Book Review: The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

The Vanishing Julia Bishop is left friendless and penniless after her husband is exposed as the “midwestern Bernie Madoff” and then kills himself. Faced with foreclosure, unpaid bills, stalkers, and death threats, Julia’s life is bleak indeed until a stranger shows up with a bizarre proposal: Adrian Sinclair offers Julia a position as companion to his elderly mother, famous author Amaris Sinclair — who supposedly died ten years earlier. If she accepts, Julia will be given a chance to escape her old life and live at Havenwood, a huge mansion in the wilderness of northern Minnesota. She’ll spend her days with the woman who first inspired her to write, and most importantly, she’ll get a fresh start just when her life seems utterly hopeless.

Havenwood is beautiful, elegant, and mysterious. Isolated in the woods, it’s the perfect hideout, but seems to be hiding secrets of its own. Why does everything seem so familiar? Why does Julia keep hearing strange voices? Whose footprints are in the snow? Why is the family so excited about Julia’s arrival? And who is that hot guy out by the stables?

As days go by, Julia realizes that the the strange occurrences at Havenwood may be sinister, and even dangerous. Despite her fondness for the family (and the hot guy in the stables), she suspects that her job offer may have strings attached that are not in her best interest. As the spookiness mounts, the only answers may lie in uncovering the past…

… and that’s about as much synopsis as you’ll get out of me!

The Vanishing sets a tone of gothic mystery and eerie supernatural goings-on, and at the same time tells the story of a seemingly ordinary woman whose life has gotten completely messed up and out of control. Havenwood is beautifully described, and made me yearn for my own wilderness adventure — in a gorgeous mansion, of course!

It’s hard to suspend disbelief throughout the story, as plot pieces begin to mount that don’t quite make sense. Really, Julia is willing to head off to parts unknown with a complete stranger, no cell phones or outside contact allowed? And really, she believes this stranger has just randomly selected her as a trusted companion for his mother because he feels sorry for her? And the instant sparks that fly between Julia and the hot stable guy? (Okay, his name is Drew, and he’s part of the family whose property it is, but still…) I thought insta-love was just a YA plot device!

Granted, a lot of these issues are ameliorated by the unraveling of the central mystery, but those answers come so late in the book that they don’t really outweigh the sheer lack of believability earlier on. Somehow, even though there are answers, I didn’t find them convincing enough to balance out my impatience and incredulity.

What really drove me crazy, though, was Julia’s insistence on behaving like a doomed female character from a horror movie. Oh, the power’s gone out and there might be an intruder? Gee, the hot guy told me to stay in my room and lock the door… so I think I’ll grab a lantern and explore the pitch-black hallways all by myself instead. Hmm, I’ve seen disturbing visions and heard scary noises in the library and east wing? Let me go back there and poke around some more! Just cut it out, Julia, okay?

Overall, as the story delves deeper into the history of Havenwood and its connection to the Spiritualist movement of the 1800s, it becomes both more interesting and more eerie. I enjoyed the use of historical documents and the recaptured memories of a fateful seance, which we first see in the book’s introduction, as well as the sharp contrast of an elegant manor house set in a dangerous and untamed landscape.

I never felt terribly engaged in the love story and had a hard time accepting many of Julia’s actions or beliefs. Still, while some of the plot elements felt far-fetched and not well grounded, The Vanishing held my attention and still managed to deliver a few good chills along the way.

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The details:

Title: The Vanishing
Author: Wendy Webb
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication date: January 21, 2014
Genre: Gothic fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of Hyperion via NetGalley

14Jan2014

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

There’s nothing like a Wednesday for thinking about the books we want to read! My Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday post is linking up with two fabulous book memes, Wishlist Wednesday (hosted by Pen to Paper) and Waiting on Wednesday (hosted by Breaking the Spine).

Here’s a recent addition to my wishlist:

Lock In by John Scalzi
(to be released August 26, 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A novel of our near future, from one of the most popular authors in modern SF.

Fifteen years from now, a new virus sweeps the globe. 95% of those afflicted experience nothing worse than fever and headaches. Four percent suffer acute meningitis, creating the largest medical crisis in history. And one percent find themselvs “locked in”—fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus.

One per cent doesn’t seem like a lot. But in the United States, that’s 1.7 million people “locked in”…including the President’s wife and daughter.

Spurred by grief and the sheer magnitude of the suffering, America undertakes a massive scientific initiative. Nothing can restore the ability to control their own bodies to the locked in. But then two new technologies emerge. One is a virtual-reality environment, “The Agora,” in which the locked-in can interact with other humans, both locked-in and not. The other is the discovery that a few rare individuals have brains that are receptive to being controlled by others, meaning that from time to time, those who are locked in can “ride” these people and use their bodies as if they were their own.

