Margreete's Harbor

Margreete’s Harbor by Eleanor Morse 384 pages

This quiet novel of dementia, aging, family and music is perfect for fans of Anne Tyler, Alice Munro and Elizabeth Strout. Set on the coast of Maine, the seasons play almost as an important role as the characters. The novel begins in 1955 and runs through the late 1960s.

The opening scene illustrates the mild dementia that thrice-widowed Margreete is experiencing. In the first scene, Margreete forgets a frying pan on the stove and almost burns her house down, but luckily, only the kitchen is damaged. She calls her daughter, Liddie, in Michigan to tell her what has happened.

That the cue that Liddie needs to know that it is time: Margareete cannot live alone any longer. Either she comes to live with them or go to an old folk’s home. Margreete refuses to move, so Liddie and her family (husband Harry; children Bernie and Eva) pack up their lives and move across the country.

“Margreete’s Harbor” is about family and how people learn to live together. As I said earlier, it is a quiet, character-driven story that ebbs and flows much like the ocean that isn’t far away.

The story hits upon some of the major historical events of the time (Vietnam, JFK and MLK assassinations, desecration) that touch Margreete’s family, along with individual crises of infidelity, coming out, identity, unexpected pregnancy and betrayals.

Each chapter kept me captivated by workings of Margreete’s family and how they negotiated…or not…what life threw at them. I really enjoyed this novel. It was hard to put down, and I was sad when it ended.

 “Margreete’s Harbor,” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Talented Miss Farwell

The Talented Miss Farwell by Emily Gray Tedrowe   352 pages

Two hours south of Chicago is the small town of Pierson, Illinois. Becky Farwell is a quiet, single woman who is the town’s treasurer and accountant.  She knows the books by heart. She is always able to find some money by juggling the books to fund whatever project the town needs funding. Her one outlet is art, and soon she begins collecting it.

However, Becky doesn’t want to be quiet intelligent Becky. She wants to be sophisticated, well versed in the art of conversation, especially art. So she re-invents herself, going by the name Reba Farwell.  She has a different wardrobe and a completely differently personality than Becky.

Becky/Reba becomes obsessed with collecting art and making as much money as she can. She is tired of struggling in her small farming community and trying to run the family farm-equipment business. The problem is, Becky/Reba needs money to feed her new obsession.  She begins siphoning money from Pierson’s different account.

This goes on for years. She buys and sells art all the while replacing what she has “borrowed” from Pierson. However, at one point, she is almost three million dollars behind returning the money.

Readers don’t have to be accountants to understand what Becky is doing, nor do they have to know art to understand Reba’s mania. This heist thriller had me on the edge of my seat for most of it.

 The Talented Miss Farwell receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

The Knowing: A Bulwark Anthology

 The Knowing: A Bulwark Anthology (Book 1 in a series) by Brit Lunden   104 pages

Not too long ago, I reviewed Brit Lunden’s “Bulwark.” I had believed it to be the first in a series, but I was wrong.  “Bulwark” is the jumping off place for a series of paranormal novellas written by different authors, totaling nine at this moment in time. Each author writes about a different character from the rural town of Bulwark, Georgia.

Lunden, the original author, goes back to the original story with her choice of characters: JB Stratton.  JB is now seventy years old. The love of his life, his wife Ellie, has been gone for more than twenty years. He lives alone, outside town, with his memories.

One night he rescues a couple from an accident nearby, bringing them to his cabin as they wait for the Sheriff Clay Finnes to arrive and sort it all out. While they are waiting, the rescued female sees a picture of Ellie and begins to accuse her of being a witch and abducting her children. But that’s not possible since she has been gone so long.

The story shifts to fifty-two years ago when JB and Ellie meet in high school. She is newly arrived from up North and has the cutest Northern accent. JB is smitten, but things don’t look too good for them to become a couple. Her family is wealthy; his is dirt poor.

Then the story makes another shift. This time back to the Civil War and, I believe, a small battle that was fought near Bulwark, during which the couple meet. I felt that episode needed to be fleshed out a bit, but it proved the point of “knowing.”

The story goes on to tell JB and Ellie’s high school romance, his dreams of going to college (with an appearance by legendary football coach Bear Bryant), and how those dreams turned out.

Like the original, “Bulwark,” the story moved along at a quick pace, even though it wasn’t scary. It was okay and “The Knowing: A Bulwark Anthology” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, 426 pages

A sweet, lively story. Young Anne definitely was a bit too much for me at times. She's so intense, overly much. But she mellows out as she ages through this book, so that was nice. It's a really bittersweet story, with lots of highs and lows, but overall it's a pretty good one with interesting characters. I'll probably finish out the series.

If you're looking for a slice-of-life historical fiction, this is pretty good once, especially if you're looking for a book for a young but advanced reader and need something they can handle that is age-appropriate.

Night of Miracles

Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg    288 pages

Author Elizabeth Berg returns to the small town of Mason, Missouri, in this follow-up novel to her wonderfully sweet tale, “The Story of Arthur Truluv.” In this “Winesberg, Ohio,”-ish tale readers get to reconnect with some of the characters from that earlier novel. This work is considered a stand-alone, and Berg does a wonderful job in providing readers with the information they need to know, but it’s a much better read if readers get to know Arthur, Lucille, Maddy and Nola first.

Lucille still lives in Arthur Moses’s house. Maddy and Nola have moved out of town and Maddy is finally pursuing her college degree in photography. Nola is five years old. While they move in and out of the plot, Lucille is the character that takes center stage, and she’s as busy keeping up with the goings-ons and gossip as she can be.

Her baking classes have become quite popular. So popular in fact that a woman of her age just can’t do it all anymore. She hires one of the town's new residents, Iris Winters, who is still trying to move on from her divorce as her assistant. 

Another character readers meet is Tiny Dawson, who operates the local taxi. Tiny takes most of his meals over at Polly’s Henhouse. He’s not there solely because of the food---he’s smitten with one of the waitresses, Monica Mayhew. He wants to ask her out, but can never seem to find the right words. And unbeknownst to Tiny, Monica is equally as smitten with him. Will they get together?

Lucille finally sells her house, which is right next door to the Arthur’s house. She keeps a close eye on the house, which has been purchased by a young couple and their son. A cancer diagnosis turns their world upside down, and Lucille pitches in to help.

I’ve read that Berg plans to set future novels in Mason, Missouri. I hope so. And I hope that she continues these sweet stories about real people facing real problems in a small town life.  I truly enjoyed “Night of Miracles,” and it receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa     160 pages

From Goodreads:


On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, the young sorceress Sabrina Spellman finds herself at a crossroads, having to choose between an unearthly destiny and her mortal boyfriend, Harvey. But a foe from her family's past has arrived in Greendale, Madame Satan, and she has her own deadly agenda. Archie Comics' latest horror sensation starts here! 

My Review:

This dark, horror rendering of the traditionally peppy Sabrina series is very interesting. Full of Satan-worshiping witches, hellish creatures, death, and revenge, this comic is not for the faint of heart. I can't say I really loved the illustrations, but the story was interesting, new, and definitely out there. It's worth a look if you like the dark, creepy retro take on classics.

Hurricane Child

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callendar     256 pages

"Twelve-year-old Caroline is a Hurricane Child, born on Water Island during a storm. Coming into this world during a hurricane is unlucky, and Caroline has had her share of bad luck already. She's hated by everyone in her small school, she can see things that no one else can see, and -- worst of all -- her mother left home one day and never came back. With no friends and days filled with heartache, Caroline is determined to find her mother. When a new student, Kalinda, arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, seems to see the things Caroline sees, too. Joined by their common gift, Kalinda agrees to help Caroline look for her mother, starting with a mysterious lady dressed in black. Soon, they discover the healing power of a close friendship between girls."

This book was not for me. Not only were the main characters unlikable, but the themes in this story seemed much too heavy to be geared toward young readers (now, I know, depending on where children grow up and what their sexual orientation is, or what their home life is like, this story isn't any worse than what they've experienced, but the way this story is written doesn't seem like it would bring a reader in, especially a young reader. The writing style, to me, doesn't seem as if it were written for the age the main character is, but this is my opinion). I will just say that I don't know what kind of reader I would ever be able to recommend this book to, because the story is challenging, the narrative is a bit all over the place, and there is not much of a plot.

Shouldn't You Be In School?

Shouldn't You Be In School? by Lemony Snicket     325 pages

Young Lemony Snicket investigates a rash of fires that have plagued the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea, revealing secrets that involve the Department of Education and the notorious villain Hangfire.

This is my least favorite book, so far, in the series. It's still well written, the characters are still great, developing further, a few new characters that are interesting, but the storyline, I feel, is weaker. I do like the introduction of a fragmentary plan that Snicket introduces - it is a great example of V.F.D itself, and I like certain portions of the story, especially reading about Snicket's clear adoration of food. 

But the humor was there to a lesser degree and this portion of the slowly building plot to catch Hangfire is not as enjoyable in this one. Maybe because there's more Ellington Feint than I'd like (as she's my least favorite character). But whatever the case, still good, just not as good as the other books in the series. I'm looking forward to seeing how Snicket will wrap it all up in the last installment.

The Devil's Rooming House

The Devil's Rooming House: The True Story of America's Deadliest Female Serial Killer by M. William Phelps     303 pages

The Devil's Rooming House tells the story of Amy Archer-Gilligan, America's most prolific female serial killer. Through his study of first-hand documents and accounts of people close to Amy and who were part of the investigation that brought her to trial, M. William Phelps tells the story of Amy's life as the matron of one of the first homes for the elderly, where she most likely had a hand in killing at least 50 inmates.

Boy, was I excited to read this book. It's been on my to-read shelf for a while, but what first sparked my interest was the connection to "Arsenic and Old Lace," one of my favorite movie comedies. The stage play of the same name was loosely based on the life of Amy Archer-Gilligan, America's deadliest female serial killer.

And with that kind of title, you'd expect to be in for the read of your life - except, this book was quite difficult to get into. For one thing, it was slow to get going. Phelps takes a LOT of time setting up the scene, what the time was like in the early 1900s, a bit of Hartford, CT history. But it went on, and on. For a while I though it was just going to be about the excessive heat wave that killed hundreds in 1911. The first five or six chapters were devoted to it, with occasional mentions of the characters that would soon be coming into play.

I thought once the set up was finished, the story might then become engrossing. It didn't really. The majority of people might consider non-fiction to be boring. I have read many non-fiction titles that I found to be just as exciting and interesting as fictions, but this book would support the "boring" feeling about non-fiction. For such an interesting story, it was told in a very muddled way. The story took a long time to take shape, the facts weren't relayed in a very interesting or conversational tone, and much of the author's personal opinion of the subject (Amy, herself) really showed at the end.

All in all, I felt the book was a poorly handled written attempt to tell the story of one of America's most interesting female criminal figures. I'd much prefer to watch the very fictional, over the top "version" of the story through "Arsenic and Old Lace."

I would not recommend this book.

Beartown

Beartown by Fredrik Backman     418 pages

The saga of a small town and the ripples that one action causes all unfold from the various viewpoints of the grownups and children in Beartown.

This is a deep story, iceberg deep. On the surface is the story of the Beartown hockey team. Below it are all the different stories, complex and intricately told, of the people and children who make up the town and the team. Watching the different story lines unfold is one of the beauties of Backman's writing. Every character has their own voice, their dreams and their fears, and together, each voice paints a picture of the town. It's sad and it's bleak, it's hopeful and it's full of love. 

If you're into realistic fiction, especially of the small-town variety, this book is for you. Even if you don't appreciate or know anything about hockey, Backman draws you in, because this is not just about a hockey town, it's about the people that make up this hockey town. I found it infinitely frustrating, yet valuable, to read each character's reactions to/handling of rape, from the parents on down to the children. It will break your heart, but in the end, it's important because this story is build on empathy. 

The writing is beautiful, heartbreaking, and so well done. Though it was painful to get through in some parts, in the end, I feel it was worth the struggle. I highly recommend it. I listened to the audiobook of this story, which was very well done, and I'd recommend it, too.

There's Someone Inside Your House

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins     289 pages

Makani Young thought she'd left her dark past behind her in Hawaii, settling in with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska. She's found new friends and has even started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larsson. But her past isn't far behind.

Then, one by one, the students of Osborne Hugh begin to die in a series f gruesome murders, each with increasingly grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and her feelings for Ollie intensify, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets.

This book was interesting - it had fun parts, it had gory parts, it had typical teen drama. It was exactly what you'd expect for a YA slasher novel. There were violent murders - done by a serial killer and there was a budding teen romance. It was a fun, quick read and sure, highly predictable, but still enjoyable. I'd say the teens were pretty realistic - a bit stupid, a bit fool-hardy/I can protect my friends from a serial-killer, let's go get him ourselves, but most teens can be somewhat stupid about the world or believe they're invincible enough that they won't die.

I liked the effort to include diversity, though it was a bit questionable in some ways. But nevertheless, I didn't feel like I'd wasted my time, and I did really enjoy parts of this interesting story. Would I read it again? Probably not, but I would probably recommend it to others I thought might enjoy it.