The Girl in the Garden ~ Reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." 





This novel is set in the mid-1970's at a beach front (not named in the novel). This powerful novel focuses on June, a young girl who is abandoned at a motel on the coast with her infant child, Luke. They are both eventually taken in by the motel's owner, Mabel who is trying to move on after the death of her husband. Mabel is ready to close up for the season until June and Luke change her plans. It is a very dim and dull journey for most of the characters but the novel focuses on the spirit of each character. This novel will have a long lasting impact on a reader, as it did for me. 

I thought this story was very ambitious with a lot of plot lines weaving back and fourth and in and out of each other. Melanie Wallace is a very intelligent writer, but word choice is not the only thing that can make a novel great. I found myself forced to finish this novel. Each chapter is told from a different point of view, and from different places in the beach town where June and her baby Luke have been abandoned. Sad to say, that is what threw me off the most. I just wish they would have stayed in one or two places. Melanie Wallace did make me care about each character in their own way, but I was still left with a feeling that I did not know the characters well enough to actually love them.

Despite the narration style being very slow, I would love to know what happens next with June. I would be willing to read the second book if Melanie Wallace decides to continue writing this story. 

I give this novel a 3 out of 5 stars!

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy.

1st to Die (Women's Murder Club #1) ~ Reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes

"You can't tell which way the train went by looking at the tracks."






San Francisco homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer begins an investigation on the gruesome "wedding murders" with the help of her best friend, Medical Examiner Claire, and her new partner Chris Raleigh. When the rookie journalist Cindy digs into the investigation, Lindsay finds herself making a connection and brings her into the loop to do some nosing around to help solve the murder. The Women's Murder Club is then later rounded out by D.A. Jill as Lindsay is supported by her friends to round up a dangerous killer. This intelligent group of ladies form a bond as they collect the clues, as well as becoming a support group for Lindsay when she is struck by the news of a possibly-fatal blood condition that may just take her out for good. On top of all the chaos, Lindsay falls in love with her new partner Chris Raleigh and tries to trust him and others along the way.

Let me begin by saying that I loved this book from start to finish, and really could not put it down once I was halfway through. It is a book that will keep you hooked and a book that will really connect you with each and every character.

This was the first book that I have ever read by James Patterson and I cannot wait to read the next books in the series. All four of the ladies in the Women's Murder Club were excellent characters, especially Lindsay. I connected with her, and was rooting for her all throughout the book. I also enjoyed the budding relationship between her and Chris Raleigh. The chapters that Lindsay narrates are combined with chapters from the killer's point of view as well. I believe that gave the book the full story as well as a twisted mystery as you went along. The best part about this mystery was that even though you essentially know who the killer is since you are getting his story, you don't actually know who he really is. I think that took me by surprise and it left me shocked at the very end of the book. I loved how Patterson made the reader think that the end of the book was approaching, but it was not. I came across a lot of "OH WAIT! THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE BOOK!" moments while reading. It was great. I honestly have never seen so many twists and turns in a book EVER. This book was well put together, and I am surprised that a male writer put together such an excellent and strong female character. I am always impressed when an author chooses the main character as the opposite sex of themselves. Bravo to James Patterson!

I am looking forward to discussing this book in my upcoming book club meeting!

I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

January Book Club

Meeting Date: TBA 
Time and Where: 7:45 am in the LIBRARY! 
Please answer the discussion questions posted! 
Published by: Elizabeth A. Barnes
From Goodreads: 




"James Patterson, bestselling author of the Alex Cross novels "Along Came a Spider", "Kiss the Girls", and "Pop Goes the Weasel", offers the first of a new series dubbed the Women's Murder Club, featuring a four-woman team that occasionally works outside the system. None of the gritty darkness or frenzied is lost in 1st to Die, although the female protagonists offer an even deeper emotional context to this suspense thriller.

Inspector Lindsay Boxer of the San Francisco Police Department suddenly finds herself in the middle of two horrifying situations: The first is that she's just learned she has an often fatal blood disease. The second is a double homicide case she is now heading up that involves the murder of newlyweds on their wedding night. Burdened with Chris Raleigh, a new partner reassigned from the mayor's office, Lindsay finds that she has too much to deal with and turns to her best friend, Claire, the head Medical Examiner on the case. Claire offers helpful advice and human, friendly contact amid a job filled with violence, cruelty, and fear.

Soon a fledgling newspaper reporter, Cindy, makes contact with Lindsay looking for a career-making story. Although Lindsay can't officially comment on the case, the two women form a rapport, and Cindy joins Lindsay and Claire for their weekly meeting. When a second pair of newlyweds is murdered, and later a third, the investigation leads to a prominent crime writer, Nicholas Jenks, who has a history of spousal abuse and a predilection for kinky, dangerous sex games. With the help of an understanding assistant D.A., Jill Bernhardt, Lindsay tries make a case against Jenks, who even had an affair with one of the slain women. Eventually Jill joins the Murder Club, and the four ladies share private interdepartmental information in an effort to track and stop the killer before he strikes again.

The major subplot -- Lindsay's facing up to her illness even while she learns to fall in love again -- carefully compensates for the novel's coarse scenes of brutality. Lindsay Boxer is't merely an obsessed cop trailing a maniac; she's also a terrified woman confronting the onslaught of disease. The story lines balance out to show us the true mettle of someone who puts the safety of others before her own.

Again, Patterson's skill for producing furiously paced fiction are evident as the novel breezes by rapidly. The short chapters keep the narrative leaping with increasingly taut plot elements, but there's an emotional commitment that makes our protagonist even more amiable and involving. 1st to Die is a novel that works as an intense series of character portraits that will leave the reader touched and delighted."        

The Chemist ~ Reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes

"Laugh about it or cry about it, that's the only choice. I'd rather laugh while I can."





She used to work for  the U.S. Government but now she is on the run and cannot stay in the exact place for long. Throughout the book she prepares for the toughest fight of her life and meets a love interest that could complicate her likelihood of survival. Now, she must apply unique talents in order to survive.

I was counting down the days and so excited for Ms. Meyer's new book to be released, after reading, I have to say that I was let down. But let me make this clear, I have a lot of respect for Ms. Meyer and her choice to try something new. From reading the "Twilight" series, to jumping into "The Chemist" Ms. Meyer's writing style has appeared to have changed significantly. One change that I noticed was how Ms. Meyer started writing in third person, which threw me off because I am so used to her usual first person narrative. This book was neatly thought about. I appreciate that aspect above everything else. I could tell that Ms. Meyer spent time on this book. This book needed to have an engaging story line, as well as an emotional journey for the reader. Ms. Meyer led her readers down an emotional road in the "Twilight" series and I was excited to see and possibly experience that emotion again with a new genre. I waited for an emotional journey while reading, but it just did not happen  If Ms. Meyer decides to write another book, I am looking forward to a better story line.

When the book begins Alex (the main character) has been on the run for three years. She sleeps with a gas mask on, and takes so many precautions that she almost seems crazy to me. I was also confused through most of the book. I never knew who the narrator really was. Was it Alex? Or was it her real name? Juliana. The book never actually tells you why they switch her name around so much. Ms. Meyer only went by whatever name she was going by at the time. I also disliked, for instance, how the book was at least over 500 pages long, which is WAY TOO LONG for this type of story. The beginning of the story was also slow and boring, but throughout the book the plot became more adventurous. I did believe that the character Daniel added to the story in a good way. The suspense and thriller was also a good touch.

Overall it took me a lot of thinking on how I was going to rate this book. It was very entertaining seeing Stephenie Meyer out with a new book, but it was not a book that I could fall in love with.  

I give this book a 2 out of 5 stars.

Mad Miss Mimic ~ Reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes

"But which one is you? Which is the true Miss. Somerville?"





"Born into an affluent family, Leo outwardly seems like a typical daughter of English privilege in the 1870s: she lives with her wealthy married sister Christabel, and lacks for neither dresses nor trinkets. But Leo has a crippling speech impediment that makes it difficult for her to speak but curiously allows her to mimic other people's voices flawlessly. Servants and ladies alike call her "Mad Miss Mimic" behind her back... and watch as she unintentionally scares off every potential suitor. Only the impossibly handsome Mr. Thornfax seems interested in Leo... buy why? And does he have a connection to the mysterious Black Glove group that has London in its terrifying grasp? Trapped in a city under siege by terror attacks and gripped by opium fear, where doctors (including her brother-in-law) race to patent an inject able formula, Leo must search for truth in increasingly dangerous situations - but to do so, she must first find her voice."

At first, I was not sure if I was going to like Mad Miss Mimic. The writing style was odd, a bit tough to get into, and the content was slow at first. Thankfully, this was one of those novels that is slow in the beginning, but when it hits it's stride, it moves quickly.

The author, Sarah Henstra, introduces readers to Leonora Somerville, a very difficult narrator for me to grasp. Said to be called "Mad Miss Mimic", Leo often ends up dipping in and out of the novel depending on the situation that she is forced into. Leo has a stuttering disorder, but often in times of self confidence, she is able to mimic those around her. I thought it was quite fascinating because her speech was not used as a defensive mechanism. I saw it more as a manipulation tactic, which made Leo more interesting as a main character.

One thing I really loved about this novel was its historical elements. Henstra weaves all these facts and liberties into a fantastic mystery, and although the book to me was predictable at times, it never took away my enjoyment. I always loved to uncover more about Leonora and her desires to marry Francis Thornfax.

Mad Miss Mimic is a novel where the writing style is going to play a huge role in your enjoyment. I thought the story itself was very intriguing, entertaining, and mind boggling. Henstra keeps the reader guessing, and I believe that is a sign of a great novel.

I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Canada for the copy of this novel.

Book Club -- THE THIRTEENTH TALE

Book Club Discussion Questions

Please answer the questions in the comments section below. Label them with the question number.

1. Much of  the novel takes place in two grand estates-Angelfield and then Miss. Winter's. How are the house reflections of their inhabitants? 

2. As the story unfolds, we learn that Margaret and Miss.Winter are both twins. What else do they have in common? 

3. Margaret and her mother are bound by a singular loss - the death of Margaret's twin sister. How has each woman dealt with loss, and how has it affected her life? If her parents had told her the truth about her twin, would Margaret still be haunted? 

4. Books play a major role in this novel. Margaret, for example, sells books for a living. Miss.Winter writes them. Most of the important action of the story takes place in libraries. There are stories within stories, all inextricably intertwined. Discuss the various roles of books, stories, and writing in this novel.

5. Miss.Winter asks Margaret if she'd like to hear a ghost story - in fact, there seem to be several ghost stories weaving their way through. In what ways is The Thirteenth Tale a classic, Gothic novel? 

6. Miss.Winter frequently changes points of view from third to first person, from "they" to "we" to "I," in telling Margaret her story. The first time she uses "I" is the recounting of Isabelle's death and Charlie's disappearance. What did you make of  the shifting when Margaret points it out on page 204?

7. Compare and contrast Margaret, Miss.Winter, and Aurelius - the three "ghosts" of  the novel who are also each haunted by their pasts. 

8. It is a classic writer's axiom that a symbol must appear at least three times in a story so that the reader knows that you meant it as a symbol. In The Thirteenth Tale, the novel Jane Eyre appears several times. Discuss the appearances and allusions to Jane Eyre and how this novel echoes that one. 

9. The story shifts significantly after the death of Mrs. Dunne and John Digence. Adeline steps forward as intelligent, well-spoken, and confident - the "girl in the mists" emerges. Did you believe this miraculous transformation? If not, what did you suspect was really going on?

10. Dr. Clifton tells Margaret that she is "suffering from an ailment that afflicts ladies of romantic imagination" when he learns that she is an avid reader of novels such as Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and Sense and Sensibility. What do you think he means by drawing such a parallel? What other parallels exist between The Thirteenth Tale and classic nineteenth-century literature? 

11. When did you first suspect Miss.Winter's true identity? Whether you knew or not, looking back, what clues did she give to Margaret (and what clues did the Author give to you)? 

12. Margaret tells Aurelius that her mother preferred telling "weightless" stories in place of heavy ones, and that sometimes it's better "not to know." Do you agree or disagree? 

13. The title of this novel is taken from the title of Miss.Winter's first book, The Tales of Change and Desperation, a collection of twelve stories with a mysterious thirteenth left out at the last minute before publication. How is this symbolic of the novel? What is the thirteenth tale?

14. When do you think The Thirteenth Tale takes place? The narrator gives some hints, but never tells the exact date.  Which aspects of the book gave you a sense of time, and which seemed timeless? Did the question of time affect your experience with the novel? 

Questions posted from: 
http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/1040-thirteenth-tale-setterfield?start=3