“I don’t care what you think, and I don’t care what you say. You can tell the Professor or you can write to Mother or you can do anything you
“I don’t care what you think, and I don’t care what you say. You can tell the Professor or you can write to Mother or you can do anything you like. I know I’ve met a Faun in there and—I wish I’d stayed there and you are all beasts, beasts.”
When I read this as a kid, I must have thought nothing of throwing minor Greek deities in a world together with Santa Claus and talking animals.
I know I didn't notice the religious allegory back then, because I was confused when I later heard that was the purpose of the whole story. It turns out it's actually pretty on the nose, so I didn't miss it this time. I still had to google if one of the characters is supposed to be Judas, though, because my knowledge of that pretty much amounts to a few song snippets from Jesus Christ Superstar. I'm not sure how well I'll be able to recognize allegories in the rest of the series.
It’s she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!”
I can't say I was quite as into this as when I first read it, but I can still see all the aspects that would have intrigued me then, starting with the function of the wardrobe, and not to forget the mere mention of Christmas.
Anyway, so this retells part of the life of Jesus...except with talking animals. That's all going on inside a wardrobe in the sprawling house of an old professor, who is acting as guardian to four children sometime during WWII. They find the wardrobe while playing, and thus begins their adventure in the wintry land of Narnia. Someone (I think it was Lion Jesus) gives the children gifts based on sexism and tried to make a lesson out of it.
But don’t go trying to use the same route twice. Indeed, don’t try to get [to Narnia] at all. It’ll happen when you’re not looking for it.
I felt there was something lacklustre about this book. I think I expected or remembered a more engaging fantasy world, but the focus is really on the allegory and railroading through the plot. My 3 rating is a weak 3, but I'm hoping and expecting the sequels to offer more depth and maybe progress a bit beyond Biblical retellings in pagan settings.
I enjoyed the ending, and it left me with the right sense of mystery and wonder to immediately put a hold on the next one to (re)find out what happens with the siblings....more
“I don’t even know what I am. I don’t know why I’m here. I was made by some mystery creature and I don’t have the slightest idea why, or what
“I don’t even know what I am. I don’t know why I’m here. I was made by some mystery creature and I don’t have the slightest idea why, or what he wants from me, or what I am supposed to be doing."
In this one, Christopher Moore satirizes vampires. Well, he tries, at least. It's probably hard to be funnier than something that usually ends up as an unintentional parody of itself.
Jody finds herself under a dumpster one night with a burned hand, heightened senses, and an immense amount of cash. Someone has made her a vampire. For some reason.
“Okay, I’m projecting. What am I thinking?” “I can tell by the look on your face.” “You might be wrong, what am I thinking.” “You’d like me to stop badgering you with these experiments.” “And?” “You want me to take our clothes to the Laundromat.”
At the same time, an aspiring writer (in theory) named Tommy Flood has just arrived in San Francisco. He needs a place to stay that doesn't involve five men named Wong who want to marry him, and, conveniently, Jody now needs someone who can run daytime errands. It's a match made in heaven.
“You’re not going to believe me. It’s a pretty fantastic story. There’s supernatural stuff involved.”
Listen, it's not a fantastic story. I've read a few other books from this author, and this was the weakest. Hence the two stars.
There aren't many moments that are all that funny. While that got better toward the end, as Moore was able to capitalize on his groundwork laid in the rest of the book, it doesn't match up to what I'd consider the average Moore novel. I don't think there's anything I would have quoted or tried to explain to my boyfriend if we hadn't been doing this one together (or maybe I just wouldn't want him thinking too much on all the stuff about women getting men to do things we don't want to do).
Moore did somehow manage to nail the end, though, and more so than I would have thought possible for a book that was just okay....more
The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing. Missouri itself a sleeping giant under their new home.
I had
The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing. Missouri itself a sleeping giant under their new home.
I had no idea this was set in my home state. I mean, why would I, when we're the most half-assed state in the Midwest when it comes to corn? I've never seen corn growing in Missoura in 35 years. Hills have eyes? Me IRL. Children of the corn? Utterly unrelatable.
So already I was shaking my head a whole lot.
Clown in a Cornfield is a decidedly YA slasher novel that is basically a twist on Stephen King's "Children of the Corn," which appeared in his first story collection, Night Shift. The clown in the title refers to a clown that was the brand mascot for a corn syrup company that was located in the town.
“What I personally think is that we are looking at a situation where what’s legal and what’s right are two separate things. And I’ve expressed this to some of you, but I think that there may soon come a time when the powers of law don’t go far enough to keep Kettle Springs the town we know and love.
This is one of the smartest-sounding quotes in the whole book, but it's actually dumb too. As the story sets itself up before things really get rolling, it came off as boring and eyeroll worthy. A glaring example comes from the end, an extremely naïve reflection on the supposed linearity and inevitability of "progress."
While this explores an inter-generational theme that will appeal to many readers, I also think it's the type of YA that would be best enjoyed by its core teen audience. On the other hand, it doesn't hold anything back when it comes to channeling its inner slasher, so fans of that will feel at home with both the stupidity and the gore.
I rated it a 2 ("it was okay") because I didn't enjoy it as much as the books I tend to rate 3. As for the two sequels, thinking of their existence right now just makes me shake my head some more....more
It could be a magic country like Narnia, and the only way you can get in is by swinging across on this enchanted rope.
There isn't a lot of
It could be a magic country like Narnia, and the only way you can get in is by swinging across on this enchanted rope.
There isn't a lot of substance I can say about this without spoiling the story. That's because the main plot point and purpose of the story doesn't happen until towards the end (it's a very short book).
It's not a fantasy novel, although it references some classics, like The Chronicles of Narnia and The Chronicles of Prydain (which I weirdly read just before this and managed to catch the reference). No, not fantasy, but two kids playing outdoors and carving out a realm for themselves there. The book will usually not get more into it than something like "they played at Terabithia every day that week."
Leslie was one of those people who sat quietly at her desk, never whispering or daydreaming or chewing gum, doing beautiful schoolwork, and yet her brain was so full of mischief that if the teacher could have once seen through that mask of perfection, she would have thrown her out in horror.
A new kid, Leslie, moves into Jess's neighborhood. He doesn't like her at first because she's a tomboy who beats him at running, but they quickly warm up to each other and establish Terabithia. Leslie is metaphorically the bridge of this relationship, because she brings Jess into a world of fantasy and imagination he hadn't known before.
He hardly slept the rest of the night, listening to the horrid rain and knowing that no matter how high the creek came, Leslie would still want to cross it.
Most of the book is fairly mundane and boring (as an adult reader). There are also some weird aspects, like a crush Jess has on his music teacher. These interactions made me really uncomfortable because it was inappropriate but goes unaddressed. On the other hand? Cheers to a tiny spot of 1970s atheism, which I assume is what has gotten this book banned (as opposed to the weird teacher)....more
“Tais-toi. We’re soldiers in skirts, not ladies, and we need a damned smoke.”
I had been overlooking this author as there have been a lot o
“Tais-toi. We’re soldiers in skirts, not ladies, and we need a damned smoke.”
I had been overlooking this author as there have been a lot of similar-seeming WWI and WWII novels in recent years. I decided to try this author based on a recommendation, and I ended up really liking this one!
It actually switches between a WWI and a post-WWII narrative. The WWI section is based on a British spy ring led by a woman, Louise de Bettignies, which operated in German-occupied France. In these chapters, we follow Eve, who was sought after due to her ability to speak English, French, and German.
“‘I’d sooner while alive invite the crows to drain the blood from my filthy carcass,’” Eve said, and added at my blink, “It’s a quote, you ignorant Yank. Baudelaire. A poem called ‘Le M-Mort Joyeux.’”
Back in the future, a wealthy young American woman named Charlie has reached a crossroads. She has lost her brother and French cousin, Rose, to WWII, and she hopes to relocate the latter. Her research has led her to an older Eve, a woman like none she's ever met. Despite her multi-lingual abilities, Eve has a stutter and...horribly mangled hands, the joints of which appear to have been "systematically broken."
The two (plus one hot Scottish war vet) eventually embark on a journey destined to rouse up answers about both wars.
Eve, standing in her dark dress in her appointed corner, was reminded of the legend of vampires. In Lille, the French went to bed at sundown because even if there were no curfew, there was little paraffin or coal to keep a room lit. Only the Germans came out at night, like the undead, to celebrate their undisputed rule.
Most of the action is set in 1915 Lille, a dreary place at that time. The local French populace is starving while the Germans and traitorous war profiteers live lavishly. One of these profiteers has a restaurant with an open waitress position that the Alice Network would like to fill with one of their own spies.
She was like the chorus in a Shakespeare play: the curtain went up on a set so strange and horrific the audience could not comprehend it, at least not until she walked out and in a calm, dead voice explained the scene. What had happened. When it happened. How it happened. Not why. She did not know why.
Quinn does a great job with the cultural details that help draw you into these periods. She had me looking up Dior's "New Look" as well as an entire village in France that has been left in stasis as a war memorial, in honor of the hundreds of civilians who were murdered there. Lots of Édith Piaf as well.
