Ashley Pohlenz – Derby Public Library's Blog

What’s Ashley Reading?: Love and Other Conspiracies

Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe

First line: Los Angeles is a city of believers.

Summary: Hallie Barrett has had a hard time lately. She recently broke up with her boyfriend who also happens to be her coworker and is currently in search of a new idea for a show in order to keep her job. On a drunken night she stumbles upon a cryptid docuseries hosted by an extremely handsome and enthusiastic host. In the hopes of reviving her career she approaches the cryptid hunter, Hayden Hargrove, with a proposition for a web series. But as Hayden’s on screen persona leaves much to be desired Hallie jumps in with her questions and skeptical remarks, sparking an instant connection and a huge fan following. As they search for Bigfoot, Mothman and other legendary creatures they find themselves discovering love rather than monsters.

My Thoughts: This was such a fun romance novel for the spooky season. Rather than being scary it was a humorous story about two people who just happen to find each other while hunting for Bigfoot. And the cover is so stinking cute!

I liked the characters. Hallie felt very relatable. She deals with doubt and rejection but becomes stronger as the story progresses. Hayden was the cute monster hunting nerd. He reminds me a little of Josh Gates from the shows, Expedition Unknown and Destination Truth. I loved their banter and chemistry. It felt natural and not forced.

This is the author’s debut novel and I feel like it was a great start. It had humor, quirky characters, romance tropes and a little bit of spice (mild/medium). Everything you want from good romance novel. I would highly recommend it!

FYI: This title is only available on Libby, CloudLibrary or through Interlibrary loan.

What’s Ashley Reading?: We Used To Live Here

We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

First line: Description: Real estate listing for 3709 Heritage Lane-transcribed from the no longer operational www.seeking-home.net

Summary: Eve and Charlie cannot believe their luck when they purchase a large older home in the woods for a bargain. Everything is going smoothly as they start settling in until one day when a man with his family arrives on the porch telling Eve that the he used to live there. Rather than tell the family no, Eve invites them in to allow the man to show his family his childhood home. However, the short tour sets off a series of events that leave Eve questioning her every thought and memory.

My Thoughts: This book was recommended to me by someone who knows loves a spine-tingling story and it did not disappoint. From the very beginning, before much even happens, there is the feeling of something ominous in the lurking. Every interaction is more and more tense. This book proves that you don’t need gore or monsters to create horror.

In alternating chapters there are snippets of evidence from an investigation by an unknown character. It appears they are looking into strange happenings that may all be linked together. Each of these gives you a deeper sense of the strangeness that is taking over the house and the occupants.

As the main character, Eve continues to stay in the house things become stranger and stranger until everything comes crashing down. At the end of this book you may start to question if you understood what happened. I remember putting it down and just thinking for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts and try to put everything into place. But even now and after talking about this book with others, I still don’t know if or when things happened. Be prepared to be confused but completely taken in by this story.

I cannot wait to see what the author writes next!

FYI: Violence, language and scary scenes.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Hitchcock Hotel

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

First line: The crow waits until the guilty one disappears; then he flies down the hallway.

Summary: Alfred Smettle has opened a themed hotel centered around his idol, Alfred Hitchcock and his works. On the first anniversary of the hotel’s opening he has invited his former college film club friends to enjoy his masterpiece. Having not spoken to his friends since the incident sixteen years ago, they are all surprised by his interest in them after all these years. Upon arriving they feel that something is off about the place and their host. Why are they here and what does Alfred really want from them?

My Thoughts: The cover is what drew me in at the start. It evokes some of Hitchcock’s most famous movies. I have watched several of Hitchcock’s films including Psycho, The Birds and Vertigo and enjoyed each one. They are masterpieces of the suspense genre. When reading Wrobel’s novel she includes lots of trivia about the director and his works. I have added several more titles to my watch list since reading this.

From the very beginning I could easily envision the Hitchcock Hotel. It would definitely require a certain type of clientele to stay there. As each character is introduced we learn that they are all hiding something from their past that could affect this little reunion. But unbeknownst to the guests, Alfred is planning something special for the weekend. As a reader you can feel the tensions between the friends. I could tell that the author was trying to do what Hitchcock did with his films. She layered the suspense and tensions while building the story. We know what’s coming (sort of) but the characters do not.

At the beginning it was a little slow but then as secrets are revealed and the final twist is introduced it is easy to forgive this. I did not even suspect how it was going to change at the end and really found it well done. This was a perfect read for the start of October!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Buried Deep and Other Stories

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik

First line: My house growing up was full of words; my mother read widely.

Summary: In this collection of thirteen stories, acclaimed fantasy author Naomi Novik, brings in several of her previously published short stories as well as two new ones. These stories range from historical to science fiction with appearances by Elizabeth Bennett and dragons. As well as revisiting some of her past works she introduces us to the new world which will be the setting of her upcoming fantasy novel.

My Thoughts: I really enjoy the work of Naomi Novik. She writes some outstanding fantasy novels with beautiful world building. My first look was in Uprooted and most recently with the Scholomance trilogy.

There were several stories in here which I really enjoyed and some that I skipped. I loved revisiting the world of the Scholomance after the events of the trilogy to see what life was like for the new students. I haven’t read her dragon series but I will definitely add it to my list after reading the dragon stories in this collection. I really enjoyed the short story that inspired her book, Spinning Silver. I think it was better as a short story than a full length novel. The one I skipped early on had a strong science fiction theme to it which did not hold my attention but there are many more stories to choose from making it easy to pass on the one.

This would be a good introduction to anyone who hasn’t read Novik’s work yet or someone who wants to expand on her work as well.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Lucy Undying

Lucy Undying by Kiersten White

First line: It starts the moment you look out the window.

Summary: Lucy Westenra was just a minor character in the story of Dracula. Or at least that is what everyone thought. Since she was changed into a vampire she has spent the years searching for meaning in her eternal life. From the battlefields of Europe to the streets of modern day London it appears that nothing will give her peace and the love she has long been looking for.

Iris is trying to escape her family legacy and the dark secrets of her past. In a bid to hide, she runs away to London in order to sell any family heirlooms worth anything for quick cash. However, she did not intend to meet the stunning and brilliant Elle, a local historian who gives Iris hope that there are good people still in the world.

As the women navigate the threats to Iris they discover that they have much more in common, including a mutual enemy. They create a plan to try and bring down the dark powers that are slowly spreading across the world in a daring chance to find their own happiness in the end.

My Thoughts: Dracula is my favorite of the classic gothic novels. I have read or watched many depictions or spinoffs from the original tale, so when I saw a book centering on Lucy I knew I needed to read it.

In White’s new take on the Dracula story we get a Lucy who is desperately in love with Mina and lures Dracula to her in order to save a woman who will never love her back. This is an interesting twist that continues to drive the story along. Lucy, through her remembrances and journal entries, shows us how she really felt about the men around her during her final days. And since reading this I will see these characters just a little differently.

The story does bounce around a LOT. Chapters alternate between Human Lucy, Vampire Lucy and Iris giving us all sorts of perspectives. It started out very confusing but as I got used to the layout I became more comfortable with it.

There were times while reading where it seemed the story had reached a natural end but then it continued on with a new revelation or event that pushed the narrative into new territories. At points it felt like the story was being dragged out and ran rather slow. I did enjoy the end when everything picks up and big reveals are made. It was a fun take on a classic story that many people are familiar with.

If you love Dracula retellings then this is the book for you as spooky season is upon us!

What’s Ashley Reading?: What Have You Done

What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

First line: Early Friday morning, Roy Ressler drives his big tractor down the gravel road that borders his fields, his mind on his daughter’s upcoming wedding.

Summary: Fairhill, Vermont is a quiet little town where nothing ever happens until one morning when a local teenager is found dead in a field. Diana Brewer is the girl next door, pretty and popular. So when she turns up dead the town is shocked. How can this have happened here and who did it? As the police look for the murderer the townspeople realize that even quiet towns can have their dark secrets.

My Thoughts: I started out really enjoying this. The plot was moving fast and the suspect list was growing. It seemed like there was going to be lots of twists and reveals, which there was but I felt a little let down at the end. It almost seemed to come to an abrupt halt. And the final reveal just did not feel shocking. It is not that I was expecting it but it didn’t hit me like some of Lapena’s other books. There are unreliable narrators, multiple POVs and even chapters featuring the Diana’s ghost. I just didn’t feel as excited at the end of the story as I was at the beginning.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Dear Hanna

Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage

First line : Hanna had a feeling about them as soon as she saw them in the waiting room.

Summary : Hanna has spent the last sixteen years trying to deal with her feelings toward her mother through therapy and letter writing to her younger brother. She is now living a rather normal life as a wife and stepmother. That is until her stepdaughter starts to change into something that does not fit into Hanna’s carefully crafted plan. She tries to fight it but finally she decides she has to manipulate the people around her in order to have the life she has so long planned for herself no matter the cost.

My thoughts : I really need to start reading the synopsis of books I request. I saw the author’s name and automatically requested it. I did not realize or pay attention to the fact that this is a sequel to Baby Teeth. That books was crazy and Stage hasn’t written one I’ve liked as well as that one until this.

Revisiting Hanna as an adult is kind of a scary premise. She was a terrifying child. She tried to kill her mother! But I did not realize the link between the books until she mentions an incident from the first book that made it all click. I would have read this sooner had I known. This was just as crazy and twisty as the first one. Hanna has grown up but still has her demons.

FYI : Teenage pregnancy. Abortion. Death. Language. Murder.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Maria

Maria by Michelle Moran

First line: Dear Mr. Hammerstein, It may come as a surprise that I am writing to you, as it appears that the theater industry believes I am dead and can now make up whatever they wish about me.

Summary: In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein was asked to write the music for the upcoming Broadway musical, The Sound of Music, based on the life of an Austrian nun named Maria von Trapp. With just a few weeks until the premiere, the office of Rodgers and Hammerstein receive a letter from the musical’s heroine stating her displeasure with the changes they made to her story. In an attempt to head off any bad press the former nun could throw at the new musical, Hammerstein asks his secretary and aspiring writer, Fran, to talk with Maria and try to smooth over any discrepancies. While Fran listens to Maria’s tale she learns that life for the Von Trapps was much more complicated than even the best Broadway musical can portray.

My Thoughts: When I was younger, The Sound of Music was one of my favorite movies. I love Julie Andrews and her rendition of these beautiful songs. While in fifth grade my family took a trip to Germany with a detour to Salzburg, Austria where my family visited several filming/historical locations from the story. It was a highlight for me on that trip, along with visiting the birthplace of Mozart. My love of history started young.

Michelle Moran is a fantastic historical fiction writer. She brings the women she writes about to life and gives a deeper look into their lives. Even though I loved the musical, I never actually read Maria’s autobiography so much of what I “knew” of the Trapp family was from the film and a few facts from movie photo books. I learned a lot about this woman and the family she joined through this story. And I definitely want to read more about the life of this family.

I think it was a great idea to write the story using the upcoming musical as a backdrop rather than a straightforward biographical fiction novel. Many people know the story because of the musical and this will draw them in while also bringing them the true story. For fans of the musical, this is a great companion story.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Lies and Weddings

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

First line: “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever.”

Summary: Rufus Gresham is one of the most eligible bachelors and the heir to an earldom. However, the Gresham family has a secret they are hoping is remedied by his marriage to a wealthy young woman. But Rufus does not want to marry for money. He has long harbored feelings for the girl next door, a young doctor, Eden Tong. Then at the wedding of Rufus’s sister he accidentally reveals some rather scandalous information leading to whispers surrounding the young doctor. As the rumors and innuendos gain momentum Eden is ostracized by the matriarch of the family she has known her whole life. Can Rufus defy his mother’s plans and marry the woman he loves?

My Thoughts: I wasn’t sure about reading this book since the first one did not hit as highly as the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy but I am glad I gave it a try. It seems Kwan got back into the flow with this one. It felt much more complete. The story was filled with shocking moments, interesting characters and huge misunderstandings.

As with his other books, Kwan writes of the lavish lifestyles of the rich and this one is no different. There are several jaw dropping weddings and events throughout the story. It is a world that many cannot even imagine but he describes it in a way that makes it more accessible. The characters may feel a little cliché but they are interesting and memorable. Lady Arabella is the scheming mother looking for good matches for her children. Then there is Luis, a child of wealth who is determined to live lavishly without any cares for others. But on the opposite end is Eden, a doctor who spent her life on the periphery of wealth but not being tempted to enter its world. I found myself easily caught up in the plot. If you cannot take a real vacation then maybe a dive into this story will help you to escape the hot Kansas summer.

There is much to enjoy in this book! If you read and loved the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy then I would highly recommend Kwan’s newest book.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Passionate Tudor

The Passionate Tudor by Alison Weir

First line: Mary’s earliest memory was of a glittering ceremony at her father’s court when she must have been very tiny.

Summary: Mary Tudor, the child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, was raised to believe that one day she would be Queen of England. That is until Henry sets his sights on Anne Boleyn and banishes Mary and her mother from court. Then just a few years later she is welcomed back after the execution of Henry’s second wife. The rest of her father’s reign is filled with uncertainty about her future and the religion she holds so dear. Upon his death and the death of her young brother, Edward VI, she is finally ascends the throne becoming the first queen regnant of England. But as the years of her reign progress her popularity wains as she inflicts harsh punishments and death on those she believes to be heretics, earning the nickname of Bloody Mary.

My Thoughts: Mary I is not a character from Tudor history that I am particularly drawn to. She does have a tragic story filled with triumphs and defeats. As a young woman she is everything that is expected of a princess. She is charismatic, pretty and educated. I liked this Mary. I wanted to cheer for her. But when Henry decides to divorce her mother and leave the Catholic Church, she starts to become the Mary most people know.

It was hard to see her decline throughout the book even though I knew how everything was going to play out. She had a close relationship with her sister until jealousy wormed its way into their lives. Mary’s religious beliefs were a strong driving force behind many of her choices as queen and this created a break between her and the people of England. With each loss in her life she became a harder person to like.

In the author’s notes at the end, Weir explains her reasoning behind her portrayal of England’s first queen regnant. Mary may have done some great things during her time but the bad really do outweigh the good. Only recently has she been able gain some more support from historians. But Weir is not one of them. What do you think? Read this and let us know!