By Golly, Ollie!

💾 a blog about books, tea, & geekery

Tag: fantasy

Posts featuring fantasy novels, a kind of genre fiction the features supernatural or magical elements

  • Teas to Sip While Reading A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong

    Teas to Sip While Reading A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong

    I don’t know when or why this changed, but lately I struggle to read fiction novels. These days, it takes actual effort to read beyond 50 pages of most books. By the time I do, the library book is usually overdue. I can’t tell if I’ve suddenly become bad at choosing books or if reading articles online or reading non-fiction has changed the wiring in my brain. But then, I discovered A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong. It checked the boxes for beautifully illustrated setting, clever plotting, and great character chemistry, and it was the first book in years that had me turning on my book light in bed and reading until I could barely keep my eyes open.

    In 280 words or less…

    In this historical mystery with speculative and cozy-adjacent elements, modern-day homicide detective, Mallory Atkinson, is going for an evening jog when she hears a woman in distress. Mallory is then drawn to an alley where she is attacked and loses consciousness. When she awakens, she finds herself trapped in the body of Catriona Mitchell, a housemaid and not-so-reformed thief in 1869 Scotland. Mallory then discovers Catronia was attacked in a similar fashion that same night (some 150 years apart), which created the link needed for time travel. Mallory tries her best to assimilate into Victorian Scotland but when she learns her employer, Dr. Gray, is a medical examiner and undertaker, who works (off the record) with the local police department to solve murders in Edinburgh, she can’t resist temptation. Soon Mallory finds herself involved in solving the case of who tried to murder Catriona (as well as secretly solving the mystery of how to return to her own time period and body.)

    The Review

    Remember when I said lately, it requires effort from me to get passed the first 50 pages of a book? I felt that way at first about A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong. It opens in a way that many cozy mystery fans would be familiar with when starting a new series: the protagonist is in the middle of a major life change and is expressing all of the strong emotions that come along with it. They may be a recent divorcee or widow, they may have just quit their humdrum job and moved to a new town for a fresh start, they may have finally retired and cashed in their life savings to start a hobby farm… In A Rip Through Time, the story opens with Mallory Atkinson, a Vancouver police detective, visiting her dying grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland. At first, I didn’t feel anything– no grief, no connection to Mallory’s sadness. I can never tell if it’s me or if it’s the writing, but I almost returned the book to the library unfinished because of it. Once I made it to chapter five though, everything changed.

    Mallory’s personality starts to take shape once she wakes up and finds herself trapped in the body of a housemaid in 1869 Scotland. She’s no longer completely preoccupied by grief now that she’s forced to navigate a culture and society that is foreign to her and is becoming acutely aware of her sudden lack of autonomy and social standing. Then, Armstrong begins to play with the “fish out of temporal water1” and “blithe spirit2” tropes, which was just fun, as modern-day Mallory stuns Dr. Gray and Detective McCreadie with her knowledge of forensics and policing. The interactions between the three are often snarky and comical. Additionally, the contrast of modern-day detective work compared to Victorian era detective work was fascinating since forensic science as a discipline was just beginning in the 1800s. The exploration of murder and forensics in this novel reminded me of a non-fiction book I read a year or two ago: The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime by Judith Flanders 3. In it, Flanders explores the relationship between murder and society in Victorian England and how, even though murder was relatively rare, it was often sensationalized which led to broadsides and theatrical performances and even laid the groundwork for detective fiction like Sherlock Holmes (and one could even say like A Rip Through Time…?)

    The banter and chemistry between the characters feel all the more alive against the vividly and, at times, grimly painted backdrop of Victorian Scotland. Armstrong’s writing brought 1869 Edinburgh to life, and I found myself time traveling right alongside Mallory– to Gray’s well-kept townhouse in New Town, with penny dreadful scattered on tabletops, to the pubs and pawn shows and seedy back alleys of Grassmarket, to the muddy streets of Old Town congested with small businesses and tenements of questionable stability.

    Armstrong often writes thoughtfully about the social issues of the time period too, which helped ground the story even more firmly in the past. During the story, Mallory develops a strong friendship with Isla, Dr. Gray’s sister. They become each other’s confidant– supporting each other as bold and brilliant women. Their friendship becomes a sort of subtle rebellion against the social hierarchy of the time, one that crosses economic class lines and challenges expectations based on gender. Elsewhere in the story, Armstrong explores racism and colonialism, burgeoning anti-immigrant sentiments, and the morality of scientific progress.

