The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

In The Golem and the Jinni, two characters, Golem, made of clay and Jinni of fire, try to find their way in turn-of-the-century New York. They've come to the city by different means and at first their paths seems miles apart, but eventually they meet and become friends. That is, until a terrifying incident drives them apart. Just as quickly a formidable threat forces them together again.

I loved this book! It was totally absorbing. I don't read that much fantasy. At some point I'm going to have to stop saying that because I've read quite a few now. This one is different, though. The story is set in 1899 in New York, not some fantasy place. While the characters are fantastical, their experiences of trying to hide in plain sight are not. The story ends up examining what it really means to be human.

As I look back upon the story, I realize that not much happened in the way of storyline in the book. It was the main characters and the host of supporting cast that sustained me through this one. The more I read about Golem, Jinni, and the others, the more I wanted to read. I just couldn't get enough of them.

Besides the wonderful characters, I loved the descriptions of the city. The shops, the people, and the sites. I haven't been to New York, but after reading this book I feel like that in some small way, I've been there, at least to the city as it was many years ago.

As evidenced by the various reviews on Goodreads.com, this book isn't going to be for everyone. That sort of surprised me when I first stumbled upon some less than favourable reviews. What? I thought. Did they read a different book? After reading the comments, though, I understand.

Highly recommended. This book has definitely become one of my favourites. Perhaps even my favourite book of all time. I loved it that much. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more information about the author, please visit Helene Wecker's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, HarperCollins, ©2013. ISBN 978006211831(Uncorrected Proof), 484p.

Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

In Secrets of the Wolves, Kaala and her pack mates have to find a way to live in harmony with the humans in the valley. Her worthiness to her pack as well as the lives of both the wolves and the humans are at stake. However, not everyone sees it that way and she encounters many obstacles and distractions on her journey.  "Told from the wolf's point-of-view and set 14,000 years ago in a time when the cultures of wolves and humans were not so different", the book takes the reader on a unique journey.

Since I had liked the first book in The Wolf Chronicles so much I was really looking forward to the second installment. Unfortunately, it somehow got lost in the shuffle and I'm just getting to it now. Better late than never, though, right?

Like I said, I read and enjoyed the first book in the series, Promise of the Wolves (my review). While I liked this one, too, I didn't love it. I'm not sure why. Over the last 6 years (since I read that first book), I've read lots of books and my reading tasted have definitely changed, but I don't think that would account for it. At least, not all of it.

To me, parts of this story felt contrived, especially the "dream" sequences and Kaala's special gift. I know this is fantasy, but that was just a bit too out there for me. There were also a few awkward sentences/passages with the same words used repeatedly. Perhaps some additional editing was needed.

As far as the story goes, not that much happened. The wolves seemed to be running endlessly through the woods, as wolves are apt to do. But at times there was very little forward movement in the story. They run here, run there, and run back again. There was talk about what was going to happen...repeatedly..., but it took a long time to get there. I was particularly looking forward to one event that was mentioned early on, but never materialized. If it's not going to happen until the next book, why bring up so early in this book? It left me a little frustrated.

Having said all of that, there were still parts that I found appealing. I especially liked it when Kaala or one of the other wolves learned or discovered something new about the humans. I also loved all of the information on the wolves, their packs, their behaviours, as well as all of the information on the ravens and humans of the time. As with the previous book, I was mesmerized by the relationship between the ravens and the wolves. All very cool information.

If you are interested in this series, there's lot of important background information on Kaala in the first book. It makes the most sense to start there and then read this one. This book ends with a cliff-hanger presumably to be continued in the next book.

Recommended. While I did have some problems with this book, I'll probably read the last book in the trilogy to find out what happens with Kaala and the other wolves.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about the author and her other book, please visit Dorothy Hearst's website. There's also a short section featuring frequently asked questions (FAQ) on wolves that's pretty interesting. It probably not the best source of information on wolves, but it is a place to start for those interested.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy. Sorry it took me so long to get to the book.

Secret of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst, Simon & Schuster ©2011. ISBN 9781416570004(Hardcover), 371p.

The Descent by Alma Katsu

The Descent is the third and final installment of The Taker trilogy. In this episode, through a series of nightmares Lanore learns that Jonathan. the love of her life, is being held captive by the Queen of the Underworld. If she's going to save him, she's going to need Adair's help. The problem is that she's been on the run from him for hundreds of years. Their last encounter was 4 years ago and even though he's really dangerous, she has to find him. As it turns out, Adair has retreated to an mysterious island and when Lanore finds him she learns that his help comes at a cost. (Would Adair have it any other way?)

I don't read much fantasy, but for some reason this series has been captivating. I've enjoyed it immensely. I just couldn't wait to find out what happened to Lanore, Jonathan and Adair in this "epic story of love and loss, magic and destiny".

This book was an extremely fitting end to the trilogy. However, it was my least favourite of the three. Like the previous books, the story jumps back and forth between the present and the past, giving the reader even more insight into the characters' pasts. While I enjoyed the story, I wasn't particularly enamored by the nightmare sequences that Lanore had about Jonathan. In general, I'm not a fan of dreams as a way to get information across in a story.

I liked the characters in this book, but Adair seemed really different. I guess he was supposed to a "changed man" after spending years repenting in seclusion for his past sins. He seemed to have been tamed to the point where he was almost unrecognizable and didn't really seem to be doing much on the island except moping and waiting. I really liked the dangerous, passionate character in the previous books. I wanted him to unleash his famous fury. Oh, well.

I found a couple of quotes that I liked from the book. They are:

Sometimes a weed turns into a beautiful flower or a helpful herb but you'll never know if you pull it too soon. (page 227)

Only a fool would underestimate the power of lust. Kingdoms have been won and lost, men and beasts have battled to the death over it. (page 227)

I read and really enjoyed the first two books in the series. Here are the links to my reviews on The Taker and The Reckoning. 

Recommended. If this series is new to you, start at the beginning. I don't think it makes much sense to read this one before the first two.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Alma Katsu's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Descent by Alma Katsu, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2014. ISBN 9781451651829(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 331p.

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

If you've come here to read a review or anything else about "50 Shades of Grey", you are going to be disappointed. This is NOT that book.

Shades of Grey takes place in the dystopian world where colours rule. People are segregated according to what colours they could see and their hierarchy is based on that. For one inhabitant, Eddie Russet, the world is about to turn upside down when he travels to East Carmine and he meets a Grey named Jane. He begins to question why things are run as they are and that doesn't sit well with those who hold the power.

I don't read a lot of dystopias, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I really loved it! It was quirky and so much fun to read. The rules in this world were definitely absurd and generally there was a whole lot of silliness going on. For instance, instead of progress they had "leap backs", where certain inventions/tools/items were no longer supposed to be used. Other examples: Rule "2.3.06.02.087: Unnecessary sharpening of pencils constitutes a waste of public resources, and will be punished as appropriate" (page 156), Rule "9.3.88.32.025: The cucumber and the tomato are both fruit; the avocado is a nut. To assist with the dietary requirements of vegetarians, on the first Tuesday of the month a chicken is officially a vegetable" (page 46). Silly, right?

It was such an interesting read, because even though that world was very different, it was vaguely familiar, too. There were lots of references with slight and not-so-slight changes that I recognized, but there was an equal number that were elusive to me....on the tip of my tongue, but didn't quite make it to my brain. It was all good.

I'm sure there were some deep underlying themes running throughout the book about society and it's rules, but I don't analyse books that deeply. I'll leave that to the literary folks.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes from the book:

...information can liberate but also imprisonate.(page 210)

First, time spent on reconnaissance is never wasted. Second, almost anything can be improved with the addition of bacon. And finally, there is no problem on earth that can't be ameliorated by a hot bath and a cup of tea. (page 211)

Prisons are still with us...only the walls are constructed of fear, taboo, and the unknown. (page 356)

Highly recommended. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this one. I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for the next books in the series. In the meantime, I have a few of his other books on my to-be-read shelf to keep me busy.

If you liked this book, you might also enjoy Tourquai by Tim Davys (my review). It's a very different book from this one, but has some of the absurd qualities.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin'swebsite.

For more information about the author, his other books, and call kinds of craziness, please visit Jasper Fforde's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Penguin for this review copy.

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, Viking (Penguin), ©2010. ISBN 9780670019632(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 389p.

The Reckoning by Alma Katsu

In The Reckoning, the second book in The Taker trilogy, the story of Lanore and Adair continues. Two hundred years ago, Lanore imprisoned Adair, the man who loves her, behind a brick wall. She had to do that to protect herself and Jonathan, the love of her life. Now that's she's with Luke, she's decided to make up for all of her past evil deeds. All of a sudden, though, she senses that Adair has been freed and is out for revenge.

This book was so good! I loved being able to catch up on all of the characters from the first book. Unlike the previous book, this story in this book takes place mostly in the present with little forays into the past to fill in bits and pieces. This style fit so well with the story.

I don't usually read fantasy, so I'm surprised I'm enjoyed this series so much. I think it's because the characters are, for the most part, living in the "real" world, the world we live in. For instance, Adair's 200-year confinement left him ill prepared for life in the real world where everything had changed so much. Things like automobiles and the internet were foreign to him. However, those are things I'm familiar with so to have him interact with them was interesting to me.

Even though I enjoyed the first book very much, I had trouble remembering everything that happened. I remembered the characters and the basics of the story, but not the finer details. Because the story wasn't told in a linear fashion, the time frames of certain events were a bit jumbled in my head. When I got to this book and certain previous events were mentioned I had a little trouble figuring out how those events related to others and how they fit on the time line. It didn't take me long to figure it out, though, so it wasn't too bad.

When it comes down to content and storyline, not that much really happened in this book. We got a little more background information on the characters and found out what they did during those 200 years while Adair was locked away. Nevertheless it was engaging, compelling, accessible and a wonderful bridge to the third and final book in the trilogy.

I love it when fictional characters interact with real-life people. In this book, there's a brief appearance by Lord Byron, the English poet. I'd heard of him, but wasn't familiar with his work or his life, so I probably missed some of the references. However, I still found it interesting that the author chose to include him.

There was one part that I didn't like. That is, the raising of the dead, especially one with advanced decomposition. It didn't gross me out or anything. I just didn't find it believable. I know that's silly considering that the whole premise of the story. Why I can buy immortality, but not this, is beyond me.

New words:
meniscus (page 78): curved upper surface of a still liquid in a jar or tube.
laggards (page 153): someone or something falling behind.
intransigence (page 337): unreasonable refusal to change your ideas or behaviour.

I've also read the first book, The Taker (my review). I really enjoyed it.

If you are interested in this series, I suggest you start with the first book. This book is really a continuation of that one. I'm don't think it would make much sense without all of the background information on the characters, their complex relationships and their past histories with each other.

Besides all of this, the cover is absolutely stunning!!    

Highly recommended. I can't wait for the final book in this trilogy.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Alma Katsu's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Reckoning by Alma Katsu, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2012. ISBN 9781451651805(Hardcover), 346p.

The Map of the Sky by Félix J. Palma

In The Map of the Sky, alien cylinders appear in 19th-century London, just like in H.G. Wells's book The War of the Worlds and Wells thinks that it's been staged by a man trying to win over a woman, who's reluctant to marry him. Even though Wells just recently saw some alien artifacts that were recovered many years ago in an expedition to the Antarctic, he still thinks it's a hoax. However, it soon becomes apparent that this isn't a stunt, but a real Martian invasion. Just when all seems lost, some of the survivors along with Wells himself strike back in an effort to save their city.

I loved this book! Absolutely loved it. Even though it was almost 600 pages long, I wanted this book to go on forever. I loved it that much. There are just so many wonderful bits to love in this story. It's so cleverly executed. Soon after I started this one, I remembered why and how much I loved the first book, The Map of Time (my review). I was happy to "touch base" with some familiar characters from the last book.

I don't usually read fantasy or science fiction, but for some reason I'm finding this series extremely compelling. I'm sure it has to do with the author and his writing. It's so well written and so skilfully constructed it's hard not to like. I also love that Palma acknowledges the reader by inserting brief interjections as if he himself were sitting before me telling me this story.

I loved that the characters interacted with real life people, like H.G. Wells and Edgar Allan Poe. It gave the whole story some credence, even though it's fantasy. Palma created events in the book to coincide with events in the real life people's lives, so it looked like events in the book shaped their lives. For example, in the book Poe joins an expedition to the Antarctic. His experiences inspire him to pen The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. There are also a few other examples of Palma's clever imagination that are absolutely brilliant. Of course, I'd be spoiling the story if I revealed those.

This book is the second installment in a planned trilogy. Even though Palma's website says they can be read in any order, I would suggest reading the first one (The Map of Time) before this one. It's not absolutely necessary, but it'll make this book more fun to read. Palma fills in the story a little bit for new-to-the-series readers, but there are things that happen in this book that will have much more impact if you know the back story and a little bit about the characters beforehand.

While I haven't read any books by H.G. Wells, I think it would be really neat to read the book by Wells just prior to reading the corresponding one by Palma. I'm sure it would change the whole experience. While I didn't read Wells's The War of the Worlds, I did see the 2005 remake of the movie. That gave me the basics of that story and I believe it enhanced my enjoyment of this book. When I read the first book, The Map of Time, I had no inkling what Wells's book was about. I still enjoyed that book, but not as much as I enjoyed this one. I'm not saying you need to read Wells's book before these ones, I'm just saying that in this instance it helped me. I also think these books would be a real treat for those who have already read or are familiar with Wells's work.

While most of the story was light, amusing and fun to read, I was moved to tears by Charles's story in the internment camp. I felt so bad for him, but was consoled a little when Captain Shackleton gave him the peace he needed. I had to put the book down for awhile after that section. It was so sad that it haunts me even as I write this.

At first, I didn't really understand the ending. It was really good, but I didn't really get why Palma chose to end it that way. It didn't hit me until later when I was trying to write some notes for this review. Now, it all seems to clear. I'm totally in awe and can't wait for the next book.

Favourite quotes:

It was as though a tear had appeared in every book on the planet, and the fantasy had begun seeping out, engulfing the world, making it impossible to tell fact from fiction. (page 253)

...the most terrifying thing is sometimes not what we see, but rather what we are forced to imagine. (page 346)

The book contained a number of new-to-me words. Here's a sampling:
effrontery (page 3): nerve
excoriating (page 4): criticizing
jingoistic (page 6): fanatically patriotic
titular (page 39): supposed
obdurate (page 78): stubborn
petrels and skuas (page 88): seabirds
perorations (page 97): speeches
dissoluteness (page 155): depravity
pyrrhic victory (page 157): a victory that is won by incurring terrible losses
peripatetic (page 175): nomadic
grandiloquent (page 218): verbose, pretentious
entablature (page 225):lintel on a classical building
pecuniary (page 251): financial
temerity (page 301): nerve, gall
pusillanimous (page 425): timid
salubrious (page 470): hygienic

I really looking forward to the third and final installment in this series, which features The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. I haven't read that one either, but I'm hoping to, since I do have some lead time before the next book comes out.

Besides all of that, you've just got to love a book that comes with 3D endpapers and a pair of 3D glasses!!!! So very cool! I'm such a geek.

Highly recommended. This will definitely be on my "Best of 2013" list at the end of the year. It's also earned a spot in my top 3 all-time favourite books.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about this author and his other works, please visit Felix J. Palma's website. It's in Spanish.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Map of the Sky by Félix J. Palma, Atria Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2012. ISBN 9781451660319(Hardcover), 591p.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I'm not even going to attempt to write a proper review for this book. There's been so much written already and since I didn't really like this book, I don't want to spend too much time on the review. Besides, it's not a book I got for review so I reserve the right to write what I want.

I wasn't particularly interested in reading this book. I don't read young adult (YA) that often and the synopsis didn't exactly thrill me. I read the book because my Book Club (the one in which we DON'T all read the same book) decided to switch things up a bit and have a Hunger Games party before our summer break. Part of that party was to discuss "this great book" that a few members had read.

Like I said, I didn't like it. Without going into details and revealing spoilers, I'll just say that I found parts of the story to be unbelievable and other parts to be downright silly. There were a few things I liked, but those were in the minority. Before anyone says "you have to take into account that it's YA fantasy", I already took that into account and still didn't enjoy the book.

I won't go into how my book club discussion went. Let just say I felt battered and bruised afterwards because I was the only one (out of 15) who disliked the book. With so many voices in favour of the book, I didn't really get my points across as I would have liked. C'est la vie. I did learn something, though, and I'll be a little leery of any book recommendations I receive from them from now on.

I'm a little peeved at myself for buying the box set at Costco only to find out that I really don't want to read the following two books. I've heard that they aren't as good as the first anyway, so I'd probably be wasting my time if I did.

By the way, I saw the movie, too. Contrary to what some of my fellow book clubbers said, it didn't help me understand/appreciate parts better. In fact, I disliked the movie and the book more afterwards. They also suggested that I read the other two books...yep, well, that ain't gonna happen. ;)

Anyway, I'll leave it at that.

The Hypnotist by M. J. Rose

In The Hypnotist, Lucian Glass, working with the Art Crime Team (ACT), goes undercover to investigate the destruction of some very old and valuable paintings. While he's undercover he submits to being hypnotized. It's during these sessions that he travels back in time and learns of his past lives. As he does so, he learns new information that just might help him solve the mystery in his current life.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It grabbed me on the very first page, which doesn't usually happen. I usually need a few pages to warm up to a book. Not so with this one. The story remained compelling throughout the whole book and carried me right through to the very last page. There are many facets and plotlines to follow with this one; it's very intricately woven. I found the storytelling similar to that of James Rollins in that both of their stories jump around in time and follow different plotlines simultaneously. I love books written like this as it makes me work a little to follow the story, remember the characters and decipher the plot. In this case, the extra effort was well worth it.

This is the third book in The Reincarnationist Series by this author, but the first one I've read. From reading the outlines about the other books, the stories don't appear to be connected. However, more than a few times while reading this one, I felt like I was missing something in the story, as though something relating to this story had happened in a previous book. It didn't at all stop me from really enjoying this book, but perhaps I should have read the others first.

The book contains interesting information about reincarnation, art work and painting in general. I'm not sure I totally believe in reincarnation, but I do find the subject matter extremely fascinating. As for the art and artists featured in this book, I don't know a lot about it and can't say I'm a huge fan. I do, however, find the whole art scene very intriguing. Equally intriguing was the explanation of Hypnos's third eye and its potential connection to the pineal gland, "which produces melatonin, the hormone that affects the modulations of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions"(page 171), as well as other more elegant and mythical explanations. All fascinating stuff.

