Book Reviews

Fall Reading List, 2015

Posted on December 14, 2015 by caseykins

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Well, it is  Finals Week here in college-land.  That means that it’s time for me to post my seasonal reading list.  These are all of the things I have read between July and now, and how I felt about them.  Fair warning: my romance novel habit has become encompassing.  They’re just so fluffy!  When I don’t want to read angsty things, I find those do the trick so nicely.  And I can’t not read.  For as long as I can remember, I have never not been in the middle of something, unless I’ve just finished something.

Yeah, I know.

But the good news is that you get to benefit from my insanity.

I hope you are shaping up to have a Jolly Holiday.  Or have had a Jolly Holiday (since Hanukkah is over…).

The Official Fall Reading List:

  1. Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pamela Hill Smith: I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who isn’t a fan of her novels or of history.  It’s basically a rough draft surrounded by a WEALTH of cool information.  Needs a bit of determination to get through, but it’s 100% worth it in every way once you do.
  2. A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Nonfiction by Terry Pratchett: A collection of his non-fiction essays and talks. It’s good.  His wry wit shows through clearly, and he has interesting things to say about his Alzheimer’s.  Ultimately, it’s mostly fluff and opinion.  But it’s good, funny fluff, so…
  3. Rising Strong by Brene Brown: Holy crap. I always feel like her stuff is life changing, but I feel like this one brought me a greater understanding of what’s happening with me. I’ve been a bit depressed for a long time, and it feels like I found the key as to why and how to get out.
  4. When Beauty Tamed the Beast (Fairy Tales) by Eloisa James: Not as good the second time around. I mean, I still liked it.  But the first time I read it I felt like Piers was great and the story was so fresh.  This time his demandingness was a bit much, and Linnet is SO naïve.
  5. A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James: So much better the second time around I think. I liked it the first time, but the second I fell head-over-heels for the prince.  Add in rats of dogs, horrible wigs, and an awesomely innapropriate Godmother, and it turns into a very fun romp.
  6. Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgertons) by Julia Quinn: Knowing the surprise ending didn’t ruin it for me at all the second time around, which was nice.  I do like the Bridgertons and all the silly they come with.  Colin and his perpetually empty stomach being one of them.
  7. Minx (Avon Historical Romance) by Julia Quinn: You know, I liked the book. I did.  But it fell into that uncomfortable territory for me where the main hero was a bit too forceful for comfort.  Despite that, Henry really is the best sort of girl and it was fun seeing her get the hero into a pigsty, among other things.
  8. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn: Yeah, it was a cute premise and all but I found it a bit cheesy. I still maintain that the Bridgertons are her best work.
  9. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn: Two childhood friends find out they have a bit more in common when he suffers a deadly injury and has no one to nurse him. There’s a lot of horrible woundiness that I skipped through – the hero gets gangrene and it’s rather descriptive about the treatment.  But otherwise great.
  10. Three Weeks With Lady X (Desperate Duchesses) by Eloisa James: A bit less salacious than it sounds. I liked this one a billion times more the second time around.  The hero is such an ass, but he’s such a handsome, principled ass.  Also, the quippy letters he and Xenobia send back and forth are hilarious.  Bonus points for neither of the main characters growing up rich.
  11. The First Frontier: The Forgotten History of Struggle, Savagery, and Endurance in Early America by Scott Weidensaul: Full of really frightening pioneer stories during the colonial eras, but an interesting read nonetheless. I felt like I got a better idea of some of the fiction books I used to read as a child (Calico Captive being one of them).
  12. The Arm of the Starfish by Madeline L’Engle: You know, I like this sort of espionage world she operates in sometimes. She does it fairly well.  I think her strength is family relationships, and there’s very little of that in here; but it’s still a compelling thriller, even if it’s a bit predictable.
  13. What Happens in London by Julia Quinn: Again with the names. And I seem to be in an espionage mood.  But this one was EXCELLENT.  Very fun and unpredictable.  Although maybe her loose ends weren’t wrapped quite as nicely as I’d like them to be. Proposal at the end was perfection.
  14. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: a re-read that I’m finding less captivating the second time around. Perhaps because I know what’s coming and I’m not super excited to get to the soul-crushing parts of it.  You have to love Lola, though.
  15. Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black: a super-gritty and dangerous delve into Faerie Land in the middle of modern day. Kaye finds out she’s a changeling when she moves back home to New Jersey when her mom’s boyfriend gets murderey.  She also becomes the target of a sadistic queen when the queen’s knight Roiben falls for her.  There’s weird human neighbors and much intrigue.  Amazing book.
  16. Ironside: A Modern Faery’s Tale (Modern Faerie Tale) by Holly Black: The sequel to Tithe, and just as crazy as the first. Kaye finds herself trapped between faery wars when Roiben gives her an impossible quest, and the Seelie queen tries to use her against him.  Where has this series been all my life?
  17. Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley: In her fabulously frantic yet real-life voice. It gets a little too much sometimes, especially by the end.  But I do love the outcome of the book so much.  Once Lois is older it starts to feel like actual life again, and it’s nice to watch and be in. Keep with it!
  18. Asking Styles: Harness Your Personal Fundraising Power by Andrea Kihlstedt: A little shorter than I wanted, but ultimately it made me feel like I could make this fundraising thing work for me despite my shyness and lack of teeth. Which I think was the purpose.
  19. How to Marry a Marquis (Avon Romantic Treasure) by Julia Quinn: I liked this one a LOT. I know I said I go to romance novels to escape, but this one dealt with poverty well.  A sweet where the heroine fell for the property manager, who was really a Marquis in disguise. I would recommend, and will probably re-read at some point.
  20. A Night Like This by Julia Quinn: It was the usual thing.  And the usual thing when done by Julia Quinn is awfully well done. It’s weird, because there wasn’t anything I can pinpoint exactly that I didn’t like, but it just didn’t stick with me like some of her others.  I liked it, but I would recommend others first.
  21. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown: I don’t know why Brene Brown is so amazing for me, but she really is. I thought that Rising Strong was helpful, but I feel like after reading this one I have a whole new understanding of how to become a better, more resilient person.  I also think I have a better handle on why and how others around me are making the choices that they are.  This one felt so do-able. I feel like EVERYONE should read it.
  22. Dear Mr. Knightley: A Novel by Katherine Reay: Oh, so good and sweet and awful and heartbreaking all at the same time. I love Sam so much.  She feels like a real girl, taking refuge from her bad social skills in books and always on the verge of dropping out.  Every small good thing that happens to her feels like such a triumph.  And the ending – !!! – wow.  That’s all I’ll say.  But this might be a new favorite of mine.
  23. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson: I basically spent the entire time trying not to break out in a belly-laugh when I was reading during my lunch hour or next to Brian as he slept. I love Jenny SO MUCH.  This book is messier than her first, but it doesn’t seem to matter much for enjoyment.  In fact, it may be funnier than her first, the sometimes (okay always) awkward ramblings serving the subject matter so well.
  24. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: is it bad that this is fanfiction for a series that never existed, and yet I want ALL THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW? It’s perfect, in a way that satisfied all my Harry Potter longings, with much steaminess included as well.  Baz is such a shit, and I’m head over heels for him. For all of them. “So Good” doesn’t even begin to explain how I feel about it. Maybe asdfjkl;!!!!! will?
  25. To Catch an Heiress by Julia Quinn: Good, although a little ridiculous at times. I mean, she lives in his bathroom for a week or so… I don’t know.  It just didn’t seem likely.  But funny and quippy and full of good romance like most of Quinn’s stuff.
  26. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy: Oh, quite good. I felt like Will’s journey didn’t quite come as full circle as I’d like, but overall it was a good book and unlike anything I had read before.  It dealt not just with boys and body image, but also what happens when friends grow apart.  Worth it.
  27. Landline: A Novel by Rainbow Rowell: I forget how much this one slays me. She gets that whole “married too young” relationship right, and I see so much of Brian and I between the covers here.  I don’t think I’d ever try and convince past Brian not to marry me, though.
  28. Thornyhold (Rediscovered Classics) by Mary Stewart: I wanted my Nano novel to feel a little like this novel.  It’s one of my favorites of all time, and definitely a comfort book.  You have to love the animals, and the house just for Gilly, and her romance with Christopher.  So great.
  29. Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones: Another story I’d like my Nano novel to feel like. It’s totally different than Thornyhold, but also not.  There’s witchcraft and a magical house that becomes a home.  There’s a little bit more of the fae in this one, though.  Another favorite.
  30. Rose Cottage (Rediscovered Classics) by Mary Stewart: I thought this book was a bit like Thornyhold, which it sort of is, but it’s not really a homecoming book so much as it’s a home-leaving book. At least for most of it.  It didn’t help much with Nano, but I enjoyed it all the same.  Another comfort book of mine, with a very puzzling mystery right until the end.
  31. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: A Novel by Susanna Clarke: I picked this up because Neil Gaiman told me to (through an online article – not in person, sadly.) I’m finding it pretty slow going. It starts off as an older novel would, with much telling and exposition.  But I like the characters and it’s an interesting premise.  I even like the fact, a bit, that it feels older than it is.  I’m going to stick with it and see if I don’t love it later.  Because this is the sort that you LOVE or don’t.  Nothing in between.
  32. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: I’ve been wanting to tear apart a couple of books and see if I can’t learn something about the structure of them. This one was a 50-cent wrecked paperback that I bought at the local Thanksgiving rummage sale, so it was perfect.  The tearing-apart stuff is going well, and is SUPER interesting.  Did you know that Jane isn’t even mentioned by name for, like, almost 3 chapters?  I’m trying to figure out why Austin would do that…
  33. The Lady Hellion (Wicked Deceptions) by Joanna Shupe: Pretty darn good, of the regular romance variety. I picked it up because it was named best of the year, and I think it deserves the crown. The PTSD of the main character was a bit of a twist, as was the total spunkiness of the heroine.
  34. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: Yes, I’m reading it again less than 3 months after I finished it the first time. This just shows you how obsessed I am.  My phone background is now Simon and Baz looking smoldery at each other. ❤  If you haven’t, you need to go read it NOW.
  35. A Wallflower Christmas (Wallflowers, Book 5) by Lisa Kleypas: I almost liked this one. I just have such a hard time with heroes who won’t take no for an answer, even if the heroine is really enjoying it – and this one was FULL of that.  But the arc of the story line was good and the writing was excellent.  I won’t read it again, although I might look up the other “Wallflower” books.
  36. A Christmas to Remember by Jenny Hale: The writing was, well, less than good. Her main character felt wooden, and played into a lot of female stereotypes that I hate (she’s nothing without a family of her own?). But there was something about the story line that wouldn’t let me put the book down, so there’s that.
  37. Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas: Her writing is so good, with the cinematic description you usually find in literary fiction.  The book went way too fast for my liking, though, and it didn’t feel resolved enough at the end.  Still probably the best of the Christmas novels I’ve read this month.
  38. Stranger in My Arms by Lisa Kleypas: Aside from a bit of disbelief that the main character wouldn’t confront her husband with the main problem but instead run to crappy relatives, I would consider this a pretty perfect romance novel.
  39. Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones: I usually LOVE a Diana Wynne Jones book. Even “bad” ones are typically great when compared to other authors.  But for some reason, I just couldn’t get into this one.  Maybe it was because the zaniness was so fragmented among worlds/characters?

