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Tag Archives: Retelling
The Deceivers (Vale Hall #1) – Kristen Simmons
Title: The Deceivers (Vale Hall #1) by Kristen Simmons
Publishing Info: February 5, 2019 by Macmillan, Tor Books
Source: Received from the publisher for review purposes, ALAAC18
Genres: Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller, Heists/Spies/Espionage, Retelling
Date Completed: June 3, 2019
Welcome to Vale Hall, the school for aspiring con artists.
When Brynn Hilder is recruited to Vale, it seems like the elite academy is her chance to start over, away from her mom's loser boyfriend and her rundown neighborhood. But she soon learns that Vale chooses students not so much for their scholastic talent as for their extracurricular activities, such as her time spent conning rich North Shore kids out of their extravagant allowances.
At first, Brynn jumps at the chance to help the school in its mission to rid the city of corrupt officials--because what could be better than giving entitled jerks what they deserve? But that's before she meets her mark--a senator's son--and before she discovers the school's headmaster has secrets he'll stop at nothing to protect. As the lines between right and wrong blur, Brynn begins to realize she's in way over head.
I really wish that the synopsis of this book had made note of the Norse mythology inspiration because I honestly didn't pick up on that at all but once I knew about it, it seemed really obvious and I think that would have been a fun thing to pick up as I was reading. That's no fault of the author but I guess that's what happens when I don't do a lot of looking into things before I read a book (and I guess whoever's in charge of making the synopsis/making sure that info is on Goodreads). I didn't know about it until I started reading reviews after I was finished. Since I never read reviews before I start a book (in case of spoilers and I don't want anyone to influence my opinion), there's really no other way I would have known about that and I bet a lot of other people may not be aware either.
That may have helped how much I enjoyed the book but I still think I would have come out relatively the same. I was irritated that it was labeled as "Pretty Little Liars meets Ocean's 11". I don't know PLL but Ocean's 11 is one of my favorite movies and if we're talking about the 2001 version…. that movie is WAY too sassy and not even close in tone. I was expecting some super clever sass, cheeky cons, and an overall heist feeling. This really wasn't a heist book. I guess it was more of a "long con" but it wasn't really a plan we were in on from the beginning and we learn a lot as the book progresses. This was just not the tone I was expecting and would compare it more to Deadly Class (the SyFy TV show), THE FIXER by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, TRUST ME, I'M LYING by Mary Elizabeth Summer, or new Adriana Mather book KILLING NOVEMBER. It wasn't ALL serious but it certainly wasn't quite as light or funny as I had expected.
Mostly, the book was just kind of slow. We picked up some interesting facts along the way, sure. But it unraveled a bit more like a mystery than a heist/con concept (which is more of what I was expecting with the Ocean's 11 comparison) since we got some reveals about characters in the end and unraveled a little mystery that tied all of the characters together. It's just a different way of putting that story together and it makes a difference of how I read/approach/experience a book.
I was also really disappointed that there wasn't much happening to show us the school itself. It's a con school which is AWESOME and really all we see are little snippets of Brynn's intro to her classes with glimpses of what she might learn there but the book doesn't really spend much time there at all. Aside from convening in each other's rooms and using it as a base to get all of the students together, there wasn't much about the school at all and it really felt like a missed opportunity. I felt like the book took entirely too long to set up Brynn's family life and introduce the compromising situation that she's in and I felt like things just dwelled there for an unnecessary amount of time. I get it. We're supposed to be uncomfortable with Pete. She needs an escape. The school is it. But there was just too much time wasted in the beginning when the book could have set up that school world more to really pull readers in some more.
It seems like this book gets some mixed reviews. Its core was still solid and it had a clear story to tell. Some of my friends absolutely loved it and others, like me, felt a little underwhelmed. At least it seems like no one really hated it, which I agree with! There were a lot of good elements there and some appreciated the structure and tone more than I did, but if you don't have the expectations that I carried into my read, maybe you'll enjoy it more!
Kept Me Hooked On: Mythology retellings. I didn't even realize this for what it was while I was reading but looking back, it was a fun way to adapt some Norse mythology as a modern retelling!
Left Me Wanting More: Time in this awesome school! I felt like it was a real missed opportunity to make this series about Vale Hall and then not even really spend time in this unique and interesting school! I really wanted to see more of the classes, especially in the first book.
I have a few friends who really loved this book. Maybe they knew more about it than I did before starting, maybe not, but it seems like I might be the minority with my reservations!
BOOKS LIKE THE DECEIVERS
This entry was posted in Books, Mystery/Thriller, YA and tagged Kristen Simmons, Mystery/Thriller, Retelling, Review, The Deceivers, YA, Young Adult on June 12, 2019 by Brittany.
Wonder Woman: Warbringer – Leigh Bardugo
Title: Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Publishing Info: August 29, 2017 by Random House Publishing Group
Genres: Young Adult, Superheroes, Fantasy, Mythology
Find it on the web: Buy from Amazon // GoodreadsDate Completed: August 10, 2017
Related Posts: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1), Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2), Grisha Novellas: The Witch of Duva (The Grisha #0.5), The Taylor (The Grisha #1.5), The Too-Clever Fox (The Grisha #2.5), Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1), Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2), Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3), Grisha Novellas: The Demon in the Wood (The Grisha #0.1) & Little Knife (The Grisha #2.6), The Demon in the Wood (The Grisha # 0.1), Little Knife (The Grisha #2.6), Six of Crows (The Dregs #1), Six of Crows (The Dregs #1),
She will become one of the world's greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .
Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.
Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn't know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.
Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.
As always, Leigh Bardugo's writing is so incredibly enjoyable! It was kind of weird not reading a strictly fantasy book from her — or rather, something not set in the Grishaverse — and also weird reading a stand-alone from her. I enjoyed my read of WONDER WOMAN but being an adaptation, it didn't quiiiite have that Leigh Bardugo magic that I love so much when reading her original concepts, plots, and characters.
Mostly the reason I didn't love it was the mythology aspect. I used to love mythology when I was a kid and I've sort of fallen out of love with it over the years and haven't really enjoyed too many mythology adaptations or retellings as much as I had hoped. As we know, Diana (aka Wonder Woman) is an Amazonian princess and of course has many ties to the gods and goddesses, and really the entire plot starts to delve a little deeper into some myths. It was really interesting how everything tied together BUT mythology just isn't that much of a draw for me anymore. I also never got into Wonder Woman in the first place so I wasn't as connected to the book as others who are already fans might be. I'm actually not a superhero/comic person much at all (aside from catching the occasional movie) so this is a little step outside of my comfort zone but in a great way!
I loved seeing Leigh Bardugo's writing style still shine in a totally different book/genre/world! At first I was worried since Diana is a mostly serious person but there were some amazing supporting characters (and main characters) who livened things up, delivered that classic sass & snark, and got Diana to come out of her shell. Since Diana spent all of her time on the island with her mother and sisters, away from the mortal world, she was a little sheltered and the sheltered-person-gets-hit-with-modern-day-culture-shock concept is also super hit or miss with me. I loved it in things like Sleepy Hollow but sometimes it just makes a character seem more simple and I felt like it took something away from Diana. BUT I know that's also my personal preference as I've noticed with several retellings. I much more enjoy adaptations that fit a classic already within a modern world (Cinder, Geekerella) rather than fitting an old myth into a new setting, or retelling that story in the original time period. (Did that even make sense?) So I guess TL;DR, I don't like mixing worlds & vibes.
I loved all of the characters, but weirdly enough, I liked Diana the least and felt like she was the least developed character. She has a very straight-forward quest and very straight-forward values and I just looooove Leigh Bardugo's complex and morally grey characters, so that's what I've come to appreciate the most with her writing! The secondary characters (the supporting friends) were always there for some banter and sass and really had their own backstories that added to the base of main character Alia. I really liked Alia a lot and it was interesting to see her character growth throughout the book!
Naturally with any Leigh Bardugo book, there were some things that I just did not see coming… and I loved that I'm always surprised! The ending brought an interesting twist and a satisfying ending. I'm just a modern adaptation kind of person but I also liked that the book stayed true to Diana's origins since that was the whole purpose of writing this book! My own personal preferences got in the way (who is surprised here) and I didn't fall head over heels but WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER is a very solid novel and a quick and fun read! I loved the variation in tone from serious to sarcastic to romantic to intense and every other emotion in between.
Kept Me Hooked On: Superheroes. I don't usually read a lot of superhero books but I'm not opposed to them. It was great to see a Wonder Woman story and I loved reading Leigh Bardugo to sort of introduce me to that!
Left Me Wanting More: Maturity. Okay, that's a silly thing to ask. These are teens and I know that. I just felt like things were a little dramatic at times and I could have enjoyed that more if it was less dramatic, but that's life!
Elizabeth Eulberg is an absolute will-read author for me! I pick up pretty much anything she writes and this book was no exception. Very cute and a lot of fun!
BOOKS LIKE WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER
This entry was posted in Books, Fantasy, Mythology, Retelling, Review, YA and tagged Books, Fantasy, Leigh Bardugo, Mythology, Retelling, Review, Superheroes, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman: Warbringer, YA, Young Adult on August 24, 2017 by Brittany.
It Started With Goodbye – Christina June
Title: It Started With Goodbye by Christina June
Publishing Info: May 9, 2017 by HarperCollins
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Retelling
Find it on the web: Buy from Amazon // GoodreadsDate Completed: April 7, 2017
Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. After being falsely accused of a crime, she's stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF's gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night (which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client). When Tatum discovers she's not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela-slash-fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way.
I was so excited to read IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE, Christina June's debut novel! I've known Christina since we were first both bloggers way back in the day and it was such an honor to be able to read her debut novel and hold a physical copy of her ARC in my hands! I received a copy of IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE from the publisher and it was so neat to read a book written by someone I had met and talked and to watch their journey to become a published author! The fact that I know Christina June does not affect my review in anyway aside from the fact that this was a big reason of why I wanted to read this book!
This book was very quick and easy read and a lovely modern take on Cinderella! Contemporary adaptations of fairy tales are always so interesting because I love seeing how magical things get adapted to a real world. I really loved the nod to the original fairy tale and how Christina June fit the story to a modern-day teenager. There were even some direct references to Cinderella which were so fun to note, along with the general story line that paralleled it.
IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE was a great book about finding yourself and being comfortable in your own skin. It's hard as a teenager (okay, it's hard as an adult sometimes too) and it made things even worse for Tatum with a stepmother who always seems to have it out for her and a stepsister who can do no wrong, following in her stepmother's footsteps. Much like another recent Cinderella contemporary adaptation, GEEKERELLA, the modern take here also focuses on the redemption of the family members and the main character realizing that sometimes there is more behind that "evil" facade than meets the eye.
I actually wish there was more focus on the relationships in the beginning of the book because it was a little slow to start for me despite the fact that this was a very quick read. I wanted to just race through it and I found myself hitting rough patches with the direction of the plot and was hoping for more of a focus on the core relationships instead of branching out to include other acquaintances first. Especially with how short the book was (which I appreciated, actually!), I would have loved a stronger focus on the best friend and romance specifically, along with the family, instead of adding in more minor friends. I wasn't as interested in the secondary characters and some of their stories seemed to take focus where I would have rather read about Tate, although I know a lot of my friends enjoyed those other friendships.
Also with the split of Tatum from her best friend, she felt sort of solitary throughout the first half of the book and I felt like she didn't really have anyone to share the story with so secondary characters were forced into the mix. I would have loved to see some more heart-felt dialogue with someone she could share more secrets with and I was really missing that best friend vibe, or even just someone close that she could have talked to in the beginning. The cute little romance didn't catch me right away, I think because the initial meet-up was crowded with other characters, so the warm-fuzzies got a little bogged down in the character relationships all around.
The family dynamic was the hit of this book for me and I really enjoyed how things progressed with each family member. Tatum establishes new relationships with her stepmom, stepsister, and even her dad, who had really always been in her corner but reached a point in this book where their relationship hit a turning point. With the kids growing up and stepmother Belen often in charge while he is out of town, Tatum's relationship with her father really began to change and then mature throughout this book. I also really liked that the father-figure was just traveling for work and that was was created his frequent and long absences instead of death. We did have the absence of Tate's mother but I liked that she wasn't orphaned for this book!
IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE was an easy and quick read with some really well-founded family concepts. I didn't quite connect with it like I had hoped but I feel like it'll do great with the teen crowd (who is really its intended audience) who are going through the same situations with best friend fights, family relationships, and first-time big crushes. The Cinderella adaptation adds a really nice touch to this book and it's a great pull into the story and motivation to pick it up!
A post shared by Brittany S. (@bookaddictsguide) on Aug 1, 2016 at 5:24pm PDT
Kept Me Hooked On: Modern adaptations of fairy tales. I was so giddy when I found direct references to the original Cinderella fairy tale! I think this adaptation and concept were spot on and I loved the modern take.
Left Me Wanting More: Relationship focus. I felt like there was a strong focus on the family throughout the whole book but I was missing the best friend and/or crush vibe in the beginning. I think I'm just so used to reading young adult books that are constantly surrounding those two relationships that are so prominent in teenage lives that I come to expect that to the be the focus of every book. They were definitely still featured here but it didn't feel like the strongest relationship of the book for me, which was okay but a little bit of a surprise for me.
IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE was a fun and quick read! I loved how the concept fit together and
BOOKS LIKE IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE
This entry was posted in Books, Contemporary, Review, YA and tagged Books, Christina June, Cinderella, Contemporary, It Started With Goodbye, Retelling, Review, YA, Young Adult on April 28, 2017 by Brittany.
Six-Gun Snow White – Catherynne M. Valente
Title: Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne M. Valente
Publishing Info: February 28, 2013 by Simon & Schuster
Source: Borrowed from Hoopla
Genres: Adult, Magical Realism, Western, Retelling
Find it on the web: Buy from Amazon // GoodreadsDate Completed: December 7, 2016
A plain-spoken, appealing narrator relates the history of her parents - a Nevada silver baron who forced the Crow people to give up one of their most beautiful daughters, Gun That Sings, in marriage to him. With her mother's death in childbirth, so begins a heroine's tale equal parts heartbreak and strength. This girl has been born into a world with no place for a half-native, half-white child. After being hidden for years, a very wicked stepmother finally gifts her with the name Snow White, referring to the pale skin she will never have. Filled with fascinating glimpses through the fabled looking glass and a close-up look at hard living in the gritty gun-slinging West, readers will be enchanted by this story at once familiar and entirely new.
I just had a serious disconnect with this book. It's one of those where I've seen friends rave about it and then I feel uncouth for not feeling the same way. This is the same way that I felt about UPROOTED — I could clearly see the beauty in the words there but I just wasn't connecting with them. To be fair to the book (and to myself, I guess), I wasn't really expecting the book to read like it did and I think I wouldn't have picked it up at this very point in my life because I have too much going on to really appreciate something like this. I've never read Catherynne Valente so I had no idea what to expect and the writing style was just so different than I thought it was going to be.
The book was true to the original Snow White tale in its adaptation but I seem to be a person who appreciates even more of an original twist with an adaption with my retellings. I like the concept of a fairy tale and the author running with their own plot, essentially, because then there's still a plot for me to figure out. SIX-GUN SNOW WHITE, although taking place in the Wild West and having many differences in time period and setting, still remained very true to the original tale in plot so it's not like there were really many surprises in store, and I just didn't feel connected to the book because of that. It was also much more prosaic than action-based, which is fine — I don't need all action, all the time — but again, it was more of an expectation and something I just ended up not being in the mood for but finished anyway.
I listened to the audiobook of this because I needed a new audio, Hoopla had it available, it's narrated by Julia Whelan, and it was short. I knew if I put it down to continue at a later time, I likely wouldn't pick it back up so I motored through and just didn't really ever connect, unfortunately. Julia Whelan is one of my favorite female audiobook narrators but a good narrator can't always make you love a book.
Overall, I think this just wasn't my style and I wasn't in the right place to read this style at the moment either. Such is life, though. I try to pick up what I'm in the mood for and some things just surprise me. This book just didn't surprise me in a good way, unfortunately. I can see why so many people have loved it and I think a lot of my friends will love it if/when they read it but it just wasn't the book for me.
Kept Me Hooked On: Unique retellings. I loved the Western twist on this retelling! I've barely read any Westerns much less Western retellings.
Left Me Wanting More: Action. I don't need action for a book to be good and enjoyable for me… but I did have the expectation that this book was going to be a little different.
Literally all of my other Goodreads friends who have read this enjoyed it but it just wasn't the right book for me, at least not at the point in time that I read it, so I may not be the only person to trust on this one! Gather up some trusted reviewers!
BOOKS LIKE SIX-GUN SNOW WHITE
This entry was posted in Adult, Books, Retelling, Review, Western and tagged Adult, Books, Catherynne M. Valente, Retelling, Review, Six-Gun Snow White, Snow White, Western on February 10, 2017 by Brittany.
Heartless – Marissa Meyer
Title: Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Publishing Info: November 8, 2016 by Macmillan
Source: BEA 2016
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling
Find it on the web: Buy from Amazon // GoodreadsDate Completed: June 5, 2016
Related Posts: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1), Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2), , Glitches (The Lunar Chronicles #0.5), The Queen's Army (The Lunar Chronicles #1.5), Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (Lunar Chronicles #3.1), Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1), Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2), Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3), Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4), Stars Above (A Lunar Chronicles Collection), Wires and Nerve, Volume 1 (Wires and Nerve #1), Renegades (Renegades #1)
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.
Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
If you know me or my blog, I'm sure you know how big of a Lunar Chronicles fan I am! I've basically grown obsessed with Marissa Meyer's books so naturally when I heard about HEARTLESS, I was freaking out. When I received a glorious, glorious copy of HEARTLESS at BEA this year (as well as getting the chance to meet and chat with Marissa), I knew it was the first book from BEA that I was going to start! I was a bit apprehensive but wholly excited, as one usually is when starting a new book by their favorite author. I really love prequel and sequel adaptations of classic novels as well as the "what might have happened" retellings but prequels have a special place in my heart for some reason. I was doubly excited to start HEARTLESS because of this reason and also because it promised to be a little bit darker since the book revolved around the beginnings of the Queen of Hearts!
The first thing I'll say is that this not The Lunar Chronicles… But I'm glad that it wasn't! I think it's easy for a writer to stick to a style or tone that they know and that's definitely great to sort of make a name for yourself with a specific style. You could say that Marissa Meyer is getting that niche of fairy tales and retellings since HEARTLESS is different in so many ways but it still is a fairy tale adaptation. I'm really glad to be able to read such a different tone, setting, and context for this retelling than what we had see in The Lunar Chronicles! I'm impressed with how different this book was and how it really stood on its own, even after following such a massive series. Marissa really did an amazing job at bringing HEARTLESS to life and having it stand on its own!
I'm not a huge Alice in Wonderland fan so I don't know the story inside and out, but from what I do know, I feel like the book followed the general story quite closely. This was nice to see so many things from the original tale pop up throughout the book and yet I felt like I was missing that sense of originality that I felt in The Lunar Chronicles (as an easy example) that really developed a story of its own and wasn't just a straight retelling. Even though HEARTLESS is a prequel of sorts, it still really felt quite similar to Alice in Wonderland in many ways and I would have loved to see a few more original aspects that truly had the book standing out from Alice. On the flip side, it was cool to see how something could be used in the Queen's time as a teenager/young adult that later comes back when Alice enters Wonderland. HEARTLESS was much more of a closely-following adaptation than just an inspiration.
One thing I worried about with an Alice adaption is how whimsical the original story is and that's not something I always get along with in books. I enjoy adaptations so I was hoping HEARTLESS would be like The Lunar Chronicles in that way — the fairy tale inspires the book but it's a bit more modern. HEARTLESS was definitely more like Alice than The Lunar Chronicles in this sense. The tone, content, and whimsy were all reminiscent of the original book. Rather than being a prequel concept, this was written as a true prequel to mimic the original Alice story itself. I did have a hard time with some of the whimsical fantasy in the book (as I have with Alice). Well, I shouldn't say that I had a hard time. More like it wasn't something that I particularly enjoyed. I didn't dislike it but sometimes those things end up feeling more silly to me than fun.
The characters were really quite lovely. We get to see pre-madness Hatter (who was always one of my favorite Alice characters) and glimpses of characters like the White Rabbit and other Tea Party guests. Cath was so interesting throughout the book and I kept trying to take a peek at what might turn her into a heartless queen later on in the book. It actually did make me rather anxious because I just knew that the book couldn't have a happy ending!! Every hope she had I was nervous for and of course that went doubly for the romance. Jest (the romantic interest) fought for my favorite character (against Hatta) in HEARTLESS and I didn't know whether I was supposed to be wary of him at first or fall in love with him! And the King of Hearts was just so bumbling and cringe-worthy that it truly made every scene with him unbearable and nerve-wracking since you know that Cath is supposed to end up as the Queen!!
I really did enjoy HEARTLESS from start to finish. I thought the tale of the (future) Queen of Hearts was quite interesting and very well done. I liked how Catherine was a seemingly normal girl right from the start of the book and I spent the entire read really wondering how this whole thing was going to flip and turn back on itself to inspire a personality change. The concept was handled really well and even though I was expecting this to read a bit more sinisterly as if from a villain's point of view, I did enjoy that I was really kept guessing until the end how that switch was going to happen!
"The View from Goodreads" is a featured section in my reviews that I decided to incorporate! I tend to update my Goodreads status a LOT when I read — reactions, feelings, notes — so I thought it would be fun to share the sort of "reading process"! All status updates are spoiler-free (no specific plot points will be revealed) but will contain reactions to certain pages and/or characters!
Catherine // Character obsessions: Baking, friendship, love, avoiding the king.
I'm not gonna lie… I was hoping this book would have Catherine as a villainous character right from the start. I was excited to read something a little dark and sinister… But I also did appreciate seeing the "true" history behind the Queen of Hearts and how she came to end up so ruthless when she was once normal Catherine. Marissa Meyer did a great job with her character and I really loved that slow creep of doubt slip in and then the sudden flip!
Kept Me Hooked On: Prequels. Prequels are SO cool. I really, really love seeing what a world was like before the story even begins ad all of the backstories of everything. It also adds a whole separate level of world building that I LOVE.
Left Me Wanting More: Originality. I know that it's a fairy tale retelling and this definitely felt more like a retelling than an adaptation, which I was surprised to find in a prequel since those usually build their own stories a bit more. Granted, I'm not SUPER familiar with Alice so I'm not sure what changed and what was the same but I did feel a lot of Alice elements that I did know and I just wanted more of the Queen's story than Alice's adventures in Wonderland.
It wasn't my favorite book from Marissa Meyer so far but it was fun and absolutely enjoyable. I loved reading a different fairy tale adaption and like always, she did a great job with the characters and really pulling a story together! It's also so nice that it's a stand alone so you won't have to wait for future books!
BOOKS LIKE HEARTLESS
This entry was posted in Books, Fantasy, Retelling, Review, YA and tagged Alice in Wonderland, Books, Fantasy, Heartless, Marissa Meyer, Retelling, Review, YA, Young Adult on September 26, 2016 by Brittany.
My Lady Jane – Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
Title: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton
Publishing Info: June 7, 2016 by HarperCollins
Source: Edelweiss, Subscription Box
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling, Historical Fiction
Related Posts: Everneath (Everneath #1), Everbound (Everneath #2)
The comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey. In My Lady Jane, coauthors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows have created a one-of-a-kind fantasy in the tradition of The Princess Bride, featuring a reluctant king, an even more reluctant queen, a noble steed, and only a passing resemblance to actual history—because sometimes history needs a little help.
At sixteen, Lady Jane Grey is about to be married off to a stranger and caught up in a conspiracy to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But those trifling problems aren't for Jane to worry about. Jane is about to become the Queen of England.
MY LADY JANE is such a fun and unique concept. There isn't a lot of satire out there in YA right now and this was such a fun way to bring both history and humor together. The book is told by narrators who frequently interrupt their own story-telling to add notes for the reader and inform them of historical inaccuracies, fun facts, or just silly tidbits. It was a lot of fun and really reminded me some of wonderfully comedic Mel Brooks movies in which characters often break the 4th wall to address the audience directly. It's even more fun to incorporate satire with a historical account (or rather, a quite fictionalized historical account) because of all the anachronisms and pop culture references that really make the book even more funny!
Admittedly, I don't know a lot about the story of Lady Jane Grey. Obviously by now, I know the broader points of history (and I still blame my middle school and high school education for a seriously lack of historical knowledge) so I think the book could have been a bit more fun if I was more of a history buff. I know a few friends who love history and have an extensive knowledge on historical events who took a little more joy from the story overall, so that's really just a personal experience that unfortunately can't helped. I will say, though, that the book was enjoyable whether you know the history or not! I had a basic understanding but details are explained and even if you don't care about the true story, the book will carry you through with a fun historical-fiction romp (and they change the ending anyway so I suppose it doesn't matter too much in the end)!
The concept of Eðians (people who magically change to and from an animal form) was so much fun! I loved how it was incorporated in to the book in so many ways — from selecting to change to being cursed, the support and blatant rejection, the people in disguise — it was a great way to incorporate magic from start to finish. I liked that it was the only real form of magic in the book so it brought that magical element but didn't turn into a full-out fantasy. It was the perfect way to alter history just a bit and keep things tied to the actual facts.
I just loved the collaboration from Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, and Cynthia Hand. They really put together a fun and unique book and MY LADY JANE easily found a place in so many readers' hearts. MY LADY JANE easily appeals to fans of The Princess Bride with its historical feel and slight satire, Disney fans for its animal magic and pop culture references, and historical fans who love a twist on history. There are direct references to books and movies like The Princess Bride, A Game of Thrones, Monty Python, and I'm pretty sure I saw Tangled in there! It also had the magic of all of seeing everything combined and so many loves in one place. I laughed out loud so many times and the book was just so clever!
I had a weird experience in which reading this book was so enjoyable and yet it felt really long! The book is over 500 pages so it's no speed-read but the content was so light and fun that I feel like I should have finished it fasted. Maybe it was just my reading schedule… but I do feel like it could have been a little bit shorter. A lot of people said the book just flew by and it didn't feel to long until I was nearing the end and it still wasn't over. Don't get me wrong — I was enjoying the whole thing — but there was just something that was off that was making me anxious for things to wrap up. That's seriously one of my only qualms, though. MY LADY JANE was always fun and these authors did a great job of putting things together!
Kept Me Hooked On: Satire. I've barely read any satire but when it's done right, it's SO much fun! These authors totally nailed it.
Left Me Wanting More: Swiftness. At some points I felt like the book was a bit long. I was hoping for a couple things to be wrapped up a bit quicker but I still enjoyed it all around!
MY LADY JANE was just so much fun. No matter if you enjoy history or not, this is such a great read and will definitely make you laugh out loud!
BOOKS LIKE MY LADY JANE
This entry was posted in Books, Fantasy, Retelling, Review, YA and tagged Books, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane, Retelling, Review, Satire, YA, Young Adult on September 14, 2016 by Brittany.
Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) – Marissa Meyer | Review + Giveaway!
Title: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer
Publishing Info: November 10, 2015 by Macmillan
Genres: Young Adult, Retelling, Dystopian
Find it on the web: Buy from Amazon // GoodreadsDate Completed: November 28, 2015
Related Posts: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1), Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2), , Glitches (The Lunar Chronicles #0.5), The Queen's Army (The Lunar Chronicles #1.5), Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (Lunar Chronicles #3.1), Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1), Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2), Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3), Stars Above (A Lunar Chronicles Collection), Heartless, Wires and Nerve, Volume 1 (Wires and Nerve #1), Renegades (Renegades #1)
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? (less)
How does one read the last book in one of their favorite series much less REVIEW it? Actually, as highly anticipated as WINTER was, I really do have some coherent thoughts. (They're much more coherent than I was with CRESS, I think, because I've been preparing for this!)
Let's start off with the amazing, shall we? I absolutely love that this series adds layer upon layer with the story and the characters. We finally get to meet and spend time with Winter in this book and it was so awesome to have that final piece of the puzzle fall into place. This book had some serious #squadgoals when this team comes together and I adore how they just fit together as a crew so well. Their personalities just mesh, their stories collide, and it's absolute perfection.
I also love how much these characters evolve over the course of the series. It's really about getting to know each one of them as they're simultaneously going through the most complicated things of their lives. I really got to see their true character and how much each one of them grew throughout these experiences.
ALL THE SHIPSSSS. Cress and Thorne are my absolute favorites and they have some really, really great moments in this book. I've been rooting for them since CRESS and their relationship is just too adorable. Things really start to amp up with another one of my new favorites ships — Cinder and Kai. Yes, yes, I know. You guys have been on board since CINDER but I didn't quite get into their relationship as much until CRESS and then I fell in love all over again with my re-reads. I just love their banter and how much strength each of them has not only individually but together. They had some super sweet moments and some really serious ones as well that really pushed my love for them over the edge! I actually do wish there had been a few more swoony moments? Oh boy were there some big ones… But I'm such a sucker for these relationships that I just want more!
The second half of the book really started to bring everything together and this is where the action was at! I actually wished a few more "holy cow" moments had happened in the beginning/middle because as exciting as all that action was, I didn't quite feel stunned until later on in the book. Naturally, though, the halfway-point is where it's at! The pacing really picked up and the book took off running and I was so excited and scared and happy all at the same time! I rather enjoyed the take on Snow White and it was really fun to see some very obvious comparisons (especially after hearing Marissa tell us the tale at her WINTER signing!) and then realize much later on that something was totally fairy-tale related and I hadn't even realized it the whole time (the mining sector, right)! I just loved the ending and how much non-stop action there was. These characters came into their own and really proved how brave they were to stop crazy old Levana from tearing the world apart.
So as we know, I'm a huge fan of The Lunar Chronicles. To start reading the final book was a mix of emotions with excitement and sadness dominating them all. I think because I was really not ready to say goodbye, I MAYBE ended up distancing myself from the book so I wouldn't be too heartbroken when it ended and that could be the reason why I didn't feel AS connected as I had with the other books. There's also the fact that there's just so much going on throughout this finale (it IS over 800 pages, after all) that it is a lot to take in. That's not a bad thing but there is a whole lot of action, many characters, high stakes, and final countdowns so it really is putting that final sense of urgency on everything. I also have to say that Winter was my least favorite leading lady. It was just really hard to connect with her because of her visions and illness. It's just a thing for me where I have a hard time connecting to characters who are more childlike or fanciful. Cress was definitely on the naive side but she wasn't childish, and I felt like it was hard for me to connect with her the way I had with the other girls. Obviously she's incredibly strong for being able to keep from using her Lunar gift all these years and that's the reason why she's been going mad but that aspect still was a bit hindering for me to really love her as much as the other girls.
WINTER was absolutely wonderful and while I don't think it was my favorite of the series (honestly, I don't think series-enders are EVER my favorites of the series — too much pressure!), I still absolutely loved it. I will forever be in love with the world that Marissa Meyer created and I can't thank her enough for this beautiful series. It's brought me so much happiness, allowed me to work with so many awesome people, and has even presented me with amazing opportunities to become more involved in the book community. I'm so joyful that I read it (thanks, Alyssa!) and I'm sure I'll keep re-reading it for many years to come!
Winter // Character Obsessions: Loyalty, delusions, strength, honor.
Winter is actually a total badass. She may not seem like it but she's incredibly strong to resist her Lunar gift for so many years and allow her delusions to take over. She's always stood her ground against Levana (to the best of her ability) and she's always been determined to see the right thing through to the end. I didn't connect with her as much because it was a bit hard, I'll admit, but I really did love her.
Jacin // Character Obsessions: Brooding, Winter, duty.
Jacin, oh broody Jacin. He really only has one true interest in mind and that's Winter. It definitely felt different than Scarlet's one track mind to find her grandma and I'm not sure if it was because it was romantic? Because it was approached differently? But I loved his dedication to Winter and how their romance was portrayed throughout the book!
Kept Me Hooked On: Space. I wouldn't think I would really enjoy books set in space. I enjoy sci-fi but usually it's more "light sci-fi". I really enjoyed the colonization of the moon and the Lunar-Earthen conflicts/unions throughout this series!
Left Me Wanting More: Swoons. I just LOVE these characters and their romances. I felt like I could have totally used more swoons. I don't know if I'm just being greedy there though!!
Buy it! Love it!
You know I'm such a huge advocate of this series. I've just loved it from start to finish and WINTER was such a fun ending. Thank goodness we still have STARS ABOVE though, am I right?
BOOKS LIKE WINTER
Long story short, I ended up with an extra copy of WINTER… that I was also able to get signed when I went to meet Marissa back in November! Since everyone is so excited about the series, all of my friends had already purchased a copy and this poor, lonely book didn't have a home. Since I know you book lovers take GREAT care of your books and would love to own a signed copy, I thought I'd do a giveaway for this copy of WINTER!
As a bonus, the lucky winner will also receive a Winter-inspired candle! It's one of the Lunar Chronicles-themed candles that I came up with for my new Etsy shop called Novelly Yours! I thought it would be a fun thing to add in there for the winner.
US entries only, please! (Sorry int'l! I just can't afford the shipping.) Must be thirteen years of age or older to win. Please only fill out proper entries as I will be checking the winner! Cheaters never prosper. Xo!
This entry was posted in Books, Fantasy, Review, Sci-Fi, YA and tagged Books, Cinder, Cress, Fairest, Fairy Tales, Marissa Meyer, Retelling, Review, Scarlet, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Snow White, The Lunar Chronicles, winter, YA, Young Adult on December 14, 2015 by Brittany.
Video Review: Things I Can't Explain – Mitchell Kriegman
Title: Things I Can't Explain by Mitchell Kriegman
Publishing Info: November 10, 2015 by St. Martin's Press
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Retelling
A complete re-imagining of Clarissa Explains it All as 20-something Clarissa tries to navigate the unemployment line, mompreneurs and the collision of two people in love.
She was a smart, snappy, light-hearted girl who knew it all at fourteen. Now a woman in her late twenties, her searching blue eyes are more serious, but mostly amused by the people around her. The gap-toothed smile that made her seem younger than she really was is gone, but she still lightens up the room. Her unpredictable wardrobe rocks just like when she was a kid, but her fashion sense has evolved and it makes men and women turn their heads.
After leaving high school early, Clarissa interned at the Daily Post while attending night school. At the ripe old age of twenty- two she had it made – her own journalism beat (fashion, gender politics and crime), an affordable apartment in FiDi and a livable wage. She was so totally ahead of the game. Ah, those were the days! All three of them. Remember the Stock Market Crash of 08? Remember when people actually bought newspapers?
All of Clarissa's charming obsessions, charts, graphs, and superstitions have survived into adulthood, but they've evolved into an ever-greater need to claw the world back under control. Her mid-twenties crisis has left her with a whole set of things she can't explain: an ex-boyfriend turned stalker, her parents' divorce, a micro relationship with the cute coffee guy, java addiction, "To-Flue Glue," and then there's Sam. Where's Sam anyway?
Things I Can't Explain is about knowing it all in your teens and then feeling like you know nothing in your twenties.
I've been working on my booktubing and decided to do a video review for THINGS I CAN'T EXPLAIN by Mitchell Kriegman! It's a Clarissa Explains It All continuation in her new adult/adult life and… well, I'll let the video do the talking! Check out my video review on YouTube!
Clarissa // Character Obsessions: Fashion, job-hunting, journalism.
I mean, that's pretty legit Clarissa right there. There were some total Clarissa moments and then… some totally where I just wasn't making that connection. It was hard! It's also so so so weird reading about Clarissa's sex life!! Adult + Clarissa was hard to reconcile.
Kept Me Hooked On: Nah nah nah nah nah! (That's the Clarissa theme song. For those of you who now have it stuck in your head, welcome to my world!) This was one of my favorite shows of the 90s. Heck, it still is. I need a binge watch…
Left Me Wanting More: Original feel. I just didn't quite connect to it like I wanted to. Half the time the character just didn't even feel like Clarissa… but I think it was hard to read and not SEE.
This didn't QUITE do it for me but… but… Clarissa! It was fun regardless and I think people will have fun reading it. I was hoping for more of that Clarissa feel so I didn't rate it as high as I wanted to but I think people will still definitely enjoy it!
BOOKS LIKE THINGS I CAN'T EXPLAIN
This entry was posted in Books, Contemporary, New Adult, Retelling, Review and tagged Adaptation, Books, Clarissa Explains It All, Contemporary, Mitchell Kriegman, NA, New Adult, Retelling, Review, Things I Can't Explain, Thriller on November 3, 2015 by Brittany.
10 Things I Felt About This Book | Cress by Marissa Meyer
I've been re-reading The Lunar Chronicles in anticipation of WINTER's release in November and I'm having the best time! (Pssst check out the Lunar Chronicles (Re)Read Along if you want to join in for WINTER!) I'm re-reading each book on audio and I'll be reading WINTER in print when it comes out and it's been so much fun reliving one of my favorite series!
Since I've already done one formal review of CRESS back when I first read it, I'm switching things up a bit with a bit more feeling and a little less analyzing with "10 Things I Felt About" CRESS!
Title: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3) by Marissa Meyer
Publishing Info: February 4, 2014 by Macmillan
Source: Audible
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Related Posts: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1), Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2), , Glitches (The Lunar Chronicles #0.5), The Queen's Army (The Lunar Chronicles #1.5), Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (Lunar Chronicles #3.1), Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1), Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2), Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4), Stars Above (A Lunar Chronicles Collection), Heartless, Wires and Nerve, Volume 1 (Wires and Nerve #1), Renegades (Renegades #1)
In this third book in Marissa Meyer's bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.
Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she's just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she'd ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
10 THINGS I FELT ABOUT CRESS
AMPED UP. I've been loving re-reading these books and I was so excited for the start of CRESS which was my favorite of the series after my original read. This book sure is action-packed and (once again) I forgot how much goes on!
SYMPATHETIC. I remember Cress being naive but not in a bad way to where it could come off as annoying. I thought she was sheltered (naturally, given her situation) but she wasn't AS naive as I thought she could have been which was awesome. It was enough to keep me sympathetic to her and not frazzled that she was so far behind in terms of life outside of the satellite!
DISCONNECTED. The re-reads have become a bit weird for me and I'm not sure why. I want to blame the audios and that some of the voices are super different than how I pictured them in my head, including intonation and phrasing, but I can't be 100% sure that it's the audio's fault. For some reason I felt a bit of a disconnect with the characters and I wasn't AS invested as I was the first time around, which is really opposite for me and re-reads.
THORNE-HUNGRY. I think I built it up so much in my head how much Thorne was in the series that I expected him to be in like… every scene haha! I just loved him so much that I wanted him to be a main character and while he is, he's not AS important as characters like Cinder and Cress. He spends a lot of time with Cress and we see him on his own too but… well, I can't get enough of him! I wanted more!!
FEELING ALL THE FEELS. I adore the romance between Cress and Thorne in this book and how it develops and I really feel for Wolf throughout the book too. This was the book (in my first read) where I finally felt that connection between Cinder and Kai and it definitely sky rockets in CRESS!
NERVOUS. This is the LAST THING before we read WINTER. I'm so nervous for how it ends!!
HOOKED. One thing I really loved about CRESS was just how cinematic it is. It starts off with some awesome action and it really maintains a level of high-stakes excitement all the way throughout!
SURPRISED. I really shouldn't have been surprised at anything… but there was something in the middle that I totally forgot about and I did a little gasp!
COMFORTABLE. I loved falling back into Cress's story line in this book. I think it is my favorite because I love Cress (and her relationship with Thorne) and I really admire how much Cinder comes into her own in this book. She accepts some real responsibility and starts to really insert herself.
RELIEVED. The audios for these books are great but to be honest, I'm kind of glad I'm reading WINTER in print. Rebecca Soler does a great job with Cinder, Cress, and pretty much all of the boys but I didn't like her Scarlet and I couldn't stand her Winter. I don't know if I really want to listen to WINTER on audio (ever?) because I just don't like her voice at all.
Re-read it!
It's a close call whether CINDER or CRESS is my favorite of the series so far but I think CRESS takes the lead by a nose! It's honestly so jam-packed full of action. Even with a re-read I was totally hooked!
BOOKS LIKE CRESS
This entry was posted in Books, Dystopian, Review, Sci-Fi, YA and tagged Books, Cinder, Dystopian, Fantasy, Marissa Meyer, Retelling, Retellings, Review, Scarlet, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, The Lunar Chronicles, YA, Young Adult on October 31, 2015 by Brittany.
A Fortnight of Fright 2015 | Book Review: The Fall by Bethany Griffin (Angela from Angela's Library)
Welcome to our third annual FORTNIGHT OF FRIGHT event!
October 17th – October 31st, 2015
Thanks for checking out the THIRD annual edition of FORTNIGHT OF FRIGHT where Alyssa (Books Take You Places), Amy (Tripping Over Books), and I bring you two full weeks of Halloween-related posts! We've invited bloggers, authors, and book lovers alike to share their favorite things about Halloween and we feature a new person and post each day.
Today, Angela from Angela's Library is sharing her review of THE FALL by Bethany Griffin!
Title: The Fall by Bethany Griffin
Publishing Info: October 7, 2014 by HarperCollins
Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Retelling, Young Adult
Related Posts: The Fall
Madeline Usher is doomed.
She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.
Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline's life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.
In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down? The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe's classic The Fall of the House of Usher.
Hi everyone! For today's post for A Fortnight of Fright, I'm excited to share with you a review of one of my favorite Halloween reads, The Fall by Bethany Griffin. This book combines two things I absolutely love: a retold classic and a seriously creepy haunted house.
The Fall is a novel-length retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Fall of the House of Usher." Madeline Usher, the protagonist, has always known there is something not quite right about her ancestral home. It seems to have a will of its own and a desire to impose that will upon its inhabitants. The house lives through the Ushers, feeding off of their emotions and doing everything it can to ensure the family stays on the property and under the house's control.
This tie between the Ushers and their home takes a heavy toll on the family. It's the fate of all Ushers to slowly go mad, and Madeline and her parents suffer from strange fits and trances. They experience fainting spells and fevers and are plagued by extreme sensitivity to light, sound, and even the touch of clothing on their skin. Time and memories slip, and reading is impossible because the words swim on the page. The family's strange condition is so acute that they keep their own staff of live-in doctors, who are a little mad themselves and prey on the Ushers in their own way.
As Madeline grows up, she learns more about her house's dark power and becomes more and more determined to escape it. She knows there must be a way to outsmart the house and free her family from its horrific legacy; she just has to figure out what that way is. The harder she struggles against the house, though, the harder the house fights back, finding ways to trap her and confuse her.
Each chapter is written from Madeline's perspective, but the chapters aren't in chronological order and jump back and forth between Madeline's point of view at age 9, 18, 12, etc. This may sound like a strange way to tell a story, but it makes sense for the book. It lets the reader experience the story just like Madeline does – piece by piece, confused and disoriented. Like Madeline, just when you think you've caught the thread of the story you're interrupted, taken off of your path and turned in a different direction. It throws you off balance, and you have to get your bearings again and figure out which Madeline you're dealing with. Is it the Madeline who suspects the house is trapping her like a fly in a spiderweb? The Madeline who loves the house and trusts it to keep her from harm? The Madeline who is trying to escape? You don't know what to expect from one chapter to the next.
Griffin does a fabulous job of making the house sentient and terrible, building it into as much of a character as Madeline, her family, and her physicians. The house thinks, feels, and is capable of taking action. It listens to the stories its occupants tell, redirects them when they get too close to the secrets it doesn't want discovered, and occasionally throws tantrums, tremoring and convulsing and locking people in rooms. It can even influence people and put thoughts in their head, using them to fulfill its own purposes.
I love The Fall's spooky gothic vibe. There's an oppressive undercurrent of horror and dread that never completely goes away. The house corrupts everything within it: bright new dresses fade overnight, lace crumbles, and previously normal visitors slowly grow mad and twisted. Children's swings sway eerily of their own accord, suits of armor fling axes at hapless passersby, and ghosts of long-dead Ushers lurk in the shadows. There are even old messages, presumably from the house, transcribed by Ushers of years gone by:
"The surface of the desk is covered with scraps of parchment. I read the first. I love you. […] I pick up another. I know you. […] The next one: I watch you. Dozens of scraps of parchment are scattered over the desk. I love you, I know you, I need you."
If you want a book that will give you shivers this Halloween, The Fall will certainly do the trick. It's creepy, atmospheric, and a worthy homage to Poe's original. Just make sure not to read it before bed – it might just keep you up at night.
Thanks, Angela! Great review. I really enjoyed this one as well and I really loved how atmospheric it was!
I reviewed THE FALL last year for A Fortnight of Fright too! You can see the full review here: The Fall by Bethany Griffin
This entry was posted in A Fortnight of Fright, Books, Horror, Paranormal, Review, YA and tagged A Fortnight of Fright, Bethany Griffin, Books, Edgar Allan Poe, Horror, Paranormal, Retelling, Review, The Fall, YA, Young Adult on October 30, 2015 by Brittany.


Most likely that you've heard many times "mobile first". In other words, having a mobile friendly site is crucial for SEO success. You need to know that a lot of responsive WordPress themes are available these days. That means that you'll be able to build a mobile friendly WordPress site fast and easy.
The search engine technology is constantly evolving. The voice search is obviously becoming more and more popular these days. A lot of people choose to take advantage of voice search when they are driving a car or on the go. Mobile users may also find it hard to use a keyboard on their devices. For this reason they choose to make use of a voice choice.
It's pretty easy to use a voice search. All that you need to do is to pronounce a keyword phrase and the search engine will provide you with what you are looking for. It's worth noting that the number of users who prefer to benefit from voice search is growing day after day. That's why it's so important to optimize a website for voice search. In this blog, we'll provide you with some insights into voice search optimization.
The big question is – what is incredibly important for voice search optimization today? Now, it's time to get the answer! Actually, among the top voice search ranking factors are: 1) on-page optimization, 2) quality of content, 3) user behavior, 4) web page load speed and 5) off-site optimization.
It's crucial for you to do on-page optimization in the right way and provide quality content on a website. You should also do your best to make your site convenient for users. Check your web page load speed on a regular basis and make sure that your site loads fast. If you find that your web pages load slowly, then you need to do everything possible to speed up your website. And of course, incoming links play a big role in voice search optimization. However, the quality of backlinks matter. You should attract only quality links to your site. So, focus on getting backlinks from relevant sites. And of course, you have to build links for your site in a natural way. By doing so, you'll be able to avoid search engine penalties and, most importantly, improve your site's rankings.
- Mobile first. Traditionally people use voice search from their mobile devices. That means that your site has to be mobile friendly. Make sure that your website looks great on all types of mobile devices including smartphones, tablets, etc. It makes a lot of sense for you to take advantage of responsive design.
- Optimize a website for conversational keywords. People tend to use conversational keywords when trying to find the necessary information via voice choice. That's the reason why you need to optimize your site for conversational keywords. It's important to note that conversational keyword phrases are less competitive. So, it would be easier for you to achieve top search engine rankings for such keywords.
If you would like to develop an effective SEO strategy for voice search in 2018, contact us today. 2Twelve Marketing provides a full range of search engine optimization (SEO) services in Orange County. We are always looking forward to helping you with any of your SEO needs!
Most likely you've heard many times that content is the kind and content is incredibly important for SEO. However, the quality of content also matters. Creating original and interesting content is crucial for success of a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. This blog posts concentrates on the importance of quality content for SEO. As a result, you'll be able to figure out why content is so important for SEO.
You'll definitely find it hard to optimize the homepage on your website for all the necessary keyword phrases. Ideally, each web page needs to be optimized for 1 – 2 search terms. That means that you should create additional pages on your website and fill them with original and keyword rich content.
It's a great idea to add a blog to a website. In addition, you need to update your blog with fresh and valuable content on a regular basis. If people find it interesting to read your articles they may decide to republish them on their sites. As a result, your website will get a lot of backlinks from relevant sites. Such backlinks will generate the targeted traffic to your site and contribute greatly to your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.
It's clear that the more content your site has – the better! Each page (or blog post) will be indexed by search engines and generate the targeted organic traffic to your website. However, you need to publish only unique content on your site to make this happen. Plus, website content needs to contain the target keywords.
Many experiments have shown that search engines rank higher websites which are frequently updated with fresh content. That's why it makes a lot of sense for you to publish original content on a website frequently. By doing so, you'll be able to improve your site's rankings and promote your business in search engines successfully.
There has been a lot of talk about the importance of social media promotion for SEO. There is the evidence that such social media signals as likes, shares and comments positively affect search rankings. Thus, you should try everything you can to promote your content on social media effectively. Create social media profiles for your business and share your content with followers regularly. Great content quickly gains popularity on social media sites. And of course, effective social media promotion will help you grow your following and have a huge positive impact on your site's SEO.
Do you need an effective content marketing strategy for your business that works? Or, maybe, you need to get your website content optimized for targeted keywords? Contact 2Twelve Marketing today! Our SEO experts in Orange County offer cost-effective solutions for any of your search engine optimization needs!
A SEO audit needs to be done prior to developing a search engine optimization strategy. A SEO expert will check your website for problems carefully and provide you with a report. Actually, a SEO audit is the type of a report that describes all of SEO problems that negatively affect site's rankings. On the other hand, a SEO audit contains tips for improving site's SEO.
The big question is – how to perform a SEO audit of a website? Today, we'll focus your attention on things that you need to know to do a basic SEO audit of a website. Below, you'll be able to find on-site SEO audit checklist as well as off-site SEO audit checklist.
Mobile friendly site. Today, it's incredibly important to have a mobile friendly site that looks great on all types of PCs and mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, etc. It's a great idea to take advantage of responsive design. The reality is a responsive website adapts itself automatically to fit all screen resolutions.
Titles and descriptions. When doing a SEO audit it's important to check titles and descriptions of each web page. Make sure that a web page's title contains no more than 65 characters and a web page's description contains no more than 160 characters. Both a title and description have to contain a keyword for which a web page is optimized. On the other hand, keyword stuffing should be avoided.
URL structure. URLs of your site's web pages need to be properly formatted. URL of each web page has to contain no more than 255 characters. URLs of site's web pages need to be unique. Plus, it would be nice to include the target keywords in URLs.
Content. It's crucial for you to ensure that your website doesn't have duplicate content. You should publish only unique content on each of your site's web pages. Also, texts on web pages have to be informative and easy-to-read.
Images. If you use images on your site's pages, you definitely need to optimize them for the target keywords. Image optimization consists of such stages as optimizing file names, optimizing ALT tags, minimizing image sizes, etc.
Broken links. Broken links have a negative impact on site's rankings. So, if any broken links are found on the website they have to be fixed as soon as possible.
Page speed. Website loading time affects search engine rankings, site conversions and sales. Do you find that your site's web pages load slowly? If so, you need to update your site and improve its page load speed.
Quality of incoming links. Incoming links play a big role in search engine optimization. However, it's important to attract the right type of backlinks to a website. Make sure that your website has backlinks from relevant sites.
WWW or without WWW. Actually, these are two different websites. First of all, you need to decide what site you would like to promote in search engines. Afterwards, you need to build backlinks for the right website.
It's worth noting that a SEO audit of a website is a serious job that requires special skills, experience, knowledge and tools. Contact us today to get a SEO audit done! Our SEO experts in Orange County are always looking forward to helping you with any of your search engine optimization needs!
Do you run a business that provides medical services in Orange County? If so, you obviously need to use local search engine optimization services to promote your medical services in the Orange County area. It would be better for you to find Orange County branding agency that specializes in local SEO services and has experience in digital marketing for doctors. Today, we'll talk about the importance of using local search engine optimization for medical marketing.
It's clear that you need to make huge efforts and spend a lot of time to promote your medical business in search engines internationally. The reality is it can be difficult for you to get top search engine rankings for high competition keywords. However, you'll not find it hard to optimize your medical website for local search.
Local SEO is a cost-effective online marketing solution for a medical business. Thus, if you optimize your medical business website for local search successfully, its web pages will rank higher and you will begin to get targeted search traffic for FREE. As a result, your medical business will receive a lot of new customers over time.
Many medical business owners choose to promote their services with local search optimization services for a good reason. Let's assume that a company provides medical services in the Orange County area only. Obviously, it doesn't make sense for you to optimize a website for general keywords and promote a medical business internationally. In this case, you should definitely focus on targeting city specific keywords. Such keywords will generate targeted quality traffic to your site. So, a medical business owner will find it easy to turn website traffic into customers.
What is great about local search is that users can analyze customer reviews of businesses. That means that if a company has built a solid reputation on the market, a lot of people will be interested in its medical services. With great customer reviews, a medical business will expand its customer base fast and easy.
And of course, local search engine optimization services have a huge positive impact on the brand of a medical business. A lot of people will definitely remember your brand if your medical site gets high rankings in local search results. They may come back to your site later and order your medical services when such a need arises. Finally, local SEO services will become a powerful brand development tool for a medical business.
Our digital marketing and branding agency in Orange County can help you with medical marketing for doctors. We also provide local search engine optimization services for medical marketing. Contact our Orange County digital marketing experts today to get an initial consultation for FREE!
Today, it's hard to imagine doing business without a website and search engine optimization. Google search engine is constantly gaining in popularity and the demand for SEO as well as Google Adwords Pay per Click advertising services is growing all the time. Business owners in Orange County choose to use search engine optimization (SEO) services for obvious reasons. Generally speaking, SEO services can be used to promote a site and develop a brand for business. In this blog, we'll tell you 5 reasons why you need to grow your business with SEO.
The reality is SEO services help business owners attract targeted users to their sites. So, if you optimize your site's pages for the necessary keywords, you'll make it easy for your potential clients to find your business in search engines.
As it was mentioned above, SEO services are all about driving the targeted search engine traffic to a website. Google remains the world's leading search engine these days. So, you'll not have trouble converting your Google visitors into sales. If you use SEO services to promote your business, a high percentage of your website traffic will be converted into sales.
If you create an effective SEO strategy for your business, your site will begin to rank high for necessary keywords over time. When this happens, your site's web pages will start getting organic targeted traffic for FREE. After reaching the top, you'll have to maintain your SEO rankings. A well-optimized website will be able to drive potential clients as well as qualified leads and sales to your business for a long time.
It goes without saying that search engine optimization will help you increase brand awareness for your business significantly. And of course, you'll find it easy to do business with a well-recognized brand.
Search engine optimization has to be the number one priority if you would like to promote your business in a cost-effective way. If your site gets to number 1 on Google for the target keywords, your business will get high amounts of potential clients for FREE. Does your site already rank high for the target keywords? If so, you can suspend your Google Adwords & PPC management campaign. By doing so, you'll be able to get the most out of your online advertising budget.
Obviously, you can benefit from SEO services in a number of ways. However, search engine optimization needs to be done the right way. You must have special knowledge, skills and tools to succeed with search engine optimization. Our Orange County digital marketing experts are always happy to help you develop a SEO strategy for your business that works!


10 tracks from Scott Muhlestein now available for free downloads. An Indy rock musician banging out what he calls experimental tunes. Not our own cup of tea, but we are putting it out here for those who might actually enjoy this. It's very different and again, not to our own tastes, but the site is not about us, it's about you. We try to cover all fields of music as not everyone has the same tastes and it is not our wish to force everyone to like what we like. So we will bring in music from various places that are all over the board in genre. If you do not like today's selection, you know you can come back tomorrow and look at the selection and see if that is more to your liking. We eventually will get you covered, expect if you prefer a world without music and some do.


text:
package zendesk

import (
	"crypto/rand"
	"encoding/hex"
	"testing"

	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
)

func randString(l int) string {
	b := make([]byte, l)
	rand.Read(b)
	return hex.EncodeToString(b)[:l]
}

func randUser(t *testing.T, client Client) *User {
	input := &User{
		Name:  String("Testy Testacular"),
		Email: String(randString(16) + "@example.com"),
	}

	user, err := client.CreateUser(input)
	require.NoError(t, err)

	return user
}

func randOrg(t *testing.T, client Client) *Organization {
	input := &Organization{
		Name: String("Very Fake Clinic - " + randString(16)),
	}

	org, err := client.CreateOrganization(input)
	require.NoError(t, err)
	return org
}

func randTicket(t *testing.T, client Client, user *User) *Ticket {
	input := &Ticket{
		Subject:     String("My printer is on fire!"),
		Description: String("The smoke is very colorful."),
		RequesterID: user.ID,
		Type:        String("problem"),
		Tags:        []string{"test"},
	}

	ticket, err := client.CreateTicket(input)
	require.NoError(t, err)

	return ticket
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This post comes from Dr. Sarah Doherty, a recent graduate of Loyola's Public History/US History joint PhD program.
This past summer I spent a week in Salt Lake City as an AP World History grader. I had ample opportunity to visit local cultural institutions, but I was most interested in taking a look around Temple Square which is the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). The ten acre Temple Square compound was filled with pairs of helpful young women tour guides from around the world on their mission year. They cheerfully provided visitors with information about Temple Square, history of Mormons in Utah and if you stood still for too long read you scripture from copies of the Book of Mormon they all carried.
In the North Visitors Center, guests to Temple Square are greeted with a history of the universe as told by the LDS. On my first visit I was accompanied by a group of other world history teachers who all had running commentary below their breaths about the "history" that was presented. I went back alone to revisit one exhibit that particularly piqued my interest. As seen in the above photo, a hippie looking Jesus spent some time hanging out with indigenous peoples of the New World. The exhibit label was titled "Jesus Christ Visited Ancient America." I am not well-versed in biblical history or archaeology, but I am quite certain that the vast majority of scholars in these fields would agree with me that the widely accepted Christian cannon and historical record does not support Jesus traveling to the Americas. I stepped back from the exhibit as a tour group with a bunch of young children approached. The young female tour guide asked the children if they knew what Jesus did in the New World. The children, in their excited voices, all chimed in that Jesus taught the Aztec and Maya how to read and write. The tour guide affirmed their answer and all the parents of the children nodded in agreement. As a teacher of Native American history I found the entire lesson and historical interpretation of the exhibit troubling.
In thinking about revisionist history, how do we evaluate historical interpretations that do no support the established historical record? Do we simply dismiss the Mormons, one of the fastest growing modern religions, as crazy folk on society's fringes? Or, must we give serious consideration to world and biblical history as presented by the LDS?
A rather interesting topic. Sad that I missed this dialogue at the round-table. First of all, nowhere in the LDS Church does not (I repeat, does not) appear that element of revisionism mentioned above. I cannot explain why those kids answered that way but maybe it was because of the exhibit portrayed in the picture (how old were they? did the young female tour guide talk about other things?). By the way, that "hippy looking Jesus" is not depicting Jesus-Christ but probably an ancient prophet, as prophets were the ones keeping the religious records. I think there is another panel in the right that is cut out from the picture that (hopefully) interprets whatever is going on this diorama.
Indeed, the doctrine of the Church as found in the Mormon cannon, talks of advanced civilizations (plural) in the American continent (it doesn't specify where, and today the Church has not officially back up any scholarly interpretation about this issue), that built cities, had a system of writing, and complex political and economic systems. All of them long before, at least 1,000 years, the historical Jesus of Nazareth was born. These doctrines are taught to children as well as to adults all throughout the Mormon world.
About Christ visiting the Americas. As far as I am concerned, there is no physical evidence, besides the account found on the Book of Mormon, that supports such claim. For those that challenge the Mormon doctrine, the simple fact that Native Americans throughout the continent did not know about Christianity is enough proof to debunk this belief. Nevertheless, Mormon religious scholars contend that there are several elements in the Bible, widely accepted by other Christian faiths and not based in historical evidence, that provide credibility to this event. Other LDS scholars have paid close attention to Mesoamerican traditions described in early European accounts, and the interpretations inferred from archaeological work. Their conclusion is that there are coincidences between those and the Mormons' thesis.
It would be great if Dr. Doherty could explain what (historical) elements were troublesome to her about the exhibit, besides the anecdotal encounter with that particular group of children, and a religious interpretation that can be equally compared to other faiths (i.e. saint, Virgin(s), and other supernatural visitations). I think it is important to acknowledge the fact that the LDS church has dedicated a somewhat significant financial support to foster historical debate around early American history. The two examples I can think of are the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, part of Brigham Young University, and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), also associated with that institute.
Thank you for the feedback on my post. F.J. It would have been great to have your input in last Saturday's discussion.
My comments were based on the presentation of one specific exhibit, how it was interpreted by a guide, the official Temple Square Visitor's Guide and other literature I purchased in the gift shop, and how I interpreted and processed all the information that was available to me. The signage in the picture was the only text available in the exhibit area and it could be a bit misleading because the label says "Jesus Christ Visits Ancient Americas" and "Alma." The seated figure could have very well been the prophet Alma, but there was not any text explaining what the scene was depicting or if the seated figure was Jesus or Alma. The titles on the signage were followed by scripture quotes from other prophets within the Book of Mormon. Across the way was a depiction of the prophet Lehi and that exhibit also did not explain who the man in the tent was. It again had the title Lehi and was followed by a quote from a different prophet. I bought the Visitor's Guide which has two pages dedicated to the subject of Mormon prophets in Ancient America as well as another two pages about Jesus in the Americas. Without a prior knowledge of Mormon prophets or the literature I purchased it would be difficult for non-Mormon visitors to the exhibit space to determine what was going on in the scenes. I purchased materials because I was genuinely curious and wanted to know more about everything at Temple Square and the Mormon faith.
Based on what the tour guide stopped to talk about in front the Jesus/Alma exhibit and what I read in the Visitor's Guide, I deducted that what I was looking at was a depiction of Jesus in the New World. I only listened to one interpretation of the exhibit and did not follow the group as they continued on to look at the display of all the languages the Book of Mormon has been translated into or images of all the contemporary leaders of the LDS Church. What I was troubled by was how literal the interpretation by the tour guide was as well as the way the material is presented in the Visitor's Guide. It gives very little room for interpreting the material potentially as a parable opposed to an exact account of what happened. I'm sure each tour guide presents information differently and I could have heard a very different presentation from someone else. I was also surprised the exhibits in the North Visitor's Center did not have more contextual explanation since a few different guides told me that many of the exhibits were designed to introduce non-Mormon visitors to the Mormon faith, history and culture.
I will admit that I am an atypical museum visitor because I have a background in museum studies with a focus in curation, exhibition design,visitor observation and museum audiences. I will be making a return trip to Salt Lake City in June and am excited to visit some of the cultural institutions I did not get a chance to spend much time in during my last visit such as Brigham Young's home, Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum and hopefully will get to take in a rehearsal of the Tabernacle Choir.
I completely agree with you. As a public historian I also pay close attention to the interpretation offered in exhibits, especially to identify silences and predominant narratives.
I missed the exhibit when I visited Temple Square, but I was able to find some images in the official LDS website. Indeed, it is very puzzling the total lack of contextualization. From my point of view seems a little bit wasteful to set up such an exhibit without a greater level of interpretation. As a member of the LDS church, it doesn't take me a lot of effort to identify the scenes represented in the dioramas. For those not involved with the church, however, it would not be very easy to make the right associations, as it happened with you.
I even tried to contact them through email but their address doesn't work! They truly have to work on understanding curatorial principles, and receiving feedback from visitors.
If I can think of an explanation for such a sloppy job, it could only be that the church completely relies on "sister missionaries" (the young female tour guides) to do the interpretation. However, as your experience illustrates, the result can turn disastrous if the visitor doesn't follow the guide or doesn't ask questions.
I wonder if this is "revisionist" or not since there is no historical support for the idea in the first place. It is one thing to rewrite history and another to offer fiction in its place.


I. The virgin was to be married on the fourth day of the week because the assembly of the twenty-three met on the fifth: so that if the husband should find his wife to be no virgin, but already violated, he might have recourse to the consistory in the heat of his displeasure, and procure just punishment for her according to law. But why then might they not as well marry on the first day of the week, seeing the Beth Dinmet on the second as well as the fifth?
If therefore our bride in this place was a virgin, then the nuptials were celebrated on the fourth day of the week, which is our Wednesday: if she was a widow, then she was married on the fifth day of the week, which is our Thursday. Let us therefore number our days according to our evangelist, and let it be but granted that that was the sabbath in which it is said, "They abode with him all that day," chapter 1, verse 39; then on the first day of the week Christ went into Galilee and met with Nathanael. So that the third day from thence is the fourth day of the week; but as to that, let every one reckon as he himself shall think fit.
VIII. Because of the mirth that was expected at nuptial solemnities, they forbade all weddings celebrating within the feasts of the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, "because there were great rejoicings at nuptials, and they must not intermingle one joy with another"; that is, the joy of nuptials with the joy of a festival.
I. In a more general sense, denotes a friend or companion, as in the Targum, Judges 14:2; 2 Samuel 13:3: but it is more particularly applied to those friends that are thenuptial guests.
II. But in a most strict sense to those two mentioned Chetubb. fol. 12. 1: "Of old they appointed two Shoshbenin, one for the bridegroom, the other for the bride, that they should minister to them especially at their entry into the bridal chamber." They were especially instituted for this end, that they should take care and provide that there should be no fraud nor deceit as to the tokens of the bride's virginity. So Gloss upon the place. The Rabbins very ridiculously (as they almost always do) tell a trifling story, that Michael and Gabriel were the two Shoshbenin at Adam and Eve's wedding.
The words are very obscure, but they seem to bear this sense, viz.: This was the manner of the Shoshbenuth: some bachelor or single person, for joy of his friend's marriage, takes something along with him to eat and be merry with the bridegroom: when it comes to the turn of this single person to marry, this bridegroom, to whom he had brought this portion, is bound to return the same kindness again. Nay, if the father should make a wedding for his son, and his friends should bring gifts along with them in honour of the nuptials, and give them to his son [the bridegroom], the father was bound to return the same kindness whenever any of those friends should think fit to marry themselves. But if any one should send the bridegroom to congratulate his nuptials, either wine or oil, or any such gift, and not come himself to eat and make merry with them, this was not of the nature of the Shoshbenuth, nor could be required back again before the tribunal, because that was a free gift.
IV. Christ therefore, and five of his disciples, were not of these voluntaryShoshbenin at this wedding, for they were invited guests, and so of the number of those that were called the children of the bridechamber, distinguished from theShoshbenin. But whether our Saviour's mother was to be accounted either the one or the other is a vain and needless question. Perhaps she had the care of preparing and managing the necessaries for the wedding, as having some relation either with the bridegroom or the bride.
The waterpots of Lydda and Bethlehem: where the Gloss, "They were wont to make pots in Lydda from the measure of the seah to that of the log; and in Bethlehem from the measure of two seahs to that of one." How big were these pots that contained six or nine seahs: for every bath contained three seahs.
II. He answered his mother, "Mine hour is not yet come": for it might be justly expected that the first miracle he would exert should be done in Jerusalem, the metropolis of that nation.
[The governor of the feast.] This governor of the feast I would understand to have been in the place of chaplain, to give thanks, and pronounce blessings in such kind of feasts as these were. There was the bridegroom's blessing, recited every day for the whole space of the seven days, besides other benedictions during the whole festival time, requisite upon a cup of wine (for over a cup of wine there used to be a blessing pronounced;) especially that which was called the cup of good news, when the virginity of the bride is declared and certified. He, therefore, who gave the blessing for the whole company, I presume, might be called the governor of the feast. Hence to him it is that our Saviour directs the wine that was made of water, as he who, after some blessing pronounced over the cup, should first drink of it to the whole company, and after him the guests pledging and partaking of it.
[Destroy this Temple.] I. Christ showeth them no sign that was a mere sign, Matthew 12:39. The turning of Moses' rod into a serpent, and returning the serpent into a rod again; the hand becoming leprous, and restored to its proper temperament again; these were mere signs; but those wonders which Moses afterward wrought in Egypt were not mere signs, but beneficent miracles; and whoever would not believe upon those infinite miracles which he wrought, would much less have believed upon mere signs. And, indeed, it was unbecoming our blessed Lord so far to indulge to their obstinate incredulity, to be showing newsigns still at every beck of theirs, who would not believe upon those infinite numbers he put forth upon every proper occasion.
He acted here, while he is purging the Temple, under that notion as he was the authorized Messiah, Malachi 3:1,3, and expressly calls it "his Father's house," verse 16. Show us therefore some sign, (say the Jews,) by which it may appear that thou art the Messiah the Son of God; at least, that thou art a prophet. I will show you a sufficient sign, saith Christ: destroy this temple, viz. of my body, and I will raise it from the dead again; a thing which was never yet done, nor could be done by any of the prophets.
1. That these things were done and discoursed betwixt Christ and the Jews in Herod's Temple.
2. That the account, if meant of the Temple of Zorobabel, will not fall in either with the years of the kings of Persia; or those seven weeks mentioned Daniel 9:25, in which Jerusalem was to be built, "even in troublous times." For whoever reckons by the kings of Persia, he must necessarily attribute at least thirty years to Cyrus; which they willingly do that are fond of this account: which thirty years too, if they do not reckon to him after the time that he had taken Babylon, and subverted that monarchy, they prove nothing as to this computation at all.
"Cyrus destroyed the empire of the Medes, and reigned over Persia, having overthrown Astyages, the king of the Medes": and from thence Eusebius reckons to Cyrus thirty years. But by what authority he ascribes the Jews' being set at liberty from their captivity to that very same year, I cannot tell. For Cyrus could not release the Jews from their captivity in Babylon before he had conquered Babylon for himself; and this was a great while after he had subdued the Medes, as appears from all that have treated upon the subversion of that empire: which how they agree with Xenophon, I shall not inquire at this time: content at present with this, that it doth not appear amongst any historians that have committed the acts of Cyrus to memory, that they have given thirty or twenty, no, not ten years to him after he had taken Babylon. Leunclavius gives him but eight years; and Xenophon himself seems to have given him but seven. So that this account of forty-and-six years falls plainly to the ground, as not being able to stand, but with the whole thirty years of Cyrus included into the number.
II. This number of forty-six years fits well enough with Herod's Temple; for Josephus tells us, that Herod began the work in the eighteenth year of his reign; nor does he contradict himself when he tells us, in the fifteenth year of his reign he repaired the Temple; because the fifteenth year of his reign alone, after he had conquered Antigonus, was the eighteenth year from the time wherein he had been declared king by the Romans. Now Herod (as the same Josephus relates) lived thirty-seven years from the time that the Romans had declared him king; and in his thirty-fifth year Christ was born; and he was now thirty years old when he had this discourse with the Jews. So that between the eighteenth of Herod and the thirtieth of Christ exclusively there were just forty-six years complete.
These things were all in Solomon's Temple, which therefore was accounted a full and plenary type of the Messiah: but so long as the second Temple had them not, it wanted what more particularly shadowed and represented him.
I. There was indeed in the second Temple a certain ark in the Holy of Holies; but this was neither Moses' ark nor the ark of the covenant: which may not unfitly come to mind when we read that passage, Revelation 11:19, "The Temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his Temple the ark of his testament." It was not seen, nor indeed was it at all in the second Temple.
II. In Moses' Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple the divine presence sat visibly over the Ark in the Propitiatory, in a cloud of glory: but when the destruction of that Temple drew near, it went up from the Propitiatory, Ezekiel 10:4, and never returned into the second Temple, where neither the Ark nor the Propitiatory was ever restored.
This, to omit other things, was the state of Zorobabel's Temple with respect to those things which were the peculiar glory of it. And these things being wanting, how much inferior must this needs be to that of Solomon's!
But there was one thing that degraded Herod's Temple still lower; and that was the person of Herod himself, to whom it is ascribed. It was not without scruple, even amongst the Jews themselves, that it was built and repaired by such a one: (and who knew not what Herod was?) and they dispute whether by right such a person ought to have meddled with it; and invent arguments for their own satisfaction as to the lawfulness of the thing.
They answer, "Baba Ben Buta gave Herod that counsel, that he should pull it down." Now this Baba was reckoned amongst the great wise men, and he did not rashly move Herod to such a work; for he saw such clefts and breaches in the Temple that threatened its ruin.
These and other things they apologize for their Temple; adding this invention for the greater honour of the thing–that all that space of time wherein it was a building, it never once rained by day, that the work might not be interrupted.
The Rabbins take a great deal of pains, but to no purpose, upon those words, Haggai 2:9, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former." "R. Jochanan and R. Eliezer say; one, that it was a greater for the fabric; the other, that it was greater for the duration." As if the glory of the Temple consisted in any mathematical reasons of space, dimension, or duration; as if it lay in walls, gilding, or ornament. The glory of the first Temple was the Ark, the divine cloud over the Ark, the Urim and the Thummim, &c. Now where or in what can consist the greater gloryof the second Temple when these are gone?
This is the glory, when he himself is present who is the great High Priest and the Prophet; who, answerably to the Urim and Thummim of old, reveals the counsels and will of God; he who is the true and living Temple, whom that Temple shadowed out. "This Temple of yours, O ye Jews, does not answer its first pattern and exemplar: there are wanting in that, what were the chief glory of the former; which very defect intimates that there is another Temple to be expected, that in all things may fall in with its first type, as it is necessary the antitype should do. And this is the Temple of my body." No further did he think fit to reply to them at that time.