Series Reviews: The Poor Relation & The Six Sisters

The Poor Relation Series
by M.C. Beaton (Marion Chesney)
5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

I adored every minute of this series! Each book focuses on a different poor relation giving the reader the opportunity to get to know the character in a deeper way while giving the character the opportunity to learn and grow. While there is a sweet and swoony romance in each book, the romance is not always the main character's romance, and this kept the stories fresh and interesting. Each story also has a mystery that is fun, inventive, and not wholly predictable. While many of the romantic leads were somewhat one-note (though, it was a pleasant note), the Poor Relations were all fully fleshed out and enjoyable to read about (particularly Miss Tonks and Sir Phillip). I also consider it a plus that each book is only about 200 pages long, so they're super fast reads.

The Six Sisters Series
By M. C. Beaton (Marion Chesney)
5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

While I'd rate this series below The Poor Relation series, it's only a teeny, tiny little bit lower. The romantic leads have a little bit more personality than in The Poor Relation series, but only some of them and only so much. That's fine, but after reading 12 books like that, I was starting to get a little over it. That aside, the romances were still enjoyable and the storylines were engaging. There are three side characters who make appearances throughout the series and each were charming and amusing in ways that I found myself looking forward to their almost comforting appearances.

Both of these series are total cozy comfort reads that are easy to breeze through and sink into at the same time. I love that the books are small as it allows each story to be told in just the right amount of time without getting tedious, but the overarching series allowed me to really get to know the characters and their worlds. I was surprised but super pleased at how the author seems to delight in inserting historical details throughout the stories. This added an extra layer of depth I wasn't expecting from cozy comfort reads by teaching me historical things I didn't know in a way that felt like I was geeking out with a fellow history lover.


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Book Review: The Boy, The Bird, and the Coffin Maker by Matilda Woods

Pages: 208
Publisher: Philomel
Released: May 15, 2018
Received: ARC from publisher
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

There are some books that are just magical, and this is one of them. Fairy tales can have this effect, if done right, where even though the story is short, the characterization is minimal, and every aspect of the plot doesn't always make perfect sense, there's just a special something that makes the story tug at my heartstrings and stay with me in a meaningful way. I care about the characters from page one in a hugely protective, almost visceral way. I'm invested in their story. The messages hit me in a deeply personal way. The Boy, the Bird, and the Coffin Maker has that magical quality.

It also doesn't hurt that the chapters are super tiny and every page is beautifully illustrated.

Highly recommended.


BOOK DESCRIPTION

Friendship and magical realism sparkle on the page in this heartwarming, delightfully eccentric illustrated middle-grade gem from an extraordinary new literary voice. Perfect for fans of A Snicker of Magic and The Penderwicks.

Alberto lives alone in the town of Allora, where fish fly out of the sea and the houses shine like jewels. He is a coffin maker and widower, spending his quiet days creating the final resting places of Allora's people.

Then one afternoon a magical bird flutters into his garden, and Alberto, lonely inside, welcomes it into his home. And when a kindhearted boy named Tito follows the bird into Alberto's kitchen, a door in the old man's heart cracks open. Tito is lonely too--but he's also scared and searching for a place to hide. Fleeing from danger, he just wants to feel safe for once in his life. Can the boy and the old man learn the power of friendship and escape the shadows of their pasts?

With a tender bond that calls to mind The Girl Who Drank the Moon, charming characters reminiscent of The Penderwicks, and the whimsy of A Snicker of Magic, this is a novel to curl up with, an extraordinary work of magical realism that makes the world feel like a warmer and happier place. Complete with dazzling interior illustrations, a gem from start to finish.


AUTHOR BIO

Matilda Woods (www.matildawoods.com) grew up in the small town of Southern Tablelands, Australia. She graduated from Monash University with a Masters of Social Work. Matilda splits her time between writing middle grade fiction and working as a youth social worker. The Boy, the Bird, and the Coffin Maker is her debut novel. She currently lives in the same small town where she grew up, with her four chickens, three dogs, two cats and one bird.

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Book Review: Freya and the Magic Jewel

Freya and the Magic Jewel by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
#1 in the Thunder Girls series
Pages: 272
Publisher: Aladdin
Released: May 1, 2018
Received: ARC from author
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

I've been a long-time fan of Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams' Goddess Girls series and I've sampled a number of their other series. While I enjoyed their Grimmtastic Girls series, it wasn't quite at Goddess Girls levels and I only toe-dipped in their Heroes in Training series (for a slightly younger audience). That isn't to say the other series aren't good, but rather to say how awesome the Goddess Girls series is.

And now we have the Thunder Girls series, focusing on Norse mythology instead of Greek. I knew I would like these books, but even my expectations were blown away and I adore this series! It's right up there with the best Goddess Girls books and I hope we see just as many books in this series (20+ and counting) because I will read every one of them and hand them out to all my little library patrons.

This first book in the series focuses on Freya as she starts a new school. Coming from a different land, Freya has a tough time settling in and making friends. Homesickness, feeling different, worrying about fitting in, and so on, her feelings are easy to relate to at any age and developed in a realistic way throughout the story. Freya's quest to find her missing necklace added in a dash of adventure.

As in the Goddess Girls series, the world created her is inventive and reading about the magical charms, school, and daily life are highly entertaining, especially if you're a reader who likes world building. It was fun, particularly in this first book, getting to know all the new characters, seeing their personalities unfold, and wondering what parts they'll play in future stories.  

Highly recommended for fans of Goddess Girls, Norse mythology, and sweet books with a happy mix of friendship, inventive mythology adaptations, a smidge of romance, and a big helping of adorableness. Readers who are already fans of Goddess Girls can safely add this series to their auto-buy lists.