All links are affiliate links.  Happy reading!

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Colds, Christmas, and Bookish Gifts

Posted on December 10, 2015 by caseykins

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One of these days I’m going to get around to a real, meaty post about bookish stuff.  I am deathly ill with the cold that’s been going around the office this month.  I was one of the last to get it, and I was thinking that my usual routine of Nyquil and insane amounts of hydration would see me through better than some.  Not so much.  I’ve been floored for 3 days now, and I still sound like I have a clothespin on my nose.

I’ve been consoling myself with Christmas.  Brian and I got the tree up last weekend, actually managed to put Christmas lights on our house, and bought a new angel for the tree.  She’s made of shell, and she lights up.  The pregnant angel – one of mysterious origin who had her little china hands centered over a mysterious bulge in her dress – is no more.  I’ve also been reading a bunch of Christmas-themed romance novels.  Which, frankly, have been terrible.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but certainly something better than I got.  The recommended ones seem to be mostly anthologies of short stories, of which I’m not as much of a fan.  Any recommendations?  Send them my way, please!  I am still throwing off the tired from this cold, so I’m sure I’ll be snuggled up in bed often over the next few days.

Nanowrimo went well-ish.  I won by all official measures (50,000 new words in November), but I didn’t finish the novel.  I’m back to editing other things, although I’m sure Easterbay will become an actual, edited thing someday.

In the meantime, I thought I might put up links so some of my favorite bookish stores for your perusing pleasure.  If you have a bookworm you’re shopping for, but are afraid that they probably already have any books you might consider getting for them, all of these are good options.

Out of Print Clothing: http://www.outofprintclothing.com/.  Between my “American Gods” shirt and my “Little Prince” shirt, I practically live in this stuff on the weekends.  So soft!  I’ve been drooling over their tote bags, too.  You can’t help but love a place that sells a nice Holden Caulfield hat as a necklace, or lets you light things on fire with your “Fahrenheit 451” matchbook.

Sainted Writers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SaintedWriters.  Who doesn’t need a saint candle to burn to your favorite writer?  I need the Saint Neil Gaiman one STAT!  But we also bought Saint Stephen King for an old professor of my husband’s, and it comes complete with hilarious prayer on the back.

Literary Emporium: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LiteraryEmporium.  Pretty literary quotes with matching baubles, magic notebooks, and other fancy stuff.  They even have cufflinks for the male variety of bookworm.

Other things to consider are bookplate stamps, funky bookmarks, and Moleskine notebooks.  Those are all things I’d drool over.

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Books: Sci-Fi and Fantasy for the Winter

Posted on November 30, 2015 by caseykins

Winter Reads

Thanksgiving is officially over (it went very well, thank you!) and I finished putting up my Christmas things on Sunday.  It’s cold here – in the 40s – and I’m hoping it quits soon because I own, like, 2 sweaters that are actually warm and weren’t bought for pretty.  Next weekend is when all the Christmas events start happening in my town.

There’s no way it will snow here, though.  So in the absence of actual snow, I need literary snow.  And for some reason, all my favorite winter books have a fantastical component.  Here are three that you should read, if you like this sort of thing:

Landline: A Novel, by Rainbow Rowell: Georgie McCool has always put her career as a scriptwriter front and center, and her husband Neil has picked up the slack.  When she and best friend Seth have the chance to pitch the script of their lifetime, if they can write it in five days, Georgie knows Neil will be upset.  But he’ll probably roll with Georgie’s assessment that they can’t bring the girls to his family’s house for Christmas like they planned.  Georgie didn’t forsee that Neil would be more than pissed.  He takes the girls to his parent’s house, leaves Georgie in California, and then is strangely unavailable.  Frantic, Georgie calls Neil from an old rotary phone in her bedroom to find that she’s dialed 20 years in the past.  But can she save her marriage from decades away?

Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching), by Terry Pratchett: Tiffany Aching accidentally joins the dark mummer’s dance, and then has to contend with Jack Frost, who thinks she’s his new girlfriend.  Embarrassing snowflakes in Tiffany’s shape, a cornucopia spilling out all sorts of things you just don’t want, the Nac Mac Feegles, and relations with the human boy Tiffany has a thing with are just some of the problems she faces.  But now that Tiffany has dethroned the goddess of spring, will Summer ever come again?

The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin: Genly Ai has agreed to go as an emissary to the planet deemed Winter to see if he can get them to join the ecumenical society of planets.  It is first contact, and Genly is more than aware that he could be killed or imprisoned.  Winter is a world where most humans there are genderless until they mate, and over the course of a lifetime can be both male and female.  The planet is as unforgiving as it’s icy landscape, with a strange code of behavior called shifgrethor, and Genly is getting nowhere with his quest.  He places his trust in Prime Minister Estraven, who is then accused of treason and cast out of the kingdom.  But Genly and Estraven meet again in a work camp on the outskirts of civilization, and together they undertake a perilous journey over icy wastelands so that they can be free.

 

All links are affiliate links.  Enjoy!

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Halloween Reads

Posted on September 24, 2015 by caseykins

Halloween Books

Two blog posts in one week, you say?  I know.  I’m feeling like an overachiever.  Or maybe I’m just feeling like I don’t want to fix horrible rough drafts any longer.  I want to do some fun writing instead…

It’s almost October!  In fancy letters on my calendar for Saturday it says “Put up Halloween Decorations!!” So of course (always a slave to my calendar), I will be getting all the macabre things out of cabinets this weekend and putting them all over the house.  I’m very excited about it. Items are deeply tied to memories for me, so I will be thrilled to see the village go up, and the pumpkins collect on my bookshelves again as if they were old friends.

This has me thinking of Halloween reads, of course.  Even if it is 100 degrees here in California, I can still read creepy literature and eat cinnamon flavored things while lolling about in the air conditioning.  Here are some of my creepiest favorites so you can join me:

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black:

Tana wakes up from a party to realize that her entire high school has been murdered in the living room, and a vampire (who probably wasn’t responsible) is tied up in the back bedroom waiting certain death when the sun rises enough to come in the window.  Rescuing him brings her a world of trouble, especially when she agrees to enter a quarantined “Cold Town” where humans and monsters mingle in a nebulous line between predator and prey.  Getting in is easy, getting out impossible, and the whole thing will be broadcast as reality TV for the world – and Tana’s family – to watch.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman:

Neglected Coraline hates the new apartment her parents moved the family to, complete with creepy neighbors.  Until she discovers the door in the living room that leads to a utopian version of the life she hates, complete with mouse circus and perfect parents.  But then Coraline’s Other Mother asks her to stay.  All she has to do is let them sew buttons into her eyes…

The Diviners by Libba Bray:

Evie finds her small town too hot to handle when her ability to divine the past from touching personal objects means she knows a bit too much.  So her parents pack her off to her uncle in New York who runs the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult.  Evie is thrilled to be among the speakeasies, the Ziegfeld girls, and the opulence of the 1920s.  Until something calling himself Naughty John awakes and begins a spree of murdering that maybe only Evie and her pals can stop.

Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems by Edgar Allen Poe:

Seriously, this guy has the creepy thing down.  And he’s been the most consistent October read of mine.  I always sit down to some of his short stories in October.  There are a million collections out there, so pick one that looks good and read away (I pulled the linked one because it’s all of them).  My favorites are The Cask of Amontillado, the Fall of the House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, I could go on forever… In fact, here: http://poestories.com/stories.php

Sunshine by Robin McKinley:

It was probably dangerous for Sunshine, baker extraordinaire at her step-dad’s diner, to drive out to the lake in the world post-war where everyone now knows that vampires and were-beasts are real.  She didn’t expect to be kidnapped and chained in a room with an imprisoned vampire.  She didn’t expect to be able to save them both, linking them inexplicably together.  And now she’s been drawn into the middle of an ancient vampire war that cannot be won, and she has to pretend it’s all fine lest she frighten the humans or attract the attention of the Feds who would certainly kill her allies.

Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black:

A dark Faerie tale in which Kaye, drifter and groupie for her semi-talented mother’s band, discovers she’s actually a changeling Pixie when they move back to her family home in New Jersey.  Kaye falls in love with the most dangerous knight in the evil Unseelie court, and now she must play a game of identities, both human and pixie, as she tries to keep herself from becoming the traditional Samhain sacrifice.

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.  Happy reading!!

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An Early Summer Reading List

Posted on August 10, 2015 by caseykins

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I have not been thinking very bookishly lately, I’ll admit. I have also not been reading so much as I’ve been writing.  Brian and I are STILL plugging through re-writes of the novel, although we are getting about 4 chapters done per week.  My original self-imposed deadline was August 1, but I have amended that to September 1st.

I am giving up on my summer reading challenge, and so I’ll post what I’ve read so far down below.  I didn’t get nearly as much read as I wanted to, and for that I am a bit upset with myself.  I am keeping all those books on the To Be Read pile, though, and hope that I will get to them soon.  Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is top on the list.  I’m giving up because I’ve just lost the will-power.

It was SO HARD to keep to this challenge.  I can’t even express.  I am used to being able to grab books on a whim and read them, whatever the subject. I expected that Person Of Color books would be harder to find, that I would have to look longer and deeper to find them.  What I didn’t expect was that I would NEVER find a book about certain topics by POC.  This was especially true in the non-fiction realm, and even more so in History.  I mean, I decided I wanted to read about the California Mission system and could not find a book that wasn’t written by a white author.  THE CALIFORNIA MISSION SYSTEM, guys. If that isn’t ironic, I don’t know what is.

I am a white historian, and it still made me horrified a bit to realize that our history, perhaps especially the history of POC, is largely being written by white people.  It makes me distrust everything just a smidge.  Like, I’m sure all the facts are correct but there has to be an angle on this stuff that isn’t being explored; that didn’t even occur to us.  What are we missing that we don’t even know about?  I’m certain we are missing something.  It makes me uneasy.

I fell in love with several new authors, though.  The last time I did a summer reading challenge, I actually enjoyed only about 4 of the books and read thirty six (The Graveyard Book, Of Plimoth Plantation, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Watership Down, if you’re wondering).  This time I enjoyed SO MANY, and only read twelve.  In that respect, it was a success.

