Roger's Reads

Author & Book Reviewer

Review of The Granby Knitting Stories by Amy Lane

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Granby knitting stories book coverI believe that these stories are available only in ebook format at the moment. I put the link for each of the individual books as well as the collection below.

The Granby Knitting Stories is a collection of four gay romance novellas by Amy Lane: The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters, How to Raise an Honest Rabbit, Knitter in His Natural Habitat and Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny’s Lair which follow a group of fellows who either work for or are associated with an Alpaca farm and fiber mill. Oh, and just about everyone in this story knits — and knits a lot — which is one of the themes running through this series which I found cleverly unusual.

So the first story, The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters, follows Rance Crawford who is a crusty, somewhat gruff Alpaca rancher and the owner of a fiber mill. But his tough exterior softens when handsome city-boy Ben moves in next door and next thing you know, Rance is knitting the newcomer hats to keep warm during the winter. A sweet and charming novella!

So things get a little more serious in the next book, How to Raise an Honest Rabbit. This follows one of Rance’s employees Jeremy who we learn was a former con man (at the urging of his father) and ex-con. But Rance gives Jeremy a chance and Jeremy is determined not to let him down. He’s also determined not to let anyone get too close to him but his coworker Aiden is not so easily deterred. Aiden however, has to tread carefully around a man who’s accustomed to “rabbit away” at the first sign of conflict and instead, must get Jeremey to trust him and trust himself, which turns out to not be such an easy task, especially when Jeremy’s past shows up one day on their doorstep.

The third and probably the darkest book in this series is Knitter in His Natural Habitat. This follows Stanley, who works at the knitting shop in Boulder and who occasionally had dalliances with Rance before Rance met Ben. In this book, there’s a new delivery man in town named Johnny who drops off a delivery at Stanley’s shop and both men are instantly smitten with each other. But Johnny is not quite as he seems and as we learn, he has a very dark past which threatens to destroy everything he’s been building with Stanley as well as put the people he cares for the most in the world in extreme danger.

The last book in this collection is Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny’s Lair. I can’t say too much about this one without giving anything away. Let me say that one of our favorite characters is on a long road to recovery after a heinous event and that there’s a new addition to our beloved cast of characters in this book. This story is where it all comes together and does a fantastic job of pulling on the old heartstrings.

I loved reading this story about a group of passionate knitters and passionate men, and by the end of the last book, I found myself loving this colorful…and endearing… cast of characters. At first, I thought this was going to be a sweet holiday story, and ultimately, it was. But there are some darker aspects to this story as well which made it all the more compelling. Additionally, I liked the continuity with these four books in which all of the characters appeared in every story which provided us the opportunity to really get to know them.

I thoroughly enjoyed all these characters as well delving quite deeply into their lives and into their psyches. I’m glad I read these stories back to back, which start out with a sweet romance, then the morph into the more dramatic, grow a tad darker as the stories continue to progress and culminate in many intense emotional experiences by the series end. All in all, I loved this moving and heartfelt series which can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of whether or not you are a knitter.

Purchase The Granby Knitting Stories at Amazon

Links to individual books:

The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters

How to Raise an Honest Rabbit

Knitter in His Natural Habitat

Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny’s Lair

Review of The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

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Afterlife of holly chase book cover imageThe Afterlife of Holly Chase is a contemporary retelling of a Christmas Carol, but the author creates something entirely original and new in the process.

The story follows our main character Holly Chase, a wholly unlikeable and unpleasant teenage girl obsessed with status and wealth, who is visited by three spirits who show Holly her past, present, and future if she does not change her ways. But being the bitchy, entitled, blunt spoiled brat that she is, she shrugs the visits off, actually laughing at the ghosts toward the end of it. And then a few days later….she dies.

We then jump to 5 years later to Holly’s afterlife where she has been recruited as The Ghost of Christmas Past for an organization called “Project Scrooge” – a company that chooses a new “Scrooge” every year – that is to say, another self-centered, self-absorbed grouch — in the hopes of having them change their ways. If they don’t change their ways, then these “failed Scrooges” end up in the same situation as Holly: working for Project Scrooge.

But this year’s Scrooge throws Holly for a loop when he turns out to be a super hot teenage guy around her age named Ethan and with whom Holly discovers she has a lot in common. But when she makes a rash decision to go off-script, Holly’s whole life — or should I say afterlife — changes, especially given that she appeared to have put the entire project in jeopardy.

But I can’t really say too much more without giving anything away. Let me just say that this was a thought-provoking heart-warming novel and a delightful Christmas time read with an emotional, surprising and satisfying ending. I’ve read many different renditions of A Christmas Carol, but this clever and inventive retelling just might be my favorite as it brought a smile to my face and a tear or two to my eye. What especially set this version apart from the others I’ve read was how much fun it is! I loved the whole idea of Project Scrooge and found it outrageously creative, especially the spectacular plot twist at the end.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase was a fun, fast-paced read which, even though it does have a Christmas theme, could certainly be read and enjoyed any time of year. I absolutely adored this little gem of a novel and recommend it if you’re looking for a feel-good holiday book with compelling characters and plenty of heart.

Purchase the Afterlife of Holly Chase on Amazon

Purchase the Afterlife of Holly Chase on The Book Depository

Review of The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

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The christmas train book coverI’ve read a couple of David Baldacci thriller novels in the past, and The Christmas Train was completely different any from those. I listened to this in audiobook format and was delighted to discover that they added music and various sound effects during certain parts of the recording which really added to the experience. This book was also quite nostalgic for me as it brought back all the fun memories of the train trips I took while studying in France.

This story follows Tom Langdon, a disillusioned journalist and a former war correspondent Tom Langdon who finds himself on a train trip from Washington to Los Angeles during Christmas where he plans on spending the holidays with his girlfriend, a Hollywood voice-work celebrity.

We learn that Tom has been banned from flying for a year after an altercation with a TSA agent so deciding to make lemonade from his lemons, chooses to write a story about train travel.

So, Tom embarks on his journey across country and along the way, he meets all sorts of eclectic and colorful characters: there’s a young couple planning on eloping, a famous movie director who’s planning on creating a movie about trains, a retired priest, a former train engineer who lost his job due to budget cuts, a tarot card reader, several boisterous train personnel, a boys choir and even a reunion with someone from his past.

And there’s a mystery to solve as items begin disappearing from the passenger’s cabins, meaning there is a thief on board among them. But worst of all, the blizzard of the century is bearing down on them, and the passengers and crew are forced to come together if they want to survive the trip — and at one point in the novel, things don’t look too good for any of them.

This was really a fun and warm-hearted Christmas story about a man whose ride turns out to be quite an adventure — one he’ll likely never forget reminding us that it’s often the journey and not the destination that’s important. In fact, there was even a quote to that effect in the book:

“It’s not getting from A to B. It’s not the beginning or the destination that counts. It’s the ride in between”

This delightful tale has a little of everything…it has mystery, danger, thievery, setbacks, suspense, romance, relationship intrigue, unscheduled train stops, a wedding and of course, the miracles of Christmas, and with enough twists and surprises to prevent you from guessing the ending. It also provides an interesting history about trains and train travel that I found especially fascinating.

All in all, The Christmas Train is a sweet, magical story with memorable characters that just may give you the yearning to take a train trip yourself.

Purchase The Christmas Train on Amazon

Purchase The Christmas Train on The Book Depository

Review of the 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Thurton

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7 deaths of evelyn hardcastle book coverThe 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (also titled The 7 1/2 deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in the US) is Stuart Turton’s debut novel. I’ve heard quite a bit of hype surrounding this unusual story and given that I am partial to time-travel, and reliving-the-day-over-and-over tropes, this sounded like a tale that I’d enjoy.

The Story

Set around the late 1920’s I believe, the story starts when our narrator wakes up in the morning out in the woods, with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. He witnesses what he believes is the murder of a young woman whose name he knows to Anna. Nearly immobile and eyes clamped shut with fright, the so-called murderer comes up behind him, slips him a compass and tells him to go east. The narrator soon finds himself at the Blackheath manor and learns he has been invited to a masquerade ball hosted by the Lord and Lady Hardcastle.

He later discovers that his name is Aiden Bishop and he’s trapped inside a stranger’s body. A figure in a Plague Doctor’s mask informs him that in order to escape the manor and return to his normal life (of which he still has no memory), he must unveil the murderer of Evelyn Hardcastle, which will be disguised as to not look like a murder and will occur at 11:00 pm that evening. The kicker is that each time he awakens, the day has been reset from the beginning and he is now in the body of someone else, a different guest in the manor and in the process, he takes on the personality, mannerisms, and inclinations of the current host. There is also a race against the clock in that if he fails to uncover the name of the would-be murderer within eight days or eight hosts, he will return to the first day, memory wiped clean, and start the process all over again as he has apparently already done innumerable times before.

Matters become even more dire when Aiden discovers that he isn’t the only one who’s in the same predicament; there are two other people are also caught inside this time loop. Oh, and there’s also a knife-wielding Footman who is out to kill all three of them.

What I Liked

I loved how inventive and original this story was. It’s a mind-bending, multi-layered, intricately plotted murder mystery with a huge cast of characters and a multitude of interwoven elements as we, along with our narrator, try to figure out what is going on. I’ve always enjoyed the “nothing is as it seems” trope which is definitely in play here. As a reader, we constantly question what we know about the hosts and their secrets and soon discover that almost every character is unreliable; every fact untrustworthy. That being said, every little snippet of conversation is important, every encounter and every detail essential to solving the mystery. We learn that Aiden can change little details to the day which will, in turn, change the outcome, as well as help him to glean more information.

I enjoyed how the tension builds right from the first page winding tighter and tighter as the novel progresses and really, doesn’t let go until the utterly surprising ending, where everything is explained. The surprises come fast and furious, keeping you turning the page all the while with your heart in your throat. And just when you think you may have figured it out, the author drops another twisty bombshell.

I also loved how nearly every person whose body our narrator inhibits is despicable, scheming and untrustworthy and how it was a struggle for Aiden to keep their unsavory personality traits and compulsions at bay. In spite of that, Aiden was able to use the physical and mental talents of each of the hosts to gather more clues and bring him closer to figuring out what is going on.

I also liked the Victorian gothic feel to this story. It was atmospheric with haunting imagery such as the depiction of the masquerade ball, eerie the castle-like manor, the murderous footman, mysterious guests wearing Plague Doctor masks, and of course, murder.

Additionally, I loved the redemption aspect of the story which illustrated how even the darkest of individuals can be pulled back into the light and can overcome their darkness to move toward redeeming themselves. It also showed how those who have been severely wronged could move past a thirst for revenge to forgiveness instead.

What I Didn’t Like

I enjoyed this book for the most part, but it wasn’t a 5-star read for me. I felt there were too many characters to keep track of, some with too similar names like Donald and Daniel and sometimes, I found myself confused at times. It didn’t help that the story was non-linear with a really complex plot.

Reading this story requires a fair bit of work and intense focus on the part of the reader otherwise one risks missing crucial details and clues. So this isn’t the kind of book with which you can kick up your feet and relax at the beach, but instead, it’s a novel that requires your full attention. There’s a lot to keep track of.

I also felt that the story dragged a bit in places, especially around the 75% mark. But things heated up during the last 20% of the story as we skidded into the exciting climax where all is revealed.

Verdict

I loved this fresh, intricate and innovative story! It was like Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day meets Quantum Leap. The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was an amazing, compelling, twisty story and I can’t begin to imagine the effort the author put into plotting this novel. The author does an amazing job of not showing his cards until the very end and expertly juggled the many moving parts of the book resulting in a tightly plotted, engaging, complex story as our main character struggles through emotional, physical, and moral challenges. This was a fast-paced plot-driven story marvelously crafted story with rich, detailed characters and beautiful prose. Recommended!

Purchase the 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle on Amazon

Purchase the 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle on The Book Depository

Review of A Ghost for Christmas by J.D. Winters

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A ghost for christmas cover imageA Ghost for Christmas is the first book in the Destiny Bay Cozy series and follows our main character Mele who, recovering from a bad romantic breakup, decides to visit her Aunt Bebe. She arrives, however, to find a dead body on her Aunt’s doorstep.

As it turns out, the corpse was that of Kyle Madronna, a wealthy vineyard owner who was pretty much despised by everyone who knew him. He was also trying to steal her aunt’s business which made Mele suspect that her aunt may have had something to do with the murder. Then things heat up even more when a second murder takes place only days later. Mele, along with the help of two family ghosts and the local detective, gets closer to discovering the identity of the killer. Of course, Mele’s meddling puts her own life in jeopardy culminating in a face to face encounter with the killer.

It was a fun, humorous, light little mystery with no real violence or gory bits. The protagonist was likable as were the secondary characters (except for the villain, of course) and I felt that the story was believable. I was a bit disappointed, however, because given the title of the novel, I thought it would be more ghost centric but this was not the case. There were two ghosts in the story: Aunt Jane and the handsome Dante but they played a very minor role in the story, appearing only a couple of times and all we really learn about them is that Dante was a ghost from Mele’s childhood. The story also had little to do with the Christmas season so in this way, I thought the title was a misnomer; the title suggested that a ghost and the holiday would be central to this story, neither of which was the case.

A Ghost for Christmas was quite a quick read and really could have used some further character development, IMHO. But still, it was a fun, entertaining story though I’m undecided as to whether I’ll be continuing on with the series. I don’t mind a cozy mystery from time to time, but truth be told, I prefer my mysteries and thrillers a little more on the darker side.

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Review of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

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An absolutely remarkable thing book coverI’ve been following Hank and John Green’s vlog Brothers channel for several years now and was excited when I learned that Hank was coming out with a book. Let me say right off the bat that I listened to this on Audible and felt that the narrator was excellent.

