Our Extraordinary Summer - Contemporary Fiction Review

Goodreads: Our Extraordinary Summer by Lori Wilde

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Calista and Athena Dempsey were once inseparable until their father’s ambition drove a wedge between them. When a very public betrayal shattered their bond, Calista walked away from her family, determined to rebuild her life on her own terms. Athena stayed behind, shouldering the weight of expectations and guilt in silence.

Now, with their mother gone, the sisters are summoned to Hobby Island, a secluded retreat where their mother spent her final days, with one final come together and make peace. But the past isn’t so easily buried.

Especially when Calista comes face-to-face with Reid Thornton, the man who once held her heart and then upended her life. He says he wants to make things right. But can she believe him? And can she forgive Athena when the scars between them still run deep?

As secrets surface and loyalties are tested, Calista and Athena must make a pivotal choice. Will they honor their mother’s last wish and find their way back to each other, or let their shared past destroy what little remains of their bond?

Genre: Fiction - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  Honestly, I got this confused with an author of a similar name but I really like the sound of the book so I'm not sad I grabbed it by accident.

My Impression:  I love a book about sisters and this was very much that.  Calista and Athena had a very messed up childhood with a father determined to pit them against each other and keep them from their mother.  Every event in their childhood and young adulthood was a power play with a father whispering in one ear and then the other.  Now as adults it's been years since they've spoken until they are reunited after their death of their estranged mother.  

Hobby Island was a magical setting with interesting characters.  It's a place of a healing and grief and reconnecting and Eloise Hobby is right in the center steering those around her.  Athena and Calista's story is heartbreaking and so frustrating and my heart broke for them and for their mother.  I enjoyed seeing how this whole story evolved.  There is a romance but it definitely feels like a subplot and while I did enjoy it I was much more focused on the story of the sisters.

This is the first book by this author and it won't be my last.  I'm looking forward to going back and reading the first Hobby Island book.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Definitely.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy books involving family relationships, I definitely recommend this one.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always, my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Jane of Lantern Hill - Classic Middle Grade Review

Goodreads:  Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery

Rating: Loved It! (5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  For as long as she could remember, Jane Stuart and her mother lived with her grandmother in a dreary mansion in Toronto. Jane always believed her father was dead until she accidentally learned he was alive and well and living on Prince Edward Island. When Jane spends the summer at his cottage on Lantern Hill, doing all the wonderful things Grandmother deems unladylike, she dares to dream that there could be such a house back in Toronto... a house where she, Mother, and Father could live together without Grandmother directing their lives — a house that could be called home.

Genre: Middle Grade - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been wanting to reread this one for awhile as I remember it being one of my favorites.  

My Impression: This was just a delight.  Jane is miserably unhappy in her home in Toronto that is tightly controlled by her grandmother.  She's not sure why her parents are no longer together but is quite sure it is her fault.   She's awkward and clumsy and just not sure where she belongs - that is until a letter arrives summoning her to Prince Edward Island for the summer.  There she meets her dad and more importantly gets to know herself.  Her adventures aren't particularly dramatic but with each one Jane becomes more comfortable with herself which was truly enjoyable to read about.

Jane is a bit different from the typical Montgomery heroine.  She's not a dreamer or particularly ambitious.  She has farm more common sense than whimsy but she's incredibly kind and thoughtful with a bit of spunk to her.  I loved her return to Toronto and how her life changes.  Montgomery does a fantastic job here with two bullies.  The first - Grandmother Kennedy - is a fairly typical villain.  She's cold and controlling and determined to have things her way.  The second is a very different kind but one I think we've all encountered.  She's oh so sweet but everything she says is guaranteed to make the person she's speaking to feel a little less confident and just in general a little less.  The ending is a bit trite but I loved the book so much that I wasn't sad about it.  I'm so glad I took the time to revisit this one and I enjoyed it just as much as I remembered.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  Montgomery is one of my favorite authors and I always enjoy a reread.  I'm thinking of picking up one of her short story collections next.  

Would I Recommend this Book? Yes, definitely.  It's a bit different from the typical Montgomery book but is an absolutely delightful read.  

Friday Fives - Five Series I'm Hoping to Continue

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  I love series and always have a bunch going at a time.  Unfortunately, sometimes that means I discover a series I really enjoy and then it gets lost in all the others.  Here are 5 I want to focus on next.

1.  The Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire - The first book in this series kind of blew my mind and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

2.  When in Rome by Sarah Adams - This is a four book series with each book focusing on a sibling.  I'm so excited to read the rest of the books - and there are only four so I can potentially get through it fairly quickly.

