Review: Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok

Title: Spectacle Written by: Jodie Lynn Zdrok Published: February 12, 2019 by Tor Teen (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: A YA murder mystery in which a young reporter must use her supernatural visions to help track down a killer targeting the young women of Paris.   Paris, 1887.   Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day's new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered--from the perspective of the murderer himself.  When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie's search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie's strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer's identity--and she'll have to do it before she becomes a target herself.

You know when there is a YA historical mystery I'm not going to be far behind wanting to read it. Especially one with fantasy elements and one set in Belle Epoque Paris. This is such a me book. Which is why I was so thankful to Alyssa (aka WiththeBanned) for sharing her ARC with me. And while this book wasn't perfect it was engaging and compulsively readable.

My favorite thing about this book was the setting. I like historical fiction and because of that I read a lot of it. The best ones do a really good job of establishing time and place. This was one of those books. The author clearly did her research into what life was life in Paris during the end of the 1880's. For me, Paris really came to life in this book and it had me wanting to go back to the city. I also feel like she did a great job with establishing the culture of the time for the wealthy class, with their fixation on dressing up to visit the morgue and attending seances. I even found myself wondering if there was actually a serial killer in Paris at the time because it did feel so grounded in the history. I felt like this setting was a great aspect of this book and with someone who has been wanting books set in Belle Epoque Paris, that is a definite plus.

I also really enjoyed the fantasy elements of this book. It added a great layer to not only the setting, but the plot of the book. It reminded me a lot of The Diviners series by Libba Bray. It had that same kind of vibes. It was sometimes gory and grotesque and sometimes mysterious and fantastical.  I really like that the magic had clear rules and consequences and that each person's powers were different and that they were connected to the individual. What I really like is that it was grounded in science and history. The experiments that lead to the magic seemed like the kind of thing that someone would actually have done. It felt possible which made me enjoy it even more.

However, I wasn't totally impressed by the plot development and pacing. I am a plot-driven reader so a strong plot is very important to me, especially when it comes to mysteries. I like my mysteries to be complex and solvable. I want to be able to solve them along with the reader. Here I felt like this was the kind of mystery where they didn't want you to solve anything. They wanted to just surprise and take you for a ride with interesting twists and turns. Which is fine, and definitely what this book did, but that's not the kind of book that I enjoy. I wish it was more of a detective novel. But instead it just felt a little bit disconnected where a big reveal was then followed up with a slower sections where things would drag until the next twist. If there was more of a slow build up to a big reveal I think I would have enjoyed the plot more.

The characters too fell a little flat for me. I did like the main character of Nathalie. I feel like she was probably the most interesting character. She's one of those historical fiction heroines who is a bit ahead of her time and wants to be something that society doesn't really accept her as because she is a woman. A good amount of this book is her figuring out exactly who she wants to be and not caring about what society says about it and that is something I will always get behind. But the rest of the characters didn't make a great impression. This is the kind of book where you very easily could have a had a squad behind you with Simone, Christophe, and Louis but they were just tangentially involved. But this book was much about Nathalie and she really carried it.

All in all, I thought this was a good read. It's fast and engaging with a good historical setting, an interesting magical system, and a plot full of twists and turns. It's not the most complex mystery I have read and the pacing was a bit off but I still really enjoyed it. It was a book I was really looking forward to and it met my expectations.

I give Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are a fan of historical mysteries and want a quick and interesting read I would check this one out from your local library. It didn't blow me away but I definitely enjoyed it.

 Have you read Spectacle? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Pulp by Robin Talley

Title: Pulp Written by: Robin Talley Published: November 13, 2018 by Harlequin Teen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In 1955, eighteen-year-old Janet Jones keeps the love she shares with her best friend Marie a secret. It’s not easy being gay in Washington, DC, in the age of McCarthyism, but when she discovers a series of books about women falling in love with other women, it awakens something in Janet. As she juggles a romance she must keep hidden and a newfound ambition to write and publish her own story, she risks exposing herself—and Marie—to a danger all too real. Sixty-two years later, Abby Zimet can’t stop thinking about her senior project and its subject—classic 1950s lesbian pulp fiction. Between the pages of her favorite book, the stresses of Abby’s own life are lost to the fictional hopes, desires and tragedies of the characters she’s reading about. She feels especially connected to one author, a woman who wrote under the pseudonym “Marian Love,” and becomes determined to track her down and discover her true identity. In this novel told in dual narratives, New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley weaves together the lives of two young women connected across generations through the power of words. A stunning story of bravery, love, how far we’ve come and how much farther we have to go.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I've read a few of Robin Talley's books and I really enjoyed them so when I saw she was coming out a new book that historical fiction elements I was really excited to read it. And it was a really interesting and engaging read with more layers than I was expecting.

