The Beauty of Darkness

 The last book in the The Remnant series and a great ending it was. 

Lia is saved by Rafe from the river as they had tried to make their escape. But dressed like a pin cushion and dying, the cold journey to safety is long, hard and torturous. With help from Rafe's men and a persevering princess, they make their way to safe territory with their vital information of a coming siege. Kaden finds them and is "invited" into the party with shackles. Now, to convince generals of the hostilities coming and to weed out corruption from her own government while not getting captured or assassinated by the officials who work as spies for the Komizar. 

I ended up actually putting this one down for a while, and wasn't super keen on getting back to it. The beginning, getting away, even the romantic escapades between certain characters were fine, but as the story went on toward the middle, Lia rather annoyed me. There was a lot of angst and an exorbitant amount of aggression between characters. In the previous books, it made sense because there were kidnappings and hostage-ness going on, but now trying to save all the kingdoms it seemed unnecessary and a lot. 

I still really enjoyed the ancestral parts of the series. All of the ruins and lore and the fact that histories are different depending on where you're reading them from. Perspectives change as you jump from culture to culture and interpretations change and waver depending on situations. I do wish there was a little more history when it came to the ruins and cities that they passed through, but I know there are those, especially when it comes to Young Adult stories, that don't like going lore heavy. It is something that I very much enjoy and drink up wholeheartedly. 

Aside from angsty-teenagery-ness I did enjoy the characters. Particularly side characters for this book. They were given more time on the center stage and I think they are what pulled me back into the story. Pauline especially,  because you don't often get older, pregnant teenage girls who also have a baby in stories in general, especially in a fantasy setting. I enjoyed the fact that Pauline and Kaden didn't get a long and he was forced into midwifery and that he stood up for her later when she was being harassed. It was sweet and actually made me like Kaden more. Other characters bloomed too throughout the series and culminated here at the end. 

Lia and Rafe's relationship was very apparent. They did make love and none of it was described physically . It was all emotional, which I think is a good, healthy way to be describing it--especially in a Young Adult book. It worked and it worked well. 

I did enjoy the climax of the story. * spoilers *  The war parts were well written and the fact that Lia was able to use her Gift to help was pretty cool. Though, with all the point of "sacrifice" in the prophecy, I was thinking she Mary Pearson might do something truly cool and kill of characters, an ending like the Divergent series or something. But it was a different kind of sacrifice which I guess was okay.... Fine. Mary Pearson isn't so bold as to kill of her main character in a dramatic, story driven way. Makes the girls who are squeeing about the story really happy. 

All in all, it was pretty good. I enjoyed the series and would recommend it for people who are wanting a good series to read. 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

 My son read this one to me and it was a great experience. 

Hugo Cabret is alone. He lost his dad in fire and was given to his uncle's care, but his uncle has been gone for months leaving Hugo by himself. Well, him and the clocks he winds every day at the Paris Train Station. No one knows he's there and he is scared of being taken to an orphanage or being put in the Stations Inspector's "cage" so he stays quiet, taking his uncles paychecks but not cashing them, and steals to survive. He recently rediscovered an automaton that his father found and keeps close to his heart the notebook his father left behind. But after getting caught stealing a small mechanical mouse from a toyshop in the station, the notebook gets taken away from him by the shop owner and the struggle to get it back ensues. However, there seems to be something strange about this old toyshop owner, there is far more that he is not telling Hugo as to why he took Hugo's father's notebook in the first place. The shop owner's goddaughter and Hugo join forces to find the notebook and its significance. 

I think the thing I loved most about this book was the fact that my son was able to read it to me. He struggles in reading and the pictures that were drawn and old photos of movies helped make this come alive for my son. It intrigued him and didn't make him feel like "it's too hard." The words were more difficult than things he's accustomed too, I was going for a challenge, and far larger of a book than I'd ever read on his own. But he did it and enjoyed the story. 

The second thing were the pictures. It brought life and vivation to the story along with clarity to the reader who's never seen any of the old movies before. We were able to see the "man in the moon with a rocket in his eye" and the fairy lands that were made in the old films because the still frame pictures were there. There were cartoon-ish drawing of Hugo and Isabelle, Georges and people of the station which brought the story to live as well. 

I think this is a good book to start kids out on when talking about historical fiction. There are many parts in history that could be talked about, but movies and shows are obviously topics that kids can get very passionate about--as my son shows me on many occasions--and this story gives a fictional account of the beginnings of moving pictures. It was fun to talk with him about one of the first films, "A Train Pulling Into A Station" and how it scared people in the audience because they thought the train was going to run them over. We talked about other inventions and how things were so different and how far they've come. It's opened up avenues of older movies that he's never seen before, but where important when it comes to making movies. 

It also is a good starting point for introductions to Steampunk books that are out there. It opens up a mechanical world with automatons and that fact that clocks had to be wound often to keep them running. Steampunk and that alternate reality is a fun one, in my opinion, to dive into. (A good series I'd recommend is The Rythmatist and Misborn Era 2 starting with Alloy of Law all by Brandon Sanderson. They are the only steampunk books I've been able to really get into as of yet, but there are many on the TBR list.) 

It was much more of an adventure story or mystery that I thought it would be. Not much in the way of character development happened to the main character or Isabelle, but for "Papa Georges" he grew a little. He softened over the course of the story and was able to confront hard things in the past that had happened. I don't entirely know how much of it was "based on true events" and how much of the story was creative liberties by the author though. 

We both enjoyed the book and we'll be watching the movie soon, which I'm excited to show my son. 

Holes

Stanley Yelnats didn't do anything wrong, yet the courts say otherwise and so he is being sent off to Camp Green Lake. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. Only dirt, heat, dangerous animals, and holes. The boys dig holes to "build character." It is long hard work that seems to do nothing but waste time. But then the Warden seems to be searching for something. Whatever is it? 

My son and I read this book and very much enjoyed it. 

Characters were many and sometimes hard to differentiate between, but they were still fun and enjoyable. Setting made me need a drink of water all the time. But what I most enjoyed was the plot and flashbacks that were present to help enlighten the reader as to what was actually going on. Miss Katherine and Sam were my favorite and I really felt for them. And you feel sorry for Stanley and Zero and all the other boys. 

Murder on the Orient Express

 Agatha Christie was made a Dame for a reason and I think Murder on the Orient Express was that reason. 

Complete strangers board a train, mingle for a few hours or days, and then go their separate ways. But then a murder happens and those who have nothing to do with each other are then all suspected to have murdered a horrendous man. So many clues. Too many clues. It was one of them, but which one? 

Murder on the Orient Express  has been made into many movies and so the story wasn't new to me. It was one that I wanted to read to say that I'd done it.  I am a major fan of Kenneth Branagh as he is a fantastic actor and brings so much more to each character he portrays (whether it is Hercule, Professor Lockhart, or King Henry IV), so to hear him give this presentation for all the many nationalities here was a treat. 

I enjoyed all the characters that were present here. There were many and at times could have been hard to keep track of, but Agatha Christie was able to keep them all fairly well clear. And while there were many clues and twists and turns throughout the story, she gave them to us in ways the kept it concise clear though we had to use our "little gray cells" to get the other ending like Poirot did--if people are that awesome to be able to actually do that anyway. 

I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the games and movies that came out of this series. Well done Agatha. Well done. 

House of Many Ways

 Diana Wynne Jones's third book in the Howl's Moving Castle series is probably my favorite. Don't get me wrong. The first one is amazing, but this one was fun. 

Charmain Baker is a baker's daughter who is good at nothing but reading. Her mother doesn't let her do anything that is remotely unladylike, so mostly she reads. But then she is tasked with taking care of Great Uncle William's house while he is going away to see the Elves to heal him. Great Uncle William is a wizard and his house his magical. Outside it is a simple cottage with two rooms, but the large wooden door that leads to the kitchen can also lead to "many ways" other than the kitchen. Not only does she come to a house that is piled high with laundry and dishes which she doesn't know how to do, but the kobolds are also complaining and a boy barges in looking to be Great Uncle William's apprentice AND she gets a reply from the King to come and help him with his library. So much is going on for a girl who doesn't know how to do anything. 

This was  my sons favorite out of the three stories. Charmain was cute and it was just a super fun book. I liked the appearance of Howl and Sophie, though Howl's lisp was hard to voice over, jus saying. I also enjoyed the history of he old country and how some problems last generations before they become resolved. 

It was a cute book, that I would defiantly read again, and probably will if my son has more say in what I pick for our breakfast book club. 

The Heart of Betrayal

Wow. This is a great book. 

Lea, Princess of Morrighan, finds herself in enemy territory. After being kidnapped by the Assassin and carted across country to Venda, she must find a way out of this inescapable city. The Prince has lies and says he's an emissary of the Prince wanting to make a treaty with Venda. With her precarious position, lies and secrets deep in the Sanctum, and her world view shifting from seeing everyone here as barbarians to survivors, Lea has quite a path ahead of her. Their plans for escaping seem ludicrous with four, not four thousand or even four hundred, soldiers to help. How do they get out? How is this woman that Lea keeps seeing that seems invisible to everyone else? 

This was a very well written book. Had me sucked in the whole time and I can't wait to get into the third book. SUCH A CLIFFHANGER!!! 

Lea, I think, grows quite a bit in this book as her understanding of the people she once saw as her enemy are now seen through new eyes. I wish Kaden and Rafe had more growth, though Kaden by the end of the story does take a big step forward we only hope he isn't dead because of it. 

I also really like the world that this is in. Venda, where we spend most of the book, is a city built upon ruins. Ruins with libraries beneath it. Libraries of knowledge that only very few people can read. I liked how we got to see a bit of the ruins as she was toured around the city. It would make for a great graphic novel, that I would love to read. 

I think it was also fun how we know there is a prophecy and she's "the chosen one" kinda thing, but that so many people don't know about it or don't believe it is real. But that there are many people who know the old stories and give shifty eyed glances to one another because "they know" more than what the bad guys do. It made the little things they did that much more precious and important. 

The ending was very well done and I can't wait to get into book 3. 

The Kiss of Deception

 The first book in the Remnant Chronicles was one I was suggested on a social media group and, boy, was I astounded on how much I liked it. 

Lea is a princess and is forced into an arranged marriage to a prince she doesn't know. She doesn't like the idea of being tied down to a old man for the sake of diplomacy, so she runs away with her ladies maid. Leaving false leads and trails, the two girls flee to another nearby country to disappear all together. But leaving behind her past is far harder than she thought. Her marriage cavah (henna tattoo) on her back which was supposed to fade after a few baths, seems to becoming more vibrant and colorful. And the Gift she was supposed to have but never able to tap into starts to bloom in her.  Becoming a tavern waitress and starting a fresh and anew, Lea finds that her past is still very close at hand. Unknowingly, the Prince she was supposed to marry and an Assassin sent to kill her follow her trails and board at the tavern she works in. And slowly, she finds that she is falling in love with these two men and whom they portray. But then when news from home spurs her to head back and turn herself in as a traitor for running away, she finds herself kidnapped by this Assassin who can't quite bring himself to kill her so instead takes her back to his home country, across desserts and plains, through ruins of the ancient and canyons; all the while the Prince is hot on their trail to find her and kill him before they are out of reach. 

I'm not much one for love triangles, but this one isn't so bad. I think the thing that makes this  love triangle okay is that the characters are their own. They are full, deep, and lively characters that push the story on more than just pining over "my love for you" and whatnot. A good part of the second half is the knowing that the Assassin lied to her and he keeps lying to her because he's loyal to his country and yet still doesn't want to kill her, he's saved her--yet obviously this is a bad thing because he's still kidnapped her. Their relationship is very twisted and dependent on one another even if she doesn't want it to be. 

I also liked at the beginning we don't actually know who is the Assassin and who is the Prince. There is enough ambiguity between the two men that the reader is constantly guessing who is who and if this guy is going to kill her by throwing her off a cliff or dagger in the night or other instances. 

The character development for Lea is great and you can see the turmoil that happens for the boys (though I wish there was more of them in the story--specifically Rafe). 

I also really like the Ancients and the ruins and the stories/remembrances that are threaded importantly throughout the story. Lea is "The Chosen One" and has a prophecy about her that we find out more about as she does. I want there to be ghosts in the ruins. I want there to be more that others understand about the prophecy as they nod knowingly. I want more information about these ancient civilizations, specifically the truths behind why and how they collapsed more than just "The Gods did it." And what's fun (because I started listening to book two already), we do. 

I've really enjoyed this series.