Review: I Was Here

I Was Here by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After having a few days to let this story sink in, I'm sticking with my original rating of 4. I think I was feeling a little emotionally vulnerable when I first finished it which likely clouded my judgement.

The truth is that I usually stay away from books with such a heavy subject matter - it's not that I'm afraid to read a book about depression, suicide and grief, I just have a pretty good hunch that it's a tricky subject to write about and so I'd rather not chance it by reading a book that deals with it poorly...if that makes any sense. These subjects are dear to my heart and I want to know I'm reading from an author whom I can trust. Anyway I had heard so many great things about Gayle Forman's other books that I decided to give her a try, so this is my first time reading her work.

For me, one of the strengths of this book lies in how well Forman portrays the overwhelming, bottomless grief that comes with losing someone so close to you - especially when it is a young life cut short. I could feel Cody's grief coming off the page, feel her frustration and confusion, her desire to understand her best friend Meg's decision to end her life and in turn her obsession to uncover the truth, any truth, to why she chose suicide.

With each new frightening realization about Meg, whom Cody thought she had known like a sister, she goes through some extremely disturbing and terrifying moments herself, visiting places in the darkest parts of her mind that have her question her own existence and sanity. I loved that Forman went there with Cody, that she has her go through these moments of asking oneself 'what is the point to anything, to life?' and that she allowed Cody to explore those questions that we all, at some point, have asked ourselves. It's such an honest, vulnerable process that we witness Cody going through as she grieves not only Meg but also the person who Cody believed she was, and I really, really enjoyed the sensitivity that went into creating these characters.

The romance involving Cody and Ben did not bother me as much as it seems to have bothered some others. I was a little disappointed when Ben was introduced and right away Cody notices his crazy blues eyes and pretty face - of course I knew that a romance was to ensue but honestly I felt that their relationship developed slowly and realistically enough that I wasn't totally turned off. Despite the road trip that they take together and everything else that happens, I felt that their relationship took more of a back-seat to the bigger picture of what was going on in the book. Their romance felt like more of a tool through which to help both Cody and Ben grieve and heal together, as these things do happen in real life, so again, not such an unrealistic aspect of the story for me.

Overall this was exactly the kind of emotional, sensitive contemporary that I was looking for when I picked it up. I am a convert of Gayle Forman and I'll definitely be checking out other books by her in the near future.


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Review: Never Never

Never Never: Part Two by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a bit of a difficult "book" to review as it's really only one part of a whole. If I were to try and review this as a standalone book then I'd say that it has done it's job of keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout! Silas' anxiety leaps off the page as he desperately searches for answers to his and Charlie's recurrent memory loss, not to mention his search for Charlie herself before their memories are erased in 48 hours. Each new clue he uncovers only leads to more questions - questions that continue to mount faster than they can be answered in the short amount of time he has, all adding to an overwhelming atmosphere rife with suspense and dread as time ticks down to that final minute, those final seconds...until I read the line "to be continued."

If I were to compare the two parts separately so far, I'd say that I enjoyed Part One more in terms of the initial build-up of suspense and mystery surrounding their memory loss. I feel that both Silas' and Charlie's desperation and anxiety in this impossible situation that they find themselves in is felt so much more in Part One than Part Two, even despite the fact that Charlie is M.I.A. in Part Two. Obviously the mystery surrounding her whereabouts adds to the overall sense of dread and confusion of the story, especially for Silas as he basically flies solo in trying to find her, yet I still feel that Part Two is weaker in terms of keeping up that same level of suspense that I felt in Part One. Or maybe it's because the two parts are separated that I feel a decided lack of suspense in Part Two, as I had to try to dive back into the same feelings that I had forgotten about previously.

Perhaps if the parts were instead complied together as one I might change my mind about the coherence of their story and how it flows...I'm left simply imagining how I might react if this were the case and so I'm guessing that I would feel a more sustainable thread of fear and emotion towards these characters throughout had it instead been one book. The thing is that it's hard to jump back into their story and into that feeling of "eep, what's happening next!?" when it's been a while in between the parts and I do think that I'll feel the same way once Part Three is released. Also, this time around I found it harder to believe Silas' love for Charlie even though he keeps saying he just sort of "knows" he loves her...I mean all he has to go on this time when he "wakes up" are the letters explaining their unending love without a physical Charlie around and it just doesn't feel as compelling or realistic to me without them actually being face to face.

In the same situation, how would any one of us react?? (And yes I know this is completely a work of fiction!!) But still, IF this happened to you, would you blindly believe these letters and go it alone or would you turn yourself into the police or a crazy hospital? That's one question I kept asking myself and I'm still not quite sure of the answer. Either way, although the story is incredibly interesting and I do want to figure out how it ends, I'm just not sure I can follow or accept how believable the character's reactions are each time. Well, aside from Charlie because I'm pretty sure I'd do exactly what she does in order to find my own answers!

So despite some reservations I do think it is well written and I will be reading the last one just to find out how it ends. There is enough of a cliffhanger (again) that it's kind of hard not to be curious. Though it might have been wiser to wait for all three to be released and read them all at once!

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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: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. This book is an incredible mixture of both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I'm blown away by how much this story has moved me. I am in awe of the difficulty, the pain, the struggle, and the paralyzing fear that Christopher went through in order to solve not only the mystery of "Who Killed Wellington?," the neighbour's dog, but also that of his recently deceased mother.

Mark Haddon has seized my brain and shaken it all up, leaving me feeling grateful for the normal life that I lead and yet also terrible for not having realized, to this detailed extent, the difficulty in living life with Asperger's. I've never met anyone with Asperger's, although my grandmother, being a High school art teacher, has had many kids with special needs over the years, so I could at least recognize some of Christopher's unique traits. But honestly, none of that prepared me to feel as emotionally attached as I did with his journey, to the point where I found myself anxiously turning page after page in order to find out as fast as I could whether he finally made it out of his incredible adventure safely!

I will say that I wasn't completely sold on the book when I first began reading it. I found the narrative style a bit hard to get into as it's told completely in Christopher's POV, which is unique in that he speaks either in very short, curt sentences or in long winded paragraphs, both highly logical and 'matter-of-fact' and at times almost robot-like, often repeating himself. Obviously this is on purpose and it lends a believable voice to how a person with Asperger's actually speaks, thinks and rationalizes. After I got used to his way of thinking I found the story to hum along quite easily and smoothly. He is incredibly intelligent and treats us to many mathematical and scientific facts throughout that sure interested me! His view of the world, including life and death, the human brain, the universe and the eventual extinction of humankind was eerie and yet so true and practical that I was fascinated right through to the end with his examples and unique perspective.

Christopher's relationship with his parents broke my heart and yet this aspect is what really drove the whole story home for me. I love that even though we are seeing his parent's through his eyes, we as the audience are able to discern through what they say to him and their gestures that he observes that they truly love him and care so deeply for his safety and his well-being. The subtext of what they say or do may usually be lost on Christopher but it is certainly not lost on us. I cannot even imagine the true struggle and frustration that his parents, or any parents of a child with special needs, have to go through. Of course as a reader we may not agree with everything that his parents do - both his father and mother lose it a bit and make some rash, irreversible decisions that have quite damaging consequences - but having never been in their situation I can't say that I would be any better at coping. This story and these characters will stay with me for quite some time.

If you at all enjoy mystery, humour, true-to-life struggles and a realistic look into the lives of those living with or caring for someone with unique abilities, then this will likely do the trick.


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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: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would give this a 2.5 stars out of 5 but I'm giving it a 3 based on the hopes that after reading the next two in the series my opinions may change...

SO Throne of Glass already has a million opposing reviews and I definitely stayed away from it for this long because likewise it came with a mountain of expectations that I feared it would not live up to (I've had this happen to me before...re. Daughter of Smoke and Bone ). I finally caved when I saw that these books are on almost every YA fan's 'best of 2014' lists and that Maas' next novel is on everyone's radar as well.

Call me easily persuaded, call me a good old fashioned bandwagoner, but I thought I'd give it a chance.

The Awesome:

The map. Upon seeing the Tolkien-esque map of Erilea in the front of the book I immediately felt a twinge of excitement. Nothing gets me going quite like a clearly mapped out world that I can use to follow the characters along their journey. So that was cool.

Celaena's bad-assery, which I thought was set up quite well within the first line actually: "After a year of slavery in the Salt Mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword-point." Ooooo yes, the world's most deadly assassin, so dangerous that the mere whisper of her name sends shivers down people's spines. I'm hooked! Keep it coming.

Captain Chaol Westfall. Quiet, moral, complex (if only because we never really get a fleshed out sense of who he is other than the captain of the guard with a mysterious past he won't talk much about). Of course the minute he was introduced I knew he'd be a love interest. So that was pretty obvious. Despite the fact that we don't get a lot out of Chaol other than how Celaena views him, I like his character. He just seems like a good, upstanding young man who is rightfully scared shitless of the world's most deadliest assassin . Also it seems like he gives good hugs. Go Chaol!

Nehemia. She is kick-ass. I won't go into too many details because you know, spoilers, but I will say that she surprised me and I would have liked a view into what was going on in HER mind some of the time. She's a sneaky one.

The magic / Wyrdmarks / otherworldiness. The build-up of the different worlds was interesting, and kept me intrigued enough to keep reading on. However I must add that it was not as fleshed out or clearly explained as I would have liked...it seemed magical things happened out of convenience's sake or to help move the story along instead of helping to make the story better.

Fleetfoot.

The Not So Awesome:

Like I said, the magical aspect of the story could have been so much more. Some parts genuinely freaked me out, dismembered bodies included, but it lacked the depth that I was looking for. In the story, magic and the Fae have been almost entirely eradicated from the land years before, and people are quick to avoid even speaking of magic, let alone use it if they can. But that's pretty much where we're left on the whole 'magic is forbidden' topic. I assume (and hope) that magic becomes more of a main aspect of the story in the following books.

Celaena. Notice above how I wrote that Celaena's 'bad-assery' is awesome, but not her as a character. Now yes, I have read other's reviews on this same topic, I have read how we have to take it easy on her because she is 'only 18' and 'can't an assassin also like pretty clothes and make-up and admire herself in a mirror?' etc etc. Yes this is all true, but that's not exactly the problem. The fact is, the first two or three chapters lead us to believe that she is so deadly, so dangerous, and so unpredictable that she needs to be constantly watched and escorted around by a group of guards, including the captain of the guard himself, in order to keep an eye on her. Yet she does nothing, the entire book, to prove that she is any more of a threat than any other 18 year old girl who is at all physically fit or agile! Other than plotting how she would stab this guard or slash that guard's throat or slice this other guard's legs off, slip through the gates and escape...she doesn't do any of it. She remains captive in the castle, bemoaning her situation, floating around in her flowing dresses and curled hair, hating Dorian and Chaol one minute but swooning over them the next, and despite the fact that she doesn't really have anything super important keeping her in the castle (other than the aforementioned boys and Nehemia), she stays. Am I wrong in suggesting that if she were so super smart and deadly and a world-renowned assassin who actually hated the King so much she couldn't just go after him and finish the job? Am I ruthless? Should I stop now? Okay I will.
But then again, when looking back over what I've written above about her, Celaena's character likely frustrates so many and leaves all of us divided because we come into this story with the expectation that she will be this great, confident, ruthless woman who kills for a living and doesn't have the emotional ability to feel butterflies in her stomach when a cute boy appears, or to pine over her lack of a close female friend to confide in, or to care for an unwanted puppy who will be killed would she not take it in...so in this sense I was surprised in what I found in Celaena's character. Whether this was intentional on Maas' behalf or not in her creation of Celaena, we learn early on that Celaeana is just a typical 18 year old girl with all the same teenage angst who happens to kill people for a living.

Last but not least, the Crown Prince, Dorian. He is achingly beautiful and a known womaniser, but we are to love him anyway because he likes books (not war), is surprisingly sweet, and he connects with Celaena over their shared love of reading, eventually only having eyes for her. You get the picture. A predictable sequence of events between them ensue. Yet there is a twist in the end that surprised even me! So that counts for something.

Just a quick mention about the love triangle that is so recurrent and abundant in YA novels - yes there is one, but no it's not quite as satisfying or frustrating as you'd expect. (Good? Bad?)

Overall, this was not such a bad read, regardless of how it appears in what I've written above. However the story is almost entirely predictable; early on, in fact very early on, I had figured out what was going on with whom and why...(not bragging or anything, I just knew!) but I still enjoyed the story enough to keep reading it and even found myself stealing quick moments here and there to read a few more pages when I could because despite all of the let-downs in the assassin department I wanted to know how everyone ended up.

I will probably get the next two books...if only so I can see if Celaena finally lives up her to her Voldemort-like status (because, you know, people can't even say her name without shaking...so she must be scary...). But I definitely won't be rushing to the store.

I would recommend this to any fan of YA fantasy / romance. Be warned, like I said it's a tad predictable and the synopsis is deceiving as this story reads much more as a YA romance / love triangle that is merely sprinkled here and there with magic and spiced up with fantasy for good measure.


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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: Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First of all, I have to get out all of my own 'fangirling' by saying that I loved, loved, loved, this book. The characters are as real to me as my own fingers typing this sentence. Rowell has done a wonderful job of bringing these unique characters to life, delicately weaving their sorrows and triumphs with humour and love.

Cath is eerily reminiscent of myself fresh out of high school. Without sounding incredibly cliché, she is so relateable to me that at times I found myself wondering if Rowell somehow followed me around 8 years ago during my awkward transition years from teenager to adult and then wrote a story about it. Now obviously she didn't (or did she?) but that's just how real her story felt to me. From Cath's nervousness around boys, to her outright fear and social anxieties surrounding meeting new people, entering college, and becoming an adult, Cath gets 19 year-old me, and despite my years I still get her.

I couldn't help feeling for Cath as she struggles to navigate her new independence and separation from everything familiar and comfortable: her father, her twin sister, their shared love of Simon Snow and the fan fiction that they wrote together that acted as an aid, healing them from their mother's abandonment years before. Despite the humour and light-heartedness that characters like Reagan and Levi offer, it is the raw, emotional dialogue between Cath and her dad, Wren, and eventually her mother, that truly tugged at my heart and brought this story home.

Another aspect that I really appreciate is how Rowell handles mental illness. Without explicitly naming any disorders, we come to assume that Cath's dad has some form of bipolar or depression, that Wren suffers from an early form of alcoholism, and that Cath herself has some form of social anxiety. I'm not a doctor or a psychologist, but like most people I can say that I've dealt with these illnesses in one shape or another - either personally or by association. Fangirl doesn't shy away from the harsh realities that come in living with a family member who suffers from a mental illness. The pressure that Cath feels to 'keep it together' so that she can help her dad and sister remain stable is heartbreaking and I can relate to the internal struggle that she goes through as she learns how to 'let go' and finally take care of herself. These issues are so sensitive and a lot of the time we see stories attempting to grapple with them but falling short - Fangirl is not one of them. The balance between heavily weighted issues and light works well, adding to the overall roundness of the story.

I am aware that there is a certain lack in plot, the story does not rise to any sort of climax nor is there a real conclusion; however I don't believe that this takes away from enjoyment. The dialogue reads conversationally, smooth and quick. Not to mention hilarious, as in laugh out loud hilarious, especially the dialogue between Levi, Regan, and Cath. I would love to have a friend like Reagan in real life - she is a spunky, holds-nothing-back kind of girl and just what Cath needs to help break her out of her shell. Levi is all smiles, genuine and kind, a believable love interest whom I enjoyed. His open mind and easy outlook on life is contagious and his ability to take Cath, high on anxiety and nerves, and bring her back down to reality is sweet and captures their bond so well.

Memorable quote -- Levi asking Cath to read him some of her Simon Snow fan fiction:

"Come on, Cath, don't you write these stories so that some people can enjoy them?"
"I write them so that people will read them. I'll send you a link."
"Don't send me a link. I'm not much of an Internet person."
Cath felt her eyes get big. She was about to take a sip of her coffee, but stopped. "How do you not like the Internet? That's like saying, 'I don't like things that are convenient. And easy. I don't like having access to all of mankind's recorded discoveries at my fingertips. I don't like light. And knowledge.'"

I highly recommend this witty, heartfelt book to anyone who enjoys YA, Contemporary, New Adult, and quirky 'first love' romances. I know I'll be reading more by Rainbow Rowell in the future!

Happy Reading!
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Review: Open Road Summer

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First of all, can I just say that when they're done right, female friendships are amazing!

I'd heard so much buzz surrounding this book and Emery Lord as a contemporary author that although I don't normally read a lot of contemporary, I had to check it out - and yes, I'm glad I did! This story touched my heart and is such a beautiful reminder of all the good, deep, and meaningful female friendships I've had in my own life. The road trip aspect was so much fun and definitely got me excited for summer to arrive!

"Her wings stretch wide, but she's not soaring; her clawed feet are not tucked up against her stomach. She seems...ready. Like she's getting there."

Reagan is such a great character. She has been through hell and back and despite a few major setbacks throughout her difficult life, Reagan has thus far managed to keep it together just enough to persevere, due in large part to the thick, defensive walls she has carefully constructed around her. When we first meet Reagan she is hardened, still recovering from the physical and emotional scars that have finally prompted her to turn her life around. Although she wouldn't readily admit it to herself, Reagan is strong, self-aware, and possesses just enough self-love to actually want to change her life for the better. Her character arc throughout the book is wonderful to witness and I enjoyed watching her navigate through some pretty tricky situations with gusto and an enduring desire to 'do the right thing.'

"It's part of Dee's charm, that every spark is love to her, every first kiss, every tingle of anticipation. Each moment has big possibilities for Dee."

Lilah, or "Dee," is delightful. She is a refreshing mix of sweet, Southern belle and gutsy power-house. I want to be her friend in real life, so so badly. Dee is frighteningly mature for her 17 years (far more than I ever was at her age) and deals with her new-found fame with courage, confidence and an unwavering loyalty not only to her family, friends and fans but most importantly to herself. Dee has lead a charmed life in comparison to Reagan but still has her fare share of growing to do, learning to take the reins on her own life without holding back for all of the 'what-ifs'.

Reagan and Dee have an amazing bond and support each other exactly how best friends should - without back-stabbing, jealousy, gossip or scheming. They are honest-to-goodness true friends and I can't tell you enough how wonderful it was to be a part of their world for a little while.

"I could sink into the Nashville night like a plush lounge chair."

One last note - I think I highlighted every delicious line about the scenery, the big open sky, the cities they visited and especially about Nashville. I am a sucker for descriptive text and Emery Lord delivered. I felt like I could smell and feel the hot, Southern air and wanted to be wrapped up in the same summer warmth like no other!

Overall, this is a great contemporary read with so much to offer. Although I focused my review on Dee and Reagan, there is a lovely romance or two involving swoon-worthy guys as well. There is laughter, love, tears, and enough big open skies to satisfy everyone.

Happy Reading!
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Review: How Much Land Does a Man Need?

How Much Land Does A Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had never read anything by Tolstoy up to this point, mostly due to my own intimidation in taking on his dense works. I think this little number has been an adequate introduction to Tolstoy, at least as far as his writing style and general view of humankind goes. This small book contains two short stories, "How Much Land Does A Man Need?" and "What Men Live By," both exploring our innate tendency as humans towards greed, pride and envy, as well as our more selfless side as caretakers, givers, and our capacity to love even strangers. Both stories are heavy on Christian morals and the importance of having faith in God.

On the back cover it mentions that James Joyce felt "How Much Land Does A Man Need?" to be "the world's greatest story," a lofty claim indeed. I would only agree with him if what he actually means is the last line of the story, where the 'punch line' occurs, so to speak. I won't spoil it, but that line alone remains timeless, with a relevancy that shines on today.

However, overall the story is predictable and yes, it's preachy. I've read enough of the Classics to be used to this by now, as well the didactic quality that works such as these take on. Yet it surprised me nonetheless in this story and in "What Men Live By," which turns out to be even more heavy-handed with Christian allegory. I think it boils down to me knowing very little about Tolstoy himself other than the titles of his major works and his immense popularity and influence as a Russian writer.

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Review: Black Iris

Black Iris by Leah Raeder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am still reeling from the emotional roller coaster that is this story. Let me repeat, SERIOUS emotional roller coaster. This story has left me feeling raw, used, abused, incredibly sad, and only slightly optimistic as even the ending felt bittersweet to me.

This isn't to say that all these dark feelings have led me to dislike the story - yes at times I just wanted to shut the damn book and be done with it - but something kept pulling me back. Laney's twisted mind began to swirl and mix around in my own and regardless of how the story disturbed me on an emotional level I had to keep reading so I could at least find out whether or not she finally followed through with her plan.

I have great respect for Leah Raeder as an author. She made me think and feel SO MUCH more than I had anticipated. I've never been so moved, physically or mentally, by a story. Her writing is something otherworldly and feral, poetic and lyrical. There are hundreds of lines worth highlighting and quoting and remembering for later. She is a goddess with words.

