Review: Kill the Beast

Kill the Beast by Serena Valentino
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

SPOILERS AHEAD

This reimagined history of Gaston paints him as not a villain, but the devoted and thoughtful best friend to the prince-turned-beast. While that might make you think that Gaston deserves and will get a better fate than the original Disney story gives him, all this true history does is make it extra sad to see his final days play out.

Gaston’s memory wiped, the curse turns him into an arrogant, narrow-minded braggart, obsessed with Belle and killing the beast he thinks he remembers killing his parents. Of course, none of this is his fault - Gaston isn’t even targeted for a curse because of his deeds. No, he is a sad side effect of the true villains of this story, the odd sisters, who can see the past and future (as it stands in the present) and are intent on shaping things to their will. They want to the prince to be punished, and not break the curse or receive his happy ending with Belle, so they manipulate Gaston’s mind, driving him crazy with the need to kill the beast, save Belle, and have her to himself. In one page, he forgets his friends and family, his whole entire past, and who he really is. Because *magic.* This man whose kindness we see in action throughout almost his whole life dies as a subpoint in someone else’s story. That’s the true tragedy.

I can’t say I loved reading this book, but that’s probably because I had a feeling how it was going to end and was dreading that conclusion. I’m also not a big fan of stories where we’re told “bad things are going to happen, just wait.” Also, this part is my fault but I didn’t realize the stories in this series intertwined and referred to one another, so it’s much more confusing to read them out of order. This one was a gift, and I assumed it was a stand-alone retelling of Gaston’s story, which it is not. Also, why would you make me like someone and then torture them? 😭 The universe of this series is clearly complex and intertwined, and I can see a lot of people loving that aspect of it, but I’m not sure it’s for me.

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We'll Prescribe You a Cat

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Cats can solve most problems.”

A series of connected stories about the therapeutic power of cats, even when they are ripping up your important paperwork, meowing all night, sleeping on your face, ignoring you, wrestling with each other, eating plants they shouldn’t, and sneaking out into the night. Each of the people who come into the mysterious clinic are dealing with some heavy life issues and think talking to a professional will help. They’re not wrong, but none of them expects what he prescribes - a specific number of days, each with a particular cat. Somehow, this doctor and his nurse know exactly who needs help and what cat will help them best. Maybe it’s magic, or maybe it’s intuition? It’s not until the last story that we start to get a picture of what exactly has been going on here. (Though it’s still not exactly clear haha.)

It was stressful to be in most of these characters heads - they were sad and frustrated and lonely and angry and just generally discontented with life. But that dismal headspace did provide for a radical translation once they spent some time with their cats. Each person was able to gain a new perspective on life, started treating themselves and those around them with more kindness, and most ended up adopting a cuddly companion, either their prescribed cat or another, if theirs wasn’t available.

Of course, the overarching story is who exactly is this doctor and why do they have doppelgängers wandering around the city? I loved what we ended up discovering about these two, though their story did make me quite sad. There’s truly nothing like a cat, especially one you are deeply connected to.


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Review: Reputation

Reputation by Lex Croucher
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

SPOILERS AHEAD

This is a romance, but it’s not a romance. There’s a woman and a man who both like each other and eventually say those things and figure things out, but honestly, that’s not what stood out to me about this book. The core of this book is friendship: wanting it, finding it, figuring out how to be good at it. And trust me, no one in this book has it all figured out.

Georgiana has spent her life feeling like no one really cares a thing about her, like life is just going to pass her by while she shrivels up and dies, alone in a drawing room. So it’s a pretty heady feeling for her when she is not only noticed by the fancy, rich, sophisticated Frances, but actually becomes friends with her and her wild friends. And they do actually become friends, because what else can you call a person you tell your deepest secrets to, whom you trust to hold your hand and be there for you in your darkest moments. Of course, just because Georgina and Frances are friends doesn’t mean they are *good* friends to one another.

In the midst of all this, Georgina is doing a bit of growing up - sure, it’s a rush when you say whatever you happen to be thinking and everyone around you laughs and appreciates it, but what of the consequences of your words? Georgina gets a hard look at herself from the outside, and doesn’t always like what she sees. There’s a bit of Emma in these realizations she’s having, finally understanding that she can choose to be kind instead of cruel, thoughtful instead of thoughtless. One of my favorite moments was when Georgina went to visit Betty and apologize, not expecting anything in return. “I forgot what I had promised you and then, instead of giving you the apology you deserved, I was terrible to you. I know you are always inclined towards forgiveness, but my behavior was truly unforgivable, and no one would speak badly of you if you never spoke to me again. If you’ll let me though, Betty, I want to make it up to you.”

Throughout this whole friend/debauchery/forgiveness journey, Georgina meets and falls for Thomas, who is as kind and thoughtful as he is handsome. Of course, Thomas has his own past that he’s dealing with, and I won’t go into those here, but I love all of his and Georgina’s interactions, especially the adorably flirty letters they send back and forth, and you can tell that they truly enjoy and care for one another, so I was relieved every time he showed up. (Except that time Betty was drugged and he was looking at Georgina with such disgust. He was giving me such Knightly vibes, when he was shaming Emma for her cruelty.) Together, Georgina and Thomas make one another better, and make each other’s lives happier, and I think that’s the most you can hope for.

