Reading Challenge for 2013 ^^

Hello, my blog readers! Last year I decided to participate in the read 100 fiction book contest. Needless to say, I failed quite miserably at it having read only 31 fiction books total for 2012. Three of them I still have not written reviews for, so please be looking for them in my future posts.

For 2013 I have decided to set my own challenge instead of following another blogger's or website's reading challenge. So here it is!

Heidi's 2013 Reading Challenge

1. Read 50 books
2. Twelve of these books must be Classics.
3. Another twelve must be nonfiction books.
4. I will read the complete works of Shakespeare.

As for writing goals I would like to polish my manuscript I wrote during graduate school. For the past six months I have let My Kingdom for a Horse rest in my portfolio folder. I think tonight may be the night to pull it out and start reading it over and making notes on the manuscript. My only other goal is to write as much as possible with the hope I produce another rough draft of a novel. I am sure there will also be a smattering of short stories and poems produced from my brain and soul as well.

Then there shall be the continuous research on horses in Japan. Right now I have an idea for a novel brainstorming in my head about horse racing. I am sure one day a character or even shall come to me. All I can say is that my keyboard or pen had better be ready to run like a racehorse when that day comes!

Let's all have a good reading and writing year in 2013! ^^

Book Review: The Flame of Olympus

Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus (Book 1)
Author: Kate O'Hearn
Published: 2012, Aladdin Publishing
Genre: Middle-Grade, Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

One of my favorite pastimes as a child was learning about horses in myth and legend. The most famous equine in legend beside the unicorn is Pegasus. Horses in ancient Greece were used for transportation, war, and sacrificed in religious ceremonies. The horse was a respected and revered creature and found a form of immortality in the religion of ancient Greece. Thousands of years later some writers, such as Kate O'Hearn, still look to these ancient stories and the power of a mythical equine to weave a new tale.

Emily is twelve and has suffered the recent loss of her mother to cancer. While her father works long hours as a policeman she finds herself alone during a storm. When she hears a crashing sound on the roof of her apartment building she goes out to discover a winged horse: Pegasus. With the help of a schoolboy, Joel, they nurse the injured immortal equine to health. They learn the Greek Gods are engaged in war on Mount Olympus and the two children soon find themselves in the middle. Only the power of Pegasus' bridle can destroy the Nirads. Will Emily and her companions be able to save their world and that of the Gods from destruction?

I found the writing of this novel very engaging and all the characters to be rounded. O'Hearn endears her readers to the characters through well developed scenes and dialogue. The relationship between Emily and Pegasus is the strongest among the characters in the novel. Through alternating 3rd POV she reveals the growing bond between them that will bind them together. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels inspired by Greek mythology.

Book Review: Legacy

Legacy
Author: Susan Kay
Published: 1985, Reprinted 2010 (Sourcebooks Landmark)
Genre: Historical Fiction, 672 Pages
Rating: 5/5


Most of my readers know I love a good historical fiction novel. However, the story that could be told a thousand times over by different writers about the life of Elizabeth I is my favorite. Even more so, I am obsessed with the relationship of Elizabeth I and her childhood friend, Robert Dudley. What was it like to love someone and yet be told by your station and society not to love?

Elizabeth is just two-years-old when she learns of the horrors the male-sex can bring to a female. Her mother is beheaded because she cannot have a son. When she is eight her young stepmother, Catherine Howard, is also brought to the block.She swears to her best friend, Robert Dudley, she will never marry. At the age of 14 she is molested and fawned after by her guardian, Thomas Seymour, uncle to her brother. Through her sister's reign she learns that the wrong marriage can make your subjects despise you. When she finally ascends the throne there is few she can trust and even the man she loves the most she cannot trust. For what man will not lust after the crown even as he lusts after her royal personage?

I have to say, this book is by far the best I have ever read exploring the psychological and sociological aspects of Elizabeth's relationship with Robert Dudley. In Kay's interpretation of Elizabeth she explores the darkness that touched a child's mind and heart. As Elizabeth grows further negative experiences nourish the darkness and she begins to put up a wall around her heart. She will wear a mask to the world and even the man who loves her will never truly know who she is. In a romantic love that can never be satisfied Elizabeth and Robin love, fight, fear, never forget and always forgive each other. When he dies her world crumbles apart and she is never again quite the same. Kay has taken truly taken hold of the emotions that sometimes brings Elizabeth down and other times raises her above everything that has happened to her.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who is a fan of the Tudors. More so, anyone looking to read a story of a bizarre romance should find this novel very unique and stimulating. Perhaps, readers shall be reminded of the wide-range of relationships possible within human nature and history.

 

Book Review: The Night Circus

The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Published: 2011, Doubleday Publishing
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

Sometimes I put a book on my "to buy" list and my intentions to purchase it gets lost amongst all the other books I want to buy. This is what happened with The Night Circus. I had been meaning to pick up the book for well over a year since one of my friends recommended it to me. A year later in Japan I was starving to have a physical book with in front of me. The kindle just wasn't doing it for me. Against his better judgement, my friend Chris took me to the Kinokuniya bookstore in Shinjuku where they have a selection of English texts.When I saw The Night Circus on prominent display I knew it would be one of my selections that day.

A circus comes to town without warning. The color scheme is black and white and the circus is only open at night. The circus is called Le Cirque des Reves and is a battleground of magic. Celia and Marco have been trained since they were children by their instructors for this purpose. They have been given no choice. Just as they had no choice when they fall in love. How will they survive together when only one is meant to win the challenge and live?

What I loved best about Morgenstern's writing was the breathtaking descriptions she wrote to render the surroundings of her novel believable. This writer knows how to make use of all five senses to pull her readers into the world of her novel. At times I could imagine the pain Celia endured during her father's training, see the shocking red of the twins' hair and taste the undeniable sweetness of the treats sold at the circus stands. There is one prime element a fantasy writer needs and that is the ability to make her world believable, no matter how fantastical. Morgenstern has proven her writing has this quality with her first novel.

