Two July Reads: A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner and The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

 I've been stopping and starting so. many. books. this summer; my house looks like a book bomb went off!

Here are two quick reviews for two novels I've read:

A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner

I love Jamie Brenner novels! Blush remains my absolute favorite. Her latest takes place in Provincetown, Cape Cod. One of those "I desperately want to visit" places for me. 

This novel centers on three friends who became great friends during college, and swore they would return to Provincetown each summer and stick together. It's been three years and Hunter, Shelby, and Colleen haven't kept that promise. But now Shelby has published her first novel, and Colleen's family bookstore is welcoming her to her first book signing.  Great, right? Well, it appears Shelby may have hurt a few feelings with some thinly veiled characters in her novel that are obvious to those who live and work in P-town. The friendship that was so close a few years before needs a lot of work; is this the summer Shelby, Hunter and Colleen grow their friendship? There's lots of bookstore drama, a past boyfriend who is still around, and a whole lot of growing up to do. I kept forgetting the three women were just out of college; it felt as if they should have been older. I didn't care for Hunter; she felt really immature and just hostile for no reason. Colleen was there and an important part of the plot, but just didn't seem to be a well-developed character. It wasn't my favorite Jamie Brenner novel, but it's definitely a beachy-read that will satisfy your summer reading cravings.  3/6 rating.

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

Give me a novel set in Wisconsin and I'm there. Childhood vacations in Wisconsin linger in my memories and I absolutely love that state. 

This was a novel that was not what I was expecting, at all. I thought it would be more along the lines of Lorna Landvik, who is the queen of Upper Midwest small town quirky novels. This was definitely more of a serious novel, tackling PTSD in veterans and the effect it has on families; grief for lost loved ones and lost relationships; regrets, and strained family dynamics. 

There are plenty of beers and brandy old-fashions to be had, however, and some really delightful characters. Esther Larson is the grandmother to Iris, a super smart Gen Z young woman who absolutely loves the North Woods and her grandmother's home, which is in peril, thanks to an internet scam. Enter in Cooper, his famous chef father Ivan, and his little sister. They've come to Ellerie County to bury Annabelle, Cooper's stepmother. The ladies of Ellerie County always gather together to make food for the funerals, and this one is no exception. And it's at this funeral that Esther and Iris meet Cooper, a lost soul traumatized by a horrific shooting at a holiday parade where his role as a paramedic couldn't save a young woman who died in his arms. It's a heavy load to carry. 

This novel took all sorts of twists and turns I wasn't expecting. I loved Esther and Iris; their relationship is solid. Cooper has a lot of baggage, and I rooted for him to get the help he needed to heal. I loved the small town setting, the way nature was always there, ready to soothe and comfort, and how the plot unfolded. Definitely not a light read but a good one.  4/6 rating.

There's two completely different novels, both enjoyable and filled with lots of supporting characters that add to the storyline. Settings are both lovely, and certainly gave me the travel itch. 

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Two July Reads: A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner and The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

July Read: Storm Warning by David Bell

 

I went out of my usual reading zone for this new thriller by David Bell. From the publisher:

"Jacob Powell is racing to get off the island as a hurricane approaches. When he finds his friend Dallas, the building manager, dead from a blow to the skull, Jacob realizes there's more than the hurricane to fear. The murderer is likely still on the island, maybe even inside the nearly abandoned building."

This novel takes place off the coast of Florida, on a small island that has a few large apartment buildings on it. A massive hurricane is coming ashore, and only a few people are left in the one remaining building that is occupied. The owners of the buildings have let the buildings fall into disrepair as they prepare to sell the property and make a  whole lot of money. However, something fishy is going on, and now with the hurricane approaching, Jacob knows he's the only one who can keep the remaining residents safe as the building threatens to crumble down around them.

I've never felt more muggy and *blech* wet and chilled as I did reading this novel. The author definitely puts you into the space of a massive hurricane; no power, driving winds and rain, and an apartment that is falling apart and just plain gross. Add in a group of people who are scared and distrustful--and a few murders--and it intensifies the tension throughout the novel. Who do you trust? 

I enjoyed this novel and would recommend David Bell to those who like a thriller where everyday people are caught up in circumstances beyond their control, and they have to bring their "A" game and become the hero in order to survive. It's a quick read and fast paced. 

A big thanks to Penguin/Random House & Berkley for an advanced copy of this novel. It's sure to be a great vacation read--just not in hurricane season. 

Rating: 4/6 for a tension-filled adventure where it's man vs. nature, man vs. man, and heck, even man vs. self. You don't know who to trust or what's going to happen--pick this up for a thrill ride. 

Available in trade paperback, ebook, and audio

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July Read: Storm Warning by David Bell

July Read: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

 

I was itching to read this novel for a few weeks  and I finally snagged a quick pick at my library. It was a good break from my usual summer fun read. It dropped me right into English small village creepiness.

Told through multiple points of view--Bella, Francesca, Eddie, and Owen, this one has a short timeline of events, but also throws you back fifteen years and ahead a few days. The author keeps you on track at the start of every chapter, so pay attention and you won't have any trouble following the storyline. 

Francesca is so proud of her ultra-exclusive resort, The Manor, on the coast of England. It's summer and she's celebrating by having an opening weekend, complete with a summer solstice celebration. Francesca and her twin brothers inherited the land and manor from her grandparents, and she's decided to turn it into a moneymaker. She's also incurred the wrath of the people of Tome, the local village. The woods surrounding the manor and the beach below all belong to the people and not one person. They are special, and when someone disrespects the woods, the birds make it right. Cue the creepy ancient woods/something is watching vibes. Cue the crows gathering in droves, silently watching. 

The build up to summer solstice includes Bella returning to the Manor to confront Francesca about an event fifteen years before that changed Bella's life forever. Owen, Francesca's husband and architect, has a few secrets to keep from his wife, and his ties to the land unfold over the course of the novel. People are not who they seem to be, and this evolves as the weekend progresses, secrets are revealed, and the tension builds. 

The connections and ties between the characters are numerous and some are easy to figure out; others are a bit of a surprise. Revenge, murder, and man vs. nature are all big themes. Respect the woods or else they'll teach you a lesson. 

I enjoyed this dip into English ancient legend, nasty people,  and ooh, the satisfying conclusion. It's a quick read and you'll get sucked in pretty quickly. 

Rating: 4/6 for a thriller that keeps you guessing and reading as the past collides with the present and the local woods teach a few lessons to those who disrespect them. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

July Read: An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson

 

I'm a huge fan of novels that put a spin on the epic story of King Henry VIII and his six wives. When this came across my radar I immediately grabbed it. I had just started it when I was leaving for vacation, but couldn't take it with me in hardcover, and I couldn't wait until I got back to read it. Thankful for library resources that got me the ebook, which I immediately devoured. 

This is a modern day mystery set in the world of New York finance and Cape Cod. It all starts with the body of a woman, found on the beach near Hank Tudor's summer home on the Long Island Sound. She's dead; found without her head. 

Who that woman is remains a mystery through most of the novel, but you figure out pretty quickly who it probably is but the motive for her murder remains murky. 

What I found enjoyable about this novel was discovering each wife and how they were written into the modern world. It was pretty interesting! I did find renaming Henry to Hank a bit jarring; he just didn't seem like a Hank to me. He's a billionaire sixty-something handsome man, ruthless and always has an eye for the ladies. Currently he's just married his previous assistant, Kate Parker, following a disastrous marriage to Caitlyn, a young starlet caught cheating with an actor. Anna Klein (Anne of Cleves) runs a successful high-end bed and breakfast with her wife, and takes care of Lizzie and Teddy, Hank's kids. Catherine Alvarez, (Katherine of Aragon) also lives nearby--she never leaves her house and lives alone, except for the assistance of her housekeeper. She's got a few tricks up her sleeves, for sure. She hasn't quite left the corporate world and secretly keeps tabs on all of it, especially Hank's empire. 

The biggest surprise was Anne Boleyn's character. Where was she? Known as Nan, she disappeared one night years before, when Lizzie was a few years old. No one knows where she is and it's just assumed by everyone she's dead. 

I found the characters very interesting, and the machinations between the remaining wives kept me turning the pages. Hank wasn't as much of a prominent character, which was disappointing but makes sense in a novel that focuses on the wives. The ending left me with a big WHAT?? and there were a lot of loose ends that didn't tie up.

Overall, it was an interesting read with a bit of a thud ending. There were surprises, for sure, but what I most enjoyed were the modern versions of Henry's wives. I always wonder what they'd be like as modern women, so anytime I find a novel that puts a fresh spin on the saga, I'm immediately intrigued. 

Rating: 3/6 for a mystery that is more of a thriller, with an ending that left me hanging. However, if you are a fan of all things Tudor, you'll enjoy the modern spin and tangled web of the wives and their relationships to each other. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson