Title: The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
ISBN: 9780802126023
Pages: 264
Release Date: November 1, 2011
Publisher: Mysterious Press
Genre: Short Stories, Literary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Joyce Carol Oates once again proves herself to be a master storyteller in these six stories of suspense, horror, and thrills.

Review:

While I’m not usually a fan of short stories, I have found that Joyce Carol Oates’ collections are not to be missed.  She has the ability to craft an entire novel’s worth of description, exposition, and character development in just a few pages, and it’s absolutely marvelous to witness.  Therefore, when I discovered she had a new collection of suspense tales releasing from Mysterious Press, I was eager to get my hands on The Corn Maiden.

The titular story is the most memorable one, mostly because it takes up almost half the book’s length.  It is a novella, rather than a short story.  The Corn Maiden tells the story of an eleven-year-old girl named Marissa, who is taken by Jude, an older girl who believes Marissa must be sacrificed according to an old legend.  Her mother Leah has her own demons to face as she frantically searches for her daughter.  Mothers will find this story especially disturbing, as readers can feel Leah’s fear and regret.  “If only…” she says, thinking she may have been able to prevent Marissa’s disappearance if she had done something differently. 

Like The Corn Maiden, all the stories in this collection are impeccably plotted and precisely written.  Oates wields her pen like a razor, cutting and slashing as necessary in order to convey the horrors of a man visited by a vengeful girl or a twin appalled by his identical brother.  Each of these tales is suspenseful and keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end.  They all have a sense of dread surrounding them, and Oates writes their atmospheres perfectly.  This is the perfect chilling read for the Halloween season of monsters and frights.

There’s a reason Joyce Carol Oates is considered one of the masters of the short story form, and every one of them is on display in The Corn Maiden.  It’s a well curated collection of mysterious and thrilling stories that readers will want to read from beginning to end.  If you’re in the mood for chills, but don’t feel like committing to an entire book, this is definitely a great choice.

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Hello all! Today is the Marine Corps Marathon in DC, which means we are burrowed down at home.  The Marathon route goes right by our building, so all the streets around us are completely shut down.  That works for us, though, because we are going to spend today packing and consolidating for our big upcoming trip! We are leaving for New Zealand this upcoming weekend, and will be gone for two weeks!!  I can’t begin to describe how excited I am for this trip, as New Zealand is somewhere I have always wanted to visit.

I do have posts scheduled for the entire time I’m gone, so hopefully you all won’t notice too much of a difference.  I’m not going to be checking email on vacation, so if you have an urgent question or a review pitch for me, I’d recommend sending it this week! Otherwise, I’ll catch up on everything once I’m back over Thanksgiving week.  While I won’t be doing update posts on my blog about the trip, I will be sharing random snapshots and thoughts over at my Tumblr, so if you are interested in my trip, make sure to keep an eye on it.  I can’t guarantee my frequency of posting, as I’ll probably just be doing it wherever I find a free wifi connection.

My Out Now! column for this week is up on inReads. If you haven’t visited my Tumblr lately (or didn’t know I had one), this is where I collect random thoughts, quotes, and pictures that don’t really have a place on my main blog.  One fun thing I’ve been doing with my Tumblr is book and beer pairings - check out this one for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  While time has been an issue lately, I hope to do many more of those going forward.

Reviews posted this week:

Title: Green River Killer: A True Detective Story
Author: Jeff Jensen & Jonathan Case
ISBN: 9781595825605
Pages: 240
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Genre: Non-Fiction, True Crime, Graphic
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

The Green River Killer was the nickname Seattle gave to the serial killer that terrorized and murdered women over the course of twenty years.  Detective Tom Jensen of the Seattle Police Department was the pointman for the Green River Killer investigation and spent most of his career searching for the identity of this twisted madman.

Review:

Jeff Jensen is a popular writer for Entertainment Weekly, but he is also the son of Tom Jensen, the Green River Killer detective.  In this graphic novel/true crime story (Jensen makes it clear that details have been changed, so the book isn’t pure non-fiction), he chronicles his father’s search for a murderer.

Green River Killer jumps through time in order to maximize the suspense of the story.  Near the beginning, it appears as though the Seattle police have a suspect and are interrogating him.  But how did they find him?  Why is he at the police station?  And what about the holes in his story - are they sure he’s the culprit?  Jensen effectively utilizes the time jumps and fractured narration in order to deliver a taut, suspenseful tale that will keep readers glued to this book.

The artwork in Green River Killer is really stunning.  It’s black and white, and while that disappointed me at the beginning, I quickly realized it was much more appropriate than color.  The images are often disturbing, revealing the twisted nature of the killer, and they would lose some of that starkness if they were in color.  Jonathan Case perfectly captures the incredibly creepy atmosphere of the story, even when readers are sitting in the bright lights of the Seattle police station.

This true crime story was wonderfully adapted to the graphic genre; readers get a complete overview of the case while also being treated to visually stunning artwork.  Readers also get a real sense of how much respect Jeff Jensen has for his father, and this book is a touching tribute from son to father.  It’s well thought out and completely chilling; readers won’t want to put this book down.

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Title: The Sugar House
Author: Laura Lippman
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

When a family friend asks Tess Monaghan to look into her brother’s death in prison, Tess can’t help but accept.  What Tess doesn’t realize, though, is that the case will take her into the difficult world of eating disorders and will involve her family in ways she could have never imagined.  Lippman’s fifth Tess Monaghan mystery is both engaging and completely gripping.  Tess has evolved into a mature woman and a capable PI, and she brings her considerable deduction skills to this case. The information about eating disorders is chilling and hauntingly realistic.  The involvement of Tess’s family makes her realize that the world doesn’t operate in the black and white she once thought it did, and forces her character to grow up quite a bit over the course of the book.  This may be the best installment in the series yet.

Title: The Map of Love
Author: Ahdaf Souief
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4 out of5

In this family saga, Souief brings together two different generations.  The year is 1977, and Isabel Parkman discovers the journal of her great-grandmother, Anna Winterbourne.  Anna traveled to Egypt in the 1900s, and Isabel mirrors that journey in order to translate Anna’s documents.  Egypt was in a state of unrest during both of these time periods, and readers are treated to a portrait of life and politics during both these difficult times.  Souief’s beautiful writing is to be savored and read slowly, word by word.  Though there are too many unrealistic coincidences that hamper the plot, overall the book is worth reading for the depiction of Egypt during these two troubled periods.

Title: Running from the Devil
Author: Jamie Freveletti
Source: Publisher
Rating 3.5 out of 5

Emma Caldridge is a chemist for a cosmetics company on a plane to Bogota, Colombia when the plane she’s on is hijacked.  Jamie manages to escape her captors on the ground, convinced that her secret research is part of the reason the plane was taken.  She sets out into the jungle on her own, determined to rescue the hostages.  Emma Caldridge is a great, strong female lead for this novel, and it’s nice that she is just as capable as any male.  She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and fight.  The action in this book is enjoyable, but a little overdone; I was more than ready for brains rather than brawn at times, and it didn’t always come.  Running from the Dark was an enjoyable book, but I was ready for it to be over when I turned the last pages.

Title: Until There Was You
Author: Kristan Higgins
ISBN: 9780373776115
Pages: 416
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Posey Osterhagen has a loving family, but she’s always felt that something is missing in her life.  Maybe it’s the fact that she was adopted, or that the man she is currently “dating” doesn’t want to be seen with her during daylight hours.  Or it could be Liam Murphy, who has walked back into Posey’s life after ripping her heart out and ruining her prom night all those years ago.  Will Posey be able to put aside her adolescent hurts and trust Liam, or will she hang onto that pain she’s never been able to let go?

Review:

Until There Was You is a sweet women’s fiction novel (yes, I know Higgins’ novels are officially classified as romance, but I’m stubborn) about a woman who has a lot to learn about love.  Posey is strong-willed, but also kind and gentle.  She loves her family and friends and is dedicated to her business.  When Liam waltzes back into Posey’s life, bringing his teenage daughter with him, Posey is extremely guarded around him.  She doesn’t want to get hurt again, but at the same time, Posey can’t help but reach out to his daughter.  That’s just the person she is.

This book also contained something new for a Kristan Higgins book: the point of view of the man.  I loved getting to know Liam through his own voice.  He was hunky, to be sure, but also troubled.  The death of his wife has left him completely bereft, unsure of how to handle his daughter, so he is insanely overprotective.  He doesn’t know how to let go, how to let her have her freedom, because he is so worried about her being hurt.  The fact that he was the town “bad boy” in his youth only reinforces his desire to protect his daughter from someone like his teen self.  It was an incredibly sweet relationship; I loved how devoted Liam was to his daughter and how much he clearly loved her.  And I must say that his daughter was very well-adjusted for having such an overprotective father!

Higgins mixes up her romance in every book, so while you know Posey and Liam will end up together in Until There Was You, readers don’t know how it will come about.  Their path to one another was satisfying and seemed very natural.  This was a really sweet novel with well developed characters.  Though the ending was a bit over the top and uncharacteristically cheesy, I still enjoyed Higgins’ latest and already can’t wait for the next book.

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Title: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Author: Tom Franklin
ISBN: 9780060594664
Pages: 288
Release Date: October 5, 2010
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Literary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

When a girl disappears in a small town in Mississippi, suspicion falls on Larry Ott.  After all, twenty-five years ago, another girl disappeared and the last person who saw her was Larry.  Silas Jones, the constable, remembers his complicated childhood friendship with Larry as he tries to determine the truth.

Review:

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is a novel that takes place during two time periods - the present day and the 1970s - in Mississippi.  Franklin writes the Southern atmosphere well.  The entire novel is thick with humidity, with that soupy weather that seems to define southern summers.  It’s incredibly dark and moody, caught up in the secrets, lies, and racial tension present in the town.  I can’t begin to describe how wonderfully atmospheric this novel is; it envelops the reader completely from beginning to end.

The two main characters Larry and Silas are well written.  Franklin takes his time in developing them; Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter moves at its own, slow pace.  This is a novel about people, about the setting, rather than about the plot.  Of course, the story is important, but the other elements take precedence.  That’s not to say the book is boring, just that it’s very carefully crafted and finely wrought.  This isn’t a novel to pick up if you’re looking for a fast-paced, thrilling read.

The mystery that the novel centers around is the disappearance of the two girls twenty five years apart.  The entire town believes Larry had a hand in these crimes, but really Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is actually about the relationship between Silas and Larry.  The mystery takes a backseat to this complicated and difficult friendship, a friendship that turns into something else entirely.  It’s interesting and well-written, and though the big reveal at the end is very predictable, readers will get the sense that they were supposed to figure it out prematurely, that it was Franklin’s intention to craft the novel that way.

This certainly is an interesting novel in terms of plot and characterization, but it’s really Franklin’s beautiful writing and his ability to turn a phrase that make Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter worth reading.  I can’t praise the perfect atmosphere that Franklin created highly enough.  I will definitely be keeping my eye out for Franklin’s next novel.

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Title: A Friend of the Family
Author: Lauren Grodstein
ISBN: 9781616200176
Pages: 320
Release Date: November 9, 2010
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Genre: Literary Fiction
Source: Library
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

After Pete’s best friend lost his daughter Laura emotionally - the girl was accused of murdering her newborn child as a teenager - he became all the more determined to protect his son, Alec.  But years later, Alec hasn’t turned out the way Pete hoped.  After dropping out of college, Alec is back at home with his parents, and Pete doesn’t know how to motivate him to return to school.  When Laura moves back to town and seems intent on worming her way into Alec’s life - who is some ten years younger than her - Pete feels he must step in before Alec falls off his path forever.

Review:

A Friend of the Family is a provocative novel that brings up serious questions for the reader.  How much control does a parent have over the life choices of their child?  And are choices really “right” and “wrong”?  Is it true that college just isn’t the right choice for some people - is Alec wrong in wanting to forge his own path?  These are very interesting questions about the future.  Pete firmly believes that Alec is ruining his life when he drops out of college, but at what point does Pete’s opinion as a parent cease to matter?  When should Pete step back and allow Alec to live his own life, to make his own mistakes?

Pete is a very complex character.  On one hand, he is doing what he believes is right, trying to encourage his son to make positive life choices.  It’s easy to sympathize with him because he’s the narrator of the book and the reader really gets into his head.  But Pete makes some questionable choices and drives himself crazy trying to control Alec’s life, and the reader has to consider Alec’s point of view.  It’s hard to blame him for hating his dad, even if Pete might be right about certain points.

This book also deals with the difficult issue of infanticide, when Laura supposedly murders her newborn baby.  From the beginning, it isn’t clear what actually happened.  All the reader knows is what Pete’s been told, and it’s clear that he thinks she is a monster.  Therefore, when Laura begins seeking out Alec, it’s enough to push Pete over the edge, that a murderer is preying on his son and influencing his decisions. 

As this review probably makes clear, there are many different issues within A Friend of the Family, such that it would make an excellent book club pick.  Grodstein writes with clear prose, and the book is easy to read and progresses quickly, despite its sometimes difficult subject matter.  This is a striking portrayal of one family quickly descending into dysfunction, and Grodstein ratchets up the suspense as she takes the reader through this tautly woven tale.

