The Historian

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Elizabeth Kostova

Historical Fiction, Gothic 

704 pages

Published June 1, 2005 by Little, Brown and Company

To you, perceptive reader, I bequeath my history....

Late one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters. The letters are all addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor," and they plunge her into a world she never dreamed of, a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an inconceivable evil hidden in the depths of history.

The letters provide links to one of the darkest powers that humanity has ever known and to a centuries-long quest to find the source of that darkness and wipe it out. It is a quest for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the legend of Dracula. Generations of historians have risked their reputations, their sanity, and even their lives to learn the truth about Vlad the Impaler and Dracula. Now one young woman must decide whether to take up this quest herself--to follow her father in a hunt that nearly brought him to ruin years ago, when he was a vibrant young scholar and her mother was still alive. What does the legend of Vlad the Impaler have to do with the modern world? Is it possible that the Dracula of myth truly existed and that he has lived on, century after century, pursuing his own unknowable ends? The answers to these questions cross time and borders, as first the father and then the daughter search for clues, from dusty Ivy League libraries to Istanbul, Budapest, and the depths of Eastern Europe. In city after city, in monasteries and archives, in letters and in secret conversations, the horrible truth emerges about Vlad the Impaler's dark reign and about a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive down through the ages.

My thoughts:

I remember being drawn to this book in the store solely for its cover and its title. 

I read this YEARS ago but remember how much I enjoyed reading it to this day. Yes, it is a monster book, coming in at 704 pages. It is also not a quick read. This book is meant to be the only thing you do for several days. You WANT to take your time and savor each and every page. This was Elizabeth Kostova's debut title but one would never be able to tell. The book is seductively mysterious and thoroughly enchanting. It pays due homage to the precedent set by Bram Stoker's original Dracula. Neither are action packed thrillers. They are not gripping page turners. In my opinion, the secret of The Historian and Dracula is the way they bury under your skin unnoticed until it's to late for you to become unattached. 

As the title indicates, there is plenty of historical information in between the covers. Kostova does a magnificent job of providing the reader with a wealth of knowledge about Eastern Europe and the medieval ruler Vlad the Impaler. Lovers of gore rejoice because the historical content regarding Vlad the Impaler provides plenty of it. The book's overarching theme though is a quest for knowledge: the quest for answers behind the dragon book, the knowledge of what happened to those who disappeared, and the knowledge behind the elusive Dracula himself. One of the things I loved most about this book is the portrayal of Dracula. He isn't a bloodthirsty purveyor of death. He doesn't sparkle or melt in the sunlight. This book allows the reader to enjoy the fantastical thrill of entirely losing oneself. Gothic literature fans around the world should flock to read this one if they haven't already done so. It ranks right up there as one of my favorite all-time reads. 

2 Witchy Books

 

Fall is perfect for curling up with a witchy book for the spooky season. I have two fantastic suggestions.

The Once and Future Witches

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alix E. Harrow

Fantasy

528 pages

Published October 13, 2020 by Orbit

From the publisher: In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

But when the Eastwood sisters--James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna--join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement.

My thoughts

This is Alix Harrow's second novel following her amazing debut, The Ten Thousand Doors of January. Written with the same lyrical and atmospheric style, this historical fantasy is full of emotion. 

She set her story in a fully realized and rich world. Witchcraft is forbidden. Women's dresses don't even have pockets - else they might hide the workings for spells. The Suffragette Movement is trying to have a voice with the mayor and council of New Salem.

I loved the complex characters of the three sisters. Alix Harrow did a fantastic job giving each one her own unique voice and POV, goals and desires. Their relationships are relatable, complicated, and realistic.

Not only is this an enthralling adventure, it also addresses serious issues - women's rights, the rights of BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ rights.

This a haunting but enjoyable read that left me in tears but wanting more. 

 

 Cinders & Sparrows

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stefan Bachmann

Middle grade Fantasy

368 pages

Published October 13, 2020 by Greenwillow Books

From the publisher:
When a scarecrow climbs over the garden wall, delivering twelve-year-old orphan Zita Brydgeborn a letter saying she has inherited a distant castle, she jumps at the chance of adventure. But little does she know that she is about to be thrust into a centuries-old battle between good and evil. Blackbird Castle was once home to a powerful dynasty of witches, all of them now dead under mysterious circumstances. All but Zita. And Zita, unfortunately, doesn’t know the first thing about being a witch. 