I love learning new words. This book contained a few that were new-to-me. Here's a sampling:
Persian satrap (page 20): a governor of a province in ancient Persia
partage (page 22): the act of portioning out or sharing
manse (page 57): rectory
ormolu (page 57): gold-coloured copper alloy
ephemera (page 66): something short-lived
aegis (page 88): guidance
oculus (page 128): circular architectural feature
rheostat (page 130): an adjustable resistor
métier (page 158): profession
shtetl (page 203): small Jewish community in Eastern Europe
miasma (page 221): haze
invectives (page 376): criticism

I read this book in eBook form on my Sony eReader.

Highly recommended. I already have The Memorist on my to-be-read bookshelf and can't wait to dig it out and read it. I'll keeping my eye out for The Reincarnationist so that I can read that one, too.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Mira's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit M.J. Rose's website and blog.

I'd like to thank Tracee Gleichner from Pump Up Your Book and the author for this review copy. Click here for information on the blog tour.

The Hypnotist by M. J. Rose, Mira Books, ©2010. ISBN 9780778329206(eBook), 412p.

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma

In The Map of Time, Andrew Harrington is desperate to save Marie Kelly, his lover who has been killed by Jack the Ripper. Claire Haggerty wants to escape her Victorian restraints and falls for a man who lives in the future. Others want to see what life is like in the year 2000. Set in Victorian London, this historical fantasy novel uses real and fictional characters to investigate time travel and the ability to change the history. It also questions what would happen if we do so. Leading the way is H.G. Wells, who because of his novel The Time Machine, is seen as the authority on the subject.

I loved this book. Really loved it! It's one of the best ones I read this year. The story was intelligent, creative and witty. The author has a wonderful, healthy sense of humour. I never would have thought history and fantasy would make such a good pair. After reading the last page, I immediately wanted to start over again at the beginning. At over 600 pages, it could have been intimidating for me. However, it wasn't at all. I felt so immersed in the story that I didn't want it to end. While I love historical novels, I'm not that fond of fantasy novels. They just don't appeal to me. However, the fantasy aspect of this novel is handled in such a way that I found it a joy to read.

The three sections with interrelated plots lead the reader through the whole story. I simply adored the first two sections. The stories were approachable and relatable while the characters seemed real. However, it took me a little while to warm up to the third section. At first, it had a different feeling than the others and that interrupted my rhythm a little. However, that soon passed and I enjoyed reading the final section as well.

Rather than follow a linear path, the story jumps around quite a bit. I love books written this way. They really make me think. I don't mind "working" a little to follow the story and if the author has constructed a well built story, as Palma has, it makes the extra effort very worthwhile. Having said that, most of the story was easy to follow, but there were a few sections that were a little tricky. I really had to pay attention so I wouldn't lose the gist of the story.

One of my favourite parts of the book is when the narrator/author talked directly to me, the reader. He doesn't do it that often, but when he did I was overcome with joy. Reading is such a solitary pursuit that it was nice to be acknowledged.

I love it when authors used real-life characters in fictional works. Even if it's not someone I'm familiar with or someone I even like or admire, I still get a kick out of it. In this book, Palma uses H.G. Wells as a major character, while Joseph Merrick plays a more minor role. There are also brief appearances by both Bram Stoker and Henry James. I'm not that familiar with any them, but I feel that I got to know them a little better through this work despite the fact that the story is fictional. Palma has definitely peaked my curiosity about Wells and Merrick and I'm going to be looking into their lives further. Not only has Palma uses real characters, but he also incorporates some real life events like the crimes of Jack the Ripper. Again, I found this fascinating.

Favourite quotes:

No, the orchestra of life would carry on playing without him, because in reality his part had never been important to the score. (page 433)

New words:
panegyric (page 380): extravagant praise
pilloried (page 483): denounced
fin-de-siècle (page 481): the last years of the 19th century
perspicacity (page 526): perceptiveness
callow (page 584): inexperienced

Highly recommended. Honestly, I could go on and on about how much I love this book and what I love about it. I'm so looking forward to reading more works by Palma. Look for this book in my "Best of 2011" list at the end of the year.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma, Atria Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2011. ISBN 9781439167397(ARC), 609p.