BR Myers

One of those books you CANNOT believe has the cover it does. Genuinely a very well-wrought gothic novel, with the perfect amount of mystery, supernatural, and romantic elements. I could not guess what would happen next and I think I found the first heterosexual romance that has ever made me yell-out-loud like a fanfic (guess I just needed a tortured Acadian priest to sweep me off my feet? Swoon.)

Myers not only writes a great book but chose to set it in Nova Scotia in the year after the show more Napoleonic Wars, utilizing the semi-Britishness of the province and its history between French/Anglo and Canadian/American tensions in such a refreshing way. She is very materially grounded in her historical fiction (lots of candles for example) and very aware of the presence of servants in the story (many of the characters in this are servants) which I appreciated. For some reason though, lots of the plot deals with "germs" and "viruses" which were not in common parlance or even understood as she had her characters believe, which was pretty odd considering how accurate the rest of the book was.

Despite that I just loved this thing. I'd never have picked up this book because of the cover but I'm so glad I did. Pick this up for a solid (though not groundbreaking) gothic novel. show less

The Third Wife of Faraday House takes the best parts of Crimson Peak, Clue, and Jane Eyre, and creates a gothic mystery that keeps you captive the entire time you read it. When Emeline Fitzpatrick finds herself in the middle of a scandal that has driven away all but one suitor who lives on an island far removed from the drama of the mainland and wealth enough to be an acceptable prospect she finds herself at Faraday House. Going in she knew Capitan Graves prior two wives had both died young show more under tragic circumstances, and that the wedding may happen quickly, however upon arriving she finds the prior Mrs. Graves not only alive but haunted by something.

The novel kicks off into the mystery of Faraday house and its varied residents who all have their own hidden goals and desires in a Clue like hunt for the culprit. I found myself entrapped in the pages of the novel and caught up in the creaking old houses secrets and the strange sights and sounds being experienced by both wives. The gothic setting pulled me in and the solid mystery kept me hooked and second guessing everyone's motives and everything that was said.

I found Emeline at the start to be a naive and headstrong protagonist with faults that kept her compelling and real, watching her growth and good traits come out as she found room to assert herself was a refreshing pace to the often fully formed leads novels will have that never experience growth in situations that would cause it. Additionally, I cannot emphasize enough the wonderful fleshed out feel of the setting and house. Faraday house felt like a character in the novel hiding mystery's and secrets for Emeline around every bend. The descriptive nature of the novel made me feel like I was wondering the halls with her looking for clues in the dark mansion.

I would recommend this novel to you if:
- You like Gothics
- Looking for a spooky read
- A haunted mansion mystery is your idea of fun
- Friendships over relationships as a trope
- Female companionship
- Independent Women

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased. show less

Jesse had big dreams, until the death of her dad had her putting away her running shoes and putting on a fake smile to please everyone. With a lot of guilt on her chest, Jesse heads off to be a counselor at a summer camp. Fate seems to have it out for Jesse though and she's listed as a boys counselor. Determined to see the summer out, Jesse faces their pranks and the growing attraction she has for fellow counselor, Kirk, with drive, embarrassment, and a journal full of her thoughts. Along show more the way, Jesse puts her sneakers on again and finds what she was missing when she gave up running.

Wow, this book absolutely sucked me in. It's true, the first 20% leaves you super confused, you have no idea what you're getting into, the angst Jesse suffers from is an unknown, and there's a lot of talk about kissing. However, the more you read, the more you get to know Jesse and all she's been through. You find yourself wanting her to get kissed, to put her sneakers on again, and most of all to stop feeling so much guilt. She's a 17 year old girl that has so much going on and that leads to a great story of coming of age. The character development for all the characters is phenomenal, B.R. Myers has a way of slowly bringing a character to life before you eyes. I literally found myself liking Kirk at the same time Jesse did, because as a reader we didn't fully know who he was until Jesse gave into knowing him too. I think that made this book all the more worthwhile for me, because it felt realistic. Additionally, while dealing with all this guilt, Jesse is still a normal teenage girl who's set out to try all the kissing she can and separate herself from her high school image. Jesse inner dialogue will leave you laughing, even when you shouldn't be, and her constant sharing of Jesse Owens' factoids will help you understand her history far more than you expect them to.

This is definitely a young adult novel I would suggest to all teen girls or parents of teens. There's a lot of personal growth and while the misadventures may leave you cringing, there is a lesson weaving through the entire story. It's a fun read that captures the action packed summer of camp with the mix of teenage changes and finding oneself. show less

This was a really fun plot, good mystery, you could really sink your teeth into most of it. I mainly didn't understand why the main character, who comes off as a sly and experienced woman of the world, then suddenly became like a surly, immature teen. I thought it was a disservice to her character and that her age didn't really tally with all the things were meant to have happened to her—also the romantic lead being attracted to, you know, a child was a real turn off. I realize Jane Eyre show more was nineteen and Mr. Rochester 35 but like, it's 2022 now, we all know that's gross! show less