The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab  444 pages

Summary from Goodreads:  France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. 

And here's what I thought: I was SO happy to finally get this book -- I've been on the holds list forever!!!  And this story definitely did not disappoint -- I was sneaking pages here and there, staying up way too late reading . . .   definitely a story that I became immersed in really quickly. I thought the idea of the bargain that Addie makes was really imaginative and I liked the way the story moved back and forth in time, so you understand just how she is able to navigate through years of being alive.  The settings feel historically accurate and the characters are all believable, as well.  I don't know if I'd quite call this book a fantasy story --- more like magical realism mixed with some historical fiction?  I'll be adding this one to the list to add to my home collection.

Margreete's Harbor

Margreete’s Harbor by Eleanor Morse 384 pages

This quiet novel of dementia, aging, family and music is perfect for fans of Anne Tyler, Alice Munro and Elizabeth Strout. Set on the coast of Maine, the seasons play almost as an important role as the characters. The novel begins in 1955 and runs through the late 1960s.

The opening scene illustrates the mild dementia that thrice-widowed Margreete is experiencing. In the first scene, Margreete forgets a frying pan on the stove and almost burns her house down, but luckily, only the kitchen is damaged. She calls her daughter, Liddie, in Michigan to tell her what has happened.

That the cue that Liddie needs to know that it is time: Margareete cannot live alone any longer. Either she comes to live with them or go to an old folk’s home. Margreete refuses to move, so Liddie and her family (husband Harry; children Bernie and Eva) pack up their lives and move across the country.

“Margreete’s Harbor” is about family and how people learn to live together. As I said earlier, it is a quiet, character-driven story that ebbs and flows much like the ocean that isn’t far away.

The story hits upon some of the major historical events of the time (Vietnam, JFK and MLK assassinations, desecration) that touch Margreete’s family, along with individual crises of infidelity, coming out, identity, unexpected pregnancy and betrayals.

Each chapter kept me captivated by workings of Margreete’s family and how they negotiated…or not…what life threw at them. I really enjoyed this novel. It was hard to put down, and I was sad when it ended.

 “Margreete’s Harbor,” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Wild Women and the Blues

 Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce 384 pages

I knew from the minute I saw the cover of the book that I wanted to read it. I find the 1920s period fascinating. I was hooked from the first page and didn’t want to put it down.

The books starts in 2015. Sawyer Hayes goes to visit 110-year-old Honoree Dalcour in her Chicago nursing home. She is the last living link to famed African-American movie director Oscar Micheaux. The fact that Oscar is a real forgotten Hollywood legend endeared me more to this story, and I spent an afternoon researching him (thank heavens for the internet!).

Sawyer thinks he has found a bit of lost film history---a snippet of a film from the 1920s that stars Honoree---in his grandmother’s long-ago box. Mostly, Sawyer is working in Paris with his dad, waiting for the film snippet to be restored and trying to finish his doctorate in media studies.

Honoree is guarded by one of the nurses, Lula. He smooth talks his way into see Honoree, and it doesn’t hurt that his grandmother has been paying the bills at Chicago’s Bronzeville Senior Living Facility since 1985. Honoree is a rather ornery old woman. She may be ancient, but she is still mentally alert and feisty. She loves to give Sawyer a hard time, questioning and accusing him at every opportunity.

The novels moves back and forth between 2015 and 1925, also in Chicago, and shifts from Sawyer’s point of view to Honoree’s. There readers are immersed in Honoree’s life and her ambitions, along with seedy bars, dancing girls and yes, gangsters. To start, she is a dancer at Miss Hattie’s…a seedy joint with its share of fascinating characters. Her dream, though, is to dance at the Dreamland Café…and that dream may be in reach.

But a lot happens to try to stop Honoree. The man she has always loved and disappeared from her life three years ago, Ezekiel, reappears. She has also become the quasi-guardian to the most innocent young woman she has ever met, Bessie Palmer.

Things really heat up when Honoree witnesses a murder at Miss Hattie’s. Now she not only has all those other things to worry about, but she has to keep a low profile to stay a step ahead of the Capone gang.

Author Bryce’s debut novel is a quick read. I look forward to more novels by her. I wish there had been more about Oscar Micheaux...something at the end. That would have deepened the story a lot...for me. Therefore, “Wild Women and the Blues” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Lost Apothecary

 The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner 301 pages

Summary from Goodreads: A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them—setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course. Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.

Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose—selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.

In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.

And here's what I thought: I enjoyed the dual plotlines and character lines in this story. Going back and forth lends some mystery elements to the present-day story, and the storyline set in the past is just as compelling as the part set in the present. I liked that the story is based around women, and there are true elements in this story - historical details, and botanical details, as well. The story has a very smooth progression, keeping you on edge about what's going to happen to both Nella and Caroline, who both are in danger for different (yet similar) reasons.  Is there such a thing as a quiet thriller? If so, this is that kind of story.

