The Tyrant's Daughter

This book was given to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. The opinions expressed are my own.

Over the past decade it hasn't been difficult to find news regarding the Middle East. Every news station has their opinion, every paper has an angle, every webcast has the latest tales to share in the quest for readers.

What is rarely considered is the lives of those being affected,especially for those caught on the sides we may villianize in broad strokes.

This is what makes Carleson's book so compelling and why I found myself up in the wee hours unable to put it down. 

Carleson introduces readers to 15 year old Laila, a young woman who's world has literally exploded. Following the death of her father, her surviving family consisting of 6 year old brother and mother are whisked away to the relative safety of the US, but not everything is as it seems.

Instead of the relative peace Laila hoped for as an exiled family, Laila finds herself confronted with the world's image of her father's reign, and their truth is a far different person than the man she remembers as her old life steadily invades the new.

At first glance, The Tyrant's Daughter is not the sort of book I would normally pick up off the shelf. I like stories, characters, interweaving narratives. I don't like politics. I am so happy this book landed in my inbox though because although politics, world events, and government intrigue have their say. At its heart, this novel is about a young girl trying to make sense of her rapidly shifting world and the relationships she builds and navigates during a time of painful and chaotic transition.

Laila's character is beautifully written and rightly remains the center star of her story. The contrast of her old life represented by her mother and Amir vs. the newness of her American life summed up in Emmy and Ian provide a healthy tension while Bastien counterbalances with his youthful innocence, in many ways representing the girl Laila would have been herself.

I think the most haunting strength of this novel is Carleson's ability to take the families of the those leaders we see on the television and make them human. To read Laila's story, though fictional, is to put a human face on a conflict we too often view as a disconnected narrative of it's own through our screens and media. Carleson humanizes, on both sides,the conflicts which have shaped the world stage in this century. 

Final rating, 4.5 stars out of 5

Kindar's Cure

Kindar's Cure by Michelle Hauck. This book was provided free of charge in exchange for my honest review

Kindar is a princess without a lot of luck. The second of three sisters and born cursed with the affliction chokelung (a disease which usually kills in infancy), Kindar exists as an afterthought, a burden. Kindar's life takes a drastic turn following her eldest sister's marriage as life long truths come into question and motives become a swirling storm in which Kindar must find her footing or drown.


I tried so hard to like this book.

Honest.

Even now as I reflect back upon the components of the story, I am perplexed why I struggled with this novel and why it took three times longer than it should have to read through.


Kindar is a likable enough character who shows all the necessary growth required of a fantasy heroine but her mindset and the way her disability was handled felt uncomfortable for me as a reader with a disability.

The plot with ancient omen's and a daring quest should hold the attention and, I know for many it would yet, I found the omen to feel, almost distracting at times, as though it were tacked on.

The male characters were equally disappointing.
The premise of Mal confused me greatly. Kindar's personality didn't not warrant, even in her initial desperation for the man's guidance, her continued tolerance of his presence as the story progressed.
Camden, though a secondary character still one of importance, felt like  yet another afterthought as his story intersected with Kindar's. Even Henry, the amore felt too one dimensional(one directional ?) after reading of the female characters.

I think Kindar's Cure has a strong potential audience as it does have so many strong qualities, unfortunately I'm not that audience.

2.5 stars

The Mark of the Dragonfly

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion from NetGallery, the opinions are my own.

Nervously optimistic is an odd way to start any book and yet that is the best way to describe my feelings as I dove into Jaleigh Johnson's The Mark of the Dragonfly.

Johnson's novel follows a young, orphaned scrapper named Piper who's fighting to survive on the edge of the meteor field. One day, Piper learns that meteors may not be the most dangerous thing in her hometown as a mysterious girl lands at her feet bringing foreign kings, dangerous hunters, and a whirlwind of adventure to her door that she never dreamed was possible.

Initially Thoughts . . .

I really enjoyed the concept of the meteor fields and object falling through from other realms/worlds/dimensions. It was hard not to smile as I recognized the foreign items Piper encountered. However, it was hard, perhaps due to being above the intended age bracket or because of my own expectations in this genre to swallow the whole premise.

Johnson's world shows incredible promise, the races are interesting as is the technology in what I best felt was an almost weird blend of dystopian/steampunk, sci-fi. Major plot drivers such as the 401's presence, Piper's gutsy attitude, and Anna's incredible blend of intelligence and naivete drove the story at a focused pace that kept me going once I connected to the story.

My own issue were the story lines that didn't get completed. Gee's backstory seemed an anomaly in comparison to what we were told about what his family life should have been. The meteors, while incredibly fun and, in my thoughts, a fun plot point were never fully explained and therefore never lived up to their full potential (though could make an enjoyable sequel). Even the ending, though hitting many major story arches, felt a tad too rushed and fell somewhat flat compared to the build up of the other chapters.

That said the relationships of the 401 family, Anna and Piper's developing relationship, Anna in general - side note Anna well, at first, the most annoying character I could imagine, quickly became my absolute favourite in the entire book. She reminded me a little of a more innocent less combat ready River Tam from Firefly who, if you aren't familiar with just go find Joss Whedon's Firefly and remedy that, it's a sci-fi must :)
It's the mark of a good author, in my opinion, who can take an aggravating character and make them beloved.

The relationships are what make the story along with the growth of the two central girls as they journey towards maturity. I believe the majority of my issues probably would not be an issue to the intended audience and even still this remains a highly enjoyable read.
4 out 5 stars

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

How is it already the 7th of January!

I honestly had every intention of getting this post up earlier but who would have guessed the holidays would be a little more involved and a lot more crazy when you through a baby into the mix.

In hindsight, I probably should have been able to figure that out.

Add to that my last few free nights have been exploring and sharing the wondrous new Doctor (you don't get terribly many nights free for writing with a little one either) and  . . .voila, it's January.

Oh well, better forward than behind at this point.

I am sad it took me so long to write about Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee for the sole reason of it being such an enjoyable read. I've really been lucky of late in the books I've been getting to read and this one was no exception.

As usual, I was offered this book for free in exchange for me honest review and opinion of the novel.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy, centers upon a young girl named Ophelia who's family is coping with the loss of their mother/wife through various means.

Ophelia's father has become obsessed with his work at a new museum with a mysterious overseer.

Ophelia's sister has become lost in the world of teenage ambitions, beauty, and growing up.

Poor Ophelia though finds herself stuck with a marvelous boy who keeps requesting ridiculous things that stretch her familiar and comforting logic to the brink and yet she can't seem to leave the boy alone.


My first impression of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy was to harken back to another series I had began by the name of Lemony Snickett. Both books shared that somewhat darker flavour for a children's novel and yet held a sense of interest and well crafted plot that kept me going (even though I'm a few years past the target audience;) )

It was the rarity of this book though that made it so engrossing.

I was surprised (from a counselling background) how believable the characters expressions of grief were concerning the loss of the mother. As traditional children's novels tend to shy away from complex issues, I was impressed at the discussion which could be drawn from the text regarding grief if parents wished to use the book as a launching point for such a discussion.

I was also highly impressed with the author's use of names within the book. The Marvelous Boy is referred to as such  because his name has been taken from him - an interesting plot point and I'd rather not share any spoilers. I was concerned as this was revealed that it would make the character harder to connect with, especially with my personal interest in names. Somehow this boy still managed to wiggle into my heart (maybe due to me reading it with my own little boy on my lap) and send a not so subtle message on the power of names.

