Review: Epitaph

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EpitaphMary Doria Russell, Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral

In the late 19th century, Tombstone, Arizona was a thriving silver-mining town in the American West, but it has become known to history only as the site of the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The story has been told many times and has become part of the mythology of the Wild West. But what was the fight really like for the men and women who lived it? What were its real causes? Who was really to blame? This novel, the follow-up to Doc, seeks to re-examine the legend and portray events as they really happened — or might have happened. The story begins more than a year before the gunfight, with local and national politics having a significant effect on daily life in Tombstone. Wyatt Earp wants to be sheriff someday, but although he is a man of integrity, he is too naive to realize that others are manipulating him. Meanwhile, the Clantons and the McLaurys are cattle thieves, pejoratively dubbed “cow boys,” who resent the intrusion of the lawmen onto their traditional way of life. These two conflicting ideologies are bound to clash, but in the fallout from the gunfight, the truth is obscured by many conflicting versions of the story, until at last it is covered by legend.

My summary of this book was a pain to write, and I definitely didn’t do it justice, but all you really need to know is that I loved this book! When I read Doc a couple years ago, I thought, “This is why I love historical fiction!” And the same is true of this follow-up novel. I love how Russell is able to take legendary historical figures and make them real, living, breathing people. I love how she pays as much attention to the women of Tombstone as to the men, from the Earp brothers’ common-law wives to the beguiling Josephine Sarah Marcus, whose love for Wyatt Earp would eventually lead to her distorting the events of the gunfight and building Wyatt into a legend. I also got a huge kick out of the fact that each chapter heading is a phrase from the Iliad, which emphasizes the epic, mythic nature of the stories surrounding the gunfight. Another fun fact is that “Epitaph” was the name of one of the local newspapers in Tombstone, so even the book’s title has many layers of meaning. My one complaint is that I would have liked a little bit more of Doc Holliday and his lover, Kate. But anyone who loved Doc should definitely read this novel too! Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.

Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon

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readathon - dewey's 24 hour 10-9-10The long-awaited day has finally arrived: Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon is upon us! This post will be my home base throughout the day, where I’ll be logging my progress and participating in mini-challenges. I’ve got a bunch of snacks and a stack of books all ready to go, so let the games begin!

11:04 a.m. — Argh, I overslept! So I haven’t actually started reading yet…but I’m about to get going with Every Breath by Ellie Marney! Hope everyone is enjoying his/her day so far!

Classic Words of Wisdom Mini-Challenge

From the host’s website: “[C]reate a post highlighting your favorite ‘Classic Words of Wisdom’ and then explain their meaning to you.” This is one of my absolute favorite quotes, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit:

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

To me, this quote is a reminder to focus on life’s simple pleasures and to be “merry” whenever possible. Not bad life advice, I think!

Four Seasons, Four Books Mini-Challenge

From the host’s website: “This mini challenge is to convey the four seasons in four book covers, by colour, title, author, cover, or something a little less obvious. Just arrange your covers, snap a photo and then upload it.” Here are my choices for spring, summer, fall, and winter:

Peach Keeper, TheSince You've Been GoneOutlaws of Sherwood, TheWinter Long, The

1:21 p.m. — About halfway through Every Breath now, and it’s SO GOOD! I’ve just put the sequel on my wishlist. 🙂

3:17 p.m. — Finished Every Breath and really, really liked it! I did guess the culprit’s identity fairly early on, but the fun is in getting there, and in watching the slow burn of Watts and Mycroft’s relationship. Now I’m on to French Leave by Anna Gavalda, of which I have high hopes, since I really enjoyed Gavalda’s previous novel Hunting and Gathering!

Treasure Hunt Mini-Challenge

From the host’s website: “[F]ind a book with one of the listed items on the cover.” The listed items were a tree, snow, and a weapon, and here’s what I found:

Treasure Hunt mini-challenge

Tree — Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Snow — The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire
Weapon — The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Book Spine Poetry Mini-Challenge

From the host’s website: “Using the titles on book spines, make a short poem at least three ‘books’ long/tall.” This is one of my very favorite mini-challenges — it’s always so much fun to get creative with the books on my shelves! Here’s my poem:

book spine poetry

A song for summer, season of storms:
Let’s get lost in the woods.
Bewitching season, endless summer.

5:07 p.m. — I just finished French Leave, which was quite charming and a perfect palate-cleanser after the intense Every Breath. I did love this one passage, which is about a conversation between four adult siblings:

And then we talked about our parents. The way we always did. About Mom and Pop. Their new lives. Their own love stories. And our future. In short, the everyday trifles and the handful of people that filled our lives.

It wasn’t much, trifles to many people, and yet a boundless fortune.

9:32 p.m. — I took a little break from the readathon this evening to play in a community orchestra concert. But now it’s back to reading, and I’m in the middle of Katie Van Ark’s The Boy Next Door, which is really making me want to watch “The Cutting Edge”!

11:40 p.m. Finished The Boy Next Door, which was fine but lacked that spark that makes me really excited about a book. Not sure it will have a permanent home on my shelves. Oh well! On to my next pick, Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns).

Music Is Muse Mini-Challenge

From the host’s website: “Whilst you’ve been reading I wonder if you’ve felt a particular musical connection to a book, or a character. I want to know what songs remind you of that character, or connect you to something you’ve read today. For this hour’s mini challenge please tell me the name of the song, and the connection you feel to it.” For this challenge, I’ve assigned a song to each of the books I’ve read so far:

  • Every Breath by Ellie Marnie — “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks (listen here). I think this is a song that main character Mycroft would listen to; he has an appreciation for the classics! Plus, the book as a whole gives me the vibe of a high-energy rock song with snarly/angry vocals.
  • French Leave by Anna Gavalda — “Absolutely Cuckoo” by the Magnetic Fields (listen here). The song is short and whimsical, the perfect complement to this charming French novella! For some reason, I can imagine the characters riding bikes through the French countryside with this song as a soundtrack.
  • The Boy Next Door by Katie Van Ark — “Love Story” by Taylor Swift (listen here). This song is THE perfect choice for this book, which is about two young lovers who believe they’re destined to be together. And Romeo and Juliet is a prominent narrative in both the book and the song!

Reading Story Mini-Challenge

From the host’s website: “For this challenge you will be writing a six word story based on your read-a-thon experience so far or what you hope for the rest of your read-a-thon.” Here is my six-word story: “Read three books on couch. Success!”

1:13 a.m. Well, it’s Hour 18, and I think I’m going to have to call it quits! Sadly, I have to get up at a decent hour tomorrow morning. 😦 But before I go, I want to leave you all with this brilliant quote from Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), where Mindy Kaling is describing her first NYC apartment:

It was a staircase for killing someone and making it seem like an accident.

I’ve been cackling so loudly over this book that I think I’m disturbing the neighbors. Anyhow, this is me signing off, but best of luck to those of you who are still reading! You can do it!!!

Library sale!

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This weekend is my public library’s semi-annual sale! So naturally it’s been on my calendar for months, and I had to go twice to satisfy my craving for new (to me) books! Here’s what I got yesterday and today:

library sale 4-17-15

Lois McMaster Bujold, Diplomatic Immunity — I’ve only read the first few Vorkosigan books, but I’ve really enjoyed them all! This is one of the last books in the series, I believe, but I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually!

Frances Hardinge, Fly By Night — This is one of those books that’s been on my TBR list for a really long time, and I’m not entirely sure I remember why! But I know I’ve read some good reviews of it, and it was only 50 cents, so why not? 🙂

Simon Brett, Blotto, Twinks and the Bootlegger’s Moll — I really enjoyed the first Blotto, Twinks book when I read it a few years ago, and I’ve always meant to continue with the series. This is book #4, but hey, I’ve got to start somewhere!

Adi Alsaid, Let’s Get Lost — When I went to BEA last year, this was a very coveted and popular ARC, so I figured I should check it out! Also, I’m a sucker for a good road trip story.

Anna Dean, A Place of Confinement — This book is fourth in a series of mysteries set in Regency England. I’ve read the first two and enjoyed them a lot, so I’m hoping to catch up with the series soon!

