Tag: magical realism

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Have you ever seen a book cover and thought, ‘I could get lost in that world’? Well I thought that when I picked up my latest read, The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. The shelves of books and purple clouds combined with the shining lighthouse and imposing castle in the background pulled me in, demanding I learn its secrets.

Lucy Hart grew up wishing that her parents loved her. Her childhood was spent alone, the daughter of parents who neglected her to deal with her older medically complex sister. Raised by her grandparents, Lucy spent her childhood finding hope and safety in books. The books that impacted her the most were the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. When Lucy becomes a teacher’s aide, she introduces this series to one of her students, Christopher, when she discovers that he is having a hard time. Lucy and Christopher quickly grow close, leading Lucy to wish that she could adopt Christopher from foster care. She has plans to make their dreams come true, but when life conspires to thwart their plans, she is left at a loss.

At her lowest, Lucy’s life suddenly takes a turn when Jack Masterson announces that he’s written a new book! The twist: he’s only written one copy and is planning a contest on Clock Island for four people to compete to win this only copy. Lucy is beyond excited when she learns that she has been chosen to compete! Winning this contest has the power to drastically change her and Christopher’s lives. As soon as she arrives on Clock Island, Lucy realizes she’s up against more than just the other three contestants. A potential love interest is also on the island, distracting her and intriguing her at the same time. While everyone contends with their own problems, Jack sits in the background, planning twists, games, and clues with almost endless power.

Told from the perspectives of multiple characters, The Wishing Game details characters who are all fighting to find where they fit in in the world. Found family is a major theme in this book, drawing characters towards each other in ways that will change their lives forever. Characters grow throughout this book, showcasing their ability to change combined with their desire to better themselves and their circumstances. I loved the world-building in this book! The fact that Jack actually built Clock Island was so beautiful. The Clock Island series by Jack Masterson sounds like something younger Stephanie would have enjoyed, making me wish that it was real!

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
― Meg Shaffer, The Wishing Game

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“But being surprised by life isn’t losing, it’s living. It’s messy and uncomfortable and complicated and beautiful. It’s life, all of it. The only way to get it wrong is to refuse to play.”
― Rebecca Serle, Expiration Dates

If you’re looking for a romance with a slight magical twist, check out Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle.

Daphne’s romantic future has been decided for her as long as she can remember. The universe sends her pieces of paper with a new man’s name and a number written on it. That number is the amount of time the two will spend together. For over twenty years, these papers have been dropping into her life. As she grows older, she thinks about whether or not she will ever receive one with no number, a paper with no expiration date, a paper leading her to her soulmate. Soon enough, she finds a paper with only a name: Jake.

Daphne meets Jake on a blind date at her favorite restaurant. The more time she spends together with Jake, the more doubts creep in. Daphne finds herself struggling with how truthful she should be with Jake. Daphne has secrets that may destroy Jake, but given that his paper has no number, she is still torn. Deciding what to do will change her life forever.

This read was a delight. It was light, quick, fun, and enjoyable without asking too much of readers. While this book does deal with tough topics, the characters aren’t immune to what’s happening. They face their problems with grace and sensitivity while acknowledging that sometimes life is just unfair, but that it’s all in how we handle ourselves. I love how Serle writes. I’ve yet to find a book of hers that I haven’t enjoyed as her writing style is beautiful while also managing to discuss what it means to live and be a human existing in a world full of glorious highs and devastating lows.

This title is also available in large print and as a CD audiobook.

“I often wonder what our responsibility is to other people, how much we owe them. Whose job is it to look out for our own happiness. Us, or the people who love us? It’s both, of course. We owe ourselves and we owe each other. But in what order?”
― Rebecca Serle, Expiration Dates

ESCAPE FROM REALITY

- Jill Leave a comment

According to scientific research, “getting lost in a book” is very good for you. Immersing yourself in a story actually makes you more empathetic and creative, and it’s an escape that can reduce stress. People who are absorbed in someone else’s world – even a fictional one – aren’t spending as much time worrying about their own personal concerns. Of course, ignoring real world problems isn’t the solution, but spending too much time thinking about things that are out of your control isn’t good either.

For some, a quick-moving plot is critical to being drawn into a story, while others need engaging characters in order to become fully immersed. Or, perhaps you prefer a specific genre such as romance or mystery, or the artistic style of a book, such as one that uses magical realism. If you can identify with a character or plot line in some way, you have a chance to live a different life for a short time and temporarily forget the anxieties of the real world.