I can only wrangle myself so much, and so I’m letting myself go back to comfort books while I try to keep myself on track to finishing this novel.  I am leaving this challenge with a greater determination to fold books by POC into my regular reading habits.  I am counting the days until Renee Ahdieh releases that sequel to The Wrath and The Dawn.  I’m following Varian Johnson and Jenny Han on Social Media.

Here are the books:

  1. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – I was unsatisfied by the ending, because I didn’t feel like either boy was really good enough. But there were so many parts of this book that felt imminently familiar, especially the dregs of how we all try to cope when the capable one is gone (even if they are just a phone call away).  A GREAT read.
  2. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han – I did not know that a book could replicate so much of my own life. There are differences, of course, but living in someone else’s house by the beach every summer is something I’m very familiar with.  The book broke my heart, in the best way.
  3. Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis – Weird to be in the head of an unreliable, and not that bright narrator. Bud falls for some stuff he shouldn’t (heads I win, tails you lose?).  But I can ultimately see why it won the awards it did, and it’s a great slice of depression-era life.  Plus music, how can you not appreciate a kid with a saxophone?
  4. The Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh – Holy CRAP is this book good. I could not put it down. I have been longing for a more feminist Scherezade tale, and wondering if I should write it (and how I would), but this is it tenfold.  Better than I could imagine, everything I’ve wanted.  Could not put it down.
  5. Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson – In a setting completely foreign to me, but great just the same. It’s about the juxtaposition of good Christians and bad Christians, self-fulfilling prophecies, and  the nature of goodness.  I loved Maddie and her spunk so much.
  6. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan – A beautifully written book that deals with a lot of the problems facing migrants and others during depression-era America. Esperanza’s growth was less than I would like, though.  Ryan leaves a lot unresolved with strike issues etc. in the end.
  7. We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han – Not as good as the first “Summer” book, but still good. I do like the way Belly is just as flawed and makes as many mistakes as the boys, even though it makes me exasperated with her sometimes. Is the parental story happening in the wings more exciting than the kids’ in this book?
  8. Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston – Not my favorite, because THE ENTIRE THING was written in phonetic spelling; i.e.: hard to read. After I got about ½ way through part one, I skipped it and went to the Voodoo stuff at the end.  More an anthropological curiosity than something I enjoyed.  I loved Tell My Horse, so go read that one instead.
  9. S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han – Why do I always want Han’s leads to get together with the one they don’t? It’s frustrating.  But it’s also so good, and I can’t stop reading them.  Rooting for the wrong guy at least keeps me guessing.
  10. Kindred by Octavia Butler – Holy crap. I was expecting it to be hard to take, but not THAT bad… trigger warning for  rape and huge amounts of violence.  It’s well written and compelling, though.  Hard to put down, it’s just that I wasn’t sure I wanted to pick it back up once I had put it down. Didn’t finish it because I was having nightmares, but maybe I’ll go back.
  11. Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier – A strange mashup of literary fiction and high school coming of age. I liked it, but I didn’t feel pulled by it.  It was beautiful, but didn’t possess me.  Perhaps it was just that I hated Gwen a bit and didn’t understand why everyone else loved her so, especially Dimple.
  12. Same Sun Here by Neela Vaswani and Silas House – CRAZY good, although I do wish that each of the protags got a little bit more of an ending.  Especially Meena, who I felt didn’t have as much of an arc as River.  But it was a beautiful book, nice to see contemporary issues represented, and a well-done exploration of Redneck/Immigrant stereotypes and the problems both groups face – similar yet different.
  13. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – Oh SO good. I loved rooting for the boys and their complicated lives, but I loved the writing so much, too.  Deserving of all the awards it won.

You should also know that I cheated (full-disclusure) and read:

  1. When Beauty Tamed The Beast by Eloisa James – I just CAN’T get over these names… can’t we call them something less embarrassing? But this one, I think, was her best yet.  The men in romance novels often don’t feel real, but Piers was such an ass that he was perfect.  Or maybe I’m just married to a rather endearing ass myself.
  2. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman – The resolution seemed a bit easy to me, but otherwise this book was perfect. I love that his children’s books have hard things in them, and that this one was about Norse Gods.  His writing is so beautiful.
  3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – Oh, this book is my favorite thing ever. I fell in love with it the first time because of the Cath/Levi relationship.  I fell in love with it this time for the Cath/Regan relationship, and the quips.  Which I kept reading out loud to my husband, who laughed in all the right places.
  4. Sunshine by Robin McKinley – I forgot how violent this book is. But Con, man… You have to love him even while he frightens you.  The world is so robust that I wish there were more books.  McKinley has said there won’t be, though.  As vampire books go, it’s one of the best.
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Spring Reading List

Posted on May 19, 2015 by caseykins

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The students have graduated.  We were afraid it was going to rain on them, and so there were white tents all across campus.  It mostly just looked cloudy and miserable without any drops falling, though.  The students at Scripps get their diplomas amid a grove of trees, and I’ve never seen a prettier graduation.  Chapman’s is this weekend, and Brian will be working it.  The weekend after, my sister will be getting her hard-won Art degree.  It hardly seems like two years since I was up on that platform myself, but it has been.  It’s funny how life changes and doesn’t all at the same time.

There have been a bevvy of parties at my friend Emily’s house the last couple of weeks.  We are a snowball group of friends who met in high school and then grabbed kindred spirits in college and after to round us out a little more.  Most of us have a travesty of a car full of trash, attended community college, don’t have any idea what we want to do with our lives, and have struggled to pay the bills sometimes (often).  We hardly ever get together, but it has been twice in three weeks, and another party at her house this weekend.  There is never anyone like that group.  I was sitting on the couch next to my friend Lilo listening intently to the ratio of guano to ash to compost she puts on her tomatoes when she stopped mid-explanation.

“I just want to say that I’m so glad you’re as interested in this as I am, and I love you guys,” she said.  So I think we all feel it.  There’s no one quite like that collection of people for being so in sync with each other.

My tomatoes are going gang-busters, all except for one that died.  I’ll be investing in tomato cages soon, and I found out that Armstrong has navy-blue ones that would match my front door.  That may need to happen, since they’re in my front yard and all because of the gopher situation.

With graduation there comes the semi-annual posting of the reading list.  I have read a lot of smut this time, and I’m not sorry.  But I would like to remind you of our invisible non-binding pact that you don’t judge me for my reading habits.  This list encompasses February, and you HAVE to read romance novels in February (we’re ignoring the fact that some of these stretch in to May). That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  Anyway, enjoy:

