Book Review: Timeless by Gail Carriger

*** This is the fifth book in a series, so if you haven't read these books, proceed with caution. But seriously, has my marathoning of the series not convinced you to read it if you haven't yet? No? Then I have failed you.***

Title: Timeless Parasol Protectorate #5 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: March 1, 2012 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell's acting troupe's latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a dampener on Alexia's enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.   Until, that is, she receives a summons from Alexandria that cannot be ignored. With husband, child and Tunstells in tow, Alexia boards a steamer to cross the Mediterranean. But Egypt may hold more mysteries than even the indomitable Lady Maccon can handle. What does the vampire Queen of the Alexandria Hive really want from her? Why is the God-Breaker Plague suddenly expanding? And how has Ivy Tunstell suddenly become the most popular actress in all the British Empire?

This series is over and I'm sad. My marathoning of it has taken a little over a month and I'm not ready to let it go. I may need to start reading Prudence right away! Because I really did love reading it. It's such a fun and thrilling series and the last book did not disappoint.

For one thing I love these characters so much. I was already attached to a few of them after reading the Finishing School books and I got quickly attached to the rest in these five books. Carriger definitely knows how to develop a quirky cast of characters and make them likable and complex. Every last one of the characters in this book is amazing in their own way. I loved learning more about them in the course of this book but there are still so many questions I need answers to.

As far as the characters go, no one makes a bigger impression that Alexia, the main character in this series. I loved her immediately and enjoyed her just as much five books later. She's the perfect strong female protagonist, tough, resourceful, and mouthy. But at the same time she's caring and reckless. I appreciated more than I thought I would seeing her as a mother. It was a different dimension for her. And on that note, Prudence? Baby Prudence was so fun. I am anticipating all the sass from her in the Custard Protocol, which I could not be happier about.

But while the characters are amazing, that's just the tip of he iceberg for this series. I continue to be incredibly impressed by the depth of this world. In every book we explore one more facet of the supernatural and steampunk Victorian era. It's such a perfect combination of Urban Fantasy and Historical Fiction. And the corner of the world we got to experience her was fascinating. I loved going to Egypt and learning more about the God-Breaker Plague, among other things. It combines history, mythology, and fantasy in such a brilliant way which I really enjoyed. Although I do still have a ton of questions about stuff.

And the plot too here was really compelling. It may not have been as thrilling as some of the other books but it was definitely engaging. As always there was an interesting mystery element that kept me guessing and a good amount of action scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. I also think it did a really good way of wrapping up the series by bringing back up and resolving elements that were introduced much earlier in the series. It didn't totally have an overarching plot point but it was complex enough that I enjoyed the callbacks and ultimate resolution.

All in all this was a really great read and a good ending to a series that I loved. It's been such a fun and exciting series to read. I wish I had read it years ago when I was first introduced to it but I'm glad that I took the time to read it now.

To be honest, I loved t so much that I'm not ready to let it go. I kind of want to now terra the Finishing School series and then read Prudence. Or maybe I'll read all the short stories! Oh Gail Carriger, I wish I knew how to quit you. No I don't. I never want to quit you!

I give Timeless by Gail Carriger 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you haven't read this series you absolutely need to. I totally loved it. It is the perfect comnbination of humorous and thrilling, history and fantasy. I absolutely loved it and cannot recommend it enough.

Have you read Timeless? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Challenge Wrap Ups: Rock My TBR Challenge

Last week I did my first round of an end of the year wrap up where I do weekly posts and challenge wrap ups. In addition to doing a favorite books of the year thing, once a week in December I am going to do a challenge wrap up to talk about some of my favorite books in the categories that I did challenges for. I did a total of four challenges this year. This week I am doing my back list books or the Rock My TBR challenge. I will be reading one more backlist book this year but it's in a series so I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts.

My goal for the year was to read 25 backlist books that I already owned. And while I did read 27 backlist books, I think only about 20 of them were books that I already owned but I am calling this one a win for the Rock My TBR Challenge hosted by The YA Book Traveller. But I did read 153 books so far for the year which means about 1/6 of the books I read were all published before 2016. I think that is still pretty good considering so much of book blogging is about the newest books.

