Book review - The Lamplighter

 

Title: The Lamplighter

Author: Crystal J Bell

Genre: historical fiction/horror

Similar books: This Is Not a Ghost Story by Andrea Portes

                      Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

Rating:

 

a slow burn

Summary (provided by publisher): It’s an honor to bring light to the dark.
The nineteenth-century whaling village of Warbler is famous for its lucky ship figureheads—and infamous for people disappearing into the nightly fog. In this murky locale, the lamplighter is synonymous with safety and protection, and it’s a position Temperance assumes when her father is found hanging from one of the lampposts. Though Tempe proves competent, the town is still hesitant to let a woman handle this responsibility.
When a girl disappears after two lamps go out, Tempe’s ability to provide for her mother and younger sister hangs in the balance. She scrambles for answers, hindered at every turn by the village authorities’ call for her removal. As more villagers vanish under her watch, Tempe discovers unsettling truths about the famous Warbler figureheads and her own beloved father. But her warnings of a monster are ignored, even by her own family. Now she must follow the light out of her own fog of despair, as she faces the choice to look the other way or risk speaking out and possibly dooming herself and her sister to be among the lost.

My opinion: Bell starts out on solid footing, giving us a clear picture of the world of Warbler and Tempe's precarious position. We quickly get the sense that something wrong and potentially evil is afoot which hooks the reader well. What follows is less nail-biting that we might hope as the threat is revealed to be less immediate and physical than it is existential. There is eventually a physical threat that is revealed in a moment that isn't shocking so much as it is the payoff of the slow build of unease and the sense of wrongness. With a final turn that is startling but satisfying, The Lamplighter is a read worth working through the ponderous first half.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

Given the set-up, this book could easily have turned into a cliche. We have a pastor's daughter who's always been "good" floored by the return of her mother's cancer. She doubts her always-been-easy faith and in this state goes to work at a secular summer camp for kids who have difficult lives. This could have turned into utter rejection of organized religion and easy answers about relationships and grief. But it works hard to go deeper. It explores how relationships shift as people grow, how empathy is at the forefront and guides "goodness". While there are some obvious reveals later in the plot, the strong characters and genuine soul searching make up for perceived weaknesses.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6 - mystery

There's nothing like a good mystery for a beach read. Whether you're six or sixty, we all enjoy going over clues and trying to guess the solution before the book's characters do. Here are six new mystery stories published in the last six months.

Six new mysteries for kids and teens:

1. Till Human Voices Wake Us by Rebecca Roque
2. It All Started With a Lie by Denise Brown
3. The Summer She Went Missing by Chelsea Ichaso
4. The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
   
5. Dark Parts of the Universe by Samuel Miller
6. Have You Seen This Girl by Nita Tyndall
   

Book review - Dr. Z and Matty Take Telegraph

 

Title: Dr.  and Matty Take Telegraph

Author: Ari Rosenschein

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: One Night in a Thousand Years by Craig Cunningham

                      Crash Landing by Li Charmaine Anne

Rating:

 

doesn't dig too deep

Summary (provided by publisher): It’s the late ’90s—the final days before smartphones and the internet changed the teenage landscape forever. Zack and his mother have moved from Tempe to Berkeley for a fresh start, leaving behind Zack’s father after a painful divorce. A natural athlete, Zack makes the water polo team which equals social acceptance at his new school. Yet he’s more drawn to Matthias, a rebellious skater on the fringes, who introduces him to punk rock, record stores, and the legendary Telegraph Avenue.
As their friendship intensifies, Matthias’s behavior reminds Zack of his absent dad, driving a wedge between him and his mother. Complicating matters is Zaylee, a senior who boosts Zack’s confidence but makes him question his new buddy, Matthias. Faced with all these changes, Zack learns that when life gets messy, he might have to become his own best friend.

My opinion: It's a set-up we see sometimes in novels - a character takes a move to a new town as a chance for reinvention. It's less common for that character to be a teen boy. And to be fair, Zack doesn't set out to change; the change happens naturally as he adapts to circumstances. He stays open to new experiences which lead him to question things he's held to be true about himself. This allows for a plot that is introspective and thoughtful without digging very deep. Zack draws quick conclusions, not changes wrought through long struggles. While the book doesn't push too hard, it is reflective enough to make for a quiet, contemplative read.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley - A girl plots a heist to punish the wealthy father who abandoned and cut her off and his new wife.

What did you recently finish reading?

Shift Happens by J Albert Mann - This non-fiction book explores the history of labor and unions in the US in a very readable, conversational tone.

What do you think you'll read next?

Night Stories by Liniers

Picture books for everyone - A Wild Windy Night

 

A Wild Windy Night by Yui Abe

Starting with a conversation between a child and mother, this is a wild adventure as the protagonist is blown about through imaginative landscapes. While he travels far, he returns to the safety of home and there is never any true sense of danger. Instead, with a plot reminiscent of In the Night Kitchen and illustrations not unlike the work of Tommie DePaola, this is a gentle adventure that will be soothing to the young and encourage creativity in older kids. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight - Anzu and the Realm of Darkness

 

Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen

If you're like me you probably have very little knowledge of Asian mythology. While this book won't tell you everything by any means, it does provide a picture into the world of Japanese myth. We meet a variety of spirits and get a glimpse of their abilities. Anzu is a solid character, dealing with grief and a desire to belong, unsure of who she even is anymore. We see these struggles reflected in characters in the spirit realm as well. With detailed illustrations that use color and light to the perfect degree this is a book that lends itself to frequent re-reading.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley