Between Two Fires

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Christopher Buehlman

Fallen angels are preparing for battle. Lucifer and his minions have chosen medieval France as their battlefield, and what better way to recruit humans to their cause than by challenging their faith with the plague. It’s 1348, and our main character, Thomas, a disgraced knight, has already had a crisis of faith. After suffering betrayal by his brothers in battle and by his wife, he has taken to the life of a brigand. Thomas has committed crimes both legal and moral that he would rather forget, but hey, it’s the time of the plague, and survival is being used as an excuse for sinful behaviour by everyone. Everyone, that is, but a young girl named Delphine.

When Thomas meets Delphine, he feels inexplicably protective of her because she seems to epitomize innocence and good. And Delphine is indeed different. She is visited by angels and set on a quest to journey to Paris to “find” something and take it to Avignon, and she persuades Thomas to accompany her. Along the way, they encounter a plethora of evil in the form of monsters, demons, and the walking dead. They also encounter some good, one person in particular being important to their journey: Fr. Matthieu, a kind yet imperfect monk who brings some jovility and warmth to the trio.

We, the readers, know that these three are going to face an evil in Avignon that will build into a holy war, one where everyone feels as though God has abandoned them.

I really REALLY liked this novel. I listened to the audio, narrated by Steve West, and his narration was powerful. It almost reads as a morality play. Naturally, themes of forgiveness, redemption, crisis of faith, the duality of mankind, good and evil, and the corruption of religious and political institutions are developed, among others. The development of Thomas’s character is powerful to see, as he responds to the challenges he encounters, albeit mostly supernatural, in a very human and realistic manner.

It is a horror novel that is VERY atmospheric and features graphic violence, but I think that no matter who you are, you will like the ending.

Brimstone Hollow

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by Archer Sullivan

Brimstone Hollow is the second book in Archer Sullivan’s Annie Gore series. Annie is a spunky, independent private investigator we first met in The Witch’s Orchard. Sullivan has again written a Southern Gothic-esque mystery filled with interesting characters, a fast-paced plot, and an engaging protagonist. This time, Annie is approached by a young mother who wants to know how her estranged father, a “snake handling” preacher named Ezra King, died. The case takes Annie to a small Appalachian town, where she meets an assortment of townsfolk — some who followed the preacher, and some who didn’t. With help from the Chief of Police, Annie uncovers more than just murder: an entire underworld of criminal activity.

I expected to enjoy this novel, and I did. It’s a great palette cleanser if you’ve been steeping in heavy literary fiction — a quick, plot-driven read with a very likable main character. Sullivan also has a knack for slipping in a twist or two to keep things from getting predictable.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the copy. Brimstone Hollow will be available for purchase August 11th.

Art Class and Pink Polyester Pants

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Starting something new is always difficult.

You’re setting yourself up for potential failure.

People might not realize you’re not as intelligent as you would like them to believe. Or maybe you will be forced to realize that you aren’t as smart as you think you are…

which would be the worst of the two because we all want to believe we’re pretty darn brilliant.

Embarking upon a new experience is easy when you’re young. With no frame of reference, you figure anything is possible.

Naivety disguised as hope.

When we get older and carry plenty of failures under our belt, we become more apprehensive. We’ve figured out what we’re good at and we stick to it. It’s safe. It doesn’t require any extra brainpower, and we’re pretty much guaranteed success. Oh, sure, we’ll learn something new,

just as long as no one is watching.

Case in point: years ago, I decided to take a watercolour class. I received the syllabus, bought the appropriate paper, brushes, paint, and palette and was in such a creative spirit I almost sprang for the artist’s smock as well. Then I went to the first class and discovered “beginning water colour” meant only those artists who possessed an extensive portfolio. Senior citizens and college art students who, I believe, only enrolled so they can look like the experts

while the rest of us stood around, mere troglodytes to their Monet

… or so I felt in all my artistic angst.

Predictably, I only attended one class. I said it was because “something came up” (for some reason, this “something” was every Wednesday at 7:00pm).  It was really because I didn’t want to be “schooled” by a little grey-haired lady in pink polyester pants.

And now that I’m nearing my own polyester pant phase, I understand the need to only participate in something I know I can do, and do well, especially if I know it is going to be witnessed by others.

And

I have to say, I’ve been very disappointed in myself.  Disappointment led to drudgery.  Drudgery to anger.

I’m itching for change.

I want the blind faith of youth that I can do whatever it is I want to do

and not look the fool.

So

…. I’ve gone out and bought the pants.

Stone Yard Devotional

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by Charlotte Wood

I’m not entirely sure why I picked up Stone Yard Devotional. I think it had something to do with a book podcast I came across, where the host mentioned it was the kind of book you read slowly, pausing to sit with what the words on the page are really trying to say. Not so much the telling of a story, but the meditation surrounding the narrator’s contemplation.

Our narrator walks away from her life running a “Threatened Species Rescue Center,” feeling it is essentially pointless. The world is going to hell in a handcart (my interpretation), and she retreats to a religious community of nuns. Not out of faith, but because “nothing is asked of [her], nothing expected” (pg. 18). From there, she turns inward, revisiting the events she believes shaped the woman she has become. As she settles into convent life, she begins to reflect on her upbringing, and particularly on her complicated relationship with her mother. Then three life-altering events unfold: a plague of mice, described in genuinely horrifying detail as the narrator and the nuns scramble to contain the infestation; the discovery of the remains of a nun who once belonged to their community, whose death appears to involve criminal circumstances; and the arrival of another nun, someone our narrator has crossed paths with before.

This is a deeply human novel. The examination of our narrator’s inner life is genuine, frustrating, and at times confusing, but through it all, it is rooted entirely in her truth.

Charlotte Wood’s writing is simple yet beautiful. There were several moments where I had to stop and just sit with her prose. For example: “Crossing the grass I made a clean track of footprints, deep green on the white spread of the lawn. It returned me to my childhood, to the sense of secret authority, imprinting one’s presence into a place with those clear, sharp prints. I exist” (pg. 39).

And: “I’m used to it now, the waiting. An incomplete, unhurried emergence of understanding, sitting with questions that are sometimes never answered” (pg. 69). The discussions you could spark from contemplating either of those passages alone would be well worth the read.

Stone Yard Devotional is a novel that can be finished in a relatively short time, yet its complexity and themes run deep. That combination of accessible length with rich, layered content makes it an ideal pick for book clubs and high school independent novel studies alike.

Bone of my Bone

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by Johanna van Veen

Johanna Van Veen has quickly become one of my favourite authors, so when the opportunity to review her newest novel, Bone of My Bone, landed in my lap, I absolutely jumped out of my skin. An image that is more appropriate than you might think.

Bone of My Bone follows two women thrown together by the chaos of war. Sister Ursula is a young nun who has fled her convent to escape an invading horde of soldiers, carrying with her a tremendous weight of guilt for having abandoned her fellow sisters. Elsebeth is a brave, scrappy peasant girl who is running from the very same army. Their paths cross at a pivotal moment: just as Sister Ursula is about to be violated, Elsebeth steps in and saves her. From there, the two decide to travel together, and it isn’t long before their journey takes a fateful turn.

Along the way, they encounter a dying man in possession of something extraordinary: a holy relic, the skull of a saint. Legend holds that if the skull is reunited with the rest of the saint’s remains, the one who does so will be granted a wish. Naturally, Ursula and Elsebeth take the skull and set off to do exactly that, though each woman is driven by her own deeply personal reasons. Standing in their way is a necromancer who is stalking them across the countryside, desperate to claim the relic for himself.

This novel is such an entertaining read. It weaves together elements of German folklore, atmospheric dread, body horror, and a genuinely lovely love story. Van Veen’s writing is both gruesome and vivid, in description and in theme. She doesn’t shy away from the inhumanity of war, the selfishness of those who wage it, and the particular brutality that women are subjected to in the midst of it. And yet, through all of that darkness, something tender takes root. The romance between Ursula and Elsebeth is soft and authentic, and it earns every moment.

Set in Bavaria during the Thirty Years’ War, this one is an absolute must read if you love sapphic romances, folk horror, and stories that don’t flinch from the ugliness of history while still finding beauty within it.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the copy.

The Midnight Train

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By Matt Haig

The second book in the Midnight World series

If you liked The Midnight Library, you will like The Midnight Train.

Eighty-one-year-old Wilber Budd has just finished his piano lesson when he receives a phone call from his past. Maggie, the love of his life, his ex-wife, whom he hasn’t spoken to in years, a lifetime really. She called because she had dreamed of him, after all these years, and just wanted to hear his voice. Wilber is filled with joy, though his joy is tinged with guilt. After the call, Wilber finds the last letter his wife wrote him, which ends with: “I love you, Wilber, but I am also leaving you. I don’t know where the past hides, but I will meet you there.” He feels responsible for the dissolution of their marriage, and he has missed Maggie tremendously. Wilber then has what we believe to be a heart attack.

When he “dies,” he finds himself on a train with a lady from his past. Mrs Agnes Deborah Amaryllis Bagdale of Bagdale’s Bookshop, where Wilber used to visit as a child. Agnes is Wilber’s spirit guide of sorts, there to guide him through his life. The train will stop at various points in Wilber’s life, where he must get off and relive pivotal moments that shaped him into the man he was when he died. But there are rules Wilber must follow on this journey: he must get off the train, he must not be seen or interact with his younger self, and he must not be there when his “past” self falls asleep.

As Wilber journeys through his memories, the urge to break the rules grows stronger. Each forgotten moment tugs at his heart, wishful for a chance to rewrite the past, especially his story with Maggie. Readers are swept into Wilber’s struggle, feeling the raw ache of longing and the bittersweet weight of choices. We, too, are compelled to reflect on our own regrets and treasured moments.

This novel is an inviting, heartfelt read, gentle yet stirring. Matt Haig’s writing wraps the reader in warmth, exploring the quiet beauty and pain of love, regret, and the persistence of hope amid personal loss.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the copy.

John of John

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by Douglas Stuart

John of John is the third book of Stuart’s I’ve read, and it’s just as poignant, just as beautifully written as the first two.

Our protagonist, John Callum (Cal), is a young gay man struggling in life, moving from couch to couch, sneaking food, and having one-night stands. During their weekly phone calls, Cal’s father, John, says that Grandma Ella has taken ill and urges him to return home. Cal hesitates, feeling like a failure and dreading his return to the small Scottish Hebrides town where being a young gay man is far from ideal.

Cal returns home with his long, brightly dyed hair and androgynous appearance, exposing himself to his father’s verbal and physical abuse. We wonder if John’s violence stems from his wife’s departure and remarriage, Grandma Ella’s ownership of the property, or his own struggles as a Presbyterian minister, burdened by church rules and secrets his son’s presence brings to light.

Douglas Stuart’s stories overflow with theme and emotion. He crafts characters whose heartache, confusion, and love resonate universally, and captures the honest, heartbreaking bond of father and son. The novel explores identity, lineage, and the tension between pleasing parents and seeking one’s own path.

A beautiful novel, just as I expected. I will always be a Douglas Stuart fan.

Thank you to Grove Press and Netgalley for the copy.

Marion

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written by Leah Rowan.

Narrated by Natalie Noudas and Tawny Platis

I both read and listened to this novel, and I quite liked both experiences.

Remember the black and white movie, Psycho? Noman Bates being the quintessential creepy mass murderer with huge mommy issues? Remember the shower scene? The visuals, along with the music sound effects, have become infamous in movie culture. Now, imagine if, as soon as that shower curtain is open, Marion incapacitates Norman by strategically kneeing him in a sensitive place, taking control of the situation and stabbing him in self-defence. In this twist, it’s Norman who dies! Marion, on the other hand, now faces a myriad of problems: what to do with the body, what to do with the $100,000 she just conveniently has in her possession, and how to help her sister, who is sporting a black eye from her husband’s abuse and has gone silent. 

With all this chaos, can Marion (not her real name) clean up the catastrophic mess she’s in without getting caught—or killing anyone else?

Meanwhile, there’s Hannah, a young private investigator striving to succeed despite her parents’ lack of support. They insist she attend law school and refuse to fund her PI career. Before quitting, Hannah takes on one last case: a missing woman last seen near the Billings Hotel, run by Norman.

I really liked the dual viewpoints. We experience Marion and the aftermath of her choices, while also following Hannah, who serves as a character foil for Marion. 

Thematically, it’s about women’s fury and the consequences of fighting back in a manipulative society. The writing is easy to read. Some plot twists are predictable, but overall, it’s entertaining.

The audiobook was wonderfully narrated. Noudas and Platis possess the perfect voices for Marion and Hannah, respectively. The intonation, emotion and phrasing added a wonderfully suspenseful atmosphere to the novel.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the copies.

Sibylline

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by Melissa De La Cruz

Sibylline is an “Ivy League” school of magic, yes, think Hogwarts, except instead of getting a letter in the mail granting admission, potential students must apply, and if they aren’t children of alumni, their chances of admittance are minuscule.

Raven, Atticus, and Dorian are close friends who all share the dream of studying at Sibylinne, where they’d access ancient grimoires, renowned professors, and abundant spell-making resources. Yet, they’re denied admission, which is confusing, given their magical talents.

Although profoundly disappointed, the trio will not be deterred and decide to gain access to the college the only way they can: by applying for employment as research assistants, associate librarians, and archivists… jobs that would take time away from study if they were students. 

Soon, the friends discover that there is more to the school than they anticipated; some dark force is working to destroy the literal foundation of the school. And to compound this danger, students are mysteriously disappearing and dying.

Raven, Atticus, and Dorian work together to learn as much as they can about magic in general to strengthen their gifts and ultimately discover the dark force threatening the institution’s existence.

Now take this premise and add the complication of romance. Raven is in love with Atticus, Atticus is in love with Dorian, and Dorian is in love with Raven…. Talk about the Bermuda of all love triangles. There are glimmers of “spice” and one VERY “spicy” scene.

This novel was enjoyable during my drive to the mountains. The plot is straightforward, and the characters are uncomplicated. While the premise shows promise, it isn’t fully realized. However, the story and characters kept my interest until the end, making it time well spent. I am interested in reading the next Sibylline book when it is published.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers and Netgalley for the copy

Angel Down

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by Daniel Kraus

I read Daniel Kraus’s Whale Fall years ago and absolutely loved the story, writing style, and themes, so when I learned of Angel Fall, I immediately bought it. Well, I had to order it because no bookstore near me carried it. But it sat on my bookshelf for months, and when I heard it had just won this year’s Pulitzer Prize, I decided it was now the time to read it. And you know what? My copy has a plethora of sticky tabs and annotations throughout. It’s not a quick read, or at least it wasn’t for me. There were so many profound themes, beautiful phrases, and places in the text that I want to revisit in the future.

The novel is set in France during World War I and follows Cyril Bagger, the son of a bishop whose personality is such that he is somewhat of  a con artist, let’s just say he’s not fighting in the war for the sake of freedom. Despite his ideology, or lack thereof, Cyril serves as a Private First Class in the army, with the official duty of a grave digger. Early in the story, Cyril and four other soldiers are sent to investigate mysterious shrieks coming from the trenches because, as they are told, “the army does not leave a man behind” (pg. 41).

When Cyril and Arno, a fourteen-year-old soldier who lied about his age to enlist, attempt to cross No Man’s Land, they discover an angel trapped in barbed wire. They free her and carry her to safety. The angel has a mysterious quality—her radiant appearance is veiled under a cloak, and anyone who sees her perceives their deepest desire: for some, she appears as a missing loved one to others,  a path to fortune. The soldiers who accompanied Cyril want to possess the angel for their own gain, but Cyril does not. The angel tells him, “You are the only one to ask nothing of me” (pg. 189).

The novel is a heavy read. Not that it’s sloggy or difficult, but it is very visceral in its depiction of war and prompts the reader to search their own heart for a personal understanding of humanity, especially during a time of conflict. It is also written as a continuous sentence (although I did find punctuation a very few times). In fact, Kraus writes, “like the carnage won’t ever end, it’s a sentence in a book careening without periods, gasping with too many commas, a sentence that, once begun, can’t ever be stopped, a sentence doomed to loop back in on itself to form a terrible black wheel that, sooner or later. Will drag each and every person to their grave” (pg 6). And the writing style does, indeed, create a tone of unending dread with the feeling of horrific monotony. The novel is also rich in symbols: the angel, the novel The Count of Monte Cristo, and the Bible, just to name a few. It is a novel worthy of the Pulitzer as it is a sobering story of not only the physical and psychological horrors of war, but also the potential moral ambiguity that comes with killing for an ideal. It is a discussion of theology, philosophy, morality, politics, and history. It is also, in a way, an examination of conscience…so yes, as I said, it is heavy. 

Because of Kraus’s beautiful writing and the thought-provoking themes, Angel Down lingered in my mind for weeks after I finished reading, making it one of my most memorable books of the year thus far.

Gifted and Talented

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by Olivie Blake

I admire Olive Blake’s writing tremendously. In this novel, she convincingly narrates the story from an omniscient point of view; in fact, her name is Death. So is she really dead? That is the question I kept asking myself as I read until….the other characters began to refer to her, then I knew she was actually a flesh and blood character, or is she? This question of mine makes sense once you start reading the book. Gifted and Talented is a novel about siblings. Actually think of the series Succession, but with heirs who are “telepathically and electrokinetically gifted.”

The novel’s plot is simple: the wealthy founder and CEO of a groundbreaking company dies, and each of his three children (two of whom are all but estranged from him) finds their way back home to discover who has inherited the company. And, of course, each of the adult children comes complete with their own massive set of luggage. Meredith, who always thought she would be the next in line, was somewhat shunned by her father and ended up working for a competitor building and marketing her happiness app “Chirp”; however, her ethics have come into question because her ex-boyfriend has discovered she has been using her “gift” to manipulate buyers into a false sense of happiness. Arthur, the only son, is a washed-up politician who is more of a frat boy than a man of the people. Seemingly kind-hearted but leading a life of debauchery, Arthur really doesn’t want to be a politician, especially because his gift, if unharnessed, would be very difficult to explain to the voters. But the guilt his father put upon him made him. And then there is Eilidh, once a promising ballerina, and closest to her father, the only Wren offspring to work with her father, who doesn’t really know what she wants, especially because her gift, when unleashed, is the most dangerous of them all. Then there is Death, and you will learn all about her as you follow the story.

A very well-written book with the most extraordinary character development. In fact, the book is mostly about character development, their discovery of self, their reckoning with their truth and the possibility of redemption and reconciliation. If you like character-driven books rather than plot-driven ones, you will enjoy this book immensely.

Thank you to Tor Publising and Netgalley for the copy,.

The Tumbling Girl a Variety Palace Mystery #1

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I love a good Victorian mystery. Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook are the protagonists. Minnie is a writer at the Palace, a circus-like playhouse featuring magic, acrobats, songs, and animal acts. One day, Rose, a “tumbling girl” and headline performer, disappears. Soon, it becomes clear she was brutally murdered, yet the police insist it is suicide, dismissing her as a woman of “questionable” reputation. Certain Rose would never kill herself; Minnie and Rose’s mother, Ada, hire former policeman-turned-private investigator Albert Easterbrook to prove it was not suicide.

As the plot progresses, we get drawn into the world of private men’s clubs, corrupt politicians, and a string of “Stanhopes” (I had to look it up) that possess clues to the crime. We also learn that  young women are anxious about walking alone because of the notorious “hairpin” killer who has yet to be apprehended. 

I really enjoyed Minnie, a modern woman during suppression. Her bravery, intelligence, and humour make her an engaging protagonist. I also love her interactions with Mr. Easterhouse—could there be a spark?

The novel introduces several suspects. Even though Rose’s killer becomes somewhat obvious midway, there is a twist I didn’t anticipate.

Absolutely a cozy mystery to add to your TBR list. To my delight, it’s designed as a series, so I can revisit Minnie and Albert in future installments.

Thank you, Pushkin Press and Netgalley, for the copy.

Sunburn

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by Chole Michelle Howarth

I love any novel set in Ireland. I often thought of myself as part Irish, but according to Ancestry, I’m only 2% Irish…give or take 10%. Nevertheless, I have a love for the people, the country and the culture. That said, I naturally gravitated to Sunburn when a copy became available.

The novel starts “ Now is the time between birth and slaughter. Another Summer has arrived. I spend my days waiting for something to happen. Something glorious, even something tragic. Nothing ever happens.” (pg 1). Now, if it doesn’t exactly capture every teenager’s mindset at the beginning of summer, I don’t know what does. 

Sunburn takes place approximately 30 years ago in the small Irish town of Crossmore. Lucy is our main protagonist, a young girl struggling with her identity, and she comments, “Recently I have really wanted to figure out who I am” (Howarth). This novel is about Lucy figuring out who she is.  what her heart wants, what her family and friends expect from her, and what society expects from her. She has a best friend, Martin, a neighbour with whom she grew up, and the unspoken expectation that their friendship will turn into something romantic. In fact, Lucy is beginning to notice that Martin’s interest in her is shifting from mere camaraderie to something more romantic. In the meantime, Lucy finds herself drawn to her classmate Susanna, an attraction that confuses her and complicates her life, as she is at a time when she must make life-altering decisions. Will she stay and live a life with what is familiar, her town, her friends and family, making a life for herself similar to her mother? Or will she follow her heart, which means leaving the life she has lived thus far?

Howarth is masterful at capturing the mindset of a teenager experiencing not merely teenage angst, but the struggle to acknowledge the truth behind her identity. 

Howarth’s prose is absolutely beautiful and thought-provoking. Some examples: “ I can’t stand being on the outside of what everyone else is feeling.”Sometimes knowing someone for a long time is the only reason you’d be friends with them. It isn’t much of a bond, and still it is unbreakable” “ Even at my small age, I understood that there were limits to love, and I felt sure that one day people would run out of love for me,” Lucy loves Martin in her own way he “makes her feel grounded” and this line absolutely broke me “ when he leaves, I watch from the back door as he disappears down the garden, out into the dark road, taking the last of today’s goodness with him.” 

A beautiful novel with a discussion-generating plot and themes, all wrapped in beautiful prose.

A perfect novel to use in High School classrooms, either as a mentor text showing the effectiveness of character voice and the impact of first-person narrative, or as an independent novel study.

Thank you to Melville House and Netgalley for the copy.