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Note to self: Never question Rainbow Rowell.

Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia

February 13, 2017 by scootsa1000 10 Comments

Last week on Instagram, Rainbow Rowell posted a photo of a book she had just finished and recommended. The cover of the book looked a bit ‘twee’ to me, and I filed it away in the back of my mind, a book for a rainy day. I went and I judged a book by its cover, instead of listening to the all-powerful words of Queen Rainbow. I’m sorry. I’ve learned my lesson.

The next day, I saw it randomly, unshelved, just sitting there at the library. It was a sign.

This book was fun. And mysterious. And suspenseful. And not realistic in the least, but I don’t care.

Like a cross between The Shining and The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Bellweather is a grand old resort in upstate New York that has seen better days. In the winter of 1997, its barely hanging on, basically surviving on the profits it makes from a high school musical convention that it hosts every November, bringing the teenaged musical stars from all over the state of New York together for a weekend of music, drinking, and — hopefully — sex.

But the hotel has a secret. That a horrible event took place there 15 years earlier…a bride who murdered her husband just moments after their wedding, and then took her own life. And it was all witnessed by young Minnie, who was there for her own sister’s horrible wedding.

Minnie was never the same. Obsessed with horror movies, she was never able to fit into society after that weekend. She lived with her parents, interacted with the general public as little as possible, and gorged herself on horror and junk food for the next 12 years. But in 1997, Minnie decided she needed to return to the Bellweather, and face her past.

Of course, the weekend that Minnie arrives is the same weekend as Statewide, New York’s festival for the best and brightest on the musical scene. Twins Alice and Rabbit (Bertram, but don’t call him that) Hatmaker are both there from their tiny, podunk town, along with their bizarre new music teacher, Mrs. Wilson. The Hatmakers are both looking forward to the weekend — Alice, because she only understands life when it takes place in music, and Rabbit, because he’s pretty sure he’s gay and wants to take this time away from home to come out to his sister and see what life is like outside of Ruby Falls.

Also among the cast of characters: a child flute prodigy and her controlling mother, a crazy Scottish conductor missing several fingers on his right hand, an elderly concierge who loves the hotel like its a part of his family, a douchy — but so cute — college acapella singer, and an adorable deaf dog.

A blizzard is expected that weekend, maybe the biggest snow storm New York has seen in years. And this year, Statewide just so happens to take place on the 15th anniversary weekend of that horrible murder/suicide many years before. What could possibly go wrong?

Kate Racculia has put together a page-turning mystery, sometimes very dark and sometimes funny, filled with colorful characters that I sometimes rooted for and sometimes pitied. There’s a lot of darkness here: murder, adultery, mental illness, sexual confusion, and child abuse, but then someone breaks out into song and dance, so that the darkness never overwhelms the story. The light and dark are very well balanced.

I’d never heard of Kate Racculia before. She’s written one other novel, which I’ll be sure to add to the list soon. Thank you Rainbow. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.

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Filed Under: Fiction, Mystery Tagged With: bellweather rhapsody, cbr9, kate racculia, Rainbow Rowell, Scootsa1000

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2/13/2017 scootsa1000's CBR9 Review No:13 |
Rating:
| Tags: bellweather rhapsody, cbr9, kate racculia, Rainbow Rowell, Scootsa1000 | Category: Fiction, Mystery | 10 Comments

scootsa1000

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Comments

  1. Beth Ellen says

    February 13, 2017 at 12:07 pm

    Yay! I’m glad you liked it! Kate is a family friend (she was good friends with Ellepkay growing up) so I’m always so excited when people review her. And OMG, I’m going to find that instagram and send it to Kate as she is quite the RR fan like the rest of us around here.

    Reply
    • Scootsa1000 says

      February 13, 2017 at 12:15 pm

      That is so cool! She seems like an amazing woman — the bio on her Amazon page was filled with tidbits that made me want to be friends with her. She studied Jane Austen! She went to Emerson! She named her bassoon Nigel! I kind of love her.

      Reply
      • Beth Ellen says

        February 13, 2017 at 1:49 pm

        She is awesome. And again thanks for letting me know about the IG. She’s appropriately appreciating and fangurling like a champ!

        Reply
      • Ellepkay says

        February 13, 2017 at 2:52 pm

        She is incredibly loveable, and I’m so happy you liked her book too! She was indeed one of my very bestest friends growing up, and I feel a little proprietary over her work. I *may* have the only copy of her very first novel, and I like to hold it over her head as blackmail. She is definitely CBR/Pajiba type people.

        Reply
        • Scootsa1000 says

          February 13, 2017 at 3:08 pm

          Yay! I just reserved her other book at my library and can’t wait to read it!

          Reply
  2. Melina says

    February 13, 2017 at 12:42 pm

    You sold me! I just bought it. I couldn’t decide my next book but this one sounds definitely up my alley. Thanks for a great review!

    Reply
    • Scootsa1000 says

      February 14, 2017 at 7:15 am

      I hope you like it! Looking forward to your thoughts!!

      Reply
      • Melina says

        February 14, 2017 at 10:58 am

        I’m about halfway! Loving it!

        Reply
  3. narfna says

    February 14, 2017 at 12:49 pm

    I’ve been meaning to read this for years, ever since a friend reviewed it on GR, but there are just so many books to read. Might have to push it up now that I know the author has CBR/Pajiba connections 🙂

    Reply
  4. yesknopemaybe says

    February 15, 2017 at 12:00 am

    This book was fabulous! Definitely agree that the light and dark parts are balanced very well. It packed an emotional punch while still being an entertaining read.

    Reply

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