The Children's Blizzard

“The Children’s Blizzard” by Melanie Benjamin   368 pages

January 12, 1888, it was a balmy day in Minnesota. It was blessed relief for the immigrant homesteaders following a nasty cold spell. Heavy coats, mittens, scarves, clothing were all left at home as children made their way to their one-room schoolhouse. 

As the close of the school day neared, children, and even the teachers, were eager to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. As they prepared to go home, black clouds raced into the area with hurricane-force winds, heavy snow mixed with icy pellets, and the temperature plummeting.   

As they noticed the impending storm, some of the children ran outside, determined to get home before it. Others lingered behind, unsure what to do. Teachers weren’t really sure either. Send the kids home and hope they made it or take shelter in the schoolhouse and pray that the storm would either blow over or not be as severe as it appeared. 

Melanie Benjamin’s latest novel focuses on the storm and its aftermath. The two main protagonist of the story are Raina and Gerda, two schoolteachers who made the opposite decisions. At Gerda’s school, she kept the children inside. Raina had her children tie themselves together with the girls’ apron strings and out they headed. No one lived too far away, and Raina was sure they could all make it. One group of children froze to death; the other suffered deaths and frostbite. 

The story opens on that warm day several hours before the storm hits. The storm is the novel’s antagonist. It is a formidable foe bent on claiming as many lives as possible. I didn’t realize how many different ways a wordsmith like Benjamin could describe the storm. 

While the storm may have been the main character, the heart of the story is the life of immigrant homesteaders. It is a story of the people who settled the Great Plains and their daily struggles to survive.  

Benjamin based her story using actual oral histories of the survivors, but the characters are fictional. It is based on the store that hammers the Great Plains on that January day in 1888. The actual storm took 235 lives, many of them children, and many were not found until spring.  “The Children’s Blizzard” is a compelling and heartbreaking story. It receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

The Christmas Cake Murder

The Christmas Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke, 270 pages

“It's Christmas many years ago, and topping young Hannah Swensen's wish list is becoming the go-to baker in Lake Eden, Minnesota. But as Hannah finds out, revisiting holiday memories can be murder . . .  With her dream of opening The Cookie Jar taking shape, Hannah's life matches the hectic December hustle and bustle in Lake Eden--especially when she agrees to help recreate a spectacular Christmas Ball from the past in honor of Essie Granger, an elderly local in hospice care. But instead of poring over decadent dessert recipes for the merry festivities, she instantly becomes enthralled by Essie's old notebooks and the tale of a woman escaping danger on the streets of New York. Hannah's surprised by Essie's secret talent for penning crime fiction. She's even more surprised when the story turns real. As Hannah prepares to run a bakery and move out of her mother's house, it'll be a true miracle if she can prevent another Yuletide disaster by solving a mystery as dense as a Christmas fruitcake . . .” I really enjoyed this story.  It felt a little too good to be true with the way the sisters got along so well when they were younger.  High school girls, as the youngest was, are not usually so pleasant.  It made for a good story, if a little unrealistic, anyway.  Anyone who enjoys the series will love this book as well.

Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia   336 pages

When this book was first listed on Bookishfirst.com, I decided to pass on it. The cover, the title, nor the jacket copy did much for me. Then I started reading some of the reviews that were posted, and I changed my mind. Fortunately I was able to snag a copy.

It’s been ten years since Josiah and Lucas Blackwell were last seen in upper Minnesota. They were known to spend inordinate amounts of time in the Boundary Water, probably the remotest sections of wilderness left in the Lower 48. Searches turned up nothing except a ravaged campfire and the supposition that the two were killed by bears.

Now nineteen, Lucas is caught trying to raid an outfitter’s store. He kills one of the owners and injures the other. Completely uncommunicative with police, he is sent to Codgen mental hospital. There he makes no attempts to speak, if he still can, until he recognizes Maya Stark, a new young assistant speech therapist. He whispers to her, “I know you.” This statement throws Maya, as she does not recognize the young man.

As time goes by, Maya makes a connection with the speechless young man; she is the only one he trusts. Maya feels the connection also, but can’t really explain it, other than empathy. Maya and Lucas both suffer from mother issues. Maya abandoned by choice, Lucas abandoned by fate. Lucas’s main goal now is to get back to his father. Maya chooses to help him, regardless of what it will cost her professionally or personally.

This book is full of surprises. Lucas can be missing one moment and turn up the next. The plot is compelling, full of twists, almost on every page. The middle third drug a tad, and that’s why “Leave No Trace,” which receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Orphan Train

Orphan Train  by Christina Baker Kline   278 pages

In an act of judging a book by its cover, I thought that Orphan Train was a story about the Kindertransport, the organized rescue effort that happened during the nine months before the outbreak of World War II when approximately 10,000 from Germany, Poland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. They were placed in foster homes, schools, farm and hostels in the United Kingdom.

In a way I was wrong and right. This story is about the relocation of children, but instead of Europe, it happened here in in America between 1854 and 1929. Indigent, orphaned or abandoned children from the East Coast were put on trains to be fostered or adopted by Midwestern families, who often treated them like slaves.

Christina Baker Kline’s novel, Orphan Train, tackles this almost-forgotten aspect of American history. Vacillating between Spruce Harbor, Maine, in 2011, and New York, Chicago, and Minnesota of 1929 to 1943, readers meet two children in dire circumstances.

First is seventeen-year-old Molly, who has been sentenced to community service. She is to help an old woman cleanout her attic. The old woman, Vivian, maybe ninety-one years old, but she has a few sparks left in her. Her whole life is in that attic. She doesn’t so much want to clean it out, but look back and remember her life.

Vivian, along with her parents and three siblings, emigrated from Ireland in 1929. She and her parents lived in one of New York City’s infamous tenements. After her family dies in a fire, Vivian, whose birth name is Niamh Power, is sent to the Children’s Aid Society and ultimately placed on a train bound for Minnesota.

While Molly’s story frames Vivian’s story, both take solace in each other. Molly learns that she doesn’t have it so bad after all. Poor Vivian went by several names before Vivian was finally settled on her.

This is a tale of loss, turbulence, resilience, second chances, adaptability, and courage. Be prepared to not get anything else accomplished once you start this wonderfully woven tale.

Orphan Train receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Wedding Cake Murder

Wedding Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke, 370 pages

Hannah Swenson is going to be a contestant in the Food Channel's dessert chef contest and is getting married to the love of her life, Ross Barton.  Although she is worried about Mike and Norman and how they feel about it, Hannah has never been happier in her life.  If she wins the first Food Channel challenge, the rest of the competition will be held in Lake Eden.  Of course, in Lake Eden, Hannah is much more likely to discover another murder.  This was a great addition to the series and the book also has a lot of great recipes.  These books are for mystery lovers and bakers.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
312 Pages


"Kitchens of the Great Midwest, about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country's most coveted dinner reservation, is the summer's most hotly-anticipated debut.

When Lars Thorvald's wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine--and a dashing sommelier--he's left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He's determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter--starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva's journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that's a testament to her spirit and resilience."   

This is a book for people fond of the cooking channels as well as the theory of six degrees of separation.  New characters are introduced throughout the book and you wonder how they interact with one another and Eva. 

Double Fudge Brownie Murder

Double Fudge Brownie Murder by Joanne Fluke, 356 pages

The newest book in the series has Hannah Swenson still waiting to go to trial for the vehicular homicide that took place in the previous book.  Hannah is worried about the upcoming trial but the beginning of the book is occupied with Hannah’s mother’s wedding.  Hannah and her sisters have plotted with the groom to get them to Vegas for a wedding.  There, Hannah finds out that her old flame, Ross Barton, is the “best man” at the wedding.  Their romance rekindled, Hannah also finds out that Ross is considering moving to Lake Eden.  Dealing with her emotions about Ross, Norman and Mike, Hannah is shocked when the judge who is supposed to hear her case is killed only moments before jury selection is scheduled to begin.  Because she was present at the time, Hannah is one of the suspects.  Of course, Hannah discovered the body and is now on the case.  This is an enjoyable addition to the series and people who like mysteries will probably enjoy it.  Fans of the recipes in these books will also like the additions in this book.

Undead And Unwary

Undead And Unwary by MaryJanice Davidson, 303 pages

Betsy, queen of the vampires, is back.  This time, she is trying to avoid helping her Antichrist sister, Laura, run Hell.  She is also trying to figure out what is going on with Jessica’s twin babies, who keep disappearing and reappearing.  This story is the usual humorous jaunt, although there seems to be a lot more of Betsy straying off topic into little side jaunts designed to show how quirky and ditzy she is and it was kind of annoying.  I really felt like nearly half of the book was Betsy’s little asides and the actually story could have been told win half as many pages.  Her asides can be kind of funny sometimes but it was really overwhelming in this book.  I still liked the story but I was kind of disappointed compared to the previous books in the series.  These books make better sense if read in order anyway, but I definitely wouldn’t give this one to someone who hadn’t read other books in the series already.  This series is for fans of supernatural, humorous romances.

Criminal Enterprise

Criminal Enterprise by Owen Laukkanen
408 Pages

The second book of the Stevens and Windermere series delivers a fast paced thriller that will appeal to fans of Lee Child, David Baldacci and Michael Connelly.

Following the success of their previous collaboration, FBI Agent Carla Windermere and Minnesota State Investigator Kirk Stevens have drifted apart.  Windermere starts investigating a series of bank robberies and she is certain that Carter Tomlin is the perp but no one will listen to her and believe her hunch.  When it turns out that Tomlin is  part of Stevens' social circle, the two team up again to figure out how Tomlin is involved as the violence escalates. 

Kill Fee

Kill Fee by Owen Laukkanen
385 Pages

 The third entry in the Stevens and Windermere series, Laukkanen has the duo team up again when a prominent billionaire is gunned down in plain site.  It seems like an open and shut case when they are able to track the killer's rental car back to a suspect only to find a deeper plot is place and more people may have already been victims in an elaborate murder-for-hire network.

Kill fee is a fast paced novel with interesting chemistry between the two investigators.  This promises to be a long lived series that would be popular with readers who already like Patterson, Connelly and Coben.