Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas

 

Shirley J.                           Juvenile Fiction                Disbelief, Naughty List, Family Business, Keys

Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas by Elise Primavera    40 pages

When Sophie's little brother Christopher has a question of faith in Santa Claus hence the family business, he goes on a quest to get on the naughty list to prove whether or not there really is a Santa Claus because he has been bad every year and still got presents, no lump of coal.    Turns out his sister and Aunt had been running interference for him with Santa and that is why he got presents not through ay effort of his own.  A lot happens and like Pinocchio, Christopher falls in with a bad crowd of bad people but luckily his sister, Aunt and Santa have his back.   A good story with teachable moments.  I recommend this one to listeners to young readers.

Auntie Claus

 Shirley J.                        Juvenile Fiction                        Santa's Sister, Hotel Living, Christmas All Year

Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera    40 pages

There is a lady who dresses in red and white, much like Santa's outfit, who eats Christmas cookies all year round and lives in the penthouse of the Bing Cherry Hotel.   She goes on mysterious business trips every fall and doesn't return till after the first of the year.   Curious.   Turns out "Auntie Claus" is Santa's sister and he couldn't do Christmas without her invaluable help every year.  A cute story.  I recommend it for listeners and young readers.

The Truth About Mrs. Claus

 

Shirley J.                             Juvenile Fiction                       Family Tradition and finding your niche

The Truth About Mrs. Claus by Meena Harris    40 pages

Amalia is an elf and she was born into a long line of teddy bear making elves.   The trouble is every female elf in her family tree has something special about the teddy bears they make, shiny, soft, etc. but Amalia just can't seem to find what would make the teddy bears she makes stand out.    She goes to see Mrs. Claus for help with her situation.   A cute story about secrets, about being a legacy and following in your forebears' career path and about finding that special quality that makes you special in your own way.   Good story.   The author says she came from strong female forebears so perhaps there is a story within a story here.      I recommend this book to listeners and young readers.                                         

                                                             

Santa Claus: The Magical World of Father Christmas

 Shirley J.      Juvenile Literature        Everything about Santa, the elves, reindeer, north pole, etc.

Santa Claus: The Magical World of Father Christmas by Rod Green    32 pages    

Everything you could possibly think of about Santa, the North Pole, the elves, Santa's house, his workshop, the reindeer, the village where the elves live not to mention the mailroom where those naughty or nice sortings get done.  So lifelike it is hard to know whether the illustrations are amazingly realistic looking drawings or photographs.   You will learn the tools Santa uses to make it around the world in one night and other secrets will be revealed.   An amazing look into all things Santa Claus.  I recommend this one for listeners on up to 1st grade and of course for family reads and discussions.

Little Owl and the Big Tree: A Christmas Story

 Shirley J.     Juvenile Literature        A true story of the little owl in the tree chosen for Rockefeller Ctr.

Little Owl and the Big Tree: A Christmas Story by Jonah Winter  32 pages

A true and heart wrenching story of a little owl living inside a tree in a forest who finds itself the victim of men coming in and cutting the tree down.   The owl managed to survive the fall of the tree to the ground and was so small that the people cutting down and loading the tree did not even see.   The tree was taken to Rockefeller Center for the Christmas holiday display.   The poor little owl was not discovered until they began decorating the tree.  It had tried to hunt a few times at night, but, was so disoriented by being out of the forest and in the city, the traffic, the noise, the pollution all did a number on the poor dear.   By the time it was taken to a wildlife rescue center it was severely dehydrated and starving.   The staff there nursed it back to health and released it near their location in a forested area.   I hope all alone the poor thing was able to survive.   I recommend this story to listeners on up to 3rd graders.  I think beyond that kids would question the whole scenario.

