The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain - Reshelved Books

Hello Dewey Readers!

I just finished an absolutely amazing book.  It was just the book I needed to distract myself from my life. I could NOT put it down.  What was this magical book, you ask?  Diane Chamberlain's The Stolen Marriage.  


I love Diane Chamberlain.  She blends suspense with women's fiction (and this time historical fiction) in a way that just makes you keep wanting more. 

In this novel we meet Tess, a young woman who is studying to become a nurse and who is engaged to a newly minted young doctor named Vincent.  Tess and Vincent grew up together in Baltimore's section of Little Italy, both as devout Catholics and both with families who love the couple and each other dearly.  It is also1943, the middle of WWII, and  the beginning of a large polio epidemic, which at this point is hitting it's hardest in Chicago.  Vincent, being the good man and enthusiastic new doctor he is, goes to Chicago to volunteer his time.  What he claims to be a few weeks turns into a few months and Tess is well... she's upset and lonely.  So, rather than sit home and sulk, Gina and Tess take a girl's weekend trip to Washington D.C.  Only Tess makes one large and horrifying mistake that changes EVERYTHING.  

Now, while I absolutely adored this book I did have one complaint.  I wanted more.  I felt that the ending was too abrupt, and prior to the epilogue, I was hoping that this novel would continue into a sequel.  WHY DID IT HAVE TO END SO QUICKLY!?!? 

So Dewey Readers, I give you a rating of 4.5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  (But, I gave it 5 on GoodReads.)  

Until the next read!
~Jessica  

The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown - Reshelved Books

Hello everyone!  

In honor of the spooky pumpkin spice latte season, I bring you a review that's rather witchy, at least in the historical sense.  When we think of historical witches, we often think of Salem, Massachusetts and the Salem Witch Trials that took place in the 1690's.  Beth Underdown's The Witchfinder's Sister takes us to pre-Salem overseas in England in 1645 where like in Salem, women were hunted, tried, and murdered for being a suspected "witch." 

This novel follows the story of Alice Hopkins, who after becoming a recent widow when her husband dies in an accident, is forced to return to her childhood home, which is now owned by her brother Matthew Hopkins.  Alice, after miscarrying and losing many children while her husband was alive, is pregnant once again.  This is both a blessing and a curse.  It is a blessing because it is something that she has yearned for, for so many years and because it is the last physical tie she has to her deceased husband, but it is also a curse because now it will be so much harder for her to remarry.  It appears as though her future lies with being a single mother under the rule of her brother's home.  But then Alice loses this baby as well.    

One night, Matthew comes home late and terribly frightened.  He saw something, but when questioned by Alice he will not speak of it.  Alice herself had felt something... animal and dog-like come inside with Matthew that night but she cannot explain the phenomena and wishes to forget it.  It is after this, that Matthew begins to hunt women, especially those without family, children, or who have had children recently  pass, as well as those who may be suffering from mental distress and tries and kills them for being witches.  According to this Wikipedia article, the real life Matthew Hopkins is believed to have murdered 300 women for suspected witchcraft.  Isn't that crazy?

I always had a fascination with the witch trials, which I why I decided to pick up this book.  That being said, historical fiction isn't always my thing.  While I found this book interesting, I wasn't overly blown away with it, especially towards the end.  So dear Dewey Readers, I leave you with a rating of 3 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  

Until the next read!

~Jessica 

  

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige -- Reshelved Books

Once upon a time a girl went into a book store with thou who shalt not be mentioned.  The girl got a strange urge to purchase 3 books that all somehow spin off of or relate to the Wizard of Oz.  This review is on one of those books.  

Behold 3 Wizard of Oz-esc books in the ever growing to-read pile! 

Hello there Dewey Readers!  I told you I was going to start getting back into the swing of things, and I am!  My last review was of Stephanie Perkin's new horror novel, which is quite fitting for October.  Today's review is along those lines... not horror, but the Wizard of Oz.  We are talking about Danielle Paige's novel Dorothy Must Die.  

Amy Gumm lives in Kansas in a trailer park with her single mother, who after an accident has become addicted to pain medication.  On a day that a tornado is supposed to rip through the trailer park, Amy's mother gets up off of the couch to go out to a bar, leaving Amy home with her mother's pet rat.  Next thing you know, Amy's trailer is lifted into the sky and transported into the Land of Oz... which isn't as magical and vibrant as one would think.  When Amy and the rat step out of the trailer, the trailer falls into a deep, dark pit.  The land around them is barren, and the munchkins she meets are fearful and depressed.  This is because after being given the ability to have magic, Dorothy has become greedy and in her greed she has become truly the Wicked one.  To save Oz and to save magic, Amy is recruited by the order of the Wicked to KILL Dorothy.  

