2012 is coming...look busy!

My Life According to the Books I Read in 2011

This meme is hosted by Christine from The happily ever after blog
Using only titles of books that you read this year (2011), complete the prompts below. Try not to repeat any book titles. Think creatively and have fun! 

Describe yourself: 
The Girl who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow

How do you feel: 
Fallen by Lauren Kate

Describe where you currently live: 
House of Illusions by Pauline Gedge


If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
 Grimspace by Ann Aguirre


Your favorite form of transportation:
Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Your best friend is:
Beastly by Alex Flinn

You and your friends are:
The Devil's Company by David Liss

What's the weather like: 
Lost in Translation by Eva Hoffman


What is life to you: 
Killing Time by Caleb Carr


Favorite time of day: 
Dark is the Night by Brindle Chase


Your fear:
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

What is the best advice you have to give: 
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Thought for the day:
The Sorrows of Young Werther by J.W. von Goethe


How I would like to die:
Drink Deep by Chloe Neil


My soul's present condition: 
Heartless by Gail Carriger

Review: The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

This book was provided by the author's publisher via my lady Blodeuedd's excellent blog in return for an honest review. I haven't been compensated for writing the said review in any way and the fact that the book came free of charge didn't influence me either. 


Book info:
Form: e-pub format
Genre: historical fiction, religious thriller
Target audience: every reader who is interested in the Tudor era and likes thrillers


Synopsis (from the site of the author):

"An aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The year is 1537. . .

Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.

The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.

But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.

With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past. "

What I liked:

First of all let me tell you that after finishing Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel not so long ago I was really curious about this one as it concerned a similar period, only some years later – after the death of Jane Seymour, the queen number three. I wasn’t disappointed. My enjoyment was even enhanced by the fact that Ms Bilyeau presented the events as seen by the supporters of Catherine of Aragon and the Catholic Church, for whom Thomas Cromwell and his allies, closing the convents and confiscating their properties, were evil incarnated. It is always nice to hear the other side of the conflict.

Joanna Stafford was certainly a great heroine – loyal in her friendship, consistent, intelligent and curious enough to break and tweak the rules of her convent while searching for the truth. Her mother was a lady –in – waiting of Catherine but Joanna, after one horrible day at the court, preferred to enter the convent instead. At the end of the book it is explained how horrible her first experience really was. I found it a nice touch, showing that any royal court was a nest of vipers, a very demanding and dangerous place especially for a young girl. I would compare it to working for a big international concern – a lot of stress, plenty of traps, murky, merciless rivalry, no guidelines whatsoever.

Some secondary characters were a bit flat but I liked Edmund, the Dominican friar. His problems were interesting, I’m just sorry we weren’t shown more of him.

The plot was filled with excitement, intrigue and espionage; small wonder the book, although not exactly short, was a quick, entertaining read, especially telling a story of a rather unknown medieval king, Athelstan, and his precious regalia. I fully enjoyed the fact that the novel was very well-researched, at least for such an amateur historian like me. I especially liked the description of Stonehenge and a strange pilgrimage of monks to that place. I also liked the convent life and the theme of messages hidden in tapestries.

What I learned:

Athelstan or Æthelstan ( c. 893 or 894 – 27 October 939), called the Glorious, was the King of England from 924 or 925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder and the grandson of Alfred the Great . Æthelstan's success in securing the submission of Constantine II, King of Scots, at the Treaty of Eamont Bridge in 927 through to the Battle of Brunanburh in 937 led to his claiming the title "king of all Britain". According to William of Malmesbury, Athelstan had also the kings of the North British (meaning the Welsh) submit to him at Hereford, where he exacted a heavy tribute from them. His reign is frequently overlooked, with much focus going to Alfred the Great before him; however, it was of fundamental importance to political developments in the 10th century - Athelstan was the first King of a unified England from 927 A.D. Although he established many alliances through his family, he does not appear to have married or had children, although there is an uncorroborated allusion to an illegitimate daughter. (from Wikipedia)

What I didn’t like:

After finishing the reading I must say I felt a bit cheated. First of all, the tension started to ease too soon for me and at the end it kind of disappeared completely, even before I found the answer to all the mysteries. Mind you, the book is dubbed into a religious thriller. It was especially strange as it finishes with nothing less but a cliffhanger – we are not exactly sure what the future holds for Joanna and her fellow ex-nuns and ex- friars. Cliffhangers, contrary to the popular belief, don’t make me more curious; if anything, they make me twitchy and angry; in this case the ending was especially disappointing because I suspected something totally different, like a marriage of the main character with one of her suitors. Speaking about romance…I might be wrong but personally I didn’t feel the author handled it well. Let me explain.

First we get a very strong and a very promising beginning, then the whole thing, along with the guy in question, is forgotten for most of the book, then the author resurrects it all a bit superficially just to allow it to fizzle into nothingness. It was mean – if there are plans for a sequel (what author doesn’t plan a sequel nowadays) Ms Bilyeau could have at least hinted at it. In short I would prefer the novel ending in a more conclusive manner and its romantic thread executed in a different style (but you know me – I am rarely pleased when it comes to that).

Final verdict:

Despite my romance problem and a rather equivocal ending it was a nice book, especially if you like the Tudors and 16th century in England. I enjoyed reading it and I would recommend it to fans of historical thrillers.

The tomb of king Athelstan

Review: The Monstrumologist (#01) by Richard Yancey

Book info:
Form: epub file, e-book
Genre: YA horror and adventure (officially at least)
Target audience: everyone



Synopsis:

An elderly resident of an old people’s home called William James Henry, dies in his sleep. He claimed he was born in 1876 which would make him a 131-year old man in the moment of his death but nobody believes him. His notebooks are lent to the narrator/the author.

That’s how, after a short intro, we are plunged into a story within a story, featuring a first person narration of younger Will Henry who describes one event that shaped his entire life. Will was an orphan, taken in by Pellinore Warthrop (guess why Warthrop was given such a strange first name and you will find out a lot about him), a man of wealth, a scientist, a doctor and the titular Monstrumologist. He felt responsible for the boy as he used to employ Will’s father and they were friends. Will works for the doctor  in a capacity of a personal assistant and a servant.

One day a grave robber visits doctor Warthrop, showing him his unusual find – two bodies, one of a young girl and the second not quite human, intertwined in a kind of embrace. Doctor is known for a particular interest in different oddities and he usually pays for such curio well. It turns out the grave robber happened to dig out a predator called anthropophagus and his unlucky victim. The dissection of both bodies leads to very alarming conclusions – in short it seems that there are more Anthropophagi around and the whole population of New Jerusalem is being endangered. How have such monsters wandered to the USA, though, as they can’t either swim or fly and their original habitat is situated in hot, faraway places like Africa or New Zealand?

Doctor Warthrop and his young assistant will have to solve that mystery really post haste – soon enough a pastor and almost his whole family are slaughtered by the hungry monsters. The local authorities are anxious to stop anthropophagi at all cost but will they manage to do it on their own? What will be discovered in the process?

What I liked:

Despite all these monsters, blood, slaughter and intestines flying around it is not a scenario for any Hollywood B movie (well, perhaps after dumbing it down a lot…). It is a slightly philosophical story, best summarized by these two Nietzsche quotes:

“Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”


In other words leave the monsters alone and...let them kill you and yours as they please?

“All things are subject to interpretation; whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.”

Hmmm...no politician would be ashamed of such a statement...

Anthropophagi, as presented here, originated in works of Herodotus and Pliny the Elder. I always appreciate when the author bases his story on ancient texts and does it in an intelligent manner – the effects are more often than not interesting, at least to me. Let me also assure you that the anthropophagi (literally man eaters) are hardly the biggest monsters around. The worst baddies, as usual, are humans, particularly one man. A very handsome and intelligent man to boot, called dr. Jack Kearns or Richard Cory (among other names he uses and not without a very good reason). Let me present him in more detail - the quote below is his description from the novel:

“He was quite tall, well over six feet, the man standing on the doctor’s doorstep, athletic of build and handsome in a boyish way, with rather fine features and stylishly long flaxen hair. His eyes were an odd shade of gray; in the glittering lamplight they appeared nearly black, but later, when I saw them in daylight, his eyes took on a softer shade, the ashy gray of charcoal dust or the hue of an ironclad warship. He wore a traveling cloak and gloves, riding boots and a homburg hat set at a rakish angle. His mustache was small and neatly trimmed, golden like his mane of hair, so diaphanous it appeared to float above his full and sensuous lips.”

If his physique made you think he must still be somehow a positive character, you are in for a very big surprise. The man is deeply immoral, maybe even a psychopath. He is also nice to look at (even according to other men), very fit, undoubtedly well-muscled, intelligent, cynical, witty, and cunning. If only he cares he can daze you with his pearl-white smile, straight from a toothpaste ad, and entertain you with his educated banter. Yes, he can quote the Bible and Shakespeare from memory, he knows Nietzsche personally and he claims he’s influenced some of his theories. You definitely shouldn’t judge him by appearances, though, and only at the very end you find out enough facts about him to form a viable and definitely negative opinion. Without spoiling you the pleasure of such discovery let me just say I wouldn’t leave my dog in the tender care of such an individual – not even for a minute or two. The construction of such a character is not easy and this one was extremely well done, I really haven’t met a more enticing and more dangerous baddie for a long time, especially in a YA book. Lonely and obsessed dr. Warthrop and poor, young and equally lonely Will pale in comparison but of course they would be a far safer and nicer company.

What’s more? The book was highly readable, the narration flowing smoothly, its pace lively and well-planned. All mysteries were solved and nicely tucked away at the end but still I think there is a sequel and of course I would like to read it even without any ugly cliffhanger.

Finally the cover is really fitting and well-designed despite being a bit gruesome...

What I didn’t like:

Just one complaint - the book didn’t feature one single female character worth mentioning. Women are positioned only in the background as decorations or props. I know that we speak here about a backwater society from 19th century but still…I wish there was one strong woman presented among all these men.

Final verdict:

Despite the fact that Mr. Yancey didn't hesitate to make this story gruesome and in places downright stomach-churning I enjoyed it very much indeed. I loved the characters, I loved the writing and the philosophical undercurrent of the novel; it was really surprising it was published as a YA horror story. I would like to read the rest of the series now!

A riddle:

Look at this pic of a nice little anthropophagus (poppy if you like diminutives):

Isn't it a beauty? As you noticed it is built almost like humans or big apes with one distinctive difference – it lacks a head. Its eyes are on its shoulders and its teeth-filled mouth - right in the middle of its chest. Now try to guess where the anthropophagi have their brain? 

Highlight the text below if you want to know the right answer! 

Their brain is situated right above their crotch, in the lower abdomen ;). A very fitting place don’t you think? Making all those nice brain idioms far more ...scenic ;p 

Monday Can Be Fun (but usually isn't) # 5 - holiday edition!

Hi everybody!

It's Monday, it's 26th December, how are you? 
I know, it is not easy to return to the harsh reality - only cartoons today!

Snow or your life - stand and deliver!

...and finaly for your information if you haven't noticed it already (well, it might be a tad too late but better late than never):

Silent Saturday

source: Astronomy Picture of the Day

Thursday teaser ;)

Yeah, you read it right - it is Thursday and I decided to tease you because, being sadly behind of everything, I am not finished with my current read:

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Here is one excerpt:

"You asked for the diagnosis of my affliction, and I spoke truthfully there is none, for I cannot afford the services of a physician. I, a doctor myself, who has sacrificed his well-being upon the altar of altruism, am forced to suffer a humiliating end because I refused to worship the golden calf!"


What do you think?

Review: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Book info:
Form: e-pub file
Genre: fantasy, Arthurian legends
Target audience: adults 

Synopsis:

The magical legend of King Arthur is vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. I could have written much more but there is really no point of it. I bet you have heard about King Arthur, his unfaithful but beautiful wife, Gwenhyfar, his best friend, Lancelot, who was also his wife’s lover, his Knights of the Round Table, the Graal, Escalibur etc. You will find everybody and pretty much everything in this book. Do not expect to recognize these character and items, though.

What I liked:

- the logic

I’ve never read a more logical version of the Arthurian legends. You know, they tend to contradict each other as they were added throughout the ages, time and again, refreshed, bent to the current literary tastes, sanitized or made more gory etc. Ms Zimmer Bradley tells the Arthurian legends in a way which makes you think “gosh it could and SHOULD have happened this way!” (of course as long as you're willing to suspend disbelief enough for the magical elements of the story).

- the main female lead

It is our old, good Morgaine la Fey but presented in a way which I have never experienced before. She is usually shown as one of the villains. Here everything seems to be different, with her being a priestess of the Old Religion of Druids, oath-bound to perform certain rituals and defend her faith…such explanation was so brilliant in its simplicity and so watertight that I could forgive Morgaine anything – even incest and leaving her own child in the tender care of her not so tender and virtuous aunt. You might cringe but still you understand why.

- the way women are presented

I must say I clearly see why some people say that Zimmer Bradley broke new grounds with this book, in terms of feminist re-imaginings of the classics. She didn't just put Morgaine la Fey or her auntie Morgause in leather bustiers, and have them shoot sex arrows at men around. She changed the form itself, using a new language to utterly subvert the ideas of women's literature, in which the heroine was usually shown as a silly pretty thing, sitting in a kitchen or in a living room and chatting about others all day round. Gwenhyfar is the closest to that model and she is hardly a positive character here, not with her religious bigotry, blind obstinacy, lack or strategic thinking or any thinking at all.

- the baddies

You know, I love three-dimensional villains and here I didn’t have to look for them long and hard – in fact EVERY character of this book could be called a villain at some point, even Morgaine or Arthur, not to mention Lancelot, Mordred, Morgause and Gwenhyfar. Sir Mordred, the Arthur’s killer was shown as an incredibly handsome young knight with a sense of humour (a bit skewed but still) and a great chip on his shoulder (well, you can imagine how big only when you find out who his parents were). Even if you hated him sometimes (he was hardly a saint because it is a book about people, not saints) you still couldn’t admire him a little bit for his force of character and cunning. Overall the lines between good and evil are much blurred; all the characters are well-drawn in depths both good and bad, flawed and noble, completely and ultimately human.

- the religious conflict

I’ve always missed that theme, which I find very interesting – how Christianity overcame the old pagan beliefs. Here it is shown in full and if it is not true it is at least well-told. Once again I found it impossible not to root for Morgaine's Avalon, not only because I knew it was destined to recede into the mists forever, but because it was matriarchal, and so much more comforting to me than the narrow-minded and mysoginistic version of Christianity prevalent during those times. One is sure - Romans didn’t improve things for women spreading Christianity, not in the slightest. On the other hand both Morgaine and Gwynhefar you could fairly describe as religious fanatics, willing to kill for their beliefs and they both struggled with what they had to give up to push their agenda.

- the celtic mythology...

What I loved the most was the portrayal of the rites and powers of Avalon based on the beliefs on ancient Druids... and the way the land of Avalon could only be found by certain people (sometimes by accident!) in the mists. It simultaneously occupied the same island as Glastonbury, where nuns and priests lived, but was somehow on the other side of a veil....and eventually became "lost" to time.


