Book Review: Emma by Jane Austen

Emma. Emma, Emma, Emma. I find myself shaking my head and muttering that under my breath every time I read this book. While Emma is indeed a selfish and snobbish character, she is good-hearted and honest. She learns from her mistakes and only wants what's best for the people she loves. 

**Spoiler Alert**

With the guidance of my favorite Austen hero, Mr. Knightly (swoon), she learns how to see the value in people that she originally thought were beneath her. At the same time, she shows Mr. Knightly the depth of character that he originally thought was lacking in Harriet. 

Emma and Mr. Knightly's scenes are some of the best. It is always a pleasure to read the verbal sparring between two intelligent people, and to view the obviously well matched relationship between them blossom. If one can forget the age difference (apparently this wasn't an issue in Austen's time), Mr. Knightly and Emma have the best relationship in any of Jane Austen's books. 

I think this is the most well balanced of Jane Austen's stories. There is a good mixture of humor, real world issues and consequences, and superb character development. This variety makes for a very fun read.

Additionally, it's been the inspiration for some fantastic movies, tv shows, and web series: 

Clueless (1995), Emma Approved (2014), Emma (1996), Emma (2009), and Emma (1996). 

I re-watch Clueless and the Gwyneth Paltrow version all the time, and I am overdue for an Emma Approved re-watch.  I haven't seen the bottom two versions but I hear they are quite good as well.  

Jane Austen's Emma is my go to when I want something lighthearted, sweet, and romantic.  I hope you enjoy it as well. 

Happy Reading,

Cordelia M. Blythe

Book Review: The Secrets We Keep

I really wish Goodreads had the option for half stars, or at least expanded the number of stars to 10.  This book was better than 3 stars, but it wasn't quite as good as some of the books I've given 4 stars to.  So I'd give this book 3.5 stars or 7/10 stars. Here's why:

What I liked about The Secrets We Keep:

• I was sucked into the story immediately.  The relationship between Maddy and Ella was so complicated and interesting that I was excited to delve into their character development throughout the story.
• Trisha Leaver did a great job of laying out pieces of the puzzle throughout the story.  I always appreciate it when a mystery doesn't withhold vital information, leaving me bored with waiting for more details, and also keeps the mystery alive so I haven't figured it all out too early.
• The character development of secondary characters like Alex, Molly, and Josh was rock solid.  I love it when secondary characters are given backstory and depth as it makes the whole story feel complete. 
• Ella's reasons for taking over her sister's life wasn't jealousy but something closer to survivor's guilt.  It was refreshing to see the relationship between sisters be something other than, "I wish I had your life"
• The hints that Ella's Dad was starting to figure out that Maddy was actually Ella. 
• The satisfaction of everything finally coming out into the open.
• The audiobook narrator was fantastic!

What I didn't like:

• Ella never really seemed to try very hard to be her sister.  She said she was getting better at pretending, but the truth is that she didn't seem to give it her all.  In fact, I was surprised that Alex and a few other characters didn't figure it out. (Although, to be honest, Alex may have wanted Maddy to be alive so badly that he chose not to see the truth).
• Occasionally the writing would become repetitive.  We're inside Ella's headspace throughout the whole book and she says the same things over and over again.  Then, she'd say some of these things out loud.  So we end up reading the same line at least three times per two pages.  I was ready for the story to keep moving rather than listen to Ella's internal monologue again.  

Overall, this is a fast and enjoyable young adult mystery with intriguing characters and plot. I will definitely be checking out more of this author's works. 

Happy Reading,

Cordelia M. Blythe

P.S. If you want a good subscription box for YA novels check out OwlCrate on Crate Joy: https://cratejoy.grsm.io/CordeliaBlythe

Book Review: The Flight of Gemma Hardy

*Spoiler alert*

I really enjoy reading retellings of classic stories, but I also think it is very hard to do it well.  The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey is a retelling of Jane Eyre set in the 1960s.  The first half of this book was fantastic! It was a perfect recreation of the original, up to when Jane left for Thornfield Hall, but I didn't feel like I was re-reading Jane Eyre word-for-word. It followed a similar pattern without copying and pasting its source material. The scenes at the boarding school were especially well written.  Because it wasn't set in the Gothic Victorian era, I was curious how Margot Livesey was going to interpret the tyranny of the teachers, as well as the death of her school friend (originally Helen).  Even though I knew the Helen-based character, Miriam, was going to die, I couldn't help but hold out hope that she would survive somehow.  When they introduced Miriam's Dad I though for sure that would be how she and Jane separate. But, alas, it wasn't to be.  Anyway, I truly enjoyed this part of the book and felt it was the best part of the story. 

