REVIEW: Dracula

 Dracula
Author: Bram Stoker

I love classic ghost stories and horror, but it's been a long time since I re-read some of the true classic horror. I decided this fall while I was trying to choose my spooky season reading to re-visit some tales I remember enjoying years ago. I chose Dracula first because the last time I actually read the book I was in college and read it because I had to read it. As a literature major, I read many things not because I wanted to but because I was required to read them. I loved the book, but it's different when you read something by choice and for a grade. 

This time, I delved into this 1897 novel from Bram Stoker because I truly wanted to read it.

In the past, I have read a physical copy of a classic story or novel while listening to an unabridged audio book at the same time. Often it is to compare two different editions of a story, but this time I did it because horror is just more engaging and chilling when it's being read out loud to me. I checked a hardback edition of Dracula out of my local library (illustrated by Edward Gorey) and listened to a full-cast audio version from Audible (cast included Tim Curry, Alan Cumming, Simon Vance and others). The audio was about 15 1/2 hours long. I decided since I truly wanted to enjoy this book that I was only going to read/listen when I had time to sit down with my book and concentrate only on the story. Sometimes I listen to books while driving or doing household chores, and I miss some things. I wanted to savor and enjoy this book, so only jumped in when I had time to give it my entire attention. 

It took me awhile...several weeks...to finish this book. Not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because I am incredibly busy right now at work and kept to my rule to only read this book when I had time to set aside just for reading. It might have been only for a few minutes here and there that I got to sit down and listen, but I thoroughly savored every word of this novel! 

We all know the story. Jonathan Harker travels to Count Dracula's castle on business as the count wishes to buy property in London. He discovers that Dracula is a vampire, but he is held captive in the castle while Dracula ventures to London. Jonathan escapes, joins up with several men and his wife Mina to confront the evil vampire. 

The story is chilling and still scary even after more than 100 years. I prefer the way Bram Stoker created the character, rather than all of the movie adaptations that changed fundamental parts of the story and characters. The horror is relatively tame when looked at with modern eyes, but I can only imagine how the tale was received when it was first published! It was probably viewed as quite graphic and racy! 

The story definitely kept my attention from start to finish. The last two chapters of the book are quite action-packed and gruesome. Stoker doesn't go into graphic detail but provides enough description for readers to envision the confrontation of the vampire and his evil minions. 

Loved it!! I'm going to do the same with Frankenstein next! I already have an annotated copy of Frankenstein and an audio version queued up in my phone! Not sure what I will delve into after Mary Shelley...but I think I will keep doing this for awhile. Very enjoyable!! 

Edward Gorey's illustrations in the physical book are wonderful! He is also the artist that created the old black and white intro to PBS' Masterpiece Mystery.

 

REVIEW: Sailing the Graveyard Sea

 Sailing the Graveyard Sea
Author: Richard Snow

Before reading this book, I had never heard the story of the attempted mutiny aboard the US Warship Somers in 1842 or Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie. Mackenzie reported when the ship reached port in Brooklyn, that 3 crew members had been hanged after the mutiny was prevented. But, later, it came out that the execution of the 3 crewmen may have been unlawful and that perhaps there had been no mutiny at all. 

This book outlines the history of the ship, the men involved, and the very public court martial that followed. 

Wow! What a tale! I'm not sure how I never heard of this incident! I enjoyed reading this account. The author presents the story of a training mission gone wrong using transcripts from the court martial. It makes for a very interesting read! Snow writes the facts in a very interesting way and the story kept my attention from start to finish. What a strange and very public case that definitely split opinions in its time. Some felt Mackenzie was a hero, and others thought he was a complete villain in the incident. 

Definitely a story I did not know at all before I read this book. I'm glad I learned the history of this naval incident and the good it eventually brought about that strengthened the U.S. Navy. 

I will definitely be reading other books by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Scribner. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Snow Place for Murder

 Snow Place for Murder
Author: Diane Kelly

I love this cozy mystery series about the owners of a mountain lodge in NC! Great characters, nice mix of humor and mystery, and engaging plots make this series a very enjoyable cozy mystery series!

Snow Place for Murder is the 3rd book in the Mountain Lodge Mystery series. This time, a resort developer visits the lodge just before Christmas. Locals are angered, tempers flare, a blizzard rolls in.....and the developer is found frozen under the snow. Who put the resort plans on ice? 

Another great book in this series! The stories are always fun to read, engaging and enjoyable. The mystery moved along at a nice pace. There was plenty of sleuthing, local color and humor mixed in. 

Nice cozy to read just before the holiday season starts to get going! I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series! 

Also, the cover art is wonderful! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The Fatal Folio

 The Fatal Folio
Author: Elizabeth Penney

The Fatal Folio is the 3rd book in the Cambridge Bookshop series by Elizabeth Penney. I like the characters, the setting and plots in this series, so was happy to read the latest installment! 

This time, Molly Kimball is busily cataloging her boyfriend's family library. The collection is massive and impressive. While working amid the stacks, she finds an original copy of a mysterious gothic novel titled, A Fatal Folio. Little does she realize that this mysterious story will lead to murder during Guy Fawkes Night festivities. 

The plot definitely kept my interest from start to finish. There were plenty of twists and turns, suspects, and sleuthing. Very enjoyable read! I really like this series and can't wait for the next book! I loved how the text of the gothic novel was intertwined into the story. 

This was a fun fall read! This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Murder at Home

 Home at Night
Author: Paula Munier

I did not realize when I accepted a review copy of this book that it was the 5th book in the Mercy & Elvis Mystery series. However, even though I was jumping in at book 5, I was easily able to follow the story and characters. 

This was definitely a great addition to my Spooky Season reading -- a rundown Victorian mansion, poachers and poisoners, an altercation with a masked intruder, a mysterious letter and a dead body. 

I loved the setting, the characters and the plot. The story kept my attention from start to finish. The dogs were my favorite characters, of course! There were many plot twists and much sleuthing. Altogether, a great cozy mystery! Loved reading this during Halloween season, but would be great anytime! 

I am definitely going to backtrack and read this series from the start! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Overdue or Die

 Overdue or Die
Author: Allison Brook

Overdue or Die is the 7th book in the Haunted Library cozy mystery series. I've been reading this series ever since it started, and have loved every book so far! 

I love books....mysteries, horror and suspense mostly. So tales about a haunted library and a librarian that seemingly always discovers murder victims is right up my alley! 

This time Carrie is trying to juggle wedding planning and setting up an art show at the library, when tragedy strikes. The local art gallery owner is murdered and turns out there is a lot more going on than just a killing. 

So much going on in this newest mystery in this series! It definitely kept my attention from start to finish -- interesting characters, twists, lots of suspects and sleuthing! Plus some nice character development in this book! 

I'm definitely eagerly awaiting the next book in this series! Always an enjoyable story! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: On This Day in History S*it Went Down

 On This Day in History S*it Went Down
Author: James Fell

I think we all had at least one history teacher who made the class boring. Uninspired lectures. Tired old information. No spark. Nap time. I know I did. 

But then I had several wonderful instructors that brought history alive. Told the tales with some animation. Real discussion. And engaged the entire class in the learning experience. Those are the teachers and classes that made me have a life-long love of learning about the past. 

When I was offered a review copy of this book by James Fell, I completely loved the concept. A truthful, irreverent look at the past from ancient to modern, with F-bombs and every other word thrown in for emphasis. What's not to love? 

 There is a history tale for every day of the year crammed into this awesome book. A daily snippet of profanity laced history lesson that we all can learn from. Lovely concept!

I got about halfway through this book, and ordered my own copy. 

This definitely ain't your Mama's history book. Love it! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Random House. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport

 The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport
Author: Samit Basu

I am a huge fan of high-tech Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories. The more bots and tech the better! Once I read the plot blurb for this book, I knew I had to read it! 

Shantiport was once a great gateway to the universe, but now it's pretty much just a shadow of its former self. Rumors are that Shantiport will soon be no more. Lina loves her city, is a tour guide, and would love to see with city shine again. Her brother, a bot that looks like a monkey, wants to get the H out of the city and see the rest of the universe. Their whole life changes when they find an old bot, a magic ring, and a lamp.....

This story is a futuristic re-telling of the Aladdin story. It was a great mix of humor, sci-fi, political corruption and greed, and adventure! The plot has many twists and turns, and it took me along for the ride from start to finish!

Very enjoyable read! I love it when a book surprises me, and this one definitely did! I didn't realize until I got about 1/3 through the book that it was an Aladdin re-telling. Then it just completely sucked me in and I couldn't stop reading! 

Imaginative. Adventurous. Exciting. This story is wonderful! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Tor Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Let Him In

 Let Him In
Author: William Friend

The incredible, creepy front cover of this book is what first drew me in. Then I read the plot blurb and was instantly intrigued. Others have written great stories about children whose imaginary friends aren't so imaginary or innocent. But this story takes that premise to a new, bizarre and creepy level. 

Alfie and his twin daughters are trying to navigate life following the death of the girls' mother. When the kids start coming into his room at night to report there is a man in their room and they start talking about their imaginary friend, Alfie thinks they are just trying to cope with grief and loss. But soon, this imaginary friend takes a dark turn. 

As I started reading this story, I really thought it was going to be the run of the mill evil imaginary friend tale. Kids make invisible friend, parent is mildly amused, situation turns dark, imaginary friend is exorcised, evil entity comes back, parent strikes back, entity is banished, family lives happily ever after. But nope....every time I thought I had this story figured out, it took a dark turn in a totally different direction. Creepily bizarre, this book was a perfect addition to my Spooky Season reading this year! 

This turned into a binge read for me. I couldn't stop reading....I had to know how it ended! 

Bit of a slow burn. But the story delivers. Loved it!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Night House

 The Night House
Author: Jo Nesbo

Richard is only 14 years old when his parents are killed in a fire and he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle. He has a rough time with his new life, town and school. He doesn't really fit in and starts causing major trouble. Stealing, pranks...just being a juvenile asshole. So, when he ropes another local teen into joining in on a prank and the kid disappears, most people think Richard had something to do with it. Richard has a wild, horrific story about what happened to Tom, but nobody believes him. 

Because really.....telephone booths at the edge of the woods don't make kids disappear, right? The logical explanation is that the weird, new kid pushed him in the river, or did something to him. Local law enforcement is pretty much convinced that Richard killed Tom. 

So, he forms a friendship with another local outsider to follow clues and investigate what happened to Tom.

I have read a couple of Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole Detective novels and enjoyed them. When I saw he had written a horror novel, I had to give it a read. This book is completely a departure from the gritty investigative Harry Hole novels.

This story is bizarre, yet completely sucked me in. It wasn't really that scary, but I found myself wanting to know WTH was going on. Creepy more than scary. Can you imagine being an outsider, and having something so fantastical and horrific happen right in front of you....and nobody believes you. Yikes!

I hope he writes more horror. I really enjoyed this book! The story was so weird, but engaging.

I kept thinking as I read that the story would make a really good creepy movie. I'd watch it!! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Knopf. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Christmas Mittens Murder

 Christmas Mittens Murder
Authors: Lynn Hollis, Lynn Cahoon, Maddie Day

I love the holiday themed Cozy Mystery Collections that Kensington puts out each year. These have become a tradition for me, and I read each one as it comes out! Always enjoyable and gets me in the mood for each holiday season. This one gathers 3 stories from 3 skilled cozy authors all themed around hand knit mittens. 

I enjoyed each story!

Death of a Christmas Mitten Knitter - This story features Hayley Powell from Lee Hollis' Food & Cocktails cozy series. I have not read this series yet, so I enjoyed the introduction to the premise, characters and setting. Things get heated at the annual Bar Harbor Church Christmas Bazaar when a piece of jewelry goes missing. While looking for the ring, Hayley finds a dead body instead. 

Two Christmas Mittens - This story is a Kitchen Witch series novella by Lynn Cahoon. Mia Malone is working a second job at a local Lodge to make ends meet. A dead body, one red mitten, and an ancient curse form the mystery that Mia has to solve before more people die! 

Murderous Mittens - CeCe Barton, owner of a Wine Bar in LA, is the main character in this novella by Maddie Day. Spending a restful Christmas at her sister's B&B away from LA, CeCe finds herself sucked into a mystery when a local bar owner and mitten maker is found dead. Can she unravel the mystery before the holiday is ruined? I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I enjoyed this story!

Reading these three enjoyable cozy novellas made me want to delve into each of these cozy series! I have read other books and novellas by these authors, but not the series featured here!! I have added all three to my TBR list and will definitely be reading more! 

This book made me not only want to pick up my knitting needles, but also got me feeling that holiday spirit!! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: A Deadly Education

 A Deadly Education
Author: Naomi Novik

I really did not know what to expect from this book. I went in with bare minimum knowledge of the plot. 

All I can say is ..... wow! I really enjoyed this book! Sometimes YA Fantasy is really hit or miss for me. It's a genre not really written for adults...so at times it's a bit too juvenile or I just feel the story line doesn't hit the mark for me. But when I find a YA book or series that really does hit the mark with me despite my being 55 -- I really get excited! The story lines can be so adventurous, interesting, and new. And, this book, I am thankful to say hit all the marks for me. 

It's sort of like Hogwarts meets Hunger Games? But not exactly....it's too hard to explain. Read the book! I don't want to give any of the plot away, as I enjoyed this more coming in without any spoilers. The premise makes total sense really. Magic would be inherently dangerous. And a school of magic with no instructors, just the goal to survive, plus real monsters lurking around....yikes! Gives surviving school a whole new meaning! 

 I love it when a book whisks me away into a world where I can imagine actually being there....and whether I could survive the situation. This story is awesome!

If you like magical fantasy -- read this book!! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Random House Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**