    By the end, A Rip Through Time reminded me of the joys of escape through fiction. I had so much fun exploring a different time and a different country. As the series progresses, I’m looking forward to seeing how the relationships develop between Mallory, Gray, Isla, and McCreadie (I already have my theories!), and I’m looking forward to watching Mallory and Isla challenge gender norms in the Victorian era. About an hour after finishing the final chapter, I sneaked away from the work desk to go to the library where I checked out book two from the series, The Poisoners Ring. THAT is a testament to how much fun I had with this book. I rarely seek out the other books in a series. And if I do, it’s usually years after finishing the first book. I just really want to know what happens next!

    The Teas

    Scottish Breakfast Tea with milk and sugar

    Your favorite Scottish Breakfast blend

    Even though Dr. Gray starts his day with a cup of coffee, I’m recommending a cup of Scottish Breakfast tea instead. The tea is a blend of black teas from Assam and Ceylon, and it sometimes includes black tea from China. Of the traditional breakfast teas from the U.K., Scottish Breakfast tea tends to be the strongest, and it offers malty and oaky aromas. I love sipping this one with milk and sugar.

    Victorian London Fog from Harney & Sons

    I know A Rip Through Time doesn’t take place in London, but it’s does take place in the Victorian Era, which makes Victorian London Fog a lovely companion for this book. It is a blend of black tea, oolong tea, bergamot oil, lavender, and vanilla flavor. In lieu of this particular type of tea, might I recommend reaching for your favorite lavender infused Earl Grey?

    Your favorite Assam

    Mallory, Isla, Detective McCreadie, and Dr. Gray often meet during afternoon tea to discuss the cases, and Assam could certainly have graced the table. This malty cup of tea might give them the caffeine boost they need to keep them alert while they investigate the darkened, back alleys of Grassmarket at night.

    Coffee for Mallory so she doesn’t haven’t to sip Dr. Gray’s dregs

    One comfort Mallory misses from the modern day is a cup of coffee. A good cup of coffee. Mallory is desperate for the brew and the jolt of caffeine (especially since she can’t quite figure out how to wake herself up before dawn without an alarm clock), so she will sneak sips from Dr. Gray’s abandoned coffee cups.

    Footnotes

    1. A “fish out of temporal water” trope results from characters being placed in an unfamiliar time period. ↩︎
    2. In the “blithe spirit” trope, “a free-spirited fish out of water goes to a straight-laced land and shakes things up” ↩︎
    3. The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime by Judith Flanders — it’s well-written and researched but also quite dense, so I only could recommend it to readers who have more than a passing interest in the subject matter ↩︎

  • 7 Graphic Novels I Can’t Stop Thinking About

    7 Graphic Novels I Can’t Stop Thinking About

    A few years ago, I plucked an unsuspecting graphic novel from a shelf at the library–The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxanne Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, Rebecca Kirby, and James Fenner. I remember this graphic novel being solidly okay, but it encouraged me to actively seek out graphic novels going forward. Now I bring one home after every library visit. They are mostly middle-grade or young adult books since that’s what is immediately available to me at my local library, but they are nevertheless incredible. Some have even made me weep! Here are 7 graphic novels I’ve read in the last year (and a half?) that I cannot stop thinking about:

    This was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

    On the night of the Autumn Equinox Festival, a town gathers to float paper lanterns down the river. Legend has it, the lanterns will float away and right out to the Milky Way. This year, Ben and his classmates make a pact to follow the lanterns to find out if the legend is true. However, it’s not long before the pact is broken, and all who remain are Ben and the one kid who doesn’t quite fit in, Nathaniel. Together, they travel farther than anyone has gone before, and along the way, they discover a world full of magic and unexpected friendship.

    This Was Our Pact was delightful. It was magical. It was whimsical. It had a talking bear! And the whole time I thought, this world could come to life in a Hayao Miyazaki film. The artwork was stunning, too. Like, you could open up the book to the illustration of the Milky Way, and the page could just swallow you up like the sky.

    Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

    Aiza has always dreamed of being a knight; it’s the highest military honor of the Bayt-Sajji Empire, and it’s her only path to full citizenship as a member of the marginalized Ornu people. When Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war, Aiza enlists. She navigates new friendships and rigorous training all while hiding her Ornu background from her friends and superiors. She also learns that the Bayt-Sajji military might not be fighting for the greater good after all, forcing her to choose between her heritage and her loyalty to the empire.

