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Review: Fahrenheit 451

I know, I know, I'm totally late to the show on this one, but you know me - I'm a sucker for the classics. I didn't have to read this one as required reading in high school. We read Catcher in the Rye, instead. No time is better than now, so I picked up a borrowed copy and dove in.... and finished it in one sitting. Wow.

Enter a world where firemen destroy rather than save. Where TV's span the entire wall... all four of them, in fact. Where little radios buzz away in the ears of our loved ones non-stop. Where the world is at war, but the people are too distracted to see it. Where a beautiful young woman, deemed anti-social, has the power to make a man question everything.

Montag is just a man, born into the line of duty as a fireman like his father before him and his father before him. His soul duty in society is to protect it from the confusion of critical thinking required to process fake stories and contradicting theories. Books. His nemesis is literature. And so it must go. But what happens when he starts to sneak a volume or two home, hidden away where no one can see it? How will the world change for one man, ignored by his wife, inspired by martyrs, bitten by curiosity?

Ray Bradbury is nothing short of a lyricist. The words of his accomplished novel string together with melodious cohesion to such a degree that you forget you're reading the words and ingest them, instead. It's beautiful writing. A story I would cling to with my life in order to protect it if a fireman came snooping around my hidden attic space.

If you haven't read it yet, please do. If you read it back in high school, revisit it. The amount of foreshadowing into the world our society is flying towards is astounding... and a little terrifyingly accurate.
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Review: DUNE

Now, I'll be honest, I'm a little out of my depth in the sci-fi category. It isn't what I typically read and only picked up DUNE after it was suggested to me by a close friend. It's his favorite book, you see, and how could I have never read it before?! He was incredulous. I felt out of the loop. So purchase it, I did. And read it, I must! It's no short read, so be prepared to invest some time and brain power into this novel. It took me a little longer than usual to read because I was mixing it with textbooks and European vacations, but I eventually conquered the tome. So, to the point, right? Let's go.

Follow a young ducal heir as his family walks into a trap they each know has been laid and conquers the injustices against a people, a planet, a dream at the hand of those in higher power. A religious demi-god, a warrior, a counselor, a leader. Will you survive the red hot sands of the water hungry planet of Arrakis?

I'll admit, I probably wouldn't have persevered through this novel had it not been for the prodding of my friend, but it has very little to do with the content and everything to do with my taste in literature. That being said, I'm ready and eager to pick up the follow up novel, DUNE MESSIAH, without his encouragement. I'm wholly satisfied with the story, the plot, and the wild new world that the author, Frank Herbert, built for us out there in deep space. The writing is thoroughly inspiring and imaginative - original on a scale I haven't seen in decades.

My recommendation is simple, whether or not sci-fi is your "thing," read it. I'm sure you could find an allegory or two in there about today's current foreign affairs and government, and if not that, then at the very least an out of this world experience.

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Review: The Golden Isle


The Golden Isle, pub. 1947


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dr. Michael Stone has refused a lucrative offer as a slave ship doctor only to find himself kidnapped and floating across the Atlantic Ocean like the stock in the hold beneath him. Although paid for his work, he is made aware that his presence there is negligible to the crew and one wrong step could send him overboard with a bullet in his chest. Dr. Stone makes the best of his situation by realizing he may be the only hope the poor, confined souls below deck might have. In his efforts to create as comfortable and healthy a living environment for the voyage as possible, he, in turn, ensures more slaves survive it; much to the delight of his boss.

After a few years at sea, Dr. Stone finally takes measures into his own hands and releases himself from the bondage of his contract with the slave company - a night which ends with a bang! But it isn't until he reaches the shores of Florida that things begin to really heat up.

As a lover of all things history and adventure, this second-hand-store-find was a lucky strike! Frank G. Slaughter spares no details on the nitty gritty of the slave trade and its consequences. His leading character is noble in nature and progressive in his methods, the author himself being a physician and well versed in the medical world.

In retrospect of the times, I am delighted to see that the author was able to walk the fine line of staying true to the mentality of the slave trade and the era it occupied and the slowly declining racism of 1947 when the book was published. This is a poignant piece of this story - the language, hostility, and honesty shows us just how the African-American race was described through the eyes of a white male in the late 1700's as well as a more modern scope without apology. I will admit that while reading some descriptions and brutal depictions of rape or abuse I felt pangs of the heart. Fiction is best when you realize it must not be far off the mark to what the world truly was like a short few hundred years ago.

