The Book of Speculation

Title:  The Book of Speculation
Author: Erika Swyler
Genre: Mystery, Family History
Source: Library Ebook
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws

Simon is a library with a love and appreciation for books. His parents have both passed on, his sister is off traveling the land in a circus, his home is slowly crumbling into the ocean, and he just lost his job due to budget cuts.  Out of nowhere Simon receives a book in the mail from a book seller.  The man who sent it to him, believed it would be of interest to his family history.  The book is a circus diary of sorts, a book written by the circus owner chronicling important events and dates.  Simon begins to notice a pattern.  On the same date, women who perform as mermaids or swimmers die, by drowning.  The same way his mother died, and all the women seem to be tied to his family.  He begins to worry about the safety of his sister as she comes to visit and the date slowly draws closer.  But the more Simon reads, the more he discovers about not only his family's past but also that of his neighbor.  Can Simon stop fate before it's too late?

I have sort of been drawn into circus books or books that relate to a circus, so when I saw this book at the library (or rather on the library list), I decided to give it a shot.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it, but also a little disappointed that more was not done with a certain aspect of the book.  But don't let me get ahead of myself.  The book overall was an interesting one to read.  I liked all the characters.  They each had their own interesting quirk and element to add to the story.  They all helped drive the story forward even if it is in a small way such as that of the book seller.

Simon, I found Simon to be an interesting character in that he got so wrapped up in the family history he didn't see anything else around him.  He began to alienate and hurt the people around them despite him thinking he was helping or protecting them.  He was a warm, lovable character but had so many faults to him, but that is what made me love him even more.  I loved how protective he got when Enola comes with a boyfriend, one covered in tentacle tattoos and can apparently create electricity. Throughout the book, the readers see many different sides to Simon that makes him a well rounded likable character.  Honestly I wanted more of Enola and her boyfriend in the book (I forget his name right now).  They floated around in the background and every so often would pop back up almost like a "hey remember me" kind of thing.  I wanted more of Enola's tarot reading skills and them correlating with the book aside from her tearing some out or hiding them when Simon came into the room.  Maybe a scene without Simon, where Enola is reading the cards and mutters "it's happening again" or something like that.  Something to tie her into the story a little more.

 enjoyed how the book went between the two story-lines but did it in a way that it was easy to follow.  The reader found out more information as Simon found it out, so it was exciting to read.  It left me excited to find out what would happen next and what happened to the circus characters as well as how they all related to Simon. I loved the incorporation of people drawn to water and knowing various techniques to holding their breath underwater for long periods of time.  As a kid I remember trying to see how long I could do that, and had contests with my brother.  How I longed to be a mermaid or Skelkie.  I got really excited when the legend of skelkies were alluded to, I was hoping this would be played up more, but it wasn't.  They are one of my favorite creatures of lore.

There is a lot of descriptions in this book that some may feel takes away from the story, but at times it adds to the story.  I say this because it helps build the picture.  It helps create the world that the author intends the reader to see.  She wants us to see her vision and goes the extra mile to do so.  The pacing is a little slow in the beginning but it does pick up after a while.  There were some things that were never really explained such as how Amos was able to appear like he disappeared (made me think of that part in Avengers Infinity War when Drax thinks he's moving so slow he's invisible).  Or why the women of the family mysteriously drowned when they could hold their breaths or were strong swimmers.  While I did enjoy reading the book and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, being left with a lot of unanswered questions left me feeling unsatisfied.

The Forgotten Ones

Title: The Forgotten Ones
Author: Steena Holmes
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: Ebook from Netgally
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws


 ** I received a copy of this book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review**


Elle has grown  up with only her mother, a mother who keeps things hidden from her and seems to have emotional breakdowns at the drop of a hat.  Elle fears a part of her mother exists within her.  She tries to hold on to the memories and fairy tales her mother used to tell her to help chase away the bad dreams.  When Elle discovers she grandfather is alive and on his deathbed within the hospital where she works.  Against her mother's wishes she visits him and hears his stories.  But as he tells his story, there are more questions and secrets.  As frustration builds she tries to push her mother to remember a past she dreads.  As horrible as the past was, Elle continues to listen to his stories to discover the secrets that lie deep within her family, within her.

The Forgotten Ones  is one of the most compelling novels I have read so far this year.  It is one of those novels that will break your heart and suck you into the story and refuses to let go. I was interested in the story from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down, not even to go to work.  I wanted to know more find answers the same way Elle wanted answers.  The emotions this book evoked within me hasn't happened in a long time.  This was my first novel by Steena Holmes, and my first "women's fiction" novel and I have to wonder why I haven't read Holmes before.


The book goes between David and Elle's perspectives, and at the beginning of each chapter it tells you who is thinking/speaking so you know how's mind we are in each time.  This gives the reader the ability to get insight on both characters and their emotions and feelings.  While the past David talks about is haunting and chilling, it is beautifully written in a way that brings tears to your eyes.  He peels back the layers of family drama, but he reveals to Charlie it is only 1 aspect of the family's past he is revealing.  So I have to wonder...is there more?  What else could have happened in this family with Gertie's mental health and Anna Marie?


I don't know if you would say the story was fast paced, nor was it slow.  It progressed at a sensible rate, I just read it fast.  I devoured it as the suspense at finding out the deep family secret was killing me. I was getting frustrated that no one was giving Elle the answers she so desperately needed.  I thought I had one detail of the book figured out, but it appears I may have been wrong, I am not sure, I will have to go back to read the ending again to be sure.


I fell in love with this book, I find it difficult to put into words how wonderful this book was.  I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys women's literature, family secrets, and a good suspenseful tale.  I loved it.

After the Bloom

In the mid-1980's Lily goes missing, something she has done before, but never for long periods of time.  Her daughter knows her mother wanders off and suffers from dissociation and memory lapses.  The police reluctantly take the case and Rita feels they are not taking things seriously, so she takes matters into her own hands and begins her own investigation. Rita quickly discovers various family secrets including her family's  internment at a camp in the California desert during the Second World War, and the father she has never known.  Through her search Rita learns more about her family, her mother, and herself than she imagined. 




** I will start this review off by saying I received this book for net galley for an honest review. If you review books and haven't signed up for Netgalley, then you are missing out on some great opportunities.**




I have gotten more and more into books like this and I am loving the things that I am learning and they way it is changing my views as a reader and woman.  There are aspect of our history that we don't know about because we don't do much research anymore.  In this novel a woman begins a search for her  mother and gains so much more understanding of her mom, family, and begins to understand herself in the process.  I love how these books make me look at myself, even sometimes look at my mom and wonder what are some things she experienced that I don't know about, how has her life shaped her into the woman she is.


This is a book that touches your hear and makes you long for something more.  It does have suspenseful moments, but not in the edge of your seat kind of suspense, but the anticipation that builds and grows until you cannot hold it in any longer. It is very well written and easy to get lost within.  While this isn't my normal genre I go to, I did enjoy reading Leslie Shimotakahara's novel.  I will be looking for more from her and give this a 5 out of 5.

Secret Keeper

As a young woman, Laurel witnesses a shocking crime, even more shocking is that it is her mother who commits it.  She keeps what she seen to herself and escapes her home and becomes a well-known actress.  During a birthday party for her mother, Laurel begins investigating her mother's  past and soon discovers a dark secret her mother kept all these years. The story shifts to Dorothy's life as she lives through World War II as she meets Vivian and James by chance.  Their stories become one, and intertwine with Laurel's until the secret is revealed, one that would change how Laurel views her mother.

I had read another novel by Kate Morton The Forgotten Garden and i fell in love with it, but this one I had a hard time getting into.  It took me a little longer to read this one because i kept putting it down every so often after getting bored.  The concept I found to be interesting, but for some reason I couldn't get into it.  Morton has a beautiful way of writing and masterfully crafts her words into an exquisite story, this is way I fell in love with The Forgotten Garden.  This book had a different quality of mystery to it.  It was another story about heritage and learning who one is, but I think Morton might have taken too long to reveal the truth behind who Dorothy's past.

The order that everything happens is interesting as is that the story keeps switching from Dorothy to Laurel.  It gives us more insight into Laurel as she discovers more about her mother or rather tries to figure out her mother's past.  It is hard for the reader to be able to pinpoint how this story will end, and that might be one of the things that redeemed this book for me.  I know there are people who have enjoyed Morton's work and love this book, but i admit that it did not engage me as much as other books have done nor as much as Forgotten Garden did.

Will I recommend this novel to others? Yes, because I know there are people who would enjoy reading it.  As for a rating, I give it a 3.5 out of 5.  Pick it up and see what you think about it.

Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

As a young girl, Nell was abandoned on a ship destined for Australia and was taken to the dock master once the ship docked. whom takes her in and raises her as his own.  Nell arrived with nothing but a suitcase and a book of fairy tales.  When she turned 21 the dock master and his wife revealed the truth to Nell.  She then travels to England to find out the truth about her past, and who she really is.  Nell's journey leads her to Blackhurst Manor.  After she passes away Nell's granddaughter Cassandra picks up the quest and begins to unlock the secrets of the forgotten garden and the book of fairy tales.

I instantly fell in love with this novel.  This is one of the reasons why I do not limit myself to a genre, if I had I would have miss out on a gem of a book.  I read this as a part of a book club, and as I said, I fell in love with Kate Morton.  Her writing is beautifully elegant.  The story she weaves has mystery, romance, and intrigue, everything I love in a good book.  It was difficult to put it down, and I lent it to my best friend to read.  It is a lengthy read, but you wouldn't know it is a couple hundred pages long until you have finished the book. 

Her characters a finely drawn and reveal elements of sophistication and grace.  The male characters ad whimsy and don't overshadow the female characters as you might find in many novels.  Readers watch as the story intermingles love, life, anger, and betrayal into the women's lives.  The book does which perspective between the years, but the focus is on the years 1913, 1975, 2005.  That can get difficult, but after a while you get used to it.  I think that the changes in perspective gives the story and in depth quality.  It adds to the understanding of how characters get to the points in their lives that they are.  We learn of where Nell has been and how she grew up to be the woman Cassandra loves and bonds with and why the quest becomes so important.

Forgotten Garden is a wonderful book and got me to purchase another on of Kate Morton's books Secret Keeper which is sitting on my to read list.  I would give this novel a 3.5 out of 5 because the changes in perspective does make it a little difficult to get wrapped up into the story.

Portrait of Stella

Portrait of Stella:  Susan Wuthrich

Media: Ebook

Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Portrait of Stella is a novel about a young woman who discovers what she thought of her origin of birth and family history were not correct.  While trying to get a passport for work Jemima discovers she is not a British citizen.  This leaves her completely befuddled and she begins a journey to discover not only who she truly is, but also the history of her mother and father.  With each new answers comes a new question.  She realizes she knew very little of the woman that was her mother and even less about her father.  As she learns her mother's secrets she embarks on a journey which takes her to Australia and South Africa. She quickly learns of the hardships her family endured and in turn faces some of those hardships herself. The answers she seeks throw her world upside down, more so than it already has become.  Along the way, she makes numerous ties in different cities and builds relationships with new friends who will stay into the future and some who do not.  Portrait of Stella is a whirlwind tale of deep family history and finally discovering one’s own heritage.

From the beginning of the book until the end, this story holds the reader captive.  It pulls readers in quickly by tugging at heartstrings quickly.  It builds up the excitement and desire to know what happened to Jemima’s parents, and why her birth certificate was forged.  Never does one think it would become the tale that it does.  It ranges on so many different topics, but does so in a way that it does not seem like too much information.  Just when one thinks they have it figured out something new is revealed which changes the whole course of the story.  The telling of the story through the eyes of different characters was a wonderful element.  It added a depth to the story which might not otherwise be present.  The author develops characters that readers can relate to.  The character of Jemima is astounding, although some of her actions do seem out of character for what readers know of her.  The other characters compel the reader to continue and learn more about them.  

Susan Wuthrich does a phenomenal job at bringing all the elements of the story together.  She brings out various different emotions from happiness to sadness and pain.  It is easily one of those books that can be finished in a night.