Book: Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

Sisterland will be published by Random House on June 25, 2013|Expected Number Of Pages: 352

Series: None

Genre: Adult Fiction- Chick Lit

Goodreads|Curtis Sittenfeld’s Website

I received Sisterland as an e-ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Goodreads Summary: From an early age, Kate and her identical twin sister, Violet, knew that they were unlike everyone else. Kate and Vi were born with peculiar “senses”—innate psychic abilities concerning future events and other people’s secrets. Though Vi embraced her visions, Kate did her best to hide them.

Now, years later, their different paths have led them both back to their hometown of St. Louis. Vi has pursued an eccentric career as a psychic medium, while Kate, a devoted wife and mother, has settled down in the suburbs to raise her two young children. But when a minor earthquake hits in the middle of the night, the normal life Kate has always wished for begins to shift. After Vi goes on television to share a premonition that another, more devastating earthquake will soon hit the St. Louis area, Kate is mortified. Equally troubling, however, is her fear that Vi may be right. As the date of the predicted earthquake quickly approaches, Kate is forced to reconcile her fraught relationship with her sister and to face truths about herself she’s long tried to deny.

Funny, haunting, and thought-provoking, Sisterland is a beautifully written novel of the obligation we have toward others, and the responsibility we take for ourselves. With her deep empathy, keen wisdom, and unerring talent for finding the extraordinary moments in our everyday lives, Curtis Sittenfeld is one of the most exceptional voices in literary fiction today.

Sisterland…it was an okay read.  Sisterland is another book that I wanted to like, but didn’t.

I didn’t find either sister particularly compelling.  That combined with me not being sure what the story was supposed to be about led to Sisterland being okay.

Every chapter starts off with the present, and that led to Kate’s past, which focuses on her relationship with her sister and Kate hiding her abilities.  I get that Kate’s past relationship with her sister has a HUGE impact on her relationship with her sister in the present, and that I, as the reader, needed to know Kate’s past in order to understand Kate in present time, but it was also something I didn’t like.  I found myself get bored reading about Kate’s life before Violet’s prediction.  And since a lot of the book focused on Kate, it was hard to like Violet because we only saw her through Kate’s eyes.  It was also hard to like Kate.  Kate is definitely a character who is very real and intricate, but for me, Kate was a little too complex.  I found that Kate’s constant worrying and anxiety was really irritating and by the end of the book, I was really tired of it.

I think my major issue with Kate is because of the random, out-of-the-blue affair she has with one of her best friends towards the end of the book.  It didn’t seem like either of them.  It felt really forced, and while you could make the argument that not all earthquakes are literal (or something along those lines), I’m not completely sure what the point of it was.  Was it something that was going to happen anyway, or was it something set in motion by Kate’s insistent that the earthquake was going to happen on a specific date while also refusing to leave St. Louis when the earthquake was going to hit?

I thought there was too much going on.  There’s flashbacks, and present time, and all sorts of other issues throughout the book, and it was hard to care when there was so much to think about and focus on.

Final Thoughts:

Sisterland was okay.  I felt like Sisterland got bogged down in the past, and I didn’t find the characters particularly compelling.  It’s definitely a good book for a book club, because there is quite a bit you could discuss, but unfortunately, Sisterland didn’t do anything for me.  Sisterland gets 2 stars.

Book: Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

The expected publication date is June 25, 2013 by Flux Books|Expected Number Of Pages: 359

Series: None

Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads|Kelsey Sutton On Twitter

A Quick Note: Some Quiet Place is an e-ARC from netgalley.com and has not influenced my review in any way

Goodreads Summary: I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.

Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.

Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?

What drew me to Some Quiet Place was the summary.  Emotions in human form is definitely unique, and in a good way!  I really liked that Fear is the only one who didn’t give up on Elizabeth just because she doesn’t feel emotions.

There were times when Some Quiet Place felt a little confusing.  Mostly because of some things that were revealed later on in the book.  There are definitely going to be some major spoilers, because I can’t talk about why Some Quiet Place was just okay.  So, Elizabeth was hit by a car as a child and walked away with a few cuts…and became a very different child than she was before the accident.  Why she was different after the accident, and everything that led to the end…just made me wonder what was going on and was frustrating because I felt like I was missing something, even though I wasn’t.

