Bookish Thoughts: A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert

Anyone who claims there are no stupid questions has never worked in a public library. ~ Opening of A Murder for the Books 

A Murder for the Books (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert

Crooked Lane Books, 2017

Crime Fiction/Cozy; 336 pgs

I went from liking cozies somewhat to loving them in the last couple years. So many good ones have come out. Or maybe it is just me and my reading mood, and cozies are appealing to me more and more. Thank you to everyone who voted for A Murder for the Books in my May TBR List poll. I enjoyed my time in Taylorsford, Virginia with Amy Webber and her aunt. This particular mystery held a double appeal for me. Not only did it have a modern murder that needed solving, but also an old one. I do love a good (or sordid) family secret!

Our heroine Amy Webber is manager of the local public library, having moved to Taylorsford with her aunt who has been having health issues. One day her handsome new next-door neighbor, Richard Muir, stops by the library to do some research on his family history, hoping to clear the name of the woman whom his great uncle loved, accused of murdering her husband in 1825. She may have been acquitted, but the town folk never believed it. While showing Richard the way to the archives, she never expects to find a body just inside. While the police begin to investigate the more recent murder, Amy and Richard begin digging into the past, finding more than they bargained for. Could a conspiracy be involved? Could the present day murder be tied to events the pair have uncovered about the past; secrets someone(s) wanted to keep buried?

Amy is a very relatable character, a plus-sized librarian, who is witty and smart. She’s come out of a bad relationship and is a little wary of starting a new one, and so when Richard makes his interest known, Amy finds herself backpedaling fast. I liked seeing their relationship evolve over the course of the novel. Richard is a choreographer and dancer who teaches dance at a university. I do think he moved a bit fast for comfort (and so did Amy), but I did like Richard. He comes with his own broken heart story, which plays nicely into the novel. I liked how supportive he is of Amy and tackles her concerns head on while at the same time being willing to give her the space she needs.

Some of the more minor characters are worth noting as well. Oh, I do hope Sunshine, Amy's library assistant, runs for mayor! And I just love Amy’s Aunt Lydia. There is also the mysterious and intimidating Paul Dassin who definitely does not seem to be on the up and up. 

This was such an entertaining novel. Amy comes into the present day murder investigation naturally and it never felt as if I had to suspend my disbelief to buy why she was involved. Victoria Gilbert has created a rich history for her characters, especially their ancestors. I liked that Amy’s own family was tied into it all, and not always in a favorable light. Some may be put off by the romance thread that runs throughout the story, but I did not mind it. Sometimes a side dish of romance does a mystery good. While the mystery itself was not that hard to figure out—the whodunit and why—I really enjoyed my time spent getting from the beginning to the end. I would love to spend more time with Amy.

For more information about the author and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

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© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Where Is Your Bookmark? (A Little Yuletide--and murder--in July)

I am just about to dive in Jennifer David Hesse's Yuletide Homicide. I recently read the first two books of the Wiccan Wheel cozy mystery series featuring attorney Keli Milanni, a vegan and practicing Wiccan, who has a nose for crime solving. I have enjoyed the series so far and am anxious to see what trouble Keli finds herself in next. Plus, I just love her friends Mila and Farrah and her boyfriend Wes.

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence (or more) of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the wonderful Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

"Blackmail? Really? Someone is blackmailing Edgar?"

Now there was something you didn't hear every day. Before I could stop myself, an image flashed to mind: Edindale's most prominent silver-haired citizen engaged in a steamy, salacious affair. Scandalous! But with whom? I shifted in my leather seat and smoothed my pencil skirt, as  I waited for my boss to continue. 

My thoughts:  With an opening like that, I have to know more! Who indeed? And who could be blackmailing him?

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

Allison looked away. "It was at the ball, in the lounge. He was having yet another drink, and I tried to slow him down. He told me to relax, said he was celebrating. And I said, 'You haven't won yet. The campaign has barely begun.' he grinned at me and said that wasn't it. He said, "I've figured something out. I figured out whose been messing with me, and now I can put an end to it."  [56%]

My thoughts: Given I just started reading this book when I jotted down the first paragraphs for you, I do not know anything about the set up for this conversation. It sounds a bit ominous though, doesn't it? I can't wait to dive in!


