Yearning by Gun Brooke

I love libraries and genealogy and that was the key that opened the door to my reading this book. I wasn't disappointed. I missed the sci-fi aspect of the story until I got into it and couldn't believe the story that was unravelling. It appeared at first to be a cozy mystery in a small town. Many people yearn to return to their hometowns after a certain age and it wasn't all that surprising to me. Then it appeared there was some kind of magnetic pull for people who were born of the original settlers, I was seriously thinking of grid lines or something buried underneath the town. Yes, something was buried there and the two main characters and their group of explorers find an unearthly secret. 

I kept reading, I enjoyed the beginnings of romance between a LA Detective and a small town librarian. I've never met a librarian as sexy as Samantha and I don't think the visiting detective Darian had either. Their explorations take the reader on a thrilling ride to unearth the secrets and find their true heritage. 

A cast of interesting characters, delightful descriptions of historical homes and an otherworldly find round out this well thought out book. I had a lot going on in my life after I ordered this book, lots of interruptions but I felt the yearning to return to the book as much as the former residents felt the yearning to return to Dennamore. 

**I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Once Upon a Witch by Valia Lind

This was a fun read, nothing too serious, just a little murder mixed with magic. There's romance in the air but our protagonists is spurning all efforts to heal their childhood rivalry. He's tall dark and handsome now but she can't forgive him for how he treated her in elementary school. 

She has lots of friends in town, more recognizing her than she them. She does find out why. She finds out a lot of things and they put her in danger. Luckily her spurned hunk isn't far behind and yes, he will rescue her. 

She's glad when she can stop seeing the ghost of the dead woman, she drives her as crazy as she did when she was alive. Just a fun little romp, no gory details or explicit sex, great read for a day at the beach.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

I loved this book. Independent women always keep me hooked. What will they do next? She's feisty and fiery and all those good things. A bit unusual in the mid-late 19th century but probably the role I would play in those times. 

I love the setting, London countryside. The unbridled younger sister of Sherlock Holmes is spirited, inquisitive, principled and creative. 

The unfortunate side of this story is the truth of the conditions women lived under. If a woman was no longer desired by her husband, too outspoken or heaven forbid, thinking for herself, being locked up in a sanitarium is the best answer. This situation is intolerable for Enola.

Right underneath Sherlock's nose (he shouldn't have been napping) she swoops in and sets to discovering the truth and rescuing the discarded married lady. Lucky for her, a twin sister knows her sibling isn't dead, wasn't cremated and is being held against her will somewhere. Enola will find her!

If you like strong female leads, good mysteries and the English Countryside in the 1800's, read this. I couldn't put it down. This is the first I've read in the series. I'm happy to see more available. My wish list is filling up.

I received this promotional Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Nantucket Beachfront Inn by Aisling Delaney

If you like Danielle Steel, you'll probably like this book. It reads like 'lifestyles of the rich and famous'. Lots of description of beautiful homes and scenery. The recipes will have you drooling for lobster with cream sauces and extravagant desserts.

I like more well-rounded characters. There were a number of significant characters, all with their own problems. It appeared that all would be wrapped up by the end of the book. They were. But at the last minute a cliff-hanger was dropped, apparently so you will read the next book.

I didn't understand the conflict between Ava's daughters and herself. The reasons seemed too simple. Everyone kept too many secrets and it was difficult to understand their reasons. I thought the daughters were unnecessarily rude and then wanted their Mother to give them more than she already had. I couldn't understand why she felt so guilty that she let them walk all over her.

Her daughter's husband decides to leave his wife. He doesn't care a hoot about their baby and then he does. It was all too simple. I thought it lacked depth.

Again, if you like Danielle Steel, this book is for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan

 Thanks to the Publisher and Net Gallery for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting read. This was really two books in one. From the first half its 1986 and boys from not the best homes collude to wreak havoc on a punk rock music festival weekend. We get the back story on a number of characters who will make brief appearances in the second half of the book. This first half of the book seriously dragged for me. I've been to music festivals and remember getting drunk and rowdy but these guys took it to an extreme. I believe it was necessary to understand two characters, Jimmy, the narrator, and Tully, his best friend. This could have been reduced to a quarter of the pages utilised.

The second half of the book redeemed itself. I enjoyed reading about these two characters as adults more then as teenagers, just graduating high school. By 2017 Tully never really grew up, he got a job and a girlfriend but he remained self-centered without true caring for others. He clearly had a unique relationship with Jimmy, who became a writer. The relationship between the boys was more important to Tully than his girlfriend, who would be his wife for the duration of his illness.

Jimmy promised to assist Tully in his desire to skip the end of life stuff. The plan is to go to Switzerland for one last hurrah and take the dose that will put him out of his misery. Step one is to get married. Drinking and eating and doing all things that will bring on his end of life, Tully has one wish, to go out in style. Selfish? more than a bit.

He doesn't discuss his plans with his wife that he just married. Jimmy is still the ear for his confidences as they plan the final ending. These fellows wives are just background extras, the only females in the story with names, other than Jimmy's favorite teacher and Tully's mom. We aren't introduced to the wives until very late in the story and the teacher and mom are just old women, dying or having dementia. We do not get any kind of a well rounded character development from them.

The interesting part of the book for me was the struggle between these two men as they face death and dying, the choice to let medicine takes its course or put the old dog out of its misery. A very real debate that plays out in society today. I almost cried as Tully went into the final treatment to end his life, almost but not quite.

The Death of Jane Alexander

 Double wow, I suspected a little mystery, maybe a little goth, based on the cover. That did not prepare me for the slice of Victorian Life, where crypts, marble slabs, myths and magic converge at Lindridge Hall. Our protagonist, Jane is perfectly cast as the logical young woman seeking a marriage of convenience. She thinks the Dr is the best choice and outlines her plan. At first he informs her, marriage is out of the question. However, based on her skills with his ledgers and assistance in the surgery, he decides that it might work. With qualifications that Jane quickly disregards.

She can only blame herself when she doesn't follow those agreements and boundaries she accepted with her husband to be. The wedding night is a sham and Jane finds herself in a horrifying world of images, secrets, magic and madness. Bloody and disheveled, will she survive her evenings in this creepy, decaying residence?

Of course we all know to stay out of the cellar, do not agree to allow yourself to be pulled into magic that you don't know the extent of, but Jane's not thinking because now she is in love with the creepy doctor and can't bear that there are secrets she's not privy to. 

Augustine seems pretty pathetic to me, dishonesty seems to come naturally to him, or could his version of the truth be the real one? If he would just stop running away. 

Yes, this has all the ingredients of a proper horror tale - blood, guts, pain, decaying mansion and metaphysics.

Don't read it alone at night or plan to stay up all night. Not really my cup of tea but I'm grateful to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Shelter by Catherine Jinks

 I enjoyed reading Shelter, my first book by Catherine Jinks. It was scary, having been in an abusive relationship many years ago it did bring back memories that I had forgotten and were best left to rest in peace. However, I couldn't put the book down. I didn't see the extreme danger that was ahead for these two women who also had barely escaped more violence, perhaps ending in death. 

I didn't see the twist coming until near the end. At first the visiting sheltered wife was meek and scared and all our heroine wanted to do was help her. That wasn't the game plan, but I didn't guess how far she'd go. 

I would have hoped for a happier ending although i understand that small town gossip and law enforcement don't always know who to believe. Our Protagonist hadn't made nice nice with the neighbors so she didn't have a lot of back up when she needed it, sad but true, the honest one is not always the believed one. 

I recommend if you've moved past a violent abuser and don't get overwhelmed with the antics of the hostile ex-husband. I was glad to receive this copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.