Calamity

Calamity
Brandon Sanderson
2016

The Summary
"When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born.  David's fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night.  Steelheart killed his father.  Firefight stole his heart.  And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

"David knew Prof's secret, and kept it even when the Reckoners' leader struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers.  But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much.  Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny.  He's disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there's no turning back...

"But everyone is wrong.  Redemption is possible for Epics--Megan proved it.  They're not lost.  Not completely.  And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back.  Or die trying."

The Good
Although Calamity seemed to fall a little flat, I will admit that I have grown to love Brandon Sanderson's work.  The Reckoners series, as a whole, is full of fantastical imagery, imaginative characters, and adventure.  I was particularly fascinated by Ildithia (formerly Atlanta).

Like Babilar, Ildithia is a city of and controlled by epics.  Unlike the watery nightmare of Babylon Restored, Ildithia is a city turned to salt--much like how Steelheart turned Chicago into steel--that slowly crumbles and rebuilds every week.  It moves slowly across the country, an oddly flourishing city maintained by Larcener, Stormwind, and others that inches its way over the landscape.

It's an incredible image that sticks in my mind:  a city of salt stone laced with layers of color that sparkles in the light, one with dusty streets and salty air.  Sanderson does such an amazing job of coming up with these ideas, like incredible cities and unusual epic powers and quirky characters.  I love his work; I certainly want to explore more even if I was a little disappointed with Calamity.

The Bad
I loved Steelheart and I enjoyed Firefight immensely; I did not like Calamity nearly as much.

Calamity is a fascinating book.  Ildithia is an incredible place, an entire city made of salt that destroys and reconstructs itself every 7 days.  Sanderson is wonderfully imaginative and inventive and he's a spectacularly writer; however, Calamity was such a disappointment for two reasons:

One, I did not like the conclusion.  I mean, the epilogue is sort of sweet and I thought it was nice that David managed, for once, to catch a break, but I absolutely hated learning the truth about Calamity.  (I'm going to start discussing spoilers from the previous book, so turn away now if you don't want to hear more.)  Granted, it was an intriguing plot twist to learn that Calamity was actually an epic through which all powers were descended; however, I didn't like the idea that Calamity was actually some kind of alien being.

Two, I disliked the alternate dimensions Megan conjured.  As we learned in the last book, Megan isn't just an illusionist, she can actually tear holes into the fabric of reality and dive into alternative universes.  Cool, right?  Except it pokes some major holes in the plot of the story and it just adds another layer of complicated ugliness that I just didn't need or want.

I loved the series overall, but, as I dwell on this finale, I can't help thinking it could have been so much better.  The Reckoners had the makings of an epic (no pun intended) series--one that I would remember for a long time, one I would convince myself I needed to grace my own shelves--but it just seemed to fall apart.

Calamity just isn't nearly as good as it's predecessors.

The Ugly
Violence, death, destruction.  What do you expect when the world has been turned upside down by epics?

Oh, and fair warning:  a main character will die before all is said and done.  Just be prepared for it.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened

Penguin Books

Let's Pretend This Never Happened:  A Mostly True Memoir
Jenny Lawson
2012

The Summary
"When Jenny Lawson was little, all she ever wanted was to fit in.  That dream was cut short by her fantastically unbalanced father and a morbidly eccentric childhood.  It did, however, open up an opportunity for Lawson to find the humor in the strange shame-spiral that is her life, and we are all the better for it.

"In the irreverent Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson's long-suffering husband and sweet daughter help her uncover the surprising discover that the most terribly human moments--the ones we want to pretend never happened--are the very same moments that make us the people we are today.

"For every intellectual misfit who thought they were the only ones to think the things that Lawson dares to say out loud, this is a poignant and hysterical look at the dark, disturbing, yet wonderful moments of our lives."

The Good
Jenny Lawson is hysterically funny.

Even when bad things happen, she's willing to share them with others and laugh about what happened to her, or, at least, convince others to laugh with her as she relives the trauma.  Although she doesn't have a filter, which translates to some rather outlandish statements, Lawson is able to capture a unique voice in her memoir that makes her stories relatable and memorable.

She's a bit absurd, I know, but she's hilarious.  Even when she's faced with traumatic experiences, like Stanley the Magical Squirrel or her high school agriculture class where she lost a turkey baster inside of a cow (don't ask) or wearing a deer sweater (which is more sickening than you imagine), she manages to make these memories funny for her readers.  Moreover, she has the ability to appeal to anyone who has had a non-traditional upbringing or who has ever thought their life is absolute mayhem.

She also captures those feelings of growing up and striking out, what it's like to go back and realize that the home you once knew--the childhood you'd unexpectedly treasured--is gone.  Life changes, life keeps moving forward and you find out quickly that you can't go back.  Lawson perfectly captures that melancholy and she expresses it in a way that feels familiar, bringing out an emotion that pinches at your heartstrings.

Her book, no matter how wild and absurd and occasionally crazy it may seem, is an examination of childhood, mental illness, marriage, friendship, and motherhood.  It is a depiction of life that can seem ludicrous, but it is a full life with family, friends, love and laughter.

The Bad
I will admit that Lawson's work can be an acquired taste.  I love her books, both Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy; however, I think she could rub some people the wrong way.  She's sardonic, witty, sarcastic, but she has a mouth like a sailor and she's not afraid to discuss any subject.

I'm not joking.

No matter how unbearably awkward, excruciatingly personal or heartwrenchingly horrifying, Lawson will tell you all about her experiences.  Sometimes, it's difficult because you feel like a bit of a voyeur; other times, you waffle between feeling relief that you don't have to deal with the absurdity she does or you feel a kinship for the odd and unusual things that happen to her because you endured the same.

The Ugly
Life can be an ugly, ugly business.  Lawson, for the most part, manages to take the sting from tragedy by making her readers laugh at the absurdity.  It still hurts, but, at least, some good does come from the bad.

The Trouble with Dukes

Forever

The Trouble with Dukes
Grace Burrowes
2016

The Summary
"USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes brings us the first book in her new Windham bride series!  The gossips whisper that Hamish MacHugh, the new Duke of Murdoch, is a brute, a murderer, and even worse--a Scot.  But Megan Windham sees something different, someone different.  She isn't the least bit intimidated by his dark reputation, but Hamish senses that she's fighting battles of her own.  For her, he'll become the warrior once more, and for her, he might just lose his heart."

The Good
The Trouble with Dukes is lovely, light reading for an evening.  It's amusing, witty, fun and sweet, and it's a nice novel to read when you want to unwind and believe that all is well with the world.

Personally, I enjoyed Burrowes' book.  While I wasn't fond of the incredibly embarrassing situations in which Megan and Hamish seemed to continually find themselves stuck, I found I liked the characters and I liked the story.  Megan is a bright young woman and Hamish, despite his brutish exterior, is a genuinely nice man who cares for his younger siblings.  I liked them both, and I enjoyed watching their lives and stories intersect.

More importantly, I liked that Hamish wasn't your traditional knight-in-shining-armor.  He sees the strength and ingenuity of Megan, he respects her for her capabilities; however, he'll rescue her in a heartbeat should the need arise.  He doesn't seem to treat her like a damsel-in-distress, which I appreciated, but he's more than willing to act as a rescuer.

Overall, I liked reading The Trouble with Dukes.  Romance novels are my guilty pleasure, as you probably know, and The Trouble with Dukes was a nice respite from some of the drearier things I've read.  Plus, I enjoyed meeting Megan and Hamish and watching their unfolding adventure, their budding romance.

It's nice to pick up a book and just know there's going to be a happily-ever-after.

