Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Under the Harrow surprised me. I think my expectations were not real high for an authors first mystery. So many mysteries these days are written in a very formulaic manner, but Flynn Berry wrote a much more taught and elaborate mystery.

We meet Nora, the narrator, as, unfortunately, she is discovering the body of her sister, Rachel, who has been stabbed many times. To add to the gruesome scene, Rachel's German Shepherd dog is hanging by his leash from a banister. We are in as much shock as Nora, however, we soon learn this is not the first violence faced by the sisters. Nora relates how Rachel was severely beaten several years prior and her immediate thought is the two situations are related. Did the perpetrator find Rachel and finish the job? Did Rachel find him and he retaliated?

As Nora continues to search for Rachel's murderer, she relates how the two of them have searched for years to locate the man who beat Rachel. We start to understand how abnormal the lives of the two sisters have become due to their past. The story becomes larger than the murder mystery. It is about the anger that has consumed them, the issues experienced with an alcoholic father, the grief and guilt experienced by Nora. Both sisters were passionately obsessed with men who abused women. They sought them out in the papers and in the courtroom trying to locate Rachel's attacker. Nora attempts at one point to get on with her life, and thinks Rachel has, too. But, now with Rachel's death, Nora is finding she has continued her search by herself, keeping many secrets from her sister.

I really found the author's writing compelling. Her descriptions are so complete you can feel yourself beside Nora as she relives the attack on Rachel, searches for her murderer and discovers so many bits and pieces that don't seem to fit. You feel Nora's oddness and find her to be a compelling, but not necessarily likable character. The reader walks with Nora through the village where Rachel lived, and with her interactions with the police, particularly inspector Lewis, and with the man she most suspects. Because the story is told by Nora, the reader starts to question her perspective. The story twists and turns until the final twist, which is surprising, and yet not. To me that is always the sign of a good mystery writer - you gave me the clues, but you still surprised me anyway.

I look forward to more stories by Flynn Berry. I think this is an author to watch.

View all my reviews

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn - seriously a 5 Star beginning

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We read this for my book club and we all just loved it and can hardly wait to get started on book 2 in the series. We are definite Veronica Speedwell fans. Of course, Stoker is no slouch either!

Veronica Speedwell is a Victorian era young woman who has just been set free. As a foundling, she has been cared for by the Harbottle sisters, Lucy and Nell. She has lived a very quiet life, although she moved fairly often. As her life centered around her "aunts" and her quiet homelife, she never really made friends anywhere and spent the last few years caring for her aunts. Her only escape was her life as a Lepidopterist - a scientist who studies butterflies. She saved her money and traveled around the world finding rare specimens to sell to collectors. She also found several interesting specimens of the opposite sex for her own gratification - but never an Englishman and never in England.

As Veronica buries her last tie to England, her Aunt Nell, and prepares to leave to begin her own life, someone ransacks their cottage. A German Baron comes to her rescue and offers to transport her to London. He surprisingly knew her mother, and tells her she is in danger. This seems highly unlikely to Veronica, but she is happy for the free transport to London, as that is where she planned to start her next adventure. The baron leaves her with a man named Stoker, a natural scientist and taxidermist, who seems to have left his real name behind him, along with a shady past. Veronica doesn't realize it, but her next adventure will be taken with Stoker as they dodge the police and try to discover why, exactly, Veronica is the most dangerous person in England.

I loved the writing in this, the first book in the series. Veronica is a fun, funny, curious, logical, non-romantic character who is game for almost anything. It takes quite a bit to convince her the murder of the baron and the danger she and Stoker are facing is due to her own unknown history. Stoker is the kind of anti-hero that quickly becomes attractive and looks to be someone we want Veronica to stick with.

Many years ago there was a series on Masterpiece Theater called Lily, about a woman named Lily Langtry. I believe this was used by Deanna Raybourn as her inspiration for Veronica's mother. So, knowing this story, I did not find Veronica's true identity as too surprising. However, the circumstances still were enough different to make it quite intriguing. The resolution of the mystery was very well-done and Veronica and Stoker will live to make it into book two in the series. The book kept me watching my clock when not reading to see when I would next be able to steal a bit of time to get back to the story. Life is more fun when you are reading a book that keeps calling you back to it. This one would not leave me alone and I can hardly wait to get started on book 2, which was just published in January 2017.

The book has some very strong feminist overtones, which I loved, and the characters are witty, brave and curious. We can see a romance possibly building between our two main characters and this will be fun to see played out in the future books in the series. Definitely a satisfying read and one I can recommend.

View all my reviews

COYER Blackout Winter Storm - let the reading and reviewing commence!

">
Winter looks like it is arriving shortly in Minnesota.  They are forecasting snow!  So, it looks like a great time for me to get caught up on my reading.

This winter I will be doing the COYER Blackout Winter Storm challenge.  To do this, I will need to read books that cost me or would cost me less than $1.  Luckily, I can use the massive backlog of ARCs I have on my Kindle Paperwhite to meet the challenge.  And, for every 10 books over 100 pages, I get to read a book I want.  Sigh, I so want to read my ARCs!  This will not be a difficult challenge for me!

I have tons of reading to get underway, starting December 17, and it looks like I might be buying a book for a group member.  I can hardly wait to get started.

Let the reviews begin!  Oh, but I have to wait a month.  Wow - that might be the toughest part!

Wish me luck!

For Time and All Eternities by Mette Ivie Harrison

I was given an advance reader copy by Edelweiss/Above the Treeline. I can only hope they wanted opinions well in advance of the 1/2017 publication date so they would have plenty of time to edit the final copy. I am not trying to be mean. Let me just explain my experience. The ARC I was given was in kindle format and did not have the cover or any information about the author, etc. My first thought was this was a first time author with limited experience who could use more editing direction. Then I double checked the website where I obtained the ARC and discovered this was an experienced author. Not only that, this is the third book in a series. I actually thought, "maybe there was a mistake and they sent me the wrong book". But, no, it was the right one. The first chapters of the book are conversations between mother and son, and wife and husband regarding the evils of the stance taken by the Mormon leaders regarding LGBT members. This is basically a sermon by the author told in conversation format that is stiff, uncomfortable and very boring. Throw in discussion of the history of polygamy in the Mormon church, and you have quite the rousing first couple of chapters! ( I am not saying these issues are unimportant, by the way...) When I went back to double check they had sent me the correct file, I noted why I had requested it in the first place. This is a mystery. To me, the mystery is simple - how will the author get anyone to read to the murder part if the book begins in such a boring and tedious manner? As a librarian, I read a lot of books, but cannot give an author this much time to create a story. Mystery readers will not be as patient. I do not recommend this title unless the beginning is fixed prior to publication.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey 5 Star great for book clubs

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We selected Snow Child for our November 2016 book club read. It was unanimously well-liked by the club members. The books is very well-written and the language describes a raw, but breathtaking Alaska of the 1920's. It is easy to see why this book was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. It is a stunning book.

As the description of the book indicates, the Snow Child is based on an old fable of a lonely old couple who build a snow girl who comes alive. In the Snow Child, Mabel and Jack, a couple in their fifties, have moved to Alaska. The loss of their only child has left them feeling as outsiders in their families and they determine a change of location could help them start a fresh life. They move to Alaska with the idea they will work side by side to clear land and farm. But, the life is harder than they expected, and despite their agreement to work as a team, Jack takes on all of the farm work and leaves Mabel alone most days to just care for their home. He is doing back-breaking work, and she is left bored and unable to contribute. The two are growing further and further apart.

One day in a light mood, the couple decide to build a snowman. But, as they build it, they turn it into the shape of a little girl. They put on mittens, a scarf, blue eyes and straw for hair. The next day they find the snow girl smashed and her mittens and scarf missing. That is when they begin to spot the little girl running through the woods and snow. This is when Faina (fah eena) comes into their life.

The story then is their life in Alaska, how Faina changes things, and the puzzle of who or what Faina is. Jack has discovered information about her background, but this does not explain the true snow child of Faina, and the reader is left, as are Jack and Mabel, questioning the reality and the mythology of the child.

To me the book reads like a Greek Tragedy. Throughout the book there is the joy of friendship and family, as well as the struggle to make a life in the Alaska wild. But, from the very beginning there is a sense that Faina's story will not end well. Despite Jack's convincing argument that Faina is simply a real little girl with a tragic background which has left her unwilling to be tied down, Mabel cannot help seeing the parallels to the fable. Throughout the story we see an unvarnished tale of the deaths required of beautiful creatures in order for Jack and Mabel, along with their friends George, Esther and Garrett, to survive. But, can Faina survive living the normal life of a wife and mother? What will this do to her free spirit?

A very engaging story that leaves much to the imagination of the reader while seemingly heading down a predetermined path. But, is it?

Highly recommended for book clubs. This one leaves a lot to be discussed.



View all my reviews

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 5 Stars - unique, complex and hard to explain

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shadow of the Wind is an unusual book. This is the kind of book which may cause the reader to question over and over - do I like this book? In turns I found it dark, disturbing, uplifting, frustrating, puzzling, concerning, etc. etc. But, in the final analysis, I found it to be so unique and atmospheric as to be a book I could not put down, and a book I know I will never forget.

How to explain it.... On the day 10 year-old Spaniard Daniel awakens to the horrible sense that he can no longer remember the face of his dead mother, his father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. He tells him this is a secret he must not reveal to anyone else and this trip changes Daniel's life. Daniel is told he is to select a book within the stacks which is to become his private mission - this book will be the one he personally will protect. Daniel selects The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax.

