Book Review | "The Savior's Champion" by Jenna Moreci

“Choose the path that's right by you. Always. It may end in misery -a small price to pay. No amount of hardship compares to the emptiness of regret. Of never having lived at all.”

Hello book world. I was kind of scared to pick this one up. I’ve been watching Moreci for a bit on YouTube but it’s one thing to talk about writing and another to pull it off well. So eventually I figured I needed to see what she was made of. Could she do as she preached?

I jumped, feet first, into her second book The Savior’s Choice.

In a world where a Savior brings fertility to the land, all men of competing age may try to win her hand in marriage and become the Sovereign. And many want to… just not Tobias. The thought of killing 19 other men for supposed love sends his stomach churning. He keeps refusing to enter until he no longer has a choice. His sister, crippled from an accident, needs more help then his feeble income can provide. So he enters, risking all, but assuming that he won’t make it far; all for the coin purse handed to the selected’s family. Once in the maze, fate has a different idea for Tobias, sending him on a wild journey that may get him out alive.

Romance, palace intrigue, blood, guts…. What more could I want in a story? With the perfect balance of everything, including the kitchen sink, I was immediately lost to the labyrinth and everything held within its walls. Moreci sets the tone in the first scene by opening with the brutal killing of the current Savior. By doing this, Moreci makes a promise to her readers, showing them upfront what they can expect. .

Next we meet the main protagonist. How Moreci pulled off writing from the mind of a male protagonist, I have no idea. Her grasp of internal dialogue, thoughts, and actions was superb. Reader’s weren’t handed the perfect male specimen from our dreams, but an honest guy with his own faults. Just one that we can stand behind. His actions throughout the story make sense. We aren’t given this overwhelming good boy act. Maybe just a nice little hero to make every girl swoon for.

“You are the strongest man I've ever known. And you are kind. And you are good. You are bruised by this tournament, but you are not broken.”

Which leads me right into a very important point - that does not mean that Moreci’s female characters were weak or needed saving. Quite the opposite. Moreci created a female cast that was strong in every way possible without losing their femininity. Instead of the man coming to save the woman, we got a woman who could save herself, and did so on many occasions, but decided to team up with a man. Reader’s were still gifted with the strong man scenes, but got a better story when the woman could stand right beside him in the fight.

The Savior's Champion (The Savior's Series)

By Jenna Moreci

Buy on Amazon

Sadly, not all of Moreci’s characters were this well done. One of my biggest issues with the book, I only have two, is that the bad guys were made to be very bad. They were too easy to hate and, at times, felt evil just to move the story along. There was no guilt from the decision Tobias had to make. You eventually wanted something bad to happen to them. Overall, every antagonist or negative character in Tobias and Leila’s way, fell flat. Every character in a book needs to be fully realized, and come across as human, even if we, as the writer, don’t like them. Don’t make it easy for the reader to hate them. It takes out a large emotional factor from the story. Look at the Darkling in the Grisha Verse. That’s an excellent example of a fully developed antagonist.

And I might as well let you know the other issue. Even though the dialogue was superb, bordering on genius, there were some points when the quips and back and forth felt a little too modern for the world. I’m not looking for old English, but I don’t want to hear Joe from down the street when this story is set in some other universe not contemporary to ours.

Ok, hard part is over.

“If everything looks good and pure, then nothing's truly beautiful. The ugliness is what makes beauty so distinct.”

Still, Moreci’s art is in her dialogue. Seriously. You need to work on that in your writing… here’s your textbook.

What I think sets this book above all others was Moreci’s work with sex and her ability to make what many deem to be inappropriate, natural. She broke boundaries and showed a natural side to human nature. Instead of hiding the male anatomy, she placed it front and center in a respectful, story important way. This isn’t some romance, sexually explicit book. Every sex reference felt vital to the story and worked to create an atmosphere of what competing in the tournament would be like. This includes the same sex relationships as well.

I think what took me on the biggest ride was the imagination in each section of the tournament. I really don’t want to see inside Moreci’s mind because I have no idea how she came up with all of the challenges. Each one was unique and interesting, and kept the reader on their toes. Each scene was well constructed to not leave the reader lost in the what was happening. If you’ve read some of my other reviews, you know I hate when writers don’t craft well choreographed fight scenes. Most of the time I’m lost, which loses the whole point of the fight scene.

If you haven’t guessed it… I’m giving this book 5 stars. Man it was amazing. I was left with some serious book hangover. I need a reread, but to do that, I need to actually own the book. Well, my birthday is coming up. Fingers crossed.

Happy Reading.

Love Kait.

Reading Challenge: 97/100

Book Review | "Britt-Marie Was Here"

“A few years turned into more years, and more years turned into all years. Years have a habit of behaving like that.”

Some stories make us think. Some stories put us on the edge of our seats. And then some stories make us laugh at humanity.

Cleaning and keeping house have been Britt-Marie’s job for years. She loves it, the orderly semblance to life. That is, until her husband goes and has a heart attack and his mistress phones Britt-Marie about it. Britt-Marie now has to figure out a new life with the only job she can get - maintaining the Borg Recreation Facility. She cleans and grieves until a unruly bag of ragga-muffins show up at her door.