And honestly I loved so many of these books. A few of them will probably be on my list of favorite books of the year. There were a handful of them that I had been waiting a long time to read and am very glad that I took the time to read them, Here is the list of some of my favorites.

1.) And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads )

I have wanted to read this book for years. Years. That is not an overstatement. Like I have wanted to read this book for at least 10 years. I probably had it on my Amazon wishlist when I first set up said wishlist. But I never actually read it until now when I picked up a copy at a Goodwill. And seriously, what was I waiting for? This book is phenomenal.

As many of you probably know, I am kind of picky when it comes to mysteries. I like being able to solve it but not too quickly. I also like being surprised but because there wasn't clues. I feel like with the mystery here I wasn't able to solve it, there were not many clues, and I still loved it. It messed with my head and caught me off guard and I loved it. It was so good and I need to read more Agatha Christie because seriously, why did I wait so long to read her books?

But I would absolutely recommend this one. If you are like me and have for some reason not read any Agatha Christie, take the time to read this one. Especially if you like mysteries. It's amazing, I loved it.

2.) Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

I considered not including this book on this list because it is one of my favorite books of the year, like top three favorite books. But if I am being honest I have to include this one on this list because it is my favorite book from this challenge. I read it because of this challenge and I will forever be grateful to this challenge because of that. Whatever the reason, I read it and I loved it.

Because honestly this was a really amazing book. It is full of phenomenal characters (LUKA LOWE, you guys!), insane amounts of action and adventure, and it may have me reconsidering my thoughts that I don't like alternate histories and road trips. What I'm saying is that this book is not one I expected to love. It's almost the perfect storm of things I don't usually like all working together to create something I did like. Is that a thing? I feel like it should be a thing.

If you are interested in this book I would definitely suggest listening to the audio. I think it kind of made it what it was for me. It's a great read and perfect for the audio format so yes, listen to it.

3.) The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Okay so once again a book, or well series, that I wanted to read forever and haven't. Also another book that I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. I feel like my elementary/middle school librarian let me down by not somehow ensuring that I read this series instead of whatever else I was reading.

Because as I am sure all you fans of Tamora Pierce know, this is an amazing YA fantasy series that kind of set the tone and stage for what we know of today as YA fantasy. It's got an amazing world and great characters that we get to grow and develop with throughout their life which I always enjoy. It also has a really cool fantasy world that we get to explore which is full of magic, adventure, and mythology. It's a classic sword and sorcery series and I loved it.

 I would totally recommend this series. If you were somehow living under a rock called Goosebumps and The Babysitter's Club like me in the 90's and missed this series take the time to read it now because it's totally worth it.

4.) Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

This is another one of those books that am kind of surprised and ashamed that I hadn't read until this year. I wanted to read it when I first learned about it back in 2014. I even had an advance copy that I picked up my first year at BEA. But for some reason I didn't read it until this year.

But I am really glad that I took the time to finally read it because this book was really fantastic. It's a really great piece of historical fiction as it takes the reader to Virginia in the 1950's during the segregation process and tells a really honest story of some of the horrible things that occurred during that period. But the diversity with this series goes even further with LGBTQIA characters. It was really complex and interesting and I really loved it. It's a total me book and I'm not sure why I waited to read it. I don't even have a good excuse.

If you haven't read this book and you are at all interested in it, definitely read it. I think it's something that will appeal to a broad audience because of the many different themes about diversity and acceptance. This is one of a few Robin Talley books I read this year and I definitely want to read more.

5.) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads )

I know so many of you are obsessed with this book and honestly I was a little worried about it for that reason. I didn't want to hate it and then have the collective blogosphere shun me because I didn't enjoy this book. But rest assured, I loved it. It also made me sob while in a car with all my coworkers driving to a statewide meeting, so there's that.

But to be honest, everyone who loves this book is totally right, it's everything. Not only does it have an amazing story full of great themes and surprises that kept me engaged and interested, but it also has gorgeous images as well. It's not quite a graphic novel or a short story but is probably something in between. That in and of itself made for a unique and interesting read.

I would definitely recommend this book. If you are like me and putting off reading it for some reason or just haven't yet, you must change that immediately. This book is everything everyone says it is.

Honorable Mentions:

6.) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson - My Review
What favorites list is complete without a Sanderson book? (My audiobooks list, apparently). I had plans to read more Cosmere books this year but I didn't end up doing that for some reason.
But anyway, I did really enjoy Elantris. It is not my favorite of his books but it was really fantastic.

7.) You by Caroline Kepnes - My Review
I could have included this above, and honestly I initially did. But I moved it to honorable mentions because I explained much of my affection for it last week in my audiobook wrap up. Just know, it's amazing.

8.) The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger - My Review
I had such a hard time deciding if this should be on the main list or not. I ended up putting it down here just because I'm not finished with the series and also because I didn't love all the books. I mean I did but also I didn't.

There you have it, all my favorite backlist books of the year. I loved so many of them that at least a few will end up on my favorites of the year list. Not to mention that this was a great year for reading books I had wanted to read for a long time and somehow did not. I marathoned some full series, and I read some books that have been in my TBR for a decade. If you want to see the full list on all the audiobooks I listened to this year and to find my thoughts, check out the Rock My TBR Challenge page HERE. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Heartless by Gail Carriger

*** This is the fourth book in a series so if you have not read Soulless, Changeless, and Blameless proceed with caution. But seriously, read them because I am obsessed with this series and I'm only marathoning it now.***

Title: Heartless Parasol Protectorate #4 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: July 1, 2011 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.  Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

So good! This book was oh so good! This may have just outpaced Soulless as my favorite book in this series. It was really phenomenal. I have been marathoning this series for the past few months and I am absolutely loving it and this book is the perfect example as to why.

I have always absolutely loved Gail Carriger's books for the characters and that was totally the case in Heartless. You will often find me complaining about books with large casts of characters being confusing and it hard to keep the characters straight and that is not the case here at all. There's a massive cast of characters here and they are all memorable, unique, and amazing. I honestly get excited when someone comes back into the story because they are so fun and quirky. And of course I loved this one because two of my favorite secondary characters, Lord Akeldama and Madame Lefoux, had a bigger part in the book and the eventual plot development (more on that later). We also got to learn a lot more about some of the characters which made them all the more engaging and interesting.

However the focus of the book is of course Alexia. I am absolutely in love with her as an MC. Her voice is specific and in the course of four books I have become so enamored with it I think I'm adopting some of her speech patterns. But honestly, a person could do worse for a role model than Alexia Maccon. She is brash, tough, and intelligent. She gets up to all kinds of adventures and even being nine months pregnant she didn't let that stop stop. I just love how tough, resourceful, and kickass she is. I'm a fan, big fan.

Speaking of adventures, this book is so full of them. There are some serious shenanigans in this book. Like all the rest of the books in this series, the main plot is full of mystery and adventure. But I think my favorite thing was that it slowly developed into a really thrilling conclusion. I mean it really all some together during the last couple of chapters in the most interconnected and inopportune way. I was actually stressed out by how it was all going to be resolved, that's how exciting it was. And the even better thing about this plot was how it is self-contained and so subtly connected to the larger plot of the series. There were so many unexpected callbacks to previous books and I could not have been more excited about that.

A lot of why I think it all connected and that those callbacks were so interesting because this is a series with a truly amazing world. This is a series with tremendously complex world. I keep saying this but it keeps being true, it shouldn't all work together but it does. The steampunk, the historical elements, and the supernatural elements all combine to make something complex and interesting. But there is also a real history to this world. It's honestly no surprise to me that there are two separate spinoff a from this series, one prequel and one sequel, because the world is so well-formed. In this one we learn so much about the past, including more than one surprise and twist. It's a little strange to me because I have read the Finishing School series before and the fore have knowledge that readers who read the series in release order don't have but it still had me intrigued and surprised. But then again, I love this world so much that the more I learn the better.

I'm really loving this series and am so glad I decided to take the time to finish it after years of wanting to read it. It a seriously thrilling and hilarious read with amazing characters, a plot full of adventure, and an intriguing world. This book was amazing and I can't wait to read the last book to find out how it all ends!

