The House at Riverton/The Shifting Fog (↑)

I've finished another book. This one apparently goes by two names, and of course, I bought both, thinking they were different stories. But unfortunately they are not. So I wasted some money. Oh well...Anyway, this book is Kate Morton's The House at Riverton (aka The Shifting Fog). It's an amazing novel. It's similar to Kate Morton's other books in that it has a mystery, but honestly, the storyline just isn't here. It's not quite as in depth as some of her other novels which does make it a little easier to follow at times. There aren't quite as many extra side characters. I did miss the really 'crazy' family mystery part of the novel which is different from her other books. It was interesting to see a novel played out through the eyes of the hired help, rather than the wealthy. I did want to punch a few of the characters in the face a few times mostly because they were being such snobs, but what can you do about that. It's what the times were like back then.

This book is about a 99-year old woman, who is on her death bed, and wants to tell her story of working for the Hartford family at a house in Riverton. It switches back and forth from present day (which was set in the 1990's) to the early 1900's, especially around the World War I era. This woman tells the story of how the famous poet Robbie Hunter comes to shoot himself in the head at Riverton which has always been a mystery. She's not untangling the details, but rather, she is dictating them to a dictaphone so that she can send the tapes to her grandson so that he can hear her history.

Overall. I enjoyed this book. The plot and characters kept me engaged, and I felt like I had to keep reading (which could get me in trouble sometimes!!). I wish that the mystery had been a little bit more interesting and not so rushed, but oh well. What can one do? Anyway, I would recommend this novel to anyone who would like to learn more about the WWI era (seeing as it's not really talked about anymore) and just wants a good read. I'm going to be reading a Phillipa Gregory book next, so I'm sure that one will go by quickly. Until then, Happy Reading!

The Book of Secrets (↓)

I have FINALLY finished a book. It's Tom Harper's The Book of Secrets. The back said that it was similar to The Da Vinci Code, so I decided to try it out. Yeah. It was only similar to the Da Vinci Code in the fact that it was a 'mystery-thriller' following clues. Other than that, it took me FOREVER to read mostly because it couldn't keep my attention. By the end, I had to force myself to finish it because I was so bored with it. 580 pages of boring. Thankfully I didn't buy it new, but even still, it seemed to have been a waste of my used book credits.

This book is about a man who receives a mysterious message from his ex-girlfriend and sees her being kidnapped by mysterious black-clad men. He then follows hard-to-follow clues across Europe to unravel the mystery surrounding a 500-year-old book, and the disappearance of his ex. Not only does it focus its attention in the present, but it also switches back to the 15th century and follows the life of Gutenburg. Although this seems seemingly unconnected at first, it's all explained as the novel progresses. However, I still find this part of the storyline hard to follow, and I some of it I skimmed...

Honestly, I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone. Mostly, it's an alright read, but it's WAY to long, which is the biggest downfall, and basically why it's rating is so low. Hopefully my next read will be better. Until next time, Happy Reading!