Confessions of a Bookaholic

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis

It was the kind of August day that hinted at monsoons, and the year was 1774, though not for very much longer.

Sixteen-year-old Nix Song is a time-traveller. She, her father and their crew of time refugees travel the world aboard The Temptation, a glorious pirate ship stuffed with treasures both typical and mythical. Old maps allow Nix and her father to navigate not just to distant lands, but distant times - although a map will only take you somewhere once. And Nix's father is only interested in one time, and one place: Honolulu 1868. A time before Nix was born, and her mother was alive. Something that puts Nix's existence rather dangerously in question...

(from Goodreads)

Thoughts

I was really excited to read this book for the longest time. First of all – time-traveling pirates. That’s the best thing imaginable. Secondly – the cover is just so incredibly beautiful (I know, I know, don’t judge a book by its cover), that it drew me in. In the end the book may not have quite lived up to my expectations, but it was still an enjoyable read.

The concept of this story is spectacular and unique. It’s such a cool idea that a person would be able to navigate to any map, be it real or imaginary. My first thought when the characters described how they travelled between times was of course: “So if they had a map of Hogwarts or Narnia, they could just go there?” That made me very excited. Do you have any idea how often I’ve dreamt of being able to do that? However, navigating, as they call it, it a bit more complicated. The map has to be hand drawn and made in the contemporary time, so a map of India in 1774 must have been drawn in 1774. And in order for them to travel to a mythical or imaginary land the person who drew the map must believe the place is real. This makes it sound like mythical maps are extremely rare, but apparently not. On the ship the crew has a bunch of magical objects from different myths, such as a bottomless sack from an Irish story and luminescent herring from a Scandinavian myth explaining the Northern Lights. They even have a crew member from an imaginary city.

The crew is able to navigate to these strange and magical places all thanks to Nix, our main character. The girl is like a walking encyclopaedia of myth and history. I am myself a big fan of mythology, but there was still so much mentioned in this book that I had no idea about. Still, you could keep up with the story without knowing all the facts beforehand. And for the very curious (like me) there is a handy dandy author’s note in the back detailing the origins of most of the myths and objects mentioned in the story.

The story mostly takes place in Hawaii in the 1800’s. I have always wanted to go to Hawaii, so learning more about its history was really fascinating. This was a story I had never heard before in my life. I am starting to realize what an interesting history Hawaii has, and would really like to learn more.

I found the main character to be extremely smart, but a bit hard to relate to. She keeps herself at arm’s length from the other characters, and also from the reader. The rest of the characters in this story are very diverse, which always makes a story better in my opinion. The ships motely crew come from all over the world and from all different times, which makes a very interesting mix.

This is most of all an adventure story, but from the blurb I thought it would also have quite a bit of romance in it. I mean, the front reads “A journey through time. A journey to love.”. In spite of that, I do not think this was a love story at all. Sure, there was some romantic tension between a few characters, but not at all enough to call it a romance. This turned out to be the complete opposite of most YA, where there is usually more romance than you expected. Instead, this book focuses more on the love within families, which is refreshing.

I really enjoyed this story. It had plenty of adventure and lots of myth and history. I adore the time-traveling concept, and I look forward to seeing where the author takes the story in the next book (I believe this is a duology?). I recommend it to all history- and mythology nerds out there or to anyone looking for an entertaining adventure story. Also, how could you say no to time-traveling pirates?

//love from L

Find it on Goodreads

The Custard Protocol series by Gail Carriger

This is a spoiler-free series review of the first two books in the Custard Protocol Series: Prudence and Imprudence. In case you were wondering/confused.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger comes a new novel in the world of the Parasol Protectorate starring Prudence, the daughter of Alexia Tarabotti.

When Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama (Rue to her friends) is given an unexpected dirigible, she does what any sensible female would under similar circumstances - names it the Spotted Custard and floats to India in pursuit of the perfect cup of tea. But India has more than just tea on offer. Rue stumbles upon a plot involving local dissidents, a kidnapped brigadier's wife, and some awfully familiar Scottish werewolves. Faced with a dire crisis and an embarrassing lack of bloomers, what else is a young lady of good breeding to do but turn metanatural and find out everyone's secrets, even thousand-year-old fuzzy ones?

(from Goodreads)

Thoughts

This is such a funny series. It takes place during the reign of Queen Victoria, in a steampunk/supernatural world. This is a parallel universe to our own except with dirigibles or airships galore and vampires and werewolves living in plain sight in high society. The vampires live in hives, with one queen and several drones. They have a great influence in regard to fashion and etiquette. The werewolves live in packs with an Alpha. They have close ties to the military. Both groups are immortal, can’t be out in daylight, and have a big role to play in her majesty’s government. This may seem like quite a complex world to grasp, and it may be so, because this is the third series Gail Carriger has written about this world. The first series was the Parasol Protectorate (with this series main character’s mother as the leading lady) and the second being the Finishing School series (which takes place before the events of the first series), which I have read and reviewed before. You do get the basics of the world in the first book of this series, but if you would like to completely understand this world you should read the other two series as well.

The main character Rue is the daughter of Alexia Tarabotti, the main character from the Parasol Protectorate and Lord Conall Maccon, Alpha to a powerful werewolf pack. She is also the adoptive daughter of Lord Akeldama, one of the most influential vampires in England. Confused yet? As far as I understand it, this arrangement was put into place to make sure Rue would not be partial to one species of supernatural over the other, because she herself in very powerful. She is a Metanatural, meaning she can steal the supernatural shape of anyone she touches, turning herself into a vampire or werewolf while also nullifying the supernatural person in question into a mortal, for a limited time. This ability means she gets to live quite a different life from your normal British aristocratic lady during the Victorian era.

The characters are what makes this story so entertaining. On her airship Rue assembles a crew with some of her best friends, the Tunstell twins Primrose and Percy, whose mother is a vampire queen, and Quesnel Lefoux, slightly irritating and very charming French engineer. Together the four of them get up to some crazy adventures, but nothing that can’t be solved with Rue’s special abilities or a nice cup of tea. Seriously, these people drink tea like it’s the answer to everything. Also, they of course abide by the proper manners of their time-period. It makes me want to start drinking tea with my pinkie high up and speak like a proper lady. It’s hilarious to see how meticulous they are about etiquette and proper dress. They are a great and quirky group that work of each other beautifully. My only complaint is that the two ladies are nicknamed Rue and Prim which constantly makes me think I’m reading the Hunger Games.

I liked both books, but I feel like the second was even better as I had gotten to know the characters and the world a bit better. I realize this series might not be everyone’s cup of tea (see what I did there?), but I hope you will still give it a go. It may very well surprise you. I was not sure about it at first either, but I ended up loving it. I’m very excited to read the next book in the series when it comes out (there are two more in the works). It’s such a hilarious read and really takes your mind of things. It’s light and fluffy and just plain whimsically funny.

//love from L

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The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Synopsis

On a barge on the Seine, Jean Perdu runs a bookshop, or rather a 'literary apothecary', for this bookseller possess a rare gift for sensing which books will soothe his customers' troubled souls.

The only person he is unable to cure, it seems, is himself. For twenty-one years he has nursed a broken heart - and never dared open the letter his love left behind. But the arrival of an enigmatic new neighbour inspires Jean to unlock his heart, unmoor the floating bookshop and set off for Provence, in search of the past and his beloved.

(from Goodreads)

Thoughts

I went to Paris a few months ago and fell in love with quite a few bookshops over there. I had not heard anything about this book before – I picked it up solely based on the title. It just seemed like the perfect combination. It was both that, and a lot of other things I did not expect.

As the blurb said, this story is about a man going on a journey to heal his broken heart. As the title suggests, it is also a story about books. However, it has less to do with Paris than you would expect. The story starts out in the city of light, but pretty soon it becomes a road trip story taking place on a boat through the French country side. Along the way Jean Perdu meets a bunch of unique and hilarious people, who all bring something vital to the story. The most prominent of these being Max; the young author of a bestseller, now on the run from his publishers and fans who demand he write something just as great this time. However, Max has had writers block for years. Out of all the characters, he is the one I could picture the most clearly in my head (namely Ben Whishaw as Q).

This was a surprisingly sad story. I won’t give away details, but the story takes a turn for the melancholy after a little while, which I rather think a reader should know before picking this book up; especially as it was marketed as a feel-good. However, this book manages to mix the sad parts with hilarious and thrilling adventure in a beautiful way. And all the while there is the underlying focus on books and their healing powers. This is as much a story of the power of literature as it is of lost love. As a certified bookworm, I loved the bookish parts especially.

This was a bittersweet read, both gloomy and uplifting. As it is not YA which is what I usually read, I found it a bit harder to relate to the characters and their issues, as they are all quite a bit older than me. I would recommend this book to all the booklovers out there who believe in the magic of reading, and are looking for a slower read.

//love from L

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A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

This is the third part of the A Court of Thornes and Roses series, so beware of spoilers. I have reviews for the first and second books here.

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit—and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

(from Goodreads)

Thoughts

I finished this book a few weeks ago but I just had to get my thoughts together before I was even close to being able to write about it. So much went down in this book and I just love this series so much!

Okay, so we pick up with Feyre being an undercover agent in the Spring Court, pretty soon after the horrifying events at the end of the second book. For those of you who don’t quite remember (I didn’t when I picked this book up), this is pretty much what happened (SPOILERS FOR BOOK TWO COMING UP, THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING): Feyre and the Night Court went to Hybern to nullify the cauldron, the King of Hybern’s most deadly weapon. Their plan backfired spectacularly as they had been betrayed by both the mortal queens and Tamlin, who had also turned over Feyre’s two sisters Nesta and Elaine to the King. The whole incredibly intense and emotional scene ends with Ferye’s sisters being made Fey, Nesta being a total badass/bitch and promising to kill the King for hurting Elaine, Lucien realizing he and Feyre’s sister Elaine are mates, Cassian almost dying and getting his wings torn to scraps, the King severing the bargain bond between Feyre and Rhys (not the mating bond as everyone thought at first), Feyre tricking Tamlin into thinking that she had been bewitched into staying with and loving Rhys, and her being taken back to the Spring Court with him. Geesh. I was so emotional reading that ending. So, we start out in ACOWAR with Feyre at the Spring Court faking recovery after being “abducted” by the Night Court, Tamlin totally buying that story (because he’s dumb), Lucien being very suspicious of Feyre (because he’s clever) and also knowing that she is the only one who can help him get back to his mate. Meanwhile Rhys, the Night Court, and Feyre’s sisters have escaped back to the north to heal and plot. And that’s just the beginning…

This book very much centres on Feyre growing into her new role as High Lady (another last-minute reveal of the ending of ACOMAF). Her being back at the Spring Court shows how drastically she has changed and developed since the last time she was there. She is such a badass now I can hardly recognize the timid girl from the first book. She is so sure of herself and her powers, and is so beautifully in control in this plotline of scheming and intrigue. In fact, this book is mostly about political intrigue and gearing up for the big war with Hybern. Feyre is brilliant as High Lady in this storyline. Seeing her face down the other High Lords was a treat. I also loved learning more about the other Lords and their respective magic later on in the book. However, Feyre and the others can be a bit frustrating at times. I occasionally find myself wanting to shake them and scream “how could you think this was a good plan, you moron?!”. In spite of that, I do love them to bits.

Another big theme in this book is family. Throughout Feyre has to choose between her old friends (i.e. Lucien) at the Spring Court and her new family at the Night Court, but also a lot of focus is put on her relationship with her sisters, which was shaky at best before they both became immortal. It also focuses a lot on the relationships within the Night Court group, between Feyre, Rhys, Mor, Cassian, Azriel, and Amren (this group is one of my favourites of all time!). They are just wonderful together, but in this book we learn more about their history together before Feyre met them, which is quite extensive what with them being immortal and all. I especially loved learning more about Mor. I think character development is a big theme all around, as well as the political intrigue part. There is also a lot of history being revealed about Prythian and the wall, which I feel was pretty unexplored before.

This book is so full of intrigue and deception that sometimes you have trouble remembering who is on which side. In some cases, you never really figure out where their loyalties lie. I am still not sure whether some were double or triple spies. It keeps you on your toes throughout the story. All of the plotting eventually leads up to the big battle that we have been preparing for throughout the last two books. The final battle scenes were so well written that I flew through them. At times it felt like everything was happening in slow-motion and I was right there in the middle of it. It was quite a surreal reading experience.

I loved this book! I think it brought the story forward in a beautiful way, and kept the action going right to the end. It answered many questions while also creating new ones. I did not love it as much as ACOMAF, but then again that was one of my favourite books of all time so that’s quite hard to beat. As always with Sarah J. Maas the writing was beautiful, the characters were phenomenal, and the story was packed with amazing plot twists. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. And if you haven’t read this series yet (first of all, WHY ARE YOU STILL READING I WARNED YOU ABOUT SPOILERS!) please, please, PLEASE pick it up. It is one of the best fantasy series I have ever read.

