Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina
Length: 352 Pages
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I'd like to give a very special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Trigger Warnings in this book for Death, Murder, Sexual Assault, Bullying in Regards to the MC's Two-Spirit Identity, Drug Use And Discussion of the Many Abuses Native Women Face

Anna Horn is an outcast--bullied relentlessly at school and pushed to the side by her younger sister in fear of Anna's own status rubbing off on her. Her only comfort comes from visiting the long abandoned trailer of Miss Shelby, a woman who tried to keep the tribe's stories alive be recounting them to anyone who would listen. She went missing years ago without a trace--or was eaten by the unhappy, travelling head of a dead chief, according to Anna's uncle. Miss Shelby was the only one who saw Anna for who she really was, not just a girl, but as someone who was two-spirit, "neither one or the other".

After Anna takes a job cleaning hotel rooms at the large casino on the reservation, and catches the eye of Fox Ballard for her quick work on the rooms and the lack of gossiping she does with the other maids, she encourages her sister, Grace, to get a job, too. Soon, Anna is chosen to clean rooms on the mysterious eighth floor, where all the best suites are. But something isn't right with that floor, and Anna knows it. She catches one of the maids, another Native girl, dazed and stumbling down the stairway, and another woman running crying from one of the suites. And Fox makes sure she never sees who goes in them, or who leaves.

When Grace starts sneaking out at night and eventually goes missing like so many other girls on the rez, Anna is sure it all comes down to Fox and the casino.

This is one powerful debut novel, weaving together folklore and horror and mystery masterfully. The characters are all wonderfully human and imperfect, with Anna being the clear standout. I only refrain from giving this five stars because there was so much left unanswered, which usually isn't a bother for me normally, but here I would have loved some of the loose ends tied up. Also, the author perfectly encompassed the relationship between sisters, especially of a younger age. It is so complicated, a mixture of love, hate and jealousy which is hard for most people to get just right! 

This is a story dedicated to the epidemic of missing, murdered and abused Indigenous women, as said in the powerful afterward. The ending, despite its ambiguity, left me with chills. Overall, I'm really impressed with Medina's work, and I eagerly look forward to what he'll publish next!

Book Review: The Snow Hare by Paula Lichtarowicz

The Snow Hare by Paula Lichtarowicz
Length: 384 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I'd like to give a very special thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company + a heartfelt apology for how long it took me to get this review out. I'm running behind after taking a new job and I'm really sorry!

Trigger Warnings in this book for Death, including Death of a Child, Illness and Gore, Rape and Forced Pregnancy, Racism and Bigotry Against Romani, including Slurs

Lena is at the end of her life. She has seen death and famine, loved and learned the consequences of its power, and lost, so, so much. Her end comes to her at her farm in Wales, surrounded by her son and granddaughter--but it began in Poland.

When Lena was young and sure life could only be what one made it, fates be damned, she wanted to be a doctor. Not only a doctor, but one of the few women accepted to university. With the encouragement of her beloved father, she pursues science and the study of the human body with abandon and hope. A harrowing accident, which leaves her with a limp for the rest of her life, changes everything. Now, she is married to a Polish officer who she does not love, who takes her away to his isolated post, who forces himself upon her, resulting in a pregnancy that forever solidifies her place as a mother and wife, and never that of a woman of medicine. And then, war breaks out.

Reuniting with her family for only a short, peaceful time, Lena and her sister, pregnant by her new husband who accompanies them, her younger brother, her daughter and parents, are forced to relocate to the taiga as second-rate citizens and "enemies of the state". It is there that Lena will come to love someone who is forbidden, a guard who enforces the strict rations and back-breaking work. The great sacrifice she makes for him will change her life, and the lives of those around her, for generations to come.

Despite really enjoying this book (and Lichtarowicz's poetic prose), I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the depiction of the Romani woman who gives Lena her fate. For that reason, I'm removing one star from my rating.

"The Snow Hare" is a harrowing tale of wartime, love, both romantic and familial, and the resilience of the human soul, a perfect choice, especially for women, who still to this day know the pain of having their hopes squandered by fate and circumstance.

Book Review: Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon

Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon
Length: 792 Pages
Genres: Historical Mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Trigger Warnings for Racism and Racial Epitaphs, Blood, Gore, Beastiality, Sexism and Probably a Lot More I Forgot

Speaks the Nightbird has been on my TBR for a while now, and I finally decided to take the plunge into this massive tome and am so happy I did! It is meticulously researched, a real step back into the time period by a master of prose and plot lines, and a treat for any historical mystery lovers!

Matthew Corbett is the young and curious (sometimes to his own detriment) clerk to the magistrate Isaac Woodward, a man who is sometimes more father than employer. He plucked Matthew out of a boys' home and obscurity, and ever since Matthew has done his job and everything the man asks of him in hopes of repayment. Now, he has followed him to the wilds of The Carolinas in 1699, where a town is being plagued by otherworldly problems: deaths and failing crops, and even strange creatures. All of it is blamed on a woman, part-Portuguese and far too close to Spanish for the English citizens in a time where relations between the two countries were icy at best, called Rachel. They say she is a witch, and responsible for it all.

Matthew, however, has doubts. The witness statements have as many similarities as they have holes, and everyone in town is desperate for Rachel to be put to the stake to relieve their problems. And then Matthew loses his heart to the very woman who awaits her execution...

So, I really loved this book. The characters were vivid and incredibly realistic, especially for their time period. I'm also in awe of how many plot threads wind throughout this book, each one serving its purpose towards the conclusion, and how enjoyable they all were which is a feat unto itself! The main thing keeping this from being a solid five stars is the portrayal of the characters of color and some of the female characters. I felt Rachel was no more than a object for Matthew's affections, having very little personality or motivation of her own other than being "strong" and "beautiful". The Indians were portrayed as grinning, violent savages, and the black characters as obedient and wise to their white masters. I know these were period typical attitudes, but the use of omniscient POV made it seem less the characters thoughts and prejudices and more the author's.

Overall, an enjoyable and hard to solve mystery with a few serious flaws. Keep it all in mind should you choose to read!

Book Review: Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire

Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire

Length: 336 Pages
Genres: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

A special thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I've really gotten into cozy mysteries! The only problem with them is that sometimes they seem all a bit the same, usually with similar characters and hobbies and even mysteries! However I am happy to report that the first in this series by Ann Claire combines the classic with the new, along with a beautiful location and even a grumpy but loveable bookshop cat, Agatha C. (for cat) Christie!

Ellie Christie has finally returned home to her tiny town of Last Word, Colorado, ready to take the helm of her family bookstore situated within a beautiful chalet. Helping her is her older sister, Meg, Meg's daughter, Rosie, and their wise and baking crazy Gram. But when the bookstore opens its doors to actress Morgan Marin and her book club, things get a bit...deadly. Morgan has the customers, including several longstanding  and beloved citizens of Last Word, perform a séance. The Ouija board spells out two words: "dead man". And who would guess that only a little while later a returned ne'er-do-well by the name of Prescott St. James would be found dead on the gondola, with Meg and Ellie witnessing the whole thing!

The setting is one of the things that makes this book so enjoyable! As someone from the perpetually hot state of Texas, it was wonderful to hear of a place full of glittering snow, fondue cafes, chocolate shops, a fancy inn complete with natural hot springs, and all the skiing and hiking they get up to! It sounded like the perfect place to visit, and maybe even the perfect place to plan a murder. I also enjoyed the aspect of the sisters' relationship, which was kind and supportive and, speaking as an older sister myself, a true representation of sisterly camaraderie. And of course, who doesn't love to hear about the beautiful long-haired Siamese queen of the bookshop, Agatha!

A perfect read for the upcoming winter months. Complete it with cocoa and your favorite furry friend and you're in for a real treat!

Book Review: The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

The Belle of Belgrave of Square by Mimi Matthews
Length: 432 Pages
Genres: Historical Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

A special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing with an ARC of this book!

Trigger Warnings in this book for Mentions of Violence and Parental Mental Abuse

I was lucky enough to have gotten an advanced copy of the first book in this series, The Siren of Sussex, and just adored Matthews' prose, her amazing knowledge of the time period, and her wonderful characters! I was really excited for the next one because the couple was hinted at in the previous installment and I couldn't wait to see where their romance went!

Julia Wychwood is a young lady bound by her anxiety, bed-ridden by her fear and controlled by her hypochondriac parents. She has never left London, but travels the world via her beloved novels, and dreams of a romance worthy of the pages. Her only strength comes in the form of her beloved Black gelding, Cossack, and she wakes early every morning ride in the park. But as she grows older, these little freedoms gain an expiration date. She must marry at her parents' will, and soon. When she fakes yet another illness to stay hidden away in her room, her parents' doctor demands she read no more novels, as they are undoubtedly the root of her sickness, and bleeds her twice in one day, leaving her weak and trapped.

Jasper Blunt may be called "The Hero of the Crimea", but it is a known fact that he acted anything but heroic during his time as a Captain. His dark deeds and scarred face are the gossip of all of London, just as much as his three illegitimate children and purportedly haunted Yorkshire estate is. He has come to London in want of a wife with a sizeable dowry, enough to make repairs to his estate and to provide for his children. And he thinks he's found the perfect one: Julia Wychwood. Over time, he even begins to harbor affection in his heart for her, only to be told point blank by her father that should she marry she would have to remain close to her parents so that she can care for them. And Yorkshire is a long ways away from London. Then, he goes to her on her sickbed and she asks of something he cannot deny, dowry or no. She asks him for his hand in marriage.

I really appreciated this romance with an anxious and doubting heroine because she so often reminded me of myself and I connected to her on a deep basis, with her love of books and romantic imaginings, her fears and woes, and cheered for her when she finally stood up to her parents, all on her own. Jasper was an excellent brooding type of hero with dark secrets and an inside that was as gooey as marshmallow. And though there was no explicit sex scenes, there were stolen kisses and sensuality that was so scorching you won't miss any of it! Another thing I greatly enjoyed was the influence of gothic literature (one of my favorite genres) on this book, complete with references and quotes from Wuthering Heights. Opening up one of Mimi Matthews' books is like sinking into a bubble bath, or indulging in a big mug of hot chocolate--it's pure pleasure, and one you'll quickly be addicted to!

Book Review: Cradles of the Reich by Jennifer Coburn

Cradles of the Reich by Jennifer Coburn
Length: 320 Pages
Genres: Historical Fiction
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

A special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC of this book!

Trigger Warnings in this book for Death Threats of Minors, Discussions of the Euthanization of Disabled People, Ableism, Racism and Antisemitism, Miscarriage, Blood and Gore

I was really excited to sink my teeth into Cradles of the Reich by Jennifer Coburn, which tells the shockingly true and vastly undocumented story of the Lebensborn program, which sought to increase the number of Aryan and "racially pure" German children by having young, eligible women procreate with top Nazi officials. And while that bit of history is undoubtedly interesting, I found myself disappointed with the character arcs, the ending, and the writing.

Told from the three alternating points of view--Hilde, the young power hungry Hitlerite who finds herself pregnant by a prominent married Nazi officer; Irma, a nurse with scars left over from the Great War who has recently broken it off with her sweetheart; and Gundi, a perfect example of Aryan purity and beauty who is pregnant with her Jewish lover's baby and worked with the Resistance--Cradles of the Reich suffers from the lack of development that comes with trying to do too many POVs within such a short book.

Hilde was one of the most interesting and flawed, desperate to become something other than a wife and itching to do her patriotic duty. Unfortunately, she has next to no growth and one of the most disappointing conclusions to a character arc I've ever read. Gundi is undoubtedly the star and the best portrayed, with the last long chapter devoted completely to her harrowing escape from the Lebensborn program at Heim Hochland. Irma changed for the better by the end, though I had doubts how she could be so careless and inconsiderate in the beginning and the make such a 180 by the end. It seemed to not be in her character, to be so selfless, and I didn't feel she had enough happen to her to make her change so drastically.

With regards to the writing, sometimes it was beautiful and wonderfully descriptive, and at other times read like a summary with too much telling and because of that, failed to get an emotional response from me.

I really wanted to like this better, but it felt like the whole book was leading up to a big end, only for it to fall completely flat! Read it for the history, which was obviously well researched, but know that there won't be any satisfactory ending here.

Book Review: The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock

The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock
Length: 336 Pages
Genres: Mystery and Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Trigger Warnings in this book for Graphic Depictions of Child Sexual Abuse, Murder, Blood, Suicide, Violence, Rape and Assault

I'm still on a Nordic Noir kick, and I'm happy to report that The Corpse Flower scored much higher with me than the last did. It's been on my radar for awhile, was pitched as Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets Sharp Objects, so of course my expectations were practically sky high!

Heloise Kaldan is a reporter for the Demokratisk Dagblad, and after an article of hers bombs due to a false report from an otherwise reliable source (who just so happens to be her lover...), all Heloise wants is a break and the go-ahead to continue working. What she doesn't expect is a cryptic letter from one of Denmark's most wanted killers, a woman named Anna Kiel. In the letters, she claims to be connected to Heloise, she even knows Heloise's favorite flower (the lupine, Anna's is the corpse flower) and lucky number. But Heloise knows nothing Anna, beyond what was reported about her: that she killed a bigshot lawyer in cold-blood with a kitchen knife and stood in front of a surveillance camera afterwards, staring, as if in a dare. And then, she disappeared without a trace.

Erik Schäfer is the cop who worked Anna's case. She has been gone for years now, and the last thing he expects is a little old lady, fresh from a vacation in France, to show up, claiming to have seen her. Then, he sees the photo she took and he knows without a doubt--it's her.

One question still remains: was Anna nothing but a crazed woman who chose her victim randomly? Or did she have a connection, just as she has with Heloise? And why, after so long, has she decided to speak up?

I love a thriller with an interesting setting, and the city of Copenhagen, along with bits of France, was just the icing on the cake for this novel. Heloise is a fun and resilient heroine, smart and brassy but with a heart of gold, much like Erik, who steers clear of the usual gruff and miserable cop trope. And Anna was the best part of all, reminding me very much of Lisbeth Salander. My one quibble was the I would have liked a few more clues towards the connection between Heloise and Anna. I hate it in a thriller when the mystery is one that I'm not given the opportunity to guess at myself. Other than that, I highly recommend The Corpse Flower and look forward to the next book in the series!

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

Length: 309 Pages
Genres: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Trigger Warnings in this book for Graphic Depictions of Rape, Violence, Blood, Racism and Xenophobia, Suicide, An Intense Birth Scene, Illness and Death

"The last thing May says to me is 'When our hair is white, we'll still have our sister love.'"

My sister, who is a huge fan of See, has been trying to get me to read something of hers for years now. Finally, I decided to read the one I had on my list: Shanghai Girls.

Beginning in 1937 in Shanghai, the "Paris of Asia", this novel follows the Chin sisters: the eldest, Pearl, who is a Dragon in the Chinese Zodiac which makes her strong and stubborn (sometimes to a fault), and May, who is a Sheep. Sheep are gentle, creative, and will always need someone to look after them. They are twenty-one and eighteen, work as "beautiful girls", posing for an artist to paint them to use their likenesses in ads and calendars, and stay up late going from club to café. Their life is that of a modern Chinese girl, one not bound by tradition and filial piety.

