Review: A Discovery of Witches

Title: A Discovery of Witches

Series: All Souls Trilogy #1

Author: Deborah Harkness

Published by: Headline on 1st September 2011

Genre: Fantasy Paranormal Romance Mystery

Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher

Check it out on Goodreads

*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via BookBridgr for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.*

Goodreads Synopsis: A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. 

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.

My Thoughts: I have been wanting to read this book for a while now because it sounded like a smart urban romance. Plus, it is set in Oxford and I love Oxford!

The story follows Diana Bishop, a scholar, whose main area of research is in alchemy. She is also an orphaned daughter of two powerful witches, so she is a witch herself, but since her parents murder she has refused to embrace that part of herself. One day, Diana studies an old alchemical manuscript that she senses has some kind of magical power attached to it. Finding it of no immediate use to her research, she returns it and goes on about her day. Unfortunately for Diana, her life does not return to normal, for there are many other supernatural beings who want to get their hands on that manuscrpt and they need Diana to get it. One of these other beings is Matthew Clairmont, an ancient vampire who is to become Diana's love interest.

The romance between these two annoyed me, she is supposed to be a modern independant woman with multiple degrees but as soon as Matthew enters the scene, she is a damsel in distress who is under his control, even when she doesn't realize it. There is some semblance of her telling him that she will not be bossed around, but she isn't very convincing. I was also dissapointed by the lack of passion, there was a couple of steamy kissing scenes but it never goes past that. I am not looking for erotica, but these two talk about how hot they are for each other but barely express it.

I really enjoyed the use of history and science, and this book sent me to google more than a few times to learn more about the mentioned topics. For me this is a good thing because I love learning new things. The writing was beautiful and really brought Oxford to life, made it feel like I was back there.

As much as I loved the writing and the intricate descriptions of Oxford, the book is made far too long with unnecessary description of things such as food, wine and clothing etc., the little minutiae of life that could have been left out without affecting the story. Plus, there was too many mentionings of how people smelled, it got laborious. And although it is supposed to be an intellectual book it's just another urban fantasy that is trying not to be - "a thinking person's Twilight" is something I read somewhere about this book and it is not far from the truth. Even though the book has many flaws, it's just so darn addicting, that I am certain to read the next book in the series.

If you like old fashioned courtly romances with damsels and domineering heroes or if, like me, you just fancy another fairly quick and easy urban romance, then you just may enjoy this one.

Review: Captain America: Winter Soldier

Title: Captain America: Winter Soldier 

Author: Ed Brubaker (writer). Steve Epting, Michael Lark and John Paul Leon (artists)

Published by: Marvel Comics

Genre: Action/adventure scifi/fantasy mystery espionage

Format: Hardcover

Source: My bookshelf

Buy it from Amazon or Book Depository

Check it out on Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis: For more than fifty years, the Soviets employed an undercover agent - an unstoppable, untraceable killer known as the Winter Soldier. His suspected identity? Bucky Barnes, Captain America's one-time partner, thought to have died in World War II. Now, the Winter Soldier is back, working for the ruthless General Lukin - who has obtained a functional Cosmic Cube, a weapon of limitless power that can bend reality itself. Vowing to end Lukin's reign of terror and destruction, Captain America relentlessly tracks the Cube - only to find himself face to face against the Winter Soldier. Will Cap be forced to battle his resurrected partner so soon after finally learning the astonishing truth? 

My Thoughts: This book was such a satisfying experience, it's all gritty espionage, super hero fun with a mystery, then boom! ugly sobbing ensues (from me, not the story). It says a lot for the comic format that a bunch of pictures and speech baloons can elicit such a response. I don't know why I held off reading comics for so long because boy do I love them now.

The actual physical book is so beautifully bound that it took me a while to stop just looking at it and stroking it, and also smelling it because it has such a lovely strong book smell ;-) After removing the sleeve, the plain white cover with a partial shield is so simple and understated - it is very asthetically pleasing to my eye.

This is not an origin story for Captain America, so I was a little bit confused to start with but most of that confusion is cleared up with Cap's inner monologues and flashbacks. So, for someone like me this is a good starting point to get into Captain America comics. If, again like me, you are more interested in the Winter Soldier storyline then this is of course a perfect starting point - it being the Winter Soldier's origin story and all.

Brubaker has written a very realistic character with Steve, especially as a war veteran who is haunted by his past. Steve struggles with his guilt, not only over Bucky's death but also because he missed the end of the war and he feels less men would have died had he been there. It seems like he may be suffering with PTSD, as he acts recklessy and violently, and he also has trouble with his memories, not certain if they are real or not. It is uncertain if that he does have PTSD or if it is the cosmic cube that the bad guy Lukin has, that is messing with Cap's head, as it does to others who Lukin has an axe to grind with. Either way Cap's actions show a very human side to him.

As I said, this is an origin story for the Winter Soldier, so of course, we get flashbacks in which we see Cap's introduction to Bucky and their developing relationship. I was quite dissapointed that they weren't childhood friends as in the movies, but that in no way detracts from the depth of their friendship in the book. The Winter Soldier's story is a sad one and I see him as a victim and not a villain. This man hasn't been treated like a human being for fifty years, he is treated as a tool, as a weapon and that is terribly sad.

You remember that first heartbreaking scene in the movie? Well, it comes directly from the book and, as in the movie, this is where the tears and the Bucky/Cap feels started (they still haven't stopped).

The relationship between these two is beautiful and I get teary whenever I think about them. I don't know why, but close male relationships really move me, it could be something to do with the fact that growing up you learn that men are not meant to have emotions or feelings, especially not towards other men. So, when close male friendships are explored in fiction, it is a breath of fresh air. They show that, yes, males do feel and experience emotions in the same way females do and that they do care deeply about others - even other men, in either plutonic or romantic ways. In this case though, Steve and Bucky's relationship is totally plutonic and they love each other more than anything and would die for each other - to me that is beautiful.

Most of the art in the book is stunning and really adds to the enjoyment of the story. When there is a change of artist I found it to be a bit jarring, but I quickly got used to it. I even think that the different art styles fit with the different parts of the story, adding depth.

Overall, this was an absolutely fantastic story with an ending that guarantees that I will be reading the next one. I totally recommend this book to not only those who enjoyed the film but to anyone who enjoys great character based stories.

So yeah, I loved it

FIVE BIG, FAT STARS

Review: Impostor by Susanne Winnacker

Title: Impostor

Series: Variants #1

Author: Susanne Winnacker

Published by: Hodder Children's Books on January 2nd 2014

Genre: YA Scifi Mystery Thriller

Format: Kindle

Source: Purchased

Buy it from Amazon or Book Depository

Check it out on Goodreads 

Goodreads Synopsis: Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she's spent the last two years with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. There she trains with other Variants, such as long-term crush Alec, who each have their own extraordinary ability.

When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. Tessa hates everything about being an impostor - the stress, the danger, the deceit - but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she'd do anything to keep.

Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

My Review: I liked this book from the beginning; it puts you straight into the story, into this world of variants within the FBI. I purchased this book because I heard it was like a cross between X-Men and Veronica Mars – two franchises I love, so I of course had to have it.

A variant is a person who has a super or extra human ability (think X-Men) and our main character Tessa has the ability to morph into anyone she has touched. Tessa works for the FEA, which is a secret department of the FBI and she is sent out on her first mission – to play the role of a recently murdered young woman in order to catch a serial killer. 

I did like Tessa, for the most part, I just found her to be a bit immature and weak at times. She has been training to be a field agent for about two years but when she finally gets a mission she kinda just fumbles her way through it. She spends most of her time mooning over her crush, Alec, who in return spends most of his time being overprotective of her. Theirs is supposed to be a professional relationship but its so not. I did let Tessa of the hook for most of her flaws because she is only sixteen and hopefully in the next books we will see her grow, not only as a person but as an agent.

What I did like about Tessa though, was her humanity, while everyone else doesn’t seem to care about the death of a teenage girl (aside from catching her killer), Tessa does. She also, does show some growth, mostly in coming to terms with her childhood.

Tessa’s crush, Alec is a character I wanted to like but mostly because Tessa liked him so much, but he is a douche. He has no respect for Tessa – as a girl or as an agent. I can’t really go into why I don’t like him because spoilers. Again, I hope the next books show more depth to his character. There was only one character that I really liked and that was the dead girl, Madison’s twin brother, Devon.

Aside from the flawed characters, I really enjoyed the story and the writing. The mystery of the serial killer kept me guessing to the end and I did not have a single clue as to whom the killer was until it was revealed. I read it in one sitting which shows just much I enjoyed it – it was a fun, easy read and if you can see past only slightly annoying characters, I totally recommend it.

I will read the next book in the series Defector when it comes out late June, not just because this was an entertaining read but also to see how the characters grow.