The second half was not so great. Mr. Sinclair (Rochester) and Jane didn't really interact enough to believably fall in love.  Additionally, even though I'm glad Margot Livesey decided not to go with the crazy wife in the attic plot point, I was disappointed in her choice of Mr. Sinclair's BIG SECRET. It was confusing and rather innocuous comparatively.  Basically, Mr. Sinclair was afraid of the dark and so offered his sister to Seamus if he would switch places with him so he wouldn't have to be a miner. What Gemma was upset about was that Mr. Sinclair had lied to her about Seamus and his sister. Or something along those lines.  Really, this was a very contrived and confusing plot point, especially when Gemma spends the rest of story lying to a bunch of people so they like her and don't kick her to the curb. At this point I would have preferred a rehashing of the wife in the attic storyline.  

The one point in favor of the second half was Gemma's trip to Iceland to find her family.  This called back to the beautifully written character and story I cared about in the first half.  We were seeing honest communication and character development as opposed to checking off the plot marks that the story had since devolved into. 

Finally, I felt rather cheated at the end when Gemma and Mr. Sinclair "reconcile" because there was a lack of real conversation.  The story ends rather abruptly before they've really delved into the meat of their issues. To be honest, they've barely spoken to each at all, thus making me not care about what happens to them as a couple.  

In conclusion, while I enjoyed reading this book, I was hoping for more after the first half delivered so wonderfully.

Happy Reading,

Cordelia M. Blythe

The Power of Stories

Hello fellow story lovers! I hope you are having a marvelous week.  This post is going to be a little bit more personal than some of my others, but I would like to share this chapter of my life with you all.

I suffer from Primary Obsessive-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as well as general anxiety.  I'm not sure how long I've struggled with this but it's been present for a very long time.  I am currently seeking treatment through therapy and medication.  I am taking this journey step by step and I know one day, this will be managed and no longer such an overwhelming part of my life.  

For a long time growing up I had a really naive attitude toward mental health.  I thought that aside from the well known disorders like schizophrenia, dissociative identity disorder, and amnesia that mental illness was something that one could just "get over." Meanwhile, I was struggling to get through each day without falling apart. I was constantly exhausted and overwhelmed and scared. I was so scared.  

Here is where the power of stories comes in. *Spoiler Alert* My husband and I were going through the television show Scrubs a few years ago and we got to the arc where Carla has her baby. We find out she is suffering from Postpartum Depression, but thinks it's just a case of the weepies and that she'll soon be fine. 

 Eventually her friends get together to help her out. Jordan, who went through PPD as well, basically tells her that it's just like any other illness and nothing to be scared of or embarrassed about. I mean you wouldn't refuse medicine for a cold or cancer, right? Mental illness is just that: an illness.  Seek help. Get medication if you need it. Do what you need to do to feel better. 

I think this scene is hilarious, and is somehow perfect in a otherwise emotional episode.

I had never thought about it that way. Why wouldn't I take care of myself when I'm feeling so bad? There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. I am ill and I need help.  So I sought help. After searching around a bit, I found a great therapist. Never be afraid to ask for help.  Let me tell you that this was one of the best decisions I've ever made.  My faith in God is stronger, my relationships are healthier, my attitude toward life in general is happier.  I have more joy than I did before I got help.  Now I still have some pretty crappy days and weeks but I'm learning how to manage them.  It's been a slow journey but I am actually moving forward rather than being stagnate.  Instead of cowering in constant fear, I am living life!  This blog and my bookstagram hobby are one way I've learned to express myself and like myself.  I'm proud of the pictures I take and proud of putting words to paper, even if the writing isn't great or the grammar may be incorrect.  Through my stories I hope to shine some light on someone's dark day. I hope to bring a smile to someone's face (even if they already have a megawatt grin). I hope to give you a little slice of happiness by sharing some of the things that make me happiest.  

While I could go into detail about each and every story that has been a tremendous influence to me, I'll just give you the short list:

• Scrubs TV Show
• The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom (I learned so much from this book that I will have to do a blog post just about it so stay tuned)
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery and the CBC mini-series
• Harry Potter series
• North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and the BBC mini-series
• The Young Victoria movie
• When Marnie Was There movie

There are many more that have helped me in so many ways, big, medium, and small.  Reading books and listening to stories in general just brings me so much joy. I want all of you to feel that joy as well, so thanks for reading this far and letting me share my story with you.

God bless and well wishes,

Cordelia M. Blythe

Book Review: Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1)

One of the best things about being a librarian is that I get to lead a book group. Between the members we choose a variety of genres within the Young Adult section from a pre-made list.  I've read a lot of books I wouldn't have chosen on my own, discovering a couple new favorites along the way.  

This past month we read Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1) by Richard Paul Evans.  I was intrigued when I read the synopsis because I'm usually a fan of science fiction, and this one was about teens with electric powers.  Overall, it read like "popcorn sci-fi," meaning I enjoyed reading it immensely, but it wasn't groundbreaking or original in it's content.  

What it did do well was capture my attention early on.  I was eager to find out what would happen next.  I also liked getting to know Michael. It was enjoyable seeing the perspective of a character who not only has "superpowers," but a syndrome I don't know much about: Tourette.  

Michael's friendship with Ostin was adorable, bromantic, and very sweet. I also liked that Taylor wasn't your stereotypical popular cheerleader type.  In fact, Evans was very good at making all his characters seem real.  By telling us the backstory of the bullies from the beginning of the book, both Michael and the reader felt more sympathy for and understood why these kids were the way they were.  After all, "walking a mile in someone else's shoes" is a great way to learn empathy and understanding.  

There wasn't too much I was disappointed in.  The prose was a little weak at times, and I would have liked a few of the characters to have been fleshed out more.  Additionally, the back and forth between first and third person was somewhat jarring and took me out of the story a bit.  I'm curious to see how he'll stretch this story into seven books.  There doesn't seem to be quite enough left for six more.  

Otherwise, it was a very enjoyable and quick read that hit the spot after some stories with heavier content.  If you are looking for lighter science fiction, or a young adult novel without gratuitous content than I would recommend this book to you.  I know a lot of times it can be hard to find something that you feel "safe" reading. While stories about the more difficult things in life can bring up some important conversations, occasionally one wants to read something enjoyable without the incredible emotional turmoil that can come from other stories.

As always, happy reading,

Cordelia M. Blythe 

P.S. If you want a good subscription box for YA novels check out OwlCrate on Crate Joy: https://cratejoy.grsm.io/CordeliaBlythe

Book Review: Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman

Good afternoon everyone!

I have another book review for you.  I recently finished Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman.  

I really, really wanted to love this book.  I've been enjoying all the Persephone/Hades myth retellings I've been reading lately and this one looked very promising.  

While I enjoyed the read, I wanted it to be better. The characters were not very well developed. The relationship between Persephone and Hades needed more time given to it (especially when they were getting to know one another). We moved through the story way too fast.  Basically, everything felt very one dimensional. 

However, if you don't know the story of Persephone and Hades, I would recommend this as a great book with which to start.  Emily Whitman stays fairly true to and fleshed out the original story, though I wish she had gone a bit further.  You will have a better understanding of the original Greek myth if you read this, and I for one always revel in increasing my knowledge.  

For those that are looking for a lighter story without as much/any sex, drugs, foul language, gore, etc., than this is great for you.  There isn't really anything too dark, even considering it deals with the Greek god of death and the fallout from the famine that Demeter inflicts on the earth.  

In the end, I felt like I had read a lot of word but barely got anywhere.  The whole time I was thinking to myself, "Okay, here is where we are going to get into the meat of the story." But it never really happened.  As I said before, I did enjoy reading the book, but I was left wanting more.  More character, more story, and more life.  

  

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Happy Reading,

Cordelia M. Blythe

P.S. If you want a good subscription box for YA novels check out OwlCrate on Crate Joy: https://cratejoy.grsm.io/CordeliaBlythe

Harry Potter...A Cure for Insomnia?

Happy Tuesday!  I hope your day is going as splendidly as mine.  If not, I hope that this post may at least brighten your day a little bit.

It's been a while since my last post and one of the reasons for that is because my insomnia has been acting up.  When that happens I am pretty much a wreck until I can get my sleep schedule back on track. I try everything when I can't get to sleep: pills, chamomile tea, counting sheep, etc.  You name it, I've probably tried it. Much of my insomnia is attributed to anxiety and racing thoughts. In order to counteract that I need something to focus on.  One of the best ways I've found to do this is to listen to an audiobook.  

I have a rather bittersweet story about how I discovered this.  I was away at an internship one summer and I received one of the worst phone calls I'll ever remember.  My mom had called to tell me that my Grandpa had died.  I was devastated.  I loved my Grandpa so much and I couldn't believe he was gone.  I immediately called my boyfriend (now husband) seeking comfort for my broken heart.  He talked on the phone with me for hours.  I was reluctant to hang up because I knew I'd just start sobbing again.  I didn't think there was any way I could fall asleep that night, I was so broken up.  As I was getting ready for bed he suggested reading to me over the phone to help me fall asleep.  He took out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and started reading. Sure enough I was able to fall asleep.  I was able to focus on his voice and on one of my favorite stories. I didn't think it was possible but I fell more in love with him then.  It's one of my fondest memories, in spite of the bad circumstances. 

I downloaded the audiobooks not long after that and began to listen to them on particularly bad evenings.  Jim Dale's voice is incredibly soothing. Additionally, because it is a story I already know but love hearing again, I am able to focus without getting caught up in needing to know what happens next.  

So if you have trouble falling asleep, I suggest trying an audiobook of your favorite story to help you. And, if you are worried about cost, be sure to look into Audiobooks or eAudiobooks from your local library. (You can keep the girl out of the library but you can't keep the librarian out of the girl.)  ;)

Happy Listening,

Cordelia M. Blythe

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