Review: The Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn

The Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn

Release Date: January 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Type: Adult Mystery

Pages: 352

Series: Veronica Speedwell #3

Other Titles in the Series: The Curious Beginning (#1), The Perilous Undertaking (#2)

Summary: London, 1888. As colorful and unfettered as the butterflies she collects, Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell can’t resist the allure of an exotic mystery—particularly one involving her enigmatic colleague, Stoker.

His former expedition partner has vanished from an archaeological dig with a priceless diadem unearthed from the newly discovered tomb of an Egyptian princess. This disappearance is just the latest in a string of unfortunate events that have plagued the controversial expedition, and rumors abound that the curse of the vengeful princess has been unleashed as the shadowy figure of Anubis himself stalks the streets of London.

But the perils of an ancient curse are not the only challenges Veronica must face as sordid details and malevolent enemies emerge from Stoker’s past.

Caught in a tangle of conspiracies and threats—and thrust into the public eye by an enterprising new foe—Veronica must separate facts from fantasy to unravel a web of duplicity that threatens to cost Stoker everything. . . .

My Review:

Much like the first two novels in this fabulous series, what makes me love it so fiercely is the main character Veronica Speedwell, lepidopterist adventuress and her “sidekick” Stoker, a taxidermist who would challenge me to a duel if he heard me refer to him as such (if I wasn't a woman of course, he is a gentleman after all). This installment like its predecessors is set in Victorian London, where ladies are meant to act like it. Veronica could not care less about what society thinks of her and pushes the boundaries of what is appropriate, more often than not she breaks it all together. I love her. I admire her, I wish I could be half as cool and have even a quarter of her sharp as knives wit! She is what brings me back to these mysteries over and over. The relationship between Veronica and Stoker gets stronger and stronger the longer they know each other. It is the driving force behind the books and it is so important and Raybourn gets it exactly right!

This volumes still finds the detecting pair in London and not on an expedition like they dearly wish. It takes place shortly after the end of the last volume and once again it contains a great mystery! I like these mysteries because they are never straight forward and I can never guess who the culprit is. This one surrounded a missing person and a missing Egyptian diadem, betrayals and revealed secrets! I really like that every novel is an extension of the last. This is a world that I feel so welcomed in because of how true to life it is portrayed. And again it is because of the characters! Every one is vivid and feels real with honest feelings and motives that ring true. To be honest, though, this book didn't draw me in as much as the first two because the plot felt a little bit elongated and it bored me a bit, but due to the characters coming off the page I kept turning those pages! I cannot recommend this series enough!

~Laura!

Review: The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke

The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures by Aaron Mahnke

Release Date: October 2017

Publisher: Del Ray Books

Type: Adult

Pages: 299

Series: The World of Lore

Summary: They live in shadows--deep in the forest, late in the night, in the dark recesses of our minds. They're spoken of in stories and superstitions, relics of an unenlightened age, old wives' tales, passed down through generations. Yet no matter how wary and jaded we have become, as individuals or as a society, a part of us remains vulnerable to them: werewolves and wendigos, poltergeists and vampires, angry elves and vengeful spirits.

In this beautifully illustrated volume, the host of the hit podcast Lore serves as a guide on a fascinating journey through the history of these terrifying creatures, exploring not only the legends but what they tell us about ourselves. Aaron Mahnke invites us to the desolate Pine Barrens of New Jersey, where the notorious winged, red-eyed Jersey Devil dwells. He delves into harrowing accounts of cannibalism--some officially documented, others the stuff of speculation . . . perhaps. He visits the dimly lit rooms where seances take place, the European villages where gremlins make mischief, even Key West, Florida, home of a haunted doll named Robert.

In a world of "emotional vampires" and "zombie malls," the monsters of folklore have become both a part of our language and a part of our collective psyche. Whether these beasts and bogeymen are real or just a reflection of our primal fears, we know, on some level, that not every mystery has been explained and that the unknown still holds the power to strike fear deep in our hearts and souls. As Aaron Mahnke reminds us, sometimes the truth is even scarier than the lore.

My Review:

One of my friends told me to listen to the Lore Podcast for a spooky time! Anyone who has read my blog for a long period of time will notice that I love spooky paranormal type books and The World of Lore is right up my alley! This book is a companion to Aaron Mahnke's amazing podcast. It contains a lot of the podcast episode scripts plus a few extra stories!

