Sunday, February 28, 2021

SLPL Team February totals

 This month, the small but mighty SLPL team read some interesting books!

5 people
read 31 books
for a total of 10,251 pages

This month, Shirley J. had the highest page count, with 3430. However, Jen O. was close on her heels with 3383 pages!

Onwards to March!!

The Shadow Box


 The Shadow Box by Luanne Rice  352 pages

Summary from Goodreads: After artist Claire Beaudry Chase is attacked and left for dead in her home on the Connecticut coast, she doesn’t know who she can trust. But her well-connected husband, Griffin—who is running for governor—is her prime suspect.


Just before the attack, Claire was preparing for an exhibit of her shadow boxes, one of which clearly accuses Griffin of a violent crime committed twenty-five years ago. If the public were to find out who her husband is, his political career would be over. Claire’s certain her husband and his powerful supporters would kill her to stop the truth from getting out.

And here's what I thought:  I really liked the fact that there was more than one viewpoint and that the story moved back and forth in time. You start with something happening right now, and then move backwards, and then go back and keep moving forward again. The past days give some nice foreshadowing to what will happen, and combined with the steady pace, I found this one to be a page turner.  I also liked the setting, which was important to the story and the characters (and sounded like a place I'd like to visit). 

Patently Female


 Patently Female: From AZT to TV Dinners, Stories of Women Inventors and Their Breakthrough Ideas by Ethlie Ann Vare, Greg Ptacek  220 pages

This book covers all kinds of inventions and patents, from automatic dishwashers, COBOL, drip coffeemakers, Kevlar and much more. Some of the entries are longer than others, but it makes for really interesting reading. And, it's easy to find more information on all of these women if you want to learn even more about them --- especially if you look up what their patent drawings look like.

Dark Roads


 Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens  371 pages.  Read an ARC - book is on sale 8/3/2021

Summary from Goodreads: For decades, people have been warned about the Cold Creek Highway. Hitchhikers have vanished along it over the years, and women have been known to have their cars break down... and never be seen again. When Hailey McBride decides to run away from an unbearable living situation, she thinks that her outdoor skills will help her disappear into the Cold Creek wilderness, and she counts on people thinking that she was the victim of the killer.


One year later, Beth Chevalier arrives in Cold Creek to attend a memorial for the victims of the highway, but it might as well be one week for the amount of pain that Beth is still dealing with after her sister, Amber, was murdered the previous summer. Beth has quit university, is lying to her parents, and popping pills like Tic Tacs. Maybe this will finally bring her peace.

When she gets a job at a local diner where Amber once worked, she connects with people who knew her sister. Beth wants to find who killed her sister and put her own life back together, but as she gets closer to the truth, she learns that there is more than one person lying in Cold Creek.

And here's what I thought: I liked this story -- the pacing has a steady build, and there is a thread of tension that winds tighter and tighter as the story continues. The characters are believable and realistic, so it's easy to become caught up in their story - and even become concerned for their welfare. I liked the interplay between the storylines of both Hailey and Beth, and the backdrop of the setting and the town help underscore the feeling of danger. What's also enjoyable is that some of the other characters are unpredictable and it's hard to know who can be trusted (if anyone). Because there are multiple characters with different secrets and agendas, there are some twists and turns in the book. Definitely a book for readers who enjoy emotional suspense stories, psychological thrillers, stories tinged with horror, and books where the setting is just as instrumental as any other part of the story. There are dark, gritty and violent aspects to this story --- but if you like Chevy Stevens, it will be just as great as you expect.

Best readalike I can think of: Find Her by Lisa Gardner

The Photographer


 The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter.  296 pages.  ARC read - book is on sale 5/25/2021

Summary from Goodreads: WHEN PERFECT IMAGES


As a photographer, Delta Dawn observes the seemingly perfect lives of New York City’s elite: snapping photos of their children’s birthday parties, transforming images of stiff hugs and tearstained faces into visions of pure joy, and creating moments these parents long for.

ARE MADE OF BEAUTIFUL LIES

But when Delta is hired for Natalie Straub’s eleventh birthday, she finds herself wishing she wasn’t behind the lens but a part of the scene―in the Straub family’s gorgeous home and elegant life.

THE TRUTH WILL BE EXPOSED

That’s when Delta puts her plan in place, by babysitting for Natalie; befriending her mother, Amelia; finding chances to listen to her father, Fritz. Soon she’s bathing in the master bathtub, drinking their expensive wine, and eyeing the beautifully finished garden apartment in their townhouse. It seems she can never get close enough, until she discovers that photos aren’t all she can manipulate.
 

