What Are We Reading And Reviewing in May 2019?

We're Just Hanging out...and Reading!

Books Carol is Hanging Out With in May
📌- ★

Group Reads
📌The 14th Colony by Steve Berry - 3.5★
📌Dead Scared by Sharon (S.J.) Bolton - 4.5★

Pick A Winner...Make A Friend
📌Winter At The Door by Sarah Graves - 4★

Others
📌My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg - 5★
📌Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood - 4.5★
📌The Fall of Never by Ronald Malfi - 4★
📌The Devil Crept In by Anita Ahlborn - 3.5★
📌Dead Insider by Victoria Houston - 2.5★
📌The Missing Years by Lexie Elliott - 3★
📌The Lovely Bones by Alice Seybold - 4★
📌Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline - 3.5★
📌Forty Words For Sorrow by Giles Blunt - 4★
📌The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates - 5★
📌The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne - 4★
📌Shroud of Evil by Pauline Rowson - 3★
📌Neon Prey by John Sandford - 5★
📌Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman - 4.5★
📌The Invited by Jennifer McMahon - 5★
📌The Complaints by Ian Rankin - 4★
📌White Cat by Holly Black - 3★
📌Let Me Lie by Clare MacKintosh - 4★
📌The Lying Game by Ruth Ware- 2★
📌Baby Doll by Hollie Overton- 4★
📌A Duty To The Dead by Chrles Todd - 4★
📌Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack - 2.5★
📌Need by Carrie Jones - 4★
📌Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerrtisen- 3★

Dusty's Diminished TBR for May
Its diminished because I am off across the Pond to Roanoke Virginia on 16th May for the graduation ceremonies(and parties!) of my stepson's girls. One has just finished her first degree ,and now will do medicine,with the desire to be a neuro-surgeon. The younger girl is finishing high school,really brilliant,class valedictorian,head of the Latin Society,the Debating Society and a zillion other things,including an award for leadership presented by the state governor. She was accepted at Stanford,Duke,and Harvard but chose Yale,because they are offering her a partial scholarship. She wants to study International Relations and Economics,so if I am around in 10 years time,she will probably be on the UN staff or heading the International Monetary Fund or working towards being an American Ambassador! lol.
I am up to my eyes in preparations to go and reading has to take a bit of a back seat,so its a shorter list than usual.

SF/F reads
Vernor Vinge - Rainbow's End
Andre Norton - Star Hunter✔
James S A Corey - Leviathan Wakes
Ann McCaffrey - Maelstrom ✔

other genres
Enid Blyton - Five On Finniston Farm ✔
Joyce +Jim Lavene - A Touch of Gold ✔
Franklin W Dixon - The Tower Treasure ✔
Michelle Knudsen - The Library Lion✔
Anthony Browne - Into the Forest ✔
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited ✔

My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg
5★

From the celebrated bestselling author of All Over but the Shoutin' and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Rick Bragg, comes a poignant and wryly funny collection of essays on life in the South. Keenly observed and written with his insightful and deadpan sense of humor, he explores enduring Southern truths about home, place, spirit, table, and the regions' varied geographies, including his native Alabama, Cajun country, and the Gulf Coast. Everything is explored, from regional obsessions from college football and fishing, to mayonnaise and spoonbread, to the simple beauty of a fish on the hook. Collected from over a decade of his writing, with many never-before-published essays written specifically for this edition, My Southern Journey is an entertaining and engaging read, especially for Southerners (or the Southern at heart) and anyone who appreciates great writing.

I like Rick Bragg’s writing style. He says what he has to say without putting a lot of flowery pose in every sentence…but what he does put in is a lot of heart. My 95 year old mother loved him. She read every book he’d ever written plus every article that appeared in the back of Southern Living magazine…and believe me it was more than just a one time read.. I lost this precious person in July. She had a wonderful life and few regrets but her biggest regret the last three months of her life was that she couldn’t read this book as it NEVER appeared in Large Print format and ebooks for her were better than any sleeping pill on the market anywhere in the world. I was going to read it to her but time just slipped away from us and then she was gone…so I am reading it in her memory. My Mom was the product of an Scottish father and an Irish mother having arrived in America at the age of 3. She spent her entire life until 2004 in Hillsborough County, Florida, so even though Celtic blood flowed through her veins…Southern soil lived in her heart and soul. She said she could relate to every word Rick Bragg wrote. My Southern Journey is a testament to Rick Bragg’s mother…to his upbringing, and to the southern way of life. While reading it I thought to myself that my Mom was right in what she taught me, and what Rick Bragg’s Mom must have surely taught him also. Be proud… no matter where your people came from…what your religious affiliations are…or your political views… it’s what is in your heart that defines what and who you are. The stories here are short but the book is long on character.

The Devil Crept In, by Ania Ahlborn
4★

Young Jude Brighton has been missing for three days, and while the search for him is in full swing in the small town of Deer Valley, Oregon, the locals are starting to lose hope. They’re well aware that the first forty-eight hours are critical and after that, the odds usually point to a worst-case scenario. And despite Stevie Clark’s youth, he knows that, too; he’s seen the cop shows. He knows what each ticking moment may mean for Jude, his cousin and best friend. That, and there was that boy, Max Larsen...the one from years ago, found dead after also disappearing under mysterious circumstances. And then there were the animals: pets gone missing out of yards. For years, the residents of Deer Valley have murmured about these unsolved crimes…and that a killer may still be lurking around their quiet town. Now, fear is reborn—and for Stevie, who is determined to find out what really happened to Jude, the awful truth may be too horrifying to imagine.

Although I can eat paranormal novels for 3 meals a day, I am not so much a fan of real horror. Not in books or movies. Something about the description of this one caught and held my attention so I thought I’d give it a try. Before I knew it I had read half the book and was looking forward…no, I was compelled…to read the rest. The story was just unbelievable enough to make you wonder if maybe there could be a smidgen of truth in it…and that in itself was horrifying. Stevie was the only character in the entire story that was remotely likable…the others you just wished that the monster would have them for midnight snacks. I guess I would have to say that the book was interesting, entertaining and 100% horrifying. A worthy recipient of the 4 stars.

The Missing Years by Lexie Elliott
4★

An eerie, old Scottish manor in the middle of nowhere that's now hers. Ailsa Calder has inherited half of a house. The other half belongs to a man who disappeared without a trace twenty-seven years ago—her father. Leaving London behind to settle the inheritance from her mother's estate, Ailsa returns to her childhood home, nestled amongst the craggy peaks of the Scottish Highlands, joined by the half-sister who's almost a stranger to her. Ailsa can't escape the claustrophobic feeling that the house itself is watching her—as if her past hungers to consume her. She also can't ignore how the neighborhood animals refuse to set one foot within the gates of the garden. When the first nighttime intruder shows up, Ailsa fears that the manor's careless rugged beauty could cost her everything.

Ailsa arrives at the Manse with emotional baggage….a missing father…a mother that pretty much neglected her…and a sister that she barely knows. Her current love interest, a TV journalist, decides to cover a news story rather than accompanying her so she’s wondering about their future also. She had visited the manor as a child but remembers only fragments of the experience. The Manse has a complicated history that is part rumor and part fact. Ailsa wants to discover the truth no matter if it’s good or bad…but mostly she wants to know what happened to her father. Lots of unexpected occurrences and some supernatural overtones provide Ailsa with answers.

Dead Insider by Victoria Houston
Loon Lake Series Book #13
2.5★

In the midst of a catastrophic August rainstorm, a grisly discovery shatters the serenity of a summer evening in northern Wisconsin. Moving quickly to prevent a panic among tourists, Loon Lake Police Chief Lewellyn Ferris enlists the forensic and interrogation skills of her close friend and fellow fly fisherman, the retired dentist "Doc" Osborne. Within hours of launching their investigation, they find themselves faced with a national media circus as Loon Lake becomes the focus of a murderous scenario that links the murder to the race for the U.S. Senate by a woman who is heir to a Northwoods fortune and other, less savory, family traditions.

I forgot that I had read this series before and didn’t particularly care for it. Parts of the stories are always interesting but there is so much time spent on fishing…hunting…eating…having parties…things that I admit are a pert of everyday life, but it seems the “mystery” is almost forgotten. The best part was when the individually wrapped body parts showed up. I didn’t like this character anyway. Other than that I was bored and was ready to kill someone just to give the book some spice.

