’s about a book culling. I know people do book hauls, so I’m going to start doing the opposite. This is one of the most damaging things to my souls that I do every so often because I live in a small apartment in Jersey and there is this thing called “lack of space” which is preventing me from living my very best life.

Now for me, there are many reasons why I might choose to get rid of some books over others. And I thought to share them with you all. So below are a few books that have been culled from my shelves.

A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate

Photo Credit: Goodreads

*Gasp* She got rid of a book she read and reviewed on here! Yes. It was the first “new release” book that I reviewed on this blog, oh so many moons ago. It was a decent book, and looking back on my review, I still stand by my rating of 3.5 out of 5…but I had to look at the description again, and re-remember what happened. There are books that stay with me no matter how long it’s been since I’ve read them, and when looking back on this book…it’s a blank slate. Which means it didn’t impact me much. Still a good book, but not one I need to hold on to.

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The House of the Seven Gables

Photo Credit: Goodreads

So I love Hawthorne and I love Gothic novels, so I truly did enjoy this book. So the reasons why this one was culled are simple. I do suggest you give it a read! The pace is a bit slow and doesn’t have the fantastical flair about it like The Scarlet Letter, but it has such an interesting cast of characters and it is quite the commentary on American values. 1) I like The Scarlet Letter better and 2) copyright is up so if I’m hankering for it, I can read it online for free. So this was a more practical cut from my bookshelves.

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Jane Eyre

Photo Credit: Goodreads

So following me mentioning I culled The House of the Seven Gables because I am able to get it online for free, you might be thinking the same for this timeless classic by a beloved Bronte. You would be correct in that you can access it for free online, but I also got rid of it for another reason; it is one of the most frustrating plots I have had to get through. I didn’t have to read it for school, and so picked it up by myself.  It is an engaging read, though the language might be a bit difficult to pick through since the pace is a bit slow. But I am so mad at the resolution of the book. It wraps up too neatly, and though it is a wonderful commentary on the relationships between parents and children, family members, expectations of marriage, wealth and so on and so on…I feel like half of it gets undermined with the ending. Deus ex machinas abound. I have so much to say I’ve thought about making a podcast just to talk about this particular book. But still a good book.

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Love in the Time of Cholera

Photo Credit: Goodreads

I absolutely loved this book. While I didn’t review it here, it did get 4 stars on my Goodreads account. So why did I get rid of it? It was an old, used copy. I need to read more by the author, and he has the potential to be an author that I collect. But as I have only read 1 of his books, and that book was falling apart, I had to bid it farewell. But oh! The plot, the lyricism of the words, the characters. I loved it all. And the title! I thought I was encountering a nurse/patient type thing but I didn’t. The backdrop that is painted for you is stunning for this story to take place.

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I am really trying to stick to my no new books until I finish all the unread books I currently have rule. I’ve been making progress! However…sometimes I can’t help myself and get a new book. And when that happens, I have to get rid of one that I know I’m never going to read again, or didn’t enjoy, or just don’t need to have on my shelf. I hate doing it because just looking at books (even bad ones) make me happy. But I also can’t afford for another shelf to buckle under the weight of books and fall on me in my sleep again so…until next time!

Book Review: Circe by Madeline Miller (2018)

I can see why this won Book of the Year for Book of the Month and was the Goodreads 2018 Choice Winner.

Photo Credit: Goodreads

The novel is a wonderful reimagined tale of the witch Circe. Miller fleshes out the life of the woman who made a brief appearance in Homer’s epic. Gone is the woman who simply turned men into pigs and forced to turn them back again due to the heroics of Odysseus. In her place is the daughter of the Titan Helios, who is forced to find her way in a world in which she doesn’t quite fit in. We learn how she gained the title of witch, made a fortress of her island, soothed wild beasts, and stood up to both Titans and Olympians.

I knew nothing about this book coming into it. But I remember seeing the cover pop up all over my social media and then seeing stacks of books at my local Barnes and Noble. And me being me, when I see a book that is everywhere, I assume that it’s going to be overrated. I need to stop doing that because this book was absolutely lovely.

Reading this book is like watching the behind the scenes footage of an epic movie. We know of Scylla, of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth, of Daedalus and his son, of Odysseus and Penelope. In this book, Circe has a hand in each of these tales and her contribution in them only adds to her character and power, a “weak” godling she may be. Miller paints Circe as a fragile yet godlike woman who is nothing at all like her cruel and childlike family. She is vulnerable and there are qualities about her that are very, very human.