That said I can't quite give this book 5 stars because although I loved the writing and was moved so thoroughly by the story, I felt almost overwhelmed by the...well by all the sex. Haha. Don't get me wrong, it was highly enjoyable for me the first few times and I really loved the contrasts between when Laney was with Blythe versus with Armin. Both couples are beautiful in their own way and MAN can Leah ever write a sex scene! But nearing the end of the book I just wanted to figure out what the hell was going on with eveyone and all the sex just seemed to get in the way of my finding out!!

Overall a fantastic read though, will be recommending for sure.
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Review: A Step Toward Falling

A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Choose carefully the people whose approval you seek."

*4.5 stars*
*Trigger Warning-story deals with an attempted rape* (though my review doesn't go into details).

I enjoyed this story so much more than I expected I would and I'm actually quite sad that it's over. I fell for these characters and each time I had to set the book down I felt myself wondering what was going to happen to them and wishing I could keep reading!

I was definitely apprehensive going into this book as it centers around people with developmental disabilities and how they are not only perceived but also judged for their differences and unique traits by those without disabilities. Having never read anything by Cammie McGovern, my apprehension came from not being sure if she would pull this off sensitively enough and without coming off sounding too preachy, or worse, ignorant. Not only that, but it's set in high school, a notoriously awful place for anyone regardless of who they are thanks to the ever-present social hierarchy between differing groups of students - stories of which I mostly stay away from.

That being said, I read the first few pages and I found that I was easily hooked. The main story-line centers around the aftermath of the attempted rape of Belinda, who has developmental disabilities, at a football game. Amazingly, she saves herself from her attacker by screaming out for help even though just moments before Emily, a 'nerd,' and Lucas, a 'jock,' had both separately seen Belinda struggling with her attacker but had panicked and run from the scene instead of trying to help her. As a punishment for not saying or doing anything, both Lucas and Emily are enrolled into community service to volunteer with a class called Boundaries and Relationships which teaches adults with developmental disabilities how to be in healthy, romantic relationships. Belinda, Lucas, and Emily become intertwined because of that horrific night, and an ugly and unforgivable thing turns into something much more.

What I enjoyed most about this story, aside from the amazing, realistic characters, is how McGovern allows the details of the events of that terrible night to remain in mystery, only to reveal themselves bit by bit. The story unfolds itself slowly and organically, piece by piece, alternating POV's between Emily and Belinda. We start off not knowing exactly what happened that night at the football game, nor do we know why Lucas and Emily panicked and said nothing at all when there was a crowd of people and teachers nearby who they could have gone to for help, but as the story progresses and we start to get to know the characters and what motivates them, we begin to see the bigger picture and just what was on the line for each of them that night.

Because you see, this story isn't only about an attempted rape, nor is it only about people with developmental disabilities; it is also about relationships in general, friendships included, and the complications that arise from following the "social laws" in high school, as Emily calls them. Believing in the stratification of football players and cheerleaders against the book nerds and band geeks, believing that people who are different and slower to learn cannot possibly mingle with those who are not. It's about how dangerous it is to assume that because someone looks and acts a certain way, or differently from you, they are that way and nothing else. It is about a person's depth, rather than their surface (in the case of Lucas and Emily), and their A-bilities rather than their DIS-abilities (for Belinda and Anthony).

"I want everything Debbie has and doesn't appreciate. I want things I can't have because the laws of social stratification in high school might allow us to be friends for a while, but would never permit any more than that...He couldn't sit comfortably at my lunch table any more than I could sit comfortably at his."

I didn't immediately love Emily's character in the beginning because I couldn't get past her immature thought-pattern, until I reminded myself that she's only in high school, 18 at most, and at her age I was completely socially-inept myself. She's self-centered, insecure, and more of a follower than a leader. This isn't to say that all 18-year old girls are this way, but truth be told a lot are least one of these things, if not more. Honestly I learned a lot about myself in reading this story, whether I would have done more than Emily, how I would have reacted in similar situations - thinking back to my teenage self, it's hard to imagine what I'd have done, since I was certainly not my best self back then either. I was always, always aware of and concerned with how others saw me and thought of me, much like Emily. She obsesses over other people's opinions of her, to which my teenage self can totally relate. So it's no wonder that I was annoyed with her at first - I'm still annoyed at myself all these years later for caring so much! Thankfully she has a satisfying character arc and both her and Lucas, who is so sweet and swoony, grow into two very likable people. It just goes to show how well McGovern is able to get into the heads of teenagers and articulate their thoughts realistically if I'm sitting here simultaneously rolling my eyes and yet relating to them as a former teenager myself.