For me, Elizabeth was really boring.  I know she SEES emotions, rather than experiencing them herself (with the exception of a few minor ones, like curiosity) and I felt like there was a lot of potential for her to be really interesting.  Unfortunately, I felt like she was detached from everything, and there wasn’t anything distinguishing about her.  She, like so many of the other characters, didn’t stand out to me.  I tried to muster up some sympathy for Elizabeth, but sadly, I couldn’t.

Still, I really liked the premise of Some Quiet Place, and I really wished I liked it more.

Final Thoughts:

Some Quiet Place was okay for me.  Certain revelations made the book a little confusing at times, and while the book started out so beautifully, I lost interest by the end of the book.  Some Quiet Place gets 2 stars.

Book: Little Joe by Michael E. Glasscock III

Published June 2013 by Greenleaf Book Group|Pages: 184

Series: None

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Goodreads|Michael E. Glasscock On Twitter

Little Joe is an e-ARC from netgalley.com which has not influenced my review in anyway

Goodreads Summary: When Little Joe Stout survives the car accident that took his parents’ lives, he is sent to live with his maternal grandparents in the small town of Round Rock, Tennessee. Orphaned and missing his Texas home, Little Joe is reluctant to adapt. But his grandparents, especially his grandmother, are up to the challenge of raising him despite their own struggles. Soon, childhood friendships are forged in the oddball duo of Sugar and Bobby, and—with the help of a new canine companion—Little Joe begins to see that his new home offers the comfort and love he thought was lost forever.

Set against the drama of World War II and the first sparks of the civil rights movement, Little Joe’s new home is a microcosm of America in the 1940s. A frightening incident with a Chinese motorist traveling on the wrong side of town, the migration of troops across the countryside, and a frank discussion of Jim Crow laws are just a few of the local events mirroring the radio broadcasts that bring the news of the day into his grandmother’s kitchen.

Little Joe begins a four-part series from Michael E. Glasscock III that explores the intricate social cloth of Round Rock, Tennessee.

I liked Little Joe.  I don’t normally read historical fiction set in World War 2, but I enjoyed it more than I expected.

I loved seeing Joe’s relationship with his grandparents, and if there’s something I love, it’s a book where there’s a grandparent-grandchild relationship.  They all had to adjust to their new life: Joe, who now has to live on a farm, in a world different than the one he’s known, and his grandparents, who lost their daughter and are now raising their grandson.

The book felt like it set during the 1940’s and all of the details felt right- but knowing very little about what life was like on a farm during World War II, I have no problem admitting that I don’t know enough to say for sure what’s accurate and what’s not.

I also liked how Joe found friends and slowly adjusted to life in Round Rock.  It seems like there’s an assortment of characters, and I really wish we saw more of them.  We certain got a good glimpse of Round Rock, and it wasn’t until the end that I realized I was reading the first book in a series.  Which explains why Little Joe is shorter than I was expecting and why it felt like there was more to the story.

I thought Glasscock did a great job with showing Joe’s perspective on things.  Even though he didn’t delve too deep into things like racism, I still thought Glasscock did a great job with showing what Joe and his friends thought of what was going on around them.  We got a good glimpse of what life was like for Joe in the context of everything going on in the 1940’s and how life can change while still realizing that there are people who care about us.  Glasscock did a good job at introducing us to this world and the people that live in it, but I also wish there was a little more to the book.  I’m not quite sure what, but it really was a bit too short.

Final Thoughts:

I liked Little Joe, especially the relationship he had with his grandparents.  It’s a sweet story, and I wish it were a little longer.  I’m looking forward to reading the other books to see how Joe’s story unfolds.  Little Joe gets 3 stars.

Book: Oppressed by Kira Saito

Self-Published by Kira Saito on December 26, 2012|Pages: 251

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: Arelia LaRue #4

Genre: YA Paranormal

You Can Find Oppressed in the Kindle store, the Nook store, and at Smashwords

Goodreads Summary: Down in New Orleans, Arelia LaRue ventures further into the world of les mysteries and comes face to face with secrets that threaten to turn her entire world upside down.

A tragically painful past is revisited… Secrets are revealed… And enemies are exposed…

In the intoxicating world of New Orleans Voodoo/Hoodoo expect the unexpected.

Oppressed is definitely my least favorite book in the Arelia LaRue series.  While we see the curse that bound Louis/Ivan and Lucas to Darkwood, and go much deeper into the past than we have in the past 3 books, I didn’t find it as interesting as the other books.  I mean, Saito did a great job at showing what New Orleans was like in the 1850’s, and it was nice seeing how the past has an impact on the future and how history is repeating itself.

