Stone Creek by Victoria Lustbader

This is a touching yet sad love story. Danny was only married to the love of his life for six years when she died and left him alone with their young son Caleb. His grief is so overwhelming he can barely take care of himself but he has a little boy depending on him. He forces himself to go through the motions in his workshop where he is an artist and a master carpenter. He dreads the contact he has with his in-laws who never thought he was good enough for their daughter and now don't think he's good enough for their grandson. Since he is a good father he maintains a relationship so his son will still have his grandparents in his life but it's a struggle.

Lily is married to Paul who loves his wife but is married to his work and ambitions first. His days and most of his nights belong to Wall Street. Lily had been content but is now lonely and longs for a child although she reluctantly agreed to go without. There have been changes in their marriage but it's easier to ignore them than to acknowledge them. One summer day she decides to go early to their summer home outside of the city to prepare for a holiday and guests.

It is during this time that Danny and Lily first meet and the attraction is undeniable. They are strangers that never speak but they each notice the other. In a short time they meet again and are formally introduced and feel a kinship. They develop a friendship and desire more but she is older and married and that is all that is feasible. Except the need to help rid Caleb of his sadness draws her closer. Lily is desperate to be a mother and that's exactly what this boy needs. Now there is a delicate balance. Decisions must be made and paths will be chosen. They are all wounded and find happiness together. Now that they have lifted some of their pain they can not go back to the lives they were living.

I expected this book to be good but I thought it may be a typical story of sad and lonely people who come together and live happily ever after. It was so much more than that. There were characters that I wanted to hate but it wasn't that simple when their motives were revealed. I was anxious to read more and discover the secrets of their pasts but I also hated to turn the last page. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author.


My thanks to Harper and Shelfari for providing me with this book.

Creepers by Joanne Dahme

"The first thing I noticed was the ivy, not the sun-bleached tombstones with their off white color, which jutted from the cemetery grounds like old white bones. The ivy veins were everywhere - creeping in all directions across the grass and the winding gravel paths to rest on the long-ago-collapsed mounds settled beneath the shadows of the tombstones."
(book cover)

What first drew my attention to this book was the striking cover. In several shades of green, it's covered in embossed ivy leaves and the statue of young woman. The inside of the book is just as attractive with the pages edged in soft green and each chapter beginning with an interesting article or letter from the past.

Courtney tells how she and her parents move to a new home one summer in Murmur, Massachusetts. The first thing they noticed when they saw their large stone house built in the 1700's was the English ivy that clung to it. A bit creepy since it was also next to a very old Puritan cemetery. Courtney soon meets a man and his daughter who give historical tours in the cemetery. They supply many details about the surrounding area and the history behind the traditions and the carvings of the tombstones. The duo is also able to tell her about her house and how it was built on the foundation of the original which burned during a tragic fire. Now the house is suppose to be haunted with a family that needs to be reunited. Although she finds the story hard to believe she is constantly finding more indications that there may be some truth to it all and she knows the ivy is connected. Somehow. The man and his daughter have become her friends and they are on a quest to right the wrongs of the past. But that's no easy feat and what should be done?

Although this is written for young adults it is an interesting story for any age. The mysteries involved are not as detailed or as resolved as many adults may like though. It does have a simple flavor as more traditional ghost stories often do.


My thanks to Running Press Teens for providing me with an autographed copy of this book.