Daniel falls in love with Shadow of the Wind and begins a quest to locate other books by Carax. But, he is stunned to find the several titles written by Carax are difficult to locate. Someone has been systematically buying or stealing all copies in order to burn them. And, there is a great mystery surrounding Julian Carax himself. Is he alive? Did he die in Paris? Was he murdered in Barcelona? What became of the woman he loved? Who wanted him dead?

Shadow of the Wind is a book of great atmosphere - almost Gothic in nature. Set to the greatest extent in Barcelona, we experience the underbelly of this city during a time of great upheaval - the Spanish revolution and World War II. There are many characters and each has their story and their secrets. Initially, Daniel's search is simply to learn more about the author and to locate more of his titles to read. But, soon his quest becomes an obsession and Daniel finds it is a dangerous game he is playing. With his father suffering from grief, Daniel finds himself turning to others for assistance and information. Some are honorable, some he can trust, yet others are playing their own game. I am not going to get into names and descriptions of characters here because there are just too many and the relationships are so complex.

The twists and turns, the lies, the violence, the physical danger, the mysteries, the plots, the subplots, all make The Shadow of the Wind a sometimes frustrating read, but it is always interesting. The language is so rich and the story so involved. On one or two occasions you will jump up in your chair and say "WTH?" or "OMG".

There are many sexual references, and a few sex scenes, but none are graphic. The treatment of women in the book is difficult to experience, but seems very true to the era, which is the 1940's and 1950's. The evil and violence can be jarring, but the story has a sub-theme regarding madness and revenge that requires these kinds of scenes.

As a reader, I often seek the author's objective in writing the story. Is there a message or a lesson? I don't know if there is one in Shadow of the Wind. This is more of an it is what it is type of book. The language, the characters, the atmosphere, the mysteries, the romances - these are what this book is all about. This is also the first book in the series and I guess I can't wait to get my hands on the next.

For any of you who tend to read the end of the book first, that would be a major mistake. The beauty in this title is in the unfolding of the story, the complexity of the characters, and in the shifts and surprises along the way. This is a very rich book that kept me fascinated throughout.

Highly recommended for patient readers who are able to appreciate the slow yet relentless unfolding of a complex story.

View all my reviews

Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton - Fun new series 4 Stars

Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an advance readers copy of Curious Minds in exchange for my honest review.

Janet Evanovich has a new new hit series started with Curious Minds. In Riley Moon and Emerson Knight she has created endearing characters with enough quirks to make you laugh, enough heart to make you care, and enough money to finance the great adventure.

Riley Moon, former Texan and daughter of a sheriff, has just completed her education with her law degree from Harvard and has now joined the wildly profitable mega-bank Blane-Grunwald. As the new rookie, she is given a less than desirable task - talk to and calm down billionaire investor Emerson Knight who is feeling uneasy about his investments - particularly his gold. Highly good-looking and eccentric Emerson Knight turns out to actually have good reason to worry - there is something going on with the gold supply in the United States. And, he aims to find out what is going on.

In her efforts to appease the billionaire, Riley finds herself caught up in the middle of the mystery herself. However, those interested in obtaining the gold for themselves are ruthless and this endeavor is both dangerous and exhilarating for Riley and Emerson. Luckily, the quirky, odd, yet sexy Emerson, seems to be continually coming up with new plans filled with expensive equipment and unusual contacts. Riley is pulled against her will into the adventure, but is just plucky enough to make him a great accomplice.

As the first story in the series, this one is very satisfying. The two main characters have just enough sass and over the top confidence to believe they can overcome the danger and beat out the bad guys. There is just a hint of sexual attraction that leads you to believe more will come of this during the series, and that is pretty fun. The red-headed, Texan Riley who is drawn into Emerson's plans over and over again against her will is just enough off the wall to make her fun and engaging. Emerson is a man with awkward social skills, unlimited funds, complete confidence in his ability to fix things, and amazing good looks. Riley is at first repelled by his strangeness, then objects to his directing of her life, but slowly starts to warm to his boyish charm, while he appears to be charmed by her almost from the beginning. As a Jane Austen buff, I was immediately reminded of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. This sounds like a very good mix of main characters and should provide plenty of fodder for future stories.

My only concern with this first story is that the ending and resolution of the situation felt a little rushed and kind of haphazard. Although, to be honest, this was not an easy situation to resolve, and could not involve a simple case of turning the bad guys over to the police.

Now, here is my long-term concern for the series. As a reader, I found Stephanie Plum in her series, although a funny and engaging character, to be a non-changing person doing the same type of thing over and over again and getting similar results. Thus, I was bored with that series early on. Obviously, millions of readers did not have the same concern, but I am hoping in this series the authors can give us more in the way of character development. Could we please see the main characters grow and develop? Could we see their relationship change and evolve? I would hate to see 25 books of Knight and Moon with Riley still living in her little apartment and following Emerson unwittingly through adventure after adventure with him continuing to sleep in the tent in his living room.

Otherwise, as a first book in a series, this one is so fun and definitely highly recommended.

View all my reviews