September 2024 Wrap-Up

Books Read:

The Greek Coffin Mystery by Ellery Queen (1932)  3/5 stars

While the solution was convoluted, it was still a good mystery with a well-done surprise.

Death Reports to a Health Resort by P.J. Fitzsimmons (2024)  4/5 stars

This latest volume in the Anty Boisjoly series sees Anty out to save his Uncle Pim from being arrested for the murder of a health resort doctor.  It's fun, clever, and as delightful as the rest.

Princess of Shadows by A.G. Marshall (2016)  4/5 stars

original title: The Princess and the Pea

This is an enjoyable Sleeping Beauty retelling, with a fun use of tale of the princess and the pea, as well.  The world building was above average, it is generally well-written, and I found the plot to be engaging throughout.  I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Poisoned: Snow White's Story by Mary Mecham (2022)  3/5 stars (my review here)

Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell (2023) 3/5 stars
This is a combo of rom-com, two mysteries, and a few serious themes.  It's not my usual genre, and there were loose ends and unanswered questions, but I still found it to be an enjoyable, light read that kept my attention throughout. 

The Love That Made Mother Teresa (Special Canonization Edition) by David Scott (2016)  4/5 stars

Scott explores the scant biographical details we have of Mother Teresa, explains her vision, and discusses her "dark night of the soul".

The Fall Back Plan by Melanie Jacobson (2023)  3/5 stars

When Jolie returns to her hometown with a chip on her shoulder and plans for revenge of sorts, she is shocked to find that her high school enemy, the delinquent punk Lucas, has reformed and is now the Sheriff.  This is a generally enjoyable rom-com, with Jolie coming to grips with the past and learning to forgive, and growing as a character.  Lucas was less than dynamic, and the plot was predictable, but it was still fun, light read that kept my attention.

Scarlett and the Dark Woods by Mary Mecham (2023)  3/5 stars

This is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that takes place in a dystopian world, with some humor and a light romance.  Mecham gives a good twist to the traditional tale, but there isn't a lot of depth to the story.  Despite that, it's still a fun read. 

The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson  (2021)  4/5 stars

This is a layered mystery with light romance set in Regency England.  It  generally kept to the feel of the times, had appealing characters with realistic motives, and an interesting story.  The plot twist was good, though I did guess the solution early on. (I blame that on 40+ years of reading mysteries, though, and not any fault of the author.)  Overall, it was compelling and enjoyable. 

Beauty and the Baron by Joanna Barker (2019)  3/5 stars
This novella is advertised as a Regency retelling of the Beauty and the Beast, but contained very little of that tale.  As it was so short, there was very little development of either character or plot.  It was still a sweet story, and I'd certainly be willing to read a full-length novel by the author.

Black Plumes by Margery Allingham (1940)  4/5 stars

Allingham, author of the Campion adventure-thrillers, kept me guessing in this stand-alone mystery.  There are many viable suspects, a good amount of false clues, and several possible motives.  The characters aren't fully developed, but the tension and the uneasy atmosphere is excellent.  Overall, it's engrossing, well-written, and entertaining.

Tuchman

Audiobooks Completed:

A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman (1978)  5/5 stars

In this nonfiction classic, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author uses the life of a French nobleman, Enguerrand de Coucy VII, as a way to explain and discuss the high and low points, daily life, pivotal events, and important figures of Western Europe in the 14th Century.  Despite its length (over 700 pages), it is an excellent general overview of the topic, easy to read, coherent, interesting, attention-holding, and accessible to the layman. 

Henry IV: The Righteous King by Ian Mortimer (2007)  4/5 stars    

According to the author, King Henry IV has been misrepresented throughout the ages, and Dr. Mortimer seeks to correct that view with this detailed biography.  It is interesting overall,  with only a few dry patches, and is generally easy to follow.  The arguments were logical and most often convincing.   I do like that Dr. Mortimer keeps the more "personal opinion" discussions of this book confined to the appendices to be read or ignored by choice.  While I didn't find it as engrossing as Mortimer's Henry V: The Warrior King of 1415 (my review here), I still would definitely recommend it to my fellow medieval armchair historians.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (1908)  5/5 stars

I love this sweet novel better every time I re-read it! It's well-written, tender, fun, full of emotion, and an overall joy. (The movie doesn't come close to the excellence of the book, by the way.)  I reread it for the feel-good gentleness and was rewarded with just the experience I wanted.  