3.  Her Majesty the Queen Investigates by S.J. Bennett - I've read the last two books in the series and thoroughly enjoyed them.  I'm excited to go back and read the earlier books.

4.  Peter Shandy by Charlotte MacLeod - The first book in this series was so entertaining and a good mystery.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the character develops - and MacLeod's mysteries never disappoint.

5.  Vera Stanhope by Ann Cleeves - I've heard good things about this series for years and thoroughly enjoyed the first book.  I'm looking forward to reading more of Vera and then starting the show.

Do you have any series that you are looking forward to reading but get lost in the piles of books? 

Stay for a Spell - Cozy Fantasy Review

Goodreads: Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe

Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar is disillusioned with life as a princess. She longs for real conversation, the chance to build a life of her own making, and uninterrupted reading time.

During a routine royal visit to the town of Little Pepperidge, Tandy’s dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she unlocks her heart’s desire. Certain that someone will figure out how to break the curse eventually, and delighted by the prospect of an entire bookstore of her own, Tandy settles into life among the stacks. She finds it easy to exchange balls and endless state dinners for teetering piles of books and an irritatingly handsome pirate who seems bent on stealing her stock.

She even starts to believe she's stumbled into her very own happily ever after.

There's just one, minor problem: as Tandy's royal duties go unfulfilled, her frantic parents start sending princes to woo her, each one of them certain their kiss will break the curse. After all, what more could a princess want but a prince?

Genre: Fantasy - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've really been enjoying cozy fantasy and this one looked lovely.

My Impression:  This was a lovely read.  Right from the start Tandy is a likable main character.  She's a nice person who is a bit of people pleaser and who also loves to read.  While shocked she's not super upset to find herself cursed and unable to leave a 3-story bookstore overflowing with books.  The bookstore is the stuff dreams are made of.  Stacks and stacks of books overflowing shelves with no end in sight.  I think most readers and book organizing lovers could happily spend days sorting and inventorying and reading.  And that is exactly Tandy's thoughts as well.

I really enjoyed this.  In addition to perhaps one of the best settings I've come across in a while I really enjoyed watching Tandy adjust to her new reality.  I'm a sucker for a main character (especially a likable one) figuring out exactly what they want in life and this had that in spades.  I also really enjoyed the side character in the book - even the princes but especially Sasha and the pirate.  This is my first book b this author but it was a nice read with characters I enjoyed spending time with. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  This was a delightful read and I can't wait to see what other worlds the author imagines.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes, definitely!  This would be an especially good choice if you're looking for a break from more intense books.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Too Close to Home - Mystery Review

Goodreads: Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Nothing in this idyllic community is quite what it seems…

Those lucky enough to live in the elite lakefront community of Cloverhill Lakes are drawn to it for its safety and top-notch school district. The moms meet for coffee at the park while their kids play, they’re heavily involved in the PTA, and the summers are filled with chardonnay, brunch, sundresses, and backyard bonfires.

But everything changes when Regan Hoffman’s car explodes at the annual Labor Day party. The wrong person is killed, but it was meant for her. As the carefully crafted walls of her community begin to crumble, Regan tries to keep it together—something made infinitely harder when she sees her dead husband…alive.

When a Cloverhill Lakes resident suddenly goes missing, dark secrets begin to surface from underneath the idyllic veneer of their beautiful community—and the truth threatens to destroy them all as Regan finds herself in a fight for her life.

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book:  I loved this author's previous book so of course I had to pick this one up.

My Impression:  This was quite a page turner!  The first half of the book was super stressful as plots slowly evolved around the three main women - Sasha, Andi, and Regan.  There's a lot more going on than the blurb implies as each of the three women have their lives teetering towards a downfall.  For a bit it felt like neither Sasha, Regan or Andi could make a sensible decision to save their lives (literally in a few situations).  While this is never a slow read the first half is all development with no answers which at times was a little frustrating.  But once we start getting answers it is a wild ride to the finish and I was completely hooked.  

I flew through this one - especially the last half and was completely surprised by the ending.  There is a bit of suspending disbelief but not a ridiculous amount.  This was an intense read from start to finish that never got too graphic or gore-y.  I really enjoyed it even when my blood pressure and pulse rate were way up!  This is an author I'm really looking forward to reading more from.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I'll be looking for her next book and looking forward to reading through her backlist. 

Would I Recommend this Book? If you like mysteries and thrillers but don't like too much graphic violence this author is a perfect pick for you.  All of the tension with none of the gore.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books That Have Been Important to Me

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Book Titles That Describe Me/My Life.  I couldn't come up with anything that fit that so I'm going with Books That Have Been Important to Me (in the last 15 years or so).  I figure that's a pretty good window into me and my life!

1.  The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson - This is one of the first books that my husband and I discussed together.  We read very different things and very different amounts but it was still fun to discover that he read as well and that we had this book in common.

2.  Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas - I read this (and the rest of the Hathaway series) when I had a toddler and not much time to read and I remember it bringing such joy.

3.  Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - I read this for a very short lived book club I was in and it was one of the few books that really got a good discussion.  Then my husband read it and we still discuss it occasionally.  It's one I have such strong feelings about because I thoroughly enjoyed the book until a very unnecessary epilogue that kind of tanked how I felt about the book as a whole.  

4.  Where the Heart Is by Nora Roberts - This book collection taught me a very important lesson - that just because I love an author does not mean I'm going to love every book they've ever written.  After this one I gave up trying to read her early books.

5.  The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs - This is the first book I read on any kind of e-reader.  I had gotten a Kindle Fire and took it with me on vacation and discovered just how convenient it was not to have to haul around stacks of books.

6.  The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright - I adored The Four Story Mistake by this author as a kid but never knew of any other books by her.  I found my old copy when my mother moved and looked up the author up online and discovered a whole bunch more books in the Melendy family series.

7.  Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon - This is one of my early review books and it was such fun getting in early on a beginning cozy series.  

8.  Goodnight June by Sarah Jio - This book really cemented my love of letters and voices from the past in books.  I don't think I had really nailed that down and verbalized it until this point.

9.  Crushed Velvet by Diane Vallere - This is the book that showed me that reading a cozy mystery series in order really can improve my enjoyment of the book as a whole.  

10. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen - This is the first magical realism book I ever read and it showed me just how much I enjoy that genre.

What books have been important in your life?

When the Wolves Are Silent - Historical Mystery Review

Goodreads: When the Wolves are Silent (A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery #21) by C.S. Harris

Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  London, 1816: When a notorious young aristocrat is burned alive on a windswept hill popular with neo-Druids, former cavalry officer Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, finds himself plunged into a murder investigation shadowed by tales of ancient human sacrifices and long-buried secrets.

The victim, Marcus Toole, was the only son and heir of a prominent nobleman. His closest friend—Sebastian’s own nephew, Bayard—claims to have passed out drunk before the attack and remembers nothing. But when Sebastian and his brilliant wife, Hero, delve deeper into the sordid activities of Bayard and his friends, they come to realize that Bayard may not be as innocent as he pretends. Following a tangled trail that leads from a disaffected former soldier-turned-highwayman to a beautiful, courageous journalist and a Jamaican-born fencing master with ties to a radical political movement, Sebastian begins to suspect that Bayard and his friends are being targeting in revenge, by victims who believe they have no other recourse.

Then two more of Bayard’s friends are killed, their murders staged to echo the ritual sacrifices of the ancient Celts. With the palace shaken by the fear of riots and one horrifying death following another, Sebastian must race to stop a ruthless plot that threatens the lives of innocents and could rip his troubled nation apart.

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I have really enjoyed the other books that I've read in this series so of course I had to pick this newest book.

My Impression: I have really enjoyed this series even though I started it in the middle.  Sebastian is an interesting character with a complicated relationship with his family - especially his sister.  While he is heir to an earldom it is only following the death of his older brother and considering the Earl is not technically his biological father this makes things especially complicated.  While he has a healthy relationship with his father his relationship with his sister is anything but healthy and positive.  The book starts with Sebastian's nephew, Bayard, stumbling onto a body and Sebastian learns that this is the second of Bayard's close group of friends to be found dead under mysterious circumstances.  

This may be the most sympathetic group of victims to ever exist and while I never actively root for violence I wasn't sad when another few friends come to a not so nice end.  The mystery was interesting, complicating and at times infuriating as Sebastian followed one thread after the other always learning more but never finding the answer.  When everything comes to light it makes sense and is well explained though it is seriously grim and a bit heartbreaking.  

All of this is taking place against of background of extreme disparity of life and rumblings of uprising as well as actions from those in charge trying to control the situation using deception and violence.  This is incredibly well done.  Harris doesn't get preachy, heavy handed or info dump but instead weaves the issues through the story both with Sebastian's investigation and Hero's interviews.  This series in general isn't a cozy one and while there isn't on page violence the issues discussed are very dark but very well handled.  I really enjoyed the reading experience of this book and look forward to reading more from this series.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I will definitely pick up the next book and look forward to going back to the beginning of the series to read the ones I've missed.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes, though I do recommend starting earlier in the series.  The characters have complex lives and relationships and the earlier you start the easier it is to make sense of it all.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *