A Place of Pretty Flowers

Finished February 18

A Place of Pretty Flowers by Jerrod Edson

This short novel is beautifully written. The events take place within a week, and each chapter has the date at the beginning so the reader can see when it happened. Set in small town New Brunswick, the story begins on August eleventh at the cemetery where Kevin Finch, a young man who aspired to be a professional writer, but who hasn't tapped into real success yet, is to be buried. The funeral party is waiting, as the hole where Kevin's grave should be isn't dug, and they aren't sure what to do.

As we jump back a few days to August sixth, and other days in between, we follow the lives of people whose lives interact with Kevin's in some way. Besides his parents, Joan and Jerry, we also see Jeremy Wiggins, the son of the owners of the funeral parlour, who is driving the hearse with Kevin's casket in it, and his older sister Carol who prepared the body. We see Reverend Richard Grey and his wife, who are dealing with their own life challenges. 

There are also Joan's friends, who include younger members such as Carol and her partner Amy; Prin, a young single mother with a baby daughter Daisy; Sonia, a university professor; and Barb, similar in age to Joan, who has a strong rebellious streak. 

There are also the medical examiner at the local hospital, Dr. Edward Ramsey; one of the cleaners at the hospital, Irene Thorne; and Irene's husband Carl. Key to the action are gravedigger brothers Pete and Gabe Landry and the scheme they have going on the side. 

One of the stories is the wedding that Kevin was attending the night he died, with old acquaintances and his ex-girlfriend Kate, including his backstory with her.

And watching everyone is Detective Harry Ross and Constable Ladd. Harry is an old pro at police work, and Ladd is new, bright, and eager to learn. The title of the book comes from a comment Harry makes to Ladd about the cemetery, that it is a place with pretty flowers, but there is a lot buried beneath that façade, a statement that relates to the work they do. 

I really enjoyed this novel and was interested to see how everything came together and the stories of the people that go deeper than what those around them see. The story has real meat to it, and left me lots to think about.

Live Fast

Finished December 24

Live Fast by Brigitte Giraud, translated by Cory Stockwell

This is an interesting novel as the author looks back on the accidental death of her partner, Claude, decades before. She recounts the chain of events that led up to the accident, and for each of them wonders what if something different had happened. It is something that I think anyone who has lost someone due to something that was preventable wonders, but seeing it all spelled out takes this to another level.

One can sense the loss that the death was, and how the present day event of leaving the house that the couple had just bought, but not yet moved to, would trigger this reflection. 

I was touched by the everyday events that she described and the way that small choices bring us to a different reality. 

An amazing read. 

Delicate Ink

Finished November 16

Delicate Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

This is the first book in a series around the Montgomery family. Set in Denver, Colorado, the central family has several adult children, and their parents. There are also additional cousins that make a family get-together quite large. For this novel Austin Montgomery is the central male character. He runs a tattoo studio with his younger sister and a close friend. 

New to town is Sierra Elder. She has opened a women's clothing store across the street from the studio. Sierra has some trauma in her past that hasn't been entirely put to rest. She's tried to move on, but hasn't been able to escape certain aspects of it. We gradually learn about this past through the story. She's made friends with the woman that runs the café next door to Montgomery Ink, and has been thinking about getting a tattoo, but she carries herself with elegance and usually opts for higher end clothing like that sold in her shop.

Austin has full tattoo sleeves, as well as other body art and a beard, and his looks leans rougher than the average. He also loves to ride his motorcycle, which adds to that image. When the two meet, there is both attraction and some less positive energy, but they do gradually become more friendly. 

Austin has an ex that is a little possessive, and he is dealing with a family health issue that has him worried. He also has other worries about siblings and cousins that are touched on, and may lead to plots in the other books in the series. There are other plot surprises that add new issues to the story.

There is a subplot of an interest in BDSM sexual practices that is discussed and seen. 

The relationship seems to move quite quickly, and the story seems to jump forward by weeks at times, so I found myself missing the nuances of the relationship development, wondering how they got to this new dynamic. Interesting characters, and the plot kept me interested. 

The Summer of Yes

Finished September 2

The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

This is a great summer novel, perfect for vacation reading. The main character is Kelsey Worthington. One day, on her way to work, after picking up her boss's coffee for a favour, she is hit by a car that jumped the curb. The next thing she knows is waking up in a hospital bed. She is lucky to not have more serious injuries than she does, and she begins to reconsider some of her life choices. 

When the other bed in her room is taken by legendary businesswoman Georgina Tate, she thinks of it as an opportunity. Not necessarily to further her career in publishing, but to get her out of her rut. 

As the women exchange advice, Georgina finds herself swept along in Kelsey's plans to have a summer of saying yes to opportunities. 

One of her first steps once she is out of the hospital is to reengage with her best friend, and then to take a leave of absence from her job to work on her own writing dreams. 

Georgina has focused her life on her business, leaving little room for the family that moved away from her years ago. Now that she is facing health issues, she too is thinking about her life and what she gave up in her quest for business success. 

This is a tale of second chances, risk-taking, and being open to what life offers you. A book that is full of emotions. 

Mercy Snow

Finished May 19

Mercy Snow by Tiffany Baker

This story takes place in the mid-1990s in a small town in the mountains of New Hampshire called Titan Falls. A great many of the men in the town work at the local paper mill, run for generations by the McAllister family. There is another family that has owned land for generations as well, further along the Androscoggin river, the Snow family. The town thought that Gert Snow, the last of the them had died after going missing in the 1950s, until a distant relative named Pruitt showed up in the 1970s to claim it. When  siblings Mercy, Zeke, and Hannah roll into town in their old RV and pull it onto the family property they've come looking for Pruitt their father after their mother Arlene died. But Pruitt is dead as well, and so the three settle in. They've lived a nomad life, travelling around the country with their mother, Arlene until she died recently. As they discover the death of their father, they settle in, but find that the community feeling is against them from the beginning. Zeke has trouble finding work but Mercy finds a job assisting Hazel Bell at her sheep farm. 

When a teenage outing by bus results in an accident that has one girl dead and the bus driver, Hazel's husband Fergus in bad condition in hospital, the Snow family is soon drawn into the drama, and Mercy's efforts to work against that bring unexpected stirrings of other emotions to the town. 

The McAllisters are also involved as June brings her own feelings along with her husband's plans to work on the Snow family. 

This book reminds me of the books of John Irving, and would be a great read-alike for those that love his stories. The setting is a big part of the story, but the characters are also deftly drawn and have deep backstories. A great read. 

Witch of Wild Things

Finished November 29

Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

This is the first book in a series called Wild Magic. Sage Flores is the oldest of three sisters and eight years ago she left her hometown of Cranberry, Virginia after the death of her youngest sister, Sky. Middle sister Teal blames her for Sky's death, although they both know that isn't the case. 

The girls grew up in their aunt Nadia's house after their mother left town when they were young. A family legend says that it is a curse that all the women in the family have magic in them, and sometimes it feels that way. Sage's gift is with plants. She can identify plants from the smallest piece of them, and can communicate with them in a way. Sky's gift was with animals, and Teal's with weather. 

Sky fell from a cliff when engaging in risky behaviour, but her body was never found. Her ghost haunts Sage, offering ups cups of flavoured coffee and sometimes, when Sage cries, becoming visible to her. Sky tells her that she can't move on until Sage heals the rift between herself and Teal. 

Sage began working with jewelry and had a job teaching at a college. Budget cuts cost her the position, and she is moving back home as the book begins. Nadia's glad to have her back, but Teal not so much. Sage's best friend Laurel is also looking forward to her return. She lets Sage know that her old crush Tennessee Reyes is also back in town. 

Nadia has contacted some people in town already, and Sage finds that she already has a job offer back with the local garden company. She worked there in high school, where she became known as the 'plant whisperer'. 

Interspersed in the story are online chat conversations between Sage and Reyes from their high school days. Sage knew who she was talking to, but he didn't and never found out. This is something that becomes a part of the plot in the novel. The two are thrown together in a project at their workplace where they are tasked with visiting places in the area to look for local plants that aren't already supplied there. Working together means that they get to know each other, and figure out what drives each other in their lives, but they also find themselves drawn to each other. 

I really enjoyed the magical part of this novel, and the ways in which the different characters related to each other. A satisfying read. 

