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Always, Always Reading Books, Recipes, and Life Kitschy Witch The Herb Gardener

Monday, March 24, 2014

The Gilly Salt Sisters

If you like to read magical realism and/or Alice Hoffman, you will like The Gilly Salt Sisters by Tiffany Baker. Jo and Claire live on Salt Creek Farm in the isolated Cape Cod village of Prospect in New England. They are both feared and revered by their fellow villagers because of the custom of casting salt into the bonfire every December's Eve to tell the future of the village for the coming year. If the fire flashed blue, it meant the town would prosper. If it flashed yellow, some kind of change was on the horizon. If it flashed black, dire consequences would follow. Instead of being a comfort to each other, Jo and Claire become enemies when Claire marries Jo's sweetheart, Whit, after her first love, Ethan, joins the priesthood. Throughout the novel, loyalties shift, the boundaries of family are tested, and secrets are revealed. The novel is an entertaining read and I enjoyed it. All of the characters are multifaceted and I can relate to most of them, except for Claire and Whit. Claire and Whit seem to be unbelievably selfish and self-centered. Also, Claire has a very unhealthy fascination with fire. But it's hard to put this novel down and I recommend it.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

The Selection

Every now and then, you read a book that is just like eating a box of chocolates, light and fluffy. The Selection by Kiera Cass is one of these books. America Singer lives in a future dystopian society where the United States is now Illea and run by royalty. Prince Maxon is selecting thirty five girls to live in the palace. He will choose his future wife and queen from these thirty five girls. Think a royal dystopian version of The Bachelor. America wants none of this. She just wants to marry her boyfriend, Aspen. Although Aspen loves her, he is reluctant to marry her because he is in a caste that is lower than hers and he is concerned that he wouldn't be able to provide for her. So, her persuades her to enter The Selection both for the money that it will bring to her family and to give her the chance at a better life. America's family, especially her mother, is very persuasive as well. Now will it surprise anybody when I say that America starts to develop feelings for Prince Maxon and he starts to develop feelings for her? Of course not. But this is a fun, good-hearted, light, escapist read and I literally couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, The Elite. I've already got it checked out of the library.