This skill is quickly regulated, licensed, bonded, and controlled. Nothing can go wrong. Certainly nobody would be tempted to misuse it, for murder, for political power, or worse….

I loved Redshirts, John Scalzi’s previous novel, and although this one is completely different (and — I’m guessing — not at all funny), I’m really excited to read it. Sounds suspenseful and creepy — perfect!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

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Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I’m building a Book Blog Meme Directory, and need your help! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!

11Jan2014

Book Review: Snowblind by Christopher Golden

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: Snowblind by Christopher Golden

In the small town of Coventry, Massachusetts, falling snow does not bring a winter wonderland. In a devastating blizzard, eighteen people from Coventry die tragically through accidents or simply getting lost in the blinding storm. Twelve years later, another blizzard is on the way — but heavy snows and winds are not all that’s coming to town. As the storm builds, the dead begin to return. What do they want? And who will survive this time around?

In Christopher Golden’s Snowblind, the darkening skies are ominous, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. For the love of all things great and good, stay inside, people of Coventry! But even staying indoors offers no guarantees against the storm: There are bad things out there in the wind and snow, and all they need is one small crack, one little draft, to slip inside the house and come for you.

Reminiscent of the scope of a Stephen King novel, in the early chapters we meet a sprawling array of characters, including police officers and school teachers, auto mechanics and thrill-seeking teens, and children just old enough to want to hide their fears, but young enough to know that the faces they see out in the storm are real.

The first part of the book, set during the first blizzard, is excellent. We don’t know what’s coming — but it’s clear that whatever it is, it’ll be bad. As we meet the characters and then see them, one after another, head out into the snow, the tension builds. Something is out there, and it’s deadly. Reading these chapters, I was on the edge of my seat — and despite living far away from any hint of winter weather, I couldn’t help jumping a bit whenever I heard the wind blow outside.

About a third of the way in, the action jumps to twelve years later, and here I felt the story sagged a bit. It’s interesting to see what’s become of the survivors of the earlier blizzard and how they’ve moved on — or not — with their lives. Children have grown into damaged young adults; a young woman who’d lost her love is now bitter, middle-aged, and prone toward overindulging on her nightly glasses of wine; a couple has never quite gotten past their guilt and memories from years earlier; and a rookie cop is now a detective who swears he won’t let another kid die on his watch. And yet, there’s quite a lot of build-up before the new storm arrives, and the action grinds more or less to a halt in places in favor of exploring the characters’ emotional states.

The final storm and conclusion isn’t quite as scary as I would have liked. The set-up is terrific, but the explanation of what really happened in the storm and the characters’ struggles to survive don’t convey quite the level of terror that a book like this really needs. Perhaps the climax is too scattered: because we’re tracking so many storylines, there’s no one scene or focus that really shouts “this is it!”

I liked Snowblind very much, and thought the initial set-up and early scenes were excellent — just the right mix of character introduction, impending threat, and disastrous outcome. Because there are no answers at that point, just the sense that something VERY BAD is out in the blizzard, it’s scary indeed to read. Unfortunately, the rest of the book doesn’t quite live up to the earlier section, and the conclusion didn’t feel like a very satisfying pay-off, fright-wise.

Of course, I had the benefit of reading Snowblind from the comfort of my warm home, on a day with clear blue, sunny skies. Had I been reading it with all of this month’s winter storms brewing outside, I might not have maintained quite such a level of calm. If you read Snowblind, stay warm, and watch out for drafts! And if you hear scratching on your roof, don’t worry: It’s PROBABLY just the wind.

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The details:

Title: Snowblind
Author: Christopher Golden
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication date: January 21, 2014
Genre: Horror
Source: Review copy courtesy of St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley

8Jan2014

Thursday Quotables: What Nora Knew

Posted in Thursday Quotables by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome back to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

What Nora Knew by Linda Yellin
Gallery Books, 2014

Pammie had all the prerequisites for marrying money. Long-legged. Voluptuous. Blond and tan. Her tans used to come from Jergens tanning moisturizer; now they come from winters in Palm Springs. If you asked her, she’d say she wasn’t looking to fall in love with a man twenty years her senior with a big fat bank account, that’s just the way things turned out. I’d say parading down the Hamptons beaches in a skinny bikini past the big mansions, the summer after college graduation, didn’t hurt either.

Want to know more? Check out my review of What Nora Knew!

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
Click below (next to the cute froggy face) to link up your post! And be sure to visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables too.
Have a quote to share but not a blog post? Leave your quote in the comments.
Have fun!

