When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin

*When the Sea Turned to Silver was released Tuesday, October 4th and is now available!*

When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2016. Paperback. 384 pages.

*I received a physical ARC of When the Sea Turned to Silver courtesy of Little, Brown in exchange for an honest review.*

When the Sea Turned to Silver is a beautiful, magical story filled with adventure and a wonderful fairy tale-like storytelling atmosphere. It was only after reading this that I discovered that it is in fact a companion novel to Lin's When the Mountain Meets the Moon, but fortunately this has no bearing on following or understanding this book.

Lin's story starts with Pinmei, granddaughter of her small village's beloved storyteller. The peace that currently inhabits her village is destroyed, however, when her grandmother is taken by the Emperor's soldiers and Pinmei takes it upon herself to embark upon a journey to save her. Pinmei herself is an extremely endearing and relatable character, and her friend Yishan brings even more color and excitement to the story.

Along the journey, the author has both Pinmei and her grandmother intersperse the story with many short tales about much of the myths and lore of their culture. I loved these stories, and they blended in well with the current action of the plot, as well as truly brought the culture of the setting alive.

I found Pinmei to be a wonderfully complex and intriguing character. She not only discovers her own gifts and strengths, but she also makes deep, lasting relationships with many of the other characters. I actually felt as though all of the characters in this book were complex and underwent a variety of dynamic changes, whether big or small.

Lin writes with a poetic, almost lyrical prose that makes it just about impossible to not to keep turning pages. When the Sea Turned to Silver is a truly a magical story, and I don't know how else to describe it. It is exciting and filled with delightful characters.

Overall, I am giving When the Sea Turned to Silver four stars!

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Hero of the Empire by Candice Millard

*Hero of the Empire will be released Tuesday, September 20th!*

Hero of the Empire by Candice Millard. Doubleday, 2016. Paperback/softcover. 416 pages.

*I received a printed ARC of Hero of the Empire courtesy of Doubleday in exchange for an honest review.*

This is the third nonfiction book that Candice Millard has written, and with it she continues to prove just how adept and talented she is at writing about important historical figures in a thrilling and informative manner.

I received an ARC of Hero of the Empire prior to reading any of Millard's other work, but I enjoyed Hero of the Empire so much that I immediately went and picked her up her two former works, The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic, and fell absolutely in love with her writing. Millard has a remarkable way of creating gripping nonfiction narratives about lesser known or studied events in the lives of these notable men - events that, in a way, seem to define who they are and highlight many of their most admirable qualities.

In Hero of the Empire, Millard focuses on the period of Winston Churchill's life in which he is captured as a prisoner of war and his subsequent escape. I'm sorry to say that I am - or was - woefully ignorant regarding much of Churchill's life and history, but he is one of the many figures that I have been wanting to read more about. Suffice to say, I had absolutely no idea that he was once captured as a prisoner of war. 

Millard writes in an incredibly fluid  manner that makes it easy to follow along with the current political and social issues occurring at the time of the story. Rather than dumping the reader into a setting and time period in which they may or may not know its history, she takes time and great care to make sure that the background of any conflicts, struggles, and political happenings are clearly explained and allow the subsequent events to make sense. At times, it almost starts to feel as if Millard is going off on a tangent about a topic that is only slightly relevant, but right when you think it's gone too far, she brings everything right back around to Churchill and his journey and it all suddenly makes sense. 

Millard's description of Churchill is, in my opinion, perfectly well-rounded. She doesn't paint him in a black and white manner as being a solely a 'great man' or a 'bad man,' but instead provides and unbiased look at his qualities and personality traits - positive and negative. Churchill initially comes off as a rather arrogant man, and I had never liked that aspect of him. I felt how he treated people was often rather rude and inappropriate, but Hero of the Empire gave me a much more well-rounded look. It let me see both the negative and positive sides of his qualities; for instance, he may have been a bit arrogant and acted in a superior manner, but he was also steadfastly loyal and a born leader. He knew how to take charge and create well-formed plans that would allow him to succeed, all of which are admirable qualities that create a good leader. 

