Yep, I got behind on posting about all the reading I've been doing the last couple months. Here's some short reviews and my ratings for April:
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Wow. What a masterpiece. Jane Eyre is one of the most incredibly inspirational characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading. There is so much to think about and so much emphasis on thinking things through and on top of that there is a beautiful love story. I am so glad someone recommended this to me and so grateful for receiving it as a gift. It's a long book but well worth it. Worthy of multiple re-reads and I would already consider this one of my favourite books
ever. 5/5
Hawksong (Kiesha'ra #1) - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
This book was a nice change from the type of paranormal fantasy that's being published lately. It's main characters are shape shifters but their world is not ours. Meaning the plot doesn't revolve around them trying to deceive humans or trying to live in peace with humans. The shape shifting thing in this case is probably a lot more well thought out. The plot revolves around two young leaders of warring tribes - the avians and the serpientes. They are both tired of seeing their loved ones die in battle for a war they cannot even remember the reasons for. So they decide to do the most drastic thing they can think of to stop the war - become each others mates. The characters are enjoyable to read about and am looking forward to see what happens next. The first installment is all about how they come to trust each other. 3/5
Snakecharm (Kiesha'ra #2) - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
This installment comes from the point of view of Zane Cobriana, the new cobra leader of the cobra-avian alliance between him and Danica. Two months later I honestly can't remember much about his one. Danica gets pregnant and they decide to try out merging the cobras and avians into one location which will be called Wyverns Court. There's something about Falcons in their but I can't remember what because the third book is all about them too. 3/5
Ludie's Life - Cynthia Rylant
It's an overarching story about Ludie, a woman who lives in rural America, told poetry style. It was the kind of story that made me force myself to stop, close my eyes, and count to five before resuming for fear I would stop breathing. Breath-taking, literally. 5/5
Aya - Marguerite Abouet
A graphic novel set in Africa. I wasn't really taken by it, but it was okay. 3/5
Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely #1) - Melissa Marr
YA Paranormal Romance. The writing and events were all engaging. It just wasn't really my kind of thing. 3/5
Western Apache Language and Culture: Essays In Linguistic Anthropology - Keith Basso
Not nearly accessible as the first of Basso's I read in the past. some chapters were very technical and I'm very very out of practice in this department. 3/5
Wild Ones vol 8 - Kiyo Fujiwara
The first half was a cute little story about Azuma and a young girl he meets at the hospital while both visiting relatives. The second half I was excited about - we finally get a glimpse of Rakuto's father and Sachie gets to see a new side of him! Unfortunately the volume ends right in the middle of this story :( 3/5
Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
Here and now sci-fi about Charlie who gets an operation on his brain to make him "smart". Written in journal format so we even get to see how he progresses in spelling, vocabulary, etc. But most compelling is all the memories from his childhood and his new perspective on all his relationships. There is a parallel story with Algernon, a rat, who had the same operation and Charlie's thoughts about his struggles with health and learning as well. 4/5
Slam - Cecily von Ziegesar
A compilation of slam poetry by various people. Some regular poetry thrown in there as well. Instructions for writing slam and giving slams included. YA. 3/5
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
This book was so sweet. It follows the memories of an elderly gentleman who literally ran away and joined the circus when he was younger.The present day pages were sweet because it showed just how much he wanted people to treat him with dignity and not be forgotten just because he was older. And the memory pages were sweet because it showed his love for animals and his hatred for animal cruelty and there was a love story in there too. 4/5
Falcondance (Kiesha'ra #3) - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Much better than the second. Of all five of the books in the series this is probably the one I'm going to remember most. It's from the perspective of Nicias, a falcon, who lives in Wyverns Court protecting Oliza Cobriana Shardae who is heir to the throne. The thing is, Nicias himself is the heir to the throne - of the Falcons- who just so happen to hate this new alliance between the snakes and the avians. Nicias himself has never been to the land of the Falcons and so has no reason to see things their way - until the magic inside him awakens and the only way to learn how to control it is to visit that land and meet his grandmother. I was totally enthralled with it. For now 3/5 but it's verging on a 4/5 and I might change it to that eventually.
Alice's Adventures In Wonderland - Lewis Carrol
A cute story. Cute wordplay. Makes no sense unless you are on crack but fun all the same. 3/5
Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fannie Flagg
I remember watching the movie and liking it so I decided to give the book a shot. Well worth reading. There are some present day scenes in there I don't remember being in the movie at all and they add a lot to the story. 4/5
Fantomas - Pierre Souvestre
Wow. This book is really quite impressive. It was published in 1911 and I say it still holds up very well today. Not a single paragraph of "fluff" and I still found myself enthralled with the characters and mysteries enough to call it a "page-turner". Fantomas is a detective/crime/mystery novel set in France. It opens with several mysterious deaths, leading into the introduction of Juve, our main detective, and later goes into accusations and trials. The mystery of Fantomas identity is enough to captivate the reader. But even after his identity was revealed there was still so much left to keep me on my toes. Would he be caught? If he was caught, would he escape? And if he would escape, how would he do it? I personally really liked the ending. It was worth the read in itself. 5/5
Essex County Vol 1: Tales from the Farm - Jeff Lemire
A short graphic novel taking place in the distant future (What I would say is probably the time of my dad's childhood - around the 60's and 70's). I picked it up because it takes place not too far away from where I live in Ontario. Not too bad. 3/5
Wild Ones vol 9 - Kiyo Fujiwara
Sachie tries to mend the bond between Rakuto and his dad. Meanwhile Azuma challenges Rakuto to "get serious" about Sachie and finally tell her that he likes her. At the end Rakuto figures out what he has to do in order to "get serious" but it's actually quite a surprise. Can't wait 'til the library gets the next volume! I hate waiting :( 4/5
Books Read in April: 17
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