Backman created a story about people, populating a cast with a beating heart. Each character has a backstory, nuances, character flaws, desires…. What a real flesh and blood version would need. He let each character shine, acting out as if they were the star when really, as the reader, we only ever see the story through Britt-Marie’s eyes. Which is where I think Backman’s skill lies. Character developed stories with soul and heartwarming story lines.

I mean the man even added a rat.

I’m not kidding people.

She fed a rat snickers and talked to him (I believe it was a him). It may be weird, but I think all of Backman’s stories come with a little bit of weird.

“A human being may not choose her circumstances, but she does choose her actions”

Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel

By Fredrik Backman

Buy on Amazon

Overall, everything felt perfectly balanced. Comedic moments that were never forced. Perfectly painted pictures of a town on the brink of collapse. Characters that stayed true to their personalities. Plot points with substance. And the right amount of soccer, using it as a guiding point throughout the story. Never once did soccer take over though. Britt-Marie Was Here is not a soccer story. Instead, the element enhanced character relationships, stakes, and plot points.

But be warned people…. Spoiler, he never names Somebody. Why? So many times I was lost for a moment, thinking a random character just walked in, when it was always Somebody. I thought it would lead to a big reveal/heart wrenching moment in end, but it never did.

“At a certain age almost all the questions a person asks him or herself are really just about one thing: how should you live your life?”

And based on my own personal opinions, all character developed stories come with flaws. Most can’t be helped since the protagonist tends to run the show.

In Backman’s case, the struggle was in foreshadowing. He tended to point the way too clearly for the reader. At one point, Backman placed a dose of foreshadowing before a big plot twist. There was no longer a shock factor. Instead, the character spelled out what was going to happen, did it, and left a very large chunk of emotion out. At other times, Backman kept pointing to one thought so loudly, that when it came time for Britt-Marie to make a decision in the end, the reader was very aware of what it would be. Foreshadowing is a fickle mistress and one that doesn’t play well with character driven plots. The writer isn’t able to look far ahead and plan out the perfect moment to deliver the medicine. And maybe Backman just recieved some bad advice, because I personally would have left the bigger foreshadow out completely.

I highly recommend Backman’s work. Sometimes it’s a little weird. The narration can come across as clumsy, and the foreshadowing might drive you nuts, but his stories seep deep into your soul and make you want to meet the very characters he’s created.

“One morning you wake up with more life behind you than in front of you, not being able to understand how it’s happened.”

And I almost forgot. I give this one a solid 4 stars.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 92/100

Book Review | "Give Me Your Hand" by Megan Abbott

“The fear all men have that there’s something inside us that shifts, and turns. A living thing, once dormant, stirring now, and filled with rage.”

Let me tell you a secret…

Good reveals in a book come with a touch of beauty, finesse, and excellent timing. So when you allude to something at the beginning of a book, and then reveal it half way in…. It better be good.

Kit is in line for a prestigious grant position, only three of a handful are set to receive it. All her hard work since high school, and the infamous Diane Fleming coming into her life, might finally pay off. Before any announcements can be made, Kit’s worst nightmare comes true when Diane appears in the very same lab, bringing the past back to haunt Kit as she remembers Diane’s haunting confession in high school that changed both their lives. Can Kit trust Diane again or will her dreams come crashing down?

“In some animal part of my brain, I guess I thought looking her up might somehow summon her. So I never did. And she came anyway.”

I will start with the good things about Give Me Your Hand. Abbott’s research into chemistry and biology felt spot on. I’ve worked in a few labs, biology and physics, and her overall feeling as a woman in the lab rang true. I’ve had some of the same gender attacks that Kit experienced at times in the lab. Abbott also sprinkled in the perfect amount of technical terms without making the reader confused or bogged down. Just enough to paint the reader a picture.

A lot of times writers want to throw in everything they learned because they spent all the time researching and don’t want the work to go for not. It’s another iceberg. Show only the tiniest portion, and leave the rest for yourself.

Abbott’s overall story was a bust though.

Yup…. that’s all the good stuff I have for you today. I won’t even hide my rating. (1.5 stars)

Attempting a thriller, Abbott’s build up and reveal were the biggest let downs.

“My mom always says, you don’t have a self until you have a secret.”

Give Me Your Hand

By Megan Abbott

Buy on Amazon

Most of the story is based around a secret. It’s mentioned early on, and has a lot of suspense around it. Reading along, Abbott keeps alluding to how grand the secret is, building up more anticipation. What didn’t work, was that the secret was staring the reader right in the face. Paying even the tiniest of attention, one can easily figure out this grand secret. By the time it’s finally revealed, 50% in, there’s a huge let down.

The whole first half of the story felt built around this moment, the big reveal. Abbott spent a very long time working on the backstory, flipping from present to past. Bleeding the two times into one. Though they both played into one another, the struggle of seeing past Kit and present Kit together left a huge gap in Kit’s personality. Young Kit felt more fearless. She did and said things that no longer matched future Kit, leaving future Kit to feel lost and altogether a different person. Ten years did pass, I guess change could happen, but as a writer it’s important to pay attention. Readers will sit there comparing and finding all the flaws.

And, sticking with the character problems, Abbott’s characters were not true to themselves. Many times I questioned the motives and actions some of the side characters took. Seriously, they led the suspense of the story along, dragging out some unbelievable twists. But that’s the point. They were unbelievable because the characters never would have done those things. Especially with the break down at the end. Added in dramatics.

“When you get away with something it’s yours only, forever. Heavy and irremediable.”

Abbott wanted to explain why Diane was who she was. She wanted to spell out the story word for word. Which led to the final reveal at the end. Ok, I didn’t see that one coming, but looking back it was a little obvious. It was another let down. It gave me a bad taste in my mouth.

In all, I’m surprised I actually finished this book. I put it down always questioning if I should pick it up again. Knowing that I could count this towards my reading goal kept me going.

My next book is the great Britt-Marie Was Here and it’s another book club read. I loved A Man Called Ove and Backman’s style of storying telling. I can’t wait to share it with you all on here. If you want to remotely join in with my book club, visit the book club page. I’ll be updating the books every month. When you see the book review pop up, start a discussion below and we can all join in.

Happy reading.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 89/100

Book Review | "The Butterfly Garden" by Dot Hutchison

“If you expect to be overlooked or forgotten, you’re always at least a little surprised when someone remembers you. You’re always outside understanding those strange creatures who actually expect people to remember and come back.”

*Warning* The Butterfly Garden is a dark story with a lot of disturbing imagery. Not meant for younger readers.

Why is humanity drawn to the dark? Why do we subject ourselves to the stories of death and torture? Does it make us feel human?

Part of me wasn’t even sure I wanted to write a review for The Butterfly Garden. The story is so dark and disturbing that I was afraid younger readers would be drawn to it. But the other side of me realized that art comes in many forms and I needed to share this piece of it.

“Some people stay broken. Some pick up the pieces and put them back together with all the sharp edges showing.”

The Butterfly Garden is about a girl captured by a man dubbed the gardener. He captures beauty as butterflies and preserves them forever in his garden. With an expiration date, the girl lives with the other butterflies, till one day hope comes and they’re all set free.

The story begins with Maya after rescue. Thank goodness… an excellent artistic choice. Because the story is so dark, it’s nice knowing there’s a happy ending, and helped me stick with it. After all the pain I’ll know everyone is ok. Some might think this detracts from the suspense, but I think there was plenty to make you turn the page. Sometimes nonlinear storylines really work in your favor.

The Butterfly Garden (The Collector)

By Dot Hutchison

Buy on Amazon

Besides excellent writing, this book was just a combination of really good choices. It felt like Hutchinson sat down and thought about her readers. I know they say write what you want to read (I really don’t want to see inside this girl’s mind) but you also need to create a story that others can get through. Case in point, showing the readers immediately that there is a happy ending.

Another excellent choice were the two POVs. We have third person from the FBI agent’s perspective. Then, the story flips to first person when Maya tells the agents her story. This give the readers a feeling of really being interviewed. Would it have worked as all third person? I don’t think so. The story could have turned dull and lost the vibrant in your face imagery that led to the overall compelling narrative.

“Not making a choice is a choice. Neutrality is a concept, not a fact. No one actually gets to live their lives that way.”

Here is a book with amazing characterization - not the overly stylized classroom checklist version produced in One of Us is Lying. Fictional my butt, these people are real. Such fine detail into their personalities. We get hobbies, coping, ethnicities, anger management, goals, in essence an entire psych analysis. And for a wide cast of characters too. We don’t just get an in depth picture of the front runners, but each butterfly, even down to Maya’s parents. If you need a lesson in developing characters, get through this one - I personally learned a whole lot.

Timing is another important skill as a writer. Linear stories do not work for every plot. In Hutchison’s case, she was able to use the FBI interrogation to weave through a timeline hopping story. This let her pose a ton of questions to answer along the whole journey. We have Maya’s backstory, as well as everything that happens in the garden. Even when we think all the questions have been answered, Hutchison drops one more answer on the last page. Timing is key. You can’t drop a boatload of twists at the end, and you can’t give the story away from the beginning.

“You’re comparing the FBI to Hitler?”

“No, I’m engaging in a discussion about perspective and moral relativity.”

Final point, I swear, even though I think I could go on and on about this book. Stay true to your characters. Hutchison does a superb job. As a writer you may want things to be different, but characters are characters and they’re the rulers of this joint. I think if Hutchison had done things outside their scope, the story would have fallen flat. Instead, she kept them true. Another reason they read as real people. They make real people choices.

Ok that’s all for now. I really hope you give The Butterfly Garden a chance. I would love to say I’m reading something lighter after this one but…. Ugh book club read. I guess it’s my fault since I suggested the dystopian read. Anyways - 5 stars all the way. I’ll be trying to find time to squeeze in the next book in the series.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 82/100

Book Review | "The Light Between Oceans" by M. L. Stedman

“Perhaps when it comes to it, no one is just the worst thing they ever did.”

Books are supposed to pose the hard questions. Give minds an idea to ponder. Nothing is black or white, because humans are not black or white. Books can paint a world never imagined. Sit you down in the center of it all to play a part. And then sometimes, books can paint the wort side of humanity to make you ask yourself - “Is it really wrong?”

The Light Between Oceans paints a picture of despair and hope, asking the hard question of would you do the same? I think we can’t really judge from our perspective. Time in the 1920s is not what we know. Orphaned children were not treated with even the small sliver of care they are today (and that’s saying a lot). So when you read this book, look through the eyes of those telling the story, and not your own.

A couple lives on an island, isolated and alone. Their job is to the ignite the lighthouse every evening. One day a dead man washes ashore with a crying baby. Isabel, whose already lost three births, sees the child as a sign from God, a chance to be the mother nature would never allow her to be. What harm could be done? The baby would be put in an orphanage because no mother would dare abandon their infant. But all stories have many sides and no one is free from grief.

“When it comes to their kids, parents are all just instinct and hope. And fear.”

From the first line, I was lost. Stedman paints a gentle picture of Western Australia, weaving in and out the details carefully between the lives of the characters. Her words are soft, never going for the drawn-out texture, but taking her time to feed tidbits throughout. I would say this is her biggest strength. I’m not from Australia, yet now I walk away seeing this whole new world in bright generous strokes.

Descriptions don’t need to be flashy or all at once. I’ve heard of writers taking pride in spending a whole page on describing a horse. A single horse people. But do readers want to be slowed down by such a common image? I personally do not. For such detail to be painted, there has to be something pretty darn special about this horse.

Description is proportional to time. The longer you spend writing out a picture, the slower the story will progress and you take a risk your audience will be tired of waiting to get the story rolling. Today’s readers have the gift of the internet, we don’t need to completely lay out the basics like a stream. So wait. Say it was a stream, move on and save those moments for the imagery that really matters. The differences that make your world special.

“There are times when the ocean is not the ocean - not blue, not even water, but some violent explosion of energy and danger: fierceness on a scale only gods can summon.”

Do not read this book if you don’t want to cry. Life doesn’t have happy endings and someone must always suffer. That’s the real message of the story. Not the questions asked about the baby. Not the choices made by the characters. But the real fact, that no matter what happens, someone will get their dream and someone will be left to grieve.

The Light Between Oceans

By M.L. Stedman

Buy on Amazon

Stedman brought to life the pain of life. She didn’t sugar coat the delivery, or follow it up with ‘now everything worked out in the end.’ I appreciate this. I appreciate the raw life of the matter and character development. Stedman stuck with what her characters would do and never once let them change just to give the story a chance. She asked the hard questions of her characters and let them play it all out. Something very important. As writers, we can never let our own thoughts and desires take over to control the story just for what we want. If that character would go down the dark alley, even though we know what waits for her on the other side, that character must go.

Even in this story, we can see the Hero’s journey. Weird right? That something so far from fantasy would have the same elements of a classic story structure, but that’s the point - it’s a classic story structure. We have the initial journey of receiving the baby. Tom, the reluctant hero to choose the journey, and Isabel ready to jump right in. Multiple thresholds to overcome and the final Ordeal and choice before we reach the resurrection.

“Soon enough the days will close over their lives, the grass will grow over their graves, until their story is just an unvisited headstone.”

Not everything about The Light Between Oceans was great. Sometimes the characters came across wrong, instances where Stedman might have tweaked their responses slightly. The ending was a little wonky, and ultimately I think could have been left out. The extra chapter muddled the whole picture instead of letting the reader's mind ponder everything. I didn’t need to see the overall life ending choices. I would say more but that would give too much of the story away.

Essentially, I learned that American audiences need the full picture. We want to see how everything is wrapped up all with a bow. No loose ends. Other countries prefer that open-ended version where there are still questions to ponder and audiences can paint their own outcomes.

All in all, I really enjoyed the entire read. I give the book 4 stars. The writing was soft and gentle, just enough prose to feel the craft but not enough to bog down the emotions and journey of the story. I really wish there were more books by Stedman, but alas this is her only one. Till next time.

Love Kait and Happy Reading.

Reading Chlalenge: 73/100

Book Review | "Vicious" by V. E. Schwab

“You must make time for that which matters, for that which defines you: your passion, your progress, your pen. Take it up, and write your own story.”

Hello, my reading family.

Today I get to share my recent 5 star read with you guys. Not only was this book amazing, I also get to meet the beautiful V. E. Schwab in a month - which is a good thing because I need the sequel now. I feel bad for all the poor souls that had to wait five years. Yes, you read that right… It took Schwab five years to get the sequel out there. From watching her on Instagram, I don’t think the delay was due to a lack of imagination. She has so many books out, each one I can’t wait to devour.

Until then, let us start by talking about this lovely.

Jumping between the past and the present, two college friends become bitter rivals after one fateful night that landed Victor in jail. Ten years later, released or not, he’s on a mission to exact revenge. All the while, Eli, who stumbled on a scientific discovery that ended in death, has played the heroic boy next door. As we meet a ragtag group and discover the importance of life and love, we might learn that not all villains are made the same.

Vicious is the perfect blend of dark and dirty. Melding the world’s of X-Men and Batman, Schwab creates a fantastical adventure.

“I have a hacker, a half-dead dog, and a child. It’s hardly an arsenal.”

And I need more now.

Vicious (Villains)

By V. E. Schwab

Buy on Amazon

My number one love about Vicious, besides how vicious it is *pun intended*, is Schwab’s attention to the little details during her descriptions. There’s a scene where she describes the ice in Victor’s glass. A tiny minute picture that grounds the reader immediately into the moment. Her details paint a glittering landscape coinciding with the characters as well. Victor felt like the villain, floating above the large city and looking down searching for his prey.

Writing stories that weave in and out between times, and Schwab doesn’t just do two times, is not something to be tackled lightly. There is a balance of releasing information that lets the reader get enough for the ride but also not jumping back and forth too much where they become lost and can never catch their breath. Schwab walks the line, really pushing the moments to the limit. But in her case, it works.

There were just a couple of times where I didn’t like it.

I will start with a caveat….. Vicious needs more than one read. The small details people. I was so caught up in the story, I’m sure I missed something. Even Victor and Eli’s relationship needs close attention. The hate between the two is more than jealousy - I think Victor’s relationship with his parents is a very huge clue. His relationship with Eli is just a carbon copy.

Anyways. Moving on.

Schwab doled out the information a little too quickly. We’re left guessing right at the beginning, that’s how she hooks you. But when a question is brought up in the present, Schwab immediately takes you to the past and provides the answer. I personally like to be left guessing a little longer. This can all be personal preference and was not a big enough problem to change my rating.

“He wanted to care, he wanted to care so badly, but there was this gap between what he felt and what he wanted to feel, a space where something important had been carved out.”

After all, this analyzing and deducing, I can’t figure out if Schwab is a plot or pantser writer. She has a story strongly built around the characters but with a great plot based ending. Also, the reason I dub her a master and one that I will study with a fury. Here is one time that I finally read a writer that is like me. Something important since I was worried readers would hate my style.

What more can I say? If you haven’t picked up a Schwab book yet, you might want to now. She has a lot of projects in the works - yay for all of us.

Now off to read A Light Between Oceans for book club - which will also be the next book I review. I’m curious to see what it’s all about. I’ve heard so many different opinions.

Happy reading my lovelies.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 70/100

Book Review | "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson

“How do you 'accidentally' kill a noble man in his own mansion?"

"With a knife in the chest. Or, rather, a pair of knives in the chest...”

This is that one time in life where not remembering my husband’s Amazon password is a killer because now I can’t check how much we have left in gift cards. Maybe I can just slide in purchasing the next book without him noticing…. I mean, there are so many books on my shelves. Would he even see another one?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he would.

Epic fantasy is a beast I’ve rarely tackled because the genre takes so much commitment. First, there is the struggle of finding just the right book. Second, each book takes a lifetime to read - though I know a lot of us prefer longer books because we get a lot for our money. And finally, third, one series goes on forever. I gave up with Wheel of Time after the fifth book.

Mistborn came highly recommended and at first, I thought there were only three books. Sadly, I was mistaken. Still, I went through with giving the genre a try. It was the least I could do after spending all that time watching Brandon Sanderson’s lectures online. If this guy is going to teach me how to be a stronger writer, I need to know what his writing looks like.

So here I went…

And it was everything I expected. Epic fantasy takes forever to set up. You might think this will lead to better character development, stronger backstory, something worth all the extra effort, but it doesn’t. I’ve seen well-done character development in 300 pages. What is up with all the length then? Could Mistborn have been condensed into a smaller story?

Yes and no. Yes, if you are looking at it solely for story and characters. The length doesn’t lend anything in those two areas. Sanderson even adds in a character well into the story that does fine with a shorter development period. Honestly, I like him more than even the protagonist, Vinn.

Epic fantasy is about one thing…. world building. Why writers and readers enjoy the genre is because they can fully immerse themselves into a fictional world. There is time to notice the little nuances: how people gain sustenance, political structure, religion, magic system, transportation, education. The list can go on for days. Writers can create a world and place readers inside to play. Slower moments are featured to showcase this realm instead of just jumping into the plot. Which does not mean that you need to write an epic fantasy to create a fictional world. J. K. Rowling did it all in the confines of middle-grade structure.

Attention to detail is what makes epic fantasy so hard. You have to build this entire iceberg while only sharing a tiny portion of it to the world. All that hard work will mostly stay locked in a vault never to be seen. So if you want to be an epic fantasy writer, know what you are getting yourself into.

Mistborn: The Final Empire

By Brandon Sanderson

Buy on Amazon

After this long-winded explanation, I’ll get to my point. Mistborn took a long time to set up. A huge difference from the fast-paced YA books I’ve been reading. But, I stuck with the book knowing that this is due to genre and not writing. The world building is top notch. I can see clearly what Sanderson built but I really don’t care too much because world building isn’t something I’m too interested in - unless you’re on a spaceship. Then, taking into account character development, we have an average book in my opinion.

“...Do you stop loving someone just because they betray you? I don't think so. That's what makes the betrayal hurt so much—pain, frustration, anger... and I still loved her. I still do.”

What marks Mistborn as a good book is the well-done plot line. There are many story arcs that come together nicely at the end without too much foreshadowing - one of the hardest tricks to play as a writer. It’s this balancing act to ensure your reader knows enough to not feel betrayed in the end but not too much to give the entire story away. Towards the end, I was turning the page faster and faster. I also appreciate how Sanderson rewards the readers who pay close attention to the little things.

*hint, hint*

Though I won’t say that Sanderson is amazing in this regard, he did write a female protagonist well enough. She was like his prose, to the point without a lot of flare. Vinn was believable enough that I wasn’t stuck on her too much but without enough finesse for me to say that she’s an amazing protagonist. Many times her internal monologue came across harsh and annoying. In honesty, I would have preferred Kelsier to be the sole protagonist but alas, we can’t always have what we want.