  1. How to Be a Victorian by Ruth Goodman – Goodman has experience living it all, and her personal insights were fascinating and invaluable. I was left with a massive appreciation for simple modern things.  It’s not often I can’t put a non-fic down.
  2. The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro – Why are the jerks in romance novels always amazing in bed? I liked this one.  It had a mystery component, beautiful writing, and Degas.  The mystery was predictable, but it still felt tense.  Good beach smut, 4 ½ stars.
  3. The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley –The story didn’t feel important, but it was fun to see the characters I knew. I found myself wanting to keep reading so I could be in the forest with them.  Also, Marion kicks ass.  That’s awesome.
  4. Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer – Exactly what I was expecting, although the brother is a bit annoying and I wish there was more romance (they ignore each other until she’s not his ward anymore). But fun, if you can put aside their first meeting.
  5. Venetia by Georgette Heyer – Supposed to be one of her best, and I enjoyed it A TON. I wish I could just slice out that first meeting of the two main characters, though. Otherwise the book is perfect and I enjoyed it heartily. Okay, more than heartily.
  6. The Diviners by Libba Bray –Naughty John gives me nightmares, and everything just gets creepier the farther into the book you go. But Evie is delightful, incorrigible and the 1920s slang is perfection.  I can’t stop thinking about it.
  7. What to Expect Before You’re Expecting – I’m sure this is full of good advice, but I’m cranky with the cutesy terms. We’re all adults, for God’s sake.  We can have sex.  We don’t need to be TTC (wink!) or do the Baby Dance.  Please say I’m right.
  8. The Ultimate Guide to Writing Persuasively – for work. Filled with a lot of branding stuff that might have been helpful for a less well run fundraising machine (we have it handled at Scripps), but the letter writing portion was useful.
  9. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell – Good, because how can a Rowell novel not be good? But this one left me heartbroken.  Eleanor’s family life is SO messed up, and watching her try to deal while falling in love hurt so much.
  10. Paris In Love by Eloisa James – A series of social media snippets refined and divided into chapters about her sabbatical in Paris. Easy to read and put down, sweet enough to pick up again.  I wanted to live in Paris forever, I didn’t want it to end. Also, may not be able to stop reading her books.
  11. Duchess In Love by Eloisa James – A cute premise, and it quickly turns into a crazy farce in a country house where you aren’t totally sure how it will all turn out. 4 Beach Smut stars.
  12. The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James – Although the book was definitely good, I felt like it wasn’t quite up to James’ usual standards. The kidnap scene in France at the end wasn’t my favorite thing.  But altogether worth it.  I would say 3 1/2 Beach Smut stars.  Okay, maybe 4.
  13. Three Weeks with Lady X by Eloisa James – Not as X-rated as it sounds. The heroine’s name is Xenobia.  But I liked it especially for that, and for Xenobia’s independence.  She’s my favorite of James’ heroines so far.  5 Beach Smut stars.  Okay, maybe 5+
  14. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins – A sweet novel set at a high school for Americans in Paris. Has a dreamy boy named Etienne, rocking friends in Atlanta, and lots of France.  Nothing too unexpected, but solid and well written.
  15. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins – I’m IN LOVE with Lola. She’s hilarious, with the best fashion sense.  Her story is unusual, her boyfriend the perfect jerk, and Cricket next door the perfect complement to her.  Better than “Anna,” and it’s tough to be better than “Anna.”
  16. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins – These just keep getting better and better. “Isla” was my favorite by far.  Loved the Barcelona bits and Josh too.  Sexy painting scenes.  Go read it.  That’s all I have to say.
  17. Potent Pleasures by Eloisa James – Oh man, I can’t stand the name. The novel was generally good and fun, with a good premise.  But the hero exhibits some scary, angry tendencies that made me balk a little.  Still good Beach Smut.
  18. Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horowitz – a re-read. There is peeing on buttons for authenticity, a Civil Wargasm, and much spooning.  Not to mention the horrifying ham… Brian asked me to stop laughing, because I was shaking the bed.  I think it might even get funnier the second time.
  19. The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale – Oh, I love her so much. The ending wasn’t what I thought it would be, in the best way.  Miri trying to adjust to life in the swamps, and Peder’s pursuit of her, the secret even the sisters don’t know… the whole thing was absolutely right.
  20. Rags and Bones by Various Authors – A collection of tales you know (fairy and common short stories), re-told by awesome people. They’re weird.  Like, really weird.  Like gave me nightmares weird.  I’m not sure I liked it, but I can’t stop thinking about them.  So that says something, right?
  21. The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones – Nice to be back in Chrestomanci Castle again, but I can’t say I thought it was as good as Charmed Life or Christopher Chant. Gammer is hilarious, though, and so is Nutcase the cat who walks through walls. Worth it if you like Chrestomanci stuff.
  22. A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James – I can’t tell you why I loved this book, but I did. Probably it was those horribly behaved purse dogs.  But it might also have been the dresses, or the prince in the castle or the fireworks.  It was practically perfect and gets 5 Beach Smut stars.
  23. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer – Unexceptional although not one of my favorites. It’s hard to say the heroine is dumb when she concocts such good schemes, but she is a bit.  Freddy has to save her most of the time.   I also didn’t feel real passion on either of their sides, just friendly affection.
  24. Meet the Austins by Madeline L’Engle – I fell in love with A Ring of Endless Light when I was younger, and it was nice to know there were more stories about the Austins. A sweet book about 1950s life in a big family.  It reminds me a little of LM Montgomery’s “Anne” books in tone.
  25. The Moon By Night by Madeline L’Engle – Nice to be camping out in the world of the Austins, but it was my least favorite book of the bunch so far. I didn’t like Zachary, and I felt like the message of the book was largely unrealized.  I wasn’t sure what it was About (with a big A).  I still enjoyed being in the world with the family, though.  Can’t beat a wedding!
  26. The Young Unicorns by Madeline L’Engle – I haven’t gotten to A Ring of Endless Light yet, but this book gave me SO MUCH hope it would hold up now that I’m older. It was great.  Blind Emily is capable, and it’s a mystery that thickens because everyone is trying to protect everyone else.  At times the scenes felt too unreal, but it was suspenseful and well written.
  27. What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff – I was hoping to wait until I had a kid to edit Revolution where the main character has a 6 month old. But in the place of experience there is research.  Well-written and helpful for what many things with an infant should look and feel like.  I’ll have to rely on babysitting and imagination for the rest.
  28. The Sh!t No One Tells You by Dawn Dais – Read this for ditto the reason of above. It was fhilarious, but it wasn’t very helpful for research as it dwelt a lot on the modern mother’s experience and not on child development. Still, I enjoyed it even while I cringed (in a good way?).
  29. The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern – A re-read. I forgot how much I liked this book.  I’ve seen the movie so many times that it feels so familiar, while also feeling so much deeper and more intricate.  And funnier.  I’m a fan.
  30. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeline L’Engle – It holds up way better than I thought it might. In fact, I’m as in love with this book as ever.  I was more frustrated with Zachary this time, and more upset that Vickie didn’t put him in his place sooner.  But everything about this book speaks to my adolescence (in tone, not fact), and it’s GOOD.
  31. Troubling A Star by Madeline L’Engle – I felt like Adam became a different person in this book, and someone I liked less. I also didn’t love the flashback structure where we know from page 1 that Vickie is on an iceberg dying, but not why.  But the writing was beautiful and the story suspenseful.  Would ultimately recommend.
  32. Four Nights with The Duke by Eloisa James – Pretty great, really. I liked that Mia was a writer, and the relationship the Duke had with her nephew – so funny.  I did feel like the crisis at the end was a little quick and predictable, but otherwise great.  Beach Smut Rating: 5 stars.
  33. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchet – This book is just about the funniest thing I’ve ever read. Their swords go blue in the presence of lawyers.  And Tiffany Aching!  Such a great, strong heroine.  I couldn’t get enough.  I’ll definitely be getting more Discworld books.
  34. Lives on the Boundary by Mike Rose – About teaching people labeled as remedial. Very interesting perspective, and reads like a memoir.  I found it fascinating, especially because he showed so adeptly that “mistakes” in a lot of cases were people seeking to grow and not knowing how.
  35. Up The Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman – So great, and so interesting in the way it was narrated through school paperwork. You got to really love the kids, and really hate the inept administration.  But it was lovely chaos.  Lives up to its reputation for sure.
  36. A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchet – I do love Tiffany. The other girls in the wannabe “coven” are sort of awesome, and so is Miss Level (all two of her).  I liked Wee Free Men better, and wasn’t as horrified as the Hiver as I’m sure I should have been.  But I’ll 100% download the next.
  37. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale – A re-read.  Oh, I love this book so.  I am trying to figure out why, and it might be that Charlotte’s neuroticism matches my own.  Or maybe it’s her hilariously quippy Inner Thoughts.  But put murder and fake Jane Austen together, and it’s magic.
  38. How to Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis – So good. I couldn’t put it down, and now my TBR list is gigantic because there are heroines in there that I didn’t know.  She and I felt so differently about many of the books, but that was interesting too.  A lovely wade through literature.
  39. Enchanted Glass – This book is just so ordinary, and that’s what I love about it. There are computers and trainers, and motorcars that get stuck in ditches.  But there’s also the weredog, and all the black figures in the garden, and so much everyday magic.  I’m jealous.  And I want to live there.
  40. Wintersmith by Terry Pratchet – I’m not 100% on board with the sentient cheese, but I loved everything else about this novel. I lost it in a fit of giggles when the Feegles freak out about Tiffany’s disapproval.  It’s nice to see her older, and Jack Frost is such an awkward beau.
  41. My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten– Predictable story line, and more like what working at a summer camp is like, not a Renaissance Faire (I know, I’ve done it). But I couldn’t put it down, so that says something.
  42. The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Anderson Brower – Lovely, slightly salacious and VERY interesting, but with a touching quality too. It makes presidents seem like humans, and even covers the Obamas, which surprised me.
  43. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat – A re-read. I NEVER get tired of this book.  Mowat is hilarious while also being touching about lives and ecology.  His description of the wolves is also just great.  They get to seem like people, or maybe adorable pets, even while they’re not.
  44. Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner – Such an odd book. Things don’t really ever happen in it, but it’s nice just the same.  The excitement happens at the very end, when the devil shows up.  I enjoyed it and would recommend it, but it wasn’t what I thought it would be.
  45. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett – Cute, and I really love Esk a lot. Why is Pratchett so hilarious? It reminded me of Ursula K. Leguin’s A Wizard of Earthsea a bit, but not entirely.  The gender banter was especially good, as was the old person romancing.
  46. The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen – A cute book, and unusual. Ella is obsessed with a fictional (but handsome) dead guy, trying to move past a horrible scar on her shoulder, and full of spunk.  About secrets, and dealing with them, or being one.
  47. The Last Train Home by Renee Wendiger – It was alright. The writing was simplistic, and the asides in parenthesis were distracting.  But the topic was so fascinating that neither seemed to matter all that much.  Orphan trains might be my new obsession.
  48. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett – I felt like the epic quality of the prophecy and things was lost in the shuffle of crazy. I enjoy the shuffle of crazy in Pratchett novels normally, but this crazy didn’t seem to serve the story as well as in other novels.  Still amusing, and a good read.
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An Explanation of Beach Smut

