Nora Roberts - The Mirror

In need of an escape from her ex-fiance's betrayal, and the lucky recipient of a surprise inheritance, Sonya MacTavish leaves behind her life in the city and moves to a Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine.
The house is beautiful but comes with surprises - footsteps in the night, doors slamming, music playing - and in her dreams Sonya sees glimpses of the past and the brides who once lived there.
As the house reveals more of its history and the sad stories of the brides murdered there, Sonya discovers an antique mirror. She finds herself drawn to the mirror, sensing it holds dark secrets. What can the mirror tell her? Can it help her to understand how the seven brides died?
Sonya will need the help of her friends and family if she has any chance of breaking the curse and making this house her home.

Comment: This is the second book in the Lost Bride trilogy by Nora Roberts, whose first book I read last month.

Sonya is getting on pretty well with her new life at the manor, inherited by a father she never met. She has her best friend living with her, her one-woman business is doing well, considering how recently she started freelancing, the community was welcoming and she even has a new boyfriend. The only problem now is the dead witch who ghosts her life and who tries to force her to leave the house. Thankfully, Sonya is resilient and she is eager to do her best to restore the manor to its full potential, and for that she needs to find a way to get rid of the evil ghost...

If I weren't a fan of the author, if I weren't a fan of her style and work, which i have been religiously following for the past 20 years, I'd probably give this book an even lesser grade but the truth is that this second book not only has the "second book" syndrome but it was avoidable, in terms of plot. This story, generally divided into three installments, could have been a single title perfectly well.

Sadly, even more so than the first book, this one was extremely repetitive and a bit boring because nothing really happens and what does could have been easily inserted, summarized, into just one single title. I bet the third will probably be better, since most resolutions will need to happen then, but I will probably have the feeling this full story would not need to take so many pages, overall.

When I say that nothing happens, I mean nothing that changes the way we perceive what is going on. Sonya and those around her keep up with their days, little tasks and bigger ones, they still deal with the evil ghost and accomplish other things, such as: Sonya finally visits the new hairdresser, she and Cleo ask their boyfriends to hang some lights, Sonya does her work presentation, they plan for an open house for their families and the community, Sonya visits Gretta, who has Alzheimer but who helpfully tells her enough to connect some dots about the family's history and several other things which did not need 400 pages.

I know I'm sounding unfair and I did enjoy the vast majority of the author's books (as opposed to those I wasn't as fond of) I have tried so far, but it is a fact her style changed, or evolved, and some stories nowadays don't feel as passionate nor as romantic as before. I think there is too much awareness of what is correct and what is not in her work, and all the characters seem to fall into repetitive and predictable roles. I think this has always been so and her style is definitely one for predictability but in the most recent years, it feels as if the nuanced situations and the cute romantic scenes which made me love her books in the past were switched for one dimensional characters.

The romances, in particular, are very disappointing. Sonya and Trey became a couple and now Cleo and Owen too. This is part of the author's formula but for me the romance in her books has always been great because the characters were made to seem special, and their feelings and little heartbreaks worthy of new chances and possibilities. Now, the couples basically talk, sometimes debate, sometimes assume they will be a good a couple and that's it. Absolutely no sexual tension, no slow dance in thinking about the other person, nothing. It feels the romances in these recent books are like simple transactions. It's utterly boring.

Since nothing major happened, I don't have anything else to say. I still love the smoothness of the writing, the way I can so easily go through the stories but this one was quite weak.

Grade: 5/10

Kate Belli - Betrayal on the Bowery

New York City, Summer 1889. Society girl-turned-investigative journalist Genevieve Stewart and wealthy Daniel McCaffrey have arrived at the docks to see their friends, Rupert and Esmie Milton, off on their honeymoon. But the romantic idyll comes to a screeching halt when a crazed man bursts into their stateroom screaming about demons and drops dead before their eyes.

The dead man is Marcus Dalrymple, who had once asked Esmie to marry him—and inside Marcus’s pocket, Daniel finds a medallion that they trace to a Lower East Side bar called Boyle’s Suicide Tavern. The medallions are prizes given to anyone who spends the night there without dying.Clearly, a visit to Boyle’s could prove hazardous, but it may offer the only clue to Dalrymple’s death. Genevieve and Daniel barely escape the bar with their lives but learn that the crime could have a connection to the recent disappearance of a sugar baron’s daughter. 

Only after another young man plunges to his death from a rooftop bar—also screaming about demons—do the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together.The clues lead Genevieve and Daniel far from the city’s moneyed environs to a reputedly haunted mansion deep in the Bronx. There, they will confront the truth—and the demon at its heart.

Comment: This is the second installment in the Gilded Gotham mysteries by author Kate Belli, whose first book in this series I have buddy read in January. Now, my friend and I have decided to give the second book a try.

In this adventure, which takes place some months after what happened in the first book, Genevieve and Daniel reunite for the wedding of their friends Esmie and Rupert. However, when the happy couple is about to leave for their honeymoon, someone suddenly arrives with stories of monsters and then falls dead. The man is someone the group recognizes as Marcus, who had asked for Esmie's hand some time ago, and they also find in his pocket a medallion linking him to a club in seedy part of town. As Genevieve and Daniel investigate, they discover a complex link between several people and a house that many claim is haunted. But why is Marcus dead, and what about a young society woman who seems to be missing for several days, is there any connection? How can the case be solved?

