Bookalicious Babe Book Reviews: cemetery

Showing posts with label cemetery. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

The Orphan of Cemetery Hill by Hester Fox

Blogger upgraded and I discovered I can add more fonts. After years of using one particular font, I decided to branch out and use this font, called "raleway". Exciting stuff!

Hester Fox has written three novels, and I've read them all. I still love her first novel the most, but this one was pretty interesting, a mix of spiritualism, grave robbers, and a secret society determined to reanimate corpses ala Frankenstein.

Did you know there were people who were hired to sit with someone as they died, and then sit with them a few days more to make absolutely sure they were really dead? All because people were terrified of being buried alive. Can you imagine having that job?!

So. The orphan in this novel is Tabby, a young woman who, with her older sister Alice, ran away from their horrible aunt and uncle ten years before. The sisters were separated, and Tabby was forced to fend for herself as a young twelve year old in 1844 Boston. Penniless, with nowhere to go, Tabby ends up hiding out in a cemetery. There, she meets Eli, the caretaker of the rundown cemetery.

Ten years later, Tabby lives with Eli and helps him in the cemetery. She still looks for her sister every month in the last place they saw each other. Tabby's got a special gift: she can speak to the dead. So far, nothing from Alice, which is a relief to Tabby-she knows her sister is alive somewhere. Tabby has told no one of her skill-or curse, as she sees it. Seances and spiritualists are all the rage, and most are charlatans-but Tabby is the real deal. However, she is afraid to trust anyone with her secret.

Grave robbers are making a comeback in Boston, and Tabby has witnessed their thievery in her cemetery. She becomes entangled with a young man who is accused of murdering his fiancee, and the plot thickens--how is this murder related to the sinister late night grave robbing?

This was an interesting plot, and for the most part it was pretty interesting. But it did feel a bit disjointed as far as the timeline moved-I couldn't get a grip on the weeks and months that passed for two of the characters, and for Tabby at the same time. Tabby's timeline didn't quite match up. The characters were all likable, except for the evil Mr. Whitby. He's clearly the bad dude from early on in the novel.

This wasn't a frightful novel at all, but definitely gothic. A quick read, with a few continuity issues. Overall, a good book to read as night creeps closer, temperatures cool, and the dead get restless!

Rating: 3/6 for an interesting read about the spiritualist movement of the mid 19th century in the United States; death customs and rituals, and the thin veil between life and death.

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio.

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Sunday, June 16, 2019

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan

I was surprised and super happy to have this novel arrive in my mail from Crooked Lane Press. I always say books find people at the right moments, and somehow, the folks at Crooked Lane Press knew I needed this book. Never doubt the magic of books.

Ruth Hogan's first novel, The Keeper of Lost Things, was published in 2017 and I happily reviewed it. She has a remarkable gift for writing that captivated me, and I'm happy to say her second novel cast a similar spell over me. Whomever designs her book covers, sheesh! They are amazingly beautiful. Can't help but pick it up just based on the cover art.

Masha is a woman who lives with grief. Twelve years before, she lost her toddler son, Gabriel, in a freak accident. More horribly, his body was never recovered from the little creek it was presumed he fell into and drowned. Masha punishes herself by going to the local swimming pool all year round (it's outside) and dives into the deep end and holds her breath. She wants to feel what her son felt as he drowned. Masha's life is pretty colorless, except for her beloved dog Haizum and her daily walks in the local cemetery. This is a cemetery that only the English can do: a Victorian wonderland of meandering paths, glorious headstones dedicated to long lost souls, and a peace that begs people to sit and reflect. Masha sees Sally Red Shoes, an elderly woman who always wears--you guessed it--red shoes, feeds the crows, and bursts out in operatic songs. She also swears like a sailor-you just never know what you're going to get with Sally. She's a character most people would dismiss, but Masha soon forms a friendship with this wise woman.

Masha's growing friendship with Sally has her realizing she's punished herself enough, and it's time to start living again. As Sally tells her, Masha stopped dancing to life when Gabriel died, and she owes it to Gabriel to keep dancing for him.

Masha's slow re-entry into life means as much to her as it does to her friends and parents, who have had to change their behavior over the years to protect Masha's grief. She realizes she's done a great disservice to everyone by her unending grief, and the barriers she's placed around herself to prevent anymore pain.

This was such a wonderful book-the characters are all so well drawn out. They're people I'd want in my life! There is another large storyline in this novel that runs in and out of Masha's story, but I want you to discover that yourself. It's not hard to figure out what's going on, but I don't want to spoil your discovery.

Colorful characters, a mother's slow climb out of grief, and beautiful writing all make this a charming read. It's not a sad tale at all. As Mr. Rogers said, "Look for the people who help" and there are plenty of people who help Masha regain her joy for life. This will be one of my top reads for 2019, and Ruth Hogan is definitely an author I will read again and again.

A huge thank you to Crooked Lane Press for a chance to read and review this gem.

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

Rating: 5/6 for a novel that captures a woman's journey through an endless grief. When it seems all is lost, there is always a path to happiness and peace.

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Thursday, October 25, 2018

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

This was a quick read I found at the library as I was checking in books. At first I thought it was a YA novel, but I discovered shortly after that is was actually a middle school novel. I never would have guessed, because it was well written, had great pacing, and well developed characters. I can't wait to read the next in the Cassidy Blake series!

Cassidy is pretty young; I think she's about 12 in this novel. She has a gift: she can see the dead. Not only that, but she can cross over into the "Veil" and see all of the restless spirits, and how they are each in their own little time bubble, trapped between life and death. Her sidekick, Jacob, is a young boy who saved her from drowning--and yes, he's a ghost. After her accident, she's got this crazy gift. And to add to the story, her parents are famous authors of ghostly tales. She doesn't dare tell her parents what she's capable of now, a year after her near fatal accident.

Expecting to go on the family's usual summer beach vacation, she's disappointed to find out her parents have agreed to film their own tv program on ghostly haunts around the world. No beach vacation this year. First stop: Edinburgh, Scotland--reported to be one of the most haunted places around. She's reluctant to go, but doesn't really have a choice.

Once in Edinburgh, Cassidy feels the tug of the Veil and the tap tap tapping of spirits everywhere she goes. A visit to Greyfriars cemetery exposes Cassidy and Jacob to an evil spirit that will stop at nothing to cross the Veil...

I throughly enjoyed this book--it's absolutely something I would have gobbled up as a kid. It's the kind of book I always wanted to write. I've visited Edinburgh, and I can say it has a very special feel to it. I've gone underground, visited Edinburgh Castle, and yes, if you stand still and be quiet, you can feel the vibrations of the past. I hope to go back someday.

I'd recommend this novel to anyone who likes a good ghost read. It doesn't matter that this is a middle school novel. It never felt like one, and the story moved along well. Plenty of room for more adventures for Cassidy and Jacob. If you have any young kids in your life who love to read paranormal novels, this would make a great Christmas gift! I'm going to look at Victoria Schwab's other novels. If you're interested, check out her Goodreads page: Victoria Schwab.

Rating: 4/6 for an unexpectedly good ghosty read. First in a series. Suitable for young readers and everyone who likes paranormal reads.

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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Friday, October 19, 2018

Pale as Death: A Krewe of Hunters Novel by Heather Graham

I've been reading Heather Graham since I was a teen. First her historical romances; now I try to read every Krewe of Hunters novel that comes out. There are usually a few a year and I've got two on my bookcase that I still need to read. They, along with Pale as Death, are a mini-arc in the series; three brothers join the Krewe and get involved in ghostly happenings. And find love, naturally.

I've read a lot of series, but most of the time they jump the shark (see: the Happy Days episode where Fonzie actually jumps the shark--and so does the show)and I stop reading them before I get to the end. I didn't even finish the Sookie Stackhouse series, and I had been reading it since the beginning, when they were cheap paperbacks and Charlaine Harris' name was in tiny print at the bottom of the cover.

But for some reason, I keep reading the Krewe of Hunters novels. Part of the charm is the ghosty element. As you all know, I'm a HUGE fan of anything paranormal, and I do love a good paranormal romance. Another part of the charm of this series is that each novel centers around new characters, with a sprinkling of some returning characters--specifically, Jackson Crow, the head of the Krewe, a "secret" FBI unit that investigates crimes with a paranormal twist. Everyone on the Krewe can see the dead, and they solve murders and mysteries that otherwise would remain cold cases.

In Pale as Death, someone is killing young actresses, and recreating the Black Dahlia murder. Gruesome, indeed. Every detail is replicated; even the young victims resemble Elizabeth Short, the original Black Dahlia. LAPD investigative cop Sophie Manning has been assigned the case, and Bruce McFadden, a private investigator, is sent out to LA by Sophie's friend (and Bruce's soon to be sis-in-law) to help her on the case. Of course they clash, and of course they are wildly attracted to each other. The formula for these novels is pretty predictable.

So who is committing these horrible deeds? Could it be someone in the LAPD? Someone close to Sophie? How can Michael, the spirit of an investigative reporter murdered during the original Black Dahlia case help Sophie and Bruce?

I have to say. I know how these novels go, and I still enjoy reading them. They're like popcorn for me. If you're interested in reading from the beginning, where Jackson Crow first enters the scene, here's a link from Goodreads on the list of titles, in order: https://www.goodreads.com/series/57401-krewe-of-hunters.

I'll be reading the other two novels with Bruce's brothers: Brodie and Bryan. Can't wait to tuck in--this series is pure escape for me.

Rating: 3/6 for a look at the Black Dahlia unsolved case, Old Hollywood, and of course, a romance.

Available in paperback and ebook.

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Sunday, October 23, 2016

I'm Back from Vacation...and I read The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg

I had a wonderful vacation: two weeks in Italy with friends. We traveled to Rome, then the seaside town of Salerno, and finished up in Venice. The weather was beautiful, the food was great, and it was a trip of a lifetime.

Of course, I had my books with me, and got some reading done on the plane rides and at night before hitting the sack (but not much--full days of walking everywhere had me tired and ready for sleep!). I'll be posting my review of three Heather Graham Krewe of Hunters novels later this week. Simon Green will have to wait...but in the meantime, I did read the new Fannie Flagg novel that's being published at the end of November. I got sucked into it and read it on the flight home. 9 hours in various planes gives you time to get some serious reading done!

I must confess this is my first Fannie Flagg novel. I have a few on my bookshelves, bought with the intention of reading them right away. But of course life and other books got in the way, and they remain unread. I'm happy to say that won't be for long, because I was delighted with The Whole Town's Talking.

This novel takes place in Elmwood Springs, MO, and traces the history of the town from it's earliest beginnings in the late 1890's through 2021. It all begins with Lordor Nordstrom's quest to find a bride. He enlists the help of his friends in town and places an ad in a paper. Soon the beautiful Katrina answers, and eventually comes to Elmwood, meets Lordor, and falls in love. Their marriage, and successful dairy farm, are the center of the story and their beloved town. We see the town start off small, with a core group of people, and through the years, as Lordor leads the town as mayor, it grows, thrives, and becomes a town that everyone sees as that perfect piece of Americana. Small town life is pretty sweet, gentle, and full of all the quirky characters that make each town unique.

There's more to the story, of course, as we see what happens to Lordor, Katrina, and so many other townspeople, as they die and are put to rest in the town cemetery, Still Meadows. All of these folks remain part of the town, as they rest and chat with each other up on the hill. It's a peaceful place, and a wonderful "in-between" spot for those souls before they go on to.....where? That's the fun part of the novel; Fannie Flagg's take on where we go after we leave our bodies. The connectedness of families, the love that never ends are big themes, as well as the circle of life. I loved the ending, and how it all is neatly tied up in a lovely bow. It is a gentle reminder that those we love are always with us.

So, Christmas (yes, I said that word) is coming soon! And I can heartily recommend this novel as an excellent holiday gift to Moms, Grandmas, Aunts, and anyone who enjoys a read filled with gentle humor and delightful characters you'd like to have as your neighbors. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read Fannie Flagg's The Whole Town's Talking. I will pick up her books without hesitation from now on whenever I need something down home and gentle to sooth my frazzled self.

This novel will be published in hardcover November 29, 2016. It will also be available in e-book and audio formats.

Rating: 7/10 for a delightful read to help bring my unforgettable vacation to a close. I found myself grinning, chuckling out loud, and enjoying the people of Elmwood Springs, Missouri.

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