What do you think? Does this sound like something you would be interested in reading? What are you reading right now? 

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© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Wishing to Read Wednesday: Old & New (#8)

Books from the Backlog is a weekly meme, hosted by the wonderful Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books to spotlight and discuss the neglected books sitting on our shelves still waiting to be read.. Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released.

The Old

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Scribner, 2012)

A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel that opens in 1918 Australia - the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.

Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day's journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby's cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom's judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

M. L. Stedman's mesmerizing, beautifully written debut novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel's decision to keep this "gift from God." And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another's tragic loss. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I so want to read this! I have had my copy for quite a while and cannot help but be curious what the backstory is and how the characters will deal with the consequences of their actions. 

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The Killing Moon (Dreamblood #1) by N.K. Jemisin (Hatchette Book Group, 2012)

THE CITY BURNED BENEATH THE DREAMING MOON

In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and among the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers - the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe...and kill those judged corrupt.

But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, the Gatherer Ehiru must question everything he knows. Someone, or something, is murdering innocent dreamers in the goddess's name, and Ehiru must now protect the woman he was sent to kill - or watch the city be devoured by war and forbidden magic. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: N.K. Jemisin's books come highly recommended, and I seem to recall receiving it as a gift (although my memory may be spotty on that). I hope to read this someday!

The New

If You Leave Me by Crystal Hana Kim
Release Date: August 7, 2018 by William Morrow

An emotionally riveting debut novel about war, family, and forbidden love—the unforgettable saga of two ill-fated lovers in Korea and the heartbreaking choices they’re forced to make in the years surrounding the civil war that continues to haunt us today.

When the communist-backed army from the North invades her home, sixteen-year-old Haemi Lee, along with her widowed mother and ailing brother, is forced to flee to a refugee camp along the coast. For a few hours each night, she escapes her family’s makeshift home and tragic circumstances with her childhood friend, Kyunghwan.

Focused on finishing school, Kyunghwan doesn’t realize his older and wealthier cousin, Jisoo, has his sights set on the beautiful and spirited Haemi—and is determined to marry her before joining the fight. But as Haemi becomes a wife, then a mother, her decision to forsake the boy she always loved for the security of her family sets off a dramatic saga that will have profound effects for generations to come.

Richly told and deeply moving, If You Leave Me is a stunning portrait of war and refugee life, a passionate and timeless romance, and a heartrending exploration of one woman’s longing for autonomy in a rapidly changing world. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read it: Korea is often in the news as is the turmoil in North Korea and refugees around the world. Crystal Hana Kim's novel calls to me, and I want to know more about the characters she has created and the story she has to tell. And what a gorgeous cover, don't you think?

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Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley
Release Date: August 7, 2018 by Sourcebooks Landmark (released in Canada in April, 2018)

"The house, when I first saw it, seemed intent on guarding what it knew; but we all learned, by the end of it, that secrets aren't such easy things to keep."

It's late summer, war is raging, and families are torn apart by divided loyalties and deadly secrets. In this complex and dangerous time, a young French Canadian lieutenant is captured and billeted with a Long Island family, an unwilling and unwelcome guest. As he begins to pitch in with the never-ending household tasks and farm chores, Jean-Philippe de Sabran finds himself drawn to the daughter of the house. Slowly, Lydia Wilde comes to lean on Jean-Philippe, true soldier and gentleman, until their lives become inextricably intertwined. Legend has it that the forbidden love between Jean-Philippe and Lydia ended tragically, but centuries later, the clues they left behind slowly unveil the true story.

Part history, part romance, and all kinds of magic, Susanna Kearsley's latest masterpiece will draw you in and never let you go, even long after you've closed the last page. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read it: I have only read one of Kearsley's books to date, but I fell in love with her writing and eventually would like to try more of her work. I just love the sound of this one!


Have you read any of these? Do any of these appeal to you?

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© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Bookish Thoughts: Dawn of the Flame Sea & Demons of the Flame Sea by Jean Johnson

Dawn of the Flame Sea (Flame Seas, #1) by Jean Johnson

Intermix, 2016 

 Fantasy; 130 pages

Source: I purchased a copy of this book for my reading pleasure.

Opening Sentence: Energy shimmered into view, at first forming a single rippling, wavering line, then splitting and curving into an arch.

Goodreads Summary: 

They call themselves the Fae Rii, or Fair Traders. Elfin-like beings capable of wielding sophisticated forms of magic, they travel between universes exploring new worlds and establishing settlements for their people to live peacefully among the locals.

The humans of the White Sands tribe, refugees fleeing from powerful enemies, see the Fae as potential invaders stealing their newfound natural resources. Jintaya, the leader of the Fae travelers, manages to forge an alliance, promising to trade skills and knowledge—magical and otherwise—to build a lasting community.

But the Circle Fire Tribe has no desire to share those rich valleys and ravines with the people they’ve hunted to near extinction—or the supposed deities they worship…

I purchased the first in the series, Dawn of the Flame Sea, quite a while ago and admit to forgetting it was on my e-reader. From the synopsis of the book, it is about the fae, however, which is probably why the series initially caught my attention. 

I was quite taken with the world building in this series. Dawn of the Flame Sea walks readers through the two groups finding a way to live together. The White Sands Tribe is fascinated by the magical abilities of the Fae Rii—their ability to shape stone and their environment to best meet their needs. The natives have their own way of using the magic on the planet, but it is a very careful and measured practice done only by their shaman. The tribes of the planet are quite primitive (Bronze Age, I believe), and it is not surprising that some look to the Fae Rii as gods, something the Fae try hard to discourage. While things seem to work out well in terms of the two groups coming together and finding a way to live together, they are not without their troubles. The tribe that had forced the White Sands Tribe off their own land is stalking them, wanting to kill them off and steal their resources.

While I appreciated the author’s detail and care in creating the world her characters lived in, I felt it was at times at the expense of the character development. I wanted less description of the macro scope of the development of their community and more focus on a select few individual characters. Ban, an immortal human who had been taken in by the Fae long before their coming to the new planet, is such an interesting character, and likely my favorite in the book. he is scarred, having seen much more than anyone can imagine. I couldn’t help but be more curious about his past and his relationship with the Fae leader, who herself was a bit of a mystery.

I admit I started to get bored about a third of the way in.  I kept hoping things would speed up the closer the enemy Circle Fire Tribe got to the settlement.  I wish I could say that the book did get better for me, but ultimately, I was disappointed.

Demons of the Flame Sea (Flame Seas, #2) by Jean Johnson

Intermix, 2016

Fantasy; 154 pgs

Source: Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Opening Sentence: Old Nandjed didn't do much weaving anymore; her age-gnarled fingers had lost most of their dexterity.

Goodreads Summary: 

Raised to understand and control advanced magics, the Fae Rii know they must be careful with the wild, abundant energies of their new desert homeland. They must also downplay the awe they inspire in the Bronze Age humans around them. Still, they have managed to create some equilibrium between the two factions, primitive versus advanced—at least, until new outworlders arrive, tipping the scales out of balance.

Strict and power-hungry, the ruthless Efrijt take the phrase “deal with the devil” to a new level. A treaty may be possible; however, the solution proposed will in turn give birth to a new problem: A chaos that will dance its way through all three races trying to survive in the burning heat of the Flame Sea…

I was interested enough in the characters and world to continue with the series, and I was curious to see if the second book in the series would pick up. In some respects it did. It is still not a fast paced book. The Fae Rii are peace loving outlanders and will try to find peaceful solutions to every conflict. During one of his expeditions on the planet, the immortal Ban comes across a village in which another outlander group has settled, the Efrijit. Ban has a history with the Efrijit and does not trust them. They are extremely manipulative and take advantage of others weaknesses to profit. The Efrijit had not realized the Fae Rii had laid claim to the planet before them, and insist that they have every right to be there. They are using the local tribe as labor, mining for a liquid that is poisonous to all but the Efrijit. It is making the laborers sick as a result of close and prolonged exposure. The former White Sands Tribe, now known as the Flame Sea Tribe, along with the Fae Rii, enter into negotiations with the Efrijit to determine who has the right to claim the land and its resources. The Efrijits are not known to play nice, and so the others must stay on their toes.

There were some tense moments in Demons of the Flame Sea as the Fae Rii were only able to call in for limited help due to a major event occurring on their home planet. All portals to other settlements must be closed, cutting off communication with their home. It was interesting to see the politics at play between the Fae and the Efrijits.

I felt I got to know some of the individual characters better in this second novel of the series, which was good. The reader gets a closer look at Ban's relationship with the Fae Rii leader, which is a bit complicated given both their backgrounds. There is definite mutual respect between the two characters. I lost count of the number of times Ban "dies" and comes back to life in this one--although more from accidents while on his expedition than in battle.

The book dragged in spots, and I found my attention wandering, like with the first book. I wanted to like these books more than I did, but I found them lacking--of what, I am not sure exactly. More excitement and action? More character development? Perhaps a more compelling story? More something, anyway. In the end, I finished the novel knowing it would be my last in the series. I just do not care enough to go on, although I think some might find this series to their liking. 

For more information about the author and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

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© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Bookish Thoughts: Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

The first part Lavinia takes Louise to, she makes Louise wear one of her dresses. ~ Opening of Social Creature

Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

Doubleday, 2018
Crime Fiction/Thriller; 273 pgs
Source: NetGalley

Was this book ever addicting! It was described as such in a snippet I had read when deciding whether I wanted to read and review Tara Isabella Burton’s Social Creature—and the word fits. It was hard not to be sucked into Lavinia’s world. She’s an extremely intense character, and Louise is a compelling unreliable narrator. These are characters I cannot imagine myself ever wanting to know or hang out with in real life. I have never been nor wanted to be a part of their scene. Louise seemingly leads a relatively quiet life, barely making ends meet. She longs for something more—and when Lavinia walks into her life, she is swept up into a world she only ever dreamed of being a part of: attending book readings and parties, excessive drinking and drug use, trespassing, and living the high life in New York City.

I did not know what to make of Lavinia at first. I could whip out my DSM-VI and come up with a host of diagnoses. She latches onto Louise instantly, pulling Louise into her lifestyle. The two become close extremely fast. There were times I could not tell who was more dependent on the other—they both seemed to need each other and were using each other in their own ways. I too felt pulled into Lavinia’s life, right alongside Louise. I had no idea where the author was going to take me. There is definite foreshadowing—even the Goodreads synopsis gives some of it away (which is why I am not posting it here), but how, when and why remained a mystery until it was revealed outright by the author. As the reader, I just knew something bad was going to happen. This is one of those books in which I think the less known going in, the better.

I did not like any of the characters. Maybe a little Rex, but even then, not really. That is not something that bothers me too much though. I do not have to like the characters to enjoy a book, especially a book like this. I have kind of come to expect I will not. There were brief moments I felt sympathy for either Louise or Lavinia, but they were, as I said, brief. It took me a moment with this one to get into the narrative voice. Louise is the one who tells us the story, and she does it in her own way, sometimes flashing back to the past. 

It is not unusual in today’s day and age for social media to make an appearance. It really has to in some respects, doesn’t it, if it is to be believable? At least for a book set in modern times. I liked how the author used Facebook in the novel. While seemingly bringing people closer together, it tends to be a more superficial way to stay in touch.

When I finished the book, I found myself wondering if I liked it. As a thriller, it gave me just what I was looking for. I had a hard time putting this one down, and I couldn’t wait to get back to it when I had to stop reading. It was full of unexpected twists and melodrama. It was compelling and unique. The novel is dark and left me a bit unsettled as I read.

For more information about the author and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Twitter.

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© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.