Review: The Other Girl (Plus, Q&A with Erica Spindler!)

Note: Top Shelf Text received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

It appears that this has been the summer of really good thrillers and really good mysteries. The two often go hand in hand, but sometimes a new book comes along that's a perfect combination of both genres -- and Erica Spindler's The Other Girl is one of them. I read this book in a day and it was successful in keeping me up way past my bedtime and in giving me a good scare.

The Other Girl follows Officer Miranda Rader -- a veteran of a small-town Louisiana police force and former juvenile delinquent. Miranda has built a career as a trustworthy, intelligent police officer and excellent investigator. No one on the force, with the exception of the chief himself, knows of her less-than-perfect past, and that's the way the well-respected officer wants to keep it. But of course, when you're a character in a thriller, your secrets are bound to unravel. When Miranda and her partner are called to the scene of a grisly crime -- a local university professor murdered by an apparently vengeful lover -- Miranda finds herself with a chilling link to the victim. 

Like I said, I read this in a day because I just had to find out who the killer was -- as soon as Miranda discovered a piece of evidence linking herself to the crime, I was hooked. At under 300 pages, the investigation moves quickly (and so does the romantic element) so it was a perfect read for me to take along to the pool. While the characters weren't necessarily deep, they were well-crafted enough that I had empathy for some and disdain for others. The plot was enough for me to keep turning the pages, and I was so surprised by how the events of Miranda's past linked to the crime. 

I also liked that this was a book with a female detective -- I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers, but very few of the contemporary ones feature female detectives. While Miranda definitely wasn't a role model in her teens, her transformation into a professional made for a good redemption story and by the end of the story, I admired both her values and her actions. I'd recommend this to any fans of the genre, and in particular to those looking for a book that will have you tuned out to the world until turning the last page.

Bottom-Line Rating: 3/5

Title: The Other Girl

Author: Erica Spindler

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Price: $18.35 on Amazon

ISBN: 1250083656

Format: Hardcover

Source: St. Martin's Press

***

Q & A with Erica Spindler, Author of The Other Girl

Start by telling us a little about The Other Girl and what inspired the story?

In The Other Girl, the grisly murder of a popular college professor, forces Detective Miranda Rader to face the traumatic past she thought she’d buried. It leads her on a quest for justice that may cost her everything—even her life.

A real life event close to home inspired The Other Girl. I live in a family-oriented, bedroom community of New Orleans. One afternoon the news exploded with the account of an attempted abduction of a young girl walking home from her bus stop. The girl managed to escape and the perp got away. As you can imagine, the story was everywhere and on everyone’s lips for days. She’s interviewed, her parents are on TV.  But no arrests are made, and the case goes silent.  Until—the sheriff appears on TV and announces the girl made up the whole thing.  

I was shocked.  The girl’s identity is known—so now everyone thinks she’s a liar. All her friends, teachers, family, neighbors.  Everybody. What if she really was telling the truth?  How would that impact her life now—and in the future? Would she bury the past?  Would she long for justice?  And what if she wasn’t the only girl? What about justice for them?  These questions are at the heart of both this story and my main character, Miranda.

Can you give us a look into the character development process, more specifically how you developed protagonist Miranda Rader?

I started with the “What if no one believed you question” and built my character from there, by asking more questions, defining who she is at the time of the incident—and how do I make it believable no one backs her up.  Then I tackled all the ways that might have changed her life.  For example, I decided she would have felt powerless against the system, so she would choose to become part of it as an adult—and what’s more empowering than a badge and a gun?  This really is a psychologically driven thriller, and my end goal was justice and healing, so every decision I made had to pass the test: Will this take me a step closer to that goal.

How would you describe your writing process, including getting started, conducting research, and knowing when a work is complete?

Beginning always starts with what I call my “Dark Gift” moment. It a goosebumps reaction to something that happens to me personally, or in my personal sphere.  And it starts the worst-case-scenario, what-if snowball rolling. I usually brainstorm on paper a lot.  Jotting ideas, plot points, bits of dialogue, character characteristics, or whatever.  The good stuff keeps coming back, the other just falls away.  I do whatever research I need to start the book, then research as I go.  (I don’t love research.) I’ve recently discovered a screenwriting book titled Save The Cat by Blake Snyder and have started incorporating his notecard, three act process and have found it very helpful.

When I think I have enough of a direction, I open a document on the computer and begin.  There are days writing is the hardest job ever, and other days when it’s heaven on earth—and lots of days in between.  For me, I know it’s done when all the threads are tied up and I get this euphoric feeling of satisfaction—not for having finished, but for my characters. It their happy ending, after all.

 Tell us about your influences, from all-time favorite authors to most inspirational works. Additionally, are there any recent titles you’d recommend? 

 Down here in south Louisiana, we’re known for our gumbo.  It started with the cajuns, who would throw whatever they had in an abundance into the pot to make a rich, flavorful stew.  That’s the way I think of my influences—horror like Stephen King and Peter Straub; Glitz and Glamour like Judith Krantz and Sidney Sheldon; childhood influences like the Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew mysteries; the Gothic Suspense from my teens years, like Phyllis Whitney and Mary Stewart; and the Contemporary Romance like Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown—they all come together in my stories to create this complex and, hopefully, tasty mix.

