Audiobook Mini-Review: Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Title: Yes Please

Author: Amy Poehler

Narrated By: Amy Poehler

Rating: 4 Stars

In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book is full of words to live by.

Having binge-watched all six seasons of "Parks & Rec" in the past two weeks, I couldn't resist the audiobook of Yes Please. While many readers have assured me that I'm missing out by not having a physical copy of this novel to peruse, filled as it is with pictures and other creative images, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a listen of this novel. Poehler's voice is animated and intimate, impossible to stop hearing, and the guest speakers and sound effects she adds makes this a truly unique listening experience. While I didn't enjoy every single one of the memories shared, the ones I did fall in love with affected me deeply and profoundly. There's something reassuring about a celebrity memoir in that the aspects of life they share in common with you only serve to humanize them and make your own life experiences seem that much better since, if Amy Poehler had similar thoughts, surely I must be a pretty exceptional person myself? Regardless, I loved this book for its raw, open advice, it's silly lists which made me laugh out loud, and the superb narration which made it feel as if I was listening to a movie or a play, not a book. For fans of audiobooks, memoirs, or just Amy Poehler, this is a must-read.

Audiobook Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Title: Night Broken (Mercy Thompson, #8) 

Author: Patricia Briggs

Narrated By: Lorelei King

Rating: 4 Stars

On Spoilers: While I reference objects or characters from previous installments in this series, there are no spoilers in terms of plot twists or reveals.

Frankly speaking, my enjoyment of Night Broken comes as a surprise. While I have thoroughly enjoyed the Mercy Thompson Series, from Moon Called to Frost Burned, the sudden arrival of Christy, Adam's ex-wife, threatened to ruin my all-time favorite Urban Fantasy Series for good. It happened with Magic Rises, the latest in the Kate Daniels Series which included a (rather unnecessary) jealousy factor into the romantic equation, presumably to fan its flame even later into the series. Jenn Bennett did it with Binding the Shadows, but ironically enough, her inclusion of an ex-wife only made the novel stronger, not weaker. Seeing as Mercy Thompson and Kate Daniels are far more closely aligned than Arcadia Bell, however, I expected the worst from Night Broken. Even the legions of reviewers who promised that Briggs had not compromised the relationship between Adam and Mercy in the least were unable to convince me to pick up my shiny pre-ordered hardcover.

...just goes to show how much I know, eh?

It took the audio book, sitting brightly packaged when I opened the door to my library, to convince me to finally read the latest Mercy Thompson installment. Being a quick reader, audio books have always bugged me - ever-so-slightly - with their slow pace. Yet, the acclaim surrounding the Mercy Thompson audio books over the years have ignited my curiosity and, admittedly, though Night Broken was a novel whose (predicted) train wreck I wanted to fly through, what I truly needed was a slow, solid digestion of this tale. Lorelei King, the narrator of this audio book, effortlessly switched voices, enabling the world of Mercy Thompson to come to life through her voice, that despite feeling irritated by Christy's presence, I found myself creating mindless tasks for myself in order to keep returning to this audio book, to King's voice, and, even, to the story itself.

In this newest installment of the Mercy Thompson Series, Adam's ex-wife Christy has come to the Tri-Cities, seeking the protection of the pack in order to escape a dangerous stalker. With her husband's ex-wife in her home, re-creating the days prior to Mercy's initiation into the pack, it hasn't been the best of weeks for Mercy. Add to Christy's arrival the fact that the fae want the walking stick back - the walking stick which Mercy conveniently gave Coyote - and Mercy is once again racing against the clock, desperately trying to find a way to contact her father while keeping her family - and her sanity! - together.

Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of Night Broken is the fact that characters and minor details from past novels come together in this installment. Even if they are only mentioned in passing or feature a fraction of the screen time, the entire cast of the Mercy Thompson Universe truly does get a mention, at one point or another. Now, at the eight book in this series, the driving arc tying these books together isn't the romance or, even, the inner-growth that Mercy herself experiences. Instead, its focus has shifted to bigger themes such as family, friendships, and sacrifice, not to mention the larger political sphere of this world involving human and paranormal interactions. While aspects of this novel are trying - everything from the slow start to literally every word which falls out of Christy's mouth - it is a worthwhile installment to this series, continuing to take it towards the climax we have been anticipating from Briggs.

And yet, where Patricia Briggs outdoes herself is in the romantic department. We've seen Adam and Mercy share their fair amount of post-marital bliss. For the past two novels, they have presented a strong, united front as a couple and, even prior to that, their relationship has suffered only from internal issues, never external ones. With Chrisy pushing herself back into her old life - a life where she was Adam's wife, not Mercy - the potential to create a drama-filled love triangle is enormous. Yet, Briggs brings out the best in Mercy with Night Broken, molding her into a mature adult, one who picks her own battles and handles the presence of a rival in her household with poise. Though the pack is staunchly Team Christy, loving the chance to care for the helpless human woman, Adam's love for Mercy never wavers and he is constantly by her side. Even when Adam falls prey to Christy's charm, he is quick to catch himself and, surprisingly, the short romantic moments that Adam and Mercy share feel delightfully special, even after all this time.

Ultimately, I am ashamed to admit I underestimated the Mercy Thompson Series and, especially, Patricia Briggs. Night Broken may not be my favorite Mercy Thompson novel out there, but it's one of the better ones; truly. And, as always, I will be going back to re-read (or re-listen) to all my favorite Adam bits. After all, who can ever get enough of that man? ;)

Mini-Reviews: The Ocean at the End of the Lane & World After

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Author: Neil Gaiman

Read By: Neil Gaiman 

Rating: 4 Stars

It's a little embarrassing to admit that I've prolonged listening to this short story as much as I could, only because I didn't want to leave behind Gaiman's voice. (I promise you, that sounds a lot creepier than it actually is!) Needless to say, the audiobook of this novel is mesmerizing. Gaiman doesn't just read this story in his astonishingly lovely accent, he narrates it, infusing life into the words he has written. It makes for an extremely atmospheric listen and has ruined me for all print Gaiman books, which poses an issue as I'll likely have to wait years to get my hands on another Gaiman audiobook if the waiting list at my library is any indication.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane neatly crosses over the line from childhood to adulthood, exposing the flaws we grow up to notice in our parents, the adult figures around us, and the general ambiguity of morals. It is haunting, digging into the corners of your mind with the nostalgia it evokes; shocking, much like that first gasp of air after your head has been underwater too long; silent, stewing in your thoughts, growing into a novel of much larger magnitude than its size deceives it to be.

Gaiman's latest forced me to think, making me connect pieces from childhood to adulthood, and I feel enriched having read it. It's a quiet story with quiet characters who lead quiet lives. It isn't pretentious, it isn't bursting in your face (or ears, in my case) with revelations and, chances are, its open epilogue will leave you with more questions than answers. If you're anything like me, though, that's more than just a little okay.

Title: World After (Penryn and the End of Days, #2) 

Author: Susan Ee

Rating: 4 Stars

The long-awaited sequel to Ee's stunning debut, Angelfall, pales in comparison to its predecessor, proving to be a let-down after the excruciating wait for its release. Yet, when analyzed alone, World After is an entertaining, thoughtful, and unpredictable installment. In many ways, Angelfall is the story readers wanted: angel apocalypse, an unlikely alliance forged between enemies, and plenty of witty banter topped off with a kick-ass heroine, brooding hero, and scenes of resistance that keep the spirit of humanity alive. What's not to love? World After, on the other hand, is the story that readers need: the wake-up call into the brutality of survival, the flaws exposed in beloved characters, the struggle to persevere - alone - in a world that is, literally, changing. Although I won't be re-reading Ee's latest as much as I've re-read her debut, there is no denying that this is a powerful, vital, and necessary installment to the story arc of this five-part series. Susan Ee, once again, I applaud you.

World After struggles in its beginning, pulling readers into the world Penryn must now face, alone and saddled with her crazy mother and monster sister. It is a bleak place, one which seeks to destroy what it doesn't understand, namely, Paige. After being experimented upon by angels, Paige is no longer completely human. When she escapes the resistance camp where Penryn and her mother are lodged, the frantic search to re-unite their family begins once again. Where Ee excels as a writer is in the complexity of emotions that Penryn feels towards her family. Out of the three of them, she alone is in full control of both her sanity and humanity, which makes her connection to them burdensome. And yet, nothing is that simple. Penryn yearns for the security of a mother's embrace, the companionship of a sister, and the emotional safety that only a family can provide. Just because her definition of family is an unconventional one by no means disregards its value in her life.

Ee expertly weaves these complicated emotions into a heart-pounded storyline, filled both with action and desire. World After not only gives us a glimpse into these unusual family dynamics - filled both with love and bitterness - it also presents us with the much-needed world-building to propel this series forward. As an added bonus, we are given brief shots into Raffe's past - intriguing, to say the least - which only heighten his role in the series. While much of this novel centers around Penryn, a decent portion is dedicated to her reunion with Raffe and the events that follow. World After lacks the continued development we may crave from this couple, leaving us with a few dangling lines but mostly keeping this pair's interactions at the same level as they were in the previous novel. Needless to say, I am keeping my fingers crossed for an enormous amount of growth on this front in the sequel. At the end of the day, however, World After delivered with a heroine who is capable, strong, and flawed, not quite the hero we may think her to be, and once again, this is Penryn's series. While the secondary characters are enriching, none of them overtake the plot, which proves for a refreshing read. I can only hope the rest of this series continues on the same growth curve - up, up, up.

Mini-Reviews: The Best Man, A Certain Slant of Light, and Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

Title: The Best Man (Blue Heron, #1) 

Author: Kristan Higgins

Rating: 4 Stars

It seems as if Kristan Higgins can do no wrong. Although Somebody to Love was a bump in the road, The Best Man certainly wasn't. From the beginning itself, it's difficult not to like Faith, the protagonist of this novel. After all, she's been dumped at the altar by her perfect boyfriend-of-eight-years, Jeremy, when he announces that he's gay. Thus, fleeing to San Francisco, Faith harbors a broken heart and a pool of hatred for Levi Cooper, Jeremy's best friend who convinced Jeremy to come out with the truth. Growing up, Levi never liked Faith. Not only was she extraordinarily rich, especially compared to his one-room house in a trailer, but she was Princess Super Cute - extra nice, extra peppy, all the time. Now, three years after her failed wedding, Faith is back home, still single and still detesting the very sight of Levi, now Chief Cooper. It seems fate, however, has slightly different plans for them...

I won't deny it - I struggled with the first third of this novel. I listened to The Best Man and while the audio book is good - not excellent, but still worth a listen - it tends to drag the break-up between Faith and Jeremy for too long. The Best Man switches between Faith and Levi's perspectives, one chapter in the present and one in the past, giving us a full overview of their lives. We grow to see Levi's difficult childhood - a father who abandons him, a life of scrounging for money, and the painful decision to join the army since he doesn't have $5,000 to pay for college even after a generous scholarship. We also see Faith's childhood, one that seems perfect on the outside but actually harbors a great deal of pain. Faith suffers from seizures and was in the car with her mother when she died. As such, Faith has spent her whole life attempting to atone for the fact that her mother was looking back at her, not the road. "Princess Super Cute" is all a facade to hide her pain and Jeremy - sweet, kind, perfect Jeremy - seems to be Faith's salvation. It takes a long while to reach this understanding, though. We are treated to pages upon pages of Faith remembering Jeremy with fondness, when, frankly, I would have kicked him if I was in her place. And yet, everything does make sense and Faith winds up being a much deeper character than we bargained for.

As always, The Best Man tackles a multitude of issues. Faith's family plays a huge role in this, particularly her widowed father, and Levi himself has an important family role as the sole caretaker of his younger sister, Sarah. If there is anything Higgins excels at, it is well-written family relationships. Levi and Sarah were my definite favorites, but Faith and her sisters, all going through different problems and at different stages in their lives, was utterly poignant as well. Furthermore, I loved how Levi and Faith's relationship developed oh-so-slowly. It's practically a tease - hell, it is! - and it was particularly interesting to see how Levi views Faith - as someone strong - compared to how Jeremy views her as vulnerable. And Jeremy. *sigh* You want to hate a guy for stringing a girl along for eight years and then leaving her at the altar, but you can't. Or, you can, but just not this guy. Jeremy and Faith's friendship was a highlight of this story as well and it was a refreshing change from the usual road of angst that many authors typically take. Higgins, however, is anything but typical. I love that her heroines have lives, are passionate about their careers and families, and even have pets (okay, DOGS) to keep away the loneliness. I love that her heroes are flawed - completely - and yet they are good men with good hearts. And I love these small towns. Not the vicious kind, but the sweet (but still annoying) type. All in all, The Best Man is yet another lovely romantic addition from Higgins. Needless to say, I cannot wait for the companion novel!

