The Wolves of Midwinter

Title: The Wolves of Midwinter Author: Anne Rice Published: Knopf, 2013 Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: Now in her new novel, as lush and romantic in detail and atmosphere as it is sleek and steely in storytelling, Anne Rice brings us once again to the rugged coastline of Northern California, to the grand mansion at Nideck Point—to further explore the unearthly education of her transformed Man Wolf.   The novel opens on a cold, gray landscape. It is the beginning of December. Oak fires are burning in the stately flickering hearths of Nideck Point. It is Yuletide. For Reuben Golding, now infused with the wolf gift and under the loving tutelage of the Morphenkinder, this Christmas promises to be like no other . . . as he soon becomes aware that the Morphenkinder, steeped in their own rituals, are also celebrating the Midwinter Yuletide festival deep within Nideck forest.   From out of the shadows of the exquisite mansion comes a ghost—tormented, imploring, unable to speak yet able to embrace and desire with desperate affection . . . As Reuben finds himself caught up with the passions and yearnings of this spectral presence and the preparations for the Nideck town Christmas reach a fever pitch, astonishing secrets are revealed, secrets that tell of a strange netherworld, of spirits—centuries old—who possess their own fantastical ancient histories and taunt with their dark, magical powers.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed by this book. It is my first experience reading anything by Anne Rice, and I think I misunderstood her writing style. I was expecting more Stephen King and less Danielle Steele.

But first, the good. I wanted to read this book because it completely fit into my theme of a Supernatural Christmas, and it was exactly what this book was. There is a whole part of the book where they explain the overlap between our current holiday festivities and how they relates to ancient pagan traditions. It was a really unique perspective and a topic that has always interested me.

The takes place during the holiday season and as the title may lead you to believe it is about werewolves, but as the protagonist of this story the wolves, or Morphenkinder, are less like the Big Bad Wolf of old and more like superheroes. The world that the inhabit is full of other immortal characters including some interesting ghosts, and a character that is so interesting that I want to know much more about them (I'm still unclear as what species they are).

Whatever my dislike of this book, the writing was very good. It was ominous and poetic. The imagery was incredible. Anne Rice does an amazing job of setting the scene and allows the reader to effortlessly imagine themselves there. The problem however was that I felt like she relied entirely too much on this imagery and didn't really take much effort on an actual plot for the story. It was two-thirds of the way over before something interesting happened but it was over so quick that I was left dissatisfied and honestly confused. The book took too much time explaining things and asking questions that it never really answered. I know that this is only one book of a series but it felt like a very early book, and it did not capture my interest enough to want to read more of the series.

Did you yawn after seeing this?

But I really only have myself to blame for my dislike of the book. I knew it was the second book in a series and I tried to read the first one but I couldn't really get into it and never. Instead of deciding to read something else I was stubborn and told myself, "I said I would read this and so I will read this!" But I also didn't really read it, I listened to the audiobook. That may have also been my second mistake. I love reading audiobooks, but if there is not a lot of action then I generally don't enjoy the book as much.

On the whole the book wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. It was generally just... MEH! I give it a 6 out of 10.

Have you read this book or anything else by Anne Rice? Did I pick the wrong book? Should I try something else by her? Leave me a comment and Happy Reading!

December Wrap Up

Another month (and year) over! It feels like only yesterday it was May and I was packing up and moving to Pittsburgh. I had another good month of reading and blogging. I finished a series, reread a classic, and tried an author I've wanted to read for awhile. I read five books and one audiobook this month, which is one more than I planned.

The Quick Reviews:

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
Full Review
Rating: 9 out of 10
My Thoughts: Book Two in the Gemma Doyle trilogy was even better than the first. The characters are complex and interesting, the world within a world dark fantasy story is unique, the mystery is complicated but solvable, and there are tons of deep themes about humanity and society.

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Full Review
Rating: 8 out of 10 
My Thoughts:  A fitting ending of a great series. All the great things about the first two books plus so many surprises! The action was a little slower and it was a little longer than it needed to be resulting in some pacing issues but it was still great!




Unholy Night by Seth Grahame-Smith
Full Review
Rating: 8 out of 10
My Thoughts: An incredible and interesting adventure about the "Three Kings" in the biblical story. The characters are odious and interesting, there's tons of action, and amazing imagery especially when it comes to the explanation of gore. A great read if you're looking for a supernatural Christmas story.




Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Full Review
Rating: 10 out of 10
My Thoughts: One of my favorite books. It is funny, sad, and sweet. It's a story about love, loss, and family that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. The perfect book to read at Christmastime.





Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter
Rating: 7 out of 10
My Thoughts: Book Two in the Gallagher Girls series about a girl studying to be a spy in a secret boarding school. The book is fun and light but is also an interesting coming of age story with some easy too solve mysteries and memorable characters.




The Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice
Full Review to Come
Rating: 6 out of 10
My Thoughts: Book Two in The Wolf Gift Chronicles. It feels like a very early book in what will end up being a longer series. It didn't really enjoy it too much. The characters were interesting but there was not enough action and too much ominous explanations of things that it ended up being very confusing. It was disappointingly dull.



What have you read in December? What's the last book you plan to read in 2013 and the first book you plan to read in 2014? Leave me a comment and check out the full reviews if you have or plan to read any of these books! HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Unholy Night by Seth Grahame-Smith

Title: Unholy Night Author: Seth Grahame-Smith Published: Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: They're an iconic part of history's most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio. But leave it to Seth Grahame-Smith, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to take a little mystery, bend a little history, and weave an epic tale. In Grahame-Smith's telling, the so-called "Three Wise Men" are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod's prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod's men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt. It's the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.

 
Seth Grahame-Smith seems like the kind of person who I would really enjoy people watching with. He’d make up these dark and twisted tales about the people sitting alone at the coffee shop and I would listen with rapt attention (I’m not su e if that says something about him or me). If you’re familiar with his other work (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter) then you know his style. He takes a well-known story and embellishes it with violence and gore. This book is just like those others but in this case the familiar story he reimagines is the story of the Magi. Instead of being three kings or wise men our characters here are three murderous thieves.

 The main character is Balthazar who is better known as the Antioch Ghost. He has a reputation around Judea for being a larger than life thief who tends to taunt the authorities including the ruthless and sickly King Herod whose dungeon he lands in after getting captured for stealing. In prison he meets two fellow thieves, Gaspar and Melchyor, and theuy hatch a plan to escape. In their efforts to flee they end up in Bethlehem where they stubble upon the newborn baby Jesus and after witnessing Herod’s soldiers murdering all the male children in town Balthazar commits to leading the holy family to safety in Egypt. The plot was interesting and engrossing and takes rthe readers on an action-packed adventure throughout the ancient Middle East full of subtle references to biblical and historical events and figures.

Balthazar as a an incredible anti-hero. He is sarcastic, gruff, and generally unpleasant to everyone around him. He ends up doing the right thing in the story, albeit for the wrong reasons, though that makes him all the more likable. He takes on this swashbuckling pirate persona making him into a Middle East Robin Hood and even though his morals are pretty dubious you learn through flashbacks that he is much deeper than you originally suspected. I was a huge fan of him and was rooting for him to get what he wanted in the end. But maybe I liked Balthazar so much because the villains of this story were incredibly unlikable. There was the devious and disgusting Herod who was not only vile in his actions but also in his appearance, but also a host of Roman soldiers and admirals that were pursuing the characters on their flight to Egypt.

 Perhaps my favorite part of the book was the fight scenes. They made the story feel so much larger than I expected giving it this epic adventure sort of vibe. They were gruesome and gory making me slightly uncomfortable more than once. Often I found myself thinking “that must be an incredible amount of blood! Who’s going to clean that up?” What Seth Grahame-Smith does really well is create incredible images of blood and guts being spilled that you cannot help but feel the horror that the characters are experiencing. This is not a book for the faint of heart.

The cover of the version I read compares it to A Song of Ice and Fire and at times it did feel like the little brother of that series. It was almost trying too hard to emulate it but when it was itself and didn’t think about being like something else it was incredible (thumbs up to you if you can follow my analogy). As the story developed it added elements of political intrigue, family dynamics, and romance that made it feel even more interesting and deep. At one time or another I felt every emotion possible. It was funny, sentimental, suspenseful, and mysterious. However, these changes in tones did sometimes get confusing as there was relatively little segue between them and often it was a little jarring. But probably my biggest criticism is that it was written in a very odd perspective. At times it was third-person omniscient but then we’d switch to knowing one character or another’s thoughts and feelings. Sometimes it would even shift perspective mid paragraph making it hard to keep track of who was being referenced.

On the whole however it was a very enjoyable read. I recommend it to anyone who likes adventure stories, gruesome retellings, or historical fiction set in ancient times. I give it an 8 out of 10

 If you’ve read Unholy Night, let me know your thoughts in the comments section. If you haven’t then check it out. It’s a great Christmas read. Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

Title: Rebel Angels Author: Libba Bray Series: The Gemma Doyle Trilogy Publisher: Delacorte Press, 2006 Goodreads Amazon Synopsis (from Goodreads): Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma’s visions intensify–visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain... The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls’ great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship. But all is not well in the realms–or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma’s willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother’s greatest friend–and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task

This is second book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, which if you haven’t read A Great and Terrible Beauty you should but only so you can read this book (and also this review because it contains Book 1 spoilers). It was light years better than the first book. That one's good, this one's great! Maybe it was because I knew what I was getting into, or maybe it was that all the kinks were worked out, but this one was so much more enjoyable. I went into A Great and Terrible Beauty expecting a Gothic horror novel but that’s not what it was at all. The series really can’t be pigeonholed into one specific genre it’s Historical Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Thriller, and a Coming-of-Age story all rolled into one. The elements of the story could have been placed in the modern era but the fact that they were in Victorian London gave it a different tone all together.

Gemma and her friends are back and still reeling from the conclusion of the first book. Gemma in particular is torn about her supposed destiny and her personal ties to The Realms. She’s learning that her choices have drastic consequences and it’s leading to some pretty serious inner turmoil. The continued exploration of the dark magical world that they discovered in the first book and Gemma’s path of binding the magic is held in contrast with the world of London at Christmastime. Gemma and her friends, Felicity and Ann, are attending balls, being courted by strapping young gentlemen, trying to become ladies of high society, and dealing with their fair share of family drama. Gemma is literally living in two different worlds and trying to find her place in both of them.  

The book also delves deeper into the idea of power and control that was just a minor theme in the first book. It is Gemma, and Gemma alone, who is able to enter The Realms but once they are there the magic can be shared with the others, especially after Gemma released it in the first book. The fact that the others are reliant on Gemma creates some moments of jealousy and resentment, especially among Felicity who is used to being the one in control. The jealously of Gemma and her power is also shared by the creatures and residents in The Realms who have been stifled by The Order and not able to use the magic in their own land. As Gemma seeks help on her quest many of them ask for their share of the power that they have been denied. There is also the struggle between the Rakshana who were denied power from The Order, former members of The Order who want their power and control over The Realms to be restored, and of course Circe who wants the power for herself. Gemma has to decide what to do with the magic now that she has released it. Should she let it be free or should she turn it over to someone? If she turns it over, who should she turn it over too? These decisions are made more complicated by the fact that Gemma really feels like she can’t trust anyone.

One of my favorite parts of this series is the characters that Libba Bray has created. They are all complex and flawed, and every single one of them was full of surprises. Just when you thought you had figured them out they did something to shock you. Gemma has become much less snarky, which I dislike, and throughout most of the book she has incredibly bad judgment. It was a bit frustrating but it’s these character flaws that make her a compelling anti-hero. I still love Felicity, who is a giant ball of contradiction. One minute she’s a nasty spoiled brat and the next she’s doing something selfless. You meet her family and learn a little bit more about her past in this book. You start to realize why she is the way she is and empathize with her a lot more (as if I needed another reason to like Felicity). We also get to spend more time with some older characters like Miss Moore, the girls’ former teacher, Gemma’s family including her father and her brother Tom, and of course Kartik. Each of them continues the trend of being flawed but likable because of the fact that they are so complicated. We also meet some interesting and mysterious new characters like Miss McCleethy a new teacher at Spence, Simon Middleton who is Gemma’s dashing suitor, and Nell Hawkins a mental patient that seems to know about The Realms. And in The Realms there are a host of new characters who are just as complex. Pippa is still in The Realms and she hasn’t crossed over and is being corrupted by the magic (I actually like this darker Pippa, she seemed very one-note before). And Circe is still lurking on the periphery threatening to take control of the magic and worrying Gemma.

