Tag: journals

What’s Ashley Reading?: Lucy Undying

Lucy Undying by Kiersten White

First line: It starts the moment you look out the window.

Summary: Lucy Westenra was just a minor character in the story of Dracula. Or at least that is what everyone thought. Since she was changed into a vampire she has spent the years searching for meaning in her eternal life. From the battlefields of Europe to the streets of modern day London it appears that nothing will give her peace and the love she has long been looking for.

Iris is trying to escape her family legacy and the dark secrets of her past. In a bid to hide, she runs away to London in order to sell any family heirlooms worth anything for quick cash. However, she did not intend to meet the stunning and brilliant Elle, a local historian who gives Iris hope that there are good people still in the world.

As the women navigate the threats to Iris they discover that they have much more in common, including a mutual enemy. They create a plan to try and bring down the dark powers that are slowly spreading across the world in a daring chance to find their own happiness in the end.

My Thoughts: Dracula is my favorite of the classic gothic novels. I have read or watched many depictions or spinoffs from the original tale, so when I saw a book centering on Lucy I knew I needed to read it.

In White’s new take on the Dracula story we get a Lucy who is desperately in love with Mina and lures Dracula to her in order to save a woman who will never love her back. This is an interesting twist that continues to drive the story along. Lucy, through her remembrances and journal entries, shows us how she really felt about the men around her during her final days. And since reading this I will see these characters just a little differently.

The story does bounce around a LOT. Chapters alternate between Human Lucy, Vampire Lucy and Iris giving us all sorts of perspectives. It started out very confusing but as I got used to the layout I became more comfortable with it.

There were times while reading where it seemed the story had reached a natural end but then it continued on with a new revelation or event that pushed the narrative into new territories. At points it felt like the story was being dragged out and ran rather slow. I did enjoy the end when everything picks up and big reveals are made. It was a fun take on a classic story that many people are familiar with.

If you love Dracula retellings then this is the book for you as spooky season is upon us!

Book Review: The Light of Paris

The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown

First Line: I didn’t set out to lose myself.

Summary: Madeleine is a married woman who is bored and unhappy with her life.  Her husband is controls everything from the money to what she

is allowed to do with her day.  She loves to paint but he has made it clear that he does not think that this is something she should be spending her time doing.  When she goes home to visit her mother she finds her grandmother’s journals in a trunk in the attic.  Through the writings of a woman she barely knew she finds out more about herself and what she wants from life.

Margie is a young woman in 1924.  She was a debutante but remains unmarried making her practically an old maid.  When the chance to chaperone her younger cousin around Europe is presented she jumps at the chance to see the world before she settles into marriage with one of her father’s business partners.  But the trip doesn’t turn out as planned.  Her cousin ditches her in Paris leaving Margie with the question of what to do alone in Europe.  Rather than take her parents advice and return home she decides that Paris has more to offer her, even if it’s only for a little while.

Highlights: Paris!  It has been 11 years since I visited the City of Lights but I want to go again.  This book took me back to the 4 days I got to spend there in college.  The monuments, cathedrals and the food were magical!  I envy Margie the chance to live in this beautiful city.  I liked the flashbacks.  It made the story richer as you found out more about each woman.  I was able to connect with them and became invested in each of their lives.

Lowlights: Most of the story was very predictable.  I knew what was going to happen in most of the book but that is not always a bad thing.  It felt like a safe and comfortable read.

FYI: You will want to visit (or live) in Paris after this!