Category: book reviews

Blood on Her Tongue

~ Lisa Helm ~ 2 Comments

by Johanna Van Veen

This is the second novel I’ve read by Johanna Van Veen, and it just confirmed to me that she is, in fact, one of my favourite authors. I do not naturally gravitate to horror, but when I have, it is usually to authors such as her. Before you read this novel, be sure to read the forward; it does prepare the reader for what lies ahead. Yes, it is creepy, yes, it is bloody, but it’s also a whole lot of fun. This novel will keep you entertained from start to finish. In fact I was so intrigued that I read it in a day!

Set in what I believe to be the Victorian era, Lucy receives a very unsettling letter from her twin, Sarah. Sarah’s letter is incoherent, pleading, and desperate, and her handwriting is beyond agitated.

Sarah’s letter was soon followed by her husband’s letter, requesting Lucy come to Sarah’s assistance.

Lucy isn’t completely surprised by this; madness, after all, does run in the family.

When Lucy arrives, in an effort to discover the cause of her sister’s madness, she begins to read Sarah’s journals. These journals aren’t just a person’s recollection of the day’s thoughts and events; they are also scholarly in nature. It seems a body has been found on the property, but not any body, a Bog Woman wonderfully preserved centuries after her demise. Sarah’s obsession over the Bog Woman seems to have ignited her madness, so much so that we, the readers, start to believe that she may, in fact, be possessed by the Bog Woman’s spirit because soon Sarah ceases to be Sarah as Lucy has known her to be.

As with most Victorian stories, the male characters are far from appealing. For instance, Sarah’s husband is dismissive, condescending, and extremely narcissistic, which makes him an unsympathetic character. However, Van Veen does not paint the sisters as sympathetic characters either, but the characterization did get me rooting for them at the end.

This novel is highly atmospheric. It is gruesome, suspenseful, and quite humorous at times (to the expense of a couple of characters). I enjoy Johanna Van Veen so much because, despite the heavy themes, the plot is gruesome fun. If you are not a fan of body horror, maybe stay away from this one, but if you enjoy a good, gruesome, spooky tale, you’ll definitely enjoy Blood on Her Tongue. 

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

Haunt Sweet Home

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by Sara Pinsker

Mara has been going through life thinking she is a nobody, a failure. There is nothing like a family Thanksgiving dinner to make her feel more like a loser, especially when her cousin Jeremy is there, Jeremy, who seems to have been born with a golden horseshoe up his butt. Unable to find a job that pays her bills, Mara takes a job (or did she beg?) with her cousin’s unique television show “Haunt Sweet Home”. Now, Haunt Sweet Home is not your typical home renovation show. It’s a show that not only films the renovation of a room or two, but also serves as a ghost hunter, recording any ghostly phenomena that happen to take place. The more frightening, the more significant the audience. 

As part of the filming crew, Mara has firsthand knowledge of the authenticity of the paranormal activity, but she is in no position to debate the ethics of the truth behind “reality TV.” Instead, she just does her job during the week and spends her weekends living out of a tent, attending to her wood carving, the only talent she acknowledges in herself. 

The book is written in first-person narrative and focuses more on Mara’s emotional development than the plot. Her personal running narrative is one of self-deprecation, self-searching and self-realization. Pinsker writes this narrative in a way that resonates with anyone who has ever felt insecure about who they are. Mara’s slow but steady realization of her strength is a journey many can identify with. But Mara does not come to this realization on her own; she makes a friend whilst on the job, someone who seems to know who she truly is, someone who appears to be just the right person to support her in this journey of self-discovery and growth, the only problem is, is this friend real or not?

This turned out to be a different “ghost” story than I expected. It is in no way scary; it is rather more of a story that is a running narrative of a young woman’s self-discovery and growth. A light, easy read but not scary or suspenseful. 

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and Netgalley for the free copy

The Orphanage by the Lake

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By Daniel G. Miller

Version 1.0.0

Hazel Cho thinks of herself as a tough, no-nonsense private detective, and she is, to an extent. Having to deal with angry clients who refuse to acknowledge the brutal truth behind the reality Hazel uncovers, living paycheck to paycheck because of a lack of clients due to her gender, and navigating a sticky relationship with a roommate, a cherished friend that would like to be more than friends. One day, a gift seems to drop from thin air; a prospective client comes her way with an offer that is too irresistible to refuse. Madeline Hemsley graces Hazel’s detective agency with a job that requires Hazel to investigate the disappearance of a young girl from St. Agnes Orphanage. If Hazel takes the job, she will be paid an exorbitant amount of money, but along with payment comes a list of guidelines and deadlines Hazel must follow or not get paid. 
Of course, this offer is irresistible to refuse. But immediately, the roadblocks and morsels of truth that arise make this “gift from thin air” seem more like a curse. 
The plot is quick-paced, which definitely helps create suspense, with smidgens of romance interspersed. The author gives us little snippets of Hazel’s back story and her motivation for picking this peculiar line of work. The characters all seem to fulfil a purpose in developing the plot and serve as credible suspects in the mystery. 
The Orphanage by the Lake is a perfect summer mystery to put on your tbr list.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the copy.

The Maid’s Secret

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by Nita Prose

Oh, how excited I am to be immersed again in the world of Molly the Maid. Molly is one of the most charming, engaging protagonists I’ve ever met. I desperately needed to catch up with her and her adventures. Thankfully, Nita Prose has graced us with another Molly the Maid novel, which is slightly different from the first two; in this third novel, we get to know Molly’s Gran Flora more intimately through Gran’s journals. Gran’s journal is a series of letters to her granddaughter charting her life as a young girl and ending with her on her deathbed. The reader quickly learns that Gran’s life is nothing like we suspected. Growing up in a family of wealth, Gran/Flora wanted for nought, but with this wealth came social obligations that Flora fought against. Flora was a bit of a rebel; she wanted to go to university instead of finishing school, choose her love (gasp!), and not be obliged to marry someone her parents deemed suitable. 

Gran’s diary holds not only the purpose of telling her granddaughter about her family history but also clues to the mysterious Faberge egg of Gran’s that just so happens to be in Molly’s possession. An egg that, for most of her life, Molly perceived as a mere trinket of no worth, but with the surprise appraisal from thMollly’srown and Beagle” (an Antiques Roadshow-esque event scheduled at the Regency Grand), she discovers that it is worth millions and she is thrust into the spotlight.

Just like the previous two books, this one is also a mystery—one that involves a great heist, the theft of the Faberge Egg! Molly and our friends Juan, Mr. Preston, and Angela, to name a few(because they really are our friends by now), all play a crucial role in solving the case. Their unique skills and perspectives add depth to the story, making the audience feel like they are part of the team. And with all this sleuthing, Molly has to plan her wedding!  

Nita Prose has a unique way of weaving the past and the present in a way that is engaging and easy to follow, with absolutely no errors in continuity. The book is written in alternating chapters of Gran/Flora’s journal and the present-day Molly adventure. This narrative structure adds depth to the characters and keeps the reader engaged. One could easily just read Flora’s chapters as a book in itself. 

Although my favourite chapters were those with Molly and the gang attempting to solve a crime, I did enjoy being immersed in Gran’s world and getting a fuller understanding of her backstory and what made her such a remarkable mentor for Molly. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the copy!

The Mask of Merryvale Manor

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by Pete Sherlock

The Mask of Merryvale Manor is an entertaining and sometimes unsettling mystery. The novel begins on a dark and sultry evening at Natasha Merryvales’s wedding. Natasha and Ben have escaped the wedding party in an attempt to spend time alone together…the only problem is that Ben isn’t the groom; in fact, he is Natasha’s cousin. If this doesn’t complicate matters enough, whilst walking along the bank of the lake, they stumble upon a corpse, half buried in the water. Not only is this discovery shocking to all, but a few family members coincidentally recognise the shoe. They can, therefore, identify the corpse. But there is a dark secret surrounding the dead woman that someone in the family is privy to, and it is so condemning that it could lead someone to murder.

The plot of this novel is engaging enough, although a few segments are rather slow. Ben’s character is also quite interesting. Still, the story is written from his perspective. It is a first-person narrative, so the reader is left wondering exactly how reliable he is. 

I really appreciate the author’s writing skills and story ideas. Still, I did figure out the “guilty party(ies)” (no spoilers) well before the end of the novel.

It’s definitely worth a recommendation.

…plus I think the cover is cool!

Thank you to Fairlight Books and Netgalley for the copy!

Shred Sisters

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By Betsy Lerner

I come from a family of sisters, so naturally, at times, I gravitate towards novels that present a sister dynamic. Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner is one such novel.

Sisters Olivia and Amy are polar opposites of one another. Olivia is magnetic and confident, whereas Amy is inconspicuous and awkward. When they are younger, there is no love lost between the sisters because Olivia isn’t the most loving of older sisters; on top of often mercilessly bullying Amy, she makes high-risk decisions which result in behaviour and consequences that threaten to rip the family apart.

I liked this novel well enough. When Olivia and Amy were younger, I could feel empathy for both, each dealing with the reality of their lives and not being happy with it. However, once the women got older, I lost a bit of empathy for Amy as she began to make decisions that aren’t “high risk” to her physical well-being but rather, well, for lack of a better term, stupid and selfish. My allegiance to each sister changes.

This novel successfully presents how mental illness can affect a family. How heartbreaking it can be to consider disowning a loved one because their destructive behaviour potentially creates an undue hardship on you, especially in a time and place where the support system for mental illness is severely lacking. Can you love a sister enough to keep her in your life even though she damages your success, happiness and mental well-being? Or do you love yourself enough to let her go?

Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Press for the copy,

I Died on A Tuesday

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by Jane Corry

Have you read this book? I picked this one up at the airport. It is a good “light” read (light as in style and prose, not necessity the subject matter; I mean, it is, after all, about death).

The story is set in the aftermath of a horrific hit-and-run and delves into the consequences and repercussions for everyone involved. 

Twenty years ago, on a quiet seaside road, Janie was riding her bike early in the morning when she was suddenly struck by a white van. But Janie did not die ( now, this isn’t a spoiler because the VERY first chapter is written in italics from Janie’s point of view). Horrifically, Janie remains in a comma, alone with only her thoughts and memories of the life she had led thus far. 

The story is also about Robbie, a famous singer-songwriter and musician. Now Robbie is linked to Janie. You see, he was a passenger in the van that hit her all though years ago, and he is riddled with guilt, not just because he was riding in the vehicle involved in a hit and run, but because he knows who was driving and divulging that truth would put his and his family’s lives at risk. 

The novel is written from alternating points of view: Janie, Robbie and a middle-aged woman named Vanessa. Now, Vanessa’s link to Janie is that her husband was one of the detectives assigned to find the person responsible for Janie’s injuries. Vanesa also serves as a victim’s advocate in court.

There is also a smattering of other characters with chapters written from their points of view, newspaper clippings of the case, diary entries and song lyrics. 

This novel is a perfect vacation novel. It possesses simple themes of guilt, redemption, forgiveness and resilience. Short chapters, varying points of view and a plot filled with twists and turns and connections that, for the most part, the reader can’t see coming. 

For She is Wrath

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by Emily Varga

Full disclosure: I both read and listened to this novel. The audiobook’s narrator is AMAZING, making it worth downloading.
I really liked this book. But then again, I always like books with strong female protagonists, especially ones that can be viewed as resilient, courageous heroines. For She is Wrath is a wonderful retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo, but this time as a Pakistani romantic fantasy. Loving the classic, I couldn’t help but be enamoured of this tale.
As with the Count of Monte Cristo, our tale begins with a daring prison break. Fast-paced and immediately engaging, we follow Dania, a strong-willed and determined young woman, on her bloody and daring journey from prison to the man who betrayed her…the man she loved.
This plot-driven novel is what young adults most often gravitate to first. It reads like a movie and would be an excellent addition to a classroom library and an engaging read-aloud.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the free copy.

My Darling Dreadful Thing

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by Johanna Van Veen

What a wonderfully gothic tragic love story! I may have found a new favourite author to add to my list. Johanna Van Veen is a master at creating atmosphere. Creepy, sad and at times ominous. Our protagonist, Roos, has had a tragic life. Roos has been made to participate in her abusive mother’s seances since she was a child and showed a connection to the spirit world. She would have likely continued this life if it hadn’t been for a beautiful young widow, Agnes, who participated in a seance one evening. Agnes and Roos quickly find a connection to each other because they share one extraordinary thing in common…they both possess spirit companions. Agnes invites Roos to come and live with her in the decrepit, haunting estate left to her by her husband. Shortly after her arrival,  Roos realized there is more to the estate than first meets the eye. Her spirit companion can feel it too, and soon, strange noises and smells make Roos curious to find what or who else lurks in the hallways of her new home. What she finds is more than disturbing to both her and us, the reader.

The Puzzle Box

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by Danielle Trussoni

The first Trussoni book I read was Angelology…if you haven’t read it, you should. Since then, Trussoni has written a number of books, one of which was The Puzzle Master, where our protagonist is Mike Brink, a fascinating character with ‘acquired savant syndrome. You see since Mike suffered a traumatic brain injury whilst playing football, he’s been able to create and solve intricate puzzles. He sees and, at times, feels patterns and solutions to the most complex and compelling puzzles. In the novel The Puzzle Box, Mike is challenged by Japan’s Imperial Family to open the infamous Dragon Box. But solving this puzzle is more than problematic. It’s deadly. Scores of individuals have died attempting. 

This novel is great fun. I find the character of Mike Brink fascinating; he is brilliant, socially awkward, and silently lonely, and it is hard for someone to understand him and his gift. The premise and plot of this book are highly engaging, and you will have read it in its entirety in a day.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the free copy.

Swan

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By Sisdura Ludwig

What drew me first to this book was its cover. What a beautiful, whimsical piece of folk art. What drew me second was the fact that it is a novel in verse. I absolutely adore a novel in verse, especially for middle and high school students.
Swan is a poignant true story about a 12-year-old girl named Anna. Born in 1858 in Millbrook, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, Anna was different from other girls; in fact, Anna was different from EVERYONE. You see, Anna is significant, not just big, but giant. At twelve, she is 6 feet 10 inches tall and is considered a wonder by everyone from the neighbour to the shoe pedlar. 
But Anna doesn’t want to be a wonder. She wants to be a regular girl with pretty shoes. 
As she ages, Anna discovers a way to use her peculiar size to help her family and figures. If everyone is going to look and stare at her anyway, she might as well make money to support her family, so she joins the circus as a “curiosity’.
Ludwig is a beautiful writer. Her word choice and lyricism are charming and sincere. Swan will serve as an invaluable mentor text in junior and senior high, showcasing the power of language and storytelling. Some examples of her beautiful writing are;
“I don’t know why 
God made the ground
So far from my head.”
“If God created a perfect world 
In only seven days
Why don’t I fit anywhere?”
What a fantastic discussion you could have around these two quotes alone!

Thank you to Netgalley and Nimbus Publishing for the free copy.

The Trouble with Hereos

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by Kate Messner

The Trouble with Heroes is a book in verse, one of my favourite formats, especially for middle school fiction. This novel is about grief, anger, and self-discovery. Written in first person, Finn Connelly is still grieving the COVID death of his father. His grief is manifesting in ways that are detrimental to Finn’s growth and well-being, and he is, well, he has resorted to skipping school, failing his courses, and vandalizing the local cemetery. To make amends for this crime, Finn is assigned make-up assignments, particularly in Language Arts and Phys Ed. To do so, Finn must complete a poetry project centred around the theme “what makes a hero and put in 14 hours of “moderate to strenuous” activity.

Finn must hike all “forty-six Adirondack High Peaks to atone for his crime AND make up the course material and requirements. 

This novel is filled with the most engaging verse, a combination of humour and beautifully emotional lyricism. It also includes the formats of newspaper articles, instructions written in prose, photographs, recipes, and letters, indeed, one of the best examples of a hybrid text.

Finn’s journey of self-discovery and overcoming grief is beautifully developed through first-person narration. Messner effectively captured the voice of an adolescent boy through his humour, sarcasm, and view of the world and society.

This novel would be a VERY effective mentor text to use in the classroom. The theme, character development, writing formats, point of view, imagery, various poetic devices, and tone are all literary devices worth noting and can be illustrated effectively using Messners writing as an example.

The Trouble with Heroes is a versatile addition to any school or middle school classroom library. It’s not just a great read for individual students, but also a fantastic choice for book clubs and classroom book studies. Its engaging verse, unique writing formats, and relatable themes make it a book that can inspire a variety of learning experiences. 

The Trouble with Heroes will be published in April 2025. Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books and Netgalley for the free copy.

The Bookseller’s Wife

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Book 1 of Chiswell Street Series
by Jane Davis


Dorcus Turton comes from a family whose name historically holds power and respect. However, as the only surviving heir, her life has been challenging. Upon the death of her mother, her father started a downward struggle of alcoholism and gambling debt. Dorcus runs a girls’ school out of their home and takes up some seamstress tasks, but she can still not stave off the debt collectors, so she resorts to taking in renters. James Lackington and his wife turn out to be more than just renters; they are a wonderful addition to Dorcus’s life, with their kindness and generosity and their tremendous love of reading and books, something with which Dorcus strongly identifies. The Lackington’s dream is to become booksellers, and with the help of Dorcus and her father, their dream soon comes to fruition. Of course, tragedy strikes in the form of sickness, death and heartbreak, and Dorcus’s life drastically changes, but will it be for the better?
I really liked this book….up until the last third. The author went from a wonderful exploration of a resilient woman’s life during Georgian London to a focus on the politics of the time. The political atmosphere of the time is, of course, essential to character choice and the advancement of the plot. I just wished it was more woven into the plot instead of reading like a textbook. I was also a little disappointed in the book’s ending; it seemed rather abrupt, but then I realized that this book is the first in a series. So now I know that this isn’t the end of Dorcus’s story.

Thank you to Rossdale Print Productions and Netgalley for the free copy.