Great Alone / Janet Dailey 716 p.

Great Alone / Janet Dailey 716 p.  Big Books

Janet Dailey tells the story of Alaska in a family saga. The story opens with a love story (It's Janet Daily) between an Aleut woman and a Cossack hunter. Through the happenings of their progeny, some two hundred years of the growth and development of Alaska is told from its earliest beginnings when the sea otter hunters braved the Bering Sea in the 18th century to make their fortune to the gold rush days through the war years.

In the style of the epic sagas of James Michener.

Check the library catalog

The Light in the Ruins/Chris Bohjalian/305 pages

The story begins in the countryside of Florence, Italy with war raging all around, the Rosati family  believes that the walls of their ancient villa will keep them safe from harm. Ten years later, there has been a brutal murder, a serial killer targeting the Rosatis. The investigator Serafina, finds herself digging into a past that might also include her own tragic history.  It seems the author at times was trying to write a romance and then other times a murder mystery, and not really developing the story line of either. Very vivid picture of Germany's occupation of Italy during the war and how it affected the people. It was heartbreaking for families trying to do whatever they could just stay alive.

Big Little Lies / Liane Moriarty / 480 p.

WOW! That's how I would sum up this book in one word. It is full of humor (I LOVE Madeline!) but it is a serious book about serious issues...and quite a few secrets. AND somebody (?) gets killed. It is set in Australia, but this could just as easily have been the U. S. It centers around a group of parents of new kindergarten students. Jane: a single mom who's child is accused of bullying from the first day. Madeline: struggling to deal with having her ex's child in the same kindergarten as her o...more WOW! That's how I would sum up this book in one word. It is full of humor (I LOVE Madeline!) but it is a serious book about serious issues...and quite a few secrets. AND somebody (?) gets killed. It is set in Australia, but this could just as easily have been the U. S. It centers around a group of parents of new kindergarten students. Jane: a single mom who's child is accused of bullying from the first day. Madeline: struggling to deal with having her ex's child in the same kindergarten as her own kindergartner with her 2nd husband--not to mention problems with the daughter they share. Celeste: who has the biggest secret of all. Terrific storytelling! For readers of realistic, contemporary family fiction that centers on the family in all its forms.

Blood Rites (The Dresden Files #6) / Jim Butcher / 439 p.

Continuing to make my way through listening to The Dresden Files.  As usual Harry strives to help the helpless fight the evil forces at great risk to himself.  This time he is also dragged in to helping a friendly enemy--the vampire Thomas.  He is at war with himself over the fact that he actually likes Thomas despite the fact that he is a succubus vamp--an idea that he naturally finds abhorrent. In the middle of all the mayhem that is Harry's normal life, Thomas has a startling revelation that will change Harry's life forever.

Behind the beautiful forevers : [life, death, and hope in a Mumbai undercity] / Katherine Boo / 256 pgs.

The author, Katherine Boo, spent four years following and interviewing residents of a poor shanty town in Mumbai, India to document and describe their daily life.  The book centers on a tragic event, where a women sets herself on fire, but accuses her neighbors of the crime in hopes of disrupting and destroying their lives.  From there she follows the families involved and their neighbors to unravel the mystery as to what actually happened and what caused the incident.  With each person that is introduced into the narrative, their life history and day-to-day activities are described.  You end up with a very detailed look into the lives of a group of people who are so poor and desperate that they are willing to go to unspeakable extremes, including ingesting rat poison or setting themselves on fire.  She also describes a government and social caste system that is so corrupt that the chances of one of the villagers being able to lift themselves out of poverty is next to none.

A depressing, but important look at living conditions that we (hopefully) will never experience.  I only wish there was more said about how we can help or what needs to be done to change this very intricate and overwhelming problem.

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

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.

Last to die / Grippando / 369 p.

The third in a lawyer-as-detective series featuring Jack Swyteck, this title falls squarely in the middle of the action-detective genre. Readers who enjoy their mysteries with a little more grit, masculinity, and violence (but not too much gore) will enjoy this book.

Synopsis
Lawyer Jack Swyteck is asked to defend an accused murderer by the murderer's brother, whom Swyteck saved from death row. The wealthy victim of the murder in question leaves a will with six beneficiaries, all of them former enemies. The one to inherit the money will be the last one alive. Thus ensues a murderous game to eliminate the other inheritors. Jack's client has a nasty past that makes him the chief suspect and so Jack must use his best lawyerly wiles to keep his client free while he searches for the real killer. There are a plethora of twists and turns in the fast-paced plot that will surprise the reader until the book ends in a satisfying conclusion.

Analysis
I have not read the first two books in this series, but this books stands very well on its own merits. Though some characters' backstories must have been covered in the previous two books, those backstories do not interfere with the plot in this volume. Instead, those backstories are intriguing enough to make the reader want to read those previous titles as well.

For a books that involves involves violence and some unsavory characters, I found this book to be quite charming. With none of the sense of foreboding that seems to accompany too many novels of this kind, Grippando constructs a storyline that reflects a hope for humanity along with the suspense that readers seek. That sense of hope allows the reader to enjoy the ride without feeling dirty afterward.

Swytek is flawed and is aware of his own failings, but is utterly likable. He is surrounded by characters who are also flawed. But not all of them are likable. The bad guys are clearly bad. Characters do not switch loyalties. All the switching happens in the plot. That plot is a bumpy, unpredictable ride all the way to its surprising end.

Set in Florida, this would be a great summer beach read. I highly recommend this book for readers of mystery and suspense. It will not leave you looking over your shoulder and is relatively light on the gore, despite it's violence, but it will still leave you wanting more.

Stronger, Jeff Bauman, 244 pages,

Jeff Bauman was waiting for his girlfriend Erin to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon in 2013.  He stares at a young man and gets a bad feeling.  Moments later the man is gone, but his back pack is still there.  Before Jeff can react, his life is forever changed.  Jeff delivers a very upbeat account of his life after the Boston Marathon bombing.  This book was a fairly quick read from Jeff's point of view, without medical or forensic jargon.

Summer Knight / Jim Butcher / 371 p.

Wizard Harry Dresden seems to have made enemies of practically everyone.  Although he does have allies, many on the White Council want him dead.  The vampires are furious that he escaped them.  And on top of that his girlfriend, while not a full vampire, has been bitten.  As he feverishly researches to find a cure for Susan, the Summer and Winter fairies are preparing to go to war.  The Winter Queen enlists his help--an offer he cannot refuse.  It seems that Harry is the only one who can ferret out the villain behind the problems.  Failure would mean his death and disaster for the world.

Grave Peril / Jim Butcher / 454 p.

Ghosts are getting really, really mean in Chicago Land in this supernatural mystery.  Openly practicing Wizard, Harry Dresden, fights along side Michael--a Knight of the Cross--to find out what is behind the evil visitations and to save his police buddy, Karrin Murphy. Their search leads them into a trap devised by the local vampire court.  And to Harry's horror, his girlfriend Susan is entangled as well.

Fool Moon / Jim Butcher / 401 p.

This time Harry Dresden, the only practicing wizard in the Chicago phone book, is up against werewolves--and more. Harry works with police Detective Karrin Murphy to figure out who's behind some gruesome murders.  Once again, listening to the audio version narrated by James Marsters is a delight.

Considering Kate / Nora Roberts 288 p. Dec. 9 Ladies Dancing

In this 6th of Nora Robert's Stanislaski family series, Considering Kate, features Kate Stanislaski Kimball.  Kate returns home from a very successful ballet dance career to open a dance studio.  When she buys an historic but dilapidated building, she meets contractor Brody O'Connell.  As a widower, he is focused on his 6 year old son, Jack.  He resists Kate.  After all he is a solid, down-to-earth carpenter and she is the darling of the Stanislaski family and a super star in the ballet field.  Jack is quite the character and brings humor into the situation.  Roberts' fans will enjoy this fast-paced, character driven romance, set in West Virginia.

Given Day / Dennis Lehane 704 p. Big Book

This historical novel focuses on the post-World War I Boston.  The intricate plot follows two main characters; an African American Luther Lawrence and Irish cop Danny Coughlin.  Danny has strong family ties to the upper echelon of the Boston Police Department.  He and Luther force a strong bond when Luther comes to work for the Danny's police captain father.  It is interesting to read of Calvin Coolidge, governor at that time, as he makes a name for himself during the Police Strike of 1919.  Boston cops were paid below the poverty level and worked in appalling situations.  Union members are persecuted by the police commissioner.   Luther is on the run.  He got involved in illicit activities and kills to save his life.  This story tells of anarchy, socialism, Bolsheviks, Prohibition, racism, the strikes, baseball, and Babe Ruth.  Through the tragedies it tells of the bonds between family and friends.  This page-turner was hard to put down and left you wanting to know more about Danny and Luther.

Shadow Spell/Nora Roberts/339 pgs

This is book two in the The Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy.  It is Connor & Meara story this time.  They are still battling the evil sorcerer, Cabhan and he has taken a liking to Meara.  Connor & Meara have always been friends but working together is adding a new dimension to their relationship.  This is your typical Nora Roberts novel but I have enjoyed the story line.  I always enjoy her stories when she locates them in Ireland.  

Storm Front / Jim Butcher / 322 p.

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a wizard.   He sells his services in Chicago as the only openly practicing wizard in the world. Because of this and the unfortunate event in his early life that resulted in the death of his mentor, Harry is looked at with skepticism by most; with antagonism by the "White Council."

Harry has a strong sense of right and wrong and does his best to break no laws--both human and magical.  But it is very difficult when he is trying to assist the police in figuring out horrific murders of unworldly origin.

I listened to the audio version and just LOVED the narration by actor James Marsters. This is the first of the series and great for those who want some light reading in the supernatural genre.

Death of a Policeman/M.C. Beaton/264 pages/2 December Challenges Met

Hamish Macbeth knows that his police station in his perfect little town of Lochdubh is in danger of being closed down. Detective Chief Inspector Blair would like nothing better than to get rid of Hamish who has a way of solving the murder cases that come his way and making Blair look foolish in the process. When the undercover policeman that Blair sends down to spy on Hamish gets murdered, Hamish first has to prove he didn't do it and then find who did. The trail leads back to a restaurant where both Blair and his boss, Superintendent Daviot dine regularly. Is there a connection? Meanwhile, Hamish's fellow police officer and housemate finds himself attracted to more than one lady but suffers nothing but heartbreak trying to catch one lady between engagements and another one before she leaves his life for good.

Another fine Beaton mystery.

Blackberry Pie Murder/Joanne Fluke/357 pages

Hannah Swenson's life isn't usually quiet and calm, but everything seems to be going pretty well these days. Her biggest problem is trying to get her mother to commit to some wedding plans for her upcoming nuptials to Doc. Her life takes a sudden turn when she accidentally hits a pedestrian while trying to avoid a downed tree branch during a raging thunderstorm. Her subsequent arrest for murder affects all those around her.


Not everything is tied up in neat little knots at the end of the book, but it is still a satisfying mystery loaded with great sounding recipes.

Prisoner of Tehran / Marina Nemat / 306 pages

     I did not think that I could read one more book about bad things happening to women in Iran, but I was wrong.  This is a very compelling book and worth reading since there are many levels to think about in this true story.
     Marina was taken to Evin prison when she was 16 years old during the reign of the Ayatollah khomeini and was there for close to two years.  Her crime?  Attending rallies, speaking out at school, writing, reading Western books.  
     I was able to read this only because the torture described in the book wasn't the most extreme forms.  However, I could only read this book in the daytime and play "Candy Crush" before bed to do  it. 
     She marries her interrogator.  What!  Yes.  There in lies the great book discussion materials.  What is wrong? What is right?  Is Ali evil or a savior?  How does she cope with her circumstances?  Is she betraying anyone herself?  What would you do in her place?  Is this still going on in Iran?  (Clearly, yes to that one) There are discussion questions at the end of the book.  She lives in Canada and was unable to even write or talk about her experiences for fifteen years.  She is a survivor.  There are many more; not just in Iran.  Multiply the injustice to women and political prisoners all over the world.  I don't know what can be ultimately done.  I want to "not see" it just like everyone else.  However, she is a witness.
      This would make a good book discussion especially for teens.  They could be reading something real and compelling instead of the "Hunger Games"  They will ultimately be the ones to deal with the world.  What kind of world do they want?