Friday, November 30, 2018

The Carnelian Crow


by Colleen Gleason
Avid Press, 2017. 267 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

 Following the disaster of the Chess Queen Enigma, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker have tried to settle back into their lives as young ladies of London. But when Mina receives a strange package from a winged visitor at midnight, she is thrown into a new mysterious adventure: the search for the Carnelian Crow. Despite warnings from Inspector Grayling, and a personal dilemma that leaves Evaline reeling, the two ladies know that they must stop the Ankh from completing her boldest plan yet.

With intriguing characters and a new mystery to solve, I thoroughly enjoyed this newest installment of the Stoker & Holmes series. The main characters are strong, independent, and intelligent ladies at a time when that was discouraged. My favorite part of these books is the steampunk technology that makes their world unique. With the mystery and a little romance, this is a quick, simple read that was enjoyable and fun.

TT

The Beekeeper's Apprentice

The Beekeeper's Apprentice
By Laurie R. King
Picador, 1994. 346 pages. Mystery

Mary Russell has moved back to Sussex in preparation for her entrance to Oxford in the fall.  While on a walk in the countryside, she encounters none other than the retired Sherlock Holmes, pursuing his study of honeybee behavior.  Holmes is struck by Mary's innate talent for deduction and her keen intellect, and the two strike up an unusual relationship - part friendship, apprenticeship, and partnership.

It seems that for readers who may have strong feelings about the Sherlock Holmes world and don't like to see its characters tampered with, this book may chafe against some expectations.  For me, however, the was an unexpectedly delightful story with a tight narrative, witty dialogue, and enjoyable characters.  This is the first in a long mystery series involving Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, and I am already eager for more.

BHG

The Convenient Marriage

The Convenient Marriage
By Georgette Heyer
Arrow, 1934. 272 pages. Romance

When Horatia's older sister Lizzie is proposed to by Lord Marcus Drelincourt, Horatia knows it spells disaster for Lizzie, who is in love with an impoverished military man.  Horatia decides the only thing to be done is to approach Drelincourt herself and ask if he will take her instead, as she suspects his only real interest is to marry into her family.  She promises to do her best to stay out of his way and make him a good wife.  To her surprise, he agrees, and they wed in what she assumes is a marriage of convenience.  Seeking to distract herself after marriage, she forms a friendship with the exciting but dangerous Lord Robert Lethbridge.  When she becomes tangled in a web of trouble,  she begins to realize that the man she married for convenience means more to her than she expected, and begins to see that she means more to Lord Drelincourt than she dared hope.

I listened to this audiobook on a recommendation that the narration by Richard Armitage was worth it, which indeed, it was.  Armitage's skillful charisma carries over easily into audiobook narration and is a joy to listen to. The story itself was enjoyable enough.  Horatia's character, while initially bold and brave, lapses into a series of bad decisions that require a bit of patience from the reader to endure.  It also seems as though this book has one of those relationship trials that could have been solved if the characters in question simply had an honest conversation months in the past.  But all in all, this is a light, enjoyable read.

BHG

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Knit Yourself Calm: A Creative Path to Managing Stress

Knit Yourself Calm: A Creative Path to Managing Stress 
by Lynne Rowe
Search Press, 2017. 112 pgs. Non-fiction.

The author knows knitting is relaxing and science agrees! People who knit frequently are happier for it, even those with clinical depression. Even if you’ve never touched a knitting needle in your life, don’t discount this method of stress management just yet. Rowe has created a simple beginners how-to knit book so that anyone regardless of skill level can access the calming power of knitting. The book consists of a short explanation of the mental benefits of regular knitting, what you’ll need to get started, a projects section, and simple instructions for knitting techniques needed to complete the projects.

