Review: Upstream: Selected Essays

Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"There is something you can tell people over and over, and with feeling and eloquence, and still never say it well enough for it to be more than news from abroad-people have no readiness for it, no empathy."

I fear that my own eloquence, and feeling, for Mary Oliver's words will indeed never be enough to articulate the intense pleasure and freedom I receive when reading her work. She is the poet of my heart; she writes what I cannot, spills forth my innermost thoughts in ways that I'll never be able to do. All with eloquence.

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Review: Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1

Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 by Ichigo Takano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars








Regret
Loss
Suffering
First Love
Regret
Death
Happiness
Friendship
Regret

What would you do if you were given a second chance to erase some of the biggest regrets of your life? Would you use the opportunity to right the wrongs that plague your heart today? Would you do everything you could in the Present to help ease your life and the lives of those you care about in the Future, even if you weren't completely sure your actions would lead to a better future?

I think, despite the unknown of the Future, if given the chance, most of us would.

I have been completely blown away by this beautiful, heartbreaking story. To be honest, I'm surprised with how hard I fell for these characters, with how emotionally invested I am in their lives (especially Naho, Kakeru, and Suwa), and I'm absolutely aching to read the second volume (I already have it on order). It's been a terribly long time since a story has moved me so emotionally, moved me to tears, as this one has.

On the first day of school, Sixteen-year-old Naho receives a letter from herself ten years in the future, pleading with her to take heed of her warnings and to watch over a boy, Kakeru, who will be joining her class as a new student that day. According to the letter, Kakeru will become an important part of her and her friend's lives, but his life will be cut short, and it's up to Naho of the past to keep him alive. Despite Naho's belief that the letter is simply a prank, she soon second-guesses herself as the new boy, Kakeru, enters the class and sits down right next to her, just as the letter predicted. From that point onward, Naho has two choices: to believe in the letter's prophetic abilities, and in turn to believe in her future self, or to ignore the letter entirely and leave Kakeru's fate, and her own, up to the universe.

Simple in design, but brilliant in execution, this story and its characters have truly touched my heart. This is my first manga, and oh my word am I happy that I decided to pick it up. Not only is the artwork stunning, but the story truly pulls you in and demands your attention at once. Each character is so alive, so vivid, that yes even though it helps that it's illustrated, they really do leap off the page. I greatly appreciate how well the author, Ichigo Takano, presents such dark and heavier themes as death, depression, suicide, and regret. At no point did I feel that the writing is contrived or forced, in fact it's some of the best writing that I've come across in terms of bringing to light the real issues today with mental health and youth, and the kinds of support systems and open conversations we all need to be having in order to help those who are suffering. Naho and Suwa are incredibly empathetic and sensitive characters who do an amazing job of keeping the conversation open with Kakeru, having real heart-to-hearts with the kind of depth and emotion and sensitivity that he needs. I'm especially impressed with Takano's male characters overall, as Suwa's and Kakeru's friendship is honest and emotional, shedding tears and allowing one another to be vulnerable when they need to be. It's so refreshing to see an author allow her male characters to be vulnerable, to cry, to hug, and not to hide their suffering from the world. The more we normalize the act of having conversations with each other, male and female, young and old, in times of pain, or loss, or depression, the more lives we may save. The better future we may create, for everyone.

I also absolutely love how this story brought me right back to myself, ten years ago (well more, let's be honest), to what it was like to be a teenager again and to all the goofy and silly things I used to do with my friends. First crushes, embarrassing moments being so super awkward, cramming for exams and taking gym class; I wouldn't say that I miss all of it, but it's been a while since I've looked back on high-school as fondly as I have while reading Orange. These six friends, Naho, Kakeru, Suwa, Takako, Azu and Hagita, remind me of all the best parts of being young; the close, intense friendships one forms as a teenager are like nothing you'll ever experience again. It's truly a capsule in time, and as one of the main themes of the story points out repeatedly, it's an absolute shame to look back on any point in one's life with regret.

I couldn't help but see so much of myself in Naho - she being an incredibly shy, indecisive and unself-confident young girl who constantly puts others' happiness before her own. Watching her make mistakes and not speak up, simply because of her fear of rejection or of being made fun of, was particularly painful for me, as I lived out my teenage years in exactly the same way. Her future self advises her, time and again, not to let certain moments slip by because of her fear, begging her not to follow the same path she did and warning not to live a life of regrets. Ultimately, Naho begins to change and grow as she follows the letter's (her own) advice and takes more chances in her life. It is such a sweet process to witness, and one that definitely rings true for me.

As you can see by my lengthy review, I adore this story, and obviously I highly recommend it as well. Having first released a few years ago, Orange already has a large and dedicated following of fans around the world, resulting in an anime series, a live-action movie, and a spin-off story in the works. That's just fine with me because let me tell you, I'm already halfway through watching the anime series! If you've never read manga before, give this one a go. If you have but you haven't read this yet - go out and get it!


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Review: Perfect tree shapes

Perfect tree shapes by Fran Meneses
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVE FRAN SO MUCH!!!

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system, let's try to keep the fangirling to a minimum here, Chels.

Fran is a Chilean Freelance Illustrator living in England with her husband Ed, and their two amazing cats, Hamburguesa and Cereal. She owns an Etsy shop under the name Frannerd and also makes Youtube videos/vlogs about her life as a freelance illustrator, offering tutorials on different techniques used as well as reviews of art supplies, thoughts on the industry, tips for fellow artists, as well as her own hilarious fangirling over all things to do with stationary, graphic novels, Sailor Moon, and other general awesomeness. I have been following her for a couple years now and I genuinely love her. Maybe it's creepy to say this, but I think we could be friends in real life - my boyfriend has also said he could picture us getting along so maybe I'm not so creepy after all...but I digress....

She is an inspiration, to say the least; her artwork and illustrations are brilliant and the way she truly works her hiney off in such a cut-throat industry is admirable. I'm so happy to see her finally getting the recognition she deserves and this little travel journal that she has designed, illustrated, and produced completely on her own (yes, she printed and bound each and every one of the copies sold herself), is just amazing to me.

The illustrations are incredibly cute and quirky with thoughtful detail - her signature style has an almost child-like whimsy and it comes through in each page as she takes us along with her and her friend Monse during their trip to Paris and London in 2014. Fran recounts with both honesty and humour the trials and triumphs of travelling with your best friend in cities not so familiar to either of you - everything from getting lost, to getting hangry, to getting choked-up over brilliant sunsets in a city as beautiful as Paris. In between the main story, Fran also offers helpful tips on where to go and what to see, such as museums and popular attractions, complete with cutely drawn maps, as well as delicious places to eat in each iconic city.

Overall, it reads very much like an actual journal, offering the same intimate feel as a diary as Fran also reflects here and there on her life living abroad thus far and the difficulty of missing her family and friends back in Chile. She describes the tough decisions that she and Ed have had to make in order to afford to stay in Germany (where they were living at the time of her writing) and wonders whether they had made the right decision in following their dreams to live in Europe. Each illustration that accompanies the text is so thoughtful, so sweet, and I absolutely loved getting an intimate glimpse into their lives through this little graphic travel journal.

I truly encourage you to check out her artwork, videos, and her Etsy shop, and of course this travel journal as well!

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Review: The Demon in the Wood

The Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"He didn't move. He sat and watched as her eyes went glassy, as her hand dropped away, as at last she slumped backward, her empty gaze fastened on the moon."

Oh. My. Goodness.

This story is way too short. As in, I need more Darkling right meow please.

I would definitely read an entire book dedicated to him; the Darkling is one of my favourite characters from The Grisha Trilogy, even if he is one of the baddies. He's one of those villains-we-love-to-love you know? His actions are morally inexcusable, yes, but man just by reading this prequel I've been transported right back into all the crazyness of this world and I remember (again) why this is one of my favourite series of all time (and he one of my favourite bad guys of all time). Despite its short length, we've certainly been given a lot of information about the Darkling and his upbringing, and as such we get a much more rounded picture of why the Darkling is so troubled.

We meet his mother, who is an incredibly powerful Grisha in her own right and obviously the main source for the Darkling's similar prideful and power-hungry ways in his later years. Not only that, but we get to experience a bit of what it was like for such powerful Grisha like he and his mother to actually live amongst regular people at the time - a.k.a, they don't. Always on the run, always in hiding, always fearing for their lives and having to rely on each other and their wits to survive...what an existence. Not to mention that I'd forgotten (again!) just how gory and detailed Bardugo writes her violent scenes - let me just say they had me squirming!

Definitely check out this short prequel if you at all enjoyed the Grisha Trilogy! This made me want to re-read them all over again.

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Review: The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautifully written and highly imaginative story that reads so easily I continuously lost track of time whenever I picked it up. I truly could not get this one out of my head - the characters alone are captivating, mysterious, and almost frustratingly elusive. For the book's entirety I was spell-bound not only by the unexplainable magic of Nella's cabinet-house and life-like dolls but also by the human characters and their constant presence, lurking in the passageways and shadows just beyond our reach, guarding their many secrets, indulgences, and guilty pleasures.

Heart-wrenching and sensitive, dark and mysterious, I loved getting to know the few characters throughout this story whose lives centred almost entirely around the cultivating and maintaining of each others most precious secrets. Fear of the Church, of the Burgermasters, and of themselves, I felt that Jessie Burton did a wonderful job of keeping us just beyond grasping what made these characters tick - many remained a complete mystery up to the very end.

Having lived in Amsterdam myself for almost a year at the time of reading this, it was as if I was rediscovering the city all over again through Nella's 17th-century eyes, strolling familiar streets whose existence remain today. Although drastically different now than the Amsterdam of long ago, Burton's incredible historical accuracy throughout shed so much light on the Dutch's idiosyncrasies and often times frustrating hypocrisies that I felt comforted and armed with a new knowledge of the complicated, sordid past of my new home.

My only reservations would be with how the story ended. Without giving anything away, I would have loved to come away from this story with more closure for certain characters, more answers, and more about the Miniaturist!

Although I would guess that this was exactly Burton's aim. The story began in mystery and shadow, and so it ends in mystery and shadow.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction - bonus if you love a good mystery as well as some elements of magic / fantasy.


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Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mindy Kaling has convinced me to be her best friend.

I'm ashamed to admit that back in the day when the (American) television show The Office was at its height and I called myself a fan, I was also completely unaware that Kaling had any claim to the show other than her character Kelly Kapoor. I know, I know, I'm a bit of a space-cadet sometimes and apparently failed to notice her name in the writing and producing credits the countless times that it appeared. When her new show The Mindy Project came out I decided to give it a try, having by now realized her contributions to The Office, and assumed it'd be equally gut-bustingly hilarious and witty. Alas, I was both disappointed and let down. Maybe I didn't watch enough episodes to really get into it, maybe I just didn't 'get' what the show was trying to do; either way, it was not Mindy's and my time. So Mindy and I took a break - we just 'weren't that into each other.'

Now all of that has changed. Reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?... is like reading my diary from high school. In fact the title of the book itself sums up my entire high school experience. I am more than sure that I said those exact words at least once between the ages of 14 and 18. Mindy gets it. She gets what it's like to be 16, 21, 25, and still feel like everyone is hanging out without you. But instead of playing the victim card, Mindy tells us that it's okay to be the odd one in a sea of conformists, to be the quiet one, the shy one:

"I just want ambitious teenagers to know it is totally fine to be quiet, observant kids. Besides being a delight to your parents, you will find you have plenty of time later to catch up."

MAN if I had had someone to tell me this when I was a teenager! Well to be honest I probably wouldn't have listened to them anyway being a teenager and all, but still! It's the sentiment that counts! It's kind of funny (or sad) that now, after almost 10 years since I graduated, I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that high school sucked and that is a-okay! I have noticed a bit of a trend in memoirs released by female comedians (Amy Poehler and Tina Fey to name two of my favs) in which they recount embarrassing, awkward, and yet totally relatable stories from their teenage selves. They're the kind of stories that make you laugh out loud and exclaim "that's so true!" and suddenly you don't feel so weird/crazy/alone. Mindy's own tales had me giggling and rolling my eyes as I remembered just how important high school and high school related events seemed to us all at the time, as if we were all living a version of the famous song "Jack & Diane":

"Are you kidding me? The thrill of living was high school? Come on, Mr. Cougar Mellencamp. Get a life."

Ooh Mindy, preach it girl.

The book is divided up into a number of bigger sections and then again into a bunch of smaller, cuter, sections. This worked out fine for me once I got used to it as I just didn't expect there to be so many mini-essays among the essays. At first I found the flow to be a bit jarring - we'll be reading about her fondness for Irish goodbyes one minute and then jump into a chapter about how "hooking up is confusing" the next, so yes it's a bit all over the place which did bring my own rating down a bit.

Despite the over-all jumpiness of the book, the hilarious essays often made up for it, some notable ones being "I Forget Nothing: A Sensitive Kid Looks Back," and "I Love New York And It Likes Me Okay," and "Hollywood: My Good Friend Who Is Also A Little Embarrassing." Those titles alone have some pretty amazing potential for a stand-alone.
I particularly enjoyed "Types of Women in Romantic Comedies Who Are Not Real" and "Non-Traumatic Things That Have Made Me Cry" (this last one had me fist-pumping in agreement like crazy, especially over our shared love for the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack...the tears are real people!).

Basically, I could go on and on but I have definitely already over-stayed my welcome on this one. You get it. This book is funny.

My fan-girlish and favourable review aside, I'm only giving this book 3.5 stars. Out of the whole thing, I really only loved a handful of the essays, while the rest of them fell a little flat and felt a bit forced, like she was just filling in pages with random thoughts (hilarious yes, but random).

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Review: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just under one week has passed since I finished Crown of Midnight and in the mean time I've been frantically listening to the audio book for Heir of Fire in preparation for the release of Queen of Shadows. Although my initial reaction of shock and excitement to COM has slightly subsided, I'm still quite heavily invested in the characters and the story and stand by my rating of 5 stars.

Here's why:

Sarah J. Maas has completely changed my mind not only about her ability as a writer and story-teller, but also of the quality and necessity of the story being told. Now, I say "necessity" because just one book prior, Throne of Glass, I was completely unconvinced and quite annoyed that yet another author was writing a supposed "fantasy" or even "high fantasy" that feels so much like yet another angsty love story merely disguised as fantasy - to me, there was more jealousy and love triangles than actual world-building, magic and lore, not to mention a lack of character development. I had enjoyed it enough to give TOG 3 stars, but had little hope for the following books.

It took months for me to finally pick up Crown of Midnight, I just hadn't cared enough for the characters to find out what happened next. But with the release of the fourth book approaching and everyone's excited banter I decided to give the series another shot.

I was blown away.

It starts off slow, building steadily, as piece after piece of information about the pasts and carefully guarded secrets of the characters are revealed. Motives are discussed and explored, the plot becomes more and more tangled and hard to predict. Throughout I felt a growing dread and tension as we learn just what is at stake for everyone should the King of Adarlan succeed. I grew to love and respect Celaena, to cheer and root for Chaol, and to fear for and worry over Dorian and Nehemia.

All of the missing pieces from TOG--the lack of a developed world and magic and the backstories to many of the main characters--were presented with such detail and care in COM, much to my relief. It's not like I enjoy giving books less-than favorable ratings nor did I want to knock Maas's writing before - I genuinely want to enjoy each book I read and try to find the good in everything. So, not surprisingly with all the hype surrounding TOG I was definitely disappointed. There was potential, for sure, but little else to hold my interest.

I could not be happier to say that Crown of Midnight is an excellent book. It took me on a wild ride through darkened tunnels and dungeons where monsters lurk, through to the highest ecstasies of love and passion, and down again into the depths of utter despair of loss. Magic explodes off the pages, friendships are cemented and then broken. Each chapter is built upon the next and an entire world is opened up before us.

I am thrilled that Maas has changed my mind and stolen my heart for this series. In one book she managed to convince me that her writing is worth 5 stars instead of 3. It is beautifully and lovingly written, the detail thoughtful and the characters so wonderfully real. This is also what I mean when I say above that this story is a "necessity" because that is how this story feels to me, like it is necessary. The story truly leaps off the page and demands to be both written and read. I adore this world and these characters and I will definitely be finishing this series.
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Review: Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm lowering my initial rating of 4.5-4.75 down to a solid 4. This means that I still loved Heir of Fire but not in a blew-me-away-amazing-new-favourite kind of way.

Like many, Crown of Midnight had me on the edge of my seat from page one. I dove straight into Heir of Fire after finishing COM with the expectation that this fast-paced, action-packed fantasy would only get better. And in some ways it does. In others, I found it lacking.

Sarah J. Maas truly outdoes herself with the quality of her writing in this third book. Compared to Throne of Glass and even COM, she has certainly come into her own style and has definitely honed her craft to feature her strongest abilities, ie. a beautiful descriptive prose throughout coupled with authentic, strong voices for her most fleshed-out characters. That being said, with the addition of multiple POV's and the introduction of a number of new characters, at times it feels that some previous characters suffer at the hands of the newer ones.

For example Dorian, with whom I've never really connected (sorry ladies), could have benefited from a better story-line considering he has his own POV. Sure he gets to run around with Sorscha and we see him struggle a little here and there with his power (both literally and figuratively), yet there is a decided lack of a character-arc or growth. He's still the same Dorian, kind of lazy, kind of wishy-washy, cannot stand up for himself or to his father, refuses to accept who he is, seeks comfort in others and ignores taking action--you get the picture. Yes he's always been flawed and that's okay if it adds to the story or if he eventually has some kind of character growth, but I feel that Dorian's POV almost feels non-essential to the plot - as if Chaol or someone else could have shown us what was happening with Dorian through their eyes and it would have had the same effect on the story overall. I expected more from Dorian and so I am left disappointed.
[[I felt the same with Sorscha, whose character and POV does not add to or aid the plot except to play as an anchor or crutch for more of Dorian's suffering]].

Another character who suffers in my mind is Chaol. I've liked him from book one and have always felt that his loyalty and objective way of viewing the world has played well against Celaena's own wild and blood-rimmed, often brash, way of viewing the same. As a team, they're great--he helps her keep her head on straight and her feet solidly on the ground, while she in turn instills a sense of urgency and stirs the much-needed rebellious spirit in him to take action. Yet when they are apart, these two sort of fall...apart. I'm not sure if it was Maas' intention to have so fundamentally changed Chaol from who he is in the previous two books to now. I feel that Chaol really loses his balance in this book and becomes totally flat as character...perhaps because of Celaena's absence or perhaps not. When he is finally the most helpful it takes up all of a few pages throughout the whole book and always comes too late and when the stakes are already too high. His POV bothers me to no end and again, maybe that is intentional, but if it is I want to know for what purpose.

Where Maas' writing does shine is with Celaena. She goes through an amazing transformation that leaves me feeling so proud and so hopeful for the future of Erilea. Without giving too much away, Celaena falls and falls into the depths of despair, self-hate and guilt only to build herself back up again as the woman she truly is meant to be, with all of the power and bad-ass reputation that has always been a part of her. She is an inspirational character, to say the least, and with the help of new character Rowan (a fierce and unrelentingly stoic warrior fae-prince), she goes through the much needed and much appreciated character-arc to end all character-arcs. I loved, loved, loved her chapters the most of any in this book. Maas has done an incredible job of creating this beautiful, strong, deeply sympathetic character who is so redeemable and full of life. I'm happy to say that I have completely changed my mind from book one as far as Celaena is concerned.

Watching Celaena and Rowan's unlikely friendship grow from rocky to rock-solid filled my heart. He is exactly the kind of man Celaena needs in her life when she can no longer rely on Chaol, Dorian, or even herself. He's a jerk, for sure, but then again so is she at times, and the two play off of each other like fire and ice, forcing one another to come to terms with their disturbing, dark pasts before then encouraging each other to look to their futures straight on. He is by far the best 'love-interest' for her to date and I look forward to getting to know him better. He doesn't try to stifle Celaena, to change her or cage her, and he isn't afraid of her. He is the only one capable and willing to force her into the darkest corners of herself and push her enough so that she is faced with every terrible deed she has ever done, and in turn he is the only one who teaches her to forgive herself. He helps her grow immensely and I seriously love these two.

I will quickly add that Manon's POV was interesting and I actually did enjoy having another completely unrelated view of the game plan - especially the POV of one of the 'baddies' so to speak. Despite her evil witchiness I still like her and I'm pretty sure I'll continue to like her into the next books.

For some people the length of Heir of Fire is bothersome and I have to say that I agree. In general I never shy away from thick books, but considering what I've said above about the non-essential POV's and the fact that there is a lot of descriptive prose and it is much, much slower paced overall...I do think that this book could have been shaved down by at least a hundred pages or more. Like I've said before, if there is a real point to all the writing and it's not just for show or filler or for the author's desire to exercise their own creative license to the detriment of the plot etc. than there's probably no real need for such length. It does feel like a 'middle' book, a stepping stone to the next and the next, and that isn't necessarily a good thing.

Just looking at the size of book four I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that from here on out we should probably expect fairly dense books to finish off the series.

Overall though, a wonderful story and I do plan on reading the next!


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Review: Un Peu de Paris

Un peu de Paris by Jean-Jacques Sempé
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely adore this collection of cartoons by one of my favourite authors/cartoonists, Sempé.

Although I have read this folio a number of times, each time I open it again I cannot help but smile in wonder at each new detail I find within these illustrations. Sempé perfectly captures the essence of Paris in these playful yet poignant drawings of everyday life, often with true Sempé-esque satirical humour. Anyone who has ever traveled to the French capital will both love and long for quaint café terraces, markets, baguettes, and the ever-beautiful Eiffel Tower.

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Review: Soppy: A Love Story

Soppy: A Love Story by Philippa Rice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the cutest, loveliest little book! I picked it up yesterday and raced through it in one sitting. Then I re-read it to get a better look at all the adorable pictures and catch things I had missed the first time. This is one of those books that you can go back to every once in a while, read a couple pages, laugh, and then put it down again until the next time you need a little pick-me-up.

It reminded me so much of my own relationship with my boyfriend. Honestly some of the conversations they had were almost word for word!! (Especially the blanket snuggling!) I love this piece of art, because that's really what it is - a beautiful testimony to the small but meaningful parts of relationships that make up the whole, lovey-dovey picture.