What I didn’t like:

- the sheer length of this book

It was one long read and I suppose it would have been loads better if it was shorter. There were whole sections which I found simply boring. Who needs a full description of a long day spent on singing, spinning and embroidery? Especially with Gwynhefar as a host? A good editor should have intervened.

- prevalent sadness

It is not one of these novels which will cheer you up, make you smile and jump with joy at the end. I had many sad, pessimistic thoughts, swirling round my brain like autumn leaves in a dark, windy, rainy evening. Some chapters were so nostalgic that I had to stop reading for a while and get a grip on myself. The life of most characters was difficult, full of sorrows and pain; nobody seemed to get what they want and even if they were happy for one moment, then next moment usually made them utterly devastated. I must admit that after a while it started to chafe. Still I managed to finish the book so perhaps it wasn’t that bad…what do you want, with the Celts…

- sex

Haven’t I written time and again that sometimes less is more? It seemed to me that the author tried to cram too much of those scenes to emphasize the fact that sex is nothing bad and should be enjoyed rather than punished, especially if both parties are consenting adults (well, more or less adults, you know, we deal with the Middle Ages here). Whereas the message is more than right I think I could have got it without half of that hot content, especially when a rape and incest was involved. The author, in my humble opinion, took sometimes too many liberties with the original story. Arthur pushes Lancelot and Gwynhefar into bed together and once even takes more or less active part in their frolics…Lancelot admits that sometimes he is not sure who he loves better, his queen or his king…not to mention Morgause who has as many lovers as it pleases her till the very end...and somehow nobody suffers from these tell-tale embarrassing diseases. Well, the book was written in the 80’s that explains a lot…

Image via Wikipedia

Final verdict:

I would NOT recommend this book for someone looking for an Arthurian tale sensu stricto but if you like old legends presented with a modern twist and told in a coherent, logical way you will like it for sure, despite the size and the sadness of the whole novel. I really enjoyed reading it as an adult, as a teen I think I would have just loved it.

Monday Can Be Fun (but usually isn't) # 4

Hi everybody!

It's Monday, how are you? 

I want you to spend a lot!!!

In the frozen foods department of our local grocery store, I noticed a man shopping with his son. As I walked by, he checked something off his list, and I heard him whisper conspiratorially to the child, "You know, if we really mess this up, we'll never have to do it again."

A Dog`s Rules For Christmas

1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.

2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.

3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.

4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know: 

a. Don`t pee on the tree

b. Don`t drink water in the container that holds the tree

c. Mind your tail when you are near the tree

d. If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that have your name on them, don`t rip them open

e. Don`t chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree

5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part:

a. Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans

b. Don`t eat off the buffet table

c. Beg for goodies subtly

d. Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa

e. Don`t drink out of glasses that are left within your reach; however if you must do it discreetly

6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important:

a. Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people`s houses. (4a is particularly important)

b. Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house

c. Tolerate children

d. Turn on your charm big time

Yes, you can do it - let's hope you'll survive again!

Silent Sunday

photo courtesy of my brother

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take.


 This week the prompt was posted a bit late so I consider it a perfect excuse to continue my story from the previous week, shamelessly ignoring the pic. It presents a fallen angel. Not my favourite fictional creature to say the least of it. You might understand my aversion if you look at..ehem...her:

I would have to murder her so let me continue the story of Thera Jones, a teenage girl who wanted to trifle with a handsome librarian and found out soon that a library might be not the safest place for such pranks. The first part you can find here.

Thera woke up. She thought her head must have swelled to the size of a watermelon; additionally it was stuffed full of barbed wire. The bad taste in her mouth reminded her of the stench of a burning rubber tyre on a hot summer day mixed with a rotten carcass of road kill...She swallowed and started to toss from side to side, trying to find a position in which her head would hurt rather a fraction less than more. After a while somebody put a straw into her smelly mouth. When she was drinking wonderful spring water she heard the voice of her mother.

"Easy, kid, drink and don't move; you will be ok soon."

Oh great. Was she at home? How did she get there? And what was her eternally busy mother doing by her side? Didn't she have any ward duty or something? As if she could read her mind, her mother added:

"You are in the hospital, Thera, but I will take you home soon. A colleague agreed to cover for me this evening."

Hospital? How come? Thera started to remind herself the events that led to her being taken to a hospital for the first time in her life and simply couldn't remember anything. Then she thought about her book and the library guy...ok, so she was supposed to go there and somehow weasel out of paying a fine but whether she succeeded or not she didn't know - it was like a black curtain. Gosh, she even didn't remember if she talked to him or to somebody else...great, first the hospital then a memory loss, perhaps even a brain haemorrhage or paralysis...her panic rose again and she started moving restlessly  her limbs just to prove herself she could.

Somebody opened the door to her room and entered inside. Thera opened one eye and focused on a man in a white overall. Her mother started to thank him for coming - apparently it was a doctor. He brought a handful of papers  and handed them to her mum, still flustered and babbling her thanks in a less and less cohesive manner. Thera has had enough. She sat on her bed. The effort made her dizzy but it paid off -  her mother finally went silent. The doctor looked at her.

"Great to see you are feeling better, Miss Jones. Could you tell me what happened to you at school?"

"No, I can't. I don't remember anything apart from the fact that I wanted to return a book to the library."

Thera tried to keep her voice as matter-of-fact as possible. She was a bit ashamed of her mother. The doctor eyed her thoughtfully.

"What did you eat for breakfast, young lady?"

"Breakfast?" Thera almost snorted. "I don't eat breakfast, sir. Bad for my stomach"

The doctor cocked one brow. Thera couldn't fail to notice that he was quite handsome. Men, even in a form of handsome doctors, can be so disgustingly dumb, though...

"Bad for my stomach - it makes it less flat, you see. Distended. Bloated. Flatulent. Unaesthetic," she explained in a patient tone of  somebody who must spell slowly the simplest truths and do it in a respectful way.

Now her mother was blushing.

"Thera how come you failed to mention to me your little...er...breakfast problem?" she asked before the doctor had time to react.

Thera gave her an insolent stare.

"Tell me mum, do you eat breakfast?"

Her mother blushed deep crimson and couldn't find the answer for a moment or two. The doctor looked at Thera again, clearly amused by the whole scene.

"Oh well. From now on, however, Miss Jones has to eat her breakfast and perhaps also wear more loose-fitting clothes to hide that ugly, bloated stomach of hers. The results of her blood tests seem to be in perfect order so I suppose it was just a temporary indisposition. But if she faints again we will have to keep her in hospital bed longer and examine her more thoroughly."

In your dreams, thought Thera, smiling angelically. She was definitely feeling better.

Image by dhobern via Flickr

***

When they got home, Thera's mother took an officially looking sheet of paper out of her bag and signed it.

"Here," she said, handing it to her daughter with a smile, "your parental consent form. I never knew you liked books so much to apply for a two-month library internship. To tell you the truth the librarian looked surprised as well but I must say I am glad. A good decision. Let's hope you are finally getting wiser."

Thera almost fainted again. Her memory returned.

Review: Unraveled by Courtney Milan (Turner #3)

Book info:
Form: Kindle e-book
Genre: historical romance
Target audience: adults


Synopsis: 

“ ‘Well’, Miranda said. ‘It’s a sweet tale about kittens and puppies and rainbows and love.’ “

If I were cruel I would leave you only with that quote (loc. 4736) which is great, true, cynical and deceptive at the same time. Officially it is a romance novel but it also reminded me of Eugene Sue and Jane Austen – not bad authors to be compared to!

Miranda Darling is a gifted girl like no other. She has been raised among actors and had a fairly happy childhood. Unfortunately she was soon left alone because her father couldn’t get over the death of her mother. Not only alone but also burdened with another child, Robbie, abandoned by an actress and left to her tender care.

Now they try to survive in Bristol’s slums watching each other's back. Miranda sew and make wigs but it is hardly enough to make the ends meet. She is under the paid protection of a shadowy crime master called the Patron - in return she must use her acting talents whenever they are needed. For example in a court. There she catches the eye of Smite Turner, one of the magistrates with total recall, a sense of justice and a logical mind which is like a knife all blade (Rabindranath Tagore, I owe you!). You can figure out the rest…their romance will be not only inevitable but also very funny…wait, I almost started the next section without being aware of it!

What I liked:

The sense of humour. I found it the biggest asset. I really laughed out loud at least several times reading this one, you must admit not a mean feat for a romance book. There were plenty of highly entertaining scenes – let me just list the best ones: the first visit to a theatre with a mistress in tow, a night in a country inn with the same mistress who pretends to be your wife (Mr and Mrs Dashwood – any Austen fan will howl with laughter!!!), a ‘date’ in a prison and a supper afterwards…overall whenever Miranda showed her freckled face and her mop of red curls things immediately got interesting – well-done! Not to mention an underestimated, humble punctuation mark which here was tantamout to love...or lack thereof. I will try never to forget a comma any more!

All in all the above-mentioned lead female character (ladies first) was sensible, clever, resourceful and as level-headed as I like. In fact Miranda Darling is currently my favourite romance heroine. Why? She speaks her mind. She knows what she wants. She uses every opportunity to get it. No stupid secrets, no hasty decisions, no hysterical regrets or useless crying the morning after, when you cannot change anything anyway. She knows when to say ‘no’, she knows when to say ‘yes’…that’s my girl!

Smite Turner was a perfect Introvert who’s been through a lot and has to deal with it. In my humble opinion the author rendered his character in a great way, making him a really three-dimensional romantic nerd (no kidding – his sentimentality quota are the best proof!). If only there were more of such romantic heroes I would read these books more often…

Now perhaps you wonder: what about the baddies? I am proud to say that the baddies here are…not exactly bad. They are human and sympathetic (I can’t say more without spoiling you so let’s stop here) so closer to real life than you could reasonably expect in such a novel. Once again I was very pleasantly surprised.

The narration was so good that I devoured the book during one evening – not because I wanted to know what would happen (it is a romance book with a  pretty much predictable plot – they fall in love/lust/ go to bed/ have some troubles/ reunite and/or marry) but because I was so entertained that I didn’t want to stop.

Let me add that, aside from a number of hot and heavy make-out scenes, there is also unexpected depth and emotion in this story. These characters are layered and feel very real so this book pushed a number of buttons for me.

Finally the research behind the book (it is a historical romance from the 19th century) was flawless – the ship, the petty court records, everything fitted. Ms. Milan – I truly appreciate!

Cover art

The dress and the colours are nice, I love this deep emerald -blue, but I doubt Miranda would appreciate a portrait of her when about 3/4 of her face are invisible...

What I didn’t like:

Well, you know me. I am yet to find a flawless romance book but this one came very close indeed. One negative remark - the ending could have been a bit more bitter-sweet but still it was very amusing, mainly because of the cynical Miranda.

Final verdict:

I actually had to design a new button for this one. Let it speak for itself.

About Introverts and myths...so a bit about Anachronist

This entry will be a bit revealing. It is an excerpt taken from The Introvert Advantage (How To Thrive in an Extrovert World), by Marti Laney, Psy.D. According to the book, only about 25% of people are Introverts. A section of Laney’s book tries to explain that phenomenon and it maps out the human brain. It seems that  neuro-transmitters follow different dominant paths in the nervous systems of Introverts and Extroverts. If the science behind the book is correct, it turns out that Introverts are people who are over-sensitive to Dopamine, so too much external stimulation overdoses and exhausts them. Conversely, Extroverts can’t get enough Dopamine, and they require Adrenaline for their brains to create it. Extroverts also have a shorter pathway and less blood-flow to the brain. The messages of an Extrovert’s nervous system mostly bypass the Broca’s area in the frontal lobe, which is where a large portion of contemplation takes place.


Here are a few common misconceptions about Introverts (with my personal comments - enjoy!) :

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

In my case - 100% true. Small talk is like a chore to me. A very unpleasant chore bordering torture.I never seem to know the right things to say.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

I used to be horribly shy in my teens but now I am closer to that description. Indeed I don't interact just for the sake of interacting and smarmy politeness makes me wary more than anything.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Once again - 100% sure in my case. I've had very unpleasant experiences concerning this aspect. I tend to avoid bigger family gatherings and such - now you know why.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Well, definitely true. I hope so at least.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Recharging is as quintessential as breathing to me. 

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Right again. Daydreaming...I've been told off for this since I remember. Now it is less noticeable - I can pretend better. ;p

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Definitely true. I've never followed any trends, not even as a teen. NEVER. You can imagine where it put me - I've been an outcast through and through.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Right again but only up to a point.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Public places wear me down thin...but I do know how to relax. 

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

I am not sure about my IQ, sometimes it tends to get lower, but I definitely cannot change myself sufficiently to pass for an Extrovert. Sorry.

Musical Monday, 12 of December

Welcome to Musical Monday! 

It's Monday: do you need something dynamic with a strong rythm to help you start the new week? Here you go: Storytime by Nightwish. Enjoy!

Lyrics

'Twas the night before,
When all through the world,
No words, no dreams
Then one day,
A writer by a fire
Imagined all Gaia
Took a journey into a child-man's heart

A painter on the shore
Imagined all the world
Within the snowflake on his palm
Unframed by poetry,
A canvas of awe
Planet Earth falling back in to the stars

I am the voice of Never-Never-Land
The innocence, the dreams of every man
I am the empty crib of Peter Pan
A silent kite against the blue, blue sky,
Every chimney, every moonlit sight
I am the story that will read you real
Every memory that you hold dear
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/n/nightwish/storytime.html ]
I am the journey,
I am the destination
I am the home
The tale that reads you
Away to taste the night
The elusive high
Follow the madness
Alice, you know once did

Imaginarium, a dream emporium
Caress the tales
And they will dream you real
A storyteller's game
Lips that intoxicate
The core of all life is a
Limitless chest of tales

I am the voice of Never-Never-Land
The innocence, the dreams of every man
I am the empty crib of Peter Pan
A silent kite against the blue, blue sky,
Every chimney, every moonlit sight
I am the story that will read you real
Every memory that you hold dear

I am the voice of Never-Never-Land
The innocence, the dreams of every man
Searching heavens for another Earth

What do you think?

Review: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Book info:
Form: e-book, mobi format
Genre: historical fiction
Target audience: history geeks, adult and young; other readers as well


Synopsis: 

England in the 1520s. Relatively young Henry VIII has a family-related problem - a wife much older than himself and no male heir. Should I say more? His story of love and marriage with Anne Boleyn has been done to death – you might choose between books, movies, plays, you name it. This time it is presented from the point of view of Thomas Cromwell - a man of humble background who starts as a blacksmith’s runaway son and a mercenary; then he rises to become one of Henry VIII’s top advisers and courtiers. But the king is volatile: one day tender and kind, the other day impatient and even murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?

What I liked:

First let me just say that the scope of this novel is simply immense. I was totally awed that Hilary Mantel set out to describe the whole tumultuous period in English history, not focusing on just on Henry, Anne, the court and the plotting but showing also the struggle faced by those behind the scene - simple people like a mad village prophetess or a little French thief, Christophe, who asks Cromwell for protection and a job…those huge proclamations or big meetings between the rulers are here too but the most important scenes are described by Cromwell, sitting alone at his desk, thinking and reminiscing. It was spell-bounding, like watching a real-time strategy game, not like a boring history lesson.

The narration is hardly linear – you must pay attention and let the book take you forth and back but I must say in my case the effort paid off. From time to time I felt as if I was sightseeing the 16th century England.

Thomas Comwell painted by Hans Holbein via Wikipedia

The novel was very well researched and rather detailed but it didn’t spoil my reading pleasure. Thomas Cromwell –what a main character! The word ‘three-dimensional’ doesn’t do him justice – not really. Small wonder I simply couldn’t get enough of him. He was a charmer and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people and a demon of energy: an honest person but also a consummate politician (say: liar), hardened by his personal experience, implacable in his ambition and cunning. Very human, very flawed, completely ruthless but not to those who are weaker than himself. He lacks principles but it is actually an advantage if you live in a period when people with principles are being beheaded for them.


Finally Henry and Anne…those two have been portrayed time and again from every angle - most often he is the beast (big, fat and red) and she is the beauty (dark, delicate, feminine). Well, not in this book. Anne is definitely one of the baddies here – cold-hearted, false, overly ambitious, cunning and selfish to the extreme, especially considering her treatment of her pretty sister, Mary. I did start pitying the king as he was portrayed here – he fell in love with such a snake of a woman.

What I didn’t like:

As I mentioned above the novel is long and complex. If you don’t have enough time for it (like at least several days, I am not kidding), don’t start it – it is not a flaw, just a warning- because then you will be forced to drop your reading and the return is not exactly easy – think about the return of the king in LOTR and you might get an idea how difficult exactly it might be. ;)

I did try to pay attention but still sometimes I had trouble with distinguishing characters, especially that there was a number of people called Thomas, Anne, Jane, Mary and Henry (in that one it seems that indeed every man is called  Tom, Dick or Harry). From time to time somebody is referred to by his or her name and other times by his or her title. That's why it happened I had some trouble keeping track of who was saying what and to whom.

Final verdict:

I recommend this book to all fans of good historical fiction, no matter how many versions of Henry VIII's story you have read/heard/seen. However, if you happen to suffer from low boredom threshold or you are being busy you might find Wolf Hall quite a challenge. This book demands your full attention not unlike a king or a queen.

Anne Boleyn the evil queen via Wikipedia

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take. Here is the picture posted this Monday:

I am still a bit ill but the devil in me couldn't have missed such an ocassion...which means I am definitely better. ;-) Oh well, judge on your own.

Thera knew she had to return that book to the library. It was already like two weeks overdue. She was sure she would have to pay a fine even though that new, totally hot and as hunky as hell intern librarian clearly fancied her. She smirked remembering his chocolate eyes with long, velvety eyelashes which measured her up and down. Or his wide shoulders. Or elegant hands with long, slender fingers. Other girls talked about him as well. Like 24/7. Ok, let's try some damage control - with him being on duty she definitely stood a chance.

First the right make-up - not too much but enough to emphasize her assets. Then the right clothes. She put on a rather tight blouse and the shortest hip skirt she could find, both items taken straight from her younger sister's wardrobe. The kid was smallish but fortunately plump enough to wear the same size. Almost. And Thera attended the same school so their uniforms were similar...Finally dark brown stockings, matching the skirt and ending right below the hem. They must have been a good choice - every male passing her had his eyes glued to her legs. Some of them frowned, some smiled, other wolf-whistled but nobody was left indifferent. On the other hand most girls looked right through her as if she was made of glass. Great. She knew that look only too well - in the humble opinion of other females she was too attractive to live -the most sincere compliment another girl can pay you without actually saying a word.

Thera entered the library like a model would enter a catwalk - ramrod straight, swaying her hips, pouting her lips. And froze. The hunky specimen of librarian male hotness was nowhere to be seen. Gone to a gym or being on a date? Hiding somewhere in a corner? Powdering his perfect nose in the toilet? She looked around. Nobody. Thera cussed but luckily not too loud. An elderly woman wearing bejewelled spectacles emerged from behind one of the shelves and met her gaze. She felt her chances dwindling to zero. Where did that ridiculous old crone come from? Oh right, from behind the shelves...

The old crone appraised her shortly and smiled.

"Hello my dear. What can I do for you?"

Die, just die, you are so old nobody will notice anyway...thought Thera viciously.

"Er...hello, Mrs...Ms...well...hello, nice to meet you and I want to return a book..."

The woman smiled showing dainty, sharp teeth.

A pretty lousy smile, cheap dentures...commented Thera in her head.

"It's Mrs. Raffle and nice to meet you too. Please, give me your name and put the book on the desk."

"Thera Jones."

Stuff yourself with it.

"Oh dear. Miss Jones, could you spell your first name for me, please? There seem to be at least four different students called like you but I am sure the spelling will clarify everything."

Oh dear? Do me a favour...

"Yes, of course. It's T-H-E-R-A."

"A nice name. I'm afraid the book is overdue and you will have to pay a fine, pretty name or not. Unless..."

"...unless?"

UNLESS?

The librarian reacted immediately, as if she waited for that simple word. She grabbed Thera's hand and pulled her closer without missing a beat.

"Unless you agree to volunteer and work here for twenty hours after your classes. I think you might be the right person but to be completely sure I must see your reflection in our mirror - as simple as that. Do step behind the counter and follow me, my dear...yes, take this book of yours with you if you like and please, don't pretend to be shy, with such clothes on nobody would believe you anyway...this way please, just stand and watch."