My favorite thing about Lore is that they are real stories. Mahnke did not make these up. He has done his research and these are all real folklore and the history behind them! Mahnke is one of the best storytellers I have ever encountered. He talks to you, he tells you the story instead of just relating it. He uses colloquial language and yet remains lyrical. While he knows he is writing for a wide range of people he is also able to make it seem as if he is writing just for a single reader, just for you. He is funny at times, but never cheaply, he takes his work seriously as you can tell how important these truths are to him. And the stories, most importantly, always gives me chills down my spine. He pauses in all the right places to maximize, for lack of better term, the spookiness factor. Mahnke doesn't just tell you these spooky stories though, he touches on why these stories are important to us and why they resonate with readers.

I couldn't pick just one favorite tale as I like all of them, but there are some that stand out. Some of the stories are ones that I was already familiar with such as the one about Robert the Doll (“Unboxed”) and the gremlins (“Tampered”). But most stories I had never heard of such as the Beast of Bray Road (“Trees and Shadows”), John McMillian's grave site (“Dinner at the Afterglow”), and the Phelps' Haunting (“Passing Notes”). All of these stories stick out in my head because each of these, to me, were some of the creepiest!

This review is for the book, but to be honest I recommend listening to the podcast more as I think Mahnke's readings of these stories enhance their spookiness factor exponentially. I do encourage you to check out this book, though if you already love the podcast or if you prefer to read your stories. Personally, I plan on getting my own copy as soon as I can because I do adore the podcast, but also because it is great to have a hardcopy to reference. Also, because of the crazy macabre artwork by M.S. Corely! I think this artwork enhances Mahnke's words. It takes the place of the cadence of Mahnke's voice and adds that missing factor!

The entire World of Lore is incredible and I was excited to find out that Monstrous Creatures is only the first collection that Mahnke is planning! I for one cannot wait to read Wicked Mortals and Dreadful Places (out this May and October respectively)! I hope that these books bring a lot of attention to the podcast as well so that Aaron Mahnke can continue telling us these amazing, true, and spooky tales!

~Laura! 

Review: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Release Date: February 7^th, 2017

Publisher: WW Norton Company

Type: Adult Mythology

Pages: 299

Summary: Introducing an instant classic—master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a dazzling version of the great Norse myths.

Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman fashions primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds; delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants; and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people. Gaiman stays true to the myths while vividly reincarnating Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki, the son of giants, a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator. From Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerges the gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to dupe others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

My Review:

Like most I know my knowledge of Norse Mythology started and stopped with Marvel's limited representation. I wanted to know more, but wasn't sure where to begin. Then Neil Gaiman wrote this and TADA!

The novel is made up of short tales hat Neil Gaiman has beautifully rewritten so that they are more accessible to today's audience. They are also surprisingly funny. (I love that Thor admits that when something goes wrong he immediately blames Loki because it's faster!)

Like I said, my knowledge is solely based on Marvel comics and their cinematic universe so when upon reading I realized that a lot of what is known by most audiences is limited or changed from the original myths I can't say that I was all that surprised as that is what usually happens with popular adapations. Mostly the changes are about who is related to who and how. And of course it's 100% more in depth. This is literally the meaning of "the book is better." Neil Gaiman's tales make me want to delve deeper into the mythology and find out what else Marvel messed with. One constant is Loki (well he isn't actually known as Thor's brother) is still at the center of all the mischief.

If you are curious and like me don't know where to start you should definitely read this first just like I did. And if you have any recommendations as to which books I should read next to learn more about Norse Mythology, please let me know!

~Laura!

Review: The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley

The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley 

Release Date: August 1^st, 2017 

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA 

Type: Adult Fiction 

Pages: 336 

Summary: In 1859, ex-East India Company smuggler Merrick Tremayne is trapped at home in Cornwall after sustaining an injury that almost cost him his leg and something is wrong; a statue moves, his grandfather’s pines explode, and his brother accuses him of madness.

When the India Office recruits Merrick for an expedition to fetch quinine—essential for the treatment of malaria—from deep within Peru, he knows it’s a terrible idea. Nearly every able-bodied expeditionary who’s made the attempt has died, and he can barely walk. But Merrick is desperate to escape everything at home, so he sets off, against his better judgment, for a tiny mission colony on the edge of the Amazon where a salt line on the ground separates town from forest. Anyone who crosses is killed by something that watches from the trees, but somewhere beyond the salt are the quinine woods, and the way around is blocked.

