Books, Books, Books, and a Cat

  An extremely unique novel that blends historical fiction with magical elements and a strong heroine.  Hecate has all the pressures that a young woman in the late 19th century must deal with such as finding a husband.  However Hecate's dad has been very supportive of her love of learning and helped her get her own job as a librarian assistant at the cathedral.  While there, Hecate discovers that she has an unusual ability; she can communicate with ghosts. What follows is an incredible story filled with mystery, and many magical elements as Hecate tries to discover who is behind the dark forces before they hurt the people she loves.   I loved that this book featured a well educated woman who was confident and strong.  She also was supported by the people around her and they did not dismiss what she was thinking and feeling.  This is extremely rare especially in historical fiction books set in the late 1800s.  I also love a book that has magic...

  "Strange Folk" is an interesting blend of magic, mystery, suspense, and even a little romance.  Lee left her drug addicted mother and her small hometown behind for college.  She established a new life in California but her marriage falls apart and she needs to create a new life for her children.  She travels back to her hometown to live with her grandmother.  Lee and her family are not quite normal.  Her son, Cliff, can see things, and her daughter, Meredith, can feel the land.  Lee's family has a history of magical abilities.  Even as her children start to embrace their gifts, Lee is still lost and turns to alcohol to help her deal.  Soon things turn from bad to worse as tragic events begin happening.  Lee must embrace who she is and confront her demons to keep her family safe.  This novel was told from different characters'perspectives which I really enjoyed.  The magical elements were an interesting touch and I was never q...

  I loved the premise behind this book but it fell a little short of my expectations.  I love a great time travel novel so when I saw the synopsis of this book I thought it looked like a book I would enjoy.  The ending was good and I loved the twist at the end that I did not see coming.  However much of the book felt a little too wordy and it did take me awhile to get through the first part.  The idea of bringing people to the future who were already destined to die in the past is a great concept.  The main character in this novel is a bridge between Commander Gore from the 1840s and the present.  She must figure out how to do her job and help Graham navigate the current century but things are not as simple as she thinks.  Another great element to this novel is that Commander Gore is a real person from the past and I did learn about his doomed expedition.  Overall, there were some great elements to this book but it just needed a faster pace f...

 This is one of those novels that stays with you when you are done reading and really makes you think about the state of our society.  This story follows the story of a black family who live in a white neighborhood and the trials and tribulations that they encounter.  However there is more to it because the president in this book proposed to give $175,000 (forgiveness) for all families who can prove that they are descended from slaves. This is called the Forgiveness Act.  As you can imagine this idea does not sit well with everyone.   This book was a fast read and raised many interesting points.  I feel like I really learned from this book and understood why something like the Forgiveness Act would be necessary.  However I wish there had been more about the family and their relationships.  This felt more like a political novel than a fictional story.  I wanted more about their lives and to understand what happened.  The novel was we...