Judith Martin & Jacobina Martin, Miss Manners’ Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding — I’ve already read this book, but I really enjoyed it and am happy to have my own copy! Plus, my brother is getting married soon, so it’s especially apropos. 🙂

library sale 4-18-15

Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg, The Heist — I’ve never read Janet Evanovich, but I’ve heard her books are fun, and this one is about con artists (and maybe also cops?). I really love a good (fictional) con!

Tracy Chevalier, Remarkable Creatures — This one’s been on my TBR list for YEARS; it’s about Victorian women who study fossils, so what’s not to love?

Mhairi McFarlane, Here’s Looking at You — This novel is billed as a romantic comedy between an ugly-duckling heroine and the guy who made fun of her in high school. It’s the sort of story that can be done well but also REALLY badly, so we shall see.

Holly Black, White Cat — More con artists, but this time in a fantasy realm! Plus, I’ve been meaning to try something by Holly Black for a while.

Cinda Williams Chima, The Demon King — I can’t even remember where I first heard about this book, but I definitely read a positive review that kindled my interest!

Suzanne Joinson, A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar — This historical novel is set in British India, which is a fascinating setting to me. I’m glad I found this one at the library sale, because I’m interested in reading it but definitely wouldn’t have paid full price!

Andre Norton & Rosemary Edghill, The Shadow of Albion — Fantasy and romance in an alternate universe where the Stuart dynasty still rules England? I want to go to there!

Review: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust

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As Chimney Sweepers Come to DustAlan Bradley, As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust

***Warning: SPOILERS for previous books in the series!***

Flavia de Luce’s life has been turned upside-down by the shocking revelation that her mother, Harriet, worked as a spy for England before her death. What’s more, Harriet was groomed for this work at an elite Canadian boarding school, where she belonged to a secret society called the Nide. Now the twelve-year-old Flavia must follow in her mother’s footsteps all the way to Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy, so that she can carry on the family’s legacy of covert service to England. But Flavia is less than thrilled about leaving Buckshaw and all her family and friends behind. Still, Miss Bodycote’s proves more interesting than Flavia expected when a dead body falls down the chimney into her bedroom on her very first night at the school. But whose body is it, and who would have placed the remains there? Was it a fellow student? The science teacher who was once tried for murder? Perhaps even the stern headmistress herself? Once again, Flavia uses her insatiable curiosity and her passion for chemistry to discover how, why, and by whom the victim was murdered. She also struggles to fit in at Miss Bodycote’s and eventually makes an important decision about her future.

This book marks a significant change in the direction of the series, as Flavia is uprooted from Bishop’s Lacey and placed in different surroundings with an entirely new cast of characters. Some people were skeptical about this change, but I was optimistic going in; if series aren’t willing to shake things up sometimes, they risk becoming stale. Unfortunately, I don’t think this particular change was terribly successful. The idea of Flavia trying to fit in at a strict boarding school filled me with glee, but this book doesn’t spend much time on her interactions with the other students, except as necessary for her investigation. And the book really suffers for not having Father, Feely, Daffy, and Dogger to be Flavia’s confidantes, friends, and sometimes enemies. I don’t read this series predominantly for the mysteries; while these are usually fine, the books’ charm lies in Flavia and her unique reactions to the people around her. And sadly, in this book, her social interactions just weren’t as funny, interesting, or poignant as they usually are. The end of this novel promises another change for Flavia, and I hope that the next book will take things in a more satisfying direction.

Review: I’ll Meet You There

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I'll Meet You ThereHeather Demetrios, I’ll Meet You There

Skylar Evans can’t wait to escape from her dead-end hometown of Creek View, California. Fortunately, she’s just graduated from high school and is bound for art school in the fall, so she only has to survive one more summer working at the ironically-named Paradise Motel. Meanwhile, Josh Mitchell thought he had already escaped Creek View by joining the Marines, but when his leg was blown off in Afghanistan, he was forced to return and face a wildly different future than the one he expected. Now Josh is doing odd jobs at the Paradise, and Skylar finds herself trying to reach out, because it seems as though the leg is the least of Josh’s problems. Skylar and Josh begin a tentative friendship that eventually deepens into something more. But as Skylar’s mom relapses into alcoholism and Josh struggles to deal with his physical and psychological wounds, their fledgling relationship falters under the strain. Eventually, Skylar and Josh must both develop the courage to face the future — together or apart.