But I missed seeing Arelia figuring things out and dealing with everything in the present.  It really was a different book, and while it (sort of) fit with the rest of the series, it didn’t fit as well as I was expecting.  Interestingly enough, it’s the only book that felt the most complete, but I’m still feeling like I’m reading a story in installments as opposed to something with a beginning, middle and an end.

I had a harder time connecting to everything because I wasn’t expecting to get so much history.  I felt like I was getting to know Arelia and Lucas, and all of a sudden, they’re in a completely different form than what I was expecting.

Overall, I really like this series, so I’ll keep reading because I want to know what happens.  But Oppressed is the first book where I started to feel like the story was going on for a little too long.  Oppressed gets 2 stars.

Book: First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh

Published June 2009 by Random House|Pages: 290

Where I Got It: E-book|Library

Series: Huxtable Quintet #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Goodreads|Mary Balogh’s Website

Goodreads Summary: Against the scandal and seduction of Regency England, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh introduces an extraordinary family—the fiery, sensual Huxtables. Vanessa is the second daughter, proud and daring, a young widow who has her own reason for pursuing the most eligible bachelor in London. One that has nothing to do with love. Or does it?

The arrival of Elliott Wallace, the irresistibly eligible Viscount Lyngate, has thrown the country village of Throckbridge into a tizzy. Desperate to rescue her eldest sister from a loveless union, Vanessa Huxtable Dew offers herself instead. In need of a wife, Elliott takes the audacious widow up on her unconventional proposal while he pursues an urgent mission of his own. But a strange thing happens on the way to the wedding night. Two strangers with absolutely nothing in common can’t keep their hands off each other. Now, as intrigue swirls around a past secret—one with a stunning connection to the Huxtables—Elliott and Vanessa are uncovering the glorious pleasures of the marriage bed…and discovering that when it comes to wedded bliss, love can’t be far behind.

I totally went into First Comes Marriage expecting to love it…but it actually turned out to be an okay read for me.  I mean, I liked it, but it’s an okay kind of good.

Vanessa and Elliot are an interesting pair.  It’s definitely one of convenience- for the both of them- but they find that they’ve fallen for each other by the end of the book.  I was surprised that it was Elliott and Vanessa, and not Elliott and Vanessa’s older sister.  I never completely warmed up to Vanessa and Elliott as a couple.  I think a big part of it is because it really was a marriage of convenience for both of them.  For some reason, it was believable, but I found myself not believing in them as a couple.  It’s weird because I liked them on their own, but I’m not too fond of them together.

I did like Vanessa getting married so her older sister won’t have to, and the relationships between Vanessa and her siblings.  And her relationship with her former in-laws.  And the relationship she had with her now-deceased husband, which we learn about throughout the novel in conversations and her thoughts.  There are a lot of interesting relationships, and I found the one she had with her older sister to be one of the things I really loved about the book.

Final Thoughts:

I liked First Comes Marriage, but Elliott and Vanessa didn’t work for me as a couple, even though I liked them on their own.  It isn’t my favorite romance novel, but I might possibly be interested enough to keep reading.  It’s an interesting story, and it was an enjoyable read.  First Comes Marriages gets 3 stars.

Book: The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Published February 2013 by Penguin Group|Pages: 304

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: Shades Of London #2

Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads|Maureen Johnson On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: After her near-fatal run-in with the Jack the Ripper copycat, Rory Devereaux has been living in Bristol under the close watch of her parents. So when her therapist suddenly suggests she return to Wexford, Rory jumps at the chance to get back to her friends. But Rory’s brush with the Ripper touched her more than she thought possible: she’s become a human terminus, with the power to eliminate ghosts on contact. She soon finds out that the Shades—the city’s secret ghost-fighting police—are responsible for her return. The Ripper may be gone, but now there is a string of new inexplicable deaths threatening London. Rory has evidence that the deaths are no coincidence. Something much more sinister is going on, and now she must convince the squad to listen to her before it’s too late.

The Madness Underneath is a really good follow-up to The Name Of The Star.  I really liked seeing Rory deal with what happened in The Name Of The Star.  All of these things have happened to her, and she can’t talk about it, because what really went down needs to stay secret.  That would majorly suck, to have to lie about what really happened with the Jack The Ripper stuff.  And she’s in Bristol, away from her friends, until they pull some strings to have her return to Wexford because Rory is the only terminus the team has.

