Books

A Train to Stamboul

February 12, 2021 by Michelle Leave a Comment

Since rekindling my love of reading, I have felt more like myself than I have in a long time. I wanted to make sure I brought that excitement and intention into the new year. And since I’m reading so much now, I decided I should probably break up my reviews into a monthly post, otherwise a post at the end of the year will be unwieldy. Here’s a look back at what I read in January.

I saved A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas to start on New Year’s Day. I started my reread of this series back in December, but this time I’m adding the books to my own personal library (with the original gorgeous covers, of course). I had forgotten so much of this book. I had forgotten how scenes from A Court of Thorns and Roses take on an entirely different meaning once more is revealed. This book is my favorite of the series and maybe that’s because of Feyre’s transformation, maybe it’s because I resonate so much with the Night Court, maybe it’s because of Rhysand (it’s definitely because of Rhysand), but I gobbled this book up in a week.

But I met his stare as I clinked my glass against his, the crystal ringing clear and bright over the crashing sea far below, and said, “To the people who look at the stars and wish, Rhys.” He picked up his glass, his gaze so piercing that I wondered why I had bothered blushing at all for Tarquin. Rhys clinked his glass against mine. “To the stars who listen – and the dreams that are answered.”
A Court of Mist and Fury

A friend of mine and I were talking books in late December and she mentioned that she was ripping her way through books by Jade West and was currently reading her book, Bait. Jade West’s books are firmly in the erotic romance genre, some in the dark erotic romance. My friend cautioned me to make sure I had read the summary of Bait and that I was fully aware of what I was getting into before reading it. I appreciated her caution though, because there’s a good bit in this book that needs a trigger warning for sure. But, if you like tattooed, pierced guys and dark, unconventional smut – this is a good read. I tore through this in two days.

And speaking of tattooed and pierced guys . . . while I was reading Bait, it reminded me of an old Twilight fanfiction called Clipped Wings and Inked Armor. You may recall that I went back and read another old fanfic last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when Bait reminded me of CWAIA, I decided to dig it out. The basic premise is that Edward is a tattoo artist and part owner at a tattoo shop, he meets Bella who works at the bookshop across the street. She’s trying to start over and move on from a traumatic event in her past, and so is Edward. I admit that when I first picked this up, I was not convinced I was going to be able to read it. It just wasn’t holding my attention. But, the further I read, the better it got. I’m not really sure when it happened exactly, but I got hooked. So hooked that I couldn’t stop picking this up. It took me about a week to read what basically clocked in as about 700+ pages. I really enjoyed it, once I got going, and I’m so glad I reread it. The author has actually published this fic, but broke it up into three books.

After I finished Clipped Wings and Inked Armor, I went on a huge Jade West binge. I read one of her books where the main character is an art teacher (which was kind of the segue from Edward being a tattoo artist, and then I read the four books in her Dirty Bad series. Some I liked more than others, but I was basically reading them like potato chips. I kind of burned myself out on them, to be honest. So, then I went looking for something completely different to read, but I didn’t want something too long because my copy of the next book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series was on its way.

I decided to pick up a book that I started and never finished back in 2017, Murder on the Orient Express. I had originally picked it up to read when the movie came out. I read a ton of Agatha Christie in middle school and junior high, so I’m sure I read Orient Express then, but really had no memory of the plot. I am also a huge fan of the Hercule Poirot played by David Suchet in the tv series that I used to watch religiously in my college years. So, I decided it was time to pick this back up and read it. And actually finish it this time.

The first thing that struck me at the beginning of the book was the reference to Stamboul. Being unfamiliar with the term, I looked it up. Apparently, the city of Instanbul has been known by a number of different names. The most notable, besides the modern Turkish name, are Byzantium, Constantinople, and Stamboul. When I first read the name, I didn’t think too much about it. But later on the same page, within the same conversation with Lieutenant Dubosc, there is also a reference to Constantinople, which made me think that perhaps Stamboul was a reference to Instanbul. Now, why both names are referenced as though they are different places I’m not sure about. The other thing that struck me was the reference to La Sainte Sophie. I didn’t think twice about the reference, until I made the connection with Stamboul and Constantinople. It occurred to me then that perhaps the Lieutenant was referencing Hagia Sofia. I was telling some friends about these revelations and how it was coincidental that we’d just finished a show about the rise of the Ottoman Empire (which was basically the transition from Constantinople to Instabul) and my friend, Rachel, said “This makes the book that much more real to you, doesn’t it?” Which I thought was a very insightful statement. And she’s right. It all comes together and it sparks my imagination.

One of the things that really stood out to me, and perhaps it’s because I’m reading it with the filter of today, is that there are a ton of assumptions and prejudices the characters have. They believe Americans are a certain way, they believe that if someone is killed with a knife it is most likely by the Italian because they prefer knives and are also aggressive, that the English are cold and unfeeling, etc. Only Poirot, perhaps, sees past these assumptions (at least it appears so). But, it definitely gave me a lot of food for thought about the assumptions we make about people, which in some cases are also biases or prejudices.

I read Orient Express in about a week, which was pretty slow based on the rate I’d been reading at. But, I enjoyed the book and I think Death on the Nile will be my next Agatha Christie to read.

2020 Books in Review

January 9, 2021 by Michelle Leave a Comment

I’d love to show you a beautiful photo of a big stack of the books I read in 2020, but let’s be real…I’m rarely that organized. Thankfully, Goodreads to the rescue. As I have most years, I set a goal for the number of books I wanted to read at the beginning of January 2020. Since I only read nine books in 2019 (and seven of those were rereading Harry Potter), I figured I’d better set a semi-realistic goal. So, 2020 = 20 books. Sounds fairly reasonable as a stretch goal. So, what did I read?

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden had been on my TBR list for awhile, but I wanted to read it during winter. I held off and finally checked it out of the library just before the end of the year so I could start it on January 1st. This is a fantasy book and is the first in The Winternight Trilogy. I enjoyed this book and I loved that it had the overlay of Russian fairy tales. Reading it during winter was fitting, and since I finished it right before Imbolc, I think I will forever associate snowdrop flowers with this book, and with the coming of spring and Imbolc. The writing in this book was fantastic, it conjured up images and dreams. I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves fairytales, and readers who are enchanted by beautiful writing.

The quiet, the crystalline words dropped into Vasya’s mind and she saw the heavens making wheels of fire, in shapes she did not know, and a snowy plain that kissed a bitter horizon, blue on black.
The Bear and the Nightingale

After finishing The Bear and the Nightingale, I decided to pick up Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Ex Libris Fibers was doing a monthly yarn subscription called The Spectral Collection, that ties to books. The January book was Frankenstein, so I decided it was the perfect time to finally read it. I was completely enamored with the beginning of the book, the voyage to the North Pole, that he is anxious to explore an unexplored part of the world, etc. Unfortunately, though, while the book initially captured my imagination, I found it harder and harder to concentrate on it. The pages were so intensely full of thoughts and ideas that I had a hard time following it without allowing myself lengthy reading sessions. And then Covid hit. It took me seven months to read this book. I would pick it up and put it down. I would read and reread sections having forgotten what I read the last time I picked it up. And sadly, I didn’t do this book the justice it deserved. Maybe it was due to my brain being overtaxed in a pandemic, maybe it was that I wasn’t out and about with places to steal moments of reading, maybe it was that this book and the writing requires full attention. I enjoyed it very much though. It is not at all like the movie/the mainstream portrayal. It is gothic and romantic at its heart and full of the Sublime. It captured that part of me that is filled with longing for adventure, travel, art, and literature. I highly recommend it, and I also recommend the movie, Mary Shelley.

