A thrilling battle of wits between girl and goblin in snow covered Athens…
Never forget how devious a Kallikantzaros can be. It will try to snatch Mirtoula. It will keep trying until it has her. And if it succeeds you’ll never see your sister again.
11-year old Fotinoula doesn’t believe her grandfather when he warns her about the Christmas goblins. After all, the Kallikantzaroi were just an old Greek myth. Creatures with blood-red eyes didn’t really climb up from the underworld during the Twelve Days of Christmas to steal little children, and certainly not in a busy city like Athens.
But Fotinoula soon discovers that some folktales have more truth to them than others. With her father away at sea and only an old book for guidance, she must summon up all her courage and problem-solving skills to save her little sister from one of these hideous creatures. In the process she comes to realise just how much her sister means to her.
This touching story weaves together Greek customs, music, food and history to bring alive a fascinating culture and a rather creepy festive folktale.
My Thoughts
I am often contacted by independent authors or publishers asking me to read and write about their book. Sometimes the books are not great, sometimes they are just okay, and sometimes they are absolutely wonderful. Fotinoula and the Christmas Goblin is one of the latter.
Cultural folklore has fascinated me for about as long as I’ve been reading but I’d never encountered the Greek legend of the Kallikantzaroi, or Christmas Goblins. Fraser-Green has taken that ancient legend and woven a story that, at its core, is about family – specifically sisters.
Middle grade readers who are interested in exploring folklore and ready for a scary story will appreciate the short chapters, well-paced, action-filled plot, and accessible language. The author does a skillful job of building the tension as Fotinoula herself comes to understand that the Kallikantzaroi are real and her little sister is truly in danger.
This is available on Amazon’s KindleUnlimited and in paperback form. If you’re looking for something fresh and new, give this one a try.
Publication Date: 2020 Published By: FotaPress Thanks to the author for the review request
“You lot are bloody crime writers. If anyone can get away with murder, it would be one of you.”
An invitation to Burnham Manor, home of celebrity chef, television presenter, and bestselling crime writer Max Wilde, is the pinnacle of a crime novelist’s career. This year’s guests include Sanjay Chakrabati, India’s pre-eminent crime writer; Margaret Hemshaw, author of many bodice-ripping 17th century crime tales; Sydney Fletch, a young rising star in the crime world, and Gareth Sebastian Black, a self-published phenomenon. Also on the guest list is former Detective Inspector Jack Finney, famous for solving the Painswick Poisoning case.
This year’s annual gathering has an extraordinary twist…
On the menu this year will be the deliciously deadly Fugu, carefully prepared by a celebrated Japanese chef. Those who partake of this starter will be hoping that it doesn’t contain any of the poison, tetrodotoxin, one of the world’s deadliest toxins. Or perhaps the guests would enjoy a Soupçon of Suspicion or a serving of Murderous Mushrooms? Also on the menu is the deservedly entitled Poisoned Quail and a helping of Bella-doner kebab, made from some of the world’s finest ingredients, all washed down with a glass of Sparkling Cyanide. When Max Wilde is found dead in bed the following morning suspicion naturally falls on those present. Who slipped the inimitable Max Wilde a dose of hemlock and why? As the list of suspects increases the body count starts to rise…
My Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the English country-house murder trope freshened up for modern readers. I especially enjoyed the clever use of the deadly fugu fish preparation technique and the inclusion of our current fascination with celebrity chefs. The author has written a witty, clever murder mystery featuring characters you love to hate and a couple of very engaging “detectives.”
Added to the wonderful characterizations is authentic and very capable writing. This is an author I would read again and will recommend.
Publication Date: September 5, 2024 Published By: Mr. E Entertainment Thanks to Book Sirens for the review copy
Jasper Fitzalan Howard is found stabbed to death in his room at The Hotel Windsor. In a bizarre twist, he is clutching a tarot card, the Ten of Swords, in his right hand. Initially, the police identify him as a wealthy investor and a cousin of the Duke of Norfolk. However, while investigating the murder, Reggie da Costa, The Argus’s celebrated crime reporter, uncovers a web of lies and deception surrounding Howard’s carefully constructed façade. It seems that Howard has engaged in swindling wealthy businessmen whilst blackmailing their wives, giving Reggie a host of suspects for the murder. Enlivened by what he discovers, Reggie embarks on a crusade to rid the city of confidence men and ‘snake oil’ salesmen, while tracking down a killer.