The Bad
It's not the best book by Grace Burrowes that I've ever read (I've reserved that honor for The Bridegroom Wore Plaid, a historical romance from another series); however, I can't say I've read anything bad by Burrowes.  Like I said, it's a nice book.  Not great, but it's worth spending an evening with The Trouble with Dukes.

The Ugly
I despised Sir Fletcher.  Honestly, I (like Megan) found Hamish less terrifying than Sir Fletcher, despite his dark reputation as the "Duke of Murder."  Hamish is a warrior, an honorable one at that, and he's a survivor; Fletcher is a conniving, blackmailing rat who isn't above tormenting young women or stepping on others to get what he wants.

I hated him.

Firefight

Delacorte Press

Firefight

Brandon Sanderson

2015

The Summary

"Newcago is free.

"They told David it was impossible--that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic.  Yet Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead.  And he died by David's hand.

"Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life simpler.  Instead, it only made David realize he has questions.  Big ones.  And no one in Newcago can give him answers.

"Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as the borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though.  Ruled by the mysterious High Epic Regalia, Babylon Restored is flooded and miserable, but David is sure it's the path that will lead him to what he needs to find.  Entering a city oppressed by a High Epic despot is risky, but David's willing to take the gamble.  Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart.  A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived.  Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight.  And he's willing to go on a quest darker and even more dangerous than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers."

The Good
Honestly, I enjoyed Firefight almost as much as I enjoyed Steelheart.  Fast-paced and action-packed, Firefight is a great sequel to the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson.  Adding in Regalia and Obliteration gave the book an added layer of depth and danger, not to mention you're actively wondering what will happen to Prof--and you can't help wondering where Megan fits in to the grand scheme of things.

Is she good?  Is she bad?  And what will happen when Prof finds out that she's back?

Granted, I couldn't help equating some of the drama to a soap opera; however I enjoyed the novel overall.  I was also excited to learn more about Megan's powers and I was floored by the truth about Calamity.  Megan is incredible, by the way, but the "star" is still a bit of a mystery.  I won't say anymore, of course, for fear of spoilers.

Just know that Megan's powers are not what they seem and Calamity has a cause.

The Bad
I really enjoyed Firefight, don't get me wrong, but I really thought it had too much going on at once.  It's almost overwhelming the intensity of the action, how they never seem to catch a break.  It's just one fight after another after another, and it's packed with plot twists that made my head spin.

It's good, I won't deny it; however, it just has a little too much happening.

The Ugly
Death.  Gore.  Violence.

The usual.

Interstellar Cinderella

Chronicle Books LLC

Interstellar Cinderella
Deborah Underwood
Meg Hunt
2015

The Summary
"Once upon a planetoid,
amid her tools and sprockets,
a girl named Cindrella dreamed
of fixing fancy rockets.

"With a little help from her fairy godrobot, Cinderella is going to the ball.  But when the prince's ship has mechanical trouble, someone will have to zoom to the rescue!  Readers will thank their lucky stars for this irrepressible fairy tale retelling, it's independent heroine, and its stellar happy ending."

The Good
I absolutely loved Interstellar Cinderella.  I happened across it one day at the library and I decided to read it before I returned it to the Children's Library, and I immediately fell in love with this little book.  It was so fun, so warm and colorful, so wonderfully depicted that I couldn't help enjoying it.

The art is lovely and bright, and the story is fun and heart-warming.  Meg Hunt does a fantastic job of envisioning the mechanical creations of Cinderella's world; Deborah Underwood recreates Cinderella as a smart, saavy, intrepid young girl, not to mention she gives Cinderella the agency to become what she's always wanted to be:  a rocket mechanic.

I think that's what I loved best about Interstellar Cinderella:  Cinderella isn't rescued by the prince; in fact, when he asks her to marry him, she turns him down.  That's right, Cinderella doesn't want to be married!  She's too young, she decides, and she has dreams of her own that she wants to make come true; instead, Cinderella offers to become his chief mechanic.

Interstellar Cinderella has two very important things going for it:  one, it creates an intelligent heroine who learns how to rescue herself; two, it makes it okay for a girl to focus on her dreams and aspirations of a career, rather than allow the expectations of other people dictate her life.

Yes, I know I got a lot more out of this children's book than I was probably supposed to find.  Yes, I know it's just a story.  But I found it heartwarming and, confidentially, inspiring.  It has a heroine who doesn't just dream, she tries to make her dreams come true.  She doesn't need anyone to rescue her, rather she can save herself.

And I like knowing there's that kind of heroine out there for the next girl to discover.

The Bad
I sometimes struggled with the rhyming scheme of the story, but, otherwise, no complaints.

The Ugly
There's nothing really terrible about Interstellar Cinderella.  It's a children's book.  Not to mention, it's basically Cinderella retold to include robots and space ships.  Her stepsisters and stepmother are terrible, but, spoiler alert, she manages to escape them.

It's a cute, fun book for kids.

The Last Renegade

Berkley Sensational

The Last Renegade
Jo Goodman
2012

The Summary
"As the owner of the Pennyroyal Saloon and Hotel, Lorraine Berry is privy to almost everything that goes on in Bitter Springs, Wyoming--including the bloodshed plaguing its citizens.  With all of the good men dying at the hands of a local rancher and his three sons, Raine hires a shootist to be the town's protector.  But her handsome new employee is more than a hired hand; he's a man who keeps his guns close and his secrets closer.

"After a chance encounter on the train, Kellen Coltrane travels to the Pennyroyal to carry out a dying man's last wish.  But once he meets the hotel's fiery-haired proprietor, Coltrane finds himself assuming the role of the shootist's accomplice and agrees to protect Bitter Springs.  And as he learns more about Raine's own tragedy, Coltrane can't deny his growing desire for the courageous widow, or the urge to protect her from the threat that draws near..."

The Good
Jo Goodman's novel is a western through and through.  It feels like an old western movie:  dashing heroes, fiery heroines, bad guys and good guys, gunfights and outlaws.  After reading so many historical romances set during the Victorian age or the Regency, The Last Renegade was a breath of fresh air.  It was nice to change things up.

Overall, The Last Renegade was a pretty good book.  I can't say I liked the relationship between Kellen and Lorraine.  Don't get me wrong, I was rooting for them to be together; however, after realizing she divulges her entire past to him, I kind of wish he'd offered her the same courtesy and, you know, remained honest with her.  I suppose I can see why he couldn't, but it bothered me a little.  (Personal problem, not a problem with the book, I know.)

I found I enjoyed my visit to Bitter Springs, Wyoming.  It's a quintessential outlaw western:  you have a powerful family that's trying to seize control of the town; a sassy, headstrong lady out for revenge; and a devastatingly handsome gunslinger out to protect a town he's grown to like (more or less).

It's interesting and it's familiar; that is, it's almost comforting.  Bad things might happen in Westerns--there are outlaws, there are murderers, there are bad people in the world--but you get the sense that everything, eventually, will turn out alright.

Besides which, I really liked the Collins family.  They were only secondary characters, but I absolutely adored Mr. Collins' grandsons, Finn and Rabbit.  They're troublesome, they're wily, they're honestly enough to give someone gray hair, but they're good kids and I really like them.  (They're also one of the reasons the mystery as solved in the first place.)

The Bad
Kellen plays his cards carefully, keeping them close to the vest; sometimes, to the detriment of everyone else--well, more accurately, readers.  I sometimes struggled to stay on top of Kellen's plans.  I mean, he obviously didn't share all his plans and ideas with Lorraine; likewise, he doesn't always make them apparent to readers.

He's very secretive and he doesn't tell you outright what he plans to do.  I had an inkling of what would happen, but, honestly, I was wrong just as often as I was right.  Although The Last Renegade did make me realize something about myself:  I'm good at predicting plot points, but I'm very bad at solving mysteries.

