Lisa Henson
We've only recently discovered The Witcher on Netflix, and that led me down the rabbit hole to Andrzej Sapkowski's books. When I had the chance to read an advance copy of The Tower of Fools, I jumped at it.
First off, it is a substantial book. Weighing in at approximately 560 pages, it isn't a light, easy read. It's longer than the average book, and it is chock full of historical detail. Before I picked up this book, I knew exactly nothing about the Hussite Wars. Once I started reading here, I had to go do a little research, so I learned a thing or two. And isn't that one of a book's objectives?
Second, our protagonist, Reinmar of Bielewa (also called Reynevan), is an idiot, bless his heart. He seemed determined throughout this book to throw himself in harm's way as fast as possible, disregarding any piece of good advice he might get in favor of his pursuit of Love. Never mind that the fair Adele (the original object of his affection) didn't return his feelings. He dashed headlong after her, and got himself into a lot of scrapes along the way. But thankfully, there are always those along the way who are willing to help him, whether out of the goodness of their hearts or to further their own agenda, and he might have learned a little bit from his journey. I hope to find out in book two of the trilogy.
There were parts of the book that were very heavy on historical detail. I might could have done with a bit less of that, as I'm not the aficionado of history that some people are. But it didn't keep me from reading and enjoying the book. Honestly, I got overtones of Terry Pratchett-type satire in some places, and it was quite entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the blurbs at the beginning of each chapter that gave the reader an idea of what to expect.
The titular Tower of Fools, Narrenturm, doesn't make an appearance until about 80% through the book, but it is an important part of the story. It also sounds like quite a horrific place. There are some descriptions of torture, but nothing graphic.
Overall, while I might have liked a little less history with my fantasy, The Tower of Fools is a jolly good read. I'm looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of the book from NetGalley and Orbit Books. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books that I don't actually like.
While human cloning isn't currently possible, it's not so far-fetched that the scenario presented by The Mirror Man is completely unbelievable. Jeremiah Adams is unhappy with his life. He feels disconnected from his son, and he suspects his wife is cheating on him (but doesn't have the guts to confront her or work to improve his marriage). So it doesn't take much to convince him to step off-stage for a year to take part in an ethically and legally questionable experiment and earn a cool $10 million while his clone takes his place. Sounds like a great deal, doesn't it? Let someone else deal with the hassle of your daily life, and you just sit back, observe, and collect the money at the end of the experiment.
But it doesn't take long before Jeremiah starts to realize how uncomfortable it is seeing “himself” from an outside perspective. And when he figures out that there's a sinister undercurrent to the experiment, and that ViMed will stop at nothing to make sure it is completed, he also realizes that he will do whatever it takes to protect his family. Suddenly, that life he was so disenchanted with is worth preserving.
Jeremiah wasn't a very likeable protagonist at the outset. He slouches through his life, putting work first, not investing a whole lot of time or emotional energy into parenting or his marriage. He struck me as a very selfish person at the start. It's all about what benefits Jeremiah first, everyone else a distant second. But as I read and watched him watching himself, saw him realizing what he had been missing out on with his family, it became easier to feel compassion for him. I liked him a lot more at the end of the book than I did at the beginning.
The Mirror Man hits hard and makes you think. What kind of person can leave behind family - the people he's supposed to love the most - for filthy lucre? Even if they don't know he's gone, still, Jeremiah basically said money counted more than living his life. How far will we go when push comes to shove to protect the people we didn't think we had a solid bond with? How well do we really know ourselves and what we're capable of? And what makes us, well, “us”? The clone had all of Jeremiah's memories. But did that make him the same as - indistinguishable from - the original Jeremiah? Read the book and find out.
This is a horror book for people who don't think they like horror, a suspenseful sci-fi thriller that doesn't rely on jump scares. No gore, no slasher bits - just a well-told story that pulls you along on a ride that gets faster by the page and moments where you are well and truly horrified at the lengths to which some people will go to accomplish their desires.
Disclaimer: Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin - MIRA for an advance reader copy of The Mirror Man and the opportunity to take part in the blog tour. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
Can I give this book ten stars? Please? Susannah B. Lewis has done it again. In How May I Offend You Today?, she takes a humorous look at how we as a society look for ways to get offended and why judgment isn't always a bad thing. Her stories had me laughing out loud and reading bits to my husband, because it was so funny he just had to hear it. But it's not just humor. It's Scriptural truth. Lewis uses humor to gently make the point that we need to be mindful of how we treat people, even when they're going out of their way to get offended by life, the universe, and everything in it. God uses Lewis' words to speak to me and remind me that I am far from perfect, and He's got a little work to do on me yet.
Reading this book was like sitting on the porch drinking coffee with a friend - the best kind, the one who makes you laugh and who loves you enough to point out those areas where you have room for improvement. I recommend it for anyone who loves Jesus, loves to laugh, and wants to be mindful of how they can share that love and laughter with others.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and the author for an advance reader copy of the book. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
With healthcare a hot topic here in the United States, it was interesting to read The NHS and get insight into the development of the UK's government-funded healthcare system. Not living in the UK, I was only passingly familiar with the NHS. This book provides a picture of the NHS from its inception through current day, and gives good insight into how the program works, how it is intended to work, and the challenges it has faced over the years.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions here are my own, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
The Puzzle Women is a dual-time story, set in 1989 at the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall and ten years later, in 1999. As the story opens, Mama takes her children, Rune and Lotte, and flees her abusive marriage. Ten years later, Mama is gone, the children are back in Papa's grasp, and their memories are faded. Lotte, the younger of the two, barely remembers anything of Mama, their escape, and what follows. But one day a mysterious notebook arrives. Lotte struggles to read, but she sees enough to know the notebook came from Mama.
“‘Mama!' That sharp pointy word came at her from the page with soft hands and the voice of songs. It was an all-over feeling. It was a new feeling. It was a feeling of holding on so tight, so as not to be left. Of being still, which was far harder than being quiet. Of quiet being the sound that roars on the inside. Of sucking her thumb and listening to words transformed into the cakes of dreams.“
Papa finds the notebook and destroys it. So when Lotte learns of the “Puzzle Women,” reconstructing files the Stasi had shredded and left behind when the Berlin Wall fell, she determines to be independent and to seek their help. Telling no one where she is going, she sets out on her own with her goal firmly in mind.
Rune, upon learning Lotte is gone, is frantic to find her. He is overwhelmed with guilt for what he thinks he's done, burdened with fear for what he thinks will happen when his past choices are made known. He fears that nothing but hurt will come from any revelations the Puzzle Women may make from scattered pieces of the past.
“The official line was that the Stasi had ‘disappeared her' but he'd been there, and it wouldn't have happened without him. Rune had made her death inevitable, even if he hadn't killed her himself. How was he ever to explain that to Lotte? He didn't want to see Lotte's face when she ran out of the notebook entries. When the reality of death and the beginning of grief began for her. And the questions that began with ‘how?' started. If Lotte knew what he had done too, would she be able to understand ? He wasn't asking for forgiveness – he could never forgive himself. But for Lotte to look at him differently, it would destroy him.“
Lotte just wants to remember, wants to know what the notebook says and who Mama was, wants a place where she fits. I adored seeing Lotte's character develop through the course of the book. Papa made her think she was nothing. But others saw her value, and she began to shine in the warmth of their love and approval.
“‘Why do you like bees so much?'Clio asked. Lotte looked at Sabine, who winked. Sabine knew why. She looked at Pepin, who laughed. She knew why too. It made Lotte happy that her friends understood her. ‘Because,'Lotte explained, ‘they have tiny wings and big fat bodies. They shouldn't be able to fly and yet they do.'‘So?'‘So, sometimes you can be more than what people think you can be.'‘Exactly,'said Sabine and Roo at the same time.“
The story pulls you along. Tension is constant, as there is always the fear of what Papa will do, where he will turn up, what strings he can pull to bring his family back under his thumb when they dare to think that perhaps they are finally beyond his reach. Ellory turns a wondrous phrase, and her skillful use of language to draw mental images makes the words come alive in the reader's mind. “He reread the rejection letter; the words felt like bullet holes, fossilised wounds – a constellation of stars, and just as unreachable.” “Lotte felt good, really sunflower-yellow good, and she fell asleep listening to the warming glow of Sabine's laugh.” “The point he had been trying to make slip-slid off his face and puddled in his belly.” The book is filled with instances like that, where the words you just read make you pause and visualize what the author has said.
This is not necessarily an easy read, especially not for anyone who has suffered abuse. But it is an enthralling read, brutal yet healing, full of harsh reality and sacrificial love. The language is beautiful, and the story is compelling. It is worth your time.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK. All opinions here are my own, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
This is the fifth in Lauren Elliott's Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. It's the first of the series that I've read, so it can be read as a stand-alone book. Ms. Elliott puts enough context in that you can figure out some details you might have missed from earlier books.
I like a good cozy mystery, and I love a cozy mystery with a bookstore involved! The book was delightful. Addie is a likable character, as is Paige, and I enjoyed the small New England town setting. There's family drama, the theft of an unexpectedly valuable book, and a certain furry thief of hearts. It made me unreasonably happy to see how Addie warmed up to her temporary role as dog mom. It also warmed my heart to see how much she cares for the people in her life. The characters feel (mostly) like people I'd like to get to know. And the “who” in “whodunnit” came as a bit of a surprise to me! I enjoy it when I can't figure out the killer in the first few chapters.
This was the first of Ms. Elliott's works that I've read, and I look forward to reading more.
Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.
I was thrilled to have the chance to be on the blogger team for The Edge of Belonging because it touches on two subjects of importance to me. One, Ivy Rose is adopted. I was adopted as an infant, and I grew up knowing that to be the case. It was never a surprise to me, and I never doubted the love my parents had for me. I didn't grapple with some of the same things Ivy struggles with. But I have that kinship with everyone who grew up in a family other than the one they were born to. Two, the story deals with an abusive relationship. Back in my days as an assistant district attorney, I saw my fair share of abused women. My heart ached for every one of them, and I saw how difficult it was for them to break free from the situations in which they often felt trapped. I'm no longer a trial attorney, but that is one of the very few things I would consider getting back into prosecution for, helping women and children who cannot, in those cases, help themselves.
The story is told from two perspectives in time. We see one aspect of the story unfolding from Ivy Rose Lashley's point of view in the present day, and another through the lives of those who will become near and dear to her, back in 1994.
The Edge of Belonging grabbed me from the get-go. Ivy Rose learns that her grandmother is very close to dying. She wants to go to her family, but her fiancé bullies her into staying, into attending a function that's very important for her career. This fiance is a control freak of the highest order. He tells Ivy what to wear, how she'll act. It took me just about half a second to figure out that he was No Good For Her, and it broke my heart for Ivy. I wanted to hug her and tell her she deserved better, and I wanted to punch rotten ol' Seth into the next county.
Finally Ivy decides that family means more, and she leaves the important function to try to get to her grandmother before she passes away. When she returns home, the fiance makes his displeasure with what he considers Ivy's selfish actions abundantly clear. He threatens to ruin Ivy's life, to take away the things he provides for her, the job he got for her. Her cell phone is turned off. Her car is damaged so that it won't start. The funding for her job dries up suddenly. With nothing left to hold her there, Ivy returns to Triune, Tennessee, where she grew up. There she faces the task of going through her grandmother's house and sorting through the things she left behind. And as it turns out, sorting through those things may include learning the truth behind her adoption – and figuring out how she feels about Reese, her childhood friend.
Oh, y'all. This book. I'm not one to cry at books, generally, but The Edge of Belonging had me running for the Kleenex. For so many of the characters, it's about their perspective on relationships, and how they've handled the pain of loss, the pain of life going not according to plan.
I used to handle Child Protective Services cases as an assistant district attorney, and Harvey reminded me of some of the kids we'd see in foster care. He'd built such a thick shell around himself to protect himself, to make sure he didn't get close to anyone, because as a child, he'd learned that love meant pain. He'd learned that if you love someone, they'll just leave you, and he wasn't willing to open himself up to that hurt again.
Miriam's pain was caused by her inability to have a child. For so long, she couldn't get past wanting a child from a pregnancy of her own. She let that pain distance her from her husband, her community of faith, and even God.
Pearl's husband died from cancer, and her son came back from the war so emotionally damaged that he ended his own life. She lost those she loved to circumstances she couldn't control.
And Ivy and Reese. They both danced around things so much, I was about ready to reach into the pages and give them each a little shake. But Ivy learned from her fiancé that love meant pain, and she also feared losing her best friend. Reese saw that she'd been hurt, and he knew he never wanted to make her feel that hurt from anything he said or did.
This is a marvelous story of finding your place, of learning that family doesn't necessarily mean blood ties, of working past old hurts to find soul-deep healing. Faith is an important aspect of the story – Thomas is a pastor, after all. But it isn't a “beat you over the head with a Bible” story. Rather, it's a faith that gently seeks to draw others near, and a faith that allows the characters wrestle with and work out tough decisions in prayer, and grow stronger as a result.
