Mark of the Plague by Kevin Sands

from goodreads

4 stars

Christmas time is coming. And that means that the library is closed on more often. That means I had to do a stock up to make sure I had enough to get me through. For me nothing is worse than when you finish a book and don't have the next one waiting there to get started. I like to have at least two by my nightstand so I know I will not have in reading gap. When there are so many books you want to read you cannot have reading lulls. It is finish one, get on to the next. (Yes, I know I have a bit of a reading problem. My husband can tell you all about it.)

Last Christmas I went on a bit of a nordic crime spree reading all of Asa Larsson's Rebecka Martinsson series. This year it is a bit of a mix, yet I just noticed that three off them are either set in Scandinavia or talk about Scandinavian culture. Weird, as that was totally not planned.

What do you like to read during the holidays? Do you go for a mix or is there a particular theme?

Synopsis

This is the second installment in the Blackthorn Series. Christopher is waiting for a new master, but that is going to take awhile as the Apothecary guild as left London because of the plague outbreak. With the plague has come a prophet stating who will be the next afflicted. Then a man shows up with a supposed cure for the plague. Is this too good to be true?

My Thoughts

This was an excellent sequel. It has definitely insured success for the rest of the series.

Once again we had a fast paced story filled with riddles and codes. There was danger, friendship and sacrifice. You will laugh, gasp and cry. Your emotions will be in constant flux.

What I really like about Sands is his ability to expose kids some dark aspects of the world in which we live, without making them feel scared or making things seem hopeless. Through his characters we see people who are out for themselves, who are willing to kill in order to get what they want, we see people abuse others, we see people who are hungry an scared. Yet through his characters we see tenacity, we see people still willing to make a change and have things be better, we see people who stand by one another, we see people picking themselves up and dusting themselves off and persevering. What great lessons. Yes, life isn't perfect and there are people who do some pretty bad things but we can stay true to ourselves and do what we can do for a better world.

All in all this was a fantastic thrill ride. A strong addition to a very promising series. I would recommend this for a mature 10 year old and up.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

from goodreads

3.5 stars

I have a confession to make. I am vain and like pretty things. When I was going onto my library's website to put a hold on this book I totally chose what edition I wanted based on the cover. The cover was so beautiful and I said to myself "I want to be seen reading a book that looks so great". Man did that ever backfire. When I picked it up the book was huge. And that is when I realized. This book was actually two books in one. It had both A tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. As I started to read I found my wrist starting to hurt and my arm going a bit numb because of the heft of this book. I had to return it and get a different copy.

So lesson most definitely learned. Don't be vain. Especially when choosing book editions!


Synopsis

This book is set in London and Paris, hence the two cities in the title. It looks at how the reign of terror was really not as black and white as the new fraternity made it out to be.

My Thoughts

I had heard so many people say they loved this book and it is their favourite Dickens, so I went into it expecting a great heart wrenching story. And while there are some great moments in the story, it was not my favourite.

As with any Dickens there was a great tangled web of characters. Everyone was related in someway. Dickens definitely uses the whole six (or less) degrees of separation in his novels. But I felt that the characters were rather bland and that the revelations were not as surprising. I kind of figured a lot of things out before they were revealed.

We all know that Dickens can be wordy and that some of the things he refers to are his contemporaries and not ours. Sometimes that can make things confusing. I found at times I was confused about what he was talking about or referring to. He called inanimate objects, she or he. And so it took me a while before I could figure out that he was talking about a gun, or a political movement and not a person. Other times I was just lost and had to reread to know what was going on.

I did like the themes of the book. It looks at the whole concept of sins of our fathers. Should we be condemned or punished for things our forefathers did, especially when we ourselves do not share their views or have not had the chance to prove ourselves? He also allowed us to look into crowd mania and how when we are by ourselves we wouldn't do acts of violence or allow them to happen but as a crowd we get caught up in the hysteria of it all. Especially when there is an us vs. them mentality. We have seen this play out in many countries and politics lately.

I loved that this was a historical novel. Sometimes when we think of authors and time periods before the 20th century we just sort of lump them all together. Shouldn't Austen and Dickens be contemporaries? Of course not, but we just don't think about it. Time and things changed at a snail's pace back then. So when I was reading this I always had in my head that Dickens was really looking back and making observations of the past. This happened 90 years before he wrote this. Was he reflecting on his own time with what happened in the past?

On the whole this book is worth reading. I just felt that the emotional intensity that you find in some of his other books just wasn't there.

The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth by Katherine Woodfine

from goodreads

4 stars

Man, Have I been busy! The past two weeks have just been a whirl and my list of books to blog about is getting looooong!

What have I been doing? Well nothing super interesting but very productive. I have been going through the kids toys. We have been bursting at the seams and I decided that enough is enough. I took all the toys from the play room and we went through them all and decided what to keep and what not to keep. We threw out broken toys, got rid of dvds they don't watch anymore. Now when I go down to the play room it is actually pleasant. We are going through the rest of the house now looking for missing pieces or other toys that they are done with. What has been really nice is the kids have willingly parted with things. I did not give them an ultimatum or quota. I just said we have too much, just keep what you absolutely love to play with.

I invited my friends/acquaintances to do the same thing and they are going to drop off toys at my house this week and Saturday we are going to have a toy swap. I am setting my house up like a toy store and they can come and take whatever they like. The stuff left over is going to the thrift store. It's kind of exciting.

I also took a few days out last week and went up to my parents house and helped go through the rest of their stuff. My parents are in a retirement home now, due to health reasons. They still had some stuff left in their basement (we are renting their house to a friend of the family's). So my sister, who lives close by, and I tackled what was left over, the majority having already been gone through. Two van loads and a trailer later and the stuff is gone. That was nice to see!

Now I am not saying I am minimalist, but I will say that there is such a thing as too much stuff. Why spend your time and energy on the mountains of stuff you have when you could spend it on yourself, your family and other things you enjoy. That is my mission this year, to really get rid of the things that don't bring us joy and to simplify. Just think of how much time I will have to read then! All of it guilt free too.

Synopsis

This is the second of a series of mystery novels. Sophie and Lil are on the case as they hunt down a missing jewel that has a mysterious and ominous past. Their search brings them close to the ominous Baron.

My Thoughts

This was a great sequel to an awesome debut novel. This book had everything, suspense, murder, intrigue, misdirection and fun.

There were two separate story lines for a lot of the book and I loved how the author brought them together in a natural way that did not seem contrived or stretching at all.

Once again this book allowed us a glimpse into history and society of a bygone era but did so in a way that was engaging. History is fun to learn when it is part of a great narrative.

This book some more mature themes. It talked about arranged marriages, marriages of girls to much older men, the use of murder to quiet people. So for that I would say it would be a book that would be better suited for 12 and up.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series. This is definitely a series that will so be worth the read.

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

from goodreads

5 stars

I am so excited for tomorrow! Yes, it is Christmas Eve. But that's not why I'm excited. My husband is off tomorrow so he can help the kids and I might be able to have some uninterrupted reading time in the morning. I love lazing in my nice, warm and comfy duvet in the morning just reading. I sure hope he isn't expecting a lazy morning... I think we might have to have a discussion tonight.

Synopsis

Christopher is an apprentice for an apothecary, Benedict Blackthorn. Apothecaries are being targeted by some cult. Christopher has to decipher clues in order to save the guild and stop these murders.

My Thoughts

What an awesome book! I read it in a day. I just could not put it down. It had suspense and intrigue and funny bits and puzzles. It was just great.

I will admit I went into the book with a bit of trepidation. This is the author's first book and it seemed to be heavily pushed and that combination does not guarantee a success, quite often it is hit and miss. This is definitely a hit.

I liked how he was able to incorporate historical detail without it feeling like a history book. He is able to create this great world without the reader feeling bogged down in details. You are learning, but you don't feel like you are learning.

He doesn't shy away from the brutality of life in the 1660s. He also doesn't shy away from the brutality of torture and murder, so if you are squeamish, this might not be the best fit for you.

Even though it is set in the 1660s, the characters are relatable and you would love them as your friend.

This is a great mystery and a great adventure. If you are looking for a last minute book for someone on your list pick this up. While anyone could read this book, this might be a good one to introduce to a preteen boy who might not be as interested in reading as you would like. The suggested age for this book is 10-14. I would think that the 10 year old would need to be a bit on the mature side and be able to handle some gore. Just love this book!

The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine

from goodreads

5 stars

Summer is over and autumn has definitely settled in. I think autumn is one of my favourite seasons to read in. I obviously enjoy reading anytime of year, but there is something about autumn where you can curl up in your favourite chair with a cup of herbal tea and cozy socks that makes reading a pure joy.

My favourite place to read is in my love seat that is in front our big bay window. I get a lovely view of the tree lined street I live on and in the fall it is beautiful with brilliant oranges and yellows. So beautiful.

Synopsis

(I am stealing the synopsis from goodreads because it is just so good.)

You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair's department store!

Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villains to justice...

My Thoughts

This book was simply a delight. I was drawn to it because of its gorgeous cover. And this book had everything great heroes, horribly mean villains, deception, street urchins, kidnapping, treason and more.

The backdrop which is almost a character to itself is the Sinclair department store that is about to open. The store is the biggest and fanciest store in all of London. It is full of dark stair cases, opulent show rooms and more. I would love to go there and walk around.

I love the characters. Sophie, who is an orphan, who is used to living more comfortably but is determined to make it. Lilian, who is from a well off family but wants to be an actress. And then a great cast of supporting characters. While the characters were young, young teens, there actions were appropriate. Sometimes books or t.v. shows who have young characters are not realistic in what they have them do (I'm speaking to you Arthur). This book was completely believable, especially given the time the book was set in (pre world war one).

While there were times in the mystery that seemed rather obvious it was still a fun and I would say sophisticated mystery and story. For those who are a bit sensitive there is a drugging, a shooting and an intentional murder. Though it is not gory and doesn't go into detail, it still happens.

I think this is the perfect book for your budding detective. I would recommend it for 11 and up. This is the first book in what is to be a series. I am really looking forward to the next installment.