Warrior by Sean Golden

This is my Dad's novel, and it's epic! It's a story of magic, myth and adventure that is growing to more than your average hero's quest. It weaves between the philosophies of the world, the ties of myth and the human condition. 

Although he is smart and strong, Lirak is ostracized from most of the Dwon village. His dreams, although useful in hunting, bring great fear to the Elders. With rumors of his missing father and a different looking mother surrounding him, he is able to confide in his older brother Jerok, younger friend Patrick and the fiery Mayrie. At the age of sixteen, he is ready to become a man through the tasks the Elders choose for him, but he has a difficult totem to bear: the Eagle. Those of the Eagle totem are known to journey far and never return, and through their wanderings they can bring with them danger and doom.  

As Lirak grows from a boy to a man, he is destined for a legacy much grander than he can even imagine. Chosen by the goddess Kathoias, both beautiful and ruthless, Lirak begins a grand adventure through the world he once believed to be a mystery. But this adventure requires bravery, intelligence and sacrifice. The more Lirak learns, the more he wonders: is he a pawn of the gods, or is he creating his own legacy?

This story is amazing, and Lirak's journey from a boy to a man is a powerful tale of humanity. What it means to be human, and what it takes to look beyond what you have been told.

I give it five out of five Eagle totems!

I recommend this book to readers of Lord of the Rings, Eragon, Ender's Game, Hyperion, and many more fantasy epics. And it's just the beginning! This book is part of The War Chronicles trilogy, and I can't wait to read book 2! 

Warrior is now available on Kindle here: 

http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-War-Chronicles-Book-I-ebook/dp/B00SGCWXYU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1421799471&sr=8-5&keywords=sean+golden

For more info on Warrior and The War Chronicles: you can visit the brand new website here: 

https://thewarchronicles.wordpress.com

Luka and The Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie

Adventures can change your life forever. No one knows this more than Luka, son of a story teller, and his father's only hope. As Luka helplessly watches his father become ill, he can only wonder why it hasn't been his turn for an adventure. But when his Antifather or Nobodaddy appears, telling him that the only way he can save his father is to journey into the World of Magic, Luka decides to take up the challenge, and together with Bear the dog and Dog the bear, he follows Nobodaddy to the World of Magic and begins his task to steal the fire of life. With numerous foes before him, including the deadliest villians and most viscious deities from his father's stories, Luka the twelve year old journeys through a familar yet strange world and discovers a power he never knew he had. But will he reach his father in time, or is Nobodaddy lying about his motive to pass the time?

This book was an amazing journey, with more cameos from mythology around the world to name. From the creative characters to the powerful folklore, this novel honors the story and what can be created from it. Luka himself is a clever tweleve year old, brave and caring. His love of his father and  every story his father told him is a strong theme in the story, and helps Luka grow to stand alongside his favorite heroes. 

At first glance, this may look like a children's tale, and through the format and the playful tone, I believe it can pass as one. On second glance, this is a philosophical musing of the power stories have over us, and the power that we unknowingly carrry ourselves. With familiar friends and foes from beloved stories around the world, and orignal, new friends from Luka's father's stories, this book is a true escape into the imagination and an enjoyable read. 

I recommend this book to anyone who love stories, mythology, folklore and the imagination. 

"

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

The Infernal Devices trilogy has come to a close, and I find that I am strangely satisfied with the outcome. There are many unexpected twists and turns that drive an action based plot to it's epic conclusion. Tessa's past is revealed, and secrets are finally brought into the light. The characters grow and change to the point where their choice echoes the hero they wish to be. The love triangle is resolved, in a very interesting way, and the world of the Clave is restored to order. 

This book was focused on both the external and internal conflicts of the characters. Jem, Will and Tessa have extremely difficult choices to make, and a life hangs in the balance. While Charlotte and Henry do what they can to protect their family, the Magister is determined to bring his plan to its gruesome finale. 