At first I decided to pick up knitting because my child is less likely to draw blood with knitting needles than embroidery needles, but then I saw this book and thought the stress relieving aspect an equally attractive quality. I started with a child’s hat, which I will hopefully finish while it’s still cold, but so far it’s been simple. The instructions in the book are easy to follow and nearly adequate on their own, but I did need to supplement with a couple of online videos to feel like I really understood. My only real complaint is the lack of left-handed instructions, but that isn’t a problem for most people. Overall this is a great beginner’s guide to knitting, with some interesting information about the mental health benefits of picking up the hobby.

ER

Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.

Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.
By Brené Brown
Random House, 2018. 320 pages Nonfiction.

Brené Brown is best known for her research on vulnerability, shame, and setting good boundaries. She brings this research to the board room in this version of Daring Greatly for managers. For Brown, leadership is about seeing an employee as a whole person, not just a list of statistics or a series of bottom lines. The job of a leader is to help each whole person to reach their potential and to build teams that function as teams, not as separate individuals with different agendas. Leadership is about having difficult conversations, stepping up with courage and curiosity when something goes wrong, and having compassion. But daring leadership in a culture of scarcity and manipulation and fear is difficult. That's where courage comes in again.

Though this book focuses on businesses specifically, it is also a culmination of all of her books and practices. What is compelling is that Brown writes about her own mistakes as a leader and CEO and shows how she has to rumble every day with her team over issues that could eventually bring them down if not addressed. I found myself thinking about my own leadership skills and how I interact with my coworkers and leaders. It was a very introspective read with lots of applicable information and resources.


AG

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Pemmican Wars (A Girl Called Echo #1)

by Katherena Vermette
Highwater Press, 2017. 47 pgs. Young Adult Comics

Echo is a 13-year-old girl living in modern day Canada, and is adjusting to a new home, new school, and a separation from her mother. One day during history class, she slips back in time to a bison hunt on the Saskatchewan prairie. In the following weeks, Echo travels back several times and learns about her heritage as a Môetis Indian and the Pemmican Wars

This is a beautiful story about how learning about your history, culture, and heritage can provide understanding and comfort in times of need. I learned a lot about Canadian history that I previously did not know, and could recognize similarities between the experiences of the native people in Canada and the United States. This was a quick read, but the illustrations are beautiful and I experienced my own reflection about my heritage and how much of it influences me today.

TT


Venetia

Venetia
by Georgette Heyer
Heinemann Books, 1958. 355 pages. Romance

Venetia is beautiful, clever, sensible, and firmly on the shelf. Her restrictive life in the country prevented her from experiencing a London Season and now her only marriage prospects are a puppy-like youth and an over persistent man. She thus resigns herself to spinsterhood. Then her neighbor, Lord Damerel, arrives. Though he is a notorious rake, she soon finds herself falling in love with him.

Richard Armitage. Do I have your attention?  Good. I listened to this book on the Libby app and Richard Armitage was the narrator. Now, Richard Armitage could read a phone book and I would listen from A to Z. That being said, his voice added a lot to the experience of this book for me. I was not particularly supportive of the love interest, but I didn't mind his offensive behavior half as much as I would have simply because the narration was amazing. This romance was a clean read and there were plot twists that kept me interested. As a general rule, I will always recommend Georgette Heyer. However, I highly recommend listening to this one for a Richard experience.

HS

Monday, November 12, 2018

The Agony of Bun O'Keefe

The Agony of Bun O'Keefe
by Heather Smith

PRH Canada Young Readers Penguin Teen. 2017. 256 pages. Young Adult. 


It's Newfoundland, 1986. Fourteen-year-old Bun O'Keefe has lived a solitary life in an unsafe, unsanitary house. Her mother is a compulsive hoarder, and Bun has had little contact with the outside world. What she's learned about life comes from the random books and old VHS tapes that she finds in the boxes and bags her mother brings home. Bun and her mother rarely talk, so when Bun's mother tells Bun to leave one day, she does. Hitchhiking out of town, Bun ends up on the streets of St. John's, Newfoundland. Fortunately, the first person she meets is Busker Boy, a street musician who senses her naivety and takes her in. Together they live in a house with an eclectic cast of characters: Chef, a hotel dishwasher with culinary dreams; Cher, a drag queen with a tragic past; Big Eyes, a Catholic school girl desperately trying to reinvent herself; and The Landlord, a man who Bun is told to avoid at all cost. Through her experiences with her new roommates, and their sometimes tragic revelations, Bun learns that the world extends beyond the walls of her mother's house and discovers the joy of being part of a new family — a family of friends who care. 

I read this book as an ebook on the Libby app.This book is listed as a Young Adult read, but the reader should be aware that it contains mature themes such as homophobia, prejudice, and child molestation. The book is filled with raw emotion and can be absolutely heartbreaking at times, but the extraordinary effort a family of misfits makes to care for an abandoned, emaciated teen provides some healing and warmth to the storyline. I would recommend this book to a reader who is aged 14 or older and is looking for a story with diverse, quirky characters, unique backstories, and fun pop culture references in addition to the mature themes previously listed. 

NS

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Monster Hunter International

Monster Hunter International
by Larry Correia
Baen Books, 2009, 736 pgs, Sci-Fi

One day Owen Zastava Pitt got to live the true American Dream, he got to throw his horrible boss out of a fourteen story window and smush him with a desk when his boss turned into a werewolf and tried to kill him. Owen wakes up in the hospital covered with injuries, an notice from his accounting firm informing him he was fired due to breaking the no weapons at work policy, and a job offer. What the Feds don’t want you to know is monsters are real and everything you can imagine from a B-horror film is waiting in the shadows. Because there are all of these creatures there is also a team who hunt the things which hunt the edges of your nightmares, they are known as Monster Hunter International. Join Owen and a group of survivors as they go head to head with creatures which haunt normal peoples nightmares and earn a nice commission as they go.

Can I just say how much I loved this book? This was such a fun read for me; I loved the dialog between the characters. I LOVE OWEN and his views on running he and I agree 100%. He is a gun nut and it was really entertaining to read about how excited they got over the variety of gun modifications they were able to come up with. There is some language so some readers may not enjoy that but overall wonderful story wonderful plot and I hope you have as much fun reading this as I did.

MH

Promises and Primroses

Promises and Primroses
By Josi S. Kilpack
Shadow Mountain, 2018. 322 pgs. Fiction

Elliott Mayfield has had to sacrifice a lot to save his family's fortune. He is tired of the disgrace his siblings have brought to the family name so he decides to undertake a 'marriage campaign' to try to ensure that his nieces and nephews make better marriages. Meanwhile, his nephew Peter is trying to find a governess for his two young daughters after the death of his wife. Marriage is the last thing on his mind and he has no time for his uncles campaign. Peter's new governess Julia is the perfect match for his family but she is the daughter of Elliott's long lost love and the mother is strongly against her daughter being involved with the Mayfield family in any way. 

This book has two different story lines, Elliott and Amelia's and Peter and Julia's. At first I was worried that it would be too hard to keep track of all the different main characters, but the story blended together perfectly. The reader gets a chance to see each person's perspective and realize their individual challenges and frustrations. This is the first book in the Mayfield Family series and I look forward to seeing these characters again in future books. This series is also part of the Proper Romance line of books being published by Shadow Mountain which means it is a great romance story without any questionable content.

AL

Friday, November 9, 2018

The Simplicity of Cider

The Simplicity of Cider
by Amy Reichert
New York : Gallery Books, 2017. 313 pages ; 21 cm Romance.

Focused and unassuming fifth generation cider-maker Sanna Lund has one desire: to live a simple, quiet life on her family’s apple orchard in Door County, Wisconsin. Although her business is struggling, Sanna remains fiercely devoted to the orchard, despite her brother’s attempts to convince their aging father to sell the land.

Single dad Isaac Banks has spent years trying to shield his son Sebastian from his troubled mother. Fleeing heartbreak at home, Isaac packed up their lives and the two headed out on an adventure, driving across the country. Chance—or fate—led them straight to Sanna’s orchard.