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Review: Yes Please

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If I could I would give this book 10 stars. I seriously, truly, madly, deeply, loved reading every bit of it. I am already a huge fan of Amy's, so call me biased, but I still think anyone who has a smidgen of a sense of humour will enjoy this book. She surprised me with her writing and story-telling ability, not that I don't think she can tell a good story,(because she seriously can, she was born to tell stories) but that it really felt as though she poured her heart and soul into the pages of it...she is truthful, open, unashamed, and completely real. She made me laugh out loud countless times, but she also brought tears to my eyes and warmed my heart during the more serious and difficult-to-write-about topics (because there are some serious topics in there! It's not all fun and games folks!).

If it were at all possible (and it is) I actually love her more as an artist and a human being after reading her book. When it says on the back of her book that "in a perfect world we'd get to hang out with Amy Poehler," I wholeheartedly agree...we could be best friends...for real...just saying. Okay I will stop. Just go read it. NOW.


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Review: Uprooted

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Will you come into the Wood with me?"

If I could go back in time and read this book again like it was the first time, I would, simply because it is that good. Uprooted will be the book that I recommend to everyone who loves fantasy, hell to everyone in general, for the rest of the year. Hands down favourite book I've read in a long, long time.

"There should have been endless birds singing in those branches, and small animals gathering fruits. Instead there was a deep strange stillness. The river sang on quietly, but nothing else moved here; nothing else lived."

Oh me, oh my. The Dragon. Agnieszka. Kasia. Marek. The Wood. Magic. Folklore. Blood. Beasts. Love. Loss. The Summoning.

I'm not sure what I could say to really do this beautifully written story justice and entice you to read it, certainly not without sounding quite incoherent and over the top...but this story makes me feel over the top! It has swept me up into a tizzy and hasn't let me go. You could say that the Wood has left me a little corrupted and enchanted (ha ha! bad joke).

Ahh but in all seriousness, Uprooted is a truly special story. Even as I look back through the pages while I write this, re-reading my favourite passages, I am once again enchanted by Novik's way with words and her power as a weaver of tales that feel at once familiar and comfortable, like I've always known these characters as my own kin and the Wood as something to fear.

"I wanted to rub handprints through his dust."

Everything within this story unfolds slowly and organically, a running theme throughout that ties our own emerging understanding of the dangerous Wood and magic and the mysterious Dragon to that of Agnieszka's. There was not one moment where I thought something could have been any better - well, maybe a tad more romance - which surprised even me as I am usually not the one to say "more romance please!" That said, I thought that the relationship between the Dragon and Agnieszka was perfection - a slow building up, like an ember in a fire, long-burning underneath the story while we're carried away to far lands and castles and creatures that do much more than bump in the night.

This is not your average fantasy. Nor is it your average love story. It's a bit of both, but it's also a journey of self-discovery, a collection of folktales and songs, of murmurings and spells, pain and death, and ultimately of sacrifice.

I adored every minute of it.

Originally posted at A Bookish Occasion

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Review: The Year of Living Danishly

The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"'Hvor hedder du?' A skinny woman with too-long hair barks at us.
'Oh, hi! Sorry, we're here for the beginner's Danish class?'
'Hvor hedder du?!' She's insistent now.
'Sorry, we haven't started learning Danish yet, I just wanted to check - are we in the right room?'
'HVOR HEDDER DU?!' the strange woman is now screaming at us.
'I'm sorry,' I bleat feebly, 'I don't know what that means ... is it ... Danish?' Well done, genius "

What a fun book! Truly! I had such a great time romping around the Danish countryside with Helen Russell, learning alongside her all the quirks and idiosyncrasies of the Danes, that I'm actually quite sad to say goodbye to "Sticksville-on-Sea," snegels, Lego Man, The Mr Beards and Friendly Neighbour, The Viking, and all the snuggly, hygge descriptions of wintertime in Denmark.

Written in my favourite hysterical, self-deprecating style of the British as part-travel memoir, part-cultural investigation, Russell and her husband, affectionately known as "Lego Man" trade rainy and smoggy London, England for the wild and majestic landscape of Denmark. Having acquired a job placement with none other than Lego (hence the name), Russell's husband, already a "Scando-phile" convinces her that a year abroad would not only be a welcome change of pace to their busy and hectic lives in London, but that it may even be fun! (Shock!). As an already established journalist/editor for publications like Marie Claire, Russell decides to use her year abroad to dive head-first into uncovering what exactly makes Denmark and its people the so-called "Happiest Country on Earth." Hilariousness ensues as Russell learns the in's and out's of uprooting one's entire life to a brand new country while committing numerous cultural faux pas' along the way.

Having myself recently returned from living abroad in Amsterdam this past year, this book could not have come at a better time in my life! (Well, it might have been more fun to read DURING my year abroad, so I wouldn't have felt so crazy and like SUCH a foreigner, but I digress). Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly if you know a thing or two about Northern European cultures, I found that Russell's descriptions and anecdotes about the Danish to be near exact to how I perceived the Dutch, despite the fact that the Netherlands is not even technically Scandinavian. For example, until my Dutch was more proficient (and even then, let's be honest, I still sound like a two-year-old), I had on many occasions the exact conversation as Russell has above, complete with shouting (on the Dutch person's part) and bleating apologetically (on my part) for not speaking their language properly, be it in a bakery, a grocer, the bank, a government building, etc etc.

Of course I couldn't help but compare Denmark's near-Utopic society to ours back in Canada. Even though I am both fortunate and grateful to be a Canadian citizen, me oh my could we learn a few things from the Danish! I wouldn't say I was exactly a "Scando-phile" before reading this book, maybe more of an appreciator of their minimalist design and free society, but I'm a happy convert as of finishing it and I'm now plotting my next adventure across the Atlantic!

I'd recommend this fascinating, hilariously written memoir to anyone who has ever packed up their lives, said goodbye to loved ones, and moved abroad. Heck, I'd recommend it to anyone who is even thinking of doing so! Not only is this book informative and chalk-full of interesting interviews from Danes of all walks of life giving their own accounts of Danish living, but Russell's writing-style is incredibly relatable AND entertaining to boot. She is genuinely funny, (I'd love to meet her), and her experiences as she learns her way around Danish society are as cringe-worthy as they are heart-warming.

For lists-making sake, here are a few of the craziest, interesting, and/or surprising things I learned about Denmark:
1. They have rules as to when, why, which ones and how flags are to be flown in Denmark - the rules are long and convoluted but basically don't try to fly any flag other the the Danish, and if you do fly it, keep it between 7am and 10pm (8am on Sundays), how generous!
2. They regularly hold public autopsies of zoo animals if and when an animal has died. Children learn from a young age that death is a part of life, and by getting a chance to watch the zoologists do their thing, future scientists, biologists, zoologists and the like get to see the inner workings of animals.
3. Hygge is a completely Danish thing. It can be used as a verb, an adjective, even a noun if you feel like it. Basically it means the overall cozy, pleasant, and happy feeling one gets when surrounded by good people, in a comfortable setting, with all the right trimmings like candles and tea and soothing music and maybe even a roaring fire. There is no equivalent word in English, a fact of which Danes (and the Dutch as I found out!) are very proud.
4. New fathers are entitled to and must take paternity leave! GET OUT. That's so cool.
5. Denmark is not only known to be the happiest country in the world, but also the most trusting. They have the least corrupt government and are known for their short working-weeks (normally 32-34 hours), free medical, amazing social programs, plus FREE SCHOOL! (Yes also high taxes, but come on, look at the benefit! They're the happiest country on EARTH!).
6. It is custom to leave a wooden stork outside the house of a family with a newborn baby - one of the reasons is to apparently let the postperson and any other visitors know that there is a possibly sleeping baby inside!
7. Another baby-related fact: new mother and fathers regularly leave their newborns in their prams OUTSIDE of cafes and restaurants because they believe the cold is 'good for their lungs.' (I saw this in Iceland too). They're so trusting of each other that baby-stealing doesn't even cross their minds. And it never happens.

Now for some delicious snegels!

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Review: Why Not Me?

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"If my childhood, teens, and twenties were about wanting people to like me, now I want people to know me. So, this is a start."

Mindy! Oh sweet, hilarious Mindy.

I thoroughly enjoyed her second book. It takes off strong from the first page and definitely kept me laughing and highlighting passages of golden nuggets of wisdom for its entirety. She has this incredible gift for storytelling, which I know I've said before, but it's so true! Not only is she great at captivating her audience with her insane humour, but she continues to hold our attention because what she has to say about life is just so spot on.

"...I knew the truth, which is if someone really wants to see you, they always find a way. Always. That hurt my heart, but I realized, unlike in past relationships when I was younger, it didn't need to be dramatic."

Mindy published her first book 3 years ago, so she's had a few more years to reflect on her busy life in Hollywood and to feel more comfortable as an adult in the working world. In her last book, it's quite apparent that she was still going through some growth not only in her career but with herself as well. I read in a couple other reviews that between her two books, she seems much more at ease with herself in this one, more unapologetically "Mindy" than before. I have to agree. She is obviously at a good place in her life right now, comfortable in her career and finally ready to ask "why not me?" instead of worrying about what everyone else thinks of her and whether or not she's a capable comedic writer, which she clearly is. Her maturity and self confidence not only reflects in how she speaks about herself but in how she speaks about her relationships with people in her life. I feel like I related to her quite a bit in her first book, but I relate to her even more in this one. She's still Mindy, but better.
Mindy '2 point 0' (The Office, anyone?)

A few of my favourite chapters are:
"Things to Bring to My Dinner Party"
"Player"
"I Love Sex Scenes!"
"A Day in the Life of Mindy Kaling"
"One of the President's Men"
"Soup Snakes"
"A Perfect Courtship in My Alternate Life" [Can this be a real story please?!]
"Why Not Me?"

So, if those hilarious and mysterious chapter titles intrigue you at all, and you have a sense of humour, and you like Mindy Kaling (hey, even if you don't!)...read this book!

"'Soul mates' is what you aim for, but soup snakes is what you get sometimes."

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Review: The Nightingale

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Men tell stories," I say. It is the truest, simplest answer to his question. "Women get on with it. For us it was a shadow war. There were no parades for us when it was over, no medals or mentions in history books. We did what we had to during the war, and when it was over, we picked up the pieces and started our lives over."

If I could give this story 6 out of 5 stars I would. I am so overwhelmed with how deeply this story touched me - it haunted my dreams at night, I thought about it all day. It both sickened and saddened me, fascinated and terrified me. We've all heard the stories, we have listened to the real-life accounts of survivors, learned about the major battles in school and the horrifying statistics and figures that came out after WWII ended, and to this day, we still remember. Yet this isn't merely a story about the war as a whole, but rather it is about the war as endured, fought, and survived by the women. This is their story. This is their battle. And this is their victory.

I am not at all new to the subject-matter in this book, yet this story, written so beautifully, so delicately, brings everything I ever learned about the war to a whole new level. Kristin Hannah is a remarkable story-teller; she pens the most beautiful sentences that evoke such emotion and sensation within you. The detail is fantastic, her research is incredible - so much so that my own morbid curiosity was satiated time and again through her intricate weaving of fact and fiction.

