Review: The Turn Of The Key, by Ruth Ware

The Turn Of The Key, by Ruth Ware

Simon & Schuster Audio - 2019
Thriller
Audiobook
Narrated by Imogen Church

12 Hours, 13 Minutes

The Turn of the Key, by Ruth Ware is an immersive and engaging thriller with just the right amount of creep-factor.

The story starts with the protagonist Rowan and several of her failed attempts to start a letter to a well known, successful lawyer to plead for him to take her case.  Incarcerated for murdering a child of the family she was hired to nanny for, she knows no one believes her or wants to help her, but she is vehement that while she may be guilty of some things, murder is definitely not one of them. 

Slowly her story is teased out. How she came across the add that seemed too good to be true, and then turned out to be exactly that - too good to be true. The reality was something different all together. The fancy house that at first impressed her, soon became creepy and invasive, and the malfunctioning smart system was robbing her of sleep she so desperately needed. The parents were both gone for long stretches, and the children were...difficult. The part time housekeeper was terse, unfriendly, and judgmental. Her only hope of a friend and ally is the resident handyman, but she cannot help but question his motives. Then there were the odd noises coming from above her room and the odd message left by the previous nanny. She soon understands why the family has had such difficulty finding a nanny to stay. 

When the unthinkable happens and one of the children dies, blame falls on Rowan as the obvious suspect, and as some of her lies come out she appears guilty. Rowan insists she did not murder that child though; but if she didn't, who did?

This book was very engaging, dark, and atmospheric. the use of the letters to the lawyer was a great vehicle for delivery of this story. The literary timing was on point, and the setting was created the perfect amount of unease.  I could feel my nerves slowly fray in sympathy for Rowan's tale through each twist and turn as the tension built up to a perfect ending.  

Narration was provided by the talented Imogen Church.  Church has a long  list of narration credits, and her name instantly inspires confidence in me that the book I am about to listen to will be enjoyable and well performed. I was not disappointed. 

The Turn of the Key is a thriller with a dark, creepy appeal that had me hanging on every word.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Harper Audio - 2009
Fantasy - Comedy
Audiobook
Narrated by Martin Jarvis

12 Hours, 32 Minutes

This title will fulfill item #1 - The Backlist on my 20 For 2020 Reading Challenge - you can see the complete challenge by clicking HERE.

Good Omens is a funny and quirky fantasy about the end of times, perfect for fans of angels, demons, great battles between good and evil, and the word ineffable. 

The world is scheduled to come to an end next Saturday...but there are a few minor issues.  First of all, the Anti-Christ delivered to the world as a baby, was accidentally placed with the wrong family by a satanic nun who - to be honest, was pretty flaky; and how neither side knows where he is. Secondly, the representatives of heaven and hell - an angel named Aziraphale, and a demon named Crowley, who have lived on earth since the dawn of human-kind, have become rather attached to their home on earth are now trying to sabotage the coming apocalypse. Of course all of this had been foretold long ago had anyone bothered to read the book The Nice And Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. Written in 1655.  It is the only book of prophecies ever written that is accurate,  but the book did not sell. In fact it was only published so that Agnes Nutter could receive her author copy. 

This book is not for everybody, but then again, no book is.  There is a certain brand of humor here that is kind of an acquired thing, but for those who "get it", it is a fun book.  It has certainly positioned itself as a cult-classic and has recently been made into a T.V. series. 

Narration was provided by Martin Jarvis, and his performance was...ineffable.  His voice was clear and pleasant and he brought life to an array of characters.  I really could not imagine this story being narrated by anyone else. 

Not my favorite Neil Gaiman book, (Neverwhere is my favorite Neil Gaiman book and one of my all time favorite books overall) but If you like the dry brand of humor on offer, this book is an enjoyable diversion. 

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: West of Sin, by Wesley S. Lewis

West of Sin, by Wesley S. Lewis

Red Granite Press - Available February 4th, 2020
Thriller
Format E-book

392 Pages

* I received this digital ARC courtesy of the author and Red Granite Press, via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

I will be using this book to satisfy item #7 - Indie Inclined - Read an indie or small press published title, on my 20 For 2020 Reading Challenge.  You can see the entire challenge HERE - it's not too late to join. 

SEE THE BOOK TRAILER HERE!

An adrenaline fueled thrill ride!

Jennifer is in Las Vegas attending a real estate conference.  While not excited to be at the  conference itself, she is looking forward to spending some time with her boss Bryan. They have been spending some time together, keeping things respectable, but now that he has made an official break from his marriage, Jennifer is looking forward to their relationship moving to the next level, and is hoping the conference is the perfect time to make that move. 

