An unassuming bookseller's assistant gets mixed up in parallel Londons when he unknowingly picks up a book that doesn't exist in his London. His boss, Coffin Ada ( cough, cough, cough) is a caustic bookseller who is very afraid of this book that Dennis has picked up and wants him to bring it back. This puts Dennis in the middle of two worlds he seems ill equipped to understand and return from safely. The language is outstanding - full of humor and wonderful characters but like reading Shakespeare for the first time, it demands your full attention. Moore uses 20 colorful words to describe something that others would use 5 which is part of his charm. This is the first book in the series and one that his fans will be happy with. 3 1/2 stars
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Cute and cozy this has a LITTLE WOMEN mixed with witches feel to it. A story of three identical sisters from a magic family each with a special talent. The sisters operate a tearoom in Chicago where they exist quietly among ordinary people outside the magical community but a visit from the Council of Witches will change the direction of the sister's future. A great choice for many ages and tastes of readers steeped in history, seasoned with mild flavors with an aroma of fantasy. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy. 4 stars Creepy story of a young woman trapped in her first big job at a fashion house that is sucking the life blood out of the small California town. Samara is so excited to work for the famous Antonio Mota and she is a long way away from New Jersey. The town seems to be enjoying a revival but is still reminded of their roots with the smell of the slaughterhouse, the factories that use all the local cheap labor and not all the residents are thrilled with the attention they are getting. Under the stress of Mota's big runway show Samara is soon burning the candle at both ends - little sleep, too much alcohol and pills as well as plagued by hallucinations and nightmares. This shows the fascination with beauty, the cost of that beauty and the abuse of powerful men who dictate all the terms. This works as a horror novel for the beauty industry in general but also the effects of trauma , substance abuse and career stress in young people.
3 1/2 stars Tamsyn is the whipping girl for the royal family and claim that she is part of the family but they are quick to offer her up instead of one of the princesses to marry as a political favor. When the rough and tumble "Beast of the Borderlands" realizes he has been tricked into marrying the wrong princess it is too late. Tamsyn has been made to believe that magic and dragons are dead in no small part thanks to her husband patrolling the borderlands. As they make their way back to her new rough home both of them will realize that nothing has prepared them for the spark between them that they ignore but will soon burn out of control. An adult romantasy debut with spice and magic that will delight her young adult fans as well as dragon lovers - hot, hot, hot! There were a few places in the first half that felt a bit repetitious but the last half flew by setting the scene for the next book. 4 stars A cozy magic store goes wand to wand with newcomer mages in a small town where only one shop can survive. Charlie and her two moms live and work in the cottage spell shop that has been the family business for generations. It is all Charlie wants in life to keep the shop going but that might all change when a hot mage and his sister move into town with an updated store and plans to get the only license. If only Fitz and his sister were horrible but they are anything but and what turns into a friendly competition is made more difficult by all the sparks flying between Charlie and Fitz. Cozy magic meets "You've Got Mail" retail romance for the perfect read to end summer and get ready for Halloween. Fans of THE EX HEX by Erin Sterling or LEGENDS & LATTES will enjoy. 3 1/2 stars
In the vein of THE STEPFORD WIVES Vincent Tirado explores a strange mostly white gated community and the effects it has on the Korean American and Dominican American gay couple who buy their dream house there. Sol and Alice have worked hard to buy a place of their own and can't believe their luck when they find something in the "near perfect" community of Maneless Grove. Everything is too perfect, the neighbors are way too nosy and overly friendly which is making Sol twitch. The final straw for her is being forced to sign a multi page HOA agreement. Alice is the more social of the two and she acclimates much faster but is still not immune to the many weird things going on. All of this, including Sol being accused of plagiarism and home on a forced sabbatical, is causing tension in their marriage. From the haunted house vibe to the zombie teens in the woods to the voices in her head Sol is having one scary nightmare. This story will appeal to the author's young adult fans as well as adults who enjoyed LOVECRAFT COUNTRY and ONE OF OUR KIND. 4 stars
Grace Winters is a retired math teacher and recent widow who suddenly finds herself left a home on the island of Ibiza. She is surprised that her friend whom she hadn't seen in many years would have left her this but she also needs a change of scenery. Ibiza has a profound effect on Grace. At 72 she learns to scuba dive and it is in these strange and magical waters that Grace has an epiphany. She receives the gift of mind reading not only of the humans around her but animals and birds as well. This comes in handy as there is a developer who is building a resort that will destroy the environment and sacred habitat whom activists and her new friends are trying to stop. I love the way this book begins with Grace responding to a letter from a former pupil who is going through a crisis moment. Matt Haig reminds us that we are human capable of great love and even greater mistakes and all of us have the ability to change lives. He also tries to cement the message that there are wondrous places on this Earth that will not survive unless we change our behavior. A second act of courage and adventure with a dollop of magic provides the perfect mix of delightful story and a call to action. Readers of Lydia Millet and PLAYGROUND by Richard Powers will enjoy this. 4 stars A fever dream of a story about an adventurous husband who drags his wife off to a remote island in search of an illusive spider whose silk holds magical powers. The women of the island embrace Sophia but her husband steals the spiders bringing them back to England which sets a curse into motion. A generation later the factory spinning the spider silk is in full operation employing the whole town - men, women and even young children. Henry is a grieving audiologist who is hired to help cure the owner's deaf daughter. While he is unable to improve her hearing he becomes obsessed with the silence provided by the spider silk and sets about marketing it. Caught in the seductive web of recognition and the lavish attention of the lord of the manor/factory owner, Henry tries to prove his worth while looking the other way at the plight of the young workers whose health is failing. It is a classic story of the class divide, unrequited love , the horrible working conditions of young factory workers and the allure of magical creatures without a thought to how they might exact their revenge. Atmospheric writing that will attract readers of Lydia Millet and Adrienne Young. 4 stars On a large farm in Nebraska a domineering father lords over his two sons who he has raised alone. Abusive both physically and verbally, he tries to make men out of them through hard work, hunting and absolute obedience. The favored older brother goes off to school and comes back with an Asian wife thereby being disowned. The younger son Nick is left on the farm (now the only son) trying to win his father's approval and keep his desires well hidden. Suddenly, their dad announces he is dying and calls all of them home ( Emilia included). A truce of sorts begins but there is an unbalance and Emilia is at the center of it. This is an eerie blend of abusive family drama mixed with ancient Asian mythology and a smidge of horror. There is an undercurrent of unease and violence that makes you want to turn the page and wince at the same time. THE LIFE WE BURY by Allan Eskins and THE FOX WIFE by Yangtze Choo fans would like this for very different reasons. 3 1/2 stars
A coming of age fantasy about the journey of a young artisan searching for her true calling. Shean has trained hard as a dollmaker's apprentice but is stunned to learn that she has been denied her license to create the guard dolls that battle the monsters who killed her parents and plague the land. Instead she is guided towards making works of art or toys. Seen as an insult, Shean takes matters into her own hands by stealing her master's license running to another town and challenging its dollmaker for her position. She is so sure of her ability and knowledge that she fails to realize how she is putting others and her dolls at risk. She will discover much about herself and learn to trust others to destroy the monsters before all is lost. I hope this is the start of a new series that fans of all those young female warriors in THE WHEEL OF TIME and THE WITCHER will embrace. 4 stars |
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