Book Review | DAWN STUDY by Maria V. Snyder

January 31, 2017

MIRA

DAWN STUDY is the much-awaited conclusion of the Study Series by Maria V. Snyder. Although I am very sad to say goodbye to this series and its characters, I can’t help feeling contented on how everything came together in the end.

Sitia and Ixia are still on the verge of war. In spite of Yelena’s magicless status, she and her enigmatic husband, with their motley crew, must find a way to defeat the rogue magicians, overturn the Cartel, and free the Commander from the influence of Owen Moon. On top of that, they are desperate to keep their family together by avoiding assassins and bring their child safely into the world.

I just love reading how our power couple, Valek and Yelena, grew equally dependent on each other’s guidance, yet remains to be independent powerful individuals. The turn of tides -Yelena being magicless, while Valek just gained his- brought forth more of themselves and marveled at those revelations. They both remain strong and trusting despite the odds and challenges in every turn. I like how Ms. Snyder inserted certain qualities that working couples should learn and keep. That’s one of the interesting elements in this series, there’s always a lesson here.

I will also (of course) miss the rest of the gang. This series introduced a number of characters, every one of them are truly unique and fun. They dragged us through different adventures with their quips and cranks that drove us crazy but kept us asking for more. I definitely will not forget about them. 

Thank you, Ms. Snyder, for this wonderful series.

And needless to say, I  do recommend this series. Don’t miss out on the fun!

Book details:

Title:  Dawn Study
Series:  Study Series #6
Author:  Maria V. Snyder
Publication:  January 31, 2017; by MIRA
Genre:  Fiction, Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★

*Study Series
#1 Poison Study
#2 Magic Study
#3 Fire Study
#4 Shadow Study
#5 Night Study
#6 Dawn Study

*Thank you, Mira, for the galley.

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Book Review | A LIST OF CAGES by Robin Roe

     

January 10, 2017
Disney-Hyperion

A LIST OF CAGES is not your average contemporary young adult novel. With deep raw emotions and a loud call for compassion, Robin Roe wrote a debut that may mark every reader forever.

Fourteen-year-old Julian is reclusive, anxious, and suffers from self-esteem attacks. Five years ago, he lost both of his parents in a car accident and he was immediately folded into foster care. As a high school freshman, school is very difficult for Julian. He has learning disabilities, which makes him an everyday target for bullies, and, sadly, his teachers never cared enough to help him.

Adam, meanwhile, is a high school senior, whose present elective is to help the school psychologist track down Julian and make sure he doesn’t (conveniently) miss more appointments. It should help that Adam was once Julian’s foster brother, but the present Julian that Adam is trying to engage is too different from the one he remembered. So, despite their age difference and preferences, Adam threw in some effort in including Julian into his circle of friends and adds some sense of normalcy into the boy’s life. 

As the story unfolds, Adam suspected that things are much worse than Julian lets on, but Julian is frantic in keeping his friend at arm’s length. Undeterred, Adam is resolute to find out the answers to his worrying questions.

"I know it’s pointless, but I find myself doing it now.

Projecting thoughts and whispering names.

Trying to send out a message that will never be received."

This book caught me off guard. I didn't know when the tears start spilling, but they certainly did. Julian’s story squeezed my heart; it was so painful that at times I wanted to shout.  What happened to him was harrowing. I terribly wished for him to open up, tell the truth, to call for help. I could feel his anguish and fear -his list of cages- that entraps him. This book could hurt you too. 

Statistics says (1) that there are estimated 400,000 kids in (USA) foster care right now; (2) that foster kids can suffer from PTSD at almost two times the rate of returning veterans; (3) that the average age of a foster child is 9-years old; (4) that half of all foster kids are in non-relative foster homes. Julian’s story may not be real, but there are thousands that undoubtedly are. I highly recommend that you read A LIST OF CAGES, too.👍

Book details: 

Title:  A LIST OF CAGES

Author:  Robin Roe

Publication:  January 10, 2017; by Disney-Hyperion

Genre:  YA Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

*Thank you, Disney-Hyperion, for the galley.
*This review contains a quote from an uncorrected copy.

