"The Silent Companions" by Laura Purcell

I have owned a copy of this book for quite some time now, and finally picked it up earlier this month. I loved it so much that I immediately ordered another novel by Laura Purcell and hope it will be just as good. The Silent Companions is a delicious mix of a Gothic ghost story set in a Victorian period, a twisted family drama, and a spooky thriller that will make you jump at every sound if you stay up late reading this book.

Our main character Elsie Bainbridge is newly widowed and moves to her husband's estate in the country. Her husband died there quite suddenly and of unknown causes. So Elsie not only has to deal with the shock of his death but also the disturbing history surrounding the house, which she slowly begins to uncover. Finally, Elsie and her husband's cousin Sarah, who moved to the estate with her, discover that the house has silent companions - wooden cutouts with people painted on them. Needless to say, these companions are quite creepy and seem to have a mind of their own.

The book is beautifully written and the plot if quite immersive. Purcell is a master of suspense. I was often at the edge of my seat compulsively (albeit with my heart pounding) reading page after page trying to find out what is going to happen next. I also liked that the author ties all the loose ends at the end in a nice neat bow. So you shouldn't worry that the book will have an open ending. I felt the ending was quite satisfying, and I overall very much enjoyed this book. 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend.

"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman

I am definitely late to jump on the Fredrik Backman bandwagon! As any voracious reader, my to-be-read pile is so huge that it is impossible to keep up with all the books that get a lot of buzz. However, as far as I can tell every single book that Backman has put out to date has been extremely well-received by readers. 

A Man Called Ove is a story of a 59-year old man whose wife recently died and now he has also been asked to retire from work. He has no other family and is struggling with finding purpose in life. Ove is an extremely likeable character. He is grumpy and set in his ways, but also has an innate sense of justice and desire to be helpful to others (even if he himself would never admit caring much for other people). 

His life begins to take a new turn when new neighbors move in next door and unexpectedly invade his space, his time and, yes, eventually, his heart. This book made me laugh out loud and also shed a quiet tear. It is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, just like real life. It is about finding meaning to one's existence but also realizing what it means to live a meaningful life. Ove is not a man of many words, and when he does speak, he does not always say the most politically correct or polite things. However, his actions, the way he selflessly helps others, speak much louder than any words ever could. 

I adored this book and the characters. A truly new favorite. All the hype that Fredrik Backman is receiving is hands down well-deserved. 5 out of 5 stars. I will definitely read more from this author. 

"Her Royal Spyness" by Rhys Bowen

Her Royal Spyness is the first book in Rhys Bowen’s mystery series set in the 1930s London. The book is featuring Lady Georgiana (or Georgie), an impoverished cousin of King George V, who needs to either get married or find some way to support herself. Georgie is 21. Her brother, due to the dire financial situation that the family estate is in, can no longer support her, and the Queen is busy trying to find a “suitable” match for Georgie. 

This book was delightful. It is filled with humor poking fun at the upper class’ inability to do even the simplest tasks, such as locking the door when they leave, or figuring out how to light a fire in a fireplace. Georgie, in her attempt to avoid getting engaged to an unlikeable European royal, flees to London and attempts to live as a common person. While struggling to earn a living, she also encounters and helps solve a murder mystery. 

I really enjoyed this first book. It is funny and heartwarming, a truly cozy read. I will definitely continue reading more in this series especially since I heard that subsequent books are even better. 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend.

Reading Classics: "The Warden" by Anthony Trollope

Anthony Trollope was a contemporary of Charles Dickens. However, his books are definitely not as widely known or read as those of Dickens. The Warden was my first taste of Trollope's writing and I absolutely loved it. In fact, compared to Dickens, Trollope's style (at least for me) is much more accessible. I was a bit cautious about this particular novel. I did not want to skip it because it is the first in his Barchester Chronicles. However, I knew that the subject matter revolved around some very period-specific Church of England issues, specifically stewardship of endowment funds, and I was apprehensive that the book might be too dry or hard to follow. 

I am glad to report that those fears were completely baseless. Even though the book is focused on issues pertaining to endowed funds management, at the center of it is a moral struggle. In addition, the entire situation is very clearly explained and presented, and even though the events that are described would have transpired close to 150 years ago, I had no trouble understanding the issues or following the events. However, what makes this book truly timeless (just as any other classic) is the fact that the focus is squarely on the characters, their moral dilemmas and choices.

I do believe, it is better to go into the book not knowing much more about the plot. I really enjoyed following the characters' journeys and observing them interacting with each other and making choices. If you tried some other classics before and found them to be boring, long or just insurmountable, I would highly recommend checking out Trollope. The Warden in particular is quite short, beautifully written and has an interesting moral conflict at its core. I am definitely planning to read more of Trollope's books and in particular, I will be continuing with his Barchester Chronicles. 5 out 5 stars. 

"A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem" by Manda Collins

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is a mystery novel with some romance elements set in Victorian England. Our main character Lady Katherine Bascom is a young widow who owns a newspaper. She and her friend Caroline Hardcastle (or just Caro) decide to start a new column called "A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem" which would focus on topics that are traditionally off-limits to women. Their inaugural column would cover a string of murders in London by a so-called Commandments killer. As they start interviewing witnesses, the two ladies find themselves in the middle of the investigation.

This novel did have many of the elements that I usually enjoy in a book: a feisty heroine, a murder mystery, a period setting, etc. However, I would caution readers that the book is not strictly "of the time period". It is definitely written for the modern audience. In addition, the mystery aspect was not well developed. Lots of clues were discovered by chance. In fact, Lady Katherine just happened to travel to the Lake district at the same time that murders moved there from London, and she just happened to stay in the mansion tied to the killer. 

Overall, it is an enjoyable enough novel, but I don't think I will be continuing with the series. I do think the author did a good job with the romance plot line but the mystery aspect was rather weak.

3 out of 5 stars. An e-ARC was provided by NetGalley.com

"Comrade Koba" by Robert Littell

Comrade Koba is a story about a 10-year old boy Leon who lives in the famous House on the Embankment in Moscow - a large apartment building known for the fact that many of its famous residents were arrested during Stalin's purges in the 1930s and 40s. Leon's father was a physicist who died when one of his experiments went awry, and soon after Leon's mother gets arrested as part of the infamous "doctor's plot" -- a drummed up case against some medical professionals working in the Kremlin who were wrongly accused of plotting to kill Stalin. 

Leon and several other children keep living in the secret passages of the building after their parents are taken away by the NKVD.  One day, Leon has to take an underground passage into the city in order to sell one of his mother's paintings and on the way back he takes a different turn and ends up in Stalin's apartment. If you suspend your disbelief that (a) one could just wander in there, and (b) that the security officers guarding the place actually let him in, the rest of the story is pretty interesting.

During his multiple conversations with Leon, Stalin reveals facts about his childhood, his years as an underground revolutionary, facts about his relationships with his wife, children, Lenin, Trotsky, Kirov and other historic figures. I would say if you don't know much about Stalin, this is a great overview of his life and an insight into how troubled and paranoid his was for most of his life. It was especially interesting to view these encounters from the point of view of a little boy who did not know who he was speaking with. In his innocence, he says things that no one else would ever dare say to Stalin, and thus acts as a conscience of sorts for the reminiscing dictator.

5 out of 5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an e-ARC for my review.

"Instant Karma" by Marissa Meyer

This is a new young adult contemporary romance novel and Marissa Meyer's first foray into this genre. It is an enemies to lovers story, which also has a superpower and a mystery in the mix. 

Our main character Prudence gets a C on her biology project and all because she and her lab partner Quint were unable to work together. Prudence is determined to re-do the project over summer, but to do that she needs to learn to get along with Quint. In addition, she suddenly gets an ability to deal karmic justice to anyone who she witnesses being cruel, rude or unfair. 

I ended up really enjoying this story. It is light, heart-warming and funny. I got an advanced audiobook copy, and my only complaint is that when I sped up the audio above 1.0x, the quality of sound goes down: it sounds as though two people are speaking at the same time. 

Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. The book will hit the shelves on Tuesday, November 3.