One of the most interesting things about this book for me is the fact that it read like a historical mystery. Historical mysteries are one of my favorite subgenres and I have enjoyed both Robin's historical fiction and her mysteries so I knew this book was in good hands. This was one of those stories where a modern character finds something from the historical character who she has to learn more about. Their stories are linked and often mirror each other. That is exactly what happened in Pulp. Despite how different their lives were, in so many ways Abby and Janet's lives mirrored one another as they dealt with their feelings of attraction to their best friends, found a book that spoke deep into their soul, and their desire to write the perfect story.

My favorite part about this book was the subtle themes in the plot. Books about books is not rare by any means but Pulp handled it so well and in a way that was much more subtle. Pulp is very much a book for fans of reading and writing. It perfectly expresses how you feel when you find that perfect book with that character and experiences so much like your own that you relate to it so completely it overtakes you. It also communicates the idea of writing an own voices book. A book that captures your story in that cathartic way that you not only get it out of your head but out in the world. Despite my massive failure of NaNoWriMo this was the perfect book to read for this month because it is so much about writing.

I also really enjoyed the historical aspect of this book. Robin Talley is a master of write not only the LGBT experience in a historical perspective but what it was like in the mid-20th Century. This book took some of the more unspoken and undiscussed aspects of the 1950's and early-60's and brought them into the light, well as light as possible with such dark and difficult topics. She really showed the pressure and anxiety caused by McCarthyism and the witch hunt not only for Communists but anyone who was different including homosexuals. I love exploring not only this time period but some of the aspects that don't often get the attention they deserve so I really enjoyed this book for that reason.

As far as the characters go, I felt like the author did a great job in balancing the two perspectives. The story alternated between Janet and Abby and they both had interesting stories but if I am being completely honest I enjoyed Janet's story a bit more. Abby was super relateable and the way she was dealing with her writing and the anxiety of how she was handling the forthcoming change felt so genuine and real. However, I found myself wanting to learn more about Janet and how her story unfolded. In her chapters there was drama and tension. For a plot-driven reader, Janet's story was the more engaging. I also think I just liked Janet a bit more. She had a lot going against her but she knew who she and stayed fiercely herself despite the adversity. I had a lot of respect for her because of that.

I really enjoyed Pulp a lot. It was a fast and interesting book and I devoured it. I read it so much faster than I expected because I was invested in the stories of both Janet and Abby. It was a subtle historical mystery with great themes and engaging characters.

I give Pulp by Robin Talley 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are a fan of historical fiction, especially historical mysteries, then I would recommend reading this book. It's also a great read for people who like books about books and writing. I thoroughly enjoyed it for that aspect.

Have you read Pulp? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Title: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy Series: Montague Siblings #2 Written by: Mackenzi Lee Published: October 2, 2018 by Katherine Tegan Books (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Felicity Montague is through with pretending she prefers society parties to books about bone setting—or that she’s not smarter than most people she knows, or that she cares about anything more than her dream of becoming a doctor.   A year after an accidentally whirlwind tour of Europe, which she spent evading highwaymen and pirates with her brother Monty, Felicity has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of Callum Doyle, a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh; and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.  But then a small window of hope opens. Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to opening old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip.  Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

I absolutely loved The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue so when I heard Mackenzi was writing a companion sequel about Felicity I was over the moon. I was so excited to return to these characters and learn what would happen to her. And I thoroughly enjoyed this feminist piece of historical fiction.

One of the things that I loved about this book was the characters. In Gentleman’s Guide, Felicity is just a small part of the narrative but she still made a good impression. Here she gets the focus and it I really enjoyed unpacking her. The thing about Felicity though is that she is far less charming in the traditional sense but very charming in the figurative sense. She’s exactly what you think of when you consider an “unlikable female character.” She’s prickly and judgmental, ambitious and determined. But that’s part of her charm. She’s still the kind of character you root for and want to see achieve her goals. She’s fierce and fiery and I loved being in her head.