Did Not Finish

1939: The Last Season by Anne de Courcy (1989)

The interwar years are of great interest to me and I'm a social history junkie with Britain as my preference, so this should have been a home run.  It was not.   I listened to six chapters, but there didn't seem to be anything to tie it together; it was a string of society gossip, details from primary sources, and tidbits of social history, one after the other, with no cohesion.  Maybe if I stuck with it longer, the build up to the war would have become the thread to hold it together, but I just couldn't.  On a personal note, I wrote a paper similar in topic and nearly identical to style once, and my college professor gave me a C, remarked how disappointed she was with my effort, and said she had expected more from me.  I now know how she felt.

 

Poisoned by Mary Mecham

Poisoned: Snow White's Story 

Mary Mecham 

2022  

3/5 stars

Mecham uses the familiar story of Snow White to introduce the reader to a character with  Severe Intellectual Disability.  Her message is clear and strong, with discussion questions at the end to aid the reader, but it overshadows the actual story, leaving very little room for  romance or fantasy or even plot.  That said, as one with extensive, intimate experience with preschoolers with a range of disabilities, I very much appreciate Mecham's effort and know that readers will benefit by learning how best to interact with people with disabilities and with their caregivers.  

She gives a further lesson, equally important, by showing what emotional abuse, gaslighting, and control can look like.  I applaud her for doing so, but felt that a book with two such strong themes was heavier than needed, and split the reader's focus.

It is still a sweet book with appealing characters, however, and I would not hesitate to read more by the author.

November Wrap Up

Books Read:
The Many Conditions of Love by Farahad Zama   4/5 stars  (my review here)

Rhododendron Pie by Margery Sharp  3/5 stars
I'm ambivalent about this one; it was great at times and just okay at others.  I do want to read more of her adult books, though, after having read this one.

Marling Hall by Angela Thirkell  4/5 stars
In this witty, sometimes snarky, country house novel, Thirkell balances light romance with depictions of life during WWII.  It's charming, read-out-loud funny, and thoroughly entertaining.

Audio Books Completed:
Damsel in Distress by Carola Dunn  4/5 stars
Daisy's friend, Phillip, finds himself kidnapped along with the young heiress he wishes to marry.  Being set free, he enlists the aid of Daisy and their friends to locate and save his beloved.  This is a very improbable book, and the culprit is obvious from the start, but it's still lively and enjoyable as has been the series thus far.

The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
As I said last month, I'm too emotionally attached to these books to be critical of them.

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier   3/5 stars
I'm ambivalent about this one, too.  Du Maurier is a favorite author, and I somehow hadn't read this one.  Parts were brilliant, but it was too long in some places and didn't build up quite enough suspense.

Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
See above.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake  5/5 stars  (my review here)
This is a reread.

The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake 3/5 stars (my review here)

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

One Dark Throne
Kendare Blake
3/5 stars

On the island of Fennbrin, queens are always born as triplets.  These queens are endowed with magical gifts and are trained from children to use them.  Only one can be made THE queen, though, and at the age of 16 they begin a ritual that will end with only one survivor.  This second volume of a trilogy follows the three Queens during Ascension Year, as each attempts to kill the others to win the crown. 

The characters of the Queens develop further in this volume with distinct personalities, and some of the minor characters are also well-drawn. They are all three engaging in their way, and the reader will continue to be interested in their futures.  Blake writes engagingly, and moves easily from one character to the next, but overall this book is not as thrilling as it's prequel-- mainly because One Dark Throne is not as believable as Three Dark Crowns was.  It also moved slower and seemed longer than it needed to be.   The cliff-hanger, unlike in the first book, came as no surprise, and it's fairly easy to guess where the plot is going from here--again, unlike in Three Dark Crowns.  This is not necessarily a disappointing book, but it is certainly not as strong as the first.