This book has so many funny moments, it would be easy to call it a rom-com, but I have to mention there are some dark things they are dealing with as well. There’s heavy alcohol and drug use that results in both risky and bad behavior, as well as in death (previous to the plot of this book, but it’s an impact). There’s also the heavy implication that sexual assault is happening yet being treated very casually, because the men in their circle know if the women say anything, they’ll be ruined. And then it’s not just implication: Frances doesn’t say she was raped, but she clearly didn’t consent to what Jeremiah did to her, and Georgina clearly didn’t either. I understand why Frances was still intent on getting Jeremiah to propose, being unwilling to open herself up to the ruination of her reputation. It feels really modern for Georgina to take a stand and tell the truth, and have so many people backing her, but I’d like to think that women standing up for women happened for real back in the regency period. Jeremiah might not have gotten the punishment he deserved, but that final confrontation at the church graveyard was quite satisfying: not only does everyone get to see what he’s really like, Betty knocks him out!

There’s also the whole Frances and Jane of it all - it might be acceptable for Jonathan to see men and maintain his independence, but for women, who are so dependent on their male relations in that misogynistic culture, they can’t always just *choose* not to marry. Luckily, this one gets a happy-ish ending, too.

Overall, I really enjoy Lex Croucher’s humour and style, and the way they bring a modern sensibility to historical fiction, without filling the pages with outright anachronisms. There are lots of fun little pop culture references littered in there that made me laugh, but at least no one tried to make fetch happen. I can’t wait to keep reading more of their books.

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Review: Finding Her Edge

Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A sweet (is slightly stressful) coming-of-age romance featuring competitive ice dancers, a love triangle (love quadrangle?) where you love every one of them, and a second-chance romance to make you swoon. I love pretty much anything to do with sports, and really enjoy watching ice skating, especially the ice dance category. I definitely understand what Adriana was talking about when she said her dad didn’t see ice dancing as being as serious or prestigious as singles or pairs, and I think that’s often because it doesn’t have the flashy jumps. What it does have, though, is intricate footwork, incredible lifts, and so much emotion and chemistry, I’m pretty sure every successful ice dancing pair has either dated or dealt with dating rumors. It’s only in the past few Olympic cycles that I’ve come to appreciate ice dancing more, and it’s now my favorite to watch.

I could see why Adriana was struggling figuring out her feelings for her partner Brayden and her former partner Freddie. When you spend so much time together, trust one another, and genuinely like each other, those feelings are absolutely real, even if you aren’t in love. Adriana’s feelings for Freddie were also complicated by the intense guilt she felt at switching partners and breaking his heart when they were 14, and regardless of where their romantic relationship ended up, those two needed to talk through everything that happened back then, and how they feel about skating with other partners now. I also understand Brayden’s frustration and fear at the situation, especially once it becomes clear that he has real feelings involved, too.

One of the things I loved the most about this book was how supportive everyone was of one another, even though some of them were competitors. As much as they each wanted to win, and worked hard to do their best, they also wanted their friends to do well. I’m not sure I have the maturity for that, haha. The only thing about the competition that I would change is we didn’t need to know who won in the epilogue. I would have much preferred a sudden stop before the results were revealed.

I also love that Adriana (and her little sister Maria) had l caring and supportive adults around them like her coach Camille and their agent Charles, especially with how distant and financially predatory her dad is. I can’t say I loved her older sister much, but I can see how her attitude and actions were greatly influenced by being under their father’s influence and the pressure of having to “carry on the family legacy” for so long.

All in all, a fast-paced, emotional read full of the joy of young love, and the angst of unrequited love. Also, no wonder I loved this, I just read it was inspired by Persuasion! And I totally see it! ❤️

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Review: The Mercies

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

SPOILERS AHEAD

A heartbreaking and chilling story of a town broken by grief, rescued by the fortitude of strong women, and ruined by hysteria, sexism, religious intolerance, greed, jealousy, and the heady weight of power. Before this book, I didn’t know that the witch trials of the 1600s had spread as far as the northern coast of rural Norway.

In many ways, the story of Vardø is similar to what happened in Salem. Women who were uncontrollable or non-conforming to social norms, or those who had something those in power wanted, were targeted and accused of witchcraft, tortured until they confessed and accused others, and murdered. Other women were encouraged to accuse those around them that they either suspected or didn’t like, and often it was petty reasons why these women were targeted - she had the biggest house, or she wore pants and went to sea, or she was never good enough for my son. Once one person accused, there was a snowball effect, until a mob was formed. And once it was started, it was almost impossible to stop.

What sets Vardø more apart was the unique makeup of their community, and the unimaginable grief these women were living with after the deaths of almost all the men of their town: husbands and sons ands fathers and friends, all lost in a split second. Their lives were irrevocably changed in that moment, their personalities and fates altered. The runs that were minor annoyances became major fissures, breaking the community in two and providing the perfect atmosphere for chaos once a man like Absalom Cornet came to town, intent on seeing witches around every corner and dark magic in every rune stone. Absalom was more focused on his rise to power and influence, both in reputation and physically over his wife, than in finding the truth of Vardø.

