Friday, June 4, 2021

Madam by Phoebe Wynne



Hello everyone. I hope you've had a nice day.

When we first started dating, my husband was surprised to learn that there was only one high school in my hometown.  The town he grew up in has ten or twelve.  It's a wee bit bigger of a place.  Still, he was shocked by the support for that one school.  Many years ago, while visiting, we decided to go to a football game.  My dad got hubby to go purchase tickets with him.  Purchase tickets?  In advance?  Hubby thought my dad was looney, which I maintain they both were/are.  Yep, the old spouse was amazed when he got to the school and the box office was mobbed.  He hadn't seen anything like it since seeing major college games.  What can I say? High school football was a major thing in my area and rivalries run deep.  Just ask my cousins, who lived in adjoining towns who were my school's mortal enemies!  It was fun, especially seeing Mr. "we have a dozen high schools" eyes light up when he saw the crowds. 

I recently read Madam by Phoebe Wynne.  This is the story of a girl's school covering the teen years of education. The school, Caldonbrae Hall, is a castle on the cliffs of Scotland. They are very proud of their traditions and insist on maintaining even the slightest detail...no mug, cup and saucer.  Rose, 26, is surprised when she is offered the job of teaching Classics.  The school hasn't hired a teacher in years and the one Rose is replacing left for a reason no one will disclose.  As you might expect of an elite school, the girls are down right snotty and less than welcoming. There is an undercurrent of things being unsaid.  Other teachers advise Rose to play by the rules and stick things out, all will be revealed after her employment probation is up.  As we readers guess immediately, all is not right in the education world.

I don't know exactly how to tell you about this book. It is being given bad reviews by some for a specific reason, but I can't discuss why without spoiling the whole book.  I actually liked the story.  I am a sucker for atmosphere, which this book has plenty...a castle on the cliffs filled with bratty teens, weird caretakers, an elusive headmaster, and a completely unreliable staff...what is not to love.  It made me keep reading, I had to know the secret.  What was being hidden and why?  This issue I have with this novel isn't about the story itself but the time it takes to reveal the secrets.  Now, before you all start booing me, I know the author wants to build suspense.  I get it.  I could have just used fifty less pages of me guessing what was going on a Caldonbrae, which I was correct, and a slightly shorter book.  If you are super critical, skip this.  If you like the whole story idea, like I did, it was an interesting, atmospheric read, give it a go.

By the way, that football game just wasn't as good as when I was a student there. I wonder why?

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones



Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

I cannot believe it's June!  The beginning of June always reminds me of the family that lived next door when I was a kid.  The Mom was our beloved elementary school nurse and was an avid gardener.  The Dad built and flew model airplanes.  They had four children.  Two were older but one girl was my age, and one was my sisters'.  Needless to say, we played together a lot.  Heck, I still remember their phone number! It's weird how some things you remember like naming the tree in their front yard "old chucker," the sledding down the back hill, riding bikes, swimming, and the endless games of Red Light Green Light.  Of course, now they are all married, some with kids, and scattered across the country.  I often think of how lucky we were to have such wonderful neighbors. Today is the birthday of that friend, a date that somehow, I've never forgotten.  

I recently read The Half Sister by Sandie Jones.  I've read two books by this author, The First Mistake and The Other Woman.  I liked both very much.  The Half Sister is about two sisters, Kate and Lauren, who are grieving the loss of their devoted father.  One Sunday, while at their mother's house for dinner, a woman comes the door asking to see their father.  When they discover the mysterious woman claims to be their half-sister, they are skeptical but start wondering about different moments from the family's past.  When the woman produces a DNA test, the world falls apart and secrets start being revealed.  Who is telling the truth and who is lying?  This book takes that issue I love of unreliable narrators and spreads it to someone who never appears in the book and is dead before it starts.  Could his life have been a lie?  

This novel is quite the ride and literally has twists until the very end.  If you don't like family drama type thrillers, then stay clear but otherwise I doubt you'd be disappointed.  More likely, you'll be cold from all that rapid page turning!  Another win for Jones.

I don't know what I was thinking, I should have sent my friend this book for her birthday.  That would certainly have made it happy.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

How Y'all Doing? by Leslie Jordan



Hello everyone.  I hope you're making your day a great one!

Are you a sucker for an accent?  My niece loves a British accent.  Growing up in upstate NY, I adored that southern "thang.".  We took a lot of vacations south, where my parents loved it and planned to retire.  I think they liked the respect people still had at the time, calling someone Miss or Mr. followed by there first name.  Maybe they liked that life seemed a bit slower, gentler (yes, sadly, I know it often isn't the case today), and the lack of snow.  After a two week trip to Myrtle Beach for Easter break, I decided I was going to marry a southern boy....specifically a pool boy...you know the kid that cleans the pool.  I was aiming high, huh, no southern lawyer or captain of industry, just the captain of chlorine.  

I met my husband in college, and he was not in charge of cleaning any pool but he did work at a hotel desk and rent bikes on the boardwalk.  When he would call me he would always say "hey darlin" with that deep voice and a sultry southern twang.  Needless to say, I melted.  We dated for many years and once he got a corporate job we got married.  His accent got more northern and I started pronouncing words the southern way like in-surance instead of insurance.

I recently read How Y'all Doing? by southerner Leslie Jordan.  If that name sounds familiar it should.  He is the actor that was on Will and Grace for years, was on Cool Kids, American Horror Story, The Help and loads of other shows and movies(check out Boston Legal where he kills people with a cast iron skillet...now that's southern).  In recent years he has a very popular Instagram channel where he opens videos saying "Well sh*t. How y'all doing?" In this cute little book, he discusses Instagram as well as his experiences in being in show business and life as a gay man.  

This book is fun throughout.   It is funny and the writing truly sounds like his voice.  While you won't find a deeply plotted thriller or earth shattering mystery here, you'll find someone with lots of heart that doesn't take himself too seriously, it's delightful.  What more could you ask for?  By the way, this book would make a great gift.

You should hear my husband say "theater," he makes it a  eighty-five syllable word, but it still sounds cute..

Monday, May 17, 2021

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb



Hello everyone.  I hope your day has been great so far.

Are you part of a club?  A book club maybe?  What about when you were a kid?  I was a Girl Scout.  I started in Brownies, many of my neighborhood friends were in the same troop.  We went camping together, had parties, earned badges, and sold cookies.  I remember getting my cooking badge.  All the neighborhood Moms pitched in.  For the cooking badge, Mrs. Jones taught us to make Chocolate Crinkle cookies.  She showed us how to measure properly, crack an egg, use a mixer, etc.  It was fun and it's one of the handful of things I remember from scouting.  My mother hosted the Halloween party, where I mastered bobbing for apples.  If you've never done it, you get quite wet and if you're old enough to be reading this and use makeup...forget it...head straight for the cider.

I recently read The Hunting Wives by May Cobb.  This is the story of a woman, Sophie, who moves with her family to Texas.  She's lonely and meets Margot, who has an easy sophistication.  Margot also has an unofficial club of women who admire her and they all pal around together.  This clique notices Sophie and asks her to join them.  Their going out late and drinking puts pressure on Sophie's marriage but she is drawn to this group, Margot, specifically.  She even likes the women after she discovers that they meet for wine and shoot rifles.  No problem, Sophie can keep up, she's athletic and a good shot.  Then someone turns up dead.  

This book is a sexy, delicious pleasure as you watch what happens to all involved.  To anyone ever having a bad experience caused by a "mean girl," this is for you.  Nothing but thrillery fun here.

By the way, I still make Mrs. Jones' cookies every Christmas and, yes, I measure correctly.

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Chapter Thirteen by Maria A. Palace



Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

I'm sure you are not surprised by the fact that I get many emails about books.  Mostly from authors, publishers or publicists asking if I'll read a story they are representing or have written.  While I try and review the blockbuster books that I know you are contemplating reading, every now and then I like to read an author that I'm not familiar with or is just getting started. Let's face it, thousands and thousands of talented writers never get a literary agent and are miles away from getting a publishing contract.  Does that mean they are not as good as published authors, NO!  I've read many self published or small publisher books that put some New York Times Best sellers to shame...Monkey Temple by Peter Gelfan comes to mind, so does Picket Fences by Emma L.R. Hogg. I'm still thinking about both of them and I read Monkey Temple two years ago! My point is for you to consider a non-mainstream book.  How many people have you seen get on those singing shows that drive a bus for a living but can sing better than "stars".  Talent is widespread and not always recognized.

I recently read Chapter Thirteen by Maria Palace. The novel is about a woman, Kate, who has lost several loved ones.  She moves home to Pennsylvania and is working as a journalist when she sent to cover an old mansion.  Kate or Katy gets to know the old lady that lives in the house but all is not what it seems.  I don't want to give it away but if you like paranormal or love stories, you'd really like this. The writing flows nicely, dialog is great and I ADORE how the author doesn't make the reader sit through every outing.  For example saying something like "after the date ended" instead of making us sit through each second.  Love that!  Just give me the meat and potatoes of the story and that is exactly what this author does, which makes this story a very pleasant reading experience.  This is also a quick read with nicely sized chapters.  The story itself is interesting and the characters are well defined and likeable.  

The book is a solid, well written, fun, highly enjoyable, well paced read.  Maria Palace is on my radar now, next time she has a book release I'll be in line to buy it.

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson



Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a very nice day.

I'm gonna cry but I have to tell you about my mother.  She died suddenly when I was thirty.  I thought being the big three-oh would be the worst thing about that year, I was wrong.  It still is painful because she was such a great Mom, so I remind myself to be grateful.  My mom was stunningly beautiful. She was the kindest person you could ever meet.  Mom managed to deal with me as a three year old and newborn triplet girls (and we all know what a pain they were). Christmas was her favorite time of year. Mom loved to play games even video games, she would be amazed that my niece works on video games and would love the games of today. She knitted hats for the homeless. We had to walk up a large hill from the bus stop and in the winter, we would always have four cups to hot chocolate waiting. She hated having her picture taken but loved family photos. Mom would float around our pool, sitting on a ball, reading a book. She read a lot, thrillers, romance and Agatha Christie.  She didn't even get mad when we cannonballed her, soaking her book.  My mom loved model trains, so does my husband.  When my parents would visit, Mom and hubby would go "hobby" shopping together, each vowing not to tell their partner how much they spent. Mom adored her parents and my dad was her absolute soulmate.  Above all else, she would do anything for her children.

I recently read Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson.  I have enjoyed this author in the past so was anxious to read her newest book. This is the story of a woman, Bree, who has everything.  A wonderful life and family.  One day she thinks she thinks she sees an older woman looking through the window of their house.  The she believes the strange woman is following her.  Suddenly, while at her daughter's school, her baby, asleep in a stroller, disappears.  Taken by the old lady, she tells Bree to do exactly what she says or she'll never see her child again.  When Bree realizes that the kidnapper is a mother herself she is even more shocked, how can one mom do this to another? This book asks some very interesting questions.  What would you do for your child? Would you kill someone?  Would you sacrifice someone else from your family? Would you be set on revenge? Would you kidnap another woman's child? 

This thriller is easy to get into with limited characters.  It is fast paced, spacing twists throughout instead of just at the end.  You'll find this book enthralling and terrifying.  Perhaps if you're pregnant or the Mom of a toddler, skip this one.

I wonder what my mom would have thought of Mother May I.  How it would stack up against the thrillers of her time?  Coma still gives me the creeps!

Saturday, May 8, 2021

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth


Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Do you have siblings?  I find them very odd, in sooo many ways!  It is weird to have someone share your DNA but be completely different people.  We have shared memories but then branched out into our own lives.  I think my experience may be different from many people's as my sisters are triplets.  They have a unique bond I don't share.  Many years ago, lotto was really big and my husband was going to buy a "family" ticket.  He called each of the trips to have them give him a number, they all gave the same one! They seem to have a sense of each other's welfare despite living hundreds of miles apart.  I told you they were odd!

I recently read The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth. This author also wrote The Mother-In-Law, which I enjoyed.  This new book is the story of twin sisters who grow up in less than ideal circumstances. Fern, is now a librarian, and is sensitive to too many stimuli.  Rose, an interior designer for businesses, has always acted as Fern's protector.  Sadly, Rose discovers that she is unable to have a baby so Fern decides to get pregnant and give the baby to Rose since she has been her lifelong champion and beloved sister.

This book is very much like The Mother-In-Law, it is an interesting story...to start.  Just as we are engaged and feel we really know the characters the author starts throwing in subtle hints that perhaps something is not right.  Slowly the delightful storyline is in doubt.  Can we believe anything we read?  Then those hints that things aren't as they should be turn into all out twists as the world she has created for the reader falls completely apart.  This book was very enjoyable, especially as I've become more familiar with Sally Hepworth's plotting style.

I'm gonna start sending the triplets a mental image and see if they pick up on it.  "Send me a book....send me a book!"