A Book A Week

Happy New Year! It is crazy to think that A Book A Week began way back in 2012, but I'm so excited to continue my goal of reading a new book every week and sharing my reviews with you. Over the years, my reading tastes have grown and evolved to encompass various genres and authors. My soft spot, though, will always be with mysteries and thrillers. I began last year by reading Rachel Hawkin's popcorn thriller, Reckless Girls. This year, I was pleased to once again accept a copy of her latest book/audiobook from her publisher. The Villa sees Hawkins apply her signature style to a multigenerational thriller, which is a fantastic way to kick off this new year of reading. 

The year is 1974. The place is the gorgeous Villa Rosato, Italy. Rock superstar Noel Gordon has rented the estate as an artists' retreat. He hopes that his time in the home will yield his next bestselling album. Noel has invited songwriting hopeful Pierce Sheldon to join him, and Pierce brings his mistress, the young Mari, and her sister Lara. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll ensue, but not in the way you might expect. By the end of the summer, Mari will write one of the most influential horror novels of all time, and Lara will record a bestselling album. The art that flows from that time is notable in its own right, but this is not what the Villa is best known for. You see, that summer also ends up with Pierce being brutally murdered in a killing that will forever stain the reputation of the Italian chateau. 

In the present day, the villa, now renamed Villa Aestes, is playing host to a new generation of creatives. Emily and Chess were inseparable childhood friends who both ended up with varying degrees of success as authors. Chess is a bestselling self-help guru, who has taken the world by storm. Emily has had more moderate achievements as the author of a series of cozy mysteries that are largely inspired by her own personal life. Both friends have drifted from each other over the years, focussing on their own lives and careers. This girl's trip to Italy serves as a chance to reconnect while also putting in the hours needed to stave off both authors' impending deadlines. Emily's curiosity about the place they are staying leads her to discover new aspects of the famed murders that occurred there decades ago. Secrets about the past, both of this place and of their friendship, come to light, causing tensions to mount between the two best friends. Before the summer's end, the villa may just claim another victim. 

The Villa marks Hawkins's third foray into thrillers and is her most unique and intriguing novel to date. She takes inspiration from Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the creation of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, combining these seemingly eclectic elements into a story that brims with tightly wound suspense. This is much different from the popcorn reads she has previously presented. While there are still plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, The Villa spends more time building atmospheric chills by alternating past and present perspectives. I simultaneously read and listened to this book, sucked into the spell that it cast upon me. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, Hawkins threw in one more twist that I genuinely didn't see coming. The Villa is another solid page-turner from an author who is becoming one of my go-to writers for this genre. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 1)

Sometimes it is best to go into a book blind. I won a copy of Shanora Williams's latest novel The Perfect Ruin in a Goodreads giveaway that I didn't remember entering. (Please tell me I'm not the only one to have done this!) I didn't even recall reading a blurb about the book, so I had zero expectations about what it would be. It turns out that knowing nothing was the perfect way to approach this novel. Williams shrouds much of the motivations of the first part of her book in mystery, so coming in with no preconceived notions about what the story is really worked to my advantage. 

Ivy has spent years in therapy recovering from the trauma of her childhood. When we first meet her, we don't know exactly what that trauma is, and it isn't clear why she has faced such a long period of recovery. What we do know is this. Ivy's therapist has just revealed the name of a person who is responsible for much of her troubles. Armed with this new information, Ivy has vowed to get revenge. To reveal any more of the plot would rob you of the discovery that makes reading the novel as much fun as it is. Suffice it to say that each of the characters keeps their secrets close and their enemies even closer. 

The Perfect Ruin reads a lot like one of those made for T.V. melodramas where every character has a secret and each reveal becomes more shocking and outlandish than the last. That's not a knock on the quality of writing by any means. In fact, each layer of the plot in this one kept me turning the pages waiting to see what crazy thing would happen next. I do think, however, that reading this book will require you to suspend your disbelief to fully enjoy it. Many scenes reminded me of classic prime-time soap operas like Desperate Housewives or Dallas. It is a credit to Williams that I found myself caring about the characters in this one, especially as they acted from mostly selfish motivations. The ending of the book did crescendo to one too many twists for my tastes, but it was all in good fun and in keeping with the momentum that drove everything before it. The Perfect Ruin is the best kind of popcorn read, an entertaining page-turner that never takes itself too seriously. 

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2021, 38)