Septemb-Eyre: Jane Eyre Readalong Recap #1

Hosted by Kerry at Entomology of a Bookworm

Chapters I - XI

Commentary:

Re-reading these first chapters I am struck by the fact that Charlotte Brontë started our introduction to Jane when Jane finally rebels against her bullying cousin John and the irrational hatred of Mrs. Reed.  It's a powerful representation of Jane's character because although she becomes outwardly subdued and her passionate nature is restrained for much of the book later, it's important to know that this is who Jane is, no matter the cultural conventions.  As a child she's not cute and cuddly and as an adult the "rugged points" in her character must be accepted by the people she allows to get close to her.  

The other aspect I find so interesting is how quick Jane is to point out hypocrisy.  I think I read somewhere that children excel at recognizing hypocrisy and what is and isn't fair and while it's pretty serious how unfair it is that Mrs. Reed shows such disdain for Jane and gives preferential treatment to her children, and how Mr. Brocklehurst is so intent on making the Lowood girls humble and plain yet his family lives in ostentatious luxury, Jane can put her statements about these circumstances in such a way that shows a very ironic and sly wit that I really enjoy.  For instance:

"Abbot, I think, gave me credit for being a sort of infantine Guy Fawkes."

"Breakfast was over, and none had breakfasted.  Thanks being returned for what we had not got..."

"Mr. Brocklehurst was here interrupted: three other visitors, ladies, now entered the room. They ought to have come a little sooner to have heard his lecture on dress, for they were splendidly attired in velvet, silk, and furs."

It was great to read Jane grow into an adult - with her childhood memories sometimes tempered by the adult Jane who is telling the story so we can get that bit of humor and a little bit of perspective - like why she felt she was an outcast at Gateshead.  Of course now that we are at Thornfield, there's so much stuff to look forward to reading about!

Memorable Quotes:

"It is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what it is your fate to be required to bear." - Helen Burns, Chapter VI

“If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.” - Helen Burns, Chapter VIII

I desired liberty; for liberty I gasped; for liberty I uttered a prayer; it seemed scattered on the wind then faintly blowing. I abandoned it and framed a humbler supplication; for change, stimulus: that petition, too, seemed swept off into vague space: “Then,” I cried, half desperate, “grant me at least a new servitude!” - Jane Eyre, Chapter X

Extra Credit:

"Leah, make a little hot negus and cut a sandwich or two: here are the keys of the storeroom." - Mrs. Fairfax, from Chapter XI

I've decided for each recap post, I'm going to spotlight some aspect or do some activity related to each section I'm reading, so for this post I decided to make a little hot negus and try it myself.  And it's pretty easy so you can try it too! (um, aged 21 and over only obviously)

The recipe (which I pulled over here, with my own modifications since there seems to be a few different recipes out there)

1/2 cup Port wine
1 cup water
Juice from half a lemon
2 tbsp sugar
Sprinkle of nutmeg

And I didn't quite follow the steps of the above recipe... so here's what I did:

Warm up the wine and water in a saucepan (I really should have just warmed up the water to almost boiling and then add the wine to the cup)
Add lemon juice and sugar (could add more sugar to taste).
Sprinkle in nutmeg - I used ground, when the recipe called for grated, so I hope that's okay.

There's a bit of tang to it which I think comes from the lemon, so maybe I'll try adding less lemon next time (and more sugar because I have a sweet tooth!) but it was really a very comforting drink, I can see why Mrs. Fairfax called for it after the long traveling day Jane had to Thornfield.  I actually don't like the taste of alcohol that much, but it's not too bad in this drink, so I highly recommend giving it a try!  Of course I had to try this when the weather's been in the upper 90s and a hot drink is definitely not what I needed, so I'm saving this for colder days!

Review: Blackmoore

Blackmoore
by Julianne Donaldson

Plot Summary:

Kate Worthington knows her heart and she knows she will never marry. Her plan is to travel to India instead—if only to find peace for her restless spirit and to escape the family she abhors. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. She makes a bargain with Kate: India, yes, but only after Kate has secured—and rejected—three marriage proposals.

Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore determined to fulfill her end of the bargain and enlists the help of her dearest childhood friend, Henry Delafield. But when it comes to matters of love, bargains are meaningless and plans are changeable. There on the wild lands of Blackmoore, Kate must face the truth that has kept her heart captive. Will the proposal she is determined to reject actually be the one thing that will set her heart free?

Set in Northern England in 1820, Blackmoore is a Regency romance that tells the story of a young woman struggling to learn how to follow her heart. It is Wuthering Heights meets Little Women with a delicious must-read twist.

Review: 

I always love a good romance, but I think this book takes it a bit too far.  If there was an immediate thought I had when I finished this book (amidst the swooning) I think it would have been "life-ruiner!" As in, this book has characters, setting and a romance that is simply never to be had in this lifetime. What a joy this novel is.  It's the ultimate escape for people who want to read about romance that will hurt your heart with it's perfection.

Now I can talk about the depth of the character development, the perfect weaving of backstory in the lives of the characters with their present-day action and the surprising twists in the story's development (and I will talk about those things) but all I'm thinking about right now is the romance.  The glorious, achingly tense, perfectly pitched romance that had me constantly turning pages.  Seriously, I had to remember to breathe through all that tension.  Kate Worthington is determined to live an unconventional, independent life away from a family that she doesn't understand and who doesn't understand her, and the lengths she goes to achieve her goal - her uncompromising persevering pursuance of it - shows the indomitable nature of her character.  And the tension in her need to resist her romantic feelings for her best friend because it gets in the way of the freedom she craves, is what drives the narrative.  I think it's pretty clear early on how the couple feel about each other but with a myriad of secrets kept between them, they don't feel free to say what they feel.  And the author torments the reader in letting slip so many tender moments between them, while still keeping them apart.  It's so beautifully done and so utterly enchanting, I was reduced to a starry-eyed sop by the end of the story.  No regrets though.

