Suggested Book for September 2013

Charmed Life
by Diana Wynne Jones

Cat Chant is downright depressed when he and his sister Gwendolyn are sent to live with the enchanter Chrestomanci. It's a much more comfortable life, of course; Chrestomanci is wealthy and lives on a beautiful estate, and Gwendolyn can study witchcraft with superior teachers, but it's a very different life from the one Cat is used to, and he's not happy about it. Gwendolyn, of course, has ideas of her own as to what their new life should be like. And if she doesn't get her way, things could get distinctly uncomfortable for everyone.

Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones is the first book in the Chrestomanci series. It introduces readers to a world like our own, but suffused with magic and strange creatures. It's a wonderfully silly and fun book, suitable for all ages. If you enjoyed the world of wizards and muggles in Harry Potter, you'll be sure to love the world of Chrestomanci.

View my suggested books by Diana Wynne Jones

Charmed Life

Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones

Polly's having trouble remembering. For some reason, she seems to have two conflicting sets of memories, memories which lead back to meeting Tom Lynn at Hunsdon House on Hallowe'en. Something strange happened to her as a teenager, something tied to the make-believe stories she and Tom created about Tan Coul and his assistant, Hero. Something about them coming true.

Diana Wynne Jones's books often straddle age groups. Much like the Harry Potter series, her Castle and Chrestomanci books are written for children or young adults, but can easily be enjoyed by adults. The same is true of Fire and Hemlock, which is a coming-of-age story. But Fire and Hemlock, on the other hand, is definitely not written for children. It's the story of a young adult for adults. And it's wonderful.

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Elizabeth Woodhall may be queen, but she is not safe. The Cousins War has never really ended, and even though her husband, King Edward IV, is the anointed king of England, Elizabeth knows from experience that the sons of York are ambitious and loyal only to their own interest. Elizabeth's love for Edward, her desire to see the best for her children, and her mother's diligent use of magic has made Elizabeth the greatest lady at the most magnificent court in Europe. But those who rise far have the farthest to fall. Elizabeth must protect the interests of her family using every means available to her if she is to ensure the legacy of the house of York. Only time will tell if she can remain at the pinnacle of the wheel of fortune.

This was my second time reading Philippa Gregory within a two week period. I picked up her book The Lady of the Rivers from the bargain table at my local bookstore on a whim, and quite enjoyed it. When I looked up Lady, I saw it was actually book three in the Cousins' War series, which is currently at six books long. So, I got my hands on number one, The White Queen.

Suggested book for August 2013

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Jacquetta has heard the story of Melusina, a river goddess who fell in love with a human man, many times as a child. It is said her family is descended from Melusina, and that the eldest girl of each generation is blessed with some of Melusina's power. In Jacquetta's case it seems to be true: sometimes she can foresee. And while Jacquetta is a beautiful young woman from a powerful family in English-controlled France, it is her power that attracts the most powerful man in France: John, Duke of Bedford. But not all are as accepting of Jacquetta's unique gifts, especially when her friendship with the unpopular queen thrusts her into a prominent place at the English court.

The Lady of the Rivers (Book 3 in the Cousins' War series) by Phillipa Gregory is a story of romance and intrigue at the English court at the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, known then as the Cousins' War. Pick it up for the history, enjoy it for the magic, and read it again for characters.

View my suggested books by Phillipa Gregory

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen has returned home to District 12, after winning the Hunger Games with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Her life returns to normal, for the most part: she's living with her mother and sister, albeit in a big, fancy house in the Victor's Square; she hunts with Gale, although their relationship is newly awkward; and she doesn't see much of Peeta, and is not sure what to think of that. But as the Victor's Tour approaches, Katniss receives a terrifying visit from President Snow himself. He warns her that her feigned love for Peeta hasn't convinced the population of the districts, and that they now stand at the edge of revolt, emboldened by her own actions during the Hunger Games. She has to convince the people of the districts that she's truly in love with Peeta, or the people she does love will suffer the consequences.

Suggested book for July 2012

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

At Tintagel castle, Morgaine spends her days in the company of her mother and aunt, until the fateful day her mother is introduced to the new king, Uther Pendragon. Their meeting ignites a conflict between Uther and Morgaine's father, Gorlois, than culminates in Gorlois's death and the conception of Morgaine's half-brother, Arthur Pendragon. Follow Morgaine and the other women of Camelot, as they discover the wonders of Avalon, the intrigues of a Christian court, and the atrocities of war.

I first picked up The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley because it had the word Avalon on the cover, and a lovely picture of a woman holding a sword. When I started reading, I discovered a version of Arthurian legend told through the eyes of its women. It's difficult to adequately describe the feeling I get when I read this book: I feel transported. This story takes the reader to a world that most people consider male-dominated, and shows readers the important, even magnificent, roles that women might have played. Of course, this is a fictitious story, and I don't actually believe that the ladies of Avalon had any kind of mystical power, or that Avalon even existed. But this story has a way of grabbing you, and like Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin, forcing you to see the integrity and import of women's lives, even when they're doing such mundane activities as carding wool, spinning, or sewing.

View my suggested books by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Mists of Avalon

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Ever since the unsuccessful rebellion of the thirteen districts against Panem's government, tributes from each of the remaining twelve districts have been required to participate in the Hunger Games. Every year, one boy and one girl from each district are randomly selected to fight to the death in a carefully controlled environment. In the 174th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen volunteers as the tribute in place of her sister Prim. Katniss travels to the Capitol with fellow tribute Peeta, to participate in a televised event that will undoubtedly claim both their lives.

I watched the film version of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins first, and found it to be lacking in emotional tension. I was hoping for something a little more intense in the book. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out, but reading the book did help me better understand Katniss's character. What I took for a flat plot and lack of acting chops in the movie turns out to the result of a staggeringly rational and humourless protagonist. She's naive and confused for most of the book, but her thoughts are described so thoroughly that readers can't help but relate to her.

Vision in White by Nora Roberts

What do you get when you combine an absent father, a narcicistic and manipulative mother, and an innate talent for photography? Mackensie Eliot, the staff photographer at Vows, a high-end, all-inclusive, wedding venue in Greenwich. Even though Mac is surrounded by marital bliss, she's never been able to master the long-term commitment. So, when a sexy schoolteacher harbouring an old crush enters her life, she's swept up by passion and romance more quickly than she could have anticipated. But is she equipped for real love, or will she let it slip through her fingers?

Well, I managed to hold out for 15+ years, but this past weekend I finally gave in and read a romance, Vision in White by Nora Roberts. And you know what? I liked it. I suppose I was expecting Harlequin, so the focus on all of Mac's personal relationships and not just her budding romance with Carter was a relief. I must admit the greatest draw for me personally was the wedding venue angle, since I will be experiencing matrimony myself in August.

Suggested book for June 2012

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

Ayla is little more than an infant when an earthquake destroys her home and claims her family. She wanders for days without food and shelter, eventually falling prey to a cave lion, who visciously slashes her leg. Wounded and alone, she's found on the brink of death by Iza, the medicine woman of the Clan. She adopts Ayla as a daughter and raises her to be a medicine woman of her line. But Ayla is different from the rest of the Clan, and there are some who never truly accept her. She must find the strength within herself to find her place in a confusing and dangerous world.

In The Clan of the Cave Bear, Jean M. Auel gives readers her unique perspective on the lives of neanderthals. By making the protagonist homo sapiens, it gives readers a comfortable lens through which to view this very different and yet very similar race of humans. Ayla herself is a highly likeable protagonist: she has plenty of gumption and curiosity, and the situations she gets herself into will keep you turning tha pages. Be warned however; while Auel's sweeping exposition on subjects like cultural evolution and ecology are interesting and informative, to some readers they grow repetitive by the end of the book (or in any subsequent readings).

This book is the first of her Earth's Children series. NB: In The Valley of Horses, the second book in the series, Auel's style morphs to include elements of the romance genre, including explicit love scenes.

View my suggested books by Jean M. Auel

Twin-Bred by Karen A. Wyle

Mara Cadell is a human scientist on Tofarn. Like every other human, the Tofa, Tofarn's indigenous inhabitants, are a mystery to her. But it's become clear that humans and Tofa are on the path towards conflict if a way of communicating and mediating disputes isn't found. She begins the LEVI project, named after her long-dead twin (who she has kept alive in her mind), in attempt to forge a bridge between species. Human and tofa children will share a uterus and be raised together, in an attempt to create mutual understanding.

Twin-Bred has an interesting premise, but that's where my appreciation of the story ends. Each chapter opens with a snippet of one of Mara's reports on the LEVI project, but Karen A. Wyle may as well have written the whole book in report-form for all the excitement it engenders in readers. The book is written in such a flat, clinical way that I was unable get excited about anything that happened. I was praying for war just so some suspense would be created.

When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall

Hannah Lapp has left her Old Order Amish community and ex-fiance behind to live in the Englischer world with her aunt Zabeth. She finds the difference in culture, the moral ambiguity, and the complex demands of her new world distressing, but tries her best to cope. She finds a new friend in Zabeth's quasi-son Martin, and develops a protectiveness for Martin's nephew and niece. Meanwhile, back in Owl's Perch, Paul Waddell, Hannah's ex-fiance, is waiting for her to come home. Sarah, her sister, suffers a mental break, and Mary, her best friend, gets married against doctor's orders. Will Hannah be able to stay away when she learns what's happening back home?

When the Morning Comes is the second book in the Sisters of the Quilt series by Cindy Woodsmall. The first book in the series, When the Heart Cries, was my book club's pick for March, and I liked it enough that I decided to finish the series and find out what happens to Hannah. Until we read Heart Cries, I had no idea that the Amish romance sub-genre even existed. I was half-expecting rushed couplings in the hayloft, or lusty beaus tearing off prayer kapps and aprons in fits of passion. Instead, what I discovered was melodrama, and When the Morning Comes is a continuation of the dramatic events of the first book.

Strange Flesh by Michael Olson

Heartache and a passion for hacking have comprised James Pryce's post-college years. Unsurprisingly, when he's offered the chance to work for his lost love, Blythe Randall, James quickly takes the job. She and her brother, Blake, need his cyber-spy services to track down their wily half-brother, Billy, who's sworn to destroy Blake, and has the cash to back up his threats. James's investigation launches him from a lifestyle of casual sex with strangers into a virtual reality of deviant sexual behaviour. But his involvement in this online world of depravity and his cover as a video journalist start to bleed into his real life when he becomes involved in a project to develop virtual reality sex toys. By the time he realizes the truth, it may be too late for him to escape his carnal new reality.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-blood after narrowly escaping some cannibal giants. His second summer is shaping up to be as exciting as his first, since the magical barrier protecting Camp Half-blood from all the monsters of the mythological world has been badly damaged. Not to mention the fact that Chiron has been replaced as camp director by Tantalus, a doomed soul from Tartarus who seems to have it in for Percy. To top it all off, Percy starts dreaming that Grover has been kidnapped by a cyclops who has matrimonial leanings. Teamed up with Annabeth and the newest member of Camp Half-blood, Tyson, Percy has a lot to get done in a short time.

Suggested book for February 2012

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

Genre: young adult fantasy

February is the month of love. So, fittingly, I have selected a romanticky book for my suggestion. My recollection of this book is fuzzy, because I read it once when I was 14 or 15. But it really made an impression on me, because whenever I try to think of books that I've read in the past, this is almost always the one I think of first. I'm honestly a little afraid to try reading it again, just in case it's terrible now.

What I remember is this: teenage girl's mother is sick, teenage girl falls in love with sexy vampire boy (I KNOW, but this was written way before Twilight), vampire boy and teenage girl try to defeat evil vampire threat... you get the picture. I won't tell you the ending :P

I remember feeling a tenderness for this book; it's a melancholy, delicate romance. I hope you enjoy reading it at least as much as I do reminiscing about it.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Everyone knows that the eldest of three daughters will never amount to much. Sophie Hatter is the eldest of three sisters in the town of Market Chipping, and being eldest finally takes its toll when she's cursed by the Witch of the Waste. Trapped in a ninety-year-old body and unable to tell anyone what's happened, Sophie leaves her life as a hatmaker behind as she sets out to break the curse.

House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

This is a guest post
by Kristy Bruce

Six-year-old Matt Alacran is a clone. He doesn’t know what that means, but he does know that he’s different from the people around him. The people who care for him can be counted on one hand: Celia, the closest thing Matt’s ever had to a mother; Tam Lin, his bodyguard; and his powerful and volatile “father,” a man they all call El Patron. 

El Patron is the undisputed leader of the country they call Opium, a narrow strip of land between the southern border of the United States and Azatlan. His mansion is surrounded by the vast opium fields that are the source of his wealth, and are tended by eejits, human beings who have been altered to be little better than mindless slaves.

Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen

This is a guest post
by Cheryl Hannah

Twelve-year-old Ambrose is a misfit. He has a life-threatening peanut allergy, a knack for Scrabble, and an overprotective mum. She “was this close to being a normal mom,” but then his dad died. While Ambrose understands why she worries he might lift up the toilet seat, “fall in, and drown,” and understands why she makes him watch the Stranger Danger video “twenty thousand times,” and understands why she pulled him from public school to enrol him in correspondence school, he’s desperate to find a friend.

Ambrose and his mom live in Kitsilano, in the basement apartment of a nice old Greek couple, the Economopouloses. It’s right on the bus route to UBC, where Ambrose’s mum works as a sessional lecturer. Then, one day, the Economopouloses’ son Cosmo shows up on the doorstep, fresh out of jail …

Suggested book for November, 2011

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman 

Genre: young adult fantasy

Philip Pullman's theological subtext is subtle and compelling in this all-ages adventure. The Golden Compass is the story of Lyra Belacqua, a spirited child of eleven, who is drawn into a dangerous contest of wills when her best friend is kidnapped by Gobblers. Experience the world of Jordan College, Bolvangar, and Svalbard as Lyra travels with Gyptians, an armored bear, and an aeronaut on a journey to save her friend and discover the nature of Dust.

View my suggested books by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass