Review: 2 AM at The Cat's Pajama's by Marie-Helene Bertino

Publisher: Crown
Pages: 272

Received: Received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss

Release Date: March 11, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

A sparkling, enchanting and staggeringly original debut novel about one day in the lives of three unforgettable characters.

Madeleine Altimari is a smart-mouthed, precocious nine-year-old and an aspiring jazz singer. As she mourns the recent death of her mother, she doesn’t realize that on Christmas Eve Eve she is about to have the most extraordinary day—and night—of her life. After bravely facing down mean-spirited classmates and rejection at school, Madeleine doggedly searches for Philadelphia's legendary jazz club The Cat's Pajamas, where she’s determined to make her on-stage debut. On the same day, her fifth grade teacher Sarina Greene, who’s just moved back to Philly after a divorce, is nervously looking forward to a dinner party that will reunite her with an old high school crush, afraid to hope that sparks might fly again. And across town at The Cat's Pajamas, club owner Lorca discovers that his beloved haunt may have to close forever, unless someone can find a way to quickly raise the $30,000 that would save it.

As these three lost souls search for love, music and hope on the snow-covered streets of Philadelphia, together they will discover life’s endless possibilities over the course of one magical night. A vivacious, charming and moving debut, 2 AM AT THE CAT'S PAJAMAS will capture your heart and have you laughing out loud.

My Review:

This book had me intrigued with the idea of bringing together such an eclectic cast of characters, and I can definitely tell you that the people that star in this book are intriguing, but make the story a bit confusing. The story jumps around between all these characters and it takes place over one night, so there is a lot happening that I found myself lost during a few points.

The characters that Marie-Helene writes in this story are not all the most likeable characters, they all have their own issues to deal with, but that is what makes this story so interesting. I always enjoy a story where it is hard to like the characters because it gives a reader more hope to see where their lives will go. I will say that Madeline was my favourite character to follow, she has a very tough exterior, and you can see that she is dealing with some tough issues for a child. Each character's actions affects those of another one of the characters, which is what makes this story work so well as it switches between stories. Sarina's was one plotline that I wish I had more of her story, she is a quiet person who is being reunited with an old crush, and where the night takes them had my heart, but I felt like there wasn't enough of them.

I can say that even though I had issues with how quickly the story would change perspectives, the way Bertino wrote this story has characters that will capture your heart. I do wish that this could have been a bit longer because I think Bertino could have gotten more out of the story than she did in the less than 300 pages that she used here. I just felt that the storylines were not as fully fleshed out as they could have been, yet at the same time it was supposed to be over the course of one night, so it is difficult to really get into the story in such a short amount of time. This was definitely an interesting book and I can say that despite my few difficulties I enjoyed how Bertino was able to intertwine so many lives at once.

Review: The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain

Publisher: Egmont
Series: Into the Dark #1
Pages: 512

Received: Received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss

Release Date: March 11, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

My Review:

This was a huge book to get into, there was a lot going on and it was a bit overwhelming at times for me, but once I truly got into the story I was intrigued and I wanted to see where exactly things would go. I really liked the mythology aspect that Bree Despain has used for her story, it is what caught my attention and had me hooked. 

The book is split into two perspectives, readers get to hear from both Haden and Daphne, I will be honest and say that I liked Haden's perspective a little better. Haden had a lot more going on in his mind and you could see that he was a very complex type of person. Daphne's problems seem so trivial when you compare them to what Haden is going through.  What I really liked is that it wasn't an instant love for Daphne and Haden, but it does come along fairly quickly. You can tell there is still a lot more to learn about the destiny that these two have and I'm intrigued to see where the story goes from where we have left off. 


The one thing in Daphne's life that is difficult is dealing with her father who she hasn't seen in years, her entire life has been uprooted and so much changes. This is the opportunity that Daphne has waited her whole life for but she doesn't truly believe she deserves it, it is one of those she believes she is only getting things because of who her father is. These two characters finally get together and they attempt to choose their own destiny. This is a long book but I believe it was worth the time in the end, there is a great back story and I do believe that Bree Despain has started an intriguing series with this book. 

Review: Jackaby by William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Series: Jackaby #1
Pages: 299

Received: Received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley

Release Date: September 16, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.

Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.

My Review:

The fact that a part of the synopsis says this is a Doctor Who meets Sherlock type of novel got my attention right away. How can I say no to anything that is compared with Doctor Who, I had no reason to say no to picking this one up. And in the end I'm glad that it did catch my attention, it was definitely an interesting read to say the least. 

I really enjoyed the idea behind this story, there is a great sci-fi aspect to the world that Ritter has created, an unknown murder and the suspect seems to be some supernatural creature. When Abigail meets Jackaby you can tell right away that he is an awkward person. Jackaby definitely has the Sherlock vibe to him, he does not have the greatest social skills but he is aware of so much around him. I loved the dynamic that Jackaby has with everyone around him, it makes the story very light-hearted and yet there is so much darkness still going on. 

As soon as Abigail arrives in town you can see that she has something to prove, not only to herself but also her family. The way she works so hard to show Jackaby she can be a help is amazing, I truly loved her perseverance to be Jackaby's assistant. I still want to learn more about Abigail and her family history, you can see that she is hiding a lot of herself and trying to become a new person. 

Though as the book finally comes to an end, you can see that Abigail still has quite a lot to learn about Jackaby, and I am excited to see what more William Ritter has for Abigial and Jackaby, I can already tell there are going to be a lot more great supernatural mysteries to come for these two. I think if you are a fan of Sherlock and you like a bit of supernatural elements added in to your pot, then this would be the book for you to check out.