I also appreciate her characters. In a lot of popular historical fiction, especially those that try to tell women's stories, the characters can often feel anachronistic and amount to a character spouting off modern ideals and clashing with a villain with no grey area. And though The Alice Network is dominated by strong women, they felt believable to me. Maybe it's because they didn't come knowing all the answers but instead learn them and earn them along the way....more
“Very well,” said Coll, “if that is all that troubles you, I shall make you something. From this moment, you are Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper."
“Very well,” said Coll, “if that is all that troubles you, I shall make you something. From this moment, you are Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper."
Like many people, I knew this story first from the Disney film (titled The Black Cauldron, which is actually the name of the second book in the series).
It follows Taran, a boy...being raised by two old men (I think he was orphaned?). They give him lessons, and he takes care of a pig named Hen Wen. But, it turns out, Hen Wen isn't just any pig. She's an oracular pig. Yes, that's oracular as in oracle. Because of this, some bad dude who likes to wear another person's skull on his face raises an army of dead to retrieve the pig, all for...reasons.
Taran is joined by multiple people/beings along the way. They typically have a specific quirk, like a dwarf who visibly strains to go invisible like the other dwarfs, a creepy-sounded man-hound hybrid named Gurgi (which they opted to make small and cute in the cartoon), and a bard whose harp strings break dramatically when he lies.
"I’m not officially a bard.” “I didn’t know there were unofficial bards,” Eilonwy remarked. “Oh, yes indeed,” said Fflewddur. “At least in my case. I’m also a king.” “A king?” Taran said. “Sire …” He dropped to one knee.
The author drew from Wales and Welsh mythology. In theory I like that, but in practice, my simple memory of the Mabinogion was clearly not enough to fully appreciate it.
I swear I'm not just being mean when I rate this 2 stars ("it was okay"). It's actually hopeful, because I see a lot of reviews that say this is the worst of the series, and I hadn't otherwise planned to continue. So, I'll save the 3 for those if they really are better.
I think my main issue is that I never felt invested, either because it felt too simplistic, or because of the lack of reasons for what was going on. Maybe it's also because it's a travel-adventure narrative, which tend to be episodic (and which I tend not to like).
Don’t worry, my portals are safe.” Geralt had once watched as only half a traveler using a safe portal flew through. The other half was never
Don’t worry, my portals are safe.” Geralt had once watched as only half a traveler using a safe portal flew through. The other half was never found. He knew of several cases where people had entered a portal and never been seen again.
I played a decent amount of the first Witcher game years ago and stopped because I went on a trip or something. I never got back into it because I felt like I should read the books first. For several more years, I put off even trying the books because the response seemed so lukewarm.
As it turns out, there was no great need to fear this first one, at least.
"In order to become a witcher, you have to be born in the shadow of destiny, and very few are born like that. That’s why there are so few of us. We’re growing old, dying, without anyone to pass our knowledge, our gifts, on to.”
The Last Wish is a collection of short stories starring Geralt, a witcher. I'd be curious to know how this compares in the original Polish, because I think it's styled on the word "hunter" in English. In this case, a witcher solves problems involving, which are apparently not always best solved by hunting them.
"They’re turned into monsters in order to kill other monsters."
Witchers, however, are often discriminated against due to their rarity, strange training, and white-haired appearance that physically marks them. If there's no active problem, Geralt may just find himself turned away at a city's gates.
"Pox on it, I thought, if pretty girls turn frogs into princes, or the other way round, then maybe… Maybe there’s a grain of truth in these stories, a chance… I leapt four yards, roared so loud wild vines tumbled from the wall, and I yelled, ‘Your daughter or your life!’ Nothing better came to mind. The merchant, for he was a merchant, began to weep, then confessed that his daughter was only eight. Are you laughing?”
Many of the stories in this collection are retellings of classic fairy tales, which was a pleasant surprise. These included Beauty and the Beast and Snow White as well as other familiar themes and archetypes, like sleeping (but maybe dangerous) princesses. The twist on them also shows the Witcher role as part monster detective, part monster hunter. Many had humorous takes, such as an accidental wish to a genie.
Mayor Neville was pacing the chamber, snorting and panting with anger. “You bloody, shitty sorcerers!” he yelled suddenly, standing still. “Are you persecuting my town, or what? Aren’t there any other towns in the world?”
The last couple of stories introduce some characters that I think will be more prominent in the series. Firstly, Dandelion, a bard who is both Geralt's opposite and best friend. And then there's Yennefer, a sorceress who is already giving me major "the woman" vibes à la Sherlock Holmes....more
“I just, I never should have invited them in,” she thought aloud. Charlie scoffed. “You think they’re vampires?” “No.” Eve paused, tilting her h
“I just, I never should have invited them in,” she thought aloud. Charlie scoffed. “You think they’re vampires?” “No.” Eve paused, tilting her head. “Maybe…?”
We Used to Live Here follows Eve, who just bought an old house in a sparsely populated part of Oregon with her girlfriend Charlie.
They plan to flip it. So, it's just a little awkward when a guy shows up at their door in a snowstorm, family in tow, asking to see his childhood home. Even, who has difficulty saying no and setting boundaries, eventually relents; the family seems nice enough, and it feels bad telling them no.
If you’ve followed directions properly up to this point, RED LAKE will be bone dry. At its deepest point, there will be a steel hatch in the ground that leads to a house of refuge. A middle-aged woman will be there to provide further instruction. If her son has passed away in the last year, leave immediately and backtrack your route to the last house of refuge. Ensure the woman does NOT follow.
Enter Thomas, Paige, two annoying kids, and one barely there kid. Enter the weirdness.
Chapters are separated by documents of various types that relate to strange incidents. And maybe I am too nerdy in a specific way for this book, but the author mentions record types in a way that indicates he doesn't know how they work. For example, county-level records being treated like town records. Transcriptions of published obituaries with information redacted in the copy--like, why redact your own copy of the newspaper???
These documents all amount to a greater mystery in the background of the novel, and it's too big for the book's pages. And frankly, it all ends up seeming rather lovecraftian, with its labyrinth mapped out by ancient meaninglessness, which is something I've never liked.
I wanted to read a book in which we read the warning about the widow only after we've visited her, and right before we turn around and realize that she's followed us. But that is not this book, and these documents feel mostly like throwing around story ideas without the effort of actually writing them. Or like the author hinting that he had a better story idea than he actually wrote.
When things felt right, it only meant there was so much more that could go wrong.
Frankly, I could say this same thing about this book. It started strong, in media res and everything. However, by around the 75% mark, it was clear this wouldn't live up to its own intrigue; there just wasn't the time/pages left to do it.
I think this could make a great mindfuck movie as it is, though, assuming a movie version wouldn't introduce documents that don't really relate to the story, or signs of depth that are never explored. ...more
I was the kind of child who’d always looked for fairies dancing on the grass. I wanted to believe in witches, wizards, ogres, giants, and ench
I was the kind of child who’d always looked for fairies dancing on the grass. I wanted to believe in witches, wizards, ogres, giants, and enchanted spells. I didn’t want all of the magic taken out of the world by scientific explanation. I didn’t know at that time that I had come to live in what was virtually a strong and dark castle, ruled over by a witch and an ogre.
A lot of people who read this when they were young seem desperate to make sure they're seen pronouncing it trash. And to be fair, maybe the rest of the series is, and it sure looks like all the works written by the author's ghost writer are.
But dare I say that I thought this was pretty good? If not from a technical perspective, then at least for the originality of the plot and the exploration of one of the darkest types of villain. It's also not smut; there is no smut in this book.
I probably wouldn't have read it any time soon, but my boyfriend randomly started watching the 80s film; he had never heard of it, and I knew its theme and had been content to leave it to the likes of my mom and other Gen-Xers. I only rarely stop to watch something my boyfriend is watching, but this grabbed me. So, I came into the book knowing what happens (a flagrant breaking of one of my few personal laws).
Secrets? And he said I was given to exaggerations! What was the matter with him? Didn’t he know that we were the secrets?
The four Dollanger kids are grieving the unexpected death of their father while their mother tries to figure out how to survive. Living with their extremely wealthy maternal grandparents seems to make the most sense...but their mother tells them they have to hide in the attic so their grandfather doesn't find out about them--just for a day or two until she can get back on his good side.
Had we suffered? Had we only missed her? Who was she, anyway? Idiot thoughts while I stared at her and listened to how difficult four hidden children made the lives of others.
While I liked this overall, I think a couple of things will stand out to most readers.
The dialogue, especially from the two teens, reads as stilted. It would be interesting to see if this carries over to all of Andrews' work, or if it was only done in this novel to represent the 50s as well as the perfection of these doll-like children. Almost everyone speaks the same way ("Really, Cathy...") until suddenly near the end a servant speaks in a brogue.
Some aspects of the plot are also unbelievable. For example, what kind of teenage boy would put up with all of this? Who would get up before dawn every day to prepare meals for people they hate, and somehow do that in secret?
But none of these complaints overshadow this modern gothic fairy tale. Because a fairy tale, of all things, isn't at its best when too literally overanalyzed with plot holes and reality.
As for the rest of the series, I'm more interested in the prequel about the grandma than the sequels that follow these kids. ...more
“Did I not drive them from this land once before?” “Ah, you are beginning to remember, Father. You did indeed.” “And they have returned?” “These
“Did I not drive them from this land once before?” “Ah, you are beginning to remember, Father. You did indeed.” “And they have returned?” “These are new people. A different kind of people. They come from far away and know not to be afraid yet."
Slewfoot is a mixed bag in several different ways. What had the biggest impact on me, though, is that the story got worse and more boring as it went on. Already, the plot is entirely predictable, even if the message on the memorial plaque at the beginning didn't tell you the tl;dr.
I did like the first half, though, so it's a disappointment it only led to a generic witch trial and massacre.
“That is not what you want, that is what you need. You are not made out of needs, you are made out of your dreams and desires. What is it you wish and dream of?”
The main character is Abitha, a Londoner who had the misfortune of being sent to a Puritan village in Connecticut to marry. She has the brilliant idea to sell natural remedies and love potions in this environment.
We also get "Father," some type of primeval forest god that has just reawakened near Abitha's secluded farmstead. His memories didn't come back with him, though, and his self-rediscovery is both humorous and mysterious.
“You will confess!” he demanded, spittle flying from his lips.
Let's be real, this is no Crucible. It lacks the nuance of historical fiction, and it also lacks the horror of a horror novel. The black-and-white nature of the villains reaches cartoonish levels, but since actual witch trials were so ridiculous, it's hard to be sure if that is a fault of the book or just...reality. Either way, that's not a great breeding ground for complexity.
And there was something about these people that horrified Abitha even worse than those whose faces were lined with cruelty. As at least cruelty was a thing that could be pointed out, confronted. But this belief, this absolute conviction that this evil they were doing was good, was God’s work—how, she wondered, how could such a dark conviction ever be overcome?
I think the biggest problem for me with this book is that the whole point of witch trials is that they were unfounded as no one had ever made any real covenant with the devil, and there were no real witches. The message gets mixed up when you write a story that gives justification to the Puritans. As a reader, it feels like it breaks some kind of etiquette rule to put me in a position in which I'm reading about a witch trial and sometimes thinking, "Well, they're more or less right." I wish the book had gone in a different direction in the second half to either avoid or mitigate this.
This is my first book by Brom, but I'm getting the sense that he gets certain scenes in his mind and builds a book towards that. Which makes sense, because he's an artist. In this case, at least, these (seeming) goal scenes were not as compelling to read as the story he wrote to lead to them....more
I’d sit in bed after Mommy and Daddo tucked me in and I’d look to the closet doors and they would open, just a little bit. I’d see her eyes in
I’d sit in bed after Mommy and Daddo tucked me in and I’d look to the closet doors and they would open, just a little bit. I’d see her eyes in there like she was smiling. Sometimes I thought I saw her teeth, too, but when car headlights came through the window, I’d see she wasn’t smiling.
This book is told from the perspective of Bela, a child who is being visited by a ghost or demon called Other Mommy. I see the description says she is supposed to be 8, but I read it as a much younger child. I think of something closer to a 4 year old saying "Mommy and Daddo." I have a niece this age, so I feel fairly certain that 8 year olds are more sophisticated than this. I've read a few books lately that have kids with adult voices, so I guess I prefer that this errs on the young side, because it at least has a distinct child's voice.
Are we friends? I don’t think so. I don’t think friends are this scared of each other.
At first Bela thought Other Mommy was a friend, probably because her real mom is kind of shit too. But at the beginning of the book, it has recently started asking her if she would let it into her heart. This makes even Bela uncomfortable, but it's in a way she doesn't understand and that conflicts with the lessons on kindness that her Daddo teaches her.
Then Daddo said: Hey, I’m Other Daddo!
I'm left feeling mixed. I could complain about the monologues the adults give to Bela when they think she's sleeping, but I think those have an explanation. I could complain about the contrived meeting on the psychic character right before she's needed.
It's probably my own fault for barely looking into what I read, but I had been expecting and wanting incidents around the house. Not incidents around the state of Michigan. I was groaning every time someone suggested going somewhere else.
On the other hand, the descriptions of Other Mommy are creepy, and I enjoyed the character voice and child-style writing (even if I didn't agree on what age the kid sounded like). I like the ambiguity it leaves us with, to wonder which conversations were real and what was right....more
“She was the head of her—” “Society?” Mika couldn’t resist asking. “I would prefer to use the term group of witches sharing a similar geography,
“She was the head of her—” “Society?” Mika couldn’t resist asking. “I would prefer to use the term group of witches sharing a similar geography,” said Primrose coldly. Mika rolled her eyes. “Yes, that sounds much better.”
