So Wild a Heart by Candace Camp

Title: So Wild a Heart (Aincourt #1)

Author: Candace Camp

Publisher: Harlequin 2002

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 408

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

Devin Aincourt, Earl of Ravenscar, makes no apologies for who he is—a drinker, a womanizer, a gambler. Having been cast aside by his disapproving father years before, Dev is content to live out his cursed life in this hedonistic manner. Until his mother asks him to make a bold move to restore the family name and fortune: marry a rich American heiress.

Believing it will be a marriage in name only, Dev agrees to marry Miranda. But he never imagined that this feisty, unconventional foreigner would have plans of her own: to restore Blackwater, the old abbey, to its former glory, to extricate Dev from the clutches of a devious mistress and to win his heart for her own. All while risking her own life to an unknown enemy.

For Dev and Miranda, love may be the most lasting curse of all.

I'm usually all for the ridiculous historical romances, but this one had a few problematic points. 1) I was very uneasy about the initial relationship between Miranda and Devin. There were too many references to submission and even alluded to rape. I was not a fan of their power struggle. 2) The early on sex scene between Devin and his mistress was strange and unnecessary to the storyline. Not sure why it had to be in there. Not to mention the inclusion of a "slave." Left a bad taste in my mouth. 3) The side storyline involved Elizabeth was a little too much coincidence for me. Usually there's some deus ex machina, but this one was a bit much... I enjoyed Miranda and Devin once they decided to marry and while working out their life together. It was just the beginning that really threw me.

Aincourt

• #1 So Wild a Heart
• #2 The Hidden Heart
• #3 Secrets of the Heart

Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

Title: Everyday Sexism

Author: Laura Bates

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books 2016

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 406

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Feminism; I Love Libraries

The Everyday Sexism Project was founded by writer and activist Laura Bates in April 2012. It began life as a website where people could share their experiences of daily, normalized sexism, from street harassment to workplace discrimination to sexual assault and rape.

While this book is extremely depressing, it is also very informative and should be required reading. I could only read a few pages at a time because their were so powerful. I needed extra time to digest the information and experiences. Thank you Laura Bates for giving people a place to share their stories and receive some sense of support.

Unmentionable by Therese Oneill

Title: Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners

Author: Therese Oneill

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2016

Genre: History

Pages: 307

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - With a Subtitle; I Love Libraries

Ladies, welcome to the 19th century, where there's arsenic in your face cream, a pot of cold pee sits under your bed, and all of your underwear is crotchless. (Why? Shush, dear. A lady doesn't question.)

UNMENTIONABLE is your hilarious, illustrated, scandalously honest (yet never crass) guide to the secrets of Victorian womanhood.

Random library find and I absolutely fell for it! Hilarious for page 1 until page 307. Oneill's writing style is amazing, full of wit and wonder. I seriously laughed out loud at almost every page. While I loved Oneill's writing in discussion the various aspects of life during the Victorian Era, I definitely appreciated the inclusion of primary sources to give evidence to her ideas. Thank you for proper research and showing evidence for claims. Plus, the passages were amazing at showing how out of touch some "scientists" and "doctors" at the time were. I'm looking at you Kellogg! A definite fun pick for some pre-bedtime reading.

When a Child is Born by Jodi Taylor

Title: When a Child is Born (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #2.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2013

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 20

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

It's Christmas Day 1066 and a team from St Mary's is going to witness the coronation of William the Conqueror. Or so they think. However, History seems to have different plans for them and when Max finds herself delivering a child in a peasant's hut, she can't help wondering what History is up to.

Such a cute little short story. Love Max so much! And it was nice to see Petersen, Guthrie, and Markham. It may be short, but it was enjoyable!

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

• #0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
• #1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
• #2 A Symphony of Echoes
• #2.5 When A Child is Born
• #3 A Second Chance
• #3.5 Roman Holiday
• #4 A Trail Through Time
• #4.5 Christmas Present
• #5 No Time Like the Past
• #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
• #6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
• #7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
• #7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
• #7.6 My Name is Markham
• #8 And the Rest is History

The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean

Title: The Golden Prince

Author: Rebeca Dean

Publisher: Broadway Books 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Read Your Shelf

It’s 1912, and seventeen-year-old Prince Edward, England’s Golden Prince of Wales, is feeling the burden of his position. As heir to the greatest throne in the world, he hates the constrictions and superficial demands of his royal life. His father, King George, is a harsh disciplinarian, and his mother, Queen Mary, is reserved and cold. Other than his siblings, he has no friends and despairs at his isolation and loneliness.

However, when unexpected circumstances bring him to Snowberry Manor, home of the four Houghton sisters, his life suddenly seems more interesting. As he secretly spends more time with Lily, the youngest of the girls, he finds himself falling hopelessly in love.

Ugh. So my overwhelming emotion while reading this book was boredom. I was completely bored. I didn't care about any of the characters or the storyline. The constant switching between narrators annoyed me. David annoyed me. All the Houghton sisters annoyed me. I was just annoyed and bored throughout the entire book.

The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

Title: The Wordy Shipmates

Author: Sarah Vowell

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2009

Genre: History

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure); Mount TBR

To this day, America views itself as a Puritan nation, but Sarah Vowell investigates what that means-and what it should mean. What she discovers is something far different from what their uptight shoebuckles- and-corn reputation might suggest-a highly literate, deeply principled, and surprisingly feisty people, whose story is filled with pamphlet feuds, witty courtroom dramas, and bloody vengeance.

Finally finished this book in the early morning hours. I always love a good history book where I learn something. Thankfully Vowell dives deep into the Puritans to get a good look at the people, their lives, and their beliefs. I enjoyed reading the back and forth between John Winthrop and all of his adversaries. I knew some about Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, but this book expanded my knowledge. My only issue with the book is Vowell's deviations into current times. Those passages felt a little too long for how short this book is overall. I wanted more time in Puritan New England and less time in the 20th century...

Hamilton The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter

Title: Hamilton The Revolution

Author: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter

Publisher: Grand Central 2016

Genre: Nonfiction - Theater

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsguar -  Bestseller from 2016; I Love Libraries

HAMILTON: THE REVOLUTION gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages--"since before this was even a show," according to Miranda--traces its development from an improbable perfor­mance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. In addition, Miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his award-winning libretto, the full text of which is published here.

Finally got this from the library! And it was so worth the wait! For three days, I was completely engrossed in this book. Reading and rereading the libretto and essays. I loved catching the little nuances in the lines of the songs. Things I never noticed just listening to the cast recording. And it was great to hear the story of how the show came together over many years and many different iterations. My favorite essay was the one discussing the staging and progression of the four songs in Act II dealing with Hamilton's affair with Maria Reynolds. Fascinating! My stagecraft background definitely came into play while reading that essay. Such a great book for fans of the show.

Pretty Deadly Vol. 2

Title: Pretty Deadly Volume 2

Author: Kelly DeConnick, Emma Rios

Publisher: Image 2016

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 152

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Sarah Fields is dying and her children strike a bargain with the Immortals: give them one month, until the moon is full again, to find her son. The boy is far away, in the trenches of France, stalked by the Reapers of Vengeance and Cruelty. Collects PRETTY DEADLY #6-10

I think I liked the second volume more than the first. I think the storyline was better with the appearance of Fear and War and Grace. I loved how they bookended the volume with Sarah's death. It was a nice connector. Still really liking the storyline and not loving the art...

Pretty Deadly Vol. 1

Title: Pretty Deadly Volume 1

Author: Kelly DeConnick, Emma Rios

Publisher: Image 2014

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 120

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (Avengers Assemble, Captain Marvel) and EMMA RÍOS (Dr. Strange, Osborn) present the collected opening arc of their surprise-hit series that marries the magical realism of Sandman with the western brutality of Preacher. Death's daughter rides the wind on a horse made of smoke and her face bears the skull marks of her father. Her origin story is a tale of retribution as beautifully lush as it is unflinchingly savage.

This volume was highly anticipated series for me. Unfortunately, while good, this didn't completely blow me away like I hoped. I was intrigued by the story and characters. I'm still intrigued by the story line. I was sucked in by the idea that Death had a daughter and there is an epic struggle for the position of Death and probably other things. I loved the character of Sissy and Alice is fascinating. What I didn't love was the art... The cels felt way too messy and unclear. I don't like the idea that I have to stare at a cel for many many moments before figuring out what is going on. I think I will be continuing the story but I have my reservations.

The Complete Love Hurts by Kim Andersson

Title: The Complete Love Hurts

Author: Kim W. Andersson

Publisher: Dark Horse 2015

Genre: Comics

Pages: 240

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

In this massive tomb of romance comics with brutal, terrible twists, Swedish comics creator Kim W. Andersson--making his U.S. debut--delivers a shocking series of short stories about love gone horribly wrong! Featuring lovelorn supervillains, psychopathic online daters, murderous reality TV show stars, and heartbroken cowboys, samurais, and astronauts, Love Hurts showcases that no matter who you are or what you do, love can be one deadly bitch!

Hmmm... a mixed bag this collection was! There were some super fun stories mixed in with some disturbing stories. The fun stories often involved a horror element. The disturbing stories focused more on relationships and a few left a bad taste in my mouth. Don't think I'll be recommending this one to friends.