The storyline as a whole is enthralling. As a reader you find yourself invested in the happiness and success of Dr. Stone and the characters around him while at the same time rooting for power to be given back to a people.

I highly recommend this sharp glance into a dark time of the modern world. Not only will the story stay with you long after you read it, but the content itself will touch the reality of slavery deeper than any history book ever could.

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Review: Jane Eyre



My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I only recently discovered Jane Eyre and by recently I mean within the last few years. I acquired my edition (not the one pictured) of the novel printed "under wartime conditions" as a third edition from a used book store for a few dollars. The binding is blue cloth, the pages aged yellow and thick and it sat on my bookshelf for about a year. It wasn't that I was avoiding it so much as I had an overall disinterest in the "classics" which I considered Jane Eyre to be. There came a day, though, when I had nothing else to read and so the book made its way into my hands. Once the cover was opened I was trapped; sucked into a world unknown to me. Enthralled by the opening chapter of child abuse and neglect, curiosity, and fear, a defiant child already self-affirmed in who she was I lamented in having to put the book aside for our present day reality.

I have since read it three times yet it is never far from my nightstand. It gets better with age and with each reading your appreciation will grow for characters and author. It didn't take long for me to become completely obsessed in finding a movie adaptation which would satisfy and honor it adequately. The 2011 version comes mighty close and who can complain of Michael Fassbender's Mr. Rochester? No one.

While this may strike you as a love story at first, I encourage you to look deeper into the character of Jane. Charlotte Bronte has done a magnificent job at portraying a life of sharp corners and hard tongues in which a young woman is created as one of the strongest, most thought provoking heroines I have ever read. With exacting self-control and unwavering connection with her inner self Jane inspires me almost on the daily to be strong and true to who I am. If such a character can endure so much compared to my so little; who am I to waver? THAT is what this novel can do.

I won't ruin it for you, but her speech to Mr. Rochester in a moment of truth is just stunning. They are words I wish I had written. This level of writing is that which I strive to be able to mimic. It's absolutely brilliant.

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Review: Marred



My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't want to say this book is nightmare fuel, but this isn't the kind of book you want to read before going to bed. Especially as a woman. Even more so as a single woman living alone in a dark apartment with no one to hear you scream.

*ahem*

Excuse me.

It's the kind of book you read with all the lights on and the doors locked. It's the kind of book you have a light hearted chaser for; like watching a Disney movie after watching Friday the 13th. And why, after storming through the first third of it in my initial reading that I went to bed with a harmless western in my hands instead of my Kindle.

Sue Coletta isn't going to spare you the gory details or an honest look behind the crime scene tape. She's a well versed author in all things crime who indelicately dumps you into the middle of a life which has been disrupted, disturbed, and marred by the evil acts of a solitary man. When there is a serial killer on the loose targeting young women and seemingly no connection between them it's hard for a community to sleep at night. But when your twin sister suddenly goes missing and you answer the phone to an unfamiliar, sinister voice - that's when your life comes to a screeching halt. We are there when our heroine, Sage Quintano, comes to terms with her past, when she bursts out against those she loves, and when she decides to take back control.

You won't have to wait for the action to start in this novel, so buckle up and prepare yourself for a dark ride through a dark tunnel with only Coletta to guide you out!

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Review: Wings of Mayhem

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is only one word out there that can sum up Sue Coletta's latest work, Wings of Mayhem: Chilling. Right down to the bones, chilling. Coletta gives the reader not only a wild, squeamish ride, but she also accomplishes something most authors miss. Through a mastery of writing and just enough description to make the skin crawl, Coletta is not afraid to take the reader exactly where they do not want to go. There is something worth commending in an author who isn't afraid to write the darkness that can lurk within humanity, especially one who does it so well as Coletta.

Prepare yourself to yell at your book in true horror and thriller fashion. Once you get started you'll be on Coletta's hook and she won't let you off until she is well good and ready!

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Review: The Scarab Murder Case

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

S. S. Van Dine is at it again with a plot filled with more twists than a back country road.

Taking place in a brownstone mansion equipped with its very own Egyptian museum, The Scarab Murder Case involves murder, love, jealousy, and corruption. All important ingredients to a truly excellent murder mystery.

When an Egyptologist's patron is found murdered at the feet of Anubis inside his personal museum hobby detective Philo Vance is forced to play a deadly game of real life chess with the murderer. With only his intuition to guide him, Vance predicts the ensuing actions of a deranged and desperate killer, but will he be able to do so before they kill again?

This was a particularly fun read because of the subject matter. Van Dine certainly went into considerable depths to research the history of Egypt's pharaohs and ancient artifacts to bring readers a comprehensive murder mystery that felt full and complete rather than relying on the murder itself as a crutch. The mystery itself, however, is not without merit. While my own intuition pointed toward a particular suspect I found myself in the same evidence lacking boat as Vance.

The Scarab Murder Case was a quick read, loaded with motivation and page turning hooks. I recommend this book (and any of Van Dine's Philo Vance works) to anyone who enjoys a good, clean murder without all the sensationalism of gore. You won't be disappointed.

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Review: Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'll start this by saying I'm going off the path by reviewing this book. I don't read non-fiction recreationally. In fact, I was required to read this book for a class I am currently taking. That being said I easily give Lords of the Horizons five stars because of all the non-fiction and textbook related literature I have ever read, THIS one keeps the attention, even plays with some humor, and doesn't stop informing the reader until the final word and the book has ended.

The subject matter doesn't hurt, either. The Ottomans were wicked interesting. I have learned about the Romans and the Greeks and the Brits. I've learned about America and her relatively youthful history. I've learned about the Aztecs and the Incas. But never the Ottomans... why? I have no idea. They are ridiculously fascinating... if you can get the right book to catch your interest... like this one.

There are some cons to this work, though, that I believe are negligible. The main one for me was the author's tendency to skip around the eras from sentence to sentence rather than the book reading sequential. It made it a little confusing when I was trying to make heads and tails of who lived when and when what city was conquered by which sultan.

Overall, I appreciate Jason Goodwin's ability to present the information in an informal way. The language is easy to follow and he expertly avoids subject pretension. Even if you aren't studying the Ottoman Empire, I highly recommend Lords of the Horizons. It's equally entertaining and informative of a piece of our world's history that is often neglected in the mainstream.

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Review: The Call of the Canyon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Escape into the depths of northern Arizona's canyons where realities change and spirits are healed.

In the wake of the Great War Carley Burch finds herself dreaming of wedding bells and city life with her fiance, Glenn, in the wonderful metropolis of New York City. Carley is a dandy little gal, caught up in a superficial ego groomed for city life with an independent woman's purse. If only Glenn felt the same way. Searching for meaning to his life and to his experiences in the war, Glenn leaves New York for the dusty, untamed lands of Arizona. Can Carley convince him to come home or will Glenn be able to show her why she needs to stay?

This was my introduction to Zane Grey, one which started a long lasting love affair of westerns. It also holds the title of being my favorite Zane Grey novel and for many reasons.

The story alone is compelling, humorous, and relevant, however, my absolute favorite element of The Call of the Canyon is Grey's reference to what we now know as PTSD. When Glenn returns from the war and is expected to act happy-go-lucky like all the other young men who (unlike him) were able to dodge conscription because of wealthy fathers he suffers from a great depression which his doctor attributes to shell shock. The end result is a decline in his overall health centralized in his lungs - the after-effect of being gassed while out in the field. The remedy? Move to Arizona where the west is still a little wild, where he can build his strength in the dry, arid climate, and step away from the business of the city.

Another favorite point is the main character, Carley's, transformation from a tease of a tart to a well rounded, insightful human being. It's a transformation completely relevant to today's social climate as well as the mind games women play with men. As a whole, her experience has a way of acting as commentary on our own lives. It's just beautifully done.

If you've never read a western I recommend starting with this one. There's adventure, love, humor, and life lessons. Grey is masterful in describing the environs of Arizona, as is his way - the landscape acts as more than a backdrop, but rather a leading character in each of his novels. It's inspiring. Not interested in westerns at all? Have you ever tried one? It's ok - drink the kool aide. Grey will take good care of you.

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Review: Waking Up Joy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Add it to your summer reading list - Waking Up Joy is bound to leave you feeling refreshed and hankering for a glass of cool lemonade and a porch swing to sit on!

Joy Talley is something of a wildcard in her family: predictable, but aloof. Though her siblings have all found matches, built families and careers, Joy seems to be stuck wandering the halls of spinsterhood... that is until she finds herself swinging from the end of a rope off the ledge of their ancestral home. Her stint in the hospital stuck in the loneliness of a coma breaks through decades long blockages which have prevented her from moving on with her life and letting love find her. But will it be the doctor or the ex-lover who whisk her away?