And then, their world crumbles. Their father announces he has lost all of their money, and to keep their house he has arranged marriages for each of them to "Gold Mountain Men", Chinese men from California. No matter how they fight they cannot win. Pearl is heartbroken, because her one-true love is the artist Z.G., but when she confesses her feelings he brushes her off. What follows is a tale of heartbreak, set amongst the beginnings of the Sino-Japanese war, as Pearl and May fight to escape the invading Japanese and get to America. But America is not a place of endless opportunity, like they were told. America has its own problems, from the Depression to Pearl Harbor, and their fight will be one that goes on for many mores years and claims many that are important to the girls.

The heart of Shanghai Girls is always the relationship between the sisters, which goes from caring to fractured to anger and resentment and back again. It is a true story of "sister love", and "mother love", too, and how strong those bonds are in even the darkest of times.

This book is dark, yes, as it features some of the darkest moments in the history of mankind, but throughout it all there is hope and love, as bright and searing as it can be. A must-read for women everywhere!

Book Review: A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong

A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong
Length: 342 Pages
Genre: Historical Mystery
Rating: 4 out 5 Stars

Trigger Warnings in this book for Murder, Racism and Xenophobia, Some Gore and Blood

So, I've had a few Kelley Armstrong's books on my TBR for a while now, but when I read about her latest, featuring a Vancouver Detective who travels back in time to Victorian Edinburgh, I knew I had to snatch it up! I love anything Victorian, especially anything that features a crime and the medicine of the era (those Victorians were delightfully morbid), and I just thought it was a great idea to utilize a modern female protagonist thrust into those circumstances! Now, I think Armstrong can count me among her loyal legion of fans. And, not to sound like Mallory doing her best impression of Victorian speech, but I am demanding the sequel forthwith!

Mallory Atkinson is visiting Edinburgh, and not this time for a summer away, like in her youth, but to be with her dying grandmother. At night she jogs through the Old Town, desperate for some sort of relief that she knows won't come until the tragic happens, and her grandmother is lost to her forever. On one of these runs, she hears the screams of a woman coming from a dark alley, and, being a Detective back in Vancouver, she simply can't ignore it. Mallory tiptoes in, only to find...a strange sort of projection. That of a woman, dressed like she is from hundred of years ago. Then, Mallory is attacked from behind. As she struggles to free herself, the other woman is attacked too. It is the last thing she sees before she loses consciousness.

When Mallory comes to, she finds herself in a dark room, wearing a corset and dress and...not herself at all, but a young woman with blonde hair. A maid, it turns out, to the infamous Dr. Duncan Gray, an undertaker and medical examiner--a maid who just so happened to live 150 years prior. Now, living as Caitriona, Mallory struggles to make sense of what happened and to find a way back to 2019 and her grandmother. Through hard work, determination, and a fair bit of subterfuge, Mallory is able to impress her employer enough that he allows her to help him with his more bloody bits of work. When a murder occurs that has striking similarities to her attack in 2019, Mallory wonders if somehow her violent future has followed her into the past.

Mallory was a great heroine, smart and funny and compulsively readable, and I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well, from Dr. Gray (who I expect to become a love interest later in the series), to his sister, Isla, a chemist and woman ahead of her time, to Detective McCreadie and the other servants. The mystery is fun, and even has the killer creating an homage to Jack the Ripper, twenty years before his infamous crimes. It was obvious Armstrong did her research well, and I have to say I really enjoyed learning a bit about a Victorian funeral home and the burgeoning science of forensic examination, which makes most of the police and population suspicious of Dr. Grey in fear of his dark "predilections". If only they knew!

A historical mystery outside of the usual box and full of vivid characters and places, A Rip Through Time is an exciting start to a series that will keep you waiting, or begging, for more.

Book Review: Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy

Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy
Length: 384 Pages
Genres: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

A special thanks to NetGalley and Dell for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Trigger Warnings in this book for Child Abuse (Not Sexual) and Neglect

I have to admit I was absolutely drawn to this book thanks to the gorgeous cover! And, I was happy to discover that this book is not only a great balm for those waiting for more Bridgerton, but also a wonderful choice for those whose favorite Jane Austen is Persuasion, like me.

Aphrodite Du Bell has been in love with Evander Eagleman, Duke of Everley, all her life. She was once even engaged to him when she was eighteen, only to be left waiting, ashamed and alone. Ever since, she has kept to the family estate, too heartbroken to return to London at the chance that she might see him. But, at the insistence of her hard-headed Mama, she is back to stun all of the Ton--and catch a husband in the process. Whether she wants to or not.

Little does she know, Evander had a very good reason for why he didn't show. It all has to do with his family, who are mixed up in quite the scandal, should it be discovered. He is only back in London for the season, to chaperone his younger sister, Verity, as she comes out into society. Only, Aphrodite is there, too, and his love for her still burns just as bright as it did four years ago. Can things ever be repaired? Can Evander let Aphrodite in, even if it means exposing his family, and his painful past? And can Aphrodite handle the demands of being a Duchess, a wife, and a stepmother, all while keeping true to herself?

Aphrodite and the Duke is a story of a second chance at true love, and has a somewhat unusual setup for a romance as the heroine and hero end up married about at 40% or 50% into the book. I loved how they would fight and disagree but would quickly talk it out, discover just what laid behind the sharp words and overreactions, to the tender and bruised parts beneath. Aphrodite was a charming heroine, wise and innocent all at once, with a deep love for her family (who all feature and are fun characters in their own rights) and books. Evander was fine as a hero, though I sometimes found him a bit snooty, especially when it came to his stepmother and the villain. Though I had a few little qualms with him, I thought they made a wonderful couple, and evened each other out spectacularly.

A fun romance with lots of heart, I can't help but look forward to more historical work by J.J. McAvoy, hopefully featuring some of Aphrodite's family, or Evander's!

Book Review: The Tenant by Katrine Engberg

The Tenant by Katrine Engberg
Length: 368 Pages
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Trigger Warnings in this book for Ableism and Ableist Language, Murder, Gore, Blood and Statutory Rape (Relationship between fifteen year old and older men)

I've been back in a Nordic Noir mood, and wanted something to read to go along with that vibe. A while back, I spotted The Tenant by Katrine Engberg at my local bookstore and thought that the cover, along with the description, sounded intriguing! My mother also happened to read this book, and when I asked her what she thought of it, she couldn't remember anything about it, which I think says more about this book than I ever could. But I'll try.

Told in between three POVs, that of Detectives Jeppe Kørner and Anette Werner (yes, they rhyme), and an older aspiring author, Esther, who just so happens to own the building where the first murder occurs, The Tenant starts off promising enough. A young girl has been killed in her apartment, the killer stabbing her and then carving a strange pattern onto her face, reminiscent of the traditional Danish Easter paper cuttings called gækkebrev. 

Unfortunately, I think the characters are the biggest downfall here, and while the mystery itself is interesting enough with a pretty satisfying conclusion, I couldn't help but just really dislike most of the principal players. Jeppe is the least offensive, along with Esther, but Anette was the worst of them--brash, rude, and the Queen of making off-color comments. No one was out of bounds for her, not Jeppe and his "girly" hair that she can't take seriously (it's only bleached blond), not the backwards and provincial Faroese, not even one of the main suspects, a boy with Autism called Kristoffer.

It was the handling of Kristoffer that was truly the kiss of death, here. He is called "creepy", a "weirdo", a "nutjob" and more, and the fact that he was in a relationship with the victim and that he "wouldn't give her space" and so on and so forth, and I simply couldn't abide it. There are so many instances of things like this in the book, not just in regards to Kristoffer, that made it obvious it wasn't just unlikeable characters like Anette, but perhaps a bit of the author's own biases coming through. On another note, one of the antagonists mentions that he has had sex with "maids and whores [...] black, yellow and red", not to mention several teen girls. Yikes!

Not the mystery, nor the writing, which was not my style at all, could make amends for these faults. It is really disappointing, because I so looked forward to maybe getting into a fun and exciting mystery series!