Feral ~ By James DeMonaco & B.K. Evenson – 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Horror

Thanks to NetGalley and Anchor Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 4th, 2017

256 Pages

Synopsis: From James DeMonaco, the writer/director of The Purge film franchise, comes the provocative and terrifying last stand of a lone outpost of women in the wake of a deadly pandemic.

Allie Hilts was still in high school when a fire at a top-secret research facility released an airborne pathogen that quickly spread to every male on the planet, killing most. Allie witnessed every man she ever knew be consumed by fearsome symptoms: scorching fevers and internal bleeding,madness and uncontrollable violence. The world crumbled around her. No man was spared, and the few survivors were irrevocably changed. They became disturbingly strong, aggressive, and ferocious. Feral.

Three years later, Allie has joined a group of hardened survivors in an isolated, walled-in encampment. Outside the guarded walls the ferals roam free, and hunt. Allie has been noticing troubling patterns in the ferals’ movements, and a disturbing number of new faces in the wild. Something catastrophic is brewing on the horizon and time is running out. The ferals are coming, and there is no stopping them.

Fair warning: Feral is not for the faint of heart. Given that one of the authors is James Demonaco writer/director of The Purge films, this shouldn’t come as a complete shock. There were some scenes though that even had me wincing and saying “Ew!” The first part of the book starts out strong as the reader sees how Allie deals with the end of the world as she knows it. Just a teenager, she witnesses the unimaginable and in order to protect herself and her 12-year-old sister Kim, has to do some horrible things in order to survive. As the story flashes forward three years, you see a much more hardened woman. She’s badass, and impulsive, yet still maintains her humanity somehow. Allie is really the best part of the book and she’s the main reason why I kept reading. Unfortunately, I ran into a few other issues. Feral alternates between first and third person POVs as well as between several different characters. While this style didn’t make things confusing, it did make the story rather choppy. I also wish Allie’s relationship with her sister Kim had been more developed. The other characters were unoriginal and also lacking in development and I wound up not connecting with any of them. And finally, while the book started out with a unique twist on the whole “end-of-the-world because idiotic scientists are messing around with something they shouldn’t be” trope, by the middle of the book things had become pretty predictable and I saw the ending coming a mile away. The action scenes though are masterfully done and the the book at under 300 pages is a quick read. Overall, Feral is an okay story that fans of gory horror may enjoy.

National Puppy Day!

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Happy National Puppy Day

There is no psychiatrist better in the world than a puppy licking your face.

~ Bernard Williams ~ 

Westminster Attack

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Westminster Attack

By now I think all of us have heard the news about the terror attack that occurred on the Westminster Bridge and the grounds of Parliament today, the one year anniversary of the attacks in Brussels. There really aren’t any words that I can think of to share except that my love, thoughts and prayers are with the British people and the victims. While I was watching the news and feeling helpless and devastated as I usually do when something like this happens, I began looking up the history of the Westminster Bridge and I stumbled upon this beautiful poem by William Wordsworth that I thought I’d share.

Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802

Earth has not anything to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty:

This City now doth, like a garment, wear

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Never did sun more beautifully steep

In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;

Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

The river glideth at his own sweet will: 

Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

And all that mighty heart is lying still!

A Crown Of Wishes (Star-Touched Queen #2) ~ By Roshani Chokshi – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: March 28th, 2017

352 Pages

Synopsis: Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future Of of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes–a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

A Crown of Wishes is the “companion book” to last year’s The Star-Touched Queen and while you needn’t have read the first book to enjoy this, I recommend that you do because it completes the magical world-building that was first introduced in TSTQ. I enjoyed the previous book, but this was even better, thanks to its two main characters, Gauri and Vikram. They’re both feisty and stubborn and lock horns on more than one occasion, and the banter between them is clever and funny. Their romance develops slowly but believably and it seems that the reader is aware before the two of them, that they are made for each other. There’s a third character introduced, Aasha, who is quite intriguing and while quite a bit of her background is revealed I’d love to see a book or even a novella devoted solely to her. The mythology and world-building is absolutely magnificent! Chokshi really has a beautifully descriptive and vivid style of writing that draws you into the story. The competition itself is exciting and makes this a fast-paced book. My one complaint is that I thought there were a few things that fell into place a little too easily for Gauri and Vikram. Otherwise, A Crown Of Wishes is a lush adventurous tale full of magic and humor and I highly recommend it. This duology has left me eagerly looking forward to Roshani Chokshi’s next venture, The Gilded Wolves, which is due out in 2018. 

