Series Review: Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

Call the Midwife: a Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse by Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication date: Originally 2002, 2005, 2009
Source: Library
For: Love the PBS series!
Series: Midwife Trilogy (three memoirs)

 

Summary:
These are three volumes of Jennifer Lee Worth, who as a very young girl left her pretty cushy life to become a midwife and work in one of the poorest parts of London during the 1950s and 1960s.

Things I Liked:
These stories are incredible! I wish I'd read the books before watching the series, but I was still blown away! It is absolutely amazing and awful and beautiful the kinds of conditions these women who were giving birth lived in. The midwives are incredible as well, but I read some of these stories and just felt almost embarrassed at how much I have and how whiny I can be about it. A wonderful look at a specific time and place and the women who played such a vital role. The first book was the most interesting to me, being more of a general collection of stories from Worth's experiences. The second and third were more general and had fewer stories of midwifery and the interesting people she met. Still, all of them were worth every minute reading. Can't recommend it enough and I adore the series as well (though not as much with Nurse Lee gone from the scene).

Things I Didn't Like:
It's been quite some time since I read these, and I don't remember anything in particular I disliked. It is pretty frank about sex and childbirth, so not exactly light reading. Also, abuse and other awful circumstances.

Read-alikes:
Nothing I can think of!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
yep

mrg-factor: XXX
not gratuitous, also not surprising considering the topic

v-factor: ->->
some of the stories are simply appalling

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication date: September 2015
Source: e-book from the library
For: Recommended by ?

Summary (from goodreads):

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.
Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My Thoughts:
Thank you for a great recommendation, whoever it was that recommended this (oh, my poor memory)! I really enjoyed this book. Not only do we have a unique character with very unique circumstances, but she's interesting too! I loved all the things she says, does, and experiences from her Rapunzel-like tower. I kind of figured this would be predictable. But I was quite surprised by the twists and turns that it took. Definitely one that kept my attention and intrigued me from beginning to end.

Read-alikes:
I really can't think of anything!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
I don't remember, but I imagine there was a bit of cussing

mrg-factor: X
there was a bit of implied stuff

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Hello again, blogging world! Sorry for the radio silence - life gets in a way a lot lately. Plus, I pretty much single handedly planned girls camp (a youth camp for my church for girls aged 12-18). It was crazy times. And blogging is really falling by the wayside. But here! Have a random book review!

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: March 2015
Pages: 368
Source: e-book from library
For: I heard good things and those shiny award stickers didn't hurt

Summary (from goodreads):

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

My thoughts:
I got really sucked into this story - right from the start. It's amazingly written, with gorgeous lyrical writing and there's some serious suspense going on. It also has a lot of surprising elements, though I did go in knowing there was an element of magical realism/fantasy. I liked figuring things out one little bit at a time and wondering if I'd been imagining it wrong all along. And I liked it. Worth the read, I think, despite some rather disturbing and adult-ish things.

Read-alikes:
Uh, drawing a blank here

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
there is some in there (no f-bombs, that I recall)

mrg-factor: X
some stuff

v-factor: ->->
it's been a while, but I think some intense stuff happens :)

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Publication date: March 2015
Pages: 402
Source: e-book from the library
For: Love the series!
Series: Winner's Trilogy, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers are inevitable for The Winner's Curse*

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

Things I Liked:
Yes! Love this second book in the series.  More complicated and painful twists and turns and strategy and you don't know what Kestrel can do to get out of her difficulties.  It feels very constricting, just as it was for Kestrel.  I loved this one, felt like it didn't lack or lag in the second book department.  World is still fascinating, writing still very strong, characters still very real. 

Things I Didn't Like:
And love story still leaving me a bit meh.  Still, I'm really invested in the other aspects of Kestrel's story.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me a little of Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
one or two

mrg-factor: X
some implied stuff

v-factor: ->->
a few scenes

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication date: August 2007
Pages: 796
Source: Purchased
For: Fun
Series: Mistborn, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers for Mistborn are inevitable*

The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler – the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years – has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.

Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.

As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

Things I Liked:
Brandon Sanderson - he has a gift for creating these intriguing worlds and people in them.  I really like his stuff and I always feel very engrossed when I'm reading his books.  The worlds come to life for me and there is so much depth and history.  I also really don't have a clue where the plot is going, even when I think I do.  Give me more of this story (I mean, it's already out there, but I just need to pick up the book). I kept being surprised by what happened and what motivated people.

Things I Didn't Like:
They are very, very long.  I keep thinking there has to be stuff to cut, and I'm sure there is, but all of it kind of seems relevant.  Still: long.

Read-alikes:
Start with Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Reminds me a bit of Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few

mrg-factor: none
that I recall

v-factor: ->->
there's always some fighting

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Publication date: March 2014
Pages: 355
Source: e-book from Library
For: Fun
Series: Winner's Trilogy, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Things I Liked:
Ooh, I enjoyed this one.  It was both what I was expecting and completely not - more! I loved the characters and especially the world - I seriously want to play bite and sting, but know I have very poor strategizing skills.  I just love how she thinks and how she knows what to say and not say, but also makes mistakes.  I don't know what exactly it was that drew me in, but I fell hard for this story.  I'm not even that big a fan of the romance, but I love how very impossible it feels and then how it isn't easy and nothing happens conveniently.  Very realistic world and very well drawn.

Things I Didn't Like:
Can't remember anything.

Read-alikes:
A bit like An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few

mrg-factor: X
mostly talk

v-factor: ->
a little

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
Publisher: Candlewick Pres
Publication date: October 2014
Pages: 90
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: The Princess in Black, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when . . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret —she’s also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret? From award-winning writing team of Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham, here is the first in a humorous and action-packed chapter book series for young readers who like their princesses not only prim and perfect, but also dressed in black.

Things I Liked:
Yes! I love this book.  Short, silly, fun, quirky, and best of all it can easily help little girls feel like they can have the best of both worlds - pretty dress ups and fighting bad guys.  I feel like I love this book even more because of Shannon's extensive blogging about girls and boys and writing and stereotypes.  But really, just get this book for every young girl you know. 

Things I Didn't Like:
Want. More.

Read-alikes:
Nothing comes to mind...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 2012
Pages: 669
Source: Library
For: More Kate Morton stuff

Summary (from goodreads):

During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.

Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

Things I Liked:
This book has a complicated plot filled with all kinds of secrets and mysteries and written in the perfect way to keep you guessing all the way to the ending.  This was signature Kate Morton (though, I'm pretty sure I've only read two of her other books).  It was also quite long.  It was engaging and I couldn't stop reading to find out just what in the world happened all those years ago. I was completely thrown for a loop when some of the stuff was revealed, though I did have an inkling about other things.

Things I Didn't Like:
Yeah, it is dark and creepy and at times kinda depressing.  Also, long.  But, I am really impressed at Morton's skills at weaving a complex web of uncertainties all the way to the end.  And I really have no idea how Laurel could even pretend to feel normal after what she saw.

Read-alikes:
Other Morton books will satisfy your "like this book" craving

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !#$
a fair few

mrg-factor: X
some

v-factor: ->->
rather more than I enjoy

Overall rating: ****

My Favorites from 2015

I've got somewhere in the vicinity of 30 reviews from 2015 still pending.  To say I'm behind would be an understatement (a repetitive one). But, since I adore reading everyone else's faves of the year, I figured I'd better share mine too. These are not necessarily published in 2015, just what I happened to pick up and love.

Best sequel:

Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Best keep-you-guessing-to-the-end read:

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Best classic retelling:

Longbourn by Jo Baker

Best laugh-your-pants-off read:

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

Best love-being-a-girl read:

The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

Best fairy tale retelling:

Rump by Leisl Shurtliff

Best entertaining nonfiction:

Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

Best nonfiction to inspire you to be better:

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Best can't-put-it-down-must-read-faster book:

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski (review to come)

Best as-good-as-the-first-time reread:

 The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (my original review)

Best why-did-I-wait-so-long-to-pick-this-up read:

 The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley (review to come)

Best end of the series:

Winter by Marissa Meyer (review to come)

Best new fantasy series:

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (review to come)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: April 2013
Pages: 272
Source: e-book from library
For: Fun!