And here's what I thought: It's clear from the beginning that something is completely off about the main character, Delta Dawn. What's not quite clear is just how completely off she is and as the story continues, more and more becomes revealed. What I really liked was that although I was picking up on clues and making my own assumptions, Delta would make an offhand comment in the story that would really open something up. I thought it was interesting that the way the story is set up in the summary, you might expect one thing --- but Delta's manipulations don't always play out as expected. Kind of a disturbing main character, but I found the story to be a page-turner. 

Saffron and Brimstone


 Saffron and Brimstone: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand  240 pages

Summary from Goodreads: This new collection (an expansion of the limited-release Bibliomancy, which won the World Fantasy Award in 2005) showcases a wildly inventive author at the height of her powers. Included in this collection are "The Least Trumps," in which a lonely women reaches out to the world through symbols, tattooing, and the Tarot, and "Pavane for a Prince of the Air," where neo-pagan rituals bring a recently departed soul to something very different than eternal rest. Written in the author's characteristic poetic prose and rich with the details of traumatic lives that are luminously transformed, Saffron and Brimstone is a worthy addition to an outstanding career.

And here's what I thought: I re-read this book usually once a year because I enjoy some of the stories so much. Each time I read them, I usually re-discover something I had forgotten about, which is fun. The first story, about an unusual young woman and moths, never fails to captivate me. And I really love The Least Trumps, as well. Hand's writing style is really descriptive and evocative and I often savor a sentence or two in a story. Her description of being tattooed is the most accurate I've read -- "It's more like carving your own skin with the slanted nib of a razor-sharp calligraphy pen or writing on flesh with a soldering iron." 

The Red Lotus

 


The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian  383 pages

Summary from Goodreads: he first time Alexis saw Austin, it was a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austin's arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bike tour so that Austin can show her his passion for cycling and he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for him to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austin vanishes into thin air. The only clue he leaves behind is a bright yellow energy gel dropped on the road.


As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, and deals with the FBI, Austin's prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austin go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in?


And here's what I thought: I finally remembered I wanted to read this - and there were library copies available! 

This is the second book by this author that I read this month and the two couldn't be more different, plot-wise. This story has an incredibly scary virus at the center of the story (plus a lot about rats, which is scary all by itself). I guess I would call this a medical thriller because the virus is at the center of everything and Alexis and her boyfriend are caught up in it. I really appreciated that Bohjalian includes very realistic details, along with believable characters -- this is the kind of story I can see coming to life as a movie. The settings are vivid and the story has a fast pace, with a tension that stretches from beginning to end. Good book, although I don't know if I'd be ready for a re-read anytime soon because the subject gave me the creeps.But reading this made me remember how much I liked other medical thrillers when I was a teen -- like books by Robin Cook.

Good Boss, Bad Boss


 Good Boss, Bad Boss by Robert Sutton  308 pages

Summary from Goodreads: f you are a boss who wants to do great work, what can you do about it? Good Boss, Bad Boss is devoted to answering that question. Stanford Professor Robert Sutton weaves together the best psychological and management research with compelling stories and cases to reveal the mindset and moves of the best (and worst) bosses. This book was inspired by the deluge of emails, research, phone calls, and conversations that Dr. Sutton experienced after publishing his blockbuster bestseller The No Asshole Rule. He realized that most of these stories and studies swirled around a central figure in every workplace: THE BOSS. These heart-breaking, inspiring, and sometimes funny stories taught Sutton that most bosses - and their followers - wanted a lot more than just a jerk-free workplace. They aspired to become (or work for) an all-around great boss, somebody with the skill and grit to inspire superior work, commitment, and dignity among their charges.

And here's what I thought: I found some really good things in this book and wound up marking a few pages with sticky notes to come back to later. While I felt there could have been more perspectives from female leaders, the no-nonsense advice here applies to any boss, at any level. Good book and something to maybe keep handy (depending on your job). 

The Night Strangers


 The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian  378 pages

Summary from publisher: In a dusty corner of a basement in a rambling Victorian house in northern New Hampshire, a door has long been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long carriage bolts. 

           
The home's new owners are Chip and Emily Linton and their twin ten-year-old daughters. Together they hope to rebuild their lives there after Chip, an airline pilot, has to ditch his 70-seat regional jet in Lake Champlain after double engine failure. Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, however, most of the passengers aboard Flight 1611 die on impact or drown. The body count? Thirty-nine - a coincidence not lost on Chip when he discovers the number of bolts in that basement door. Meanwhile, Emily finds herself wondering about the women in this sparsely populated White Mountain village - self-proclaimed herbalists - and their interest in her fifth-grade daughters. Are the women mad? Or is it her husband, in the wake of the tragedy, whose grip on sanity has become desperately tenuous?   


