Review: Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (The Broken Empire, Book One)

Synopsis: When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him By the time he was thirteen, he was the leader of a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be kind.

It is time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, t take what’s rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar’s men slaughter his Mother and younger brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and Death are no more than a game to him – and he has nothing left to lose.

But treachery awaits him in his Father’s castle. Treachery and Dark Magic. No matter how fierce his will, can one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining? (from the back of the book)

Review: Recommend to me by several people when I asked about Grimdark books, I found Lawrence's novel compelling, bloody, and dark, indeed. Our narrator, Jorg, is unreliable, his mind and body twisted by dark deeds forced upon his hidden dark soul. I greatly appreciated his cunning, clever, ruthless mind, and his dedication to his goals.

It took me several chapters to realize the world is a post-apocalyptic earth, somewhere in Europe. Scant remnants of the world before the Day of a Thousand Suns remain but have direct impact on the life of the characters. But there is also magic, dark and deadly. I’m intrigue to know how magic factors in the nature of the world, whether it is truly Magic or some form of Science called magic.

Even with compelling characters, it took me a few chapters to get into the story. Perhaps it was my mood or frame of mind when I picked up the book, but I almost put it down after the first chapter. I’m glad I didn’t. The plot picks up quickly and soon became addicting

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys anti-heroes, heroes with no morals, all good deeds being punished, ruthless actions perpetrated by even more ruthless men, and world-building extraordinaire. I’m eager to read the remaining two books. 

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: Finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2011", a David Gemmell Morningstar Award Finalist in 2012, Short Listed for the Prix Imaginales (Roman étranger) in 2013, Barnes & Noble's "Best Fantasy Releases of 2011

ISBN: 978-1-937007-68-3
Year Published: 2011
Date Finished: 2-17-2018
Pages: 319

Review: Sakura's Cherry Blossoms by Robert Paul Weston and Misa Sakuri

Synopsis: Sakura's dad gets a new job in America, so she and her parents make the move from their home in Japan. When she arrives in the States, most of all she misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees, under which she and her grandmother used to play and picnic. She wonders how she'll ever feel at home in this new place, with its unfamiliar language and landscape. One day, she meets her neighbor, a boy named Luke, and begins to feel a little more settled. When her grandmother becomes ill, though, her family takes a trip back to Japan. Sakura is sad when she returns to the States and once again reflects on all she misses. Luke does his best to cheer her up -- and tells her about a surprise he knows she'll love, but she'll have to wait till spring. In the meantime, Sakura and Luke's friendship blooms and finally, when spring comes, Luke takes her to see the cherry blossom trees flowering right there in her new neighborhood (from the online description)

Review: Told through a series of poems in the Tanka style, a traditional Japanese poem similar to a Haiku but with two additional lines, this sweet story tells of young Sakura as she moves from Japan to America. She leaves behind her Grandma and the time spent under the cherry trees. At first, America is confusing and lonely, but time eases both of these things - except the she misses her Grandma. The end is bittersweet, but real, and gives the book a depth and maturity. The use of traditional Japanese poetry combined with the soft, cheerful, drawings make this a sweet and gentle book with surprising depth. I would highly recommend for children, particularly those missing a loved one or who find themselves facing changes in their life. It is also an excellent introduction to the art and poetry of Japan, in an easy to grasp way. I highly recommend this for parents and educators. 

Note: I received this book free through the Early Review Program hosted by LibraryThing, in exchange for my fair and honest opinion

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-1-101-91874-6
Year Published: 2018
Date Finished: 2-16-2018
Pages: 33

Review: Keesha's House by Helen Frost

Synopsis: Keesha has found a safe place to live, and other kids gravitate to her house when they just can’t make it on their own. They are Stephie – pregnant, trying to make the right decisions for herself and those she cares about; Jason – Stephie’s boyfriend, torn between his responsibility to Stephie and the baby and the promise of a college basketball career; Dontay – in foster care while his parents are in prison, feeling unwanted both inside and outside the system; Carmen – arrested on a DUI charge, waiting in a juvenile detention center for a judge to hear her case; Harris – disowned by his father after disclosing that he’s gay, living in his car, and taking care of himself; Katie – angry at her mother’s loyalty to an abusive stepfather, losing herself in long hours of work and school. (from the online description)

Review: Told from many viewpoints, each character's story is told through poems - specifically the classical forms of Sonnet and the Sestina. Not just the main characters speak, but also the adults surrounding them - parents, coaches, social workers, teachers, guardians. Keesha found safety and stability in the house own by a man named Joe (who lets troubled kids stay at his home without payment or official sanction). She reaches out to others, kids like herself, those whose home and life have crumbled around them, who need a place to stay. Each comes with their pain, their own fear, their own troubles, and each find the healing and safety they need at Keesha's House.
While most of the story is through the eyes of the kids, there is a part told through the eyes of the adults. This gives the story a unique depth, helping the reader to see the parents as more then just stock characters. Instead, it speaks to the frequent communication issues between adults and children, and reminds us that adults are often as lost as the kids they try to guide. While race and gender are touched upon, the real topic is the idea of hope, help, and healing.
Because of the format and subject matter, this book is a excellent choice for educational purposes. I would recommend it for high school students (and mature middle school age). There is reference to sex (both consensual and non), abuse, abortion, homosexuality, drugs, and crime, but all in passing (no gory details), and isn't anything that teenagers don't already have detailed knowledge about.
For my part, I found this book enlightening, educational, thought-provoking, and bittersweet. I highly recommend.

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards:  Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, 2004, Michael L. Printz Honor Award, 2004, YALSA's "Selected Videos, DVDs, and Audiobooks For Young Adults", 2005

ISBN: 0-374-34064-1
Year Published: 2003
Date Finished: 2-16-2018
Pages: 116

Review: Revolutionary Medicine: 1700-1800 by C. Keith Wilbur, M.D.

Synopsis: In 1775, when the staggering medical crisis known at the Revolutionary War exploded, less than 12 percent of the colonies practicing physicians held a medical degree. And those few awarded one had gradated without ever seeing a patient.

Here are their struggles, their strategies, their odd treatments, and their theories. From makeshift ambulances and wigwam hospitals to herbal drugs and “cookbook” doctoring, this fascinating chronicle of the crusade against disease underscored the ingeniousness of America’s most daring fighting men. (from the back of the book) 

Review: Using a script-like font, the author takes the reader through an overview of medical practices used during the American Revolution. Touching on physician education and recruitment, military organization, transportation, hospitals, diseased, tools, medicines, treatment, and aftermath, this is a comprehensive, albeit shallow, summary. Pictures of the tools and treatments augment the text.

The drawbacks are two-fold: First the font can be difficult to read and the pictures are black and white.

It is important to note this is NOT an in-depth compendium of colonial medicine, but serves best as an introduction or supplement to studies about the Revolutionary War. You will need to look elsewhere for deeper study.

For my purposes though, which were to augment my collection of books about Revolutionary books, this is an excellent addition. It would be particularly good for school or educational purposes, as it isn’t gory or bloody, while still being truthful about the conditions, diseases, and treatments used during the time. Altogether, a good book. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 0-7627-0139-0
Year Published: 1997
Date Finished: 2-16-18
Pages: 88

Review: Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

Synopsis: Sentaro has failed: he has a criminal record, drinks too much, and hasn’t managed to fulfill his dream of becoming a writer. Instead, he works in a confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with a sweet paste made of red beans. With only the blossoming of the cherry trees to mark the passing of time, he spends his days listlessly filling the pastries. Until one day an elderly, handicapped woman enters the shop. Tokue makes the best bean paste imaginable, and begins to teach Sentaro her art. But as their friendship flourishes, societal prejudices become impossible to escape, in this quietly devastating novel about the burden of the past and the redemptive power of friendship. (from the online description)

Review: With a sweet depth and surprisingly emotion, Sukegawa takes the reader on a sweet journey through redemption and friendship. Sentaro’s days are long and lonely, filled with tasteless bean paste and alcohol. Until Tokue comes. With her bent fingers and savant knowledge of sweet bean paste, she transforms Sentaro, and later a young school girl, with her kindness and her story.

With simple prose, Sukegawa draws the reader in to the complex lives of the characters. Each character is in need of redemption from their past sins and from the despair that covers them.

It’s hard to classify this book. It’s a gentle read, soft on the spirit but touching to the heart. There is a touch of bitterness to it, as well. Not all things work out, as in real life. But Hope, well, hope comes again, like the Cherry Blossoms in Spring.  

Worth reading, in particular if you find yourself in a place where you need a bit of hope. Drink with a soft soul and a fragrant cup of tea. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-1-78607-195-8
Year Published: 2013 (Trans. in 2017)
Date Finished: 2-11-2018
Pages: 216

Review: Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff

Synopsis: Sometimes, we fall in love on mission trips even though we know we’ll break up when we get back. Sometimes, you have to shot block a friend’s prayer because she’s asking God to bless an obviously bad dating relationship. Sometimes, you think, “I wish I had a t-shirt that said ‘I direct deposit my tithe’ so people wouldn’t judge me.” Sometimes, the stuff that comes with faith is funny. This is that stuff. Jonathan Acuff’s Stuff Christians Like is your field guide to all things Christian. In it you’ll learn the culinary magic of the crock-pot. Think you’ve got a Metro worship leader—Use Acuff’s checklist. Want to avoid a prayer handholding faux pas? Acuff has you covered. Like a satirical grenade, Acuff brings us the humor and honesty that galvanized more than a million online readers from more than 200 countries in a new portable version. Welcome to the funny side of faith. (from the online description)

Review: As someone raised in church, I found this book both humorous and nostalgic. Much of what the author says I have experienced. Everything for the “side hug”, the “preaching prayer” and the “metro worship leader”.  Acuff offers astute observations about the modern American church, admonishing our behaviors under the guise of pointing out our humorous absurdities.  However, often his humor overshadows the truths and he trivializes many things. His offers humor at the expenses of truth. This lessens the value of his words. The American church would do very well to head much of what he says, but he lacks force behind his words, choosing humor to soften the admonishments. I would prefer a little less humor and more strong words. Having said that, Acuff is an excellent starting point for self-examination and examination of our church. Worth reading, even if it isn’t deep, it still has things to teach.

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-0-310-31994-8
Year Published: 2010
Date Finished: 2-11-2018
Pages: 207

Review: Women of Wonder ed. by Pamela Sargent

Synopsis: Gathered by Pamela Sargent, this is a fine collection of short stories written by early female science fiction authors.

Review: Collect with by a deft mind, this collection contains short stories written by women about women. Each stories explores a different intersection of science and the feminine. Sargent's introduction gives an overview of women in science fiction, starting with Mary Shelley and Frankenstein (arguably the first science fiction novel) and moving into the current (for her) rising female authors. Many of those authors are featured here. She spoke about women in the stories, how in the original pulp fiction, why women are shallow damsels or vixens, and how more female authors gives rise to a new heroine, women with brains and purpose. The introduction alone is worth aquiring the book for.

The stories are listed below: The best was the McCraffrey, with the MacLean and the Bradley close behind. Wilhelm's story hit close to home, and something I think our society is only a few science discoveries away from. Yarabro's story told of a horrify future and left me wanting more of the story. The worst, by far, was the Emshwiller. It wasn't even science fiction, as far as I could tell.

The Child Dreams by Sonya Dorman
That Only a Mother by Judith Merril
Contagion by Katherine MacLean
The Wind People by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey
When I Was Miss Dow by Sonya Dorman
The Food Farm by Kit Reed
Baby, You Were Great by Kate Wilhelm
Sex and/or Mr. Morrison by Carol Emshwiller
Vaster Than Empires and More Slow by Ursula K. Le Guin
False Dawn by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Nobody's Home by Joanna Russ
Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand by Vonda N. McIntyre

Over all, this collection contains a vast array of thought-provoking stories about gender, motherhood, science, and our future. I highly recommend!

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards: None (Although many of the stories have won awards)

ISBN: 0-394-71041-x
Year Published: 1974
Date Finished: 2-10-2018
Pages: 285