Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins

August 2, 2024

Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins

One morning, 25 years ago, a girl set out to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed. One arrived at school, the other didn't, never to be seen again. Her sister's disappearance shaped every aspect of Willa's life. But at a dinner at her best friend's house, Willa realizes that circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance may not be as they appear.

We all have false memories, either things that didn't happen or memories that are a composite of a group of experiences, or even events where we couldn't possibly have been there (such as the child who is positive that they were at a particular family event, when actually the event occurred years before they were born but they heard about it so often, they are sure they have a memory of it). Recurrent themes here are breaking and mending, re-making something beautiful from the pieces of something else, whether it is a ceramic bowl, a family, or your own identity. While there is a mystery, it is secondary to the characters. I would call this novel psychological fiction or suspense, rather than a thriller. The villain really is the villain, but not in the way you expect. My only criticism is that the ending feels a little rushed. This would be a great vacation or beach read, but also a good book to cozy up with in the winter. It may take a couple of chapters to get into, but stay with it. Recommended for readers who psychological fiction where things are not at all what they appear, such as the books of Gillian Flynn or Freida McFadden.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Christine Falls by Benjamin Black

August 2, 2024

Christine Falls by Benjamin Black

Quirke is a pathologist and a functioning alcoholic in Dublin in the 1950s. Late one night, drunk after a holiday party with the hospital staff, he stumbles into the morgue to find a new body has arrived, a very young woman who supposedly died from a pulmonary embolism. After is brother-in-law, a well-known OB-GYN, falsifies the dead woman's records, Quirke is determined to get to the bottom of the case, unaware that he is exposing himself to powerful outside forces that don't want him digging into the girl's death.

A literary mystery set in Dublin by the Booker prize winning author John Banville. Examines Irish cultural and societal values in the 1950s, including family, religion, and the laws of the time. Christine Falls is the name of the dead girl, not a location. The setting, overall darkness, the brushes with the underworld, the complex plotting, and the main character Quirke will remind you of noir fiction. Recommended for readers who enjoy the complex plotting of Stuart Turton and Stieg Larsson.

Typical morgue in the 1950s

Feast Without Fear: Food and the Delay, Don't Deny Lifestyle by Gin Stephens

August 1, 2024

Feast Without Fear:  Food and the Delay, Don't Deny Lifestyle by Gin Stephens

Follow-up to the author's two previous books on intermittent fasting. This one is more science-y and not quite as readable as the other two books, but still has a lot of good information as well as a bunch of links to studies. What to eat and how much to eat during my eating windows was one of the things that most confused me when I started IF, so this had some useful information about eating and also why Gin doesn't recommend or endorse any specific diet plan, or give sample menus or food lists. 

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung

July 31, 2024

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung

The cultural revolution erupts in China in 1948, but in rural Shandong, the Ang family is living according to 10th century traditions and is more concerned about the lack of a male heir. The oldest son's wife produced only daughters, considered to be useless mouths to feed until they marry and leave. When the Communists take control of the country, the son and his parents flee, leaving his wife and their daughters behind at the family home, with little food and no money. When they are evicted, the mother and daughters decide to go to the city to try to find the rest of the family.

Based on the author's grandmother's story of fleeing China for Taiwan during the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese treated their girls like crap; they may still. And the mothers and grandmothers not only put up with it, they encouraged it. Not that the Chinese have a patent on treating daughters with disdain - my own parents weren't that crazy about having a daughter (I was the only one) and made it obvious that they much preferred my brothers, until they got old and then having a daughter to look after them was a good thing. Inspiring story but depressing at the same time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Cutting off a man's pigtail, considered to be a sign of the ruling or wealthy class, during the Cultural Revolution

The Belvedere Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

July 22, 2024

The Belvedere Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Major Heathcliff Lennox and retired Scotland Yard detective Jonathan Swift are asked by Lord Belvedere to attend a ball at his fabulous country estate to keep an eye on his daughter's suitor, a man named Jack Dutton who he believes is a a gold digger after his daughter's money. Despite their best efforts, during the ball, someone manages to shove Dutton from the roof of the mansion. 

Another adventure for Lennox and Swift, #11 in the series. The mystery here reminds me of books like Murder on the Orient Express, where all the characters have some connection to the murder victim. Furthermore, he is a shady character who needs to get murdered (no one likes a blackmailer or a drug dealer). I love a country house mystery, and this one ticks all the boxes: a beautiful house, a ball, aristocrats, jewels and ball gowns, snooty rich people who think they're above the law, a locked-room mystery. While you don't need to read the series in order, do it because the books are so much fun. Recommended for readers who enjoy British historical mysteries and dry humor.

Iron Age barrow in the the Cotswolds

The Romanov Brides by Claire McHugh

July 20, 2024

The Romanov Brides by Claire McHugh

Sisters Elisabeth and Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, two princesses from a minor German principality, marry two princes of the imperial house of Romanov: Elisabeth marries the effete Serge, while Alix marries his nephew Nicky, destined to become the next Russian tsar.

Rather a long drawn out saga about the youth of two minor German princesses who end up married to two imperial Russian princes, uncle and nephew. All are descendants of Queen Victoria, and all carry the gene for hemophilia. But at the time that this historical novel is set, the consequences are far in the future. Nicky, later Tsar Nicholas II, is the best character. Alix is perpetually glum - today, she would probably be diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder. Her family recognizes that she suffers from melancholia. Even her cousin Kaiser Wilhelm (who isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer) thinks she's damp and can't understand why Nicky is so set on marrying her. The story is rather slow moving and would have benefitted from about 50 or so pages being edited out. Recommended if you're a real fan of the Romanovs or Russian history.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine, believed to be one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe

Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine before her marriage - not even all that pretty as a girl and definitely not happy

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

July 17, 2024

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

Kiera is a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, and her assistant is Caz, a spider plant who suffers from anxiety (he's especially paranoid about goats and fish). When the city is taken over by rebels and the library is engulfed in flames, Kiera and Caz flee (along with a few crates of spell books) to the far north to the island of Caltrey, Kiera's birthplace. But the village has fallen on hard times, and Kiera decides that if they are here to stay, she will need to figure out how to fix what is wrong with the village. The only problem is, it's illegal for non-wizards to perform magic spells.

Charming romantasy, perfect for a summer read on the beach or on your patio at home, although it would also make a cozy winter read, wrapped up in your favorite throw. And there are merhorses! Giant irridescent seahorses! What a wonderful creation! Plus Caz the spider plant and Meep the cactus. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy a sweet fantasy or romance, or both, also for librarians and those who respect books and knowledge.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Merhorse!

An Assassination on the Agenda by Karen Baugh Menuhin

July 16, 2024

An Assassination on the Agenda by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Lady Emily Hardcastle and her faithful maid and sometimes deadly companion Florence Armstrong are enjoying a summer lunch with their good friends the Farley Strouds, when Emily's brother Harry summons them, because their unique skills are needed first in Bristol, and then in London. The heir to the Austrian throne and his wife are due to visit England with a trade delegation, and Harry has heard rumors of a planned assassination attempt that his department needs to stop. He enlists Emily and Flo to evaluate the security arrangements, since who would suspect a society lady and her maid to head up a security team?

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are back for their 11th adventure, an entertaining mystery filled with charming characters, punny language, malapropisms, and dry British humor. It's best to read the series in order to understand the various characters' backstories, but also for the sheer fun of the series. Perfect vacation or summer reading. Recommended for readers who enjoy cozy light-hearted British mysteries.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie - although they survive the assassination attempt here, they are not so lucky some years later in Sarajevo

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by M. J. Wassmer

July 11, 2024

Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by M. J. Wassmer

Dan and Mara are vacationing at a new island resort when the sun bursts. And not in a giant explosion in the sky, more like a pop and then broken egg yolk dripping down the sides of the sky, and then darkness. Not only are they trapped on the island, an athleisure-wear entrepreneur named Lilyanna (think Cruella DeVille dressed in Lululemon) who sounds like Dolly Parton has taken control of the resort - as well as the only plane on the island. But there is an observatory on the other side of the island, and the resident astronomer believes there is something strange going on - well, stranger than the sun exploding.

It's class warfare at a new luxury resort, where the rich people in building A take over all the resources and put the guests in buildings B and C to work for them. Except for Lilyanna and her head of security (boo, hiss), the characters might be clueless but they all have a lot of heart. BTW, this is the kind of thing that would happen to me. I suspected the answer about halfway through, but it was still a fun read. Recommended for readers who enjoy not-too-serious dystopian fiction.

Dystopian resort

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.