A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Maybe Charlotte Holmes was still learning how to pick apart a case; maybe I was still learning how to write. We were Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I was okay with that, I thought. We had things they didn't, too. 

I have so many mixed feelings about this story. This book had a lot of hype, and I was lucky enough to get an ARC. In the usual Mariesa-fashion, it took a few months to actually get to reading it. 

And I....enjoyed it?

This book comes out on March 1st

Stats:

Genre:  Modern day Mystery

Feelings: Eh?

Cuteness: -cough- i'm trying not to but I ship it. Honestly I'd sib-ship too. I just love the dynamic between these two.

Fast pacing: While the pacing was nice, this wasn't a -stay-up-until-2am-book for me

Series: IT BETTER BE.

Read if you like: Gee, Sherlock Holmes, maybe?

Content: Highschooly situations. As in, partying, dating, smoking and such. Drug use. A character was raped in the past, and this is discussed now and then but never in graphic detail.

Trigger warning? Drug use. Rape.

In summary... Jamie Watson has won a scholarship to a Connecticut prep school! Except...the downside is this school is home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective great-great-great-granddaughter. And when someone gets murder and both of them are framed...things go downhill.

Thoughts: Heels clicking on stone walkways, glass beakers and rough tree branches

Messages: I mean, there's drug stuff but this book never really has any MESSAGE about it?

Rating: 3.5/5

So I adore Sherlock Holmes. Naturally, this resulted in intense fangirling upon receiving this ARC.

But it took me so much longer to get through it then I'd wanted.

-The Characters-

Charlotte. She was wonderful. I had rather hoped that this Charlotte Holmes character would be a bit different than the BBC Sherlock, which she really wasn't. So while that was a tad disappointing, she still remains my favorite character. She was realistic, and her times of showing that humanity were well placed. Often times I can get a bit tired of female characters who are Too Much and Too Strong, but Charlotte was brilliant and strong-minded, but she still showed her human side. Like...three times. If that makes sense. She was just a fun character, okay.

Jamie Watson. The human equivalent of a vaguely sullen teddy bear who just cares a lot. He plays rugby. Meh. But he tries very hard. Kinda messes up a lot. Literally follows Charlotte to the ends of the earth. And you can tell he really likes her. Like really likes her, but that's not how Charlotte works, so I appreciate that he didn't push it. He was perfectly happy being her best friend and I liked that.

The side characters were fun, if kind of stereotypical. The villain was a bit meh, I guess is my major complaint. I loved the main characters enough to read this book, but the mystery side was a bit lacking.

-Plot and Writing-

This is a mystery novel. And it did have it's Murdery and Mystery-y aspects. But unfortunately, I just didn't care? I found myself skimming all the mystery-parts, which probably isn't good, but the parts of them sleuthing weren't as engaging as I'd hoped.

The climax came with the big villain info-dump, and the showdown itself wasn't all that exciting. Other parts of the book were actually more intriguing then the actual showdown.

Brittany is a great storyteller. I really look forward to reading her other stories, and I am hoping she writes more about these characters. Jamie's voice felt very strong and realistic to him, but to be honest, after reading the epilogue which is written from Charlotte's POV, I wanted the book to be her POV. Of course, that wouldn't have worked out. But I can hope, can't I?

To be perfectly honest, I think that Epilogue is the reason I enjoyed this book. I liked it, but that epilogue put the perfect bow on this story, and after reading it, I set it down and thought "Yes. Yes, I like these two. I'll keep them."

-Messages and other-

There's not much to say about the themes and messages of this book. Probably because this book doesn't have much to say either. There was no stance on the drugs, or any of the things dealt with, really. Some of the more serious things dealt with did feel a bit like plot-devices.

That basically sums up my thoughts on the story. This is a Good Book. But this isn't the type of book with hidden gems, lovely metaphors and themes and messages to take from it. It's just that. A Good Story with some Good Characters. I'm not saying that every book has to have these things, but it does help to make something memorable. Luckily, this book is clever enough that I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon.

And SO. I did really enjoy this book. I'll put it back on my shelf fondly, and look forward to the next release. There better be one. I hope that if there are more installments, that they will have a bit more meaning.

Overall, I do really recommend this book. It's funny, it's fun to read, and these characters are quite easy to love. Read it, love it, just don't expect to learn from it.

A Madness so Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

“Sometimes the loveliest places harbor the worst monsters.” 

Another arc I was blessed to received. This book just recently came out, and seeing as I just finished a novel of my own regarding mental asylums, I immediately leaped upon the chance to read it. I wasn't blown away, but I definitely wasn't disappointed. 

Stats:

Genre:  Historical fiction

Feelings: More or less. Not heart-wrenching, but moving.

Happiness: I loved a lot of the character dynamics, and those made me smile.

Cuteness: Not really.

Fast pacing: Slow as molasses, but still interesting. Nothing felt forced.

Series: Nope

Read if you like: Mental health, the history of asylums, murder, mysteries, detectives and angst

Content: Talk of rape. Some disturbing mental treatments, some including a pregnant woman going into labor that were quite horrifying. 

Trigger warning? Loss of a baby

In one sentence... A girl sent away to an asylum for something that wasn't he fault is taken away by a detective who obsesses over death, hoping to use the cover of her insanity to help him solve murder.

Thoughts: Creepy mildew wood and ice cold water

Messages: Interesting thoughts on the way life was for woman and mental patients.

Overall

Rating: 3.5/5

Very vague spoilers regarding character relationships

-The characters-

Ah, Grace. And interesting, well developed character. And yet, I never really connected with her. I didn't hate her, but she felt distant. That being said, her voice was strong, fitting well with the setting and aesthetics.

She dealt with some real crap, and early in the book, I felt for her. A lot. I was about ready to jump into the book to hide her away. As it progressed, the story got a bit slower, which may be why I didn't care for her just as much. That being said, she stayed strong, never once slipping. 

Thornhollow was a lot of fun. A few of the reviews I've read have compared this to the book Jackaby. 

Well, Thornhollow is nothing like Jackaby. He's dark, starting out uncaring and rude, wanting what he wants and not truly caring about Grace. But you can see that bit of quirk underneath, which makes him interesting. He's a lot of fun, really. His banter isn't that sarcastic or snarky, but somehow so entertaining. 

The side characters were great, and you could tell that they were developed. Each one had a unique voice, even characters that showed up for a short time. That's something I love in historical fiction. 

Also: NO ROMANCE. Can I just say how happy I am about that? Neither characters are ready for romance, and while I can see them in a relationship, I just loved that it wasn't forced. I loved watching their relationship grow into something protective and realistic. I think that's what this book's best trait is. Realism .

-The Writing and Structure-

I've heard nothing but good things about McGinnis's writing, and now that I have read her work, I agree. She definitely knows her words. I have yet to read Not A Drop To Drink, but I really hope she keeps writing historical fiction. 

The structure was probably the weakest part. It was slow.

While there was murder, everything felt weirdly paced. There were a lot of plot lines going on, consisting of Grace's father, the actual murder, Grace's secret insanity, and then the asylum backstory. All of these felt randomly pushed together, some of them not relating when all along I thought they would. The whole thing felt vaguely disjointed, and when different plot lines didn't connect at the end, it felt un-fulfilling.

Still, the writing was so good, and the actual plot points so interesting, that it wasn't a boring read, it was just less engaging than others I've read. 

Also: Totally random, but when an Irish character is introduced, and McGinnis attempted to write the accent so it read how it would be said...it just annoyed be. Like. No. Please don't do that.

-Messages and Other-

This book had less obvious messages it was trying to say, at least for me. It was an enjoyable read, but in the end, I didn't leave with anything new. That being said, it was definitely such a fascinating peak into this setting. 

The treatment of mental patients has grown so much, and the treatments in this day and age were so screwed up.

 I adored the descriptions, the look into the way things works. You could just tell how much research McGinnis did. 

Really, every person in the world has a dark twisted side, and this book really accurately showed how someone as quiet as Grace was, can have something lurking inside. It was a fascinating peak into the mind, and the early 19th century. 

Overall, this book didn't blow my mind, but it definitely will be put fondly onto my shelf.

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

"Trudy smiled ruefully. 'What can I say? I merely wish to smoke...You, on the other hand, wish to know things. And no one can forgive a girl for that.'"

Firstly: the cover. The cover. Can we....

Just look at that cover. While I was expecting some sort of scary, possibly horror book when I bought it, I still ended up loving this. I need all of Jennifer Donnelly's books and I need them now. Every part of this book, from the writing to that 1890's-vague-girl-power-feel, really somehow worked so well together. 

Stats:

Genre:  Historical fiction

Feelings: While not necessarily heart-wrenching, this book definitely had fun messing with me

Happiness: The writing. Guys. THE WRITING

Cuteness: I thought that certainly I wouldn't ship it. After all. INSTALOVE. But then I /did/ ship it.

Fast pacing: Well paced, but not fast

Series: Nope

Read if you like: 1890's, murder mysteries, and plucky female characters

Content: Some violence, some talk of sex but all in conversations of marriage and courtship, never graphic. A brothel is mentioned, discussed, and visited for investigation purposes. Some slight violence

In one sentence... Jo wants to write, and she wants to write not the airy things her all-girls prep school is teaching her to write, but she wants to write like Nelly Bly--and when her father is found dead, and she has a run in with a reporter who believes it was something other than an accidental death.....she might just get her chance to do just that.

Thoughts: Cobblestones wet with rain in the middle of the night

Messages: Some really cool insights into the gender-roles of that day and age

Overall

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a spoiler free review

The Lovely Bits

This was just such a fun book. I ended up doing a read along with Emma from Of Starry Knights and Lullabies, and it pretty much consisted of the two of us over skype freaking out. 

-Characters-

Ah, Jo. See, Jo is the type of character who in a modern day setting I'd probably hate. She wants big things. She wants success and importance. She wants to have a role in life. She wants to be dangerous. 

But Jo, dear thing, is so painfully naive. She's clueless, knowing nothing about the dangers of life. And so she does a lot of dumb things.

But here's the thing. She's a 1890's high-class girl, brought up to be docile and naive and well-bred. And that's why I love her. Because Jo, despite the fact that she knows so little about life, won't take anyone's crap. Forget the fact that she's so absolutely clueless, she's still going to do whatever it takes to figure out what she wants to know. She wants to figure out the truth, and she doesn't let her limitations stop her. 

It's such a hard character type to pull off, but in this setting I loved it. 

What I really loved about this book, is that every character had a personality. While some were more vibrant than others, not character she introduced, even if just for a few pages, felt cardboard. They all had some trait that stood out. Names would be thrown around like they needed no explanation and that really enhanced the feel of the book.

Eddie was kind of just a lot of adorable. Like, I don't love him as much as some others, but he was a fun character. His interactions with Jo....a+

-Writing and Structure-

Murder mysteries are hard. Historical novels are hard.

Historical murders mysteries? HA. Hats off to you, Donelly. She nailed it. Everything was well paced, confusing without being frustrating, and always interesting. 

And her writing. I just finished a historical mystery of my own, so reading this right after writin a crappy-first draft was a bad idea. Because her prose is so lovely. It fits the feel of historical fiction so well, making you easily slip into the cold streets of New York City, decades ago. It's obvious by reading her books. Jennifer Donelly is made for historical fiction.

-Messages and other-

Some books can come across too feminist, and for someone like me who's rather against many of the stuff feminists are saying nowadays, that can be tricky. But the thing is, in this historical decade, it fit. 

The gender roles were so screwed up in the late 1800's, and seeing that written so well was outstanding. I adore history, but even I didn't really quite see how messed up some of it was, because I've spend so much time in the 20th century, or the suffrage movements early 1900's. 

While many of the feminist messages aren't relevant in today's day and age, I really loved every message that was in this book, simply because of how much I learned without even realizing I was learning. 

Less Lovely Bits

There wasn't one particular thing that I can say I didn't like, there was just something that didn't seem quite right. Maybe what it was, is that I loved it but not enough for it to become THAT book. I finished it satisfied, but not blown away. 

The only things I can thing of is some cases of telling, especially when wrapping up stuff in the end. That got a little boring to read. Eddie and Jo were a bit insta-lovey, and while I don't want to look passed that with a "Historical Context" excuse, it didn't bother me as much, maybe because I liked them both. 

Also: The title. This whole book, from the page one peek at grave digging, I was waiting. When were they gonna start digging up graves??? I waited through hundreds of pages until it finally came, and while it wasn't bad I just was kinda hoping for more of that sooner.

Other than that, I have nothing else to say. These Shallow Graves is a solid story, and 


Overall, this book was so insanely fun to read. The writing was on point, the characters interesting, and the plot engaging. I would seriously recommend this to teens and adults a like, anyone looking to get a peek into the 19th century lifestyle....with a touch of murder.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

Millions of healthy young adults and children dropped dead from the flu, boys got transported out of the country to be blown to bits, and the government arrested citizens for speaking the wrong words. Such a place couldn’t be real. And it couldn’t be the United States of America, “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
But it was.
I was on a train in my own country, in a year the devil designed.
1918.

I've got a lot of emotions about this book. I have picked up this book so many times. Spaniish influenza and ghosts?? But every time it never gets read. Well. I read it.

Stats:

Genre: Paranormal-ish Historical

Feelings: YesSs

Happiness: Ah yes.

Cuteness: Not really?

Fast pacing: Debatable. But very engaging.

Series: No.

Read if you like: Ghosts, historical settings, sicknesses, creepy things, photography.

Content: Some "intense" kissing. And that's basically it.

In one sentence... He's dead, right? 

Thoughts: An old photograph, a compass, and a pair of aviator goggles.
*NEW*Messages: Life is hard. You lose people. But you lose a little bit of yourself if you hang on too tight.

Overall:

Rating: 3.5/5

This review is SPOILER FREE

The Lovely Bits

The writing. This story swept me up right away. The writing was gorgeous and simplistic, with some amazing images of life in this hard time. You get a lot of emotions from characters you don't even know the name of. 

Every character introduced was well shaped and had an instant personality, which was refreshing. I really liked getting this new picture of this way of life. I feel like, often times, we hear about these awful times and sometimes pass them off. But in this book...you see how it really was and it was awful and interesting.

This book just had a lot more ghosts and death than I thought. And while a lot of it was weird, it was great. It just gets crazy, man. With Stephen? When Stephen starts speaking from her body, or when Mary starts getting his dreams...it gets crazy, guys, but well done.

The plot was really well structured. The story web was so complicated and crazy, so if Mary hadn't mapped out on a regular basis what was happening I would have been lost. Honestly I never had a single idea what was going on. At all. And I liked that.

This book stood out to me 

I really liked the female characters in this book. Aunt Eva was strong, and when she realized she made mistakes, quickly fell back. She focused on her love and dedication to her niece, even when awful things happened. She was a great character. She cut off all her curls and went to work at a shipyard. Mary was the type of girl who would take apart everything to figure out how it worked. She'd leave the house and work at a hospital to help and research. She was likable...but not.

The Less Lovely Bits:

I honestly don't know how I feel about Mary? I can't imagine being in her situation so I can't tell if its realistic or immature. But she kinda of...annoyed me. She was fun to read, but sometimes I couldn't quite figure out how I felt. 

Same with Stephen. He was okay? I am having trouble really putting together my opinions. Other than that, there was very little I disliked. Some things really didn't sit well, and that's it.

Overall, it was great. It was emotional and lovely. So so lovely. So so so lovely. Read it. Go. Now. I really want to read her latest book.

Lockwood and Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

“When you go out hunting wicked spirits, it's the simple things that matter most. The silvered point of your rapier flashing in the dark; the iron filings scattered on the floor; the sealed canisters of best Greek Fire, ready as a last resort... 
But tea bags, brown and fresh and plenty of them, and made (for preference) by Pitkin Brothers of Bond Street, are perhaps the simplest and best of all. 
OK, they may not save your life like a sword-tip or an iron circle can, and they haven't the protective power of a sudden wall of fire. But they do provide something just as vital. They help keep you sane.” 

It took me two days to get halfway through this book then for some reason it was another two months before I picked it up again. 

How? I have no idea. Because this book was stupendous.

Stats:

Genre: Paranormal mystery

Feelings: Some?

Happiness: YES

Cuteness: Eh? George though.

Fast pacing: No

Series: Yes.

Read if you like: Ghosts, mysteries, quirky characters, old fashioned-esque writing

Content: None, though some bloody and ghosty stuff.

In one sentence... A group of teenage detectives in the unexplained investigate some ghost attacks in London
Thoughts: Freshly brewed tea, a locket, and old leather book spines

Overall:

Rating: 5/5 stars

This review is SPOILER FREE

The Lovely Bits:

There were many things I loved about this story.

Firstly, the characters. Lucy was a very plucky character, and much like Abigail Rook from Jackaby, she never once seemed the annoying kind of feisty. She trusted her instincts, even if she knew there was a chance she would fail. She wasn't blinded much by other outsides things, and it was nice to have a female character defined by her relationship to two differnt guys but not once thinking about romance. That being said I ship Lucewood hardcore and it better happen eventually or I will be upset. 

The writing was very lovely. It had an old fashioned feel to it. There was a touch of humor and quirk to every passage without being forced or contrived. When I finished the book I felt the need to re-read it and underline whole paragraphs.

The atmosphere was to die for. I loved the setting, and the original take on ghost detective stories. The way Stroud took our world and bent it around a bit was fascinating and made the book even more enjoyable to read. As I read I felt as though I was sitting there in a dark room with Lockwood, Lucy and George talking over case files, sipping tea and munching donuts, while being surrounded by the mysteries from past adventures. 

The Less Lovely Bits:

As I said, it did take me a while to really get into it. That is mainly because when i picked it up I was going through a huge reading slump. That being said, it goes to show that this isn't a book that is a thriller mystery. While it is hard to put down, it is not the best for one looking for a fast paced action filled story. It was a tad slow in certain areas, but I feel like that will improve now that the mystery is deepening.


Honestly, there is nothing else negative I have to say. I am very much looking forward to reading the second one in the coming weeks, and will definitely be anticipating the release of the third book.

I recommend this to lovers of mysteries and quirky detectives. Even if you don't like those things...go read it. Let the writing blow you away.

Also Lockwood. My heart has been stolen my Anthony Lockwood and his companions.