One of my favorite aspects of Millard's writing that works extraordinarily well in Hero of the Empire is her insights into the cultural and political events of the time. She doesn't just tell you a heroic and miraculous story about Churchill, she instead tells a story that also analyzes the motives, attitudes, and events of everyone involved in the period. She explains the why the British are involved in this issue, she describes the attitudes of the Boers and their history in South Africa, and she also brings great attention to the native African tribes living in the area, who are the original inhabitants of the area. I loved how deeply she went into the background of these various groups of peoples, and I particularly enjoyed her research on some of the African tribes, such as the Zulu and Xhosa. Millard covers all bases, which makes for a nonstop and wonderfully readable book.

Overall, I am giving Hero of the Empire four-and-a-half stars for its riveting narrative and superb writing.

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The River of Doubt by Candice Millard

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Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson

*Like a River Glorious will be released Tuesday, September 6th!*

Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson. Greenwillow, 2016. Paperback. 432 pages.

*I received a printed ARC of Like a River Glorious courtesy of Greenwillow in exchange for an honest review.*

You can find my review for Walk on Earth a Stranger (Book One) here!

Western themes are definitely not normally something I'm a big fan of, but I fell in love with Walk on Earth a Stranger, and after finishing it I knew that I would be eagerly awaiting the sequel. I probably needed a little bit of a refresher before starting, but fortunately I wasn't too lost and was soon right back in the swing of things and enjoying myself once again in this world Carson has created.

The first book left off as Lee and the rest of the group finally made it to California, and Like a River Glorious picks up right after that. Because of her gift, she has the potential to become a flourishing gold miner, but of course nothing is ever easy when you have an evil uncle that wants to kidnap you and force you to use your powers for him.

Lee is just as fiery and strong as she was in Walk on Earth a Stranger, but this time she has a whole new slew of issues to deal with, such as dealing with her Uncle Hiram and her struggle to come to terms with the horrible treatment of the Native Americans that are forced into slavery, which I will touch upon a bit more later. Lee's strong, endearing character is still perfectly intact: she's independent and bold, but she is also aware that she's not perfect and doesn't have a way to fix everyone's problems. I love that Lee is just a really good person as well; she truly cares for others and wants to help them by eradicating their suffering.

Along with Lee, Jefferson is pretty high up there as a favorite character. I love his determination in both pursuing Lee and doing what he can to keep everyone safe. His respect for Lee is wonderful, and although he does continue to ask her to marry him, I appreciate that he respects her unsure stance on marriage and her dislike for conventional marriages in which a woman becomes 'property' to men. I also just want to note that the rest of Carson's supporting characters are all just as well-developed and entertaining as Jefferson and Lee, and I sincerely enjoyed watching them all develop and their relationships with one another flourish.

I think Carson did well in capturing the horrible treatment of Native Americans. The fact that Jefferson himself is half-Cherokee fits into this really well, as it allows us to see even more perspectives, since Jefferson himself isn't in the same position of those in California who had their land taken away, but is still affected and hurt by these actions all the same. However, I'm hoping that the final book in this trilogy actually spotlights Native American culture and their lies a bit more, as this book mostly kept them in one view - as slaves.

This book moved pretty fast, and I feel like not a lot happened in a lot of time. By that, I mean that I feel like the story was stuck in one place for a majority of the time, and I suddenly found myself surprised to be 3/4 of the way done. I'm not sure if the book moved too fast or if it was jsut that easy to get sucked into, but at least we can say it held my attention! The ease in which I read this book was largely due to Carson's flowing, elegant writing. She crafts gorgeous prose that takes her readers for an adventurous ride, something that she has been a master at since her first trilogy, The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

Now, I had some questions about Lee's gift that I had hoped this sequel would answer, but unfortunately it didn't answer some of them, such as why Lee has this gift and whether or not she is the only person in the world with a gift like this? However, Like a River Glorious did indeed explore more of Lee's power and showed how strong and powerful it can truly be, which was definitely what I wanted. Carson also explored more of the supporting characters, and though there still could have been a bit more, I think she did a really good job creating a unique array of characters that truly brought life to the story.

Overall, I will be giving Like a River Glorious four stars!

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Security by Gina Wohlsdorf

Security will be released Tuesday, June 7th!

