Book Nerds Across America

Saturday, March 8, 2025

BOOK REVIEW: WILD DARK SHORE BY CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHY

GOODREADS SSUMMARY:

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers. But with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up the seeds before they are transported to safer ground. Despite the wild beauty of life here, isolation has taken its toll on the Salts. Raff, eighteen and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, seventeen, has started spending her nights on the beach among the seals; nine-year-old Orly, obsessed with botany, fears the loss of his beloved natural world; and Dominic can’t stop turning back toward the past, and the loss that drove the family to Shearwater in the first place.

Then, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman washes up on shore. As the Salts nurse the woman, Rowan, back to life, their suspicion gives way to affection, and they finally begin to feel like a family again. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting her heart, begins to fall for the Salts, too. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers the sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own dark secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, the characters must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

I have never read one of Charlotte McConaghy's books. Still, they have always sounded beautiful, and her connection with nature has almost seemed something of a spiritual thing, so I have been telling myself...pick up Migration...pick up something she has written. I finally picked up Wild Dark Shore. Now. I can't compare this book with her others, because I have said, I haven't read them, but I will say this, I hit it right on the head on how I felt her writing would be.

As I listened to Wild Dark Shore, I was so pleased at how well crafted each of her characters were. Instantly I felt connected, and invested in them. I did not have to wait for the story to develop deep into the book to finally like them. I hate that, I am a very character-driven reader.

Ummm, I don't know about you, but I would LOVE to live on an island and be a lighthouse keeper. I know. In no book or movie has that ever turned out well....But...there is a first for everything? Right? I thought the island was a perfect setting for this book and McConaghy's descriptions are colorful and beautiful.. Great for a mystery. Isolated location, wild rough ocean that surrounds you. You can just see the rough seas pounding against the rocks, and maybe even depositing a body there for you to discover and nurse back to health. Yes, the mystery is a bit of a slow burn, but there is a lot taking place within the family as you wait. I never felt the story dragged.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance listen from MacMillan Audio, and it was excellent, with a full cast of narrators that brought this entire story to life.

If you, like me, have heard the constant praise of McConaghy's previous works, and wonder if you should believe the hype...you can. This one did not disappoint.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

BOOK REVIEW: BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS BY INA GARTEN

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Here, for the first time, Ina Garten presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey. Ina’s gift is to make everything look easy, yet all her accomplishments have been the result of hard work, audacious choices, and exquisite attention to detail. In her unmistakable voice (no one tells a story like Ina), she brings her past and her process to life in a high-spirited and no-holds-barred memoir that chronicles decades of personal challenges, adventures (and misadventures) and unexpected career twists, all delivered with her signature combination of playfulness and purpose.

From a difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life, Jeffrey, and marrying him while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to answering an ad for a specialty food store in the Hamptons, from the owner of one Barefoot Contessa shop to author of bestselling cookbooks and celebrated television host, Ina has blazed her own trail and, in the meantime, taught millions of people how to cook and entertain.

TEES THOUGHTS

I won't lie, I enjoy watching Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa is my go-to when I can't find anything else to watch or if I don't need to pay much attention to the show, I have seen them all several times.

Sure Ina is on a level of pretentiousness that I will never reach, but boy can that lady cook and serve cocktails to her name-drop-worthy friends.

I can't say that this book was extremely insightful, or exciting, but it was a bit interesting to hear how she started her business, bought her lifelong dream apartment in Paris, and her house in the Hamptons.

I am not sure luck had much to do with her success as the title might suggest, she had a privileged upbringing from the git-go...so...you know...

She was open about her and Jefferies separation, something I knew nothing about, and that she had no desire to have children because of her difficult childhood. I did like how she validated women not wanting children, and that without them you can live a fulfilled life. That needs to be heard by many.

For the most part it was what I expected from Garten, a pretentious read from a pretentious person, for me her cookbooks offer me more substance and entertainment.