My thoughts

For fans of Howl's Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones or The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, Cinders & Sparrows is about a resourceful young girl prepared to meet challenges head-on and battle the forces of darkness for her friends and family.
 

Fast-paced with creepy, atmospheric descriptions, this fantasy will appeal to tweens and adults. Zita is trying to learn how to cast spells while also discover exactly what happened to her family - all with a looming deadline, emphasis on dead.

While full of all things witchy and scary including Zita's cold and exacting mentor, Mrs. Cantanker, the story has just enough lighthearted moments thanks to castle's two young servants, Minnifer and Bram, to keep it from being too intense for younger readers.

Described as a standalone, I hope that Stefan Bachmann has the opportunity to put this descriptive worldbuilding to use in other books.

This dark fantasy with its resilient and resourceful main character is highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Greenwillow Books for providing ARCs for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. 

 

 

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

The Year of the Witching
by Alexis Henderson

Rating: 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Published 21 June 2020
by ACE

Genre: Historical Thriller, Witchcraft

When this book was first suggested as a possible October read in my book club I saw the white cover version with the witch's seal on it and expected something similar to The Blair Witch Project. I was very wrong, but I am not disappointed!

The setting of The Year of the Witching, a place called Bethel, reminds me of the M. Night Shyamalan film The Village. It's a religious commune of Christian flavour, but twisted into a corrupt patriarchal cult. The community's leader is the Prophet, what he says goes without question, and he takes as many wives as he likes (sometimes even before he weds them.) This could be 18th century rural America, or it could be an isolated commune just miles from a modern city in the 21st century. I found myself wondering for quite a bit of this book which it is.

Immanuelle is the daughter of a suspected witch and the son of a family from beyond the town limits who was burned on a pyre for his sins before Immanuelle was born. Immanuelle has been raised by her maternal grandparents on their farm, tending to the goat herd and keeping her head down, but it's no secret that a girl with her history will never be chosen to marry well. When the young ram she tries to sell at market one day escapes into the Darkwood she has been forbidden to enter, she's forced to follow him, and instead comes face to face with the witches of the woods. A series of curses is about to be unleashed upon Bethel, and Immanuelle and her mother's legacy are at the centre of it.

This book keeps the action coming chapter after chapter. Every time you think the worst is over, something else happens. The author's way of describing the horrors these curses bring upon the town (and the horror dealt by the very human and non-magical Prophet) is so powerful. All senses are engaged, nothing is predictable, and everything is truly horrifying. With that said, Henderson has mastered the art of gothic horror style writing, wherein the horrors are indeed horrifying but nothing is too graphic or gory, and there's no needless detail. Sometimes the best part of horror is what you don't see, and Henderson seems to understand that.

I wanted to address the subtle notes of racism in this book. There's definite xenophobia in terms of the residents of Bethel itself rejecting those who live outside the community's limits, but Immanuelle is described as having darker colouring and curly hair, and it's implied that these are traits that come from her outsider ancestry. Not only is Immannuelle forever an outsider within her own community because of her parents' actions before she was born, she's also visibly marked as an outsider because she looks different from everyone else. It's difficult to tell if her features are meant to come from Black or Latina heritage.

I love how Immanuelle was written. She's strong, stubborn, and resilient. She just wants to do what she perceives is the right thing to do for the greater good in her community, even when time and again that means making personal sacrifices. She's so wrapped up in her mission that she takes a very long time to realize what she feels for the obvious love interest character Ezra.

Ezra, son of the Prophet, is written as a very genuine and pure young man who is motivated first and foremost by love.

This book has a lot to say about feminism, religious freedom, and human equality. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I'll be recommending it to everyone who loves dark historical fiction or gothic horror.

Content warnings for death (including parental death), body horror (light gore), animal sacrifice, sexual assault (including with teenage minors), religious content, witchcraft/curses.

* * *

Read more reviews and other bookish topics from Jenna Rideout at Westveil Publishing

Black Girl Magic: A BWWM Paranormal Romance

 5 stars

Mila Nicks

Romance/Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Published on October 30th, 2020

 

Synopsis: 

Librarian by day, cursed witch by night:

Selene Blackstone spends her days camped out in library corners with her nose glued to books. In a town like Brimrock, where she’s an outcast, she prefers her book friends to her real-life enemies. They’re a lot less judgmental. The rest of town believes she descends from a family of witches—including her evil witch grandma, Luna. In this case, the truth is stranger than fiction. She is a witch, and she’s cursed for all of eternity. Good thing her to-be-read list is pretty long…

Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Eddie. Their investigations bring them to a cozy New England town called Brimrock, home to fabled evil witch Luna Blackstone. Armed with his dry wit, his bibliophilic love for books, and far too much free time, he’s determined to find out just what happened to Luna…

When Aiden meets Selene, he decides he must get to know her. When Selene learns Aiden is in town investigating her grandma, she knows she must stop him. He’s out to expose the truth. She’s out to keep it a secret. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.

My thoughts:

Ladies and Gentlemen, she has done it again! Mila Nicks is one of my go-to romance authors and she surely did not disappoint in this sweet, riveting novel! 

If you are looking for novels that are character driven, then this one is certainly for you. Selene and Aiden's chemistry was delightful and I found myself longing for more of their story days after I put this book down. The premise of a librarian/witch falling in love with a bookwork/paranormal investigator left room for plenty of playful banter that pushed the novel forward and cemented my love for this couple. While there were some steamy scenes, it never felt forced or over the top. 

One aspect that I loved in the book was the friendships that the protagonists had in their lives. Selene's best friend, Noelle, is her polar opposite but pushes her to be her best at all times. My absolute favorite moment in this book is when Noelle understands that Selene will be taking a big step with Aiden in her future, but she still encourages her to take the step even though it will in turn change their friendship to some degree. It is refreshing to see such a selfless love between friends.

While there were some magical elements to this novel, it was balanced out by the romance portion of the novel. I loved the idea that Selene was cursed, unable to leave her small town. As Selene and Aiden come to discover the truth behind some antics happening in the area, readers will grow to love these characters even more. As stated, the paranormal aspect of this book is not the main focus, but it certainly helps to bring our characters together. I would highly recommend anyone looking to explore the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre to pick this book up, as it is not too overwhelming and quite fun! It was the perfect book to read during this time of year!

Overall, I highly recommend this book to all readers. Whether you are interested in romance or fantasy, I am sure there is something that you will take away from this one! This book is the first installment in Nicks' new series, Paranormal Hunters. Be sure to look out for book number two in the series, Black Moon Rising, to be published on April 23rd, 2020

Thank you to Mila Nicks and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Stranded / Malorie

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stranded Stuart James 

297 Pages                                                          Thriller/Mystery                                              Published on 19 October 2020

What could be more innocent than going on holiday?
As a family drive along a quiet country lane on their way to the airport, they meet a stranger standing alone in the middle of the road. Steering them along another path, he tells the driver, Ben, that a tree has fallen and there's no way through. But as they make their way along the diverted route, they come across a coach blocking the road. Getting out of the car Ben goes to investigate and is horrified to find the passengers tied to their seats. Then a discarded phone starts to ring…

If Ben calls the police, everyone on board will die.
The caller is about to start the horrific game...

My Thoughts:

When I spotted that Stuart James, winner of International Book Award for The House On Rectory Lane in the Horror category had a new book released I just knew I wanted to read his new book Stranded during October. I really enjoyed The House On Rectory Lane and Apartment Six so I had high hopes for this book, I was not disappointed!
I think it was a unique and ambitious concept and happy to say, it was very well executed.
Ben and his family are going on holiday, they are diverted onto a dark road late at night, and then come across an abandoned bus, the passengers are tied up and gagged. From there a few storylines develop and I enjoyed watching the whole plot fit together.
I have no idea how the author came up with so many great ideas, some of which had me sit bolt upright and say "what" out loud!!
I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more books by Stuart James in the future. 

Thank You to Stuart James and Bloodhound Books for the advanced copy of this book. 

