If Walls Could Talk and other Non-Fiction reviews

I'm always hesitant about reviewing non-fiction books here because many of you have commented that you don't particularly care for such books. But since I owe Bloomsbury a review of If Walls Could Talk (via NetGalley) I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you some of the other non-fiction books that I recently read and enjoyed. Hopefully, I might even tempt you to give one of them a try.



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If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley


One of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, had recently published a book in which he takes readers on a tour of his house, examining the history of each object in it. Since I love Bryson's writing style and enjoy learning interesting facts about random objects, this was a book that I was really looking forward to reading. Unfortunately the book wasn't quite what I  had expected and after a couple of chapters I set it down permanently. Shortly afterwards I came across If Walls Could Talk, which sounded a lot like what I had been hoping Bryson's book, At Home, would be like, so I decided to give it a try. This time the book didn't get put down for several days, at which point everyone around me was sick of hearing about the history of beds, how closets came to exist and how Tudor maids removed stains from clothes (with urine!). But if you are the kind of person who enjoys such facts, I'm sure you'll love this book as much as I did.


I was particularly interested in discovering the origins for many of the customs and beliefs that I had heard of but didn't know the source for. For example, while I knew that in Renaissance England it was fashionable to wear white collars and shirt cuffs I didn't know that the purpose of this was to publicize the wearer's cleanliness, at a time when bathing was out of fashion. It was fascinating to discover the way that so many of the customs and behaviors of the past shaped the way that we live today.


I was slightly disappointed that Worsley doesn't go into any depth about her research in writing the book since she mentions that she had actually tried out for herself many of the practices that she discusses here, from sleeping in a rope bed to washing laundry, Tudor style. I would really have enjoyed reading about these experiences and the conclusions she came to, so I felt a bit let down that they weren't included in the book.  Though I hadn't realized at the time that If Walls Could Talk is also a program on BBC, and I expect that Worsley discusses her experiences a bit more on that show, which I definitely intend to track down.


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Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman


I had added this book to my To Be Read list a while back because it claimed to be an account of two young women backpacking through China in 1986, shortly after the country became open to tourists. But because of the unfortunate title and the naked woman on the cover, it wasn't until I ran out of all my other reading material that I finally got around to picking it up.


I didn't really know what to expect from this book but my wary suspicions  were quickly laid to rest after being introduced to Susie and Claire, Brown University graduates preparing to backpack around the world. I enjoy reading travelogues and had never read one of China before so I looked forward to seeing how this one would proceed.


A few chapters into the book and I knew that this was not simply going to be the recollections of two women exploring a foreign country. Something was clearly going on behind the scenes, possibly something sinister. Strange comments about their traveling companions and Clair's occasional odd behavior gave me the sense that something shocking or frightening was going to be reveled at any moment, and this put me off balance for much of the book. I kept waiting for whatever it was that was going to happen to jump out of the pages at me, which got to be pretty distracting.  I guess I'm just not used to dealing with this level of tension in a travel book.


After finishing the book I realized that this story really wasn't about a trip through China but rather a coming-of-age story about two young women struggling to adjust to a setting and culture far different from anything they had ever experienced, and not always with success.


While this was not at all what I had expected, in so many different ways, and it's probably not a book I would choose to take with me if I ever visit China, it was still a compelling story that packs an emotional punch.




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The Winter of Our Disconnect by Susan Maushart


I really wish that I hadn't waited so long before telling you about this book because my memory of it has grown fuzzy over time. But I remember that I enjoyed it enough to want to tell you about it, and so I will try to do my best to relay to you what I can remember.


When Susan Maushart got fed up with having her kids constantly plugged into the Internet she announced a six-month ban on all electronic devices with a screen, in the house. From iPods to laptops, everything must go. And to make the situation even more challenging, for the first two weeks there would be no electricity in the house at all.


Needless to say, Maushart's three teenagers were less-than enthusiastic with this idea. But when they are promised some of the profit from the sales of the book that this information would go towards, two of the kids became willing participants. The third went to live with her father for a while.


I was fascinated by Maushart's account of her family's two weeks without electricity and the six months that followed without the use of electric gadgets. While at first her kids grumbled constantly eventually they began to find new activities to spend their time on to replace those hours that were previously spent on the Internet and playing computer games. They started reading books and playing games. Maushart's son picked up his neglected instrument (I can't remember which one) and began playing regularly. One of my favorite anecdotes in the book recounts how Maushart's arrived home one evening to find her son playing the piano surrounded by his friends, who were singing along.


Throughout the book Maushart shares interesting tidbits about how the Internet has effected the way that people relate and communicate with each other these days. One example I recall her making is that people are now far less-punctual because they can always call, when running late, to inform the person waiting that they will be late.


The issues that Maushart discusses here aren't ones that touch me personally (we don't even have a TV and the time my kids spend on the computer is strictly monitored) but I was still interested in reading about her experiences and the research that she shares. 

Set Books Free with Unglue.it!

Do you have a book that you love so much that you wish you could share it with everyone you know? Well soon that may be possible, with the help of Unglue.it, a new website that was launched last Thursday by Gluejar, Inc.

Unglue.it aims to help readers buy the rights from copyright holders, to produce and distribute free e-book editions of particular books. Users can suggest and vote on books that they would like to see offered for free and then a price is negotiated with the copyright holders, after which interested parties can pledge money towards that goal.


Similar to the way that Kickstarter works, those who pledge money towards a campaign will receive certain rewards like having their name listed in the acknowledgment section of the book (with a $25 pledge) or getting a one-day writing seminar with the book's author (for a $1,500 pledge).


Currently there are five different campaign going on at Unglue.it, though I'm not familiar with any of the titles on the list. Some other, more well-known titles are possible contenders as future Unglue.it books, if enough people vote for them. These include The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Ender's Game and A Brief History of Time.


Unglue.it also allows you to log into the site and add your own favorite books to the wishlist, that you would like to see "unglued." I've been racking my brain trying to think of which books I would add and I'm having more trouble with this than I would have expected. I think I would go with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Louis.


How about you guys?


Which books would you like to see added to the Unglue.it campaign, to be distributed for free, world-wide?


You can find out more about Unglue.it at their website as well as in this article by The Huffington Post.

And I finally write a review...of Firelight by Kristen Callihan

OK, I'm going to do it now. I'm writing some reviews.


Really.


Sheesh. This is a lot harder then I remember it being.


Alright, maybe if I start with one mini-review I'll get back into the swing of things.


Hmm. But which book to start with? I'm just so behind and there are so many books...


Well I owe Netgalley a bunch of reviews so that seems like a good place to begin. 


OK, here I go....

Firelight by Kristen Callihan.


I remember that I had been really eager to read this book, which seemed like a retelling of Beauty in the Beast in a Victorian setting.  It sounded like a winning combination to me, and one which I couldn't wait to try.


The heroine of this story is Miranda Ellis, a young woman with the strange ability to conjure fire.


Miranda lives with her surly, mean-spirited father who has never let her forget that their loss of fortune is all her fault. Therefore, when Miranda's father announces that he has given her over to the rich and powerful Benjamin Archer, in exchange for a loan, Miranda feels that she has little choice but to comply.


Archer has been fascinated with the beautiful Miranda for years, ever since  saving her from an attack by three street urchins. Despite the danger, Miranda had been fearless and bold, leaving Archer intrigued. It was for that reason that Archer was back in London after so many years. He was ready to claim the girl that has occupied so many of his thoughts , even though he knows that it's probably a very bad idea. Not only does Miranda not realize that the two of them had ever met but she also knows nothing about the terrible curse that has led Archer to live behind an iron mask, and Archer will do his best to make sure she never finds out.


At first Firelight seemed as if it might actually be delivering the story that I had been hoping for. The characters and events that we are introduced to in the beginning very much parallel the story of Beauty and the Beast and I was looking forward to seeing how the story would play out in this new setting.
But after a few chapters, reading the book became a struggle due to the  flowery dialogue and overwrought professions of love, which quickly began to grate on my nerves.


After moving in with Archer, Miranda finds herself falling in love with him, despite the fact that he tries to maintain his distance and never allows her to see under his mask. Miranda is also afraid to let herself relax in case Archer finds out about her secret ability. Archer, in turn, is frustrated by his feelings for Miranda which he tries to contain, knowing that he can never really be with her. But the two are still drawn together, despite their efforts to stay apart. Miranda loves him but thinks he doesn't love her. Archer loves her but has to pretend he doesn't so she doesn't try to get close... Blah, blah, blah...You get the point... And if you are like me, you will probably get a little annoyed by it all as well.


In addition to the disappointingly boring romance I also didn't understand the purpose of Miranda's ability to create fire. It didn't seem to have any real place in the story, other than giving her father a reason to resent her. A couple of times Miranda has to struggle to control her ability but I just didn't see how any of this added anything to the story as a whole. At first it helped make her character more interesting but after a while it seemed more like an extra  limb that was hanging around for no reason. 


As the story progresses it veers away from the Beauty and the Beast story-line until there is very little left two connect the two stories, which I found disappointing. The mystery behind Archer's ailment is what kept me plowing forward through the story, and eventually the excitement and surprise revelations lured me in again. 


While Firelight didn't turn out to be quite what I had been hoping for it did have its entertaining moments. And it seems to have racked up a lot of rave reviews on Goodreads so I guess there are many readers who feel quite passionate about this book. So I suppose you'll just have to decide for yourself on this one.


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Well it looks like this review did not turn out so "mini" after all. I guess I'll save the rest for another day then. And now that I got started perhaps it will be easier next time. In fact, I'm really looking forward to telling you about If Walls Could Talk, which is also from Netgalley, and while I had so much fun reading.


'til next time then!

A Life-Saving Book

I've been trying to decide on what book to get for my 11 year-old son to read next and after reading this article I think The Merchant of Death by D.J MacHale would be a good choice. After falling into a river, and being pulled towards a 10-foot waterfall, it was advice from this series that helped save the life of 13 year-old William Hickman


From The Seattle Times:

After slipping into the fast-moving river during a hike Saturday afternoon above Wallace Middle Falls, Hickman heeded the advice of the book's hero and rode feet first down a 10-foot waterfall, trying to avoid the center of the river where the current was at its strongest. But he didn't avoid all rocks, grabbing one only feet from the towering falls, a move that likely saved the Burien boy's life

A fantasy novel that saves lives? 
I'm going to make all of my kids read this one.

What I'm reading...and rereading

I know had promised you guys some reviews of the books I've read but I decided that instead I want to talk about some of the books that I'm currently reading, and rereading. If any of you have read these book I'd love to hear your thought on them (though no spoilers, since I haven't finished yet)


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The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss


I had read The Name of the Wind a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. The sequel became one of my most anticipated book and I rushed out to buy it as soon as it was available. And since then the book has been sitting on my shelf untouched. See, the problem is that even though I loved The Name of the Wind I don't really remember it very well anymore. So while I really do want to read The Wise Man's Fear I don't want to ruin the experience by spending the first few hundred pages trying to remember what happened in the last book and who all the characters are. For that reason I decided that it would definitely be in my best interest to reread The Name of the Wind.


I'm glad to say that The Name of the Wind is just as good the second time around, though there is one small thing that's been niggling at me, which I don't remember being bothered by before. And that is the face that Kvothe is just so darn perfect at pretty much everything. He is a prodigy student, he's a master musician, he excels at everything he tried his hand at and comes out on top in every altercation. His overwhelming perfectness is making him less believable to me as a character, and a little annoying as well. I'm even beginning to feel some sympathy for his evil nemesis, Ambrose Jakis. I suspect that Kvothe would probably grate on my nerves as well if I had to spend a significant amount of time with him.


I'm curious if any of you who have read The Name of the Wind were bothered by this as well.


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Black and White by Jackie Kessler


I got this book out of my elibrary without knowing anything about it, other than what the book blurb said. I don't remember ever hearing of this book or author before, but it sounded like it would be a fun read, and so far I am really enjoying it.


Here's the description:

 It's the ultimate battle of good versus good. They were best friends at an elite academy for superheroes in training, but now Callie Bradford, code name Iridium, and Joannie Greene, code name Jet, are mortal enemies. Jet is a by-the-book hero, using her Shadow power to protect the citizens of New Chicago. Iridium, with her mastery of light, runs the city’s underworld. For the past five years the two have played an elaborate, and frustrating, game of cat and mouse.

But now playtime’s over. Separately Jet and Iridium uncover clues that point to a looming evil, one that is entwined within the Academy.  As Jet works with Bruce Hunter—a normal man with an extraordinary ability to make her weak in the knees—she becomes convinced that Iridium is involved in a scheme that will level the power structure of America itself. And Iridium, teaming with the mysterious vigilante called Taser, uncovers an insidious plot that’s been a decade in the making…a plot in which Jet is key. They’re both right. And they’re both wrong. Because nothing is as simple as Black and White.

I haven't gotten too far into the book yet and I really hope I have a chance to finish it before it expires. So far the story has been switching between the POVs of Jet and Iridium, both in the present time, where Jet is trying to capture Iridium, and to the past, when the two were roommates, and best friends, at the superhero academy. I've enjoyed the way the story has played out and that the characters seem to have some depth and complexity.  I'm really looking forward to continuing with this book and seeing if it delivers.


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Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed


Ever since I read Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods I've kept my eyes out for other travelogues about people's experiences hiking. It's something that I'd love to do myself some day and for now I just enjoy reading about other people's experiences. What interested me about this book in particular is that Cheryl actually hikes the Pacific Crest Trail all on her own, without any previous backpacking experience at all. Now, if only I was brave enough to do something like that. 


But what I hadn't expected to find in this book was the whole painful backstory that led to Cheryl's decision to hit the trail on her own for three months. The death of her mother that left her devastated and broken, even four years later, the breakup of her marriage to a man that she still loved and the flirtation with heroine, which let her escape from all the pain she was feeling. I quickly discovered that this wasn't just a book about hiking and that it had very little in common with Bryson's story of hiking the Appalachian Trail. But even though I didn't realize what I was getting into when starting on Wild I quickly became invested in Cheryl's story and I'm really hoping that she comes out on the other end somewhat healed. And I'm really hoping she gets back together with that wonderful husband of hers, though I'm fighting the temptation to Google her to find out. I'll make myself wait until the end of the story.

Free Read: Glitches by Marissa Meyer

Remember when I had told you guys about that great scifi Cinderella story I had read, in which Cinderella (or Cinder) is a cyborg? Well if this sounded like the kind of book you would enjoy, or if you have already read it, then you should head over to Tor.com where Marissa Meyer, the author of Cinder, has posted a prequel to the story.

In Meyer's short story, Glitches, Cinder is brought to her new home by the man that found her, after having undergone extensive surgery. There she is introduced to her new stepmother and stepsisters, who are less then pleased at this new addition to the family. Except for Peony, who is delighted by having a new playmate with whom she could pretend to dress up for the ball, and dance with the handsome prince Kai.

“Are you ready to meet your new family?” 

She tore her gaze away from the window, where snow was heaped up on bamboo fences and a squat android was clearing a path through the slush, and looked at the man seated opposite her. Though he’d been kind to her throughout their trip, two full days of being passed between a hover, a maglev train, two passenger ships, and yet another hover, he still had a nervous smile that made her fidget. 

Plus, she kept forgetting his name. 

“I don’t remember the old family,” she said, adjusting her heavy left leg so that it didn’t stick out quite so far between their seats. 

His lips twisted awkwardly into an expression that was probably meant to be reassuring, and this ended their conversation. His attention fell down to a device he never stopped looking at, with a screen that cast a greenish glow over his face. He wasn’t a very old man, but his eyes always seemed tired and his clothes didn’t fit him right. Though he’d been clean-cut when he first came to claim her, he was now in need of a razor. 

She returned her gaze to the snow-covered street. The suburb struck her as crowded and confused. A series of short one-story shacks would be followed by a mansion with a frozen water fountain in its courtyard and red-tiled roofs. After that, a series of clustered town houses and maybe a run-down apartment complex, before more tiny shacks took over. It all looked like someone had taken every kind of residence they could think of and spilled them across a grid of roads, not caring where anything landed. 

She suspected that her new home wasn’t anything like the rolling farmland they’d left behind in Europe, but she’d been in such a foggy-brained daze at the time that she couldn’t remember much of anything before the train ride. Except that it had been snowing there, too. She was already sick of the snow and the cold. They made her bones ache where her fleshy parts were connected to her steel prosthetics.

Read the rest here

Some Cool News and Updates

So before I start making excuses as to where I've been for the past couple of months, I have some cool news to share with you.

I just found out, thanks to Aleksandra, that The Impossible Cube, by Steven Harper, includes an excerpt from my review of The Doomsday Vault, inside the book.

See for yourself! (luckily I was able to snap a shot of the page on Amazon, just in case you had your doubts)

Yes, my review is actually inside of a real, live book by a major publisher! This means that I am now a published reviewer, and the pressure to write a book of my own is off. It's all very exciting and if I had a job I would totally buy each of you a copy of the book, personally autographed by me. (OK, I'm lying. That would only happen if I won the lottery. Maybe)

And that leads us to the reason that I haven't been around lately. Unfortunately my job search has taken longer than expected and I just haven't been in the right head-space to write book reviews or blog posts. I also wanted to avoid having my frustrations leak into my posts because that wouldn't be much fun to read about. After a while I also became kind of intimidated by the idea of sitting down to write a book review, because I was so out of practice. Now that I haven't done it for a while it seems so hard. The voices in my head that usually chime in with comments while I'm reading have even started to fade away. But I think it's time to get back in the game because I've really missed blogging and chatting with you guys. Plus I have so many books to tell you about.

While I probably won't be posting as regularly as I had been before I am going to do my best to start reviewing again. I'm going to begin with a few mini-reviews so I can catch up with all of the books that  I've read over the past few months before I forget about them.

And finally (yes, this lengthy monologue is coming to an end) I'd like to thank those of you who stopped by to check up on me when I hadn't posted for a while. It was nice to know that I wasn't forgotten.

Now, all of you go out there and show your support by buying a copy of The Impossible Cube! Or at least the first page.