And I think that is where I fall in love with this book. Too often in literature, and Greek Mythology especially, women are these passive objects that only react to their surroundings, and those reactions are usually either with crazed love or crazed despair. It’s all too easy to dismiss a woman’s power when it is tied to either of those two things. Circe loves and despairs, but she finds a way to become active in her own life. Circe the witch is famous, but Circe the mother and woman is not, and that is why this book rose to popularity; it is a side that we never see in mythology and in powerful women.

Another point to Miller’s writing is that she also does a good job of introducing other Greek figures with enough information about them, that even if you know nothing of the mythology, you still fall into the story. Characters who are basically footnotes in other stories are brought forth, and while a bit more one dimensional than Circe, certainly they are entertaining and most definitely push the plot forward. I will say that this is one of the few books I have read where every character has been active in moving the plot along.

If you like Greek Mythology, a book about a woman finding herself and taking no prisoners, and a bit of witchcraft, this is the book for you.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

My favorite quote:

Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime of poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep (Miller 206).

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A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.

Sunshine Blogger Award Nomination

Hello Literature Lovers!

I was nominated by the lovely Blue from A Blonde, A Book, And A Blanket for the Sunshine Blogger Award! Thank you so much for thinking of me. I hope I continue to bring you and your fellow readers content that you enjoy.

Here are the rules:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions given to you.
• Nominate 11 other bloggers and write them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the sunshine blogger award logo in your blog post.

Questions For Me

Do you like rainy weather or really sunny weather better?

I prefer rainy weather always! I tell people I’m not made for extreme temperatures in either direction. I do enjoy a sunny day, but there is something comforting about listening to the rain fall on your window. And of course when I have the time, I’m usually under a blanket with snacks, tea, and a good book.

What are your favorite books, movies, or shows to fangirl over?

So my favorite franchise of all time would be Lord of the Rings and a close second (and by close I mean it’s like half a smidgen) is The Harry Potter series. Both of these series defined my childhood and opened me to the world of fantasy. So anything dealing with Hobbits or Hogwarts, I’m all over that. I can make a LOTR or HP reference in almost any situation.

As for a show, I am a huge Bob’s Burgers fan. I’ve watched each episode at least 3 times over. I personally identify with Tina, though I love Louise’s spunk and Gene’s…everythingness. It’s a fun show that’s got some heart, but lots of humor as well. And much like my book obsessions, I can reference BB at the drop of a hat as well.

What is your greatest fear?

Oh this is a tough one. I have many fears, but I would say the one that impacts my life choices the most would be dying alone. Any time I hear a story about an unmarked grave or an unnoticed death (Charles Parker, Bobby Driscoll, or Mozart all break my heart) I internally freak out. And I don’t mean just physically being alone, but my life passed unnoticed as well as my death. That I made so little impact. I wonder what that says about my ego.

What is something that you enjoy?

I love writing. It is relaxing and soothing to me, and I am able to let my mind wander wherever it wants to. Am I feeling like dialogue? I will open that play I’ve been working on. Or do I want to write some exposition? There’s that story I’ve been slowly chipping away at. I would not consider myself a writer, but I definitely enjoy it and hopefully one day I will actually finish something that is not a play!

Do you prefer the mountains, the beach, or the countryside?

I prefer the mountains. I’m from the North East so mountains have been the background of my life. There is something so magestic and humbling at looking up at a piece of earth that has been around longer than you and will continue to be after you are gone.

What is your favorite dessert?

This is a tough one, but if I had to choose it would be a warm piece of brownie with vanilla bean ice cream on top of it. Or apple pie with ice cream on top of it. Really depends on my mood.

What is your favorite flower?

I really like the hibiscus flower. It’s so pretty and colorful with such a lovely scent.

Who are your favorite celebrities?

If you know me, besides being a reader, I am an actress so most of my celebrities are actors who I would give my left hand to meet (I’m a leftie). So in no particular order I’ll name 5:

Ludovico Einaudi

Viola Davis

Don Cheadle

Meryl Streep

Queen Latifa

Audiobook, ebook, or physical book?

Physical book 100%. I have yet to find an audiobook that I have liked, and ebooks for me are Lite Books if that makes any sense; books without the experience of having a book.

What’s your creative outlet (writing, reading, drawing, painting, etc)?

It would defintiely have to be acting. Its my hardest creative outlet, but its defintiely my favorite. Why? Because as an actress, my job is to tell a story. And at my heart of hearts, I love telling stories. I get to tell a story so different from mine while playing make believe. I absolutely love it.

What place do you love most in the world?

Another tough one. There are several places that I love, but I will just say any place that is overflowing with books is my happy place. My room, a library, a used book store, a convention, street fairs…if I’m surrounded by books I’m in a place I love most.

My Questions For You

1. What is the longest book you’ve ever read?
2. What’s a book that you’ve said you’ve read but really haven’t (skimming for classwork and backing it up with SparkNotes counts!)
3. Do you prefer tea or coffee?
4. What is the fictional world you would most like to live in?
5. Who is your favorite author?
6. Are you a sweet or savory snacker?
7. What is your favorite animal?
8. If you could travel to any place in the world free of charge right now, where would you go?
9. What music do you like to listen to?
10. What is your favorite movie?
11. What extreme sport would you like to try?

Who Am I Nominating?

• Hamlets & Hyperspace
• The Crow and Dagger
• PhDiva
• The Reading Hobbit
• Clash Cultures 
• A Scholarly Skater 
• Knightleyemma 
• The Geeky Book Lady 
• spicy reading 
• MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape

Thank you again for the nomination Blue! I hope my nominees participate as well. Thank you for reading, and I hope that through the questions you got to know me a little bit better!

Book Review: Get a Life, Chloe Brown – The Brown Sister’s #1 by Talia Hibbert (2019)

Chloe Brown almost gets hit by a car. And falls in love. And rides a motorcycle. And saves a cat from a tree. And makes a bucket list. Not necessarily in that order.

Photo Credit: Goodreads

Warning: Strong language and adult themes will be present in this review. The author also puts a word of warning before the novel that there is a character who was involved in an abusive relationship.

I am not a huge romance reader, so my ability to judge it as a romance is limited. But as a piece of fiction, I loved it! A diverse cast of characters who are funny, quirky, and have the great ability to be sexy when the time calls for it. I’ve read “bodice-rippers” before, but this is a lot more steamy than that! An adult read for sure.

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the introduction of the titular character, Chloe Brown. The opening lines are catchy, hysterical, and morbid: “Once upon a time, Chloe Brown died. Nearly” (Hibbert 1). The book is filled with delightful lines like this. Self-deprecating, but brutally realistic and funny. Chloe has been living with fibromyalgia and really has no time for other people’s shit. But after her near-death experience, she feels that maybe she should make time.

Her potential love interest Redford Morgan enters just as strikingly; he is arm deep in a toilet bowl for an old lady.

Hibbert does an amazing job of fleshing out the characters and giving them each distinct voices. It is really easy to get bored or tired of characters when you are constantly in their head; the book switches back and forth between Redford’s and Chloe’s point of view. I did not find myself tiring of either Red or Chloe. I actually want more. I could listen to Chloe work through her insecurities, fight her illness, and overcome every roadblock that she or others have put up in front of her.

Red has his own demons, coming off the tail end of an abusive relationship. He is an artist, though looking at him you would not think so with his tattoos, and rings, and leather jacket. But despite this, he still is a sweetheart who is willing to go above and beyond for his tenants and friends.

The story is really character-driven; the plot sort of takes a back seat. It’s a basic formula that is a wildly popular one because it works. Two characters are antagonistic towards one another, something happens in which they are forced to be civilized, and then something magical happens and they maybe fall in love. So the plot is nothing crazy, nothing that you won’t find in other books that may not even be of the romance genre. But Chloe and Red have such strong personalities, it overshadows any cliches the plot has.

There is of course angst pitched here and there, and the characters’ insecurities cause setbacks which gives the story a nice dynamic that isn’t just building up to a tumble in the bed. I will say that because of the romantic formula that was set up, you do see where the relationship will build and fall apart, but again this is forgiven because the characters are just so fun!

And let me not forget the steamy romance and boudoir scenes. I must say I was not prepared for the amount of sex and description that was in this book. I’m not complaining at all, it was a delightful surprise! I chose this book from Book of the Month and I never would have guessed that something so saucy would have been a pick. But honestly, that is because of my own aversion to romance novels. I wanted something different than the typical Pride and Prejudice and when I saw the cover (a plus-sized black woman and a tall redhead) my interest was piqued.

So if you want a conventional un-conventional modern love story and real-world problems, this the book for you. This book has opened me up to the possibilities of romance novels! I’m now looking for my next one! 

My favorite line:

I’m something without you, and I’ll survive without you, but I don’t fucking want to, so Jesus, please don’t make me (Hibbert 360).

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A version of this review was originally posted on Goodreads.