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<i>This eBook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review </i>
After being out of print for sixty years, <i>Ilsa</i>, one of Madeleine L’Engle’s first novels has been republished, giving readers the chance to discover the rare, little known story. L’Engle is recognized as the author of <i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> and a selection of young adult novels, however <i>Ilsa</i> is an example of L’Engle’s ability to pen a much darker story.
Fundamentally a love story, <i>Ilsa</i> is set in America during the first half of the 1900s. Whilst this gives it an historical context to current readers, it would have been the present day when the story was originally published. The narrator, Henry Porcher, first meets the titular character at the age of ten, shortly before his family whisks him away to temporary accommodation many miles away. In this brief introduction, Henry falls in love with Isla, despite her being three years older than him. From this point on, Henry’s mind and heart are filled with thoughts about Ilsa, and is saddened that his family possess antagonistic opinions about her and her father.
Henry and Ilsa come from entirely different backgrounds. The Porcher’s are a large family with an air of superiority, a stark contrast to the humble lodgings of Ilsa and her naturalist father, Dr. Brandes. Whilst Henry’s parents look down on Dr. Brandes, Ilsa views the Porcher’s as rich and biggity. Yet, Henry and Ilsa are happy to be friends – a <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>-esque relationship, unfortunately with romantic attraction only falling on one side.
Despite his hopes, Henry realizes that Ilsa will never be his. By the age of twenty-four, he already feels like a failure, yet he continues to shadow and worship Ilsa without a care to how his life turns out. Henry painstakingly witnesses Ilsa’s transformation from girl to woman, marrying a man who does not deserve her, becoming a mother, a widow, and finally suffering health wise. Forfeiting his chance of career and marriage, Henry experiences the darker side of love, and pays the price of unrequited love.
For a story about love,<i> Ilsa </i>contains no romance or passionate scenes, and once Henry loses his childhood naivety, it begins to become rather dull. The reader will initially anticipate a happy ending, but the lack of a climax reveals that this will not be forthcoming. <i>Ilsa</i> is far more interesting at the beginning of the novel, a time when anything could happen, but becomes increasingly disheartening as it goes along.
Having not read the celebrate author before, I have no idea how <i>Ilsa</i> compares to the more popular of L’Engle’s novels. Personally, I am not impelled to seek out any of her other books, however that does not mean I deem<i> Ilsa</i> terrible. For fans of L’Engle, this book is certainly worth seeking out, particularly this edition, which contains a brief biography and selection of photographs of the author throughout her life.
After being out of print for sixty years, <i>Ilsa</i>, one of Madeleine L’Engle’s first novels has been republished, giving readers the chance to discover the rare, little known story. L’Engle is recognized as the author of <i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> and a selection of young adult novels, however <i>Ilsa</i> is an example of L’Engle’s ability to pen a much darker story.
Fundamentally a love story, <i>Ilsa</i> is set in America during the first half of the 1900s. Whilst this gives it an historical context to current readers, it would have been the present day when the story was originally published. The narrator, Henry Porcher, first meets the titular character at the age of ten, shortly before his family whisks him away to temporary accommodation many miles away. In this brief introduction, Henry falls in love with Isla, despite her being three years older than him. From this point on, Henry’s mind and heart are filled with thoughts about Ilsa, and is saddened that his family possess antagonistic opinions about her and her father.
Henry and Ilsa come from entirely different backgrounds. The Porcher’s are a large family with an air of superiority, a stark contrast to the humble lodgings of Ilsa and her naturalist father, Dr. Brandes. Whilst Henry’s parents look down on Dr. Brandes, Ilsa views the Porcher’s as rich and biggity. Yet, Henry and Ilsa are happy to be friends – a <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>-esque relationship, unfortunately with romantic attraction only falling on one side.
Despite his hopes, Henry realizes that Ilsa will never be his. By the age of twenty-four, he already feels like a failure, yet he continues to shadow and worship Ilsa without a care to how his life turns out. Henry painstakingly witnesses Ilsa’s transformation from girl to woman, marrying a man who does not deserve her, becoming a mother, a widow, and finally suffering health wise. Forfeiting his chance of career and marriage, Henry experiences the darker side of love, and pays the price of unrequited love.
For a story about love,<i> Ilsa </i>contains no romance or passionate scenes, and once Henry loses his childhood naivety, it begins to become rather dull. The reader will initially anticipate a happy ending, but the lack of a climax reveals that this will not be forthcoming. <i>Ilsa</i> is far more interesting at the beginning of the novel, a time when anything could happen, but becomes increasingly disheartening as it goes along.
Having not read the celebrate author before, I have no idea how <i>Ilsa</i> compares to the more popular of L’Engle’s novels. Personally, I am not impelled to seek out any of her other books, however that does not mean I deem<i> Ilsa</i> terrible. For fans of L’Engle, this book is certainly worth seeking out, particularly this edition, which contains a brief biography and selection of photographs of the author throughout her life.
Merissa (13100 KP) rated War of Gods Box Set (War of Gods #1-4) in Books
Nov 5, 2017
War of Gods Box Set (War of Gods #1-4) by Lizzy Ford
War of Gods Box Set features the first four books in this series by Lizzy Ford. I understand there is a spin-off featuring at least Xander, but I'm not sure about the rest of the characters. I had previously read Danian's Oracle and couldn't wait to continue with this series. I wasn't disappointed! The female characters are strong in their own right, and not afraid to stand up to the male in their lives. The men are stubborn and opinionated, but tamed (sorted of) by their women. The stories all link up, so I would recommend that you read them as a series, just so that you don't get confused with what is going on, or what has gone on before. The writing is smooth in most places, but sometimes felt a bit jerky when it came to the love scenes that weren't written. Instead of fading to black, they abruptly cut to black, and then to the following morning. This wasn't a big issue, it just felt more obvious considering how smooth the rest of the writing was.
I loved Damian's Oracle and The Grey God. Whilst I didn't 'love' the others, I still thoroughly enjoyed them! I have no hesitation in recommending this series for all those who love feisty females and macho males.
* Verified Purchase ~ August 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I loved Damian's Oracle and The Grey God. Whilst I didn't 'love' the others, I still thoroughly enjoyed them! I have no hesitation in recommending this series for all those who love feisty females and macho males.
* Verified Purchase ~ August 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Restoring Love in Books
Feb 27, 2019
My Thoughts:
Let me get myself together for a moment. *Deep breaths*. Ok. There,that's better. Where was I? Oh yes. I was going to tell you my thoughts on this book. This is my first Jennifer Slattery book. It most certainly will not be my last. It's like this book is speaking to me. It's a book on second chances, on honesty, on restoring faith and hope. That's what this book did to me now, after recent troubles in my life.
Through the characters, both good ones and bad, I fell in love with this book. Their stories showed me that if I believe, if I have faith, my heart will be restored. Leaning on God and understanding that it's all in His time, His will, love can be restored no matter what. Letting go, forgiveness, and acceptance make up wonderful pages of this book. The characters blended perfectly with the plot line and captivated me, heart and soul.
Ms. Slattery's book is deserving of no less than 5 stars. If I could give it 5,000 stars I would. I highly recommend that you grab this book, devour it and feel the feels that I felt in this book. You won't be sorry when you do. I can't wait to read another amazing book by her talented hands. <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/review-restoring-love-jennifer-slatterly/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Let me get myself together for a moment. *Deep breaths*. Ok. There,that's better. Where was I? Oh yes. I was going to tell you my thoughts on this book. This is my first Jennifer Slattery book. It most certainly will not be my last. It's like this book is speaking to me. It's a book on second chances, on honesty, on restoring faith and hope. That's what this book did to me now, after recent troubles in my life.
Through the characters, both good ones and bad, I fell in love with this book. Their stories showed me that if I believe, if I have faith, my heart will be restored. Leaning on God and understanding that it's all in His time, His will, love can be restored no matter what. Letting go, forgiveness, and acceptance make up wonderful pages of this book. The characters blended perfectly with the plot line and captivated me, heart and soul.
