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My name is Ardis and I am an avid reader and budding writer. I want to share my love of books with others. I work with kids and am interested in finding and creating books that will ignite the reader in everyone. Contact me at: ardis.atkins@gmail.com

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MsArdychan's bookshelf: read

I Owe You One
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Love, Hate & Other Filters
The Wartime Sisters
The Belles
The Gilded Wolves
Hey, Kiddo
Blackberry and Wild Rose
Queen of Air and Darkness
Firestarter
The Retribution of Mara Dyer
The Evolution of Mara Dyer


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Tuesday, August 30, 2022

ARC Review: The Alchemist of Riddle & Ruin By Gigi Pandian

 


Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

When Zoe Faust sees the ghost of a murdered young woman, is it really a spirit-or a flesh and blood woman who stopped aging because she's a fellow alchemist?

Sixteen years ago, high school student Ridley Price discovered a secret she planned to reveal through a party game-but someone killed her first. The baffling crime was never solved. Zoe's friend Heather has always wondered: which of the seven guests at the party killed Ridley? When the newly-appeared ghost turns dangerous, threatening people they love, Zoe teams up with her gargoyle roommate Dorian to unmask the supposed specter.

Review:

This is the sixth book in the Accidental Alchemist mystery series by author Gigi Pandian.  I started to read this series a few years ago, out of order.  But the wonderful thing about this series is that it isn't absolutely necessary to read it from book one.  Each book gives enough of the backstory that the reader is never lost.  But, having said that, it would actually be best to read this series from the beginning, if only to feel the delight in how these characters have developed over time.

I love this series for the wonderful cast of characters, from the main character, Zoe Faust (a 300 year-old alchemist), to her ex-police detective boyfriend, Max, to the lovable gargoyle (yes, gargoyle), and gourmet chef, Dorian.  There is also a wonderful feeling of community in this book, as well.  Zoe's friends are artists, artisans, small business owners, and several young teens.  She seems to create a vibe that is full of positivity.  Maybe this is because Zoe is an herbalist and vegan, but she has a way about her that is full of living a healthy and happy life. Her friends, and the reader are pulled in.

But, above all, this is a mystery novel.  I appreciate that not all of the novels are murder mysteries, but this one actually is.  But, in this case, the murder in question happened sixteen years earlier.  There was a clear list of suspects, but the author had me guessing until nearly the end of the book!  The details were fun, and full of twists and turns.  I enjoyed the use of the language of flowers, and poetry as they relate to the riddles that helped solve the case.

There is really so much to love about this book.  With fully realized characters, romance, a puzzling mystery, and vegan recipes, this novel checks all the boxes for an enjoyable book.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  August 30, 2022

Author:  Gigi Pandian

Publisher:  Gargoyle Girl Productions

Genre:  Mystery

Page Length:  256 Pages

Source:  Author

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  This is a fun mystery series filled with great characters, an intriguing mystery to solve, and recipes!  I highly recommend this book. 





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Monday, August 15, 2022

ARC Review: The Timematician by Steven Bereznai

 


Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from Edelweiss and the author in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

“For any reader with a sense of humor and an appreciation for the glories of bone-deep geekiness, The Timematician is your book…the transparency of Doctor BT’s bravado is LOL funny and exquisitely painful; we are dying to know the backstory of a protagonist who demands the pronunciation of his laboratory be 'la’bore-ah:tore-ee' because 'What are we, Neanderthals? Respect the middle O!'”—IndieReader Reviews (5/5 rating)

A prequel/sequel to the award-winning bestseller, Generation Manifestation. Read The Timematician first, second, or all on its own. With his unique time abilities, Doctor BetterThan has all the power he needs to thrash pesky superheroes intent on thwarting him—and make them pay for decades of disrespect. “Triumphi!” Destroying the world solves everything. Until she comes along. On the cusp of total victory, fellow tech maniac Mairi Lin Monroe plays her surprising hand, and sparks fly as she and her cybernetic lady-matons threaten to transcend Doctor BetterThan’s grand plan. Can he achieve new depths of deceit to defeat her and be the last person standing? Can he become The Timematician? Or has he finally met his match?

Review:

I really enjoyed the the first book in Steven Breznai's Gen M series, Generation Manifestation.  Set in a dystopian world where some humans manifested into super humans, it had an interesting premise.  Would all super humans be super-heroes?  Or would they use their power to control others?  In that book, there was a side character, a nerdy-guy who was good with tech. who befriended the main character, Caitlin.  As the story ends, we find out that he is actually a time traveller who has gone back in time to help Caitlin.  This new novel, The Timematician, explores his backstory.  

I really wanted to like this book.  I felt sympathy with the guy in the first book.  He was a nerdy kid who was often overlooked by Caitlin, only to be the guy with the solutions when she had a problem.  However, The Timematician shows him to be a misogynistic incel who hates on women because they aren't attracted to him.  It's really a hard sell to feel any sympathy with him.

What I Hated:

Misogyny:

Usually, I start reviews with what I liked, but I want to get into the crux of the issue right away.  I didn't find the guy's behavior funny, or sympathetic, as was clearly the intent of the author.  There is nothing funny reading about a guy who calls women whores and speculates on how immoral they are, while he kills them.  It was disgusting to see the violence with which he focuses on killing Caitlin because she as turned him down.  

Also, he uses his "genius" to program a series of femme looking robots that he can order around.  They all also seem to resemble his mother???  Okaaay.  I think this was meant to be humorous, but I just found it deeply disturbing.

Story:

The story revolves around the rivalry between him and the one other genius-level person left on Earth who just happens to be a woman.  He is indigent over the possibility that a women could be smarter than him.  And sets out to kill her.  Of course.

I was rooting for the woman the whole time.

Rating:  ⭐⭐

Release Date:  August 2nd, 2022

Author:  Steven Bereznai

Publisher:  Jambor

Genre: Science Fiction

Page Length:  192 Pages

Source: Edelweiss

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  I know this was supposed to be a parody of science-fiction villains, but this story was so offensive, I just couldn't enjoy it.




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Thursday, August 11, 2022

ARC Review: The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander

 


Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A little red telephone box full of stories, a chance to change her life...

Jess Metcalf is perfectly content with her quiet, predictable life. But when her beloved grandmother passes away and she loses her job at the local library, Jess' life is turned upside down.

Determined to pick up the pieces, Jess decides it's time for a new beginning. Unable to part with her grandmother's cherished books, she packs them all up and moves to a tiny cottage in the English countryside. To her surprise, Jess discovers that she's now the owner of an old red phone box that was left on the property. Missing her job at the local library, Jess decides to give back to her new community--using her grandmother's collection to turn the ordinary phone box into the littlest library in England.

It's not long before the books are borrowed and begin to work their literary magic--bringing the villagers together... and managing to draw Jess' grumpy but handsome neighbor out of his shell.

Maybe it's finally time for Jess to follow her heart, let go of her old life, and make the village her home? But will she be able to take the leap?

Review:

When I look at books to read, there are several topics that automatically catch my attention.  Anything book themed, set in a small town, or has a lot of food content, and I am immediately interested.  The Littlest Library, by Poppy Alexander, is a sweet book that has all three (bonus points for it being set in England!).  I liked the concept of a library created out of an old telephone booth, found the small village to be charming and filled with fun secondary characters, and there were many dinner parties with descriptions of fabulous food.  There was also a lovely romance between the main character, Jess, and a divorced next-door neighbor.  

What I Liked:

Setting:

I love books set in small towns.  And this quaint English village seemed just lovely, even if it had seen better days.  When Jess buys a small cottage seemingly on a whim, she has no idea what she's getting herself into.  There are, of course, unexpected repairs (and bats) to contend with, town feuds that she must navigate, and village etiquette to learn. 

But there are also lovely discoveries.  Jess learns to appreciate the beauty of the pretty garden and pond behind her home.  Neighbors stop by, which at first is not welcome.  But she finds generosity in her neighbors bringing food to share, along with new friendships, and opportunities for her to become involved in the community.

Books:

Jess is a librarian who's previous library has closed.  When she moves to her new home, she leaps at an opportunity to create a little library in front of her home.  Her collection of beloved books stocks the shelves.  It's a treat to see what books the village's residents choose.  Some pick out classic books for their kids, while others check out cook books.  But the most popular type of books are the romances!  As with any good library, the telephone booth becomes a gathering place for the community. I loved this!

Food:

I love books where the author describes delicious food at dinner parties.  In Jess's case, there are several Sunday luncheons with descriptions of roasted lamb, fresh garden vegetables, and light summer desserts.  The way these dishes are lovingly described makes me think the author must love to cook and entertain.

Characters:

I like the main character, Jess.  Although she has daydreams about seamlessly gliding into the village social scene, she is actually quite awkward and makes many mistakes.  I can relate!  But, when she does something rude, she apologizes,  and tries to make amends.  She also is still mourning the loss of her grandmother who raised her.  There are many moments where she fights tears and would rather be alone.  But when this happens, she remembers that her grandmother wanted her to be a part of the present, not wallow in self-pity.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  July 19th, 2022

Author: Poppy Alexander

Publisher:  Avon Books

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction/Romance

Page Length:  320 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format: E-Book

Recommendation:  This was a lovely book, and the perfect summer read.



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Tuesday, August 9, 2022

ARC Review: The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford

 


Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Dorothy Moy breaks her own heart for a living.

As Washington’s former poet laureate, that’s how she describes channeling her dissociative episodes and mental health struggles into her art. But when her five-year-old daughter exhibits similar behavior and begins remembering things from the lives of their ancestors, Dorothy believes the past has truly come to haunt her. Fearing that her child is predestined to endure the same debilitating depression that has marked her own life, Dorothy seeks radical help.

Through an experimental treatment designed to mitigate inherited trauma, Dorothy intimately connects with past generations of women in her family: Faye Moy, a nurse in China serving with the Flying Tigers; Zoe Moy, a student in England at a famous school with no rules; Lai King Moy, a girl quarantined in San Francisco during a plague epidemic; Greta Moy, a tech executive with a unique dating app; and Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America.

As painful recollections affect her present life, Dorothy discovers that trauma isn’t the only thing she’s inherited. A stranger is searching for her in each time period. A stranger who’s loved her through all of her genetic memories. Dorothy endeavors to break the cycle of pain and abandonment, to finally find peace for her daughter, and gain the love that has long been waiting, knowing she may pay the ultimate price.

Review:

I don't know exactly how to describe the new book, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, by Jamie Ford.  It goes beyond speculative fiction to include elements of historical fiction, and fantasy to show a world where climate change can bring on typhoons to Seattle, and medicine that can help one relive their family's traumas.  With both a storm brewing in her city, and another storm churning chaos in her personal life, the main character, Dorothy is barely hanging on.  When traditional therapy fails, she seeks a radical type of treatment where one can remember the traumatic events of their ancestors, in the hopes that by understanding the past, one can change to course of one's future.  It's a very intriguing premise.  

But in order to tell the story of Dorothy's family, we the reader must also experience the traumas of these characters.  I found that I needed breaks from the book because the situations were really upsetting, which shows that the author really got me to connect with the characters.  But it made for a very exhausting reading experience.  Have a light, romantic comedy ready in the wings to get you out of the funk you will find yourself in.

What I Liked:

Theme:

The idea of generational trauma is still new to me, and probably to many others.  But essentially, it's the theory that the trauma of one generation effects the next.  The Disney movie Encanto is a good (if somewhat simplified) example of this.  The grandmother has a terrible trauma of fleeing with her family to escape the violence in her hometown, only to see her husband murdered in front of her.  This effects how she raises her children, who are under intense pressure to be perfect.   

Dorothy is affected by the trauma and subsequent depression of her mother.  This manifests in Dorothy, herself, having depression and suicidal thoughts.  She has a precious young daughter, and knows that if she doesn't get herself together, this will affect her little girl, later on. 

Characters:

Dorothy may be having a terrible time managing her life, but she is a fierce mother who will do anything for her daughter.  She has enough self-awareness to understand that her actions are affecting her child, and so embarks on a journey to understand her family, and heal herself.  I found Dorothy to be really strong, even while having a messy life.  And I was rooting for her the whole time.

Her ancestors also had determined spirits.  But each of them had a mixture of mistakes, social conventions, and historical events that oppressed them.  Afong Moy is obligated to become a "Ghost Bride" when her arranged marriage is disrupted by the death of her fiancé. Her granddaughter has to escape San Francisco to escape a pandemic.  Another ascestor becomes pregnant as a teen and must give up her baby.  All of them have a tragic story and demise.

What I Didn't Like:

Non-Stop Trauma:

There was so much trauma in each of the storylines, it made the book difficult to read.  Of course, generational trauma is the theme of the book.  But no one in her family catches a break.  I wish the author would have tempered the terrible events with showing some of the characters triumphs.  Several of the characters have to leave one country and start over again in another.  It  takes a lot of courage and fortitude to start over in a foreign land.  I wish the author would have brought this up more often in their story.  Otherwise, it really seems like there were generations of this family who never had a moment of happiness.

Story Line:

There are more storylines than I could keep up with.  All of them were compelling, but I found myself (several times) being taken out of the story to try and figure out which ancestor's story this was.  I hope that in the finished book there is a timeline or family tree that one can reference in order to keep all the stories straight. 

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  August 2nd, 2022

Author:  Jamie Ford

Publisher: Atria Books

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  While this was a well-written, and  interesting book, it is also full of trauma.  It took me a long time to read this book because I needed to walk away from it several times. If you're up to it, I think it is a solid, powerful book. 







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Sunday, August 7, 2022

ARC Review: Her First Palestinian by Saeed Teebi

 


Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Elegant, surprising stories about Palestinian immigrants in Canada navigating their identities in circumstances that push them to the emotional brink.

Saeed Teebi’s intense, engrossing stories plunge into the lives of characters grappling with their experiences as Palestinian immigrants to Canada. A doctor teaches his girlfriend about his country, only for her to fall into a consuming obsession with the Middle East conflict. A math professor risks his family’s destruction by slandering the king of a despotic, oil-rich country. A university student invents an imaginary girlfriend to fit in with his callous, womanizing roommates. A lawyer takes on the impossible mission of becoming a body smuggler. A lonely widower travels to Russia in search of a movie starlet he met in his youth in historical Jaffa. A refugee who escaped violent circumstances rebels against the kindness of his sponsor. These taut and compelling stories engage the immigrant experience and reflect the Palestinian diaspora with grace and insight.

Review:

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading Her First Palestinian, by Saeed Teebi.  I often find the short story format to be less than satisfying.  Just as you start to know who the characters are, the story is finished.  But I found this collection of short stories immediately compelling.  Each story is complete and satisfying to the reader. I could see this as a movie.

What I liked:

Format/Setting:

I am usually not a fan of the short story format.  But this device is used to great effect by the author in this book.  Instead of looking at how they came to be in Canada, the stories focus on the immediate issues at hand: relationships with non-Palestinians, fitting in with other Canadians, and guilt for leaving family behind.  

I have lived in other countries, and I can tell you that it is a challenge to find ways to fit in.  Often, expats gravitate towards other expats for the comfort and familiarity of speaking their  native language.  It takes a lot to integrate into another society, and I have tremendous respect for people who do that.  This book grapples with that challenge to figure out social norms, while still retaining your own sense of self.

Characters:

There is so much variation to the different characters.  The reader will feel empathy with some, but not all, of them.  This is smart.  Not every immigrant will be a good person.  I'm thinking of one story in particular.  This person is a stalker!  But his being a creep is not because he is from Palestine, it's because he is just a bad person.  Every society has them (sadly).  I appreciated that the author shows the good, and the bad, of human nature.

But most of the characters have dilemmas that are extremely relatable.  The moral choices we make at work when we realize our company is doing something repugnant.  The feelings of being used by another in a relationship.  The guilt we have if we've been successful while others in our family are struggling.  The particular situations in this book may be unique to Palestinian immigrants, but the underlying emotions are universal.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  August 2nd, 2022

Author:  Saeed Teebi

Publisher:  Astoria Books

Genre: Contemporary Short Stories

Page Length:  256 Pages

Format:  E-Book

Source: Edelweiss

Recommendation: This is a very worthwhile reading experience.  Although each situation is unique to Palestinians, I could empathize with most of the characters. Showing immigrants as people may seem obvious, but it is still needed in today's society.  Read this enriching book.











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