Monstress Volume 1

Title: Monstress Vol. 1: Awakening

Author: Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

Publisher: Image 2016

Genre: Comics

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: New to Me; Graphic Novel; I Love Libraries

Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steampunk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both. Entertainment Weekly praised MONSTRESS as "one of Image Comics' most imaginative and daring new series" and dubbed it the "Best New Original Series" in their year-end "Best Comics of 2015" list. Collects MONSTRESS #1-6

Picked this one up from the library after hearing great things from other bloggers. I was very impressed by the story and the art. The cells are all very dark, but each one has such detail. I loved the look of the world as well as the costumes on the characters. The intricate costumes are amazing. Very well drawn! As for the storyline, I loved the twist on history and mythology. It took me a minute to get my bearings on time and and place, but it's not a negative. I just like to place all the stories I read in history. Maika is great main character with a mysterious past and motivations. I can't wait to find Volume 2 and continue the story.

The Lunar Chronicles Stores - Part 2

Title: Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky(The Lunar Chronicles #2.5); After Sunshine Passes By; The Princess and the Guard; Something Old Something New

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2016

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 39; 21; 61; 56

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling

The enchantment continues. . . . The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories - and secrets - that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies? With six stories - two of which have never before been published - and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer's novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

"Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky" -- A cute little story featuring Thorne's childhood. I loved reading about the expansion of a story Cress learned in her research.

"After Sunshine Passes By" -- More insight into the history of the various characters. This time we get to learn more about Cress and her childhood. Sibyl Mira is as scary as ever in this story...

"The Princess and the Guard" -- My favorite story of the entire book. I loved learning more about the relationship between Winter and Jacin. The story shows us the depth of their relationship and sheds some light onto where their character's are at when we meet Jacin aboard Sibyl Mira's ships. A great short story!

"Something Old Something New" -- A nice epilogue story for the series. It was great seeing all the main characters again. Plus we get some development in their stories. My only disappointment was not enough Winter and Jacin in this story. They were my favorites!

The Lunar Chronicles

• #0.5 Glitches
• #0.6 The Little Android
• #1 Cinder
• #1.5 The Queen's Army
• #2 Scarlet
• #2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
• #3 Cress
• #3.5 Fairest
• #3.6 Stars Above
• #4 Winter

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Title: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel andFriends 2015

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 827

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling; I Love Libraries

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

A fitting conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles. While I really enjoyed the previous books, this one really caught my attention. I was drawn into the story on page one. Winter is hands down my favorite character of the entire series. I loved the chapters that were from her point of view. The other chapters were good, but Winter stole the show. I was on pins and needles waiting to see if Winter survived and if she and Jacin finally got together. I was riveted by the build up to the confrontation between CInder and Levana. Oh my it was so stressful! But it was such a great ending. While the last chapter was a bit rushed, I still really really enjoyed it.

The Lunar Chronicles

• #0.5 Glitches
• #0.6 The Little Android
• #1 Cinder
• #1.5 The Queen's Army
• #2 Scarlet
• #2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
• #3 Cress
• #3.5 Fairest
• #3.6 Stars Above
• #4 Winter

Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton

Title: Hark! A Vagrant

Author: Kate Beaton

Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 166

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Hark! A Vagrant is an uproarious romp through history and literature seen through the sharp, contemporary lens of New Yorker cartoonist and comics sensation Kate Beaton. No era or tome emerges unscathed as Beaton rightly skewers the Western world's revolutionaries, leaders, sycophants, and suffragists while equally honing her wit on the hapless heroes, heroines, and villains of the best-loved fiction.

Oh my! History, literature, and jokes are wrapped into one? I am so into this volume of comics! Multiple times I found myself chucking out loud, much to the dismay of my husband. The panels about the suffragettes had me laughing out loud. I read this book cover to cover in about a day. It was great. I was sucked into every frame. Such a great collection of comics.

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Title: Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel andFriends 2015

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 220

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling; I Love Libraries

Pure evil has a name, hides behind a mask of deceit, and uses her "glamour" to gain power. But who is Queen Levana? Long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress in The Lunar Chronicles, Levana lived a very different story—a story that has never been told . . . until now. New York Times –bestselling author Marissa Meyer reveals the story behind her fascinating villain in Fairest, an unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes a special full-color image of Levana's castle and an excerpt from Winter, the exciting conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles.

In a sense, I didn't like this book. Levana is such a horrible person that of course I didn't want to have any sympathy for her. And I don't have any sympathy for her even after reading her story. She has always been a cruel person manipulating people to cover her own insecurities. On the other hand, I did enjoy getting more story featuring the characters we know now including Jacin, Winter, and Selene. Overall, a very interesting story...

