Book Thoughts - Temple of a Thousand Faces by John Shors

Temple of a Thousand Faces by John Shors
published 2/13
512 pages

Synopsis from publisher -


When his land is taken by force, Prince Jayavar of the Khmer people narrowly escapes death at the hands of the conquering Cham king, Indravarman. Exiled from their homeland, he and his mystical wife Ajadevi set up a secret camp in the jungle with the intention of amassing an army bold enough to reclaim their kingdom and free their people. Meanwhile, Indravarman rules with an iron fist, pitting even his most trusted men against each other and quashing any hint of rebellion.

Moving from a poor fisherman's family whose sons find the courage to take up arms against their oppressors, to a beautiful bride who becomes a prize of war, to an ambitious warrior whose allegiance is torn--Temple of a Thousand Faces is an unforgettable saga of love, betrayal, and survival at any cost.

My thoughts -

One of the reasons I love to read historical fiction is the opportunity to lose myself in a place and time that I know nothing about. Case in point - I just spent 30 minutes browsing Wikipedia learning about Angkor Wat, the Khmers and the Chams, and the history of Cambodia. This novel takes place in a country and time I knew virtually nothing about, and now its history is part of my life.

Shors' cast of characters is not well known - the historical facts are somewhat sparse, so he is free to create beliefs and motivations for his characters that would be harder to do if he were writing about, say, Elizabeth I. While it would be interesting to see a bit more nuance - his good guys are very good, and his bad guys solely bad - I thought the story he weaves together felt true and organic.

Shors' novel is very much a collection of love stories, and the one I felt most connected to was the family of Boran and Soriya and their two sons. I quickly grew to care for this family that chooses not only to survive, but to resist their invaders, and I have to admit I got a bit emotional as their story drew to a close.

"He reached for her, and suddenly it was as if the years had gone backward. He was simply a boy who needed the comfort of his mother, of the person who had brought him into the world and who understood the beauty of turtles and memories and togetherness." (p. 362)

I enjoyed Shors' writing style very much. It was never flowery or overly-descriptive, but he always allowed me to see the amazing sights that would be before my eyes. There were a couple of times I felt like perhaps he gave his characters a bit too much insight - everyone was very wise, and on a few occasions it seemed to impede the flow of the novel just a bit. I wasn't surprised by any of the events of the novel, but it didn't feel predictable, and I found the reading experience enjoyable.

If you are a historical fiction fan, I definitely recommend this book. I will certainly be looking for more by this author - he has won himself a fan here!

Finished - 3/18/13
Source - review copy from the publisher- thank you!
MPAA rating - PG-13 for adult situations and violence
My rating - 8/10

Book Thoughts - The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
published 2010
audiobook - read by Orlagh Cassidy and Bahni Turpin

Synopsis from publisher -

Lavinia, a seven-year-old Irish orphan with no memory of her past, arrives on a tobacco plantation where she is put to work as an indentured servant. Placed with the slaves in the kitchen house under the care of Belle, the master’s illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her new adopted family, even though she is forever set apart from them by her white skin. As Lavinia is slowly accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles an opium addiction, she finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds.

My thoughts -

Reading this book made me tense. That's actually a compliment, though it might not seem that way. I found myself waiting in the car when I got to work, not wanting to stop listening. I thought about the characters and their situations throughout the day. I felt actual anxiety about the dilemmas they found themselves in. That's how wrapped up I was in Grissom's story.

Lavinia was a fascinating narrator - clearly unreliable from the start, but so believable that I couldn't help taking her story at her word. Belle was so strong, and fearless - I was amazed by her resilience and ingenuity. Grissom did draw clear lines between who was in the right and who as in the wrong - her readers never wondered about who they should root for. But within those lines, she gave her characters subtle nuances and shades that kept them from seeming too perfectly scripted.

I found myself captivated by Grissom's unique perspective on the life of a plantation - as Lavinia grew, so did her world, and it was fascinating to learn more with her. There were several places where I was able to anticipate what would happen next, though that didn't spoil the story for me. I did think the ending perhaps a bit rushed, but it was satisfying.

The audio production of this novel was magnificent. The two narrators absolutely nailed the voices of Lavinia and Belle, and were surely a major factor in my ability to lose myself in this story.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, give this one a try - it's a page turner for sure, and I don't think you will be disappointed.

Finished - 3/14/13
Source - Audible.com
MPAA rating - PG-13 for violence and adult situations
My rating - 8/10

Sunday Shorts

The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn
published 4/31/12
338 pages

Synopsis from publisher -



For fifteen years, Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But Maria knows that Dante can never give everything of himself back—at least not all of the time. Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. He cant choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt, and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing

Maria has kept his secret since the beginning, knowing that their love is worth the danger. But when a string of brutal attacks occurs in local parks while Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies shes been telling about her life have turned into lies shes telling herself...

My thoughts -

Sharon Shinn is absolutely my guilty pleasure author. When I say I don't read romance novels, I mean I don't read romance novels UNLESS they are written by Sharon Shinn. I just love the way this woman tells a story, and this new novel did not disappoint. I don't think it's my favorite of her work, but I sure hope she plans for this to be a series, because I can't wait to find out what happens to Maria and Dante next. Recommended for fans of fantasy with a healthy dose of romance tossed in.

Finished - 2/27/13

Source - South side library

MPAA Rating - R for adult situations and violence

My rating - 8/10

Scarlet - The Lunar Chronicles, #2 by Marissa Meyer
published 2/5/13
384 pages

Synopsis from publisher -


Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison — even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

My thoughts -

While I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the first in the series, this was certainly a fun and quick read. Scarlet seemed much more "romancy" than it's predecessor, which is really the part of this story that I'm the least interested in. I'm still looking forward to the rest of the series, however, and this was a fun way to spend a weekend.

Finished - 3/3/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - PG-13
My rating - 7/10