#67: A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver

Konigsburg, EL: A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1973. Print. 201 pages. 

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SETTING: Heaven, with flashbacks in England and France.
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SUMMARY: After nearly eight centuries since her death, Eleanor of Aquitaine has the chance to be reunited with her second husband, King Henry II of England.  To keep her anxiety at bay, Eleanor keeps herself in the company of her mother-in-law and two friends, an abbot and a knight, and begins to reminisce about her life, before, during, and after her marriage to Henry.    

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "... self-righteous people never look beyond themselves for the reasons that things happen." - Part 2, Chapter 1, page 83.

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I read this book when I was in middle school and I remember really enjoying it.  I wanted a fun, light, read and unfortunately didn't have time to go to the library when I needed a book, so I thought I'd re-read this and see if I still enjoy it as an adult.
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The storyline.  This is obviously a book for children because it is written in very simple language.  However, I really enjoyed reading it.  It is a fun concept and story.
2. The setting.  It takes place in the twentieth century in Heaven with people who lived during the twelfth century.  It makes for a great combination.
3. The concept of Heaven and Hell.  The book begins by explaining how one is not automatically accepted into Heaven.  An individual has to first pay penance in Hell for their sins, and only then do they have the chance to move up to Heaven.  Eleanor, for example, spent two centuries in Hell before being accepted into Heaven.
4.  Historical fiction.  One of my favorite genres.

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I don't have much to say on this book.  As you can see, there is no "dislikes" section in this post.  This is a children's book that I decided to re-read, mostly so I could see if I still liked it as an adult... and I do! 
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Recommend?  Yes.

#66: Neverwhere

Gaiman, Neil: Neverwhere. New York: HarperCollins books, 2003. Print. 370 pages. 

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SETTING: London, England.
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SUMMARY: Richard Mayhew, a Scottish-born businessman working in London, finds himself trapped in London "Below" after helping an injured stranger he finds on the street, who is from London Below.  His existence is completely erased in London "Above," with neither his friends nor his ex-fiance recognizing him.  The stranger he initially helped, along with two others from London Below, are on a mysterious quest, and Richard attaches himself to them in hopes of finding help to return to his normal life in London Above.  

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'How old are you?' asked Door.  Richard was pleased she had asked; he would never have dared.

'As old as my tongue,' said Hunter, primly, 'and a little older than my teeth.'" - Chapter 10, page 225.

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I bought this book when my connecting flight at the Denver airport was delayed an extra three hours on top of the already long 3-hour layover.  The airport bookstore was cute, and they had an entire table dedicated to Neil Gaiman.  The simplicity of the cover is what first caught my eye, and, since I liked what the back cover had to say about the book, I decided to buy it.  It also helped that all of his books proudly displayed the fact that he is a "#1 New York Times Bestseller Author."  Usually can't go wrong with that, right?
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Fantasy!  One of my favorite genres.  
2. The alternate world of London Below.  I thought it was fun that the author created a magical underground world in London, which happens to be one of my favorite book settings.  I love stories that take place in London!  London has a magical feel to it, so an entire underground world in London was a win-win situation in my eyes.
3. The storyline.  It is very creative and I really enjoyed reading this book.  I read the majority at the Denver airport, sitting in a (surprisingly) cozy terminal chair while drinking a latte and eating a chocolate chip cookie.  It was probably the most comfortable airport layover + delay I've ever experienced.
4. The idea that what is "right and normal" is not always what will bring satisfaction and contentment in life.  As I'm growing older, I've come to realize that what is expected of me in life isn't necessarily what will make me happy.  I recognize that it is a luxury that I am able to think this way and take steps to create the life that will make me happy, but that being said, since I have the opportunity, why not take advantage of it?  Going back to the book, Richard has all of his ducks in a row, and finds neither joy nor contentment in his life.  At the end of the novel, he finds that his true happiness lies in a place he could have never imagined, and I really liked that aspect of the book.
5. The Marquis de Carabas.  He's a slimy character, but I grew very fond of him by the end of the novel.  He loves to cheat and lie, but he sincerely believes that a promise is a promise, and he consistently delivers on his promises.

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Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The ending.  It was a little bland.  Having a magical, otherworldly place as the setting gives the author a lot of room for creativity with the storyline, as was the case in this book.  However, I thought that that creativity didn't extend to the ending.  The ending was predictable and dry, which is a shame because the potential to be considerably more magical was definitely there.  

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I enjoyed this book, but I wasn't all that excited about it by the end.  It was an entertaining and fun read, but I think there are better fantasy novels out there.  I might give one of his other novels a try at some point in life, but for the time being I'll probably look to other authors to provide me with the magical and fantastical worlds I so love to read.
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Recommend?  Yes, but not a very enthusiastic "yes."

#65: At the Water's Edge

Gruen, Sara: At the Water's Edge. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2015. Print. 378 pages.

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SETTING: In the year 1944, at the peak of the Allies involvement in World War II.  The story begins in Philadelphia, and then moves to a small village in the Scottish Highlands, where the majority of the story takes place.
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SUMMARY: Maddie Hyde, a naive woman from a rich background, with very little formal education, finds herself dragged across the Atlantic to the Scottish Highlands with her husband and husband's best friend, as they embark on a quest to find the Loch Ness monster.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "The sheer scope of detail and information, as well as its seemingly random placement, was proof to me that the world had both gone mad, yet remained the same as it ever was.

Mass killings were described right next to information about laxatives.  Cities were bombed, men slaughtered each other in knee-deep mud, civilians were blown to pieces from stepping on mines, but horses still spooked, people still went to the cinema, and women still worried about their schoolgirl complexions.  I couldn't decide if this made me understand the world better or meant I'd never fathom it at all." - Chapter 32, page 271.

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I haven't posted in months!  You must be wondering if I have even been reading...  Don't worry, I  have.  I actually have five books piled up that I need to write about, but I've just been so lazy!  It's terrible because I have quite a bit of free time on my hands right now.  Usually my blogging absences are the result of not having time to read anything to blog about, but this time around I have been reading, but not motivated enough to write.  It's terrible.  This book is actually the third one I've read since I last posted.  I don't have the other two books with me, so I'll have to wait until I return to school to write about those.  Hopefully I'm not so far removed from when I finished reading them that I've forgotten my likes and dislikes... 

I bought this book at the airport before a flight this past Thanksgiving break, and picked it because I've enjoyed two other books written by this author.  Here's a previous post I wrote for one of those novels: 

http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2012/12/23-ape-house.html.
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The writing.  I really enjoy Sara Gruen's writing style.  The two other books I've read written by Gruen are Water for Elephants and Ape House, and I not only enjoyed the storyline in both of those books, but the writing style as well.  Gruen continued with the same style in this novel, which was exactly what I was hoping for.
2. Maddie's character development.  Gruen does an excellent job describing Maddie's character, and how she changes as a result of this expedition to the Scottish Highlands.  I really enjoyed reading and following this progression.
3. Love as a theme.  Although I felt that the focus of the story was Maddie's growth and maturation, I also thought that love, especially her discovering the meaning of true love, was a predominant theme.  It was everpresent as she matured into who she was at the end of the novel.
4. Elements of magic in the novel.  There is no overt magic in the book, but there is an aura of magic to the story.  I'm not sure if this is something I can describe well in writing...  There was just this undertone of magic I felt while reading the story, and I thought that served to only enhance my reading experience. 
5. What happens to Maddie's husband and her husband's best friend at the end of the novel.  I won't give any spoilers.  All I'll say is that I was very satisfied. 
6. Maddie's friendship with Meg and Anna.  I really love that they become great friends by the end of the novel.

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Things I was less than enthusiastic about in this book:

1. The storyline.  Sadly, I didn't find the story itself all that interesting.

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As you can see, I don't have a "dislikes" section for this novel.  Yes, I was disappointed with the storyline, but overall this book was a quick, enjoyable read.  Sara Gruen is definitely on my list of favorite authors, and I hope to read her first two novels when I get the chance.  Now that I have read three of her novels, I will say that Water for Elephants is my favorite, followed by Ape House, and then At the Water's Edge.
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Recommend?  Yes, but I would recommend reading Water for Elephants or Ape House first if you haven't already.

#64: A Discovery of Witches

Harkness, Deborah: A Discovery of Witches. New York: Penguin Group, 2011. Print. 579 pages.

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SETTING: Majority takes place in Oxford, England and a castle named Sept-Tours in France (I wasn't able to find the exact location of Sept-Tours.  There's a Chateau des Sept Tours in real life, but not sure if that is the same as the Sept-Tours in the novel.  Most likely is, but it is not confirmed.).
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SUMMARY: Diana Bishop is an American professor of alchemy at Oxford University.  She is also the daughter of two powerful witches, a part of her identity she has tried to keep suppressed for years.  But when a mysterious book falls into her possession, she can no longer deny who she really is or continue to ignore her past.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'..And happiness is always louder than sadness...'" - Chapter 36, page 480.

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I picked this book because of the title: it's about witches and magic!  This book is part of a trilogy, and I accidentally grabbed the third book in the trilogy instead of the first, so I had to go back to the library and exchange the two books.  I'm going to do things a little out of order this time by first listing the things I did not like about this book before the things I did like.
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Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The first 400 pages. SO BORING.  I attribute my patience to getting through those 400 pages to the fact that (1) I had a lot of time on my hands, (2) really just wanted to read, and (3) had a feeling that it just had to get better.  How can a book about witches, vampires, and daemons be absolutely terrible?  Glad I persevered!
2. Diana during the first 400 pages.  She thinks she's so independent and doesn't need anyone, but again and again the author puts her in situations that are just over her head.  She lacks the ability to learn from her past experiences and mistakes, and is headstrong to a fault.
3. Not enough magic.  Again, during the latter half of the book, it picks up a little bit, but I was expecting a lot more magic throughout the entire book, and was sorely disappointed.  

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Things I liked about this book:

1. Diana during the last 179 pages.  She finally becomes less whiny and actually takes initiative and responsibility for her actions.  She is a strong character near the end, and I am positive this new-found strength will follow her in the next two novels in the series.
2. Matthew Clairmont.  He is so patient with Diana, and she did not deserve his patience during the first 400 pages of the book.  She was very rude to him and wrote off his efforts as an annoyance, when in reality most of what he said and did was correct.
3. The Clairmont family.  A very regal and strong group of vampires who aren't afraid to speak their mind.  I really enjoyed their interactions with each other.
4. Diana's aunt's eventual acceptance of Matthew.  Matthew is a vampire and Diana's aunt, Sarah, is a witch.  In this novel, witches, vampires, and daemons (there are three separate species of non-human creatures), do not get along, and indeed, it is illegal for them to interact with more than a few passing words between each other.  Sarah initially hated Matthew based off of principal, but her eventual change of heart is described very well by the author, and that progression was a nice read.
5. The aspect of time travel.  Always fun to read and the way they practiced and planned for their trip to the past was described in great deal.  They were very smart about it, and the author did a wonderful job putting those scenes in writing.
6. Diana and Matthew's love.  It all happens very quickly, but there is an aspect of fate in their story and, as a hopeless romantic, I loved it.  No matter how hard they tried, all events led to their eventual relationship.

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I ended up enjoying this book, and will probably read the next two in the series when I'm home next and can check them out from the library.  Even though I've been in DC for three years now, I haven't joined the local public library.  I don't have all that much time to read while I'm here, and the books I usually pick up are either borrowed from other people or purchased from a used book store.  If I read more frequently, I would have to get a library membership, otherwise I'd run out of material really quickly!
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Recommend?  Yes, if you're feeling patient...

#63: Darcy's Temptation

Jeffers, Regina: Darcy's Temptation. Berkeley: Ulysses Press, 2009. Print. 515 pages.

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SETTING: Majority at the Darcy's country estate, Pemberley, in the county of Derbyshire, but also in London, Bath, and other areas.  
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SUMMARY: Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy have been in a blissfully happy state since marrying three months ago.  They are expecting their first child and have settled comfortably into Pemberley as husband and wife.  Their lives could not be more perfect, especially after their rocky courtship, but an evening outing turns everything upside down, breaking their happy home apart, seemingly beyond repair.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'Great loves never die, my Katherine.'  He stroked the back of her head.  'Your sister and Mr. Darcy have a great love.'  He lifted her chin to look deeply in Kitty's eyes.  'Some day we will write the story of our own great love.'" - Chapter 9, page 170.

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This is the second book I checked out from the library, obviously picked because I love the novel it was inspired by: Pride and Prejudice :)  I usually make a fair attempt at not giving spoilers for the books I write about, but this one cannot be helped, mostly because I want to mention specific parts of the plot line that I liked and disliked.  So... SPOILER ALERT!  I won't give away the ending, just a few minor plot details. 
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Pride and Prejudice inspired!  Any such books, even if written poorly, are fun for me to read.  The story line for this novel was entertaining, but a little overdone.  It was written in Jane Austen's style, and I enjoyed that.  However, there is a lot of mention of Elizabeth and Darcy's desire for each other, and that is very much not in the style of Austen.  And I purposely write "desire for each other" because, funny enough, the author never explicitly mentions sex.  She definitely alludes to it using 19th-century British literature language, and this made these scenes even more entertaining to read because of the knowledge that it would be incredibly improper to write about this topic if this story were actually written in the 19th-century, even if it was in the appropriate language style.
2. Elizabeth and Darcy's love.  Still just as precious even when written by a different author, and this author did a great job preserving their love in her sequel.
3. The storyline.  It wasn't the best, but it was good enough that I was hooked after about 100 pages and couldn't put the book down for the last 400.  I was desperate to know how the story ended and whether or not everything ended up okay, especially between Elizabeth and Darcy.
4. Elizabeth shoots Mr. Wickham!  Such a hateful and selfish man.  I was glad Elizabeth kicked him and Lydia out of Pemberley.
5. Kitty as a supporting character.  The other Bennet sisters do not take on much of a role in the story, but I'm glad that out of all of them, it was Kitty who had a part.  Kitty and Jane are tied for my second favorite Bennet sister, and that Kitty has a happy ending was nice to read.  I also liked that the author chose to make her character more in line with Elizabeth's than with Lydia's, and showed the reader the step-by-step change in her personality.
6. Elizabeth's and Darcy's characters.  The author maintained the same traits they are known and loved for, but expanded on them in a way I really enjoyed.

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Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The predictability of the story line.  I don't mean the specifics; moreso when the ups and downs were going to occur.  It was really obvious when something bad was going to happen, and then when and how that would resolve.
2. The beginning was boring.  I almost put this book down because the first 50 or so pages were so blah.  But since it is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, I kept going.  I'm glad I did because I ended up getting really into the story, mostly because I needed to know how it ended.
3. Elizabeth and Darcy name their twins Ella and Lucas.  There was an explanation for this, but I didn't think the names fit very well.
4. Ms. Donnelly's character.  She's a hypochondriac and a stupid woman.  She's central to the drama in the book, but her character was poorly written.  I thought that part, being the climax of the novel, should have had a stronger character at its center.

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Overall it was a stupid storyline, but I enjoyed it.  This book isn't going to become a classic, but it was a fun read and I am glad I found it at the library.  I enjoyed it more than Death Comes to Pemberley, which I read earlier this year, because I was more hooked to this story line.  If this story went in a different direction than it did, things would have been very tragic.  There was more to lose in this book than there was in Death Comes to Pemberley, which is why I enjoyed reading it more.
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Recommend?  Yes, but definitely read the classic if you haven't yet.