Heather Heffner's Blog, page 8

Thailand Travel Series: Deep Sea Fishing - Andaman Sea

This is Part 6 of the Thailand and Cambodia Travel Series. Read Part 1  Here .


Our deep sea fishing excursion was a success—for the fish. We booked Deep Sea Fishing as our second tour through a local tour agency near our hotel on Kamala Beach in Phuket. The tour included pick up at our hotel and passage down to Rassada Pier on the southern tip of Phuket, the main pier of the island. From there we hopped aboard our fishing vessel with two elderly Thai crew members who spoke minimal English. The other party was a family from Russia. Since we spoke no Russian, our sole hope in communicating was the family’s young son who had impressively good English.



We only had to wear life jackets until we breached the outer islands. Then the Thai crew members motioned that we were ok to remove them. We started trolling after we left the outer islands. Within a couple minutes, we had a large hit from a swordfish.The struggle was valiant, 30 minutes in the chair. We took turns, the younger son was quite good at holding his own against the giant 300 pounder. However, right when the swordfish broke the surface, it did an impressive spin and freed itself from the hook, before disappearing into the deep.



Needless to say, we were all exhilarated but disappointed. We did have another hit as well, but that fish, too, escaped from being reeled in. For the next hour, we trolled peacefully out to Racha Islands.The Islands looked pretty neat themselves. There looked to be a small village and hotel there, and tons of fishing, motor, and sail boats clogged the bay. The crew motioned that we should jump in the water for a swim while they prepared a lunch of soup, rice, and fruit. The snorkeling was quite excellent, the water transparent, and there were plenty of butterfly fish darting around.



After lunch, we tried out handline fishing. A crew member demonstrated for us and caught a small fish within seconds. He dangled the line over the rail and unwound it into the water. After waiting a couple minutes and a well-placed jerk, he’d hooked the fish. We all took to it with great enthusiasm after he caught a second fish in minutes. However, our poor crew member soon had his hands full helping us untangle our lines. If he hadn’t had to babysit us, he probably could have reeled in ten more fish easily. But as it was, his focus was on us and making sure we enjoyed our time (and learned) how to properly handline fish. “This is hard!” the younger son exclaimed next to us, and we agreed.
We did get a hit around sunset as we were sailing back. The Thai crew member took charge but that fish as well proved tricky. He did however let one of our party drive the boat for a little bit, which was neat. So overall, our catch proved to come mainly from the handline fishing (and mainly from the crew members) but we had a wonderful time. The deep sea fishing trips are very private, allow you to absorb the beauty of the ocean and outer islands, and give you a chance to take a dip. There aren’t swarms of tourists or vendors asking you to buy items, so it is more of a personalized trip. We tipped the crew at the end. Despite 3 different languages being spoken on the fishing boat, there were no problems and we’d learned that during this time of year in November, it was bitter negative temperatures in Moscow. Overall, an enjoyable tour from Phuket.


 We couldn’t stay out late, however. The next morning we had plans to rise early to catch the ferry across the Gulf of Thailand to Railay Beach.Upcoming Blog Post: Railay Beach, Thailand*Disclaimer: the above is depicted as fiction and not fact.

Thailand Travel Series: Ao Phrang Nga Bay and "James Bond" Island

Ao Phrang Nga Bay
This is Part 5 of the Thailand and Cambodia Travel Series. Read Part 1  Here .


WHEN FLIPPING THROUGH GUIDE BOOKS, Ao Phrang Nga Bay will immediately catch your eye. The unique limestone cliffs look like puzzle pieces jutting out of the ocean, eroded away by time into unforgettable formations. We booked a tour in Phuket to visit. There will always be many tour package shops nearby hotels to purchase travel for the day. We signed up for a half day trip to Ao Phrang Nga Bay which would take us by a monkey cave, sea kayaking, visiting Ko Khao Phing Kan (referred to frequently in English as “James Bond” island from scenes that took place there from Man with the Golden Gun, and we would finish with a lunch at a Muslim village on stilts, Ko Panyi.



We were picked up from our hotel in a van that took us on a 1.5 hour bus ride from Phuket up north and then curving along the Gulf of Thailand to Ao Nang Province. Along the way we stopped at a monkey cave. Upon our arrival, monkeys descended in a swarm down the lips of the cave hooting and chattering. We visited the shrine inside and marveled at the giant stalagmites jutting up from the cave floor like teeth.








We disembarked in a small village where we were herded into a larger exodus threading our way toward a longboat fleet. In a buzz of noise and smoke choking the water with pollution, our longboats set sail to navigate the wondrous jungle inlets. The boats were so loud that talking was impossible. Instead, we sat on benched and watched the muddy rivers and mangrove swamps flow into a teal ocean. Islands began to appear one after another out on the blue depths, some that looked like anamorphic shapes, others shaped like chicken legs, still others resembling hooks as they defied gravity to pull them back into the sea. Ao Phrang Nga Bay is truly unique, a dense maze of interweaving limestone peculiarities that capture the imagination.




At last we arrived at a sea cave where we boarded a floating pier boat and were given directions on how the sea kayak operation would work. In pairs, we were sorted into different kayaks with a local guide. The guide did their best to sweet talk us into giving over our biggest tip while paddling us through remarkable limestone features including stalactites and cascading foliage that carpeted the sides of the cavern like an emerald curtain. Unfortunately, the magic of this moment was severely dampened due to the large flood of people also paddling along side you, and it was disappointing that we couldn’t paddle the sea kayak ourselves! Our guide did let us take a couple paddles before he took over steering, but that left us for the most part to sit there, awkwardly, while trying to make small talk in our respective languages where it became very clear that he expected a big tip after.










Feeling a bit like cattle, we were herded back board our longboats 30 minutes after on the dot and jetted out to “James Bond” Island. Upon landing at the small beach overrun by people, we held onto the roof of our long tail and then balanced carefully on the side, inching along sideways, before we touched down the on the beach. That was actually one of the most fun parts. Once on the island, we were beset by vendors eager to sell. A small pavilion overlooked the slender sea pillar where James Bond fought his nemesis. We did a quick hike around the island. There was an impressive limestone slab arched at an angle, like a cathedral, that was neat to explore. However, there were so many people, that it took away from much enjoyment. There is a pit toilet on the island as well.










The last part of the tour was actually the one I knew the least about but enjoyed the most! When we’d disembarked from the harbor, I’d caught a glimpse of a mysterious village on stilts nested on one of the islands. Now we navigated the labyrinthine channels back to that very village, Ko Panyi, where we had lunch.



Ko Panyi is a Muslim village built by Indonesian fishermen. It had a mosque with a golden dome towering in the heart of the village, visible to passing fishing boats. We disembarked on a creaky pier and walked up the ramps toward a shaded around for lunch. I saw fish traps in the water with a variety of catches in the mud-colored water, including some crabs.