**I received a printed ARC  of Security by Gina Wolhsdorf courtesy of -- in exchange for an honest review**

Security by Gina Wohlsdorf. Algonquin Books, 2016. 288 pages. Paperback/Softcover.

I don't know if it's just been a long time since I've read an exciting, thrilling page-turner or if Security was just that good, but I was completely enraptured with this book. I started it on a Friday night and finished it Sunday evening (it probably would have been sooner, but writing papers and studying for finals interrupted by precious reading - rude).

Manderley Resort is preparing itself for its grand opening day as a premier resort destination with an exceptionally intense and private security system in order to protect every one of its customer's privacy. But like any good thriller, things never go according to plan, and a killer emerges and begins to slowly pick off the staff.

Our main character is Tessa, a strong-willed, hardworking woman who is the hotel manager and, essentially, the woman in charge of all preparations. She takes her job very seriously and executes everything perfectly. Underneath her rough exterior, however, lies deeper emotional ties and secrets that are known only to her, and she does her best to keep these hidden. I liked Tessa; she came across as a very logical, matter-of-fact person who doesn't really waste her time dwelling on insignificant issues or musings of the mind. However, her focus is so intent on the opening of Manderley that it seems to distract her from other issues that may be taking place - namely, the murders of her hotel staff. It was interesting to watch Tessa's character unfold throughout the story, as well as her interactions with her staff. 

The rest of the cast of Security all play a similar role, though each character is equipped with a firm personality to make them distinct from one another. I genuinely enjoyed the interactions that took place between each character and watching how each person reacted in the various circumstances they were placed in. Some are fighters, some are not, and some are just of along for the ride. 

Wohlsdorf's writing style throughout Security was truly exceptional, and despite it's somewhat unorthodox approach (in my opinion), it completely hooks you in and drags you along, whether you want to continue or not. She's sharp and full of wit, but also makes many rather sobering, deeper remarks that will leave you pondering ideas much greater than you imagined when originally going into this thriller. (Also, there are many tributes to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, which I found particularly intriguing.)

Part of what made me love this book so much was the writing style and point of view. It takes place from one solitary point of view, but this point of view narrates from the viewpoint of various hotel security cameras throughout the hotel. For instance, one sentence you are watching Tessa talk to someone, and the next sentence the narrator has moved on to talking about what someone else is doing. It can be quite confusing if you aren't paying close attention, and this actually made me more intrigued because I was forced to focus so intently, which thus made it that much more thrilling. I also admired the way in which Wohlsdorf slowly eased us into the identity of our narrator; in the beginning, the narrator is rather vague and you almost don't realize it's first person, but as the story progresses Wohlsdorf slowly reveals more and more about our narrator through his thoughts and musings. 

A special little quirk involving the use of cameras as the point of view that added an extra dimension of detail was that every once in a while the page would be split into two or three columns, each detailing an event that was taking place at the same time as the other. I loved the contrasts and strict dichotomy this created between the different occurrences. I'm not too sure if this format would work out as well on an ebook, but it works wonderfully in the physical format that I read.

My only form of complaint for this book is in regards to the ending. On the one hand, I'm extremely satisfied with the ending, but on the other, I'm also frustrated. I'm not sure if it was really what I expected, but overall it seems to work. It is certainly unexpected, however, and I'll leave you to find out about that yourself if you feel so inclined. 

Overall, I am giving Security four-and-a-half stars for its truly thrilling nature and superb storytelling. 

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Smoke by Dan Vyleta

Smoke by Dan Vyleta will be released on Tuesday, May 24th!

**I received an ARC of Smoke courtesy of Doubleday Books in exchange for an honest review**

Smoke by Dan Vyleta. Doubleday, 2016. 448 pages. Paperback/softcover. 

(Note: This was not the cover of the ARC I received [this is the cover I received], and to be honest I'm not sure I like this final one too much. I feel that a more monochromatic/black and white cover would have been much more dramatic and stark and thus more fitting to the story. But anyway, on to the review!)

About a month or two ago I received a package that contained an ARC of Smoke, which I had never previously heard of, and within that package was also an adorable little tin of sweets (pictured below) that I assumed had to do with the content of this book (it did). I thought it was incredibly clever marketing and a fun addition to the story, and it made me that much more excited to dive into this book.