As one may ascertain from the title alone, this is a light fantasy and romance novel following a modern witch (named Mika Moon). She's an orphan, just like every other witch, as a result of a curse placed a few centuries ago. Instead, she was raised by the cold and cautious Primrose, who heads the group of witches living in England. They aren't allowed to talk to each other outside of quarterly meetings for fear of outsiders rediscovering their existence.
Despite this, Mika moves to Norfolk to teach three young witches who are quite irregularly being raised together. In secret. Especially from Primrose.
Winding a tendril of magic around her finger, Mika summoned all the tiny pieces of glass and collected them together in a neat, glittering ball that hovered in mid-air and sent reflected light dancing across the room. “Disco or bin?” “I think you know I’m going to say bin.”
My top literary shame is probably that I still haven't read Pride and Prejudice. But regardless, I'm guessing the male romantic interest in Mandanna's novel is supposed to be a Mr. Darcy type due to all the Austen name drops. But maybe he's closer to a brooding Byronic hero.
The book actually changes to his perspective a few times, and I'm not sure if I liked that or not. It made him seem desperately easy to get, but there was also a lot of humor in those chapters. And I'm not sure what the usual convention is for a romcom novel marketed to women, so I was surprised that it was only the man's perspective during the sex scene. I guess because he's been living in that house like an incel for who knows how many years, the author decided to just let him have his time.
It was a bit like that old philosophical question about a tree falling in the woods, wasn’t it? If no one remembered her, and she didn’t matter to anyone, did she really exist?
Ultimately, this book granted me more smiles (sometimes despite myself) than eyerolls. I read this for a book club. It's hard to rate since it's outside the usual genres and vibes I would normally choose, but I have the feeling it's about average for a quirky, wholesome romance.
Now I return to my world of nightmares and children's historical fiction....more
Is not late May an odd time for a wedding, with so much here that has to be done, and with Spring plowing and planting? Joy and sorrow, says o
Is not late May an odd time for a wedding, with so much here that has to be done, and with Spring plowing and planting? Joy and sorrow, says our father, each makes its own season.
I'm going back and forth between two and three stars for this. The reason is because this book isn't as good from a story perspective as any of the Dear America books I've read (to which A Gathering of Days is a clear precursor). It reads more like a diary than Dear America, with some entries just being little snippets or quotes.
Honestly, this book is like jamming together the plots of multiple different children's historical fiction novels. You've got the white kids helping a runaway slave. You have the dead friend and deader mom. Teacher drama, winter stuff, the making of maple syrup. It might be realistic, but it doesn't make for much of a story arch.
The berries grow so close to the briars one can not have one without the other.
It follows Catherine, a teenaged girl who lives in Meredith, New Hampshire. Her diary is wrapped inside an extra layer, which is a note from Catherine to her own granddaughter, to whom she is giving her diary decades later.
Interestingly, the author had a specific plot of land in mind when she wrote this, but I'm not sure what her connection to it was; Wikipedia says she lived in Michigan....more
“Did you eat it?” asks Jake. “Wasn’t it weird that this guy was offering you candy? And didn’t it gross you out that he touched it?” “I’m getti
“Did you eat it?” asks Jake. “Wasn’t it weird that this guy was offering you candy? And didn’t it gross you out that he touched it?” “I’m getting to all that. But yes, it was weird. And yes, I was grossed out. But I ate it.”
I'm Thinking of Ending Things starts with a woman and her boyfriend (Jake) of a couple of months on a short road trip to visit his parents at their farm. She's having second thoughts on this trip to meet his parents since she was already thinking of ending things.
I always thought I would light that candle one day. I never did. The more time passed, the harder it became to light. Whenever I thought an occasion might be special enough to burn the candle, it felt like I was settling.
It's not because of anything specific; she's just not sure she would be happier with him than alone but independent. Not chained to someone who gets white stuff in the corners of his lips. She just can't be sure it's the best choice.
She's also been getting some creepy phone calls. At first, the Caller said he was a wrong number, but he continues to call and leave weird voicemails.
I don't want to say anything about the parents or what actually happens outside of the drive during which we begin the story.
It's a short book (one that could probably have been even shorter, hence why I think my instinct was to rate this a 3 instead of 4). There are also short dialogues between chapters about some horrific scene a couple of people are discussing. These conversations feel contrived and have a less mature tone than the rest of the book. And yes, sometimes I wished they would just shut up and drive in silence. Maybe if I could really be sure the ending was the best possible ending, I would rate this a 4 instead.
We can’t and don’t know what motivations people have for doing the things they do. Ever. Not entirely. This was my terrifying, youthful epiphany. We just never really know anyone. I don’t. Neither do you.
