Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

The topic of the evil child has been around for a long time.  The classic The Bad Seed by William March is a creepy example, the book and movie. I, however, have firsthand experience.  I have lived it.  As you know I have three sisters, triplets.  Think The Bad Seed times three!  Now you know the horror I have and continue to live through.  Instead of making things easier for my sainted mother, and wearing the same thing, they demanded their own color of clothing. Same style but different color.  For their birthday, my poor mother, as if having nothing else to do, made three birthday cakes and each triplet demanded their cake being a certain color...all different. My poor dad would try and watch a baseball game and inevitably one of the three would stand in front of the TV blocking his view of the beloved Yankees.  He'd say name after name, trying to figure out who it was, there was so many of them running around.  Finally yelling, "hey you, you're blocking the game."  Oh yes, be wary, evil exists and it watches The Flintstones and eats Popsicles!

I recently read Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage.  This is the sequel to Baby Teeth, published in 2018.  I admit I have a soft spot for Baby Teeth.  Not only did I love the book, but it was the first advanced copy of a story that I ever received.  Baby Teeth is about a young child that is devious.  Hanna dislikes her mother, very much.  She scares her mother.  The story makes you feel twisted for liking the delicious evilness about it.  It is heart-poundingly tense.  

This time in Dear Hanna we are following Hanna again, years have passed.  She is married and has a teenage stepdaughter. Hanna enjoys not only a successful life with her new family, but she also corresponds with her brother.  As things in her life begin to change, dark feelings of the past bubble to the surface once again.

I appreciate that this book is carefully written so that it may be easily read as a standalone.  For those who are experiencing Hanna for the first time, they will likely enjoy this story.  For me, it was not quite as fun as the first story, Baby Teeth.  First, since we are seeing everything from Hanna's point of view, there is no suspense, no tension, which I expected but found missing.  I kind of felt like I was on a behind the scenes tour at Disney World.  I don't want to know how the Haunted Mansion works; I just want it to delight me.  I found seeing the darkness in Hanna's head, instead of wondering what she will do next, both disturbing and disappointing.  Next, for me, the plot was not strong enough.  Nothing really happens until the end of the book, and even that I knew would happen early on.  No surprises, no big twists. The plot of Baby Teeth was fairly simple, as well, but had the suspense to support it, which is missing here. 

I enjoyed reading Dear Hanna, especially reconnecting with the characters.  Although it wasn't my favorite book, I encourage you to keep an open mind and to give it a try.

Many thanks for Thomas and Mercer for the advanced copy. Obviously, my thoughts are my own (I'm not Hanna, you know!)

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

If you visit the United States from England, you might be surprised by how many of our towns or areas carry British names. It isn't unusual to see Norfolk, Warwick, or Isle of Wight, Birmingham or Avon.  I think there are actually over 600 towns that carry British names.  I guess considering our founding, that makes complete sense. What is really surprising is how many cities carry Egyptian names like Cairo, Thebes, even Memphis. Probably we carry the most names from the Native Americans, rightfully so. Since we are such a young country, historically speaking, being named after other areas is logical.  Unless, of course, we made up our own names like the town of Yabadabadoo, but that was already taken by the Flintstones.  Speaking of England, hubby is addicted to Rhys Bowen books, which take place across the pond.  Here are his latest thoughts:

I recently read The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen. This mystery is the story of a young newspaper reporter’s embroilment in a search for a missing child. Treading carefully between those advising her not to get involved and a nearly mystical pull to solve the case, she travels around 1968 England. The reader learns of heartbreaking relocations from the World War II era intended to keep children safe from German bombing. The banter between the main character and her policewoman roommate makes the reader chuckle as they meet an interesting batch of characters during the investigation. The flashbacks to the war era are appropriately solemn, but I was hoping to hear a bit about swinging 1968 London by way of a pop culture reference or two. This novel is a nice read and has enough twists to keep the reader guessing. Very enjoyable.

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for a copy of The Rose Arbor.  It has been great fun to give you my personal views.

Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates

Hello everyone. I hope you're having a fantastic day.

My family has had a long-held love affair with the camera.  We have over 500 pictures of our wedding.  My parents constantly took photos.  I have my grandparents' slides, there are thousands. Apparently, we come by in naturally.  When doing family genealogy, I found my grandmother was the niece (with several greats) of George Eastman, the founder of Kodak.  Not only did we not know this connection, neither did my grandmother.  Funny enough, the biggest picture taker was my grandfather who had no blood relation to Eastman. Yep, from Brownies, Polaroid, Instamatics, Single Lens Reflex, to digital...we've had them all. Now so many people are gone, parents and grandparents.  I am so grateful for all those pictures.  They certainly are my most precious belonging. 

I recently read Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates.  I've read, reviewed and greatly enjoyed several books by this author. This book is a collection of short stories, all told in typical spooky Coates manner.  This first story, and book namesake, involves a ghost camera.  Jenine and Bree investigate a polaroid camera that shows images of ghosts.  The tension increases as with each additional photograph the spirits move closer.  Was that a breath on my neck or did I imagine it?  Was that a touch?  The story is fascinating and is only the first of several included.  The final story literally had me putting down the book, I was so creeped out. So fun!

If you are a fan of this author, or not, you won't want to miss this collection.  The storytelling is wonderful.  One thing that Darcy Coates does so well, is keep it spooky without any cheap shots or taking the easy way out.  She doesn't go for the easy "boo" or resort to gore.  Instead, she develops quality characters and interesting stories.  As always, a great read.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy.  I'll never look at photos in the same way!

She Started It by Sian Gilbert

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

I'm so lucky.  Our wedding was beautiful.  Small and sweet.  We had it in upstate New York, several of hubby's southern friends attended.  My parents took care most of the major arrangements, since we were 500+ miles away.  They talked to the church.  You had to attend multiple counseling sessions and had to agree to have no booze at the reception.  That was a deal breaker for my parents.  Instead, we got married in a little white church we had passed for years.  Built in the 1800's it was exactly what you picture when I say, "little white church".  The female minister was wonderful.  We had one counseling session, which was not only enjoyable but actually really helpful and at that point we had already been together for six years. Then there were the bridesmaids.  Four with an addition of a maid of honor.  That maid of honor and I were ready to leave for the church when she discovered she has lost my husband's wedding ring, of which she had been the custodian.  Mass panic ensued.  Me racing around the house, fully dressed in the poofy dress, vail flying everywhere.  Five women in full pink taffeta dresses and white gloves, scouring my parents' house for the ring while the limo waits to take us to the church. Did you ever see the movie "Clue" where they are all running around like nuts...that was pretty much it.  Only add my frantic parents, grandparents, cousin and photographer. When we were finally at the church waiting to go down the aisle when one bridesmaid announced when she saw my husband to be show up.  By that time, his attendance was the least of my worries!

I recently read She Started It by Sian Gilbert. This is the first book for this author, hopefully not the last.  I picked this out of my tbr pile, intending just to flip through it.  I was pulled into the story immediately.  This is about a group of girls who, as children, tormented another child named Poppy.  Years have passed and currently the girls are all grown women with careers and families.  Out of the blue, the tormentors as grownups received invitations to be Poppy's bridesmaids.  To start the festivities, they are invited to a hen party...an American version would be a Bridal Shower.  They are all invited with a first-class plane ticket to a private island, where everything will be luxurious. Suspicious but unable to resist a free trip, they all go. While the women attempt to not only figure out why Poppy would include them, they also try to move past previous deeds.  The reader becomes anxious to know when these mean girls did, which is discovered through Poppy's journal entries showing us their school days.

This book not only drew me in, but it surprised me.  This is the second "island" book I've read back-to-back.  I literally groaned when I realized the setting, yet I kept reading. There is a big twist at the end, which you may or may not see coming. I didn't.  What this book does that is so interesting is that it changes who you root for, sometimes back and forth.  Not necessarily easy especially when doing it by showing deeds of the past and present. I'm tempted to say more, but fear it is a bit of a spoiler.  The story while interesting and amusing from the very beginning, the pleasing part for a constant thriller reader will be the misdirection.  Done through the passage of time, and not unreliable narrator, it is an enjoyable read.

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

Have you ever been asked one of those "if" questions?  I'm sure you have.  One of the most popular is: "What would you take if you were on a deserted island?"  People always say something stupid, like my curling iron or my boyfriend or chocolate.  Ask me.  Go ahead.  Ask me.  "April, what would you take on a deserted island?"  A BOAT! Hmmm maybe a satellite phone, water, food, tools.  I shouldn't make fun of how people answer.  If you asked my nerdy but hunky husband, he would take his model trains and relish the idea of finally having peace and quiet to run them. Now THAT is the way to clean out a bunch of the house in one shot!

I recently read One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware.  I've been a big Ruth Ware fan.  I've read everything she has written and liked almost all, in fact, one of my all-time favorite books is The Death of Mrs. Westaway.  However, I realllllly disliked One by One. Thankfully, that was a fluke with me and my affection for Ruth Ware continues. 

One Perfect Couple is about couples that are going to a private island that is being made into a resort.  It hasn't opened yet and the structures and infrastructures aren't completed. Still, it's isolated and the tropical setting is considered optimal for a reality tv show. While the contestants don't really know what to expect, they are excited and happy to get started.  Everything appears bright as they are moved to the island on a yacht, then begin to experience the stunning island.  

The location quickly loses its beauty when a terrible storm hits, causing injuries and damage.  Suddenly the contestants find themselves cut off from any contact with the outside world.  The yacht with the production crew on board can't be found.  Their cell phones and all electronics had already been confiscated for the show.  Isolation quickly becomes very real, so does the need not to become a TV star but to actually survive.

While this book has a gracious plenty of characters, we begin by following, scientist, Lyla and boyfriend, actor, Nico.  The reader sees their audition process and their interworking as a couple.  While you might think the story as a whole has too many people to keep track of, don't.  You get the feel for who is who very quickly, as the characters are pretty unique from each other. The story moves quickly and like The Death of Mrs. Westaway, the setting becomes the biggest character.  Ware places you there giving just enough description to allow you to make the location your own, drawing you back into the story every time you stop reading.

A fun, gasp worthy book. Perfect for summer vacation, particularly a trip to the beach. 

Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

You already know that I don't discuss politics here, that I believe the people of a country are separate from their government.  We all essentially want the same things. There are good and bad people everywhere. Sometimes my mental list of bad people grows based on the quality of Christmas gift, but that is another story. Now, let us all take a deep breath, especially if you are in the United States, and sing Kumbaya, My Lord (yes, I had to look up the spelling). I want to discuss Disney. I hear your gasping! Oooh, what a bold, brazen, edgy topic.  Okay, I'm mocking myself but seriously, the company has been an issue here.  Anyway, Disney World, the park in Florida, is an amazing place. I love handmade things, so the creativity there just amazes me. It is a complete escape. If you can afford to go, just once, swallow your pride, put your politics aside, and go.  We have been several times.  You can do it from a value point of view, a moderate cost, or deluxe.  We didn't take any children so have been able to go the deluxe route (that and the fact that we rarely go anywhere). The hotels, while unbelievably pricey (like $745 a night minimum for deluxe), are vacation sites on their own.  What hotel do you know of that has a huge waterfall and a geyser?  Or what about animals roaming freely, where you wake up, wander out to your balcony and are faced with a giraffe? Rides are rides, but a small part of the whole experience. There are great rides everywhere, although Pirates is my favorite. You won't be bored. Next, the food. The quick serve, for a theme park, the cost is reasonable and the choices, many.  Not all cheeseburgers and fries but grilled salmon, rice and green beans, or grilled shrimp, or turkey, or tacos.  Yes, at a theme park. Then there are the sit-down restaurants.  Some have James Beard nominated chefs. One restaurant even has a Michelin star. The best part is the people.  The employees, I'm certain, don't get enough thanks. I can't tell you the kind treatment we have received. Waiters, giving up their tips in turning the table because they wanted us to see the fireworks from the California Grill when we were celebrating our anniversary. An employee taking special care of a fragile real gingerbread house I had purchased, allowing me to go into the parks. The people that have roles to play, even as wait staff.  The server yelling at my husband from across the restaurant, calling hubby "elbows" and telling him to get them off the table (it is part of the schtick).  Even though they are at the job they do every day, they recognize that you are on vacation, perhaps the only one you'll have that year.  Kindness and caring...it goes a long way, and surely creates wonderful memories. To the employees, a sincere Thank You!

I recently read Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren. This story is the loose retelling of Disney's Tangled. Ren, a 22-year-old with long beautiful blonde hair, was raised on a farm.  She has never experienced the things most young women have at her age.  She has never been to school, never had a cell phone, and never had a boyfriend.  Despite being well read, she is awkward with social situations. She lacks basic street smarts. When finally able to attend college, Ren jumps at the chance, despite her parents' stifling rules.  At school she meets shallow playboy, Fitz.  His wealthy, oppressive father holds tight reins on his son's activities.  Upset by something learned in a school experiment, Ren and Fitz travel across country.  As their horizons literally expand, so does their understanding of each other, leading them down unexpected paths.

This romantic comedy was enjoyable from beginning to end.  It grabs you from the first page and keeps the reader hooked and highly entertained throughout.  The characters are surprising yet well developed and the plotting is at a consistent pace.  Great when you need an escape and a chuckle, this book would make a great beach read. Very fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the review copy and the smiles. 

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having an enjoyable day.

I never sleep anymore.  I don't enjoy it.  I think it started with my mom insisting I take a nap when I was a kid.  I was old enough to be outside in the neighborhood playing with friends, when my mom would give a dinner bell ringing-ish yell to come home and take my nap.  Humiliating.  Not to mention I could hear my friends outside continuing to play without me.  Now, I can't sleep and I think it is stress and age related.  

Last night in the wee hours I was poking around Goodreads.  I noticed something odd.  People are putting reviews on books without having read them.  Some people were rating books five stars because they were really looking forward to reading it.  Seriously?  You haven't read it. What if I am considering the rating when I am picking a book?  I don't, but I'm sure lots of people do. Wait, strike that, reverse it.  I will consider reviews, not ratings.  I will still read books with a low rating.  What I am looking for in reviews are something that irritates me that I know will ruin the book for me, like repetitiveness, over and over (see what I did there...repeated the idea...sheesh...chuckle now, this is as good as it gets.... I don't sleep. Remember?). People were also rating a book one star when they don't have the book.  Rating it down because it was lost in the mail or arrived damaged.  Hellllllo, that has nothing to do with the author.  If you DNF (did not finish) a book because it wasn't for you, don't rate it low, just don't rate it.  Every book is not for every reader.  Now, if you DNF'd because of something specific, boring, slow pace, bad characters, etc., then you have a reason to rate lower. Once again, I'll get off my soap box.  You would think with all this complaining that my reading life is terrible, but by far the majority of books I read are fantastic.  The book review today is by hubby.  He has developed quite an affection for Beatriz Williams books.  They usually have a historic component, which he enjoys.  This one he grabbed before I could read it.

I recently read Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams.  Once again, this author takes us to New England beaches and exotic locales. The stages are set from pyramid to gilded age mansion and we have a front row seat as the lives of more of her strong women characters love those in their lives and fight for their loved ones and beliefs, in some cases no matter the dangers. As the back stories are revealed, often with a few surprises, we root for them and keep reading, hoping for happy endings along with them.

The pacing was good and the players well-composed.  Returning Williams fans will not be disappointed, and first timers will be searching for more of her titles.

Many thanks for Ballentine Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. (And for keeping hubby happy!)