Death with a double edge

 Death with a Double Edge by Anne Perry  293 pages

Summary from Goodreads: When junior barrister Daniel Pitt is summoned to the scene of a murder in the London district known as Mile End, he knows only that the victim is a senior barrister from the same firm. To Daniel's relief, it is not his close friend Toby Kitteridge, but the question remains: What was this respected colleague doing in such a rough part of the city? The firm's head, Marcus fford Croft, may know more than he admits, but fford Croft's memory is not what it used to be, and his daughter, Miriam--Daniel's friend and sometime sidekick--isn't in the country to offer her usual help. And so Daniel and Kitteridge must investigate on their own, lest the police uncover something that may cast a suspicious light on the firm.

Their inquiries in Mile End lead them to a local brothel and to an opium den, but also--unexpectedly--to a wealthy shipbuilder crucial to Britain's effort to build up its fleet, which may soon face the fearsome naval might of Germany. Daniel finds his path blocked by officials at every turn, his investigation so unwelcome that even his father, Special Branch head Thomas Pitt, receives a chilling warning from a powerful source. Suddenly, not just Daniel but his whole family--including his beloved mother, Charlotte--is in danger. Will Daniel's devotion to justice be the undoing of his entire life, and endanger Britain's defense at sea?

And here's what I thought: This is the fourth book in the Daniel Pitt series and I think it's the best one yet. From the beginning, Perry lays out details that are intriguing and then the suspense builds throughout the story. As always, there are plenty of realistic details here, so it's very easy to become immersed in the story and the setting. I like that Daniel is an earnest character, but he's not so perfect to be unbelievable. I also like that Perry includes elements that are easy to relate to, like having one character who has started to develop memory problems with age. It makes you wonder if you have somewhat of an unreliable narrator in that character, which adds an extra bit of mystery to this mystery. It doesn't hurt that Perry brings in more of both Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, characters that I have always enjoyed. 

Birds of Paradise

 Birds of Paradise by Oliver Langmead  297 pages

Summary from Goodreads: American Gods meets The Chronicles of Narnia in this adult fantasy about the Biblical Adam recovering the lost pieces of the Garden of Eden.

Many millennia after the fall of Eden, Adam, the first man in creation, still walks the Earth - exhausted by the endless death and destruction, he is a shadow of his former hope and glory. And he is not the only one. The Garden was deconstructed, its pieces scattered across the world and its inhabitants condemned to live out immortal lives, hiding in plain sight from generations of mankind.

But now pieces of the Garden are turning up on the Earth. After centuries of loneliness, Adam, haunted by the golden time at the beginning of Creation, is determined to save the pieces of his long lost home. With the help of Eden's undying exiles, he must stop Eden becoming the plaything of mankind.

Adam journeys across America and the British Isles with Magpie, Owl, and other animals, gathering the scattered pieces of Paradise. As the country floods once more, Adam must risk it all to rescue his friends and his home - because rebuilding the Garden might be the key to rebuilding his life. 

And here's what I thought:  This is a beautiful, strange, sad story. I haven't read anything this odd since China Mieville's best stories and I really enjoyed this book. The idea of Adam walking the Earth and trying to find the pieces of the Garden is interesting and compelling enough, but the other characters are fantastic. This book has some violence, but it has some really beautiful moments and at times, completely broke my heart.  Definitely adding this one to the list to add to my personal collection so I can re-read it in the future.

Before she disappeared

 Before she disappeared by Lisa Gardner  383 pgs

Summary from Goodreads:Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will--searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking.

A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim's wary family tells Frankie she's on her own--and she soon learns she's asking questions someone doesn't want answered. But Frankie will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even if it means the next person to go missing could be her. 

And here's what I thought: I really liked this story and found the characters believable and easy to envision. Frankie isn't a perfect person, and that's actually the point --- she's not necessarily special or gifted, but she is stubborn and has found her purpose in life. I appreciated that this wasn't a police procedural to find a missing person, but instead a regular person who is just determined and who will try her best to work with the police (or not, actually).  The gritty setting is as much a part of the story as anything else, which I also liked.

Those Girls

 Those Girls by Chevy Stevens  376 pages

Summary from Goodreads: Life has never been easy for the three Campbell sisters. Jess, Courtney, and Dani live on a remote ranch in Western Canada where they work hard and try to stay out of the way of their father’s fists. One night, a fight gets out of hand and the sisters are forced to go on the run, only to get caught in an even worse nightmare when their truck breaks down in a small town. Events spiral out of control and a chance encounter with the wrong people leaves them in a horrific and desperate situation. They are left with no choice but to change their names and create new lives.

Eighteen years later, they are still trying to forget what happened that summer when one of the sisters goes missing and they are pulled back into their past.

This time there’s nowhere left to run.

And here's what I thought: I discovered one book by Chevy Stevens and now I've started working my way through the rest of her books. This story isn't just a tense, psychological suspense story, but also an exploration of the bonds of sisters and family and how far someone will go to protect the ones they love. As you can tell from the summary, the story begins with something pretty bad . . .  and it actually gets worse.  The tension starts in the first pages and doesn't let up, even as the thread of it might wax and wane throughout the story. The characters are believable, and actually, even the horrific situations are pretty realistic. This is a nail-biter type of pageturner.

