134. Dressing Barbie

Dressing Barbie: A Celebration Of the Clothes That Made America's Favorite Doll and the Incredible Woman Behind Them. Carol Spencer. 2019. 160 pages. [Source: Library] [adult nonfiction; history; fashion design; toys; adult collectors]

First sentence:  Barbie quite simply changed my life.

Premise/plot: Carol  Spencer shares her experiences as a fashion designer for Barbie at Mattel. She worked as a designer for Mattel from 1963 through the 1990s. Four decades designing fashion and fashion accessories for Barbie (and friends). The book is packed with back stories and photographs. It is organized by decade. When she started at Mattel, there were four women working as fashion designers. I'm not sure how many more were added to that team through the decades. But she definitely played an important role in styling Barbie. This one provides context for Barbie's style. She gives behind-the-scenes look in various inspirations for various looks. 

MY thoughts: I absolutely loved this one!!!! I enjoyed reading about each of the decades. I don't know that I have a favorite, favorite section. I loved finding out more behind-the-scenes glimpses of memorable and iconic dolls. Like the creation for Totally Hair Barbie, for example. She was responsible for the first MY FIRST BARBIE doll and the subsequent My First Barbie line. One of my the funniest stories is how she shares WHY there were three different fashions with gold and white stripes--a bathing suit and headdress, a holiday dress, and another shorter dress. They accidentally ordered 2,500 yards instead of 250 yards! 

I read this one in one sitting. It was an awesome read. Perhaps not for every single reader. But for those that do love BARBIE or those that love fashion design or history. 

I think this one works as a book that you read cover-to-cover. OR as a reference book that you skim. The photographs are awesome. 

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

119. Someplace to Call Home

Someplace to Call Home. Sandra Dallas. 2019. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [Middle Grade Historical]

First sentence: The battered old Model T Ford sputtered and stalled. With a sigh, sixteen-year-old Tom Turner guided it to the side of the dirt road. He slid out of the worn seat on the driver's side and stood next to the vehicle, stopping a moment as he heard a hissing sound. He shook his head. "The transmission's bad, and it looks like we blew a tire, too."

Premise/plot: Hallie, Tom, and Benny are orphans traveling the road during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. When their car breaks down in Kansas, they have no choice but to camp out until they can fix it. The farmer whose land they are on talks with them. It isn't instant friendship or kinship. But he offers Tom a chance, an opportunity. That's what Tom wants--all of them want--opportunities to work, to earn money, to survive. The family soon becomes neighborly. Benny befriends their daughter--both have similar mental/developmental differences. They bring out the best in each other. They bless one another with friendship. Hallie and the mother take turns teaching the children since the school system refuses to educate them because of their disability. Hallie does go to school sometimes. She loves learning and sees it as a great opportunity. Are the children accepted? Not really. Not at first. They are seen as "squatters" and "vagrants" and "thieves." The fact that Tom--who is very skilled mechanically--is taking away a job from an unskilled person is offensive to some. 

The book is set in the 1930s, of course, and in Kansas. 

My thoughts: Ultimately this one is such a feel-good read. I absolutely loved, loved, loved it. I thought everything about it was wonderful. I loved the relationships that developed. I loved the unfolding of the story. I highly recommend this one!

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

111. A Good Girl's Guide To Murder

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Holly Jackson. 2019. 433 pages. [Source: Library] [Young Adult]

First sentence: Pip knew where they lived. Everyone in Fairview knew where they lived. Their home was like the town's own haunted house; people's footsteps quickened as they walked by, and their words strangled and died in their throats.

Premise/plot: Pippa "Pip" Fitz-Amobi is a senior on a mission. Her senior project is to research a missing person's case--a suspected case of murder. If the alleged murderer hadn't been found dead in the woods, well, he might have been convicted of murder despite the fact that there was no body. Andie Bell is the missing person. Sal Singh is the alleged murderer. Pip thinks that Sal is innocent and she teams up with the alleged killer's brother, Ravi, to help her make sense of this case. The longer her suspect list gets, the more threats she receives. Will she survive long enough to break the case?

My thoughts: This one felt so familiar to me. There's no proof whatsoever that I actually read this one years ago--when it came out. But it was almost how spooky how familiar the story, the characters, the crime even. So strange. I don't think it's a case of an author writing in super predictable ways. Though I have read several YA books where the main character is investigating an old case from the community. So maybe I've just read a few too many this year. 

I liked this one.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

167. Murder at Morrington Hall

Murder at Morrington Hall (Stella and Lyndy Mystery #1) Clara McKenna. 2019. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "Americans are different, Mother."

Premise/plot: An arranged marriage between Viscount Lyndhurst "Lyndy" and Stella Kendrick doesn't get off to the best of starts when the vicar who was to marry them is found murdered. Of course, there's also the little hiccup of the bride-to-be not knowing she was crossing an ocean to marry a stranger--all arranged by her father. Between murder, theft, more theft, there's plenty going on besides courtship. 

My thoughts: I didn't know this one would focus so much on horses and horse racing. Good news, for those who like cozy mysteries AND horses, this is a good fit, perhaps. This being a  change from the traditional cozy mystery + cats, cats, and more cats. It is set in England in 1905. You've got visiting Americans clashing with British aristocrats on top of the mystery...

The mystery was a little all over the place to be honest. But by the end, things came together just fine. I do think it felt a lot longer than three hundred pages. A lot longer. I felt all the characters were a bit one dimensional.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

90. Stolen from the Studio

Stolen from the Studio (Case Closed #2) Lauren Magaziner. 2019. 480 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "Are we there yet?" Frank asks for the millionth billionth time. "No," I sigh. "Are we there yet now?" "No," my best friend, Eliza, says through gritted teeth.

Premise/plot: Stolen from the Studio is the second in an interactive choose-your-own-adventure style mystery novel. Carlos, Eliza, and Frank are back for another adventure--or misadventure. Carlos' mom has been hired by a studio executive to find a missing television star, Layla Jay. Teen Witch was supposed to resume filming the third season, but, the actresses' disappearance has halted things. So the mom and three kid-detectives (or defectives as Frank likes to introduce themselves) are heading to Burbank, California, to solve the case. Technically, the three are just along for the ride. They are not supposed to get carried away and insert themselves into the case. But. We all know that if she truly wanted the kids to NOT get involved in another case, she'd have found a babysitter. (And why bring a friend and friend's little brother???) 

Our three amateur detectives have plenty of people to "interview" and plenty of scenes to investigate. Will their involvement lead to triumph or disaster?

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. I think the second novel has definitely increased in intensity. The stakes are higher, in my opinion. The children face real danger as they risk it all to solve the case. (This choose-your-own-adventure still isn't as dangerous as Oregon Trail, mind you. More failures abound in Oregon Trail than in Stolen From the Studio.) 

Choose your own adventure novels may not be known for their substance--fully fleshed out stories and well developed characters. But I was pleasantly surprised by both Mystery in the Mansion and Stolen from the Studio. It is still very much a premise-driven, plot-driven, action-packed adventure. But attention has been paid to details. I like how fleshed out the whole story is when you take the time to read all the various paths. 

It does require a bit suspension of disbelief--that a detective agency from a small(er) town is called to Hollywood (essentially) to solve a missing persons case instead of local or federal agencies that are designed to do just that. But still, the book is fun.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

63. One Good Deed

One Good Deed. (Archer #1) David Baldacci. 2019. 416 pages. [Source: Library]
 

First sentence: It was a good day to be free of prison.

Premise/plot: Aloysius Archer is out on parole; he’s been resettled in the small, rural town of Poca City. The community is small enough that everyone know everybody’s business. Ex-cons tend to stick out, but Archer isn’t like other ex-cons. He was innocent of the crime he was convicted of. He is determined to stay out of trouble that might lead him back to prison. In addition to being fresh out of prison, Archer is a war veteran. The novel is set in 1949. America—Archer included—is still very much impacted by the war. One doesn’t simply forget the war and jump back effortlessly into “normal“ life.

So on his first day in town he picks up an unusual job. He is collect the collateral of a debt. Both men—the one who made the loan and the one who took out the loan—are unsavory chaps. Neither man seems “good”. Both seem super dangerous and unreasonable. But he is desperate for a job and this one pays $100. Will accepting this job be the biggest mistake of his life? Will he escape with his life?

My thoughts: I love, love, love historical fiction. I love, love, love mystery novels. When an amateur detective happens to love reading detective novels...I find it giddy making. So much of this one was just happy making. It was a compelling and suspenseful read. But it wasn’t so much about the destination—at least for me. It was every step of the journey. I hope this is the start of a new series. I want to spend more time with Archer!

 ETA: I reread One Good Deed. It has been almost three years since I first read it. I still loved it. I think my favorite thing about it remains the narrative voice. I just LOVED spending time with Archer and seeing the world through his eyes. I thought the pacing was great.

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

135. Don't Tell the Nazis

Don't Tell the Nazis. Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. 2019. 226 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I huddled close to my sister under the comforter and prayed that we'd live through the night. At any moment the door might burst open and we could be dragged from our beds.

Don't Tell the Nazis opens in June 1941 in Ukraine in the days leading up to the Soviet retreat and the Nazi occupation. The Ukrainians suffered at the hands of the Soviets--no doubt--but any hope is short-lived that treatment under the Nazi regime would improve. If anything, the situation worsens. The book follows a young girl, Krystia, and her family. She'll face more than any child--any human--should be made to endure.

Don't Tell the Nazis is not an easy book to summarize. What you should know is that it is intense, compelling, heartbreaking, disturbing, haunting. It's the kind of book that requires a freezer. It is inspired by a true story, but it has been fictionalized to a certain degree. I found the author's note fascinating.

 It is not the kind of book any reader "enjoys" reading. It is horrific and traumatic not because the author has a depraved, disturbed mind BUT because it is authentically capturing the horrifying and shocking truth of history. History that should never be denied, discounted, or dismissed. When history shocks and disturbs the answer is not to bury your head in the sand but to take notice, listen, and learn.

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

109. Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Toshikazu Kawaguchi. Translated into English by Geoffrey Trousselot. 2019. 213 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: "Oh, gosh, is that the time? Sorry, I have to go," the man mumbled evasively, as he stood up and reached for his bag.

Premise/plot: Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a collection of inter-connected short stories set in a special cafe. The stories are "The Lovers," "Husband and Wife," "The Sisters," and "Mother and Child."

So what makes the cafe so special? Well, there's one special chair--usually occupied by a GHOST--that allows the person to visit the past or future. Their visit will be a short one--the duration of a cup of coffee. They must return to the present....you guessed it...before the coffee gets cold...or there will be consequences. There are rules that make this "time travel" challenging. You have to stay seated in that exact chair. The person you're visiting must have visited the cafe at some point. And absolutely nothing you do in the past during your visit will change the present. Since a GHOST is occupying the one and only chair with magical time traveling capacities, you have to WAIT (no matter how long) for your turn.

Each person who travels in Before The Coffee Gets Cold is desperate. Can their be resolution and peace when the present can never be altered or changed?

My thoughts: I see there is a cat on the cover. I honestly don't remember a cat in the story?! Did I miss it?! Is it just their to tease us?! 

Anyway, I liked this one. I almost feel like every reader would have to read it twice--maybe even three times--to "get" it. I remember feeling the exact same when I watched the movie Inception for the first time. I went into it thinking the only thing linking the stories was the place and the element of time travel--but I was wrong. I didn't realize it in time to really appreciate it. But maybe YOU will--if you haven't read it yet. Don't be afraid to jot down notes--I wish I had.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

99. Shout

Shout. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2019. Penguin. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:
When he was eighteen years old, my father
saw his buddy's head sliced into two pieces,
sawn just above the eyebrows by an exploding
brake drum, when he was in the middle
of telling a joke.

Premise/plot: Shout is the memoir of Laurie Halse Anderson; it is written in verse. Anderson may best be known for her young adult novel, Speak. Speak stars a young girl, a freshman, named Melinda. In the summer Melinda was raped--the boy who raped her, aka IT, attends the same school. Melinda struggles. I was going to try to find the right words to say what she struggles with--but there are no right words. Her whole life is effected by what happened and the fact that she has not spoken up or shared her story with anyone is largely what the novel is about. Well, partly. The book, in my opinion, is about the injustices embedded within the system. Everyone makes assumptions about who Melinda is--makes judgments--without bothering to get to know Melinda. Speak is not strictly autobiographical. But Laurie Halse Anderson has her own experiences to share, her own IT from the past. One doesn't just "get over" sexual assault. The memoir shares her journey from childhood to adulthood. The memoir also gives readers a behind the scenes glimpse of an author's life. (How she got started writing, the long, long struggle to get published, the writing of Speak and other books, author visits and tours, receiving mail from readers, etc.) Speak resonated--has continued to resonate--with readers. It has helped people speak up about their own experiences with sexual assault. Many have shared their stories with Laurie Halse Anderson.

My thoughts: This is a compelling read. It is a dark read in some ways but also an inspirational one. It isn't without hope or "light" at the "end of the tunnel." The subject matter is mature. But the mature content doesn't mean it's inappropriate or "bad." The truth is that sexual assault can happen at any age. In a perfect, perfect world sheltering kids--tweens, teens--from the harsh realities of the potential dangers would make sense. But our world is far from perfect. Not speaking about something doesn't make that something go away. (That being said, how a subject is discussed differs with the age of the audience.) Shout uses strong language but not in an excessive, inappropriate way. (At least 99% of the time.) Shout is honest even when it ventures into the raw emotions of pain and confusion. There is something to be said for honesty, for putting away the mask that everything is fine, that everything is okay.

From the poem, "Lovebrarians"

I unlocked the treasure chest
and swallowed the key. (27)

From the poem, "Payback"

After Charlotte's Web
but before Little Women,
my sister stole the key
to my green plastic diary,
and blackmailed me
with what she found. (33)

Maybe I owe her,
my sister,
for stealing the key, toying
with my secrets, and thus igniting
the slow-fused inevitablity
of me weaving stories
in the dark. (34)

From the poem, "Diagnosis"

untreated pain
is a cancer of the soul
that can kill you. (69)

From the poem "How the Story Found Me"

too many grown-ups tell kids to follow
their dreams
like that's going to get them somewhere
Auntie Laurie says follow your nightmares instead
cuz when you figure out what's eating you alive
you can slay it. (160)

 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

95. Guts

Guts. Raina Telgemeier. 2019. 144 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mom? What is it, honey? My stomach feels funny.

Premise/plot: Though it is not marketed as such, Guts is a prequel to Raina Telgemeier's autobiographical graphic novel SMILE. Guts covers her younger years--fourth and fifth grade. In this one, Telgemeier tackles the subject of anxiety, panic attacks, and GUT troubles (literally). Life at home and school are proving stressful--a little too stressful. Raina doesn't have (yet) the coping skills needed to thrive. In particular, she's struggling to have good, healthy friendships. There's some light bullying/teasing involved.

My thoughts: I liked this one. There were a few sequences/scenes that were oh-so-relatable. Sometimes feelings are so much bigger than words, and sometimes there are just no words to express them. Not as much happens in Guts as in the previous graphic novels. Mainly we have Raina's troubles at school and home. For example, Raina dreading/hating/fearing doing oral reports for school. Even with a partner, she struggles to find a confident voice ready to face her classmates. (So relatable!) Relationships with classmates do evolve and grow in this one. I think it is true to life, but it may not be as thrilling and memorable as Smile or Sisters.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

88. The Middler

The Middler. Kirsty Applebaum. 2019/2020. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I took my summer diary out of my drawer. Nearly all the sheets of paper matched.

Premise/plot: Love middle grade dystopias? The Middler may be a great match for you. Narrated by a middle child, a middler, named Maggie (though her teachers never bother getting her name right), the community of Fennis Wick is getting ready to send several of its eldest (first born sons and daughters) to "camp" to prepare them to fight the Quiet War. Eldest children are practically guaranteed everything...until they turn fourteen. As Maggie's brother, Jed, spends his last week at home, Maggie has a lot of time on her hands to THINK about everything. (Questions like why does no one ever return from the Quiet War? Who are we fighting?)

The book covers a quick span of time--just ten days--but a lot can happen to a person, a family, a community in just ten days. Maggie, for example, stumbles upon a WANDERER one of the dreaded wanderers that they've been warned against a million times. But though Maggie has every reason to not trust Una Opal (the wanderer), she can't help liking her more and more with each forbidden visit...

My thoughts: I definitely liked this one. I found it a quick and satisfying read. I absolutely love the cover of this one. I'm not sure I'd put it in my 'must reread' list like The Giver and City of Ember. But I do like the world-building and the characters. I wouldn't mind more books set in this world.

Quote:

Weird, isn't it, how you think there are dangerous people outside your town, but we think there are dangerous people inside it.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

76. We're Not From Here

We're Not From Here. Geoff Rodkey. 2019. 256 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The first time I heard anything about the Planet Choom, we'd been on Mars for almost a year.

Premise/plot: Humanity's only chance for survival depends on one family (and only one family) making a good impression. 

Twenty years before their ship's arrival to the planet (Choom), they'd been invited by the three (or is it four?) races cohabiting the planet. (One original species--several refugee races.) But the political landscape has changed, and, well, now "everyone agrees" that the humans are no longer welcome. After much begging, pleading, coaxing, smooth talking, negotiating--they (the Zhuri) decide one family may come down to the surface. "Everyone agrees" it's probably hopeless, but, for Lan, his older sister, and his two parents, well, they have hope--what is the alternative????

The parents play negligible roles in this middle grade science fiction novel. So essentially the human race depends on a music-loving teen girl (Ila) and a comedy loving narrator, Lan. (It is written in first person.) 

As these two begin school, everyone watches and waits...

My thoughts: It was an interesting read I suppose. The world building was nice. I thought the idea of EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS being expressed (only) as smells was unique. As was the hive mentality (though that isn't unique to this science fiction story. Aliens do tend to have hive mentality in science fiction novels.) A doughnut smell means LAUGHTER. I think a gasoline smell means fear? or is it anger? Anyway--not good!

Where this book loses me--as an adult reader--is the slapstick comedy of it. Humanity is saved thanks to VIDEOS of people falling down, getting hit in their private parts, barfing, etc. Music does play into the saving of humanity as well--which was nice.

I think it has a certain appeal for its intended audience--kids (upper elementary, middle school).

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

57. In the Hall with the Knife

In the Hall with the Knife (Clue Mystery #1) Diana Peterfreund. 2019. [October] 298 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: The office of the headmaster of Blackbrook Academy looked like a high-budget, if not particularly imaginative, movie set.

Premise/plot: In the Hall with the Knife is a premise-driven mystery (inspired by a classic board game and possibly, possibly a movie?) for young adults. It is told in alternating chapters from the perspective of a handful of teens. Orchid McKee, Beth "Peacock" Picach, Vaughn Green, Sam "Mustard" Maestor, Finn Plum, and Scarlett Mistry. The setting is Blackbrook Academy. A storm leaves a handful--a dozen???--students with super-minimal staff (Mrs. White) trapped in Tudor House, one of the dormitories. (Parts of campus are flooded. The electricity (and of course the internet) is out. Which might lend to a few spooky feelings for those so inclined, but, there's no escaping that OFF feeling when their headmaster, BODDY, is found murdered--the weapon, a knife. Without a way to contact the authorities and begin an actual investigation, some teens start to take things into their own hands to try to figure out if the murderer is one of their own--or a stranger. 

My thoughts: Secrets. Lies. Danger. That is what this one promises. I'm not sure it delivered 100% on those promises, but it did keep me turning pages. (Though I'll point out I did read it over a week, so it wasn't so intense and compelling I had to finish it in one or two days.)

I am not familiar with the board game. I mean I know of its existence, but my family never owned it and I've never played it. I am not the best judge when it comes to how the mood of the book compares to the game itself. I have seen the movie in bits and pieces, here and there. I've never watched it beginning to end--which I think would be important. 

Almost all the characters are teens. (The exception being Mrs. White and Boddy.) I know in the board game and the movie the characters are different than how they are presented in the book. 

How does it work as a mystery apart from the gimmicky premise? I thought it was a little too busy here and there with too many narrators. I almost would have preferred to have just one or two and have the other characters all be suspects and potential victims. I didn't personally need to be in so many heads. I think that would have allowed more character development and possibly more suspense. 

The characters that held the most intrigue for me were Orchid and Vaughn. So many unanswered questions that have absolutely nothing to do with the mystery in this book--not really. 

I do feel we're thrown into the middle of a mystery.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

54. Major Impossible

Major Impossible. (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #9) Nathan Hale. 2019. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: I've been on this gallows long enough! It is time to execute this spy! 

Premise/plot: The provost and hangman are joined by an eavesdropper leavesdropper, Bill Richmond, in Major Impossible. Nathan Hale, our hero, talks his way out of execution and straight into another tale. This time he's telling the hazardous tale of John Wesley Powell and company as they explore the Colorado River and (discover?) explore the Grand Canyon. There were ten that set out to explore on this expedition. (But how many would make it to the end?)

This story also uses flashbacks--which definitely annoy the hangman, especially at first.

The adventures mainly focus on the "present day" (1869) exploration of the river/canyon AND through the flashbacks events like the civil war.

For those not at all familiar with Nathan Hale and his hazardous tales, the series is a graphic novel series rooted in history. Nathan Hale, our hero, is facing execution by the British in 1776. He's prolonging his would-be execution by telling tales from history. Though to the provost and hangman, these "historical" events are from the future. He's an entertaining storyteller and he always leaves them wanting more, more, more.

The graphic novels aren't without some lighthearted moments (though perhaps the one on the Donner Party is an exception). In this one, some humor comes in as one of the adventurers lose all their clothes but their long john underwear.

My thoughts: I am not the target audience of this one, not really. That's a given. My complaint--really my sole complaint--is that the font size is teeny-tiny. I have to squint my way through the whole book. Seriously hard on the eyes. BUT again I am not the target audience. I do think younger readers--with better vision--will not have a problem reading and enjoying this one.

I have nothing but solidly good feelings about the series as a whole. I really do enjoy sitting down and enjoying Nathan Hale's hazardous tales. I think the series is super fun. I like learning about different historical figures in a fun and entertaining way.

I'm not sure this one is my absolute favorite and best from the series. But I definitely enjoyed it as part of the whole. I do recommend the whole series.

I do think you could read the series out of order.

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

33. Pride, Prejudice, and Poison

Pride, Prejudice, and Poison. (A Jane Austen Society Mystery #1) Elizabeth Blake. 2019. 330 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: “‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a husband,’” whispered Farnsworth Appleby.

Premise/plot: When one of the members of the Jane Austen Society is murdered--POISONED--the small village of Kirkbymoorside in Yorkshire is turned upside down. Erin Coleridge, the owner of a used bookstore, takes it upon herself to do her own investigating. It's not that she doesn't trust the police inspectors or detectives, but, with almost all her friends and acquaintances present at the scene of the crime--she herself was present--she wants to catch the murderer and protect her closest friends.

My thoughts: I enjoyed Pride, Prejudice, and Poison. It was a well-fleshed out mystery, in my opinion.

What did I like about it? Well, I liked the characterization and the plotting. I LOVED getting to know the characters. Blake has peopled a small village or community. And it feels lived in. The relationships seem complex--the work of years, decades, of knowing one another. Erin has lived there for years--but even she doesn't know *everything* there is to know about her neighbors, friends, and acquaintances. I loved the focus on genuine friendships among women. And it was lovely to see all the Austen quotes woven into the dialogue.

The plotting/pacing. I really enjoyed this one. I LOVED that I was kept guessing and that the list of suspects was LONG. I didn't feel the murderer was super-obvious from the get go, from the moment the body is found. (I *hate* when I guess who did it before the body even has a chance to cool.) I loved the steady-supply of clues and the increasing suspense that builds because everyone knows the murderer is still on the loose. There were times when Erin was about to eat or drink something and I was like ARE YOU SURE YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?! WHAT IF THIS PERSON SMILING AND OFFERING YOU FOOD IS REALLY THE MURDERER?

I did guess the murderer--in the last seventy-five pages or so. But even then I wasn't 100% sure--just mostly-mostly sure. So she kept me hooked throughout. I didn't find this mystery tiresome.

I would say that I did feel it was a little tricksy to put a cat on the cover of this one when cat(s) didn't really play any role in the book. (One character did own multiple cats, I believe, but the cats weren't really present for most of the book. There were a few scenes maybe? And if I remember correctly the cats had Austen-related names.)

This one offers a little romance. But the romance never takes center stage. (Not really.)

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

28. Triple Jeopardy

Triple Jeopardy. (Daniel Pitt #2) Anne Perry. 2019. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: DANIEL RANG THE doorbell, then stepped back. He realized with amazement that he was suddenly nervous. Why? This was his parents’ home, the house he had grown up in. At twenty-five, he still returned quite often for dinner, for news, for comfort and pleasure in conversation. What was different this time?

Premise/plot: Triple Jeopardy has our hero, Daniel Pitt, taking the lead in his first serious court case. But the court case is anything but simple. In fact, in some ways it's convoluted. Philip Sidney, a British diplomat, has been charged with embezzling small amounts of money throughout the years. The case is silly--why spend so much time, energy, effort when the theft was so small--the alleged theft. But Pitt fears the answer: Sidney is being set up. The trial exists as an excuse to bring up larger all-circumstantial crimes that couldn't-wouldn't stick. Sidney has many enemies, it appears, and it will take some DIGGING to find out why those enemies want Sidney's reputation completely ruined and smeared.

Daniel Pitt once again teams up with Miriam Blackwood to solve the mystery.

On a lighter note, this mystery sees Daniel reuniting with his sister, Jemima.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I didn't love it--at least not love, love, love. But it was pleasant enough. The second half definitely picked up the pace. It was slow going at first. If it had taken Daniel much longer to start putting pieces together, I might have started yelling at him. But he turned his eyes in the right direction just in time.

I do love to see Daniel working side by side with Miriam.

Quotes:

If you pricked me, I’d bleed tea.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

135. Harrison Ranch & Macgregor's Mail Order Bride

Harrison Ranch and Macgregor's Mail Order Bride. Susan Payne. 2019. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence from Harrison Ranch: Dearest Mother Superior, I know you worried over my loss of position in St Louis but I assure you, I have found myself in a much better situation. I am cooking for the ranch hands at the Harrison ranch outside the small town of Sweetwater, Kansas.

Premise/plot: Harrison Ranch and MacGregor's Mail Order Bride by Susan Payne offers readers two novellas set in Sweetwater, Kansas, in 1873/1874.  

In Harrison Ranch, our heroine, Callie, an orphan raised by nuns, takes a job as a cook on Harrison Ranch. She loves, loves, loves, LOVES to cook. But will she also love to be loved? Perhaps. Seth Harrison, her boss, is super-handsome (and knows it) and begins taking liberties kissing the cook. But are his intentions honorable? Does he have marriage and family in mind? Or does he just want to claim her as his?

In Macgregor's Mail Order Bride, readers have two heroines. Mavis Miller has agreed to marry Joseph "Mac" Macgregor. But she finds herself irresistibly drawn to his younger brother, Jamie. Meanwhile, her best friend, Emily Johnston, finds herself drawn to her friend's fiance. The book ends in two marriages--but who will marry whom?!

My thoughts: I want to start with some positives. It is so easy to see a low star rating and assume that my intentions are mean or snarky. So what did I like about these two novellas? I liked a few things. I like the setting up. The characterization of the heroines in the first few chapters of each novel shows potential; I wouldn't go so far as to say fully realized potential. 

I loved Callie's arrival at the ranch. I loved Sully. I loved seeing Callie being friendly with the ranch hands and the sense of finding family and belonging. Callie's tender care for one of them, a stammering orphan that is too young to be a ranch hand, felt right. I really got a sense that Sweetwater would be a series that I loved. (I ended up disappointed in the end, but, I'm sticking with the positives right now.)

I enjoyed Emily and Mavis' arrival and settling in. I was curious about both MacGregor brothers. I had a feeling that Emily would fall for Mac, and that Mavis would fall for Jamie. I have a bias for mail order stories. I am drawn to them--that and marriage for convenience stories--so I really wanted to love this one. 

There were a handful of relationships established in the first novella. This was a nice touch. Often romance writers ONLY focus on one relationship--the hero and heroine. And if there are side characters, well, they are barely fleshed out and overall insignificant. Perhaps slightly villain-ish if there needs to be a kidnapping or a rescue of some sort. It was nice to see the many relationships presented in the first novel. 

The second novella was weaker perhaps on this--probably because there were two romances. 

So what didn't I like? I'm going to distinguish between my personal preferences--which I'll mention in case your taste aligns with mine, but knowing all the while that the things I don't like may be what you like best--AND between weaknesses in the writing.

I'll start with weaknesses in the writing. She needed a proof reader. Not an automated spell checker, but a real life, flesh and blood proof checker. I didn't highlight everything I saw. But when you're in a "romantic" scene and instead of kissing her shoulder and neck, he's kissing her SHOULD, well, that's just awkward. At another point, Callie tells her hero that she can't "abandon all my principals and beliefs." Principles, dear. At least once the author uses an apostrophe to show plurality. "The mare's do not miss..." "Finely, after supper one night, Seth..." Finally. There was a point where the hero heeled off his boots. I'm not sure if heeling off your boots is a legit thing--or if she meant peeling off???--but it would be a lot easier for the scene if he just took off his boots. And then there's the drinking of EGG NOD. (Egg nog). In the second novel, there was an awkward scene where a train disgorged its passengers. This isn't wrong--it's one of the listed meanings of the word--but it felt like she was trying to use the thesaurus to make her story more sophisticated. 

The second novel perhaps because it has two heroines has some awkward narration. Like she couldn't decide between first person and third person. "Oh my, she has to warn Mavis before she sees Mac. Mavis will need to be more collected than Emily was when she first sees him." 

Complement when compliment would have been more appropriate. He complemented the meal.

"There was a bottle of Champaign on the table with two glasses and a note from Abby telling them to enjoy it." Champagne. 

Then there was that awkward unto the sheets...instead of onto the sheets. I'm not completely sure about the distinctions between onto and unto. So she could be right in using unto. But it stuck out when I read it.

This next is a possible-possible weakness. I felt she RUSHED into the physical in both novellas. It's like, hello my name is...and then BOOM let's make out against a wall for no reason. I felt this was a bit out of sorts for a historical novel set in the 1870s. It felt very modern-day hook-up-ish. I needed more than an instant physical attraction. Some readers might not want there to be a journey of attraction and romance--focused on spending time together talking or doing non-physical activities together--but for me it's a must. 

Also in the second novella, she has her two new heroines meeting some of the women who live in town--and though they've literally just met--they start talking about SEX. Granted I've never time-traveled to the 1870s, but, that too felt a little modern to me. Maybe that kind of talk between good friends would be believable and legit. But a total stranger that you just met???

The last is complete personal preference on my part. I felt the novel was out of balance with the amount of smut. Yes, I prefer completely clean, nearly clean, off-scene/off-stage/implied smut to actual actual what-goes-where smut. But the ratio of smut to actual story is off. This was disappointing because the opening chapters showed such potential for actual romance. But instead it's like, well, let's just write a LOT of physical descriptions and forget about the rest of what makes a romance a romance. 

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

111. Poison in the Colony

Poison in the Colony: James Town 1622. Elisa Carbone. 2019. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: I am different. That is what Samuel says, and I believe he is right.

Premise/plot: Poison in the Colony is a companion book to Blood on the River. This book features Samuel, the main character in Blood on the River, but it is narrated by Virginia Laydon. Carbone has fictionalized the people of Jamestown and crafted a compelling historical coming of age novel.

Virginia Laydon was the first white child born in Virginia. Very little is actually actually known about her life and her personality. Carbone has given her Virginia the gift of "knowing" or second sight. She uses this ability carefully and wisely to help keep her family safe without raising suspicions from her neighbors. (Not always successfully.) She lives at a time when it took very, very little to be accused of witchcraft and killed.

The book focuses on Virginia's life and community. There is a time of peace with the native tribes--but will it last??? Can either really truly come to trust the other?

My thoughts: I enjoyed Blood on the River. I enjoyed this one too. As I mentioned though she uses real names from the records and other primary sources, all the characters have been fictionalized.

I would recommend to those that enjoy--adore--historical fiction. I would not necessarily place this one in the hands of reluctant readers or history haters.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

106. Our Castle By The Sea

Our Castle By The Sea. Lucy Strange. 2019. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]

  First sentence: I was very small indeed when Pa first told us the legend of the Wyrm and the Stones.

Premise/plot: Petra "Pet" Smith is coming of age during the first year of the second world war. The war brings many, many changes: her mother (who is of German descent) is taken to an internment camp, her sister is acting super-mysterious and stand-offish, her father seems distressed and out of sorts. (There are reasons for all, but, you know spoilers wouldn't be much fun--at least this early in the review.) The family lives on a British island, and her father is the lighthouse keeper.

My thoughts: I am very torn between two stars and three stars. Two stars because it remained an "almost" for me from cover to cover. It has all the elements that you would guess that I would love like crazy, but for whatever reason it just didn't quite work for me. Three stars because it wasn't so dull that I ever considered abandoning it. It didn't work for me--but not because of the setting or the characters.

So what didn't work for me? There was an underlying spy/traitor story throughout. And the way that story comes about was just a little off for me. One reviewer summed it up well mentioning that the ending where the villain explains in great detail the whole villainous plot as he/she is doing it...just takes something away from it. It gives it a very cartoonish feel that just doesn't mesh with what came before.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

94. Running with The Wind

Running With The Wind. Dionne Haynes. 2019. 344 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Adult historical fiction]

First sentence: Soldiers pressed towards the harbour, forcing their way through the crowd. Jed turned his back towards them and came face-to-face with a young man, their noses so close they were almost touching. ‘Who are you? Haven’t seen you before.’ The young man’s tone was abrasive. ‘I can’t believe Master Jones let you board an overcrowded ship. What’s so special about you?’ Jed shook his head. ‘There’s nothing special about me.’ Passengers crammed onto the deck. Every man, woman and child jostled for an unobstructed view of those gathered to wave goodbye. Jed pressed his palms against the smooth wood of the gunwale behind him and pushed his body forward to avoid being crushed.

Premise/plot: Jedediah Trelawney is the protagonist of Dionne Haynes' new historical novel chronicling the voyage of The Mayflower in 1620. He is a young man with a secret that may or may not come back to haunt him. It seems SOMEONE on board knows the secret he is running from. But he doesn't know who or what they intend. He works for his keep on board and eventually becomes assistant to the doctor and the barber/surgeon on board. He plans to continue his 'apprenticeship' of sorts when they land. The book covers almost all aspects of life on board. And there is nothing glamorous and charming about it. It gets gritty and gross at times. (For example, when he's popping boils on personal locations of others.)

My thoughts: I liked this one well enough. It was a big graphic medically. There was one sexual fantasy/dream that was a bit graphic. But it was clear that it was his fantasy and not actually happening. Since it was such a small snippet of the book, that I can overlook. But some of the gritty perhaps all too realistic scenes of medical treatments turned my stomach a bit. Boil popping should not be the stuff of fiction!!!! 

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews