Unbreak my heart

I just finished my second book by Melina Marchetta, Finnikin of the Rock. And if Finnikin and The Piper's Son are any indication, Marchetta knows how exactly how to break my heart and put it back together all at the same time. Part of it is her ability to make me feel -- I connect with these characters, even when I want to smack them upside the head for their stubborness. Part of it is the way she writes relationships -- family love, friend love, romantic love. The relationships in Marchetta's books are real and good and hard and flawed. And Marchetta writes about hope. If there is one thing that will predispose me to liking a book, it's hope in the midst of sadness and despair. Bottom line: count me a fan.

Review - Texas Gothic

Texas Gothic, by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Texas Gothic is a classic mystery with a paranormal twist. Amy and her sister Phin come from a family of witches and psychics, although Amy would prefer to keep that part of her life hidden. The two are spending the summer taking care of their aunt's herb farm in the middle of the Texas hill country, and at first, all Amy has to worry about are the tree-climbing goats are her sister's experiments. Soon, however, Amy is caught up in a conflict with (extremely attractive) owner of the neighboring ranch; rumors of ghosts; actual accidents and injuries; and a personal haunting by a spirit who may want to help her or hurt her.

I really enjoyed Texas Gothic. I liked the blending of traditional mystery with ghost story, and I thought the pacing felt right on. Although the resolution of the mystery wasn't anything groundbreaking, the "getting there" was interesting enough that I didn't need a big shocking ending. I enjoyed watching Amy struggle with the part of her life that she wanted to pretend didn't exist, and grow as a result of that struggle. I liked that the romantic part of the story fit in well with the rest of the plot and didn't overshadow it or seem like an afterthought; the antagonism and attraction between Amy and Ben felt natural. And it was nice to visit Texas!

Bottom line: a great read for anyone who enjoys mystery with a side of paranormal activity.

Mini Reviews

Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins is a delightful contemporary YA romance. The characters are fun, quirky without being overdone, and believable. The romance is believable, sweet but also pretty sizzling. I enjoyed visiting San Fransicso through the book -- it felt like visiting with a local, not a tourist. And the story never left me bored or skimming to get to the "good parts." It was all good parts! I liked Perkins' first book Anna and the French Kiss, but actually enjoyed Lola even more. Bottom line - a feel-good rom-com with plenty of heart and emotion.

The Piper's Son, by Melinda Marchetta is a great story of redemption and family and love in many forms. From a somewhat superficial standpoint, I liked that it was a YA book featuring post-high school young adults. People navigating life "after." I also liked that the primary secondary character (is that a thing?) was Tom's aunt -- an adult! Who isn't a stock character or plot device! Bottom line - this book has so many things I love: humor, depth, heart, love, redemption, and an ending that's just a beginning.

Room with a View, by E.M. Forster proved to be a comfort-food read along the lines of Jane Austen or L.M. Montgomery. Quiet and thoughtful, yet witty and full of keen human observation. Philosophical but unpretentious. The story moved along and kept you wanting to know what would happen, but it didn't rush. The cast of characters may have been a bit expected -- the conventional mother, the whimsical brother, the maiden aunt, the "vulgar" old country man, the pretentions Londonite, the stuffy clergyman and the kind clergyman -- but rather than fell cliche, they just felt familier, like old friends. And the love story truly resonated. As a bonus - Florence! I'm predisposed to love anything featuring Italy, and Forster didn't dissapoint. Bottom line - it's a classic for a reason.

Brief thoughts on - Cold Fire

Cold Fire, by Kate Elliot

Cold Fire is the sequel to Cold Magic (which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago). I have to say that I agree completely with Kristen at Fantasy Cafe: I really liked Cold Magic, but I LOVED Cold Fire. It has all the great things about the first book, with a lot more story and character. I really felt like I got to know Cat and Bee and Vai (and even James Drake, that b*^&#$!). I like that the characters make mistakes and bad decisions at times, and that life throws them curveballs. Sometimes people and situations aren't what they seem, and sometimes they are EXACTLY as bad or good as your gut told you.

I guess this isn't so much a review as a statement of you-should-go-read-this-now-because-it's-awesome! If you want to read more coherent and in-depth reviews check out Fantasy Cafe or the ladies over at Book Smugglers.

Bottom line: I'll probably now read anything Kate Elliot writes!

A little light reading

These days it seems my reading happens in short bits of time. I'm either finding myself too busy for a large chunk of reading, or I just get distracted with odds and ends: cleaning the kitchen, laundry, dusting, playing on the internet...you know. So I found myself in the mood for books that you can get into and enjoy even when you don't have hours at a time to read them. Two authors that I've found who are perfect for this type of mood are romance novelists Kristan Higgins and Julie James. They are definitely two different styles of romance, but both authors have a very readable, breezy writing style that pulls you in. The characters are well-drawn and likeable, and the romances are sizzling. Higgins' books tend toward funny, small-town, boy-next-door kinds of story-lines. James writes sophisticated, big-city heroines who are smart, savvy and sarcastic (and the men who match).

So if you find yourself in the mood for contemporary romance, pick up a book by Kristin Higgins or Julie James.

Review - Cold Magic

Cold Magic, by Kate Elliott

Cold Magic is the first in a fantasy trilogy set in a alternate-history version of Europe sometime similar to the beginning of the industrial revolution. Science and magic are beginning to butt heads, as are the ruling class and the the people who want freedom from both the politically powerful princes and the magically powerful mages. Cat Barahal and her cousin Bee are part of a poor, but in some ways influential and valuable family of information brokers. They spend their days attending University and learning to take their place in the family business. Until one day powerful mages come to claim Cat as part of an old agreement, and Cat finds herself in the middle of political intrigue. She also discovers that nearly everything she knew about herself, her family, her history and the world aren't what she thought; that the truth's she thought she knew are actually pretty far from reality.

I really loved this book. First off, alternate histories are fascinating to me; I've always loved the "what-if" game. And it makes the world familiar, yet exotic at the same time. Elliott really did a great job of setting up this alternate world, giving it depth and color. I also loved the characters. Cat was tough and strong, but believably so. The supporting cast of characters were also interesting and diverse. And I felt like everyone was going somewhere. The plot was intriguing and well-paced. There were several facets of it as well -- the politics, Cat's discovery of magic, her journey with the mages, her relationship with her family -- but it never got too confusing or muddled. Although I will admit I did get a little lost in the political history and background, but that's more me than a fault of the book, I think. And I think the set-up was an important part of this being the first of a trilogy.

Bottom line: I can't wait to read more! The perfect book for readers who like their fantasy with a side of adventure, a little bit of history and a dash of romance.

It's a New Year

Looking back on my previous year of blogging is an exercise in humility. I started off this blog with the best of intentions: I had a schedule, wherein I could easily post once a week. I signed up for a challenge, which I hoped would keep me motivated. But you know...life happens. New jobs, new responsibilities, new schedules, new priorities. I didn't complete my challenge, and I didn't meet my 2011 blogging goals. But you know what -- who succeeds the first time? It is what it is, and the important thing is to move forward and set more goals. Evaluate and adjust. So for 2012, I'm sticking with an old goal and adding a new one:

1. Post once a week. A thought on books or libraries or writing....or just a thought.

2. Finish my novel by Dec. 31. It's scary to me to say this one out loud. That's a lot of pressure. But it's pressure I need. I've even promised a few friends that on January 1 they need to put their hands out with the expectation of receiving a fully completed draft of said book.

I hope your 2012 is a year full of adventure and laughter and good stories.