Leah R. Cutter

My first thought upon finishing this book: Well, that was fun!

The prologue set me off balance, making me feel like I was reading three stories but very curious as to how they would come together.. and come together they do! This book is gritty and risque. Science, psychic abilities and Norse gods fit together like puzzle pieces with wisps of familial drama snuck in. I was curious about where the story was going and how they would meet and I was not disappointed.

Early on in the story we show more learn that our main character, Cassie, is a lesbian. As a lady lover myself I appreciated this attribute as well as how it plays out in the book. She’s crass, flirty, stands by her friends and gets things done that need doing. She’s a character that I can get behind, pun absolutely intended. Her situation in life isn't ideal but she doesn't complain about it and is happy for what she does have. I enjoyed how she interacted with the other characters in the book, all of whom I found entertaining.

There’s an element of government/private industry/military involvement with the psychic abilities here that I thought it was well played.

and that concludes all of the POSITIVE things that I have to say about Poisoned Pearls.. Now onto my criticisms!...

*stares at ceiling*looks from one side of ceiling to the other*makes fart noises with mouth*

ah.. Well, it looks as though I have none! Although I do feel that I should warn there are topics here that may make some people uncomfortable, drugs, sex, bad language. If these things are an issue for you then I wouldn't recommend delving into this very entertaining world.


Finally, here are a couple of quotes that I found extra amusing.

"Careful, or you'll lose an eye," I joked.

"I'd finally stopped and looked at the date--December twenty-first, the longest night of the year.
Normally, that was something I'd celebrate. All that extra loving time." show less

A Sword's Poem follows the kitsune, Hikaru, as she attempts to rescue her husband, Norihiko, from an evil sorcerer's enchantment. Leah Cutter's novel blends kitsune folklore and Heian period gender politics with a traditional quest storyline.

Hikaru's tale is one of an immature young adult growing up. Each step on her journey to reviving Norihiko is filled with loss, including of her own magic. The price Hikaru pays to retrieve and then purify her lost magic is far greater than her immature show more self could have imagined.

As in most traditional quest tales, Hikaru and Norihiko are caught in events already set in motion, but their participation is required for the correct ending, one that has implications beyond their own relationship.

A Sword's Poem is a thoughtful, well-written novel with an interesting setting, likable characters, and a breezy storyline. It never becomes weighted by its cycle of loss and consequences for one's actions, and Hikaru is an interesting protagonist. show less

I read one by Cutter (Poisoned Pearls) last year and enjoyed it a lot, but this one I found harder to like. Franklin, a poor farmer in Kentucky whose passion is growing and formulating the tastiest, crunchiest, best mix of popcorn and whose avocation is ghost whisperer, finds that ghosts he's helped "move on" are being forced to come back, and they are not happy about it. I loved the premise, but the writing style got to me. It's written in third person limited, so a bit of colloquialism is show more acceptable, but throughout the short novel the use of "were" in place of "was," and vice versa, to show (I guess) Franklin's lack of education, started to wear on me after awhile. I mean, with dialogue and a character's thoughts, use of colloquialisms usually works fine, but not in the actual narrative prose ~ constantly. There were other similar devices throughout the book. There seemed to be a bit of deus ex machina going on, and some of the motivations of the other characters weren't clear. In fact, all the characters were very simply drawn, almost caricatures, and I thought Franklin and Julie were a bit too good to be true for my taste (I kind of liked Franklin's "thieving" cousin better, and even the villain held more interest for me, though he wasn't in the story enough). Also, I think I'd have enjoyed this one more if I'd read the first in the series (The Popcorn Thief), which I'd have done had I known this was second. (Either this wasn't stated in the Early Review blurb, or I didn't read the blurb well enough.) I may try to find the first in the series sometime and see if that helps. show less

I received this book through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Club in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The synopsis of this book is summed up in the title – it is the story of a changeling who discovers she is a troll. It is a deceptively simple premise but the execution is outstanding as demonstrated by the fact that I read this book in one sitting. The novel is well written and fresh, filled with good characters including a particularly likable heroine (and one with which any show more bibliophile will really relate) and her sidekick brother who turns out to be everything one wants in a sidekick. The take on the traditional good-versus-evil story is unexpected and enjoyable with an original slant that raises some interesting questions about what actually constitutes “good” and adds some extra dimensions to “evil” (petty meanness being the one that instantly springs to mind). The prose is a nice mixture of humour and insight and there are some golden moments of great tenderness (specifically in those moments when what actually constitutes “family” are defined).

I am sure this book will garner many comparisons to the movie “Shrek” simply because of the girl-becoming-troll angle and, although I can see it being enjoyed by a family in a shared setting, this book has a depth, wit and warmth that make it deserve to stand alone. I suspect it will become a classic very quickly and I hope the suggestion that it is the first book in a series about this new world turns out to be true as I want to read more about this heroine and her world and also want to read more from this author. I really loved this book. show less