June Read: The Block Party by Jamie Day

 

Fresh off a few feel-good novels, I needed a break in genres so I dove into The Block Party. It kept me tied to my iPad for a few days, and the build up to the end had me skipping my lunch so I could finish it. 

The narrators are two: Alex and her teen daughter Lettie. They live on Alton Road in Meadowbrook, MA. Alex has a drinking problem--she hits the wine pretty hard every day (and night), while mourning the creeping distance between herself and Lettie. Lettie is the typical teen--full of angst, anger, and wrestling with her desire to go to college out of state vs. her Dad, Nick, wanting her to go to school in state. It's a huge issue and has caused her to pull away from her parents. 

There are plenty of other folks on Alton Road, and they've all got issues, too. Emily is Alex's sister and her husband Ken is a boaster of the highest order; praising his eldest son while putting down his second son. Widow Brooke is beautiful and sexy, with the rumor mill saying she killed her husband on a cruise. And Willow is unhappily married to Evan but feels trapped. 

It's Memorial Day and the annual Aton Road get together is underway. We hear from a Meadowbrook Facebook page that there's been a shooting, and someone may be dead. But who and why? 

The story moves back to the year previously, and the story moves through the year, building the tension to the Memorial Day party that starts the story. In this year, we see all of the characters and the issues unfolding; plenty of motives for revenge, lots of family issues and marital issues--wow. Relationships that are complicated. This is what kept me reading, even though I felt the novel was a bit long. I had to keep reading to get to the present day Memorial party, where everything came to a head. 

Revenge is a major theme in this novel; making assumptions based on what you see rather than asking for the truth. Neighbors watching neighbors. 

I enjoyed the suspense and can't say I got the warm fuzzies for any of the characters. Not a street I'd like to live on!

Rating: 3/6 for an entertaining domestic thriller that builds in suspense with plenty of characters with motive for murder. It's a bit of a YA novel from Lettie's point of view, but also a tense look at adult motives for revenge and the lengths people will go to get even. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. A big thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC!

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June Read: The Block Party by Jamie Day

December Read: The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

 

This was my third book for the Iowa High School Battle of the Books. While it was the shortest novel out of the three, it took me the longest! 

I enjoy suspenseful, thriller fiction, but I hadn't read any of Megan Miranda's novels until this one. My hopes were high...and darn it all they were a bit deflated. 

Arden Maynor became an overnight sensation as a small child when she disappeared from home one night and days later was found clinging to a storm drain in a drainage ditch. The story was that she was sleepwalking and was swept away by rainwater, and somehow miraculously survived days trapped in this drain. Arden and her mother became famous. 

Now the twentieth year anniversary is coming up, and Arden is now Olivia, living miles away from Widow Hills. She's an administrator at a local hospital, and still, to this day, her memories of what happened are fuzzy. She only wants to forget. That fame twisted her mother, who Olivia stopped speaking to a few years back. Now she is notified her mother is dead, and a box arrives with her mother's paltry collection of things. 

Olivia has trouble sleeping, and finds herself once again sleepwalking-and one night, she wakes up outside and stumbles on a body in her yard. WHAT? 

That's where this thriller starts ramping up. It takes a while for the action to get moving, and that was frustrating to me. Olivia is the ultimate unreliable narrator, because she just can't remember anything about the past, and she's chronically tired and drinks wine to help herself fall asleep. So is she paranoid, or does she have legitimate concerns when she feels like she's being watched? Living in a house out in the sticks, with only one close neighbor also adds to her sense of isolation. 

It was only after I'd finished the book, and discussed it with another person who also read it, that I began to think "okay, it actually was a better than I thought read." Before that, I was not that thrilled with it. The end seemed rushed, after the slooooow build up of action. Not only are you trying to figure out what the heck is going on in present time, but there are bits and pieces of the story of Arden's rescue from twenty years before sprinkled before chapters to help you get a better picture of what happened. It is important to read those!

So, I am on the fence with this one. I will probably read another Megan Miranda novel to see if this was just an off read for me. It's definitely a book you will have to discuss with someone else, and pick it apart. There's a lot going on here, and a lot of dots to connect. 

Rating: 3/6 for a thriller that has pacing problems, and an unreliable narrator that makes it feel like you're walking into walls trying to piece it all together and follow the story. That may be deliberate on the author's part, but I found it to be a bit too much. It's an interesting look at how the media can affect a life and the damage it can do to ordinary people. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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December Read: The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick

I'm diving back into reading again with some great historical novels this month. In a previous post, I talked about discovering Nicola Cornick's historical fiction, and checked out all three of her latest paperback novels from the library. The Woman in the Lake is her newest, just published this year. 

At first, I was a little confused as I was reading, trying to get all my ducks in a row. It took about 40 pages before I felt on solid ground with this plot. One of my favorite plot devises is dual timelines and this one bounces from 1765 to 2014 and involves spousal abuse, love affairs, murder, and smuggling. And the one thing that links both timelines is a golden gown that has a dark power over anyone who possesses it. 

1765: Lady Isabella Gerard has just been viciously assaulted by her husband after refusing to wear his latest gift: a golden gown he had made special for her. Their marriage is downright toxic; he is always parading mistresses and spending money he doesn't have; she is trapped and has illicit affairs with members of the aristocracy. Isabella's maid, Constance, is Lord Gerard's spy; she keeps tabs on Isabella and reports her every move to Lord Gerard. He's both filled with obsession and hatred for his wife. 

2014: Fenella is starting her life over after a divorce from a possessive and abusive husband. As a teenager, she stole the gold gown from Lydiard Park while there on a school visit. The gown has an unhealthy hold on Fenella, causing her worst trait to manifest. She hides the gown in her grandmother's home and eventually runs away at sixteen to start life away from home. Now an adult, a teacher and a vintage antiques dealer, she receives the gown in the mail after her grandmother has died. Once again, the gown exerts an unnatural hold over Fenella...

The novel moves back and forth between the two timelines, and after settling into the story, I quickly became engrossed. At first I wasn't a big fan of Fenella, but as I read more of the novel, my opinion changed and I became a fan. When Hamish enters the picture, and romance is a possibility, I had big hopes for the both of them. What I really liked was Fenella's decision to confess to Hamish and her friend Jessie the odd happenings both now and as a teenager. This helped push the plot forward. I am not a fan of characters keeping key issues quiet for a long time. Spill it! In this case, it made Fenella's experiences valid and helped build her relationship with Hamish. 

There's magic, time travel, deadly plots, stalking, and a bit of historical interest all mixed into this novel. Just the kind I like! Oh--and dysfunctional families. That's another big part of the novel: loyalty, missed opportunities to make things right, regret, and acceptance. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and can't wait to read more of Nicola Cornick. Fans of Susanna Kearsley, Barbara Erskine, and Kate Morton will want to add Nicola Cornick to their list of favorite authors. 

Rating: 4/6 for an intriguing plot, twists galore, and just enough other-worldliness to make things interesting. Can an object hold intense emotion from the past and influence the present? 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

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The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick

The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

I'm always a sucker for a book that takes place in a bookshop or a library. Words like "witty" and "charming" were used to describe this novel, and I thought I was in for a lovely, summery, light read.  

It wasn't quite like that, although I did like the novel. It was certainly slower in pace and more solemn that I expected. Loveday Cardew is a young woman working in a second-hand bookshop. It is her refuge from a past that left her living in foster homes and being on her own for most of her life. She's very private, and no one knows her past as a happy little girl with two loving parents, before it all went horribly wrong when she was ten years old. Now 25, she's found her small slice of contentment, and a family with the shop's owner, Archie, a delightfully charming man who seems to know everyone and has done everything. 

Enter Nathan, who stops in the bookshop after losing his book of poetry near the bus stop. Loveday found it, and posted a note about it on the community board in the bookshop. Nathan is a magician, a poet, and knows how to give Loveday her space, while at the same time edging her towards a relationship. Rob, an ex-boyfriend of Loveday's, is a creep. He's stalking her, and won't leave her alone. As the story progresses, Loveday's relationship with Nathan slowly moves forward, as we get the history of her short relationship with Rob, and the background of her life in Whitby, a seaside town where she lived happily with her parents.  Until happily ever after came crashing down in a horribly tragic moment.

I wasn't sure what to make of this novel. Loveday is pretty prickly and withdrawn, and Nathan really is a gem: he knows when to push, and when to stand back. He's exactly what Loveday needs, and I was so relieved that she had enough sense to realize that, even if she felt she wasn't worthy of a good relationship. Her growing confidence in reading her poetry during poetry nights at the local pub, along with her unfolding relationship with Nathan, are the two plot points that keep the story moving forward. Also, I was curious as to what exactly happened to Loveday's family. It wasn't hard to figure out, but I had to wait until 3/4 of the way through the novel to finally get the full story. I also appreciated Loveday standing up to Rob, after realizing she played right into his hands. Jerk. Physical abuse is a big part of the novel; and Loveday's thoughtful insight into her experience with it explains the mindset of women who don't always leave at the first slap, and find a way to explain it away. But is also shows that sometimes, that abuser won't leave, even when a woman does stand up to them and take back their power. 

I can't say this was a charming novel. It wasn't. It was thoughtful, and a bit dark, and, for me, a bit sad. I'll leave it to you to read and discover Loveday's journey, and the role books play in her life. The ending will satisfy all who are cheering Loveday on in her journey. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that surprised me with themes of domestic abuse, stalking, and bullying; what they do to us as adults, and how we cope. The power of books to provide comfort, and remind us of the best things in life, are the backbone of this novel. I liked the story, but had hoped for a frothier read! Not the fault of the author, but of my expectations. Would make a good book club selection. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio

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The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

The Romance Reader's Guide to Life by Sharon Pywell

I can't tell you where I first saw this cover; wherever it was, it caught my eye.  Then I read a short synopsis of the novel and decided that I just had to read it.  A rainy, chilly weekend with no plans guaranteed me plenty of time to read it, and I did in just a few short days. 

 I'm not one to sit for hours and buzz through a book; I get twitchy and have to get up and move around, so while I read quickly, it still takes me a few days longer to finish a novel.  This was the exception for me, and I'm still trying to figure out exactly why.

It appears by the cover this could be a romance, a historical romance, or even a chick-lit novel.  It's not really any of these.  After thinking about it for a few days, I still can't quite decide just what  exactly it is, so I'm going to stop trying.  I'll give you a quick peek:

An Irish-American family, growing up in Lynn, Massachusetts in the early 1930's.  Sisters Lilly and Neave are close in age, but pretty different personalities.  Lilly is all glamour, while Neave lives for books.  She gets paid a nickel to read to an elderly neighbor, and Neave hopes it is an entry into being able to read those forbidden romances her neighbor has on the shelf.  Nope, no luck.  The lure of those romances is too much to bear, and Neave steals The Pirate Lover and reads it in her closet at home.  It's terribly exciting, and the story of Electra Gates and her adventures reflects back onto Neave and Lilly's lives as they grow up and start a cosmetics company in post-World War 2 America.  Things are going fairly well, until Lilly meets a horrible, horrible man whom she marries (her second marriage).  She ends up dead.  No surprise, since the first chapter is Lilly telling you that she's dead.  

Lilly, along with the family dog Mr. Boppit (who appears on the other side as a young man in a naval uniform and wearing high heels) are there to help Neave not only keep the company going after Lilly disappears, but protect her from Lilly's husband.  Neave, quite frankly, doesn't take any crap from him, and he's filled with such loathing for her that he decides she must be punished.  He's a psychopath in 1950's America, and is a frightening character.  He eerily echoes a character in The Pirate Lover.  Poor Neave is finding out the hard way that love and romance in real life are nothing like romance novels. In fact, reading those romance novels as a young girl have given her a false sense of what life as an single young woman looking for love really means.  As Lilly finds out it can be downright dangerous, and finding the right guy isn't easy or guaranteed.  

This novel sounds like it's a bit crazy, right?  But it's actually quite good.  It is a mixture of mid-twentieth century America, family drama, romance, thriller, humor, and a bit of magical realism all tossed together.  Yet somehow it all works.  Neave just cracks me up.  She is so very funny as a young girl.  It was a treat to watch her mature into a poised young woman, even in the midst of her anxiety at being stalked and not knowing where her sister was, but knowing deep down something very bad had happened. The reader gets to know Lilly both from her perspective on the other side, and through Neave's eyes.  I grew to love her, too.  Mr. Boppit starts out as a dog (who loves to chew up shoes!) and Neave's companion, and ends up as a charming character who loves Neave so much he continues to protect her from the other side.  

The Romance Reader's Guide to Life is quite unlike anything I've read recently, and it was a refreshing experience.  I hope Ms. Pywell continues to write; I will eagerly await her next novel.  

Rating:  4/6 for a completely different novel that marries quite a few genres into one interesting read about family, love, romance, faith, and perseverance. 

Available in hardcover and ebook. 
 

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The Romance Reader's Guide to Life by Sharon Pywell