The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

The Winter People (2014) by Jennifer McMahon is a wonderful book filled with excitement, mystery, troubling pasts, anticipation, and just enough of the supernatural (I won't say what kind -- that would give things away) to keep it interesting.

Flipping back and forth between the past and the present, I liked the connection that created, with the story weaving the two time periods together very effectively. The "New England" feel of both the setting and the story was very appealing and familiar to me as a life-long (and proud) New Englander myself.

Though the book has supernatural elements, the story was really more about loss and the relationships between mothers and daughters, both with good and especially with not-so-good associations, so don't let the idea of the supernatural turn you off if that's not normally your 'thing'. This is an excellent book to read in poor weather in a cozy chair with a hot drink. A perfect winter book (as the title implies)!

“I think people see what they want to see... But think about it: if you'd lost someone you love, wouldn't you give almost anything to have the chance to see them again?” 

Keep reading! Beth

Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns (2008) is John Green's third solo book, and I think his best of the ones I've read so far. It was sweet, funny, exciting, compelling, interesting... it had it all. Mystery, 'romance,' suspense, fear, longing, heartache and heartbreak, dead bodies, final exams, and a road trip. What more could you want?

I really, really loved all these characters -- they were fun, funny, well-rounded, complete characters. It was a pleasure to live in their world for a little while. The road trip part was the best -- I was crying laughing at one point, and I really wished it had lasted longer.

The thing I loved the most about this book was that it was about a boy and a girl, and love, relationships, etc. but it wasn't REALLY about that -- it was about growing up and figuring out who you are and what you want, and accepting other people for who they truly are, and just figuring out people. So lovely!

The movie version was a pretty good adaptation -- of course not as complex and well-rounded as the book, and they left out some of my favorite parts of the book, but a nice movie in its own right. Good movie, great book!

"[E]ach of us starts out as a watertight vessel. And these things happen -- these people leave us, or don't love us, or don't get us, or we don't get them, and we lose and fail and hurt one another. And the vessel starts to crack open in places. And I mean, yeah, once the vessel starts to crack open, the end becomes inevitable... But there is all this time between when the cracks start to open up and when we finally fall apart. And it's only in that time that we can see one another, because we see out of ourselves through the cracks and into others through theirs... [O]nce the vessel cracks, the light can get in. The light can get out."--Quentin (p.302)

See my review of John Green's first two books here.

Keep reading! Beth

Short "Ghost" Stories

The Grownup (2014) by Gillian Flynn

Very short story (originally written for a story collection) of suspense and twists, which leads you to question everything, and even keeps you guessing as to what genre the book fits into - horror? supernatural? mystery? suspense? All of the above? The ending is slightly unsatisfactory, but I found it more palatable in this short story format -- at least I only committed around an hour to reading it rather than a couple weeks, and the questionable nature of the ending was clearly the whole point of the story. Very clever, with some interesting characters.     


Springtime: A Ghost Story (2014) by Michelle de Kretser

Another short, somewhat confusing story. Unlike The Grownup, there was so little character development that even in the hour it took me to read, I still couldn't remember who some people were because they were presented in such a perfunctory and confusing way. Called itself a ghost story but had barely any ghost stuff in it, just a vague unease on the part of the main character that was not in any way translated to the reader. Reaction at the end: "huh?"

Overall, I think these were both interesting stories that made me think, and even though I didn't love either of them, the incredibly short reading time required by both stories I think made them worth it.

Keep reading! Beth

The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths

Finally catching up with Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series with the latest entry, #8 - The Woman in Blue (2016).

Cathbad is back, and in top form! So good to see him back at the center of things relating to the mystery, though I'm somewhat disappointed that, while on maternity leave, Judy's character has been relegated to that of Cathbad's partner and mother of his new baby. Hopefully by the next book she'll be back on the force and see some real action.

The mystery itself was interesting; I like way Griffiths integrates different religious, pagan, and secular ways of thinking into many of her stories in a relatively equal way. I am inclined to believe that her personal beliefs run closest toward Ruth's own (as the main character), yet other characters (such as Cathbad and Father Hennessey) present a sympathetic view of other ways of thinking.

Overall, a nice continuation for a series that has really settled on a comfortable pattern, with the pros and cons that entails. I think you really know what you're getting with a Ruth Galloway mystery at this point, which is okay by me. Looking forward to the next one, which is expected sometime early 2017.

See my reviews of book 1, books 2-4, and books 5-7 posted earlier on this blog.

Keep reading! Beth

Ruth Galloway mystery series #5-7

Elly Griffiths continues her wonderful Ruth Galloway series in books 5-7, in which Ruth continues to solve crimes, inadvertently place herself in mortal danger, and struggle with her personal relationships in a rather endearing way. (See my review of book #1 of the series here, and books #2-4 here.)

#5: Dying Fall (2013) 

Yet another great entry in the series. I loved that Cathbad was a greater part of this story; we really got to know him better. And some additional insight into Nelson's character, being back in his hometown. Otherwise, it was a little silly that - having been in situations of mortal peril at least 3 times previously - Ruth still decides to go check out these bones with her daughter after getting threatening texts. Slightly unbelievable, but I guess it's good for the main character to have flaws and make bad decisions - it would be hard to really connect with her if she was perfect.

