Happy Book Birthday to Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd

 

We wish a Happy Book Birthday to Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd. It's the first in a new cozy series from Atria Books.

From the publisher:

From Jess Kidd, the bestselling author of Things in Jars who “is so good it isn’t fair” (Erika Swyler, nationally bestselling author), the first in a cozy mystery series about a former nun who searches for answers in a small seaside town after her pen pal mysteriously disappears.

I believe every one of us at Gulls Nest is concealing some kind of secret.

1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent.

A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

I've been waiting for this one to come out. I'm interested in how the sleuth will be written. And I'm wondering who all has the dark past they are trying to leave behind. This looks like a very promising series. It's on the TBR and review will follow.

Book Review: Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez

 

From the publisher:

A young father and son set out on a road trip, devastated by the death of the wife and mother they both loved. United in grief, the pair travel to her ancestral home, where they must confront the terrifying legacy she has bequeathed: a family called the Order that commits unspeakable acts in search of immortality.

For Gaspar, the son, this maniacal cult is his destiny. As the Order tries to pull him into their evil, he and his father take flight, attempting to outrun a powerful clan that will do anything to ensure its own survival. But how far will Gaspar’s father go to protect his child? And can anyone escape their fate?

Moving back and forth in time, from London in the swinging 1960s to the brutal years of Argentina’s military dictatorship and its turbulent aftermath, Our Share of Night is a novel like no other: a family story, a ghost story, a story of the occult and the supernatural, a book about the complexities of love and longing with queer subplots and themes. This is the masterwork of one of Latin America’s most original novelists, “a mesmerizing writer,” says Dave Eggers, “who demands to be read.”

My thoughts:

I felt sorry for Gaspar. His mother dies when he is very young. His father, while trying to protect him, is also abusive at times. The Order and his grandmother want to use him to try and obtain immortality of consciousness. 

The pace of the book is uneven. It is very slow in parts which gives it a dreamlike or should I say nightmarish quality. 

The book jumps around with different sections focusing on different characters. I liked the parts that focused on Gaspar the best. I was puzzled about the inclusion of a section from a journalist's point of view. The only reason I can think of for it is to point out again the horrors of some of the time period the book is set in.

It is definitely a horrifying story. From the Darkness to the way that Mercedes treats and mistreats others as nothing but tools to serve her, it is an unsettling read. 

The book does deserve trigger warnings for the body horror and the mentions of abuse of all kinds. The horrors of war and the AIDS epidemic could also be triggering for some people. But seriously, this is a horror book. 

I was a little unsatisfied with the ending. I don't want to say more because of spoilers.

Overall, I give this book 4 stars. I liked Gaspar. And even in the slow parts I wanted to know what would happen next and ultimately how things would turn out. If you enjoy your horror with a historical setting mostly in the 80s, in particular Argentina, then this might be a good book for you.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my opinions.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #443: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

In post–World War I England, a young woman inherits a mysterious library and must untangle its powerful secrets…

With the stroke of a pen, twenty-three-year-old Ivy Radcliffe becomes Lady Hayworth, owner of a sprawling estate on the Yorkshire moors. Ivy has never heard of Blackwood Abbey, or of the ancient bloodline from which she’s descended. With nothing to keep her in London since losing her brother in the Great War, she warily makes her way to her new home.

The abbey is foreboding, the servants reserved and suspicious. But there is a treasure waiting behind locked doors—a magnificent library. Despite cryptic warnings from the staff, Ivy feels irresistibly drawn to its dusty shelves, where familiar works mingle with strange, esoteric texts. And she senses something else in the library too, a presence that seems to have a will of its own.  

Rumors swirl in the village about the abbey’s previous owners, about ghosts and curses, and an enigmatic manuscript at the center of it all. And as events grow more sinister, it will be up to Ivy to uncover the library’s mysteries in order to reclaim her own story—before it vanishes forever.

Lush, atmospheric and transporting, The Last Heir to Blackwood Library is a skillful reflection on memory and female agency, and a love letter to books from a writer at the height of her power.

Why am I waiting on this book? A book about a possibly magical library? Sign me up! I love books that have to do with books and libraries or bookstores. Plus it's a little gothic sounding which I also enjoy.

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox is expected out April 4th, 2023 from Graydon House.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Happy Book Birthday to Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa

 

Today is the book birthday for Brindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa. The debut author's book is coming to you from Harper Voyager.

From the publisher:

Boardwalk Empire meets The Vanishing Half with a touch of earth magic in this sexy and action-packed historical fantasy set in the luminous Golden Twenties from debut author Desideria Mesa, where a part-time reporter and club owner takes on crooked city councilmen, mysterious and deadly mobsters, and society’s deeply rooted sexism and racism, all while keeping her true identity and magical abilities hidden—inspired by an ancient Mexican folktale.

Yo soy quien soy. I am who I am.

Luna—or depending on who’s asking, Rose—is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City’s bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger.

But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry—from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others—and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.

I'm reading this book and loving it. Review coming soon. Meanwhile here are a couple of teaser sentences from 4% on my Kindle.

Javier's comical voice breaks into my musings. "Don't worry, Mamá. She might be only half devil, but it's enough to down out that accent and half her magic, too."

" Half bruja is still bruja! " an old voice lectures from the cutout doorway.

Book Review: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

From the publisher:

Carlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno -Garcia was published July 19th, 2022 by Del Rey Books. 

My thoughts:

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is "loosely inspired" by The Island of Doctor Moreau by HG Wells, but has a different focus. The hybrids and Doctor Moreau have roles to play, but the central characters are his daughter Carlota and his majordomo Montgomery. The story is told in chapters that alternate between Carlota's and Montgomery's point of view. As they grow and change from age and events, it kept my interest.

We meet Carlota as a pliant teenager eager to please her father without question. She becomes a young adult at 20 testing and stretching boundaries. This is especially apparent when they have visitors. 

Montgomery finds a home there with the hybrids, Doctor Moreau, and his daughter. Throughout he battles alcoholism. He becomes a more sympathetic character as his backstory is revealed.

The pace of the book is fairly steady until they have visitors. After that the pace picks up until very nearly the end. When the pace drops again, I felt like some things in the book had come full circle emphasizing how far the characters have come.

While I liked Carlota and Montgomery, there were also characters I didn't like or outright couldn't stand. Isidiro Lizalde, Eduardo's cousin was one of the latter. He comes across as self righteous, mean, sneaky, and manipulative. I think the author did a great job portraying him.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I found the characters interesting. I wanted to know what would happen next. The historical setting was a good choice by the author which she explains in the Afterword. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it to fans of the author, people who enjoy retellings, and those who enjoy science fiction in a historical setting.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #362: The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker

 

Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

In this enthralling historical epic, set in New York City and the Middle East in the years leading to World War I— the long-awaited follow-up to the acclaimed New York Times bestseller The Golem and the Jinni—Helene Wecker revisits her beloved characters Chava and Ahmad as they confront unexpected new challenges in a rapidly changing human world.

Chava is a golem, a woman made of clay, able to hear the thoughts and longings of the people around her and compelled by her nature to help them. Ahmad is a jinni, a perpetually restless and free-spirited creature of fire, imprisoned in the shape of a man. Fearing they’ll be exposed as monsters, these magical beings hide their true selves and pretend to be human—just two more immigrants in the bustling world of 1900s Manhattan. Having encountered each other under calamitous circumstances, Chava and Ahmad’s lives are now entwined—but they’re not yet certain of what they mean to each other. 

Each has unwittingly affected the humans around them. Park Avenue heiress Sophia Winston, whose brief encounter with Ahmad left her with a strange illness that makes her shiver with cold, travels to the Middle East to seek a cure. There she meets a tempestuous female jinni who’s been banished from her tribe. Back in New York, in a tenement on the Lower East Side, a little girl named Kreindel helps her rabbi father build a golem they name Yossele—not knowing that she’s about to be sent to an orphanage uptown, where the hulking Yossele will become her only friend and protector.

Spanning the tumultuous years from the turn of the twentieth century to the beginning of World War I, The Hidden Palace follows these lives and others as they collide and interleave. Can Chava and Ahmad find their places in the human world while remaining true to each other? Or will their opposing natures and desires eventually tear them apart—especially once they encounter, thrillingly, other beings like themselves?

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker is expected to be published June 8th, 2021 by Harper.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the idea of magical beings in 1900s New York City. I want to see what happens to the golem and the jinni.  I have book one in my Kindle library waiting to be read. I expect to like it and want more. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #352: The Conductors by Nicole Glover

 

Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

As an escaped slave, Hetty Rhodes helped dozens of people find their own freedom north using her wits and her magic. Now that the Civil War is over, Hetty and her husband, Benjy, still fight for their people by solving the murders and mysteries that the white authorities won't touch.

When they discover one of their friends brutally murdered in an alley, Hetty and Benjy mourn his loss by setting off to find answers. But the mystery of his death soon brings up more questions, more secrets, more hurt. To solve his death, they will have to not only face the ugly truths about the world but the ones about each other.

Perfect for fans of Victor LaValle and Zen Cho, The Conductors is a compelling debut by a fresh voice in fantasy fiction that will leave you longing for more.

The Conductors by Nicole Glover is expected out March 4th, 2021 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the idea of mysteries and magic in the same story. I don't think I've read a fantasy type book set in this time period from quite this angle before. I find the originality intriguing.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe

Connie Goodwin is an on tenure track professor working on writing a book on the history of witchcraft, and in particular, the women who were called witches. She hs a vested interest in this because she comes from a long line of witches seemingly starting with Livvy Hasseltine and her mother.

The book alternates between snippets of her ancestors' lives and workings and the year 2000. Connie is desperately seeking a way to combat a curse on the women of her family that her mother makes her aware of. As the days go on the curse becomes more and more of an issue for her. Her love is in danger.

Meanwhile, her student Zazi is doing research to try and help her. And a former student of Connie's, Thomas, is after her for resources and support.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I did enjoy the book. It's well-written and has interesting characters. But, for me, there were a few places that dragged a little. And the ending seemed to be resolved kind of quickly. I did like how she showed whether or not the working worked. And I enjoyed the historical aspect.

I would recommend this book especially to people that like stories about witches with a historical background. There is a nice Author's Note at the end that discusses some of the history involved in the book. I understand this is a follow-up book to The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, but it can be read and enjoyed without reading the first book.

The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe was published June 25th, 2019 by Henry Holt and Company.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Review: The Raven's Tale by Cat Winters

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Edgar Poe counts down the days until he can escape his foster family—the wealthy Allans of Richmond, Virginia. He hungers for his upcoming life as a student at the prestigious new university, almost as much as he longs to marry his beloved Elmira Royster. However, on the brink of his departure, all his plans go awry when a macabre Muse named Lenore appears to him. Muses are frightful creatures that lead Artists down a path of ruin and disgrace, and no respectable person could possibly understand or accept them. But Lenore steps out of the shadows with one request: “Let them see me!”

My thoughts:

Edgar Allan Poe longed for the freedom to follow his muse wherever she leads him in terms of writing. His foster father most definitely was opposed to this and at every turn discouraged Poe's writing and encouraged him to adapt to a sensible life of working for him.

This book covers a little more than a year in the life of Poe -from just before he enters university up to the publication of his first pamphlet of poems. It covers the arrival of his gothic muse and how she affects him. And his struggles are documented at university, home, and in between. I found myself frustrated with how his adopted father treats him. You'd like to say he meant well, but he might not have had Poe's best interests at heart at all times.

Lenore fights to inspire Poe and to be seen. The other muses have cautioned her against the latter, but still, she persists. And it is, at times, almost her undoing.

I was impressed by the amount of research that Cat Winters put into the book. The author's note and resources listed at the end give some idea to what all she looked into in preparation for this book. Also, I was impressed that she penned lines in Poe's style to give some idea as to how he responds to his muse.

Overall I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's well-written, creative, and interesting. It gives a window into what Poe may have been like at that tender age of 17. I recommend it particularly for fans of Poe, but it is also a good book to read as a historical, gothic piece. It's definitely worth the read.

The Raven's Tale by Cat Winters was published April 16th, 2019 from Amulet Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #274: Westside by W.M. Akers

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A young detective who specializes in “tiny mysteries” finds herself at the center of a massive conspiracy in this beguiling historical fantasy set on Manhattan’s Westside—a peculiar and dangerous neighborhood home to strange magic and stranger residents—that blends the vivid atmosphere of Caleb Carr with the imaginative power of Neil Gaiman.

New York is dying, and the one woman who can save it has smaller things on her mind.

It’s 1921, and a thirteen-mile fence running the length of Broadway splits the island of Manhattan, separating the prosperous Eastside from the Westside—an overgrown wasteland whose hostility to modern technology gives it the flavor of old New York. Thousands have disappeared here, and the respectable have fled, leaving behind the killers, thieves, poets, painters, drunks, and those too poor or desperate to leave.

It is a hellish landscape, and Gilda Carr proudly calls it home.

Slightly built, but with a will of iron, Gilda follows in the footsteps of her late father, a police detective turned private eye. Unlike that larger-than-life man, Gilda solves tiny mysteries: the impossible puzzles that keep us awake at night; the small riddles that destroy us; the questions that spoil marriages, ruin friendships, and curdle joy. Those tiny cases distract her from her grief, and the one impossible question she knows she can’t answer: “How did my father die?”

Yet on Gilda’s Westside, tiny mysteries end in blood—even the case of a missing white leather glove. Mrs. Copeland, a well-to-do Eastside housewife, hires Gilda to find it before her irascible merchant husband learns it is gone. When Gilda witnesses Mr. Copeland’s murder at a Westside pier, she finds herself sinking into a mire of bootlegging, smuggling, corruption—and an evil too dark to face.

All she wants is to find one dainty ladies’ glove. She doesn’t want to know why this merchant was on the wrong side of town—or why he was murdered in cold blood. But as she begins to see the connection between his murder, her father’s death, and the darkness plaguing the Westside, she faces the hard truth: she must save her city or die with it.

Introducing a truly remarkable female detective, Westside is a mystery steeped in the supernatural and shot through with gunfights, rotgut whiskey, and sizzling Dixieland jazz. Full of dazzling color, delightful twists, and truly thrilling action, it announces the arrival of a remarkable talent.

Westside by W.M. Akers is due to be released May 7th, 2019 from Harper Voyager.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've enjoyed other books set in the same time period. I'm interested in finding out more about this version of New York and the mysteries it contains. I'm wondering how like Neil Gaiman's writing is the weirdness mentioned in the synopsis. I like the idea of the mystery combined with the fantasy elements. It sounds like an urban fantasy set in early 20th century New York.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #170: The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which has been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

In 1859, ex-East India Company smuggler Merrick Tremayne is trapped at home in Cornwall after sustaining an injury that almost cost him his leg and something is wrong; a statue moves, his grandfather’s pines explode, and his brother accuses him of madness.

When the India Office recruits Merrick for an expedition to fetch quinine—essential for the treatment of malaria—from deep within Peru, he knows it’s a terrible idea. Nearly every able-bodied expeditionary who’s made the attempt has died, and he can barely walk. But Merrick is desperate to escape everything at home, so he sets off, against his better judgment, for a tiny mission colony on the edge of the Amazon where a salt line on the ground separates town from forest. Anyone who crosses is killed by something that watches from the trees, but somewhere beyond the salt are the quinine woods, and the way around is blocked.

Surrounded by local stories of lost time, cursed woods, and living rock, Merrick must separate truth from fairytale and find out what befell the last expeditions; why the villagers are forbidden to go into the forest; and what is happening to Raphael, the young priest who seems to have known Merrick’s grandfather, who visited Peru many decades before. The Bedlam Stacks is the story of a profound friendship that grows in a place that seems just this side of magical. 

Why am I waiting on this one? It sounds interesting. It seems like a blend of historical fiction and the fantastical or paranormal. I'd like to see how it plays out. The Bedlam Stacks is due out August 1, 2017 from Bloomsbury USA.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: Teetotaled by Maia Chance

Still set in the 1920s, book two in the Discreet Retrieval Agency series picks up where book one left off. Lola Woodby and her former cook and detective agency partner Berta had solved their first case. But, any money they had from that one is just about gone and the rent is due. They are forced to take the first job that comes their way.

The mother of  bride-to-be Grace Whiddle wants to get a hold of her diary. The two ladies are hired because discreet is in the name of their agency. Soon they embark upon an adventure to a health farm where her former brother-in-law is on staff. Lola and Berta try everything they can think of, including climbing in and out of windows, to get the diary. On the night where they are participating in breaking and entering, Grace's future mother-in-law is killed.

Mrs. Whiddle fires Lola and Berta. Before too long has passed, they are lucky enough to land another case - to solve the murder of Grace's future mother-in-law. While it's a more dangerous case than they would like, they are desperate for funds.

Adventures ensue as the Lola and Berta accompanied by Lola's pomeranian try to solve the murder using her former husband's yacht as a base of operations. Lola is a tad clumsy and her dog gets in the way or away as canines are sometimes wont to do. Berta is her stalwart support and companion. Often it seems they have different ideas of how to pursue the case. But they work out their differences by pursuing both theories.

There is a touch of humor in the book and a sprinkling of romance. The plot moves along quickly as they question suspects and pursue leads. It's a good mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

Lola and Berta are fully developed characters. The others aren't quite as much, but their page time is generally less.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.  This is an enjoyable, cozy, period piece. The book was released October 4, 2016 from Minotaur Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.