John Williams - Stoner

William Stoner enters the University of Missouri at nineteen to study agriculture. A seminar on English literature changes his life, and he never returns to work on his father's farm. Stoner becomes a teacher. He marries the wrong woman. His life is quiet, and after his death his colleagues remember him rarely.
Yet with truthfulness, compassion and intense power, this novel uncovers a story of universal value. Stoner tells of the conflicts, defeats and victories of the human race that pass unrecorded by history, and reclaims the significance of an individual life. A reading experience like no other, itself a paean to the power of literature, it is a novel to be savoured.

Comment: This is another book I was able to borrow from my best friend. It seems this book is considered a classic but hasn't had a lot of attention until a french translator decided to, well, translate it, and from her work onward, others did the same. This book was, again, being recommended by readers and is still seen as a hidden gem among many other classics....

William Stoner is an English teacher at a university in Missouri in the early 20th century. He is given the chance to study the equivalent of agronomy so that he can keep on helping his parents, who have a farm. It is with much difficulty they make this possible for him, and that is also why he feels both guilty and excited when he discovers the beauty of English and switches his major, enabling him to become an English teacher. The rest of his life is a series of demands and challenges, small mercies and huge disappointments, but Stoner remains faithful to his character and to his love of English and of the written word...

This is definitely a quiet book. It's not a book someone should read for action or for fast paced plot twists. It is, like Stoner himself felt, a way for us to enjoy the beauty of language, the beauty of how small things, apparently unimportant things, end up touching us and causing a reaction we would dismiss at first.

William Stoner is a wonderful character, someone who remains true to himself and his thoughts, only sinning, in my POV, by being too complacent in his personal life, but that, too, is part of who he is. I'd say he is an introvert, someone who is happy with his little things and preferences and even when life gives him reason to be sad or angry, he reacts with dignity and calm, proving that if there is one difference in how humans evolved is that in the past people would not have easy access to devices in which to vent, and they probably were more introspect.

The book starts by saying there isn't much to remember about Stoner, nor as a person, nor as a teacher. Most people in the planet could be described this way, we might not be much for the majority, in fact most of the world will never know who we are, but for a small group of people, we are someone. Yes, Stoner isn't a larger than life type of character, but he is special in his way and I really loved it how the author tried to show this through a simple but powerful language.

If there is one issue for me is that we seem to only focus on a few moments in Stoner's life, and the examples used, were certainly picked for them to play a role in how we perceive Stoner, but sometimes this felt too glaring in how it highlighted Stoner's bittersweet life. I get it, but part of me wishes he could have had some more obvious happy times. Although, I could counter argue myself by saying that is is precisely the depressing situations and emotions that make the book feel so impactful for me.

Stoner doesn't have a happy life if we see it through the lens of what is being sold to us, in our contemporary existence. But why should it, if what makes one happy isn't always what makes the other that way? Everyone is different and I did like how I could kind of see myself in Stoner, in the sense that I also like to be alone doing my things, just reading or not talking to lot of people. I also feel that my loneliness or my need to just what I have to without continuous demands and/or ambition makes me happy just the way I am. 

Stoner faces a lot challenges but he never acts impulsively, all his actions - including the ones we might not agree with - are thoughtful and happen because he feels them intensely,even if he can't understand how to verbalize or explain them. I kept rooting for him to succeed in whatever issues he had to deal with. I also cried when this book ended, which one can predict since the author states it right in the first paragraph, but... it still caught me by how emotional it made me feel.

I liked this book, I liked the writing, I liked the vibe and the protagonist. I think the story is a bit too melancholic for me to feel like re-reading, but part of me wishes I could have such a dedicated friend as Stoner is to his beliefs and love of words.

Grade: 8/10

Michael Palmer - Silent Treatment

Dr Harry Corbett is on his way to visit his estranged wife, Evie, who is scheduled for surgery the next day, for what he hopes will be a quiet evening of reconciliation. But, without warning, he arrives to find her dead in her hospital bed.The police suspect murder, and Corbett is their only suspect...Harry is unprepared for the stunning revelations that follow. Leading a double life, his beautiful wife had uncovered a deadly secret - and when the killer strikes again, Harry is once more the sole suspect.Medically sophisticated, coolly arrogant, moving undetected through a busy urban hospital, it is clear to Harry that the killer can only be a doctor.Can he stop the killer in his tracks before any more patients receive his lethal silent treatment?

Comment: This is the second book I try by this author (the other was Natural Causes, which I've read before getting this blog) and i have decided to do it because my best friend let me borrow it. I had an idea of the author's style and really only wanted entertainment.

