Monday, July 29, 2019

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler book cover (a woman walking down a city street, with a stack of books superimposed over her) This is a story about Amy, a school librarian and single mother to two kids, whose husband decides to show up and become a part of their lives again. Amy had seemingly moved on from her husband's abandonment, but now that he is back, is she ready to let him in? To help her decide, she takes a trip to New York City! Meeting many wonderful people, catching up with an old friend, and living the life of a single woman in a big city, Amy isn't sure she really wants to go back to her old life.

This book was endearing and adorable, relatable and a joy to read. Kelly Harms creates a lovely character in Amy that you can't help but love and root for, and her story is complicated in the best way! It was an easy read, perfect for the summer.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Dracula book cover (a photo of Romanian countryside at twilight, taken from behind a leafy archway)English solicitor Johnathan Harker is sent to Transylvania to finalize the purchase of a London estate by one Count Dracula. After a cold reception by the locals, and realizing there is something strange about the man and his rundown estate, he stumbles across Dracula’s true nature and is forced to flee for his life. He returns to London, only to find that Dracula has made it there first and already found his first victim: Lucy Westenra, the best friend of Johnathan’s fiance Mina. They, along with Lucy’s fiance and friends, band together to hunt down Dracula, drive him out of London, and finish him off once and for all (surprisingly, not with a wooden stake).

Bram Stoker’s classic is considered one of the preeminent works of horror fiction, creating one of the most iconic characters in literary history and inspiring over a century of fascination with vampires. It features strong characters and a fascinating look into scientific beliefs from Stoker's era.

For someone looking for a book about Dracula himself, this probably isn’t it. For most of the book, Dracula is more of a plot device than a fully developed character. The story also uses an older vernacular and is written in epistolary form, which could be a turnoff for some readers. For anyone who is a fan of classic horror, though, this book is a must!

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Fool's Puzzle by Earlene Fowler

Fool's Puzzle book cover (an image of an art gallery with quilts on display and a broken vase on the floor)Recently widowed Benni Harper has been working at an art museum for about 3 months, as well as chairing an artists’ co-op. She and the artists are preparing for an exhibit. One evening just prior to the event, one of the artists is murdered, and Benni discovers the body. Unfortunately, she sees her cousin drive away from the scene of the crime. In order to clear her family member of any wrongdoing, Benni takes it upon herself to investigate the murder, much to the consternation of the new police chief.

Fool’s Puzzle, the first of the Benni Harper mystery series of books, has more than one mystery to solve. While Benni is trying to find the artist’s murderer and clear her cousin of the crime, she also finds her late husband’s death is not all that it would first appear to be. With a bit of romance thrown in, Fool’s Puzzle is an enjoyable story for those readers interested in mysteries without much gore or violence.

Monday, July 1, 2019

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

The Anomaly book cover (a sliver of darkness between two red cave walls)Nolan Moore hosts The Anomaly Files, a popular web video series exploring the mysteries of the unexplained. Needing to attract funding and make the jump to network television, he and a small crew venture to the Grand Canyon for what they hope will be an impressive find. Nolan believes he has deduced the location of a legendary cave containing pictographs and statuary unlike any yet found in North America. Nolan locates the cave and it holds far more than rock paintings and dusty effigies. He accidentally sets into motion an ancient eldritch process and discovers a conspiracy which may threaten us all.

This is a quick moving suspenseful read that serves its claustrophobic horror with a side of humor. If you enjoyed the X-Files, this book may be for you. A second book in The Anomaly Files series, The Possession, is due to be published in July 2019.