As it had happened with the previous book, this one was also quite engaging for the most part. I must say that there were some moments, in the middle, which weren't as incredible and were actually a little boring for how repetitive, but the case being investigated and several key scenes related to it, quite alluring.

The case is a well thought plot, and has more twists than what I was expecting but I will be honest and say that this whole plot about shady people and their shady business reminded me too much of mafia like behaviors and I don't appreciate those types of stories. Thankfully, since both Daniel and Genevieve are part of a different social group, the scenes that happen in those shady locations aren't many and I could focus my attention in other elements.

I liked the way things are presented and how the clues fit one another as the plot moves along. I liked it that the author found ways that seemed realistic in how the events connected and why would the characters accept that to go from point A to point B they had to do things a certain way. But, along the way, other things, such as how Marcus and then another character that dies would know each other, and why would they decide to visit this shady bar and so on, many of those things just passed me by. I wanted to focus again on the actual decisive details and not on things that, while useful, failed to captivate.

There are many things that seem to be isolated at first but turn out to be linked as things progress. While this does mean the story is always vibrant, it also means there is a lot to be aware of and I've found myself too distracted by too many things. Besides, part of me was always on the lookout for clues about the main couple's relationship or, better, the possibility of a development in their relationship, thus it was very difficult to keep my focus on details of the case all the time.

Daniel and Genevieve like each other, are possibly in love with each other but she refused a proposal by him in the first book. Here,it seems they had time to process things and now seem to be on the same page, but apart from some thoughts and tense moments here and there, nothing advanced. I cannot say i mind this, because I know the third and fourth books will deepen the romance, but the magic of seeing them fall in love seems too bland and mute. I kind of wanted more romance content.

The plot gets to a point where some twists are revealed and while I see how they might seem incredible, some were also a little predictable. The end, however, was quite a letdown, and the culprit arrested by the police was obviously framed. I suppose this might have a new turn in the following book but it really made things seem they were not finished. I would not say things end in a cliffhanger but it feels like it.

All things considered, this book had interesting situations, others were boring and unnecessary and the romance was quite weak, even allowing for their history since the first book. I hope the third is better.

Grade: 7/10

Margot Livesay - The Flight of Gemma Hardy

When her widower father drowns at sea, Gemma Hardy is taken from her native Iceland to Scotland to live with her kind uncle and his family. But the death of her doting guardian leaves Gemma under the care of her resentful aunt, and it soon becomes clear that she is nothing more than an unwelcome guest at Yew House. When she receives a scholarship to a private school, ten-year-old Gemma believes she's found the perfect solution and eagerly sets out again to a new home. However, at Claypoole she finds herself treated as an unpaid servant.
To Gemma's delight, the school goes bankrupt, and she takes a job as an au pair on the Orkney Islands. The remote Blackbird Hall belongs to Mr. Sinclair, a London businessman; his eight-year-old niece is Gemma's charge. Even before their first meeting, Gemma is, like everyone on the island, intrigued by Mr. Sinclair. Rich (by Gemma's standards), single, flying in from London when he pleases, Hugh Sinclair fills the house with life. An unlikely couple, the two are drawn to each other, but Gemma's biggest trial is about to begin: a journey of passion and betrayal, redemption and discovery, that will lead her to a life of which she's never dreamed.
Set in Scotland and Iceland in the 1950s and '60s, The Flight of Gemma Hardy--a captivating homage to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre--is a sweeping saga that resurrects the timeless themes of the original but is destined to become a classic all its own.

Comment: I cannot remember why this book got on my radar. Probably a positive opinion somewhere and the link to the Jane Eyre inspiration/retelling.

Gemma Hardy is a young child when her uncle brings her from Iceland to Scotland after the death of her parents. However, her life isn't as idyllic anymore after her uncle also dies, and Gemma is taken to a school for girls, where she is no more than a servant.  After years in the school and of adapting and surviving, Gemma is finally a young adult who accepts being a nanny in the Orkney islands to take care and tutor young Nell. Things are finally steady and Gemma feels this is a good opportunity to keep studying since she wants to go to university, and then she meets mr Sinclair, Nell's guardian...

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books. I still remember how addictively devastating it was to read it when I was like 12 or 13 and that when it ended, I've cried buckets over the tragedies and the redemption Jane goes through. Thus, I was quite interested in seeing how the author would adapt this wonderful story into the 1960s in Scotland and make it work.

In general, I did like this book. There are enough similarities for me to enjoy the plot and expect certain situations but obvious differences too, so that the changes felt interesting on their own. Well, most of them, because while I liked the book and all those differences for the most part, I will have to say that my biggest disappointment was the way the author chose to separate Gemma and mr Sinclair at the key moment of the novel. In Jane Eyre, this happened for a foolproof reason; here, not really, in my opinion.

The book is divided into five parts, very clearly distinctive and related to Gemma's moments in life, and this does help to establish her character and fearless personality. Gemma is very likable and I always rooted for her but it is also true that, in spite of her having so much to deal with during her childhood and youth, she was always a bit too innocent. I mean this with the sense that she didn't seem to have gotten enough defense against what would be an obvious situation that could cause her harm.