This book was a fun read, and while I wasn't sure why I picked it up (it's not something I'd usually go for)  I'm glad I walked home with this one and it's sequel.  The characters, well besides Dorothy, are likable, the writing flows and is easy to read, and the plot isn't dull or boring like a series sometimes could be.  Plus, the whole ninja-esc Amy / rat companion reminds me of my early 2000 days watching Kim Possible on the Disney Channel. 

So Dewey Readers, I leave you with a rating of 3.5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  It's definitely a series worth checking out.   

Until the next read!
~Jessica 

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer- Reshelved Books

Happy Monday everyone!

It's very gray here in the Tri-State area today.  Gray days make the best reading days!

My book for this week is Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer. A review that is short and sweet.

This book is sheer perfection. (Which is why my review is so short.  I don't want to take away from the book.)

Juliet Young is a seventeen year old who lost her mother in May.

Declan Murphy is a seventeen year old who lost his little sister at the hands of his alcoholic father 4 years before. 

Both Juliet and Declan lost themselves. 

Brought together by lose and grief; Declan and Juliet are able to find themselves in each other. 

The reason why this is sheer perfection is how Kemmerer is able to tell the story- bringing two characters together in a way that is unconventional.  Kemmerer was able to keep Declan's secret from Juliet and as a result, Juliet never ran away from Declan.  Juliet's feelings for Declan only grew, even after finding out who he was. 

Through the power of honesty and words, Declan and Juliet are able to heal. 

This book is worth all 5 coffee beans. Hands down. Without a question. 
Kemmerer told a wonderful story that came full circle.  There weren't any holes.  You weren't left wondering what could have been when it was over. 

~ Jillian

Hello Dear Dewey Readers!


Today I am writing to you from inside the local coffee shop while working on my #ToRead pile and trying to figure out life...  One of my new goals is to try to figure out where people actually hang out.  What do people do?  Where can I find these people in their mid 20's - early 30's... and do you think they will want to come to my library book clubs? Usually I like to sit home with my books in between loads of laundry... but today is the beginning of a new reading era!

I was not forgotten! 

About a year ago (Can you believe it has been that long already!) I wrote about reading in strange places... like the Stop and Shop Pharmacy.  I even took a #bookstagram photo of a book within a case of yogurt! Obviously the coffee shop is not strange, but today I am going to give you a quick snap shot of my experience. 

The experience: 
I am sitting in the corner with my back to the wall.  There are about 4 other girls sitting on their computers typing, and small groups of people scattered about just hanging out. Many of the men in here are with their respective dates.  I feel sort of guilty for taking up a small bistro table that could theoretically fit 3 people for me & my clunky purse...  but oh well.  I have also been waiting quite a while for the barista to take my order... but that's probably just my anxiety...No. I think she really forgot about me.      

So Dewey Readers, while I wave down the barista and try to overcome my table guilt, tell me, do you read in public? & Where do you hang out?  

Until the next coffee bean review! 

~Jessica 


P.S. I am currently re-reading Delirium by Lauren Oliver. My November book club choice for I Read Ya.  Is it better to love and to suffer than to have never have known love at all? 
    

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins - Reshelved Books

Hello everyone.  

The past two weeks have been difficult, and as a result I've been suffering from a gigantic reading slump.  For someone who loves books, this has really sucked.  But I have been trying to power through and get back to it! 

So dear Dewey Readers, today I'm going to give you my take on Stephanie Perkins' new novel, There's Someone Inside Your House.  I loved Anna and the French Kiss.  It was a cute romance set in Paris, who wouldn't like it? Right?  Well, this novel is a totally different direction for Perkins because it's a horror story. While parts of the novel border on gore, I wouldn't say it's scary or grosteque.  Rather, it is Perkins' take on the movie Scream.  To say I was excited to read this novel would be an understatement.   

I was EXTREMELY excited for this novel since I first found out that it was going to be published back at this year's BookCon.  When I placed the purchase order for the book at the library, I sat there with great anticipation waiting for the UPS man to arrive with a package.  Is it my YA order?  No? Maybe next week... 

I actually never watched the movie Scream, although I have seen bits and pieces of it while flicking through television channels once upon a time.  That being said, I basically know the way that the story plays out and was able to clearly say that, yes, this novel is Scream.  

But while reading it I became a little disappointed.  In the back of the novel, Perkins writes that she had wanted to read this book, so her friend suggested that she write it instead.  Isn't that what author's do?  Write the book you want to read. (I remember someone saying something alone those lines back during my undergrad creative writing courses.)  But anyway, I wasn't blown away with this novel, and I just expected something little bit more. 

So Dewey Readers, I leave you with a short review and short coffee bean rating of 2.5 out of 5 Coffee Beans.  

I also promoted this novel at my library in our YA Monday Book Talks before reading it.  If any of you have read it, comment below with what you thought! 

Until the next read.

~Jessica  

P.S.  Here is my YA Monday video. (I look tired. I'm putting on a face mask right now!)  More to come & suggestions are welcome!