August Read: In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan

 

We had a short run of cooler temperatures and sweet sleeping nights a few weeks ago and now we're back into the hellscape of heat and humidity. It didn't sway me from jumping into my "Fall feels" and now I just want to read my spooky, moody, gothic, magical novels. I'm ready for pumpkin bread, soup, and early nights. I'm done with summer!

This novel was exactly what I needed to give me that shove into the fall season. Shannon Morgan is a new author to me, and I'll definitely read her first novel Her Little Flowers.  

Taking place on a remote Scottish island, we join Edie Nunn and her daughter Neve. Edie, who grew up in an orphanage and never knew who her parents were, finds out she's inherited an island and a castle from her family, the Maundrells.  Off they go, to check it out and stay for just a few days. No way Edie can keep the castle; it will be sold. 

The castle and the island are filled with ghosts of every shape and size, including Viking ghost ships in the blood red loch (yes, it's red water!), a witch, the evil former owner who scares every other ghost in the castle, and creepy shadows that slither around, waiting to pounce. Edie's ready to leave after just one night; Neve is curious and wants to dig into the family history, which includes the hunt for the infamous Maundrell Red, a diamond coveted by more than one person, living and dead. It disappeared in 1965, and no one has ever found it. Neve wants to figure out the mystery and find the diamond. But is someone else on the island looking for the diamond? Are Edie and Neve safe, as Samhain (October 31) approaches? Will the witch claim Edie and Neve as victims, as the family curse has promised over the years?

At first I had a bit of a time keeping everyone straight as the story bounces from Edie and Neve to 1965 and the Maundrell family. There's a handy family tree included in the book to help you keep track. The haunting is immediate, and there's lots of creepy stuff on the island and in the castle. The history goes back thousands of years, so there's plenty of trauma and death soaked into the island. 

Ghost story fans will love this gothic novel. The setting is well done, and definitely gives you the bone-deep chills only a damp, haunted castle can do. Edie and Neve's relationship is solid and grows with their experiences. And, you are invested in finding out who Edie's parents are...there's plenty of possibilities. The bad people are definitely bad--no doubts about it--and beyond redemption. 

I'd say fans of Carol Goodman, Wendy Webb, and Simone St. James would enjoy this author. 

Rating: 4/6 for an intriguing family curse and mystery wrapped in a historical castle and island, haunted by creatures that will keep you looking into the shadows. 

Available in paperback, audio, and ebook. 

Share: facebook - twitter - pinterest

August Read: In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan

Summer Reading 2022: Gilt by Jamie Brenner

 

I discovered Jamie Brenner last summer when a book came across my desk at the library that featured a family vineyard and Jackie Collins novels. So of course I had to read it, and Blush was an unexpected surprise. You can read my review from last year here.  

Jamie returns this summer with Gilt, and I enjoyed this just as much. Centered around a family jewelry store in Manhattan, this is the tale of three sisters, one niece, a pink diamond engagement ring, and a family curse. 

The Pavlin family has been in the jewelry business for over a hundred years, and their famous store in Manhattan was the first to market diamond rings as engagement rings. They've ridden that marketing high for decades, but now Elodie, the great granddaughter of the founder of the company, knows the store is in trouble. People don't want to shop for jewelry in a store; they can buy online. Jewelry isn't what it used to be, and the store is in the red. Elodie's only way out is to have a big splashy auction to sell famous family jewelry pieces.

Only problem is she needs the okay of her surviving sister Celeste and her niece Gemma. 

Celeste lives in Provincetown and left the family decades ago. She owns an antique shop and lives with her love, Jack. Gemma's mother, Paulina, was the famous "it" girl of the 1990's; her beauty and endless travels around the world kept the Pavlin family in the news, and business was good. Her tragic death, along with her handsome husband, left Gemma without parents and being raised by her other grandparents, the Maybrooks. She has always felt resentment for the Pavlin family because they seemingly ignored her existence. 

Now Gemma is an adult and aspiring jewelry designer. She wants the one thing she was promised: the infamous Electric Rose diamond engagement ring her mother promised to her. That ring caused a huge rift between the three sisters: Elodie, Celeste, and Paulina. 

Elodie has her work cut out for her, and heads to Provincetown to convince Celeste to sign the papers approving the auction. Gemma ends up in Provincetown to meet her Aunt Celeste and find out more about the whereabouts of the Electric Rose. 

It's a summer of complicated family issues; each woman has a lot to work through. It's a crossroads for them all; a chance to look at life and figure out where to go next. And in the center of it all is Gemma and her budding jewelry business. Her desire to have the Electric Rose ring is palpable. Not for money, but because it was the one thing she remembers her mother always wearing. But Elodie isn't saying where it is, and Gemma refuses to sign the auction papers until she has the ring. 

I dived into the novel pretty quickly, and got to know all the characters. Provincetown sounds like a pretty cool place to spend the summer. The tensions between the sisters and their niece are definitely well drawn out; the other side stories keep everything balanced and give some relief to the family drama. An  unexpected romance, another chance at a broken romance, and ooh--will Celeste finally marry Jack? 

This would, of course, make a really good Netflix movie. Perfect summer read. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel about a family broken apart, with a chance to heal old wounds. Moving from New York City to Cape Cod this tale of three women reuniting to become family was very entertaining. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

Share: facebook - twitter - pinterest

Summer Reading 2022: Gilt by Jamie Brenner

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

 

To order from Amazon, click here

 It feels like I've been missing a lot of historical fiction in the past year, when it used to make up a large portion of my monthly reading. 

Fiona Davis' The Magnolia Palace got me off to a good start in 2022. I always enjoy her novels, set in New York City and centered around famous New York City landmarks. It's a great combination of fiction and history; you can tell Fiona Davis does her research. 

This novel takes us to 1919 New York City--but also 1966 New York City. What links the two periods together? Henry Clay Frick and his family, and art. 

The 1919 story centers around Lillian Carter, who is an artist's model that is known as "Angelique". Her face and body are on numerous statues, monuments, and sculptures all around New York City. Lillian's mother has just died, and without her guidance, she's a bit lost--and broke. 

Lillian quickly finds herself in trouble with the police and, after spending the night hiding in a park, she stands in front of the Frick mansion, staring up at a carving above the front doors--it's her, of course. She's everywhere. 

Lillian is mistaken for a personal assistant candidate for Miss Helen Frick (daughter of Henry Clay Frick), and with no where to go and no money, she bluffs her way into the job. Now she's got a place to stay, and some income. Lillian plans on staying for a few months and then leaving for Hollywood and a career in film. Helen is a taskmaster, difficult to get along with, and a genius. Lillians' time at the mansion is not without issues. 

It's 1966, and the Frick mansion is now a famous art museum. English model Veronica is there on her first big photo shoot with Vogue. She's inexperienced and very new at modeling, and needs this job badly. Unfortunately, the photographer is a jerk, and Veronica ends up being left behind as the photo shoot ends and everyone leaves before a big snow storm hits. Veronica is all alone in the mansion, with no way out. So she begins to explore. 

Lillian and Veronica are both models, and their experiences at the Frick mansion--one sees it as a home, the other as an intimidating museum-are the story that brings their worlds together. I had to keep reminding myself it was 1966 in the novel, and not 2021! Trying to do the math in my head and realizing that yes, Lillian and Helen would both still be alive in 1966. I think it was just me that caused this issue in my brain; it certainly wasn't the story or the writing. 

Anyway-this is a story about women, the choices they have to make in a world where men hold all the cards--and judging people based on very little information. Lillian is a tough woman, but very vulnerable; Helen Frick is quite the character--but underneath it all, she just wants her father's love. Veronica is trying to make the best choices for her family and not losing sight of what she wants. 

Art lovers will enjoy this novel, and if you've ever visited the Frick Museum  you'll recognize so many of the rooms and artwork mentioned in this novel. There is a little bit of a mystery that also ties both stories together, and I think you'll enjoy the conclusion very much--I know I did. 

Rating: 4/6 for a historical novel about the Frick mansion; the Frick family and their art collection, and the fascinating world of modeling in the early 20th century. Strong female characters, a plot that keeps moving along, and early 20th century New York City all make this a treat to read. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

**“As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this site.**

Share: facebook - twitter - pinterest

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis