ENTRY ISLAND (2015)

Entry Island by Peter May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Peter May paints pictures with words to bring the reader into the world he has created. I started reading Entry Island expecting a modern day police procedural and was surprised to find the historical fiction aspect.

THE STORY: A murder has taken place on a small island off the coast of Quebec. Sime McKenzie finds himself assigned to the investigation team because the hundred or so people who live on Entry Island speak English not French.

What first appears as an open and shut case, takes an unexpected turn when Sime interviews the suspect and feels that he knows her.

Plagued by insomnia since his divorce, Sime's few hours of sleep contain vivid dreams composed of stories he heard as a child about his ancestor's life in Scotland.

WHAT I THOUGHT: My first Peter May book was The Blackhouse, part one of The Lewis Trilogy (The Lewis Man, The Chessmen). I always intended to read the other two books so when Entry Island appeared, I assumed it would be similar and, of course, in some ways it is.

Entry Island begins as a police procedural and morphs into historical fiction creating an engaging pastiche through the use of Sime's dreams and ancestral journals.

This may not appeal to all readers; but for those of us with roots in Scotland, who love journals, islands, and literate mysteries, it's a wonderful adventure.

The human characters are interesting and well-drawn but the most care is taken with the locations. Vivid word illustrations cause the reader to remember times they saw such a sunset or storm on the horizon. I found myself searching for pictures of the island on the internet. As much as I enjoyed the descriptive language, I sometimes had to force myself not to skip over it in pursuit of the story.

Obviously much research goes into May's works so there is the added pleasure of learning something new. The terror of the Highland Clearances in the 19th century resonates. My Mackay's left from Wick to come to Canada and eventually the United States around this time.

Although told in the third person, Sime's memories, dreams, and journal entries are told in the first person. Some reviewers pointed out the language was modern throughout. To that and some of the other criticisms, I would say forget your expectations (suspension of disbelief) and follow where the author leads you. You will have much more fun!

And I should admit that I was moved to tears many times. Peter May is gifted storyteller. You need to add his name to your list of authors to follow.

FIRST SENTENCE: "It is evident from the way the stones are set into the slope of the hill that industrious hands once toiled to make this pathway."

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for those who love language, police procedurals, and historical fiction.

DISCLAIMER: Invited by NetGalley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: Entry Island

Author: Peter May

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Publisher:  Quercus

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 544 pages

Copyright: September 15, 2015

ISBN-10: 162365663X

ISBN-13:  978-1623656638

Peter May is the multi award-winning author of:

• the internationally best-selling Lewis Trilogy set in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland;
• the China Thrillers, featuring Beijing detective Li Yan and American forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell;
• the critically-acclaimed Enzo Files, featuring Scottish forensic scientist Enzo MacLeod, which is set in France;
• and several standalone books, including the multi award-winning Entry Island (January 2014, Quercus UK) and his latest Runaway (Quercus 2015).

He has also had a successful career as a television writer, creator, and producer. Born and raised in Scotland he lives in France. (from the author's web site)

My Favorite Reads of 2015

In no particular order, these are the books I enjoyed the most during the year:

NON-FICTION
My Life on the Road (Gloria Steinem) 2015
Being Mortal - Medicine and What Matters in the End (Atul Gawande) 2014
How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Really Acting (Peter Skagen) 2015

MYSTERIES, THRILLERS, SUSPENSE
Dark Corners (Ruth Rendell) 2015
Descent (Tim Johnson) 2015
Fear the Darkness (Becky Masterman) 2015
The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins) 2015

WOMEN'S FICTION
The Color of Water in July (Nora Carroll) 2011
The Sound of Glass (Karen White) 2015
The Truth According to Us (Annie Barrows) 2015

LITERARY FICTION
All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) 2014

MAGICAL REALISM
The Alexandrite (Rick Lenz) 2015

MY LIFE ON THE ROAD (2015)

My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My favorite books are those that surprise me and Gloria Steinem's MY LIFE ON THE ROAD was so much more than I expected.

THE STORY: Because I live near Clark Lake (Michigan) where Gloria Steinem's father had a dance pavilion when she was growing up, I was particularly interested in what she might write about that time. The opening chapter, however, talked about her experiences in Sturgis, South Dakota, where motorcyclists from all over rally the first full week in August. My husband and I were there many years ago and Steinem's comments echoed our experiences. After that I was in thrall. (And yes, she did write about Clark Lake.)

Although this is the first time I have read a book by Steinem, her life's work has been a road map for me. When I was a young mother, a friend asked me to watch her children while she traveled to another state where she could get an abortion. She and her husband were planning to divorce. My reward? A subscription to Ms. Magazine, which I read for years.

The most encouraging thing Steinem shared was the need to travel or at least finding different ways to view one's world. Her four stated purposes were to share the least visible parts of her life; what it was like traveling America; sharing the stories she heard on her travels; and to open up the road to women.

The surprise is that Steinem never had a driver's license. Early experiences with group traveling in India influenced her to travel in a way that allowed her to see a whole world of lives most of us never encounter. For example, I found the descriptions of truck stops fascinating. But the best parts dealt with Native Americans and their paradigm of human organization as the circle and not the pyramid hierarchy that we have come to embrace.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Episodic and impressionistic, reading My Life on the Road is like spending time with an old friend who has had an incredible life and is willing to share her wisdom. My only regret is that I did not read the wonderful footnotes as I went along. I read them afterwards and learned much more. (Have you ever heard of Walter Ashby Plecker? His beliefs affected many for years and still reverberate.)

One might assume that Gloria Steinem would be angry. So much of the work that was undertaken in her lifetime has been rolled back, but her book is encouraging not discouraging. There is more work to do. And lest we think there are not consequences, she does point out why and how we have ended up in certain places and how important it is to be involved in creating the world in which we want to live. She even gives us hints as to how we might proceed. One of my favorite quotes ". . .people in the same room understand and empathize with each other in a way that isn't possible on the page or screen."

Gloria Steinem pays tribute throughout to her mentors and those who shared their lives with her.The ending of the book is particularly touching.

FIRST SENTENCE: "I board a plane for Rapid City, South Dakota, and see a lot of people in black leather, chains and tattoos."

BOTTOM LINE: Highly recommended.Worth reading and re-reading.

DISCLAIMER: Invited by NetGalley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: My Life on the Road

Author: Gloria Steinem

Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Biography

Publisher:Random House

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 304 pages

Copyright: October 27, 2015

ISBN-10: 0679456201

ISBN-13: 978-0679456209

Gloria Marie Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader and spokeswoman for the feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 70s. (from Wikipedia)

Catching My Breath & Getting Organized

I never seem to be able to curb my enthusiasm for new books, which I don't have enough hours in the day to read.

This bothers me the most when I have requested an interesting title from NetGalley with the very best intentions. And I must confess I have fallen behind again.

Currently I am reading a physical book, provided by the author, called The Alexandrite by Rick Lenz (2015). It's a time travel noir that I am finding quite fascinating.

On my Kindle awaiting me are My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem (on sale today), Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder (went on sale September 8), and The Passenger by Lisa Lutz (not on sale until March 1, 2016). If that doesn't sound eclectic, I'll throw out our book group selection for November, On Canan's Side by Sebastian Barry (2011).

DARK CORNERS (2015)

Dark Corners by Ruth Rendell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ruth Rendell's last book reminded me why I have read so many of her stories (some written as Barbara Vine). She leads the reader down a normal path that somehow spirals to despair and worse.

THE STORY: Carl Martin's father has died leaving him a lovely London house and it's contents. As a newly published author, he lacks the money necessary to maintain the property without taking in a boarder. This begins a series of mistakes Carl makes that totally change the course of his life.

Like many of us, Carl tends to overlook simple tasks. Rather than dispose of odd medicines his father collected, he ignores them as he unsuccessfully pushes himself to work on a new book.

Then he makes his first real mistake. He rents his upstairs to the wrong person to allow into his life. Dermot McKinnon seems to be harmless, if annoying, but he pays his rent on time.

Dermot works the front desk of a veterinarian's office. Rendell uses that office as a way to connect the various characters and move the plot along.

To say much more would spoil the experience for the reader. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: I've always appreciated how Ruth Rendell's stories can take the reader inside the mind of others who think differently. The way she assembles small, inauspicious happenings creates a sense of dread. Between blackmail, murders, and unplanned deaths, Rendell creates a story of dark comedy, an intricate web of calculated and accidental intersections with a warning about the destruction that can result from keeping secrets.

The final sentence in the book seemed a fitting ending to the career of a mystery writing legend. “Now it’s all over.”

Ruth Rendell died in May. She wrote the Inspector Wexford novels (made into a television series), stand-alone suspense novels, and psychological thrillers under the Barbara Vine pseudonym.

FIRST SENTENCE: "For many years Wilfred Martin collected samples of alternative medicines, homeopathic remedies, and herbal pills."

BOTTOM LINE: Highly recommended. If you've never read a Ruth Rendell tale, you might check out this article that recommends five excellent choices.

DISCLAIMER: Invited by NetGalley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: Dark Corners

Author: Ruth Rendell

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Publisher: Scribner

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 240 pages

Copyright: October 27, 2015

ISBN-10: 1501119427

ISBN-13: 978-1501119422

Ruth Rendell (1930 - 2015) won three Edgar Awards, the highest accolade from Mystery Writers of America, as well as four Gold Daggers and a Diamond Dagger for outstanding contributions to the genre from England's prestigious Crime Writers' Association. Her remarkable career spanned a half century, with more than sixty books published. A member of the House of Lords, she was one of the great literary figures of our time." (from the book)

THE COLOR OF WATER IN JULY (2012)

The Color of Water in July by Nora Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What attracted me to this book was the Northern Michigan setting, but the story was what kept me reading. There are only so many stories. It's how they are told that makes the difference.

THE STORY:  Jess is 33 and has just inherited a big Victorian cottage she hopes to sell so she will finally have some money to comfortably cushion her ordinary life in New York City. Reluctantly returning to Journey's End after so many years, however, awakens yearnings for lost opportunities, family secrets, and old loves.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Carefully plotted, the reader finds clues from the memories of two women separated in time by many years. The story belongs to Jess, but the revelations come from Mamie, her grandmother. The story is not as predictable as one might assume and there is some lovely writing.

"I call that summer blue, the color of water in July - all of promise wrapped up in it, and every disappointment too."

 "It had turned August now, you could feel it right away, the lack of sincerity of summer, the hint that it was already planning to leave."

The Northern Michigan setting is a character as well and capable of inducing all sorts of nostalgic memories of summers by the water. It is obvious that the author knows and loves this part of Michigan.

The message of the book is an important one. Hold on to what matters. The trick is to find out what truly matters.

FIRST SENTENCE: "There must be a precise moment when wet cement turns dry, when it no longer accepts footprints or scratched-in declarations of love; an ordinary moment, unnoticed, just like any."

BOTTOM LINE: After reading this book, I immediately requested permission to download the author's second book Academy Girls and loved that as well! Highly recommended.

DISCLAIMER: Invited by Net Galley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: The Color of Water in July

Author: Nora Carroll

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Chic-Lit

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages:235 pages

Copyright: August 18, 2015

ISBN-10: 1503945634

ISBN-13: 978-1503945630

"Nora Carroll is a pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Letts. As Nora Carroll, she writes multi-layered novels filled with the things she loves most-- rambling houses, old letters and manuscripts, and most importantly, the mysteries of love, women, and family." (from Amazon)

ACADEMY GIRLS (2015)

Academy Girls by Nora Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A perfect book to read on a crisp autumn day! Filled with poetry, mystery, and the angst of young women, this book will appeal to those who want a lighter version in the vein of Donna Tart's The Secret History or have enjoyed Carol Goodman's Lake of Dead Languages.

THE STORY:  Thirty-five years after leaving, Jane Milton has come back to Grove Academy with her teen-aged son Charlie. Their world has collapsed and she has one last chance to put it back together. Given the opportunity to teach English, for which she is totally unprepared, Jane fights to overcome her memories of dark secrets in the past. When her least favorite student starts submitting stories that seem all too familiar, Jane knows she has to discover the truth before it is too late.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Told in the present and the past, the layers of deception and deceit are slowly pealed away. The reader becomes invested in the characters. And the poetry of Emily Dickinson woven through the story is a wonderful bonus to this truly compelling mystery.

FIRST SENTENCE: "At the Grove Academy, we learned three immutable lessons" literature is a kind of religion, only failures get married, and though we would eventually leave the academy, the spirit of the Grove would always stay with us."

BOTTOM LINE: I have read that you should write the book that you would want to read. Nora Carroll has written that book for me. Gothic, mysterious, and in a beautiful private school setting, this was a book I didn't want to put down until there were no more pages left.

DISCLAIMER: Invited by Net Galley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: Academy Girls

Author: Nora Carroll

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages:512 pages

Copyright: September 15, 2015

ISBN-10: 1503947440

ISBN-13: 978-1503947443

"Nora Carroll is a pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Letts. As Nora Carroll, she writes multi-layered novels filled with the things she loves most-- rambling houses, old letters and manuscripts, and most importantly, the mysteries of love, women, and family." (from Amazon)

September Update 2015

Well, here we are weeks later, and I still have not delivered on my promises from last month. And, I have a new group of books out of the library besides what's on my Kindle waiting for me. Right now I am reading John Henry Hepp, IV's The Middle Class City: Transforming Space and Time in Philadelphia 1876 - 1926, which is helping me place my ancestors in historical context. Then there's waiting for me Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, Julia Pierpont's Among the Ten Thousand Things, and Patti Smith's Just Kids, which I read a few years ago but want to re-read.

I've been reading Slave: My True Story by Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis for October's book gathering on my Kindle as well as a new Nora Carroll called Academy Girls.

Now if I could just get those pesky reviews written, I might make some progress!

August was a Lovely Month

No, not the title of a book. Just an excuse for not having posted for a while.

In the meantime, I have been reading but very slowly. I'm working on a review of Among Others (Jo Walton), currently reading The Color of Water in July (Nora Carroll), and just added Eileen (Ottessa Moshfegh) to my Good Reads list.

THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO US (2015)

The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading too many thrillers this summer, The Truth According to Us was a wonderful respite. I found it charming and readable although I have to agree with other reviewers that it's a bit longer than necessary.

THE STORY:  When she refuses to marry her father's choice for a husband,  wealthy Layla Beck is banished to the fictional town of Macedonia, W.Va. where she must write a history for the W.P.A. (Federal Writers' Project). Renting a room from the Romeyns, she finds a different way of life and discovers a talent for writing. But there are secrets that threaten to destroy the family she has come to love.

WHAT I THOUGHT: What a perfect book to read during the summer! The author creates the Southern small town of our imaginations, filled with people we could sit on a front porch with drinking lemonade and fanning away the heat.

The Romeyn family has secrets going back many years. The reader is introduced to clues and suspicions through the curiosity of twelve-year-old Willa, her Aunt Jottie's reminiscences, and letters written to and from Layla Beck, the outsider. All the characters are well-drawn. The writing is evocative and the message about the harm secrets can inflict is incisive.

FIRST SENTENCE: "In 1938, the year I was twelve, my hometown of Macedonia, West Virginia, celebrated its sesquicentennial, a word I thought had to do with fruit fro the longest time."

BOTTOM LINE: If you like to escape into books and visit another time, I highly recommended spending some time in Macedonia, W.Va. with the Romeyns

DISCLAIMER: Invited by NetGalley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: The Truth According to Us

Author: Annie Barrows

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: The Dial Press

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages:512 pages

Copyright: June 9, 2015

ISBN-10: 0385342942

ISBN-13: 978-0385342940

Annie Barrows, an American editor and author, is best known for the Ivy and Bean series of children's books and for being the co-author (with her late Aunt, Mary Ann Shaffer) of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

DEVIL'S BRIDGE (2015)

Devil's Bridge by Linda Fairstein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's been a little more than a year since I read Linda Fairstein's Terminal City (2014). Before that I had read Dark Angel (2013).  My reaction each time is the same. The best part of her books is New York City and the historical details she works into the story.

In Devil's Bridge, Fairstein continues her winning formula with this 17th entry in the Alexandra Cooper series. This time her focus is the Manhattan waterfront, the Statue of Liberty, the George Washington Bridge, and Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse.

Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cooper specialized in crimes against women and children. The plot is a disappearance and how it is solved. What's interesting for this outing is the story is told from Detective Mike Chapman's point of view as he scrambles to find Coop. Friends for many years, they have recently settled into a more intimate relationship.

It takes a long time before the historical information starts showing up, which is my favorite part. Unfortunately I don't care for the characters very much and that includes Alexandra Cooper. I have noted before that she is treated like a child and this story perpetuates that notion. Perhaps it's time for me to move on, but rest assured that those who love this series will be anxiously awaiting the next installment.

Bottom Line: If you are not already a fan of this series, you might try one of the earlier books in the series first.

Title: Devil's Bridge
Author: Linda Fairstein
Genre: Police Procedural/Thriller
Publisher: Dutton
ISBN - 10: 0525953892
ISBN - 13: 978-0525953890
No. of Pages: 384 pages
Copyright: August 11, 2015
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Source: NetGalley

DISCLOSURE: Invited by NetGalley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Linda Fairstein Linda Fairstein was chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the district attorney's office in Manhattan for more than two decades and is America's foremost legal expert on sexual assault and domestic violence. Her Alexandra Cooper novels are international bestsellers and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She lives in Manhattan and on Martha's Vineyard. (Amazon)

BROKEN PROMISE (2015)

It took me long enough to get around to reading one of my favorite thriller writers! I won a copy from the Good Reads First Reads Contest back in May. Where did May and June go? It's a long story. I am now working to get back to the business of reading and writing reviews.

Once I actually was able to start reading Linwood Barclay's Broken Promise, I devoured the book in my usual way. Two days tops.

We're back in Promise Falls, New York, where  previous stories have taken place. Those of us who have read Barclay's books will recognize David Harwood and his son from Never Look Away (2010).

THE STORY: With a demanding job at the Boston Globe, single parent David Harwood cannot find enough time to spend with his son. The solution he chooses is to go back home and work for the local paper in Promise Falls. Things start going wrong immediately.

By the end of the story it was obvious that not all the mysteries raised in this book were going to be addressed. When I did a little research, I discovered that this is the first book in what will be a three books series the second and final installments being released at nine month intervals.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Reading one of Barclay's thrillers, there is always the relief that one's own life is safe from the cascade of bad things that are happening to these good people. That seems to be his formula. The author creates impossible scenarios for the protagonist so the reader will wonder how in the world the story threads can possibly be untangled.

With a nod to modern culture and characters enduring the same life problems, it's easy to relate and wonder 'what would I do' in this circumstance.

FIRST SENTENCE: "A couple of hours before all hell broke loose, I was in bed, awake since five, pondering the circumstances that had returned me, at the age of forty-one, to my childhood home."

BOTTOM LINE: If you don't intend to read the other two books, you will find the ending unsatisfactory. Otherwise it's a quick and engrossing read. RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: I won an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of this book from the Good Reads First Reads project.

Title: Broken Promise

Author: Linwood Barclay

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: NAL

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 512

Copyright: July 28, 2015

ISBN-10:  0451472675

ISBN-13: 978-0451472670

"Linwood Barclay is an American-born Canadian author, noted as a novelist, humourist, and columnist. His popular detective novels are bestsellers in Canada and internationally, beginning with No Time for Goodbye in 2007." Wikipedia
 

I'm a Winner!

Look at the happy message I got from Goodreads today: "You are one of our First Reads lucky winners! You will soon receive a free copy of Broken Promise: A Thriller [Linwood Barclay​] in the mail."

THE SOUND OF GLASS (2015)

The Sound of Glass by Karen White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Sound of Glass was my introduction to author Karen White, who writes what has been called 'grit-lit' (as opposed to 'chic-lit') because of her southern settings. The location of the story is Beaufort, South Carolina. I have a very close friend who lives there with her daughter part of the year and that caught my attention.

THE STORY: Merritt Heyward learns that she has inherited a big old Victorian house from her late husband's reclusive grandmother. Feeling guilty about his death and at loose ends, she leaves Maine determined to take up residence in Beaufort.

Before she can catch her breath, her too-young widowed step mother appears with Merritt's ten year old half-brother wanting to move in with her. Loralee claims to be cash strapped with nowhere else to turn. Reluctantly Merritt agrees they can stay for a short time even though she longs for time alone to heal.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Luckily I approached the end of the book just around bedtime. Unfortunately I didn't fall asleep because I kept thinking about what I had read. Even though there were secrets and conflicts, the characters were people you came to care about. Although the story basically revolves around Merritt, it is impossible not to love Loralee, who at first glance appears a stereotypical Southern lady, but is actually a wise and wonderful woman.

I did find it took a while to get the family genealogy straight in my mind as I was reading. I also found Merritt annoying sometimes in her ability to be standoffish. But Karen White writes well and tells a compelling story. I will certainly look for some of her other titles. And if you are like me, the descriptions of Beaufort will make you want to visit and drink sweet tea on a big old veranda overlooking the river.

FIRST SENTENCE: "An unholy tremor rippling through the sticky night air alerted Edith Heyward that something wasn't right." (Prologue, Beaufort, South Carolina July 1955)

BOTTOM LINE: Three women with unhappy secrets weave a tangled web as they tell their stories holding the reader spellbound. Highly recommended.

DISCLAIMER: An advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book was provided to me by NetGalley for an honest review.

Title: The Sound of Glass

Author: Karen White

Genre: Grit-Lit (Southern Women's Fiction)

Publisher: NAL

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 426

Copyright: May 12, 2015

ISBN-10:  0451470893

ISBN-13: 978-0451470898

Karen White, a New York Times bestselling author of 19 novels, writes 'grit-lit' or southern women's fiction, as well as "a contemporary paranormal mystery series set in Charleston, South Carolina." She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two children.

AT THE WATER'S EDGE (2015)

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading and loving Water for Elephants a few years back, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to request Sara Gruen's new title and I guess I wasn't alone. "At the Water’s Edge debut[ed] at #6 on the New York Times bestseller list, #5 on the Indie bestseller list, and #12 on the USA Today bestseller list!"

THE STORY: Madeline Hyde and her husband Ellis never go anywhere without his best friend Hank. Drinking, dancing, spending money, and amusing themselves consumes their days; but they throw away their privileged lives when they disgrace themselves at a fashionable Philadelphia New Year's Eve party. To escape, Ellis and Hank decide to make good on the many times they have talked about hunting down the Loch Ness monster. Maddie has always thought of their discussions as a game. After all, it is 1944 and World War II is raging; but Hank finds a ship that will take them across the Atlantic and thus begins a journey that will change them all.

The remote Scottish Highland and its inhabitants aren't particularly welcoming to this frivolous trio who expect to be waited on in the middle of difficult times. While the men go off to search for monsters, Maddie, left behind, learns more about the people and how they survive. She makes friends and begins to understand what life can really be.

WHAT I THOUGHT: A mixture of historical fiction (the Scottish during WWII), romance, coming of age, mysticism (Loch Ness monster hunting), and more, the book seems over the top sometimes but is always compelling. It is impossible not to think of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series (without the time travel) when you read this story.

FIRST SENTENCE: "The headstone was modest and hewn of black granite, granite being one of the few things never in short supply in Glenurquhart, even during the present difficulties."

BOTTOM LINE: Women everywhere will be reading this book - a great beach read!

Disclaimer: An advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book was provided to me by NetGalley for an honest review.

Title: At the Water's Edge

Author: Sara Gruen

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (an imprint of Random House)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 368

Copyright: 1st edition (March 31, 2015)

ISBN-10: 0385523238

ISBN-13: 978-0385523233

Sara Gruen is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Water for Elephants, Ape House, Riding Lessons, and Flying Changes. Her works have been translated into forty-three languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. She lives in western North Carolina with her husband and three sons, along with their dogs, cats, horses, birds, and the world’s fussiest goat. (From Amazon)

Fascinating Locations in Louise Penny's Mysteries

#11 in the series will be on sale August 25, 2015

Minotaur Books is doing a series leading up to the publication of Louise Penny's new book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series revealing the places that have inspired the fictional places in her mysteries! You can check them out HERE.

MURDER AT BARCLAY MEADOW (2015)

Murder at Barclay Meadow by Wendy Sand Eckel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I get excited when an unexpected book shows up in my mailbox. Last week it was a new cozy mystery from Minotaur. Since I am drowning in books, I, of course, immediately read a few lines with the idea of setting the book aside. Instead I found myself drawn into the story immediately.

THE STORY: Rosalie Hart thinks she has the perfect marriage until she discovers her husband Ed is having an affair and wants a divorce just as their daughter Annie heads off to college.

Unwilling to stay in the home they shared, Rosalie escapes to the farmhouse left her by her late aunt on Maryland's Eastern Shore. But Barclay Meadows doesn't turn out to be a safe sanctuary when Rosalie discovers a body floating in the marsh.

Everyone insists that the death was accidental, but Rosalie senses something is wrong and begins to ask questions.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This debut novel by Wendy Sand Eckel uses social media in a clever and totally integrated way. She also makes cultural references that connect with the reader's experiences. And, what might be the best part for some readers, there are recipes! Do I have to confess that I read this book in just a couple of days? It's well-written, has enough scary moments (but not too many), and lots of interesting quirky characters. The small town setting is charming and you'll want to join me in a road trip to visit the area. I will be watching for the next entry in what has all the ingredients to be a popular new series.

FIRST LINE: "Before my only child left for her first year of college, she suggested I create my own Facebook profile."

BOTTOM LINE: A most worthy entry to world of cozy mysteries. The book will be released on July 28, 2015.

Title: Murder at Barclay Meadow

Author: Wendy Sand Eckel

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Minotaur

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 320

Copyright: July 28, 2015

ISBN-10: 1250058600

ISBN-13: 978-1250058607

Disclaimer: An advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book was provided to me by the publisher Minotaur for an honest review.

"WENDY SAND ECKEL is a psychotherapist who lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where she enjoys her family, multiple pets, and life on the water. Murder at Barclay Meadow is her first novel." (AMAZON)

HOW TO SUCCEED IN HOLLYWOOD WITHOUT REALLY ACTING (2014)

How to Succeed in Hollywood without really Acting by Peter Skagen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you want to work in the movies as an actor, get a copy of this book right now! Even if you are just curious about how things work in the industry, you should read this book!

Every business has its own language, rules, and etiquette. Unless you have contacts (i.e. family) already working on films, you are apt to make mistakes that label you as a newbie. In most cases, they aren't looking for untested talent. Everyone connected with a film wants people who can make them money by KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DO, DOING THEIR JOB, and NOT WASTING TIME. And that, according to the author, is more important than talent. Movies cast types. Do you know your type?

You can avoid a lot of missteps and be ready when opportunity knocks using the information author Peter Skagen has shared. Kagen, an actor, writer, and producer, explains necessary audition skills and how to behave on set once you are cast. Highly detailed, the book is also very readable, full of personal anecdotes and stories about well-known actors with some great quotes thrown in. The fact that there is a lot of repetition underscores the importance of some of the guidelines being shared.

I have worked in live theater all my life and had no idea how different working in film was. The reader also gets some insight into the variety of jobs that make up the team necessary to get a movie made. I have already shared this book with several talented young friends who want to 'make it' in Hollywood. This is required reading.

BOTTOM LINE: Great information and advice in a readable format that you can't get anywhere else. This book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to those interested in film acting. 

Title: How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Really Acting

Author: Peter Skagen

Genre: Non-Fiction

Publisher:  Poubelle Publishing

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 332

Copyright: December 30, 2014

ISBN-10: 099376570X

ISBN-13: 978-09937657047

Disclaimer: An advanced copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher/Net Galley for review purposes. 

"Peter Skagen – the un-acting coach -- is a working film and theater actor, screenwriter, playwright, producer, director and coach with an MA in screenwriting from California State, Northridge. Through his wildly successful in-person courses, he has helped countless actors achieve their dream of becoming not just screen actors, but working screen actors. He focuses on story, craft, business, and real-world technique -- the 90% of the business that doesn't take talent." (From GoodReads)
 

Descent (2015)

Descent by Tim Johnston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tim Johnston's novel is very disturbing. I realized it shortly after beginning, but I kept reading.

OPENING LINE: "Her name was Caitlin, she was eighteen, and her own heart would sometimes wake her - flying away in that dream-race where finish lines grew farther away not nearer, where knees turned to taffy, or feet to stones." 

Visiting Colorado on vacation, Caitlin, with her younger brother Sean tagging along, goes for a run leaving her sleeping parents behind. What happens then is every parents' worst nightmare. Only Sean returns.

The story explores the aspect of each person's life as it is affected by the disappearance, not just the immediate family but others in the community as well. The author brings the Colorado mountains to life. As a matter of fact, his descriptions would easily transfer to a visual story telling medium.

For most of the story I was totally anxious about what was going to happen and it only got worse as the end approached.

Don't misunderstand. This is an excellent story beautifully told. Almost like a impressionist watercolor painting, details and feelings are only suggested in beautiful and emotional language. And the reader doesn't see everything all at once. Instead bits and pieces are revealed over time.

This haunting thriller will stay with you for a long time.

BOTTOM LINE: Well written, plotted, and with incredibly real characters, this book is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Title: Descent

Author: Tim Johnston

Genre: Literate Thriller

Publisher:  Algonquin Books

No. of Pages: 384

Copyright: January 6, 2015

ISBN-10: 1616203048

ISBN-13: 978-1616203047

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Net Galley

Disclaimer: An advanced copy of Descent was provided to me by Algonquin/Net Galley for review purposes.

Tim Johnston , a graduate of the University of Iowa and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has done a lot of writing and won awards for it, but Descent is his debut novel. He currently teaches in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Memphis.

FEAR THE DARKNESS (2015)

Fear the Darkness: A Thriller by Becky Masterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was excited to read Becky Masterman's second thriller in a series featuring Brigid Quinn, a retired FBI agent pushing 60. And yes, finishing Fear the Darkness kept me up past my bedtime. Written in the first person, the reader is drawn into Brigid's world.

Married late in life, Brigid is working hard to build a different kind of world for herself in Tucson, Arizona where she has married for the first time in her life. Her husband Carlo, an ex-priest, is now a professor of philosophy and a good balance for Brigid. With her beloved pugs and friend Mallory, life seems pretty good.

Then her sister-in-law dies and Brigid makes good on her promise to help by allowing her niece Gemma-Kate, to move in. It doesn't take long before it appears that something isn't quite right about the 17 year old.

What a delight it is to have a heroine who is older but still strong and capable!

During the time I was reading the book, I began taking blood pressure medicine and started exhibiting many side effects. It made the story even more personal as Brigid tried to function while unwell.

Like many series, reading the books in order will enrich the experience.

Bottom Line:
Interesting characters, setting, and Brigid herself all make this a worthy second entry in the series which establishes Becky Masterman as a writer to watch. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Title: Fear the Darkness

Author: Becky Masterman

Series: Brigid Quinn Series (Book 2)

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Minotaur Books

No. of Pages: 336 pages

Copyright: January 20, 2015

ISBN-10: 0312622953

ISBN-13: 978-0312622954

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: NetGalley

Disclaimer: An advanced copy of Fear the Darkness was provided to me by Minotaur/Net Galley for review purposes.

An acquisitions editor for a press that specializes in medical textbooks (forensic examiners and law enforcement!), Becky Masterman grew up in Florida and received her M.A. in creative writing from Florida Atlantic University. Her debut thriller, Rage Against the Dying, was a finalist for the Edgar Award  for Best First Novel, the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel of 2013, the ITV Thriller Award, as well as the Macavity, Barry, and Anthony awards. She and her husband actually live in Tucson, Arizona. This is her second thriller.