I borrowed this on Audio from my local library and like a lot of celebrity memiors, it was read by the author, and I always enjoy that much better than the book being read by someone else. That is what it was, a celebrity memior, fun to read but nothing really sticks to your ribs !

BOOK REVIEW: A KILLING COLD BY KATE ALICE MARSHALL

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

A whirlwind romance.

When Theodora Scott met Connor—wealthy, charming, and a member of the powerful Dalton family—she fell in love in an instant. Six months later, he’s brought her to Idlewood, his family’s isolated winter retreat, to win over his skeptical relatives.

Stay away from Connor Dalton.

Theo has tried to ignore the threatening messages on her phone, but she can’t ignore the footprints in the snow outside the cabin window or the strange sense of familiarity she has with this place. Then, in a disused cabin, Theo finds something impossible: a photo of herself as a child. A photo taken at Idlewood.

I’ve been here before.

Theo has almost no recollection of her earliest years, but now she begins to piece together the fragments of her memories. Someone here has a shocking secret that they will do anything to keep hidden, and Theo is in terrible danger. Because the Daltons do not lose, and discovering what happened at Idlewood may cost Theo everything.

TEE'S THOUGHTS

I am a true fan of thrillers set in isolated locations. The psychological aspect of being so far from anywhere or anyone gives them an eerie feeling that pushes the story even further. So A Killing Cold, written by Kate Alice Marshall was a given for me to listen to.

Theo hasn't been engaged to Connor very long when he takes her to his rich family's mountain cabin for Christmas. Things start taking a weird turn, she gets a message from someone who tells her she needs to stay away from Connor, and she begins receiving small gifts, and things begin to look and feel familiar to her. Someone does not want her at the cabin----

Ok that is all I am going to tell you, I don't want to spoil anything

So obviously you know they are all at this mountain cabin, and it's winter, and the weather is going to get real bad... this is just what I love in a book

I have never read anything from Kate Alice Mitchell, I do not even know if this is a debut, or if she has written more, but that is not important, the important thing is she has written this sinister, locked-room thriller that is perfection.

The characters are complex, it is a family of evils, so just when you think you know who to trust or who to not trust, you are thrown against the wall, turned around, and find yourself going in another direction. I could not figure it out until the author told me, but honestly, I am no armchair detective, I just like to think I am.

A Killing Cold is one of those books that will keep your attention, so pick it up and enjoy the story.

** I LISTENED TO AN EARLY RELEASE OF THIS BOOK ON AUDIO, THANK MACMILLAN AUDIO **

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Book Review:The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichi

GOOD READS SUMMARY:

When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual a one-way plane ticket and a note reading Go to Paris . But Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a childhood trauma has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. When her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes.

Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and, for the first time in her life, Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress and together they embark on an adventure.

Her first iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters, and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces her to a veritable who’s who of the 1980s Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, Stella begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life.

As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

I was just carried away to Paris while reading Ruth Reichl's book The Paris Novel, and let me tell you it was a magical trip through those pages. This book has everything you think of when you say Paris...Art, fashion, food, Shakespeare & Company Bookstore, love. Is there anything I missed?

Stella St Vincent's mother has died. She was never the best role model for Stella as she grew up, she tended to be very much an extravagant freewill, living for the moment. She leaves a note for Stella, along with a small inheritance, telling Stell to take the money and go to Paris. Stella has no intention to do so, she has responsibilities with work and life, and she does not want to be anything like her mother, but fate steps in when her boss tells her she needs time off to mourn, so she takes the small amount of money and heads to Paris.

A bit after arriving in the city of Love she spots a black vintage Dior dress in a shop window and is instantly drawn to it. Short on money she makes a deal with the shopkeeper and leaves with it and a few instructions from the shopkeeper.

This simple black dress opens Stella to a whole new world ( I hate to admit it but I sang that last part of that sentence, proving to myself that I watch more Disney than I care to admit ) and also gives her much insight into her mother's past life.

You can not beat the descriptions in this book. The food and wine made me hungry and I craved a good baguette, you could taste the food, and rightly so, I learned later that the author is a food writer, a talent she used well in the story.

The story is a bit predictable, but it is so darn good, that you overlook that small thing. Stella herself wasn't particularly likable, but all the characters in the book are richly written and so different from each other. You have sweetness in one, stalkerish, and somewhat eccentric in some others.

The Paris Novel is an easy read, so it is a good book to relax with during a free afternoon. Don't expect a lot of action, it isn't that type of book, it is a book you savor like fine wine, and just enjoy while you have it in your hand.

Sunday, February 2, 2025

BOOK REVIEW: THE LOST HOUSE BY MELISSA LARSEN

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no convictions. Just a suspicion turned into the husband doing it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely a coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

For some reason, my winter is never complete until I read a good mystery set in a desolate winter location, it gives the story an atmosphere that feels barren and cold, sometimes almost frightening. I find that snow absorbs the sounds somewhat, making it seem almost silent, knowing that adds a bit of " no one can hear you scream " aspect to the story. The Lost House by Melissa Larsen ticked every box, with its wintery location in Iceland.

Larsen was absolute perfection at describing the scenery, the location, and the characters, it all drew me in quickly, and reaching for a fluffy blanket to shield me from the frosty air I imagined as I listened along.

Probably the thing I liked least, and please know, when I say this, it wasn't a dislike that would make me not want to continue reading, or even give the book a lower rating, this is purely on me. The book includes a podcast, and in the past few years, it feels like every book I pick up centers around a podcast and I am just tired of that aspect of a story, it feels overdone to me personally. However, I am sure plenty love this in a book.

Anyway, Agnes goes to Iceland to appear on a podcast to speak about the murder of her grandmother and aunt. Her grandfather was the suspect in their murders and she is trying to clear his name. While she is there, a girl also goes missing, so she and the podcast host set out to find her.

The mystery is well crafted and the story has plenty of suspense that drives the plot and brings the characters out of the pages into a plausible situation. Speaking of characters, there are several, and you will have a hard time trying to decide if they are trustworthy or not.

The Lost House is entertaining and well-written, and I look forward to reading what Larsen puts out next.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

BOOK REVIEW: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAY'S BY TRACEY LANGE

GOODREADS SUMMARY

When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, where he doesn’t expect a warm welcome. Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning people who depended on him: his father, his employees, his friends—not to mention Casey, his wife of sixteen years and a beloved teacher in town. He plans to lie low and help his dad recuperate until he can leave again, especially after Casey makes it clear she wants him gone.

The longer he’s home, the more Kyle understands the impact his departure has had on the people he left behind. When he’s presented with an opportunity for redemption as the coach of the floundering middle school hockey team, he begins to find compassion in unexpected places. Kyle even considers staying in Potsdam, but that’s only possible if he and Casey can come to some kind of peace with each other.

TEE'S THOUGHTS

Usually, I don’t really jump on a book that everyone is raving about on bookstagram, I find myself being an odd man or girl in this case, out. I tend to get so hyped up by what everyone is saying about it that it never seems to live up to it for me. But I did pick up We Are The Brennan’s by Tracey Lange when it came out and I can honestly say it is one of those books that seemed to be everywhere that worked out for me. So when I was offered a chance to read her latest book ( I’m a little behind on getting reviews out as you can tell ) What Happened To The McCrays I knew I’d enjoy it.

I have always loved a good family saga and Tracey Lange knows how to write a good one. You get good drama, characters that pull at your heartstrings, and writing that brings out such emotions.

The narration on the audio was fantastic, with a dual narrative. Both the female and the male drew out feelings with their reading that I never imagined feeling...

I’m not going to go into what the book is about, you can read the summary anywhere, but I highly recommend picking What Happened To The Mc Cary’s up, it’s a wonderful story

Friday, November 29, 2024

Book review: Dead Below Deck by Jan Gangsei

GOODREADS SUMMARY

When an heiress disappears from her superyacht and security footage shows her getting pushed, the main suspect has to prove her innocence in this thrilling mystery at sea told in reverse chronological order, perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Genuine Fraud.

It was supposed to be the best-ever girls’ trip: five days, four friends, one luxury yacht, no parents. But on the final night, as the yacht cruised the deep and dark waters between Florida and Grand Cayman, eighteen-year-old heiress Giselle vanished. She’s nowhere to be found the next morning even after a frantic search, until security footage surfaces . . . showing Maggie pushing her overboard.

But Maggie has no memory of what happened. All she knows is that she woke up with a throbbing headache, thousands of dollars in cash in her safe, a passport that isn’t hers, and Giselle’s diary. And while Maggie had her own reasons to want Giselle dead, so did everyone else on board: jealous Viv, calculating Emi, even some members of the staff.

What really went down on the top deck that night? Maggie will have to work her way backward to uncover the secrets that everyone—even Giselle—kept below deck or she’s dead in the water.

Jan Gangsei crafts a compulsively readable tale of privilege, family, and identity wrapped in a wholly original mystery that will keep readers on the edges of their seats until the final twist.

KAIT'S REVIEW

On the last night of her luxurious yacht trip with three friends, teen heiress Giselle Haverford went overboard, and security footage shows Maggie pushed her. Maggie doesn't remember a single thing about that night. Her odd, tenuous friendship with Giselle doesn't help her case, either. But Giselle wasn't universally beloved and Maggie wasn't the only person who might have wanted her dead. There's the best friends with secret grudges and jealous streaks, the father who sees Giselle as a liability to his political aspirations, the much younger influencer stepmom who wants her out of the way, and the ex whose life she tipped upside down for her own gain, for starters. Not that any of that matters if Maggie can't find a way to prove she's innocent… IF she actually is.

Dead Below Deck pulls readers in with a truly enticing narrative structure: Maggie's POV is told in reverse chronological order from the moment she's detained and accused of murder on Giselle's superyacht. This is interspersed with diary entries from Giselle in chronological order starting from the day she and Maggie met. Combined, the truth lies somewhere in the middle (but still mostly toward the end, because this is a mystery novel, after all!) We're able to see red herrings and slivers of reveals come together from both the present and past simultaneously. The only downside is that there's just no effort to make the voice of Giselle's diary entries actually sound like a diary entries— They're just narrative fiction that we're told is part of a diary and it really pulled me out of the story.

Dead Below Deck does a solid job of maintaining its mystery. You may suspect a vague version of the true ending, but there will also be many, many other suspects. Everyone has their own problems with Giselle, and many of those wounds were deep enough for someone to seek revenge. It felt like a new possibility was introduced every few chapters and that really kept me glued to the pages! Gangesi has some tricks up her sleeve, plot-wise, particularly toward the end of the novel. That being said, not every little twist lands super effectively.

Unfortunately, the character development wasn't fully there. The novel felt like it wanted to say something about the ultra-privileged with Giselle, but never fully committed. Separately, there are so many hints at Maggie's dark, scandalous past. It was constantly teased, yet ultimately was revealed to be pretty underwhelming. I liked but didn't feel super strongly about either narrator, both of whom had the potential to be the good guy or a deliciously cunning unreliable narrator, but never felt that way despite some inevitable scheming. The novel still had lots of merit besides, but I do wish the characters were a little more fleshed out.

If you like mysteries and twisty storytelling, there's plenty in Dead Below Deck to keep you on board. There may be some rough seas when it comes to character relationships, but the mystery element is all smooth sailing. Okay, okay… I'm done with the puns now! Seriously, this one's an enjoyable mystery!

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Book Review: Echoes Of Us by Joy Jordan Lake

GOOD READS SUMMARY:

In the midst of World War II, a Tennessee farm boy, a Jewish Cambridge student, and a German POW forge a connection that endures—against all odds.

But now everything that Will Dobbins, Dov Silverberg, and Hans Hessler fought for is at risk as their descendants clash for control of the corporation they founded together. In an attempt to remake its tattered corporate image, the firm hires event planner Hadley Jacks and her sister Kitzie to organize a reunion for the families on St. Simons Island, Georgia, the place that changed all three men’s lives forever.

As Hadley and her sister delve into the friends’ past, they uncover the life of the courageous young woman who links them all together…and the old wounds that could tear everything apart.

Told in dual timelines spanning World War II and the present, Echoes of Us follows the ripple effects of war, the bonds that outlast it, and the hope that ultimately carries us forward.

TEE'S THOUGHTS

Echoes of War, the newest book by Joy Jordan Lake really surprised me, well maybe not the book, but the story that lays within. I like Historical Fiction, when I read it a lot of the times I will pick up something however small, that I did not know before reading the book. In the last few years, I have read plenty of WW2 historical fiction, it seems to be the latest trend, but never I have read or even heard that during that time there were German Uboats on the Southeast coast of the US. That was the first thing that drew me in, something a bit different from the usual WW2 stories.

Like most Historical Fiction it flows through the story in a dual time line. I will admit, I am often not fond of dual timelines, it seems to dominate all genres these days. I don't hate it, but I do miss just a story told straight through. Despite my dislike of it, I do see why it is used, it is an easy way to tell the back story with a bit more interest. I get in this case, with the three main characters, it fit the story outline very well.

I have never read a book by Joy Jordan Lake, but have noticed she is a popular writer, and have read more than several saying this is one of her best books. I can not agree with that, but I will tell you, it was a damn good book and I will put her on my list to read again. I found my self engrossed in Echoes from the git go. Her writing was descriptive and the story moved along in a convincing way. It has unexpected plot twists, which I also enjoy, and they intertwined without feeling forced.

The story its self is intriguing, and with the information I wrote about earlier that I had not read, I even found it refreshing. The story covers generations, and with that comes the problems that affect many people over a number of years, poverty, and at times wealth, but it also tells of so much courage in the characters.

Speaking of the characters, they are all richly written, with well thought out personalities, that brought depth to the story as they jumped out of the pages at you as you read, these are characters that will stay after you long after you close the cover.

I recommend Echoes Of Us to anyHistorical Fiction reader of course, but there is so much to this story. It is a beautifully written story of love, courage, and friendship, and it even has a biota mystery even in.

Pick this one up, take a few hours and enjoy it. It is interesting enough to keep you turning those pages and you will have it read before you know it

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Book review: Remember Me Tomorrow by Farah Heron

GOODREADS SUMMARY

A missing student. A singular investigation. A new romance. Every bit of it is a mystery in a delightful novel of cosmic twists by the author of How to Win a Breakup.

East House is the oldest and least desirable dorm on campus, but it has a draw for lonely university freshman Aleeza Kassam: Jay Hoque, the hot and broody student who vanished from East House five months ago without a trace. It’s irresistible to an aspiring investigative journalist like Aleeza.

But when she starts receiving texts from Jay, the mystery takes an unexpected turn. To put it mildly. His messages are coming not only from Aleeza’s own dorm room but from the past—only weeks before he disappeared. Sharing space, if not time, Aleeza and Jay are living the impossible, and they start working together to prevent his inevitable disappearance. Causing a temporal paradox that could blow up the universe is a risk they’re going to have to take.

Aleeza digs through Jay’s suspicious friends, enemies, and exes, determined to find out what happened to him. Or what will happen to him. But it’s becoming more than a mystery. Aleeza is catching feelings for her charming new roommate. Wherever, and whenever, he may be.

KAIT'S REVIEW

When Aleeza Kassam leaves her former roommate situation at top speed, she doesn't expect her NEW dorm room to cause much trouble. But Aleeza's single room most recently belonged to Jay Hoque, a student who's been missing for 5 months, and her new dorm mates think she's the pinnacle of a true crime fanatic come to stake out the room as part of a campus-wide obsession with Jay vanishing.

Then something even stranger occurs: Through the roommate-based ResConnect app, Aleeza starts receiving messages from Jay. He's frustrated that he now somehow has a new female roommate in his single. Aleeza brushes it off as a prank, but the pair eventually realize the disturbing truth: Jay is writing to her from the past, a handful of weeks before his disappearance. Together, through the temporal anomaly that only exists on a university app when in their “shared” room, the two team up to discover exactly what happened to Jay and why before it happens to past Jay again.

Remember Me Tomorrow is part enigma, part time warp, and part simmering romance steeped in wealth, envy, and corruption. Aleeza is a bright, relatable MC who's willing to risk her quiet life to save someone else's. Jay is a bit broody and mysterious, but also very charming. The chemistry between the two is felt right from the get-go and maintains its shine throughout the novel. I do think the characters went from “let's help each other out” to “I'm madly in love with you” a little too suddenly, but anyone who reads the description knows that the book was going there anyway.

The secondary characters are memorable and help propel the personal narratives for each MC, from Aleeza's ex-best friend Mia to her new neighbor and biggest skeptic, Grace. I especially loved Jay's friend Jack, a party boy socialite who surprised me a lot, and in a good way! I did think a few character points needed more dimension, like Aleeza and Mia's pretty flimsy reason for falling out that felt very middle school, followed by Mia going full mean girl for no particularly good reason. While I loved Jack's character, there was a plot point specifically involving him that felt really superfluous and took away from the main premise. I liked (or appropriately disliked) all of the characters all the same.

The mystery itself is a fun one. I was able to predict an integral part of the mystery very early on, but I certainly didn't figure out the full breakdown before it came to light. Some hints were a little heavy-handed, but it didn't some me from enjoying the big reveal.

If you enjoy romance with a side of mystery, Remember Me Tomorrow will scratch the itch with charming characters and a side of the supernatural!

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Book review: Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

GOODREADS SUMMARY

From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

The fire wasn’t Marlowe Wexler’s fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that’s how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It’s easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

Maybe this job isn’t such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that’s been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.

All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn’t bury Marlowe first.

KAIT'S THOUGHTS

As a longtime reader of Maureen Johnson books, I'm a huge fan of the Truly Devious series. So I was a bit disappointed when I discovered that Death at Morning House wasn't the sixth book in the popular series. Then I “met” Marlowe Wexler on the page and that all changed!

Sure, Marlowe and Stevie have some things in common— Their urge to solve mysteries and their quirky nervousness, to start— but this new MC really breathes fresh life into a fresh mystery! Marlowe is clever and observant with a heaping teaspoon of awkward. Unlike Stevie, she's not trying to dive headlong into a mystery. Instead, she finds herself thrust into a summer job where the mystery unfolds around her after an attempt to impress a girl she likes goes horribly, HORRIBLY wrong. Marlowe could be any one of us. Who wouldn't want to do some digging into the mysterious decades-old deaths at their place of work to distract themselves from a life-altering social faux pas, after all?

Marlowe works and lives on the island with a group of teens who grew up together, though their overall closeness seems to be in question these days. While they all have distinct personalities and traits, I appreciate that they didn't feel quite as much like caricatures as the Truly Devious characters can sometimes feel. I really struggle with one TD character, but I really enjoyed this whole lineup. They have drama and secrets that only seem to be exacerbated by their isolated setting and its gruesome past, sometimes putting Marlowe in compromising positions. Of the group, Riki was very favorite because of her excellent socks and her important role in unraveling the secrets of a seemingly cursed mansion alongside Marlowe. My second favorite character was Van, for his *immaculate vibes.*

The novel flirts with the romantic storyline, starting with Marlowe’s massive crush on her co-worker Akilah and their budding relationship, which was all going so well before the incident. While there's always a potential for romance, it's not a super strong element. This was actually very refreshing to me, because some mysteries get too bogged down with interpersonal drama. There are sweet, charming moments, but they don't overpower the actual plot.

But wait, there's more! Death at Morning House is a dual timeline story! That means that on top of Marlowe's misadventures, we get the point of point-of-view of the Ralston children, mainly Clara, as you discover the tragedies that befell the family in the 1930s. The Ralston patriarch was a scientist and famed eugenicist who raised his children to an unreasonably strict standard. This POV is a little more subdued as we explore the lives of children trapped under the thumb of a dangerous ideology, yet still aching to impress their celebrated father. It’s not as fun as Marlowe’s POV, but it's heartbreaking and captivating in it's own right. I think the conclusion to this timeline's drama was even more satisfying than the conclusion to the modern story, but I loved both.

My subgenre of choice has been described as “murder-y,” so I've consumed a lot of mysteries ranging from predictable slogs to riveting puzzles. Thankfully, Death at Morning House is certainly one of the latter. There are hints, if you're looking for them, but Johnson remains a master of doling out answers in small batches and planting red herrings. Even if one of the reveals was among my theories, it certainly wasn't the only one.

Death at Morning House takes a loveable, chaotic protagonist, summer camp vibes gone sideways, and an old-fashioned mystery among the obscenely wealthy to create something this is fresh but still distinctly Maureen Johnson. if you love her books, run, don't walk to snag your copy!

Monday, July 1, 2024

Book Review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

From the get go Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst won my heart. Who knew the Cottage Core Aesthetic could overflow into a book, but it has with her magical new book. Also who knew I would read a fantasy and totally enjoy it, certainly not me, but Spellshop made that happen also =0)

This book is beautifully written, it's cozy, yes, seriously. Yo will want to tuck in with a cup of steaming hot tea and have a long read. It is delightful, sweet, slightly romantic , has small town vibes, a plot that will keep you engaged. The fantasy in the book is even magical and cozy..... you will garden in a magical garden, help a mermaid baby, ride seahorses, and that is only the beginning.

Main character Kiela is much like me, she is not fond of people, she works in a library or she did, but she had to escape to her childhood home on an island to escape death. Have you ever lived in a small town? Well her home town is small and of course there are problems, mostly noisy neighbors. There is conflict of course, but it is fun and resolved quickly. Also, there is a good amount of comic relief in the story from Kiela's sidekick, who happens to be a spider plant names Caz.

Please pick this one up, but don't try and take it seriously- it is not meant to be, it is the escape we all well need right now.

Book Review: A Daughter Of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Knives Out meets Bridgerton in Fair Verona, as New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd kicks off a frothy, irreverent, witty new series with an irresistible premise—Romeo and Juliet’s daughter as a clever, rebellious, fiercely independent young woman in fair Verona—told from the delightfully engaging point of view of the captivating Rosie Montague herself…

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

Since I have been a young girl I have loved the story of Romeo and Juliet, call me a hopeless romantic, but I can remember the first time I read it thinking I needed a Romeo in my life, along with crying my eyes out.

Over the years I have read several adaptations of the story, everything from horror to dark romance and I for the most part enjoyed all of them, mostly because I loved seeing how the authors used their imagination to rework the story.

In a Daughter of Fair Verona, Romeo and Juliet survived their usual death and have a daughter named Rosaline ( if you have read Romeo and Juliet you will know who the original Rosaline is ). Rosaline is 20 and unmarried, something that is unheard of at the time, but she has not found a suitor she has felt deserved her.

She evidentially finds herself in trouble when she falls for a wedding crasher of sorts when she meets him at her official betrothal to a suitor her parents finally force upon her. Of course the unsuitable suitor winds up murdered and Rosaline is the prime suspect . She sets out to find the murderer and clear her name.

I really enjoyed the character of Rosaline, she was witty, clever, stubborn and funny. Romeo and Juliet are in the book, but the story mostly centers around Rosalina. I felt the author put a lot of thought into thee story and the characters and loved her take on them. I also think it kept it from being just another cozy mystery.

This book was so much fun and many times I found myself laughing out loud at its wit and charm.

This is also the first book in a new series by the author, and the story does end with a bit of a cliff hanger so I am anxious to see what happens next.

Be sure to pick this one up...it is a most enjoyable read !

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

BOOK REVIEW: SUMMER AT THE SAINT BY MARY KAY ANDREWS

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

I always look forward to a Mary Kay Andrews book, she has the ability to make me cry or laugh while feeding me a great mystery. Her summer releases are always a favorite. Maybe. I do love a good holiday story and hers are the most merry!

Summers At The Saint, her newest book was once again a winner with me. It was a fantastic beachy summer read, but it also had a bit of heaviness included within it to keep it from being too fluffy.

The St. Cecilia, or the Saint as it is know by the rich clientele that summer there sets on the coast of Georgia. Traci Eddings owns it, inheriting it from her husband when he died. She is struggling trying to keep it a float, but she has a lot that is working against her, mainly her late husbands family. The descriptions of the hotel, from the front receiving area to the kitchens all painted a vibrant picture of where you were.

All the characters in the book, and there were plenty, from the family to the summer workers, were well written and thought out. Traci was not from a rich family, she spent her summers there as a lifeguard at the hotels pool, but ended up marrying the bosses son. There is certainly a class struggler's between her and her dead husbands family.

The mystery has been unsolved for decades, and it has a surprise twist that I will confess I did not figure out. It is a great little who done it that added plenty of intrigue to the family drama.

I read and also listened to this book, which made the 400 plus book go by quickly ( everyone who knows me know I do not like a book that roams over 350 pages ), but I feel like it was a fast paced book either way. The narrator Kathleen McInerney made the listening pleasurable with her smooth and silky voice,

Summer At The Saint is fun and entertaining and it is the perfect summer read for everyone.

Monday, June 3, 2024

Book Review: Klara's Truth by Susan Weissbach Friedman

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

It is May 2014, and Dr. Klara Lieberman—forty-nine, single, professor of archaeology at a small liberal arts college in Maine, a contained person living a contained life—has just received a letter from her estranged mother, Bessie, that will dramatically change her life. Her father, she learns—the man who has been absent from her life for the last forty-three years, and about whom she has long been desperate for information—is dead. Has been for many years, in fact, which Bessie clearly knew. But now the Polish government is giving financial reparations for land it stole from its Jewish citizens during WWII, and Bessie wants the money. Klara has little interest in the money—but she does want answers about her father. She flies to Warsaw, determined to learn more.

In Poland, Klara begins to piece together her father’s, and her own, story. She also connects with extended family, begins a romantic relationship, and discovers her repairing the hundreds of forgotten, and mostly destroyed, pre-War Jewish cemeteries in Poland. Along the way, she becomes a more integrated, embodied, and interpersonally connected individual—one with the tools to make peace with her past and, for the first time in her life, build purposefully toward a bigger future.

TEE'S REVIEW:

I think most people have some interest in the history of their families, where they originally came from. what our families were like etc... I have done some research on my own family and have found some interesting things, my other family, on my dad's side, I am fully convinced they hatch one day, as I can find NOTHING on them...oh well lol. This, among other things really made Klara's Truth an interesting read for me.

Klara's father disappeared from her life when she was 6 years old, and she spent years wondering what happened to him. As she neared 50, she received two letters in the mail, one from her mother who has known all her life what happened to her father, making their troubled relationship a bit harder. The other was from the Poland government telling her that she has a large amount of property that the Nazi's stole from Jewish citizens during WWII.

I really loved Klara's story, how she discovered not only her family but her heritage. Friedman has written a beautiful debut novel with sensitivity on several touchy subjects. It is an inspiring, emotional and compelling read that any lover of family drama and discovery will really enjoy

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