Tina Ann Forkner has whipped up a truly original story that gracefully blends magic with faith, miracles with love, inspiring futures with dark pasts! There were moments when I wanted to shake the book as if I were shaking Forkner's shoulders trying to squeeze out the bit of story she so methodically keeps at arms length. Oh, but I had the truth eventually... and so will you. It's a training in patience and appreciation for Forkner's ability to entwine mystery with budding romance - brava Mrs. Forkner, brava! Between the old family home, culinary masterpieces, charmed chocolates, and church pews my heart fell in love with this tiny town in Oklahoma and the people who lived in it.

Waking Up Joy is captivating, funny, intriguing, and thought provoking. I highly recommend it to women young, young-ish, and not-so-young-anymore - there is something in here for everyone! I can't wait until her next book, The Real Thing, comes out, but in the mean time I'll certainly be picking up her other two, Ruby Among Us and Rose House!

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Review: Rose Under Fire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Haunting. That's the only word I can truly use to describe it, just haunting. I think my eyes were the size of saucers, bugged out of my head as I flipped through each page of Rose Under Fire and it is no over-exaggeration when I say there were moments when I found myself holding my breath. It isn't that the material takes your breath away, but more that what you're reading grows in such intensity you simply forget to breathe. It's haunting because it's real. The people are made up and the backgrounds make believe, but the world in which they find themselves... that was real and it's heart breaking.

Rose Justice is an American pilot who, through the help of her uncle, has landed a job ferrying planes back and forth as a civilian transporter. Everything is going fine, she's helping with the war effort and she's getting to fly planes, that is until a fellow pilot crash lands on base after trying to intercept an unmanned aircraft known as a flying bomb. Not long after the funeral, Rose spots a flying bomb during a transport and decides to knock it out of the sky. However, all goes wrong when she is intercepted by Nazi pilots over German territory. That's when the war changes for Rose and she finds herself in a women's concentration camp known as Ravensbruck stripped of dignity, name, and even country. Through the guidance of friends, poetry, and hope filled fantasies Rose holds on to life day by day, but will it be enough?

The fact that this is a work of fiction by no means takes away from the truth of which Elizabeth Wein has put in spotlight for readers to remember or learn for the first time - and that very well might be just the thing that makes Rose Under Fire so moving and such a thoroughly addicting read. I would say enjoyable, but I don't think I truly "enjoyed" reading the book. It was more like I felt compelled to read it as if I owed it to the characters and the real people they represented. I couldn't stop reading. I needed to keep reading because these characters brought to life the courage, fear, love, and power the survivors and occupants of Nazi concentration camps had. What they endured is heart breaking, tragic, and despicable, but we must read about it so that we don't forget and so that we don't repeat it. I know that Wein saved us readers the horrific, in-depth details of which I can only imagine she sifted through during research, but she didn't spare us completely. I applaud her for her diplomacy.

I loved Code Name Verity and I loved Rose Under Fire. Each is enthralling and honest, but each is different and to compare the two and expect them to be identical is unrealistic and would be a shame if it were true. We each have our own story and perspective of similar or shared events. Wein does an excellent job at differing Rose Under Fire from her first novel in such a way as to make sure it wasn't repetitive. I can assure readers that Wein is certainly no one trick pony. Although Wein may not be the most fantastic poet on this earth, her use of poetry throughout the book is well placed and informative. It adds to Rose's character and acts as a central piece of the story. This is a work of literature I would recommend to any and all, but do know there is strong language involved - however, consider this, they are stuck in a concentration camp. I think you would say the f-word a few times, too. Lastly, if you've read Code Name Verity there's an easter egg in Rose Under Fire for you if you're paying attention.

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Review: The Alchemaster's Apprentice

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There's a difference between a cat and a crat, such a difference it will leave you wondering which one your feline friend is.

Echo is a crat down on his luck - forced to live on the streets in an unkind neighborhood after his adoring mistress passes away. He's at the end, starved and beaten with no hope of survival... that is until he makes a deal with the town's Alchemaster: thirty days of living in gastronomical luxury in exchange for his life. It's a deal he is desperately willing to make until he realizes maybe he wants to live after all.

Walter Moers has to be the only author I pre-order books from. As a bargain shopper, I very rarely buy a book at the $16-20 full price. With Moers, however, I make an exception and don't ever look back on the cost. I stumbled upon Moers in just such a way while rooting through the shelves of Half Priced Books (my favorite big-box book store) in Arizona in 2007. His book, Rumo and His Miraculous Adventures, was listed at $2.00 so I eagerly snatched it up and, after two days in reader's paradise, I returned and purchased any other book under his banner that I could find. But then, sadly, I ran out of novels to read. Though he has written many in German not so many were translated into English.