******************************************************************************

Malorie (Bird Box 2) Josh Malerman    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐                                                                           

236 Pages                                                                                                                                      Published 21 July 2020                                                                                                              Mystery/Horror 

 In the old world there were many rules.

In the new world there is only one that matters: don't open your eyes.

In the seventeen years since the 'creatures' appeared, many people have broken that rule. Many have looked. Many have lost their minds, their lives, their loved ones.

In that time, Malorie has raised her two children - Olympia and Tom - on the run or in hiding. Now nearly teenagers, survival is no longer enough. They want freedom.

When a census-taker stops by their refuge, he is not welcome. But he leaves a list of names - of survivors building a future beyond the darkness - and on that list are two names Malorie knows.

Two names for whom she'll break every rule, and take her children across the wilderness, in the hope of becoming a family again...

My Thoughts:

 I hadn't read Bird Box when I got this book, so I read Bird Box, then went straight into Malorie. I read both books in 4 days. I rarely if ever read two books by one author back to back and never read two from a series together.

I don't tend to read much dystopian type books and when I started Bird Box I thought I was out of my comfort zone, I was wrong! I loved both books and was hooked from the start.
I had this whole book playing like a movie in my head and I was willing the characters on. I was so invested in their story.
I am so glad I was able to read both together so I could follow their story.

If you enjoyed Bird Box then this book is a must read!!  

Thank you to Josh Malerman and Orion Publishing for the advanced reader copy of this book.                                             

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

A Waffle Lot of Murder

A Waffle Lot of Murder

All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery #4

by Lena Gregory

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Published on October 6, 2020 by Kensington/Lyrical Press

230 pages

Cozy Mystery

While the first hints of autumn grace Boggy Creek, Florida, Gia misses the colorful harvest traditions she left behind in New York. On a scramble to make new fall memories—and promote her irresistible pumpkin spice waffles—things take a dark turn when she gets roped into the Haunted Town Festival, a spooky celebration held on deserted farmlands. The desolate area conjures plenty of eerie vibes at night, but Gia and her best friend, Savannah, are nearly frightened to death upon the discovery of the event organizer’s body buried in the nearby woods. More alarming, the local rumor mill says the woman’s shady dealings may have egged someone into sending her to an early grave. Now, there’s no shortage of creepy clues to feast on as Gia and her pals try to stop a killer with a very scary appetite.

My thoughts:

If you’re looking for a Halloween-themed book to read that isn’t especially scary, this is it. A Waffle Lot of Murder is the fourth book in the All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery series, featuring Gia Morelli, the cafe owner who has transplanted herself from New York City to a small town in Central Florida, Boggy Creek. I haven’t read the other three books in the series but the author included enough backstory so that I wasn’t lost at all. Gia and her best friend Savannah stumble across a crime near where a Haunted Town festival will be held, in support of the local animal shelter, and things take off from there. We get to meet a number of the local residents along the way, of course, with hints and “red herrings” galore. The Florida landscape is described well and Gia, not being native to the area, has a healthy caution about the local wildlife, like alligators and coyotes, especially because she loves her puppy, Thor. Typical of cozy mysteries, Gia and Savannah get pulled into “helping” the town sheriff investigate the crime and put themselves in danger a couple of times. This was a fun read, but I'm not sure it was compelling enough to entice me to go back and read the first three books in the series. Note: There are some yummy-sounding recipes included at the end of the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books/Lyrical Press for an advance reader copy of this book.

 

Mexican Gothic

4 stars

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Horror

301 pages

Published June 30, 2020 by Del Rey

Noemi is a young socialite living in Mexico City and finding her path in life. When her cousin, Catalina, writes an odd and concerning letter to Noemi's father, he feels that Noemi should travel to Catalina and ensure she is okay.

Catalina lives in High Place with her new husband Virgil Doyle. Catalina met Virgil a year or so ago and they had a whirlwind romance and were married within a short period of time. Once married, Virgil whisked his new bride to his family estate deep in the country where power is limited and phone lines are non-existent.

When Noemi arrives to High Place, she's surprised by the isolation and the dreariness of the countryside. High Place is in near ruins with very little working electricity, thin walls, and many unused and decrepit rooms. The people of High Place are also strange - Francis, Virgil's cousin, is rail thin and pale as a ghost; his mother is very severe and rigid with a multitude of rules even her guest is expected to follow; the servants are nearly mute and completely ignore Noemi; and worst of all, Howard Doyle, the patriarch of the home and Virgil's father, is an ancient, ailing man with backward opinions and unfiltered, inappropriate speech.

Noemi quickly realizes something is amiss at High Place. Though the Doyle's Doctor claims Catalina is suffering from tuberculosis, none of her symptoms seem in line with the illness. Noemi herself begins to feel weird and have odd experiences at High Place. Her dreams become violent and life like, and her childhood sleepwalking habit seems to have resurfaced.

As Noemi begins to learn of the dark history of High Place, the surrounding mines, and the Doyle family, she's worried something evil lurks in the walls of High Place and runs through the blood of the Doyle family. It's possible something sinister, or even paranormal, is going on, and Noemi is determined to discover the truth and rescue her cousin.

Our thoughts:

Chelsey: This was such a beautifully written novel. High Place really came alive for me and I could feel the dampness, hear the silence, and sense the unease brooding around every corner. It was truly atmospheric and I loved the modern Gothic feel.

Laura: Absolutely! I loved how the author took the classic tropes of a Gothic novel - a crumbling mansion in a remote location, an aristocratic family fallen on hard times with lots of dark secrets and tragic pasts, and a plucky heroine - used them to write a story about a curious and strong young Mexican woman.

Chelsey: Yes, I particularly loved the female characters in this novel. Noemi was vain, flirtatious, and flippant. However, she was also incredibly intelligent, a feminist far ahead of her time, independent, and fiercely loyal.

And I wanted more of the stories of Ruth, Agnes, and Alice and it would be incredible if the author ever chose to do a prequel!

Laura: A prequel would be amazing!

I loved that on its surface, this is a Gothic horror novel and yet, if you scratch that surface, Silvia Moreno-Garcia worked in commentary about classism and racism. The Doyle family made money from the nearby mines, worked by indigenous people, using them, even killing them to gain wealth and power.

Chelsey: She touched on so many important and relevant issues! Mexican Gothic was thought provoking and the language was transportative.

Laura: Full of atmospheric descriptions of a mist enshrouded cemetery, unspoken family tragedies, mysterious symbols and repressive rules, this book is perfect for fans of Crimson Peak.

Chelsey: I am drawn to books with darker, Gothic themes and this one was wonderfully executed. If you love a slow burn mystery with dark and descriptive language, this one is definitely for you!

Co-Authored by Chelsey and Laura. 

The Paris Affair

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Susanne Dunlap

Historical Fiction, Young Adult

242 pages

Published September 30, 2020 by Books Go Social

Marie Antoinette is facing hostility from the populace, inflamed by rumors circulated in pamphlets throughout Paris. The rumors claim that she has dozens of lovers, drinks the blood of poor people, holds satanic masses at Versailles, and more, when nothing could be further from the truth. On the advice of the handsome, enigmatic Captain von Bauer, Joseph II—emperor of Austria and Marie Antoinette’s brother—decides that mystery-solving violinist Theresa Schurman is the ideal candidate for a spy to discover the source of these vile slanders.

Theresa is only too glad to get away from Vienna for a while, unwilling to commit herself yet to marrying Zoltan—a Hungarian baron she met when she was fifteen—and running out of reasons to postpone her decision. She is eager, too, to explore a new musical scene and broaden her artistic education. But when the captain confounds her expectations and places her as a bookkeeper in the establishment of Rose Bertin, milliner to the queen, she begins to lose hope that she will ever achieve her musical aims—or the emperor’s goal of exposing the pamphleteers.

A chance encounter with the Chevalier de Saint-George, an extraordinary black violinist and expert swordsman, sets Theresa on the path to unraveling the mystery. But will the chevalier’s patron, the powerful duc de Chartres, confound her efforts and put her—and the captain’s—lives in danger?

Be prepared for music, mystery, love, and murder in this riveting tale of pre-revolutionary Paris. 