Guest Blogger: Jason Korolenko

Hi, blog readers! Today is a special post as it is my first time welcoming a guest blogger onto Equus Phasmatis. My friend and classmate, Jason Korolenko, released his novel The Day I Left this past August. With my journey to Japan in search of a story, I asked him to write about how his time in France influenced him to pen his novel.

Thank you so much Jason for being my first guest blogger! Readers can buy his book here at Amazon.com for the kindle. Also, please follow his blog Infamy and Misfortune to follow his writing adventures!

Heidi asked if I’d talk a little bit about the writing and research process behind my recently released novel The Day I Left. These are both directly linked to the main reason why I begin writing anything: inspiration.

Much of my work is set in foreign environments because I have an insatiable passion for travel, a passion for breaking out of my comfort zone into places I wouldn’t normally go, and these unfamiliar locations inspire me to write about them. I’d written three novels (which, if you are wondering, were locked in a trunk, chained up, and tossed into the ocean) before a single line of The Day I Left was committed to paper. One of those novels was set largely in Paris, written almost immediately after my first trip to France. Another novel alternated settings between Scotland and Brazil, shortly after . . . well, you get the idea.

In 2007, I began a year of study abroad in the southern French town of Pau, about an hour’s drive away from the border with Spain. And though I didn’t work on it right away, I knew I would eventually write a book about the place.

It took me three years to start that book. And when I did, I only had the seed of an idea. What if an American kid came to study in France, but witnessed so something terrible and life changing that he spent the rest of his days running away from the truth of what he’d seen?

Okay, the idea needed work. And a lot of it. But at least I had a setting.

The writing process was easy. Sit down, churn out words. I don’t really subscribe to the idea that writing is some magical, esoteric thing where the writer’s conscious mind shuts down, and the blah blah blah of “the characters come to life and tell me what they want to do” takes over. While that does happen from time to time, writing is mostly just work. It’s long, exhausting, and sometimes tedious work. But without that work, the characters are nothing. If you love it, which I do, it becomes easy.

But it is work.

Once the first draft of The Day I Left was complete, I found myself researching locations I hadn’t been to in three years. I pulled out all my old maps, pictures, home videos, and hand-written notes. I memorized the layout of Pau in a way I hadn’t before, even when I actually lived there. But there was one problem.

The town had changed quite a bit since 2007.

So, what did I do? I took a bit of artistic license. I wrote the town as I remembered it all those years ago, but exploited the hell out of Google Maps to make sure one street still connected to another, and to make sure the general layout of Pau worked within the context of my story. I think it did.

And if it didn’t, well, that’s why we call it fiction.

Book Review: The Horse Road

The Horse Road
Author: Troon Harrison
Published: Bloomsbury (August 7, 2012)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Middle-Grade
Rating: 5/5

Let's face it. If there's a horse in a story I will read it. It doesn't matter what age range the book was targeted for. Since graduating from SNHU's MFA writing program this past summer I haven't read many equine related novels. Instead I went through this alternating pattern of reading Japanese literature, historical fiction, and homosexual romance novels. When I saw this novel was slated for release I knew I had to read it.

Kallisto is an exceptional equestrian at the age of 13 and her mother has some of the finest Ferghana horses in central Asia. They are considered "heavenly horses" by the Chinese Emperor who wants them. He wants them so much he sends an army to invade Ferghana to take these horses. Kallisto suddenly finds herself in charge of saving her own horse, her family's horses, and her family's well being. How far will she pushed and what hidden elements will she discover within herself in a time of such extremes?

What I loved best about Harrison's writing was ability to ground me into place and setting from the first page. This is truly a tool and talent historical writers need to draw in her readers and Harrison has nailed it. Her descriptions and ability to establish the setting through scene are some of the best I have read in a middle-grade novel in the past few years.

One a side note: this novel is inspired by an actual historical event. Emperor Wu of Han China sent 40,000 men to Ferghana in 104 BC to try and obtain the Ferghana horses. You know those horses in Chinese art and sculpture you see at museums? Those are Ferghana horses which the Chinese did eventually get through a trade agreement in 103 BC after he sent 60,000 men after the first attempt failed. Back then, a country's power was in their blood stock of horses and the fineness of their cavalry. For myself, I can can understand the level of sacredness at which the Asiastic cultures held these horses. It is believed the Ferghana's are the ancestors of today's Akhal-Teke horse breed.

Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferghana_horse

Book Review: The Young Elizabeth

The Young Elizabeth
Author: Alison Plowden (deceased)
Published: The History Press  (Reprint 2011)
Genre: Biography
Rating: 5/5

I know. I am obsessed with Tudor England and learning about this time period is one of my biggest passions in life. When I find a biography on Elizabeth I written with flesh and blood and not just dry facts I am pleased. Alison Plowden's first book in her quartet covering Elizabeth I's life was a pleasure to read.

This well-researched biography brings the reader into the complicated and twisted first 25 years of Elizabeth's life. Plowden had done a marvelous job supporting her interpretation of Elizabeth's life and the psychological affects of her childhood with first-hand accounts. Readers and Tudor Historians can only suspect how the execution of Anne Boleyn and her father's consecutive marriages influenced Elizabeth's mental and spiritual development. What Plowden does supply her audience with are the tales and records of a shrewd, young, diplomatic young woman who was forced to learn how to protect herself and her status from a young age. Through her supporting evidence readers can see how these real life events helped mold Elizabeth into the stubborn, strong queen she would become.

For anyone looking to learn about Elizabeth's childhood I would strongly recommend this biography. Another biography I would also suggest is David Starkey's Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne.

Book Review: Had the Queen Lived

Had the Queen Lived: An Alternative History of Anne Boleyn
Author: Raven A. Nuckols
Published: Authorhouse, 2011
Genre: Alternative Historical Fiction
Rating: 3.5/5

Sometimes an individual wonders what life could have been like had an incident been different or if  he had made a different choice. Sometimes we wonder about the life of another person and how his or her life could have been different. As writers, we know that past events will shape the future for our characters. We know in this intricate world we call life that the present has been determined by events of the past. At times I have wondered how the world would be different had Elizabeth I not become queen of England.

