The Orphan's Wish (Hagenheim)

Title: The Orphan's Wish

Series: Hagenheim (#8)

Year: 2018

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Summary: From the streets to an orphanage in a faraway kingdom, Aladdin has grown up alone. Until he meets Kirstyn. With a father who is the duke of Hagenheim and a mother who is the patroness of the orphanage where Aladdin lives, Kirstyn is a member of the most powerful family in the land . . . and way out of his league. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn’s favorite companion for taking walks in the forest, and their childhood friendship grows along with them.

Through his scrappy skills, intelligence, and hard work, Aladdin earns a position serving in the duke’s house. But he knows it isn’t enough to grant him his one desire: Kirstyn’s hand in marriage. If he hopes to change his station in life and feel worthy of marrying Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim to seek his fortune.

But once Aladdin leaves, no one is around to protect Kirstyn, and the greedy men desperate to take advantage of her father’s wealth take notice. Now, more than Aladdin’s background stands in the way of the future he’s worked so hard to obtain. His only hope is to rescue Kirstyn and somehow manage to win her hand as well.

Main Characters:
~ Kirstyn
~ Aladdin

Review: I got really excited when I saw that Melanie Dickerson was planning an Aladdin retelling. Fairytale retellings by themselves are just peachy keen, but there aren't many Aladdin ones that I've found out there. I love finding a less-popular fairytale being retold. 

Ala ad'din is a small boy living in the streets of the Holy Land. As an orphan, he doesn't have a lot of options for survival and is forced to steal under the hand of a harsh master. A chance encounter with a kindly priest gives him the freedom he craves, but even in his new life at Hagenheim he fears how people will react to his thieving past. 

Now called Aladdin (since the people in Hagenheim can't seem to pronounce Ala ad'din properly), he becomes the favorite friend of Kirstyn, the duke's daughter. A childhood friendship blossoms into a romance that neither are quite aware of, and Aladdin decides to leave Hagenheim to make his fortune. 

And then Kirstyn gets kidnapped and goes missing for months, and Aladdin's world is turned upside-down. 

Honestly, other than the name Aladdin, I didn't catch many Aladdin fairytale references in this book. Other than the obvious other nod to the Disney film by naming a little street boy Abu. It was a little disappointing. The story seemed more like a retelling of the Biblical account of Joseph; Aladdin is hired to take care of a merchant's business and does so well that he's considered a sort of King Midas (i.e. everything he touches turns to gold). And the man Aladdin works for isn't the evil sorcerer from the fairy tale; there are no lamps involved. In the beginning of the novel, Aladdin made a big deal about his thieving background -- keeping it secret from everybody in Hagenheim -- yet as the novel progressed I thought everybody forgot about it. His childhood thefts really didn't have any part to play in the plot. Unless there's something obvious I'm missing, calling this an Aladdin retelling is kinda stretching it. 

But if you're just looking for an adventure in the Dickerson style that you've come to love, this book tastes just the same as all of her other Hagenheim novels. 

Advisory: Some violence. One character is kidnapped; another is suggested to have been molested. 

Romance, typical in the style of Dickerson. Although I was happy to note that the love interests didn't focus on kissing until the last couple chapters -- after they finally realized they were in love with each other. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Intangible (Piercing the Veil)

Title: Intangible

Series: Piercing the Veil (#1)

Year: 2013

Author: C.A. Gray

Summary: An ancient evil returns. A prophecy foretells of a champion.

Peter Stewart grew up on a unique version of the Arthurian legends taught him by his father, a harebrained quantum physicist who asserts that anything is possible. But Peter disbelieves anything which cannot be scientifically explained, despite a nagging sense that there is more to the world than meets the eye.

Lily Portman is an orphan with a secret: she can see creatures that are invisible to everyone else. These creatures control every human being she has ever met to varying degrees... until she meets Peter and his father.

When a mysterious stranger stages an accident which nearly costs Peter and Lily their lives, suddenly Lily learns that she is not crazy after all, and Peter discovers the truth of his father's stories... including the existence of Arthur's ancient nemesis, one who calls himself the Shadow Lord, and a prophecy with implications so profound that it will alter not only the course of their lives, but potentially the fate of the world.

Main Characters:
~ Peter Stewart
~ Lily Portman
~ Cole
~ Brock
~ Kane

Review: Peter knows he's not a normal kid -- but he's not a bad kid; he's just constantly getting into trouble at school because his science experiments jeopardize the safety of the people around him. Sometimes being curious and too smart with science and physics and all that can be a little dangerous. 

But that's all before he meets Lily -- an orphan who claims she can see specters around other people, specters that act like an invisible councilor for each individual, specters that all seem to have nasty intentions. What's more is... Peter doesn't have a specter. 

And then after Peter's best friend, Cole, and Cole's older brother, Brock (who also happens to be Peter's worst enemy at school) join them, Peter buckles up for a ride unlike any he's taken before. A ride that's literally life or death. In the middle of a would-be-fatal car accident, Peter is somehow able to step out of the real world and see a rainbow of options of scenes that could happen. There is only one option in which everyone in the car makes it out alive. So, he chooses that one... and everyone survives. The only trouble is... he doesn't know how he did it, why it happened, and why there's suddenly an army of specters (or penumbra, as they're actually called) coming at him to kill him. 

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn't know when I first picked it up that it was going to have a lot of Arthurian legend mixed in. I really liked how the author twisted physics with the legends -- the whole feel was a really, super cool idea! Anyone that tries to prove Arthur existed with all the elements of the legends intact gets an A+ in my book! 

However, I did think the whole plot of this novel could have been better executed. Once Peter and his friends get to the hidden city of Carlion, there's a ton of information that gets dumped on top of them. I struggled to keep myself on top of all that information as well as wading through to get to where the action picked up again. In addition, much of the important information gearing up towards the big finish gets told twice. One set of characters had a conversation about this important thing (no spoilers, sorry), and then ten pages later, another set of characters is having the same exact conversation about the same exact important thing. I think a lot of this novel could have been edited out with a simple "he filled them in" or "she recounted the story." Also -- even though I didn't mind seeing this story unfold from the viewpoints of several different people, the POV would switch mid-paragraph multiple times so I was unsure who's head I was in. Just a little confusing, and something I think could have been edited over better. I do believe this novel is this author's first, and I'd be interested in reading some of her later work to see how her writing has progressed. 

The science aspects went over my head a little bit, but I'm blaming that completely on me not being a science geek. I appreciate good science, even if I don't understand it. For science lovers out there who like a good mix of fantasy in with your physic passion, this is your story. 

Advisory: Some language to be aware of. Fantasy violence and action. 

This may be a small thing, but I was rather disappointed with how some of the kids interacted with their parents. True, you have a huge, unbelievable world to reckon with (as well as some harsh parental/authorial figures), but the kids acted disrespectfully to the adults at times, outright disobeyed, and even went so far as to justify lying. 

Lastly to discuss -- magic. With the Arthurian legend, there are elements in this story that are "magical." Apparently, each person has an innate ability to control a certain element, though oftentimes he/she never discovers what that is within a lifetime. The elements can be controlled through the Ancient Tongue, a forgotten language that encompasses the true names of things, not merely what the object represents but the actual essence of the object. Peter and his friends have to learn to speak in the Ancient Language (even though half the time people are just teaching them to memorize phrases, and they have absolutely no idea what they're saying), and everybody is able to control certain elements. For example, one character can create photons, one is a space specialist, one is a water specialist, etc. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

*Please note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.*

The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time)

Title: The Great Hunt 

Series: The Wheel of Time (Book #2)

Year: 1991

Author: Robert Jordan

Summary: The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. For centuries, gleemen have told of The Great Hunt of the Horn. Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.

And it is stolen.

Main Characters:
~ Rand al'Thor
~ Perrin Aybara
~ Mat Cauthon 
~ Egwene al'Vere
~ Nynaeve al'Meara
~ Padan Fain
~ Lord Ingtar
~ Hurin
~ Loial
~ Moiraine
~ Verin

Review: This book picks up right where book one ended. Jordan doesn't leave much time between his books in this series! 

Rand wants to be away from Aes Sedai influence, but having his friends still in Fal Dara with him make him prolong leaving. When the Amyrlin Seat herself shows up with a small army of Aes Sedai and Warders in tow, his escape is too late. Padan Fain is locked securely in the dungeons, going mad to Rand's way of thinking, but Egwene still believes that he might be brought back to good. 

Then everything happens overnight, and Rand, Mat, and Perrin find themselves in Lord Ingtar's regiment, heading south to reobtain the stolen Horn of Valere. Thus the book is aptly titled, The Great Hunt. And Egwene and Nynaeve are headed to the White Tower to begin their training as Aes Sedai. 

While the first book of this series set up a good cast of main characters and took us on an epic run and chase (just like a classic beginning to a good fantasy), this book expanded the world threefold. We're introduced to a cast of new characters with new ambitions. In a way, it felt like a Dickens novel set in a Tolkien world -- strange creatures and fantasy battles and epic characters set in a complicated plot with multiple subplots. The chapters skip back and forth between multiple characters, and then somehow all wind up together in the end with a neat bow. 

I really don't have much to complain about for this book. Once The Eye of the World stole your interest and set your imagination up for this series, The Great Hunt is a fantastic continuation of the story. There's everything you loved in the first book -- and more. The pace is faster, and the plot isn't a constant run-and-hide adventure. I think I liked this book better than the first one, and -- of course -- I'm eager to keeping reading the series to find out what happens. 

Advisory: Fantasy violence and scary creatures. Expect battles, blood, and lots of action. 

Magic. The further I get into these novels, the more I'm understanding how magic/power works. I'm planning to review more of the books in this series, so I plan to say a little bit more about the magic aspect as I learn more about it. I explained a little bit in my review of The Eye of the World, but I realize that was just kinda scratching the surface. 

Also, a few characters "curse," using words like "bloody" and "flaming."

Some female characters are described as wearing transparent clothing and others as not wearing anything. It is in a quick, matter-of-fact kind of tone, and nothing is explicitly described. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)

Title: The Sword of Summer

Series: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard

Year: 2015

Author: Rick Riordan

Summary: Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down—his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmaneuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus's birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus's memory. But he doesn't have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents. . . .

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.

Main Characters:
~ Magnus Chase
~ Samirah al-Abbas
~ Blitzen
~ Hearthstone

Review: I was pretty excited to start this series, given my growing interest in Norse mythology. I can't say that I'm an expert in that area -- other than what I've learned through watching Marvel's Thor films -- but I'd like to do more study in that area. Greek mythology I got a mouthful of during one of my courses at college, but sadly, they didn't offer anything in the way of Norse. 

Magnus Chase is a sarcastic, homeless teen living in the streets of Boston. If his last name isn't any hint, he's Annabeth Chase's cousin (cameo to the Percy Jackson series), but Magnus thinks that he's the odd one in the family. After his uncle Randolph finds him, he discovers he's the son of the Norse god, Frey -- the god of summer, really. And suddenly, he's thrown into a life and death experience involving a thousand-year-old weapon, his birthright -- a talking sword that he calls Jack. 

And when I say death experience -- I literally mean death. Spoiler (kinda), but Magnus starts the book off by dying. And he tells you so right from the first page. To me it felt a little like Tangled: "This is the story of how I died." Magnus dies and then ends up in Valhalla. It's there that he learns that Ragnarok (the end of the world, basically) is coming and that everyone wants to try to use him to speed it up or delay it. 

Accompanying him on his adventures are three unlikely heroes -- a daughter of Loki, recently banned from the Valkyries; a dwarf with a superb fashion sense and an unfortunate sun condition; and an elf who speaks through ASL and isn't the least bit like Legolas. 

This book was a pretty fun adventure. We've got new perils, new gods, and new friends. But honestly, it didn't feel unique. I read a few other reviews of this book before writing mine and I have to agree with them -- I had a hard time pulling my mental image of Percy Jackson apart from Magnus. They're both so similar that (as the book's written in first person POV) I kept thinking I was following Percy. They're both sarcastic, Magnus only has a little bit more of an adult sarcasm and humor about him. Honestly, the whole book felt like a Norse knock-off. Instead of the Lightning Bolt, we've got the Sword of Summer that everybody wants to get their hands on. I mean, I enjoyed the Norse angle, but it didn't wow me like The Lightning Thief wowed me. 

I did like how Magnus wasn't the son of one of the top Norse gods. Percy's dad was Poseidon, making him pretty important, but Magnus wasn't the son of the ever-popular Thor or Loki. He isn't even the son of the god of war or smarts or anything like that. No. His dad's the god of summer, sunshine, fertility, peace, wealth, and rain. Not exactly the recipe you'd think would bake a hero. 

Advisory: The entire book has more of an adult feel to it. Magnus isn't the innocent demigod Percy was, so there is some more adult-type of humor and comments in this book. Also, some language. I was disappointed to see that. 

Lots of fantasy-type action and fighting and blood. One of Valhalla's daily routines is for all the inhabitants to participate in a all-out battle. And it's perfectly fine to impale your hallmate with a spear or chop his head off. And if that's considered normal, you can imagine what the rest of the book is gonna be like. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Black: The Birth of Evil (The Circle Trilogy)

Title: Black: The Birth of Evil

Series: The Circle Trilogy

Year: 2005

Author: Ted Dekker

Summary: Enter an adrenaline-laced epic where dreams and reality collide.

Fleeing his assailants through deserted alleyways, Thomas Hunter narrowly escapes to the roof of a building. Then a silent bullet from the night clips his head...and his world goes black.

From the blackness comes an amazing reality of another world-a world where evil is contained. A world where Thomas Hunter is in love with a beautiful woman. Then he remembers the dream of the chase as he reaches to touch the blood on his head.

Where does the dream end and reality begin? Every time he falls asleep in one world, he awakes in the other-both facing catastrophic disaster. Thomas is being pushed beyond his limits...even beyond the limits of space and time.

Black is an incredible story of evil and rescue, betrayal and love, pursuit and death, and a terrorist's threat unlike anything the human race has ever known.

Some say the world hangs in the balance of every choice we make. Now the fate of two worlds hangs in the balance of one man's choice.

Main Characters: 
~ Thomas Hunter

Review: Ted Dekker is one of those authors who I really can't make my mind up about. I begin his books with low expectations, get lost in the story and dragged on by suspense, and then end with mixed feelings. Yes, I'm a book snob. I can't help that. 

Anyway, Black follows the beginning adventures of Thomas Hunter a man who's being chased for not repaying a rather large loan. 

Oh. Wait. 

Thomas Hunter is a man without a memory who somehow survives the infamous, evil-filled Black Forest. 

Oh. Wait. 

He's both. Thomas Hunter is living in two different worlds, and we're not sure which one is the real one. And that's where the adventure begins. 

After getting out of the Black Forest alive, Thomas works at getting his memory back, asking a million questions, eating strange fruit, and learning to woo a female as part of the great romance. Behind him, there's always the threat of the large, flesh-ripping bats. In the other world, Thomas works at not being killed by his pursuers, announcing the winner of the Kentucky Derby before the race even begins, and making a trip around the world to gain an audience with science's foremost star. And behind him, there's the threat of assassins and a virus that has the power to effectively kill the entire planet's population in three weeks. No pressure. He can handle both lives. 

This book doesn't give you a moment to catch your breath. Honestly, if I wasn't a new mom needing sleep, I would have been up until 3am trying to finish and find out what happens. Yes, I howled at the cliff-hanging ending. You have been warned. 

For the most part, I liked this book. It's fast-paced, confusing, heart-stopping, and well-written. Thomas is a likable hero with plenty of snark and spontaneity. 

