"The Bedlam Stacks" by Natasha Pulley

The Bedlam Stacks is the second novel by Natasha Pulley that I’ve read and really enjoyed (the first one being The Watchmaker of Filigree Street). The novel is based in the late 1800s and our main protagonist Merrick Tremayne is a former smuggler for the East India Trade company who got injured and had to retire from service.  In the beginning of the novel, we find him in his parents’ run down estate (now owned by his older brother), spending most of his time in the greenhouse, the life of excitement and adventure seemingly behind him. There, he is visited by his old Navy friend who talks him into joining him on an expedition to a remote region of Peru to fetch cinchona tree cuttings. The reason for the expedition is that quinine – an essential ingredient in treating of malaria – can only be found in the bark of these trees which grow only in Peru. They embark on an impossible task of smuggling out the cuttings from the region tightly monitored by the quinine monopoly while doing it fast enough for the cuttings to survive a journey to Ceylon, where they will be planted.

This book, just as the first one by Pulley, is a historical fiction that incorporates elements of fantasy, steampunk and myth. She does an excellent job weaving in Inca history and beliefs into the story. I really enjoyed this book. This one in particular reminds me of Jules Verne’s travel and adventure novels. It is filled with wonder, mystery and magic. It also made me really curious about the Inca civilization. In addition, I was pleased see a cameo appearance by Keita, the watchmaker from her previous novel. I do think you can read this book with no issues even if you have not read the previous novel. But it was nice to see that “Easter egg” in the story. 5 out of 5 stars. A truly enjoyable read.

I read an ARC e-copy of this novel provided by NetGalley. The novel officially comes out in the US on August 1, 2017.

"The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty

Liane Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret is another great book by this author. I had read and reviewed The Three Wishes by her earlier this year, and now also listened to this one on audio. This novel is a murder mystery, but not in a traditional sense. A fifteen year old girl had been murdered almost 30 years prior to the events of the novel and the murder has remained unsolved with no leads, witnesses or DNA evidence. The mother of the victim has a suspect in mind, but has no evidence against him other than her gut is telling her that it was him.

As is the case with other Moriarty’s novels, The Husband's Secret is written from several different points of view. The reader thus gets to observe the lives of several families that are dealing with their own dramas but that are also in one way or another connected to the overall murder plot.

I highly enjoyed this novel. It is filled with self-deprecating humor, but is also very uplifting and unexpectedly sagacious. I am definitely going to continue reading Moriarty’s books. I also highly recommend the audio version. The narrator is excellent. 5 out of 5 stars.

"The Ocean at the End of the Lane" by Neil Gaiman

One of the authors I would like to read more from is Neil Gaiman. A lot of people love his books, and earlier this month I listened to The Ocean at the End of the Lane, an audio book read by the author. The book has the same eerie atmosphere as Coraline – not quite a dream and not quite reality. In Gaiman’s world, a thing of nightmares suddenly invades the life of a seven-year old protagonist: a vile creature enters his house in the guise of a pretty nanny/housekeeper Ursula. And only the boy knows of her true nature. She beguiles his parents and sister, and almost drives his father to drowning his own son. But luckily, the boy is friendly with the Hempstocks who live at the end of the lane, a family of not-quite humans, who see the evil creature for what it is and are able to get rid of it.

Gaiman’s story even though it reads as a fairy tale, has some underlying terrifying truth to it. Some children do encounter evil and misery which can come looking as a pretty housekeeper who will end up breaking up the marital bliss; or worse: a father who in a fit of violence can hurt or even kill his own child. The book also gave me a sense that life according to Gaiman is more than just a string of mortal years. There is magic, love, and purity that transcend the daily grind of human existence. I really enjoyed this novel, and look forward to reading more of Gaiman's work.

Elena Ferrante and the Final Book of the Neapolitan Quartet

This month I finished the last novel in Ferrante's Neapolitan Quartet called The Story of the Lost Child. In this final installment, we follow Elena and Lila's friendship through some turbulent and heartbreaking events. They are now in their late thirties. Both of them live in Naples, and this geographic proximity makes it easy for them to rekindle their friendship and to become closer than ever. At 36 both women become pregnant and give birth to daughters. The little girls spend all of their time together very similar to the way Elena and Lila did in their childhood. But then the unimaginable happens: Lila's little girl disappears without a trace. This heart-wrenching tragedy changes Lila's, and by extension Elena's, life for ever.

This novel, just as the previous three, examines the ways this friendship with Lila defines who Elena is as a person and as a writer. More than ever she realizes that the neighborhood, the people she grew up with, and especially Lila, are a part of who she is. Her best books come from that same place, and her very personality and life are shaped by that friendship. Ferrante's novels are genuine, raw, profound and poignant. Five out of five stars yet again. I highly recommend the entire quartet.

Top 5 Wednesday: Authors I Want to Read More From

Looking over the list of my favorite books and reading plans for this year, I have come up with the following five authors that I've only read one or two books from, and desperately need to read more.

1. Mindy McGinnis

Earlier this year, I read and absolutely loved Mindy’s The Female of the Species, a young adult contemporary novel that tackles the issue of rape culture. Based on my experience with this book, I definitely want to read more of her work. She writes in various genres, which is another thing that intrigues me about her as an author. I own two of her books: Not a Drop to Drink and A Madness so Discreet. Both, I believe, are dystopian YA novels and I cannot wait to give them a go.

2. Neil Gaiman

I am truly ashamed that so far I have only read one book by Neil Gaiman – Coraline. I keep hearing people rave about his books all the time and I just want to know what it’s all about.  The books that I am most likely to pick up by him are American Gods and Norse Mythology.

3. Fyodor Dostoyevky

For all of my love of Russian classics, so far I’ve only read one novel by Dostoyevksy (Crime and Punishment) and one short story. I recall at one point picking up another of his novels and setting it aside. I think I am now ready to read more of his work. I have both The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov on my shelf. One of these will be read this year.

4. Vladimir Nabokov

I read Nabokov’s scandalous Lolita over 15 years ago, and then finally picked up another of his novels in December of last year. Reading his Mary made me fall in love with his prose, and I cannot wait to read more of his work, perhaps Camera Obscura or The Gift.

5. Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak stole my heart after I read The Bastard of Istanbul. Her characters are interesting and complex. Her prose is engaging and colorful. And she is not afraid to tackle difficult issues. I own two more of her books: The Forty Rules of Love and The Architect’s Apprentice. I definitely want to read one of them soon.

"The Shadow Land" by Elizabeth Kostova

The Shadow Land is Elizabeth Kostova's newest novel. It is set in modern-day Bulgaria but does focus quite a bit on historic events during and right after the World War II. The premise is quite interesting. A young American English teacher arrives in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she has accepted a teaching position, and on her first day there, ends up inadvertently keeping someone else’s bag. When she looks inside, she discovers an ornate wooden box containing someone’s ashes. What follows is a whirlwind of events as she travels to different parts of the country trying to find the deceased man’s relatives, and in the process learns much about his life and Bulgaria’s troubled history.

Elizabeth Kostova’s writing is very suspenseful. It follows almost a wave-like pattern. An attention-grabbing event is followed by a stretch of beautiful descriptions and the main character’s introspective musings. But just as the reader is about to get bored, he/she is jerked awake by some dramatic turn of events in the narrative. Kostova is thus able to hold the reader’s attention and make them want to continue with the story.

I really loved Kostova’s descriptions of Bulgaria. When I read her prose, I see pictures rather than words – she is that good at writing. Since I was reading the novel in an e-book format, I did not realize at first how long it actually is. I think it is 496 pages in print, so please prepare yourself for a long albeit very enjoyable ride. 5 out of 5 stars. 

Note: I received an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The book officially comes out today.

"Disruptor" by Arwen Elys Dayton

Disruptor is the third and final book in Dayton's young adult fantasy series called Seeker. I read the first book as an e-ARC and was not overly impressed with it. I did end up really liking one of the secondary characters in the story - the dread called Maud. Because I was so fascinated with her character, I picked up the second book Traveler pretty much as soon as it came out in 2015. I was glad to see that Maud played a much more prominent role in the second installment, and overall, the second book resolved a lot of issues I had with book 1 (such as presence of an annoying love triangle), and I really enjoyed it. It did end on a cliffhanger and I knew I would be reading book 3 as soon as it became available.

Disruptor was an excellent conclusion. It wrapped up all the loose ends and answered all the questions I had about the Seeker universe. In the very beginning, a new character is introduced who fills in a lot of blanks about the Seekers' history and ends up playing a critical role in the overall resolution of the story arc. I also liked the way Dayton treated the romantic interests. There were no huge surprises in this area and I was glad to see Shinobu and Quin's relationship further mature and develop. My favorite character Maud was again prominently present and I was glad where her story ended up going.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. If you read book 1 and are unsure about continuing with this trilogy, I definitely recommend picking up the rest of the books (including a short e-novella about Maud). I personally was pleased to observe the way Dayton grew as an author as the series progressed and the way she shaped the plot and characters. Another nice feature about these books is that she gives you enough reminders of what happened in previous books that you do not feel like you have to re-read all the books before starting with the next one. I basically read these books as they came out and had no trouble remembering the plot. Happy reading!