The Familiars by Stacey Halls (Adult Historical Fiction Book Review)

The Familiars

by Stacy Halls

Published by Mira

on February 19, 2019

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Length: 344 pages

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Synopsis:

Young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a noblewoman, is with child again. None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor's letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. By chance, she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft. 

Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. As the two women's lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Time is running out; both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other. 

Rich and compelling, set against the frenzy of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, this novel explores the rights of 17th-century women and raises the question: Was witch-hunting really women-hunting? Fleetwood Shuttleworth, Alice Grey, and the other characters are actual historical figures. King James I was obsessed with asserting power over the lawless countryside (even woodland creatures, or "familiars," were suspected of dark magic) by capturing "witches"--in reality mostly poor and illiterate women. 

My Thoughts:

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is with child but finds a letter from her doctor stating that she will die in childbirth. Determined to give her husband an heir, she finds a young but experienced midwife named Alice Grey to aide her. Meanwhile, the local magistrate is investigating claims of witchcraft in the area and when Fleetwood's midwife is accused and arrested, she must do whatever it takes to save the life of the woman who has promised to do the same for her and her child.

I enjoy reading historical fiction novels about witch trials but this one stood apart a bit. It's set just as the Pendle Witch Trials are building but is more about a young wife who is desperate for someone to help her give birth with the witch trials merely an interference to that.

Her husband hides the fact that she will die in childbirth and so when she finds out on her own she is determined to find a way to live, and why he would hide it. Alice Grey seems like a godsend and they quickly build a friendship between them but when they are tricked and Alice is carted off to prison as a witch, Fleetwood has to make an important choice; to obey her husband or save her friend, and herself. 

To be honest, this book made me kind of ragey. We are introduced to Fleetwood as she is learning of this great secret that is being kept from her. She worries for her position as a wife and for the position of her child, and with good reason. No one really seems to care if she lives or dies so she takes that into her own hands, only to be met with force and farce. She and the other women in this story repeatedly come up against abuse, prejudice, and injustice. It was kind of infuriating to read but still a well-written and worthwhile debut novel!

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Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2) by Victoria Schwab (MG Book Review)

Tunnel of Bones
(Cassidy Blake #2)

by Victoria Schwab
Published by Scholastic Press
on September 3, 2019
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal
Length: 304 pages
Ages: 9 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake... even more than usual.

She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass's parents are filming their TV show about the world's most haunted cities. Sure, it's fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there's true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.

When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter--and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.

And if Cass fails, the force she's unleashed could haunt the city forever.

My Thoughts:
Cassidy Blake's life is rooted in the paranormal. Her parents host a television series called The Inspectors that takes them to haunted places around the world, she's had a near-death experience that allows her to see ghosts and pass through the 'Veil' into the spirit realm, and her best friend, Jacob, is a ghost.

Their latest haunted location is Paris, France, where they travel below the city to the Catacombs to film, but Cassidy slips through the 'Veil' and awakens a dangerous spirit that ends up being a little more than she alone can handle.

I'm loving this middle-grade paranormal series!
I've always enjoyed children's ghost stories and Schwab is one of my favorite authors so I had high hopes for this series and she did not disappoint.

I love that Cassidy is not only able to see ghosts because of a near-death experience, but her parents host a television show about historically haunted places, so the settings in this series are famous locations that many would love to read about and/or visit. The first book was set in Edinburgh, Scotland, this sequel is set in Paris, France, and I'm looking forward to discovering the setting of the third book! There's plenty of identifying locations within the cities and because Cassidy's dad is a historian, we get plenty of interesting information about them as well!

Since this sequel is set in Paris, there's a bit of the French language thrown in as well, which always makes me happy because the more we see other languages, the easier it is to understand them and remember them over time!

I do think City of Ghosts was a bit spookier but Tunnel of Bones was a little more fast-paced with lots of danger!

See my review of City of Ghosts

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Around the World in 80 Ways by Katy Halford & DK Publishing (Children's Nonfiction Book Review)

Around the World in 80 Ways:
The Fabulous Ways to Get From Here to There
Illustrated by Katy Halford
Published by DK Publishing
on November 6, 2018
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction
Length: 48 pages

Ages: 4 - 8 pages

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Synopsis:

A fascinating and engaging children's book exploring 80 different ways to travel used from past to present--from the obvious, to the crazy!

Travel around the world by yacht, tram, train, unicycle, jetpack, camel...everything you can imagine! Each scene depicts various exciting things that go and provides a wealth of interesting information. The fun and charming illustrations will prompt discussion and the incredible facts on every page will amaze readers. 

My Thoughts:

Around the World in 80 Ways is an illustrated list of things that have helped people from all over the world to get from Point A to Point B throughout history.  

From the earliest forms of canoes and carriages and trains to more unique forms of transportation such as the unicycle, zipline, and even hot air balloons! This book covers everything that floats in the sea, flies in the air, and gets us across the land. 

We traverse different parts of the world in different eras and learn how transportation has changed over time.  Each subject listed is explained in a quick but educational paragraph and there is a handy index at the end!

If you could choose anything at all, how would you travel?

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How Far Can A Kangaroo Jump? by Alison Limentani (Picture Book Review)

How Far Can A Kangaroo Jump?
by Alison Limentani
Published by Boxer Books
on July 23, 2019
Genre: Children's, Picture Book
Length: 32 pages

Ages: 3 - 6 years

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Synopsis:
"1 kangaroo jump is the same distance as 2 ringtailed lemur leaps..."
Have you ever wondered just how far animals can jump? These fun comparisons explain it all--from tiny grasshopper hurdles and coyote vaults to the best pouncer of all! 

Understanding numbers and distance is easy with this fun book of animal facts! Starting with a single kangaroo, Alison Limentani's cool illustrations capture a variety of creatures leaping--and reveal just how many jumps it would take each one to cover the same ground. Four bunny hops = 5 frog bounces = 6 goat skips. But none of the animals can match the world-record-holding snow leopard! 
Our Thoughts:

This fun counting book poses the question, "How far can a kangaroo jump?" and then counts up to ten using more jumps, leaps, and bounds from other animals to make up the same distance. 

With bright and bold backgrounds, this simple but educational picture book teaches little ones to count and learn distance, as well as synonyms for 'jump.'

The last page of the book shares the distance each animal can jump based on the upper range of the average adult animal of each species as well as a handy 'scale ruler' that shows where each animal lands compared to the others.

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The Sunday Post - 2019 Week 45 - Halloween, Camping, and Cooler Weather

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

and is a chance to share news, both new and old!

Hey there, bloggers!

I said I'd try to keep up with this every other week but I think I missed a week so I may have extra to catch up on! 
The week of Halloween was extra busy (and hot) and we also ended up taking another impromptu camping trip, this time to the beach. It was wonderful to spend the early morning watching the sunrise and searching for shells with my daughter. We've had a week of bad weather since then but it finally cleared up and is looking like a beautiful weekend! 

Currently Reading:

Recently Finished:

Chapter Books We've Recently Finished:

Recently posted reviews:
(I'm going to limit this to the past week!)

    

I got my reviews up for The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell and the graphic novel edition of Coraline by Neil Gaiman.

    

We also read and reviewed the picture books, Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers (all about the Statue of Liberty!) and A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel, which was a fascinating book about perspectives!

What I'm Listening To:

Hey Rosie by The National is probably my most-listened-to song lately. 

What I'm Watching:
The only movie I've seen since before Halloween is the live-action version of The Lion King, which was very similar to the cartoon. 

What else is new?
Some of you may have noticed my absence from Instagram. I'm dealing with a battery that refuses to charge at the moment so that's why I haven't been posting. I'll hopefully have that issue solved soon!

Have a great week! Happy reading!

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The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell (Adult Book Review)

The Silent Companions

by Laura Purcell
Published by Penguin Books
on March 6, 2018
Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Horror
Length: 320 pages

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Synopsis:

When newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband's crumbling country estate, The Bridge, what greets her is far from the life of wealth and privilege she was expecting...

When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure--a silent companion--that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition--that is, until she notices the figure's eyes following her.

A Victorian ghost story that evokes a most unsettling kind of fear, this is a tale that creeps its way through the unconsciousness in ways you least expect--much like the silent companions themselves. 

My Thoughts:
Newly widowed and pregnant Elsie Bainbridge has inherited her husband's estate, The Bridge, which has been in his family in for decades but oddly unlived in. Her only companion is her husband's cousin, Sarah, who had been turned out to be a companion at a young age. Together they explore the house and discover a locked door that mysteriously opens, revealing a painted figure that seems to look a little too much like Elsie. But the wooden figure is a little too unnerving and its' eyes seem to follow Elsie, Sarah, and the servants wherever they go. When another figure appears, Elsie is sure someone is playing tricks, but as she and Sarah unravel the history of the house and its' family, she finds that the truth is much more unsettling!

This was a truly spooky ghost story! 
 I'm so glad I gave this book a chance! It had a slow build-up and a nice leisurely pace as many historical fiction novels do, but it got spooky pretty quick and I didn't want to put it down!

I was originally in love with the atmospheric writing with its' heavy hints of the darkness and madness to come but I also really enjoyed the slow reveal of the history of the house and its' family through a diary that Sarah finds in the attic and is eager to read considering she is a descendant of the woman. Through this diary, we slowly learn why the townsfolk think the house is cursed and won't come near, and worse, what is haunting The Bridge and the Bainbridge family.

The overall story was full of haunting little moments that ranged from simple ghost story to a race for one's life. I loved the added horror dynamics and think this is a great Autumn read and may even make a fascinating movie adaptation someday!

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Coraline by Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell (Graphic Novel Book Review)

Coraline
Written by Neil Gaiman
Adapted & Illustrated by P. Craig Russell
Published by HarperCollins
on June 24, 2008
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror, Graphic Novels
Length: 192 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
When Coraline steps through a door in her family's new house, she finds another house, strangely similar to her own (only better). At first, things seem marvelous. The food is better than at home, and the toy box is filled with fluttering wind-up angels and dinosaur skulls that crawl and rattle their teeth.

But there's another mother there and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go. Coraline will have to fight with all her wit and all the tools she can find if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

The beloved tale has now become a visual feast. Acclaimed artist P. Craig Russel brings Neil Gaiman's enchanting nationally bestselling children's book Coraline to new life in this gorgeously illustrated graphic novel adaptation.

Our Thoughts:
In case you're not familiar with Coraline yet, it's a spooky children's story about a girl who moves into a big old house that contains a mysterious door that leads to nothing but a brick wall. But that night, she finds that the door actually leads somewhere. To a replica of her own side of the house to be exact, and in it, a mother and father just like hers, except for their button eyes. They want her to stay and Coraline must fight her way back to her own world to save herself and her parents.

Coraline was my very first Neil Gaiman novel. I purchased it on a whim through a mail service and fell in love with it. What a spooky and unique children's story it is! I'm also a big fan of Tim Burton movies so when I heard he was directing the movie, I was thrilled! It ended up being a lot more childish than I was expecting (as all newer Tim Burton movies are) but it's actually still one of my absolute favorite movies and I love the whimsical soundtrack enough to play it as background music sometimes!

I got pretty used to the idea of the claymation version of Coraline and had entirely forgotten my original movie-in-my-head version until I bought and read this graphic novel. It really brought me back to the realistic version I imagined all those years ago and because of that, it ended up being so very nostalgic! I loved it just as much this time around!

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