Later

 Later by Stephen King 264 pages

Summary from Goodreads: The son of a struggling single mother, Jamie Conklin just wants an ordinary childhood. But Jamie is no ordinary child. Born with an unnatural ability his mom urges him to keep secret, Jamie can see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine - as he discovers when an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave.

And here's what I thought: This is another story from King that follows a pulp classic style. With a smooth pace, King builds a story that keeps the tension throughout the story. The main character is sympathetic and well-written, and it's easy to get immersed in the story. And of course, there are some elements of horror, as you would expect. If you like your coming-of-age stories with some dark twists, this is your story. 

Keeping it Real

 Keeping it Real by Justina Robson 333 pgs

Summary from Goodreads: The Quantum Bomb of 2015 changed everything. The fabric that kept the universe's different dimensions apart was torn and now, six years later, the people of earth exist in uneasy company with the inhabitants of, amongst others, the elfin, elemental, and demonic realms. Magic is real and can be even more dangerous than technology. Elves are exotic, erotic, dangerous, and really bored with the constant Lord of the Rings references. Elementals are a law unto themselves and demons are best left well to themselves.

Special agent Lila Black used to be pretty, but now she's not so sure. Her body is more than half restless carbon and metal alloy machinery, a machine she's barely in control of. It goes into combat mode, enough weapons for a small army springing from within itself, at the merest provocation. As for her heart, well, ever since being drawn into a game by the elfin rockstar Zal (lead singer of The No Shows), who she's been assigned to protect, she's not even sure she can trust that any more either.

And here's what I thought: I re-read this and it's been enough years that most of the story was completely new to me. Robson has a different kind of take on elves than you might expect, and she creates a really cool world here. The idea of the Quantum Bomb takes this story in some really interesting directions. There is some humor in this story, and Lila Black is a character that I liked. The story is a mashup of cyborg sci-fi with fantasy, and there are some great parts to this book. At times, the story did seem to veer into odd directions and I had completely forgotten that there were some romance elements in this story. But, it was fun to read again and I might look for the second book in the series in the future. 

Explosive Eighteen

 Shirley J.    Adult Fiction      Lady Bounty Hunters, Love Potions

Explosive  Eighteen by Janet Evanovich   305 pages

Trouble in paradise.   That great vacation/manhunt Stephanie had planned goes awry.   Then her seat mate on the plane disappears and misses the plan on its L.A. stopover back to Trenton, New Jersey.   Once she is back home and tight lipped about her dream vacation gone sour she finds an envelope in her bag with some guy's photo inside.   Nobody she knows, must have gotten in there during the baggage claim somehow.   No name, no address to return it so she tosses it out in the trash at her parents' house.   Now, everybody and their brother are knocking on her door and stalking her to get the photo but she doesn't have it.   The F.B.I. and also fake F.B.I. agents are looking for it and on her trail.   There is a mysterious hair dresser and a crazed Russian killer looking after it and just goes to show you can't have your cake and eat it too.   What has Stephanie gotten herself into now?   And why is there a tan line on her ring finger?  Lula accidentally swallows a love potion and falls head over heals for a big oaf they are trying to bring in who is an F.T.A.  Yikes!  An explosive end - you can count on it.   I would recommend this one to mature gradeschoolers on up but I also recommend begiing with book 1 and following the series because the references will make so much more sense.   Another Stephanie Plum winner!

Smokin' Seventeen

Shirley J.                 Adult Fiction            Too Many Men, Too Little Time,  Murder, Mayem

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich   308 pages

Dead bodies are being shallowly buried on the lot of the bail bond's office, a couple bodies left in cars, like Stephanie's jeep, have notes reading FOR STEPHANIE.   What is her connection to the murderer?   Then, while she is getting a smokin' session going with Ranger while she and Morelli are on hiatus, her mother decides to  be proactive and invite the bewly singel and newly out of prison former football star from Stephanie's highschool days over for dinner in hopes of fixing Stephanie up with him.   He is good looking.   He is also a phenomenal cook, but, he just doesn't do it for Stephanie though he won't take no for an answer and turns into her latest stalker.   Morelli's Grandma Bella puts the eye on Stephanie first causing a Stage 3 pimple to erupt on her forehead like a third eye then making Stephanie's libido dance like the prostitute Grandma Bella believes her to be.  Lots of smokin' hot action in this book, enough to make Lula blush!   Not to mention, a dancing bear, a vampire, a crazed female F.T.A. trying to run Stephanie down with her car and Jimmy Alpha's brother, Nick Alpha,  just got out of prison and has sworn to kill Stephanie as revenge for her killing Jimmy.   So much going on this book is smokin!    I recommend this book to mature highschoolers (due to sexual content) on up.  P. S.  Grandma Mazur never disappoints, either! 