As much as I liked The Madness Underneath, which was a lot, it didn’t have the same appeal that The Name Of The Star had.  There are still creepy things going on, and ghosts and other people who have the same abilities that Rory does.  That mysterious group was totally creepy, and they’re definitely up to something.  It is nice to see that there are other people who can see ghosts, but…why are only a select few part of the Shades?  You’d think that there would be more than a handful but maybe there’s a process or something and only a few make it.

Rory leaving school in The Name Of The Star in a big way and then returning to Wexford just so she could heal…I guess it’s understandable but also sort of boring.  I think I was expecting more to happen and for me, not a lot did.  Actually, The Madness Underneath felt like set-up for the next one, and I’m not quite sure where things are going.  I’m not sure what I was expecting for The Madness Underneath, but I’m pretty sure that this wasn’t it.

I’m really curious as to where things are going.  Partly because Rory can get rid of ghosts just by TOUCHING THEM, and with this new group of people who can see ghosts and are probably up to no good.  And with certain developments where Stephen is concerned…I really want to know what happens next!

A lot of the other characters weren’t as interesting as they were before, and it’s because The Madness Underneath focuses on Rory and her recovery from almost getting killed by a ghost.  I’m not terribly surprised by her relationship with Stephen, which was actually something I was hoping for…and then the ending happened, and that’s going to put a damper on things.  It’s rather unfortunate for both Rory and Stephen, and I’m really wondering what the fall-out will be.

Final Thoughts:

I really liked The Madness Underneath, and found Rory being a human terminus really interesting.  I’m not sure where things are headed, and even though I was expecting something different, I find myself wanting to know what happens next.  The Madness Underneath gets 4 stars.

Book: Flowers From The Storm by Laura Kinsale

Published October 2009 by HarperCollins|Pages: 560

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: None

Genre: Adult Romance

Goodreads|Laura Kinsale’s Website

Summary: The Duke of Jervaulx was brilliant and dangerous. Considered dissolute, reckless, and extravagant, he was transparently referred to as the ′D of J′ in scandal sheets, where he and his various exploits featured with frequency. But sometimes the most womanising rake can be irresistible, and even his most casual attentions fascinated the sheltered Maddy Timms, quiet daughter of a simple mathematician.

It’s been a while since I’ve read anything truly romance-y, and I’ve been feeling inspired after listening to, like, every single episode of Dear Bitches, Smart Author.  Which is a great podcast if you’re into romance novels.

Anyway, I’ve felt inspired to read one of the many romance novels I actually own (but haven’t read), so I decided to start off with Flowers From The Storm.  I totally loved it!  I love Maddy and Jervaulx as a couple and they balance each other so well.

Maddy as a Quaker wasn’t expected, but she wanted to do the right thing and help Jervaulx even when her cousin thought he was too violent.  I liked that she was a Quaker and had a very different life than Jervaulx which made the tension between them fun but interesting.  I liked seeing what she thought of him before the duel, and seeing how her opinion of him changed throughout the book.  Also, how she was able to communicate with him after he got ill.  I’m not quite sure what happened to him but there was something very sweet and touching with the way they communicated with each other.

It’s definitely unique in comparison to every other romance novel I’ve read.  It’s not cliche and Maddy and Jervaulx have a happily-ever-after of sorts, but not the traditional happily-ever-after you see in a lot of other romance novels.

I’m definitely not sure what else to say about Flowers From The Storm.  It’s funny at times, but also sweet and heart-warming.  I absolutely loved it, and Flowers From The Storm gets 5 stars.

Book: Insomnia by J.R. Johansson

Insomnia’s expected publication is June 8, 2013 by Flux Books|Expected Number Of Pages: 361

Insomnia is an e-ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review

Series: The Night Walkers #1

Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads|J.R. Johansson’s Website

Summary: t’s been four years since I slept, and I suspect it is killing me.

Instead of sleeping, Parker Chipp enters the dream of the last person he’s had eye contact with. He spends his nights crushed by other people’s fear and pain, by their disturbing secrets—and Parker can never have dreams of his own. The severe exhaustion is crippling him. If nothing changes, Parker could soon be facing psychosis and even death.

Then he meets Mia. Her dreams, calm and beautifully uncomplicated, allow him blissful rest that is utterly addictive. Parker starts going to bizarre lengths to catch Mia’s eye every day. Everyone at school thinks he’s gone over the edge, even his best friend. And when Mia is threatened by a true stalker, everyone thinks it’s Parker.