Isaac’s helping hands are much appreciated at the apple farm, even more when Sanna’s father is injured in an accident. As Sanna’s formerly simple life becomes increasingly complicated, she finds solace in unexpected places—friendship with young Sebastian and something more deliciously complex with Isaac—until an outside threat infiltrates the farm.


This is the perfect book to cuddle up with and get in the mood for fall given that the story takes place on a family-owned apple orchard in rural Wisconsin. The characters are made vulnerable by the high transparency of their flaws, which makes it easy for the readers to relate to and fall in love with them. I was also impressed by the author's effort to include details on the cider-making process. This book is great for someone looking for a clean romance which moves at a steady pace and has a cozy setting for the reader to melt into.

NS

The Storyteller

 The Storyteller 

by Jodi Picoult
Emily Bestler Books/Atria Books, 2013. 460 pages. General Fiction.

Sage Singer, a reclusive local baker, attends a grief group to help her mourn the recent loss of her mother in an accident. It is here that she meets 95 year old Josef Weber, a German teacher and well-loved member of the community who soon confesses his dark past. He believes Sage can grant him the forgiveness he seeks, and she is shocked when he asks her to help him die, causing her to question her beliefs--and to wonder, in the face of the atrocities he admits to committing, if his request would be murder or justice?

Historical fiction leaning books are not generally what I am drawn to, and I’ll admit that I’ve never read one of Picoult’s books (I know, bad librarian), but this one had me hooked. I relished the storytelling in its various forms throughout the book- from Sage’s current moral dilemma, to flashbacks told by her grandmother, and the fictional allegory woven within the world of the book. Both harrowing and heart wrenching, this book twists and twirls and takes the reader on a ride, and in less capable hands, could have been a melancholic or sentimental mess, but was pleasantly surprising and well paced.

I read this book with a book club and it brings up many interesting topics for discussion including WWII, justice, perception, forgiveness, redemption, and more. The library offers this book as a Book Club Set, which you can check out for your own book club as well!

RC

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers

Cover image for The good neighbor : the life and work of Fred RogersThe Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers
by Maxwell King
Abrams Press, 2018, 406 pages, Biography

Drawing on original interviews, oral histories, and archival documents, the author traces the iconic children's program host's personal, professional, and artistic life through decades of work.

Riding on the wave of Mr. Rogers nostalgia that started with the documentary, this book expands on the endearing life story of one of America’s favorite people. When I saw that this book was read by LeVar Burton, another beloved figure from my PBS-filled childhood, I knew I had to listen to the audio version of the book. While Burton’s narration was good, the real appeal for me turned out to be the stories of Mr. Rogers’ life when he was off-camera. It was a relief to have it enforced that one of my favorite people growing up really did believe that everyone is special “by just your being you.”

MB

My Plain Jane

Cover image for My plain Jane
My Plain Jane
by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
HarperTeen, 2018, 450 pages, Young Adult

You may think you know the story. Penniless orphan Jane Eyre begins a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester--and, Reader, she marries him. Or does she? Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Bronte, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

If you’ve already read My Lady Jane by the same authors, you know that they love to take well-known stories and turn them on their heads by adding a bit of fantasy, interesting characters, and plenty of wit. This time, instead of telling a story from history, they revise Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, reimagined so that Jane can see ghosts and the head of a ghost-hunting team is trying to recruit her. This hilarious book is a great addition to the series, and it will be adored by anyone who enjoys books like Jasper Fforde’s The Eyre Affair or William Goldman’s The Princess Bride.

MB

Monday, November 5, 2018

Little White Lies

Little White Lies
By Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Freeform, 2018. 400 pgs. Young Adult.

Sawyer Taft is doing just fine when her rich grandmother, Lillian Taft, shows up at her front door with an offer and a contract. If Sawyer agrees to live with Lillian for nine months and participate in a debutante season, Lillian will pay her $500,000. Although Sawyer doesn’t forgive Lillian for ignoring her and her mother for the last 18 years, the promised payout is too good to pass up. That’s how Sawyer finds herself rubbing elbows with members of high society, going to brunch at the local country club, and in a jail cell with three other debutantes.

