Sometimes I don’t feel like writing a full review for whatever reason, either because life is busy and I don’t have time, or because a book didn’t stir me enough. Sometimes, it’s because a book was so good that I just don’t have anything to say beyond that I loved it! Frequently, I’m just wayyy behind on reviews and am trying to catch up. For whatever reason, these are books that only have a few paragraphs of thoughts from me.
Still reviewing August books in August… making progress!! :-D
The Secret Horses of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd – 4*
//published 2016//
Quite a long while ago Maggie Stiefvater – pretty much the only “famous” person I follow on social media – mentioned that she was reading this book. It looked magical, and I’ve always thought winged horses would be the most amazing magical creatures, so I added it to the TBR. And now, years later, I actually got around to reading it! While somewhat bittersweet, this was a lovely read about a young girl who can see winged horses in the “mirror world” – i.e. she can only see them in mirrors. She’s the only one who sees them (or is she??) and has learned to not talk about it much. She’s staying in an old manor house in the English countryside. The house has been turned into a tuberculosis hospital for children during World War II, so there is definitely a dark tone to the story, especially since it is set in winter – somehow, the entire book feels grey, which is actually a big part of the story.
There were a lot of things I liked about this story. It was so imaginative and imagery was beautiful. I really wish that it had been paired with better illustrations – there is so much in this story just begging for gorgeous pictures. This is technically a middle grade book, but I wouldn’t just hand it over to a youngster without making sure that they’re ready for some of the serious themes presented here, like terminal illness, war, death, etc. These things are handled sensitively and well, but to me this is more a book you would read with your child rather than one they would read on their own.
One small niggle for me was that the main character does steal several items throughout the story for a “good cause” – and this is never really addressed. It’s just sort of implied that she was justified in her actions because she “needed” the items, which I’m not sure is actually that great of a life-lesson. Still, on the whole I really enjoyed this atmospheric tale that gave me a lot of feelings.
Side note – once again, several of these pictures include my BookSpin Bingo board for my challenge on Litsy, because that’s where I originally posted the pictures!!
Excellent Intentions by Richard Hull – 3.5*
//published 1938//
I see a lot of these mysteries that are being reprinted by the British Library Crime Classics, but this is the first one I’ve gotten around to picking up. The main thing about this story that has kept it in the “classics” category is the way the mystery is presented. The reader is placed in the middle of a murder trial from the get-go – except we don’t know who is on trial until much later in the book. Hull weaves the murder, the courtroom scenes, and the background for the murder throughout the story in a way that seems like it should be muddled but which, for the most part, works.
While I did enjoy this one overall, it was definitely slow in spots, with a great deal of time being spent making sure that the reader doesn’t like the victim at all. This is all part of the point (is one justified murdering someone who deserves to be murdered? Murder, as it were, with “excellent intentions” in mind?) but did get old sometimes. The story also runs out of steam at the end, with a long chapter devoted to the jury’s arguing back and forth about whether or not they should convict the accused. But overall it was an enjoyable one-time read with a crafty mystery wherein the reader can slowly decide who is on trial as the story progresses.
Ukridge by P.G. Wodehouse – 4.5*
//published 1924//
As I continue to work my way through Wodehouse’s books in published order, Ukridge was next on the list. Featuring a character who appeared in Love Among the Chickens, Ukridge is one of those people who is constantly broke, constantly coming up with a ridiculous scheme for making money (that doesn’t really involve work), and generally coming out alright (although usually still broke). I think we’ve all met someone like this – I know I’ve definitely found myself in situations, wondering how I got there, pushed in by my family’s Ukridge. (My second anniversary, spent huddled with my husband in a sopping wet one-man tent on the top of a 40* mountain in the rain, comes to mind.) At any rate, this isn’t Wodehouse’s strongest work, but it was still enjoyable. While Ukridge may be ridiculous, he’s never mean-spirited, and he genuinely believes that each of his schemes is going to pay off. This probably isn’t where I would start if I were going to introduce someone to Wodehouse, but if you already love his writing, there’s a lot to enjoy here as well.
Blackbird by Sam Humphries and Jen Bartel – 3.5*
//published 2019//
Lately I’ve been reading more graphic novels, and while I think this one is technically a comic (I’m still a little hazy on the differences), when I saw this gorgeous cover on a Litsy review, I knew I wanted to at least give it a try. Overall, I really liked it, and the artwork is great fun. The main character’s life changed when she was a child and an earthquake hit her city. During that catastrophe, she was rescued by a huge magical creature that everyone else saw but no one else remembers. Since then, she’s been the “weird kid,” obsessed with trying to find real magic that she’s convinced is out there.
While I really liked the concept and the magic in this story, it was told in a very choppy manner, making it a little difficult to put together the linear storyline. There’s also this crazy twist that I did like but also didn’t really seem to fit with the other character’s character. All in all, this volume felt more like a big set-up than it did its own story. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if there is going to be a sequel, and I haven’t been able to find much information. (This volume included the first six issues as one.) I would definitely read a sequel, but I’m not sure I would especially recommend this one just because the ending is so open-ended.
Rogue Princess by B.R. Myers – 4*
//published 2020//
If you’ve ever wished you had a scifi, gender-swapped Cinderella retelling centered around a royal matriarchy set on a distant planet, then this is the book for you. It’s rare that I buy a book just for the cover, but that’s totally what happened here. I just love it, and can’t even explain why! I got this one for only $2 on BookOutlet, and ended up enjoying it way more than I was anticipating.
Princess Delia, heir to the throne, knows that she needs to marry a prince from a neighboring planet that will help save her own, and while she isn’t excited about it, she’s at least resigned to it… mostly. But when a series of events leads to her meeting Aidan, a kitchen worker with his own reasons for needing to escape the planet (and who isn’t afraid to steal from those who can afford it to help him towards his goal), she’s introduced to parts of her kingdom she didn’t realize existed. While this is someone Cinderella-y, it also has an Aladdin vibe as well, and I was totally here for it. I really liked the characters, and while there were some jolts in the plot that felt chunky (and I had to make a cheat-sheet to keep all the prospective-groom princes straight), overall I quite enjoyed this one. The setting was completely unique and the world-building was intriguing. Overall recommended, especially if you’re looking for a unique fairy tale variation.
PS I will say that there are a lot of negative/meh reviews for this one, so there’s a strong possibility that I was just in the right mood for it?? I love the way different books are for different people, and sometimes for different versions of myself at different moments in time!
The Aroma of Books 