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Title: Darkness All Around
Author: Doug Magee
ISBN: 9781439154021
Pages: 352
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Touchstone
Genre: Thriller
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Years ago, Risa’s husband Sean disappeared, and later in the week, her best friend Carol was murdered.  Now, Risa has rebuilt her life.  She is married to a politician campaigning for office and her son is a high school football star.  But when Sean reappears with memories of Carol’s murder that he couldn’t have unless he was at the crime scene, Risa’s life is turned upside down as she tries to protect her former husband and her family.

Review:

Darkness All Around is a startling look at the line between truth and lies.  At the beginning, Risa is sure of herself and everything around her.  When Sean shows up, though, it casts everything Risa thought she knew into a new light.  Where has Sean been all this time?  Did her current husband have anything to do with her former husband’s disappearance?  These questions keep the reader guessing, as it’s clear that nothing is as it seems and no one can really be trusted.

Risa is an endearing character; it’s clear her life has been difficult, and it’s great the way she has pulled things together.  She’s also a thoughtful and considerate mother who has issues with her son’s status as a football star.  She cringes at the violence of football, and how celebrated her son is when he tackles and injures a player.  It’s an interesting discussion, and I appreciate it being included as a subplot in this novel.  It gives it an extra depth and helps to develop and flesh out the character of Risa.

The mystery in Darkness All Around is well done.  Sean is a good person who wants to do the right thing, but his memory is completely unreliable.  As a result, it’s difficult to trust him.  He thinks he remembers something awful, but from the beginning it’s clear that these memories aren’t exactly what they seem.  It’s interesting to see how Magee draws out the twists and turns and ensures this book grips the reader from beginning to end.

Darkness All Around is a novel worth reading if you’re looking for a thriller that will really keep you guessing.  I had some issues with the book’s constantly changing pace - sometimes it would be slow, then forge ahead at rocket speed - but it was engaging and I consumed it in one sitting.  If you’re looking for a thriller that might also be a solid book club pick, I think with Risa’s issues and the twisty nature of this novel, Darkness All Around would be a great choice.

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Title: Last Man in Tower
Author: Aravind Adiga
ISBN: 9780307594099
Pages: 400
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Publisher: Knopf
Genre: Literary Fiction, Cultural Fiction (South Asian)
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

The residents of Vishram Society’s Tower A in Mumbai are flabbergasted when a developer named Dharmen Shah offers them an extremely generous amount of money in order to buy them out of their building.  Shah has a vision of a building called the Shanghai and is determined to build it on the site at all costs.  But Shah doesn’t expect one of the residents, Masterji, to resist all his attempts to remove the residents of Tower A from the building.

Review:

Last Man in Tower is the story of a showdown, a struggle between two men: Shah and Masterji, set against the backdrop of Mumbai, a city of opposites.  The city of Mumbai is its own character in this novel; Shah wants to build an amazing ode to luxury with the Shanghai, displacing the slums and crumbling buildings in the Vakola district of Mumbai.  This juxtaposition of wealth and poverty, of have and have-nots is at the center of this book, and it’s done extremely well.

Masterji is an incredibly interesting character.  At the beginning, readers might feel that his stand against Shah is admirable, especially considering the situation he is forced into by his fellow residents.  But as the novel progresses, Masterji’s stubbornness starts to grate.  Is he to be lauded for sticking to his principles, or is the issue more complex?  After all, because of his stand, he is denying Shah’s generous buyout to everyone in his building.  In a less complicated and intricate novel, Masterji would clearly be “good” and Shah “bad”, but Adiga’s genius is in the details.  Neither of these men are so clearly labeled; instead, they are representative of the debate between tradition and progress, and it’s very nuanced.

Adiga is a talented writer and knows very well how to turn a phrase.  His writing is beautiful, but never heavy.  It makes this book a pleasure to read; his descriptions are vivid and really bring the claustrophobic nature of Mumbai to life.  He also does an excellent job developing the characters in the novel and making them memorable.  Readers will think about the people in Last Man in Tower for a very long time after finishing the book.

The saddest part of Last Man in Tower is the behavior of the Tower A residents towards Masterji, which becomes increasingly combative as they become desperate for the promise of wealth.  Adiga studies the basest parts of human nature as one by one, the Tower A denizens abandon Masterji, their lifelong friend and the person who taught their children in school and tutored them for free.  As sentiment turns against Masterji, things become increasingly nasty.  Though Masterji can be frustrating, it is sad to see how far things go and how bad they get.

Last Man in Tower is an interesting study of human nature and the war between principle and practicality.  It’s creatively written and the vivid characters will keep the reader intrigued by this tale of morality.

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I could give you many excuses for why I didn’t do a Sunday Salon post last Sunday.  We’re busy getting ready for our upcoming trip, and things have generally been hectic around here - yesterday we spent the entire day doing our version of spring cleaning (fall cleaning?)  But really, the reason I didn’t check in last week is because I didn’t even turn on the computer.  I turned off the computer Friday evening and didn’t turn it back on until Monday, and I relished it.  Even this weekend, this is the first time since Friday I’m turning on the computer.  It’s so nice to shut out the constant stimulation of Twitter and Facebook and just enjoy living life.

Yesterday evening, we took a trip to the National Mall to see the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, which has had its share of controversy and criticism since opening to the public.  I didn’t really know what to expect, but in the end I thought it was thoughtfully done (though I do understand the criticisms about the lack of a unifying theme).  There is a large back wall filled with quotes of King’s about peace and equality.  In the middle of the wall are large stone structures you walk through to get to the highlight of the monument, the huge statue of Dr. King.  (Sorry my descriptions aren’t very good, but it’s really hard to put into words).  The statue was definitely the most powerful part of the memorial.  It brought tears to my eyes when I saw it.  I have to say, though, I don’t know what was more moving - the statue itself, or the reactions of older black men and women who were so affected by what they saw.  It was a great experience. (Funny - and adorable - story. While we were walking around, a tiny black woman asked my husband who is 6’4’’ to take a good picture of the statue for her with her camera because she just wasn’t tall enough!)

I had a good reading week this week.  I’ve been doing a good job getting ahead in my reviews and re-filling my buffer that had been so drained earlier this year.  I’m also running a giveaway of the audio version of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan, which runs through Tuesday.  Earlier this week, I posted some Little Tidbits of information that I wanted to share with you all.  My Out Now! column for the week over at inReads discusses some of the books that were released last week.