And here's what I thought: I have read other books by this author that I enjoyed, and I liked this one --- although not as much as some of the others, admittedly. This is a ghost story combined with a creepy haunted-house seeming story, combined with herbal lore. The characters are interesting and I liked that sometimes, I couldn't quite tell if they were reliable narrators or not. It's clear that something is wrong with Chip, since he seems to be seeing and hearing dead people. And some of the women in the town definitely seem to be hiding something --- are they witches? Maybe just weird women? I liked some of the elements of the story, although I sometimes became a little impatient with some of the characters. And, there were some surprises here -- and I was definitely surprised by the ending and had expected something different.  

When You See Me


 When You See Me by Lisa Gardner 385 pages

Summary from Goodreads: FBI Special Agent Kimberly Quincy and Sergeant Detective DD Warren have built a task force to follow the digital bread crumbs left behind by deceased serial kidnapper Jacob Ness. And when a disturbing piece of evidence comes to light, they decide to bring in Flora Dane who has personal experience of being imprisoned by Ness.


Their investigations take them to a small town deep in the hills of Georgia where something seems to be deeply wrong.

What at first seems like a Gothic eeriness soon hardens into something much more sinister as they discover that for all the evil Jacob committed while alive, his worst secret is still to be revealed.

Quincy and DD must summon their considerable skills and experience to crack the most disturbing case of their careers - and Flora must face her own past directly in the hope of saving others.
 

And here's what I thought: I was really happy to read another book with the characters of Flora Dane and D.D. Warren. I think these two characters in particular play well off of each other and I liked seeing Kimberly Quincy again. Like other books by Gardner, this is a dark story with some twists and turns, where details become uncovered that lead to some ugly discoveries. The book has a tight pace, which I really enjoy, too.

The Last Exit

 The Last Exit by Michael Kaufman  298 pages


Summary from Goodreads: Set in Washington D.C. 20 years from now, climate change has hit hard, fires are burning, unemployment is high, and controversial longevity treatments are only available to the very rich. Enter resourceful young police detective, Jen B. Lu, and her 'partner', Chandler, a SIM implant in her brain and her instant link to the Internet and police records, and a constant voice inside her head. He's an inquisitive tough guy, with a helluva sense of humor and his own ideas about solving crimes.


As a detective in the Elder Abuse unit, Jen is supposed to be investigating kids pushing their aging parents to "exit" so they are eligible to get the longevity drug. But what really has her attention are the persistent rumors about Eden, a black market version of the longevity drug, and the bizarre outbreak of people aging almost overnight, then suddenly dying--is this all connected? Is Big Pharma involved?

When Jen's investigations of Eden take her too close to the truth, she is suspended, Chandler is deactivated, and her boyfriend is freaked out by "the thing inside her brain." This leaves Jen to pursue a very dangerous investigation all by herself.


And here's what I thought: I liked this spin on the near-future with AI. The story is a combination of science fiction and mystery and I thought rhe main characters of Jen and her AI, Chandler were interesting. However, the story often didn't keep my attention and I put it down a few times before finishing it. Jen isn't super-likeable, which doesn't matter too much to me -- but the pacing sometimes lagged and I think that's where I would get stuck. So, interesting book and maybe I'll try it again at some point to see if I can more fully engage with it. 

Between the World and Me

 Between the World and Me by Ta-Naihisi Coates   152 pages

From Goodreads: Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

_______________________

I re-read this book for a book group discussion and found it was just as thought-provoking as the last time I had read it. There is a poetic quality to Coates' writing, and although this is a short book, there are a lot of powerful things here to think about. 


Friday, February 26, 2021

Don't Tell a Soul

 
Shirley J.           Adult Fiction       Women's Spiritual Groups, Friendships, Secrets


Don't Tell a Soul by Tiffany L. Warren    288 pages

Really well told tale of several women who are friends and who are members of the womens group at their church.   Each woman has her own family issues going on and several interlap as the husband of one member has a love child with another, he later does a stint in prison and returns a preacher - What?   And that is only two of the wonderful ladies in this story.    spirit filledThere is also a yung former porno star who desperately wants to change her life.  Great coming together of characters and yes there are a couple of gossips at the church who are sure to get their opinions in.   So well written and so spirit filled such a good mix of right, wrong and the gray areas in between.   I would recommend this book to mature teens on up.    Very well written.   I will be looking for more titles from this author.