Four Weeks, Five People by Jennifer Yu

Four Weeks, Five People
Jennifer Yu
3/5 stars

Five teens with various emotional disorders are grouped together in a four week summer camp.  As they come to know each other, they reveal more about their difficulties and learn more about each other and themselves.

Told from all five perspectives, this is an ambitious novel, but the fact is that none of their problems could be solved in a four week summer camp.   For that reason, the plot, while engaging, isn't fully believable and is possibly more dangerous than beneficial. This book contains a wide range of potential emotional triggers, and unintentionally glamorizes eating disorders, underage drinking, and emotional disorders in general.

I've no doubt that Yu intends this novel to give hope to teens with emotional disorders, and for some I'm certain it will.  Emotional disorders are very individual, though; I would advise that parents or teachers read this one before recommending it to their teen.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

One of Us Is Lying
Karen M. McManus
anticipated publication date: May 2017
3/5 stars

In this YA mystery, five high school students attend afternoon detention, but only four leave alive. The police become convinced that it is murder and that one--or all--of the four are guilty.

One of Us Is Lying switches between the point of view of all four major characters, which was nicely done to keep the plot moving.  Sadly their voices are not well defined, due in part to the four being stereotyped YA characters, and without the heading it would often be hard to tell them apart.    As for the mystery, it was relatively easy to solve, but McManus contrived to keep the story flowing and interesting enough to make for an enjoyable read all the way to the end.  It's certainly not an outstanding novel, but it is entertaining and should be well received by the intended audience.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

When Dimple Met Rishi
Sandhya Menon
projected publication date: May 2017
3/5 stars

Dimple Shah, high school graduate, has no desire to fill her future with marriage and kids, but instead is looking forward to Stanford and a life of coding--her passion--afterward.  She resists her parents traditional Indian values and just wants to live life her way.  Rishi Patel is just the opposite.  He loves the traditions of his family, and he does every thing he can to please his parents: including going to MIT for engineering when what he truly wants is to be an artist.  They are set up by their parents to meet at a six week coding conference with hopes that it could become serious in the future.  What will happen when the traditional and nontraditional meet?

When Dimple Met Rishi is a standard YA romance with Indian overtones, and that pretty much sums it up.  It deals with typical YA subjects: parents, bullying, trying to achieve, making decisions for the future, romantic ups and downs.  It switches back and forth nicely between Dimple's perspective and Rishi's, but without a noticeable change in voice, which was a disappointment.  Overall, it lacks charm and is not a compelling read.

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Daughter of the Pirate King
Tricia Levenseller
3/5 stars

Alosa, a teen-aged pirate captain, is sent on a secret mission by her father, the Pirate King.  She is to get captured by another pirate captain and while there, find a hidden map.  The job turns out to be more difficult than she expected.

This is a YA novel, and it is filled with the fantasy elements so often found in YA books.  Alosa--captain of an all teen-aged female crew--is not only above average in everything, able to defeat multiple male pirates at one time, and strikingly beautiful, she also has hidden powers.  (I honestly groaned out loud when the mystical abilities were revealed.)  The plot was interesting, though, and so much could have been made of this book if Levenseller hadn't made Alosa into a Mary Jane instead of a believable character.

February Wrap Up

I'm not quick to give a book a 5 star rating, so this has been exceptional month!

Books Read:
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo 5/5 stars (my review here)

The Gilded Cage by Vic James 5/5 stars (my review here)

Mad Richard by Lesley Krueger 5/5 stars (my review here)

The Brandons by Angela Thrikell 4/5 stars (my review here)

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey 5/5 stars (my review here)

Death of a Hussy by M.C. Beaton 3/5 stars
A quick, light read, not particularly satisfying or memorable, but fun.  In a way, I wonder why I continue this series, but on the other hand, Hamish is so likable.