Summary (from goodreads):

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.
To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.

Things I Liked:
Yes! This is everything a fractured fairy tale should be. I will never look at Rumpelstiltskin another way.  This is the best retelling of that crazy weird story I've ever heard.  I loved Rump and found his struggle with the way things were and his own weaknesses quite good.  It was interesting how he was both good and bad and who the "villains" were and just everything. The trolls! The aunties! Pretty much the whole thing. Red! Need more of her.

Things I Didn't Like:
Um, can't think of anything

Read-alikes:
Reminded me of the League of Princes series by Christopher Healy

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication date: October 2013
Pages: 352
Source: Library
For: Fun

Summary (from goodreads):

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Things I Liked:
What a beautiful story! I love how down to earth Malala and her father sound, yet they are making an extraordinary difference in their country.  Her story makes you think you could stand up and make a difference too.  She is inspiring in her tireless efforts to not back down when told to stop going to school.  I'm amazed at her courage and strength, especially for one so young.

Things I Didn't Like:
It wasn't the most well-written book, but I think that is part of what makes you feel like you connect well with her.

Read-alikes:
Nothing I can think of...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none 

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
she kind of lives with violence in her part of the world

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
Publisher: W.W. Norton and Company
Publication date: August 2010
Pages: 336
Source: Library
For: Book Group

Summary (from goodreads):

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour?

To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

Things I Liked:
Mary Roach, where have you been all my life? Just kidding, but I really love the way she writes interesting nonfiction. I struggle to want to read NF a lot, but this book made me love it.  I love space, and pretty much would have loved a dry, boring book about all the crazy stuff that zero-g does to humans, but Roach made this book awesome by just basically being funny the whole time.  Seriously, if you have to write about puke and poop on space shuttles, you may as well make it fun.  I could pull quotes from pretty much every page that made me laugh.  She's witty, she's good at what she does.  Interesting stuff.

Things I Didn't Like:
She has a serious potty mouth and everything has something to do with sex.  And sometimes, I was a tad bored, but I still loved it.

Read-alikes:
Stiff by Mary Roach

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
quite a few, several f-bombs

mrg-factor: XXX
plenty of talk about sex, a bit of it crude

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication date: February 2015
Pages: 336
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Princess Academy, Book 3

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers for the first two books are quite likely*

After a year at the king’s palace, Miri has learned all about being a proper princess. But the tables turn when the student must become the teacher!

Instead of returning to her beloved Mount Eskel, Miri is ordered to journey to a distant swamp and start a princess academy for three sisters, cousins of the royal family. Unfortunately, Astrid, Felissa, and Sus are more interested in hunting and fishing than becoming princesses.

As Miri spends more time with the sisters, she realizes the king and queen’s interest in them hides a long-buried secret. She must rely on her own strength and intelligence to unravel the mystery, protect the girls, complete her assignment, and finally make her way home.

Things I Liked:
Shannon Hale, how I love thee.  This is such a wonderful book!  Sometimes I worry that I will not enjoy every Hale book I read, but she continues to astound me.  I adore the sisters - I really love where she takes this book.  Shannon doesn't hesitate to put her characters in really tricky situations, ones that you think can only have certain conseqauesnces, but she makes them think hard and find solutions that aren't easy or immediate.  An interesting and unique setting as well.  Just plain good writing and good storytelling.  Plus, I love the power given to girls and women, even subtly.

Things I Didn't Like:
Hm, not sure I can think of anything. Would have liked more Peder?

Read-alikes:
Most things Shannon Hale

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming
Publisher: Random House Children's
Publication date: July 2014
Pages: 304
Source: Library
For: Award winners :)

Summary (from goodreads):

Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs—at once an intimate portrait of Russia's last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost; The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia's poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing read

Things I Liked:
I thought this book was really well written and researched. I was fascinated with the details and especially with the glimpses outside the family. They were so painfully unaware of all that went on in their country, it's hard to believe. It is amazing what lengths people will go to to retain power, even if they "don't want it," as Nicholas said several times. I remember going to an exhibit on Nicholas and Alexandra when I was a teen and being super fascinated by their story. It is just so horrifying and the history of the Russian people at this time (and during a number of other times) is so sad that I can't get it out of my head. I know I read a biography (or two) of the Romanovs, but I still felt like I knew almost nothing about the time period and the lower classes. Great book to introduce this period of time to young people!

Things I Didn't Like:
Nothing I can think of!

Read-alikes:
Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie (this is one of the books I read about them quite a while ago)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
well, maybe one or two incidental ones

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
considering their violent demise, this was expected

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Firefight by Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: January 2015
Pages: 432
Source: Purchased
For: Fun (and I need to know what happens!)
Series: The Reckoners, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers are inevitable for the first book*

They told David it was impossible--that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand.

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there's no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs.

Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David's willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And he's willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

Things I Liked:
I adore this series! I went through the book so fast I can't believe it's over. I need to read it again just to have more time in the world. Seeing new places in the world beyond Newcago was fun too. I still like David; also, Megan!!!!!  There's action and adventure and suspense and some seriously strong world-building.  But I can't handle the cliffhanger endings - give me more!

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, I just enjoy them so much I don't have any complaints.

Read-alikes:
Start with Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Reminded me a bit of Dangerous by Shannon Hale

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
a few here and there

mrg-factor: none
that I recall...

v-factor: ->->->
there's quite a bit of action violence

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Mini Reviews 18

Hey, not only is this the last of the mini reviews (for a while), but it's the last of my 2014 book reviews! I'm only five months behind - yeah?


Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Summary:
When Elizabeth Darcy's sister Lydia shows up unannounced at Pemberley, the Darcy's quiet world is shattered.  Wickham and their friend Denny got into an argument and Denny is found dead.  Wickham is the chief suspect and that brings even more shame to the Darcy family name, as Mr. Darcy's brother-in-law.  Can Elizabeth and Darcy hold their position and their family together under such pressure?

My Thoughts:
This one suffered in comparison to the mini series.  I watched it first and then read the book and not only was the fun taken out of the mystery, since I knew who had done it, but I found it a lot less exciting and intense than the show.  I admit the mini series took some liberties that I laughed at, particularly with regard to Lizzy's role in the whole thing.  Still, it made the book seem a lot slower and more boring.  Plus, mystery still isn't my favorite genre of choice.  Meh.
------------------------------------------------------- 


The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Summary:
Carthya is on the brink of war and Jaron is fighting to keep his throne.  But when an unexpected threat arises, he is about to risk all in order to keep what is his.  He is ready to make a desperate move to save the kingdom, the throne, and those he cares about. Will it be enough?

My Thoughts:
I really liked the start of the series, and I am satisfied by the ending and how everything turned out. I remember enjoying the action and the excitement of watching Jeron do crazy things for his throne and his love.  I love how Nielsen is able to plot twists that are fantastic and that I don't usually see coming, though a few of them I do.  But, to be honest, it's been a few months and I can't remember much of what happened.  So, I guess there's that against it.
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Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

Summary:
Sophronia continues her training as a spy and this time is caught up in a conspiracy brooding in London.  As their floating school makes its way straight into the heart of the trouble, she and her friends must discover who is behind this plot before it's too late for them all.

My Thoughts:
Well, this series is fun to read when you just want a lark.  There are plenty of politics (of the supernatural variety) and intrigue going on to keep you reading.  Also, I really like Sophronia, despite her doing some really annoying things in the romance department.  I think I do read them for the characters and the silliness.  Definitely a nice break from serious stuff (not that I was reading serious stuff anyway.)
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In the Dark Streets Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story by David McCullough

Summary from goodreads:

Christmas Eve, 1941. Mere days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt met at the White House. As war raged throughout the world, the two leaders delivered a powerful message of hope that still resonates today.