Title: A Certain Slant of Light (Light, #1)

Author: Laura Whitcomb

Rating: 3 Stars

A Certain Slant of Light is both a pleasant surprise and...not. On one hand, I am incredibly impressed with Whitcomb's story. It is a paranormal love story, but of a very different nature than most. Helen and James, the couple in question, are ghosts left behind in the Light, having been dead for nearly 130 years. Thus, when they find each other and take over two teenage bodies to be together, their relationship is an adult one - only in a teenage body. Needless to say, this brings up quite a few difficult situations, but Whitcomb weaves through these with ease. Not only does she present us with sticky dilemmas, but her solutions are just as complex. Furthermore, she never hesitates to answer many of the moral questions that possession brings up and the entire plot of this novel is nothing short of brilliant.

On the other hand, though, I couldn't really connect with the characters. I liked them well enough and I especially enjoyed their depth, but I wasn't wholly invested in them for some reason. By the time this short volume was over, I was overjoyed. I couldn't wait to leave this narrative voice, despite having been stunned by it. I can't say where A Certain Slant of Light went wrong, but I doubt I'll be picking up the companion novel to this anytime soon. I would, however, highly recommend it for fans of romance, ambiguous morality, and ever-so-slightly open endings.

Summer Series Reading Challenge: 16

Title: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Love By Numbers, #1) 

Author: Sarah MacLean

Rating: 4 Stars

Although I am a meticulous planner and organizer to boot, when it comes to books, I follow my gut. And when my emotions scream that they want light, escapist romance fiction, I nearly always turn to historical romance. I find there is something alluring about this genre that keeps me coming back for more, despite the horrendous covers, and I'm thrilled to have discovered another author I can pile up onto a pedestal next to Lisa Kleypas: Sarah MacLean.

Historical Romance falls into three categories. We have, first and foremost, the horrible kind where our heroes are raping our heroines but they fall in love anyway. We have the typical trysts and romances that are filled with unbelievable scenes. And then we have the truly good, deep and emotional yet extremely realistic and sensual love stories. Seeing as the latter is so hard to find, I don't fault many readers for avoiding this genre entirely. Yet, the feeling that can be found when you have a good historical romance novel in your hand is hard to recreate.

I love this book. Callie, our protagonist, is sick of being a spinster at just 28 years of age. Instead of throwing herself at the nearest suitor, though, she resolves to enjoy her life and accomplish all the scandalous tasks she's ever wanted to, such as gamble in a men's house. I love that Callie is so fed up with her role in society and life that she takes matters into her own hands and finds herself once again in her adventures. Along the way, the notorious rake Ralston becomes intrigued by Callie and their gradual romance is sizzling. While the love story in this is unparalleled with swoon, I enjoyed this book mostly for its hilarity, pure fun, and mainly Callie. There are few things I enjoy more in this world than strong female characters and Callie is the epitome of that and more. If you're looking for some pure, uninterrupted, and fiery amusement, this is the perfect read. I'd immerse myself back in Callie's world of wit and charm in a heartbeat.

Summer Series Reading Challenge: 17

Audiobook Review: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Title: The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles, #1) 

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Read By: Nick Podehl

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Now, to be perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from Name of the Wind. While it has been lauded as an epic fantasy novel – saga, really, from the size of it and its companion – I was a little apprehensive launching into it. And, though I flinch to say it, I feel slightly underwhelmed now that I’ve sped through this massive story. Rothfuss’s debut is fantasy of the best kind, there is no denying that, and I flipped through this book at an astonishing speed, unwilling to let its characters stray too far from my thoughts. I re-read my favorite passages and laughed, I froze in sorrow, I clutched my seat in anticipation… In other words, Name of the Wind was brilliant, is brilliant, and is most definitely a book I liked, really liked. For all of that, though, I could not fall head-over-heels in love with it, no matter how desperately I wanted to. But that, I fear, is a story for another paragraph.

Patrick Rothfuss has been hailed as an author who has revived the fantasy genre and I can’t bring myself to disagree. While Name of the Wind is not quite as innovative as many may think, it is beautifully written and plotted. Although it is a hefty volume, and I will not deny that a few chapters could have easily been cut off, this story never drags or veers upon boredom. If anything, it is fast-paced and interesting, following the story of Kvothe, a reputed magician, from his trouper origins to his lowly demise into poverty and orphan hood and later into his rise to fame and heroism. Needless to say, it is an ambitious journey, but it is masterfully executed. One of the reasons I keep returning to fantasy is because of all the original ideas floating around and this book is chock-full of them. Rothfuss’s take on demons, lore, dragons, and magic is all vastly different from any I have encountered before and I ate it up like a starved child.

And yet, beyond the world-building, the reason this book is hailed as an epic is because of Kvothe. Not only is Kvothe a complex character, full of his flaws amidst his seeming perfection and bright intelligence, but he is a hero we can cheer for and get behind. Gen’s wit and clever tongue, Harry’s undying loyalty, Aragorn’s reckless bravery…they all converge together in Kvothe, creating a protagonist who is in equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking. Kvothe’s tale, one rooted in revenge and filled with antics, is pure, mindless fun. In the midst of that, though, it still manages to drop gems of wisdom from time-to-time, making me stop to reflect in the middle of the breakneck speed of this tale. And I love that. I love a character that can make me contemplate, one who can challenge the boundaries of gray and black and white, one whose life consists of tasks harder than the rest but also hope and courage stronger than them all. Or, in Kvothe’s case, fearlessness and sheer dumb luck for being born with such intelligence.

While Name of the Wind is a story I know I won’t be able to forget – especially since I’m already clamoring for its sequel – it is a flawed tale. For one, I didn’t appreciate the rendering of any of the females in this novel. Not, thankfully, because their depiction was sexist – not at all – but rather because I found their personalities to be so bland. Kvothe sees hidden mysteries in the eyes of beautiful women and these mysteries unfortunately never come to light and give them the depth they need. And, admittedly, while one female in particular was emphasized her importance, I simply felt ill whenever she was mentioned. I can’t shake off the feeling she’s about to backstab Kvothe quite terribly. I hope I’m wrong.

In addition to the women, though, Name of the Wind is only part of a tale. It doesn’t have a cliffhanger ending, but it might as well. In this volume is only the tales of Kvothe’s childhood and I’ve come to realize that, as a reader, I resent a lack of closure. I can deal with ambiguous endings – I thrive off those, actually – but I cannot stand an unfinished tale, especially when I need to go out and find the remaining 1,100 pages of it and then still sit and wait another year or more for the next presumably 1,000 pages. I want to know Kvothe’s tale, all of it, and now. It’s my fault, not the novels, and perhaps once I know how this tale ends I will enjoy this one all the more, but the fact that this book remains unfinished, not even giving the reader a glimpse of how young Kvothe came to be the legend he became or the man he is during the present, is frustrating, to say the least. Nevertheless, for avid fans of fantasy, Name of the Wind is a breath of fresh air. I am immensely grateful not to have missed out on this – especially the audiobook  version which is incredible – and can only hope The Wise Man’s Fear is as stunning and satisfying as I want it to be.

AudioBook Review: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Title: A Northern Light 

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Read By: Hope Davis

Rating: 5 Stars

A Northern Light is one of those books you come across every few years; the type of novel that buries itself in your heart from the first page and simply lingers in your thoughts for days, weeks, and even months afterward. Although I've probably read at least two books and three novellas since I set this story down, it has still been in the forefront of my thoughts. I will likely tell my parents to yell at Jennifer Donnelly if they want someone to blame for my bad grades and sleepless nights. After all, how could I have done anything with my life until I knew what happened in Mattie's? And now how can I possible continue do anything without her voice by my side? It's the cruelest kind of paradox, one that only arrives when you love a protagonist as much as this one. Without a doubt, A Northern Light is very possibly the best book I've read - and will read - this year.