Harry Corbett is a doctor whose patients love because he is dedicated and not mercenary in what he requires for his help. However, his presence at the hospital he works at isn't seen that greatly by everyone and he even has some co workers who dislike him. His marriage isn't doing well either but he certainly feels he has to be there for his wife Evie when she is about to undergo a surgery and he is as shocked as everyone when she has a problem and is declared dead. This happens in a very weird sequence of events and Harry starts connecting some dots, which leads him to a conspiracy against him. With the help of a patient and a woman who was in the same room when Evie was killed - for he realizes this is exactly what happened - Harry will run against the clock to catch the villain and avoid him from killing others...

I like medical thrillers or suspense or whatever label might be used for the genre Michael Palmer, Robin Cook and others are usually known for. I am not a doctor nor do I work in the field, but there is something captivating about plots about medical issues or about the medicine environment that appeal to me. The mystery and the science of everything.... I also like medical TV shows for similar reasons.

In this book the focus isn't as much on medical procedures but in how this field is the way for the villains to accomplish their deeds, which are obviously caused by money and greed. Still, I liked the way the method used to reach the victims was through an hospital but I must say that it is very surprising how some things can be achieved in a place that, supposedly has a lot of security but some acceptance of unlikely scenarios has to be taken into consideration. I know this was published in 1995 but, still...

The story is focused on dr Harry, who is one of those doctors who has a lot of virtues and doesn't seem to be manipulated by money. Hos wife dies in the sequence of a medical issue but he can't understand how, until a fellow patient tells him she saw someone entering the room when they shouldn't. Conveniently, though, Harry had been the last person seen and he is becoming the prime suspect... I did like all the twists and turns the plot took and what a blast, for it reminded me of those old action movies with more plot than fighting scenes and how exciting it was to follow things even if the story was predictable.

This book is that, in fact, but my enjoyment wasn't as much because of how clever the twists were but by how interesting it was to see the characters connecting the dots. Plus, I've kept my interest in seeing how the villain operated and how the drug he gave to Evie and other victims seemed to leave no trace for the labs to find. Things weren't always smooth or interesting; I did not care for the club like behavior the villains organized for themselves and could do without the whole shady/titillating expectations supposed powerful men partook in before they were caught.

I think the author used several elements we would say are cliches now, but this didn't make me any less engaged and I kept rooting for Harry to succeed, both in discovering the hidden evil plans behind the deaths and in clearing his name. 

I would probably read more things by him, if it becomes possible.

Grade: 7/10

Susan Cain - Quiet

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over working in teams. It is to introverts—Rosa Parks, Chopin, Dr. Seuss, Steve Wozniak—that we owe many of the great contributions to society.
In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

Comment: I brought this book from the library, simply because I consider myself to be an introvert as well and was curious to see what the book would contain.

Susan Cain has compiled a set of examples of introvert and extrovert people to illustrate how introverts are actually capable, clever and ingenious, even though they are not always comfortable exposing ideas or being the center of attention. In this book, based on many case studies, the author aims to prove how being an introvert isn't necessary a negative feature, as often seems to be inferred. Thus, this book is a simple tool to demonstrate how being an introvert can be a positive element after all.

As with so many other people out there, I have always considered myself to be an introvert. I have not done well in public situations and have done my best to avoid them when I can. I went through some juggling so that I could avoid oral presentations, including missing a class to present work for another one at a time I knew not many people would attend, I have simply not done them when I could avoid them, and I have tried my best to not be at a place where others had to rely on my oral skills. 

Now, in my professional life, I need to deal with public but thankfully, in a kind of contained environment, and I have learned to deal with it. But I still avoid parties, social situations where I feel I cannot control my hopes of leaving, of if I don't know people/feel comfortable with them. I am one of those who prefer to stay home, who finds excuses not to go to a social event and praise the Lord when something is cancelled.

Therefore, reading this book did settle something in me, in the sense that being like this - I also consider myself to be shy, but that is a different trait, not the focus here - doesn't have to be as negatively perceived as I have personally thought all this time. I liked the fact the author used many examples of people she worked with, or people who are famous, to establish the fact that there are ways to deal with social anxiety and the need to fit a role that is, sometimes, more like acting than genuine feelings in some contexts.