"'You need a break, a complete rest, recharge your batteries.' Recharge you batteries. What the hell does that mean? Nelson prides himself on not needing batteries. He's an old-fashioned, wind up model." (p. 21)

#6: The Outcast Dead (2014)  

The story in this one had a great sub-plot that really developed Judy's character especially. I'm very glad Tim has joined the team; I really like him. And so glad Cathbad has been given a reason and allowance to come back! Though I found his daughter, Maddie's, involvement in the case suspicious, it was nice to 'see' her again. And the way that the police case and the goings-on in Ruth's life intersected without Ruth officially working on the case was great and more realistic than Ruth officially consulting on every issue that comes to the police.


#7: The Ghost Fields (2015)  

It was -- interesting, I guess? -- that Nelson's wife Michelle got her own storyline in this book. I won't spoil too much by saying what this story was or my specific reaction to it, but regardless of what actually happened, I liked that she was given some additional character development outside of Nelson and Ruth. And I liked the way that Griffiths plays with suspicious of various characters, keeping you on your toes.

And that's me finally caught up on the Ruth Galloway series, just in time for the publication of book #8, The Woman in Blue, which came out May 3rd. Going to jump right into that one!

Keep reading! Beth

The Saints of the Lost and Found by T.M. Causey

Today, enjoy a guest post from staff member Lindsey! 

Avery Marie Broussard can see what other people have lost, from car keys to the greatest loss of their lives. Born to con artists, she is used by her parents to make millions over the course of her childhood. After a traumatic event, she finally escapes her hometown -- only to be lured back home by her family, where she is forced to confront the life and love she left so abruptly.

The Saints of the Lost and Found (2016) was utterly gripping. Causey did an amazing job delving into the psyche of someone who is constantly bombarded by the images and the pain of lost things. This is a story where someone’s superhuman abilities come at a heavy cost, and I came to greatly admire Avery’s drive to put herself in danger to help others. Over the course of the book, more and more of Avery’s past comes to light -- both to her and the reader -- making the climax tie in expertly with past and present.

I refuse to tell you any more about this book for fear of spoiling it for you but I will tell you this: I just finished the book and I am going read it again right now. I tore through it so fast the first time that I want to go back and really appreciate the story.

This is a quick read and well worth your time.

Keep reading! Lindsey

Bats of the Republic by Zachary Thomas Dodson

Bats of the Republic: an Illuminated Novel (2015) by Zachary Thomas Dodson was a very interesting book. I loved the unusual format, with the story told in several formats from several points of view, and all the ephemera throughout (maps, drawings, notes, etc.). The nature drawings and observations of the wildlife in the frontier were especially great, and I really do like when the idea of a "book within a book" is used well.

The story built up quite quickly to a point where I really just had to know what was going to happen, especially with the famous letter that was the center of most of the main characters' stories, with the 'past' storyline about delivering the letter and the 'future' storyline about finding it. I also really liked the setting of both the parts of the book in the 'frontier' era of a slightly different past than in our own universe and the post-apocalyptic future, with Big Brother-like ruling class.

The build-up of the story was very tense and really made you feel the stress the characters were going through. Unfortunately the ending had very little pay-off for all this build up. It resolved almost no part of the story, and never actually clarified this mysterious letter that was such a big part of the story. I was glad to have read it, but the ending really disappointed me. However, if you're not a person who prefers (needs) a very concrete, conclusive ending to your stories, then I think this wouldn't be as big of a problem. Overall, I do think this is a book worth reading as the story and format are so unusual and interesting.

Keep reading! Beth

Ruth Galloway Series #2-4 by Elly Griffiths

Ruth Galloway mysteries is a series of books written by Elly Griffiths, which center around the life of one (surprise, surprise) Ruth Galloway, a forensic archaeologist who teaches at a university in the Norfolk region of England and occasionally consults with the local police in cases involving unidentified bones. Ruth is a very likable, endearing character who -- despite being the 'heroine' of her own series -- is definitely human enough (and makes enough mistakes) to be truly relatable. I have greatly enjoyed the series so far, and look forward to reading the rest soon!

For my review of the first book in the series, see this post from this past summer.

#2: The Janus Stone (2010)

I liked how realistic this story was, in the sense that lots of intelligent people contributed to solving the case, rather than one person displaying super-human skills of deduction. I also liked that at the end, though Ruth again was the one who ended up in danger, she saved herself just as much as (or more than) the men who rushed to her rescue.

#3: The House at Sea's End (2011)

One of the great things about this series is the secondary characters, and how they are developing as we get to know them better. Judy (the policewoman) is especially becoming an interesting character, unhappy as she already is in her new marriage. Of course Ruth ends up in mortal peril again in this book, but unlike the previous two books in the series, the ending was a total surprise; I had not guessed at all who the killer was and was totally fooled by all the twists in the story.

#4: A Room Full of Bones (2012)

Though in general, I'm not super thrilled by the whole affair story line developed early in the series, I do like the way Elly is handling the love triangle, and the continued development of the secondary characters. Cathbad especially is such an interesting character -- sometimes a bit too stereotypical, but always intriguing and very charming. I'm interested to see if he continues to be such a constant presence in the cases in future books. It's one of those instances where it feels like a bit of a stretch for him to be involved in every case (a bit along the lines of Ruth's involvement in the first place), but he's a such a great character I hope he sticks around.

The danger for a mystery series with a non-detective in the lead is that sometimes the ways to get the main character involved in each case gets more and more unrealistic. Ruth's involvement is addressed somewhat by her status as an official consultant, and of course there are plenty of local cases that are not mentioned that she has no hand in at all. Still, I hope that the core stories in each book continue to justify her central role in each investigation in a believable manner. Regardless, outside of the case details in each book (which are always interesting), it really is the characters that make these books worth reading.

Keep reading! Beth

J.K. Rowling's Cormoran Strike series 2 & 3: The Silkworm and Career of Evil

Published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, the talented J.K. Rowling has so far written three books in the Cormoran Strike series. For my review of book #1 - which I loved - see this post. 

#2: The Silkworm (2014)

This was a great follow-up to Cuckoo's Calling that continued to flesh out the main characters really well behind the scenes of a very interesting mystery.

In this second book of the series, the stakes have risen somewhat, from an "accidental" crime of passion in the first book to a premeditated ritualistic murder complete with bizarre imagery and dozens of suspects in this one (perhaps too many suspects; it was just a tiny bit hard to keep track of who was who). I loved the way that secondary characters were brought in and interacted with Detective Strike, and his assistant / 'partner' Robin's increasing role in investigations. I loved that she brings different skills and benefits to the firm, and really compliments Strike's investigative style. 

I love the (platonic - I hope that never changes) relationship between Strike and Robin, though their lack of communication in this book did annoy me, but in a very relatable way (I think we can all admit to not being as direct as we sometimes should). 

#3: Career of Evil (2015)

This book was VERY tense all the way through in a way the previous two were not. Strike and Robin (especially Robin) were placed in imminent danger right from the beginning, so the whole book was - I would go so far as to say - stressful. I couldn't put it down because I just had to know what happened next, especially with the threats hanging over the character's heads.

Though the 'twist' at the end wasn't as surprising as in the first two books, there was still an element of unexpected revelation, which I appreciated. The story ended on a much more abrupt note than the previous books in the series - a real cliffhanger - so I really hope she writes at least one more book in the series, and soon!

Overall, I thought the entire Cormoran Strike series was really great. When the 4th one comes out (hopefully not too long from now!), I may go back and re-read 1-3. I like doing that with series anyway, but with these, I look forward to reading them knowing the endings, and looking out for the hints and clues that I didn't pick up on the first time I read them. Knowing Rowling's style, I'm sure there were many that I probably missed! This is especially true for Career of Evil, which I went through so fast just to see what happened that I really didn't experience the book as fully as I might have wanted. 

Keep reading! Beth

Summer Reading Highlights, Part 4: Mysteries – The Cuckoo’s Calling and The Crossing Places

The Cuckoo’s Calling by "Robert Galbraith" (aka J.K. Rowling) 

I was initially unsure if I would like this book or not, given how much I disliked Rowling’s first adult book, The Casual Vacancy. But where that book was filled with unlikeable people doing terrible things, with a situation that simply kept going from bad to worse, Cuckoo’s Calling was filled with interesting people in exciting situations. It was a curious contrast that Rowling’s murder mystery was substantially less depressing with more sympathetic characters than the straight fiction, but that was indeed the case!

The story itself was suspenseful, but not scary, and had a great twist at the end. Both the characters and the main and secondary stories were compelling, and definitely made me excited to read the two sequels, The Silkworm and Career of Evil. After quite a bit of doubt from The Casual Vacancy, I think Cuckoo’s Calling shows that Rowling can indeed write just as well for adults as she does for children. 

Check out my review of the next 2 books in the series here. 

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths 

This was another mystery set in England (I’m sure you can start to see a distinct trend in my reading choices), this time in the country as opposed to London, where Cuckoo’s Calling was set. Though at first glance the main characters of both mysteries share little in common -- Rowling's Cormoran Strike is a gruff, imposing ex-military type with a prosthetic leg, and Griffiths' Ruth Galloway is an anthropology professor with body image issues and a couple of cats. Both, however, are emotionally vulnerable and lonely in their middle ages, which makes them much more personable and relatable that they otherwise might have been.

I loved that this modern mystery brought in some very interesting bits of history and lore, and I must say I was very proud of myself that my guesses were fairly close to the mark! Perhaps that means the story was a touch predictable; I still haven't decided if it's better or not if the reader is able to guess the correct suspect in a mystery. I was pretty close in this one and way off in Cuckoo's Calling, but  I couldn't put either of them down, so if that's the real measure of a book's success, then both these mysteries came out winners.

Keep reading! Beth