Tag: siblings

What’s Ashley Reading?: A Box Full of Darkness

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

First line: When I wake in the middle of the night, I don’t always see darkness.

Summary: Fell, New York is known for its strange occurrences. For the Esmie family the disappearance of the youngest child, Ben, it is what finally drives them out of town and to lose contact with each other. Each of the older siblings have been haunted by mysterious visions and a fear of returning to their family home. That is until one day their brother Ben appears at the house, still a child, and summons them home. Why is he all of a sudden back and where has he been all these years? Fighting their fears they return to see if they can finally figure out what happened during that fated game of hide and seek many years before.

My Thoughts: Simone St. James is a master of her craft. Her books are a perfect mix of mystery and horror. It is always enough to give you the creeps but still keeping you invested in the plot. With this book I loved her inclusion of Easter eggs from her previous books. Tying them all together was genius and so much fun for her devoted readers.

There was so much to love about this book. It was truly spooky. The abandoned family home that is basically been left as a tomb for their missing sibling. Each of the siblings had some sort of paranormal encounters from seeing ghosts, visions of drowning and bright lights that no one else can see. Then there is a ghost child leaving wet footprints on the floor. A town with a dark past that no one can explain. What more could you ask for?

I really, really enjoyed this book but I still had a few things that bothered me. The strong attachment to Ben seemed so strange to me. Maybe I just don’t understand it. My sister is close in age to myself and I never had to take care or raise her which could be the reason behind the sibling’s feelings. And then the ending seemed to be rather quick. I guess I just wasn’t ready for it to end. I will still recommend this to any and all readers who like a good ghost story but these things were what seemed odd to me during my reading of it.

FYI: Missing children, ghosts, death

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.

Monica’s Musings: Pineapple Street

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

“Competition was their family love language.”

― Jenny Jackson, Pineapple Street

Summary: Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected, old-money Stockton family, followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood but giving up far too much in the process; Sasha, a middle-class New England girl, has married into the Brooklyn Heights family, and finds herself cast as the arriviste outsider; and Georgiana, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can’t have and must decide what kind of person she wants to be.

Shot through with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one-percenters, Pineapple Street is an addictive, escapist novel that sparkles with wit. Full of recognizable, lovable—if fallible—characters, it’s about the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the miles between the haves and have-nots, and the insanity of first love—all wrapped in a deliciously funny, sharply observed debut of family, love, and class.

My thoughts: I was hoping for a “rich family behaving badly” type of trope, but ultimately, nothing really happens in the book. Like nothing. The book’s content is mostly made up of the inner contemplation of the characters. I mean, obviously, things happen because it’s 300 pages, but nothing that stuck out to me to bring up in my review. While the details of the story may not stick with me long-term, I did read it, so it must have been interesting enough. I will say the cover is absolutely stunning though!

What’s Ashley Reading?: He Started It

He Started It by Samantha Downing

First line: You want a heroine.

Summary: When their grandfather dies, he leaves a dying wish. He wants his grandchildren to recreate and follow the same road trip they took together 20 years before. He wants his ashes taken with them and scattered in the desert where their trip ended.

Family road trips can be stressful. But made even more stressful when everyone is hiding a secret. However, in order to earn their inheritance, they must complete his request. Money is a motivator. So even with all the fighting and secrets they know they must finish the road trip at all costs.

My Thoughts: This book was messed up! It was one crazy twist after another. When you think you’ve seen it all you are proven wrong. At the end I kept flipping the page over because I couldn’t believe the book ended as it did. It was a wild ride. I did not like any of the characters. They treat each other terribly and most of the people they meet. It’s like watching a train wreck and you can’t look away. I had to know what was going to happen next. The one critique I had was the cigarette situation. It seemed so petty but that may have been the point. It made me dislike the characters even more.

I did like though that the sites they visit are real. Take a look. They are pretty neat actually. I would even add them to my next road trip.

FYI: Very dark, crazy read.

Book Review: The Immortalists

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

First line: Varya is thirteen.

Summary: Four siblings sneak out one night to find a local gypsy woman who is said to be able to tell their futures including their date of death. With these revelations, the siblings begin to live their lives with the knowledge hanging over them. Their stories span over fifty years from San Francisco to Las Vegas. The introduction of the AIDS virus to the war in Iraq. This story shows how knowledge of the future can shape our lives.

Highlights: I really enjoyed Simon’s story. I think he was my favorite character. I was sad when his story was over. However, the plotline for the book was very intriguing. Would I want to know when my death date was? I cannot imagine that I would. It would bring dread as each day passed. On the other hand, would this give me reason to enjoy each day? The author really gives the reader lots to think about while reading. A good author can do this and Chloe Benjamin did a great job.

Lowlights: Simon and Klara were the characters that kept my attention. However, I felt that the story slowed after that. Especially with Varya’s story. Varya had to deal with the loss of each of her siblings and wrapping the story up. I felt like she deserved more. There was a little twist for her but it was not as big as I would have hoped for.

FYI: There is some sexual content and language.

Book Review: The Visitors

The Visitors by Catherine Burns

First line: Like a white bird, the scream flew up from the depths of the cellar, then became trapped inside Marion’s head.

Summary: Marion, a spinster, living with her brother in their cluttered childhood home, is scared of the secret that is hidden in the cellar. When her brother has a heart attack, she has to face the reality of what he has been hiding. Told through flashbacks and snippets of their past lead you to believe that people are not always what they seem.

Highlights: A slow burning thriller. Little pieces of information are scattered throughout the book leading to theories. I kept thinking I had figured out who and what was happening but then I would second guess myself. Marion and John’s relationship and lifestyle oddly transfixed me. Who are these people? How have they lived this long like this and no one has ever discovered their secret? The end leaves you with a sense of “what happened?” Very unsettling but in a good and spooky way. I had a very tough time putting this down.

Lowlights (or what could have been better): The only problem I found was I kept waiting for some big reveal at the end but it didn’t come. But I wasn’t really disappointed because I still am thinking about the story and the ending and wondering. Who is to blame? Who was the scarier of the siblings?

FYI: Not fast paced but worth every page.