Book Review: The Forgotten Garden

 

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

The Forgotten Garden is the story of Nell, a little girl found in a shipyard in Australia with no memory of how she got there. The dock master and his wife raise her as their own, but on her 21st birthday, Nell discovers that she isn’t biologically related to her family, and she suffers deeply from it. She leaves her family, and begins to search for clues to her past, and where she might have come from, and eventually her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes over solving the family mystery.

This was the type of book I would read again. If you like anything having to do with mysteries, romance, or historical fiction, The Forgotten Garden does not disappoint. The only issue I had with this book was that the dates jumped around from 1913 to 2005, and all over in between, which made getting into it difficult at first, but otherwise I could hardly put it down.

I give this book an “A”.

 If you liked this book, I recommend The House at Riverton by Kate Morton, and also The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett, because of its many parallels to this book.

Book Review: Under the Dome

Under the Dome by Stephen King

The people in the town of Chester's Mill, Maine suddenly find themselves trapped under an invisible dome, unable to get out, and not knowing if it will ever go away.

There's no doubt Stephen King is a fantastic storyteller, and this book is no exception. Unlike his usual horror books, this is really the story of how the people of a small town interact with each other when their ways of life are threatened. This was a pretty good read, even though getting through over a thousand pages (my Nook version was actually a little over 1300 pages!!) took a while, the "bad guys" really had no redeeming qualities at all, and the end was a little lacking, and somewhat predictable.

I give this one a B-.

If you're a fan if Stephen King's less scary works, I also recommend 11/22/63. Also, I have not seen the show, but I have it on good authority that the book is completely different. What are your thoughts?

Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

After witnessing the gruesome death of his grandfather, 16 year old Jacob seems to be having a mental breakdown. His father takes him to the remote island his grandfather was from to help him cope, and while there Jacob discovers that his grandfather's seemingly tall tales of monsters and orphans with special gifts might actually be true.

Although the storytelling is a little slow at times, once you get into this book it's fantastic. I loved the X-Men quality to some of the characters, and I'm a sucker for time travel and mysteries, so this was just my cup of tea. And all the creepy photographs  throughout the book (which Ransom Riggs based the whole story around) are fascinating!

I give this one a B.

If you enjoy this book, Riggs just released the sequel called Hollow City. And if you liked the photography, he has another book full of the pictures he's collected called "Talking Pictures".

 

Book Review: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

After Clary Fray witnesses  the murder of a demon by a group of teenagers called Shadowhunters , her seemingly normal life is turned upside down. Now  the Shadowhunters, whom she has a strange connection to, especially their sometimes-leader Jace,  will have to help Clary find her kidnapped mother, get back a sacred cup, and figure out why she can all of a sudden see things that she once though only found in stories.

Although it's not a literary classic by any means, this book was actually pretty enjoyable, save for the plot twist at the end that grossed me out a little. I'm looking forward to the next books in this series, though there are definitely other books on my-to-read list I'm going to get to first.

I give this book a B-

If you enjoyed this  book, check out the next in installment in The Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes.

Book Review: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

 

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by  Lisa See

Living in nineteenth-century China, Lily and Snow Flower are laotongs, or "old sames", meaning they are part of an arranged friendship meant to last throughout their whole lives. They communicate using a secret language for Chinese women, written on a silk fan which they send back and forth to each other.

My love for historical fiction is usually limited to British, and sometimes American, stories, and I am so glad I stepped out of that box for this book. Though there are a few graphic scenes, such as the foot binding ritual, this is an amazing story of the friendship,  love, and forgiveness between these two girls as they grow into women.

I give this one an A.

If you enjoyed this book, try the sequel Peony in Love.