Jennifer's plans fall apart when she walks into her room to find her conference room-mate and Bryan together in an intimate position. In shock, brokenhearted, and with her room occupied, she jumps in the car and escapes into the night, getting as far from the strip as she can. As her initial shock wears off she finds herself lost on the desert roads beyond Las Vegas.  Pulling into a truck stop to get directions, she ends up interrupting a robbery. Another bystander - Matt Crocker, intervenes and saves her, thwarting the would be robbers in the process. But small towns can hold big secrets, and what at first seems to be a simple run-of-the-mill robbery turns out to be much more. Soon both Jennifer and Crocker are on the run and their pursuers  are clearly hedging their bets in this deadly game.

I was impressed by this debut novel. The writing was clean, not overdone, and definitely engaging.  I was drawn in quickly and burned through this fast paced book in no time. 

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano

Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano

Penguin Random House - 2020
Fiction - Literary (inspired by a real event)
Print
352 Pages

* I received this ARC courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada, in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

I am using this title to fulfill item #2 - The frontlist - read a title less than 6 months old, on my 20 For 2020 Reading Challenge. You can see the challenge in its entirety HERE. It isn't too late to join the fun! 

Dear Andrew is a coming of age story, and more. It is at once hopeful and heartbreaking.  It is a profoundly moving story about finding one's way in life after having it torn from its foundation, about re-building when all seems lost, of processing our grief in our own time, and paying homage to lost loved ones while still living our own lives. 

The story follows a cast of characters, but focuses primarily on Edward "Eddie" Adler. As Edward boards a plane one fateful morning, he is aware that his life is going to change forever - after all, his family is moving from New York to Los Angeles. What no one on the plane can know, is that the plane will never reach its destination.  In a horrific turn of events, the plane crashes, and Edward - found still strapped to his seat, is the only survivor. 

His story captures the attention of the nation. Devastated and stunned by grief, Edward struggles to find his footing in his new world without his brother and parents. He has formed a bond with the young girl who lives next door to him in his new home with his Aunt and Uncle, but it isn't until an unexpected discovery that he is able to find peace, to find a way to honor the past while finding meaning in the present, and purpose and hope for his future. 

Napolitano's writing in Dear Edward shows an incredible amount of compassion.  Her ability to show The juxtaposition of the subjective and individual nature of grief versus the shared experience is incredibly well illustrated.  The characters in this novel are multi-faceted and even the minor characters in this story were well developed. The story is told in alternating time lines between the day of the crash, and the present. While this is a common method for writers, in this book works on multiple levels and is the perfect vehicle for this story. 

While primarily a work of fiction, this story was inspired by the real world events of May 12, 2010 in which a plane travelling from South Africa crashed before reaching its destination in Tripoli, killing all on board except a nine-year-old Dutch boy. 

Dear Andrew is a book that is a powerful and moving book that will take the reader through a range of emotions and reminds us that our connections may be deep or fleeting, but always contribute to who we have become or will become over time. 

NOTE: Library Journal has published a conversation with Ann Napolitano regarding the writing of this book which can be read HERE. 

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: The Guardians, by John Grisham

The Guardians, by John Grisham

Random House Audio - 2019
Thriller - Legal
Audiobook
Narrated by Michael Beck

11 Hours, 50 Minutes

You can always count on Grisham to deliver consistently gripping legal Thrillers, and this book was one was one of my favorite Grisham books that I have read. 

A lawyer working late one night is shot and killed at his desk. A young black man named Quincy Miller - a one time client client of that lawyer, is charged, convicted, and sentenced to die for the crime.  Though no one believed him he proclaimed his innocence for the next twenty-two years, until a letter he sent to a small non-profit innocence project called Guardian Ministries pays off and they take his case. His new lawyer, Cullen Post - who is also an Episcopalian minister, works on a shoe-string budget, tirelessly digging into the twenty-two year old case to try and exonerate his client. All this time later though, there are still people with an interest in the case.  They want Quincy's verdict to stand, and they would have no problem seeing another lawyer dead to keep it that way.

There is no arguing that Grisham knows how to write a legal thriller.  Not only has he written Quality legal thrillers that saw the top of the book charts (some of his better known early works made into block-buster movies as well), he has also produced an impressive quantity of books (The Guardians being his 40th according to his website).  Often when an author becomes prolific in their writing, the quality suffers somewhat.  In the case of this book, I can see no evidence of that.  I still got pulled into the stories of Quincy and Cullen right away and every time I had to put it down I was always eager to get back to the story and find out what happened next.

The characters in this story were particularly engaging.  

The trope of a potentially innocent person rotting in jail for a crime they did not commit is not new, but the fact that Quincy had spent so much time on death row and was so close to being actually executed made it more intense.  The sense of injustice the reader develops thinking about twenty-two years combined with the sense of desperation as Quincy has come so close to meeting his execution makes for a certain intensity. 

As characters, people often see lawyers as rich, entitled, or elitist, but Grisham has a way of making his lawyers likable and relatable to all his readers.  In The Gaurdians, the character of Cullen is no exception.  He is not rich or entitled, and far from having an elitist attitude.  Champion of the "under-dog" he lives more modestly than most people, and works for the benefit of lower-income, wrongly accused people persecuted and long forgotten  by "the system". 

Narration was performed by Michael Beck and was flawless. Portrayal of emotion was in keeping with the story, and it was easy to follow character changes. Tone and cadence where pleasant yet lively when the story called for it. 

In the author's notes, Grisham tells us that this story, while fictional was inspired by a true case of wrongful conviction.  In fact, Grisham has authored a NON-fiction book about  the case titled The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice In A Small Town, which has been made into a NetFlix documentary/mini-series. 

The Guardians is proof that John Grisham has not lost his writing edge!

Happy Reading,

Christine

Sunday Summary: December 1, 2019 to January 4, 2020

It is hard to believe another year has passed. 2019 came and went in a blur, and 2020 has arrived so quickly, I have barely had time to process the thought.  The holidays -  which always rush by, seemed to pass even more quickly this year with my step-daughters visiting from out of province. My niece, also from out of province, visited earlier in the month so December was really a blur of last minute shopping, prepping, cooking, baking, decorating and visiting. Tomorrow it is back to our usual routines at our house.  

I hope everyone had a wonderful (if busy) holiday season, and I wish you all the best for 2020.

Last year I was able to post an array of detailed personal reading stats, but to be honest, i simply did not manage to keep my spreadsheet up to date this past year. All I have is my GoodReads stats.  I did (barely) manage to meet my goal, so I am setting the same goal for 2020. Challenging without being unattainable. Really, the goal is to enjoy as many books as I can regardless of what the number is, but I like seeing how the numbers stack up. Do you set a reading goal and/or keep stats?

Click on any of the images below to link to the full review. 

Like most readers, I have my favorite genres. I think sometimes I miss out on good books, or important books by always reaching for my go-to genres and rarely exploring beyond.  For 2020 I thought it would be fun to host a reading challenge to encourage a slight stretching beyond those boundaries.  My #20For2020Reading challenge is an easy one, but one that I hope will see myself (and hopefully others who take the challenge with me) at least sampling at least one or two different choices.  You can see the details of the challenge and the list of 20 prompts by clicking on the image below.  Come join the fun!

Currently, I am reading Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano, a book about a twelve year old boy who is a sole survivor of a plane crash.  This book is available tomorrow - January 6th, 2020. 

I am currently listening to Whisper Network, by Chandler Baker.

Next on deck will likely be West Of Sin, by Wesley S. Lewis. A story set  against the backdrop of Las Vegas lights and action.

Happy Reading, 
Christine

Review: When We Were Vikings, by Andrew David MacDonald

When We Were Vikings, by Andrew David MacDonald

Gallery Scout Press - Available January 28, 2020
Fiction - Literary
Print
336 Pages

* I received a review copy of this book courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

A brilliant and charming tale of a modern day viking.

Zelda is a viking enthusiast.  She has read everything she can about them, and tries to lives according to the viking code. She is fiercely loyal to her tribe, and she is a warrior of sorts. 

Zelda was born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.  When her mother died, and living with their abusive uncle did not work out, it was up to her brother Gert to take care of her. For a while everything was good. But when Gert starts associating with the wrong kind of people, and trying to make money by questionable means,  Zelda embarks on a quest to protect the tribe, and save them both. 

This story was a touching and refreshing look at the struggles of a neurodiverse person in today's world. MacDonald has written a character that although afflicted with FASD, is not defined by it.  She is whole and multi-faceted, easily likable, and despite what cognitive challenges she does have, she also has a certain insight into the world around her.  

The marketing blurb indicates that this book is a good choice for people who enjoyed The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, by Mark Haddon. While I more often than not find these comparisons to be a distant reach at best, I think this time it is an appropriate comparison.  The Characters Zelda and Christopher both have a sort of cut-and-dry, no-nonsense charm to them, they both work hard to be fit into a world that doesn't really understand them, and they are both immensely likable.  

When We Were Vikings is a thoughtful and poignant tale of what it means to be a true warrior, and tells us that we can all be legendary if we try. 

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Parting Shot, by Linwood Barclay

Parting Shot, by Linwood Barclay

Doubleday Books - 2018
Thriller
Promise Falls (Spin-off/Stand alone)
Audiobook
Narrated by Jim Meskimen and James Babson

12 Hours, 56 Minutes

A solid thriller filled with scandal amid the rich and entitled.

Jeremy Pilford was convicted of stealing a car and causing the death of a young woman.  He claims no memory of that night at all, citing excessive alcohol consumption. During the highly publicized trial, he was sentenced only to probation. His defense was that during his privileged childhood, he was not properly educated on the nature of right and wrong. While the judge may have offered leniency, the public was outraged. Jeremy became known as "The Big Baby". If the taunting and general harassment were not enough, the threats being leveled at him are another thing, so Jeremy's wealthy aunt hires former police detective Cal Weaver to act as body guard for Jeremy.  Reluctant at first, Cal soon finds that Jeremy isn't such an awful kid after-all, and he soon suspects that there is more to what happened that night than Jeremy was either willing or able to talk about. 

Meanwhile, Cal's friend and former co-worker detective Barry Duckworth is investigating a strange and violent assault, the second unusual assault which points to the possibility that a serial revenge attacker is on the loose. Weaver does his best to protect Jeremy from not only unknown threats, but from Jeremy himself as well. 

The story itself was engaging, the plot was solid, and while the basic premise was easily grasped by the reader early on, the details were delivered in well timed tid-bits and full understanding was reserved until the end; but while this book was touted as a spin off/stand alone, it was clear to me (as is often the case in these scenarios) that there was a back story that I was not familiar with.  The book still worked, but I was always acutely aware that there was another part of the story I had not read. 

Narration was provided by Jim Meskimen, and James Babson. Both performed their parts well with clear voices, good cadence and tone, and emotional range in keeping with characters experiences. 

Parting shot was a good thriller with a solid story, but while this stand alone still worked, it was nonetheless weighted by one of its main characters relying on a history based in the series that that preceded it.

Happy Reading,

Christine

20 for 2020 Reading Challenge

As an Avid reader, I never need an excuse to read.  I like to think that I read a reasonably diverse range of books, but like most readers, I do have my comfort zone, - my "go-to" genres. 

I thought it would be fun to host a reading challenge designed to gently expand one's horizons and encourage the exploration of books we might not otherwise read, 

So behold! My 20 for 2020 reading challenge!

For any single reader, many of the individual challenges will not seem like much of a challenge at all.  I have included challenges based on genre and format, as well as other reading choices, so most readers will be able to do much of the list without even trying. But I think (hope) that readers will find a few on the list to gently nudge them out of their normal comfort zone to try something a little different for them. 

If you decide to take the challenge, please share your choices and progress on social media using the tag #20for2020Reading. 

So if you want to play along, here is how:

• The goal is to complete a list of 20 challenges in the year 2020 
• All books should be started and completed in 2020 - but late starters for the challenge can add their reads any time as long as the book was read 2020
• Books should only be used for one of the challenges on the list - No doubling up!
• Unless the challenge contains specific wording saying otherwise, Print, E-books, or audiobooks are all acceptable for any of the general challenges.
• Use Hashtag #20for2020Reading to post your progress and pairings (if you wish) to social media and please consider including a link to your review if you have posted one somewhere online (your blog, GoodReads, etc.). I would love to hear about your books and thoughts so please tag me on Twitter - @Page_Turned and/or Instagram - @thelastpageturned
• Have fun! That's what this is supposed to be about anyways 😊

1. The Backlist - Read a book that is at least 2 years old.
2. The Frontlist - Read a book that is a new release (less than 6 months old)
3. The Truth - Read a Non-Fiction title that is not a biography/memoir (True Crime, Documentary, etc.)
4. People Person Books - Read a Biography or memoir
5. The Quick and Easy - Read a novella or short book - 250 pages or less (or the audiobook equivalent) OR read a collection of short stories.
6. The Long Haul - Read a long book - 450 pages or more (or the audiobook equivalent)
7. Indie Inclined - Read an Indie or small press published title
8. Listen Up! - Listen to an audiobook
9. Long Ago - Read a book that takes place more than 25 years ago
10. Different Worlds - Read a Science Fiction or Fantasy Book
11. Reading on the Edge of Your Seat - Read a Thriller/Suspense/Mystery book
12. Traveler Through Books - Read a book that has been translated from another language
13. Young at Heart - Read a YA novel
14. Books That Go Bump In The Night - Read a Horror or Ghost story
15. New Beginnings - Start a new (to you) series or trilogy
16. Meet a New Author - Read a debut novel
17. Relationship Goals ...Or Not - Read a book that centers around the beginning or the end of a relationship/marriage. (Romance, Domestic Noir, etc)
18. Read a Movie - Read a book that is also a movie
19. The Winner is... - Read a book Short-listed for a major literary award
20. One World - Read a book written by, and that has a main character that is someone of a different color, culture, sexual orientation, or religion than you.

Happy Reading, 

Christine