Review: The Ghost Bride

{on Goodreads}

Yangsze Choo's The Ghost Bride is a captivating story, set in colonial Malaya, where new British traditions clash with old Chinese customs and where Li Lan's family is experiencing a steady decline into poverty. Unfortunately for Li Lan, her family's bankruptcy and father's addiction to Opium have left her little opportunities to socialize; she approaching marriageable age without any prospects, until she receives an unusual proposition from the town's wealthiest family. The prestigious Lim family's heir, a pompous and unpleasant boy, died of a fever before his time. In accordance with old superstitions, the Lim matriarch wishes for a bride to placate her son's restless spirit. Li Lan is taken by their opulent lifestyle, and must weigh the comfort that wealth brings with the consequences of marriage to a spirit if she were to accept the proposal. Soon she finds her dreams haunted by her spirit suitor, and at the same time feels drawn to his very real cousin, the newly crowned heir. It comes to light that her suitor's death may not have been due to illness, and as Li Lan investigates she comes to find out secrets about the Lim family- as well as her own- that hold consequences for all involved.

This book was an unusual pick for me, as I normally gravitate towards historical fiction that falls into the subcategories of Victorian mysteries or WWII adventures, but it just goes to show that you shouldn't always stick with the same type of book because this book was amazing. It has a twist that elevates it to a whole different setting, and it was one of those books where the descriptions made everything come to life so vividly in my head that I had no trouble getting lost in it. I especially loved learning about the old Chinese traditions and the ways in which British influence were creeping into the stubborn Chinese culture in Malaya. I want to say more, but the twist is too good and I wouldn't forgive myself if I spoiled that moment of surprise for another reader. This is Choo's debut, and I'll definitely be looking out for more of her work and similar work in future trips to the library. 

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Ghost Bride

Author: Yangsze Choo

Publisher: William Morrow, 2013

Price: Only $1.99 on Kindle!

ISBN: 9780062227324

Format: Hardcover

Source: Library

Book #42 of 2014

Recommended by The Little Prince Project

I wish I could claim that I'm a history buff. The truth is, history is a tough genre for me because often I find my attention wandering while reading. As a part of my Reading Resolutions for 2014, I challenged myself to find a history book that could peak and keep my interest. I haven't delved into any so far, mostly because the two I had picked out are best described as tomes (a.k.a. large, heavy, scholarly books that are not suited for carrying around campus) and I've felt intimidated just looking at them. However, part of being a good reader is knowing when to branch out, and thankfully I've got a bestie who is smitten with American history and inspires me daily to put a little more effort in being an informed citizen, not just with current events but with our country's history as well. Enter my Reading Resolution solution:

The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers by Thomas Fleming

You can read all about this book on Allie's blog, The Little Prince Project, and see for yourself why I went straight to my favorite online bookseller and promptly added it to my ever-expanding shopping cart. It's about time that I got a little more educated about our history, and I can't wait for midterms to be over so I can dive headfirst into a stack of new reads. In the meantime, if you're a lover of history and have any good recommendations for books related to American history, Allie and I would love to hear them!

10 Great October Reads

I think we can all agree that October is one of the best months of the year. It's that time when the leaves have changed and are starting to fall but the sun still shines and the air is just the perfect temperature. As I write this, it's raining outside and all I want is to curl up with a good book and a warm drink (but first, homework...). I'm one to embrace gloomy days, and I can't help but feel that October is the perfect time to really appreciate life in New England. I think by now I've mentioned once or twice (okay, three times) how much I love Halloween, but really what I love about this time of year is that it inspires me to write. A good book can give you goosebumps, have you gasping in surprise, and even make you wonder if there really are monsters under the bed, and this is the perfect time of year to find one of those books. Now, I know that not everyone appreciates a scary story, so I've rounded up a list of books that, scary or not, have that perfect October vibe.

*****

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo // You may recognize this from last month's currently coveting. I picked it up at the library recently and let me say...so good. Keep an eye out for a review soon, but for now, just know that it gave me the creepy-crawlies and had me totally intrigued from start to finish.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield // I cannot recommend this enough. It's on my list to re-read this month, and has the.best.ending.ever. Setterfield is just brilliant.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness // I love this trilogy. You can read more about my obsession with it here.

The Quick by Lauren Owen // This was one of my summer reads this year, but it's certainly more suited for an October to-read list, considering it's a Victorian England novel with a rather macabre twist. You can read my review of it here.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova // One year in high school we had a choice of books for a summer reading assignment and I picked this one, along with maybe seven other students. It certainly wasn't the most popular book that year (I have a feeling it's because of its 700 pages) but it's one that I would highly recommend for your to-read list this month. 

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield // Another one by Diane Setterfield because, why not? Read my review of this book here.

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg // I love a good book about magic at anytime during the year, and I know I recently raved about this one in a review but I just can't stop. Love, love, loved it. And for those who aren't into scary stories, this is the one for you. 

The Truth of All Things by Kieran Shields // This is a relatively new series that I started reading last year. It follows a detective in the late 1800s as he investigates a gruesome murder, the mystery behind which is wrapped up in magic rituals and the Salem Witch Trials. Definitely has that Halloween feel to it. 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern // This book was a big deal when it came out in 2011, and when I read it last year I absolutely loved it. And, I mean, look at that cover art. Swoon.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn // Perfect timing to read this, especially with the movie coming out this month. But please, don't go see the movie before you've read it! I'm not usually such a stickler for the book-before-movie rule, but this has to be one that you read first. Also, it will make you question your own sanity and the sanity of everyone around you. So there's that. 

*****

Do you have a favorite thriller, mystery, or fantasy book?

Review: The Paper Magician

This is one new fantasy series that I am so excited to follow -- if you like stories about witches, then The Paper Magician is a perfect novel to add to your reading stack. Ceony Twill is a recent graduate of the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, but she feels that her year of hard work there is wasted when she's assigned to be apprenticed as a paper magician. Ceony had dreamt of being a smelter (a metal magician) but with the paper magicians' population dwindling, she has no choice but to live with and learn from the eccentric Magician Emery Thane. As her apprenticeship progresses, Ceony realizes that there is an elegance to the paper craft. She learns to animate paper creatures and to bring the words in a storybook to life, but her lessons are interrupted when Magician Thane is attacked by an Excisioner- a practitioner of the darkest art, flesh magic. Thane's heart is (literally) stolen, and Ceony takes it upon herself to bring it back. Setting out to save Thane's life means an adventure that Ceony would never have dreamt of, and though she puts herself in terrible danger, she learns that paper magic is far more powerful than she thought.

I'm not even sure how I stumbled across this book on my Kindle last week, but before I knew it I was halfway through and raving about it to anyone that would listen. If I were to sum up this book in one word it would be: quirky. I loved it. What drew me in is the classic character of a girl freshly graduated from prepatory school, with big ideas about the world, intelligence, and spunk. In The Paper Magician, Ceony resigns herself to becoming a Folder, but soon she realizes that you get out what you put into it, and her eagerness to learn had me hooked. I also loved that she has depth to her character: she loves to cook, has an enviable work ethic, and there's something tragic being alluded to in her past (albeit that something isn't revealed until the end). I also thought the whole concept of the book was creative; there are a lot of books written about magic and this one is unique for sure, especially with its different divisions of magical occupations. Though this book only came out on the first of September, the second installment in the trilogy is set to be published in November. You know I can't resist a good series, so I may have pre-ordered the second on my Kindle. Oh, and did I mention that this is Holmberg's debut? Bravo.

