Monday, June 30, 2014

Power Play/Danielle Steel/339 pages

Power Play follows the lives of two successful CEOs from Northern California.  One is male and the other is female.  The plot shows how the different sexes handle power, success, and family life.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry / Gabrielle Zevin / 260 pgs

This is a sweet, sad, uplifting story that proves what we all know....books can transform.  It is about a man who has lost his wife and his connection to humanity.  Only his love for books keep him going, but not without lapses into the bottle.  He has a prized copy of "Tamerlane" that he keeps in a locked case to be used for his retirement in the future.  The book is stolen and soon there after a child is left in his bookstore with a note from her mother requesting that he raise her.  The other characters are a sales rep from a publishing house that he initially rebukes; a police detective that he seeks out for the stolen book and abandoned child and his long suffering sister-in-law married to an author who pays her little attention and is not sympathetic to her child bearing woes.  This unlikely group forge friendships and transform A.J. into an attentive father figure, husband and valued member of the community. The rest of the story is waiting for you to read.  Good book.

If I Can't Have You / Gregg Olsen / 324 pgs

This is true crime straight out of the nightly news.  It is the story of the mysterious disappearance of Susan Powell and the investigation into the crime.  Her husband is suspected from the beginning, however the addition of evidence making her father-in-law and brother-in-law also suspect add many more question than answers.  The police drop the ball several times and are warned that her husband isn't stable and might hurt the boys.  A fact that will come to haunt the DFS and investigators.  Even though I knew several facts about the crime, I couldn't stop reading.  It is both fascinating and disturbing.  It makes you wander about neighbors that you may not know that well and what could possibly be going on behind closed doors.

Breaking Silence/Linda Castillo/302 pgs.

This is the third Amish mystery featuring Kate Burkholder, police chief of Painter's Creek, Ohio--a community shared by both the Amish and the "English."  Three Slabaugh family members are dead: Solly and Rachel (husband and wife), and Abel, Solly's brother.This leaves four orphan children--Mose, 17, Salome, l5, Samuel, 12, and Ike, 10.  At first it appears as accidental deaths, until the coroner discovers a blow to Solly's head. In addition to these murders, Kate is trying to uncover the individuals responsible for hate crimes being committed against the Amish. Are the two related? To further complicate matters, Solly's estranged brother, Adam, wants custody of the kids. He was excommunicated by the Amish, so the Amish community doesn't want him raising the kids. All of these factors make for an interesting and fast moving read. It's a great series, and I highly recommend it!

The Visionist / Rachel Urquhart / 345 pgs

Most of the critics liked this debut novel with the exception of Publishers Weekly.  It was definitely different in the writing and subject matter, but well worth the read.  The book takes place in mid-nineteenth century and is written through three voices.... Polly, the teenage girl who sets the family farmhouse on fire in an attempt to flee her sexually abusive father...Simon Pryor, the private investigator and fire expert...and Sister Charity, a prim and self-effacing member of the Shaker group who is given the task of watching over Polly after her mother leaves her and her brother at the City of Hope (name of the Shaker enclave).   Polly is confused about the reasoning behind her mother leaving her and her brother with the Shakers.  She isn't convinced that her father was killed in the fire and fears that he may show up.  A friendship develops between Sister Charity and Polly, but Polly still doesn't feel free to tell Charity the secrets that haunt her.  In a "meeting" she has a "vision" and causes the group to christen her a "Visionist."  All believe except Elder Sister who is convinced Polly isn't what she seems to be and is intent on finding out the truth and getting the "Visionist" to confess.  Enter Simon Pryor who is investigating the fire and battling his own demons.  He soon figures out what happened, determines that the lives of mother and daughter are in danger and sets out to right wrongs of the past.  Greed, guilt, friendship and fanatical piety combined with well-placed plot twists make this a recommended read.

Mysterious Benedict Society / Trenton Lee Stewart 485 p.

In answer to an newspaper ad, many children volunteer to take a mind-bending test involving puzzles and physical abilities.  Only four children perform exceptionally.  Mr. Benedict offers them a secret mission, to investigate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened.  The Mysterious Benedict Society, the 4 children, take on the mission to spy on the Institute.  The Institute is broadcasting subliminal messages.  Messages that will control the world.  The Sender seeks to use children to send these messages.  Soon Sender will ramp up his program.  This is a fast-paced, plot-driven novel that grabs your attention and holds it.  Plot twists keep the ending a surprise.  Stewart weaves in many themes abandonment, families, team work, facing ones fears, and more. Be prepared to solve puzzles, riddles, and brainteasers.  I am happy to report that there are more in this series.



ALA Notable Children's Books, 2008
School Library Journal Best Books: 2007

Friday, June 27, 2014

Under the Wide and Starry Sky / Nancy Horan / 474 pgs

This is the story of Robert Louis Stevenson and his love interest, Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne.  It begins with Fanny taking her three children and their nanny and heading for Belgium to study art.  She is leaving behind her perpetually unfaithful husband, and the humiliation she has endured because of him.  Tragedy strikes and she moves to an artist colony in France.  It is here she meets young Louis Stevenson.  He is immediately smitten with the vivacious Fanny, but she is not as enamoured with the Scot who is ten years her junior.  Louis has just become an attorney to satisfy his fathers desires.  However, he has no intention of practicing law for his true love is writing.  He eventually wins her over, and follows her to America.  Their love affair spans the globe in the search for a place for him to write as well as one that would allow his lungs to heal.  Fanny eventually gets a divorce from her husband and marries Louis.  She becomes his wife, lover, confidant, editor and co-author.  Their life was never dull, always filled with drama of one kind or another.  The book started a little slow, but quickly picked up pace and interest.  I highly recommend it.

Westing Game / Ellen Raskin 185 p.

The death of an eccentric millionaire brings together the tenants of an apartment building (close to the Westing Mansion).  One of them will inherit his estate if they solve his murder.  At the reading of the will, each of the tenants/heirs are paired up and given a clue.  They plot, scheme, and privately investigate and do their best to carry on to find his murder from amongst themselves.  The characters forge friendships along the way in this mystery.  When working in pairs fails they are given a second chance with more cryptic messages.  There is a secret winner.  And the puzzle is kept to the end.

Newbery Medal winner.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Peach Keeper / Sarah Addison Allen 288 p.

Willa Jackson returns to Walls of Water, North Carolina after her divorce.  She's a lax member of the Women's Society Club, a club founded by her and Paxton Osgood's grandmothers.  The grandmothers were both wealthy until Willa's family lost everything including the Blue Ridge Madam.  Her grandmother became a maid for the wealthy.  Her classmate Paxton, now president of the Club, has never left home.  Paxton is holding gala celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Club at the new restored Blue Ridge Madam.  Paxton wants the two surviving club members to attend.  Willa ignores the invitation.  When a human skeleton is discovered within the roots of a peach tree at the Madam, just days before the big day,  Paxton and Willa join forces to identify the remains.  The process forges a friendship between the two.  Romances develop too.  Paxton's brother, Colin, has returned to supervise the finishing touches on the Madam.  He is gradually eroding Willa's resolve to stay aloof from him.  Allen style incorporates light magic into her stories of these Southern women.

Nantucket Nights / Elin Hilderbrand 345 p.

Friends for 20 years, Kayla, Antoinette, and Val have had their special swim night on an isolated Nantucket beach.  They have their issues, Kayla in trusting her husband; Antoinette who gave up her infant daughter when she discovered her husband's infidelities; and, Val longs for a bigger life.  They thought they knew each other.  After all they shared their deepest secrets on that beach.  When Antoinette ends up missing and presumed dead, possibly a murder victim, Kayla sees a side of her friends that rocks her world.  This is chiefly a story of Kayla and how she is affected by the darker side of her friends.