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THE CHILDREN ACT by Ian McEwan

You have to forgive me if I do this review using a long pole. You may have realized by now that I shy away from reviewing renowned books by high-profile authors. It is as if my inadequacy might somehow contaminate its spirit, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. Besides, books of that caliber, more or less, have already been dissected and autopsied by listed review sites. Still, this book has been niggling at me for some time now, I am reluctant to open another McEwan unless I get to say something about it first. And hopefully, that something will be significant.

THE CHILDREN ACT moves around a childless High Court judge, Fiona Maye, distinguished for her accomplishments at adjudicating delicately knotty cases in the Family Courts. One of her most difficult has recently been served -a life and death decision for Adam Henry, a 17-year old Jehovah’s Witness, in need of blood transfusion.  Fiona decided that a personal visit to the hospital is in order to determine whether Adam is mature enough to make his own decisions; or that the implementation of the Children Act of 1989 is duly necessary, which means junking both the parent’s petition and their religious precept.

Meanwhile, on the domestic front, Jack, Fiona’s husband for 35 years, announces that due to their lack of sexual intimacy for the last seven weeks, he has decided he needs a passionate affair.  “I need it. I’m fifty-nine. This is my last shot,” he argued –apparently, he already has a young statistician waiting in line.

What will follow is the author’s scrutinized account of the protagonist’s self-confidence and power beset by betrayal and self-pity. In her years of separating herself from sentimentality and insignificance, she had never been threatened by this kind of crisis before. In that disarrayed condition, she was stirred by Adam’s condensed naiveté. Adam, in return, was enraptured by Fiona’s genuine servile attention. With music and words between them, they found a kindred spirit in each other. In McEwan’s prose, I was carried by the same emotions, akin to Fiona. In those moments, they seem inescapable for me too.

That the world should be filled with such detail,
such tiny points of human frailty,
threatened to crush her and she had to look away.

In her review for The Guardian, Tessa Hadley wrote that Ian McEwan is fascinated by “the great institutionalized authorities”, choosing characters that belong to the echelons of their profession. This is my first McEwan novel, so I have to rely on her with that information. What awed me, though, is his view of the conflicting powers of an individual –commitment, resilience, compassion. People, even people of power or with great advocacy, will be subjected to vulnerability, one time or another.  Threats and problems arise when the personal blur the professional lines.  Sometimes, a single act may tinge a purpose or may even turn a whole event. On how we face and move on from these circumstances are the questions that we need to ponder.

The ending was unpretentious. It quietly glided along.  Nevertheless, the paradox of the title screams at me.  

Instead, she found her argument in the “doctrine of necessity,”
an idea established in common law that in certain limited circumstances,
which no parliament would ever care to define,
it was permissible to break the criminal law to prevent a greater evil. 

Book details:

Title:  The Children Act

Author:  Ian MacEwan

Publication:  September 9th, 2014 by Knopf Canada

Genre:  General Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

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LUCRETIA AND THE KROONS by Victor LaValle

  I read this before going to sleep last night. I should be bothered because this was branded by some as horror, but I was not. After finishing the story, I slept soundly while Typhoon Sarika was raging outside our windows. Possibly, it’s because I was left satisfied after reading the story.

Lucretia is a 12-year old girl living with her mother on the 4^th floor of an apartment building. Loochie (her nickname) seems to be in the minority of girls her age –she’s not popular enough or maturing beautifully enough- to fit in the regular giggling girl’s clique. But she dearly loves Sunny –her best friend who lives in the apartment upstairs. As you can see, Loochie is not exactly an enthralling girl, neither is her Wonderland-like story believable. Would you believe her if she told you that she was forcibly pulled in from a fire escape window, but mysteriously entered a derelict park instead? Would you believe that she was chased by monsters and flying rats across the park? And a stadium is the entryway to heaven? Of course not. You’d think that she’s out of her mind.