    Lately, I feel as though I’ve abandoned YA books because the authors I’ve picked up struggle to address social issues well. The stories often feel stilted or like the author is just reiterating a talking point they read on social media. It feels cringey and vaguely Afterschool Special-esque. But, I think the thing that impressed me most about Squire was its ability to address complex themes like propaganda, imperialism, colonialism, and minority identity under a conquering empire without sacrificing rich storytelling. Also, the story features badass girls with swords, which is always awesome.

    Incredible Doom: Volume 1 by Matthew Bogart and Jesse Holden

    Simply, Incredible Doom is about outcast teens finding refuge from abusive parents and acceptance from peers after being bullied at a new school through the bulletin board system of the early ’90s (sort of a precursor to the modern internet). Plus, it has a punk house, 90’s DIY aesthetic, and some wonderful Star Trek geekery!

    Even though I didn’t have internet access at home until the late 1990s and didn’t experience BBS, this graphic novel made me feel so nostalgic for the internet of yesteryear. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book and the early days of personal websites since.

    Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

    Kate Beaton narrates her experience working in the oil sands of Alberta, where she is one of a few women among thousands of men, in this graphic novel memoir.

    This is probably the only book on this list that doesn’t target a YA or middle-grade audience and pheeew! This book was heavy. I went into reading this book thinking it was going to be about the environmental impact of the oil sands, and the author does touch on it. But, it was more about the cultural and human impact of living in an insular and isolated community.

    As a woman, Beaton dealt with sexual harassment and sexual assault. She doesn’t excuse these actions but still manages to hold compassion for many of her male co-workers, who are complicit in perpetuating a toxic and dangerous environment for women. Ultimately, the men were victims of the oil sands too. Without access to mental health resources, pervasive loneliness and depression permeated their lives as they spent years away from families and communities outside of work camps or watched corporate bosses sweep the accidental deaths of oil sand workers under the rug because they were viewed as expendable. Ducks is a devastating, empathetic, and nuanced portrayal of just how badly the environment and human lives were exploited to churn out a corporate profit.

    P.S. Don’t skip the afterword. Beaton addresses her assault more directly here, and it provides much more context on how it was treated in the graphic novel. It helped me process some of the emotions that surfaced as I read this story.

    Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

    Freddy Riley’s world revolves around her girlfriend, Laura Dean. Laura is cool and popular and exciting, but she’s also a jerk who only seems to use Freddy when she’s bored. Freddy’s self-esteem and friendships are suffering because of it, so Freddy is trying to figure out how to ditch Laura once and for all.

    I found this coming-of-age story absorbing, but the thing that sticks with me after all this time is the artwork. The illustrations are inked simply in black and white with the occasional use of pink. It was beautiful, absolutely striking.

    This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

    On the surface, This One Summer is about Rose and her annual summer vacation at Awago Beach. This summer is different though because Rose’s parents keep fighting. Luckily, Rose’s friend Windy is at the beach too, and together they find ways to distract themselves from family drama.

    Below the surface, This One Summer is a quiet novel about a girl teetering on the cusp of adolescence. It’s about leaving the freedom and naivety of childhood behind and learning to navigate the tumultuous world of pre-teen/teenage girlhood. It’s changing bodies and pushing boundaries and noticing boys. It’s also about all the ways we learn to form opinions of ourselves as girls based on how the world around us (men and boys in particular, but also the media we consume and other women harboring internalized misogyny), reacts to our existence. Girlhood (and womanhood) is such a powerful experience, but sometimes it is a profoundly devastating experience, and it was captured here within the pages of This One Summer. And by God, this book made me weep.

    There are two stories I think of that capture the essence of being a preteen girl so perfectly: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (which I read as an actual preteen) and now This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki (which I read as an adult and through the lens of being a mother). It was absolutely brilliant.

    On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

    Throughout the deepest reaches of space, a crew rebuilds broken-down structures to reassemble the past. As the newest crew member, Mia gets to know her team, the story flashes back to her time in boarding school, where she first fell in love. Soon, Mia reveals her purpose for joining the crew was to track down her long-lost love.

    On a Sunbeam is a warm blanket. There is so much love between these pages it soothes my soul. First, it is in the form of Sapphic relationships, especially between Mia and her first love, Grace. When Grace is suddenly ripped from Mia’s life, Mia attempts to defy the vastness of the entire. friggin. universe. just to find her again. Second, it is in the form of a found family– the crew Mia connects with to rebuild abandoned buildings in space.

    Beyond the storytelling, Tillie Walden’s illustrations are stunning, and her artwork is among my favorites. Her artwork in Are You Listening? is pretty incredible too.

    P.S. You can read On a Sunbeam online for free here.

  • Teas to Sip While Reading Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne by David Gaider

    Teas to Sip While Reading Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne by David Gaider

    I am obsessed with the Dragon Age video game series. Like, replay-the-video-games-every-year obsessed. Like, check-for-Dreadwolf-updates-every-other-month-even-though-I-know-there-are-no-new-updates obsessed. Like, would-buy-all-the-Dragon-Age-collectibles-if-I-did’t-have-to-be-responsible-with-money obsessed.

    Dragon Age is a fantasy role-playing video game series that takes place on the continent of Thedas. The video games focus on the events that take place during the 100 years of the Dragon Age:

    • from the story of the Grey Wardens, who defeated the horde of twisted Dark Spawn during the Fifth Blight
    • to the growing unrest between the mages of the Free Marches city-state and their militant handlers, the Templars
    • to the re-creation of the Inquisition, an independent political and military organization trying to restore order to Thedas following an explosion at the Divine Conclave that resulted in the death of the leader of the Orleasian Chantry (their church, if you will) and a tear in the veil that allows demons to escape from the Fade (a magical realm) into the world (phew!). And, they must do this while navigating a world torn apart by the Mage-Templar War and an Orlesian Civil War.

    Beyond the current video games, there are books, comics, flash games, tabletop RPGs, web series, a movie, and a Netflix animation. The world is immersive. And, rumor has it, there is to be a full reveal of Dreadwolf in 2024. (But, who knows. I feel like Bioware has been teasing us about DA4 since 2018).

    I’ve never anticipated the release of a game this much, so I had the brilliant idea to read and play through as many of the 34 Dragon Age installments I can get my hands on in chronological order for my “canon playthrough”. (Okay, as I admit this to the world, my plan sounds more bonkers than brilliant, but I think other passionate fans of the series would understand.)

    The Book

    And so it begins with Dragon Age: the Stolen Throne by David Gaider. The events in this novel take place 30 years before the 1st video game, Dragon Age: Origins. In fact, it takes place before the actual “Dragon” Age. The novel opens with the country of Ferelden under occupation by the neighboring Orlesian Empire. The Rebel Queen of Ferelden, who has been fighting against Orlais, is murdered by traitorous, Fereldan nobles, but her son, Prince Maric survives.

    Fleeing from his mother’s assassins, Prince Maric runs into a band of outlaws led by Loghain (who Dragon Age fans will recognize as the antagonist from Dragon Age: Origins). The two reluctantly team up, reunite with the Rebel Army, and fight to expel the usurper Orlesian King of Ferelden. Of course, no Dragon Age story would be complete without the threat of villainous mages, a foreboding visit from the Witch of the Wilds, morally ambiguous Chantry leaders, and passionate romances between companions in between brutal battles for the future of Ferelden.

    I give it a solid…TWO STARS.

    The Stolen Throne was both too short for the story Gaider wanted to tell and too long for the story that was delivered. The author stuffed several years of story into 400 pages, so naturally, some elements of good storytelling were sacrificed. Gaider spared readers several years of redundant battles by summarizing a year of war into a few paragraphs. But, this also meant that crucial character development and relationship building were glossed over, and arguably, the characters, the interpersonal drama, and the dialogue between them is what makes the Dragon Age series so special.

    In the end, I would only recommend this book to folks who really embrace the fandom. I’m not sure there is enough here to keep even a casual player enticed. And forget it if you’ve never played a game before. So much of the world-building was lacking, so without prior knowledge of the world of Thedas, the Stolen Throne reads a bit like a generic sword and shield fantasy novel.

    The Teas

    Shou pu'erh in teacup

    Your Favorite Shou Pu’erh

    The Fereldans are a puzzle. As a people, they are one bad day away from reverting to barbarism. They repelled invasions from Tevinter during the height of the Imperium with nothing but dogs and their own obstinate disposition. They are the coarse, wilful, dirty, disorganized people who somehow gave rise to our prophet, ushered in an era of enlightenment, and toppled the greatest empire in our history.

    – Empress Celine I of Orlais, in a letter to her newly appointed ambassador to Denerim

    The Dragon Age continent of Thedas is an amalgamation of cultures and civilizations in Eurasia spanning from the Early Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period. Ferelden, the setting for the Stolen Throne, seems to resemble the period following the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England– not quite “barbaric” but not yet as opulent as Orlais or Tevinter. Not opulent at all, actually. It’s rural and dirty and always on the verge of battle against darkspawn or neighboring Orlais, and really I just imagine most people smell of wet mabari (a breed of war dog revered by Fereldans).