Reporter's Life / Walter Cronkite 384 p.

You can hear Walter Cronkite talking as you read his autobiography.  This is like a mini-history lesson.  Cronkite was there for the Vietnam War, World War II (war correspondent), and the Middle East conflicts.  He set the standards for integrity, objectivity, enthusiasm (remember his commentary on space flight), and insight.  Who can forget his reporting of JFK's death!  An American icon.  One of a kind.  Trusted.  Wonderful to hear him come alive again.

Winter's Tale / Mark Helprin 748 p. Big Book

Astrological winters envelops a mystical New York City surrounding with a magical cloud that absorbs Peter Lake and his white horse, Athansor, and releases him 100 years later in 2000. Before he flies into the cloud, this middle age burglar falls deeply in love and irrevocably with critically ill Beverly Penn, daughter of a wealthy newspaper mogul when he breaks into her house. Helprin tells of this love and wraps it in such lyrical and lush language within this magical realism that involves so many many characters like Lake's evil ex-cronies, the Short Tails whose boss has a thing for color, or the pair of journalists who fall in love before they meet as they talk through the paper thin walls of their cheap apartments.  This is a very dense, intricately plotted book that is much more than a simple love story.  It is a big story of a big city and interesting quirky characters.  At times it seems so real.  A movie is due out soon.




Really Big Book.

Three Nights in August / Buzz Bissinger / 287 p.



I really enjoyed listening to this book. While I'm not a HUGE baseball fan, I do enjoy the game. This book gave me a whole new appreciation for the game and its strategies as well as an insight to the interesting mind of Tony La Russa. Far more than those three nights are part of this book; they are a framework for the years of La Russa's coaching experience. The most poignant part dealt with the untimely passing of pitcher Darryl Kyle.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Top Secret Twenty One/Janet Evanovich/341 pgs

This is the 21th title in the Stephanie Plum series - as you can tell from the title and I think maybe one of the better ones.   Trenton, New Jersey's favorite used car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. And now he has skipped his date in court and it is Stephanie's job to locate him. But wherever she looks - Jimmy's "friends" are showing up dead.   Plus Ranger has someone out there trying to kill him, so Stephanie is also helping him out.  There is of course the usual suspects, Grandma - who is working on her bucket list, and of course someone is blowing up Stephanie's cars and she has to deal with a pack of feral Chihuahuas - but that is all in a day's work for her.  

Otherwise Engaged/Amanda Quick/342 pgs.

Miss Amity Doncaster travels the world and writes of her adventures for the Flying Intelligencer. On her way back to ship, she comes across Benedict Stanbridge who has been brutally attacked. She gets him back to the ship, and nurses him back to health before he continues on his journey to California, promising to contact Amity once he returns to London. Word spreads in London about their "liason" on ship, and brings Amity to the attention of the Bridegroom--a killer stalking London, abducting women, dressing them up as brides, photographing them, and then murdering them. Before Benedict arrives back in London, Amity has a narrow escape from the Bridegroom. The rest of the book involves the search for the Bridegroom, and the developing romance between Amity and Benedict. It's a fast read with interesting main and supporting characters. There is mystery and suspense, strong female characters, and an overall enjoyable read!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Dark Witch / Nora Roberts / 352 pgs


Iona Sheehan, a plucky American, moves to Ireland to learn more about her Irish ancestors.  Quickly, everything falls into place for the very optimistic, pollyanna-ish character, as she finds a job, a home, friends, and a possible romantic interest in two days.  If that is not lucky enough, Iona also happens to be a witch with supernatural powers including being able to speak to horses and shoot fire out of her hands.

There is also something about a family curse, so occasionally Iona or one of her cousins would get attacked by a powerful dark force.  This is a light paranormal romance, nothing to deep about it.

Cruel Beauty / Rosamund Hodge / 346 pgs

"Betrothed to the demon who rules her country and trained all her life to kill him, seventeen-year-old Nyx Triskelion must now fulfill her destiny and move to the castle to be his wife."

A retelling of Beauty and the Beast; this one will appeal to young teenage girls.  In fact I really felt like this reads like a Shojo Manga, in that the demon is (of course) gorgeous, powerful, and overprotective with that bad boy / mysterious persona.  Then the other male character is sweet, kind and also impossibly gorgeous; but is flawed in that he is cursed and is a servant to the demon.  So what is a teenage girl to do, when she is locked forever away in a castle with the two men?  Try to save them of course!  (Like I said, just like a Shojo Manga novel).

The most the characters ever do is make-out, so this book is safe for "tweens" (is that still a term?).  Pretty straightforward and predictable; but romantic and mysterious enough for a quick, straightforward read.

Monday, June 23, 2014

The Spark : A Mother's Story of Nurturing a Genius/ Kristine Barnett/ 250 pp

Jacob Barnett is a name we will be hearing more of.  He is a 14 year math and science prodigy who, at the age of 12 was hired as a physics researcher.  This is a book of his life and how, because of his autism, he was almost lost.  Jacob's mother, Kristine, refused to believe that he would never read or speak.  And she refused to allow her son to be taught by those who expected so little.  Her idea was to find out what Jacob loved and encourage him to do it.  By allowing 3 yr old Jacob a chance to focus on what he loved to do, she was able to connect with him.  From there, Jacob began to thrive.

This is a great book for any mom -- not just moms of special needs children.  It's not a prescription but a philosophy for allowing your children to focus on what lights the spark in them.

Seeing America / Nancy Crocker / 276 p.

In this new novel out July 2014, a young Missouri man and two of his friends leave home in a brand new Model T Ford on a quest to see Yellowstone Park in 1910.

Synopsis

It is 1910 and John Hartmann is tired of his small Missouri town. When a blind acquaintance buys a new Model T Ford and invites him to drive it, the two of them hatch the idea to leave town and have an adventure. They decide to take along one of the town's rowdies for driving help and take off.

Before long, they learn the lessons of acting with inadequate preparation. During the trip, they learn to not only face the dangers of being naive on the road, but they also learn to become less selfish, take care of each other, and, in the process, find themselves.

Analysis

Author Nancy Crockett is an award winning writer of juvenile and young adult fiction. That is evident in the way the story is constructed. While some of the subject matter is definitely adult, the dominant focus on the struggles of youth and the way the main characters see the world could come straight out of a YA novel. Some of the historical background of the story also seems a little awkward. Despite that, the story is consistent and the plot is warmly satisfying.

This novel does not fit neatly into any specific genre. The publisher classifies it as literary fiction, but that may be a stretch for adult readers as the prose is more akin to YA Fiction. This book will appeal to patient readers who, much like the characters in the book, don't mind a leisurely trek through its pages.



Pray for Silence/Linda Castillo/304 pgs.

This is the 2nd in the Kate Burkholder series, and it's a doozy! The Plank family moved from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to the Amish community of Painters Mill, Ohio. One evening, the Planks, an Amish family of seven, are brutally murder. At first it looks as if the father killed the family, and then committed suicide. That idea is soon dispelled, and it's up to Police Chief Kate Burkholder to find the killer, and bring him/her to justice. She enlists the help of State Agent John Tomasetti, which adds another layer to the mystery. More information is learned about both Kate  and John's pasts, which further enriches the story. It's a very good series!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Rainy Day Dreams /Lori Copeland & Virginia Smith / 277 pp


The year is 1856 and Kathryn is sent to Seattle by her father to find a husband.  She has to work in her cousin’s hotel instead of pursuing her dream of painting. Kathryn meets Jason who has come to Seattle to forget pain -- pain that is associated with art and painting.  They are at first at odds. As they get to know each other Jason begins to think he can love again and Kathryn realizes that she may be able to make a life in a backwoods settlement.


