When a couple chooses an ancient mansion, Pencraw Hall (aka Black Rabbit Hall) as their wedding venue, strange things come to light. Neither knows the history of the house--the Altons' story--yet Lorna remembers going to the house once while they were on holiday. For an unexplained reason, Lorna is drawn back to this house. In … Continue reading Book Review: Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase
Book Review: Evergreen by Rebecca Rasmussen
Evergreen by Rebecca Rasmussen In one of the best novels of 2014, Rebecca Rasmussen describes both the joy and the loneliness of the Minnesota wilderness. Eveline, joins her German husband, Emil, in a hardscrabble existence in Evergreen. Unbeknownst to her, Emil doesn't own the cabin they relocate to. When his father becomes sick, Emil goes to Germany, leaving … Continue reading Book Review: Evergreen by Rebecca Rasmussen
Book Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black.
In a town called Fairfolk, which lies close to the woods, mysterious things always happened. Things get even stranger after someone breaks into a glass coffin that holds a strange, horned boy. For years, townspeople have told stories about this local legend. Local teens, Hazel and Ben, have repeated those stories and even created some of their … Continue reading Book Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black.
Book Review: What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan
Rachel deeply regrets letting her eight-year-old run ahead of her while walking in the woods. Ben Finch disappears, leaving almost no clues except his clothing, which was found near a pond. Britain's CID know this case is serious after a detective finds the child's clothing. Macmillan details the police procedure expertly and poignantly sifts the mother's sorrow. Jim, … Continue reading Book Review: What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan
Book Review: The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman
World War II-era fiction is popular right now but what makes this debut different is that it portrays an ordinary German family. The incidents were inspired by the author's own family. The story is centered around Christine and her desire to protect her family and her boyfriend who is Jewish. The Plum Tree is about longing, … Continue reading Book Review: The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman
Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire.
The premise of Every Heart a Doorway is that the universe extends an invitation to certain children: a door to a new world. This new world, whether it be called Confection, or Prism, or Halls of the Dead is a magical place where the individual feels completely at home. Some of these children are never seen again. … Continue reading Book Review: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire.
Book Review: Swimming Home by Deborah Levy
"You have to take a chance don't you? Its like crossing the road with your eyes shut...you don't know what's going to happen next." --Kitty Finch.Nina decides that standing near Kitty "was like being near a cork that had just popped out of a bottle." Nina thinks Kitty is a wild, adventurous spirit.Jurgen wants to … Continue reading Book Review: Swimming Home by Deborah Levy
Book Review: Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
Sophie takes her cracked laptop, where her unfinished doctoral thesis resides, with her to Almeria, Spain. She has a Master's degree in Anthropology so everything she sees and does is filtered through that lens. Sophie studies everything, including her mother, who is ill and looking for a cure at the Gomez clinic in Spain. More than … Continue reading Book Review: Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
Book Review: The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery.
Sy Montgomery a naturalist who writes for children and adults alike explores the minds of invertebrates in The Soul of an Octopus. Montgomery writes that Octopuses are highly intelligent and curious creatures, even if their minds are wired differently. Montgomery discovers that octopuses, like dogs and other mammals, often have the desire to play. Octopus display emotion … Continue reading Book Review: The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery.
Cold Light by Jen Ashworth
Cold Light by Jenn Ashworth. Cold Light is an amazing book that takes readers for a dark ride. Primarily a mystery, Cold Light is also a psychological exploration into the minds and psyches of three British school girls. Lola is friends with a much more popular girl, Chloe, who often gets in trouble. Lola, also known as Laura, has to clean … Continue reading Cold Light by Jen Ashworth