Daughters of the Lake

Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb
After the end of her marriage, Kate Granger has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to pull herself together—only to discover the body of a murdered woman washed into the shallows. Tucked in the folds of the woman’s curiously vintage gown is an infant, as cold and at peace as its mother. No one can identify the woman. Except for Kate. She’s seen her before. In her dreams…

One hundred years ago, a love story ended in tragedy, its mysteries left unsolved. It’s time for the lake to give up its secrets. As each mystery unravels, it pulls Kate deeper into the eddy of a haunting folktale that has been handed down in whispers over generations. Now, it’s Kate’s turn to listen. As the drowned woman reaches out from the grave, Kate reaches back. They must come together, if only in dreams, to right the sinister wrongs of the past.


Man, did I love this book. I read a ton of books, some better than others, and then every once in awhile I stumble across a story I become completely enraptured in and can't put down - this is one of those books. Daughters of the Lake truly has everything for everyone - from romance, to mystery, even a little fantasy thrown in there - who doesn't love a good mysterious sea creature? Oh, and did I mention ghosts?

I especially love books with alternating stories from the past to present and in this case, I was not disappointed with either story. Of course, this book revolves around the main character, Kate, stumbling across a murdered woman, Addie, washed ashore with an infant. If that's not creepy and horrifying enough, Kate has seen this woman before; in her dreams. Kate becomes an instant suspect - because I mean, who has dreams about a dead woman from years ago? Thus begins Kate's quest to find out who Addie is, why she's dreaming of this mysterious woman and the special affinity women in Kate's family have for water.

In addition to Kate's story in the present, I loved Addie and Jessy's story in the past and the shocking secret and surprise we learn involving Addie's murder and how exactly it relates to Kate's own family history and story. There were so many twists and turns, I couldn't wait to find out what happened. Why did Addie wash ashore now when she was murdered years ago? Who is the baby? Who murdered Addie? So many questions which were all answered in the best possible way. Truly a great book which I would recommend to anyone.

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

Memorial Day, 1938: New York socialite Lily Dane has just returned with her family to the idyllic oceanfront community of Seaview, Rhode Island, expecting another placid summer season among the familiar traditions and friendships that sustained her after heartbreak.

That is, until Greenwalds decide to take up residence in Seaview.

Nick and Budgie Greenwald are an unwelcome specter from Lily’s past: her former best friend and her former fiancé, now recently married—an event that set off a wildfire of gossip among the elite of Seaview, who have summered together for generations. Budgie’s arrival to restore her family’s old house puts her once more in the center of the community’s social scene, and she insinuates herself back into Lily's friendship with an overpowering talent for seduction...and an alluring acquaintance from their college days, Yankees pitcher Graham Pendleton. But the ties that bind Lily to Nick are too strong and intricate to ignore, and the two are drawn back into long-buried dreams, despite their uneasy secrets and many emotional obligations.

Under the scorching summer sun, the unexpected truth of Budgie and Nick’s marriage bubbles to the surface, and as a cataclysmic hurricane barrels unseen up the Atlantic and into New England, Lily and Nick must confront an emotional cyclone of their own, which will change their worlds forever.

I really, really loved this book. Right from the very first pages, I could not put it down. I loved Nick and Lily's love story and wanted nothing more throughout the novel, for them to have their happy ending. I feel like this would have been a great summer beach read given the Rhode Island coastal town setting. Even with a few things from the story that I could have gone without (Budgie and Kiki), I still loved every minute. Perfect story of long lost love and a happily ever after romance.

The truth finds its way into the light, no matter what you’ve done to contain it

The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

 

 Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired…and who the world believes is dead.

When she arrives at the Sinclairs' enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her "too-good-to-be-true" position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.

The Vanishing by Wendy Webb was an enjoyable read for me. That being said, I wasn't necessarily blown away. I decided to read this book leading up to Halloween, hoping it would give me a few scares, but in the end nothing really frightened me. I'm a complete horror movie buff, so maybe I'm biased, but given the setting of an old creepy haunted mansion, I would expect the author to live up the setting and create a spooky atmosphere. Honestly, for me that didn't happen. I wasn't scared or surprised at all throughout the story (some of the scenes were cliche and corny). Still though, I'd say I liked it. Maybe not as a horror novel, but definitely as a thriller or suspense read. I enjoyed all of the twists and turns throughout the novel revolving around the main characters Julia and the eccentric, Amarise Sinclair. Overall, I felt it could be better but still an enjoyable read for a rainy day.

Upcoming reads

The Perfume Garden by Kathleen Lord Kent High in the hills of Valencia, a forgotten house guards its secrets. Untouched since Franco's forces tore through Spain in 1936, the whitewashed walls have crumbled, the garden, laden with orange blossom, grown wild.Emma Temple is the first to unlock its doors in seventy years. Guided by a series of letters and a key bequeathed in her mother's will, she has left her job as London's leading perfumier to restore this dilapidated villa to its former glory. It is the perfect retreat: a wilderness redolent with strange and exotic scents, heavy with the colours and sounds of a foreign time. But for her grandmother, Freya, a British nurse who stayed here during Spain's devastating civil war, Emma's new home evokes terrible memories. As the house begins to give up its secrets, Emma is drawn deeper into Freya's story: one of crushed idealism, lost love, and families ripped apart by war. She soon realises it is one thing letting go of the past, but another when it won't let go of you. Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey Late on a frozen February evening, a young woman is running through the streets of London. Having fled from her abusive boyfriend and with nowhere to go, Jess stumbles onto a forgotten lane where a small, clearly unlived in old house offers her best chance of shelter for the night. The next morning, a mysterious letter arrives and when she can’t help but open it, she finds herself drawn inexorably into the story of two lovers from another time. In London 1942, Stella meets Dan, a US airman, quite by accident, but there is no denying the impossible, unstoppable love that draws them together. Dan is a B-17 pilot flying his bomber into Europe from a British airbase; his odds of survival at one in five. The odds are stacked against the pair; the one thing they hold onto is the letters they write to each other. Fate is unkind and they are separated by decades and continents. In the present, Jess becomes determined to find out what happened to them. Her hope—inspired by a love so powerful it spans a lifetime—will lead her to find a startling redemption in her own life in a powerfully moving novel perfect for fans of Sarah Jio and Kate Morton. Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams In the summer of 1966, Christina Hardcastle—“Tiny” to her illustrious family—stands on the brink of a breathtaking future. Of the three Schuyler sisters, she’s the one raised to marry a man destined for leadership, and with her elegance and impeccable style, she presents a perfect camera-ready image in the dawning age of television politics. Together she and her husband, Frank, make the ultimate power couple: intelligent, rich, and impossibly attractive. It seems nothing can stop Frank from rising to national office, and he’s got his sights set on a senate seat in November. But as the season gets underway at the family estate on Cape Cod, three unwelcome visitors appear in Tiny’s perfect life: her volatile sister Pepper, an envelope containing incriminating photograph, and the intimidating figure of Frank’s cousin Vietnam-war hero Caspian, who knows more about Tiny’s rich inner life than anyone else. As she struggles to maintain the glossy façade on which the Hardcastle family’s ambitions are built, Tiny begins to suspect that Frank is hiding a reckless entanglement of his own…one that may unravel both her own ordered life and her husband’s promising career.

Love is an all-consuming affair...How do grown-ups fall in love and work at the same time?

Rooftops of Tehran - Mahbod Seraji
In a middle-class neighborhood of Iran's sprawling capital city, 17-year-old Pasha Shahed spends the summer of 1973 on his rooftop with his best friend Ahmed, joking around one minute and asking burning questions about life the next. He also hides a secret love for his beautiful neighbor Zari, who has been betrothed since birth to another man. But the bliss of Pasha and Zari's stolen time together is shattered when Pasha unwittingly acts as a beacon for the Shah's secret police. The violent consequences awaken him to the reality of living under a powerful despot, and lead Zari to make a shocking choice...

WOW! What an amazing story & debut novel by Mahbod Seraji. I absolutely love, love, LOVED this book! From the first few pages I was instantly immersed into the Persian culture and political backdrop of 1970s Iran. I felt like I was a part of the actual story, living right along with the characters in their Tehran alley.

The love story between Pasha and Zari was so mesmerizing, and so haunting - made all the more special by being a forbidden romance. I adored all of the quirky characters who grabbed my attention and heart right from the very beginning. Particularly, Ahmed, Pasha's best friend who was absolutely HIGH-larious! So many special and interesting people whose lives were touched with tragedy, yet continued to live on through love and hope.

I can't say enough about this story - it was funny, it was beautiful, it was heartbreaking. It has absolutely everything for everyone and I DEFINITELY recommend it to everyone. The ending was SO surprising and so wonderful, I was left feeling deliriously happy! Do not miss out on this book - it is amazing, and unforgettable.

"'She's the most beautiful woman on the planet,' I blurt out. 'She has blue eyes, a lovely chin and great cheekbones.' I notice that she stops peeling for a few seconds, and fear that I've gone too far. After all, she's the only girl in our alley with blue eyes. 'She sounds great. Where does she live?' she asks, keeping her back to me. 'Close by,' I say, hesitantly. 'What do you like about her, besides her looks of course?' she continues, her tone a bit more serious. 'Everything,' I admit. 'She reminds me of snow, pure and clean; of rivers, calm and flowing; of rain, revitalizing and refreshing; of a mountain, strong and majestic; and of flowers, delicate and soft.' Zari turns around and stares right at me with a puzzled but thoughtful, crooked smile." p. 55

My Heart gave one appalling lurch and stopped beating altogether

The Seance - John Harwood
Wraxford Hall, a decaying mansion in the English countryside, has a sinister reputation. Once, a family disappeared there. And now Constance Langton has inherited this dark place as well as the mysteries surrounding it.
Having grown up in a house marked by the death of her sister, Constance is no stranger to mystery, secrets, and the dark magic around us. Her father was distant. Her mother was in perpetual morning for her lost child. In a desperate attempt to coax her mother back to health, Constance took her to a seance hoping she would find supernatural comfort. But tragic consequences followed, leaving her alone in the world— alone with Wraxford Hall. Saddled with this questionable bequest, she must find the truth at the heart of all these disappearances, apparitions, betrayal, blackmail, and villainy, even if it costs her life.

Hmm... so this book was just okay for me. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't really love it either. More than anything, I was left feeling disappointed. I got the impression that it was going to be a classic Victorian ghost story, but really it was a thriller more than anything else. When I think of a Victorian ghost story, I think... spooky mansion, weird noises, ghosts, supernatural occurrences, etc. And although certain parts definitely gave me chills, the story mainly revolved around the history of Wraxford Hall and it's descendants, as well as it's very sinister and deceiving heir. I also didn't care for the whole 'Seance' experiment and alchemy references.

I did enjoy the Gothic feel and atmosphere to it, however. Harwood is an excellent writer and I will definitely be looking out for his books in the near future (The Ghost Writer has amazing reviews!). I also liked the different character narratives of Wraxford Hall and how they all intertwined with one another. There were more than a few surprising twists and it's actually a great book.. (I'd recommend to any fans of the Gothic genre or novels set in 19th century England).. but for me, it was just a good read. Not great, but good. It just wasn't what I was expecting..

"--I was sitting up in bed reading when my grandmother came into the room and sat down in the chair beside me, looking exactly as she had when I was a little girl....The Chair creaked as she settled herself in it, smiled at me and took up her work, just as if she had only been gone five minutes, rather than resting in Kensal Green Cemetery for the past fifteen years." p104

Teaser Tuesday - The Seance by John Harwood

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Though I was, in waking life, far bolder than Sophie, I had been prone to nightmares, as well as sleepwalking, for as long as I could recall. As I grew older, I walked less frequently in my sleep, but the nightmares became more frequent and oppressive"

p. 102 -- "The Seance" by John Harwood