The Plot

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing follows a twenty-three-year-old bisexual graphic designer named April May who shares an apartment with her roommate/girlfriend Maya (their relationship isn’t all that well defined as April May seems to have commitment issues). The story is told from April May’s point of view and is shared in a memoir format as she recounts a particularly wild and unusual time of her life. So in this way, we’re hearing the story from the future April May. I felt the casual conversion-like format of the book made it feel as though we were hearing the entire story from the mouth of a good friend.

The book starts out as April May is walking home from work at 3:00 am when she notices a giant robot-like sculpture that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. It’s 10 feet tall and resembles a giant Transformer wearing armor. April decides that the people should be paying more attention to incredible things like this statute in their city, so she calls her friend Andy to meet her. There, they create a video of the sculpture, name the sculpture “Carl” and then upload it to YouTube.

Much to April May’s surprise, she learned that overnight her and Andy’s video had gone viral but not only that, the “Carls” have appeared in cities all over the world, all identical to her “New York Carl” raising all sorts of questions, concerns, and discussions worldwide. Being the first to document the existence of Carl — the person who made “first contact” if you will — April May is thrust headfirst into the spotlight and soon becomes a social media sensation, appearing on numerous television shows and becoming quite rich in the process. In fact, she ends up becoming more of an idea to the people of the world than a person as she builds up her “brand” based upon her connection to the Carls. She gets so caught up in all the hype surrounding herself that she even begins to kind of lose herself as she morphs into this branded, fake April who exists solely for her social media and public persona.

The story really picks up steam as the world gets closer to solving the mystery of the Carls while April May tries to keep her life from spiraling out of control. It’s also worth mentioning that the world basically splits into two factions: Pro-Carl and Anti-carl with April May being the center of it all and though this, we end up seeing the best as well as the darkest sides of humanity.

What I Liked

I know there are a fair amount of people who disliked April May’s character but I rather liked her. What I especially enjoyed about her was how flawed she was. She’s narcissistic, self-centered, craves attention, is addicted to social media, is often insensitive to the feelings of others and makes more than her share of mistakes. Yet, it’s these characteristics along with all of her awful choices that make her human, all the more relatable and all the more likable. Sure, she made a lot of horrible decisions, and I disagreed with a lot of what she said and did. But through it all, I never disliked her. I think that was because she knew that she was flawed, knew she made terrible decisions and tried desperately to hide her flaws from her social media presence — though it was her social media presence that often caused her to make said poor decisions.

I enjoyed the fact actually that she was somewhat volatile and unpredictable, perhaps even an unreliable narrator, so we never knew what she was going to do next, which kept the story compelling.

I also loved how the whole world came together to help solve the literal puzzles of the Carls, a testament to the importance of working together and coming together as humankind. So in this way, the book was a commentary about humanity and how rather than taking things on as individuals, it’s when we work with others that things really begin to happen.

I also liked that though the message was a sharp commentary about our society, fame and social media, it wasn’t delivered in a heavy-handed or preachy way. I also found all the diversity and representation in this book refreshing.

Additionally, I found the mystery of the Carls riveting and though we do find out where they came from — kind of — we don’t learn everything about them. I hope this means that there will be a sequel to this book coming down the pipe.

What I Didn’t Like

I wish Andy’s character would have been built up a little more. As it was, I felt he was under-developed, and we barely learned nothing about him. I would have enjoyed seeing him share a little more of the spotlight with April May.

I’m also kind of on the fence about the ending. Though everything was wrapped up and we learned the mystery of the Carls, we are hit with a surprising cliffhanger which causes you to rear back and go “Whoa!”. Again, I’m hoping to see this vague-ish ending resolved in a future book. But that aside, I was satisfied by the conclusion and felt that the majority of my questions were answered.

Other than that, there really wasn’t anything I disliked about the story and felt the author delivered us a polished, high engrossing and spellbinding tale.

Verdict

I loved what the author had to say about such topics as social media fame, power dynamics, extremism, news, and Internet addiction, how we react to those different than us or that which is new or unfamiliar to us, and the effects that social media has on our society (for both good and ill), all the while delivering that message in a laugh-out-loud enjoyable way. I thought the book was not only a pleasurable romp but was also insightful and relevant to today’s times.

I thought this was an endearing book with quirky characters and a quirky story which provided an eye-opening social commentary on obsessive social networking, internet fame or any type of fame for that matter, ego and the horrors of extremism.

I’ve seen An Absolutely Remarkable Thing classified and referred to as a young adult book, but I think it should be classified more as New Adult. The main characters are in their early 20’s, most just out of college and though I loved the messages of the book, there is a good amount of swearing and conversations about sex (though not explicit), which many people may find inappropriate for younger readers.

I ended up loving this book and look forward to seeing what Mr. Green comes up with in the future. Recommended!

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