ARC Review: Ironskin by Tina Connolly

The Book:

It has been five years since the Great War ended, but its tragic victims remain. For those marked by fey curses, the only way to protect others from harm is by encasing the damage in iron. For Jane Eliot, that means wearing an iron mask and having to get by on the remnants of her skills. When she applies for a governess job that alludes to a fey-cursed child, Jane is sure that she can help. What she cannot seem to help is the growing feelings she has for her young charge's father, or her concern about what is happening inside his studio...

The Yarn:

Alternate reality fantasy is a fun read for me, as it can be a terrific look at history through a different lens. In Ironskin, a Great War between humans and fey has dealt damage to England; the country still struggles in its aftermath of lost technology, and war victims try to live their lives with the damage that the fey bombs inflicted.  Jane Eliot has dealt with the fey curse that mars her cheek by doning an iron mask, protecting others from its twisted power. Taking a job as governess to one that is also afflicted, Jane works to help both young Dorie control her powers, as she has worked to control the rage that can course through her -- and others -- without her iron shield. Dorie also works to stifle the feelings she has for Dorie's father, Edward Rochart. It isn't difficult at first, as both Jane's shame at her scars, and concern about Rochart's work, make it difficult to trust him. Rochart's studio is closed to most, but as ugly women walk in, beautiful women walk out. Women as beautiful as fey. Questions abound, not just about Dorie's power or Rochart's studio, but in the truth of how far Jane will go to find true love - and true beauty - again.

Ironskin has been touted as a "Jane Eyre retelling", and I will have to presume that comparison as favorable as I have never actually read Jane Eyre myself - bad librarian!  Even without that, I felt drawn into this Victorian fantasy where fey and human used to work together and where technology existed before the Great War and humans must rely (once again) on coal and steam to power things. Jane's character developed through the entire book, and while sometimes she was frustrating (as heroines in love are wont to be) there was a thread of strength and caring, not only in her relationship with Dorie, but with her sister Helen as well. I will say that the story took turns I was not expecting, and I am intrigued to discover what will happen in the next book.

The Ink:

Title: Ironskin
Author: Tina Connolly
Publisher: Tor
Date: October 2, 2012
Read: Print Advance Reading Copy Provided by the Publisher

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Review: Black Blade Blues by J. A. Pitts

The Book:

Sarah Beauhall is a blacksmith, but since that kind of work doesn't really make ends meet, she also works nights as a props manager for her friend's low-budget fantasy film. When the lead breaks her favorite sword on set, Sarah agrees to reforge it so the shoot won't stretch on longer. One of the dwarf extras offers his help, but it seems he has a lot of incredible news for her, like the fact he is an actual dwarf. And her blade is magic. And she is supposed to kill a dragon. Before Sarah can say shape-shifter, things really start to get weird, and fantasy becomes fact as Sarah must go from behind the scenes to playing a very real role of heroine charged with saving the world.

The Yarn:

I was impressed with Black Blade Blues on a couple different levels. Pitts brings Norse elements into the storyline very cohesively. Sarah is a very fleshed-out character from the beginning, strong and sure in her work, but a bit hot-headed and struggling with her feelings. Being told that the fate of the world is in your hands would be difficult for anyone to handle. As a young woman who is a SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) member and who creates weapons for sale at fairs and cons, it would seem logical for Sarah to be a believer off the bat. But she doesn't buy in -- and that resistance mirrors the other thread of her story that goes through the book.

Sarah is a not-out-of-the-closet lesbian in a relationship with Katie, who is quite comfortable with her orientation. Sarah's outward life -- her work, her relationship -- is diametrically opposed to the her childhood belief system. Obviously this creates tension and clashes between Katie and Sarah. So, not only do we get to see Sarah work to believe in her role in the world's salvation, to believe that dwarves and dragons exist, but we also see her struggle with caring for another woman and the feelings she has to process to believe in her relationship with Katie.

Ultimately this is a story about being the heroine who is charged with "slaying the dragon." Sarah has more than just the live one threatening her world to deal with, however, she also has the one created from her fears. Pitts does a good job balancing this urban fantasy with Sarah's struggle to find her sexual identity, and neither storyline overshadows the other's importance. The book is the first of a series, and I have the sequel, Honeyed Words, sitting on my TBR Pile. Probably not for long.

The Ink:

Title: Black Blade Blues
Author: J. A. Pitts
Publisher: Tor
Date: April 2011
Read: Library Mass Market Paperback

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Review: The Taken by Vicki Pettersson

The Book:

Griffin Shaw was a P.I. back in the day -- fifty years ago. Now, he's an angel who has been helping souls cross over to the Everlast. Griffin is forced back into a mortal body to bring the soul of one Katherine Craig over, due to his interference with her friend Nic Rockwell. Yet Griffin has skirted the rules long enough to know that the gorgeous journalist may just be able to figure out the one case he never solved: who killed him and his wife? Protecting Kit may be more than this gumshoe can handle, especially with his growing attraction to her and the forces working to stop them.

The Yarn:

Those who are thinking "oh, another fallen angel story" should think again: this book has all the elements of a hard-boiled mystery, layered with urban fantasy. The Taken introduces Griffin Shaw, a "Centurion" angel who assists souls that died violent deaths into the Everlast -- or wherever else they may be going. Fifty years ago Shaw met his own untimely demise in Las Vegas and has been trying to figure out who killed him, along with his wife, Evie, while safely - if not always kindly - guiding souls to their own everafter.

This time his actions with journalist Nicole Rockwell change Fate, which earns him a ride back into mortality and back to Sin City, along with the task of bringing Katherine Craig's soul over before he can have his wings back. Kit is a rockabilly gal working at her family newspaper and never expected that her best friend would be killed while investigating a prostitution ring. With her sleuthing sights set on finding her friend's killer, Kit and Griffin team up, discover a conspiracy far larger than they expected, and find themselves targeted by souls both mortal and not.

There is just something about this book: its genre-bending premise should please both mystery and fantasy enthusiasts. The added details of Kit's rockabilly lifestyle bring an interesting twist to the developing personalities, especially because Griffin was actually alive and in his prime during that time.  Both characters are smart, and a little damaged, and all the more believable with their stubborn focus on the cases at hand. While some of the angel-born vs. bred trope is a little over the top, Pettersson envisions a Heaven that seems as complicated as life on Earth. I was drawn into the plots, both the immediate one and those hinted to come.

As I noted in my last Pettersson review, I was not as pleased with the ending of her last series as I could have been; those who wanted a smoothly wrapped-up ending didn't get it with Joanna and her story. It was raw and real and made me shake my head and wonder "Is this it?" Pettersson is just the kind of writer that will leave strings dangling, but that tendency will certainly keep me waiting for the next in this series.

The Ink:

Title: The Taken (Celestial Blues, #1)
Author: Vicki Pettersson
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Date: July 2012
Read: Library Trade Paperback 

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Review: The Lavender Lover's Handbook by Sarah Berringer Bader

The Book:

Fragrant and beautiful, lavender has been a part of gardens for decades. Whether you are just looking for a new variety for your bed, or needing more information on its many uses, The Lavender Lover's Handbook will show you the way.

The Yarn:

I love lavender. As my gardening skills have grown these past years, this is one plant I always make sure to have. While my planter at my old apartment thrived with huge blooms, the plants that are now in my flower bed are small and woody. Needless to say I was thrilled to pick up this title so that I could learn more about it.

Sarah Berringer Bader has turned her her own passion for this herb into a successful career growing and selling them through her business, Lavender at Stonegate. I knew there were a lot more types than the Grosso I have picked up at the local nurseries, but Bader highlights 100 varieties, giving details on how the plants deal with weather and planting conditions. Other practical notes such as recipes for culinary use and dried crafts show that Bader has a broad understanding of this versatile plant. Terrific photos throughout showcase landscapes and herb gardens, where lavender adds a more than just its namesake coloring: dark blues, bright pinks and white all intermingle with a full range of purples. You can even find lavenders that are bi-color, green or silver.

A field guide, growing guide and craft guide all in one, The Lavender Lover's Handbook has something for anyone who loves this plant.

The Ink:

Title: The Lavender Lover's Handbook: The 100 Most Beautiful and Fragrant varieties for Growing, Crafting, and Cooking

Author: Sarah Berringer Bader

Publisher: Timber Press

Date: April 2012

Read: NetGalley ebook provided by publisher

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Review; The Chicken Encyclopedia by Gail Damerow

The Book:

Do you know where the "alula" is on your chicken? Do you have an Andalusian or an Aracuna? Are you trying to figure out if you chicken has "omphalitis"? Do you even know what any of these words mean? With The Chicken Encyclopedia, you will have the definitions to all of these and more at your fingertips.




The Yarn:

Gail Damerow is a well-known name when it comes to chickens, having written the Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens and The Chicken Health Handbook. In The Chicken Encyclopedia, Damerow gathers an A to Z guide for chicken owners and enthusiasts. At over 300 pages, this book is a comprehensive reference to terms used for breeds, anatomy, disease and more. Special highlights on some topics, such as "beak trimming", "droppings" and "self-sufficient breeds",  plus color illustrations provide an expansive overview to everything chicken.

While maybe not a book that you will spend leisurely reading cover to cover, The Chicken Encyclopedia is a must for those owning chickens. There is always something to learn, and Gail Damerow has provided a bright, accessible and informative reference.

The Ink:

Title: The Chicken Encyclopedia: An Illustrated Reference
Author: Gail Damerow
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Date: January 2012
Read: NetGalley e-ARC (provided by publisher)

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Review: The Fresh Egg Cookbook by Jennifer Trainer Thompson

The Book:

With the prevalence of backyard chicken owners, farmers markets and local farms, having access to fresh eggs is much easier than it has been. In fact, if you own chickens, sometimes you wonder what you can do with all of them. Fear no more, as The Fresh Egg Cookbook will take you "From Chicken to Kitchen" and give you a wealth of recipes to choose from.





The Yarn:

The Fresh Egg Cookbook comes at a time when more and more people are becoming chicken owners and finding themselves with a surplus of eggs. In her introduction, Jennifer Trainer Thompson details her journey to becoming a chicken owner in Western Massachusetts. Before launching into recipes, Thompson discusses good breeds for eggs and other questions about eggs that others may have.

The chapters outline the "Classics" of egg use in condiments like mayonnaise and Bearnaise sauce, then onto the meals. The ranges of soft- to hard-boiled eggs to the Tex-Mex migas, fried egg sandwiches to a wild mushroom ragout with poached eggs will please many. Thompson also gives ideas for what to do with those big excesses, with recipes for deviled eggs and pickled eggs. Chapters on vegetarian dishes and desserts round out the recipes. Interspersed in the chapters are vignettes about her own experiences with raising chickens. Colorful photographs of both family and food provide a great backdrop to the text.

The Fresh Egg Cookbook is a welcome addition to specialized cooking manuals. By no means exhaustive, a nice range of recipes is included. While most of the text is devoted to the meals that can be made, the personal stories are fun and make a great addition to an already lovely cookbook.


The Ink:

Title: The Fresh Egg Cookbook: From Chicken to Kitchen: Recipes for Using Eggs from Farmers' Markets, Local Farms and Your Own Backyard
Author: Jennifer Trainer Thompson
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Date: February 2012
Read: NetGalley e-ARC (provided by publisher)

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Review: Free-Range Chicken Gardens by Jessi Bloom

The Book:

It would seem that chickens and gardens should go hand-in-hand (or leaf-in-wing?) but of course you do not want your flock to eat every piece of bounty that will come through the seasons. In Free-Range Chicken Gardens, Jessi Bloom addresses how to create a space where both your flock and your vegetables can co-exist peacefully and beautifully.



The Yarn:

Free-Range Chicken Gardens is, at its essence, a how-to book both for managing a small flock of chickens in your backyard and make your backyard gardens chicken-friendly. Free-ranging provides a healthy diet for chickens, but there are a lot more plants than I realized that are poisonous or otherwise detrimental to chickens. Bloom gives coherent lists on both those and the best kids of plants to have with your birds. Chapters such as "landscape materials for chicken gardens" and "plants with purpose" will give a broad overview for any gardener ideas for their garden beds. Integrating your chickens into the backyard garden takes more than just plants, and her chapter on "innovative chicken housing" not only gives the basics, but does extra duty on how to install a greenhouse chicken coop and other garden-friendly ideas. Beautiful full-color photos of Bloom's backyard space, along with several others, gives support and inspiration to readers.

Jessi Bloom is an experienced landscape designer and chicken owner, and her knowledge comes across in a accessible and easy way in this book. While free-ranging chickens may not be practical (or in some cases legal) for many backyard gardeners, Free-Range Chicken Gardens provides a comprehensive overview and I believe will be a great addition to any urban homesteader or gardener's shelves.

The Ink:

Title: Free-Range Chicken Gardens
Author: Jessi Bloom
Publisher: Timber Press
Date: January 2012
Read: NetGalley e-ARC (provided by publisher)

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Review: Barnheart by Jenna Woginrich

The Book:

While many people are content to dabble in gardening, maybe raise a few chickens, there are some that find it just scratches the farm itch. Being able to act on those desires can take a great leap of faith. Jenna Woginrich made that leap, from Idaho to Vermont to New York. For all of those who feel the same way, the author admits this is an illness that can only be cured by sun, dirt and the sounds of the barn. This, my friends, is Barnheart.

The Yarn:

I first heard of Jenna Woginrich with her first book, Made From Scratch, and have been reading her blog, Cold Antler Farm, since then. Farming has become chic to a lot of people; urban homesteading is growing by leaps and bounds, as you can see from any bookstore or libraries' shelves. However, there are many who are not doing it to just be part of the culture that it has become, but because their lives need it.

Barnheart chronicles Woginrich's journey back to the East Coast and her time in Vermont, plus her acquisition of the homestead she has now in upstate New York. Farming is not an easy life, and Woginrich does not back away from the lean times, the solitude, the mistakes, the fear that came with her decisions. Failure is always a possibility; failure happens. (Anyone who has followed Neysa's journey on Homegrown.org will know it does.) Beyond this, there is success also, and Woginrich shares the joy of walking the path to achieving her dream, her life goals, one step at a time.

What I really enjoyed was the changes in writing from her first book to this one. There is an amount of self-revelation that Woginrich has given her readers which was not evident in the first book. While this would definitely not be considered a Photoshopped version of farming, there is a depth of self-awareness and analysis in Barnheart that I do not remember from Made From Scratch. What Barnheart emphasizes is the perseverance, even knowing the failures and downsides. Because as Woginrich points out time and time again, Barnheart is not about a pastime - it is a way of life.

The Ink:

Title: Barnheart
Author: Jenna Woginrich
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Date: December 2011
Read: Purchased copy

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