Technical Difficulties

I'm sorry for my lack of posting lately. It was recently my sister's birthday so I was away because of that, and then I was having some serious issues with my laptop. Everything seems to be resolved now so I should be back to posting regularly this week!

Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Buy it on Amazon

Visit Lauren DeStefano's website

"We run, with water in our shoes and the smell of the ocean clinging to our frozen skin. I laugh, and Gabriel looks at me like I'm crazy, and we're both out of breath, but I'm able to say, 'We made it,' over the sound of distant sirens. Seagulls circle over us impassively. The sun is melting down into the horizon, setting it ablaze. I look back once, long enough to see men pulling our escape boat to shore. They'll be expecting passengers, but all they'll find are the empty wrappers from the packaged sweets we ate from the boat owner's stash. We abandoned ship before we reached the shore, and we felt for each other in the water and held our breath and hurried away from the commotion." -- Fever, Chapter 1

Fever is the sequel to Wither and is no less incredible than the first book in this trilogy. Rhine and Gabriel have managed to escape Housemaster Vaughn and now make their way to Manhattan and Rhine's twin brother, Rowan, hoping to find safety with him. But escaping from the house was not the only hardship they face. Vaughn is following them everywhere they go, and when Rhine begins to show symptoms of the virus at only seventeen years old, he may be the only one with an answer.

I just can not praise this author enough. Again, I could not put this book down. I finished it in about a day. The way DeStefano writes is so gripping, and so descriptive. It's been quite a while since I truly got lost in a book but I just fall right into this series whenever I pick it up. It literally pulls me in. The characters are realistic and believable, the plot engaging, and all of it just leaves me wanting more. DeStefano is very quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The cliffhanger at the end of this book left me excited and frustrated -- I didn't want it to end! As much as I want to devour the next book and find out what happens, I'm also very reluctant to leave DeStefano's world behind. Expect a review of the final book in the trilogy, Sever -- but how quickly that review will be posted will depend on how much I'm grieving over finishing this fantastic series ;)

5/5

DISCLOSURE: I borrowed this book from the library where I work and received no compensation for this review.

Review: The Last Time I Wore a Dress

The Last Time I Wore a Dress: A Memoir by Daphne Scholinski, with Jane Meredith Adams

Buy it on Amazon

"Even now, it's always the same question: Why don't you act more like a girl? Makeup, dresses, a little swing in my walk is what people mean. The millennium is upon us and this is the level of discussion." -- The Last Time I Wore a Dress, Prologue

The Last Time I Wore a Dress is author Daphne Scholinski's memoir, recounting her childhood and the three years she spent in mental hospitals for being an "improper female." Physically abused by her father, sexually abused by many, and emotionally starved by her mother, Daphne spiraled out of control. She drank and did drugs, skipped school, and began stealing. She was put in a mental institution at age fifteen and diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder, among other things. She made friends, lost friends, caused some trouble, was on the receiving end of much trouble, and was shuffled from hospital to hospital until she turned eighteen -- all while being taught how to be properly girly.

I could not put this book down. I checked it out from the library yesterday afternoon and finished it last night. Daphne goes back and forth between talking about her time in the different hospitals and her childhood, changing it up about every other chapter. The way she tells her story pulls the reader right in. She opens up her soul to reveal the failings of mental health facilities in the 80s. From privilege points for wearing makeup to being restricted from seeing her best friend because of the possibility of a physical relationship, she shows the truth of what happened in these facilities that so many people are unaware of. And she does it in a beautiful, honest way -- there are no secrets in this book. Everything is laid bare. It's heart-wrenching but so important to realize that this used to be the treatment that girls received for being tomboys -- and that in some cases they are still thought of as somehow wrong.

4/5

DISCLOSURE: I borrowed this book from the library where I work and received no compensation for this review.

Review: We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Buy it on Amazon

"I'm unsure why one trifling incident this afternoon has moved me to write to you. But since we've been separated, I may most miss coming home to deliver the narrative curiosities of my day, the way a cat might lay mice at your feet: the small, humble offerings that couples proffer after foraging in separate backyards. Were you still installed in my kitchen, slathering crunchy peanut butter on Branola though it was almost time for dinner, I'd no sooner have put down the bags, one leaking a clear viscous drool, than this little story would come tumbling out, even before I chided that we're having pasta tonight so would you please not eat that whole sandwich." -- We Need to Talk About Kevin, Chapter 1

We Need to Talk About Kevin is the story of Kevin Khatchadourian, a boy who murdered seven of his classmates, a teacher, and a cafeteria worker. The book is written from the perspective of his mother Eva, in the form of letters to her estranged husband and Kevin's father. She recounts the early days of their marriage, her pregnancy, and Kevin's childhood, slowly piecing together the life of "KK" the killer. Eva explains her ambivalence towards having children and the way that Kevin seemed to hate her from birth -- a hatred that she returned. As she reflects on both her and Kevin's interactions with each other, the reader is left to draw their own conclusion about Kevin: is he evil because his mother didn't love him, or is he unlovable because he is evil?

I loved this story, I honestly did. I loved the letter format and I loved the insight into Eva's mind as she looked back on her mistakes and wondered if she was responsible for how Kevin turned out. But that being said, I had a lot of trouble getting through the book. It's not that it wasn't enjoyable or well written; it was. But it didn't feel genuine to me. The language used didn't feel like someone writing to her estranged husband. I was very aware of the author's influence. When I read I like to be completely immersed in a book, and I really wasn't able to do that here. I commend the author for portraying such an emotionally-charged subject so well. And finding out just how much betrayal Eva faced from Kevin, exactly how much she was hurting, was a shock that I was actually happy to receive; it was a perfect touch. I'm glad I read the book. It's just not for me.

3/5

DISCLOSURE: I borrowed this book from the library where I work and received no compensation for this review.

In My Mailbox

Library discards:

Generation of Vipers by Philip Wylie

 

What a Year! by Joe Alex Morris

What's in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox

Books from the library:

The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard

Fever by Lauren DeStefano (sequel to Wither)

Capital Punishment's Collateral Damage by Robert M. Bohm

What's in your mailbox this week?

Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Buy it on Amazon

Visit Lauren DeStefano's website 

"I wait. They keep us in the dark for so long that we lose sense of our eyelids. We sleep huddled together like rats, staring out, and dream of our bodies swaying. I know when one of the girls reaches a wall. She begins to pound and scream -- there's metal in the sound -- but none of us help her. We've gone too long without speaking, and all we do is bury ourselves more into the dark." -- Wither, Chapter 1

Wither is the first book in the Chemical Garden trilogy, and the first novel author Lauren DeStefano has had published. And it does not disappoint. Wither is the story of 16-year-old Rhine Ellery, growing up in a dystopian future North America where an incurable virus kills all girls by age 20 and all boys by age 25. Rhine, like so many other girls, is kidnapped and sold as a bride to bear children and keep the human race going. Not only does she have to deal with the pain of being taken from her twin brother and being forced into a marriage with the kind but clueless Linden, she must forge a relationship with Linden's other wives and his father -- but who in the household is really trustworthy? And how can she escape?

I admit I have a bit of a weakness for dystopian settings, but that aside, Lauren DeStefano is one of the most talented authors I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Her writing style just grabbed me from the start. I had a lot of trouble putting this book down; I think I finished it in two days. The characters are very realistic -- they're very human. It is easy to understand their feelings and motives. Even Housemaster Vaughn, the villainous person that he is, played at my emotions in a way that's hard to describe accurately. He is horrifying and his actions are inexcusable, yet he's understandable. It takes a lot of talent to write a character like that. I want to know more about this future that DeStefano has envisioned and the people who live in it. I was not ready for the story to end and I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy, both of which are available now, as well as a short story prequel available for purchase as an ebook on DeStefano's website.

5/5

DISCLOSURE: I borrowed this book from the library where I work and received no compensation for this review.

In My Mailbox

All of my books this past week are from the library where I work, which is definitely good for my wallet.

Books from the library:

American Indian Education: A History  by Jon Reyhner and Jeanne Eder

Child to Soldier: Stories from Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army by Opiyo Oloya

Beyond the Threshold: Afterlife Beliefs and Experiences in World Religions by Christopher M. Moreman

The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

And, though it's not a book, I did buy Doctor Who Series 1, and Doctor Who is always worth getting excited about:

Doctor Who Series 1

What's in your mailbox this week?

Review: All of the Women of the Bible by Edith Deen

All of the Women of the Bible by Edith Deen

Buy it on Amazon

"The idea for this book sprang from a story I wrote on Lydia, the businesswoman described in Acts ... The Lydia story brought letters from readers, who suggested a series on women of the Bible. This idea challenged me. Today the Bible, churches and religion have become big news.In our regional libraries I found many books on women of the Bible, but none was comprehensive. The demand for these books was great, for I saw that many were well-worn; others, though written decades earlier, were still in use." -- All of the Women of the Bible, "Preface"

When I saw this book in the library I had to snap it up, and I'm so glad I did. Edith Deen has written a wonderful guide to all of the women mentioned in the Bible, both named and unnamed. Each entry in Section I opens with the name of the woman, the verses where her story is located, and a brief description of the Bible passage before launching into an in-depth view of the woman and her life. Section II has an alphabetical listing of the named women, along with the verses in the Bible where she is found and a description. Section III is a chronological listing of nameless women, again with the verses where she is found and a description. This last section is divided into "Daughters", "Wives", "Mothers", "Widows", and "Other Unnamed Women." The very end of the book has a comprehensive index to make it easy to find a specific woman.

I adore this book. I learned a lot from it, from small details about well-known women to a host of things when taking a closer look at a lesser-known woman. For instance, I've seen plenty of books, articles, etc. on Jacob's wife Rachel, the preferred wife, but very little on her sister, Jacob's other wife Leah. Edith Deen obviously took her time researching to be able to paint such an interesting and informative picture of the less-favored Leah. My favorite part of the book was the extra details that were put in -- I'm a sucker for little facts and information. Page 20, discussing Lot's wife, gives archaeological evidence for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and how Lot's wife may have become a pillar of salt, while page 84, discussing Ruth, reveals that explorations of the plains of ancient Moab have confirmed their fertility during the devastating famine in Judah and imply a close association between the Hebrews and the Moabites.

The descriptions in the book are sometimes a bit much for my tastes, but I absolutely loved it and I will definitely be needing a copy of my own for my personal library.

5/5

DISCLOSURE: I borrowed this book from the library where I work and received no compensation for this review.

In My Mailbox

I have much fewer books this week than last week, but still a nice haul!

Books I bought:

Made to Crave Devotional by Lysa Terkeurst

Lady in Waiting by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones

Books from the library:

 

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Books I won:

 

The Cage by Ethan Cross (eBook, won from Freda's Voice)

I'm definitely happy with what I've got this week. What's in your mailbox?

My Personal Library

Just for fun, here's a few pictures of my personal library. Sorry about the bad quality; I don't have a decent camera.

My bookcase (with books and Disney dolls)

My headboard

My other bookcase

I think I may have an addiction, haha! And apologies if the pictures are oddly sized. Resizing has never been something I was good at.

In My Mailbox

My first In My Mailbox post on the new blog! How exciting! I just came back from my local library's book sale (not the one I work at) and oh my, I got a nice haul. Typically, I post cover images of each book. But because I got so many, I'm just going to post the title and author, with a link to purchase them on Amazon if you're interested.

The Busy Scrapper: Making the Most of Your Scrapbooking Time by Courtney Walsh

The Champion by Carla Capshaw

Breakfast with Jesus by Greg Laurie

Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

The Complete Guide to America's National Parks, 1990-1991 Edition by the National Park Foundation

Mermaid Park by Beth Mayall

How to Live with a Neurotic Cat by Stephen Baker

Life 101: Everything We Wish We Had Learned in School -- But Didn't by John-Roger and Peter McWilliams

Do It! Let's Get Off Our Butts by John-Roger and Peter McWilliams

Fantastic! In addition to those books, I was also able to snag a couple discards from work. Most of the books we choose to discard get donated; but if they're in really bad shape they get recycled. I was given permission to take a few of the books designated to be recycled.

Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt

Anderson's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Anderson

The Serpent Mound, Adams County, Ohio: Mystery of the Mound and Mystery of the Serpent: Various Theories of Effigy Mounds and the Mound Builders by E. O. Randall

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown

Fourteen books for $5 total in two days. Not bad! What's in your mailbox this week?

Grand Re-Opening

Welcome, all, to the grand re-opening of Maat's Feather of Truth. I previously had a blog under the same name but I no longer have access to it. It was under one of two old email addresses, both of which have since been deactivated. But that's okay! I hadn't posted in a very long time and wanted to start over anyway. Blogger has changed a lot since I was here last, so please bear with me as I work to figure everything out.
Over on my sidebar, I have a link to an FAQ and to a list of books I'm planning to read. You can also see my rating system for reviews there. I guess the FAQ isn't so much frequently asked questions as it is things people might ask and be interested in. Comments are enabled on that page so if there's anything you want to know, go ahead and leave a comment there.
I plan and hope to post at least once a week. I work at a library and it seems like I check out a new book every time I work, so there's certainly no shortage of books for me to review. I'm still tweaking my layout, so expect things to change a bit here and there as I figure things out and see what looks good.
Please don't be shy about leaving comments, and I hope you enjoy my blog!