I wasn't too keen on the great romance bit. While I could understand why it was written the way it was, it felt very forced and awkward. Thomas is chosen by this girl and then must woo her; he doesn't show much affection for her, other than a general gawking at her beauty and fighting skills. Personally, I preferred the relationship, albeit short, that he had with the girl from earth. 

Advisory: Lots of violence. Multiple fights bloody/kill/injure combatants. It's not extreme gore, but enough that I would recommend this book for a slightly more mature audience. 

Also, the romance. Some kisses and touches, but not terribly graphic. 

In the strange world that Thomas finds himself in, Dekker makes a parallel to the story of the Bible. The black forest and the evil bats represent sin and (duh) evil while the colored forest, good. The evil bats try to tempt the good people to eat the fruit from the black forest (much like Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden); and the parallels could go on and on. However, the "God" of this world is more essence in liquid form than holy spirit. While it makes sense in a fairly cool analogy in the book, it still felt a little weird to me to make the awesome Lord of the universe into a pool. Just throwing that out there. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time)

Title: The Eye of the World

Series: The Wheel of Time (Book #1)

Year: 1990

Author: Robert Jordan

Summary: The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. 

Main Characters:
~ Rand al'Thor
~ Mat
~ Perrin
~ Egwene
~ Nynaeve
~ Moiraine
~ Lan

Review: I've heard a lot of people say that Robert Jordan is the new Tolkien. While I partway agree, I still think Tolkien is the best. Old loyalties die hard. 

But honestly, I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would. Robert Jordan has created a whole world, with histories and genealogies just as complicated as Tolkien's. If you need a good LONG fantasy fix -- pick up the Wheel of Time series. Jordan began this series thinking it was only going to be six books long. Ha. Yeah. Fourteen books later...

Rand, Mat, and Perrin are three friends from a small town known as Emond's Field. Rand farms and herds sheep, Perrin works as a blacksmith's apprentice, and Mat creates mischief. All three seem pretty ordinary, but one night changes everything when everything they know gets turned upside-down. With an Aes Sedai to guide them and Trollocs and a Fade -- and worse! -- at their backs, they begin the epic journey of the age.

So many books today focus on a central character being the chosen one or the unlikely hero. Rand, Mat, and Perrin are unlikely heroes, but I feel that this story breaks the cliche by following THREE of them, not just one. Three different stories and fates tied together -- because even though they stick together and help each other out, they each have a story and a path of their own. I love complicated twists!

There's honestly a little bit of everything in here for everyone. My husband and I both wanted to read this series so we've been taking turns reading it out loud to each other. I'll be the first to admit I've loved sharing this adventure with him. When we're away from the book, we discuss what we've read, try to figure out the mysteries Jordan's been weaving, and throw around suggestions on what's to happen next. Because Jordan keeps you on your toes -- right when you think all's well and something can neatly tie up with a bow, BAM! And you can basically hear Jordan laughing at you in your mind's ear, saying, "Didn't see that coming, now did you?"

The Ogier is one of my favorite characters; I'm looking forward to seeing more of him in later books. Nynaeve is particularly multi-faceted. I'm very interested in her story. Also, Egwene. Poor dear. I'm still rooting for her and Rand... even though I know there's still so many books ahead of us.

Book one ends satisfactorily... if you like a million questions unanswered. I'm so glad I basically found the whole series at Goodwill. Because I'm gonna keep needing to get to the next book ASAP. Once you get sucked in, this is the kind of series that you can't put down. 

Advisory: Lots of fighting/violence/scary creatures/evil in general. For those of you who are familiar with Tolkien, this is up a notch. Certain parts can get kinda gruesome, but I haven't been completely grossed out yet. Just expect with this epic fantasy to have a lot of blood and whatnot. 

Also, magic of sorts. I don't mind it so much, since this series is clearly a made-up fantasy, but it is very prevalent in the novel. The "magic" or power comes from the One Power, an abstract source of some kind of energy. It's split up into two segments - saidar, the female power, and saidin, the male power. Using either half of the Power is known as channeling. For females, channeling normally means training as an Aes Sedai, learning how to use the Power. For males, touching the One Power normally results in the man going mad and killing everyone near him. While it's not implied that everyone can use this Power, it does seem to be available to multiple people. Egwene and Nynaeve both expect to be trained so they known how to use it. 

This book also contains a few New Age type elements. Tam al'Thor teaches Rand (his son) to focus on a void, blocking everything else out. Kinda becoming one with everything around him. That is also echoed in some of the Aes Sedai teachings, though not as prevalent in this book. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Dragon Rose (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms)

Title: DragonRose

Series: Tales of the Latter Kingdoms (Book #2)

Year: 2012

Author: Christine Pope

Summary: The shadow of the cursed Dragon Lord has hung over the town of Lirinsholme for centuries, and no one ever knows when the Dragon will claim his next doomed Bride. Rhianne Menyon has dreams of being a painter, but her world changes forever when a single moment of sacrifice brings her to Black's Keep as the Dragon's latest Bride. As she attempts to adjust to her new life -- and to know something of the monster who is now her husband -- she begins to see that the curse is far crueler than she first believed. Unraveling the mystery of what happened to the Dragon's Brides is only the beginning... (from Goodreads)

Main Characters:
~ Rhianne
~ Theran Blackmoor
~ Sar

Review: As far as Beauty and the Beast retellings go, this one handled the aspect of the Beast’s curse in a very creative way. However, other elements of the story make it difficult for me to recommend the book for fairy tale fanatics.

Rhianne is the eldest of four daughters born to a tradesman. She despises her mother’s choice of suitor, a rich man of forty-five years, and thrives in helping her father by painting the stoneware and other pottery he makes. However, her painting skill is somewhat of a disgrace to her name as girls aren’t supposed to be dabbling in trade.

Rhianne is only a month away from aging out of the dreaded call for the Dragon’s Bride. Fro 500 years, he's called for a bride from the little town of Lirinsholme, and no girl wants to answer that call -- because it's a death sentence. Even though the Bride’s family receives a large monetary gift, the Bride herself will be dead not long after her marriage to the Dragon. As ill luck has it, the Dragon Lord of Black’s Keep calls for a bride only just after Rhianne’s painting disgraces her to the entire town. Her best friend – a girl who is already engaged and sewing her wedding dress – is chosen as the Bride, but Rhianne decides to take her place.

As I said before, this book handles all the aspects of the Beauty and Beast story very well. I enjoyed seeing those elements fleshed out as they were. The only big thing lacking was the rose itself. Rhianne’s name means “the rose” and she and the Dragon Lord walk often in the rose gardens, but it is not the rose that begins Rhianne’s adventures with the beast.

Theran Blackmoor, the Dragon Lord himself, is very much like the beast of lore. It always bothered me that so many Beauty and the Beast retellings portray the beast as an ill-tempered brute with anger management issues when the original fairy tales (granted, depending on which variation you read) showed him as a disfigured and rather gentle man. Theran was appropriately moody, and I thought his curse was very well executed. I found I quite liked the Bride twist.

I do realize that this is the second book in a series of fairy tale retellings; however, I believe they are basically stand-alone novels. I have absolutely no idea what the first book was about -- I just read this one because I found it free for Kindle one day and thought I'd try it out as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I can't recommend the series because I really don't know anything else about the other books.

Advisory: The biggest objection for me was Rhianne's desire for romance and physical intimacy. Once she realizes that she's fallen in love with the Dragon Lord, she wants to kiss him and be near him physically. She wonders what it would be like to be treated like a wife, leading to some not-so-graphic thoughts and feelings. There is also a scene in which she and Theran consummate their marriage, though nothing is described graphically and the scene itself is more suggestive than anything else. Still, I was uncomfortable reading it, and it is for this reason that I can't give this book a higher rating. 

Some talk and portrayal of violence/suicide/murder. The story itself has a darker, more mature tone because it includes these elements, but I didn't think any of it horribly graphic or over the top. 

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars