My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry (Spoiler Alert)

My Husband's Wife is a book that kind of jumped out at me. I was in the bookstore one day waiting for my husband, saw it on the shelf and was so intrigued that I began reading it. I only read the first seven pages or so, but it was a book that stayed in my mind. Last week I was at Target and was pleasantly surprised to find it in their book section. I was in need of a new book so I picked it up and proceeded to read it in just two days.

Image from Amazon.com

Jane Corry does an excellent job of writing a thriller that isn't too terrifying. What I mean is that the novel keeps you on the edge of your seat but does not keep you up at night afraid that what is happening in the book will happen to you. In a word, it is my kind of thriller. The novel is told by two characters, Lily and Carla. From a writing perspective I thought it was interesting because Lily's sections are written in first person, but Carla's are written in third person limited (if I am remembering my terms correctly). So as a reader I always felt more connected to Lily and her well-being. This was an interesting clue in hindsight because at the end of the novel I was definitely left hating Carla and seeing her as the villain.

My Husband's Wife is a novel that does not have one main villain though. There is Carla of course, but also the character of Joe Thomas who is in fact a murderer. Lily is the lawyer that helps him make his appeal that ultimately sets him free, only to learn later that Joe was indeed guilty. Joe becomes involved in Lily's life, much against her will, and is a part of the entire novel. There is also the character of Ed, Lily's husband. Ed is someone who starts the novel out telling lies. He is an artist with an alcohol problem and eventually he leaves Lily for Carla. There are so many things that, while they don't make him the biggest villain, do make him guilty. His eventual murder is not a surprise because the book begins by letting the reader know this happens, but the murder(ers) themselves are surprising. And then there is Lily. She, like her husband, is not the biggest villain, however she is a key part of so many events. Not only that, but she does not fulfill her moral obligation to tell the police about Joe and in some ways encourages his behavior. Throughout the novel she does many questionable things and even though she is not necessarily punished in the end, I was left feeling like she was so much more a villain than a victim.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this novel. My Husband's Wife really spoke to the philosopher in me with all of its questions of morality and what it means to be marriedthe best thriller I have read, Gone Girl still has that spot, but it was definitely up there. For those that enjoy mysteries or thrillers, especially ones that make you think, this is a book for you.
. It was also immensely interesting and kept me turning the pages until it was finished. It was not

Update and Review of Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed

 Hi! I'm back! I apologize for the long, unexplained hiatus. It was unplanned but came about because I had not really been reading recently. I know, shocking, but my mind has been so wrapped up in other things that I could hardly focus on anything, let alone reading. I found out back in April that I was pregnant again. While this news was welcome and joyful it was also frightening given my history. I am finally getting past the scary points and have been delving into books again. Until December when my little one arrives, I should be posting regularly once more. The first book I picked back up was Throne of the Crescent Moon.

Image from Amazon

I had heard of Throne of the Crescent Moon quite a few years ago. It was always a book I was interested in but never picked up when I ran to the bookstore. Then my husband and I attended Phoenix Comic Con a couple of weeks ago and the author Scott Lynch mentioned the novel. I felt like fantasy would be a good genre to pull me back into reading and so I went to the bookstore a few days later and finally bought Throne of the Crescent Moon.

This novel moved very quickly, which I enjoyed. There was a lot of action but it was not overly descriptive. The magic systems in the book were not explained in full and I think that helped lend the book it's pace. Sometimes I feel if magic is laid out rule by rule I lose interest. Saladin Ahmed did a perfect job of explaining just enough for me to want to know more but not enough to bore me. His magic systems were unique. There were religious aspects and elemental aspects that gave the magic a very ancient vibe. The book in and of itself had religious undertones but they were not "in your face" so to speak.  Throne of the Crescent Moon is very aware of itself.

I did feel as though the book ended a bit too easily and am curious to see what the sequel will bring. But I loved that there was a happy ending for the main character of Dr. Adoulla. Aside from him, my favorite characters were probably Zamia and Litaz. They are female characters that are strong and also kick some serious butt. I am hoping there is more about them in the upcoming novels, as this is meant to be the beginning of a trilogy.

Overall, this was a book I devoured and enjoyed. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy of any kind. If the other books were out I would already be diving into them. I am sorry again for the hiatus. And also sorry for the brevity of this post, pregnancy brain is a real thing. Happy reading!

The Sandman: Volume One Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

When I first discovered Neil Gaiman I devoured everything I could find, even if it was out of my comfort zone. So one day I found myself reading his Sandman comic series. That was four or five years ago. This week I sat down to reread the first volume Preludes and Nocturnes and was just as in love the second time around.

There are eight stories in this volume that make up the first complete story arc of Sandman. The art done by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, and Malcolm Jones III is fantastically horrifying. In fact, Sandman overall is fantastically horrifying. There are images and moments and stories from it that have stayed with me and struck me again as I reread. Dave McKean's covers for each story are striking and beautiful.  

Preludes and Nocturnes drew me in. The story "24 Hours" is one of my favorites as the grotesque poetry of it is haunting and thought provoking. It deals with the dark stuff of humanity and storytelling. Morpheus himself is an intriguing character, not just because he is Dream, The Sandman, but because he has existential crises just like humans. He has his own sense of what is just and unjust. And at his heart, Morpheus is the ultimate storyteller.

Overall, the reason why I love this series so much is because it scares me but also makes me think. It is not the most terrifying thing but not the most comfortable. It does what good art and writing is supposed to do, according to me anyway. This first volume really speaks to that and is a wonderful introduction to the series of Sandman. Comics are where Neil Gaiman really began and so as a fan of the author I always love to recommend this graphic novel. Even if you know nothing of Neil Gaiman and you just enjoy comics or horror or good storytelling, then you will enjoy Preludes and Nocturnes.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

I found The Girl Who Drank the Moon by happy accident. I was in my local bookstore one evening and just perusing the shelves when I saw the beautiful cover. I read the title and was intrigued and after reading the summary on the inside of the jacket, I was sold. It was surprising that I had never heard of the book before since it has won the John Newbery Medal. In any case, the book found its way to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is a special book. It has magic and a small dragon and other beautiful elements. The focus is on a town that sacrifices a baby every year to the evil witch who lives in the woods. It begins with a woman whose baby is the chosen one that year. She goes mad with loss and grief. The witch, whose name is Xan, actually has no idea about this sacrifice. All that she knows is that every year a village leaves a child out to die. So she rescues each child and gives it to a family in other towns who will care and love for it. On her journeys she feeds the children starlight, but this particular baby she accidentally feeds moonlight to. The result is that this baby, who is then named Luna, is enmagicked. Xan decides then and there that she must keep the child and love and care for her and teach her magic. But Luna's magic is very strong and she cannot control it, so Xan has to put her in a coma of sorts and block magic from her until Luna is thirteen. Once Luna turns thirteen and her magic is unleashed, Xan will die. So the book follows Luna as she grows up, while also following her mother "the madwoman" who has been locked up. There is a third character named Antain who lives in the village and his life is followed as well. I don't want to give away anymore as I enjoyed the twists and turns, but that is the gist of the story.

This was a delightful novel. It did not have quite the feel that I expected but I enjoyed the journey anyway. It felt like there were a lot of allegories in it for my own life and that personal aspect is what made me really feel connected to the story, more so than I probably would have. Luna was my favorite character by far but I also liked Glerk, the swamp monster. I especially loved the descriptions of magic in this novel.

Overall, The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a novel I would recommend only for those who enjoy young adult novels. I feel that if you are a reader who does not often delve into YA, then you would not get much from this book. But for me, it was filled with love and magic and wonder. I don't know if I will reread it alone, but when I have kids I will definitely read it to them. 

1984 by George Orwell **spoiler warning**

Painting found on Pinterest. Artist unknown.

1984 was always one of those novels that I heard a lot about, but somehow never read. Its not that it did not interest me, I think it is more that I was just waiting for when the time felt right. Granted, when I did decide to read it, I did not have that moment of saying: "Oh, now is definitely the time to read this book". But I think that somewhere in my subconscious I knew it would be prudent. It is a novel many today are referencing,  and in the current political climate I try to be informed and knowledgeable. Thus, when our March Audible came around, I decided to listen to 1984.

Listening to this book gave it even more of a horrific air, I felt. Although I do wish to someday reread this book and actually hold the novel and take notes and so on. But I am glad that I decided to listen to it because the narrator did an amazing job. The inflections and tones were all perfect and I think George Orwell would have been proud. It gave me the chance to work through the book more quickly, as well. I happened to have a lot of driving to do in the past couple of weeks so I would just connect my phone and listen to the book.

This novel is profound. It is part philosophy, part political theory, and part essay on the human condition and what it can handle. There is so much packed into it that I know I missed things. The general basis of the story is that all of Britain, which is now Oceania, is ruled by INGSOC or English Socialism. INGSOC is headed by Big Brother, who has a religious and cult like reverence about him, and has four main ministries. The Ministry of Love, which ironically focuses on hate and keeping up with "the two-minutes hate" and "hate week", moments where everyone is required to watch films of the "enemy" Goldstein and scream at the tele-screens and just get into a general state of mania. The Ministry of Truth, which focuses on changing the past via rewriting news articles and stories. The main character of Winston Smith works at this ministry. The Ministry of Peace, which deals with war and the military. And the Ministry of Plenty, which deals with economics, or rather, creating scarcity. There are also three main parties: Inner Party, those who are at the top of the top economically and politically, the Outer Party which contains those who work in the ministries, and the Proles who are the bottom 85% of the population. This is just a brief summary of the main political themes within the story. There is also the detail that everyone is always watched via the tele-screens that litter the streets and are in every office and every home. There is the fear of being arrested by the "thought-police" for something as small as a wrong facial expression. There is a language called "new-speak" the main goal of which is to do away eventually with all language and thought. Overall, it is a terrifying climate.

Winston begins the novel beginning a diary. He knows that just by buying the journal he could be arrested and by further writing in it he is sure to die, but something in him propels him to write down his thoughts. His thoughts are even worse for he hates Big Brother and wants to have sex and wants to think. However, he is able to get away with his secret diary for quite some time. The novel mainly follows him in his day to day life and through his thoughts about any and every thing. Eventually he begins an affair with someone he works with, Julia, and they are even able to keep this a secret. But of course, they are caught. There are moments where I thought they would not be, that maybe they would get away and they would be able to change the world, but it was not to be. The entire third part of the novel deals with Winston being arrested and tortured and essentially brainwashed. By the end, he loves Big Brother and his whole thought process has changed, and then he is shot.

I loved the end of the book. Well, not because Winston died, but because Orwell did not give the book a cheap finale. He stuck to his guns about the philosophy and the power of Oceania and Big Brother and so it was more believable of an end. The finality of it was perfection. There is no escaping or changing Big Brother.

I have a thousand thoughts about the philosophy and politics in the book, but this is a book blog and not a political blog so I don't want to take this post there. Just know that 1984 will make you think but it will also terrify you. I did not love any of the main characters but I don't think that as the point anyway. I think the characters served as vessels for the philosophy to be written out. The point of the novel was not Winston Smith, it was INGSOC. And that is why it remains such a poignant and relevant novel sixty-eight years later.

In conclusion, 1984 is quite the novel. My husband and I joked that it should be required reading before people are allowed to vote. (Of course we don't mean this.) But the meaning behind the joke is that there is a lot to process from the novel. It talks so much about the consequences of not thinking for oneself and what that can do. Or even the consequences of putting total trust in the government. Even if you don't care about all of the politics, it is still interesting because it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The whole book is filled with the threat of Big Brother and the thought-police. So if you just want a good thriller of sorts, 1984 would fill that criteria. Whatever the reason for you deciding to read this book, do so soon. It is a novel that speaks a lot about current times and serves as a warning to us all. 

A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams **Spoiler Alert**

Snapshot of one of my afternoons this week.

This book was one of two gifted to me for my twenty-third birthday this year. I had not heard of it before but was eager to dive in since A Certain Age is set in the 1920s, one of my favorite time periods. I had also not heard of Beatriz Williams, although after reading this book I am looking forward to reading her other novels. Thus, I went into this book knowing very little about it which is what made it such a delight to read. And I did read it very quickly.

A Certain Age begins as a story about love and adultery but turns into a story about secrets and murder. The easy way with which it picks up the pace was admirable. I loved that one minute I was engrossed in the love affair between Theresa and Octavian, and the next minute I was dying to know all of the details of the murder of Mrs. Faninal. The novel reminded me very much of The Great Gatsby for this reason, although TGG starts out with a touch of mystery.

There were other similarities as well between A Certain Age and The Great Gatsby such as the tension between old and new money and the struggles of love in that type of society. Both of these novels ended with gunshots as well. Although the end of A Certain Age was less of a relief because I was left heartbroken for Theresa and her baby, which Octavian never finds out about. At least at the end of TGG I know that Gatsby is out of his misery.

I deeply appreciated that the author did not tie up the ending and left much to be thought about and considered. It proved to me just how much I cared about Theresa and what happened to her in the end. I never cared much about Sophie and I think part of it had to do with the fact that Sophie's sections are told in third person, whereas Theresa's sections are told in first person. The book just felt more about Theresa overall.

In conclusion, I enjoyed A Certain Age. I am not sure if it is a book I will reread, but it is one I know I will think about often. It was a nice book to have with me through this past week and I was constantly waiting to get back to the story when I was away from it. I would recommend this book, especially if you love mystery or the 1920s or love affairs or all of the above.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

I am not going to go on my Neil Gaiman spiel for the umpteenth time. If you are a new reader please feel free to click on the "NeilGaiman" tag and that will take you to previous posts! What I will say is that when I found out he was coming out with his own retelling of his favorite myths, I was very excited and also unsure of what to expect.

I know very little about Norse mythology. There are bits of it in other Gaiman books and bits of it in the Marvel universe and so on, but that is where the knowledge stops. I have spent more of my life interested in Greek mythology and thus have more knowledge of its tales. So after finishing Norse Mythology, while I enjoyed it, I felt that I would have enjoyed it that much more if I actually knew about the tales he was retelling. Because to me this book just read like any other mythology book, including my favorite Mythology by Edith Hamilton; which is to the book and Neil's credit of course. Sometimes telling a tale simply can be harder than telling it on a grander scale. So I enjoyed seeing Neil work wit this kind of storytelling and excel at it. I am sure his passion for these myths is what helped him do that.

Even though I did not feel a deep connection with this book, I did read it very quickly. And I particularly loved the myth "The Mead of Poets". Each myth had some deep wisdom within it, as well as a touch of Neil Gaiman. So devouring this book came from ease and enjoyment and not from a need to finish it so it could be over.

Norse Mythology is not a book I would recommend as an introduction to Neil Gaiman The Author. Rather, it is a book I would recommend if you love Norse mythology or myths in general, or if you have read other Gaiman books. It is a book I would recommend for you to take on a short trip or read when you need to forget about other things going on in your life. Overall, this book will make you smile and think and want to learn more if you don't already have that knowledge. This book is a beautiful reminder of simpler times and simpler tales and why those tales are so important.

Our Revolution by Bernie Sanders

My cat, Poppet, feeling the bern.

This blog is not about politics, but for this post it will get a bit political. I love Bernie Sanders. I have from the moment I heard about him and his campaign and I supported him throughout. I was heartbroken when he pledged his support for Hillary Clinton last year and I have continued to follow what he does since. Thus, I was very excited when I heard he was coming out with a book outlining his ideas for a better America, titled Our Revolution. I was given the book for my birthday from my in-laws (thank you!) and dove right in.

The book is split into two sections. The first is autobiographical. A little bit about Bernie's life and a lot about his campaign. I loved getting to know more about him and how he got involved in politics. I also enjoyed hearing so much about his campaign trail and all of the moments that touched him. It was a great beginning to the book instead of throwing the reader right into the dense meat of what is wrong with America and how to fix it The second section is about his ideas. What I loved about this section is that he not only says what he thinks needs to be done but he gives plans for how everyone can help make these ideas realities. Bernie backs up everything he says and cites multiple sources for his points. The philosopher/sociology lover in me adored this part of the book. It made me feel hopeful and at times gave me goosebumps, just like when I would watch Bernie's speeches.

There is a lot in Our Revolution. At times I felt hopeful and at others, utterly hopeless. But at the end Bernie really drives home the importance of everyone participating with one another to make these changes. "Transforming America is more than just elections. It's about changing our culture...The future is in your hands. Let's get to work."

Woven throughout his stories and ideologies is Bernie's great sense of humor. I laughed out loud at many points. I love that he is unafraid of what others think and is just straightforward and honest. This also helped the more dense sections feel lighter and accessible.

Overall, I loved this book. It is one I will probably pick up a lot in the next four years and beyond to learn and remind myself of what I can do to be a better citizen. It gave me hope. It reiterated why I love Bernie Sanders so much and it made me love and respect him more. If you are someone who supported at least some of his ideas, read this book. If you disagreed with him but are curious about the details behind his political stance, read this book. If you just want to learn, read this book. I guarantee most of you will feel the bern by the end of it. 

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

I just finished reading Neverwhere for the third time. I have not only read the novel but I also own the graphic novel and have listened to the BBC radio version of the tale (which I highly recommend). So all in all I guess this was my fifth time with the story. It is not my number one Gaiman book, but it is in the top five. It is one I cherish because it is full of wonder and mystery and allegories. It is a book I come back to because it is an adventure I love to go on. I don't recommend Neverwhere as someone's first Neil Gaiman book. But I always recommend it as their second or third.