    And so, for my first tea, I suggest your favorite shou pu’erh. For the uninitiated, shou pu’erh is a fermented tea that, to me, is akin to licking a wet forest floor in the middle of Autumn, but in a good way. (Usually. I had a shou that tasted like how the animal pens at the county farm smelled, and that ended up down the drain. But, honestly, that sounds perfect for Ferelden, too). I sipped Pu-erh #1 from Friday Afternoon Tea, which is an undaunting introduction to pu’erh. It offers aromas of earth, wet wood, and dry leaves. (It appears this tea is no longer available, but check out more aged teas from Friday Afternoon here.)

    Black Tea Blend in Teacup

    Soldier’s Blend from Friday Afternoon Tea

    Loghain glanced uncomfortably at the knights who had been assigned to his command, once again wondering just how he had allowed himself to end up here. Thirty mounted men in heavy plate armor, each with more combat experience in the last year than he had in his life, and he was supposed to lead them?

    the Stolen Throne by David Gaider

    Picked simply for its name, the Soldier’s Blend from Friday Afternoon Tea is a blend of black tea, chicory root, cacao nib, and natural vanilla flavor. It’s reminiscent of a dark chocolate bar with a pop of tangy acid. I prefer to sip this one sweetened to draw out the creamy vanilla notes and to tame the dark chocolate flavor (I’m a milk chocolate girlie).

    Herbal Tea blend in teacup

    Shield Maiden from Friday Afternoon Tea

    The knight sheathed his sword. Reaching up to his helmet, he pulled it off, and Loghain realized the man’s voice had sounded strange because it wasn’t a man at all. Masses of thick brown curls were plastered against the woman’s sweaty pale skin, yet Loghain found it didn’t mar her striking appearance. She had high cheekbones and a strong chin that a sculptor would have ached for, yet carried herself with a confidence that told him the armor was no affectation. She was as much a soldier as the men she led, and while it was not unheard of in Ferelden for a woman to be skilled in the art of war, it was uncommon enough to be surprising.

    the Stolen Throne by David Gaider

    Rowan is easily my favorite character. She is betrothed to Prince Maric and will someday be Queen of Ferelden. But, in the meantime, she charges headfirst into battle alongside her army to win back the throne stolen by Orlais. Her story is part honor, duty, and total badassery, but it is also part unrequited love, which wrecks me every single time. She should have been the main character.

    Rowan kind of reminds me of Eowyn from the Lord of the Rings, so to honor Rowan, I’ve selected Shield Maiden from Friday Afternoon Tea, which is a blend of elderflower, pink peppercorn, roasted dandelion root, ginkgo biloba, cacao nib, and shavegrass. This golden-like-the-sun brew has a thick, luscious mouthfeel and it offers aromas of dried grass and dried wildflowers. There is also a soft heat from the pink peppercorns.

    Rose-infused Earl Grey in Teacup

    Your Favorite Rose-Infused Blend

    Delicate to the nose, comfort to the tongue, and, strangely, a half-remembered whisper to the ears. It is described as—and inspires—a wistful spirit. A vintner’s opus.

    Dragon Age codex entry on the tasting notes for Vint-9 Rowan’s Rose

    No Dragon Age story is complete without romance. (Except for Dragon Age 2. My headcanon Hawke only has eyes for Varric, who is not one of the game’s love interests :( and yes I am still bitter about this.) In The Stolen Throne, we get a double-whammy of unrequited love. ~*~spoilers!~*~ Loghain pines for Rowan who pines for Maric who has been promised to Rowan but pines for Katriel. sigh.

    For the final tea, I suggest your favorite rose-infused blend. To sweep me off my feet, I sipped the Orlesian Gray from Lady Gray Kitchen. It’s a citrusy Earl Grey blended with rose, lavender, and rosemary. As an added bonus, this particular blend was inspired by the kingdom of Orlais from the Dragon Age series!

  • Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

    Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

    Warning: this post contains spoilers.

    Dark Companion by Marta Acosta is book #2 in my READ ALL THE LIBRARY BOOKS challenge, and like my initial reaction to Sign Language by Amy Ackley, when I pulled Dark Companion from the shelf, I was once again disappointed. In fact, I hadn’t even openly declared that I was trying to read all of the books in the YA section of my library at this point, so I almost gave up on the project in that moment. The book cover featured a young woman wearing a white gown in the middle of a spooky forest; between that image and the title, it screamed paranormal romance, which is a genre that has me hightailing it in the other direction faster than if it were a plate of brussels sprouts.

    I chose to persevere though, and in the end…I’ll still run from paranormal romance faster than if it were a plate of brussels sprouts.

    Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

    Released: July 2013
    Publisher: Tor/Macmillan
    ★★☆☆☆
    Add to Goodreads

    Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.

    They are.

    The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?

    As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove and what she would risk to stay there..because even the brightest people make terrible decisions when they are offered the things they desire most.

    The Review

    Admittedly, for the first half of the novel, I thought Dark Companion was going to be a solid, four-star kind of novel. I thought it was going to be the book that changed my mind about paranormal romance. So what if I thought the main character, Jane, was kind of uninspiring? So what if I thought Lucien and Jack, potential love interests, were worse than Edward Cullen (how?!)? It takes place at a friggin’ boarding school, which is one of my favorite settings ever! Plus, Acosta wrote one of my favorite secondary characters ever– Mary Violet (or MV). MV is hilarious and clever and vibrant, and all I wanted to do was read a book about her. Of course, there simply is no denying that Marta Acosta’s writing is beautiful either. She captured the atmosphere of a gothic novel so perfectly.

    Yet the exclusive Birch Grove Academy has a dark, cult-like secret. One that I wasn’t on board with.

    I thought Dark Companion was going to be a vampire novel because there are these subtle clues that some of the characters in the novel have a certain fascination with blood. They like their steaks rare (Did I say “rare”? I mean “basically raw”), and they practically start salivating when people get paper cuts. And yet, vampirism would have been preferred to the twist that was presented (even though I can’t stand vampires. Exhibit A. Exhibit B. Exhibit C.) A genetic disorder plagues Lucien and his family (who run Birch Grove), that makes them both incredibly pale and incredibly thirsty for blood. And Jane was invited to Birch Grove Academy because her blood is exactly what Lucien needs. When it is revealed to Jane that she was selected to be Lucien’s companion, she’s both freaked out because this means he will drink her blood, but also kind of thrilled because it means she gets to be with Lucien forever and she totally has the hots for him. Except, their relationship ends up being just as creepy as you think it will be. Lucien is overwhelmed by literal bloodlust, and he tries to seduce Jane every time he wants to feed. It boggled my mind that this novel was marketed as a YA novel, especially considering in a previous scene, Jane returned to a friend in the slums and learned all about BDSM and “blood play”. All of this just made me feel so uncomfortable, and all I wanted to do was take a hot shower and scrub myself clean with a loofah made of steel wool. Ick.

    Jane eventually comes to her senses and realizes this relationship is absolutely crazy and toxic and ends up falling for Jack, Lucien’s brother, instead. Neither of the love interests are particularly decent, but at least Jack doesn’t want to drink Jane’s bodily fluids.

    Dark Companion was a disappointment, but I still find myself optimistic about this challenge. This is especially odd because the next book in line is Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, and I’ve intentionally avoided YA novels featuring angels as the main character. I’m not keen on innocent and pure main characters and forbidden love.Save

  • Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

    Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

    About a month after publishing a blog post about how I was nervous to start reading Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris, a reader pointed out that a fair amount of time had passed and I still hadn’t written a review for the novel; she was curious about what I thought of the book. The truth is…it took me nearly a month to read the novel, and it was a pretty grueling experience.

    I went into reading Dead Until Dark with skepticism. I’ve never developed a fondness for novels about vampires, and I suspected this novel was mostly smut, yet I was pleasantly surprised in the first few chapters. I was impressed by the character of Sookie Stackhouse and how vivid her voice was. She seemed like a down-to-earth and simple southern girl who had an insatiable curiosity about vampires. She also had a peculiar gift that allowed her to read the thoughts of others, which…okay…I wasn’t that impressed with. It was a little too Bella Swan for my taste (and yes, I realize Dead Until Dark was published first), though I was willing to overlook it.

    And then everything changed following her first roll in the hay with Bill, the vampire. Sookie Stackhouse? Surely her name is really Mary Sue!

    • She’s the most gorgeous girl in Bon Temps, Louisiana, which she and everyone in Bon Temps constantly remind the reader about. I guess the only reprieve the reader gets is at least Sookie doesn’t try to convince you she’s just mediocre looking despite an excess amount of male attention.
    • She refers to her magical ability, which allows her to read the minds of those around her, as a “disability”. Gross.
    • Said magical ability is a result of her not-so-human status (which is actually revealed in later novels, I just accidentally found a spoiler).
    • Spoilers also tell me of a love pentagon? A love hexagon? Just no.
    • She’s abstained from any romantic and sexual relationships because of her mind reading ability, so naturally her first sexual encounters, with a vampire of course, reveal she’s actually a sexual beast. Who doesn’t come out the gate swingin’ though, amiright? (Just kidding. The answer to that question is “NO ONE”).
    • She essentially has a minimum wage job, but she doesn’t ever have to worry about money because a giant “nest egg” has been willed to her. On multiple occasions. This allows her to take all the time off from work that she needs with no consequence. That and her boss is in love with her. How convenient.

    There was a mystery in this book too that became quite muddled after Sookie lost her V-card. I mean, it was a compelling murder mystery at first, but then the story morphed into this weird relationship power struggle between Bill and Sookie. Bill was a bit of a wet blanket unless bedroom activity was involved, and Sookie was excessively stubborn by refusing her gentleman caller unless bedroom activity was involved. I forgot about the mystery until the last couple of chapters, which in all fairness, wrapped up nicely.

    In the end, while I didn’t hate Dead Until Dark, it definitely didn’t impress me. I sort of wish I could have my month back to trudge through a different novel.

    Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris

    Released: May 2001

    [goodreads | indiebound]

    Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability.” She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome–and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life….

    But Bill has a disability of his own: He’s a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of–big surprise–murder. And when one of Sookie’s coworkers is killed, she fears she’s next….

  • This Book Destroyed Me | The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

    This Book Destroyed Me | The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

    The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson is not what I expected. At first, I thought it was going to be a mystery/thriller because teenage girls are vanishing in Door County in Wisconsin and then turning up days later, dead in the water. Then I thought it was going to be a ghost story, and maybe in a really abstract way it is. But really, it was the most haunting and devastating YA contemporary I have ever read.

    The Vanishing SeasonThe Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson

    Released: July 2014
    Publisher: HarperTeen
    Add to Goodreads
    ★★★★★

    Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter’s come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I’ve watched the danger swell.

    The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I’m the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I’m tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town.

    I’m tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don’t know why. I think it’s because death is coming for one of them, or both.

    All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig. I am looking for the things that are buried.

    The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson is an atmospheric novel. It is a cold, quiet, and introspective novel. It’s a slow but intentional novel. It’s not something that will appeal to everyone. You need patience to read it, but at the same time, I read it in a single sitting. I couldn’t put the book down because it was one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read.

    The Vanishing Season is a character-driven novel. It is a novel about friendship. It is a novel about betrayal. It is a novel about isolation and death and lost memories. It is a novel about unrequited love. It’s always the stories about unrequited love that make me cry. I knew it was coming, but I cried anyway.

    The Vanishing Season has one of the most upsetting endings I have ever read. I didn’t expect it, and it feels like the suffocating weight of melancholy. I wanted to love Maggie’s new friends, Pauline and Liam. But, I knew…I knew they were going to be toxic. I get so angry just thinking about them because it’s not fair. It’s not fair!

    The Vanishing Season is one of the best books I have read this year. It’s probably one of the best books I’ve read since launching Books & Tea five years ago. It’s so rare that a book moves me to tears or emotionally destroys me to the point where I’m fumbling to find words for a review. I need to read this book again. I think maybe that’s a bit masochistic, but I really do need to read this book again. I’ll wait for wintertime though. I think that’s when this book is meant to be read.

  • So, this is magical realism? | the Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson

    So, this is magical realism? | the Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson

    I find myself irritated by the goodreads shelf labels associated with the Wrap-up List by Steven Arntson. Which is stupid, I know. I’m not a genre snob, I swear. But… Paranormal Fantasy? Supernatural Fantasy? Really? Okay…sure, I can admit, that part of it is gag reflex; when I hear Paranormal Fantasy I think of Twilight and the million other vampire novels out there, which are not in the same league as the Wrap-up List. But part of it is that these genre labels seem to simplify this novel; the story takes place in reality but has fantastic elements and revolves around some really complex issues like grief and mortality. After finishing the novel, I found myself thinking, “So that’s magical realism?”

    the wrap up listThe Wrap-up List by Steven Arntson

    Released: January 2013
    Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
    Add to Goodreads
    ★★★★☆

    In this modern-day suburban town, one percent of all fatalities come about in the most peculiar way. Deaths—eight-foot-tall, silver-gray creatures—send a letter (“Dear So-and-So, your days are numbered”) to whomever is chosen for a departure, telling them to wrap up their lives and do the things they always wanted to do before they have to “depart.” When sixteen-year-old Gabriela receives her notice, she is, of course devastated. Will she kiss her crush Sylvester before it’s too late?

    The synopsis seems to simplify the novel as well

    I’m glad I just skimmed the synopsis and flipped to the first page to read the first paragraph instead [your book has to “hook” me in the first paragraph, or it’s going back on the shelf!]. Had I continued the synopsis, I would have learned that Gabriela’s wrap-up list revolves around getting first kisses for herself and her friends. Sounds cheesy, right? Once I actually learned the contents of Gabriela’s wrap-up list, I was quite skeptical myself. It just seemed silly that a sixteen year old would become so preoccupied by first kisses when she had just one week to live. (Then again, maybe I’m the silly one; I would have been more preoccupied by trying to figure out how to see AFI in concert instead of getting my first kiss.) I think I was also a little concerned that the author’s treatment of the subject of death was going to be flippant, which it wasn’t.

    The world building is wonderful

    Which is kind of strange when you think about it– this book does takes place in a modern-day, suburban town after all. Except, these beings called Deaths, which children are taught about in school, roam our world to escort the chosen Departed to the place beyond the Fields. (The Fields is a very tangible place that the living can visit, but they cannot visit the place beyond the Fields.) People can also specialize in the study of Departure and work for the Departure Authority. Their reports may end up in the Municipal Archives, which contains all sorts of government records including record of all the Deaths, their Departed, and who was granted Pardons.

    Everything changes once Hercule is introduced

    Hercule is Gabriela’s Death, and she and her friends intend to kidnap him. What follows is a bit of chaos, some deep discussions about faith and mortality, and a second half of a novel that is so cleverly tinged with black comedy (sort of like when Percy Jackson met Charon and Hades in the Lightning Thief). While I enjoyed the entire novel, it was the second half of the novel that really affected me. The story became so much more complex and emotional and yes, sometimes even funny.

    Overall, the Wrap-up List by Steven Arntson is a wonderful novel. Just like Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern, I finished it in one sitting, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this novel to other readers.

    Have you ever read the Wrap-up List? What would be on your list?

  • Welcome to Celaena-mania! | Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

    Throne of Glass

    [Insert some tired quip about how I’m reluctant to read the books everyone else is raving about because more often than not I’m left feeling disappointed]

    But then Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas happened, and I’m sad that I didn’t read it sooner. Sad that I didn’t get to anticipate the release of the next books in the series with everyone else. Sad that I wasn’t swept up in Celaena-mania. Why do I have to be so stubborn? This was such a good book! (Oh, PS. SPOILERS)

     

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  • I’m Disappointed…That it Took Me So Long to Read This Book! | The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

    Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

    There were two reasons why I didn’t read Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan when it was released:

    1. In January 2005, I was a junior in high school, and I considered myself too old for middle grade novels.
    2. Yet, I wasn’t too old for Harry Potter, which is the other reason I didn’t read this book. Someone said it was “perfect for fans of Harry Potter“, which is an instant turn-off. Nothing can compare to Harry Potter!

    So, I’m not sure why, at the age of 27, I felt compelled to buy this middle grade novel (other than, it was on sale, and I’m notoriously impulsive when it comes to buying and borrowing books). Once I brought the book home with me, it spent a few months sitting on the floor beside my bed before I even considered actually reading it. It was because of mentions on two blogs, Reviews and Cake and J.Bookish, that I took as a sign and decided to finally give the book a read. Right from chapter one, I was totally engrossed in The Lightning Thief. Normally I can’t read in bed because I get drowsy really quickly, but this book had me thinking just one more chapter before lights out, and before I knew it, the clock read midnight. I even read this book with the teevee on, and I wasn’t distracted at all.

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  • Book Blind Date | Shakespeare Undead by Lori Handleland

    Book Blind Date | Shakespeare Undead by Lori Handleland

    I’ve mentioned it before, but I go in “blind” with almost every book I borrow from the library. It encourages me to select books I never would have otherwise because of perceptions of a genre or a style. This was the case for Shakespeare Undead by Lori Handeland. I picked up this novel for two reasons:

    1. I needed spooky books for my October “horror” series, and well…this book does have “undead” right in the title.
    2. The book cover features Shakespeare with vampire fangs, and apparently that’s all the convincing I need.

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