Posted on April 27, 2015 by caseykins

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I talk about Beach Smut on the blog sometimes, and it dawns on me that this is a term much like “Space Chicken” – my family uses it and everyone else has no idea at all what we mean.  (Space Chicken, by the way, is a supermarket rotisserie chicken in a plastic dome.  All ready to go into space in its own little ship).  But Beach Smut is an important thing to know about.

To qualify as Beach Smut, a novel can have no redeeming informational value.  It has to be for fun only.  No thoughts or deep meanings required.  Only feels.  If you’d never tell your English teacher about the book, but you’re LOVING it anyway, you’re probably reading Beach Smut.  In short, this is a genre that’s perfect for when you’re sitting and sunning yourself on the beach.  It’s vacation if you’re sunning yourself on the beach.  No high thoughts, morals, or meanings allowed.

I consider Twilight to be the pinnacle of the Beach Smut genre, although there are others just as good.  It’s a quick read, a little salacious, with plenty of Vampire/Werewolf drama.  It’s easy to identify with Bella, and it’s hard to take seriously.  There are four whole books, so you don’t even have to think hard about what you’re reading next.  Perfect.  Dive right in.  Others that qualify are Kiera Cass’ Selection series, any Anne McCaffrey novel, and things labeled “Aunt Dimity.”  I’m sure you can think of a host of others.

We all read them.  And their quality has to be judged differently from that of more serious books, because the aim of the author is different in writing them.  You can’t fault Twilight for not being The Fault In Our Stars.  It isn’t fair to either book, and it isn’t fair to either author.  They’re a totally different thing and they each have a valid place in the world.

So there you have it.  And when I rave of the Beach Smut merits of a particular book, you will know what I mean.

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Fall-ish Reading List 2014

Posted on January 2, 2015 by caseykins

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In the holiday shuffle, I missed posting my fall reading list.  So this one contains everything I’ve read up until January 1.  It’s shorter because I’ve been doing less reading of other people’s novels and more reading of my own.  Draft 6 is in full swing.

So, without further ado, here it is:

1.      A Wonderlandiful World, by Shannon Hale – Fun like the others, but I missed Apple and Raven.  Hale does some brilliant stuff that is Against the Rules and Shouldn’t Work with the character of the narrator. And yet it does, perfectly.

2.      Demons, and other magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge – She did not deliver on a (stupid) thing she’s been threatening for three books now, so that made me unhappy.  Otherwise it was what it should have been.  Nice epic finish that felt big enough.

3.      Manon Lescaut by Abbe Provost – I can’t say I liked it, although it got me thinking quite a bit.  It’s one of those novels where I disdain the characters and think they’re all idiots.  But it broadened my horizons.  So I’m not sorry I read it.

4.      The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern – If it was possible that anything could be funnier than the movie, this book is funnier than the movie.  The Florin jokes, abridgements, and history are the best thing ever, like I’m part of a massive inside joke.

5.      Attachments by Rainbow Rowell – Man hired to read company e-mails secretly falls in love with girl who keeps violating the e-mail policy.  The two gals are beyond hilarious, the main character is such a great guy, and I love this book so much.

6.      The Lake by Analisa Grant – I just… 1st person present tense was difficult for me, and the story was cliché.  But it had profluence and an interesting main character.  I gave up 1/3 of the way through.  Maybe I’ll pick it up again, I don’t know.

7.      A Garden Folly by Candice Hern – The stupid sort of G rated Regency romance I love a lot.  Although it does make me uncomfortable when a girl says no and a guy doesn’t listen, no matter how much she’s really enjoying it.

8.      Paper Towns by John Green – Looking For Alaska was a better “finding someone” novel, and An Abundance of Katherines was a better “road trip” novel.  But it enjoyed it, and would have enjoyed it more had I not read the others first, I think.

9.      The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer – Now this is what I look for in a sappy regency romance.  Sophy is delightfully uncouth, quippy, and still the toast of the town.  It’s such a fun novel!  I’m pretty sure Heyer is my new obsession.

10.  The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer – A confusing start but ultimately fun.  Minus (miniscule) points because the siblings don’t have a great reason for masquerading.  Most of the novel had me in conniptions worried for Prue in White’s club.

11.  A Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer – I feel  like I shouldn’t have liked this one because of the abduction but I did anyway.  I could have done without the swath at the end where silly brothers are silly.  Otherwise impeccable.

12.  The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer – Considered her best by folks on Goodreads. It was cute, but I wasn’t super impressed.  The way she treats gender relationships sometimes bothers me, but not enough to hate the book.  It was a different time.

13.  More Than Somewhat by Damon Runyon – Why is he so wonderful?  I forgot how hilarious he makes the Broadway underworld of the 1930s and 40s.  I wish more of his stuff was available.

14.  The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black – Oh CRAZY good, and perfect for the Halloween mood I was in.  Vampire novel meets quippy YA novel in the best way.  It was violent, but I found I could take it.  Seriously, this one is amazing.

15.  The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer – This one was sort of murder mystery-ish, although I knew who did it way too far in advance.  Once again, some unwanted advances are blamed on the flirtatious girl (sigh).  But I enjoyed it anyway.

16.  Dangerous by Shannon Hale – I love this novel, and the problems I saw in it the first time didn’t bother me at all the second time through.  The best part is still the funny names Maisy gives her false arm, and the bad puns.  They never get old.

17.  A Midwife’s Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich – You don’t often get nonfiction books that focus on the daily lives of women.  And women in the late 1700’s? Sold! It was a fascinating read and taught me A LOT about colonial domestic life. Love.

18.  The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer – It’s weird.  This book feels utterly familiar and yet new at the same time.  I am in love with her, and this book is all the toppings on the sundae of how she’s changed my perspective and my life. So good.

19.  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – Beautifully written. It made me angsty and paranoid, though. The things she has to say about relationships are so heartbreakingly true that it feels like I could get there.  And the end?  No.  Just, no.  Ultimately did not like.

20.  Great Expectations by Charles Dickens – I have never read any Dickens as an adult, and I’m enjoying it a lot more than I did when I was younger.  His character descriptions are delightful, and the story is so much more full.  Poor Pip and his fortune.

21.  Balls and Synthetic Cheese by Amethyst Hethcoat – A classmate of mine.  Such a weird and sometimes funny collection of short stories.  I had forgotten her penchant for unlikely metaphors and similes that make me grin. I was glad for the reminder.

22.  Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley – SO good, with that mundane quality in which nothing and everything happens which McKinley does so well. It’s a different book than Beauty, the ending far more satisfying.  Happily ever after is happy too.

23.  Landline by Rainbow Rowell – CRAZY good.  It made me think of Brian and the way things used to be 15 years ago when we were first dating.  It was sweet, and at this point I’m ready to read everything Rowell has ever written ever.

24.  Sunshine by Robin McKinley – It killed me that I didn’t have 12 hours to just sit down and read this thing all the way through.  Dirtier than most McKinely novels, but I didn’t mind.  This book makes vampire tropes look Hot (capital H).

25.  Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – I love the way Rowell makes me think of my own college days.  It makes me want to love Brian in detail like that again.  Cath is so wonderful in such a messy way.  There isn’t anything I don’t love about this book.

26.  Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones – A re-read.  I forgot how terrible Gwendolyn is, and how funny Chrestomanci’s dressing gowns are.  And Millie! And the adorable but bitey dragon! Some of the best of Diana Wynne Jones.

27.  The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones – A re-read.  Because after Cat, you HAVE to have Christopher and his Almost Anywheres.  I might love this book more than the first one, although I nearly always read them in this order.

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Book Reviews: A Georgette Heyer Obsession

Posted on November 6, 2014 by caseykins

I recently found Georgette Heyer. Really it was the Huntington’s fault. I found a book about the “real” history of Regency England ala Georgette Heyer in their museum shop (also known for really good tea and fun, quirky prints). I loved it. And then I read a self-pub that I liked that claimed to be for fans of Georgette Heyer. So there you are. I tried her out.  I’ve read five.

Kobo called me obsessed. They gave me a badge for it and everything. It’s official.

Here’s the thing, though. These novels are something I’m sure I shouldn’t like. We can chalk it up to the different time, and different mores (written in the ‘60s, about the early 1800s). We can chalk it up to whatever you’d like. But the reality is that the way women are treated in the books often makes me uncomfortable. I do not care how much a woman secretly likes it. If she says no, a good man should respect that. Protagonist men should not side with other men who molest girls (claiming they were flirty and deserved it), and work to save their livelihoods. This goes for all time periods. There is nothing to defend here. It’s not okay, especially from a female author.

But I do like the books, even though I shouldn’t. The characters are rich and the storylines interesting. There is the usual delight of tea, gloves, carriages, dresses, manor houses in the countryside, and balls (some of them masked). There is so much to love that it seems stupid to throw the whole thing out on the basis of a few uncomfortable moments. They’re hardly the crux of the novels. It was a different time, right? Before the Feminine Mystique in a time dominated by men?

I’m torn.

So for now, I’m reading them. I’m letting myself be angry and recognize that the books are spreading the wrong message about love and relationships. I’m also letting myself enjoy the antics, the luxury, and the characters. It’s too bad there aren’t any easy answers here. I want to like Georgette Heyer’s books with all my heart. I’m just not sure that wanting to like them is actually liking.  For now, it’s enough.

Heyer - Full

Okay, now for the actual reviews:

The Grand Sophy: This is the best book of GH’s that I’ve read so far. Sophy is delightful, uncouth, and smart – especially when fighting with her cousin Charles. The book also doesn’t have any of those moments that I felt apprehensive about. In fact, Sophy is so well able to take care of herself that it is fun to watch her scandalize the Ton while still maintaining the love of society in general. The way she overturns everything in her Aunt’s house for the better is amusing to watch, as well. In fact, I loved this book so much that I’ve been looking for the same thing in Heyer’s other novels and almost finding it (but not quite). I’m still hoping I’ll find it again, though. She’s got scores of others.

The Masqueraders: I felt like Prudence and Robin (who were masquerading) didn’t have that great a reason to do so. You know, besides the fact that their father told them to and they follow commands. It’s not even really explained in the end by their father, not to my satisfaction. But I really loved watching Prudence navigate the man’s world of Regency England, from getting into duels to visiting White’s club. Bonus points for masked ball, too. It’s a complicated story, well woven, and mostly a delight. If you don’t count Sir Anthony’s assertion that Prudence will marry him if he has to carry her off to make it happen.

A Convenient Marriage: Another refreshing heroine who is not a beauty and a little stupid, but still the toast of the town. Because Horry and Rule’s marriage is for convenience only, Heyer exploits their lack of trust in each other for a complicated plot that is well done. This one features a full-on abduction, though, and near rape. It’s bad. Also, the last chunk of the novel is full of the Main Character’s silly brothers who are silly. Droll and amusing has its limits. That being said, I enjoyed it enough to read two other Heyer novels. Her character are SO GOOD.