Neverwhere tells the story of London Below, a place like London Above except not. It follows Richard, an ordinary man, and Door and the Marquis de Carabas, not so ordinary people, as they try to find out what happened to Door's family. That is all I will say so as not to ruin the intrigue of the story. The villains are some of the most entertaining I've encountered. And Door is my favorite heroine in any Neil Gaiman novel. I took a silly internet quiz that said she was the Gaiman character I am most like and that made me very happy.

The thing about Neverwhere that, for me, makes it so great is that it is a all of my favorite stories in one book. It is Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz but with a Neil Gaiman twist. The lessons taught throughout the book are archetypal and profound. These elements combined are what showcase Neil Gaiman's talents as a writer and storyteller. This post may have been short and sweet, but don't let that fool you. I just don't want to give away too much about a book that needs to be experienced. Neverwhere is pure Gaiman fairytale and that is why I love it.

First Post of 2017: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

I first heard about The Red Tent a few years ago on Facebook. I did not know much about it, only that it had to do with womanhood. I later found out it was a sort of retelling about the biblical story of Jacob. Only the focus was on his daughter, Dinah. It is a book I have had in the back of my mind for a while but not one I have ever bought or picked up to read. Then a few weeks ago I saw it on the bookshelf of a friend and claimed it as my own for some time so that I could finally read it.

I devoured this book. The simple telling was poetic and intuitive. The narration was beautiful and to the point. I love the voice of Dinah and the telling of her story. I love that she claims her story and wants to share it with the world. This is a rich novel filled with history and ritual and wonder. I found myself not only drawn to Dinah as a person and character, but also to the culture of womanhood that she was surrounded by. The stories of her mothers and the red tent and all that comes with being a woman were captivating. I found myself wanting to be in better touch with those parts of myself and to honor the fact that I am female. I appreciated as well that the stories did not always focus on menstruation and birth, but also on miscarriage and stillbirth, as those are parts of the female narrative that are often overlooked.

The Red Tent is split into three sections and I definitely enjoyed the first two more than the third. However, I did still want to know what happened to Dinah and the third part had some beautiful moments in it as well. I just felt that the book went from being this large scale narrative about the women in her family to being just about Dinah and that took me some time to get used to. In the end I loved the novel as a whole. It is a very complete story and one that resonates on many levels.

I would recommend this book to everyone. Even though its focus is on the rituals of being a woman, Dinah's narrative focuses so much on the importance of one's own story. The book is full of small lessons and reminders. It is full of beauty and appreciation. Although it is based on a biblical story it is not overly biblical in any way, thus people from all walks of life and beliefs can enjoy and appreciate it. This book felt very personal and I am glad it was the first book I read this year. It came to me at the perfect time as well, as books often do, and has left me with much to think about but also with a profound peace. I think the best books do this. They are rare, but The Red Tent is one of them.

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by JK Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne *contains spoilers*

This review will be a little bit different due to the fact that Harry Potter and The Cursed Child is a script and not a novel. Thus, it will be difficult to critique it in the same way since it is mostly dialogue. Don't get me wrong, I love Shakespeare and a good play will garner a shining review from me any day, but this was not Shakespeare. I should have heeded my husband's warning and stayed far away.

When Harry Potter and The Cursed Child was announced my husband swore he would never read nor see the play because it was only based on Rowling's idea and not written by her. I defended the play saying that she would not have put her name to something she did not stand behind or believe in. Plus, if the ideas were hers and just written by someone else, what could be wrong? (I now remind myself that this is exactly what fan fiction is and that does not always turn out well.) After finishing the Harry Potter series I was dying for more and so I went out to purchase the play. I read it within two days. During that time I went from enjoying the play, to loving it, to absolutely hating it.

My biggest issue with the script was that it did not really answer as many questions as it presented. There was a lot of lacking description and, while I initially thought this was okay and chalked it up to the medium in which is was presented, in the end there was too much that I did not understand. One of the things I, and so many others, love about the Harry Potter series is that the world has logic. Everything in it makes a certain kind of sense and is explained fairly well. So to have various questions about the logic of the play come up and then never be explained, was very frustrating.

Some of these questions had to do with the massive amount of time jumping. There were inconsistencies with the time as well as how it all worked. I was wondering how all of this time jumping wasn't screwing up the minds of the people doing it. I was also frustrated by the portrayal of the old characters. Ron was made out to be some complete buffoon who only showed up for comic relief and had no real substance, which made his relationship with Hermione seem even weirder than it already was. Malfoy was believable and so was Hermione. Harry seemed overly whiny and heroic, more so than normal. There were odd moments where it felt like a Harry Potter novel and then even more odd and bigger moments where it felt like weird fan fiction. The sad thing is that I loved the two main characters of Albus and Scorpius. If Rowling herself wrote something about them I would definitely be up to read it.

Another disappointment was that the whole play focused on Cedric Diggory's death, which seemed like a weird focus. This was coupled with a strained father/son relationship between Harry and Albus which did not seem like a genuine problem and more a plot device. Not to mention the fact that Albus and Scorpius should have ended the play as boyfriends and then didn't, for reasons unbeknownst to me. And then there was the whole Voldemort having a daughter thing that was hardly explained at all and thus made no sense. Overall, it was a disappointing read.

If the play makes its way to America and I have a chance to see it, I will more than likely go. But do I see Harry Potter and The Cursed Child as true Harry Potter canon? No. If anything, it is a decent attempt at believable fan fiction that completely failed. Not only am I disappointed with the script overall, I am disappointed Rowling put her name to it. While her ideas may be fine, the interpretation of them did not do her world justice. I'd say skip this script and stick to the old Harry Potter books, that is where Rowling and her ideas shine brightest.

The Foundation by Isaac Asimov

My husband and I recently started a small book club with some friends focusing on sci-fi and fantasy. We decided a great beginning book would be one of the classics, The Foundation by Isaac Asimov. We were wrong. This was a book that dragged on and on, seemingly without a point, and then just ended.

This book was set in space but so little of it actually focused on that aspect. It was just a bunch of politics with cheesy lines like "Oh great galaxies!" thrown in every now and then. None of the science fiction was explained. The planets that were traveled to were not described. The book is split up into five parts but each part jumps into the future with a new character and does not explain what happened in the time between. Thus there is no character development whatsoever and no point in getting attached to any characters because they are cardboard pieces thrown away as soon as their respective part has ended.

I know all of this seems harsh, but I am someone who has always tried to read classic literature. Even if I do not enjoy a novel I can usually discern what it is about the book that made it classic (with the exception of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but that is another story). So I did try to look at The Foundation from all angles to see what it was that made this a cornerstone of modern science fiction, and I just could not find anything. There was no real plot, no rising action or climax or resolution, no character development, and not very much science fiction at all.

The comment was made that perhaps this book is so important because of the series it is a part of, or at least the original trilogy. This may be true, but I think that books need to be able to stand on their own to be considered "good" or "classic". So maybe Asimov's Foundation series is what most look at as a "foundation" for science fiction, but I do not intend to continue reading to find out.

In conclusion, there are much better science fiction books out there. If you are looking for a classic I hear that Dune is really good. I always love Alastair Reynolds. Even the Star Wars books I have read are better than The Foundation. Does this mean I will never read a book by Asimov again? Not necessarily. I have heard great things about I, Robot. I also know that Asimov began this series when he was twenty-one, so perhaps this book is just an example of immature writing and Asimov gets better. For now, I will be exploring other books, but maybe one day I will return to Asimov's world.  

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

This was the fifth or sixth time I have read The Time Traveler's Wife. When I first read the book it was right after I saw the film and then I read it every year at least once. But it has now been about four or five years since I picked it up and a lot of life has happened to me. I always love rereading books but especially books that I consider a favorite because I like to see how my perception of the book changes as I have changed. In the case of The Time Traveler's Wife, I have not read the book since I got married and lost my baby. I will not use this post as a personal reflection about those experiences and this book, but I will say that after rereading it this time I felt that I understood the characters on a deeper level and parts of me felt more healed. I also made the exciting discovery that my husband and I share the same wedding anniversary as Henry and Clare, and some deep nerdy, bookwormy part of me was really happy about that. All in all I finished the novel loving it more than I have ever loved it in my past read throughs. This is a beautiful piece of literature, let me tell you why.

Audrey Niffenegger does a fantastic job of explaining time travel. It is not something that Henry understands so of course the reader cannot fully understand either, but I feel like she does a good job at not losing the reader when jumping through time. It helps that each section begins with the complete date as well as the ages of Henry and Clare at that time. This time I felt that I understood the time traveling in a better way and perhaps she meant for it to be that way. I love that Niffenegger also writes the novel from both Henry and Clare's perspectives. It adds so much to the depth of the story and their romance.

I have long considered this novel to be one that every couple should read. The characters are so real and even though their problem is extraordinary, unless we all time travel and I just did not know, they still handle the issues that come with it in a very human way. There are sensual moments and funny moments and heartbreaking moments. Every page of this book is filled with wonder and life. Many questions and themes are talked about and in some ways this book is more philosophy than romance. Questions about time and how it works or what it is, questions about fate and cause and effect, questions about meaning; these are all elements of The Time Traveler's Wife. Books that are beautiful are one thing, but books that are beautiful while also making you think are quite another thing. A rare thing.

This novel spans so much time that it would make or a lengthy post if I picked it apart thoroughly. So I am not going to do that. I also think that it is a novel everyone should experience for themselves, (I know I have said this about other novels but this is a big one), thus I do not want to spoil parts of the story. I will just say that my favorite parts are some of the more ordinary moments between Henry and Clare, which I feel is what Niffenegger wanted for the reader because these are the moments Henry and Clare love as well. I love that this book has so many cultural references and is full of so much poetry. This was the first book I ever dog-eared and it has more pages eared than not. I love that this book is not a romance novel entirely and not a science ficton novel entirely. It is hard to categorize in fact. It simply is, which is maybe another purposeful point made by the author.

Read this book. Read it because when you finish it you won't be dreaming of a better partner, you will want to love your partner more. Read it because it will break your heart but in the best way. Read it because you will love it. My reading of it this time left me feeling full and it was the first time that I finished this book and immediately wanted to dive back into its pages. This is not a book I would recommend to everyone though, it is a special book. One I would only give to a select few people in my life, which is a bit like love in a way I suppose and this book is full of love. See the film but not until after you have read the book. Know that this book will captivate you and so you must have a good chunk of time set out to read it. And most of all know that The Time Traveler's Wife will change you in some way but that, for me anyway, that is the best part of it all.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

I have finished! This was my first full read through of the Harry Potter series and I could not have loved it more. I had read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before, but reading it along with the other books gave me a new perspective.

As always, J.K. Rowling created a beautiful novel, as well as a perfect end for her beloved series.While I am not a fan of the epilogue and overly exaggerated happily ever after, I do think it is nice that she tried to leave her readers with some, but not all, of the ideas for how Harry, Ron, and Hermione went on to live their lives. I also appreciated that J.K. Rowling was not afraid to kill her characters. It often irritates me when authors don't have the guts to kill their creations, because obviously that is not how real life works. So even though it is painful every time I read this book to re-live the deaths of so many beloved characters, I cannot be upset. Dobby has the saddest death next to Snape, but I also mourn the loss of Hedwig, Lupin and Tonks, and Fred.

Speaking of death, I have been waiting for six posts now to talk about Severus Snape!! I always loved him because I felt like he was the only teacher who saw Harry for the whining and entitled kid he was. Even though his loyalty was questioned multiple times, I felt like after awhile it became obvious that this was due to the fact that he was not a bad guy but made to look like one. Thus when I read the seventh book six years ago I was elated and had an "I told you so" attitude about the fact that Snape is the best character in the entire series. Rereading that chapter was painful but also fulfilling because this time I knew it was coming and was upset I could not stop his death but also excited to relive the moments when Snape reveals his true self.

In the past I counted the seventh book as one of my favorites, and I still do, but I think the official order of favorites goes: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and then Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The reason that this book is the last of my favorites is just because I felt it was a bit slow going in the middle. The scenes where Harry and Hermione (and sometimes Ron) are moving from place to place trying to figure out where Horcruxes might be is boring. There is a lot of drama between all of them and it demonstrates what the world has come to now that Voldemort is in charge, but it does not feel like it moves the story along. I don't feel like things truly get started until the visit to the Lovegood's house.

The scene breaking out of Gringotts is amazing as well as the scene where Mrs. Weasley kills Bellatrix Lestrange. Finding out about Dumbledore's past is also a favorite of mine because it proves he was not always a great person and not as well liked as many believe. Since I am one of the very few who did not like Dumbledore, then I appreciate these themes throughout the book. I also enjoyed that overall we learn about magic and its limits, or previously supposed limits. The small examples are too many to list but of course the biggest are the Horcruxes and the Deathly Hallows. It is fitting that in her final book Rowling would go beyond the limits of magic and explain and create elements that many in the wizarding world have not heard of or don't believe in.

In conclusion, this is a wonderful book. And the series of Harry Potter is a fantastic series. Although it took me a long time to read the entire series in order, I am glad that I did. I wish it had been earlier in my life. This is a series I now love. A series I plan to read to my children at an early age so they can grow up with the magic of it. If you somehow have not read this series, I encourage you to do so. I read them along with my fairy godmother who knows nothing of this series at all. It was so much fun to see a grown woman delight in the surprises and wonder of these books and it showed me that age is not a factor when it comes to feeling magic. I now understand why so many enjoy and praise these books, they are the Narnia of our generation.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

I first read Stardust three years ago when I discovered Neil Gaiman. It was not my favorite of his novels, and even though I read through it quickly, I was left uninspired. I later found out the inspiration for the book had come from a night in Arizona, where I live, and was sad that I did not enjoy the book more. Then earlier this year I read his collection of nonfiction The View From the Cheap Seats. In this collection he has several pieces on fairy tales, including a few about the fairy tale he created, Stardust. I now have more appreciation for fairy tales and what they represent, so I decided to go back and reread the book. This time I listened to it via audio book which I think really helped since Neil Gaiman reads all of his novels. So I was able to hear the story told in the way that the author had intended.

I was still not "starstruck" by anything in this novel. Overall it lacked the Gaiman-esque feel that I have become addicted to. But I was able to enjoy the simple telling of a tale entirely his own and meant to be told in such a way. Maybe I just did not appreciate the simplicity enough the first time around, but this time I was in awe of it. I could just imagine Neil writing this book and sitting down carefully choosing which words were or were not necessary. In fact I would imagine that Stardust took just as much precision to write, if not more, than many of his other novels because of the type of book it is. Neil Gaiman wanted it to sound like a fairy tale of old, one that had been passed down for centuries and would continue to be passed down, and I feel that he succeeded.

None of the characters particularly stood out, and perhaps that is part of why I don't love this novel. But I do enjoy the changes in the star, Yvaine, and Tristran's feelings towards not only one another but also their original wishes. I love the land of Faerie as well and the ways that Neil Gaiman describes it.

So, do I recommend this book? Yes, just not as an introduction to Neil Gaiman. After you have read something else of his, then pick up Stardust.

Overall, the story is charming but not memorable, and yet I can feel that I will one day read it again. Not just because it is a fairy tale written in modern times that feels timeless, but also because it is a fairy tale told by Neil Gaiman. I will read it again because simple stories like these, full of magic and life, are important. They remind us where stories began. They remind us that fairy tales are not just for children. And these reminders need repeating, whether we know it or not.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter read through continues! I have just finished the last of the books I had not previously read. I will still be re-reading the seventh though as I promised my husband I would read them all and I also enjoy that book.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince surprised me. It has never been my favorite film, as it is so dark. Yet it is my husband's favorite book from the series. So I entered it with an open mind and actually loved it. I don't know if it beats out #3 but I do think I enjoyed it more than #4. Oddly, the book seemed less dark than the film, at least until the end. I don't know. I just loved it! I read this book really fast and stayed up late last night to finish it. And once again I am in awe of the layered writing of J.K. Rowling. She continues to open her world a little more with each book and this one took me to the communication between the Muggle and Magic Ministers. This was not only very neat but also gave me that "oh shit" moment. Voldemort is BACK guys.

Even though I agree that Harry should not have been "cheating" in Slughorn's class, I do love the Half-Blood Prince potions book and all that it allows the reader to learn about the Wizarding world.
I enjoyed seeing a vulnerable side of Malfoy for once. I will always believe he is more a victim of bad parenting than inherent bad traits. The Pensieve is one of my all-time favorite things about the Harry Potter world and so of course I enjoyed all of the lessons with Dumbledore in which the two dive into memories. As these lessons are also what finally reveal Voldemort's story, I enjoyed that as well. I think villains are fascinating and learning their origin stories reveals so much. Plus, horcruxes.


Tonks is one of my favorite characters and I liked seeing more of her in this book. Although not nearly enough. It was because of her that I learned how and why Patronuses can change. (Side note: Her and Lupin are the cutest couple.) Speaking of couples, I do hate how in the midst of all the shit going on everyone in this book starts hooking up. I know that its an age think and Rowling was just trying to remind the reader that these people are still kids, but it just seemed to fill a lot of empty space. And I'll never understand the Ron and Hermione thing. This is the crux of my issue with this series, that it is at its heart, for kids. There are so many neat things and details that could be expanded on, especially if the books were written with the detail of something like The Lord of the Rings, but she doesn't do that. Granted, her writing is so superb that anyone can enjoy the books, but I just crave the rich details of this world!! Maybe that is why everyone is so obsessed with this series though??

Last but not least, Dumbledore. He has been an interesting guy from the beginning and no doubt a great wizard, but, I don't like him. I know this is such an unpopular opinion, don't hate me. I just don't understand why he cares about Harry the way he does and I think he allows Harry to get away with things he shouldn't. Dumbledore also seems more conceited than wise and I feel that in a way he is selfish. I really struggled this book with Dumbledore. And while I know his death is sad for many people and strengthens Voldemort....I don't really care. So before you yell at me I ask that you help me. Explain to me why Dumbledore is so beloved. Do it in a comment. Send me a message. Because I want to understand, I do.

Overall, this was a beautiful book. I enjoyed it immensely and I am diving straight into the seventh book once I finish this post. Definitely a favorite and I cannot believe it took me so long to actually read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

I only decided to read Bossypants to fulfill the category of "Book by a Comedian" in the book challenge I am doing with my husband. I have always enjoyed Tina Fey's work, (who doesn't?), and since Bossypants is short I thought it would be the perfect book. I am happy to say that I was right.

This book is part autobiography and part guide to being Tina Fey, sort of. She includes pictures for context from various points in her life and a lot of her tips having to do with being a boss in a world mostly full of men. Tina does not disappoint and gives plenty of laughs throughout. I often laughed out loud and then had to reread passages to my husband because of how funny I found them. I don't know if I can even pick a favorite funny part! She has the talent of not only being funny on a screen, but also on the page. This probably has to do with the fact that first and foremost Tina Fey is a comedy writer, which I was unaware of until reading her book. This style of writing also allows her to be candid in a way that does not feel uncomfortable because she is able to laugh at herself.

Tina intersperses personal chapters with anecdotal or random chapters, which makes the book feel inconsistent but also lends the book its charm. Some of my favorite random chapters are: "The Secrets of Mommy's Beauty" and "I Don't Care if You Like It".
The overall theme of many of these chapters is just to be who you are, unapologetically, because that is what Tina did and now her life is awesome. In "The Secrets of Mommy's Beauty" Tina lists 12 secrets for how to be beautiful. My favorites are #9) When it Comes to Fashion, Find What Works for You and Stick with It, and #12) The Most Important Rule of Beauty, which is, "Who cares?".

Bossypants is not all laughs and glamour though, there is some really serious stuff nestled between its pages. Tina writes a lot about her struggles both in and out of the comedy world with sexism. She begins these struggles as a young woman and tells of the time she knew she was a grown woman when someone yelled something nasty at her, saying that this is the moment most women know they are grown. (I can attest that this is true in some respect. I first had someone yell something gross at me when I was 16. Even though I had felt grown up before then, what 16 year old doesn't, I knew that now the world saw me as one.) Tina recounts a time that a director told her that three girls in a scene was too many and later goes on to talk about a scene she was in with three girls (I know what you are thinking but not in that way). And of course she talks about creating her own television show "30 Rock" and what it meant to be the boss of so many people. There are other moments as well but these in particular really stuck with me. I think a woman like her in comedy is just what we need to start changing the sexism so inherent in that scene. One of the best ways to start making change is just to tell you story, which is exactly what this book is.

Tina touches on other elements of sexism such as competition between girls, photoshop, ageism surrounding older women in comedy (and by older she means 40), motherhood and working, judgemental mothers, and so much more. I don't want to give it all away because then you would not read the book and you should read the book!

A couple more of my favorite moments are her story about her honeymoon in the chapter aptly titled, "My Honeymoon, or A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again Either"; and her story about impersonating Sarah Palin on SNL which is told in the chapter, "Sarah, Oprah, and Captain Hook, or How to Succeed by Sort of Looking Like Someone".

The only complaint I have is that this book is too short! I felt as though the end was just there. It ended in a non-satisfying way and I was left wanting more. But I don't know if that is really a complaint, more of a compliment.

Overall, I highly recommend Bossypants. If you love Tina Fey, you'll love it. If you are a feminist, you'll love it. If you like laughing, you'll love it. Tina Fey is a wonderful writer. I finished the book and started watching "30 Rock" on Netflix. I now want to rewatch "Mean Girls" and seek out any and everything else she has done. She is brilliant and I cannot wait to see what she does next.

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

This is one of two Harry Potter books I've never read any part of. (Until recently I had only read small parts of the fourth book and I have no yet read the sixth book at all). You can look at some of my previous Potter posts to learn more of my story with these books, but today I am just going to remind you that I am reading the whole series for my husband who is a Harry Potter fanatic.

It took me a long time to begin this book. I finished the fourth novel back in May and did not start this one until the beginning of July. Then it took me the entire month to finish. I read it in pieces as I finished other books and only just sat to work through the remaining two-hundred pages. I think it took me some time to really dive into this book because it is the beginning of truly dark times in the wizarding world. What with my recent life experiences and struggles with anxiety, dark books can only be read at certain times. Once I was able to sit and dive into this story, I was not impressed. the first two or three hundred pages seemed to drag on and on and on. And through most of this book Harry is just whining and being angsty about life. Yeah, he has had some shit happen to him, but that doesn't give him the right to be rude to everyone around him. Reading that mindset was not fun nor did it make me want to know what happened next, unless whatever happened next was going to get Harry to STFU. Plus I am forever angry that Sirius died. So, I struggled, but I finally finished.

I will say that I enjoyed the continued progression Rowling makes into the wizarding world as this book focused a lot on the Ministry of Magic and St. Mungo's Hospital. She is a fantastic storyteller. I enjoyed the bits about occlumency the very best, as well as the scenes where I learned more about Snape. I loved Firenze becoming a teacher and the way he set up the classroom. Umbridge is and forever will be one of my favorite characters for the sheer fact that she is so ridiculously evil it is entertaining. The scene where Fred and George leave school is legendary.

Overall, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix was an okay book. Out of the five I have read so far it is tied with The Chamber of Secrets for being my least favorite. (The Chamber of Secrets might even be better just because it is shorter). In context of the series it is an important book, just not the best one. The interesting thing is that many people claim this as their favorite. If you are one of these people, I would love to know why that is so that I can see this book from a new perspective. Until then, it is not one I plan to return to. I am still enjoying the series though! So stay tuned for my reviews on the final two books.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I had never heard of Carlos Ruiz Zafon before two years ago. One day my now father-in-law told me about a book he had just finished called The Shadow of the Wind. He did not tell me much about it, but he showed me a quote he had written down from the novel: "The art of reading is slowly dying, that it's an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us only what we already carry inside us, that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind, and great readers are becoming more scarce by the day.” I fell in love with the quote and wrote down the name of the book. A few days later, in midsummer I bought and began reading The Shadow of the Wind.

The book takes place in Barcelona, Spain in in the early-mid 1900s and follows a boy named Daniel Sempere. He works at his father's bookshop Sempere and Sons. One night, when he is around ten years old, his father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and tells Daniel to choose a book which he will have to protect for the rest of his life. Daniel chooses a novel called "The Shadow of the Wind" by Julian Carax. After reading and falling in love with the book Daniel wishes to find out more about the author. This leads him down a path full of intertwining stories, dark mansions, tragic love, and more. I don't want to write any more about the plot because it is a story best experienced if you know as little as possible going in.

There was one night in particular during my first encounter with this novel where a thunderstorm takes place and many frightening things happen. I was home alone that night and a thunderstorm began to rage outside of the window. I was so interested in what was going on in the story bu also frightening. I sat curled up in a blanket, with all of the lights on, against a wall and continued on reading. But it is an experience I will not forget and that I look back on fondly. That is the type of moment that bonds you with a book forever.

Prior to reading The Shadow of the Wind I knew very little of Barcelona, or Spain in general. The book made me curious. I was lucky enough to go last year on my honeymoon and was swept away with how accurately Carlos Ruiz Zafon had described the city. I kept expecting to run into Daniel or stumble upon the Cemetery of Forgotten Books around every corner. I could go on and on for my love of that beautiful city, but suffice it to say that reading the book feels almost as wonderful as being there. Barcelona is a place of magic.

This brings me to the present day where I just finished rereading The Shadow of the Wind for the first time. I actually listened to it via audio book, which was an experience in and of itself because it featured music composed by the author. This added greatly to the atmosphere. The narrator was also superb. And yet, I did not like listening to the novel as much as reading it. I feel like this book, the great ode to reading and books that it is, is truly meant to be read. But if audio book is your only way to hear this tale, you could do worse than the audio for The Shadow of the Wind.

There are two other books set in the world of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and a fourth due sometime soon. I recommend them and might do a review someday, but The Shadow of the Wind is the best of them all.  The Shadow of the Wind is close to my heart. I have loved it since the moment I read the first page. It is a book I intend to return to many times and a book I want to give to my children (when they are a bit older). It is a book full of many things, but most of all, it is full of magic.

Armada by Ernest Cline

Armada is a fast paced ride through sci-fi references and pop culture nods. Ernest Cline did a good job of mixing not only 80's references but modern references. I enjoyed that because I understood the current "Leeroy Jenkins" reference and the Patrick Rothfuss nod; in comparison to Ready Player One which mostly focused on the 80s.

What I have learned about Ernest Cline as a writer is that his stories can be a bit predictable. This did not bother me in Ready Player One because of all the action and moments that happened between the beginning and the end. In fact there is a point in that book where I wondered if what I had predicted all along was utterly wrong. But in Armada I found myself predicting what would happen and then turning the page to see it happen, over and over again. The only thing interspersed between these moments were fight scenes, whether real or in the video game, that were described in such painful detail that after the third one it just felt like they were there to take up space.

Armada did have some interesting theories, especially the idea that video games were created and funded by the government to train civilians how to fight aliens, but the theories were not overly original. It felt like Ernest Cline had taken a lot of scenes from his favorite movies and books and then smashed them all together into a novel. Now let me say that this is not a bad thing, it was really nerdy and cool and I loved it, but it just did not make me go "wow" at the end.

The only other complaint I have is the lack of deep underlying narrative. Armada seemed to be just a book about video games and alien invasions and then it turned out to be just that. There is a moment at the end that seems to try to make up for this by implying that humans need to be more compassionate and less war-driven, and I agree, but it did not feel like this was a point being reinforced over and over again throughout the novel.

I did enjoy that there was less of a love story in this novel. And I love that Ernest Cline wrote about a female president and a single mom who is kick ass and other women who can shine in their own right. I love that he writes nerdy books that feel accessible to me, not only as a nerd, but as a woman. Like I stated above, I also loved the many nods to current pop culture. This book was a fast read and full of action, which was a nice change of pace from the last book I read. I enjoyed Armada immensely, I just did not finish it and immediately want to start reading it again like I felt with Ready Player One.

Now perhaps it is not fair for me to compare Armada to Ready Player One. And maybe I would feel differently had I read them in reverse order. But Ernest Cline has only written two books and so it is inevitable that they will be compared. The thing is that I don't know if I would have even read Armada had I not loved its predecessor so much. This book just felt lackluster, I guess.

All of that being said, I think Armada will make a great movie. It has all the elements to help it translate beautifully to film and I will be one of the first in line to watch. I really enjoy Ernest Cline's writing and intend to read the next book he releases. Overall, I just feel that if I had to choose between Armada and Ready Player One to recommend to a reader, it would be Ready Player One every time. But if you like spaceships and video games and have an afternoon to kill, this is a great book for you.