When Harry Met Minnie

 Shirley J.     Adult Non-Fiction          Bull Terriers,  Cancer Victims,   News Correspondent


When Harry Met Minnie by Martha Teichner   245 pages

I loved this book.   News correspondent Martha Teichner is an avid lover of bull terriers and has had many of them throughout her life.   Her story begins with her current pet, Minnie and goes on to tell of their life and unconditional love and how they happened to bring another bull terrier named Harry into their lives.   You will laugh and you will cry but love and friendship comes in many forms and many faces.   A beautifully told account of life, love, death and how to go on.   beautiful story.   I recommend this book to middlle-schoolers on up.  Dog lovers will especially like it.   Anyone touched by cancer will empathize with Carol's experience, her humor and her courage.  Beautiful story..   

Love Your Life


 Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella  416 pages

Shirley J            Adult Fiction           Finding love with the proper stranger

Ava decides to follow one of her muses by attending a writers' retreat in Italy.  While there she happens to fall for one of the other attendees, though, the instructor of the course asks that the students remain anonymous to one another.  Which lends itself to many surprises when Ava and her paramour do the big reveal.  Love through the writing of Sophie Kinsellas is always fun, funny and terribly entertaining.    Many ups and downs and a rowdy bunch of friends keep the reader smiling till the end.   I recommend this book to highschoolers on up.   Another pleasing tale from Sopjie Kinsella.

The Power of Habit


 Shirley J.          Adult Non-Fiction    How to make our habits improve our lives


The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg  383 pages

Excellent book.   Duhigg notes how our habits rule our actions both good habits and bad and how once a person learns the power that habits hold over us, we can rein in that power to change our lives and our work for the better.     Fascinating book,  the author takes you through many scenarios and teaches the reader in easy to follow steps just how to bring about any changes you might want.  I recommend this book to middle-schoolers on up.  You are never too young or too old to learn how to change bad habits for positive ones.

Seaweed Chronicles


 Shirley J.              Adult Non-Fiction       Everything you ever wanted to know about seaweed


Seaweed Chronicles: A World at the Water's Edge by Susan Hand Shetterly   271 pages

This was such an engaging book I enjoyed it from cover to cover.   The author takes the reader along the Maine coast and introduces each of the seaweed species that grow there.   She also discusses several species of fish and other forms of aquatic life that is dependent on various seaweeds as part of their ecosystems.  Sadly seaweed is being over harLegislation at this time still favors vested and many of the coastal coves etc. are losing  their natural seaweeds though several conservationists are doin g their best to repopulate it.   There is such a demand for seaweed throughout the world as food, medication, in beauty products etc. that the five countries currently supplying the world's markets continue to deplete nature's supply.  Legislation continues to favor big business over the smaller harvesters who do their best not to over do it when sharing nature's bounty but leave enough for the seaweed to thrive and return.  Corporations and Canadian harvesters are going into the Maine coastal areas and completely depleting the resources without fear of legal repercussions.   Such an interesting tale of another of nature's fight to be against man's greed.     I recommend this book to middle schoolers on up especially to those who want to conserve natures' bounty.     

Monday, February 22, 2021

Ovenly: Sweet and Salty Recipes from New York’s Most Creative Bakery

Ovenly: Sweet and Salty Recipes from New York’s Most Creative Bakery by Agatha Kulaga and Erin Putinkin 272 pages

I love to bake almost as much as I love to read.  So when I got my hands on the updated version of Ovenly: Sweet and Salty Recipes from New York’s Most Creative Bakery, I was in hog heaven.  I couldn’t wait to flip through its glossy pages and see what spoke to me. Is it bad to say that almost everything did? And I think I gained five pounds just drooling.

What I liked most about this cookbook was that it is geared toward an experienced baker, yet doesn’t forget about the novices out there. I loved the Essential Tools & Ingredients guide, Choosing a Baking Pan, Sugar definitions and conversions charts,

I haven’t tried many of the recipes, but the Hot Chocolate Cookies are wonderful!  I’m eager to try the Bloody Mary Scones, The Stumptown Shorty and Spicy Bacon Caramel Corn. 

One thing that I did not like about the recipes was that many of them had ingredients that are not commonly found in everyday kitchens, mine included. Therefore, Ovenly: Sweet and Salty Recipes from New York’s Most Creative Bakery receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

Saturday, February 20, 2021

La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust, Volume 1

 La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust, Volume One by Philip Pullman, 449 pages

After finishing the "His Dark Materials" trilogy by this author, I've now gone back to reread the first in this companion series, in anticipation of reading the newest in this series for the first time! And it was never a struggle to reread any of these books, as I love them all.

Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon were the main characters of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, and this series begins with Lyra's "origin story" as an infant, when she was already being sought after for the part she is destined to play in a mysterious prophecy. Powerful forces work for against Lyra's safety, and it's difficult to know who is on the side of good. Malcolm Polstead, a boy living and working at the inn owned by his father, meets Lyra when a group of nuns become her caretakers. Malcolm has befriended the nuns, who live close to his father's inn, and he is fascinated and charmed by the infant Lyra. When a dangerous flood and sinister people threaten Lyra's safety, Malcolm escapes with Lyra and Alice, a girl close to Malcolm's age who also works at the inn, to the relative safety of the flood. The rest of the book is non-stop daring and adventure with bits of mythology and mysticism thrown in to keep the pages turning.

Pullman writes wonderful young characters who are distinct and likeable in their own ways, and Malcolm and Alice are as engaging and relatable as the characters of Will and Lyra in the previous series. We also encounter some of the adults we met in the previous series and get to know a bit more of their stories, and this book, like the others in the series, is action-packed, thought-provoking, and compelling. I can't wait to read the next one!

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

The Plague

The Plague by Albert Camus, translated by Stuart Gilbert, 308 pages

This book is set in Oran, a coastal town in North Africa. The narrator of the book isn't revealed until the end.

The bubonic plague breaks out in the town and everyone is slow to react. Eventually, protective measures are taken in stages. The town is quarantined. The disease is passed through fleas but later becomes airborne. 

People who were visiting the town are trapped there, unable to get back to their loved ones. As a doctor tries to create a serum, people come together to fight the plague the best they can.

In Camus's Absurdist philosophy the world is meaningless and people have three alternatives. One is suicide, the second is religion or spirituality and the third is acceptance and finding your own meaning. You can see how this relates to characters in the book and what Camus thinks.

In some ways the book mirrors current events involving Covid-19 but it is different in some ways too. Circumstances may have changed but human nature hasn't. That much is true. It means there are some lessons we can draw but it also means we may not be able to totally change the outcome.

As a novel I don't give it a great review but I give it a good review as a chronicle of how people react to a disease run rampant and Camus's philosophy laid out in fiction.


The Analects

The Analects by Confucius, translated by D.C. Lau, 248 pages

Summary from Goodreads: This lively new translation with clear explanatory notes by one of the foremost scholars of classical Chinese provides the ideal introduction to the Analects for readers who have no previous knowledge of the Chinese language and philosophical traditions.

"How dare I claim to be a sage or a benevolent man?"

By constructing the philosophy expressed through The Analects, Confucius might well dare to make such a claim. The Analects are a collection of Confucius' sayings, compiled by his pupils shortly after his death in 497 B.C., and they reflect the extent to which Confucius held up a moral ideal for all men. The aim is the perfection of one's moral character, the method one of arduous pursuit of such moral attributes as benevolence, wisdom, courage; the result is no recompense either in this life or the next – to follow the Way must be its own reward. A harsh philosophy perhaps, but shining through it is the splendid intellect and spirit of one of the most reasonable and humane thinkers of all time.

This introduction in this edition helps prepare you for the text. However, I think the second appendix, which covers his disciples in the text, should have come before the text. It would provide background for a lot of the names you encounter along the way.

I would recommend this book to those that are interested in philosophy, especially those interested in Chinese philosophy or the origins of Confucianism.


 

Monday, February 15, 2021

Boats Against the Current: The Honeymoon Summer of Scott and Zelda


Boats Against the Current: The Honeymoon Summer of Scott and Zelda by Richard Webb, Jr  192 pages

I’ve been enamored with the Jazz Age, and especially F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, since the first time I read The Great Gatsby. I’m one of the few people I know who really like it. And as I learned more about the couple, I grew fascinated with their lifestyle. There is just something about it that makes me wish I was there for one Gatsby-style party.

This coffee table book focuses on what was probably the happiest time for the lavish-living couple: their honeymoon in Westport, Connecticut.  After having been thrown out of several hotels in New York, S and Z made their way to “The Gray House,” where they continued their wild parties.

While the Fitzgerald’s play an important part of the book, its main focus is to prove that Westport, not Long Island, was the setting for The Great Gatsby. The author, Richard Webb, decided to prove the claim made by author Barbara Probst was true and does a wonderful job substantiating her claim.