These Still Black Waters

Finished October 6

These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald

This is the first book in a series featuring police officer Jess Lambert. Some of the story is from Jess's point of view. She is recently returned to work and detective work after an automobile accident that took the life of her daughter Isla and left her with permanent injuries. She drives a modified motorcycle, and struggles with her loss. She sees her Isla in both work and home situations and finds herself talking to her. She has soothed herself with alcohol, even as she feels guilt that she had a drink before driving the day of the accident.

The central character in this book though is Neve Maguire. Neve and her husband have recently made the decision to separate, but the day they chose to tell their teenage daughter Ash, they were the victim of a violent home invasion. 

Neve has retreated to the house she spent summers in, in the small town of Black Lake. She had a couple of close friends, Bee and Sandra, but the last summer she spent there was a disturbing one, and the secrets of that summer are gradually revealed over the course of the novel. 

Soon after Neve arrives, a neighbour is found dead in the lake, something that has personal significance to Neve. Jess is the lead officer on the case, and she finds herself being guided by her daughter's words. She is also following leads suggested by Neve's words and actions as she talks to her about the woman who died. 

This is an interesting new series, with lots of emotional situations, and some strange twists. 

I found it compelling to read, and the ending gives a hint towards further books in the series. 

Love, Holly

Finished March 12

Love, Holly by Emily Stone

This book has a cover that makes it look like a light romance, but it is more complex than that. The book begins with Holly and her sister Lily are driving from London to a rental cottage in the country to join their parents for Christmas, with Lily's husband due to come up later. 

When they make an impromptu stop for a coffee for Holly, and a mint tea for Lily, who is in the later stages of pregnancy, Holly has a meet cute with an attractive man and gets his number.

As the two women get back on the road, an accident happens that changes everything. As a result Holly has been estranged from her family for years, and has found a new career as an art teacher, abandoning her own hopes for a career as an artist. As part of her grieving process, Holly has been participating in a program where the participants send letters anonymously at the holidays to someone else, and receive a letter in return from someone. When Emma, the woman whose letter Holly received, gives out some information in her letter that Holly recognizes, she is determined to find her and reconnect her with her estranged family. 

As the story comes full circle and Holly is reunited with the man she met just before the accident, she finds that her friendship with Emma is leading her back to dealing with her own family issues.

This is a story that begins with a tragedy, with other sad events influencing the plot, but that comes down to issues around grief and communication. The story carries you along quickly, and leaves you with a feel-good ending. 

Jack and Kill

Finished February 12

Jack and Kill by Diane Capri

This is another short story in the series Hunt for Reacher, and this one immediately follows Jack in a Box. Gaspar has heard of a sighting of Reacher in the tiny town of New Hope, Virginia, and now the two FBI agents, Gaspar and Otto are travelling there to see what they can find.

When they arrive, they find traffic moving slowly due to what appears to be a road accident where one vehicle has rear-ended another, but the local police seem to be expecting agency staff, and they soon see why. 

The two agents are able to access video showing them what happened, and this gives them a real glimpse of their quarry, Reacher, in action. Someone else they have met recently soon arrives on the scene as well, and the two are left with new questions. like why did Reacher return to this town and get involved in this situation. 

A nicely done story that gives us a sense of the difficult case the two agents have. 

Snowstorms & Sleigh Bells

Finished December 22

Snowstorms & Sleigh Bells by Kelley Armstrong

This novella is part of the A Stitch in Time series where characters have access to a place where they time travel. Here, Rosalind Courtenay, her husband August, and their five-year-old son Edmund, have come to visit friends at Christmas. At their friends' home, Thorne Manor, there is a room where there is a spot where the house's family time travels often. The wife is from the present day, and the husband from Victorian Scotland, and they have lives in both time periods. Rosalind has recently returned to Victorian times after finding herself stuck in the future for a reasonably long time. So she is wary of that room, and of getting stuck away from her family again. 

When her young son goes into the future alone, she and her husband follow, and have an adventure of their own that brings them closer to each other, and initiates curiosity about their cultural past as well as about the technology of the future. 

This story also brings in a paranormal aspect as Edmund has the ability to see ghosts, and more than one appears in this story.

I haven't read any of this series, but this definitely has me interested reading more.

A Grave Disturbance

Finished October 31

A Grave Disturbance by D.M. Greenwood

This is the 8th book in the series featuring Theodora Braithwaite, an Anglican deacon. A school friend, Susan Tye, who is the wife of the Provost of Giltchrist Cathedral, calls her for assistance. Susan has noticed her husband behaving suspiciously and want Theodora's assistance in the issue. The same day that she is due to arrive, a workman on the roof of the cathedral falls to his death. 

Lionel Comfret, the Assistant (Lay) Diocesan Secretary, who works for the Archbishop, is thinking about his upcoming retirement. He quite looks forward to it. He has been with the church for ten years, and had been both a soldier and a teacher before this position. Early in the book there is a meeting that includes Lionel, Archdeacon Marcus More, Provost Reggie Tye, and Canon Kate Wale and this gives a good sense of the abilities and limitations of these senior clergy who figure in the plot. We also see the secretary for the senior clergy Mrs. Lure and see her lack of effort in her job. Overall, these early scenes give us a very good idea of why Lionel is looking forward to his retirement. It is during the meeting that the accident occurs, and Lionel is a witness to it, as he watches from the window. 

On the drive back with Theodora, Lionel talks about the accident and about the town, which has three distinct areas. Cray Martyr is the poorer part of town, the part where the victim came from. The parish priest there, Tobias Angel is a strong advocate for his parishioners and a personality in his own right, as we see later. Giltchrist is where the cathedral close is, and between them is Gainshurst a more posh part of town, where both the Archdeacon and the Canon live. 

Kate Wale is married to a developer, Leslie Wale, who has done very well for himself and both of them left behind their Cray Martyr childhoods. The were both acquainted with the Lee family, of whom Mick Lee, the victim, was the middle child. As we discover, there is history between the families, but also a history of distrust between the family and the church to some extent. 

We soon hear about the reason for Susan's request for Theodora's visit and Susan's plans for her during that time. 

I enjoyed the depth of the characters here, especially Lionel, but also Kate to an extent. We see how Lionel finds a possible new future role in an environment that he has more respect for the leadership in, and we see how he spends his leisure time. Theodora is somewhat frustrated by Susan's demands, but falls in to assist Lionel in finding answers. 

A very interesting read, which I got caught up in quite quickly. 

Before and Again

Finished August 21

Before and Again by Barbara Delinsky

This novel begins with a scene in the past that is life-changing. Taking her eyes from the road briefly to check her GPS as she drives her daughter to a playdate, Mackenzie Cooper misses a sign and ends up in a tragic car accident. 

The main storyline is nearly five years later, when Cooper, now living as Maggie Reid, is divorced and living in a resort town in Vermont. In her previous life, she was a successful sculptor. Now she is a makeup artist, working at a luxury spa. She has created a life where only a couple of people know about her past. She has a small rural home, and pets that she loves. We gradually see over the course of the book how she has created a new life for herself here, and has friends that truly support her as she does them. 

But things are suddenly getting shaken up, and Maggie must make choices. First her friend Grace's son Chris is arrested for hacking computers, and one of the victims is turning it into a media circus. Her friend Grace has reasons to be scared that go beyond her son's alleged crime.

Then she finds someone from her own past is involved in the new ownership of the spa, and her secrets may be in danger of being revealed. 

As we gradually get to see the people from her past and how they've struggled as well, this story becomes richer and more nuanced. 

This is a story of a woman struggling with grief and guilt, and trying to figure out how to move forward with her life, which she can't fully do without dealing with the past.

As usual with Delinsky, this novel explores relationships both with others and with oneself. 

Adam

Finished March 13

Adam by Jennifer Ashley

This novella is the first in a series set around a small Texas community and a family who trains horses and does stunt riding. Adam left town a few years ago to work in Hollywood, but he's recently had a bad accident and has come back home to recuperate and recover. 

He is surprised to find that his high school girlfriend Bailey is also back in town and working at his family's ranch. She trains horses and is starting to do stunts herself. Adam is conflicted about the situation. He still has feelings for Bailey, but his recent accident has left him wary of the possibilities of harm that come with the job. 

As the two get reacquainted and Adam catches up on what Bailey has been doing these past few years, they grow closer and Adam finds that he might once again need her help to move forward, whether with her or not. He also has the time to get to know his brothers as adults.

This is a light and easy romance with problems resolved easier than one might expect in real life.