book review – The Spine View

The Minister’s Wife by John Anthony Miller

I was first drawn to The Minister’s Wife, by John Anthony Miller, because I was intrigued by the idea of a woman spy during the Revolutionary War. I love books that highlight strong women in unusual circumstances and this book delivered. I need more books like this!

Abigail, the minister’s wife, has just returned to Philadelphia from New York with her new husband. She comes home to find, in her absence, the city has been captured by the English and the redcoats are everywhere she looks.

However, some things have not changed. Ian Blaine, her former lover, still lives in the city and when he is accused of being a traitor to the crown old feelings begin to rise in her. Though he is able to prove he is innocence, the English are watching him closely, especially the English Commander Duncan.

Soon it becomes obvious that Ian still loves Abigail and he just can’t stay away from her. As Abigail is pulled into the web of patriot spies, there are lies and deceit that abound that will threaten both her and Ian.

This story is full of twists and turns you will not see coming. The plot is fast paced and the suspense was almost unbearable at times. I was on the edge of my seat with worry about Ian and Abigail being caught. They took far too many chances, in my opinion, and it made my heart skip a beat every time they took an unnecessary risk. Then the dramatic ending just sealed my love of this story.

Not only did I got caught up in the drama of the story early on, but it was also the character of Abigail that made me really love this book. She was so brave. She knew she was taking big risks; yet, she found the courage to do what she thought was right.

The type of suspense, and the characters, in this book are what I feel makes a good story great. Perfect book for fans of Historical Thrillers. I also think it will appeal to those Romance readers who enjoy a story that is not all fluff and has a bit of bite to it.

I received a free copy in exchange for by honest review.

To Each This World by Julie E. Czerneda

To Each This World is a hard Sci-Fi novel. A great story filled with political intrigue, mystery, adventure and imaginative world building. A great find and glad I read it.

The main character Henry, is the Arbiter, the most important individual on New World. His main responsibility is being the go between Humans and the Alien species called the Kmet. Humans have entered into a pact or Duality, as it is called, between the two species.

The Kmet have given some technology to humans and the use of Portals that allow space ships to transit long distances in the blink of an eye. However, everything could be in jeopardy when a probe reaches New Earth with a message that a seed ship, sent centuries earlier, has arrived at its destinations and the humans there are prospering.

The Kmet on the Portal is beside itself. It insists that the other humans be rounded up and returned to New Earth before the Divider finds them and destroys them. As the Arbiter, Henry must assist with this task. Yet, he has many questions, and foremost is who is the Divider and why are they dangerous.

This book is one of the most original I have read in a while. I loved that the author presented Aliens as Alien. Nothing like humans and hard to understand, not only in speech but in motive. It felt plausible and the pacing was perfect. Yet, in the end it was the characters and the world building that made it such a good book.

There is just one negative for me, the writing style, which made the story hard to follow at times. I also struggled at first to get invested in the story. However, the characters of Henry and Killian were just so well developed and I fell in love with them and it made it up for so much.

Despite my one grip, if you are a Sci-Fi fan and like a more traditional story then this is a book for you. It is well worth being at the top of your TBR list.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Adelia by Dan Barron

This book is a skillfully told story about love, regrets and second chances. Filled with wonderful imagery and a touching story, it will make you believe in true love again.

Jack Landen is a total mess since his wife’s suicide. He is overwhelmed by guilt and can’t take care of himself, let alone his two young daughters. He is desperate and wishing he could go back in time and do things different. He wants, more than anything, to be the man his wife, Adelia, deserves.

Someone must have heard him because he wakes up in the past when he was a single musician and just cruising through life without a care. When he realizes what has happened, he immediately sets off to find Adelia. He is determined to find her and change the course of events that will ultimately lead to Adelia’s death.

Jack was a likeable (though not at first) and relatable character. He is flawed; yet, strong enough to recognize it and man enough to want to do something about it instead of continuing to whine about it like most people would do. At first, I thought he was just a self-centered ass; but, I changed my mind as I get deeper into the story. So, kudos to the author for managing that in a realistic way. I also liked the character of Adelia and the author’s thoughtful use of her character to show how jealous can break us down over time.

The plot was well executed, not too serious and not too trivial, and with enough tension and action to keep me interested. I thought the subplot tied all the parts together nicely and the little twist was cool too. I was definitely routing for Jack and Adelia.

There was a lot to take away from this book. For me, the biggest one is love is never easy. There were other themes throughout that made the story more interesting, jealously being another big one as well as forgiveness. Because of this, the book is perfect for a book club discussion.

If you like stories that make you think, this is one you should put on your to-be-read list. I highly recommend.

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Not the Witch You Wed by April Asher

Though this is a well-loved troupe of enemies to lovers, you can’t help but love this sweet and funny story. The characters make this paranormal Rom-Com well worth reading. Give me a swoon worth leading man and a sassy witch any day!

Violet Maxwell is one of three triplets and the only one without any magic ability and life is going well for her without it, thank you very much.…. until it isn’t. First off, she finds out that that she will be forced to mate with someone in order to stabilize the magic she does not possess. Stupid laws! Furthermore, at an engagement party for one of her sisters, she runs into an old flame, Lincoln Thorne, who broke her heart in school. He stirs not only her anger, but feelings she would rather not revisit.

However, Lincoln popping back into Violet’s life maybe fortuitous, since he is also facing a similar fate of an arranged marriage. When Lincoln suggests that they fake date in order to bide themselves more time to figure out a way out of these unwanted marriages, Violet goes along with his plan. Yet, the feelings that he stirs maybe the least of her problems, because he also has stirred her magic to life.

I have been stuck on these rom-coms lately because I am a sucker for a happy ending, especially so with all that is going on right now. These types of books are the perfect escapism that I find are the perfect stress relief. This book in particular fit the bill and drew me in. I totally got lost in the story and the funny scenes and snarky comments made it even better.

The plot flowed nicely and I loved the various paranormal elements. The author gives the reader just enough world building and back story for context; yet, not enough to get bogged down in. As far as rom-com goes, this is one of the better ones. Not too sappy, not too much drama but plenty of pizazz.

I really thought Asher brought her A game on this one. I recommend for all readers of rom-com, especially those that like the paranormal element.

I received a free copy, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson

If I had not known in advance this was a debut novel I would have said, “No way.” The prose is as polished as any seasoned writer. Beyond the Point, by Claire Gibson, takes the reader into the world of West Point where we meet three young women athletes, Hannah, Dani and Avery, recruited to play basketball.

When they first meet they do not become friends immediately. Avery and Dani develop a fierce rivalry on the basketball court. Dani is an incredibly gifted player and is given a place on the varsity team as a freshman. Avery finds this hard to handle and it fuels her own personal insecurities. Over time Hannah the shy and faith driven women, who tends to be the anchor of the group, brings them all together and slowly a fierce friendship is formed.

You might think this book is about how women endure the rigors of a male dominated school like West Point. It is that and so much more. It is ultimately about how three strong women forge a long lasting friendship and face the hardships of West Point together. The friendship they have not only makes them stronger; they draw upon this strength to navigate the world after West Point when tragedy strikes.

This book is strongly character driven. Dani, Avery and Hannah are all portrayed very realistically and are fully developed. I especially loved that the author gave me both their strengths and their weaknesses.

The story is told form all three points of view. So we get a window into the interworkings of each of the main characters. The plot is not slow or fast. It does meander some as the author, especially later in the book, keeps flashing back to things that happened at West Point that sheds light on to a current situation or event.

I am really excited to see what else this author has in store for the future and expect that this is just the being of many good things to come. I highly recommend this book to readers who like a character driven story especially those with strong female characters.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is an ingenious murder mystery with shocking twists that cannot be foreseen. It reminds me of the movie Groundhog Day except here the MC is trying to solve a murder before it is committed so he will be released from the loop.

The story opens on the resetting of the loop after innumerous rounds without the murder being solved. When we are first introduced to Aiden, he does not even know his own name. He wakes up in a wooded area near a castle and he has no idea how he got there. He manages to make his way to the castle and learns that he has just 8 days and 8 different hosts to solve a murder that will be committed. No one will know it is a murder because it is disguised as a suicide. Once he has solved the murder he is to meet the Plague Doctor, an elusive person who appears to be in charge of the loop, at the lake with the answer. When the correct answer is given he will be released.

The Plague Doctor informs Aiden that others are trying to solve the murder and only one of them will be released. He further advises Aiden to use all his hosts wisely and that each host has been carefully chosen for him. What he does not know is that nothing is as it appears and someone wants all of his hosts dead. He will have to trust someone in order to solve the murder and free himself from the loop.

I am in awe of the author’s talent for making such a complex and tangled plot. I honestly do not know how he kept all of the details straight. It made for one of the best murder mysteries I have read in a long time. In my opinion, Mr. Turton is right up there with Agatha Christy.

The plot is paced quickly but I want to warn you not to rush through. There are too many little details that could easily be overlooked that become important as the story unfolds. In addition, I thought it brilliant how the author did not give the reader a lot to go on about the MC, Aiden Bishop. This deliberate lack of character development allowed Aiden to change as the plot required and Aiden needed to change and you will see why when you read the story.

If you love mysteries and complex plots this is the book for you. I highly recommend it to everyone. It is a suburb work of fiction and will have you in knots trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.

I won my copy of the novel in a Book Riot giveaway and this in no way impacts my review.

The Dictionary of Animal Languages by Heidi Sopinka

Pub. Date: 20-Feb-2018
My Rating: 4 Stars

The Dictionary of Animal Languages by Heidi Soponka is a captivating literary fiction novel that is also historical fiction. The prose is lovely and lyrical and connected me to the main character in an unexpected way.

The story tells the tragic tale of the life of famous artist Ivory Frame. At the beginning we meet Ivory at the end of her life as she is trying to finish her life’s work of studying animal languages that will be a dictionary of sorts. As she is working on completing the dictionary, she receives a message that she has a granddaughter; yet, she never had children. This message is the catalyst to a flood of memories. We see Ivory as a young girl who never fit into various schools she is sent to and later expelled from. Finally as a young woman, disowned by family, she arrives in Paris where she studies painting.

For Ivory this is where her life truly starts and in some ways ends. It is the time between the Great Wars and Paris is alive with creative people. Not only does she discover her place in the world among the artists and other creative people living in Paris at the time, she finds the love of her life in Lev. Lev is a Russian artist, and an enigma, and Ivory loves him passionately even though he is married. Then in a dreadful and tragic turn of events Ivory loses everything.

This is truly a heart breaking story told with such thoughtfulness and the beautiful prose just took me away. I did think the plot was rather slow; however, it fit the prose and the mood to perfection. If the story had been written any other way it would not have had the same effect on me.

The only negative thing I can say it that I felt the granddaughter connection did not fit as well into the story as it could have. To ultimately be so important, the revelation did not get the attention it should have.

This is a tricky book to recommend because not everyone is going to like the slow pace or appreciate the prose. Though I enjoyed reading it, I recognize that it is not what I would call a “commercial novel”. Yet, for those readers that can truly appreciate it as the art form it is, I think you will love it.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau

Title: The Blue
Author: Nancy Bilyeau
Pub. Date: 3-Dec-2018
Rating: 5 Stars

I always like to point out to readers those books that hit all the right notes for me. Especially when it is an indie-author or from a small/independent publisher which is the case with The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau. The alluring thing for me about this lovely historical fiction is all the factual tidbits of 18^th century life and the production of porcelain in that era. This is the perfect example of why Historical Fiction is among my favorite genres.

Genevieve Planche is a young British women who lives with her grandfather, a well-known artist, in London. Her family are Huguenots and refugees, having fled France for England in the wake of religious persecution. Since she was born in England she has no particular loyalty to the French crown and Louis XV. A good thing, since England is now at war with France.

Despite being at war, the English still crave some French goods, such as the famous porcelain pieces produced by Sevres the French manufacturer preferred by Madame de Pompadour chief mistress to Louis XV. Genevieve finds herself drawn into the world of porcelain when her family arranges for her to become a painter at the English porcelain factory of Derby. What she really craves is to study painting under one of the great masters of her time. This is not an option for her because painting is not considered proper for a young lady.

Genevieve chafes at the constraints that society has placed upon her. She even goes so far as to attend a party giving by an English artist, who her grandfather knows, in hopes of persuading him to become her teacher. Of course, she utterly fails. Though she does meet Sir Gabriel Courtenay who later calls on her as her grandfather’s home. He manages to enlist her help as a spy. He desperately needs the formula for the new blue color that Derby is reported to have developed. In exchange, he has promised her what she wants the most, to study under a painter. She agrees to spy and only has a few short weeks to find the formula. Yet, spying is a dangerous business and spies are hanged.

As I already stated, I love Historical Fiction because I always learn some little tidbits. In this instance, I learned a lot of tidbits. The author has out done herself with researching the period and the subject of porcelain. She actually peaked my interest and I had to do some further reading about porcelain, particularly Derby and Sevres.

I also loved the complexity of the main character Genevieve. She is intelligent, a gifted artist and somewhat self-centered person who struggles with her sense of duty to family and friends. Most importantly she is a strong young woman. Imagine going off to live and work were you do not know anyone and you are 4 days away, by carriage, from any family. She also has her flaws, she can be reckless and fails to see the consequences of her actions until it is far too late.

I thought the pace of the plot was good and there were some interesting things that happened that encouraged me to keep reading. The author did an excellent job of marrying fact and fiction. It gave the story a boost and complemented the prose.

In short, this was an excellently crafted story that any Historical Fiction fan will be sure to enjoy. Be sure to mark it as “Read Soon” on your TBR list.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Street Freaks by Terry Brooks

Title: Street Freaks
Author: Terry Brooks
Pub. Date: 2-Oct-2018
Rating: 4 Stars

Street Freaks is not your typical Terry Brooks novel. He is best known for his fantasy novels. I remember reading his Sword of Shannara series when I was younger and loved his story telling, characters and brilliant world building. I have never doubted his writing ability; however, I was surprised to realize this is a YA Sci-Fi book. Regardless, of the genre, Terry Brooks is a great writer and Street Freaks just goes to show how great his skills are.

The story is set in the future where technology has advanced to the point that machine and man can and have been seamlessly integrated to overcome debilitating illnesses and injuries. At the beginning we meet Ashton (Ash) Collins. He is your typical teenager who lives at home with his Dad and 3 robots until one day he gets an urgent call from his Father to run as fast as he can to the Red Zone and go to Street Freaks. Ash has lived a sheltered life thus far and he is not prepared for what he finds in the Red Zone or at Street Freaks.

Fortunately for Ash, the kids (actually young adults) at Street Freaks, a place where street cars are built and raced, take him in and make him part of their community of misunderstood rejects of experiments. That’s right, in this dystopian future, companies have experimented on kids and then disposed of them. They help him to discover what happened to his father. Together this band of unlikely allies sets out to take down the person and company who is responsible for Ash’s father’s disappearance and in the process hopefully expose the terrible things that have happened to kids.

Even though this was not the typical Terry Brooks story I am accustomed to, I liked it. Mr. Brooks has developed characters that you can empathize with and I was routing for them throughout the story. The future he has envisioned in this story was well thought-out and worked nicely with the plot. There is a lot of attention to detail and the story and characters are better for it.

The plot was paced nicely and I appreciated that Mr. Brooks did not just do a data dump to the reader in the beginning. All the facts and information important to the story were doled out only as needed. There were several twists in the story and a couple of real surprises that keep me interested and yet I did not get a feeling of the plot being overworked.

As I said, the story is well told and I think it will appeal to Sci-Fi and Fantasy readers alike. Though a note of caution, it is a YA book but some of the topics are not suited for the younger reader. Therefore, I recommend only for ages 16+.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Adults by Caroline Hulse

Title: The Adults
Author: Caroline Hulse
Pub. Date: 27-Nov-18
Rating: 4 Stars

Could you spend the holidays with your ex and new partner? In this funny, and sometimes harrowing story, of 4 adults trying to have a “Normal” Christmas for the sake of one child, the author explores the underlying problems that make this a very bad idea and a good story (provided you are not in the story). Of course, the adults are anything but adults and when jealously, insecurity and other normal human emotions enter into the mix it is a disaster in the making.

The story opens with a frantic call to the police by Alex, Matt’s partner, saying someone has been shot with an arrow. Then Alex hangs up. Now step backwards in time a few weeks, to when Matt finally has the courage to tell Alex that he has already committed them to plans for the holidays. They are spending the holidays with Claire, his ex, and Claire’s partner Patrick at the Happy Forest Holiday Park. They want Scarlett, Matt and Claire’s daughter, to have a normal family Christmas.

Everything is already planned he says. Just pack a bag and have fun he says. I don’t know on what planet he thought it would be fun; because we all know, even without the glimpse into the future we got at the start of the story, these “Adults” are asking for trouble. Boy, oh boy did they get it!

Usually I do not like to know what is going to happen in advance, but in this instance it really worked. Since we know how things are going to end it leaves the reader time to imagine all the possible things that could go wrong before they arrive there. While reading, I constantly had thoughts such as, surely this was an accident, who shot who, what about Scarlett, and so on. In short, the plot execution was spot on. The pace was great too. All the little incidents that happened, such as Posey not liking Alex because scientists experiment on rabbits, moved the plot along in a way that I kept wanting to read more.

Throw in the loveable and flawed characters and one invisible, talking rabbit and you have a winning combination. I especially liked how the author presented some very real problems that lots of families face and injected some humor to make a very likable story. The character of Scarlett was particularly well done and by giving her an invisible friend, Posey, which she communicated with we were able to understand her view point. Scarlett and Posey made the story!

In recap, this is a humorous story and I think it will appeal to readers who like humorous fiction as well as readers who like stories about family dynamics and dysfunctional families. I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.