Started Reading: April 10, 2008
Finished Reading: April 13, 2008

This is my first time reading Atwood and I generally liked it. Though I’m not a big fan of mystery and murder, the whole 19th-century setting drew me in. And it is an interesting story and quite different from the usual novels I read. The only set-back for me is the fact that there was no definite answer for everything. I myself have my own speculations but when it comes down to it, the verdict for Grace Marks’ innocence is subjective. I’m the kind of person who appreciates a clear “yes” or “no” and grew up not liking the whole “I don’t know” option.

I liked most of the characters, which was good since I truly wanted to know what happened before and after, since they’re mostly linked together. Only I didn’t like Dr. Jordan. I just hated his character. But I could tolerate him since he was a source of amusement for Grace.

** SPOILERS **

I wonder how Grace regarded Dr. Jordan though. She put too much credit to his character — far more than he deserved. I could not believed she had faith that the doctor still sent that letter. I’m convinced that she likes him, though not exactly in the romantic sense, to have some trust in him.

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Started Reading: January 11, 2008
Finished Reading: January 12, 2008

This was a book I needed to finish quickly else I wouldn’t be able to study at all during the weekend, heh. I was actually a bit hesitant to read a book from the series again because I’ve forgotten what had happened in the last two books. But I’m glad I read this because it reminded me why I read the first two books in the first place. I loved Mercy Thompson and Briggs’ other characters. : D

It was Zee’s and a bit of Ben’s turn to be put under the spotlight now, which is good because they, as characters, have developed along with Mercy, Adam, and Sam. It’s always refreshing to find characters other than the protagonist being fleshed out. I’m also glad that the resolution between Mercy’s two relationships has been included in this book already. It’s not good to drag that out too long.

But still, that’s not just everything that I enjoyed.

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Started Reading: November 3, 2007
Finished Reading: November 3, 2007

I loved this book. I was very much smitten with it. Fforde had that brilliant talent to use literary characters that I know and used them well as characters of his book. I loved reading about Thursday Next’s universe, where literature held so much value that original manuscripts as well as characters were important enough to be kidnapped. And of course, the fact that I actually liked Jane Eyre made me enjoy it more.

So, of course, after reading this, I decided Fforde must be a god of some sort.

 I’ve actually read this back in October. I was glad about the development in the relationship of Harper and Tolliver. It’s been so obvious that they needed each other and depended so much on each other.

The kind of murder dealt with in An Ice Cold Grave was different with the others. It’s a serial killer now and also a threat to the two step-siblings. It also dealt with aspects about juvenile criminals and how human or monstrous could a kid really be. Do kids who find pleasure in killing animals, for example, really end up as criminals? How sane or insane are they? I mean, is there just a psychological abnormality to them that can never be cured?

I liked the way Harris handled these issues and written this particular novel. =) I’m still wondering what would happen when Harper finally encounters her sister in the future. As a victim, enemy, or stranger?

Started Reading: August 2, 2007
Finished Reading: August 3, 2007

This is a romance set in the 14th century, where we also have murder, betrayal, madmen, soldiers, and politics weaved into a single story. I enjoyed it, yes. =) It had been a wonderful read since I thoroughly enjoyed and liked the characters.

Elise was an orphaned young woman but was abused by her husband. She had been enduring the abusive marriage for two years until one night, in defense she almost killed him. She and her faithful servant, Annora, threw the good-for-nothing man into the river and started a journey to a faraway town.

Of course, all heroines have a hero and for this novel, hers is a rake and a rogue, dark and tall, stereotypically, who’s out for revenge. They meet, fall in love - or in lust, get into trouble, bleed, almost die, and then finally the two live happily ever after.

The end.

But, more than that, the best parts of the novel and the main reason I loved it is when Sir Nicolas was involved (and, no, it has nothing to do with the name, LOL). He’s probably one of the few villains I actually came to like and love. In this case, I might have been more interested to to read what had happened if things actually went the way he wanted them too. And he isn’t even actually the Master villain - he’s more like another pawn of a worse character. But because he was actually insane, I liked him even more. I just had to laugh at the contradictory aspects of his dynamic character.

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