I was surprised I was able to get more than one book read this month other than The Borrowers. A book I read with my daughter for her homeschool book club.
We had done so much traveling, homeschool adventures. and gardening in March it was a wonder we were able to take a deep breath. I was pleasantly surprised that I read eight books! To some that is a lot, to others they scoff at my shortcomings. Personally, I am proud of all I read.
Especially since March was filled with so many great reads and mostly great weather. How is the weather behaving were you are? We have gone from several weeks in the 70s up to 90 then plummeted back down to the 60s. (All Fahrenheit) And the wind!!! Enough wind advisories to last us a year.
Enough about the weather, on to the books!!!
The Borrowers by: Mary Norton
Another read with my daughter for her book club. I read this so many years ago I could only remember vague details. Some of those details may have been from the animated movie I saw after originally reading the book. So I was excited to delve into this.
We both loved it!
The Borrowers thinking we humans are here to serve their ‘borrowing’ nature in their very limited scope of the world.
A good examination of how much perspective can alter a life. Also raises the question of morality. Is it inherent or purely a learned intention?
I didn’t realize this was a series and now we have to at least read the next in this series!
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by: Toshikazu Kawaguchi
You must sit in a certain seat. You cannot leave that seat. You can only meet those that have been to the café. Nothing you say or do will change the present. And you must drink the coffee before it gets cold.
Those are the rules a patron must follow in order to travel through time in the small café, Finiculi Finicula, in a small alley in Japan.
This story is translated from Japanese and I think it depicts the socially conservative aspects of the culture beautifully. As a westerner, I have visited Japan several times. The first time as a child, stayed with a host family who became good friends and have seen them several times over the years. Then once as an adult with my own young child.
Why am I telling you this? I have first hand experience with the culture. I can see why this story got so many low reviews. Expectations and cultural norms can vastly differ.
Staying true to its people, this book is beautifully done. Four stories of time traveling women that don’t go the way any of them expect. It’s a story of discovery and finding peace in life. If this book was written based on western social standards it would have no doubt been incredibly differently.
Personally I appreciated the simplicity of the writing. The style and theme are not for everyone. I did not agree with the all the choices these women made but I was raised in a very young country with different views. With that in mind, I feel this story is spot on. Filled with self-sacrifice and learning to let go and adapt. These women are not suppressed by a patriarchal society as most of the reviews suggests (written by what sounds like westerners, no judgement, just observation).
These women are free to make their own choices and they make the choices that they believe will bring peace and honor not only to themselves but to those in their lives. A very heartwarming story with a fantastical twist.
Quicksilver by: Callie Hart
Are there plot holes? Yes. Are there random cringy moments? Yes. Does it detract from the story? Nope.
This may not be the next series to sweep the fantasy world into a frenzy, but it did keep me turning the pages and immersed in the world.
Saeris, like a lot of strong FMCs, is overtly protective and stubborn. To the point where you want to shake her and tell her to just unclench for a moment.
Kingfisher, don’t even get me started on that name. I was waiting the entire story for his ‘real’ name to be revealed. There was a reference to the lore of power behind a fae’s true name. I really wished something came of that in this story. I hated him always being called Kingfisher. It’s not a name!!! Minor complaint but it was front and center ever moment since he was introduced.
The few twists didn’t hit as monumentally as I think they were supposed to be. As a whole, this book had great world building and kept me immersed pretty well. The side characters are also well written and incorporated enough that I want them to be featured more in the next in the series.
The Infinite Sea by: Rick Yancey
The second in this series is giving Matrix vibes. In the sense that obtuse humans are being manipulated and they believe they have everything figured out because we are oh so smart and not at all egotistical. At least that is what they believe until the head honcho laughs and tells them they have no idea what is really going on. We started to get this vibe in the first book so this should come as no surprise.
While I really like the story, it didn’t hit as well as the first. This is even grittier and dirtier. Desperation to survive is the main driving force.
One thing I really appreciated is that most of the book is from Ringer’s POV. She’s the key, not Cassie. And thank goodness for that. Cassie’s obsession with Evan Walker and her supposed insight she gained because of her relationship is just plain annoying. And because of that relationship, Cassie is ready to die on her self-righteous hill as an alien authority. No thank you.
We also get a look into the other characters’ back stories. Again, the story sucked me in. Can’t wait to see how this series ends.
Exit to Eden by: Anne Rice (as Anne Rampling)
As a fan of Anne Rice, when I discovered this book, I was so excited!
I like the simplicity and style of the writing. It had a feeling of maturity to it.
My one and only real complaint is that a majority of the story is told from Elliot’s POV. While he was interesting and insightful, it was Lisa that I was really interested in.
Lisa seemed to be going through some sort of personal crisis and we only get to really experience it through Elliot’s limited scope.
The BDSM and spice. As with the writing style of the time, it is closer to The Story of O than modern day erotica. Making a lot of smutty novels written today seem vulgar. Not sure which I prefer though…
The whole story was a bit chaotic, romantic, simple, and beautiful.
Full Measure by: Rebecca Yarros
This is the first Yarros book I’ve read outside of the Empyean realm. The only reason I read it was because of a tagline on Yarros’s website. “Before Xaden Riorson, there was Josh Walker.” I thought I was stepping into a contemporary romance with a modern day Xaden or even, dare I say, Rhysand. (Even though I know he isn’t a Yarros creation).
Sure, Josh ticked off all the boxes that lead to book-boyfriend perfection. But, in this instant, it’s not believable unless he is hiding a pair of saintly wings. But he kinda has to in order to deal with December.
Ember is chest-achingly annoying. Hot, cold, angry, lustful, self-righteous, naïve. That describes her thought process that takes place in the span of one breath. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. It goes on for the entire book.
Unfortunately, the entire story is through Ember’s eyes. I realize everyone handles grief in their own way and Ember has a lot in her life to grieve over. But damn, I’ve come across flat-Earth zealots that are less stubborn and self-involved than Ember. I really, really wanted to fall in love with this. Josh, I could see him growing on me after a while. But I have no interest in reading all the way to book four in the series just to see these two get the lasting HEA.
Savannah’s Awakening by: Ellie Sandoval
My expectations were super low on this one. After reading reviews where many admitted this was a case of plot as an excuse for smut. It is, but it also has a plot.
Honestly I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. The premise, though weak, is interesting. I think if it lost the smut-for-no-reason-other-than-smut, the story could have been developed into something really good. Or just drop the plot and stick to the spice.
The quality of writing is there. Trying to throw both overbearing smut and an interesting plot into this book at the same time meant it was overall mediocre, at best.
There is a slow burn between Savannah and Roman—kinda. Building up to what should have been a spectacular completion when the two finally got together. But it is so glossed over and generic. Incredibly disappointing.
I really wanted to like Roman, his character and premise should make him especially swoon worthy. He’s too average and a bit of a wet rag. Savannah’s confidence and acceptance of her new life is refreshing. But we do not need to be reminded how hot, fit, perky, and taut her body is at every turn. We get it, you’re young and perfect. Move on.
But of course, I’m reading the second in the series. There’s more to the mystery of the plot and I need to see where it goes and if the spice gets better.
UPDATE: Um, nothing gets better. The second in the series, Savannah’s Temptation, is one of only a handful of books I have placed on my DNF list– ever.
