Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott

Reviewed by Christy H.

            Kit has worked tirelessly in her postgrad years to reach the success she’s achieved – working in a lab run by respected scientist Dr. Severin. When Dr. Severin announces the lab has received funding to study premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and that only three positions will be available, Kit hopes, but isn’t certain, that she’ll win one of the prestigious spots. When the doctor announces a new hire at the same time, Kit’s hopes are dashed, especially when she discovers the new hire is Diane, her close friend and competitor in high school. Though Kit was always smart, Diane was the one who unintentionally lit a fire under Kit, getting her to put more effort into her schoolwork instead of just coasting. The results were a college scholarship and a career in STEM. Despite this bond, Kit and Diane drifted apart after high school, after Diane revealed her darkest secret.

            With Diane back in her life, Kit, who has always felt insecure about her capabilities, is certain she will lose the position to her. She drowns her sorrows in Long Island Iced Teas and lets the long held secret slip to one of her colleagues – further complicating things.

            Like other Abbott books, this one is quick and readable and I did like it, especially the look behind the scenes for women in STEM research. But I also found it lacking something, although I can’t quite articulate what that is. I’m not sure if I felt a disconnect from the characters or if it was the mystery that didn’t grab me. I was curious how everything would turn out but I wasn’t quite as invested as I have been with some of her other novels. So it may not be my new favorite Megan Abbott novel but it’s still a good time and worth a read.

Slade House by David Mitchell

Reviewed by Christy H.

            The small black door in the wall is hard to find. It’s only visible to certain people on a certain day. In a working class neighborhood, across the street from a rundown pub, Slade Alley has seen many strange disappearances through the years – every nine years to be exact. Those who cross through the iron door are the only ones who know its secrets. But by then it’s already too late.

            Slade House by David Mitchell is told almost as a series of short stories. Each section is a different year (1979 – 2015, on a nine year cycle) with a different narrator. While the narrators (and stories) are vastly different from one another they all have the common thread of being lured to the Slade House on Slade Alley and then trapped there. I read this book as part of a Goodreads horror book club, and I’m not entirely sure I would’ve picked it up otherwise. But I’m glad I did. Mitchell’s unconventional horror sticks with you, and he excels at writing a distinctive voice for each protagonist so they don’t all end up sounding the same. At first glance the narrators (an outsider young boy, a chauvinist cop, an insecure college girl, a journalist, and a doctor) don’t have much in common. But each section slowly reveals more about the Slade House and its inhabitants and just what kind of people they need to attract. Once inside the house, its victim loses all track of time and sees all manners of nightmares.

Mitchell’s novel is strange, a bit sad, and quite a ride. I particularly enjoyed sections three and four. I also liked the fact that I loved some narrators (the shy college girl) and hated others (well, just one. The cop). To be honest, though, I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. I don’t think I liked it very much. The last section feels a little deflated after the excellent middle sections. The rest of the book is too weird and fun for it to damper my enjoyment, however. This is a good, quick read for horror fans in the mood for something slightly different.

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

Reviewed by Christy H.

            Priyanka is a first generation Indian American girl living with her single mother. Though Priyanka (who routinely asks to be called Pri) is a typical American teen she also dreams of one day visiting her mother’s homeland of India. She wants to know all about it, as well as her father, but Pri’s mom refuses to discuss Pri’s father or anything relating to India. 

Pri is on the verge of giving up when she stumbles across an old suitcase tucked away in a closet. Inside is a pashmina that Pri has never seen before. When she wraps it around herself she is immediately transported to the colorful and stunning land of India. She tries new foods she’s never heard of (as well as old favorites like her beloved samosas) and dresses in vibrant saris that make her feel beautiful. All the while a shadow lurks in the background. When Pri catches glimpses of it and questions her guides (a talking elephant and blue bird), they chase away the shadow and refuse to provide any answers. This convinces Pri that she must travel to India for real to better understand her heritage, her mother, and herself.

Pashmina is a delightful and heart-warming graphic novel. Chanani’s art is very charming, adorable, and though I do not read graphic novels extensively it is one of the best of the ones I have read. Her decision to switch to color during the imagined India sections gives it an extra punch as well. Though anyone can relate to Pri’s bumpy school life and her tension with her mother, it’s nice to get a different perspective within these common themes. I really loved this little book and its advocating for discovering oneself and choosing one’s own destiny.

The Children’s Blizzard by David Laskin

Reviewed by Christy H.

            On January 12, 1888 a terrible blizzard swept across the Great Plains, taking many of its residents by complete surprise. While the days leading up to it were bitterly cold with the temperatures well below zero, on the morning of January 12^th, the temperatures rose by 20 – 40 degrees throughout the prairie. 20 or 30 degrees above zero is downright balmy after enduring weeks of snow and wind. Because of this, many farmers ventured out to take care of some chores. Many children begged their mothers to let them go to school, surely tired of being cooped up at home for weeks on end. While many acquiesced, one mother had a bad feeling that she couldn’t explain. She begged her children to stay home. Only the youngest, eager to sooth his worried mother, obeyed.

            David Laskin’s The Children’s Blizzard is a captivating account of a freak weather manifestation in the prairie lands during the 1880s. The pull quote on the cover states it “reads like a thriller” and though I was skeptical at first I have to say that I totally agree with that. There is a bit of a slow start because Laskin explains the weather phenomena that led to the blizzard. I appreciate the attempt but I have to admit it took several re-readings of those particular paragraphs to feel like I absorbed anything (Although I’m confident that has more to do with me than the author). I won’t attempt to explain the complex meteorology but suffice it to say, a series of particular weather conditions had to be present for this anomaly to occur. And sure enough, one by one, each condition locked into place, and soon the pioneers of the prairie had everything stacked against them.

            The Children’s Blizzard, sometimes known as the Schoolhouse Blizzard, earned its name unfortunately because so many school children perished.  Some teachers, not realizing the magnitude of the storm, sent their pupils home early. As the blizzard descended, survivors described it as a rolling white, “eating up” trees in the distance. It was easy for anyone to veer off path because they were constantly fighting the wind and the small, hard snow pellets that filled their eyes, noses and mouths. The snow would mix with their tears, freeze into a crust, and seal their eyes shut. Many of them were walking blind.

            What Laskin does so well, and what makes this non-fiction book read like a suspense novel, is his careful back story for these historical figures. He introduces them one by one; he describes their hopes and their heartache, and their extraordinary endurance to emigrate from their home country to literal wilderness. A few featured include:

• ·         Walter Allen was an eight year old boy who arrived at school early that day. When the blizzard hit, the teacher dismissed them early. Just as they were leaving, men steering horse drawn sleighs pulled up to the door – five of them in fact – to help get the children home. As they were loading up, Walter realized he forgot his precious perfume bottle (filled with water and used to clean his slate). Not wanting it to freeze and break, he jumped off the cart, ran inside to grab it, and hurried back. But it was too late. The carts were leaving and already barely visible. He briefly considered going back inside but instead turned and walked out into the snow. He was miraculously found by his older brother hours later lying in the snow. He survived.

• ·         Etta Shattuck was a young schoolteacher who survived three days in a haystack. When she was rescued the newspapers went crazy for her story and declared her a hero. Money was raised for her medical expenses but three and a half weeks after she was found she sadly passed away.

• ·         Minnie Freeman was also a young schoolteacher who became somewhat of a celebrity. None of her pupils died, and it was said that she tied ropes to their waists to keep them all together as they ventured into the storm (though one student disputes this). As with Etta, Minnie was hailed a hero, and the newspapers couldn’t get enough of her. A song was written about her ordeal, and many men wrote to her to propose marriage.

A couple of children survived the long night only to die of cardiac arrest after taking a couple of steps in the morning. Some survived weeks before succumbing. Others lived long lives but with wooden feet or missing hands. Those who survived would never forget it, and the stories would become legends to their grandchildren and great grandchildren. It is estimated that between 250 – 500 people died.

Laskin has written a page-turning account of a truly historical storm. He details the meteorology behind it, how weather was forecast back then, and even describes the intricacies of what hypothermia can do to the body. But the heart of the story is, of course, those affected. You feel for every single child caught in the snow as well as the parents who desperately search for them. As winter winds down, I am grateful that modern technology can give us ample warning of snow and that it doesn’t have to be a devastating disaster.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

Reviewed by Christy H.

