I read this for a book club at work, and to be honest, I probably wouldn't have finished it if not for that club. I'm glad I did because it got much better at the end - but for the first 300 pages I just wasn't sure I could hang in there.returnreturnThis one was really interesting because it focused mainly on Mary Boleyn, Queen Anne Boleyn's sister, the sister who doesn't get too much press. She had a very interesting story - married at 13, bedded with the King by 15 - and then realized that life at Court isn't so grand. returnreturnFor me, there was not a single likable character in the first half of the book (possibly with the exception of Katherine of Aragon), but Mary becomes more and more likable and I definitely started pulling for her to buck tradition and to get on with her on life as a "nobody!" returnreturnThis was rich with history and even made me do a bit of research into the time period. I was admittedly ignorant about the time period, but I find myself wanting to learn more and more to see what pieces were "historical" and which pieces were "fiction" in Gregory's novel.

I was really excited about this one because it features a ghost hunter and she acknowledges Grant Wilson and Jason Hawes and The Atlantic Paranormal Society for teaching her about ghost hunting - score! But I do have to say that of the three of hers that I've read, this one was the least attention-catching. It was a fun mystery - there's all sorts of characters in the beginning and you can't exactly figure out how they all fit together right away. Slowly the reader can begin connecting dots and it's awful fun trying to figure out who goes where in this puzzle. returnreturnEven though there are ghosts peeking around every corner, they're not there to scare - neither the other characters nor the reader - so don't let that put you off. This is perfect for a relaxing summer read, so definitely check it out!

I think Kate Morton can see into my soul and know exactly what I'm looking for in a book because I haven't been disappointed yet! I would describe this book as gothic because it has all of the makings: family secrets, a castle, the idea of ghosts, and tragedies. Edie is a young woman who works in the publishing company and is directly connected to Milderhurst castle, an old place owned by the three reclusive Sisters Blythe, although she has no idea. She discovers her connection when her mother receives a long-lost letter in the mail from Juniper Blythe, the youngest of the sisters. Her mother, Merry, reveals that as a child during WWII, she was evacuated from London into a local village. Juniper chose Merry to live at Milderhurst castle with the Sisters Blythe and their father, Raymond Blythe, the author of a children's book that would go on to inspire Edie's love of literature and her calling to the publishing industry. The origin of the story (The True History of the Mud Man) becomes a 75 year old mystery in the book-world, which Edie sets out to unravel.returnreturnEmotionally, this book reminded me how connected we all are and how important people's stories are. Unless you're the first occupant of your home, someone has lived there before you. That person had a story, a life, and their own form of tragedy. This book reminded me that a little piece of that person lives on in that home and we brush up against it daily.returnreturnMorton always does an excellent job of creating characters that have essences of the person that I want to be. She is skilled at jumping back and forth in time, but allowing the reader to easily follow and understand. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves books about castles, family secrets, WWII, and eccentric old women!

Another spooky book for October! This one focuses on a set of twins named Julia and Valentina. They are very dependent on each other and extremely enmeshed. The inherit a flat in London and a large sum of money from an estranged aunt (who was their mother's twin) whom they've never met. The one requirement? They must live in the flat a year before selling it and their mother and father are not allowed to enter the flat.returnreturnAfter they move on, strange things begin happening. Bitterly cold winds envelop them, lights begin to flicker, their television set goes out. Aunt Elspeth is in the house with them!returnreturnThere are lots of twists in turns in this, so I don't want to give too much away. I do have to say that it was a tad predictable and I would have liked a bit more spookiness. I would give it between 3.5 and 4 stars, but will go with 4 because I like to be generous!

This novel, the winner of the 2008 Pulitzer, won me over in the end. I didn't really enjoy the first half, but really got into it as the story went on. The story is, as told by a family friend, about the de Leon family. They are from the Dominican Republic and are living in New Jersey, and are tragically complex. Some believe there is a curse on the family that followed them from the DR, which may not be too far fetched.returnreturnThe family's story centers around Oscar, an overweight young man who is very much into sci-fi/fantasy, comic books, role playing games and anime, and who is constantly falling in love with random women. He is endlessly teased at school and as an adult and has zero luck with the opposite sex. As an adult, he becomes depressed and even attempts suicide.returnreturnWhat I liked about this book was that it showed how deeply others touch us - even those that are very different from ourselves and we wouldn't normally be friends with. It's a tragic story that at times feels too ridiculous to be true, but at other times really hit close to home for me.

I first learned of this book on Library Thing and read an article on The Independent by Michael Faber regarding his experience watching the BBC mini-series. I knew that I just had to read this.returnreturnIn my unprofessional opinion, the writing of this novel was quite good. While reluctant to read a book about a prostitute written by a man, I was pleasantly surprised at the complexities and subtleties each character brought to the story. Mr. Faber did an excellent job of allowing me to feel as though I were walking down a dirty London street and following the characters wherever they may go. He also used the interesting technique of speaking directly to the reader - which served to pull me back into the story at the exact moment I found myself drifting away. The gender roles constructed by Mr. Faber were quite interesting and thought provoking.returnreturnSet in Victorian London, this is a complex story that centers around Sugar, a prostitute known for doing whatever a man wants her to do. Sugar was trafficked into prostitution at a young age by her mother but had dreams of being a writer. The novel that she stoops over in her tiny room in the brothel tells a tale of a prostitute taking her revenge on her customers in the most brutal ways. returnreturnA struggling businessman, William Rackham (of Rackham Perfumeries), seeks Sugar out after reading a pamphlet of the best prostitutes in London. Sugar comes highly recommended. William eventually rescues Sugar from her mother's brothel and gives her a private suite of rooms in a cleaner, more proper part of London. The once independent and fierce Sugar becomes obsessed with keeping William in her life because she has come to depend on him in order to live her new lifestyle. Without giving away any spoilers, it is at this point that I believed the novel became most interesting.returnreturnI would recommend this to those that are interested in archaic gender roles and the culture of prostitution. Don't let the length scare you away - I found myself hiding out during the day and late into the night to get in just a few more pages here and there!

The Harry Potter story continues with his son - Albus Severus Potter. A painful relationship between father and son is revealed - a son that feels as though he can't live up to his father's legend and a father that can't quite figure out how to relate to his son. Upon his entrance to Hogwarts, Albus immediately befriends a quiet, nervous boy: Scorpius Malfoy, the one and only son of Draco Malfoy.

Albus and Scorpius have a lot in common, including feeling overshadowed by their fathers and as though they will never be accepted at Hogwarts. Their isolation leads them to make several unfathomable decisions - decisions that could alter the world as they know it.

As a mother to two small boys, this was incredibly moving. It was action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat - I gasped out loud several times. As others have been saying, this story was very enjoyable as long as you don't go into it thinking of it as an eighth novel. It's written as a play and is very powerful in this format - take it for what it is and just enjoy another plunge into this world!

This was a fun, quirky mystery set in charming English village. Charming, in this case, in a gossip-filled way which quickly blows things out of proportion.

Miss Seeton is the only witness to a murder the night before she moves into a picturesque cottage left to her by a family member. Miss Seeton quickly becomes the talk of the town when the villagers learn that she was somehow involved in the murder and their reactions and subsequent events become comical.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with offbeat characters, this would be a good choice for you!

Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me a copy of this book for my honest review.

This is the third book I've read by McMahon and I love her. Her stories are creepy to the core, set in New England, and just good fun. I heard a clip of her talking about this one on a Books on the Nightstand Podcast and knew that I needed to read it asap. This was a blend of the movie Now and Then with Psycho - which makes my heart go pitter patter!returnMuch like Now and Then, this is set up as flashbacks to Piper, Margot, and Amy's childhood. As young teenagers, the girls play at The Tower Motel, the motel that Amy's grandfather built and was a roaring success while Amy's mother and her Aunt Sylvie were children. But much like Psycho, after the highway was built, the guests stopped coming and the motel became rundown and unused. Aunt Sylvie dreamed of being a Hollywood starlet, and one day she just up and left, never to be heard from again.returnreturnWhile playing at the motel, the girls find a clue that makes them believe that Aunt Sylvie might not have made it to Hollywood and that Amy's grandmother is hiding something. They spend the summer trying to uncover the mystery. Present day, Amy is accused of a terrible crime, which brings this group of friends back together and back into that mystery in order to prove Amy's innocence. Keep the lights on for this one!

I have been wanting to read this for a while, but I’ve never read Annie Dillard and have been intimidated by the reviews that I’ve seen. But this month I decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), so I ordered this as a way to keep motivated.

And I’m so glad I did.

Dillard uses humor so well, I felt like I was in on all of her jokes without even knowing her. This book is written so casually – just in small vignettes that can be read in a couple of minutes – but beautifully illustrates her life as a writer. I was surprised to read that Annie hates being a writer, but she is one of those authors who is a true artist and has no choice but to do this work. She agonizes over writing a single word, which seems exhausting.

This book might be for you if you love hearing a master talk about her work or if you love the romantic ideal of being a writer – but this might just flip the idea of romance on its head!