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Book Review: The Corfu Trilogy and Three Singles to Adventure by Gerry Durrell

#1: My Family and Other Animals
#2: Birds, Beasts, and Relatives
#3: In the Garden of the Gods

5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
 Goodreads

 I first heard of Gerry Durrell's books through Helen's reviews of Three Singles to Adventure and Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons. My tastes tend to run similar to Helen's and the combination of her positive reviews, selected quotes from the books, and how it all reminded me of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series led me to impulsively grab the first Gerry Durrell books I could get my hands on, which was the Corfu trilogy.

I'm afraid I may have partially ruined myself for all future Gerry Durrell books (of which there are many) by reading the Corfu trilogy first. They're just so good that I don't know that the other books will be able to match that high bar. But, I loved them so much that I'll also read through all his other books in the hopes that I can recapture this magic again.

The trilogy is made up of loose short stories recounting the funny adventures and experiences Gerry and his family have during their stay in Corfu. The stories are hilarious (often, literally, laugh out loud funny) and the kind of stories where I'm still turning to my husband and saying "Remember the one with the turtle" and then we both burst into laughter.

But it's not just the humor that makes these books so special. That alone would do it, but it's also the wonder of childhood, the relaxed atmosphere of Corfu, and the intriguing and surprisingly informative aspects of the stories. All of these things come together to create something I can only describe as magical.

Three Singles to Adventure
3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Fresh off the euphoria of the Corfu trilogy I quickly put in a NetGalley request for the book that sparked my interest from Helen's review: Three Singles to Adventure. The name alone is captivating and full of promise. To say my expectations bar was set high is an understatement.

Alas, was it my high expectations or are the Gerry Durrell books from his adulthood just missing the spark of childhood wonder? I found myself yearning for that undefined something that was missing in this book and so abundant in the Corfu trilogy.

The stories were funny, but few were hilarious. I found myself missing Gerry's family, such vibrant characters in the Corfu trilogy and sadly absent in this adventure. The cast of characters we meet here were fine, but somewhat undefined, especially in contrast to the vivid Larry, Leslie, Margo, and Mother.

Still fun, still nice, still an enjoyable and quick read. But, just not the Corfu trilogy.


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Book Review: The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain

Pages: 291
Released: 1949
Received: Library, now own
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

I really can't praise this book highly enough. I've been toe-dipping into non-fiction lately, but that doesn't mean I have any more tolerance for slow, dry books. I'm still an impatient reader and I still hate long digressions into primary source excerpts. So the fact that I've been enjoying some non-fiction doesn't mean I've really changed as a reader. It just means I've found some non-fiction that reads like fiction.

This book follows English history from the days of the Norman Conquest and the beginnings of the Plantagenet family, through Stephen and Matilda's civil war, Henry II's rise and rule, Richard's crusading escapades, and closing with John's bitter demise.

To say there's a lot of information packed in here is an understatement. The book is actually pretty short all things considered (just under 300 pages), and Costain manages to balance giving just the right amount of detail, avoiding the dreaded "too much glossing over" that makes a book worthless to read and the equally tiresome "too much detail" that may be good in theory but can make for an overly long and intimidating read.

Even better, Costain brings the historical figures to life. This, above anything else, is why I think I've remembered so much of what I read in his book. My only complaint is that he spent less time on the ladies of history and so they didn't come alive as much as some of the men.

Costain's opinions of these people are also very, very clear, and that does color the way he describes them and the impression I get of them. Normally I would count this as a negative, but for some reason it actually enhanced my enjoyment. Maybe because I tend to agree with his opinions? Whatever it is, his enthusiastic scorn for the "bad" characters, his unbridled admiration for the "good" characters, and his blunt appraisal of those in between characters made this an almost gleeful delight to read. You can tell he loves what he's writing about.

This is part one of four books making up "A History of the Plantagenets" but since it's history you really can pick them up in any order and stop at the end of any book. I haven't picked up the second book yet, mostly because the entire book covers just one monarch and he's not, at least as far as I know, as interesting to me. So, basically, I'm afraid that the book will be boring. I may skip it and instead jump in with The Three Edwards. I imagine Costain's snark will be laid on thick with that group of people.

Bottom line

Highly, highly recommended for anyone interested in the rise of the Plantagenets and all the crazy fighting they embroiled themselves in. It's a little hard to find these days, but it's well worth the effort to track down a copy.

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Book Review: Beauty and the Beast retellings

Beauty by Robin McKinley
Pages: 256
Rating: 3 our of 5 stars
Goodreads

I've always thought of this as one of those classics I "should" have read a long time ago. It felt like one of those Important Books that I somehow missed out on during my childhood. It also very like a very 1990s book (this cover was from the 1993 edition and the one I most associate as the "real" version), but I was surprised to realize that it was actually first published in 1978. To me, that's "old" and make more sense why I've associated it with a classic or standard version.

Unfortunately, I didn't read it in the 1990s. I read it in 2016, and I read it six years after I'd read Cameron Dokey's version Belle (part of the excellent Once Upon a Time series). Considering McKinley's version came out long before Dokey's did, I have things kind of reversed in my mind, which isn't entirely fair to McKinley but it is what it is. Since I read the Dokey version first, to me that's the "original" and McKinley's is the copy.

Belle by Cameron Dokey

Pages: 224

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads 

Both versions are so similar that I don't know that my opinion of them wouldn't just be reversed had I read them in the opposite order. They're both written in that superficial way that works really well for fairy tale retellings. What I mean is that the characters don't have depth, the romance is very undeveloped, and the plot doesn't always make perfect sense, but none of that is a bad thing because it's supposed to be that way in a fairy tale.

Both versions stick closely to the bones of the fairy tale: family of sisters lose a mother and fortune, father has an incident with the beast and a rose (a man whose appearance and estate are cursed because his personality is beastly), girl takes place of father in a bargain with the beast, girl and beast find love, enchantment is broken, happily ever afters abound.

