Review: Jackaby by William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Series: Jackaby #1
Pages: 299

Received: Received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley

Release Date: September 16, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

“Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,” Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.”

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.

Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.

My Review:

The fact that a part of the synopsis says this is a Doctor Who meets Sherlock type of novel got my attention right away. How can I say no to anything that is compared with Doctor Who, I had no reason to say no to picking this one up. And in the end I'm glad that it did catch my attention, it was definitely an interesting read to say the least. 

I really enjoyed the idea behind this story, there is a great sci-fi aspect to the world that Ritter has created, an unknown murder and the suspect seems to be some supernatural creature. When Abigail meets Jackaby you can tell right away that he is an awkward person. Jackaby definitely has the Sherlock vibe to him, he does not have the greatest social skills but he is aware of so much around him. I loved the dynamic that Jackaby has with everyone around him, it makes the story very light-hearted and yet there is so much darkness still going on. 

As soon as Abigail arrives in town you can see that she has something to prove, not only to herself but also her family. The way she works so hard to show Jackaby she can be a help is amazing, I truly loved her perseverance to be Jackaby's assistant. I still want to learn more about Abigail and her family history, you can see that she is hiding a lot of herself and trying to become a new person. 

Though as the book finally comes to an end, you can see that Abigail still has quite a lot to learn about Jackaby, and I am excited to see what more William Ritter has for Abigial and Jackaby, I can already tell there are going to be a lot more great supernatural mysteries to come for these two. I think if you are a fan of Sherlock and you like a bit of supernatural elements added in to your pot, then this would be the book for you to check out. 

Review: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 400

Received: Received a copy from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: August 26, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office-leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist-an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand-and fear-the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?

Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

My Review:

This book takes me back to the roots of my favourite books, historical fiction, but something about this book does so much more than other historical books have done. This book added in a bit of a fantastical element with the characters and the introduction of this tiny model home that is furnished by a person who Nella has never met, and yet they seem to know her future.

I enjoyed Nella's character sometimes in this book, you see her grow over the course of the novel, she starts out as a young girl who is very naive to the world around her. She is newly married to Johannes and she doesn't understand what is actually going on around her. What I found creepy and yet very interesting to the story is how the miniaturist was never seen but knew so much about what was happening around Nella and her family, and this unknown person truly changed Nella's life by opening her eyes to what was being hidden. What I really loved is how Nella begins to stand up for herself a little more as the novel goes along. She begins to see that she doesn't understand everything, but she makes it her mission to know what is happening in her house.

Honestly, this book was so engrossing, you truly need to find out who the miniaturist is and how they really know everything that is going on in the Brandt household. This is a book that shows no one is who they truly make themselves out to be, there is always something being hidden. The mystery of something being hidden and the idea that no matter what it can be brought to the surface is what makes this such a great story. There is a little bit of everything to The Miniaturist and that makes this book one for everyone. 

Review: The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes

Publisher: Viking Adult
Pages: 534

Received: Received a copy from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: November 6, 2014
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Goodreads Synopsis:

Stella Sweeney is back in Dublin. After living the dream in New York for a year - touring her self-help book, appearing on talk shows all over the USA and living it up in her 10-room duplex on the Upper West Side - she's back to normality with a bang. And she's got writer's block.

Stella wants a clean break as she didn't exactly leave New York on a high. Why is she back in Ireland so soon? Who is it who keeps calling? Stella wants to get back to being the woman she used to be. But can she? And should she?

My Review:

I have been a fan of Marian Keyes for quite a few years, I was introduced to her writing after finding Cecelia Ahern (one of my favourite authors of all time). So when I was offered the chance to pick up a new one from Marian, I couldn't say no. This was definitely an interesting story, I liked the back and forth from past to present, it really shows how Stella's life was completely changed with one relatively small event. The book opens up with Stella talking about her life now, how she has moved back to Dublin, and there is a whole story she is trying to keep hidden from everyone, slowly everything unravels about how she became a self-help writer.

I found this to be a cute story, and at the same time a story about perseverance. One day Stella wakes up and cannot move and finds herself in a hospital because of a rare disease she has that has completely kept her from functioning, the only way that Stella can communicate is by blinking. Stella is close to giving up but day by day she finds the courage to keep trying. What I really thought was interesting about the before and after scenarios is how readers get to see how the disease affected Stella's family as a whole. Her relationships with her children, her sister, parents, and her husband all change significantly because of her time in the hospital.

This is the type of book that you have to be careful what you mention, because it can give a lot away about the story and I hate doing that. Stella's life has been completely changed and it really makes her rethink a lot about the past and where her future will lead. It's the type of book that will make you think about how you would act if in opportunity is thrown at you, would you jump at the chance, especially when there are many other people in your life that the decision will affect.

I will admit that there were a few times I was confused as to where in Stella's life the story was. There wasn't always a clear distinction (that I could tell) as to what was happening and if I was reading part of Stella's past or her present, it took me some time to figure out where in Stella's life I was. The only clear distinction was the part of the story when Stella was in the hospital and how she coped, those were the parts I really loved, because you got to see her truly scared and unsure of what her future would be.

Honestly, this is a large book but it is hard to put down. If you are a fan of those cute romantic comedies, and you like your chick-lit, I definitely think this is a book to pick up. Give it a try because there is a lot more to the story than the underlying love story, this is a story about fighting for what you believe in, and persevering through tough times.