Readers learn about the reclusive, multi-millionaire F. E. Lewis, and his estate Longshore, who was, more than likely, Scott’s inspiration for Jay Gatsby. Articles from area newspapers and a few S and Z diary entries make for fascinating reading.   But what I enjoyed most was the section called “Behind the Scenes in 1920s Westport.” It contains brief synopsis about the places and the people which Webb writes and provides a clear case for Webb’s, and Probst’s, claim.

It was heartbreaking to read of Scott’s alcoholism (30+ beers and a quart of gin---day) and Zelda’s need for a mental institution and her ultimate death in a fire at the asylum. 

Boats Against the Current: The Honeymoon Summer of Scott and Zelda receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

City of Girls


 Shirley J     Adult Fiction      A Woman's Life Story   Theater people, hedonism, seamstresses


City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert   470 pages

I loved this book from beginning to end.   Elizabeth Gilbert gives the heroine such a delightful and engaging personality you can't get enough of her.   I hated to come to the end of the story it was so fun.   Vivian Morris is comical, fun and ready for anything.   Born in a wealthy family, she never fit in with the people in her parents social strata.   She tried going to Vassar but gets kicked out.   She is just not fitting into what a young female socialite should be.   Her parents are at the end of their patience with her and send her to live with her aunt in New York.   However, the story really gets jumping.   Her aunt runs a broken down theater and has a whole host of lively actor employees and friends.   Shortly after her arrival, Vivian and one of the showgirls become fast friends and faster company going out on the town.    Look out New York.   The story goes from pre World War II to current day and is sheer joy all the way through.   I recommend this story to mature teens on up due to the sexual content.   Excellent story.

We Begin at the End


 Shirley J.       Adult Fiction       Murder Mystery

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker    344 pages



Great book!  The characters are all so deep and intense and the story itself is absolutely amazing.   A 15 year old boy after a night of under-age drinking with his friends and illegally driving hits his girlfriend's younger sister without realizing it, kills the little girl.   When it is found out he goes to prison, tried as an adult spending the rest of his life torturing himself for taking the innocent life.   His best friend Walk, grows up to be sheriff of the town.  So much happens, there is an abortion,  lots of violent men, a fallen angel of a young woman who happens to be the mother of two great kids, a daughter who sees herself as an outlaw and a younger son who she calls a prince.   There are feuds and rivalries and when another murder occurs there are so many suspects it is a nail biter to the end.    Excellent writing and an amazing story.  I recommend this one to mature teens on up.   It is a story once you read it you won't soon forget it.  

Saturday, February 13, 2021

The Paris LIbrary

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles 368 pages

This fabulous novel explores the meaning of friendship, loyalty, and most important, the need--- and the desire---for information. It illustrates how important libraries are, even in these days of Google and the internet.

The library in this novel is The American Library in Paris. A real, still-functioning library in Paris’ 7th arrondissement, ten minutes from the Eiffel Tower, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2020.  From their website: The American Library in Paris was established in 1920 under the auspices of the American Library Association with a core collection of books and periodicals donated by American libraries to United States armed forces personnel serving their allies in World War I. The Library has grown since then into the largest English-language lending library on the European continent. It operates as a non-profit cultural association…”

I loved looking at the website photos to help clarify my visions of what the library looked during the novel’s time frame (1939-1944).  That is one timeline in this fabulous story. The other is 1986-87 and takes place in Montana.

The war years’ part of the story mostly takes place in the library. There is a whole cast of employees and patrons that readers get to know as the noose of the German Occupation grows tighter and tighter. However, the main protagonist is Odile (Oh-deal) Souchet. The Montana part of the story gives readers full-circle about what happened after the war.

Odile has just landed her dream job at the library. She is so happy to be there, she doesn’t even mind that her parents are desperately trying to find her a husband. Her dad, a police commissioner, is always bringing single officers home for Sunday dinner. Odile has no interest in marriage.

As the Nazis goose-step down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, most Parisians flee the city, except for the library employees and a few faithful patrons. The employees stay behind because they believe in their mission, to provide information and entertainment.

What happens in this novel is not unlike what is happening at libraries in 2021. They are doing their best to stay open and meet patrons’ needs. I work at a library (not on the frontlines though) and felt a symbiotic relationship with Odile and the others. Even when they were in danger (as our staff is with the coronavirus running amuck), they showed up to complete their mission---even if that meant home deliveries and hiding patrons of a certain religious persuasion.