The book is divided into several chapters, all somehow focused on several ways introverts have been overlooked in detriment of the extroverts, but in reality this isn't so, because introverted people can shine in the same situations, if only we see them through a different POV. I've found the several ideas quite interesting and all of them gave me food for thought, but I must say that, considering the examples and the institutions mentioned (for studies and so on) were all, obviously in the US - since the author is north american - some things felt very geographically limited. There are some references to Asian-American individuals but that wasn't enough, I'd say.

I also kind of wanted a bit more focus on cultural aspects, which I feel weren't really given the importance I feel they merit for how introverts and extroverts might be influenced. This book did focus a lot on corporal/big companies/law behaviors and how they work. Not all situations depicted, shared seemed to be simple to compare with other settings. I guess this makes sense, f that is the author's field, but some of the guidelines used/suggested don't seem to be as easy to incorporate in a more daily life situation, so... a little too specific, it seemed.

For me, what this book benefited me the most was in reading the examples and thinking about the fact others had to deal with insecurities and issues as much as I have. Some descriptions and even genetic data seemed quite interesting and provocative. I think the author did an OK job in presenting the information and in making it matter, but not everything was always as captivating as I imagined, simply because it would include things that passed me by, to be honest.

Still, all things considered, it was an intriguing book to read, and it did give me plenty of information to think about. I'd read other things by the author on this theme.

Grade: 7/10

L.A. Witt - Rebound

Officer Geoff Logan has his plate full. His cop’s salary and Marine retirement aren’t enough to make ends meet. He’s got war wounds and demons that are in it for the long haul. His teenagers are, well, teenagers, plus they’re pissed that he left the boyfriend they loved. Can’t a guy catch a break?
Seattle Snowhawks center Asher Crowe has it all. A seven figure salary. A literal house on a hill. A stable, loving relationship with an amazing boyfriend. At least, that’s what the world sees. Behind closed doors, he’s been living in a private hell, and when he finally works up the courage to end things, his boyfriend refuses to go quietly.
One call to the cops, and suddenly Geoff and Asher’s paths cross. But is the connection between them simple chemistry? Kindred spirits? Or just a pair of lonely hearts looking for a hot distraction?
And even if it’s more than physical, is there really a future for two men from such vastly different worlds? Especially when the past comes knocking?

Comment: This is the first book in the Puck and Rainbows trilogy by author L.A. Witt, which I have decided to read because I had tried the author's books before and liked them, so... why not try some more?

Geoff Logan is a 40 something police officer who answers to a call with his partner and they meet hockey player Asher Crowe and his boyfriend Nathan, who seems to be the aggressor. Geoff quickly realizes Asher needs help and makes it possible for him to leave and he follows up on his promise, checking in with Asher in the days after, becoming aware Asher and Nathan have finally broken off. As their meetings pile up, so does the fact Geoff and Asher have a lot in common, in spite of their age difference and the numbers on their paychecks. But Geoff's experience through a similar situation is enough to give him hindsight in how to be with Asher?

It is rather obvious that hockey romance in m/m books has had quite a boom lately, but let it be said this title was released in 2019 and it does seem to show. I say this because I have loved the m/m hockey series that have taken the world by storm lately but in this book by mrs Witt, hockey isn't really the focus of the plot. In fact, it seems to be more a convenience and not a necessary item.

In general, I cannot say this is a bad story but it wasn't always very thrilling to read either. Probably, the element I wasn't as amazed by was the romance, which felt a little mechanical and a little superficial, considering the amount of personal issues they both had, and then adding the age gap and the different interests/work fields, made things seem to be too focused on their shared history of having an abusive partner. I mean, I understand their initial link, but the romance felt almost secondary.

Geoff is a man in his 40s, with two children, he still gets along with his ex, their mother, and he is still dealing with some PTSD from his days in the marines, and now the end of a six year relationship with a man who manipulated him, mostly through financial issues. He has baggage but he is still a likable person, he is aware of his limits and problems and he tries his best to do the right thing. Basically, a sweet man! I was, of course, rooting for him and for Asher.

Asher is a 20 something, has a great paycheck and is known in all of Seattle, as expected. His physique matches his job as a professional hockey player but he hides the fact his boyfriend has been abusive for a long time, which he knows would clash with the idea others have of him. Asher is a sweet guy too and quite mature for his age, which we learn why when he shares his more humble origins and the stable family background.

As individuals, these two were great on their own and I think their personal stories were worth of more depth, more development, which didn't happen. I can understand that it's not easy to include so much in one romantic dynamic, but the truth is that none of the elements used seemed to have been developed with the intensity or the depth they merited. Perhaps the author only wanted to let if be obvious why the guys would take their time, why they would be careful with one another, why they would respect boundaries and such, which is wonderful, but then the chemistry and romance seemed to be missing.

There were too many elements to keep track of, things that deserved more air time. Thus, the plot included too many important things for the romance to feel it was center stage. I liked the scenes between Asher and Geoff but did I fully believe in their falling in love? Not really... and the age gap, Geoff's children, their jobs... all these things were like props, it felt. I am certainly being harsh, but I kind of wanted more from this, considering the memories I have of having enjoyed the author's other books I had tried.

All in all, a good enough effort, it did entertain me. I wanted more out of it, though, and for that, for the potential, I think the author could have done better.

Grade: 6/10

Mark Sullivan - The Last Green Valley

In late March 1944, as Stalin’s forces push into Ukraine, young Emil and Adeline Martel must make a terrible decision: Do they wait for the Soviet bear’s intrusion and risk being sent to Siberia? Or do they reluctantly follow the wolves—murderous Nazi officers who have pledged to protect “pure-blood” Germans?
The Martels are one of many families of German heritage whose ancestors have farmed in Ukraine for more than a century. But after already living under Stalin’s horrifying regime, Emil and Adeline decide they must run in retreat from their land with the wolves they despise to escape the Soviets and go in search of freedom.
Caught between two warring forces and overcoming horrific trials to pursue their hope of immigrating to the West, the Martels’ story is a brutal, complex, and ultimately triumphant tale that illuminates the extraordinary power of love, faith, and one family’s incredible will to survive and see their dreams realized.

Comment: Two years ago, I got this book for two reasons: the cover is gorgeous and I had seen some references by several people on GR who seemed to have enjoyed. Thus, without much investigation, that is true, I assumed this would be an historical fiction story, and a heartbreaking one at that. Still, I've decided to give it a go.

It's 1944 and Adeline and Emil Martel traveled with their two sons and other family members from a region under the rule of Stalin to another one, in Germany, where they would stay apparently safer since their family is descendant from "pure blood" Germans. The problem is that, at this time, between politics and poverty, there isn't much hope in their future and who knows when something changes again. the Martels decide to go as west as they can, but will they succeed?

As soon as we started this book, we are presented with an author's note saying this story is based on true facts, on real people and their life story and how they should be recognized by the terrible fate they were dealt and by how amazing their resilience and ability to suffer in the grace of God was. I could immediately tell I would not really enjoy the "vibe" of the book, but since I had already decided...

Besides, I have read other books based on real people or in historical facts/events and some have been great and addictive. However, this wasn't so, I'm afraid. I also see now that the average for this book on GR is quite high but I must join the group of those who didn't really have a great time... perhaps the time I hesitated before buying this book because something about it didn't "grab" me despite the cover and so on should have been a warning I should have paid more attention to, after all.

There is nothing wrong with the writing, it is certainly competent, correct, easy in the sense that the grammar and the graphic separation between chapters and situations within the chapters make for an effortless experience. For me, the problem is with the style, which I've found to be boring, simplistic, dull. The way this is written is competent, yes, but made me have zero interest in paying attention or in wanting to know what would happen next. I only finished because I pushed myself and because I was already imagining I would be able to donate this to my local library.

The book includes, at the end, two pictures of the Martels, which was great, yes, as was the knowledge of what efforts the author took to prepare himself to write this book, including traveling trough the current countries which are part of the path the Martels traveled since leaving their place in what is now Romania or Ukraine, until they reach Germany. I also liked knowing these were real people, who survived, obviously, and who had quite a tale to tell their children and grandchildren. For these things alone, I graded this story higher than what I thought at first.

I disliked the writing, though. The Martels go through a lot but this is told to us in such a way that it felt more like a paper and a list of all the tragedies they faced/lived though. I mean, of course, but wasn't there a better way to convey the story? Wasn't there a different tone to describe the narration? I wonder if this was so that the family would accept/validate the publishing of the book somehow? I also didn't like how religious aspects were made to seem so important. I can accept that they were for the family, but the author should have found a better way to include this.

I conclude that the author should have simply written a non fiction book, just like other readers have said in other(better) reviews. I don't feel this story should have been fictionalized this way because while i can appreciate the real people who went though all this, the characters in this story were just too one dimensional, lacked development and evolution in a believable manner, as one would expect from a fiction narrative. Again, perhaps this was so that the family would feel honored, I don't know.

Therefore, not a great experience for me. I think I won't be reading more by this author but perhaps someone at the library will enjoy this book!

Grade: 3/10

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