So, whether you’re a reader who tears through a new book every week or one who is slowly working your way through a bestseller that a friend recommended ages ago, find a book that captures your interest and carve out some time to read. Psychological research indicates that your time is well spent. So, the next time you feel stressed, use it as a good excuse to pick up a book that can help you escape from reality – at least for a short while.  Experts give many reasons as to what “transportation” – or the act of losing yourself in a book – can do for you. Here are just a few:

  • helps with mood management
  • provides enjoyment and pleasure
  • provides escape from boredom or stress
  • gives us a sense of belonging and makes us feel a part of something bigger than ourselves
  • helps us better understand, interact, and connect with other people
  • expands our world views: making us think and feel in new and different ways
  • helps us grow as individuals into the kind of people we want to be
  • bolsters all sorts of social skills & abilities, including empathy
  • improves cognitive skills that can prevent cognitive decline

Here are some books to help you escape from reality for a little while:

A Stroke of the Pen : The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett
“These rediscovered tales were written by Terry Pratchett under a pseudonym for British newspapers during the 1970s & 1980s. The stories have never been attributed to him until now. As Neil Gaiman writes in his introduction, “through all of these stories we watch Terry Pratchett becoming Terry Pratchett.” Though none of the short works are set in the Discworld, all are infused with Pratchett’s trademark wit, satirical wisdom, and brilliant imagination, hinting at the magical universe he would go on to create. Meet Og the inventor, the first caveman to cultivate fire, as he discovers the highs and lows of progress; haunt the Ministry of Nuisances with the defiant evicted ghosts of Pilgarlic Towers; visit Blackbury, a small market town with weird weather and an otherworldly visitor; and embark on a dangerous quest through time and space with hero Kron, which begins in the ancient city of Morpork. A Stroke of the Pen is an essential collection from the late, great Sir Terry Pratchett, a “master storyteller” (A. S. Byatt) who “defies categorization” (The Times); a writer whose “novels have always been among the most serious of comedies, the most relevant and real of fantasies” (Independent UK)”

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
“Meet Julian Jessop, a chronically lonely artist who is fed up with the fakeness of everyday life. After struggling to really connect with people, he decides to take a stand by writing the real truth about himself in a green journal, which he then leaves in a local coffee shop for others to find. Soon, others find the notebook and add their own stories, creating both a catalog of lives and a chain of events Julian couldn’t have expected. Happiness comes out of the truth for many, leaving readers with a joyous and empowering story of what it means to be authentic.”

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas
“Vampires, vaqueros, and star-crossed lovers face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda. As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters–her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead. Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago. Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind. When the US invades Mexico in 1846, the two are brought together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he doesn’t marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor, a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers & vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion–and Nena’s rage at Néstor for abandoning her long ago–is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh. Unless they work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn”

How to Date Men When You Hate Men
by Blythe Roberson
“Blythe Roberson’s debut is half-dating guide and half-philosophy book, as she takes her reader on a journey to understand her own romantic trials and tribulations. Every page is filled with hilarious and painfully realistic thoughts on what it’s like to have crushes, how texting changes the way we date, and why connecting with others can be so hard to do. Essays like ‘Real Interviews With Men About Whether Or Not It Was A Date’ will make you laugh and cringe, offering an escapist read that will remind you of talks you’ve had with friends over wine”.

Those Beyond The Wall by Micaiah Johnson
“In Ashtown, a rough-and-tumble desert community, the Emperor rules with poisoned claws and an iron fist. He can’t show any sign of weakness, as the neighboring Wiley City has spent lifetimes beating down the people of Ashtown and would love nothing more than its downfall. There’s only one person in the desert the Emperor can fully trust–and her name is Scales. Scales is the best at what she does: keeping everyone and everything in line. As a skilled mechanic–and an even more skilled fighter (when she needs to be), Scales is a respected member of the Emperor’s crew, who leeps things running smoothly. But the fragile peace Scales helps maintain is fractured when a woman is mangled & killed before her eyes. Even more incomprehensible: There doesn’t seem to be a murderer. When more bodies turn up, both in Ashtown and in the wealthier, walled-off Wiley City, Scales is tasked with finding the cause–and putting an end to it by any means necessary. To protect the people she loves, she teams up with a frustratingly by-the-books partner from Ashtown and a brusque-but-brilliant scientist from the city, delving into both worlds to track down an invisible killer. The answers Scales finds are bigger than she ever could have imagined, leading her into the brutal heart beneath Wiley City’s pristine facade and dredging up secrets from her own past that she would rather keep hidden. If she wants to save the world from the earth-shattering truths she uncovers, she can no longer remain silent–even if speaking up costs her everything.”

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
“From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from stories, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin, a High Lord of the faeries. As her feelings toward him transform from hostility to a firey passion, the threats against the faerie lands grow. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose Tamlin forever”.

 

Quick Links:

A Stroke of the Pen : The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

How to Date Men When You Hate Men by Blythe Roberson

Those Beyond The Wall by Micaiah Johnson

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“I couldn’t explain it, not even to myself, but books gave me an unflinching sense of stability and groundedness. That because words survived, somehow I would too.”
― Evie Woods, The Lost Bookshop

Hidden stories swirl beneath the surface in Evie Woods’ debut novel, The Lost Bookshop. Opaline, Martha, and Henry have been pushed around and shunted to the sides of their own lives. Desperate to escape, they start down paths that will change their stories forever.

In the past, Opaline is facing off with her brother. His plans for her are not what she wants, so she looks for a way out that eventually leads her to a magical, mysterious bookshop. In the present, Martha is an Irish woman trying to escape her abusive marriage. Leaving her husband, she finds work as a housekeeper for a mysterious woman in an even more mysterious house that comes alive the longer Martha works there. One day, Martha sees Henry pacing outside her bedroom window. Henry is a scholar who has made his way to Dublin to find a missing manuscript and a lost bookshop that should be right next to where Martha lives. Henry and Martha work together to find the history of the bookshop and what happened to the people involved.

This was a lovely read. I adored listening to Opaline, Martha, and Henry tell their stories across time. This is a dual timeline, so readers (and listeners) need to pay attention! Evie Woods pulled together the timelines, characters, and storylines in such a way that almost everything is resolved at the end. Woven into the storylines were multiple classic books, manuscripts, and their authors. Sylvia Beach and her bookshop Shakespeare & Company played a large part, as well as famous authors who dropped in to help the characters on their self-discovery journeys. Pick up this book if you’re looking for a bit of magic, myth, historical fiction, or have a deep love of anything literature. You’ll be transported to Ireland and the mysterious worlds of Opaline, Martha, and Henry as they work to find the lost bookshop and, by extension, themselves.

“The thing about books,’ she said, ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.”
― Evie Woods, The Lost Bookshop

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Are you wanting to read something outside your comfort zone? Book clubs are an excellent way to expand your reading palette! Lucky for you, the Davenport Public Library has a wide number of different book clubs for you to join. My latest read, The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris, is the April selection for See YA, an adult book club that reads young adult titles.

The author includes a content warning on her website regarding the heavy topics covered in The Cost of Knowing. These topics include: racism, anxiety, depression, poverty, anti-Black violence, self-harm, parental & sibling death, and mentions of slavery and police brutality. If any of these are triggering to you, feel free to scroll to the bottom of this blog post to learn what the next book is that See YA will be discussing. If you’ve decided to give this book a try, below is a brief description to tell you more.

Alex Rufus is trying. He has been through a lot in his sixteen years of life. Right now he’s juggling his job at the local ice cream shop, his relationship with his girlfriend Talia, and protecting his younger brother Isaiah. In his quest to be perfect in all aspects of his life, Alex finds himself struggling, falling short of almost everyone’s expectations of him.

One major hindrance is that Alex can see the future. Every single time he touches an object or person, he is thrust into a vision of that thing. He sees the future of his car, his hoodie, the ice cream scoop he uses at work, and his future with Talia. That one freaks him out the most. In his vision of Talia, they are on the verge of breaking up with her looking at him with the most hatred in her eyes that he has ever seen. Alex spends his time cursing these visions, wishing that they would stop distracting him so that he could live an anxious-free ordinary life.

Alex’s desire to get rid of these visions increases when touching a photograph calls forth a vision of his younger brother Isaiah’s fast approaching death. Everything changes. Alex is desperate to find a way to break himself from these visions and change the future. Wanting more time with Isaiah, time that he knows he won’t get, he reaches out, bringing up memories of the past while looking for more ways of connection. Growing up as young Black men in America, Alex and Isaiah have had to wrestle with their pasts and their futures, but with such a short amount of time left, Alex is willing to try anything to win this battle against time and death.

This title is also available as a CD audiobook.

See YA (2024)

Join the adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the bestseller lists. Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Eastern Branch. The club meets the first Wednesday of the month at the Eastern Branch at 6:30pm. You can find more information about See YA by visiting LibCal, our online event calendar.

If you’re interested in joining See YA, we will be meeting Wednesday, April 3rd at 6:30pm at the Davenport Public Library | Eastern Avenue Branch to discuss The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris.

April 3: The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris
May 1: Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
June 5: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Just as when we come into the world, when we die we are afraid of the unknown. But the fear is something from within us that has nothing to do with reality. Dying is like being born: just a change”
― Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits

Isabel Allende was born in Peru to Chilean parents and became an American citizen in 1993. Her first book, The House of the Spirits, was published in 1982. This book began as a letter to her dying grandfather. Since then she has sold more than 77 million books that have been translated into more than forty-two languages. Allende is an accomplished writer who devotes much time to human rights causes. She has also received fifteen honorary doctorates as well as more than 60 awards in over 15 countries, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014. Allende has been on my radar for many years, but I had never read any of her books. After talking to another librarian, I decided to read The House of the Spirits. I’ll admit it took me some time to get involved in the story, but listening to the audiobook definitely helped (it’s over 19 hours though)! Let’s talk about this sweeping family generational novel.

Spanning four generations, The House of the Spirits weaves a story of triumphs and tragedies and all the small moments in-between. The patriarch of the family, Esteban, is a very proud man. His volatile attitude sets his tennants and family on edge. Over his entire life, Estaban’s political ambitions defined his actions and behaviors. His ambitions and explosive behavior are only softened by his deep love of his wife Clara. Clara is a delicate woman with a mysterious connection to the spirit world. Living in a world of her own, Clara floats through life, managing the family, their friends, and the two properties they rotate between.

Clara and Estaban have three children: one girl and two boys. Their eldest daughter Blanca proves to be a headache to her father when she starts a forbidden love affair with a man she has known since she was a small child. Estaban is vehemently against their relationship, threatening her lover with bodily harm. The result of their union is his granddaughter Alba. He adores her. She is a beautiful child, who proves to be just as strong-willed as her grandfather. Alba’s beliefs vary greatly from her elder family members. As she grows older, Alba begins to explore revolutionary ideas, which she introduces to her family in the hope that their beliefs will change.

This novel covers multiple individuals in the Trueba family, even venturing back to Esteban and Clara’s parents and various other family members. This is a sweeping generational family saga full of eccentric characters. In addition to learning about the family members, readers learn about the area’s history, politics, and the forces of nature behind the actions of others.

This book is also available in the following format:

“The point was not to die, since death came anyway, but to survive, which would be a miracle.”
― Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

- Callen Leave a comment

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is a family saga that travels back and forth across space and time to paint a vivid picture of the family descended from defiant, enigmatic, independent Orquídea Divina and how they all cope with her unique legacy. You first meet Orquídea when she and her second husband move into their house – which may have appeared overnight, though surely that’s not possible. The people in town are suspicious, but nothing can ever be proven and the sheriff is charmed, so Orquídea and her family are here to stay. We next see her years later as she prepares to die, and we are introduced to her heirs, variously troubled and estranged from her home. This includes accountant Rey, his cousin Marimar, and pregnant Tatinelly. They’ll all have to grapple with legacy, family, and magic if they want to make their peace with Orquídea and claim their inheritance. Meanwhile, flashbacks tell the story of how Orquídea grew up and came into her power, giving hints to the gifts, lessons, and dangers that her heirs have come to claim.

Magical realism is a major part of this book; while Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly live in communities where magic isn’t real, their return to their grandmother’s home of Four Rivers immediately shows that magic is real and has consequences. As a reader this hooked me immediately, but magic also was an effective metaphor for cultural and community knowledge: Tatinelly’s white husband is afraid at the evidence of magic, while for Tatinelly it’s a joyful return to what’s familiar. The subtle knowledge of women is also a strong theme as first Orquídea, then Marimar, Tatinelly, and the other female descendants show intuitive connections to nature, the house at Four Rivers, and the languages spoken (and feelings expressed) by different locations.

Engaging and rich with details, this is recommended for fans of Encanto, Knives Out, and the Umbrella Academy.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

- Ann Leave a comment

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske is set in Edwardian England, with all of it’s rigid formality and strict social rules intact but with one difference – magic exists. However, only a few people know this and fewer still possess magical abilities.

Sir Robin Blyth comes from a noble family but due to his parent’s frivolous ways, he and his sister are left with little money and he must work to keep them afloat. An administrative error assigns him the job of civil service liaison to a hidden magical world, something he had no idea even existed before his first day at work.