I am really pleased with all the metaphoric elements in this story. I think it’s a very imaginative technique to use strangeness and eerie characters to mirror dealing with loss successfully. It emphasized how grief can amass more fear instead of optimism, disbelief instead of acceptance, and anger instead of sympathy. This novella is a very convincing introduction to Victor LaValle’s The Devil in Silver. I was briefly introduced to Pepper, and I think I will like him too.

Book details:

Title:  Lucretia and the Kroons

Author:  Victor LaValle

Publication:  July 23rd, 2012 by Spiegel & Grau

Genre:  General Fiction

Rating:  ★★★★

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Sneak Peek Review | WHAT LIGHT by Jay Asher

  

October 18, 2016;

Penguin Young Readers Group

Click here.

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Book Review | TWELFTH NIGHT by Deanna Raybourn

  

June 1st, 2014; 

Harlequin MIRA

Often times, curiosity is indeed a wonderful thing. This is another review copy I clicked out of mere curiosity, really. I’ve seen raving reviews about this Victorian series and its daring female protagonist, and when I saw this novella available in Netgalley, I did not hesitate.

This installment is #5.6 in the series. What’s amazing was, I didn’t have a hard time following who’s who and what’s what. Ms. Raybourn has a knack of moving her readers along without getting lost, and simply introduces everyone in the most unconventional way (it seems to me). Like, meeting Nicholas Brisbane for the first time - naked in bed. A very fine specimen too, I gathered.

So far, I liked all the characters I’ve met, a very interesting set of people with strong wit and personalities. Reading this series will never be boring.  I guess I have to set a date for a reading marathon.

Book details:

Title:  Twelfth Night

Series:  Lady Julia Grey #5.6

Author:  Deanna Raybourn

Publication:  June 1st, 2014 by Harlequin MIRA

Genre:  General Fiction/ Historical

Rating:   ★★★

*Thank you MIRA for being generous.

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Book Review | THE SINNER by Amanda Stevens

     

September 27, 2016;
MIRA

I am a living ghost, a wanderer in search of my purpose and place… 

I'm a cemetery restorer by trade, but my calling has evolved from that of ghost seer to death walker to detective of lost souls. I solve the riddles of the dead so the dead will leave me alone. 

Earlier this year, I’ve read and reviewed THE VISITOR, saying that it is the creepiest book in the series. I guess I talked too soon, because, lo and behold, THE SINNER is here and it gave me some really sleepless nights.

For our Graveyard Queen, it has been a year since she (Amanda) and Devlin had a divisive comprehension -recognizing each other’s unnatural endowment- moving them at opposite poles. It’s helplessly sad because it is like witnessing something truly beautiful cracking in the middle. And in spite of the horrifying events at the Kroll Cemetery, Amanda still finds cemetery restoration her firm ground in mending her broken heart and refurbishing her balance. Now, Amanda has been called to Seven Gates Cemetery to solve the riddle of the twelve mortsafes and the body of a girl buried with her hands grasping the iron grate.

The Graveyard Queen became one of my most favorite series. And now that we are down to the penultimate installment, I have these mixed feelings. I am absolutely excited to read the last book soon, but I am also torn by the fact that I don’t want to let this series end. Although, Ms. Stevens did promise an ebook that will feature Amanda and Devlin to introduce the new cast for her new series.

For now, though, I’d like you to grab a copy of The Sinner, on September 27, and share my excitement; because I don’t think Amanda is the only one growing in power here, not anymore.

Book details:

Title:  The Sinner
Series:  The Graveyard Queen #5 

Author:  Amanda Stevens

Publication:  September 27, 2016; MIRA

Genre:  Fiction, Paranormal

Rating:  ★★★★★




*Thank you MIRA and Netgalley for the DRC.

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Book Review | LEAVE ME by Gayle Forman

September 6, 2016
Algonquin Books

I highly recommend LEAVE ME.

Maribeth Klein is a 44-year old juggling between being a magazine editor, a wife, and a mother to her 4-year old twins. It took her an unscheduled trip to the ER to realize that she’s having a heart attack, followed by an emergency bypass surgery.

After spending a week at the hospital, coming home did nothing better for Maribeth. In spite of her mother flying over from Florida, Maribeth is still expected to worry about everything at home and the kids. The whole ordeal took a toll on her, making her feel miserable and unappreciated. Where is everybody when she’s the one needing help?

One morning, she decided to pack a bag and took off to Pittsburgh. It seems childish to think of nothing else but one’s self all of a sudden, without a plan, and acting as if it doesn’t hurt at all. But then, new people came into her life and new things start happening.

It’s really not that hard to associate with Maribeth, especially if you’re a working mother as well. Being forty-four myself and (also) living with a heart condition, I sure did. Sometimes, it is depressing when there’s no one validating all your efforts or recognizing how exhaustion is taking its toll on you. Most of us may not pack a bag and actually leave, but, of course, the thought did cross our minds on occasions. What made Maribeth a lot braver is that she actually packed and left. It’s not that she doesn’t love her family anymore or that she has given up. It’s all about recognizing the need to put herself together again and that she will not be able to do it in her chaotic home, at present.

"If you want to get better,

really better,

well, you're going to have to do that for yourself."

LEAVE ME gave a well-expressed voice to all the working mothers (and wives) calling for validation and equal cuddling. And sometimes, it’s true that being left alone gives more room to move around and have a better point of view.

Make sure to grab a copy when Leave Me hit the stores.

Book details:

Title: Leave Me

Author:  Gayle Forman

Publication: September 6, 2016; Algonquin Books

Genre: Women's Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

*Thank you Random House for the DRC.

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BEST BOOKS of 2016 ...so far

  As we reach the middle of 2016 -notwithstanding my expedient tardiness- it's time to take a look back at the best books  I've read so far. Presented in no particular order, here are the reads I've to shelve from January to June with my highest rating.

• The Visitor by Amanda Stevens - This 4th installment from the Graveyard Queen series is the creepiest the author has come up with, and it made my (eager) wait really worth it.
• When Falcons Fall by C.S. Harris - I can't remember a book from this series that I don't like. Mostly, because the author is a great historian, and with the full knowledge of her subject, she's able to seamlessly weave historical facts and fiction convincingly together. And the suspense here was killing me, so I read it overnight.
• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein - A fun, fun read. I love how this book does its best to encourage children to experience the joys of reading and appreciate the many things a library can offer. Makes me wish I am a kid again. But sad that children in the Philippines will not fully experience this since city/public libraries are close to nil.  This book has a good range of book recommendations, from different genres, it's just wonderful.
• The Children Act by Ian McEwan - This first encounter with the author is totally awesome. He is a great conductor that masterfully directs words into playing what wrecks the heart in the most compelling way. Now, I'm a fan.
• Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman - I am simply in awe of the love this book contains. Probably, one of the major influences why I loved the London Spy series so much. 
• 15th Affair by James Paterson, Maxine Paetro - This is probably the most conflicting installment in the series. I stayed awake until almost two in the morning just so I could finish and close the book in peace, but I ended up tossing and turning miserably in bed instead. If you are familiar with the series, you'll know where I am coming from.
• Faithful Place by Tana French - When I started with the series, little did I know that I'd be very interested with tough Frank Mackey. I learned, later, underneath all that hard shell is a tender heart afflicted by a past, and I felt his ache.
• Surrender, New York by Caleb Carr - After four years, Carr's new novel is well-timed and worth waiting for. I highly recommend it. 

Meanwhile, my runner ups are:

• Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen - the narration is very akin to having an intimate conversation with a friend. The author is very insightful.
• The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig - Incidentally enough, this appeared to be on Book Riot's Best Books for 2016, so far.
• My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - This too appeared in Time's Best Books for 2016 So Far.

And with that, I bid you "good hunting" for your next best book, while I go back to my slothful existence. Ta-ta!

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Book Review | SURRENDER, NEW YORK by Caleb Carr

August 23, 2016
Random House

Ambitious and brave.
I expect nothing less from a Caleb Carr novel.

Reminiscent of his Kreizler series, Carr’s new novel carries the 19th-century jargon and avid crime investigation techniques he employed; however, it now embodies the present-day tragedies. And a very apt debut for a series, if I may insinuate.

Surrender, an upstate town where Trajan Jones, a criminal psychologist, and his colleague Michael Li found themselves in exile, after having aggravated the “powers that be” in New York City. At present, both are teaching a criminology class online. Still, this present situation does not limit them from being invited as consultants by the local sheriff office, every now and then. And this brings the present dilemma at hand, “abandoned children” and their bizarre death rate in the county, wherein local authorities and the bigger players have a difference of opinion.

This being a Carr novel, it is chock-full of wide-ranging explanations and historical facts. It took some time for the plot to unfold itself, and readers who are used to fast-moving pace action/crime will usually find this slow. But the wisdom of the narrative is in that slowness -not that it lacks car chase scenes and shocking twists- wherein every unfolding is deliberate and effectual.

As per usual, Carr’s characters are very successful; they are all remarkably hard to forget. I distinctly remember when they were first mentioned and how they were mentioned every time. And this is not a short novel, by the way. In my experience with crime novels, the reader has to have a good connection with either the protagonist or the antagonist for it to work well. So, whatever strategy Carr is doing, it works really damn well.

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.

The best thing I like about Carr is that he does not simply conform to what (and how) the readers want. He offers them something significant to want instead and conveys them proficiently through it.

I highly recommend SURRENDER, NEW YORK.

Book details:

Title:  Surrender, New York

Author:  Caleb Carr

Publication: August 23, 2016; Random House

Genre: Mystery & Suspense | Literary Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

*Thank you Random House for the uncorrected proof.

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Why Read Translated Works?

This was a question sent to me a few months back. I never had the chance to answer this earlier, mainly because I feel I have no substantial answer, to begin with. You see, I’m no expert on the subject, and anything I’ll say here is purely based on my opinion as a reader or a person who delights in reading good books. If it’s an expert’s opinion you’re after, then you’re on the wrong page. If you want to stick around, you have to take everything with a grain of salt.

I learn.

Did I buy them because they were translations? No.

So far I have read a number of translated works, none of them I bought for that reason. The truth is, only after reading most of them did I realize that they were translations. (Just to show you how deep my expertise on this subject.) And it took a while before I did realize what I like about them. 

Translation in literature, for me, is more than breaking the language barrier. It helps us learn about other cultures, their fashion, their spirituality, and their political views, how they really feel about family values and their passion for food. Most of the answers to these made me laugh, shocked at the huge difference with mine, and marveled at the similarities.

Lost in translation.

Transmitting cultural aspects through literature is a difficult mission. It is a multifaceted collection of experiences in daily life. And I am often fascinated with the translator’s ability to capture and project them, and to be understood by readers outside the original cultural condition. Sure, some readers are vexed because some sense does get lost in translation, but heck, it's not about to cause World War III, right?

Without translation, I would be limited to the borders of my own country.

The translator is my most important ally.

He introduces me to the world. -Italo Calvino

Oh, the places you'll go!

Translation is also akin to traveling to places we have not reached yet.  It’s been years, but the image of Stockholm is stockpiled in my memory on how Reg Keeland translated it for Stieg Larsson. I felt the melancholic voice of José Saramago when Margaret Jull Costa translated his memories of Azinhaga and Lisbon. I will always miss the lights of Barcelona as Lucia Graves translated it for Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Keeping the windows open.

Lastly, whilst I read English-written works more often, I also read translations because I think it’s abnormal and restrictive to lock myself from the rest of the remarkable literature mankind have written.

It is better to have read a great work of another culture in translation

than never to have read it at all. -Henry Gratton Doyle

While we’re at it, here are the Best Translated Novels and Favorite Translated Literature from Goodreads Listopia. And THE MILLIONS announced the Winners for the Best Translated Book for 2016.

I'm also interested in your opinion on this matter. Please, do share.

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Say It With A Book #10 | All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

With Guest Book Reviewer | Mawi Lopez

   

ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES is the story of how one event joined the lives of Violet Markey and Theodore Finch. I kept on coming across reviews that say this book is The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park, but honestly I don't see the comparison with either of the two. Sure there are similarities with some of the characters but the themes presented between all three books were dissimilar. Nevertheless, I liked all three of them. On with this book's review… Btw, I don't really do book reviews so please bear with me :)

I highly recommend this book to people who have gone through and have coped with loss, to readers who love young adult themes and to everyone who wanted a little glimpse of what it's like to have someone so special change your life forever.

The book tackled issues about teenage suicide, bullying, mental/emotional disorder, the feeling of being alone despite having people around, loss, divorce and the effects of broken families on the children. It was done in a way that, I think, young people would appreciate and relate to. The author’s note at the end even included organizations one can contact if they’re experiencing said problems and needed help, which is a really nice thing. On the bright side, the story of how Violet and Finch touched each other’s lives was lovely (because lovely is a lovely word that should be used more often). I can’t help but root for them and hope that everything will turn out well for them both. I, also, was utterly pained by the ending as I was so hoping for it to end the other way. I’m not saying the ending was bad, it was good, but I just wished it did not end that way.

I will end this review with a really lovely quote from the book: 

You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.

PS. I totally love the part where they did the Before I die I want to _______ thing. Because it was a really lovely scene and because it has some Jimmy Page reference (please pardon this JP fan) in it.

Book details: 

Title: All the Bright Places 

Author:  Jennifer Niven

Publication: January 6, 2015; Penguin Random House

Genre:  YA Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

...

About Mawi:

Born as Maridon Lopez, but we lovingly call her Mawi. We share a common love for dogs, and we both adored the above-reviewed book. Remembering how she felt when she first joined our TFG activity, back in January 2015, she thought that she'd be an oddball. Little did she know that we're all oddballs in our own little ways. She belongs!

TPW:  What is your favorite genre?

Mawi: I will have to say historical fiction and YA, depending on the theme though, nothing too mawkish please.

TPW:  How would you define yourself as a reader?

Mawi:  I always make it a point to read for pleasure alone. If someone asks me to read a book and at some point found it unbearable, I will put it down and find something better to read. Although, sometimes, I find myself finishing just for the sake of finishing, but that happens very rarely. And I never read two books at any given period, as in I have to finish one first before starting another. 

TPW:  Thank you very much, Mawi!

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Book Review | INK AND BONE by Lisa Unger

June 7, 2016
Touchstone

INK AND BONE lead us to a world beyond strange… and yes, beyond death.

More than anything else, Finley Montgomery wants control of her own life. But first, she needs to understand who she is.  Finley grew up misunderstood and misguided; she is perpetually haunted by people and things that only she could see. Confused, she sought her maternal grandmother, Eloise, a renowned psychic, for guidance in controlling her bizarre abilities.

We don’t always choose who we are, or what we experience.
We just choose what we do with it all.

The Hollows is a very intriguing and inviting place. Visitors are always enthralled by its quiet woodlands and accommodating populace. Ten months ago, a girl was abducted by strange men, while her father and brother were left bleeding from gunshot wounds, down on the trek trail leading to The Hollows Wood.

This is my first Lisa Unger book and I am not disappointed. Ink and Bone is an attention-grabbing mystery that holds many twists and leading plots. It is very engaging to witness this bifurcated narrative merge and form an edge-of-the-seat thrill.

Some of the viewpoints may be unnecessary for the development of the story. Strange is, I do get Ms. Unger in giving them ample attention. This book is more than the mystery or the thrill. It is also about moral principles and choices and taking the right steps to give it importance.

I LIKE IT VERY MUCH.

Book details:

Title:  Ink and Bone

Author:  Lisa Unger

Publication:  June 7, 2016; Touchstone

Genre:  Psychological Thriller

Rating:  ★★★★

*Copy received from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for this unbiased review.

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