The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden
29 February 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, fiction, Katie Lumsden, Mystery, reading, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall, Victorian gothic
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Gothic Victorian Mystery, Modern Style
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden is one of my backlist books from the first half of last year. I’m trying to read at least one book from my unread review books each month, two if I can manage it, so far so good.
This was a very easy read. I liked the writing style and it was easy to sink into.
As the story begins we meet Margaret Lennox, recently widowed she has found herself in dire straits necessitating a return to the governess lifestyle she practiced before marrying. Margaret is on her way to Hartwood Hall, set deep in the English countryside, where she will be responsible for her sole charge, Louis. Lost in the woods the coachman stops at a local village to seek directions and it becomes obvious that the locals have nothing to do with the Manor or it’s mistress which immediately gives you a sense of foreboding.
I won’t give away too much of the story. We learn early on that Margaret’s employer has few servants working at the Hall, she is somewhat suspicious and in fact very protective of Louis making it very clear that Margaret must accompany him fastidiously. On top of this, entry into one of the wings of the Hall is forbidden – well, in the interests of safety as it is in a state of disrepair. The rest of the staff are very close knit and there is an overall feeling of secrecy and close lippedness that eventually makes Margaret somewhat paranoid. The Hall is dark and poorly lit and there are strange noises at night which eventually lead Margaret into jumpiness and an overall feeling of fear of the house in general.
I liked Margaret but I didn’t get along with her totally. She bonded really well with Louis which was a nice element to the story and felt very protective of him. Margaret herself, still in mourning, is carrying a secret of her own that plays on her mind and makes her anxious. Eventually, her story unfolds and it makes it a little more easy to understand the choices she makes. She needs to work. She has no other income and her lack of references for the more recent years plus the fact that she has problems hearing in one of her ears, following a childhood accident, limits her choices a little. Eventually, almost because of her fear of the house Margarent finds solace in the arms of the gardener, a younger man who is very good natured but is also keeping things from Margaret.
Overall, I found this a very easy read. I really enjoyed the writing. There are clearly nods to classic gothic fiction although nothing that feels over referenced. More a general feeling of an enjoyable gothic set in a slightly creepy manor house with a mystery surrounding not just the owner but a few of it’s occupants. That being said, this story, whilst in some ways feeling reminiscent of Victorian novels has a more modern inclination. The characters sometimes resort to more uptodate dialogue and the ending definitely feels more contemporary. On top of that Margaret is a little more reckless with her reputation than you might expect from a story of this period – but, there are very few staff available who might witness her indiscretions – so, hidden silver linings.
My only issue with this book was the ending. In some respects it felt a little rushed, also maybe a little busy particularly in comparison to the rest of the story and ultimately a little disappointing – or perhaps bittersweet might be a fairer description. I think I found it difficult to swallow Margaret’s reasoning come the end but this didn’t stop my enjoyment of the story in general.
In conclusion, this was a compelling read, well written and very atmospheric. I shall definitely read more by this author.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars (rounded to 4)
Top Ten Tuesday : Covers with Things Found in Nature
27 February 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, covers with things found in nature, fiction, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic:
Covers with Things Found in Nature
Ahh, how can I resist the opportunity to display some covers. Take a look at these lovely covers packed with elements of the natural world – links to reviews/details are provided below:
The Tainted Cup/Starling House/The Cloisters/The Ghost Woods/Hollow Kingdom/Emily Wilde’s/The Storm Beneath the World/The Ten Thousand Doors of January/Daisy Darker/The Red Monarch
Empire of the Vampire, Empire of the Damned (sampler) by Jay Kristoff
26 February 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books Reviews, fiction, Jay Kristoff, Vampire of the Damned, Vampire of the Empire
So, today I’m going to post two mini reviews. Basically, the first book was an audio version that I bought myself and read fairly recently. I’ve decided on a mini review in which I discuss my thoughts rather than a full blown description as there are already plenty of descriptions of the plot available. The second mini review is for a sampler for Empire of the Damned and so is understandably short.
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, audio version.
I must say that just recently I’ve felt the need to read vampire stories once again. I think after certain books became very popular the market was flooded with vampire stories and tbh I simply had enough. Anyway, I discovered that once again I wanted to pick up such tales and so I was super excited for Empire of the Vampire because, well, I ‘ve read this author before and liked his work.
EotV is told in a dual timeline, by the main character, who is relaying the events of his life to his captor. I like this form of storytelling, it’s not particularly new or unique but it’s a style that I like and I feel it works. Also, some of the writing is so good that it’s a pleasure to read (or listen to in this case). But, to be clear, there is a heck of a lot of cursing in this book and that’s not something that as a rule bothers me but here, some of it did feel a bit juvenile and gratuitous. Also, there was a constant (and reasonable) hatred/friction between the main character narrating his story and the chronicler but this seemed to resolve itself into some sort of false bravado or peeing competition. So, the narrator has a mini rebellion, the chronicler says ‘you will tell us your story’ and then the narrator continues with a good deal of cursing but still – lets just get over that. In fairness, I liked the writing, in fact, I loved the writing for the most part, but I became tired of certain parts. Although I think the second half of the book definitely improved and in fact this is when I became invested in the story.
In terms of the story. I liked the overall plot. I have to applaud that we have real vampires in this story, they’re not humanised or made appealing. They truly are the monsters of the piece. The stakes are high here, in fact it really does feel like there’s very little hope and in fact, unlike some vampire tales this truly is epic in scope.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more than the first and so I’m really glad that I continued to read on.
I bought a copy for audio.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars
Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff kindle version
EofD picks up immediately after the conclusion of EotV. I read only a sampler of this and I’m not sure what percentage of the story is involved.
I enjoyed the story to the point I left off and in fact can say that the promise of what comes next is very appealing – but I won’t give anything away here in that respect.
The writing is once again strong but what I really enjoyed in this was the way the character’s relationships are improved. On top of that there is once again a feeling of overwhelming doom. The chances of humanity surviving feel slim indeed and some of the fight scenes are so crazily over the top that they make for very dramatic reading.
It’s difficult to say too much when I’m yet to complete the read. What I can say is that I enjoyed this book more than the first. The vampires are truly monstrous once again,but, the other characters have the opportunity to shine out more in this story and I look forward to picking up a copy on release to see how book 2 concludes.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 stars (although this could change upon completion)
The Briar Book of the Dead by AG Slatter
12 February 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: 'Gothic', AG Slatter, All the Murmuring Bones, Book Review, Fantasy, fiction, The Briar Book of the Dead, The Path of thorns
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Put Simply – Read This Book
AG Slatter has firmly placed herself onto my favourite authors list, I’ve loved all the books I’ve read so far (and perhaps need to take a jaunt back to those I’ve missed) and The Briar Book of the Dead is no exception. I practically inhaled this book. This is a deliciously gothic tale that brings to us a family of witches who have long protected the village in which they live from the darklands that lies at their border. Gothic-fantasy at it’s absolute best.
As the story begins we make the acquaintance of Ellie, the only Briar family member who doesn’t possess the family magic making her something of a second class citizen who needs to work extra hard to prove her worth. The Briars have much family lore that has been passed down from generation to generation. They avoided the witch hunt that so many others fell victim to by striking a deal with the church, one in which they protect the rest of the country being overrun by the leeches that live on the other side of their land – they also submitted to the scrutiny of a priest who sends regular reports to confirm that they are not practicing the dark arts but simply maintaining the villagers good health. The family are on the cusp of a change in power, one that threatens everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve and on top of that they are keeping secrets that are now threatening their very existence.
I don’t want to give away any more of the plot but instead discuss what worked so well for me with this book.
Firstly, I confess, I love stories about witches. I don’t know why but I simply do. Good witches, bad witches, old crones, sweet old granny types, they all work their magic on me and I’m just a sucker for such stories. So, you could be forgiven for thinking that I’m an easy touch and this was always going to win me over with ease. But, this is definitely not the case. Slatter has a fantastic imagination and a wonderful way with words. The way she tells her stories gives me this lovely sense of nostalgia that takes me back to childhood and bedtime fairytales – but, make no mistake, these stories are not for children. These stories are creepy, sometimes sinister and definitely on the dark side.
Secondly, the writing and the pacing are perfection. It’s like Goldilocks and the three bears finding her perfect bowl of porridge, it wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t too cold,it was just right. There are moments of drama, there are moments where the atmosphere could be cut with a knife, where the forests fall silent and something sinister seems to watch from the shadows. Then the plot really comes into its own and the tension ramps up.