But some of the best character here were the secondary characters. I particularly enjoyed Johanna. What I liked about Johanna was that she is everything Felicity is not. She’s girly and sweet, caring about what society would expect a young woman to care about like fashion and appearances. But she’s also interested in science, animals, and exploration. Johanna is the character that most books would make the protagonist but here she is just part of the team and I almost liked that more. She’s a great foil for Felicity and ultimately a great example of different kinds of amazing and fierce women. But she wasn’t the only great secondary character. Dr. Alexander Platt was very complex and Sim was a really engaging female pirate character. Plus if you were hoping some good moments with Monty and Percy you are definitely in luck. Overall, I think the characters in this book were great.

I also really loved the historical setting. I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and I am sometimes overly critical because I think a book really needs to be grounded in the time period. Mackenzi did exactly that while still making the book relevant for a modern reader. Here the focus is on women of the period, ambition women who want to do something that the patriarchy just doesn’t want them to do. I loved the way she explored these concepts with three very different women. But this was also a little bit about medicine in the 18th century. You can tell the author did her research into the techniques, however strange, at the time.

The only thing I didn’t totally live is the plot development. That isn’t to say that it wasn’t interesting. Because I did enjoy it. It wasn’t quite the globe trotting mystery and adventure that I was hoping for but it was complex and engaging and unfolded in a way that kept me reading and interested from beginning to end. The thing is, it had a what felt like a fantasy element element just added on to built interest and it felt weird and forced. I think the book would have just as good if that part had been a little more grounded in reality. Or maybe it was and it just wasn’t explained well enough. Either way, it felt like a strange addition to an otherwise great read.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had great characters that were complex and interesting, an immersive historical setting, and a plot that kept me reading and engaged.

I give The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked the first book in the series, check this one out and fall in love with Felicity and Johanna. Or if you are looking for a good historical fiction novel that is grounded in reality that still feels modern and interesting definitely get to know the Montague Siblings.

Have you read The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco Blog Tour: Review and Favorite Quotes

About the Book

Title: Escaping from Houdini Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper #3 Written by: Kerri Maniscalco Published: June 6, 2018 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In this third installment in the #1 bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series, a luxurious ocean liner becomes a floating prison of scandal, madness, and horror when passengers are murdered one by one…with nowhere to run from the killer. .   Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.  But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea. It’s up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer’s horrifying finale?

My Review

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at ALA in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I am a huge fan of this series. When I read the first book two years ago I fell completely in love witht he characters, the setting, the mystery, everything. I was so excited to see Kerri again at ALA and pick up a copy of this book. So excited in fact that I didn't wait to read it, something I almost never do. Yes, friends, I read this book three months ago and I waited to share my review.

My favorite part of this book and the series in general is the character. I absolutely adore Audrey Rose. She is such a fantastic protagonist and my favorite kind of female heroine. She's not perfect and while she is completely badass she is still feminine and vulnerable sometimes. But the best part of Audrey Rose is that she is entirely herself and who she wants to be despite what society might expect from her. This book is so much about trying to figure out exactly what she wants with her future. I loved seeing Audrey Rose figure that out even if I didn't totally agree with all the decisions that she made throughout the book.

But my favorite characters are probably the secondary characters. It seems strange to call Thomas a secondary character but I guess that's what he is. Who cares what he is, because Thomas is amazing and my absolute favorite. Thomas is in rare form in this book and is a hilarious and fantastic snark machine. He always makes me laugh especially at the magic shows. Some of my favorite quotes come from Thomas interacting with others. One of those people I love him interacting with is the ringmaster. I don't want to give too much away about him but he is the sort of over the top charming sort of person that I think a lot of people are going to like. I however am hardcore Team Thomas and was a annoyed at him for trying to come between my ship. But I will say, he was a complex and interesting character like a lot of the members of the circus.

Speaking of the circus, this setting was completely amazing. I am not usually a big fan of books set during circuses. I know so many people love fantasies in circuses but for me they always seem too over the top magical and not at all realistic. This however felt realistic. It was grounded in reality of actual circuses at the turn of the 20th Century. I felt the wonder and mystery that characters were feeling and I was just as fascinated with everything that was going on. But I think the characters in the circus also made it all the more interesting. I wanted to know about them and about the circus.

