Book Review

Review: Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

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20131023-174824.jpgWhat really happens to your soul after you die? Personal beliefs aside, it's impossible for anyone to answer that question with absolute certainty. This novel offers a beautiful possibility to that question.

When fifteen-year-old Liz is struck by a car, she wakes up aboard the
SS Nile. Baffled by the mostly elderly strangers around her, Liz eventually comes to the realization that she did not survive her accident and is in fact dead. She and all the other passengers are on their way to Elsewhere, an alternate reality-type world where humans as well as their pets go after their death. Here they spend their years aging backwards until, as babies, they return to Earth to be born again. Liz has a difficult time coming to grips with her death and mourns the loss of all that she left behind-never turning sixteen, no driver’s license, no prom dates, never going to college…

I loved this book for so many reasons. Gabrielle Zevin has created a beautiful world full of waterfalls, beaches, sunny days, great food, museums, encounters with famous dead people, and reunions with lost loved ones. I was hooked from the first page as the story opens from the perspective of Lucy, Liz’s grieving Pug. I also loved the talking pets and the humans who are able to speak their language. Yes, it sounds far fetched, but it really works with the story. The characters are fun and likeable and a subtle sense of humor runs throughout the book. Conversations flow easily and are believable, fantasy world aside.

Highly recommended for all, but especially for fans of young adult novels and fantasy in particular.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Elsewhere

Review and a GIVEAWAY#1!!!!

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Are you wondering what book??? One word……..SLAMMED. Are you excited??? Not only that but it is a SIGNED copy!!!

This is a book that is really hard to describe for me because it’s one of my favorites, by one of my favorite authors. Okay, I’ll start with a summary and try to go from there and see if I can make any sense.

At 18, Layken, her mother and her younger brother pack things up and relocate to Michigan after her fathers’ death. The first person she meets there is her neighbor across the street, Will, and his little brother. They have a sudden, intense attraction to each other that only intensifies after a fantastic first date. Layken is thrilled that this move isn’t turning out to be as horrible as she feared.

However, almost immediately after the first date they are shocked to discover they cannot see each other anymore. Layken and Will are both miserable, which is made even worse by having to see each other daily as neighbors and as their odd little brothers become best friends. They try to deal as best they can but Layken is ready to explode.

That description does absolutely nothing for the book because the book is awesome. The dialogue is incredibly funny between the little brothers who are both nerdy and ridiculous but adorable. The slam poetry is amazing. I found myself reading and re-reading each slam, trying to get the intonation that would make it sound best. Layken’s best friend Eddie, is great and provide both an outlet for Eddie and more laughter the book needs to balance out the seriousness it has.

I literally both laughed and cried while reading this book. I don’t cry a lot when I read. I mean, I did cry reading Little Women and Gone With the Wind at certain points if you know what I mean…not to give any spoilers away. But I don’t cry at the majority of books, and I read a lot of angsty stuff. This one made me cry, but I was laughing while I cried. It’s so hard to explain. But other Colleen Hoover fans get it because once you read Slammed you will want to read Point of Retreat. Then you realize she’s written a few other things. Then you’re pretty much hooked. You’re welcome for that!

A couple of us muses were lucky enough to go to a book signing this week and we have a few signed books to giveaway. In case you didn’t notice the #1, there’s more to giveaways to come. The first will be this wonderful, awesome, gut wrenching book. We’re also including some swag Atria Publishing was kind enough to give out at the signing! With the SIGNED book you will also receive a great Hopeless bookmark, an I ❤ Atria Authors card and a great purple Colleen Hoover bag! You know you want it. So we'll make it easy, just like our Facebook page and comment on this post and that's it. We'll keep it open til next Thursday. Good luck!!!

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Sneak Peek Review: Parasite by Mira Grant

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Parasite** The release date for this book is October 29th **

I am not often surprised by a series.  However, the Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant did just that.  I’ve read some zombie books and these books just didn’t *read* like a zombie series.  When I saw that this new book was coming out by Grant I was terribly excited!  I was sad to see the end of the Newsflesh series and wondered what Grant would do next.  Then I found the book on Netgallery as a “read now”  and I got SUPER excited!  I just couldn’t wait and I read it as soon as it downloaded onto Kote Kindle.  I really enjoyed this book. It’s a good follow-up to the Newsflesh Trilogy and it did not disappoint me much.   There’s no doubt when you get to the ending that there will be more to follow. I am somewhat disappointed that I knew what the ending was going to be. It wasn’t that hard for me to figure out the “big shock” at the end.  However, I am not really sure that Grant intended for it to be a surprise. I think the main character was just faced with having to accept facts that she already knew…she was just unwilling to believe…After all, if it was staring me in the face for most of the book, I reckon it was staring her in the face as well….just saying….I would also like to say that many of the characters of the book the reminded me of some of the characters from  the Newsflesh Trilogy.  I think that if I had not read that series, I would have perhaps enjoyed this book a bit more.  The storyline was somewhat new and exciting, but the players, for me, were not….Only the names seemed different….not the personalities….

This book reminded me a lot of Stephenie Meyer’s book “The Host”. Having said that, I will say that I can actually see Grant’s story happening one day in the future. Meyer’s book takes a much larger stretch of the imagination. I believe that science could find a way to introduce organisms into our host bodies to help combat illnesses as in this book….I am not so sure they will be extraterrestrials as in Meyer’s book….I will be looking forward to reading the next book and I hope that I don’t have to wait too long!

ARC provided by NetGallery for an honest review…

Until next time….

– Urania xx

Buy it now  Parasite

Review: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

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20131016-195916.jpgHow do you define courage? It can be exemplified in many different ways. A firefighter rushing in to a burning building. A shy student standing up in front of the class to give a speech. A child riding a bicycle without training wheels for the first time. Malala’s story gives a whole new meaning to the word. If by some chance you haven’t heard of Malala, that’s even more of a reason to read this book.

The prologue takes us back to the day that Malala was shot as we are given a brief overview of that fateful moment. We then get a glimpse into the childhood of Malala’s parents. This backstory provides us with the knowledge of what exactly a woman’s role was and still is in many parts of Pakistan and the Middle East. Having this background knowledge made me even more appreciative of the strength and courage shown by not only Malala but her entire family. I also felt a huge amount of respect for her father for following his heart and not bowing down to traditional roles he disagreed with. As the leader of this family, he truly set the stage for all the good things that followed.

We are next taken through her childhood and witness tragic events such as 9/11 and the Taliban’s invasion of Pakistan through her eyes, those of a young girl. Malala’s story made my heart weep at the tragedy she faced but more importantly at the bravery of this young girl who wanted nothing more than to simply go to school. Such a simple thing but yet one that most children in more industrialized countries take for granted. We are reminded of the harsh lives that children around the world face.

In Malala’s words, looking the other way is not an option when thirty-two million girls around the world are not in school. She’s not asking for anything special, just the right to go to school. Most people would withdraw from the public eye after coming so close to death for simply standing up for their beliefs. Not this young woman. Although her family has not returned to Pakistan, she continues to speak out for all children.

I eagerly anticipated the release of this book and was not disappointed. It was everything I expected and more. I had to keep reminding myself that this horrible tragedy happened to a fifteen-year-old girl. I am simply in awe of this young lady and can’t wait to see what else she accomplishes in her life. My favorite quote from this book also happens to be the last one:

I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not.

~Thalia

Buy it now I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

Review: Where the Mountains are Thieves by David Marion Wilkinson

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20131018-100349.jpg This dramatic novel set in the deserts of west Texas is about a man trying to find the best life for himself, his wife, their marriage, and their son. The problem is, he doesn’t have a whole lot of ambition, and his myopic focus sabotages his efforts.

The first two-thirds of the book is description. The narrator/protagonist describes his failures, marriage, travels, new home and feelings about the new home, desire to be a good husband and father, and finally, his baseball team. Well, the baseball team he helps coach.

I struggled through this descriptive section. It was rambly, depressing, and sloooooowwwwww. I almost quit reading. But since I was interested in whether this guy was going to get a life — and how his wife and son would fare — I trudged on.

The last third of the book is full of action: A dalliance, an accident, a success, a failure, another move. I was on the edge of my seat, wiping tears from my eyes and giving the protagonist a stern talking-to. Wilkinson made the book come alive, and thank goodness he did.

I was about to give this novel 2 stars — but the last part of it is worthy of 4. So if you think you have the patience for 300 pages of 2 star material, you will be treated to some excellent writing and dramatic action in the last 150 pages.

If only the publisher demanded the first 300 pages be edited down to half that, Wilkinson would have a 4-star novel on his hands… reminiscent of a Pat Conroy read.

I’m glad I read Where the Mountains are Thieves. Just wished it didn’t take so long to get to the good stuff. 🙂

-Calliope

Buy it now Where the Mountains are Thieves

Review: Holding Out for a Hero by Amy Andrews

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20131014-151939.jpg Ella remembered her school years with tears and a hard heart. Her mother was an outcast and she was treated like one too.

Jake had similar bad memories – a drunk, neglectful father gave kids fodder to tease Jake – and a reason for Jake to be sullen and rebellious.

Fast forward 20 years when Ella is the principal for a low income school, and former rugby player Jake is a philanthropist under the guise of the local pub owner. Ella needs Jake’s help to save the school … and while they’re working that out, they’re also working out some romantic tension.

I loved that Jake was a humble, honest guy who felt protective of Ella and her brother. He was an appealing alpha hero who stood up to idiots who disrespected women.

Ella might appear as somewhat of a crybaby to some readers, but I saw her as a strong woman who had shouldered so much in her life, accomplished so much, and finally felt safe enough with someone (Jake) to grieve for her childhood and her mother.

The truly beautiful thing about this book was the exploration of appealing subplots: Rosie the goth chick dates Simon the straight laced politician. Rosie’s aunts try to save their house from developer’s greed. Rosie and Ella celebrate their friendship on a daily basis.

The facets of Holding Out felt real. I felt like I was Ella, crying my eyes out to my man one minute, trying to straighten out a teenager the next, having a cocktail with my best friend later on, and finally looking for solace with my aunties across the table.

Holding Out for a Hero is a romance, but it’s also a commentary on friendship, staying true to yourself, and not letting your perception of the past color your future. Amy Andrews gives us all that, plus a hot rugby player hero and a happily ever after.

–Calliope

Buy it now Holding Out For a Hero

Review: Stirring Up Trouble by Juli Alexander

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5 stars!

If you’re looking for a fun, young romance for a teenage girl to read (or if you yourself want to wax nostalgic), this is it! I’ll tell you upfront, there’s a lot of teenage kissing and a little bit of hand-wandering. Other than that, clean clean clean. Perfect for ages 13 and up.

Zoe is the magical daughter of a magical mom and a scientific dad. They’re divorced. Zoe has one magical friend, Milo, and regular friends Anya, Jake (who used to date Anya), and Camille.

The book centers on Zoe figuring out what to do about her crush on Jake, how she’s going to avoid getting into trouble with her magic, what to do with her annoying dad, and how she’s going to balance her friendships when her girlfriends are a little crazy sometimes.

Juli does a WONDERFUL job writing realistic teenage dialogue, describing awkward relationships with parents, showing how a teenager’s behavior doesn’t always match her thoughts, and using magic as the vehicle for moral lessons (greed, selflessness, kindness, honesty).

The story is super fun, light, and funny. It’s like a rom-com for teenagers with some potions and spells sprinkled in. I’m no teenager, but I loved it!

–Calliope

Great price: $2.99!