After watching Sanderson’s lectures, I will say that this is a great example of ‘seeing through the stained glass window’. There’s no pretty prose to sweep you along. At points, the scenes were so straight to the point that you didn’t get enough grim from the story to fully immerse yourself into the world. We see the mists, they are a huge part, but did we feel the mists? We were told about the mists. My imagination did not runneth over with great description. Another fine line to walk as a writer unless you want to be that literature stain glass writer that focuses on word choice instead of story.

So if you haven’t noticed, yes I will be getting the next book. When I will read it, that is another story because my TBR list is growing out of control. I have a problem people. I don’t even know if there is time to read all the books I want in one lifetime. The hardest part is that more amazing books are coming out all the time. There are at least 6 books coming out in the next 12 months that I’m dying to read. Do you have one on your radar? Let me know in the comments below.

And before I forget…. 3.5 stars for this one.

Happy reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 68/100

Book Review | "How to Stop Time" by Matt Haig

“Whenever I see someone reading a book, especially if it is someone I don't expect, I feel civilization has become a little safer.”

Thank god this was a book club pick. If not for the need to finish the entire thing, I believe this would have been thrown out and considered a lost cause.

The story introduces Tom, a man with a long past - a very long past spanning over 400 years. Having a medical condition that slows his aging, Tom has lived many lives always running from people who view him as a freak or a devil. Flipping between the present day and his history, we begin to see how our pasts drive us, staying true to ourselves, and the importance of what it means to live.

I really don’t think it helped I picked this up after War Storm. I went from a pretty average YA written novel to one of strong lyrical prose. As Brandon Sanderson would say, “You can really see the stained glass window with this one.” But, in truth, the prose was so heavy I couldn’t see past the words to the story underneath. I stuck with it, as I was forced to, and found a heartwarming, eye-opening story underneath it all.

You just have to remove a few layers first.

So seriously, stick with this thing.

I don’t think you’ll regret it.

At least I hope not…..

“It is strange how close the past is, even when you imagine it to be so far away. Strange how it can just jump out of a sentence and hit you. Strange how every object or word can house a ghost.”

How to Stop Time

By Matt Haig

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How to Stop Time is not a masterpiece of plot - a sign that Haig is probably a discovery writer. Some of the plot twists pop out of nowhere, which isn’t the worst but might leave a sour taste in your mouth. In honesty, Haig’s attempt at mystery leaves a little to be desired. What makes this book a masterpiece is his ability to throw in the hard life questions without you noticing. Multiple times I had to stop for a moment and think about what he’d just written in the most casual way. There were questions and thoughts that I think we all have but that have never been said out loud.

Haig’s superpower is his ability to weave the scenes in and out. To flow the information and bring up thoughts and philosophical quandaries without pausing. While reading, you don’t feel like your being lectured to. Instead, you feel deep inside the head of a lost wandering man who's trying to figure out his own role in a world that has destroyed him for centuries.

Which doesn’t mean that Haig’s casual name-dropping throughout the book works though. How likely are you to be in these places at just the right time to meet say, F. Scott Fitzgerald? I can believe Shakespeare and Chaplin, but the rest not so much.

Eventually, I was so deep into the story that when I turned the last page my heart sunk. I fell in love with Tom. I fell in love with Rose. And I saw the struggle of each character and their own fears. So yes, the story isn’t about plot. It’s a character-driven narrative filled with beautiful insight into the world we live in.

As you can guess, I quickly changed my rating on this story and it’s now at 4 stars. There are still some items that I would have preferred played out differently and I don’t like how long it took to get into the story. I feel many readers will end up putting this down. And that’s why I beg you to stick with it until the end.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 59/100

"Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter Book Review

“At peace? Who but the insane would ever be at peace? What person who has enjoyed life could possibly think one is enough? Who could live even a day and not feel the sweet ache of regret?”

Or the sweet ache of turning the last page knowing that the story is over, and you need to go and live your real life.

Walter has a gift that I’ve seen in only a few authors. He has an ability to weave a story from a multitude of perspectives yet leave you as if you read it through the eyes of only one soul. Just breathtaking. I had to put the whole thing down and stare out the window until I felt the shock wear off and I could breathe again.

How did he do it?

Yes, I won’t say that it worked the entire time. From the start, it was really hard to tell where things were going to go. A bunch of characters are thrown in right at the beginning. We think it’s going to be from the perspective of a set few only to realize that their roles are more as background actors to the main stage. But if that wasn’t enough, we are thrown into new roles in the middle and must accept their part to be played. And to top it off, that one character, briefly mentioned now, plays a massive role though not told out as long as you would have liked.

Does this feel like a whirlwind yet, because it stays that way for the whole wild ride?

Hold on though, because when you get to the end and you see what Walter was trying - maybe sit with it for a while - the beauty of the story comes alive and you realize that you just witnessed a masterpiece.

“I think so, too. I know I felt that way. For years. It was as if I was a character in a movie and the real action was about to start at any minute. But I think some people wait forever, and only at the end of their lives do they realize that their life has happened while they were waiting for it to start.”

Beautiful Ruins: A Novel

By Jess Walter

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So at the start, we think the story is about all of these characters, but it really comes down to the two introduced from the start, Dee and Pasquale. Maybe I’m breaking my own rule of no spoilers, but I think this might help you to make it through. I don’t want you to suffer like I did sitting there and wanting more Claire but realizing that she just isn’t the one to make the real dramatic plays. Her character comes out more as background noise.

And there comes one of my biggest complaints. Why so much when the real story isn’t centered around every characters’ backstory? Do we really need to see Claire’s boyfriend drama played out, Alvis’s war wounds, or Shane’s ACT lifeline? Seeing it all done, I think the answer is yes. I feel the drift from the core components was the point. The idea of look, 50 odd years later and all of these lives are changed because of what happens, and, that in some way, we are all the same. All needing the same wakeup call.

Walter throws real life in your face. There aren’t happy endings. It’s messy and the decisions we make can’t always be easy and it just isn’t going to be a fairytale. The guy sometimes can’t get the girl but that doesn’t mean life still isn’t beautiful and fulfilling. Walter covers so many topics that at times it’s overwhelming. But that is life.

I read the reviews and they aren’t entirely the best. But, I get where people got lost. First off, the marketing department didn’t do the greatest job. It’s The Village all over again. You think you’re heading into a scary thriller only to discover there was always a way out, it’s just a sham. Beautiful Ruins goes through the same pains. Luckily, I read the genres and didn’t fall into the trap of cover and name. This is not a light summer read. This is hard, dirty, and may make you cry. That or throw the book in anger.

“His life was two lives now: the life he would have and the life he would forever wonder about.”

And, because I must always talk about craft at some point in my reviews, I’ll cover Walters stunning choice of words. I don’t know how he did it - and I think I can say something on this topic since I’ve been to the Italian coast and Rome - but each time I opened this book, I felt Italy coming back to me all over again. It was marvelous. Lifted from your seat, you’re set in the glittering waters before the Hotel of Adequate View. Turn the page and you can find yourself in the dark pillbox after a hike, sun catching the corner of a hand painted image. But, then in the next instance transported in time to the realities of current day show business.

Maybe this will make you read the book, maybe not. We all have things that touch our hearts and come at the right time in our life. I think this book was meant for me right now. I will give it 4 stars. Though I loved every moment, a few things rubbed me wrong. Walter went on a limb with some of his choices, but certain things like the book chapter and such just fell flat. If you do decide to read it, I hope you get as much out of it as I did.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 49/100

"Artemis" Book Review by Andy Weir

“On a scale from one to ‘invade Russia in winter,’ how stupid is this plan?”

Houston…. It’s very stupid.

So I might be a little mean, but I’m going to use the quotes from the book to help me make my point.

Point 1: This book is drier than moon dust.

If you want to know how a scientist writes a book, look no further.

But come on…. Weir literally fell into the trap. Just because someone is an engineer does not mean they lack the imagination to pull off some colorful whimsy of showing not telling. Being good at math does not mean you can’t use your eyes to describe what the world looks like instead of shoving Artemis’s theoretical existence down reader’s throats. It’s grey, it’s hard living on the lunar surface, but what makes your story so different?

“A clumsy, awkward success is still a success.”

Not really Wier. Not really.

I need to include before I go further that I have not read The Martian. I really wish I had before jumping into this one. I feel then my point would have been better made. But…. I have seen the movie so I’m going to use that and some research that I did before writing this review.

In The Martian, a gentleman is left on Mars. So, to survive and not go crazy, this gentleman had some interesting internal conversations with himself. Cool. It works with the storyline. Something that a guy stranded alone would probably end up doing. The internal dialogue of a girl on a lunar space city…. doesn’t entirely work that well.

Essentially, Weir took the character from The Martian, placed him on the moon, and shoved him into a girls body. Yup, you heard me right….

Point 2: Guys cannot successfully write a female perspective.

“The city shined in the sunlight like a bunch of metallic boobs. What? I'm not a poet. They look like boobs.”

Case in point. Yes, this is Jazz everyone. A pre-teen boy. Oh, excuse me…. I mean a 26-year-old female living on the moon.

Artemis: A Novel

By Andy Weir

Buy on Amazon

I appreciate that guys want to try a new perspective. Female writers do it to them all the time. But for some reason, when most guys attempt a female protagonist, they miss crucial wavelengths that allow their character to come across as female. I think it’s also very funny that Weir credits a bunch of female friends - this even includes his girlfriend - in helping him to achieve his success in capturing Jazz.

*Face. Palm. Groan.*

Weir, girls don’t obsess over sex like you’ve protrayed in the book.

On top of this very poorly executed decision, Weir also decided to be cool and make his protagonist not only female but also of Saudi Arabian descent. Salt on the wound. I get that we need more diverse characters in this world, something that more readers can connect to, but Weir, as a white male of the upper class, might not be the best one to deliver this. I’m going to take us back to the first thing I learned in writing class…. write what you know. And I’m pretty sure Weir doesn’t know either one of these things.

So Weir’s an author now. He’s made it big. The Martian took him far. He’s quit his job and can write full time. Sorry to say but I think it might have been a one trick pony.

Artemis is the story of one brave smuggler given the opportunity of a lifetime because all she wants more than anything in the world is to have her own private shower. So, in the middle of her grand payout, something goes terribly wrong, and what was just a job turns into a life-saving endeavor.

