Lost in Morton
Title: The Distant Hours
Author: Kate Morton
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Length: 562 pages
Kate Morton writes my favorite general fiction sub-genre. Did you grow up reading Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and the Mysteries of Udolpho? Just before your reading level allowed the immersion into those worlds were you held captive by The Secret Garden, gothic ghost stories, and possibly some Anne Shirley who was a hopeless book-nerd and romantic? Kate Morton writes these tales, all grown up and contemporary. And they put me out of commission from line one until completion.
I have loved every story I’ve read by Morton. They are each one incredible and amazing, riveting and beautiful.
The Distant Hours was no different.
Except I figured it out far too soon.
I spread a lot of work out by authors to keep this from happening. I have a rule about Morton, that I must give at least a 12 month break between books (which works out well because she takes just the right amount of time to write them and makes this not only possible but necessary). This rule also keeps my husband sane, as I get completely lost in Morton and am completely gone from this world until her stories have ended; and even when they end, I have a nostalgic resignation that is hard to kick.
Morton’s layers are deep and onion-like, piece after piece of the puzzle is laid out for you over the course of the book. Always leading up to the moment when you are presented with the facts of the matter, revealed to you with a shudder of lovely understanding of everything all at once.
But I figured out The Distant Hours too soon, I think around the the two hundred page mark or so rather than the typical five hundred mark. Of course, I still had to read every word after my realization to be sure I was correct. I half expected her to shake me up a bit, and she tried! But in the end, I was right!
I still LOVED this book. It is highly recommended to any gothic loving book fiend, or even World War II reader… if you love castles, are a British bibliophile, or just plain love a good story about people. I recommend ALL Kate Morton books. If I could write half as well, I’d consider myself a success!
I just also had to note that this being the third book I’ve read by her, I felt like I figured her out. Still, looking forward to The Secret Keeper.
Antique Book Find
#thingswelove: discovered at the antique store yesterday: Victor Hugo The Man Who Laughs from 1888 #goodreads – Jennifer Fritz
Dr. Seuss Would Be Proud; Testimony in Rhyme
This lady is just ridiculously awesome.
So when I’m not writing, cooking meals for my family, gardening, cleaning, volunteering, etc., I try to keep up with what’s going on in my community. Currently, some of the city leaders want to spend about 700 million dollars to put another bridge across the river that divides our city. Now, the city is not divided right down the middle; just a little edge of it. We don’t really need another bridge. All studies show that fewer people are actually commuting by car; that more and more people want to live closer to where they work, etc.
Additionally, the place the city council has now pinpointed for the bridge is a poor location for many reasons. I decided to focus my 3 minute testimony before the council very specifically on one of the many reasons. After all, how much can you really say in three minutes? My reason was Community…
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A Real-Time Review
I always take notes and comment in the margins or in a journal through out my reviews. But recently, I read a friend’s novel while he was on facebook chatting with me and I gave him a real time review… moment by moment, thought by thought. He seemed entertained by this, so I thought I could try doing this with more books. What if instead of editing a formal review after a book, I just shared my streaming thoughts? With Prominence League Part Two, I’m giving it a try. The following is directly from my journal this afternoon – no edits.
Title: The Prominence League Part Two
Author: C. David Cannon
Publisher: LucidBooks
Genre: Young Adult
Length: 230 pages
Mandarin Moon in my Scentsy warmer, coffee depleted, still in my pajamas, I sit down to read The Prominence League Part II. I truly enjoyed the first book, but that was baseball and this is martial arts – my element. From line one, I’m HOOKED.
Already the book shows a level of writing maturity – that confidence that radiates “I am a seasoned author now.” I hope my second book shows the same degree of improvement over my first.
I love that he starts the chapter numbers where the previous book ended. It gives you an immediate sense of continuation and begs the question – “Is there an omnibus in my future?”
Still, Cannon keeps with his love for knocking out characters. Carriane is a fainting Queen with a flair for drama. It kind of makes you wonder if she was mildly based on anyone he knew in real life and what that was like.