The Lunar Chronicles

• #0.5 Glitches
• #0.6 The Little Android
• #1 Cinder
• #1.5 The Queen's Army
• #2 Scarlet
• #2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
• #3 Cress
• #3.5 Fairest
• #3.6 Stars Above
• #4 Winter

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

Title: The Girl with All the Gifts

Author: M.R. Carey

Publisher: Orbit Books 2014

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 409

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Pseudonym; I Love Libraries

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius."

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.

Our book club selection for March and it was my pick! The main character is a zombie, or is she? The central question is very intriguing. I love books that raise interesting questions and this one centers on a big one. What does it take to be human? My favorite parts of the book were the interactions between Melanie and Ms. Justineau. Their conversations add so much to the book. Instead of just a zombie book, we get an interesting examination of the human condition. Plus I loved the explanation of what caused the zombies. The reasoning was much more plausible than most zombie origin stories. Overall I really enjoyed the book.

A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor

Title: A Symphony of Echoes (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #2)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Night Shade Books 2013

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 307

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Involving travel; I Love Libraries

In the sequel to Just One Damned Thing After Another, Max and company visit Victorian London in search of Jack the Ripper, witness the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, and discover that dodos make a grockling noise when eating cucumber sandwiches. But they must also confront an enemy intent on destroying St. Mary’s—an enemy willing, if necessary, to destroy history itself to do it.

Another great installment of the Chronicles of St. Mary's, although I must say I was worried with the first 25 pages. The entire sequence with Jack the Ripper was extremely unsettling and very open-ended. I hope they revisit the unanswered questions later in the series. Beyond that, I really dove into the book and didn't come up for air until I had finished. Max is just a great main character: flawed yet likable. I couldn't wait to see where the historians visited next. The sequence dealing with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was perfect! Can't wait to pick up the next volume.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

• #0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
• #1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
• #2 A Symphony of Echoes
• #2.5 When A Child is Born
• #3 A Second Chance
• #3.5 Roman Holiday
• #4 A Trail Through Time
• #4.5 Christmas Present
• #5 No Time Like the Past
• #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
• #6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
• #7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
• #7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
• #7.6 My Name is Markham
• #8 And the Rest is History

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2014

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 552

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (365 Days of YA); Fairytale Retelling; I Love Libraries

Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker; unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

This may be my favorite book of the series. I loved the continuation of Cinder and Thorne and Wolf and Scarlet and Kai. But even more I loved Cress's story and growth. And we get to see more from Sybil and Levana, an appearance from Dr. Erland, and an introduction to Jacin and Princess Winter. So many characters in this one! If felt like the story was finally coming together. Plus we get some real movement in the plot to overthrow Queen Levana. I sped through this volume in a matter of three days. Can't wait to get to the library and pick up the next volume!

The Lunar Chronicles

• #0.5 Glitches
• #0.6 The Little Android
• #1 Cinder
• #1.5 The Queen's Army
• #2 Scarlet
• #2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
• #3 Cress
• #3.5 Fairest
• #3.6 Stars Above
• #4 Winter

Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier

Title: Bruning Bright

Author: Tracy Chevalier

Publisher: Plume 2008

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 327

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Read Your Book Shelf; Popsugar - Used Book Sale

In the waning days of eighteenth-century London, poet, artist, and printer William Blake works in obscurity as England is rocked by the shock waves of the French Revolution. Next door, the Kellaway family has just moved in, and country boy Jem Kellaway strikes up a tentative friendship with street-savvy Maggie Butterfield. As their stories intertwine with Blake's, the two children navigate the confusing and exhilarating path to adolescence, and inspire the poet to create the work that enshrined his genius.

I have enjoyed some of Chevalier's other books, but this one ultimately fell flat. I didn't find the characters all that interesting. The plot seemed to be nonexistent. The story just didn't go anywhere and I was bored for most of the pages. The other real redeeming portion of the book were the sections depicting London in 1792. I found myself drawn into the city at a time of great upheaval. The writing comes alive in those passages. Otherwise I was just bored.

Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs

Title: Tales of the Peculiar

Author: Ransom Riggs

Publisher: Syndrigast Publications 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - With pictures; I Love Libraries

Wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars. A fork-tongued princess. These are but a few of the truly brilliant stories in Tales of the Peculiar—the collection of fairy tales known to hide information about the peculiar world, including clues to the locations of time loops—first introduced by Ransom Riggs in his #1 bestselling Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.

Cute little collection stories briefly mentioned or alluded to in the Miss Peregrine series. I loved the little asides and commentary from Millard. My favorite story was the first story "The Splendid Cannibals." It was such a weird story, but I loved it. Overall a good collection of stories.

Miss Peregrine:

• #0.5 Tales of the Peculiar
• #1 Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
• #2 Hollow City
• #3 Library of Souls