A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorhead

I'm part of the TLC tour for Caroline Moorehead's A Train in Winter this morning.

When the Germans arrived in Paris in 1940, it initially appeared that life could go on as usual for the French. They soon learned this was not to be. Though the government was willing to bow down to Hitler and the German forces, many of the country's citizens were not. As the resistance formed and gained strength a number of women came out in support. They were mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters -- teachers, doctors, dentists -- some as young as 14. At a time when they were considered secondary citizens, these women were able to slide under the radar, at least in the beginning. Though many of them would perish in Auschwitz, their heroism will not be forgotten. 

Caroline Moorehead explores the history of the French resistance in A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France. It's interesting to note that at the time of her research, 2008, only a small handful of the women still remained. The ones who were able shared their stories and offered great insight into this remarkable story.

While this is certainly a fascinating piece of history, I did find that Moorehead's approach was a bit muddled. The opening chapters are filled with names of resistance participants and small pieces of their backstory, but there are so many of them that they quickly become confusing -- unless you were to take notes along the way. I found myself flipping back and forth trying to remember someone's background as we came across them again further down the line.

I should point out -- for any potential readers who come across my post -- there's a very helpful appendix in the back of the book listing the women and their background notes. Had I paid attention to the table of contents, I likely would have saved myself a lot of confusion! But now I'm able to tell you it's there and you can benefit.

Another thing I struggled with through the first half of the book was the organization. Moorehead skips back and forth in time, moving forward a bit and back again over and over. My own preference would have been a more linear timeline just to help keep the story straight.

While I had some issues with the overall organization, Moorehead's style is certainly not overly academic. In fact, I think she falls in the middle in terms of a well-written look at a very important chapter of history that will be respected by scholars and appealing to a more general audience as well.

A Train in Winter was a challenging read, but one that I think is important for so many reasons.

To see what others thought, visit the official TLC tour page here.

Stardust Gift Edition by Neil Gaiman

Oh! October 30 will see the release of the brand spanking new pretty gift edition of Neil Gaiman's Stardust!

The town of Wall sits between London and the land of Faerie. A wall is the only thing that separates this world from theirs. While walking Miss Victoria Forester - the prettiest girl in all of Wall - home one evening, Tristran Thorn spies a fallen star. He pledges to bring the star back in exchange for Victoria’s hand in marriage. He sets off on a journey that will take him into the land of Faerie. When he reaches the star, he is surprised to find that it is in the shape of a girl, Yvaine. The star escapes from Tristran and her mother, the moon, soon appears to him in a dream. The moon has requested that Tristran protect her daughter from those that would wish her harm. One of these is a member of the Lilim, a witch queen who wishes to tear the heart from Yvaine so that she may regain her youth. Yvaine is also being pursued by the remaining heirs of the Kingdom of Stormhold, one of whom will inherit only after retrieving a certain item she carries. 

Stardust is probably -- aside from Gaiman's children's books that is -- the most approachable story for a new-to-Gaiman-reader. It's a quick read and a really lovely fairy tale. (And, true to form, I much prefer the book to the movie adaptation -- though it is cute in its own right.)

While the PS edition is quite nice, this new gift edition is a clothbound hardcover and includes a brief new introduction from Gaiman. It also includes the author's postscript and "Wall: A Prologue" (both also in the PS edition) as well as an updated acknowledgements.

I have to say, with the upcoming holidays in mind this gift edition would actually make the perfect gift for any Gaiman fan! There's even a super collectible slip case edition, too.

I would also highly recommend treating yourself to Stardust if you've not yet read it. I still adore the old PS edition below as well if you're not ready to spring for the new hardcover.

The Twelve by Justin Cronin

Anyone who's read The Passage has likely been waiting with great anticipation for the release of The Twelve. And I was most definitely one of them. As October 16 approached, I became more and more antsy about getting my hands on the book. Book finally acqured, I had to wait until I had enough time to really dive in and give it the undivided attention it deserved -- and that's what I did this weekend :)

In The Passage readers were introduced to the project that created The Twelve and Amy. We met Wolgast, Amy's surrogate father through the end of the world. We also met the brave and determined group of folks who would join Amy in an epic quest to save humanity. 

Now, in The Twelve, Cronin brings the story back to the beginning and introduces Lila Kyle, a pregnant doctor dead set on protecting her unborn child, and Lawrence Grey, one of Zero's familiars and the man who will help Lila. We also meet Bernard Kittredge, aka Last Stand in Denver, and a group of other survivors from Denver and the surrounding area who will band together and make the long trek to what they hope will be safety. Their story, seemingly destined for a tragic end, plays a significant role in what will come next for Peter, Alicia, Hollis, Michael, Sara, and Amy as they continue their quest to bring down The Twelve almost a century later. 

There's just so much to say about this most epic of epic post apocalyptic series. It's completely fabulous. The scope of the story and Cronin's admirable talents for storytelling make this the kind of series you can completely immerse yourself in, investing yourself in the characters and their stories, their triumphs, their losses, and their hopes and dreams for what will come next. In turning the final page of this book, I emerged completely exhausted and a bit shell shocked while desperately feigning for more!

While The Twelve is a little bit shorter than it's predecessor (592 pages compared to the 784 of The Passage) readers should know that these chunksters are fast paced enough that the story flies by. I don't recall my reading pace on Passage, but The Twelve took me just over two days to finish in terms of read time. Cronin's style encourages quick reading, maintaining a sense of urgency and suspense throughout the books. One might fear that such a doorstopper would be filled with dull, descriptive moments but rest assured this is most definitely NOT the case at all. Everything is necessary and everything moves the story forward. I would warn against a late night start as you'll likely find yourself reading into the wee hours! There's no stopping once you start.