Corto Maltese: Under the Sign of Capricorn by Hugo Pratt 3/5 stars (my review here)

Audio Books Completed:
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson 5/5 stars
My review is here, but I'll take a minute to say that the author reads the audio book and does an awesome job!

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux 2/5 stars  (my review here.)

A Suitable Vengeance by Elizabeth George 3/5 stars
Despite this being an enjoyable and mostly satisfying novel, a chance encounter led to the solution, lessening the quality of the mystery.

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro 5/5 stars  (my review here)

Death of the Perfect Wife by M.C. Beaton 3/5 stars
Another light, easy to solve MacBeth mystery.  Enjoyable, but not memorable.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James 4/5 stars  (my discussion here)

The Summons by Peter Lovesey 4/5 stars
Sometimes improbable, but thoroughly enjoyable.  Diamond is an engaging character and I'm loving the series.


Did Not Finish
Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, or, Leaves from the Diary of an Officer's Wife by D.E. Stevenson
I generally love light British novels from the 1930s, so I was excited when I discovered Stevenson, a best selling Scottish author.  This one just didn't interest me, though; Mrs. Tim writing in her diary about regimental life just wasn't as fun as I thought it would be.  That doesn't mean I won't try another of Stevenson's novels in the future, just not the Mrs. Tim series.

RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
This came in my January OwlCrate, and is a retelling of the Phantom of the Opera story.  It is simply dreadful, full of tropes and cliches.  I made it roughly half way through and couldn't stand the thought of opening it again.  Avoid this one at all costs.

The Napoleon of Notting Hill by G.K. Chesterton
I made it 27% through, but since I felt I never fully understood what was going on, I gave up.  It's not that it was bad, by any means, I just didn't seem to be able to follow what Chesterton was trying to say.  I might try it again sometime, though, since it's a classic.

The Gilded Cage by Vic James

The Gilded Cage
Vic James
publication date: February 14, 2017
5/5 stars

In this dystopia, Great Britian is ruled by the Equals, an elite class born with magical powers referred to as Skill.  The commoners must spend 10 years as slaves, either in a manufacturing town or as servants to a family of Equals.  The Hadley family begins their 10 years as servants to the Jardines, the most important of the Equal families.  They are split up, however, and teenaged Luke is sent to the brutal factory town of Millmoor, where he becomes involved with revolutionaries.  Meanwhile, the Jardines and their allies work behind the scenes for a political coup.

A book like this, with a complicated plot-line, is nearly impossible to describe, but suffice it to say that James weaves multiple, compelling plots with incredible skill.  The chapters alternate between several viewpoints, and James masterfully creates the multiple personalities.

This is a phenomenal book--something I don't say often.  James has created a believable dystopia with a living world and convincing characters resulting in a engrossing and magnificent story.  The Gilded Cage is the first part of a duology, and I eagerly anticipate the finale.

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

Goodbye Days
Jeff Zentner
expected publication date: March 7, 2017
4/5 stars

Carver's three best friends, Mars, Eli, and Blane, die in a car crash.  In the wreckage, Mars' phone is found replying to a text from Carver, and Carver can't stop blaming himself.  Neither can Mars' Judge father, whose influence opens a criminal investigation against Carver.  Carver finds himself ostracized at his high school and suffering from panic attacks.  His only allies outside of family are Eli's girlfriend who needs support herself, and Blane's grandmother who requests that Carver have a "goodbye day" with her.

This "goodbye day" would be a day where she and Carver do all the favorite things that she did with Blane, to find closure.  Unexpectedly, Eli's parents, and later Mars' father, ask for a goodbye day, as well, but their motives might be different.

Carver faces deep emotional turmoil as he examines his role in the accident, and tries to come to grips with his grief.

Goodbye Days is written for a Young Adult audience, with the intention of providing a realistic example of dealing with grief.  Zentner does this well. He also does an excellent job portraying the depth of grief, panic attacks, and the different reactions that grief can cause.  His writing is strong, his characters lifelike, and the plot believable.

That being said, I must confess that I had no connection with any of the characters in the story.  I didn't find Carver's memories of his friends funny or touching, nor did I become emotionally invested in his grief.  Furthermore, I found the descriptions of the goodbye days to be off-putting and slightly creepy.

 I have read other reviews of this book on Goodreads, and I know that my reaction is the atypical one, so I'll stress that this review, as is any review, is simply my personal opinion.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness
3/5 stars

A Monster Calls is the emotional story of Connor, as he comes to grips with his mother's impending death.  A Monster in the form of a giant yew tree begins to visit him (in reality or in his imagination is left to the reader to decide), telling Connor that he has come because Connor called him and is there to help.

Ness writes wonderfully, and is an excellent storyteller.  Even when I wasn't enjoying the story, I was captivated by both the tale and the prose.  The character of the Monster was fantastic, wild and gentle at the same time.  I also liked how Ness slowly revealed parts of Connor's life, giving hints for the reader along the way.

I had mixed feelings about this novel.  On the one hand, it is an excellent depiction of grief, and of the unraveling of reality and emotions during a time of extreme stress.  Furthermore, it encourages the reader that it is okay to be angry about situations like this, and shows that fairy tale happy endings don't come about when dealing with terminal illness.

On the other hand, I didn't feel that Connor or the Monster gave the best example or advice for dealing with grief.  The monster is encouraging Connor to act during two episodes when Connor has a mental breakdown and becomes violent.  Encouraging as in urging him on to more destructive actions.  In addition,  this extreme damage to both a person and some property is glossed over, never fully addressed.  "What good would it do?" is the reaction of the adults in his life.  I felt that this was an unhealthy message to present to the target reader.

Granted, this is just my opinion: Patrick Ness won the Carnegie Medal for A Monster Calls, so other responsible adults feel that the lessons being taught are appropriate.

December OwlCrate

The theme for the December OwlCrate was "epic", paying homage to epic fantasies.  Here is what it contained:

• Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurt (my review here)
• A  mystery mini vinyl Harry Potter figurine.  I got Voldemort, as you can see; he looks great!
• An OwlCrate exclusive greeting card of Lucy, the lamppost, and Mr. Tumnus of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, illustrated by @susanne_draws. I'm using this stunner in with my snowy decor for January.  This is definitely the best part of the box!
• An amazingly creepy Eye of Sauron pin by @jane_mount, another exclusive OwlCrate item, which I can't wait to use.
• A sticker with a quote from A Darker Shade of Magic, designed exclusively for Owlcrate by @missphi.  I've not read this series yet, but am planning to do so.
• A set of four Game of Thrones coasters.  I was meh about these, as I never could get into Game of Thrones.  

This was certainly not my favorite box (last month's was), but it was, as always, fun to receive! 

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

Of Fire and Stars
Audrey Coulthurst
2/5 stars

Princess Dennaleia comes to the kingdom of Mynaria  to prepare for her marriage to the crown prince.  Mynaria is a horse-centered country, so she must learn to ride for her wedding ceremony, and is taught by her prickly, soon-to-be sister-in-law, Mare.   Denna is possessed of magic that is banned in Mynaira, leading to potential danger--or death.  Furthermore, a foreign power is attempting to assassinate Mynarian leaders, using magic.  Mare and Denna band together to search out the culprits, before Denna can be suspected, and end up falling in love along the way.

Despite how exciting it sounds, Of Fire and Stars is one of the most dull books I've read this year. The intrigue was slow to develop, then described in near mind-numbing detail, while the plot dragged on with nothing happening for most of the book.  I nearly gave up several times, only finishing it because it was recommended by a source I trust.

The horses that play such an important part in Mynaria also played a leading role in the book, with much attention paid to lessons, riding, grooming, and general discussion.  I'm not a horse person, so I found this a tedious filler.

The romance  grew in a natural and believable way, but the characters of Denna and Mare were not well-rounded, and at times seemed to be mere stereotypes.  The minor characters were even more stale, with very little personality to each.

By the end, when the action finally came, it was too little, too late.  I was past the point of being interested in the characters or the plot.

Overall, Of Fire and Stars was a book with great promise, but it failed to deliver.