            My Best Friend’s Exorcism is about two best friends – Abby and Gretchen – and how they navigate their sophomore year of high school in 1988.  Oh, and Gretchen’s demonic possession.

I love horror, I love the 80s, so this seemed like a perfect fit.

            Gretchen and Abby have been best friends since Gretchen was the only one to show up for Abby’s 10^th (and E.T. themed) birthday party. In high school, they are a part of a foursome that are constantly together but none of them have Gretchen and Abby’s tight bond. In fact, when Gretchen disappears in the woods one night, only to return naked and dirty the next morning, Abby is pretty much the only one deeply concerned. Although never being a teen girl himself, Hendrix somehow nails the all-or-nothing connection of female friendships during adolescence.  Gretchen and Abby spend almost every waking hour together or on the phone for their well-timed chats (11:06 pm every night.) Abby’s loyalty and tenacity is admirable. When Gretchen starts to act strangely, and her other friends abandon her – Abby doesn’t. When Abby gets in trouble at school, or Gretchen’s parents bar her from every seeing Gretchen again – Abby doesn’t give up.

I really enjoyed this novel. Each chapter is named after an 80s song, and the time period is woven in well. Nothing too over the top but just enough to have fun with it. Hendrix’s writing is fairly cinematic; I could see this as a movie. (When Gretchen walks into school with a drastic new look I could practically see the slow motion.) The thing that hit me the most though is that it’s actually pretty heartwarming. It all comes down to a girl’s love for her best friend, and how that love literally saves them both. I read this book often before bed, and I would have dreams of old high school friends. When I finally reached the conclusion I cried. A lot. Which I most definitely did not expect. The exorcism scene in particular has a sweet twist on a familiar trope. While there were a couple of minor things I would’ve taken out if I could, they didn’t cause negative feelings overall. This is the first book I’ve read by Hendrix, and I liked it so much that I’ll keep an eye out for his other work. Now I’m going to go text my best friend.

In the Woods by Tana French

Reviewed by Christy H.

            Detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox had an instant bond when Cassie joined the Dublin Murder Squad.  Now partners and best friends, they work exceedingly well together – interrogating suspects, questioning witnesses, or just divvying up small, everyday tasks. They know what roles to play, when needed, to get the best results. But when a twelve year old girl’s body is found in Knocknaree woods their partnership and friendship is sorely tested.

            The Knocknaree woods hold a special place in Rob Ryan’s heart – not all of it good. When he was twelve years old himself, he and two friends knew those woods inside and out. They ran and played there, hid there, witnessed horrible acts of violence there. Then all three seemingly vanished into thin air. Rob Ryan was the only one found hours later, clinging to a tree, shoes blood soaked, and unable to remember a thing. He was Adam Ryan then. Over twenty years later he still doesn’t remember much, and his friends have never returned.

            Soon after he went to boarding school, started going by his middle name, and eventually became a policeman and ultimately a detective. When the new Knocknaree case falls into his lap, he admits who he is to Cassie. He wants to keep working the case so he and Cassie do everything they can to keep his past secret.

            Though I enjoy true crime, police procedural novels are not generally what I pick up to read. I bought this one years and years ago though and figured it was more than past time to give it a go. I really enjoyed it. I liked French’s writing, and I loved Cassie. She’s good at her job and thick skinned – which she would have to be as the only woman on the squad. She’s never deterred from speaking her mind when she knows it’s important, and she doesn’t mind a bit of teasing as long as she can tease right back. I even liked the relationship between her and  Rob,  even though Rob himself grated my nerves more and more as the book went on. He was at times frustratingly naïve or needlessly cruel. I admit I did at one point consider dropping the book because his point of view was so irritating but I stuck it out because the mystery was intriguing, and Cassie was the real star. I’m glad I finished it. The conclusion was satisfying, creepy, and intense. And I’m interested in the second in the series The Likeness as well. I’m not a series person but Cassie is the main character in that one, and I just can’t say no to that.