Edwin Courcey is a member of a very old magical family, although he has only a small amount of magic himself. He is horrified to find Robin in the Magical Liason office and astonished to discover that he doesn’t even know magic exists. Edwin and Robin take an instant dislike to each other and part ways. However, on his way to resign, Robin is accosted by three strangers wearing mysterious masks, asking him “where is it?”. When he can’t answer (he has no idea what they’re talking about), one of the men places a painful curse on his arm and tells him the curse will only get worse until he gives them what they want.

Well, thinks Robin, this isn’t good. He seeks out Edwin (the only magical person he knows) and Edwin, who has made a study of magic, is intrigued by the curse which appears in intricate curls and patterns on Robin’s arm. At first reluctant, Edwin can’t pass on this intriguing puzzle and thus begins a search for answers that includes murder, foresight, a very dangerous hedge, family drama, secret rooms and magical objects of all kinds including a very protective mansion.

The enemies become friends and then much more over the course of their adventures. The magical world that Marske creates is imaginative and intricate and the characters – good guys and bad – are compelling. You will root for Robin and Edwin both as a couple and as individuals as they stumble their way to solutions. There are elements of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Red, White and Royal Blue and even a touch of Lord of the Rings that combine into something unique and delightful.

 

The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta

- Callen Leave a comment

Genderqueer and genderfluid representation abound in this utopic LGBTQ read about the magical power of food to divide or unite people and communities, a book which doubles as a love letter to Austin’s LGBTQ scene.

In A.R. Capetta’s The Heartbreak Bakery, Syd (no pronouns, please, just Syd) is a baker finishing high school while working full time at The Proud Muffin, an invaluable community space/cafe. Syd also just got dumped, ending a relationship that had spanned both middle and high school. To cope, Syd does the only possible thing: baking. But when Syd’s Unexpected Brownies hit the cafe floor, something strange happens: every couple that has one breaks up. Messily and immediately. Including the owners of The Proud Muffin. Racked with guilt and fear of losing a great workplace and second home, Syd resolves to find the perfect recipe to fix each shattered relationship. And who better to help than Harley, friendly cafe delivery person – check the pronoun pin on Harley’s bag to find the day’s pronouns. As they chase down each customer and make magical bakes, Syd and Harley grow closer. But is new love and magical baking enough to save The Proud Muffin?

If you’ve seen my YouTube videos for the library, you know I am an unskilled but enthusiastic baker – so you won’t be surprised that I loved Syd’s detailed, helpful recipes that were included in the text. I also loved Syd’s determined, “I can fix this” attitude, and the descriptions of Syd’s “fashion recipes” as Syd tries to express a vague sense of gender through creative outfits. The book as a whole does a good job at showing the rich spectrum of gender and sexuality in a vibrant, hopeful queer community. There’s also some thoughtful examinations of how relationships grow, break and heal, and the bakes that accompany each feeling make the story a treat for all senses. Best of all, despite the serious topics it digs into, the tone of the book is gentle and kind, hopeful of the best outcomes for everyone.

If you like stories of new love, healing after heartbreak, learning lessons about growing up, and – most importantly – food, this is the book for you.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Published in 2019, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow has lived on my to-read shelf for much too long. Deciding to read it based on my love of Harrow’s 2020 book The Once and Future Witches, I was not disappointed. The Ten Thousand Doors of January contains many elements that I enjoy: magical realism, fantasy, antiquities, multiverses, books, and strong-willed women.

January Scaller just wants to find her place in the world. Growing up as the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, January grew up roaming multiple sprawling mansions filled to the brim with peculiar and mysterious treasures. Her father travels the world hunting antiquities to add to Mr. Locke’s collection and as a result, he is seldom home with January. Mr. Locke treats her as well as can be expected, but January never quite fits in. She is instead largely ignored, while simultaneously given fancy clothes and is groomed as yet another piece of his collection. She feels out of place and just wants to find where she truly belongs. Mr. Locke treats her as a precious treasure to be trotted out in front of his rich friends. He can mold her into whatever he wants. January and her father become increasingly separated from each other, leaving January to feel imprisoned in this sprawling mansion and longing to see her father.

One day while January is looking around the rooms, she finds a strange book. The more she reads the book, the more she begins to see that there are other worlds out there full of breathtaking impossibilities. It tells the story of secret doors hidden everywhere that lead to other worlds full of danger, love, and adventure. One story has a deep pull on January. It becomes increasingly difficult for January to separate herself from the book as that one story has woven itself deep into her life.

This book is also available in the following format: