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Debbiereadsbook (1107 KP) rated Dead In The Garden (Grasmere Cottage Mystery #1) in Books
Oct 11, 2018
No idea where this is going but loved it!
Valor and Bishan have a good life in Grasmere. They run a successful business and Bishan has his music. So why is there a dead body in their garden, and why do the police think Bish did it?
A step away from Ms Donovan's usual fair, but thoroughly enjoyable one!
After the discovery of the body in the garden, Valor takes it upon himself to try to figure out who is out to get him and Bish, especially after Bish is arrested. Valor speaks with old Harrow school pals and teachers, trying to channel is inner tv detective, just like his favourite shows. Bish struggles away from home, he likes things just so, and the police cell makes him itchy.
I have just one one niggle here, and that it's only Valor who has a voice. I really wanted to hear from Bishan at key points along the way, and I wanted to hear how his mind would process everything. I love that Ms Donovan writes with Autistic characters playing front and centre. Bishan does, though, have the majority voice in book two, Dead in the Pond, so really looking forward to that!
For a murder/mystery, its not overly graphic, just enough to get the point across. There IS romance here, but not a great deal, since Valor and Bishan spend much of the book apart.
I loved the support network Bish and Valor have. Bish's family especially, but Valor's family?? Not so much! I STILL think they might have something to do with it all!
I really have no idea where this is going, nor do I really mind which way it goes, I just wanna read them! I want to see if I can put the clues together fast enough to watch it all play out the way I think it will, or if I'm too slow and don't get the whodunnit til it's all revealed!
So, ONLY because Bishan doesn't get a say here...
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
A step away from Ms Donovan's usual fair, but thoroughly enjoyable one!
After the discovery of the body in the garden, Valor takes it upon himself to try to figure out who is out to get him and Bish, especially after Bish is arrested. Valor speaks with old Harrow school pals and teachers, trying to channel is inner tv detective, just like his favourite shows. Bish struggles away from home, he likes things just so, and the police cell makes him itchy.
I have just one one niggle here, and that it's only Valor who has a voice. I really wanted to hear from Bishan at key points along the way, and I wanted to hear how his mind would process everything. I love that Ms Donovan writes with Autistic characters playing front and centre. Bishan does, though, have the majority voice in book two, Dead in the Pond, so really looking forward to that!
For a murder/mystery, its not overly graphic, just enough to get the point across. There IS romance here, but not a great deal, since Valor and Bishan spend much of the book apart.
I loved the support network Bish and Valor have. Bish's family especially, but Valor's family?? Not so much! I STILL think they might have something to do with it all!
I really have no idea where this is going, nor do I really mind which way it goes, I just wanna read them! I want to see if I can put the clues together fast enough to watch it all play out the way I think it will, or if I'm too slow and don't get the whodunnit til it's all revealed!
So, ONLY because Bishan doesn't get a say here...
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
ClareR (5596 KP) rated The End of the Ocean in Books
Nov 6, 2019
The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde is Climate Fiction (Cli-Fi) at its best and most stark. At its best, because everything that happens feels as though they are the reasonable consequences of what we are predicted now; most stark, because this is truly a terrible version of the future.
In the present day(2019), 69 year old environmental activist Signe discovers that her home town, and in particular her ex-boyfriend, is responsible for cutting up and shipping off ice from their glacier to sell to the rich, so that they can have glacial ice in their expensive cocktails. She decides to sabotage the shipment, and steals some of it - or what she can carry in her boat. She sails her ship through a terrible storm with the intention of taking it to the person responsible.
In 2041, David and his daughter Lou, arrive at a refugee camp after escaping from war and fire in their French home. There is little water and food, but David is hopeful that his wife and infant son (who they’ve been separated from) will be there or arrive soon.
The two stories are linked when David and Lou find Signe’s boat in the garden of one of the abandoned houses.
This is such a powerful book. It takes current scientific research and arrives at the extreme end of its prediction: drought, famine and war. I had to read it in short chunks, because I found the story so moving and intensely depressing, to be honest. It doesn’t feel exaggerated: I didn’t read it thinking “Well that would NEVER happen”. It’s all too plausible, in fact. I really liked how the two stories ran parallel to one another and joined up in the latter half of the book, with the boat as some sort of symbol of hope.
It’s not all depressing though. There is an element of hope, and we see the enduring strength of the human spirit. I have The History of Bees on my bookshelf, which I will read now - and I’ll definitely look out for the third in this quartet of books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my copy of this book.
