Fiction

Review: The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston

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I’m so excited about this new series from Paula Brackston. I mean, the cover alone is enough to make you want to visit…

Xanthe (don’t you just love that name?!?) and her mother are looking for a fresh start. Both of them are trying to move on, and the charming little town of Marlborough seems like just the place to do that. They’re ready to make their dream of owning an antique shop a reality.

It’s while they’re looking for merchandise that Xanthe comes across an ancient chatelaine (I had to look this one up) that she just has to have. You see, it speaks to her. Xanthe has an intense connection to certain antiques. And this chatelaine speaks to her loudly. In the form of a ghost. She finds herself transported back to the seventeenth century. There’s a mystery to be solved, and that ghost won’t let her have any peace until it’s done.

This is such a promising start to a new series. It’s historical and mysterious and suspenseful and magical all at the same time. The author has a true gift for these kinds of stories. I can’t wait for the next one!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Little Shop of Found Things

Review: The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel by Alyssa jPalombo

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I adore stories like this one. A classic, well-known tale retold in a new way. You think you know the story, but you’ve never heard it told like this.

Everyone knows the story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. But in this version, all other characters take a backseat to Katrina Van Tassel. This is her story, and it’s a good one. The old familiars are all there, Ichabod and a ghostly apparition wearing a jack o’lantern for a head and a small 18th century village. Katrina’s voice, however, is the one that we hear. Through her heart and soul we hear a different perspective. We hear of love and hope, loss and despair.

I loved this book for so many reasons. The original tale is one of my favorite classics, and this version is an excellent companion. Katrina is a character for the ages, strong and confident and everything you’d want a female lead to be. Read the original if you haven’t, and then definitely read this one!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel

Review: The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

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Christmas! And sisters! And Scotland! Could there be a better combo? I don’t think so. Ok actually there could be – if Morgan added in some cutie pie kiddos and an awesome set of grandparents and the perfect love interests for the sisters. Which she did. Sigh.

I really liked all the references to New York, Washington state, and then the European locations outside of Scotland. I felt like I was traveling from the comfort of my sofa. And the other thing I so enjoyed was Jason’s admission that being a stay at home parent is not all bon-bons and soap operas. Even though his realization and apology was a teensy bit out of character and not 100% realistic, it was gratifying to read it all the same.

Morgan did a fantastic job individualizing the three sisters, giving them different perspectives on the same childhood tragedy they all suffered, and writing a believable and heartwarming resolution. Love and forgiveness are powerful, especially when you have the support of those around you.

Morgan also added in comic relief in little Ruby, Martha the chicken, and Eric. Beautifully done!

-calliope

Buy THE CHRISTMAS SISTERS

Review: A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson

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While I love Melody Carlson’s ability to create fresh plots with believable yet quirky characters, this particular novella required me to suspend my disbelief just a little too much.

Christmas in Maine is cozy – and it was fun to see Wendy and her son set up their little home and become part of the town. But the romance seemed contrived and totally out of character for a worrier like Wendy. And it happened way too fast! A couple of weeks might be enough time for a young single person to let their guard down and fall in love with someone they’re spending 24/7 with… but Wendy didn’t spend all that much time getting to know Caleb, and I thought she’d be a little less trusting due to her nature and just the fact that she’s a mom.

I’ve enjoyed other Carlson books in the past – Christmassy ones too. You can find the link to those reviews below.

-calliope

Buy A CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA

Read Calliope’s reviews of more Melody Carlson books (loved some of these!)

Review: The Dinner List

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Cool plot idea – dinner with any five people, dead or alive. Loved the nostalgia and romanticism running throughout. Didn’t love the predictability (something should have been saved as a surprise!) and the pouty protagonist. I did like the ending – but was surprised that i did. Good cast of characters except for the college professor who seemed superfluous. Movie star, estranged father, love of her life… I mean come on. Awesome. And not knowing at first which were dead or alive was pretty interesting.

The premise was so good! Execution could have been improved upon and that would have helped the first half of the book be less boring and drawn out.

-calliope

Buy THE DINNER LIST

Review: The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

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Have you ever just really, really disliked a character in a book? Admit it, even though they’re fictional, sometimes these “people” are just so very unlikable. That was the case for me with this one. I just didn’t like her. But then she redeemed herself. Not gonna tell you how because that would be too spoilerish.

When Cass makes a seemingly minor choice on her way home late one rainy night, things will never be the same. Her decision to NOT stop and help a stranded motorist begins to haunt her as soon as she finds out that the motorist, a woman traveling alone, was murdered that same night. She torments herself with thoughts of what if…

And then she begins to forget things, to misplace things, to question her sanity. It doesn’t help matters any that her mom suffered from dementia. So Cass is certain that she’s going down that same path.

This is one of those stories that’s hard to review without giving too much away. The story drags a bit in places, and as I mentioned earlier I really didn’t like Cass for much of the story. But because I’ve loved the author’s other books, I stuck with it. And I’m glad I did. You kind of see what’s coming near the end but that last twist is something else.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Breakdown

Review: Hole in the Middle by Kendra Fortmeyer

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I gotta admit, this one made me skeptical at first. The whole (no pun intended) concept seemed so far fetched that I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to play out. But there’s something about this author, something about the way she blends words together to tell one heck of a story.

Morgan has always been different. Born with a hole in her torso, she’s struggled to fit in. Very few people know her secret, but she stills struggles with accepting herself. An absent father and a perfectionist, demanding mother don’t help matters any. Finally, she decides she’s tired of hiding her body under bulky sweaters and sweatshirts. So she bares her secret, slowly at first. As secrets go, though, it snowballs out of control. Wishing she could take it all back but unable to…

And then there’s Howie. He’s her exact opposite. Literally. Where Morgan has a hole in her abdomen, Howie has a protruding lump of flesh. Could their shared abnormalities be the key to curing them both?

This is such a good story. Beyond the medical concerns and insecurities and body image issues, it’s a story of accepting yourself. Not only for Morgan but for those around her. It’s a message we could all use more of in today’s world of staged perfection.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Hole in the Middle

Review: Confessions of a Teenage Leper by Ashley Little

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This was a new kind of story for me. Name a type of teenage issue and I’ve probably read about it. But I can honestly say, I’ve never read a book where one of the characters has Leprosy, or Hansen’s Disease as it’s referred to in the story.

Abby is your typical mean girl. She’s a beautiful cheerleader who runs with only the popular kids and is obsessed with looks. Anything less than perfection gets a sneer and a condescending remark from Abby and her band of BFFs. Her life is pretty much perfect, so when she develops a small rash she’s not overly concerned. Even when it starts to spread and other symptoms pop up, she never imagines it could be anything major.

And then she finally receives her diagnosis…Hansen’s Disease/aka Leprosy. All of a sudden her whole world is turned upside down. And she’s no longer one of the pretty people. Shipped off to a special facility for treatment, she starts to see that maybe looks aren’t everything.

I didn’t like Abby for much of this story. I thought she was a self-centered, mean little snot. But that’s okay. Because you don’t have to love a character. The point is that the author makes you feel SOMETHING about them.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Confessions of a Teenage Leper

Review: Cooper’s Charm by Lori Foster

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Cute story with lots of laughs! Phoenix relocates to the seasonal community of Cooper’s Charm for a fresh start – and is delighted to be surrounded by the beauty of nature… and handsome men. Her sister Ridley soon follows, buys herself an RV, and makes herself at home. Between sibling heart-to-hearts and early morning coffee talk with the guys, the sisters realize that the slower pace of Cooper’s Charm is just what they need.

This book was just the kind of easy reading that I look for after the workweek is over. Some fun characters, heartfelt friendships, warm humor, and people working together for good.

-calliope

Buy COOPER’S CHARM

Review: Imposter’s Lure by Carla Neggers

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I’ve adored FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan since I began this series. Later I came to appreciate the whole Sharpe clan with their art expertise, and all of those Donovan brothers showing up at just the right time. And while Oliver York was thought to be a criminal art thief for several books, he’s now helping the Sharpes and lovely Henrietta solve crimes.

That’s the backstory of Neggers’ well-developed characters and the intricate relationships among them.

Enter Imposter’s Lure. Same characters – plus some – but a bunch of contrived details that seemed like they were backfilled into a pre-written ending. This book needs paring down and re-writing just so I can understand all the complexities. After whittling away some of the convoluted family and friend relationships that don’t move the plot forward, then maybe I could enjoy the New England chahhhm, the English countryside, and the Irish lowlands as a backdrop to a sinister plot to make money off of art forgeries … and destroy the evidence.

-calliope

Buy IMPOSTER’S LURE

Read the review for Book 4 in the Sharpe and Donovan series – one of my faves!