House of Salt and Sorrows Erin A Craig

Hello my dears,
Tonight brings you a review of House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig which is part fairytale, part Victorian England fantasy, part gothic Edgar Allen Poe-esque story, all amazing. House of Salt and Sorrows is a gothic retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" or "The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces" and I absolutely adore it. Mind you I love retellings (most of the time). In this story the princesses are *whisper* cursed. Slowly the sisters are dying. DUH DUH DUNN!

Characters!

• The Sisters (listed in roughly age order)
• Ava- We start the story with her dead so there's not that much to say about her
• Octavia- She's also dead to begin with
• Elizabeth- And her
• Eulalie- We start off with her funeral
• Camille- Finally a sister I can talk a little bit about. She's super sweet and helps Annaleigh with all the death in their families. 
• Annaleigh- Our main character. The one I remember the most about, because honestly I should probably reread this book before I review it but I'm not so bear with me here. I love her. She's inquisitive, and absolutely done with these rumors that her family is cursed. She doesn't like the way everyone says Eulalie died and sets out to find out what really happened.
• The Triplets
• Lenore- Approximately sixteen and a typical teenage girl.
• Rosalie- Much like her sisters she's very excited to be turning sixteen and wants to debut with a ball
• Ligeia- Also very much like her other sisters. A very typical teenager
• The Graces (Not triplets but very close and all named after graces of humanity)
• Mercy- Young excitable, sweet
• Honor- Also young and excitable and kind
• Verity- The youngest, excitable, and kind. Yes I know these are very vague descriptions but the story is all about Annaleigh and dancing and magical balls not all the sisters and who they are. Like I said I need to reread this but I'm not right now. Anyway she can see things that others can't.
• Morella- The girl's stepmother. She's from the mainland and doesn't quiet understand the traditions of the island. This is kinda important because she's pregnant. She has her moments but she's not the greatest. 

Thats all the characters I really remember anything about and that's a stretch. So moving onward.

Plot!

We start our story with a funeral. Eulalie has died and is being buried. Fun fact, I met Erin at an event at my local book store, won a contest for sparkly shoes (and impressed her with my ability to walk in heels which at 5'2" is not a really impressive feat) and won a face mask, a beach towel, and the necklace that Annaleigh noticed Eulalie wearing at her funeral. Yep I own a copy of the necklace a dead girl is buried in. Well Morella tells the girls' father that she's pregnant and they decide to end the mourning period that's been going on for years. One death after another after another has lead to years and years of mourning. And this ends. Annaleigh and the older sisters are not in favor of this and first and then they get into it. Annaleigh personally decides to figure out what happened to Eulalie because she doesn't want to believe she killed herself. And then the balls start. They start normal enough with an actual celebration of the triplets sixteenth birthday, and then lead to magical parties in different places each night. Annaleigh's investigation brings up some interesting things and that's all you get. If you want to know more read the book. CA if you're interested I might be convinced to loan you my signed copy.

My Opinion!

Personally I loved this book. To start with, all of the children of this Duke on this island are all girls and they aren't treated as inferior in anyway. This island that's part of a patriarchal society has it's own traditions where the oldest child of the family gets to inherit the Duchy. I love that so much. All of the girls have unique personalities and no one is shamed for their interests. It's awesome to me to see that in writing. I've never been shamed per se for my interests but when I say things that are scientifically correct and true or "I want to be a cardiac thoracic surgeon" I get looks like I'm crazy. My grandmother actually told me I should be a nurse instead. I have nothing against nurses, they do more than doctors do most of the time, their job is basically to make sure the doctor doesn't kill you. I just got offended because she told me she wanted me to be a nurse because who would take up for me if I was a doctor. So to see this in action in a book that is set to become a TV show at some point that I'm hoping will take the world by storm, is amazing. Also I love gothic retellings of fairy tales. The original fairy tales are really dark anyway but to spin them in a different way that brings a different darkness to light. And I enjoy reading Poe when I'm not being made to analyze it so adding Anabel Lee as twist to a fairy tale is like top level of awesome. Also the love interest who's just kinda there is awesome. He's a secondary thought though, her primary thought is always figuring out just what on earth is going on. Which is also really cool, a love interest that is a secondary thought. I love it. I cannot stop singing it's praises. Ten of ten paw prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Enjoy social distancing and stay healthy and safe,

Merlin:)

We've Been Social Distancing For A Week Now (But It Feels Like Forever)

Hi!
So we've been social distancing for a week. Maybe longer depending one where you are. I have only left my house and interacted with people I'm not related to in person twice in the last week. It's beginning to feel like torture. I've cleaned, and cooked, and done laundry and generally been a housewife. And I'm tired of it. I want to go see people. I get why we need to do this. I really do. There are others who would be a lot worse off than me if they got it and I don't want to be spreading it around. That being said LET ME OUT OF HERE. I want to see people again and talk to them. I want time to actually have meaning again. What does it matter if its ten or two? It makes no difference in what I'm doing. Normally I have a schedule, it gives the day meaning.
Today I went outside with my dog. I stood in the light rain and looked at the flowers growing in my yard and the grass. I jumped in puddles. It was honestly amazing. I felt so much better just being outside in the fresh air. It may be rainy, which is normally a reason for me to stay inside, but today just being out brought me joy.
Good things are coming out of this social distancing/quarantining too. There are dolphins in Venice for the first time in sixty years, and they water is clear. There are blue skies in China because the factories are closed. Maybe we can learn something from this and preserve the beauty we're gaining from not being out.
I've been able to do some things I've been putting off while I have all this time. I've copied my notes from classes down legibly, cleaned my room (it really needed it), and blogged more. And I had a movie night with my friends. Netflix Party is an amazing thing, we all live far apart (me more than them) but we managed to watch A Cinderella Story together in our homes and chat while we did. All y'all need to check it out. You can download it from the chrome store and movie night away. I may see if I can get CA on here to talk about A Cinderella Story with me. That would be fun. You hear that CA. We should try to do that.
Well happy social distancing (I hope you don't go crazy),
Merlin:)

Serpent and Dove Shelby Mahurin

Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live
I have to say that really sounds pretentious and snotty and it is but this book is not. Can I just talk about the magic system?!?! It's so complex and amazing. Where exactly the magic comes from is never explained but the system that governs magic is incredible. One magic requires balance but the way another works it doesn't. It's all so amazing. I love that. Also this fictional France is amazing. The way that the church is integrated into France shows how the Catholic church truly was in France.

Characters!

• Louis le Blanche- She typically goes by Lou because a couple of years before she ran away from her family for various reasons, that you have to read to find out. She's also a witch, an earth witch to be exact. So running away means she's got tons of personality and spunk and an absolute refusal to be told what to do.
• Reid Diggory- I know if you're a potterhead I you thought about Cedric in that moment. Alas he's not. He is pretty cool though. He's a Chasseur which I'm sure is French for something but here it means he's a witch hunter. See the problem here? He's completely devoted to his job and the church, but he's still pretty great even if he's kinda pretentious.

Yeah we only really have two main characters. There are lots of other characters, otherwise this might get kinda boring, but it's been a minute since I read this and I don't remember all of them...

Plot!

Lou ran away from her family two years before the start of this book. She's been living in basically fictional Paris. It's not actually Paris and this isn't actual France but it's basically Paris. What is it with France and having sort of a dark fantasy thing going on? So many books are set in France. This one, Beauty and the Beast, I want to say Sorcery of Thorns. I mean it's kind of fitting, the atmosphere always seems so magical. Anyway, to support herself, Lou has taken to being a thief. One of her misadventures goes slightly wrong. She ends up with a choice either marry Reid and save his reputation, or spend the rest of her life in prison. Having a brain, and knowing how to use it Lou agrees to marry Reid. Now here's the problem a) she's a witch and he's a witch hunter b) they absolutely hate each other. Now that they're married there's a whole slew of other problems that pop up and make the rest of the book. Along with an enemies-to-lovers thing going on that is amazing.

My Opinion!

This is an amazing book. That's the short of it. The world building is done really well and the systems of magic are to die for. I love the differences in the magic systems, and the whole relationship between Lou and Reid is amazing. The world and the way the Church and Chasseurs are integrated into it is really good. I might be a little bit of a history nerd so this really reminded me of how the Church was in actual France pre-revolution. Also "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" is a pretty neat motto even if its awful. The whole way characters question authority and who they have been lead to believe is right their whole lives just makes me happy. Ten of ten paw prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 

Stay Healthy,

Merlin:)

The Giver Lois Lowry

Good day reader, *employ cultish tone*
The cultish tone I feel truly embodies the feeling I get from The Giver. The first time I read it I really didn't enjoy it, but when I read it again along with the rest of the series I loved it. It's a very odd series, not dystopian but more utopian. And spoiler alert utopias don't ever work. Also congratulations on making it to day five of the apocamaybe quarantine/social  distancing. Extra congratulations if you haven't gone crazy yet. I'm writing this from my dining room eating my very basic boring lunch. I've become a regular little house wife, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry ALL DAY LONG. And CA, and CR I'm doing my very best to stay home where I belong, and it's working, to an extent. Anyway on with the book!

Characters!

• Jonas- Jonas is our main character who may be eleven but that seems really off so maybe not. He's mild mannered and quiet generally obeying the rules until he becomes the Receiver of Memories.
• Fiona-One of Jonas's friends she's kind and nurturing, and accepts all the rules given to the people of this place. It's also important to note that she has red hair, we'll get to why in a minute.
• Asher- Jonas other friend. He's loud, always late, and tends to speak before he thinks. CA don't even I know what you're thinking. He's basically the life of the party, if they had parties, as it he's frowned upon. 
• Gabriel- the new child that Jonas's family is taking care of. He's very important.

Plot!

 The Giver is set in a utopia that doesn't have a name and is at some point in the future. We don't ever know what caused the Community to form but it did. To keep everything perfect, the Community elders enforce Sameness which is pretty much what it sounds like, everything is the same. The Elders assign homes, bicycles, spouses, and jobs. Jobs are what start our story off. Every year there's a ceremony, and when you come of age you get assigned a job. Well everyone is assigned a job, except Jonas. He's skipped which doesn't ever happen. As it turns out he has been selected to be the Receiver of Memory. He was selected because he can see beyond. Remember when I said Fiona had red hair? Well Jonas is the only one who can see it. As the Receiver of Memory, Jonas gets all the memories of humanity basically ever, good and bad. During this time his father brings home a struggling new child to stay with the family at night. The memories combined with Jonas's new found knowledge and emotions lead him to do things. And that's where I'll leave it.

My Opinion!

The Giver is really good, especially when you read rest of the series with it. It explores why utopias aren't really perfect and how being the same isn't a good thing. It also sends the message, at least to me that emotions are good, especially love. It's a little weird but also good. Weird because it's a utopia with Sameness and no emotion going on. Nine of ten Paw Prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Enjoy the apocamaybe,

Merlin:)

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

Well hello my dears. Come in sit a spell.
Feel free to read that in a horribly stereotypical southern accent. I hate those accents but well it goes with the story, ish. I will continue to hate and be insulted by those accents forever. I don't sound like that, nor does anyone I know. And for those of you not from the south, and I mean deep south, and not just the southern united states. Think bible belt, good old fashion racism (something I do not and have never supported in any way), and ridiculous summer heat. Anyway, To Kill a Mockingbird is widely regarded as a classic, which typically means that it's boring as crap and horrible (I thought this when I first tried to read it) but it's actually really good. Given that I had to practically psychoanalyze this for my Lit class my opinions may be kind if weird but it's great. The morals. The plot. The characters, static and dynamic. I can't believe I actually went there, so weird. But that's all I'm going to say about static and dynamic characters. Possibly ever.

Characters!

• Scout Finch- Scout is a little girl at the beginning and the book follows her growing up over the years in the 1930's. She starts out as an innocent six year old. She doesn't really understand how the world works and what's going on but she's full of spunk and character and absolutely refuses to take crap from any body. 
• Jem Finch- Jem is Scout's older brother. He understands more about the world than Scout but he still doesn't quiet understand the world and why it is the way it is. But then again who does honestly. As much as Scout grows Jem grows and learns just as much. He's a young boy, he's mischievous, and constantly into trouble, and unwilling to let anyone tell him how things have to be.
• Atticus Finch- I freaking love Atticus. He's like the perfect southern gentleman. He's chivalrous, and kind, and willing to stand up for what he believes in. Why can't more people be like Atticus? Life would be so much better if they were. He also gives really good advice. 
• Boo Radley- I can't say much about him because he's an enigma wrapped in a mystery. He lives in the Radley house and may have killed someone but who knows.

There are a lot more characters. Tom Robinson springs to mind and I probably should have talked about him more than I did but I don't want to go on and on and on about characters. Some of the characters I love, others not so much but all together the cast of this book is fantastic.

Setting!

This is a rarely seen heading isn't it, but I think this is a book that the setting needs to be talked about. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama, in 1933-1935. Maycomb is your stereotypical small southern town. Everybody knows everybody, and the problems that you associate with Small town Southern America are prevalent and then some. Everybody knows about slavery and the Civil Rights movement but this falls in between the two (a lot of things did). This story shows everyday racism and sexism and all these problems, but also the wholesome community and love in the south that I know. So I just ask, if you read this book and aren't from the south, please keep this in mind.

Plot!

