2025 | Book Nerds Across America

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Book Review: Hungerstone by Kat Dunn

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage, the relationship has soured and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry's ambitions take them out of London and to the imposing Nethershaw manor in the countryside, where Henry aims to host a hunt with society’s finest. Lenore keeps a terrible secret from the last time her husband hunted, and though they never speak of it, it still haunts their marriage.

The preparations for the event take a turn when a carriage accident near their remote home brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore's life. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night; Carmilla who stirs up a hunger deep within Lenore. Soon girls from local villages begin to fall sick before being consumed by a bloody hunger.

Torn between regaining her husband's affection and Carmilla's ever-growing presence, Lenore begins to unravel her past and in doing so, uncovers a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk . . .

TEE'S THOUGHTS

I have many thoughts on Hungerstone, but I will tread carefully because I don't want to give anything away. Also, if this review seems scattered, it probably is, I tend to ramble when I really like a book, and things get jumbled because my thoughts are going in so many directions.

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn is based on the novel, Carmilla, by Sheridan Le Fenu, which is the book that inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula. This was one of the many reasons I really wanted to read Hungerstone. I haven't read Carmilla, so I can't say if it is a close adaptation or just based loosely as an idea. It wasn't that book, it was the Dracula mention that piqued my interest.

The other reason it spoke to me was the fact that it was Gothic Horror. I am a huge fan, I think I have even written several posts on the blog about Gothic Horror books, this love goes back to my reading Dracula long ago

I loved Hungerstone. I believe anyone with a love of Gothic Horror would. The book stayed true to its Gothic roots. Set outside of the English town of Sheffield ( oh hay Arctic Monkeys ! )

This story had the atmosphere that makes a gothic book. Foggy moors, a dark and haunting manor house. Brooding characters, both withdrawn and unpleasant. Definitely the type of people you would expect to find in a book written about Victorian times.

Main character Lenora is tragic, in a loveless marriage to Henry, who is a steel magnate. They have moved from London, to the middle of nowhere, Sheffield. Lenora has dreams that foretell the coming of the mysterious Carmilla, who, after a while, shows up when her carriage breaks down and she is invited into the manor home. Lenora finds Carmilla both unnerving and desirable. She is seductive and forbidden. We see Lenora's self-discovery with Carmilla take root at the time she needs it most.

As in most Gothic Horror, Hungerstone isn't the typical horror, where things jump out and scare you. It is horror that is felt in the creepiness of the surroundings and the actions of the characters. It is written in a beautiful prose that is addictive, almost deliciously so.

Saturday, March 22, 2025

BOOK REVIEW: I WOULD DIE FOR YOU BY SANDIE JONES

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Now: Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in a small seaside Californian town with her husband and daughter. She is not expecting a writer to knock on her door asking for her personal insight into the downfall of the biggest British band of the 1980s—unveiling the threads of a life she put behind her years ago. The same day, her daughter goes missing and the school claims her aunt picked her up . . . but she doesn’t have an aunt. Convinced of a link between the two, Nicole is forced to revisit long-abandoned memories from her past to protect everything she now holds dear.

1986: Sixteen-year-old Cassie is obsessed with the hottest band in London, Secret Oktober. Harboring an intense crush on the leading man, Ben Edwards, she will do anything she can to capture his attention among the throngs of groupies at the band’s scandalous backstage parties. But when Ben discovers her older sister Nicole singing at a local bar one night, he can’t help but feel drawn to her, setting in motion a collision course that could tear their family apart.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

Do you like Boy Bands, but with a bit more Rock and Roll? Yes? Then I Would Die For You might be the thriller you need to pick up.

This story is told in multiple POVs, and two time lines. In usual form, I much more enjoyed the past time line ( 1986 ) over the present as such ( 2010 ). The time lines did jump around a lot, and it did get confusing at times. This was probably my biggest complaint with the book.

The main character Nicole, has a very nice life, with her husband and daughter, but the past she tried to bury and failed to tell her husband about , comes back to haunt her. Oh yeah, the past is where the Band Boys are.

Now the things I really liked about the books....The groupies that were in the past, oh they were messy , bad band boys with typical supposed rock and roll type behavior , that me, as a person who use to be part of the music scene just loves to read about.

The characters were ok, I was neither really fond of them, nor did I dislike any of them, with the exception of a few. Nicole had a tendency to get on my nerves, honestly I do not think what she hide about the past warranted keeping a secret, and much of her problems would not have not happened fi she had been truthful to her husband to begin with.

While were the past events were sad and tragic, and it is where most of my attention was, the confusing parts, there were loads of characters, at times really confused me and I would wander away and forget where I was. I also felt that the ending was rushed, like the author needed to get it finished for a dead line ( I am sure that is not the case, but it did feel very rushed )

There are some areas of the book that may make some readers uncomfortable, triggers, I suppose you'd call them. Drug use and bad behavior ( it is rock and roll ) a parent's death to cancer and several more, so it is fair to say, it is not a light read.

Also, I think it is pretty cool that the author was inspired to write I Would Die For You by her times a being a big fan or groupie ( I really dislike the term groupie, I think it insinuates sex, as it did in the 60s and I know a lot of HUGE fans of bands that would never even think of the members in that way ) for the band Duran Duran.

I was given an early listen to I Would Die For You by Macmillan Audio ( thank you kindly ) and I really enjoyed the narrator Imogene Wilde. I found her voice very pleasing and easy to listen to.

Despite being confused, and thinking the book end abruptly, I did enjoy this book, and I think many readers will, especially if they are fans of twisty thrillers, because it was def that

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

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