A dark, emotional, and powerful story lies within these pages. I cried - I never cry while reading, honestly - but I did, big tears, because of how emotionally charged that ending is after feeling like I myself had gone through Hell and back with the Rossignol sisters. I know their stories in this are fictional, but the fact is that...these things really happened, there is truth in everything that the Rossignol sisters endured and achieved and lost during the war. I feel ignorant that I hadn't really known just how bad it became for the occupied countries, for France - I assumed it was terrible, but not anywhere near as terrible as what I just read. And that is always the mistake, assuming. To know that similar atrocities endure today, all around the world, is sickening.

I smile at them...Because of them, I know now what matters, and it is not what I have lost. It is my memories. Wounds heal. Love lasts. We remain.

I cannot do this story or these these characters the justice they deserve. I cannot say that, if I were ever in a similar situation, I would have had a similar strength to endure and to carry on. But they inspire me, the whole cast of them, those real and those fictional, and will continue to do so forever after.


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Review: Ruin and Rising (The Grisha, #3)

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So I didn't expect that I would be writing a review 2 WEEKS after finishing this book. I have been seriously avoiding writing this because I honestly couldn't get my thoughts together and I also felt overwhelmed by how much I loved the trilogy as a whole! It's been a while, a long sad while, since I read a YA Fantasy as well-written and thoroughly enjoyable as The Grisha Trilogy. I needed time to process!

I fell in love with this world immediately. Just as I wrote in my review of the first book, Shadow and Bone, the intricacies and details of the Grisha world took me by surprise and pulled me in from the first page. The third book is no different, and I found that I was able to jump right back into the world without any confusion even after having read a couple of different books in between. The world is that solid, what with all of the culture, folklore, songs, maps (love those maps!), historical wars and even recipes, I really felt like I could fully immerse myself into the story.

The writing is, again, amazing. What a roller-coaster. Bardugo stole my heart so many times with these characters and their struggles which are truly life-altering and complicated, right to the last chapter! Having already fell for each character through the previous two books, I really appreciate the fact that Bardugo continues to cultivate the relationships - friendships and romances - between the core group. We see all of these main characters developing and growing into their own, creating a wonderful, family-like dynamic with each other, solidified by the knowledge that any of them would die for the other. We still see the same undying loyalty in characters like Mal and the same free-spirited joie de vivre in characters like Nikolai, yet they become entangled with and scorned by the Darkling and they are never quite the same again.

Although I felt for all of the characters, I especially felt for Alina. We see some pretty amazing character development in her which is wonderful to witness. She is fighting for her life when we leave her in Siege and Storm - but boy does that woman ever have some fight in her! Alina is such a fierce, courageous character and I loved, loved, loved seeing her come into her own! She seriously takes charge and grows not only into her powers as a Grisha but also in her confidence in herself as a leader. Although she falters here and there as far as the Darkling goes (who wouldn't, me oh my), she is so much stronger as a person and as a fighter and makes some pretty interesting decisions that she wouldn't have otherwise made before!

One of the things I love about this trilogy as a whole is how skilled Bardugo is at keeping us on our toes. The suspense is real and I really struggled to get through some parts of this book because, damn, I couldn't handle the damage if things went wrong! I'd be reading along, happily compliant and on board with their plans to take down the Darkling or find that dang Firebird, and yet just when I thought I had it all figured out things changed, characters died, things blew up - what a mess they got themselves into! The fact that Bardugo doesn't keep certain characters alive just because the reader has come to love them is something I actually appreciate in an author. The deaths (and there are deaths!!) are realistic and although they hurt to read, it really gives the story that much more depth and validity.

The final few chapters broke my heart, but I won't say whether this was in a good or bad way. Let's just say that the trilogy ends as it should and leave it for you to see for yourself. I reread the final pages a few times, relishing in the beauty of the words, the scene, the finality of it all. I will truly miss these characters.

I guess you could say that I love this trilogy to death and of course I highly recommend it! I am still experiencing a book hangover from it and I know that this trilogy will stay with me for quite a while.

Happy Reading!
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Review: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Just wow. I read this book within one sitting. ONE SITTING. I honestly cannot remember the last time I sat down and read an entire book in one night. Probably not since I finished The Infernal Devices over a year ago.

I was drawn into this world from the beginning with the chapter entitled Before, which is written fittingly 'before' chapter 1. Written in the third person, Before immediately draws in the reader with its mysterious ghosts, monsters and powerful people in flowing keftas. We meet two orphan children, Mal and Alina, (who in the following chapters we read about through Alina's adult eyes), and they are described in all of their childhood innocence and wonderment, their friendship solidified through a kindred bond of loneliness and a lack of family. This first look into the childhood of Alina and Mal is important for us as a reader - their bond runs deep and I'm glad that Bardugo chose to add these passages because when it finally comes for Alina and Mal to make difficult, life-altering decisions (and there are difficult decisions a-plenty throughout this series!!) we really understand how hard it is for either one to leave the other behind.

As I mentioned, the rest of the story is told through Alina's eyes, which I enjoyed because I love getting into the deep, internal struggles of main characters. It just adds a certain oomph to my own internal struggle as I watch them, inevitably, crash and burn and (hopefully) rise back up!

The world that Bardugo has created is amazing, stunning, enchanting, frightening, mysterious...need I go on? In the past I have read so many books that all share similar worlds and types of magic with each other, so much so that I have become a bit bored with the conventional 'girl discovers her power, has to learn her power, now has too much power, becomes changed by her power' cliché that unless it's done well ... I'm not going to stick around. Shadow and Bone is unlike all these other stories in that you really and truly become invested in and conflicted over who to root for and trust! The magic and the world-building is so intricate, so detailed. You can feel the history of this world through the folk-tales, imagery, mythology, and real-world parallels that tie the country of Ravka to what I believe is supposed to be imperial Russia. Bardugo incorporates aspects of Russia's history, specifically early 18th-19th century, into her own story, including the use of the Russian language. It all adds for a richly beautiful story that treads the line of believability.

The characters are as mysterious as the Grisha power that flows through them, especially the Darkling, our 'villain', and time and again I was catching myself thinking "maybe the Darkling is good, maybe he's bad, nope he's okay, nope wait, he's bad...or?....". Without giving away any spoilers, lets just say that by the time you get to Siege and Storm you should probably have the Darkling all figured out. I mean, he is called the Darkling. Not that he isn't totally swoon-worthy in all of his bad-assery....mmmm yes. He's typically complex, but don't let that fool you because he definitely has an agenda.

Other noteworthy characters include Genya, who is a beautiful ray of sunshine. I love her outlook on life - she may be a servant and she may have had to deal with a lot of disgusting favours for the royal court, but she doesn't let any of that break her spirit and becomes a true friend to Alina. Well, I say friend but again, because of spoilers, I can't really say what I want to say.... so yes she's a friend for all intents and purposes! She's definitely what Alina needs during her time of transition from a nobody to a somebody with immense power.

Now Mal. Mal is wonderful. Wonderful. I have to say that at first I really couldn't understand what Alina saw in him romantically and I guess that's partly because we don't really get to know Mal very well until the latter half of the book. He's just this great guy, handsome, witty, and apparently everyone loves him and he can light up a room with his smile. All great qualities in a man, yes. Yet as I said I found that he didn't really shine for me until the story took a turn and we are suddenly up close and personal with just him and Alina. (Again, spoilers..it's so hard to write about what I want to say without saying it!). Anyway just trust me when I say that he's a good guy, through and through.

I truly, whole-heartedly recommend this book to everyone and anyone who loves fantasy, intricate world-building, mystery and yes, swoony boys. This is an action-packed beginning to an awesome series!

Happy Reading!

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Review: Six of Crows

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ooooooooh my I should not have waited so long to put my thoughts down about this book! But I HAVE had more than enough time to go back through it, think it over, and really let both the story and the characters sink in...because that's how I feel this story demands to be read.

For me, the story started off slowly, with layer upon layer of mystery right from the very first chapter. I kept asking myself, "Who are these people? Where do they come from? What's their backstory?" - and although this bothered me at first (I like to know everything about everything, especially in terms of character motives), I grew to understand that, obviously, Leigh Bardugo was merely exercising her masterful story-telling skills, weaving truth and lie and motive with plot as veiled and smooth as Ketterdam's fog:

"...the Ketterdam weather was not cooperating. There'd been no breeze off the harbor that day, and a gray milk fog had wreathed the city's canals and crooked alleys in damp. Even here among the mansions of the Geldstraat, the air hung thick with the smell of fish and bilge water, and smoke from the refineries on the city's outer islands had smeared the night sky in a briny haze. The full moon looked less like a jewel than a yellowy blister in need of lancing."

Having myself just spent a year living and working in Amsterdam, I absolutely love the setting of this story! (Yes, I'm biased!). Although all of the places in the story are obviously fictional, just like in her previous works Bardugo has obviously done her research and knows her way around this famous city - the spelling of names and street names, The Barrel and West Stave (real life: Red Light District), the Harbour, the Exchange, the canals and the tall, crooked houses, even the way she describes the people and what they eat and the smells of the city, it all hit close to home for me and I enjoyed it immensely.

Obviously in saying all of that I cannot help but gush over Bardugo's absolutely beautiful descriptive prose. She nails it, every damn time, which I adored about her writing in The Grisha Trilogy and was thankful to see again here. I have to admit that I was definitely skeptical going into Six of Crows because I love, love, love her previous works, but lo and behold she knocks it right out of the park yet again.

The multiple POV's are the one thing that could have really messed up all these positive vibes but they honestly didn't even phase me. I felt that Bardugo kept an excellent hold on all of her character's motives and inner-thoughts, never jarring us from one mind to the next and always leaving off one character's chapter with some sort of mini-cliff-hanger to keep me reading onward.

"Brick by brick," he muttered to himself. They were the only words that kept his rage in check, that prevented him from striding through the Emerald's garish gold-and-green doors, demanding a private audience with Rollins, and slitting his throat."

I LOVE KAZ. He is a despicable, blood-thirsty thief with an incredibly tragic backstory, and yet despite his nastiness you bet your buns I love that guy. He's perfectly flawed, hopelessly in love, and probably a little coo coo for cocoa puffs, but he has an inner strength that is admirable and no one can deny this from him. There are multiple layers to Kaz, each one more complicated than the next to keep you on your toes.

"You're about to be rich, Kaz. What will you do when there's no more blood to shed or vengeance to take?"
"There's always more."
"More money, more mayhem, more scores to settle. Was there never another dream?"

My love for Inej grew steadily throughout the book and was solidified by the end. She is such a strong, amazing female character, from her Suli proverbs and 'spidery' ways of moving about the city, to her fierce love for her family and country from which she was taken. Inej and Kaz's relationship is complicated, and more often than not we see her act as almost a 'spider' within his ear, a whispering voice of reason and rationality, ever-questioning his motives and morale (to which he laughs and brushes off).

I could go on and on, trust me. Not only Kaz and Inej but the whole cast of main characters are as richly developed and complex in personality as one could ever hope. Nina is another incredibly fierce female character and I admire her resourcefulness and steady heart.

I haven't even mentioned the plot! Well all you need to know is that it is a slow-burning kind of plot. There is a lot of planning, and talking about said plans, as we're dealing with the most dangerous heist attempted into a famously impenetrable prison. Though once the action gets going, you better hold on. The heist is fascinating, the details are mind-boggling; how Bardugo could keep it all straight is beyond me, but my oh my it turned out brilliant and I loved it to the end!

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