Solitude of a Birdcage

Maxie Shannen and Savannah Trimmel are more than best friends. They're sisters, bound by a tragic past and an unbreakable bond. When Isaac, Savannah's boyfriend, falls victim to an act of violence that leaves him with no recollection of the prior eighteen months, both women tend to his recovery. For Savannah, it's simply an attempt to care for the man she loves.

For Maxie, it's a chance at redemption.

She tells Isaac nothing of the passionate secrets they'd been keeping from Savannah, nor of the unyielding feelings that nearly consumed them both.

But as the fragile wall obstructing Isaac's memory begins to crack, hidden truths slip through the fissures, and Maxie will once again be faced with an impossible choice-- her loyalty, or her heart.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Brielle Skye shares the story of three young adults living in New York, struggling to discover who they are, when tragedy strikes, sending their lives into an uproar of chaos and confusion. Though Maxie is the main character, Isaac and Van (Savannah) play major roles in the plot. 

Maxie is very secretive but she's trustworthy to the reader. If the story were told from Van's point of view, she would be the antagonist. She's the "other woman" which is often times the disliked character. Skye writes a strong case for Maxie, allowing readers to like her even though she's the character committing the unmoral act. 

Isaac, however, is difficult to trust. He continues dating Van in order to be closer to Maxie, which doesn't make a lot of sense. At certain points, he even uses Van to hurt Maxie's feelings. On the opposite side of the spectrum, he opens up to Maxie, revealing intimate details of his life, while also protecting her. He's a character that readers can't quite figure out. He appears to be in love with Maxie and wishes to come clean to Van so they can begin their life together, but he and Van seem to have secrets of their own. 

Van is written as a character to be disliked. She's a working model who only talks about herself. She is selfish, dependent, and egotistical. Though, she does have her loyal, caring moments. Van openly discusses her feelings, worries, and dreams. In her version of this book, she would be the protagonist: the girl readers want to see end up happily-ever-after. 

When Isaac is first introduced to the two friends, he's interested in Maxie, but soon begins dating Van. With a broken heart, Maxie watches as the man she has fallen in love with spends his days with her best friend. When she learns he's also developing feelings for Maxie, they begin a secret affair. Then Isaac is the victim of a break-in, leaving him with a head injury and no memory of the past year and a half. At this point, the story really begins as readers watch Maxie struggle between the desire to have her Isaac back and the option of moving forward to become a better person and friend.

Both Maxie and Isaac have haunted pasts which immediately forms a bond with the readers through empathy and sympathy. Maxie's mother committed suicide and her dad left shortly after, leaving her abandoned and alone at age fifteen. Isaac's father was abusive and murdered his mother before shooting himself when she tried to leave him. These are horrendous situations to experience, and I couldn't even imagine it, but this background information combined with other tragedies that strike the two characters quickly become too overwhelming. Suicide, murder, burglary, violence, attempted rape, molestation, and drug use. That's a lot of horror for one character's plate.

As the first book in the Forget Me Not series, Solitude of a Birdcage creates a soap opera like situation for the three characters. With so much going on, the novel struggles to be believable. Though the high amount of drama reels the reader in. The entertainment and intrigue that this book generates will leave readers wanting more even though the characters have definitely been put through the ringer time and time again. 

Rating: 3.5 /5 Cups

You Either Win or Die

It's a game unlike no other. A gamble with the roll of a dice.
"When you play the game of thrones, you either win or die."

The games take hold when an unexpected death breathes whispers of murder, revolt, and war.

Podpad

Lord Eddard Stark is asked to become the King's Hand, a respected position whose main responsibilities are counseling the King, carrying out his orders, and ruling the kingdom when he's away. Lord Eddard, who loves King Robert like a brother, cannot refuse the request, even though he knows the last King's Hand was the one murdered...

With the story centering around the Stark house, the family members take the main perspectives of the novel. (Though not the only perspectives as other characters are also given a chance to tell their tales.) With each chapter covering a different view of the Seven Kingdoms, everyone plays a part in this chess match, where one wrong move can mean death, while Eddard tries to discover why the last Hand was murdered before it's too late.

Meanwhile, across the sea, the last members of the dragon born are awaiting their chance to take back their land, the Seven Kingdoms. Before the current King Robert, the dragon born ruled. A war brought their end, with only two children surviving to carry on the name. And they seek their revenge.

Above the wall, the northern boundary of the Seven Kingdoms, men are dying, only to come back to life and fight. With black hands and ice blue eyes, the Others, a mere fairy tale, seem to be re-appearing, if they ever existed at all...

* *

Throughout the first installment of George R.R. Martin's series, A Game of Thrones, various characters take the role of main character. Each character carries the plot forward with different perspectives, showing the reader what they need to know, and allowing them to draw their own conclusions.

The entire novel was a joust with lies and betrayal battling honor and loyalty.

Podpad

The best and worst part of this novel was the amount of detail. A detail from chapter two made all the difference in chapter ten. Remembering every minute piece of information was a bit tedious, but it made the novel all the better. It made each motive understandable. Each event believable. And each character relatable. 

The amount of detail also makes the characters true to life. They have flaws and their own reasons behind their actions. Martin gives the reader a glimpse into their role of the game without allowing the reader to accurately predict their next move. Interesting and intriguing.

Of course I had my favorite character, Arya. Who I like to refer to as, the little-ninja-trouble-making-girl. A character of my own heart. And the one I'm most worried about for the second book.

A Game of Thrones 
                           on Amazon
               
                        rating: 4/5 cups

The Thin Line Separating Friend and Enemy

As people, we all slip into some kind of routine that makes us comfortable with the juggling that comes with work obligations and personal responsibilities. Abby McDonald's novel The Liberation of Alice Love focuses on a woman who is the definition of routine.

Until a friend disappears from Alice's life with her life savings, leaving our heroine in over one hundred thousand pounds of debt.

The plot line brings up the age old question, how well do we really know the people we share our lives with? Can we truly trust our friends, or should we be in constant worry that a knife will soon end up in our backs?

The idea that those around us are the people we should trust least is alarming. As fellow human beings, we literally put our lives in each others hands. And not just with our identities. With just the right amount of information, a close friend can immediately become our greatest nemesis.

The definitions of friend and enemy blurred into one.