I give Heartless by Gail Carriger 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy! I have been marathoning this series and every book I tell you to buy it so this one should come as no surprise. But in the rare case that you have not completed or started this series yet, do that now. It is such a fun and action-packed series with amazing characters. I am loving it.

Have you read Heartless? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Changeless by Gail Carriger

Title: Changeless Parasol Protectorate #2 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: April 1, 2010 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Alexia Maccon, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears; leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.  But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. So even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can. She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.  CHANGELESS is the second book of the Parasol Protectorate series: a comedy of manners set in Victorian London, full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

I am totally loving this series. I mean that really is no surprise, I loved this author's YA series and it's set in the same world (which is fantastic). Changeless is a great sequel that expands on the world and plot of the series in an interesting way.

My favorite thing about this series is the characters. Every time I marvel at how amazing the characterizations are in these books and Changeless was no exception. We got to spend more time with some of the fantastic secondary characters from the first book like Ivy, who is so ridiculous and silly in the best possible way. I can't help but laugh at her. We also got to see more of the characters who I know very well from the Finishing School series. Some of my favorites had appearances, some in a big way. I was so excited to see Vieve again. I loved her in the Finishing School books and seeing her as an adult is so amazing.

But the real star here is of course Alexia. I totally adore her. She's totally my kind of woman, sassy and tough with a mouth like a sailor. She's up for any adventure and will attempt to solve any mystery but is far from perfect with those sorts of things. I'm loving getting to know her in this series and seeing her in action. Same goes for Lord Maccon. In Changeless we get to see Lord Maccon in a bit of a vulnerable state as he has to return to Scotland and his former pack (shout out to Sidheag and Captain Niall). I love the two of them separately but together they perfect. The banter, the flirting, the kissing scenes. I'm not usually one for those sorts of things but here I like. But I think a lot of that stems from the fact that I really love both these main characters and want to see them succeed.

The other fantastic thing about this book is the plot development. Once again this was a book that is full of action and adventure. It really is never a dull moment for Alexia. Even something so normal as travelling to Scotland because a fight for her life and it made for a thrilling read. But this is also a book that was full of mystery but a subtle kind of mystery. There are clues to hunt for and a truth to be revealed but it wasn't a totally shocking reveal but little things from earlier in the book impacted things in a big way later, which I enjoy. And I will say that it kind of felt like a totally new series. Many of the plot points and threads from the first book were not really revisited and instead new things that I am assuming will impact later books were brought up. It felt a little like a restart rather than a sequel. But on the whole it was a really great story.

But the thing that did get readdressed and expanded on here was the world of this series. I love the way this series effortlessly combines steampunk and supernatural elements into a historical setting and that's exactly how I felt here. In particular, the steampunk elements were turned way up. There was much more talk about technology and inventions here (hello, Vieve was there) which was really cool. There was also much more to learn about preternaturals and their effects on the supernatural set. I loved learning about what Alexia can do and am excited to learn more as the series develops. There was also even some political elements as Alexia takes on the role of muhjah for Queen Victoria's Shadow Cabinet and some werewolf pack dynamics as she is now alpha female. It all shouldn't work together but it does.

All in all I am absolutely loving this series. It is honestly just solidifying how much I adore Gail Carriger's work. She writes amazing characters, thrilling plots, and fascinating worlds and does it all with charm, wit, and humor. These books are simultaneously lighthearted and complex and I am totally pumped to keep reading.

I give Changeless by Gail Carriger 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If for some reason you have not finished this series and have only read the first book, let me assure you the second one is amazing. If you are looking for something fun and interesting and you are a fan of either steampunk of supernatural mysteries, check this series out. I'm loving it.

Have you read Changeless? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

Title: Soulless Parasol Protectorate #1 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: October 1, 2009 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.  Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire—and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.  With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?  SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

I have wanted to read this book for a very long time. It's been on my TBR for years. Like I learned about it when Borders were still around (RIP Borders) and yet it took me this long to read it. But I am so glad I took the time to read it because it was seriously fantastic.

I have previously read Carriger's YA series which, while written later, takes place chronologically before this series. And honestly, it was great to jump back into Gail's writing. It's full of humor, adventure, and mystery.

One of the things I loved this book is how effortlessly it combined so many different things to create a unique and compelling world. First and foremost, this is historical fiction set in the Victorian era. It addresses so many of the themes I love about books of that period especially when it comes to women and their changing place in society. But it also had great supernatural element. This is a world inhabited by vampires, werewolves, and ghosts. Carriger makes all of that seem both ordinary and interesting with complicated history, lore, and rules around the creatures which inhabit high society along with humans. And finally, it's a steampunk world. There wasn't too much of those elements but it added another interesting wrinkle to the book. But on the whole it all work together to create something so fascinating.

The plot too was absolutely fascinating. This is a book full of action and adventure. Our main character is constantly finding herself in some kind of scrape that she has to either fight her way out of or use her intellect. It made for an interesting plot and kept me on the edge of my seat. It also had a ton of mystery. Little things throughout the story all let up to a big reveal at the end which wasn't super surprising but did keep me engaged.

But I think the best part of this book was the characters. Carriger really knows how to write some quirky and fun characters. First we had our main character of Alexia Tarabotti. And I instantly fell in love with Alexia. She was such a fantastic tough female protagonist. She's sassy and spunky in the best possible way. I love that she's not afraid to show how physically tough she can be put at the same time it is her brains and resourcefulness that helps her more often than not. I also love that she has a mouth on her and that it often gets her into as much trouble as t gets her out of. She doesn't totally fit in with the society types but that just made me root for her even more. I honestly loved her.

I also loved the secondary characters. I of course rekindled my love for Lord Akeldama in this book. He was one of my favorites from the Finishing School series and it was fantastic seeing him a lot more here. And there were a few more characters from the Finishing School series that pop up and it was fun seeing them again (I'm sure most people had this in reverse). But I would be remised if I didn't also mention Lord Maccon. I am not one for romantic moments but I loved every second of this relationship. The flirting, the kissing, the scandalous moments. It was all amazing and had me swooning. I think a lot of that had to do with the banter between the characters and also the fact that I really enjoyed Lord Maccon. He's gruff and no nonsense but also really caring and sweet. I am a fan. Big fan of all these characters.

Soulless was an absolutely fantastic read and a great book that effortless combines history, mystery, and fantasy. It's hilarious and full of action, the characters are amazing, and the world is so engaging. I wasn't planning on reading the rest of the series right away but it's so good that I think I'm hooked and need to read it all now.

I give Soulless by Gail Carriger 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you are like me and you have been wanting to read this series but haven't taken the time, change that. This book was amazing and I can't wait for more. If you are a fan of steampunk and haven't checked this out or are looking for a good historical fantasy I definitely recommend this series. 

Have you read Soulless? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Title: The Night Circus Written by: Erin Morgenstern Published: September 13, 2011 by Doubleday (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.  But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.  True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.  Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

I am kind of nervous about writing this review. I know so many people who just love this book so much. And I get, I totally do, it was really good. But I think that the hype monster may have gotten the best of me here. Because while it was a good read, it didn't blow me away like I was expecting.

One thing I did love about this book was the plot. I did not expect to say that a few days ago though. But this is a book that is very intricately plotted. There are a lot of moving parts here and multiple storylines that felt independent and connected at the same time. It's not until very late into the book that all the cards fall into place that you see exactly where things are going and how it is all connecting. And honestly, I liked that. When it finally got to the real meat of the story I was totally hooked and needed to know what was going to happen. It really built to a thrilling and engaging ending that definitely had a few surprises in store. In the end, I did like the way it all unfolded.

But that being said, the pacing here was really slow here. Because there is a lot going on with the plot it was sometimes confusing and jarring to go back and forth between perspectives. I think that format slowed the pacing down for me. I would have to reconnect with a storyline and sometimes I wasn't able to. On top of that the nature of the plot development meant that it also took it's sweet time getting to the good stuff. There were periods where I was so confused as to where it was going that I spaced out a little bit and lost focus on the book. And that's never a good thing. In the end it did always pull me back but along the way it was a slow and sometimes bumpy ride.

I think what really drew me in to the book every time was the world. Oh wow, the world of this book is so fascinating and magical. For one thing you have the circus. The circus is explained in lush and beautiful detail. You can perfectly imagine the tents, the illusions, and the characters interacting with it all. But the circus was only the beginning. The magic then takes over and brings things to the next level. It's a low fantasy kind of magic with never specified rules but it was used in such a fantastic way that It somehow worked. It was kind of felt unexplainable in a way that almost grounded it in reality. I really enjoyed the world and it's what kept me reading here (well that and a desire to find out how it was all connected).

The characters too were interesting but I think that was one of the aspects of the story that I didn't love. Because there was a lot going on with the plot, there was also a lot of characters and perspectives too. It was sometimes hard to keep the characters straight and who knew and interacted with who. This was a case where I think there were too many cooks in the kitchen for me. I liked some storylines more than others and therefore I liked some characters more than others. And when we got perspectives from characters I wasn't as interested in I found myself wanting to go back to the ones that I did enjoy. In the end the characters were all likable and engaging I just think a more narrowed focus would have added a bit of mystery and helped me connect a little more.

But on the whole, this was a really great read. I ended up listening to the audiobook which is narrated by Jim Dale and he did a fantastic job. He perfectly captured the atmosphere of the book and the setting and the magic really came alive with his narration. I've listened to him narrate the Harry Potter books and he has a great way with this low fantasy. Although I do think sometimes his characters sound very similar making it hard to keep them straight, which may have affected my thoughts on the characters.

The Night Circus is a great atmospheric fantasy with a fascinating world and an intricately plotted story. I had really high expectations which may have been to my detriment but I did enjoy it.

I give The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If like me you have heard really amazing things about this book and have still yet to read it, it is worth the time. I did enjoy it despite some hiccups. Plus it is the perfect atmospheric fall read if you are looking for something that has some mystery and magic but don't got for horror or supernatural. check out this fantasy.

Have you read The Night Circus? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Title: A Monster Calls Written by: Patrick Ness Published: March 13, 2013 by Candlewick (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.   At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting-- he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd-- whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself-- Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.

Reading a super beloved book by so many of your friends and fellow book nerds is always a hard thing. What if you thought it was alright but not worth the hype? What if you hate it and they disown you? What if you love it and you wish you had listened and read it sooner, you'll get the inevitable I told you so. Well guys, I'm happy to report that A Monster Calls lives up to the hype, it's amazing.

First of all, this is a really short read. It's not quite a graphic novel but also not really a full blown novel either. It's somewhere in between. Which honestly was perfect. As you may have seen yesterday, I am in a bit of a reading slump. So having something that I can devour because of it's length was perfect. Plus the art is absolutely amazing. It's dark and dramatic which added a lot of context and interest to the story. It broke things up a little bit and for someone like me who doesn't naturally visualize things in a book this was great.

But the real great thing about this book is the emotion behind it. Yeah, I cried. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm a big crier, I cry often. But I will say that there has been some cases where my hipster tendencies make it so that I don't cry because everyone else did. And yes, I knew how it was all going to end but it still hit emotionally. Patrick Ness did a great job of building up to the inevitable in a way that is impactful which not all authors can do. Not to mention the smaller more emotion moments along the way that got me in their own way.

I'm not sure I knew exactly what I was getting into with this book but what I found was definitely fantastic and engrossing. Because the great thing about this book is that it's surprisingly character driven and that's what makes this book so good emotionally and from a story persepctive. It's about darkness and pain. It's about dealing with those moments you don't want to deal with. It's about life and loss. It's about people and connection. It's about everything at the same time and that's what makes it so good.

Patrick Ness has definitely written an amazing and emotional read. It feels a lot like the middle grade coming of age novels that I love. That on top of the gorgeous writing and beautiful pictures made for an interesting and engaging read that I am glad I took the time to read. Yes, I do wish that I had read this sooner but better late than never.

I give A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness 9.5 out 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are late to the party on this one like me, waste no more time and get yourself a copy. The movie comes out in just a few weeks which means this is the perfect time to take in this story before that one. I absolutely loved it and I think you will too.