strange and random happenstance

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven by Bella Forrest
Published by: Bella Forrest
Publication Date: August 27th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 402 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
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When you spend years bouncing around the foster care system you really don't have any recourse when you start to develop magical abilities. This is beyond the typical inheritance of blood type and eye color and the likelihood of developing cancer. This is something "other." But Harley Merlin has learned to roll with the punches. Sure, she can sense people's emotions, that just makes her a valuable asset to a local casino. She can pinpoint anyone cheating, a skill most pit bosses would kill for. At the age of nineteen she's kind of given up on ever finding anyone like herself so when an actual gargoyle attacks her and a warlock helps save her ass one night after work her eyes are opened. She's not alone. Only the arrogant Wade Crowley might not be the best guide to this new world. He has issues, mainly a severe superiority complex. He gives her his card and tells her she has twenty four hours to call him and turn herself into the San Diego coven. Harley wonders if she could ignore the summons. Or she could run. Leave San Diego behind. After realizing there's no escaping him, he is persistently annoying, they meet up at the Fleet Science Center which hides the entrance to the coven. She is given a magical infodump and tour. Harley is tested and possess a wide range of skills but doesn't have the power to be anything other than mediocre. Yet they will still train her to properly use her abilities to the extent that she can. The most interesting aspect of the coven is their Bestiary. This magical menagerie of monsters might seem harmless, but the gargoyle that attacked Harley was one of its numbers. Which means not only does someone want to kill her, it's someone in the coven who knew about her before she knew about herself. Which means she has to look to her past. She has to find some information about the parents that abandoned her when she was just three years old. Her legacy and heritage is darker than she could have ever imagined, it's no wonder someone is out for her blood. But her new coven will protect her. They will find out who's behind the attacks. They will form teams and get to the bottom of things. Because she is one of them. Whether she likes it or not.

The real "secret" of Harley Merlin is how Bella Forrest wrote twenty-one books in five years. The answer is obviously she didn't but it wasn't "public" knowledge yet. Back when I read this book in 2019 there were only twelve books in the series but the math of one author writing it all just didn't add up. In fact my book club tried to do the math and we calculated that she would have to be writing constantly just to meet her deadlines. And that's just writing, no editing, no rewriting, just wordcount alone. So we knew there had to be ghostwriters. Since then it has come out that we were indeed correct. In a lawsuit filed in the Bahamas it came out that "Bella Forrest" is a team of freelance ghostwriters and there was a dispute over who owned the "name" which was really more of a brand at this point and Amazon pulled the books from their site. At this point there seems to have been a verdict but it's just hearsay backed up by some possibly related court documents and I'm not sure if anything is resolved because you still can't get the books on Amazon but you can from the official author site... But is that official site the "real" author? It's anyone's guess. Plus it looks like the entire catalog was bought and a Bella Forrest Publishing imprint has been created as of the beginning of this year. I don't have the inclination to go down this rabbit hole at this moment in time, but if you're interested in doing some online sleuthing of your own, be my guest. Reddit oddly has some good theories. Also I'm not judging Bella Forrest for employing ghostwriters, it happens more than you think. All I'm saying is if you're an author and someone else helps you write a book just give them credit. Be like James Patterson. The real reason for me airing my grievances here is I loved this Bella Forrest book, Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven, the second one, Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins, not so much. So I want to know who wrote the one I liked. Seriously, who had this deliciously snarky voice that just spoke to me? That wrote this book that arrived at just the right time in my life. A book that was just fun and occasionally goofy and really, didn't make much sense, but filled a magical void in me that needed filling. And now that I reread that it sounds dirty. It's not. It's just a case of the right book at the right time and I would like to know who really wrote it, that is all. Internet sleuths, if you do know, drop me a line!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bella Forrest, For the Love of Book Clubs, Gargoyles, Ghostwriting, Harley Merlin, Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven, Harry Potter Pastiche, James Patterson, Lawsuit, Magic, San Diego Coven, Wade Crowley

Four Gathered on Christmas Eve by Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, and James Harren
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: December 19th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 72 Pages
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The official patter:
"Four of the top creators in comics gather to continue the Victorian tradition of ghost stories on Christmas Eve.

Four tales of the bizarre and terrifying to keep you company on the cold yule night. A unique approach to the ghost story format where the creators themselves become part of the story in this deluxe edition hard cover designed by the award-winning Phil Balsman."

Needing that last minute gift for the comic lover in your life? Well, Dark Horse is riding in to the rescue!

Deadly Game by Michael Caine
Published by: Mobius
Publication Date: December 19th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
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The official patter:
"DCI Harry Taylor has no respect for red tape or political reputations - but he's great at catching criminals.

And all his unorthodox skills will be needed as an extraordinary situation unfolds on his doorstep: a metal box of radioactive material is found at a dump in Stepney, East London, but before the police can arrive it is stolen in a violent raid.

With security agencies across the world on red alert, it's Harry and his unconventional team from the Met who must hit the streets in search of a lead. They soon have two wildly different suspects, aristocratic art dealer Julian Smythe in London and oligarch Vladimir Voldrev in Barbados. But the pressure is on. How much time does Harry have, and how many more players will join the action, before the missing uranium is lighting up the sky? Deadly Game is a compelling, fast-paced novel of international intrigue and twisting suspense from a legendary actor and British icon, who now proves himself to be a first-rate thriller writer."

I mean, there's no way Michael Caine actually wrote this right? Unless this was his big move after quitting acting... Either way, it's what everyone's dad is getting for Christmas this year.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Becky Cloonan, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Deadly Game, Eric Powell, Four Gathered on Christmas Eve, Ghost Stories, Ghostwriting, James Harren, Michael Caine, Mike Mignola, Tuesday Tomorrow

A Good House for Children by Kate Collins
Published by: Mariner Books
Publication Date: July 4th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
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The official patter:
"The dazzling debut novel from Kate Collins - a feminist Gothic mystery spanning decades, in the vein of Mexican Gothic and The Essex Serpent.

Once upon a time Orla was: a woman, a painter, a lover. Now she is a mother and a wife, and when her husband Nick suggests that their city apartment has grown too small for their lives, she agrees, in part because she does agree, and in part because she is too tired to think about what she really does want. She agrees again when Nick announces with pride that he has found an antiquated Georgian house on the Dorset cliffs - a good house for children, he says, tons of space and gorgeous grounds. But as the family settles into the mansion - Nick absent all week, commuting to the city for work - Orla finds herself unsettled. She hears voices when no one is around; doors open and close on their own; and her son Sam, who has not spoken in six months, seems to have made an imaginary friend whose motives Orla does not trust.

Four decades earlier, Lydia moves into the same house as a live-in nanny to a grieving family. Lydia, too, becomes aware of intangible presences in the large house, and she, like Orla four decades later, becomes increasingly fearful for the safety of the children in her care. But no one in either woman's life believes her: the stories seem fanciful, the stuff of magic and mayhem, sprung from the imaginations of hysterical women who spend too much time in the company of children.

Are both families careening towards tragedy? Are Orla and Lydia seeing things that aren't there? What secrets is the house hiding? A feminist Gothic tale perfectly suited for the current moment, A Good House for Children combines an atmospheric mystery with resonant themes of motherhood, madness, and the value of a woman's work."

Sometimes people forget that the Gothic is all about the woman's POV.

The House Keepers by Alex Hay
Published by: Graydon House
Publication Date: July 4th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
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The official patter:
"The night of London's grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs launch a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class

Mrs. King is no ordinary housekeeper. Born into a world of con artists and thieves, she's made herself respectable, running the grandest home in Mayfair. The place is packed with treasures, a glittering symbol of wealth and power, but dark secrets lurk in the shadows.

When Mrs. King is suddenly dismissed from her position, she recruits an eclectic group of women to join her in revenge: A black market queen out to settle her scores. An actress desperate for a magnificent part. A seamstress dreaming of a better life. And Mrs. King's predecessor, with her own desire for vengeance.

Their plan? On the night of the house's highly anticipated costume ball - set to be the most illustrious of the year - they will rob it of its every possession, right under the noses of the distinguished guests and their elusive heiress host. But there's one thing Mrs. King wants even more than money: the truth. And she'll run any risk to get it...

After all, one should never underestimate the women downstairs."

Downton Abbey meets Ocean's Eight!

The Devil's Flute Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: July 4th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
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The official patter:
"An ingenious classic locked-room murder mystery about the feuding family of a composer that's perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware, and Anthony Horowitz.

Featuring the scruffy sleuth Kosuke Kindaichi - the most famous Japanese detective - created by one of Japan's greatest crime writers: Seishi Yokomizo, the "Japanese Agatha Christie"

Locked room mysteries are hot again, and this classic from the golden age of crime presents a mind-bending Japanese mystery from the great Seishi Yokomizo, whose fictional detective Kosuke Kindaichi is a pop culture phenomenon akin to Sherlock Holmes.

This time the beloved scruffy sleuth Kosuke Kindaichi investigates a series of gruesome murders within the feuding family of a brooding, troubled composer, whose most famous work chills the blood of all who hear it. Readers will be totally engrossed by one of Yokomizo's most clever guessing games, in which everyone has something to hide..."

Have locked room mysteries ever not been hot? Asking because I seriously always love them.

Into the Pines by Ryan Lill-Washington
Published by: Ryan Lill-Washington
Publication Date: July 4th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 208 Pages
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The official patter:
"Up-and-coming podcast host Eyvette has spent the last few years of her life trying to put her rural Southern upbringing behind her. And she's just about managed it - she's got a snazzy Los Angeles apartment, a talented actress girlfriend, and a growing online following of her own.

Then, Eyvette's comfortable new world comes crashing down around her. She learns that her childhood friend and first love, Charlene, has been named the second woman to go missing in the woods surrounding her tiny hometown. Eyvette can't help herself - she packs her things and heads back home to the foothills of South Carolina in search of answers.

It's not long before Eyvette realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew. There are no leads into Charlene's disappearance, and the once-familiar woods now seem wild and menacing. As she ventures farther and farther into the pines in search of answers, Eyvette begins to realize that she's not alone in the woods - and she may be running out of time to find her friend before someone, or something finds her first.

What lies within the pines that surround Traveler's Rest? Where do all the missing girls go? Who can you trust in the woods? Do people truly disappear without a trace?"

Oh, where do all the missing girls go!

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: July 4th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
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The official patter:
"The Bennett family has a secret:
They're not just a family, they're a pack.
Wolfsong is Ox Matheson's story.

Oxnard Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a lesson: Ox wasn't worth anything and people would never understand him. Then his father left.

Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harboring a secret that would change him forever. The Bennetts are shapeshifters. They can transform into wolves at will. Drawn to their magic, loyalty, and enduring friendships, Ox feels a gulf between this extraordinary new world and the quiet life he's known, but he finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his heart. Violence flared, tragedy split the pack, and Joe left town, leaving Ox behind. Three years later, the boy is back. Except now he's a man - charming, handsome, but haunted - and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

The beloved fantasy romance sensation by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and family."

And shapeshifters, don't forget the shapeshifters!

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: July 4th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A ghostwriter and a struggling actor help each other on the page and in the bedroom in this steamy romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk.

Chandler Cohen has never felt more like the ghost in "ghostwriter" until she attends a signing for a book she wrote - and the author doesn't even recognize her. The evening turns more promising when she meets a charming man at the bar and immediately connects with him. But when all their sexual tension culminates in a spectacularly awkward hookup, she decides this is one night better off forgotten.

Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. Her next project is ghostwriting a memoir for Finn Walsh, a C-list actor best known for playing a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show who now makes a living appearing at fan conventions across the country. Chandler knows him better from their one-night stand of hilarious mishaps.

Chandler's determined to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to Finn their night together wasn't as mind-blowing as he thought it was, he's distraught. He intrigues her enough that they strike a deal: when they're not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of satisfaction. As they grow closer both in and out of the bedroom, they must figure out which is more important, business or pleasure - or if there's a way for them to have both."

I am really drawn to this because of the whole culture of C-list actors at conventions who have so much bravado and the fact that one would be bad in the sack is hilarious. At least he's willing to learn...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alex Hay, Conventions, Downton Abbey, Ghostwriting, Gothic, Kate Collins, Locked Room, Ocean's Eleven, Podcast, Rachel Lynn Solomon, Ryan Lill-Washington, Seishi Yokomizo, Shapeshifter, T.J. Klune

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Published by: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: March 11th, 2008
Format: Kindle, 684 Pages
Rating: ★
To Buy

It is hard to grasp that a little boy who grew up in a tribal setting in South Africa would become the driving force to eliminate apartheid and would subsequently become the president of South Africa, and a man who changed history and shaped the 20th century. Nelson Mandela was fortunate in that he was allowed access by a flawed system to an education, an education that he would then use to dismantle that very system. There is no ambiguity that Mandela and his struggles symbolized freedom to the world and to South Africa. He was a great man. But being a great man doesn't translate to being a great writer. To me, the reason to read is for enjoyment and entertainment, and yes, education. But I like my knowledge presented to me in an engaging fashion. Therefore nonfiction has never been my genre of choice. The fact of the matter is life doesn't necessarily have a narrative. Life has a beginning, a middle, and an end, that is true. But not every life is worth or worthy of a book. Great historical figures, as well as annoying celebrities, are an exception.

Yet to have a biography or autobiography there needs to be more then this beginning, middle, and end. There needs to be insight as to how that time was filled. As a reader I didn't want just a dry telling of the facts, I wanted to know Mandela's feelings. I wanted to know his beliefs, his loves, his despair at spending 27 years of his life incarcerated. His feelings when Winnie went a little crazy, instead of a press release. This is what I desired, and instead I got brief glimpses of his life amid a struggle with no narrative, nothing to grab you and make you feel invested in his journey. Just a dry telling of the facts and figures that would make a statistician cry from sheer boredom. Flat, emotionless writing with so many names and acronyms, I wasn't sure if I could finish the book without loosing my mind.

To be fair, I will say that I was fairly ignorant of what the history in South Africa was, I kind of dropped that African history class in undergrad due to surly students and an indifferent TA that reminded me of Eric Stoltz. I did work on the play "Master Harold"... and the Boys about institutionalized bigotry and racism in Port Elizabeth during apartheid, but I can honestly say I don't remember anything about it other then how long it took me to paint that set. Therefore learning more about this time did hold some fascination for me and also underscored the fact that the world will basically turn a blind eye if you're killing your own people, Pol Pot, Stalin, early Hitler. But the fact that the government was just as bad if not worse then Nazi Germany and that this lasted not just a few decades but for almost an entire century is staggering. The travel bans, the pass books, the government did everything they could to push down the natives. The fact that the government was Boer, aka the Dutch who came and settled in South Africa, who are most known for that lovely Boer War, has made me draw the conclusion that the Boers are Bastards... I think this would make a catchy bumper sticker, don't you? Or Afrikaners suck. Your choice.

This is the world that Mandela grew up in. I liked that we saw his journey and how he questioned things. He thinks like I do in some respects. If he didn't know about something he would go out and find out everything about it before making a decision. He'd read and read and read till he came to his own conclusions. But this was a bit lugubrious to read about his reading. I don't want to be doing battle with my books. Really I don't. I take a certain glee in writing the reviews later... but that doesn't make up for the previous torture the book has inflicted on me. What I wouldn't have given for maybe a little bit about his family, his feelings about not being there for them instead of a day by day breakdown of one of his trials that lasted years, but felt like millennia. While nothing makes up for the life he lost locked behind prison walls, I can definitively say that I felt every single year he was locked away with him. 

With this book there is also a final question to be asked. How much did this book sanitize Mandela's image? The book was rushed to publication for his taking office as president with the help of his co-author, not, in my mind, ghostwriter as some have said, if it was ghostwritten, it would have been actually better written, so therefore, what was tweaked? What was taken out and what was kept in? In fact many people believe that Mandela was chosen as the image for anti-apartheid because his hands we clean. While he advocated the taking up of arms, he himself didn't.

There were little things in the book that disturbed me, such as his having a picture on the wall of the winter palace to commemorate the uprising that killed the Tsar and his family. How could anyone want to hang on their wall a reminder of the death of innocent children? Even if you are a communist, seriously? No. Just no. He also worshipped Castro, which recent articles have said wasn't talked about in the book, I just think they didn't finish the fifty million page opus of dullness, because Mandela clearly states his admiration of him. There are just so many thoughts spinning in my head about using one bad political model to fight another one... I just want to clear my head, get ride of the lugubriousness of this text, wipe away the cobwebs and have a real author come in and write about Mandela. With his passing I want a truly great writer of biographies to come along and do justice for Mandela, and maybe find a little bit of the truth... or at least don't varnish over things like Winnie.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Afrikaners, Apartheid, Autobiography, Boer War, Castro, Communist, Dutch, Ghostwriting, Hitler, Long Walk to Freedom, Master Harold and the Boys, Nazis, Nelson Mandela, South Africa, Stalin, Winter Palace