The Twelve is a worthy follow up to the amazing Passage. It fully met my expectations and I highly recommend reading them both if you're a fan of end of the world fiction! Now begins the *sniff* final wait til book three and the conclusion of the story.

Home by Matthew Costello

When we left the Murphy family in the end of Vacation, they were in a bit of a... pickle. This follow up picks up just before the end of Vacation and follows wife Christie and kids as they escape Paterville and move on to the next challenge.

Christie, Kate, and Simon narrowly managed to escape Paterville Camp, but they've made it. While they were away, though, it seems New York experience a massive power outage. The electric fences designed to keep out the Can Heads failed and their world is crumbling around them. As they make their trek home, they aren't sure what they'll find, but they hope it'll still be the haven husband Jack prepared for them. If their home has been compromised, Christie isn't sure what she'll do, but she knows that protecting her family is her number one responsibility. 

I've tried -- hopefully somewhat successfully -- to avoid any possible spoilers here for folks who have yet to read Vacation. It's a bit tough since Home is an immediate follow up, but I should point out that Home can essentially be read as a stand alone itself. There's enough of a recap from Vacation that you get the gist of what the Murphy family is facing and what's going on around them in this future world.

This one went a bit more Walking Dead than the previous installment. Much more of the family facing the outside world and traveling their way to some place safe.

I missed Jack. I really wanted more of him! It was nice to see Christie come into her own, though, since she's more of a background character in Vacation and now the one in charge in Home. Both of the kids get more page time as well and their growth is particularly fabulous.

It's pretty clear in the end of Home that there's much more to the Murphys' story and some really cool elements (not giving it away) are introduced in the end that should lead into a follow up. I've no clue how many books may be planned for in this "series" but I'll be along for the ride for sure!

Home officially hits shelves on Tuesday, October 30. Vacation is out in paperback now.

New releases 10/23/12

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

Home by Matthew Costello

The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Emgelmann

Question of Identity by Susan Hill

Charlotte Street by Danny Wallace

After Moonrise by PC Cast and Gena Showalter

The Racketeer by John Grisham

Blood Line by Lynda La Plante

The Hollow Man by Oliver Harris

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Curiosities: A Collection by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, & Brenna Yovanoff

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Dark Star by Bethany Frenetta

New on DVD:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

New reviews at Bookbitch.com:
Vacation by Matthew Costello
Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie
Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Devil's Oven by Laura Benedict

Ivy Luttrell is so very lonely. One afternoon while out wandering the woods near her house, she discovers the dismembered pieces of a man’s body. A talented seamstress, Ivy carefully sews the man together. He seems so real and so lifelike that Ivy isn’t the least bit surprised when he actually awakens. She believes he’s a gift, the end of her loneliness. Someone she can spend her life with. She’s wrong. The man is pure hatred and evil and he’s on a mission that even death can’t stop. 

Devil’s Oven is such an odd book! Laura Benedict has definitely emerged as a significant player in the southern gothic style. 

Like a lot of authors I enjoy, Benedict has an exceptional talent for building suspense and atmosphere. The eerie tone of the book paired with the mountain folktale feel makes Devil's Oven a haunting read - definitely one that's stayed with me beyond the final page.

Most of the characters in Devil's Oven toe the line between good and bad. There's a lot of gray area in their motivations -- Ivy, for example, and her loyalty to her sort of Frankenstein's monster even after learning what he's been up to. It gives the story a dark feel, something I recall from her earlier books as well.

If you're looking for something a little different in the horror/suspense genre, I'd definitely recommend checking out Benedict's work. Devil's Oven is her latest, but her earlier books -- Isabella Moon and Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts -- are both exceptional.

Vacation by Matthew Costello

Paterville Camp, where you and your family can relax -- or not.

A vacation is just what the doctor ordered after NYPD officer Jack Murphy barely survives an attack. His partner was killed by a group of Can Heads, roving bands of cannibals that have become an increasing threat since the water dried up and blight attacked the crops. But Jack isn't the kind of person who relaxes easily and something about Paterville has him worried. Sure it's surrounded by a massive electric fence and heavily armed guards walk the perimeter every night, but why does Jack still feel unsafe? It won't take long for him to discover Paterville's secret. But will he and his family survive this vacation?

What did I love about this book? It's fun! Plain and simple. It's dark and dirty fun in a semi post apocalyptic setting. The only thing that would have made this a more perfect read would be if I'd read it in a cabin in the woods!

Seriously, it's a pretty simple story and a really quick read but Costello's setting is fantastic in its simplicity. Then there's the added bonus of wondering what caused the Can Heads and the blight that's killed the crops.

Jack and his family are totally believable and I was rooting for the cop all the way. And Paterville's eeriness is not too blatant or overt, just barely more than implied and presented in a way that scratch at the back of your brain along with Jack's worries.

Based on the acknowledgements in the book, it sounds as though there's a screenplay for this floating around somewhere. I would actually love to see this become a feature length film. I think it would be a great one to watch!

Vacation does have a bit of a cliffhanger ending but no worries, readers, the sequel, Home, hits shelves on October 30 and I have it on good authority that it stands on its own as well as being a follow up.

As a bonus, Tor posted an except last year. You can find it here. Vacation is available in paperback and on audio.