Group Reads
The 14th Colony by Steve Berry
Dead Scared by Sharon Bolton

Century of Books
1951 Foundation by Isaac Asimov
1952 Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov
1972 The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1977 A Morbid Taste For Bones by Ellis Peters
1982 The Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters
1983 The Sanctuary Sparrow by Ellis Peters
1978 SSGB by Len Deighton
1979 Service of all the Dead by Colin Dexter
1993 A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett
1992 The Copper Beech by Maeve Binchy
2001 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J K Rowling

Other Reads
Ritual by Mo Hayder
The Last Girl by Jane Casey
Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty
The ClockMaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton
Heresy by S J Parris
Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick
The Moor by L J Ross

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
4★

Susie is 14 years old and she has died and gone to Heaven. In the weeks following her death she watches life continuing without her: her friends discussing her disappearance, her family holding out that she will be found, her killer trying to cover his tracks. It is story about loss and how the ones left behind handle the loss.

The story is compassionately told and you quickly feel close to Susie and her family. All of the characters in this small town are interesting and add their own flavor to this intriguing story. Although there's a sad and sometimes depressing undertone throughout the book...it is also comprised of humor...hope...and love. A very unique story. It is also on DVD.

The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood
4.5★

One fateful summer morning in 1986, two 11-year-old girls meet for the first time and by the end of the day are charged with murder. Twenty-five years later, journalist Kirsty Lindsay is reporting on a series of attacks on young female tourists in a seaside town when her investigation leads her to interview funfair cleaner Amber Gordon. For Kirsty and Amber, it's the first time they've seen each other since that dark day when they were just children. But with new lives – and families – to protect, will they really be able to keep their secret hidden?

It's a chilling tale of two 11 year old girls who were involved in the death of a small child and the resulting impact that that deed has on them. I found the story to be absorbing... plausible... as well as unsettling. It shows the seamier side of human nature and the devastating circumstances that interwove the lives of these two women. From the first page to last the book builds on the unexpected. Alex Marwood manages to fill the story with evil characters without ever making them unbelievable or the women unsympathetic. She keeps the suspense alive and viable throughout.

Bowlaway: A Novel
by Elizabeth McCracken
3/5 stars 5/3/2019
Bowlaway is the story of the unusual Bertha Truit, her family and friends in Salford, Massachusetts. When we first meet Bertha, she is in a cemetery and presumed dead but her life isn’t over and she eventually sets up her life in Salford surrounded by her husband Dr. Leviticus Sprague. She opens up a bowling alley where candle pin bowling is the game and life revolves around the alley with characters coming and going, growing old and dying. I had some difficulty with keeping track of all the characters coming in and out of the story line but overall I enjoyed this book.

Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline
Rosoto and Associates series Book #1
3.5★

Mary DiNunzio is trying to make partner in her cutthroat Philadelphia law firm. She's too busy to worry about the crank phone calls that she's been getting—until they fall into a sinister pattern. Mary can't shake the sensation that someone is watching her. Following her every move. Then the shadowboxing turns deadly, and she has to fight for something a lot more important than a partnership—her life.

It’s a thriller that has the reader guessing until the very end. Don’t trust any of the possible suspects…you’ll be blindsided by the identity of the perpetrator. It reminded me of a great deal of the Roselli and Isles series as there is a lot of fun dialogue and homey episodes with Mary's Italian family. This is the first of this series that I have read but I understand the idea will be to focus on a different attorney that makes up the all women’s law firm with each additional book. . Great idea… Since this book was published in 2009 I’m sure there are many more waiting for me I’m looking forward to it.

The Wonder / Emma Donoghue
3 stars

In the mid-1800s, Lib is a nurse from England who has come to Ireland to keep watch, for two weeks, over a young girl who has not eaten in four months. Lib and another nurse, a nun, will swap shifts to always watch to see if the girl can really subsist on nothing. Is it a miracle? Lib is doubtful and expects she’ll be able to prove the hoax in short order.

I wondered part-way through if there had been people who really thought they could live without eating, and in fact, there were. Donoghue’s book was not based on one specific person, but on multiple people. Some did have people watch them at all times, as well. Donoghue’s author’s note tells us that each real-life instance had different outcomes.

I might have rated it higher, but the story was pretty slow-going. For the last third of the book or so, I thought it picked up quite a bit, but decided that I’d keep my rating at “ok”, which is where it fell for me for most of the book. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised at the crazy religious people.

Pachinko– Min Jin Lee
Audible audio performed by Allison Hiroto
4****

This is an epic work of historical fiction that follows four generations of one Korean family living in Japan, beginning in 1910 and ending in 1989.

I was quickly drawn into the story and eagerly followed Sunja as she allied herself with Isak, the kind, tubercular minister who takes her from her homeland to Japan and raises her son as his own. I loved how the women created a business selling sweets to supplement the family’s earnings, and how they made practical decisions, that ensured their survival.

The men, however, were frequently frustratingly entrenched in their historic cultural roles of protector and/or head-of-household. I got the distinct feeling that Hansu went along with the secret not out of altruistic motives, but to save his own skin. He wanted to have his cake and eat it, too. Of course, secrets can’t remain secret forever and when they come out one can expect traumatic and dramatic results.

I did get a bit bored with the repetition, especially the co-dependent relationship between Solomon and Hana. I wanted to slap them both silly. It’s a very long book, and perhaps Lee was too ambitious in following the generations so far. Still, I was engaged and invested in these characters’ stories, and the setting and timeframe gave me some insight into a culture about which I know little.

Allison Hiroto goes a very good job narrating the audiobook. She has a lot of characters to deal with but was able to give them sufficiently unique voices so as I was not confused. I do wish the text version had a family tree, however.

Mango Elephants In the Sun – Susana Herrera
3.5***

Subtitle: How Life in an African Village Let Me Be in My Skin

Reeling from the breakup of her marriage, Herrera decided to sign up for the Peace Corps and an assignment teaching English in a remote village in Cameroon. This is a memoir of the time she spent in that African village.

I was interested and engaged in the experiences Herrera related, but somewhat appalled by how she lacked even basic understanding of the differences in culture before she arrived at her assignment. She seems to have no clue that she’d have to kill her own chicken if she wanted to cook one, or little idea of how to protect her meager furnishings from the ravages of hungry termites. Some scenes were touching or humorous. Many hit me upside the head with the change in perspective.

For example, Herrera relates how the women decide to teach her to prepare lunch. They must start at 7:00a.m. to prepare the noon meal, because first they have to catch the chicken. They they must go to the fields and dig up the peanuts, go into the forest to cut wood for the fire, and meticulously clean the rice of sticks and stones. When she comments that she doesn’t know how to do these things because “our rice comes already clean in a bag from the store,” the women respond: “Your country is rich if you can pay for someone to clean your rice for you.”

Later she is trying to explain that not all Americans are rich, and tells the women about the homeless in America. Her audience is taken aback. “I think your country shouldn’t kill chickens for people until the homeless have a home.”

She learns that teaching a young woman to ride a bicycle has resulted in censure by her family, and Herrera apologizes for the trouble this has caused. “Miss,” Lydie interrupts, “the price is nothing. Do you think he can take away what you have put inside me?”

There is some poetry that Herrera has written included in the text. These poems are in the voice of a lizard that frequents her home and serve as a sort of internal dialogue as she comes to grip with the trauma she is running from back home and begins to realize her calling as a teacher.

The Fall of Never by Ronald Malfi
4★

Kelly Rich, long estranged from her family, is forced to return home when her sister is involved in a mysterious accident. After years of suppressing the events that drove her away she must struggle to unlock the mystery of her past in order to save her sister. But nothing is as it seems in the foreboding Spires, her ancestral home, where cold hearts rule the hearth and deadly secrets lurk in the forest. Plunged back into the dreamworld of her youth Kelly is faced with the reality of her own role in the tragedies afflicting her family.

I have been a fan of Ronald Malfi's since reading his Floating Staircase. He really knows how to involve the reader in the strange and eerie happenings that populate his books. I will have to agree with other reviewers that it was a bit too repetitious when it came to describing the character's dreams. I really liked the Josh character but the main character of Kelly became tedious. Overall the theme of the book was carried out very well and made for a creepy, horrific tale.

>3 dustydigger: Waving to you from this side of the pond, Dusty! Enjoy your time in Virginia and congratulations on the success of the younger generation. I look forward to seeing your granddaughter at the UN.

The Swiss Family Robinson – Johann David Wyss
Digital audiobook read by Frederick Davidson.
3***

Originally published in 1812, this is a classic adventure tale of a mother, father and four sons who are shipwrecked on an unnamed (and apparently uncharted) tropical island in the South Seas.