I remembered the effect that the view of the tremendous and ever-moving glacier had produced upon my mind when I first saw it. It had then filled me with a sublime ecstasy that gave wings to the soul and allowed it to soar from the obscure world to light and joy.
Frankenstein

In October, something magical happened. I’m not even sure I can explain it, but it was like the world of reading opened back up for me and from that moment on I was ensnared. For my birthday, Eric bought me a copy of Midnight Sun. I absolutely loved the Twilight series when it came out and was so sad when Stephenie Meyer’s manuscript of Midnight Sun was leaked, leading her to not publish it at the time. So, to finally have this book published and in my hands was such a surprise. As you know, I’ve been making use of my local library instead of purchasing books for awhile now, so actually buying a book was definitely special. I know a lot of people rip these books apart, but I will forever be unapologetically #TeamEdward. Midnight Sun was really good. And for the first time in what seemed like years, I found myself wanting to read every chance I got. I started reading with my breakfast, reading at lunch, and then staying up late at night to read. I loved getting Edward’s POV finally, after all these years and actually found it quite fascinating. A friend of mine said early on when this was released that this book didn’t give you any new information. I completely disagree. This book gives you not only the other side of the story – what Edward is thinking and feeling – but you also get all that goes on that Bella is not aware of.

The thing that this book did for me, though, is that not only did it rekindle my love of reading (to the point where I started reading obsessively), but it started this interesting chain reaction. When I was reading this book, one of the things that jumped out at me was that getting Edward’s POV reminded me so much of the Twilight fanfiction I read so much of back in the day. I’d gotten so acclimated to Edward’s “voice” through fanfiction that this totally captured my attention. The other thing that really jumped out at me were the references to Persephone, and how Edward sees himself as Hades, damning Bella to be bound to the underworld. Lots of references to pomegranate seeds also, which of course are associated with Persephone (thus, the cover image). So, those two things became kind of pivotal in this journey of reading.

When I finished Midnight Sun and was trying to decide what to read next, I couldn’t stop thinking about Twilight fanfiction and how good some of it was. I was feeling the need to stay in Edward’s head, so to speak. Add that to my infatuation with all things Dark Academia these days and my love of old libraries and research (thus, my love for Discovery of Witches), my next read was kind of a no brainer. I decided to dig out my old fanfic files (which I realize sounds a little like me saying I logged into MySpace), and found The University of Edward Masen by Sebastian Robichaud. For those that may not be familiar with fanfic, sometimes they take place within the universe of the original book, but sometimes they take place in what’s called an alternate universe. Where basically, you are taking these characters and putting them in a whole new setting. In UOEM, the author basically took the characters of Edward and Bella and plunked them into a universe where Edward is a university professor (not a vampire) specializing in Dante’s works and Bella is his grad student. I really loved this story when I originally read it, and I enjoyed it again reading it now. The fanfic has since been rewritten with new characters rather than those created by Stephanie Meyer, and published as a series starting with Gabriel’s Inferno under the author Sylvain Reynard. This “book” is the perfect blend of emo/angst, UST, smut, intellectual subject matter, and romance. All those things I love. I literally devoured this book – 800 pages in 7 days. What is also interesting is that this book had some mentions about Persephone and pomegranates. I might not have picked up on them had they not been such a focus in Midnight Sun. I haven’t read the published books, so obviously I can’t speak to how much of the original was retained, but I’m sure they bear a close enough resemblance that they are worth reading.

Because I was so deep into fanfic Edward, the next three books I read are probably no surprise. The most well-known series that originated out of Twilight fanfiction. I’ve previously read not only the original fanfic (Master of the Universe) but also the books themselves and talked about them in a previous post. Reading these now, I felt like they paled in comparison to University of Edward Masen. That is a much stronger story. And while I enjoyed these and basically blew through them, the whole subconscious/inner goddess thing got more and more annoying. I think it takes away from Ana’s character. You could still show the push/pull in her thoughts without that. I read these in about three days a piece. (Spoiler alert) I think that along with Ana and Christian coming to a center point sexually, they also kind of come to that center point mentally and emotionally too. Ana becomes much stronger and more sure of herself, Christian becomes much softer and more open and vulnerable. They both allow themselves to be loved and maybe start to really believe they are worth loving.