I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. I also recommend visiting The American Library in Paris; website at americanlibraryinparis.org.

The Paris Library receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Fool Moon

 Fool Moon by Jim Butcher, 401 pages

This is the second book in the Dresden Files series, starring wizard Harry Dresden, who operates as sort of a private investigator in modern-day Chicago. He also serves as a consultant to the Chicago Police Department when they need someone versed in the supernatural to help solve crimes that are clearly not run of the mill. 

This book, like the first one, started quickly with a lot of action and gore, as Harry is asked to investigate some grisly murders that appear to have been done by wolves (but we all know we're talking about werewolves - I mean, look at the title!). We get reintroduced to Karrin Murphy, a Lieutenant with the Chicago PD, who wants Harry's help on this case but is still ticked at how he handled the last case they worked together. Also making a comeback from the first book are Gentleman John Marcone, a crime boss, and Susan Rodriguez, who works for a tabloid paper and becomes something more than just a colleague for Harry.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the same as what I enjoyed about the first book: great characters (I very much like the character of Gentleman John and it looks like he'll be a recurring character), plenty of action, and a good plot. I find magic with complicated rules a distraction in a book and I'm glad that the magic described is simple and not the main focus of the story. I'm glad I found this series and I look forward to reading more!

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Saving Her Shadow


 Shirley J.    Adult Fiction     Life in a Cult 


Saving Her Shadow by Lutishia Lovely    278 pages

This is the story of Raina Reed and her sister Abby who she calls "Shadow" because her little sister always followed her around like her shadow as she grew up.in
 a religious cult that does not believe in allowing their members medical attention from those outside their religious order.   When Shadow keeps getting fevers and their religion's healers cannot stop the illness taking the life from Abby, Raina tires to reason with her parents to seek outside medical help for her.   When that doesn't work, Abby tries to save her sister and get her medical help on her own which brings the entire cult down upon her.    The story is a very good one showing the reach of such organizations and the extent of the power of the law in the separation of church and state issues.  I would recommend this book to middleschoolers on up.   A good read and enlightening.  

Molly: The True Story of the Amazing Dog That Rescues Cats


 Shirley J    Adult Non-Fiction     Pet Detecting in the U.K.

Molly: The True Story of the Amazing Dog That Rescues Cats by Colin Butcher   336 pages

Sweet story told with love by Pet Detective Colin Butcher about his amazing cocker spaniel, Molly, who is trained to sniff out lost pets, predominantly cats.   Colin, a former police constable and former detective retired from the force to open his own pet detective business.  He details how he decided to go into the business, how he searched for just the right dog to train as a sniffer dog with help from the top canine behavioral trainers for medical detection.   He goes through his training with Molly and relates several stories from their work together.     So interesting and entertaining as Colin shares moments from his personal life  and both his work life and home life with Molly and his family.   Great book about a great dog.    I recommend this book from gradeschoolers on up.  Well done, Colin.   

The Oracle


 Shirley J.     Adult Fiction      ancient artifacts, wealthy benefactors, Africa


The Oracle (A Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure) by Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell
399 pages

Another series book, but, can stand alone in its own right.  The Fargos are wealthy philanthropists who enjoy archeological digs and finding ancient treasures to share with the world as well as investing in a school for young girls in Nigeria.   This adventure takes place in Africa where they encounter rebel land pirates who steal their goods for the school through the aid of several children as decoys.    A good story with lots of action, murder mystery and mayhem complete with a surprise helper within the pirate's organization.   Surprisingly lots of murders and unchecked gunplay.    Well told story with excellent characters involved.   I would recommend this book to highschoolers on up. 

 

Dragonfly

 Dragonfly by Leila Meacham 576 pages

Fiction writing 101: The author needs to know her/his character(s) like the back of her/his hand in order to know which details to leave in and which to leave in. Most of the time, readers never know the character(s) that in depth. But author Leila Macham put everything in this book. Often, putting in everything doesn’t work, but here it does. This is the first of hers (this is her eighth novel) that I have read, and I wonder if all her work is this detailed. Guess I’ll have to do a little research.

In 1942 America, five twenty-somethings receive a letter from the Office of Strategic Services [OSS] (forerunner to today’s CIA) asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. Note: This is not a draft notice.  They come from different parts of the country and have different careers. Yet, all are willing, especially after Pearl Harbor, to do their part.