There isn't really much to either story beyond that, and nothing more is needed. Both stories are pleasant, slightly beautiful, forgettable in the details, but remembered fondly in the broad strokes. I'd recommend them both equally, but I personally lean toward Dokey because we met first (also, her book has the more beautiful cover. Even the reprints).

I enjoy these types of fairy tale retellings and I think it's somewhat unfair to compare them to the types of retellings where the author takes the bones of the fairy tale and then fleshes them out with their own unique story. Both approaches have their value and I enjoy them both. But, the latter has the ability to stick in my mind more, grip my heart more, and just feel more. 

Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier
Pages: 402
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

Juliette Marillier's version is the more kind of retelling. It's a Beauty and the Beast retelling, yes, but it's also it's ok unique story. The bones of the original tale are used as a framework that Marillier then weaves her story around. The original becomes almost more inspiration, loosely alluded to and there enough to guide the story but not enough to dictate it or make what happens next wholly predictable.

What sticks in my mind is less the traditional tale and more a mix of ghosts, wintry chill, and peril. An old, isolated castle with cold stones, exploration, and hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. And by treasures, I don't mean gold, but things like libraries, hidden historical clues, stories lost to time, curses, magical artifacts, and secret rooms.

This is the kind of book where things are uncovered. My joy in reading came from following main character Caitrin as she explores the castle, meets the mysterious, friendly, and frightening denizens, uncovers the past, and pieces together the curse. The romance itself was ok. I wasn't a huge fan of the beast because he's, surprisingly, kind of weak. But that's ok, because everything else more than made up for this.

This is the type of book that makes me think of the word storytelling all italicized and underlined. This was a book to be savored, even though I flew through it, utterly absorbed. This is a book to be reread. It reminded me of books like Uprooted and The Thirteenth Tale and holds a place on my Special Shelf.



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Book Review: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Pages: 218
Received: Library, now own
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf

2016 has been a crazy year. Work has been super busy with a lot of huge projects (including redesigning and opening a library, among other things), I decided to lose my mind and go back to school to pursue another degree, and then of course there's things like all the awful things happening in the world this year, my own family dramas (I swear I can't not think of Carrigan from Casper whenever I hear anything about my soon to be step mother) all the regular normal things in life (sometimes I feel like the world is a revolving door of supermarket trips and laundry. And baking. Thankfully, I've been doing a lot of baking, too).

I'm a very type A, high stress, perfectionist kind of person, so with this type of schedule I really only had one path: death due to stress.

Obviously I'm not really ok with that path, so I had to try to take a different approach to things. A more relaxed, go with the flow kind of approach. 

My reading has definitely reflected that new approach as well. Filled with comfort re-reads, feel-good stories, grab-on-a-whim books, and a whole lot less reading (only 46 books so far this year! Last year was 93! But I'm not stressing about it...), 2016 has been both my worst reading year and my best reading year.

The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery falls on the side of "best," and not just for this year, but right up there with best ever in my entire reading life. You know the type of book I'm talking about: book hugging, buying every copy in sight, random sighs and smiles at the thought of different scenes, rereading favorite parts, contemplating naming children and/or pets after the main characters (yeah, even with names like Valancy!), and having to force myself not to spend the rest of 2016 just rereading The Blue Castle over and over.

Dare I say it, but I love Valancy even more than L. M. Montomery's Anne (of Green Gables), and I feel blasphemous even thinking that, but it's true.

Ok, so what is this book even about? The short and sweet sticky-note version is that Valency has a horrible family who she's stuck living with and they run every aspect of her life. It's a misery. Then, Valency goes to the doctor and finds out that she's dying and has only a short while to live. So she decides to shuck off her wallfloweryness and start living for herself.

In doing so, Valency finds empowerment, validation, happiness, tranquility, and love. It is all so, so, so perfect and really is exactly the type of book I needed to read in 2016.

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Book Review: A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

Pages: 400
Released: 1989
Publisher: Atria
Received: Library
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

I tend to shy away from a lot of adult romance novels because I like my stories with a lot of plot and characterization and a touch of romance. I definitely want that romance there, but I don't want the point of the story to be the romance with a sex scene every third page. I just don't find that super engaging.

So I was kind of hesitant to pick up A Knight in Shining Armor because, well, 1) that title, and 2) everything screams ROMANCE NOVEL (though, albeit, a tamer romance novel...and it is, much tamer). But I kept hearing about how this one was different and worth it and it did have that whole time travel historical thing and so I decided to bite the bullet and just try it already.

And now I have a new Special Shelf book, so that just goes to show that I shouldn't be such a weenie about trying books (I mean, what's the worst thing that will happen? I'll DNF it? Oh the horror!).

Anyway, outside of just saying "If you like the books I like, then give this one a try!" here are a few thoughts on why I liked this book so much:

Dougless. Ok, let's be real, I hate this name. I almost didn't read the book because I hate the main character's name so much. It's the type of name that just pulls me out of the story and I have to actively work at focusing on the plot and not the little voice in my head piping up with "Dougless? SERIOUSLY??" every time I read that name. So, if you're doing the same thing, trust me, I get it. But, by the third chapter I was so hooked that I barely noticed it anymore.

The first chapter. It's AWFUL. I had serious doubts that this book and I were going to be able to get along and I was putting a lot of thought into DNF-ing. I even did put the book down for a month or so because the first chapter was so bad. The thing is though, the first chapter is supposed to be bad. You're supposed to hate it. You're supposed to loathe the characters and what they're doing and how Dougless is responding to it all. Push through it. Trust me.

And a note on how Dougless responds, look, she goes through huge character growth throughout the story. She starts off with awful self-esteem and a warped idea of what she "should" be like. This leads to some cringe-worthy moments because this is a journey for Dougless, and that journey has a lot of bumps in the road. Dougless does things that I wanted to smack her upside the head over. She thinks things that I just want to shake my head and say "Oh, honey" because she's just so, so wrong. But, because Dougless is awesome and relatable and BFF sleepover party worthy, I totally get where she's coming from and I feel for her and root for her. 

The mystery. Ok, the blurb doesn't really hint at this at all beyond a vague "grand adventure that lay before them" and, frankly, given the rest of the blurb I mostly expected this to be the heaving bosoms kind of "grand adventure." I wasn't expecting an engaging murder mystery with sleuthing for clues in both time periods and a bunch of time-travel humorous hijinks. I was totally into the mystery and couldn't flip the pages fast enough.

Which is to say nothing of the other mysteries of will Dougless stay in the past? Will Nicholas stay in the present? Do they have a choice? How does the time travel work? All very engaging.

And, yeah, there is romance. And it's swoony. Nicholas is a worthy hero and a likable character in his own right. I won't say too much about him because, spoilers, but suffice it to say, I liked him.

Plus, they also eat a lot of good food, cruise around to neat historical travel spots, stay in romantic hotels, and go shopping. Because they're rich. Very, very rich. It felt like I was on a posh vacation, and that was just plain fun.

I thought I was going to write a tiny review because I read this book months ago at this point and I didn't think I had much to say by now except LOVE! READ IT! YAY! And all that is very true, but apparently I did have more to say. And could continue talk about A Knight in Shining Armor. But I'll stop here and leave it at this: If you like my other Special Shelf books, then pick this one up, too.

Oh, and I know this book is described as book 15 in a series,but  it can totally be read as a standalone. I haven't read any of the other books and I had no trouble whatsoever. I think this is the kind of "series" that follows a family, but each member gets their own unique, standalone story. 

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Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

#1 in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Released: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

Received: Library

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf

The preamble

Well, be still my heart!

I was a little worried (ok, ok, I was A LOT worried) I wouldn't love this new series as much as I love the Throne of Glass series.

I mean, it has fairies and stuff.

And, her name is Feyre, which I can't for the life of me say properly in my head (I'm constantly tripping up between "Freya" and "Fire" and stuttering through a mix of the two every single time I read her name.)

Also, I hate that cover (seriously, I hate ALL of Sarah's covers, except the first one, which they changed. *sigh*)

So, yeah, there were a lot of things for me to worry about. I worried so much I didn't even pre-order A Court of Thorns and Roses even though Sarah and me are totally on pre-order basis by now (Queen of Shadows already pre-ordered!)

Instead, I waited for a copy to come through inter-library loan. Which basically means I had to hide from the internet all during release week until my ILL copy finally came through because ya'll were blowing up internet with ACoTaR updates, reviews, quotes, and hypable squees.

And, touche, you were all right. I should have just pre-ordered, because I'm totally buying a copy to put on my Special Shelf and re-read a million times.

This is a kissing book

(and then some)

Swoon. Lots of swoon.

I know Sarah J. Maas is known primarily for her YA series and I think a lot of libraries are getting mixed up in their cataloging because of that. But this series? This is NOT a YA series.

I've heard a lot of back and forth about the romance and whether or not it's wrong or swoony or we're wrong for swooning or not or, yeah, I'm not wading into that.

I'll say this: I like it. 

Feyre 

Ok, so I couldn't help comparing Feyre to Celaena, and I'm sorry but I like Celaena a little more. That's not to say that I don't like Feyre, because I definitely do. It's just, Celaena has a...spark? She has something that Feyre doesn't.

Feyre and Celaena are both so similar, but also totally different, which is a completely unhelpful description, I know. They both have fire and sass over a core of vulnerability, but Feyre is in some ways...harder? Darker?

I know that's a weird thing to say considering Celaena is the assassin here, but Celaena always had a certain sparkle to her. She's had terrible things happen to her, but she retains an almost childlike optimism, even when she's in the depths of despair (seriously, could you see moping, sad Celaena turning away candy? I think not.)

She also has a swaggering bravado and self-confidence that I can't help but love. She's Celaena Sardothien, and she will not be afraid.

Feyre feels more beaten down by the grinding suckiness of life. Poverty, starvation, the bone-aching hurt and betrayal of a family that disappoints. Feyre's painful experiences aren't relegated to the world of fantasy and they seem all the more adult and crushing because of that.

But, then I get scenes like the mud worm fight and suddenly Feyre goes from her regular likable but not entirely stand out self to someone who is awesome. And she's made all the more awesome for it because she isn't a trained assassin or some super-fairy. She's just a tough as nails survivor and THAT is what makes me like her so much. 

All the men

For the most part, all of the other main characters are men, and I can't decide which one I like more. They each bring something different to the table (think Marcello, Luca, and Lord Greco), and every one of them is a character who is interesting in his own right beyond romance.

I want to know more about their histories. I want to follow them on their own adventures. I want to read from their perspectives. I want spinoff series.

This is why I love Sarah J. Maas so much—she writes every character with a depth and realism that is usually reserved for the main character. All of her characters have main character potential. Her romantic interests don't just exist for shallow swooning. Her side characters aren't just props to support the main character. They don't exist solely for the purposes of advancing the plot. They are fully fleshed out people who happen to cross paths with the main character while going about their own off-screen story.

Bottom line

Ok, ok, Sarah J. Maas is an auto-buy author, regardless of what series she's writing. I get it. I won't resist again. Just take all my money, ok? All of it. Just please keep writing these books that feel like they're ripped from my very soul and heart and encompass all my readerly desires. Ok? Thanks. 

Looking for another book like this? 

You might like:

Click on the covers to go to my review/Goodreads

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Series Review: The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency by Jordan Stratford

I'm a sucker for historical mysteries, spunky heroines, and middle grade mysteries, so it was pretty much a case of love at first sight as soon as I opened the envelope and The Case of the Girl in Grey fell into my hands.

Of course, then I realized it was the second book in the series, so I groaned and contemplated reading the second book first. Which is something I never do. That's a book sin I put right up there with dog-earing, but such was the depth of my desire to dive right into this series (I don't do patience very well).

Thankfully, I restrained myself and turned to the library, and the library came through for me. Sidebar? Much as I love real hold-in-my-hands books, there is nothing like an e-library for perfectly meeting my needs of instant gratification and laziness.

So, needless to say I flew through these books and I'm toe-tappingly annoyed that there aren't any more for me to read because I adore them (auto-buy kind of love). These are the types of books that make me want to use words and phrases like "delightful" and "bosom friends." Jordan Stratford's writing really is a cut above and that makes all the difference. The books are both tiny with super short chapters, and yet there was so much depth and substance. The illustrations peppered throughout fit perfectly and I looked forward to each one. Strongly recommended for fans of the Theodosia Throckmorton series.

Oh, also, the characters in this series are real historical figures, but their ages and timelines have been turned all kinds of topsy-turvey. Normally I should hate this because you know how I feel about messing with history. But, for some reason, I really don't mind it here at all. Maybe it's because Jordan Stratford does such a good job at making these characters that I couldn't imagine them (or don't want to imagine them) otherwise? I don't know. There is a historical note at the end and he's very upfront about all the changes, so young readers won't be led astray.

The Case of the Missing Moonstone
Received: Library
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The cast starts out smaller, introducing first Ada and then Mary and Peebs. Ada is the kind of character that might otherwise annoy me because she's just...odd. But the nuances of her personality and her friendship with Mary make Ada a character with depth, and that depth makes all the difference between "irritating stock character" and "beloved friend." Mary just seems straight out fun and Peebs is the kind of hapless character I just want to hug. The mystery was entertaining and, even though I would have been into the story for the characters alone, the mystery stands up just as well.

The Case of the Missing Moonstone
Received: Finished copy from the publisher
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The cast gets bigger with the additions of both Mary and Ada's younger sisters. I can't say I'm much of a fan of either, but somehow that seemed to work. I found them annoying and yet still entirely lovable. I guess kind of like how little sisters can be.

Still, I didn't love how this did take some attention away from Ada and Mary and their friendship. Taken in the context of the larger series, though, I don't think this will be a problem since we'll have plenty of time to explore all the characters.

The mystery here is just as good as the first book and I was happy to see Charles (as in, Dickens) get to play a part in the sleuthing. I love how the mysteries pay homage to classic Gothic and mystery tales while still feeling fresh and unpredictable. I really can't rave about this series enough.


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Book Review: Mary Tudor by Anna Whitelock

Own (used copy with a CRACKED spine. WHY do you do this people??!?!)
5 of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

My historical non-fiction adventures have been hit or miss, but Anna Whitelock's Mary Tudor biography is solidly in the win column.

See, I'm kind of a bad non-fiction reader. I love history and I love details, but I'm impatient and I get bored easily and long books turn me off. Also, I'm a character girl, so novels usually appeal to me much more.

Which is why Mary Tudor: England's First Queen was such a hit for me. Teeny tiny chapters (2-5 pages!) and a fluid, narrative writing style made this a super fast read, especially for non-fiction weenies like me. I didn't feel bogged down or bored. I didn't feel like I was eating a never ending bowl of pasta. I was just engaged, from start to finish. I ached and sobbed for Mary and was truly invested in her struggles.

Mary is a historical figure on my list of "Historical Figures I Like a Whole Lot" along with Marie Antoinette and Cleopatra. I know, I know, Mary has a pretty bad reputation, but I feel for her. Her childhood was awful, her adulthood tragic, and I think she often gets an unfairly bad rap because of historical propaganda (Elizabeth killed roughly 600 people in one sweep! That's about double Mary's bloody body count). Yes, Mary definitely earned her sobriquet Bloody Mary, but when you compare her to other kings and queens of her time, she's hardly the worst.

Plus, it's not like she just decided, "hey, I think I'll kill some Protestants!" and then went on a giddy murder spree while rubbing her hands together and cackling. While I of course don't condone her actions, there were a lot of political and personal reasons for what she did, and I was glad to see Anna Whitelock address these (though not as thoroughly as I would have liked, but that's more because I'm a beat a dead horse kind of reader with this stuff).

In an age obsessed with girl power, it's also a crying shame that Mary is so overlooked. She was England's first queen! She was a trail blazer who set precedent and laid a powerful example that significantly influenced the choices Elizabeth I made during her own reign. Without Mary's example (to both the good and the bad), the vaunted Virgin Queen's reign likely would have looked very different.

So, obviously I'm completely biased, and I was in good company with Anna Whitelock because I get the impression she likes Mary a whole lot too. This is a sympathetic look, but it's packed with a whole lot of facts to back it up and never feels lecturing. The facts support the bias, as opposed to the bias distorting or cherry picking the facts.

I'm a huge fan of this book, and while I wanted more, I think that's more because I was so invested in the author's writing and such a Mary fan than because of any real lack on Anna Whitelock's part. The book is pretty short and I would have gladly read double this amount, but I don't feel like the book was lacking either. Simply put, when something is good, I always want more of it, and I want more of what Anna Whitelock has to offer.

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Book Review: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

Book 3 in the Penderwicks series
Pages: 295
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Released: May 10, 2011
Received: Bought
5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

This is a book for the third book, but there are NO SPOILERS in this review. 

Still worried? Read my review of the first book The Penderwicks instead!

The Penderwick family has a special place in my heart—so much so that I pre-order every book in the series because I know without a doubt that I will love them.

I did that with this book, and then let it sit on my shelf for four years before finally reading it now ("now" being April 2015). A travesty, but also a blessing in disguise because when I started my new job I needed some serious comfort reading, and it doesn't get more comforting than spending time with the Penderwicks.

This installment sees second-oldest Penderwick Skye take on the mantle of OAP (oldest available Penderwick) since Rosamund is on vacation with a friend (and thus not really in this book except in spirit). I found myself really bonding with Skye over her insecurities in living up to expectations and Rosamund's example, and her realization that with OAP-dom comes a degree of responsibility she hadn't appreciated in the past.

Like the previous two books, I'm not sure how middle graders would receive it, but as an adult, I adored it. I particularly appreciate Jeanne Birdsall's ability to truly get into the minds of her characters in an age-appropriate way.

For example, Batty is a young child, and she acts like a young child, interpreting her world through the mindset of a child her age. However, the narrative explains her feelings in a way that wholly captures exactly what she is feeling with an omniscient, adult understanding of those feelings, without infusing the character with wisdom or self-awareness beyond her years.

This approach also helps imbue the book with what I like to call The Marmee Effect: that safe, comforting feeling of being watched over and cared for by an adult who knows everything and can fix anything.

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette is just as sweet, heartwarming, steadfast, and soul-satisfying as the previous two books. It serves well as a standalone, but having background knowledge from the prior books is helpful, though not necessary. I'm looking forward to reading, and savoring, the fourth book in the series, recently pre-ordered and sitting now on my shelf.


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Book Review: The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook

Book 1 in the Princess duology
Pages: 356
Publisher: Ace
Received: Bought
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

Way back in 2012 I asked you for book recommendations based on my Special Shelf court fantasy favorites (think, Crown Duel, The False Prince, Poison Study, etc). Scarlett recommended The Decoy Princess, and she was fairly confident that I would love it, and she was absolutely right!

Seriously, this book has it all: court intrigue, a totally sleepover-worthy main character, a swoony slow burn romance with a guy who stands on his own as a worthwhile character, a swoony villain who is actually interesting in his own right, peril, fun side characters, chases, magic, horses, murder, impending war between kingdoms, ah this book has everything I love!

Even though the book ends pretty much midway through the overarching story (though not on a big cliffhanger—think The False Prince type of ending), I've been pushing off reading the sequel because I've been wanting to "save it." By this point, though, I really need to re-read the first book before starting in on the second because all the intrigue details are a little fuzzy now.

Which is totally fine because as a Special Shelf book I fully intend to re-read The Decoy Princess until my copy falls apart. It's that kind of love.

The Decoy Princess is written by "Dawn Cook" but really that's just another name used by the dark urban fantasy author Kim Harrison. I've never read anything under her Kim Harrison name, but I'm guessing the tone is very different. The writing style used in The Decoy Princess is extremely reminiscent of my other fantasy favorites Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith and The Conjurer Princess by Vivian Vande Velde. Basically, perfect for me.

Looking for another book like this? 

You might like (all the books mentioned above, and): 

 

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Book Reviews: Goddess Girls #9-11 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Pandora the Curious 
Goddess Girls #9
Received: Review copy from author
3 out of 5 stars

There's something about Pandora that just didn't click with me. Not just in this book, but in the other books where she makes a sidekick appearances. But that's the beauty of this series: different readers will connect with different Goddess Girls, and if you don't like one, no worries! There's plenty more to choose from.

The rest of the story follows the same formula of modernized and cutesy myths, a small crush, and lots of heart. My lack of connection with Pandora made me less invested in all of these features, but they're still solid.



Pheme the Gossip
Goddess Girls #10
Received: Library
5 out of 5 stars

The books that follow Goddess Girls outside of the core four have been somewhat hit and miss (above) with me. Pheme is definitely a hit. Her gossipy nature is shown in both a positive and negative light, allowing Pheme to learn from her mistakes while also embracing her strengths. Her interactions with the core four were entertaining and I definitely aw-ed a number of times. Pheme is total sleepover party material and hope we get more books focusing on her.

Persephone the Brave
Goddess Girls #11
Received: Library
4 out of 5 stars

I liked Persephone's first book, but she and I never made it to full on BFF mode. I still don't think we're there yet, but I connected with her a lot more this time and we would have totally had bonding moments at the lunch table (ugh, that girl, SO get your frustration with her, Persephone!). The myth twisting felt particularly good and I adore the things that happened with her relationship with Hades (no spoilers, but so sweet!). I appreciate the way the authors are handling Persephone's longer-term romance (as compared to the initial crushes) in a way that is both age-appropriate and nuanced.

Bottom line

The Goddess Girls series has stayed strong through 11 books and counting (18 books so far!) and continues to be my go to series for middle grade girls. Birthday gifts, book recommendations, you name it, if there's a middle grade girl somehow related to the conversation I'm having I guarantee I will find a way to work this series into that conversation.

Myths, creative plots, friendship, feelings, and a whole lot of heart—if it's not clear already, I cannot recommend this series strongly enough.



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Series Review: The Tradd Street series by Karen White

Side note: I adore these covers

Goodreads
Own #1, Library #2-4
5 out of 5 stars
Special Shelf

I already reviewed the first book and sort of the second, but I ended up adoring this series so much that I really need to gush a little more. The Tradd Street series is, hands down, one of my top favorite series of all time.

Best book friend, EVER

I'll admit, I was a little nervous going into it all. I'm a character girl, and for a long time I wasn't really sure I could warm up to main character Mellie. I mean, she scorned the fully furnished historical house she inherited!? She even scorned the little dog she inherited!

Dogs and historical houses are two things that are near and dear to my heart, so I wasn't convinced I could get behind a main character who didn't appreciate those things.

But, I stuck with it because I sensed there was more to Mellie than her outward prickliness and scorn (anyone who makes organizational spreadsheets wins points with me. Even just saying "organizational spreadsheet" makes me sigh in contentment).

Thankfully I was right and there is FAR more to Mellie than meets the eye. She has reasons for acting the way she does, and I can totally empathize. The more I learned, the more I realized that all those things I thought I wouldn't like about her were actually things that made me like and relate to her more than ever.

Also, I had pretty much fallen in love with every other aspect of the book so I decided to stick with it. It turns out this was the best decision I ever made, because Mellie is a total kindred spirit, bosom friend type of character and she gets ALL my sleepover party invites (she's like the best friend who gets to come early before everyone else arrives and stay later after everyone else has left).

After my initial hesitations, Mellie reminded me a lot of myself and so I really connected with her above and beyond other characters.

Historical mysteries are the BEST mysteries
(also, inheriting old houses with lots and lots of expensive old stuff)

And what about all those other things I loved? First off, there's the historical house, or, really, houses because the series deals with several. Each has its own mystery, ghosts, antiques, and totally absorbing and completely satisfying historical reveal. Plus, I just love "living" in historical houses like this (secret rooms? Back stairways? Antique furniture with History? YES PLEASE!)

Another note on those mysteries? Usually I'll read a book and if the characters are great then I don't care if the mystery is only so-so. Rarely is the mystery as good as the characterization, but Karen White's Tradd Street mysteries stand on their own as worth it.

Think Rebecca or The Thirteenth Tale where the reveal is just as satisfying and unexpected as the journey. LOVED the mysteries! I loved the way the clues with doled out so I could sleuth along with Mellie and Jack but never actually guess the full details. I loved the way the ghosts were scary and sympathetic. I loved the way the final pieces of the mysteries clicked together at the end in that totally satisfying "Ahhh ha!" way like triumphantly putting in the final piece of a puzzle.

I especially liked the mystery in the second book. And the fourth. And of course the first. And the third was really good, too. So, yeah.

Side characters and everything cozy

Reading these books was like wrapping myself in my favorite cozy sweater with a box of chocolates and an unending supply of hugs and comfort. None of the characters are perfect people. They have flaws and vices but their imperfections make them lovable. Ultimately, they're there for each other in ways that made me feel so happy and loved.

There was even this character introduced in the third book that, when she appeared at the end of book 2 I groaned out loud and actually considered leaving books 3 and 4 unread to preserve my happy memories. That's how bad I thought this character was going to be.

So, I am absolutely shocked at how well Karen White made it work. She turned this stereotypically book-killing character into someone I actually loved. I couldn't imagine the series without her and I am so, so, so happy she is there. 

Karen White was also spot on with the Southern setting. Everything rang true and Charleston (both the city and the people) came alive for me.

And, of course, the romance

Talk about your slow burn! This is a total hate-turned-love romance and it takes several books to fully develop and all four to finally, finally come to that satisfying conclusion.

Unlike Mellie, I fell in love with Jack the moment I met him (or, I should say, I admitted to myself that I loved him). Like Mellie, though, I fell more in love with him with every page.

Jack is a funny guy who totally gets Mellie and loves needling her. He teases her quirks in a way that he's totally ripping on her, but you know he also completely loves those things about her. He respects her, but he is also constantly pushing her to break out of her comfort zone and reach for the things she wants but is too afraid to grab. He's completely protective, but he also empowers her.

Ultimately, yes, I love Jack because he's a great character who is great for Mellie. But, really, I love him because in his relationship with Mellie, he is very much like my husband.

Bottom line

I think these books have a ton of merit and will appeal to readers looking for solid ghostly mysteries and feel-good relationships. They stand well and each book is a solid addition to the series (no fillers here!).

For me, they earned an extra special place in my reader heart because the characters resonated so completely with me on a very personal level.

I ached when I finished the series and had no more Tradd Street books to read. There is still a reading void and I am desperate to fill it (so if you know any books that fit the bill, PLEASE let me know!).

Thankfully, the series ended perfectly well with the conclusion of book four and I honestly couldn't ask for a better ending. So if you're looking to start the series but don't like being left dangling in the middle of a story, I'd say go for it.

But, because I'm a greedy reader with a hole in my reading heart, I am so incredibly happy that Karen White will be writing three more books in the series!!

That are coming out starting 2016.

*sigh* This waiting is going to be hard.

_________________________________

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Book Review: Queen of Fashion by Caroline Weber

Release Date: September 19, 20006
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co. 
Pages: 412 (really, 292)
Received: Library
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

This is EXACTLY what I'm looking for

This is the kind of non-fiction book I can get behind! A narrative style that follows events consecutively and clearly unfurls the story just like a novel. Delving into Marie Antoinette's thoughts and feelings made her come alive as much as any fictional character and made me emotionally invested in her triumphs and plights.

And, yes, I did rage at all the raging parts (her shameful defrockings at her Austrian hand-off and coucher, the horrible aunts, the scurrilous printings, the revolutionary indignities and the sheer hypocrisy of it all) and I did cry at all the crying parts (MA's heartache during her barren years, her multiple mourning periods when she lost her loved ones, her briefly mentioned but still impassioned speech at her trial, and, of course, The End).

There was a ton of historical detail packed in this, relatively, short book (it's 412 pages, but really it's only 292 pages long. All the rest of those pages are filled with references, bibliographies, and the index). Caroline Weber did her research, and boy does it show!

But it doesn't show in a showy way where you're bombarded with disjointed facts in a way that gives the impression the author is just trying to show off all their knowledge. Not at all. Caroline Weber's approach is so easy and pleasurable to read. I cannot stress enough how this is a perfect book is for the fiction-inclined. 

A non-fiction counterpart to one of my fictional favorites

As I was reading, I began to highly suspect Juliet Grey pulled much inspiration and information from Caroline Weber's book. Sure enough, a glance at Juliet Grey's bibliography shows this is the case. There are many parallels between the two, but this is a very good thing and only furthers my appreciation for Juliet Grey's work (she does a fabulous job incorporating fashion into her narrative).

Because of Juliet Grey's already exhaustive look, Queen of Fashion did not add a ton to what I already knew. But, it did add some new bits of information and did a great job fleshing out some of the politics surrounding the time (particularly during her time as dauphine). Caroline Weber's voice is stellar, too, so I do not at all feel like I wasted my time in reading her book.

Much like MA's fashion, this book's strength is its weakness

By exploring and centering her focus on fashion, Caroline Weber necessarily glosses over and even outright omits several important historical events. This was frustrating, because she does such a good job at crafting a non-fiction account of this time, but also mostly excusable given the parameters of her approach. However, I think this is also the book's greatest weakness.

I do think the first part of the book is stronger than the latter part. Caroline Weber delved deeper into the politics and "whys" behind Marie Antoinette's choices and experiences during this part. She also attributed a great political acumen to Marie Antoinette during her dauphine years, which is in stark contrast to the woman she painted during her queenly reign as a spendthrift run amok and largely unaware of the political impact her clothing and lifestyle choices had at the time.

I had a harder time reconciling these interpretations as it just doesn't make sense to me how she would have had so much political awareness and then so little (and then so much again, at the end). I think this impression is less a conflict in Caroline Weber's assertions as it is an unfortunate side effect of her focus on fashion.

In the dauphine years, Marie Antoinette's fashion was much more strictly controlled by court protocol and while she certainly rebelled, these rebellions were within a necessarily political context and so Caroline Weber necessarily discussed this political context. 

However, in her queen years, the fashion frenzy took center stage and the ever shifting styles provided Caroline Weber with much to write about. Political motivations and effects, while discussed, took a backseat to describing the fashions themselves, and I think the narrative suffered as a result.

There was significantly less focus on Marie Antoinette's personal motivations and feelings during this section, and I think, especially in contrast to how much focus was put on this in the earlier parts of the narrative, helped give the impression of a queen with little in her head except pretty clothes.

This doesn't quite ring right and undermines Caroline Weber's earlier (and later) evidence of a woman who was extremely conscious of her stylistic choices and their political effects. If she was so sartorially savvy, then why this huge period of missteps? It doesn't add up, but I don't think this is a weakness in Carline Weber's ultimate argument, but rather a fumbling of her presentation. She just isn't consistent in carrying her argument through this time period, and I think that is partially the fault of her focus.

The fashion focus does also at times feel forced, even though the evidence is clearly there to draw such conclusions. Again, I think this is less a fault on Caroline Weber and her excellent research, than a result again of her focus on fashion to the exclusion of other important political events at the time.

This exclusion made the fashion highlights seem tenuous at times, when in reality they are not at all. Had Caroline Weber included the other political factors and events, they would have served to bolster her arguments of just how powerful fashion and symbolism was to the revolution. It would have provided even more context to her arguments and therefore support (as it had in the dauphine sections), but I get the impression they were nixed from inclusion because they were not directly related to fashion. A shame.

I know this seems like a lot of criticism, but really I don't mean it to be. It is really because Caroline Weber does such a fantastic job overall, that her one weakness here stands out so much. I know she has the knowledge and the authorial chops to shore this up. 

Bottom line

Queen of Fashion is an impeccably researched powerhouse of a book that I will be making a fixture in my personal library.

Highly recommended to those interested in Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution. For those who did not appreciate Juliet Grey's flowery writing style but did like her detailed history, Queen of Fashion would be a perfect alternative. This is also an excellent place to start for those who love historical fiction but are nervous about dipping their toes into non-fiction.

_________________________________

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Tiny Reviews: Casting Spells and Blackmoore

One for the "Nice but forgettable" group and the other firmly on my Special Shelf.

Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton

Honestly, I read this book because I'm STILL going through Tradd Street withdrawals and I wanted something to fill that void. So, paranormal element? Check. Light romance? Check. Cozy town? Check. Mystery? Check. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Unfortunately, Casting Spells was no Tradd Street.

Nothing about it was BAD, but it really didn't stand out in any way. Thin characters, a barely there mystery, and while there were literal romantic sparks in the book, I felt none of them myself.

The worst really was the poor character development. I could deal with the lackluster mystery if there were good characters, but none of these people had any depth or made me care about them. They were all nice enough, but that's about it.

On the positive side, I liked the setting of the small, wintery Vermont town and the knit shop. I would love to have one of those never-empty yarn baskets.

Bottom line: Good enough to read to the end, but I don't think I'll be picking up the sequel.

Library book
Rating: 3 out of 5

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Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson

I had high hopes for this book, and boy did it meet every one of them! I'm reduced to letting out swoony sighs, clutching my chest, and gasping about how achingly romantic every bit of Blackmoore turned out to be.

Kate is a heroine I can get behind. Her desire to break free of the constraints placed upon her, her noble sacrifice, her floundering to find her place, her hearbreakingly beautiful love, her independent spirit, her fortitude in the face of her shameful family...I adore every bit of her and cheered her on desperately hoping she would find happiness.

The plot is not fast and does not have a central mystery to propel events forward. This is more like a Jane Austeny type of plot where all the focus is on character interactions. And the building slow burn romance, of course.

That said, I never felt bored or impatient. I sped through the (short!) chapters and often pushed my bedtime later and later so I could squeeze in just one more chapter. I was utterly engrossed in the characters, the setting (SO palpable!), and the progress of their story.

This is definitely the type of book I'll return to again and again, both in whole and flipping to my favorite parts (the tower scenes! *sigh*). Highly, highly recommended to fans of Jane Austen (particularly Northanger Abbey and Persuasion), Keeping the Castle, and Georgette Heyer (if my one foray is any indication of her body of work).

Library
Rating: 5 out of 5
Special Shelf

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