After reading Fifty Shades, I went to the opposite end of the spectrum and decided to read a ebook that Eric bought me awhile ago that I’d actually forgotten I had since I so rarely read ebooks (I read UOEM electronically, that reminded me). Still Life is the first book in a series by Louise Penny. The Inspector Gamache mysteries have been recommended to me for years, so I decided to give this first one a try. It took me a little longer to get through this, and initially I got a little overwhelmed with all the characters being introduced, so I had a hard time following who was connected to whom. I enjoyed the book though, and would definitely like to read more of this series and see how they are now that the initial groundwork has been laid.

After finishing Still Life, I decided to dive into another reread. A couple of things spurred me on to pick up the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas. First, the new book was scheduled for release in February 2021 and when they did the cover reveal, I felt my stomach drop to see that they had changed the cover style. I absolutely love the artwork on the first four books, so when I realized that they were going to be rereleasing them with new covers I knew I needed to act fast. I originally read this series from the library, but since they quickly became one of my favorite series ever, I knew I wanted to actually own the books. So, I went on a hunt for hardbacks with the original covers. The other thing that made me think about a potential reread of this series, was that while the first book is basically a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story, the second book (my favorite) is essentially the story of Persephone and her journey to the underworld. With all the signs pointing towards the story of Persephone in my reading, how could I not?

Rhysand stared at me for long enough that I faced him. “Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”
A Court of thorns and Roses

When A Court of Thorns and Roses arrived, I was happy to delve back into this world. What initially drew me to reading these books was that it was a Beauty and the Beast story and that Feyre killing a Fae results in her having to leave her home to live with a “beast”, Tamlin, in the Spring Court as a punishment for that death. Her life is basically forfeit as a consequence of taking a life. This first book in the series is so good, but reading it again knowing what you know happens in later books definitely gives you a different view on what happens with Tamlin and Feyre’s story. If you haven’t read this series, you are seriously missing out. They are in my top 3 favorite series of all time. They are that good. I read this in about six days and then spent several days drumming my fingers waiting for the next book to arrive. Strangely enough, the second book proved much harder to find in hardback with the original cover and it took me some time to locate one.

So, that’s it for the look back at what I read in 2020 and how this vital part of me, my love of reading, was given back to me. That is a gift I didn’t realize I needed, and certainly can never fully express how grateful I am for it.

On My Bookshelf: Both Ends of the Spectrum

December 3, 2017 by Michelle Leave a Comment

I promised to tell you about the books I cheated on Thea Devine with. So, after failing miserably at trying to read books I had at home rather than library books and realizing that if I don’t have a good book in my hand I’d rather not read, I went to the library. I decided, ok let’s test this theory. Am I just burned out on reading or is it the books that just aren’t that good?

So, at the library I picked up P.S. I Still Love You, The Girl on the Train, and Lola and the Boy Next Door. I figured that two of the three were sequels to others I’d read and enjoyed and Girl on the Train I’d been wanting to read forever.

First up, I decided to read P.S. I Still Love You first. It is a sequel to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, which I talked about in this post. I started this on June 14th and finished it three days later. This book helped me determine that my reading slump was book-specific. I easily zipped through this book, enjoying every page of it. It was just as good as the first one, if not better. Recommend.

After that I decided to give The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins a go. I picked this one up on June 18th. I’m probably six months behind everyone in reading this, but it was worth the wait. This book was well-written and kept me guessing right up to the end.

I was afraid this book was going to be a watered down version of Gone Girl, but it wasn’t. There is a similar feel to the story (in a “if you like Gone Girl, you’ll like Girl on the Train” kind of way), but it is a very different book. I highly recommend this one and will look forward to reading more from Ms. Hawkins. I read this one in five days, finishing it on June 23rd.

And finally, I read Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. I picked this one up on June 26th. This book is also a sequel (to Anna and the French Kiss that I reviewed here). I so enjoyed this book. While it didn’t have the benefit of being set in Paris like Anna & the French Kiss, it more than made up for it. I read this in three days because I couldn’t put it down. And strangely, aside from being a good story with excellent writing and great characters, the book gave me food for thought – how I can balance those different parts of myself that seem so incongruous, how you can live out loud in vibrant color but still feel small inside, and how the people that care about you can see past the mask and really know you.

These books spanned both ends of the spectrum – young adult romance to a suspenseful thriller. And thank goodness they also showed me that nothing stands between me and a good book, but if given a not so good book I’d rather do anything than read.

On My Bookshelf: Landlines and Lifelines

July 21, 2017 by Michelle Leave a Comment

I’m back to share more from my bookshelf with you today. When last we left our heroine, she’d put herself on the wait list for Rainbow Rowell’s Landline because she’d pulled it out of her TBR jar. And then she waited. And waited. And finally, the day came when the email arrived saying her book was ready to pick up!

I started Landline on May 9th (remember this is 2016 we’re talking about – because our heroine is behind on her blogging) and finished it on the 14th. I really enjoyed this book. Rainbow’s books are always so well-written and enjoyable. And, they are all so different. This book reminded me more of Attachments and less like Fangirl or Eleanor & Park. I love her complex but relatable characters and this storyline. Well worth a read!

After finishing up Landline it was time to pull another book from my TBR jar.

And out of the TBR jar came…one of my wildcard free slips. So, since I had checked out Feverborn (read my review of it here), I went ahead and counted that as my wildcard. Then I decided that since I was on such an awesome reading streak, maybe I should try to read some of the books I have sitting at home. So, I picked up a book that had been luring me – A Café on the Nile. I started it on 5/24. The author is a member of The Explorer’s Club, which I am fascinated by, and the book is set in Egypt. What could be better?

Well, yeah. Notsomuch. I tried. I really did. My reading slowed down to a snail’s pace. So slow in fact that I think I’d pretty much given up reading. So, after a couple of weeks I decided to give something else a try. Maybe I just wasn’t into this book?

So, I picked up another book on my bookshelf at home – Beyond Desire.

I started it on June 8th and attempted to read it for about a week. This book was supposed to take place on the Orient Express, it was supposed to be steamy, it was supposed to be good. Well, I ended up taking a break (more on that next time) and then picked this back up around the 29th of June. Finished it on July 7th.

Once I picked it back up, re-energized, I enjoyed the story and it kept my attention. I enjoyed the journey by Orient Express and eluding the followers and the search for clues about the bracelets. I think this book would have been much more enjoyable without the sex scenes. They were ridiculous, and overburdened with words like transmogrified, termagant, profligate. I also found that I occasionally had a hard time following whose thoughts and feelings she was describing because they flipped back and forth. I think Thea Devine’s writing would be better served with more attention to how the erotic scenes fit within the whole of her story.

If there’s one thing that these last two books taught me, it’s that my reading appetite is voracious, when given a good book. When given a book that isn’t doing it for me – I’d rather not read. But, I have found over the past months that reading for me is indeed a lifeline – I need it. It keeps my brain working and my creativity flowing. It keeps me well-fed.

More next time on the books I cheated on Thea Devine with.

On My Bookshelf: Burning Love

February 24, 2017 by Michelle Leave a Comment

I’m back to share my May reads from 2016 with you. My library streak continued and I was excited to pick up Burned. Feverborn had already been released, so I was itching to get through Burned and jump into Feverborn. Burned was so good! I started it on May first and finished it up on the 8th. And I was glad that I checked Feverborn out of the library to have on deck when I finished this one. Moning has a way of blowing my mind even when I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. It took me way longer to read this one than it really should have, but that’s what a busy schedule does to my booklife. I do feel like I should have gone back and reread Shadowfever before starting this one, since there was such a big gap between when I read that one and this one. Although Iced was a recent read, there were definitely things about Mac and Barrons that I was a little fuzzy on, so a refresh probably would have helped.

And I just have to share this photo from @greenletterday on Instagram. She posted up these fantastic skeins of yarn with the caption: “Some of my favorite book heroines in yarn form: Miss Lane, The Mega, and Smokin’ Jada by the lovely @houseofalamode.” When I first saw this post I thought “ok, but who’s Jada?” After reading further I left her the comment: “So…when you posted this I had no idea who Jada was. I’m currently reading Burned. So when I got to Jada, I was like ok now I know who Jada is. But a few chapters later…and now my mind is blown about Jada!!!! Now I seriously need this yarn trio.”

Well, needless to say, I could not start Feverborn fast enough.

And, as is often the case with KMM’s books, I find that she has the ability to pierce right through to the truth of things that goes beyond this story, beyond these books, and I nod my head and think “girl, I feel you.”

But seriously, I read this book (and it’s a thick one!) in about a week. Why do I have to wait so long for the next book???? Love KMM, love this series, love the characters. This book was no different from the others in that my reading of it was complete and utter engagement – they make me cry, they make me miss my own sister, they make me want to throw the book across the room, they make me gasp in surprise, they make me talk back to them (and as much as Dani annoyed me in Shadowfever, these books even have me yelling “Dude!” at them). If you haven’t read these books – go right now and read them. Seriously. If you gave up after Shadowfever and had no interest in reading Iced (that was me), suck it up and go read Iced so that you can read Burned and then this book. Seriously, go.

On My Bookshelf: Mysteries, Love, and Tasting Stars

February 20, 2017 by Michelle Leave a Comment

I’m excited to share the rest of my April reads today! So, after I finished Eleanor & Park, I went ahead and drew another slip out of my TBR jar. I think I only had two Rainbow Rowell books in there, and I pulled them both back to back?!? So, yes, Landline. I went online and checked to see if it was available at the library since I hadn’t seen it there when I went last time. Sure enough, it was checked out. So, I placed a hold on it and figured I’d just wait until it popped up. Meanwhile, I decided that maybe I should actually read something I own. So…I picked up a book I’d started (barely) and never finished. Someone recommended the Aunt Dimity books to me a thousand years ago and I went on a quest to find them at used book stores and actually think I have most of them. So, I thought this would be a quick, enjoyable read and I was not disappointed.

I read this in a little under a week. Although the book was written in 1992, it’s really rather timeless. This was the perfect cozy mystery for the rainy days we were having here – a great book to curl up with. I definitely recommend this read, and I’m definitely saving Beth’s oatmeal cookie recipe to try. Plus, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

No word on Landline yet, so I headed back to the library to pick up a couple more books. Since I seem to be reading them in about 3-5 days, I thought I was safe checking out three this time. I can’t even begin to tell you what finding the library has done for me. It’s like the library opened up this whole world for me that I’d forgotten existed. It renewed my love of reading. It awoke that voracious reader I used to be. So, I went back to the library and here’s what I got…

I started with The Fault in Our Stars. I pulled it first so that in case I didn’t like it I had two more choices. So…this book.

I had really written this book off some time ago because what I knew of the plot was not something I really felt I had the emotional energy to deal with. After losing my dad to cancer, the last thing I really was interested in doing was reading about people with cancer. Ultimately though, FOMO may have prompted me to pick it up at the library and give it a shot. I attempted to reserve judgment throughout the first third or so of the book and even posted that I wasn’t sure how I felt about the book yet.

John Green ensnared me with the language and the dialog between Hazel and Augustus. I loved the way they spoke and interacted. But, despite my best intentions to keep the characters at arm’s length and to keep my emotions firmly disengaged, I failed miserably. This book is so well-written and definitely worth the emotional investment.

“My thoughts are stars I can’t fathom into constellations.”

After being completely and utterly wrecked after reading The Fault in Our Stars, I decided that something lighter was in order. I’d heard really good things about Jenny Han’s books, so when I stumbled upon them at the library I quickly added this one to my stack. I’ve previously read a short story by Jenny Han from the book My True Love Gave to Me. I really enjoyed this book, and Han’s writing. It’s full of sweetness, teen angst, learning to venture out into the world, and the bonds of sisters. Looking forward to reading the next book.

In my next post I’ll share my May books, including Burned.