March Book Reviews

OK, I only completed three books this month, which feels like I am a little behind schedule, but maybe not. After all, one of the books I read was a 355,000-word tome by Charles Dickens, which is considered one of the longest novels written in the English language! Considering a typical modern-day novel is around 100,000 words, I think this one should count as three, maybe even four books... but I won't cheat!

All three of the books are fictional novels - two are historical fiction and one is fantasy fiction. I listened to two of them on audiobook and read one on my Kindle at bedtime. 

 Bleak House, Charles Dickens

What can I say? Charles Dickens is a true genius. I spent a year (maybe ten-ish years ago?) reading ten of his major works. I can't pick a favorite between Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Nicholas Nickleby, and Our Mutual Friend, but ever since that reading challenge, I reread A Christmas Carol during the four days before Christmas every year. 

A few years ago, a dear friend gifted me with a beautiful copy of Bleak House - a dark green cover with gold-tipped pages, that she folded into a design that spells my name... such a treasure! 

Last month, an admirer (of the artistic display of the book on my desk) asked what the book was about. As a serious classic literary nut, I was embarrassed to admit that while I have read it, I couldn't recall a single detail of it, except that it was excruciatingly long. So, I resolved then and there to give it another try; maybe it would be more easily digestible in audiobook form? 

People! When I downloaded the file, it was over 33 hours long! So it took most of the month for me to get through, but I did it, and I'm so glad I did because it is a true masterpiece. I love the way he describes and develops vibrant characters like Esther, Mr. Jarndyce, and Mr. Skimpole, and it amazes me how he creates multiple plot lines and complexly weaves them into and around each other and brings them all to satisfying conclusions in the end. 

This isn't my "top pick" for the month, because I cannot, in good conscience, recommend it to the general public; it is not for the faint of heart or the casual peruser of books. But if you want a challenge, this is definitely the book for you! And if you take it on and conquer it, I'd love to hear what you think.

The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young

This was our book club pick for March, and it was a bit of a wild card for us all. I would describe it as "realistic fantasy," because it happens in our world but includes an element of magic: namely, a mysterious door that is seen only by certain people at certain times and serves as a time-travel portal. So yes, it is also a time-travel tale... which, can I just say, are the most confusing and unsettling tales, in my opinion? There are no established, consistent rules about time travel in literature, and it always feels like there are dangling ends that aren't explained or resolved, and this book is no exception. 

I will say that I love the title and the cover art, and that in itself was all it took for me to want to read it. The plot was very engaging, and I read it in a matter of just a few days because I really didn't want to stop. There was an overarching mystery involved that was very intriguing and kept me asking questions and trying to figure it all out - and it surprised me in the end.

Fair warning, this is also a romance, and while I don't think it would be classified as "spicy," it wasn't completely "closed-door" and did have a few "steamy" moments (though the couple are married) that made me blush.

MY MARCH TOP PICK:

The Sisters of Sea View, Julie Klassen

A few months ago, a friend recommended I join a Facebook group called "Inspirational Regency Readers," because of my love for the era, the stories, and my own work-in-progress. The group has been a delightful space to share, and it was there I learned about Julie Klassen. She writes Christian historical romances and apparently has written, like, a million books, so I thought I ought to check them out. The "On Devonshire Shores" series piqued my interest because of the similarities I suspected it might have to my own project. This is Book #1 of 4 in the series, and I loved it SO MUCH. I want to be Julie Klassen's friend, and I want to be a guest the Sea View house in Sidmouth! 

It follows the lives of four sisters and their widowed mother, who open their home by the sea as a boarding house for holiday guests, to make ends meet in their strained financial situation. It is what I would call a "proper" romance, clean and pure and also emotionally satisfying. The sisters are relatable, and it is good to see how they choose to do hard things and gain healing and maturity because of it. I'm looking forward to reading more, and if this genre appeals to you, I highly recommend it for your reading pleasure!