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Paper Magician

Author: Charlie L. Holmberg

Publisher: 47North, 2014

Price: $4.99 (in the Amazon Kindle store)

ISBN: 1477823832

Format: E-book

Source: Kindle

Book #39 of 2014

Bibliomania

There is no doubt in my mind that I am addicted to reading. Given the opportunity, I would take up reading as a profession and spend my career happy as can be. Whenever I have to fill out a questionnaire that asks to list my hobbies, reading is always the first thing that comes to mind, but I always hesitate to write it down because describing my love of reading as a "hobby" almost doesn't do it justice-- it's an ingrained part of my identity. I stumbled across this article while skimming some magazines on a plane earlier this year, and when it popped up in my inbox in the Oprah's Book Club newsletter, I took it as a sign that I should share it here. For me, reading the article, titled "What It Means to be Addicted to Reading," is like looking in a mirror. I am guilty of packing at least one book just about every place I go and can be found reading at every opportunity, even if it's just standing in the hallway before my next class . If you're a reader, take a peek at the article-- maybe you'll find a reflection of yourself.

Review: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

{on Goodreads}

Barbara Kingsolver, author of the renowned The Poisonwood Bible, takes a break from her beloved novels to write a personal account in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. Living in Arizona with her husband and two daughters, Kingsolver revels in the perpetual summers but grows more and more concerned by the destructive nature of her family's food. With produce that either travels thousands of miles or is forced to grow in the dry Arizona soil and water that's "safe" for drinking but not safe for her household fish's aquarium, Kingsolver finds that her choices are significantly narrowed in trying to make healthy, sustainable meals for her family. So the Kingsolvers pack up their life in Arizona and move to Virginia, where they pledge to grow, raise, or gather their own food for one whole year. In learning how to have a relationship with their food from start to finish, the Kingsolvers essentially travel back to a time when neighbors bartered for produce, came together for harvests, and when the only grocery store was a farmer's market. Their lives revolve around the food they eat, and they come to appreciate and experience the year of seasonal food in a way that most people never do.

I learned so much from this book, and it certainly changed my perspective of the food that I eat. There is plenty of literature out there concerning our food choices and exposing where our food actually comes from, but in my experience I often read those books with a feeling of hopelessness and guilt for the food choices that I make on a daily basis. In this, Kingsolver drew me into daily life on her family's farm. They make their own bread, cheese, and pasta, preserve and freeze their own produce for the long winter months, and endeavor to raise their own turkeys and chickens. Though I do feel that the farm was romanticized, Kingsolver made a conscious effort to describe the careful planning and grueling labor of her every day during that year, which only served to make me appreciate small farms that much more. While I didn't always appreciate the outright preaching of political views in the book, the most important lesson that I took away from it is that while dropping everything to follow in their footsteps is not a realistic dream for most people, I can make simple choices (like buying from farmer's markets and shopping the local produce in larger grocery stores) that have a very small impact on the environment and a significant impact in my own health. In reading this book, I enjoyed celebrating the small victories (like the first asparagus of the year) and came to see farming (and on a smaller scale, gardening) as something that's important to teach children, so that future generations are not so disconnected with the origins of their own food. Recommended for foodies and aspiring gardeners!

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

Author: Barbara Kingsolver

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2007

Price: I paid $3.98 from this website

ISBN: 0060852550

Format: Paperback

Source: Better World Books

Book #36 of 2014

Reader Recommendation

Today I have another set of reader recommendations to share with you! The best part about these recommendations (in my opinion) is that they give me the opportunity to share books with you that I may never have recommended myself, either because I had a different opinion or because I haven't yet had the chance to read them. This blog is a bit of a one-person show, so being able to bring in other people's opinions is important to me. Today this list comes from Mrs. Linskey, who is a well-known figure at my favorite golf course. Mrs. Linskey is an avid reader (aka kindred spirit), and is one of those people that, when she starts to gush about her latest read, makes me want to run to the nearest bookstore and buy it. When I asked her for some recommendations to share on Top Shelf Text, she went above and beyond and gave me a list of five books to share (plus one that she was raving about a few weeks later, so I took the liberty of putting it on her list). Below you'll find her picks...and can I just say that all of these are at the top of my list now?! (So many books, so little time!)