I'm honestly not sure where to even begin describing a novel such as this one. The basic premise of Smoke is both complex and simple at the same time: when people 'sin' (though 'sin' is a very vague and broad word, but I don't have another word to use), they emit smoke and soot that dirties themselves and their surroundings. The varieties of smoke differ according to each person and each particular crime or misdeed that a person commits.

Smoke takes place in a Victorian England type of setting, and the story begins at a boarding school in which young boys are sent to learn to control themselves in order to continue on with their elite, aristocratic families and political wealth. The plot lies in the inevitable doom that Thomas believes lies in wait for him, the rebelliousness of certain characters that want to 'rid' the world of smoke, and the adventures that take place as a result of these varying circumstances.

The multiple points of view in which Vyleta writes was rather unexpected, and although it at first seemed like it would bother me, it actually kept me quite engaged. There are switches between a third person POV and the POV of main characters, such as Charlies, Thomas, and Livia, as well as various other brief minor characters, which adds even more depth and intrigue to the many events and scenes of the story.  Howeverm I did encounter difficulties discerning between the POVs of Charlie and Thomas in the first few chapters. At the beginning of the story, both boys are somewhat similar in their mannerisms, but I largely think that is the expected effect of growing up in such a strict environment such as the one they did. As the novel progressed, the distinctions between each boy began to grown and further push their personality traits away from one another. Charlie begins to distinguish himself a somewhat more controlled and level-headed boy, whereas Thomas is portrayed as more of a 'loose canon,' so to speak. Livia was also a very dynamic character who begins as rather uptight and struggles with her natural urges, or 'sins,' as she begins to develop and move away from her sheltered and strict life.

One area in which I think Vyleta excelled was in the dynamic transformation (though transformation may be a bit too strong here) of each character, which were wonderfully drawn out and detailed. Every change within a character happened very slowly, but very distinctly. One minor gesture or thought would occur, one minor emitting of smoke, and it is immediately apparent that that was a big moment for that character's change in this story.

Vyleta's writing is fairly consistently bleak and dark, which creates an atmosphere that I found immensely compelling and immersive. It became almost to heavy at times, as there is very little relief from the relentlessly dark atmosphere. However, this also keeps the entire storyline consistent - there is no chance to escape to another more hopeful or optimistic world.

Here's my main problem with this book: although I understood the process of smoking and what Livia's mother wanted to do (I won't say more because of spoilers), I always felt like I was missing something. Why exactly was everyone acting so dramatically? Why did the three children feel that they needed to hide out? Everything just felt a bit too drawn out and overly compensated for what the truth drama was. The writing wasn't necessarily disjointed, but every once in a while I had this sense that I was missing something important - and not in a good, mysterious way.

Overall, I am giving Smoke four stars for its unprecedented plot and immersive storytelling. I would have loved to give Smoke five stars, but there was just a bit too much uncertainty and lack of explanation that made this difficult to follow at times.

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Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio, illustrated by Will Staehle

**Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye will be released Tuesday, November 24th!**

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio, illustrated by Will Staehle. Quirk Books, 2015. Ebook.

**I received a copy of Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye courtesy of NetGalley and Quirk Books**

Throughout my yearly readings, I like to try to incorporate some fresh and interesting middle-grade books into the mix, and I always end up having such a blast diving into each imaginative new story. Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye was a perfect addition to this category, and a wonderfully crafted middle-grade book!

Warren is an orphan living at the Warren House, a once bustling and popular hotel that has since fallen into disrepair after his lazy Uncle Rupert and villainous Aunt Anaconda take over control. His Aunt Anaconda, however, believes that a mysterious item known as the all-seeing eye is located somewhere on the property and will stop at nothing to find it - even if hundreds of unexpected and strange guests begin pouring into the hotel in order to find it as well. It becomes a race between all of these characters to discover the all-seeing eye, though Warren is the only one that means to do so in order to protect his family's legacy.

Warren the 13th is overflowing with vibrant, unique, and exciting characters - I can easily promise that you will never be bored. The illustrations are wonderfully whimsy and quirky, and there is no shortage of  crazy and unnatural creatures.

Warren himself is a hardworking young boy who wants nothing more than to reinstate the beauty and splendor of this once-great Victorian hotel. He is the hero of the story, though he doesn't act like any typical heroic trope; instead, he simply acts like a responsible young boy attempting to do his best to help out at the hotel where no one else works, all without many close companions to keep him company.

Aunt Anaconda is the perfect villain in any middle-grade story, and kids of any age will have a fantastic time hating her and rooting for Warren. She's spiteful and full of disdain, which makes for an exciting time. The rest of the cast of characters are equally intriguing, and I particularly enjoyed Warren's interactions with each one, whether brief of extended. For me, these interactions allowed Warren to meet new people, form some new bonds, and also truly allow the reader to get a sense for who Warren really is and why he wants to keep his hotel together - he wants to bring back all of the unique guests that brought the hotel to life. 

The illustrations were an amazing addition to the storytelling; they were interwoven in such a unique and quirky way that truly fit the overall atmosphere of the book. Though I was still able to enjoy the illustrations perfectly fine in ebook format, I can only imagine how lovely the physical book will be!

Overall, I am giving Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye four stars for its quirky charm and delightful storytelling! The storytelling is perfect, the illustrations and text arrangements are engaging, and the characters are all exceptionally charming and inventive. This would be a great book to read with or to kids, or even on their own (don't worry, I don't see anything wrong with adults reading books for younger audiences)!

Buy the book!

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Slade House by David Mitchell

Slade House will be released Tuesday, October 27th - just in time for a perfect Halloween read!

Slade House by David Mitchell. Random House; 2015. 224 pages. Hardcover/Hardback.

**I received an ARC of Slade House courtesy of NetGalley and Random House**

First off, I want to point out that apparently Slade House is set in the same world as The Bone Clocks, which I have not yet read. This did not appear to impact my enjoyment of the book at all, but I can see how having a more solid understanding of the world may lend to a bigger appreciation of the story and understanding of certain terms, especially in some areas near the end.

Secondly, I am keeping this review fairly brief; I think Slade House is best read when you don't know much about it going into the story, so I don't want to go too in depth about the details.

I loved this book immensely! I enjoy a good scary story, but I'm slightly picky about them. I'm not a big fan of excessive gore, violence, or gross factors that are so prevalent in horror books and movies. It's not that I mind violence, as it works well in many books, but it so often becomes overused in scary stories. I'm more of the psychological thriller fan; I prefer to have my mind messed with. I think the creepiest and scariest books occur when thing are left unsaid, or when the creepy factor is so subtle you don't realize it, and when you do you're so unsettled you don't even know what to do. Think House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski or The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Slade House fits this mold exceptionally well, which made it an extremely enjoyable read.

I will briefly sum it up as this: Slade House spans five decades and centers on a house that come and go every nine years, luring in only those who are useful. I don't want to say any more than that for fear of giving anything away.

I finished this book in a matter of days; I simply did not want to put it down. As mentioned, it masterfully covers the years from 1979 to October 31, 2015, and is told in such a way that each decade and its character's perspective is immensely gripping and interesting. Mitchell has created such an engaging, unique world that becomes entirely tangible to his readers. In order to enjoy this book, you do have to suspend your belief at times, but the best part is: so do his characters. Everything is whacky and uncertain, and you just have to hang yourself in suspense while you wait to see how everything will work. With each new character that is introduced, I felt a tiny sense of foreboding that slowly grew as each one began to make their ways towards the tiny little alleyway that would lead to Slade House. Each character has a very unique personality and background, but each one seems to make the same mistakes and sets off a similar chain of events, which I found quite interesting to explore.

I think this is a book that is perfect for going into without knowing much about it. Much like Slade House itself, you just have to stumble inside and become lost as you attempt to make sense of where you are and what you're reading. So go ahead and sneak in through that tiny little iron door on Slade Alley and immerse yourself in this new, disconcerting world.

Overall, I am giving Slade House the big five stars! I had such a great time reading this book and I flew right through it, entranced the entire time. I would recommend this book to anyone in need a good spooky house story or a bit of psychological intrigue.

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