What would you say is the greatest writing tip you have for aspiring writers?

 How about three instead? Believe in yourself, learn from your mistakes, and keep your butt in the chair!

 When did you know being a writer was what you wanted to do? What was the moment like when you realized it was becoming a reality? Was the path to publication a linear one?

 I always thought I wanted to be a visual artist, which is what I’m trained for.  I’d completed my MFA and lined up a University teaching job for the fall.  Then I caught the writing bug.  A cashier dropped a free Nora Roberts novel into my shopping bag; I read it and was hooked.  Although a big reader all my life, I’d  never read romance. After a months-long reading frenzy, I decided I had to try to write one.  The minute I put pen to paper, I knew I had found my true calling. I never looked back.

As for a linear path to publication—if that includes rejections, rewrites, rejections, rewrites, yes it was linear.  My very first novel, rewritten several times, is still in a drawer. I’ve nicknamed it Fatally Flawed, because I made every mistake a beginning writer can make.  It’s my learning curve, I’m proud of that fact, and it will never to see the light of publication.  Promise! 

What would you say makes The Other Girl stand out amongst other popular thrillers from the last few years? 

 There have been so many awesome thrillers published in the last few years!  What I hope stands out about The Other Girl is it’s main character’s authentic journey as she relives past trauma and fights for justice.  I think readers will really like her and be rooting for her. 

 Do you have any creative rituals for when you sit down to write?

 Coffee.  More coffee. And chocolate.  Seriously dark chocolate.

 When you're writing a suspense novel such as The Other Girl, how do you go about mapping out the plot? Did you know the ending ahead of time, or did you let the story unfold as you wrote?

In writing circles, you’re either a plotter or a pantser (as in the seat of your pants). I’m actually a bit of both. Some things I know. How it begins, who the hero is—and who the villain is.  I also start out knowing what the hero desires—or thinks she desires.

I know the crime, or crimes, that make the plot move, and also what the hero has to learn from this journey.  Everything else is the magic that happens as I’m writing—the story and characters take on a life of their own and things happen that I never could have planned beforehand.

 Are there any pieces of you in any characters in The Other Girl?

 Yes, definitely.  In all my books, there’re are bits and pieces of me scattered about.  (Sounds like crime scene!) And my heroic characters are always colored with my world view.

What’s your favorite psychological thriller? 

One of my all time favorite novels is Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Another is Along Came a Spider by James Patterson, and The Shining by Stephen King. The list goes on!

***

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy of this thriller and for allowing me to contribute questions to their Q&A! As a reminder, all opinions are my own.

Review: The History of Bees

Note: Top Shelf Text received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Readers, let me just voice what everyone is thinking.

That cover.

This could potentially go down as my favorite cover of 2017. And it's even better in person, because it's textured too. Shoutout to Kelsey, who is the digital marketing manager at Touchstone, and who was totally unfazed when I told her I couldn't stop touching the cover of this book. (Hi Kelsey, and thanks for letting me be weird at you over the internet!) 

The History of Bees just came out earlier this week, so you can expect to see it popping up on shelves at your local library and bookstore soon. I can tell you the reason that it first caught my eye -- ever since I became a fan of Sherlock Holmes (at a very young age, I can assure you), I've been fascinated by beekeeping. My fascination mostly exists by proxy, because if Sherlock deems it worthy of study, then I'm interested. If you share my interest, then I highly recommend this novel. There are a few different elements of the book that I want to hit on in this review, but the first is the structure of the novel.

I read a lot of historical fiction, and most of my favorites are ones that have dual narratives, in which there's a past perspective and a present perspective that somehow tie together. The History of Bees takes that concept and pushes it further, with a third perspective representing the future.

Here's how it's laid out: 

The first narrative takes place in England in 1835. It's told from the perspective of William, a merchant and biologist who leaves his bed after a rather drawn out depressive spell when inspiration strikes. He invents a new type of beehive, one that he's sure will bring him notoriety in the biology world.

The second narrative takes place in 2007, on a bee farm in Ohio. The perspective featured is George, a stubborn beekeeper who fights to maintain his family's beekeeping traditions as modern farming threatens both his livelihood and the lives of his bees. George has a son whom he hopes will take over the farm, but his hopes falter when his son returns home from college with a different career path in mind.

The third perspective is that of a woman named Tao, who lives in China in  2098. At that time, the bees have been absent from the earth, and human pollinators work to fill the gap left at the agricultural level. Food is scarce and life is regimented, but Tao is content to work hard to provide a better life for her beloved son. That is, until her son is the victim of a mysterious accident and is taken away by the government. Tao grows suspicious of their motives and, desperate for answers, ventures into the dangerous, unregulated lands outside the city.

As I read, I found myself most interested in the present perspective. George's struggle to maintain tradition while he battled environmental decline and industrial farming was really interesting to me, and I found the relationships in his narrative to be the most fruitful in connecting me to the characters. The characters in the other two narratives weren't as well drawn but had great potential, had they been given more space to develop. In general, I felt that I could have read three totally separate novels featuring each of these narratives and enjoyed them all for separate reasons. Had that been the case, however, I would have missed out on the unique way that the three narratives tied together in the end (but I won't spoil that for you here). The book left me with a whole host of feelings -- a little bit of despair, some glimmers of hope, and alarm that the environmental issues featured in this book are real and present to our time. Even though I didn't completely connect with all of the main characters, I would still recommend this title even just for the experience of learning more about beekeeping. I found every bit of information fascinating, and every additional fact about the decline of bees devastating.

Recommended for fans of all genres, as this unique novels wraps dystopian, contemporary, and historical fiction all into one complex, interwoven story.

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The History of Bees

Author: Maja Lunde

Publisher: Touchstone Books, 2017

Price: $15.89 on Amazon

ISBN: 1501161377

Format: Paperback ARC

Source: Touchstone Books

On Glass Houses, and Why You Should Read Everything by Louise Penny

Note: Top Shelf Text received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

(SPOILER-FREE) 

Readers, do I really need to say anything about Glass Houses? I think we all know how I feel by now.

For my readers that are new to the Inspector Gamache mysteries, let me tell you why I love this series. Louise Penny doesn't just write mysteries, she writes about life. She writes about honor, and bravery, and friends that are really family.

Three Pines, and the people that live in that tiny village, are like family to me. When I open a Louise Penny novel, it feels like coming home. So while this is a mystery series, and I do think Penny has a masterful ability to plot a mystery, I don't actually read them for the thrill of the investigation. I read them because I love these characters enough that they feel like real people to me.

And Gamache himself? When I think about the type of person that I want to be, and the type of legacy that I want to leave in my lifetime, I think of him. 

If that's not enough to convince you to pick up the first in the series, let me give you a quick overview:

In the first mystery, Still Life, Chief Inspector Gamache is the head of homicide for the Sûreté du Québec. Rather than the brash leading detective that we may be used to from this genre, he's more of the bold but gentle type. That is, he lives by his code, and his goal is always to provide justice for the victims of the crimes he investigates. He leads a team of misfits from the ranks of the Sûreté, including Inspector Beauvoir, a rather outspoken man and Gamache's protege, and Inspector Lacoste, a clever and empathetic addition to their team.

Gamache lives with his wife Reine-Marie, whom he adores, and has two grown children. He's well into his career as Chief Inspector and sometimes clashes with those who lead the Sûreté, but he always manages to solve even the most difficult cases. It's in this first novel that Gamache discovers Three Pines, a tiny, unmapped village in the forest, and the scene of his latest investigation.

Throughout the thirteen books in this series, Gamache returns to Three Pines and becomes not just an investigator, but an integral part of the eccentric circle of friends there. And along the way, we witness his incredible ability to read people and to understand their motivations. More importantly, we see how long it takes for a murder to come to fruition, and how Gamache uses his powers of empathy and astute observation to pinpoint the exact spot where hatred (or rage, or jealousy) becomes a crime.

Penny's writing isn't prose -- it's poetry (sometimes literally) and her ability to convey feeling, atmosphere, and the scent of a meal at the B&B is incredible and so worth the time it takes to invest in these stories.

***

On Glass Houses

I know I've done this to you recently with my review of Castle of Water, but I'm not actually going to give you any details here. That's because so many of you are at different points in your Gamache journey, and so many of you are discovering your own reasons for loving this series. I know I recommend a lot of titles to you here, but I'm asking you to trust me again. This series has earned its spot on my lifetime favorites' shelf. And this latest installment brings us to a particularly gut-wrenching and pivotal part in these characters' lives. Not to mention, the villain in Glass Houses is not what you'd expect, but it's entirely relevant and the timing of this book is therefore incredibly poignant. (And if you're still wondering, I gave this book a 5/5.)

This title will be released on August, 29, 2017. You can pre-order your own copy here on Amazon, or through your local independent bookseller.

***

I hope you love this series, friends. If you've read any one of the books, tell us about your reading experience below!

Review: Hook's Tale

Note: Top Shelf Text received a copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Here's one thing I love about being a teacher: the constant sense of nostalgia. When I see a student come in with Nancy Drew in hand for the first time, or can chat with another about our shared love for Disney princesses (and for Belle in particular), it makes my heart happy. Childhood is a precious season of life, and my theory is that when we can return to that season through books, we experience a state of contentment. When the team at Scribner books sent me this title, I just knew that it would be a return to a world that I loved as a young reader. I am so excited to share it with you all today because this story had me completely charmed.

Hook's Tale is a new take on an old villain -- a redemption story, if you will, and written for the adults who wish they could go back to experience the world of Neverland all over again. It's written from the first-person perspective of Captain Hook himself, who left behind an extensive diary detailing the real story behind the events that were terribly skewed by the writer whom Hook refers to only as "that Scotsman." In it, we meet Hook as a young boy -- back then, he went by his given name, James Cook, and learn about the sorry circumstances of his teenage years. 

Appearances are made by some of the major players in Peter Pan, including Tiger Lily, Peter, Wendy, and (my favorite character), Smee. I absolutely loved how Pielmeier (the "editor" of Hook's diaries), took these beloved characters and this world and turned them completely upside down. A lot of what made this reading experience fun was seeing the characters and scenes pop up in unexpected ways, and even though there was a great deal of sorrow in Hook's life, this was one of those books that I hugged (yes, literally) after finishing. If you're a fan of the original, you might want to add this to your list. (And just a warning, for those who might want to pass it along to younger readers. This is most certainly a tale for adults. Not recommended for anyone under the YA age bracket, despite it's nostalgic tendencies.)

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: Hook's Tale: Being the Account of an Unjustly Villainized Pirate Written by Himself

Author: John Leonard Pielmeier

Publisher: Scribner Books, 2017

Price: $17 on Amazon

ISBN: 1501161059

Format: Hardcover

Source: Scribner Books

Review: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore has to be one of my top mystery/thriller reads of the year so far, and for that reason I must insist that you add it to your summer reading list. 

The book introduces us to Lydia Smith, who works at an eccentric bookstore in Denver. It's the kind of store that attracts not only customers, but also loyal followers. Lydia dubs a group of regulars her "Book Frogs," and is devastated one night when she stumbles upon the body of Joey - the youngest of the Book Frogs - among the stacks. Lydia cannot fathom why a patron would kill himself in the store, until she realizes that he's left behind a puzzle, and that she is the one who he hoped would solve it. As Lydia works to discover the motivation behind Joey's death, she is forced to remember a traumatic event from her childhood and to confront the ways in which that terrible night still keeps hold over her life.

This one is a five-star read for any season and one of those books where I can't tell you much about it -- for fear of spoiling the suspenseful reading experience that I loved, as I was surprised by the level of sophistication in its twists and turns. This is one of those reads that I didn't want to put down, and that still has me thinking about the depth of plotting that Matthew J. Sullivan had to do in order to achieve such a perfectly twisty novel.

 If you're looking for a book club suggestion for this summer, this would be mine -- I think it would make for some great discussions about suspense novels in general. I've already given it to my mother to read (she agrees that this makes for a great summer read) and just lent it to my best friend (who loves thrillers) who also thought it was a great beach read! I have a feeling I'll be passing this one around for a while.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

Author: Matthew J. Sullivan

Publisher: Scribner, 2017

Price: $20 on Amazon

ISBN: 1501116843

Format: Hardcover

Source: Scribner Publishers

Note: Top Shelf Text received a copy of this book from Scribner Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Children's Review: Artie Conan Doyle and the Gravedigger's Club

{image via Goodreads}

I am a fan of all-things Sherlock Holmes, so anytime I hear about a new spinoff of my favorite detective series I am guaranteed to give it a try. Artie Conan Doyle and The Gravedigger's Club is the first in a new series that I'm looking forward to following. The mystery stars a young Arthur Conan Doyle (the author of the original Sherlock Holmes) as he solves mysteries around his hometown in Edinburgh. In this first adventure, Artie and his best friend Hamilton are exploring a local graveyard late at night when they spot a ghostly woman and the paw prints of a gigantic hound. Soon, they're on a quest to discover the mystery behind the two sightings, as well as the culprit of several robberies carried out by a mysterious society known as The Gravedigger's Club.

I loved that this book carried elements of some of the tales of Sherlock and Watson -- the idea being that these events in Artie's life would later influence his storytelling -- and I also loved how the story was steeped in historical detail. Though the mystery is the main focus of the plot, this also featured a theme of friendship, particularly as it relates to the hero-sidekick relationship that we see in this type of story. Recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy detective stories (and potentially a great summer reading pick)!

This title will be released on June 15, 2017.

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: Artie Conan Doyle and The Gravedigger's Club

Author: Robert J. Harris

Publisher: Kelpies, 2017

Price: Pre-order for $9.94 on Amazon

ISBN: 1782503536

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: Whispers Beyond the Veil

{image via Goodreads}

At this point, you already know that I love historical fiction, and especially novels with strong female protagonists. There were many periods in history (most periods, actually), when women were expected to be coy, meek, and generally silent in all things. I love to experience stories in which women do not meet those expectations -- and Jessica Estevao's Whispers Beyond the Veil is one of those stories. This novel takes place at the very end of the 19th century, at a seaside resort town in Maine. Ruby Proulx is a victim of her father's crimes. Since childhood, he has carted her from town to town, selling his "medical miracles" and forcing her to take part in his schemes. When one of his miracle demonstrations goes horribly wrong, Ruby is forced to flee. Ruby finds herself traveling to the seaside town of Old Orchard, Maine, where her Aunt Honoria is opening a new hotel geared towards believers in the spiritual realm. 

Ruby is welcomed by her aunt, and is grateful to take up a role in running the hotel but before the season can truly begin, tragedy strikes. Not only is the hotel's future and Honoria's reputation in danger, but Ruby fears her past role in her father's schemes will catch up to her. She takes it upon herself to investigate the crime. The Spiritualists' beliefs in otherworldly powers and an ghostly realm were in contrast with the Victorian propriety expected of the characters. I certainly enjoyed the mystery element too, and the book reminded me of Cat Winter's In the Shadow of Blackbirds and Deanna Raybourn's A Curious Beginning (review here). Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a touch of the supernatural. This novel is the first in a series that I'll certainly be following in the future. 

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: Whispers Beyond the Veil (A Change of Fortune Mystery #1)

Author: Jessica Estevao

Publisher: Berkley, 2016

Price: $10 on Amazon

ISBN: 04255281604

Format: Paperback

Source: Public Library

Review: Piecing Me Together

image via Goodreads

I can no longer claim that I'm "not really a reader of young adult books" because 2017 has been a year of branching out, and I'm realizing that I really do like young adult books, even if I am a little picky in this category. Piecing Me Together is a young adult novel unlike any other that I've read, and I didn't just like it, I loved it. 

This contemporary fiction novel (just published in February) follows Jade, a high-school junior. She lives in a poor neighborhood in Portland with her strict and hard-working mother and her eccentric young uncle. Jade is constantly feeling like she's in between worlds -- she attends a small private school on scholarship, so her friends at home think she's privileged and her peers at school think she's a charity case. As Jade navigates high school, thoughts about the future, and friendships in both her worlds, she has to discover who she wants to be and how to stand up for herself. 

Before I tell you why I loved this book, I want to give a little background. I'm a teacher in an urban district, where many of my student's can related to Jade's struggles with hunger, money, and systematic racism. I saw a reflection of my students in Jade, which had me emotionally invested in her future from the very start of the book. Not only did I love that this book wasn't about romance -- instead, it was about identity (and not identity in relation to any male figures in Jade's life) -- but I also loved that it helped me to gain a better perspective into how my students might feel having a white, privileged teacher when they come from a completely different world. So much of the time, we assume that a teenage girl's priorities are all centered around boys, social media, and the like, but Watson's portrayal reminds us that teenagers are far more sophisticated than we might think- that they do think about social justice, about their futures, about who they want to be and what they want to contribute to the world.

I would love to see this book become a point of discussion for high schoolers (hello, summer reading assignment!) because Jade has to learn how to speak up for herself -- how to name incidents of racism in her life, how to ask others for the truth, and how to tell others what's most important to her. We read this for the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club this month and I absolutely cannot wait to hear everyone's thoughts. One thing I'm trying to do in 2017 is read more literature from diverse authors with more diverse characters. If you have a recommendation, I'd love to hear it.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: Piecing Me Together

Author: Renée Watson

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2017

Price: $10 on Amazon

ISBN: 1681191059

Format: Hardcover

Source: Public Library

Review: The Long Run

{image via Goodreads}

I wouldn't necessarily call myself a runner. Sure, I enjoy running, but if we're being honest, it's hard and requires a lot of mental energy for me, so it's not always my go-to option for exercise. In the past year or so, I've only gone on a handful of runs, but after reading The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion, I've felt inspired to lace up my sneakers and take another shot at being a "runner."  

Here's the thing about this book: it's not a typical sports memoir. Catriona Menzies-Pike is not a famous athlete. She's run a handful of marathons and many, many half-marathons, but when you put her running accomplishments in perspective, she's pretty much on par with any other ordinary person who also happens to run marathons.

What makes this memoir interesting is not that it's about running, but that it's written from a feminist perspective. Within the first chapter, I realized that this was one of the most well-written memoirs I've read, and by the time Menzies-Pike mentioned her PhD in Literature, I could tell that she was a voracious reader, and someone of extraordinary intelligence. She not only writes about her own life experiences -- a plane crash that left her orphaned, a downward spiral shortly after, and her discovery that running helped to heal her -- but also writes about the history of women in running. 

I learned so much about the discrimination of women in this sport (starting in the time of Ancient Greece and continuing well into the 1960's) and the stories of individual women who dared to run alongside male athletes. One of the most interesting (and disturbing) facts that I learned? Women were often told to avoid running because it would threaten their fertility. Women runners who entered races were often scolded for their selfishness, race organizers certain that to run a marathon was to sacrifice a future as a mother. Now, of course, we know that a woman can be both an athlete and a mother, so it seems absurd to think that this was a huge reason behind the discrimination. There are some spots where I felt the history (or the focus on sexism) was a little drawn out and sluggish, but in the end I came away from this book feeling inspired to run and to encourage the women in my life to pursue dreams that may feel impossible. Her story is proof that dedication bears fruit and I loved her overall message that no matter your size, speed, or distance, when you set out on a run, you are a runner.

This title will be released on May 23, 2017.

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion

Author: Catriona Menzies-Pike

Publisher: Crown Publishing Group, 2017

Price: $17.00 to pre-order on Amazon

ISBN: 1524759449

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this text by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: Britt-Marie Was Here

{on Goodreads}

Fredrik Backman is quickly climbing the ranks of favorite authors for me. I adore Backman's characters. They're flawed, genuine, and totally out of touch with society, but their experiences in the world and the way they react to them are what makes these stories so charming to read. If you listened to my featured episode of What Should I Read Next?, then you know that characters are a big element of fiction for me and Britt-Marie Was Here did not disappoint.

Like Ove (Backman's most famous character), Britt-Marie could definitely be described as prickly. Britt-Marie has well established notions on just about every topic -- how people should style their hair, what time is most appropriate to eat dinner, and what brand of window cleaner is the best. Her story begins in the unemployment office, where she's seeking a job for the first time in many years. She's offered a short-term job as the caretaker of a run-down recreation facility in a town that's given up on itself. When she arrives, she discovers that that though the job requires little effort, there's another (more important) role for her to play in the community. This story is full of personality and encourages readers to reflect on their relationships to their own communities and the people who need them most.

Long story short, I loved this book and I hope that you will too.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: Britt-Marie Was Here

Author: Fredrik Backman

Publisher: Atria Books, 2016

Price: $16 on Amazon

ISBN: 1501142534

Format: Hardcover

Source: Public Library

P.S. I just ordered Backman's latest novel for summer reading and I can't wait to dive in.

Review: Caraval

{image via Goodreads}

If you're seeing this book here for the first time, prepare yourself to see a whole lot more of it. Caraval is this year's Hunger Games meets The Night Circus, and it's wonderfully done. Though it's touted as a young adult (YA) book -- and certainly has some of the elements that make for a popular young adult novel -- I think this one will appeal to wider audiences and especially those readers who enjoy mystery and magic wrapped in dangerous circumstances.

Scarlett and Donatella Dragna are sisters, daughters to a wealthy and abusive man and captives in their own island home. When they were little, their grandmother told them the story of Caraval, a fantastical event happening only once a year, a traveling game come to life. All Scarlett ever wanted was to see the show, protect her sister from their father's beatings, and somehow get the two of them off the island to a better life. For years, Scarlett wrote to Legend, the Game Master, pleading with him to bring Caraval to their island, and for years she received no response. Until, just weeks before she is set to marry, three tickets arrive to this year's Caraval.

What I loved about this book: the sumptuousness of it. There was sensory detail in every paragraph, and I particularly loved the way that Garber described Scarlett as experiencing emotions as colors. Also captivating was the way that Garber set up the world of Caraval -- it's only a game, and players are constantly reminded of its illusory nature, but it's disorienting all the same and difficult to tell who can be trusted. That also makes the romantic relationships rather tenuous, as you can never tell if someone is acting genuinely or simply acting while inside the game. 

Caraval is the first in a duology, but there's no information yet on the second book's release. This first book has already been all over Instagram, but I predict you'll see more of it because the movie rights were snapped up even before the novel was published. Highly recommended for fans of the fantasy genre, and especially to those who enjoy a reading experience that keeps you guessing.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: Caraval (Caraval #1)

Author: Stephanie Garber

Publisher: Flatiron 2017

Price: $12 for a hardcover on Amazon

ISBN: 1250095255

Format: Hardcover

Source: Amazon

Review: Pirate Hunters

{image via Goodreads}

I'm sure many readers can relate -- sometimes, a book catches your eye and finds its way into your hands immediately because you just know you need to read that book right now, while other times a book can catch your eye but has to wait patiently for you to rediscover it. With Pirate Hunters, the latter is true for me. This book first stood out to me as I perused titles for my June Currently Coveting post...last year.

I happened upon it again in a bookstore last week and when I saw it I yelled out, "I've been meaning to read this book!" It went into my stack right then and there (and it didn't hurt that it was on the bargain shelf). I don't reach for nonfiction books often, so when I find one with a premise that interests me, I always want to give it a fair shot so I can (hopefully) recommend it to you!

Thankfully, Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship turned out to be just as enthralling as the title suggests. I love stories of treasure hunting and I was really caught up in the idea that this book told the story of a real life treasure hunt with all of the suspense of a great movie! Pirate Hunters tells the story of John Chatterton and John Mattera, two men who made it their mission to discover a lost Spanish galleon ship that had supposedly sunk off shore of the Dominican Republic. The story behind it takes place in the late 1700's, when a respectable captain-turned-fearsome-pirate named Joseph Bannister had an epic battle with the Royal Navy. In the end, Bannister torched and sunk his own ship, named the Golden Fleece, and both the legend of his pirate career and the ship's treasure were lost to history.

Chatterton and Mattera had both made their names in the diving/treasure hunting business long before this expedition, and reading about their backgrounds and what led them both to this incredibly long and hard search for the Golden Fleece made the stakes feel so real. These men both sacrificed so much of their lives for the chance at discovering this treasure -- failure was not an option that they wanted to consider. Of course, there were plenty of obstacles, both relating to the actual search for the treasure and in terms of funding the trip, dealing with the minimal amenities available in the Dominican Republic, and the long distance relationships that they struggled to maintain. What I loved most about reading this book was the dedication to the discovery -- the personal motivations for both men kept me engaged and wanting to see that their hard work rewarded.

This is a book worth reading, even for those who don't normally read nonfiction. The elements of treasure, history, suspense, danger, and putting-it-all-on-the-line were what drew me in and kept me reading until the very end. Kurson's also written another book featuring Chatterton, Shadow Divers, which I'll be putting on my to-read list.

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship

Author: Robert Kurson

Publisher: Random House, 2015

Price: $11 on Amazon

ISBN: 0812973693

Source: Concord Bookshop

Format: Hardcover

Review: The Radium Girls

{image via Goodreads}

I've been so lucky with the books I've read this year. I already have a bunch of contenders for top ten of 2017 -- and it's only April! I'm not a big non-fiction reader, so it's high praise to say that The Radium Girls is on the short list for best reads of 2017. The Radium Girls is, essentially, the story of a great injustice. I'll freely admit that I had no knowledge of the history behind this book before reading, but now that I know better I can't stop relaying the story to anyone willing to listen.

Incredibly well-researched, and told with a narrative tilt that makes for a captivating read, The Radium Girls tells the story of the women who worked in radium-dial factories across the U.S. during World War I and beyond, carefully painting much-needed military clock faces with a luminous paint made from radium. In that time period, radium was being hailed as a miracle element. It's tumor-blasting powers had recently been discovered, and medical professionals and marketing firms were taking advantage of the public's newfound obsession with its health benefits. The military held contracts with these dial-painting factories so that they could ensure their soldiers and pilots could read their clock faces, as the radium-laced paint shone brightly in the dark. That luminous paint earned these women the nickname "the shining girls," and along with it an elevated status in society. It turns out that working in the radium-dial factories was one of the best jobs that a woman could have in that time -- it paid well, there were social benefits, and there didn't appear to be any downsides. That is, until the girls started to get very sick.

Here's my disclaimer for this book: if you have a sensitive disposition, this might not be for you. The descriptions of the girls' suffering was pretty detailed and graphic. I was chatting with my boss about the history behind the book one day and when I finished relaying just a few of those graphic details he asked me why in the wold I wanted to read about that (valid question, I'll admit) and I replied that it was like watching a train wreck -- terrible, but I couldn't look away.

I might have had a sort of fascination with the medical decline of the girls while reading, but what really kept me interested was the girls' quest for justice. I won't give away the big parts of the story, but I will say that if you have an interest in social justice, this is the book for you. These women were faced with incredible pain, deceptive doctors, greedy corporations -- and yet, they kept fighting for their rights. It's largely thanks to them that we have protections against occupational hazards, because while their jobs were touted as the best out there, their work actually poisoned them. Highly recommended (even for those who don't usually read non-fiction like myself), and absolutely a good pick for a book club read, The Radium Girls is one book that you'll want to put on your to-read list this year.

This title will be released on May 2, 2017.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5

Title: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

Author: Kate Moore

Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2017

Price: Pre-order for $17.99

ISBN: 149264935X

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: The Witchfinder's Sister

{image via Goodreads}

Normally, I wouldn't be reading a witch-centered tale at this point in the year; I prefer to read this type of story in the fall, when the crunching leaves and cool wind outside put me in the mood. I couldn't wait, however, to get my hands on this new release from a freshman author, if only to see if I should recommend it for this year's great October reads list. The Witchfinder's Sister is a tale of witch-hunting in 17th century England, a time in which the slightest betrayal of propriety could mark a woman as under the influence of the devil.

The story follows Alice Hopkins, a woman who is forced to move from London back to her hometown of Manningtree after the death of her husband. Alice arrives, hoping that her fractured relationship with her brother can be healed as she will be forced to rely on his hospitality for the foreseeable future. Matthew accepts Alice into his home but he has undergone a change since the siblings had last seen each other. He has grown into a serious man, extremely private and outwardly judgmental of those who do not follow the Bible's teachings. Alice soon realizes that Matthew is doing more than just judging others -- he is taking careful notes, preparing himself for a venerable witch-hunt. 

For a debut novel, this was very well written. The details were obviously well-researched, and I had no trouble putting myself into the setting of this book. For me, it's weakness was in the plot. I felt that it was awfully drawn out, and I found my interest waning until I hit the 70% mark -- that's when I started to feel invested in the story. The pace makes sense considering the setting -- there wasn't much sudden action back in the 1640's -- but some of the most interesting history behind the book didn't come in until that last 30%, and I found myself wishing that our protagonist could have spent less time pacing her room and more time in the action. My second qualm was in the character of Alice, as she was always deferential and even when she tried to stand up to the men in her life, she never actually followed through. Historically, her behavior makes sense, as she wouldn't have had many options when it came to supporting herself, but her character felt weak to me and I found myself disappointed in her tendency towards hiding away rather than standing up for herself and others. 

I found the history behind the story really interesting -- Matthew Hopkins was a real figure in history, a man responsible for the death of over a hundred women whom he accused and persecuted for witchcraft. This all happened before the infamous trials in Salem and yet it's not nearly as well known. I live next to Salem (and teach there, too) and though I had heard of the trials in England I had no knowledge of the scope of Hopkin's impact. For those interested in this period of history, I would recommend this story even with my dislike for its protagonist. To me, this feels like a book that wasn't quite right for me as a reader but has the potential to be a favorite for others.

This title will be released on April 25, 2017.

Bottom-Line Rating: 3/5

Title: The Witchfinder's Sister

Author: Beth Underdown

Publisher: Ballatine Books

Price: Pre-order for $19.04 on Amazon

ISBN: 0399179143

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this text by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress

{image via Goodreads}

I've said it before and I'll say it again: without the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club, I would never have picked up this book. The same is true for almost all of the books we've read, and yet I thoroughly enjoy reading every single title that Anne Bogel chooses for us. (I'm telling you, she's my book guru.)

We read The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress for our April selection and when I sat down to read the first few pages, I did not expect that I would end up reading the novel cover-to-cover. But that's what happened. The quote from USA Today on the cover of my copy says "A genuinely surprising whodunit." and I have to say that I completely agree. 

The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress follows three women (surprise) in 1930's New York City. One, the neglected wife of a social-climbing judge, another his reluctant mistress, and the third his hard-working maid. Of course, in the 1930's, women were often still controlled by the men in their lives. For these three women, that much is true. Even the maid, who has an adoring husband, is under the thumb of both her employers and the mobster who granted her a favor. Their carefully-constructed lives hang in the balance when the social climbing judge goes missing and suspicion is cast on every character.

I won't say anything further about the plot, but this book stood out to me for two reasons: the characters (rich, sassy, and female-driven are all pluses in my book) and the depth and layers of this mystery really surprised me. Even without the mystery component, I think I would have enjoyed this as a historical fiction novel, but that added element of suspense really raised the story to a new level. I was constantly surprised by the deception that was revealed, and I cannot claim to have guessed the culprit (though I'll admit, I almost never guess the culprit). Since reading The Great Gatsby, I haven't read much historical fiction set in this time period and I loved the detail, the sumptuousness, and of course, the ceaseless scandal. 

I'd recommend this to book clubs especially (I can't wait for our discussion at the end of this month), and for summer reading lists too. There's just something about reading a good mystery by the pool, and this is one that won't disappoint. I've already put Lawhon's Flight of Dreams on my personal summer reading list.

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: Anchor, 2014

Price: $10.06 for a paperback on Amazon

ISBN: 0345805968

Format: Paperback

Source: Personal Library

Review: Duels & Deception

{image via Goodreads}

Austenites, I have one for you today! Let's start with my disclaimer: I cannot, by any means, call myself an Austenite. I've only finished two Austen novels (I know, I know -- I'm hoping to remedy that this year) but I adored both of them and find Austen's quick wit to make for the most humorous of reads. Cindy Anstey continues the Austen tradition with Duels & Deception, her latest novel, which releases on April 11th. You won't be surprised to hear that the cover caught my attention first -- I'm always drawn to typography -- but Anstey's strong female protagonist (an obvious homage to Jane Austen) is what hooked me on the story. 

Duels & Deception gives us a clever heroine in Lydia Whitfield, heiress to a rather large fortune and outspoken source of reason when it comes to controlling the family estate. Since her father's death, Lydia has had a firm hand in the dealings of Whitfield Hall, and when we meet her, has employed the help of a solicitor's clerk in further securing her own future and that of the estate. Despite her rather unusual desire to control her own future and fortune (she is a woman, after all), the solicitor's clerk finds Lydia simply irresistible. It helps that he also happens to be charming, educated, understanding, and also a member of the peerage. Though Lydia had called upon him to draw up her marriage contract, she suddenly finds herself in a predicament of emotions vs. logical thinking. Before the feelings between Miss Whitfield and this clerk can grow too deep, Lydia is kidnapped and both her reputation and her carefully-laid future plans are endangered. Fortunately, she's not really the damsel-in-distress type. What ensues is a humorous, suspenseful, and yes, romantic adventure. 

Things I loved: the characters were intelligent, developed, and personality shone through on each page. The plot was interesting -- though really, I was paying more attention to the tension between our two main characters than the kidnapping -- and I was surprised by the reveal (an added bonus). I'm also one of those readers that loves to learn the facts behind historical fiction novels, and that curiosity was satisfied with an extra section in the back detailing some of the traditions and societal expectations of the Regency era. I believe that this book is being marketed in the young adult fiction category, but I would recommend it to Jane fans of all ages. Anstey's first book, Love, Lies, and Spies is not one that I've read yet but looks equally charming. My only complaint is that Duels & Deceptions is a stand-alone novel, and I would love to revisit these characters again in another story.

This title will be released on April 11, 2017.

Bottom-Line Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Duels & Deceptions

Author: Cindy Anstey

Publisher: Swoon Reads, 2017

Price: Pre-order for only $8.00 (paperback)

ISBN: 125011909

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this novel by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!