House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

My dad had a very serious job, negotiating the cost of putting computer systems into military and NASA products.  You'd never know how much he liked to have fun. Going on vacation, drives in the country to see the fall leaves, playing tennis, swimming in the pool, playing cards, or holiday parties...he loved them all. One thing he enjoyed was movies.  I could go on for hours about all his favorites.  Often times he would say something about a movie that would stick.  I remember being in the theater seeing Towering Inferno.  No don't look to see how old it is, I know it was a long time ago!  Us kids were sitting in front of my parents, as the movie got really intense my dad leaned forward and whispered, "I've got sweaty palms, sweaty palms." We still talk about sweaty palm movies today.  One Saturday night we were watching The Omen on TV. Dad was totally into the suspense. As the scene where the priest is in the churchyard plays, he is watching intently, knowing something was about to happen. Suddenly a flagpole goes sailing and impales the priest.  My dad made the funniest half groan, half hard swallow sound.  We still make it today when anything really major happens in a movie. Frankly, I was more creeped out by the nanny hanging herself, telling Damien it was all for him.

I recently read House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen. I have read and enjoyed several books from this author, so I'm always excited when she has a new offering. In this book, we follow Stella, an attorney who advises the court on what is in the best interest of a child during custody battles. Stella has suffered her share of childhood trauma so tries not to take the cases of young, troubled kids, not wanting to reawaken bad memories of her own. This time is different, she accepts this case as a favor, and meets Rose, a nine-year-old girl. Not only are Rose's parents divorcing but she was present when her nanny fell to her death from a third-floor window. While the police suspect multiple people for the nanny's demise, they can't prove anything, admitting that it may well have been an accident. To help Rose, Stella tries to figure out the mystery of the nanny. Naturally, she wouldn't want to advise the court to give custody of the young girl to a murderer.

This book is pure thriller. It is engrossing right from the beginning and hard to put down until the end, leaving the reader with heavy book hangover. The characters are clear, yet complicated, nobody is one dimensional. Very helpful as the reader's suspicion is moved from one person to the next. The plot shoots straight through making for a quick, entertaining novel. The heart-pounding ending is deeply satisfying. Loved it and am ready for the next!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for their generous copy of House of Glass.

The Keeper of Stars by Buck Turner

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

Do you believe in fate, or do you think it is a myth and you completely control your own destiny?  Heavy question, I know, especially for someone who goes around talking in movie lines.  Wait...I'm serious.  What do you think?  I am thinking about "the one".  Is there just one perfect person for us or are there many and we consider the first perfect fit "the one".  For example, would my husband ever find anyone else who would put up with his shenanigans?  The answer is absolutely not.  Of course, I'm sure he would say, and my sisters would concur that I am the problem child.  Naturally, you know different...that I am the innocent, sweet one.  Stop laughing.

When I was little, my parents came to this area on vacation.  They had a favorite hotel on the beach where they would always stay. There are slides (yes, slides...look them up youngsters), with me there as a three-year-old.  Here is the thing, this is the town where my husband grew up. In fact, he knew the family that owned that hotel.  We could have physically passed each other as kids, never knowing that we would later meet and be married for decades. The one, and for me, the only.

I recently read The Keeper of Stars by Buck Turner.  This is the story of Ellie and Jack.  Ellie, from a well-off family, goes to stay with her aunt for the summer in rural Tennessee.  There she meets Jack, a young man with a love for the water he boats tourists around.  A sweet summer romance develops but is interrupted when Ellie is suddenly required to leave without notice. What seems like heartbreak to the young adults slowly calms to wonderful memories.  One day, Ellie receives a mysterious package.  It is a book written by Jack about his experiences on the water and with his true love Ellie.  Naturally, Ellie is shocked.  She has developed the life she has always dreamed up but now wonders what might have been.  Even more interesting is what might be possible for the future.

This love story will grab you from the first page in the gentlest of hugs but refuse to let go.  It is well written, reads quickly, has fantastic character development and quite the story.  I cannot say enough good things about it.  Grab a box of tissues. Memorable from beginning to end.

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.