Meridian by Amber Kizer

I pick books for the most strange reasons.. Amber Kizer likes to bake and loves the smell of lilies.. (At least so says a little piece of information about her in the German version of the book I am about to review now..) Well.. Enough reason for me to pick up a book by her which sounded also interesting (Hey - I might be strange but I am not crazy..): MERIDIAN (2009).

On her 16th birthday Meridian learns that it is no coincidence at all that so many animals are dying near to her - she is a Fenestra which means she is a link between life and death. Through her the souls of dying creatures find their way to heaven. (Well.. you might have guessed it since "fenestra" is latin for "window"..) By now it were just small creatures but very soon also the souls of human beings will start to look for a way through her - and as long as she is not fully educated it could kill her. Besides that before her education is finished also the Aternocti could turn her into one of them. They are more kind of a dark fenestra version and who won't be considerate of Meridian's family.. So she leaves her home to live with her grandaunt Merry - who is an old Fenestra and will train her.

That her grandaunt Merry is always near when people die and that a little girl does her last breath in Meridian's arms is more than just annoying religious fanatics - so they call for kind of a witch-hunt. Also not good for Meridian that Merry's own lifetime is close to an end and time is short to finish her training. Lucky for her that gruff Tens and his wolf Custos will look after her.. 

~ The Turkish cover.. I like it.. reminds me of TV series Charmed.. ~

This book is the first of the Fenestra series - but it is also understandable even if you do decide to not read on for it has kind of an end. An open end - but still no cliffhanger.. Which is actually a thing I like about this book for I am not too sure whether I go on reading this series or not.. (I put the follow up on my wish list so universe is going to decide for me.. that's a cheap solution.. but I might say it works.. and just by the way in Germany the second book was just released last year and whether next book will follow or not is yet to see.. ) I was a bit disappointed because I had the feeling one could have get more from that witch hunt plot.. well.. yes.. it is a series.. so maybe I should.. hm... 

Frankly I had a bit trouble to relate to the characters - though I like that Meridian suffers from chronic pain because of the souls going through her. Not because I want her to suffer of course - but there are few heroes/heroines who suffer from chronic pain and so this really was a big plus. And for sure I love the German cover (actually the cover photo is used quite often here.. I found at least two other books using it..) - I think the girl looks a little bit like Penélope Cruz.. What do you think?

~ The German title means: Meridian - dark embrace ~

Again - I am unsure whether I will read this series on or not.. well.. maybe.. at some sunny day..

I read in it 2011 for last years READ OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE CHALLENGE - and that it was.. 

Thank you very much for reading!

Irene

Bleeding Heart Square by Andrew Taylor

First: I love the cover of BLEEDING HEART SQUARE (2009) by Andrew Taylor. It made me pick that book out of a huge amount of books which were all more of the "chick lit" type at the book store.. Well.. I think this book was a bit lost there - between all those single moms and single career girls with a talent for cupcakes and embarassing moments.. (Nothing bad in that though..) 

You might agree with me that this is no book one would expect there since Andrew Taylor has received several awards for mystery and historical novels - including the 2009 Catier Diamond Dagger which is given by the Crime Writer's Association of Great Britain to "authors who have made an outstanding lifetime's contribution to the genre".. 

Saying that I have to add: I have never read anything by Andrew Taylor before - but I will again. (Of that I am sure.) Let me tell you a bit about the novel, too:

In a nut-shell:

London, 1934: Legend has it that the Bleeding Heart Square came to its name because once the devil danced (and maybe a bit more than that) with a lady and the next morning there was nothing left of her besides her heart at this place.. 

Well.. nevertheless when Lydia Langstone leaves her abusive husband Marcus she decides to move in at her father's home since she is sure (and will be right about that..) that her aristocratic mother does not approve of her daughter leaving her spouse ("Men have their needs" - haven't they?..) Lydia's father, Captain Ingleby-Lewis, is - though he is a kind man - more interested into booze than into his daughter and much money isn't around either - hence he lives in a shabby little flat at (you might have guessed it..) Bleeding Heart Square. So while Lydia has to deal with her financial worries and a jealous husband who also starts to take some interest in the English Fascist Movement, the dodgy landlord (and neighbour) Serridge frequently receives little parcels - which contain nothing but bleeding hearts.. 

Then a new neighbour moves in: Rory Wentwood - a young journalist who just returned from India after five years and is engaged to Fenella Kensley. Maybe no coincidence that Fenella's aunt once owned the house at Bleeding Heart Square until she mysteriously disappeared four years ago and was never heard from again since..  

~ another (and also nice) cover for BLEEDING HEART SQUARE  ~

I enjoyed this book very much. In the beginning I had a little trouble to follow who is who amongst all those people - but I got into it very quickly. It has not one but actually four leading characters - which could give the reader the feeling of being a little ahead of some of the characaters at some points. There was a little twist in the end - which I really loved..  

~ The German cover of the 2011 edition looks a lot like the English one..
The German title means: The death heart ~ 

Andrew Taylor uses some good old clichées here - but it's ok with me. There were about two situations which made me go like "eewww..": I have a little problem when in a book someones eyes are involved in a brawl and when very, very young girls are victims of sexual harassment - well.. okay I hate sexual harassment no matter what age the involved persons are.. 

~ The French version with a title meaning: The devil dances at Bleeding Heart Square ~

The scenes of Lydia's new daily life I did enjoy very much. I loved that she read Virginia Woolf's A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN (1928) and esp. one scene in which her co-worker was talking about her prefering Robert Donat's smile in THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO (1934) to Leslie Howard's in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1934) made my day. 

~ Robert Donat in THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO (1934) ~

~ Leslie Howard in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1934) ~

I for one would always prefer Leslie Howard - no matter in which film.. So I might be biased here.. 

Sex-appeal: There are a few scenes containing sex. Not very detailed - and at some points you'll have to read "between the lines" to get what you "just saw".. Those scenes are important for the story and not used for some "extra excitement".. 

Potential for Conflicts: Well.. Sexual harassment of an underaged girl, seduction (no violence!) of young teenage girls, punch-ups which at one point lead to one eye missing (*eww..*) - though  the "incidents" are  described not too detailed, the tone of the book is very calm and in the whole really a nice read - if you have major problems with that: better think twice. I am not a tough reader and I enjoyed this book but what you can take you have to decide for yourself - as always..

Thank you very much for reading!

Yours 

Irene 

Fab in High Heels by Sarah Toner

I am a fan of high heels.

I love to walk barefooted – I also like wearing heels - not on a daily basis though which would be of course unhealthy. . (yeah, I am aware of that, mom, thank you..) - but now and then..

Obviously I am not he only one who does so and due to that there are some books who deal with high heels.

One of these is FABULOUS IN HIGH HEELS : A SHORT SWEET SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS OF WEARING STILETTOES by Sarah Toner (2009) with an intro by fabulous Jennifer Saunders (love her!!)

This book shows some easy exercises to strengthen your feet and legs so you’ll be able to enjoy wearing heels a little more – and these exercises will give your posture a little “uplift”, too.

A very nice gimmick is that this book (at least in the German edition..) can stay up by itself- which is a great help when you’re doing the exercises.

FAB IN HIGH HEELS is quite nice – but don’t buy it, because I think for that small amount of info you’ll pay a bit too much. – It’s like a very long Cosmopolitan article..

So: Make sure you’ll receive it as a gift! That would be perfect.. ;”)

Here we have one lady who for sure could walk and even run in heels:

My heroine - Marilyn Monroe!!

Malinda Lo: Ash

ASH by Malinda Lo (2009) is the first book, which I read to come out of my comfort zone and which also fits into the LGBT Book Challenge.

In a nutshell: Aisling’s father dies shortly after he had married again. Aisling, called Ash, now has to live with her stepmother and stepsisters who treat her like a slave. Than the prince gives a ball…

- Wait! Does this remind you of something? Well, you’re right: This is kind of a Cinderella story. But - :

Ash knows from old fairytales that fairies are used to take human beings with them – without a possibility return. From Ash’s point of view this sounds very alluring. She finally finds Sidhean, a male fairy, who is interested. But then Ash meets Kaisa, the royal huntress, who is quite fascinating…

Fans of fairytales may be enchanted to hear that there are some fairytales told in this book – I had some trouble with it, because it slowed the tempo of the novel down.

What I liked best was that in this book lesbian relationships are nothing irregular. Most books about women who fell for other women focus on the problems with the persons around them. In this case it is completely different: It’s a full acceptance of their sexuality – though there is not much sexuality in this book. ;”) But: Imagine how relaxed the world would be if this part of difficulties would vanish. Yes, a drop in the ocean, I know - but we got to start somewhere when we want universal peace, haven't we? ;")

Malinda Lo (<- here is the link to her webside) lives with her partner in Northern California. This is her debut novel.

Talking of Cinderella: Every Christmas Season German television stations broadcast the Czech movie of 1973: Tři oříšky pro Popelku (=Three nuts for Cinderella - UK title: Three wishes for Cinderella) – which I LOVE. I fell madly for Libuše Šafránková who played Cinderella and I still love this melody: