Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Illustrated by Portia Rosenberg

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing
Distributed by Raincoast Books

Mr. Norrell is a strange man who is withdrawn and obstinate to the extreme. His passion is magic and his foremost love is his ever-growing library of magical books. In fact it is this same collection that leads to others seeking him out and requesting his aid in the unending war against Napoleon. England is astonished by his glorious feats; particularly the raising of a woman from the dead and it would soon seem that Mr. Norrell may single-handedly reunite England with her magical past which has long since been forgotten.

To Jonathan Strange life is an adventure. The regular trappings that interest a person of his age hold no interest for him. Nor does he seem able to find a career that suits him until he gets it into his head that he shall be a magician but with all the books on the subject being bought by Mr. Norrell, where is he to begin his studies?

Fate brings the two gentlemen together and so begins a love/hate relationship like no other. Fuelled not only by their own differences but also by the unremitting meddling of their acquaintances and the mischievous actions of a gentleman from the Otherworld who has his own agenda.

What follows is a magical, brilliant, captivating story that will awake the imagination of any who should read the tale.

I have only one regret with this book, and that is the regret that I did not read it sooner. I actually read The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories first which introduced me to the world of Strange and Norrell. You can read the review of that title here. As for this book, I simply adored it. While I acknowledge that I have always been fond of books containing magic and fantasy themes I find it hard to believe that anyone could pick this book up and not love it as much as I did.

I often find myself loving one character more than the rest when I read works of fiction but with this novel I found that there were too many to choose from. Each character is beautifully written and holds unique qualities that appeal to me. On the flip side, I can tell you without question that I detested Henry Lascelles who is an acquaintance of Mr. Norrell and an exceedingly nasty piece of work. I can’t remember the last character that inspired such a negative reaction in me.

What I loved about this book too, were the footnotes that often reference fictional pieces of work and which I found helped to draw me into the book more, making it more real as it were. It was a wonderful addition. I also liked that many historical figures are included or referenced in the tale.

For those who love illustrations, there are black and white images sprinkled throughout the pages that are created by British artist Portia Rosenberg and which also add a little something special.

I really loved this book and while the size of the novel itself may seem a little daunting, please do take the time to check it out. It’s well worth it.

Author’s website: http://www.jonathanstrange.com/ (lots of great extras to be found including news regarding a film of this book)

My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe

Published by Harcourt Inc
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Beginning a new school year is not the easiest time for anyone and for Ida May it's more difficult still. Her best friend has moved away and she has spent part of the school holidays being pushed into a new friendship, by her mother. A new friend might not seem like such a terrible thing, and after all Jenna is the daughter of the President of the PTA. It's a pity she is also the meanest, most bossy and disliked person in Ida's class.

When a mysterious new girl called Stacey Merriweather joins the school, Ida can't help but like her. Stacey smiles constantly and shows kindness towards everyone, even to the bossy Jenna. Ida is determined that she can't allow herself to have another friend ever again but will her heart agree?

My Last Best Friend is a truly beautiful and heartwarming tale about the trials and complications of love and friendship. It captures childhood years perfectly and when I read it, I found myself feeling light and carefree as my inner child remembered the joy of youth. The characters are extremely vivid and easy to connect with while the story is written in a way that will capture the interest of any young girl.

A fun, quick, and entertaining read for ages 7 to 10. I was delighted when I got to the end of the book and saw a sneak peek of the next title 'My New Best Friend'. I can hardly wait to see what happens next for Ida and Stacey and I am sure that after you and your child read this book, you will feel the same way.

On a more personal note.. As a military wife I know all too well how much of a struggle it can be to relocate on a regular basis. When doing so with children, it's an added strain as they try and deal with loss, new schools etc. This book is an especially great gift idea for children in the military lifestyle.

Author's website: http://www.juliebowe.com/

Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay

Published by Random House Canada

It's the year 1975 and we join the characters of this novel in a radio station situated in the Canadian North - Yellowknife to be exact. We first meet Harry who is filled with a love for Radio. One night while listening, he hears a new voice and falls head over heels for the woman to who it belongs. Dido is a unique woman who has arrived at Yellowknife shrouded in mystery, a woman who seems to have an enchanting quality making her irresistible to those around her. Gwen also works at the station and seems very quiet, and unsure but eager to make a new life for herself. These three are just a sample of the characters who I cannot define in a way that brings them justice.

The novel covers the lives of a hugely diverse cast of characters, first within the radio station and later, when a group of 4 take a trip into the arctic wilderness, following the route of the legendary Englishman John Hornby. With the knowledge that Hornby and the rest of his party had starved to death during their expedition, the journey is looked upon as somewhat of a challenge but I don't think the adventurous group have any idea just how life-changing an event it will be.

The novel also has the background of the controversial Mackenzie Valley pipeline that threatens to separate the natives from their land, and destroy what has become a unique community. With politics, love, adventure, soul-searching, loss, mystery and so much more, Elizabeth Hay has created a masterpiece that is a truly satisfying read.

I can't believe I waited so long to read this novel. I know many of you who are reading this review, have likely already read this title, but if you haven't, you ought to. I have not read anything by Elizabeth Hay before but if the rest of her books are as incredible as Late Nights on Air, you can expect to see me review more in the future. This author has a true gift for storytelling.

I found myself constantly amazed by how the author writes a novel that seems so stark and sparse while simultaneously providing a great deal of intricate detail. The characters are so raw and seemingly unfinished which made a much-welcomed change from the norm. By that, I mean that there are never excuses made for their behaviours, explanations are lacking, and it adds a fantastic quality which greatly enhanced my enjoyment of this book.

The author leads the reader through the novel in a winding, twisting manner. I found myself trying to guess what was about to unfold but i rarely got it right. I love when an author can hide the ending so successfully. It's a novel that keeps you guessing right until the very end and leaves you longing for more. It says a great deal that I found myself wistfully hoping that when I turned the final pages, I wouldn't find the author's acknowledgment just yet, but still more of this engaging tale. The writing style is beautiful, seductive, poetic even and I know there were more than a couple of occasions where I read passages out loud simply because I wanted to see for myself if they sounded as delectable as they looked to be. (They were)

A must read. It was simply fantastic.

Author's website: http://elizabethhay.com/