Rachel HawkinsCritiques

My second Rachel Hawkins book and I liked this one even more then The Heiress. This author twist and turn a story better the many I've read for a while. I loved the back drop story of others that have come before and how the plot took a different road due to actions of them.The characters worked my nerves for a bit but I ended up liking them in the end.

I liked the idea of the plot but it mostly seemed like an afterthought with most of the book focused on the “romance.”

Also, I listened to this one and the narrator was fine but she pronounced chapter as shap-ter and that was really annoying.

While at first I was a little confused, I soon got caught up with everything. Sophia, or Sophie is our main character and she is a witch. She has grown up with her completely human mother, her father is absent from her life and has been since before she was born. From what I could gather, she has never met or spoken to her father, he communicates with her mother or her by email only. The book starts off with Sophie casting a love spell, we soon see it go horribly wrong( guy drives his car into the school) and then the next thing we know, Sophie is being shipped off to a school for "Prodigium", or the supernatural. There she feels like a total outcast among the outcasts and soon befriends a vampire; the only one that attends the school (though there is a Vampire teacher). She meets the resident Dark Witches and when they ask her to join their coven she turns them down thinking that there is no way she could be capable of doing dark magic. She develops a crush on the boyfriend of one of the dark witches, and while the crush is innocent at first, things develope as you normally see in most YA books. Sophie is thrust into the school drama as soon as everyone realizes that her room mate and friend is the vampire that everyone thinks killed a girl last semester, but when another of the dark witch coven ends up being attacked in the same way that the other girl was killed, everyone but Sophie assumes that it is Jenna)the vampire) doing it. Sophie sets out to prove everyone wrong and along the way she meets her great-grandmother who is a "ghost". Ghosty grandma starts to teach Sophie how to control her magic and do spells, all the while there is still things going on at the school. Sophie's crush on Archer is escalating and it almost comes to a head during a "ball" held at the school, that is until another of the dark coven is attacked. Jenna and the vampire teacher are then removed from the school. And things become strained between Sophie and Archer. Elodie, the last of the dark coven and Archer's girlfriend, gets busted in the fact that they joined Sophie to their coven without her knowledge and then the two frenimies must look out for each other. Elodie catches Sophie sneeking out one night to meet Alice and when Sophie brings Elodie along, she realizes that Elodie is stronger than her; Alice places a protection spell on both of the girls so that they can recognize their enemies in the school. Things kind of spiral out of control after that, and without giving too much away, know that there is a "hunter" at the school and Alice wasn't exactly what she said she was. I couldn't wait to pick up the next book in the series, just to find out what happens next!

I flew through this book. When we come in we are about 6 months after the events in Hex Hall. Sophie is still at the school, and while she has somewhat come to terms with everything that happened, she is determined to go through the Removal. The Removal will remove her powers and could possibly kill her, but it is something she feels that she must do in order to protect those around her. After 6 months of waiting her father finally shows up on the day that she is thrown into the lake "swamp" and must pretend to drown and then use her powers to save herself. Only, no one told Sophie that a demon could not escape the pond...
At first her father seems kinda uptight, but I guess as head of the Council, he should be.. We soon get a glimpse of just where Sophie got her sarcasm from. Her mother, father and the headmistress of the school are all trying to talk Sophie out of going through with the Removal, and with good reason; who really wants to see their child die?
Sophie's father makes her a deal, spend the summer with him in London and then if she still wants to go through with the removal he will allow it. Sophie insists that her best friend Jenna; the vampire, be allowed to go too. Her father agrees and then adds that Cal; the groundskeeper, will be joining them. Sophie then learns that while she has been at Hex Hall with Cal, she has been his betrothed. And then to find out that he knew all along, upsets her. Sophie is still hung up on Archer, even though she pretends not to be.
As everyone sets off to London, Sophie has a feeling in the pit of her stomach that they will never return to Hex Hall. Once arriving in London and finally getting to where they will be staying, Sophie realizes that there are two more demons, and they are staying with the Council; well what is left of them.
The book didn't go as fast, nor where there as many twists and turns as in the first, but with Archer making an appearance a few chapters in, the story line picked up. They Eye "hunters" are actively hunting Sophie, as she is heir apparent to the Head of the Council and really no one wants a demon to be in charge. But Archer saves her, so you can tell that maybe he still feels something for her. The story pretty much revolves around finding out who made the two demons, Nick and Daisy, that are at Council Headquarters and Sophie getting back in with Archer.
There are a few fights, nothing big and then at the end there is a major infiltration of the Council, and we learn just who has been making the demons. When the story closes, Sophie is powerless thanks to the Council, her father and Archer are trapped in the cells below the Abbey and she is told to go to the Brannick's ( also hunters).
I was disappointed in the ending and believe that the story could have went a little farther, so that we weren't left with so many questions. I can't wait till the third book is released so I can find out exactly what happens next.

Another good read or listen from Rachel Hawkins! Lots going on to keep you reading into the night. I listened to this on audio which was very well done, however, I just might read this book because I feel like I missed some things with the audio which was my fault because I had to rush through the last part because it was due in a matter of hours!½

Everything was just meh. I never really felt anything the characters were going through and found it hard to keep up with their emotions.

More like a 3.75 star rating. This was such a fun read. I don't have much to say about it but it was fun.

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"There is a trick to spinning lies...you have to embed the truth in there."
Jane Eyre rewritten: Jane as a cynical envious, devious kleptomaniac, Mr. Rochester as Eddie, the contractor with a mysterious past/possible murderer, and Mrs Rochester as a southern belle/mogul. While it sometimes reads like a Harlequin Romance, it held my attention. The last 10% had a bit of a convoluted twist. Therefore, 4 out of 5 stars.

Honestly a bit of a disappointment.

Rachel Hawkins weaves her compelling tale from the vocal strands of matriarch Ruby McTavish, her adopted son Camden, and Camden's wife Jules. It doesn't take long after readers arrive at Ashby House to realize that they've fallen into a den of vipers... and that everyone's motives should be suspect.

The Heiress reminds me of one of my favorite mystery tropes: is this person the true heir? DNA tests have killed that favorite of mine, but it still lives on in books like Josephine Tey's Brat Farrar and to a tiny degree, here. After all, the McTavishes who've stayed at Ashby House would like nothing better than to take every penny of Camden's inheritance away from him, and they're not too picky about how they do it.

One of the highlights of the book is the letters Ruby wrote to Camden. Her words prove her to be strong, sympathetic, and devious. Those letters, combined with occasional newspaper articles, are the backbone of The Heiress, and they define a fascinating character.

To one remote, beautiful mansion, add a hornet's nest of characters, and some delicious plot twists. What do you get? A wonderful story that you can't read fast enough. After enjoying The Heiress so much, I know that I'll be reading more from Rachel Hawkins.

I didn’t give it a four because I didn’t feel it was a retelling but more so a good story using elements of a great story. While I understand this to be a contemporary retelling, some stories are not meant to be brought into a contemporary setting and can lose luster by uber fans of the originals. I decided to restart the story after 7 chapters and remove Jane Eyre from my thinking all together. If I didn’t, this would have been 2 stars.

That said, I enjoyed this story. It was a story I did not want to put down. There were a few plot twist, some I should have known were coming and some I absolutely had no clue would take place. I could have done without all the F bombs and wish authors would understand an F bomb doesn’t make you an adult writer.

After discussing the book with friends I wanted to look at what could cast similarities between stories. I look back at the literature study I did back in my forst round of college.

To me, Jane is two totally different people in each story. The only similarity being the name and having a rough upbringing. I find the original Jane much stronger.

I don’t feel John is represented in the same way and is just a way to smug the Christian view as a lot of books are doing now a days. I do think the original St John is a little grimy and off, not as saint like as many try to make the would be missionary out to be. In this “retelling”, John is made to be thought of someone who would harm or sexually advance on Jane without her permission when in the original, St John’s morals would not allow him to do such things. This all said, the character could surround the grimy cousin John Reed, in which suit would fit the grim he portrayed towards a young Jane. But it feels like they are trying to mix the two.

Making Adele a dog made me laugh ...

As you can see, I am a fan of the original much more than the new story but enjoyed The Wife Upstairs enough to keep it on my shelves and reread it at some point.

Everyone is making some truly baffling choices.

WOW! Again I didn't think this book was going to be the blockbuster it turned out to be. I don't read a lot of dark and sinister anymore and this wasn't one of those, but the twist and turns were awesome right up to the last page!

This was a blind read from my local library. It was supposed to be a gothic but not even close. The book was covered so I did not know not know the name of the author or book. Started with military on an island in the war and there were fewer men and I am guessing why. Then the main character is a maid in a hotel in Hawaii about talks about sex toys in the guest's rooms. No need for such language with all the f words and s words. I did not finish. I guess they go this island with some other people. Not for me.
I won a copy of the book and the opionins are my own.

In the current day when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.
In the 1970s the story-line is inspired by the summer when Mary Shelly stayed in Venice with Claire, Lord Byron and John William Polidori, There writing Frankenstein.
The way both story lines concluded was very interesting and well done.
The story of relationships and what people will do for love.½

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin's Press and author for an ARC copy of this book. I read it in two sittings.

This is a really good book. If you like a bit of gothic, domestic fiction, and family ghosts this read is for you. Twists and turns abound until family is no longer family. Or are they? The main character, Ruby McTavish, has been dead for a decade or more. Her sister, grandniece and grandnephew are still living in the McTavish mansion and financially dependent upon a trust controlled by Ruby’s adopted son Camden who left home ten years prior. The mansion sits atop a mountainside outside Ashville, NC and looks down on the town owned by the family where the grandnephew rides roughshod over the townspeople. Ruby’s adopted son Camden and his wife Jules arrive from Colorado at the request of the family (or was it?) to loosen the purse strings of which he (Camden) has control. Everyone has a secret in this book and the meaning of family is up for debate. Sparks fly, history is revealed and well, sparks fly.

As another reviewer stated, I read for pure enjoyment. I even retired early to read more. The Heiress captivated me from the start, and I never stopped reading it until I fell asleep and woke up to finish the book. I love to read, and I loved this book. This is Rachel Hawkins' best yet. Enjoy!

After the demise of a family member, Camden McTavish reluctantly returns to Ashby House, the family mansion in the Blue Ridge Mountains he had left over a decade ago to tend to certain family matters. Adopted by the late Ruby McTavish, Camden never quite felt a part of the McTavish family, though Ruby doted over him. Kidnapped as a child, found after eight months and returned to her family, married and widowed multiple times, Ruby led an eventful life but her secrets and her manipulativeness drove a wedge between her and her adopted son. Though Camden left North Carolina after Ruby’s demise over a decade ago, Ruby’s sister Nelle and her grandchildren stayed on to live in Ashby House and resent the fact that Camden inherited the home and the family fortune. While Camden isn’t too thrilled to be back, Jules is more than impressed with the family mansion, the grandeur, and the promise of a life very different from the one they share in Colorado and wouldn’t mind making Ashby House their permanent home. But there is a lot about the family and Camden that Jules does not know and similarly, Camden is unaware of Jules’ intentions. What follows is a tangled web of secrets and more secrets, lies, and manipulation.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins! The narrative is shared from the perspectives of Camden and Jules with letters written by Ruby interspersed throughout the novel through which she shares all the juicy details about her life! Ruby McTavish is one of the most interesting (fictional) characters I have come across in recent times. Intriguing plot (though not entirely original), consistent pacing, twists and turns, and surprises galore, this novel is an entertaining page-turner. While certain aspects of the story were not entirely unpredictable, there were enough surprises to hold my interest and I really liked the ending. Overall, this was a fun read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to fans of this genre!

This was my first Rachel Hawkins novel and I hope to explore more of her work.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Midagi gootilikku siin küll ei olnud, aga kavalalt kirjutatud väga kaasahaarav lugu, mis flirtis kenasti hulga klišeedega, aga vedas suurepäraselt välja.

Domestic thriller full of unsavory characters and lots of drama.

It’s time. Camden and his wife, Jules, must return to Ashby House and face his estranged and dysfunctional family — the wealthy McTavish clan of North Carolina. Although he had left them and his inheritance behind for a happy life with Jules in Colorado, he must go take care of the estate affairs after his uncle died. The survivors want all the money and the beautiful house up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But the matriarch left Camden everything. Unfortunately, he was adopted by Ruby and the rest don’t think he deserves to inherit. What lengths will they go through to wrest it all from him? It seems, however, that Ruby had a few ideas about how to prevent that.

Lots of family secrets and lies as usual with a climax that was probably meant to be a surprising twist that missed the mark with me. Although predictable, the narrative was fast and easy to read though I can’t say I liked any of the characters. Somewhat convoluted, it all does eventually come together as rumor, speculation, and innuendo are answered.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-book ARC to read and review. I enjoyed it.

This is a cute second chance romance with a dose of magic and Halloween thrown in.

It was perfect for my life right now - I’m busy and tired because of peak marathon training, election volunteering, and my team is in the World Series so I don’t have a lot of time and I am sleep deprived. This was the perfect thing that didn’t require much of me and could help me wind down when I needed to.

There’s a second one in this series which I don’t feel especially compelled to read but I might someday anyway.

Rating 3.5 stars. "The Heiress" is certainly a twisted tale that is filled with surprises. Its characters all carry secrets and are determined to get things on their own terms.
Ruby is the heiress, a rich girl who was tragically lost as a toddler and amazingly rediscovered and returned to her family some months later after an alleged kidnapping. Her backstory is told after her death by letters that she wrote to an anonymous individual. One by one Ruby's letters share her tale interspersed with the present day story told by the narrators, her adopted son, Camden, and wife, Jules. Camden, Ruby's heir has essentially run from his inheritance leaving Ruby's sister and her grandchildren residents of the estate although not owners. Clearly there is no lost love to be found in this family who place their money and standing utmost to everything else. When Ben contacts Camden about settling the affairs of the estate after years of his ignoring his family, Camden and Jules begin the long trip from their simple life and rental home in Colorado to the mansion, Ashby House, in North Carolina. Clearly Camden is filled with dread, but encouraged by Jules who is more than a bit excited at the prospect of seeing and experiencing the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Things begin to go off the rails as past animosities and those buried secrets begin to surface.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. I found it interesting and filled with surprises. I didn't appreciate the characters as much as I hoped. Perhaps they were too shallow or conniving for my comfort. This may have dampened some of my enjoyment of the book, but clearly it holds much potential for psychological thriller fams. For this reason, I would not hesitate to recommend this book to other readers to form their own opinions, and I will be checking out Rachel Hawkin's other titles for myself.

Aaaaammmmmaaazzzing. What a well connived, treacherously twisted, supremely demented multiple mystery. There were so many ways this could have gone and each time I saw a breadcrumb I travelled down that road until it branched, stopped, segued. You always have to be suspicious when you read the words “ I will tell him / her, I will, just not yet.” And there was a whole lot of that going on, like cotton candy being spun and pieces pulled off and tasted and spun some more.

Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, the McTavish family is royalty on a hill and like many Royal families it is comprised of those who take charge, those who throw it away, those who believe they are entitled, philanthropists, dilettantes, some mean, some lost, some who need to be apart from it all. The chapters explore each and the character studies are really easy to admire and dislike in equal measure. The truly outstanding feature is that everyone has a secret or two and it is a chessboard of moves, counter moves trying to figure out who knows what and has the proof to use it. Once again it is about money, gobs and gobs of money and with that comes progeny, inheritance and when the matriarch who controls it all dies, there is a tangled mess that is going to draw the players together one last time. Look out, things are going to get confusing, interesting, convoluted with a few other similar issues.

I am so glad Hawkins gave Ruby a voice and some of the best one liners e.g. “A side note - one rarely finds salvation in Florida.” We get to hear her story from her and it is a heck of a tale. It sets the dynamic for what is to come. Remember, “The truth isn’t some finite thing, it’s what we all choose to believe.”

Loved it all. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy.

With your heart in your throat, this is a story that kept on giving, right to the end. There are mysteries, and yes, they unfold, and most you won't see coming!
Talk about double lives, and getting away with murder, and you won't want to be in the same house with most of these characters! Being born with the silver spoon, or adopted into it, and then the rest of the family!
A missing child, a found child, but the right one? A new marriage, a dead husband, then a new marriage, an angry sister, and her family, but does money buy happiness? Didn't seem to me that it did, but you will have to judge for yourself. Warning this is a page turner, and it will keep you up late, you will be looking for answers!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin's Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

Cute, cozy-adjacent rom-com. Nothing too spectacular. I do wonder why the Penhallows moved back to Wales though.