"Bellman & Black" by Diane Setterfield

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• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (November 5, 2013)
• ISBN-13: 978-1476711959

This is one of the few times that you will see a 3 star rating from me. Generally I don't review anything that I don't feel is worth 4-5 stars, but since I made it to page 130 of this book I thought that I would my impressions. I am a fan of Diane Setterfield's work, but I don't think that his is the best of it. Of course YMMV and you might be someone who loves this book!

I consider it to be a tale of one deed committed early in life repeating, like ripples on a still pond, into your future..

I admit to having looked forward to reading this book because I had thoroughly enjoyed "The Thirteenth Tale", and also because I am a push over for a good 'ghost tale".

I borrowed this book from our library, and was one of the first to get it in my hands. I kept reading this book thinking that I just needed to give it a chance to pick up. I made it to page 130, and decided that my reading time was better spent on something that would be more enjoyable.

I kept thinking of Poe's quote "quoth the Raven nevermore" as I read this book for some reason.... the book features rooks. While this book does present some fascinating historical information about the running a cloth mill of yesteryear, the plot itself felt rather weak to me. Deaths. A Lot of deaths, in some way linked to the sling shot killing of a rook in the protagonist's childhood. Had I read further I might have learned more about how the death of that rook figures into the story, but I took it to be more of an allegorical meaning and decided to part way with the pages and move on.

This is not a bad book, and perhaps I really did not give it enough of a chance. I had just finished reading  book that I found riveting - perhaps I just wasn't ready for this book at that time? I did not feel that this book represents the best that the author can do, and I look forward to her next book.

"A Discovery Of Witches" by Deborah Harkness

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• Hardcover: 592 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult; First Edition edition (February 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 978-0670022410

I've seen mixed reviews of this book and was curious about it. I don't often feel a sense of sadness when a book ends - but I did when this one ended. I loved this book! It's a creative, imaginative, fantastical work of fiction.

The book depicts world that is populated by humans, vampires, witches and demons.  A academic witch who has turned her back on her familial (descendants of Salem, Massachusetts witches) witching powers becomes acquainted with a vampire in the Bodleian library at Oxford. He's a fascinating, handsome professor who has, among many, a good Scottish friend named Hamish - who's a demon. Witch and vampire fall for each in a big way - a big "no-no" in the world of 'creatures'. This forbidden love triggers the fury of the 'council' and, in a facile twist of prose, brings together an odd assortment of 3 witches, 3 vampire and 3 demons...all of whom make for a sub council dedicated to true love for all. The reluctant witch must learn to use her ancestral powers in order to survive the wrath that her romance has unleashed.

I can see where some readers might not be able to enjoy this book because they find the whole story implausible. It is, of course, implausible. Fiction is, almost by definition, generally, implausible. I read this book and thought of it not only as a truly imaginative work of fiction but also as allegorical ; where some loves are still considered taboo  and where we still think that some sorts of people are blood suckers, demonic or spell casters. What I wanted from this book was entertainment - and I got that in spades. It's rollicking tale of love, sorcery and the coming together of all creatures in a common desire for good. What I don't understand is how a reader would not at least appreciate this book as the well crafted, thoroughly imaginative tale that it is. I think of it almost as a fairy tale for grown ups. A unisex fairy tale.

I liked this book so much that I also listened to the audible version - which makes the story all that much more enjoyable. It's perfectly narrated by the talented Jennifer Ikeda. Rumor has it that this will be a trilogy and I simply can't wait for the sequel to be in my hands.

This book is a love story and rollicking romp into the mind of a gifted writer. This book needs to become a movie. It would be fantastic!  Okay - I've had my rave and will go back to my perusals.

I bought this book as well as the audible book.

"It Happened One Bite" by Lydia Dare

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• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (March 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 978-1402245077

Some of you may remember when I reviewed another book by this talented team "The Taming Of The Wolf" . If I was going to make a choice to buy - or not buy- these books based on the covers alone I can guarantee that they would not have made into my house. I am not, or so I have thought, a romance, bodice-ripper kind of gal. Lately, however, I have come to realize that many of my beloved historical fiction books are considered to be 'romance' books by those who are in a position to 'know' these categorizing details. I suppose then that it should come as no surprise that a very enjoyable book could also lurk between these rather tawdry covers. These are covers that make me want to consider buying a cover so that others won't see what I am reading!

"It Happened One Bite" is another utterly delightful romp into a romantic land where regular folks can inter-marry and co-mingle with  beautiful and handsome werewolfs (lycans) ,vampyers and witches.  This paranormal romance series is a delight; a rollicking romp through a world of romantic possibilities where every one's 'gifts' are appreciated and considered worthy.

Beautiful witch, Blaire Lindsey's brother Aiden inherits a key to the family inheritance of Briarcraig Castle in the Scottish Highlands. Unbeknownst to Blair,e this is the ancestral home of the "battle-born" witches. Blaire's mother was a battle-born and Lindsey inherited the battle-born legacy from her. Blaire had no knowledge about this family castle and found it odd that her mother had not passed down any information about it before her death. Blaire has heard rumor that the castle is haunted and, as soon as she and brother's enter the old rooms they feel a strange force at work.

 Blaire's brothers, Aiden and Brannock, did not inherit the same witchy qualities as Blaire has. They go about exploring the castle and the town; planning the cleaning and refurbishing of it and meeting and greeting some of the highland locals - even inviting two lovely young women and their father to dinner at the castle. No matter that the family does not, as yet, have a staff or operable kitchen. In the blink of a witches eye they're off to town to hire staff, a cook and supplies. In the meantime Blaire has discovered a locked basement room and, more to the point, she has heard odd sounds coming from the room.

What follows this puzzling discovery is a delightful tale of witches, battling vampyres (male and female) and werewolves (lycans) - that can all, when the proverbial chips are down, work together for the greater good. A love story between the last of the great battle ground witches and her vampyre love, James, Lord Kettering! There is a lot of action, love, and interaction of the species contained in the pages of this book - all of it thoroughly delightful -dare I say spell binding ! 

This series and these authors make me smile - and I want to read more of their inventive, rollicking good tales. If you can get away from the cover this is a truly entertaining, delightful book to while away a couple of the hours. You can't help but find yourself totally bewitched by the fun and imagination of it all!

Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher for the sole purpose of an honest  review. No other remuneration was received

Petty Magic: Being the Memoirs and Confessions of Miss Evelyn Harbinger, Temptress and Troublemaker by Camille DeAngelis

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This book was a departure for me because I seldom read general fiction anymore, despite having been previously smitten with suspense novels and thrillers, I have become very comfortably ensconced in the historical fiction genre and the informative pages of arts & crafts books. That being said the description of this book was intriguing and I had to give it a try.

I also have to be honest. I didn't think I was going to like this book when I first got my hands on it - despite the tantalizing description. Initially, I thought it might be a bit too glib for my taste but within a few pages I was hooked. This is a magical tale of white witches, espionage (during WW11, love, liaisons & family- an utterly delightful fantasy. Ms. DeAngelis has such a pure, quirky imagination! I ended up not being able to put the book down, but devoured the story page by delightful page. I loved it and it was, indeed, a magical mystery tour through the author's eyes.

Imagine: a earthy witch named, appropriately enough, Eve. Eve falls in love with a mortal man during WW11 when they worked together against the Nazis. Her love is lost in a mere mortal sort of way, leaving Eve to carry on. The reader is introduced to Eve at the ripe, but not necessarily old, age of 149. The catch is that, with enough "oomph", Eve is able shed her older skin - allowing her to become youthful once again. Seducing young mortal men works fine as a diversion to her 'golden' years until one day she meets a young man who reminds her of departed love. Could it be that he has "come back" for her?

This is one of the most imaginative, rollicking fun books that I have read in some time. A delightful departure from the mundane world of every day. Richly whimsical and off beat - this book is a little gem.

"The Swan Thieves: by Elizabeth Kostova

* * * .5

I was so excited to hear that this book was almost ready to ship! I had had it on "pre-order" since I had been able to add it to my cart on Amazon. "The Historian" had been one of my favorite books of all time and I had high hopes for this book as well.

Unfortunately, I am probably going to buck the tide on this one, but I was very disappointed in it. The narratives were long. The book consists of chapters as told by several people and also through letters. Having the chapters titled by whose character is 'speaking' is a valuable thing because it would be difficult to  follow if it had not been arranged this way. Elizabeth Kostova is a fabulous writer and her narratives are good but I just thought that is book had a lot of filler.  Generally I give a book about 150 pages to interest me. If is hasn't by then I generally lay it aside to wither give away or try again at another time. I keep going though in reading this book because I could not believe that by page 200 I was not spellbound - as I had been with "The Historian". I plowed though this whole book. The end was a bit of a redemption - and the book, for me, picked up towards the end. I am not sure that I am glad or not that I continued reading this book until the end - there are so many wonderful books on my bulging shelves waiting to be read that I know would have kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I think I kept going because I thought that there HAD to be better pages ahead.

I notice on Amazon that there are many VERY positive reviews - so I am, in fact, bucking the majority - but that's the way I call it. Now, I will once again wait with bated breath for Elizabeth's Kostova's next book to be available for pre-order and I am sure that I will order it as soon as I am able to. I hope it will thrill me more.

Review: "The Lie: A Novel" by Fredrica Wagman

                                                                *   *   *   (three out of 5 stars)

First I would like to welcome everyone to my latest blog which will be devoted entirely to books. I will be reviewing all sorts of books here &I  hope that I will offer will be something to please everyone. Please consider following me here on Books By The Willow Tree.

My first review on my new blog is for "The Lie:A Novel" by Fredrica Wagman. I chose it because it is a book that I have been meaning to review for some time and felt that I owed it to the author and the publisher to finally review the book .

I did not know what, exactly, I was expecting when I began reading this book but it was, surely not what I found. This book is 214 pages that recount the psychology of a girl/woman & her journey to self. Growing up with the mind set of the 50's, the books protagonist, Ramona, takes us through her life; a life in which she finds a myriad of heart break and bewilderment; loss & sorrow. From the abusive home in which Ramona grows up - the daughter of an abusive father and a narcissistic mother - to the sorrows of marriage to ' the most understanding of men ' - we view Ramona's struggle to survive her deepest pains & sorrows. I found this book to be unique for sure. It was dark & a bit disturbing to me. This book can be read as a metaphor for some of the struggles that women, in general, face. I am not certain that this book would be for everyone but I will say that it provides you with a lot to think about. I believe that Ms. Wagman has real talent for getting to the pith of matters and that she relates her take on things in a most unusual, beautifully written, way.