//love from L

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More reviews

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

This is the second book in a series, so be aware of spoilers! You can find my review of the first book – An Ember in the Ashes – here.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis

Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.

(from Goodreads)

Thoughts

If you read my review of An Ember in the Ashes, the first book of this series, you will know that I am completely in love this this story. I think the writing and the plot is fantastic, but above all the world this fantasy story takes place in is phenomenal. It is loosely based on the Roman Empire and also has a touch of Arabian Nights to it. With supernatural creatures and magic. Sounds like a wired combo, but it works beautifully. In this book we learn more about the magic and the different spirits and creatures that live in this world. We also get to know more about all the different peoples of the Empire and why the society is structured as it is and were all the injustice stems from. I really enjoyed these parts because I felt that a lot of things were left unexplained in Ember. With all these new facts, you can start to see the big plot coming together, and you start to understand what the major battles will be.

In this novel we get a new narrator. Previously the story was told by both Laia and Elias, though alternating POV chapters. In A Torch Against the Night, Helene is added to the narrator list. It gave the plotline a lot more complexity, as it made it possible to tell the story from several very different perspectives. However, I found that it made the story a bit slower and a bit more difficult to follow, as all three are narrated in first person. I also am not the biggest fan of Helene. I see her as a way, way too rule abiding version of Hermione or Annabeth. I think my main issue with her is that she accepts the class system too readily and without question, unlike Elias.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was high paced, magical action, filled with intrigue, plot twists, and just enough romance. I love the character of Laia (somehow I can’t help picturing her as Moana), and of course this world is fantasy gold. I have such high hopes for this series. I can’t wait to see what will come next.

//love from L

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The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

(from Goodreads)

Thoughts

I have wanted to read this book ever since I saw a picture of it on Tumblr. I will admit that I was mostly drawn to it because of the beautiful cover (check out this link to see how it was created – out of nothing but string and nails!), but when I read the synopsis I was even more intrigued. The story takes place over one day in NYC, and is told in chapters with alternating narrators; the POV changing between Natasha, Daniel, and the Universe(!). The last narrator is what really made this story stand out for me. In between the more traditional chapters focusing on the events that take place during the day, every now and then there is a chapter that completely breaks the pattern. It can be a short life story about a minor character that features in the main plot, or a brief deviation into a fact that becomes relevant to the story, such as the traditions of naming in Korea or the evolutionary history of eyes. Sometimes they are just a few poetic pages about fate or coincidence. These chapters focus on subjects or objects that may seem like side-tracks, but which end up mattering hugely to the story. I am so in love with this way of storytelling. It gives the story a lot of depth and makes you think about things an ordinary contemporary love story would not.

As I was reading this, I had to stop and ask: “Can this author read my mind?!”. This book brings up thoughts and ideas about fate, the universe, and coincidence that very closely echo my own. Are things meant to be? Are there alternative universes? How do the tiny, miniscule choices we make every day shape our lives and futures, or the lives of those around us? These are questions that usually pop into my head right as I’m about to sleep, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one. In this novel, questions like these are approached from both scientific and philosophical/poetic angles. All of this made the book stand out from the other contemporary YA novels out there.

The love story in this novel comes across as sort of insta-lovey, but somehow it works. I usually don’t like this trope, but even though Natasha and Daniel’s love story play out over the course of just one day, it feels like much longer. During this day, they get to know each other very deeply. I love their relationship, and their discussions are a joy to read. Seeing them come at questions from the very different angles of a scientist and a poet is both hilarious and thought-provoking. They are the kind of couple you just can’t help but root for.

Aside from the love story, this novel focuses on many different and important subjects, such as immigration, race, identity, and family relationships. I would say that immigration is the biggest issue in this story, and throughout the novel the author gets to approach it from many different perspectives. This is a big theme for both characters, as one is an undocumented immigrant from Jamaica about to be deported, and one is a second-generation Korean immigrant, born in America. In the “universe chapters”, we also get to explore the relationship their parents have with their new country. In many ways, this is a story of identity, and not just concerning immigration. I remember reading somewhere that there is really only one story – Who am I? This novel fits that idea very well.

This book surprised me. I was expecting a light and fluffy read. Instead I found a deep and complex story in spite of the cliché premise. I would describe it as a romance with an existential twist. Most of all, it was brilliantly interesting and thought-provoking. I would 100% recommend it to anyone who likes romance and is looking for a story to completely lose yourself in. It’s a perfect summer read.

//love from L

Find it on Goodreads

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

An ingenious code hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe. An astonishing truth concealed for centuries . . . unveiled at last.

While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci—and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.

Thoughts

I. Love. This. Book. So much! I have been wanting to read it for so long and I’m so glad I finally got the chance. I listen to a lot of audiobooks at work and I have been trying to get a hold of the audiobook of the Da Vinci Code from my local libraries for months now, but it has not been available. Some lucky star must have been smiling down upon me, because a few weeks ago I got given a big bag of audiobooks from a friend, and lo and behold, the Da Vinci Code was hidden in the huge pile of Nordic Noir (a genre I don’t really read at all). I find it incredibly satisfying and symbolic (ha!) that I had to search this hard to find a book centred on the quest to find a sacred object.

Before reading this book I had seen the film, so I was already familiar with the plotline, but the Dan Brown books just have so much more details than any film could ever include. I learned so many cool facts when reading this book, like why villain and village are derived from the same word, and that the planet Venus moves in a perfect pentagram across the sky over an 8-year cycle. These are not exactly world changing or very practical facts, but they are the kind of small titbits of interesting knowledge that my Ravenclaw brain totally adores. I love learning these little things just for the sake of knowing them, not because they will ever be of much use to me. In my opinion, they make the world just a bit more magical.

The film had stayed surprisingly true to the book, at least in the first half. In the second half there were bigger differences, which made reading the book a lot more fun. This novel is a true page-turner, and keeps up a high pace throughout. It is one of those books that you just can’t put down. This is my favourite Dan Brown novel I’ve read so far. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes mystery, history, and cool facts. Be prepared to be completely drawn into this mysterious story.

//love form L

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The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Rating: ★★★★☆

Synopsis

This is the extraordinary love story of Clare and Henry who met when Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. In the face of this force they can neither prevent nor control, Henry and Clare’s struggle to lead normal lives is both intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

Thoughts

This book has been on my TBR for a very long time, and I’m so glad I finally picked it up. I remember seeing this film years ago and being totally blown away. When I decided to read the book I strongly remembered liking it, but I was quite fuzzy on the details. That made it the perfect time for me to pick up the book version of this magical and twisted story of love and time.

The Time Traveler’s Wife is at one a science fiction story of time travel, and a beautiful love story. The time traveling aspect of it is incredibly well planned. I imagine it is hard enough for a writer to plan out a story chronologically, but to plan out the story of two characters who don’t even share the same timeline mush have been incredibly challenging. For example: In some parts of the story, Clare is a child and Henry is middle aged. He knows and has lived through so much more than Clare and acts accordingly. The things that are going to happen in her future has already affected him and become part of his character. It is only when the story reached the end that you start to understand why he acted the way he did. In the same way, when Clare and Henry meet for the first time in “real time” she is the one who knows more, and he is a very different person from the Henry of middle age she knows from her childhood. This book proves how much the things we go through in life changes us as people. I know for sure I am not the same person I was 2 years ago. And for Clare and Henry to constantly be out of tune with what experiences they share or don’t – well let’s just say things get a bit complicated.

This story also raised the question of fate or destiny. When Henry travels to the past, can he change his own present? Should he? When Clare learns snippets of her own future, could she decide to change what will happen or is that already unavoidable? And most importantly, are Clare and Henry in love by choice or fate? This is one of those mindboggling books that really makes you think, and will linger in your mind long after you have put it down.

The love story in this novel is a bit more on the grown up side. This is not YA, and deals a lot with marriage, miscarriages, and childbirth. However, I would still call this an epic love story, and definitely something out of the ordinary. It has a star-crossed lovers vibe to it, where Clare and Henry are torn apart by forces out of their control. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll just say that I really love these two together. Something else that sets this novel apart from the YA genre is that it is in fact quite a sad story. There is no sugar coating or feeling that of course everything will work out in the end. In spite of being sci-fi, it comes across as very real.

I really loved this book. It was confusing in a good way, and I recommend taking your time when reading it. It is not a book you want to rush through. I would recommend it to those who want a more complex and thought provoking love story. It is the perfect book for loosing yourself in. Happy reading!

//love from L

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