Prior to having read A Northern Light, the only Donnelly novel I'd read was Revolution, which made me sit up till 3 AM wracked with sobs while I finished the book. Now, let me tell you, that was not a fun reading experience. I had swollen cheeks, red eyes, and an aching heart by the end of it. Needless to say, I more-or-less swore off of Donnelly after that. Any author whose words had that type of power over me was dangerous. Quite thankfully, though, a lovely review convinced me to pick this one up and I'm so very glad I did. A Northern Light is a quiet, unassuming sort of tale, one that is filled with courage and strength and hope instead of despair and death and loss. It isn't always a happy story, but it is a truthful one; it never glosses over the harsh realities of life, especially for women of the time, and it faithfully empowers women in a manner that is never overbearing, merely subtle.

Donnelly's A Northern Light is told cleverly with two timelines neatly converging into one, creating an ending that is both satisfying and powerful. When the novel begins, the body of a drowned woman, Grace Brown, is found near the inn where Mattie works. Shortly before leaving for her boat ride, Grace gave Mattie a bundle of letters to burn, but just hours later, Grace herself is found dead. Mattie, suspicious of the circumstances surrounding her death, begins to read the letters Grace gave her. As the contents of these letters are slowly revealed, so is Mattie. For every present-day chapter there are even more chapters from the past, not only detailing Mattie's journey but also showing who she really is.

Mattie's story takes place in the early 1900s, a time when women were expected to run a household and raise a family. Mattie, however, yearns to attend college, despite the fact that her mother recently died and her father needs her help on their farm. Although there are many other responsibilities Mattie has, from the beginning itself it is hard not to root for her. After all, this is a protagonist whose love for language pushes her to learn a new word from the dictionary everyday. And though I regard A Northern Light to be a tale that empowers women and celebrates feminism, Mattie herself is no Alice Paul. Instead, what makes her such an endearing and unforgettable protagonist are, first and foremost, her passions and secondly, her own inner battles. While society pushes Mattie towards a life of love and comfort in a house with children, her own heart begins to push her that way too, which makes the decision to chase her dream that much more difficult.

All the more, Mattie is not a perfect character. Although one of her best friends is an African American boy who is on his way to Columbia, Mattie doesn’t always treat her own family properly. In fact, these family dynamics are what make the novel so fascinating, what make us keep flipping these pages frantically. Will Mattie convince her father to allow her to go to college? Can the inspirational teacher Mattie had help her in this endeavor? Is Mattie really going to be tied down to her small town by a promise she once made to her dying mother? In such a subtle manner, Donnelly uses Mattie’s life to build her era. Instead of paragraphs of bland information, Mattie’s society is build around her and stems from her perceptions, making this the best kind of historical fiction there is – the kind that doesn’t feel like fiction at all.

In all honesty, though, I can keep prattling on about this book for days if you’d allow me. Mattie is such a vivacious, strong, and courageous character that her story captures you from the beginning. You yearn for her to fulfill her dreams, for her to realize her true calling in life and pursue it despite what others may say. You begin to pray that she will somehow escape her small town and farm life. You keep the book aside and tie your hands behind your back because you don’t want to know what happens even though you really do, but you’re so very scared of the outcome. You begin to hope feverishly that her love for her family will not cause her to disregard her love for words; that she will finally gain the opportunity to do what she wants to do. It’s a beautiful book, the kind you’ll always carry around with you – in your heart.

Audio Book and Movie Review: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Title: Howl's Moving Castle 

Author: Diana Wynne Jones

Rating: 4 Stars

At least no one can accuse me of not having read this book now. Howl's Moving Castle is probably the single most popular piece of children's fantasy, right after Harry Potter of course. I've heard endless praise for this series ever since it was first released but, for some reason or the other, I was never drawn to it. It seemed charming, but not much else. Well, as I expected, Jones's story is a charming, cute, and fun adventure novel with just the right amount of depth to be considered prevalent, but also subtle. All in all, it both was and wasn't what I was expecting, but although I enjoyed it, I know for a fact that I won't be calling myself a fan of Diana Wynne Jones - or this series - any time soon.

One of the best things about Howl's Moving Castle is, hands-down, its protagonist. Sophie is the eldest of three sisters, left to work in her father's hat store after he passes away. Unlike the usual step-mothers we are used to, hers is kind, treating her three daughter equally, despite the fact that only one is hers by blood. While Sophie slaves away in a hat store, her two younger sisters depart on their own, one to be the apprentice of a witch and another to make an advantageous marriage. Quite unexpectedly, though, the Witch of the Waste, a wicked witch that the people of Sophie's town fear, even more than the mysterious Wizard Howl who eats the souls of young girls, arrives in Sophie's shop and turns her into an old woman. Now, desperate to turn herself back into the young girl she is, Sophie leaves her hat shop, only to stumble upon the moving castle of Wizard Howl himself and strike up a bargain with his fire demon, one that will change her life forever.

Needless to say, Howl's Moving Castle is a richly imagined fantasy story. Jones has created a world that is a-plenty both in politics and magic, making for a riveting read. Furthermore, the majority of the novel takes place in the moving castle of Wizard Howl himself. Howl is, quite possibly, my favorite character of the tale. As with all realistic characters, he is deeply flawed, proving to be vain, immature, and often irritating. Yet, beneath all that, he is clever, witty, and has a kind heart. Sophie, as a strong-willed heroine, knows exactly what buttons to push to get Howl riled and vice versa. Although their dynamic is unique due to the fact that Sophie is an old woman, their interactions are no less amusing or intelligent for it.

In addition to Howl and Sophie, though, the cast of secondary characters in this story plays an important role as well. Jones weaves together multiple plot lines, alluding to them in the beginning and slowly bringing them all together. At times, the plot can be hard to follow with so much going on, but it keeps you flipping the pages constantly. As an audio book, Howl's Moving Castle is one of the better ones. Although I will fault the narrator for making Howl's voice a bit too much like her own at times, she brilliantly read through this book, making me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. I did switch to an actual copy of the novel during the middle, simply because the middle does tend to drag a little and with the book, I could both read faster and skim when necessary, but either than that, the audio book was a perfect way to read this.

For all its positive points, though, I must admit to not understanding why Howl's Moving Castle receives the hype it does. Granted, it's a very well-written novel that is a great deal of fun, but it hardly warrants the numerous gushing reviews it receives. Jones does a splendid job of exploring the theme of illusion and personality; of seeing whether Sophie's appearance deters from her vivacious personality, but many other books do this as well. (Just take Frances Hardinge's A Face Like Glass for example, which is additionally MG but seems to tackle this theme with more creativity, talent, and depth). Howl's Moving Castle is a fantasy adventure I would not hesitate to recommend to any lover of good fiction, just don't go into it expected to be as blown away as the hype suggests you should be. Perhaps the movie is what gives this series the large fan following it has. I'll watch it and let you know.

Title: Howl's Moving Castle 

Director: Hayao Miyazaki 

Rating: 5 Stars

Now that's more like it! As a film, Howl's Moving Castle is everything its hype said it would be...and more! One of the main reasons I always find book-to-movie adaptations to be lacking, or inferior to their book halves, is because directors make it a point to follow the book word-for-word, plot-for-plot and then they skip an incident and the entire movie is ruined. Howl's Moving Castle the film couldn't be more different from the book if it tried, though.

Although both plot lines have the same idea of a girl, Sophie, who gets turned into an old woman, Miyazaki's rendition of the tale is infinitely darker. Jones has written a story that can only be described as charming. It's funny, witty, and great to spend a few leisure hours of time with. Yet, it can also be boring, its villain rather two-dimensional, and it never veers off the border of light/fluffy fun. Miyazaki's film version, however, casts its villain in a more three-dimensional light, putting more emphasis on both the romance element and the darker aspects of this story, which, in my eyes, only improved an already excellent idea and plot line.

In Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle, the country that Sophie lives in is in the midst of a war. As such, instead of a frantic scrambling to undo wicked charms that have been set upon a variety of characters, there is a more serious matter of preventing war. Howl, too, is less of the bumbling, vain fool we've come to love in the books but rather an enigmatic mystery with a curse and dark secret of his own. Although Miyazaki's film rendition lost the original - and subtle - love story that Jones created, opting for a more typical "Beauty and the Beast" type of tale, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

All in all, even if you don't plan to read Jones's acclaimed novel, DO invest in the two hours that this film takes. It is beautifully drawn, marvelously scripted, and has made me realize the true hype surrounding this tale. Granted, I did miss a few elements from the novel in the movie - and both are VERY different, with only a handful of similarities - but I think it's safe to say that I'm in love with the movie far more than I am with the book. Do take note of this - it's probably the first and only time I'll find a movie to be superior to the novel. Needless to say, I need to check out Miyazaki's other films at once!