My Thoughts:
This is basically a transcript from a program McCullough did with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for a Christmas program (I did read this around Christmas - I was super proud of myself for doing some thematic reading, since I don't usually - too bad I didn't get a review posted until May).  But it was too short and I really wanted more details about the historical period.  There was an interesting address by PM Churchill that made me want to read a bio of him (now to figure out which of the 3 billion to read).
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Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Summary:
An autobiography of the author written in verse, describes her childhood and youth and all that led her to writing stories and becoming the person she is today.

My Thoughts:
Love, love love it!  This was fantastic.  I know why this won the National Book Award (and other delightful shiny stickers). It is written so, so well (and I sometimes have a hard time with verse novels).  The story is amazing and I adored hearing more about the time period and the things Jacqueline dealt with.  Her family were awesome (well, most of them)!
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Chime by Franny Billingsley

Summary:
Briony is living with so many secrets and so much guilt, she can hardly breathe some days.  Determined never to let anyone know just what she's done, she leads a painful life of deception.  Until she begins to see that things might not have been as she thought.

My Thoughts:
This book was super weird and interesting and confusing.  I can't believe how long it took me to get to it (I got an ARC way back when).  I was sucked in from the first page!  The story was convoluted and I had no idea what was going on a lot of the time, but I have to admit I was wowed.  I loved how the end came about and how things just sort of clicked.  Intriguing, strange, and very gorgeously written!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Mini Reviews 16

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah M. Ladd

Summary:
Amelia Barrett is a wealthy heiress and content in life, until her friend dies and begs Amelia to care for her baby.  Amelia is ready to do everything in her power to honor that promise, including proposing to the child's father, despite all social expectations.

My Thoughts:

A sweet and fun historical romance that had a different enough plot to remain interesting, if predictable and a bit forgettable. I rather liked the religious aspect too.
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Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

Summary:
Sherlock Holmes is only fourteen and not yet grown into his powers of observation and deduction.  But when he determines to discover the cause of the deaths of two people while he's on break from school, he is about to begin a life-long career of solving mysteries.

My Thoughts:
Kind of a fun book introducing us to a young Sherlock and his first mystery adventure. I found some of it a bit dull, but managed to enjoy it despite its rather implausible plot.
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Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary: *Spoilers are inevitable for the first two books*
Blue and her friends are getting closer and closer to finding Glendower and the path to him is becoming increasingly perilous.  When Blue's mother goes missing, they become even more hopelessly tangled in the search for the king.

My Thoughts:
I still love these characters and I crave more of their adventures. I'm somewhat tired of waiting for the end to come, but I enjoyed the story, if not the smattering of f-bombs.
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Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Summary:
Nyx is betrothed to the monster that enslaved her people. Her destiny is to marry him and discover a way to kill him so they can all be free.  But she doesn't count on the unyielding attraction she feels for the smooth, charming monster.

My Thoughts:
I listened to this audio and it took me forever, but every time I started listening I was sucked into the story. It felt unique despite being a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and some Greek mythological inspiration. I adored the very much flawed characters, especially Nyx. The ending was strange and surprising and also satisfying. I was deliciously entertained and can't wait for more from her! (I'm currently reading Crimson Bound and enjoying it, though somewhat less than this one.)
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Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Summary:
Avery Roe is desperate to take her place as the witch on her island, protecting the people from storm and other dangers at sea.  Her mother is determined to keep her from that destiny.  But when Avery sees a disturbing vision of her own future, she must find a way to escape her mother and become the witch.

My Thoughts:
I really wanted to like this more. I tried to love the characters, but really just hated Avery. She did some really stupid things and didn't often realize how dumb they were, even later. Her obsession with her magic and how to get it felt just a bit ridiculous to me. I did enjoy the writing, the vivid setting and some elements of the plot, but ultimately felt like it fell short and was forgettable. Especially the romance. Meh.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage