The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox

 
Apparently, back in the days, trying out your mother's clothes would earn you a one-way ticket to an asylum. I wonder what they'd think about girls trying out their mother's shoes cause I did that more than I can count.

I picked the book up and I couldn't put it down. It wasn't amazing. It was ... engaging. The plot was simple but it had a complicated (albeit thin) story filled with complicated characters. I found myself getting sucked into their lives it makes me wonder if that puts me in the category of a gossip-monger. Heh.

I thought it was good how Kitty's Alzheimer's-addled thoughts was written/presented. I also liked how the difference between dating now and then was compared ... subtly.

What I found confusing was the timeline. If the book's setting was around early 2000 and Esme was thrown at the asylum at age 16 which was 60ish years ago then that would've only been in the 30's or 40's. I'd be generous and indulge you and say it's in the 20's but that still doesn't fit. The setting of Esme's younger days seem to be during the 1800's ... Jane Austen days. I didn't like how it ended (just like that) but I thought it was a pretty smart move. It was too complicated that it was probably best for

The book touches a number of controversial issues. There's rape, sibling rivalry and adultery to name a few. I still can't find the word to describe the book, or rather, the lives and activities of the people in the book. The first that came to mind (controversial) doesn't give justice to them and the others (lewd?) ... too harsh. I liked that it was deliciously intriguing, though. So that would do for now.

The Fire Chronicle

I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one. Probably because, of the siblings, my favorite is Michael and this is his story. I was about to give this 5 stars ... until I read the ending. Yes, I know it's not a bad ending but knowing the third book won't come out until next year (please let it be next year!) was kind of a downer. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!! lol.

When I said on my Emerald Atlas review that Emma was the least I liked ... I take it back lol. She really grew on me and I thought she was cute. I also liked that there is more to the story now than just finding the three books.

Anyhoo, the book is a bit predictable in some areas (like Rafe's destiny) but that wasn't so bad either because you only realize it as you read on. For die hard Harry Potter fans, yes, you will notice maybe a couple of similarities but please stop b**ching and just enjoy the story. It's not so much as the original concept but the story telling itself that I loved. I read on a novelist/screenwriter's blog that people usually come out with the same ideas but the plot develops as you write the story and I have to agree.

Liesl and Po: It wasn't Ineffable after all

Id like to get my hands on the audio book version of Liesl and Po if only for the fact that Jim Dale narrated it. It was the main reason why I learned of the book's existence (second being Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy is already on my to-read list). As it is, I have to settle for the printed version for now but it's not such a bad thing because I fell in love with it's packaging and presentation. I feel like a kid again admiring the drawings in random pages.

Now, the plot, the characters (especially Mo who is not even a main character) and the way they are related to each other somehow was pretty cool. The story, however, is a different ... well ... story. 

If the packaging is what makes a reader pick a book up, the plot is what makes them buy it. It's like a summary that holds the promise of what you'll find in the book. The story, on the other hand, is more intimate and is what makes a reader hold on to the book and endure eaach page. To cut it short, I found myself reading fast to finish the book not because I couldn't put it down but because I wanted to know how it will end (I already know WHAT will happen I just want to see HOW it will happen). The author also seemed to have a habit of quoting random things as if to give depth to it than what's necessary. It draws my attention away from the main story and those parts come off as a filler. But that's just me. I was thinking if I had listened to Jim Dale telling the story I probably won't mind much so when I do get to have that version I will revisit this review to see if there's a need to tweak it.

Ironically, the one word that I won't use to describe this book is the one mentioned in it a lot. Ineffable. The book was just okay. 

The Emerald Atlas

This is a children's book. With no pretenses of being deep or possessing hidden messages. Just a story that teaches how strong family bond can be in difficult situations, how friendship can overlook age or race, and how a person has the ability to shape their own future ... okay maybe there's one hidden message there. Heh.

Of the three kids, Emma comes off as the least to like. I mean, you wouldn't want your kids picking fight and justifying it, eh? But she grows on ya. Lol. I guess she's the stereo type of a kid who grew up from one orphanage to another. Trying to hide pain and emotion by pretending to be tough. Michael would be my favorite. There's something cute about his annoyingly academic character. And I can actually imagine him ogling at the dwarfs (dwarves? lol).

Overall, it makes you laugh enough, cry enough and it's light enough. I think the best part is that it actually has a happy ending. <s>SPOILER: No one died lol.</s> A lot of children's books now are sad and filled with death (oh wait, fairy tales are filled with deaths and evil magic too, pft), like a person can only know happiness if they know sadness. I get the point but <b>children should be children. Present them with the ugly truth at an early stage in their lives and they grow up too fast.</b>

This isn't C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien or JK Rowling but it's good. Books about wizards and witches and other magical creatures have been under close watch since Harry Potter which isn't fair. Don't get me wrong, I loved Harry Potter. But people, especially adults, should open their hearts and minds to new blood ... err books.