In the present day(2019), 69 year old environmental activist Signe discovers that her home town, and in particular her ex-boyfriend, is responsible for cutting up and shipping off ice from their glacier to sell to the rich, so that they can have glacial ice in their expensive cocktails. She decides to sabotage the shipment, and steals some of it - or what she can carry in her boat. She sails her ship through a terrible storm with the intention of taking it to the person responsible.
In 2041, David and his daughter Lou, arrive at a refugee camp after escaping from war and fire in their French home. There is little water and food, but David is hopeful that his wife and infant son (who they’ve been separated from) will be there or arrive soon.
The two stories are linked when David and Lou find Signe’s boat in the garden of one of the abandoned houses.
This is such a powerful book. It takes current scientific research and arrives at the extreme end of its prediction: drought, famine and war. I had to read it in short chunks, because I found the story so moving and intensely depressing, to be honest. It doesn’t feel exaggerated: I didn’t read it thinking “Well that would NEVER happen”. It’s all too plausible, in fact. I really liked how the two stories ran parallel to one another and joined up in the latter half of the book, with the boat as some sort of symbol of hope.
It’s not all depressing though. There is an element of hope, and we see the enduring strength of the human spirit. I have The History of Bees on my bookshelf, which I will read now - and I’ll definitely look out for the third in this quartet of books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my copy of this book.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Ghostal Living (Hamptons Home & Garden Mysteries #3) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
Ms. Bridge is a new to me author and I can tell you that I loved her unique, quirky style. I'm now a fan for life! I love a good cozy mystery full of twists, turns, and who dun its and Ms. Bridge's third installment to the Hampton Home and Garden Mysteries did not disappoint! It had the perfect blend of all that and more.
I love that this book is centered around a bed and breakfast called Bibliophile Bed&Breakfast! It seems perfect for us book lovers! A rare manuscript,a killer on the loose and lots of decorating to do, Meg finds her hands full in this book filled with witty characters and happenings that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat while you help Meg uncover the clues and solve the mystery. Following Meg on her race to find the who's and why's behind it all was so fun! I read this book in one sitting, turning the pages long into the night.
I definitely sing this book's praises. The theme, the characters, the mystery behind it all, make the perfect cozy read and will capture you from the start. It's worthy of 4 stars and two thumbs up. And while this is the 3rd installment in this series, it could easily be read as a stand alone. So, what are you waiting for? Grab that cup of coffee, this amazing book, and settle in for the roller coaster ride of your life! Ms. Bridge will capture you wholly with her characters, charm and who dun it mysteries! And, as a bonus, Ms. Bridge throws in recipes and decorating tips! <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/review-ghostal-living-by-kathleen-bridge/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
I love that this book is centered around a bed and breakfast called Bibliophile Bed&Breakfast! It seems perfect for us book lovers! A rare manuscript,a killer on the loose and lots of decorating to do, Meg finds her hands full in this book filled with witty characters and happenings that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat while you help Meg uncover the clues and solve the mystery. Following Meg on her race to find the who's and why's behind it all was so fun! I read this book in one sitting, turning the pages long into the night.
I definitely sing this book's praises. The theme, the characters, the mystery behind it all, make the perfect cozy read and will capture you from the start. It's worthy of 4 stars and two thumbs up. And while this is the 3rd installment in this series, it could easily be read as a stand alone. So, what are you waiting for? Grab that cup of coffee, this amazing book, and settle in for the roller coaster ride of your life! Ms. Bridge will capture you wholly with her characters, charm and who dun it mysteries! And, as a bonus, Ms. Bridge throws in recipes and decorating tips! <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/review-ghostal-living-by-kathleen-bridge/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Witch Elm: A Novel in Books
Jan 12, 2020
I listened to the audiobook of this narrated by Gerry O’Brian and would recommend increasing the speed it plays at. I didn’t until quite far in and regretted not speeding it up sooner.
Following on from a brutal attack Toby goes to stay in his old family home. When a skull is discovered in Wych Elm in the garden Toby has to question everything he thought he knew about his family.
Despite the skull discovery being on the blurb it actually is a long way into the book before we get that revelation. There is a lot of build-up to it and while I like a good bit of character building I did wish it had just got on with the main story sooner. Told from Toby’s POV who I didn’t find to be a particularly interesting or likable character there seemed to be way too much navel-gazing. I was also a bit disappointed by the main mystery; with so much build-up it just felt anticlimactic and again the whole investigation was overly drawn out. Just when I thought it had finally ended it managed to keep going for even longer.
Overall too much of a slow burner for me.
Following on from a brutal attack Toby goes to stay in his old family home. When a skull is discovered in Wych Elm in the garden Toby has to question everything he thought he knew about his family.
Despite the skull discovery being on the blurb it actually is a long way into the book before we get that revelation. There is a lot of build-up to it and while I like a good bit of character building I did wish it had just got on with the main story sooner. Told from Toby’s POV who I didn’t find to be a particularly interesting or likable character there seemed to be way too much navel-gazing. I was also a bit disappointed by the main mystery; with so much build-up it just felt anticlimactic and again the whole investigation was overly drawn out. Just when I thought it had finally ended it managed to keep going for even longer.
Overall too much of a slow burner for me.
Jonathan Higgs recommended track She's Leaving Home by The Beatles in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles in Music (curated)
ClareR (5596 KP) rated The Witch Elm: A Novel in Books
Oct 16, 2019 (Updated Oct 16, 2019)
A psychological thriller that had me guessing along with the main character!
After a night out with his friends in Dublin, Toby Hennessy walks home alone and goes to bed. He’s woken up in the early hours by two men burgling his flat and when he confronts them, they attack him viciously and leave him for dead. He doesn’t die, and after a long period of time in hospital, he returns to his flat, clearly suffering from PTSD and a brain injury. Luckily for him (but not so lucky for his uncle) his uncle, Hugo, is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. So Toby and his girlfriend Melissa move in to help keep him company, and ultimately to care for him.
They’re a close family, who meet every Sunday for dinner, and Toby and his cousins Leon and Susanna spent every summer at their Uncles house, living pretty much unchecked - every teenagers dream.
This idyllic life is brought abruptly to an end when a skeleton is found inside the trunk of one of the Wych elms in the back garden. It’s complicated further by the fact that Toby’s head injury from the burglary means that his memories are ropey, to say the least.
I really liked this book: I liked the slow build up and learning about the family and the relationship between the cousins. As for the skeleton, well that mystery had me guessing right up to the end.
Incidentally, this is sold as ‘The Wych Elm’ in the UK - ‘Wych’ is an alternative spelling in old English of ‘witch’, and it also means pliant or supple. The words ‘wicker’ and ‘weak’ come from this word too (yes, I looked it up, and this will join all of the terribly interesting, yet relatively useless, information that accumulates in my head 🤷🏼♀️).
This is my first Tana French novel, and based on this book, it won’t be my last.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of this book.
They’re a close family, who meet every Sunday for dinner, and Toby and his cousins Leon and Susanna spent every summer at their Uncles house, living pretty much unchecked - every teenagers dream.
This idyllic life is brought abruptly to an end when a skeleton is found inside the trunk of one of the Wych elms in the back garden. It’s complicated further by the fact that Toby’s head injury from the burglary means that his memories are ropey, to say the least.
I really liked this book: I liked the slow build up and learning about the family and the relationship between the cousins. As for the skeleton, well that mystery had me guessing right up to the end.
Incidentally, this is sold as ‘The Wych Elm’ in the UK - ‘Wych’ is an alternative spelling in old English of ‘witch’, and it also means pliant or supple. The words ‘wicker’ and ‘weak’ come from this word too (yes, I looked it up, and this will join all of the terribly interesting, yet relatively useless, information that accumulates in my head 🤷🏼♀️).
This is my first Tana French novel, and based on this book, it won’t be my last.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for my copy of this book.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Seasons of an Amish Garden in Books
Feb 27, 2019
If you’ve followed my blog for sometime now, you’ll know that one of my favorite genres, outside of thriller novels, is Amish fiction. And, in that Amish Fiction, I have 5 top favorite authors. One of those is, without a doubt, Amy Clipston. I fell in love with her writing style and books way back when I read a book she did that wasn’t Amish fiction. Every time I pick up a novel by her, she sweeps me off my feet and puts me in the heart of the book, as she did with this new one.
This is a collection of four novellas. These novellas feature the characters from her novella in An Amish Love collection. Each story here brings us a different season, in which the garden that is planted will grow. Each story, each season, brings something new to the book, taking the reader on a whirl wind ride of love, hope, fun, and memories.
The characters that Clipston brings us back to, all feel like coming home to family. They are chiseled perfectly, their emotions radiating right off the pages. My personal favorite from this collection is Home By Summer, which is following Clara Hertzler and Jerry Petersheim. I loved the message woven into this particular story. Understanding, hope, and most of all, renewed faith in the Lord above. I felt so refreshed after reading their story!
Anything less than 4 stars for this captivating read, would be injustice. The pages of this book will pull you in, have you up late into the night, making new friends, and enjoying time with old friends. If you are looking for a book that will refresh your mind, your soul, and take you through the seasons of life, then grab a copy now. You will not be sorry, and if you’re new to Amy Clipston’s work, you’ll be a new fan, instantly! Amy Clipston, hats off to you, once again, for another collection of heartwarming stories that I won’t soon forget!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booklook Blogger Program and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
This is a collection of four novellas. These novellas feature the characters from her novella in An Amish Love collection. Each story here brings us a different season, in which the garden that is planted will grow. Each story, each season, brings something new to the book, taking the reader on a whirl wind ride of love, hope, fun, and memories.
The characters that Clipston brings us back to, all feel like coming home to family. They are chiseled perfectly, their emotions radiating right off the pages. My personal favorite from this collection is Home By Summer, which is following Clara Hertzler and Jerry Petersheim. I loved the message woven into this particular story. Understanding, hope, and most of all, renewed faith in the Lord above. I felt so refreshed after reading their story!
Anything less than 4 stars for this captivating read, would be injustice. The pages of this book will pull you in, have you up late into the night, making new friends, and enjoying time with old friends. If you are looking for a book that will refresh your mind, your soul, and take you through the seasons of life, then grab a copy now. You will not be sorry, and if you’re new to Amy Clipston’s work, you’ll be a new fan, instantly! Amy Clipston, hats off to you, once again, for another collection of heartwarming stories that I won’t soon forget!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booklook Blogger Program and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
ClareR (5596 KP) rated When the Lights Go Out in Books
Nov 17, 2020
When the Lights Go Out is not just about climate change and the disaster that we seem to be hurtling towards. It’s also about a marriage: Emma and Chris’ marriage. I seem to be having a really good run with books lately. This is a book where not overly much happens on the surface, but it’s packed full of action if you look at the way that it’s scrutinising Emma and Chris’ marriage. These are two people who have a lot going on. They have both been pushed to their limits, and whilst Emma seems to be dealing with the changes in her life, Chris is really struggling. He is constantly plagued by thoughts of ‘worst case scenarios’. He stockpiles food and fuel in the garage, he buys fish antibiotics just in case the human version is unobtainable. And he tests his family’s resourcefulness by turning off the electricity in their home to make sure they can cope - and leads them to believe it’s a power cut. Chris is unhappy. Work is very slow - no one needs a gardener if it rains non-stop and the garden is submerged, or if it gets so hot that nothing survives to tend to. Money is tight since Emma lost her job when the library where she worked closed, and she works part time in a school, supplementing her income with her craft work.
Everything comes to a dramatic head on Christmas Eve - and I don’t think I was capable of breathing properly for the last couple of chapters.
This sounds like a morose, depressing read, but it really wasn’t. There are some really quite funny bits interspersed with the more serious aspects - I thought it was really well balanced, and I loved reading it.
Everything comes to a dramatic head on Christmas Eve - and I don’t think I was capable of breathing properly for the last couple of chapters.
This sounds like a morose, depressing read, but it really wasn’t. There are some really quite funny bits interspersed with the more serious aspects - I thought it was really well balanced, and I loved reading it.
Merissa (11794 KP) rated Braided Dimensions (Braided Dimensions #1) in Books
Apr 15, 2024
BRAIDED DIMENSIONS is the first book in the series of the same name. We meet Kay, an ex-professor now working in a job she dislikes. She is a loner and drifting. One Halloween, she goes out and enjoys herself. When she decides to have her own garden patch, she meets the same people and now has her own little group. On her way home from the Halloween night out, something strange happens to her, leading her down a rabbit hole into ancient Wales.
One thing I need to mention first... it is SO good to read something set in Wales rather than Ireland! I have nothing against Ireland, but there are other Celtic countries out there, although you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise.
This was an enjoyable story that took place both in the present and the past. I love the group of friends Kay has. It is full of paganism and mysticism, although written as both specialised and general day-to-day knowledge. The blending of the two lives is well-written, giving the reader Kay's sense of confusion as she tries to understand what is happening.
This is definitely a series so be prepared to be left with questions at the end, which will leave you wanting more.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 15, 2024
One thing I need to mention first... it is SO good to read something set in Wales rather than Ireland! I have nothing against Ireland, but there are other Celtic countries out there, although you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise.
This was an enjoyable story that took place both in the present and the past. I love the group of friends Kay has. It is full of paganism and mysticism, although written as both specialised and general day-to-day knowledge. The blending of the two lives is well-written, giving the reader Kay's sense of confusion as she tries to understand what is happening.
This is definitely a series so be prepared to be left with questions at the end, which will leave you wanting more.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 15, 2024