In her novel Had the Queen Lived Raven A. Nuckols explores the what if in history. What would England be like had Anne Boleyn had not suffered a miscarriage in January of 1536?  Had this baby lived it is certain that Anne would have lived as well beyond her execution date of May 19, 1536. In this alternative historical fiction novel Nuckols weaves together a life of what could have been for Anne, Henry VIII and Elizabeth had the baby boy lived. In a world where is is not loved, despite the deliverance of a healthy heir, Anne pushes for the education of the poor. She pushes for her hold to remain on the king as she ages and pushes to bring England to glory for her son.

This novel is written in a biographical style and overall was well done in most aspects. At times, though, the author inserted lines such as "Anne felt" or "Anne believed" which distracted me from the author's chosen writing style. As it was meant to be a false biography the writer should have kept true to the form. It might have been in Nuckols' interest to have written her book in novel format with dialogue and scene as she felt the need to convey Anne's feeling and thoughts through statements rather than through imaginative accounts.

While this novel was rich with false history I felt the author was unable to convey the deep relationship Anne would have had with her children. At the end of the reading the novel I felt the sense of Anne's death still a stronger impact on Elizabeth versus had Anne lived. I even felt the relationship had would have had with a son skimped on the surface and left me wanting to experience the love she would have had for these children.

I would recommend this novel to a die hard Tudor fan looking to expand their Tudor reading genre. I am willing to try reading any future books from this author as well.  I just hope she is able to bring emotion to the page where vital relationships need to be experienced by her readers.

Book Review: Battle Royale

Battle Royale
Author: Koushun Takami
Published: 1999
Genre: Dystopian Thriller
Rating: 5/5

Last March, I went to see the first movie installment of The Hunger Games. I hadn't even heard of the book series before then and planned on reading them in future. During a conversation with my friend, Chris, he recommended I read Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. I was soon to discover, in my personal opinion, The Hunger Games trilogy stole (or borrowed) it's main plot setting from Battle Royale.

Shuya Nanahara is a third-year student at Shiroiwa Junior High. He is fifteen-years-old and expected to murder his own classmates. The year is 1997 and Shuya's class has been selected to participate in the government's  Battle Royale. Only one student shall live. Driven by instinct, fear, and perhaps natural evil, Shuya watches as some of his classmates begin to participate in the game. On an island where he has no access to those he called family, his best friend dead, and all his beliefs challenged, Shuya must decide who he can trust. With his injured classmate, Noriko, and the unexpected friendship they forge with the loner Shogo Kawada, they press forward with the goal that their will be more than one survivor in this Battle Royale.

What I enjoyed most about this novel was the detailed descriptions Takami uses to portray the world of horror his young characters are forced into. Many times I could imagine the bloodied, mutilated bodies of Shuya's classmates and the exact wounds from which they died. The dark tone of this novel was carried through with each chapter, scene, sentence that Takami intentionally or subconsciously chose as he wrote. For those looking for a dystopian horror novel I recommend this novel without any reservations.

While I still have yet to read The Hunger Games I must admit that I have a preconceived negative bias towards the books now. I am hoping Suzanne Collins will challenge my opinion when I do finally read her novels.

(#23 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Novel Travels

I am headed back to the land of the rising sun in five more days! This time I will be in Tokyo as a vagabond writer as I search for the story of a horse. Or should I say stories? There are several ideas flowing through my brain. One novel idea simply will not go away: horse racing.

Japan has been purchasing some of the best stock in the racing industry in the past years. America's almost Triple Crown Winner, I'll Have Another (IHA), was sold to Big Red Farm. He arrived to his new home on Hokkaido Island on August 7, 2012. The area of Japan I will be staying in is home to prominent racetracks such as Tokyo racetrack and Nakayama in Chiba.

Growing up, I was introduced to the word of racing through the Black Stallion novels by Walter Farley. Since then I have enjoyed reading books, both fiction and nonfiction, about the heroes of racing. A year and half ago as I was reading Jane Smiley's Horse Heaven while researching Japan's racing industry.

I had a writerly epiphany. The kind where you jump up and say out loud, "I must write you!".

One of the best things about being a writer is the research. I have never been to racetrack in my life. I have only seen Thoroughbreds flying down the track on the television. There is nothing better in my life than being part of the equine world both in reality and fantasy. I am looking forward to seeing where my passion for horses and writing leads me in Japan.

Meanwhile, Skye will surely miss me, but she has her friend Hairy Potter to keep her company! Actually, my friend Maria and I call him Skye's husband as they are always together. They are simply adorable. Regardless, I am happy my horse is happy in her home and her herd.

Book Review: The Kingmaker's Daughter

The Kingmaker's Daughter
Author: Philippa Gregory
Published: 2012,Touchstone
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5

After struggling to read Gregory's first YA novel Changeling I thought about waiting a bit to read her newest release The Kingmaker's Daughter. However, I found myself unable to resist as I have loved all her other The Cousins' War novels. My temporary lapse in my adoration of Gregory's work was quickly restored after consuming the first few words of this novel.

Anne is the daughter of the Earl of Warwick, "The Kingmaker." He has placed Edward IV on the throne but begins to fall from King's ear as Edward's beautiful queen, Elizabeth Woodville, enchants her husband to her will. Anne and her sister, Isabel, soon find themselves the political pawns of their father as he tries to replaced Edward IV with a new king. When her father is beheaded and his children are left in disgrace, Anne escapes the ruins she is left in by marriage to Richard Neville, brother of Edward IV. While Anne is loved by her husband his connection to the royal house sends their lives on the crash course of ambition and power. In the end, power will destroy all that Anne has.

What I loved about this novel was how beautifully Gregory wove the plot together with her novel The White Queen. Throughout this whole novel I was reminded of powerful scenes that took place in The White Queen. The reader learns how the two lives of these royal women were paralleled through the misunderstandings and tragedies of the royal house. While The Kingmaker's Daughter can be read as a stand alone novel I would recommend reading The White Queen for the dual experience I enjoyed.

(#22 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: The Vampire Lestat

The Vampire Lestat (Vampire Chronicles)
Author: Anne Rice
Published: 1985
Genre: Fantasy, Vampire
Rating: 5/5

Continuing my reviews of The Vampire Chronicles I first encountered the character of Lestat from the movie Interview with a Vampire. I had a hard time buying into the evilness Lestat portrayed in the movie. I was glad when I discovered the second book expanded into making him an overall, major character throughout the series.

After Louis releases the tale of his life in the form of the novel Interview with the Vampire his creator, Lestat, is inspired to share his own story. Lestat releases a biography and becomes a popular rock singer in which he challenges those that know of the origin of vampires to come forth. From his youth, transformation, world wanderings and pursuit for answers Lestat's flamboyant and passionate personality is one the reader will love.

Once more, I cannot stress how much I love Rice's use of narration. Lestat's complex character offers a more desirable narration for a broader audience. I sincerely wish this novel had also been turned into a movie.

(#21 of the 100 Book Challenge, which I won't be making)

Book Review: Changeling

Changeling (Order of Darkness)
Author: Philippa Gregory
Published: May 2012, Simon Pulse
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction Fantasy
Rating: 2.5/5

Many of my blog readers know I am a huge fan of Philippa Gregory's novels. My fascination began back when I was in high school with the release of The Other Boleyn Girl in 2004. I was drawn to Gregory's ability to weave together amazing stories based on the idea of "what if?". I continued to read her novels during my years at  university and even wrote my MFA third semester critical essay about her work. When I saw she had expanded into the YA market I was a bit surprised and pleased. Regrettably, the story and writing was not the quality I expected from Gregory.

Luca Vero is a novice priest who is uprooted from his monastery and recruited into a secret sect called The Order of the Dragon. He will investigate evil across Europe and determine if it the work of Satan or of man.  His first investigation is at nunnery where a 17-year-old girls has recently been named Head Abbess. Isolde never wanted the life of a religious woman. She was to be an heiress with her own lands until her father dies and her brother claims differently. As their paths cross the embark on a journey that will take them and their companions across Europe.

While I feel Gregory has a very good premise for this book series she did not bring this novel to quality it should have been. The pacing at times was awful with some scenes too short in which the reader should have been allowed to linger with the character. I felt as if the characters were cliche and two-dimensional with a promise of depth that never came. Plot-wise the novel felt a bit too predictable at times and the characters seemed to get out of danger almost a little too easily. There was ample opportunities to bring the both plot and characters to a higher plane the author never took.

I would only recommend this book to true Gregory fans. I struggled to make it through this 272 page novel but continued in hope Gregory would change my disappointed thoughts. Unfortunately, I had to start reading her newest release The Kingmaker's Daughter to heal my aching muse. I will read the next book in the Order of Darkness series and hope it proves much better than the first.

(#20 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Interview with the Vampire

Interview with the Vampire
Author: Anne Rice
Published: 1976
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

Several years ago I remember somebody recommending Anne Rice's novels to me when they learned I was a Twilight fan. Yes, I admit it, Stephanie Meyer's books are on my list of guilty pleasure reading. Since then, I have moved on from being a Twilight fan but I never lost my fascination with vampires. After watching the movie I knew it was time to plunge into the greater literary works of vampire novels.

Louis de Pointe du Lac is a young plantation owner is New Orleans, Louisiana. After his pious younger brother tragically dies Louis wishes for nothing except death himself. The vampire Lestat offers him a different option and he accepts. Even though he knows what he has become Louis is unable to let go of his mortal values and passions. He wants to know the meaning, the source, and the purpose for his immortal existence. With his vampire child, Claudia, they embark on the journey to find vampires in the old world of Europe. Are they evil, spawn of the devil, or do they merely exist?

What I simply loved most about Rice's writing was her ability to create such a strong narration through Louis.  From the first opening paragraphs I fell in love with this character and my ability to trust him. While Rice's writing is filled with a powerful place of setting, rich descriptions and a highly risky plot none of these compare to her strong talent for narration. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the novels in The Vampire Chronicles series.

The first three books in this series can be purchased in a lovely hardbound edition from Barnes and Noble. I purchased my copy while visiting a friend in Buffalo, NY earlier this year.

(#19 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Lolita

Lolita
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Published: 1955
Genre: Tragic Comedy
Rating: 5/5


For several years I have been familiar with the name Lolita and references to the novel by Nabokov. Japanese anime and comics that sexualize young girls is termed Lolita. The dress fashion inspired by the Victorian era is also referred to as Lolita fashion in which frills and bows are plentiful giving woman a girlish appearance. My favorite song by The Police Don't Stand So Close to me lyrics contain a reference to the novel: He starts to shake and cough/Just like the old man in/That book by Nabakov. Another band I like, The Vernoicas, released a new song entitled "Lolita" recently as well. For all the cultural references I had come across I knew it was time to read the novel.


Humbert is a scholar who never quite recovered from the loss of his childhood love and becomes obsessed with "nymphets" as an adult. When he begins to board with a widow and her twelve-year-old daughter he becomes infatuated with Dolores, whom he calls Lolita. He will do anything to have her, even marry her mother to gain access to his Lolita. When his new wife dies Humbert finds himself in the perfect situation as being the stepfather of the orphaned Dolores. Not only will he be her father, he will also be her lover.


What I loved most about this novel was the highly involved psychological plot as the reader is driven into Humbert's mentality. While desiring a twelve-year-old in modern society is considered pedophilia, a few short centuries ago Lolita would have been considered of marriageable age. What is right and wrong? Is Humbert a villain or does society's changed values only label him as one? 


(#18 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Cleopatra Confesses

Cleopatra Confesses
Author: Carolyn Meyer
Published: Simon & Schuster, 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Rating: 3/5

As a child I became obsessed with royal women. While my passion has mainly stayed with British Royalty I still find the mystery and life of Cleopatra VII alluring. Since I have been reading Carolyn Meyer's Young Royals novels since I was twelve, I was happy when I heard she had taken on Cleopatra.

Cleopatra is the third of her father's children and his favorite. When  her father is forced into exile Cleopatra is left without her protector in a palace where two elder sisters despise her. In a world where family is disposable in the struggle for power Cleopatra must find a way to survive. She will survive to become the queen her father intends her to be.

While I am huge advocate for Meyer's other novels, I was sadly not satisfied with this novel. The first-person perspective seemed distant and the characterization of Cleopatra does not seem as realistic as history has recorded her. Meyer missed many great opportunities to extend the plot and deepen Cleopatra's character while she watched her sister's take control of the kingdom. At times, I felt Cleopatra was a mere observer to her surroundings and not active enough to influence her own destiny. While this book was a semi-enjoyable read I would only recommend it to die-hard Cleopatra fans or fans of Meyer's past works.

(Book #17 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I
Author: Margaret George
Published: Viking Press, 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5

A year ago I had a squealing attack when I saw Margaret George had come out with a new novel. I first encountered her work when I was 16 and purchased The Memoirs of Cleopatra. I was in love with George's work from the moment I read the first pages. Since then I have read all her novels and was excited beyond normal human understanding when I learned her latest release was about my historical idol: Elizabeth I.

Personal and political conflict plague Elizabeth in 1588 as the Spanish Armada approaches England's shores. Elizabeth will do anything to keep her kingdom safe. As Elizabeth and her closest advisors continue the never ending quest of keeping England secure others calculate how the will benefit through her reign and beyond.

Margaret George has written one of the best novels about Elizabeth I have ever read. Instead of characterizing Elizabeth as the formidable heroine she gives us what the real Elizabeth was: a human with flaws. Over the span of this 688 page novel readers will experience the triumphs and losses of Elizabeth as she struggles between her political and private life. George's knack for fine details, setting and characterization will leave readers breathless as they see Elizabeth in the last years of her reign.

(#16 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Kira-kira

Kira-kira
Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Published: Atheneum Books, 2004
Genre: Middle-Grade, Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5

Continuing the saga of my reading escapades on Star Island I now come to this review. After reading both novels by Lisa See I found myself facing two more days of being bookless. Another trip to the bookstore resulted in the purchase of two middle grade novels. Kira-kira caught my eye as it is a historical fiction novel about two Japanese-American sisters which won the Newbery Medal. If one wants to write for this age group one must read what is considered the best.

Katie Takeshima's whole world glitters as long as she is with her older sister, Lynne. Even as the young girls recieve stares from children and adults after they move from Iowa to Georgia Lynne reminds Katie the world glitters in some way. When Lynne falls deathly ill Katie must learn to live life as her sister wanted her to. As her family begins to break from pain and sorrow Katie finds herself looking for the kira-kira her sister always found in life.

Kodahata's novel is an excellent example of a middle-grade novel. She gives young readers a very in-depth read in which they feel the pain, happiness, fear and hope of the narrator. As an adult I found myself reflecting on the theme of this novel days after I read it. I can only imagine the impact the story would have had on me had I been able to read it as a child.

(Book #15 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Shanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls
Author: Lisa See
Published: Random House, 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5

I purchased this novel at the same time of Peony in Love. After reading one of See's historical fiction novels I was hoping she delivered just as well in this novel. I was not disappointed.

Pearl and May Chin are known as "beautiful girls" in Shangai during 1937. They come from a wealthy family and spend their time going to bars with friends and posing for painters. When their father decides to sell them in arranged marriage to settle his gambling debts thier lives are rocketed as Japanese bombs besiege their city. The sisters set out on a journey in which both will make sorrowful sacrifices for each other and the secret they must keep.

What I loved best about this novel was the characterization of the sisters. While the novel is told from Peal's POV she gives readers trusted insight into May's personality. The choices the girls make through the course of the novel reflects the changes they went through earlier in their lives. See has done a wonderful job through many craft elements to show the vivid, enduring, and yet changing relationship of the Chin sisters.

(#14 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Peony in Love

Peony in Love

Author: Lisa See

Published: Random House, 2007

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Rating: 5/5

This novel came into my possession while I was finishing up my graduate residency on Star Island. My room had no plug and I had only come with my kindle for reading material. Not a smart choice. I should have known better since it was my third time on the isle. Of course, I found myself in the small bookstore in the Oceanic hotel looking for a book or two to buy. Having enjoyed Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I decided to purchase another novel by her. I was not disappointed.

Peony lives a sheltered life in her family's elaborate house in seventeenth-century China. She will do everything her parents tell her to do, as is the tradition, including marrying a stranger. One night she sees a man and is overcome with a strong emotion: love. Unable to bear the the thought of marrying anyone but the man she meets in secret she plunges herself into despair. In both the world of the living and the dead, Peony's journey of love will bring desire, sorrow, pain and happiness. The words she wrote while she still breathed will become the last tangible part of her in the living world. 

See's ability to recreate China through her prose and setting is one of her greatest attributes as a writer. Readers will find themselves temporarily in China as they read this novel. They will learn about many cultural elements and beliefs as they find themselves crossing over from the world of the living to the dead with Peony. I would recommend this novel to anybody with an interest in Chinese culture who enjoys historical fantasy.

(#13 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Something Like Normal

Something Like Normal

Author: Trish Doller

Published: Bloomsbury, 2012

Genre: Young Adult ( PTSD)

Rating: 4.5/5

I received this book for free at my final residency for my MFA degree in a workshop presented by Katherine Nagler of Bloomsbury. The workshop was about the young adult market in publishing which I found interesting and informing. However, I was more excited at the end when she said students could take the advanced readers copies. Naturally, I ran up and grabbed one, not caring which title it was. I felt like I was a child again in elementary school. My school had a program where students each got a free book to promote the love of learning and literacy in young readers. I lived for those days. 

Travis returns home from Afghanistan. Not only is his best friend dead, but his home life is in shambles. He is haunted by the death of his friend and comrade. There is no peace for him except for when he is with Harper. Harper is a girl whom he wounded as a young teenager but as their relationship deepens Travis begins to look beyond his own hurt. Perhaps, in his shattered life, there is still a chance for a new kind of "normal". 

What I loved best about Doller's writing was the voice she created for Travis. Written in the first POV readers will be in Travis' head from the minute they read the first sentence to the last. I actually could not put this book down and finished it the same day I received it. For those looking for an emotionl, and raw voice of a young narrator this book is a must read. 

(#12 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Hushed

Hushed
Author: Kelley York
Published: Entangled Publishing, November 2011
Genre: Romance, 244 pages
Rating: 4/5

I picked up this psychologically intense novel on the recommendation of my friend Kimberly. I don't normally read romantic thrillers but I thought I would give this one a try. This novel certainly did deserve a chance because I enjoyed it from first to last page!

Archer loves his best friend Vivian and he would do anything to make her happy. Anything to set her free even if it means murdering all those who have hurt her. Vivian is self-centered but she is also broken. Nobody knows how broken. Evan is a new student at their university and befriends Archer with his shy, awkward ways. Soon the delicate balance Archer has in his world is rocketed by an earthquake of emotions, thoughts, and choices as he comes to know tenderness for the first time in his life. How will this triangle collapse?

What I loved best about York's writing was her ability to portray what a great influence Evan and Archer had on each other throughout the novel. From their first interaction the reader can sense the subtle change that starts to take place in Archer. Each meeting between these two characters only intensifies the emotion of the novel like a growing fire. Soon she has a forest fire and the reader will not be able to put down this novel!

(#11 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Gone, Gone, Gone

Gone, Gone, Gone
Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Published: 2012, Simon Pulse
Genre: Young Adult, 251 pages
Rating: 4.5/5

Sometimes I buy a book on recommendation from my friend, Kimberly, who\ always seems to know which books are on the market. Since I thoroughly enjoy reading both young adult novels and yaoi mangas she pointed out the novel Gone, Gone, Gone at our last trip to the bookstore. Impulse buy? Yes, indeed.

Craig is broken without his broken ex-boyfriend. He find comfort in his pets and avoids most people with the exception of Lio. Lio feels alive when he is with Craig. He survived cancer while his twin brother did not. As sniper shootings begin in the DC area where they live the two teenagers struggle to make sense of life and love shooting victims die. What is the pain and joy of living?

What I enjoyed most about Moskowitz writing was her style of narration. She allows her readers into the minds of her adolescent male characters as they process the world around them. The individual characterization of each boy influenced the sentences she wrote and readers will find themselves submerged in Lio's and Craig's minds. The darkness and light the reader shares with each boy is indeed a privilege.

(#10 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: When the Emperor was Divine

When the Emperor was Divine
Author: Julie Otsuka
Published: 2002 (2003 by First Anchor Book Editions)
Genre: Historical Fiction, 144 pages
Rating: 5/5

Sometimes a person likes to forget their own history. Sometimes a whole country likes to forget what their nation did in the past.

Concentration camps. This noun is often associated with the horrendous holocaust of Europe during World War II. But has the USA and the world forgotten about the concentration camps for Japanese Americans? Told in five points of view Julie Otsuka brings to life the painful mistreatment of Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in her novel When the Emperor was Divine. If you had Japanese blood you were a terrorist, a spy, an enemy.

This novel is so emotionally revealing I felt ashamed. Ashamed for what the USA had done and the fact I had forgotten. World War II is an old wound between the country I am from and the other country I am fascinated with. I prefer not to reopen it too deeply but Julie Otsuka's novel has bled the wound with just the right words. Not enough to cause a gush of blame but simply enough to remind the reader of our country's own mistakes in history.

(#9 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Confessions of a Mask

Confessions of a Mask

Author: Yukio Mishima

Published: 1958, New Directions

Genre: Literature, Coming of Age (Japanese)

Rating: 4/5

Last summer my MFA mentor, Mitch Wieland, suggested I read the works of Yukio Mishima as I wanted to read Japanese literature. I purchased a couple of novels which were put into the pile of to read books. As I have confessed, I buy books faster than I can read them so Mishima's novels got buried. After reading Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood I knew it was time to give Mishima a chance.

Confessions of a Mask is the story of a young man who learns that he is unlike most of his adolescent  companions. Preoccupied with death and the brilliance of the male body Mishima's unnamed protagonist learns to live behind a mask. The complex social system of Japan bleeds from the pages as the MC struggles to become one with society both in his public and private life. 

The most gripping aspect of Mishima's writing was the interior monologue of the MC. I often felt myself becoming lost with the character's thoughts and emotions as he grows from child to young adult. Detached and unable to understand parts his world readers will find themselves feeling just as lost through the MC's thought process. The effect is successful as I began to question the sense of my own reality as I finished the last page.

(#8 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Are you a Book Whore?

When I was a child I was called a bookworm by my classmates. In first grade I was one of the "smart kids" in the advanced reading group. Every year through elementary school I looked forward to the Scholastic Book Fair which occurred conveniently in the fall after my birthday. There was also a program my school was part of where a couple times of year publishers donated books so each child could select one book for free. I have a distinct memory of several times when the librarian made sure she selected at least one novel that was horse related for me. In this way I acquired several books from the popular "Saddle Club" series.

At recess in middle school I spent my time reading. Through a combination of shyness social akwardness I found myself reading novels at lunch. During sixth grade I was nominated as "most avid reader" in the spring and that year I had spent our class Christmas party reading "Anne of Green Gables". The angst ridden air of teenagers did nothing to encourage my social awkwardness and I spent seventh and eighth grade going to the library and educating myself on Tudor England. Fantasy books became my refuge.

In high school I made some friends but I still preferred books to humans. During these years I discovered my love for historical fiction and began to read the works of Margaret George and Jean Plaidy. My interests in Japan also began to increasingly grow and I liked to read articles, essays, and informational books about this country.

College came and I found myself enjoying "Gilgamesh" and "Beowulf". I also started to read Japanese mangas like they were my drug. Trips to the bookstores with two of my friends became a weekly occurrence. I fell in love with yaoi genre in manga and became known as the "yaoi whore" to one of my friends. I bought books because I could and I wanted them. I blew school loan refund money on novels instead of sending it back to the loan lender. My books were consuming the floor of my room because I had run out of book shelf space.

Just a year ago my mother walked into my bedroom and proclaimed: 'You are such a book whore. How many books do you need?'

As many as I want and choose to keep. I buy books and manga faster than I can read them. I am a self confessed book whore. Who wants to go to bookstore with me?

Book Review: Castle in the Air

Castle in the Air
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Published: 1990, (2001 Harper Trophy)
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

I picked up this enchanting and whimsical novel one Saturday night at Barnes & Noble around three weeks ago. Castle in the Air is the sequel to Jones's Howl's Moving Castle but is novel that can stand alone from its predecessor. Indeed, this novel is equally charming as Howl's Moving Castle.

Abdullah is a young carpet dealer who loves to daydream. One day, he discovers his daydreams become reality after he purchases a magic carpet. He falls in love with princess and they plan to marry right before she snatched away by a wicked creature called a djinn. Abdullah embarks on a journey to rescue his princess and discovers his fate and desires is are intertwined with the desires, prophecies, and magic of others. Is fate and something preordained for him or does he have the power to control the outcome of such foretelling?

I enjoyed this novel and was reminded why I was attracted to the fantasy genre as a child. If anything this novel produced nostalgia in my heart as I fondly recalled other novels I read in my childhood. While Jones may no longer be alive her stories will continue to give joy to new and old readers of her work.

(Book #7 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Author: Lisa See

Published: 2005, Random House

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4/5

I pride myself on reading the book before seeing the movie. There have been a few exceptions in my life where I saw the movie first, either intentionally or accidentally. This was one of the accident moments where I rented a movie from the Red Box to watch. I became fascinated with the Chinese bonding ceremony of laotong (old same) and decided to research the topic. This is when I discovered the movie was based on a book. 

At the age of seven, Lily, is matched up with Snow Flower in ceremonial binding match of laotong in 19th century China. Based on their astrological signs they are kindred spirits and  must value each other before all other bonds. They suffer the agony of footbinding in an attempt to make their feet "perfect" to improve marriage prospects. They learn from a young age the female sex will suffer. They are the unwelcome sex when they are born. A father is to view his daughters as a burden by tradition even if he cherishes them. As adults they are valued in their ability to bear sons. Using the secret women writing, nu shu, Snow Flower and Lily share their joys and suffering as their fortunes in life reverse. They will suffer even in their love for each other. 

Lisa See has created a tangible and visible story using her strong sense of description in the senses. Readers will cringe in horror at the process of footbinding that would forever cripple Lily and Snow Flower from being able to walk properly. The sorrow the characters feel will seep from the pages into the cracks of their hearts where we all hide our own sufferings. Readers will recall that in life we all suffer but we persevere because we are loved. Or perhaps, we suffer even because we are loved. 

(#6 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Norwegian Wood

Norwegian Wood
Author: Haruki Murakami
Translated by: Jay Rubin
Published: 1987 (Japan), 2000 (USA) Vintage Press
Genre: Coming of Age, Young Adult
Rating: 5/5

When Haruki Murakami's latest collection of short stories "1Q84" came out this past fall I  did not even give it a second glance after skimming reviews. As a matter of fact, I didn't even bother to look up any other works by this Japanese author. Little did I know he was bestselling author worldwide. My Japanese pen pal and I share a common love: books. When I asked her what her favorite novel was the reply was "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami. My interest became piqued because I knew the author's name and went and looked it up. Finding the premises of the novel very interesting I purchased it on my kindle.

"Norwegian Wood" takes place in late 1960's Tokyo, Japan after a tragedy breaks up a trio of friends. Unable to form bonds outside their small group Toru Watanabe and his dead friend's girlfriend, Naoko, cling to each other. Unable to cope Naoko finds herself becoming mentally unhinged and seeks help in a small country sanitarium. Toru promises to wait for her but in the outside world he starts to form new bonds. He struggles to find himself in a world that before had been so heavily rooted in the companionship of one individual. Toru discovers the metamorphosis of life as he learns one can never be the same they were.

Murakami's writing is filled with such concrete, vivid, descriptions that every reader will be able to imagine the crowded subway stations, the college campus, the swanky love hotels, and the variety of bars Toru visits. His psychologically complex characters are brought to  life with simple and poetic language. Murkami's simplistic and yet forceful plot makes the characters consider how delicate the balance between humans is. Readers will be left contemplating how delicate and yet powerfully connected their life is to the other people they allow in.

I have a paperback copy of this novel now. A movie adaption was released in Japan in 2010. In May 2012 it will be released with subtitles in the USA on DVD. I am looking forward to seeing the movie as much as I am about reading the novel again someday.

(#5 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: The Queen's Governess

The Queen's Governess
Author:  Karen Harper
Published: January 2010, Putnam Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 3/5

As a lover of history I often find myself wondering what life was like in the past. When it comes to Elizabeth I of England I have spent hours fantasizing what the important relationships she had in life were like. For the past 12 years of my life I have read numerous historical fiction novels based on Elizabeth I and the world she knew. One of the most vital relationships Elizabeth had was with her governess Kat Ashley.

In Karen Harper's novel, The Queen's Governess, the author explores the dynamics of Kat and her royal charge as Elizabeth grows from child to queen. Told from the point of view of Kat, Harper weaved together the tale of woman whose life is bound to the red-headed daughter of Anne Boleyn.