The Gift of Ramadan

 Shirley J.            Juvenile literature                             Explains Ramadan customs and fasting    

The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard  32 pages

This book tells the story of Sophia, her family and particularly her relationship with her grandmother.  Sophia wants to fast for Ramadan but she is little and it is hard for her to fast from water and food from sunrise to sunset.  Children, the elderly or infirm and pregnant/nursing mothers are not expected to observe the whole fast as are older children and adults.   Ramadan is observed for 30 days with no food or water taken throughout the day.  Families can rise early and have breakfast before the sun comes up and they can have dinner together once the sun goes down but during daylight hours nothing no water and no food must be eaten nor drank.   It is a very informative story of Ramadan and I, as an adult, learned a lot.  I recommend this story to listeners on up to 3rd grade, though, it would be a good family story time read with discussion after.   

Auntie Claus: Home for the holidays

 

Shirley J.                Juvenile Literature                     Sophie Kringle's Aunt (Sister to Chris Kringle)

Usually every year Sophie Kringle's Auntie Claus goes on a business trip to the North Pole to help her brother Santa Claus prepare for his Christmas run.   This year, Sophie has won the coveted role of the Sugar Plum fairy in her school play, so, Auntie Claus decides to move Santa's whole operation to New York, specifically to the Bing Cherry Hotel where Sophie's family and Auntie Claus reside, so everything can still be achieved at the same time and everyone will get to attend Sophie's performance.  A sweet story, I recommend it to babies, listeners on up to 3rd graders.

Everything is Mama

 

Shirley J.               Juvenile Literature                                   A baby penguin calls everything Mama    

Everything is Mama by Jimmy Fallon   32 pages

Jimmy Fallon has written a series of 3 books: Dada, Mama and Baby.  In this book, animals try to teach their babies that there are other words for things and activities but all the babies say is, "Mama!"  No matter what they are looking at or doing - everything is mama.  An adorable book with cute illustrations.  I recommend this one to babies and listeners.  

The Porcelain Maker

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy 384 pages

 

There is a plethora of World War II novels on the bookshelves, and I expect a plethora more to appear as 100 years start to creep up on us. One hundred years since Hitler rose to power, one hundred years since he invaded Poland and the list goes on and on. The way time flies for me anymore, 2045 will be here in a week.

 

Many of the WWII books I have read center on the citizen soldier, the more formal Resistance the concentration camps, etc. with the goal of beating the Germans, Italians and Japanese. But The Porcelain Maker is different. It has a different tone and feel that made this novel. Debut novelist Freethy takes one item from the history books: the porcelain factory that was located near Dachau. The novel also has a structure that I so love: dual narratives.

 

It's 1993. Clara Vogel has never known who her biological father was. Now that her mother, the world-renown artist, Bettina, has passed away, Clara feels she can begin her search. Although she doesn’t hold much hope, she wants to try. Her mother refused to talk about the past, but Clara understands that there is a connection between Bettina’s art and the porcelain factory that I mentioned above. It’s all she has to go on.

 

The other narrative, 1925-1946, is Bettina’s story. A budding, talented artist, Bettina is making a name for herself in a Germany that didn’t know Hitler and his thugs. She falls in love with Max and the two begin to plan a life together. Max is an Austrian Jew who is also gaining respect from his peers around the world.

 

This book is about three voyages. Clara’s journey to learn her father’s name. Bettina’s is about to survive the war and keep her child safe, no matter what it takes. Max’s journey is also to survive the war and find his way back to Bettina so they can live they dreamed.

 

It’s also about faith, perseverance and the juxtaposition of beauty and unimaginable horrors. Readers will know the ultimate outcome of the novel before the end of the first chapter, but the journeys captured my heart. The Porcelain Maker gets 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

My powerful hair

 

Shirley J.                  Children's literature                           The significance of hair to indigenous cultures    My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom   48 pages 

This book tells how important one's hair is to indigenous cultures (native tribes, inuits of the north, etc.).    It speaks of when the American government took tribal children from their parents and put them in orphanages, cut their hair and made them wear the white man's clothes, forced them to speak only the white man's language and learn his ways while being treated as subservient beings.    Tribal people believe their hair hold the memories of the tribe, it is the source of their strength and power.   The first humiliation by the whites was to cut both the boy's and girl's hair then make them forget their native language and the ways of the tribes.   A glorious and eye-opening story about an indomitable spirit that will not be denied.  The book is written for youngsters but is a learning experience for people of every age.  I recommend it to all ages.