THE SOMNAMBULIST ... kinda hits close to home =/

How to rate this book ... I really liked it but I might be biased because parts of the story hit close to home. And I know that's not a good thing if you've read this book but there are some things you grow fond of if only for the fact that it reminds you of something from the past.

I randomly picked this up because I was curious about the cover and the title. And then I read the teaser at the back ... I thought it was Jane Eyre-ish and I really liked that one so I went ahead and bought it but I think the only similarity is that they are both Victorian gothic. Still, I'm a fan of the Victorian era so the setting fascinates me.

This is tagged as historical fiction by a lot of people but I don't quite agree. The only historical part here are the references to violence against Jews but I'm not even sure the dates are accurate. I'm no expert but I think those years were when Jews are actually given civil rights (?) and citizenship in most parts of Europe and the violence didn't start again until early 1900's up to the holocaust. If I'm wrong then I'd love to be enlightened (anyway I'll just read about that history later on lol). As for the other parts, I think every story has some sort of history to it. If you chose a specific decade for the story that is not the present (that is from the past) then it's already a history. It's just a setting. I think the genre is mostly mystery, family drama, intrigue and romance.

The story telling is mostly first person, with the main character narrating but there are parts told thru a third person which is kind of confusing at first and when I got over the confusion it turned awkward. It's as if it was just plastered there just because. I guess it's because the distribution isn't even.

As for the story it was so obvious from the very beginning what Phoebe's identity was but I suppose that's what the author wants. It's not like a real secret because everyone around her knows except her. It's the consequences of hiding her identity that's actually heavier and there are other buried secrets that are more disturbing than that and that caught my attention as well. I don't think that it was stupid that she didn't know (as per the other reviews I've read) when everyone does because that's the point. Everyone else is hiding it from her.

I liked the characters, the intrigue, the setting and I guess the story overall. I'd like to read her next books too. :)

I am the Messenger

You know how some authors can be self-righteous when trying to come up with something that they want to use as a tool to restore a person's faith in mankind? This is not one of those books. This book has "awwwww" written all over it. I was smiling 95% of the time but also shedding tears of joy half of the time. Like i said: awwwww.

I finished this in less than 24 hours. Yes, it's mostly because I have a lot of time on my hands at the moment but there's no denying the book is very readable ... if you know what I mean. It's very light and simple. There are no elaborate plots, or complex dialogues, or poetical phrases to muse over. The book just spells it out for you and the author had fun doing so (All of his characters are a bunch of smart asses. Even down to the boy who patted down the Doorman and only had a brief role).

But having said that, I am the Messenger is also very thought-provoking. If this was a campaign (and it actually is, I tells ya!!!), then I'd say it's very effective. I wasn't expecting the book would turn out the way it did. Somehow I had different expectations when I read the cover summary. But I was immensely impressed when I realize what it's all about.

And the ending? ... at that time when it hits you and realize who it is behind Ed's mission like it asked on the cover? ... That's the best part you have to watch out for. My reaction? "Wow ... just ... wow"

Hands down ... one of the best books I've read this year. :) Kudos to Markus Zusak! You are officially one of my favorite writers ever!

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ... made me a fan of Google Translate

Not really sure how I'm going to rate this book. I was thinking I should give this a full 4 stars (5 is highest), but in the end I decided for 3 1/2.  Not that it didn't deserve it. I did have fun reading the book and I did smile at the ending. Yes (and I don't think this is much of a spoiler since the title says it all), the main character died, but the ending did make me smile and murmur ... way to go, Oscar (notice the pun, would'ya?). Now, when the LA Times reviewed the book and said: "It's impossible to categorize ... Diaz's novel is a hell of a book. It doesn't care about categories." ... they weren't kidding. It's a contemporary literature historical fiction, bit of SF (if only for the fuku) memoir (of some sort) all rolled into one. And pardon me if I forgot anything else. Why 3 1/2, then? There are two things that killed this for me. First, I don't speak Spanish. I understand very little of it so I had to (yes) Google Translate the other's I couldn't understand. And second, I'm sure everyone reading the paperback noticed it too ... the book is swarming with footnotes. I mean, I get it, you'd want a better way to explain the history etc without ruining the flow of the story but it's actually very distracting especially if the footnotes take half of the page. And being me, I can't ignore the footnotes. I have to read them so it still ruined the flow. So there. I can get why it won the prestigious award (and people may say these awards are nothing but a politics-filled joke) but I guess there are just books that only cater to a specific crowd. This one may not be something written for mine but, again, it is a fun read. Oh and if you're not a native speaker like me, you might want to get the audio book as well. It just gives the book a different feeling. And speaking of the audio book, the woman narrator can get monotonous in some parts (maybe it's just me). Jonathan Davis was pretty cool, though.