The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

 Shirley J.                  Adult Non-Fiction                          Tidying and Decluttering the KondoMari way

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo    224 pages

I like Marie Kondo's decluttering books.   I have not mastered her folding techniques, but, I am working on it.   I love her cut to the quick take no prisoners methods of decluttering.   I can see how she got on the outs with her family when in her exuberance she KondoMaried her family's things before figuring out she needed to ask before taking over the fate of other people's stuff.   She has the ability to look at stuff and separate the unneeded from the necessary and she does it without any sentimentality so she has no attachments for the most part to her things and can pare down in a heartbeat.   While I admire her drive to let go of anything that is not helpful and that does not bring its owner joy, I am still a student and not a master.   Especially when it comes to paper and filing.  O.K. I'm still old school.  I have a filing cabinet, Marie Kondo would be horrified!    She has only a small number of papers she actually keeps.   A good book with lots of inspiring talk on how to rid yourself of clutter.    She promises the reader will improve their life by the freedom of getting out from under the burden of all your stuff.   I recommend this book to middle schoolers on up.   If kids develop excellent tidying/organizing skills like she has early on society will have a whole lot less hoarders when they grow up.   A good book and very motivational.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family From A Lifetime of Clutter (The Swedish Art of Living and Dying Series)

 

Shirley J.                Adult Non-Fiction                            Decluttering as though you were dying

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family From A Lifetime of Clutter (The Swedish Art of Living & Dying Series)  by Margareta Magnusson    128 pages

I love this book.  It puts your clutter in perspective.  It teaches you to look at your stuff as if you were on your way out (dying) and you want to decide what happens to your belongings.   It is essentially the keep, donate, sell, toss method but to the muertos degree.   You look through the ethereal eye of your departing and what will be the fate of your things.  Also it teaches you to go through and designate if there are particular items in your collection that you would like to bestow on certain family members, friends or to specific places such as: all those dog beds still in the original packaging to the animal shelter;  all those clothes you never wear with the tags still on them to the local women's shelter; grandma's silver to any of your kids that might really admire them or heck sell it and take a trip yourself. you're not dead, yet.   It is a gentle nudge to get on the stick and sort your precious possessions so that those left behind when you've gone to the wild blue yonder aren't stuck with the task.  It also brings to light you know that stuff you might not necessarily want anyone else to know you have...now is the time to be doing something with that before anyone has to be be red faced opening Uncle Harry's box of...  This is an excellent book on decluttering the Swedish way.   It is never too early!   This is not a harsh book it is as the title states gentle.  No one will be offended.  It is certainly a worthy project and Marie Kondo states in her book, she started tidying and decluttering her and her family and school's stuff from the age of 5 years old.   So given that, I recommend this book to those who love cleaning, tidying, decluttering and organizing.   Probably, from 8 years old on up.  People of a "certain age" will probably get the concept more than others.  ; )  

Because I'm watching

 Shirley J.                          Adult Fiction                          Fractured Guilt Ridden Lives, Stalker                         Because I'm Watching: A Novel by Christina Dodd   352 pages