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
This one has been on my list since I first started seeing the publisher's advertisements. It looks like a tearjerker for sure...and of course I can't go without mentioning how much I love that cover.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
This book was everywhere this summer, but the first place that I heard about it was at the golf course in a conversation with Mrs. Linskey. She was certainly ahead of all the hype, but completely agrees with the majority of readers, who say that this was the book to read this summer.

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman
This one is supposed to be a great love story and has received rave reviews. It sounds to me like it's the perfect rainy day read!

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
I read this book years ago and absolutely loved it. It's outside of my comfort zone but now holds a special place on my shelves. Definitely worth picking up if you haven't read it yet!

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Now, I know this book has been revered since the moment it came out, but I have yet to get past the first fifty or so pages. It's just one of those books that hasn't grabbed me (yet), but I recently read another book by this author and absolutely adored it. Bottom line: Kingsolver is a really well-loved author, so any of her books are worth a shot.

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
This is one that I'll definitely be picking up the next time I go to the library. It's really intriguing and super dark, but I hear that the story is too good to miss out on.

A big thank you to Mrs. Linskey for sharing these picks with all of us!

{If you would like to share your own reader recommendations on Top Shelf Text, send me an e-mail at topshelftext@gmail.com!}

Currently Coveting {September}

I don't want to brag, but I have some really good picks for you guys today. From science fiction that's eerily realistic to a new novel from the master of fractured fairytales himself, September is going to be a good month for new reads. Many of the books that I'm listing here just came out in August, so while they may be hot commodities at your local library, the good news is that you'll probably be able to spot them as soon as you step into your favorite bookstore. Though I'm still catching up on all of the books that I purchased this summer, you can bet I'll be in the holds queue for a few of these books before the month is up.

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
In colonial Malaya (a former British colony that included Singapore), a young Chinese girl is given a proposal: to escape her family's poverty, she is offered the life of a ghost bride for a prominent family's recently deceased heir. In practicing this long-time tradition, the family believes she will placate the restless spirit of her dead husband. This story promises to be full of secrets, and although I've never really been interested in historical Chinese novels, this one looks too good to resist.

Lock In: A Novel by John Scalzi
Fifteen years from today, there's a new virus ravaging the human population. A small percent of its victims are left "locked in," meaning that they are essentially trapped in their own, immovable bodies but are fully conscious. American scientists respond to the call, and with their new medical and scientific advances comes the opportunity to use their discoveries as weapons. I'm not a science fiction fan in general, but I feel like this is going to be one book that transcends the traditional genre boundaries.

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy
The story of a seemingly random group of characters and the invisible connections that exist between them, Van Booy supposedly brings to life the realization that small, selfless acts can make a difference in a big way. I've read reviews of this book that deem it "sheer poetry," and it seems like the type to give you chills as you read. When readers are so enamored that they can't resist calling the writing beautiful, that's what makes me really want to pick up a book. 

Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire is known for taking a classic fairytale and giving it a twist that sheds a whole new light on the story. You may not know him by name, but he's responsible for the internationally-loved Wicked (which I've heard is the best Broadway musical ever). In this fairytale, meant for readers age 12 and up, Maguire drops the classic tale of the prince and the pauper in Tsarist Russia, and integrates beloved folklore characters such as Baba Yaga. Fairytales are one of my favorite genres, and I'll definitely be looking for this one at the library this fall.