I really enjoyed Sawyer as a character. She was smart and tough but had a softer side to her as well. I thought her development throughout the story was great and seemed genuine as she came to care for her cousin and the other debutantes. I thought the story was told well through flash backs that kept the reader intrigued. I also enjoyed that the focus of the story was more on Sawyer’s relationships with her mother, Lily, and Lillian instead of with a boy. My only criticism is that the ending was sudden with a giant twist that didn’t seem wholly necessary. I would recommend this book for anyone who is already a fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes or anyone who is looking for a book filled with secrets and intrigue but limited on the romance.

AU

The Woman in the Window

The Woman in the Window
By A.J. Finn
William Morrow, 2018. 449 pgs. Fiction.

Dr. Anna Fox used to be a brilliant child psychologist, but now she can’t even leave her own house. An accident last winter has caused her to become agoraphobic and she now spends her time self-medicating and drinking bottle after bottle of Merlot while observing her neighbors. Anna is particularly interested in the new family that moved in across the park—the Russells. One night, she sees something she shouldn’t and the walls she has built up to keep herself safe start to crumble.

I’m new to the mystery/thriller genre and to unreliable narrators, so maybe I was a little too easily impressed by this book and all of its twists and turns. However, I thought it was a quick and engaging read that had me hooked from the beginning. Even though I enjoyed it overall, I was often frustrated with Anna because of how much she drank—it seemed like a simple solution to get people to start taking her seriously would be to stop mixing alcohol with her medications. I also wanted her to get one of those weekday pill boxes so she would stop double and triple dosing. This book had me guessing from beginning to end and I would recommend it for other people who are also new to the genre.

AU

Baby Teeth

Baby Teeth 
by Zoje Stage
St. Martin’s Press, 2018. 304 pages, General Fiction

Hanna, at 7 years old, doesn’t speak. She barks and menaces others, can’t go to school because she terrorizes other students, and has now begun to turn her wrathful attention to her mother. A master manipulator, she hides her true colors from her father, and attempts to drive a wedge between her parents so that her ultimate plot, to remove her mother from the picture and have all of her father’s love for herself, grows darker and more diabolical.

A suspenseful and disturbing tale of mother versus daughter, this book is not for everyone, but is a page turner for those who like an unpredictable and psychologically chilling romp. It deftly weaves the perspective between Hanna’s view and her mother’s, propelling the story forward around each twist and turn. The author differentiated the character’s voices in the book in a unique way, and though child-like, it was clear that Hanna’s threat was real and imminent. Both Hannah and her mother are sympathetic characters, even though Hannah is clearly disturbed, you can't help but feel the pain and confusion she expresses. I don’t know what stories of demonic or maniacal children say about our culture, but this one was a well written and entertaining stretch of the imagination.

RC

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Eleanor and the Iron King

Eleanor and the Iron King
by Julie Daines
Covenant Communications Inc., 2015, 202 pgs. Romance

 Eleanor de Lacy, daughter of an English earl, has been bartered as a bride to the enemy in exchange for peace. Eleanor knows little about her husband-to-be, the Welsh king Brach Goch, only that he is a ruthless leader responsible for attacks on her people and the death of her beloved brother. Once she reaches the Welsh king’s castle, she receives ominous warnings from a terrifying ghost: Brach cannot be trusted. However she begins to realize all is not as it seems, and finds herself in the middle of a web of deceit. She must decide who to trust, and who to love.

 Honestly I found the character development to be rather wanting, but I feel like it helps establish this book as a light read. The encounters with the ghost kept things interesting and helped move the plot. I also really enjoyed the Welsh setting. This book would be great for someone looking for a clean romance, or a casual read that won’t demand much thought to enjoy.

 ER