REVIEW: Cuckoo

Cuckoo
Author: Sophie Draper

When her stepmother unexpectedly dies, Caro comes "home'' to the farmhouse she grew up in. Flooded with bad memories and strange blank spaces in her recollections, Caro hates the house but longs for a chance to have a fresh start. She's both excited and scared when her sister tells her that she's going to turn the house and the rest of the inheritance over to her. Stephanie says she wants nothing to do with any of it. The minute Caro moves in strange things start to happen and Caro wonders if she's losing her mind. Memories start to return. Family secrets are exposed. What happened in that house? And who was to blame?

What a suspenseful and twisty story! I was completely sucked in from the start. From Caro's first actions after returning to her childhood home (pulling out the carpeting soaked in her stepmother's blood) to the completely twisted ending to this tale, I was mesmerized. I couldn't stop reading! I had to know what was going on....    Every time I thought I had things figured out....the story had another twist in store.

I can't imagine going through what Caro did. Coming home....having to clean up your hated stepmother's blood out of your newly inherited house. Enduring unfriendly glances and mean whispers from villagers. Slowly remembering that your horrible, abusive childhood was even worse than you remember. Yikes! This is one suspenseful and totally messed up story! I enjoyed every page of it!

Cuckoo is Sophie Draper's debut novel. I will definitely be eagerly awaiting more from this author!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Avon Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Game of Scones

Game of Scones
Author: Mary Lee Ashford

I have to admit it was the yummy photo of scones on the cover for this book that led me to read it. The photo looks so good! mmmm. I'm a sucker for culinary cozy mysteries anyway...so I didn't need too hard of a push to read Game of Scones.

Rosetta "Sugar'' Calloway recently left behind her career as a senior food editor for a magazine. When profits started declining she was downsized. So, she has relocated to the small town of St. Ignatius and started a cookbook business with her friend, Dixie Spicer. Sugar & Spice Publishing. Now this isn't a Martha Stewart or Paula Deen type cookbook publisher, but one that centers on community cookbooks.....ones with recipes gathered by local organizations, churches, schools, etc. Their first project is the St. Ignatius Founders Day Commemorative Cookbook. Unfortunately, drama has taken over the planning. Elsie Farmer is at war with the owner of the local B&B over which scone recipe will be included in the book, hers or Bertie's. Small town nonsense turns much more serious when Sugar discovers Elsie's dead body on the ground near her house. The dead woman is found clutching a scone. When Dixie's Aunt Bertie faces arrest for murder, Sugar knows she needs to ferret out the real killer!

I really enjoyed this first book in the Sugar & Spice Mystery series. I grew up in a small town....and live in one now....and the characters, gossip, and little oddities of St. Ignatius made me smile. So much like real life in any small town. From disputes over falling leaves to fights over family recipes.....small town life has its own set of peculiarities. Everyone knows everybody's business. And gossip passes through town at the speed of light. I like the setting for this new series, the characters and the background theme of a small community cookbook publishing business.

All in all, a quick entertaining read. The front cover is engaging....and yummy! There are recipes at the end of the book -- two scone recipes (so you can make a choice between Elsie and Bertie's recipes) and a broccoli dish as well. I will definitely be reading more books in this series!

The second book in this series, Risky Biscuits, will publish in July 2019.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Cold Days

Cold Days
Author: Jim Butcher

Harry Dresden is transforming from Wizard for Hire to Winter Knight. Even dying didn't save him from keeping his promise to Queen Mab. When you give your word to an immortal, it's a bit difficult to weasel out of it. So, Harry has to fulfill his new role.....but he chooses to do it on his own terms. Or at least try. He has to become the Winter Knight without letting the power lead him to become evil. And Mab isn't going to make things easy. She immediately orders him to kill someone....someone he shouldn't be able to kill. An immortal. He learns quickly that his new job is dangerous....and might take away what little he has left....his family, his friends and his soul.

I love this series! Dresden mixes magic, humor, fantasy and lots of gritty action. Every story has him facing new adversaries and twisty plots. This time he comes up against several immortal beings, each with their own agenda. Every time I thought I had the twists figured out.....the story would zing off in another direction. Loved it! There's a lot going on in this 14th book in the Dresden Files series....and lots of characters, new and old, join in....everyone from Santa Claus to the Erlking is in this one!

My favorite scene in this book is a great chase and fight involving the Wild Hunt, a horde of supernatural fae and magically disguised humans. The hunt is after Dresden! The scene was just awesome and filled with action! I wish they would make this series into a series of movies or a television show that actually does justice to the books. I would LOVE to see the Wild Hunt in action on the screen!

I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by James Marsters, the audio from Recorded Books is just under 19 hours long. Marsters reads with great style, hitting the characters' different personalities perfectly. He even manages to add in Dresden's signature sarcastic snarkiness. Great audio experience!

Another great book in the Dresden Files series. I'm almost caught up. I have slowly read this series over the last few years because Butcher hit a bit of a delay in his writing and hasn't released book #15, Peace Talks. It's a few years late...   And I hate cliffhanger endings. So I have been moseying my way through Dresden, hoping to not catch up before the new book comes out. One book left -- Skin Games. I will read Skin Games....then backtrack and read Dresden short stories....hopefully, that will get me through the time left until Peace Talks comes out. Or at least has a release date.

C'mon Jim....don't leave me hangin' for very long! :) I can't fault him for being late....he had a bit of a snag in his personal life. And family, real life, kids, relationships always take precedence. I (and the other Dresden fans) can wait. I really look forward to reading the new book with my hubby though! He rushed through the series and has been waiting on me while I just tiptoed through the tulips because I didn't want to catch up before the next book.....    It's really hard to avoid hearing spoilers when your significant other is several books ahead...ha ha.

On to the next! Skin Game!

REVIEW: Boca Raton

Boca Raton
Author: Lauren Groff

Boca Raton is the story of a woman's descent into madness because she fears the effects of global climate change. It's the 2nd of 7 stories in the Warmer collection from Amazon Originals/Audible.

It all starts when Ange finds dead baby birds on the beach, killed by little bits of plastic they consumed. Then it dawns on her....global warming will destroy the wildlife habitats in Florida, destroy farms that grow food and ultimately destroy her young daughter's life along with millions of others -- humans and animals alike. She starts to drink, growing increasingly paranoid and emotionally overwhelmed.

While I understand the intent of this story and the importance of being good stewards of this planet....I didn't like this story. I just don't really enjoy stories that have no hope...where the characters have no chance. The main character is so out of control....her own descent into mental instability starts destroying her daughter's life...and her own....way before global warming would have had any effect.

I listened to the audible audio version of this short story/novella. Dana Rosenberg narrates the story quite well. Rosenberg skillfully brings across the panic, emotion and fear of the main character. The audio is only about an hour long, so it's easy listening length.

I'm two stories into this collection and not really feelin' it. So far, the stories are thinly veiled commentary on modern issues rather than tales about climate change. I'm on overload when it comes to social commentary at the moment. Because the stories are short, I will keep listening and see if any of these tales actually ends up being predominantly about climate change. So far.....not.

DNF: When to abandon a story

I saw a post on Twitter this morning about a reader's choice to DNF (did not finish) a book and read through some of the replies.  There were those commenting that life is too short to read something that isn't enjoyable....and those on the other side of the spectrum saying that it's a part of mental discipline to always finish a book. I see validity on both sides....and it really got me thinking about what makes me DNF a book.

In 2018 out of 440+ books that I have read so far, I DNF'd one book and one audio book.

The audio book was a physical issue more than anything. I have partial hearing loss and some narrators are difficult for me to understand. This particular recording was a very disjointed story. Rambling, disjointed thoughts. Strange plot. The narrator read at a rushed speed, almost slurring words together using an affected southern backwoods accent. I couldn't understand what he was saying. I tried multiple times to get through the entire 38 minutes of the novella. The nature of the story mixed with struggling to hear/comprehend the narrator just made it a lost cause.  I stopped listening and moved on.

The book I didn't finish was written by an author that I've enjoyed for years. Bestselling author. Understandably so. But he falls back on particular tropes over and over and over and over again in his novels. As I read the book, I just kept thinking how it was like he took one of his earlier books, changed the setting and characters a bit and adjusted the plot slightly to make a new book. Nothing new. I just wasn't enjoying the story. So, I stopped reading. At some point, I might pick that book up again and give it another go. It could have been the day, my mood, my thoughts at the time.....I have read many books by this particular author and enjoyed most of them. But at the time I could not see the benefit of slogging through 500 pages of a story I felt I'd read before....

I read more than 400 books this year in almost every genre. Most of them I enjoyed. Some I did not. I wrote mostly favorable reviews because I'm picky about what I choose to read. I pick things I think I will enjoy and skip over those I know I will not. Just because an author is popular or many people are reading a new book does not mean I need to read it. Not all stories are meant for all readers. I pick and choose.....which means I rarely have to DNF a story before the end.