Kaizen: The Japanese secret to lasting change: small steps to big goals

 

Shirley J.               Adult Non-Fiction                        Focusing on small areas to achieve big results

Kaizen:The Japanese secret to lasting change: Small steps to Big Goals by Sarah Harvey  272 pages

This book and Kaizen itself allow the reader to do as little to work toward a goal in the beginning as possible.   The point being if you do so little you want to do more.  It is sort of enticing.  It's like tasting something delicious but only just a taste.  It creates the desire for it within you, but, you feel fine because regardless, it was only a taste afterall.  So you have this mountain of a project before you - Kaizen philosophy is, work on it for 5 minutes then walk away.  Whaaaat?   How can you not want to commit to working toward your goal when you only have to put 5 minutes worth of effort into it.  Once you begin it is kind of addicting.  It is so great - no pressure - no tramatic overload of work - you simply begin with one small step. (ie. The journey of 1,000 miles begins with that first single step.)  The reader will find themselves loving this idea and the history behind it?  The American military taught this to the CEO and his crew at Toyota after WWII when helping to rebuild the economy of Japan.   The CEO ran with it and look at Toyota today.  Many other Japanese businesses followed suit when they saw that one didn't need to eat the whole elephant at once but simply one spoonful at a time and that is how you eat an elephant or surpass everyone else in your market to become a leader and transform the industry.   This principle of baby steps to progress can be applied to anything in life whether career, home or self-improvement.  Don't workout for an hour 7 days a week.  Walk 10 steps a day the first week, then increase by 5 more steps the following week.   You will find yourself forming comfortable habits and seeing real accomplishments when there is such simple itty bitty things to do to begin taming anything you want in life.   I really enjoyed this book and learning how you don't have to chastise and belittle yourself for your lack of follow thru.   Just change the focus.  Go for small changes that add up to great accomplishments.   Fabulous!   I recommend this book to elementary school children on up to senior citizens.  It is such a wonderful concept to grasp and it pays off in big ways without extreme effort or guilt.

Just Once

Just Once by Karen Kingsbury 336 pages

 

Until three years ago, Audra Mitchell did not know her grandmother’s deepest secret. Why would she? Members of the Greatest Generation did like to talk about their service in beating the Axis Powers. Three years ago, Audra and her husband, Tom, were re-modeling her grandparents’ home when they found an old wooden box. Inside, they learned Grandma Irvel’s secret” she was a SPY!

 

The story jumps to 2018, as they learn about Irvel’s medical problems. That sets up the plot nicely for it to jump back in time to December 5, 1941. Irvel is in love with her best friend, Hank, although she is dating his brother, Sam.

 

It’s been a little while since I read Just Once, and I don’t remember the sequence of everything that happened. Sam is drafted and heads to Europe. Irvel is recruited by the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, forerunner to today’s CIA). Their worse fear comes true. While they are devastated, they must do what their country asks.

 

Have some tissues handy, this is a tearjerker. Just Once gets 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

Last Known Port: A Southern Mystery

Last Known Port: A Southern Mystery by Sue Anger 276 pages

 

It’s May 1923. Jake Parson and his Labrador retriever, Pilot, have pulled into the port of Beaufort, North Carolina. He is only a week late, and he is eager to see his brother, Wade, who is waiting for him. Upon his arrival, he learns that Wade left a week ago aboard his boat, but never made it to his next port. There are no signs of him in Beaufort except that his dog, Yawg, is there. Jake knows something is wrong; Wade would never leave Yawg behind. Jake begins to do some investigating around town, talking to anyone who knew him.

 

Beneath the surface of Beaufort, things are not what they seem. The idyllic coastal town harbors some big secrets. Jake, a World War I veteran suffering from shellshock, discovers rum-running and smuggling are the biggest trades in the area.

 

As he meets the town’s inhabitants, Jake is drawn to jazz musician Nell Guthrie. Unfortunately, Nell is already engaged, but the two do become good friends. Bottom line is that Jake learns that “local rum runners are piloting small boats in the open ocean to collect illegal booze from ships traveling the “Whiskey Road,” that stretches from Nassau to New York City’s Rum Row.”

 

This novel was more about the booze than it was about finding Wade. He was a secondary plot point. Last Known Port: A Southern Mystery gets 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

 

 

Totally Psychic

Totally Psychic by Brigid Martin 320 pages

 

Paloma Ferrer is twelve years old. Her world has been turned upside down with an abrupt

 move from Miami to Los Angeles for her father’s job. She hates being taken away from her abuela (grandmother) and the rest of her large Cuban family. S

 

Her abuela is a famous psychic, that is more popular than any movie star. She cannot go anywhere where people do not recognize her (think “The Long Island Medium” Theresa Caputo). Paloma cannot wait to go to develop her “gift” and go on tour with Abuela.

 

Life is tough for a new tween in a new school. She easily makes new friends. Since her mother has rejected her psychic gift and insists that Paloma abandon her gifts. Then Paloma has a brilliant idea: To start a podcast to host seances at school. By accident, she rips a hole in the spiritual portal, leaving her with supernatural mess to clean up that is often comical.

 

I loved this book with the exception of one thing. When Paloma used Spanish words, I either had to figure them out in context (not hard to do in this book) or Google them.  I wish there had been a glossary, but I probably learned more without it.

 

Totally Psychic gets 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Wishing Bridge

The Wishing Bridge by Viola Shipman 368 pages

 

When Henrietta “Henri” Wegner was a child, she and her parents lived with grandparents. Her father started a small handmade Christmas business in the basement. It was his dream to own a store that celebrated Christmas all year long.

 

Fast forward a few decades. In Detroit, Henri is now 52 years old and a hotshot with a mergers and acquisitions corporate giant, Tolliver & Co. Their goal is to go after small businesses and sell them to larger companies. When the owner of Tolliver’s has a massive heart attack, his son, Benji, takes over.

 

It’s been a rough couple of years for Henri because she could not meet her goals. Henri sees the writing on the wall, the new kids coming in are hungrier, greedier, and less caring than ever before. They do not mind tearing people’s lives apart.

 

In desperation, Henri promises that she can get her parents to sell their store, Wegner’s, before Christmas. If she doesn’t come through, Benji will fire her in the new year. So, Henri heads back to Frankenmuth, Michigan, her hometown, to convince her parents to sell.

 

Wegner’s has indeed become the Christmas store capital of the world. Visitors come by the busload all year to enjoy the handcrafted items and experience the Hallmark-like-town Bavarian town.

 

When Henri arrives, memories flood back, and as the season progresses, she’s finding it harder and harder to discuss the store sale with her parents. Benji, the spoiled brat that he is, bullies her with texts about losing. And to top it off, her high school sweetheart, the one who proposed to her, is also back in Frankenmuth after a divorce.

 

I love Viola Shipman’s novels. They speak to a woman’s heart. This one was not as good as his other novels*, but I can’t put my finger on what the problem is. I do think that “The Wishing Bridge” would make a wonderful Hallmark movie.

 

The Wishing Bridge gets 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

*In case you didn’t know, Shipman is the pseudonym of Wade Rouse. It was his grandmother’s name.

 

The Fiction Writer

The Fiction Writer by Jullian Cantor 304 pages

 

Sometimes you just shouldn’t mess with the original. Olivia Fitzgerald’s first novel was a massive success. Her second, a retelling of Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca,” (titled “Becky”) was not. It flopped. Big time. “Last night I dreamt I went to Malibu again” just doesn’t have the same sinister overtones as the original sentence, “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”

 

When I read author Cantor’s first line, I almost put it down. Then I remembered that this story is about a contemporary re-telling, and a re-telling itself, of du Maurier’s classic novel. With that in mind, I plunged ahead.

 

Olivia’s having a bad year. “Becky” was a disaster, her boyfriend of nine years dumped her, and she has no clue what her next book will be about, if anything. Even her agent doesn’t want to talk with her. But he does call with a lucrative ghost-writing offer.

