“Why are you reading that?”

Part II

I have not read much YA lately. The latest trend seems to be realistic fiction.  These are great books and are very important for teens. However, I will admit that realistic fiction is not a big draw for me.  Working with teens is the best experience.  They will come to you with happy stories and events in their lives and you will hear horror stories.  The sad reality of working with teens is you are part psychologist.  You become a good listener and try to put the right book in the hands of someone who can use it and take something away that answers questions.  Today’s social media give a portal into the horror that many teens face and some eagerly dish out.  Many of the titles released in today’s market deal with these issues.  I am a wimp.  Reading and hearing about these scenes every day wear me out.  I no longer get any pleasure reading books that deal with these issues.  They are so important though and necessary for those that need ways to deal with these daily situations and have nowhere to turn to find the answers.  Too many adults are hesitant to address the hard to face realities of life to a teen, especially their own child.  Of course, teens are so open to discussing these awkward topics that come up in life, aren’t they? 

I believe some of the most entertaining and exciting novels are in the Young Adult area.  Authors who write for teens are not afraid to think outside the box.  Teens are more willing to accept the unconventional, as we witnessed with Meyer’s vampires.  It was refreshing and liberating and allowed many authors to create their own scenarios that are not part of the norm. 

The mystery genre is much the same as in adult.  It deals with realistic scenarios.  Jealousy, envy, greed, all play a big part in teen mysteries.  Kidnappings, drugs, and the loss of love figure heavily in these thrillers. Another big theme is the popular ‘fear of failure.’  You will find this theme carries over into adult thrillers.  Both can be graphic and gruesome.  It is this thread of brutality that keeps me from enjoying any contemporary thrillers.  For me personally, I see and hear so much of this theme in the daily thread on Facebook, nightly newsfeed, and in the newspaper.  ‘Man’s inhumanity to man’ is not a relaxing, comfy, nor entertaining theme I wish to spend my final years reading. 

That is why I read what I do.

Thank you!

Hidden Gems #1

In the phenomenon that is Games of Thrones, so many fans of George R. R. Martin rush to obtain their ComicCon tickets and stand in lines for hours to hear Martin speak and hope to pick up some insider info on upcoming episodes.  The big thing is, before he was an HBO wonderkin, he was an author.  He is an author.   And a damn good one at that.

In 1983 a paperback was given to me by friends because they knew I enjoyed books with vampires.  Almost 35 years have passed and I have held on to this paperback because it had become one of my favorites.  I was unpacking my books after a big move and was placing them on the shelves in alphabetical order by authors last name (like any good librarian), only to discover that Martin was the author.  I had no idea.  Before there was Game of Thrones, there was Fevre Dream.  The story is an intriguing one of the golden days of the Mississippi steamboat days.  Days of glorious, showy steamboats traveling down the river filled with beautiful people, gamblers and vampires.  The nights are filled with danger, intrigue and vampires.

Abner Marsh was down on his luck when he was contacted by the wealthy and aristocratic Joshua York to build a riverboat and teach him all about being its captain.  York has given Marsh the funds to build one of the most beautiful and fastest ships on the river, the Fevre Dream.  It was all about racing and beating the other ships down the river. Excited to show the world what Fevre Dream can do Marsh pushes her down the mighty Mississippi passing the other riverboats at record speeds.  However, York has a different agenda, putting out orders to stop at odd spots for long delays.  The stops coupled with York’s odd behavior and his odder friends put Marsh on edge.  As rumors of bodies begin to surface Marsh decides to confront his benefactor. 

Martin has created an atmospheric tale of life in 1857 on the Mississippi.  His story is brimming with beautiful scenery and dark descriptions that fill the mind with images both beautiful and disturbing.   His portrayal of life on board the Fevre Dream and the river are breath taking as well as the vile and lurid scenarios of those who embrace and revere life in the dark.

Fevre Dream

By George R. R. Martin

ISBN:  9780553577938 pbk reprint

Pub Date:  April 24, 2012

Genre:  Historical/Supernatural

Old Scores

by Will Thomas

Cyrus Barker has worked endlessly in his garden to make it pristine for the Japanese diplomats who wish to walk its paths.  Thomas Llewelyn is surprised to see his boss flinch as the group enters and once again finds himself wondering at the hidden past of Barker. Then Barker is arrested outside the temporary quarters for the Japanese embassy when the ambassador is murdered.  Frustrated by Barker’s practice to hold clues to himself, Llewelyn questions his own willingness to continue as a personal enquiry agent working for Barker. 

Fans of this series will be very pleased to know that Thomas does, in fact, give us a peak into the mysterious past of Cyrus Barker.  (No spoilers here. Read the book!)  The historical elements Thomas peppers throughout this novel are interesting and don’t bog down the story.  Cyrus and Thomas are men with good hearts but emotionally flawed.  There are a few characters whose return appearances add more depth and enjoyment to the story. However, if this is your first sojourn into the world of Barker and Llewelyn, Thomas does an excellent job of filing in with enough facts that give you just enough information and might inspire you to pick up previous volumes.  Old Scores hits all the bases with intense situations, action and light-hearted banter.   So far, this is one of my favorites.

I wish to thank the publisher for generously providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy for my honest review.

ISBN: 9781250077967

Pub:  St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books

Pub Date:  October 3, 2017

Genre:  Historical Mystery

Phantom

by Susan Kay

I believe everyone knows the story of the Phantom of the Opera.  Susan Kay has created a past for Erik and it’s a dark, haunting one that will stay with you long after you finish the novel.  If you have been fortunate enough to see the stage production, there are a few hints at the past. Kay takes those hints and fills in the gaps creating a past rich in horror and color which gives you a clear idea of who he has become.  She builds a past for Christine and Raoul and brings it full circle as she brings us up to the Paris Opera House.  Putting more ‘meat’ on the bones of the story and bringing up to a contemporary styling makes this an easy read for all.  As the story comes to a close, you had better have tissues within arm’s reach.  This retelling of Erik’s story is easily one of my favorites.  Yes, it is a ‘horror’ story but it is also a story of a young man’s life at the hands of true monsters and how human he really is. Is he an adored hero or a hated villain? You might have a hard decision with this one.  Teens will eagerly devour this telling.  There is a review from School Library Journal recommending it for teens on Amazon.  This book was published many years ago and I hope you will look for it in your library or book store.

ISBN:  9781933626000/pbk.

Available now

Genre: Historical Fiction/Horror/Romance

The Amber Shadows

By Lucy Ribchester

Everyone is doing their part for the war effort and Honey’s stepfather was able to acquire a position for her in one of the Huts at Bletchley Park.  Those who work at Bletchley Park do not talk about what goes on in their Hut.  In fact, Captain Tiver said he would shoot her himself if she broke the secrecy agreement.  So how can she explain the packages she is receiving from Russia that appear to be pieces of amber looted from the Amber Room.  She’s good at codes but the coded message etched onto the amber is too complex.  Her brother Dickie would be able to help her but when he gets murdered and friends go missing she knows she needs help but doesn’t know who she can trust. 

I really enjoy novels that give us a different look into events in history.  The movie Imitation Game showed us a little what life was like for those tasked to breaking the coded messages of the enemy.  Alan Turing is mentioned briefly in this work but it’s not about him.  Ribchester has created an entertaining mystery while enlightening the reader with details of the women who worked within the huts of Bletchly Park and the difficult life many lived while serving their country.  Honey’s story is fictional but is entertaining and suspenseful. However, it is filled with the dangers and uncertainty that so many felt during that time.  The Author’s Notes at the back of the book details Ribchester’s research into the women who worked in the huts. The Amber Shadows is a thrilling read and would be a good one to put into the hands of teens. 

I wish to thank the generosity of the publisher for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy for my honest review.

ISBN:  9781681774480

Pub: Pegasus Books/ W.W. Norton

Pub Date:  August 8, 2017

Genre:  Historical Mystery

Death on Windmill Way: A Hampton’s  Murder Mystery

by Carrie Doyle

Antonia took a chance when she left her west coast home and purchased the dilapidated Windmill Inn in the Hamptons on the east coast.  Refurbishing the inn has been a labor of love and patience and she loves it and is proud of her accomplishment.  As a chef, she has worked hard to get the attached restaurant up and running.  Every night the tables fill a little more.  One evening as she visits with guests at their tables, she is told that the death of the previous owner may not have been a heart attack as she was previously told.  As Antonia considers the story, she discovers that what she has been told may not, in fact, be true. 

As Doyle tells Antonia’s story, she involves a good mix of characters. It is told simply and unfolds slowly.  The glee Antonia feels at her discovery of the killer is apparent and Doyle reveals the details in an old fashioned, traditional way.   This is a good story that promises to continue in future installments.  I hope Doyle delivers on her promises.  I found it a fun, relaxing story that was a great recreational read. 

ISBN:  9780997270143

Pub: Dunemere Books

Available now

Genre:  Cozy Mystery