The only thing that I didn't love as much about this book was the mystery. I'll be honest, the mysteries in this book are not at all complicated. I have solved every single one of them and usually I solve them with a throw away comment that leads me directly to the killer who is only revealed. Their motivation is then revealed as the book develops. I am perfectly okay with that. I like solvable mysteries. The only problem however is that there needs to be a good explanation as to why they are doing what they are doing and how it is all connected. Here I didn't quite get that. Even when everything was all said and done there really wasn't much of that cohesion to the mystery. Plus there really was no connection to the overall narrative of the series. I know this series was only going to be three books but then it ended up being four. I think maybe this one just kind of felt like a companion that is connected to the series but indirectly. I wish it had added more to the larger story but maybe it will in the end.

Overall this was a really great read. I loved being able to reconnect with Audrey Rose and Thomas, and to go with them on another great adventure to a fascinating historical circus setting. I wish the mystery was a little more cohesive but I still really enjoyed it.

I give Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalso 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked the first two books in the series then you have to read the next book in then series. On the whole this is a truly brilliant historical mystery series and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction or crime novels.

About the Author

Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats. Her first novel in this series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It incorporates her love of forensic science and unsolved history.

Website: http://www.kerrimaniscalco.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KerriManiscalco
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/KerriManiscalco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KerriManiscalco/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KerriManiscalcoAuthor

Favorite Quotes

And now as part of the blog tour for this book I want to share some of my favorite quotes. I don't usually make a note of quotes while I am reading but when it came to this book I did do that. There are some overall amazing quotes that just resonated with me. Then there are some hilarious Thomas quotes that made me so happy.

Follow the Tour

http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/08/tour-schedule-escaping-from-houdini-by.html

http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/08/tour

-schedule-escaping-from-houdini-

by.html

http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/08/tour

-schedule-escaping-from-houdini-

by.html

Giveaway

Prize: One ARC of Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco (USA only)
 Starts: 9/12/18
 Ends: 9/26/18

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you read Escaping from Houdini? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Blake

Title: Girl at the Grave Written by: Terri Bailey Blake Published: August 7, 2018 by Tor Teen (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Early Libba Bray meets Stalking Jack the Ripper and William Ritter’s Jackaby series in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder and romance in 1850s New England  Valentine has spent years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. But small towns have long memories, and when a new string of murders occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer.  Only one person believes Valentine is innocent—Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her mother killed all those years ago. Valentine vows to find the real killer, but when she finally uncovers the horrifying truth, she must choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in the end.  Debut author Terri Bailey Black unearths the long-buried secrets of a small New England town in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder, guilt, redemption, and finding love where least expected..

When I first heard about this book I immediately knew I needed to read it. It's such a me book. A historical mystery set in New England? Yes, please. So I was completely excited when Tor approved my request on Netgalley. And while this was an interesting and atmospheric read perfect for fall, I didn't love it.

One thing that I did like was the setting. I am a complete sucker for books that take place in New England. I live in New England and I love it so much so when I find books that take place here that capture the spirit and atmosphere of New England I am all for it. This book definitely did that. It didn't lean to hard into it either. I'm not sure it had a distinctly New England feel but it had the vibe and felt familiar. It had an atmosphere that I loved. The other great thing about the setting is the small town aspect of the story. Mysteries are perfect in small town settings because everyone knows everyone and is in one another's business which makes suspects out of so many people. And this was definitely an interesting small town where that was the case.

The only thing about the setting that I didn't love was the historical aspect. I was super pumped to read a historical mystery because it is one of my favorite subgenres. However, this book was just a mystery with a historical setting. In my opinion, if you are going to write a historical novel you need to root the story in history. It doesn't have to be about a specific event but it should feel like the time period. This book just felt timeless and that's not really a good thing. Sometimes I would forget it was not set in the modern era and then they would talk about carriages. I don't know if it was a lack or research or just lack of historical grounding. I think the author should have just leaned into the historical setting more than she did.

The plot however was kind of hit or miss for me. I will say, I loved the mystery. It was a really fantastic mystery with lots of things that unfolded throughout the book. This is one of those mysteries where I suspect everyone at one point or another so I am able to figure out who the culprit is but their motives and what actually happened didn't get revealed until the end which I liked. However, there was so much focus on the romance in this book. There's one very small mention about finding love in the synopsis but it was definitely a big part of the plot. Which wouldn't have been that big a deal if I liked the romance, but I didn't. It was a love triangle that annoyed me so much because the character kept changing her mind. But then again, I am hard to please when it comes to romance.

