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Nora Shaw hasn't spoken to her childhood best friend, Clare Cavendish, in ten years.  A reclusive crime writer, Nora avoids social interaction with just about everyone.  Which is why she's so shocked when she gets an email from Clare's new BFF inviting her to Clare's upcoming hen party.  Not having received a wedding invitation, Nora was unaware of the looming nuptials.  The last thing she wants to do is spend a long weekend with someone she hasn't seen in a decade, but feelings of both curiosity and guilt convince her to accept the invite.  

The party venue—an isolated glass house in the English countryside—does nothing to relieve Nora's anxiety about the hen weekend.  Nor does its hostess, a nervous, eager-to-please woman named Flo.  The other party guests—virtual strangers to one another—seem almost as ill-at-ease as Nora.  As the gathering gets going, things soon go horribly awry.  When Nora wakes up in the hospital with only fractured memories of what has occurred, she must connect the fuzzy dots to figure out how someone in the glass house ended up dead.  And why she's being accused of murder.  

In a Dark, Dark Wood—a debut novel by Ruth Ware—has gotten a lot of buzz since its publication in 2015.  Inevitable comparisons to The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl made psychological thriller fanatics (like Yours Truly) take notice.  Naturally, I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of the book.  Although its big finale was a little predictable, on the whole, I was not disappointed with Ware's freshman effort.  The author excels at creating a spooky, unsettling atmosphere that gives a shivery vibe to the whole story.  Plotwise, it's a tense, taut tale that's twisty enough to keep the reader on edge.  The big reveal at the end isn't all that surprising, true, but the book's still engrossing and suspenseful.  Dark, yes.  Disturbing, yes.  Depressing, yes.  And yet, overall, I enjoyed this addicting page turner.  It kept me reading in a dark, dark bedroom way, way past my bedtime.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, blood/gore, and depictions of illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of In a Dark, Dark Wood from the generous folks at Simon and Schuster via those at NetGalley.  Thank you!)

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If you have elementary school-aged kids, you're probably familiar with the I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis.  The author has written about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the sinking of the Titanic, the Hindenburg disaster, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and many other true events in fictionalized, eye witness accounts.  These short, action-packed volumes teach kids about significant historical moments while entertaining them with a tense, exciting story.  After helping with the reading program at my kids' elementary school for years, I can tell you with absolute authority—these are very popular books.  

I've read several of the books in the sereis, but it wasn't until Tarshis published the newest installment that I could finally say, "Hey, I survived that, too!"  Technically, of course, I survived the attacks on September 11, 2001, as well as the Japanese tsunami and the Joplin tornado (both of 2011), but I wasn't anywhere near where those disasters occurred when they did.  The eruption of Mout St. Helens, though, is a different story.  On May 18, 1980, I was living in a small town in Washington State that sits only about 168 miles from the volcano.  Although I was only four, I remember seeing ash on the roads after the eruption.  Not much of a survival story, I know, but the fact that I had even a smidgen of experience with the event made I Survived: The Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980 more real to me.  I also related a lot to the book's main character because, like her, I grew up in the shadow of a quiet, majestic mountain.  Gazing at Mount Hood still brings me feelings of serenity, contentment, and awe.  Lurking under its facade, however, is a volcano that scientists say could blow at any time.  As is demonstrated in Tarshis' latest (and many of her other books), growing complacent in the face of nature's vast, destructive power can be very dangerous indeed.

I Survived: The Eruption of Mount St. Helens tells the volcano's story through the eyes of 11-year-old Jessie Marlowe, who happens to be Tarshis' first female protagonist.  Naturally, she's on the scene when St. Helens blows and has to fight her way out.  Her survival story is full of danger and daring, which will appeal to readers of both genders.  Those who enjoy learning about volcanoes will also like this tale, which contains plenty of facts that are explained succinctly enough to be interesting without bogging down the book's fast-paced plot.  This novel, along with the others in the series, are perfect reads for reluctant readers as well as non-fiction lovers who yearn for "real" stories.  Kids love these books and, you know what?  I do, too.

(Readalikes:  Other books in the I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis; also the Who/What Was _______? series by various authors; and the Dear America series by various authors)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for scary situations and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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The vicar promised his community that if they found God, no one would be lost.  So, why is Margaret Creasey missing?  Where has the friendly, well-liked woman gone?  Grace Bennett and Tilly Albert, both ten, are concerned with Mrs. Creasey's sudden disappearance.  If they find God, like the vicar instructed, will they also find Margaret?  The girls embark on a quest to locate both.  

As Grace and Tilly visit all the houses on their street, they learn a great deal about the people who inhabit them.  All of them—it seems—harbor secrets, secrets they shared with Mrs. Creasey.  Has the woman disappeared because of something she knew?  Everyone thinks creepy Walter Bishop killed her.  Did he?  Or is someone else to blame?  As a relentless summer heat wave turns ordinary people into cantankerous monsters, Grace and Tilly are determined to solve a very puzzling mystery.  

The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, a debut novel by English psychiatrist Joanna Cannon, is a funny, moving novel about hypocrisy, judgment and perception vs. reality.  Sharp, but nuanced, it's a thoughtful story that will leave readers examining their own lives for the contradictions that lurk within us all.  The fact that it's narrated by children makes the tale even more poignant.  I picked up The Trouble with Goats and Sheep on a whim and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  I'll definitely be keeping an eye this author—I can't wait to see what she does next! 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me a bit of Whistling in the Dark and Good Graces by Lesley Kagen)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives) and violence

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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"In Antarctica, every decision is weighty, every outcome either a tragedy or a miracle" (29).

A professor of marine biology at University of Oregon, Deb Gardner lives for the few months out of the year when she heads south to study penguins.  The 39-year-old feels more at home in the harsh Antarctic climate researching her favorite creatures than she does anywhere else.  For the past few years, her trips have had an added bonus: Keller Sullivan.  It's during these annual trips that they rekindle their romance, a relationship that doesn't leak into their real lives in the U.S. 

In exchange for passage to her research site, Deb is playing tour guide on the Cormorant.  Keller is supposed to be on the boat as well.  When he doesn't show, Deb starts to worry.  Then the Cormorant receives an emergency signal from a nearby cruise liner in trouble.  She soon discovers that Keller is on board—that's when she starts to panic.  In such a perilous, unforgiving landscape, the Australis—along with her passengers and crew—is surely doomed.  

A researcher turned rescuer, a desperate Deb will do anything to save the man she loves.  Will their romance end before it even really begins?  What will happen to the panicked people stranded in frigid waters far from any hope of salvation?  Can life prevail at the frozen edge of the world?

The premise behind My Last Continent, a debut novel by Midge Raymond, hooked me immediately.  I enjoy survival stories set in remote locales where characters must battle extreme weather and other impossible obstacles in order to triumph.  This story certainly offers that, but it's not as flashy a tale as I expected.  Which is a good thing.  The slow-building plot appealed to me.  It helped me really understand the book's complex characters, intriguing location, and cautionary themes.  The animal/Antarctic facts added to the story, giving it depth but never bogging it down.  Most of My Last Continent's action comes at the end, which is perfect because, by then, the reader truly cares what happens to Deb, Keller, and their associates.  The tension all comes to a head in the book's taut, terrifying conclusion.  An engrossing, atmospheric novel, My Last Continent is definitely worth the read.  I loved it.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me [at least thematically] of Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find