Reviews posted this week:

Title: The Last Letter from Your Lover
Author: Jojo Moyes
ISBN: 9780670022809
Pages: 400
Release Date: July 7, 2011
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital with no knowledge of who she is or how she got there.  As she recuperates, her memory slowly begins to come back, but she feels like something is missing.  She is unfulfilled by life with her husband.  Then Jennifer discovers a love letter written to her, one that is clearly not from her husband, and she has to discover who wrote it and why.

Review:

While the premise of The Last Letter from Your Lover might seem similar to other recent novels about a woman losing her memory, let me assure you that it is unique.  Jennifer is completely lost when the novel begins.  She has no memories, though things quickly begin to feel familiar to her.  But she isn’t happy and she can’t really figure out why.  However, the reader knows exactly what happened to Jennifer before the accident because the book jumps back and forth through time, chapter by chapter, to fill in the blanks.  The transition between the time periods is seamless; it never is jarring and exposes Jennifer’s past beautifully.

The Last Letter from Your Lover is set during the 1960s, and Moyes really brings that time period to life for the reader.  Having an affair was a very different issue back then; it’s clear that women were expected to stay in their unhappy marriages instead of trying to find some contentment in life.  Jennifer is torn by her duty to her husband, who has made sure she has every material comfort in the world, but is emotionally unavailable to her.  Should she give up her one chance at happiness and true love because it’s what’s expected of her?  It’s a thoughtful treatment of infidelity, especially considering the issue is such a difficult one.

Once Jennifer’s story has unfolded and the plot is quickly reaching its climax, it jumps forward in time again to the present day.  While all these different time periods might sound confusing and make the novel seem jumbled, it’s not at all.  It’s expertly done, and the choice to move the story forward in time is an ingenious one.  It makes the The Last Letter from Your Lover extremely suspenseful, as the reader is desperate to know whether things end happily for Jennifer.

The Last Letter from Your Lover was a surprising novel; from the subject matter, it seems as if it should be slow and self-indulgent, but instead it’s gripping and tightly plotted.  The beauty of Moyes’ writing also makes the experience of reading the novel absolutely lovely.  It was an impressive novel with well developed characters, and it would make an excellent book club pick.

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Title: The Cosmic Clues
Author: Manjiri Prabhu
ISBN: 9780440241720
Pages: 384
Release Date: September 28, 2004
Publisher: Dell
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Cultural Fiction
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

Sonia Samarth is the newest private investigator in the city of Pune, India, but her business comes with a twist.  Sonia uses astrology in order to aid her in solving mysteries, and though many think her approach ridiculous, her successes begin to bring her some fame.

Review:

Astrology is an important part of Hindu tradition, though many don’t subscribe to it these days.  However, Manjiri Prabhu brings the practice back in her cozy mystery The Cosmic Clues.  Sonia has a talent for reading horoscopes; they tell her if a person has a betrayal coming, if they are easily deceived, even if they might not find happiness in a marriage.  These insights into a person’s character, as well as their past and future, help Sonia solve the mysteries she’s presented with.  Admittedly, it’s a bit silly, but it makes for an entertaining novel if you’re in the mood for light and easy.

Instead of The Cosmic Clues having one overarching mystery like most novels in this genre, the book is filled with smaller mysteries that Sonia must solve in order to demonstrate her detecting abilities.  It makes for a quick, fast-paced read, though it’s a bit unrealistic how quickly and perfectly Sonia can solve everything that’s thrown her way.  Still, Prabhu came up with some clever twists and turns for Sonia, and the fast pace and new mysteries mean that readers won’t lose interest in this book.

The Cosmic Clues is a fun novel, and it provides a unique insight into Hindu culture.  Manjiri Prabhu has written a second Astral Investigations novel, The Astral Alibi, and I look forward to reading it and seeing what Sonia is up to next.

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Title: Her Sister’s Shadow
Author: Katharine Britton
ISBN: 9780425241745
Pages: 352
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

When Lilli Niles receives word that her estranged sister’s husband has passed away, she reluctantly returns to her family home in Massachusetts.  There’s a good reason that Lilli has stayed away for so long, and going back home brings back painful memories of the summer that changed her and Bea’s relationship forever.

Review:

Her Sister’s Shadow is a novel about love and loss told in two different time frames - the present day, and a fateful summer years ago when Lilli was a teenager in love for the first time.  At the beginning, the time shifts can seem a bit cumbersome because the story takes some time to develop.  I kept waiting for the book to come back to the present, so I could get to know Lilli better and really understand who she is.  Once the story really got going, though, I enjoyed both the time periods and thought the shifting was handled well.

Lilli was a sympathetic character, though frustrating at times, especially as a teenager.  She’s clearly in the throes of adolescence, and while her moodiness is realistic, it’s not always the most pleasant trait in a character you’re supposed to feel for.  Despite that, she was well fleshed out and fully realized.  I appreciated how Lilli really came to life in front of me as I was reading.

Though I enjoyed Her Sister’s Shadow overall, I did have a major issue with it, and it’s difficult to discuss because it came at the end.  Basically, the reader knows from the beginning that there is a secret, a reason Lilli left her home and never looked back.  There’s a very good explanation for why Lilli has barely maintained a relationship with Bea, and of course, it all becomes clear at the end of the book.  My problem was, while what Lilli went through was extremely difficult (and a bit predictable), I didn’t see any of it as being Bea’s fault.  Of course Lilli would want to leave the place that held such painful memories, but Lilli blamed everything on Bea, and that seemed completely unjustified to me.

Still, Her Sister’s Shadow is an interesting look at the difficult relationship among sisters.  These relationships are full of resentment and petty injustices, but also of love and trust and hope.  Britton captures that dynamic very well in Her Sister’s Shadow, and anyone interested in reading about it should consider picking up this book.

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Title: Bad Moon
Author: Todd Ritter
ISBN: 9780312622817
Pages: 368
Release Date: October 11, 2011
Publisher: Minotaur
Genre: Crime Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Kat Campbell is still the police chief of Perry Hollow, and things have been quiet since the events of Death Notice.  That is, until Kat’s former sweetheart, Eric Olmstead, returns to town.  Eric’s brother Charlie disappeared the night of the first moon landing, and though the police believed there was an accident and Charlie’s body was washed away in the creek, Eric’s mother thought differently.  It’s up to Kat and Eric to discover what really happened to Charlie that fateful night.

Review:

There’s one problems with series novels set in a small town.  After the first shocking, twisted set of murders, it kind of seems like old news when the second novel hits.  How can the characters claim that events like that don’t happen in their town when they just happened in the first book?  What’s more, how realistic is it that two different, unrelated killers (usually serial killers) will target the same small town and kill people in an extremely gruesome way? These issues are always at the back of my mind when reading crime fiction series, and they are why I absolutely loved Bad Moon.

Bad Moon is set in the same small town as Death Notice, but it’s a completely different book.  A sadistic serial killer isn’t once again stalking the town; instead, Kat must investigate a decades-old incident.  The mystery is incredibly well-written and engaging.  Of course, I absolutely loved the tie to the moon landing; it gave the novel a creativity and depth readers will appreciate.  I loved that, with Bad Moon, Todd Ritter has proven he is a force in the crime fiction genre who doesn’t need to rely on graphic crime scene descriptions in order to keep readers hooked.

I also loved the way this novel unfolded.  What seems like a simple accident at the beginning turns into so much more as Bad Moon progresses.  Ritter has written a complex and psychologically twisted novel that readers will revel in.  There are so many disparate threads to this novel, and Ritter weaves them into a tight narrative, bringing everything together at the end so beautifully.  I was very impressed with this novel at the same time I found it completely gripping.

It’s not necessary to read Death Notice prior to reading Bad Moon; each can stand on its own.  It was wonderful to revisit with Kat again, though, and get more of a glimpse into her home life.  Readers will really sympathize with Kat; she is a single mom who works very hard at her job, but is devoted to her son with Down syndrome.  She’s not exactly the typical main character for this type of book; she doesn’t drown her frustrations in booze or live dangerously.  Instead, she pours her heart and soul into her son.  It’s refreshing and wonderful to see.

Bad Moon was a well-written and atmospheric novel that I highly recommend to fans of crime fiction.  Todd Ritter is a very talented author, and I so appreciate how different this book is from the first.  I hope Ritter continues writing about Kat, as she’s an endearing main character, and can’t wait to see what crime she has on her hands next.

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Title: Little Black Dress
Author: Susan McBride
ISBN: 9780062027191
Pages: 320
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Magical Realism
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Evie’s main regret in life is that she has been estranged from both her daughter, Anna, and her sister, Toni.  The only comfort she has is the little black dress she inherited from her sister - one that will show the wearer their future.  When Evie has a stroke, Toni returns home with many regrets, and with the help of the dress, tries to uncover the secrets her mother has held for so long.

Review:

Susan McBride’s novel revolves around two women: Evie and Toni.  Evie has so many regrets from the course of her life, and unfortunately, it seems as though Toni is turning out the same way.  Toni isn’t happy with her relationship with her mother, but has done little to change it.  After Evie has a stroke, it appears as though it might be too late.  As Toni begins to immerse herself in her mother’s life and affairs, she gains a new appreciation and understanding for what her mother has been through.  It really is wonderful character development, as the reader falls equally in love with Evie and Toni.

The magical realism aspect of Little Black Dress is very well done.  The dress gives the wearer a small glimpse of what is to come, and it changes the life of everyone it touches.  I really loved how the powers of the dress were incorporated into the novel.  The magic didn’t define the novel; it merely shaped what was to come and provoked interesting questions about fate and destiny. 

The secrets in Little Black Dress are really at the core of the novel, and they’re what keep the reader hooked.  McBride takes her time uncovering them, giving the novel a steady pace that, while not rushed, is fast paced and keeps the reader guessing.  The question of what happened with Anna and how the dress has changed Evie’s life is an important one.  McBride makes sure that readers are well rewarded at the end of the book as it’s certainly an interesting revelation that’s worth the wait.

With The Cougar Club and now Little Black Dress, Susan McBride has proven herself to be a force in women’s fiction.  I’m eagerly anticipating her next novel, and am hopeful that she’ll continue to use a little bit of magical realism in it, as I love this touch in books!

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Thanks to the wonderful people over at Macmillan Audio, I’m thrilled to announce that I have a copy of the audiobook of Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan to give away to one lucky reader! (Please note that this is the audiobook, not the print version of Glow).  I really enjoyed the religious and ethical discussions this book presented, as well as the main character of Waverly, so I’m pleased to have the chance to share the audio version with one of you.

To enter:

Fill out the form below in its entirety.  Comments on this post will not be counted for entry.  If you are having trouble with the form, please email me your full name and mailing address in an email that has the subject line “GLOW giveaway” and I’ll consider you entered.  Because this giveaway is being fulfilled by the publisher, it is open to US mailing addresses only.  This giveaway ends on Tuesday, October 25 at 11:59 PM ET.  On Wednesday, I will choose the winner via Random.org and send their submitted information to the publisher.  I will email the winner privately; winner’s details will not be posted publicly on this website.

Click here for complete privacy policy and giveaway rules.

Title: The Lady of the Rivers
Author: Philippa Gregory
ISBN: 9781416563709
Pages: 464
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Publisher: Touchstone
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Jacquetta of Luxembourg is descended from the river goddess Melusina, and thus has had the second sight all her life. As a young girl, she is married to the Duke of Bedford, but while married to him, she falls in love with Richard Woodville, the duke's squire. After the Duke's death, Jacquetta marries Richard, a commoner, and the couple ends up shaping the face of England's future.

Review:

Jacquetta Woodville is the mother of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV and queen of all England, as described in Philippa Gregory's The White Queen. That was the first novel in Gregory's The Women of the Cousin's War series about the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster over the English throne. So, then, why does Gregory go back and write about Elizabeth's mother in the third novel? I'll admit, I was hesitant; I enjoy reading books in chronological order and this deviation seemed strange to me.

While I didn't love The Lady of the Rivers as much as The White Queen or The Red Queen, I found that there was no reason to fear. This novel presents some intriguing history behind the Wars of the Roses, as it follows the reign of Henry VI and his wife and queen, Margaret. It also introduces characters that we visit later in the series and thus helps to place everyone in their proper historical context. This period in English history is a turbulent one and there are many different players to follow. By writing The Lady of the Rivers, Gregory has ensured that readers will have a more complete view of the wars for the throne, ending with the marriage of Henry VII (a Lancaster) to Eliabeth of York, daughter of Elizabeth Woodville.

I do understand why Jacquetta's history so fascinated Philippa Gregory; she has an impressive lineage, and was heavily involved with Queen Margaret's decisions. Her involvement with Joan of Arc as a young girl was a nice touch, and though I'm not certain whether that is historically accurate, it made for an entertaining story. However, I didn't find Jacquetta quite as interesting as her daughter Elizabeth Woodville or Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. To me it seemed more that the book was about the events surrounding Jacquetta, rather than the woman herself. It didn't really come across as her story.

Still, The Lady of the Rivers is a worthy contribution to this series, and is a must-read for anyone following Gregory's novels. If I were starting the series fresh, I'd be tempted to begin with this book because it makes a great base from which to launch the other novels. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series, which is supposed to focus on Elizabeth of York.

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I don’t often deviate from my posting schedule on my blog, but sometimes information comes my way that I’d like to share with my readers.  I often receive emails asking me to mention something on my blog, and many times, I’m not interested.  In these cases, however, I wanted to say something because these are items that piqued my interest, things I’d be personally interested in, and wanted to tell you all about as well.

Ultra Violet Co-Ed Reading Challenge

This is the brainchild of authors Sarah Jio, author of The Violets of March, and Matthew Norman, author of Domestic Violets.  What Sarah and Matt are encouraging people to do is join or create a co-ed book club, then read each of these books and see what the male and female perspectives are on each.  I think this sounds like a great idea, especially because I think men would enjoy some “women’s fiction” if they gave it a chance.  Here’s more on the Ultra Violet Co-Ed Reading Challenge from Sarah’s website.

Gone Reading International

Gone Reading International is an organization that supports libraries in the developing world, which I think is an amazing cause.  But what’s more, Gone Reading does that through the sale of adorable items for readers - shirts, coffee mugs, aprons, even items for your pets.  The really amazing thing?  Gone Reading doesn’t donate 5% or 10% of profits to their cause.  It donates 100 PERCENT.  That’s right - every penny of profit goes to support libraries in developing countries.  So not only do you get a cute item for yourself (or your pet), but you’re funding a great cause.  Check out Gone Reading’s website and see if anything strikes your fancy from their store!

DSC South Asian Literature Festival

The DSC South Asian Literature Festival is an amazing event that takes place in October in London and across the UK.  I cannot express how much I’d love to travel to the UK one year for this amazing event.  It features an impressive roster of South Asian authors.  If you live in the UK or will be visiting this month, I can’t recommend the DSC South Asian Literature Festival highly enough.

Falling Under by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Falling Under was a book I read and reviewed in my first days of blogging, one I thought was pretty incredible.  Danielle emailed me to let me know that the book has a new cover and is now available for purchase in the Kindle format!  Falling Under had a difficult battle to face because it came out right as the downturn started and was lost in the cries of the publishing industry’s demise.  Danielle is hoping (and I loved this book, so I’m hoping as well) that the rerelease will give it some new buzz, especially since the book has gone out of print (which makes me want to cry).

Book Club Girl E-Book Bonanza

Apparently National Reading Group month is October (I did not know this!) and to celebrate, the folks at Harper are having a pretty great e-book sale.  12 of Harper’s best book club e-books are only $2.99 for the entire month of October! So even though I’m a bit late in posting this great info, you still have over two weeks to take advantage of this sale.  Here’s more information from Book Club Girl herself on the E-Book Bonanza.

Title: Nearer Than the Sky
Author: T. Greenwood
ISBN: 9780758238740
Pages: 320
Release Date: October 1, 2011
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Indie Brown has finally come to terms with her bizarre childhood and psychologically troubled mother when she receives a phone call from her sister Lily telling her their mother is in the hospital.  Indie returns home to help her mother reluctantly, and when she does, her memories begin to resurface.  She begins to wonder about her childhood, about Lily’s many sicknesses, about the death of her brother and realizes that there was more going on that met the eye.

Review:

Nearer Than the Sky is a novel that jumps between present and past, trying to explain what really happened during Indie’s childhood.  At the beginning of the novel, Indie thinks she has a grasp on her upbringing, though most of her memories come in flashes, and her mother disagrees with what she remembers.  As she begins to trust herself more and the memories start to surface, Indie has to face some very painful truths.  Greenwood did an excellent job allowing the narrative to unfold and letting Indie and the reader come to their own conclusions.  It is both gripping and disturbing.

Greenwood deals with the incredibly difficult psychological issue of Munchausen by proxy in Nearer Than the Sky.  Sufferers of this sickness inflict injury and illness upon others, and as Indie’s memories unfold, she begins to question whether her mother had Munchausen syndrome.  It’s hard to discuss because the idea of a mother harming her child is so disturbing, but Greenwood writes the issue incredibly well.  It makes the book fascinating, as Indie must question everything she remembers.

Nearer Than the Sky is actually a reissue of T. Greenwood’s second novel, and I’ll admit that made me wary.  I haven’t always had the best luck with reissued novels, as they aren’t always up to par with the contemporary work an author is writing.  Since this was my first T. Greenwood novel, and I didn’t have anything to compare it to, I thought it would be okay.  Luckily, though, it was better than okay; I was very impressed with this book and will definitely be going back to read the rest of this author’s works.

This was an impressive work of contemporary fiction with sympathetic characters and deep, disturbing psychological issues.  Greenwood developed her characters intricately with loving detail, and as a result, they are very vivid.  Her exploration of Munchausen by proxy was incredibly well done, and I really look forward to experiencing more of T. Greenwood’s novels.

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Title: I Love Meatballs!
Author: Rick Rodgers
ISBN: 9781449407841
Pages: 176
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Genre: Cookbook
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review:

In his cookbook I Love Meatballs!, Rick Rodgers presents 50 meatball recipes to delight the most discerning of cooks.  Don’t let the picture on the cover fool you though; while there are recipes for spaghetti and meatballs within its pages, the real appeal of this cookbook is that it presents new and unique ways to work with meatballs (I swear, I am trying not to giggle every time I type “meatballs”).

I Love Meatballs! is hardcover, and is smaller than your traditional cookbook.  The pages are high quality with a smooth matte finish, and the entire book is in color.  The color scheme of the book is an orange and red, and it is visually appealing.  Many of the recipes are accompanied by stunningly appetizing pictures that will make you hungry while flipping through the book.  I really loved the presentation of this book; it’s high quality and one I’d be proud to display in my kitchen.

Rodgers doesn’t just include recipes in his cookbook.  He discusses the different types of ingredients used in meatballs - meats (from ground beef to lamb to turkey), bread crumbs, onion, garlic, eggs, broth, cheese, even salt and pepper.  He details the best way to make, shape, and cook meatballs, and even discusses how to chop your own meat to make meatballs.  It’s wonderfully thorough and is a perfect guide.

The book is divided into different sections, based on what kind of dish you are making.  There’s appetizers, sandwiches, soups, pasta, and more.  Rodgers also includes guides through the book, including using store-bought meatballs (and suggested sauces you can make for them), freezing meatballs in sauce, and grading meat. 

I cannot even begin to describe how unconventional and delicious the recipes in this cookbook sound.  Yes, there are a few amazing-sounding spaghetti and meatballs recipes, but there’s also so much more.  Rodgers brings together dishes inspired by world cuisine in his cookbook - Vietnamese Banh Mi with Quick Pickled Vegetables, Persian Meatballs in Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce, Curried Koftas with Tomato Raita - are you starving yet?  Because I am.

After much debate, I decided to try the BBQ Pork Meatball Sandwiches with Poppy Seed Slaw.  I was delighted at how simple the recipe was - it didn’t use an inordinate number of ingredients but there were enough so that I could tell the meatballs were going to be anything but ordinary.  And the taste? DELICIOUS.  The sandwich was deliciously complex - the slaw perfectly balanced the sweet tangyness of the the sauce.  Even better, I didn’t feel unpleasantly stuffed or weighed down after I was finished with the meal.  These sandwiches will definitely be entered into my regular cooking rotation.

I can’t begin to describe how impressed I am with the I Love Meatballs cookbook.  It’s so creative and unique, and I want to make pretty much every single dish in it.  I can tell it’s going to get a ton of use in my kitchen, which is funny considering meatballs usually aren’t that appealing to me.  I appreciate that Rick Rodgers has given me a new view of them!

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Title: The Ice Princess
Author: Camilla Lackberg
ISBN: 9781451621747
Pages: 416
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Publisher: Free Press
Genre: Crime Fiction
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Erica returns to her hometown after her parents’ death and is trying to deal with her grief when she discovers something shocking - the body of her former friend, Alex.  Alex and she were inseparable as children, but after Alex dropped Erica abruptly with no explanation, they haven’t had contact.  Erica can’t help but agree when Alex’s grieving parents ask her to write about Alex, so she begins to delve into Alex’s life and is shocked by what she finds.

Review:

The Ice Princess is another Scandinavian novel in translation, this time set in the coastal Swedish town of Fjallbacka.  Though the town is popular in the summer as a resort destination, it has emptied out for the winter, and it is in this desolate atmosphere that the novel takes place.  Lackberg does a wonderful job writing this empty, stark atmosphere, and it gives the reader chills as the novel progresses.

Erica is a solid main character, unsure of what she wants.  Her career of writing biographies has stalled, and she doesn’t consider herself a “real” author because she doesn’t come up with her own material.  Returning home has brought back many memories, most of which have been buried for years.  Erica’s an appealing woman, strong yet vulnerable; she constantly doubts herself, but gains confidence as the novel moves along.  She makes a great centerpiece for this first-in-a-series novel.

The mystery in The Ice Princess is fascinating, but winding.  The book takes time to get going, and once it does, it moves along at its own, almost languorous pace.  It’s only towards the end that everything starts to come together and the novel picks up speed.  That’s not to say that the book is boring at all, because it isn’t; it just isn’t super fast-paced and takes time to build its characters and the plot before moving forward.  I will admit, though, that a stumbling block for the novel’s pace is the stilted dialogue.  I can’t say whether it’s Lackberg’s writing or the translation, but the dialogue in the novel is awkward and unrealistic, and it would constantly bring me out of the reading experience.

At the center of The Ice Princess is the concept of secrets, and how they will always end up coming to light, no matter how deep you try to bury them.  Lackberg takes the reader on a twisty path to uncover those secrets, and it’s fun to be along for the ride.  I look forward to reading the next novel in this series, The Preacher, and can’t wait to see what Erica is up to next.

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Title: Glow
Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
ISBN: 9780312590567
Pages: 320
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Teen/YA, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Source: Curled Up with a Good Book
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Waverly is the oldest female teenager aboard the spaceship Empyrean, heading for a new life on a distant planet.  She is happy aboard the ship, as it’s the only life she’s ever known, and she finds companionship in Kieran, the boy who is being groomed by the captain to take over the ship one day.  But when the Empyrean encounters a sister ship, the New Horizon, they can’t imagine the deep betrayals that are to come, and how far the leader of the New Horizon will go to protect her people.

Review:

Glow has been compared quite heavily to Across the Universe by Beth Revis, and on the surface, the two books do have some similarities.  Both are set in a dystopian future on spaceships, both are the first in a trilogy, and both have a young man being groomed as a leader.  But really, that’s where the comparisons between the two books end.  Glow is a chilling tale that stands on its own two feet in the world of YA dystopian and science fiction.

The world that Waverly finds herself in as the book progresses is frightening.  As a woman, I had real chills going down my spine while taking in what she and her fellow Empyrean-mates were being put through.  The world building in Glow was excellent, and Ryan did an incredible job showing how a tough situation can quickly degenerate into desperation.  There is a real sense of fear that permeates the novel, and readers will share that feeling as they watch this supposedly utopian society disintegrate around them.

Glow takes on many different moral issues, too many to really recount in a review.  The most central, though, is that of religion, and whether it is a force for good or evil, a source of comfort or a tool for controlling others.  I thought this debate was well-played through the novel, though the religious leaders that Ryan presents tend to be caricatures.  She sets up some big questions that will lead into the second book, mainly about where the line is between the two extremes and what happens once that line is crossed.

The thing that Ryan does best in Glow is to create an atmosphere of uncertainty.  It’s hard to separate the facts from the fiction; even though we see multiple points of view, the truth is distorted.  It’s difficult to tell what is really happening, and the reader must rely on their own intuition and choose what to believe. 

The characters in Glow are well drawn.  Waverly is strong and capable, though her limits are tested over and over again over the course of the book.  She was easy to sympathize with and I appreciated her intelligence.  Kieran was more frustrating; he’s clearly weaker than Waverly and looks to others for guidance.  He’s not ready to be in control yet, and when power is thrust upon him, he handles it badly.  It will be interesting to see how the politics between Kieran and his ship-board rival for leadership, Seth, play out, especially because it’s unclear what Seth’s motives are and what kind of person he is.

Glow is a well-written and engaging novel.  People interested in provocative fiction should definitely consider picking it up.  It would make an excellent book club or group read, as it will leave you itching to discuss the issues within its pages.  It’s a thoughtful novel that has me curious and impatiently anticipating the sequel.

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Title: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Author: Jonathan Safran Foer
ISBN: 9780618711659
Pages: 368
Release Date: April 4, 2006
Publisher: Mariner Books
Genre: Literary Fiction
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Oskar Schell is nine years old and is haunted by the death of his father, who was in the World Trade Center when the planes struck.  While looking through his father’s things, he finds an envelope with a key in it, and embarks on a quest to discover what his father might have left behind for him.