Born On a Blue Day

 Shirley J.    Adult Non-Fiction              Autistism,  Savant

Born On a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant by Daniel Tammet

226 pages

Wow!  Daniel Tammet explains his thought processes in such a down to earth way that it is an intense and deeply personal visit inside the thought processes of an amazing mind.   Daniel explains that he sees things in his mental pictures as colors and numbers and he proceeds to break down just how that occurs.  It is an amazing story and he discusses his relationships with his family growing up, his school day and his life and work up to this day.   He is able to learn any language fluently within a week and how he does iit will astound you.   Things that are so far away from . most of us to grasp, Daniel is able to comprehend with ease, yet, simple concepts and behaviors are harder for him  to make sense of without really applying himself such as social behaviors, reactions and interactions that most people don't give a second thought to are ridiculously difficult for him and require much effort on his part.     A fascinating look into a beautiful mind.  He discovered his preference for men and after some dating over the years he is currently in a long term relationship with his partner who gives him the space he needs when he requires it and the affection and comfort of a supportive lover.  Daniel travels the world speaking on autism, being a savant and demonstrating his unique linguistic and mathematical abilities.  He is also a speaker in the TED Talk series.   

It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake

 It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian  353 pages

Summary from Goodreads: Of all the women and men Noni Blake has pleased in her life, there's one she's often overlooked--herself. After the end of a decade-long relationship, Noni decides it's time for that to change. She's finally going to prioritize her wants and desires and only do things (and people) that feel good in the moment.

As she embarks on a pleasure-seeking quest that takes her halfway around the world, she discovers that maybe she can have everything, and everyone, she's ever wanted.

Effortlessly hilarious and relatable, Claire Christian spins a fresh, feel-good tale about starting over as a thirtysomething woman who's been living life for everyone else. A story of self-discovery for the ages, Noni's journey serves as a sparkling reminder that life is what we make of it--so why not enjoy it?

And here's what I thought:  I don't usually read books with this much romance, but this was a fun story and a quick read -- and a departure from other things I've been reading lately. Noni is a funny, smart character and going through the story with her, enjoying her adventures along with her, made for a good story.  Sometimes, admittedly, she did things that made me cringe --- but so many times, these things were so, so funny. I don't know if I quite buy how real some of the characters are (like the too-amazing-to-be-true tattooist she meets).  But, it's still a fun read.  

Wait, I'm Working With Who?!? the Essential Guide to Dealing With Difficult Coworkers, Annoying Managers, and Other Toxic Personalities

 Wait, I'm Working With Who?!?  The Essential Guide to Dealing With Difficult Coworkers, Annoying Managers, and Other Toxic Personalities by Peter Economy  206 pages

Summary from Goodreads: This is the go-to guide on working with anyone in your office—from the difficult or negative to the toxic and destructive—whether they are your manager, a team member, or someone who’s just waiting out the clock. Chock-full of useful advice that will make your workday happier and more productive. Who hasn’t had to deal with a jerk at work? Whether it’s a toxic team member who loves nothing more than to suck the life and excitement out of her colleagues, the difficult coworker who isn’t happy unless the office is filled with mayhem and drama, or a bad boss who causes his employees to constantly dream of telling him to “Take this job and shove it!”, we’ve all had to deal with people on the job we would rather not.

And here's what I thought:  It never hurts to read a book like this, even if you don't work with a lot of difficult people. Economy breaks things down into different types of people, and then some practical advice on how to work with them.  Note -- not befriend them, not change them -- work with them.  If you do work with someone you find difficult, this book may also help because you might be able to figure out what type of person they are, and then go from them.  Quick read, but helpful.

Just One Damned Thing After Another

 Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor  335 pages

Summary from Goodreads: Behind the seemingly innocuous façade of St Mary's, a different kind of historical research is taking place. They don't do 'time-travel' - they 'investigate major historical events in contemporary time'. Maintaining the appearance of harmless eccentrics is not always within their power - especially given their propensity for causing loud explosions when things get too quiet.

Meet the disaster-magnets of St Mary's Institute of Historical Research as they ricochet around History. Their aim is to observe and document - to try and find the answers to many of History's unanswered questions...and not to die in the process. But one wrong move and History will fight back - to the death. And, as they soon discover - it's not just History they're fighting.

And here's what I thought:  This is a clever, funny, interesting story. I read this for a book group discussion, but otherwise wouldn't have picked up the book. But, once I started it, it was pretty good and a quick read. The main character has a dry sense of humor and she's very sensible, and she's also a good foil for some of the other characters. The author includes enough details that I found it somewhat easy to suspend my disbelief --- I could see this place existing!  

For readers who liked watching the TV show Timeless.  Also, if you enjoyed the book The Rook. 

Forgotten Empire

Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia, edited by John E Curtis and Nigel Tallis, 263 pages

The Achaemenid Persian Empire, the empire of Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes, may not be entirely forgotten, but it is certainly overshadowed by the Hellenistic empires that followed.  When it is remembered, it is usually through other eyes, as the great enemy of the Greeks or as the great friend of the Jews.  Although the empire was the largest the world had ever seen up to that time and endured for over two centuries, even in Persia itself its memory swiftly eroded, in large part due to the vandalism of Alexander and his successors.

This exhibition, then, put on by the British Museum with the cooperation of the Iranian government, represents a welcome opportunity to explore the world of the Persians from within.  It is unfortunate that it is rather underwhelming.  The objects themselves are largely indifferent, and the essays included in the catalogue tend to be mind-numbingly technical, focused more on describing the archaeology of ancient Persia rather than making it live.  There are some interesting essays, just as there are some interesting exhibits, but on the whole it is somewhat disappointing.

Sizzling Sixteen

 Shirley J.                Adult Fiction         Humorous Adventures of Two Female Bounty Hunters

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich  340 pages

Vinnie has really done it this time.   When his father-in-law sold the Bail Bonds Business to a corporation,  Vinnie seized the opportunity to borrow company funds for his gambling addiction by falsifying bond records.  Now Mobster Bobby Sunflower is coming to collect on the $786,000 and growing in interest daily, debt that Vinnie owes him.   When Vinnie goes missing, it is up  to Connie, Stephanie and Lula to find him and make good his debt while still keeping the office running.    So much action!  Mooner is holding a Hobbit-Con, and wait till you meet Mr. Jingles!  Oh yeah and the gals are in hot pursuit of a rest stop toilet paper nabber!   And the Bond Office Yard Sale is a hoot!   You will love this one.   It is laugh out loud hilarious.   I recommend this one to mature grade schoolers on up.   Funny!

Wildflower

 Shirley J.                         Non-Fiction  Autobiography                     Drew Barrymore

Wildflower by Drew Barrymore  276 pages

Drew Barrymore has been one of my favorite in the moment people ever since I first saw her in

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.   She bares her soul in this story of her life and how becoming a Mom has given her a completely new perspective on life.   She shares many of her adventures in life from before the E.T. days being raised by hippies, both her mother and father, and how being raised in that environment she related more to adults than kids.   She talks about  just deciding to do a thing and then doing it - rent an R-V and go touring the countryside with her best gal pal leaving for L.A. headed to her friend's folks place in New Hampshire.   They just pulled off every where they wanted to along the way and had a blast, well there was that incident in New Orleans with misjudging the height of the dealie over the gas pumps where she ripped the top off the RV and they got help from a mysterious drag queen coming out of the dark.   Then the time where she read an article about a school in Africa. and ended up getting a free trip to go there and write an article about it, thanks to magazine, Marie Claire.   She decided to go to India one day, called her travel agent and went (must be nice!).  But when she met her current husband and the father of her children her take me as I am attitude relaxed to O. K. I see your point, too, and her frenzied life took on a new look.   Interesting look inside some of the stories that made headlines and Internet virals over the years    I would recommend this book to mature teens on up.

Finding It in Everything

 Shirley J              Adult Non-Fiction   Photography          Finding heart shapes everywhere you look

Finding It in Everything: Photographs by Drew Barrymore    96 pages

Drew Barrymore discussed her love of hearts in her book Wildflower which I just finished reading, she also discussed how she loves to take photographs and has often been surprised over the years how hearts jumped out from the photo some she saw and some shed didn't until she saw the actual photos.   She shared this happy hobby with her then father-in-law Ari Koppelman, who often found literal heart shapes in things.    Drew's phoos in this book find a heart appear on the back of a beloved dog when it curled up to relax and she took a photo of it, she has been blessed with heart showing up in her coffee and tea, soups, Japanese food, pancakes she lovingiy made for then husband will Koppelman. in the clouds in the sky, even a distorted hazy moon/sun shining dully in the sky, whose cloud cover offered another valentine in the upper atmosphere.   She finds a random tear in a tee-shirt is heart shaped and finds hearts appearing on sidewalks, tombstones, random wall and art designs, brick facades, etc.   To Drew these found hearts are inspirational and messages of love from the universe.   She loved the idea when she looked at the sky over head and saw a heart there that the man in the sky was sending a message of love to everyone below. A ten year collection of photos, some with captions that beg the reader to look for their own continuous lines forming herts to share a secret surprise of the love in the world that exists if we look for it..    Makes me want to go on a journey finding the hearts in life.   I recommend it to everyone of every age.

Blessed Charles of Austria

 Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy by Charles Coulombe, 374 pages

The subtitle of this biography of the last of the Habsburg monarchs is certain to raise a few eyebrows.  At best, Charles was helpless as Austria-Hungary went down in defeat in the last years of World War I, ultimately being dissolved by the victorious Allies into a handful of feuding ethno-states.  What kind of legacy could he have?  More generally, how is it possible for an emperor to be "holy"?  Did not the high priests of Enlightenment indelibly write their verdict that "no one can reign innocently" across the pages of history in the blood of Louis XVI and his family?

As Charles Coulombe relates, the life of Blessed Charles was dominated by three great loves - his God, his family, and his people.  These were not competing, but complimentary, just as his love for his wife only reinforced his love of his children, and his children his love of his wife.  These were loves tested, proven, and refined through suffering, yet loves to which Charles remained faithful with his whole heart.  It is for this reason that he has been raised to the altars of the universal Church even as the men who supplanted and persecuted him are increasingly maligned or forgotten.

It is no doubt possible to construct a coherent biography of Charles of Austria, based entirely on his external acts, which portrays him as yet another incompetent Machiavel, interested only in power, badly exercising it when he had it and futilely attempting to regain it after he lost it.  This would seem superficially plausible, but would miss the inner life of the man and the self-sacrificial ideal of rulership he represents.  It would also do nothing to change the disastrous course the world has been on since at least 1914.

Hemingway’s Saint Louis: How St. Louisans Shaped His Life and Legacy

Hemingway’s Saint Louis: How St. Louisans Shaped His Life and Legacy by Andrew J. Theising 158 pages

Readers and scholars are aware of Ernest Hemingway’s connection to St. Louis. He was great friend with the Smiths, a high-profile St. Louis family and three of his four wives hailed from the Gateway City. This book is not about St. Louis’ connection to the writer but about those people who influenced him. If anyone is looking for a guide to visit Hemingway attractions, well, there aren’t any.

I lied. There is probably one: The house at 4748 Westminster Place. That was the home of Laura Charles, the woman who raised Katy Smith, Hadley Richardson’s friend, who introduced the two. There’s nothing to see except the house’s exterior.

The chapter on the Smith Family is confusing and seems to be all over the place. I kept having to reread paragraphs to really know who author Theising was discussing.

The rest of the book was a little better. Each chapter focused on an important St. Louis family who touched Hemingway in some remote way. However, this scholarly work is written in the style that I don’t like about reading some biographies---it’s a list of what happened when, and sometimes not in chronological order. I was never able to get to know these people. They are abstract versions of anyone, anywhere.

The most interesting part of the book is the list of “Untimely Ends.”  I knew that Ernest’s father had committed suicide, but I was unaware that his brother and sister also met the same fate. In addition, there were many (12 in all) people in Ernest’s wide circle who died before the age of 70. That could make an interesting book, how all those young deaths attributed to his suicide.

I learned of this book when the author did a segment of KETC’s “Living St. Louis” show.  It was much more fascinating hearing Andrew Theising talk about the Hemingway’s St. Louis connection than it was to read the book. Therefore, “Hemingway’s Saint Louis: How St. Louisans Shaped His Life and Legacy,” receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

The Satapur Moonstone

 The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey; 360 pages

The second in the Perveen Mistry series, inspired by the real-life first woman lawyer in India. What I loved about the first book in this series was the description of 1920s Bombay: the culture, the diversity, the food, etc., so I was initially disappointed that this book took Perveen Mistry out of the city and into an isolated world of royalty and wealth. But that didn't last long because the writer transported me to this world right away!

In this story, Perveen is called upon to meet with a royal family in India to resolve the educational path of its future monarch. She is selected primarily because the two women (the mother and grandmother of the future ruler) who cannot come to an agreement observe purdah and cannot meet with a male lawyer. Luckily, Perveen is smart and resourceful and soon finds that there is much more than just a disagreement in regards to schooling that is keeping the palace in turmoil. Between stolen jewels, hidden identities, poisoning attempts, and a possible love interest, Perveen has her work cut out for her. There's a lot happening in the plot, but I never lost the thread. In addition, moving the action out to the countryside of India allowed me to learn more about the small kingdoms of the time and the uneasy relationship between Indians and British colonialists.

I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.

We are the Brennans

 

We are the Brennans by Tracey Lange 288 pages

Tracey Lange’s debut novel centers on an Irish Catholic family in New York with lots of secrets to hide, and that makes for a perfect afternoon of reading!

Sunday Brennan, the only girl in a family of sons, left home five years ago for Los Angeles on the pretext of a job offer to write web content. Leaving involved more than her family. It meant that she walked away without a word to her fiancé. In reality, she was hiding from her deepest secret and trying to overcome it.

Life hasn’t quite worked out for her. She’s basically estranged from her family and drinks too much. After a serious car accident that left her with a broken bone and bumps and really awful bruising, her older brother, Denny, talks her into coming back home to heal. Sunday feels she has no choice and flies back to New York with Denny.

Denny has his own set of problems. He and his best friend, Kale (who is also Sunday’s ex-fiancé) own a pub. They are trying to expand, but things at the new location are not going smoothly. Denny has taken out a mortgage on his family home, unbeknownst to his father, and borrowed money from a very shady character from their past. Denny’s separated from his wife and child, while Kale is also facing difficulties at home.

Navigating the past, each other and the present are at the heart of this family drama, along with the secrets they share.

Told in multiple points of view (there are at least six) I felt this gave the story a completeness that could not have come from a single narrator---readers get multiple sides of the story. Author Lange does a wonderful job in keeping the voices varied and it’s easy to know who is narrating each section.

“We are the Brennans,” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

When the Stars Go Dark

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain 384 pages

I’m a huge fan of author Paula McLain. She writes some of the most compelling historical fiction today focusing on forgotten women like pioneer aviator Beryl Markham and Hadley Richardson and Martha Gellhorn (Hemingway’s first and third wives). Well, there’s been a renewed interest in the Hemingway wives sine Ken Burns’ documentary on Papa aired on PBS last April (2021). This time out, McLain threw me. The protagonist of this contemporary historical fiction is a fictional character but still possess the strength of those real-life women.