As far as the characters, they were fine but didn't impress me much. Valentine is a fine protagonist and is relatively easy to sympathize with. She's the town outcast and I can feel compassion for her in that respect and I wanted her to solve the mystery but throughout the book she got very frustrating. For one thing she kept thinking she figured everything out and was always wrong. After awhile I stopped trusting her and that is never the good thing in a mystery protagonist. And then there is the romance. Because seriously, both romantic leads were not likable. Maybe I kept them at arms length because I suspected them of being involved in the murder in some way, or maybe they just weren't my find of characters but either way, I was not a fan. But it's kind of the name of the game when it comes to mysteries when you suspect everyone of murder.

All in all this was an okay read, but not the book I was hoping for. It had a good setting and an engaging mystery but there was way too much romance and I didn't connect with the characters. I wanted to love it, but sadly I did not.

I give Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Black 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Bypass. If you are a fan of historical romances and want one with a good mystery then check this book out but I would not really recommend it to anyone who doesn't like romances.

Have you read Girl at the Grave? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Top Ten Tuesday: Historical Novels with a Globe-Trotting Adventure

A weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I feel like this week's prompt is really open-ended. I feel like it would be incredibly hard to narrow down all the books I read which don't take place in another country. That's just not enough direction for me. Originally I was thinking I could pick a country but that's just as difficult. So instead I'm playing with the prompt a bit so as to not make a decision. Here are some of my favorite books and series that take you on globe-trotting adventures.

1.) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Why beat around the bush and pretend like I wasn't going to add this book. I mean it one of my all-time favorite books and the reason I got into historical mysteries like this in the first place. Plus it has an amazing adventure that takes you throughout space and time.

2.) The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
When I first heard about this book it was referred to as the "big gay historical road trip book." It is totally that, but it is also so much more. It's an amazing and epic adventure novel and is also hilarious and sweet.

3.) Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco
While the first book in the series does keep you centrally located in London, later books in the series take you to different countries and on different adventures. I have a feeling the third one is going to be more like the second one so I'm including it.

4.) The Great Library series by Rachel Caine
I seriously love this series. I am cheating a little bit because it's not really historical. It is technically an alternate history but I use historical loosely as you will see later. Anyway, this series takes you all over the world where the sinister library is, and it's amazing!

5.) Custard Protocol series by Gail Carriger
I was originally going to put the Parasol Protectorate series on the list but in five books you really don't travel until the last two. However in the Custard Protocol each book takes you to a new local and it's more of a traditional globe-trotting travel kind of story.

6.) Passenger duology by Alexandra Bracken
This is another one of those books that takes you through time and space except it's not through flashbacks this time, it's actual time travel this time. But it totally has that globe-trotting adventure vibe to it and it's one of the best parts to the book.

7.) Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
This is also kind of cheating because it's alternate history, but it definitely has a historical vibe so I'm including it. Plus it's a classic road trip story in the literal sense. But I seriously love this book and this series and I loved the travel aspect.

8.) Outlander by Diana Gabeldon
Okay, this one is really cheating because I have only read the first book and that one basically only takes place in Scotland. But I've seen the TV show and know that in later books they go on more adventures to different places. DON'T AT ME!

9.) The Sherlockian by Graham Moore
I read this book a long time ago, before I even started blogging, when I was going through my historical mystery phase. I actually really enjoyed it even though I don't really like Sherlock Holmes (I SAID DON'T AT ME!). It's a fun literary themed travel story.

10.) People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
I also read this when I was in my historical mystery phase. This is a super classic one where a modern character finds something that ties people from throughout history together to each other and her. It takes you on a fun adventure around the world too.

11.) Invictus by Ryan Graudin
"Another time travel book?" you say. Yeah, another time travel book. If you want a globe-trotting adventure with historical settings you are bound to come across some time travel stories. This is a really good one. I mean Ryan Gruadin made the list twice so it must be good.

12.) A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Grey
I mean am I even pretending this is a collection of historical novels anymore? I'm trying to. Well this book is science fiction but it does take the reader to some alternative histories that are meant to feel like historical settings so whatever.

