Review: Secrets of Rose Briar Hall

Millie Turner has been preparing for the party of the season and everything is just right. Her guests have started to arrive. Her attentive husband is pleased. Cut to Millie awakening in her cold bedroom. The house is eerily quiet. She learns that she has been semi-conscious at best for several weeks after an unfortunate incident at the party. As Millie begins to piece together what happened that fateful night, she finds that her friends will no longer speak to her, her husband has hired a doctor who has described her as hysterical, thus requiring heavy sedation, and even her parents seem to be taking her husband’s side about what happened. Something isn’t right and Mille is determined to get to the bottom of it before it’s too late.

In “Secrets of Rose Briar Hall” Kelsey James explores the powerlessness of even wealthy women in the early 20th century. Millie has few options to take control of her life and at every turn she is blocked by traditionalist views on women’s roles. Her husband is ready to exert his full legal authority over Millie, including insisting that she be treated by a doctor of his choosing. 

This atmospheric story gets its mood primarily from the season and the cold, dark environment of Rose Briar Hall, where Millie and her husband reside. There are no paranormal elements to this gothic style mystery.

This story is great for those who enjoy gothic stories and historical mysteries.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Kensington Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Frankie D, Vegan Vampire

Frankie and his family have moved to America where the sun shines and he has the opportunity to attend fourth grade with human children. “Frankie D, Vegan Vampire” is all about trying to fit in while staying true to yourself and your values. Sally and Brian Dutra do an excellent job of building Frankie’s awkward, yet sincere personality as he learns to navigate the human world without giving away his true identity.

This story really is a delight. There is, of course, a nemesis (is he a troll or just a truculent human child?). Frankie’s earnestness earns him friends with kids who often see themselves as being on the outside. This story is also about different kinds of families and how kids feel about their families. It can be heavy, but also uplifting.

This book is great for kids who feel different or maybe view their family as eccentric. Even though Frankie is a vampire, there is no vampire type violence or threat of violence (after all, Frankie and his family have given up the traditional vampire diet to eat a vegan diet).

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Kids Can Press for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Taken to the Grave

“Taken to the Grave” is the final story in Cara Devlin’s Bow Street Duchess Mystery series. In this one, Audrey’s mourning period has finally ended and she and Hugh are ready to set a date for their marriage. However, a missing person and the unexpected death of a peripheral character mean that the duo must put their plans on hold to find justice for the victims of heinous crimes.

The action begins when Audrey and Hugh, on their first public outing together in Vauxhall Gardens, stumble upon a murder victim. The victim, someone they know, is soon connected to a missing person case that Hugh and Audrey were already looking into. Audrey and Hugh soon bring in their friends and servants to help unravel the puzzle, but will stepping into a viper’s nest of evil cost them one of their own?

I can’t even remember how I came across this series, but I am so glad I did! The mysteries are intriguing and the characters are complex. The pacing for each story is excellent and the threads that tie the series together are clear to the reader. “Taken to the Grave” is an excellent series finale. This will be a series that I re-read.

This book is great for those who enjoy historical mystery stories, historical mystery series, and historical mystery romances. Though Devlin includes some backstory, this is best read after the reader has read the other stories in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Anxious

“Anxious” is a brief exploration into what it feels like to be anxious. A little girl describes her feelings and how she learns strategies to help her cope with her anxiety. The illustrations evoke the topsy-turvy world of an anxious child using a neutral palette. An afterword for adult caregivers provides additional information for helping a young child learn to deal with feelings of anxiousness.

Author Luciana DeLuca does a fantastic job putting to words the feelings of a young child. “Anxious” is a welcome entry into the growing selection of books on the subject of children’s mental health. 

This book is great for young children and adults to start that conversation about what anxiety feels like. Simple strategies such as taking a deep breath can help right away.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Annick Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: In Sunshine and in Shadow

Molly Murphy Sullivan is at loose ends. Her police capitan husband, Daniel, has hustled her, daughter Bridie, and son Liam out of New York City to escape an advancing typhoid epidemic. Molly and the children are staying with Daniel’s mother, but Molly just can’t sit and make baby clothes for the impending new Baby Sullivan. When an offer arrives to visit friends Sid and Gus at a women’s retreat nearby, Molly jumps at the opportunity…and right into a mysterious death at Sid’s grandparents resort when the trio decides to visit. While there, Molly reconnects with an old friend and makes new ones, but the circumstances of the death make nearly everyone a suspect. 

I love that Molly still has her spunk, but continues to develop as a character. In this book, she ponders women’s roles and where she fits into those expectations. On the one hand she longs for a more traditional role as wife and mother, but on the other she wants something (like a good mystery) that provides intellectual stimulation. As she interacts with people at the retreat and resort, Molly expands her circle of women friends who lead very interesting lives. 

This book is a must read for fans of Molly Murphy and those who enjoy a Turn of the Century era mystery.

 

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Minotaur Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

 

Review: The Enigma Girls

“The Enigma Girls” tells the story of several British young women who served during World War II helping to break codes. Some were recruited, others seemed to end up at Station X by accident. All were made to sign the Official Secrets Act in which they promised to never talk about their wartime jobs. These young women were gifted mathematicians or linguists. They largely came from middle and upper class families. They were dedicated to doing their part to beat the Nazis.

Candace Fleming does a fantastic job describing the dedication of these women and the conditions under which they worked (often horrible). I particularly appreciated that she included the women’s concerns about the ethical considerations of their jobs. There are introductory code-breaking activities and a thorough author’s note that describes why these women started sharing their experiences after decades of silence.

Classroom Considerations: “The Enigma Girls” is written at roughly a 5th/6th grade level. Because of the complexity of the story, it would be great for middle school students. The language is not overly simplistic so high school students would enjoy this book as well.

This book is great for kids who are interested in World War II or stories of strong women who have ignored society’s expectations.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Scholastic Focus, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review: Escaping Mr. Rochester

 “Escaping Mr. Rochester” is an updated re-telling of Jane Eyre. In this version, L.L. McKinney’s Jane arrives to be the governess to Mr. Rochester’s ward. Soon, Jane is creeped out by strange sounds, odd behavior of other employees, and a sense of general foreboding. She soldiers on while Edward Rochester becomes more mercurial and Jane discovers one of his secrets.

This book builds up steam to the point where you don’t want to put it down. It is dark and brooding, but also contains some moments of lightness and love. I love that Jane will ask for what she wants whether it be art supplies for her young charge or back pay that she is owed. Among the trigger warnings I would include: violence against women, potential violence against children, domestic abuse.

Classroom considerations: It would be really interesting to directly compare this version (and others) to the original Jane Eyre. How does the story change over time to add elements that are more reflective of the society in which the story is written?

This book would be great for teens and adults who enjoy gothic stories and retellings of classics.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.