Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This isn't really a true retelling, but I wasn't sure what else to label it. It's the background story of "Bertha" from Jane Eyre. And I was interested in reading it and was disappointed to not really enjoy it.
I think part of the issue was the writing style and the fact I was confused through a good part of it (although reading SparkNotes definitely helped). I felt compassion for Antionette but also for Rochester, and those things conflicted.
I'm glad I read it. I'm also glad it was short. I will be donating my copy to the library as I don't plan to reread it.

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Short Thoughts on Recent Reads

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Probably 3.5

This story in the vein of a Russian folktale really held my interest. Taking place in the cold Russian wilderness, young Vasilisa thrives despite her mother dying at her birth. Her older siblings dote on her, and she loves the woods and creatures surrounding and in her home. Things start to unravel when her father remarries and devolves further when another stranger comes to their village. Fairytale character like Frost and guardians are rampant throughout.

I enjoyed this book and will read the next one. I will say, for me, it was helpful to not know what the translation for some of the Russian creature names were as I tend to get a bit squeamish with some paranormal things. But since I didn't know until after, no harm.

As with much Russian literature, the many derivations of the name for the same person takes some getting used to.



View all my reviews King of the Friend Zone by Sheralyn Pratt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Esme and Hunter have been friends pretty much since in utero. They have grown up alongside each other and share so much of their lives. So Hunter is thrown when Esme turns up engaged to a man no one has met yet.

This is the second book of this series I've read during this time of COVID19 quarantine. And they are perfect. Light. Clean. Fun. Engaging.

View all my reviews A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is probably one of the best retellings of Beauty and the Beast I've read. It is new and fresh.

Harper is magically transported from her home in DC to some other world and into the enchanted castle of Prince Rhen. Rhen is everything you would suppose a prince to be - arrogant, in charge, bossy - but harbors a secret. Harper is no damsel in distress though. She can take care of herself and doesn't mind going toe-to-toe with a prince when the situation calls for it. Add in a royal guard and an evil enchantress. Toss in some witty dialogue and some depth and character growth.

It's a great book. I can't wait to read the second in the series.

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Ayesha at Last - Uzma Jalaluddin

Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a "stay up too late reading" kind of book. Perfect for a binge.

Ayesha is a modern Muslim woman in Toronto. She works as a substitute teacher in a co-ed schoo. She wears her hijab but also more modern clothing. Her best friend isn't Muslim, and she's not a faithful attender of mosque prayers. Ayesha, meet Khalid. Khalid is conservative and fundamental. He wears his beard long as well as his robes. He looks to his mother to provide the perfect arranged marriage. But all is not as it seems in either of their lives.

So...I would say that the publishers did this book a disservice by calling it "A modern-day Muslim Pride & Prejudice." However, that is what compelled me to pick it up. So the marketing worked despite the fact there is little in common with P&P until towards the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed both Ayesha and Khalid. Even knowing they were going to get together in the end (not a spoiler due to the P&P connection), it was fun to watch them navigate it. I appreciated the nuance in pretty much all the characters. Except for maybe Khalid's mom. She wasn't a very nuanced villain.

Definitely worth a read, whether you're a P&P fan or not. I flew through it in less than 24 hours, despite my husband's grumblings about the light being on. :)

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Mary B. - Katherine J. Chen

Mary B: An Untold Story of Pride and Prejudice by Katherine J. Chen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh, this is a hard book for me to review and even more challenging to rate. I moved from 2 stars to closer to 4 stars and then down to 1 when the author ruined it all for me. And I can’t even go into details about that without spoiling it for those who haven’t read it. So this might be a short and vague review. My apologies in advance.
When I received an email from NetGalley alerting me of a new book centering on Mary Bennet, I was intrigued. I like Austen literature in many of its forms. Specifically, I’ve always felt for Mary in that chaotic household, overshadowed by her lovely older sisters and overwhelmed by her vivacious younger sisters. This novel starts just before Pride & Prejudiuce does, extends itself through that timeline from Mary’s perspective, and wraps up several years after P&P ends.
The story started slow. Mary’s narration started out very cerebral and pedantic. However, as I got used to the style and realized in reflection that is probably how Mary was. So I warmed up to it and really enjoyed the middle section of the book. I enjoyed seeing the other characters from Mary’s perspective and get some additional behind the scenes. I even really liked the beginning of the time after the original story line. But then, due to one plot decision, I hated it. Passionately and thoroughly. Read it. I’m sure you’ll know exactly when my change of heart happened.
So I’m settling on 1.5 stars rounded to 2. Some might enjoy the plot twist that I abhor.
Trigger warning: Sex, not super graphic but present.
Thanks to Random House via NetGalley for the ARC.

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