Category Archives: book review

Review: The Unforgotten by Laura Powell

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The Unforgotten

It’s 1956 and fifteen-year-old Betty Broadbent has never left the Cornish fishing village of St Steele or ventured far beyond the walls of the boarding house run by her erratic mother. But when the London press pack descends to report on a series of gruesome murders of young women, Betty’s world changes. In particular she is transfixed by mysterious and aloof reporter, Mr Gallagher. As the death toll rises, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Betty and Gallagher. But as their bond deepens, they find themselves entangled with the murders and each is forced to make a devastating choice, one that will shape their own lives – and the life of an innocent man – forever.

My thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved working out the pieces to the story and making connections. There was a twist to this story I didn’t see coming and as the story came to an ending, I found myself wanting to read more. I did not want this story to end. The story represents fifty years in the future and fifty years in the past and people who lived in a town where murders were happening and about two unlikely people-Betty and Mr. Gallagher- who form a bond of a forbidden relationship while trying to discover who the killer is.

The mother/daughter relationship Betty had with her mother was intriguing and heartbreaking, at best. You see, her mother seemed to be an alcoholic and her moods were so unpredictable. How Betty handled it was like she resigned herself to this lot in her life. The outcome is truly emotional and the effect it has on Betty’s life is maddening in my opinion. My heart went out to Betty.

This murder mystery is unique and the characters are an unusual bunch. I love the complexity of the characters and the plot. I am rating this book four and a half stars.

I obtained a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara

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Back in May 2013 I shared my short but to the point review of Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara. It’s such a great read I thought I would share it again! Enjoy!

Cascade

About the book:

What would you give up to become the person you knew you were meant to be?

It’s 1935, and Dez Spaulding has sacrificed her plans to work as an artist in New York to care for her bankrupt, ailing father in Cascade, Massachusetts. When he dies, Dez finds herself caught in a marriage of convenience, bound to the promise she made to save her father’s Shakespeare Theater, an especially difficult feat since the town faces almost certain flooding to create a reservoir. When she falls for fellow artist and kindred spirit Jacob Solomon, she sees a chance to escape with him and realize her New York ambitions, but her decisions will have bitter and unexpected consequences.

Fans of Richard Russo, Amor Towles, Sebastian Barry, and Paula McLain will savor this transporting novel about the eternal tug between our duties and our desires, set in New York City and New England during the uncertain, tumultuous 1930s.

*All reviews, interviews, guest posts and promotions are original works of the people involved. In order to use any part of the material from this site, please ask for permission from Stephanie M. Hopkins-Layered Pages. *

My thoughts:

Love, loss and conflicting loyalties and promises- this story sweeps you into the 1930’s, a town in Cascade, Massachusetts. Who is fighting for their very own survival of a flood that is to create a reservoir for Boston. A woman-Desdemona, who has made promises to her dying father and bound to the man she married. Yet she yearns to for a life of an artist and falls for a young Jewish man. Author Maryanne O’Hara brings you raw emotions in her characters, their lives and gives you a sense of timeless love and beauty. I have to admit when I opened the first page and started reading, I had a hard time getting into it. So I stepped away for a few days and went back to it. Because I literally had just finished a book that was set in the 19 Century and I picked this one up immediately afterwards. Not the best idea in the world. Once I picked it up again, the story drawled me in and I was memorized. I truly admire the authors writing style and her way with characterization. The story all around is just beautiful and atmospheric. I highly recommend this novel.

Book Cover Rating:

I am rating this book cover five stars! I absolutely love it! It’s stunning and true to the story.

Review: I Let You Go by Clare MacKintosh

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I let you go

I Let You Go by  Clare Mackintosh

On a rainy afternoon, a mother’s life is shattered as her son slips from her grip and runs into the street . . .

I Let You Go follows Jenna Gray as she moves to a ramshackle cottage on the remote Welsh coast, trying to escape the memory of the car accident that plays again and again in her mind and desperate to heal from the loss of her child and the rest of her painful past.

At the same time, the novel tracks the pair of Bristol police investigators trying to get to the bottom of this hit-and-run. As they chase down one hopeless lead after another, they find themselves as drawn to each other as they are to the frustrating, twist-filled case before them. Elizabeth Haynes, author of Into the Darkest Corner, says, “I read I Let You Go in two sittings; it made me cry (at least twice), made me gasp out loud (once), and above all made me wish I’d written it . . . a stellar achievement.”

My thoughts:

This story has so many twist and turns in the plot it’s hard to know where to begin. However, I think I will start with the character development. I have to say that I found Jenna Gray’s character to be better written in the story than the two Bristol Police Investigators.  The personal intersection between the two fell flat. I felt absolutely no chemistry between them and I felt it did not add to the story. I was disappointed in that.

Also, Ray one of the investigators, has a troubled son and I was wondering where the author was going with that in the story. It could have been a good back ground story if it played in the main plot some but it didn’t. So I felt that could have been left out.

Jenna Gray is a complex character that a reader can sympathize with. She has faced many hardships-to put it lightly and as you read through the story, it unfolds what those hardships are. Truly suspenseful and gripping.

Though in the beginning I wasn’t sure about the pacing and I wanted things to become clearer a little sooner than later. I know there is some build up to the suspense but I felt it could have happened a little sooner than later.

As for a psychological thriller, this makes a truly good one and for that I am wanting to read more stories by the author.

I have rated this book three stars.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie H. Hopkins

Side note: I had the pleasure of buddy reading this book with a fellow book blogger and we had great fun with it. It was also refreshing to see that we were eye to eye about a lot of aspects of the story.

Review: Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen

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Back in 2014 I had the pleasure of interviewing Lynn Cullen and reviewing her book Mrs. Poe for a book tour. I thought I would re-visit my review and wonderful interview with her and share with you all. I hope you enjoy reading about our chat and please be sure to read Mrs. Poe if you haven’t. I highly recommend it!

Mrs. Poe

A vivid and compelling novel about a woman who becomes entangled in an affair with Edgar Allan Poe—at the same time she becomes the unwilling confidante of his much-younger wife.

It is 1845, and Frances Osgood is desperately trying to make a living as a writer in New York; not an easy task for a woman—especially one with two children and a philandering portrait painter as her husband. As Frances tries to sell her work, she finds that editors are only interested in writing similar to that of the new renegade literary sensation Edgar Allan Poe, whose poem, “The Raven” has struck a public nerve.

She meets the handsome and mysterious Poe at a literary party, and the two have an immediate connection. Poe wants Frances to meet with his wife since she claims to be an admirer of her poems, and Frances is curious to see the woman whom Edgar married.

As Frances spends more and more time with the intriguing couple, her intense attraction for Edgar brings her into dangerous territory. And Mrs. Poe, who acts like an innocent child, is actually more manipulative and threatening than she appears. As Frances and Edgar’s passionate affair escalates, Frances must decide whether she can walk away before it’s too late…

Set amidst the fascinating world of New York’s literati, this smart and sexy novel offers a unique view into the life of one of history’s most unforgettable literary figures.

Book description from goodreads.

My thoughts: 

I have always wondered about Poe’s personal life and what drove him to write such stories. I didn’t know anything about his wife or his literary circles. I too had so many misconceptions about him before reading this novel. When I first discovered this book, I was completely intrigued with the book cover first off and when I discovered the premise of the story, I knew I HAD to read this book as soon as I could.

I have discovered Frances Osgood through this intriguing story and I enjoyed the interaction between Poe and Osgood. I felt Cullen did a splendid job developing her character and has left me wanting to know more about her.

When Mrs. Poe was introduced in the story, I could literally sense a troubled soul coming through the pages! What a complex, dark, frightening- yet-pitiful person she is. Fascinating and thrilling in a bizarre sort-of way.

I loved all the characters in this book and most of all, the interaction between Poe’s and Frances’s literary circles and their followers. And I have to say that Cullen brilliantly set the tone of the nineteenth century and an era of Victorian lifestyle and mindsets. I really cannot say enough about this book. You just have to read the story for yourself and be swept up into Poe’s world.

Check out my interview with the author here

*All reviews, interviews, guest posts and promotions are originals. In order to use any part of the material from this site, please ask for permission from Stephanie M. Hopkins-Layered Pages. *

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Book Review: No One Knows by J.T. Ellison

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No one knows II

In an obsessive mystery as thrilling as The Girl on the Train and The Husband’s Secret, New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison will make you question every twist in her page-turning novel—and wonder which of her vividly drawn characters you should trust.

The day Aubrey Hamilton’s husband is declared dead by the state of Tennessee should bring closure so she can move on with her life. But Aubrey doesn’t want to move on; she wants Josh back. It’s been five years since he disappeared, since their blissfully happy marriage—they were happy, weren’t they?—screeched to a halt and Aubrey became the prime suspect in his disappearance. Five years of emptiness, solitude, loneliness, questions. Why didn’t Josh show up at his friend’s bachelor party? Was he murdered? Did he run away? And now, all this time later, who is the mysterious yet strangely familiar figure suddenly haunting her new life?

My thoughts:

When I began reading this story the jumping back and forth to the present and past was getting on my last nerve. I think it was the way it was done starting in the beginning. At first I couldn’t see where it was going and I thought it might be too much back story on things that did not matter to the plot. Well, I was dead wrong. I started to see a pattern and when I thought I had the whole story figured out, BAM-there is a total plot twist that had me so shocked! I did not see it coming at all!

For the characters, Aubrey actually annoyed me. I disliked Daisy until I realized that she was right about a few things and I sort-of changed my opinion of her. Okay, I really didn’t but I sympathized with her a little. Though she was wrong about a lot of things. As for the other characters they are just as messed up.

This psychological thriller has all the right twisted, disturbing, dysfunctional characters and situations. I found myself about half way racing through the pages to see what happens next. Things get really intense and when you think you have it all figured out, everything you thought will turn out differently in the end.

I rated this book three stars.

I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Review: A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain

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A murder in time

Beautiful and brilliant, Kendra Donovan is a rising star at the FBI. Yet her path to professional success hits a speed bump during a disastrous raid where half her team is murdered, a mole in the FBI is uncovered and she herself is severely wounded. As soon as she recovers, she goes rogue and travels to England to assassinate the man responsible for the deaths of her teammates. While fleeing from an unexpected assassin herself, Kendra escapes into a stairwell that promises sanctuary but when she stumbles out again, she is in the same place – Aldrich Castle – but in a different time: 1815, to be exact. Mistaken for a lady’s maid hired to help with weekend guests, Kendra is forced to quickly adapt to the time period until she can figure out how she got there; and, more importantly, how to get back home. However, after the body of a young girl is found on the extensive grounds of the county estate, she starts to feel there’s some purpose to her bizarre circumstances. Stripped of her twenty-first century tools, Kendra must use her wits alone in order to unmask a cunning madman.

My thoughts:

I’d like to start off my mentioning the whole concept of time-travel story. Sometimes it works in stories and sometimes it does not. In this story, it works and the author gives such a brilliant and believable description of Kendra being pulled through time. For me that was pretty intense. I could almost feel the physical pain she was going through.

I really dig the premise of an FBI Agent traveling through time and ending up working a case of a 19th century murder that turns into much more. You also meet some other great characters that race to help her solve the crimes. For starters, Rose, Rebecca, Molly, Alec and Duke Aldridge are about the best written supporting characters I have read in a good while. Most of all I was so fascinated with Kendra’s process in trying to solve these murders and some of the other characters thought process. I believe Kendra really brought that out in them and she really got them to think outside their 19th century minds.

The killings are graphic, there is profanity in this story. Quite a bit of it in the beginning actually. I’m not one for profanity but I understand the scenario the author was portraying. Intense situations cause people to react in all kinds of ways. For many, profanity is one of them. Even though the killings are graphic, this gives you a real sense of what the victims are going through, which makes the story all the more intense. I think that was brilliantly done and gives you a real understanding of that type of evil in the world.

I found this story to be atmospheric, packed with lots of action, high-energy situations and such intense and real emotions. I couldn’t put it down. I loved it and I hope there will be a sequel!  I’ve rated this book four and a half stars.

I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

 

Dilemmas & Books: It Never Ends

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The City of mirrors

I got an ARC (Advance Reader’s Copy) for this. I read the first one and I need to read the second one before reading this one. Or I could just ask my Father and Brother about the second one since they read both books one and two. *laughing* So many books-seriously-and so little time! I love it!

Oh, heck! I am just going to go ahead and read it. I don’t think I can wait. Plus, I want to get my review up for it soon.

Book Description: The Twelve have been destroyed and the hundred-year reign of darkness that descended upon the world has ended. The survivors are stepping outside their walls, determined to build society anew—and daring to dream of a hopeful future.

But far from them, in a dead metropolis, he waits: Zero. The First. Father of the Twelve. The anguish that shattered his human life haunts him, and the hatred spawned by his transformation burns bright. His fury will be quenched only when he destroys Amy—humanity’s only hope, the Girl from Nowhere who grew up to rise against him.

One last time light and dark will clash, and at last Amy and her friends will know their fate.

 

Book Review: Sinners and the Sea by Rebecca Kanner

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02_Sinners and the SeaPublication Date: April 2, 2013 Howard Books Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audio CD

The young heroine in Sinners and the Sea is destined for greatness. Known only as “wife” in the Bible and cursed with a birthmark that many think is the brand of a demon, this unnamed woman lives anew through Rebecca Kanner. The author gives this virtuous woman the perfect voice to make one of the Old Testament’s stories come alive like never before.

Desperate to keep her safe, the woman’s father gives her to the righteous Noah, who weds her and takes her to the town of Sorum, a haven for outcasts. Alone in her new life, Noah’s wife gives him three sons. But living in this wicked and perverse town with an aloof husband who speaks more to God than to her takes its toll. She tries to make friends with the violent and dissolute people of Sorum while raising a brood that, despite its pious upbringing, develops some sinful tendencies of its own. While Noah carries out the Lord’s commands, she tries to hide her mark and her shame as she weathers the scorn and taunts of the townspeople.

But these trials are nothing compared to what awaits her after God tells her husband that a flood is coming—and that Noah and his family must build an ark so that they alone can repopulate the world. As the floodwaters draw near, she grows in courage and honor, and when the water finally recedes, she emerges whole, displaying once and for all the indomitable strength of women. Drawing on the biblical narrative and Jewish mythology, Sinners and the Sea is a beauti­fully written account of the antediluvian world told in cinematic detail.

My review:

I have to admit I grew up with the story of Noah but never really thought about his wife or what they might have really gone through while in the ark during the great flood. In the story of Noah, God sees great evil in the world and decides to wipe out mankind. However he found righteousness in a man named Noah. God wanted Noah to build an ark for him, his family and two of all living creatures so they could replenish this earth after the flood. And from the story in the Bible, we know Noah obeyed God’s commands given to him.

Noah had three sons named Shem, Ham and Japheth. And the Lord told Noah and his sons, “Be Fruitful and increase in number and fill the Earth.” (Genesis 9:1)

Sinners of the Sea is told in Noah’s Wife’s point of view. She shows a side of Noah that we might not often think of. We see him as he might have been with feelings, faults and so on… He wasn’t perfect but he did obey God and wanted to do right. But if you think about it, maybe those faults (that an ordinary person would think) that are portrayed in this story is due to his sole focus on God. And I think in many ways he could have been tormented by what he knew would happen to the people of the earth and this story shows that….

When Amy Bruno approached me about participating in the book tour, I have to be honest and say that the book cover is what first caught my eye and then as I read what the book was about and the fact it was fiction, I was more intrigued. I wanted to see how the author portrays Noah. And she portrays him a man of God and I was happy she did…..

I also admire the author’s character development and I believe she really captured the true culture and human conditions of the period. Many will read the book and feel the pace is a bit slower than they are used too but will find it intriguing all the same.

There were a couple of scenes towards the end that bothered me a little but I got through it okay. I’m not one for mythology added to bible stories, fiction or not. But I’m sure many will find it interesting…

I recommend that every adult read this book. I believe you will come away with something and that is for you to find out what it is on your own journey through this story.

Watch book trailer

Praise for Sinner and the Sea

“Rebecca Kanner has created an autobiography of Noah’s wife, and an imaginative one it is.” – American Jewish World

“[Kanner] gives an intelligent voice to Noah’s wife.” – Jewish Book Council

“First-time novelist Kanner has written an utterly absorbing novel, one that flows seamlessly.” – Historical Novel Society

“A fascinating look into a feral civilization of turmoil and hardship.” – Historical Novel Review

“A stirring, fascinating story written beautifully.” – Historical Fiction Connection

“Kanner beautifully evokes life on the claustrophobic, smelly vessel. Riveting… It will certainly spark hours of book club discussions.” – St. Paul Pioneer Press

Buy the Book

Amazon UKAmazon USAudible.comBarnes & NobleBook DepositoryBooks-a-MillioniTunes

About the Author

03_Rachel Kanner

Sinners and the Sea is Rebecca Kanner’s debut novel. Rebecca is a Twin Cities native and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Fiction Writing from Washington University in St. Louis. Her writing has won an Associated Writing Programs Award, a Loft mentorship Award and a 2012/2013 Minnesota State Arts Board Grant. Her personal essay, “Safety,” is listed as a Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2011. Her stories have been published in numerous journals including The Kenyon Review and The Cincinnati Review.

Along with other authors including Anita Diamant, Michael Cunningham, Joyce Carol Oates, Russell Banks and Ron Hansen, Rebecca will be featured in the upcoming title Truthful Fictions: Conversations with American Biographical Novelists.

You can learn more about Rebecca, and find links to selected stories and essays, at www.rebeccakanner.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, April 14 Review & Giveaway at West Metro Mommy

Tuesday, April 15 Review at Cheryl’s Book Nook

Thursday, April 17 Review at A Bookish Girl

Friday, April 18 Review at Reading the Ages

Monday, April 21 Review at Booktalk & More Review at Judith Starkston

Wednesday, April 23 Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book

Friday, April 25 Spotlight & Giveaway at Caroline Wilson Writes

Monday, April 28 Review at JulzReads

Tuesday, April 29 Review at The Most Happy Reader

Wednesday, April 30 Review & Giveaway at Book Lovers Paradise

Friday, May 2 Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Monday, May 5 Review & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Tuesday, May 6 Review at Book Nerd

Wednesday, May 7 Review at Ink Sugar Blog

Friday, May 9 Review at Our Wolves Den

Monday, May 12 Review at The Calico Critic

Tuesday, May 13 Review at From L.A. to LA

Wednesday, May 14 Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Thursday, May 15 Spotlight at The Tower of Babel

Friday, May 16 Review at Layered Pages

Monday, May 19 Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Wednesday, May 21 Review at My Reader’s Block

Friday, May 23 Review at Seaside Book Corner

Tuesday, May 27 Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Thursday, May 29 Review at bookworm2bookworm’s Blog

Giveaway Link

To enter to win one of 2 copies of Sinners and the Sea or a $25 Amazon Gift Card, please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form by clicking on the link above. Giveaway is open to US residents only.

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on May 29th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter on May 30th and notified via email. Winners have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

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Review: The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot

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The Sister Queens is the second novel I have read about Marguerite and Eleanor, who both become Queens. The two sisters grew up together at their father’s-Count Raymond of Provence-court. They are separated at an early age to marry, they find their life as they know it completely changed and become two extraordinary women who face many challenges.

Marguerite marries King Louis of France and is often neglected by him. She struggles to fulfill her role as Queen by his side. The reason for her struggles is due to her domineering and often time’s cruel mother-in-law, Blanche of Castile. Blanche’s influence over her son is strong as is her involvement in the governance of France.

Eleanor, whose husband is King Henry III of England, is not considered a strong leader to his kingdom but is a good husband and adores her. But as the years go by their marriage becomes strained and Eleanor struggles to bring back that spark in their relationship.

Although this story centers on Marguerite and Eleanor, they have two other sisters- Beatrice and Sanchia- who married the brothers of King Henry and King Louis. Their marriages help bond the relationship between the two countries. The marriages of all the sisters were obviously for political advantage and more power. Which is intriguing to read about and I find that I admire their courage, strength and their amazing resilience to adapt to any situation they encounter.

At the beginning of each chapter you read a letter from Marguerite to Eleanor and vice versa- as they corresponded through the years. As I read their letters, I found myself enthralled with their devotion to each other. For me, the letters were the highlight of the story told.

The alternating point of views told by the two sisters was well developed and easy to follow along. One can tell Perinot takes pride in her work and it shows through the pages and the character’s voices as their lives unfold. The compelling interpretation of Marguerite and Eleanor is believable and admirable. Stories such as this are timeless and Perinot brings the 13th century back to life through this captivating novel. That is one of the reasons why I’m so drawn to historical fiction. I hold this story in high affection and it is certainly praiseworthy!

I rated this story four and a half stars.

Stephanie

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