Review: My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady HendrixMy Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
Also by this author: Paperbacks from Hell, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
Published by Quirk Books on May 17, 2016
Genres: Horror, Supernatural
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
1988.  Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since 4th grade.  They've experienced everything together, their close friendship standing the test of time. Abby's family never had a lot financially, but Gretchen's did. Abby found herself spending most of her time at Gretchen's house, an adoptive daughter to Gretchen's caring, yet sometimes overbearing and controlling parents. It's quite a difference compared to the situation at her own home.  Her parents' jobs aren't lucrative and Abby is a constant reminder of what her birth did to their hopes of a future.

One evening, Abby and Gretchen and a group of their friends decide to go skinny-dipping in participating in drugs of a recreational nature. They lose track of Gretchen, who goes missing for several hours. When they do find her, something is off. Refusing to talk about it, they go about their everyday teen lives.  Yet something is different with Gretchen. Sure, the raging hormones of puberty can often make one seem like they are possessed by a demon.  What happens when they really are?

Hendrix is known most recently for his book Horrorstör, a horror story set in, of all places, an IKEA. I found it to be quite quirky and fun, so when I heard about his most recent book, I knew I had to have it.  Let’s just say I wasn’t quite prepared for how terrifying it is!

Let’s take a step back.  The renowned film The Exorcist and the novel it was based on truly terrified me. This says a lot. I still can’t watch the movie without shielding my eyes with a blanket or pillow. I haven’t even attempted to watch the updated version with edited scenes. Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.  The same feeling I had reading/watching it for the first time continues to today.  It terrifies me…and I absolutely loved it.

When I started reading My Best Friend’s Exorcism, I was immediately enamored by the setting (1980s, woot!) and the references to music I still enjoy (I can’t believe they call it oldies now!).  The format of the book, too, is ingenious. It’s formatted much like the high school year books I own, collecting dust on one of my shelves, complete with the disingenuous messages from people you barely talked to then, and most definitely don’t talk to now.

I loved following Gretchen and Abby’s friendship! It started when Abby invited her entire class to her birthday (roller skating!!) but only Gretchen showed up. Friends for life after that, the two survived middle school and most of high school together. Then, one fateful night everything changes. Including the creepiness level of the book. First, it started with voices Gretchen heard, irritating pokes and scratching on her body that kept her awake at night.  It isn’t long before she stops bathing, a smell of foulness surrounding her.  Abby does what she can to help her friend, but the isolation and horror of what is transpiring in Gretchen’s bedroom at night forces her into seclusion.  Never did Abby predict what her friend was dealing with, and it isn’t until those around them become affected does Abby realize this goes beyond your typical teen mood swing.

The level of description Hendrix uses to portray Gretchen’s experience is absolutely chilling. I thought I’d seen/read it all with The Exorcist.  I was taken back to the first time I watched the movie, read the book. And I was absolutely terrified.

Perhaps it’s the format of the book.  It almost feels like a parody of high school (and it kind of is) but man, I wasn’t prepared to be terrified!  Much like all great horror, the fact that it could scare me so makes me love it even more! Just like his previous book, My Best Friend’s Exorcism exceeds at proving the horrific can exist in the most mundane and normal of settings.

Hendrix, too, excels at capturing the weight, the value of high school friendships. Sure, I kid about not talking to those I went to high school with, yet there are some lasting friendships that were forged in those formative years!

All in all, highly, highly recommended (read it with the lights on)!

Posted in Horror, Quirk Books, Review | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Review: The Fireman by Joe Hill

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Fireman by Joe HillThe Fireman by Joe Hill
Published by William Morrow on May 17, 2016
Genres: Horror, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 768
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
A horrific plague is raving the country.  Draco Incendia Trychophyton, referred to as Dragonscale by the average person, is a very contagious spore that lives on the skin of its victims, the only evidence of the contagion are stunning gold and black strips on the skin.  What makes this plague so deadly is that it causes its victim to burst into flames.  There is no cure, there is no way to prevent it from spreading like wildfire.

Harper Grayson is a young nurse; her patients often refer to her as Mary Poppins.  She stayed to treat hundreds of the infected, barely surviving when the hospital in which she worked burned to the ground.  When she learns she is not only infected, but pregnant as well, her head is spinning.  She and her husband, Jakob, vowed to end their own lives, together, if the became infected.  Now, however, Harper has the will to live. She witnessed infected mothers giving birth to healthy children. She vows to survive until she is able to deliver her child.

Meanwhile, the chaos surrounding them has led to the creation of Cremation Squads, a group of relentless vigilantes who hunt down those they believe to be infected and kill them.  With her life, and the life of her unborn child, at risk, Harper knows she must escape and find refuge with others like her.  She's rescued by a man she met briefly at the hospital. Referred to only as the Fireman, he wears a yellow fireman's jacket and uses his ability to control the fire within him to protect the infected.

The Fireman holds secrets that may help what remains of mankind.  Traumatized due to his own experiences of pain and loss, he's not willing to divulge them easily.  Harper forges a bond with him, however, determined to find a means of creating a future for her unborn child.

I don’t think I need to remind you of my love of anything Joe Hill writes, correct? I’ve read most everything this brilliantly talented author has written, including all of his graphic novels. When I learned the premise of this most recent novel, a plague that leads to an apocalypse, I knew he would hit it out of the ballpark.  And boy, did he.

A truly unique premise with chilling plausibility, I completely devoured this book, its huge page count not dissuading me but encouraging me to move on. One would think that such a huge book would have wanes and ebbs in the momentum, but there is not one moment in the nearly 800 pages that my attention was lost.  With Hill, every word, every statement, every piece of dialogue, has meaning and purpose. He doesn’t use filler to increase his word count. His words are art, joined together to create a truly brilliant masterpiece.

While he’s known for his horror fiction, I wouldn’t declare this as such.  Rather, it’s an examination of characters, of victims, of how society reacts when hit with a devastating blow.  Sure, Dragonscale sounds terrifying, the effects of this terrifying infection are deadly to most.  Yet Hill doesn’t treat it as such. Instead, he focuses on how those who can control it can actually turn it into something quite beautiful.  Rather than it being a curse, it’s a blessing to some, a step in human evolution that cannot be avoided.  It isn’t the plague that is the monster in this story; the real monster is that part of society that feels the need to destroy something they do not understand.

While the character of the Fireman is a important one, it is actually Harper who stands out in the hero in this book. I actually thought a title of “The Shine” or “Shine” would be more appropriate, yet I was quickly made aware of why that might not work :).

All in all, this is a brilliantly crafted piece of fiction.  I adored it so much that I plan on starting the audio soon (narrated by Kate Mulgrew!).  If you hesitate reading this novel because horror isn’t your thing, give it a try.  Hill’s ability to turn something horrific into a thing of beauty is proof enough of his incredible talent. Highly, highly recommended.

Posted in William Morrow | Tagged , | 3 Comments

#BEA16 Wrapup: Harper Collins Summer/Fall Book Preview Part II

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Jenn

Earlier this week, I shared some of the titles I discovered as part of Harper Collins pre-BEA Summer/Fall Book Preview. In an attempt to not overwhelm you/keep the post short, today I’ll be sharing the remaining titles.   They are broken down by imprint (which may not mean anything to some of you) and I’ve listed a short summary taken from my notes, as well as the publication date. Though many of these titles don’t publish for a few months, hopefully this post will help you plan your upcoming book club picks!

Harper Perennial

9780062394620_0a3daNot Just Jane: Rediscovering Seven Amazing Women Writers Who Transformed British Literature  by Shelley DeWees (October 25): 

We’re all familiar with Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters, but they weren’t the only ladies writing outstanding literature at that time. This is a non-fiction portrayal of seven women (Charlotte Turner Smith, Helen Maria Williams, Mary Robinson, Catherine Crowe, Sara Coleridge, Dinah Mulock Craik, and Mary Elizabeth Braddon) from British literary history.

 

 

The Waiting Room by Leah Kaminsky (November 1): 9780062490476_660ba

Dina is the daughter of two survivors of a concentration camp durig World War II. Though she now has a family of her own, she struggles to get out from under her parents’ painful past. The current political conflict between between Palestine and Israel has reached its peak, constantly reminding Dina of the travesty and devastation her parents faced, history threatening to repeat itself. Told in alternating time periods, the reader will be constantly reminding of the frailty of human life.

 

 

Harper Paperbacks9780062433923_3e382

Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan (October 25): 

Margot Lewis is an Classics and English literature teacher at an exclusive school in Cambridge. In her spare time, she writes and advice column for the local paper called “Dear Amy.”. Margot is the first to admit that perhaps she isn’t the best person to be offering advice, her own marriage a failure.

When a student of Margot’s goes missing, the police believe she was kidnapped. Shortly therafter, Margot receives a letter through her column, supposedly written by a girl kidnapped twenty years ago, never found. Margot instantly becomes an active part of the investigation and, unwillingly, a target herself.

After Anna by Alex Lake (August 2): 9780008168483_90c7d

A five year old girl is abducted, taken from outside her school, leaving no trace.  The police investigation has reached a stand-still, her parents don’t know what to believe. Then, a week later, she returns.  One would believe it’s a miracle until it is discovered that she has no memory of where she has been. And thus, the nightmare begins.

 

Dey Street Books

9780062484222_ac4a4The World According to Star Wars by Cass R. Sunstein (May 31st):

There’s something about Star Wars that awakens the child within us.  All it takes is a few scores from the soundtrack and our excitement is piqued.  Sunstein reflects on the magic of Star Wars and it’s unanticipated success.  If ever there was a book for me, this one is it!

 

 

 

The Fortress by Danielle Trussoni (September 20): 9780062459008_2273a

When writer Danielle Trussoni was 27 years old, she fell head-over-heels in love with a novelist from Bulgaria. Their shared interests intensify an already whirlwind romance.  Eight years later, their marriage struggling, they move to a medieval village in southern France.  It is here that Trussoni discovers herself, the isolation granting her knowledge about life and love that she might not otherwise have learned. Though the relationship is never patched up, what Trussoni learns is worth of weight of a lifetime, giving her the push to try again.

 

William Morrow

9780062567482_a2760The Perfect Girl by Gilly Macmillan (September 6):

Seventeen-year-old Zoe Maisey is a musical prodigy.  Three years ago, she was involved in an incident that left three of her classmates dead. Having paid her time, she’s ready to get back to her life.  Her mother, Marie, would prefer to let what happened stay in the past, refusing to tell her new husband about what transpired.

It’s the night of one of Zoe’s recitals. Marie has been planning it for months. What she didn’t plan on, however, is dying.  Told over the span of twenty-four hours from three different narratives, this tells the story the destructiveness of secrets.

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (September 20): 9780062467256_27bdb

Nina Redmond loves her job as a librarian in a busy city. She has a knack for finding the perfect book for each of her patrons. Until, suddenly, her job is no more.

Refusing to give up, determined to make a new life for herself, she moves to a quiet village miles away from the hectic city. There, she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile, traveling from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing lives through books with each stop.  It is here that she finally feels she is at home, finally able to write her own happily ever after ending!

 

9780062378743_321abInheriting Edith by Zoe Fishman (November 1):

Maggie Sheets is a struggling single mother. She’s a housecleaner, an occupation that isn’t exactly lucrative. When her former employer, a famous author, takes her life, Maggie learns she’s been gifted a beautiful home in Sag Harbor.  There’s one catch: she’s also inherited her employer’s eighty-two year old mother, Edith.

Edith has always been a strong and independent woman. A recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis has her worried about her future, now overwhelmed by her daughter’s death.  She’s less than thrilled with the news that Maggie and her toddler have made an abrupt entry into her life.  It isn’t until she’s physically incapable of caring for herself that let’s Maggie into her life, the two woman healing together.

 

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who 9780062363596_b2357Helped Win the Space Race  by Margot Lee Shetterly (September 6):

The space race was a monumental and history altering part of our nation’s past. We’re all familiar with John Glenn and Neil Armstrong…but they didn’t make the journey to space alone.  A group of bright, talented African-American women were the force and planning behind these space expeditions. Known as “colored computers,” these women helped write the equations that would allow these missions to take place, long before the creation of computers.  Using slide rules, adding machines, and pencil and paper, they were invisible to the nation…until now.

Using oral histories from five of these woman ( Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, and Gloria Champine), this once secret group of talented woman is now brought to the forefront of our nation’s history.

 

Whew! I’m beat! Talk about a lot of outstanding books. Do any of these titles in particular stand out to you?

 

Posted in Bookish Chatter, Dey Street Books, Harper Books, Harper Collins Publishers, Harper Perennial, William Morrow | 1 Comment

Review: Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman

Posted on May 18, 2016 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Girls on Fire by Robin WassermanGirls on Fire by Robin Wasserman
Published by Harper, HarperCollins on May 17, 2016
Genres: Literary Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher
Halloween, 1991. A popular high school football player is found dead in the woods, a gun-shot wound to his head the cause of death.  The small conservative town in which he resided is terrified about the motive of this presumed suicide.

Hannah Dexter is a bright, yet largely friendless, young girl. When she is befriended by  Lacey Champlain, a Doc Martin wearing, incredibly seductive  young woman, the friendship quickly blossoms into a near obsessive relationship. Hannah, once a respectful, rule-following young woman is transformed into Dex, a defiant and rebellious teen.

When their close-knit friendship is disrupted by a former friend of Lacey's (who just happens to be Dex's nemesis), Dex quickly becomes wrapped up in Lacey's past, revealing a secret Lacey has hoped to keep hidden.

As I read the final pages of this book, all the expletives came flowing from me. That’s not a complaint, it’s praise.  Never did I imagine or predict what control and power this title held over me. I found myself reflecting on my own teen years, recalling the sheer intensity of some of my friendships (some of them with some not-so-respectful individuals).  I was a teenager, filled with raw emotions, wanting independence and my own identity, not yet understanding that I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  Recalling the sheer power of friendships, how quickly young woman can turn on one another in spite and revenge. It all came rushing back to me with a sheer intensity I nearly couldn’t handle.

After I stepped away and took a breather, I was completely stunned how a book could force me to flash-back in time like this. I felt the emotions, the anger and resentment, I felt as a teen. The battle between the desire to be accepted and to hold on to one’s independence and identity.

Wasserman gives both Lacey and Dex a voice in the narrative. The chapters alternate between the two girls, providing their honest and genuine perspective.  This vehicle allows the reader to gauge each perspective, gaining knowledge on their motives and true feelings, yet still, they both resist and hold back to a measure. Could it be their fear of admitting the truth to themselves, putting it in writing making it ever more real some how?  They hint and elude to the truth, but the full story doesn’t come together until the final pages.

There is no sugar-coating in this book, Wasserman unleashes her characters at full-force. Simultaneously addictive and terrifying, this is a title that is certain to generate a wealth of discussion and reflection. There will be some who deny the plausibility of such a situation, a friendship with bonds so dangerous and destructive.  The path from teen to adulthood is a treacherous and painful one, incredibly terrifying to those experiencing it.  While this is fiction, it is so close to fact for many of us that this might actually read as a memoir or a testimony of life. I cannot believe I survived my teen years so unscathed. It’s only the love of my family and true friends that I can say this!

I feel I should warn that there is a good deal of violence (and a great deal of sex).  Once again, these attributes are not done without purpose or motive, but precise placement in order to generate a genuine and true-to-life experience.

I read this book in one sitting. There is absolutely no place in which I felt the pacing lagged. I couldn’t tear myself away, I was so involved in this train wreck of a relationship that I couldn’t return to the real world until I reached the end. It left me shattered and stunned, my mind shattered. I had chills down my spine…for what Wasserman writes about in this specific title may be fiction, but in life is actually fact. She captures the essence of these young woman so perfectly that you are certain they are “real” individuals, so genuinely that I’m having a difficult time removing them from my thoughts.

Highly, highly recommended. Certain to be one of my favorite books of the year.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing the opportunity to take part in this tour.

Posted in Harper Books, Literary Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Review | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

#BEA16 Wrapup: Harper Collins Summer/Fall Book Preview Part I

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Jenn

Yesterday, I shared some of the book club recommendations I discovered while attending the highly popular Book Club Speed Dating session at Book Expo America.  Today, I’m sharing more of those recommendations, but combining it with another event that took place prior to BEA.

Harper Collins, the most supportive publisher of bloggers, IMHO, annually holds a Summer/Fall Book Preview for bloggers prior to BEA.  This year, since so many weren’t attending due to it being in Chicago rather than New York,  Harper Collins decided to do a live webinar preview.

Following are some of the titles I discovered during this preview. Since there are so many, I am breaking this up into two posts.

I’m so excited about so many of them!  I’ve listed the imprint for each group of titles.

Harper Books

 

9780062359988_2b610Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (August 9):

August is a young woman who grew up in Brooklyn.  There was a side of Brooklyn where young girls were brilliant, talented, and had a future ahead of them.  Yet there was a darker side of Brooklyn, one in which parents abandoned their children, where young girls couldn’t walk down a dark hallway without fear of attack or abuse.

This book is a story of friendship, of hope, and the ever-shortening bridge between being a child and an adult.

 

 

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (September 13):9780062491794_8bdc6


One instance, one chance encounter influences the lives of two families.  Spanning five decades, this novel showcases the connection the children involved forge in order to survive this tumultuous change in their lives.

 

 

9780062448767_32bd6The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgwick (October 11):

Róisín and François meet at a remote research facility in Antarctica.  The two couldn’t be any more different, yet the shared desire for a fresh start is what brings them together.  Unbeknownst to either one of them, their fates have been tied for centuries.

 

 

 

Ecco Books

Heat and Light by Jennifer Haigh (May 3):9780061763298_e2ba6

Decades ago, coal mines in Bakerton helped fuel the country. Now, the mines have closed and the town is just a shell of its former self.  When they learn it sits upon Marcellus Shale, a massive deposit of natural gas, the remaining families are torn. Should they drill? Is the potential wealth it brings worth the health of their families? A wholly timely novel, this title reflects on a cast of characters and a community both blessed and cursed by the natural resources that sustain them.

 

 

9780062436313_973d2The Risen by Ron Rash (September 6)

Honestly, this man could write gibberish and I would read it!  Luckily, that’s not the case!

One summer in 1969, two brothers (Eugene and Bill) meet a free-spirited, fiery red-head named Ligeia.  The relationship Eugene begins with her forces a wedge between him and his brother. Although the relationship ultimately ends, the rift does not.

Fast forward two decades. Bill has found success, while Eugene struggles to find his place in the world.  A reminder of the past forces Eugene to retrace history and the situations that helped shape his less than successful future.  Will uncovering the truth help heal him, move him forward? Or will it further his disillusionment and destroy the lives of those he loves?

 

 

Avon Books9780062379429_fb8be

A Scot in the Dark: Scandal & Scoundrel, Book II  by Sarah MacLean (August 30):

I don’t read a lot of romance. Nothing against it; it’s just not my thing.  But when I discovered Sarah’s books last year, I devoured them.  I’m quite thankful that my library keeps them in their collection; they are so good that I need to make them a permanent part of my personal library collection!

 

Harper Voyager

9780062443120_7afd4The Rift Uprising: The Rift Uprising Trilogy, Book 1  by Amy S. Foster (October 4):

The first in a trilogy, mixing speculative fiction with military thriller. Seventeen-year-old Ryn Whittaker is an elite soldier trained to protect a rift, a portal into alternate Earths that science is unable to close.  Her training is intense, for she’s never certain as to what sort of creature may attempt to pass through the rift into her world.  But when a seemingly harmless young man walks through, all of her training is useless.  He asks her questions about the rift that force her to question everything she has ever known, including the purpose of the rift itself.

 

Lost Gods by Brom (October 25): 9780062095688_9b241

It’s quite hard to describe this one, other than it’s dark and chilling and totally my kind of book.

A young man must travel into Pergatory to save his wife and unborn child. Sound creepy enough? The illustrations are STUNNING. This is the talent that brought us Krampus. I’m sold.

 

Quite the list, right? Do any of these appeal to you? Come back later this week…there’s more!

Posted in Book Club Discussion, Bookish Chatter | 1 Comment

#BEA16 Wrap-up: Book Club Recommendations

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Jenn

As you may know, last week I was in Chicago attending Book Expo America.  Rather inundating you with dozens of update posts, I thought I’d share the takeaways I found most valuable.  The one that tops this, of course, is the annual Book Group Speed Dating session hosted by Reading Group Guides.

In this session, following the “speed dating” format, tables are visited by publicists sharing books they think would make great book club picks. It’s quite a session; given the hectic show floor we have more time to chat with publicists during this session than we do at any other time.  I look forward to this session each year!

There were DOZENS of titles shared (I’ll come back and link to the PowerPoint once it’s available), but rather than share them all I’ll share the ones I’m most interested in.  Note for the Fiction Book Club at One More Page Books: you will see some of these titles in the near future as book club picks!

Below, I’ve shared the title, the format (hardback or paperback) and the publication date! While many of these haven’t released yet, I’m hoping this post allows you to prepare your upcoming slate of book club reads! Since there were so many titles, there will be multiple posts!

Additionally, since each table was visited by a different slate of publicists, I do encourage you to visit other blog posts similar to this one! I didn’t get a chance to hear each publishing house’s picks, so I’m quite interested in hearing others’ perspectives as well!

Algonquin Books

9781616206178_6d00aLeave Me by Gayle Forman (Hardback, September 6):

We all know Forman from her tear-jerking young adult books. With this title, she makes her adult debut.

Maribeth Klein is an overwhelmed working mother. So focused on others that she doesn’t even realize she has a heart-attack.  Even more overwhelmed by her recovery, she packs up a bag and leaves. It is only then that she is able to get a new, fresh perspective on her life, perhaps seeing that she, too, plays a role in the increasing demands upon her own life.

 

9781616203634_19e31

Cruel Beautiful World by Caroline Leavitt (Hardback, October 4):

It’s 1969. Sixteen-year-old Lucy decides to run off with her high school English teacher to “live off the land.”  When this dream turns into a nightmare, it is Lucy’s older sister and caregiver, Charlotte, who must find out what really happened.

 

9781616205270_d23aeThe Good Negress by by A. J. Verdelle (Trade paperback, December 6):

Originally published in 1995, this title is set in the years leading up to the Detroit riots. Denise Palms, raised by her grandmother in rural Virginia, moves to Detroit to be reunited with her mother.  There, she’s expected to cook, clean, go to school, and take care of her mother’s baby once it is born.

But one of Denise’s teachers opens her eyes to her full potential, forcing her to reevaluate her life to see other possibilities.

 

 

The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers (Hardcover, January 2017):

9781616205812_8c4d1Major Gryffth Hockaday is called off to fight in the Civil War, leaving behind his new bride and newborn son.  His wife, Placidia, is merely a teen herself, unfamiliar with how to run, much less raise a child, alone. By the time the Major returns two years later, Placidia is in prision, accused of giving birth to a child in his absence, and murdering it.

Told through court inquests, and journal entries.

 

 

Liveright 
9781631492334_0872cThe Red Car by Marcy Dermansky (Hardcover, October 11):

I was first introduced to Dermansky with previous title, Bad Marie. In this latest novel,  the main character Leah is gifted a flashy red sports car after her former boss and mentor dies. She must leave her life in the Bronx to travel to San Francisco to claim the car.  There, she spends several days revisiting her previous life, reflecting upon the chances and opportunities she’s missing in her current life.

 

 

 

Mira Books9780778319337_bec34

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick (Small hardback, May 3):

Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper is a recent widower. It’s been a year since his wife passed away.  It is on this anniversary of her passing that Arthur discovers a gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before.  He decides to embark upon a journey, using the charms as his guide, to help him find the truth about his wife’s secret life, before they met. The journey is one full of hope and healing, found in the most unexpected of places.

 

St. Martin’s Press

9781250087102_61685

Adnan’s Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial  by Rabia Chaudry (Hardcover, September 6th):

I don’t know about you, but I’m obsessed with the Serial podcast.  This title promises to “reexamine the investigation that led to Adnan’s arrest, cover new evidence and possibilities that have since come to light, and review the court successes that have breathed new life to Adnan’s case. Woven with personal reflections from Adnan himself, including new never-before-seen letters he penned from prison, this in-depth book offers new insight into the story that captivated millions.”  Yes, please!

St. Martin’s Griffin
9781250092373_11d0e
WARP by Lev Grossman (Trade Paperback, September 20):

This title is actually Lev Grossman’s debut novel, reissued with the recluctant, yet ultimately willing, Lev Grossman.  A post-college, coming of age story.  Though I wasn’t really a fan of The Magicians,  I’m interested in giving this debut a chance 🙂

St. Martin’s Press
9781250111593_71425A Boy Made of Blocks: A Novel  by Keith Stuart (Hardcover, September 6):

Alex’s relationship (or lack thereof) with his eight-year-old autistic son, Sam, has pushed his marriage to the breaking point.  He’s unable to connect with Sam, so he moves out in an attempt to re-evaluate his life.  When he discovers that Sam plays Minecraft, the game gives Alex and Sam a means to bond.   Though this is a novel, it is based on the author’s own relationship with his autistic son.

9781250048592_dc957
Les Parisiennes: How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved, and Died Under Nazi Occupation   by Anne Sebba (Hardcover, October 18th):

Paris, 1940s. In history classes, we’ve read about the German occupation…but mostly through the eyes of men. This unique biography details how women were forced to make life or death decisions on a daily basis, struggling to provide for their families, forced to interact with the enemy on a daily basis.

What do you think? Do any of these titles jump out to you as potential book club reads? Stay tuned! One more post to come!

 

Posted in Book Club Discussion, Bookish Chatter | 2 Comments

Review: Wilde Lake by Laura Lippman

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Wilde Lake by Laura LippmanWild Lake by Laura Lippman
Published by William Morrow on May 3, 2016
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher
Luisa “Lu” Brant is the first first female state’s attorney of Howard County, Maryland.  Her father held the same office years ago.  Howard County is a relatively quiet county, not many murderers to try. When a mentally disturbed man is arrested for breaking into a woman's home and beating her to death, Lu knows she needs this case to make a name for herself.

As she prepares for the trial, she's reminded of painful memories of her family's past.  On night, when she was just a young girl, her brother AJ saved the life of a good friend, only to take the life of another in his place. AJ was just eighteen, his life spared by the grand jury.   Lu doesn't recall much of that but wonders how much was withheld from her due to her age?  Lu's mother passed away just a week after giving birth to her, so she grew up with just her father and brother. Is it possible that they withheld vital details in order to shelter her? If they withheld information about this incident, what else were they keeping from her?

As she dives deeper into her quest to find answers, she finds herself unraveling not one or two, but a series of lies that coiled around her and her family.

A long time fan of Lippman’s work, I respect how her thrillers not only revolve around a mysterious crime or death, but also have a flavor of social commentary.  In this case, she reflects upon mental illness, the treatment of rape victims, and how one’s position in society can influence one’s fate.

Though this wasn’t as compelling and captivating as her previous thrillers, I did enjoy the local feel (I’m just about 45 minutes from the book’s setting). While the social commentary did draw me in, I would have liked more of an edge to how this thriller was laid out.  That’s not to say it wasn’t compelling enough, I just wasn’t drawn in as much as I would have liked.

All this said, I’m not sorry I read this title; I would certainly recommend it to fans of the genre.  Lippman’s writing style is pristine and engaging, this particular instance isn’t necessarily indicative of her usual talent, however.  Perhaps had she honed in on one social aspect, or gave more attention to further detailing the primary characters, my experience would have been more memorable.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me the opportunity to review this title!

Posted in Review | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Best of Jenn’s Bookshelves: BEA 2016 Edition

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Jenn

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It’s going to be a quiet week on the blog.  As I write this, I’m sitting in a hotel room in Chicago, preparing to attend my sixth (!!) Book Expo America.  Imagine a convention center filled to the brim with authors, readers, teachers, librarians, publicists & more, and that’s a snapshot of what BEA is!

So, while I do have one review posted this week (I didn’t want to rush to post, just to post), I thought I’d share a post that readers of all types, both old and new, would appreciate. We’ll call it ‘The Best of Jenn’s Bookshelves.”  The aim of this post is to share some of my favorite posts since last BEA!  For new readers, this will give you a taste of my favorite books. For loyal readers, this will be a nice refresher in case you missed out on these posts the first time!

Finders Keepers by Stephen King ( I love me some Stephen King! He is my favorite author, of all time)
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul G. Tremblay: a chilling ghost story….or is it?
Eeny Meeny by M J Arlidge: this is the first in a truly chilling psychological thriller series. One of the few authors who can manage to give me the heebie jeebies!
In Which ‘Violent Ends’ Evokes a Flurry of Emotions: this title still makes me feel ALL the emotions.
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon: I hope to pick up her next title here at BEA!
Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash: I just love everything this man writes!
After You by Jojo Moyes: the follow up to Me Before You!
Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye: Definitely one of my favorite books of the year.

 

A few more things about me:

  • I’m the proud mother two to amazing boys (John-16, Justin-10) and wife to an amazingly supportive man.
  • I’ve been blogging since 2008. Continuously, without breaks. Call it passion, call it insanity. I’m still here.
  • My sister and I own an Etsy store where we sell planner clips/bookmarks, called Bookmark Bitches.
  • I do have a full time job.  Reading is more than a hobby to me, it is a passion. I don’t get paid to read and review all these titles, I do it purely for the love of literature.
  • I love spooky books.  Thrillers, horror, and suspense are my favorite types of books to read.
  • My teen son is my (formerly) reluctant reader. Now he thrives in his reading.  My youngest son has always loved to read (He’s currently reading WONDER for about the third time!)

Well there you have it! If you are going to be at BEA, be sure to say hello!  If not, I’ll be back next week, filled to the brim with bookish goodness!

Posted in Bookish Chatter | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Review: Roses and Rot by Kat Howard

Posted on May 6, 2016 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher (egalley) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Roses and Rot by Kat HowardRoses and Rot by Kat Howard
Published by Saga Press on May 17, 2016
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher (egalley)
As a child, Imogen created fairy tales in her mind, ones in which the evil stepmother died and the princess lived happily ever after. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case in Imogen's own home. Her mother abused both her and her younger sister, Marin, leaving them scarred both mentally and physically. Imogen left home as soon as she was able, unfortunately leaving Marin to deal with the brunt of their mother's brutality.

Now adults, the two reunite. Both are accepted into a post-grad arts program. Imogen is now a talented writer, Marin is a beautiful dancer. Life seems to be finally working out for them, both free of their mother's wrath and abuse.  Unfortunately, life isn't all about fairy tale endings...or is it?

The sisters soon learn that the school they've enrolled in is more than just a means to cultivate young talent. It's a source of payment to the land of the Fae.  Every seven years, they must pay a tithe. One student must enter the unknown world, leaving their loved ones behind. In return, they gain immediate and guaranteed success in all they do. Desperate for approval and success after suffering years of abuse at the hands of their mother, Imogen and Marin both find themselves as candidates for the tithing.  What they must realize is somethings are too good to be true...and everything comes with a consequence.

It was rather hard to write a summary of this book without giving much away. Thankfully, much of these is revealed in the early parts of the book.

It’s been some time since I’ve immersed myself into urban fantasy. This was certainly a unique one, in which fairy tales come to life…but not as positively as we would like.

Overall, I enjoyed this read. It was a breath of fresh air, a means to clean my reading palate and start anew.  It’s captivating and attention-grabbing, everything I was looking for in a book.

I would have loved to have learned more about the sisters’ past and upbringing earlier on in the book.  The conditions they faced with their mother were hinted at, yet not fully revealed until the middle and then end of the book. I wanted to know more about them, wanted to have some history to help form a connection.

Even without this back story, I was able to connect, although perhaps not nearly as much as I would have preferred. While I was invested in the story, I don’t know if I connected with either girl.

All in all, however, this is a quick and engaging read for fans of urban fantasy. Recommended.

Posted in Fantasty, Review | 1 Comment

Review: The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Jenn

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Secrets of Flight by Maggie LefflerThe Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler
Published by William Morrow on May 3, 2016
Genres: General Fiction, Historical Fiction
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: the publisher
Eighty-seven year old Mary Browning has been estranged from her family for most of her life.  She continues to look back on the secrets that altered her life, paving a new and different future. Her outlet is a writing group she's been a part of for ten years, despite never really contributing herself.

When a fifteen-year-old girl named Elyse joins the group, Mary is flooded with memories of her own sister, Sarah.  She's certain Elyse has entered her life for a reason, and asks the young girl to transcribe her life story.  Unknown to most, Mary served as a woman pilot, a fly-girl, during World War II. She left her family behind to pursue her dreams during a time when women were supposed to remain home or, at the very most, attend secretarial school.

The two form the most unlikely of connections. They need one another for support and comfort, for Elyse, at her young age, is battling many of the same struggles as Mary did at that age.  Together, they learn that life is full of second chances.

From the moment I read the premise of this book, I knew I had to read it. Through various other novels, I have learned of the multitude of ways women were called to duty while men fought in the war.  Unfortunately, many of these opportunities granted to them were only temporary and, until know, unknown to the world.

I truly enjoyed the connection that Mary and Elyse formed. Told in alternating points of view, we follow these women through the challenges they faced in pursuing their dreams. For Mary, she was expected to remain at home, get married, and be a homemaker. She struggles with her faith, for it too created obstacles in her success and, ultimately, in her relationship with her family.

Though Elyse has more opportunities, the demands her family place on her force her to lie about working with Elyse.  That said, as the novel progressed, I felt there were some connections that were forced and unnecessary, making the novel seem almost rushed near the end, fabricated instead of flowing naturally.

That said, I still gained a lot of knowledge from reading this title, and would still recommend it highly. As a matter of fact, the book club I lead will be discussing it in June. Despite it’s flaws, it’s rich with historical details that must be celebrated and brought to the attention of others.  Young girls need to have idols and mentors to look upon for guidance.  Seeing how women paved the way for additional opportunities to serve was not an easy task, one that we still struggle with today. Although the path to progress is long and arduous, the steps along the way are full of inspiration.

 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me the opportunity to take part in this tour.

Posted in General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Review | Tagged , , | 3 Comments