I watched the movie version afterwards, and it was trippier than I expected with some really interesting choices. All or most of the dialogue was changed, which is kind of strange. Usually you notice the sentences taken straight from the book. I recommend reading the book and then watching the movie. Both are good and their own unique experiences.
In an interview at the end of the book, the author mentioned that he would be happy if readers read this in just a couple of sittings. I ended up doing that because after a certain point, I just couldn't stop....more
Silvertjärn, a former mining village in the heart of Norrland, has stood more or less untouched since 1959, when all nine hundred of its resid
Silvertjärn, a former mining village in the heart of Norrland, has stood more or less untouched since 1959, when all nine hundred of its residents disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
I thought this was very average and ultimately forgettable. It follows a woman who is on the verge of fulfilling her dream of creating a documentary on Silvertjärn and maybe solve a 60-year-old family mystery, since her grandmother's family vanished in the mass disappearance. She has a small crew with her to get some initial footage to entice investor or production companies or whoever...I don't know the details of how that works.
Interspersed within the modern narrative are old letters that her great-aunt Aina (disappeared) sent to her grandma. We also see the events of 1958-9 play out through the eyes of Elsa, her great-grandmother (also disappeared). I liked these parts, and they are probably the main thing I'll remember about this years from now.
One thousand empty windows stare back at me on every side. I look left and right, try to catch some sort of movement, spot something out of the corner of my eye, but everything is quiet and still.
I kind of hated the end, or maybe the entire last third or so besides the flashbacks.
The author also made some weird descriptive choices about multiple characters that had me falsely thinking multiple people had some relation to someone else. For example, in a book with only a handful of characters, how are you going to say two men look genderless? Or focus on the eyelashes of two different men with thick blond hair? It's just irritating from a reader's perspective. I felt like there was also kind of a Chekov's gun scenario in regards to where the townspeople should have been.
I don't know. It seems some mysteries are better before you solve them....more
“Your mind is free now,” he’d said to me. “There’s nothing binding it. It’s free, absolutely free.”
So we're back with Richard Matheson and
“Your mind is free now,” he’d said to me. “There’s nothing binding it. It’s free, absolutely free.”
So we're back with Richard Matheson and some of the same things I didn't like about The Shrinking Man.
We start with a strong premise: a man's hidden psychic potential is released after his brother-in-law puts him under hypnosis during a party. He begins to know things--and see things--such as a woman in his house. This leads us to a unique haunted(?) house story.
“What’s the matter,” I said, “do you have something to hide? Maybe a—”
“Everyone has something to hide!” she burst out.
I think there are two major things that kept me from enjoying much of this.
1. Matheson seems to have had a tendency to overwrite about boring things. I say this as a former history major who thinks the stock market and genealogy are interesting.
2. It feels dated in a "man writing women" type of way. This ties into the first point, because being so traditional and stereotyped makes the plot boring, and yet most of the book focuses on female characters. The women revolve entirely around men and babies (men first, babies second). They didn't feel like people. Matheson even squeezes a preteen girl (team baby) into that tiny space. The "outburst" above from the main character's wife saying that everyone has something to hide was the only interesting thing from a woman in this whole book.
“Think of it this way,” he said. “You—and the great majority of undeveloped mediums—are traversing a dark tunnel with a flashlight that goes on occasionally—completely beyond your control. You catch fleeting glimpses of what’s around you, never knowing what you’re going to see, never knowing when you’re going to see it.”
Maybe this book would have seemed better if I hadn't seen the movie. Maybe it would have seemed better in a month other than October. For me, it was just okay....more
PIP: But they were serious? CHLOE: I guess so. Define “serious”? PIP: Well, I…Were they sleeping together? CHLOE: Wow, school projects have chang
PIP: But they were serious? CHLOE: I guess so. Define “serious”? PIP: Well, I…Were they sleeping together? CHLOE: Wow, school projects have changed since I left. Why on earth would you need to know that?
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is a fun detective-style murder mystery. Our detective is Pip, a highschooler who boldly choses a recent local murder as her capstone project. It's partially told through interviews and other documentation kept by Pip, which help make this a speedy read.
I lied slightly, told them I was a reporter for CNN named Penny.
While the murder is a charged topic for many, it's personal for Pip, too. She knew the boy who was accused of the murder, and her gut told her it wasn't him. Most of the rest of the small town shuns the boy's family.
“Well, that was fun. Thanks for the invite to my first blackmailing.”
There's not much I can say about this one without getting into spoiler territory. All the little reveals and advances are part of the fun of reading it. But I'll say two things:
1. Pip gets a fun sidekick who always has the best lines.
2. Jackson skillfully wove a lot of different threads together that create many possibilities for the reader to ponder. Even better, I think half the mystery is solvable by readers who follow Pip's lead and trust their own gut.
One last thing to note is that the location of the story was changed from England to Connecticut for the American version. The text was also partially rewritten for American audiences. I find this kind of thing really unnecessary, and it can rob a story of any atmosphere. Indeed, this gave me no sense of Connecticut, and it was easier to pretend it was an English town anyway; I don't know how you could get any more British than the nickname Pip....more
Your best friend has, like, totally been possessed by a demon. What do you do? A. Run far, far away. B. Tell a responsible adult (strange body-building Your best friend has, like, totally been possessed by a demon. What do you do? A. Run far, far away. B. Tell a responsible adult (strange body-building exorcists not included). C. Do whatever it takes. She's my best friend!
But most of all, she remembers what happened to Gretchen and how everything got so fucked up back in 1988, the year her best friend was possessed by the devil.
By now I get that Grady Hendrix is more horror adjacent than horror. He writes from the standpoint of parody by flipping traditional narratives, tongue in cheek but not toothless. My Best Friend's Exorcism is the 80s-teen twist on demonic possession, and it starts with a roller rink and an acid trip.
There was a lump in Abby’s throat—she would never make such a huge move without consulting Gretchen first, and Gretchen had gone and done it without talking to Abby at all. Even worse, it looked great.
Abby is the poor, scholarship kid at a rich school in Charleston. Seriously, all of her school friends have several houses within the same county. But Gretchen is her best friend, so Abby's world is thrown off its axis when Gretchen starts becoming someone she doesn't know. I didn't feel hooked until this all ramped up, fairly far into the book.
Abby came back from the linen closet with two sheets, which Brother Lemon tore into strips and used to tie Gretchen’s wrists and ankles to the bed frame. He left her hands down by her sides. “It’s less pornographic this way,” he explained.
This is the third Grady Hendrix novel I've read. I thought this was the best so far, although I rated them all 3 stars. If this had been a 4-star read, I would have told my boyfriend he had to listen to the audiobook. Instead, I said, "Let's watch the movie." Don't get me wrong, though--the book is fun and way better than the movie, I'm just not turning into a madwoman to wildly recommend it or anything....more
“For a hundred generations he slept, curled like a fetus in the earth’s mysterious womb, digested by roots, fermenting in the dark, summer fruits c
“For a hundred generations he slept, curled like a fetus in the earth’s mysterious womb, digested by roots, fermenting in the dark, summer fruits canned and forgotten in the larder until a farmer’s spade bore him out, rough midwife to a strange harvest.” Plaque beneath a bog body found on the Isle of Cairnholm, Wales
This book has an interesting gimmick, since the author chose strange antique photographs to go along with the story. A Florida teen named Jacob recalls the weird photographs his grandpa used to show him. No, not those kinds of photos, but photos of a levitating girl, an invisible boy, and others.
I held off on reading this book for years because a lot of reviews made it sound as if it were arbitrary randomness to force the inclusion of the photographs, but I didn't get that sense, nor do I feel that any inspiration the author took from the photographs was a detriment to the story. In fact, my edition includes an interview with the author on his process, and he says he looked through hundreds of thousands of photos to decide which to include, which hardly seems like force.
It would be a lot easier to figure out what the hell was going on without a roomful of drunks threatening to lynch me.
When Jake's grandfather dies, he leave him with some cryptic last words, which prove to be the first clues to big mysteries. Due to a couple of lucky coincidences, Jake is able to convince his dad to take him to Cairnholm Isle, where his grandfather grew up in an orphanage after his family was killed by Nazis.
She was heartbroken for someone else, and I was merely a stand-in for my grandfather. That’s enough to give anyone pause, I don’t care how horny you are.
I had mistakenly believed this to be a middle-grade/children's novel. Well, it's not. But Ransom Riggs is pretty funny, and he gave his teen protagonist just enough angst.
I'm just really impressed because from what I read, the author hadn't been planning to write a novel at all, but all the elements lined up so that both the idea and talent were there to produce lightning in a bottle. I actually liked it more than the Percy Jackson books that I read a couple of recently; Miss Peregrine, however, seems to be written for a bit older audience than the Percy Jackson books, since I don't remember any flamingo orgies or ornithology boners in those.
I laughed. “Then why aren’t you out there?” I said, then immediately wished I hadn’t.
“Same reason my book probably won’t happen. There’s always someone more dedicated than I am.”
I saw how many books are in this series before I started. I figured I would just see what the first was about and never read the sequel. Instead, I'm looking forward to continuing the next book at some soonish point. At the same time, I worry that a lot of the mystery that drove this book has been solved (enough), so I wonder if the follow-ups would hook me to the same extent....more