At first I was a bit unimpressed by the romance of the story, finding it distracting, but it served to address the deeper theme of the power of human relationships and who you should surround yourself with on your path of life. Gemma doesn’t know who she should put her faith and trust in throughout the novel. She is entrusted with this task but she doesn’t want to and can’t really do it alone. No one is purely good and no one is purely evil (even the villain Circe makes you wonder sometimes), and this fact leaves Gemma wondering who to put her faith in to help her complete her task. You are told often throughout the story to trust no one, and I felt like things were leading down a path where Gemma would choose just that. She would find the strength in herself to accomplish her goals alone but it hasn’t yet lead to that, and I’m glad of that.  The soul of this book is the story of the friendships and relationships that continue to develop and deepen as the series goes on.

“And for a moment I understand that I have friends on this lonely path, that sometimes your place is not something you find, but something you have when you need it” p. 547

Do you get it?

But the best part of this book for me was the mystery. I spent much of the first half with my mind racing trying to figure out what was going to happen and what this clue or that clue meant. I didn’t fall for the red herring (good try Libba Bray) but I was actually glad that I didn’t. There were good enough clues throughout the book that led me to solve the big conclusion at the end and I was proud of myself when I did. The fact that I knew something the characters didn't made me nervous of Gemma’s actions for the rest of the book and for the first time I actually enjoyed the dramatic irony. Gone was the lack of action that A Great and Terrible Beauty was plagued with, this one is much more thrilling and suspenseful. It kept building and building and just when I thought that there was nowhere new that the action could go, something else crazy happened. It wasn’t until the last twenty pages that the expected conflict between Gemma and the antagonist occurred. The ending left me with this unsettled feeling where things didn’t at all feel resolved but in the best possible way. It left me hungry for more, it left me hungry for the final book in the series The Sweet Far Thing.

I give Rebel Angels by Libba Bray a 9 out of 10

I recommend this book to anyone who likes Coming-of-Age stories, Supernatural Thrillers, and/or Dark Fantasy. It was a great second book in what is shaping up to being an amazing series. If you’ve read this book let me know your thoughts in the comments and HAPPY READING!

December TBR: A (Mostly) Supernatural Christmas

So far I've been liking the idea of having a theme for the books I read each month. It helps me explore a genre and keeps me from reading a million books at once and not finishing a series like I tend to do. So when I was planning out what to read in December it seemed obvious... Christmas books. Tis the season as they say. So planned out my books and I noticed another trend within most of them. Most of them have an element of the supernatural. They have witches, magic, werewolves, murderous thieves, and other monsters. When I realized this I gave a hearty chuckle (much like Santa Clause) and realized that reading Supernatural fiction is my style. I get a little sick of the schmaltz factor of the Christmas season so this is a good way to balance this out.

My Classic
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Goodreads Amazon
Synopsis: The story of four women and their passage to adulthood 

So clearly this is not Supernatural. I'm just a sucker for this book. I've been known to audibly sob at certain parts and I'm just taking the opportunity to read it again and balance out the supernatural stories. I realize the obvious choice here is A Christmas Carol but that's too obvious for me!



My Recent Fiction Choice 

Unholy Night by Seth Grahame-Smith
Goodreads Amazon
Synopsis: The true story of the Three Kings of the Nativity, a murderous band of thieves.

This will be my third book by Seth Grahame-Smith. I loved the other too and their take on classic stories. This is their take on the biblical tale of the Three Wise Men. I've heard really excellent things about this book and hear it's an action thriller full of violence so obviously I can't wait. And let's face it Biblical times in the Middle East were pretty barbaric!

My Young Adult Choice

The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray
Rebel Angel Goodreads Amazon
The Sweet Far Thing Goodreads Amazon
Synopsis: A series about a girl attending elite private school with a secret, she has the power to travel to a magical realm. In the first book she released the magic but now she has to decide what to do with it.

I really liked the first book in the series, A Great and Terrible Beauty. It was full of mystery, suspense, and interesting characters. The second book Rebel Angels takes place at Christmas so I've been holding off finishing the series till now.

My Audiobook
The Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice
Goodreads Amazon
Synopsis: The continuation of the Wolf Gift Chronicles where the main character explores his werewolf powers during the holy yuletide season.

I actually did not know this was a sequel and I guess I should probably experience the first one first. I saw this book at a bookstore and thought it would be an interesting audiobook and it fit in with my theme this month. I've never read any Anne Rice and think it's about time I get on that so I'm taking the leap and will probably listen to both audiobooks this month.