7Jan2014

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

For my first wishlist post of 2014, I’ve picked the upcoming new installment in a favorite series:

Skin Game (The Dresden Files, #15)

Skin Game by Jim Butcher
(to be released May 27, 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day….

Because as Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it’s something awful.

He doesn’t know the half of it….

Mab has just traded Harry’s skills to pay off one of her debts. And now he must help a group of supernatural villains—led by one of Harry’s most dreaded and despised enemies, Nicodemus Archleone—to break into the highest-security vault in town so that they can then access the highest-security vault in the Nevernever.

It’s a smash-and-grab job to recover the literal Holy Grail from the vaults of the greatest treasure hoard in the supernatural world—which belongs to the one and only Hades, Lord of the freaking Underworld and generally unpleasant character. Worse, Dresden suspects that there is another game afoot that no one is talking about. And he’s dead certain that Nicodemus has no intention of allowing any of his crew to survive the experience. Especially Harry.

Dresden’s always been tricky, but he’s going to have to up his backstabbing game to survive this mess—assuming his own allies don’t end up killing him before his enemies get the chance….

I was so excited to see that the next Dresden Files book has a cover and a release date! At 15 books and counting, this series hasn’t lost a bit of steam. The last book, Cold Days, had a major game-changing cliffhanger of an ending. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

7Jan2014

Book Review: What Nora Knew by Linda Yellin

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: What Nora Knew by Linda Yellin

What Nora Knew For 39-year-old Molly, romance is something you see in the movies. Still bitter about her divorce five years earlier from her cheating ex-husband, Molly is in a nice, comfortable relationship with a nice, comfortable chiropractor. Working as a features writer for an online magazine, specializing in pieces about zany challenges like skydiving, taking a vibrator through a security checkpoint, or learning to be a Rockette, she excels at being daring in every aspect of her life — except when it comes to love. When Molly’s boss gives her an assignment to write about love, using Nora Ephron as a guidepost, she fails utterly, but finally gets the kick in the pants she needs to take a long, hard look at her life and her attitude toward love. And, as you’d expect, Molly finds herself drawn to the guy she doesn’t want to be drawn to, and finally has to confront what’s stopping her from taking the big leap… and taking a big chance on crazily romantic, head-over-heels, passionate love.

So what did I think? Let’s start with what I liked: What Nora Knew is a fast-paced, frenetically fun look at being single and being in the dating pool, from the vantage point of a woman on the verge of hitting the big 4-0. The main character is savvy and smart, and has been around the block enough times to have learned some very hard truths about the odds of finding “the one”. I liked that she’s a woman with a career that’s important to her, and that she’s willing to fight and take chances to make her writing dreams come true. The taste of New York is upbeat and exciting, and I enjoyed the use of Nora Ephron’s big romantic movies — Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and When Harry Met Sally — as a template for finding and recognizing the person who makes you want to take a chance.

There are some very quippy, quirky moments that strike a great note of cynicism blended with humor. The tone overall is light and brisk, with many quote-worthy moments — such as this interview between Molly and an older gentleman on the subject of finding true love:

“How did you know she was the one?”

He shrugged. “You marry someone. Wait thirty years. If she’s still there — she’s the one.”

What didn’t I like? Well, let’s face it, in this type of book, you just never see people worrying about their paychecks or their rent. Molly works for a living, but she also comes from a well-off family, gets invited to the Hamptons for summer weekends, and eats in the best restaurants — even if it is on the company expense account. I got a little tired of reading about rich people doing rich people things. A trip to Tiffany’s? Ho hum.

I didn’t really buy the love interest or the chemistry between the two. Molly’s destined guy is pretty much an enigma throughout the book; he’s a bestselling author who speaks in platitudes, and Molly seems to be faulted in the book for not taking him at his word — but honestly, I never knew if he was on the level and could totally get why she’d mistrust him as well.

In this type of book, with romance as the focus, being single pretty much equals being a loser. Even Molly’s hard-nosed businesswoman sister and 80-something-year-old grandmother find romance — clearly, the problem must be Molly. The idea that if you don’t fall into passionate and romantic love, then there’s something wrong with you really is not going to help the self-esteem of any single women reading this book. So if we all try to emulate a fictional character in a Nora Ephron movie, we’ll finally find the true love we’ve been promised? This may work in a novel that aims for madcap, but I’d hate to see someone apply this philosophy in real life.

The humorous tone works on and off throughout the book. It does get to be a bit much at times, and I often felt that the author went overboard with attempts to portray Molly’s escapades as wacky and wild. But who knows? Perhaps I’m just too serious and cynical by nature to be able to throw caution to the wind and just go with it.

It’s a cute premise, and not without a great sense of fun, but overall? I’d have to put What Nora Knew squarely on the chick-lit shelf — and in general, I’m not a fan of chick-lit. It’s a fluffy diversion, and if you like this sort of thing, you’ll have a good time. For me? It’s not the type of book I’d usually seek out, and it won’t make any of my “best of” lists, but it kept me entertained while I was reading it, and that’s something.

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The details:

Title: What Nora Knew
Author: Linda Yellin
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication date: January 21, 2014
Genre: Adult fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of Gallery Books via NetGalley

17Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
(to be released July 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

One single mom. One chaotic family. One quirky stranger. One irresistible love story from the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You

American audiences have fallen in love with Jojo Moyes. Ever since she debuted stateside, she has captivated readers and reviewers alike, and hit the New York Times bestseller list with the word-of-mouth sensation, Me Before You. Now, with One Plus One, she’s written another contemporary opposites-attract love story that reads like a modern-day Two for the Road.

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.

One Plus One is Jojo Moyes at her astounding best. You’ll laugh, you’ll weep, and when you flip the last page, you’ll want to start all over again.

Everybody seemed to be raving about Me Before You by Jojo Moyes when it came out earlier this year… and I’m ashamed to say that I still haven’t read it! I did read The Girl You Left Behind recently (reviewed here in September ), and found both the contemporary and historical storylines to be incredibly moving and well written. One Plus One sounds completely different — but also like it could be quite a lot of fun. I’ve been wanting to read more by Jojo Moyes, and this new one seems like something I’d really enjoy.

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

11Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
(to be released February 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

For a change of pace, I thought I’d go with a contemporary YA romance this week. Earlier this year, I read Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg, and thought it was honest, funny, and touching as well. I was impressed with the nuanced writing and how the author dug beneath the surface to get at the characters’ conflicts and really explore deeper issues, even while keeping it bubbly and entertaining. I’m really looking forward to Better Off Friends. It sounds like the perfect read for the mid-winter blues!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

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4Dec2013

Wishing & Waiting on Wednesday

Posted in Wishlist Wednesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

This week’s pick:

The Vanishing by Wendy Webb
(to be released January 2014)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired…and who the world believes is dead.

When she arrives at the Sinclairs’ enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her “too-good-to-be-true” position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.

Creepy and mysterious — my kind of book!

What are you wishing for this Wednesday?

Looking for some bookish fun on Thursdays and Fridays? Come join me for my regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday! You can find out more here — come share the book love!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

2Dec2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 2014 Releases That I’m Dying To Read

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten 2014 Releases That I’m Dying To Read. Easy. The hard part will be stopping at just ten.

1) At the top of just about every list I write these days is my most anticipated book for 2014, Written In My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon. Now scheduled for release in June, WIMOHB (or MOBY, as Herself refers to it) is the 8th book in the simply incomparable Outlander series. ‘Nuff said. If you’re a fan, you already have this one on preorder.

2) Landline by Rainbow Rowell (July): I’ve loved all three Rainbow Rowell books so far, and can’t wait to see what she does next!

Landline

3) The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness (July): We may not have cover art yet, but at least we have a title and a release date! I’m so looking forward to the conclusion of the All Souls Trilogy.

The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy, #3)

4) My Real Children by Jo Walton (May): I loved Among Others, and the description of this new book by Jo Walton sounds amazing.

My Real Children

5) Night Broken by Patricia Briggs (March): Mercy Thompson is one of my very favorite female fictional characters, and this series keeps getting better and better!

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson, #8)

6) Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (August): I really don’t like the cover, but that won’t stop me from reading this follow-up to The Diviners.

Lair of Dreams (The Diviners, #2)

7) By Blood We Live by Glen Duncan (February): Book 3 in the trilogy that started with The Last Werewolf and then Talulla Rising. These books are bloody and gory — and also powerful and full of incredible writing.

By Blood We Live (The Last Werewolf, #3)

8) Skin Game by Jim Butcher (date not set): There’s no official release date yet, but rumor has it that the 15th Dresden Files book will be out in 2014, and that’s good enough for me!

9) The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore (April): Okay, Christopher Moore just cracks me up, every time. I’m really looking forward to this follow-up to Fool.

The Serpent of Venice

10) Locke & Key: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (February): Locke & Key is creepy and disturbing and just so amazingly GREAT. I really can’t wait to read the final volume in this graphic novel series.

Locke and Key, Vol. 6: Alpha & Omega

I really could go on and on — there are so many great books coming out next year! What books are you dying to read in 2014?

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out our regular weekly features, Thursday Quotables and Flashback Friday. Happy reading!

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