Perhaps, part of why I got this feeling is because the author chose to have the story narrated in first person by Gemma. I liked her but I don't think this was the best option. If Gemma is this innocent throughout, her experiences are just too limited in her POV, and the nuances, the "read between the lines" inferences are simply lost, unless other characters have dialogue with her. I think this was a poor decision and brought the story down, in terms of emotion and character interactions. 

Most situations Gemma faces are easily recognizable when comparing to Jane Eyre but, of course, since it is set at a different time period, there are obvious things that happen differently. I actually found it fun to think about this, to compare, but I can understand how it might not seem as interesting to other readers. Also, the fact this happens in the 1960s allows for some good changes but there are moments that simply cannot be done in similar fashion, such as the big conflict moment, which here was ridiculous to me, or how Gemma flies that big problem into her new circumstances. This part was very confusing and didn't really work for me.

The final part of the story does match what I remembered from the original source but having Gemma have Iceland roots and needing to seek information about them required some plot decisions that felt like one of the weakest points in the book. Gemma needs to travel to Iceland and the way she manages this was not easy to understand. I would have preferred her to have taken longer to manage this because the way she accomplishes this felt wrong, in terms of characterization. I suppose it was necessary to wrap things up but the whole Iceland setting seemed rushed plot wise.

I liked some of the 1960s references but there were times I completely forgot this too. So, I cannot say this was truly the best choice... although the author did research all the elements she used to make the story feel more realistic. In regards to the end of the book, I suppose I don't have to say what happened, but I confess I kind of expected a more detailed description of what Gemma's future would be. The author chose poetry, I'd say, and left things for the reader's consideration. Cute, but  slightly annoying.

All in all, there were many scenes/moments/situations I liked as I did like Gemma and her overall path, I didn't mind the adaptation nor the obvious stuff, but there were certain choices I feel weren't the best. All in all, still enjoyable, so...

Grade: 7/10

Truman Capote - In Cold Blood

Controversial and compelling, In Cold Blood reconstructs the murder in 1959 of a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children. Truman Capote's comprehensive study of the killings and subsequent investigation explores the circumstances surrounding this terrible crime and the effect it had on those involved. At the centre of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible yet entirely and frighteningly human. The book that made Capote's name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative.

Comment: I've decided to read this book because of the challenge I'm participating in through one of my GR groups. I had it in the shelf already for it was included in a book collection I've got more than a decade ago, as long as I purchased a certain magazine.

Truman Capote saw the news about a murder in the small town of Holcomb and decided to investigate. Following that, he wrote this book, a fictionalized narrative on the events that led to and that happened during the murders. It also presents a character study on what went through the mind of the main individuals and what might have caused the killers to act and the prosecution to reunite the evidence to ask for the death penalty.

This isn't a big book but in spite of this and of knowing it was one of the author's most famous books (I also knew about Breakfast at Tiffany's), I had not had the urge to try it before now. The challenge I'm doing was a good reason and the fact it wasn't big made the choice even quicker.

I have to say I was positively surprised by how much I liked it. No, it wasn't perfect for me because I can't forget that some passages are just speculation and that several details are clearly dismissive because this happened during the 60s and nowadays we have way more scientific and psychological tools which would have explained or contextualized a lot of what caused the whole thing in a more professional manner. But in regards to how the author put everything into words... well, I already liked true crime fiction and now even more.

The writing captivated me from the beginning. I knew nothing about the case - I have not seen the movie - and was immediately taken by the setting up and the slow but methodical way the author presents the characters. I was easily drawn to the murdered family members, even with their flaws, and to how the chronological steps that took them into the place and moment of their death seemed to be described in such an atmospheric way. 

I was even more amazed at myself for how easy it also was to understand the personalities and possible state of mind of the killers and how simple it might be to think about such people for their acts and conveniently ignore they are human. I think Capote did a great job writing things in such a way that it never is implied whatever he thinks of these guys, although it is understood that they did something unthinkable for money, and not much of it anyway. 

I would have liked to see more about the psychology and the mental state of the killers during the trial but that was never a serious consideration, it seems. Still, the author conveyed interesting information and found a way for some of those facts to be read between the lines. These two committed a horrible crime for a ridiculous reason, and they have no excuse, but I liked it how the situation was presented and how, even in the middle of an unspeakable act, the background of the killers was a certainly important element to take into consideration.

This does read like a novel... in fact, there were times I forgot this wasn't so and I even wondered if the cops would catch the guys or not or if they did, would they  link them to the case? This is how well achieved the writing was to me. Also, how easy, perhaps, it would be to solve the case with contemporary technology... there was one or two moments in which convenience and coincidence seemed to be at work too...

After finishing the book, I did some research and will now try to find the movie to watch it too. I was very engrossed with this book yes, and it's still in my mind. It feels right that the family wasn't forgotten and that their story will stay for anyone to remember them.

Grade: 8/10

Rebecca McKanna - Don't Forget the Girl

We never remember the dead girls. We never forget the killers.
Twelve years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartmann disappeared. Now, Jon Allan Blue, the serial killer suspected of her murder, is about to be executed. Abby's best friends, Bree and Chelsea, watch as Abby's memory is unearthed and overshadowed by Blue and his flashier crimes. The friends, estranged in the wake of Abby's disappearance, and suffering from years of unvoiced resentments, must reunite when a high-profile podcast dedicates its next season to Blue's murders.
Tense and introspective, for readers of Megan Goldin and Heather Gudenkauf, Don’t Forget the Girl is an astonishing debut thriller that mines the complexities of friendship and the secrets between us that we may take to the grave.

Comment: I was seduced by the cover of this book and immediately imagined the tone and vibe of it. I also liked the idea of a thriller that would focus on the victims and not the killer.

Several years ago a serial killer was found guilty of murdering several young women but nothing could prove he also killed Abby Hartman, who simply disappeared one day and her body had not been found. Now, the killer is about to be executed and Abby's friends Bree and Chelsea revive that 2003 year, when everything changed, following the media interest on the case. Abby is only a possible victim but a podcaster chooses her as a possible focus for her new show, especially if the friends agree to share their side of things. But are they ready to share all of their memories... and guilt?

I really liked the idea of this novel. I thought the story would be moody and tense and that the real goal would be to understand, through Chelsea and Bree, if Abby had been a victim or not, of that killer. I was eager to see how the author would develop the plot without giving too much attention to the killer.

In a way, the pace and choice of how things play out are good elements and having the three girls' POVs in the past - Abyy's is in second person, which was sometimes too jarring - allows the reader to get a very good grasp on their behavior, personality, decisions, state of mind and so on. Everything shared helps us to making up an idea of what happened and why it was possible for Abby to be a potential victim. However, it soon became obvious this would not be a traditional thriller.

The story seemed to me to be more a character study and not a real investigation or step-by-step description of what happened. This is fine, I don't mind it exactly, but then the author also included some weird interlude passages between some of the girls's chapters, which were alternated between Bree, Chelsea and Abby in this order, and Abby's were also all in the past, of course. I just don't see the need for those interlude sections, which included post messages in forums and similar stuff, but short things, so.. why? It made for a welcome interruption, I've personally concluded.

Apart from the real lack of thriller vibes, at least until the end when we finally have some more definitive information, the whole story, including the current podcast idea based on Abby and her friends and how they might be linked to the killer, is pretty much all focused on the girls' thoughts and actions and why they are the way they are. Honestly, after two, three chapters on their attitudes I was already annoyed. I'm afraid I could not connect with none of them and found both Chelsea and Bree's adult choices and behavior to be disagreeably, morally at least. 

I liked it that at the very end, once we know what happened to Abby, Bree and Chelsea are able to finally mourn their youth years, kind of, and this is like a catharsis and I liked the closure feel the last two chapters gave me. I liked who they seemed to be evolving into but who they were as 20 years olds did not seem engaging at all. It was a slight struggle in some moments to read about their feelings and choices. In regards to their connection with the killer, when it becomes obvious how they knew him I was, like "oh", but perhaps this was because I wasn't really paying attention.

I think this option to focus on the victim, or the possible victim, was a bold choice but I can't say the result was that rewarding. I might be biased since I didn't like the main narrators that much, but Abby in particular was not such a great person, and the biggest secret she had along with why she might have been a victim seemed a little too unimportant, although, of course, it would always depend on how the narrative is presented. I don't think this was a successful element.

All things considered, this was an interesting story but I will be honest and say I probably won't remember much about it in the future. 

Grade: 6/10

TBR Challenge: Chad Beguelin - Showmance

Noah Adams’s career as a playwright is circling the drain, thanks to a scorching review of his first Broadway musical. So when a family emergency sends him back to his Podunk hometown of Plainview, Illinois, he figures he’ll hide out for a bit. But to Noah’s horror, his agent has secretly arranged for him to stage an amateur version of the career-ruining musical at the local community theater.
As if trying to work with a bunch of artless amateurs wasn’t enough, Noah runs into Luke, the jerk from his high school years, everywhere he goes. Luke somehow grew up to be beloved by everyone in town…and undeniably gorgeous. As rehearsals begin, Noah is surprised by his cast’s insights, the warmth of the town he’d dismissed, and the reality of what happened with Luke all those years ago. Just how much has Noah misjudged?

Comment: The June theme for the TBR Challenge post is "pride". Supposing any story featuring LGBT characters would be a good pick, I had no difficulty choosing something and this book was already part of my June plans.

In this story we meet Noah Adams, a young playwright whose musical is just about to premiere on Broadway but, sadly, it doesn't have the acceptance he imagined. Thinking his career is done and using the sudden news of his father's heart attack, he and his boyfriend Chase, who also happens to be his agent, travel to his hometown in Illinois where Noah hopes to regroup. In fact, this happens way more quickly than he thought, with his old friends from community theater wanting him to direct his play there, with just a few minor changes.... Is Noah ready to think about who he is as a playwright? Or about why he is the person he his with so many people accepting him even though his father doesn't? What about his old nemesis not being the bully he remembered?

I can't remember where I saw this book being recommended in such a way that I felt I would like to try it myself, but I must have, otherwise it might not have gotten on my radar. The theater world isn't one I gravitate towards in fiction, but I'm not against having plots about it, so I was invested enough in Noah succeeding in his rework to make it worth my time.

The overall plot isn't too complicated. Noah doesn't succeed in his big breakout but he has the chance to redo some of it at a smaller scale in his hometown. Yes, not as prestigious as a Broadway success, but it is a way for him to process some things from his past and to realize that in order to have a successful life doing something you love it is necessary to aim only one direction, although it must be a much harder prospect to imagine in real life.

The plot does touch pretty much all the cliches one can think of while Noah learns his lessons and finally looks at things from another perspective which is not only his. I think all the secondary characters played their roles well (pun intended!) and were entertaining for me to care about them, even if it was at a slight superficial level. In terms of development, both of plot and of secondary characters, I cannot say this was groundbreaking, but all the elements together made for a good story line.

However, my general appreciation of the story isn't that great when I focus on Noah as the protagonist, or on the romance. Noah is likable for the most part but I confess I became tired of how loud he was. I say in the sense that his brain is always on the go, he seems to be witty and sarcastic, clever and active all the time and I got easily distracted by how much attention I had to give to what was happening when Noah was constantly doing something or chatting with someone and thought crazy stuff most of the time. In the beginning I actually disliked him a little but as things progress, this seemed to become a softer element and towards the end I was more invested in his happiness.

When the story begins Noah is happily with Chase and while it seems there is some unbalance between them - Chase is more successful financially - I think the wording and the scenes' description used by the author made it look as if nothing was wrong. This is why I was confused when it also seemed that the romantic love interest was someone else, Luke, who went to school with Noah and now works for Noah's father. I thought that the only way this would work would be for Chase to be taken out of the picture and I think the method was clumsy and avoidable.

I think things would have been more interesting if Chase had not been there from the start and if the author had highlighted the antagonism between Luke and Noah in a different way. The way things are, when Noah starts to notice Luke's interest it seems too odd for what we had been told before and now the author had to find a way to make it obvious that Luke would be the better choice, romantically. I've found this whole thing to be poorly done.

Therefore, the story as a whole is not that bad, it does highlight some interesting themes and situations, mainly the relationship Noah has with his parents and how each one works on its own individual way. But the romance part didn't convince me... to make it even slightly less impressive, the final unrealistic plot choice to solve the distance between Noah making a name for himself in New York and Luke remaining in Illinois just brought the grade down too. So, this wasn't bad but it wasn't great either.

Grade: 5/10

P.L. Travers - Mary Poppins

When Jane and Michael Banks draw up an advertisement for a nanny, Mary Poppins arrives on a gust of the East Wind and slides up the bannister, changing their lives forever.
Their wonderful new nanny is strict but fair, and full of surprises. Soon the Banks children are whisked off on the most exciting and magical adventures they have ever had. But Mary Poppins has only promised to stay until the wind changes...

Comment: I've read this book because of a topic in a challenge I'm doing. I got the book at a book fair a couple of years ago and I've finally had a good "excuse" to read it.

Mary Poppins arrives very suddenly at the Banks' house to become the nanny. But Mary, unlike all the nannies before, is special, mysterious and has a bag that seemed to be empty but from which she removes all kinds of things. During the time she stays with the kids, many weird situations happen but they have to bear in mind that one day she will leave...

I will confess I have not watched the Mary Poppins movies that have been released but I am aware enough of how important and special she is considered and I do recognize Julie Andrews in character if i see images of her online, and I also know there's a movie with Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson based on how this book's adaptation was done by Disney. But I had not read the books popularized by author PL Travers.

I didn't have any expectations, but I did imagine the books would include what I remember from seeing in some movie clips which is why I was actually surprised by how different in tone one thing was from the other. The Mary Poppins in this book was not as sweet and tender as I still picture Julie Andrews while she's singing, but I can see the details that would have made this a good/addictive children's story. Mary is magical and amazing but she isn't there to replace the kids' parents or to force them to be a family.

Since the book isn't big, it seemed to focus on two main elements, the way I saw them: that we must cherish the moments in which things happen to us - Mary comes and goes and what happens magically with her will do the same - and that what is special and different is always going to be part of us, even if we forget it, as we get older. Of course, this is all "hidden" under many adventures that, honestly, don't seem to make much sense to my adult self.

After the first three or four chapters I've started to loose interest. I can understand how incredible this was, considering when it was written, but I kind of wanted more substance to the characters, that they weren't only players in the adventures. Mary Poppins remains secretive and stiff throughout the book, and even in the three scenes where I think she showed how much she really cared I've wondered if perhaps I only wanted to see emotion there, and in reality that was never the goal.

Michael and Jane are the young children Mary takes care of but there are also the babies. I don't have much to say about the older kids since that they do seem to fulfill the role meant for them, but there is one chapter featuring the babies and how they babble and "talk" to a bird, and to Mary and how they are cognizant of what is being discussed but we know babies grow and forget everything as they become adults - I suppose we could discuss maturity and childhood innocence for a long time - and when the bird returns one day he finds the babies can no longer understand him. What a melancholic feeling...

I suppose that if one sees this through the eyes of the target audience, all the weird stuff is easily explained by magic, but to my current adult POV, there are just too many wrong things with the relationships depicted, the interactions, and even on how Mary deals with Jane and Michael. Of course I was partially manipulated by the movie clips I had seen; it is inevitable that I imagined the book to have more likable characters, more little things to make it worth wile... I can't explain this well, but I didn't feel any warmth nor coziness in reading this children's story, so...

I will watch the movie if I have the chance, to reminiscence and, I suppose, to maintain a sweeter feeling about the character of Mary.

Grade: 5/10

Grace Burrowes - A Gentleman in Pursuit of Truth

A dogged investigation... Lord Julian Caldicott is summoned to the country home of a family friend to search for a prize foxhound who’s gone missing. The purloined canine turns out to be only the tail of a series of puzzles involving family secrets, slander, blackmail, and fraud. Matters grow more baffling when Julian is told to drop the investigation, though suspects abound, motives are multiplying, and a large sum of money has come into play.

Hounded by lies...Julian survives an attempt on his life, and endures slights to his honor rather than give up on his objective. Before the truth is revealed–and the hound brought safely home–he will have to choose between protecting his only surviving brother from ruin, or allowing a scoundrel to get away with the next thing to murder.

Comment: This is book #4 in the Lord Julian series by Grace Burrowes, which I'm in the process of reading throughout this year.

In this new adventure, Lord Julian is investigating the disappearance of Thales, the well beloved hound of the Silforth family. Lizzie Silforth is an old friend of Osgood Banter, who has plans to travel to the continent with Julian's brother and he wishes to see this solved before he departs. Julian believes this to be a relatively simple task, but the more he investigates, the more intrigue he finds and it also seems as if all the neighbors have something bad to say about Lizzie's husband, who might be trying to gain money through fraud.... but how to prove this, and where is the prized dog hidden?

This was another thrilling adventure Julian gets himself into while recovering from his war injuries and the repercussions. As it happened with the previous ones, I thought that surely looking into the disappearance of a dog, prized or not, would not be very hard to accomplish, but the more information we got on the secondary characters and the situation, the more the author's cleverness in setting up everything shined.

Things really seem simple but it all sets on Lizzie's husband. Anaxamander Silforth (what a weird name even for historical novels) is an arrogant and malicious man who is bent on blackmail or pressure those who can give him what he wants and he doesn't care who is hurt in the process. In the middle of all this, Julian suspects he is trying to obtain money out of committing fraud but how to prove it? I will say I have felt a lot of frustration as things kept developing and a solution seemed more and more unlikely to happen. Thankfully, Julian managed to connect the dots...

I do like these light mysteries, and what a pity no contemporary devices can be used, for surely some things would be incredible easy to be explained. This also means we need to rely a lot on Julian's thought process and how he listens to some things, which might seem pointless, but that actually fit in a puzzle. Added to this tactic of developing the plot we have the author's writing style, which is very appealing to me in this series - it did not work as well in other books - and the slow pace and almost unimportant elements make for a very satisfying moment of learning how things can be solved.

This is also a very interesting study in character development because a lot is inferred by conversations and comments made by the characters as Julian investigates. Some things certainly would seem they don't matter and it turns out that they do. I like this sense that I need to pay attention, as if something necessary is being shared and I like the feeling of remembering when something was said or done and I can recognize it later.

It also feels unfair that some things Silforth blackmails the others with should not have to be a case in the first place. Again, it would be so easy to defeat him right away if he weren't preying on guilt and fear over things the characters are not really doing wrong. Or, to be more specific, that the law should not consider as being a crime. Thus, why I really liked it when the "good guys" won for it did feel special to see the way Julian and those who also wanted to see Silforth loose face make a plan to win him with unity.

I also liked how some issues pertaining to Julian's personal life seemed to have improved, in the sense that perhaps his situation will not be as difficult to overcome. Another great element of these books is to see the family interactions and how affectionate they are, even under all those polite company rules and so on.

I'm quite eager for the next book in the series.

Grade: 8/10

Jodi Picoult - Plain Truth

A shocking murder shatters the picturesque calm of Pennsylvania's Amish country, and tests the heart and soul of the lawyer who steps in to defend the young woman at the centre of the storm...The discovery of a dead infant in an Amish barn shakes Lancaster County to its core. But the police investigation leads to a more shocking disclosure: circumstantial evidence suggests that eighteen year old Katie Fisher, an unmarried Amish woman believed to be the newborn's mother, took the child's life. When Ellie Hathaway, a disillusioned big-city attorney comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania to defend Katie, two cutures collide, and, for the first time in her high-profile career, Ellie faces a system of justice very different from her own. Delving deep inside the world of those who live 'plain', Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms. And as she unravels a tangled murder case, Ellie also looks deep within, to confront her own fears and desires when a man from her past re-enters her life.

Comment: One more book by this author I've decided to bring from the library. I've resigned myself o think this author's work - which i seem to appreciate in general - will be a task to complete very slowly...

Ellie Hathaway is a great defense lawyer, even though some of her clients are definitely not as innocent as they claim, and after such a trial, she decides to lay low at her aunt's house in Pennsylvania, which is how she get to be involved in a new case. Katie Fischer, the daughter of an Amish couple is accused of killing her newborn baby, although she claims she didn't give birth and she didn't kill any baby. While all evidence points to her being the mother, things are not as clear in regards to her being a murderer and Ellie decides to live with Katie's family as a way to learn the truth and to protect Katie from the sensationalism of how the case might develop. But what is truth in this situation, is all only difficult to process because the family lives in an Amish community?

What I seem to like the most about the author's books, at least the one I have read so far, is how the writing is appealing, even if not as nuanced as some readers might prefer. But I like the fluidity and smoothness of how the story is told. The author really is a storyteller.

This story is very compelling and as often happens in this author's books, offers a lot of food for thought. I liked knowing a bit more about the Amish and how they see the world, although some situations depicted here didn't seem to match what I've seen in novels by other authors. Could it be that geography, family branch, region and many other factors might change how the elements behave? It wasn't clear if all Amish in Pennsylvania would adhere to the rules/laws mentioned, or if it was only pertinent to some in some areas.

Still, the Amish and the others dichotomy was a very interesting dynamic to consider, especially when it comes to certain legal matters, as used in this plot. Some legislation even starts to seem pointless when seen through the eyes of someone who doesn't understand the laws of the laws, meaning that some things are really only there to makes everything difficult and a lot of things are simply hypocrisy. I'm specially thinking about the trial process Katie has to deal with and how she and the other Amish in her family see the proceedings.

I liked both Katie and Ellie, the main characters, and how they got to become friends somehow while this case is happening. A lot of their thoughts and emotions aren't that different which is always quite a detail to bar in mind if we also think they had different backgrounds. I think I've struggled with the time it took for Katie to admit what happened to her and how she didn't remember what happened to the baby. I know this was presented this way so that the plot could exploit the "temporary insanity" idea and so that we could see the process of going from point A to point B, but it was sometimes repetitive.

Katie's story wasn't that challenging to contemplate, because the biggest issue here really is her religion and her communities' beliefs. In this regard, I think everything was probably a bit too softly explained, if I compare with other books I've read with Amish characters. Katie's community did seem a bit more approachable than what i imagined, in fact. Perhaps this misleads me to think Amish behavior cannot really be like that.

Ellie was more intriguing and easier to "read", and I did like that she gets to have a new try at life and romance because of this case. I also would say that sometimes her characters was a little cliche but in general, I liked reading about her and about how her presence would allow for certain situations at the Fischers to be presented through her POV. It's quite telling to see something we don't get to in our lives through the eyes of someone we can relate to do precisely that.

The resolution of the case wasn't surprising, to be honest, and the final explanation either, although I hoped for something a little different. Overall, I liked spending time with these characters and for that lone it was worth reading this novel.

Grade: 8/10

Eva García Saenz de Urturi - The Lords of Time

Kraken is enjoying life as a family man, content to spend his days with Alba and their young daughter Deba. But there’s no rest for the weary, especially when you’re the most famous investigator in Vitoria. Kraken and Esti are charged with investigating the mysterious disappearance of two sisters and finding it hard to make any headway when a wealthy businessman’s murder appears to shine a light on the case. The man was poisoned with a medieval aphrodisiac–a crime that has eerie similarities to one detailed in the novel everyone in Vitoria is buzzing about. When the two sisters are discovered trapped behind a wall–bricked up alive–the parallels to the novel are undeniable. With the author’s identity a closely held secret, will Kraken be able to track down the killer before they can strike again? Or will Vitoria’s sordid underworld finally break Kraken, and his family, apart.

Comment: This is the third installment in the White City trilogy by this author, which follows the investigations of Kraken, the way detective Unai is known by everyone around him. It just happens that the author has added two more stories to the "Kraken" investigations, but apparently not meant to be a continuation of the initial main narrative, although they are set chronologically after this story.

Some years have gone since the events in the second installment and Unai is now happily together with Alba raising their daughter. Everything changes again with the sudden cases of two missing sisters and a murdered businessman apparently having something in common. The thing is, recently a book had been published by a mysterious author using a pseudonym, and in that book, set in the 12th century, one of the characters had died exactly like the current murdered businessman. This leads Unai and his team to suspect the missing girls might have had the same fate as two sisters in the book... while trying to find out who the author of the book was they get to know the secrets many local families are hiding too...

From the beginning, I was captivated by this story. I remember I had liked the first one and that is why I wanted to keep up with the trilogy but the second book wasn't as wonderful or, to be more specific, I wasn't as thrilled by it as I had been with the first. When I saw this one available at the library, I thought it would be great to finish the trilogy anyway, and I'm glad because this ended up being my favorite installment.

When this story begins, considerable time has passed since what happened in the second book and I can say I only remembered the basics, even though I only read that book in January! Still, I was happy that the main characters seemed to have reached a peaceful moment in their lives and everyone was content with how things were. This did give me hope that whatever would happen in this book would not be as difficult to get over as what happened to them in the previous book.

I also liked the premise of having two parallel stories. We do get the development of the main narrative with all the murder investigations and such, and we get several alternated chapters which are narrated by a fictional character of the book in which some contemporary crimes were based on. The medieval period is not my favorite period in History but since the chapters were short and mainly related to the current plot events, it was easy to read and process/compare.

The investigations Unai and his team are doing really reeled me in. I was quickly taken by the story, the way things were linked between them and with the fictional book and it was very entertaining to turn the pages. The biggest mystery is investigating who murdered the victims we learn about as the story progresses, but there is also another intrigue, which is related to a character who seems to have dissociative identity disorder (or multiple personalities, if that is easier). I think all the details related to these two main subjects were quite enthralling and I can see how, considering the amount of bibliography the author mentions at the end of the book. Also, all the historical facts related to the region and the medieval practices must have meant a lot of hours doing research.

The story probably have some flaws in plot and in how some information is sequentially presented, and reading some less positive reviews has made me think of that, but knowing that some things didn't work out as well, and even including some boredom with the siege scenes some characters go through during the medieval sections didn't detract from my overall enjoyment. I think most elements were interesting and used in good proportion. 

Of course, some things about the main characters were always kind of implied and thus, some emotions related to things about them as individuals (as opposed to police investigators working) were a little too obvious and not as smoothly presented as I would prefer, but I think that all this with the sense of creepiness over the murders and with what was going on with the multiple personality guy simply compensated. When we learn who the murdered is, for me, it was just positively surprising on how all worked out. 

Even with flaws, to me this was a great book.

Grade: 9/10

Mary Balogh - Someone to Honor

Abigail Westcott's dreams for her future were lost when her father died and she discovered her parents were not legally married. But now, six years later, she enjoys the independence a life without expectation provides a wealthy single woman. Indeed, she's grown confident enough to scold the careless servant chopping wood outside without his shirt on in the proximity of ladies.
But the man is not a servant. He is Gilbert Bennington, the lieutenant colonel and superior officer who has escorted her wounded brother, Harry, home from the wars with Napoleon. Gil has come to help his friend and junior officer recover, and he doesn't take lightly to being condescended to--secretly because of his own humble beginnings.
If at first Gil and Abigail seem to embody what the other most despises, each will soon discover how wrong first impressions can be. For behind the appearances of the once-grand lady and the once-humble man are two people who share an understanding of what true honor means, and how only with it can one find love.

Comment: This is the 6th installment in the Wescott series by Mary Balogh, one of the series I have been slowly reading for the past months.

Abigail Wescott saw her life change radically once the bigamy of her father was discovered. She told herself she wasn't that bothered by it, because along with her, both her mother and her sister agreed with how they should feel about Anna, the rightful heir, coming into their lives. Even so, the one who changed the most was her brother, deprived of his title, which is why that now that he is finally home she feels they need to recover the lost time while he was at war. She didn't count, however, on his friend Gil staying for so long too, and she reluctantly begins to appreciate his presence and personality. But when a sudden need is forced upon him so that he doesn't loose his daughter, will Abigail be the person he needs to make certain all goes on well?

I gave this book four stars on goodreads and a seven here because, honestly, by comparing, I did like this story more than I did book #4 which was the one I liked the least so far. Otherwise, I might have given it a slightly lower grade because I just could not see the romance as that wonderful.

The base for this plot was interesting, Harry is finally home to recover from his war experience and the best place is at his country estate, where the family reunites to welcome him. Along with him, he also has a friend, Gil, someone who comes from very humble origins but reached a good rank in the military, and someone he trusts. Of course, it was fun to see how Gil and Abigail didn't get along right away and the reason is that they feel attracted to one another and she isn't really aware of why this happens.

As the story progresses, it starts to be very obvious that these two would be a good couple but at the same time, the chemistry they thought they had didn't seem very easy for me to see. Their interactions at first were expected and sometimes even cute in the sense they could not work on their attraction that simply, but as time went on and they got to know one another and started sharing confidences, I somehow got the feeling that instead of this reinforcing the attraction, it also made them both look more and more boring. I stopped feeling emotionally invested in them as I was in the beginning of the novel.

Abigail is a likable heroine, but I must say she isn't especially vibrant. I can understand her thoughts and emotions, considering what happened and how that must have affected her life and the relationships she had and how thin they were once she faced such social trials. I wanted more complexity for her character but it wasn't there, and I don't think she was a very challenging person to get to know. I mean, I'd be friends with her in real life, but reading about her wasn't what I imagined.

Gil is certainly a lot more interesting, personality wise. But it gets to a point that his ideas get very repetitive on that whole "I'm not worthy" particularly when we learn who his father is (what a coincidence it turned out to be. not) but that, of course, isn't that simple mentally. I think Gil is complex, yes, and he has a lot of inner debate on the course of his decisions. He is worried about his daughter which is understandable but this does color his view of how his life with Abigail should be and, sometimes, I don't think he was really fair in his assumptions.

Regarding the romance, I don't really buy it. I think the idea is good and the causes for their decision to marry as good as any, but the chemistry after the  wedding seemed to be missing. The intimacy between them told me nothing and I think if this had been a marriage of convenience which would develop after would have been better. Having them marry around half way and then deal with things made the story seem slow and a little lacking. 

Once everything is solved and everyone is in their best place in life, I've found the final decisions about who they were as a family to be predictable but sweetly delivered. I do like spending time with this Wescott family and their interactions are often rewarding to read about. But the romance between Abigail and Gil wasn't great.

Grade: 7/10