The story was very interesting. I like where he went with things, even if at times I struggled to follow him down the rabbit hole. Not everything he presented makes sense. Example… his need to put on repeat that the city could never leak oxygen. One and done man. That’s all we needed. At times, Jazz just seemed very unbelievable in her abilities. We get it, she’s smart, but if she’s smart enough to spend a few hours browsing electrical engineering schematics and become a master at it…. Ok, maybe you see what I’m trying to say. It just takes a lot of going along for the ride to fully get into the story.

I was originally going to give this 1 star. Seriously, that is how much I hated this book. The ending though boosted it up half a star. I was pleasantly surprised and did find myself turning the page pretty quickly. So if you can make it that far you will definitely be in for a nice surprise. Good luck though, I think you might need all your strength to stick it out. The only reason I did was because this was for book club.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 45/100

"The Wildling Sisters" by Eve Chase Book Review

Have you read a book before where the sound of the words draws you in? Each one a carefully constructed symphony of prose, ending in a musical crescendo that lulls you into a poetic dreamland.

Well….

That was the Wildling Sisters for me.

Set between two worlds, same house, the stories collide 50 years apart where the mystery of a missing 12-year-old plague an English country manor. A new family moves in the house unaware of its dark past yet still bringing their own mystery. Fifty years previous, four sisters, abandoned by their mother one summer, are forced to reside with their aunt and uncle who five years earlier lost their own daughter when she went missing. Eventually, the mystery of it all unfolds, past and present, till both worlds must meet.

Dark stories unfold until the end when everything comes delivered with a nice red bow. All questions get answered. There is no air of mystery leaving us hanging. Though I enjoyed finding out everything, it was a little rushed and I could have lived without it. Others agreed, some saying that it was just all too nice. And with a book that is set a little darker, maybe a light ending wasn’t the best option.

The Wildling Sisters

By Eve Chase

Buy on Amazon

But the main theme throughout was motherhood. We have the absent mother of the girls, the mother who lost her child, and the mother stepping in for a dead mother. I hope that was the focus. If you remove the theme and the fact that they are in the same house, it would feel like two stories thrown together because they were too short to stand alone. Even the point of views - there are two total - are so very distinct that when they switch, you can easily read the difference.

I think Chase’s writing is the reason that I enjoyed myself. Most of my peers thought the story was dull. Nothing surprising comes out in the end - it was more of a dud - and many may give up once the excitement wears off. This isn’t a murder mystery, isn’t advertised as one, yet that is exactly what Chase wants you to believe within the first few pages as girls drag a lifeless limp body through the garden. Maybe if the beginning had been a little less dramatic, readers would have been prepared for the slower storyline. Instead, we spend the entire story wondering where the body fits into the mix.

Yet don’t give up. This story has a great gothic undertone. It doesn’t go super dark but poses a few more questions about missing girls and sex. Darker themes are my jam now and I think it’s because I’m getting older. But these moments in the story are what give it life. They breathe a realness into the story. That mixed with Chase’s prose is why I’ve ultimately given this book 4 stars.

Overall, a quick and easy read. I was able to finish it in three days with a very hectic schedule. I would place this on your summer beach list. You might just enjoy the transport back to the English countryside.

Love Kait

"Every Last Lie" by Mary Kubica Book Review

OMG…..

Like really?!?!?

That ending…..

Am I mad? Not in the least. In a day when thrillers are the game, I loved her twist with the ending. I guess it isn’t a twist in the traditional sense but, when you sit through the entire book wondering how this is all going to end, Kubica’s ending is a diversion from the traditional thriller storyline. I want to start a long discussion, see how the rest of the world feels. I can tell you that my book club wasn’t down for it. They thought it was stupid and a letdown, all feelings that are opposite from mine. I found it refreshing. But I must stop here. If I say more than I will give it all away. Darn my policy on no spoilers.

My warning with this story is if you have a significant other, do not read this book when there is bad weather. The timing for me was horrible. We had a stretch of snowy, icy conditions here in Seattle, something very rare, and my husband must leave every morning at 4:45 am to catch the bus. And every morning I worried, waiting in anticipation for his text saying that he arrived safely at the bus stop. I figured the bus driver would get him safely through the rest of the commute. Now the sun is shining more and the weather has warmed to its typical 40s and 50s.

If you’ve read my other review for Mary Kubica, you will know that I am not a fan of her work. Good Girl was poorly executed in my opinion with Kubica’s choice of point of view to be its only saving grace. So in picking this one up, it was the February pick for my book club, I was anticipating a long drawn out struggle. Boy was I wrong.

I’m not saying this is some Hemingway of thrillers. There are countless problems throughout, moments when you take a sideways glance at Kubica and ask “why”. One being the twist at the end with the caretaker. The other being *cough* I can’t say more. But Clare was compelling to me. Someone that I could relate to - I mean, if I too lost my husband. Here she was left with a newborn, a small child, and a long list of questions. What would we all do in her place? Kubica provided a believable storyline in that regard, though maybe not with the other characters. Sometimes her husband did seem far-fetched. Oh well.  

And as true to form, I was the complete opposite in regards to the feelings in my book club. I was the only one to like it. Maybe the shock got to me - I expected the worse so I overrated it. But then again, shouldn’t our ratings be partly based on our enjoyment? If that is the case, then my enjoyment was very high and I gladly give this book 4 stars. I’m curious what you think. Let me know in the comments below. Maybe I finally fell off my rocker and my gauge is all screwed up now.

Love Kait