Sep18

The Trouble with You- by Ellen Feldman- A review

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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Franny Fabricant was the product of her time as well as her position in life. Although she graduated from one of the Seven Sisters colleges, she was mostly educated in order to be a successful wife and mother as well as to support her husband’s career by being a good conversationalist and able to hold her own at dinner and cocktail parties.

Her mother passed away while she was still young and thus her aunt, Rose, had a strong effect on her along with the culture in which she was raised. Sometimes the two forces were diametrically opposed. And that is the crux of the story. How Fanny navigates not only young widowhood, being a single mother, and learning how to support herself and her daughter makes for a very interesting story. Throw in the McCarthyism and two men who are polar opposites and therein lies the inner conflict of the main character.

I enjoyed reading Franny’s journey and rooting for her to make the right decisions. Her aunt Rose was a great character and her story was intriguing as well. We got it in little dribbles, but she was a strong character who lived a full life herself even though many people in the book felt sorry for her for never marrying. I liked this character a lot.

This book moves at a nice pace. No explosions, car chases or other crazy drama, just a lovely read with a likeable cast of characters—although one of the men set my teeth on edge—in a good way as far as bringing conflict to the plot.

The setting, era and morals of the day are well set out by the author and this is just very much an enjoyable read. Five Stars.

Description

In an exuberant post WWII New York City, a young woman is forced to reinvent her life and choose between the safe and the ethical, and the men who represent each…

Set in New York City in the heady aftermath of World War II when the men were coming home, the women were exhaling in relief, and everyone was having babies, The Trouble With You is the story of a young woman whose rosy future is upended in a single instant. Raised never to step out of bounds, educated in one of the Sister Seven Colleges for a career as a wife and mother, torn between her cousin Mimi who is determined to keep her a “nice girl”—the kind that marries a doctor—and her aunt Rose who has a rebellious past of her own, Fanny struggles to raise her young daughter and forge a new life by sheer will and pluck. When she gets a job as a secretary to the “queen” of radio serials—never to be referred to as soaps—she discovers she likes working, and through her friendship with an actress who stars in the series and a man who writes them, comes face to face with the blacklist which is destroying careers and wrecking lives. Ultimately, Fanny must decide between playing it safe or doing what she knows is right in this vivid evocation of a world that seems at once light years away and strangely immediate.

Aug22

The Hoax- by Nikki Rodwell- Review

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This is going to be a strange review as, in the beginning, I hated both of the main characters in this book. One of them was a terrible, terrible, terrible human being. The other was a victim of the first. But he had a lot of unlikable characteristics himself. I almost put it down several times and walked away. I could only manage a chapter or two a day as I began this one.

The father character, Ronnie, was downright abusive to everyone he knew but mostly to his son. It was hard to read the awful things he did to the poor boy growing up.

Based on the blurb, I knew this was going to turn into a thriller type book even though it was slow getting there.  By the end of chapter eight, I thought I had the story figured out. When I decided I’d figured the case out, it motivated me to keep reading and I was able to read more than a chapter at a time. I still was angry at Ronnie, but I was determined to see if I was right about how this would play out. LOL  

I went on reading, getting more and more agitated at this Ronnie guy’s behavior. As I went on, though, the psychology classes I took kicked in and I became more sympathetic to the son. He was definitely a product of his upbringing. A mostly absent mother and an absolute jackass of a father. Of course, I did see that the father was also a product of some things that happened to him as a boy but, he was too far gone for me to have any sympathy for at all.

It turns out I did figure out the outcome of the story. I’m glad I finished it as it was definitely well written and the author must have some psychological training or had good advice on this work. She crafted a character in Ronnie that evoked strong feelings—albeit negative ones—that compelled me to keep reading. So, well done to the author.

To sum up, a slow start, a character who isn’t likable, and a female character who was clueless, along with a younger character we learn to understand, all add up to a read that is compelling and well written. I recommend plugging away at this one if you enjoy psychological thrillers.

Aug18

Gigi, Listening by Chantel Guertin

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This was a fun book with a cool premise.

Gigi is the owner of a romance bookstore. She has a massive crush on the narrator of an audio book, Zane. His voice makes her swoon and the book he’s reading is one her parents fell in love reading, so the book has meaning to her in addition to her lust for the narrator. For her thirtieth birthday, her friends go in on a trip to England for her. (Wish I had friends like that!) A bus trip led by a tour company the narrator’s family owns and he happens to be the guide scheduled for that ten day excursion.

And the adventure begins. There’s a wonderful cast of characters who are on the bus tour as well as the bus driver and tour guide. Each character is fully fleshed out from the estranged couple, to the two women who fell in love later in life, to the widow, the older tour guide, a YouTuber, and the man who records everything and is a font of trivia knowledge.  

