The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Making the transition to Kobo today, I think I could get used to an eReader. Pretty damn cool that my reviews could get me something for free. This week was my first week of collage, and I’m liking it so far. I’m most excited for my creative writing workshop. Finally I can get some constructive criticism.

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing. But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army. Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

Brace yourself for a world full of unnaturals: criminal clairivoyants of future London. The first page of this book thrusts the reader into a marble swirl of paranormal and fantasy.

The vocabulary might be a bit confusing at the start of the story, there are many new words that take a stretch to get used to. The slang used is supposedly based on language from historic London, I recommend having a peek at the glossary found at the back of the book before getting started.

There isn’t much character development for the majority of this novel, but I have a feeling that it will come later on in the series, which will consist of 7 books. It takes quite a while for the full story of Paige’s background to emerge, and that might have made her character seem a bit flat. She does go through a change near the ending.

I appreciated the fact that there wasn’t a rush when it came to romance. The tension built throughout the story between the two characters was interesting, it kept me guessing about what their relationship really was about.

Shannon is a fairly new and young writer and she’s doing well for her first novel. Thinking back I still feel like there is something missing, but I know that I enjoyed this book and will definitely put faith in the author and read the next book. I’ll give her  3.5 OUT OF 5, check out her blog here http://samantha-shannon.blogspot.ca/

Later cheese graters,

-MRR

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Starting collage in 3 days, I’m starting to get bored of summer so I guess you could say that I’m not that upset about going back. I managed to get into my fiction writing class, and I’ve also lucky enough to have won a Kobo Glo because of my book reviews! Obviously this is perfect for a bookworm like moi. That’s all for the Megan’s Life Update.

When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family. Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin. Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.

The Kitchen House is a very engaging story and I couldn’t put it down. I would be at a friends house about to watch a movie when the other couch and my book would beckon to me, and I would go read instead. There isn’t very much happiness to be found in this book, for any of the characters.

It reflects on the 19th century problems of racism and social status while breaking the heart of the reader through and through. The author continually allows you to get comfortable after a tragedy in the plotline only to have another one lined up and ready. The continuous rape, and the chaos that proceeded when a child was born got a bit repetitive. Much drama happens all throughout the story, and  it can get tiresome but all the same I kept wanting to read on.

I was reminded of the classic movie Gone With The Wind, a tragic story with too many tragic twists. Of course those qualities are what make the story realistic and almost addicting, as well as giving readers a look into history. Well done Grissom. http://www.kathleengrissom.com/thekitchenhousebook_004.htm I’ll give her a 3.5 OUT OF 5.

Later alligators!

- MRR

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

GOT MY JOB AT CHAPTERS! I’m super excited, my first day was today and I had an awesome time. There is some competition though, for now I’m only in a seasonal contract so I have to have an exceptional performance if I’m going to stay there long term. Other than that the only thing happening is me going to Douglas in September. Hooray for more school, study, and papers.

In 1925, the legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett ventured into the Amazon jungle, in search of a fabled civilization. He never returned. Over the years countless perished trying to find evidence of his party and the place he called "The Lost City of Z." In this masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, journalist David Grann interweaves the spellbinding stories of Fawcett's quest for "Z" and his own journey into the deadly jungle, as he unravels the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century.

Reading a non-fiction is a first for me, or at least the first time in a long time, and I admit that I thought it was fascinating. This book is a true story that is filled with real adventure, mystery, and suspense. This and the fact that the author get’s caught up in the obsession over Z just adds to the realism.

After a couple pages I was excited to follow Fawcett throughout several of his journey’s all the way through till the end, but this is not the case. Because it’s a non-fiction the author has to piece together the story from tidbits like Fawcett’s journal, letters written by people close to him, and accounts from other important people in the story. This makes the it less focused on adventure and more informative instead.

If you’re a history buff I recommend this novel. I think that after reading this I’ll have to browse the same section in Chapters more often. Despite it seeming like there were no more twists that could happen, the very ending proved that wrong. The Lost City of Z is a beautiful story of english explorers, amazon indians, and the quest for an ancient city.

I adored this novel, its  4 OUT OF 5. http://www.davidgrann.com/ Visit his website to check out his other book, The Devil and Sherlock Holmes

Until  next time,

-MRR

World War Z by Max Brooks

Spent the weekend in Osoyoos and most of the days we were there it was cloudy, which is rare in that city. Oh well I finished WWZ today while tanning on my trampoline, enjoying the cold water from the sprinkler placed underneath. The reading contest going on at my local library is treating me well, I got a coupon for a free pizza which I ordered today. I’m just relaxed!

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

I didn’t have high expectations for this novel before I cracked the first page. There were many different things being said about World War Z and from what I could tell it was either a hit or miss with the readers. After finishing I could tell why, the novel is full of interviews from survivors of the war which is a unique way to write the entire book.

Because of this way of writing, WWZ might throw quite a few people off. There is no following a character through a secured plot while reading this book. I remember complaining about Soulless by Christopher Golden, which also was about zombies and had different viewpoints. I was surprised that by the time I reached the ending of this one I appreciated the overview effect given from the random perspectives.

Another thing about the writing that bothered me at the beginning was all of the technical terms that had to do with the military, including things like weapons, aircraft, vehicles etc. I got so lost in the intricate terms that it pulled me away from the story sometimes. After finishing the last page though I felt that brought more to the story than it did take away. I was won over in the end especially with the realism despite it being fiction. Brooks took many things into account like the different countries’ cultures, political leadership, and past wars. This book is very complex, I can admire that.

Check out Max Brook’s website http://maxbrooks.com/ he is a bit obsessed with zombies apparently. I’m going to give this one a 4 OUT OF 5. Thanks for another good read Alannis! I heard the movie sucks though.

Chow,

-MRR

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

Summer is halfway through and already I’m not looking forward to the end of it. All there is to do is make the best of it though! I recently won $25 to chapters for one of my reviews, and I finished my 3rd interview at chapters today. I’m so exited to be working there! Wish me luck in getting hired. Back to the books:

On a burn ward, a man lies between living and dying, so disfigured that no one from his past life would even recognize him. His only comfort comes from imagining various inventive ways to end his misery. Then a woman named Marianne Engel walks into his hospital room, a wild-haired, schizophrenic sculptress on the lam from the psych ward upstairs, who insists that she knows him - that she has known him, in fact, for seven hundred years. She remembers vividly when they met, in another hospital ward at a convent in medieval Germany, when she was a nun and he was a wounded mercenary left to die. If he has forgotten this, he is not to worry: she will prove it to him. And so Marianne Engel begins to tell him their story, carving away his disbelief and slowly drawing him into the orbit and power of a word he'd never uttered: love.

I borrowed this lovely novel from my friend Alannis, and when I asked for her opinion on it she said it was so slow she didn’t even get past the first couple chapters. I feel sorry for my dear friend Alannis. Even though there isn’t a great deal of excitement until you meet Marianne, the first part introduces the character thoroughly, it’s where you get to know him.

After Marianne butts her way into the plotline, the reader feels the same fascination with her as the main character does. Her stories to him in the hospital are what weave the novel together and also what kept me intrigued. The writing is very descriptive, especially near the end when things are wrapping up. Some might find parts of the book graphic, but I enjoyed the intense imagery.

The best part about The Gargoyle is the constant tipping of a scale. On one side the possibility that Marianne is not insane and her realistic stories were real, on the other side an inevitability that her schizophrenia was the only truth behind them. While reading I found that I believed Marianne whole-heartedly, but Davidson might find points to push you to think otherwise.

The first half is definitely not as gripping as the second but I know I made the right choice in picking this up and reading start to finish (Unlike poor Alannis). I’ll give it a 3.5/5.

Learn more about the author here http://www.quillandquire.com/authors/profile.cfm?article_id=10235

And check out my tumblr as well! http://spasticmooseful.tumblr.com/

Chow,

-MRR

419 by Will Ferguson

Summer has been great so far for me, I’ve been super busy which I like. I just got back from Victoria, my softball team was participating in the provincials there. We didn’t do so well but I still had a great time, softball will always be one of my favourite things alongside reading.

A car tumbles through darkness down a snowy ravine. A woman without a name walks out of a dust storm in sub-Saharan Africa. And in the seething heat of Lagos City, a criminal cartel scours the Internet, looking for victims. Lives intersect. Worlds collide. And it all begins with a single email: "Dear Sir, I am the daughter of a Nigerian diplomat, and I need your help." When Laura Curtis, a lonely editor in a cold northern city, discovers that her father has died because of one such swindle, she sets out to track down-and corner-her father's killer. It is a dangerous game she's playing, however, and the stakes are higher than she can ever imagine. Woven into Laura's journey is a mysterious woman from the African Sahel with scars etched into her skin and a young man who finds himself caught up in a web of violence and deceit. And running through it, a dying father's final words: "You, I love."

419 is a captivating suspense novel that is unique because of the several viewpoints and characters. The author introduces these characters slowly and descriptively, some not developing until later in the story but all important to the plot. Some readers may find jumping back and forth between settings and characters confusing. My advice is to just keep reading (sung in Dory voice) everything comes together.

Something I admire most about this story is the descriptions of the cities in Africa. It takes a talented writer to completely transport a reader into another world and have them understand it, Ferguson managed this with ease. After reading this novel I feel like I know exactly what Nigeria is all about. The setting was just as important as the characters, being immersed in the different culture made the story.

The foreshadowing spread throughout the chapters really helps the build of anticipation, as well as the phrase ‘something is coming’ repeated by several characters. 419 isn’t the type of fiction to read if you want to get lost in la la land, it shows a harsh reality. I’ll give it a 4.5 OUT OF 5 because although I thought it was brilliant, it still didn’t make the favourite list.

Until next time,

- MRR

1984 by George Orwell

Summer has started and I’ve really thrown myself into the world of reading and books on the internet. I have two other review sites one on chapters online: http://community.indigo.ca/profile/%D0%BC%D1%94gg%CF%83/445991.html Another on tumblr if you use that: http://www.tumblr.com/dashboard Been reviewing like crazy! My goal is to get a job at Chapters and Indigo in the next two weeks so we’ll see where I’m at. There is a writing contest going on for teenagers from Canada, mostly BC if you’re interested. You could win an iPad, and if you post reviews on this site you could win a Kobo book reader. Check that out as well: teenrc.ca

Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One. Big Brother stares out from every poster, the Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal. When Winston finds love with Julia, he discovers that life does not have to be dull and deadening, and awakens to new possibilities. Despite the police helicopters that hover and circle overhead, Winston and Julia begin to question the Party; they are drawn towards conspiracy. Yet Big Brother will not tolerate dissent - even in the mind. For those with original thoughts they invented Room 101...

Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's terrifying vision of a totalitarian future in which everything and everyone is slave to a tyrannical regime.

Most people have to read this novel as a study in high school, and I’ve heard several great things about 1984 although I really had no idea what it was about. From the first page the writing style hooked me in, the descriptions of a drab sort of lifeless world emerged right away. The fact that the protagonist was so anxious about writing in his diary set the reader into the reality of Winston’s world.

The fact that Orwell has created such a society and government that is not similar to anything we have in modern day makes the story captivating and completely unique. Not only does he go into detail about the governmental issues and the inner workings of Oceanic politics, the novel has its own language and a completely different mind set.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a story which I thought showed as much originality and creativity. Not only that, but the story makes the reader think, I was trying to grasp all the ideas the party was trying to force into Winston’s head as the story rounded the ending.  The words used to actually tell the story matched the world in which Orwell was describing. Drab, dirty, dark and full of hatred.

AMAZING. A 5 OUT OF 5. I would recommend this book to any young reader, especially somebody interested in political theories and even psychology. Just brilliant. I’ll be back next with some awesome fiction,

Chow for now

- MRR

out.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

As you are all not aware of, I have been pretty ill for the past 2 weeks. I thought I would make you aware now! I haven’t really read anything even though Animal Farm isn’t really the most difficult read around. Being sick right after I graduated isn’t anybody’s dream start to the summer, and it’s definitely not mine.

Mr Jones of Manor Farm is so lazy and drunken that one day he forgets to feed his livestock. The ensuing rebellion under the leadership of the pigs Napoleon and Wellington leads to the animals taking over the farm. Vowing to eliminate the terrible inequities of the farmyard, the renamed Animal Farm is organized to benefit all who walk on four legs. But as time passes, the ideals of the rebellion are corrupted, then forgotten. And something new and unexpected emerges...

Animal Farm - the history of a revolution that went wrong - is George Orwell's brilliant satire on the corrupting influence of power.

 

And what a satire it is. I could tell right off the bat from the style of writing what kind of novel Animal Farm was going to be. The story starts hopeful, but that reality slowly rots the farther you get in.

It is well known that Animal Farm reflects on the Russian Revolution in relation to it’s characters and events. I can say for myself that I was constantly readying myself for something GOOD to happen in the plotline instead of the complete and utter corruption that takes place on the farm.

While reading my mother looked at me and sarcastically said “A nice light summer read for you eh?” Light in terms of an easy read? Yes. But in all seriousness if you want a book that will bring up your spirits and take you away on a hearty adventure… then don’t read Animal Farm.

I quite liked this novel it was different from a lot of other books I’ve read. I didn’t have to study if through school so that made it more enjoyable. It was a nice change from the usual fiction. I’ll give Orwell a 4 OUT OF 5 on this one. Only because I’m not in love with it. I have more Orwell coming up next.

Later gaters,

- MRR