All Souls Trilogy

Today marks the first day in September and the official start of everything fall! (And yes, I realize fall doesn't actually start until the 23rd, but September is just not the name for a summer month, if you ask me.) Fall is my favorite season for a number a reasons, the first (and most important) being that it's my birthday season. Aside from that, I love fall because it's the time for hot lattes, cool, crisp air, that back-to-school feeling, and of course, everything pumpkin-flavored. To me, fall always feels like a new beginning. With all the excitement concerning fall activities like apple picking and going to the pumpkin patch comes the building anticipation of one of my favorite holidays: Halloween. My little town was established in the early 17th century, and with its history comes lots of ghost stories, old cemeteries, and local lore. (Not to mention that we are right next door to Salem, which has so much history concerning witchcraft.)  I love reading spooky stories, so when fall arrives each year I often gravitate towards books that have a little bit of that Halloween-feel to them. That brings me to my latest series obsession: the All Souls Trilogy.

I first stumbled upon this series last fall and read the first two, A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night, in quick succession. I definitely preferred the second book to the first, I think because the second book allowed the characters to develop further, but the first book laid the foundation for such a captivating story, and looking back I appreciate it more because I know how complex the plot was meant to be in the next two books. I was counting down the days until the final installment was released this summer, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I got so caught up in The Book of Life, I couldn't pick up another book for days after finishing it. It's one of those series that I wish could go on forever (ahem, Harry Potter) but I plan on rereading it again soon so that I can fall in love with it all over again. You can bet that it will make the cut for my list of the best books of 2014 (the first two already made honorable mention on last year's list) and I will definitely be recommending it to friends who share my love of fantasy. I almost want to go so far to say that it's a good pick for grown-ups who love Harry Potter or Lev Grossman's The Magicians series (of which I've only read the first but plan on picking up the next two soon). If you're looking for a story that has magic, daemons, vampires, history, and an epic love story, read the All Souls Trilogy!

Update: Books I've Read {July & August}

Every couple months I look back at the books I've read and reflect on the good, the bad, and the captivating. I've actually found that my reading pace has slowed this year, not surprisingly because I now spend quite a bit more time writing than I used to. Regardless of your reading speed, summer is the time to catch up on your to-read list and I've been making good on those currently coveting wish lists lately. In July and August, I read a total of nine books, bringing my 2014 total to 35 books so far. I'm happy that I got to check off another book for my classics challenge (one that I actually liked!), but my absolute favorites from these months were Euphoria and The Book of Life.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
5 Stars
{Number two of four for my classics challenge...definitely earned a spot on my "forever favorites" shelf!}

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
5 Stars
{Keep an eye out for a post on this finale to the All Souls Trilogy. One word: amazing.}

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
4 Stars
Read my review here.

Euphoria by Lily King
5 Stars
Read my review here.

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
3 Stars
Read my review here.

A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch
4 Stars
Read my review here.

The Quick by Lauren Owen
4 Stars
Read my review here.

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
5 Stars
{This was a re-read, but just as good the second time around!}

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
4 Stars
{P.S. If you read this as required reading in middle school and didn't love it, give it another shot. For me, re-reading it now gave me an entirely different perspective. It was poignant.}

Children's Review: The King of Quizzical Island

{on Goodreads}

The King of Quizzical Island has a question, what's it like at the edge of the world? No one can give him the answer, so he readies his sails and sets out to find it himself. He happens upon a series of fascinating and strange lands, including Jigsaw Land and Vertical Land, "where everything stands on end." As he continues on his journey, barely surviving the Sea of Dreadful Dreams (but prevailing against the Night Mares), his ship is beached upon another sandy shore, where he spies a familiar-looking castle. Could it be that the edge of the world doesn't actually exist?

The King of Quizzical Island is a fantastic tale of curiosity and discovery. The King's biggest realization is that the world is actually round, but his inquisitiveness and can-do attitude are what make him a memorable character. I was smitten with this story from the first time I read it, as it reminds me of one of my absolute favorite picture books. The rhymes are brilliant and illustrations are quirky, and I just love the immense amount of imagination that went into the King's travels; his adventures are sure to have little readers asking question and yearning to discover more about the world around them.

Recommended for ages 4-8 (Preschool - 3rd Grade)

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The King of Quizzical Island

Author: Gordon Snell

Illustrator: David McKee

Publisher: Candlewick, 2009

ISBN: 0763638579

Format: Hardcover

Price: $15

Source: Purchased, University Store

Review: The Beekeeper's Apprentice

{on Goodreads}

In a play off the stories of the infamous sleuth (and avid beekeeper) Sherlock Holmes, King devises a whole new environment, with adversaries and allies both old and new. The Beekeeper's Apprentice chronicles the extraordinary relationship between Mr. Holmes and Mary Russell. When they first meet in 1915, Holmes is a recluse, drug addict, and retiree living in the quiet countryside. Russell- a bright, strong-willed girl in a time of emerging female independence- is newly orphaned and living under the watchful (and disapproving) eye of her insufferable aunt. Though they are an unlikely pair, Russell and Holmes manage to cultivate a deeply meaningful friendship, which starts as apprentice and mentor and grows into roles as equal partners in the solving of more than a few high-profile crimes. Russell's deliberate disregard for her expected role as a meek, womanly companion lands them both in some dangerous situations, but her vast portfolio of sleuthing abilities and expansive intellect contribute much to the maintenance of Holmes's reputation as the best detective in the world. As they discover subtle connections linking their many cases, the two must put their talents to the test as they face an unexpected but formidable enemy.

I confess I've had this book on my shelf for years, and simply was not motivated to delve into it until I recently cleaned out my bookshelves. I have always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes and love that his character (much like a Shakespearean play) can be shaped to any new environment, while the defining parts of his character are kept steady (Sherlock, anyone?). It took me a bit to get into the book, but I loved the addition of a younger, equally bright female character (who was not also a love interest for Sherlock). Though Holmes always plays well against strong female characters, King's idea to place him in not only a mentor, but also father-figure role, felt like a fresh take. By the time I reached the last few chapters, I didn't want the book to end. Like a classic Holmes case, I was unable to guess the ending, though of course the pieces of the puzzle were all carefully inserted throughout the story. Recommended for fans of the beloved character, as well as those who simply like a good mystery. 

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The Beekeeper's Apprentice

Author: Laurie R. King

Publisher: Picador, 2007

Price: N/A {Available online for a wide range of prices}

ISBN: 0312427360

Format: Paperback

Source: Gifted

Book #33 of 2014

Back to School Booklist

August has been flying by and it's almost time for back to school! As a college student, my summer vacations start in the first week of May, so heading back to school in September is a nice change after a long break. Plus, back to school means new school supplies (and we all know there's nothing better than that)!

As a child, I was always super excited about the first day back at school. I came home every day after school only to sit my dolls down at their desks, write out their lessons, and assign them homework. The fact that I had both a whiteboard and chalkboard at the ready for "playing school" is proof that the classroom has always been my happy place. However, that's not to say that I never got nervous on the first day back. I still get nervous for the first day of classes each semester, and I'd be willing to bet money that on my first day as a teacher, I'll be a nervous wreck. The anxiousness that many students feel going back to school comes with the territory of new spaces, new routines, and greater expectations.

To help transition from summer mode to the back to school mindset, I've picked a few books that feature the theme of school (and the first day back), some of which feature beloved characters that your child may already love reading about. Reading a few of these books with your child may help facilitate a conversation about the things that they are most and least looking forward to, and could be helpful during those first few days back, as they ease into a new routine!

{Click on the titles to view book descriptions in Goodreads and find links to purchase online!}

The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing

The Night Before First Grade by Natasha Wing

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick

Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard

Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London

Back-To-School Rules by Laurie B. Friedman

The Berenstain Bears Go Back to School by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Arthur's Back to School Day by Lillian Hoban

Back to School, Mallory by Laurie B. Friedman

Amelia Bedelia Goes Back to School by Herman Parish

It's Back to School, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

First Grade Stinks! by Mary Ann Rodman

Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown by Paula Danzinger

Happy reading!