The Edge of Belonging is a story that will break your heart and put it back together. You will wax indignant, laugh, cry, and cheer. When I turned the final page, I felt like I was saying goodbye to friends. It gets five enthusiastic stars and a wholehearted recommendation from me.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Revell Reads. All opinions here are my own, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
I love a good space opera. I'm also a sucker for a fun fairy tale retelling. Midnight Wings combines the two, and it is delightful.
El dreams of being a fighter pilot. But with her stepmother and stepsisters trashing her reputation to lower her ranking on the social grid, taking everything she earns at her mechanic job as “payment” for keeping a roof over her head, and filling the rest of her waking hours with chore after chore, she figures the closest she'll ever get to being a pilot is the flight simulator.
But when a contest is announced, with the winner to be a fighter pilot, El thinks maybe this is her chance to escape her life of drudgery. Of course, nothing goes like she envisions, and her hope of breaking free begins to dwindle. Thankfully, she's going to get a little help from some unexpected sources.
This was really an enjoyable read! El and Ri remind me of Theo and Galian in S. Usher Evans' Madion War trilogy a little bit. In both, we have an underprivileged young woman who wants to fly/is a pilot, and life circumstances bring her into contact with a young man of the royal persuasion. Different settings, and the story unfolds differently from their meeting, but similar in that regard. It's also a bit more practical in execution than the fairy tale on which it's based, which I enjoyed. I'm not a hearts and flowers kind of girl. I much prefer El as a jet mechanic and aspiring pilot, doing her best to kick butt and take names, than the original Cinderella fleeing at midnight and leaving a delicate glass slipper behind. El is my kind of girl. Not afraid to get dirt under her nails, and not downplaying her skills for a man.
Midnight Wings isn't what I'd call a full-length story, so there wasn't quite as much world-building as I'd like to see. However, given that it's the first in a series, I'm hopeful that subsequent entries will flesh out Rove City a bit more.
Overall, I found it a solid, well-paced read, and if the ending wasn't really a surprise, the main character is absolutely a different spin on the original. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Sieling's work and meeting more of the characters in the Rove City universe.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and the author. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
I love this cookbook! The Secret Ingredient Cookbook is beautifully designed, and the photographs are simply mouthwatering. While some of the “secret” ingredients weren't a huge surprise to me, some were things I never would have considered. I consider myself a well-seasoned cook, and the recipes are sufficiently interesting to appeal to my sense of adventure, but not so challenging that a kitchen beginner would be turned off. Many of the ingredients used are things I already have in my kitchen, so that's a plus. I'm looking forward to trying out more of the recipes!
Thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advance copy.
In Sisters of the Perilous Heart, we follow two sets of characters that eventually intersect. First we have Vivian, newly crowned and now dying Queen of Kepler, and her brothers, Nathanial and Bastian (Nate and Bast). An attempt on Vivian's life - at her coronation, no less - has infected her with the Immortality Virus, and there is no cure. It's possible that her mother was behind the attempt on Vivian's life, so the siblings are trying to stay clear of Mom while they also search for some way to keep Vivian alive. Then we have sisters Carina and Miguela. They've been living at a convent/brewery since their parents were killed by Immortals when they were younger. The day comes, though, when they have to flee the place that has been their haven. Their plans for getting to safety change when Max, a young man of mysterious origin, suggests a destination other than the one they set out for.
Vivian, Nate, and Bast, as Royals, know they have magic. Nate and Bast's magical energy is what's keeping Vivian alive, but they can't keep that up indefinitely. Carina has spent her life avoiding using her magic. As a supposed Mortal, she's grown up hearing that magic is bad, dangerous, that she can't use it or the Immortals will find her. When the Royals realize that someone not part of their family has what appears to be strong magic, they hope to convince her to help Vivian. That doesn't work out so well.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters did act like teenagers, but it's billed as a teen novel, so I'm okay with that. And the book may not be prize-winning literature, but it is a whole lot of fun (and given the world in which we currently live, I prefer to read things that are fun!). The world-building is solid, and the characters are all wonderfully flawed. There is something to like about each of our main characters, and something that made me want to shake each of them, too. There's a little bit of romance, not so much that it's overwhelming, and the action of the story moves along at a good pace. And the ending was a humdinger! I'm ready to read book two, please and thank you.
My only real peeve is the interjection of log entries from characters whose relation to the story and the other characters doesn't become clear until nearly the end of the book. I spent too much energy trying to figure that out, and the book would have done just as well with a log entry in the beginning and the introduction of those characters into the story at the end. But this didn't spoil my overall enjoyment of the book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an advance copy.
Gastro Obscura is a compilation of fascinating, offbeat, and just plain weird tidbits about food. It's broken down by region, so you can pick a location that interests you and read up on some of their food traditions and techniques, or you can just go straight through the book for the world tour.
I enjoyed the heck out of this book! I learned so many things about food and its accoutrements. I never knew what a pickle castor was, much less that I needed one in my life. And who doesn't enjoy learning about things like the magical cheese-making cave or a museum/gallery with art made from salt-cured bacon fat? This book is filled with little gems of culinary information, with history and travel lore sprinkled in. It's an adventure from the comfort of your favorite reading chair.
Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for the delightful reading experience!
In First Class Killer, local girl Stella Jane Clark is back home in Sugar Creek Gap to promote her new book. Bernadette is proud as can be that Stella Jane's book is dedicated to her son Grady, who was Stella Jane's English teacher, and the entire community is excited about the opening of the new bookstore. That's where Stella Jane will hold her book signing.
Only everything doesn't go according to plan. Turns out Stella Jane's book is a whole lot of local gossip thinly disguised as fiction, and a lot of folks aren't happy about that. One of those unhappy folks is Bernie's best friend Iris, who caught her ex-husband in bed with bookstore clerk Piddy Satterly (eating pie straight out of Iris' pie plate, no less). Iris makes a very public display of her anger, and that puts her at the top of the suspect list when Piddy is found dead.
This is a humdinger of a good read! I love Bernie. I think she's my favorite of Ms. Kappes' sleuths, because I can relate to her. I'm middle aged, and my clothes don't always fit right, and sometimes things hurt and I need a good soak in Epsom salts to sort them out. She's a working woman, and while she's working and solving mysteries, she's wrestling with real-life problems to boot.
I also love that we learned more about Gertrude's daughter Revonda Gail. She is a delightful character, and I hope we see more of her in future books.
And this story kept me guessing right up to the end! I thought I'd figured out whodunnit, and then nope! Wrong again. I do love a good, clean mystery that can keep me engaged and trying to solve it all the way through the book, and Ms. Kappes delivers. This book can be read alone, but it's better to start at the beginning and read the entire series. You get all the back story that way.
If you like your mysteries clean and fun and filled with Southern charm, read First Class Killer. And there are recipes at the end - bonus!
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy of this book from the author. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.
The Immortal Words is the third in the Grave Kingdom trilogy, and what an ending! In this book, Bingmei has accepted that she is the phoenix-bound and that she must act to stop Echion and Xisi from inflicting a reign of terror on the world. She is ready to sacrifice herself as the prophecy says she must, and she is aided in her quest only by her friend Quion.
But sacrifice has many meanings, and Bingmei does not die. She sees the suffering Echion has wrought, not only in the physical world, but beyond the Death Wall. Loved ones cannot find each other in the afterlife. She knows she has to press on, to stop Echion, and she determines that she will do whatever it takes to kill him.
Jeff Wheeler does a masterful job at setting up some twists and turns here. There were were a couple of times I had to pick my jaw up off the floor, thinking, oh, wait, he did NOT just do that with that character! But he did, and it was a glorious read. Action aplenty, good versus evil, and an ending that doesn't neatly tie up everything with a bow. Because really, in this life, can evil ever be completely defeated? No, it survives, with the potential to come roaring back in another form and with another face.
This is a worthwhile read, and I hope Mr. Wheeler revisits this world in another series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an advance review copy. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
Pen Wilkinson is now a former federal prosecutor after her boss felt like she wasn't a team player. This doesn't sit well with her, and when she's presented with an opportunity for a rather unconventional assignment, she takes it. The assignment has her taking a job as a paralegal at DSI, a defense contractor, to dig into the murder of Keri Wylie. Wylie, an attorney at DSI, had made a call casting suspicion on Paul Landrum, whose company holds a significant chunk of DSI shares, but didn't give any hard information to support her concerns.
But once she's on the assignment, Pen can take nothing for granted. DSI's head of security seems to take a particular interest in her, despite her polished cover story. Who can she trust? Just how much support from the FBI does she have? Is Agent Wendy Nomura running this as a rogue operation, with no real backup? And what did Keri Wylie know about Paul Landrum, and why did her knowledge get her killed?
Pen Wilkinson is an excellent protagonist. She's smart, thinks quickly in a jam, and isn't afraid to do the right thing just because it needs doing. She's well aware of her physical limitations, both how they impact her and how they impact her relationships with other people. Wendy Nomura, the FBI agent handling Pen's assignment at DSI, is another strong female character dealing with her own issues in the form of a harassing supervisor who may or may not be on the take.
This book. I reckon if you'd checked my blood pressure as I was reading, it would have been through the roof. Lutterman knows just how to let the story unfold to build maximum tension. He also excels at keeping you on the hook thinking one thing will happen, and then yanking the rug out from under you and going in a whole different direction. I was nearly finished, thought, okay, we've reached the big reveal. But the action wasn't done yet. Deadfall kept me guessing, and kept me engaged, to the very last page.
If you're partial to action-packed thrillers with strong female protagonists, plot twists you don't see coming, and nail-biting suspense, grab yourself a copy of Deadfall and strap in for one wild ride.
In Kickbacks, Kayaks, and Kidnapping, there are big happenings in Normal! Happy Trails is up for a hospitality award, and Mae is being considered for an opening on the Daniel Boone National Park Board. And Happy Trails is the site for the newly revived Paddle Fest, a big kayaking competition. One of the competitors is Bryce Anderson, an up and coming young kayaker with plans to be a big name. His attitude and actions reflect how highly he thinks of himself. But when he's found dead at Happy Trails, that spells trouble for Mae and the campground. Reservations start canceling, campers start moving to other locations, and Mae knows she and the Laundry Club ladies have to get to the bottom of the mystery to save Happy Trails' reputation.
This is the twelfth in Tonya Kappes' Camper & Criminals series, and I found it just as enjoyable as the first. We got to see a little more of Dottie, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I can just picture her in my mind - she tries to be all sharp-tongued and sassy, and she's just as hard-headed as she can be, but she really does have a heart of gold. The mystery was satisfyingly twisty and turny, and I was glad to see that Hank seems to accept the help he gets from Mae and her friends.
I'd recommend reading the series in order. Each one can stand alone, but you miss out on a lot of back story if you try to jump in somewhere in the middle.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from the author. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
Sadie Hawkins is a short and sassy Texas girl who's inherited the family shipping business. A job goes horribly wrong when there's a dead man in a sarcophagus instead of the expected mummy, and Sadie feels like she's got to help the investigation along to save her business.
This is Patricia C. Lee's first mystery novel, and it was a fun read! It's got a strong-willed female heroine in Sadie, a couple of “will they/won't they” love interest possibilities, and suspense aplenty. The action moved along at a good pace, and I felt like the characters were all developed sufficiently for their roles in the story. And the ending, while not a complete surprise to me, did have me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it played out!
Since it's the first in a series, there are a lot of characters introduced. I didn't have any difficulty keeping them straight, and I'm hoping this means we'll see more of Sadie and friends in the future. First Gear is a quick, enjoyable read, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good, clean mystery read.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
The Shondell and Balangie families are old families, big players in the criminal underworld in Louisiana. In Romeo and Juliet fashion, Johnny Shondell and Isolde Balangie have fallen in love. They run away when Isolde is given to Mark Shondell, Johnny's uncle, as a sex slave. When he learns about the transaction between Mark Shondell and Adonis Balangie, Isolde's father, Dave Robicheaux finds himself walking straight into the middle of a maelstrom. He's sticking his nose in family business and customs that go back hundreds of years, and Mark Shondell doesn't particularly like it. Trouble follows.
Dave Robicheaux has seen his share of hard knocks. Two wives untimely deceased, in and out of more than one police department, a recovering alcoholic, he still fights the good fight. He may be a bit rough around the edges, but he's one of the good guys. He and his best friend, Clete Purcel, are in it up to their eyeballs trying to take down Mark Shondell and a centuries-old custom of trafficking between the Shondell and Balangie families. Add to the mix a supernatural centuries-old assassin called a revelator who appears in a ghost ship, and this is one mess Dave and Clete might not make their way out of.
A Private Cathedral is full of suspense, action, family drama, the unexplainable, and a little sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It's hard to pin down allegiances sometimes, and there's always the possibility that someone may switch sides. And James Lee Burke tells the story with his characteristic glorious, and sometimes philosophical, turns of phrase.
“I wondered if Pietro, the Balangie patriarch, believed he was part of it, reborn in the New Country, safe from poverty, forgiven for the sins he committed out of necessity in the service of a capitalistic God.”
“It was like waking from a bad dream as a child only to find, as the sunlight crept into the room and drove away the shadows, that your nocturnal fears were justified and that the creatures you couldn't flee in your sleep waited for you in the blooming of the day.”
“It was one of those rare moments when the ephemerality of the human condition becomes inescapable and you want to smash your watch and shed your mortal fastenings and embrace the rain and the wind and rise into the storm and become one with its destructive magnificence.”
It doesn't take long to get hooked into this story, and once you do, it pulls you along. The tale is compelling, and eerie, and you aren't sure where you're going to end up until Burke ties all the threads together. There is betrayal and grief, loss and redemption. Buckle up and get to reading.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of A Private Cathedral through NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books that I don't like.
A Charming Deception is a delightful wrap-up to Tonya Kappes' Magical Cures Mystery series. June Heal and Oscar Park are expecting a baby, and the entire town is excited about the baby's pending arrival. The Karima sisters are clearly hoping that they'll be chosen as the baby's caregivers, because they've taken to dressing up a flour sack and carrying it around everywhere they go.
June is a little nervous about her pregnancy, as she seems to be having some issues. When her doctor's receptionist is found murdered, that doesn't help her nerves. But June won't let anything like nerves or pregnancy slow her down from helping solve the mystery. Magic, mystery, suspense and humor abound as she tries to figure out whodunnit, and figure out whether her baby will be mortal or spiritualist.
This was a satisfying conclusion to what has been a very enjoyable series! I'm sad that this is the last book in the series, but I do hope the characters will make appearances in Ms. Kappes' other works.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy from the author. All opinions here are my own, and I don't say nice things about books that I don't like.
Such fun! I love Julie Moffett's Lexi Carmichael books, and this novella doesn't disappoint.
Lexi has let her best friend Basia talk her into a vacation at the beach. She didn't plan on getting embroiled in a potential national incident, being surveilled by the Secret Service, the police, AND the bad guys, or meeting the Zimmerman twins in spectacularly Lexi fashion.
I love that we get the backstory with the Zimmerman twins. I wish I had Zimmerman twins in my life - they're awesome. And the things that happen to Lexi just make me laugh out loud even as I'm on the edge of my seat seeing how she'll get out of THIS mess.
Geek girls for the win, all day long! Read all the Lexi books and celebrate your geekiness.
Disclaimer: I like most everything Julie Moffett writes. I paid cash money for this book and I'm glad I did. Go get it and read it and enjoy.
Heather Webber's Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe was a highlight of my reading last year. So of course I was thrilled to have the chance to read an advance copy of her latest, South of the Buttonwood Tree. The bar was set high, though. Could it live up to Blackbird Cafe? Oh, yes. It could, and did.
South of the Buttonwood Tree is set in the small town of Buttonwood, Alabama. Legend has it that folks can ask the buttonwood tree for guidance once a year, and failure to follow the tree's advice (which comes on a button) is said to subject one to a curse.
Blue Bishop longs to escape the place where she grew up, to get out from under the tainted shadow of her family's history. Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton is stuck in a failing marriage, burdened by her mother's constant exhortation to “do better, be better” and trying to keep up appearances for the sake of her father's political career. They both find themselves in the midst of the mystery when Blue finds a baby under the buttonwood tree with a button that says, “Give the baby to Blue Bishop.”
This book is, at the risk of sounding horribly cliched, magical. Heather Webber doesn't just tell a story with her words. She creates an atmosphere, a world that the reader feels drawn to move into. The characters feel like friends, like people I could live next door to or down the street from. I want to visit The Rabbit Hole and see the blanket fort that Henry puts in. I want to see Blue's studio and read the books she writes.
But the story. This is a tale of the grudges a small town can hold against people they assume they know, whether the grudges are warranted or not. A tale of secrets kept that should have been shared, of things that are most definitely not what they seem, of the ridiculous standards we hold ourselves to just to look good in front of others. There is mystery, suspense, deep love of family, even a little romance. This book brought me to tears more than once. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to hug characters and smack them. It felt like I said farewell to friends when I turned the last page.
Heather Webber has joined the short list of authors whose new books I'll pick up without even reading the blurb. If you enjoy stories set in small Southern towns, where there's magic in the air, and where the characters may be people you know, you need to read this book. You won't be disappointed, and Ms. Webber may find her way onto your short list, too.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy of this book. All opinions here are my own, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.
This is a re-read for me. The Chronicles of Narnia are on my 11-year old's summer reading list, so we're reading them together. I appreciate this book so much more now than I did when I took a class on C. S. Lewis in college! It's great fun to read along with my son and watch as he picks up on different parts of the story and connects it back to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Truly a classic, and well worth the read at any age.
Dan has lived in the village in the shadow of the mountain since he escaped from the pit beneath the mountain. The village used to house hundreds of people, and there was singing and joy and contentment. But slowly, the inhabitants of the village have left. Heading to the east, they say. There are but a handful of people remaining, and one more is set to leave when a mysterious woman drops into Dan's life. She tells him she has come from the mountain, and his brother is the last one left there. His twin brother, Adam.
Shawn Smucker has, yet again, crafted a story that has a dreamlike, yet irresistible, quality about it. This is not a quick, light read. At times it moves very slowly indeed. But it is a thought-provoking read that prompts the reader to consider how hard it is to be completely honest, even with oneself, and how far one might go for the good of someone he loves. Grace and forgiveness, and the hope of redemption.
My one disappointment with the story was Adam's character. His role in the story was covered in fairly short order, and given the description of the journey of others up from the pit, his seemed remarkably quick for his having been there the longest. I'll keep my theory as to why that is to myself, as I don't want to spoil anything for other readers.
Shawn Smucker is one of a handful of authors whose latest I will pick up without hesitating, because I know it will be a beneficial experience to read whatever tale he spins. These Nameless Things stays true to my experience of his work, and is deserving of the time it may take you to read and savor it.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy from the publisher. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.
Return to Sender is the fourth in Tonya Kappes' Mail Carrier mystery series. It's one of my favorites, because Bernadette Butler, our protagonist, is a middle-aged woman like me. It's always fun to read about characters I relate to!
This book finds Bernie trying to learn yoga. I laughed at the yoga scenes, because Bernie sounds like she handles it about as well as I would. She's also having to deal with some strong feelings toward Lucy Drake, host of a popular radio show, now that Lucy has taken up with Bernie's former sweetie, Mac Tabor. (Can I just say, I do not like Lucy and Mac together. Nope nope nope. That's just not right.) But even if she doesn't really care for the “maw-maw” label Lucy has branded her with, Bernie is just in love with her new granddaughter, Clara.
On her route one day, Bernie finds a certified letter addressed to Simon, down at the gas station. When she can't deliver it to him, she keeps it to give to him the next day. That night, the post office is broken into, and the next morning, Simon is found dead. Is the break-in connected to the letter? Did Simon kill himself, or was it murder?
As always, Bernie and the Front Porch ladies put their minds to the problem. I love that Bernie has a mature girl gang behind her, and I want to be a Front Porch lady when I'm older. In this case, the killer was someone I DID NOT see coming. I love it when a book manages to completely surprise me like that!
It helps to read the series in order, as there is backstory in each book that's helpful to know. But if you just want a fun mystery, Return to Sender can stand alone. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in a good mystery with a little romance, good friendships, and Southern charm.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author. All opinions here are my own, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.
No Place Too Far is actually the first of Kay Bratt's books that I've read. Apparently the story starts with True to Me, so if you're new to Ms. Bratt's work, start with that one, but I was able to follow the story well enough without having read True to Me.
Quinn and Maggie are best friends. They're both living on the Hawaiian island of Maui, where Quinn is starting her own business independent of her birth family, and Maggie is trying to build a life for herself and her son Charlie after a horrible experience with a stalker.
Maggie has just landed a job as a vet tech when weird things start happening. She learns that her stalker is no longer incarcerated, and he knows where she is. She will do whatever she must to protect Charlie and herself. She's not running this time.
Part of the time, I really wanted to smack Maggie. She struggles with accepting help, even when she really should. She thinks she can do everything on her own, and she doesn't want to drag her brothers or Quinn or anyone into the situation when her stalker reappears. Thankfully, her friends are persistent. From Juniper, her blue-haired, nose-ring-wearing new co-worker and friend, to Woodrow, the most awesome service dog ever, Maggie has support and help fighting this battle.
We also see Quinn dealing with a difficult situation. A sleazy reporter has revealed her true identity, and she thinks she's going to have to leave to protect her family. Is there any other solution, or will she have to leave the life she's been working to build?
This was a really enjoyable read. I had a hard time putting it down, and now I've got to go back and read True to Me. I think I'll be adding Ms. Bratt to my “read everything she writes” list!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.