I really wish I’d had more time to spend there. Finishing lunch early, we ventured out of our restaurant into the town, and it was like descending into a world cut off from the sky above, rocked by the river below. The village was an infinite maze of street stalls and hovels. Some passages took you down to the mud banks where you could see the stilts. We got lost in seconds. There were less people here, too, occasionally shopkeepers would appear out of nowhere like ghosts asking us to buy from their shop, but the village as a whole was quite silent. Drapery and tin hid the sky so we had no way of telling where we were, or if it were day or night. It felt like we’d traveled through a wormhole where time didn’t exist. We’d wanted to find our way to the mosque, but the shop stalls spread in so many countless directions we couldn’t find our way. We also didn’t much time. Eventually I spotted a dress I recognized hanging in a merchant’s stall, and we turned back that way. Then one of the guides found us and directed us back to our longtail.





Overall, would I recommend touring James Bond Island? You can find many tours to it for cheap, but unfortunately, it is over-hyped. I would seek out a more private experience for Ao Phrang Nga Bay, as the scenery is quite breathtaking. Unfortunately, the bay’s water was heavily polluted by all of the constant boat traffic, which also made me feel unsettled for contributing toward it. If you do the tour, I’d say to try to find one that gives you a couple hours on Ko Panyi, which was as remarkably unique as the island maze surrounding it.
Upcoming Blog Post: Phuket: Deep Sea Fishing
Disclaimer: This blog post is depicted as fiction, not fact.

Thailand Travel Series: Kamala Beach, Phuket

Kamala Beach, Phuket 


Glowing lantern fliesOver sea velvet as nightPort of luxury
This is Part 4 of the Thailand and Cambodia Travel Series. Read Part 1 Here .
YOU HAVE NOT SEEN CHAOS until you touch down in Phuket International Airport on the lush tropical island of Phuket that is located on the southwest coast of Thailand, bordered by the Andaman and Gulf of Thailand. A mini version of the sleek Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, the peaceful upper levels of Phuket Airport have plenty of dining and shopping options available. However, when you descend to the pick-up curb, be prepared for a firestorm of honking buses, swerving cars, and on top of that, a mob of chauffeurs vying to pounce on the recently arrived.
We decided to splurge a bit for this part of our trip and were staying at Novotel on Kamala Beach. The Novotel is a chain hotel that you can find in many parts of Thailand but each hotel is very unique and has its own vibe to match the community. The Novotel near Suvarnabhumi Airport is designed to cater to travelers and is very sleek, modern, efficient style. The Novotel in Kamala Beach is more laid-back, built directly off a cliff with a windy road to get down to it, and has a luxurious, relaxation feel. We spotted another Novotel further down Phuket as well that was built for those craving more of the mountain terrain experience rather than the beach. It is a fabulous chain with top-notch customer service and we loved our stay there. We had inquired ahead about their shuttle prices and it wasn’t a good deal (Upper 1500 Baht), so we decided to find a taxi at the airport to drive us.
There were no shortage of those! The airport had great signs to point you to exit, where we were lined on either side by taxi, limousine, bus and other transportation options. Vendors advanced on all sides shouting, waving, encouraging us to go with them, and it was so overwhelming that we walked, stone-faced, all the way to the end of the curb and sat down on the benches there, as if we had already made reservations ahead of time. That proved to be the best move, because then the vendors turned their attention on everyone else embarking from the exit. We could then wander our way back from behind, look at the prices, and get a good idea of who we wanted to approach.
We had done some research ahead of time as to how much we could expect a ride from the airport to Kamala Beach to be, so we approached one taxi company rep and asked how much. He gave a number, and we countered with 750 Baht, which he said was ok, and then brought us over to the taxi stand to have a gruff-faced woman take down our information. I’ve heard you could probably get it down to 600 Baht for other areas in the northern part of the island. Expect to pay more to go further south or check into bus rates especially if you’re going to Phuket Town where the cheap airport bus services run (http://www.phuket.com/phuket-magazine/phuket-airport-bus.htm)/and check if your hotel offers free airport shuttle pick up. We were then pointed to cross the street and line up with other travelers with their company. We were told the taxi number to watch for. When he pulled up pretty quickly in 10 minutes, we were on our way.
Each area of Phuket is different, depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for:
Snapshots of Phuket Districts:
Kamala Beach or Surin: this is the northern part of the island on the Andaman Sea and is a slower pace, beautiful beaches. Large resorts, more jungle, a bit more secluded. Expect higher prices.
Patang or Karon:this is in the central part of the island on the Andaman Sea, a good launch point if you’re planning to visit multiple parts of the island. This is the main tourist part where the party is – crowds sunbathing, shopping, getting massages, and at night, swarms of promoters for whatever kind of bar you’re looking to find. Drag queen performances, love motels, all sorts of shows and revelry like the notorious ‘ping pong shows’ – you can find it here. Expect cheaper prices.




Karon is a bit less crazy and has a more family-friendly Kata Beach further toward the south.
Nothing really to do with Karon - but check out these power lines! I don't think there's enough!
Phuket Town: This is more central inland and is the old town, more 19th century shop building style. Local feel, slower pace, good launch spot to the harbors for trips to Koh Phi Phi or other tourist excursions in the Gulf of Thailand.
Rawai: Similar to Phuket Town, Rawai is on the southern tip of Phuket and is where the major Rawaii Pier is. If you’re doing any sort of excursion further south, you can expect your bus will drop you off here to board. The other pier on Phuket we saw mentioned was “Chalong Pier” on the northeastern part of the island, but it didn’t seem as busy.
Rawai Pier, Thailand


There are other off-the-beaten track options as well, and if it is more the mountain wilderness experience you are looking for, consider adding on a couple days to visit Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park in the neighboring northern province that can offer multiple excursions into the jungle where there *could* be a very rare chance of spotting a clouded leopard. Tigers, sadly, are also very rare – I would look into northern province wildlife sanctuaries that might still see them.


After our experience jungle trekking through Angkor Wat in Cambodia, we were ready to relax on the beach! Novotel was a good choice for us. As soon as we checked into our room, we spent the next few hours wandering around in awe of the oceanfront pools and sandy beach with a front-seat view of a tangerine setting sun over the bay. We loved the upscale ship quarters feel of the room, and there was an adorable black cat that dashed over to greet us and chill beside us on our patio lounge chairs. We saw the cat everywhere even in the lobby, and the front desk told us the hotel had adopted this little rascal “Midnight.” The continental breakfast dining room was a fabulous treat as well with a huge spread, Western fare mixed with traditional Thai dishes, and an omelet bar. The dining room also had various “themed” nights like Seafood, Italian, ect, if you joined them for dinner.





There is a rooftop bar that had a wonderful live singer serenading us with old-school hits like Michael Buble while we munched on happy hour priced-meals like  Tom Yum Goong (spicy shrimp soul), flatbread pizzas, and of course, Pad Thai – get it with chicken, shrimp, or without! I loved the Tom Kha Gai, a silky coconut chicken soup that was so flavorful with just a bit of kick. This fried pork and basil dish was also really good – Pad Krapow Moo Saap. And of course, their green curry was super yummy too. There is also this chicken and cashew dish which was spicy but with so much good crunch, loved it - Kai Med Ma Muang.  I swear we didn’t eat all of this one night – but we definitely sampled their menu more than once during our stay! You could order some of these for room service, too, which was quick and efficient. The drinks were great as well, best deal is the Chang, but they had some other happy hour specials too and creamy pina coladas, as well as a Halloween themed zombie drink. 


Sitting around our rooftop table and watching the sun dip below the ocean is pure healing for the soul. You really feel a sense of calm and wonder gazing out upon the jungle bay, and when the first of the stars came out, so did lanterns, floating up from neighboring resorts, to celebrate the upcoming Loy Krathong Festival (we were there late October/early November, but dates change annually since it is based on lunar new year). I think there was recently a Vegetarian Festival in the area around the time we were there, too. (https://www.thaizer.com/thailand-events-festivals/). For many of these festivals, you might want to aim to be in northernmost Chiang Mai, which has whole hosts of parades and goes all out. Here in Kamala Beach on Phuket - if you walked along the beach, vendors would emerge from the shadows and offer to sell you a lantern and help you light it and send it up and over the sea. I think it was around 80 baht? The part of me that is against littering of course had a frantic soul wrestling with all of this, but I can’t deny it was very beautiful to watch.  
The singer launched into a few more dreamy, classical hits, and by this time, since we’d had a couple drinks, we felt brave enough to go up and show off our dance moves to the rooftop crowd. One French couple joined us, and we ended up having a good time chatting with them after. They were going to head out to a party later in Patong and also planned to visit Koh Phi Phi on a group tour during their stay.
 It was a great international mix of nationalities at the hotel. We did spot one group of Americans from Texas hanging out in the pool, but many others were Russian, German, French, Chinese, Korean, and Indian. There were a lot of families staying at the hotel, too, I would say overall the hotel is kid friendly but the pool structure is more designed to attract college-somethings and up – not much room for cannonballs. It did however have a basketball net set up in the pool--as well as a pool bar!
The pool bar was one of our favorite spots. Sitting back in the cool waters and a balmy 80 degree day and sipping from coconuts, we were in full-on bliss mode. There were even “jet” pools (not hot tubs, but tiny pools with jets) that you could sit in just outside the pool for a more secluded experience, each one allowing maybe 2-3 people.
Then a huge thunderstorm rolled in like clockwork as they often did around 4 Pm in the afternoon. Everyone in the pool scattered, except for us and a couple others who savored the dramatic chaos sweeping across the wind-torn bay while purple lightning streaked on the horizon. We were baptized in the warm torrential downpour as the dark clouds enclosed us and the waves picked up on the shore. We heard the Americans cry about the safety of being in water while a lightning storm was going on, but we felt too mesmerized and liberated (tipsy) too care. That was one of my favorite moments of the trip, witnessing the raw, sheer beauty of the lightning storm dancing across the sea.



We did attempt to snorkel at Kamala Beach out around the tip of the bay, but sadly, we saw more plastic than we did fish. The water was calm and easy to swim in, but I’ve heard you do need to watch the currents here. We did see some others surfing as well down the beach – there were stalls to rent surf boards from and places to get a nice relaxing massage on the beach.





We bought the snorkel masks at a local shop in neighboring Kamala Town, just a 15-20 minute walk down the beach from our hotel. We figured we’d use them again so may as well, since we could buy them for cheap. A little bridge will bring you into the town, and there you can find tourist information stalls selling various excursions and transportation services. You can find anything there. I would highly recommend not wasting your time booking events through the resort or paying for supplies at their convenience stores, because you are definitely paying resort prices for that. Kamala Town had banks where we could withdraw funds/get exchange rates and a 7-11, which is the go-to for buying bottled water, sun screen, and cheap beer to keep your room stocked. We found a great information stall we purchased all our travel excursions from. They have brochures with a bunch of different tours available. The lady gave me one price, I told her two people were coming on the trip, and she discounted it even further. After we confirmed, she had us fill out a paper, called and booked it for us, and gave us an envelope complete with the tour company, time we would be picked up from our hotel, and the driver’s phone number.
Great place in Kamala Town to book tours at

So you find good deals there, and you don’t have to book too far ahead of time, maybe 1-2 days at the most given weather can change. Just keep in mind that you do get what you pay for. Sometimes going for the cheapest trip is going to be the worst experience because you will be loaded up with 40 others on a tour that doesn’t even give you down time to go to the bathroom before you’re hustled onto the next spot. So I would recommend forking out a bit extra for smaller groups, longer stays in locations. Make sure to ask how long you can expect to spend at each island or tourist stop. Snorkeling at Koh Phi Phi or visiting Phrang Nga Bay (James Bond Island) were two of the most popular trips. We were planning to visit Koh Phi Phi further in the trip so we chose the Phrang Nga Bay and a deep-sea fishing trip (which we’ll cover in the next blog post!).
There are also plenty of restaurants/food stalls in Kamala Town if your wallet needs a break from eating at the resort. You can find some of the best pad thai at these food stalls for maybe 80 baht.  





Look at that scaffolding!
:)


Research well ahead of time, know what you want to spend each day doing. And do keep in mind that trips could be canceled in case of inclement weather, so don’t book too far ahead of time! These stalls are great to purchase other services, too. We bought our ferry ticket to Railay Beach from here and they lined up the pick up service as well, which would have been double at the resort. If in doubt, just tell them you’re trying to get from Point A to Point B and see what deal they can find for you.  
Overall, we loved our stay at Novotel in Kamala Beach, it was a very good fit for us!

Upcoming Post: Ao Phrang Nga Bay and “James Bond” Island
Disclaimer: the above is depicted as fiction, not fact

Thailand & Cambodia Travel Series: Angkor Wat

This is Part 3 of the Thailand & Cambodia Travel Series. Read Part 1 Here . 


OUR AMBITIOUS GOAL was to see Angkor Wat in one day. If you only have one day to see it, all I can say is be ready to keep moving! The palace grounds are sprawling and best seen with two days. There are even other outer rim temples that would take half a day to get to.
The Golden Gecko offered a couple different tours, including a small tour to see some of the most popular temples, a big temple tour that went around the outer circuit, and even some one-off tours to see the more remote temples, including one near a waterfall (Phnom Kulen). You could also choose to pay for method of travel – car or tuk tuk. I would say tuk tuk worked perfect, we kept cool enough while driving and were protected from the sun.
From our perspective, we didn’t know when we’d be back in Cambodia again, so we opted to do the big temple tour. Our tuk tuk driver “Sam” had picked us up from the airport as well, so that was nice to have a familiar face driving us.
First we did a 15 minute drive to the Angkor Wat visitor center, where Sam motioned for us to go buy our tickets. At the time of this posting, it was $37 US each for a 1 day pass, and keep your ticket with you at all times because at each temple you will be asked to produce it.




From there, the temple grounds were a good 30 minutes away. Civilization eventually disappeared and we thronged our way amongst air conditioned vehicles, mopeds, other tuk tuks, and even elephants at times until we reached the main palace of Angkor Wat, its spires protruding like a crown in the heart of the jungle across a vast lake.




Angkor Wat was the gemstone of the powerful Khmer Empire and represents Mt Meru, abode of Hindu gods. The temples were built during various centuries, so there were also some temples that had one side that would represent those of Buddhist faith, and the other represented different Hindu gods. There would be different doorways to enter, one for the living, another for the dead, and another for royalty.
It felt surreal to walk the grounds of the main temple, its iconic elements brought to life from what I had only seen from pictures. We were immediately besieged by tour guides but we weren’t interested. We wanted to take our time and wander as we would. After crossing the bridge, we traveled down the main path. A horse was tethered at one smaller gazebo, and I saw a hot air balloon rising over the forest at one point.






I would recommend going early to get the best lighting for photographs. We arrived more mid-morning and the sun was not camera-friendly. Also, I recommend bringing a LOT of water. It was sweltering. Also, bring some snacks, sun screen, and more water. Off to the side of the main temple was a huge market village full of vendors selling snacks, and more restaurants and gift shops were set up by the parking lot. But definitely keep a lot of bottled water with you. Sam waited for us with a group of his fellows in the parking lot while we clambered up and down the steps of the main temple. There were countless individual statues to uncover and many shrines, as well as a lot of steep staircases that my spouse joked weren’t ADA compliant.






Most vendors will leave you alone as long as you're firm upfront that you're not interested. Don't display any hesitation. There was one vendor who was extremely aggressive at selling a counterfeit Angkor Wat travel guide despite our continued non-interest.  There were a lot of English words spelled wrong on the cover and no information about the publisher; it looked like the content may have been pirated from a published book. Really be prepared to deliver a lot of flat “No”s or be non-responsive because at every temple, there will be a greeting committee of vendors eager to sell. When it did come to the haggling, my spouse and I would stick to our plan – he would display interest, I would say no, it was too much, we needed to leave, and sure enough, the price would go down. We talked to a fellow tourist and he spent $20 USD on the counterfeit tour guide book, whereas the aggressive vendor who tried to get us to purchase it dropped the price to $5 USD. So all in all, stand your ground and be prepared to walk away if the price isn't right for what you're looking for, but don't play around if you don't intend to make a deal no matter what they offer.  



It was easy to spend an hour at the main temple. Afterwards, our tuk tuk driver proceeded around the dirt road to drive us to the next temple, Bayon, where we promptly lost each other in the tight, labyrinthine tunnels that snaked around and around, finally culminating at the top where there were several immense Khmer king statues. Afterwards, we visited a Buddhist shrine where we received a blessing and luck bracelets.








The third temple we visited, Preah Khan, had a very clever tourist trap. We were deep into the jungle at this point, and thick strangling vines and trees with roots that crept like numerous tentacles had overtaken the temples. It was an inspiring and thrilling feeling to behold what looked like the earth eating stone. Just when we had reached the heart of the temple, a man in what looked like a police uniform approached us and began telling us about the temple's background. Since he was in uniform, our guard was down and we relaxed, chatting with him. He showed us a spot where we could take a picture of a window with light that sat just right on a pillar and made it look like flames, another passage that gave the illusion of a mirror, and a third spot you could chant and your voice would echo in the deep.






However, by this point we realized with sinking hearts that all of this friendly banter meant he would want payment. Other uniformed police had appeared, similarly cornering other tourists. We did manage to duck away when another couple appeared, but overheard one group talking that the officers didn’t make much of a salary, so they would be impromptu tour guides as well for a tip.
A child beggar met us in the back and was exceptionally persistent. Our hotel had included brochures mentioning not to pay them because that reinforced begging over going to school. However, we did relent and gave him a banana. He took a break to go eat it, and we made our way around the outer perimeter back to our tuk tuk.
Hours passed, and each temple offered something different as we continued our journey through the park. One temple was in the middle of a lake (West Mebon). We crossed a mossy boardwalk where we spotted what looked like a flock of eagles perched on a tree in the middle of the swamp.



Another temple (East Mebon) was guarded by elephants at all four corners and on different levels. It was neat because at this point, most of the visitors had gone back home for the day, the sun was close to setting, so we had the temple all to ourselves.





At this point, it was getting late and we were completely exhausted. There were still three temples left for us to see, but we told Sam we had energy for one more. We asked for his advice. Without hesitation, he pointed on the map – Ta Prohm.





Hands down, this was our favorite temple. It began downpouring at this point, and we were glad we brought rain flies and rain shells to cover our packs (but don’t worry, plenty of vendors magically appeared offering rain ponchos). The storm made Ta Prohm all the more atmospheric as we marveled at the different color of stones, the architecture, and of course, the unique way the trees had threaded themselves into the temple, making themselves an indistinguishable part. The rain stopped and hundreds of tiny brown frogs hopped around the tree roots.








By the time we emerged, exhausted after 6 hours of temple exploration, sun rays split the clouds apart and steam rose from Ta Prohm’s courtyard. It truly felt like an afterimage of the deities’ heavenly home.
Creeping trees eat wellRoots choke stone, vendors stalk preyWe wonder and run




For more information on the park’s layout and temple history, check out this link:http://www.canbypublications.com/angkor-cambodia/angkor-temple-guide.htm
Overall, we would have loved to have spent more time in Cambodia. Everyone was very hospitable and it would have been neat to see the Floating Village on Tonle Sap Lake or visit the silk markets near the capital. I will say, however, that the barrage of sellers is overwhelming if you haven’t been accustomed to that before. Even up until we boarded our flight back to Thailand and had to walk through the gift shop to get to the flight terminal, I half-expected sales folk to jump up out of nowhere from behind the shelves. 
All in all, too short of a visit, and hopefully someday we can return.

Upcoming Post: Phuket: Kamala Beach
Disclaimer: the above is depicted as fiction, not fact

January 2018 Book Review: The Cursed Child

THE CURSED CHILDBy J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany~Book Review~ 

*Warning! Major Spoilers Ahead!*
MULTITUDES SWARMED OVER THIS SCRIPT, eager to relive the magic and wonder of J.K. Rowling’s much beloved Harry Potter series. I still remember the day Book One hit the shelves of our classroom, and our 6th grade teacher read Chapter 1 to us. By that afternoon I had already checked out a copy from the library and devoured it page to page.
It had everything I enjoyed in a fantasy book back then. Sympathetic protagonist with tragic back story who may not be so ordinary? Check. A magic school with a hat that sorts you into houses? Awesome. A secret wizarding world hidden amongst the alleys of London where you can buy things like wands and owls? Double check. A nasty but oddly endearing school rival? Sign me up. Two loyal best mates to stick it to school rival and go on crazy adventures with you? I’m liking this. A Hagrid? Triple check. Don’t even get me started on the unpleasant but riveting antics of Snape!
Years later in England I may have been one of those ultra fans who dressed up like a witch to attend a Harry Potter release party for The Goblet of Fire. I let that slip to my spouse recently and he said with a look of terror: “You never told me this before we got married.”
Yeah, you’re stuck with me now, buddy.
So in today’s gritty surreal day and age where the times I could get lost in a Rowling book are a distant golden memory, I was guardedly cautious to read The Cursed Child . I finished it, too, in a day like I had The Sorcerer’s Stone.
Unfortunately it was for all the wrong reasons.
This is a play, so it is all dialogue based. I thought for Harry Potter I could handle that, but I realized the reason I fell in love with this wizarding world is because of the world-building. Each book would introduce something new, like the chocolate frogs, to gillyweed, to the Marauder’s Map, to the Whomping Willow, to time-turners for Hermoine to make it all of her classes, and it all left me thinking “Clever. That is so clever! Love it!”
This play is more of a homage to all of the past magical objects and plot devices of Rowling’s world but doesn’t introduce anything new (unless you count the Trolley Witch *shudders*). It focuses on family relationships for the Potters’ child Albus and Draco’s child Scorpius to learn that they are fine just the way they are.
Albus is having a woe-is-me crisis because he is the son of the legendary Harry Potter who ends up in Slytherin. (First world problems.) Scorpius is suffering as well under rumors that he is the son of Voldemort. In a well-intentioned attempt to change things for the better, they steal a time turner from the Ministry of Magic and go back in time to stop Voldemort from killing Cedric Diggory. Naturally, neither of this pair is Hermoine Granger, so they end up dooming the future to a number of frightful Voldemort eras until Albus and his father Harry can reconcile.
*Too* much is crammed in. Every character, even Ludo Bago, gets some dialogue time, and the result is that no character outside of Albus, Scorpius, and Harry feels developed. There is particularly a lack of Rose Granger-Weasley (hey, if they’re going to pay homage to everything from Polyjuice potion to dementors then might as well have a heroic trio). It felt like doing fan service to the events of the old series as a whole and every character gets their cameo—but the result is an oversimplified jumble of events rather than a cohesive story.
The villain (and I liked the idea of Voldemort having a daughter!) dampens the whole message of the play: that you have the freewill to choose who you want to be. Because of course, any child of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named must choose to be unequivocally evil. After we’ve seen that being in Slytherin doesn’t mean you’re destined to be a dark wizard and being the son of Draco Malfoy doesn’t mean you are a douche (love Draco’s growth, by the way! He felt more mature than Harry – fatherhood has been good for him!), then along comes Voldemort’s daughter and she is bad to the bone. (At one point, Albus tells Scorpius he can’t be the son of Voldemort because he can’t believe Voldemort would ever have a kind child, which is downer news for the all the Voldemort spawn wandering around out there). It would have more hit the message home and been entertaining if it was a villainous Hufflepuff on the loose. Or, for this story’s sake, an evil Gryffindor.
(Love that my computer spell check has all of the House names in its dictionary, by the way.)
Anyway, if you are going to read this play, which, if you grew up with Harry Potter and the gang, then you probably are, those are my fair warnings. Don’t expect too much. Don’t get too hung up on all the time travel inconsistencies. Don’t pout too much when your favorite character doesn’t get much stage time. Just absorb, smile at the witty lines, and take a moment to fondly remember the Triwizard Tournament, Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, Platform Nine and Three Quarters…then move on.   
Recommended for fans of: reminiscing about the good old Harry Potter days
Upcoming Book Review: For 2018, stay tuned for reads on new genres in addition to fantasy/paranormal including non-fiction!  

Thailand & Cambodia Travel Series: Siem Reap, Cambodia

This is Part 2 of the Thailand & Cambodia Travel Series.  Read Part 1 Here .


WE WOKE UP early to catch our international flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia. There are two airports in Bangkok: Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which is the newer airport into which the majority of international flights go. However, there is also the older Don Mueang Airport, which is about an hour apart from Suvarnabhumi, which is used now for domestic flights and many Air Asia flights. I’d made the mistake of thinking they were much closer together, but Don Mueang was definitely a good 40 minutes away from our hotel.
We called an Uber to take us there. There were a couple toll roads along the way, but the Uber price accounts for those.
Don Mueang was also an easy airport to navigate around. Make sure you collect your immigration departure card from check in before you go toward security; our agent forgot to give us one and we had to go all the way back.
The Air Asia flight worked well; do keep in mind their weight requirements if you’re traveling with just carry-ons. They didn't check on the way over but on the way back, they were weighing carry on bags. At the time of this article, your two carry-ons couldn't exceed 7kg or 15.4 lbs (https://www.airasia.com/my/en/baggage...) which is difficult if you're trying to travel exclusively with carry-ons. 
The Siem Reap Airport was just an hour flight away. The airport was small with a single room. We had filled out our Cambodian visas online on the government website ahead of time, but it didn’t seem to take that much time for those who applied on arrival.



We had messaged our hotel, The Golden Gecko, ahead of time using Expedia’s messaging feature, and so a tuk-tuk driver “Sam” from the hotel was waiting. Sam would be our driver for the rest of our stay in Siem Reap. The tuk-tuks were great; they were shaded but open-air carts so you stayed quite cool and protected from the rain.



We selected The Golden Gecko Villa after noting its proximity to Angkor Wat, which was the main site we had planned to visit during our three day stay in Cambodia. Our tuk-tuk took about 30 minutes from the airport to the hotel. There were three highway strips, with the center lane being used for passing cars. Along the sides of the roads were hoards of mopeds with whole families aboard, one of the most popular means of travel.




Wealth and poverty were visible in equal extremes. For every lavishly gated hotel, next door there would be dozens of stalls stitched together with tarp roofs and scattered trash. Our hotel was located off a sandy road that turned into puddles when it rained, the color of Thai iced tea. Two dogs ran up to greet us upon arrival.



The Golden Gecko was owned by an Australian couple, we learned. Their friend assisted to check us in. He shared additional tips including that the riel, Cambodian currency, was less in demand than US dollars. They would still accept riel if offered, but at that point the exchange rate was about 4,000 riel to 1 US dollar, so both were equally accepted.
It was a great family atmosphere at The Golden Gecko. One of the dogs, we learned, had been adopted by the owners after being hit by a car and left in the middle of the road. There was an island-style bar, a pool, and a little shaded area for complimentary breakfasts. They also offered tours of Angkor Wat, either a small tour that focused on the main temples, a larger loop that could easily take 1-2 days to see all temples along the main path, and then a separate tour that would take you to some of the off-the-beaten track temples, such as the waterfall ruin. They offered a tour guide or could set you up with one of their tuk-tuk drivers.




Power outages were common across the city, the front desk coordinator “Mr. Kay” told us. It was already midday, and the humid air was sweltering, as if a thunderstorm was brewing. Also, Mr. Kay told us, looking a bit sheepish, they had just learned of a Khmer wedding that would be held next door. It was expected to last for a couple days at least.
We ventured out on the streets to find a bite to eat just as it began to rain. Our friend had told us of a delicious French restaurant, and we tracked it down not a ten minute walk away using Google Maps, “Paris Saigon”. There we enjoyed the most amazing French onion soup and a light, flavorful pasta carbonara dish, as well as some absinthe, which was sold legally in the country. We met the owner who had been a French architect in Vietnam for a while where he met his wife, and when he retired, they moved to Siem Reap to open their restaurant. Half the menu offered French delicacies, and the other half Vietnamese classics.




In the evening, a power outage rolled through and the hotel lost power, making the rooms sticky with heat. We headed out to Pub Street, the major tourist road in Siem Reap. Decked out in neon lights and tons of English-speaking services from restaurants to massages, Pub Street was lively and brimming with tons of foreigners, as well as an equal number of tuk-tuk drivers looking to offer rides. The massage parlors were also very actively recruiting foreigners to enjoy the bargain massages or to try the fish skin treatment, where you dip your feet into a tank where a school of tiny fish can eat off all the dead skin.  



We ate at the Red Piano on the second floor, which provided a great view to people watch. We ordered to delicious Cambodian curries there, and I gave into try the Angelina Jolie cocktail that was featured. Every 10thone they give away free, and I was pretty surprised when we heard the staff cheer and present one for free to our table.



When roaming Pub Street, have your game face on and make your heart stone, because you will be bombarded left and right to come shop or to take a tuk-tuk ride somewhere. The best way to be sensitive to their time (and your own!) is to blatantly ignore them, or give a firm “No, thanks” and keep walking. Don’t engage any more than that or you will earn yourself a relentless shadow. The competition is fierce for business and the vendors need to be persistent or they will lose their sale to the other guy. In our hotel room, there was a pamphlet explicitly warning against giving kids who are begging money, as it encourages them to keep begging instead of attending school. It is difficult, all the same, and you will realize everything you have taken for granted.
My favorite shock value stall was the one offering fried snakes, frogs, scorpions, maggots, and large plump black spiders, all neatly speared on a stick for sale. We asked the vendor which one was the best, and he said the frog. We should have listened to him. We bought a scorpion since I just couldn’t bring myself to try the spider (deathly afraid of those things) and it tasted like leathery dry charcoal with the consistency of licorice. Not much meat on the bone at all. Should have gone with the frog. (If you do ignore these warnings and try the scorpion, make sure to take the stinger off!) 



When we were ready to head back, we literally just had to turn around to have three tuk-tuk drivers vying for our business. As a rule of thumb, Mr. Kay had told us, $3 USD will get you anywhere in Siem Reap general area by tuk tuk, and the driver we found accepted this as well.
The Khmer wedding was in full swing when we got back. Portraits of the bride and groom were set up at the entrance, and we could see a lavish ballroom with plenty of dinner guests inside. We headed in, needing to wake up early the next morning for Angkor Wat.




The power had come back as well. In our room, conditions were similar to our hotel in Bangkok: all toilet paper goes in the waste basket, and stay stocked on bottled water. There was a grocery around the corner as well to find great prices on beer and other amenities. The TV worked well as did the air conditioning, and the bed was supremely comfortable. We fell asleep in our room that night listening to the rise and swell of chanting next door, startled back awake every now and again at the crash of a cymbal.  
Upcoming Post: Angkor Wat

Disclaimer: The above content is depicted as fiction, not fact. 

December 2017 Book Review: Glimmerglass

GLIMMERGLASSBy Jenna Black~Book Review~

AVALON has a mesmerizing allure to it, a mysterious city in Britain where magic comes to life. For teenage Dana who has an embittered relationship with her alcoholic mother, she is willing to travel behind the curtain with her fey father and enter the court of faerie.
However, she soon discovers that she is a Faeriewalker who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Avalon. Her rare ability makes her a target, but luckily she befriends fey siblings Ethan and Kimber to help uncover the mystery of who is behind the attacks on her life.
The story is fairly predictable but the core characters are amusing and memorable. I like that Dana and Kimber team up and develop a close friendship, Dana’s bodyguard Finn was the typical close-mouthed serious warrior which I’m always a sucker for, and Dana’s teacher Keane was entertaining with his I-love-you/I-hate-you routine with Dana. Tragically, he’s not the main love interest – that falls to Ethan, Kimber’s brother, who is pretty banal, irritates Dana (but makes her swoon as well!), leaving just the reader still sorely irritated. He didn’t seem to have much going on besides his abs.
The world-building in Glimmerglass reminded me of Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series. It felt college-age, contemporary, with faerie student dorm houses, modern references name dropped here and there, and a focus on hormones over plot. However, it was a neat concept to explore magic v. technology and what would happen if Dana brought over guns into the faerie land?
Overall, a swift and entertaining read, but for fantasy fans who want more in-depth faerie world building, check out Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series.
Recommended for fans of: Carrie Jones, Alexandra Adornetto, Lauren Kate
Upcoming Book Review: The Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany

Thailand Travel Series: Bangkok

~Welcome to the Thailand Travel Series~
This visit briefly covers Bangkok, features Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and then focuses on Southern Thailand: Phuket; Phrang Nga Bay; Railay Beach; Ao Nang. Happy Traveling!


MY HOMETOWN had entered a terribly cold season newspapers started calling “the Great Dark,” so you can imagine how happy I was to touch down in hot, humid Thailand for two weeks.
We chose to travel at the end of October through early November in Bangkok. It was a bit of a gamble. We knew some folks who had gone at this time a couple years earlier, and the Bangkok airport was flooded. As such, they had to reroute their trip to Singapore and travel up through Malaysia to Southern Thailand by train. November marks the start of the dry season. We did experience quite a few thunderstorms that rolled in around 4 PM like clockwork, but otherwise, the weather was remarkably beautiful.



We arrived on the streets of Bangkok at midnight, bleary-eyed and disoriented after our fourteen hour flight from the States. It was a hard toss-up between Korean Air and Asiana, but we eventually went with Korean Air since they had a better deal at the time. We flew from Honolulu to Incheon, South Korea (approximately 9 hours) and then from Incheon to Bangkok (approximately 5 hours). Korean Air excels at customer service and our flight over even had a second level on the plane. Also, it had been so long since we could take advantage of a free entertainment system (and free checked bags for the way back), I had been looking forward to going on a movie-watching binge. But I think the effect wore off after six hours or so. I find it notoriously difficult to sleep on planes, so I had no sense of time whatsoever when we landed.
Both Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea and Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand are ultramodern, sleek, open airports. Everything is meticulously labeled and includes English translations, and we did not experience any difficulties transferring to our next flight. I had missed this part of the world, but I felt the familiarity rise as gradually, English was overtaken with Korean and then Thai, the smoggy humidity settled into my skin, and a sense of being other invaded my perceptions. We had both feverishly studied to pick up common Thai phrases and spent countless commuting hours listening to audio books, but Thai is a tonal language, so that in itself was a new challenge. However, we experienced a warm greeting and appreciation toward our willingness to try and speak Thai. Many in the hospitality industry spoke basic English as well, so we navigated down to the second floor where our shuttle came for us.


Since we were spending two weeks in Thailand, we packed light with only carry-ons: two backpacks and then one roller board and a duffel bag. We had a detour to Siem Reap, Cambodia planned, so we didn’t want to waste time dealing with checked luggage. We booked all of our hotels ahead of time by researching online and through Lonely Planet. We ended up booking everything on Expedia, which worked out well overall, except for our Air Asia flight we booked through them to get to Siem Reap. Air Asia ended up canceling our departure flight and notified us. However, we were suspicious that it might be a fraudulent email and called both Expedia and contacted Air Asia to confirm. Expedia told us there were no delays, but just to make sure, we utilized Air Asia’s online chat since we didn’t have an international phone plan at the time, and they said that it had changed. We were able to book on a different flight through the online chat, but even up until the day of our departure, Expedia didn’t get the memo. Goes to show, make sure you go by whatever your airline says! However, Expedia was helpful for us to message our hotels a couple weeks out to arrange airport shuttle pick-ups and all the reservations went through. 
The only other ticket we bought ahead of time was the train ticket from Surat Thani to Bangkok (www.thairailwayticket.com or passenger-ser@railway.co.th). Other things like excursions we waited to book through travel agencies once we arrived in Thailand, since a) you never know how the weather might turn out and b) the travel agencies will discount whatever price the brochures and media posts a couple times, or work to find you a trip you’re looking for at the price you want. Tour agencies are about a time a dozen, especially in the touristy areas. But more on that later!







Bangkok was still abuzz with activity at midnight. We stayed at the Phoenix Hotel on the outskirts of Bangkok near Suvarnabhumi Airport (20 minute drive approximately). It was about $52 USD for 2 nights for a small room with basic amenities and free airport shuttle pick up and drop off. On the second floor was a large row of  different hotel pick up and drop off people. We spoke to the gentleman with a clipboard and he okayed that someone would be by soon in The Phoenix shuttle to grab us. We later learned the Phoenix Hotel’s shuttle left every hour. We kept the man in close view as we slumped over our luggage on the floor nearby, but sure enough, he soon gestured for us to go out and catch our shuttle that had pulled upon the curb outside.
In hindsight, we would recommend a hotel even closer to the airport (10 minutes or less), or you can arrange to stay in the airport itself, if you are just using it as a rest stop as we were. There weren’t many good flights to Siem Reap without going through Bangkok, so we thought we would spend a day there to adjust to the time zone and see the palace. We did spot a Novotel nearby, which we would learn is a premier hotel chain that has locations throughout Thailand and has top-notch service.

The Phoenix Hotel staff was courteous and the rooms were clean; the airport shuttle for free was definitely a perk. The TV sputtered and gave you about two channels, and the breakfast wasn’t free but had a decent porridge for about 80 baht (at the time of this article, the exchange rate was approximately 33 baht to 1 USD). Bed was comfortable and the bathroom came with shampoo and conditioner. For the toilets, remember to throw toilet paper in the trash can and don’t flush it to avoid clogs.

Curiously enough, the exchange rate was the best at the airport, which I've never seen happen. But we were able to get 33 baht for 1 USD - at other banks further away from the airport, the highest it would get would be 32.8, and some were only offering 31. I would familiarize yourself as much as possible with the exchange rate and if you see it, even if close to the airport, go for that deal. You might not necessarily find that rate somewhere else. Also, bring a lot of US cash (as much as you feel comfortable with and keep it close!) - that way you don't have to pay as much in ATM fees by card later. Traveler's checks is another option. 
We bought soap from a 7-11 on the corner nearby. Always keep an eye out for those convenience stores – they carry everything that the hotels will up-charge on like soap, sunscreen, bug spray, quick snacks ect. The biggest thing we went there for was bottled water, since it’s advised not to drink tap water in Thailand. Also, you can stock up on Chang beer :). 
Likewise at 7-11, the cashier gave us what looked like Hello Kitty stamps upon receipt every time. We soon had a massive collection of them. Save these stamps – you can use them to trade for certain items or just take a discount off your bill. We had no idea what to do with them for half our time in Thailand, so on our last day, we got a good 50 baht off our bill!



If you’re planning to spend a couple days in Bangkok, definitely grab a spot deep in the heart of the city. Minimize your travel to walking as much as possible. Bangkok was huge, sprawling. We woke in the morning (strangely awake for all the traveling we’d been doing!) and ventured out to the downtown. We caught the free shuttle to the airport again and from there, went down to the bottom floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport where the Airport Rail Link was, ready to venture into the heart of Bangkok.
Hot unfolding mazeAll mourn King Bhumi in blackCity gifts the stranger
*Above is one of the many haikus my tired and numb brain conjured after sitting on a train for 9 hours from Surat Thani Station up to Bangkok. I thought I would share them sporadically so you can experience my slow mental shutdown from the all-day train ride to a full day of flying back to the States the day after.



Upon arriving at the Airport Link, all of the coin slot machines were out of order. We quickly learned that we had arrived during the remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. As such, all public transportation like trains and buses were free. From what I could see, it looked like typically for using the Rail Links, you could either purchase tickets or get a pre-paid card that you swiped each time when you entered and swiped again when you left. They had an information booth set up as well. The Airport Link is one of several that serve Bangkok, which starts at Suvarabhumi and ends at Phayathai Station (about 30 -40 minute journey). There were a couple places you could transfer to other Rail Links as well. As such, there was probably an easier way to get to The Grand Palace, but our plan was basically to get as far into the city as we could and then Uber the rest of the way.
Ah, yes. Uber serves Bangkok! It was very convenient. We had paid for a limited international phone plan, so I put in our location and could quickly see the price. We hadn’t quite gotten into our haggling mode yet, so it was preferable to going straight to the tuk-tuks. I found out later the Uber price also factors in tolls (there were quite a few toll booths on major roads in Bangkok) and drivers don’t expect tips in Thailand. Uber would also message me codes to get baht discounts on future Uber rides.




The driver got us as close to the palace as could but explained that due to the remembrance ceremony, we couldn’t enter the Grand Palace today. We walked alongside the river encircling the palace sight-seeing until the crowds wearing black grew so thick that cars couldn’t get through. Hundreds had turned out to line up for the parade that would be happening later and lined the alleys and bridges. One large courtyard had a screen replaying the life of King Bhumi while the military saluted.





At this point, we felt very conspicuous since we were pretty much the only ones not wearing black, so we wanted to duck out and not cause disrespect. However, we ran into a line of what looked to be a grade school association of some kind. One man tried to hand me a water bottle, and I thought he must have wanted me to pay for it, so I declined. But the next few groups of people all had gifts they pressed into our hands: different pastries, small noodle dishes, and the best-tasting coconut ice cream ever given it was such a sweltering day. We finally caught on that it was all part of the remembrance ceremony and gratefully accepted – by that point, I was wondering where the water bottle guy had gone.









We found a complex of temples to duck into that led us to a stream, and suddenly all the noise of the city fell away. Tucked away in the heart of Bangkok along the stream was a hodgepodge of tin roofed homes cluttered together with cats perched on top and an odd assortment of items sprinkled from porch to porch. A family clustered together on a bridge to watch an old TV broadcast of the event. Then we tumbled out of that alley back into rows of concrete apartments. We finally wound up at the Democracy Monument around sunset.






We had a flight to catch the next morning to Siem Reap so we retraced our footsteps from there, since it took us a good 1.5 hours away to get back via train/airport shuttle (see how big Bangkok is?). My phone was dead, so we haggled with a tuk tuk driver. He wanted 400 baht to take us back to Phayathai Station, but we said 300. He said he could do 300 if we agreed to meet with his “sponsor” for a stop, which we definitely weren’t interested in, so we settled on 350 baht. Still more hefty than if we’d done Uber, but we were tired. The ride certainly woke us up!  




I am glad we got to be in Bangkok for the ceremony. If we’d had more time, I would have liked to see the Grand Palace and other sights around Bangkok like one of the nearby Floating Markets or Ayutthaya, Thailand’s former capital full of sprawling temples and jungle a day trip north of Bangkok.

We would have to save a trip to the north of Thailand (and include Chiang Mai!) another time. For now, we were jetting off to Siem Reap, Cambodia to explore the vastness of Angkor Wat.

Disclaimer: The above content is depicted as fiction, not fact. 

November 2017 Book Review: Nightshade

NIGHTSHADEBy Andrea Cremer~Book Review~

*Warning! Spoilers!*
THIS BOOK IS PARANORMAL CANDY. I binge-read the Nightshade series, cursed violently at the romantic turn of events in the final book, and then tried to get into the Nightshade prequels but just couldn’t. The reason being, the world-building was interesting, but what really hooked me in the main series was the secondary characters.
The similarities to Twilight are striking, but in the right way. The chemistry between Calla and alpha wolf Rem was smokin’, the bond the other wolves had with Calla touching, and the relationship between the werewolves and the Keepers tense enough to keep things interesting. This really is a case where the secondary characters grow in your heart much more than the main duo do, alpha Calla and the human boy she saves from a bear attack, Shay. So naturally, it’s a bit more painful to experience all the bad stuff that usually happens to secondary protagonists, but it’s definitely the type of series that’s addictive.
Calla is a Guardian, an alpha werewolf who serve as protectors for the sorcerous Keepers in a world laden with monsters. She is the betrothed of fellow alpha Ren, who, much like Cassian from Sophie Jordan’s Firelight series (identical plot but with dragon shifters) is much more complex and interesting than whiny, bland Shay. Unfortunately for us all, Calla spots the human Shay wandering around the woods and instead of letting a bear eat him, saves him and thus sets off a forbidden love triangle that will take three books to be resolved.
There is a bit more action in this book than Firelight. Calla unfortunately doesn’t live up to her bad-ass potential in fighting but instead exhibits a bad temper instead, so don’t expect much from her. However, at least we have Ren, Ansel, Bryn, Mason, and Fey who aren’t afraid to get their paws dirty. Tensions flare as motivations behind why the Keepers need Calla and Ren’s marital pack merge and who is the real manipulating enemy come to a head.
Overall an enjoyable read with addictive paranormal romance flair and memorable secondary characters.
Recommended for fans of: Stephanie Meyer, Sophie Jordan, and Courtney Moulton Upcoming Book Review: Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

October 2017 Book Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset

The Girl in the Steel CorsetBy Kate Locke~Book Review~


Warning! Minor spoilers! 
FINLEY JAYNE, our late 19th century English heroine, can knock full-grown men out cold in a corset made out of steel, no less. No wonder she is ill-tempered. Paying homage to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as reminiscent of Oliver Twist, Kate Locke’s steampunk The Girl in the Steel Corset introduces us to a group of peculiar outsiders, whose newest addition thrashes back and forth between her good and evil natures.
The first couple chapters are exhilarating, as there is nothing more satisfying than seeing a leering brute get taken out by someone he underestimates. Once serving girl Finley comes back to the reality that she has defended herself against someone of upper class, she goes on the run to escape the consequences. She meets Griffin King, who takes her under his wing like the Artful Dodger, and meets fellow uncanny miscreants such as a part-robot and a genius inventor.
Unfortunately, it is here that the book begins to lose its suspense and the plot slows to a meandering crawl around a very surface level exploration of the characters’ lives. There is a shadowy villain, the Machinist, who, predictably, lurks from the shadows and doesn’t effectively establish himself as a menacing threat. Sam, who is part-robot, is super-charged aggressively hostile toward Emily, an inventor, and by the end of it, I still wasn’t convinced as to his reasons for being so. It just made him immensely dislikeable. And Griffin was a bland leader with none of the Artful Dodger’s charm.
All of the potential of Finley’s dual character is lost as she is relegated to share the stage with Griffin’s point of view. It would be an interesting exercise if Griffin didn’t exist and Finley served as the sole main character, gathering the other misfits to her side, and having a more personal, intense relationship with the Machinist in order to build up the tension. Griffin didn’t really serve as anything, certainly not as the fascinating subtle bad influence like the Dodger demonstrated, like the type of mentor who seemingly has good intentions, but whom the more naive “Oliver” character (Finley) needs to learn to establish her independence against. Rather, he just served as a disinteresting romantic prospect and not essential to the plot. Without Griffin, I would venture to say that Finley’s other romantic interest, the swaggering Cockney crime lord Jack Dandy, would still have given the story enough spice.
As such, I am hesitant to continue the series, as the stage is just too over-crowded to provide a more intense, deeper characterization of not just the protagonists, but even of the steampunk world itself. The Girl in the Steel Corset feels like it is trying to be too many things (a romance, a steampunk noir mystery, a philosophical struggle between good and evil natures), and in the end, leaves none of them memorable. I would recommend the series to readers looking for a more light-hearted, slow-paced romance with bits of steampunk magic here and there.
Recommended for fans of: Cassandra Clare, Colleen Houck, and Shelley Adina
Upcoming Book Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer