Book Review

Book Review: A Haunting on the Hill

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A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand is the first authorized return to the world of Shirley Jackson’s iconic The Haunting of Hill House.

When struggling playwright Holly decides to rent a spooky manor in order to workshop her piece with the actors, she thinks it’s a great use of her grant money. Her partner, Nisa has written music for the production, her longtime friend Stevie is set to serve as audio engineer, and iconic actress Amanda has agreed to lend her talents on stage. Hill House has called to Holly since the day she stumbled across it, and what could be better than a looming mansion to inspire and rehearse a play about witches?

Hill House isn’t as enthused about Holly, however. A reluctant landlord, grumpy personal chef, and cheery but cautious house cleaner all try to warn her away. Not even a neighbor wielding a hunting knife or the odd illusions of black hares will turn her away from this once in a lifetime opportunity. That is, until Hill House begins its cycle of horror all over again.

As a fan of Shirley Jackson’s creeping, gothic style, I was excited about the publication of this book. The plot was all set for a pseudo-locked room mystery that would be just the right hint of creepy. For most of the book, the slow pacing kept me on edge. But with an ending that was wrapped all too tidily, this book left me a bit disappointed.

Request it here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: The Quiet Tenant

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“Rachel” has lived a life of captivity for years. Abducted by a serial killer, she has been held in a shed on his property…until one day when he is forced to move, taking her with him.

Aidan is a widower who always lends a hand in his community. He’s an upstanding citizen who is mourning the loss of his wife while raising a teenage daughter. He catches the eye of local restauranter Emily, all to eager to lend her support. Too bad he’s hiding a secret- he’s murdered eight women and is holding a ninth captive.

Moving into the new house doesn’t mean the end of Aidan’s abuse. Although Rachel now has a bed to sleep on, she is still handcuffed and assaulted daily, despite the fact that she now sleeps down the hall from Aidan’s daughter, Cecilia. As Rachel gets to know Aidan and Cecilia on a deeper level, she starts to wonder about the women who have come before…and the ones who will come after.

Told through the voices of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, with each character experiencing a very different version of one man. Small town life, passing time, and grief all play a part in this page-turner. This was a disturbing, brooding read, similar in style to Gillian Flynn or Room by Emma Donoghue.

Request it here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: Alchemy of a Blackbird

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Remedios Varo is an accomplished artist, although many would be unable to name her. Known for her skilled attention to detail, Remedios makes her living copying the work of more famous artists while lurking in the shadows of her romantic partner Benjamin’s genius. When WWII forces them to leave their beloved Paris and take refuge in the Rivieria, this change brings about new discovery and inspiration for Remedios, who is now surrounded by artists and benefactors. As Remedios gets used to her new life, she comes across a beautifully illustrated deck of tarot cards and dives into the world of cups and swords.

Fully immersed in the cards, she finds hope, inspiration, and solace in the mystical nature of the tarot. When she travels to Mexico, the cards bring her to an old friend- artist Leonora Carrington. Together, the women get used to their new surroundings, enjoying the company of each other and other artisans.

This literary historical fiction novel tells the story of the life of an artist, the rediscovery of self, and the importance of friendship. Each chapter highlights a different tarot card, and McMillan uses these interludes to shape the story through alternate points of view. Make sure to read the historical notes for a fascinating look at the real lives of Remedios and Leonora.

Add this mystical book by local author Claire McMillan to your reading list today!

Place a hold on Alchemy of a Blackbird here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club

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Full of midwestern charm and traditions of a bygone era, this novel chronicles the lives, losses, and loves of the folks who haunted the tables of the Lakeside Supper Club. Mariel grew up at the club and has spent her whole life serving up prime rib dinners and old fashioned to her regulars. The familiarity and routine of her life in Bear Lake, Minnesota is a comfort to her, especially in times of tragedy. Meanwhile her husband, Ned, is also part of a restauranteur family. His family is set to take their chain diner concept Jorby’s and take over the Midwest, including adding a location in Bear Lake, in direct competition with the supper club.

Mariel’s story is woven alongside the stories of her mother Florence and her grandmother Betty. Although Mariel and Ned are both main characters, it’s the matriarchal figures in Mariel’s family that tell the story of the supper club through the decades.

This is a book full of everyday moments, not splashy or over the top. For me it was a good break from my usual thrillers and suspense novels and I enjoyed the slice-of-life Midwestern storytelling. While the pace was slower, the author packed a LOT of plot points into these pages. Alternating characters and timelines made it a bit confusing to follow at times as an audiobook, so if possible I would read it in print. If you enjoy books about family sagas, the Midwest, or food, you should consider this one.

Place a hold on it here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: Silver Nitrate

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Montserrat is an audio editor in the 1990s Mexico City film scene, but she’s constantly being overlooked and overworked. Her best friend Tristán is a washed-up soap star just waiting for the phone to ring with his next audition. When Tristán befriends the elderly and renowned director Abel, all three dive into the stories and screens of years gone by. Abel sees the two young people as an opportunity to finish his long-forgotten film, a production that stopped under mysterious, magical and possibly murderous circumstances. As Montserrat and Tristán dive deeper into the world of the missing scenes, it appears that Abel isn’t just hiding the finished film…but the secrets of the obscure occultist behind the film.

Through a cast of characters, supernatural experiences, and 90s nostalgia (pagers anyone?), Silvia Moreno-Garcia keeps readers guessing as they make their way through this book. Part horror, part fantasy, part historical fiction, Silver Nitrate is an genre-bending story that touches on unfulfilled wishes, dreams, and even the occasional curse.

If you like stories of old Hollywood glam, enjoy spooky stories, or are a fan of Moreno-Garcia’s previous work, pick this one up!

Request a print copy here or a digital copy here.

Happy Reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: How Can I Help You

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Margo’s just your run of the mill library staff member. She spends her days checking books in and out, helping folks troubleshoot printers, and daydreaming about her prior life. Except her prior life isn’t so run of the mill. Margo is actually Jane, a former nurse who left a slew of mysterious deaths in her wake. The library is now home to all Margo’s imaginings of her former life. It’s pretty ho-hum, that is, until Patricia is hired.

Patricia is a novelist who has given up on writing. Or at least that’s what she tells herself. Now that she’s completed her library degree, she’s happy to have a position as a librarian. With her lackluster first novel shoved into a closed drawer, something prompts Patricia to pick up her pen again. And that something is the mysterious Margo.

When a death in the library leaves Patricia questioning Margo’s mysterious past, Patricia can’t resist writing Margo’s story…even when her plot turns from fiction to fact.

As a librarian, obviously I enjoyed the setting of this story! This book is an engrossing thriller, told through two storytellers with very different points of view. Margo is an character who exudes calm and order despite a chaotic inner monologue. Patricia is a downtrodden dreamer who skates by without drawing much attention to herself. The author keeps you guessing as stories are interwoven, true intentions are uncovered, and books are checked out.

Put How Can I Help You by Laura Sims on hold today.

Happy reading,

-Melinda

Book Review: The Block Party

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Scandals, lies, and nosy neighbors abound on Alton Road. The exclusive cul-de-sac is known for their yearly summer block party blow out, planned to perfection. The only thing unplanned? Murder.

Told over the course of a year, The Block Party by Jamie Day follows the residents of Alton Road as their secrets come to light. Main character Alex is a mediator and the neighborhood sounding board. But underneath her seemingly sound advice is an alcohol dependency that has her hiding her recycling from view.

Her daughter, Lettie, is a high schooler set on changing her consumerist neighbors into climate-conscious consumers, but it’s an uphill climb.

The supporting cast of neighbors include Alex’s sister Emily, new neighbors The Kumars, the pesky Bug Man, and the mysteriously widowed Brooke.

The main question remains- who has been killed, and who is the killer? No street is safe, as evidenced by the community’s neighborhood page.

Suspenseful but slow-plotted, if you enjoyed the antics of the residents of Wisteria Lane on Desperate Housewives, this book is a great summer read for you!

The Block Party comes out on July 18. Request a copy here.

*I received a review copy from St. Martin’s Press and Edelweiss. This is my honest review. 

-Melinda

YA Book Review: A Long Stretch of Bad Days

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In small town Henley, Ohio, Lydia Chass is primarily known for her last name. As class valedictorian, she’s taking her last name and hitting the ivy leagues- until a transcript error leaves her short a credit. Panicked, she decides to pivot her podcast On the Ground in Flyover Country from a journalism experiment to a for-credit history project. The catch? She has a new co-host.

Bristal Jamison’s last name is also well-known…for all the wrong reasons. The Jamison family is known for their foul mouths and readiness for a fight, but despite her rough exterior, Bristal’s goal is to be the first Jamison to graduate high school.

The perfect podcast topic is the historic Long Stretch of Bad Days that hit the town of Henley with a flood, tornado, missing persons, and murder. Lydia and Bristal may approach the topic from different perspectives, but they both come to the same conclusion: this town is full of secrets.

Mindy McGinnis’ young adult novel A Long Stretch of Bad Days is great for true crime junkies, those looking for a quick read, and anybody from a small town.

Request a print copy here or a digital copy here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: A House with Good Bones

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Sam is an entomologist who finds herself in a familiar habitat- her childhood home. Since the passing of her Gran Mae, the house has seemed different. Her mother, Edith now lives alone amongst the thriving rose bushes, left to her own devices with the help of a handyman. As Sam moves back in, she’s welcomed back into the world of Southern hospitality, British procedurals, and boxed wine. Not to be outdone, the eccentric neighbors are just as eccentric as ever, with vultures rehabilitating and a one-man neighborhood watch a few doors down.

But the house isn’t quite as Sam remembered. Gone are the vibrant colors and signature maximalist tendencies of her mother. Instead, her Gran Mae’s stark style has come back in multiple shades of neutral. Sam’s not convinced that her mom’s odd behavior isn’t a result of an undiagnosed condition and the home’s transformation could be a result.

Sam’s not the only visitor to the house- she wakes up in the middle of the night to swarms of ladybugs making themselves at home in her room. Soon she is left questioning why exactly the house feels so off, and it turns out that the picture-perfect styling is hiding something ugly.

This is a southern gothic novel that definitely dabbles in magical realism. The characters are engaging and the audiobook narrator is superb. If you’re a fan of spooky Southern tales, this is definitely a book for you.

Put a hold on the print book here.

Happy reading!

-Melinda

Book Review: Mad Honey

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Olivia is a beekeeper who finds refuge amongst her hives. A single mom to her son, Asher, Olivia will do anything it takes to keep him safe and remind him he’s loved. After leaving a toxic marriage, she is extra careful to keep an eye on Asher’s emotions. When Asher begins dating Lily, the new girl at school, Olivia welcomes her with open arms.

Until one day, when she gets the dreaded call. Asher has been found with Lily’s lifeless body and covered in her blood. Police don’t think this is an accident. And Asher is the number one suspect.

Calling on the help of her lawyer brother, Olivia fights to keep Asher out of prison, but she has the sinking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, Asher is not the perfect son she imagined. When a bombshell about Lily is dropped in the court room, any hope of Asher’s innocence seems to be whisked away.

Olivia and Lily are the two main narrators, and without spoiling anything, I will tell you that this story sneaks up on you with a big reveal. Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan partner together to weave a story about two women who are fighting for their own identity, shared by their mutual love of one man- Asher.

CW: suicide, domestic violence

-Melinda