NORA AND KETTLE by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

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Nora and Kettle
by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Expected Publication: February 29, 2016

If you haven’t read anything by Lauren Nicolle Taylor, you’re in for a real treat: Nora and Kettle is an upcoming novel by Lauren Nicolle Taylor, international bestselling author of The Woodlands. Set in the years after World War II, Nora and Kettle features a story about friendship and love between the daughter of a civil rights lawyer and a mixed-race Japanese-American orphan. 

The first few pages of Nora and Kettle whisked me away into the sheltered but troubled life of Nora, daughter of a prestigious civil rights attorney. Living in a large home with her affluent family, Nora has learned to hide her bruises and stay quiet, mostly for the sake of keeping her little sister safe from their violent father. 

The story soon shifts to the perspective of Kettle, a young man who goes out of his way to make life livable for his family, a group of Nisei orphans (“Lost Children”) who were taken from orphanages and placed into internment camps. 

What do Nora and Kettle have in common? They are protective of those they love, and would sacrifice much to make sure that their loved ones are safe. Nora bravely endures her father’s beatings to make sure her sister is safe, while Kettle fights to work risky jobs in the mines in order to feed his family of fellow homeless children. On the surface, they live very different lives, but they also have a lot in common. 

The story flows seamlessly between the perspectives of Nora and Kettle. I found myself attempting to piece together different facts and details to get a hold of the big picture or the “real deal” of a character.The revelations are satisfying and add layers of complexity to characters and their motivations. Hints introduced throughout the book come together to reveal important discoveries later on in the story--wish I could say but it’d be too spoilery. Take my word on this!

A sketch of Nora and Kettle, by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

Nora and Kettle left me reeling with emotions--happy ones, angry ones, and also sad ones. I dreamed along with Nora, simmered with anger at her father’s violence and hypocrisy, and cheered for both Nora and Kettle. I found myself identifying with both characters’ struggles, dreams, and fears. 

The emotional impact of this novel also stems from Lauren Nicolle Taylor’s signature style of poetic prose. Her vivid writing sweeps me away into the secret realms of her characters’ minds and hearts, where they are free to express how they truly feel. This is especially true for Nora, whose innerworld is dreamy and mobile compared to her oppressive situation at home, where she has to hide her true thoughts from her overbearing father. 

"A Frankie and Kettle Moment" by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

Overall, this is a poetically written novel about two strong-willed characters who will do whatever they can to ensure the safety of the people they love. The post-World War II setting and Kettle’s background illuminates a segment of history that is often overlooked: the removal of children from orphanages and their subsequent placement into internment camps for having any sort of Japanese ancestry. Nora and Kettle are likable characters who drive the plot forward and I find myself investing deeply in their struggles. Nora and Kettle is an exhilarating read and I highly recommend it.

Expected Publication Date for Nora and Kettle: February 26, 2016

Find out more about Nora and Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor:

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DEFIANT: A Dystopian Trio of Novellas by Mara Li, Jen Minkman, and Lis Lucassen

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Defiant. When the civilization you live in turns out to be a giant, messed-up deception, what do you do? Each of the teens in these three novellas (translated by Jen Minkman) rises up to defy the rigid social order of their worlds. 

The Defiant collection of three dystopian novellas comes out today on March 26, 2015! Woot!

Genre(s):

Young Adult / Dystopian / Action / Racism / Historical

Meet the Defiant

Meet Emma in The Red Messenger by Mara Li, whose twin sister Sophie recently died in a mysterious accident. She lives in an alternate reality in which the Nazis took over Germany. Think: a world with email, internet, and electricity coexisting with the continued torture of Jews tucked away in concentration camps and ghettos. Emma finds out that there was more to Sophie than she'd previously known...

Meet Leia in The Island by Jen Minkman, a strong-willed teenager who grows up in an isolated island society with rules and traditions based on one pre-apocalyptic book (Star Wars) that preached about the Force.  An aggressive young leader named Saul holds his power over the children using the doctrines of the Force. Leia must uncover the mystery behind that holy book...

Meet Justa in The Tribunal by Lis Lucassen, who lives in a post-World War IV society torn into two classes: Sectorals (the blond and light-colored ruling class) and Stateless (folks with more melanin, apparently). "Segregation is needed to maintain the established order. The Sectorate therefore upholds Inequality in order to prevent future uprisings...One exception only to Sectorial Segregation is acknowledged - before the Tribunal, all are equal." 

My Thoughts & Comments About Each Defiant Novella

The Red Messenger by Mara Li

I had learned about World War II concentration camps while I was in middle school, but I never imagined a dystopian world in which similar racism-induced horrors take place, but with modern and digital technology. This is a great concept, and I think it was well executed overall, with the exception of a few instances of plot-induced stupidity on the part of Emma that were used to push the story forward. The issues of racism and state-enforced athiesm are covered in this book. 

