Monday, December 31, 2018

Happy New Year!

Here we are, at the end of another year. I find it hard to comprehend that 2018 went so fast since I wasn't all that busy this year—but the year's gone!

When it comes to New Year's resolutions, I have to admit that I don't have any outside of goals I know I can't forget about (like I usually do about resolutions). I have to get a job in the new year—I know I've been saying that for months, but there haven't been any jobs openings that I fit and when there were jobs I sent my resume in but never got a response back (either I still didn't fit or I was now terribly overqualified since that I graduated college...)

But 2019 holds many opportunities. The day after tomorrow I'm going to walk into a business that has been looking for employees for months with my resume and hand it in to the owner—I've already handed one in to him months ago, but it seems that it was lost because when a friend asked about it he said that he never got one from me. Understandable, because I handed the resume to an employee and not directly to the owner.

The year of 2018 held many opportunities and experiences for me, which I'm extremely grateful for. Among them are:

  • I read 23 books in total, from The Great and Terrible Quest by Margaret Lovett to Falling Kingdoms by Canadian Author Morgan Rhodes to The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker and the first three Rangers Apprentice books by John Flanagan: The Ruins of Gorlan, The Burning Bridge, and The Icebound Land. Most of them were extremely long—The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks is 726 pages long, Quietus by Tristan Palmgren has 512 pages, and Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir has 480...
  • I got an awesome internship at my local county building that I wished I could have continued indefinitely.
  • I graduated from college, though it took two-thirds of the year from the graduation ceremony before I was officially deemed "graduated" thanks to how busy my program supervisor (*cough**cough*Ron Nickel*cough**cough*Bill and Frank Graham's photographer*COUGH*) was.
  • I got to explore a lot of my county thanks to my internship.
  • I got to level up one of my characters in Lord of the Rings Online to over Level 100 (so he's in Gondor now—in the city of Dol Amroth).
  • I learned to cross stitch properly.
  • And I got to switch my cat, Pebbles, over to healthier food so now I see her thriving in front of my very eyes, at a hale 7 years of age.
Looking at what I've listed, which feels like only a fraction of what I must have done, it makes me excited about what 2019 might bring. Will I get to further my experiences as a writer by attending a writers conference? Will I join a writer's guild? Will I manage to help my parents build their desired deck off the back of the house? Will we finally get on track with Trim Healthy Mama?

New Year's Eve marks the cliff over the precipice of a new year, in which so much could happen for us or to us. It's exciting and terrifying at the same time. For some we may end up gliding into the new year and barely notice the change outside of the 8 changing to a 9 on the calendar or the fact we're handing a new calendar after using up the last one (I'm going to miss my cat one, but the good news is that I have this year's Murdoch Mysteries one!). For others, it may feel like they're falling into the new year as they desperately wait for the next paycheck or the date when a loved one finally gets to come home (I'm praying for you guys).

Some are writing down or have written down their New Year's resolutions, and some aren't going to achieve what they set out to do. But that's okay. I'm not doing New Year's Resolutions.


Instead of resolutions, I'm going to say that I have a list of goals for 2019, a year in which seemed so far away when I was a kid and thought ahead to when I'm the age I am now.

My list is:

  • I want to publish at least one novel/novella/short story this year. I had told myself this last year but I got... distracted, lol.
  • I want to open an etsy and a craftsy store and sell cross stitch patterns. I have one pattern done already but I'm still working on transcribing it to a professional-looking sheet so it's more understandable.
  • I want to do more with the photography skills I learned in college. I don't have my Adobe subscription anymore, but the other day I got an Affinity Photo program that does the same things as Photoshop so I should be good to go.
What resolutions or goals do you guys have? I would love to hear them!



Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Bookopoly Review


I guess this is coming a little late, but in all honesty, I forgot about the Bookopoly Contest because it got to a point that I realized that I wouldn't be able to finish the contest. I had just ended up reading too many long books, ha ha.

But, man, I read so many good books. I may not have reviewed them all, but they were good. They made me experience so many emotions and they inspired me to write (even though I don't have much to show for that at the moment).

A lot of things have happened in my life over the summer—I finished the practicum I needed to do in order to graduate from college (I'm still chasing after my teacher in order to go over what I did for the practicum because he's so busy—he's a photographer for Franklin Graham so he's always following him overseas—and he can't talk to me when he's busy); I have been job hunting but haven't heard anything back from any of the places I sent my resume to; I've grown addicted to Lord of the Rings Online, which is kinda dangerous; I went to the church camp out at the end of August; and I got into cross stitching again. When I talk about it, it makes my summer seem kinda lazy :P

But that didn't stop me from reading up to ten books! That's a record for me, I think. Tallying up what I read, it seems that I read 2 historical novels (1 being historical romance), 2 science fiction novels (1 being a graphic novel), 5 fantasy novels (1 being a historical fantasy), and 1 collection of one-page comics.

Some of the books I ended up reading this summer were books I never realized I would ever read. Or bring myself to read. But the point of the bookopoly was to go and read books you wouldn't normally read in order to accomplish all the categories of the contest.

Total Books Read for Contest: 10

A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter
When Katherine "Kit" FitzGilbert turned her back on London society more than a decade ago, she determined never to set foot in a ballroom again. But when business takes her to London and she's forced to run for her life, she stumbles upon not only a glamorous ballroom but also Graham, Lord Wharton. What should have been a chance encounter becomes more as Graham embarks on a search for his friend's missing sister and is convinced Kit knows more about the girl than she's telling.

After meeting Graham, Kit finds herself wishing things could have been different for the first time in her life, but what she wants can't matter. Long ago, she dedicated herself to helping women escape the same scorn that drove her from London and raising the innocent children caught in the crossfire. And as much as she desperately wishes to tell Graham everything, revealing the truth isn't worth putting him and everyone she loves in danger.


The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.






Quietus by Tristan Palmgren
Niccolucio, a young Florentine Carthusian monk, leads a devout life until the Black Death kills all of his brothers, leaving him alone and filled with doubt. Habidah, an anthropologist from another universe racked by plague, is overwhelmed by the suffering. Unable to maintain her observer neutrality, she saves Niccolucio from the brink of death.

Habidah discovers that neither her home's plague nor her assignment on Niccolucio's world are as she's been led to believe. Suddenly, the pair are drawn into a worlds-spanning conspiracy to topple an empire larger than the human imagination can contain.


The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.



Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?


A Wrinkle in Time: the Graphic Novel by Madeleine L'Engle, adapted by Hope Larson
Late one night, three otherworldly creatures appear and sweep Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe away on a mission to save Mr. Murry, who has gone missing while doing top-secret work for the government. They travel via tesseract — a wrinkle that transports one across space and time — to the planet Camazotz, where Mr. Murry is being held captive. There they discover a dark force that threatens not only Mr. Murry but the safety of the whole universe.


Mandie and the Medicine Man by Lois Gladys Leppard
A Cherokee superstition seems to have come back to haunt Mandie and her friends. The gold they discovered has been donated to build a new hospital, but something or someone is tearing down the walls as fast as they can be built. The guard posted to watch the site is knocked out, tied up and blindfolded.

Will Mandie be able to find her friend Joe? Will Mandie and Sallie be rescued from their kidnappers? Will Mandie learn her lesson about jumping to conclusions?

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic and dies at sea on the voyage from Poland. Chava is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899.

Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire born in the ancient Syrian desert, trapped in an old copper flask, and released in New York City, though still not entirely free.

Ahmad and Chava become unlikely friends and soul mates with a mystical connection.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. But when Laia's brother is arrest for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire's greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school's finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.


Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
With characteristic wit and charm, Sarah Andersen's third collection of comics and illustrated personal essays offers a survival guide for frantic modern life: from the importance of avoiding morning people, to internet troll defense 101, to the not-so-life-changing futility of tidying up. But when all else fails and the world around you is collapsing, make a hot chocolate, count the days until Halloween, and snuggle up next to your furry beacon of hope.






The experience of devouring book after book this summer was envigorating, and I look forward to doing it again! ^^

Thursday, September 6, 2018

An Ember in the Ashes: a book review

An Ember in the Ashes. Sabaa Tahir. 2015. Razorbill. Pages: 480. [Source: Bought]

• • •

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire's impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They've seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia's brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire's greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school's finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's been trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

• • •

Rating: 5/5

I never knew that this book would become one of my absolute favourites, especially when I began to read it and found that it had been written in First Person Present. There aren't many novels written in First Person Present, and I often find it an annoying way to write because it presents the fact that, in logistics, when it's written that way, it kind of suggests that the book is being written as the events happen. And how can the main character be writing this when he's the middle of a battle or while she's being beaten by her master?

But this writing style didn't bother me while I read An Ember in the Ashes. Somehow, it actually helped.

The way Sabaa Tahir wrote her story drew me in and never let go. I couldn't put the book down! I actually felt regret every time I had to because I just had to know what happened next!

The characters were excellent. I felt I got to know Laia and Elias quite well. I grew to like them very much, and it got to the point that I was like "If you touch my son or daughter so help me—!" when it came to when Laia and Elias were punished for something. I'm not usually like that, lol.

I love the cover—I know it's not the original, which is just as stunning—but it was one of the things that drew me to the story to the point I ended up getting it and buying it. I've been aware of it for a few years, thanks to bookstagram and other book communities that I'm a part of, but I never really bothered to check it out until now. It kind of reminds me of something my photography teacher told me when I was in college: "People love faces", meaning people respond to images with faces or face-like shapes in them. It seems to be true because I was ten times more attracted to the copy with Laia and Elias on the cover than the first one with their silhouettes and the stone texture on it.

The range of characters in this book was amazing. The brutality is realistic, and even frightening. I swear I found myself holding my breath half the time, but somehow I managed to breathe or I wouldn't be writing this post, XD And despite the fact that the world of the story was based on the Roman Empire, it didn't jump out of me until after I read the synopsis on Goodreads while I marked the book as read. 

The world itself is rich and doesn't seem like a copy. It always felt like I was there, almost as if I was standing next to, fighting next to, spying next to, the characters as the plot progressed.

I love books like that.

The theme and the story were very well done. I could tell that the overall theme was about freedom and that bravery comes in more than one form. It makes me kinda a little jealous, because I fumble with themes and it's always been a mist-like concept for me and when my English teacher tried to teach me about it and have me find it in a short story he had me read I kept drawing a blank, ha ha. But that doesn't mean that Sabaa made the theme too aparent—I say that I was able to see it clearly now that I think back to it because she wove it into her story masterfully. It makes my heart beat harder because not all authors are able to that!

Unfortunately, despite all the good things I have to gush about An Ember in the Ashes, there are still some downsides to it. There was some swearing, b-words but no f-bombs (thankfully). Rape is mentioned but never happens in the story. It almost happens to Laia a couple of times, but Elias was there to keep it from happening. Laia gets beat up by one of the Masks, but that wasn't the only instance of violence in the story. A lot of people die. Sabaa has a body count to rival Tolkien in this story.

But I would read this story again, definitely. It will stay on my bookshelf forever. I'm definitely getting its sequel, A Torch Against the Night, when I get my next paycheck (I'm trying to save money, lol), and when I'm finished that I'll get the one after that...

I love it when I find a book that I like ^^

Friday, August 31, 2018

The Golem and the Jinni: a book review

The Golem and the Jinni. Helene Wecker. 2013. Harper Perennial. Pages: 486. [Source: Bought]

• • •

Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop.

Struggling to make their way in 1899 New York, the Golem and the Jinni try to fit in with their immigrant neighbours while masking their true selves. Meeting by chance, they become unlikely friends whose tenuous attachment challenges their opposing natures, until the night a terrifying incident drives them back into their separate worlds. But a powerful menace will soon bring the Golem and the Jinni together again, threatening their existence and forcing them to make a fateful choice.

• • •


Rating: 4/5

I wish I could have rated this story as a 5 out of 5, but there were just a few things that knocked this story from favourite to merely a story I liked a lot.

I first learned of The Golem and the Jinni when I was looking through Goodreads for novels staring golems so I could find inspiration for a race of stone-like beings for one of my fantasy stories. The word "golem" had been bobbing around in my head for a while, so I looked it up. And when I saw it I thought I have to read this!

I'm so glad I did, because it opened my eyes to a time period in a part of the world I don't think about very often—or hardly at all.

The first thing I want to say about this book is that it was delightfully void of any swearing. I didn't have to worry about any unexpected s-words, b-words, or f-bombs. There was some blaspheming, but there's only so much you can expect from a secular author. It's very rare for a book such as this, though, to possess no swearing.

The second thing I want to say is that the authoress was delightfully sensitive in her handling of the three respective religions she included in the book: Judaism, Christianity/Catholicism, and Islam. The main two were Judaism and Catholicism, because the Golem was taken care of by a rabbi and the jinni was found by a Syrian Catholic. Only one character was Muslim—or he was—but in his flashback he was and she handled it well as well. Reading this book didn't make me feel as if she was mocking the faiths she decided to put in the book (which is awesome since I'm a Protestant Christian so I always have an eye for details such as this).

One of the things I didn't like was the mention of sexual intercourse. There were several points where it was mentioned even though the author wasn't overly explicit, only saying enough to let you know what the characters were doing. There were at least four different scenes.

The story was a tiny bit slow, but it was also delightfully engrossing. There were times where I couldn't bring myself to put the book down, and the cliffhangers were put in all the right places. The settings and scenes were all so real that I always felt like I was there, an invisible spectator standing behind the characters, watching everything unfold before me. There were parts to Ahmed's personality that I liked, some that I did not; and Chava had a personality similar to my own that had me connecting to her from the beginning.

I didn't see who was the villain until the last quarter, which didn't bother me even though the book had me following him from the beginning. It left me feeling quite surprised, which I don't experience with stories very often. There were parts that left me feeling sad for certain characters, and I think I even gasped once or twice while reading. I like it when a story latches onto my emotions and doesn't let go.

There looks to be a sequel to the story planned to be published next year. If it follows through I look forward to snatching it up so I can see what happens to Chava and Ahmed.

Until then I'll have to distract myself, lol.

Monday, August 13, 2018

Just a Note:

If you insist that all cops are racist, you are also calling all non-white police officers – the Pakistani, the Indian, the black, the Asian, the Aboriginal/Native American, the Mexican, basically all non-white police officers, racist.

You're biting the hand that feeds you, tbh.

And don't try to defend yourself, and make up the excuse that you "just meant" that "white cops" are the only racist ones.

Because if you just meant WHITE COPS, you would say "ALL WHITE COPS ARE RACIST".

So stop.

Hardly any cops are racist.

Respect those who are basically the only ones who are trying to keep the streets safe.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

The Sword of Shannara: a book review

The Sword of Shannara. Terry Brooks. 1977. Del Rey Books. Pages: 726. [Source: Library]

§§§

Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.

Thus begins the enthralling Shannara epic, a spellbinding tale of adventure, magic, and myth...

§§§

Rating: 3/5

When the librarian at my library suggested this book for the "library staff recommendation" category of the Bookopoly Reading Challenge my library is hosting, I was happy because my Dad had read it once so there was a bit of a legacy going on with how he read it and then I read it...

Maybe I'll make one or all of my kids read it when they're around my age, just so they can learn to appreciate well-written novels. I'm not saying that The Sword of Shannara was well-written, but it is something I've grown to expect from a majority of the novels from the era that in which was published.

So, while I wait for the forecasted thunderstorm to come barreling over my home, I'll discuss the pros and cons, and the things I liked and disliked about the story.

As the title of the novel suggests, The Sword of Shannara is about the Sword of Shannara—to an extent. It's mostly about Shea Ohmsford, and the fact that he's the only one left who can properly use the thing.

At the beginning of the novel, we're introduced to Flick Ohmsford—Shea's adoptive brother. He's walking along, on his way home from helping some of his fellow Man who live on the outside of the Shady Vale, the quiet and quaint Shire-like sanctuary protected by the Duln Forests that surround it on all sides. Suddenly, he comes across a stranger who seems to leap from the shadows of the trees to ask him for directions to a place to stay in nearby after nearly giving poor Flick a heart attack.

This is how Allanon, mysterious historian of the Four Lands, came to stay in the Inn of Curzad Ohmsford, the father of Flick and the man who took in Shea when his mother died. And that is how Allanon found Shea, and ultimately sent Shea and Flick on the adventure of their lives.

Now, this is the kind of story that leaves me feeling a bit disappointed when I finished it. Yes, I made it all the way through this 726-page MONSTROSITY (I say that because of its length, not because it was so bad as it could be considered monstrous), and I couldn't be more happy because now I can finally read something else.

But I didn't hate this book as much as some of my fellow Goodreads users. No, I think I was okay with it, but I feel it could have been stretched out a bit. The Sword of Shannara itself could have been stretched into its own trilogy in my opinion, with more details and more attention to each event as they happened. Then, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara could have continued on afterwards as consecutive instalments in a series.

There was too much crammed into this one book, in my opinion. Scenes were too generalized and I noticed that several important, probably pivotal conversations were glazed over and only described. Secondary characters were hardly introduced before they were thrown into battle where they were slaughtered (though I was kinda sad that Sheelon was killed by his fellow man because he had survived so long that it seemed he should have been allowed to die of old age and not in battle).

The main characters, too, kinda felt half-baked. Shea appeared and we weren't given much of a background other than he was the last living descendant of Jerl Shannara and he's the only hope for the whole world and his father was an elf and his mother was a human from Shady Vale and that when he was a kid Curzad adopted him. There was no mention of what he liked to do in the day, or much describing of what he did in his day to day life. What was his job? How did he help Curzad and Flick run the Inn? What were his dreams? hopes? passions?

Who Is Shea Ohmsford?

Who Is Flick Ohmsford?

Who Is Menion Leah?

Who Is Balinor Buckhannah?

Durin?

Dayel?

Hendel?

So many questions and no answers. That is one of the reasons why I'm disappointed about this book. I can only hope that The Elfstones of Shannara is better than The Sword of Shannara. I'm not holding out much hope though, and it will be a while before I pick up the next instalment of the trilogy.