Review:

Though it’s been 10 years since 9/11, the memory of those events is still fresh in most of our minds.  It’s especially relevant for those who live in New York City and Washington, DC - many of us believe that it’s not a matter of if, but when, the next terrorist strike will occur.  With that in mind, when the 10th anniversary of 9/11 was approaching, I wanted to read a book in order to remember, and so I chose Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Oskar Schell is an extremely precocious nine-year-old.  Wise beyond his years, he struggles to understand the world around him and is a jack of all trades.  I found Oskar to be endearing, but contrived at times; while I enjoyed reading about him, he was in no way believable as an actual person.  Foer did a wonderful job writing Oskar’s emotions, though.  Oskar is a jumbled mess, grasping at straws in order to come to some sense of peace over his father’s death.  In that sense, he was just a regular nine-year-old boy, and I really felt for him.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is written in a very unique way.  There are pictures, blank pages, and other textual devices in order to make the reading experience different.  I enjoyed the way the author structured the novel because it made for an adventure in and of itself.  Sometimes the pictures spoke even louder than words - the images at the back of the novel deliver a profound sadness, especially when seen out of context.

Jonathan Safran Foer is an exceptionally talented novelist, and though this is my first of his novels, I can definitely say it won’t be the last.  It took me some time to get used to Oskar, and even once I did, sometimes his sheer precociousness would draw me out of the narrative.  However, the book was beautifully written, sentimental without giving way to complete cheesiness, and is very moving.  I think it’s a wonderful tribute to 9/11, examining the impact of one man’s senseless death on the members of his family, and I couldn’t have asked for a better novel to read on the 10th anniversary of that horrific event.

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Title: Murder Most Persuasive
Author: Tracy Kiely
ISBN: 9780312699413
Pages: 304
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publicist
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Elizabeth Parker is with her family, mourning the loss of her great-uncle Martin when they receive shocking news.  The new owners of Uncle Martin’s second home in St. Michaels, Maryland have discovered a body underneath the pool’s foundations.  Suspicion immediately falls on Uncle Martin’s family, and it’s up to Elizabeth to find the real killer and clear her cousin’s name.

Review:

In the third of Tracy Kiely's Jane Austen-inspired mysteries (after Murder at Longbourn and Murder on the Bride's Side), Elizabeth Parker is back with an all new mystery to solve. Elizabeth has gained quite a reputation within her family for her sleuthing skills, so she is drawn into this latest case almost against her will. She has learned how dangerous it can be to take it upon herself to solve a murder mystery, but cannot refuse her cousin's pleas for help.

Once again, Tracy Kiely does an exceptional job developing the secondary characters in her novel. Elizabeth's sister plays a prominent role in Murder Most Persuasive, and she is definitely a piece of work. I found her incredibly frustrating at times, but of course, Kiely gave her hidden depth, and it was satisfying when that emerged. Though there are many new characters introduced, the reader comes to know and care about them due to Kiely's expert character development. Elizabeth's cousin Ann was a personal favorite, and I rooted for her from beginning to end.

I've mentioned this in all my reviews of books from this series, but I believe it bears repeating - though these books are Austen inspired, they actually have little to do with the author. Elizabeth spouts Austen's wisdom often, and the novels bear a very loose resemblance to Austen's books (Murder Most Persuasive is based on Persuasion), but you shouldn't let that stop you from picking up this book. I'm pretty tired of the Austen explosion, and tend to avoid retellings and such, but these novels are creative and stand on their own. I've enjoyed each of these books immensely, and Murder Most Persuasive is no exception.

If you're looking for a smart mystery with a great main character and well-written plot, look no further. Murder Most Persuasive is fun, gripping, and will keep the reader guessing through its many twists and turns. I can't wait for the fourth book in the series to see what Elizabeth is up to next.

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Number of book reviews posted:  30
Number of books read: 36
Number of pages read: 13,168

5 Star Reviews

Posts, Features & Random Musings

• BBAW 2011
• BBAW: Best Cultural Book Blog
• Fall TV 2011

• Birds of Paradise - Diana Abu-Jaber
• The Keeper of Lost Causes - Jussi Adler-Olsen
• The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted - Bridget Asher
• Carved in Bone - Jefferson Bass
• Leaving the Saints - Martha Beck
• Ashes - Ilsa J. Bick
• Friday Mornings at Nine - Marilyn Brant
• Kiss Me, Kill Me - Allison Brennan
• The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle - Jim Butcher & Ardian Syaf
• Girls in White Dresses - Jennifer Close
• The Beautiful and the Damned - Siddhartha Deb
• Love Always - Harriet Evans
• Nocturne - Syrie James
• The Things We Cherished - Pam Jenoff
• The Taker - Alma Katsu
• Dominance - Will Lavender
• The Most Dangerous Thing - Laura Lippman
• Constructing Reality - John Marburger
• To Be Sung Underwater - Tom McNeal
• The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
• Tainted - Brooke Morgan
• The Fox Inheritance - Mary E. Pearson
• Faery Tale - Signe Pike
• Saraswati’s Way - Monika Schroder
• You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know - Heather Sellers
• Sonia Gandhi - Rani Singh
• Lucifer’s Tears - James Thompson
• The Athena Project - Brad Thor
• Close Your Eyes - Amanda Eyre Ward
• Mistress of the Monarchy - Alison Weir

Books I’ve read this month (Books for professional review omitted)

• Last Man in Tower - Aravind Adiga
• Cold Glory - B. Kent Anderson
• Leaving the Saints - Martha Beck
• Ashes - Isla J. Bick
• Her Sister’s Shadow - Katharine Britton
• Skating Around the Law - Joelle Charbonneau
• Girls in White Dresses - Jennifer Close
• Falling Together - Marisa de los Santos
• Gandhi: A Manga Biography - Kazuki Ebine
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer
• Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter - Tom Franklin
• India Calling - Anand Giridharadas
• Nearer than the Sky - T. Greenwood
• The Lady of the Rivers - Philippa Gregory
• A Friend of the Family - Lauren Grodstein
• The Cradle in the Grave - Sophie Hannah
• Until There Was You - Kristan Higgins
• The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin
• Green River Killer - Jeff Jensen & Jonathan Case
• When She Woke - Hillary Jordan
• Murder Most Persuasive - Tracy Kiely
• The Ice Princess - Camilla Lackberg
• Yes, My Darling Daughter - Margaret Leroy
• Darkness All Around - Doug Magee
• Catherine the Great - Robert K. Massie
• Little Black Dress - Susan McBride
• To Be Sung Underwater - Tom McNeal
• The Last Letter from Your Lover - Jojo Moyes
• The Cosmic Clues - Manjiri Prabhu
• Bad Moon - Todd Ritter
• Glow - Amy Kathleen Ryan
• You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know - Heather Sellers
• Eighteen Acres - Nicolle Wallace
• The Strangers on Montagu Street - Karen White
• The Stranger You Seek - Amanda Kyle Williams