Review: The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Allen Addison

I wanted to read this because it was described as a magical story.  While there is a bit of magic in it, it's a small amount.  Magical realism I guess it's called.  I prefer a bit more magic than what this book contained.  I'm also beginning to realize that I prefer there be some sort of mythology or background to support the magic.

The book started out well.  I really enjoyed it at first.  But by the time the story was over, I was annoyed with all the coincidences and the way everything was so neatly wrapped up.  I felt the story required more tension.  But that's not the type of story this was.

By the time I was done with the book, I didn't like it anymore. A little too simple and the happily ever after arrived a bit too easily.  Not my type of book.

Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

This is such an usual story.  A childless couple build a snowman one day, and then a child appears.  Sounds absurd, but the story is written in such a way that I kept expecting an explanation.  At times there seems to be a logical reason for all of this, and at other times the only explanation is magic.  As I've said many times, I like stories that include a heavy dose of magic. But every once in a while, there's a bit of reality in the story that threatens the existence of magic.

The child appears during the winter and disappears when the snow melts.  They don't know where she goes and she provides no information.  She can't stay inside for too long or she grows too warm and starts to feel ill.  Each year, she ages, as a normal child does.  Then one winter she falls in love with the neighbor's son and things begin to change. 

I liked this story because it was so different.  This is beautifully written.  But I wanted more.  When the book was over, I still had so many unanswered questions.  I wanted some of my friends to read this book so we could discuss it, but no one did.  Maybe I need to read it again to see if I missed something.