I think, perhaps, Spring has finally arrived in Archdale! At least the days are longer, there's pollen everywhere, and the Library Ducks are once more making an appearance. Even on chilly mornings, this sounds like Spring ... and I for one am very, very thankful.
Now that I can come out of hibernation and start to thaw out, I've noticed my reading selection has gotten rather ... eclectic. (Who am I kidding, it's always fairly random). Curious? Here's a selection of my recent reads ...
A fairy tale for grown-ups, While Beauty Slept is more than just another retelling of "Sleeping Beauty." Blackwell has done a masterful job creating a gothic novel that feels like serious historical fiction, while still maintaining familiar elements of the fairy tale. Told from the perspective of Elise, maid and companion of Princess Rose, there's depth and intrigue, and perhaps a surprise or two.
This is a super fun YA novel based on Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, with prep school flair and the fierce competitiveness of Mathletes. I'm not a big fan of Mansfield Park (okay, I'm not a fan at all), but I *loved* this contemporary retelling. I even found myself laughing at the math humor!
(Big Sister Note: For younger YA readers, there are some "heavy" moments and themes, including bullying (with subsequent language) and underage drinking.)
Part contemporary women's fiction, part near-mythic historical fiction, this is one of those reads you think about. Diana, a scholar at Oxford, specializes in the Amazons - the mythic female warriors from legend. Only, she's fairly certain they're real, and as a mysterious archeological dig turns into a transnational scavenger hunt, she discovers that sometimes the truth is stranger than legend. Woven throughout Diana's tale is that of the history of the women who would become the Amazons, specifically Myrina, their leader.
An entertaining YA historical novel set in posh 1909 London. Vicky Darling is the daughter of a well-to-do family, whose desire in life is to pursue her artistic passions. This goal is a direct opposite of her parents' (and society!) expectations, and soon Vicky's single-minded determination finds her not only involved with the Suffragette movement, but questioning everything about her current life. With enough historical detail to make it real, without getting too bogged down, A Mad, Wicked Folly is a fun read with a cheer-worthy heroine.
True confession? I read this in two sittings. The perfect mix of vintage fashion and real life friendship, Vintage is a novel I'd like to pop into. I'd love the chance to meet Violet, April and Amithi and chat while we sip tea and nibble on cookies. Tackling the ups and downs of life, these three women - from very different places in life - happen to meet and form connections that become deep friendships. It's hopeful and funny, refreshingly realistic and still "warm fuzzy" when it needs to be. As a debut novel, this is stunning and I look forward to Gloss's next endeavor.
So there's a peek at what I've been reading lately ... What about you? As Spring finally slips into place, what has been catching your eye? Are you in a reading slump, or a reading frenzy?
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