The Queen of England: Coronation
Courtney Brandt
Steampunk
Set in an alternate universe of London, after the untimely death of Queen Victoria in 1840, recently crowned Juliette faces a mysterious organization. The New World Order threatens her country and claims responsibility for the dirigible accident which killed off much of the aristocracy. Add in distracting romantic entanglements, a gifted unicorn, and tracking down the legendary Excalibur and this teenage Queen has an uphill battle leading to her coronation at Westminster. Will her reign be over before it has a chance to begin?
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
England! Victorian Era! Royalty! All of my favorite things. The premise for this story is brilliant and super imaginative. Naturally I was happy to dig in to QoE.
So -
The writing and dialogue need work- people often stated the obvious where they wouldn't in real life, words were repeated and used incorrectly, contradictions arose.
Plot: Overall good. It moved around, lots of players and events. I was constantly engaged and there wasn't a dull moment. However, there were too many convenient occurrences that I just couldn't overlook. People managed to avoid Juliette's guards all too easily, someone in the middle of nowhere traveling exactly where she needed to go exactly when she needed it, and the list goes on.
Characters and Relationships: Juliette is smart, curious, active and modern. Truly, a heroine written for the purpose of being a literary female role model. Unfortunately, she was also naive and quick to trust, something that in a more realistic novel would have gotten her killed.
Relationship-wise, in QoE there was an unusual element I liked a lot- multiple love interests! I found that to be realistic. The Queen of England, pretty and young, would naturally have many suitors and in real life wouldn't immediately fall desperately in love with one of them, contrary to what stories would have us believe. It also allows for many things to happen in further installments.
The other characters in the book were cool, but none fleshed out enough. I want complexity!
All in all, given the sequel I would probably read it. The flaws in the writing are workable and with a little more professional editing the story could go far.
After You (Me Before You #2)
Jojo Moyes
Romance (I guess)
Lou Clark has lots of questions.
Like how it is she's ended up working in an airport bar, spending every shift watching other people jet off to new places.
Or why the flat she's owned for a year still doesn't feel like home.
Whether her close-knit family can forgive her for what she did eighteen months ago.
And will she ever get over the love of her life.
What Lou does know for certain is that something has to change.
Then, one night, it does.
But does the stranger on her doorstep hold the answers Lou is searching for - or just more questions?
Close the door and life continues: simple, ordered, safe.
Open it and she risks everything.
But Lou once made a promise to live. And if she's going to keep it, she has to invite them in . . .
Wow. So unfortunately, I read Me Before You two summers ago at a very tumultuous point in my life, and I never got around to reviewing it.
Back then, I didn't want to read this sequel. I was mad that Will killed himself, and I felt that the story missed its own point and I did not care to read further. But then last week, I thought of this for some reason. I'm dealing with a breakup right now, and something about that sense of loss from choice called to me. I picked up a copy of After You and started right away.
After You was not what I hoped it would be. I wanted to hear a tale of moving on, of learning to live without someone you loved so much and changed you. I'm not sure that was the case. The book centers more than anything on Lou meeting Lily, Will's long-lost daughter. It was about bad parenting, and Lou always doing the selfless thing out of fear of doing anything different or brave. An interesting concept, basically what everyone kept telling her in Me Before You. But no, not exactly what I was hoping for.
The whole presence of Lily seemed a bit weird to me. Everyone felt like they got a piece of Will back, Lily felt such a connection to him - but she never knew him, he knew nothing of her. It seemed a little unrealistic to me that the Traynors just accepted her so quickly. If he had been alive they probably would have freaked out, right? However, the circumstances were beyond normal so I sort of accepted it.
Lou, understandably, wasn't her adorable, quirky self. While totally understandable, I was hoping to see her regain some of that.
The whole Sam thing didn't thrill me. It was just so.... nothing special. I didn't read them fall in love.. just into a relationship.
The most moving part for me was The Moving On circle (no pun intended). There I related to the heartbreak, and was angry at the characters but also sympathetic. I wanted them to discover happiness again. Sadly though, Moyes never fleshed out Jake, Fred, Daphne, Natasha, Marc. I felt that it could have been a good framework around which to tell Lou's story.