I like YA contemporary romances when they’re done right, and this one is definitely done right. I found both Skylar and Josh to be extremely sympathetic characters, so their romance was easy to root for. That’s not to say that they’re perfect human beings — far from it. Skylar is so focused on her desire to get out of Creek View that she subconsciously looks down on her friends who don’t want — or simply can’t afford — to leave. Meanwhile, Josh spends the first part of the novel engaging in a lot of self-destructive behaviors. While his choices are understandable given what he’s been through, they certainly don’t make him a likable character at first. I also liked the fact that the romance between Skylar and Josh doesn’t magically solve all their problems. They both still have a lot of issues to work through, and they have goals and plans that don’t revolve around each other. Ultimately, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a good love story; it’s one of the best YA contemporary novels I’ve read in a while.

Review: Darkness at Pemberley

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Darkness at PemberleyT.H. White, Darkness at Pemberley

This mystery novel begins at Cambridge, where a history don and an undergraduate are nearly simultaneously found shot in their rooms. The local police are called, and Inspector Buller is assigned to investigate. At first it appears that the don murdered the student and then killed himself, but Buller notices a few oddities in the don’s rooms that contradict this murder-suicide theory. He subsequently uncovers a drug scandal in the college and eventually discovers the real murderer’s identity. Unfortunately, the murderer has a cast-iron alibi, so Buller is forced to let the man go free. Buller then goes to visit his friend Charles Darcy at Pemberley and tells him about the murders. Charles, enraged by this injustice, goes to Cambridge to threaten the murderer. When Buller discovers this, he is terrified, knowing that the murderer will now come after Charles in retaliation. Almost immediately, strange things begin to happen at Pemberley, and Buller is convinced that the murderer is hiding somewhere in the house or grounds. Can he catch the murderer before his friend becomes the next victim?

Obviously, I was drawn to this book because of the title; any Austen fan will immediately recognize Pemberley as the name of Mr. Darcy’s grand estate in Pride and Prejudice. Sadly, from my point of view, there’s very little connection to Austen’s novel in this book, except that the current inhabitants of the house are still called Darcy. But this is still a very interesting and suspenseful book, despite the fact that it’s a bit schizophrenic. The first part of the book seems like a traditional locked-room mystery, and the solution is both complicated and ingenious. But as I mentioned, the murderer’s identity is discovered fairly early in the book. The novel then shifts to more of a suspense/thriller, as the inhabitants of Pemberley wait for the murderer to make his move so that they can catch him. The novel genuinely creeped me out in places; the idea of being trapped in a maze of a house, with someone pursuing you whom you can’t see, is absolutely claustrophobic and terrifying to me! So if you enjoy that kind of thing, I definitely recommend this book!

Review: Seraphina

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SeraphinaRachel Hartman, Seraphina

The kingdom of Goredd is populated with both humans and dragons, who manage to live peacefully together — for the moment. Not so long ago, the two sides were at war, and even now, the peace between them is very fragile. Dragons are intelligent creatures who can take on human bodies, so they must wear special bells to differentiate themselves from their human neighbors. In this world, Seraphina has a secret that places her in a uniquely dangerous position: she is half-human, half-dragon. No one knew that her mother was a dragon — not even her father, when they first married — and Seraphina is dedicated to preserving the secret at all costs. She seeks to be invisible and hides the telltale scales covering her arms and waist. But when a member of the royal family is murdered in a suspiciously draconian way, she finds herself caught between the two sides of her heritage. As she begins to investigate the murder, with the help of dashing Prince Lucian Kiggs, she uncovers some unexpected secrets about her family’s past and her own identity. But can she solve the mystery before war erupts between humans and dragons once again?

