House Beautiful: Think Small:

House Beautiful: Think Small:  Make the Most of Every Square Foot by House Beautiful (Editor)       Hardback Book: 160 pages                  

What a beautiful book.   I have always been fascinated with how other people decorate their homes.   I love to go on informal tours through any one’s house I am lucky enough to visit to see the way they place their furniture, what types of pieces they choose for their homes and the beloved things they use to express their likes and what they are saying with the how of the items they allow in and what each means to the home owner who is offering a view into their worlds.    I notice the colors they choose, the fabrics they use.   I am the type of person who orients my world with things that feel good, soft cozy and fluffy are winners with me, quirky, eclectic because my thoughts and likes jump all over the place and change from time to time are dear to my heart because my interests vary and I thrive on different from the norm just to shake things up now and then.    Also, though I have space to play with, the spaces are all different, some small or odd size so I am always on the look for fun ways to do a lot with a little space yet, have that space to make a statement and be visibly and tangibly pleasing to me.   Plus let’s just get it out there, I have a lot of stuff that doesn’t necessarily seem to go together, so, I love to see other people’s ideas on how they put their sentimental,  beloved or just fun eye-catching stuff or even collections of like things or things that make a bold statement together.   Sometimes one might want to say a lot about their personality with the way they display their goods, other times you might enjoy being a little mysterious letting others guess at what you were thinking when you put a particular set of items together – what is your “why?” to make sense of seemingly random groupings?    What is the meaning each item brings to you and what is your reasoning for sharing that with all who enter your abode?    This book is phenomenal from a decorating sense.    It shows how to pack a lot in a small space and look absolutely gorgeous without looking overdone or as if the room is bulging at the seams.    It shows how to place furniture at angles or in unique ways so as to make many beautiful and colorful dreams bring awe to your casual observing friends, family or visitors.   These rooms are magnificent whether the room is cut-off in odd dimenstions, whether it is lit by natural light or whether it is enhanced by dark glossy paint that becomes a character itself within the room.    It shows how to even make piles of things look “right” in the setting.    And how to cleverly play with space and mirrors and light and colors to bring a tiny room appear larger or an overly large space look intimate.   I adore books like this.    I love learning other people’s beautifying tricks and how unusual things can become amazing works of art not just to you because you love them but are made breathtakingly beautiful to all who view them and who want to take away the exquisiteness of your array and your ideas for making your home gallery perfect while retaining a cozy I want to stay here forever feel.    I love the ideas and illustrations found in this book and I lingered over all of them appreciating each and thoroughly loving each individual or partnerships purveying the magnificence of seeing into their souls.   Beautiful!   This book is a sensory experience for the eye, the mind and the exploration of transforming one’s things within the space we call our own which could be a science in itself of the who that we are inside ourselves that only lucky few get to experience along with us.      This book is so good it is transcendent.   I loved it!    It is not just a read or a visualization of what you see and what you could create within your own world from this inspiration it is an experience.   I recommend this to anyone especially those interested in the love of expressing themselves through interior design.  You will find a multitude of ideas here.

 - Shirley J

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth     485 pages

From Goodreads:

When Cameron Post's parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they'll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief doesn't last, and Cam is soon forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone (as her grandmother might say), and Cam becomes an expert at both.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. She and Cam forge an unexpected and intense friendship--one that seems to leave room for something more to emerge. But just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to "fix" her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self--even if she's not exactly sure who that is.

Review:

This is a well written book in the much needed, slowly expanding LGBTQIA Young Adult genre. I think many teens will relate to Cameron’s earnest, authentic voice and her experiences as she grows up. There are a lot of difficult topics brought up, but it’s important that they are and this book doesn’t shy away from them. I think, not just for young adults, but adults as well, this book is a great choice. Danforth really captures the teenage voice and the story is so compelling. It’s a long read, but it’s really worth it and for anyone who likes that slice-of-life or coming-of-age genre, this is a perfect choice. It’s all about what it means to be a teenager and the highs and lows of young adult life. I would definitely recommend it.

Lady Susan

Lady Susan by Jane Austen     128 pages

From Goodreads:

Of what a mistake were you guilty in marrying a Man of his age! - just old enough to be formal, ungovernable and to have the Gout - too old to be agreable, and too young to die.'

The scheming and unscrupulous Lady Susan is unlike any Austen heroine you've met in this fascinating early novella.

Review:

I highly enjoyed this book and it has so many things to recommend itself to readers: it’s short and sweet, it’s witty and humorous, and most of all the story and characters are strong. Austen is a masterful writer and this book, though not one of her most well-known works, definitely deserves attention. I definitely recommend this book. If you’re looking for a short, sweet summer read, this one definitely hits the spot.

The Water Cure

The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh     288 pages

From Goodreads:


King has tenderly staked out a territory for his wife and three daughters, Grace, Lia, and Sky. He has lain the barbed wire; he has anchored the buoys in the water; he has marked out a clear message: Do not enter. Or viewed from another angle: Not safe to leave. Here women are protected from the chaos and violence of men on the mainland. The cult-like rituals and therapies they endure fortify them from the spreading toxicity of a degrading world.

But when their father, the only man they’ve ever seen, disappears, they retreat further inward until the day three strange men wash ashore. Over the span of one blistering hot week, a psychological cat-and-mouse game plays out. Sexual tensions and sibling rivalries flare as the sisters confront the amorphous threat the strangers represent. Can they survive the men?

Review:

Overall, it's a stunning book, very thought provoking, and I couldn't have imagined where it would lead me. Though I'm not normally a fan of multiple points of view, here, I think, Mackintosh has utilized this tool to the greatest effect. It really shines. I will definitely be recommending this book.

The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away

The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away by Ronald L. Smith     272 pages

From Goodreads:

Twelve-year-old Simon is obsessed with aliens. The ones who take people and do experiments. When he's too worried about them to sleep, he listens to the owls hoot outside. Owls that have the same eyes as aliens—dark and foreboding.

Then something strange happens on a camping trip, and Simon begins to suspect he’s been abducted. But is it real, or just the overactive imagination of a kid who loves fantasy and role-playing games and is the target of bullies and his father’s scorn?

Even readers who don’t believe in UFOs will relate to the universal kid feeling of not being taken seriously by adults that deepens this deliciously scary tale.

Review:

This is a fascinating book that will draw readers in right away. Simon is a character with a lot of heart, curiosity, and spirit. His fear of aliens and his naturally imaginative mind make for a great mix in the narrative, keeping the reader guessing as to what is real and what isn't.

Simon's story that he writes throughout the novel is an interesting parallel that helps show Simon's imagination and creativity. Readers will enjoy Simon's fantasy world just as much as his quest to uncover the truth behind aliens.

The writing is easy and matches Simon's ages well. Young readers will easily see themselves in Simon and will follow along on his journey without needing any prior knowledge of aliens.

The cast of supporting characters are very minimal, but this book is very much about Simon's experience, so not much is felt to be lacking, aside for maybe a stronger counterpart to Simon.

Overall, this is a thrilling, adventurous book and an interesting take on aliens, albeit with a rather abrupt ending that leaves a few questions to be answered.

The Mistletoe Promise

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans     273 pages

From Goodreads:

Elise Dutton dreads the arrival of another holiday season. Three years earlier, her husband cheated on her with her best friend, resulting in a bitter divorce that left her alone, broken, and distrustful.

Then, one November day, a stranger approaches Elise in the mall food court. Though she recognizes the man from her building, Elise has never formally met him. Tired of spending the holidays alone, the man offers her a proposition. For the next eight weeks—until the evening of December 24—he suggests that they pretend to be a couple. He draws up a contract with four rules:

1. No deep, probing personal questions
2. No drama
3. No telling anyone the truth about the relationship 
4. The contract is void on Christmas Day

The lonely Elise surprises herself by agreeing to the idea. As the charade progresses, the safety of her fake relationship begins to mend her badly broken heart. But just as she begins to find joy again, her long-held secret threatens to unravel the emerging relationship. But she might not be the only one with secrets.

Review:

This is such a cozy book, even though it contains some darker elements. The love story is sweet and romantic and it's a great read in the Christmas season.

Good and Mad

Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger by Rebecca Traister     320 pages

From Goodreads

From Rebecca Traister, the New York Times bestselling author of All the Single Ladies comes a vital, incisive exploration into the transformative power of female anger and its ability to transcend into a political movement. 

Review:

This is an exceptional look at gender inequality in the US, with focus on breaking down the politics of gender inequality, women of color, and other disadvantages faced by women. Traister leaves no stone unturned, covering several woman's rights movements, including the #metoo movement, and especially focuses on woman's rights/activism in the wake of the 2016 presidential election.

The main message is this: women, it is okay to be mad, in fact, it's good to be mad because a) no one should tell you what to feel, especially if it's justified, b) anger can be a tool that leads to change, and c) anger keeps us (women) from complacency and settling for less than equal rights.

I loved the coverage of this book, I loved Traister's inclusiveness, and I loved reading something that spoke to the anger I have felt and still feel after the 45 became president. This is a very important read and I would recommend it to all women, every woman, and then all men.

How to Invent Everything

How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler by Ryan North     437 pages

From Goodreads:


What would you do if a time machine hurled you thousands of years into the past . . . and then broke? How would you survive? Could you improve on humanity's original timeline? And how hard would it be to domesticate a giant wombat?

Don't worry: in How to Invent Everything, bestselling author and time-travel enthusiast Ryan North has figured out the answers to those four questions - and more - just for you. This guide contains all the science, engineering, mathematics, art, music, philosophy, facts, and figures required for even the most clueless time traveler to build a civilization from the ground up. Your new world will be one in which humanity matured quickly and efficiently, instead of doing what we did (i.e., spending 200,000 years stumbling around without language, thinking disease was caused by weird smells, and living completely oblivious to the fact that tying a rock to a string would unlock navigating the entire world).

Review:

This book is hilarious and useful! North has accomplished an amazing feat of compiling "how-tos" on basically everything for making a civilization, all in the guise of helping out a stranded time-traveler. It's great, a bit of a read, but it's worth it for the snippets of humor and the constant dragging of humanity for how long we took to invent things.

Pantheon

Pantheon by Hamish Steele     179 pages

From Goodreads:

The most important myth in Ancient Egypt is faithfully retold in glorious black and white! Horus, son of Isis, vows bloody revenge on his Uncle Set.

Review:

A comic of Egyptian mythology told with dirty humor and violent imagery. This is a fun, quick read and you don't have to know anything about Egyptian mythology to enjoy it.

Charms

Charms and Other Pieces by Paul Valery, translated by Peter Dale, 98 pages

     There is in all beauty a forbiddance to touch,

     There emanates from it something indefinably of the sacred

     That arrests the movement and puts the man

     On the point of acting in fear of himself.

In Valery's better poems (and the quality tends to correlate directly with length) he marvelously explores the enchantment that connects word and world, a magic that is powerful enough to tempt him back, again and again, from oblivion.

     O massing of beatitude,

     You are so lovely, worthy prize

     You are, for every caring mood

     Of all the good and all the wise.