Buy it now Stirring Up Trouble
…and the next in the series Trouble’s Brewing

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Review: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

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RoadThis book was an audible deal of the day recently, so I’ve heard it mentioned quite a bit in the last few days, so I decided to revisit it and post my review….I just read it for the first time a month or so ago…and it really left me feeling a bit hopeless…

Okay, let us all travel down “The Road” for just a moment…it’s a dark and dreary road to be sure, but it is a road that I did, in fact, travel down with Mr McCarthy…This might be a book I need to come back and revisit and perhaps re-rate as well (I don’t usually post my star ratings, but this one received a 3). The writing style was hard to catch on to at first. I hated the dialogue formatting. It was something that I could follow, but at the same time, in my mind I always took a moment to be annoyed with it!! Very distracting. Depressing books don’t bother me. I actually enjoy them most of the time…I know….depressing, eh? Bwhahahahahahahahaha. But seriously, where was the hope in this one? Where was the light at the end suppose to shine? I seriously hate Hollywood endings, but as depressing as Water World & Mad Max were, at least in the end you were able to see a glimpse of what the world might become….here? I saw not even a flicker of light….I saw nothing as to what the world might become….I suppose as much as this book left me with unanswered questions (let me just point out, I freaking love books without a pretty bow wrapped ending, my favorite books are those that give the reader just enough for the reader to imagine the ending….or in many cases, the start of the rest of the story that will go on and on) the main question I am left with is this….which McCarthy book shall I read next? I need to know if all of his books are written such as this…….SEE!!!!!!!!! I told you I was into depression…..bwhahahahahahahahaha….Seriously, I have heard some great things about Cormac McCarthy….there are a few books of his that I REALLY want to read…and I want to read them soon….”Blood Meridian” and “No Country for Old Men” are two books that I think about often and really want to make the time to read…..Has anyone reading this read either of them? Have you read “The Road”? How do they compare? Who dares to help me out here?

Be sure to watch for my upcoming review of “The Cuckoo’s Calling” by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling

~ Urania xx

Buy It Now The Road

Review: A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

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Oh. My. Goodness. A Hundred Summers was so good and so substantial that I had to stop every few chapters to reflect on and digest what I just read. I consumed this novel, and it consumed me. I was smiling as I read. Grinning from ear to ear. I’m happy even thinking about it now. A Hundred Summers is a conventional love story with unconventional twists and characters who made my eyes bug out of my head. There were several mouth-agape, palm-over-mouth gasping moments as well as full chapters that got my shoulders a-tense.

It’s the writing that makes this book a winner. Williams’ cleverness impressed me. She used metaphor and symbolism expertly: a football game, a snowstorm, a hurricane. What you see isn’t what you get; you get something even better.

Reading A Hundred Summers, I was surprised at every turn. I could not predict a thing (well, until the end, and even then I was afraid I was wrong). The characters surprised me, their circumstances shocked me. Their behavior — for the 1930s, especially! — entertained me.

Nick and Lily were an item six years ago. They had even planned on getting married. But family issues, misunderstandings, and Lily’s friend Budgie interfered. Budgie ended up with Nick. Budgie’s old flame Graham wanted Lily. No one’s intentions were pure … Jealousy, ego, anger, hurt and vengeance all played a part.

The plot explains how Nick and Lily untangle themselves from the scandal that was built around each of their families, but it isn’t a straight and narrow road. The twists and turns will pull you in, and drag you around the beach for a hundred glorious summers.

A Hundred Summers is going into my Favorites collection, along with Hosseini’s And The Mountains Echoed and Conroy’s The Prince of Tides.

-Calliope

Buy it now A Hundred Summers

Review: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

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16130549The day this book came out I heard a BBC Radio review of it. The reviewer ended her review stating that they believed that this book would hurt Stephen King’s reputation….well talk about a ruined day! I am always scared to read a new book from an author I love. What if it’s a complete dud and I hate it? It’s harder to remember a great passionate love for a book when you read a few that are total rubbish from the same author. Should it matter? No. Maybe not. But it does. Think about it…how many times have you said, “well, I used to love xxxxxx but I hate their later works, so I don’t even bother any more….Do you ever spend sleepless nights pondering all the great reads you might have missed just because of one bad book? Aw, co’mon….I’m the ONLY one??????? Psssffftttttttt……

So, anyway, I was hesitant now to start a book that I had *really* been looking forward to….all because I happened to hear a random stranger on the radio piss and moan about how boring this book was at parts….SERIOUSLY?????? I’ve been a Stephen King fan for over 25 years!!!! Yet, this random stranger made me doubt that love! This is why I avoid reviews (well, except for Muse Reviews….we offer only the BEST and most honest reviews EVER…no! REALLY we do!!!!)

Well, let me tell you, Doctor Sleep grabbed me from the very first paragraph and I tell you now….it had me by my throat and it did not let go until the very last….and I tell you now….I am still a bit breathless from the whole experience…..

However, that crazy woman from BBC Radio stayed close to my mind. As I read this book, I had to stop and think about Stephen King as well. Sure, there are one or two authors I follow because I have learned that I love just about everything they write….blog posts, reviews, epic novels, whatever…..but it’s not often that I am wondering what the hell is going on in their mind as they are writing the book I am reading…..I don’t mean, wondering how they ever came up with the story, or the wonderful characters….I was wondering what actual thoughts of failure or success SK was pondering. How was he able to put his own thoughts of what this book would mean to his readers and his career to the side and actually write this novel. What sort of discipline that must have taken!

With all the hoopla over this book, I know that SK has been a bit anxious about how it would be received. Any one of the dozens of interviews with him leading up to this novel will tell you he’s been nervous. Especially since “The Shining” is so well known……Why wouldn’t he be? Think about it……take a moment out of your busy day….go on then…..close your eyes……turn off that telly…..and think of one single word…just one…

~ REDRUM ~

What do you see? What do you feel? What do you know?

Stephen King did that! With a single word! How f**king brilliant is that? Seriously…..How many people in this life time get one word that instantly brings such a strong memory to you? ONE. SINGLE. WORD!!!!

So how do you top that? How many of King’s works have been pure and magical brilliance? How many have been…errrrr….rubbish? How does he handle that? Is he able to shut that off? At the end of this novel he puts the date of May 1, 2011 – July 17, 2012 as the dates this one was written….of course there is probably no way to measure just how many minutes, hours, days, even years that little Danny Torrance played in and out of King’s mind.

If you think “The Shining” scared you, well how do you reckon it has scared SK all these years? Who haunts him the most? Jack with his alcoholism that AA was not readily available to help him though. Especially knowing SK’s own battle with the disease…..Was it little Danny, aka “Doc”, whom was a victim by no fault of his own. Or is the complete success of “The Shining” itself that haunts him the most?

The fact that this book was so wonderful, well it’s just amazing. It wasn’t overdone. It wasn’t a rehash of the first book. Most importantly, it was so NOT a disappointment. It’s been a few days since I finished it and I am still thinking about it! I am still savoring bits and pieces in my mind. I wish I was STILL reading it!!!

SK did little Doc proud in this novel. He also makes amends to any wrong he might have inadvertently caused Jack Torrance in “The Shining”. Most importantly, for me, SK also manages to do what I love the very most from any author….he ends it in such a way that the reader can walk away with a smile on their face…or the story can be revisited years later….he leaves you, the reader, completely happy with a closure yet leaves a huge, elaborately carved thick wooden door there….it’s closed at the moment….there’s no way we can see beyond it….we don’t have the key to enter….and really…. it’s lovely to just look at….but….if by some chance…..SK decides to open it at a future date, we, the readers, will be thrilled to once again let him hold our hand and guide us through that magic that is contained within his mind that he sometimes shares with us…..just please….Someone! Anyone! Don’t forget the bloody torch! It can get scary sometimes where he leads us….and no way am I riding in a RV to get there either….just saying….

~Urania

Buy it now Doctor Sleep