The Body

 

Author: Stephen King

Narrator: Frank Muller

Publisher: Penguin Audio 

Year: 2009

“𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙪𝙮𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮?

My book club’s spooky season read was the @stephenkingofficialpage novella The Body. Set in the small town of Castle Rock, Maine, four friends set out on an adventure to find a dead body. Chris, Gordie, Vern, and Teddy are determined to find the body of a kid who recently went missing. Vern overheard his older brother and a pal talking about seeing the body by the train tracks in the woods. Vern’s brother couldn’t report it to the police because they were joyriding in a stolen car when they discovered it. So the four young friends set out on an epic adventure to find the dead body and claim the glory of the discovery. 

The story is told by a grown up Gordie, a successful author. He looks back with wonder and a little sadness at his childhood friends.           

The boys are on the cusp of leaving childhood behind and their adventure symbolizes that. Their trek turns into a journey of self discovery for each of them and it’s a celebration of their friendship. When they find the body of the dead boy (who is their own age), they’re confronted with their own mortality for the first time. 

This is a wonderful coming of age adventure and ode to childhood friends. It’s filled with the stupid jokes and insults friends say to each other and the courage to stand up for each other. The narration by Frank Muller is spot on. I really enjoyed this slice of childhood from a bygone era. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now I’m going to have to watch the movie Stand by Me. It’s based on this novella and the first date my husband and I had was going to see that movie. 

Happy Friday! What’s everyone’s plan for the weekend? We’re leaving the beach tomorrow and heading home. I’m sad to leave, but we’ll be back soon. 

#thebody #stephenking #penguinaudio #audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobooksofinstagram #comingofagebook #bildugsroman #novella #friendship #deadbody #adventure #adventurestory #traintracks #bookstagram #igreads #boyswillbeboys #bookworm #booknerd 

The Witch’s Heart

 

Author: Genevieve Gornichec

Publisher: Ace Books

Year: 2021

“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠, 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑜, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑒.” 

The Witch’s Heart is an engrossing retelling of Norse mythology. Angrboda, a witch, refused to give Odin the knowledge he desperately wanted. He burned her on a pyre three times and cut out her heart. But somehow she survived. Hiding out in a far corner of the Iron Wood, Angrboda just wants to be left alone and heal. But since she’s a woman, we know that can’t happen. Loki the trickster found her heart and wants to return it. As she recovers, Angrboda begins making her potions and spells again and starts a relationship with Loki. Even if you only know Loki from the Marvel Universe, you know he’s kind of a jerk. He keeps leaving Angrboda and their three children in the forest, going back home to his other wife and children when it suits him. 

Angrboda uses her witch powers to learn that her children (a half dead girl, a enormous wolf, and a gigantic snake) will somehow be involved with the end of the world. Will she sacrifice all to save them? 

I only knew the very basics of Norse mythology going into this book, so I didn’t really know what to expect. But I really enjoyed this story. Angrboda is a wonderful character. I really liked seeing her courage and determination grow thanks to her relationship with Skadi the huntress.  The drama pulled me right in and I quickly get lost in this epic story of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. This is perfect for fans mythology, or the supernatural, or any reader looking for a feminist take on an ancient tale. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#thewitchsheart #acebooks #penguinbooks #geneievegornichec #norsemythology #mythology #loki #witch 

Currently Reading

 

Happy Wednesday! 

I’m #currentlyreading The Last Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker. The story has pulled me right in! I’m pushing to finish it today or tomorrow. Yet another one of my library holds become available yesterday, so now I’m feeling the pressure to get reading. 

It was a little chilly and breezy on the beach this morning. But that was nice because we pretty much had it to ourselves. 

I finished watching Squid Games on @netflix so I need recommendations for my next binge watch. What are you watching? 

#thefirstdayofspring #nancytucker #riverheadbooks #thriller #crimefiction #crimefictionnovel #librarybook #libraryholds #alwaysreading #bookwormproblems #bookstagram #igreads #lovemylibrary 

Trashlands

 

Author: Alison Stine 

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Year: 2021

“A consistent stream of plastic washed up. There was so much plastic in the world, Mr. Fall said, it would never run out.”

Happy pub day to Alison Stine’s Trashlands. In this environmental dystopian novel, climate change has wrecked havoc. Flooding & tides have wiped out whole cities & states, changing the coastland. The world’s remaining governments agreed not to produce any more plastic. What’s left is a hardscrabble life as people cope without enough food, clean water, or electricity. 

Coral is a plucker. She finds plastic items in rivers and woods that’s sold or bartered. Plastic is the new currency and plastic is life. Coral lives in Trashlands- a giant garbage dump in what was once Ohio. It’s main draw is a strip club which offers girls, drinks, and air conditioning. Coral refuses to leave Trashlands because she hopes one day her son will find his way back to her. Her son was kidnapped as a young boy, sent to work a brick factory. Small quick hands are needed to sort plastic before it’s  melted down & made into bricks. When a mysterious reporter turns up at Trashlands, he offers Coral hope and the means to find her son. 

Even though this is a dystopian novel, it is character driven. I loved so many of characters in this book!  Coral’s an artist at heart in a world where everyday is a struggle to survive-especially for women and children. Mr. Fall, is another wonderful character. Even living in a garbage dump, he believes in education. He teaches the kids and the strippers who live at Trashlands how to read with a precious, battered set of Encyclopedia Brittanica. This story is populated with interesting characters building a community & surviving under harsh circumstances. 

This is a remarkable and cautionary story populated with characters you won’t soon forget. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley & @harlequinbooks for the digital ARC. 

How’s everyone doing today? All good in your little corner of the world? 

#trashlands #alisonstine #harliquinbooks #netgalley #climatechange #environment #environmentaldisaster #dystopian #plastic #plasticpollution #bookstagram #bookaholic #igreads #bookworm #bibliophile #booknerd 

The Personal Librarian

 

Authors: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Narrator: Robin Miles

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Year: 2021

How could I not enjoy a book about a trailblazing librarian? 📚

The Personal Librarian is a fictional account of the life of Belle de Costa Greene. Belle become the librarian for J.P. Morgan, one of the richest tycoons of the twentieth century, when he built the Pierpoont Morgan Library. 

Belle, a Black woman, passed as a white woman to get the job. According to this account, Belle’s mother encouraged Belle and her siblings to pass in order to get better educations and have more opportunities. This decision caused her father, a noted civil rights leader, to leave the family. 

Belle curated the collection of rare books, manuscripts, and artwork for Morgan. Her expertise, taste, and formidable negotiation skills helped build the world class library. She used her knowledge, expertise, and charm to power her way into a male dominated world. Still, Belle had to protect her secret at all costs for fear of losing everything. After Morgan’s death, she urged his son to convert the private library into a public institution. She became the library’s first director and served in that role for over 20 years. 

Authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray do a fine job of imaging Belle’s world and filling in the blanks about the personal life of this rather private woman. The narration by Robin Miles was excellent. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Monday friends! We already had the dogs out on the beach for a nice walk. Rain moving in soon and high winds expected tonight. Trying to finish Girl, 11 today because another library hold is ready for me. What are you reading this week? 

#thepersonallibrarian #mariebenedict #victoriachristophermurray #robinmiles #penguinaudio #jpmorgan #pierpontmorganlibrary #library #librarian #badasslibrarian #newyorkcity #rarebooks #collectiondevelopment #audiobook #audiobookstagram #racism #librarylife #historicalfiction #basedonatruestory 

The Thin Line

 

Author: Robert Dugoni

Publisher: Amazon Orginal Stories

Year: 2021

📖 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤!📖

The Thin Line by @robertdugoni  published this week. Thanks to @amazonpublishing for the #gifted copy. 

In this short story, Det. Del Castigliano is the new guy on Seattle PD’s homicide squad. Needing a change of scenery after the breakup of a long term relationship, Del moved from Wisconsin to Seattle to begin anew. Del is partnered with Moss Gunderson, one of the department’s best and most popular detectives. Their first case together involves two unidentified bodies fished out of Lake Union. Moss generously lets Del take the lead in the investigation. Del wants to prove himself and relentlessly works the case from every angle possible. Del discovers the victims were involved in running drugs, but there’s more to the story than a simple drug deal gone bad. Del has stumbled into minefield of corruption that could derail his entire new career. 

Dugoni, author of The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, certainly know how to tell a story. This is a sharply written and intense police procedural. It’s easy to root for new guy Del to succeed. But his single-minded determination puts him in the crosshairs. I could easily see this story expanding into a full length novel. If you’re looking for a quick hit of crime fiction, look no further than The Last Line. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The weekend is in sight! I have to take my car to the garage to get the brakes checked. They’re rumbling. 🙁 I’m thinking tacos or taco salad for dinner tonight. What’s on your menu?

#thelastline #robertdugoni #amazonpublishing #policeprocedural #thrillerthursday #seattle #shortstory #crimefiction #detective #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #kindle #kindlepaperwhite #murdersquad #amazonorginalstories

Currently Reading

 

Happy hump day! 

My #coffeeandcurrentlyreading is White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson. She’s one of my favorite young adult authors and this is her first foray into horror. The first few chapters have already pulled me right in! I’m looking forward to out #betweenfriendsbookclub discussion of this one. 

Wall to wall sunshine today in my little corner of the world. My plans for the day include a long walk with the dogs and sitting on the beach reading. How’s your weather? 

#whitesmoke #tiffanydjackson #katherinetegenbooks #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #itsnotreallycoffee #horrorfiction #yabooks #readerlife #beachread #spookyseason #spookyseasonbooks #spookyseasonreads #alwaysreading #kindle #kindlebooks 

Bad Girls Never Say Die

 

Author: Jennifer Mathieu

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s 

Year: 2021

This is a gender flipped reimagining of S.E. Hinton’s classic The Outsiders. Set in Houston in the mid 1960s, we have a group of “bad girls” instead of the “greasers”. The girls are from the poor side of town. They’re not particularly interested in school. They’re tough, loud, and trying to rebel against society’s expectations of what a proper young woman should be. The “socs” in this novel are called the “tea sippers”. They are the rich kids who seem to have everything handed to them on a plate. The girls wear fashionable twin sets, discreet makeup and are raised to be demure young ladies. 

One night at the drive-in, Evie, the youngest of her bad girl clique, gets caught in a dangerous situation only to be saved by tea sipper Diane. An unlikely friendship is forged when the grateful Evie learns that Diane now lives on the wrong side of the tracks. Evie introduces Diane to her group and she is grudging accepted by Connie, the leader of the pack. 

Evie and Diane become close friends and Diane reveals she was thrown out of her house after her parents discovered her romance with bad boy Johnny, Connie’s brother. I don’t want to give away all the major plot points, so I’ll say the girls accept Diane for who she is and choose to help and support her. They all realize they have more in common than they realized, that girls should support and lift each other up, and that toughness and courage can be disguised by a smart sweater set. Evie learns she deserves the space and the time to figure out who she is and what she wants instead of society and grownups telling what she should be. 

Author Jennifer Mathieu excels at stories about girls taking on the patriarchy. Her novel Moxie is one of my favorites. This novel covers a lot of heavy territory including racism, abuse, poverty, misogyny, and how there was a time when girls had no voice or choices. 

I loved Evie and her girl gang. Teen readers will connect with these fierce girls who are tired of being looked down upon for being different and wanting more out of life. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan’s Children’s for the digital review copy. 

The Woman with the Blue Star

 

Author: Pam Jenoff

Publisher: Park Row Books

Year: 2021

This book was an @andrea.c.lowry.reads made me read it. 

Eighteen year old Sadie and her parents are trying to survive living in the Krakow ghetto during WWII. When the Nazi clear the ghetto, Sadie, her pregnant mother, and another Jewish family escape into the sewers under the city. How long can they rely on a Polish sewer worker to bring them food? How long before the Nazi think to search the sewers? 

Ella, a young woman from a well to do family, is restlessly walking the streets of the city. Ella misses her father and her fiancé. She catches sight of movement beneath a sewer grate and looks down. Sadie stares back up at her. Suddenly a friendship is formed and Ella decides she will do anything to help Sadie- no matter the cost. 

This historical fiction novel is a gripping story of survival, courage, friendship, and determination. Sadie and Ella seem like they have nothing in common, but quickly form a bond. Sadie must trust Ella in order to survive and possibly escape. Ella must defy her Nazi collaborator stepmother to reunite with the young man she loves and help Sadie. This heart wrenching book will pull you right in. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? The dogs and I met up with hubby at the beach house on Friday. I spent Saturday afternoon sitting on the beach reading and watching the waves. It was heaven! Any plans for the week? We’re supposed to have a painter come by today to give us an estimate. My task this week is to go through all the pots, pans, kitchen utensils, and dishes to see what kind of shape they’re in and what needs updating for next year’s rental season. 

#thewomanwiththebluestar #pamjenoff #parkrowbooks #wwii #poland #krakow #holocaust #historicalfiction #sewers #bookstagram #librarybook #librarylove #libraryebook #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #alwaysreading 

The Best American Mystery & Suspense 2021

 

Editor: Steph Cha

Guest Editor: Alafair Burke

Publisher: Mariner Books

Year: 2021

Happy publication day to The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021! This is a collection of short stories published in various outlets last year. This annual anthology began publishing in 1997. This year’s volume has a new series editor in Steph Cha and has expanded to add suspense to it’s title. Best selling author Alafair Burke is this year’s guest editor. 

The collection offers a wide range of stories from best selling veteran authors such as Lisa Unger, Laura Lippman, and Gar Anthony Haywood to bright new voices in crime fiction including Gabino Iglesias, Alex Segura, and Jenny Bhatt. The stories offer something for every crime fiction fan. Christopher Bollen’s story SWAJ was inspired by reading the book Jaws during the pandemic. Nikki Dolosn’s story looks at a picture perfect neighborhood torn apart after a new couple moves in. Aya de León’s contribution examines the risks a mother takes to get her child into a better school and at what cost. 

The stories are timely, diverse, and thought-provoking. They run the gambit of crime fiction from jealousy, revenge, and murder for hire, to blackmail, and desperate choices that have to be made. There’s something here for every mystery and suspense fan to enjoy. This anthology is a great way to discover new to you authors and short fiction from old favorites. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the digital ARC. The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021 is on sale beginning today. 

Do you like to read short story collections? Have any recommendations for any?

#thebestamericanmysteryandsuspence2021 #stephcha #alafairburke #marinerbooks #netgalley #shortstories #anyhology #mysteryfiction #suspensestories #suspensefiction #crimefiction #shortstorycollection #publicationday #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm 

The Night She Disappeared

 

Author: Lisa Jewell

Narrator: Joanne Froggatt

Publisher: Simon Audio

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you Simon&Schuster Audio for the #giftedbook. 

Teenage parents never return from a night at the pub. The couple has seemingly vanished into thin air. Kim knows her daughter Tallulah would never abandon her infant son and she’s sure someone must know what happened. 

The latest novel by Lisa Jewell unfolds over two timelines- Tallulah’s, the young mother who’s disappeared and Sophie, a cozy mystery writer. Sophie unearths a clue two years after the disappearance that reignites the investigation. 

At the center of Tallulah’s mysterious disappearance is Scarlett, a beautiful, rich and troubled young woman. Scarlett is always the center of everyone’s attention - especially Tallulah’s attention. Tallulah and Zach were last seen at Dark Place, Scarlett’s isolated family mansion. As Sophie tries her hand at being a real life investigator, she unearths secrets and lies. But can she discover what really happened to Tallulah? 

This is a slow burning and entertaining thriller with red herrings and likable characters. Kim is a down to earth woman who never gives up hope of finding out what happened. I liked that Sophie the mystery writer turned into Sophie the detective. Her author’s curiosity and imagination couldn’t let go of the real life mystery before her. 

The narration by Joanne Froggatt is excellent. She does an exceptional job voicing Kim’s heartbreak, hope, and determination. Her narration was riveting and I enjoyed listening. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Monday! Hope y’all had a fantastic weekend! What’s on your dinner menu this week? I need some inspiration! 

#thenightshedisappeared #lisajewell #simonaudio #joannefrogatt #audiobookstagram #audiobooks #audiobooksofinstagram #audiobookreview #mystery #thrillerbooks #suspense #crimefiction #missingperson #bookstagram #bookworm #bibliophile #alwaysreading 

A Man Named Doll

 

Author: Jonathan Ames

Publisher: Mulholland Books

Year: 2021

Happy Tuesday! 

Hank Doll is a down on his luck former police officer turned private investigator. When a friend turns up on his doorstep one night dying of a gunshot wound, Hank is plunged into an unbelievably weird and life threatening investigation to find out what happened to his friend.

This is a wild and quirky thriller! Hank is a charming and often stoned investigator, but he has dogged determination. I don’t want to give away any of the plot. I think it’s better to go into this offbeat story without knowing too much. This is one of those books that you dive into and hang on for a wild ride. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How did you spend your time yesterday when Insta and FB were down? Less scrolling and more reading for me! I also spent lots of time outside with the dogs. 

#amannameddoll #jonathanames #mulhollandbooks #littlebrownbooks #thriller #privateinvestigator #losangeles #bookstagram #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #crimefiction #crimereads 

The Jigsaw Man

 

Author: Nadine Matheson

Publisher: Hanover Square Press

Year: 2021

Happy Saturday! 

A cat and mouse game of murder between a convicted serial killer and his copycat. DSI Anjelica Henley almost paid the ultimate price the first time she captured charismatic and notorious killer Peter Olivier. Now another killer is copying Olivier’s m.o. Is the Jigsaw Man working with someone outside his prison walls? Can Henley and her team find the killer before more innocent people die? 

Nadine Matheson’s thriller made quite a splash when it published earlier this year. DSI Henley is a great main character. Her personal life is messy. She loves her job, but still suffers from PTSD after her first encounter with Olivier. Olivier is at times charming, creepy, and a total psychopath. The pace of the book is good, the plot is intense, and the murders are grizzly. This first in a series book is a solid debut thriller and is perfect for readers who like police procedurals or sinister serial killers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Anyone have any fun plans for today? I have to strip one last bit of wallpaper off a wall today. Other than that, it’ll be pretty quiet in my little corner of the world. 

#thejigsawman #nadinematheson #hanoversquarepress #policeprocedural #serialkiller #copycatmurder #librarybook #libraryebook #librarylove #bookworm #thriller #crimefiction #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #serialkillersaturday 

Currently Reading

 

🍂 Happy October! 🍂

The weather is turning chilly, but I haven’t given up wearing shorts every day just yet. Soon though. 

I’m starting off spooky season with The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec. It’s a buddy read with @rjs.readingnook and @thereadingteapot. It was available yesterday when I checked the library’s @libby.app so I grabbed it. Can’t wait to dive into later. 

The drywall installation continues today and I feel like I can finally start thinking about a paint color. I need something light and neutral because the room doesn’t get a ton of sunlight. Is gray still popular? Or maybe a griege? Hit up the comments with your suggestions! 

#currentlyreading #thewitchsheart #genevievegornichec #libbyapp #librarybook #ebook #spookyseason #spookyseasonread #remodelingproject #drywall #bookstagram #alwaysreading #buddyread #bookworm #bibliophile #bibliophilelife