Reading Roundup #41: Spooks and Spectres

It’s a surprisingly – and delightfully – spooky week, here at Book It With Becca, as ghosts of the past refuse to stay dead, whether literally or figuratively. Between Halloween approaching and a cool change in the weather, it’s the perfect time to pick up one of these ghostly tales!

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo: An historical fantasy with an intriguing premise, The Ghost Bride entices the reader first into nineteenth-century Malacca, and then further into a world of spirits and intrigue. The mystery itself was, admittedly, rather obvious, but the getting there was fun, and the romance subplot took unexpected but satisfying turns. The plot needed some tightening – there were a few threads that never went anywhere – but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club #2) by Richard Osman: The much-anticipated (at least in my circles) sequel to Osman’s debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club is the uncontested star of the week and maybe even the month! As we all know, sequels can be hit-or-miss, but The Man Who Died Twice gives us everything we loved in the first, plus a few new twists to keep things fresh. Truly, there is no better way to spend a day than hunting murderers and diamonds with the gang at Cooper’s Chase!

For the Wolf (Wilderwood #1) by Hannah Whitten: If The Man Who Died Twice is the star of the week, For the Wolf is the happy surprise. I’d heard good things, but I’m more and more wary of retellings, as authors often work too hard to force adherence to the source, rather than allowing for an organic narrative. But Whitten has created a story that will please fans of the “Beauty and the Beast” story while still standing as a perfectly good story in its own right, and I was both entertained and impressed. It’s a strong debut novel, and I look forward to seeing Whitten grow with future books.

Paladin’s Hope (The Saint of Steel #3) by T. Kingfisher: This has quickly become one of my favorite series, and the latest installment, Paladin’s Hope, is as delightful as expected. Slightly less plot-driven than previous installments, Hope is an old-fashioned adventure tale, with high stakes and Indiana Jones-style ancient booby traps. I loved our leads, of course, but it was really Earstripe and the other gnoles who stole my heart. And now, we wait for book four!

–b