I had never read the book, though I had seen the Disney movie back in the ‘60s. My adult self recognizes the glaringly implausible (and, frankly, impossible) scenarios – penguins AND bears AND ostriches! – but the adventure still captures the imagination. I also got a bit tired of the Father’s propensity to lecture; my stars, but the man is a walking encyclopedia and he feels compelled to impart his knowledge constantly. Since he is also the narrator, his superior attitude has plenty of opportunity to “shine.” Still, there is much practical information as well as natural history explained, and there are some very exciting scenes to capture the imagination of a young would-be explorer.

There are multiple editions of this classic and some have modernized the language to make it “more accessible to today’s students.” One edition I looked at had the narrator always referring to “the Mother,” never naming this strong woman but relegating her to only that role in life. The edition I wound up reading at least had the narrator referring to her as “my wife.” Again, no name but at least showing a personal relationship.

Davidson does an acceptable job of narrating the audiobook. His diction is clear, and he sets a decent pace, but his tone of voice makes the father/narrator sound even more superior than Wyss has written him (if that’s even possible). Also, this edition is one that has the narrator referring to the only woman in the party as “the Mother” without any name or even a hint at a personal connection, which just irritated me no end.

Giraffes on Horseback Salad: Salvador Dali, the Marx Brothers, and the Strangest Movie Never Made
Josh Frank
3.5/5 stars
This is the interesting and absurdly true story about the famous painter Salavdor Dali who had written a screenplay and wanted the Marx Brothers to be in it. Josh Frank had been researching unmade film scripts when he found mention of Dali’s script originally titled The Surrealist Woman and from there he had his subject for this book. Through painstaking research he pieced together the story of Giraffes on Horseback Salad screenplay. Illustrated by Manuela Perte and adapted with Tim Heidecker, this book contains the graphic novel based on the screenplay and the written story of the strangest movie never made. One of my favorite trivia bits from the book was how did Harpo and Dali (who became friends) communicate. Neither spoke each other’s language but both wives spoke German so they could translate for their husbands.

The Dog Who Saved Me – Susan Wilson
3***

Cooper Harrison was a member of Boston’s elite K-9 unit, until his canine partner, Argos, was killed in a bomb blast. Now Coop has returned to his small home town of Harmony Farms as the animal control officer (i.e. dog catcher). He suffers from PTSD and mostly keeps to himself. When he spots an obviously wounded and emaciated yellow dog, he decides to try to capture it. He gets help and advice from Max, the local veterinarian, as well as from Natalie, the owner of a horse rescue farm.

Though I am not really an animal lover or a “dog person,” I have read a few of Wilson’s books and found them interesting and engaging. This is somewhat formulaic, but the lead characters are likeable and their back stories interesting enough to hold my attention. Coop’s situation is complicated by a troubled family background; his father is an alcoholic and his older brother a recently released ex-con drug dealer. Wilson uses flashback technique to give the reader insight into Coop’s childhood and the events that led to his Argo’s death. It’s a fast, quick read, that satisfied several challenges.

A Taste for Monsters / Matthew J. Kirby
3.5 stars

Evelyn heads to a hospital in the East End of London not long before the Jack the Ripper killings begin. She is hoping to find employment as a nurse; instead, she is offered a position is a maid to Joseph Merrick, who resides at the hospital. Merrick is more well-known as “the Elephant Man”. Once the Ripper killings begin, Evelyn must help Mr. Merrick deal with the ghosts that are showing up nightly.

I enjoyed this. It’s YA, and I would have liked to have an author’s note. It seems to me that the information about the Ripper killings and his victims was pretty factual, but this is the first I’ve read about Merrick and would like to know more about him. I expect that him living in the hospital and not going out is probably pretty accurate. But, I don’t really know. I did enjoy this story, though. Evelyn was also coming to terms with her facial disfigurement, from “phossy jaw” at her former workplace and preferred to stay inside the hospital herself.

The Trespasser / Tana French
4 stars

When Aislinn (pronounced Ashleen – I only know this because I listened to the audio!) is found dead in her home, next to a table set for what looked to be a romantic dinner, the boyfriend is the immediate suspect. But, there might be more to it. Antoinette and Steve are partners on the murder squad, but Antoinette, as the only woman on the squad, has had to take a lot of crap and she’s getting tired of it! Antoinette and Steve are pushed by some of the other detectives to simply arrest the boyfriend and call it a day. But they want an air-tight case.

Another really good book in the series! I also really like the audios of these. I haven’t listened to them all, but I have for many of them, and they are always done really well. I like the Irish accent, too. I also always enjoy the personal stories of the detectives in these books. I was always kept wanting to read more, to find out how things were going to unfold. Really enjoyed this one!

Forty Words For Sorrow by Giles Blunt
4★

In the quiet Canadian town of Algonquin Bay, a frozen body has been found in an abandoned mine shaft. She is quickly identified as Katie Pine, a teenager who had disappeared months ago. At the time, Detective John Cardinal insisted that Katie was no ordinary runaway. His relentless pursuit and refusal to give up on the case got him demoted from Homicide. But now the Canadian police force wants Cardinal back on the case—with a new associate by his side. And as these two untrusting partners gather evidence of a serial murder spree, a pair of sociopaths is closing in on the next victim.

It was a typical type of detective story with a cunning serial killer. The detective was tortured,but brilliant and tenacious throughout but in spite of his short comings pursued the case while disregarding the rules and alienating his family in the process. Parts of the story were told from the view point of the killer which some readers may find hard to digest. Overall the plot is realistic and believable. The book is over 700 pages...a bit longer than it really needed to be, but I found that Giles Blunt is an extremely talented author easily worthy of the 4 stars.

Neon Prey by John Sandford
Lucas Davenport series Book #29
5★

Clayton Deese looks like a small-time criminal, muscle for hire when his loan shark boss needs to teach someone a lesson. Now, seven months after a job that went south and landed him in jail, Deese has skipped out on bail, and the U.S. Marshals come looking for him. They don't much care about a low-level guy--it's his boss they want--but Deese might be their best chance to bring down the whole operation. Then, they step onto a dirt trail behind Deese's rural Louisiana cabin and find a jungle full of graves. Now Lucas Davenport is on the trail of a serial killer who has been operating for years without notice. His quarry is ruthless, and--as Davenport will come to find--full of surprises.


You would think that after 29 books...all two-word title with one of those words being "Prey"... that John Sandford would have run out of situations to write about that puts Minnesota cop turned U.S. Marshall...Lucas Davenport... in the path of all this prey...but seemingly this hasn't happened. I for one, hope that it never does. From book 1 Lucas has been one of my favorite fictional detectives. He has been joined in this venture by two fellow Marshalls... Rae Givens and Bob Matees...who would make wonderful additions to the already great team. This time not only are they hunting the usual serial killer but a serial killer with a taste for cannibalism. Lucas needs all the help he can get. Keep'em Lucas.

The Alice Network– Kate Quinn
Book on CD narrated by Saskia Maarleveld
3.5***

Charlie St Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and heading to Europe with her mother to take care of “the little problem.” It’s 1947 and Charlie is reeling from the death of her brother and worried about her beloved cousin, Rose, who has not been heard from in a couple of years. She decides to find Eve Gardiner, the one name and only clue she has to Rose’s whereabouts. But Eve is an alcoholic recluse with her own demons. During WWI she had been recruited as a spy working with the French Resistance. Along with other women they formed The Alice Network.

Based on the real stories of women who served as spies during World War I, Quinn has crafted an interesting, engaging story of wartime heroines and the price they paid for their service. She uses a dual timeline, moving back and forth between Charlie’s search for Rose, and Eve’s remembered experiences thirty years earlier.

I found Charlie irritating. She was in turns stubborn, hysteric, weepy, lost and determined. I though she was mostly immature, and she got on my nerves almost as much as she got on Eve’s.

I was much more interested in Eve’s story. She’s a broken woman when we meet her, racked with survivor’s guilt and trying to numb her pain with alcohol. But as I learn more about her back story, how she came to be recruited for the spy network, her courage and bravery in the face of very real danger, I grew to admire her. Her story is was compelled me to keep reading / listening.

I found the ending rather rushed and implausible. I am referring mostly to the final confrontation between Eve, Charlie and Rene, but also to the Epilogue set in 1949. Lost half a star there.

The author’s note at the end expounds on the real people and events that inspired the novel. Additional historical information (letters and trial records) is also included.

Saskia Maarleveld did a marvelous job performing the audiobook. She sets a good pace and has the skill needed to differentiate a large cast of characters from a number of countries (Scotland, USA, France, England, and Germany). My only complaint about the audio is that is does NOT include the author notes and historical documents that the text.

White Cat by Holly Black
The Curse Works series Book #1
3★

Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn’t fit in at home or at school, so he’s used to feeling like an outsider. He’s also used to feeling guilty—he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago. But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas— and a plan to con the conmen

My daughter grew up on Holly Black's Spiderwick Chronicles. She and I would read them together and nearly wore the pages out. So it had been a while since I had read a Holly Black book and of course this one fit yet another challenge. Surprise! I wasn't immediately hooked on the story or the characters but remembering those wonderful books that my daughter and I shared...I kept at it. I'm glad I did and I found this to be an interesting beginning to a series that would appeal to any fan of supernatural and paranormal stories...which everyone here knows that I am. I really started to like Cassel. He's the black sheep in his family but what a family he has. They are so twisted that they are actually fascinating. If I had a family like this I would be wondering which of them I could really trust...and what sort of twisted people they might be if they had such powers and would they use them on me. It was a good book for the challenge and who knows? I might pick up book 2.

The Princess Saves Herself in This One
Amanda Lovelace
3.5/5 star
Lovelace writes from the feminine prospective on love, loss and growing up/being female through short concise poetry. This is the first of 3 books in the series. You will either love it or hate it. I loved it.

An Appetite for Murder – Lucy Burdette
2**

Number one in a new series starring Hayley Snow, food critic wannabe in Key West, Florida. She’s moved there to be with her new love, only to find him in bed with another woman. When the position of food critic for a new magazine, Key Zest, opens up she applies. Then Hayley discovers that her potential new boss is Kristin Faulkner, the woman who stole her boyfriend. Bad luck turns to worse when Kristin dies under suspicious circumstances, and the police turn to Hayley as their prime suspect.

Sounds promising for a new cozy mystery. It certainly seems to have all the elements for success: an amateur sleuth, foodie culture, a friend who lets her bunk on her houseboat, another gay best friend, a charming elderly neighbor, a victim with plenty of enemies, a slug of an ex-boyfriend, and a potential new love interest. Not to mention the tropical paradise setting and a loveable cat.

But Hayley is irritatingly immature and just plain too stupid to live. She’s prone to histrionics and doesn’t have the sense to come in out of the rain. Oh well … It was a fairly quick read, and Burdette definitely knows something about food as the descriptions make for some delicious reading. I also enjoyed the food-related quotes that started each chapter, and the recipes included at the end.

Despite the below average rating, I won’t dismiss the series just yet. Cozy mysteries, especially food-related ones, are my reading comfort food. Pass the key lime pie ….

The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman
4.5★

Twenty years ago, Jane Hudson fled the Heart Lake School for Girls in the Adirondacks after a terrible tragedy. The week before her graduation, in that sheltered wonderland, three lives were taken, all victims of suicide. Only Jane was left to carry the burden of a mystery that has stayed hidden in the depths of Heart Lake for more than two decades. Now Jane has returned to the school as a Latin teacher, recently separated and hoping to make a fresh start with her young daughter. But ominous messages from the past dredge up forgotten memories. And young, troubled girls are beginning to die again–as piece by piece the shattering truth slowly floats to the surface.

It was a very well plotted and captivating tale of buried secrets. Jane knows that she is the only living soul that knows the truth behind the deaths of her friends from twenty years ago. She had hoped and prayed that it would never come to light but now it has. Someone has found her journal with the details of the deaths and begins to recreate the past. I have read a couple Carol Goodman's other books but I believe this one is absolutely her best. The story jumps back and forth between Jane's past and present but is very easy to follow. Anyone that likes a well told mystery should give this author a try.

Coyote Cowboy Poetry – Baxter Black
1*

This is a compilation of previously published works by Black, who is a trained veterinarian and a syndicated humorist / columnist.

I grew up in Texas, and my father was raised on a ranch/farm and worked as a butcher with his older brothers. I loved going to the rodeo and had no illusions about where my food came from. I also knew a rancher named Don who had about 10,000 acres up in the panhandle of Texas, on which he raised beef cattle. He used to write the occasional essay in his letters to me, waxing poetic about nature and the hard work of a rancher. When I saw this title, I immediately thought of Don, and I was expecting something like Don’s letters.

Instead I got mediocre to bad poetry that I’m sure some people find humorous but that did nothing for me. I did appreciate one or two of the sentiments (though the poetry was still bad). But I’m sure my reaction is affected by my reading this as a collection. There’s a big difference between reading the occasional “poem” and having an entire book of them. By about the tenth poem I was tired of them and reading the rest was more torture than enjoyment.

The Complaints by Ian Rankin
Malcolm Fox series Book #1
4★

Nobody likes The Complaints--they're the cops who investigate other cops. It's a department known within the force as "The Dark Side," and it's where Malcolm Fox works. He's a serious man with a father in a nursing home and a sister who persists in an abusive relationship, frustrating problems about which he cannot seem to do anything.

Ian Rankin has provided us a suitable replacement for the retired Rebus in the character of Malcolm Fox. Is he Rebus?…no. Does he share the same values as Rebus?...absolutely. Fox is a reformed drinker, and much like Rebus, in that he is honest and fights for the rights of the innocent. "The Complaints" as Fox's department is known...is investigating corruption within their own ranks. He and his colleagues are not particularly well liked as you can imagine. Ian Rankin is the master of complex plots and characters so we shouldn't be surprised that The Complaints is no exception. The only complaint that I had is that it is a little too long and at times takes a directions that is unnecessary to the story line…hence the 4 stars. Overall If you do not compare Malcolm Fox to previous characters or the plot to previous novels...you will really enjoy the book.

Brian's Winter / Gary Paulsen
3.5 stars

In “Hatchet”, 13(?)-year old Brian is stranded in the Canadian North after a plane crash. What if winter had come and he was still there? This looks at Brian trying to survive the winter on his own.

I listened to the audio and enjoyed it. It looks like I rated the first two books 4 stars each, but on thinking back, I feel like “Hatchet” should have been 4 stars and “The River” probably 3.5, same as this one. In any case, it was interesting to see the kinds of things Brian had to do/learn in order to survive over the winter.

The Seven Sisters / Lucinda Riley
3.5 stars

Maia is the oldest of six adopted sisters, who grew up with a wealthy single father in Switzerland. When their father dies, they are each left with a hint about where they came from and it is up to them whether or not they want to pursue it. Maia decides to find out her story and heads to Brazil to do so. There, she meets someone who tells her of her great-grandmother’s story – a story of a “lost” love in France, while having to marry someone she doesn’t love in Brazil.

I enjoyed this. I enjoyed Izabela’s story more than Maia’s, and, unfortunately, I just didn’t “get” the connection between Maia and her love interest. Other than that, I did like Maia’s story, as well, but it really was Izabela’s that shone for me. I also liked the story of the creation of the Christ the Redeemer statue that stands in Rio de Janeiro; the people were real people, but of course, the story as written here was fictional. It is another book that goes back and forth in time with the two storylines, but that’s not something that bothers me. I do plan to continue the series, which I imagine will focus on each sister separately.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
★ ★ ★ ★ - 527 pages

Rachel Chu, an economist at NYU, agrees to go with her boyfriend Nick Young, an NYU history prof, to Singapore for his best friend's wedding. Nick grew up in Singapore and his family is there. What he hasn't mentioned to Rachel is just how rich his family is, how old the family money is, and that he is one of the most sought after men in Asia.

I read this for my "Pick a Winner - Make a Friend" April challenge. I liked it - but I got very tired of the shallow character of most of the players. My favorite character was Astrid, Nick's cousin, followed by Peik Lin, Nick, and Rachel. There are two sequels, so I'll read those eventually.

>31 Carol420: I read this a few years ago. I really liked it. I've only read a few of the Rebus books and need to get caught up on them so that I can read the "crossover book" between Fox and Rebus.

My Brilliant Friend – Elena Ferrante
Audible audiobook performed by Hillary Huber
3.5***

This is the first of four books in the “Neapolitan Series” by Ferrante. In it we meet Lila and Elena, two young girls growing up in 1950s Naples. They struggle to grow up in post-war Italy, with limited financial resources, but a strong relationship and a determination to succeed. Their paths diverge somewhat but their friendship remains true, and through their experiences the reader gets a glimpse of life, love, heartache and joy in 1950s-1960s Italy.

I loved the way this friendship was portrayed, and the strength of these two girls as they faced the challenges of growing up. Elena is the narrator, a good student and the child of a civil servant who values education. Lila’s father is a shoemaker and while she is obviously smart and capable of advanced study, he does not want her to continue and cannot (or will not) afford to send her to school. But she has her best friend, who shares books and concepts with her and encourages her. Also, Lila has the library, and her considerable intelligence.

I could not help but be reminded of my BFF when I was growing up, and the tightness of that bond. Like these central characters, we hardly breathed without consulting one another, and shared every secret, every joy, every heartache, every dream, every disappointment, and every triumph.

I also really appreciated how the landscape and culture were practically a character in the novel. I felt immersed in 1950s Naples. I could practically feel the heat on my skin, smell the leather in the shoe shop, hear the cacophony of a neighborhood filled with boisterous children.

The cast of characters is large, but no larger than any tightly knit community / neighborhood. Also, several of them are referred to by different names. Lila, whose real first name is Rafaela, is also called Lina. Elena is sometimes called Lenu. The text includes a cast of characters at the beginning, which I found helpful.

Hillary Huber does a great job of narrating the audiobook. She really brought these characters to life. I did refer to the text when I began writing this review, and I think that I would have enjoyed the book even more had I read it rather than listened. But that is my failing, not Huber’s.

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Cotes
5+★

People whisper rumors about a family murdered at Ashburn House. They say its old owner, Edith, went mad in the building, and that restless ghosts walk the halls at night. When Adrienne arrives on the Gothic house’s doorstep, all she has is a suitcase, twenty dollars, and her pet cat. She doesn't know why her estranged Aunt Edith bequeathed Ashburn to her, but it's a lifeline she can't afford to refuse. Adrienne doesn't believe in ghosts, but it’s hard to rationalize what she sees. Strange messages have been etched into the wallpaper. Furniture moves when she leaves the room. And a grave hidden in the forest hints at a terrible, unforgivable secret. Something twisted and evil lives in her house, and Adrienne must race to unravel the decades-old mystery… before she becomes Ashburn’s latest victim.

Another extraordinary "fix" for the ghost story "junkie". For years I devoured every book that Barbara Michaels could turn out. My favorite of all time was Ammie Come Home. I've read it and reread until the pages fell out and the cover "gave up the ghost" (no pun indented)... after which my daughter replaced it...twice now. Suddenly her books stopped. A year ago I found a writer that could give Barbara a run for her moneyin the ghost story department...Darcy Coates. So far I have read 6 of her books and found that while all of them have been exceptional with just the right amount of haunts to produce goose bumps and chills...The Haunting of Ashburn House is currently my absolute favorite. The author placed Adrienne in the house with little other choices available to her...no money...no phone...a laptop that quits on her...and a big gray lovable cat for company. She finds cryptic notes all over the place scratched in the wallpaper, the kitchen table, and the headboard of the bed put there by her late great-aunt who had willed her the house. Strange things start to happen around sundown and it becomes a struggle for survival...but some things just shouldn't survive. Anyone that loves ghost stories should give Darcy Coates a try.

>37 Carol420: Adding this book to my list. I too really liked Ammie, Come Home.

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library
By Sue Halpern
3.5/5 stars
This novel follows three main characters- Kit, the librarian; Sunny, the shoplifter and Rusty, who was down on his luck after a meteoric run on Wall Street. They meet through the local library. As the novel proceeds you follow their backstories and the trouble they have been through and how their bonding improved their lives. I really enjoyed it.
The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One
by Amanda Lovelace
3/5 stars
This is the second book in a poetry series from Lovelace’s the women are some kind of magic series which discusses women’s issues. I found this one darker than the first one but I could feel where the writer was coming from through these poems.

The Captive of Kensington Palace / Jean Plaidy
3.75 stars

This is the first in a series by the author focusing on Queen Victoria. This one opens when Victoria is still a child, living with her mother (the Duchess of Kent), older sister, and her mother’s suspected lover (Sir John) in Kensington Palace. Her mother and Sir John are very ambitious, and knowing that Victoria is next in line to the throne once the childless King (no legitimate children), the Duchess is all for using her daughter to her advantage and hoping that her brother, King William, will die before Victoria turns “of age” (18 years), which would mean the Duchess would be Regent.

I’ve not read anything about Queen Victoria until now, nor do I really know anything about her or the Monarchy in England before and leading up to her rule, so this was interesting. Have to admit, because there were so many names/people I didn’t know at the start of the book, I was a bit lost initially, but it didn’t take long before I was able to figure most of it out. The book did get better and better as it went on, as Victoria grew older and was able to (sometimes) stand up to her mother. I definitely want to continue the series, and hope I am able to before too much time passes, so I remember what lead up to everything to this point.

I've watched the movie, but I've been meaning to read the book. Also I didn't know there were sequels - thanks!

Shroud of Evil by Pauline Rowson
DI Andy Horton series Book #11
3★

When the body of local private investigator Jasper Kenton is found on the beach of the ultra wealthy Lord Eames’ estate, DI Andy Horton is called to investigate. According to those who knew him, Kenton was a thorough, discreet, reliable PI, who, at the time of his death, was working for Thelma Veerman, seeking evidence of the affair Thelma was sure her husband was having. Andy figures the husband, a renowned surgeon, was the obvious killer because he had the most to lose. But the more Andy investigates, the more puzzled he becomes. He’s especially wary of Lord Eames, whom Andy is convinced was involved in the disappearance of Andy’s mother decades earlier. The shocking conclusion will leave readers eager for the next installment in this always surprising series.

This story has way too many complicated facets…. all of which involve many suspects who each had various motives…adequate opportunities… and a quagmire of unanswered questions. I'll have to say that the story was interesting but only up to a point, and then it rapidly galloped straight down hill. In spite of the fact that there was another murder after Kenton’s, the story stalled…if anything it became even more complicated. The author made matters even worse by introducing a host of new characters in the last few chapters. This was a major distraction when the reader had to try to sort out who these people were and what did they have to do with the victims thus far. By the time that the murderer was revealed, I had lost interest and I just did not care any more. I gave the book 3 stars mainly because like another reviewer had said, I enjoyed the first part as much as I disliked the remainder. The reader will need a lot of patience to make it through this book.

Winter At The Door by Sara Graves
Lizzie snow series Book #1
4★

Moving from Boston to remote Bearkill, Maine, isn’t homicide cop Lizzie Snow’s idea of a step up. But breaking away from tragedy and personal betrayal is at least a step in the right direction. Her dead sister’s fate still torments her, as does her long-missing niece’s disappearance. Lizzie hopes to find the mysteriously vanished child here, amid the coming ice and snow. But in the Great North Woods, something darker and more dangerous than punishing winter is also bound for Bearkill. The town is a world apart in more than distance—full of people who see everything, say little, and know more than they’ll share with an outsider. The only exceptions are the handsome state cop who once badly broke Lizzie’s heart and desperately wants another chance—and Lizzie’s new boss, sheriff Cody Chevrier, who’s counting on her years of homicide experience to help him solve his most troubling case, before it’s too late.

The author does a great job of portraying life in this small Maine town in Aroostook County. I liked her touch on the art of potato picking...moose...and meth dealings...although the Chamber of Commerce may not think it was so funny. Lizzie, Dylan, Cody, and the rest of the characters were all likable and believable. There were a few things that were a little peculiar. We never really saw Lizzie investigate any of the crimes. She was more like a bystander than a trained investigator....and it seemed that the murders of the retired lawmen was more of an after thought than a bigger part of the story. Still, it was a good read and I will read another in the this series.

The Flying Classroom
Erich Kästner
3/5 stars
This is Kastner’s 1933 novel about a group of very young male students that live at a boarding school in Germany and which highlights their camaraderie as the grow up and learn about life and how they learn to rely on their classmates and their teachers. This was just okay for me, however, when I researched the author; he became more interesting than this story. He was German and his books were burned in 1933 when the Goebbels instigated the book burnings pre WWII. Now I want to read a biography on Kastner.

the mermaid's voice returns in this one
Amanda Lovelace
4/5 stars
This is the third book of the series of poems about women’s issues by Lovelace and this one also includes other female poets’ poems. I enjoyed it.

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
3.5★

Cyril Avery is not a real Avery...or at least, that's what his adoptive parents tell him...and he never will be. But if he isn't a real Avery, then who is he? Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead. At the mercy of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know himself and where he came from - and over his many years, will struggle to discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more.

From the beginning you know that things are not going to go well. It's 1945 in rural County Cork, Ireland and 16 year old Catherine Goggin is in big trouble. She is shamed from the pulpit of the only church she has ever known...thrown out of the parish...sent from her home and family...and left to make it on her own... all because of her unborn child. At this point the story is told from the viewpoint of that child...now a man He had been adopted by an unlikely couple...Maude and Charles Avery who have wealth and prestige but little love for this little boy, Cyril. Cyril has problems of his own since he learned early on that he is gay. This is not an easy thing to be in conservative Catholic Ireland. The book spans the decades of Cyril's life...the good... the bad...the tragic...and the hilarious, as he learns who he is and the real meaning of love and family. It is also a book about Ireland and the astounding and profound social changes the country underwent from 1945 to present day.

The 14th Colony by Steve Berry
Cotton Malone series Book #11
3.5★

What happens if both the president and vice-president-elect die before taking the oath of office? The answer is far from certain—in fact, what follows would be nothing short of total political chaos. Shot down over Siberia, ex-Justice Department agent Cotton Malone is forced into a fight for survival against Aleksandr Zorin, a man whose loyalty to the former Soviet Union has festered for decades into an intense hatred of the United States. Before escaping, Malone learns that Zorin and another ex-KGB officer, this one a sleeper still embedded in the West, are headed overseas to Washington D.C. Noon on January 20th—Inauguration Day—is only hours away. A flaw in the Constitution, and an even more flawed presidential succession act, have opened the door to disaster and Zorin intends to exploit both weaknesses to their fullest. Armed with a weapon leftover from the Cold War, one long thought to be just a myth, Zorin plans to attack. He’s aided by a shocking secret hidden in the archives of America’s oldest fraternal organization—the Society of Cincinnati—a group that once lent out its military savvy to presidents, including helping to formulate three invasion plans of what was intended to be America’s 14th colony...Canada. In a race against the clock that starts in the frozen extremes of Russia and ultimately ends at the White House itself, Malone must not only battle Zorin, he must also confront a crippling fear that he’s long denied, but which now jeopardizes everything.

The Cotton Malone series is nothing short of a treat for any history buff. Steve Berry writes with authenticity after doing very careful research. Sometimes he has to "bend' history a tad to make the story more interesting and less a classroom lecture...but the facts are always there. As we all know history isn't always pretty and The 14th Colony tells a story that is frightening and almost unbelievable...but check it out for yourself...its 100% true. Along with history...this series features really good characters, lots of action, and leaves the reader waiting for the next one.

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton
4★

Imagine...You've been held captive in one room. You've been mentally and physically abused every day since you were sixteen years old. Then one night you realize your captor has left the door to your cell unlocked. For the first time in eight years you're free. This is what happens next... Escape was just the beginning.

Hollie Overton wrote this...her first novel from actual experiences from her own childhood. Don't expect a "warm, fuzzy" story. You won't find any of the characters terribly sympathetic or very likable. They just weren't nice people at all and had a rather strange understanding of morality. Most books about kidnappings focus primarily on the captivity but very little... if at all... on the escape I liked that this book began with the escape and focused on the aftermath. It's hard to imagine a young woman escaping after 8 years in captivity and bringing her young daughter out with her. The main thing that I found difficult to believe was that they would return so quickly to a normal daily life. I wouldn't label this book a thriller or as a mystery & suspense... but I did enjoy it.

North of Beautiful / Justina Chen
3.5 stars

Terra is beautiful, tall, blonde… and has a giant purple birthmark on the right side of her face. She wants to go to art school across the country to get as far away from her father and the small town she is living in as possible. In the meantime, she works at a small gallery in her town, and has tried many different ways to get rid of her birthmark. On the latest trip to Seattle to do so, she and her mother get in a car accident on the way home, where Terra almost runs into an Asian Goth boy, Jacob.

I liked this. There are a few themes going on here, beauty being the main one, both Terra’s face and her art, but also the (emotional/verbal) abuse she and her mother (and brothers, until they left home) face from her father. Cartography is big in the book, and there is a trip to China. This was more than your usual lighthearted YA romance book; it felt a bit weightier. The trip to China was interesting to see a bit of the Chinese culture. The romance, Terra’s birthmark/face/beauty, and the family situation were probably the best parts for me. I really liked the interactions between the siblings (before their father came home).

Norse Mythology / Neil Gaiman
3 stars

Primary gods in Norse mythology include Odin, Thor, and Loki. Many/most of these stories focused on them, but there are a few others thrown in to the mix, including the beautiful Freya, in many of the stories, as well.

Neil Gaiman does have a nice voice and is a good narrator (I listened to the audio), but somehow he doesn’t always hold my attention. Seems to depend what else I’m doing at the time, though. At home/housework, I’m fine; walking somewhere – too many distractions and I lose focus. I’ve listened to a few he’s narrated, but I think it’s all been short stories, which I think is also harder on audio because when you lose focus (or when I do, anyway!), it’s harder to catch up again. I do wonder if I would have a better time listening to him read one of his novels. I’m also not always a short story fan, though the first ones in this book (when I was focusing) were good. The rest, I missed too much to really say. Overall, I’m rating this ok.

Dancing Lessons / Cheryl Burke
3.25 stars

Cheryl is a professional ballroom dancer who has appeared on Dancing With the Stars since season 2. There were plenty of behind-the-scenes stories, more about her partners, rather than the other pros on the show. Of course, there were stories about her life, as well: growing up painfully shy, her hard-working Filipino mother, how she got into dancing to begin with, relationships (some abusive), her career including and since her DWTS fame.

I don’t usually read celebrity biographies, but this one fit a challenge and I’d been considering reading it. It’s fairly short and entertaining for someone who is a fan of the show. I stopped watching DWTS a few years ago, but I still enjoyed the stories, and I certainly remembered most of the celebrities she was talking about (I even looked a couple of the dances up on youtube after I finished the book so I could watch again!). It was interesting to read about her life, the bits and pieces that she included. She is a very positive person, so there was no “dirt” dished out about the show or the people on it.

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
5 ★

In a quest for a simpler life, Helen and Nate have abandoned the comforts of suburbia to take up residence on forty-four acres of rural land where they will begin the ultimate, aspirational do-it-yourself project: building the house of their dreams. When they discover that this beautiful property has a dark and violent past, Helen, a former history teacher, becomes consumed by the local legend of Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who lived and died there a century ago. With her passion for artifacts, Helen finds special materials to incorporate into the house--a beam from an old schoolroom, bricks from a mill, a mantel from a farmhouse--objects that draw her deeper into the story of Hattie and her descendants, three generations of Breckenridge women, each of whom died suspiciously. As the building project progresses, the house will become a place of menace and unfinished business: a new home, now haunted, that beckons its owners and their neighbors toward unimaginable danger.

Jennifer McMahon writes a very good ghost story. She may have had some experience in the matter as she writes in her biography that she grew up in her grandmother’s house in suburban Connecticut, where she was convinced a ghost named Virgil lived in the attic. I just bet she thinks of Virgil every time she writes one of her wonderful books. The first experience I had with this author was The Winter People which I though couldn't possibly be topped...I was wrong....The Invited is better. The characters of Helen and Riley are women that you have to admire. If you love ghost stories or even stories about life in the centuries past or in the present century in small New England towns...try this one on for size.

Calypso
By David Sedaris
4.5/5 stars
Sedaris (one of my favorite authors) writes about his life and his family in a no holds barred look using his oddball sense of dark humor to ease the pain of difficult times and to celebrate good times.

A Duty To The Dead by Charles Todd
Bess Crawford series Book#1
4 ★

Presenting Bess Crawford, invalided, home when the hospital ship she nursed on is shot out from under her. She’s bent on relaying a dying message—matters must be set right—from favored patient Arthur Graham to his brother Jonathan. Another matter, however, takes precedence for the Graham family: Peregrine, the Graham brother confined in an asylum since he was barely a teenager for murdering Lily the housemaid, is near death from pneumonia and needs nursing care. Providing it, Bess is struck by how rational Peregrine seems. Meanwhile, another village patient, a traumatized war victim who has fallen under her care, commits suicide—or does he? When Peregrine regains his strength, he takes Bess on the run to help him recover his memory of Lily’s death. A visit to the village rector reveals several other fatal calamities over the years that cast suspicion on other Graham family members: clubfooted Timothy, Mrs. Graham and, to Bess’s dismay, the late Arthur himself. A gruesome denouement lays bare all the family secrets and misalliances and releases Bess from her deathbed vow to Arthur.

It is exceedingly slow with long passages that I believe is an attempt to provide background for a character that has never seen print and paper before. I also believe that Bess's behavior was unbelievable considering that it was 1916 and she was a woman. Complete strangers were willing to be interrogated by a young single woman about circumstances that were clearly none of her concern ?... I don't think so. It is however the first book in the series and this is NOT 1916 so I know that reader were forgiving and embraced the series since there has been 10 years worth of books in this series since this one. I did enjoy the story so 4 stars.

Reign of Madness / Lynn Cullen
4 stars

Juana of Castile, also known as “Juana the Mad”, was the daughter of Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. With two older siblings, she never thought she’d have a chance to be queen. She was married to Philippe of Flanders, who was lower ranked than she was. Initially in love with Philippe, things turned sour after a while, as Philippe dallied with other women, and began to treat Juana badly. When Juana did inherit her mother’s crown in Casile, Philippe managed to take her power from her.

The book started when Juana was young and living with her parents and siblings. It continued to follow her and Philippe’s relationship and travels between the Spains and Flanders. I found the beginning of the book a bit slow. It also jumped over time a bit. But, I thought it really picked up about the time Juana realized what a cad Philippe was. The author fictionalized a reason why Juana may have ultimately wanted to stay out of the limelight and not be queen, which was somewhat entertaining. In any case, I found the additional information about Christopher Columbus interesting, as I haven’t read much about him (though I did know his explorations were funded by Isabel and Ferdinand). The author did have a note at the end, separating out fact from fiction, which is always nice. It was particularly interesting to note what really happened with Beatriz, who was Juana’s closest lady.

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
2★

A chilling novel of friendship, secrets, and the dangerous games teen aged girls play. On a cool June morning, a woman is walking her dog in the idyllic coastal village of Salten, along a tidal estuary known as the Reach. Before she can stop him, the dog charges into the water to retrieve what first appears to be a wayward stick, but to her horror, turns out to be something much more sinister. The next morning, three women in and around London—Fatima, Thea, and Isa—receive the text they had always hoped would never come, from the fourth in their formerly inseparable clique, Kate, that says only, “I need you.”

Don't believe everything that you read. The description promises something that just didn't ever materialize. Either that or I just didn't get it. All of these women are terrified because of "what they did" as a teenagers. Over and over again, it's "oh, no, we can't disclose what we did." But what they did wasn't that big a deal. A misdemeanor in most states in the U.S. Of course this takes place in England but I can't believe the police there would see it much differently...after all they did it as minors. They express over and over and over that if "what they did" comes out they'll spend the rest of their lives in prison and/or the authorities will take the child that one of the women has and actually drug along on a 4 hour train trip. I didn't find it "chilling" I just found it silly. The game these women played in school has absolutely nothing to do with "what they did". They just had very bad judgement.

Need by Carrie Jones
4★

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect facebook friends. Little wonder, since she's had a pretty rough life. Her father left when she was a baby, and her stepfather just died. Her mother's pretty much checked out - in fact, Mom's sent her to live with her grandmother in cold and sleepy Maine to "keep Zara safe." Whatever that means. Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother just can't deal. Zara's wrong. The man she sees everywhere - the tall creepy guy who points at her from the side of the road - yeh, he's not a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie. And not the cute, sweet kind with little wings. Maine's got a whole assortment of unbelievable creatures, like pixies and were-people. And they seem to need something - something from Zara.

Meet Zara...a high school student who is having a hard time coping with the death of her father. Now her Mom suddenly wants to pack her off to Maine and Zara just doesn't get it. As the new kid in the school she makes friends but she also makes enemies...more of one than the other. Zara is also eat up with phobias and finds that it's difficult to trust herself or anyone else. Some of the "people" that begin to show interest in Zara aren't friends or enemies...they aren't even people. Meet the Pixie's. Not the cute little gold dust scattering creatures but something else entirely. The Pixie king wants Zara but for what? That is the big question. If you want an enjoyable quick read...this one is for you. It's the first by this author that I've read but I will be looking for more.

Lemon Tart by Josi S. Kilpack
Cozy Culinary Mystery series Book #1
2.5★

Cooking aficionado turned amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller tries to solve the murder of her beautiful young neighbor a single mother who was mysteriously lured from her home while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie s search is the woman s missing two year-old child. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects including her! For an added treat, original mouth- watering recipes for Sadie s Lemon Tart, Homemade Alfredo Sauce, Carrot Cookies, Brownies, and Granny s Gingerbread Bundt Cake are sprinkled throughout the book.

Why do mystery authors ever imagine you could make a murder mystery interesting when you are writing about a lemon tart?? If you don't mind a character that is arrogant, superficial, immature, passive-aggressive and judgmental then you will probably love this book. I found her to be unbearable and far too realistic. Of course I can't, and won't, be too judgmental as this is a cozy mystery and I knew that going in... and I am not a fan. another book to fulfill a challenge. I have read cozies that had good characters and this wasn't one of them. Nice picture of a lemon tart on the cover though.

The Bird's Nest
Shirley Jackson
3.5/5 stars
A young single woman who lives with her aunt comes home from work one day very ill from headaches. Her aunt knows something is wrong and takes her to a doctor who discovers that she has developed into split personalities and attempts to help her get rid of them. Very dark-just like a Jackson novel should be!

So far in May I've read and reviewed:

Hounded by Kevin Hearne (very short review) 4 stars
Murder House by Jordan Castillo Price 5 stars
and
A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro 4 stars

Read but not yet reviewed Every Move by Ellie Marney 4 stars

Luckily so far everything I've read has been enjoyable this month.

Let Me Lie by Clare MacKintosh
4 ★

The police say it was suicide. Anna says it was murder. They're both wrong.

Last year, Tom and Caroline Johnson chose to end their lives, one seemingly unable to live without the other. Their daughter, Anna, is struggling to come to terms with her parents' deaths, unwilling to accept the verdict of suicide. Now with a baby herself, Anna feels her mother's absence keenly and is determined to find out what really happened to her parents. But as she digs up the past, someone is trying to stop her.
Sometimes it's safer to let things lie.

It was a great, well told mystery. It could have been a bit shorter as some of the chapters were taken up with more back history than was necessary to tell the story. I really liked the character of Murray Mackenzie...the retired detective who reopened and worked the case for Anna. I understand that Clare MacKintosh is an ex-forensic DCI that bases her books on real cases. Read the book. I guarantee that you will be very surprised in the end.

>59 Jenson_AKA_DL: Glad you are having a good month. Always great when you re enjoying everything you read.

The Key to Midnight / Dean Koontz
3.5 stars

Alex is a private detective and recognizes Joanna when he walks into her club in Kyoto. He recognizes her as Lisa, who went missing 12 years ago and disappeared without a trace. Joanna insists she is not Lisa, but as they look further into it, they are convinced she is, but she really doesn’t remember being Lisa. She has memories of her life (as Joanna) before Kyoto and before 12 years ago. What happened?

I thought this was pretty good. At first, I thought Alex was not a good person, but that turned out to be wrong (it wasn’t long before we figured this out, so it’s not a spoiler). The nightmares that Joanna had were creepy. This was originally written under a pseudonym, as it was a different genre than Koontz usually writes. He rewrote parts of it to update it in 1995 (from the original 1979), though a lot of the subject matter still felt a bit 70s. Overall, though, it was good.

The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick
Mallory O'Meara
5/5 stars
Mallory O’Meara, the author of this book and also a horror screenwriter and film producer, through sheer tenacity was able to track down and put together the story of Milicent Patrick. Patrick came from an artistic family and grew up in the town near the Hearst Castle in California where her father worked as superintendent of construction on the Castle. Milicent, who was quite artistic, was involved in the designing of the monster from the movie The Lady From the Black Lagoon and also worked on the animation/drawings of A Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia but who eventually lost her job due to a jealous boss. What a wonderfully interesting book!

Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair With Trash / Edward Humes
4 stars

We have become a consumer culture, a society where disposable is all too common. This book looks at trash and all it entails: landfills, recycling, and what else can be done with it, and/or about it, and/or ideally things we can do to reduce it. Plastic is, of course, a big issue - including the “patch” of plastic floating around the Pacific Ocean (which is apparently more of a soup or chowder (smaller chunks all over the place), rather than a patch where it’s all together in the one spot).

I thought this was quite interesting. Some people have actually studied trash (garbologists). There was some history of how landfills got started, and how people traditionally got rid of their trash. Of course, the consumer culture – marketing to promote more and more buying (and also throwing away because we want the new stuff) – came to rise in the 50s, and hasn’t let up.

One idea that was new to me (at least in the detail described in this book) was the waste-to-energy idea, turning trash into energy. I have heard of it, but this book went into more detail than I ever knew about it. Denmark and Germany seem to be the forerunners for this, and it sounds like a great idea. Of course, alongside these kinds of ideas, humans really do need to figure out ways to cut down on the amount of stuff we acquire (and subsequently throw away). There was also some info on things some people are doing to cut down on their consumerism and disposables.

Your Cat’s Just Not That Into You / Richard Smith.
3 stars

This is meant to be a humourous look at cats. Much of it is set up in a letter “dear Abby” advice-type format, but there are other little snippets, as well. There were a few times I laughed out loud, but really not many. It wasn’t as amusing or enjoyable as I’d hoped, though I am still rating it “ok” (that may be generous). It was a quick read, at least.

Carols and Chaos – Cindy Anstey
3***

Adapted from the book jacket: England, 1817. The chaos of the Yuletide season is in full force at the country estate of Shackleford Park, but lady’s maid Kate Darby barely has time to notice. Between her household duties, caring for her demanding mother, and saving up money to someday own a dress shop, her hands are full. Matt Harlow is also busy. He’s performing double duty, acting as valet for both of the Steeple brothers, who are holiday guests at the estate. Falling in love would be a disaster for either of them. But that is the least of their problems as they get caught up in an intrigue that begins with a missing footman.

My reactions
I picked this up because I was trolling the library’s shelves looking for a particular cover image. It sounded like a quick, fun read and that’s exactly what it was.

The romance plus cozy mystery makes for some interesting twists and turns in the plot, as well as satisfying tension between the two lead characters. I liked Kate; she’s intelligent, self-reliant, dedicated and persistent. I find that she’s a little too “fluttery” around Matt, but given the genre (YA romance), I’ll cut her some slack. Matt is equally intelligent, disciplined, dedicated and protective.

This is the second book in a series, the first being Suitors and Sabotage. I don’t feel I missed anything by reading out of order. The first book apparently deals with “Upstairs” – the relationship between Kate’s and Matt’s employers; while this one is decidedly “Downstairs.”

Fascism: A Warning – Madeleine Albright
Book on CD read by the author
4****

From the book jacket: The twentieth century was defined by the clash between democracy and Fascism, a struggle that created uncertainty about the survival of human freedom and left millions of innocent people dead. Given the horrors of that experience, one might expect the world to reject the spiritual successors to Hitler and Mussolini should they arise in our era. Albright draws on her own experiences as a child in war-torn Europe and her career as a diplomat to question that very assumption.

My reactions:
It’s said that those who refuse to study history are doomed to repeat it. I’ve studied some history, and yet I found much new information in this relatively slim volume.

Albright clearly, methodically and logically lays out the foundations to bring understanding of Fascism. She cites numerous examples, using not only right-wing but left-wing and centrist ideologies to illustrate the concepts and realities. The great takeaway for me was the way in which small, incremental changes to policy which are easily tolerated (even when not fully agreed with), add up and result in citizens finding themselves in a society they hardly recognize and with limited ability to return to an earlier model.

Albright narrated the audiobook herself. Her diction is clear and she sets a nice pace, giving the listener time to absorb concepts. However, I did sometimes repeat a track to ensure that I had fully understood. I think this book is probably best absorbed in a text format.

>61 Carol420: Thank you, I do appreciate it when I have a good run LOL. There have been times I've read a bunch of mediocre books in a row and it almost makes me feel like not trying to read anything at all!

>65 LibraryCin: I was thinking about trying that one after seeing it at the library, but maybe not...

I did read and review No Limits by Ellie Marney which was pretty good, just not my usual type of plot line.

Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerritsen
3★

Miranda Wood thinks she has seen the last of Richard Tremain, her rich and married ex-lover—until she discovers him stabbed to death in her bed. With her knife. Miranda is the obvious suspect, and she looks even guiltier when her bail is posted by an anonymous donor. Was this an act of kindness designed to buy her time to clear her name? Or is someone trying to manipulate Miranda and draw her into the dark and secret world of a murdered man, where everybody's presumed guilty? With her world falling around her, Miranda is determined to discover who killed Richard. But proving her innocence may become secondary to staying alive.

The love story almost over-rode the mystery and made the story frustrating to follow. Those of us that love her forensic novels will find this one a little boring at times but I knew that she could pull this story out. I was almost wrong in this assumption since we had to deal with small town mentality...not really likable characters... and multiple suspects all with good reasons to murder her husband.

Grief Cottage
Gail Godwin
5/5 stars
This story revolves around Marcus whose mother has passed away and who is sent to live with his Aunt Charlotte, a reclusive painter that lives on an island off of South Carolina. Aunt Charlotte has her own demons to deal with, let alone raising a nephew. Marcus is mostly on his own so when he explores the island he finds Grief Cottage- a house that was wrecked in a hurricane and which his Aunt often paints pictures of. While there he senses a young man at the cottage starring at him as he sits on the porch. Who is this young man and why is Marcus so intrigued with him? What a wonderful tale by Godwin-I will definitely read more of her!

Dead Scared by Sharon Bolton (S.J)
Lacey Flint series Book #2
4.5★

When a rash of suicides tears through Cambridge University, DI Mark Joesbury recruits DC Lacey Flint to go undercover as a student to investigate. Although each student's death appears to be a suicide, the psychological histories, social networks, and online activities of the students involved share remarkable similarities, and the London police are not convinced that the victims acted alone. They believe that someone might be preying on lonely and insecure students and either encouraging them to take their own lives or actually luring them to their deaths. As long as Lacey can play the role of a vulnerable young woman, she may be able to stop these deaths, but is it just a role for her? With her fragile past, is she drawing out the killers, or is she herself being drawn into a deadly game where she's a perfect victim?

Sharon Bolton is a master of "misdirection". Just when you think you know what is happening your theory takes a flight out the window and you have to start all over. Eventually you don't know whom to trust or where they are going next. I really liked the story but the problems I had with this one...that kept it from the 5 star mark, is that Joesbury and Lacey just never manage to connect...they don't even want to talk about it...and the men that work with Lacey treat her like a mushroom by keeping her in the dark but expect her to do her job. Lucky for the reader...she doesn't pay any attention to them. Good story.

The Valley of Amazement / Amy Tan
4 stars

It’s 1912. Violet is half-American, half-Chinese and growing up with only her American mother, Lulu, in Shainghai. Lulu runs a courtesan house, but is tricked when Violet is 14-years old; Violet is kidnapped while her mother heads to San Francisco to find her son.

I really liked this. A warning that there are some graphic scenes, though – sex, violence. The book certainly kept me wanting to read to find out what happened. It was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster with ups and downs. A small portion of the book told Lulu’s story; admittedly, at first, I didn’t think this was necessary, but it got more interesting as it went on, and it was nice to see the pieces come together as it continued.

Odd One Out – Nic Stone
2**

A love triangle in high school, told in turn by each of the three principle characters.

Clearly, I am not the target demographic for this YA novel about kids who are conflicted about their sexuality. Oh, the teen angst over whom to love. I get that these kids are confused and experimenting and unsure and troubled. But I thought the basic premise was totally unrealistic and the dialogue lacked depth.

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
5***** and a heart

This is the third time I've read this book, and really, it is incredible. I know, I know, coming from a sci-fi and fantasy background, and preferring women's stories, this book just is so well-researched and well-written that it holds up well over the decades. The details, including streets in Paris and motivations and how the Jackal gets his guns and identities, is impeccable, and it's very hard to wrap my head around this fictional part of the story. Because the Google verified what was real and what was not in this book.

What also gives this book its police-procedural reality is the depth of detail that Forsyth uses to describe politics, interdepartmental cooperation (and not), those who seek a rise to power, those who kill for a living, and those who do the "grunt" work in their search for a cold-blooded killer with very few clues to go by. And the revenge that some felt was needed when de Gaulle chose to withdraw from Algeria and the chaos that resulted.

Eyes Like Leaves by Charles de Lint
3***

In this early written work of Charles de Lint, now published, he details how this book became a later publication. He had written it around the same time as "Riddle of the Wren" and his publisher gave him a choice of what to publish next. He chose the vein of modern, urban fantasy and he has succeeded well.

Which is not to say that this is not a bad book. It's not, it's well-detailed with elements of Vikings and Druids and Celtic mythology. And a hero who has self-doubts and a young woman who begins to know herself and come into her own. But it's one of many fantasy books which use these elements of mythology and really, I'm glad de Lint became an author of the new genre of urban fantasy.

Part of the reason he gets three stars as well is that he's trying to put everything that's in his head onto the page. There's just too much, too many threads, too many stories that have to be interwoven and while they all rely on one another, there's just too many. And honestly, I don't know which story I would want to leave out, but he was able to get all of them included here and it is at last published. And I love his musical dedications, too. It was one of the reasons I am so attracted to his work, is his love and inclusion of music.