On top of that I adored Ellie. She is such a relatable character. She cares about others but she’s not Snow White, she can be selfish and immature at times but she takes her role within the family seriously and although I personally think she should have reached certain conclusions in a slightly quicker fashion I also understand that her own niggling insecurities play a role in keeping her from questioning things too deeply and also, deep down, she knew something wasn’t quite right – which is why she was keeping her own secrets. She has a great sense of humour too which I always appreciate. Also, Ellie is about to discover something about herself that, well, I can’t tell you – you need to discover it for yourself, but I loved this element to the story. Sorry to be such a tease but I don’t want to be that person that chucks spoilers around like confetti.
I don’t know what else I can say to tempt you. Gothicky goodness, at times darkly disturbing, witches, ghosts and vampires (off page). An adult fairytale that knocked my socks off. What more can you possibly ask for? I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next and I admit I would love to visit the Darklands.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 stars
Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook
29 January 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, fiction, Lizzie Pook, Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge, Public Executions, Victorian Period
My Five Word TL:DR Review: A Tale of the Macabre
If you enjoy historical fiction, centred on a period where people clamoured for the macabre and you’re not too squeamish about death, be it that of human or animal, then this could be just the book for you, it is certainly an atmospheric story with a level of detail that brings the streets of London to life. Set within the Victorian period this is the story of one woman’s determination to discover what happened to her sister. It is a dark and gothic tale that shines a light on the people of the time and also takes the reader to the cold and unwelcoming Arctic.
This is a story narrated by three povs. We meet Maude, in search of answers over her sister Constance’s death. Constance and Maude are sisters and close frieds, since losing their parents they’ve lived with their grandfather though clearly Constance longed for adventure eventually slipping away to sea disguised as a ship’s cabin boy aboard a Navy vessel bound for the Northwest Passage. Unfortunately, Constance never returns from her venture and the navy are unwilling to investigate her death even though Maude has her suspicions. Armed with Constance’s onboard diary and a large measure of pluck Maude is determined to avenge Constance. The second pov is Constance’s diary wherein the reader will discover the grim goings on aboard the Makepeace. Life is cheap where some people are involved and these diary excerpts gradually build in tension and fear. Finally we follow Edison Stowe, recruited as a scientist for the Makepeace he has ulterior motives for being on board. Constance clearly feared him and Maude soon comes to believe he knows more about her sister’s death than he is telling. It was interesting to read from his perspective. He’s a cruel and greedy man which isn’t a winning combination. On top of this Edison has ran into debt and afoul of a money lender – not known for his cheery disregard for those who owe him money and don’t pay in a timely fashion.
So, on top of the gradually unfolding story from the Makepeace we also have a cloak and dagger operation with Maude following Edison and taking part in a series of ‘tours’ that he arranges in an attempt to make some quick and easy money. The Victorians had a fascination for the macabre. Sceances, anything relating to ghosts and spectres, death, public executions, even down to Madame Tussaud’s chamber of horrors and rather creepy death masks of the most infamous criminals of the time and all of this really plays into the story.
The writing is really good. There are some excellent descriptions of London that are really evocative. Especially the public hangings where the wealthy and the poor alike jostled for the best position to witness the deaths. Similarly the arctic expedition is well described. The fear and regret that Constance comes to feel really shine out from the page, of course, we already know her eventual fate but learning the details is quite the gripping, if somewhat sad, experience.
In terms of criticisms. I don’t have anything that really spoiled the read for me but I would mention that, firstly this isn’t a quick read. I think some readers may find the detail interferes with the pacing, it did slow the read down a little for me and I would suggest that this is a book to be read more slowly, taking a little at a time and savouring the detail. The second thing that, for me, prevented this from being a five star read is – and I don’t want to give away spoilers, but I felt like Maude didn’t really get to experience her ‘glorious revenge’ in some ways. Which isn’t to say that the perpetrators were not brought to justice, only that I felt some of her thunder was stolen. I think I was expecting her to, well, get away with some kind of plot herself – that being said would I have thought less of her if she’d resorted to something really bad? I genuinely don’t know, probably I would have felt disappointed in some ways. At the end of the day justice was served and ghosts were laid to rest.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher’s for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars
Books and travelling with Lynn 