Belinda and Anthony! They are amazing. I truly adore their spirit and bravery. I love how McGovern has written these two characters, as well as Harrison and Sheila and Simon, and all the others! McGovern is a founding member of an after-school program for children with special needs, so she obviously has extensive experience working with people with developmental disabilities. I am happy to say that her knowledge, experience, and careful sensitivity towards writing these characters definitely shows. I never felt like she was somehow making it a gimmick nor did I find her writing of these characters to be unrealistic. Anthony and Belinda's relationship is innocent and honest, and at least to me, completely believable. I loved that I was able witness their own growth and the beauty and simplicity in how they communicate with each other.

"There is a sign saying No Cell Phones in the Hospital. Please Have Your Conversation Outside, which apparently I can read but other people can't."

I truly loved being inside Belinda's head, she is sweet and passionate and super matter-of-fact about things which made me laugh out loud numerous times. It was incredibly and unbelievably sad to witness Belinda's spiral into depression after her attack, especially when the people closest to her felt that the best way to 'deal' with it was to ignore it completely and never let her have a chance to talk about it if she needed to - which, clearly, she did. Suffering from PTSD in general is terrible and scary, let alone when you have a disability like Belinda's, and it was heart wrenching to know why she was feeling and acting the way that she was when she herself couldn't understand it or articulate it.

Belinda's obsessive love for Colin Firth and the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice is endearing, and not surprisingly-I'd say intentionally-many elements of Pride and Prejudice come into play within this story as a whole. Between Belinda and Emily, Lucas and Anthony, and everyone else, no one is exactly how they are perceived to be by others, and being in high school this is especially prevalent as no one says quite what they mean for fear of standing out and looking weird. There are a lot of learning curves along the way, and much like Jane Austen's classic, it is only when the characters allow themselves to be vulnerable and reveal themselves fully that they are able to make true connections with each other.

This review is so long! And I could go on and on - I'm not sure I could quite articulate why exactly this story has left such an impression on me that I need to write so much other than that I was moved emotionally, it made me think outside of my comfort zone, and I would love to know some of these characters in real life.

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Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It's taken me way too long to actually sit down and write this review, either for lack of motivation or lack of interest in the book itself, so I apologize in advance if it reads a bit disjointed as I work through the few things that I still remember from finishing it last month!

Growing up, Beauty and the Beast was one of my all-time favorite Disney movies and since ACOTAR is definitely written as a pro-Disney version of the classic tale (albeit with steamy sexy times throughout) I figured that this fact coupled with the dazzling Sarah J. Maas would make for a potentially great combination.

Not so much.

I was not at all 'dazzled' by Maas' writing this time around like I have been while reading her Throne of Glass series. Granted if history repeats itself, which certainly it does, this may just turn out to be me eating my words once again because I greatly disliked Throne of Glass but absolutely adored the following books in the series! That being said, the next book really would have to blow my mind to make me want to continue reading on about Feyre, Tamlin, and Rhysand because at this point I'm not into it (I WOULD read on about sassy Lucien however, he's the only good thing going!).

Actually, as I write this I'm remembering a thought I had while reading ACOTAR that overall the story, specifically certain incidents and scenes that shall remain in mystery to avoid spoilers all feels SO much like the Twilight series to me that once I made the connection in my head I couldn't let it go. I'm sorry, but I have to go there people! For those of you who have read ACOTAR...you know what I'm talking about, come on, you do! The whole ending with Feyre and her constant whining and crying throughout and always putting herself down for being 'ignorant' and 'only a dumb human'...not to mention that it is...kind of boring. Nothing really happens for the entire first half of the book! Save for an excellently written first chapter (I was instantly hooked, so ominous!), the rest of the story falls flat for me. I couldn't grow to care for any of the characters, and the baddies are nothing special or unique. Both of Feyre's 'punishments' or bargains aren't as absolutely, life-endingly dreadful as she makes them out to be, and without a good cliff-hanger to make me even the slightest bit curious for the next book it's unlikely that I'll pick it up.

Sorry, I just couldn't drink the Kool-Aid this time, Maas.


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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: Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes

Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"The plums gave way, exchanging their springiness for a comforting sag. The wine bubbled into a spiced burgundy syrup, thick and glossy. I served it with faisselle, a mild spoon-able cheese, though I sense that sour cream, Greek yogurt, or mascarpone wouldn't go amiss."

I read Elizabeth Bard's first book Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes probably over a year ago now, but I remember absolutely falling in love with the way in which she paints a scene with her words; I felt like I was walking down the Paris streets with Bard, a New York native, tasting the crisp, buttery and chewy croissants, and discovering my own self as she discovers hers. The same worldly fears and anxieties that follow me as I grow closer to the 'big 30' seem to plague Bard as well in her similar age, and so not only did I connect with her in her first book on a foodie level, but on a personal one as well.

When we last saw Bard at the end of her previous book, she had finally settled in Paris with her French lover-turned-husband and was beginning to feel more comfortable in her expat skin. In this second memoir of hers, we are once again treated to an excellent collection of delicious French recipes that I cannot wait to try out (I've made a handful from her first book and let me just say, they are damn good!), as well as yet another intimate look into her personal journey as she now navigates her life not only as a new resident in a tiny village in Provence but as a new mother to their now toddler son.

Bard has a way of really bringing the reader into the scene, as if they themselves were right there in the room with her. She is funny, self-deprecating, and easily able to point out her own flaws, adding a healthy dose of humour to many of her stories. Yet there is also depth and a quiet sensitivity that she brings as well, especially when writing about her relationship with her son. At first, the so-called natural mother-child bond does not come easily to Bard, and once their son leaves babyhood and enters toddler-hood she finds that she no longer knows her 'place' within the family unit and has a very difficult time believing in herself and her capabilities as a mother, shrugging off such parental 'duties' like story-time and playtime to her more naturally-suited husband. This is definitely both a difficult and sensitive topic and one that many mothers would not easily admit to, though I'm sure many do feel inadequate at least one time or another during motherhood, as becoming a parent truly is a life-altering event in one's life.

This among many others is just one of the reasons why I so enjoyed reading these two books because Bard does not shy away from the 'hard stuff,' nor does she try to put a sunny spin on otherwise difficult moments for the sake of the reader or offending anyone. She is an open and heartfelt writer who obviously lives with her heart on her sleeve, and I appreciate her honesty about life's ups and downs all the more for it. Not to mention that I absolutely adored escaping into the French countryside and reading about all the funny idiosyncrasies about village life in Provence, from nosy yet aloof neighbours, to picking Saffron by the pound by hand and making your own cheese and milk (okay, obviously not everyone does that!), and of course imagining just exactly how amazing those lavender fields really smell like in real life!

"I stood across the street and watched the sun glinting off the giant bubbles as they wobbled into the air. Alexandre ran with his arms lifted to the sky, the sun shining through his blond hair. He won't remember this part of his childhood, but I will. His pants are too short; he's grown so much over the summer."

I had a hard time rating this book, going back and forth between 3.5 and 4 out of 5 stars, simply because I found that the last 5 or so chapters did drag on and I began to lose interest - the latter part of the book focuses mostly on how Bard and her husband open their own ice cream shop, called Scaramouche, in their village of Céreste, and for me it just wasn't that compelling. The book is also quite lengthy at just shy of 400 pages, and unfortunately I found I really had to push through to the end even though I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of it. Despite this, I do still recommend it and will definitely read anything else Bard writes.

If you enjoy decadent, French Cuisine-inspired recipes coupled with intelligent, humorous and thoughtful reflections on life as an expat (and life in general), then give this lovely memoir a go. Not only is it an easy, flowing kind of read that seems to mirror the romanticized, gently-paced life of the south of France, but it is also brimming with sensitive and touching moments that anchor the book in reality.

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Review: Ember

Ember by Bettie Sharpe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun, imaginative, and sexy retelling of Cinderella! Ember is a kick-ass lead and I thoroughly enjoyed her sass and quick-witted nature. The fact that this is an erotic retelling did not bother me, (I can handle coarse language and mature sexual content), but it didn't really matter anyway as I did not find that the sex scenes were too much or done in distaste. The writing is fresh and Ember is spunky and I had a blast reading it!

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