My favorite thing about dystopian society fiction is how it points out intentions behind real world current events.
“Now I see why people did nothing to stop it,” Ian says looking at the timeline of events in the report. “It happened too slow, and was covered in lies the whole way.” […]
“That’s right Ian […] they weren’t trying to keep us safe from terrorists like they claimed. In fact, they encouraged new reports of terrorist attacks, because they always beefed up their measures after one. This was obedience training plain and simple.”
In all this fabulous story telling, though, I want to slap Carriane and her obsession with her relationship status. But Cannon’s behind the scenes take on our current education system quickly makes me get over it, until Emerald reinstates the token young adult love triangle.
What’s with the Caleb kid that all the females salivate at his very existence? It’s like sitting through high school watching girls fawn over the boy that became the man I married.
And it’s not just the writing that is better than ever [I note after seeing a new graphic], I’m especially impressed with this round of maps and graphics. And for the first time in the series we see a worldwide view of Carriane’s reality.
By Chapter 26, my daughter is using me as a full on jungle gym. She has no idea that what I am reading now will be passed onto her in about eight to ten years. There’s just so much to discuss afterward… the obvious dystopian society and personal worldview stuff – but then also the less obvious near dive into meta-fiction with Carriane’s self-absorbed reality show fantasy and the ever interesting relationship between a hero and their adventure.
Once again I find myself reading an American novelist, possibly sending me on an escape route to Canada. Man, I need to visit Canada already! It is so often deemed a safe haven. do they write novels in Canada about escaping to the United States?
There’s this book by Olivier Dunrea that I read to my kiddo literally every night called BooBoo
Andi read another book.
“Good book,” she says.
So there you have it folks… my first official stream of consciousness review.
Other books you might enjoy if you read Cannon (or if you enjoyed you should read Cannon):
Fizz & Peppers
Arlington Park
True to the Code
Title: True to the Code
Author: Peter Devine
While reading Peter Devine’s new book True to the Code, I realized that this is not a book to read in one sitting. Instead, it should be divided up over time and each story discussed in a club or an ethics class along with that portion of history.
Devine has married ethics, history, and the over all culture of America into a book that defies category. Novel? Not really. Collection of short stories? Probably the most accurate, but still not quite how I’d like to label it. Philosophy? Yes, but easier to read.
So where do you put this in a bookstore? My easy solution… up front with the author.
Devine is most engaging when interacting with other readers. His lovely wife pours lemonade and serves cookies while he pleasantly gets to know those around him. It’s impossible not to feel like you get to know him a little back.
He has the air of being well traveled and well researched. He has a comfortable patriarch mentality to him splashed with a bit of edgy hippie. He is fun, endearing, knowledgeable, and a joy to have in a bookstore. Although I met the man at a very informal event, I imagine he could make a cozy guest speaker at a gathering similar to the ones Mensa is known for.
I plan to keep his book True to the Code on hand and place the stories as supplemental reading for the kiddo’s homeschool curriculum. After kiddo has read all the stories in chronological order of their place in history side by side her research, I’d like her to review them as a whole.
This is a great book to keep around for students… of both the traditional and world variety.
Love The Magic School Bus? Need a Pet Lizard?
Well, technically she’s a bearded dragon.
Title: The Magic School Bus
Author: Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
While I was out hosting events, my husband got the kiddo for a day. That usually means some good old fashioned father-daughter bonding time over the boob tube… just as I grew up watching Star Trek with my dad, so kiddo shall be raised to enjoy all of Daddy’s old favorites when Mom is out. This week it was The Magic School Bus.
Convenient that it is also a very extensive book series.
So the next Half Price Books trip I made, guess what I stocked up on? Yep. We’ve got picture books, leveled Scholastic early reader ones, and even the chapter books. I want her to grow up enjoying these as she does now, learning basic science the fun way with Ms. Frizzle and that fabulous classroom pet Liz.
