Glossolalia by Marita Dachsel

Date: 2013
Publisher: Anvil Press Publishers
Pages: 93
Genre: Poetry, Religion, Feminism
ISBN: 978-1-927380-40-6
Rating: 5/5

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the grand opening of a new bookstore in my hometown. At the event, three authors did a reading of their works and we were also given refreshments and cake. Marita Dachsel was one of these authors, and she read from her book of poetry Glossolalia. This was my first exposure to Dachsel's poetry and it made an impact. I was also fortunate enough to speak to this lovely author and have her sign my copy!

Glossolalia is a collection of poems from the perspective of Joseph Smith's wives. Smith was the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is a Mormon church. He engaged in polygamy and this book tells the perspectives of marriage from his thirty four wives.

These poems are touching, dark, funny, raw, and leave you stunned in your seat. Her words flow so well and then when you least expect it, you get hit with a sudden, raw emotion. The endings of each poem really resonated with me and I felt I could connect to many of these wives in sharing some aspects of their emotions.

I would suggest this book of poetry for anyone interested in poetry (great for beginners, not confusing at all!), feminism, history, the contrast between self and role, and religion. Not only is the content amazing, but Dachsel's writing is extraordinary and a real treat to read. Please give this one a try - you won't be disappointed.

The Terror by Dan Simmons

Date: January, 2007

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Pages: 769

Genre: Historical fiction, horror

ISBN: 0316017442

Rating: 3.5/5

This book was a really enjoyable read, perfect for the winter. It is about the Franklin Expedition, where Europeans tried to establish a trade route by sea through the Northwest Passage (North of Canada). The actual history books tell us that this was an unfortunate and failed mission. This book re-imagines that historical event with a chilling edge of survival in the arctic.

The writing was extremely detailed and dense. I found I had to really take my time with this story in order to absorb all the little bits of information. I read the paperback version which is close to 1000 pages - no easy feat! But it was well worth the effort. I really felt like I was on the ships with the crew, battling the same gruesome weather and starvation. 

The characters were not as established as I would have hoped. Many of them blended together and didn't have too many distinctive details about them. The captains were obviously memorable, as was the mysterious native woman on board, but many others I have already forgotten about. Some characters were gay, which was both a surprise and delight to read. I feel there really should be more LGBT* characters in literature because we are a population that exists and should be represented in stories with large casts of characters. Of course, these gay characters were viewed in a historical context, but I was just happy to see they were there.

The plot moved quicker than I expected for such a brick of a book. There was an overall feeling of loss, hopelessness, and alienation but the crew were kept busy. One minute someone's dying, the next there's some freaky thing out on the ice, and it just kept going on and on. As soon as we are able to compose ourselves, something else is happening (good or bad). I was really afraid that parts would be a struggle to read, but that was far from the case. 

Then I got to about the 3/4 part of the book and it was difficult for me to finish. It had all the same elements as the beginning, but by then I wanted something different. It was just the same stuff happening, except it was all worse, but the magnitude of it didn't impact me the way it was suppose to. I was very curious about the natives, but they were not focused on as much as I expected. 

Overall, this is a very dense and well written story about survival. I really felt like I was on the ship and trying to survive with the crew. However, more distinctive features between crew members and more emphasis on the natives would have made the book more well rounded for me. If you are looking for a dense, historical novel that is amazing at setting, then this is your book. However, as a horror novel I felt it fell short despite some creepy moments.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using the link below.

Rush by Maya Banks

#1 in the Breathless Trilogy

Date:  January, 2013

Publisher: Berkely

Pages: 396

Genre: Adult romance, erotica

ISBN: 0425267040

Rating: 3.5/5

Before I begin talking about the book, can we take a moment to admire this amazing cover!? What an impact!

I decided to check out this book because Maya Banks is suppose to be a good author in this genre. I read 50 Shades of Grey and was interested in seeing what other books in this genre were like. I didn't realize it at first, but Rush has similarities to 50 Shades such as elements of BDSM, a super rich & damanged man, and a recent college graduate that gets thrown into a world of sex.

Let's get this out of the way first - the sex scenes were well written. I suspect many people that read books like these are trying to live out a fantasy. Maya Banks does an excellent job writing about the surprising feelings these activities bring on for an audience that may only experience these situations in books. The protagonist is blunt and vague enough during sex that it is easy to imagine yourself in that situation. You could say it felt like I was reading a porno but with real people instead of a wailing woman that seems to somehow keep her lipstick looking flawless while she balances on her stilettos. For a book about BDSM, there was a good amount of variety in what happened and where.

Mia is vague enough that the reader can imagine themselves as her, but she does develop as the book progresses. She begins as a sheltered college grad with a crush on her brother's friend, and ends the book as a woman who knows exactly what she wants.

Gabe is our hunky, arrogant, controlling, dominant, and damaged man. There is something wrong with him, and it is that he just loves being dominant over women, especially Mia. He hates that it turns him on so much, but he is the way he is. Having a dominant man is a trait I've picked up on in a few romance novels, so this was nothing new to me. He felt like a stereotype for much of the novel, but on a book that feeds off of a primitive emotion (sex), sometimes it is easier to see others as being either attractive or unattractive. We focus in on what turns us on, and that is what Maya Banks did in her book. Did it work? For the most part,I think it did. But if you took out the sex scenes, then the book would definitely fall a bit flat. Related, the plot itself was heavily focused on their relationship without too much outside interference. But, the book did accomplish what it was set out to do.

I'm a psychology grad, so for me it was interesting to try to figure out the minds of Mia and Gabe. Throughout the book, I had that in the back of my mind so it enhanced the story for me. I would recommend that other readers try to do that too, unless you just want to read a sexy book for the sake of sexiness.

If you are interested in reading this book, please consider purchasing it from the link below. No embarrassing cashier conversations when you buy online! 

Horns by Joe Hill

Date: January, 2010

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult horror

ISBN: 0061147958

Rating: 5/5!

This book was absolutely amazing! Very creative, strong characters, and an ever-moving plot that dipped between the past and present. Please check out my video review for more information.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please use the link below. Thank you! ^-^

Tea Time Tuesday #1 - Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Hello lovelies!

Today I am going to reveal the first video in a new series called Tea Time Tuesday. What happens in these videos?

• I talk about the tea I am drinking because tea is freakin' delicious!
• I show a book that I want to talk about because something about it stood out to me
• I talk about 1-2 non-spoiler things from the book in a casual discussion so people that have and haven't read the book can both participate

It is a simple concept, so I hope you will join me!


The first topic is about web design and programming and it is inspired by Lisbeth from the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

To participate, please watch the video below:

Out by Natsuo Kirino

Out by Natsuo Kirino
Published 2005, Vintage
416 Pages

Description:

Nothing in Japanese literature prepares us for the stark, tension-filled, plot-driven realism of Natsuo Kirino’s award-winning literary mystery Out.
This mesmerizing novel tells the story of a brutal murder in the staid Tokyo suburbs, as a young mother who works the night shift making boxed lunches strangles her abusive husband and then seeks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body and cover up her crime. The coolly intelligent Masako emerges as the plot’s ringleader, but quickly discovers that this killing is merely the beginning, as it leads to a terrifying foray into the violent underbelly of Japanese society. 

At once a masterpiece of literary suspense and pitch-black comedy of gender warfare, Out is also a moving evocation of the pressures and prejudices that drive women to extreme deeds, and the friendships that bolster them in the aftermath. - Amazon.ca

My Review:

Rating: 5/5!

This was a really great read.

The story is about a small group of housewives that work the night shift at a factory. They all have their share of problems at home, and one of them takes it too far by murdering her husband. Together, they try to figure out what to do from there to avoid being caught. So it is a murder mystery but from the perspective of the murderer.

But that's not the whole story. What happens afterwards is more interesting. More people become involved, things change, and the intensity increases. I was impressed by how much story was packed into the book. Initially, I expected the ending to be either "they get caught" or "they escape somehow." There are so many layers that after the halfway point of the book, it feels like another mystery is added. What is going on? That was a constant thought while I was reading this book, trying to fit all the pieces together.

It took me a bit to get through, but that was not because the book was bad. I loved this book and took my time with it. I definitely recommend it if you are interested in murders, Japanese society, and the psychology of those who commit crimes

Girl in Translation

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

304 Pages
Published 2010 by Riverhead

Description:

When Kimberly Chang and her mother emigrate from Hong Kong to Brooklyn squalor, she quickly begins a secret double life: exceptional schoolgirl during the day, Chinatown sweatshop worker in the evenings. Disguising the more difficult truths of her life like the staggering degree of her poverty, the weight of her family’s future resting on her shoulders, or her secret love for a factory boy who shares none of her talent or ambition. Kimberly learns to constantly translate not just her language but herself back and forth between the worlds she straddles.

My Review:

Rating: 5/5!!

This was an amazing book. It reminded me of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" except with a mother-daughter Chinese family. Although it wasn't quite to the same caliber as "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," it was an amazing read. 

The characters go through so much in this story, and yet they strive for a positive attitude. In a sense, this is a coming of age novel about Kimberly as she tries to balance her life helping her mother work at a sweatshop, their atrocious apartment, and the American way of life (which includes some teasing at school!). 

I loved how determined Kimberly and her mother are, all the things I learned about Chinese life and immigrant life, and the ending. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in immigrants, other cultures, and those that just want to read an inspiring book!