My Thoughts
It’s sometimes difficult to read a story that is part of a series when you haven’t read the earlier entries. Fortunately that is not an issue with this 4th entry in the Reggie da Costa series. The author does a great job of filling in any gaps where there’s reference to the earlier books, which are mostly things related to Reggie and his personal life. The mystery here is completely independent and can be read as a stand-alone.
And what a mystery it is! The plot is clever enough to keep you guessing, and is helped along by very competent writing. I found myself utterly relaxed and enjoying the witty dialog and pace of the story. As an older reader, I found myself frustrated and sympathetic to Reggie’s mother and her relationship with Ruby, Reggie’s love interest, but thoroughly appreciated the outcome of their sparring. Both Ruby and Reggie show remarkable aptitude for reading people and deducting. In the end, the bad guys are caught and the heroes celebrated.
I enjoyed this enough that I will seek out the author’s earlier entries in this series. Recommended!
Publication Date: July 2, 2024 Published By: Level Best Books Thanks to Book Sirens for the review copy
A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find that he’s too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive.
They aren’t the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Table, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance.
But Arthur’s death has revealed Britain’s fault lines. God has abandoned it, and the fairies and monsters and old gods are returning, led by Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay. Kingdoms are turning on each other, warlords lay siege to Camelot and rival factions are forming around the disgraced Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. It is up to Collum and his companions to reclaim Excalibur, solve the mysteries of this ruined world and make it whole again. But before they can restore Camelot they’ll have to learn the truth of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell, and lay to rest the ghosts of his troubled family and of Britain’s dark past.
The first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium, The Bright Sword is steeped in tradition, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings. It also sheds a fresh light on Arthur’s Britain, a diverse, complex nation struggling to come to terms with its bloody history. The Bright Sword is a story about imperfect men and women, full of strength and pain, who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land in spite of being broken themselves.
My Thoughts
A new Lev Grossman novel? And it’s an Arthurian saga? YES PLEASE!
Grossman is adept at taking well-worn fantasy tropes and turning them upside-down and inside-out to create something completely new. He’s done it very successfully here with a new and imaginative approach to the King Arthur legend, and he’s given voice to the less-than-shining knights, which has great appeal for me. (I love an underdog story!)
Above all, Grossman is a master storyteller, and the story here is magnificent. I was hooked from the very first chapter and hard a hard time putting it down. This is NOT a single-sitting reading experience though. This is a book that requires some commitment (and sturdy wrists if you’re reading the print copy!). For me, it made for an excellent first-book-of-the-summer reading experience and is one I will remember long after I turned the last page.
This is a must-read for Arthurian legend fans and joins The Mists of Avalon on my print shelves.
Highly recommended.
“Grossman, who is best known for his The Magicians series, is at the top of his game with The Bright Sword.” —The New York Times Book Review
“If you love King Arthur as much as I do, you’ll love Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a fresh and engrossing take on the Matter of Britain featuring a colorful cast of Round Table knights who don’t often get as much story time as they deserve. The creator of The Magicians has woven another spell.” —George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Magicians trilogy returns with a triumphant reimagining of the King Arthur legend for the new millennium.
Publication Date: July 16, 2024 Published By: Penguin Group, Viking Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy & my local indie store for the print!
The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is book one in New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston’s new, magic-infused series about Hecate Cavendish, an eccentric and feisty young woman who can see ghosts.
England, 1881. Hereford cathedral stands sentinel over the city, keeping its secrets, holding long forgotten souls in its stony embrace. Hecate Cavendish speeds through the cobbled streets on her bicycle, skirts hitched daringly high, heading for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books. The cathedral houses an ancient chained library, wisdom guarded for centuries, mysteries and stories locked onto its worn, humble shelves. The most prized artifact, however, is the medieval world map which hangs next to Hecate’s desk. Little does she know how much the curious people and mythical creatures depicted on it will come to mean to her. Nor does she suspect that there are lost souls waiting for her in the haunted cathedral. Some will become her dearest friends. Some will seek her help in finding peace. Others will put her in great peril, and, as she quickly learns, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.
My Thoughts
Brackston’s latest appears to be the first in what promises to be an exciting series. While I’ve seen some reviewers complain about the end being unsatisfying, I found it quite the opposite – for me the end is a sort of gentle cliffhanger. No, the singular villain has not been revealed but that only serves to make me anticipate the future adventures of Miss Cavendish. And that definitely doesn’t mean that there’s a lack of a satisfying climax – in fact there are two very compelling scenes that lead to the end.
My previous reading of Brackston’s books led me to expect a slow burn of a story, and that’s what I experienced here. The story moves along at a gentle pace as Hecate navigates her new position as Assistant Librarian along with managing her mother’s ambition that she conform to society’s expectations of a young woman. Once the action starts, though, watch out. You’ll be turning pages as fast as you can read.
As a librarian, I connected right away with Hecate’s love of her new work. I enjoyed reading about her work and reveled in her discoveries. Additionally, I was delighted to find that the Hereford Mappa Mundi really exists and spent an enjoyable hour or so reading about it and exploring its images online.
This reader is definitely looking forward to more Hecate Cavendish.
Publication Date: July 23, 2024 Published By: St. Martin’s Press Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
A few weeks ago, I asked Rochester’s Mayor, Malik Evans, and members of his Senior Management team to share their reading recommendations for the summer. There are some good ones here, folks!
Recommended by Mayor Evans
The Little Book of Aliens by Adam Frank Delve into the science behind the search for life outside of Earth.
Recommended by Executive Assistant Daniella Veras
Atomic Habits by James Clear This comprehensive guide will help you change your habits and improve your life.
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger Savor this tale of a bereaved musician embarking under sail on a sentient Lake Superior in search of his departed, deeply beloved, bookselling wife.
News of the World by Paulette Jiles In the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction.
Recommended by Corporation Counsel Patrick Beath
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers A sweeping novel of one American family from the colonial slave-trade to the modern era.
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen Follow the story of a seemingly perfect couple and how the change in the new millennium.
Recommended by Commissioner of Finance Kim D. Jones
Begin Again by Eddie Glaude Jr. Explores the aftermath of the Blacks Lives Matter movement though the experiences of author James Baldwin in the post-Civil Rights days.
Recommended by Police Chief David Smith
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin Recognized as one of the most influential books of the past 50 years, this explores the political genius of Abraham Lincoln, his unlikely presidency, and his cabinet of former political foes.
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin Master your mental strength—revolutionary new strategies that work for everyone from homemakers to soldiers and teachers to CEOs.
Recommended by Department of Human Resources Commissioner Dr. Rose M. Nichols
Disruptive Thinking by T.D. Jakes Think differently and find the courage to challenge the status quo with this mindset-shifting guide to meaningful change.
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride In 1972,workers in Pottstown PA discovered a skeleton as they dug the foundations for a new development. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the neighborhood.
Recommended by Special Assistant to the Mayor John Brach
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman This groundbreaking tour of the human mind explains the two systems that drive the way we think.
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley The story of a solitary green notebook that brings together six strangers and leads to unexpected friendship, and even love. I wrote about this back in 2020, just before the world imploded.
Recommended by Director of the Office of Management & Budget Suzanne Warren
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings—asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass—offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices.
The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon A pulse-pounding psychological thriller about a serial killer narrated by those closest to him: his 13-year-old daughter, his girlfriend—and the one victim he has spared.
Recommended by Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano
Wisdom of the Bullfrog by Admiral William H. McRaven This short, inspirational book of advice and leadership lessons that Admiral McRaven collected over his four decades as a Navy SEAL will fascinate readers.
Recommended by Chief Legislative Coordinator & Liaison to City Council Josanne Reeves
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides A shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband–and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.
Being Henry by Henry Winkler From Emmy-award winning actor, author, comedian, producer, and director Henry Winkler, a deeply thoughtful memoir of the lifelong effects of stardom and the struggle to become whole.
Recommended by Commissioner of Recreation & Human Services Dr. Shirley Green
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama In an inspiring follow-up to her acclaimed memoir, former First Lady Michelle Obama shares practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today’s highly uncertain world.
Recommended by Director of Communications Barbara Pierce
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt A charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow’s unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.
A group of rogue seniors trade their pensions for piracy as they sail into their sunset years.
A travel feature turns into a deadly investigation for Kat Lawson when she discovers a missing passenger, presumed overboard, may have been used as a mule to smuggle ancient artifacts aboard Athena, a luxury cruise ship designed for retired seniors at sea.
Lawson has got a plumb assignment, or so she thinks. Travel International has rewarded her with a vacation cruise along the Amalfi Coast to report on a new floating senior retirement center. After working undercover as a travel reporter for the FBI and barely escaping her last assignment with her life, Kat’s job is to relax, take notes, shoot pictures, and report back on an extravagant cruise from Napes to Positano. What could go wrong?
But once aboard, Kat quickly learns it’s not all smooth sailing. Kat finds a handbag for Dede Drummerhausen, the woman who owns the suite where Kat is staying, and hidden inside is a gold coin. Rumors abound. Passengers and some of their possessions have gone missing. The residents are restless, and some on board are suspicious of a travel reporter who might uncover their secret mission. When Athena’s captain discovers Kat snooping below deck, she soon realizes, like the antiquities hidden onboard, that she’s been kidnapped and that her job and her life are in danger.
My Thoughts
Murder on the Med is a light but complex mystery with an unusual setting and charming cast of characters. I’d not read other Kat Lawson books but didn’t have any problem reading this one as a standalone mystery. The character is smart, sassy, and demonstrates some pretty inventive thinking as she unravels the mystery here. And what a mystery! We begin with a possible missing woman and end up in the middle of an audacious trafficking scheme in stolen antiquities.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will be recommending the series in my library.
Publication Date: June 4, 2024 Published By: Level Best Books Thanks to BookSirens for the review copy
“Extraordinary…Reminds me of Donna Tartt’s 1992 debut, The Secret History…I was so thoroughly submerged in a rich fictional world, that for hours I barely came up for air.” – Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air, NPR
When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide.
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
My Thoughts
I requested to review this book because of the location – a camp and community in the Adirondack Mountains in my home state of New York – and also because of my childhood fascination with sleep-away camp. The financial and social circumstances of my family were not those that made the possibility of sleep-away camp attainable, but that didn’t stop me from reading everything I could find about camp experiences, both good and bad. The mystery here is as bad as you can get – a camper disappears. And not just any camper, but the daughter of the wealthy family that owns the campground. The ensuing story covers the full-on search for the camper but also expands to recount the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the camper’s brother 10 years prior.
Told in short-form, alternating viewpoints, I admit I sometimes found it hard to keep everyone straight. However, the stories of two people provided the thread holding it all together – those of Judyta and Tracy, a rookie cop and the closest friend the lost camper had on-site. Their insights to both the camper and to the search process hold the story together.
Tbh, I have little sympathy for “poor-little-rich-girl” stories, but Moore does a decent job of humanizing the women in this story, especially Alice, TJ, and Barbara. I found the end very satisfying, for both plot lines – the death of Bear Van Laar and the disappearance of his sister Barbara. I found myself whipping through the final 20% of the story just to find out what happened.
Definitely recommended.
Publication Date: July 2, 2024 Published By: Penguin Group Riverhead Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
An unforgettable, high-stakes, laugh-out-loud funny novel, The Witchstone blends the merciless humor of The Good Place with the spellbinding fantasy of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.
Meet Laszlo, eight-hundred-year-old demon and Hell’s least productive Curse Keeper. From his office beneath Midtown, he oversees the Drakeford Curse, which involves a pathetic family upstate and a mysterious black stone. It’s a sexy enough assignment—colonial origins, mutating victims, et cetera—but Laszlo has no interest in maximizing the curse’s potential; he’d rather sunbathe in Ibiza, quaff martinis, and hustle the hustlers on Manhattan’s subway. Unfortunately, his division has new management, and Laszlo’s ratings are so abysmal that he’s given six days to shape up or he’ll be melted down and returned to the Primordial Ooze.
Meet Maggie Drakeford, nineteen-year-old Curse Bearer. All she’s ever known is the dreary corner of the Catskills where the Drakeford Curse has devoured her father’s humanity and is rapidly laying claim to her own. The future looks hopeless, until Laszlo appears at the Drakeford farmhouse one October night and informs them that they have six days—and six days only—to break the spell before it becomes permanent. Can Maggie trust the glib and handsome Laszlo? Of course not. But she also can’t pass up an opportunity to save her family, even if it means having a demon as a guide …
Thus begins a breakneck international adventure that takes our unlikely duo from a hot dog stand in Central Park to the mountains of Liechtenstein, a five-star hotel in Zurich, and even the time-traveling vault of a demonic crime boss. As the clock ticks down, tough-as-nails Maggie and conniving Laszlo will uncover a secret so profound that what began as a farcical quest to break a curse will eventually threaten the very Lords of Hell.
My Thoughts
Years ago, my son and I devoured Henry Neff’s Hound of Rowan series, all of which are fine examples of fantasy writing for kids and fantasy-loving adults. I was intrigued when I saw The Witchstone, Neff’s debut novel specifically for adults.
I was not disappointed.
At all.
Neff’s storytelling ability shines here as he develops characters that leap off the page and who are caught up in one of the most unusual stories I’ve read in a while. There are certainly some traditional storytelling conventions here – such as the quest at the heart of the story taken up by three “heroes” – but this is a kickass quest tale bookended by a terrible curse and an epic battle (which cemented my thought that this would make an awesome movie!)
The level of imagination on display in this story combined with the skillful writing secures Neff’s spot as one of the best fantasy writers of his generation. I was reminded a bit of Alex Grecian’s Red Rabbit and definitely had some Christopher Moore vibes from Laszlo. Even so, Neff has produced an unusual and captivating story that will appeal to teens and adults.
Highly recommended.
Publication Date: June 18, 2024 Published By: Blackstone Publishing Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
Jane Eyre meets The Thirteenth Tale in this new modern gothic mystery from two-time Mary Higgins Clark Award–winner Carol Goodman, about a reclusive writer who is desperate to rewrite the past.
Losing yourself inside of a book can be dangerous. Not everyone finds their way out.
Agnes Corey, a junior editor at a small independent publisher, has been hired by enigmatic author Veronica St. Clair to transcribe the sequel to her 1993 hit phenomenon, The Secret of Wyldcliffe Heights. St. Clair has been a recluse since the publication of the Jane Eyre-esque book, which coincided with a terrible fire that blinded and scarred her. Arriving in the Hudson Valley at St. Clair’s crumbling estate, which was once a psychiatric hospital for “wayward women,” Agnes is eager to ensure St. Clair’s devoted fans will get the sequel they’ve been anticipating for the past thirty years.
As St. Clair dictates, Agnes realizes there are clues in the story that reveal the true—and terrifying—events three decades ago that inspired the original novel. The line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred, and Agnes discovers terrible secrets about an unresolved murder from long ago, which have startling connections to her own life. As St. Clair’s twisting tale infiltrates Agnes’s psyche, Agnes begins to question her own sanity—and safety. In order to save herself, Agnes must uncover what really happened to St. Clair, and in doing so, set free the stories of all the women victimized by Wyldcliffe Heights.
My Thoughts
Carol Goodman never fails to deliver a riveting, complicated, and suspenseful story and she has succeeded admirably here. Goodman excels in writing complex relationships, often mother-daughter, that span generations, and the saga of Wyldecliffe Heights certainly provides plenty of family drama. There is the horrifying secret from the past, combined with the damaged younger protagonist, combined with the creepy history of the house as an asylum that all come together to create a story that doesn’t stop.
While there are nods to Jane Eyre and The Thirteenth Tale, this is an original and cleverly plotted story with a great twist at the end. This will appeal to fans of Simone St. James and Eve Chase, but also to Goodman’s legion of readers. Her books just keep getting better! I’ll be adding this to my recommended Spooky Season reads this year for sure.
Publication Date: July 30, 2024 Published By: William Morrow Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
It's All About the Book 