As an American, I was surprised at first about how directly this novella tackled the issue of the Jewish concentration camps, but then I realized that the Netherlands were deeply affected by the existence of Jewish death camps during the Second World War. 75% of the Jewish population was deported from the Netherlands to these concentration camps, and many Dutch authorities collaborated with the Nazis to achieve this. This is a painful part of the Netherlands' history, and I think this novel draws very well from the horrors of that era. The last part of the novella felt like it was straight from the 1940s. 

The Island by Jen Minkman

A wall divides the island, and there are rumors of the Other society living in it, called the Fools. When a mysterious guy washes up ashore one day, Leia's world is totally rocked as she comes to understand the truth behind her society. This is a civilization built by children after an epidemic wiped out most, if not all of the adults in the world. I didn't like the idea of a society built around a Star Wars book for kiddos, but I liked the novella explores how a society built by children would be like after a few generations. 

The Tribunal by Lis Lucassen

This one reads like a good courtroom drama. In light of Trayvon Martin's death and the 2014 Ferguson unrest in the United States, the theme of a lower-classed person being screwed over by a law system purports to be fair corresponds strongly with both historical and current events. The Tribunal explores the issues of racism, bias, and corruption in a law-based society which is segregated by color. 

Overall Rating for Defiant: 4/5

Find out more about Defiant, a collection of three novellas by Netherlands authors Mara Li, Jen Minkman, and Lis Lucassen:

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HOPE FOR GARBAGE by Alex Tully

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Hope for Garbage  by Alex Tully

Published: April 17, 2014
Genre: YA Fiction

Hope for Garbage by Alex Tully is a story that moves quickly from a boy with a troubled past to a whirlwind of drama that had me rocking back and forth and muttering, "Oh ****, oh ****!" as I hit plot twists. Not a lot of novels affect in me such a visceral way, but Hope for Garbage did.

While Hope for Garbage covers some heavier issues like alcoholism and drug abuse (mostly with the adults), the overall feel of the novel is optimistic and bittersweet. This is a story about moving away from tragedy, dealing with guilt, and finding a new, redemptive purpose for things (and lives) that have been banged up and discarded.

I could give you my take on the setup of the story, but the blurb for Hope for Garbage does a great and descriptive job, so here it is:

"Welcome to the cruel world of Trevor McNulty. No matter how hard he tries, this seventeen year-old just can’t get a break. After enduring a tragic past, he finds himself living with his alcoholic uncle on the outskirts of Cleveland. His days are filled with garbage-picking and hanging out with his seventy year-old neighbor, who also happens to be his best friend.

One early morning while scanning the streets in a posh suburb, he meets Bea, a rebellious rich girl with problems of her own. She’s smart, cute, and a glimmer of light in his dark world.

But in the midst of their budding romance, Bea’s beautiful yet miserable mother enters the picture with an agenda of her own. Beginning with an innocent car ride, she sets off a chain of events so shocking and destructive, Trevor is pushed to the brink of despair.

While he is desperate to save his relationship with Bea, he learns that nothing in his world can be saved unless he first saves himself.

Hope for Garbage is a story about resilience—about overcoming adversity under the most extraordinary circumstances—about never, ever, giving up hope.

Because sooner or later, everybody gets a break."

FAST-PACED STORYTELLING

Alex Tully is a good storyteller. The book was fast-paced, and I ripped through it in no time, not only because it was quick, but also because I found it easy to identify with Trevor and his drive to excel and make a better life.

The story starts out hinting of a sweet, Romeo and Juliet sort of romance between Trevor and Bea, but a scene worthy of The Graduate (1967) quickly throws Trevor into the midst of a lot of drama. Things go down...they really do.

Alex Tully doesn't tell us everything about Trevor right off the bat. The author tends to hold off until a better time to reveal secrets about Trevor. We know he had a troubled past, but we don't know what happened until a later part of the novel. This kept me on my toes the whole way. 

THOUGHTS ON SOME CHARACTERS (Some Spoilers)

Trevor McNulty 

Trevor McNulty is the sort of character that's easy to cheer for. He's smart, resourceful, and has had a lot of crummy things happen to him and his family that he couldn't control. Throughout the book, he grapples with painful childhood memories and guilt, which is woven seamlessly with the scenes between him and his therapist as well as the dramatic events that unfold later in the story.

Lorene 

Lorene is the housekeeper for Bea's family, and has served as more of motherly/best friend figure for Bea than Bea's biological mother. She lives a quiet, empty-nester life in a smaller house on the nicer side of town with her husband. Lorene notices people's surprised reactions to her as an African American woman on the wealthier side of town. 

Mrs. Stewart, or "Evelyn" 

If I could sum up Bea's mom in a phrase, it would be "Mrs. Robinson." Like Trevor, Bea's mom is unhappy with her station in life, but unlike him, she is trapped in an unhappy marriage with a toxic husband who turns her daughter against her. Her character had the most potential for complexity but it didn't play out that way. Her loneliness and insecurity lead her to "do" things a la Graduate (1967), but worse, because Trevor hasn't even graduated from high school. She's hard to like, and sadly, it stays that way for the whole novel. For her, things never get better.  

Bea

Having grown up in a economically comfortable neighborhood, Bea is sheltered but not judgmental when it comes to lower-income communities. She resents her mother for being absent. Although Bea starts off as Trevor's love interest, she quickly becomes a minor character since she comes in and out of the novel through the eyes of Lorene. 

THE ENDING... (Spoilers Alert! Maybe.)

What the heck happened in the last chapter?

While Tully's way of holding secrets until later tends to work well, the ending undoes everything that we've been lead to believe about Trevor. This is less of a twist and more of a non sequitur.

Most of the novel makes Trevor out to be a "diamond in the rough", a considerate kid from the ghetto who's going to break out of his run-down and unstable environment into a better life with more opportunities, but the last few lines were so out of character for him and Lorene that I'll just pretend they never happened. That never happened, okay?

OVERALL

My eyes were glued to the book until the end. Overall, this was a great read because the story moves fast, and there are lots of plot twists that keep me on my toes. Trevor is a character who I want to cheer for as he earns more opportunities for a better life. 

(Hint: You can probably find the book for cheap on Amazon. As of today, it's $2.99 on Kindle.)

My rating: 5/5 stars

Want to know what actors should play Trevor and the other characters in Hope for Garbage? Check out my Casting Ideas for Hope for Garbage by Alex Tully. 

The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow

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The Secret Diamond Sisters
by Michelle Madow

If you were a fan of Gossip Girl, you'd probably enjoy The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow. It's about three high school sisters, Savannah, Courtney, and Peyton who find out that they're actually the daughters of a really wealthy businessman in Las Vegas.

They move from their sleepy down in California to Las Vegas and wow! The lush descriptions make anyone who loves nice things drool. From luxurious drapes to chandeliers--and SPACE! A world of difference away from the cramped apartment that the three sisters lived in.

Of the three sisters, Savannah, the youngest one, is the most eager to soak up the posh lifestyle. Courtney, the middle child, is the responsible one who wants to use Dad's cash for necessities only. She's also the most studious and likes to read. Peyton, the oldest, has seen the worst out of all sisters. She witnessed her mother's many boyfriends, some more sketchy than others.

Crazy, elaborately designed theme hotels. Limos. Nice cars. Expensive night clubs. Cute guys.

And also included in the Las Vegas package: Madison, a rich antagonista who needs to be in control all the time. Madison sees the Diamond sisters as competitors to her reign over the school, as well as her favorite boys. What will she do to stop them from taking over?

It's hard to read this without comparing it to Gossip Girl. I would say that the rivalry between Madison and the Diamond sisters lives up to its catty and juicy potential. However, the characters are a lot more redeemable and likable here than in Gossip Girl. The sisters genuinely care about each other, and even Madison has a conflicted conscience, despite her ambitions to be alpha queen.  I come away from finishing the novel feeling pretty good about everything.

One issue I had with this novel is slut-shaming. The practice of slut-shaming is common in high schools, and it exists in this novel as well. Male characters in the book get off scot-free for sleeping around--even glorified, while girls are shamed for doing the same thing. The Secret Diamond Sisters isn't necessarily promoting the practice of slut-shaming (because Madison is also portrayed as a sympathetic character at times), but it is also not attempting to subvert that mindset, from what I can see. There's the double standard of being "easy", which applies to girls but not guys.

When it comes to class and money, The Secret Diamond Sisters is a lot more sympathetic towards poverty people--it portrays working class people as respectable, even in their poverty. While characters in Gossip Girl tended to regard working class characters with disdain or even shame, the attitudes that the Diamond sisters' family takes is different. The sisters' dad respects the employees in the hotel who actually need the money to live.

Overall, I enjoyed reading about the Diamond sisters' new and glamorous life in Las Vegas. It seems like they're only getting started, but the drama is delicious. I can't wait to read the second one.

My rating:

Find out more about The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow: 

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Light of Lorelei by Jen Minkman (Tales of Skylge #2)

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Light of Lorelei

by Jen Minkman

(Tales of Skylge #2)

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Tales of Skylge series, it's a dystopian fantasy series set on an island in which Sirens (merfolk) regularly pull haplessly enchanted island people towards the sea with their eerie music, where they tear them apart and consume their life force. 

Light of Lorelei continues the island's story from the first novel, Sound of Sirens (see my review). 

Aska is an orphan who is doomed to serve in a convent for the rest of her life because she is the offspring of a taboo relationship between Skylger and Current/Anglian individuals. The aftermath of a vicious siren attack on the convent leads Aska to find the truth behind the Sirens and the ruling class (Currents) of the island. 

St. Brendan's Fire has always been used to repel the Sirens, or so Aska was taught. However, the Sirens' reaction from the use of St. Brendan's Fire leads her to doubt its true purpose...

Aska has to decide whether to help the Skylger rebels conduct their research of the mysterious tower of St. Brendan's Fire. She meets a mysterious and handsome fisherman who starts turning up in places she goes. She also meets two young people who ask her to help them find the truth about St. Brendan's Fire. 

I came into the novel a bit confused, leaping from Enna and Royce's dramatic ending in Sound of Sirens into Aska's life in the convent. I also thought Aska might have been the daughter of Enna and Royce, except Aska's father was a Skylger. However, this was settled later in the novel.

The convent shows a different side of the island of Skylge, which I really enjoyed seeing. Because Aska's job at the convent is to serve the community and protect it from the siren's songs (by using the church's own hymns), Aska is able to see the island's events in a larger perspective. Because of her life as an outcast, Aska is a bit resentful, even if she is somewhat resigned to her station in life. 

She escapes from convent life by sneaking out to take evening walks, during which she meets Tjalling, a mysterious fisherman...who starts popping up wherever she goes. I was afraid Aska's relationship with Tjalling would be too similar to Enna-Royce, but I was pleasantly surprised. 

Actually, this novel surprised me many times.

There are so many twists and mind-boggling revelations in Light of Lorelei. I'd start thinking the story would go a certain way, and then--nope!--it'd head right into another direction, each time deepening my understanding of who the Sirens are and what their relationship to Skylge is. I really loved finding out about the Sirens and the truths behind the way things were on the island, particularly how the Currents have maintained their power over the Skylgers for so long. And Aska's true identity. 

I wish I could reveal more but that'd be spoiling too much. ;) Let's just say that this novel strikes a delicious balance between revealing the magical secrets of Skylge, the further development of the characters, and the fate of the Skylger-Anglian co-existence. 

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Find out more about Light of Lorelei by Jen Minkman (Tales of Skylge #2):

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Tales of Skylge:

1. Sound of Sirens

2. Light of Lorelei (this)

Sound of Sirens by Jen Minkman (Tales of Skylge #1)

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Sound of Sirens

by Jen Minkman

(Tales of Skylge #1)

After reading Jen Minkman's The Island series, I was stunned by how different this novel is in comparison to the ones in her former series, possibly because in this novel, possibly because Minkman draws inspiration from the history of her home country, the Netherlands. Sound of Sirens is well written, and while it took a while to set up, I loved the characters and the cultural and geographical details incorporated throughout the book.  

Sound of Sirens takes place in an island in which two groups of people live: the Currents and the Skylgers. The Currents are the rich ruling class who came from across the sea, while Skylgers are natives to the island. Electricity exists, but the Currents hoard it. The island is surrounded by mysterious merfolk whose siren calls lead hypnotized island folk to their watery doom. It seems that neither Currents nor Skylgers are immune to the call of the Siren. 

Enna, the Skygler main character, is the daughter of a woman who died after heeding the Siren's call. After her brother who returned from a long voyage gives her an LP that can only be played by electric devices, she befriends a Current guy named Royce. Who's hot. And popular with the girls. And somehow indifferent to all except Enna.

Thus begins a taboo Skygler-Current relationship, meanwhile Enna learns more about the monopoly that the Currents hold over electricity, and that there is more to the history of the island of Skylge than what was taught in history class.

Sometimes Enna comes close to falling into what I consider the "Bella Complex" in which she considers herself plain compared to Royce, and Royce is such a girl magnet that it's a wonder he doesn't sparkle in the sunlight.

However, she is not a Bella, because she's curious and passionate about the larger politics of the island. She doesn't want to hide or even defend herself from the scary politics; she wants to change the bigger picture--proactively. She wants to learn more about the history. She is proud of her Skylger culture and language, which is slowly disappearing beneath the Current rule.

The language in this book is simplistic and minimalist, and compared to her other series, Minkman writes with more familiarity about the details of Skylge because she is drawing ideas from her home country this time. It took some time to set up the world and its conflicts, but not too long. Once the island of Skylge was established, I wanted to find out how far Enna would go to discover the truths of the island, and how far the Currents would go to protect the status quo.

I can't wait to read the sequel!

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars

Tales of Skylge:

1. Sound of Sirens (this)

2. Light of Lorelei 

From Mean Cheerleader to Mother Teresa: Thoughts on Female Sexuality in the novel SIA

Sia

by Josh Grayson

Published: November 20, 2013

Sia is a novel in which a snobby high school cheerleader experiences amnesia and suddenly forgets who she is and where she comes from. After a week of homelessness, Sia is found by her family, which is wealthy. Returning to school, Sia realizes that her old reputation involved being mean to less popular students--an old self that she cannot identify with at all. She works on reforming her old reputation by working on charity fundraisers and befriending her less "popular" classmates . However, her new friends worry that she will return to her old habits when her memory comes back...

Using amnesia as a device to force Sia to change provides the story with an interesting introduction, but it also robs Sia of a more painful and convincing transition. Like a light switch, she transforms from a stereotypical, bitchy high school cheerleader into this Mother Teresa-like figure who dresses herself with modest clothes instead of tight clothing.

With the sudden change in clothing choices, this novel runs into the danger of idealizing certain lifestyle choices while villainizing others due to its simplistic way of presenting the contrast between Sia's old self and her new self. It creates a binary between her old self and its attributes (tight, sexy clothing, big and bulky boyfriend, eating salads for meals instead of higher-calorie hamburgers) and her new self (modest clothing, dorky boyfriend, eating humble burgers).

Using Sexuality to Promote a Good Cause vs. to Promote Oneself

The novel addresses this binary between Old Sia and New Sia later on when Sia undergoes an inner conflict between her new, Mother Teresa-like personality and her enjoyment of glamorous things, such as getting dolled up for a charity event. During her fundraising runs, she meets Alyz, a model who is skilled at using her sexuality in order to get donations.

Sia is apprehensive at first about showing off her sexy charm, but at the party she soon warms up to the idea of flaunting her sexuality (which includes her physical beauty and charm) at drunk Hollywood people in order to get donations.

Moral of the story: A woman flaunting her beauty and sexuality for her own purposes is shallow, but a woman using her beauty and sexuality "for a good cause" is selfless and ideal. It's okay to show off your sexy bits if it's for a good cause.

Too Easy of a Transformation?

This binary between old-bad-sexy and new-good-chaste would be the novel's biggest weakness. Sia seems more like an archetype than a person, an image of the idealized rich girl: popular, beautiful, incredibly wealthy and well-connected, yet kind and selfless.

Her post-amnesia self is kind, and, even when feeling conflicted about glamorous fundraisers, continues to exhibit good intentions for others. Her new self is completely selfless and the reverting back to her old habits never becomes an issue.

In other words, her transformation is seamless. It is too perfect. In the end, even though she appalls her family and cheerleader friends at first, she ultimately gets to keep her relationships with everyone. She doesn't lose anything in her transformation, at least, not permanently. There is no sacrifice with her change as a person, which happened due to an external circumstance instead of a personal decision.

Review: THE WANTED by Lauren Nicolle Taylor (The Woodlands #4)

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The Wanted

by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

(The Woodlands #4)

Here are some facts about this book:

• The fourth and last novel in the series, The Woodlands 
• Will release on October 31, 2014
• A post-apocalyptic dystopian novel
• Responsible for at least two late nights beneath the blanket 
• Probably contains nicotine somewhere in there

Out of all the books in The Woodlands series, this one is my favorite because of the dual narrative and beautiful language that weaves together the sensory details with Rosa's inner thoughts. Rosa may think that she's horrible with metaphors, but her narrative voice is actually filled with vivid figurative language. 

The story is divided between the perspectives of Rosa and Joseph. Given the movement that Rosa and Joseph take part in against the oppressive regime of the Superiors, I had an idea of what would happen, but I had no idea how. The episodes between Rosa and Joseph are brief but important -- each scene moves the story forward and keeps me intrigued on what would happen next. 

Sometimes the perspective would switch and I'd whine, "No, but I wanted to find out what happened to Rosa." But soon enough, I'd be entranced with Joseph's side of the line. 

So what's going on in The Wanted?

Rosa is a prisoner of the Superiors and faces interrogations in multiple forms. They want information about her friends, the Survivors, and Joseph. She has to stay strong and defiant and not let them break her. 

I had no idea how Rosa was going to get out of that captivity. I was thinking that maybe Joseph could smash his way in to save her, but then that'd be really cliched and predictable. The story went nowhere in that direction. It was filled with plot twists that boggled my mind and kept me chasing down the rest of the story to find out what would happen. 

In the beginning of the series, I wasn't able to identify strongly with Rosa (even though I liked her a lot as a character), but in The Wanted, I cheered for her the whole way. I think it's partly because she has matured over the past few books, especially after the death of Apella, a girl who ultimately proved Rosa's judgmental views wrong with her sacrifice. And while Rosa does "size up" people when observing them, she's a lot less judgmental than before because she tries to see things from their side of the fence.

Joseph was forced to leave her and escape. He struggles with feelings of guilt over the violence he used in order to flee. In the meantime, he is helping with the Survivors' rebellion against the iron grip of the Superiors. With many readers, there was an issue of Joseph being too perfect. To me, he just came across as an optimistic sort of guy who knows what he wants. In this book, however, his optimism and values go under trials of loneliness, grief, guilt, and uncertainty. It was good to explore some inner turmoil and weakness within him because his negative reaction to certain actions shows us where his values are as a person. Even if he is an overall hero, he can still be prone to moments of weakness. 

Like with Rosa, some of the people in the Survivors have mellowed out a bit after their initial hostility towards each other, such as Deshi. I've gotten really fond of him and Rash as minor characters. I was even hoping for Deshi to hook up with another guy that comes into the picture in this novel, but *ahem* that did not happen, probably for the best. 

I'm going to miss Rosa, Deshi, Rash, and Joseph. They had a wonderfully cranky but loving dynamic. When I saw the novella The Willful, I was actually hoping that this series had been extended into a quintet. Overall, I enjoyed this wonderful ending to The Woodlands series. The main loop is concluded, but as with life, there is a lot of uncertainty in the details in the aftermath. Will Deshi and Hessa become close again? Will Rosa and Joseph move past this moment of disloyalty? Will they all be a family in five years, after things have settled down somewhat? I think so.

My rating:

Find out more about The Wanted by Lauren Nicolle Taylor on:

Amazon | Goodreads

Check out my reviews on the other The Woodlands novels:

The Woodlands (#1)

The Wall (#2)

The Wounded (#3)

Blog Tour: Q&A with Kat Kruger

Welcome to this stop of the Take a Walk on the Wilds Side blog tour, celebrating the upcoming release of The Night Is Found by Kat Kruger. Read my review here (hint: I loved it!). 

Today we will be featuring a Q&A with the author behind this suspenseful werewolf trilogy. Say hi to Kat Kruger!

Kat Kruger, author of The Magdeburg Trilogy

Q&A with Kat Kruger

Q: From the references to old werewolf cases in the books, it's clear that you did your werewolf lore research prior to creating the Magdeburg Trilogy. How did you decide which folklore/pop culture elements or "rules" of werewolves to keep in your own mythos?

A: I'm a big fan of the genre and werewolves in general so the research came fairly easily. The challenge for me was more in making the scientific connections and pushing the boundaries of paranormal into the realm of scifi. For the most part I re-interpreted the rules. Anything that could be explained scientifically I kept, whereas anything that was more along the magical line of thinking I discarded as superstition. When I wrote The Magdeburg Trilogy, my rationale behind the world was to ground it in reality to make it as believable as possible. 

Q: I notice that you pay a lot of attention to the power dynamics within groups and relationships. Did you model certain relationships after observations of particular human relationships or are the relationship dynamics based off of wolf mates and packs? I'm curious about what your process is. 

A: I didn't consciously model the relationships after ones from my real life. That's not to say there aren't some similarities when I look back on the way my characters interact with each other though!

When I wrote these characters I definitely had an idea of how I wanted to approach the power dynamics. The born werewolves versus bitten humans have different behaviour patterns because they're different species.

Connor starts off as an outsider to both groups because he's a hybrid. Although he muddles his way through the relationships it's kind of par for the course because he's always been a bit of a lone wolf.

Madison is a human who went through the trauma of being attacked and bitten by her ex-boyfriend Josh. Theirs is probably the most complex of all the relationships because Connor appears at a time when Madison is mentally ready to let go of Josh but doesn't quite know how.

Amara is a bit emotionally detached because I based the born werewolves on a scifi theory that Neanderthals evolved into werewolves. Some evidence points to Neanderthals lacking in the social capacity of humans and I sort of went with that. That said, her romance with Arden is based more on wolf mates.

With Arden, it was more straightforward for me to write his relationship with Connor. (SPOILER ALERT) Arden is actually half-human so he has a combination of alpha wolf aggression and pent-up human emotion that makes him more volatile than the rest of his pack mates.

Q: Who was your favorite werewolf while growing up? And now?

A: Growing up it was Etienne of Navarre from the movie Ladyhawke. Now I'd pick Cole St. Clair from Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver trilogy.

Q: This isn't directly related to your novel but I'm curious about your perspective as a writer. What's your take on the portrayals of werewolves in Twilight, who seemed to be concentrated into the Native American community as opposed to the more ethnically diverse werewolf population in your series? 

A: I'm going to be a nerd about it and say that from my perspective technically the "werewolves" in Twilight are shape-shifters who can take on any form so I don't include them as part of werewolf lit per se. That nerdiness aside, as a species overall I think werewolves would be diverse like humans and dogs. Having grown up in Toronto, I was always surrounded by a diverse population. It just comes naturally to me to think in these terms so naturally that's how the Magdeburg werewolves appear. 

While I appreciate the fact that Myers was open enough to include minority group representation in a paranormal world, there's actually diversity within the Native American community itself that I don't think was fully explored in that series. Pretty much every culture on Earth has some kind of werewolf folklore and there's some cool Native American lore that could have been expanded a bit more in depth. But, like I said, I think of Twilight as more of a vampire & shape-shifter series so I can't really criticize it for not exploring diversity among its werewolves.

Q: Do you own a wolf-like dog? What pets do you own (if any)? 

A: No, but I wish I did! I had a senior rescue wire-haired dachshund named Chili Dog but he passed away a couple of years ago. One day I'd like a big wolfy dog like a Belgian Shepherd or Tamaskan. I'll probably name him/her after one of Arden & Amara's kids.

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Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed meeting the mastermind behind this addition to werewolf lore. And now, a giveaway!

Giveaway (courtesy of Fierce Ink Press) of a digital copy of the entire Magdeburg Trilogy!

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Blog Tour: THE NIGHT IS FOUND by Kat Kruger

Hey there. Welcome to this stop in the Take a Walk on the Wilds Side blog tour! I was sent this trilogy (including the eARC for the third installment), and my mind is just blown from the vast and complex world of werewolf societies that Kat Kruger has created. To my faerie-loving brain, werewolves had never been as awesome as they are in these novels. This trilogy is like my gateway drug to werewolf lit, and part of what makes it so addicting is the suspenseful storytelling, filled with twists that caught me by surprise and kept me up late at night.

Movie Review: The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

If I weren't such an uptight grape, I would have cried. Despite this being the third week that the movie has been out (and on a weekday!), the whole theater room was filled with teenagers, from families and groups to young couples enjoying their summer vacation.

Review: THE DEEP by Jen Minkman (The Island #3)

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The Deep by Jen Minkman

Note: I received a copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third installment in Jen Minkman's The Island novella series, which takes place in a post-apocalyptic world in which the inhabitants of an island are descendants of children who were spared from the plague. The first two novellas in the series were The Island and The Waves. 

Book Review: THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU by Jolene Perry

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The Summer I Found You
by Jolene Perry
Published: March 1, 2014
Genres: YA / Contemporary / Romance

A romance between a 19-year-old Afghanistan veteran Aidan and a 17-year-old high school student named Kate sprouts soon after Kate is dumped by her boyfriend. Both Aidan and Kate suffer from bodily otherness: Aidan lost his arm in Afganistan, and Kate has Type 1 diabetes, and this is what ultimately brings them together, despite their shame and self consciousness of their otherness. 

This is a beautiful premise, but what I end up seeing is a shallow relationship propelled by raging hormones in which Aidan and Kate use each other as a "distraction" from their problems:

Interview with Angela Misri: JEWEL OF THE THAMES

Angela Misri, author of Jewel of the Thames

Jewel of the Thames has made me quite smitten with all things related to the Sherlockverse...and tea. Following the death of her mother, Portia Adams is uprooted from her rundown Toronto apartment to London - into the same exact apartment where Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson used to hang out and solve mysteries. This transition is facilitated by Mrs. Jones, Portia's mysterious and wealthy guardian. As Portia attends college and gets to know the other friendly tenants in the building, she finds herself swept into into three mystery cases. As she applies her curiosity and logical reasoning to the mysteries, she also learns more about the secrets of her family.

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1. Portia Adams has a unique family history, as the granddaughter of Watson. How did you get the idea for Portia Adams as a character?

I've been toying with the idea of a young female detective for a long time - since university really, but originally, I had imagined Portia just renting the Baker Street townhouse and finding herself attracted to detective work just by a kind of osmosis. What sparked the idea for the family connection was a short story I read by Stephen King called 'The Doctor's Case.' It opened the door for me to think of ways to make Holmes and Watson my own, while still very much respecting Conan-Doyle's original writings - which King did very well in his short story.