By complete happenstance, I saw on Amazon that a new arrival was soon coming - The Alchemaster's Apprentice. I pre-ordered it so fast I'm not sure my wallet knew what was happening.... and then I waited. It felt like forever, but the hardcover finally graced my door step and the reading commenced. This was all the way back in 2009 and I can honestly say I've read this book probably three or four more times since then.

That's the beauty of Moers' work. Their readability. The stories never get old. Even when you already know what is coming the beauty of his rule breaking with fonts, layout, and design (not to mention his artwork) is worthy of appreciation each time you flip the page. As a writer, I'm inspired... and envious.

Though these books fall under fantasy, it is directed toward an adult audience. For those of you who love young adult fiction for the imaginative characters and storylines, but whom are looking for something a little more grown up, I highly recommend any of Moers' books, The Alchemaster's Apprentice is no exception.

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Review: The Danger Mark

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wealth, romance, adventure, and one woman's struggle with addiction. This 1909 novel is right on par with Robert W. Chambers' love of walking the edge of what was acceptable for society at the time and then taking one step farther with tactful grace.

Meet the Seagrave children - spoiled, wealthy, parentless twins who live under the tutelage of a governess and the indulging care of their household servants. As they age into young adulthood it becomes abundantly clear that their financial resources have been taken advantage of by their family's closest friend and executor of the estate. Though not penniless, they are certainly down on their luck and forced to re-examine their futures. With such a crisis on their hands, little is it noticed that the sister out of the pair has a deep secret, a dark mark which taints her.

Robert W. Chambers was my first favorite author and remains in the top rankings that list still today. He wrote in an era that was publicly shrouded in conservatism, modesty, and secrecy. What happened behind closed doors, stayed behind closed doors. That's what makes his writing so unique and stand out amongst the hundreds of other writers of his time. Every novel I have read of his has starred a heroine who was up against some unheard of dilemma - she shows cunning, strength, intelligence, femininity, and charm. In In Secret it was war and espionage, in The Danger Mark it's addiction.

Geraldine doesn't face just any addiction, though, she is up against a lifelong penchant for alcohol, having begun dosing herself with cologne (which had an alcohol content to some degree) when she was just a young girl in order to chase away her boredom blues. She battles her alcoholism alone, in secret, ashamed of her problem, often losing the fight. It isn't until she meets a young man who captures her heart that she decides to conquer the beast once and for all. But in order to do so she must overcome temptation, confession, and withdrawal. Yet, she did it for herself as much as she did it for him - she wanted to be in control, to be worthy, to be clean before accepting him into her life. She needed to rid herself of the dark mark hanging heavy in her mind.

Though not as great as In Secret, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will have you invested in the success of the characters within pages. It's particularly noteworthy for the sole fact that Chambers discusses such a taboo topic so openly and without apology, though he never comes out and says it directly. He knows the habits of addiction well enough to convey it to the reader rather than the write it off as some female weakness. Through Geraldine's battle with alcoholism and her strength to overcome it I am sure Chambers touched the lives of many young people of his time in such a way that no other would have because no one else dared speak of such personal matters.

Definitely worth reading! Not able to buy it? That's ok! It's available on the Gutenberg Project for free!

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Review: I, Coriander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Coriander Hobie is the daughter of an adoring mother and father who lives an early life of luxury and balance. The love between her parents is ethereal and romantic. Their days are filled with the beaming rays of a bright sun... until a long, dark shadow is cast beginning with the death of her mother. And from there, it seems, all the joy in the world is snuffed out for our young heroine.

Puritans, fairies, alligators, witches, and death lurk in all corners of this captivating young adult fiction. Once you pick it up, like a fairy's cruel trick, you won't be able to put it down!

This is a novel I have read time and time again for it's beauty and fearless delivery. Embrace your dormant imagination as you are whisked away to the 1640's - a time where magic and religion clashed with fierce results. I'll admit, the cover art is what put the book in my basket while I was shopping and I'm shameless in my confession. It's beautiful and oh so very fitting for what's written on the pages between the covers.

You will feel sorrow and joy, pain and anger, frustration and doubt. You will know the wrath of a liberated soul lashing out against the injustice of a preacher and be doubly thankful you live in the era in which you do. You will cry foul at the rotten teeth of a heartless step mother and be held captive in tender moments of friendship.

This is a great novel for young and old, boys and girls. Coriander is built strong and defiant, cunning and curious. Her statement alone, "I, Coriander," shows the value of her character - once you get to that part in the book, you'll know what I mean.

Add a little magic to your life and take this novel home. You'll be peeking around corners searching for magic creatures in no time!

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Review: Red-Headed Woman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My apologies to any and all red headed women out there. This book does not paint you well at all. And in 1937, when the book was published, I'm sure plenty of auburn tresses were glared at while husbands' arms were tightly gripped.

Beware the red-headed home wrecker.

Lillian Andrews was a stunningly beautiful, red-headed woman born on the wrong side of the tracks. Beautiful and ambitious. So ambitious, in fact, we could label her a gold digger. It didn't take long for her to target her prize in the small town and acquire him through the art of seduction and youth. Starting off as William H. Legendre's secretary, she eventually wheedles her way into his fickle mind so much so that he divorces his wife, Irene, (a charming, subtle woman) and marries Lily instead. Then he realizes his mistake. The grass looked greener on the other side only for dear William to discover he moved into a swamp.

But all is not how she thought it would be. Rather than entertaining guests in her newly furnished, lavish household the neighbors travel across town to dinner at Irene's instead. At every turn she is shunned by the community and it vexes our anti-hero terribly. Perhaps the town is just too small for her, but will moving to a big city, sans her husband, save or destroy her? Will it give William and Irene a window to rekindle what was lost?

I can only offer three stars to the book because the character of Lillian is so detestable it's disappointing. I wanted to like her, to love her for her charisma and shamelessness in standing out amongst the humdrum crowd of the little town's aristocracy. But I couldn't. She destroys a marriage between two well paired people and then runs her husband into the ground. The author puts her into situations where I think we are supposed to feel bad for her, but we can't. There is nothing inherently good about her worth pitying. Honestly, the only person I felt sorry for was William. Irene was poised and strong enough to stand alone, but William was just stupid and naive, trapped in a situation chosen by the wrong brain... if you catch my drift.

Overall, the novel is well written, the characters round and fully developed, and the portrait of Lillian wholly convincing. On technicality alone it deserves five stars, but I simply just can't give it. I didn't enjoy the book as a leisurely read by any stretch of the imagination and when things did go wrong for Lillian I couldn't even enjoy them because it usually ended up biting William instead of her.

I'd like to be able to recommend this novel to others, but I'm not sure I can risk my reputation on it. Let's just say the read is... interesting.

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Review: The Greene Murder Case

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Our very own American version of Sherlock Holmes, but this time with intelligence comes a charming disposition in which heiresses are taken weak in the knees and even the hardiest of frauen purr like kittens in his presence. He's handsome, independently wealthy, and lives the life of a 1920's bachelor. He's Philo Vance and just as Sherlock had Watson, our stories are brought to us from the recounts of sidekick S. S. Van Dine.

Philo Vance has found his way into the mysterious murder of the ancient aristocratic (read: old money) Greene family who live in a mansion full of secrets. The matriarch is a bitter widowed invalid tended to by her sweet ward, Ada, while the rest of the children waste away their lives waiting out the stipulations of their father's will in order to inherit. When heirs systematically begin to be killed off, it seems only the genius of Vance can stop the carnage and save what's left of this family from demise.

I absolutely love the Philo Vance series which totals twelve books written about the exploits and brilliance of a New York dandy. I'm slowly picking up the remaining seven books in the series, but have greatly enjoyed the ones I currently have. Admittedly, there is a formula to the books: Vance is bored, murder happens, Vance becomes a private detective, Vance figures it all out while everyone else is still scratching their heads, the murderer *blank* <---- no spoilers here! That being said, the predictability doesn't overshadow the simplicity or complexity of the crimes and Vance's seemingly easy approach to solving them. It's all about the logic and small details, my dear Van Dine.

For being murder mysteries of the 1920 and 30's you will get the crime without the gore, without the sensational and intimate details which run rife through current literature. It's about the story, about the chase, about the mystery - not the blood. And it's why I love them. It is far too easy to hide poor writing behind the gruesome details of rape and murder than it is to write a hero capable of standing tall on their own without the crutch of sordid slaughter.

I highly recommend this series to any and all who like mystery. The writing and language are high quality and intelligent - prepare your vocabulary for expansion - and the footnotes at the bottom and floor plans of crime scenes add an extra charm which make the lives of Van Dine and Vance seem all the more real.



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Review: Code Name Verity




My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Take to the skies in this gut reeling, high flying adventure shared by two courageous women in World War II. But beware the barrage balloons.

Two best friends fly over France on a secret mission. Two best friends fall behind enemy lines. Two best friends find themselves at the mercy of the Gestapo and the Resistance. Two best friends recount their individual experiences, separated from each other, in sprawling ink over reclaimed blank pages of recipe cards, hotel stationary, and a field notebook commandeered from a Nazi officer. It's honest, it's torture, it's espionage. 

I already have a mile long list of "To Read" books so I wasn't looking for something to read when this one sort of fell into my hands. I had read and loved a novel with a similar theme of female WWII pilots when I was a teenager so when a friend of mine offered Code Name Verity to me I jumped the queue and started reading it immediately. 

It took me about a week to read, but only because I had to split my reading time between textbooks about the history of Islam, politics of Turkey, and mathematics. The writing is brilliant in that it is conversational and thus speeds you along page by page amping up your heart rate and forcing reader investment into the wellbeing and survival of the characters. But nothing is guaranteed in war and we remember that always as we flip through their story. The risk of death is ever impending. 

I'm conflicted in which score to truly give for this review. While I'd love to offer it 5 stars, there is a strong piece of me that wants to give it 4.5 and here is why: it ended abruptly. The irony in this is that I loved reading the book so much that I wanted it to last longer (thus the 5 stars), but because it ended so quickly with many unresolved questions in the reader's mind that has nothing to do with WWII and everything to do with the main character's life thereafter I want to give it 4.5 stars. As a writer, I tip my hat to Elizabeth Wein. She's left us wanting more and didn't wrap everything up in a tidy little bow. As a reader, I think I would leer at here if I passed her in the street because I want - no - I need to know more about what happens next! 

So I'll rest at 5 stars. She's earned them and the novel really is well worth it. It's stated that this is a young adult fiction and, as I've only just found out, I am struggling with trying to accept that. So I'll put it as simply as I can - don't let the genre scare you off. If this is young adult fiction, it's the Shania Twain of young adult fiction and can hop genres all it wants!

I highly recommend this read to men and women both, as much as teenagers. It's a serious depiction of a history not always told of the women fighters, spies, pilots, and prisoners of WWII and the profound impact they had on the outcome of the war.

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Review: The Mermaid's Sister



My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's the cover art that got me. It was mysterious, playful, and simplistically beautiful. Just like the story within that cover. So entranced by the cover was I that I didn't realize the genre I was reading - namely that of young or new adult. Not a bad surprise, I assure you.

Step into the wilds of a deep country mountainside where an elder woman cleans dishes in the cement sink of her little cottage tucked away between chicken coops and gardens. Healing concoctions boil in a kettle over the fire in the hearth, the laughter of two young girls waft in on the breeze, and with it, the jingle of homemade wind chimes and clanging pots. A stork, an apple, a conch shell, and a witch bring this little family together (and keep it apart) in a life born from fairytales. There's love, there's mermaids, and there's jealousy. Gypsies, dragons, potions, and abduction! This quaint little story will have you mesmerized until the end.

Carrie Anne Noble's debut novel is really quite perfect as it blends some predictability with many surprises, folklore with old England's fae world. Her writing style captures the imagination almost immediately and whisks the mind away in rapid form. She's a talent worth watching in the future. Although it didn't keep me so entirely raptured that I was remiss to put it down, the book maintained my attention entirely and acted as a wonderful escape from my daily routine.

I recommend The Mermaid's Sister to any who enjoy a little magic in their lives, but most definitely to young women who struggle with boys, sisters, responsibility, and courage. So kick up your feet and cozy up to a warm fire with this pleasant tale and let your imagination soar!

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Review: The Pirates!: In An Adventure With Scientists



My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever met a pirate? Then how do you know if what is said about them is true? They swash buckles and ooze charm, seduce women and pillage merchants. They are diabolically intelligent, black hearted, romantic, and handsome. Or so we're told. But what about more important things like ham and beard growing and sea shanties? Sea monsters and poems and wooing mermaids?

Gideon Defoe is something of a comedic genius. He pulls literary and historic characters into his world of pirating shenanigans led by the ever commanding Pirate Captain - a man known for his nautical prowess and indefatigable problem solving skills. Any short comings that he most certainly does not have are made up by the closest member of his crew, namely the Pirate with a Scarf. It is a motley crew, no doubt, comprised of men from all corners of Europe and even one lady who has escaped the confines of a Victorian England parlor. Oddly, for pirates, they do seem so spend much of their time on land versus the water, but don't tell the Pirate Captain I've said so.

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists is the first installment of five in this novelette series. Tricked by the Pirate Captain's arch-frenemy, Black Bellamy, into believing a certain ship was loaded with gold the pirate crew run into not-yet-famed scientist Charles Darwin on his journey to great discoveries aboard his ship the HMS Beagle. Destroying it in the process and taking on the new passenger. Determined to help Darwin in his quest the pirates some how end up in America at P.T. Barnum's circus. I'll let you figure out just how.

Though packed with nonsensical logic and romping adventure where at least one person will be run through by the end, the footnotes are filled with tidbits of information which are often informative, but mostly loaded with facts about Defoe's motherland that otherwise would be deemed as useless knowledge. They add to the depth of the book and remind the reader that though in the Victorian era where pirating is coming to an end, the story truly is timeless and without a concrete era. Also, it's been turned into a 3D stop motion movie.

Scientists was my first introduction to the series and one which fueled a purchase frenzy to gather the other books as quickly as possible. For sensible chuckles and a break from everyday life, these books are the perfect dosage of humor, history, adventure, and the appreciation of one man's ability to intertwine them all together. I highly recommend this series to any and all.

The Pirate! Series:

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Review: Go Set a Watchman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Let's be frank about it: Go Set a Watchman is not as good as To Kill a Mockingbird.

And that's ok.

However, when paired together, the effect is magical.

I read To Kill a Mockingbird within a couple of hours spread out over a few days. I was hooked on it for the sake of the story and a love of the characters. It was quite a bit different with Go Set a Watchman, but if you give it time you will notice that as you near the end the pages turn much faster and your heart beats in similar pace.

We've been told that Go Set a Watchman is not a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, although it reads as such, but is, in fact, the original story that Harper Lee intended to publish. I'm thankful that both were released and in the order which occurred. Having read both novels so closely together I was able to pick out the tiny bits of story in Go Set a Watchman that turned into To Kill a Mockingbird and I'm blown away that she created a second, completely new novel with only characters and small references to connect the two. That alone deserves respect and warrants giving the second book a thorough chance.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, we are introduced to a man of noble character who is not only a loving, understanding father figure, but also a lawyer willing to represent a doomed negro boy accused of raping a white girl in the 1930's south. We praise him for his courage and compassion, his commitment to equality and teaching his children to be loving rather than judgmental. Atticus Finch eases the guilt in our minds about racial tension because he was standing proof that not all white men were bigoted members of the KKK. We grew attached to him and when the story ended we expelled a sigh of relief and felt warm all over because he didn't disappoint us.

And then, in Go Set a Watchman, we learn otherwise. As a collective community the veil of his piousness is lifted and his Godlike stature crumbles. Alongside Jean Louise, readers are rocked out of the safety of Atticus's shadow and our hearts are broken by the revelation that he is merely a man who is subject to the attitude of the mob. Rather than being all that we've decided he was we find that all he has done has been out of this need for justice and order. He upholds the law because it is the law, not because he feels compelled to protect those in need. And we rebel against him just like our heroine.

Her fire becomes our fire and every word she spews represents our own feelings. We've been deceived and we want revenge. But if we can see through the emotionalism of the situation and be logical we will see that Atticus hasn't changed at all and is still worthy of our admiration. We experience an awakening of consciousness just as she does. Unfortunately for us, we don't have an Uncle Jack to smack us back to reality, offer us liquor as a reward, and walk us through fully understanding what has happened. So it is easy for readers to set this book down disenchanted and disgruntled. But just as Jean Louise was able to overcome this, so can we.

If we didn't have To Kill a Mockingbird to convince us of his righteousness, if we didn't grow up with Scout and Jem and Dill this effect could never have been achieved. If Go Set a Watchman were a stand alone novel it would fall flat and, although telling of the era where racial equality was blooming, yet not bloomed, readers would leave with a "that's nice" experience and nothing more. But we do have both and never before have I been able to experience something side-by-side with a character such as this. As a writer it makes me jealous; as a reader it leaves me satisfied.


Atticus Finch earned a place as my second favorite literary character because of To Kill a Mockingbird, falling just behind Jane Eyre on that list. And his place hasn't shifted since reading Go Set a Watchman. If you catch the lesson of this novel, you'll do just fine.


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