Review: The Marsh King’s Daughter
Thanks to Netgalley and Putnam for providing me with a digital galley of this book – all opinions are my own!
Memories can be tricky, especially those from childhood.
Ripped from the headlines stories can be tricky. Too much detail, and it seems indulgent and grotesque. Too little and it can be, frankly, boring. Karen Dionne’s The Marsh King’s Daughter
Helena Pelletier has an idyllic life in the UP (Michigan’s Upper Peninsula). A loving, supportive husband, two daughters, and a jam-making business that is flourishing. What no one, including her family, knows, is that her mother was a famously-abducted teenager, and her father, the abductor, has been in prison for 20 years. Helena’s childhood was spent in a cabin deep in the woods of the UP, unaware that a society existed outside of her small world. When she and her mother escape, she acclimates to the “new” world and sheds her past as soon as she is old enough to change her name and leave it all behind. Now her father has escaped, and Helena has to face both her fear and childhood love of him, all while trying to find him before he finds her family.
This is one the best, most well-written books I’ve read this year. I absolutely loved it, and Dionne’s storytelling abilities are out of this world. There is definitely suspense and mystery in this book, but I also found a lot of fairy tale elements woven in. A young girl kept captive, unaware of the outside world. An evil male figure and his cowed counterpart. There are some mystical aspects of Native American culture woven in, rather than real magic, but they serve as the magical element of this suspenseful fairy tale. What I really enjoyed most was the dichotomy between Helena’s hatred and love for her father (and her mother). As a child, she revered him. She knew he could be mean and harsh, but he was still her father, and he taught her how to hunt and fish, and she loved him fiercely. Once she discovered the truth about her mother’s kidnapping, she hated him for it, but that familial love never really goes away. Even after 20 years, she knew her father well enough to know exactly where he would go after escaping prison, and even though she is hunting him down like prey, it also feels like a game of hide and seek between father and daughter.
The book also mixes in excerpts from Hans Christian Andersen’s short story The Marsh King’s Daughter
If you like suspense, mystery, or fairy tales, this is a truly compelling story that combines all three into an amazing book. I cannot recommend The Marsh King’s Daughter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
EXTRA!
I haven’t read or watched Room
EXTRA! EXTRA!
Although I was provided with a review copy of this book, I ended up listening to a lot of it on audio and the narration was extremely good! I listened every chance I got, and at one point hid in my room away from my family so that I could finish it. So whether you use your eyes or your ears for this one, you can’t lose!
What My Kids Are Reading: September 15, 2017
The 39-Story Treehouse
Well, the school year has started, and while our school is awesome about not assigning too much homework (none yet, really), our days have still been busy with school, sports, Scouts, and being exhausted. We’ve still managed to fit in reading almost every day, but sometimes it really is only 10 minutes. The result of that is that the kids are reading a lot of different books right now-they each have their own series that they read on their own or that I read to them, and we have a couple of books that I’ve been reading to both of them. (Even though they each listen to the other one’s book as well.) I’m passing on the habit of reading multiple books at once, and I think I’m ok with it! Let me know what you’ve been reading with your kids this week!
The 6-Year-Old
The 39-Story Treehouse
The Cat on the Mat Is Flat
My 6-year-old still loves the Treehouse books, and we are on the third in the series. There are now 39 stories, and Terry and Andy have to deal with an out of control once-upon-a-time machine, an un-inventor, and re-creating their treehouse (and the entire world) from scratch. These books are ridiculous in the best way possible, and this one is no exception. My 6-year-old can’t wait to read about what happens to Andy and Terry next every night (my 8-year-old loves them too), and this is definitely “his” series. Not surprisingly, The Cat on the Mat is Flat is also a big hit with him. It just so happens to be written and illustrated by the same author and illustrator of the Treehouse books. Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton make a great pair, and if I didn’t know that they met as adults, I would assume they’ve been friends since childhood. Their books are dreams come true for kids who love being silly and wild, and they are wonderful examples of how it’s ok to be creative to the point of absurdity. The Cat on the Mat is Flat is excellent for beginning and emerging readers-the text is simple enough to read, but there are some challenging words and it is, of course, a wacky good time.
The 8-Year-Old
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Y’all, we are up to our eyeballs in Harry Potter over here, and I’m ok with that! My 8-year-old is reading the fourth book at home (usually with me), but he checked out the second book at school (even though we own 2 copies) so that he can re-read it in his free time. We are also listening to the second book in the car (Jim Dale is an incredible narrator), and you can guess what I’ll be ordering for his Halloween costume. The one caveat I have here is that we might take a break after the fourth book, depending on my son handles it. This one is really where the books take a darker turn, and I’m not sure how well he would comprehend the last 3 in the series. However, it’s taking us quite awhile to get through The Goblet of Fire, so it might not be an issue at all.
What We’re Reading Together
Benji and the 24 Pound Banana Squash
The Wizard of Oz
I won a copy of the Benji book from a PR company through Shelf Awareness, and it is such a cute book! It’s about a little boy named Benji who plants a squash seed and waits . . . and waits . . . and waits for it to grow. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is very sweet, and shows how good it feels to grow something yourself. I would recommend this for younger kids.
This version of The Wizard of Oz is not my ideal. I grabbed it off of one of our bookcases one night because it was too late to read all of their regular books, but they were begging for something, anything, before they went to sleep. I can’t say no to books! The illustrations are nice, but this is a condensed version of the book. I think it’s actually going to work out well for us, because we’ll be able to finish it fairly quickly, but if they like this version (and so far they do) you can bet I’ll be reading the REAL version to them soon after. If you want a sort of entry-level version of Oz, or you have a younger reader who is interested in the story but not ready for a long book, this would be a perfect start.
[Top]Review: Forks, Knives, and Spoons
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
There are three types of guys: forks, knives, and spoons.
Women’s fiction sometimes gets a bad rap. Chick lit is often used in a derogatory way; the books we aren’t supposed to like. I don’t agree with the negative stereotypes associated with it, and if you ever meet me in person I’ll give you my whole diatribe about it. There are poorly-written pieces of literary fiction and great chick lit books. I will read it all! As much as I enjoy a well-placed women’s fiction novel, I hadn’t read one in awhile. Then Leah DeCesare’s Forks, Knives, and Spoons
Amy York is starting her freshman year at Syracuse University in 1988. Her father, concerned about the potential college boys that will cross her path, sends her off with a lecture about how to categorize guys: forks, knives, and spoons. In addition to a degree and career, he wants Amy to find her perfect steak knife. Amy and her roommate Veronica navigate the next four years and beyond together, meeting all categories of boys and men, and finding themselves in the process. Woven into the story are all manner of 80s and 90s references, which, while blatant, are fun.
As many people have said, this book is a total nostalgia fest, and it was a lot of fun to re-visit college (in a different decade), but not why I loved Forks, Knives, and Spoons. The initial utensil labeling system (or UCS in the book-Utensil Classification System) is a little silly, but DeCesare uses it as a jumping off point for the rest of the book. It is referenced throughout, but the relationships between Amy and Veronica and the girls and their boyfriends are the main event. There is some mild-mannered romance, of course, but the female relationships are just as important to the story. That being said, I did find myself, surprisingly, drawn into the college romances and drama, as well as the friendships, as if they were my own, and once I got into it I couldn’t put the book down.
If you enjoy reading women’s fiction or watching romantic comedies like Love Actually and When Harry Met Sally, I really think you’ll love Forks, Knives, and Spoons
Review: Remember Me Like This
The past was a bridge that looked solid and sturdy, but once you were on it, you saw that it extended only far enough to strand you, to suspend you between loss and longing with nowhere to go at all.
I’m a huge fan of southern literature, but I have to be honest. I haven’t read as many Texan authors as I probably should have. You know, being from Texas and all. But if you’re only going to choose one Texan author to read, it needs to be Bret Anthony Johnston. Remember Me Like This
Four years ago, Justin Campbell disappeared from his small town of Southport, Texas, near Corpus Christi. No one knows what happened, but his family (mom, dad, brother, and grandpa) haven’t quite given up hope. One afternoon, the impossible miracle everyone had been hoping for happens: someone spots Justin, calls the police, and he is finally returned home. But what happens after an abducted child is found? Can his family ever really go back to normal? How can they all, including Justin, find their new places in life and in their family? As they struggle to re-build, the Texas heat weighing on them, the Campbell family must keep their bonds strong before everything falls apart.
What an amazing story. This is no clichéd “ripped from the headlines” kidnapping horror story. Remember Me Like This focuses on the family dynamic, and how it changes, in the absence and then return of a beloved son. The plot is interesting and engaging, and the characters are so fully-developed you’ll feel like you’re a watching a movie within the words. The city of Corpus Christi also takes on a life of its own, and should be considered a character as well.
This is truly a beautifully-written book, and a story that will leave you thinking about it for days after. Johnston is first and foremost a storyteller, and that is more than clear in this achievement of a novel. You will absolutely not regret reading this story, and adding it to the collection of favorites on your bookshelves.
EXTRA!
While this book does involve the kidnapping of a child, that aspect is never explored in detail. We know he was kidnapped, and we can guess as to what happened, but those details are left out. This is not a gruesome story-it focuses on what happens AFTER a terrible event, and how one family tries to pick up the pieces.
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How to Fit Reading In During the School Year!
Well, it’s the start of another school year, and with that comes homework, sports, extracurricular clubs, early bedtimes (some nights), and tired kids and parents. It can be difficult to fit in all of the fun, leisurely activities we usually do during the summer. We are definitely having a hard time letting go of playing outside until dark, then coming in and reading way past all of our bedtimes. But reading is so important to my kids and me that we have a few ways we like to make sure we fit reading in during the school year.
How do you make sure to read to or with your kids during the school year? How do they get in alone reading time? Let me know in the comments!
Schedule It!
This seems obvious, but sometimes even I forget to leave enough time in the day for reading. If reading before bed is part of your routine, just make sure you leave enough time in the daily schedule for it. Sometimes that means moving dinner and playing outside up 30 minutes. (And sometimes the kids just need to play outside and skip reading for a night. That’s ok too!!) Even if it’s just ten minutes per kid, we make an effort to leave a little reading time each night.
During Dinner
I know a lot of people will disagree on this one, but sometimes I allow reading during dinner. If the kids have to eat at a different time from my husband and me (like the nights they have soccer practice and they need to eat early), oftentimes I’ll read to them while they eat. I actually really enjoy it, and it’s a nice way to have some calm reading time in between activities. My older son read at the table during lunch quite a bit during the summer, and I generally don’t like that at dinner, but if he’s really into a book . . . haven’t we all been there?
My kids will also sometimes read to themselves at breakfast. None of us are particularly thrilled to be up super early, and aren’t always great conversationalists before 7AM, so this is a good way to ease into the day and get some reading in. (And if everyone is cranky, it curbs any arguments that might pop up!)
In the Car
We almost always have an audiobook playing in the car, and we listen on the way to school (We’re listening to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets again right now.) and on the way home, on the way to sports, or while we run errands. If we’ve had a late night and weren’t able to read, they like knowing that they’ll at least get to listen to a story on the way to school in the morning.
Spare Time at School
This is one I didn’t think of until my kids insisted on taking books in their already heavy backpacks last year. Turns out, they do have a little time to read to themselves at school! (Schoolwork seems to be more difficult and given in greater quantities than when I was in elementary school, so I really didn’t know if they would be able to read anything other than school-assigned books.) The kids aren’t allowed to talk much in the hallway in the morning, so they can read while they wait to be let into their classrooms. They are also allowed to read in class if they finish their assigned work early, and sometimes during snack time. If it’s a particularly good book, my kids will also read on the bus ride home. So as long as their backpacks aren’t full to bursting, send along a (paperback) book to school! They’ll probably be able to get in a chapter or two.
For Yourself
The school year can be a difficult time to fit reading in for adults as well! Days are busy, afternoons and evenings are often packed with after-school activities, and by the time the sun goes down I’m often too tired to read more than a few pages before I zonk out. (Because I can’t go to sleep without reading at least a few pages of something.) If you plan ahead a little bit (basically, bring a book with you everywhere you go), it’s possible to fit in a good chunk of reading during those busy days. I’m always listening to an audiobook or podcast when I drive without my kids. The pickup line at school is a great place to fit in a little reading, as is during sports practices. (We all enjoy watching our kids play sports, but I think it’s ok to take some of that practice time to read!) And sometimes my boys just want to read to themselves at night, or to each other, and I try to take that opportunity to read my own book at the same time. We’re all getting in reading time and spending some nice quiet time together at the end of the day.
The school year is busy, but if you make reading a priority, there are lots of pockets of time to get it done!
Tell me some of your tricks to getting in more reading time during the school year!
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