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lorialdenholuta's reviews
564 reviews
The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
My book club chose this as our June read, and wow, am I glad we did. Our discussion was very lively, as all of us agreed that Jasper Fforde has created a fantastic premise and executed it flawlessly.
Our protagonist is a fifteen-year-old named Jennifer Strange. She’s been given tremendous responsibilities and challenges for such a tender age, but she’s up to the task. And if you didn’t already, you’ll believe in girl power as the story ramps up again and again, propelling Jennifer towards a destiny she’s only just recently learned about.
The rather complex ending, which was revealed when I least expected it, was breathtaking. It was one of those perfect gathering up of carefully dropped clues sprinkled throughout the book, into the only logical explanation. All the clues were in plain sight all along!
I can say that with confidence that future readers stumbling on this review will not have been spoiled. It’s going to hit you the same way, trust me on that.
I will absolutely be reading the rest of The Last Dragonslayer series. This is a story and a reality I really don’t want to let go of.
Our protagonist is a fifteen-year-old named Jennifer Strange. She’s been given tremendous responsibilities and challenges for such a tender age, but she’s up to the task. And if you didn’t already, you’ll believe in girl power as the story ramps up again and again, propelling Jennifer towards a destiny she’s only just recently learned about.
The rather complex ending, which was revealed when I least expected it, was breathtaking. It was one of those perfect gathering up of carefully dropped clues sprinkled throughout the book, into the only logical explanation. All the clues were in plain sight all along!
I can say that with confidence that future readers stumbling on this review will not have been spoiled. It’s going to hit you the same way, trust me on that.
I will absolutely be reading the rest of The Last Dragonslayer series. This is a story and a reality I really don’t want to let go of.
Tasting History: Explore the Past through 4,000 Years of Recipes by Max Miller
challenging
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
I spent months waiting for this cookbook to release… the anticipation well outshone the lead-up to Christmas! I’ve been a fan of Max Miller’s “Tasting History” YouTube channel for quite a while now, and have watched every single episode. Two of my passions are food and history, so of course Max’s chosen topic captured my heart immediately. The nanosecond pre-orders for the book opened up, I hit that button.
The cookbook does not disappoint. the photography is beautiful (I want that double-spread Simnel Cake picture as a poster!) The recipes are organized into five sections: The Ancient World, The British Isles, Continental Europe, The Near & Far East, and The New World. Each recipe is ‘date-stamped’ so you’ll know if it’s from the Roaring 20s or 4th Century Rome.
It’s no small feat to decipher ancient descriptions of food preparation and re-work them into something a modern-day cook can replicate. Max has put a lot of time and effort into doing just that. Clearly it’s been a labor of love. Those who choose to buy and use this cookbook will be bringing the past back to life – and eating it! What could be better?
The cookbook does not disappoint. the photography is beautiful (I want that double-spread Simnel Cake picture as a poster!) The recipes are organized into five sections: The Ancient World, The British Isles, Continental Europe, The Near & Far East, and The New World. Each recipe is ‘date-stamped’ so you’ll know if it’s from the Roaring 20s or 4th Century Rome.
It’s no small feat to decipher ancient descriptions of food preparation and re-work them into something a modern-day cook can replicate. Max has put a lot of time and effort into doing just that. Clearly it’s been a labor of love. Those who choose to buy and use this cookbook will be bringing the past back to life – and eating it! What could be better?
The Workshop: Week Two by Matt Mills
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If you haven’t read The Workshop: Week One, this review won’t make much sense. Why don’t you go read that, then enjoy my review of it, then read Week Two, and THEN meet me back here at this review.
Take your time. I’ll wait. Mmm. This Earl Grey is delightful. The rain seems to be abating. Look how fresh the garden looks.
Oh! You caught me woolgathering. You’re caught up now? Excellent!
Week One, being our introduction to a sixteen-week “Creative Writing in Various Media” course, was where we were introduced to the teacher and her nine students.
Where Week One focused heavily on the students learning how to effectively critique each other’s work, Week Two plows headlong into the details of their first weekend. If you were ever a college student, you probably don’t remember your weekends very clearly. If you missed the college experience, you probably have just as many weekend memories as those who were there. Either way, we the readers venture clueless into the bars and dorms of our nine stressed and frustrated proto-writers as they stumble about, trying to make sense of their recreational time, their writing assignments, and their hormones.
The story is told in a slip-slidey stream of consciousness style, which can be a handful when focused on one person – now imagine it times ten (the teacher is included for bonus surrealism).
The action is pushed forward in a real-time manner, with frequent time stamps instead of chapter breaks. Don’t expect to spend a lot of time with one student, then move on to another, and so on – we bounce around the entire group like human pinballs spring-shot into a game of life. Wow, that’s deep. Well, deeper than some of the poetry these poor saps are scrawling down, anyway.
The energetic wordplay makes this a fast read, since you’re swept up in the action right alongside the characters and riding their energy. I’m starting to worry about the author – can he really keep up this pace for sixteen weeks?
Hey, if he’s game, I am too. Week Three, here we come. After I get some sleep, that is. And maybe a pizza.
Take your time. I’ll wait. Mmm. This Earl Grey is delightful. The rain seems to be abating. Look how fresh the garden looks.
Oh! You caught me woolgathering. You’re caught up now? Excellent!
Week One, being our introduction to a sixteen-week “Creative Writing in Various Media” course, was where we were introduced to the teacher and her nine students.
Where Week One focused heavily on the students learning how to effectively critique each other’s work, Week Two plows headlong into the details of their first weekend. If you were ever a college student, you probably don’t remember your weekends very clearly. If you missed the college experience, you probably have just as many weekend memories as those who were there. Either way, we the readers venture clueless into the bars and dorms of our nine stressed and frustrated proto-writers as they stumble about, trying to make sense of their recreational time, their writing assignments, and their hormones.
The story is told in a slip-slidey stream of consciousness style, which can be a handful when focused on one person – now imagine it times ten (the teacher is included for bonus surrealism).
The action is pushed forward in a real-time manner, with frequent time stamps instead of chapter breaks. Don’t expect to spend a lot of time with one student, then move on to another, and so on – we bounce around the entire group like human pinballs spring-shot into a game of life. Wow, that’s deep. Well, deeper than some of the poetry these poor saps are scrawling down, anyway.
The energetic wordplay makes this a fast read, since you’re swept up in the action right alongside the characters and riding their energy. I’m starting to worry about the author – can he really keep up this pace for sixteen weeks?
Hey, if he’s game, I am too. Week Three, here we come. After I get some sleep, that is. And maybe a pizza.
Somebody Feed Phil the Book: The Official Companion Book with Photos, Stories, and Favorite Recipes from Around the World by Phil Rosenthal
If you enjoyed watch Phil Rosenthal's food/travel series, I'll Have What Phil's Having and Somebody Feed Phil, this combination cookbook and travelogue is a must-have memento of Phil's travels around the world.
If you haven't seen the series, you'll still find the book to be an enjoyable read, with plenty of international recipes to try. But I really recommend you search out the television series too, because reading the book with Phil's friendly, earnest voice in your head is just so much fun!
Phil is not a cook, nor does he want to be one. What he wants is to find the good cooks of the world and spend time with them. More importantly, he wants you to search them out, too. That's his underlying not-so-secret agenda. Phil has enjoyed traveling, making friends and eating fantastic food, and really, really, really hopes you'll consider doing the same.
I love that Phil's anecdotes have plenty of room to ramble. He should never be cut short when telling a story - never!
So far, I've only tried one recipe, the Banh Mi Loaves on page 29 (hardback edition). Yummy as heck! My small quibble with the recipe is that they left one ingredient out of the list. It was only water, and the correct amount was mentioned when we got into the instructions, but still, it should have been in the ingredient list. Be sure to read and review the recipes before you use them, just to be sure you have everything you'll need.
This book belongs on every foodie's shelf. Well-traveled folk will identify with his impressions of people, cities, and food around the world, which are bound to spark your own memories. If you haven't traveled yet, don't feel left out - YOU are Phil's target audience. He wants you to be happy, be fed, and have adventures similar to his. If for some reason you can't travel, you can still roam the earth vicariously through Phil's storytelling.
I could have saved a lot of words by simply saying this book is for everyone!
If you haven't seen the series, you'll still find the book to be an enjoyable read, with plenty of international recipes to try. But I really recommend you search out the television series too, because reading the book with Phil's friendly, earnest voice in your head is just so much fun!
Phil is not a cook, nor does he want to be one. What he wants is to find the good cooks of the world and spend time with them. More importantly, he wants you to search them out, too. That's his underlying not-so-secret agenda. Phil has enjoyed traveling, making friends and eating fantastic food, and really, really, really hopes you'll consider doing the same.
I love that Phil's anecdotes have plenty of room to ramble. He should never be cut short when telling a story - never!
So far, I've only tried one recipe, the Banh Mi Loaves on page 29 (hardback edition). Yummy as heck! My small quibble with the recipe is that they left one ingredient out of the list. It was only water, and the correct amount was mentioned when we got into the instructions, but still, it should have been in the ingredient list. Be sure to read and review the recipes before you use them, just to be sure you have everything you'll need.
This book belongs on every foodie's shelf. Well-traveled folk will identify with his impressions of people, cities, and food around the world, which are bound to spark your own memories. If you haven't traveled yet, don't feel left out - YOU are Phil's target audience. He wants you to be happy, be fed, and have adventures similar to his. If for some reason you can't travel, you can still roam the earth vicariously through Phil's storytelling.
I could have saved a lot of words by simply saying this book is for everyone!
Skyseeker's Princess by Miriam Verbeek
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Set on Si’Empra, a beautiful but harsh Antarctic island in the Southern Sea, Skyseeker’s Princess introduces us to Ellen, a member of the island’s royal family. Ellen’s destiny was to become the next ruler, though she’d much rather be a storyteller and serve her country through song and poetry about this magical land and its people.
If this sounds like a typical princess fantasy story, let me dash those hopes right now. Ellen’s destiny fails her when her horribly evil brother Redel takes the throne. Now that I’ve mentioned Redel, I need to give a trigger warning. Redel makes Ellen’s life intolerable by abusing her in harsh and unspeakable ways. There’s no reasoning with him, as his intents towards her are fueled by madness. Author Miriam Verbeek writes with an unflinching pen about Redel’s abuse of Ellen, but also knows when to stop and move on.
After a particularly unsavory round of Redel’s abuse, Ellen escapes with the help of a ‘glasaur’ named Rosa, a fantastical bird-beast she’s bonded to. But she can’t escape the after effects of Redel’s abuse; she suffers from depression and often indulges in self-harm. Will Ellen choose exile and pursue her storytelling dream, or find a way to fight back and take the throne? Can this broken girl mend herself and her island home?
There are three classes of people on Si’Empra. The Skyseekers, like Ellen, are the upper class. The Crystalmakers are the middle-class, and just like in our reality, they do most of the real work. At the bottom of the heap are the strange Webcleaners who seem to do exactly what their title suggests.
As Ellen explores the villages of Si’Empra, she learns how her island home actually functions. She discovers how the lower classes contribute to society, and what the people must have stockpiled to survive the coming winter. To her dismay, she realizes that under Redel’s corrupt reign, Si’Empra is floundering, with no real hope in sight. She wants to help her people, but how? Finding the answer to that question is the crux of the story.
If this still sounds like classic high fantasy to you, there’s another twist I haven’t mentioned yet. Si’Empra doesn’t exist on a fantasy world or in ancient times. The story takes place on present-day Earth. This means that modern cargo ships regularly come and go, computer and cellphone technology exists, helicopters are used in tracking the escaped princess, and there is even a mention of a car being shipped in to the island. This is our world, as we know it today, but with a special, magical twist somewhere near Antarctica.
Skyseeker’s Princess is the first volume in the “Songs of Si’Empra” three book series. The entire series is available at Amazon. I noticed that the book has had various covers since its first publication. The name of the series and the book number are prominent on each cover though, so you should have no trouble selecting the correct title.
Additional Reading
A few chapters in, I realized that I had very little knowledge of what life might be like south of the Antarctic Circle. I bookmarked my page and went to do a bit of googling. I found these three articles to be helpful in picturing Ellen’s homeland.
A few chapters in, I realized that I had very little knowledge of what life might be like south of the Antarctic Circle. I bookmarked my page and went to do a bit of googling. I found these three articles to be helpful in picturing Ellen’s homeland.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail
Nine Lives and Alibis: A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
As if I'm not already a pushover for cozy mysteries, all you really need to do is include a cat as one of the characters, and I'm in. Nine Lives and Alibis is the 7th book in the Cat Café series, but don't worry if you haven't read the previous 6. Author Cate Conte does a fine job of weaving in enough description of the settings and characters to bring you up to speed as the story unfolds.
Halloween is approaching, and Daybreak Harbor has decided to give nearby Salem Massachusetts some competition for the holiday. Our protagonist, Maddie James, is on the events planning committee. Luckily, the small town has a large, old inn with just the right character and ambiance to be the perfect location for events. Happily, the place is rumored to be haunted, too! Booking a famous medium and his equally well-known black cat to do readings at the inn should have Salem green with envy.
The storyline unfolds in such a way that readers have plenty of time to get to know the local personalities, and learn all about the circumstances at the inn that resulted in a death and a missing person 40 years ago. Those legends are the basis for the inn's haunted reputation.
It's nearly the halfway point of the book when murder strikes at the inn again. Because we've had time to really steep ourselves in the setting and personalities, the tragedy is much more meaningful than it would have been had it happened early on.
The solving of the murder is extremely satisfying, as the case pulls in all sorts of suspects and circumstances, as well as the inn's unsolved cold cases.
My only nitpick is that the cats aren't featured as much as I'd hoped they would be. Cats are referred to often, and Maddie's cat, JJ, is with her in many scenes. But, he's not given much to do other than utter the occasional squeak or fall asleep nearby. The other main cat spends most of the book missing. JJ does get his moment in the sun by helping solve the case, but overall, I just wanted more feline antics and involvement.
I'll rate Nine Lives and Alibis four crunchy salmon-flavored kitty treats out of five.
My thanks to author Cate Conte, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance digital copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Halloween is approaching, and Daybreak Harbor has decided to give nearby Salem Massachusetts some competition for the holiday. Our protagonist, Maddie James, is on the events planning committee. Luckily, the small town has a large, old inn with just the right character and ambiance to be the perfect location for events. Happily, the place is rumored to be haunted, too! Booking a famous medium and his equally well-known black cat to do readings at the inn should have Salem green with envy.
The storyline unfolds in such a way that readers have plenty of time to get to know the local personalities, and learn all about the circumstances at the inn that resulted in a death and a missing person 40 years ago. Those legends are the basis for the inn's haunted reputation.
It's nearly the halfway point of the book when murder strikes at the inn again. Because we've had time to really steep ourselves in the setting and personalities, the tragedy is much more meaningful than it would have been had it happened early on.
The solving of the murder is extremely satisfying, as the case pulls in all sorts of suspects and circumstances, as well as the inn's unsolved cold cases.
My only nitpick is that the cats aren't featured as much as I'd hoped they would be. Cats are referred to often, and Maddie's cat, JJ, is with her in many scenes. But, he's not given much to do other than utter the occasional squeak or fall asleep nearby. The other main cat spends most of the book missing. JJ does get his moment in the sun by helping solve the case, but overall, I just wanted more feline antics and involvement.
I'll rate Nine Lives and Alibis four crunchy salmon-flavored kitty treats out of five.
My thanks to author Cate Conte, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance digital copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Content Warnings
A fine example of a 'cozy mystery', perfect for a quick comfort read.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett
5.0
Loved it. Very sharp, irreverently witty and clever toying with the timeline. If I ever finish my gigantic stack of books I'd like to re-read it.
Venus on Mars by Jan Millsapps
3.0
I’ve always loved road trips. There is a freedom of mind and body that can only be found when you’re far from home and the only physical object that ties you to your identity is your car. Some of my favorite books and movies have involved the Classic American Road Trip.
Of course I was immediately interested when I began reading Venus on Mars and realized I’d be riding shotgun along with Venus Dawson, who’s just left New Orleans, Louisiana and is on the road to Pasadena, California. Venus has just attended to her mother’s burial in New Orleans, and is on her way home, where a job she loathes awaits her return.
Before she leaves the funeral proceedings, an uncle she’s never met gives her a package, explaining that he promised her mother it would be passed down to the next generation. He tells Venus she is ‘supposed to have this’. She cracks into the package during her first diner stop, finds her great aunt Wrexie Louise “Lulu” Leonard’s private journal, and begins to read it.
Venus is drawn into Lulu’s life, and we, the readers, are taken along for the ride. But there’s room on the road trip for yet one more notable woman. The author cleverly slips in details of the life of Letha Broussard Dawson, the almost-blind mother of Venus who’s just been buried, and is still in her ‘discovery’ stages of Crossing Over.
As Venus meanders her way across the country, she becomes more and more engrossed in Lulu’s journal. She starts to connect with her great aunt and finds a bond of both kinship and sympathy for the life of a Victorian woman who struggled with her astronomy career and the man she worked alongside. Venus has her share of both those challenges, too.
Eventually, the impact this little journal has on Venus goes well beyond words on paper. She veers off the main road, both in reality and also metaphysically, until all paths of her life are changed forever. There’s no clear way to describe this transition, it really needs to be experienced first-hand by the reader.
I’m aware that other reviews of Venus on Mars focus heavily on the planet Mars. Indeed, much of this story revolves around the red planet, which forms the pivot point of this story. Mars is wonderfully revealed (and revered) by each of our characters as they try to solve its mysteries.
But for me, what I will remember most are the lives of Lulu, Letha and Venus. Separated by time, bonded by blood, and joined by circumstances, when all is said and done, each has an amazing story to share. Inspired by their stories, you may find a chapter of your own life, just waiting to be written.
The author maintains an eye-opening website (janmillsapps.com) that’s well worth exploring. Here, she explains the ‘augmented moments’ that you’ll come across now and then in Venus on Mars. If you have access to a QR Reader for your mobile device, you can take advantage of these bonus features, but the novel plays out perfectly well on it’s own.
( Review originally written for Steampunk Magazine http://www.steampunkmagazine.com )
Of course I was immediately interested when I began reading Venus on Mars and realized I’d be riding shotgun along with Venus Dawson, who’s just left New Orleans, Louisiana and is on the road to Pasadena, California. Venus has just attended to her mother’s burial in New Orleans, and is on her way home, where a job she loathes awaits her return.
Before she leaves the funeral proceedings, an uncle she’s never met gives her a package, explaining that he promised her mother it would be passed down to the next generation. He tells Venus she is ‘supposed to have this’. She cracks into the package during her first diner stop, finds her great aunt Wrexie Louise “Lulu” Leonard’s private journal, and begins to read it.
Venus is drawn into Lulu’s life, and we, the readers, are taken along for the ride. But there’s room on the road trip for yet one more notable woman. The author cleverly slips in details of the life of Letha Broussard Dawson, the almost-blind mother of Venus who’s just been buried, and is still in her ‘discovery’ stages of Crossing Over.
As Venus meanders her way across the country, she becomes more and more engrossed in Lulu’s journal. She starts to connect with her great aunt and finds a bond of both kinship and sympathy for the life of a Victorian woman who struggled with her astronomy career and the man she worked alongside. Venus has her share of both those challenges, too.
Eventually, the impact this little journal has on Venus goes well beyond words on paper. She veers off the main road, both in reality and also metaphysically, until all paths of her life are changed forever. There’s no clear way to describe this transition, it really needs to be experienced first-hand by the reader.
I’m aware that other reviews of Venus on Mars focus heavily on the planet Mars. Indeed, much of this story revolves around the red planet, which forms the pivot point of this story. Mars is wonderfully revealed (and revered) by each of our characters as they try to solve its mysteries.
But for me, what I will remember most are the lives of Lulu, Letha and Venus. Separated by time, bonded by blood, and joined by circumstances, when all is said and done, each has an amazing story to share. Inspired by their stories, you may find a chapter of your own life, just waiting to be written.
The author maintains an eye-opening website (janmillsapps.com) that’s well worth exploring. Here, she explains the ‘augmented moments’ that you’ll come across now and then in Venus on Mars. If you have access to a QR Reader for your mobile device, you can take advantage of these bonus features, but the novel plays out perfectly well on it’s own.
( Review originally written for Steampunk Magazine http://www.steampunkmagazine.com )