Ramblings and the Week to Come 01DEC13

Personal Wrap-Up:
I have had such a relaxing time with this four day weekend (am I already thinking about what I'll be doing when I return to work on Monday? Yes, but in anticipation, not dread.) I had the pleasure of seeing Disney's "Frozen" on Thanksgiving and highly recommend it to fans of animation and women with sisters (I was so thankful I saw it with my sister as I just wanted to hug her at several points.) I think I do like "Tangled" and "The Princess and the Frog" more at this point but I'll need to watch "Frozen" a few more times before rendering a final judgment. On today's agenda is to see "Catching Fire" and I'm anticipating a good time based on the blogging reaction I've seen.

Blogging Wrap-Up:
Yay, I'm on track to reach my reading goal this year! As a reminder, that goal is 300 books for the year and I'm actually ahead at this point (happy dance). Unfortunately part of that total is books for business/non-review books so I'm not ahead on my goals for the blog. But you know what? I'm not even stressing about it. I'm just going to sit back and go with the flow for once. It is going to be a really good week on the blog though (see below).

Monthly Recommendations: 
I wasn't sure if I'd have many to recommend this month but luckily I have a couple, across categories.

For adult non-fiction, Dare by Becky Blalock for pressing my career ambitions.
For adult fiction, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion utterly charmed me.
For YA fiction, my main focus, we have In the Age of Love and Chocolate by Gabrielle Zevin to bring the Birthright trilogy to a close; full thoughts on Monday. I also enjoyed Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel for its unique historical setting and witty writing and Lauren Layne's Isn't She Lovely (NA + "Stephanie" + Pygmalion retelling = winning combination)

My Obsession:
<I'm definitely still obsessed with Candy Crush, which I realized when I completed an episode (aka 15 levels) in about 24 hours (as I wait for my quests, I'm also trying to get 3 stars on every level). But I thought I'd share about something else this week.>


Recently I rewatched "Strictly Ballroom" for the first time in ages. I know many people are familiar with "Moulin Rouge" but this is an earlier work from that director. If you enjoy "Dancing with the Stars" and such, I think you'd like this movie. In fact, my family ended up joking about wanting a remake starring Derek Hough and his inventive dance steps.

Week to Come: I think this is going to be a super fun week and I'm so excited to share with you all! Have you read any of these books? What are you most looking forward to discussing?

Sunday is a new month, which means War and Peace discussion. We're almost done-I can see the finish line and I can't wait to brag to everyone of my acquaintance that I've finished this behemoth :)

Then we have the highly anticipated conclusion to Gabrielle Zevin's Birthright trilogy In the Age of Love and Chocolate. I'm a huge shipper of Anya and Win so that resolution will strongly affect my review. Tuesday is a sneak peek at These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. For Wednesday, I have a review of Crewel's sequel Altered and thoughts about the cover change.

On Thursday, I'm part of a Rockstar Book Tours blog tour with a review for Amy Spalding's Ink is Thicker than Water. Friday is another YA novel Something Real by Heather Demetrios (very early review because Netgalley wants to archive that). And Saturday features the latest Lauren Willig Pink Carnation novel that I had originally skipped over-now I'll be briefly caught up!

For Americans, how is your holiday weekend going? For everyone, how close are you to meeting your reading goal(s)?

When I'm With You

by Cecilia Gray
4/5 stars
Gray Life, L.L.C., 2012
124 pages
YA Contemporary Austen

Source: Received an e-copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to end this month on a comforting note, tackling Gray's contemporary twists on Austen novels with the additional bonus of her throwing all six heroines together as each gets her own book but all linked together by the Jane Austen Academy. This book does things a bit differently as main character Kat spends hardly any time at school or with the other girls, mirroring Catherine's travel and isolation in Northanger Abbey. I wasn't sure about that change but I think this ended up being my favorite yet!

In comparison to the first two novels, this really only focuses on one heroine in the person of actress Kat who is finally getting her shot at stardom by serving as Josh Wickham's personal assistant on the set of his latest film. This ends up giving her a role as an extra, subjects her to some scheming, and introduces her to love interest Henry. I was skeptical about leaving campus but it actually worked out perfectly. It's winter break so why not send the girls off. Plus it serves as a nice halfway reminder and we do still get a few conversations between Kat and best friend Fanny whose book comes next. This also mirrors the original novel as the author notes because Catherine left her home.

Speaking of the original, I feel like while this Kat has some naivety in regards to how Hollywood (particularly the paparazzi and celebrity interaction) operates, she is more worldly than Catherine. This is most likely due to being a modern girl receiving an excellent education. Not that it's a big deal but it was something I reflected on during my time reading this book. I also really like the twist on Kat staying at Henry's house. She does not think it is haunted by the ghost of Mrs. Tilney but she does espy Henry's father engaging in an affair while his wife is in Paris-drama!

Oh and what about Henry? I have always had a soft spot for Mr. Tilney and I think this iteration is my favorite of the three heroes we've met so far (all bets are off when we get to the Emma reimagining though!) This Henry has grown up in Hollywood with a very famous father and has frequently sought solace in his characters as he has attempted to forge his own identity. He's just that touch more sophisticated than Kat and unfailingly kind and polite, very important qualities that aren't always seen in YA males (or at least not in ones that get the girl.)

Overall: Another great installment in the Jane Austen Academy series-I look forward to the other books in the series!

So Into You

by Cecilia Gray
3.5/5 stars
Gray Life LLC, 2012
121 pages
YA Contemporary Austen

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Yesterday I reviewed the first book in the series Fall for You so today I'm talking about second book So Into You, which retells the skeleton of Sense and Sensibility. S&S is actually my fifth favorite Austen novel and I don't tend to like its adaptations very much; this was not an exception. There's just something about the story that doesn't work for me so I wasn't surprised that this one left me a bit underwhelmed.

It follows the main romantic plot line from the original as well as the look at money and a sudden descent into a lower socioeconomic class. Looking at the latter first, Ellie is surprised to discover that her parents cannot afford to send her to the private Jane Austen Academy but, being desperate to stay, she manages to win an academic scholarship and get a job washing dishes. Though she misses her carefree days, she is mostly grateful to be staying even if it means she's always busy at work. I loved a little peek at the economics behind a private school education (I attended public school but a private college) as it is an expensive proposition. Though Ellie whined a bit, she is still pretty sympathetic.

Meanwhile on the romance side, Ellie has a huge crush on Edward but doesn't seem to be able to connect with him (for the same reason as in the source). Her roommate Emma plays the Marianne role crushing on actor Josh Wickham (who I originally thought might be her love interest as Josh is the name of the male hero in "Clueless"...that is until we meet George Knight who seems to have a weak spot for Miss Emma) and dramatically bemoaning his ill treatment of her while Ellie keeps all of her feelings boxed in.

Building on book one, I liked that some of the plot threads continued (such as Ellie and Lizzie's increasingly frayed friendship and the drama around the Jane Austen Academy ownership) while others were set up (Emma and Knight's romance; bringing Fanny into their group of girlfriends, which will be important since her book is fourth.) This should all pay off nicely as the series progresses.

Check back tomorrow for my review of book three When I'm With You, a take on Northanger Abbey!

Fall For You

by Cecilia Gray
4/5 stars
Gray Life LLC, 2012
122 pages
YA Contemporary Austen

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Austen is my favorite author and consequently I have an incredibly difficult time resisting the various retellings on the market especially when they fall into the YA category as this does. My interest was originally piqued by seeing the fifth book which twists Emma as that's probably my second favorite Austen but I was pleased to start at the beginning, which unsurprisingly takes on Pride and Prejudice. So how did this stack up?

Well, I have two main opinions on it. One is evaluating this book as a novella (see page count above) that will connect with five other stories. The other is looking at it in comparison to its inspiration, which I will address below. On its own, this book is super cute. Lizzie is a brash passionate young woman, seemingly afraid of nothing and leading the charge against the introduction of boys to the Jane Austen Academy, the mystery behind who now owns the school, and especially against a potential name change. Dante is part of the first wave of boys at the formerly all-girls school and he is proud, far too good for everyone around here, clashing with Lizzie's passion. However, to the eyes of everyone around them, this looks an awful lot like sparks are flying-could love be in the air?

One fun twist is that Austen's six main heroines are represented in this book (and will be throughout the series as each gets her starring role). Primarily Lizzie, Ellie, Anne, and Emma are featured here though peeks of Fanny and Kat blink by. That also means they fulfill different roles. For example, instead of Lizzie's sister Jane getting her heart broken by Bingley, it is Anne and her Rick whose relationship Dante meddles in. Ellie also fills the role of best friend for Lizzie in lieu of sister Jane. There is a Wickham who plays little to no role while Charlotte and Mr. Collins make no appearance. Also there is far less mention of family though Lizzie does have two living parents and Dante is very protective of his younger sister.

When I stack this book up against its origin though, there's no contest. P&P has layers upon layers that this short book has no hope of matching. It keeps the most basic plot of Lizzie and Dante being proud and prejudiced but most of the side stories are jettisoned. I was surprised by how barebones this adaptation ended up being (I expected a lot more of Wickham flirting with Georgina at least) but appreciate that Gray didn't try to update every angle for a contemporary setting. It's also fun to imagine the six heroines as friends because I know how they have been friends to us book people for centuries :)

I suspect that this book/series will be more meaningful to people who are already familiar with Austen's novels and especially will help differentiate all the characters (there's a joke about there being so many E names and I know I might have found that confusing if I didn't already know everyone.) Has anyone read this series but not Austen? Would love to know how you found them and hopefully they encouraged you to dive into the original text.

KIND OF SPOILER:
Wow does Dante's family have money! Can you imagine being so rich that you buy a private school for your daughter and then decide to make it coed so your son can attend too? Because that's what his family does...as if it's no big deal.
END SPOILER

Check back tomorrow for a review of second book So Into You, a twist on Sense and Sensibility!

The Trouble with Being a Duke

by Sophie Barnes
3.5/5 stars
Avon Books, 2013
351 pages
Adult Historical Romance

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the summary for this book, I got a distinct Cinderella vibe. Being that Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale retelling and that two of my earliest and hence most beloved experiences in reading romance were retellings of that story (An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn and Once Upon a Dream by Katherine Kingsley), how could I resist?

This book dives very quickly into its central event: a masquerade ball hosted by the new duke of Kingsborough, Anthony Hurst who is on the lookout for a bride. He finds her in yellow under the cover of Miss Smith. In just a few short hours, both are smitten and Hurst knows that he must deepen the connection. For her part, Isabella has grown up dreaming of attending the ball and can scarcely believe she disobeyed her parents and potentially shamed her future fiance, the priggish Mr. Roberts only to fall for the duke himself!

My biggest problem with this book is the extreme lack of conflict. Both parties are quite certain they would like to pursue a relationship. Though Isabella is almost engaged to someone else, neither of them feels a strong passion. Isabella's mother does bear an extremely strong grudge toward the nobility...but that's it. Even the duke's mother isn't that disturbed by her potential daughter-in-law being not of the gentry. So there really isn't that much tension. I feel like this could have been cut down to be a short story, as a companion novella to the other stories at the Kingsborough Ball.

Another annoyance is that it is a case of instant attraction with the possibility of becoming love. Hurst is very definitive that it's not love, yet. But he is also equally certain that it could turn in to love very quickly and is determined to pursue that possibility no matter what objections Society might put up. The other problem revolves around Isabella's mother's dislike of the rich and titled. Her reasons are teased to us before finally being revealed but there are sufficient clues to put together an accurate guess beforehand.

Overall: Perfectly pleasant characters for an okay read; it's just not one that sparks for me. Another way of phrasing it is to say that it lacks oomph.

The Rosie Project

by Graeme Simsion
5/5 stars
Simon & Schuster, 2013
292 pages
Adult Contemporary Romance

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

I saw this book and kind of skipped over it as pleasant but not necessarily must-read. Then I saw a review comparing the feelings it evokes to those elicited by Rainbow Rowell's fabulous Attachments, immediately sending this book to the top of my to-read list. And I'm so glad because it worked out very well for me!

Don is a professor of genetics who has reached the age of thirty-nine without meeting a suitable partner. He decides to tackle this lack by creating a questionnaire for what he dubs The Wife Project. Soon after he meets Rosie who he deems completely unsuitable but something about her interests him and he begins to help her with her own quest to find her father, discovering that not everything can be quantified on paper including but especially love.

It is suggested by the text that Don has Asperger's or is at least on some part of the autism spectrum evincing many of the symptoms of that diagnosis though it is never explicitly stated. He has a rigid schedule and is upset when it's disrupted, he is compulsively orderly, and he struggles with social cues, maintaining only a handful of friends. However his time with Rosie disrupts his well-ordered days and introduces him to a wide variety of new acquaintances who actually appreciate his ability to consume information such as a barman who is impressed with Don's knowledge of cocktails or the baseball fan who discusses stats with Don. I loved seeing Don's world open up and how his skills were appreciated rather than looked down upon.

The book reads very cinematically, appropriate as it is my understanding that it began as a script and it falls within the framework of a screwball/romantic comedy, made even clearer toward the end when Don studies various romcoms to win Rosie. I don't want to go in to too much detail but there are so many funny moments as I previously hinted at above.

But for the most part, it's just the way this book made me feel. I know that's not very descriptive to you, a potential reader of this book, yet that's the way it is. I would love to provide concrete examples of why this book worked for me but it's the total package that pleased me and has me singing its praises. This will definitely make my faves list of 2013 and will be pushed on various persons of my acquaintance in the hope that it brings them as much pleasure as it did me.

Overall: Simply an excellent feel-good read. Left me feeling all sweet and fuzzy. I definitely second the Rainbow Rowell comparison as well as Tara Catogge's comparison to the fantastic A Confederacy of Dunces with its bold, not the norm hero.

Churchill's Angels

by Ruby Jackson
3/5 stars
Harper, 2013
383 pages
Adult Historical Fiction

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

Doesn't this look like a fun book? The title's mention of Churchill brings to mind WWII and then the main character is obvious an aviator-what could be more fascinating? In the end, a lot of things as the writing for this book kept me seriously disengaged from this book.

I think I have become spoiled from reading so much YA. I feel like the vast majority (though certainly not all) of the titles in that category are narrated in first-person, giving the narrative a sense of urgency and letting me to connect deeply with her (usually female but not always) and those around her. This book largely focused on Daisy, youngest of five, the "delicate" one in the family whose destiny is radically changed with the advent of war. However the book would randomly flip over to her twin sister Rose or some other member of the family for short sections. This rapid change in perspective frequently disoriented me as I tried to figure out if Daisy was also in the scene.

Beyond that I hoped for a strong story of friendship and a sweet romance, receiving neither. There are four friends at the beginning: Daisy, sister Rose, Grace, and Sally. The latter two swiftly leave town for other employment, leaving Rose at a local munitions plant and Daisy trying to decide how she will contribute. Letters are few and far between so I didn't much of a sense for their personalities. As for the romance, it seems like Daisy is being set up for a relationship with Adair Maxwell, the aristocrat who invites her to help with his plane, who encourages her to pursue pilot studies, and who is just generally pretty lovely. But war leaves them little time to be together and absolutely none of the romantic parts thrilled me.

On a historical note, I was a bit disappointed that Pearl Harbor and the US entry into the war wasn't even mentioned as we definitely cover December 1941 in this book. Mightn't it have been appropriate for Daisy to wonder how much longer the war will last with that new influx of American might? In a different realm, this book does not hold back on the deaths. Three named characters of supreme emotional importance to Daisy are killed (plus more who also affect her) in manners that shocked me. I honestly thought at least two of them would make it through but, no, Jackson just killed them. In yet another area, Jackson's characters are of the lower class with the requisite speech patterns and attitudes. I feel like I've read more books with posh British characters so that was a change. It helped show the changes that war is wreaking, the breaking down of classes as well as the rise of women in the workforce.

Overall: What felt like an alienating choice of narration kept me from connecting with the characters as I had hoped and left me dragging through the book. There's a strong chance I would have set this book aside if I had not committed to reading it for review on Amazon.