Maddie Hewitson is the lone survivor of a college dorm massacre.  While her dorm mates were being brutally tortured, assaulted and murdered, Maddie managed to get to her phone while the killer was distracted, but, though she had her phone and dialed 911 she was so frozen with fear she couldn't speak when the dispatcher got on the line.   The dispatcher did hear the last victim scream as the murderer was completing her demise and sent officers there.   Because she managed to hide, Maddie escaped with her life when the police arrived to rescue her.   She ended up spending time in a mental hospital trying to cope with the scene she beheld.   When she got out she did her best to live a normal life.   She later married the man of her dreams who loved her completely and unconditionally.    Then he was murdered.   Mad Maddie as she was labeled in the press was accused of killing him.  She was exonerated, but because of  her stint in a mental institution, the public perception was that she did it.  She began writing horror stories with grisly murders occuring in them, but the writing was so good they were begging to be published.   When her brother read them, he agreed they should be published but that the publisher would want her to go out on booksigning tours and do interviews which might not be good for her as she was pretty much a recluse since leaving the mental facility.   Her brother agreed to help her get them published under his name and he would do the touring, signings and interviews on radio and t.v.  It worked.  The books sold, her brother was the face in the media and he gave her an allowance from the sales.  Her brother was a stockbroker with his own business so it worked out as far as Maddie was concerned.   She just wanted to write, it was therapeutic.   She decided to move away and live in seclusion now that she had an income.  Her brother tried to talk her out of it, stating he would take care of her but she insisted she would stay in touch she just needed to get away to a new environment to continue her writing.  She did, but in moving her things to the new small town, she has a wreck and runs her vehicle into the front of the home of Veteran Jacob Denisov, a man dealing with his own demons from being captured, tortured and losing every soldier (all brutally killed) in his command while on a special assignment in Korea.   The entire front of Denisov's home is demolished.  An odd way to meet your neighbor.   Maddie is one train-wreck after another, but, Denisov sees she is fragile and despite his anger at the stupid things she continues to do and her screaming from nightmares every night, he feels sorry for her.   She is held in contempt by the locals.  It doesn't help she continues to see a stalker, a phantom in a hat and long coat and her house appears to be haunted and the night terrors.  She calls the police department daily.   The town starts calling her "Mad Maddie."  A good story that holds you from beginning to end.   So much going on and you will not rest till you reach the end.   I am going to recommend this one to adults as the crimes are pretty descriptive and the terror is tangible.   

An Evil Mind

 

Shirley J.                    Adult Murder Mystery                        Serial Killer, Psychopath

An Evil Mind (Book 1 A Robert Hunter Thriller) by Chris Carter    496 pages        

This is a real nail biter.  It keeps you interested from page 1 to the end.   The FBI in Wyoming enlists the help of Robert Hunter, ex-criminal behavior psychologist and lead detective with the Ultra Violent Crime Unit of the LAPD (who the FBI has been trying to recruit for years) when trying to get the assumed perpetrator of a murder to admit to the crime.  What comes out of the interviews is far more than they had any idea would be revealed.   There is grisly, gory detail of the crimes committed so if the reader does not want to read the accounts of some terrible crimes turn away now.  The crimes are described in great graphic detail but once the perpetrator is revealed it gets way more detailed and violent and descriptive.  You will feel as though you have witnessed the crime scenes they are that detailed.  The story is a good one and the characters so well imagined you will seriously feel as though you are there in the room as the perpetrator gleefully tells what all he has done.   I recommend this one to adults as the story is deeply detailed and the murder, tortures and maimings are memorable.   Really good book, though.

Squished

 

Shirley J.                       Juvenile Graphic Novel                      Wanting one's own space in a big family     Squished: A Graphic Novel by Megan Wagner Lloyd (illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter)    256 pages

Eleven year old Avery Lee is feeling squished.  She is the second oldest of seven Lee children.   Sharing her room with her 8 year old sister, Pearl, has been o.k. up to now, but,  Avery is growing up and feeling the need for her own space and privacy.   She has never had her own room all to herself.   When she was little, she shared a room with her older brother, Theo.   After fourth child, her younger brother Max was born, he was moved in with Theo and Pearl was moved in with Avery.   Now Theo at thirteen has his own room and she is still sharing a room with Pearl and now their parents moved Max in with Avery and Pearl, too!  It's not fair!!!  Mom has her hands full with the three youngest siblings, Beatrice being the new arrival and still a baby so that leaves Avery taking care of Max and Pearl and the rest more often than not.  All Avery wants is a little space of her own for peace and quiet and privacy.  Why did her parents have all these kids anyway?   It was embarrassing when they went out.  People would stare and either whisper or make comments about them.  Avery hated it.  She asked her parents how much it would cost to build another room onto the house so she too, could have her own room?    Dad said around $6,000 or more and they couldn't spare the money for it.   Avery decided to earn the money herself.   The book is a fun read that everyone can relate to.  I recommend it for its targeted audience of 3rd graders on up.   I think anyone any age would enjoy the story as who hasn't wanted their own room/space/privacy?   Good family story.

                     

My Boyfriend Is A Bear

 

Shirley J.                    Adult Graphic Novel Fiction                          Yep, a human and a bear in love!        My Boyfriend Is A Bear by Pamela Ribon (illustrated by Cat Farris)    176 pages

I was intrigued by the title so naturally I had to check the book out.  It did not disappoint.  This is one of the loveliest romances I have ever come across.  I loved it and the sheer thought of snuggling a teddy bear, well, ladies... ; )    Nora has been through a lot of boyfriends/one nighters/want to be but weren'ts.  None worked for her.   The guys were either jerks, users, mental abusers or just not wanting a relationship.   She tried so hard to make her relationships work even when the guys weren't good to or for her, but, she gave each relationship or lack thereof her best.   Then one day while on a walk in the hills above Los Angeles a bear along the trail sees her.   He stalks her for a while smitten with her not seeing her as the catch of the day.  Finally he approaches her and they are able to find common ground.  The bear cannot speak language as Nora does, but, they are able to come to understand one another and find they have a lot in common and really genuinely like one another.  Their relationship evolves as relationships do and she finds the bear to be kind and loving.  He cares for her, he takes care of her, he makes her feel safe and loved and protected, something she has never known before.  While she sought these attributes in her past romantic adventures, she never found them.   She gave 100% and received so little in return it was like grasping for crumbs.  Now, the Bear was proving he was everything she wanted from a lover.  He was thoughtful, attentive, he always put her first and he was loving.  They moved in together.  Her family and friends talk mess about him to her but she knows better.  Life is bliss.  Then hibernation time came... A wonderful book.  I loved it as I said.   While graphic it is definetly an adult story.   I recommend this one to twenty somethings on up.   Well worth the read.  He is every one's dream bear. 

Luna & Me: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest

 

Shirley J.                       Juvenile Literature                   Social Activism, Saving the Giant Redwoods        Luna & Me:The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw    40 pages

Based on the true story of Julia Butterfly Hill, who climbed 180 feet up in a 1,000 year old redwood tree in Humboldt County, California to save it and the redwood forest there from Pacific Lumber, a division of the Maxxam Corporation from the environmentally destructive process of clear-cutting the ancient trees.   Julia thought it might take a week or two to stop the company from wanting to destroy these ancient behemoths but she ended up living in the giant redwood, "Luna," from Dec. 10, 1997 to December 18, 1999!  Two years and 8 days!    Because of the plundering of the redwoods to the right of "Luna" a massive landslide occurred because there were no trees holding it back and many homes in the town of Stafford were wiped out.    In actuality, Hill endured weather (El Nino storms), harrassment on the ground and in the air (helicopters) from the company,  a ten day siege by security officers from the company and the utter sorrow of witnessing the destruction of this wonderful ancient forest (one of the last in the world!).   She didn't plan on becoming a champion for the environment she just let her love and belief in the cause of saving this amazing tree and her strong conviction in doing the right thing saving a 1,000 year old living thing from those who did not see its beauty and worth for itself but only for its value as a commodity.   Though Julia "Butterfly" was 23 when this event occurred, the story shows her as if she were a young girl in the story.   Still beautifully and well told.   I recommend this one to listeners on up to senior citizens. 

Puss in Boots: A Musical (Libretto)

 

Shirley J.              Juvenile Fiction           Sibling rivalry meets fatherly and feline savoir faire                       Puss in Boots: A Musical (Libretto) by Neil Fishman and Harvey Edelman    81 pages

Before he died, a man bestows his worldly goods upon his 3 sons.  To the eldest he gives his farm and his horse.  To his middle son, he gives all the barnyard creatures and to his youngest son, he gives a farthing and his cat.  Upon his death the two older sons kick the youngest son out to fend as best he could for himself.   You can't go to far on a farthing, but, it turns out, his father's cat is able to speak and speak in a French accent.  (Not the Steven Spielberg, Antonio Banderas version.)  Turns out the father thought the two oldest to be kind of stupid, so he left them enough to continue supporting them for the rest of their lives, but the youngest he knew to be creative, inventive and brilliant and he knew this son with the guidance of a wonderful counsellor like the talking cat, would be able to turn a farthing into a fortune in no time.  The story is a good one with a princess and her pushy parents, a town willing to foster a falsehood to keep from suffering the King's wrath, and an ending that is as real as life itself.   A fun telling of this age old story with new twists, good for any age.  Baby Boomers will recognize it as similar to the fractured fables told on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show.    I recommend this to all ages.    

Bag of Bones

 Shirley J.       Adult Fiction Horror          Prejudice & Treachery leading to hauntings & ghosts                Bag of Bones by Stephen Kings   544 pages

Writer, Mike Noonan was happily married until the day his wife died suddenly falling to the street dead instantly in Derry, Maine where they lived.   Four years pass and Mike is still grieving and hasn't been able  to write since.  Good thing he stashed those titles he wrote over the years but hadn't submitted for publication.  Good thing, indeed, when his publisher and agent started pushing him for more books.  Four years and he is still grieving.   He keeps having ghostly nightmares about the lake home he and his wife shared, "Sarah Laughs."  In spite of this he decides to go back to "Sarah Laughs" and is met with a bunch of ghostly visitations.  He also meets a struggling young widow with a 3 year old daughter who is in a custody battle with her father-in-law.   Mike falls in love with the young widow and sees her daughter as the child he and his first wife had tried so hard to have.   The story is a good one and a creepy, spooky one as Stephen King is master of.   I recommend this one to all who love horror, Stephen King fans and those who love a good read with the thrill of ghosties.

I'm Lucy: A Day in the Life of a Young Bonobo

 Shirley J.                 Juvenile Literature                            A young Bonobo, her family, her life                 I'm Lucy: A Day in the Life of a Young Bonobo by Mathea Levine   32 pages

Just a sweet precious book of photos and words telling the story of Lucy a young bonobo (similar to a chimpanzee but smaller and the closest species to humans).  The photography is excellent and will welcome all readers young and old.  Bonobos live in peaceful, matriarchal societies though their numbers are growing smaller and smaller and scientists expect they will be extinct within 10 years as their habitats (the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa) are diminishing daily.  A beautiful book and story to hopefully increase awareness of the bonobos and all the profits from this book go to the Bonobo Conservation Initiative and the Roots and Shoots program - organizations working to save the bonobos and the Earth.   There is a website mentioned in the book:  www.bonobokids.org where with a code from the book you can log in and adopt your own virtual bonobo and earn points for helping endangered creatures and the world.    A great book and an even greater cause.   I recommend this one to all ages.

    

The Stories Behind the Stories: The Remarkable True Tales Behind Your Favorite Kid's Books

 Shirley J.                        Juvenile Literature                         The stories behind several juvenile titles

The Stories Behind the Stories by Danielle Higley     96 pages

I love this book!   It gives so much information about the 29 children's books discussed here.  The reader will get the scoop on the author and how they came to write the particular story, tidbits and trivia about the stories and authors like how J. R. R. Tolkien didn't like his friend C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia because Lewis mixed angels and Norse mythology along with talking animals and war references and had so much going on from so many sources Tolkien thought it utter chaos!  Critics.  Or J. K. Rowling who began writing her first Harry Potter book on the train home from work, or Theodor Seuss Geisel, Dr. Seuss as we know him, who wrote Green Eggs and Ham on a bet.  So many fun facts to learn about the authors, the stories they wrote that are found in this book and bits of history of the times when they wrote their stories.  I enjoyed this book and I think most people of 3rd or 4th grade on up would.      

The Mistake I Made

 Shirley J.                 Adult Fiction                                 Single Mom, Major Debt, Desperation

The Mistake I Made by Paula Daly    368 pages

The things one will do when faced with a mountain of debt, eviction and a child to feed.   To make things worse her ex ran up much of the debt then left her for a younger woman.  He neglected to take his debt with him and now he has moved back in with his mother, he isn't working and he isn't paying child support nor helping Roz in any way.  Oh yeah, he refuses to bear any of his responsibilities and his mother covers for him.  Now Roz's business has gone under and she is between a rock and a hard place with no solutions for how to get out of all the debt she is drowning in.  To cheer her up her sister invites her to come over to her birthday soiree.  Just an intimate get together of a few of her sister's friends with food, cake and drinks.  Why not, Roz decides.  Maybe a night out will clear her head for a little bit.  At the party she is introduced to very rich and very married, Scott Elias who develops an obsession for Roz.  He has to have her.  After several drinks it comes out at the party that Roz is going through a difficult time financially, though, she tries to play it down some.  Scott sees his way in with Roz.   He starts stalking Roz, declares his intention for her and offers to give her a huge amount of money to sleep with him.  Roz argues he's married and she doesn't want a relationship with a married man, but, Scott wheedles her down with reasons why it could be beneficial for both of them - she needs money and he needs sex just not with his wife.    Roz with her back against the wall finally agrees and the story turns dark from there.   IT IS A GOOD STORY, TOO!  This is one of those you can't put down.   I highly recommend it to mature teens on up.                     

February 2023 Team totals

 

In February, two people read sixteen books for a total of 5408 pages read.  Shirley read the most with 16 books and 4486 pages.  Thanks for your reviews!  Keep reading.

The Love of My Life

 

Shirley J.            Adult Romance                                                       Cancer, Past Secrets, The One

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh    384 pages

Emma and Leo have a loving marriage complete with beloved daughter Ruby.   Their ideal life is briefly shadowed by Emma battling and overcoming cancer, but then a secret Emma has been keeping comes to light.    Leo is devastated, but he is not going down without a fight.    Leo is the love of Emma's life, Ruby is the love of Emma's life but she is hiding another third great love of her life and every thing will come to light possibly shattering everything good and right that Emma clings to.  Will Leo ever trust her again?  Will everything be taken from her (again)?    Really good story.  The characters are all excellently portrayed and the story is a solid one with surprising twists.  I recommend this one to mature teens on up. 

Guilty Minds (A Nick Heller Novel 33 )

 

Shirley J.                Adult Fiction                                                        Supreme Court Justice, Set-Up    

Guilty Minds (A Nick Heller Novel #3 of 4) by Joseph Finder  480 Pages

A supreme court justice is accused of having 3 tristes with a call girl at a famous hotel in the D.C. area and a lead reporter for a scandal sheet is ready to publish the story.  Asking for the justices' side of the story, the justice bargains with the reporter to get 48 hours before the story is printed.   Trying to get ahead of the story, Nick Heller, a private spy (former intelligence operative hired by lawyers, politicians and even foreign governments to get them out of jams by doing whatever it takes to get to the heart of career damaging situations) is recommended to him as the go to guy to get him out of this jam.  The  justice maintains his innocence in the situation, swears he does not know the woman and has never stayed at a hotel in town since he lives in town there is no need.    The call girl maintains he definitely hired her, the hotel records show a room was booked in his name on the dates in question but when questioned the call girl couldn't tell Nick if the judge was circumcised or not.  Was she being coy?  Was she protecting the privacy of the customer?  Or is there something more devious going on?   Really good story.   This book will stand alone although I just found out it is part of a 4 book series.   Nick Heller is an excellent character and I really enjoyed this book enough to want to read the other books in the series.  I would recommend this one to mature teens on up.

This Lullaby

 Shirley J.               Young Adult Romance                                Musicians, cynics & eternal optimists

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen      352 pages

Remy is cynical when it comes to love.   Could be because her mother has been married four times and is now preparing for her fifth wedding.   Remy feels responsible for her Mom.   Remy and her older brother's dad was a musician.  Her parents met during the free-love hippie era and fell in love and were married in the woods by a guy who probably did not have a license to perform marriages legally.  Her mother never counted that one as a marriage just a tremendous love affair which gifted her the two children before her musician lover/husband disappeared cause he couldn't take the family life.   Before he booked, he wrote a song for Remy titled, "This Lullaby," in which he openly shares in lyrics how he knew he would never be there for Remy, he wouldn't be the one teaching her things or looking out for her and she would likely grow up not trusting him or maybe anyone to truly stay around for the long haul.   Turns out he was right.   Remy and her brother promised each other they would never marry and no one would ever mean more than a few months of fun together then done.  Love as they saw from their Mother's life was fleeting if it was even real at all and nothing lasts forever that is just a fairytale.  Remy had rules for her life: Never get serious with anyone, never let anyone break your heart - she was always the one to break relationships off and never NEVER! date a musician!  Her father was a jerk and a loser and she was never going to put up with that.   That is until she met this wild off the wall dude named, Dexter, who played in a rock band.   It is a fun story about kids growing up too fast and too disillusioned with life who can't feel love - most of the time she didn't get along with her mother although she always felt like she had to look out for her because her mother was too hippie minded to protect herself which is why she was always falling for some low life that would hurt her and leave her.  Remy was way too smart for that and way stronger than her mother would ever be.   Then came Dexter.  She still fought against allowing him to get too close but life has a funny way of creeping up on you as Alanis Morissette says.   Good book.   I recommend it to the 12 years and up crowd it is geared to but adults will like this one too.    