The three men and two women have been carefully selected and report to “the man in brown.” Once they accept, they are given an OSS code name and a working name. Their operation is assigned the code name “Dragonfly.” Then they are dropped in Occupied Paris and embedded among high-ranking Nazis. Thank heavens Meacham provide a Cast of Characters before the story even begins, otherwise I would have been lost.

They communicate via a mural that one of the women paints on a blank convent wall, with permission of course, and a secret drop box located nearby.

The novel is broken into four parts: “The Recruits,” where readers get a lot of background information on the intrepid spies. Then Part Two is “The Missions,” where readers learn the groups’ objective. Next is “The Game” (1942-1944), the young spies at work. To me this section is the best as it had most tension because more was at stake. The last is “Home” (June 1944 – September 1962). Readers are brought full circle with the recruits and learn the end of their stories.

All-in-all, this was a good book. Not great, but good. I found it interesting enough to keep reading, but I took me a good three weeks to finish it. Highly unusual for me. And that is why Dragonfly receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Lana's War

Lana’s War by Anita Abriel 336 pages

Paris 1943. Lana Hartman, formerly Lana Antanova, is hurrying to visit her musician husband, Frederic, at the convent where he teaches. She cannot wait to share that they are to have a baby! She slows when she sees a German truck parked in front.

 Unsure of what is happening, she peeks in the window just in time to witness Frederic trying to hide Jewish children. The Gestapo is relentless and soon discovers another girl hiding in the piano. Lana is watching when the Gestapo shoots Frederic in cold blood.  She stumbles to their apartment where she loses the baby.

Through her ties to the convent, Lana is introduced to Henri, a member of the French Resistance. He has come to tell her the name of the Nazi-bastard who killed Frederic and, ultimately, the baby and recruit her.

 Henri is interested in more than helping Lana getting revenge. Lana is the daughter of a Russian countess. She is beautiful. She is young. She is royalty. She would be an asset with their work on the French Riviera.

I’ve read a lot of novels about the French Resistance, but none of those novels ever took place in one of the most beautiful spots in the world. It was a nice change of pace, and the landscape becomes one of the characters.

Lana throws some of her mother’s evening gowns in a bag and boards a train. Her cover is that she is the live-in mistress of wealthy Swiss industrialist and fellow fighter. Lana’s job is to use her beauty and elegance to gain information from the Nazis who were enjoying some time off from the war that would help them to help Jews escape. Lana and Guy are the perfect couple and attend parties most evenings.

I enjoyed Abriel’s novel as it was a little different. The tension was adequate, but not high. What really forced me to give Lana’s War 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world is the ending.  It was so predictable. The novel would have been much more realistic without it.

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict  288 pages

One of the most highly reported disappearances of the 20th century is from 1926 and has largely been forgotten. That is where author Marie Benedict excels—exploring the past. In this, Benedict’s fifth novel, up and coming mystery writer Agatha Christie has seemed to vanish from the face of the earth. Her abandoned car is found near Silent Pool---“a small spring-fed lake,” that Agatha found inspiring, but no sign of her. Suicide is quickly ruled out.

She turned up eleven days later in an elegant, nearby hotel. Where she had been, and why, has, still in 2021, not been explained. Even Agatha did not address the event in her autobiography.

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is written in two of my favorite styles---dueling timelines and multiple viewpoints---are fictionalized diary entries. The first is a section called “The Manuscript”---which I didn’t understand why---is from Agatha’s point of view from 1912 to current day, which is 1926. It revolves around her courtship and subsequent marriage and life with Archie Christie, and her budding career.

The second section is from Archie’s viewpoint and takes place in December 1926.  It revolves around his coping with his wife’s disappearance, their child, their marriage, his mistress, and the fact that he is the police’s prime suspect.

A third, overarching section, only has one entry, but it dictates Archie’s every move during those eleven days. Agatha left Archie a letter in which she states that if he doesn’t do exactly as the letter says, he will never see her again. The police only learn of the letter near the end of the eleven days, which heightens their suspicions. However, Archie had burned it, so the police have no idea what Agatha could have written, which only fueled their suspensions.

 I’m a huge fan of Benedict’s work, but I was truly disappointed in this one. There was no real tension, no sense that Agatha was in any real danger. Even Archie didn’t seem to care much about Agatha and was more worried about his reputation. The “supposed” reason Agatha left was lame. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

Monday, February 1, 2021

January, 2021 monthly total

 This month, our small but mighty team logged a lot of interesting books!

5 people
read 33 books
for a total of 10,852 pages!


This month's Super Reader was Shirley J., who steadily logged 14 books. !!

Looking ahead to February and gettin' in some good reads!