“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.
“Life is messy. We all know this. Terrible things happen, I learned that while I was still a child. But no matter what happens, life is only a series of days. You can’t control more than a single day. But you can control one of them. Twenty-four hours can be curated.”
― Lucy Foley, The Guest List
Summary:
The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body
Guests gather on a secluded island to celebrate a beautiful wedding. The groom is a handsome and charming rising television star. The bride is smart, ambitious, and a magazine publisher. It is a high-profile and luxurious wedding.
Soon after arriving, all of the guests can feel the dark energy of the island. As the champagne popped and the festivities began, resentments and petty jealousies mingled with the reminiscences and well wishes.
And then someone turns up dead.
My thoughts:
I was very impressed with this book. As the reader, you get to know each character very well, and every detail of their story is important. There is constant drama between the guests, and I was never sure what would happen next. It was full of scandals and secrets.
I was suspicious of each guest while reading. At one point or another, I thought each one of them could have killed another person on the island. The vibe of the island was dark and mysterious. I could imagine the fear of each person while they each experienced the strange feeling of death in the air. Finding a body was almost expected.
Nothing was clear until the very end. All of the dark secrets came out, and everything made sense then. I did not see the ending coming at all, and I am more than satisfied with how the author wrapped up the loose ends!
First Line: An old women sits on the beach, a cushion strapped to her bottom, sorting algae that’s washed ashore.
Summary: Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends that come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective, led by Young-sook’s mother. As the girls take up their positions as baby divers, they know they are beginning a life of excitement and responsibility but also danger. They spend all their time together, as best friends do, sharing secrets, dreams, wishes and their shared plans for their futures. Life and circumstances have a way of altering the best of plans. Separated when they are married, they try to maintain their friendship until a tragic event drives them apart.
Thoughts: Lisa See writes of relationships between women with such insight. Despite their circumstances, she always finds a way to make them triumph over pain, loss and political unrest. The women in her books are strong and resilient.
This book truly is a deep dive and was well-researched. I did not know about the haenyeo, their matricentric society or their culture. I learned a lot about its history through the context of the story. Korea has had a volatile relationship within its borders, with China and with the US yet remains a beautiful country with a rich history. I don’t know what I found more fascinating: the diving culture, the relationship of men and women in the society, the various occupiers/overseers of the country … I couldn’t put it down. The writing lets you feel the hurt and violence and yet allows you to contemplate the true nature of love and forgiveness over the course of a lifetime.
The Island of Sea Women taught me about a way of life I never knew existed and also about human suffering, redemption and forgiveness.
FYI: (trigger warnings……murder, suicide, graphic war descriptions, abuse). The book covers a large time period through WW2, the Korean War and into the present. So many historical events and tragedies occur over that time period for this small spot in the world.
First line: She first spotted him at Bobbie’s Coffee Shop on Twenty-Second Street.
Summary: Just days before her wedding to millionaire, Bruce Lamb, the one night stand from her bachelorette weekend shows up trying to convince her to not go through with the wedding. She tries to ignore his attempts but then he appears at her wedding too. But she thinks that his stalking is over until he appears at the secluded island on her honeymoon. Does she tell Bruce or try to solve the situation on her own?
My Thoughts: When I looked at the rating for this book I was kind of surprised that it was so low. I found the book to be rather enjoyable with lots of dark and twisted moments. I found it to be more like an eighties horror movie than psychological thriller. And part of that can be found that several reveals were rather predictable. But I had a lot of fun reading it nonetheless.
Even though the island is supposed to be secluded and good for getting away from technology it also seems rather scary. You are secluded. On an island. With little communication. What if something bad happens? Well this book answers that question. And it was thrilling and scary.
First line: I’m late for dinner again, but this time it’s not my fault.
Summary: On a resort island lives the Story family. They have lived there for generations. But one day the Story children are disinherited by their mother. The only clue is a note that reads…You know what you did. For over twenty years the four siblings had no contact with their mother or even returned to the island.
Then one day a letter arrives for the next generation of Storys. It is inviting them to the island for a job at the family owned resort and to get to know their grandmother. Everyone is shocked by this change of events but each grandchild is willing to see if they can get a chance to earn back their grandmother’s approval.
My Thoughts: Once again McManus writes a fun and twisty mystery. There are mysterious people, family secrets and ominous warnings. Everything you could want from a good story. Each of the characters if very different. We even get a peak into what happened on the island before the Story kids were disinherited.
I liked the characters. I loved the drama. I was constantly trying to think of what the big reveal would be. And I have to say that it was not what I thought it would be. Maybe my thoughts were a little too wild but sometimes authors do those things. This book, especially near the end, gave me all the Rebecca vibes. Hopefully that doesn’t give too much away! I like that YA authors are writing books for teens that are just as good as the ones for adults.
FYI: Perfect for fans of Megan Miranda and Sara Shepard.
First Line: In the corner of a first-class smoking carriage, Mr. Justice Wargrave, lately retired from the bench, puffed at a cigar and ran an interested eye through the political news in The Times.
Summary: First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a little private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion:
“Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he’d stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.”
When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion. (Book summary from www.goodreads.com)
My Thoughts: This thrilling and ingenious story written by Christie kept me on the edge of my chair all the way through to the end. I thought this book was mystery at its finest. The lack of spoilers and abundance of conundrum was exciting and intriguing at the same time. I think this is one of Agatha Christie’s best novels by far. In this book I could always expect a drastic turn of events, that would have me reading to the last page. Agatha Christie really outdid herself with this amazing mystery
FYI: There are a few gruesome scenes in this book.
First line: The church was grey against a light grey sky, the bell tower, like a watchtower, dark against the darker clouds.
Summary:
It is 1648 in England. The country is in turmoil. Alinor is a poor
woman living on Sealsea Island with two children. Her husband
disappeared several months before and left his family with nothing. One
night while Alinor is holding vigil at the local church she stumbles
upon a man hiding in the churchyard. He asks for her help to guide him
to the home of the local land owner. She learns that he is a priest who
is working as a spy for the imprisoned King Charles I.
For her
silence about the mysterious visitor she earns the respect of the
Peachey family. As she gains favor from her landlord she also draws the
suspicions of her neighbors. In this time of witchcraft and
superstition, Alinor is in danger of being accused of using spells to
bewitch them to advance her ambitions.
My Thoughts: I
absolutely loved this book. It is a beautiful story. The descriptions of
the land are as vivid as a picture. It is easy to imagine the small
island village in the south of England where life is controlled by the
tides.
Alinor is a poor simple woman but she stands out from all
the other people on her island. She is knowledgeable about herbs, she
can read and write. Gregory does an amazing job writing about strong and
interesting women. Alinor has been abandoned by her husband but she is
able to continue to survive using her own gifts.
The time of
Charles I is not one that I am very familiar with. Wikipedia is one of
my best friends while reading about a new era in history. I have heard
of the English Civil War and the Oliver Cromwell but I have never spent
much time reading about it. Gregory did extensive research in order to
bring the turbulent time to life. The fear of witches, the hatred of the
king and the devastating poverty are just a few issues she covers. It
was a time of great change.
A connection is being made here.
Throughout the novel I was
constantly worried for Alinor. She is a wise woman. Many of her
neighbors come to her for help in delivering babies or curing a
sickness. But it is easy for people of the time to turn on women like
her. I kept waiting for something to happen her. I was completely
invested in her life. As I read the last few pages I was praying that it
would not end. I want to know what will happen next for Alinor and her
family.
We are SUPER excited!
Last week I was lucky enough to get to travel to Denver and meet Philippa Gregory. My cousin, Alaina, accompanied me to the event. It was a on my bucket list to meet and have a signed copy of one of her books. I was beyond excited to meet her. She was absolutely lovely to listen to. She did several readings from Tidelands and answered audience questions. I love attending author events. For me it is like meeting a movie star. I was literally shaking and nervous. I am so happy that I made the eight hour drive to Denver to meet her. It was surreal.
FYI: Philippa Gregory is my favorite author! My favorite book is The Other Boleyn Girl.
Summary: Emily
Dawson has inherited a plantation on the island of Barbados from her
grandfather. When she arrives at Peverills it is far from what she
dreamed. After the slave uprising forty years before it has sat in
ruins. On the invitation of the Davenant family of Beckles, she and her
cousin stay at the neighboring plantation while Emily decides what to do
with her inheritance.
Forty years earlier Charles Davenant
returns home to run his family plantation, Peverills. The home he knew
as a child has changed and so have Charles’ views on life in Barbados.
As tensions rise on the island he must decide where he stands.
My Thoughts:
This is a what great family sagas are made of. Big family secrets with
dark turns around every corner. I loved the intertwining narratives and
how closely they connected. The characters are so well done. I went in
expecting to like some and hate others but Willig does a great job of
proving you wrong on your first impressions. I am not much for a romance
novel but this was a beautiful love story in the midst of so many
challenges.
And the history is fascinating. I had never read or
heard anything based on the island of Barbados so the storyline was
completely fresh for me. Lauren brings it to life. The heat, the smells,
and the lifestyles come through in her writing.