My one point of concern with the book is for readers like myself who would prefer to read a little more, rather than have a storyline left to the imagination. Although some characters were wrapped up nicely and even left in such a way that there could, potentially,  be a plausible sequel to this book, I just could not get into the one main character's resolution. When you read the book yourself ;) it's pretty obvious who. I understand that it's very stylistic and much more common to leave some endings more vague, but after so much build up between the boy, Ophelia, and the family . . . it just felt a little hollow. Not so frustrating I would not recommend the book but still frustrating enough for this completionist to mention :)

Overall, I found this to be a good read and a relaxing break from this year's festivities, and would easily give it 4/5 stars

It's beginning to look a lot like. . .

I'm not actually sure.

The obvious answer is Christmas.
We've officially had the car stuck in the driveway, twice! Special thanks to the kids at church (college and down) who came and got us out the other day.
The ground is white with snow as far as the eye can see (which lets face it is pretty fair on the prairies) and the temperature has plummeted (I believe the windchill was at -21 when I stopped looking)

There's really no denying that winter has come to our sleepy little hamlet.

I even convinced hubby to let my decorate for the upcoming season and start playing Christmas music, although both were more Peanut related decisions this year. I couldn't wait to show Peanut the tree with the lights all aglow (a personal favourite from childhood) so up it went.
Also, Peanut won't nap without his favourite music on, this has meant 5 months of veggie tales, at some points going in the background all day (there's a solid test of your sanity and love of child, although seriously the snarky remarks in the background were awesome - the first 300 times). In a small act of grace, it turns out Christmas music is an acceptable alternative for singing vegetables, who knew?
Either way I'm taking advantage of our slight reprieve from singing produce.

The thing is this, Christmas has always been a favourite time of year. This year, even though I'm excited to share it with Peanut for the first time and hubby for the third, I'm still struggling with the transition into motherhood.

Winter means pretty snow (yep I said pretty but a fall of brown mud and dead plants makes me anxious for fluffy white flakes) but it also means drastically reduced mobility for this mama, especially now that I've got a little one dependent on my sometimes nonexistent balance. We rent on the edge of town and the roads can get interesting, meaning lots of time at home just me and the babe.

Hard for someone used to knocking out 4-6 classes a semester.

It also looks like my sanity saving neighbour (who, incidentally, became a mama the day before me) may be moving away this Christmas as her hubby's got job applications in all over the country.

It makes me sad, which is natural. Even introverts need some social contact but when you're still fighting the post baby blues the potential of a season of weather induced isolation is disheartening, even at your favourite time of year.

So, now my challenge is to find ways to make the most of this first winter with Peanut and our last sane season for a time (that's right folks, hubby starts his thesis proposal soon, the end of the MA is near (ing) )
I'm just not sure what activites are appropriate for an almost 6 month old, aside from our usual reading, tummy time, baths, diaper laundry (not an activity but really could be my job title for how often I'm washing, why do kids always dirty their diaper the minute you put the last load in the dryer?

Well, at least this weekend I can introduce Peanut to a little bit of history, anybody else gearing up for the 50th anniversary of Who?

The Language of Sparrows

I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

On the outside, Sierra and Luca are at opposite ends of life. One just beginning the world at her fingertips, the other reflecting on a life mostly gone. Yet, the bond of secrets, grief, and a love of learning tie these unlikely friends and their families together against the odds.

I'll confess I'm not one to pick a book on a whim these days. Life's too busy and too many recent whims have ended up a bust, especially within modern, Christian romance.
I was thoroughly surprised when I found myself eagerly tearing through Rachel Phifer's novel with eager anticipation and hope for a happy resolution for my two favourite characters.

Sierra is a young and brilliant high school student whose life is directed through her grief at her father's sudden and unexplained death.
Sierra was definitely a favourite character and a book highlight.
Having worked with youth and grieving families (Interesting summer job one summer) Phifer's portrayal of her grief at the multiple losses in her life (father, home, school, relationship with her mother) was believable and well written as revelations throughout the story moved Sierra through the rollercoaster of her grief and healing.


Luca, as the gruff older gentleman even his son doesn't trust was a surprising favourite of mine as the story progressed. As his life (love?) story is laid out I found myself more and more drawn to the man much like Sierra. Honestly, this became a huge point of connection in the story for me as a reader as Sierra's relationship begin to mirror the reader's entrance into Luca's life.

If you've read one of these before you know I don't like giving out major plot spoilers but my one beef with the story does tie in slightly. Most of the pacing within Sparrows is well done. The slower portions echoing the time it takes to gain trust with those who are wounded. However, Nic, Luca's son, hits a crises near the end of the book, which becomes a major plot point when there wasn't the time to wrap it up nicely. This may be a stylistic vision of the author but I generally prefer books that allow themselves the time to end when the story is ready and not before hand.

All in all, this was a great novel and a fairly easy read. Given the right audience I would highly recommend this novel.

Guess who's 5 months old

I can hardly believe our little peanut is already 5 months old.

I also can't believe I still haven't healed from his arrival, oh the joys of EDS. Oh well, our little guy is certainly worth the extra pain.

So how do we sum up another month?

Well, peanut is finally getting positive reviews from our doctor's visits. We weighed in at a respectable 16 pounds,more than double our birth weight! Reflecting back on the days of decreasing weight and slow gain makes those 16 pounds all the nicer to this Mama's ears.

Just look at those cheeks!

On the flip side, our little peanut is getting big! 

This has meant somewhat tearful packing (please tell me I'm not the only mama who gets misty packing away tiny little outfits) of clothes that once seemed ever so big and tracking down some new ones in the 9 month range.

I can't even begin to explain how grateful I've been for our carrier during this process (or colic, daily trips, teething, church, everything else under the sun, seriously these things are dead useful). 

During the pregnancy, I researched like a fiend in order to find the best options for parenting with a disability. It was actually pretty discouraging the lack of applicable resources I could find. However, I'm in love with the carrier our beyond awesome doula introduced us too.

Seriously, our CatBird Carrier calms peanut right down which makes sense because at 5 months we still can't get enough cuddles (which mama is very happy to provide), it helps him feel secure, and gives space for some introverted time when we're out and he gets overwhelmed. 

For my part, I love the big comfy straps and how simple it is to put on. It even looks great which is a huge plus for me. 

I'm really curious how it will hold up once I put on the support belt now that Peanut is getting to the right weight for some added support but I'm thinking it will just be one more thing to love (once I get over the fear of actually attaching it!)

Okay, back to Peanut :)

We have now added two beautiful bottom teeth to our milestones, and announced their arrival loudly and at great length :( 

Poor guy does not fall into the category of easy teethers.

I'm am getting an education on teething remedies, not quite the research project I was looking for but nice of Peanut to help his mama out on that ;)

We also introduced some purees to our repertoire. New favourites are: green beans, squash, applesauce, bananas. 

Peas, on the other hand, have been upgraded to most vile substance on earth. Apparently we'll have to introduce those again later . . .

Every day Peanut continues to figure out his limbs and how to work them, although,this month did have a set back. Almost half way through the month I sat him down in his crib while I straightened out the laundry only to have him flip himself over and get his feet stuck between the crib slats! Not only was he mad to be stuck but he scared himself flipping over and has refused to try rolling over ever since.
Trying to encourage him to move and not be frightened of rolling over will definitely be a goal for this month.

Speaking of goals,

Our month 5 goals are pretty simple this month.

Goal 1

Learn to nap somewhere other than Mama's lap or the carrier.

Goal 2
Work more on Goal 1 :P


Yes, it's true. At 5 months, Peanut still refuses to sleep anywhere that is not in direct physical contact with someone. At least, that is the daytime routine. Nights are pretty awesome but days . . . oh brother. Little dude almost decked his grandma when she tried to put him down for the night.

Any other Mama's (or Papa's) have a stubborn sleeper on their hands? Any tips for getting them down for much overdue naps?

We're setting up a playpen to be a safe nap space and so far (one hour in) it isn't a complete failure but we will wait and see how this goes.