This is a book that a lot of people love, but I must admit, it took me a while to get into it. I was intrigued by the world immediately, being a sucker for political intrigue, and I liked the unusual portrayal of dragons. In this book, they are hyper-rational creatures who thrive as scholars and musicians, but they lack human emotions and empathy. Nevertheless, some of the dragons in this book become more human-like the longer they associate with humans, and these transformations are a great source of conflict. I also really liked that the conflict between humans and dragons isn’t one-sided at all. Both sides contain extremists who would like to return to all-out war, but there are also moderates who want to preserve the peace. As I said, I did have some trouble connecting with the book at first, and I think it’s because an awful lot of information has to be conveyed up front in order to understand what’s going on. Once the story gets moving, though, things pick up considerably, and I really enjoyed the story overall. The sequel, Shadow Scale, just came out, and I look forward to reading it!

Review: Snobbery with Violence

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Snobbery with ViolenceMarion Chesney, Snobbery with Violence

Captain Harry Cathcart has recently been invalided out of the army and is looking for something to do with himself. Since he is a gentleman, he is not expected to work for a living; yet, although he is the younger son of a baron, the upper classes don’t entirely accept him as one of their own. Putting his ambiguous social standing to use, Harry becomes a discreet fixer for members of the upper class with problems that they’d like to keep quiet. In this capacity, he is hired to investigate Sir Geoffrey Blandon, a suitor of Lady Rose Summer, because Lady Rose’s father is unsure of the man’s intentions. Harry quickly discovers that Sir Geoffrey intends nothing honorable, but when Rose learns of Harry’s activities, she is furious with him. Unfortunately, Rose and Harry soon meet again at the Marquess of Hedley’s house party; but their constant bickering must take a backseat when one of the guests is found dead. Harry suspects murder and begins to investigate quietly. But when Rose insists on getting involved, her interference could prove deadly.

I’ve had a streak of disappointing books lately, and unfortunately, this one is no exception. I loved the idea of this book — mystery and romance in Edwardian England — but the execution fell sadly flat. Every character was a cardboard cutout, including the two protagonists. Harry is a dour alpha male type, while Rose is a feisty 21st-century heroine in period costume. She befriends her maid (a former actress), is active in the suffragette movement, and doesn’t enjoy the Season’s balls and parties like other girls do. Such characters could be interesting, if they ever rose above caricatures, but they never spoke or behaved like real human beings. The book occasionally attempts to comment on the social inequities of the era, but even its depiction of class struggles is superficial, not thought-provoking. As for the mystery, I can’t remember a thing about it, so I guess it was fine, but certainly nothing extraordinary. Marion Chesney is an extremely prolific author — she also writes as M.C. Beaton — so maybe her other books and series are better. But I have no hesitation in recommending others to skip this one!

Review: Left Drowning

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Left DrowningJessica Park, Left Drowning

College senior Blythe McGuire has recently suffered the loss of both her parents in a tragic house fire. Numbed by her grief, she has basically stopped going to classes, and she drowns her sorrows in alcohol and partying. But when she meets gorgeous fellow senior Chris Shepherd, she begins to feel a part of herself coming to life again. She immediately feels a strong physical attraction to him — an attraction he seems to reciprocate — but he tells her right away that he’s not looking for a relationship. Nevertheless, Blythe continues to spend time with him and his siblings, who soon become her best friends. The Shepherds shower her with love and acceptance, and she eventually begins to deal with her grief and guilt over her parents’ death. But it soon becomes apparent that Chris is also dealing with traumatic experiences from his past, and in fighting his own internal battles, he pushes Blythe further and further away.

I really enjoyed Jessica Park’s novel Flat-Out Love, so I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed. I liked Flat-Out Love for the realistic central characters and the slow-burning romance, but this book has two-dimensional protagonists who fall in “love” instantaneously. I can’t stand it when fictional characters fall in love for no other reason than because it’s destiny, but that’s essentially what happens in this book. Other than that and their shared lust for each other, I have no idea what their supposed love is based on. And unfortunately, the entire book rests on the romance; if that doesn’t work for you, there’s nothing else to hold your attention. Moreover, I wasn’t a fan of the explicit sex scenes in this book — and there are a lot of them. Overall, I wanted to like this book, but I ended up with pretty much the opposite experience. I’m definitely getting rid of my copy!