Tania's Book Circus

There were lots of people and lots of places, and none of them felt like home

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this coming of age story. I've never thought about what it would be like growing up on a sailboat, and what I got from this book is that it would be a different experience for each person. Some people choose this lifestyle because it would expose them and their children to more things in life, and some because you could protect yourself and your children much easier from any influences that you were trying to avoid. Melanie's parents (dad) definitely fell into the last category. Although the boating bit of the book was fascinating, for me the best part of the book was watching her grow up. I liked how honest the author was about herself and her life. I could really connect with her as a person, and I walked away from Boat girl feeling like I knew her. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to read a well written book on an alternative lifestyle.

Although I enjoyed this easy-reading thriller, I could not really connect with the characters. It was interesting to read about the current state of publishing in a novel, as opposed to non-fiction. I thought the plot was good, but it became a bit far-fetched towards the end. This is not my normal genre though, and I'm sure people who normally enjoy thrillers will love this book.

The Story: Narrator Adam Langer's quiet existence as a stay-at-home dad in Bloomington is disrupted when thriller author Conner Joyce, whom Adam once profiled in his livelier past life as a journalist in New York City, comes to town on an author tour. Soon after the two renew their friendship, Conner reveals that he's received a bizarre offer. The wealthy, mysterious Dex wants Conner to write a novel for a private collection of unpublished manuscripts from the likes of Thomas Pynchon, Norman Mailer, and, of course, J.D. Salinger. Adam becomes the bestselling author's closest confidant as Conner's involvement with Dex turns dangerous.

There is, of course, always a question - a question of the difference between what is real and what is true. A thing can be true without being real. You may not grasp this entirely, but don't worry. This is the nature of faith, of magic, of a good life's work.

This was a sweet, easy-reading book about knitting spells and the relationship between sisters. For me it was also about accepting your own destiny, and the different ways people try and avoid doing this. The story started strong, but unravelled towards the end. It felt like some situations where forced to a closure. There were a lot of lose threads at the end of the story. That said, I still enjoyed it. Sometimes you only need a light snack and not a three course meal when reading. The Wishing Thread is perfect beach reading.

The story: The Van Ripper sisters—Aubrey, Bitty, and Meggie—are said to knit people’s most ardent wishes into beautiful scarves and mittens, granting them health, success, or even a blossoming romance. But for the magic to work, sacrifices must be made—and no one knows that better than the Van Rippers.

when art is indistinguishable from real life, it comes alive. And when it lives, it changes the viewer.

I read the Beekeeper's apprentice many moons ago, and loved it. When I selected The Bones of Paris, I did not realize that this was the second book in one the author's other series. None the less I also enjoyed it, especially the descriptions of 1920 Paris. It felt like I could see, hear and smell the city. I also enjoyed her inclusion of historical characters like Ernest Hemingway and Man Ray into a fiction title. Although I liked the protagonist, Harris Stuyvesant, I found him to be a bit too much of a P.I. stereotype. I am quite sure I would have enjoyed this book even more if I read the first in the series Touchstone. I was especially intrigued by a character from this first book, who made a brief appearance in Bones of Paris - Bennet Grey. I have already bought the second book in the Mary Russel series, and look forward to reading it.

The Story: Harris Stuyvesant will have to descend into the darkest depths of perversion to find a killer . . . sifting through The Bones of Paris.

There is no problem, however intractable, that cannot be resolved by the steady application of logic and observation

I love Netgalley, it allows me to choose books I would never otherwise have read. After requesting this title, I really thought I made a mistake. Whodunit's is not really my genre, I new nothing about the romantic poets, and I belatedly noticed that this was the second book in a series. Despite all of this I really enjoyed it.

I was interested in learning more about Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelley and Claire Clairmont and their contemporaries. I never realized that free love was already a concept in the Victorian age. I was glad that the author explains in detail what is fact and what is fiction in her notes, as it's always difficult reading about a new spin on historical figures if you are not familiar with the basic facts.

I love how vividly she painted London in the 1800's. I thought the writing also reflected the time period very well. It was my first time reading a novel told from a 3rd person omniscient point of view. It was a bit jarring in the beginning, but by the end of the book I quite liked it.

The suspense in A Fatal Likeness was amazing. There was twists on top of twists and layers on layers. Every time you thought that all answers were now revealed, there was yet another revelation waiting in the wings. Charles Maddox (who reminds me quite a bit of Sherlock Holmes) sees the case, and possible answers, from all the suspects point of view.

Thanks mrs. Shepherd, because of your book I've now discovered a new favorite genre - Historical Crime.

The story: When his great-uncle, the master detective who schooled him in the science of "thief taking," is mysteriously stricken, Charles Maddox fears that the old man's breakdown may be directly related to the latest case he's been asked to undertake. Summoned to the home of a stuffy nobleman and his imperious wife, Charles finds his investigative services have been engaged by no less than the son of celebrated poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his famed widow, Mary, author of the gothic classic "Frankenstein." 

Secrets weren't nothing but untold lies

I don't think I've ever read any ghost stories, but I was captivated by this dark and mystical novel.

First of all I loved the setting - I can't think of a better place for a story about haints/spirits and hoodoo than the atmospheric marshes of the South. I also savored the many different voices and POV's. I thought they were all extremely authentic and distinct. The use of these multiple female narrators (some living, some dead) to tell a story that crosses multiple generations was brilliantly done.

While she refused to believe in mountain magic, I wholeheartedly believed in Miss Tuggle's powers. She called it science. Amanda called hers conjuring. I saw their abilities as freedom from those who would, given the chance, control them.

Although The Storycatcher never outright scared me, it had me feeling uneasy and on edge all the time. I think Pastor Dobbins was part of the reason - he is so evil, but the author's haunting descriptions was probably the main cause.

A darkness with no name or shape hung in the air, something thick and fearful, always threatening in a heavy sort of way.

Lastly, I loved how the author connected all these characters and stories in the end. The Storycatcher is definitely worth the read.

The story: Shelly Parker, a sixteen-year-old servant who works for the tyrannical Pastor Dobbins and his family, has had the gift of sight for as long as she can remember. When the ghost of Arleen Brown, a poor woman who died on the mountain during childbirth five years earlier, begins to pursue the Pastor’s daughter Faith — hell-bent on revealing a terrible secret that she took to her grave — Shelly is the only person that can help her.

He remembers doing it. He has no recollection of doing it. One of these things must be true.

Wow, this was so different. I was expecting something similar to Zoo City, which was an urban fantasy. But I should have known to expect the unexpected from Lauren Beukes. The shining girls is a SF Thriller – who else would think about writing about a time-travelling serial killer? The closest I can come to comparing it with another book is 11/22/63. There are a few big differences. Obviously the main character is evil, and I’m talking cold-hearted, killing with a smile, type of evil. So much so that I would definitely say this is not for the squeamish. Some of the scenes left me quite unsettled. To be fair it is almost like none of this is his choice, The House (which is the time-travelling portal) called him, and governs all his actions. The two things that I enjoyed most about this book is that you get to know each victim, and as they all come from different era’s, this gives you quick but powerful insight into how people’s lives change over time, and what the main issues of that period was. Mostly though, I appreciated how Lauren played with time in this novel. It folds in on itself, and almost becomes a loop. This is the first time travelling book where the protagonist also did not know/remember what he did in the future, so everything becomes a bit mixed up.

The story: Chicago, 1931. A strange house gives serial-killer Harper the power to travel through time; to hunt and kill his "shining girls". They're bright young women full of spark - until he cuts it out of them, leaving clues from different times behind to taunt fate.

For three years I've tried to indelibly imprint they are dead on my consciousness, afraid of slipping up and forgetting, of thinking they are alive. Coming out of that lapse, however momentary, will be more harrowing than the constant knowing, surely.

Wave was heartbreakingly beautiful. I initially wanted to read this book because of the Tsunami element, but it really is not about a Tsunami at all. It's about losing everyone you love in one moment, and how you learn to live with it. The author's descriptions of her emotions is so heartfelt and raw, you can't help feeling some of her intense pain. Her writing is delicate yet forceful. You can almost see her move through the stages of grief (over a seven year period), which is not always a linear process. She explains how you she had to mourn the loss of their history, but also the loss of their future together. She talks about her guilt at not being able to save her children, but also at having a loss so big, that it made other people uncomfortable.

These five years I've been so fearful of details. The more I remember, the more inconsolable I will be, I've told myself. But now increasingly I don't tussle with my memories. I want to remember. I want to know. Perhaps I can better tolerate being inconsolable now. Perhaps I suspect that remembering won't make me any more inconsolable. Or less