Shop Till You Drop: A Dead-End Job Mystery (Book #1)

 Shirley J.                    Adult Fiction Murder Mystery                Kept Women with large amounts to spend

Shop Till You Drop: A Dead-End Job Mystery (Book #1) by Elaine Viets          288 pages

Finally!  I lucked into book #1 of a series.   I really like Elaine Viets' style.  I met her several years ago at Central Library when she was in for a book reading event.  At the time she was a local news reporter doing special local stories ie. her take on them.  A fun and funny lady,  she often thanks the staff at SLPL for their invaluable help in her research for her books in the acknowledgement portion of her books.    Many of her books are set in St. Louis and all have some mention of affiliation to St. Louis.  This one is no exception.   Helen is running from a bad marriage in her hometown of St. Louis.   She walked in to find her husband in bed with their female neighbor.  There is lots of mystery surrounding what actually happened in that moment, but, Helen left a 6 figure job and went off the grid working a minimum wage job in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. for which she is paid cash.   She brought along a suitcase of case she had saved up during her marriage and does everything she can to stay out of anyone's radar.   She is desperate not to go back to St. Louis and not to let her image be seen in any way.   She is terrified of being identified and returned to St. Louis.  She finds a tiny studio apartment with a great landlady and nice if quirky neighbors.    She lands a job at "Juliana's", a high end dress shop that is only open to big spenders who dress impeccably.   The store is run by Christina for a never there owner who dictates what type of customers he wants in his store (the unbelieveably wealthy with open purses).  The clientele are all the amazingly thin and beautiful kept women of mobsters, real estate moguls and the like, who shower money with no limits on their trophy girlfriends as long as they maintain their youthful gorgeous looks and continue to put out to often homely men with big wallets.    The women think nothing of spending thousands of dollars per shopping trip and who enjoy being elitist in delighting in the fact they are allowed in the shop when so many aren't.   You have to be chic and current in your couture last year's shoes or designs won't do so don't even think it.   Funny enough, there is a lot going on behind the scenes at "Juliana's" that doesn't meet the eye.   How is Christina able to afford living in a posh super expensive condo in a bourgeois beach front area?   Was that pills that spilled on the floor from one of the select purses only Christina handles?   Then, Christina turns up dead floating in a barrel!  WTFudge?  Excellent story.  Fun characters, even the bad ones are fun to get to know.   I recommend this one to high 0schoolers on up due to adult content.

Ghost Night (The Bone Island Trilogy Book 2)

 Shirley J.                         Adult Fiction                                   Ghosts, haunted film set, South Bimini

Ghost Night by Heather Graham (The Bone Island Trilogy Book 2) by Heather Graham   400 pages

I do wish there was a way to know in the catalog when a book is part of a series and where in that series it falls.   It is off-putting to find what you think is a stand alone title is actually one of a larger story.  I always prefer to come in at the beginning, but, this book was an easy read and told you enough about the previous story that the reader can be comfortable going forward.  A documentary on a long ago pirate adventure was being shot when 2 of the cast of the documentary were brutally killed while one actress escaped.  That is where the first book ended and this second book in the series begins.   It is several years later, another documentary crew has decided to go back and document what happened with the pirates and what happened the set when the actors were murdered.  There are ghosts afoot, a mysterious dark man in the shadows (is he the murderer? ) and the remainder of the original cast and crew coming back together to help work on the remake of the original.   Sounds like all the elements of a good murder mystery.  It is.   I would recommend this book to teens on up.

Robert B. Parkers' Lullaby (Book 40 of 51 books in the Spenser series)

 

Shirley J.                Adult Fiction                  A 14 year old girl hires Spenser to find her mother's killer

Robert B. Parker's Lullaby: A Spenser Novel (#40 of 51 in the series) by Ace Atkins     400 pages

Excellent story.   I am now such a fan of the Spenser character.   I had heard of the character before but this is my first story with him as lead investigator.   When 14 year old Mattie Sullivan sees two men take her mother forcibly into a vehicle after which her mother is never seen again, she wants to find her mother's abductors/killers.   She takes a bus to Spenser's office to hire him to find them.   Spenser is taken with her tough exterior, her language that would make a sailor blush and her determination to find who really did kill her mother.  It was 4 years since her abduction.  The cops didn't do much searching, her mother's friend (with benefits) gets blamed for her murder, but, Mattie is sure he is innocent.  For the price of a dozen doughnuts (6 cinnamon and 6 chocolate glazed) and a large cup of coffee, Spenser enlists the help of his friend Hawk to help find out what happened.   Things turn out way more involved than Spenser had imagined but he is ready for anything and puts a hilarious spin on every conversation he has with everyone he meets.   So funny and such a good murder mystery.  I recommend this one to teenagers on up for the language content.   Lots of cussing here, but, funny.

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquet

 Shirley J.                Adult Fiction                        Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes' little sister Enola

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer   176 pages

When Sherlock Holmes' best friend and right-hand man, Dr. Watson goes missing, Sherlock is baffled but on the search for clues.  Mycroft, his older, wiser brother is enlisted but little do the brothers know there is a third searcher, their younger sister, Enola.   Of course, Enola doesn't let on she is on the case but her disguises and sleuthing rival her older brothers' skill in tracking down clues.  It is a fun story with just the right bit of whit and humor like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle brought to all his Sherlock stories.  The reader gets to experience Enola's process in figuring out the case.   I enjoyed this story immensely and will be checking for other tales starring Enola Holmes.   I recommend this one to Middle Schoolers on up.

Lover Awakened

 Shirley J.                            Adult Fiction                                                          Vampires vs. Slayers

Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward   I only read 120 pages

First let me say that I like vampire stories.   And it turns out this book is #3 of 21 books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series.    I wish series, and the place in the series books are were listed in the catalogue.   After forcing myself to give this book a chance, I stopped.  The book, in my personal opinion stunk.  It is not a good story, it is not well developed in its plot nor its street gang 6 vampires.   I have no desire to go back to read the first book to be introduced to the series, I found it not worth my time.  I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Two Nights

 Shirley J.                Adult Fiction                                    Ex Cop now P. I., kidnapped girl        

Two Nights: A Novel by Kathy Reichs    416 pages

Sunday "Sunnie" Night is an ex-cop.  She is tough as nails but after her last case encounter that left her shot in the eye losing her vision, she left the force but antsy to catch bad guys she went in to private investigation.   This story is a case she takes on in her new life as a P.I.   She goes under contract to a multi-rich family looking for their missing granddaughter.  The girl tied in with a less than trustworthy man who may have either spirited her away from the family, though, he is so shady, it is a mystery why he wouldn't want to bilk the family of their money or he may have been involved with a sex-slave ring and hoodwinked her into going with him and the skallywag betrayed her trust and sold her into bondage.  Lots going on and Sunnie is not one to be told how to handle her investigation even if someone is footing all the bills.  Her search for the girl takes her on a twisty trail with suspects aplenty.   Sunnie feels a kinship to the missing girl, thinking what she may be going through.  And because Sunny has experienced her own particular hell coming up, she won't stop until she finds the girl, her abductors and the reason for her capture.    A hard hitting bit of literature here.   Sunnie is likeable as is her cohorts.   Her tenacity is admirable and throughout the reader is let into the thoughts of the missing girl and what she is going through.  Good book.   I recommend this one to adults.   The story is just a bit creepy.