The Corinthian: The folks on Goodreads consider this her best book yet, but I can’t quite agree. The plot does evolve into this nice farce of silliness that I love a lot, and it was fun to see the “lower” echelons of Regency society, and how the main character dandy navigated them. I especially loved the funny and antagonistic relationship between Richard and Pen, Richard’s deep concern with cravats, and Pen’s obsession with apples. A gal after my own heart. Richard is a little rough with Pen at times, but over all this one is more comfortable than some of Heyer’s others.

The Quiet Gentleman: Unwanted advances are blamed on a flirtatious girl. I think someone even says “well, she should learn…” So, yeah. But I liked Frant and his motley collection of relatives, and I liked that it was sort of a mystery novel with shootings and secret passages. I loved Drusilla so much. She is smart, full of excellent advice, much sense, and saves the day more than once. For Drusilla and the mystery, this book is worth the read. Just overlook the fact that Martin’s story eventually makes him out to be a non-villain, okay?

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Summer Reading List, 2014

Posted on August 27, 2014 by caseykins

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Tomorrow is orientation day.  I will be checking Freshman into dorms and handing parents welcome packets.  That means that summer is officially over, I think.  I don’t know why that should be such a sad thing.  After all, summer doesn’t mean anything different than the rest of the year when there is a full time job to work.  But there is something about knowing that the days will get colder and darker that makes the end of summer seem like the end of something bigger.

Here is the list of all the things I’ve read this season with a brief review.  28 titles for just three months is pretty good, I think!  That’s a few more than last year.  Also, you’re not allowed to judge me for my love of smutty fantasy literature.  That is in the (invisible, hypothetical) contract we have together.  

Summer Reading List:

  1. Bon Courage by Ken McAdams – It really wasn’t written well, but there was something about the idyllic life fixing up a house in the French countryside that made me want to know what happened. Old people sex advisory…
  2. The Dark Lord of Dirkholm by Diana Wynne Jones – Hilarious because I know the D&D genre, but at times a bit slow. Magical creatures and this fabulous world make it worth the read, though. Dragons, griffins, and flying pigs!
  3. The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson – From the Blitz at the Fitz to the Mid Day PDA, to the awesome way these kids run a heist to make sure Gaby wins the school election, I fell in love. Can I have a Jr. High career as cool as these guys do?
  4. Popular by Maya Van Wagenen – Watching her navigate 1950s world in today’s less tolerant (supposedly) version was hilarious, mostly thanks to her great sense of humor. Bonus points for giant girdle pictures and 4-butt diagrams.
  5. Clever Maids, the Secret History of the Grimm Fairy Tales by Valerie Paradiz –I never realized that these stories were never for children, nor did I realize how much women had a part in collecting them. A great, easy to read history.
  6. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott –When I read the bit where Amy cries over her math problems, I remembered why I fell in love and binge-read this book in my early teens. We may be 150 years apart, but I know those feels, Amy. I really do.
  7. Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott – It’s like ointment for the crazy writer in my soul. Plus, it’s funny, and I’m beginning (to my chagrin) realize that it’s all true. All of it. Even the neurotic bits that I don’t want to be real.
  8. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons– A novel published in the 1930s to make fun of the popular country novel style of the time, and oh, so funny in the quirkiest way! I was laughing aloud enough to keep Brian awake. Sorry, dear.
  9. The Philosophy of Composition, by Edgar Allen Poe – It took me a minute to get into the Victorian style again, but it was a VERY interesting look into his process. It’s so methodical, despite the high emotional content of his writings.
  10. Typhoid Mary by Anthony Bordain – Lots of fun, but… He’s goes overboard just to shock and disgust, and judges Mary by modern standards. Both are taboo when analyzing History. I loved it, recommend it, but wouldn’t take it too seriously.  
  11. Train by Tom Zoellner – Beautiful and languid and not at all compelling. I like that I can put it down and pick it up at will. I can revel in beautiful language and scenery, and not think too much. But I liked A Safeway in Arizona better.
  12. Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies by J. B. West– Simple, but interesting to see what it was like to serve everyone from the Roosevelts onward. He concentrates on the families as people, not politics. I couldn’t put it down.
  13. The Raven Ring, by Patricia C. Wrede – I’m a fan of hers. This one had a bunch of tropes that usually annoy the crap out of me but didn’t seem to in this incarnation. It was essentially a D&D campaign, but it didn’t read like that at all.
  14. The Twisted Tower, by Patricia C. Wrede – Okay, I’m totally hooked on the Lyra novels now. I might need to stop soon, so I don’t spend every night up until 1 am because I can’t put the books down. There are a ton more…
  15. Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King – yup, I’m re-reading this one because it’s so helpful. I’m suffering from a lack of ideas right now, which means I bone up on technique until I have some. No rest for the wicked.
  16. Shadow Magic, by Patricia C. Wrede – Not as charming as the others. I actually stopped about 1/3 of the way through because I still couldn’t tell what the plot was and, unlike her others, the writing wasn’t compelling. Unpleasantly surprised.
  17. Chalice, by Robin McKinley – A re-read. I love this book so much it’s unquantifiable, because nothing and everything happens. It’s all internal. There is a half fire demon Master, grieving land, and so many bees. I want to move here.
  18. Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine– I think she sometimes goes a little off the deep end disproving a point or two that laypeople don’t care about, but overall it’s been fascinating to learn how much expectation influences brain performance.
  19. Looking for Alaska, by John Greene – I knew I couldn’t handle TFIOS, but I wanted on the bandwagon. HOLY CRAP. Totally good, but still super sad. I laughed, I cried, I loved those boarding school boys and their antics. I loved Alaska too.
  20. The Hero and The Crown, Robin McKinley – Another re-read about damaged Aerin and her damaged horse, who eventually take on dragons of many kinds. The ending is interesting, too, because she gets her prince and she doesn’t at the same time.
  21. An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green – Oh John Green, you’re books are SO GOOD. This one has a grand theorem of dumping, a pig from hell, the body of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, anagrams, Islam, 19 Katherines, and a dark cave.
  22. The Graveyard Book, Graphic Novel by Neil Gaiman – I love this book, and the graphic novel is a delight. I recommend reading the book first, but the expressions and art in this one! Each chapter is by a different artist. I can’t wait for volume 2.  
  23. The Fault In Our Stars, by John Green – Fun and quippy, even as it’s also the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever read. This is the only book this season that struck me and changed the way I think of things forever. I did not expect that.
  24. The Elements of Style by William Struck Jr. – This is so much more of a reference book and not an outright reading book. I’m glad I have it, but I didn’t finish it. I’ll go back and peruse when I need specific answers on formatting, etc.
  25. Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge– A self-pub and I liked it! Language wasn’t polished and it was definitely a paranormal romance. But the story line was so good that none of it mattered. I bought book 2.
  26. Graveyard Shift by Lana Harvey – Another with language that isn’t super polished, and the end was slow in arriving, but the world this book is set in!! So cool! The main character is quippy, there’s plenty of underworld “celeb sightings.” So fun.
  27. Cobweb Bride by Vera Nazarian– the writing is beautiful, the story concept is interesting. I had to stop reading it, though. Graphic war descriptions where no one dies are not good for lunch hour. And that’s all the time I have to read right now…
  28. Trinkets, Treasures, and other Bloody Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge– Full of gratuitous sex, but that’s not necessarily a deal breaker. It was exactly what I expected it to be. Lots of fun, lots of adventure, and lots of supernatural twenties angst.
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