Category: Reading

Monica’s Musings: My Fine Fellow

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen

“He’d always thought that food was a great equalizer, for whatever someone’s creed or race or religion, every person had to eat to survive.”- Jennieke Cohen, My Fine Fellow

Summary:

It is 1830s England, and culinarians of utmost respect, consult with society’s elite to create gorgeous food and confections. They are the crème de la crème of high society.

Helena is top of her class at the Royal Academy and has a sharp demeanor and an even sharper palate. Penelope wants to show the value of non-European cuisine to all of England. Her peers may scorn her Filipina heritage, but with her flawless social graces and culinary talents, Penelope is set to prove them wrong. Elijah has nothing to his name but an excellent instinct for flavors. London merchants will not allow a Jewish boy to own a shop, but he knows with enough training, he can break into the highest of society.

When Penelope and Helena meet Elijah, a golden opportunity arises: to pull off a project never seen before and turn Elijah from a street vendor to a gentleman chef. But Elijah’s transformation will have a greater impact on this trio than they originally realize—and mayhem, unseemly faux pas, and a little romance will all be a part of the delicious recipe.

My Thoughts:

Food is a big part of the story, so do not read this book on an empty stomach. You will get hungry! I loved that Penelope was half Filipino, Elijah was Jewish, and that their backgrounds were a central and integral part of the story. The book explored the prejudices that both of them faced. The three main characters were all well-developed. I particularly liked seeing Helena’s character arc unfold and how her actions affected her friendships with Penelope and Elijah.

Since this is a gender-swapped retelling of the movie My Fair Lady, the story is a little predictable and straightforward. There are no big surprises. If you like reading about 1830s England, books about food or enjoyed the movie it is based on, I recommend checking this book out.

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.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Kind Worth Killing

The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

First line: “Hello, there,” she said.

Summary: On a flight from London to Boston, Ted meets a young woman named Lily. As they talk Ted begins to discuss his marriage which he feels is not as happy as he hoped. He suspects his wife of having an affair and he lets slip that he would like to kill his wife. But rather than being turned off by the talk of murder, Lily offers to help Ted with the task. Once back in Boston the two conspirators continue to meet and discuss the details of Ted’s wife’s murder. However, there is more to Lily than Ted ever could have imagined. Including her own experience in the art of murder.

My Thoughts: This book was one twist after another. I was shocked so many times that I thought there was nothing else that could be revealed but I was wrong! I have read several of Swanson’s books but this one is his best. At the beginning it seemed to be following the plot lines of Strangers on a Train but that went out the window pretty quickly.

Even though Lily has such a dark past and did some rather dastardly things I really liked her. Her chapters were always my favorite because of how twisted her thoughts were. She was able to think herself out of situations and justify any of her actions. Her character was truly scary but easily the best part of the book.

I have wanted to read this for years but never got around to it. But when I saw and requested the next book on Netgalley, it moved up the list. And I am so glad I picked it up. I sped through it. I loved the narrators and the pacing of the novel. If I was reading it I can see it easily being a book I could have finished in a day. It was that good!

FYI: The Kind Worth Saving is coming out in March 2023.

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.

Monica’s Musings: Layla

Layla by Colleen Hoover

“It was like someone let all the air back into my life when I had no idea I was even suffocating.”
― Colleen Hoover, Layla

Summary:

When Leeds met Layla, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. To put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the now abandoned bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. Items start moving on their own, and strange occurrences happen around the house.

Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—an unexpected guest at the house. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers conflicts with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to choose between them because he cannot help them both. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental to all of them.

My Thoughts:

Once I got about halfway through the book, I could not put it down! This book is great for anyone who enjoys a little paranormal activity and suspense, especially in their October reads! Leeds might not be the most morally sound character, but this book might even make you question what the right thing to do is.

I am so excited to finally be on the Colleen Hoover bandwagon! I have heard so many good things about her writing. With a little research, I found a few common factors in her writing. Her stories are usually about a relationship with a partner who has major red flags. From other reviews I have read on her books, a lot of people find these relationships upsetting to read about. With that, I suggest checking the content of each book before you start it. I went into this book with no expectations, and I really liked it! 

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.

Monica’s Musings: That Summer

That Summer by Jennifer Weiner

“Death would be too easy. Death would let him off the hook. Life, though, life with the knowledge that Daisy knew what he’d done and who he was…”

― Jennifer Weiner, That Summer

Summary:

While Daisy tries to identify the root of her dissatisfaction in her own life, she’s also receiving misdirected emails meant for another woman, whose email address is just one punctuation mark away from her own. While Daisy’s driving carpools, the other woman is chairing meetings. While Daisy’s making dinner, the other woman is making plans to reorganize corporations.

The emails give insight into a glamorous, sophisticated, single-lady life, which is miles away from Daisy’s simpler existence. Eventually, the misdirected emails are acknowledged, which leads to the two women meeting and becoming friends. But, as they get closer, you learn that their connection was not completely accidental. Who IS this other woman, and what does she want with Daisy?

My Thoughts:

In my opinion, it is best to go into this book blind. It goes back and forth between the past and the present. You realize pretty early on how the two women are connected. However, it’s what happens after that point that is intriguing and kept me engaged. It’s a thoughtful, meaningful story, but it is one that is not easy to read at times. I think it is a great show of wealth, privilege, and control.

I was expecting an easy summer read, but That Summer was much deeper and more meaningful than I was anticipating. It alludes to the #MeToo movement, and I think it is done very well. With that though, it might be good to double-check the content if you are sensitive to that topic.

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.

Monica’s Musings: The Tuesday Night Survivors’ Club

The Tuesday Night Survivors’ Club by Lynn Cahoon

“She’d spent long enough pretending she wasn’t still recovering from the cancer treatments. It was time to check into her body again.”

― Lynn Cahoon, The Tuesday Night Survivors’ Club

Summary:

Two things got Rarity through her breast cancer treatments: friends and books. Now cancer-free, Rarity is devoting her life to helping others find their way through the maze of healing. She’s also started the Tuesday Night Survivors book club. It is the perfect fit for Rarity’s bookstore and a close-knit group of survivors.

Their club is disrupted when one of their members suddenly goes missing. Martha has always kept to herself, never opening up much of her personal life to the group. Now she’s nowhere to be found. With her car abandoned on a trail and her dog left home alone, Rarity is sure something terrible has happened—but will she be able to uncover Martha’s secrets before it’s too late?

This is the first book of a new series by Lynn Cahoon.

My Thoughts:

Honestly, cozy mystery is not really my jam. I wanted to give this one a try because it sounded interesting enough, but the overall story line seemed to drag on compared to many other mysteries I have indulged in.  I can’t complain too much though, because the story wrapped up nicely, and although the book seemed slow in a few places, I found it good enough to finish it! If you are a fan of cozy mysteries this is right up your alley.

I did appreciate the fact that the author drew from her own cancer journey. She stated in her dedication that a nurse gave her a bag of cozy mysteries to read during her cancer treatments, and that had made all the difference in her journey. This particular genre is sentimental to the author because of that.

*This is available as an eBook or eAudiobook on Sunflower eLibrary, or potentially through interlibrary loan.