What genius timing that our very own real life Ms. Frizzle (whose real name is Mrs. Veron) and Liz (aka Professor Crikenator) have a dilemma. Ms. Frizzle has to part (only in real life, not in the books!) with her beloved Liz because she’s getting a new tiny baby!… Crikey needs a new home and stat. Are there any adoptive parents of bearded dragons out there? Anyone who would love to be the proud parent of a bearded dragon? Any Magic School Bus loving families who need a very dynamic new family member? Or any teachers out there daring enough to summon their inner Frizz with a Liz?
This is Professor Crikenator – Crikey for short and this lovely lady needs a new home. She has been wonderful to me for almost two years and is AWESOME to have in a classroom. For $200, the new owner would get lights, a 40 gallon terrarium, heated rock, timer for lights, lounging log, water and food dishes, temperature and humidity gauges, vitamin sprinkles and a hammock.
She sits on your shoulder, loves to lay on the back of the couch with the shades open, and lets you know promptly by wiggling around when its time to head back to her habitat.
Like most reptiles, she gets irritable when shedding and its best to just give her a squirt or two of water on those areas but then leave her be during these times.
She requires fresh greens and water everyday and a live treat of meal worms or crickets once a week.
She gets cranky, like any pet would, if she is not fed or handled regularly. Crikey gets a bath once every month or two. Simply put some luke-warm water into a deep tupperware or pan with a drop or two of gentle soap. Crikey will wiggle around and do all the work for you. Rinse her off and you are done!
She also comes with day, night, and basking bulbs, fresh keeper bags for her greens, a mini terrarium for her insect treats, food for the crickets, and a nifty background for her habitat. – Ms. Frizzle (oops, I mean Mrs. Veron)
Philip Schubert Speaks About His Book…
Title: Letters to the Granddaughter
Author: Philip Schubert
Anakalian Whims Readers,
I’m really pleased to accept A.K. Klemm’s invitation to be a guest blogger and tell her readers about my biography ‘Letters to the Granddaughter – The Story of Dillon Wallace of the Labrador Wild’ (print edition: ISBN 9781482388442). It has been out since January 2013 and can be purchased in print and eReader format on: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Create Space, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Nook or Smashwords . It can also be purchased as an iBook and read on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Reviews of the biography are posted on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Barnes&Noble.
Dillon Wallace
Wallace ensured that the story would never be forgotten by publishing one of the finest books ever written on the North, ‘The Lure of the Labrador Wild’, and by taking part in the three canoe trips linked to the saga. To date no one person has been equal to the challenge of fully retracing these trips.
I discovered the joys and dangers of travel in trackless wilderness starting in 1999 after reading Dillon Wallace’s ‘The Lure of the Labrador Wild’. I spent a decade retracing the routes in Labrador and northern Quebec described in ‘The Lure’, in Wallace’s follow-on book, ‘The Long Labrador Trail’, and in Mina Hubbard’s ‘A Woman’s Way Through Unknown Labrador’.
Nothing in Dillon’s early life as an impoverished youth on a farm suggested that he would still fascinate people nearly 150 years later. Dillon was blessed in fact with “Grit A’Plenty”, which no one would suspect from his unimpressive physique and unsmiling face. He pulled himself up by his bootstraps, rising from gristmill employee, to self-trained telegraph operator, to stenographer, to finally becoming a lawyer. His life from that point on, however, was equal parts tragic and heroic, but continued to be marked by splendid accomplishments. Starting at the age of 40 in 1903, he carried out a series of trips in Labrador and today’s northern Quebec covering several thousand miles.
The first trip sadly resulted in the tragic death of his trip leader and best friend, Leonidas Hubbard, and a narrow escape for him. His book on the trip, The ‘Lure of the Labrador Wild’, published in 1904, became a best seller and is still in print. It would change Dillon’s life forever. It told the story of the trip as it was documented in his and Leonidas’ trip journals. Leonidas’ widow, Mina Hubbard, who would be forever changed also due to the unbearable loss of “her laddie”, had commissioned the book. When Dillon refused to rewrite the book and make Leonidas into the larger than life figure she had been expecting, she became Dillon’s sworn enemy for life.
There then followed two extraordinary trips in 1905 across Labrador, following the route planned in 1903. Dillon led one. Mina, drawing on skills that no one had realized she had, led the other. She planned hers in secret, and then provoked a life-long estrangement from Leonidas’ family by telling the press as she left that she suspected that Dillon played a role in her husband’s death and was on her way to investigate it. A third fascinating figure, voyager George Elson, the other survivor of the first trip, safely canoed Mina the length of Labrador down some of the most challenging rivers that George and his crack team of outdoorsmen had ever seen. No one was more impressed than George, or more disappointed than Mina, when Dillon and his only team member, forestry student Clifford Easton, successfully completed the trip as well. The evidence that George, a heroic figure in his own right, had fallen in love with Mina and which may have motivated him to agree to organize the trip at Mina’s behest, added another fascinating dimension to the saga. The 1905 trip formed the basis for Dillon’s second book and he went on to publish another 25 books, becoming a legend in his time.
This is the story of Dillon Wallace as told by me, with an introduction by Dillon’s granddaughter, Amy McKendry. It includes extensively illustrated maps and dozens of my colour photographs of the challenges faced and overcome in the wilds by the saga participants.
This book will appeal firstly to hard-core canoeists like me who have learned to survive in the kind of wilds experienced by saga participants 100 years ago. It will appeal secondly to those in love with nature at its most unspoiled and pristine. Finally, it will appeal to those looking for stories involving a character like Mina Hubbard who loved and hated with equal intensity and a character like the quietly courageous Dillon Wallace whose achievements have never been equalled to date.
– Philip Schubert
Storybound
Title: Storybound
Author: Marissa Burt
Publisher: Harper Collins Childrens
Genre: Middle Grade/ Young Adult/ Fantasy
Length: 406 pages
Phenomenal premise! It hooked me (and the kiddo) from the cover. It’s a delightful mix of Chronicles of Narnia meets Harry Potter.
Just look at that cover – it imbues pure magic.
Yet, it took me far too long to read it. Mind you, a lot of it was out loud to the toddler, but even so I felt a little disconnected.
I think Storybound is genius in concept, and I even think it is well written. A girl from the World of Readers (yes, our world) gets WRITTEN IN to the World of Story – where kids are trained on how to be heroes and ladies, archetypes are studied, there’s a class on Villainy, and the Talekeepers are basically the government. And the Muses? A mystical group of entities from the past that have been eradicated.
Absolutely genius!
I think, however, I finally found a modern young adult book that is truly meant for young adults and didn’t manage to grasp the adult audience as the fad of young adult books has done so far. That’s perfectly fine… it’s a fantastic book, and I intend to hunt down the sequel (Story’s End) and read it as well. I also intend to own these sometime and have them available for my daughter to re-discover when she can read on her own.
But I will wait to find them used. I don’t feel the need to rush to Barnes & Noble and purchase fresh new copies NOW.
As a reviewer I find this sort of situation the most difficult… you know the one: I LOVE the book, but I’m not IN LOVE with the book. I feel as though I have failed the author in some way, like I didn’t give it a proper chance. Maybe if I read it over here I’ll get the butterflies while I read, maybe if I change the music, maybe if I set the mood just right it will work the way I expected it to. I’ve done this with boyfriends in the past – “he was perfect, but I just didn’t have that connection…” That’s how I feel about Storybound, it’s perfect, but we just… didn’t… have that… connection.
So here is one I recommend, and encourage you to read; but my passion isn’t stirred and I may have to be reminded to add it to my friend and customer-renowned lists.
Adults that do fall in love with this will probably be ones who are die hard fans of the TV Show Once Upon A Time – a show I wanted to love, but didn’t.
Kids who should get their hands on this should also have The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Above World (by Jenn Reese), The Land of Stories (by Chris Colfer), and The Castle in the Attic books (by Elizabeth Winthrop).
Anakalian Whims 