2. The setting for most of the novel is London in the 1930s. The writing and descriptions of clothes, trains, and the socio-economic class structure in Britain created an impression of what the era was like. How did you do your research on 1930s London?

Extensively. I watched movies made in the ten-year span, read books published at the time, read political speeches written in London at the time (later made into packaged anthologies) and read as many history books on It as I could get my hands on.

3. The characters drink much tea, and there is a scene on a train in which Portia and some companions drink several pots of tea as they work out a mystery. What's your favorite tea?

Ha! I like Earl Grey and Jasmine teas myself ; )

4. Have you been to London before? And if so, have you visited 221B Baker Street?

Yes, I was born in London (a little burrough called Croydon) and lived there till I was six. I have been back many time as my brother still lives there. Yes, I have visited 221 Baker Street and the museum many times.

5. Which is your favorite Sherlock mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and why?

'A Scandal in Bohemia' because Adler is an absolute favorite character of mine.

6. What is your favorite Sherlock adaption (play, film, TV series)?

The one you list below in question 7. is my favourite, though I also like the Robert Downey Jr. movies.

7. The BBC Sherlock series has become quite popular worldwide. Have you seen it, and how do you feel about the modern adaptation of Sherlock as a high-functioning sociopath?

I love it! My senior thesis in my English degree was a paper in which I postulated that Sherlock Holmes was bipolar, so as an avid reader of the original canon, I could not agree more we the BBC interpretation.

8. I'm so excited to read more! Are you working on the second installment of the Portia Adams Adventures? How's it going? :)

I've actually finished my first draft of books 2 & 3 at this point (and am halfway through 4) so I'd say it's going rather well ; ) Portia is one of those characters who is both loud and busy, so she's constantly in my ear whispering ideas.

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Find out more about

Jewel of the Thames by Angela Misri

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Book Review: THE WAVES by Jen Minkman (The Island #2)

 

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The Waves: an Island novella (#2)

by Jen Minkman

Published: October 4, 2013

Genres: YA fiction / Dystopian / Post-Apocalyptic

Book Review: THE ISLAND by Jen Minkman (The Island #1)

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The Island

by Jen Minkman

(The Island #1)

Genres: YA Fiction / Dystopian / Star Wars / Post-Apocalyptic

Book Review: THE WOUNDED by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

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The Wounded

by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

Book 3 of The Woodlands Series

Published: February 28, 2014

Note: I was given an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Despite the controversy over Rosa's character (let's face it: she has a strong personality, and we probably wouldn't get along very well), I thought it was realistic for all the trauma she has gone through. Her determination to make things right for her family is also what distinguishes Rosa as a badass heroine. I actually thought Clara in the first book was some sort of lovable freak of nature. How does one go through such horrific things (like being pulled away from your family, forced artificial insemination) and still be nice and pleasant? One would become a tiger, trying to protect whatever they have left. 

And that's exactly what Rosa is. She is a protective tiger, ever so ready to protect her new-found family. Following her adventures from the second novel, she has become reunited with her dad, Pelo, but holds resentments against him for abandoning her as a child for the cause. With father and daughter reunited once more, they have to go back to The Wall, where the Survivors live. The path is paved with dangers, and once they return, they have to figure out what to do.

Book Review: CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas

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Crown of Midnight 

by Sarah J. Maas

(Throne of Glass #2)

Published: 2013, Bloomsbury USA

Genre: YA / Fantasy

For the sake of not spoiling anything, I'll try to focus on my reactions. As the sequel to Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight has a much more satisfying story with a less-contrived plot. The competition structure of the story with its intriguing subplots in the first book had felt contrived - there's none of that here. Crown of Midnight is filled with plot twists, betrayals, and mysteries that keep me with the story.. 

But I had to take an two-month-long hiatus when I hit the middle of the book.

Why, you ask? 

Book Review: THE WALL by Lauren Nicolle Taylor (The Woodlands Series #2)

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Title: The Wall

Author: Lauren Nicolle Taylor

Genre: YA / Dystopian / Action / Adventure

Published: October 2013

If you haven't read Lauren Nicolle Taylor's first book, The Woodlands (click for my review), then you're in for a dystopian treat. 

First, let us get past the gorgeous face framed by poofy hair on the cover and go into the details. Rosa, Joseph, and their friends have made it to a new group called The Survivors, who are enemies of the Woodlands and its rulers, The Superiors. From here on out, they will need to move because the Woodlands forces will be coming for them. There are tons of twists and revealing them would only diminish your experience of the story, so I will refrain. But there are sacrifices, and the relationship between Rosa and Joseph grows stronger.