The Accidental Empress

Finally an adult book! With adult themes! And adult language! After all my YA reading, it's wonderful to read a book meant for adults. However, that's also my caveat. I think maybe my expectations of good literature have lessened with all the YA I'm reading.

It's so much easier to be entertained by a fun and easy story than to read good writing. Complex characters. Stellar thematic material.

This book I though was interesting. What I love about historical fiction is the education aspect of it. I know nothing of Austria/Hungarian royalty, so it was lovely learning about it in an entertaining way.

That being said, I need to put on my critical literature glasses instead of just my "was it a fun read" glasses.

When I compare The Accidental Empress to something such as The Other Boleyn Girl, I have to be disappointed. The characters were flat. The story predictable (yes, I know it's historical fiction but if you don't know the story, it still should be unpredictable). The writing was just fine. Historical fiction should transport the reader to the time and place and this one just didn't. I still felt just like a reader and not a participator.

Overall, a 7 out of 10. Good enough to read, captivating story, even as it dragged on. Have low expectations and you'll love it.

Book of a Thousand Days

Okay. So I know I'm on my "trying out YA novels to make sure it's appropriate" kick. Well, Morgan read this one first and told me I should read it. And she was correct. What a great little YA book! This is a Brothers Grimm lesser known story retold. It's about Lady Saren and her ladies maid who are both shut in a tower for 7 years because Lady Saren would not consent to marry a cruel man.

While this book is a great one for mature 10 year olds (it has some violence), it's also a beach read book if you like YA books. It's more like a YA-Juvenile book. A little cheesy at times, but overall a good book.

The Rosie Effect

I absolutely loved The Rosie Project. The Rosie Effect is just as good. Rosie and Don are doing great as a married couple, until the news of pregnancy throws a wrench in Don's highly organized life.

These characters are absolutely adorable. Quirky and lovable and maddening. There are multiple side stories going on at the same time as the questioning of Rosie and Don's marriage survival, which gives the book depth.

Graeme Simsion gets into Don's head in a remarkable way and I love the story line and characters. I highly recommend book of the Rosie books to anyone who wants a smart, interesting, debatable beach read.

Split Second

This is the sequel to Pivot Point. Which I thought was a great book, just not quite appropriate for my 10 year old. I'm still on my "reading through the YA section for appropriate modern fiction" thing.

Split Second is all about Addie's best friend, Laila leaving the compound to help Addie with some troubling stuff happening outside the abilities community. Unfortunately, it's one of those books where if you didn't read Pivot Point, this one won't make much sense. Even more unfortunately, is that it's appropriate for my 10 year old. 

I felt like literary speaking, this book was more of a stretch and a little more forced that Pivot Point. I loved the characters less and while I somewhat cared about them, I didn't fully care. So, it was not as good of a book as the first. That being said, if you want a really quick and easy beach read that's clean, this is a good book for you. 

Pivot Point

I am officially in trouble. For the past 10 years, I haven't really had to read everything my kids read. They have stuck to Juvenile and for the most part, that's been fine. There is of course, the occasional outlier.

When at the library this past week with my girls, my eldest perused the Juvenile section and with frustrated angst, asked me if she could look at the YA section. Her words exactly. "The YA section". My life reading adult books is now over.

I've read a lot of YA. I think it's a pretty great genre. Much of it is not, however, appropriate for 10 year olds.

Pivot Point is one of those books that's ALMOST appropriate, but not. Maybe in another 2-3 years.

It is, however, a good YA novel. I loved the concept and the writing was also great. It could (and should) have actually been turned into a series.

It's about a secret city in the mountains near Texas where people lived who have special abilities. Telepathic, telekinetic, time manipulators, etc. Norms (those normal people living outside this community who don't have any abilities) don't know about this place and don't know about special abilities. Pivot Point is about a high school girl, Addison, who comes into her own as it relates to her ability. When her parents tell her about some big changes coming up in her life, she uses her ability to see which choice she should make. Most of the book is about what Addie's optional futures are.

Overall, it's a great book and I have very little to complain about. And what critics I do have, are still pretty benign and positive. While this book does have a sequel, Split Second, this first book should have been made into a series. I would have loved more explanation on the abilities. More details of their lives living inside the compound.

But that's it. The characters were great, the plot was not anticipated, and the writing was interesting. Overall, a great book for mature 12 year olds, due to some sexual language and innuendos. However, the kids in general were respectful of their parents, kind to others, and there is no language in the book.

Because of Anya

Because of Anya is a great little find of a book. It's about a girl who has Alopecia Areata and doesn't want her classmates to know. It's a great book for elementary aged girls of any age to read.