Surrounded by local stories of lost time, cursed woods, and living rock, Merrick must separate truth from fairytale and find out what befell the last expeditions; why the villagers are forbidden to go into the forest; and what is happening to Raphael, the young priest who seems to have known Merrick’s grandfather, who visited Peru many decades before. The Bedlam Stacks is the story of a profound friendship that grows in a place that seems just this side of magical.

My Review:

While Natasha Pulley's first novel, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street will remain my favorite of her two books, The Bedlam Stacks is in a pretty close second. And just like my review of that book this review will also contain spoilers because it is hard to gush about this without them.

The Bedlam Stacks took me a little while to read because it is a slow paced book. This is not a bad thing. By taking her time with the plot Pulley makes sure that the reader is paying attention. As I went along with Merrick from his time at home in Cornwall to his time with Raphael in Peru and understood more and more of what was happening in the Bedlam Stacks the more I realized how well Pulley writes. Tiny clues, given slowly once understood make this book start reading faster and faster until I couldn’t go read quickly enough.

Like the characters of Watchmaker the characters of this novel are stand out. (SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD) And much like Mori the Watchmaker in her first novel Raphael is also a special kind of magical. (Mori, by the way, makes a small appearance in this book confirming that these books are in the same version of our world. One in which I would like to live in, honestly). This novel seamlessly blends historical fiction with the slight fantasy. Raphael is a bit of a mystery for most of the novel, but his unique magical talent makes him one of the most interesting characters I have ever read, just like Mori.

What I liked most about this novel is how Merrick interacts with the setting of Peru, the culture, and his own family's history there. Like I said earlier, this novel is a slow burn and it is as such because the novel is from Merrick's perspective and as he pieces it together so does the reader. As he learns more the more interesting the novel becomes. For me, I think another thing I liked is that Merrick is learning Spanish while in Peru. I, too, am learning the language and while the dialogue of this book is in English they are actually using Spanish some of the time. When they do Merrick points in out, whether the speaker is talking slowly or clearly enough for his skills. And when he brings it up I try to translate the sentences into Spanish, just to see if I can! (I mostly could get about half, which I felt was pretty good!)

I am not sure if this review has made much sense, but I hope it made you want to pick up Natasha Pulley's second novel (and her first actually. You can find my review for that one here)! 

 ~Laura!

Review: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

TheWatchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley 

Release Date: July 2015 

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA 

Type: Adult Fiction 

Pages: 318 

Summary: 1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past.

My Review:

The summary above is vague because to tell the reader what makes this book special is a mild spoiler. That being said, be warned as I don't want to be vague when discussing how great this book is, so mild spoilers ahead.

This is one of those books that I felt a type of pressure to read because I just kept seeing it. At work, at the store, and online! I follow a few bookstagrammers on Instagram and this book kept popping up! I have a collection of photos saved to my account of book recommendations and when I went through this book was saved 3 different times. I'm telling you it was fate when I finally found it at the library!

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is set in Victorian London mostly and a few chapters in Japan. I love this time period and I love clockwork so right away I'm invested. The main characters are primarily Thaniel and Mori, both of whom I absolutely adore. Thaniel is a low key bloke just trying to do what's right and is intriguing in his manner of being. He works for the government as a telegraph clerk and suddenly one day his life is drastically altered because of a watch. A clock that Mori made.

Then there's Mori himself. (Here comes those minor spoilers!) Mori is a little bit magic. This book blends contemporary Victorian with fantasy seamlessly and it is beautiful. Mori can remember what's about to happen. He is sort of clairvoyant as he can see the moment one decides to do something and the possibilities that action opens up. This blew my mind. I've been thinking about it for days. Once his abilities are explained further thinking about it sent me down the rabbit hole. If one could see the various outcomes of what one only intends to do it must become maddeningly endless. And then there is Mori's work. He is the watchmaker on Filigree Street after all. His clockwork is years beyond its time and frankly even our time. Can you imagine a clockwork octopus set to random gears so it appears to think on its own? And moves like it's real?! I'm trying to and it doesn't seem logical without magic. Imagine having a pet octopus or bird that is clockwork? I wish that clockwork would make a come back. This book made me want to take apart my mom's cuckoo clock to see how it works (she would murder me dead twice over). Katsu, by the way, is the octopus and he's a scene stealer. I loved him so much.

The plot of The Watchman of Filigree Street is just as intriguing as its characters are. It's part fantasy, part thriller with some mystery and drama thrown in. There's bombs and fake marriages and domestic life and politics all rolled into one package. There was a bit about three quarters of the way in though where I wasn't sure if anything was actually happening. The plot slowed and I didn't really see how it could all wrap up together and then WHOA it started to go so fast that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Not a bad fast, just a fast paced mystery unraveling and you're trying to keep up with the revelations. You know what I mean?

There is nothing about this book that I would change. Natasha Pulley is a fantastic author who we are very lucky to have. I read on Goodreads that she is writing a sequel and I dearly hope that it's true because I am itching to read more about Thaniel and Mori. I can see this being an interesting series for many more books to come.

~Laura!

Review: A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn

A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn

 Release Date:  January 10^th, 2017

 Publisher:  Berkley Books

 Type:  Adult Mystery

 Pages:  338

 Series:  Veronica Speedwell #2

 Other Titles in the Series:  A Curious Beginning (VS #1)

Summary:  London, 1887 . . Victorian adventuress and butterfly hunter Veronica Speedwell receives an invitation to visit the Curiosity Club, a ladies-only establishment for daring and intrepid women. There she meets the mysterious Lady Sundridge, who begs her to take on an impossible task saving society art patron Miles Ramsforth from execution. Accused of the brutal murder of his artist mistress Artemisia, Ramsforth will face the hangman's noose in a week s time if Veronica cannot find the real killer.

But Lady Sundridge is not all that she seems and unmasking her true identity is only the first of the many secrets Veronica must uncover. Together with her natural historian colleague Stoker, Veronica races against time to find the true murderer a ruthless villain who not only took Artemisia s life in cold blood but is happy to see Ramsforth hang for the crime.

From a Bohemian artists colony to a royal palace to a subterranean grotto with a decadent history, the investigation proves to be a very perilous undertaking indeed....

My Review:

This is a marvelous edition to a great series. In this book, Veronica and Stoker find themselves trapped in London instead of on an expedition. As is seemingly their new normal they find themselves involved in a mystery. This time they've been hired to clear an innocent man's name before he hangs for a crime some don't believe he committed.

Now that we know Veronica and Stoker, we are past initial first impressions and are learning more about them as they are learning about each other. Their friendship is getting stronger by the day, secrets are coming slowly out of the shadows, but they still bicker like the proverbial old married couple. We learn a little more about Stoker's past, we meet his family and see why he's the odd Templeton-Vane out, and get a glimpse as to what happened in Brazil. As for Veronica, we finally get a glimpse into how she hunts for butterflies, which I found fascinating. I hope that they get to go on an expedition soon so we can see more of their careers and passions on display. Throughout all, though Veronica remains a strong willed, steadfast, independent woman and still she is what draws me to this series.

Set in the heart of London from royal residences, art houses, and opium dens we meet a variety of new, unique characters. Lord Rosemorran and Lady Cordelia's great-aunt Wellingtonia, who is as eccentric as they come, as well as her hard of hearing friend, Cecil, a member of the Royal family, and a handful of artists who live where the victim resided. Lady Wellie was my favorite because like Veronica she speaks her mind. We also see old favorites such as those men from the Scotland Yard that keep popping up Sir Hugo and Mornaday.

The mystery was a fine one, with twists and turns, blackmail and threats. I, personally, wasn't quite sure who the murderer was. I liked how even when there is the one straight forward who-done-it mystery, Raybourn weaves in smaller ones as well. Everyone is connected, but what key factor that binds them is within itself a mystery. I cannot recommend this series enough.

~Laura!

Review: A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan 

Release Date: February 5^th, 2013 

Publisher: Tor 

Type: Adult Fantasy 

Pages: 334 

Series:The Memoirs of Lady Trent #1 

Summary: Everyone knows Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world's preeminent dragon naturalist. Here, at last, in her own words, is the story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, prospects, and her life to satisfy scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the mountains of Vystrana, where she made discoveries that would change the world.

My Review:

I adored this book. I love it so much! Isabella is an amazing, strong-willed, intelligent woman who is like the Jane Goodall of dragons. She lives in a place that parallels our own 18^th Century World that believes that women have no business in the field of science. Isabella was the curious kind of girl who instead of loving fashion trends she dissected a dove to see how it worked. After a misadventure, her days of unladylike curiosity are stiffed so that she may find a husband.

Luckily for Isabella she met a man who would, against society and often times his better judgment, let her follow her dragon-mad passions. Thus led Isabella and Jacob on an expedition to Vystrana. The expedition is what makes me love A Natural History of Dragons because it is like reading the beginning of zoology. This World knows next to nothing about dragons because they haven't been studied, much like our animal world wasn't. I am fascinated with how we learned about our natural world and reading this “memoir” gave me a glimpse into that. I liked reading about how the expedition crew dealt with hardships and with foreign languages and customs. I enjoyed the cast of characters in the town the crew settles in.

Another fantastic addition to this book is the art work by Todd Lockwood. In the story Isabella is allowed on the expedition to sketch the dragons they will study and Lockwood's drawings enhance the memoir so much so that at times I forget that the memoir isn't real. Besides being a parallel to Victorian age, the worldbuilding Marie Brennan does is quite extraordinary when it comes with they types of dragons, where they live, and their differences. She created a new set of ancients to explain a world with dragons, complete with curses and ruins. Brennan has forgotten nothing and it shows in her work. I cannot recommend this book enough and I look forward to reading more of Lady Trent's memoirs! 

~Laura!

Review: A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

Release Date: September 1st 2015

Publisher: NAL/Penguin

Type: Adult Mystery

Pages: 337

Series: Veronica Speedwell #1

Summary: London, 1887. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of the plot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker—a reclusive natural historian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to reveal the secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced to go on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth.

My Review: 

What drew me to this book was actually the cover of the sequel ̶ a Victorian style silhouette of a woman wielding what looked like a butterfly net. What?! Intrigued, I sought out the first volume and discovered Veronica Speedwell, lepidopterist and my new heroine. A butterfly hunter who finds herself in the middle of a plot against her life. She teams up with a fellow naturalist, a taxidermist, named Stoker and they go on an incredible adventure to discover the mystery of Veronica's past.

I loved this book. Veronica's character herself is the main fuel behind my love. Picture the standard Victorian woman, now picture the exact opposite: that's Veronica. Always surprising, always witty, always prepared to gouge a hat pin in an attacker. She captured my heart with grace, style, poise, and insults. The chemistry she shares with Stoker, their bickering, the many battles of wits, and naturalist knowledge are written so well that I felt as if I was in the room with them.

As I said before it was Veronica's butterfly net that drew me to the book. I have been in a naturalist reading kick (as it mirrors what I would like to do in real life). Raybourn has done her research when it comes to the natural history portrayed in this book. How the scientific mind sees the world is on display subtlety here. Veronica and Stoker are both great scientists and they use that intellect to solve the mystery which is interesting to me on a personal level.

I wasn't sure what to expect, mostly just hoping for a good mystery. I got that and so much more. I feel bad saying this but I didn't think I'd end up loving it so much. But I do and I want everyone to know that. It was incredibly entertaining, with more than one actual laugh out loud moment. I recommend it highly! I can't wait to see what the next book has in store.

~Laura!

Review: Victoria the Queen by Julia Baird

Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire by Julia Baird

Release Date: November 22^nd, 2016

Publisher: Random House

Type: Adult Non-Fiction Biography

Pages: 752

Summary: Drawing on previously unpublished papers, Victoria: The Queen is a new portrait of the real woman behind the myth—a story of love and heartbreak, of devotion and grief, of strength and resilience.

Fifth in line to the throne at the time of her birth, Victoria was an ordinary woman thrust into an extraordinary role. As a girl, she defied her mother’s meddling and an adviser’s bullying, forging an iron will of her own. As a teenage queen, she eagerly grasped the crown and relished the freedom it brought her. At twenty years old, she fell passionately in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, eventually giving birth to nine children. She loved sex and delighted in power. She was outspoken with her ministers, overstepping boundaries and asserting her opinions. After the death of her adored Albert, she began a controversial, intimate relationship with her servant John Brown. She survived eight assassination attempts over the course of her lifetime. And as science, technology, and democracy were dramatically reshaping the world, Victoria was a symbol of steadfastness and security—queen of a quarter of the world’s population at the height of the British Empire’s reach.

Drawing on sources that include revelations about Victoria’s relationship with John Brown, Julia Baird brings to life the story of a woman who struggled with so many of the things we do today: balancing work and family, raising children, navigating marital strife, losing parents, combating anxiety and self-doubt, finding an identity, searching for meaning.

My Review:

This book came highly recommended to me by a coworker. She said that the writing was very readable for a biography and that she wished the author had written more books. I can't agree more! Julia Baird did an amazing thing with Victoria the Queen. I had previously seen the movie Young Victoria and I had seen the Doctor Who episode “Tooth and Claw” that featured am elderly Victoria. One featured a young, driven, mischievous woman who was a abused as a child yet was still fierce, laughed easily, and fell in love completely. I could not connect that woman with the old, grieving woman who was “not amused.” What had happened to completely change her? I knew it dealt with Albert's death but I didn't know how.

Baird's tome, because any other word won't do a book of this magnitude justice, is rich in details. The sheer amount of research that she had to do to create this masterpiece blows my mind. I also live that she has new information that had never been published widely before. Victoria is a queen who has been misconstrued for years. Baird cleared up a lot of these notions. She was given full access to everything. During her research she found some of the important things such as Victoria's relationship with John Brown that hadn't been published before. Baird published everything she could to complete Victoria's story despite the Royal archivists advising her not to. I think that because of this new information and the tasteful way Baird handled Victoria's entire life the biography was incredibly readable. In fact, I forgot that it wasn't a historical novel at times and it was hard to put down.

Victoria led a magnificent life. A life that, unlike most, has distinct sections: childhood, teenage queen, life with Albert, life without him, life with Brown, and finally life without him. Each part of her life was equally important and fascinating. I was most interested in her life with and without Albert because I knew that she considered her time with him the most important of her life. Before marrying Albert, Victoria was insistent that she did not need a husband that, she was perfectly capable of managing the country all by herself. I admired that a woman dug her heels in and refused to do anything she didn't want to because she knew she was the most powerful woman in the world. She used that power to her advantage all of the time from keeping Lord Melbourne in office to marrying who she deemed worthy. All that changed when she married Albert though.

Baird paints a mixed picture of Albert. An extraordinary intellect who wanted power not just to have it but to use it to help the British people. At times I loved what he was trying to do for his adopted country but I was also annoyed that he just kept trying to take over the sovereign. His ambition was too much for his place at times, but his ethic and moral code was admirable. While Victoria was pregnant she went from not allowing him anywhere near anything to do with her work to basically handing everything over to him. During this period and for years after his death she insisted that he was the one who kept the country going because she simply couldn't due to being a woman. No, she allowed him to do it because she believed he was better than she. In the years following his death she belittled herself to make Albert seem larger than life and I don't believe it. Victoria was extraordinary in her own right. After decades without Albert, Victoria found her way back to being that headstrong young Queen. From talking to her troops to consoling fellow widows, she was an active monarch who had a hand in all things.

Baird's biography went into details about the good and the bad. She addressed rumors and misconceptions, she treated everything with the same critical non-biased eye that one expects from a great biography. At over 700 pages long (this includes the notes and introduction, the bibliography and index) it took me quite a while to read. As such, I found myself thinking about Victoria and her time often. Even if you only have the slightest interest in Victoria this biography is worth a read. 

~Laura!

Review: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson 

Release Date: May 12^th 2015 

Publisher: Harper Collins 

Pages: 272 

Source: Library (but I wish to buy it soon!) 

 

Summary (goodreads.com): Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

My Review: 

Right off the bat I have to tell you all that this is the very first graphic novel I have ever enjoyed. Enjoyed is an understatement, I adored this book. So much so that I’ve decided to finally try to start reading more graphic novels in general. The reason I decided to read this particular graphic novel is because of the author. Noelle Stevenson is also known as Gingerhaze on tumblr. She is brilliant, hilarious, and too talented for me to even handle. If you haven’t checked out the art on her blog go now…I’ll wait…

Nimona is a story full of heart and humor and it has broad overreaching themes that made me think a lot. Noelle's artwork is quirky and so full of life! It just comes off the page and despite it being fantasy I can totally see it happening. Nimona is such a great character! She's so complicated and emotionally strong. I adore her! I love that she's a shapeshifter and her devious impulsive streak. One of my favorite story lines was the back story behind Blackheart and Goldenloin (as well as their names themselves ha!). It was intriguing and heartbreaking. I demand another novel about those two. However, some of the dialogue felt forced at times, but I think that’s just her style. After years of reading her tumblr I find that that actually enhances the drawings and her unique type of humor. 

~Laura!

Review:Some Book-Hunting Adventures: A Diversion by R.S. Garnett

Some Book-Hunting Adventures: A Diversion by R.S. Garnett

Release Date: 1931

Publisher: William Blackwood & Sons Ltd.

Pages: 318

Source: Library (but I wish to buy it soon!)

Summary: R.S. Garnett was asked to write stories about how he came to own some of the books in his collection.

Review: 

I was in the stacks of my library, doing my job, when the title of this book caught my eye and I knew I had to read it. I kind of feel like no one else has read this book, mostly because I had to create its Goodreads page myself, but also because even though it is from the 30’s it is in great condition. I really like the idea of me being the only person to discover this book among the millions of books on our tiers. It also gave me an idea for a new feature on this blog that I will tell you all about at a later date.

            This book is a collection of stories about how Garnett came to own some of his books. Some he bought for himself, some were given to him by various people, and some came to him in strange ways indeed. This book was surprisingly readable. What I mean to say is that it seems that this book was written like a very long letter to the man who asked him about his adventures. Indeed, sometimes I lost track of what was happening because of the inside jokes between Garnett and this man in a monkey hut to whom he dedicated the book to. And yet, despite, maybe even because of this intimacy I adored this book.

            Some of the later tales in the book did not interest me, but the earlier ones caught my imagination and wouldn’t let go. His first Book Hunting Adventure is of a book he found in a small shop with a pretty girl. So pretty in fact that he forgot to pay for his find and when he went back the next day to right his wrong the shop and the girl had disappeared entirely. Then there is the adventure where he gained Trelawny’s “Recollections of the Last Days of Shelley and Byron” because of an act of kindness to a favorite bookseller who was out on his luck. Garnett tells humorous tales of how he gained a series of books by setting up a practical joke on his wife to countless encounters with odd booksellers and patrons alike. He even tells of his adventures that involve the meeting of a couple very strange poets. R.S. Garnett came by his books in such fantastic ways that it almost seems a fantasy.

Then perhaps my favorite is the tale of his cousin, the Guv’nor and the fishing trip. They talked of the books they enjoyed and the next morning the Guv’nor had sent along some of the books as well as a bag of Roman snails including, “one specially large snail, which I called ‘Dunstan,’ [that] I retained as a pet for several years. He knew me well, and was in every respect, for a snail, an intellectual monster.” (22). Throughout each tale there are witty one liners and great observations of the human character, as well as the whimsy of fortune that guides a booklover to attain his beloved books that made me love this book. If you can find it, I encourage you to read these “Adventures.”

~Laura!

My Favorite Stories to Read in October!

October is one of my favorite months because it gives me an excuse to read scary stories. I decided to make a list of stories that have scared me as well as entertained me in the past. 

Jade Green by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

 Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake 

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

 The Mediator series by Meg Cabot

 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving 

Past Midnight series by Mara Purnhagen

 The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs 

The Scary Stories Treasury by Alvin Schwartz 

Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe 

And finally read some of the ghost stories of your local area, your state, or even your country! 

~Laura!

Review: The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister

The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister

Release Date: January 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Age Group: Adult

Pages: 320

Source: Borrowed from Library

Summary (goodreads.com): The Amazing Arden is the most famous female illusionist of her day, renowned for her notorious trick of sawing a man in half on stage. One night in Waterloo, Iowa, with young policeman Virgil Holt watching from the audience, she swaps her trademark saw for a fire ax. Is it a new version of the illusion, or an all-too-real murder? When Arden’s husband is found lifeless beneath the stage later that night, the answer seems clear.

But when Virgil happens upon the fleeing magician and takes her into custody, she has a very different story to tell. Even handcuffed and alone, Arden is far from powerless—and what she reveals is as unbelievable as it is spellbinding. Over the course of one eerie night, Virgil must decide whether to turn Arden in or set her free… and it will take all he has to see through the smoke and mirrors.

My Review: 

I loved this book, I cannot express this enough. The story was completely engrossing. I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know Arden’s story, I needed to know how she ended up in her situation, and I needed to know how she would get out of it. I became incredibly attached to her character very early on, even before she started telling her life’s story I was rooting for her to get out of that jail, it didn’t matter to me if she was guilty. Her personality was addicting and her story mesmerizing. I loved reading about Arden’s tragic story of love, loss, murder, and betrayal. I loved how Arden’s story was told in a series of flashbacks as she tells her story to Virgil. I loved the main setting of a travelling Magician’s show throughout the United States. I loved the behind the scenes look at how turn of the last century illusions were pulled off. I loved every single page of Greer Macallister’s novel and I plan on reading it again and again. 

~Laura!