Book Review/Recommendation: "The Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson

There's only less than a handful of books that have had me perturbed and fascinated me all at the same time. Equally compelled to read and give up from exasperation....

"The Gargoyle" is a very well written story, the attention to detail and the way in which the author weaves the story is incredible. A New York Times bestseller as well a Globe & Mail bestseller, Canadian Author Andrew Davidsons first novel has left quite the mark in the novel scene. Seductive...graphic...out of the ordinary. 

As always, I wont give out the plot or anything...my book review/recommendations aren't about telling everyone what it was all about play by play but to generally talk about it and recommend it to whoever would be interested. I will say this novel is more for advanced/more mature readers, just because it is detailed, the storyline is adult themed, no real R rated moments but definately not for young teenagers... but be your own judge or if you are a parent/guardian or teacher... read it first to assess if you'd think its to the reading & maturity level of the juvenile. I'd safely say 18 yrs + is a good age start off...

So in keeping with that in mind, what I will say about the story to give you a idea of what to expect is that its a mysterious story about a man who is a patient and a mysterious woman brought together by forces or destiny? (read it to find out)... the entire book builds upon a story slowly. If you're an impatient reader where you need to know the point to the whole story before halfway then this is not the book that does that & it may be difficult for you... however I highly recommend you take your time and read this book at your own pace. Its so worth it!

The author has very skillfully written this story...a wonderful blend of mystery, love, goth, history and a touch of fantasy. Its such a unique blend of genres so stunningly put together.... it makes you itch to know where its leading to & the stories embedded into the main plot is just as amazing. I have to be honest, I took a couple short breaks reading this book... this was the longest time period I had ever taken to read a book - and I can read one, a good thick size in 5-7 days. My reasons weren't solely because of the storytelling style but other outside factors as well, so make note of that.
This book is only 468 pages, with a few more about the story behind this novel being written. Despite driving me nutts not knowing or being able to put my finger on what or where this story is leading, I am so incredibly glad I stuck it out and read the whole thing. I don't give up that easily! 

When you reach towards the end you will understand the entire story and how it all led up, why the need for all the meticulous detail etc & so on. This is a beautifully written story that will stun you when you reach the end, catch your breath, feel like it answered everything and left many more unanswered questions...

You can purchase this book in paperback for $21.00 CAD in store or $17.05 CAD online on www.chapters.indigo.ca , for $11.75 at Barnes & Noble, also can be purchased from www.amazon.com or www.amazon.ca .....or any other local book store!

I hope you all enjoyed this review/recommendation! Let me know what your thoughts were & if you have any further questions feel free to comment or email me!

Sincerely,
"CHIMERAH"
chimerah.net@gmail.com

Book Review/Recommendation: "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard

"Red Queen" is a novel that got published this year 2015, by debut author Victoria Aveyard. If you enjoyed novels like " The Hunger Games", "The Selection" "Divergent" etc,  this would be another book to check out.

I kept seeing this novel on the bookstore shelves for some time, I kept going back and forth if I should pick it up or not, watching & reading the hype over it for few weeks. I finally gave in & bought it, and I'm really glad I did! This is a great book for adults to 15 yrs of age... Great read! I give this a 8.5 out of 10, I'm critical of my marks, so don't let that 8.5 fool you, that's a high mark from me!

Just to put this out there..this novel comes under the label of "Young Adult"/ "Teen". Ive spoke to many book store workers & managers, they all said that by all standards these books are adult books/stories, but because the main character's age is below 21 the book gets deemed a "Young Adult"/"Teen" novel, these types of books should normally be under the "Fantasy" or "Sci-Fi" section. Don't let this deter any of you from reading any books under these labels, some of the best novels I've read recently have been from this section!! :)

I personally really enjoyed this novel, I've heard from people that they weren't into it since it was in the same line as "The Hunger Games" cross with "The Selection" etc...I'm sure there will be comparisons of any book to any previous ones with similar idea, that's just how things are. However the story line is different & so are the characters. It had a great build of a storyline, good character development & detailed to give a good idea of things using imagination. This is not a teen love story...in fact the characters do not seem teenager(s) to me at all. So that's saying a lot.

Without giving too much away, this novel is based on a dystopian society, a young girl, elites, people with superhuman powers, commoners, royalty, betrayal, love, lies & games. It pretty much has everything good that should be in a "Fantasy' novel. This is a Fantastic debut from Aveyard, and there is already a continuation out called "Glass Sword".

Check this novel & its continuation out at your local bookstore or go to www.chapters.indigo.ca 
You can go there & purchase for 30% off for $15.29 online. 

I hope you all enjoyed this review/recommendation! Let me know what your thoughts were & if you have any further questions feel free to comment or email me!

Sincerely,
"CHIMERAH"
chimerah.net@gmail.com

Book Review/Recommendation: "The Ghost Bride" by Yangsze Choo

Browsing through one of my favourite stores a few months ago, Chapters, I found this book featured in the staff picks section and a Indigo spotlight. What interested me in this novel was that it was a storyline based on Asian culture. I happen to like story lines that goes into a cultural setting etc, and thank goodness my knack for picking books randomly is still going strong ;)

This is a beautifully written story is set back in 1893 in Colonial Malaya, its a mixture of Chinese folklore, ancient customs, adventure, superstitions and romance. I don't like giving the entire plot away on my reviews, giving those who would like to read it some suspense in it & a prompt to go read it. Without saying too much, the story is set around a girl who gets a proposal for marriage, but not of the normal kind. Its from a family seeking a bride for their recently deceased son. It's a coming of age story, about taking leaps of faith & secrets all entwined into the afterlife beliefs of the Chinese culture.The rest I'll leave for you readers to go find out ;)

I recommend this book for anyone who does like reading historical/cultural novels. You will want to read it to the end to find out the suspense's, and it does not disappoint. I give it a 8.5 out of 10 scale.(Yes I use a larger scale :) Don't get me wrong about the 1.5 points that are missing hehe, this is a great book, however I need to be critical of the rating I give it based on other absolutely gripping novels out there. For me this is a high score!

Elegantly detailed, I had a movie reel going on in my head while reading this. In my opinion when a  book can give great descriptions to the point where you are reading & its turning into visual inside your head with your imagination... its officially a good book! Its not a fast paced book take note, if you're expecting "boom boom boom pow" hehe then this is not your novel. The Ghost Bride takes its time to play out & is laid back in unfolding. Yet it is a page turner!
This author has done a fantastic job in weaving a visual through words. This is Yangsze Choo's debut novel, and I must say I'm looking forward to what stories this author has to offer us in the future!

A wonderful novel to anyones collection of reads, pick it up at your local bookstore! A few stores to purchase from or if you rather would like a detailed synopsis: www.chapters.indigo.ca  www.chapters.indigo.com  www.blackbondbooks.com (an independent Vancouver bookstore chain).

I hope you all enjoy this recommendation/review!! Let me know what your thoughts were & if you have any further questions feel free to comment or email me!

Sincerely,
"CHIMERAH"
chimerah.net@gmail.com

Travel Review: Porteau Cove Provincial Park, Howe Sound, British Columbia, Canada.

One of my favourite places to go here in B.C. is Porteau Cove Provincial Park. Its one of those places that no matter the season or weather, it is absolutely beautiful. This place has a certain tranquility to it that I love so much, having raw nature all around you is something else. From being surrounded by snow capped mountains, rock faces, forests, and of course the water. 

 History: Translated from French (port d'eau) to English "Porteau" it means "Water's Gate". Dating back to 1908 when John F. Deeks was mining the extensive sands & gravel pits to supply Vancouver, a short distance away. Employees lived here until the start of the Depression. There was housing for them, tennis courts, a schoolhouse, and ferry service from the Union Steamship Company.

Porteau Cove is situated at the most southerly fjord in North America (Howe Sound). You can access this park by taking why 99 north from West Vancouver to Sea to Sky highway, the park is on your left hand side. The highway itself is very scenic and you will pass by other communities, parks & tourist attractions (which I will post on as well, labelled with Howe Sound incorporated in post title... stay tuned ;) This park is a marine conservation area, so its very important to note not to disturb or handle any marine life in the area. 

The scene at Porteau Cove changes with season and weather...on cold/cloudy days you may see low tufts of clouds float by and sometimes there's fog which gives a whole different ambiance to the place. On these types of days you will note the water takes on a minty colour. In warmer weather you can see the water ranging from a bright aqua, emerald and of course shiny blue waters as you go along the highway :)

What's there to do? Porteau Cove offers a variety of amenities, activities & facilities. One the best is the waterfront camping grounds. That's right.. you heard me...the campgrounds are situated right off the ocean ... its amazing. Not only can you have the experience of being in a forested area, the mountains around you..but you get the water too! 
Some of the activities available are; 
- canoeing and kayaking, nearest rentals are available in Squamish town few minutes down the hwy.
- cycling. exercise caution always keeping to trails & roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in B.C.
- fishing (outside park boundary, you can fish for salmon & bottom feeders (i.e.: Cod) in ocean area. Fishing or angling in B.C  does require proper licence. 
-hiking
- scuba diving. There's several man made reefs & two sunken vessels to explore with a diversity of marine species along shore and underwater.
- swimming. Surrounded by rock/pebble beach for ocean swimming.
- wildlife viewing. There's the occasional seal, marine waterfowl, and some rare times..Orca's who venture in.
- windsurfing & kite boarding. Howe Sound has strong winds, which is perfect for these sports.
- winter recreation. Winter camping is available however services are limited.

Facilities available: 
- boat launch. There are two paved double- wide boat launches. Boats are prohibited in the dive area. (Tide, wind and weather conditions can change suddenly in Howe Sound.  Use caution while boating or swimming in the area).
- cabin/huts/yurts & Porteau Cove Olympic Legacy cabins.
- campfires
- drinking water
- electrical hookups
- picnic areas
- portable propane campfire rental
- pit or flush toilets
- sani station/dump
- showers
- vehicle accessible camping
- walk in wilderness camping
- wheelchair access
- winter camping

For more details & fee inquiries please visit:
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/porteau/
http://seatoskyparks.com/parks/porteau-cove/

I hope this sparked an interest in any of you international or local travellers into visiting this place. I assure you, you won't be disappointed!

Enjoy!! and let me know what your thoughts were & if you have any further questions feel free to comment or email me!

Sincerely,
"CHIMERAH"
chimerah.net@gmail.com

Tis the Season!

 
Its that time of year again!! So Christmas shopping has begun, I took myself out today to start going through my list of presents to get...its just epic out there in the stores ;)

I don't know about anyone else but I like to start around September/October to space things out... however this year I've been quite bad and basically have left everything to crunch time. Ugh. I do however love the atmosphere in the malls, my first pit stop being Pacific Centre here in Vancouver, BC. ...everyone's cloaked in scarves and fur hats etc.. makes me feel I should be drinking eggnog or some festive starbucks drinks. Whats your favorite season?

After 5 hours of shopping and swimming through endless crowds & lineups I finally came home completely exhausted but not as tired as I might have been had I not had two wonderful "elves" help me out! This shout out goes to Donika @ Holt Renfrew Dior counter & Crystal Ram @ Sephora Pacific Centre. Thank you ladies for helping me out!!! (more on them under "Shop At" section).

I'd like to remind everyone to mind their manners this season (like always) "please" & "thank you's" go a long way. Wait your turn, watch your step, and a little charity wont hurt anyone ;)

Lets keep our fingers crossed & hope I survive through 2 more shopping sprees that may just leave me panhandling outside the mall...hehehe.

Sincerely,
"CHIMERAH"
chimerah.net@gmail.com

Book Review/Recommendation: "The Cage" by Ruth Minsky Sender

Have you ever come across a novel, that you read at one point and many years later still recall it as if you just read it yesterday? A novel, leaving such an impression on you, that it served a hand in shaping who are... ? Have you? ....I certainly have had the fortunate circumstances to read several... This is about one of them.
When I was 14 years old, in Junior High, I would have never ever have thought that in English class we would ever be given anything remotely interesting to read. Like most kids I found it utterly boring I did well, very well...but it was dry and like many others I questioned when in time will we ever have the need to decipher a poem or need to know the different types of poems there are (well unless one were going to end up in a career field that required that type of knowledge).

Mind you, English class is important nonetheless... learning grammar, how to write essays , punctuation, the development of good writing skills & reading skills...etc. All this knowledge comes in handy on a day to day basis of our lives. Do we need it? yes.. Do most of us appreciate it? probably not.

My feelings of great appreciation did come and thankfully right then in grade 9 English class. My teacher waltzed in the classroom one fine morning, and declared we were going to be reading a novel as a class & with it every student would be summarizing & writing their thoughts & opinions on it as assignments. At that moment, everyone breathed a heavy sigh thinking what awfully boring novel was going to torture us for the next month or two... I know most of cringed as we were told about this... rarely does it happen novels that are engrossing & captivating are given out as reading material in classes. But our teacher when onto explain quite seriously, this was not going to be easy for anyone to read...not due to a difficulty in the reading level but because the content was sensitive, very descriptive and also disturbing at times. I recall him saying its a true account of how cruel life can get.... I recall my his somber warning and my interest peaking about this novel.

The novel handed to us all was called "The Cage" by Ruth Minsky Sender. A novel, (which is a memoir of the author) is set in World War 2. It depicts the test of human spirit during harrowing time of the Holocaust. The story of Ruth Minsky Sender herself, who's family was separated from her in the concentration camps, her courage, determination, fearlessness ..her story of survival.

It's quite well written in depicting the environment of World War 2, specifically of the concentration camps.. the torture, victimization of Jewish people.There are many books on the Holocaust obviously, some which have way more content & information. This novel is a light read, meaning that its not a thick 800 page book... its 264 pages and its great for a beginner reader of all ages who is interested in the time of World War 2 & so on.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, its unforgettable & it will leave you appreciating your life, freedom & your family even more so. If you have a child (13+...you be the judge on their reading skills and maturity) I highly recommend this for all kids... this novel teaches great lessons in gratitude, freedom & survival and I cannot imagine any child not developing a good sense of empathy, compassion & humanity after reading this....because that is exactly what it developed further in me as a young teen, as my other classmates as well I'm sure.

Thank you everyone for lasting through this review & recommendation! If you haven't already, pick up this book at your local bookstore, you may have to order it in however its inexpensive and only costs around $10.00.

To my grade 9 English teacher Mr. Clish.....thank you from the bottom of my heart for trying to teach us kids some good wholesome values in a time where the only thing that is taught is the layed out curriculum. For always believing in me, supporting me, and cheering me on no matter what. I don't know if you'll read this post...or where you are. Wherever you are today, I hope you are safe, happy and life is treating you great. Just know you had a hand in shaping me into the human being I am today....and for that I will always have deep appreciation for you & forever indebted. Thank you.....

Sincerely,
"CHIMERAH"
chimerah.net@gmail.com