The Case of the Green-Dressed Ghost by Lucy Banks

I came across this book while shelving in the library. Actually, I came across the second in the series, The Case of the Deadly Doppleganger and was ready to check it out before I discovered it was actually the second in the Dr. Ribero's Agency of the Supernatural series. I'm happy to say I've discovered a series that I thoroughly enjoy.

Kester Lanner has recently lost his mother, and she has left instructions for him to travel to Exeter, in England, to a rather run-down building, to meet Dr. Ribero. Kester finds out Dr. Ribero is actually his father, and he runs a very odd company, with a small crew of argumentative people: Ms. Wellbeloved, Pamela, Mike, and Serena. And by argumentative, I mean they're all continually squabbling. Sheesh, talk about a toxic work environment! But underneath it all lies a firm foundation of togetherness. Dr. Ribero and crew run a supernatural agency. 

Kester, an overweight, pale, delicate sort of young man, relies on facts and reality, and he's thrown a curve meeting his father and the crew. In fact, he's actually dreadfully frightened of the unknown. But, he's inherited a skill from his mother: his ability to open a door to the spirit world that spirits just can't resist. It's a rare gift, and one that Kester hasn't mastered at all. The agency has a bit of an unusual job: a haunted portrait that enchants men and terrorizes their wives. If they don't solve this haunting, and capture the spirit, they will have to close the doors of the agency for good. Will Kester help them, or be the end of them?

So aside from the constant bickering between Serena (geez, she's got an attitude) and Mike, I liked the small crew at the agency. Pamela and Ms. Wellbeloved were the anchors, and quite lovely women, with their own particular talents. Serena is the one who can capture spirits in water bottles, and Mike is the techno guy who is constantly trying to fix, improve, and create technology to help them with their jobs. Dr. Ribero is a quirky, mysterious leader, and a father Kester never imagined. Kester is the most interesting. He's a sad sack, barely ever leaving home, loves to read, is great at research, but hasn't lived a life at all--until he meets the crew. Waffling between being terrified and interested in capturing spirits, he's a man-child on the cusp of potential great change, if only he can get up the courage to jump. 

I read reviews of this novel on Goodreads, and I'd say roughly half the folks either gave up, or complained about the argumentative cast of characters. I loved it, and it reminded me a bit of Simon Green's Ghost Finders series. I am heading to work today, hopeful the second in the series in still on a shelf waiting for me to check it out. Anyone who enjoys series with a supernatural twist will enjoy this one. I can't wait to see what trouble the crew get into, and see Kester mature. It's a contemporary novel, but the feel to it kept me thinking it was not contemporary; but that didn't really bother me. I thought the ghost story was pretty clever, and I can tell the author put some thought/research into the legend of that particular spirit while developing the novel. 

Yay! Another series I like. I'm continually surprised that I keep happening upon new series. I can't promise I'll always read every book in the series-sometimes they just go on for too long--(Laurel K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Cornwell, Jim Butcher). But for now, I'll continue to enjoy Dr. Ribero and his unique agency. 

Here's the second in the series, out now:

Rating:  4/6 for an entertaining start to a new supernatural series. I am looking forward to reading more! 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

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The Case of the Green-Dressed Ghost by Lucy Banks

Caroline: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller

For those of us who still keep our childhood copies of the Little House books on our bookshelves, this soon to be published novel about Caroline Ingalls is like a long lost friend returning for a brief visit.  

"Ma", as we all know and love her, was the gentle, firm, yet loving mother to Mary, Laura, Carrie, and Grace.  In many ways she has always been a bit one dimensional; seen through the eyes of her daughter, Laura, we only see Ma as the wise mother, always deferring to her husband. Well, hold your hat, because we see Ma as Caroline, pioneer woman, loving mother, and lover (yes, I said lover) in this retelling of Little House on the Prairie. Wonder where Laura got her moxie? Yes, some of it from her father, but pretty much 90% from her mother. 

The novel begins in Wisconsin, as Charles' wanderlust leads him and his family to pack their worldly goods into a wagon and head to Kansas.  Caroline is newly pregnant with Carrie, and doesn't want to leave everything and everyone she holds dear.  Yet, she must follow her husband; she knows Charles will be unhappy if he stays in an increasingly crowded Big Woods.  The scene where the Ingalls family say farewell to family and their beloved little cabin is really heartbreaking.  Caroline holds it together, but just barely.  Full of fear of the unknown, yet excitement to be starting new in Kansas, she is strong and mindful of the examples she must set for her two young daughters, who see everything.  

Charles' and Caroline's journey to Kansas in modern times would be so many hours in one day if they traveled by car.  But for them, it took weeks.  Dangerous creek crossings, horrible storms, loneliness, food rations and the dangers of one family traveling alone keep the tension up.  Caroline's growing fears for her unborn child set her on edge: when will the baby move; how will she give birth by herself out on the prairie? 

Caroline and Charles' relationship is one of mutual love and respect.  They know each other so well that just a look or a certain phrase signals how each other feels.  It's clear they adore each other, and support each other in every way.  Yes, I have to admit my 10 year old self cringed a bit reading the few love scenes, but they were appropriate and tasteful, and brought home again that Charles and Caroline are not just Pa and Ma, but two people who have come together to create a family and a future together. If you have ever shared hopes and dreams with a partner, you will completely understand this marriage.  

Once the Ingalls family arrives in Kansas, they quickly work to build a cabin and settle in before winter.  We meet Mr. Edwards, and Mrs. Scott, a neighbor who meets Caroline on the day she arrives to help deliver Carrie.  Caroline longs for her family during labor, but realizes the gift of Mrs. Scott.  Such an intimate time to meet someone for the first time, but a bond develops between the two women because of where they are--women need to stick together.  It reinforces the hardships pioneer women endured settling the American West.  Brave, brave women.  Hardworking women.  Women who endured so much sorrow, but kept on; so much to admire as I sit sipping my tea in my comfortable home.  I've got it good, because they did all the hard work.  

This novel follows Little House on the Prairie fairly closely, but told instead from the perspective of an adult woman. While the story may have been familiar, it was refreshingly different from Caroline's point of view.  Perhaps reading this as an adult with some life experience also gave it some weight.  In any case, this was a welcome return to childhood, with a bit of poignancy attached to it.  It was also a chance to get to know Caroline: a strong woman who constantly thought about how she could understand and adapt to her changing world. She faced fear and instead of bowing to it, she met it head on with courage.

Rating:  5/6 for a well written return to the Little House books.  The writing immediately reminded me of Laura Ingalls Wilder's writing style; I expect fans will embrace this novel and add it to their collections.  Since it does focus heavily on Charles and Caroline (two young married folks who, quite frankly, have a healthy lust for each other), I would recommend reading it first before passing it onto young readers.  It also shows racial tensions between white and Indians, and the prejudices and misinformation that were common at the time.  

Available September 19th, 2017 in the United States in hardcover, large print, ebook, and audio.

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Caroline: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

I used to read teen novels on a fairly regular basis.  But then my book talks at work became more frequent, and I found myself reading much more adult fiction and less teen.  Last month, a friend talked about this book at our book club, and loaned me his copy.  I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I've always had a giant pang in my heart for Lady Jane Grey.  She got such a lousy deal and lost her head over it.  For those who don't know, Lady Jane Grey was caught up in the Tudor soap opera.  Edward VI died at the young age of fifteen and wrote Jane into the line of succession, leaving his half sisters Mary and Elizabeth out in the cold.  Jane was queen for 9 days before the Privy Council turned their backs on her and backed Mary, who brought an army to London to claim the throne.  Shortly thereafter, Jane and her husband, Gifford Dudley, were executed for treason.  She was only sixteen years old!  

But Hand, Ashton, and Meadows turn this story on its head and created a really fantastic alternate ending to Jane's story (and Edward, and Gifford).  In this England, Edward is King, but he is really ill.  People are either Edian (eth-y-un) or Verities.  Edians are humans capable of turning into animals.  Verities believed it was wrong, and persecuted Edians as heretics.  Henry the 8th became a glorious lion when angered, and ate a few jesters.  Edward wanted to be an Edian so bad, but so far hadn't changed and believed he hadn't inherited the trait from his parent.  Jane, a lively, book smart young lady was Edward's closest friend and secretly longed to also be a Edian.  As long as Edward was on the throne, Edians had some measure of protection.  His sister Mary, however, despised Edians and wanted to burn them all.  

Edward is dying of "the affliction", and his advisor Lord Dudley (not a nice man) convinces him that Jane should marry his son, Gifford; and that Jane should be the queen after Edward dies.  Edward agrees, and Jane and Gifford are married.  It's mutual attraction and dislike at first sight.  What Jane doesn't know is that Gifford (who prefers to be called G) turns into a horse at sunrise, and back into a rather handsome young man  at dusk.  It's a family secret and G considers it a curse. He doesn't know how to tell Jane, but that is resolved pretty quickly on their wedding night when he turns into a horse in their bedchamber.  Oops.  He's got some explaining to do...

All sorts of stuff happens in this novel, and I don't want to give it all away.  Elizabeth (Bess) is a big player in the plot; she's close to Edward and neither of them much like Mary.  Bess has a few surprises up her sleeve, too.  Lord Dudley is hungry for the crown, and he's prepared to do what it takes to get it through Jane and Gifford.  So how will it end?!

This novel is full of humor, a bit of romance (teen romance that's fairly chaste), loyalty, and teenagers dealing with very adult problems.  Can you imagine being 16 and being crowned the Queen of England?  Nope.  I can't.  When I was 16 I was juggling babysitting jobs and vaguely wondering what I would do after high school.  The added spin of magical animals makes everything seem possible in this alternate England.  And I'm so glad I read this story, because it was clever, fun, and for the first time, made the Tudor kids actually come alive for me.  Yes, it's all made up, but I don't care!  Now I can carry this alternate life of Jane's with me and not think about the horrible ending she really had (thanks to Mary).  

Rating:  9/10  for a teen novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.  The three points of view presented a thorough look at the actions and motivations of Jane, Gifford, and Edward.  I think it's a darn clever plot and one of my favorite reads of 2016.  

Available in hardcover and e-book.  

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My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows