The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke

The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke tells three interconnected stories. In 1998 Liv, a single mother of three, takes an art commission to paint a mural inside a 100-year-old lighthouse on an island in Scotland. Since her husband died, life has been rough and she's barely been able to support her family. But, this job should keep her going for a while. 

The lighthouse has a hole that leads to a cave where people accused of witchcraft were tortured in the 17th century; and, superstition on the island runs deep. When a child knocks at her door, has Liv found a wildling? Wildlings are supernatural beings that take the place of children, allegedly due to a curse by the witches who were executed in 1662, and they have been accused of causing the deaths of entire families for centuries. 

In 2021, Luna receives a startling call. Back in 1998, her mother Liv and both of her sisters, Clover and Sapphire (Saffy), went missing. Now, Clover has reappeared and Luna is her only known relative. But, when Luna travels to Scotland from her home in Coventry, she is stunned to find that her little sister is the same age she was when she disappeared, rather than a 30-year-old woman. And, she has a mark on her leg that is known to be the mark of the wildling. Is Clover really her sister or a strange being that took her place? Is Luna in danger? 

There's also a third storyline that intertwines, but it's a lesser part of the story. In 1998, Saffy has found the grimoire (a book of magic spells, although it reads like a diary) of a man from 1662. Since there's little to do on the island and not a lot of reading material but Saffy is an avid reader, she reads the grimoire. It describes the accusations of witchcraft that took place on the island and the confessions and deaths of the women accused. 

Highly recommended - Creepy, atmospheric, fascinating, sometimes a little scary, well-written and very meaningful. I didn't find The Lighthouse Witches extremely scary but there were some violent and disturbing scenes so I was also a bit surprised not to have any nightmares at all while I was reading it. In the end, the really great thing about the book is that it has a very satisfying ending (in my humble opinion) and an exceptional theme, really an indictment of cruel misogyny, the author's point being that the world needs to stop persecuting women for simply existing. I loved the depth of meaning and will be watching for more by this author, for sure. 

I did have one issue with the book. The grimoire excerpts read like a contemporary diary to me. In fact, it took me a long time to figure out that that particular storyline took place in 1662 as it lacked a date label, although Saffy may have mentioned it being from that time period. I considered that a minor issue as she did a fantastic job of interconnecting the stories and eventually the time period does become clear, even if the language feels off. 

My thanks to Berkley Books for the review copy! 

As you can see, I was finally able to take an outdoor photo after a long, hot, wet summer. It's warmed back up but we cooled off for 3 or 4 whole days! Wow, was that fun. 

©2021 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

In 1982, Viv Delaney leaves home to get away from her anxiety-ridden mother and start a new life. Her intent is to go to New York City but she quickly runs out of money and ends up working in the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. It doesn't take long before Viv starts to notice strange things: a strong smell of smoke, the frequent appearance of a woman who is both angry and terrified, a little boy, doors that fling themselves open, and a couple of hotel guests who seem more than a little shady. When Viv hears about the strange deaths that have taken place in the area, seemingly unconnected and mostly unsolved murders of young women, she starts investigating. Are the deaths really unconnected or did the police miss something? Is there a serial killer in Fell? Who are the ghosts that haunt the Sun Down Motel and why? What are they trying to tell her? Will she discover the answers before it's too late?

In 2017, Viv's niece, Carly arrives at the Sun Down Motel full of questions. What happened to her aunt Vivian, who disappeared while working at the Sun Down Motel in 1982? Is she dead or alive? Why was the investigation into her disappearance given up so quickly? If she's alive, where did she go and why didn't she ever contact her sister, Carly's mother, who has since passed away?

Following in the footsteps of Viv, Carly sets out to find answers. She gets a job at the Sun Down Motel, finds a roommate, and begins asking questions. But, the ghosts of the past are still haunting the present. Will Carly be able to figure out what happened to her missing aunt? Is her disappearance connected to the murders of young women that took place in Fell around that time? With a little help from a man with a troubled past, Carly starts digging. But, the only person who wants to talk about Aunt Vivian is seriously creepy.

Highly recommended - Ohmygosh, what a fantastic mystery/suspense with wonderful characters, genuinely suspenseful writing, and plenty of scare-your-socks-off moments. At one point while I was reading The Sun Down Motel, I realized that I was so tense I was sitting on the bed bolt upright, taking quick, shallow breaths. Very few suspense books truly grab me and hold on the way The Sun Down Motel did. I particularly recommend The Sun Down Motel to anyone who loves paranormal elements as the ghosts (if a little heavy-handed in the number of appearances) are among the most believable I've read.

Weird side note: I guessed what happened to Viv about halfway through the book but it actually didn't matter. It was just a guess and I had to know the answers. The book held onto me fast and I madly flipped pages. In fact, The Sun Down Motel gripped me so thoroughly that I had to warn my husband I wasn't coming up for air till I finished. He shrugged and went off to do outdoor work. I have no idea what he did, I was so immersed. The Sun Down Motel is going into the favorites pile, for sure.

Many thanks to Berkley Books for letting me join in on this tour and providing the book.

©2020 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street by Karen White

Melanie Trenholm has always seen ghosts and she lives in a house with spirits, at least one of whom comes only when needed. Now, in The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street, the most recent release in a series full of mystery and paranormal elements, Melanie has recently discovered a dark presence in her stepdaughter Nola's room, seen a man in old-fashioned clothing where an archeological dig is going on around her cistern, and smells the scent of roses always left by the ghost of a woman she helped to release in the first Tradd Street book.

Marc Longo is back to annoying her, as well, and now he's searching for a new treasure (this time, a French treasure brought to the continent by the Marquis de Lafayette), trying to foist his way into the Tradd Street house with a film crew, and determined to one day own the place. His brother Anthony now owns the other estate associated with the Tradd Street home, both of which had the same owner in the past. Anthony was conned into taking on the estate when his brother discovered the original treasure he sought was not there. Now, Marc is convinced that there's a connection between the mausoleum at the estate Anthony now owns and the bricks in the cistern at Tradd Street. But a presence in the mausoleum is keeping them from investigating.

When Melanie and others in her circle check out the mausoleum and some documents Marc stole, they find pieces of a puzzle. Meanwhile, Melanie and her sister, Jayne see several new spirits from the Revolutionary War era at Anthony Longo's home and Anthony is having frequent accidents. What do bricks, peacocks, and the warnings of ghosts mean? Can Melanie unravel the mystery in time to have a relaxing Christmas with her family?

First, a little background on my own reading of the series. I've only read the first book, The House on Tradd Street, prior to this one. When The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street was offered to me, I thought it was the perfect excuse to read The House on Tradd Street, which had been sitting on a pile in my library for years. Had I not recently read that first book, I would have been completely lost. Christmas Spirits stands alone well enough if you're familiar with at least the main characters but I would not go into the series in the middle. At the very least, you need an introduction. Fortunately, while a lot has happened and many new characters have been introduced, I had no trouble at all catching up on the general events of the books I've missed.

Recommended but not a favorite - If you have read and enjoyed past Tradd Street books, you'll probably love this one, as well. It is much like the other book I read, although obviously I can't speak for the rest. I remember there was a lot going on The House on Tradd Street and the same is true of The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street. There are a ton of different elements to the story. Christmas, by the way, is more of a backdrop than a feature. While Melanie and Jack are facing some immense challenges caused by Marc's intervention in their lives, as well as working to unravel the mystery and stay a step ahead of Marc as he chases down the same paths, Melanie is also involved in preparations for a "progressive dinner" for the Christmas season (I had to look that up -- it's a meal where each course is served at a different house). There are other preparations, like buying presents and gathering for a family photo, but they're really secondary and you could be forgiven for occasionally forgetting Melanie and Jack even have small children.

There are almost too many characters in the story -- many of whom were introduced in various novels as the series has progressed. I had a little difficulty getting them all straight in my head and I'm not sure all of them were necessary to the plot. In the end, though, it was ultimately satisfying how the mystery was wrapped up and the problems I had with the book were the same ones I had with The House on Tradd Street: there's a bit too much going on, the writing is wordy (tight writing with few wasted words is my personal preference), and I find Melanie annoying. Those are really a matter of individual taste, not commentary on the storyline, though. I liked the story's complexity so I still recommend it to those who have an affinity for paranormal stories.

My thanks to Berkley Books for the review copy!

Fiona Friday will be on the wrong day, once again, this week. Tune in tomorrow for your weekly cat fix!


©2019 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

A Most Extraordinary Pursuit by Juliana Gray

I suppose scorn makes one feel more clever, in the same way that indignation makes one feel more moral. 

~p. 197

Emmeline Truelove was the personal secretary to the Duke of Olympia, till his recent death. Now, a young man by the name of Maximillian Haywood has inherited the duchy. But, he has gone missing. At the behest of the newly widowed duchess, and with the charming and dashing Lord Silverton accompanying her, Miss Truelove must head for the Mediterranean to unravel the mystery of the future duke's disappearance.

A Most Extraordinary Pursuit contains a wild, almost bizarre blend of adventure, mystery, characters who may or may not be entirely what they seem, potential for romance, ghosts, time travel, magic, and some very informative history paired with mythology.

The vast majority of the book follows Truelove and Silverton as they pursue clues to Haywood's whereabouts. Somewhere along the way, they pick up another man, a gentleman and scholar by the name of Mr. Higganbotham. Silverton is a gorgeous spy and a cad, Higganbotham an, at times, slightly daffy intellectual. After finding a fresco that appears to be fake in the palace of Knossos, which is being dug up and preserved, and repeatedly facing danger, the myth of Ariadne takes on a deeper meaning. But, what does the myth have to do with the missing duke? And, will either of the men pursue an understanding with Truelove or are they toying with her?

Recommended with postscript - I was absolutely immersed in A Most Extraordinary Pursuit, all week. It's only about 430 pages long (technically, that meets my old definition of "chunkster" from the days when I came up with the Chunkster Challenge, but it's not far over the line) but there's so much happening that it took me a long time to get through the book. I love the fact that A Most Extraordinary Pursuit has interesting characters but is plot-heavy. I love the Edwardian time period and the language. I really love-hated Lord Silverton. I pictured him with the face and hair of Luke Norris (Dr. Enys in Poldark) but with a wicked twinkle in his eye, Edwardian clothing, and a bit of a swagger.

There were portions, however, that didn't work for me. There are two ghosts: the ghost of Queen Victoria and Truelove's father. Both visit Miss Truelove but it's Queen Victoria who tries to guide Emmeline and the ghost of her father contributes little. There are two men who may have romantic interest in Truelove, but one is known for enticing and abandoning women. The other is a either an enigma or exactly what he seems. Higganbotham almost completely fades away within the last 100 pages; he's there, but he's no longer key. Are we to distrust Higganbotham or simply dismiss him? Has his interest waned for good or will he appear in the next book? Because, herein lies another issue. A Most Extraordinary Pursuit is not a stand-alone. Although it's mostly wrapped up, at least one bright red thread is left dangling; clearly the story will continue.

Also, toward the end of the book, the mythology became extremely confusing. I thought the author did a fairly good job of interspersing bits of the tale of Ariadne and Theseus between chapters and explaining the characters (I'm not knowledgeable about mythology) till that last 50 pages or so. Then, it became suddenly overwhelming, to the point that I began to skim over the mythological portion. I didn't mind the craziness -- there is even a paranormal aspect, a magical touch -- but the author nicely warned her readers that she'd asked permission to take the book to extremes and it was granted. Well, she certainly did that. The book is wildly adventurous but it's also rather strange.

In the end, I gave the book 4 stars and I would, in fact, like to see where Juliana Gray (more commonly known as Beatriz Williams) takes Miss Truelove in future installments, but I also felt a slight bit let down and perplexed after the last 30-50 pages. And clearly I need to bone up on mythology.

There was also one particular feature of the book that I believe could have been minimized, if not left out entirely, and that was Truelove's repetitive seasickness. It was neither important to the plot, nor necessary for character development at any time, in my humble opinion, although perhaps it was meant to show us that Silverton could display compassion and kindness. I would have preferred that the author minimize those scenes; they were not fun to read at all.


©2016 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon

The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon
Copyright 2015
Doubleday - Fiction - Suspense/Paranormal
322 pp.

He was still a joke to Piper. He saw it in the way she watched him, waiting for him to screw up in some way, to let Margot down. There was something slightly amused--mocking even--in the way she looked at him and spoke to him, as if he were still an awkward little boy.

~ from p. 87 of The Night Sister

Amy, Piper, and Margot were best friends as children. Amy lived in the Tower Motel, a motel in London, Vermont with a tower fashioned after the Tower of London of English fame. After a highway began leading traffic around the town, the hotel lost its thriving business and it sat, mostly empty, the tower crumbling nearby. The friendship of the three girls faded after the year they found a suitcase full of letters written by Amy's great aunt, Sylvie Slater, who supposedly went to Hollywood but was never heard from, again.

When Amy and her family are found murdered, only their young daughter still alive, Piper returns from California, half out of concern for pregnant Margot's health but mostly because of a cryptic note Amy left behind. Margot and Piper know it's a clue and they don't believe Amy was capable of murder, but they'll have to work carefully around Margot's husband Jason to determine what happened. To find out what's going on and what kind of monster killed Amy's family, they must return to the hotel and delve into the lives of the past, to Sylvie and Rose. Rose, Amy's grandmother, is still living. And, she believes in monsters.

My thoughts:

The Night Sister is seriously creepy, but it's more frightening at the beginning and then loses a bit of its tension as the story goes back and forth in time. Still, the questions that make the book a page-turner continue to pull you through the book, even if it seems to lack the urgency of the beginning. What became of young Sylvie? What did the three girls find in the suitcase that caused them to drift apart? What's the meaning of the message about the 29th room? Are there really monsters in Vermont? Was Amy killed by a monster or did she murder her own family?

Recommended - I liked The Night Sister for the fact that the pages flew, but I confess that I found the ending a bit of a letdown and some of the answers to the questions were a shade disappointing. I think it's partly that I wanted it to go one direction and instead it went another. Having said that, I enjoyed the story, in general (I gave it 4 stars at Goodreads), and think it's absolutely right for this time of year and would make an excellent read for the RIP X Challenge, if you're participating. It did give me nightmares at the beginning, so watch out if you're nightmare prone!


©2015 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Copyright 2013

Sourcebooks Landmark - Fiction/Historical-Contemporary blend w/a touch of paranormal

543 pp.

Source:  From Sourcebooks for review

What The Firebird is about:

Nicola Marter has a special talent.  When she touches an object, she sees scenes from its history.  Her father has the same ability but revealing his gift caused such anguish he will not speak of it; he has coached Nicola to keep her gift buried deeply.  

When a woman arrives at the art gallery at which Nicola works, hoping to sell a Russian carving, Nicola knows she's telling the truth about its origin.  But the vision of Empress Catherine handing it to the woman's ancestor is not enough to authenticate its history so the woman goes home disappointed.  Then, Nicola finds the woman's scarf and learns something more.  Determined to help, she sets off for Scotland to find the one person she knows to be even more gifted than herself.  

Together, Nicola and her handsome friend Rob will travel in pursuit of evidence from the past.  When the two psychics are thrown together with a common goal, will the romance of their past start anew?  Or will Nicola keep running from her ability and the love she gave away?

What I loved about The Firebird:

That was probably a crap description, sorry.  I just hate using the publisher's description unless I'm at a total loss for words.  I am at a loss about how to describe what I loved about the book because The Firebird is another one of those books that so thoroughly swept me away that I'm tempted to say I loved absolutely everything about it.  I adored the characters (especially the hero), the slowly-building romance, the historical context and the story itself.  But, there was one thing I didn't love.  Just one.  Well, no, two.

What I disliked about The Firebird:

It was a little hard to wrap my mind around the concept of two people being so connected that they can actually hear each other's thoughts.  In The Firebird, the two characters occasionally speak telepathically. Sometimes they don't even realize they're doing so.  Kind of a stretch, I thought.  I love the way Susanna Kearsley blends a bit of time travel with a contemporary story, though, and I was not going to let a concept that I found a little unbelievable keep me from enjoying an excellent read.  The only other problem I had with The Firebird was the occasional tedious passage.  I loved the book but sometimes it was just a tiny bit too detailed and I found myself close to slipping into zone-out mode.  That never lasted very long, though.

The bottom line:

Highly recommended - Excellent storytelling, wonderful characterization and stunning historical research make for a terrific, escapist read.  The Firebird continues the story of historical characters first introduced in The Winter Sea, a book I absolutely loved.  In fact, now I wish I hadn't passed on my copy of The Winter Sea because I'd really like to go back and read it, again.  Oh, well.  Read them together, if you can, but The Firebird stands alone fine and both are excellent books, perfect for vacation reading.

©2013 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Reboot by Amy Tintera

Reboot by Amy Tintera

Copyright 2013
Harper Teen - Dystopian
Ages 13 and up
369 pp.

Source:  Harper Collins

Brief summary without spoilers:

In the future, war and a deadly virus have taken a large portion of the population.  When people die of the virus, some of them "reboot" as slightly stronger but less emotional creatures who can only be killed with a bullet to the brain or a serious head injury.  The longer you're dead before you reboot, the less emotional you are.  Wren is a 178 -- dead 178 minutes, very unusual.  She is a slave to the corporation, HARC, and must go on missions to the slums to bring in people with the virus, those who have rebooted but haven't been turned in by their parents and other lawbreakers.

When she's not on a mission, Wren is busy training new reboots.  Usually, Wren chooses the highest-number reboots because they're easiest to train, less emotional, less likely to die or be eliminated for not measuring up.  But, then along comes a 22 named Callum.  Wren decides it might be interesting to see if she's up to the challenge of training such an emotional and slow reboot.  But, when he defies orders and is about to be eliminated at the same time she is asked to rescue a 39 from certain death, Wren realizes escape is their only option.  But, is escape even possible?

What I loved about Reboot:

Reboot is essentially a new twist on the zombie concept and I loved the uniqueness.  The Reboots have died and lost some degree of emotion and humanity but they've gained different abilities like a stronger sense of smell, strength and speed. They're not brain-eating beings but slightly altered humans.  It took a while to wrap my head around the concept of the Reboot but the farther you get into the book, the more it makes sense.

Wren is a kick-ass female archetype; Callum is funny and charming.  And, while Reboot is Wren's story, it's because of Callum that you see the humanity even Wren doesn't realize is left inside of her.  Besides the excellent characterization, Reboot is tremendously fun, with an exceptional balance between action and interaction.  The ending is satisfying and perfectly wrapped up.  The author could easily carry the story forward (I don't know if Reboot will have a sequel) but there's no annoying cliffhanger ending.

What I disliked about Reboot:

The only criticism I can come up with is that the language in Reboot is a bit too simplistic.  I found myself wanting to upgrade words like "mean" or "dumb" to those with more specific meanings and if I'd been her editor or beta reader, would have nudged the author to ramp up the vocabulary a bit.  The reading level, though, does make Reboot an excellent choice for when you need a bit of a mental break, definitely the kind of book I like to read when traveling -- I have a terrible concentration level on vacation.

Recommendation:

Highly recommended, action-packed reading with a solid dilemma, satisfyingly complex plot and a truly lovely romance that builds slowly and believably.  Light, funny, exciting adventure, a strong heroine and a charming hero.  I absolutely adored Callum.  Also, I don't recall any bad language or graphic sex, although there is talk of Reboot sex being a rather mindless hormone-related thing.  I liked how the author treated sexuality and definitely wouldn't have any problem leaving it out where an adolescent could get hold of the Reboot.

In other news:

Our weather has been so unusually pleasant that we've been going to our local baseball games.  It helps that we've moved 30 miles closer to the ballpark, of course.

A baseball bookmark, just for you:

Sports are 1,000 times more fun when you take a camera.  Humble opinion.

©2013 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Forbidden by Syrie and Ryan M. James

Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James

Copyright 2012

HarperTeen - Young Adult/Paranormal

412 pp.

I wish I was on HarperTeen's mailing list. I managed to win my copy of Forbidden from Alyce of At Home With Books and it was such a pleasant diversion.

16-year-old Claire Brennan has never lived anywhere for long. It has always seemed as if her mother is running from something. But, she's been attending exclusive Emerson Academy for two years and she loves her school. When Claire begins having psychic visions, she's afraid to tell her mother. What is her mother running from? Why are strange things suddenly happening to Claire?

Alec MacKenzie is a Watcher, an angelic being whose job is to eliminate the Fallen when they become too dangerous. But, after over 100 years of doing his job, he's weary and just wants to give human life a try. He's had many years to learn a lot of information, so a school with a reputation for excellence seems like a nice place to hide and play at being normal. But, trouble follows. When Alec's godfather says there's a dangerous Halfblood roaming around Emerson, Alec agrees to help locate the Halfblood only if his godfather will guarantee not to turn Alec in.

Claire has a terrible crush on Alec and the feeling is mutual. But, Alec knows their love is forbidden. Is there a way for Alec to do his job and continue to spend time with Claire? Or must they be separated for eternity? Even worse, could their romance end in death?

What I loved about Forbidden:

I've been in a YA mood, lately, and Forbidden was just what I needed. It's got danger, forbidden romance, a dubious character or two (or four), and enough suspense to make the pages fly. The writing is also light enough for someone who is in the middle of working on preparing to buy a house and move. Haha. Had to throw that in. I do have a little trouble focusing on more intense reading material when I've got a lot going on, so young adult novels are particularly wonderful for such times.

I liked the characters and was swept away by the dilemma, the romance, and the paranormal elements. The lightness of the writing was very pleasant, since I've got a lot on my mind.

What I disliked about Forbidden:

Apart from answering with the word "Aye" instead of "Yes", Alec's dialogue does not make him sound like a Scot, but he is from Scotland. He pretty much sounds like everyone else in California and is most distinguished by the fact that he's lived a monk-like existence and has only eaten extremely healthy food. So, pizza and other foods are a shocking joy to him and, actually, his new food experiences and special abilities set him apart more than any attempt at a believable accent. I don't think that's a terrible thing, though, as a lot of authors overdo their attempt to make someone sound authentic, which ends up distracting the reader from the storyline. So, Alec's lack of Scottishness is a minor complaint.

Recommendation:

Loved it! Recommended to paranormal fans who like a clean, light read with plenty of romantic tension, solid writing and a nice plot. This is only the second book I've read with angels in it so I can't say how it compares to others but I enjoyed Forbidden. It can be a tiny bit sappy, at times, and there is a smidgen of love triangle -- which, of course, has become a bit of a tired, old thing in YA -- but I liked both of the male characters and very rarely thought, "Oh, come on!" That may be because I haven't read much YA, this year. Forbidden swept me away and entertained me. That's all I care.

And, the latest news:

Things seem to be progressing rather quickly with the house purchase. Those who know me well will understand when I say I'm most excited about the fact that the neighborhood we're planning to move into has sidewalks and the city has leash laws. The absence of both has been really frustrating because we both grew up walking and riding bikes in neighborhoods where dogs were fenced and not a threat to active people (and dogs were not threatened by cars, which I believe is equally important). I cannot wait to ride a bike in my own neighborhood!

The cats are going to probably be peeved, though. I just have a feeling. Cats aren't really thrilled with the concept of change. We shall see.

Happy Monday!

Bookfool, who is trying to stop admiring all the improvements she's made to the house she's planning to sell.

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Copyright: 1994/2012

2012 Release by Sourcebooks Landmark - Fiction with historical and paranormal elements

364 pages

Reason for Reading: I've desired to read more by Susanna Kearsley since I read The Winter Sea.

Brief description:

Julia Beckett has believed that the old stone house in the West Country was destined to be her home since she first saw it through the car window as a small girl. Years later, she finds out the house is on the market, buys it and moves from her London home, where she works as an illustrator of children's books. But, strange things are happening in the ancient stone home. Julia keeps finding herself thrown back in time, experiencing history through the eyes of Mariana Farr, a young lady who lived in the house during the 16th century and fell in love with the local landowner, Richard deMornay.

What became of Mariana and Richard? Will Julia survive her jaunts back into the mind and heart of Mariana or does she risk becoming trapped in the past? In the present day, will Julia fall in love or is she locked in a dead-end relationship?

What I loved about Mariana:

Gosh. I loved everything about this book -- the setting, the characters, the plot, the dialogue, the denouement. You know how some books just grab you by the hair and don't let go until you reach their extremely satisfying conclusion? That was Mariana, for me. It has that element of "time travel" that I love (although it's not really time travel, but you'll have to read it to find out exactly what the deal is), a hint of romance without anything gushy, a nice dollop of history, and it's stunningly believable for a book with a premise in which a heroine keeps getting yanked back in time.

What I disliked about Mariana:

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Recommendation:

5/5 - Highly recommended. Smooth, believable transitions between the 16th century and present-day England, excellent dialogue, nicely rounded characters, a solid plot and satisfying denouement made this book a perfect escape for this reader.

I have two more Susanna Kearsley books to read - one on my shelves and the other in ebook format. It will be interesting to find out whether I feel the same about all of her books.

Cover thoughts:

I'm going to describe my thoughts about the cover image shown above, although I actually have two copies of Mariana, thanks to the fact that I put it on my wish list at Paperback Swap the moment I closed The Winter Sea and I completely forgot it was on my wish list when Sourcebooks offered it for review. I tried to halt the ARC when I found out a copy was coming from PBS, but it was too late. The two copies arrived almost simultaneously.

At any rate, when Julia moves into her house, she's informed that there used to be a ghost that periodically showed up in the garden and she was known as the "Lady in Green". Although the ghost ceased to make appearances something on the order of 30 years before Julia's arrival, that ghost does become important to the plot, so it's very fitting that the cover shows a woman wrapped in a green shawl, although I can't say I'm in love with the bare shoulder. But, come to think of it, there is a moment when a woman in the book is wrapped in nothing but a shawl. There is also a man on a horse who becomes a key character, so the distant figure of the man on horseback is similarly apropos. I like the look and I think it fits the story well!

Some side remarks:

While this book is not strictly "historical", there are enough historical elements to satisfy fans of that genre. It also contains a paranormal element, but it is completely fitting and neither weird, otherworldly or forced. Mariana, it must be remembered, was published long before the paranormal craze.

Since we're talking about green, how about a lizard pic?

Nicely camouflaged, isn't he? This is a tiny fellow, maybe 2" long in the body. He's not used to me, yet. The anole lizards actually can become quite relaxed after being photographed multiple times, I've found. This one kept running away, but he's young.

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Ghost of Greenwich Village by Lorna Graham

The Ghost of Greenwich Village

by Lorna Graham

Copyright 2011

Random House - Fiction with Paranormal

345 pages

After many years of working for her father and putting off her dream, Eve has moved from Ohio to Greenwich Village in search of a new life and a connection to her deceased mother. Instead, she's discovering that life in New York is not as easy and charming as she hoped. Making friends and keeping a job is every bit as difficult as paying the rent. And, on top of all that, there's a ghost in her apartment.

Donald was a writer from the Beat generation whose life was cut short. He is stuck in his former home and he likes to crawl into Eve's head. Eve tolerates the ghostly Donald and is willing to help him fulfill his dream, occasionally putting up with his bizarre stories as he dictates them to her. Secretly, she's hoping to dig up some clues to her mother's life in the Village and hopes Donald will be the key, but he appears to be a dead end (no pun intended).

After finding a job working as a writer for a morning television show, Eve attempts to find her place in the city. She makes friends with a legendary fashion designer and the owner of a vintage clothing store. But, the rest of her world is one disaster after another, until a close encounter with a criminal propels her to momentary fame. Will Eve survive life in the Village? Is Donald massively talented or stunningly deluded about his ability? What incident drove Eve's mother from New York to Ohio? Will Eve's moment in the limelight cost her her job or propel her to a higher level?

My thoughts:

I didn't fall in love with The Ghost of Greenwich Village or find it as enchanting as I'd hoped. Eve is not a particularly likable heroine, the ghost acts arrogant, possibly to cover up his wounded past, and Eve's friendship with a famous designer is hard to buy into. But, there was plenty to like about the book. I thought Eve's friendship with the owner of a vintage clothing store was believable and sweet. And, I understood her yearning to find out about her mother's past, make her escape from her hometown and create a new life.

This is the kind of passage that made me dislike Eve:

The next few days would be a time of goodbyes. Or would they? Undoubtedly easiest for everyone would be for her to simply slink out of town. It would be impossible to say goodbye to Gwendolyn face-to-face, anyway. She'd never had a friend like her.

-- from the uncorrected proof of The Ghost of Greenwich Village (changes my have been made to the final print version)

Say what? Eve's found a special friend and she's considering not even saying "goodbye" to her, let alone keeping in touch? I can't imagine just disappearing without even saying goodbye to a close friend, regardless of the circumstances.

There are also a lot of downright mean, nasty people in The Ghosts of Greenwich Village, which can be disturbing at times, and I'd hoped for a little romance but there is none. Eve has difficulty summoning a social life of any kind, apart from her friendship with the designer, at least partly because she's not willing to let anyone into her apartment because it's haunted. She's afraid to mention the fact that her home is occupied by a ghost, even to her closest friend, for fear she'll be thought crazy.

I guess I found Eve a little gutless and silly. I've had my own little ghost encounter and I don't frankly care whether anyone thinks I'm nuts or not. So, I could not relate to her refusal to tell anyone about Donald, especially close friends. And, I certainly couldn't understand why she'd regret the fact that her jerk of a date stopped calling because she didn't let him sleep over, thanks to her ghost. If a date will dump you because you're not willing to sleep with him, he's not worth your time, in my humble opinion.

The bottom line:

A so-so read about a woman struggling to make a new life for herself and unearth her mother's past while dealing with a ghost who has his own agenda. The heroine is not very likable and a wee bit spineless, although she does sort of redeem herself, eventually, (although her reaction after that particular scene is a bit on the clueless side). I thought the ending was decent. I had trouble buying into the storyline, though, including the ending.

My thanks to TLC Book Tours and Random House for the review copy.

Side note:

I'm afraid this book suffered a bit from following a read that was so fabulous I still haven't stopped thinking about it along with my eagerness to return to reading Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy, although I did set everything aside to focus on finishing The Ghost of Greenwich Village.

Cover thoughts:

The cover shown above is apparently the final cover. I like it. The book is as much about life in Greenwich Village as it is about a ghost haunting a girl trying to change her life, so it makes sense to put a pretty photo of the area on the cover.

Blah:

That's how I feel at the moment, thanks to a new, killer exercise class that I started, last night. So, I think I'll keep this post short and head to bed with a couple bottles of water (I'm pre-posting). If I have any energy at all, I'll come back and add some kind of picture to this post in the morning. We'll see if I can get out of bed in the morning. Should be interesting.

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

Copyright 2011

Bantam - Fiction

273 pages

What's it about?

Willa Jackson's family used to be wealthy but met with disaster when the logging industry failed. Now their former mansion, the Blue Ridge Madam, is being restored by none other than Paxton Osgood, the annoying socialite who used to drive Willa nuts. Willa stays on the touristy side of town running her sporting-goods store while Paxton puts on a false smile and plays the socialite. Everyone thinks Paxton has a charmed life. The truth is . . . Willa's jaded and Paxton's sad.

But circumstances will throw Willa and Paxton together. There's a whole mess of stuff I can't seem to stick into a coherent sentence, so here are some of the ingredients you'll find in The Peach Keeper: A long-buried secret, a nasty ghost that can only be put to rest when Willa and Paxton find some answers, a cherished long-lived friendship and an unlikely new one, a little haunting, a touch of magic, and a good dollop of romance.

That book description was longer than expected:

It is always very difficult to summarize a book by Sarah Addison Allen. There are so many strands to her books.

What did Bookfool think?

I am totally convinced there's no such thing as a bad book by Sarah Addison Allen. I absolutely love the blend of magic and Southern life, the gradual unfolding of mysteries from the days of Willa and Paxton's grandmothers' younger years, the slow-building romance. In this case, Willa and Paxton's friendship added a really sweet touch. I adore the way relationships are built slowly in this author's novels; they're believable and real. The relationship between Willa and Paxton's grandmothers is also quite touching in The Peach Keeper.

The bottom line:

If you like a magical Southern story with a touch of mystery, a dash of the paranormal, sweet, slow-building romance and a very lovely friendships, buy this book.

Many thanks to TLC Book Tours and Bantam Books for the review copy.

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse

The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse

Copyright 2009

G. P. Putnam's Sons (Penguin)

Historical Fiction/Paranormal

265 pages

In his right hand, Freddie carried directions scribbled on the back

of a napkin from Bibent, where he'd lunched on filet mignon and a blowsy Bordeaux. In his left-hand breast pocket, he carried a letter patterned with antiquity and dust. It was this--and the fact that, at last, he had the opportunity to return--that brought him back to Toulouse today. The mountains where he'd come across the document had some strong significance for him, and though he had never read the letter, it was precious to him.

p. 4 of The Winter Ghosts, ARC (some changes may have been made to the final print version)

What's it about?

The Winter Ghosts is the story of Freddie, a grown man whose psyche has been wounded by parents who ignored him and the shock of devastating loss. During WWI, Freddie had a bit of a breakdown after his brother's death and he's still trying to come to terms with his loss a dozen years later. You could say he retains only a tentative grip on his sanity; at first, it seems as if he may fall apart at any moment.

The year is 1928. Seeking to resolve his feelings, Freddie travels to the Pyrenees, where he gets caught in a blizzard, has a wreck and hears the whispering of a ghost. Injured, he makes his way to a remote town in the mountains . . . and has an even more bizarre ghost experience. But, a young woman named Fabrissa leads Freddie to an important discovery that will help him recover and lead an entire village to healing and redemption.

What did Bookfool think?

Bookfool thinks you should be patient with this one. The Winter Ghosts is one of those books that I nearly abandoned because of a slow beginning and a sad wimp of a protagonist. At least, Freddie is hard to love, at first. As his background is revealed, Freddie's breakdown makes more sense. After his accident and hike into the mountains, things start to become more interesting. The pace picks up, more characters are introduced and -- although none of them are treated with much depth -- there is a sense of place that comes to the fore when he reaches the village.

Is The Winter Ghosts creepy?

I would use the words "haunting" and "atmospheric" but I didn't find this particular ghost tale creepy or frightening. The plot is even a little transparent, once you get to a certain point. Did I mind? No, by that point I actually liked the fact that I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen and why.

I don't know that everyone would find it so predictable. I used to be absolutely terrible at figuring out plots before I reached endings, but it's really a rare author who totally catches me off-guard, these days. Sometimes I like being surprised at every turn and other times (as in the reading of Taichi Yamada's Strangers), I enjoy a slow unfolding of events because I'm swept up by craftsmanship and the overall storyline. In those cases, a certain amount of predictability doesn't hinder my enjoyment. And, I did like Kate Mosse's writing style, once I became accustomed to her pacing.

The bottom line:

Definitely recommended to the patient reader who doesn't mind a slower pace for the sake of lovely writing. Nearly two weeks after I finished reading The Winter Ghosts, it still hasn't let go of me. An atmospheric book with a well-grounded historical basis for its ghostly elements. The Winter Ghosts is slow-paced, but picks up speed, midway. The book is weakened a bit by a rather unlikable protagonist and his "redemption" is a bit rushed so I wouldn't call it the perfect novel, and yet The Winter Ghosts has somehow has managed to become a recent favorite.

If you're looking for action-packed suspense, The Winter Ghosts is not the book for you. I liked learning the history from whence the ghost story came (further description in the author's notes makes it doubly touching) and I think I'll actually enjoy the book more if I ever reread it. There was just something about it that grabbed me and held on, even after I closed the pages. I can't quite put a finger on it.

In other news:

Gah, I do not feel good, today. I'm tempted to pretend there's not a treadmill sitting beside me, but a very big part of me says, "No, no, no. You're fat." Wish that part of me would just freaking shut the heck up. I want a 24-hour nap, darn it.

What did Bookfool do, today?

First, Bookfool was rudely awakened very early by a friendly but persistent kitty who was not entirely clear about her demands. I think she was just in the mood to walk over me repeatedly and say, "Hello." Since I was up (bah, humbug to morning), I ran some errands and then walked around downtown Vicksburg to take flood pics. We went to the dock on Sunday. Here's the dock wall, where you can see marks describing various past flooding events, as taken on Sunday:

Oh, so hard to see! The bottom mark says "1961 Gage 44.9." Below that is a sign referring to the Corps of Engineers, the folks who are responsible for tracking such things. The Corps sign is visible under normal circumstances. As of 3 hours ago, the water level was at 48 feet and rising at a steady pace (between the second and third marks up from the water line). See the top mark? That's the level the water would have reached during the Great Flood of 1927 if the levees had held (62.2 feet) -- but they didn't, so the next mark down (56.2) is the actual flood level. The river is expected to crest above the actual 1927 flood level. I've heard 57, 58 and somewhere in between. Either way, it's a horror.

Around our area, this is huge. An entire school has been closed, Civil War artifacts are being moved to high ground, Red Cross shelters have been opened. You can't get to the dock, now. This is what I saw, today:

Those fellows to the right are Americorps volunteers. They were waiting for some equipment; they didn't sit around for long. You can see there's a little water outside the dock exit. The dock does occasionally get swamped but during the 2008 flood, they had few enough timbers that you could actually walk fairly close to the entrance and exit and look over timbers to see the flood water. Here's a wider view. I didn't reduce the size of this one, so hopefully you'll be able to click on it to enlarge. If you ever come to Vicksburg, the flood wall is worth seeing. It's taken many years to decorate, but all of the panels are now painted with murals, each of which portray some event in Vicksburg's history.

To the left of the red train station building and caboose, an additional barricade is being built. That means that gorgeous old railroad station (which is being turned into a museum) is going to be swamped. I imagine it'll survive but cost a pretty penny to clean up. In the background, you can also get a glimpse of the trees that are already partly under water. You can usually see the sandy opposite shore. I think, actually, this isn't really even the Mississippi River but the Yazoo Diversion Canal. Oh, wow. I'm going to have to run to the overlook to snap some bridge pictures. I'd forgotten about that -- must get pics of the actual Mississippi. It's fascinating watching the river rise, but horrifying to realize how many people this flood has already hit and will impact in the coming weeks.

Anyway, enough for one day. Tomorrow, The Peach Keeper!! Saturday, the world! Or, maybe a nap. Nighty night!

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

By Sarah Addison Allen

Copyright 2009

Bantam Books - Fiction

269 pages

Book Description:

Bugger. Can I skip this part? Or, maybe I'll just pull a Raych and write it in plain speak. Yes, that sounds good. I promise in advance that this will not become a regular practice. Okay, there's this teenager, Emily, whose mother has died and she has no father so she has to move in with her grandfather . . . who is a giant. She settles into his mansion in Mullaby, North Carolina and feels a little out of place, plus there are these weird lights in the forest and her wallpaper changes based on her mood.

So, Emily is trying to fit in, figure out the strange happenings and get her grandfather to hang out with her a little whilst some dude in a bow tie drops odd hints about the reason people hate her for her dead mom's sake and then she meets Julia. Julia bakes cakes and sells them at her dad's barbecue place because she's not particularly interested in the whole barbecue restaurant thing. She's from Mullaby, but she managed to get away from the town when something frightful happened and she really wants to get the heck out of Dodge. But, she has to pay off the mortgage and sell out. Dead dad was in debt, so that'll take a while.

There are all sorts of small-town secrets and weird, maybe-magical things happening. This really good-looking guy is crazy about Julia but she's all, "Leave me alone because our secret is the sucky kind that forces me to shove you away." And, Emily has the bow-tie wearing dude whose entire family doesn't come out after dark interested in her. So, what's up in Mullaby, North Carolina? What on earth did Emily's mother do to piss off an entire town? And, what does the moon have to do with anything?

My review:

This will be a short one. Honestly? I love everything Sarah Addison Allen has written (you'll hear my thoughts about The Peach Keeper in a few days). I love the little touches of magic, the deep, dark secrets, the way she slowly reveals what happened to people that made them all screwed-up and sensitive but then somehow unknots their twisted pasts and ends each story on an upbeat, happy note.

I'm not going to answer the questions, of course. That's what you have to discover for yourself. I will tell you, though, that I found The Girl Who Chased the Moon very satisfying. If you love a small-town Southern story with a little romance, a touch of magic and quirky characters that are so well-developed you can't help but wonder what they're up to, days after you close the book, you'll love The Girl Who Chased the Moon.

I checked this one out from my local library. After finishing The Peach Keeper, I thought, "I really, really, really want to read the book I missed," (I've read all of SAA's books, now) and I'm glad I did, even though I probably ought to quit inserting books from the library and the non-ARC shelf into my TBR pile. Because, geez, that shelf is just not getting any sizable holes from frequent removal of books. I'm starting to feel pissy about my lack of discipline, to be honest.

Enough personal revelation for one day. I shall do my utter best to return to quality book reviews, tomorrow.

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Copyright 2011

Atheneum - Historical Paranormal Fiction

Middle Reader (Ages 9-12, that is)

295 pages

Stephanie Burgis' website

If my plan had worked, I would have woken up the next morning in a stagecoach heading toward London, with a whole new life waiting to unfold before me. I would have breakfasted on apples and cheese with the passengers around me, heard all their stories and been halfway adopted as an honorary nephew into all their families by the time we reached London.

Instead, I had to face my own family.

I walked into the breakfast room at eight o'clock and Stepmama's jaw fell wide open, exposing a mouthful of mashed toast.

"Katherine Ann Stephenson!" she uttered in a dreadful tone. "Whatever have you done to your hair?"

Book Description:

Kat's older sister Elissa is almost certainly going to be married off to some dreadful old geezer. The family is in dire straits thanks to big brother Charles, who has gambled the family into debt. But, Kat needs a better idea than running away. When she finds out her other sister, Angeline, has come up with a plan that involves casting spells from their deceased mother's magic books, Kat decides she needs to figure out some magic of her own. But, when she discovers she's inherited her mother's genuine magical gifts, chaos and danger ensue.

While Angeline casts a romance spell that doesn't work quite right and Elissa prepares to meet the man she will marry, Kat finds herself in all sorts of trouble. And, Elissa's potential fiance is showing a strangely sinister interest in Kat's magical powers. Will Kat be able to control her power in time to save the family?

What I loved about Kat, Incorrigible:

Kat, Incorrigible is a fascinating mix of magic, romance, adventure and slapstick fun in the Regency time period. I don't know that I had any idea what I was in for when I opened Kat, Incorrigible, but I absolutely loved everything about the book. The dialogue is witty and believable, the characters are a bit exaggerated (but in a good way), the story action-packed, sometimes hilarious, sometimes a little scary, always magical.

One of the things I adored about Kat, Incorrigible was the fact that the author successfully kept the secret of who was trustworthy and who was dangerous dangling for the majority of the book.

What I disliked about Kat, Incorrigible:

I think I would like there to be at least 2 more books about Kat available, right now. Other than that . . . nothing that I can recall. Kat, Incorrigible is, according to Amazon, the first in The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson, so someday I'll be satisfied. The author manages to keep a consistent tone and the characteristics of her nutty cast fall within the bounds of reason. Kat, Incorrigible is playful, hilarious, paranormal fun.

The bottom line:

Highly recommended. Magical, adventurous, entertaining and clean reading. If Kat, Incorrigible had been around when I was young, I might have read it around the 3rd-grade age range. And, then I would have reread it and reread it and reread it till it fell apart. I have always loved a book that makes me smile. My thanks to Simon & Schuster for the review copy, which I received via Shelf Awareness.

In other news:

We had quite a weekend. My plans to whip through Till I End My Song (poetry, edited by Harold Bloom) and share a poem fell flat when I came down with a nasty migraine on Friday. Mid-afternoon on Friday, I discovered Fiona had a raw, bleeding bald spot between her shoulder blades -- confirmation that she did have a nasty reaction to her shots. But, I couldn't drive because I couldn't see straight and husband arrived home too late to take us to the vet. By morning, the dime-sized patch had grown four-fold.

We rushed Fi to the vet, where her wound was pronounced "abscessed" and she received a cocktail shot of anti-histamine, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory . . . all of which are painful to inject. My sweet kitty just put a paw on my chest and said, "Meow?" The vet said, "She is a good cat." I know!!! We dosed her with painkillers and rubbed some hydrocortisone cream on her ouchie. Today was really the first day Fiona's been her normal, energetic self in a week. But, she obviously still has some recovering to do, poor baby. And, next time she gets shots, she is going to have one nervous slave.

I missed the royal wedding . . .

thanks to a migraine hangover. But, I watched some video clips and that was enough for me. Was Kate's dress perfect, or what? I think she earned the "princess" title, myself, just by dressing the part. But, I'm in agreement with the American comedian who said seeing the royal wedding was a reminder of how great it is that we live in a country where people don't wear weird hats to weddings (not his exact wording).

I did finish one book:

It wasn't much of an accomplishment, since the book is a quick and fairly silly read, but I managed to finish the mental_floss Genius Instruction Manual. John Green fans may be interested to know that he contributed to the book and is listed as one of the three authors.

Here, have a lizard:

It's been a long time since I shared a lizard pic, so there you go. This next couple of weeks will be overwhelming, so I'm going to do my best to inundate you with reviews during the next couple of days. If I fail, it'll be a few weeks before I can catch up. But, I'll give it the old college try. I'll probably take off next week from the internet. We shall see. Happy Monday!

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Copyright 2009

EgmontUSA - Young Adult/Paranormal

372 pages

Bree Despain's website

The Dark Divine is the first e-book I've completed, which is possibly much more exciting than you can imagine. When I first got my e-reader (just after Christmas) I found that I'd read a chapter or two and then completely forget I was reading an e-book for a few days. It didn't come as naturally to me to grab the reader as it seems to for a lot of people, but I finally decided I was just going to have to work on making it a habit. Success! I finished an e-book!

Grace Divine has never known what happened between her brother Jude and Daniel Kalbi or why Daniel disappeared. Now he's back in town and she finds herself curiously drawn to him, even though Jude has warned her to keep her distance. Why is Jude so angry with Daniel? What's causing the arguments between her father, a pastor, and her slightly obsessive-compulsive mother? Is it really so wrong to love and want to help someone who has hurt the people you care for? Doesn't the Bible tell us to forgive?

I don't believe it's a spoiler to say there's something to do with werewolves in The Dark Divine because I know I read that much before I picked up the book and it takes a very long time before you actually get to the werewolf part of the book. The vast majority of The Dark Divine is about relationships -- the relationship between Daniel and the Divine family, how they took him in and then he abruptly left their lives and how Grace still finds him magnetically appealing. Even though she knows his absence was difficult for her family and they're strongly opposed to her having anything to do with him, as the daughter of a pastor Grace is accustomed to helping people and Daniel seems to need a friend.

What I loved about The Dark Divine:

I think Bree Despain did a great job of slowly peeling away the layers of the story, revealing the secrets Grace's father and brother kept close in the past, whilst simultaneously developing a romantic dilemma with plenty of conflict. And, the conflict simply grows stronger as Daniel's story is revealed. I also love the way the book is written such that Christianity is simply a part of Grace's identity. The Dark Divine isn't about Christianity at all. Grace's beliefs are simply inseparable from who she is and how she reacts.

What I disliked about The Dark Divine:

There were some minor strands of the story that confused me. I don't know if there were extremely small holes in the plot or I missed something, but toward the end I found myself thinking, "I don't get it. Why is Grace thinking that to herself? Where's her logic coming from?" In the end, some of those confusing bits were explained but I can't say I was totally satisfied. And, yet, I really enjoyed the reading and think the main reason the book ended up my first completed electronic read has to do with the fact that the story was compelling enough that I pretty much didn't touch any other books for the few days it took me to read The Dark Divine.

In other words, the "dislike" section of this review is pretty weak. If I still gave numerical ratings, I'd go with 3.5 or 4 stars, depending on my mood. That's one reason I don't use numerical ratings, anymore. I'm so moody that I find myself thinking, "This was about a 4-star book," when I finish and then 2 weeks later, I'll reflect on scenes I loved or hated and suddenly I want to go back and change my rating in one direction or another.

At any rate, I hope to read the second book in the series. But, so far my upper limit on e-book prices hasn't cracked $5 and the next book, The Lost Saint, is not what I consider a reasonable price for an e-book.

Cover thoughts:

Well . . . it's pretty. Very eye-catching. I have no idea what bare legs wrapped in hot pink tulle with matching toenail polish have to do with Grace Divine or the story, though.

Thoughts on defining genre:

I've occasionally hesitated to use the word "paranormal" because I haven't been certain I'm using it correctly, but I looked up the definition online and Merriam-Webster defines paranormal as "not scientifically explainable." Oh. Okay, that seems to work for werewolves. The American Heritage Dictionary goes a little further: "Beyond the range of normal experience or scientific explanation." That works better, in my mind, because (if I recall right) I'm pretty sure the prefix "para" means "beside" and when I think of the word paranormal, I think "beyond the normal" but "beside the normal" makes sense because it beside contrasts whatever you're talking about (ghosts, werewolves) with the normal but also implies a coexistence, right? Am I overanalyzing, here?

And a question:

I recently asked the people in my book group if they have an upper limit they're willing to pay for e-books or simply download whatever books they desire, regardless of price, for the sake of not adding additional clutter to their homes. The responses were interesting and quite varied. I'm curious about those of you who read my blog. If you own a reader, does the price of an e-book matter to you? Does it frustrate you if you find that a book you desire to read is cheaper in paperback than e-book form or are you willing to pay more to keep yet another book from cluttering up your home?

Time for a kitty fix!

©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.