My thoughts:

This book proves that young adult literature is a true art in it of itself and deserves any and all recognition it receives. Every page of this book deserves to be savored and appreciated. Even though this is the 3rd book in the series any reader can pick it up and not feel like they are unable to follow the relationship between the main characters. Dunlap provides a multifaceted plot with layers of intrigue, deception, and romantic tension. She gives us a glimpse into the lives of several socioeconomic groups of Paris society. The book, most notably the main character, provides a magnificent outlet for Dunlap's passion for and knowledge of music. This is a delightfully plotted out mystery that any reader would enjoy. 

I received an advanced copy of this title via NetGalley and the author. 

Always a Guest

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Barbara Taylor Brown

Christian/Religion & Spirituality

256 pages

Published October 20, 2020 by Westminster John Knox Press

From beloved writer and renowned preacher Barbara Brown Taylor comes a new collection of stories and sermons of faith, grace, and hope. Taylor, author of the best-selling books Holy Envy and An Altar in the World, among others, finds that when you are the invited guest speaking of faith to people you don't know, one must seek common ground: exploring the central human experience. Full of Taylor's astute observations on the Spirit and the state of the world along with her gentle wit, this collection will inspire Taylor's fans and preachers alike as she explores faith in all its beauty and complexity. 

My thoughts:

Barbara Brown Taylor is a new author to me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m always looking for uplifting books with a positive message. This book checked those boxes!!

Inside, you will find a collection of thirty-one sermons delivered by Taylor in her role as a guest preacher.  I really enjoyed reading a chapter (sermon) each morning with my coffee.  It was an excellent way to start the day!  

Some of her sermons really hit home for me and the message was strong.  I found myself wishing that those sermons were longer or more in depth.  I could listen to her sermons all day long!!

I will be reading more of Barbara Brown Taylor's work and I would recommend this book for anyone needing a dose of inspiration.  They were perfect messages to add some joy during an otherwise difficult 2020.

Thank you NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press for providing me an Advanced Reader Copy of Always a Guest in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Nesting

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

C. J. Cooke

Supernatural Thriller

368 Pages

Published September 29th, by Berkeley Publishing Group

The woods are creeping in on a nanny and two young girls in this chilling modern Gothic thriller.

Architect Tom Faraday is determined to finish the high-concept, environmentally friendly home he’s building in Norway—in the same place where he lost his wife, Aurelia, to suicide. It was their dream house, and he wants to honor her with it.

Lexi Ellis takes a job as his nanny and immediately falls in love with his two young daughters, especially Gaia. But something feels off in the isolated house nestled in the forest along the fjord. Lexi sees mysterious muddy footprints inside the home. Aurelia’s diary appears in Lexi’s room one day. And Gaia keeps telling her about seeing the terrifying Sad Lady. . . .

Soon Lexi suspects that Aurelia didn’t kill herself and that they are all in danger from something far more sinister lurking around them.

My Thoughts

Parts of this novel read like a fairy tale (and there were fairy tales within the fairy tale), with beautiful, evocative language. And every once in a while, the main character Sophie (Lexi) slipped into vernacular, which made me smile because it was so unexpected.  

The plot revolves around the wishes of Aurelia, who wanted a summer house in Norway because of the connection to her parents, who lived there.  Her husband Tom is determined to follow through with this wish, after the first house is destroyed and after Aurelia is presumed to have committed suicide. The trials and tribulations that the people in the household (Sophie as the nanny, two little girls, Tom, and Tom's partner and his wife), go through is gut wrenching and hard to read about.

I do not generally like "supernatural" explanations for events.  I think it would have been interesting to tie Aurelia's so-called suicide into a human caused event, with the fairy tale of the nokk as the coverup. There was a lot of repetition, and it seemed to take a while to get to the real story behind Aurelia's "suicide", but despite these misgivings, I still found the story different, interesting, and beautifully written.

Thanks to NetGalley, C.J. Cooke and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced reader's copy for review.

Return to Virgin River

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Robyn Carr

Women's Fiction / Romance

320 pages

Published October 13, 2020 by Mira

Kaylee Sloan’s home in Southern California is full of wonderful memories of the woman who raised her. But the memories are prolonging her grief over her mother’s recent death. A successful author, Kaylee hoped she could pour herself into her work. Instead she has terrible writer’s block and a looming deadline.

