RIP Reviews

So far I've had a great R.I.P. Challenge year. Between the group read of Slade House and a few other mysteries that I took on vacation, I'm loving it! I even stumbled upon one that I wasn't reading for R.I.P. at all and was surprised to find a scary mystery within the novel's pages. I've officially finished the Peril the First level, but I'll keep reading anyway. More info here! #ripxii

Slade House

by David Mitchell

Loved reading this creepy book. I'd highly recommend reading The Bone Clocks first as it will give you a much better understanding of what's going on. Mitchell continues to impress me with his writing and the variety of genres he tackles. He doesn't shy away from plots that stretch your mind, but this is definitely one of his most accessible and easy-to-read books.

He manages to capture the eerie feeling of a haunted house while at the same time crafting a great story. It's part of the complex world he created in The Bone Clocks, but it also works as a stand alone story. It's broken up in chapters (The Right Sort, Shining Armor, Oink Oink, You Dark Horse You, and Astronauts). With each new chapter his main character changes, once again demonstrating his ability to right from incredibly different points of view convincingly. He's an awkward young boy, then a jaded cop, then an insecure college girl, etc.

BOTTOM LINE: I loved seeing Mitchell explore a new genre and will continue to be a fan!

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

by Matthew Sullivan
This one surprised me. I was expecting a quirky bookstore novel, but instead found a strange mystery. Lydia witnesses the suicide of a man named Joey in the bookstore where she works. She ends up going down a rabbit hole searching through the clues that he left behind. Her own troubled past begins to surface the deeper she digs. 

The book explores how a history of violence can travels down through generations. It's about the bad decisions or past traumas we try to hide to protect ourselves but really enough isolating ourselves. Lydia's life is shaped by the horrifying event that shattered her world as a child. From peaceful days spent at her friend Raj's donut shop, to living in a cabin in the woods with her father, Lydia's life has never found its balance again.

There were only a few moments in this book where the plot didn't work for me, mainly when her father was involved. Most of the time I was completely sucked in and I love the way it all came together in the end. 

BOTTOM LINE: A very satisfying read and way darker than the cover and title might suggest.   

The Lying Game 

by Ruth Ware

I really enjoy Ware's style and her books suck me in quickly. This one had a great atmosphere even if some plot points were a bit of a stretch. I wasn't a huge fan of The Woman in Cabin 10, but I loved her first book, In a Dark, Dark Wood.  That one remains my favorite of hers so far.

This one relied a little heavily on the gimmick of "the lying game" which felt like the weakest point of the plot to me. It's part boarding school friendship story and part mystery. It takes place in a secluded spot on the coast of England in a dilapidated house that's only reachable at certain times of the tides, similar to The Woman in Black (which I loved). 

Four girls, Isa, Fatima, Thea, and Kate have a shared secret from their past that has come back to haunt their lives. I really loved the character of Fatima. Even when some of the other's would grate on my nerves, I always enjoyed her. At the same time, she always seemed a little above the struggles of her friends and didn't quite fit with the group. Kate's father Ambrose was also a complex character that never felt like a cliche to me. The little town of Salten felt like a character as well. From the small houses covered in fishing nets to the nosy neighbors, it was alive in every way.

I also just left the stage of having an infant and so I love her descriptions of the the struggles and joys of new motherhood. The main character, Isa, has a six-month-old baby and the book talks about nursing, losing yourself in motherhood, the strain on a relationship, etc. It all felt so accurate and recent to me.

BOTTOM LINE: A quick read that's hard to put down. It doesn't quite measure up to her other's, but she has an undeniable talent for portraying characters and creating tense situations. 

Faceless Killers 

by Henning Mankell

This is the first book in the famous Wallander series. It's set in Sweden, which made it a perfect choice to read during a recent trip to nearby Iceland. The novel is much more about detective Wallander than the mystery itself, but a friend had warned me about that, so that helped set my expectations in the right place. He's a typical detective in so many ways, self-destructive, with a single narrow-minded focus on the case at hand. I love some of the supporting characters at his office, particularly his good friend Rydberg an older detective. 

The case in this one follows the murder of an elderly couple living in the countryside. Even though the novel is more than 25 years old, it delves into the controversy of immigration and refugees and so it felt quite timely.

BOTTOM LINE: I definitely liked this one enough to continue the series. If you read it, just be prepared for the fact that it's much more about developing Wallander's character than the mystery itself and so it's not a fast-paced thriller.

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril XII

Jumping on board for this fun event. I do love reading mysteries in the fall and already had The Lying Game by Ruth Ware on my radar. Thinking about reading Lisey's Story by Stephen King as well. Also, the whole group is reading David Mitchell's Slade House together! Obviously I love reading Mitchell with a group (see the fun we've had with Cloud Atlas and Bone Clocks). I'm going to attempt the Peril the First level (see below). Happy spooky reading everyone!

Andi and Heather are hosting it here if you want more details! 

Peril the First:

Read four books, any length, that you feel fit (our very broad definitions) of R.I.P. literature. It could be Stephen King or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Shirley Jackson or Tananarive Due…or anyone in between.

Rebecca

Rebecca 
by Daphne du Maurier 
★★★★★

I love this book. This was a reread for me and I have to say, I enjoyed it even more the second time around. The author has an incredible gift for description and from that infamous opening line you are completely sucked into the world of Manderley and the de Winters. 

Manderley is the beautiful home of widower Maxim de Winter. The entire story is told from the point-of-view of his new young wife. It's eerie and wonderfully scary, but not in an obvious way. The young woman is completely intimidated by the memory of her predecessor, Rebecca de Winter. The former lady of the house died, but her tastes and influence is etched on every inch of Manderley. 

I can’t overstate the importance of tone in this novel. There’s a growing sense of claustrophobia and fear as the new Mrs. De Winter slowly peels back the layers of Manderly’s secrets. The young bride completely out of her element at the huge country manor. Mrs. Danvers is the servant who runs the house but she remains loyal to the deceased Rebecca. Our narrator can’t help but compare all of her actions and decisions to the idealistic Rebecca, shrouded in perfection now that she’s died. 

One of the most notable details of this novels is that the whole thing is told from one woman’s point-of-view, but throughout the whole novel we never learn her name. She's occasionally referred to as the new Mrs. de Winter, but we never learn her first name. The focus is always on her relationship with Maxim,

Rebecca’s memory, Mrs. Danvers, etc, we know very little of her as a person. It’s a fascinating lens through which to see the story unfold. 

BOTTOM LINE: Read it! It's considered a gothic mystery and if that's something you enjoy at all, then this one should be right up your alley.
 
Side note: My favorite Hitchcock movie is based on this novel and stars Laurence Olivier as Maxim. It's so good!

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril X

Every year Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings hosts the R.I.P. Challenge and for two months (September and October) participants read and post about any books that are mysteries, thrillers, Gothic, horror, etc. Except this year Carl passed the hosting baton to The lovely ladies at The Estella Society! You can check out the complete details here.

I always look forward to this challenge and find myself saving books to read during these months. This year I have a great mix of books, including classics, nonfiction, short stories, and more. 

I'll also be co-hosting a readalong with Trish at Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity and Care at Care's Online Book Club! We will be tackling Uncle Stevie's classic Salem's Lot and getting scared silly together. We'll be reading it in October and I'll post more details when it gets closer, but I hope you'll join us if you've been wanting to read that one.

Here's my list of potential R.I.P. books:
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 
- Salem's Lot by Stephen King 
- The Edgar Allan Poe Audio Collection 
- The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule 
- Dark Worlds of H.P. Lovecraft (Vol. 1) by H.P. Lovecraft 
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- The Quick by Lauren Owen (the R.I.P. group read this year)


If you need any ideas for books to read, here's a few of my previous R.I.P. challenge posts:
R.I.P. Challenge IX
R.I.P. Challenge VIII
R.I.P. Challenge VII
R.I.P. Challenge VI

Big Little Lies

 

Big Little Lies

by Liane Moriarty

★★★★★

 

I’m officially a huge fan of Moriarty. She has an incredible skill for introducing friendly, women who seem like people you know, building up their lives and then taking a sharp turn into the unexpected. Despite the sweet friendships that sit at the core of the story, the book deals with some very serious and real problems, yet it reads like a mystery you can’t put down.

 

From the first pages we know that the police are trying to solve a murder case. Then we skip back in time to months before the fateful night of the crime. Sprinkled throughout are interviews with witnesses and suspects, adding layers of depth to the plot. We touch on topics as diverse as bullying, financial status, blended families, domestic violence, and more. The book explores the social dynamics and pitfalls of elementary schools’ hierarchy and the personal lives of some of the mothers of students.

 

Madeline, Celeste, and Jane are all mothers of children in the same kindergarten class. Jane is new to town, a quiet single mother who is overwhelmed by it all. Madeline is the brash center-of-attention who, though well-meaning, tends to stir up trouble wherever she goes. Celeste is the gorgeous wife of a wealthy financier. Each woman has a much more complicated life than what first appears to be happening on the surface.

 

BOTTOM LINE: A big book, but a fast engaging read. The author makes the characters come alive. She can deal with dark subject matter without making the whole book feel dark. She manages to hit a delicate balance between gravity and readability. I couldn’t put it down and I will be reading whatever she writes next.

 

 

*Read as part of the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

 

Silkworm

The Silkworm

by Robert Galbraith

★★★

 

Cormoran Strike is back with his assistant Robin, searching for a missing author of a controversial book. I read this at a similar time as Broken Harbor and I think it suffered a bit in comparison. Cormoran is a great character. He's a gruff, lumbering man, but his heart is big and his intimidating bulk can be deceptive for those who underestimate a sharp intelligence. In so many ways Strike has been broken, through his ex fiancé, the war, his famous fathers neglect, etc. but his vulnerabilities are well hidden from the general public. 

 

I like that we are getting to know his history a little better as the series progresses. The writing can be overly descriptive and indulgent at times and I think for that reason it works better as an audiobook. Strike's assistant Robin had a chance to prove herself a bit more in this book. The tense relationship between her boss and fiancé hasn't improved, but she's taking a stance for what she wants of her career.

 

The plot of this one wasn't as strong in my opinion. It's a decent mystery, but it took a turn into some unnecessarily morbid and nasty areas. It was relevant to the characters lives, but it didn't need to be in there, nor to be taken quite as far in my opinion. It felt like Rowling was just trying to prove that she could write something graphic and not just a Harry Potter style content. I felt like she had already proven her skill as a mystery writer with “The Cuckoo's Calling” so that element in this book was completely unneeded. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: I like both Cormoran and Robin as characters and so I'll still plan on reading the next book in the series. But if it sinks into the same level of grossness I will probably stop there. I'm hoping this one's content had more to do with this particular case with the direction of the series has a whole.

 

 

*Read as part of the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Broken Harbor

Broken Harbor

by Tana French
★★★★

The best way I can describe Tana French's novels is that they get under your skin. The worlds she creates seem to give me tunnel vision, the farther I get into the book the more I'm wrapped up in the detectives' lives and their struggle to find the answers to their case.

This is the fourth books in the Dublin Murder Squad series, and features Detective Kennedy, a straight arrow. He's put on a dark case, a home attack that left a father and two kids dead and the mother in critical condition. The plot explores the cracks in our lives that aren't always easily visible to those around us. Kennedy's personal history and his troubled sister cause complications in the case as he tries to teach a new rookie the ropes.

I didn't love Kennedy as a character, but we aren't supposed to. He is rigid, seeing the world in black-and-white, but it's because he needs boundaries and fears what happens to those who spend too close to the edge.

This book follows the case of a murdered family, their history is slowly reveal as the detectives uncover pieces of their lives. One interesting thing about French is that she never feels the need to tie everything up with a nice pretty bow in the end. The murder mystery is always resolved, but issues in the detectives lives, other elements of the case, etc. are often left for the reader to determine.

BOTTOM LINE: Each of the books in the series works completely as a standalone. The Likeness remains my favorite, but every single one of them has deepened my appreciation for the author and heightened my anticipation for her next book. This one was no exception.

I save French's books to enjoy on vacation or times when I know I'll be able to dive into the novel. That's because she's one of my treasured favorite new authors to read and I ration her work. If you love a good mystery, with excellent writing, moody Irish settings and wonderful character doubt, you just have to check her out.

*Read as part of the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Marina

Marina
by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
★★★

I’m huge fan of Zafon’s work and will continue to read anything and everything he writes. This one was originally published in Spain in 1999, before The Shadow of the Wind, and is just now being released in the United States. I feel like that’s important information to have, because anyone expecting the polished work found in his later novels might be a bit disappointed. This one still has his style of writing, but it is a less mature novel, better in theory than in execution. Really that’s good news because it means Zafon just keeps improving as a writer.

The gothic mystery is about a young boy who gets caught up in the midst of a strange and terrifying world. Along the way he meets a young girl named Marina and her kind father. Honestly the book is really scary, in my opinion much creepier than his later work. There are puppets and experiments on the dead that freaked me out a bit. Also, it bothered me that the first lines set up a mystery that doesn’t really live up to its own hype by the end.

The relationship between Marina and her father and our main character gave the story a depth the story desperately needed. The mystery itself wasn’t as good as The Shadow of the Wind, but you can see the early shades of his later work hiding in this book. The plot deals with the ultimate struggle between life and death. We all fight against it and fight to save those we love. It’s hard to accept our fate or the fate of the people who mean the most to us. 

BOTTOM LINE: This precursor to Zafon’s more famous work is a must for devotees of the author. But if you’re new to his books just skip ahead and read The Shadow of the Wind to see if he’s up your alley.

"Days fell off the calendar like dead leaves."

"During those weeks I learned that one can live on hope and little else."

"The territory of humans is life," said the doctor. "Death does not belong to us."

**I received a review copy for an honest review.

*Read as part of the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings. I'm late to the fun, but I'm going to do the Peril the First, reading at least four books that fit the R.I.P. description (suspense, gothic, thriller, horror, mystery, etc.)

R.I.P VIII Wrap Up

This year's R.I.P. Challenge, hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings, went so well for me! Of the books listed on my original post, I read all but one. Below is the complete list of what I read and links to my reviews. This challenge is so much fun every year. I love reading mysteries, but I rarely devote a whole month to it. 

1) Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers
2) Faithful Place by Tana French
3) The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
4) The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (still reading this one)
5) The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
6) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
7) American Gods by Neil Gaiman 
8) Misery by Stephen King 
9) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore 
10) The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
11) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield 
12) M is for Malice by Sue Grafton 

Misery

Misery

by Stephen King

★★★★

After crashing his car in a blizzard the famous writer Paul Sheldon is found and rescued by his number one fan Annie Wilkes. Unfortunately Annie is flipping nuts and Paul becomes her captive in a tiny Colorado town. This book is every writer’s worst nightmare. As the days stretch into weeks the reader grows just as scared of Annie as Paul is. She’s terrifying because she’s so realistic. She’s obviously mentally ill and her instability leads to unpredictable mood swings and temper flares. Unlike some of King’s supernatural villains, Annie is a sociopath who could exist anywhere.

King’s use of suspense and his tightly stretched line of tension throughout the book so well done. He has only two main characters and a small house and yet it’s hard to look away as the scene unfolds. Annie is emotionally manipulative and manages to make Paul feel shame and guilt, even though he’s the victim.

My only problem with the book is that Annie is absolutely exhausting. That’s completely understandable and really that’s the way it should be, but it doesn’t make it fun. One of my favorite aspects of King’s novels is his huge casts of characters. Even when there are only half a dozen main characters we get to know them so well. With Misery we are trapped in Annie’s twisted world and through Paul’s eyes we watch her insanity slowly reveal itself. It’s fascinating, but also draining.

BOTTOM LINE: A horrifying book, but not my favorite King novel. Annie Wilkes is one of the most disturbing villains I’ve ever encountered because she’s someone you could actually meet in real life. This tightly-wound thriller is hard to put down and she will be hard to forget.

I read this for the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

**I watched the 1990 movie version (starring Kathy Bates and James Caan) after reading the book. I couldn’t believe how perfectly Kathy Bates embodied Annie Wilkes. There are a few added scenes and characters in the movie and they changed a few plot points, but it’s really well done. Highly recommended if you’re a fan of the book.

Mini Reviews: Whose Body and The Wisdom of the Desert and The Zoo Story

Whose Body?

by Dorothy L. Sayers

★★☆

The Lord Peter Wimsey murder mystery series starts with this book. A body is found in a bathtub with nothing on but pince-nez glasses. Starting with very little information, Wimsey tackles the case from the sidelines.

If Bertie Wooster was a detective he would be Lord Peter Wimsey. His is a gentleman and is inspired by Sherlock Holmes. The case is mildly interesting, but not enough to be a page turner. I was surprisingly bored throughout the book. There were a few parts I really liked, including one section where Wimsey is questioning a witness. The witness scoffs at the amount of detail people seem to remember in detective novels. No one remembers so much, he says! Then Wimsey walks him through a line of questions that help him remember exactly what he was doing on the night in question.

BOTTOM LINE: I wasn’t too impressed, but I will continue to read the series because I’ve heard it gets really good once the character of Harriet Vane is introduced in Strong Poison.

“Well, it’s no good jumping at conclusions.”

“Jump? You don’t even crawl distantly within sight of a conclusion.”

**Anyone else read this series? Is it worth hanging in there?

I read this for the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

The Wisdom of the Desert

by Thomas Merton

★★★★

Merton translated and compiled the wisdom and advice of monks living a hermit-like life in the desert in the fourth century. It’s an interesting collection with some wonderful bits. I’ve listed some favorites below.

There’s one parable of a man who steals a book from one of the monks. He goes to sell it in the local town. The man he tries to sell it to asks the monk who originally owned it if it was a valuable book. Instead of turning the man in and explaining that it was stolen, the monk just told the buyer that it was valuable. His actions led the man to return the book and ask for forgiveness. Showing mercy was a much greater act of kindness and it reminded me so much of the powerful scene with the priest in Les Miserables.

BOTTOM LINE: Incredibly quick read with some great advice.

"Malice will never drive out malice. But if someone does evil to you, you should do good to him, so that by your good work you may destroy his malice."

"Never acquire for yourself anything that you might hesitate to give to your brother if he asks you for it, for thus you would be found as a transgressor of God's command. If anyone asks, give to him, and if anyone wants to borrow from you, do not turn away from him."

“We have thrown down a light burden, which is the reprehending of our own selves, and we have chosen instead to bear a heavy burden, by justifying our own selves and condemning others.”

The Zoo Story 

by Edward Albee 

★★★☆

This strange one-act play is the first from the playwright who went on to fame for his marital tornado “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” This is a very different beast, quiet and disturbing all at the same time.

Two men meet in Central Park in New York City. One, Peter, is reading quietly on a bench. The other, Jerry, is a volatile individual who strikes up a conversation. He begins simply enough, but soon Peter finds himself trapped in conversation with this bizarre man. As the situation escalates we find ourselves, like Peter, captivated by Jerry’s odd behavior and bizarre stories.

BOTTOM LINE: An extreme example of an individual becoming disillusioned with life and getting lost in the flow of normal society. Weird, but like a car crash it’s hard to look away.

“The high points of a person’s life can be appreciated so often only in retrospect.” – From the author’s introduction to the play

L is for Lawless and M is for Malice

L is for Lawless

by Sue Grafton

★★★☆

Kinsey is technically on vacation in this book, but of course she can’t help but get caught up in an investigation. Her landlord and friend Henry asks for a favor as his brother’s wedding to Rosie approaches. Kinsey helps him out by looking into the question of a friend’s military history. Instead of finding a simple answer Kinsey finds herself on a cross country trip to follow some missing money and uncover the answer to a 40-year-old bank robbery.

My favorite bits were meeting a few of Henry’s siblings, Kinsey’s turn as an undercover hotel maid and a sweet-as-pie Granny with a few hidden talents.  I also loved that the true focus of this one is family. Everyone from the criminals to Henry and Kinsey herself are dealing with the question of what makes you family. Is it blood or loyalty and do you get to choose your family?  

BOTTOM LINE: Like all the alphabet mysteries, this one was a quick read and an entertaining palette cleanser. I’ll keep working my way through the series whenever I need a break from my regular reading material.

M is for Malice

by Sue Grafton

★★★★

Kinsey’s cousin Tasha hires her to find a missing person. Guy Malek ran away from home as a young man and has been missing for almost 20 years. He was always the black sheep of his wealthy family, but when his father passes away and names him in the will his brothers need to locate him. When Kinsey finds him she realizes that he has become a kind and sincere man, nothing like the teenage hellion she heard tales about.

For me, this was one of the best Kinsey Millhone books I’ve read. They tend to follow the same pattern, as most detective novels do, but some cases are stronger than others. After a few mediocre ones this book felt like it got back to the heart of who Kinsey is. She can’t help but look out for people, even if it isn’t to her benefit. She finds herself drawn to Guy and trying to look out for his interests.

This installment also includes the return of Robert, the fellow P.I. and romantic flame that we met in G is for Gumshoe. His presence has an interesting effect on Kinsey. She prides herself on being self-sufficient and never really needing anyone, but having him around makes her question that.  

BOTTOM LINE: One of the best in the series so far, this case hits a lot of emotional buttons for Kinsey. It becomes very personal for her and she finds herself thinking about the losses she’s faced in her own life.

Faithful Place

Faithful Place

by Tana French

★★★★☆

Frank has worked in Undercover in the Dublin police department for years. It’s been more than 20 years since he left his suffocating home in Faithful Place and he’s never looked back. Now, decades after leaving in the middle of the night, he must return home to find out what happened to his childhood sweetheart, Rosie. She was supposed to leave with him that fateful night, but she never showed up.

Frank’s family is the definition of dysfunctional. His overbearing mother, alcoholic father and hostile older brother make for an uncomfortable family reunion. He’s a bit closer to his other siblings, but has only kept in touch with one of them. The story flashes back and forth between the current case and Frank’s life 20 years earlier. Those were my favorite parts of the book; you fall in love with Rosie through Frank’s memories. As he returns to his old neighborhood we can see how broken he truly is. He’s become a shell of a man, driven by his work and not much else.  

BOTTOM LINE: As I’ve found with French’s other books (In the Woods and The Likeness), her writing transcends the plot. This isn’t my favorite in the series but that still sets it far above most books. She paints such vivid pictures of troubled people that you can’t look away until the very last page.

"They might be a spectacularly messed-up bunch and what they felt about me was anyone's guess, but the four of them had dropped whatever they could be doing this evening, put down their lives at a moment's notice and coming here to walk me through this night. We fit together like pieces of a jigsaw, and that felt like a warm gold glow wrapped all around me; like I had stumbled, by some perfect accident, into the right place."

"He held us up to see the lightning flickering above the chimney pots and told us not to be scared of the thunder, because it was just the lightning heating up air as fast as an explosion, and not to be scared of Ma, he was leaning out the window getting shriller by the second. When a sheet of rain finally swept over us he threw his head back to the purple-gray sky and whirl that's round and round in the empty street, Shay and me screaming with laughter like wild things, huge warm drops of rain splattering our faces and electricity crackling in our hair, thunder shaking the ground and rumbling up through Da's bones into ours."

I read this for the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Sharp Objects

Sharp Objects

by Gillian Flynn

★★★☆

Disturbing is the first word that comes to mind with this novel. It’s dark, much darker than Gone Girl and that one is already pretty twisted. Flynn puts the fun in dysfunctional. Whether she writing about a marriage or family relationships, they are all pretty messed up, but you also can’t look away from the train wreck that is her characters’ lives.

Camille is a Chicago reporter sent back to her small hometown in Missouri to cover the death of two young girls and the search for the serial killer behind their murders. Her mother, Adora, is a proper southern belle with a perverse view of how a mother should treat her children. Her husband is little more than a mannequin, present but never part of the action. Camille’s half-sister Amma is a 13-year-old enigma, prancing around in pigtails and then turning into a textbook mean girl the second she leaves the house.

I think it’s important to remember that you aren’t necessarily supposed to like the characters. Flynn’s writing is so compelling that it was hard for me to put the book down, but I felt myself inwardly cringing at so much of the story. The way the women treat one another, the things the women do to themselves and to their “friends” are all so sick. It’s a book that made me grateful for both my upbringing and for my friends.

The big twist is not as shocking as the author intended. It felt very straightforward to me, but it also didn’t feel like that was the point of the story. The focus was more on the interpersonal relationships and the inability of Camille to move on with her life after her childhood traumas.

BOTTOM LINE: I went back and forth on my final rating of this one. It is so dark, but the writing is also completely immersive. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t put it down. In the end I’m glad I read it and I appreciate Flynn’s skill even more, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have a strong stomach for reading about abuse.

I read this for the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

The Secret Keeper

The Secret Keeper

by Kate Morton

★★★★☆

Kate Morton has earned a reputation as an expert gothic mystery writer. If you pick up one of her fat novels you know what you’re in for. So far I have loved each of her novels, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours and The House at Riverton, but I thought Morton might disappoint me this time. I made it about ¾ of the way through this novel and still didn’t know if I liked it. Needless to say I judged it too soon, I shouldn’t have doubted her.

A famous actress, Laurel, returns home to visit her ailing mother, Dorothy. As she reconnects with her sisters and explores her childhood home she can’t help but reminisce about some strange details from her childhood, particularly a violent event that happened when she was a teen. She begins to learn more about her parents’ history as she researches their lives during World War II.

The book switches between multiple points of view, Laurel, Dorothy, Dorothy’s boyfriend Jimmy and her friend Vivien. I loved this aspect of the book because it gives the reader a chance to get to know each character and to question the honesty of the narrative. I really loved the pieces of the story set during WWII. Though the middle was a bit slow for me the end was well worth the wait.

BOTTOM LINE: If you’re a fan of Morton’s novels you can’t miss this one! If you’re new to her work I would check out The Forgotten Garden, my personal favorite. She’s a sure bet for anyone who loves a great gothic mystery.  

I read this for the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice

by Laurie R. King

★★★★★

Mary Russell, a 15-year-old girl meets an aging beekeeper after she moves to a small English town with her aunt. She quickly discovers it’s a newly retired Sherlock Holmes. The two are an incredible intellectual match and Sherlock decides to take Mary under his wing as an apprentice detective. The friendship that grows between the two saves them both in a way.

“We made an odd pair, the gangling, bespectacled girl and a tall, sardonic recluse, blessed or cursed with minds of hard brilliance that alienated all but the most tenacious.”

Mary is an outstanding character. She is smart and fiercely independent. She can take Sherlock’s rough demeanor and give it back to him in the same way. We watch as she grows into a strong adult and develops an incredibly keen eye.

As for Sherlock’s world, it feels like King picks up right where Doyle left off. We get to see Watson, Mycroft and Mrs. Hudson again, such a treat for Sherlock fans. This novel is more character driven than Doyle’s work, but that made it all the more enjoyable for me.

"It was none other than the long-suffering Mrs. Hudson, whom I had long considered the most underrated figure in all of Dr. Watson's stories. Yet another example of the man's obtuseness, this inability to know a gem unless it be set in gaudy gold."

The mystery is well-plotted, but it’s more about the relationship that develops. Mary has a lot of guilt from her past and Sherlock has a hard time treating anyone like an equal. The two are good for each other. It moves slowly in parts, but it gives us a chance to see Mary develop and not just solve a single case.  

BOTTOM LINE: Loved it. It’s the first in a series and I already found a copy of the second book. If you enjoy Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Shakespeare books than this is a great one for you.

"That's what tears are for, you know, to wash away the fear and cool the hate."

“The discovery of a sign of true intellect outside ourselves procures us something of the emotion Robinson Crusoe felt when he saw the imprint of a human foot on the sandy beach of his island.”

I read this for the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

American Gods

American Gods

by Neil Gaiman

★★★★☆

I have an odd relationship with this book. I first read it in 2007 after Stephen King recommended it in Entertainment Weekly. I’d never heard of Gaiman before and I thought I’d check it out. Whoa.

So as most people who have read Gaiman before might know, American Gods might not be the best place to start with his work. It is dense and complex. It has weird plot lines and skips across the entire country. And yet there’s something about it that just hooks you. After reading it I went on to devour Neverwhere, Anansi Boys, Coraline, Stardust, The Graveyard Book, Good Omens and Fragile Things.

The first time I read the book I think I was so distracted by the strangeness of the plot that I missed the depth of the story. There's so much to take in and it's such a wild tale that I couldn't appreciate it fully until the second time. Part mystery, part fantasy, part character study, American Gods is a mixture of so many things. There are too many characters to mention, but each one is more creatively drawn than the last.

A man name Shadow finds out his wife has died in a car crash only days before he’s being released from prison. Soon he meets a man named Wednesday and against his better judgment he agrees to work for him. The rest of the plot defies explanation, but rest assured it’s a wonderful ride. Whether Shadow is exploring the ineffable world of The House on the Rock or he’s hunkered down in a sleepy town of Lakeside, it’s hard not to root for him.

BOTTOM LINE: Weird and wonderful, Gaiman manages to infuse his love of fantasy into an epic road trip novel. Re-reading this one doubled my appreciation for both the novel and the author. I was able to focus more on the overall story and less on the odd elements this time. This is not the best novel to read if you aren’t sure if you’ll like Gaiman. Read it when you already love his work and only if you like fantasy and aren’t easily offended.

I read this for the R.I.P. Challenge hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings.

Top Ten Books On My Fall 2013 TBR List

This week's Top Ten from The Broke and the Bookish asks for the Top Ten Books on My Fall 2013 TBR List.

1) Among Schoolchildren by Tracy Kidder: It’s on my TBR Challenge list and my book club is reading it this year.

2) The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky: This beast is the last book I need to read for the Back to the Classics Challenge.

3) Dune by Frank Herbert: I’m really looking forward to finally reading this one. It’s been on my list too long.

4) The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith: Caved to the hype. I love the Harry Potter books and I’m a fan of the occasionally crime noir.

5) Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya: I try to read at least one banned book each year and this is my selection for 2013.

6) If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino: Care and I are planning a laid back readalong on this one this fall.

7) The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare: I’m a bit behind on my Let’s Read Plays challenge.  

8) The Night Watch by Sarah Waters: All three of these final ones are books I’ve had my eye on for the annual R.I.P. Challenge. I love a good spooky story or mystery in the fall!

9) The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

10) Faithful Place by Tana French

Image from here.