Plain Kate

Title: Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4/5

Plain Kate lives in a world of magic, witches and curses. A talented woodcarver, Kate has lived alone in the woodcarver's stall since her father's death. But when a sickness comes to her village, the townspeople begin to turn against the gifted orphan and Kate makes a horrifying deal with a gypsy to escape being burnt as a witch.

I loved Plain Kate. It's beautifully written and I was captivated by Kate's story. My favourite books tend to be ones where I'm truly fascinated by the characters, and this book accomplished that, even moving me to tears at one point.

Plain Kate is darker than most other YAs I've read. The way the villagers look for someone to blame and burn when things look bad reflects the Spanish Inquisition and the witch trials of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Also, Linay's plan to take revenge on the town that caused the death of his sister illustrates the desperation of grief. Moreover, the self-mutilation, even to control a ghost, is a little disturbing, though very well done.

I thought Bow's depiction of Taggle was absolutely perfect. A cat-owner myself, it seems completely fitting that a talking cat would be stuck up and pompous, consistently talking about his superiority when not talking about food or being hungry. And I thought his slow transformation to something more than cat was fantastic.

As well, I enjoyed the inclusion of lyrics. They were lovely and poetic and it seemed fitting that spells would be cast in song. It also reminded me of the medieval bards and minstrels of times past, which seems appropriate considering the setting.

I'd recommend Plain Kate to all and sundry. It's a beautiful and emotional story and leads me to expect great things from Erin Bow's future novels.

Mr. Toppit

Title: Mr. Toppit by Charles Elton
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4/5

When an obscure British children's author is killed by a cement truck in a freak accident, he is comforted in his last moments by an unknown American tourist, who then insinuates herself into his family. She becomes obsessed with his books and champions them back in America, bringing them to posthumous fame worldwide and rocketing her own celebrity career. But fame is not always what it's cracked up to be.

I was hooked from the very first line of Mr. Toppit. It's an entertaining and emotional read, chronicling the life of the Hayman family after Arthur's death and the posthumous success of The Hayseed Chronicles.

There's a hint of mystery throughout the book; several secrets that are answered as the story unfolds and which help keep the narrative moving. The most notable mystery is the eponymous Mr.Toppit, a sinister character in The Hayseed Chronicles, who had only just appeared in the last book published, but whose presence is felt throughout all five books and who becomes one of the major points of discussion about the series.

The story of the Haymans is rather reminiscent of the success of AA Milne, author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. Like Christopher Milne, Luke Hayman resents the fame the his father's books brought him. He wants nothing more than to fade back into obscurity and to avoid people who assume they know him just because they've read the books.

There's also a strong thread throughout illustrating the possible consequences of success, particularly the inability to deal with the stress of living in the public eye and to regulate desires when everything is at your fingertips. In the books, Luke is an only child and as a result, Arthur's daughter overcompensates by trying to become involved in every aspect of The Hayseed Chronicles' success. She offers to write the next book in the series and her father's biography, and tries to influence filming decisions for the BBC miniseries based on the books. She drowns her sorrows and insecurities in drink and drugs, spiraling further and further into depression. The star of the BBC miniseries was already a bit of an alcoholic, but later rumours circulated that he'd become an addict and was HIV positive.

I found Elton's writing witty, smooth and moving, though a little dark. At the end of the book, everything seems to be tied up but I still found myself asking "That's it?" I look forward to seeing what else Mr. Elton writes and I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy an engaging, more literary read, particularly one with a hint of mystery.

Thanks to Other Press for the Advanced Reading Copy of Mr. Toppit. The views expressed above are my own. For more information on Mr. Toppit, check out the Other Press website.

Gym Dandy

Title: Gym Dandy by Storm Grant
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis from MLR Press:
Mixed signals or glitchy gaydar? After a first kiss gone horribly wrong, out and outgoing personal trainer Victor Brighton settles for friendship with handsome new client Douglas Newkirk. But is Doug in denial? Each time the boys get close, something or someone interferes: ex-wives, ex-boyfriends, bitchy bosses, even the cable guy.

Gym Dandy is a hilarious and entertaining read with just the right touch of angst to keep you interested in the romance. The characters are fun and realistic, though I get a kick out of Doug's manner of speaking. And I like the way Grant builds up their back stories over the course of the book, so that it explains aspects of their personalities that we've already noticed. I also thought that Grant put her knowledge of Toronto to good use in her depictions of the city. The portrayals of Church St. and the Yonge and Eg area seemed familiar and faithful to the city. Even the fictional locations seemed to fit right in. I was a little surprised by the plot twist at the end, because it felt a little like it came out of nowhere but looking back there are a couple of hints throughout.

In the end, I'd definitely recommend Gym Dandy to other readers and personally I'd like to read one of Storm Grant's other books myself.

Stash

Title: Stash by David Klein
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2/5

Gwen Raine's your average stay-at-home mom living in an idyllic suburban neighborhood. But Gwen's perfect world starts to fall apart when she's involved in a car accident and the cops find marijuana in her car. Thanks to a recent rise in drugs-related crime, they're taking this seriously even though the accident wasn't Gwen's fault.

Sadly, I wasn't overly impressed by Stash. While I do think it was well-written, I didn't find it very engaging. It just seemed to fall flat.

For the most part, I found the characters stereotypical and dry. Gwen's your average well-off stay-at-home mom - school volunteer, vice-president of the PTA and very aware of her appearance in the community - who smokes up on occasion (with her best friend) to relax. Her husband's a workaholic whose company is going through its own crisis at the moment, and who's being pursued by a coworker. The character I found most interesting was Dana, one of the secondary characters. An athlete who avoids drugs and alcohol despite the example her parents set for her (or perhaps because of it). She seems unique thanks to a venous malformation that makes her look like she has a permanent black eye. Even when she makes some less than intelligent decisions, she fights back and takes care of herself.

The narrative switched points of view throughout the book and I found it distracted from the story. I also found the story predictable at points. I was only surprised a few times by the events in the book, one of which occurred towards the end and actually got me interested in the story for a while. Unfortunately, it didn't last long.

As the book progressed, I thought maybe the moral of the story was going to be how drugs can mess up your life, but considering the conclusion I'm not sure any of the characters learned anything.

I have to admit that I probably wouldn't have finished Stash if I wasn't reviewing it for this blog. Personally, I'm not likely to recommend it to anyone but I've seen some very positive reviews out there, so give it a try and decide for yourself.

Thanks to Broadway Books for the Advanced Reading Copy of Stash. The views expressed above are my own. For more information on Stash, check out the Random House website.

The Reckoning

Title: The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Fiction, YA, Paranormal
Rating: 5/5

Two weeks ago, Chloe Saunders was your average fifteen-year-old girl. Then she started seeing ghosts. Now she's on the run from the corporation that experimented on her as a child and is attempting to cover up what they see as their mistakes. And the only people she can trust are the other three teenage paranormals who are running with her.

I absolutely loved The Reckoning. I admit that I'm a bit biased because I think Kelley Armstrong's a fantastic writer, but I was completely captivated by the story. All that suspense and action, I couldn't put it down.

I really enjoyed the character development over the trilogy, which was rounded out in this book. Chloe, Derek, Simon and Tori have all gained increased control over their powers, though it's less noticeable with Simon. Derek's still over-protective but he tries to listen to the others' opinions and to think before he flips out. Tori's probably grown the most, having come to some unpleasant realizations about her family. She's no longer the spoiled brat that she was to start and she's willing do her part to help out.

I don't really have anything negative to say about the book. The only thing I found disappointing was that we didn't really see any of the characters of Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. Perhaps that will come. Armstrong's kicking off a new YA trilogy in April with The Gathering and I can't wait to read it.

I have to say that The Darkest Powers trilogy is probably one of the best YA paranormal series that I've read since I started reading the genre in the mid-1990s. I completely recommend The Reckoning. But make sure to read The Summoning and The Awakening first. You don't want to miss the setup.

The King's Mistress

Title: The King's Mistress by Emma Campion
Genre: Fiction, Historical, Romance
Rating: 3/5

History remembers Alice Perrers as a greedy and conniving harlot who took advantage of an aging king. But is that who Alice truly was? Or was she a woman who was taught always to obey and who cared for her family so greatly that she was easily manipulated by those in power?

The King's Mistress is a really good book. It's well-written, contains some beautiful imagery and Campion's obviously done her research, even if she doesn't necessarily agree with the popular beliefs on Alice Perrers. Unfortunately, the book just didn't grip me. It's not to say that I didn't want to read the complete book, just that I didn't mind putting it down for a day or two to read something else for work, which meant it took me a while to finish it.

I liked the stylistic symmetry of including lines of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde as epigraphs to the chapters. It's a tragic love story set against the background of the Trojan war where the female protagonist's decisions are influenced by society and her family. It complements Alice's story and the way her own choices are influenced by her love for her family. However, my minimal knowledge of middle English meant reading the epigraphs took a little deciphering.

I really enjoyed Campion's characterizations of Alice, King Edward and the other historical figures. It's interesting to see Alice as a young girl with no say in what happens to her, who falls in love against her better judgment and grows to become a woman willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family. I found the manipulative and secretive nature of the royal family completely believable, particularly Edward's temperamental nature. And his spiral into dementia was heartbreaking. I also really liked the friendship that Campion imagined between Alice and Chaucer. Considering Chaucer's connections to two of Edward's sons, it is entirely believable that he and Alice may have known each other, and in the book he proves to be one of the few confidantes she can trust.

In the end, I'd recommend The King's Mistress to history lovers, particularly those interested in the British monarchy, and those that enjoy family fictions. It's definitely worth the read and I look forward to reading Emma Campion's future books.

Thanks to Crown Publishers for the Advanced Reading Copy of The King's Mistress. A positive review was not a requirement and the views expressed above are my own. For more information on The King's Mistress, check out the Random House website.

Life Penalty

Title: Life Penalty by Joy Fielding
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 1/5

A stay-at-home mom with two gorgeous daughters and a loving husband, Gail Walton was living your average middle-class life. Then the unthinkable happened: her six-year-old daughter was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered. Depressed, Gail retreats into herself and vows that if the police don't find the killer within 60 days, she'll do it herself.

I'm not sure exactly why, but I just couldn't get into Life Penalty. Part of it was the characters. Gail starts off the book as this almost perfect mother and wife and then devolves into this irrational woman whose grief and obsession overwhelm everything and ruin all of her relationships. She spends a great deal of the book imagining that she's being attacked and then putting herself in situations where she could be gravely injured or killed. And Jack was this cliched patient husband, willing to wait forever for his wife to recover despite her unwillingness to try.

As for the story itself, I found it too dark and depressing as a whole, and poorly written. I've read books that deal with dark and difficult themes in the past, but I just found that this story had no redemption to it. Gail just keeps spiraling deeper and deeper into her depression, which dragged on throughout the book with no hope of recovery. The ending itself felt rushed and the last scene just seemed completely unbelievable.

I'm hard-pressed to say what I did like about the book, other than the fact that it was a quick read. I do feel that it had a realistic depiction of the 1980s judicial system in North America, though an admittedly one-sided view.

I had a really tough time getting through the whole book and almost abandoned it a few times. Only my desire to see whether the killer was eventually found kept me reading. Overall, Life Penalty is not a book I'd recommend to anyone, but I might be willing to try reading another book by Joy Fielding in the future.