The plot of To Kill a Mockingbird is very simple, its just the life of a young girl growing up in Maycomb, Alabama. Scout is growing up with her father, Calpurnia, their cook/housekeeper/mother-figure, and her brother. Her life is very ordinary, happy, and to her amazing. Then Atticus takes a rather controversial case. This leads to all sorts of problems, for the children and the town. It brings to light racism that Scout and Jem didn't know existed and shows them how unfair the world is.

My Opinion!

I love this book. The first time I read this book I was too young to truly enjoy it and was horribly bored.  Reading it again later made me truly appreciate it and it's message.  Atticus says "You don't know a man until you walk a mile in his shoes." and he's quiet right. The whole book explores life in the south in the 30's and how people aren't always what they seem. Many characters in the book seem to be one way, (Boo, Tom, Mrs. Dubose) when they turn out to be completely different person. It shows how one person can slowly make all the difference in the world. I love it. Everyone should read it at some point. Read it to your children. Read for your self. Just read it. Eleven of Ten paw prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

I wish you the best in the apocamaybe and in life,

Merlin:)

The Hazel Wood Melissa Albert

Welcome to day four of the apocamaybe quarantine.
Today we're going to talk about The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. She calls it fantasy noir, which is a pretty good description of the mood. Its about Alice, her weird family, Ellery Finch, and secrets. So even though its a weird time in the rest of the world, we're going to continue in the normal fashion.

Characters!

• Alice- Alice is Alice. She's lived her entire life moving from place to place with her mom, Ella, running from bad luck. She's not particularly spunky, that's not to say she's just blah but she's not my favorite protagonist ever. Her grandmother wrote a book of fairy tales called Tales From the Hinterland, and she's never met her grandmother.
• Ella- Alice's mother who's missing for most of the book. That's basically the plot, Ella goes missing and Alice has to find her. She's weird and just wants the best for Alice even if she goes about in weird ways.
• Ellery Finch- His name is actually a lot longer but I don't really want to type it out and he goes by Ellery anyway. He's a nerd, and a rich nerd at that. His father is really rich, and his mother is dead. And to top it all off he's low key obsessed with Tales From the Hinterland.

Plot!

So like I said, Alice and her mom have spent her entire life moving from place to place running from bad luck. Alice's grandmother wrote a book, and is very wealthy because of it. But Ella hates her mother, and as a result has kept Alice as far away from her, and her estate, The Hazel Wood, as possible. You know how I said that Alice and Ella were constantly running from bad luck? Well Ella gets news that her mother has died and they finally settle down in New York City. Ella meets a guy, they get married,  he turns out to be a jerk yada yada yada. Then Ella gets kidnapped, and had only one thing to say to Alice "Stay away from the Hazel Wood". Well Alice can't do that. She just has to go and find Ella. Well Alice met Ellery at school and he found out who she is. And they became friends by virtue of his minor obsession. So she manages to drag Ellery out to the Hazel Wood on an adventure to find Ella. Of course chaos ensues because they find the Hinterland, and all of it's messed up stories.

My Opinion!

The Hazel Wood was pretty good. It's not the best fantasy I've ever read but by far not the worst. The plot gets really confusing because well if you have a series of stories with in a story and the world the stories are set in really exists it can get confusing. That being said it was really good. Alice may not be the best character ever but she has personality unlike some characters. Ellery is fun but also a little lack luster. All of the fairy tale characters are really cool and they have rather interesting names (Alice-three-times, Twice-Killed-Katherine, etc.). The writing itself was very good. I give it six out of ten paw prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Wishing you all the luck with the quarantine/social distancing and not going crazy,

Merlin:)

The World Seems To Be Coming To An End (Or At Least A Screeching Halt)

SO it's March and I haven't really posted anything this year. I have but not really. Oh well. Sorry.
It's day two of our supposed quarantine. I personally turn into a Disney Princess when I get cabin fever, but I've also decided that this seemingly endless detainment to actually blog for once. I might as well put this craziness to use. So prepare for an unusually constant posting. For a while. Maybe. I've read a lot this year but I haven't reviewed hardly any of it (which if you've been reading this the entire time it's existed, you know isn't an unusual thing) but that is going to change. And now I'm just being repetitive. 
Well I wish everyone who's reading this the best of luck with this maybe apocalypse. Wash your hands. Dracula sneeze and cough. And please don't a) panic b) hoard toilet paper. The weirdest part of this apocamaybe is the toilet paper hoarding. What are we weird dragons that hoard paper instead of gold? This thing has no GI symptoms and I for one like my Charmin.
Best of luck and May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor (not really y'all will all be fine)
Merlin:)