The characters are of course a very important component to why this novel worked so well.  The main characters are believable and inspiring and truly deserving of each other.  Kate is a very strong heroine, and one who is compassionate and intelligent.  Often heroines who are rebels are also a bit wild, but Kate is on the whole modest and refined - a contrast to her family who are involved in a shocking scandal or two.  It's partly because of the these scandals that Kate's prospects have been hurt, and because she is not like them, but an interesting, bookish, and vibrant character I really rooted for, I was so looking forward to her happy ending.

Her dear friend Henry Delafield who is very caring and chivalrous and downright swoonworthy, tries to keep his feelings locked up, but whenever there were glimpses of it, it made him that much more appealing because of the sincerity in his character and the effort he made to keep what he thought would not be wanted.  It's so lovely to read a romance that begins with a true connection between the characters, and maintains that through their conversation and interactions.

With the story set on the English seaside moors and a lovely old manor home the backdrop for such a tense but curbed passionate love story, the atmosphere of this book is pretty much perfect.  The wildness of the moors and the sea compliments the brimming life in Kate, and although I was surprised by a certain turn the story took in the end, it made complete sense and made me very happy for Kate.  I think this is an extraordinarily lovely novel and perfect for readers who love an intellectual romance between two strong characters.

I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review.  I was not compensated for this review.

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I don't usually quote from books in my review, but I loved this quote (and moment) so much I wanted to share it:

"You are brave and loyal and true.  You have such a good heart."  He held my hand close to his chest and covered it with his other hand.  "It is only afraid.  But I would take such good care of it, love, if you would give it to me."

Loc 2325/ p191

Suspense Sundays (61) Song of the Heart

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.   {My archive list of episodes}

"Song of the Heart"

Air date: August 26, 1948
Starring Van Heflin

>>Episodes here<<

Orphan Neil Wilson, raised by his loving Aunt, still lives with her now that he has a decent job in management.  He doesn't seem to have any friends or girlfriends, but when Muriel Jones comes up to him at a staff party they get along right away (especially as Muriel is by no means shy!) and decide to get married.  Neil's Aunt is very attached to Neil though, and infuriatingly dismisses Neil's attachment to Muriel and Muriel herself.  Neil is getting tired of his Aunt's attitude and of her emotional dependence on him and decides maybe it's time to get rid of her.

The episode begins with Neil's confession of murder, and I loved how quickly I was rooting for Neil to murder his aunt... that is until something that happens near the end.  But she is very infuriating and while I couldn't understand why Neil would fall for Muriel so fast and already decide to get married, I thought his Aunt should have at least pretended to be supportive, especially if she knew that Neil would be so fed up with her for it.  She just seemed to be so accepting of what was going to happen.  However, I don't think a Suspense episode has ever made me this close to tears because this story is incredibly moving.  This is a really great one!

Books to Music: Matilda

Just because I find myself in this story
It doesn't mean that everything's written for me.
If I think the ending is fixed already
I might as well be saying that it's OK
And that's not right!

I saw this musical based on Roald Dahl's book when I was in London a couple months ago and I had very mixed feelings on it.  Now, I think I read the book when I was in 5th grade and haven't read it since.  But my main memory about the book was that Matilda had telekinetic powers (I guess that was what I wanted to have so I remember that!) and it was odd to me that this part of the book was revealed very late in the musical.  The musical focused on Matilda's uncompromising personality and her inner world and that was great to see.

What I didn't quite like was how the musical moved away from Matilda's story.  There was a lot of time given to Matilda's tediously comical parents and her father's shady dealings and also to the only solace Matlida seemed to have - the library where she told stories to the librarian.  Which introduced a major side plot where Matilda is telling an ongoing story to the librarian.  The story has significance, but I did have some questions about it which I don't want to go into here lest I spoil the story for people.   I think I found the show moved all over the place - especially in the first act - and so it lacked a clear focus.  I was also disappointed that there seemed such a separation between Matilda and her story and the children's suffering at the hands of Mrs. Trunchbull.  Until the last half of the second act where things really came together and there were lots of engaging and catchy melodies that all culminated in the wondrous "Revolting Children" song when the children are finally free of Mrs. Trunchbull and they celebrate their freedom.  That number is so energetic and full of the power of these children, I was suddenly entranced by the message of the whole musical.

And that's where I'm mixed up with this show.  I adored the heartfelt melancholy in the idea that adults don't have the same fire and energy and optimisim in them as children, and that children suffer when made to feel inadequate and unimportant when they are anything but.  So initially I was put off by pacing issues and sideplots, but by the end I was very much caught up in the children's journey that I left wanting to dance and sing in the streets.  Thankfully for the populace I did not.  I do think that the music and lyrics of this show was so very thoughtful, clever and inspiring that that makes up for any issues I had with the development of the story.

Song Spotlight: "Revolting Children"
I already mentioned this song and how much I loved it, that I think just putting a video up of it is the next step.  This is the Tony Award's performance, and they did a mash-up of "Naughty", "Revolting Children" and "When I Grow Up" (which happen to be my three favorite songs in the whole show!) and I was completely blown away by this performance!  The children in these shows are amazing!

Review: Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)
by Robin LaFevers

Plot Summary:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Review:

This story started off really strongly - there's so much going on with Ismae - from her forced marriage to the marks she bears on her back and her estranged relationship with her father - her character is set up so strongly in the first chapters.  I was fascinated by the strength Ismae needed to build to become an assassin, and although she has trained for it, her naivete with men gives her character more room to grow throughout the story. And with her relationship with Gavriel Duval, the romance is easily the best thing about this novel!  It's given room to develop and mature - they distrust each other at first, and both have to work hard to overcome that because both of them have been hurt and don't trust easily.  I loved that they are thrown together so much (because Ismae is pretending to be his mistress) and while that intimate pretend relationship is the furthest from their minds initially, it gradually becomes a temptation to them.  The tension between them is fantastic!

There were a couple of things I wasn't as happy with in this story - first that the pace slows down a bit in the middle - there's times when I wish there were less introductory information with the Duchess's plans, and more active uncovering of who is trying to betray her.  And the second thing more confused me af first than anything - the fantasy element was a bit of a surprise because I was more expecting this to be a historical YA thriller and I thought St. Mortain more of an ideal all the nuns worshipped than an actual deity who makes an appearance in this story.  And one more thing I didn't quite believe was the deus ex machina solution for the predicament Gavriel found himself in towards the end of the novel.  It was kinda um... weird.

The book really picked up towards the end though, and the solution to the mystery was definitely not expected!  There's also plenty of twists and turns in the royal court drama, and Ismae is a wonderful character to get to know.  Ismae and Gavriel make a great unstoppable pair!  This was a fantastic read!

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Awesome Adaptations (54) Robin Hood

This meme celebrates an awesome adaptation related to a weekly category. Any format of adaptation (television series, film, web series, etc.) is acceptable as long as it is based in some form on a book. Awesome Adaptations was created by Alisa Selene at PictureMeReading.

An Awesome Adaptation Based on a Legend

Title: Robin Hood (Disney)

Adapted from: The Robin Hood legend

Robin Hood is one of my favorite Disney movies, so though there are a few Robin Hood films and TV shows out there that I could have chosen, this one immediately came to mind.  There's just something so heartwarming and sincere about the story in this one - perhaps it's the anthropomorphic animal characters which makes all of the character personalities very visual and easy to grasp so that their intentions and heart are all immediately apparent. The story takes all the important characters of legend and creates a plot focusing on the romance between Robin and Maid Marian.  It is a Disney film after all. But I find it so interesting that Disney also shows a lot of realism in the poignant scenes where the townspeople are put in jail for not paying their taxes.  I mean, seriously, it's so sad!  And I love that this film made me feel that emotional over these characters.

The best part is of course in Robin Hood himself  I mean, the first few scenes sets up his character so well - he's fun-loving, clever and lovesick over Maid Marian, and that scene where he dresses up as a beggar and saves the birthday of a little boy is so touching!  I just want to live in a world where every guy is a Robin!  Of course the character from legend is supposed to be compassionate and self-less and Disney just does a great job in showing that in just a few minutes.

The plot has some great, suspenseful moments as well, which makes it so entertaining to watch, and one of the other things I love about this movie is the music - the gorgeous little ballad as Robin and Marian walk by the water, to the stirring music as Robin makes his escape in the end.  And of course the catchy ballad Allan-a-Dale sings in the beginning and throughout.  I think this is a highly underrated Disney movie, it is truly so much fun to watch!

Review: The Time Machine

The Time Machine
by H.G. Wells

Plot Summary:

“I’ve had a most amazing time....”

So begins the Time Traveller’s astonishing firsthand account of his journey 800,000 years beyond his own era—and the story that launched H.G. Wells’s successful career and earned him the reputation as the father of science fiction. With a speculative leap that still fires the imagination, Wells sends his brave explorer to face a future burdened with our greatest hopes...and our darkest fears. A pull of the Time Machine’s lever propels him to the age of a slowly dying Earth. There he discovers two bizarre races—the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks—who not only symbolize the duality of human nature, but offer a terrifying portrait of the men of tomorrow as well. Published in 1895, this masterpiece of invention captivated readers on the threshold of a new century. Thanks to Wells’s expert storytelling and provocative insight, The Time Machine will continue to enthrall readers for generations to come.

Review:

This is a seminal work of science fiction and one that is surprisingly effective given the brevity of the book.  The Time Traveller tells his tale to a group of his friends - and it is interesting how every character in his time is labeled by their profession and not by name.  Except for the narrator who is never named at all.  The story is wrapped in thought-provoking speculation on the nature of mankind and because the Time Traveller works to understand why mankind has seemingly evolved into the two races he sees in the future, the reader is treated to a discourse on the nature of man's intellect, the need for fear and hardship and the possible outcome of a real utopia.  It's rather a disheartening story when you think of how H. G. Wells visualized the future.  But so readable and engaging - especially seeing how the Time Traveller uses his ingenuity to get back to his time.

There's little in the way of character development - the focus is on the narrative and the world-building and the cleverness of the story.  And while it's possible that the story could have delved more into the relationship between the Eloi and the Morlocks, the believability of the story is maintained because the Time Traveller is more concerned about getting back to his time and away from danger than really recording future history.  So while this story seems very sketch-like, there's so much ingenuity in the main character and in the story that it more than makes up for it.

The actual descriptions of the fourth dimension - time - was a highlight for me.  I loved how possible the author made time travel seem.  And how simple it seemed too, with the comparisons to how we perceive the three dimensions.  If only it were that easy!  This is a wonderful, short read, and so full of incident and mystery inherent in discovering what the future holds.

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Classics Retold: Master Post

It's time to read and revel in the Classics!  This post will serve as introduction and event hub for all participants in 19th Century and Gothic Classics.  Welcome!  I would so appreciate it if all the participants could please add a link to ALL of your Classics Retold related posts to the following page so I can add it neatly to the list below.

>> Add your Classics Retold post links here <<

All participants have picked a Classic novel to read and review, and also read and review related adaptations, spin-offs and retellings in any format (from page to screen!). Other related posts can be for character analysis or the influence of your book in pop culture.  Or anything you can think of that explores aspects of your book.  I'm hosting 19th Century and Gothic Classics, while my fellow lovely blogger co-hosts are in charge of the following:

Ancient to Renaissance Lit Classics - Alyssa @ Books Take You Places
Mythology - Brittany @ Book Addicts Guide
Children's Classics - Alison @ The Cheap Reader
American and Misc Classics - Wendy @Excellent Library

Please check out their blogs for more Classics fun, and also check out the links below!  Sadly we are not looking for any new participants for this event, but do feel free to read and comment on everyone's posts!   There are a couple additional events for Classics Retold:

• Alison at The Cheap Reader has created a Classics Challenge question series which can be added to your posting schedule.  Check out this post for more information.
• Angela at Angela's Anxious Life is co-hosting a Classics related giveaway hop from Sept 10th-17th - check out this post for all the participants.

Thank you for visiting, and special thanks to all the wonderful bloggers who are making this event happen! I look forward to visiting ALL the blogs this month! :)  Tomorrow I'll be posting my review of The Time Machine, my chosen classic!

Emma 
Dee @ Dee's Book Blog

• Introduction post

Persuasion
Daphne @ Gone Pecan 

Paola & Alix @ A Novel Idea

• Introduction post
• Review: Persuasion
• Film Review: Persuasion (2007)

Pride and Prejudice 
Melissa @ Harley Bear Book Blog

• Introduction Post

Andrea @ Beauty but a Funny Girl

• Classics Retold Question Challenge

Jorie @ Jorie Loves a Story

• Introduction Post
• Review: Pride and Prejudice

J. Dudgeon

• Introduction Post
• 10 Things I Love About Pride and Prejudice
• Film Review: Bride and Prejudice
• Film Review: Lost in Austen

Jane Eyre 
Amy @ Book Goonie

• Review: Jane Eyre
• Review: The Eyre Affair
• Review: Jane

Merin @ Read and Reviewed

• Introduction post

Sherlock Holmes 
Alisa @ Picture Me Reading


The Count of Monte Cristo
DoingDewey

• Review: The Count of Monte Cristo
• Review: The Sultan of Monte Cristo
• Review: Crux & Giveaway
• Review: Edward Maret

The Three Musketeers
Cassi @ Bright Forest

• Introduction
• The Musketeer VS Three Musketeers
• Three Musketeer Book vs Movie

Wives and Daughters 
Whitney @ She Is Too Fond of Books

• Introduction post

North and South 
Rachel @ Paper Cuts

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Amanda @ Off the Book

Les Miserables 
Tory @ The Sleeping Latte

• Introduction post

The Phantom of the Opera 
Krista @ Krista's Picks

Frankenstein 
Faith @ StudentSpyglass 

Fi @ Bookish Outsider

• Introduction Post

Treasure Island 
InkSpired

• Disney's Treasure Planet
• N.C. Wyeth's Treasure

The Invisible Man
Melydia @ Utter Randomonium

• Introduction Post
• Review: The Invisible Man
• Film Review: The Invisible Man (1933)
• Film Review: The Invisible Agent (1942)
• Film Review: The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944)
• Film Review: The Invisible Man Returns (1940)
• Film Review: The Invisible Woman (1940)
• Classics Retold Wrap-up

The Time Machine 
Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy

• Introduction post
• Review: The Time Machine
• Review: The Time Ships
• Review: Morlock Night
• Film Review: The Time Machine (2002)
• Film Review: Time After Time (1979)

Suspense Sundays (60) Hitchhike Poker

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.   {My archive list of episodes}

"Hitchhike Poker"

Air date: September 16, 1948
Starring Gregory Peck

>>Episodes here<<

Young student, Ridge Fowler (what a name!) is hitchhiking to visit his family and is picked up by a nice man in a nice car. Mr. Belden and Ridge have a pleasant drive playing license plate poker (a new license plate is a new hand) until Mr. Belden tries to kill Ridge by running his car off a cliff and jumping out.  Ridge manages to get out too, and while Mr. Belden does try to shoot at him, he gives up when a car comes along and seemingly picks him up.  Ridge walks to the nearest police station only to find Mr. Belden ahead of him, claiming that Ridge had tried to kill him!  Because Ridge has no proof and Mr. Belden tries to convince the cops to let him go, Ridge knows he isn't safe and makes a run for it, getting away.  Or does he?

This is such a clever story! I could easily see this as a suspenseful film.  It's fun because even though Mr. Belden seems very nice, the moment he gave Ridge his coat, I knew there was something not right going on here, and Ridge should have gotten away immediately.  The explanation for Belden's actions, and of course the twist in the end was excellent, and there was an aspect of the ending that I really wasn't expecting because I thought there would be a bit of a redeeming factor that doesn't come.  It's a pretty harrowing adventure for Ridge, but a great listen!

Septemb-Eyre: Jane Eyre Readalong Kick-off post

Kerry @ Entomology of a Bookworm is hosting a readalong of my favorite book, (which I already reviewed with gifs here) so I just had to join in.  I've never participated in a readalong, period, so I think this is the perfect opportunity to start.  Especially since I haven't reread Jane Eyre fully in awhile and have been longing to do so!

The schedule breakdown:

September 2nd (I'm early): Kick-off post, introductions, why you're reading, etc.
September 9th: Chapters I-XI
September 16th: Chapters XII-XXI
September 23rd: Chapters XXII-XXIX
September 30th: Chapters XXX-End

Even though I'm also doing Classics Retold next month, spreading out the readings for the whole month should make it pretty easy to keep up.  I hope.  Obviously I'm participating because I love the book, but I'm also eager to share the experience with others - some who have never read the book before, so that will be interesting!  I should find out if they know the twist in the story beforehand actually...

As for plans, I just hope to have a lot of fun with this - I'm not sure in what form my weekly update posts will take but it's probably going to be mostly silly.  You have been warned.   And I will probably find new things to love about this book after reading it with other people!

Review: Masque of the Red Death

Masque of the Red Death
by Bethany Griffin

Plot Summary:

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Review:

When I first started reading this book, I was wondering where this story was going.  I knew that it was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's short story so I wondered how it could be turned into a fully fledged YA series.  The book was a pleasant surprise because there is quite a lot of plot, but I don't know if it was entirely successful.

The world-building seemed too summary for me, I believe there must be more answers in the next books, but I felt that there was so little in this one, that it made it hard for me to immerse myself in the story.  I'm especially curious as to the nature of these masks: why it protects only one, why is it alright to take it off indoors (or were they always supposed to wear it indoors, I wasn't sure), and why don't they need to disinfect their clothes and themselves if they've come from the outdoors in? I may have been thinking a little too much about the pathology of this disease.  There were a few other things that were too sketchily drawn for me - like how this world functions when it seemed like almost everything is shut down.  And for Elliott's plan - who was bankrolling that? I thought it would take quite a bit of money to pull off what he wanted to pull off.  It was just a little hard to picture this world at times.

Araby Worth was pretty apathetic for most of this book which was due to the loss of someone close to her, and so very understandable, especially in this bleak post-apocalyptic world, but it's not a characteristic I like to see in my female heroines.  Her voice is very straightforward and matter of fact in this book which also might explain why there was so little said about the world-building in the way of descriptions.  I think I was just a little put off as well by how quickly she trusted certain people around her, and how quick she was to betray others who were closer to her.  I just didn't feel as sympathetic to her character and I wanted her to take more control.

The two men that are presented in the love triangle were probably the best part of this book.  I had such strong sympathies for Will that when there's a certain twist near the end of the book I was pretty shocked.  I was sympathetic with Elliott for a time as well although he's not as trustworthy, but he has gone through some terrible things, and the way the author hints at his past was very well done because I really wanted to know more.

While the idea of this book was very exciting, and I loved the insidious horror of the plot, I was not as moved by the main character as I would have wished, and I wanted just a few more answers to really flesh out this world for me.  I can understand why people have enjoyed this book - it is very fast paced and darkly atmospheric with a lot of mystery and perhaps I will enjoy the series as a whole when I have all the answers.

I won this book as part of Cuddlebuggery's LBBA

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Crown of Midnight Launch Party

On Tuesday I went to the launch party for the amazing sequel to Throne of Glass - Crown of Midnight - and had such a fantastic time!  I met up with Paola from A Novel Idea and also Stacie from Fairy Book Mommies and it was so fun to talk books with them while waiting for the event to start.  And I may have gotten some chocolate cake (okay I did, but only a little bit.  Really!)  Sarah J. Maas came and gave her very informal and personable talk about how she came to write the Throne of Glass series (very inspiring actually - since she's been writing it since high school!), Paola and I squee-ed that she's such a Disney fan, and I found it so touching and cool that she has a first edition of Throne of Glass that she has people at her book signing stops sign for her.  Such a lovely idea.  Oh and I discovered that day that the series is going to be more than 3 books, to which I was both elated and dismayed.  Elated because YAY MOAR! And dismayed because that's just more emotional distress to go through.  I just want need a happy ending for everyone!

Sarah also talked about her new, upcoming NA series - A Court of Thorns and Roses which has a blend of the fairy tales "Beauty and the Beast", "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" and "Tam Lin" which sounds A Mazing!  And she promises a little bit of sexy times and a very hot "Beast". :D  It comes out in 2015 though which makes me sad; it's so depressing to hear about these awesome books and then have to wait for them.

Sarah's trying out a new slogan in the first pic - works?

There was also a Q&A of course, and when there was a question about what books Sarah has been reading lately she mentioned Melina Marchetta!  What, she writes amazing stories and has fantastic taste? Well, that's it, Sarah's now one of my favorite people EVER.  An audible reaction came from Paola and I (actually we high-fived), and Paola told her we even had our copies of Finnikin of the Rock with us! (for reasons)  And Sarah told us her story of meeting Melina at Comic Con and not being able to control her feels while meeting her and it happened more than once (and totally sounds like something that will happen to me!).  So fun to fangirl over Melina with Sarah, and Sarah said Paola and I were her spirit animals and then I woke up, and then I died.  But seriously because she's such a fan and such a wonderful author I wanted her to sign my copy of Finnikin of the Rock, and she wrote a little note to Melina.  So yay, I have something to talk to Melina about if I ever get to meet her and not just babble senselessly!  And I hope I didn't do too much of that while talking to Sarah.  But she's so cool, she understands fangirl attacks!  I mean, Sarah hasn't started reading Quintana of Charyn yet because she's not sure if she's ready for it! Just like us!! (By the way if you are looking to read,  re-read or just post about Finnikin of the Rock, Paola and I are planning a Finnikin event for October!)

Paola and I waited until we were the last ones at the book signing - maybe to monopolize her, I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no - but personally I was glad that there weren't as many people to hear us squee!  We talked to Sarah about Crown of Midnight things (I couldn't get spoilery though - I had trouble repressing all the things I wanted to say about the emotional overload of this book!), Finnikin feels, how the chocolate cake was yummy at the launch party, and how Paola is a warrior for driving for three hours just to see her! (EDIT: 3 hours and 48 min!)  There was probably more things, and please visit Paola's blog for her recap of the awesomeness of this event, cause I don't even know what I was doing half the time!  Seriously this was the most fun I've ever had at a book signing - partly because of meeting the awesome Paola (who totally complements my fangirly side!), and also because Sarah was so cool, funny and lovely to talk to!  And now she totally looks like Celaena Sardothien in my head!  I wonder if she has secret assassin skills....

Good times!

Um, so if you haven't read this series, I shouldn't have to tell you that I highly recommend it, right?  Check out my reviews of - Throne of Glass & Crown of Midnight

Thank you Paola for "forcing" me to read it! :D

And Stacie is giving away a signed copy of Crown of Midnight! Check out the giveaway and event recap here!

Awesome Adaptations (53) Dorian Gray

This meme celebrates an awesome adaptation related to a weekly category. Any format of adaptation (television series, film, web series, etc.) is acceptable as long as it is based in some form on a book. This meme is hosted by Alisa Selene at PictureMeReading. Check out her site and join in on the fun!

An Awesome Adaptation of a Satire

Title: Dorian Gray

Adapted from: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

I love the wit and writing of Oscar Wilde and while The Picture of Dorian Gray is a Gothic drama exploring aestheticism that devolves into debauchery and violence and is not exactly light-hearted, it is full of thought-provoking commentary on human nature and the impulses people have that they feel they need to hide.  The movie emphasizes the darkness of the tale, and becomes almost like a horror movie, while still retaining the humor in the observations, especially with Lord Henry Wotton's droll, thoughtless and charming personality.   It's an interesting mixture, and definitely interesting to highlight the ugliness in Dorian Gray's character visually.

The story is so compelling because Dorian starts off an innocent, and we see his character grow more decadent and debauched all because he can hide it and there are no consequences to his actions.  It's a fascinating, satrical commentary on what really limits human wickedness. I thought this film did a great job in capturing these sides to the story, while reimagining the narrative in a darker, more modern way.  It isn't perfect, but the thought-provoking storyline with such a great cast of actors makes this a highly intriguing adaptation of a fantastic book.

Review: Crown of Midnight

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2)
by Sarah J. Maas

Plot Summary:

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.
But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Review:

The first book in this series, Throne of Glass, was an amazing, action-packed adventure, and I was eager to see where the author would take the sequel, and how many more trials Celaena would have to endure.  The answer is much more.  It's one of the things that is so amazing about this book - how the author continually challenges her characters with bigger dilemmas, and more seemingly insurmountable difficulties.  And Celaena continues to amaze me as a character.  She strongly adheres to her own moral code, but there is a fear in her that becomes integral to the plot of this story and also is a turning point in both the story and her character.  Whether she'll embrace her essential role is debated, and makes for some very heart-breaking plot developments.  I was so not ready for the complete beating my heart took during this story.  Reader beware!  Guard your heart!

There's also the matter of the love triangle which I was glad to see was pretty quickly resolved.  There's such a gorgeous romance brewing in this story and I loved reading about Celaena's relationship and how the romance affected their characters. And even though one guy may have been picked over the other, both are still so important to the story. It's still a team of three, which I was happy for because I like the dynamic of Celaena, Dorian and Chaol together.  And while the story revolves around Celaena for the most part, Dorian and Chaol are both going through their own trials and the author flips through the different points of view of these characters effortlessly.

There's a sense of power and danger in Celaena that makes her one of my favorite heroines ever.  I love how she is truly the strongest character in the story, in terms of skill, and everyone is wary of her.  It's just fun to have a female heroine who can deliver and who does not let emotion or second thoughts get in her way.  Sometimes you just want a bad character to die a horrible death and you don't want them to get a second chance.  They don't deserve it!  And with Celaena also investigating the return of magic and so many secrets, she's just a ridiculously capable heroine.  Not perfect, but able to come through when it's important.

This second installment of the Throne of Glass series expands on the world of Erilea and brings out so much more in the story and the characters and the emotions.  It's a glorious read, and one that is emotionally addictive - I just didn't want to stop reading!

I received this book from the publisher or author for a fair and honest review.  I was not compensated for this review.

Amazon  Goodreads

On Thursday I hope to post all about the Crown of Midnight launch party that is happening today!!  Some fangirling with Paola at A Novel Idea is bound to happen!

Review: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas

Plot Summary:

In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

Review:

This story is all about the strong heroine!  She's beautiful, smart, extremely skilled in the deadly arts and she owns all of those accomplishments.  She doesn't have self-esteem issues or worries she doesn't deserve what she has, but she is also charming,  compassionate and with a great sense of humor.  She's self-assured and so likable.  I think this story starts off so strongly because Celaena is immediately in a position where she needs to prove herself again.  And while the reader knows she's an accomplished and deadly assassin, we can find out so much about the strength of her character as she has to rebuild herself after a year as a prisoner of the salt mines.  And she attacks every challenge without hesitation, determined to succeed.  This alone makes me love this story so much, but there's much more to it.

The fantasy world-building is highly detailed.  The map in the beginning of the book helps to work out all the places that is mentioned in the book, and how they relate to the characters.  The places that these characters come from are important to the story, and to how it affects the politics of the land and the way certain characters must act.  I loved how in depth the history of Erilea felt without dragging down the narrative.  It added so much more depth to the characters and gives some hints of more complex plot developments in the next books.  Celaena's past especially is clouded in mystery and seems to be a very important piece to the puzzle.

While the plot initially revolves around the competition to become the King's champion, and there are plenty of books where that would have been more than enough to create a satisfying story, this book also weaves in a murder mystery with the mysterious deaths of many champion hopefuls.  Celaena tries to unravel that mystery, while also working to hold her own in the competition which made this book so hard to put down.  I think there were aspects to the mystery that seemed obvious and there were a couple of times where I knew Celaena was making a big mistake, but because the mystery ties into yet a third plot point of the novel - one revolving around Erilea's magical past, I thought the whole of it was well done.  There was so much going on in this story and I loved how everything tied together.

Last but not least, there are two cute boys in this book!  It's another love triangle, but boy was I not disappointed in it!  Prince Dorian and Chaol Westfall are both invested in Celaena to become the champion - one because he picked her and the other because he's training her, and both start to have feelings for her.  What I found interesting was how Celaena didn't really worry about choosing between the two, but was happy to spend time with one or the other, whichever one was there.  It might sound callous but it's not when you read it because she's not emo and she has bigger things to worry about.  Way bigger.  So there were two reasons why I enjoyed the triangle - the first because Celaena didn't worry herself very much over it, and the second because Dorian and Chaol are fantastic potentials - one charming and romantic and the other strong and devoted.  I think Celaena's decision is terribly difficult and I'm not even sure who I root for!

I love stories where the heroine literally kicks ass, and Celaena is powerful and dangerous but likable, with very human weaknesses, and I thought her story was so compelling, lively and entertaining.

Amazon  Goodreads

Tomorrow I'll be reviewing the 2nd book "Crown of Midnight"!

Suspense Sundays (59) My Wife Geraldine

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.   {My archive list of episodes}

"My Wife Geraldine"

Air date: March 1, 1945
Starring Edward G. Robinson and Jeanette Nolan

>>Episodes here<<

Miss. Barton finds her lodger Mr. Graham sitting in the dark in his rooms while the police are closing in around him.  Miss. Barton wants to know if it's true he's the Black Widower and killed his wife and the other women before.  Even though Miss Barton can't believe it because he had seemed so in love with his wife Geraldine. So Mr. Graham makes Miss Barton promise to keep a secret.  That Geraldine is gone but only because she never existed.

All that summary was just in the prologue of this episode, and right when Mr. Graham reveals his wife never existed, I knew this was going to be a good episode.  And it was!  Actually pretty sweet when it comes to the end, and I really love the suspense stories that sort of have a happy ending.  It's funny how Mr. Graham gets into his predicament - his need to pretend that he does have a wife only because the guys he goes to work with on the train are always talking about their wives and he didn't want to be left out.  And then it escalates because his boss wants to promote him, with the stipulation that he is married.  I mean he has to bring in a marriage license for the promotion!  You can't be trusted to do a good job at work and be single? Geez.  By the end I felt pretty sorry for Mr. Graham, he seemed like such a nice guy, it's a wonder that he didn't get a wife before!  But like I said there's a happy ending, and this was such a great episode overall!

Review: Sapphire Blue

Sapphire Blue (Ruby Red Trilogy #2)
by Kerstin Gier

Plot Summary:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Review:

This second book in the series picks up right where the first left off, and in my review of the first book, I did mention how the series really seemed like one big book (because the first book just ended) and this book continues that feeling.  The story keeps building, with Gwen finding out more about the secrets everyone might be keeping and also with more hints about Gwen's future actions being dropped.  I found that element to be particularly intriguing as there was one scene in the first book where Gwen witnesses her future self, and I really can't wait for those scenes to be worked into the (final?) book to show the complete picture.  I also love how in one part of the book Gwen visits St. Germain out of order, and he gives hints about their conversation (for him it's the day before, and for her it's tomorrow) and how that sets up expectations for their scene.  It's one of the things that I love about time travel stories - getting the pieces and having them put together so cleverly to create the full story.

Gwen and Gideon's romance is still on tenterhooks, especially because they don't know if they can trust each other, but I loved reading it play out and even enjoyed sometimes disliking Gideon but always coming around  and understanding his point of view.  They have a difficult relationship and I think it's great that they aren't immediately 100% devoted to each other.  But I can't wait for Charlotte to get her comeuppance!  There's also a new character in this book - the gargoyle Xemerius - and while at first I thought he was a little annoying, I came around to his character very quickly and found that I really enjoyed all the scenes he's in!  He's so snarky and forthright, and surprisingly helpful!

This series is such a fun and absorbing read, with great characters, and interesting teen drama, that even though there were slight pacing issues I had in the middle, still so many unanswered questions, and an ending that still doesn't give a complete story feel to these books,  I have high hopes for the third book and I can't wait to read it!  I feel like because there's so much that still needs to be explained, the last book is just going to be jam-packed with action and plot twists!

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Guest Post: My Writing Space

Thank you Shauna Bickley, author of Lies of the Dead, for sharing your thoughts on writing and your new book with my blog!

Guest Post: My Writing Space

Huge thanks to Charlene for giving me this opportunity to tell you a little bit about my writing space and my latest book, Lies of the Dead.

I was born and brought up in England, but now live ‘down under’ in Auckland, New Zealand. Every once in a while I try and count the number of houses we’ve lived in – it’s a lot, and I usually give up.

For my day job I write non-fiction books and materials for training workshops, and for the past five years I’ve worked for myself and mostly from home.

My writing space changes with each of our moves, and the size varies depending on available space.

I guess because we’ve moved so often I’m not that fixated about having specific things around me. At the moment I actually have the luxury of my own small office – the spare bedroom! It’s useful for doing admin type things and closing the door when the rest of the world is noisy, but I don’t find it very good for being creative.

My favourite place is the dining table – the living area is large and we have ranch sliders (French windows) leading out to a sunny deck, so the room is light and airy and I have a view of the sea from there.

My must haves are my laptop, my office chair and quiet. I’m definitely not a writer who can work with lots of noise around.

I started writing my current novel when we lived in our previous house, which was very small. I mostly sat on the couch with the laptop on my knee. I finished the book after we moved here, sitting at the dining table and staring out of the window at the view! Good for creative thought, but not necessarily for productivity.

Lies of the Dead is a mystery/suspense tale about three siblings, Tom, Andi and Liam. What Liam has done is the focus of the story, but the narrative is from Tom and Andi’s viewpoint as they try to discover why their younger brother killed himself.

Here is a little about the book.

What would you risk to find the truth?

How well do we know those closest to us? When Liam kills himself, his older brother Tom needs to know why suicide was the only solution.

Tom, and his sister Andi, search for answers but don't know who they can believe? Are Liam's friends and associates the people they claim to be? Tom and Andi are propelled into a world where their ideas of right and wrong don't exist, and where people demand what neither of them possesses.

Liam's legacy of deceit is dangerous, and when Andi and her twin daughters are threatened, Tom realises that truth may have too high a price.

If you like mystery/suspense books on the not-so-gruesome end of the scale I hope you enjoy Lies of the Dead.

Amazon  Smashwords  Goodreads  Author's Website

Awesome Adaptations (52) Jekyll

This meme celebrates an awesome adaptation related to a weekly category. Any format of adaptation (television series, film, web series, etc.) is acceptable as long as it is based in some form on a book. This meme is hosted by Alisa Selene at PictureMeReading. Check out her site and join in on the fun!

An Awesomely Twisted Adaptation

Title: Jekyll

Adapted from: Jekyll and Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Before Steven Moffat turned his awesome writing skills to modernizing Sherlock, he modernized Jekyll and Hyde, making modern-day Jekyll an unfortunate ancestor of the original.  Unfortunate in that his darker side is more hereditary instead of the result of a potion and it comes upon Jekyll suddenly.  The story line doesn't have many parallels with the original novel other than the basic transformation, and while Jekyll is your basic good character, with a family and good intentions, Hyde is the very twisted part of this adaptation as he is remarkably creepy and unnerving.  His physical appearance doesn't change all that much, but his personality becomes smooth, cruel, unpredictable, and violent.  Of course he has super strength and agility and keener senses too.  As Hyde he is more animalistic and watching what he does makes this show pretty mesmerizing.  I think it's fun how this series teases out expectation and suspense by setting up scenes where people cross or threaten Hyde, unaware of his power.  

The sheer unpredictable way this story unfolds adds to sense of unease this story thrives on - because there is much more to the series than the Jekyll and Hyde transformation - there's a security team that monitors Jekyll for mysterious reasons and the reason why Jekyll transforms and his past presents some very unique and intriguing ideas.

This series has so much to offer - it can be scary and disturbing (not so bad as most horror films today though), there's a really touching love story at it's heart and some genuinely surprising and unexpected twists and turns.  Hyde especially is just not what you think he'll be.  Pretty much each episode ending didn't go where I thought it would go.  The only sad thing about this series is that it was possibly due for a second season which somehow never happened, so the viewers are left with a few questions in the end.  

Review: Ruby Red

Ruby Red (Ruby Red Trilogy #1)
by Kerstin Gier

Plot Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Gwen lives with her extended - and rather eccentric - family in an exclusive London neighborhood.  In spite of her ancestors' peculiar history, she's had a relatively normal life so far.  The time-traveling gene that runs like a secret thread through the female half of the family is supposed to have skipped over Gwen, so she hasn't been introduced to "the mysteries," and can spend her time hanging out with her best friend, Lesley.  It comes as an unwelcome surprise when she starts taking sudden uncontrolled leaps into the past.

She's totally unprepared for time travel, not to mention all that comes with it: fancy clothes, archaic manners, a mysterious secret society, and Gideon, her time-traveling counterpart.  He's obnoxious, a know-it-all, and possibly the best-looking guy she's seen in any century...

Review:

I picked up Ruby Red because it has lots of things that I love. Time travel, romance and English history.  And it delivered on all those things while surprising me with its wit and humor.  Seriously Gwen is such a fun narrator, especially more so because she is not prepared for the crazy things that happen to her. Gwen's family life adds to the humor and the interest because she lives in a gorgeous upscale home with her grandmother, her immediate family and her aunts and cousin.  Oh and they have a butler!  The modern setting with such old fashioned values fits in with the secret society of time travelers that Gwen is involved in and all this created a world that was believable and fascinating.  With the rules to the time traveling gene being both wonderful and a pain.  I love that because it adds a level of realism - especially when comparing Gwen's obligation to the freedom her cousin Charlotte has now that she doesn't have to worry about randomly time traveling.

The romance between Gwen and Gideon was very unsure at first, and I thought the author developed it wonderfully - with the reader never really knowing Gideon's true feelings or intentions.  And there is a love triangle of sorts in that Gideon may have feelings for Gwen's cousin Charlotte, so that is an interesting angle to take.  Gideon is a fun character to explore as well - he can be sarcastic and changeable and I think there is still much to find out about him through this story.  There's another love story that is detailed in this book - between Lucy and Paul, and while we only get glimpses of it, it is definitely important to the narrative arc, and I look forward to finding out more about their characters.

There is one other aspect about this story that I really adored - everything with Gwen and her best friend Lesley.  So often in YA novels, when something supernatural or extraordinary happens to the main character, all of that character's old friends are left by the way side, but in this book it doesn't hurt Gwen and Lesley's friendship and the fact that Gwen had someone she could share everything that happened to her was awesome.  Especially fun was every time Lesley suggested they rent the DVD to solve some problem (like not knowing about a particular time period).

The logistics of the secret society, time traveling and Gwen getting to know Gideon made up most of this book, which I mention because this book just ends.  There's not really a cliffhanger, and no sense that this book is only set-up for the series, but this book felt like the first part of a three part tome.  Although I prefer each book in a series (or at least the first book in a series) to feel like a complete story, I didn't mind the ending of this book as much because I just went into the second book right away.

This book is a fun, engrossing read with strong characters and a great new approach to someone carrying a time traveling gene. A must read!

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P.S. There's a German film adaptation of this and it's OUTRAGEOUS it's not released globally!!