Lou's family had an interesting arc though - Josie Clark discovers feminism, Bernard doesn't know what hits him, and Treena deals with her jealousy of Lou. However, I feel like even this wasn't done fully. Josie goes from totally content traditional housewife to on the brink of divorce in the space of a few months. Specifically the leg-shaving thing- that's a point that even hardcore born feminists usually do anyway. So you're telling me small-town Josie Clark jeopardizes her marriage on it after a few books??
I actually came to like Treena a bit more this time though. In Me Before You, she is the supposedly 'smart' one that because of her Lou has to take jobs she doesn't like and hand her paycheck to the family. In After You, the strain between the two sisters shows up and I liked how that was realistic. Treena also rightly pushes Lou to live - what she would be doing if she could.
Overall, there were too many small plotlines in this book, none of them fleshed out enough. However, the writing was superb and despite all my criticism, After You sucked me right in.
Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2)
Cassandra Clare
shadowhunter book
Emma Carstairs has finally avenged her parents. She thought she’d be at peace. But she is anything but calm. Torn between her desire for her parabatai Julian and her desire to protect him from the brutal consequences of parabatai relationships, she has begun dating his brother, Mark. But Mark has spent the past five years trapped in Faerie; can he ever truly be a Shadowhunter again?
And the faerie courts are not silent. The Unseelie King is tired of the Cold Peace, and will no longer concede to the Shadowhunters’ demands. Caught between the demands of faerie and the laws of the Clave, Emma, Julian, and Mark must find a way to come together to defend everything they hold dear—before it’s too late.
How can we talk about anything before addressing the ending.
WHAT WHAT WHAT
I don't want to read the next book.
In Harry Potter, we never had to live with the aftermath of the deaths in The Deathly Hallows. If we did, we would have hated it. I don't want to imagine reading about the Weasleys after Fred. There's no coming back from that. All the dynamics we know and love change. I DON'T WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE BLACKTHORNS AFTER LOSING LIVVY. Things like that wreck families. I don't want Cassie Clare to try to insert the usual banter or even just normal behavior into Queen of Air and Darkness. It's not possible or right- the Blackthorns will never be the same, and as fans we have to understand they may not be the same people we know and love. ARE YOU READY FOR THAT?
And Robert... how much more can the Lightwoods take? And the Clave... he was the right person to lead them to a better future of positive change. He even embodied that change in his own life. And after Tales of a Shadowhunter Academy I just can't... basically sobbing.
But enough of that (I write with tears in my eyes). There are 699 other pages to discuss.
So.
Mark-Kieran-Christina. I, unlike everyone else apparently, hate this. I believe in marriage, partners. I love the love between all of them, but this can't work IRL. I feel like CC is trying to recreate Will-Jem-Tessa and I do NOT want more convenient life extensions. Unfortunately I can't remember if Diego was still in the running for Christina or not. Hope not though.
About Kieran- I LOVE HIM. I love how he balances himself, becomes more moderate in personality, temperament. I loved how Mark went to save him, how they love each other even as they struggle to understand their relationship in the real world.
Dru and Jaime - anyone else completely flummoxed but also charmed by this? At first I was super worried - there is a power imbalance. Dru is young and easy to be taken advantage of by older, cool Jaime who is the first one to treat her like an adult and also asks her to keep a secret. However I was pleasantly surprised that things didn't go down that road and in general I love Dru and can't wait to hear more from her POV in future books.
Jace and Clary- WTF is going on. *Prays*
Ty-Kit-Livvy. I love them, I want the best for them. The boys are absolutely the best thing that could happen for each other. My only complaint is that is was very obvious this was gonna happen last book- personally I dig subtlety. Which brings me to Diana- her story was amazing and full of heart and pain and it's kinda cool that the internet figured that out but I wish it wasn't spoiled for me.
Magnus - ALL THE FEELS. I love him, I love what he brings to the stories. I can't get over what happened- if Magnus had been there LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.
Julian and Emma - I was so happy when they were in the cottage. Characters in the Shadowhunter world deserve more happy times. I don't know what to think about Julian... I feel like the writer is forcing this darkness upon him. He hates himself for the things he needs to do sometimes, and yes, he shouldn't think dichotomically- NO JULIAN, THE CHOICES AREN'T ALWAYS THE WORLD OR YOUR FAMILY. However, sometimes it is and I don't think it's fair to judge him in positions like that.
As I'm sure you've realized, for me Shadowhunter books are all about the people, the dynamics, the relationships. But in Lord of Shadows CC really hit the ball out of the park with a metaphor for real-life war, politics, bad choices and mistakes. As always, a beautiful and very flawed installment.
OH AND LONDON. THE LONDON INSTITUTE. BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE. JESSAMINE AND BRIDGET AND HERONDALE WRITING ON BOOKS AND WALLS. MY HEARRTTTTT
Hey all! Eight months ago I moved a town with my family, and while you'd think 8 months is enough time to finish organizing and unpacking your room- I guess it isn't for me. *cue monkey covering eyes emoji*. As I'm only home every other weekend or so, I'm still choosing furniture and decorating.
So naturally, when I heard about Loot Crate's fun project, I had no problem coming up with ideas! Loot Crate is a crate subscription service that sends out all different kinds of pop culture theme crates. Different aspects of pop culture they tackle are movies, games, TV shows, books, anime, pro-wrestling, etc. Every month they send out a box of 4-6 cool items with more than $50 value! Recently they've been asking everyone to put together a list of what your dream crate would look like- and they may even make one a reality!
As you can see from my blog theme, I love London. Be it Sherlock's home town, or the city The Infernal Devices takes place in, or because in it is King's Cross station that first takes Harry to Hogwarts- I've always been enchanted by this city. As I started to brainstorm and google things for my dream crate, it fused with my shopping list for my bedroom and behold, here is some English- themed merch I'd love to have.
1. London Bridge bookends - I desperately need something nice to hold up the books on my shelves, and what better idea for bookends than a bridge?
2. Big Ben clock - what's more appropriate than a clock to represent London?
3. Rainy curtains- every local I've ever spoken to ABSOLUTELY HATES the constant rain in London, but as curtains that can be open and closed at will I think it's beautiful.
4. Gryffindor hangings - while there are many great soccer clubs that are easily identifiable as British and are well-loved, I am a book lover who grew up on Harry Potter and my room is not complete without this.
5. Harry Potter lights - I PROMISED myself I wouldn't be so typical and make my whole list about Potter, but I can't help it on this one. I mean, who wouldn't want to light up their bedrooms with a row of floating candles?? That's what I thought. Barring that, I absolutely loved the following stickers.
So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, my Dream Crate! Go crazy with your own and let me know in the comments!
Have a wonderful week and wish me luck in my roommaking,
Esty
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Classics, Mystery
The Five Ornage Pips: A tale of mystery, scandal and murder that may have been committed by the Ku Klux Klan in London. Who else but Sherlock Holmes can solve these series of deaths?
The Man with the Twisted Lip: Holmes discovers Dr. Watson in the black shadows of a smoke-filled opium den in the basement of the very house where Holmes is investigating his latest murder case! But of course the good doctor is only there to hunt down the drug-addicted husband of his wife's dear, but distraught, friend. Sound confusing? For all but The Great Detective, it probably is. And we haven't even talked about the murder yet!
You can read my reviews of other Sherlock Holmes stories here.
I found The Five Orange Pips fairly predictable and classic for Sherlock Holmes stories - weird sign, death threat by terrorist organization, family member of threatened party contacts good old SH. However I think there were two points of interest for this particular story - the first being some beautiful writing. The vocabulary and the flow of the sentences were enchanting in my opinion. The second was the not-neatly-tied-up-ending which I've found is not usual for these stories. I'll say no more there.
The Man with the Twisted Lip was overall much more to my fancy. This may or may not have something to do with the fact that in BBC's Sherlock (one of my true loves) they do an almost perfectly loyal adaptation of this story's opening scene. So obviously, I was hooked right off the bat. Truthfully, even if I hadn't seen Sherlock's version I think this chapter in The Adventures of SH is great - it starts off with a bang and a funny surprise, and has some great quotes of Watson deciding to throw in in his lot with that of the detectives'. Also, the end was altogether surprising and amusing, and exactly what you'd look for in a short story. Loved it!
“...I could not wish anything better than to be associated with my friend in one of those singular adventures which were the normal condition of his existence."
Happy reading!
Love,
Esty