While this novel showcased good voice and characterization there were times I felt distracted from the moment of "now" while reading. On several occasions Harper has Kat go off into a tangent of "what this meant for the future". At these times I felt as if Harper did not trust her readers enough to piece together the "human truth" of her novel. Nevertheless, this novel will be an enjoyable read for Tudor England fans.

(#4 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Post Japan (interlude) Life: Books & Horses

I have been home a little over two weeks since I left Japan. At times I feel a sense of longing that I cannot explain. A part of me wishes I was still in Japan and another is glad I am home. Basically there are mornings I wake up and feel split in two. Although I was only in Japan three weeks I feel like I left part of my soul there. It is an odd condition I have never experienced before.

In terms of employment I now work full time at a private horse farm. Nothing fancy about the job at all but I love every minute of it. I blanket horses, clean stalls, clean tack, clean feed bins, and clean all day in general. Guess what, though? I don't care. Everything I do relates back to the care of the 10 horses that live at the stable. For the first time I feel true pride in my work outside of my writing.

Do I still think of returning to Japan? Every single day. I do not know if I will go back to live there or if I will simply return repeatedly throughout my life. I have no answers because I am waiting to see where my latest decisions will lead me.

My horse Skye seemed out of sorts when I came back. I honestly can say she was mad at me. She gave me her hind end the first week I was back. Now she seems back to her usual sweet, stubborn self which I am glad for. I call Skye my reflection at times because she and I share some of the same qualities. Perhaps this is why she was so endearing to me when I first met her.

In terms of books I have splurged on a few new ones about horses. My most recent purchases included Breeds of Empire: The "Invention of the Horse in Southeast Asia and Southern Africa, Imperial China:  The Art of the Horse in Chinese History, and The Byerley Turk: The True Story of the first Thoroughbred. I have also purchased several books about Japan and continue my endless search for books and documentaries that make any mention of the horse in Japan. I will not go into in-depth details but I have discovered several new possible writing ideas in the last few weeks. Nothing could ever make me lose my passion and desire to someday write about the equines of Japan.

All I can say for now is that I am content to be near horses everyday. Also, I am happy to have all my books back with me.

Book Review: Juliet Immortal

Juliet Immortal
Author: Stacey Jay
Published: August 2011, Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy
Rating: 4/5

I have an obsession with Shakespeare. My favorite play by him is Romeo and Juliet. In college I wrote a paper on how politics forced Romeo and Juliet into their final position: dead. Stacey Jay explores an alternate ending for these two tragic characters in her novel Juliet Immortal.

Juliet cannot forgive Romeo and secretly desires to destroy him. Seven hundred years of "slipping" into others bodies to protect soul mates has left Juliet's soul jaded. When she finds herself in the body of an emotionally damaged girl, Ariel, she finds herself falling in love with a boy in her borrowed body. Romeo wants Juliet to love him again. Juliet cannot ever forget or forgive that he murdered her for his own immortality. What is the lesson she missed in her bodily life?

What I enjoyed most about this novel was the angle Jay approached it from. In the play Romeo and Juliet die for love of each other. What about the greater love and lesson they forgot? I will not give any spoilers. Read the novel to find out for yourself.

(#3 of the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: The Girl Who Remembered Horses

The Girl Who Remembered Horses
Author: Linda Benson
Published: November 2011, Musa Publishing
Genre: Middle-grade fantasy
Rating: 5/5

I bought this novel for my kindle back around Christmas time. In my pursuit to find horse related books for my kindle I discovered The Girl Who Remembered Horses. The concept in the book that in the future humans have forgotten the bond they had with horses was a unique idea. I settled into into reading this novel while I was in Japan and found myself lost in Sahara's world.

Sahara dreams of horses. These creatures are so wild and fleeting the idea that one could be tamed, much less ridden, is a fancy that time should not be wasted on. As she is ridiculed by her clan Sahara finds herself turning more to her animals for comfort. Not until she meets Evan, a young herder from another clan, do her dreams begin to make sense. When she discovers an orphaned foal Sahara becomes determined to rear the fragile baby and prove horses are worth much more than as a food source.

One craft element I enjoyed from this novel was Benson's strong ability to create solid imagery. Her vivid descriptions will manipulate the readers mind into truly seeing the horses as they gallop across the plains. In my mind I could always see the story developing in images. Benson also has strong characterization throughout the novel and readers get to see development of secondary characters.

I highly recommend this novel to any horse lover looking for their next read. It is available as an e-book at amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

(#2 for the 100 Book Challenge)

Book Review: Horsemaster

Horsemaster

Author: Marilyn Singer

Published: 1985, Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing

Genre: Middle-grade fantasy, 179 pages

Rating: 5/5

I reread the novel Horsemaster on the plane trip from Detroit to Nagoya, Japan. This novel opened my reading world up when I was twelve into the fantasy genre. I found the battered paperback at my town library amongst the other fantasy novels dealing with dragons, enchanted swords and magicians trying to save the world. I reread the book several times and never could forget it. I bought a used copy off of amazon.com because, unfortuantly, it is no longer in publication.

This is also my first book for the 100 book challenge in 2012. I specifically chose this novel because I wanted to recall my childhood inspirations for wanting to become a writer. Emotionally, it was the right book for me to read as I embark on my journey to write about the horses in Japan.

Jessica has dreams. Dreams of a horse that is so unearthly and yet so tangible she finds herself wondering if her dreams are real. Her best friend, Jack, can't seem to stay out of trouble and she somehow gets involved even when it's not his fault. In an abandoned barn they discover a tapestry that will link them, another world, and the esscence of horses intrinsically together. The characters have depth and will become even more admired as they change through their unsuspected journey. The majesty of the horse's spirit can be found on every page as it is used to influence the tone, emotions, and decisions of the characters. Singer has created a memorable book that will be enjoyed by any horse lover who enjoys the fantasy genre. I highly recommend if you can find a copy buy it and read it.