"The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy, #3) by Deborah Harkness

The third book of the trilogy started off really slow for me and I started to panic because I was terrified that the author was running dry or unable to smoothly conclude her story. Thank the gods I was wrong. This final book is just what your local witch doctor ordered. There are some great ideas in this part of the book that are blended in seamlessly to the previous story line and there is a beautiful balancing act as Harkness brings each of her characters into a climax that leaves you feeling that Yes!, that is the best ending EVER! The closure you crave for these characters is there and they are in no way diminished by it nor are they wrapped up with pretty little bows like in a movie script. By the time you read the final page there is no doubt in your mind that somewhere out there the De Clermonts are waiting to take you in and share with you all the wonders and dangers of their world. You think you know these characters but you're wrong, this is the trilogy that will make you rethink how you read.

"The Witch With No Name (The Hollows #13)" by Kim Harrison

And with a sigh, I close the cover on the last of Rachel's adventures. Harrison has finished this series with a satisfying conclusion and a happy ending. Everything has been neatly tied with a bow and I for one am glad to see it all end this way. I am glad to have found this series when a newbie bookseller and will always recommend it to anyone interested in reading something new and rewarding. Thank you for the memories Kim. Here's hoping we meet again.

"The Monogram Murders" by Sophie Hannah

This was a pretty good mystery but I have to say that as an avid Christie fan I was not absolutely sold on Hannah's Poirot. He comes across at times as a caricature of himself, not quite up to Christie's version. Now, having said this, the mystery itself is pretty solid and though some parts were pretty obvious, there are enough plot turns here to make even Agatha smile. All in all, not a bad edition to the classic line up.

"The Shakespeare Mask" by Newton Frohlich

I went into this book with high expectations. The author is part of a group of scholars such as Dickens and Emerson who believe that Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford was the real Shakespeare. There are many coincidences that, depending on who you speak to, could prove this theory to be true. Either way, the earl was a fascinating figure of his time and seeing as how the author put in 15 years of research into it,I was sure this would be a title to recommend to many of my customers.

I couldn't have been more wrong. This reads like a fawning tribute to De Vere as Shakespeare but lacks the substance to stand up to the challenge. Edward is a caricature of the historical Earl and lacks any dimension whatsoever. He comes across as a selfish man who shows no sign of the facets of intelligence and passion that are so integral to Shakespeare's works. Taking artistic license into account I still cannot believe how many times I had to stop to utter the words, Give me a break nor the amount of time I had to spend checking established FACTS. Eg. Arthur Brooke is supposedly a pen name for Edward as a young poet, yet Arthur Brooke is historically known to have lived as a poet who died at sea. Another moment in the book has Robert Cecil treating Edward as a friend/co-conspirator, yet it is widely known that Robert hated Edward with a passion as he was tormented by Edward who lived at Cecil house as a ward.

In the end, trying to believe Frohlich's Edward could ever have written these plays and sonnets or was one of the few blessed to tread the boards is ridiculous.

"Rooms" by Lauren Oliver

I have never read anything else by Oliver but I know of her other titles which I've been told are a must read. I am going to have to read them now. This is a ghost story told by the members of a dead man's family who've come to prepare to sell the place and the ghosts that are inhabiting it. This is not a happy family; they are dysfunctional to say the least and are only in the house because they have to be but the ghosts are there because they have no other choice. The house is them and they are the house. This is a very evocative story, it is not written to bring a sense of peace about dying, if anything the result is an unsettling view of the many lies and tricks we use to avoid facing the realities of our lives. We fabricate webs of illusion so that we can manage our existence but even in death the truth still needs to be faced in order to set one free, no matter what the cost to the living.

"Heck: Where Bad Kids Go" by Dale E. Basye

This was a funny and original start to a new series that I read a few years ago. I often recommend this because the kids are so realistic and are determined to find their way back home. Great visualizations.

"Botticelli's Bastard" by Stephen Maitland-Lewis

This is an intriguing little novel. An art restorer who is going through some emotional upheaval in his life discovers a potential Botticelli included in some paintings his father left him but how and where the painting came to be in his fathers possession is the least of Fabrizzi's problems. It seems that the portrait is haunted by the Medici depicted in it and after so many years kept in a dark crate he has a lot to say. As Fabrizzi comes to realize this spirit is real he begins to learn more about the pictures past and begins a journey of discovery that will take him from Paris during the Nazi occupation to the streets of 9th Avenue in New York City unveiling a family secret that has been hidden all this time. This journey mirrors Fabrizzi's struggle to let go of the wife who died from cancer and to give himself and his new wife a chance. A tale of grief, lose, and the deeds that cannot be undone or forgiven, or can they.