Book Review: DISPIRITED by Luisa Perkins

Goodreads synopsis:Cathy sees things that are invisible to everyone else. Her new stepbrother's bizarre behavior. A ghostly little boy. An abandoned house in the woods. But she doesn't see how they're all connected. And what she doesn't see might just kill her.
Image source, Goodreads link

My thoughts: 

DUDE. 

This book was creepy! I do a lot of reading in the dark, middle of the night while I'm nursing a baby girl, and I couldn't do that with this book. TOOOOOO creepy. 

Even though, at first, the house is supposed to be all welcoming and good, it's CREEPY. A house that no one else can see? 

WEIRD. 

The storyline was great, captivating and fun. It is ghostly and wistful and a nice comfortable scare. 

I didn't love the end, but I know that it was the ONLY way to go with the story. I don't disparage the choice. 

Great read. Fun read. CREEPY read. 

Book Review: BIG IN JAPAN by Jennifer Griffith

Goodreads synopsis: Buck Cooper doesn't remember when he became invisible. It was probably around the time he hit 300 pounds, and that was quite a few pounds ago. At six-foot-six, he's the elephant in the room nobody notices. Still, his social leprosy doesn't keep him from putting in for a promotion in the stats department, or from carrying a torch for the gorgeous Alison, who just might see through the blubber to the real Buck inside.

So when Buck gets Shanghaied to Tokyo for a family emergency, the last thing he expects is to be marveled at everywhere he goes. Little kids run up to him and want to pull the hair on his arms. He's suddenly the Jolly Blond Giant.

As his life takes a new turn in a country where being big can mean fame and fortune, Buck must embark on the most dangerous yet adventurous ride of his life--to find the ultimate meaning of love and acceptance. Even if it means risking his life and giving up everything he has.
(image source) (Good reads review)

Truth: I didn't expect to like this book.

There, I said it.

But I did!

I didn't expect to care about a white guy sumo wrestling in Japan.

But I did!

I was captivated by Buck's experiences, horrified at the conditions that he was put into, and really quite afraid for him.

Add to that the fact that I did NOT want him to succeed when it came to his quest to "win" his love interest, (I didn't want ANYONE to win in that competition) and I was turning pages as fast as I could.

I was skeptical at the author's ability to portray a big white boy Texan, and there were moments when I wondered if she was just writing how she THOUGHT a big white boy Texan would think/act as opposed to how a big white boy Texan actually would (I feel only slightly at the advantage here, being married to exactly that, minus the sumo wrestling and a hundred pounds). But it wasn't enough to really bother me, just to make me go "hmm" a couple times.

All in all, a recommended read for certain.

Book Review: The Sweetest Spell, by Susan Selfors

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Goodreads synopsis:
Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline. 

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all.

My thoughts: 

This book was yummy. 

I'm being serious. A book about chocolate as magic? Yes please!

I've read all of Susan Selfor's YA novels, which are usually set in modern times, with magic as an undercurrent to the real, modern world. I enjoyed them all as light, fun, cute and romantic reads. 

The Sweetest Spell sticks with the formula that magic is more in the periphery rather than the main theme, while telling a story of love, acceptance, friendship in unlikely places and good verses evil, in a mythical renaissance-like world. 

The story has two narrators which is enjoyable. It did take me a couple of sentences in some chapters to catch that a switch between story-tellers was made, but it  wasn't really bothersome. Owen's narration was fun and pithy. Emmaline's is honest and innocent. It makes a nice contrast between the two, while drawing the tale together nicely. 

Like all of Selfor's novels, the story is all wrapped up nice by the end, which I'd say is a spoiler but really, would you expect anything else? 

It's a fun weekend read for sure.