New books – Page 7 – Derby Public Library's Blog

What’s Ashley Reading?: A Year in Review

This was a busy year for reading! I completed 114 books in 2022 but there were a few standouts that I would highly recommend. Below are my top 10 books I read in 2022!

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper
The House With the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory
The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
All the Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce
The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu
Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by T. L. Huchu
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Forging Silver Into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer

And I know that next year will have some great books for my TBR list. Here are the ones I am most looking forward too!

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo (01/10/2023)
Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare (01/31/2023)
The Kind Worth Saving by Peter Swanson (03/07/2023)
The House of Dudley by Joanne Paul (03/07/2023)
Cleopatra’s Daughter by Jane Draycott (04/18/2023)
Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I by Tracy Borman (05/18/2023)
The Only One Left by Riley Sager (06/20/2023)
The Mystery of Dunegan Castle by T. L. Huchu (08/29/2023)
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber (09/12/2023)
The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper (11/23/2023)

What were your favorite reads of 2022? And what are you looking forward to the most in 2023? Leave us a comment!

What’s Ashley Reading?: A Murder at Balmoral

A Murder at Balmoral by Chris McGeorge

First line: Whenever one desires the attention of those beyond a door, one cannot go wrong with three sharp knocks.

Summary: The royal family of England have gathered at their home of Balmoral in Scotland for a family Christmas. The staff have been dismissed for the day except for the chef and the head of security. The day starts as any other with the chef, Jonathan, delivering breakfast to the king. However, a blizzard is moving into the Balmoral estate as the king welcomes his family with a traditional Christmas speech. But as he takes the first drink of whiskey, he suddenly drops dead. Someone has killed the king and it appears to be a member of the royal family. Jonathan is given the task of trying to deduce who could have poisoned the monarch and do it before anyone else ends up dead!

My Thoughts: I don’t normally pick up something like this. Cozy Christmas mysteries are not what I gravitate towards but I liked the cover and the plot sounded interesting. Plus I wanted something a little different for the last month of the year. I am glad I gave this a chance. It was quick, fun and perfect for the holiday season.

I liked that the royal family is a fictionalized one based on the idea that Edward VIII did not abdicate and married as the government wanted. These are his descendants. I enjoyed the story with its little twists and secrets. Each member of the family has something they are hiding or having held against them. Life is not perfect, nor is this family.

Nothing in the book was incredibly shocking but it was a cozy little read that kept me interested. I cannot say that I liked many of the royal family but that was probably intentional. The main character was the only one who had more of a backstory than anyone but he still felt a little flat. But rather than letting this bother me I just enjoyed the story and feeling of a Christmas murder mystery. The only thing that would have made this more enjoyable would have been a cold and wintery day to read it on.

Monica’s Musings: Spells For Forgetting

Spells For Forgetting by Adrienne Young

“There are spells for breaking and spells for mending. But there are no spells for forgetting.”
― Adrienne Young, Spells for Forgetting

Summary:

Emery’s life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead, and the love of her life, August, was accused of murdering her. When the island, rooted in folklore and magic, shows signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming.

August returns for the first time in fourteen years to bury his mother’s ashes, and by doing so, he unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget. The island has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threatens to reveal the truth behind Lily’s mysterious death once and for all.

My Thoughts:

This book was so interesting. It was the perfect atmospheric read. It was easy to immerse myself in the world Young was describing. I listened to this as an audiobook and even sped up two times it was not fast enough! Each chapter bounces around to different points of view. I think the multiple narrators and timelines added to the story.

The island is eerie and ominous, and the mystery of it was so fun to read as it unraveled. This is the type of book that you will not be able to put down, and it is worth the time! I recommend this story to anyone who likes magic, unsolved murder mysteries, and love stories all wrapped into one.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Do Let’s Have Another Drink

Do Let’s Have Another Drink by Gareth Russell

First line: When Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born in the summer of 1900, Queen Victoria was the British monarch.

Summary: Known to many as the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon used her wit and charm to survive the both world wars, the loss of her husband and the years of change during her daughter’s long reign. Rather than the standard biography this is told through 101 little stories, memories and anecdotes from the decades of her long life.

My Thoughts: I found this book very enjoyable and different from any other biography I have read. It was written in such a unique way that I found myself saying just one more section, one more section…

So much is written about Elizabeth II but not as much about her formidable mother. She lived through tough times and was pushed into the role of queen by the abdication of her brother-in-law, Edward VIII. But even with this huge change in her life she took it on with dignity and strength. Even Hitler considered her to be the most dangerous woman in Europe. She kept her husband and her country steadfast during the long years of the Second World War.

However, after the war and the death of her husband she continued her years of service to the crown and her daughter, the Queen. My favorite parts were hearing about her personality. She smiled, teased and enjoyed a smart joke with the people around her regardless of their status. It seems that until the very end she took care of those around her and kept on smiling through all the tough times.

FYI: Perfect for fans of The Crown.

What’s Ashley Reading?: A Sliver of Darkness

A Sliver of Darkness by C. J. Tudor

First line: In January 2021, my dad passed away.

Summary: In a collection of short stories, C. J. Tudor gives the readers thrills and chills plus making us think. Ten short stories ranging from apocalyptic to a mysterious graffiti tiger are enough to keep the reader reading but also awake at night.

My Thoughts: This collection was so much FUN!! Each story was different and kept my attention. And some even kept my attention into the night, filling my dreams with nightmares. It was creepy, mysterious and thought provoking. I loved how the author started each story with the inspiration behind the tale. It gave each one a little bit more and an insight into an author’s thought process.

It is hard to choose which one is my favorite because they all had something great to recommend them. But I think some of things that will stick with me the most are the flesh eating butterflies and the humans infested with bugs. Bugs creep me out but this gives my phobia another level to think about. Yuck!

FYI: Do not read before bed. 😉

What’s Ashley Reading?: Beyond the Wand

Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

First line: Cards on the table: this is not going to be my proudest moment.

Summary: Tom Felton had an unconventional childhood. He started his acting career as a young child in movies such as the The Borrowers but nothing prepared him for life in the world of Harry Potter. In his memoir he describes the highlights as well as the darker moments of life in the spotlight. Working along such legendary actors as Alan Rickman, Dame Maggie Smith and Richard Harris he learned what it was like to be serious about his craft but to have fun while doing it. However, unlike his co-stars he had the chance to live a more normal life as a regular teenager who just happened to be an actor.

My Thoughts: Several months ago I came across this title as I was importing into the library’s catalog. I had no idea that Tom Felton was writing a memoir of his childhood and his time during and after Harry Potter. I was immediately putting my name on the hold list. I could not wait to see what life was like on the set of one of my favorite movie series.

Through this I learned a lot about Tom and his life but there was so much I did not expect. I did not realize that he had been acting for years before landing his role as Draco Malfoy. And that he actually got to live a rather normal life outside of work. That was the part that really shocked me.
But my favorite parts were hearing about his relationships with his cast mates like Alan Rickman and Emma Watson. The relationships between the cast seem to be more family than coworkers.

Tom’s life after Hogwarts was shocking to me. I had not heard about his troubles or just don’t remember seeing the stories. I cannot even imagine how life would change after such a big part of his life. It was heartbreaking to see the changes in him but I found it really brave of him to discuss them and how they made him realize that he needed help.

I would highly recommend this quick biography for any Harry Potter fan. It gives a little insight into the world of the movies and shows the ups and downs of life as a child actor. I have a whole new appreciation for Tom Felton after reading Beyond the Wand.

FYI: Alan Rickman’s diaries have also been published. I am eagerly pouring through them to learn about his life during Harry Potter and his other iconic roles.

Monica’s Musings: We Are All the Same in the Dark

We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin

“We are all the same in the dark. My mother said that to me when she kissed me good night. She meant that in the dark, all that’s left is our souls.” – Julia Heaberlin, We Are All the Same in the Dark

Summary:

It has been a decade since Trumanell Branson disappeared, leaving only a bloody handprint behind. Her pretty face still hangs like a watchful queen on the posters on all of the walls in town. They all promise the same thing: We will find you. Meanwhile, her brother, Wyatt, lives in the desolation of the old family house. Although he was found not guilty by the police, he is seen as a killer by the public.

When Wyatt finds a lost girl dumped in a field of dandelions, he believes she is a sign. The youngest cop in town, Odette Tucker, believes this girl will be the flame that will ignite a seething town. Desperate to solve both cases, Odette fights to save the lost girl in the present and digs up the shocking truth about the night her friend disappeared, the night that inspired her to become a cop and the night that wrote them all a role in the town’s dark, violent history.

My Thoughts:

This is a slow-burn kind of dark mystery, which is creepy in places. It is the kind where you hold your breath in fear because the atmosphere is so intense you could cut it with a knife. It portrays ghostly images and biblical references. The characters are flawed and are far from perfect. With traumatic backgrounds and disabilities, all the characters are well depicted and feel realistic.

The book is full of powerful imagery, and is beautiful in places. The end is unpredictable and not what I expected, which I really like. My only negative is that sometimes the pace drops off. Thankfully, the tempo builds again, and we race towards the conclusion, which ponders on the title and poses further questions about the perpetrators.

Monica’s Musings: What Moves the Dead

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

“The dead don’t walk. Except, sometimes, when they do.”- T. Kingfisher, What Moves the Dead

Summary:

What Moves the Dead is Kingfisher’s retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.”

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania. What is found is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious madness of nerves. Aided by an impressive British mycologist, and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

My Thoughts:

This book was vividly gothic, matching Poe’s style well. The characters were extremely well defined and interesting. Alex Easton was the perfect protagonist to take us on this journey; witty and curious yet clear-headed and skeptical. Kingfisher goes into great detail right from the start on the bleak surroundings of the House of Usher.

More than once while reading this, I cringed at the gross smells and visuals described. The idea of a damp, fungus-infected manor is horrible on its own, but to add in the bizarre behaviors of the Ushers, would be enough to make me run for the hills! This is a quick spooky read, and I look forward to checking out more from this author.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw

First line: At the crisp, inky hour of midnight, Jack and I are married atop Spiral Hill in the Death’s Door Cemetery.

Summary: Sally has married the skeleton of her dreams, Jack. She is now the Pumpkin Queen but she feels that maybe she is not cut out for the job. After their honeymoon, Sally decides to take some time alone where she stumbles upon a new door hidden in the tree grove. As her curiosity takes over, she discovers the door leads to Dream Town but with her actions she has let a monster loose on the other holiday towns. And now it is up to Sally to figure out how to stop the Sandman and wake the residents of Halloween Town.

My Thoughts: Only several years ago did I finally watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. It really is a fun movie. I liked the music but most of all the technique used to create the movie, stop animation. When I saw that a novelized version of what happens after was being released I thought it would be a fun read for the fall leading up to Halloween. And I did find it fun. A little more juvenile than I had originally expected but still a good little story. It brought all the characters from movie and added several new characters plus we got a peak into Sally’s background.

I enjoyed the narrator. She did a good job of mimicking the voice of Sally from the movie but also adding some the voices of other characters as well.

FYI: Definitely watch the movie, even just for the artistry of it.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The It Girl

The It Girl by Ruth Ware

First line: Afterwards, it was the door she would remember.

Summary: Hannah Jones arrives at Oxford for her first term to find her life changed forever. It has been her dream to attend university and when she meets her roommate April, she feels as if she has won the jackpot. April is smart, beautiful and thrilling. However, by the end of the year April will be dead.

Ten years later, Hannah is married to Will and is expecting their first child. She has spent the last decade trying to forget that terrible night when she came home to find her best friend murdered in their dorm room. But when the news of April’s killer dying in prison it starts to bring everything back. Then a reporter contacts her hoping to get more insight into that night because he believes that the wrong person was convicted of April’s death. If Hannah was wrong, then who killed April?

My Thoughts: I go back and forth on Ruth Ware. Some books have been good and others have been very predictable. I think this one is probably close to being her best. It had a twisting plot filled with flashbacks which I love. And parts of it were set in Edinburgh which I also love!

The beginning moved fairly slowly as we are introduced to the characters and the layout of the story plus all of the introspection on Hannah’s part but at the end the pace picked up. I could easily imagine a girl like April. I feel we have all known someone similar to her making it easy to sympathize with Hannah. Throughout I kept changing my mind on who I suspected as Hannah kept looking into the past. And until just before the big reveal did I finally get it. Even though the book is rather large it seemed to quickly once I was invested in Hannah’s search for answers.