Reading List: Novels in Verse

Brooke at Literacy in Focus has compiled an intriguing list of novels in verse for upper elementary and middle school students. 

I love that Brooke has included diverse perspectives and topics. I will be adding some of these to my 2023 reading list. 

Which ones will you read?

Review: Delicious Death (Book #2 Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries)

 Delicious Death is the second installment in the Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries series. As she suffers from extreme boredom, Elinor receives an invitation to the annual winter festival. She and Dr. Charlotte LaRue travel to a remote estate for the extravaganza that features culinary competition among the greatest chefs of the realm. Though she is there for the change in scenery and the delightful food, Madame Chalamet is NOT disappointed to encounter ghosts or madmen. An attempt on the king’s life points fingers at Elinor’s favorite chef and friend, Gerhard Perdersen. She joins forces with Tristan, the Duke of Archambeau, to apprehend the true culprit.

This is another delightful episode in the Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries series. Against the backdrop of a an attempted murder mystery, we see more of Elinor’s true nature as she comforts the grieving. Even though the overall tone of the book is light-hearted, there is much to unpack about the way we treat others and who deserves our respect. 

This book is great for mystery lovers and those who like a bit of paranormal activity or food appreciation mixed in. I can hardly wait for book three in the series! February can’t come soon enough.

#DeliciousDeath will be available on Kindle December 27!

Thanks to #NetGalley, Rook and Castle Press, and Byrd Nash for providing an ARC in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Results are in: 2022 Goodreads Challenge

 

Yay me! Last week I reached my goal of 100 books for 2022. I am delighted that the ARC of Rachel Hawkins' "The Villa" was my 100th book. 

Because of my work with The Bookworms, I have started reading more Young Adult titles (and even children's books) in the past couple of months. I've always enjoyed YA lit so I'm glad that I'm picking that up again. 

I'll probably keep my book count the same for 2023. We will see how it goes!

The Villa

Rachel Hawkins’ “The Villa” has gotten a LOT of buzz on #bookstagram and #Goodreads. I am skeptical when the buzz is THAT good, but the description is intriguing and the reviews (I’m looking at you @thrillerswineandchill) have been exciting. Therefore, I was very glad to get an ARC to read.

I read. And read. I could NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN. It’s worthy of the buzz.

“The Villa” is told as a dual timeline story with BFFs Emily and Chess in the present day and a cast of rock and roll stars, wannabees, and others trying to find their way in the 1970s. Both timelines take place at an atmospheric villa in Italy. Emily, a cozy mysteries writer, is trying to cope with a messy divorce while Chess is looking for space to finish her latest best-selling self-help book. While at the villa, Emily and Chess learn more about the murder that took place there on a stormy night in 1974. As they get closer to finding out what really happened that night, long-simmering tensions build to a boiling point between the two friends. 

This is not JUST a dual timeline story. It is a story within a story that keeps the reader engaged and lulled into a sense of security until…WHAM!...something unexpected happens. I can’t say much more because I am in mortal fear of giving something away! 

This book would be fantastic for fans of thrillers and mysteries. Do not delay. Get a copy as soon as it hits shelves.

Thanks #NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are my own. “The Villa” will be on shelves in early January.

The London Seance Society

Sarah Penner is back with another mystery featuring a strong, but sometimes impetuous, female looking to find her place in the world after tragedy or hardship. In “The London Seance Society,” Lenna is seeking to find the truth about her sister’s murder while still grieving the death of her best friend. Though Lenna is driven by logic and is somewhat dismissive of Spiritualists, she becomes a student of her sister’s mentor, acclaimed medium Vaudeline D’Allaire. The quest for truth pulls Lenna and Vaudeline into the murky inner workings of The London Seance Society, an exclusive men’s club that provides medium services…among other things.

I enjoyed the twists and turns in this fast-paced story. Clues as presented throughout, but, as in real life, sometimes the information is interpreted incorrectly by Lenna, leading her deeper into the mystery until she has no choice but to act. The story is told from the dual points of view of two characters. 

“The London Seance Society” is great for those who like twisty, turny mysteries as well as those who enjoy stories featuring Spiritualists, the Spiritualist Movement, or the paranormal.

Take the time to read the Author’s Note at the end of the book. Ann Braude’s “Radical Spirits,” referenced in Further Reading, is an excellent read on women’s role in the Spiritualist movement in the 19th century. 

Thanks to #NetGalley and Park Row publishers for providing an e-ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own. “The London Seance Society” will hit shelves in March 2023.

12/4 Nine Liars

Stevie Bell is what I wished Nancy Drew had been. Stevie is earnest, slightly awkward, makes mistakes, suffers from bouts of insecurity and anxiety, and loves her friends. She is relatable and hilarious at the same time. You need to get to know her.

“Nine Liars” is the latest installment in the Truly Devious series that features Stevie and her friends as they solve a mystery. This time they are visiting London (and Stevie’s boyfriend) and a country manor house where they end up knee-deep in a decades-old murder mystery. Stevie  unleashes her well-honed detecting skills to find the killer, but the crew is running out of time before their flight home. Will this case prove to be too complex even for Stevie?

There is much to like about this story and its main characters. Though this is the first in the series that I have read, author Maureen Johnson provides just enough backstory to bring new readers along for the ride. Elements of classic English murder mysteries are sprinkled throughout. Elements of classic teen sleuth stories are there as well (such as the parents who are unseen, but supportive adults). 

This book is great for teen and adult mystery lovers. I will be recommending this book to my students and will suggest the entire series to the Bookworms (more on them later, but let’s just say they are buying LOTS of books for a school library). I will be reading the rest of the series (and I SO hope there are more installments). 

Thanks #NetGalley and Katherine Tegan Books for an advance reader’s e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. “Nine Liars” arrives on shelves at the end of the month.

12/2 The Haunting of Abney Heights

Meg, a freelance genealogist, returns to her hometown for a gig. She is researching an early 20th century patient at the former asylum-turned-luxury-condos, and ends up moving into the building for the duration of her work. While Meg is uncovering Ella’s experience as an Abney Asylum patient, she is also forced to uncover the ghosts of her own past. As Meg attempts to exorcize the ghosts of her biological family’s past, her family of choice, a delightful cast of quirky characters, has her back.

The tension builds slowly in “The Haunting of Abney Heights,” but Cat Thomas reminds the reader throughout that something is a little off in both the contemporary timeline and the early 20th century timeline. The atmosphere is dark and moody. The action comes to a head beginning in the last third of the book and is much darker than what I was expecting.

I enjoyed the story and will read more by Cat Thomas. This book would be good for those who like novels with a gothic feel, ghost stories, and early 20th century mysteries. 

Content warning: child abuse.

Thanks #NetGalley and #BooksGoSocial for providing an ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own. The book is available now!