It is not a reflection on my mental discipline to abandon a story I cannot enjoy. Knowing when to cut bait and move on I think comes with wisdom. I'm 50 years old.  I have a degree in American and English literature. I've read thousands and thousands of books plus written and currently editing 3 of my own. And over my lifetime I have learned (most often the hard way) when it's time to move on. Not all stories are for all readers. That's a lesson that comes with time and experience. Reading a book is not a contract, a commitment, a personal relationship or a job. It's a mental journey that engages emotion, imagination and inner spirit. When a story isn't working.....it's ok to move on to one that does. 

When a story engages my interest, my thoughts and my imagination....I finish it. At times, for various reasons, that doesn't happen.

I have a finite amount of time in this universe. There are millions upon millions of books. I can't possibly read them all. But I'm going to spend my time enjoying as many as I can.

I'm not going to waste my time on stories that are not meant for me, that don't engage my spirit.

And that's perfectly ok.

REVIEW: Murder in the Dark

Murder in the Dark
Author: Simon R. Green

Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny Balcourt are on another case. This time, a strange black hole has opened up in a hillside in Somerset. A group of scientists have been sent to examine and study the phenomena. Jones has been called in because an archaeologist fell into the hole and disappeared. Upon arrival, they find that communication outside the site is limited to one phone call per day from the mysterious organization that sent them there. No cell phones. No radio communication. And only limited internet. They understand very little about the pitch dark, strange hole they are here to study or about why everything surrounding their work is so secret. What's the truth about the absolute darkness on an isolated hillside?

I love the Ishmael Jones series! Ishmael reminds me of an alien, much more spooky, Fox Mulder. Working for a mysterious government group called The Organization, Ishmael and Penny investigate all things alien, supernatural and downright dangerous. The stories are dark, strange and suspenseful. Murder in the Dark is the 6th book in this series. Simon Green tells a great spooky story. This series has never let me down. I like the shorter length of these novels. I can get in a great supernatural fix without a lot of extra fluff. Green jumps right into the action, sending Ishmael and Penny off to all corners of the world to investigate all sorts of strange, warped and usually top secret happenings. I like how the two main characters compliment each other. Where one is weak, the other is strong. They make a great team. Ishmael's background story is eerie in itself, which really makes the character perfect for this type of series.

Murder in the Dark is an awesome addition to this series. I'm definitely going to keep reading. I like Simon Green's writing style. I still miss The Nightside series, but this new series is equally as enjoyable for me. I can't wait to find out what sort of trouble they will be in next! This is one series I would love to see made into a television series or even movies. It would have to be done true to Green's writing though. I don't want another Dresden Files debacle. I hate it when I get so excited about a film adaptation of a favorite series, only to discover they totally mangled the plot or characterizations!! Do it right, or leave it alone.

Although it isn't completely necessary to read this series in order, to get the full background of characters and past events, it's probably best to start at the beginning rather than hopping in at book six. But, this story would be enjoyable even without all the background on The Organization and Ishmael & Penny.

Great addition to this series! I look forward to their next adventure!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Severn House via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Sorrows

The Sorrows
Author: Jonathan Janz

This story is seriously messed up.

I don't mean that in a bad way. I mean that in a creeptastic horror story way.

Totally.  Messed. Up.

After reading a couple of Jonathan Janz's books, I realize this is his normal MO. Awesome!

With a deadline to produce a music score for a horror movie quickly approaching, Composers Eddie and Ben decide to spend some time at an island estate off the coast of California. Castle Blackwood is nicknamed The Sorrows because of all the twisted, horrible things that have happened there. In 1925, there were several murders on the island. A group that stayed there in the 1970s to research the murders met a similar fate. Now the two composers and two female companions head to The Sorrows hoping to revive their musical muse.

Not a good idea. Very, very bad idea.

Hallucinations. Dark Thoughts. Violence. Ancient Evil.

The Sorrows has plans for all of them.

I'm not going to reveal much about the plot because it needs to catch readers by surprise. There were some parts I really liked....others that felt a bit B-movie....and some were just completely out there. But, all in all, as I finished up this story I felt like it all worked.

What I will say is this --- prepare to dislike every character in this story. They are all pretty reprehensible people for one reason or another. And travelling to a cursed/evil island with a group of folks like that is never, ever a good idea for those involved. Luckily, a reader does not have to like the characters in a horror story to enjoy the creepiness. To be completely honest, I found myself rooting for the ancient evil. Go evil! Eat the awful people! :)

The Sorrows is actually a re-release. First published in 2012, The Sorrows was Janz's first book. There is a sequel, Castle of Sorrows. Definitely adding this second book to my TBR list!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**