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight
Sarah J. Maas
3/5 stars

In this second book of the Throne of Glass series, Celaena must carry out her duties as King's Champion, assassinating enemies of the Crown.  As she becomes involved in searching out conspirators, she suffers heartbreak, discovers more dark magic, and finds her loyalties tested.

The first three-quarters of Crown of Midnight move slowly, especially dragging during Celaena's period of grief.  I nearly gave up at several points, but I am interested enough in the overall story to stick with it.

The last quarter was action packed, with a shocking cliff hanger that nearly made up for the occasional tedium of the rest.  Despite it not being a gripping novel, I plan to continue the series, as I have enjoyed Maas' other series (Crown of Thorns and Roses) and expect that, as she matured as a writer, the Throne of Glass series improved.

Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

Frogkisser! 
Garth Nix
expected publication date: February 2017
5/5 stars

Princess Anya's stepstepfather is becoming an evil sorcerer, intent on taking over their small kingdom, transmogrifying people into animals right and left.  To return visiting Prince Denholm from his frog-form, Anya must make a Transmogrification Reversal Lip Balm.  Aided by one of the palace's talking dogs, and joined by a boy-turned-newt and an otter-turned-human, Anya goes on a Quest for the ingredients, while trying to avoid being captured by her stepstepfather.  Along the way, she learns about the All Encompassing Bill of Rights and Wrongs, the dangers of wielding power, and the importance of treating people fairly.

Anya is a wonderful heroine.  She is eager for knowledge, and is a believer that a princess should "rescue herself".   She was believable, especially as she was not fearless, but tried to be brave while frightened.  The other characters, while not all as fully fleshed out as Anya, were also a pleasure to know.

The plot was a delightful mix of fairy tale and fantasy, exciting and fun.  Nix writes well, and I was immersed in his world from the beginning.

Overall, Frogkisser! is a charming tale with lovable characters and an engaging plot. It is perfect for the recommended age group, but may also appeal to Young Adult readers.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval
Stephanie Garber
expected publication date: January 2017
4/5 stars

Caraval (the first in a projected two-part series) is a tale of two sisters who deeply love and look out for each other while thye live under the tyranny of an abusive father.  Since they were young, Scarlett and Donatella have both dreamed of joining in Caraval, a performance game full of illusion and mystery, where nothing is as it seems.  This year, they receive invitations, run away from their father, and enter the world of Caraval--opening themselves up for magic, love, and heartbreak.

I was captivated by Garber's storytelling from the very first sentence, and stayed entranced through out the entire novel.  Her descriptions and metaphors were stunning, and the imagery from Scarlett's ability to feel in color was remarkably beautiful.

This novel doesn't have extensive world building, but this is not missed, as most of the novel takes place during the game and environs of Caraval.  The characters and their actions were well-written and generally believable.  The plot was riveting, taking many turns and twists; often when I thought I knew what exactly was happening or would come next, I was completely surprised.

I was in awe reading this book, until the last few chapters.  I don't want to spoil any of the plot for anyone, but I must say that I found the deus ex machina solution to be down-letting,

Excluding that disappointment, Caraval is well worth reading, with the first 90% being phenomenal.

(On a personal note: It breaks my heart not to be able to give this book a five star review.  It was so amazing until the very end.  I nearly capitulated and gave it five stars anyway, but. . . I had to be honest.)

Flicker and Mist by Mary G. Thompson

Flicker and Mist
Mary G. Thompson
projected publication date: 1/2017
3/5 stars

On the island of the Upland, people are divided into two races: Lefties and Plats.  Myra is the child of the only mixed race couple in the capital city of New Heart City, and both she and her parents face discrimination as a result.  In the past, Flicker Men invaded the Upland and bred with the Lefties, creating a sub race of Lefties known as the "Flickerkin".  Flicker Men, and the Flickerkin, can "flicker" or become invisible at will.  This ability is feared, and all Lefties are tested before they can enter New Heart City.  Myra's mother passed the test, somehow, but is actually a Flickerkin.  Myra herself has flickered once, and must be sure that it never happens again.  When it becomes obvious that Flickerkin have infiltrated New Heart City, Myra and her parents face great danger.

If it sounds confusing, that's because, at times, it is.  (I didn't even mention the sports, politics, religion, and dystopian elements, nor the quotes from the religious works and political documents.)  Thompson wants very much to create an original world, and she does, but she adds so much to it that the reader is overwhelmed, both by the world details and the complicated plot.

Flicker and Mist does have positive themes, which are certain to appeal to the young adult reader; themes of prejudices being broken, love overcoming hate, and people working together for peace.

Myra, as a character, is interesting and likable.  It's easy for the reader to want her to succeed with her sports, her boyfriend, and her life in general.  She is a strong female character, as is popular at this time, but she does feats that are, I think, above the ability of her age.  This is fantasy, of course, but the reader needs to be able to believe the fantasy, and I had a difficult time believing in Myra or her world.

Flicker and Mist is marketed toward an audience of ages 12 and up, and I think that this is too dense a book and world for that age group.  I think it is well suited for the older teen readers, though. (Note: this is my personal opinion, based on reading this book as an adult.)

Overall, while Flicker and Mist has an interesting premise, I found the plot to be over-complicated and slow paced, and the writing was not compelling enough to completely draw me into the story.  Other readers, however, and especially the traditional YA reader, may find this to be a thought-provoking look at race and equality.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Words in Deep Blue
Cath Crowley
projected publication date: June 2017
5/5 stars

Rachel is in a deep depression after the death of her brother, and for a change of scene, moves back to her home town to live with her aunt.  While there, she reconnects with her former best friend, Henry, on whom she had a massive crush before she moved away.  Working with him in his family's second hand bookshop, she finds herself drawn to him again.

The bookshop has an unusual feature: the Letter Library.  These are permanent books for the purpose of highlighting favorite passages or even leaving letters in for other people.  One of the best parts of this Words in Deep Blue is reading the notes left in various books, plus the discussion of books by the characters.  Crowley herself leaves a note for the reader; a wonderful surprise and an fantastic addition.

 Crowley is an fine writer, and I was immediately captured by the plot and the realistic (and flawed) characters.  This is a quick read, but one that I feel will stay with the reader for some time.  In addition, Crowley gives some excellent book recommendations through her characters.

Words in Deep Blue is a teen love story, yes, but it's also a story about dealing with grief, taking chances, as well as a celebration of the written word.   I highly recommend it, especially for young adults that love books and the words therein.

Note: for adults that might not want a teen love story, a similar book is The Storied Life of A J Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, another 5 star read.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Heartless
Marissa Meyer
5/5 stars

Heartless is a prequel to Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland, and tells how kind, happy Catherine turns into the "blind and aimless Fury" (to quote Carroll) that is the Queen of Hearts.  It all begins with Catherine's dream to open a bakery, but then life becomes immensely complicated: the unappealing King wanting to court her; she becomes attracted to the King's handsome, new Joker; and a Jabberwock appears to terrorize the kingdom.  Experiencing, for the first time, love, danger, and dismay, Catherine finds herself faced with a myriad of decisions that will affect not only herself, but many others as well.

Meyer skillfully entwines her original ideas with Carroll's established ideas to create a fully living world.  The sprinkling of Carroll quotes, and the visits from Wonderland friends, are a true joy.   The characters were fleshed out, with believable actions and reactions.  The prose was well-written, and drew the reader into the plot quickly.

The reader knows, before starting the book, that Catherine will become the Queen of Hearts, a passionately miserable individual.  The strain of melancholy that is woven through out the book purposefully keeps the reader anxious--it's always in the back of the mind that happiness is not the ending for Catherine.  I must say that Meyer did not disappoint, and delivered a heartbreaking ending that left me in tears.

Overall, I can find no fault with Meyer's beautiful, tragic novel, and recommend it wholeheartedly.


Note:  I do think, though, that readers will enjoy Heartless most if familiar with Carroll's original tales.  I paused a few chapters into the book to reread both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, and was extremely glad I did.