There is so much sadness in this book. Maren loses her beloved brother and father (and also her betrothed Dag, though she’s less brown about that), and also slowly loses the closeness she thought she shared with her mother and sister-in-law, Diinna. Kirsten loses her husband (whom she clearly loved), does her best to keep her village going, saving them from a slow starvation, and is rewarded with accusations, torture, humiliation, and murder. Ursa is basically sold to her husband, taken from her family and the only home she’s ever known to the wilderness, and has to live carefully so as not to upset her cruel and irrational husband, who repeatedly rapes her in the babe if marital duty. I don’t want to dwell on that though.

What I want to remember from this book are the moments of kindness. Kirsten and Maren becoming friends as they work to catch fish and feed their village. That moment when baby Erik was born and I thought Maren had a chance of getting her family back. Maren and Ursa’s sweet connection, the way they gently helped and comforted one another, the peaceful way they felt around one another. Maren was clearly in love with Ursa almost from first sight, and watching Ursa fall for her, too, was a small light in the dark. Their moments together of truth and honesty and love were so meaningful and revelatory. I’m glad they at least have those memories to cherish.

This is not an easy book to read, but it is worth the effort and agony. The joy always is.

“Her thoughts are of Ursa. How she was the first and only one to ever know her. How that is enough.”

“Oh, God have mercy on us. We have begun it and cannot end it.”

“Even writing at a distance of 400 years, I found much to recognize. This is a story about people and how they lived before why and how they died became what defined them.”

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Review: First Love Languages

First Love Language by Stefany Valentine
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

SPOILERS AHEAD

A heartfelt coming-of-age story about a girl still reeling from the loss of her father and missing a connection to her biological mom and her Taiwanese heritage. You can tell that Catie’s yearning for family connection was something the author truly felt, and how much losing her first language, Mandarin, affected her after moving to the US after her parents’ divorce. This would be a great book for someone who is looking to connect with their heritage or someone who is trying to find themself as they grow and learn about what’s truly important to them to live a happy life.

This book was a little difficult for me to read at times, because Catie was kind of all over the place - worried about moving, about finding her bio family, about hurting her adoptive mom, about her job, about Toby, about learning Mandarin, about the stupid lies she was telling. I get it, it’s a lot to deal with. But I wanted to sit her down and say, “Just be HONEST with people.” I guess that’s what she eventually learned; I just wanted her to do it faster, haha.

There were a few elements I didn’t love as well. I’m not a fan of the book The Five Love Languages, and I’m not sure I would have picked this to read if I had known it would be such a focus. I appreciate Catie mentioning her dad had updated parts that were outdated in his copy, but he clearly valued it. Maybe that’s because of his Mormon heritage? I also didn’t love how much the Mormon church played a role in this book, but I would guess that’s an integral part of the author’s story, as well, and why it had to be included. I appreciate that Catie’s family has taken a step back from it, and it was nice to see some queer representation with Mavis, Alex, and others.

The other part I wasn’t sold on was Toby and Catie’s relationship, but that’s possibly because they seem so young to be professing love for one another. They clearly like hanging out and are drawn to one another, each finding the other very attractive, as well as good company. I get why Catie was nervous to tell Toby the truth about her non-existent boyfriend, but Toby seemed irrationally angry about it for way longer than I thought he would. And then suddenly, because he saw what Catie wrote about falling for him and admitting to the lie, he was suddenly ok with things? Seems a little too much of a switch.

Also, there are some inconsistencies with how Toby’s feelings are presented. When they are having their real first date at his house, he says, “Sorry for being too dense to see that I’ve had a crush on you since our first practice date. But I guess it took being with the wrong girl to make me realize I’d rather be with the one I love.” But like two seconds later, he says, “Ever since our first practice date, I’ve wanted to tell you that… and I’ve wanted to kiss you.” He also wrote her that letter in Mandarin the night after their almost-kiss and said, “Even though you have a boyfriend, I still fell in love with you.” So, I wish Toby’s feelings had been more consistently presented when everything was out in the open.

Regardless of the few issues I had with the book, I would definitely recommend it to those looking for a story about connecting with your biofamily, especially one overseas, dealing with the loss of a parent, and finding first love.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire
#10 in the Wayward Children series
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SPOILERS AHEAD

Another fantastic novella in the Wayward Children Series, this one following Nadya, a Russian orphan adopted by an American couple who wanted a virtue-signal and not a real child, who one day falls through a door in a lake and finds a real home and a real family, who loves her for who she is. In Belyrreka, Nadya is seen as perfect as is, not in need of fixing; and even though the River eventually gifts her a right hand, it’s a help, not a necessity.

In the land beneath the lake, Nadya grows up and becomes a kind, adventurous, caring person. She falls in love and gets married, and has many ties to Belyrreka: her mother Ina, her husband Alexei, and most of her, her best friend and beloved turtle Burian. She is sure of her life, and happy in it. But she’s also a hero at heart, always helping others and putting them ahead of herself. If you’ve read the rest of this series, you’ll know that heroes are often returned to their original world, whether they want to be or not. And we’ve also seen Nadya’s future: it’s not happy. I knew she was going to be returned to her old life, but I didn’t expect her to return to the body of a 10 year old (or I’d forgotten). That seems especially cruel: to have years of physical growth stripped away, on top of being forced back into a life you didn’t want with people who don’t truly love you. I definitely recommend this whole series, but you could read this one as a standalone if you want. You just wouldn’t have as much knowledge of how the doors between different worlds works, or any knowledge of Nadya’s future. But I hope you read the whole series; it’s full of so much joy and heartache, affirmation and pain. It will make you feel all the feels.

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Review: Sense and Sensibility

Sense And Sensibility by Jane Austen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jane Austen is one of my long-time favorite authors, and this is one of my favorites of her books, but I’ve read it so many times in the past (and not for a long time), and I’ve seen the movie adaptations so many times that I fear there are details I gloss over or misremember, and this excellent audio narration by Rosamund Pike allowed me to slow down and hear everything anew. I saw things I hadn’t never, and reveled in both the humor and pathos of this story of love lost, love unrequited, and love found.

My favorite relationship in this book is that between Elinor and Marianne, though for many years I held Marianne in much less regard. I sympathized with Elinor’s tendency to hide her affections, and found Marianne’s high spirits and lack of care immature and obnoxious. Maybe it was Emma Thompson heart wrenching portrayal of Elinor in the 1995 adaption forever imprinted in my brain, but when she says to Marianne, “What do you know of my heart? What do you know of anything but your own suffering? …Believe me, Marianne, had I not been bound to silence I could have provided proof enough of a broken heart, even for you,” my heart broke for her and raged at Marianne for being so heartless and thoughtless.

The thing is, though, Marianne is SO young. It’s easy to forget that she’s 16-17 years old, with all the talk of marriage, and though her personality already lent itself to throwing oneself wholeheartedly into everything, she also had the confidence of youth to assume you know everything and that your opinion will never change. Take her opinion early on that one can only really fall in love once, and if that love is lost, you’re destined to be alone forever - clearly that’s not true, and though I don’t wish upon Marianne the heartbreak she goes through with Willoughby, it was certainly a growth experience, as was her sickness and time of recuperation. And seeing everything Elinor went through with Edward, everything Marianne had missed with her own emotional preoccupation, really opened her eyes to the trials of those around her. She’s much more sympathetic and supportive to Elinor, once she knows the truth of the situation, than I recall. There is much miscommunication and misplaced assumptions in this book, but between the sisters, it’s more a case of the two having very different personalities and misunderstanding one another’s meaning of word and action.

If anything, I found Elinor to be a little self-righteous at times, especially about Marianne and Willoughby’s relationship, and later how much Colonel Brandon “deserved” Marianne for his incredible kindness and good nature. Elinor, women are not property! You should know better! I’m not even going to touch on the age difference; I think it’s enough to say it was a different time, and there were different expectations for who an appropriate marriage partner was back then. I’m satisfied that Colonel Brandon was eventually Marianne’s whole-hearted choice, and she wasn’t coerced or forced into that position.

As for the men in this story, they ranged from ridiculous to insipid to enraging at various times. I know the ladies eventually forgive Willoughby a bit, but I think he got less than what he deserved: a sad life full of regret instead of jail time. I’m still a little surprised that Colonel Brandon was just going to stand by while Willoughby married Marianne, even after knowing what he did to his ward, Beth. Surely you could have made that a little more common knowledge? As for Edward, he was much too oblivious and noble for his own good - it took him way too long to realize his feelings for Elinor, and he really should have broken off his engagement to Lucy when he did realize them. Also, I’m with the Jane Austen Society on this one - Hugh Grant was way too attractive to play Edward Ferrars.

On the positive side, at least most of these men finally followed their feelings. The second he heard of his broken engagement, Edward went to Elinor to confess and propose. Colonel Brandon did everything he could to help the Dashwoods, not only because he was in love with Marianne, but because he genuinely cared for Elinor and Mrs. Dashwood and wanted to ease their lives and bring them happiness. Willoughby…. I find it hard to say positive things about him, but at least he came clean about his initial intentions and eventual feelings towards Marianne. I think that knowledge helped Marianne feel vindicated in her read of their relationship, even though it didn’t change that it he as over. And his greed helped Marianne dodge a huge bullet, because I agree with Elinor - had he and Marianne married, he would have found something else to regret or be discontented by.

I’m looking forward to continuing my rereads of all Jane Austen’s books this year, as well as reading various adaptations!

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Review: The Full Moon Coffee Shop

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars

3.75 stars

A thoughtful, cozy story about finding what makes you happy, surrounding yourself with love, (both people and things that bring you joy), and making your home a refuge of comfort. I loved the way the character’s lives intertwined with each another, and seeing the impact of their kind actions on the rest of their lives. And you have to love a cat cafe where the servers are literal cats, bringing you life advice and the perfect snack based on your unique star chart.

I will admit to finding some of the astrology stuff confusing, most specifically the age of Pisces/age of Aquarius stuff and the periods of life things. But I did like how the charts and astrology prompted the characters examine their lives and their choices, and self-reflect on what makes them the most happy and fulfilled.

“Understand yourself, and you’ll be able to care for yourself. As long as you do that, you’ll shine like the star that you are.”

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Review: The Jane Austen Society

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A lovely, thoughtful story about found family, mutual support through grief and loss, and how one can truly care for others. Interwoven with the stories of these people all drawn to one another in the small English town of Chawton are meaningful analyses of Jane Austen’s writing and characters, digging deep into why her work has enthralled people for so much time. Whether it’s her humor, sharp social observations, or realistic characters and relationships, there’s something about Austen’s work that continues to draw people in and soothe them, especially during their most challenging times.

I’ve been an Austen fan since I was a child - the first book I remember purchasing with my own money was Pride and Prejudice at age 12 - and am still finding new things to love in her work with every reading. This book has made me want to read them all again right now, and find people to talk about them with as Benjamin and Adelaide, Adam and Mimi, and all the others of the Jane Austen society do. I also love how much focus was given to the importance of maintaining Austen’s literary legacy in one place, in England, but also how that wasn’t as important as the emotional and physical well-being of one of their friends.

This was a delightful book that I happily recommend, especially to those who enjoy Jane Austen’s work or World War 2 era historical fiction.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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Review: Djeliya

Djeliya: A West African Fantasy Epic by Juni Ba
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

A graphically striking and thoughtful reworking of West African myths and stories to tell a story of power and community responsibility, innovation and tradition, greed and humility, all circling around the importance of storytelling itself. Awa might be the advisor to the prince, but sure OSS the heart of this story, and the one who connects everyone and everything, for better or worse. I especially loved seeing the stories from her childhood with the djinnie, before things got bad.

The powerful the art style and coloring m in this book is especially appealing - the dynamism really helps draw you into the story. I can definitely see many of these pages as frame-able art. I also really appreciated how layered things were, like the different symbols that you could track throughout the story. Speaking of those, I really appreciated the index of symbols and stories the author included in the back. It gave me a lot more context to the story and also more things to look for on a reread.

The one issue I had is that the art was so chaotic at times that I had a hard time following what was going on. Sometimes I couldn’t tell the characters apart, and the action was so frequent I couldn’t always keep track of who was doing what. I actually read through a few sections twice because I was getting lost. I don’t think that’s a sufficient reason not to read this one, but figured I’d mention it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review purposes.

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Review: It's Elementary

It's Elementary by Elise Bryant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fun and engaging mystery featuring some clever and endearing (if improbably bad at being sneaky) adults as they try to figure out the Mystery of the Missing Principal, collect some sweet reward money, flirt a little, and try not to drown in their busy lives. Oh and not get killed by anyone nefarious. Mavis is incredibly relatable, both her longing to have someone to rely on and her frustration as always being seen as someone dependable but unimportant. Her relationships with everyone around her felt deeply real: there’s her supportive (and occasionally combative) bestie Jasmine; her new snarky mom-friend, Corinne; her new romantic prospect, the dreamy and sweet Jack; her first-love and ex-husband, Corey; and her adorable roomie, her dad.

As for the mystery in this one, I suspected who was behind it all pretty much from the start, but I really enjoyed all the twists we took to get there. It was also great to see someone of the overbearing and gossipy white moms get their due, and to watch Mavis connect with other parents on a more human level. And like Mavis, I sympathize with the “villain’s” situation and reasoning. It’s can be hard to be angry at someone who is doing the wrong things for the right reasons.

I’ve read most of Elise Bryant’s YA fiction previously, and really enjoyed her foray into adult genre fiction - I really hope she keeps writing more mysteries, and that we see more of Mavis in the future! Hopefully, she’ll have kicked that annoying job to the curb and can start focusing on the things she really wants to do - once she figures that out.

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Review: Chef's Kiss

Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So cute and sweet and swoon-worthy. I’m sure many of us can relate to Ben’s predicament - you’ve just graduated from college and you’re looking for a job, and NO one is hiring. And on top of that, you’re not even sure what you want to do in life. Ben found Le Cochon Doré at the perfect time - not only did he meet some fantastic people who encouraged him and built up his confidence, but he found something he was already pretty talented at and also working hard to learn and perfect.

I don’t blame Ben for hiding his new job from his parents, based on the way they react when they find him at the restaurant. That kind of familial pressure is hard to live up to, especially if you’ve been dealing with it your own life. Ben might love writing, but he’s also been forced to focus on it by his driven parents. Learning that he’s actually talented enough to be a real chef instead of just cooking at home, and making friends with Liam and the others, is exactly what he needed. Also, I’m so glad Ben took the time to self-reflect, without the influence of others, on what might make him the most happy. And super glad that he was honest with Liam about his feelings (even if it took a drunken confession he forgot to clue Liam in at first).

In addition to the great story and delicious-looking food, I loved the style and colors of this art! Everyone had so much personality, especially Watson the pig, haha. I hope we get to see more of Ben, Liam, Watson, and the others in the future!

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Review: Stephen Fry's Odyssey

Odyssey by Stephen Fry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fantastically funny and at times heartbreaking retelling of the aftermath of the Trojan war and the journeys home of each of the major players. The primary character is, of course, Odysseus, who takes the longest to make it home, has the most adventures, misses his wife and son the most, and somehow also fathers the most children along the way. But we also hear how other major players faired, from rapist Ajax and daughter-sacrificing Agamemnon to triumphant Menelaus with his Helen and Roman-founding Aeneas.

The gods, of course, are still interfering in frustrating ways, shaping the course of each person’s life (and death) as they see fit and arguing amongst themselves, but for some reason, I am less angered by them in this book. Maybe that’s because I feel like everyone who dies deserves it (other than all the oarsmen and slaves who had no decision making powers and were just along for their labor). Maybe it’s also because the gods themselves discuss how they are become less and less important in the lives of humans, now that there are so many of them, and perhaps it’s time they truly rule themselves.

Either way, I enjoyed this book immensely - Stephen Fry does a great job distilling what could be a confusing mess of storylines into a cohesive, interconnected narrative, drawing from Homer’s Odyssey, of course, but also other ancient sources. Relationships, conversations, and actions are clear, both in their practical and emotional impact and in what they would have meant to people at the time. And as always, I appreciate the frequent footnotes, reminding us of people we’ve met in previous books, as well as the maps in the front and cast of characters in back.

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The Tenth 10

This group's number one book was an easy choice. I tend to read a lot of young adult fiction, particularly the sci-fi dystopian kind, and Divergent was a great start to what looks to be an awesome series. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the books as they come out. Also of note is the Dairy Queen series, about a football and basketball-playing girl from Wisconsin. DJ is something special, and is a character girls can really look up to as a role model. One more at the top: Hot Guys and Baby Animals. Seriously, do you need another nudge to go get that one? You won't regret it. ;)

1 | Divergent  Veronica Roth  [Book 1 of the Divergent series]


2 | The Off Season  Catherine Gilbert Murdock  [Book 2 of the Dairy Queen series]


3 | Hot Guys and Baby Animals  Carolyn Newman and Audrey Khuner


4 | Front and Center  Catherine Gilbert Murdock  [Book 3 of the Dairy Queen series]


5 | Uncommon Criminals  Ally Carter  [Book 2 of the Heist Society series]


6 | Dairy Queen  Catherine Gilbert Murdock [Book 1 of the Dairy Queen series]


7 | Liesl and Po  Lauren Oliver


8 | Crossed  Ally Condie  [Book 2 of the Matched series]


9 | Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks  Lauren Myracle


10 | The Catcher in the Rye  J.D. Salinger


And with that, 2011 in reading is over. I barely made it to 100, but I did! Keep watching for my year in reading wrap up post.

The Ninth 10

Michael J. Fox. He is amazing. That is all.

1 | Lucky Man  Michael J. Fox


2 | Level Up  Gene Luen Yang and Thien Pham


3 | Skip Beat!, Volume 25  Yoshiki Nakamura


4 | Un Lun Dun  China Mieville


5 | The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie  Alan Bradley  [Book 1 of the Flavia de Luce series]


6 | Hourglass  Myra McEntire  [Book 1 of the Hourglass series]


7 | Cleopatra  Stacy Schiff


8 | Gimme a Call  Sarah Mlynowski


9 | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future  Michael J. Fox


10 | Improper English  Katie MacAlister

The Eighth 10

The top two spots this week are filled by two vastly different books. The top spot went the lastest installment in one of my favorite series, Heat Rises by "Richard Castle." I love the show Castle, and I love that the main character "writes" real books. The other book is one of my very favorite comfort books, The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye.  The rest of the books I read all ranged from really enjoyable to moderately enjoyable. All-together, not a bad set of books.

1 | Heat Rises  Richard Castle [Book 3 of the Nikki Heat series]


2 | The Ordinary Princess  M.M. Kaye


3 | Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children  Ransom Riggs


4 | The Winter Queen  Boris Akunin [Book 1 of the Erast Fandorin series]


5 | The Help  Kathryn Stockett


6 | Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist  Michael J. Fox


7 | What Happened to Goodbye  Sarah Dessen


8 | Prime Baby  Gene Luen Yang


9 | Abandon  Meg Cabot  [Book 1 of the Abandon series]


10 | The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1  Mark Twain

The Seventh 10

This group of books was incredible hard to rank because I read 2 books in particular that I loved, but in vastly different ways: East of Eden by John Steinbeck and Bossypants by Tina Fey.  In the end, I had to give the Number 1 spot to East of Eden, because as hilarious as Tina Fey is, it's John Steinbeck's writing and characters that have really stuck to me, lacking onto my mind and not letting go. Now please excuse me while I go listen to my best friend Tina Fey read me Bossypants one more time before I have to return the CDs to the library. :)

1 | East of Eden  John Steinbeck


2 | Bossypants  Tina Fey


3 | A Game of Thrones  George R. R. Martin [Book 1 of the A Song of Ice and Fire series]


4 | Skip Beat! Volume 24  Yoshiki Nakamura


5 | A Night to Remember  Walter Lord


6 | The Serpent on the Crown  Elizabeth Peters [Book 17 of the Amelia Peabody series]


7 | Guardian of the Horizon  Elizabeth Peters [Book 16 of the Amelia Peabody series]


8 | Empire State: A Love Story (or Not)  Jason Shiga


9 | Dead Reckoning  Charlaine Harris  [Book 11 of the Sookie Stackhouse series]


10 | Insatiable  Meg Cabot  [Book 1 of the Insatiable series]

The Second 10

I've finished 10 more books towards my goal of 100, and in under a month, so I am still ahead of pace to complete my goal! Once again, it is hard to rank books because I liked them all for different reasons, but that's the challenge I've given myself, so here we go!

1 | The Host  Stephanie Meyer
I first read this book when it came out in 2008, and just finally got around to re-reading it. I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. It may not be the most well written book of the lot, but it entertained me the most, and made me care about the characters the most. Set in the future, where aliens have taken over Earth, and there are only a few left fighting to survive and avoid capture.


2 | Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art  Scott McCloud
My good friend Care teaches a course at Queens College CUNY on Graphic Narratives, and it's a topic I've been interested in for a while, so I've decided to read along with her class this semester. First up was this primer and explanatory guide on what the medium of comics is exactly. Not only was it super-informative, but it was really entertaining as well! I definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in comics/graphic novels.


3 | The Ape Who Guards the Balance  Elizabeth Peters
I've come to really enjoy listening to these books in the car as I drive - the narrator is excellent, and though I've technically read this one before, it's been so long that it's almost like reading it for the first time! I'm enjoying the addition of Ramses as a part-time narrator, and though Nefret is becoming quite annoying at times, there is an overwhelming amount of emotion and adventure that overcomes and pushes this book to the top of my list.


4 | Before I Fall  Lauren Oliver
I'd heard really good things about this book, some calling it one of the best to be published in 2010. It's a really well-written story, with a fascinating twist that I think is executed quite well - a girl dies, and then relives that last day of her life over and over again, until she can figure out the right way for it to go. Definitely a touching book.


5 | The DUFF  Kody Keplinger
This one I happened upon while browsing through Borders one weekend. The spine was brightly colored, and the cover intrigued me, so I opened it up to read the first few pages.  I was quickly hooked. I couldn't put it down! I ended up reading it in 2 days. The characters were very real and their issues were as well.


6 | Fire Study  Maria V. Snyder
This is the third book in a trilogy. So, did I read this immediately following reading the first 2 books in the trilogy, like a normal, sane person? Of course not, I waited a YEAR! I honestly don't know what I was thinking. I had to refresh myself on how the 2nd book ended before I could pick this one up, but I honestly don't think it made *that* much of a difference, except maybe I wasn't as invested in the characters as I might have once been.  My issues with this book are the same as with the others - the pacing is off in the beginning, and the plot is a little too winding. But other than that, I like the characters and the world this is set in, and the ending to the trilogy is great! Looks like there is another trilogy set after this in the same world, but with different characters, so maybe I will try to read all 3 of those soonish rather than laterish.


7 | Starship Troopers  Robert Heinlein
I'm a fan of Robert Heinlein, and I vaguely remember being amused by the cheesy, campy movie that came out in the 90s that was loosely based on this book, so I've been meaning to read this one for a while. Luckily, it is almost nothing like the movie, which I rewatched after reading the book and is rather terrible, especially in comparison. This book is concise and unapologetic, and really about life as a soldier and at war, about finding a place where you belong and a life that really matters. I really was pleasantly surprised.


8 | Misguided Angel  Melissa de la Cruz
This is another one in a series that I began reading several years ago. While I like the characters, and find their history and backstory really interesting, this book also suffers in the pacing department. I feel like every time the story really gets going, and we actually learn something, the book ends, and we are forced to wait another year for a new book to come out. Of course, I still keep reading, but next time I might wait a year or 2, so I can read a few back-to-back. And see, I've been so preoccupied with talking about the things that annoy me, that I'm just now mentioning that the cool elements in this story are the unique vampires, that are actually fallen angels that have been reincarnated over the centuries. Interesting, right? I wish they would capitalize on the awesome concept more.


9 | Matched  Ally Condie
There has been so much hype around how great this book is, and I was really looking forward to reading it. I love dystopian teen fiction (hence my Hunger Games obsession), but I really felt rather let down by this one. The romance set up seems to be a little flawed, and I can't say I really care about any of the characters, which is not a good sign. I will keep reading this series, but perhaps with lower expectations.


10 | Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife  Mary Roach
This is another one I was really looking forward to, because Roach's book Stiff is still one of my favorite non-fiction books ever. Unfortunately, this one just didn't live up to my expectations. I don't know if that's because there's not enough scientific evidence about the afterlife to say anything definitive, or because it turns out I don't really care what science might say about anyways, but regardless, I just kept waiting for this one to end. I'll still give anything Mary Roach writes a try, because she is an excellent writer, but I also won't be surprised if I end up disappointed again.

The First 10

If you read my reading goals post from a few weeks ago, you'll know that I'm planning on switching up my reading blogging format for this year. Instead of posting weekly reading updates (which felt rather redundant to my Goodreads reviews), every 10 books I read, I'll write a post, ranking the last 10 books I read.  Here are my first 10!


To be honest, it was a little difficult to rank these because I really liked a lot of them, and would say I enjoyed reading all of them. I think they're a particularly interesting mix of Young Adult fiction, "serious" fiction, and non-fiction.

1 | Graceling  Kristin Cashore
I've had this book on my list to read since the day I joined Goodreads almost 2 years ago. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get to it - maybe I was afraid of being disappointed?  Luckily I had nothing to fear. This is perhaps my favorite kind of book - set in a unknown, magical world, with characters you can love and admire.


2 | Fire  Kristin Cashore
After finishing and loving Graceling, I knew I needed to read it's sort-of sequel, Fire. I say "sort-of" because this isn't actually a sequel at all, it's just set in the same general world, though in a different time, and different part. Really, what these 2 books have in common is the same feel of magic and wild. Once again, these characters are so engaging, I can't help but support them and want the best for them.