Until We Touch / Susan Mallery / pp 376


This is the latest book in Fool’s Gold series. Larissa Owens works for  Jack McGarry -- former Pro NFL player -- as his assistant.  She has a big heart and she helps him keep his life in order and finds worthwhile causes to spend his money.  They are friends and no more.  When Larissa’s mom accuses Jack of keeping Larissa from finding true love because she is secretly in love with him, it sets in motion a series of events that causes them to re-evaluate their relationship.  Jack doesn’t want to get involved -- Larissa does that for him and allows him to do good without emotional risks.  Larissa uses all her good causes as a shield that keeps her from acknowledging her true feelings for Jack.  Will they get beyond their hang-ups to give love a chance? Of course, they will!

A light-hearted romance with likable characters and no surprises.

Skeletons / Kate Wilhelm / 280 pp


Lee Donne dropped out of college one credit short of a bachelors degree. In a family of high achievers, she doesn't measure up. When her grandfather asks her to house-sit for him, she jumps at the chance. Immediately, she begins hearing sounds at night. Lee realizes that someone seems to be anxious to get her away from the house. When the local authorities don't believer her, she calls her friend, Lee, and they begin to plan a way to find out who and why.

Filled with suspense and twists. The answer to her questions are closer to home than she could have imagined.



Hope at Dawn / Stacy Henrie /303 pp

Takes place during World War II in Iowa. Livy expects to marry her handsome and charming beau and become a housewife and mother.  When her unofficial fiance returns home injured, embittered and unable to cope without alcohol, she takes a job in a nearby community teaching German American children whose teacher has been imprisoned as a German spy.  There Liby's preconceptions about the "enemy" are challenged.

Iowa was one of the states that outlawed speaking a foreign language in public during this time period.  I was familiar with the discrimination against the Japanese but I was surprised that German Americans were also targeted.  For those who enjoy historical fiction and "gentle reads."



Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer/ 656 pp

William Lowell Kane and Abel Rosnovski were born on the same day.  Kane was born to a millionaire banker in Boston.  Rosnovski was born illegitimate to a peasant girl who died giving birth to him in rural Poland.  Taken in by another peasant family, he has little hope to rise any higher than his game-keeper foster father.  Both men are driven to excel.  Their ambition and drive to succeed, as well as a misunderstanding, put them on a collision course of mutual hatred.

It was hard to choose a side because both men were admirable but flawed.  The drama, especially in Abel’s very difficult life, was gripping.  This two family saga would be a good recommendation for readers who enjoy Ken Follet.  I listened to this book and the narrator did a wonderful job with the accents of the major characters.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Doc/ Mary Doria Russell/ 394 pages

Doc Holliday & the Earp Brothers.  Awesome!  Another one that I had to read for book club.  But, it was great!  I didn't know much about Doc Holliday and it gave a lot of background information not only on him, but also on his friends, the Earps, and his companion, Kate.  Very interesting and as it's a historical novel, left me wanting to dig into what was true and what was not.  Great discussion as well!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

The Lace Reader / Brunonia Barry / 353 p.

"Towner" Whitney has returned to Salem, Massachusetes--a place which holds too many bad memories for her--because of the disappearance of her Aunt Eva. Towner says straight up that she is a "liar." This isn't exactly true, but her hold on her on sanity causes some admittedly confusing memories. Thrown in the mix is the fact that, like the other women in her family, Towner can see the future. The problem with that is that the signs aren't always clear and then misread.

The author gives enough clues throughout the book that I was pretty sure about the general direction the ending would take, although from reading other reviews, many people missed the clues and were surprised and upset with the conclusion.

I enjoyed the story and the characters and found the audio version quite enjoyable

My Beloved World / Sonia Sotomajor / 302 p.

What an inspiring memoir! If ever there was a case for the importance of affirmative action, it is detailed here. Sotomayor is brilliant and ambitious and would have done well under any circumstances--eventually. But affirmative action placed her on an educational playing field that she would never have reached on her own; not for a lack of brain power but because of a lack of money and connections. I enjoyed learning about Sotomayor's family, Puerto Rican culture and the myriad of obstacles she had to overcome. I listened to the audio version as read by Rita Morena and would recommend that as well.

Whispers of a New Dawn / Murray Pura 349 p.

The Whetsone's are Amish missionaries.  The entire family are pilots.  In 1941, they decide to return to their roots in Lancaster County.  There they will join their Amish family.  This means giving up flying forever.  There Becky falls in love with Moses, who tragically dies before she can finish her Amish classes.  Her brother is working with the Chinese as the Japanese come into power.  He is traumatised by the Japanese treatment of the Chinese.  A pilot friend summons the family to Honolulu.  He needs help training fighter pilots for the new Army Air Forces.  Becky is also hired on as a flight instructor.  She takes an instant dislike to her newest student, Christian Raven.  They have a turbulent road to romance that is forever changed by the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Pura's style is almost lyrical.  The main characters are very believable... young people with integrity...the whole family has this quality.  It was fascinating to read of the the Amish ways.   And Pura has captured the push/pull the family feels about serving their country and following the Amish way.  Just marvelous.  I hope to read more by this author.

December challenge: 2 Turtle Doves

Choke Point / Ridley Pearson / 399 pages

St. Louis author, Ridley Pearson, gives us another suspenseful Risk Agent story featuring John Knox and Grace Chu.  This time the story is set in Amsterdam.  Their mission is to find and shut down a "knot-shop" sweat labor business that uses young girls, some of whom are kidnapped and later sold as sex slaves.  Chu and Knox are very interesting characters, each with their own issues.  Chu uses her computer and accounting savvy while Knox uses his brawn and need to correct wrongs.  Another great installment in the series.

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker / Jennifer Chiaverini / 353 pages

Historical fiction that brings to life what it was like in the White House after Lincoln's election and during the Civil War.  The primary character is Elizabeth Keckley, a skilled seamstress who bought her freedom and serves as the dressmaker to the elite of Washington including Mary Todd Lincoln.  The story is the relationship of the two women set in the events of the Civil War.  A good story with insight into the time period and the personality of the tragic Mary Todd Lincoln.
A Pedigree to Die For: A Melanie Travis Mystery, Laurien Berenson, 298 pages
Melanie is a single mother and teacher.  She is recruited by her Aunt Peg to find a missing poodle.  The poodle is a prized show dog and went missing at the same time that Melanie's Uncle Max was found dead.  Melanie is introduced to the world of show dogs as she hunts down the missing poodle and discovers what really happened to her Uncle Max.  In the process Melanie also learns a bit about her own family history.  This was a easy, enjoyable cozy mystery.

Accidental Bride / Christina Skye / 376 pages

I can't remember why I thought I wanted to read this...but it's a romance so you know what to expect.  The author works in two cute dogs, a strong-silent vet of the Afghanistan war, and a fragile woman who needs to turn her life around.  The premise is conducting a fake wedding to bolster the spirits of a feisty resort-owner who has heart problems.  Of course the bride & groom really do love each other so the fake wedding turns out to be the best thing for everyone. 

Flinch Factor / Michael A. Kahn / 287 pages

Our own St. Louis author, Michael Kahn, writes another great mystery that is loaded with fun, intrigue, puzzles, good guys & bad guys.  Attorney Rachel Gold and her friend Wash U law professor Benny Goldman tackle the issue of TIFs, eminent domain, and the surprising and suspicious death of a hunk of a handyman.  Go Rachel!  Kahn's books are great fun and set in St. Louis so what's not to like?

Mirage / Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul / 401 pages

If you want action, suspense, unlikely scenarios, heroes who can run faster & jump higher, and good guys who save the day, just pick up a Cussler...any Cussler book.  Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon once again save the day and the world in relentless page-turning action.  Fun.

Bellman & Black / Diane Setterfield / 325 pages

Setterfield writes a haunting story of William Bellman who is smart, energetic, ambitious, and successful until he's not.  As a  young boy he miraculously kills a rook-a cruel act that sets the path of his life.  Set in Victorian England, the character-driven book gives readers a glimpse into a life full of repressed emotions, a life where work fills the void, a life in which something is always missing and Bellman just can't figure out what it is.  Well-written, haunting.

Mother, mother / Koren Zailckas 360 p.

You can almost guess the plot by the title - not sure why I slogged through it, except for that I imagined a better ending than the author wrote.  In short, an incident seemingly caused by Violet, the middle daughter in a very dysfunctional family, finally leads to the truth of the oldest daughter's disappearance.  Skip it!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Everything o Lose / Andrew Gross / 328 pages / April Challenge Rain

I received this book in Arcs Around the Library and an abundantly glad I did.  Hilary Blum is an untenable, but not uncommon, position. She has just lost her job (through no fault of her own), her deadbeat husband is way behind in child support yet lives in a mansion and drives a luxury car, and her special needs Asperger's son is in danger of losing his spot at a school that has done wonders for him.  While driving along a suburban back road, she witnesses a deer/texting related accident.  An elderly man's car careens down a hill and smashes into a tree killing the driver.  When Hilary arrives at the car trying to help the man, she discovers a satchel full of money (one half million dollars).  The man is dead.  She need money.  She grabs the case and launches it into the woods, an instantaneous decision that radically alters her life and several others.  This is an excellent read that
 ends realistically and provides informative information on the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

Death by Chocolate / Abigail Keam / 282 pages / Partridge in a Pear Tree December Challenge

A Josiah Reynolds Mystery
Josiah Reynolds (a woman) is asked by a friend, Ginny Wheelwright, to look into the disappearance of her son, Dwight.  The authorities have stopped investigating as they found no evidence of foul play.  It is believed that he simply left.  His wife is anxious to have him declared dead, although he has only been absent five months.  Ginny refuses to believe that Dwight would abandon his daughter and his childhood sweetheart.  In her investigations, beekeeper, horse-farm owner, Josiah discovers multiple suspects and a most unlikely murder weapon.  Recommended on the Blog...and by the title, Death by Chocolate was an easy, enjoyable read, with an apropos cover, interesting bit of historical/geographical trivia, a memorable cast, and an engaging heroine.

Ghost Walk / Ingeborg Day / 232 pages / 12 Drummers Drumming December Challenge

This was an interesting memoir recounting a young Austrian, naturalized American girl's determination to come to terms with he discovery that her beloved father was, in fact, a Nazi during World War II, and her quest to understand bigotry/prejudice.  It is an excellent, easily read history of Austria and events that paved the way for Adolph Hitler's rise to infamy.

American Gods / Neil Gaiman / 465 pages / Neil Gaiman Challenge

Wow! This was an omnibus!  Through Shadow, a convict granted early release due to the somewhat scandalous death of his wife, we are presented a fair sampling of the thousands of gods brought to America by faithful immigrants.  These gods are at diametrical odds with the modern American gods such as television and technology.  As Shadow follows Mr. Wednesday's bidding, we are treated to a tour of American highlight hotspots; encounter multiple resurrected individuals; and witness one man's determination to do the right thing.

The Second Spy / Jacqueline West / 296 pages / 8 Maids a Milking & 11 Piper's Piping December Challenge

Olive Dunwoody is being stalked by the once dead Annabelle McMartin, one of the owners of the old Stone House on Linden Street.  The magical paintings are responsible for her resurrection.  They provide an avenue for adventure and escape for eleven year old Olive and painting-dweller, Morton.  The three house cats protect the kids whenever possible, but "as the last days of summer tiptoed past something else was creeping up on Olive.  Something that swelled and darkened like a bruise in the back of her mind.  Something even bigger and blacker and chillier than her own untimely and quite possibly impending death...junior high."  This third Book of Elsewhere is an entertaining and engaging read with important themes applicable to everyone.

Spartan Gold / Clive Cussler / 603 pages / April Challenge Rain

This is an action-packed adventure story targeted for history buffs and puzzle solvers.  Filled with information about Napoleon and his historical footprint, it relates the determined escapades of Fargo brothers Remy and Sam as they attempt to locate all the mysterious bottles of wine attributed to the afore mentioned historical personage.  We have secret codes, lost submarines from World War II, and Russian competitors in this first book in a new series.

The Monster / Garth Nix and Sean Williams / 289 pages / 8 Maids a Milking December Challenge

TroubleTwisters Book 2
This second book in the Troubletwisters series takes up just where the first book ended.   Jack, Jaide, and Grandma X have just returned to what passes as normal for them.  The wards are functioning and Grandma X is dealing with a developer who wants her property.  Rumors of the Portland Monster resurface and Jack and Jaide are convinced the evil has returned.  The evil has gotten to Jack once before and attempted to assimilate him into its entity.  Using their capricious powers, ingenuity, and friends, including Aristotle and Kleo (cats), they once again thwart the evil.

Cold Fury / T. M. Goeglein / 312 pages / April Challenge Rain

Wow!  This book starts with a pop!  Sixteen year old Sara Jane Rispoli give us a brief description of herself, informs us that her parents and little brother are either dead and/or gone, and that they only thing keeping her alive is "an old leather notebook stuffed full of so many unusual facts, indecipherable notes, and unlisted phone numbers that's its held together with making tape and rubber bands."  She also has ninety six thousand dollars in cash, an Am Ex bank card in her name, and sig sauer .45 conceal and carry.  She also has ghiaccio furioso and that makes all the difference in the world.  She discovers shocking secrets about her family.  Will she be able to find them?  This page-turner has something for everyone...a powerful anti-bullying message, loads of information about mob-infested Chicago, classic movie tie-ins, romance, etc...

The Silver Dream / Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves / 240 pages / Neil Gaiman Challenge

Sequel to InterWorld
Sixteen year old Joey Harker no longer lives on earth with his family.  Instead he resides on InterWorld, a ship that navigates through 100,000 years of time and moves laterally in time as well , visiting various parallel earths.  Joey is as similar to his cohabitants as people can be as they are all incarnations of himself.  He is still the odd one out, however.  He was one who got Jay killed; the one who'd been captured by Hex, made friends with a mudluff; stumbled into a Hex camp and lost his entire team; been kicked off InterWorld and somehow regained his memories and rescued his team.  Now he was the first read-headed J-person to bring someone new to the base - Acacia Jones.  Is she friend or foe?  The Silver Dream is a page-turner, just like its predecessor, InterWorld.  I anticipate at least one more book as Joey's problems have yet to be resolved.

M Is for Magic / Neil Gaiman / 260 pages / Neil Gaiman Challenge

Wow! This book of short stories was a real treat!  I had been a bit put off of Neil Gaiman by some of his way out there stuff, but this is more along the lines of Coraline and The Graveyard Book, still a bit strange but clever!  This book is most definitely not a children's book.  It is catalogued as YA with good reason.  I suppose this book is representative of what Gaiman is renowned for...taking old tales and incorporating them into new tales in clever, satisfying, challenging ways.

A Girl Called Fearless/Catherine Linka/353 pgs.

This debut novel by Catherine Linka has me hoping she has more stories like this waiting to be written. In a Dystopian United States, 50 million women died from cancer due to ingesting a synthetic hormone in beef. As a result, young girls, old women, men, and young men are left to rebuild the United States. The book takes place 10 years after the tragedy occurs, with 16 year old Avie Reveare living a "normal" privileged life in Los Angeles. Although the death threat is past, fathers form a movement known as the Paternalists--a movement to protect their daughters, since future generations and re-population of the United States depend on them. Daughters are constantly monitored, and in the case of privileged girls like Avie, have body guards--there is no freedom or women's rights. Avie's father "contracts" her out to marry a wealthy man who has bought up stock in his biotech company. Not wanting this marriage, Avie does the only thing left to do--run. With the help of her friend, Yates, and others involved in the underground movement to free women, Avie takes off. This review isn't doing the book justice--it's one of the best YA books I've read, and grabs the reader from the first page. It's told in Avie's voice, so the reader experiences the emotions Avie is going through, and keeps the reader in suspense through the end of the book. Highly recommended!

Mission Unstoppable / Dan Gutman 304 p.

In this first of the Genius Files series, Coke and Pepsi McDonald are the objects of hit men.  Why?  They don't know.  They jump off a cliff to avoid being hit by blowgun darts shot by bowler derby wearing assassins.  They escape from a locked room at school during a fire.  They just miss drowning in a vat of Spam.  The why is revealed by Bones -- they are members of an ultra secret government group for super smart children (Young American Genius).  The YAG goal: solve complex problems plaguing the country.  Suddenly their vacation trip across the U.S. becomes more exciting.  They solve secret messages, foil murder attempts, and stop terrorists as they visit scintillating museums like the PEZ museum, the largest ball of twine, and culminating in the ultimate museum...House on the Rock.  This is a fast paced, suspenseful, humorous story grabs one's attention and holds it.  I kept wondering how the bad guys always seemed to be a pace ahead of the twins.  This may be just the thing for those who readers who grew up on Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" books.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Beach Quilt by Holly Chamberlin/340pp

Sarah and Cordelia are sixteen and best friends. Sarah is the practical one. Cordelia is the flaky one. Yet, it's Sarah that gets pregnant. Her pregnancy causes everyone around her to re-examine their lives and choices. For Cordelia's mom, Adelaide, it's the child she gave up for adoption. Cindy, Sarah's mom, has to adjust her expectations for the future.

As they work together to sew a quilt for the new life inside Sarah, they also work to refit their lives together.

There's quite a bit of drama and self reflection. Jodi Picoult fans may want to give this author a try.




Monday, June 16, 2014

Service / Marcus Luttrell / 364 pages

Some people know the name Marcus Luttrell, some people know about Operation Red Wings, but thanks to Hollywood last year, almost everyone knows the story of Lone Survivor even if one may not know the lone survivor’s name or operation.  Service is Luttrell’s second book, and this book was good.  It shows that no matter what a man may go through, he must continue the fight because nothing brings down a Navy SEAL or really, any soldier.  After his deployment in Afghanistan, he deploys to Iraq which is a very different war than what was being fought in Afghanistan.  Throughout this deployment, Luttrell reflects on what happened on that mountain in 2005, what it means to him to have a second chance at life, and the meaning of true brotherhood among his men (he even recalls his encounters with Chris Kyle while in Iraq).  After Luttrell is medically discharged in 2007, he describes life outside of the military and begins his speaking career while also starting the Lone Survivor Foundation -- but he is first and foremost a brother to many.  Even after his military career, he still finds himself in situations where he is still supporting his brothers-in-arms or the soldier (and at times, the soldier’s widow) next to him.

This book can get quite emotional at times, and it hit home for me a little bit because while Luttrell was fighting in Ramadi, Iraq, my soon-to-be husband was a little over an hour away fighting in Baghdad at the exact same time, so the stories and perspectives I have heard are very similar but not any less meaningful.  If I could sum up this book in one word, it would be camaraderie, and seeing this type of brotherhood firsthand, Service explains and demonstrates that more than any other book I have read.
Murder at Pride Lodge: a Kyle Callahan Mystery, Mark McNease, 207 pages
Kyle and his partner Danny arrive at Pride Lodge with plans to enjoy a weekend away from the tensions of work.  Festivities at the lodge include the annual pumpkin carving and Halloween Costume Party.  When friends start disappearing and turning up dead, Kyle gets drawn into solving the mystery.  This was an interesting mystery involving some interesting characters.  It also left a few threads open for characters to reappear in later books.

The Husband's Secret/Liane Moriarty/396 pages

Cecilia Fitzpatrick is the ultra-organized super mom. She is a successful businesswoman (selling Tupperware), president of our version of PTO, devoted wife and mother of three. While looking for a keepsake to give to her daughter in her very orderly side of the attic, she accidently comes across a letter in her husband's very messy side. "For my wife, Cecilia Fitzpatrick. To be opened only in the event of my death" is written on the envelope. John-Paul Fitzpatrick is very much alive and on a business trip in the U.S. When he calls that evening, she mentions the letter, and he begs her not to open it. Then he comes home the next day, three days ahead of schedule. Cecilia's and two other women's lives will be changed when she opens the letter and gets the shock of her life. Set in Australia and at Easter, I had to keep reminding myself about the difference in seasons since the characters would mention the beginning of autumn.


Very good story that kept me interested all the way until the end. Moriarty is becoming one of my favorite authors.

Chestnut Street/Maeve Binchy/367 pages

Chestnut Street is a collection of stories about the people who live there. According to her husband, Maeve Binchy had been writing these over the course of 15 years. She had wanted to blend them together into a novel but never got the chance before she died last year. The stories are pure Binchy and are humorous and warm even if they are a bit disjointed from each other. I will miss her voice in literature. The one thing that really stuck in my mind is how many of the marriages in these stories had failed. For a traditional Catholic country, the number of broken homes and single parents seemed really high. Maybe some of that would have changed if Binchy had had the chance to work them into a novel.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Live to See Tomorrow/Iris Johansen/358 pgs.

Catherine Ling, one of Iris Johansen's newest characters, is a top-notch CIA agent tasked with rescuing American journalist, Erin Sullivan, a hostage of Kadmus, an evil egomaniac who believes Erin is the key to finding the mythological place known as Shambhala. Catherine manages to free Erin from the Tibetan monastery in which Kadmus has been holding her, but that is just the beginning of the action/suspense. Richard Cameron, know as the Guardian, enters the picture. He works for "The Committee" which also has an interest in Shambhala. There is plenty of action, suspense, and even romance, in this novel. I found it very entertaining, and am interested to see how Johansen further develops both Ling and Cameron's characters.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

A View to Die For, Richard Houston, 253 pages
Jacob Martin is just an ordinary person with a great dog.  He lives in Colorado, just barely making ends meet with his writing career when he is called home to Missouri.  His sister's husband has been murdered and she is the prime suspect.  A series of coincidences make Jake suspicious of several people in town.  Jake and his companion, a golden retriever named Fred, work together as a team to solve the mystery.  Over all the book was interesting and held my attention.  Some might find Jake's eating habits and his spending habits a bit annoying, but overall the characters are likable.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry/Rachel Joyce/343 pgs.

I never would have read this book had it not been our book club selection; that would have been a big mistake! Harold Fry, recently retired, lives in an English village with his wife, Maureen. Right from the beginning it's evident that Harold and Maureen's marriage is in trouble. Then Harold receives a letter from Queenie Hennessy, a former co-worker, and one whom he hasn't been in touch with in twenty years. She is writing to say goodbye--she is dying from inoperable cancer, and is in hospice. On his way to mail the response he wrote to Queenie, Harold decides to deliver his message in person. He believes that as long as he keeps walking to see Queenie, she will live. So, this book is about his journey, the people he meets along the way, and the lessons he learns about himself and his family. It took me awhile to get into the book, but it was well worth the effort. I can see why it won so many book awards!

Sworn to Silence/Linda Castillo/321 pgs.

Sixteen years ago, a serial murderer dubbed  the Slaughterhouse Killer, terrorized the residents of Painters Mill, Ohio--a community of Amish and "English" residents. Then the killings start up again, and become the problem of Chief of Police, Kate Burkholder. Kate was raised Amish in Painters Mill, and after being "banned" chose a different career path. She comes back to Painters Mill with lots of baggage--and secrets. This is one of the best murder/suspense/mystery debuts I have read in quite awhile. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Thank you, old parapro, for bringing it to my attention!

The Rosie Project/Graeme Simsion/295 pages

I read this book because of the recommendation of "Mizzou 77". Professor Don Tillman, who is a socially challenged professor of genetics, lives a very precise and regimented life.  For example, he has implemented a standardized meal system which has eight major advantages so he can eat very efficiently with "minimal cognitive load required".  He decides that it is time to find a spouse so he develops a system to find someone suitable for his "Wife Project".  Don meets Rosie who he classifies as totally unacceptable as a wife.  They spend a lot of time together while performing genetic testing to find Rosie's biological father.  The story is very entertaining,well-paced, and enjoyable.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Happily Ever After / Nora Roberts / 485 pages / USA Today Bestseller November Challenge

Coincidentally my sister read this book at the same time I did!  She liked it much better than I did, however.  She is a fantastic decorator and party organizer so she most definitely related to Parker Brown and her friends and their wedding venue, Vows.   Now Parker oversees and organizes.  Emma artistically arranges flowers.  Laurel bakes tasty treats and amazing wedding cakes.  And Mac engineers stunning photography.  Mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh loves his job and his motorcycle.  He would also to love to figure out just how Parker functions.  Romance and weddings abound in this clever tale of dreams come true and the people who make that happen.

Code Zero / Jonathan Maybery / 470 pages / April Challenge Rain

When I purchased this book for autographing at the MASL conference, Jonathan looked a bit panic stricken and said it was not intended for kids.  (He was at MASL to receive the Truman Award for Rot and Ruin and was afraid I was purchasing Code Zero for same-aged kids to read.)  After assuring him that I had read all his Joe Ledger books and knew that they were most definitely adult lit, he was happy to sign.  Joe Ledger works for the problematic Department of Military Science solving terrorist related problems that baffle all other government agencies.  In Code Zero, Joe revisits villains and spectres from previous books and engages in some advanced cyber-hacking to save the world.  Mayberry's Joe reminds me of C. J. Box's Joe Pickett.  They are both law enforcement professionals with strong moral/ethical bent, outwit seemingly insurmountable foes, and are tough on vehicles.

"Choice.  It's what defines us.  And it's probably the most underrated power in the world."

Spellbound / Jacqueline West 327 pages / 8 Maids-a-Milking December Challenge

Volume 2 in the New York Times Bestselling series The Books of Elsewhere
I received this book as an ARC several years ago and had never had a chance to read it.  After seeing Jacqueline West at the Kirksville Children's Literature Conference and having her autograph it, I decided I had to take the time to read it.  Oh my goodness!  Am I ever glad I did!  This is a delightful series about a young girl, Olive, who can enter paintings while wearing magic spectacles or holding onto the tails of cats (familiars).  She has promised to help one of the boys she met in one of the paintings but gets side-tracked in her search for the grimoire (spell book) of the witches who owned the house.  Without being preachy, this is an excellent dissertation on friendship and a cautionary tale about our desires and how they can dictate who we are and may become.

InterWorld / Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves / 239 pages / May Challenge

Sophomore Joey Hacker has a most unusual teacher, Mr. Dimas.  He has a reputations for unconventional teaching methods and has been brought before the school board on several occasions to justify them.  The current project is to have blind-folded students in groups of three dropped off by the school bus at random places in the city and the kids are to find their way to various checkpoints without maps, cell phones, phone cads, or credit cards and cash.  During this exercise, Joey discovers that he is a walker, capable of transporting himself across time and space.  He also discovers that he is not unique.  There are thousands just like him - para-incarnations of him.  He is drawn into a battle between the forces of good and evil...Evil takes on a most ominous facade, demonizing cruelty as two forces -  one predicated on magic, the other on science, attempt to utilize walkers as sources of power in their attempt to take over the altiverse.  This is an excellent read!  SciFi fans, adventure story fans, lovers of budding romances, and those who crave coming of age stories will love this one. 

"Sometimes war is necessary to teach us the value of peace."

The Books of Magic / Neil Gaiman / 196 pages / May Challenge

"Magic grants no freedom...Everything it buys must be paid for."  So says a very young Merlin to Tim Hunter who says "It doesn't seem like there's any real magic anymore, not like it was.  Where did all the magic go?"  A common theme in Neil Gaiman's work is the anti-relationship between science and magic.  This theme is certainly paramount in this book.  Unfortunately, this graphic novel features very tiny print - obviously not meant for older eyes, so it was a bit of a struggle to decipher.  It was certainly a good story!  I guess I just care too much for graphic novels.

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish / Neil Gaiman / 58 pages / May Challenge

Chosen as one of Newsweek Magazine's Best Children's Books of the Year, Today I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish is too funny.   It was the first book written by Mr. Gaiman for younger readers.  The cartoon balloons for dialogue, Dave McKean's spot on illustrations, and the actual voice of the author make this a good bet.  Love, love, love...the illustrations, the story premise, and the excellent character interactions.  This would be an excellent story starter or impetus for discussion of interpersonal relations.  (This one may be considered a picture book, but it is considerably longer than the standard 32-page format.)

A Wilder Rose / Susan Wittig Albert / 279 pages

     This is a fictionalized biography of Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
It only covers the years between 1928 - 1939.  The main information that she wants to convey is that Laura had A LOT OF HELP writing her books.  Basically, Laura wrote the book and then, Rose re-wrote the book so that it could be published.  This clears up why I always wondered why Let the Hurricane Roar sounded so much like Laura's series.
     As a story, it was only fair.  She jumped around and fortunately, most readers probably already read a biography of Rose Wilder Lane as I did,  so I knew where she was going with the story.  A Ghost in the Little House by William Holz is the complete biography including her years in Albania.  I am sure that it was probably true that Laura could be an annoying mother, but I didn't really like to hear it (so many times).  It hurts to have her image tarnished.  Rose, herself, was no easy person to live with.
     At the end, she did mention the Roger Lea MacBride and how he got all the money from the copyrights of the books.  Rose had a penchant for "adopting" teenage boys.  She took on Roger when he was 14 and helped him through college and beyond.  He became a lawyer.
Rose owned the copyrights after Laura died.  Rose made MacBride her beneficiary and he also renewed remaining copyrights in his name.  These were supposed to go to the library in Mansfield, but didn't. The library finally sued for two remaining books in Laura's name and settled for $875,000.  
    I am still looking forward to reading Laura's original Pioneer Girl whenever is it published.  

Threatened / Eliot Schrefer / 278 pages

    Another great book from this author.  He wrote about bonobo apes in Africa and the problems for their future.  Clearly, he loves bonobos.  In this book, his story is about chimpanzees whose habitats are also in danger.  Both chimps and bonobos share 98% of our DNA, but while bonobos are relatively peaceful and live in matriarchal societies, chimpanzees are patriarchal and can be very dangerous to each other as well as people.
     The main character is an orphan boy whose life is very grim.  He belongs to a cruel man who "takes in" orphan boys in order to make them work for him.  I am sure that the circumstances are reality for many children in Africa in countries  that have been ravaged by aids.  He begins a journey with a strange Arab man who says he is there to study chimps for National Geographic.  Nothing about him adds up except that he has a briefcase full of money (most of it counterfit).
     Once in the jungle, the story gets more intense.  Schrefer depicts chimps as they really are and it is not always easy to read.  In fact, the story is not a feel-good story.  you will be left wanting more and wishing for a better ending.  He does put information at the end of the book about how you can help both chimps and bonobos.  He didn't really put any link to help aids victims, but he does list some videos and documentaries that would be helpful.  He really did his research for this book and for Endangered .
     Everyone should be encouraged to read these books.

Miracles on Maple Hill / Virginia Sorensen / 180 pages

     This is a Newbery winner from the 1950's about the transformation within the family after the father returns from war (probably WWII).  It sounds like PTSD before that was identified.  The father is angry and wants to be alone.  The family moves to the mother's grandmother's farm in rural Pennsylvania from Pittsburgh.     They arrive at sugaring time.  The story continues until after the next year's sugaring time.
     Marly, the daughter, is the main character and her interactions with her brother and family and the neighbor, Mr. Chris, form the story.  Her love of nature is the basis of the story.  It has the transformative power of nature as a theme similar to the book The Secret Garden.  The father mellows out and returns to his former self.  The descriptions of the flowers and plants make you wish you were on these adventures.  Marly's love of animals is a great addition as it points up the conundrums of man vs. animal ethics.  (I see her as a future animal rights activist).
     Very interesting in this book are the male/female roles.  Marly many times "lets' her brother be the first to see or do something because he is a boy and boys "need" to be first.  She is not allowed to roam while her brother can go anywhere he wants without even saying where he is going.  She also does the "women" chores while her brother does the "men" chores.  I love how she has glimmers of the future when she questions some of these things.  I see a budding feminist.  Good book.

The Round House/Louise Erdrich/321 pages

Joe and his family live on a reservation in North Dakota. His father is a tribal judge, and his mother works with people who want to document their Native American heritage. After she is brutally attacked, the family is thrown into turmoil. She is traumatized by the attack and is reluctant or unable to talk about what happened or who was involved. Joe wants to investigate the crime and make the guilty party pay for it, one way or another. His friends, Cappy, Zack, and Angus help him reach his goal.


There is lots of description about life on the reservation, and the story is set in 1988, so it's not too far in the past. This was my book club selection, and there will be many things to discuss. I'm sure I didn't catch all the symbolism. I can't say this was my favorite book, but it was interesting.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Chasing Paris, Jen Carter, 262 pages

This book opens with Lizzie on her deathbed.  She has written several letters to various people and has asked her sister Eva to drop them in the mail after her death.  One letter arrives at the home of sisters, Amy and April Winthrow.  Not only do they learn of their grandmother's passing, this is the first they learn of their grandmother.  The girls have grown up believing that Eva is their grandmother.  Amy with the help of a new friend takes on the task of discovering Lizzie's past and the mystery surrounding her.  Overall the book was interesting and it was fun to follow Amy as she followed her grandmother's past.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Slightly Scandalous / Mary Balogh 384 p. Dec: 10 lords a leaping

Slightly Scandalous / Mary Balogh 384 p.

Lady Freyja Bedwyn has a mind of her own and packs a punch that she throws when her dander goes up.  When Joshua Moore dashes into her life, really her bedroom at an inn, we are treated to a fun and lively regency romance.  There are twists and turns in this courtship.  Nothing seems to go according to Hoyle with the Bedwyns.  Lady Freyja speaks her mind to Joshua very publicly, the Bath ton gets an earful. And that is how the courtship starts.  Lord Hallmere can hold his own.  That seems to be the attraction.  To save Lord Hallmere from a forced engagement, unwanted by either party, Freyja sets up a secret pretend engagement.  And does that get the ton's tongues wagging, so much so that Freyja oldest brother, the duke, turns up at his most iciest.  And the plot takes another turn in this sensuous Regency romance.  What makes these stories fun, too, is we are treated to seeing old friends again and again.

Bedwyn saga no. 4.

December challenge: 10 Lords a leaping

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat Cafe/ Edward Kelsey Moore/ 307 pages

Loved this book!  I was afraid it was going to be too much "fluff" based on the title for book discussion, but I was wrong!  It was a nice change of pace, because the ladies in this book are funny, but they also are very real.  The book spans throughout the lives of 3 great friends, who are nicknamed the Supremes because they are always together in high school.

My dad even picked this book up while he was at my house and asked to take it home with him to finish!  So that speaks to it's appeal to all.  I think it's a good one for the "If you liked The Help" crowd.

Made in Illinois / Glenn Gordon 112 p.

Made in Illinois / Glenn Gordon 112 p.

Glenn Gordon writes lyrically about the many craftsmen (and women) who reside in Illinois.  Gorgeous works in wood, precious metals, clay, bronze, even eggs are created daily in every region.  Meet Art Towata of Alton who works in clay that is fired at such a high temperature that it sings when you run your fingers around the rim.  Daryl Meier is a master of Damascus steel, steel formed with many thin layers are forged together.  Former Governor Thompson made a gift of one of Meier's Bowie knives to former President George H. Bush.  Way cool to see what individuals create.

Once More With Feeling / Nora Roberts 253 p. Dec. Challenge 4 Calling Birds

Singer Raven Williams hasn't seen Brandon Carstairs in 5 years when turns up at her recording session with an offer.  She had lost her heart to him and isn't anxious to repeat the experience.  He offers her an opportunity of a lifetime, to work with him on a score for a hit book. It will be a blockbuster hit musical.  He returned to California, not to find a composing partner, but to claim his wife.  At the time, she was struggling with many problems.  He decided to give her time.  Now, he sees he will have to rebuild trust.  She can't miss working on a film score so they agree to work together at his place in the rural England.  Nora Roberts fans will love this one.

Evidence of Life / Barbara Taylor Sissel / 307 pages / April Challenge Rain

Set time aside for this one.  You'll want to read it in one sitting.  Abby is looking forward to a weekend alone with time to spend however she desires.  Her son, Jake, is away at college, and her lawyer husband, Nick, and daughter, Lindsey, are leaving for a camping trip in the Texas hill country.  Unfortunately, a record-breaking flood occurs and Nick and Lindsey are missing and presumed dead after a massive search.  Abby, who has been staying at the ranch of a childhood friend - headquarters for the search, refuses to accept that they are dead.  Are they?  When do you give up hope?  This is a turn-the-page-quickly psychological suspense novel that will either challenge and/or reinforce ideas on love, marriage, and family.

Odd and the Frost Giants / Neil Gaiman / 117 pages / May Challenge

"Odd meant the tip of a blade, and it was a lucky name.  The boy in the story was odd. At least the other villagers thought so.  But if there was one thing that he wasn't, it was lucky."  After an accident Odd was crippled and had to walk with a cane.  After his Viking father died, his mother married Fat Elfred who already had kids of his won and ignored Odd.  Odd went to his father's old hunting hut and determined never to return to his village.  He dreamed of being a brave lord like in his mother's Scottish ballads, with a horse, a dog, and a falcon.  Instead, he got a bear, a fox, and an eagle, an unending winter, and friendship with the gods.  References to well-known folk tales abound in this story, a common element in Neil Gaiman stories.  Anyone who favors the underdog or using cunning, ingenuity, and common sense to better a stronger, more powerful opponent will be drawn to Odd and the Frost Giant.

Dovey Coe / Frances O'Roark Dowell / 181 pages / 8 Maids-a-Milking December Challenge

This Edgar Allen Poe Award winner is enticingly packaged in solid purple with gilt embellishments.  Twelve year old Dovey Coe is outspoken about everything but especially about her dislike of Parnell Caraway.  He is a bully, taunts her deaf brother, and has the audacity to court her older sister and attempt to talk her out of going to teacher school and settling for being his pampered wife instead.  When Dovey is found unconscious beside the dead Parnell, she is accused of murdering him.  This is an excellent read and would be an awesome read-a-loud.

Missing You / Harlan Coben / 399 pages / 5 Gold Rings December Challenge

Wow!  Put this new one by Coben at the top of your Must Read list.  It is actually three stories in one that merge and are intricately related.  NYPD detective Kat Donovan's friend signed her up for an online dating service.  When she accesses the site, she discovers a picture of her former fiancé who broke up with her eighteen years ago just after the death of her father.  Then man incarcerated for her father's death tells Kat that he is innocent of the murder charge.  Kat begins investigating her father's murder; attempts to contact Jeff; and is drawn into a horrendous kidnap for profit scheme.  This is a "heart-pounding thriller about the ties we have to our past...and the lies that bind us together."

Troubletwisters / Garth Nix and Sean Williams / 293 pages / April Challenge Rain

Hector Shield is a treasure-seeker, hunting lost masterpieces for auction houses and galleries.  Susan Shield is a paramedic.  Their twelve year old twins, Jaide and Jack, are Troubletwisters.  When their home is destroyed by a fluke explosion caused by a rod brought back by their father from his travels, the twins are whisked off to their Grandma X and her most unusual abode.  Here they encounter disappearing rooms, mad swarms of bugs, rabid dogs, talking cats, and memory-erasing hot chocolate...among other thing.  As trouble-twisters, Jack and Jaide have special gifts.  Jaide can fly with the help of the wind, and Jack is a shadow walker.  Together, without any training, they battle evil to save their Grandma and each other.  Evil wants to assimilate all that is good.  "It always comes, whenever it can find a chink between its world and ours."  This is a creative adventure tale of the battle between good and evil, stressing the importance of listening, learning, practicing, paying heed,...and love.

Chocolate-Covered Baloney / K. D. McCrite / 284 pages / 6 Geese-a-Laying December Challenge

I chose this book from the JF New Books display strictly on the title.  I have an affinity for chocolate and even have a chocolate room in my house.  What an absolutely delightful find!  Young (6th grade) April Grace is a well-developed character who will steal your heart, enliven and entertain you with quick whit and clever turn of phrase, and instruct you on what it means to be part of a family...
April Grace Reilly's "curiosity itches [her] worse than poison ivy and mosquito bites put together."  She has an extraordinarily difficult (sneaky, snarky) older sister, a dating grandmother, two parents, a brand new baby brother, Eli, and another grandmothers who had abandoned her mother twice and suddenly shows up during her real grandma's surprise birthday party.  In an excellent Author's Note, Ms. McCrite give her rationale for "setting the Confessions Series in the 1980's and states that her raison d'etre is to "show kids that, no matter what era you grow up in, your problems and issues echo and reflect problems and issues of days gone by.  What you experience is new to you but it's not new."

"Chocolate is always good for what ails you."
"If you're gonna be a Christian, then you need to act like Christ."

Unlucky 13/James Patterson and Maxine Paetro/384 pages/1 December Challenge Met

The Women's Murder Club is back for another set of adventures. Lindsay Boxer is loving her life as new mother, Yuki has some life-changing news, Claire's life is just humming along and Cindy is trying to get over a broken heart. When a couple of college kids literally blow up and their last meal looks to be the cause, Lindsay is on the hunt for the "belly bomber." A menace from the past comes back to even the score, and Cindy is determined to get a front page story from it. Yuki's life takes both a happy and terrifying turn.


Another quick read from Patterson. Just a warning: don't take this with you to read on a cruise.


December challenge met:5 Golden Rings

Monday, June 2, 2014

Grave Indulgence, William Doonan, 282pages
Henry Grave is an investigator for the Association of Cruising Vessel Operators.  He can determine if the brand new mega-cruise ship, Indulgence, will qualify for a safety certificate to operate from a US port.  Henry is an 85 year old former Nazi POW and in his opinion, ladies man.  The Indulgence is an Arab owned mega cruise ship complete with an Egyptian Deck and a two deck high rain forest.  The Indulgence is about to begin her maiden voyage, when with the help of the rain forest inhabitants, Henry finds a body.  The ship departs and Henry continues to investigate.  We meet many interesting characters as we follow Henry in his rambles between decks.  Will Henry ever find the main dinning room while dinner is being served?
This was a fun read.  There were a few times when Henry's 'bumbling' gets a bit tiresome, but overall it was a fun read.    

Whistling Past the Graveyard / Susan Crandall / 308 pages

Great book!  Thank you, Cindy for recommending it.  Really, if you liked The Help, The Secret Life of Bees, To Kill a Mockingbird, or those Flavia DeLuce books, I think you'd like Whistling Past the Graveyard.  An extremely precocious 9 year old who just wants to be loved runs away from her Mississippi town in 1963 to seek her mother in Nashville.  Starla Claudelle is spunky, sincere, loyal, and brave.  She learns about herself, her family, the culture of the South, and most importantly how to be resilient.  You won't be able to put this one down. Sorry, the dishes will have to wait.

Cross my Heart / James Patterson / 410 pages

In this latest installment of the Detective Cross series, Alex discovers what it is like to...well, I'm going to leave you hanging just like Patterson did to me.  Suffice it to say, he is head-to-head with two murderers who love the pleasure of killing, have absolutely no morals, and one thinks he is the perfect criminal and wrote a book to prove it.  I think maybe the author of the "You Wouldn't Want to..." series for kids might want to write You Wouldn't Want to be a Police Detective...too many cases and too little time.

Divine Misdemeanors / Laurell K Hamilton / 333 pages

This is the 7th book in the Meredith Gentry series. It's pretty much like the first 6 books.  Hamilton spends a lot of time catching the reader up on what has happened in the past and who is who which is good because there was a lot of time between books.  In Divine Misdemeanors, Meredith is expecting her triplets fathered by 6 different men (oh those sidhe and unseelies).  She and her co-horts must earn money to support their growing sith and take on work as private detectives to discover who is killing the fey.  All ends well!

Fablehaven / Brandon Mull / 351 pages

Got a kid who likes page-turners with plenty of monsters, magic and two kids who are heroes?  Just hand 'em Fablehaven and be done with it.  There are 6 books in the series so your young reader will be engrossed for awhile.  Although as an adult I must say that Seth, the younger brother, is terribly annoying but I guess that's what little brothers are supposed to be.  Recommend for grades 5-7.

Light Between Oceans / M. L. Stedman / 343 pages

Do not...I say do not...start reading this book unless you have time to read it straight through because you will not want to put it down.  Light Between Oceans is a big favorite of the library book discussion groups, & I can see why.  What happens when we make the wrong choice for the right reasons?  Hmm?  Read it-you won't be sorry.

Blossom Street Brides/Debbie Macomber/318 pgs./12 days of Christmas challenge

This "Blossom Street" novel follows three main story lines: Lauren Elliott's, Bethanne Scranton's,  and Lydia Goetz's.  Lauren, in her 30s, is in a dead end relationship; Bethanne, in her 2nd marriage, is trying to make a go of her long distance marriage; and Lydia, owner of the A Good Yarn store, is trying to turn a profit while dealing with an adoptive daughter having night terror issues, and a mother suffering from Alzheimer's.  The story lines intermingle providing an entertaining and fast read. Recommended.