When Gigi arrives at the bus depot, the narrator guide, Zane, isn’t there as he’s had a family emergency. Disappointment washed over Gigi and she thought about not going on with the trip. But she stays and finds herself having fun despite no Zane. She lives in hope that he’ll turn up, but she also makes the most of the days he’s not there. It doesn’t hurt that the bus driver is witty and up for adventuring with her when she doesn’t want to follow the itinerary. She has an aversion to churches since the death of her parents and tries to avoid entering the sacred places which is difficult since the tour is called Spires, Shires, and Shores. The bus driver figures out her reluctance to be inside the churches quickly and distracts her with other activities.

When Zane, the tour guide, eventually shows up, things get more complicated for Gigi.

This was an entertaining read with lots of humor, but also some serious moments. The message in the story is about how to move on in life when you might be stagnating or not seeing opportunities in your path by being focused on the past or some dream that really won’t bring you the satisfaction you crave. Lessons are learned by Gigi as well as other characters. For example, the bus driver learns his true calling might be the very thing he avoided, the young YouTuber learns about forgiveness and moving into acceptance, and the widow learns about starting over.

The author used a lighthearted way to inject some serious life lessons into the story. I thoroughly enjoyed Gigi’s bus tour.

Aug16

Reclaiming Mni Sota by Colin Mustful

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This book is an alternate history of the U. S. – Dakota war of 1862. A novel with an interesting premise of what if the Indigenous People won the war that, in reality, they lost?

The author is a gifted writer with a knack for creating compelling characters. This reader became very invested in both of the protagonists as the story progressed.

Samuel, the young boy who encouraged his family to move west when they were having financial difficulties after his father was injured, was a kind lad who wanted the best for his family. Sadly, they had a rough time in their home of Vermont and that lure of a new life in the west wasn’t all it was promised to be in the brochure he picked up one day. Lots of hardships were in store for this family.  Samuel blamed himself for the woes of his family.

Waabi, an Ojibwe, was also a young lad who adored his family and his culture. He was one with the land as his ancestors were. He watched as his world changed and promises made by the government officials were made and broken over and over. He was also witness to hunger of his people as well as land grabs of the white settlers. This could have made him butter and angry, but with the help of his grandmother, he was able to avoid that.

The trials these young men went through shaped their personalities and lives. They each were compelled to act in certain ways by their experiences.

The novel alternates between the two young men and their viewpoint of their respective worlds. Both are written as sympathetic characters. This reader found herself rooting for a good outcome for each of them. Being drawn into each one’s struggles and disappointments made for compelling reading.

The reader knew we were on a collision course for these two protagonists to meet. What wasn’t known was how their lives would intersect and how they’d be impacted. It kept this reader turning the pages.

I enjoyed the story up until the last few chapters and the epilogue. The fate of one of the characters seemed to me to be jarring and out of keeping with the rest of the story. I’m sure other reviewers may disagree with me but I wasn’t pleased with that angle of the story. I also felt like the reader was left hanging with the fate of the other character. There was no satisfactory wrap up.

Then the epilogue was a bit disconcerting. It took place in the modern day. That was interesting and the words of the character’s ruling were well stated, but who she was and why her name was the same as a character in the 1860s was never explained. Leaving this reader wondering what her relationship was with that other character. That question unanswered as well as the question of the ultimate fate of that other character left me dissatisfied with the way the book ended.

Overall, the book was well written and thought provoking. The history of the white man in this country and the way the native culture and land was overrun is a sad reflection on the settlers of this continent.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Jul25

The Exorcist Legacy, 50 Years of Fear-  By Nat Segaloff

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I received this from NetGalley and finished it a while back but before I could do my review, my mother was in her last illness and passed away so I have been dealing with that as well as the funeral and being present for my dad. I finally got this done and am posting it today.

The Exorcist came out when I was in middle school so I didn’t get the theatrical experience with the movie but did get to see it when I was older. I did read the book while I was still in middle school. Our theaters in my town were very strict in not admitting anyone under 17 without a parent and my mom didn’t care what I read but she was not going to go with me to see that. My dad wasn’t a film fan, and in fact, I only ever recall him going to one movie in my life. I threw up cheese popcorn and I think that did it for him.

I was interested in this book to find out more information about William Peter Blatty’s inspiration for the book as well as the journey to get this film made. The author did not disappoint. Meticulous research went into this thorough volume. I enjoyed it immensely. Interesting information was in every chapter and the way Blatty fought for his vision was admirable.

I learned a lot about the man and how strongly he believed in this story and wanted it told in the way he imagined it. He never sold out his characters or how he saw the crux of his story. His vision was to focus on the priest’s crisis of faith. In his mind, the story was more about the priest than the possessed child.

At the end of each chapter was a side note section that gave even more insider information and insight. That additional information was much appreciated by this reader as it fleshed out more details than might have fit seamlessly in the flow of the chapter.

The best parts of the book dealt with the original story. The author also fully explored all of the sequels and the nuances of them. As well, he described the ways they worked as sequels and the ways they didn’t. These sections were as meticulously researched as the parts about the book itself and the film. I have to confess I didn’t enjoy the parts about the sequels as much (some of them I hadn’t seen and thus, I appreciated the plot synopses by the author). If you’re a film buff, a fan of The Exorcist and all its permutations, or if you just like Hollywood stories about making of films and the politics and machinations of getting a book to the screen, this is an excellent work to read. The author is to be commended for all the research he did and kudos to him for the insider information he was able to obtain from all the interviews he conducted.  Highly recommend this for lovers of the book, film and/or the sequels

Jun27

The Harbor by Katrine Engberg

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As someone who enjoys the Icelandic, Danish and other Scandinavian dramas, a genre apparently called Nordic Noir, I picked up this book a while back and have finally found time to review it.

I love this story. It has a lot of twists and turns—being someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, I really appreciate it when the author can keep me guessing for a while. I did figure out parts of it, but not the complete solution. I also like that each section had the day of the week at the beginning of those sections. It helped keep the reader oriented to the time passing in the investigation and upped the stakes on how long the boy was gone.

The story starts when a young man disappears on his way home from school. He lives in Copenhagen and has two siblings and some very odd parents. The reactions of his parents when he goes missing are strange and immediately make the reader suspicious. But there is no shortage of suspects in this story. The parents are a small part of the suspicion here. A murder occurs and more layers are added to the story. There are a lot of characters to sink ones teeth into. The ending of the investigation is superbly done.

The two detectives in the story are richly drawn with flaws as well as talents. Having fully fleshed out protagonists is always appreciated. The reader can really get behind these characters as they move forward in not only the investigation but in their personal lives.

The flow of the story is well done, clues are dropped and twists happen at a good pace.

If you’re a fan of detective stories with intriguing premises and interesting crimes and criminals, this is one to pick up.

Jun17

Forgotten Ghosts (Book Two of the Legacy Witch series) by Cass Kay

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Having read the first book of this series and enjoyed it so well, I was excited to get the chance to read this second book. Our heroine, Vianna is just as interesting and compelling as she was in the first book. Her best friend, Sandeen—known as Dee—lives with her now and they are making a home together. Two outcasts as neither belong to a coven, they have bonded as friends and each has the other’s back. I really enjoy their dynamic and personalities.

Of course, being Vianna, troubles come to call from various sources. Even the creepy nephew of her old landlord in Boston shows up. He smells like canned bacon and that made me laugh every time she mentioned it as I have never heard of such a thing though I can imagine just how lovely that smell could be. LOL

The author is very good at descriptions. She has the characters attend a witches fair and I loved how she evoked the atmosphere of first, the booths of items for sale, then the bonfire and the magic that occurs around it at the end of the fair. The fall setting was particularly well done. It’s my favorite season and I could almost feel like I was there despite the 90 degree weather as I read this book.

Part of the story takes place in tunnels under the city of Salem. Ms. Cass did a great job in atmospheric writing there and in her descriptions of the inhabitants of the tunnels.

Lots of drama like in the first book, some surprises from characters we thought we knew, and an interesting battle all make for another intriguing book and I, for one, can’t wait for book three.

Jun14

Blood Memory by Greg Iles- a Review

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I picked this up from our local library book sale a few months ago.  It was published in 2005.  It is a thriller set in New Orleans, Louisiana and Natchez, Mississippi. The type story as well as the setting immediately appealed to me since I live within a few hours drive of New Orleans and I love, love that city. Natchez is also a lovely, southern town. The racism in the story is a bit unsettling but it’s definitely true to some areas of the south—I’m not proud of that, but facts are facts. We do seem to have a lot of people who are unkind to others down here based solely on their skin color. I hate it and it makes me uncomfortable reading some of the language used.

The book itself is very intriguing. The premise is great with the heroine having a unique job as a forensic odonatologist. She inspects bite marks for criminal cases and I love that as a career choice for a character. I wasn’t sure I was going to like her from the blurb of the book since she is involved in an affair with a married man. Not only that, she and he jeopardize their careers with working together on various cases where she is not hired on officially as a consultant. He is a homicide detective who brings her into cases to help him look good as she has a good eye for details. She is also a functioning alcoholic. She has a family full of secrets. Her father was murdered when she was a small child.

I did end up liking her. The author piled on the trauma with this gal. She was messed up and even though she put on an appearance of being strong, she was an absolute mess.

As the story progresses, we learn exactly why she is a mess. It’s truly a miracle she wasn’t in a padded room of some sort with all that happened in her life.

The story is good. Complex and satisfying. She grows and learns and her character arc is well done. She makes some bone-headed moves a few times in the story and so does her homicide detective lover, but overall, it was an excellent read. It’s close to five-hundred pages, but it is really a pretty quick read with the page-turning plot.

Jun8

Burke and the Lines of Torres Vedras by Tom Williams

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Another great spy story from Tom Williams starring his spy, Burke and the sergeant, William, who helps him in his missions. I had not heard of the fortifications at Torres Vedras before picking up this book.

I love this series as it combines history with intrigue and exciting stories. This one was no exception. It was more of a slow burn than a minute by minute danger zone, but was very enjoyable. Our hero is tasked with rooting out spies in the Portugal city of Lisbon and the surrounding area. It wasn’t going to be quick and it wasn’t going to be easy. The pacing was slower than the last book, but as a fan of the series, I can see how that was necessary for the plot. While every minute of a spy’s day is dangerous due to the nature of the work, the actual tedium of doing the groundwork to root out the spy being sought might not be moments of breathless excitement.

Poor William caught the brunt of the issues in this adventure. I felt sorry for him. Poor guy.  But as usual, he didn’t let it bring him down.

The respect Burke shows to one of the adversaries near the end of the book was intriguing and admirable even though I was a bit surprised. He’s a good man and I love the way the author has taken a real historical figure and made him someone we in this modern era can relate to even if we sometimes can’t relate to the tactics that were used in those days in the Army and the art of war.

In short, this was another success and I recommend it for those who enjoy historical fiction with a lot of realistic scenes of danger and violence as each side of a war try to win. Man’s inhumanity to man is definitely on display in this one. Five stars.

Jun5

A Murderous Relation and Dark Road to Darjeeling – Both by Deanna Raybourn- Review

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I’ve been meaning to review these books for a while but have had a number of personal family issues that have made reviewing difficult recently.

A very long time ago, I read the first books in the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn and truly enjoyed them but didn’t keep going in the series. I did pick up a couple more of them as the years went on but they were in my pile to be read and I never got to them.

In the meantime, I picked up A Murderous Relation in paperback not too long ago and read it in January. I enjoyed the two main characters, Veronica Speedwell and Stoker. They had a great relationship and the mystery they solved was intriguing and interesting.

Reading this book made me decide to dig out the other books I had by her and I started reading Dark Road to Darjeeling. As I read the first couple of chapters, I was thrown off by the fact that Lady Julie was the daughter of an earl and had siblings with her as they traveled in India. It took me a while to catch on that this was a different heroine than the one in A Murderous Relation.

I am truly not an idiot but having recently read the Murderous book, I wasn’t thinking about those older books with Lady Julia as it had been over 10 years since I read those. The two main characters in each of the book series were so alike and spoke in the same voice that it took me a while to differentiate what series I was reading.

Lady Julia is an aristocrat and the legitimate daughter of an earl. Veronica is the illegitimate child of the Prince of Wales. Veronica is a lepidopterist involved with a man name Stoker who is a jack of all trades and enjoys taxidermy. Lady Julia is a wanna-be detective married to a detective named Brisbane who has a myriad of skills like Stoker. They are both independent-minded women (which I love) and are not cowed or intimidated by strong men.

Both men are alpha types and get frustrated with the female main characters. Both are overly protective (which is right for the era) and have similar character traits.

As I read the first chapters, I kept saying, “Wait, I thought she was illegitimate and had no real relationship with her siblings.”  Eventually, it dawned on me that I was reading about different characters. I laughed and said “Duh,” as I recalled the first books I had read in the Lady Julia series.

But later on, I confess, I got confused again. There was a young boy character in the Darjeeling book who collected creatures, including butterflies. My first thought was, “With her being a lepidopterist, she will be able to relate to him well.” Another duh moment.  Wrong heroine.

I understand the author’s voice is the author’s voice, but I confess, the similarities of the personalities of Lady Julia and Veronica as well as similarities with both Stoker and Brisbane, I spent way too much time mulling over who was who and what series I was reading.

I very much enjoyed both books. The setting in the Himalayas in the Darjeeling book was marvelous and the brothel scenes in the Veronica book were delightful. The plots were intricate and well-done. The flow of the stories was also well done and the pacing was great. I just have to do better as I read them in the future. 🙂