Determined to escape distractions and avoid the holiday season, Kaylee borrows a cabin in Virgin River. She knows the isolation will help her writing, and as she drives north through the mountains and the majestic redwoods, she immediately feels inspired. Until she arrives at a building that has just gone up in flames. Devastated, she heads to Jack’s Bar to plan her next steps. The local watering hole is the heart of the town, and once she crosses the threshold, she’s surprised to be embraced by people who are more than willing to help a friend—or a stranger—in need.

Kaylee’s world is expanding in ways she never dreamed possible. And when she rescues a kitten followed by a dog with a litter of puppies, she finds her heart opening up to the animals who need her. And then there’s the dog trainer who knows exactly how to help her. As the holidays approach, Kaylee’s dread turns to wonder. Because there’s no better place to spend Christmas than Virgin River.

My Thoughts:

It is hard to top the first few books in the Virgin River series. I fell in love with Mel and Jack, Preacher and Paige, and Brie and Mike and loved it when I could visit Virgin River again through Kaylee's eyes. Kaylee has lost her mom and has a complicated relationship with her dad. She's come to Virgin River to grieve and to hopefully write again. But life is what happens when you are busy making plans! 

This is a stand alone book, but readers who are not familiar with the series will be a little lost with all the names and couples that are referenced. I *have* read the whole series and I occasionally had to reference previous books so I could remember who was being talked about.  Kaylee's and Landry's story was lovely to read. It was believable and I was pretty surprised by the bump in their road to romance. The only thing that I didn't find to be believable was how fast Kaylee got over her fear of dogs. But that is getting pretty picky. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light read or an escape to the pine scented mountains of Virgin River. 

As always, drop a comment below and let us know what you think!

A big thank you to #RobynCarr, #Mira, and #NetGalley for providing a free Advance Reader Copy in exchange for this honest review.

#ReturntoVirginRiver

Eli's Promise

Eli's Promise

by Ronald H. Balson

Rating: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Published September 22, 2020 by St. Martin's Press

352 pages

Historical Fiction

A "fixer" in a Polish town during WWII, his betrayal of a Jewish family, and a search for justice 25 years later—by the winner of the National Jewish Book Award.

Eli’s Promise is a masterful work of historical fiction spanning three eras—Nazi-occupied Poland, the American Zone of post-war Germany, and Chicago at the height of the Vietnam War, all tied together by a common thread. Award-winning author Ronald H. Balson explores the human cost of war, the mixed blessings of survival, and the enduring strength of family bonds.

1939: Eli Rosen lives with his wife Esther and their young son in the Polish town of Lublin, where his family owns a construction company. As a consequence of the Nazi occupation, Eli’s company is Aryanized, appropriated and transferred to Maximilian Poleski—an unprincipled profiteer who peddles favors to Lublin’s subjugated residents, and who knows nothing at all of construction. An uneasy alliance is formed; Poleski will keep the Rosen family safe if Eli will manage the business. Will Poleski honor his promise or will their relationship end in betrayal and tragedy?

1946: Eli resides with his son in a displaced persons camp in Allied occupied Germany hoping for a visa to America. His wife has been missing since the war. One man may know what has happened to her. Is he the same man who is now sneaking around the camps selling illegal visas?

1965: Eli Rosen rents a room in Albany Park, Chicago. He is on a mission. With patience, cunning, and relentless focus, Eli navigates Chicago's unfamiliar streets and dangerous political backrooms, searching for the truth. Powerful and emotional, Eli’s Promise is a rich, rewarding novel of World War II and a husband’s quest for justice.

My thoughts:

Ronald Balson has written an excellent book of historical fiction. It grabbed me right from the first page, with the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp by the U.S. Army and our introduction to the titular Eli and his son Izaak. There are lots of promises in this novel but the main one Eli makes is to bring the black marketer Max to justice and to find out what happened to his (Eli’s) wife.

The story takes place during World War II in Poland, specifically in Lublin and Lodz, and in the years immediately following the war in Displaced Persons camps. The story also jumps to the mid-1960s in Chicago. The author states in the Acknowledgments that “Eli’s Promise is at its heart a story about corruption and war profiteering.”