I made the point of making a list of all the things that were similar between The Sword of Shannara and The Lord of the Rings because I wanted to know if the novel really was as bad as a lot of people on Goodreads proclaimed. Everyone's entitled to an opinion, but I like to stray from the pack that tends to follow and agree with those who rant and rave about how bad something is.

Similarities:
  • A wizened old man (Gandalf / Allanon) comes to the main character warning them of coming danger.
  • Two characters (Frodo and Sam / Shea and Flick) flee their home from ghostly bad guys out to get the main character.
  • They encounter an ally in the first town they come across (Strider in Bree / Menion Leah in Leah).
  • Unearthly monsters chase them through the wilderness.
  • They battle a tentacle monster in a swamp (at the door to the Mines of Moria / in the Mist Marsh).
  • There was an epic battle between wizard-figure and servant of the evil overlord over endless pit (Gandalf versus Balrog / Allanon verses Skull Bearer).
  • The evil overlord's land is shrouded with shadow (Moria / Skull Kingdom).
  • An evil advisor has control over the ruler of a strategic kingdom (Grima Wormtongue and King Theoden / Stenmin and Prince Palance Buckhannah).
  • The evil overlord's forces attack the last real defence of the lands of the Free People (Minas Tirith / Tyrsis).
  • The evil overlord is defeated by a magical object.
I also made it a point to jot down any differences that I noticed, because there is enough of a difference that The Sword of Shannara is just able to stand on it's own. Just.

Differences:
  • While Gandalf returns 17 years after Bilbo's Birthday Party and sends Frodo and Sam off on their adventure, Allanon warns Shea the day after he arrives at the Ohmsford's Inn.
  • The two-character dynamic in The Lord of the Rings is friend with friend fleeing the Shire, while the two-character dynamic in The Sword of Shannara is brother–brother.
  • Frodo and Sam are quickly joined by Merry and Pippin, while Shea and Flick remain alone until they reach Leah.
  • Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin are kind of ambushed by Aragorn while they were waiting for Gandalf at the Prancing Pony. Shea and Flick go to the town of Leah and seek out Menion on purpose. Allanon is nowhere to be seen, and the two don't expect to see him there.
  • Only nine Ringwraiths are chasing Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. An undeterminable amount of Skull Bearers are searching for Shea.
    • On that point, the Nazgûl are chasing Frodo because Frodo had the One Ring. They were chasing him for the ring and nothing else. The Skull Bearers were searching, not chasing, having no idea where Shea was, because Shea is the last of Shannara's descendants.
  • The battle in the swamp in LotRO happens near the door to the Mines of Moria, while the battle in the swamp in The Sword of Shannara happens in the middle of literal nowhere. The monster caught Shea, Flick, and Menion while they were on the way to a certain river that would lead them to the dwarves in the forest. They knew of a danger in the swamp, which they knew as the "Mist Wraith", but they had no idea if it was real or what it was.
  • Gandalf fights the Balrog in Khazad-dûm until he wins, then dies of exhaustion before being revived by the Valar as Gandalf the White. Allanon battles the Skull Bearer in the bowels of Paranor, over the deadly flames of the castle furnace. He defeats the Skull Bearer, but is dragged into the furnace and assumed dead by the sole witness of the fight, Flick. Fortunately, he manages to survive by catching himself before falling all the way in.
  • The Northland is a mixture of Mordor, that one shadowed island from The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and that poppy field from The Wizard of Oz.
Of course, there were too many similarities between The Lord of the Rings and The Sword of Shannara for my liking, though I wouldn't classify it as a "Retelling" of Tolkien's work. I find it bold, though, that Terry Brooks thought he could write a story so similar to Tolkiens so soon to its publication. The Lord of the Rings was published in the span of two years—1954 to 1955—while The Silmarillion was published in 1977, the same year as The Sword of Shannara. Nevertheless, LotR was still fresh on everyone's minds, and publishing such a story at that time would only be akin to setting yourself on fire as a writer.

I have no idea how Terry Brooks managed to pull it off—to make his book so popular that he was able to go on and expand the world of Shannara with nothing standing in his way.

Shea (portrayed by
Steve Moakler)
Frodo (portrayed by
Elijah Wood)

There are some things that I liked about the book. Shea's personality was nothing like that of Frodo's, and I liked how Brooks managed to make a point of making Shea see how flawed he was, since Shea had never seen himself as flawed or that he harboured any stereotypes (which he did, of the Trolls). Brooks managed to make the main character different from Frodo, as a human/elf hybrid is as far from a hobbit/halfling as you can get.

I managed to find a picture online of a man who kind of looks like how I pictured Shea in my head, so that was a plus. Thankfully, I liked the story enough that I was able to finish it, because if I hadn't liked it enough I wouldn't have finished it and I would have had to go back to the library and ask the librarian for another recommendation. My favourite aspect of the story would have to be, though, is the fact that it takes place thousands of years after a nuclear holocaust which brought the world as we know it (basically "the ancient Evil" in the synopsis) to an end. There are remnants of that world littered about the place—like in the Wolfsktaag Mountains, in a valley, there's the ruins of a city with an ancient guardian made of flesh and metal, obviously something mutated by the radiation from the nukes. And the Gnomes didn't dare to step in there, which obviously meant that in their culture there was a legend about the place which probably warned them not to go there because it might have been irradiated. The world's background in The Sword of Shannara was what fascinated me the most in this book.

The plot twists when they came were welcome and unexpected, placed in just the right places. I don't know when I will ever read The Sword of the Shannara again, but when I have money to burn I will buy a copy so I can have the chance to place it in chronological order like it is suggested on Goodreads. It'll be interesting to read Terry Brooks' books in chronological order because then maybe the story will make more sense.

§§§

Read in order to complete a category for Bookopoly Reading Challenge.
Qualifies as the book read for the year 1977 for a Century of Books Reading Challenge.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

A Century of Books Quarterly Review

I have been stupidly, stupidly busy since I wrote the first Quarterly Review. I blame the fact that I poured all the attention I had into finish a leadership course that followed me out of college—thankfully I finished it! As of the 30th of June, I would have been officially been marked by the officials of my school as Graduated! I have to keep an eye out for my diploma, which should be arriving in my mail soon.

On top of that, I worked through my Digital Media Practicum at my county's Administration Building as a Communications Intern. Went and lost my swipe card twice, lol, but managed to find it before I had to say goodbye when I finished the 125 minimum hours that I needed to do in order to officially finish the Practicum.

I have done a lot since the last quarterly, wow.

Anyway, I've only read two books toward the Century of Books Challenge I'm doing since I last wrote about it. I'm hoping that I will have read more by the time I update again, so here's to hoping!

I'm currently reading a book that will fit nicely into the year 1977.




1948

King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry – He was named "Sham" for the sun, this golden-red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco's stone stables. Upon his heel was a small white spot, the symbol of speed. But on his chest was the symbol of misfortune. Although he was swift as the desert winds, Sham's pedigree would be scorned all his life by cruel masters and owners.

This is the classic story of Sham and his friend, the stable boy Agba. Their adventures take them from the sands of the Sahara to the royal courts of France, and finally to the green pastures and stately homes of England. For Sham was the renowned "Godolphin Arabian" whose blood flows through the veins of almost every superior Thoroughbred. Sham's speed—like his story—has become legendary.



2004

Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow – It's 1929 and thirteen-year-old Tom Campbell has always wanted a real family with a real house and a dog of his very own. Since he was three years old, the only home he has ever known has been the Mission orphanage.

When he is sent to live and work with fisherman Enoch and his wife, Tom finally sees his dream within reach. And when he rescues a Newfoundland dog in the middle of a terrifying squall, Tom feels as if both he and the dog, which he names Thunder, have found a place to call home at last.

But when Enoch's wife becomes pregnant and it looks like Thunder's owner might be found, Tom's wonderful new world is turned upside down. Will the Murrays still want Tom? And will Tom be forced to give up his beloved Thunder?

Total Books Read for Challenge: 6
Months Left Until End of Challenge: 11

I'm slackin' XP

Saturday, June 30, 2018

A Defense of Honor: a book review

A Defense of Honor. Kristi Ann Hunter. 2018. Bethany House Publishers. Pages: 352. [Source: Netgalley/Bethany House Publishers Review Program]

§§§

When Katherine "Kit" FitzGilbert turned her back on London society more than a decade ago, she determined never to set foot in a ballroom again. But when business takes her to London and she's forced to run for her life, she stumbles upon not only a glamorous ballroom but also Graham, Lord Wharton. What should have been a chance encounter becomes much more as Graham embarks on a search for his friend's missing sister and is convinced Kit knows more about the girl than she's telling.

After meeting Graham, Kit finds herself wishing things could have been different for the first time in her life, but what she wants can't matter. Long ago, she dedicated herself to helping women escape the same scorn that drove her from London and raising the innocent children caught in the crossfire. And as much as she desperately wishes to tell Graham everything, revealing the truth isn't worth putting him and everyone she loves in danger.


§§§

Rating: I'm gonna have to give it a 5/5

When I saw this pop up in my email in May, it was the most interesting of the stories that Bethany House Publishers offered to me for that month. I don't think I was that enthused when I chose it, because I didn't feel that I was being given much of a variety to choose from.

All I can say is that I'm so, so glad that I chose this one.

The story begins with handsome Graham at a ball in a lavish ballroom, talking to a couple of "friends" who only seemed interested in gossiping. Then—there! He spots it—something interesting! A flash of green fabric—a hand snaking out between the plants to snag a treat from a passing platter—he gets up to follow, thankful to separate himself from those two.

He finds her in the garden—and thus begins one of the most interesting chapters of his life.

This has to be one of the most original ideas I've come across. When I think about history, about the Regency era, I never thought about what happened to the illegitimate children or the women who were intentionally ruined by greedy men who were only after the biggest dowry available.

The fact that the main character was working to protect those children made me really excited because there's so much that could go wrong when she's going out there and getting those irresponsible men to pay for their mistakes.

I don't think I've ever felt such rage about the unfairness of something since I watched the episode of Blue Bloods where a young man came and punched a pregnant woman in the face, knocking her out so she landed on her front and crushed her baby. I wasn't as violently angry about the injustice as I was then, but it was close.

The book made me think a lot about how tough women have had it for centuries. Yes, there have been powerful queens, women leaders, etc., but when it comes down to it, women have always been the more vulnerable of the two sexes. Kit knew this, but she was able to take advantage of what had happened to her and her friend and do something good, even though it ended up morphing into something not good (i.e. blackmail) until a new face came along and helped her right her ways.

I'm honestly excited for Haven Manor - 2 to come out next year. And once its out I'm definitely going to start collecting the Haven Manor book as paperbacks.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

My Library's Adult Summer Reading Challenge

I know that I said that I was going to continue talking about my internship, but I decided to, instead, write about the reading challenge my local library is hosting.


So, yeah, it's an interesting thing, a Monopoly-ish knock-off. But it's cute, and it's another excuse to let me read this summer. Both me and my mom are participating, since the prize for participating—if our names are picked out of the draw—is an iPad mini. I'm so hoping one of us wins, since then Mom could use the iPad mini to read books on the Kindle app.

My mom has become addicted to those Love Inspired/Harlequin novellas, but she can't afford to pay $4.99 a pop right now.

I'm so thrilled that she has found something she likes to do now that I'm out of the house for most of the day every day!

So the rules for this challenge are:
  1. Complete each square and return to the library before 8pm on Friday, September 21st, 2018.
  2. For each book you read, record the title and author. No duplication of titles; only one square per book.
  3. Books must be read between June 21st and September 21st, 2018.
So the books I have to read are ones with:
  • A colour in the title
  • A book you can finish in a day
  • An author you've (I've) never heard of
  • A Graphic Novel
  • A book published in 2018
  • Read a biography/true story
  • A book that everyone's read but you (me)
  • Read a book that makes you (me) laugh
  • Borrow an ebook from the library
  • Read a book outside your (my) usual genre
  • Read a book set in a country you (I) have never visited
  • Read the first book in a series
  • Listen to an audiobook/eAudiobook
  • Read a book that was turned into a movie
  • Read a library staff recommendation
  • Read a book written by a Canadian author
I've already got a few books lined up. The one I've got for the 'Library Staff Recommendation' is The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks. And I could probably use The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien for the 'Book Turned into a Movie' one. Once I've thought about it, I'll probably have more. Like Quietus by Tristan Palmgren for 'Book Published in 2018'.

I'm so excited. This challenge could help towards my Century of Books book challenge that I've been doing since January. I love reading, and I'm glad to have another excuse to read all the time (or when I can, lol).


Monday, June 18, 2018

Update

A lot has happened since I last wrote. Right now I'm sitting at a nice little restaurant on a golf course resort in the middle of literal nowhere. It's called Trestle Creek Resort, and the only reason why I'm at a place like this is because I'm an intern at my local county office, and not because I suddenly came into a lot of money, lol.

Yes, I'm currently in the process of fulfilling my Digital Media Practicum. I'm so thankful to have netted such a nice internship. I'm hoping they'll keep me when I finish the minimum 125 hours I need to finish the practicum. It'd be nice not to worry about looking for a job when this is all done.

At the county I work in the communications/media department and I do things like writing up Facebook posts, but not publishing them; putting together ads for the newspapers and online, and sorting pictures and tagging them on an online database. It' so much fun and everyone's so nice. I feel so comfortable working there.

One of the things I had to do was make an ad for a halloween bash taking place in July, and so had to come up with a little cute vector that somehow incorporated both summer and halloween. This is what I came up with:


He turned out much cuter than I was hoping. I hope to write more later :)

Monday, May 7, 2018

The Situation With Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii

It has been several days since Mt. Kilauea started erupting ferociously. I don't think I've ever seen it erupt as bad as it is now in all 22 years of my life. I had a feeling something like this might happen when I heard of how the floor of Kilauea's crater collapsed and the volcano stopped erupting for a time last year. But when it started erupting again like it used to before it stopped, I thought that was it, and nothing more dramatic like that would come out of it.

Now, the volcano is acting in a way that all three of the videos I decided to share about the situation makes it look like a scene out of a disaster movie like 2012. To me, it's fascinating and terrifying to check up on the situation, and I can't imagine how the people who have been forced to flee are feeling right now.

I'll be keeping them in their prayers.




Sunday, May 6, 2018

A Century of Books Quarterly Review

It is May, and the year is chugging away at a nightmarish pace. Before we know it, summer's going to be here, then autumn! All of a sudden, we'll be turning a year older (22 going on 23 for me), and we will be reeling from the effects!

So far, I've read a total of 8 years this year. Only 4 of those books actually count for A Century of Books, since I'm currently a Bethany House Publishers book reviewer. So, I read a lot of 2018 books.

The books I've read so far cover the years 2018, 2013, 2002, and 1967.

I'm about to begin reading a book that was published in 2008.



1967

The Great and Terrible Quest by Margaret Lovett – Set in the late Middle Ages, a quick-witted orphan, abused by his grandfather, risks his life to care for a wounded knight who is on a quest but can't remember what he is searching for. Exciting, engrossing, enchanting!



2002

The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership by Steven B. Sample – In this offbeat approach to leadership, college president Steven B. Sample—the man who turned the University of Southern California into one of the most respected and highly rated universities in the country—challenges many conventional teachings on the subject. Here, Sample outlines an iconoclastic style of leadership that flies in the face of current leadership thought, but a style that unquestionably works, nevertheless. Sample urges leaders and aspiring leaders to focus on some key counterintuitive truths. He offers his own down-to-earth, homespun, and often provocative advice on some complex and thoughtful issues. And he provides many practical, if controversial, tactics for successful leadership, suggesting, among other things, that leaders should sometimes compromise their principles, not read everything that comes across their desks, and always put off decisions.



2013

The Lunar Chronicles: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer – Cinder is back and trying to break out of prison—even though she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive if she does—in this second instalment from Marissa Meyer.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.



2018

A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason – When stable hand Nolan Price learns from his dying mother that he is actually the son of the Earl of Stainsby, his plans for a future with kitchen maid Hannah Burnham are shattered. Once he is officially acknowledged as the earl's heir, Nolan will be forbidden to marry beneath his station.

Unwilling to give up the girl he loves, he devises a plan to elope—believing that once their marriage is sanctioned by God, Lord Stainsby will be forced to accept their union. However, as Nolan struggles to learn the ways of the aristocracy, he finds himself caught between pleasing Hannah and living up to his father's demanding expectations.

At every turn, forces work to keep the couple apart, and a solution to remain together seems further and further away. With Nolan's new life pulling him irrevocably away from the woman he loves, it seems only a miracle will bring them back together.

Total Books Read for Challenge: 4
Months Left Until End of Challenge: 13

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Falling for You: a book review

Falling for You. Becky Wade. 2018. Bethany House Publishers. Pages: 368. [Source: Netgalley/Bethany House Publishers Review Program]

§§§

"Hey," Willow said. "Sorry I missed your call."

"No problem. I was calling because…Well, for a reason that you're not going to be thrilled about."

"Okay. What am I not going to be thrilled about?"

"The fact that it involves Corbin."

Willow winced, then concentrated on swallowing her bite of cookie. Nora was right. She wasn't thrilled.

§§§

Rating: 5/5 ❤︎

You wouldn't believe how excited I was for this book to come out. I was extremely delighted to find out that I could request A Bradford Sisters Romance #2 to review, and didn't hesitate to say YES to reviewing it. A childish part of me had hoped that I would have finished reading this before May 1st just so I could say I finished it before it came out in stores, but I was too busy packing up my apartment since I graduated from college (woot woot~!). And it doesn't matter that I didn't finish it before the 1st, because I wanted to enjoy this and not miss a single thing about it!

I didn't connect with Willow Bradford, Nora Bradford's older sister, as strongly as I had with Nora. But that's probably just because Nora is just so much like me—bookish, creative, a major history buff, absorbing information like a sponge—while Willow is a model who is more into the finer things in life (because her income allows her to indulge). But this didn't stop me from enjoying the book!

At first, I didn't like Corbin. I didn't like Corbin since I was introduced to him near the end of True to You, when John Lawson, Nora's beau, brought him along to a family party. I had been wondering what was up between Willow and Corbin since that encounter, but I wasn't sure if book 2 would feature their story or Britt's and Zander's. It kind of makes me wonder what Britt and Zander are going to have to go through before they get together? hmm...

But as the story progressed, I got to know Corbin more, and I started to like him. I began to sympathize with him whenever he tried to make headway in their relationship. The way he breached Willow's rules did get on my nerves, though, because to me it seemed that he didn't respect boundaries, which can be dangerous in a relationship.

Thankfully, Corbin quickly won my heart, and at one point I was almost yelling because Willow had been told by Corbin's dad to stay away from him and all I wanted was for her to tell him or for him to find out somehow so he could have a serious talk with his dad.

The ending of the story was a bit bittersweet, but Willow and Corbin had completely reconciled by then which made the ending happy as well.

This instalment of showed me a great story about getting back together again without having to go through countless aggravating obstacles. It also reminded me how I need to forgive and not hold grudges for as long as I do—though those I have a grudge against never really work to help me to forgive them, so... yeah.

I would definitely read this one again, and I want to buy it. I so, so want to buy it.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Funny Cat Thursday!

I've decided that, because I'm constantly too busy to post a funny cat video on Wednesdays, I guess it's just got to be 'Funny Cat Thursday'!

My parents shared this gem today on Facebook, so I decided to share it with you guys!


The Accidental Guardian

The Accidental Guardian. Mary Connealy. 2018. Bethany House Publishers. Pages: 305. [Source: Netgalley/Bethany House Publishers Review Program]

***

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he'd finally carved out a home and started a herd – while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He'd hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers them the only shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling – yet enticing.

Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together – yet every day approaches the moment she'll leave forever.

***

Rating: 3.5/5

I hate to say this, but I wasn't really all that happy with this one. Yes it was engaging, and yet it had a good plot, and it had so much going for it which drives me crazy because Mary Connealy didn't seem to harness it properly.

I'm not the biggest fan of western stories, though once in a while I'll pick up a good one. When I was a teenager, I was in love with Gilbert Morris' Reno series. But, unfortunately, this story just didn't meet my expectations.

Trace was such a sweet man and is the kind of man I dream of finding someday.

The plot of this novel was good, with the climax hitting at the end with a decent resolution afterwards. The novel itself ends rather abruptly, but I can see how it leads immediately to its sequel, The Reluctant Warrior, which comes out later this year. I think I will read it when it comes out, just to quell some curiosities I have.

I guess the biggest problem I have it the fact that there were blocks of dialogue that here paragraphs long. It really didn't work for this novel. When Trace told Deb about his past, he kept talking and talking, instead of switching over to a flashback or something that would have drawn the reader deeper into the world of the story.

The way the story was written made me feel like I was on the 'outside' instead of being sucked in. The goal of the author should be to suck their readers into their story. I like it when I'm sucked into a story, because that way I can escape from the stresses of real life for a while.

This is only a problem, I think, because I've been training myself to become a better writer, and through my countless hours reading articles by other authors, I've begun to notice little things that break little rules I've learned to follow. It's kind of like how my training to become a better photographer has been judging the pictures I've seen and the movies I've watched, to the point I can't look at a blurry photo and call it 'good' anymore.

The Accidental Guardian had its good and its bad, and one day I might reread it when my life isn't as stressful it has been over the last month. But until then, the book will remain at a firm 3.5 out of 5.

Friday, April 20, 2018

Heartwarming Cat Video Friday!

Here's a couple of cute cat videos I found on Youtube. One's about how some cats react to members of the family coming home for the first time in a while, and the other is about the first meeting between two cats. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!



Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Funny Cat Video Wednesday!


It's technically Thursday, but I've been so busy lately and Wednesday is usually so busy. Here's this week's funny cat video!

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Funny Cat Video Wednesday – On a Thursday haha

So, I've been thinking – I love cats and one of my favourite things to do is look up good cat videos when I can't seem to get myself to do anything else. Somehow, after watching a few good videos, I feel that I'm able to get all those "to do"s done. And because of that, I want to start sharing some of the funny cat videos I find here on my blog. The scheduling would probably be Monday – Wednesday – Friday, but today's Thursday. I've been too busy to get this started on the right day, lol. But I want to put smiles on people's faces, so here you go!

(I graduate at the end of the month! Woo hoo!)


Saturday, April 7, 2018

Are Digital Screens Actually Bad For Kids?

This is one of the most controversial questions bouncing around between adults these days. During my teenage years, I was guilty of spending too much time on the computer, though my phone didn't serve as much more to me than a music player and a tool to contact other people with.

It was an old iPhone 3-ish that lasted up until a couple months before I went to college when its ringtone silencer switch would buzz constantly as if I were switching it on and off constantly. I bugged my mom so much that she gave me her phone (she couldn't understand it since she went from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy Note 4, so she was going to be switching back to an iPhone again).

Are digital screens bad for kids? has been a question that has been bouncing around since I became old enough to really start contemplating what it would be like to have kids. What rules would I set? How strict will I be? Will I be as strict as my parents?

The last thing I want to be a mirror-copy of my parents in terms of raising a child. Don't get me wrong, my parents did a fantastic job despite the circumstances, but there are some things I'm going to do differently.

Like, I'm not going to let my kids be on a screen differently – in terms of today. My kind of screen growing up was the old box-like televisions and the New Super Nintendo, Gamecube, and Nintendo 64. (I can hardly believe that I was 6 when the Gamecube came out). At one point, the only time I was allowed to play video games was on Saturday, so I didn't spend much time behind a screen (especially when we moved to Powell River. They only had one internet provider so only a certain amount of people could be on the internet at the same time).

Side note: I still can't believe that I once lived at a time where you couldn't be on the internet and the telephone at the same time...

Anyway, times have changed drastically in the last 15–20 years, and now one of the most pressing questions is 'are screens bad for kids'????

I thought this video made some good points.


Saturday, March 17, 2018

The More I Learn About Them...

...the more I want to swim with them.

Most would remember that scene in Star Trek: The Voyage Home where Spock jumps into the humpback whale enclosure and mind-melds with the whales, right?

When I saw that scene for the first time a couple of years ago, I was overcome with an intense desire to go and swim with whales. Honestly, the Star Trek movie wasn't the instigator of this desire, because I know that this desire began when I was a kid when I watched all three Free Willy movies – movies about the relationship between a boy, the west-coast aboriginals, and the orca named Willy. Long story short, the movies involved the kid swimming with Willy. A lot.

I always thought it would be really cool to swim with whales, but Mom managed to convince me that orcas are relatively dangerous, and then she showed me a video where an orca got a little too overenthusiastic and was jumping on his handler over and over. So... my desire to swim with whales jumped out the window... until I watched the Star Trek movie.

Recently, I came across a short Youtube video of humpback whales fighting to save a grey whale and her calf from a pod of orcas (so I guess orcas can be big jerks?). I wasn't specifically looking for videos of whales, I was actually looking for information on something else (which I can't remember), and the story the video was on was on the same website.


I guess I just never realized how vicious killer whales can be. Like, I've heard that orcas hunt dolphins – which I've always found rather strange since orcas are not whales, but actually are part of the dolphin genetic family (though don't ask me how or why). It's always made it seem rather cannibalistic.

After watching this video, I was curious. Was it true? Did humpback whales actively go to the rescue of other, smaller creatures who were in mortal danger?

Recommended videos popped up, and so I clicked on one after another, all related to humpbacks and how they helped those smaller than them. Then I came across the video of a humpback whale trying to save a diver from a threat she wasn't even aware of.


The fact that the whale surfaced after she had climbed back onto the boat to check to see if she was okay made my heart warm in such a way that I was moved to tears. It suddenly wanted to rush outside and jump out into the ocean and go swimming with one of these gentle giants. Unfortunately, I haven't lived near the ocean for over ten years, I don't live near any water, and I live nowhere near where these guys swim.

This research has stoaked my desire to swim with whales to a small fire, and so swimming with whales has been added to my bucket list. It's things like these that also reminds me that interesting research can be found in places other than what pertains to my writing, volcanoes, weather, and sci-fi.

What did we do to deserve whales?

Friday, March 16, 2018

A Most Noble Heir

A Most Noble Heir. Susan Anne Mason. 2018. Bethany House Publishers. Pages: 369. [Source: Netgalley / Bethany House Publishers Review Program]

***

When stable hand Nolan Price learns from his dying mother that he is actually the son of the Earl of Stainsby, his plans for a future with kitchen maid Hannah Burnham are shattered. Once he is officially acknowledged as the earl's heir, Nolan will be forbidden to marry beneath his station.

Unwilling to give up the girl he loves, he devises a plan to elope – believing that once their marriage is sanctioned by God, Lord Stainsby will be forced to accept their union. However, as Nolan struggles to learn the ways of the aristocracy, he finds himself caught between pleasing Hannah and living up to his father's demanding expectations.

At every turn, forces work to keep the couple apart, and a solution to remain together seems further and further away. With Nolan's new life pulling him irrevocably away from the woman he loves, it seems only a miracle will bring them back together.


***

Rating: 

I shouldn't have to say this warning, but if you haven't read the book and don't want to be spoiled, don't read!

When I was first introduced to this book through an email from Bethany House Publishers, I was super excited. The synopsis made the book sound fantastic, so I found myself waiting impatiently to see whether or not I would make it onto the reading list and be sent a link to the book on Netgalley.

The story began rather well. Nolan Price is one of the stable boys of Stainsby Hall, and friends with servants such as the earl's personal blacksmith, the other stable boys, and most of the other servants of the hall. He's in love with the kitchen maid Hannah, and his mother is the head housemaid. He has only one enemy - one of the footmen, who seemed determined to woo Hannah, despite the fact that Hannah has told him no several times and that she's Nolan's girlfriend.

This book was really good for about the first-half. I felt myself connecting with Nolan, and I was so excited for him to get the farm he wanted so he could marry Hannah and leave his job as a servant of the Stainsby household.

But as things started to happen the prose shifted a little in style, in my opinion, and I started to feel a bit disconnected from the whole story. Hannah's blatant mistrust of Nolan after he agreed to learn from his biological father after he found out who he was seemed extremely out of place since she's known him since she was 14 years old.

On top of that, the revelation of Hannah's insecurities of whether or not she was loved by her mother and others seemed like it came too late in the story. There weren't enough hints building up to the revelation of that fact.

The whole story had so many side-plots surrounding the main one. The main plot was the whole thing about Nolan and his father, learning to become the heir his father desired. There were at least three side-plots – one involving Hannah's family, another involving Nolan's relationship with Hannah, and one involving Nolan's biological father, Edward, and Hannah's aunt, Iris.

There was also another side-plot, but it didn't pop up until my kindle said I was 97% of the way through the book. There were the obvious seeds of the beginning of this plot near the beginning of the story when Nolan first met his half-sisters and his half-brother-in-law, but Nolan didn't seem to dwell on it for very long. The only reminder of it seemed to be the random threatening notes that, also, Nolan didn't seem to really worry about.

I hate that I had to be so nit-picky with this story, since it kept me enthralled to the point I could hardly put it down even though I read most of this on my Digital Media Retreat! I brought my kindle to a camp and retreat centre in the middle of an extremely isolated valley, and could hardly put it down even when I was dragged about to different activities out in the middle of hip-deep snow.

Unfortunately, the thing that bugged me the most was how disconnected I felt from the characters when things started to pick up. I feel the story could have been stronger if we could have been inside the heads of the characters a bit more.

All in all, though, it was done rather well for a story that took place in England and written by a Canadian who may or may not have ever been to England...

I apologize this took me so long to write! I finished reading this story back before March even began! My only excuse is that college has been killer. In a bad way. I've been so busy that I've found it hard to breathe.

Ranger's Apprentice: The Battle for Skandia, a review

The Battle for Skandia . John Flanagan. 2006. Puffin Books. Pages: 294. Price: USD $8.99/$11.99 CAN. Setting: Skandia. ISBN 0142413402. [S...