The Ugly
Rape.

Will's True Wish

Will's True Wish

Grace Burrowes

2016

The Summary

"It's a dog's life...

"Will Dorning, as an earl's spare, has accepted the thankless duty of managing his rambunctious younger siblings, though Will's only true companions are the dogs he's treasured since boyhood.  When aristocratic London is plagued with a series of dognappings, Will's brothers are convinced that he's the only person who can save the stolen canines from an awful fate.

"But the lady's choice...

"Shy, bookish Lady Susannah Haddonfield has no patience with loud, smelly beasts of any species, but must appear to like dogs so as not to offend her sister's only marital prospect.  Susannah turns to will, an acquaintance from her most awkward adolescent years, to teach her how to impersonate a dog fancier.  Will has long admired Susannah, though he lacks the means to offer for her.  Yet as they work together to rescue the purloined pets, it's loyal, dashing Will who steals Susannah's heart."

The Good
Will's True Wish is a cute, little romance.  It's fluffy and, sometimes, saccharine sweet, but it's adorable and lovely--and it has dogs.  (I'm always a big fan of dogs.)  But, then again, I've loved reading Grace Burrowes for years.  Her novels are always so well written, and Will's True Wish is no different.

I like Burrowes work immensely, because she always surprises me a little.  She takes pains to provide historical accuracy, she makes an effort to convey vocal quirks and accents, and she creates believable relationships between characters.  Not to mention, I'm always impressed by how her romantic characters always maintain the utmost respect, admiration, and affection for each other.

For instance, in Will's True Wish, Will obvious respects Susannah.  He tries to be a proper gentleman and, even when he's not, he still treats Susannah with respect.  He loves her.  Even when she might act hastily or put herself in danger, he loves her and he admires her tenacity, her bravery, and her loyalty.  He truly cares about her and, even though he might not be financially comfortable enough for marriage, he's going to find a way around any difficulty to make her his wife.

It's sweet, and it's charming.  I mean, Will loves her and he's making a real effort.  Granted, they're relationship isn't perfect (no relationship is); however, they're trying.  There's a real affection between them, and they seem to respect each other enough that they're willing to take pains to ensure their loved one is cared for.

If you hadn't guessed, I enjoyed it.  Thus far, I've enjoyed all the romance novels I've read by Grace Burrowes and I can't wait to read more.

The Bad
I didn't always enjoy the tone; more accurately, I didn't like the way it sounded.  It's very proper, very polished, and it didn't always come across well in my own mind as I read.  Admittedly, it did sometimes get a little boring.  I liked the way Burrowes incorporated historical detail, using common slang and verbiage for the time; however, I found it also left me a little lost.

The Ugly
Effington.

Steelheart

Delacorte Press

Steelheart
Brandon Sanderson
2013

The Summary
"Ten years ago, Calamity came.  It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary people extraordinary powers.  The awed public started calling them Epics.

"Epics are no friends of man.  With incredible gifts came the desire to rule.  And to rule man, you must crush his will.

"Now, in what was once Chicago, an astonishingly powerful Epic named Steelheart has installed himself as emperor.  Steelheart possesses the strength of ten men and can control the elements.  It is said that no bullet can harm him, no sword can split his skin, and no fire can burn him.  He is invincible.  Nobody fights back...nobody but the Reckoners.

"A shadowy group of ordinary humans, the Reckoners spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.  And David wants in.

"When Steelheart came to Chicago, he killed David's father.  For years, like the Reckoners, David has been studying, and planning, and he has something they need.  Not an object, but an experience.

"He has seen Steelheart bleed...

"And he wants revenge."

The Good
I loved Steelheart.  It's action-packed, it's interesting, and it takes everything I know about superheroes/supervillains and completely turns it on its head.  Part science-fiction, part fantasy, Steelheart is a wonderfully crafted dystopian world full of detail, depth, and intrigue.

It was so much fun to read.

I was particularly fascinated by the main characters, specifically the Reckoners.  David, as the narrator, is incredibly resourceful.  He sometimes feels like a caricature; however, he's surprisingly astute in his observations and he's wildly intelligent.  I'm always surprised by what he does and what he remembers.  He's daring, he's unexpected, which I found made Steelheart that much more interesting.

Not to mention, I found the ending to be spectacular.

After learning that Steelheart does have a weakness, I puzzled over what it might be.  Reading the prologue again, I couldn't imagine what it might be, but when David discover it, when that moment of recognition and discovery blossomed in his mind and mine, I was thrilled and astonished and excited.  I loved the conclusion.  It startled me, yes, but I found the irony of the situation to be so very satisfying.

I will definitely read the rest of the series.  Firefight is up next, followed by Calamity--and I can't wait to dive back in.

The Bad
No complaints.

The Ugly
Steelheart is graphic, bloody, and riddled with gore.  Bad things happen in Newcago, and you get the impression that, no matter what happens, things aren't really going to get better.

Ruroni Kenshin (Volume 3)

Viz Media

Rurouni Kenshin (Volume 3)
Nobuhiro Watsuki

2004

The Summary

"'Spider's Web'...like ordinary opium, but better processed.  Half the cost to produce, but twice the profits!  To the people of Aizu, Takani Megumi was a daughter in a famous family of doctors, in which everyone--women and children alike--studied medicine.  But to grasping industrialist Takeda Kanryu, she is the hen who lays the golden egg--the only one who knows the Spider's Web formula!  To stay with Kanryu is to send even more to their deaths.  But to stay with Kenshin and the others is to invite theirs..."

The Good
Although I'm not as big a fan of the third volume as I am the second one, I was excited to meet the Oniwabanshu again.  There's something about the Oniwabanshu--about how they're just a small pocket of resistance against the tide of Meiji progress--that I like.

The Bad
I'm not sure why, but I just didn't like this volume as much as I did the previous one.  I like the Oniwabanshu and, personally, I love Aoshi.  He's one of my favorite characters, because he's not actually that bad of a guy, he's more of a complicated anti-hero; however, I don't like the Takani Megumi story arc.

For some reason, it's just not that appealing to me.

The Ugly
As always, blood.  Lots and lots of blood.

Rurouni Kenshin (Volume 2)

Viz Media

Rurouni Kenshin (Volume 2)
Nobuhiro Watsuki
2003

The Summary
"When the chief of the Police Sword Corps himself comes asking for favors, things must be bad.  Hitokiri Udo Jin-e--a black-hatted, crazy-eyed slayer who fells both targets and innocent bystanders alike--is steadily working his way through a list of former Ishin Shishi patriots now ensconced within positions of power in the Meiji government.  Can Kenshin withstand the hypnotic, paralyzing effect of Jin-e...?"

The Good
I found that the second volume of Rurouni Kenshin was equally enjoyable.  Not only has the art improved, it's still just as easy to become engrossed in the story; moreover, it has one of my favorite stories.

You see, in the first volume, you have the chance to see Kenshin as a warrior.  He's obviously impressive with his sakabato; however, he's still Kenshin.  Readers see glimpses of his previous personality, like a hint of viciousness that he very rarely betrays, but it's not until his confrontation with Udo Jin-e that you see him as the hitokiri he once was.

There's something thrilling about seeing Kenshin fight and fight well against someone who is, confidentially, quite terrifying.  I kind of like seeing the hitokiri side of Kenshin, but I also think I like that he's able to pull himself from the brink and resume his happy-go-lucky facade.  I think it makes him a better, more complex character.

The Bad
No complaints.  Besides the seventh volume, where we get to meet Saito Hajime, I think it's one of my favorites.

The Ugly
Blood.

Udo Jin-e is vicious.