I didn’t care for the portion of the story in Chicago as much as the story that took place during and after World War II, but the theme remained the same: corruption and war profiteering.

The author doesn’t specify how Eli got his visa to get to the US or how he came to his American job. I would have liked to read about both those things.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book. 

Dead Perfect by Noelle Holten

 

Rating  🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Genre  Mystery and crime 

Publisher   One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK 

Description

‘Hugely confident … harrowing, visceral … recommended’ Ian Rankin

A murdered woman…

When the body of a young woman is found in a local park, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she’s dealing with no ordinary killer.  The murder victim has been disfigured; her outfit changed to resemble someone else.  Someone Maggie knows all too well…her close friend Dr Kate Moloney.

A determined detective…

Maggie is determined to keep her friend safe, but with Kate already struggling with a threatening stalker, Maggie now fears Kate’s life is in real danger.  Who else would want to harm Kate and why else would the killer be turning his victims into exact replicas – his living dolls? 

Can Maggie find the depraved killer?  Or will Kate become his next living doll?

‘Kept me hooked’ Angela Marsons

‘An excellent read’ Martina Cole

'Gritty, dark and chilling’ Mel Sherratt

My review 

Dead Perfect is my first book by the author and although it’s the third in the series, I don’t think I’ve missed much because the author has made a good job in the character development throughout this book and we can easily see what kind of person is our main heroine, DC Maggie Jamieson. 

A smart and quirky detective, very determined to catch the killer’s and also very sympathetic friend, especially with her long-time partner in crime, Kate. 

The book starts off slow for me but it picks up quick and it’s interesting to see how such a gruesome incident is becoming more than her job to put an end but it gets personal as her past and present are challenged and there are moments when she doubts herself . 

There are many twists, some predictable, some a bit unrealistically for me and some unexpected moments that kept me guessing and wanting to know more and see how everything will unfold. 

Because of the way the crimes were committed, my mind was immediately transported to an older CIS episode that I remember so vividly after over ten years since I’ve seen it first because it felt creepy and to read something similar gave me goosebumps. 

Overall, it’s a good mystery and crime story that many people will enjoy.

The Edge of Belonging

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Amanda Cox

Contemporary Christian Fiction

397 pages

Published September 8, 2020 by Revell

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved.

In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth–both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others–takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

My thoughts:

The Edge of Belonging 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, Seth, bullies her into staying, into attending a function that’s very important for her career. Seth is a control freak of the highest order. He tells Ivy what to wear, how she’ll act, how he expects her to fit into and complement his life. 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, Seth 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.

Many thanks to #Revell and #AmandaCox for providing a complimentary Advance Reader Copy of the book.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World

 

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Elena Favilli

Children's, Middle Grades

224 pages

Published October 13, 2020 by Rebel Girls

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World is the third book in the New York Times bestselling series for children. Packed with 100 all-new bedtime stories about the lives of incredible female figures from the past and the present, this volume recognizes women who left their birth countries for a multitude of reasons: some for new opportunities, some out of necessity.

Readers will whip up a plate with Asma Khan, strategize global affairs alongside Madeleine Albright, venture into business with Rihanna, and many more. All of these unique, yet relatable stories are accompanied by gorgeous, full-page, full-color portraits, illustrated by female artists from all over the globe.

My thoughts:

A delightful compendium of short bios of 100 women from all walks of life, with the only common denominator being that they left the country of their birth and wound up living in a different country. The subtitle says it all: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed The World. Some of the women profiled are quite famous: Annika Sorenstam (golfer), Arianna Huffington (author and CEO), Diane Von Furstenberg (fashion designer), Gloria Estefan (singer), Ilhan Omar (politician), Josephine Baker (entertainer and activist), Madeleine Albright (politician), to name just a few. Others are well known only to those in their own fields perhaps. All are amazing women and their individual stories are satisfying. Each woman is given a page of text and a fabulous illustration.

The publisher says this book is recommended for ages 5-10. I imagine it would most appeal to readers in the older end of that range but that is just based on my nearly-7-year-old granddaughter whose interests right now seem to be mainly princesses and unicorns.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebel Girls for the chance to read an advance reader copy of this book.