No Buddy Left Behind: Bringing U.S. Troops’ Dogs and Cats Safely Home from the Combat Zone

No Buddy Left Behind: Bringing U.S. Troops’ Dogs and Cats Safely Home from the Combat Zone by Terri Crisp with Cynthia Hurn      Audio Book:  8 hours, 19 mins    Hardback Book:  264 pages     

Genre:  U. S. Military/War Zones/ Pets

Terri Crisp, of the SPCA International Operation was contacted several times by military personnel asking for help bringing animals they befriended while serving in the warzones of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. begging for help getting these “buddies” out of the war zones and safely delivered to the soldiers’ families for safe-keeping till the soldiers could come back home and reunite with their furry friends.   So many stories here that will break your heart and yes, bring tears to your eyes of the heartless treatments dogs and cats receive in the above mentioned countries.    Dogs and cats are relegated to the status of vermin in these areas and are often killed, abused or tortured.   Military personnel are warned not to befriend animals and said animals are often killed by U. S. military staff in order to stop the soldiers from getting attached to them.    But that doesn’t stop the strays from stopping by to scrounge a bite or two and of course, what animal lover could ignore them or when the emotional trauma of the daily situations soldiers find themselves in, the loneliness for home and sane living conditions, memories of pets they had or left behind and the joy of being nuzzled by a furry friend undergoing the same day to day shell-shocked life of never knowing when a bomb might go off and either you or your friend might lose your life to a suicide bomber, or bullet, or some form of saboutage or subterfuge.   Living that type of stress day-to-day takes a harsh toll on the soul so much so, many soldiers are not able to express the utter terror they live moment to moment.   Having a furry understanding pal come lay beside you or nuzzle you when there doesn’t require any conversation, just the empathetic communication of one friend to another letting you know they care and get what you are going through.   While the military may be against forming attachments to animals stating having a pet takes a soldiers’ focus off of what they are doing and could cost lives – hence- why military zones have kills of not just the enemy but will brutally shoot any animals discovered in camp.     So many soldiers keep their furry friends underwraps and help hide them from those that would snitch or from higher ups who would follow regulations to the letter in obliterating such attachments.   Horrible and harsh beyond belief the stories you will read here of animals being brutally murdered in front of their friends to toughen the soldiers up and keep focus on their duties.    But how can they not see when someone if forced to stress induced behavior on a 24/7 basis, how, just a little silent caring from a fellow creature stuck in the same impossible circumstances can go so far to help maintain the humanity they hold inside them?    Humans need a modicum of respect and mutual understanding and many cannot get that from communicating to their colleagues, but, when communicating with animals words aren’t needed.   Putting their head on your leg can express everything in both of your hearts without any verbage required.   Many soldiers have saved animals from being treated cruelly by the locals and many of the animals went on to alert soldiers to hostile presences saving their lives.    This is such a great book and the work done by SPCA International is phenomenal.     Terri Crisp and others on her team started Operation Bahdad Pups raising money to rescue animals that were made known to them who’s soldier buddies begged for help saving them before they deployed to a different region, or were lucky enough to be going home, etc.  Saving these poor creatures took monumental efforts but Terri Crisp and her team, even Terri’s daughter, who also works for the organization took on the task of going into war zones and rescuing as many of the dogs and cats as they possibly could which was quite the clandestine and dangerous task itself.     Animals had to basically be smuggled to Kuwait and Dubai then to other locations and countries to complete their journey to the United States and safety.   Some animals sadly didn’t make it but 223 dogs and 42 cats have been rescued.   Opposing arguments to these rescue missions were that the soldiers could get dogs and cats from rescue shelters here in the States when they returned – why bring over more animals when so many here at home needed to be adopted?   But what those opposing the rescues weren’t considering was the fact that these particular animals were the ones loved by the men and women who went through hell and back and the animals offered them the compassion they needed to stay mentally stabile and these were the animals in many cases who saved not just a soldier but often their entire unit alerting them to dangerous hostiles, dangerous places and alerting them when something wasn’t right in locations where someone could be pretending to be friendly only to blow up, poison or otherwise sabotage a plan.    These weren’t just a desire for a pet these were fellow creatures offering consolation when you just watched someone get killed in front of you.   So many stories.   One girls’ brother went through such mental stress that he no longer was able to speak of the horrors.    He couldn’t de-stress, but, one little dog that the platoon had befriended (and even the ranking officer realized was good for morale telling them aloud as long as I don’t see it I don’t have to report it)  that little dog would snuggle up to the soldier and lay beside him.   The little dog loved all of the guys but seemed to understand this guy really needed him and so the pup would run up to him and jump into his arms, would give him a little extra love and he healed this soldier mentally and spiritually and brought him such a soothing peace it helped bring the girls’ brother out of his doldrums.    She and her brother contacted SPCA International and were able to get the pup saved and brought home to U.S. soil.    Detracters and naysayers were shown its not the what it is the who and the why of these particular animals.    How hard must it be for those soldiers leaving behind pets they couldn’t save or couldn’t get home or to have to watch your own squad members to kill to stop any chance of love developing.    This is a wonderful book and the workers, voluterrs and helpers who make this program possible are true heroes in so many ways to the heroes fighting overseas one hairs bredth away from death themselves at any moment.     God bless them.    May SPCA International be able to rescue every request and may every animal shelter be able to find homes for all the animals they board.   There will be tears reading this book but it is so worth it.   A good view into life for soldiers in battlezones, a look into the thinking of other cultures, pros and cons on all sides of the rescue issues.   Well written book.   I cannot recommend it enough.    

 - Shirley J.

From the Hood to Hollywood

From the Hood to Hollywood by Tiffany Haddish          Audiobook:   65 minutes     100 pages    (Sequel to her earlier book,  “The Last Black Unicorn” )

I love Tiffany Haddish,  whether she is on film or on a stage doing stand-up, or reading or listening to her writings.    She is clever and exceedingly honest and funny as all get-out.    She is always herself no matter who she is talking to ie. check the chapter titled, “Swamp Tour,”  where she uses a  Groupon to go on a Swamp Tour and takes Jada and Will Smith along.  This was while Tiffany and Jada were filming, “Girl’s Trip,” in New Orleans and got to be friends   Hilarious!   The tour was a total shock for the other tourists when the Fresh Prince and Jada stepped aboard.   Will asked everyone to remember it was a swamp tour and not anything about him, he was just enjoying the tour like they were and he would be happy to sign autographs and pose for photos with everyone after the tour.   Oh yes, and Tiffany picked Jada and Will up in front of their house in her raggedy but running ride.    Jada told her they could take one of their cars and Tiffany said no, she came to get them and the car would make it there.   Will loved it, he jumped in the back seat and said he hadn’t ridden in a car like this in years!   Tiffany chastised them for making fun of her car.    She talks about some of the foster families she stayed with while in the Division of Family Services system and the things she learned from them, how to speak Spanish and cook from the Latino family she lived with and she talks about life in the Jewish household she lived in and her batsmitzvah.   She will literally have you rolling on the floor and laughing for days over her time as a booking agent for the airline and her co-worker who fell madly in love with her.    The story is too good to ruin it by telling any more than that – but it is soooooooo funny and cute told in her ever honest way that is so omgosh!   You laugh so hard all the time putting your hand over your face blushing but appreciating the humor.    I’m glad to hear that she really loves making people laugh because she is so good at it and I hope she does it forever.    I hope she achieves everything she wants in life because she makes everyone else so happy.   I highly recommend all of Tiffany’s books, stand-up and acting roles.    She is a delight.

 - Shirley J.

Damaged: A Rosato and DiNunzio Novel

Damaged:  A Rosato and DiNunzio Novel (Book 4) by Lisa Scottoline         AudioBook: 13 hrs., 35 mins       Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages                     

I am a fan of Lisa Scottoline and her daughter, Francesca Serratella’s hilarious essays on life so naturally when I discovered that Lisa also writes crime novels, well, I had to check them out.     This is the first book I have read of Lisa’s in this genre and I absolutely loved it.    Lisa is a great storyteller and now I find it is not just her comedic telling tales on herself that I love so much, but, her writing style and her personality that come through in all of her writings regardless of genre.    Lisa is so talented and one of those writer’s and I suspect she is the same in person from the interviews with her that I have lucked into hearing, that you hang on her every word and you really want to hear what she is going to say next.    Great story, so realistic it could be taken from news headlines and I see why the Di Nunzio family in this series is so popular.   They, I suspect, are a take on the “Flying Scottoline’s” Lisa’s own family that she talks about with such love and warmth.     This story will touch your heart in so many ways and you will not realize who the murderer is till the end and it is such a heart-wrenching story complete with orphan, grampa, bullying at school,  sweet dispositioned child who bends over backward to accommodate his grandfather’s wishes when his parents are killed and the child is forced to live with the elderly man.   Mary DiNunzio is a full-time lawyer, she is planning her second wedding and contemplating becoming a foster mom while dealing with her fiancee’s wanting to take a job offer in California which would take Mary away from her family she is so strongly bonded to that she can’t let go.    How will all this be sorted out?    I highly recommend this book for anyone.    I LOVED IT!

 - Shirley J.

Accused: A Rosato and DiNunzio Novel

Accused: A Rosato and DiNunzio Novel (Book 1) by Lisa Scottoline      AudioBook:10 hrs, 54 mins          Mass Market Paperback:  432 pages              

Didn’t realize when I picked the first Lisa Scottoline crime fiction novel up that it was part of a series, nor even when I picked this, my second taste of Lisa’s  thriller murder mysteries and another home run.   GREAT BOOK!   In this the first in this series, lawyer, Larry DiNunzio makes partner in her firm.   While celebrating that with her colleagues, a 13 year old girl, Allegra Gardner, who has recently received access to her substantial trustfund comes in to interview the Rosato and Associates team to see if she want to hire them to re-open the case of her older sister, Fiona’s murder case.    Allegra is quirky and keeps bees which she is all about.   She has bees in some form on all of her clothes, she maintains hives, collects honey, and there is a hilarious adventure where Allegra is put into a mental institution by her parents who think she has lost her mind believing her sister’s case needs to be re-opened during which time, Allegra has ordered 2,000 more bees by mail and Mary DiNunzio and her Dad and the 3 Tony’s – her Dad’s  best friends who are like Uncles to Mary go to the mansion to get Allegra’s bees situated so they don’t die while she is institutionalized.    What a roadtrip!    So much occurs and again, you don’t know the who of the whodunit until the end.    So many people could be the culprit and the factors are certainly against the young man incarcerated with a life sentence though he maintains his innocence.   Is Allegra OCD and unwilling to accept the truth?   Is she mentally unbalanced as her parents contend or by hiring Mary to track down the truth will the absurd stories Allegra tells be found to hold truth?    Or will Mary finally throw her hands up in the air and run screaming after her boyfriend, Anthony surprises her with an engagement ring that she isn’t ready for while his mother coerces Mary into agreeing to wear her hideously ugly wedding dress down the aisle while Mary’s own mother agitated starts harping in Italian that no, Maria is to wear Her wedding dress which is so high necked it appears like a neck brace attached to a nun’s habit made of silk all the while Mary and her best friend are on the outs and she has no one left to vent to about all the craziness rushing in on her at once while trying to investigate a seemingly futile case that she isn’t even getting paid to do because Allegra’s Dad is putting a kibosh on the Trustfund seeking a new overseer for Allegra’s inheiritance.   Wooo!   So much happening and so entertaining.   DO READ THIS SERIES.    I recommend this series to everyone, young or old, male or female.   Great reads here.

 - Shirley J.

The House With a Clock in its Walls

The House With a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs           AudioBook:  4 hrs, 33mins       Paperback Book:  179 pages             

I enjoyed this book and I am definetly looking forward to seeing the film version.     Ten year old Lewis Barnavelt is orphaned when his parents are killed in a car crash.   He is forced to move from his home in Wisconsin to live with his Uncle Jonathan in his home in Zeebeedee, Michigan.   Lewis is not familiar with his Uncle who makes visually picture the actor/comedian Billy Connoly in my mind, though I think Jack Black plays him in the film version.   Lewis is happy because his Uncle Jonathan lives in a 3 story mansion.   There is weird ticking heard in the walls from time to time and Lewis witnesses his Uncle up in the wee hours taking an axe to the walls.   Lots of fun and freaky things afoot in this house and the reader later learns that there is magic afoot.    Turns out there are witches and wizards and an evil witch and wizard who formerly lived in the house before his Uncle did.    It is a story of coming of age and learning the hard way that you really can’t buy friendship, and you can’t win friendship by mis truths and trying to impress.   While Uncle Jonathan turns out to be a really great guy Lewis presses Uncle Jonathan into doing magical things to try to keep Lewis’ “friend” Tarby (a lot of story involved here) amused.   Talking too much often leads to trouble and so it does for Lewis.    Denying wrong doings or perhaps better said, doing wrong and not saying anything about it causes grave circumstances for everyone.    Good thing Uncle is a Wizard and his best friend is a witch.     Sometimes trying to be something we are not leads to dire events and so does this.    Good book, good characters, great story.   Yes, I do recommend this one, but, read the book before you see the film in case some things are left out or changed.  

- Shirley J.

Wishful Drinking

Title: Wishful Drinking               Author: Carrie Fisher           Hardcover: 163 pgs.       

      This book is quite a departure for me; I don’t think I had read any Hollywood celebrity memoirs before picking up this autobiography.  But, informed about how great it was in the earlier review on this blog and being a fan of her comedy, I thought I’d give it a try.  I was not disappointed.

     Fisher, the now-deceased actress who will forever be Princess Leia to legions of Star Wars fans, had a very hard life.  She was born a Hollywood princess, the daughter of celebrities Eddie Fisher, a famous singer in the 1950’s, and Debbie Reynolds, an actress remembered largely for her role in Singin’ in the Rain.  The first, and perhaps most profound, misfortune to befall the author was the divorce of her parents after her father’s affair with Elizabeth Taylor.  She writes that she dreams (as an adult) that he would come back home to give her a good upbringing, but her wish never came true— her parents never got back together.  She very seldom even saw him.  It exemplified to me the power of fathers in their children’s lives— power both to bless and to curse.  When she grew up, Fisher, like so many Hollywood stars, struggled with substance abuse.  More unusually, she was also afflicted with a mental illness: bipolar disorder.

     But as serious and tragic as these bare facts may sound, this is truly a book of comedy.  The actress suffered so much, presumably, that the only way she could stay sane was by making light of her troubles, as she does in this writing.  I found these memoirs hilarious and very clever, often making me laugh out loud!

     The only major issues I had with the book were that the writing rambled to some extent (it’s very colloquial) and that the author used some crude language.  For the latter reason, I wouldn’t recommend it for children or grown-ups who are very sensitive to vulgar language.  But, for me, the comedy more than made up for all this, so I would still recommend it to most adults.

 - John W.

The Night Visitor

The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins    356 pages

This book is a tautly written story of two women, both faced with the question: how far would you go to save your reputation?  We have Professor Olivia Sweetman who has worked hard to achieve a life she loves with a successful career and happy family. However, even as she attends the launch of her new bestselling book, she is on the edge of panic because she's realized her life has turned out to be filled with deceit and everything could unravel in seconds.

Only one person knows what Olivia has done and that is Vivian Tester, the social awkward woman who found the Victorian diary on which Olivia's new book is based. Working as Olivia's unofficial research assistant, Vivian's life has become intertwined into Olivia's. However, Vivian has some secrets of her own and as the relationship between the two women continues, it becomes more and more complex.  And then, a strange act of violence changes everything.

I really enjoyed this book, where the two viewpoints are strongly written and the story has a taut pace that never lets up. You truly get a sense of Olivia on the edge, about to come completely undone, and you wonder if Vivian is completely to blame.  But is she? Maybe Olivia is just paranoid.  Or maybe not.  Definitely a book that keeps you guessing!!

Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward

Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward by Gemma Hartley 272 pages

"Day in, day out, women anticipate and manage the needs of others. In relationships, we initiate the hard conversations. At home, we shoulder the mental load required to keep our households running. At work, we moderate our tone, explaining patiently and speaking softly. In the world, we step gingerly to keep ourselves safe. We do this largely invisible, draining work whether we want to or not—and we never clock out. No wonder women everywhere are overtaxed, exhausted, and simply fed up."

This is taken from the book's summary on Goodreads and is a good setup for what the book is about. The author wrote an article several years ago that went viral, in part because of the overwhelming amount of responses to it from other women who were feeling the same way about the emotional labor they shoulder. Gemma Hartley begins the book with a story from her own life to illustrate an example of what she called emotional labor. From there, she examines the cultural messages women receive and how women tend to fall into a pattern of performing emotional labor both at work and at home, and how this limits their opportunities and adversely affects their quality of life.

I had placed a hold on this book, although when I picked it up, I couldn't remember why. Then, I remembered the original article.  I had been curious about this book and it did make for an interesting read, although I don't strongly identify with the author and some of the situations she writes about. However, there were a number of things that I read that I found made me nod my head, especially about how women spend a lot of time analyzing how to communicate, how to find the right tone, the right way to say things, anticipating the reactions of others (especially men) and how to modulate themselves.  And, above all else, to make all of this appear smooth and effortless, much like a duck swimming on a pond (smooth on top, paddling furiously beneath the water).  I also found I was frequently reading the book and appreciating my own husband (and making sure I tell him this).

I feel like this is a book a lot of women would benefit from by reading, if nothing else than to see that they might not be alone in their frustration and also to give a name to their frustration.  I have a cousin who has complained about her husband for years, especially since their daughter was born; I might send her a note and suggest she check this book out from her library. 

High Rise Stories: Voices from Chicago Public Housing

High Rise Stories: Voices from Chicago Public Housing edited by by Audrey Petty and Peter Orner    304 pages

This book is a series of first-person accounts of living in the different iconic Chicago public housing projects, including the Robert Taylor Homes, Cabrini-Green and Stateway Gardens.  The Executive Editor's note in the book explains that the narratives are the result of extensive oral history interviews with 26 men and women from Chicago over the course of 2 1/2 years.

I found this book to be a very interesting read, as I am from the Chicago area and lived in different neighborhoods in Chicago, including one near the Jane Addams Homes. I have read other books about Chicago's public housing so it nice to get the viewpoints through these narratives. While many people associate "public housing" with words like "awful" and "horrifying," when many of these buildings were built, they weren't that bad. And while conditions did deteriorate and the gang activity increased over the years, these buildings were still where a lot of people found homes and formed communities. These narratives underscore all of that, which I feel is important.

This book has a foreword, introduction and the Executive Editor's note, as well as appendices about the timeline of housing and civil rights in Chicago, as well as a glossary, information on high rise architecture, and more.

Once an Eagle

Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer, 817 pages

Once an Eagle is the story of Sam Damon, a square-jawed Nebraskan with an unerring instinct for the right thing.  When the US enters the First World War shortly after he has managed to secure a place at West Point, Sam enlists as a common soldier.  Through intelligence, luck, and courage he wins a commission and the Congressional Medal of Honor.  Then follow his marriage to the spirited general's daughter Tommy, the long, slow, difficult interwar years, and the long, fast Hell of the Pacific Theater of World War II.  Throughout, his career is paralleled by that of Courtney Massengale, a Machiavel who understands only power and disdains Sam's values of obligation, sacrifice, and love.  Together, they represent opposing forces in the American military, government, and society - Sam's personal virtue against Massengale's careless self-aggrandizement.

Anton Myrer does not write with the sweep of Herman Wouk or the battlefield intensity of Harold Coyle, and, as a result, is less engaging than either.  This is true despite having a length sufficient for one of Wouk's soap opera epics.  One of the themes of the novel's central third is the tedium of peacetime military service - unfortunately, it proves tedious for the reader as well.

The Last Year of the War

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner   400 page


Susan Meissner’s latest novel, “The Last Year of the War” is set against the backdrop of World War II, but it could easily be written about today’s plight of immigrants around the world.

Elise Sontag Dove is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. She knows the dark pall is rapidly descending upon her, taking everything—and everybody---she has loved. Before it’s too late, Elise wants to find her friend, Mariko, whom she hasn’t seen since their families were housed near each other in an American-government sanctioned internment camp in Crystal City, Texas, in 1943-1944.

Through a series of fortunate events, Elise locates her friend who is now living in San Francisco. Will her disease rob her of her friend before she can see her again?  Elise doesn’t know, but it’s urgent that she see her as soon as possible.

As Elise makes her way to meet her friend, she recalls growing up in Davenport, Iowa. Her parents had emigrated from Germany twenty years earlier. Although they were registered aliens, they had never applied for citizenship. They always thought there would be time. Davenport, Iowa, is not exactly a hotbed of Nazi sympathizers, but fear of the German war machine is racing across America. Suddenly, Elise’s father, Otto, is arrested and sent to an American-government internment camp. Elise is stunned but not quite as stunned as when her friends and their parents begin to shun the Sontags.

Otto requests, and is granted, relocation to a family internment camp in Crystal City, Texas. There she meets the Japanese-American girl, Mariko. The two become best friends, planning a future move to New York to become journalists after the war is over and they turn eighteen.

That dream dies when the families are pulled apart. Elise and her family are sent back to Germany while Mariko and her family are sent to Japan. Neither country is a welcome place in the middle of a world war. The girls are forced to stop having contact with each other, but Elise has never forgotten her friend.

“The Last Year of the War” is a fascinating look at fear of people who might be different than you and the unbreakable bonds of friendship. The dueling timelines, one of my favorite plot structures, is well done. I would estimate that ninety percent of the book takes place from 1943 on, which gives readers an opportunity to get to know Elise as she was before the Alzheimer’s begins to rob her.
It does drag a bit in the middle. That is the reason “The Last Year of the War” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

An Anonymous Girl

An Anonymous Girl by  Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen  371 pages  I read a galley

Do you ever start a book, anticipating that it will be a good read, and then realize you're putting off the housework and wishing you didn't have to go to your job because you want to just keep reading?  This was one of those kinds of books for me.

This is a tale of deceit, jealousy, betrayal and an ultimate game of cat-and-mouse.  Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by Dr. Shields, thinking she'll collect her money for participating and that'll be it. However, as she continues to answer the study's questions, coming back for multiple sessions, she starts to feel like Dr. Shields may know what she's hiding.  Once Jessica meets Dr. Shields, the study intensifies and Jessica is requested to go places, wear certain outfits and interact with specific people. Jessica quickly starts to wonder what's really going on, especially since it seems Dr. Shields is hiding the true intent of the study.  The steadily increasing pace of this psychological thriller will keep you turning the pages, wondering what is real and what is paranoia until the very end. Perfect for readers who enjoy Nicci French, Gillian Flynn and B.A. Paris.

This book is written by the same authors who wrote The Wife Between Us, which I also really enjoyed. You get alternating viewpoints between Jessica and Dr. Shields, which lends a great balance to the pacing and increasing tension in the story. Jessica seems like a pretty normal girl, while Dr. Shields immediately gives off a sense of danger.  However, as the story continues, there's definitely more than meets the eye to Jessica.  Enter a third character who is tied to both Dr. Shields and Jessica and the plot intensifies. I was on the edge of my seat through the last few chapter and was still surprised at the final chapter (which for me means it was a great story).  

Widdershins

Widdershins by Charles de Lint   560 pages

This book is considered #11 in the Newford series, according to Goodreads.  What that tells you is that if this the first book by this author that you've picked up, you're coming in pretty far in a series. However, if you haven't read any other Newford books, you won't be hopelessly lost.  Although it does help if you're a little familiar with some of the characters and settings from previous books.

Some readers have mentioned that this seems to be the closest thing to a sequel that de Lint has written and it does seem like a sequel to The Onion Girl, taking place two years after the events in that book and featuring some of the same main characters. However, if you didn't read The Onion Girl, you'll still be able to catch on to the storyline. I have read many of de Lint's books and enjoy some of them more than others.  I've read this one more than once, but hadn't re-read it for a while, so there were a lot of elements I had forgotten. One of the things I enjoy about de Lint's stories is that he brings together interesting characters, settings and elements of fairy and Native lore.  He also gives you multiple character viewpoints, which can make the story much more interesting (and also can make it confusing if you forget who's who). In this story, I felt like there could have been a little editing, especially with one of the characters. However, the story moves along pretty smoothly and there's some climactic action about 3/4 of the way through.  However, that means you still have 1/4 left and that's a little droopy.  The pacing has some falters in it, and that's one of the drawbacks of having so many character viewpoints.  But, I still enjoyed the book and found it to be a good re-read.

Lair of Dreams

Lair of Dreams: A Diviners Novel (Book 2 in the Diviners Series) by Libba Bray       AudioBook:  20 hours, 13 minutes      Hardback book:  624 pages            

Diviner, Evie O’Neill is back again for more cavorting with the psychic realm – this time with ghosts.    GOOD BOOK!   It grabs you from beginning to end just like the first book in this series.  Just excellent story.    You get to dream walk in this one, too.    I am starting to worry about Evie becoming an alcoholic, though,  she loves that bathub hooch way too much.   More information comes out about Sam, not to mention the rumor in the media that he and Evie are engaged!    All this is happening while people all over the city are dying from a mysterious Sleeping Sickness.     Jam-packed with so many side stories on all the original characters, Libba Bray lets the reader deeper into everyone’s past, their secrets and throws in some cliffhangers for the next and last book in the series.    This story is so good, I can’t begin to tell you.    Do yourself a favor and read this one – there is so much material here and all of it is juicy.    Mabel even gets a turn at love.    A new character is introduced to the core ensemble and I can’t wait to get ahold of the 3^rd book in the series.     I wish this story would go on forever, because, I love the way the speak with the 1920’s slang it is so fun and just adds such delight to the characters.    Bravo Libba Bray!   Standing ovation and 3 curtain calls for this delight of a book and series.   I LOVE IT!    Highly recommend this one to all.   It is culturally and socially diverse and so full of emotion.   Book 3 here I come!

 - Shirley J.

December, 2018 team totals

The St. Louis Library team took advantage of some days off from the library and read up a storm this month!  In December,

9 people

read 66 books

for a total of 21,017 pages 

!!!

Shirley was this month's Super Reader with a total of 5840 pages. However, Krista R. wasn't far behind, logging an impressive 4672 pages!   Thanks to everyone who posted this month!

THE LITTLE BROOMSTICK

The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart  192 pages

Reviewed by Rae C.

From Biblio:
A black cat that needs to rescue its brother from a witch's spell enlists the help of lonely ten-year-old Mary Smith.

This Bibliocommons description is actually somewhat incorrect.  The cat leads Mary to a magical flower that enables her to ride the little broomstick and go to a Hogwarts type magic school.

As a fan of both Mary Stewart's Arthurian trilogy and her thriller romances like "Touch Not The Cat" I was surprised I had not only missed one of her books- but especially a kid's book about witches!  I learned of this book only from watching the movie "Mary and the Witch's Flower."  The movie did change a few things, naturally, but both were excellent, and each is fine as a stand alone or together.  Fans of Ruth Chew will love this!  Great story, great characters, and very satisfying ending!

Post from 12/31/18 - Wabi-Sabi Art Workshop

Shirley sent this to me on 12/31/18 and I didn't get it posted before I left work -- 

Wabi-Sabi Art Workshop: Mixed Media Techniques for Embracing Imperfection and Celebrating Happy Accidents by Serena Barton         Paperback:  128 pages        

My kind of art – embracing the imperfect and finding the beauty in every day things.   They had me at imperfect.    I like the way the Wabi-Sabi philosophy sees all things in life – like the old and weather ravaged barn,   a flower with only 3 petals,    a sign out in the sun with some of its letters faded,  roof views of laundry hanging on lines along with a rooftop garden,   mud puddles,   fish swimming in the Mississippi,  so many things can be wabi-sabi which is finding the beauty in the imperfect and bringing that to light and enjoying it.     This book shows the reader how to look at anything, a pile of stuff rotting away in a junkpile but allowing the eye to catch the red of a bicycle frame alongside the green and orange of a lawn furniture pad, the yellow of an umbrella and the green of long forgotten soda bottles.    Once you learn the magic of seeing the beauty inside unlikely things this book tells you many techniques to bring that beauty  to a canvas through acrylic paints, inked rollers, how to create textures in the art you are creating withpaper towels, gauze, paintbrushes, etc.     Whether the reader/artist chooses to carve, use spackle, paint, try different effect techniques like sponging or splashing colors on whatever media one chooses to use  to gleen unusual sensory effects there is no wrong way of achieving your artist vision the beauty is in the imperfection that blends to become something new and whole in its own right.    Using plaster then using a fork, a knife or any implement to add groves, knothole depth, pastel water effects the sky and the imagination is limitless.    The magic comes when we, the artists stop trying to make exact copies of something and let our spirits play and let the muse take us wherever it wants to carry us – no right, no wrong- no stress.   Painting over ads or documents of any kind, spritzing a little of this and that on it then wiping bits away to reveal haikus within – it really is an amazing and happy form of creating the unique, the unusual and the most interesting found pieces of art.    Who knew you could add coffee or tea to plaster to create visually interesting and beautiful seasoned looking pieces and making your living space into your own one-of-a-kind haven for your soul.     Wabi-sabi is to art what poetry is to writing – it expresses the best in simple yet highly expressive ways.    You will learn so much from this book and free your developing artistic talents.   I enjoyed this book as much as if I was actually in a class being taught by the author, Serena Barton and in many ways the reader will be transported to this “other” place.   Like a breath of air on a Fall day when you can smell so many different scents at once (fire, earth, crushed leaves, coolness of winter to come, warmth of the waning sun and more)  and find pleasure in each individually and as a whole.   Wabi-sabi art is so interactive and its beauty comes from its abstract means of discovering a new reality in what you see and what your art piece becomes.   I really liked this book.    It opened my mind to let go of striving for perfection to see the beauty in wherever the wabi-sabiness of the moment takes you.    I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy way to express themselves artistically, those looking for a new hobby and to those wishing to learn to let go of old ways of thinking and expand their minds in the new way of appreciating what is and reveling in the simplistic beauty of all things before us.    Very enjoyable read.   Love the concept.

Post from 12/31/18 - Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim

Shirley sent this to me and I didn't get it posted before I left work --- 

Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella     AudioBook: 5 hours, 29 minutes    Paperback Book: 304 pages     

What a fun group of females!   Lisa, Francesca and Mother Mary.     Confident women who speak their minds, who you can rightly guess use a lot saltier language outside their books – language is expressive and as a wise lady once said, cussing expressives everything.  They even joke about it themselves.  The bond between these ladies is palpable through their words, their stories and their complete adoration and love for one another.  Mother Mary set the pace and she is a hard act to follow but I think Lisa and Francesca do pretty well in keeping it real and sharing the love and snarky but so funny observations on life.      They have managed to find the happy balance between staying close holding tight on their bonds even though they all live in different places (Mother Mary in Florida with Lisa’s brother, Lisa in Pennsylvania with her menagerie of animals and Francesca in New York City with her fur baby, Lisa’s granddog, Pip.   Though miles between they hold strong to the bonds that hold each dear to the other.    Never shy with their opinions and thank God for cellphones with cameras they can coach each other on their dates, “You are not seriously planning on wearing that are you?”  To, “I don’t care if it is 60 degrees out – take a coat with you!”   So fun,  every story out of any of their experiences is noteworthy.    These gals could seriously have a stand-up comedy act if they ever chose to go that route.    Excellent Book!   I highly recommend every humor title these gals have written.   Sometimes you will shocked at the places they go and the things they talk about, but, it is so funny and so illuminating – honestly, I have learned a thing or two from them because NO SUBJECT IS OFF LIMITS!    Treat yourself and read any or all of the books they have written together, you will honestly be glad you did.

Post from 12/31/18- Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat?:

Shirley sent this to me on 12/31 and I didn't get it up before I left work -- 

Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat?: True Stories and Confessions of an Ordinary Woman by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Seratella      AudioBook: 5 hours, 41 minutes     Paperback Book:  321 pages

I love these gals.    They will talk about anything no matter how personal from landscaping one’s ladyparts to learning to eat at the beach with glorious abandon and to stop caring if people are gaping at all you are putting in that pie hole without exploding.    Lisa worried about the way she looked in a bathing suit so much when she was young that often she would try to cover up so not even her neck would show, later in life, she thought why deny herself – life is short – enjoy it while you are here screw what anybody else thinks that is their opinion and at the end of the day are you going to be proud of yourself for not eating that icecream even though you sweated through your bathing suit and your coverup then go home and raid the fridge like a Viking plundering a village so that now you are so bloated you can’t move and all that food will obviously immediately attach itself to your thighs or give yourself the benefit of the doubt and treat yourself when you want it?  While you still have the ocean you can go float in like a barge till you feel like you have burned up those calories.    This mother-daughter tag team are hilarious.   Hope they come to St. Louis someday so I can see if they crack themselves up telling their stories as much as they do me, hearing them.    GREAT BOOK!  I  HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT AS A READ or as a gift of laughter to someone you love.    So rich and fun.  

Post from 12/31/18 - My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space

Shirley sent me this and I didn't get to it before I left work on 12/31 

My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serratella       Audiobook: 4 hours, 51 minutes     Hardback Book:  327 pages             

I am such a fan of these ladies.   This book, has observations made by Lisa on her take of her daughter Francesca’s moving out of their farm home in Pennsylvania to a new faster paced life in an apartment in New York City.   These gals share the good, the bad and everything in between from fighting spiders and mice when it is just you against them,  Mom Lisa talks about how hard it was to let Francesca move to the big City where she can’t be a Mom to her little girl any more making sure she eats right, she is getting enough sleep, watching out keeping her safe from all those would be predators but Lisa notes on the plus side she may have lost a daughter to pursuing her own dreams, but, in the bargain she gained a whole of closet space.    They each tell so many funny stories of navigating life on their own, and of course there are plenty of Mother Mary  stories to crack the reader up.    Mother Mary could teach a class in sarcasm she is so funny and in this book Lisa is taking Mother Mary along on her book tours and the fans end up talking to Mother Mary more than they do Lisa.     Mother Mary wears a lab coat no one is sure why but she just loves it and wears it all the time.   Maybe she has a crush on her doctor and wants him to see her as an equal in the dating pool.    While Lisa has a thing for Bradley Cooper, Mother Mary has an eye for younger men, too.    Such fun books.   I hope to read every one these gals has written.    I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ALL OF THEIR BOOKS OF ESSAYS on the very real situations we all deal with in love, its just they admit to them.   GREAT BOOK.