There you have it, my collection of historical(ish) novels that have globe-trotting adventures. What books made your list? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Arsonist by Stephanie Oakes

Title: The Arsonist Written by: Stephanie Oakes Published: April 22, 2017 by Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Molly Mavity is not a normal teenage girl. For one thing, her father is a convicted murderer, and his execution date is fast approaching. For another, Molly refuses to believe that her mother is dead, and she waits for the day when they’ll be reunited . . . despite all evidence that this will never happen. Pepper Yusef is not your average teenage boy. A Kuwaiti immigrant with epilepsy, serious girl problems, and the most useless seizure dog in existence, he has to write a series of essays over the summer . . . or fail out of school. And Ava Dreyman—the brave and beautiful East German resistance fighter whose murder at seventeen led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall—is unlike anyone you’ve met before. When Molly gets a package leading her to Pepper, they’re tasked with solving a decades-old mystery: find out who killed Ava, back in 1989. Using Ava’s diary for clues, Molly and Pepper realize there’s more to her life—and death—than meets the eye. Someone is lying to them. And someone out there is guiding them along, desperate for answers.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from Michelle who got it from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

When a blogger friend reads a book and then tells you they loved said book and think you will love it too, you listen. Especially if said friend knows your reading tastes and then also gives you their ARC of the book. I had been wanting to read this book since August when Michelle gave it to me but with my move and the reading slump I went through I didn't quite get to it until now. And I am so glad that I read it because I was not disappointed.

My favorite thing about this book was the mystery. This is one of those books where there is a quest through space and time, not like science fiction space and time, just like around the world and to a different time in history. I love books like that and this was a really good one. I loved being along for the ride as the characters traveled around in search of clues, watching it all unfold. For me it was one of those mysteries where I knew how it was all going to end but I was still curious how all the puzzle pieces would fit together. There were still a few surprises though. All in all it was a great mystery and therefore a really engaging plot.

The biggest mystery about this book however is the pacing. This is a pretty long book. The ARC was 491 pages and I breezed through it. Sometimes there are 500 page books that feel like 500 page books and sometimes there are 500 page books that don't feel like books that long. This book was the latter. I seriously couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened, I wanted to know how it was all connected. I even picked up the audiobook so that I didn't have to take that long to finish the book. It was that thrilling and that exciting a read.

One of the other more interesting books was the historical aspects. I am reading this book as part of my historical fiction month so of course I have to talk about the historical aspect to the story. I like my historical fiction to take actual events and people while bringing in fictional characters. This book did that to a lesser degree. The historical stuff was subtle which makes it much more accessible to people who aren't huge fans of historical fiction or historical mysteries. It honestly could have been any modern location that deals with oppressive governments and resistance movements but it chose to do it with a historical element. I really liked that. It's a more modern time but as someone who studied history in college with a specialization in the modern era I liked seeing a book focus on the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was another interest angle for the book.

As far as the characters, they were interesting but didn't quite blow me away. I think maybe this is because this book had three perspectives. First we had the historical perspective of Eva, then we had the modern perspectives of Molly and Pepper. The thing that times them all together is that they have dealt with a lot of loss in their lives. All three characters had rough histories and distinct voices. None of them have been hardened by their experiences. Eva still have a kindness about her, Molly still has this determination, and Pepper has such a great sense of humor. It made the characters really likable and relatable. I do however wish there had been a little bit more of an explanation for some of the side characters and their motivation. I think because there were so many main characters the secondary characters weren't fully fleshed out and in the end I was left wanting more.

But on the whole, this was a great read! I loved the plot full of mystery and adventure, I loved the fact that I couldn't put it down, I loved the historical aspects, and I liked the character. It was a total me book and I seriously owe Michelle for letting me read her copy.

I give The Arsonist by Stephanie Oakes 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy! I seriously loved this book. If you are a fan of historical mysteries like me definitely check this out. But even if you don't usually like historical novels but you want a book with an engaging mystery check this one out. It's worth the time.

Have you read The Arsonist? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPTY READING!

September Wrap Up and October TBR

Read in September: Historical Mystery

Another good month, although not as good as last month. Although honestly I don't think I could do better than last month. But with everything else going on in my life I think it's pretty good. In September I read a total of 14 books. There were a lot of audiobooks and two were comics, but still. A great reading month which is especially good because it was a super busy month for me. October will also be just as busy probably as I just moved and am now getting settled in Rhode Island. Anyway, as far as the books go I read some really good books this month. I really enjoyed a lot of the books I read, which is so good because I was super looking forward to many of them.

For challenges, I am doing okay but not as well as I would hope on some of the individual challenges. I lowered my Goodreads goal to 100 books for the year and that was a really good decision because I completed it this month. I raised it to 120 but may raise it to 150 which is what my original goal for the year. But we'll see how I feel at the end of the month when I hopefully finished that goal. But I like being ahead of that challenge and I feel much better about meeting my goals. I am also on track for the Debut Author Challenge of 25 debuts. This month I only read 1 debut, making my total for the year 19. If I make sure to read a few during the next two months I will definitely meet that goal for the year. For the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge, I read 4 books this months which makes my total 30 for the year. I'm thinking the 36 target is still doable as all I'll have to do is read 2 a month until the end of the year. For the Rock My TBR Challenge I read 1 book for that this month towards my goal of 25 for the year bringing my totally up to 12 for the year. I'm definitely behind on this one but I might be able to meet the actual challenge goal of 15. And finally, I did 1 post for the Discussion Challenge, making my total 10 for the year which is on track for my goal of 12.

The Books

1.) The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken
 Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) Prudence by Gail Carriger Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
 3.) Warcross by Marie Lu Rating 8 out of 10 [My Review]
4.) Odd and True by Cat Winters Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

5.) Runaways Vol. 3: Good Die Young by Brian K. Vaughn
and Adrian Alphona Rating: 9 out of 10

6.) Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]
7.) Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars [My Review]
8.) Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
9.) Runaways, Vol. 4: True Believers by Brian K. Vaughn
and Adrian Alphona Rating: 8 out of 10
10.) The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cool Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]
11.) Speak Easy Speak Love by McKelle George
 Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars [My Review]
12.) 13 Minutes by Sara Pinborough Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
13.) Jane Unlimited by Kristen Cashore Rating: 9 out of 10 [Review to Come]
14.) There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
Rating: 9 out of 10 [Review to Come]

Other Posts

Discussion Post: Life Update: I Quit My Job and I'm Moving
Crossing Over: Historical Fantasties With Lots of Humor
Waiting on Wednesday: Renegades by Marissa Meyer, Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman,
Blog Tours: Hunting Prince Dracula Interview with Kerri Maniscalco, Speak Easy, Speak Love Guest Post

To Be Read in October: Magical Realism

I am so excited for this month's theme. I've been really enjoying Magical Realism these days and I'm so excited to read some more this month. Plus there are going to be some super exciting debuts and some highly anticipated reads by favorite authors and some that I have heard really good things about. I hope it's going to be another good month.

Books for Review

The Memory Trees by Kali Wallace - Add to Goodreads
I'm part of the blog tour for this book and am super excited to read it. It sounds like a total me book. It fits better with last month's theme but I'm reading it this month so whatevs.

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore - Add to Goodreads

I have loved every single one of Anna-Marie's other books and I am so excited to read this beauty. It sounds amazing and is the reason why I am doing this theme.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao  - Add to Goodreads
I have heard really good things about this debut and I was so excited to get a copy at ALA. A copy that I really want to read this month.

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater - Add to Goodreads
I love Maggie. I have loved all her books that I have read. I'm excited for her next book and to see her take on Magical Realism. Based on The Raven Boys I assume it is going to be good.

 

The Knowing by Sharon Cameron - Add to Goodreads
I LOVED The Forgetting and I am super pumped that there is another book in this series. I can't wait to read this one and found out what happens to this world in the future.

This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis - Add to Goodreads

I have only read one Mindy McGinnis book despite wanting to read more. This one sounds totally amazing and like a fun non-horror-y Halloween read.

Shadowhouse Fall by Daniel Jose Older - Add to Goodreads
I continue to keep this book on my TBR list to remind myself to read it. I loved the first book but I still haven't read this one.

The Wicker King by J. Acrum- Add to Goodreads
This is another perfect read for the Halloween season. It sounds really interesting and I know a few people who have read it and loved it.

New Releases

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray - Add to Goodreads
I am so excited about this book. I have been waiting for two years for the next book in The Diviners series. This book is out tomorrow and I can't wait for my copy to arrive.

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Phillip Pullman - Add to Goodreads
I am a huge fan of the His Dark Materials series and was over the mood to find out that there were more books coming out. I can't wait to read this one.

Backlist Books

Imprudence by Gail Carriger - Add to Goodreads
I read Prudence last month and meant to read Imprudence but never got a chance to read it. I don't have any backlist books in mind for this month so hopefully I can read Imprudence.

There you have it. Some of the books I hope to read in October. As always, these are subject to change. I may read all of these or I may only read a few and then read a bunch of different ones. But honestly I think this list I can stick to. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!