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

R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril IX

Each fall Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings hosts the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge (R.I.P.) I always save up fun mysteries, detective stories or thrillers for September and October to participate. This year I completed the Peril the First challenge, four books. Here's my reviews... 

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 

BrokenHarbor by Tana French

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Previous R.I.P. Challenges:
R.I.P. Challenge VIII
R.I.P. Challenge VII
R.I.P. Challenge VI
 

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.

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.

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.

The Graveyard Book Read-Along: Part 3

This is the final post in The Graveyard Book Read-Along hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings. You can find parts 1 and 2 here and here. In this final post I’m talking about Chapter 7 and 8 so there are obviously spoilers.

The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
★★★★★

Every Man Jack: This chapter brought us the unexplained absence of Silas and the return of Bod’s childhood friend Scarlett. She and her mother move back to the small town and she makes friends with a man named Mr. Frost. Though I’d read the book before, I somehow forgot who Frost is revealed to be, so it caught me completely by surprise.

This is by far the scariest chapter in the book. The Jacks, who have been hunting Bod for years, are finally revealed in an ultimate fight between good and evil. We learn that Silas has been trying to eliminate Jacks all over the world with other members of the Honor Guard. The five remaining villains converge in the graveyard in an effort to void the prophesy that predicted Bod would be the end of their secret society.

By the end of the battle both sides have incurred losses. Bod looses both Miss Lupescu and in another way he loses his friend Scarlett again. He also looses his innocence in a way. He does what he has to in order to survive, but it changes him. 

Leavings and Partings: The book’s conclusion hit all the right notes for me. It was sweet and hopeful. Bod is only 15, but his time in the graveyard has come to an end. He feels the change and though he doesn’t understand it he accepts it. We know this when he answers his own question about returning to the graveyard.
 
“If I come back, it will be a place, but it won’t be home any longer."
 
I loved that he had the perfect goodbye with each person. I thought Mr. Owens was particularly poignant when he tells Bod that he is the son he always longed for during his life. Bod knew it wouldn’t be easy to walk away, but he does and that’s incredibly brave.
 
“But between now and then, there was Life; and Bod walked into it with his eyes and his heart wide open.”

BOTTOM LINE: It’s a wonderful, creepy coming-of-age story. Gaiman creates an unforgettable world in the graveyard and these characters will stay with me forever.

I also want to mention the illustrations in the book (done by Dave McKean). The first time I read it was as an audiobook, wonderfully narrated by the author himself. I missed the illustrations and they add so much to the story! They capture the spooky elements in Gaiman’s novel beautifully and I’d encourage you to get your hands on a copy to check them out if you listened to the audiobook.

Image from The Graveyard Book.

The Graveyard Book Read-Along: Part 2

 

For part II of the Read-Along hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings we are discussing Chapters 4, 5 and 6 of the book.

The Witch’s Headstone is about Bod’s introduction to a new section of the graveyard. It is also a lesson is giving people a chance. Nobody learns that if he is willing to let go of preconceived notions, prejudices and labels, then people can sometimes surprise you. He finds and unexpected friend in Liza the ghost and there’s something sweet about forming a friendship with someone even the other ghosts ignore.

Danse Macabre is just a beautiful chapter. It’s a joyful day for both the living and the dead when they come together and spend one night dancing. The bittersweet evening is wonderful in some ways, but then Bod realizes the living remember nothing from the dance and the dead refuse to talk about it. Also, Silas is excluding from the whole thing because he is neither living nor dead so he can’t participate. In this chapter Bod meets the Grey Lady for the first time and has a sweet interaction with her. He doesn’t really understand who she is and why he can’t ride on her horse yet.

Interlude: The Convocation: This isn’t a full chapter; it’s just a bit to show us that Bod’s family’s killer is still out there. It’s creepy in a good way and helps fuel the bigger story that the book is building towards.

Nobody Owens’ School Days is a hard chapter in a lot of ways. It brings up questions about when it’s okay to fight back and stand up for yourself. When you do fight back against bullies and how far should you take it? When is it ok to threaten or scare someone? Did Bod do the right thing? The whole dreamwalking bit is scary in a lot of ways, but it’s also fascinating. I could see this chapter being a great way to talk about some of these issues with kids in junior high. I think this chapter also shows how protective Silas feels. He would do anything to save him and he’s a man of actions and not words, so it’s important to see that love played out in this very tangible way.  

“It’s like the people who believe they’ll be happy if they go and live somewhere else, but who learn it doesn’t work that way. Wherever you go, you take yourself with you.”

“We wants you to stay alive. We wants you to surprise us and disappoint us and impress us and amaze us.”

“Fear is contagious. You can catch it. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to say that they’re scared for the fear to become real.”

Here’s Part 1 of the Read-Along.

Wordless Wednesday: Graveyard

The Westminster Hall Burying Ground where Poe is buried in Baltimore. 

In honor of Stainless Steel Droppings A Grave Tale event. 

More Wordless Wednesday here.



Photo by moi.

The Graveyard Book Read-Along: Part 1

I first read The Graveyard Book a few years ago, before I was blogging. I immediately loved the tone of the book. Gaiman blended the innocence and naïveté of a young boy with the dark atmosphere of a ghost story. I’m re-reading it at a slower pace and I’ve noticed so much more that I love about the book. It’s a coming-of-age story and at its heart it’s about a boy who feels like he doesn’t quite fit in anywhere. That unifying feeling makes the book applicable to just about anyone, but especially young teens.

The first three chapters include How Nobody Came to the Graveyard, The New Friend, and The Hounds of God. The first chapter reminds me so much of The Jungle Book. I know this was an intentional decision on Gaiman’s part to loosely retell that story and I think he did it beautifully. Bod is struggling to figure out his place in the world while being raised in a very foreign environment, just as Mowgli did.

I also think it was interesting to structure the book as a collection of short stories instead of as a seamless novel. Giving us glimpses into Bod’s life as he grows up works wonderfully. Each chapter contains its own little story while at the same time adding pieces to the deeper mystery behind the murder of Bod’s family. I like that some things are implied, not spelled out. We can guess a bit about who Silas is, but we don’t know for sure where he comes from or what he is.

The New Friend chapter broke my heart for Bod. For the first time in his life he finds a living friend. She’s kind and playful and Bod is happy. But circumstances beyond his control end the friendship before it really has a chance to begin. Also, the indigo man and the whole cave were super creepy.

The Hounds of God is probably my least favorite chapter. I still loved the evolution of Bod’s relationship with Miss Lupescu, but not the kidnapping of Bod by the ghouls as much. I do think it was crucial for Bod to realize how much he values his life in the graveyard and this chapter does that. It also reminded me a tiny bit of the dwarves being captured by the trolls in The Hobbit.

Up next week I’ll talk about Chapters 4-6. Thanks again to Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings for hosting this read-along as part of his R.I.P. event!