The year is 1993. Missing child expert Detective Anna Hart of the San Francisco Police Department has come to the small town of Mendocino (also in northern California) to grieve a personal tragedy. I like the way McClain wasn’t upfront with the Anna’s heartbreak---it was one of the plot lines that made this a page turner. Mendocino holds special meaning for Anna, as she lived there with her foster parents.

Anna came to be alone, to clear her head, to work things out. It didn’t help that her marriage is also crumbling.  She came to find the peace of wilderness.

On her first tip into town, she reads the bulletin board at the local coffee shop and learns that a local teenage girl, Cameron Curtis, is missing. This could turn out to be a high-profile case as Cameron is the daughter of a television mega-star who is hiding out, hoping the case will be quickly solved. Anna doesn't want to get involved, even though the case seems similar to one that occurred when she lived there. Anna knows the local sheriff and many of the other villagers, but she came here to heal, not solve another case.

The year 1993 is significant. Readers may remember that as the year real-life Polly Klaas was abducted from her home in front of her friends. So that case is floating around in the novel’s background. And with yet when another teenage girl goes missing in the next town, Anna is drawn in to the cases. There must be some connection between that cold case from so many years ago and the two local ones. And so, she offers to help.

This novel falls into several genres: mystery, suspense, literary, historical fiction and thriller, but the one that stood out the most to me was the literary aspect…several times I had to slow down and re-read some of the sentences because they were so beautifully written. I wish I had marked a few that really stood out, but alas, the copy I read is a library book, and I was too lazy to copy them. DANG! I think y’all would have liked to read a few.

 “When the Stars Go Dark” receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

Finger Lickin' Fifteen

 Shirley J.                   Adult Fiction            Bombs,, BBQ,  Bounty Hunters

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich   308 pages

I can't understand how Ranger keeps putting up with Stephanie being the reason his Porche Cayennes keep exploding.   Lula has her Firebird she calls her Baby or does she?   When Lula witnesses two crazed killers chopping a celebrity chef's head off the killers go after her but money  the potential for money and fame for creating her own BBQ Sauce tempt her and Grandma Mazur out in the open to compete in the competition.   And just where in the heck is Al Roker?   So funny, Lula is the big star in this book and so rightly so.  Fun from the git go  Afterall, what is a little diarhhea among friends?   Hilarious.   I recommend this one to highschoolers on up and especially to anyone who really needs to see someone deserving getting what is coming to them.

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Fearless Fourteen

 Shirley J.        Adult Fiction      Murder, Money, Video Gamers

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich   310 pages

Morelli's cousin, Dom Rizzi just got out of the joint having served time for a heist of 9 million dollars that was never found.  All of a sudden people are breaking in to Morelli's house and dead guys are turning up in his basement.   In the meantime Morelli and Stephanie are babysitting Morelli's nephew "Zook,"   Toes arrive in the mail, Mooner invents a potato gun and Ranger hires Stephanie to help him play body guard to a randy female country singer known as Brenda.  Murder and chaos abound as always when Stephanie is involved.   Another great story from Janet Evanovich.   I recommend this one to grade schoolers on up.   

The Royals

Shirley J.        Adult Fiction                     Roayl Family,  Drug Addiction,  Kidnappers

The Royals by James Patterson and Rees Jones    125 pages

A short story by James Patterson and Rees Jones regarding the kidnapping of a lesser Royal in the English Royal Family  who happens to be a drug addict.    Also several murders occur during the Elite Agencies trying to locate the kidnappers and bring them to justice.   A quick read and not a bad story.  I would recommend this story to mature highschoolers on up.  Helps if you are a royal watcher.   

Say Something

 

Shirley J.             Children's Book  E         Speaking up 

Say Something by Peter H. Reynolds   40 pages

I liked this book.   It encourages kids to speak up and say what is on their minds.   it encourages children not to be shy and to stand up for what they believe in.   Personally AI think some of the instances shown could get a child beat up like telling a bully to stop pounding on somebody seems the child would then get the bully's wrath.   Better to encourage them to speak up within a group of like minded friends to talk the bully out of beating someone up but I applaud the thoughts within these pages.   Yes, a good read and role model for wee ones, but, have the discussion as to what to do if met with resistance or repercussions or when to speak and when to gather fellow super heroes to take on a cause.

Wicked Appetite

 Shirley J.     Adult Fiction      Pastry Chef's  Ancient Relics  Supernatural

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich     313 pages

Set in Boston and Salem, Massachusetts,  pastry chef Lizzie Tucker meets up with magic man Diesel who was introduced in her Stephanie Plum books.    Turns out Lizzie is an unmentionable and she has the ability to pick up psychic vibes from touching  objects.   Both of their skills come in to full use when Diesel's cousin, Wulf Grimoire decides to start collectiong powerful artifacts representing the Seven Deadly Sins.   Good story with lots of cupcakes and magic.   I would recommend this series of 3 books to anyone interested in the paranormal and to highschoolers on up.   I enjoyed the story and will read the series..

The Husband List

 Shirley J.    Adult Fiction        American Heiresses in the Gilded Age (1894)   English titles

The Husband List by Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly    309 pages

I really love Janet Evanovich's style of writing and the detail to which she and Dorien Kelly bring the reader to really feel the lifestyles of the privileged elite in American society in 1894 and how daughters were flaunted to English minor titled nobility to get the prestige of a title for their heiress daughters.   It was pretty much a pimping situation and mothers and fathers often turned a blind eye to what was actually transpiring in order to get the benefit of a titled lord within their family for bragging rights.    Love was never a part of the bargain it was all transacted as any business deal of the time within the upper 2%.   Fortunately, Caroline Maxwell has run off every suitor her mother has tried to snag for her.  But when broke, gambling debt ridden, English Lord Bremerton comes to call, Caroline has met her match in someone who wants her family fortune more than she wants to be shed of him.   Good story.   I would recommend this one to mature gradeschoolers on up.

Jaws Unmade

Jaws Unmade: The Lost Sequels, Prequels, Remakes, and Rip-offs by John LeMay, 302 pages

Jaws is sometimes regarded as the first summer blockbuster, and, as such, the prototype for all those that followed.  Whatever caveats ought to be attached to that claim, it was certainly wildly successful (indeed, the highest grossing film in unadjusted dollars to that point) and like successful movies before and since it spawned a legion of imitators, some more flattering than others, from its own sequels and major studios' attempts to bottle the same lightning to the inevitable parade of Italian rip-offs.

Jaws Unmade chronicles these more or less misbegotten children of Bruce, both legitimate and illegitimate, not only describing the movies that did get made but, just as intriguingly, all those projects that miscarried.  There are the well-known early versions of Jaws 2, one featuring Quint's son and another angry mobsters.  There's MST3K favorite Devilfish (aka Monster Shark, not to be confused with Bert I Gordon's aborted project Devil Fish, which is also discussed).  There's the legendary unmade spoof Jaws 3, People 0, which Universal spent 2.5 million dollars developing before cancelling the project for fear of alienating Steven Spielberg.  There's Bruno Mattei's 1995 film Cruel Jaws, sometimes marketed as Jaws 5 ("This time it's even more personal than the last time."), which piles on subplot after subplot seemingly without purpose, until, that is, you learn that the main plot rips off 1981's The Last Shark to the point of actually stealing entire sequences of footage.  There's Joe Dante working on Piranha and James Cameron working on Piranha II and John Sayles working on anything that pays the bills.  There's Roger Corman and Dino De Laurentiis and a surprise appearance by John Carpenter.  There's George Clooney and Laura Dern getting eaten by a giant grizzly bear.

If this is your idea of fun, it is tremendous fun.  It isn't clear how extensive or accurate LeMay's research is (his cites sometimes go no further than an IMDB trivia page), and the book is riddled with homophonic errors that suggest the proofreading was limited to a spellcheck, but the author's love of this material, as misplaced as it seems at times, is truly infectious.

Plum Spooky

 Shirley J.             Monkeys,  The Jersey Devil  Cat Dad,  Bounty Hunters

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich    309 pages

Another fun Stephanie Plum adventure with Diesel popping back in.   Diesel seeks Stephanie's help cornering his evil cousin, Wulf Grimoire, who is dangling Stephanie as a prize to nerdy physicist Munch for helping him in his rocket laden plan.   Carl the monkey is back giving everyone the finger and more.   This time there is a barrell of monkeys rescued from a science lab only to be experimented on by Munch in their quest to control people's moods and sometimes the weather.   While Lula continues to plan her wedding, Tank continues to sweat and becomes a cat Dad.   Psychic Miss Gloria tells Lula their moons aren't lining up right.  Oh yeah, the Easter Bunny, Sasquatch and the Jersey Devil drop in, too.   And wait till you encounter the fire farter!   What a fun series!  Always something unexpected.  Great story lines.   Go Janet Evanovich!  I would recommend this book to middle-schoolers on up. 

Unleashed

 Shirley J.           Adult Fiction   Texas Rangers,  Cold Cases,  Dysfunctional Families

Unleashed by Diana Palmer    332 pages

Is every book now part of a series?   I get the hook, but, gee, really?      This book is #49 in the Long, Tall Texan series, but, the story does stand on its own.     It is the story of  Clancy Lang, who's mother marries an abusive man with a son older than Clancy.   When her mother dies, Clancy is left living with her abusive step-dad, and her now two step-brothers.   While she is terrified of her druggy older step-brother and her step-father, she adores her younger step-brother and puts her own safety and health in jeopardy protecting the younger child from the abusers in the house.   When things escalate in the home terror runs rampant and circumstances get pretty dire for the siblings.   It is a good story that will keep you interested but, if you don't like your heroes old school Texas Ranger style you might want to avoid this series.   However, if you enjoy a good female victim/hunky he-man story then this one is right up your alley.   I liked the story, the do as I say woman stuff - not so much, but, hey, it was the stry that was told.   I would recommend it this story to romance and urder mystery readers who like larger than life heroes in the mix.  There were many good elements to the story.