 

Bull ~ By David Elliott – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Greek Mythology, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 28th, 2017

200 Pages

Synopsis: Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, the New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers reevaluating one of mythology’s most infamous monsters. 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Bull, but I love David Elliott and anything to do with Greek Mythology, so I knew I had to read this. While I don’t think this will be for everyone, I found it to be both hysterically funny as well as touching and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As the synopsis says, the story is told entirely in verse which takes you a little while to get used to if you haven’t read this style of writing. David Elliott really does a great job with the concept and uses a different style for each character. The humor is provided by Poseidon who is arrogant and snarky yet you can’t help but reluctantly liking him even if he does ruin people’s lives. While this is basically a modernization of the classic story of the Minotaur, what I really loved about this, was that you actually got to hear from him. Asterion is basically doomed from birth through no fault of his own and his voice particularly comes across as both tragic and beautiful. Just to give you an example, here’s a passage from when he’s 14:

I wonder if I’ll ever understand 

What I am or what one day I’ll be.

A fish?

A fowl? 

A bull?

A beast?

A man?

A superstar?

A gross monstrosity?

Minos says I’m nothing more than Nothing.

Can Nothing take a form and call it me?

But Nothing is ever what it seems.

Watch Nothing laugh.

See Nothing cry.

Hear Nothing scream.

Yep. My heart broke for him at that point. I also loved the relationship between him and his half-sister Ariadne who is determined to rescue him from the maze. Bull is a fast read (I finished it in less than an hour), that I think will appeal to older teens and adults who enjoy Greek Mythology. It perfectly captures the mercilessness of Poseidon, the fury of Minos, the insanity of Pasiphae and the self-loathing of Asterion. Because of the original subject matter and some fairly salty language, I recommend this for high-schoolers and older. 

World Poetry Day!

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Caged Bird, Maya Angelou, World Poetry Day

While I’m no poet myself, I do love and appreciate this medium, so I thought I’d share a poem from one of my favorite authors/poets who sadly passed away in 2014: the timeless and incomparable Maya Angelou.

Caged Bird

A free bird leaps 

on the back of the wind

and floats downstream 

till the current ends

and dips his wing 

in the orange sun rays

and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks

down his narrow cage

can seldom see through

his bars of rage

his wings are clipped and

his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill

of things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard

on the distant hill

for the caged bird

sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees

and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn

and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill

of things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard

on the distant hill

for the caged bird 

sings of freedom.

Happy International Happiness Day!

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Inspirational quotes, International Happiness Day

I had no idea until I visited Didi’s blog at https://didioviatt.wordpress.com that in addition to it being the first day of Spring for most of us, it’s also International Happiness Day, which in retrospect is quite fitting. So, I know Mondays can be tough, but hopefully there’s at least one thing you can think of that will instantly bring a smile to your face!

The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything. 

~ Zig Ziglar ~ 

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~

For every minute you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Happiness is a warm puppy.

~ Charles M. Schulz ~

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow. It only saps today of its joy.

~ Leo Buscaglia ~

Blood Family ~ By Anne Fine – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Child Abuse, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Family Relationships, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 21st, 2017

304 Pages

Synopsis: Edward is four years old when he is locked away with his mother by her abusive, alcoholic partner, Harris. By the time an elderly neighbor spots his pale face through a crack in the boarded-up window and raises the alarm, he is seven.

Rescue comes, but lasting damage has been done. Sent to live with a kind foster family, and then adopted, Edward struggles to adapt to normal life. Even as a smart and curious teenager it’s still clear to his new family and schoolmates there’s something odd about him. 

Then in a science museum, Edward sees an image that shocks him to the core and robs him of his hard won sense of safety. Can anyone’s past truly be left behind? And could it be that, deep down, another Harris is waiting to break out?

I’m going to start by saying that Blood Family isn’t going to be for everyone. It’s an issue laden story that can be tough reading, especially as it focuses on a young boy who has been so badly traumatized. It is a heartbreaking and realistic look at Eddie from the age of seven to fifteen and how he copes with what happened to him. The story is made even more interesting as it’s not only told by Eddie, but by the people who become part of his life, from the authorities who rescue him and his mother Lucy, to his foster parents, and adoptive parents, and the psychologists who treat him. Seeing Eddie through their eyes gives the reader a better sense  of his development. It’s Eddie’s chapters though that are particularly gut-wrenching and hard to read at times. I’m going to be honest and admit that I wound up forming a close connection with him in part due to my own childhood experiences. But, I also think that any reader won’t be able to become emotionally invested in him. Eddie struggles to overcome so much and while he loses his way at times the end leaves you with hope that he has overcome what was done to him during his early childhood. The story also raises the question of nature vs nurture in an interesting and thought-provoking way When Blood Family first was published in 2014 in England, it was short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, and after reading this, I can certainly understand why. My one problem is while it falls under the YA category, how young is too young as far as who to recommend this for? While the style of writing is fine for middle-grade students, because of the subject matter, I don’t think I’d recommend this to anyone under the age of fourteen. Otherwise, this is a poignant and realistic exploration at domestic abuse and its aftermath, that I think would lend itself well to individual readers as well as teen book discussion groups. 

Happy Spring Everyone!

Tags

Christina Rossetti, Literary Quotes, Spring

Spring is when life’s alive in everything.

~ Christina Rossetti ~

The Fire Child ~ By S. K. Tremayne – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Cornwall, Family Relationships, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to a NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 28th, 2017

400 Pages

Synopsis: THE PERFECT HUSBAND. THE PERFECT STEPSON. THE PERFECT LIE.

When Rachel marries dark, handsome David, everything seems to fall into place. Swept from single life in London to the beautiful Carnhallow House in Cornwall,  she gains wealth, love, and an affectionate stepson, Jamie.

But then Jamie’s behavior changes, and Rachel’s perfect life begins to unravel. He makes disturbing predictions, claiming to be haunted by the specter of his late mother–David’s previous wife. Is this Jamie’s way of punishing Rachel, or is he far more traumatized than she thought?

As Rachel starts digging into the past, she begins to grow suspicious of her husband. Why is he so reluctant to discuss Jamie’s outbursts? And what exactly happened to cause his ex-wife’s untimely death, less than two years ago? As summer slips away and December looms Rachel begins to fear there might be truth in Jamie’s words:

“You will be dead by Christmas.”

The Fire Child is creepy and disturbing in an entirely good way, and for the majority of the book I had no clue what was happening or who was telling the truth. The setting of Cornwall was a brilliant choice on the part of the author’s as it lent a haunting and gothic atmosphere to this modern day story. Blended into the story is some tragic history about mining in Cornwall with photographs added in occasionally of some of the mines and workers. Against this backdrop is the ancient and isolated Carnhallow House, which has been in David’s family for centuries. While the story starts out happily enough with Rachel and David enjoying their newlywed life and making the most of the summer, it’s not long before things start going downhill. At the center of it all is the mystery surrounding the death of David’s first wife. Jamie swears to Rachel that he’s been seeing his mother. And if that isn’t creepy enough, he starts making predictions about Rachel which eerily come true. As Rachel becomes determined to not only discover the truth of what happened eighteen months ago, but also to protect Jamie, she and David become more and more alienated, with neither one trusting the other. And this brings me to why this wasn’t quite a perfect read for me. The lack of communication between Rachel, David, and Jamie borders on the unbelievable at times. David is a lawyer in London who only gets home on the weekends, yet despite that there are plenty of opportunities for him to find out what’s going on but instead he assumes things, particularly about Rachel. Because of this he makes matters much worse for all of them. Rachel and Jamie are both unreliable characters, yet I still became emotionally invested in the two of them. Is Rachel going crazy or is there something to her fears and what she’s seeing and hearing? And is Jamie just a traumatized eight-year-old, trying to deal with the death of his mother, or is the something more sinister behind his actions? Almost the entire time I was reading this I didn’t know if this was going to turn out to be a paranormal ghost story which made things even more intriguing. The only other issue I had concerns a huge twist near the end which struck me as a bit too melodramatic and unrealistic. The conclusion itself though, ties everything up and left me pretty well satisfied. Somewhat reminiscent of classic gothics like Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier, The Fire Child is a slow burner filled with plenty of disquieting and menacing scenes to keep you up at night.