Dazed but curious, Thera followed the library woman. Soon enough she was positioned before a large mirror, over two meters long and at least two meters wide. Why library people needed such a thing at all? It was their working place not a freaking changing room in a...Thera looked and froze for the second time. Her reflection didn't look right. Her back was on fire and her both hands emitted kind of blue thunderbolts. The most surprising thing, though, floated above her head. A fire crown. Good heavens. Somehow she didn't feel flattered. She knew she was hot but a fire crown seemed to be a bit over the top...surely there were prettier girls who deserved it, even in this school...

All of a sudden the hunky librarian guy she had hoped to meet and wrap around her little finger joined her. Or rather joined her reflection in the mirror. He put his arm round her waist, smiled and said:

"She will most definitely do, my lady."

Thera fell to the floor in a faint.

The Hermetica of Elysium by Annamarie Banks

This book was provided by the author's publisher via my lady Blodeuedd's excellent blog in return for an honest review. I haven't been compensated for writing the said review in any way and the fact that the book came free of charge didn't influence me either. 

Book info:

Publisher: Knox Robinson Publishing
Pages: 400
To Be published: December 8 2011

Form: e-book, pdf format

Genre: historical fantasy, adventure, hermetical

Target audience: YA and adults alike

Synopsis (starting with a quote):

  

“Other shining, untarnished minds have come before us, lighting this path to understanding. But the sword of fear and ignorance has cut down their mortal forms, dissolving them as time does to all of us, to dust. Yet, their minds remain on paper. Their thoughts come to us in ink and parchment, packaged in tiny receptacles of light and wisdom.”

Spain, the dark years of Inquisition led by Torquemada. Nadira, a young Muslim slave girl and her owner, Sofir, a rich Spanish converso (so a Jew who conversed to Christianity) are one night accosted by some sailors (or rather pirates). These men ask specifically for Nadira; they brought with them a dying young man, which had been beaten by them to almost death. They think he doesn’t understand Spanish so they make Nadira speak her native Arabic to make him divulge his secret – the location of a certain book. The man is obstinate and doesn’t tell them anything so, after more beating, they leave him with Sofir, thinking he is dead. And he indeed dies after one more day but he also reveals to Nadira that a man named Henry has the book. He implores the girl to tell that to his little brother, Robin. Why was that book, any book in fact, worth such a sacrifice, though? Where is that Robin? One of these questions is solved very quickly.

Robert Longmoor, Baron Montrose of Scotland visits Sofir to collect the body of his elder brother, tortured to death. As he can’t read , he takes Nadira with him by force - she is fluent in several languages and he must find his brother’s book and read his letters. Although the girl remains a captive, her new master treats her with kindness and dignity. Because of him Nadira gets involved in a chain of adventures that exceeds her all expectations…she becomes important to many curious, rich and ruthless people. Will she find a worthy place in the world or remain the plaything of the powers that be? Will her strengths prevail over her weaknesses? What will she learn? Will Robert survive?

What I liked:

-          The subject matter - it is about a hermetical book for heavens’ sake!!! A very old book from Egypt, written in several languages, most probably an ancient text, coveted by many alchemists! How not to adore such a premise? It reminded me of The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, one of my all time favourites! In fact I suppose the idea of an edible book was taken straight from that novel! Still I didn’t mind – not at all!

-          The narration was quick-paced and as lively as I like. The book managed to keep me interested till the very end.

-         Plenty of knights in their prime, one pretty girl and no insta-love! No insta-lust either! A love triangle? Absent again! Well done and, as you see, it can be done!

-         A kick-ass heroine who is not only of Arab descent but also, despite being a slave, doesn’t want to follow her mother’s fate and remain despondent all her life; she takes difficult decisions but never ones which would be too stupid for her to live. By the way usually in such books  it is a Saracen master and a Christian slave; here we have an Arab girl,  a Jewish master and a Scotsman…not bad!

What I didn’t like:

-         In short small inconsistencies. They can ruin even the best premise for me. For example the main heroine, Nadira, once states that she wants to return home to Morocco and several pages later she says ‘to Marrakech’. I am not sure whether they were known by their contemporary names in the 15^th century. Oh well, you know me…incurably anal…

-         It is not a flaw but it bugged me: Richard Longmoor was a kind of prominent scholar while his younger brother, Robert, couldn’t read an write at all…correct me if I am mistaken but if you were a Scottish laird who decided to spend some hard-earned coin on exclusive education, hiring a private tutor in the shape of a monk, you would make sure both of your precious sons got at least some basic schooling… I would understand if Robert knew ‘only’ Latin or ‘only’ Old French/Norman but the fact that he could barely sign his own name and couldn't read in any language left me perplexed…what did young Master Robin do when Richard had his lessons? Chased skirts? Shot crows? How come his father didn’t intervene?

-    I would wish for some three-dimensional baddies...

Final verdict:

Despite some quibbles I did enjoy this book and I would love to read the second part of this series. Alchemy gives me always a powerful tug and this book was based on some alchemical texts...how could I resist it?

Image via Wikipedia