Ms. Slattery's book is deserving of no less than 5 stars. If I could give it 5,000 stars I would. I highly recommend that you grab this book, devour it and feel the feels that I felt in this book. You won't be sorry when you do. I can't wait to read another amazing book by her talented hands. <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/review-restoring-love-jennifer-slatterly/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Angel-A (2005) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Je t'aime
My number 3 title in my #top10 #favourite films is 'Angel-a'
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#Angela is a very underrated #lucbesson movie but for me its his absolute best work. This #film has had such a massive impact on my life/who I am as a person & for that reason alone its a film I hold so close to my #heart. Essentially a #love story but different to the kind we are used to #Angel-a is #heartbreaking, #funny, #strange & visually #breathtaking. Teaching not only about the importance of love but more about the importance of learning to #loveyourself first Angel-a has such a powerful message especially for people feeling lost in life. Simply #beautiful to look at with every scene looking like a piece of art & directed with such #passion, love & care that I was pulled right into its #weird & wonderful story right from the start. Its an #emotional rollercoaster at times hitting you right in the heart but it also has just enough #crazy Besson style & humour to make it truly unique & different to what you would expect from the genre. Seemingly #inspired by the film wingsofdesire by #wimwenders & just like it Angle-a too is also rich in #philosophy & the cast is an absolute joy to watch. While not for everyone I simply can not describe how much I adore this movie. ------------------------------------------------
#filmbuff #filmcritic #angel #heaven #magical #fantasy #art #artsy #french #wednesdaywisdom
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#Angela is a very underrated #lucbesson movie but for me its his absolute best work. This #film has had such a massive impact on my life/who I am as a person & for that reason alone its a film I hold so close to my #heart. Essentially a #love story but different to the kind we are used to #Angel-a is #heartbreaking, #funny, #strange & visually #breathtaking. Teaching not only about the importance of love but more about the importance of learning to #loveyourself first Angel-a has such a powerful message especially for people feeling lost in life. Simply #beautiful to look at with every scene looking like a piece of art & directed with such #passion, love & care that I was pulled right into its #weird & wonderful story right from the start. Its an #emotional rollercoaster at times hitting you right in the heart but it also has just enough #crazy Besson style & humour to make it truly unique & different to what you would expect from the genre. Seemingly #inspired by the film wingsofdesire by #wimwenders & just like it Angle-a too is also rich in #philosophy & the cast is an absolute joy to watch. While not for everyone I simply can not describe how much I adore this movie. ------------------------------------------------
#filmbuff #filmcritic #angel #heaven #magical #fantasy #art #artsy #french #wednesdaywisdom
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated As Long as We Both Shall Live in Books
May 22, 2019
My wife! I think shes dead! Matt frantically calls to park rangers, explaining that he and his wife, Marie, were out hiking when she stumbled on a cliff edge and fell into the raging river below. They start a search but arent hopeful: no one could have survived that fall.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated Mardi Gras Murder in Books
Oct 10, 2018
Murder Dampens Mardi Gras This Year
Maggie Crozat's home town of Pelican was flooded out just three weeks ago, but the community is rallying together to repair and rebuild. And they certainly aren't planning to let that curtail this year's Mardi Gras celebration. Unfortunately, Maggie has gotten roped in to help with this year's Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen Pageant, something she is definitely against. However, when she finds one of the judges dead, she begins to wonder if she is in danger because she's taken on this job. Or does it tie back to the body of the John Doe that was found during the flood?
This is a fantastic book with a creative mystery for us to solve. A strong sub-plot only adds to the fun of the book, and the climax ties everything together perfectly, including a plot point or two I'd forgotten about. The characters are fantastic as always; I truly love the large cast of series regulars. The suspects are strong, although it took a bit to remember how all of them are connected at first. The cast of characters at the beginning certainly helped with that. I did find the timeline felt a bit off at a few points, but this was a minor complaint. I love learning about a completely different region, and author Ellen Byron's love comes through. The recipes at the end will satisfy the cravings you'll develop while reading the book.
This is a fantastic book with a creative mystery for us to solve. A strong sub-plot only adds to the fun of the book, and the climax ties everything together perfectly, including a plot point or two I'd forgotten about. The characters are fantastic as always; I truly love the large cast of series regulars. The suspects are strong, although it took a bit to remember how all of them are connected at first. The cast of characters at the beginning certainly helped with that. I did find the timeline felt a bit off at a few points, but this was a minor complaint. I love learning about a completely different region, and author Ellen Byron's love comes through. The recipes at the end will satisfy the cravings you'll develop while reading the book.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Girl's Guide to Vampires (Dark Ones #1) in Books
Nov 18, 2019
I loved it
Contains spoilers, click to show
All Joy Randall wants is a little old-fashioned romance, but when she participates in a "Goddess evoking" ceremony with her friend, Roxy, Joy finds out her future true love is a man with the potential to put her immortal soul in danger. At first the ever-practical Joy is ready to dismiss her vision as a product of too much gin and too many vampire romances, but while traveling through the Czech Republic with Roxy, Joy begins to have some second thoughts about her mystery lover because she is suddenly plagued by visions of a lethally handsome stranger. Then, when she and Roxy attend a local GothFaire, Joy meets Raphael Griffin St. John, head of security, and she becomes even more bewildered because the dark and dangerous Raphael seems too close to her dreams for comfort.
Oh I absolutely loved this book!! It was funny and witty full of well written steamy scenes! Kept you guessing whether Joy was going crazy or vampires truly existed! Also very refreshing to find the vamp wasn't actually the love of her life she took another route! Who by the way was totally hot!! Joy's friendship with Roxy is just perfect and a lot like most friendships. I really want to take a trip to find me a Dark one!
I love Katie Macalister's writing style it's always on the edge!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oh I absolutely loved this book!! It was funny and witty full of well written steamy scenes! Kept you guessing whether Joy was going crazy or vampires truly existed! Also very refreshing to find the vamp wasn't actually the love of her life she took another route! Who by the way was totally hot!! Joy's friendship with Roxy is just perfect and a lot like most friendships. I really want to take a trip to find me a Dark one!
I love Katie Macalister's writing style it's always on the edge!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
AT (1676 KP) rated The Warehouse in Books
Mar 14, 2020 (Updated Mar 14, 2020)
I didn't love The Warehouse. It was fine, but I hated the end. Not the actual ending, itself, but what was solved. First of all, I was concerned when I reached the halfway point in the book, and not much had happened, and it didn't seem like anyone was going to get to what they were searching for anytime soon. It's difficult to wrap up a novel with less than half of the book left when there is a big unknown lingering around. I think the book either could have stood to be even longer for better explanation, or at least not seem like it was being wrapped up quickly with random details. I felt like it was wrapped up with sudden major, unrelatable situations, just to put an end to the story. I guess it's personal preference. I just think I would've enjoyed it more had the ending had different details. I don't want to give a spoiler, so I don't want to say what the details were that I didn't love, but if you read it, you'll know what I mean. Maybe you'll like it, though. I still gave it a 7, because I don't think it deserves a bomb at 6. I just didn't love the end. The story, itself, was a smooth, easy read, at least. It was fine for me up until a certain point. Interesting environment, that's for sure.
BookwormLea (3034 KP) rated Pushing Daisies - Season 1 in TV
Feb 19, 2020 (Updated Feb 19, 2020)
Does anyone remember this?
Contains spoilers, click to show
I first watched this as a bright eyed primary school child of the ripe age of 10. I remember thinking how strange a programme it was and that I hadn't seen anything like it before. Granted, I was stuck watching barbie and disney movies with my younger sisters but you get my point. This programme single handedly introduced me to death. And is very likely the reason I love horror and thriller movies now.
Don't get me wrong, this show was about love and very much a comedy. There was very little gore if any and from what I remember, I only saw one bloody face. The worst part was probably the dog dying in the beginning or the fact that the ML and FL can't even kiss because she will cease to live(again).
What I loved most about this show was how fantastically stupid it was, as much as I would have loved more seasons I'm really not suprised it only had 2. Have you ever wanted to see a man able to bring the dead to life with his touch fall in love with a dead ex girlfriend? Oh and he helps solve crime with his cop friend? Oh, and the dead stay alive for a minute unless someone replaces them? Well, this is the show for you! And its exactly as it sounds. Amazing!
Don't get me wrong, this show was about love and very much a comedy. There was very little gore if any and from what I remember, I only saw one bloody face. The worst part was probably the dog dying in the beginning or the fact that the ML and FL can't even kiss because she will cease to live(again).
What I loved most about this show was how fantastically stupid it was, as much as I would have loved more seasons I'm really not suprised it only had 2. Have you ever wanted to see a man able to bring the dead to life with his touch fall in love with a dead ex girlfriend? Oh and he helps solve crime with his cop friend? Oh, and the dead stay alive for a minute unless someone replaces them? Well, this is the show for you! And its exactly as it sounds. Amazing!
Crank: The Gibson Boys Series Volume 1
Book
Crank is a standalone romance in a new small town, blue-collar series from USA Today bestselling...
romance