 

“Henry ‘Ash’ Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice named People’s Sexiest Man Alive,” wants to hire her, for $50,000, to ghost-write a book for him. He simply adored “Becky.
It seems, according to Ash, that there is a connection between du Maurier and his grandmother and a salacious claim. He insists that Daphne stole his grandmother’s manuscript and published it, the manuscript that became known as “Rebecca.”

 

At first, Olivia doesn’t want the gig, but her curiosity gets the best of her, and she hops on a plane for California. When she arrives in the land of the rich, famous, and beautiful, she is treated like royalty, but Ash never seems to want to get to work on the book. First, he claims the story and proof are in his grandmother’s journals, which he has sent out to be translated from their original French.

 

That is the first lie that Ash tells her about the journals. Again, Olivia’s curiosity gets the best of her, and she starts researching Ash’s grandmother and wives. She cannot find a trace of them anywhere online.

 

Sometimes it is hard to keep up with what is happening, and the people in Ash’s life. The housekeeper was also a bridesmaid from his marriage to Angelica; the discovery of Rose, the third Mrs. Ashwood; the fire at Malibu Lake, eerily reminiscent of the fire at Manderley. And much more.

 

Taut, tense, and creepy, “The Fiction Writer” is a perfect read for a stormy afternoon. The Fiction Writer gets 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

Long Way Home

Long Way Home by Lynn Austin 400 pages

 

This is a story of the Greatest Generation---both on the war front and the home front. Most of the men who fought never talked about their experiences. Through a dual narrative, we get to explore how two men suffered from battle fatigue, or as we know it, PTSD and one woman’s fight to stay alive and find her love.

 

Hudson Valley, New York. Jimmy Barnett is not the same person he was when he came home from the Europe theater. Before, he was outgoing, funny, handsome and had plans to be a veterinary like his father. Now, in 1946, he just sits on his bed and stares out the window. No one seems to be able to help him find his way back home. When he attempts suicide, his parents check him into the nearest VA hospital, an hours away where they can only visit him once a week.

 

Motherless Peggy Serrano lives across the road. Her father is a mechanic and doesn’t pay much attention to her, especially since he has a new live-in girlfriend, Donna. Peggy helps Mr. Bennett in his practice and has a special touch. She is so excited when Jimmy comes home, but so sad when the old Jimmy is gone.

 

All three think the arrival of an old Army buddy, Sam, will help bring Jimmy around. But the physically wounded Sam may as well be invisible. However, Sam finds comfort in the Serrano and Bennett families. He shows up, and when his own battle fatigue gets too much, he takes off on his motorcycle.

 

At the VA hospital, Jimmy goes through some awful treatments, like an insulin coma and electric shock therapy. Then Peggy gets an idea: maybe if she could find more of Jimmy’s Army pals, knowing how much Jimmy helped them (he was a medic), that might bring him around. As Peggy is rooting around in Jimmy’s duffel bag, looking for clues, she discovers a picture of a beautiful woman with only the name Gisela written on the back. Could she be the key to unlocking Jimmy’s mind?

 

Berlin, Germany, 1938. Gisela Wolff and her family know it is time to leave Germany. Her father has worked hard to obtain the visas and passports that will allow her family to flee the Nazis. They board the luxury liner, SS St. Louis, and head for Cuba. Cuba denies the 900 Jewish passengers’ entry. The ship then tries to enter America, but again they are turned away (true story) and sent back to Europe.

 

One bright light in Gisela’s light is the young man she meets about the boat, Sam Shaprio. The two quickly fall deeply in love. They are separated and Gisela must make her way through the war. She ultimately winds up in one of the concentration camps.

 

Don’t want any spoilers, so I better stop now. However, grab your hankies, ‘cause when Jimmy and Gisela’s stories converge, you’re gonna need them.

 

Long Way Home gets 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

If the Tide Turns

If the Tide Turns by Rachel Rueckert 384 pages  

When Kensington Books asked me to write a blurb for Rachel Rueckert’s debut novel, I jumped at the opportunity. Although I don’t read many romance novels, I do enjoy stories that take place in or near the water. The feel of the salty breeze and the mist stinging your face---that sort of thing. Set during the waning days of the Golden Age of Pirates (1689-1718; who knew there was such a thing?), If the Tide Turns is the “captivating true story of real-life pirate Samuel Bellamy, combining high seas adventure, star-crossed longing, surprisingly timely questions about social justice and freedom, and the emotionally satisfying tale of one strong-willed young woman determined to choose her own path.”

This is the blurb I wrote: “Two lovers, separated by their stations in life, fight their way back to each other’s arms. On land and on the sea, Sam and Maria overcome the hardships of the mid-1700s. Rueckert’s new novel is a tale of daring, courage, aching loneliness and two people willing to face any obstacles to be together.”

 

It’s 1715 in Eastham, Massachusetts. Maria Brown is the beautiful, hard-headed daughter of a wealthy family who has arranged a marriage for her. She doesn’t want any part of the much older (shall we just say old?), also wealthy and abusive John Hallett.

 

Maria has her heart set on a young, orphaned sailor, Sam Bellamy. They met as Sam had been laid-off (yes, laid-off from his previous ship when it docked and no longer needed his services) and searched for another ship. The two are drawn together. Sam to Maria for her beauty and her self-determination. Maria to Sam for his idealistic opinions. The two are smitten with each other. Sam wants to marry her, but her father forbids it, in fact banishing him from their home. Maria, characteristically, vows to wait for him, to wait until he can make his fortune and offer everything her father deems, she should have.

 

Eager for success, Sam becomes involved with a pirate ship. But Sam isn’t your ordinary run-of-the-mill pirate. He is only interested in taking other ships’ bounties, not lives nor ships. His reputation as a “nice” pirate precedes him.

 

Maria leaves home, bent on following him from port to port. It’s a dangerous path she has chosen--- a woman traveling alone.

 

If the Tide Turns has all the aspects of a swashbuckling delightful read as Sam and Maria fight for their love. If the Tide Turns gets 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Good, the Bad and the Aunties

 The Good, The Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

200 pp

The Aunties are back for a third madcap adventure.  Meddy and Nathan are on their honeymoon after successfully getting married in Four Aunties and a Wedding. They join the family in Jakarta for Chinese New Year where the aunties are in fine form.  Meddy’s mother won’t stop talking about grandchildren. During the party, Abi Lincoln shows up (having been invited by Fourth Auntie) to proclaim his love for Second Auntie.  Unfortunately, while giving out the red packets (envelopes with money in them) to the children, an important document intended for another person is given to someone and Meddy and the Aunties must figure out who received it. When they visit the important business woman who it’s destined for, she decides to keep Nathan as collateral until they can retrieve it. Meddy and the Aunties go to great lengths to recover it and get Nathan back. Then, Second Auntie is kidnapped and the Aunties, Meddy and Nathan must go all out to get her back.

For those who love the Aunties, The Good, The Bad, and the Aunties will not disappoint.  There were several times when I laughed out loud.  For the craziness, I am glad they are not my relatives.  For the loyalty, anyone would be lucky to have them.  I give it four out of five stars.

The Mystery Guest

 The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

230 pages

Molly the maid and the Regency Grand are back with a whole new murder.  Molly is stepping out of her comfort zone for the Grand Opening of the Regency Grand tearoom.  She made sure the room is just so for the special event—a special announcement by mystery author J. D. Grimthorpe to his biggest fans.  Unfortunately before he makes his announcement he falls to the floor dead. Barmaid Angela is a true crime expert so she enlists Molly in interviewing some of those fans which include the Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society (known as the LAMBS). Molly’s definitely not his biggest fan since her Gran worked at Mr. Grimthorpe’s house and Molly met him when she was young. Inspector Stark is back as is doorman Mr. Preston.  Of course Molly’s attention to detail solves the crime.

I loved the back and forth between time periods to get the true background of the author and her relationship with her maid in training Lily.  I also enjoyed that a mystery book group was part of the story since I run one myself. My only quibble is that Molly has lost so much of the social awkwardness she once had. I thought this was an excellent follow up to The Maid and a great sophomore effort.  Four out of five stars.