3 | An Abundance of Katherines  John Green
Here is another young adult novel, but one completely different than the first 2 on my list. I loved this book because it was real and witty and surprisingly, sometimes shockingly, funny. I loved how quirky and OCD-ish Colin is, and his cast of friends are all unique and fully themselves, as they try to figure out exactly what that means. On top of all that, though, after reading this book, I discovered the video blog of the author John Green and his brother Hank, who in 2007 challenged themselves to no textual communication (email/texting/IM) for the whole year, communicating almost entirely through daily video blogs back and forth. These guys are so funny and hilarious and warm and real, I feel like we're already good friends, even though I'm only up to April 2007. And apparently, the video blog was such a success that that they still record videos, though not daily anymore. You can check them out at their youtube channel, Vlog Brothers. Can you tell I'm slightly obsessed? :)


4 | The Vanishing of Katharina Linden  Helen Grant
This was my friend Heather's pick for our book club this month, and I am happy to report, it's the first book (of the twelve we've read so far) that everyone has liked! Usually, there is at least one dissenting opinion, but for once, we unanimously enjoyed this book. This is a funny yet creepy little mystery set in a small town in Germany, and though the cover describes it as a "modern day fairy tale", I'd say it's less fairy tale and more social commentary from the perspective of a child, ala To Kill a Mockingbird. It's definitely one I would re-read sometime, because I was totally surprised by the ending!


5 | Kitchen Confidential  Anthony Bourdain
I used to think Anthony Bourdain was kind of a jerk, based on his appearances on Top Chef, but I had heard his book was really good, and I admit to being curious about the culinary world, so when I saw this one for $1 at a local library sale last fall, I was quick to pick it up. I definitely enjoyed this book - Bourdain is straightforward, descriptive, and honest, both about his checkered past and the restaurant business. I loved hearing all the nitty-gritty details about life as a chef, working at a restaurant, and everything that entails. I have a much better opinion of Bourdain now, to the point where I actually found him charming when he appeared on Top Chef last week. :)


6 | The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks  Rebecca Skloot
This one is a really fascinating true story and one of my mom's favorite books from last year. Henrietta Lacks, a poor African-American woman who died of cancer in the 1940s, is the woman who, unbeknowst to her or her family, provided the first cells to be grown in culture and the cells that are most widely used for research to this day, HeLa cells. Rebecca Skloot does a great job presenting both sides of the debate on the ethics of cellular research, writing from the perspective of both the medical community and the people whose cells are harvested, often times without their knowledge. The real heart of this story, though, is the effect these cells had on Henrietta's family, especially her youngest daughter, Deborah.


7 | Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer  James L. Swanson
Abraham Lincoln is one of my favorite presidents, and after reading a great biography on him last year, I was curious to know more about his assassin, John Wilkes Booth. While you will not find a more detailed and better-written account of Lincoln's murder and the search for his killer, in the end, I was left saddened and disappointed, not in the book itself, but just with the whole situation. While I was curious about Wilkes Booth, to be honest, I don't really want to know more about him, and the more I learned, the more I was frustrated in his audacity and single-minded obsession. Even thinking about him now makes me mad. Some things in life just aren't fair, and one of those things is that Lincoln was murdered on perhaps the happiest day of his life, when the long struggle of the Civil War was finally over.


8 | The Elephant's Journey  José Saramago
One of my friends on Goodreads, Lori of the Next Best Book Blog, sent me this book last fall after she ended up with 2 ARCs. The subject matter seemed really fascinating - based on a true story, of how in the 1500s the King of Portugal gifts an elephant to his cousin, the Archduke of Austria, and the subsequent journey that elephant makes, together with his mahout, from Lisbon to Vienna.  And don't get me wrong - the story really is fascinating, and the characters are unique. I love elephants, and it was interesting to see how people reacted to him along the journey.  But Saramago's writing style can be difficult to absorb, as he writes in solid chunks, also stream-of-conscious style, without pausing to change paragraphs or anything during dialog. It can be a challenge to read, and I have to admit, sometimes when I am reading, I don't want it to be so difficult.


9 | Nightlight  The Harvard Lampoon
This book was a gift from my friend Heather LAST christmas (as in, 2009!), and though I am slow, I finally picked it up and read it the first weekend of the new year. This is a ridiculous and funny parody of the Twilight books, which I can take for exactly what it is: a humorous over-exaggeration of the flaws found in the popular, overly dramatic teen vampire books. Despite my irrational love of the Twilight books, I still found this book pretty funny, and it's definitely a light, silly and fun read.


10 | Claim to Fame  Margaret Peterson Haddix
Although I did eventually enjoying reading this book, it ends up on the bottom of my list because I know it could have been so much more! I still enjoyed Haddix's writing style, but her heroine, Lindsey, was pretty annoying for most of the book, and I didn't feel like her "special talent" of hearing other people's comments about her was very well integrated into the story.  I loved the concept, though, which incidentally had a few things in common with Graceling, and a few of the characters stood out as being quite enjoyable, like Roz. I'll continue reading Haddix's books, as I've liked others by her, but maybe my expectations will just be a little lower.