Suffering blackouts, Parker begins to wonder if he is turning into someone dangerous. What if the monster stalking Mia is him after all?

Insomnia is really different, and in a good way.  The premise that Parker enters the dream of the last person he has eye contact with is a really interesting one, and I’m so glad I read Insomnia!

I’m not surprised that Parker is able to sleep when Mia is the last person he has eye contact with.  Or that he’s the one who is blamed when she gets threatening e-mails from everyone.  I don’t blame them, because it really seems like he’s completely lost it.  But I also understand Parker wanting to have a good night’s rest, even when he does everything possible to make sure he makes eye contact with Mia last.

Insomnia did start off slow for me, and it was hard to get into at first.  It was hard to connect with Parker, and there are so many questions that I have after reading Insomnia.  Like, how on earth is he able to function after 4 years of barely sleeping?  His ability is interesting, but at this point, how he is even alive?  Why does he have this ability and what does it all mean?  We get no details on this ability to enter the dreams of the person who you last made eye contact with.  I know Parker has no clue about why he has this ability or how it works, and that the reader is discovering this right along with him, but…not knowing things about this particular world makes you wonder how he manages to drive and not get into accidents or why his doctor assumes Parker is on drugs and doesn’t do anything except prescribe something or do further tests.

I have the feeling we’ll be learning more about it the next book, because we learn that Parker’s dad has the same ability- a father who left Parker and his mom when Parker was really little.  I can’t say I’m surprised by that connection, because it really wasn’t that big of a surprise.

I think his relationships with Addie and Mia are interesting.  I didn’t get a love triangle vibe, especially because he seems to have feelings for Addie but not for Mia.  His relationship with Mia is more for survival, especially in this book, so it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out in the rest of the series.  I actually wouldn’t mind a love triangle in this case (even though it seems unlikely for now) because it would be a nice change from a female having to choose between 2 guys.

Final Thoughts:

Insomnia is one of the most interesting books I’ve read.  I like that Parker enters the dreams of the last person he makes eye contact, and while I wanted to know how he managed to still be alive and functioning reasonably well after 4 years of not sleeping well, I can’t wait to find out what happens next!  Insomnia gets 3 stars.

Book: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Published April 2013 by HarperTeen|Pages: 384

Where I Got It: E-book|Nook Store

Series: The Sweet Trilogy #2

Genre: YA Paranormal- Angels/Demons

Goodreads|Wendy Higgins On Twitter

Goodreads Summary: Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

I really liked Sweet Peril.  I totally love that this series focuses on demons and how they’re a bad influence!

I like that Anna is both, and that she acknowledges the good and the bad, even though she doesn’t like doing the work of the father.  I like that doing her father’s work is just a way of surviving, and that it’s balanced out by her wanting to make sure that the people she’s influencing get home okay and that she feels guilty about what she’s doing.

I think one of my favorite things about this book is how there’s such a balance between Anna’s good side and her bad side, and that she doesn’t necessarily have to choose one over the other.  I also liked the message from Ruth, the nun from the convent Anna was born at, and how Anna has to find allies for when Anna has to do what she needs to do.

I think Kaidan and Anna are oddly balanced.  I like that Anna still has a certain amount of innocence, even if it less so than in Sweet Evil.  But it also makes sense given that she’s the only one who can use the Sword Of Righteousness.  Part of me was hoping that something more would happen between her and Kai just to see how that would work out, but part of me is glad it hasn’t.  Then again, there’s still the last book, so it’s entirely possible it could happen.  But with things headed in the direction they’re in, and a prophecy that means the Dukes are out to kill Anna, there’s a good chance it won’t happen.  Either way, I’m interested to see how that turns out.

I’m so glad Sweet Evil avoided the dreaded middle book system.  It didn’t feel like filler at all, and it definitely made the series a lot more interesting.  Like, Kai and Anna.  They have a really complicated relationship, and while they get together in the end, they definitely have some obstacles.  Or there being no love triangle!  It seemed like Kope could have been the other guy for a while, but it’s just Anna and Kai and no other guy for her.  Which is good, because I like Kai and Anna together.

Final Thoughts:

I’m sure it’s obvious that I really liked Sweet Peril.  Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think I love it.  It really is an interesting take on the Nephilim trend, and I can’t wait to read the last book!  Sweet Peril gets 5 stars.