What I enjoyed most about this book was the emotional ties that the reader has to the characters. Each character reaches a turning point, and you can't help but to have your heart go out to them. I can't say much more without spoiling the story, but I recommend both this book, and the trilogy as a whole to anyone who loves action, adventure, steam punk, paranormal stories and religious themes. The romance in this series is on an entirely differnet level than any paranormal teen novel I have read, and it does not follow the tropes, stereotypes and the general expectations of the situations. 

All in all a great read and a satisfying tale. 

Jane by April Linder

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is one of my favorite literary stories. It's not very often that you come across a great modern day adaption of a tale you already know and love. I found Jane a year ago, right before I graduated college, and it quickly became a favorite on my book shelf. 

In this adaption, Rochester is a recovering rock star, and Jane is a nanny on the road to self discovery and the freedom to do what she believes she can. The novel is told in Jane's point of view as she is hired to work for Nico Rathburn, a rock star that even Jane has heard of, due to her brother's love of rock music. With the many rumors and countless People articles about Nico's road to success, mysterious fall out and his upcoming album, Jane must find who the real person is behind the mask. As she adjusts to the new enviornment, and meets Maddy, Nico's daughter, she expects to barely see the celebrity, even on his own grounds, but he has other plans, and Jane soon finds herself in a completely different world than she has ever lived in. To find who she is, and even the true Nico Rathburn, Jane goes on a journey, both intellectual and spiritual to find where she belongs and how much she should listen to her own heart.

I recommend this novel to anyone who loves Jane Eyre, Rock Stars and Star Crossed Romance. Jane's voice is refreshing yet it stays true to the original and Nico Rathburn is an enigmatic character. 

Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook

What do you do when you've lived your life for everyone else? Deidre Griffin has done just that and more. She is in charge of her famous brother's schedule, right down to the tee. With her whole life wrapped around her family's PR for the new age guru Tag, Deidre tends to fall in the background and watch her brother shine. But what she has always wanted to do is dance and live her life for herself. Dragged down by everyone's expectations, and going insane from the fact she seems to be nothing but a scheduler in her family's eyes, Deidre decides to risk it all, and use her brother's massive fan club to gain her own fifteen seconds of fame in the spotlight. As one thing leads to another, from the endless supprt Tag's fans give her to the actual offer on Dancing with the Stars, Deidre learns that in order to be herself, she must follow her heart and trust that she will land on her own two feet.

I enjoyed this novel. It was told in a voice that I found extremely familair and amusing. Deidre's family is not your usual group of people, from their quirks to goofy obsessions, you learn to see them as Deidre does, and you see Deidre as a person whose only obstacle is herself. Once she gets past the most difficult hurdle, Deidre learns more about life than she would have if she was still stuck in a job she only stayed with for fear of her family's disapproval. I recommend this book to anyone who feels like they have not bloomed themselves. It's important to recognize what the real obstacle is when you look at your life and your dreams. A fun and enlightening read.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'engle

"In this fateful hour

I place all Heaven with its power

And the sun with its brightness,

And the snow with its whiteness

And the fire with all the strength it hath,

And the lightning with its rapid wrath,

And the winds with their swiftness along their path,

And the sea with its deepness,

And the rocks with their steepness,

And the earth with its starkness,

All these I place

By God's almighty help and grace,

Between myself and the powers of darkness!"

- Patrick's Rune

As Meg's mother in law, Mrs. O' Keefe uses this rune one cold Thanksgiving night, the powers of darkness surround the Murry family. There is a threat of nuclear war by the dangerous Madog Branzillo, and Mrs. O'Keefe tells fifteen year old Charles Wallace that he must find a way to stop Branzillo by using the rune. Charles takes her very seriously, even though she calls him Chuck, and begins a journey through space and time, using this rune as a guide to find the Might Have Been that created the threat of nuclear war. Although he goes alone, his older sister Meg, goes with him by kything, being with Charles in spirit, helping him if she can and watching over his dangerous task, to change and restore balance in time. Charle's companion is the unicorn Gaudior who can ride the wind to different times in the same place. He guides Charles to learn through time by kything or becoming different people over the course of history, until he can find the answer to the past and change the future. But they are not alone, the evil Echthroi are trying to prevent them from changing history, and they will stop at nothing to destroy Charles Wallace and Gaudior as they question human nature and discover the event that caused Madog Branzillo to be. 

This was my favorite book out of the trilogy when I was a kid. Charles Wallace is an amazing character, and his purpose in the story is always great. It was fascinating to watch Charles and Gaudior slip in and out of time, and learn how humans evolved throughout the years, and how the rune was passed from generation to generation. I recommend this book to anyone that loves A Wrinkle in Time, and epic adventures that can change the course of the future. 

A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'engle

This book was very philosophical, and it was a different type of adventure than A Wrinkle in Time. Instead of a physical adventure, Meg Murry, Calvin O Keefe, and Mr. Jenkins go on a spiritual journey to save Charles Wallace's life. One of their companions is a cherubim, a creature made of  many wings and eyes, named Proginoskes. Their other companion is the stubborn, naive and indifferent farandole named Sporos. As Meg learns to cooperate with Mr. Jenkins, a teacher who doesn't enjoy her or Charles Wallace's company, she learns about the connection of the world, and with the guidance of Teacher Blajeny, she must pass three test in order to save Charles Wallace and prevent a terrible evil from throwing the world out of balance.

This story went deeper into the theories of science and spirituality. It uses the idea that every living being is important and connected no matter how near or far. This is an interesting way to view the world and how it works. Meg, always worried and questioning everything, has a hard time adapting to the sudden changes in Charles Wallace, and the trials that she must face. But each step is important, and each being is important, so Meg must once again face the dangers of evil and save the world, her wold from being thrown off balance into chaos. 

When I was a kid, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I loved A Wrinkle in Time, but now that I've grown, I understand the story and the journey the Meg goes through to adapt and change her surroundings. THe power of connection, communication and acknowledgment goes a long way when one is faced with adversity, no matter what kind of adversity. I recommend this book to children, teens, and philosophical adults. Like A Wrinkle in Time, this story is layered.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'engle

I first read this book at ten years old. It was one of those powerful stories that stuck with me, and it inspired me to start creating stories of my own. This book is not only an epic adventure or a story about a young girl finding courage to replace self doubt, it is a detailed fable of what it means to be human. Meg and Charles Wallace are different than most of their peers. Charles Wallace is extremely smart for his age. Meg is also very clever, and has a rebellious streak, but she looks down on herself all the time, and she is convinced that she is plain, painfully different and alone. These extraordinary kids, one a teenager and one a four year old, embark on a journey to save their father from the clutches of evil and darkness. Joining them on this epic quest is Calvin Hobbs, a fifteen year old boy who pretends to fit in, but he is very intelligent, friendly and loyal. The role of the mentor in this tale is played by three strange women: Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which who have stories of their own, and their assignment is to help The Murry family. 

What I love about this story, is that it's layered. On the surface, it is about a lonely girl, discovering true strength. The next layer is a story about humanity, and what it means to live. The third layer is the ultimate battle of good versus evil. The fourth layer is a conflict between many different beings, crafted in a world you can only imagine. 

Even reading this years after I first read it, I still couldn't put it down and I learned something new. 

A Wrinkle in Time is not just a Newberry Winner, it is a tale that grows with you, and you can enjoy it at any age, any time. 

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

I was first recommended this book at work, and then Ashley Clements mentioned it as a book she would like to see made into a movie. I finally looked up the synopsis and finally bought it. I'm so glad I did! This book is a gem! A real treat for those who love and appreciate the layers and significance of stories. The mystery of Nell's identity and the quest her grandaughter goes on to discover it is also a mystery involving beautiful and haunting fairytales. With the shocking revalation that she was adopted, Nell ventures to the past and is determined to learn who her parents are. Her quest is cut short by cruel fate, and her grandaughter Cassandra is left to pick up the pieces and put them together. The book switches points of view and goes back in time as the reader slowly discovers the answers to Nell's questions and Cassandra's own personal riddle. Alongside Nell's quest and Cassandra's journey are bits and pieces of the past, the story of Eliza Makepeace and the strange Mountrachet family. As each layer unfolds, the fairytales themselves become very important to the novel's plot, and the mystery of Nell's past.

I haven't read a layered book like this in a long time. In the style of Jane Eyre, or a Jane Austen novel,  this story is similar to the Secret Garden but more complicated with flashbacks, powerful reveals and personal histories that Cassandra, Nell, Chrisitian and Eliza Makepeace all experience. It is a powerful tale told in a beautiful and well thought out manner. I recommend this book to anyone who loves fairytales, mysteries, The Secret Garden and Life of Pi. With its characters, fairytales and history, this story weaves its own magic.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

I have to admit something, before I start the book review. This is one of those rare occasions where I saw the movie first. So I actually read the book long after the movie came out. I loved the movie, and I didn't know that the story was based off a novel until I encountered it for the first time, shortly after I finished high school. I love both the movie and the book in their different ways.

The first thing to note about this story is the way it is told. Landon Carter, the narrator does not sugar coat anything, and his honesty makes him a reliable narrator for the story. We see the world through a very interesting lens. A small town, with history after history. Everyone knows each other, and Landon has known Jamie since he first started gong to school.  But he doesn't really know her, at all. This story is a powerful one because it goes beyond just a love story, or a high school sweetheart tale. It is about discovering who you are, in the sense of learning who someone else really is. It's also about overcoming adversity. Adversity of the most shocking kind. Another important layer of the tale is what it means to truly live. Landon thinks, especially at the beginning of the book, that his life is difficult, and painful. He also thinks that Jamie lives on cloud nine and is apparently the perfect saint. As he gets to know Jamie, what she actually does, and the deep secret she's hidden, he begins to understand that life is not as simple or straightforward as he makes it out to be. Beyond the first impression or the everyday judgements is another story, one you can't even imagine that makes up the person you believe you know.
he first time I read this book, I fell in love with Landon. His voice was so different from anything I had ever read. His constant opinion throughout the book evolves and changes once he starts getting closer to Jamie. He grows up, as he constantly says in the book, and it's Jamie and her story that helped him learn who he is. The second time I read this book, I discovered something powerful about the way people connect. Their paths cross, sometimes by coincidence, but other times both were drawn to the other without an awareness of it. On my third reading, I discovered an interesting coping mechanism that Jamie uses, that I never noticed before.
I recommend this book to teenagers especially, but really anyone, especially someone who faces a lot of adversity, regardless of its shape or form. This book has a lot to offer about love, trust and faith in others and yourself.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I have heard a lot about this book, and I decided to give it a try. What's interesting is that the person who wrote it wasn't unhappy. She just felt that she should be happier. Some of these techniques didn't apply to me, but I loved this idea. A "happiness project" is a period of time that you devote to making yourself happier. you start by asking basic questions. "What makes me happy?" and "What makes me unhappy?" then you go into deeper questions that are more specific to your personality and situation. It's a very powerful thing, and unlike the story in Eat Pray Love, this project involves changing your routine instead of making major changes like a trip or a vacation. I found this useful because there is some wisdom to the outline of the "happiness project". Even thinking about how to make yourself happier can make you happier. So this book is about one woman's quest to dedicate a year to finding ways to be happy, but you read everything very differently when you outline your own "happiness project". I think this is extremely useful for people that have to hurry up and wait while they pursue a dream or goal to be happier. You don't have to drive yourself crazy waiting for a big change. You can make little changes to yourself and discover a way to appreciate your life without taking things for granted. I highly recommend this book to anyone at any time. Even if you're already happy, like Gretchen Rubin when she started the book, pursuing happiness is not selfish. The atmosphere you create around you can be a positive or negative influence to yourself and others around you. Another important note is that this book isn't about faking happiness. It's about discovering what makes you happy and working toward staying that way.

Mara Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

I read this book in Middle School with my English class, and I have loved it ever since! It is the story of Mara, a young slave girl who is literally thrown into the balance of politics and deception. She becomes a spy for both sides of the throne and enjoys the new freedom of her occupation. As she learns about the inner workings of the palace, and gets to know the people behind the plans on who will rule Egypt, she discovers that she must eventually choose who she will support. This opportunity has helped Mara discover things that she had never needed before. As a slave Mara trusted and looked to no one. In this dangerous game, she finds friends and discovers who she wants to be.
This book uses a different accent of Egyptian jargon translated into English. If you've never read about Egypt before, or the events of Egyptian history, some research wouldn't be a bad idea. This story is entertaining and thrilling. I recommend it to anyone who loves adventure, historical literature and a clever character.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming

I found this book at an antique store, and to be honest, I had no idea it was a novel! So, naturally I had to buy it and started reading it immediately.
The book is charming and imaginative like the film, but it is a different story. Instead of an adventure in a different country where children are banned, The Potts family are swept up into a mystery and discover the most notorious burglar Joe Monster in France. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang can also talk in a way, printing messages to tell the family what to do. She can fly, float and she has a mind of her own. As I read this book, I was reminded of Roald Dahl, and the narrator takes liberty to explain things to the reader in a similar way that Lemony Snicket did in The Series of Unfortunate Events. It's a fun adventure and a very creative story. I recommend it to fan of the film, Roald Dahl books and the Series of Unfortunate Events.
Fun fact: Roald Dahl was actually a script writer for the film!

Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier

It's amazing how a book can make you think and learn. When I first read this book, I only thought of it as a sequel to Wildwood Dancing, but it is more than that. While Wildwood Dancing was Jenica's story, Cybele's Secret is Paula's story. Paula is a thinker, worrier and an explorer. She is constantly curious about different cultures, languages and folklore. This book is told through her point of view as she travels to Istanbul to help her father obtain the mysterious artifact of Cybele for a highly interested buyer. Once they arrive, they discover that danger is lurking around every corner and hire Stoyan as a body guard to keep them safe. Paula focuses on the task at hand, but soon becomes involved in something she never could have imagined. Their competitors have been threatened, and rumor has it the pirate Duarte could be behind the viscous attacks, but his interest in Paula is noticed by many. With her sister Tatiana's warning, Paula must complete a quest of her own. The challenges that await her are less complicated than she makes them. As a debt to Draguta, the witch who helped both Jenica and Tatiana become who they are, Paula must find a way to protect Cybele and learn what her task in Istanbul actually is. As she learns to trust and rely on others, Paula takes a step of self discovery on her own and embarks on a journey that will teach her strength, courage and love.
I highly recommend this book, as a nice sequel to Wildwood Dancing and an amazing story that has lessons of its own.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

I bought this book after reading the back, and started a tradition of buying a book on random, due to this book's discovery. It's a beautifully written tale about a family of sisters who must find a way to deal with the adversity that threatens to tear their lives apart. It starts when their father is sick, and needs to leave their home, the castle of Piscul Dracului, to receive medical attention. Jena, the second oldest in the family must take on the responsibility to balance two worlds, but she isn't alone. Her best friend and adviser Gogu, a frog she found when she was young,  has always been there for her, and only she can hear his voice. The family harbors a secret of their own. Every full moon, the five sisters and Gogu go to the Bright Between and dance with the other kingdom, made of magic, fairies, dwarves, elves and many other magical beings. Once Tatiana, the oldest sister falls in love with one of the night people, Jena must become the caretaker for her family, and guard them against her former friend Cezar's obsession with power.
I read this book once a year, after I discovered it in middle school. It's many fairy tales woven into one, and it has it's own story that takes place in the mysterious land of Transylvania. If I were to write a fairytale, I would want it to balance and have an amazing narrator like this story does. I recommend this book to anyone who loves fairy tales, magic, adventure and the coming of age story. Beautifully done.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This book was really intense. There are no chapters, just letters to someone addressed "Dear Friend," and we never learn who Charlie is writing to. Charlie himself is an interesting person, who thinks about anything and everything, recording whatever he can in these letters to cope with what happened in his life. The first thing you learn is that his friend Micheal died, and with no other friends, Charlie keeps to himself and reads the extra books and does extra work for his English teacher. All of the books that Charlie reads, relate to what's going on in his life. He reads Peter Pan, Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, The Fountainhead and many other books that he says are his favorite. Then, Charlie meets Patrick and Sam and his life changes, he learns what friendship is again, and he learns about crushes and so many other High School topics that he explains in (too much) detail at times. But Charlie is dealing with something that he can't even remember, and once it is revealed, you understand why he is the way he is. His coping is a subtle detachment from everything and everyone. At times, he only records things logically and tells them with precise details and truth.
This is one of those books that makes you think. Charlie is philosophical and often wonders the reasons why people do what they do. He has some clever quotes about life, and living and even not living. His experience in school is just as complicated as his internal struggle to cope with something he doesn't understand or remember, because he blocked it out long ago.
I kind of understand why people call this story "The Breakfast Club" of the new generation, but at the same time, I found it ironic that Charlie didn't like comparing things to older and more well known pieces of art.
In some ways, this is a book all its own. It uses a clever tactic that keeps the reader interested. Charlie is talking to the reader, whoever receives the letters that he mails randomly, whenever something interesting in his life happens. He trusts this person with many secrets, and seems to care about them, and the way they view the world. It's a powerful and yet familiar voice that sounds like your own inner dialogue, and a story from a friend. I very powerful and interesting read.
(I will warn readers that the events and details can be brutal at times, and Charlie doesn't always know how to filter things that pop into his head)
This book is complicated, but then so is life.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This book is an interesting read. Nick, the narrator seems almost omniscient at times, knowing events that would seem private instead of public. He is the only character in the book that doesn't live in an illusion, and he accepts reality in his own way. Gatsby lives in a world of his own, going on about his house and his accomplishments in life as though they were all he cared about. He does care for Daisy, and when anything involves her, he becomes more human and less of the mysterious persona he created. All the talk about Gatsby builds up and people judge him based on the stories they have heard and what they expect him to be after seeing the mansion he resides in. Each party that Gatsby holds, encourages more rumors that build the mystery around him. Daisy is also a person who lives in a fantasy world. She doesn't believe in consequences, and she refuses to accept brutal reality. Nick admires Daisy and describes her fondly, but once he discovers her flaws, he learns that she isn't what she seems. Nick himself is an observer, and he analyzes the motivation behind what people do and say. This book seems focused on illusions. The illusions we create for others, and ourselves. There is also a lot of vanity, especially in the topics of conversation, and even Nick seems vain in a few conversations. Even though Nick never becomes part of the fantasy that his friends get swept up in, he still does his best to preserve it. He decides to leave town, but keeps the memory of Gatsby, and the events that took place when people were careless.

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

This book had a whole new twist on the myth of Persephone. Kate Winters is thrown into a world of mythology disguised by modernism, and must chose between life or death. With her mother counting down the days until she goes, Kate must learn how to cope with her passing. She arrives at her mother's hometown with no plan for the future and no way to deal with the reality she must face. She makes a few friends at her school, but her number one priority is to spend as much time with her mother as possible. Her new friend James seems to know all about her life, while her other new friend Ava appears to hate her, but forces herself to be nice. As the victim of a harsh prank, Kate witnesses Ava's death, and meets Henry, a mysterious and alluring person. He offers her a choice, Ava will not die, and he will hold Kate's mother's cancer at bay until they are ready to say goodbye. In return, she must spend six months with him and undergo a series of tests, seven in all, to prove if she is worthy to rule by his side. With the rumor that someone is trying to kill her, and the council watching her every move, Kate must decide what she wants and who she is. Is she brave enough to pass the tests and save Ava's life? Will she ever come to terms with her mother's death?
I really enjoyed reading this book. The mythology was cleverly presented, and as Kate didn't know who was a god and who was not, there was a mystery to solve. The myth of Persephone is very different from Kate's decision to spend 6 months with Henry. He doesn't kidnap her or force her to make a decision. Kate is free to leave whenever she wishes. While Kate spends time at the manor, she discovers who she is and what she wants. This is not something she bothered with while she tended to her mother. She can relate to Henry and she learns that Ava isn't as superficial as she believed her to be. This is a psychological story, where Kate slowly discovers what her personality actually is, and she begins to live, not just for her mother but for herself as well.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Many people believe that this book is a romance novel, and I won't say that the chemistry between Scarlet and Rhett isn't appealing, but I did not view the book this way. For one, I didn't like the main character at all. Scarlet was selfish and her actions proved to be so, and that resulted in me disliking her for a good 300 pages. I didn't like Rhett either but I doubt he would take offense anyway. He was the Cad that he was proud to be. Then the war came, and with it some difficult decisions for Scarlet.
She started the book in love with an idea, in the form of Ashley Wilkes. And stays in love with this idea throughout the story. But she wasn't in love with Ashley, she was in love with the idea of him, who she thought he was, a gentleman. This is interesting to note, because while she pines for Ashley, she takes care of his wife and kids, helping them survive the war and being a constant source of support and care for Melanie. She sacrifices many things without thinking about them, her dignity, morality and at times her emotions. Her only true companion throughout this journey is Rhett Butler, the one man who understands her and knows who she truly is.
This book had many layers.
One is allegory. All of the major characters have different personalities that represent different types of people. Scarlet is not like any other character except Rhett, and this is no accident.
Another layer of this book is psychological. Scarlet's transformation is stretched over time and even the end of the war isn't her final metamorphosis. She marries three times. Once for revenge or spite. The second time is for resources. And the third and final time is presented to her as fun. Each marriage teaches her something new about herself, and each decision is a turning point in her life. Whenever Scarlet reaches a turning point or a tough decision, she always says that she will think about it later. She only ever thinks about it later twice, when she swears never to go hungry again, and when she loses something she never believed that she had. Her goal is to survive, and take care of others.
The other layer is historical. The culture of the south is forever changed and so many changes happen that the people of Tara cannot bear it all. Scarlet's view of the war is bias and stays that way throughout the novel. Yet, Rhett plays both sides and thinks of the war, and so many other things, like a game that he can win no matter who loses. Much of the events affect Scarlet directly, but Rhett never seems burdened by them.
I guess it is fitting that a long novel has a long book review. I do recommend this book, and I consider it a literally work that is undervalued as a romance novel.
If you think of Scarlet, not as a woman, but has a human, and Rhett as a trickster or dark mentor, your view of the story changes dramatically. Why does Scarlet call Rhett her soul? Why does she not grieve during the war, but after Melanie dies she actually cries and feels remorse? What's the reason for her pining after Ashley? Is she selfish or selfless?

Naked Heat by Richard Castle

As much as I enjoyed the first novel, I couldn't stay interested in this one. It was strange with the rift between Rook and Heat, and the murder mystery overpowered the story between them. Sequels are always hard to compare to the original anyway, but it seemed like something was missing. Nothing changed about the characters, and the story wasn't as smooth as the first novel. The plot was similar to the T.V. show, but it wasn't as cleverly different as the plot in Heat Wave. I might read the next novel "Heat Rises" but I wasn't as engrossed in the plot and characters with this book as I was in the first one. The story dragged for a while, where the plot was nicely paced in the first book. This book is still fun, and obviously about Castle and Beckett, but it wasn't as entertaining as the first tie in.