Bookreviews

A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron

2008-04-09T11:40:00.001-07:00

A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron is a thrilling Victorian mystery. Irish barrister, Patrick Fitzgerald, and his ward Dr. Georgiana Armistead are on the run for their lives after the death of the Prince Consort, Albert. They are hunted throughout England and on the Continent by German Wolfgang van Stuhlen, but they have no idea who wants them dead or why. Much of the story is built on surprises in the plot, and I don't want to give too much away. Barron alternates chapters between Fitzgerald and Queen Victoria. Writing as the queen is a fabulous conceit, and Barron pulls it off with aplomb. Her fictional view into the queen's mind is delicious and frightening. The plot builds slowly, but as the threads come together, they tighten the plot making it a true masterpiece. Barron takes little known bits of history and re-imagines them with gleeful malice. I've always thought of Queen Victoria as rather boring and a bit stodgy, after this I'm off to read a biography. I look forward to Barron writing more books with this bent.

Dead Time by Stephen White

2008-04-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Dead Time by Stephen White is the most recent entry in the Dr. Alan Gregory series, and let me be the first to tell you that White is back on his game. Alan and his wife Lauren are struggling to cope with all of the revelations from the previous book, Dry Ice, as well as their new adopted son. Lauren and Grace, their daughter, go to the Netherlands to find the daughter Lauren put up for adoption years before. Jonas, the new son, is going to spend a few weeks with his mother's relatives in New York, so Alan takes an apartment in NYC to be near him. Merideth, Alan's ex, calls Alan and asks him to investigate the disappearance of the surrogate she's hired to carry her baby. There are multiple storylines that weave in and out of each other, but White handles them all with style. Sam and Alan's relationship is unsteady after the events of the previous book, and through their detective work, they come to a new and deeper friendship. White's books about Alan were starting to get a little stale. He and Lauren were a little too happy, and nearly every book involved some kind of danger for Lauren and Grace. While I wasn't thrilled with Dry Ice, it should be seen as a pivotal book in this series, because it's turned everything around. Alan is no longer predictable, flirting with alcoholism and infidelity, and even Lauren is hiding some secrets. The series suddenly seems fresh and full of possibility.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee

2008-03-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee is the author's fascinating quest to discover the true history of the fortune cookie. Fortune cookies, ubiquitous at Chinese restaurants, are crunchy with a slightly vanilla flavor; this unassuming cookie wouldn't seem to bear up under the weight of an entire book, but Lee makes this book delectable. Want info on the Kosher Duck Scandal of 1989 or about the Chinese immigrants aboard the Golden Venture? Lee has a wide variety of stories that she dug up in her search for the origin of the cookie. Chapters about the cookie are alternated with stories about Chinese immigration throughout the history of the US, how Chinese restaurants have become international, where did General Tso's Chicken come from, and so many more. Lee's book is like a great Chinese buffet. There are lots of selections to choose from, and there's just enough of each to satisfy without a glut of information. Lee's stories about the Chinese immigrants who work in and own Chinese restaurants across the country are the strongest. The images of ghost towns in China filled with huge homes built with the money sent home, but have no residents, streets empty of those of working age, and a school where the older children are taught just enough English to work in the restaurants, show an entire society built on food that no one in China actually recognizes. The best of this genre of book not only educate the reader, but teach the writer something about his/herself as well, and Lee succeeds on both fronts as she connects with her Chinese roots. The mystery of the origin of the cookie is solved in an unexpected way. This book is a must read!

Betrayed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

2008-03-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Betrayed is the second book in the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast. In this newest installment (the third book coming out in March of 2008), the story begins with a day (or night, more appropriately) dreaded by some and anticipated by others: parent visitation. Unfortunately, some parents aren't okay with their children being Marked...and beginning the change in which they become a vampyre-if they survive at all, that is.
In Betrayed, Zoey Redbird and her new vampyre friends, fledglings just like her, try to solve the mystery that has baffled the local human police of Tulsa. Human teenagers (all football players, coincidentally, with whom Zoey has been acquainted), have been disappearing, very near to the House of Night's walls. The police have been led to believe that the vampyres have something to do with it, whether adults or fledglings. But after consulting with Zoey and the vampyres' high priestess, Neferet, they are told that, clearly, vampyres couldn't have done anything. It was all just a coincidence. But after death strikes near home, Zoey and her friends discover a terrible secret-they have been betrayed by someone close to them.
Betrayed is a stunningly good read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an astonishing, tear-jerking (even if it wouldn't appear so in the beginning), fast paced novel.

Review by Bethany

All Around the Town by Mary Higgins Clark

2008-03-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

I was never much of a mystery novel fan, but a friend of mine recommended this well-known author, so I decided to give her books a try. I'm glad to say I'm not in the least bit disappointed. Clark keeps you intrigued through the whole 300 some page book, and you just can't put it down.
The story focuses on Ms. Laurie Kenyon, who is kidnapped at age four and returned home when she was six. But because of all that she has been through out those two years, the doctors have reason to believe that Laurie has developed multiple personality disorder. The years pass and when Laurie is in college, her parents die in a horrible car crash. Laurie blames herself for this tragic accident. The alternates appear again, after being dormant for some time. Very soon after their appearance, Laurie is convicted of the murder of one of her college professors-even though she has no memory of the incident. The doctors, once again, believe that it was one of her alters who committed the crime, and Laurie's sister, Sarah, a lawyer, tries her hardest to turn the case in Laurie's favor. But it simply cannot be done with all the evidence that they have been able to scrounge up. Just when all hope seems lost, however, startling evidence is revealed that turns the whole story around. I was extremely impressed with this novel and am already reading another by Mary Higgins Clark. Anyone looking for a good read should try this book.

Review by Bethany

Obedience by Will Lavender

2008-03-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

Obedience by Will Lavender is another suspense book that fails to live up to its hype. Winchester University's class Logic and Reasoning 204 has an enigmatic teacher, Professor Williams, who on the first day of class announces that a girl named Polly will die in six weeks if the students fail to solve the mystery of her disappearance. Most of the students treat it as a joke, but for three students: Mary, Dennis, and Brian, it quickly becomes an obsession. Individually, at first, they start investigating the professor and the hypothetical case. Events throw them together when the professor himself disappears. The story is an interesting exercise in how people react to a perceived threat to another human being, but it quickly dissolves into impossible coincidences, and then the author blatantly lies to the reader. There has been a recent spate of books (Little Face and The Art Thief) that get a great deal of good press and reviews for debut authors. But each of these books has a twist at the end that betrays the reader. Some authors can pull off that kind of writing with a flair that leaves the reader breathless and full of admiration. These books instead make me want to pull out my hair and take out an ad in the newspaper announcing what a waste of time it was. Reading a book is a give and take between author and reader. Good authors understand that and respect it. This author instead betrays that trust with a implausible ending that satisfies no one.

The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

2008-03-13T13:14:00.001-07:00

The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes is a delightfully quirky mystery filled with twists and turns. Edward Moon is a renowned magician in late Victorian England. Along with his partner, the silent giant The Somnambulist, Moon has acquired a reputation for solving complicated crimes through deductive process. A ham actor is murdered in an exotic manner, and the police call in Moon to help, but the too easy answer only opens the door to many frightening and confusing twists. Soon all of London is under threat of attack, and only Moon can figure out the secret of the poet. I was suffering from book fatigue when I picked up this novel. Too many books in too few days, and none of them were appealing me anymore. But within the first pages of Barnes' book, I was laughing out loud and reading passages to my husband. The narrator promises you that he's going to embellish his story and on occasion even lie to you, and I loved every moment of it! The story is hardly plausible, but that's not the point. My imagination was stirred, my funny bone tickled, and my mind thoroughly engaged. Although this is Barnes' debut novel, he writes with the assurance and flair of a well established author. He even handles a startling twist and complete upending of the story with style.

American Jennie by Anne Sebba

2008-03-05T11:18:00.001-08:00

American Jennie by Anne Sebba is the story of the incredible life of Lady Randolph Churchill. American Jennie Jerome fell in love with Brit Randolph Churchill in a whirlwind courtship. After overcoming parental objections on both sides of the match, the couple wed and quickly produced son Winston. But the romance faded soon, and both engaged in affairs. They pulled together to get Randolph into the House of Commons, but for most of the rest of their lives, they lived apart. Sebba digs through newspaper accounts, family records, diaries, and letters to produce this well put together biography of an unusual woman. Jennie was well known for her beauty and her indiscretions in a time when women were still considered a husband's property. She produced a literary magazine, helped get both her husband and son seats in the House, traveled extensively, and cared for her husband at the end of his life. Randolph, who suffered from syphilis, was a difficult man, capricious even before the disease attacked his mind. Sebba tries to defend and protect Jennie where possible, but even in the best of lights, Jennie was an atrocious mother who ignored her children. In the end, the picture that emerges of Jennie is of a woman determined to live life on her own terms. She produced children, but that didn't make her a mother. She was married, but was a better wife to her lovers. She lived very much in the moment, always in debt and buying Worth gowns. Sebba does her best to make Jennie likeable, and to an extent, she succeeds. Jennie would be a wonderful addition to a dinner party, but not someone you could count on as a friend. A couple of complaints: there are not nearly enough photos of Jennie. For such a famous woman, I'm sure there are many more out there that would have shown her recognized beauty to better advantage. Also, Jennie and her sisters spoke French, so they peppered their letters to each other with French phrases. Sebba also throws several in her writing. I don't know French, so I often felt a bit left out. Sebba easily could have included translations in brackets, because the meaning was usually not easily gleaned from the rest of the passage.

A Bucket of Ashes by P.B. Ryan

2008-02-27T10:35:00.001-08:00

A Bucket of Ashes by P.B. Ryan is the last book in the Gilded Age series starring Nell Sweeney. I read the previous book in this series, Murder in the North End, shortly after it came out at the end of 2006. Visiting the author's website a few months later, I was excited to find that the this would be the last book in the series and was supposed to be published in Dec 2007. Every week starting in July, I visited the library website waiting to get on the reserve list. When it finally made in the list mid-January, I was number one on the list. It arrived on Friday, and I curled up in bed that very night determined not to go to sleep until I had finished it. Nell and Will have faced many troubles in their past, but after (finally) making love at the end of the last book, Will left for France at President Grant's request. Nell is in Cape Cod at the Hewitt's family home taking care of Gracie when she discovers that she's pregnant and her long lost brother has been killed in a fire and implicated in a murder. kmc's review is spot on. It feels as though Ryan needed to deal with every problem in Nell and Will's romance and did so without the spark of the previous books in the series. Remember how Cheers lost its zing after Sam and Diane finally did the deed? That's how it feels in A Bucket of Ashes. The mystery and powerful attraction between the two has been muted. Ryan goes through all of the obstacles keeping the two apart and smooths them out, but I think she's forgotten that what makes a story truly interesting are the wrinkles. The mystery involving Nell's brother is haphazard and unnecessary to the storyline. These characters were so entrancing and enjoyable, they deserve (as do the readers) a much better send off.

Perfect Figures by Bunny Crumpacker

2008-02-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

Perfect Figures by Bunny Crumpacker is a fantastic book that should be getting far more attention than it is. I've always wondered why numbers are written the way they are and how they evolved from thought to drawn figure to abstraction. Crumpacker writes with a delightful sense of humor making what could have been a dry dissertation-style book into an informative, funny, quirky read. Every other chapter I was bouncing up to tell my husband something new that amazed me. Wonder why a 2 looks like it does? It was originally two horizontal lines, when the writer got lazy and didn't lift up the pencil between the two, it turned into a z-like figure that became our two. Want to know what the number three has to do with a witness? The Latin word test-es means the third party to something between two other people and is related to the word tris-tes. That's where we get testimony, protest, contest, and testament, all from a third person witnessing what happens between another two. Crumpacker regularly uses humor to keep the book moving. In a description of many of the reverential views of the number three, she lists the three times chess was played on the original TV series Star Trek. Rarely has a book taught me so much and made it so enjoyable.

A Widow's Curse by Phillip DePoy

2008-02-13T11:23:00.001-08:00

A Widow's Curse by Phillip DePoy is the most recent title in the Fever Devilin series. Fever is a folklorist, former university professor, and resident oddball in Blue Hills Georgia. He receives a phone call from a man researching a mysterious silver coin with ties to Blue Hills, and the detective in Fever can't help but look into the coin's history. But he quickly finds that the coin's history is his own. Then he is accused of the murder of its owner and is forced to dig up, once again, the skeletons in his family's past. The character of Fever is fascinating. He constantly lectures while discussing folklore of the hills, as well as philosophy. You'll never know what subject will next be tackled from book to book or even page to page. Andrews, Fever's best friend, returns, and with each appearance becomes more integral to the series. Andrews helps balance and humanize Fever's almost otherworldy thought process. He punctures Fever's ego and regular bouts of melancholy. I love how DePoy takes common (and uncommon) folk tales and retells them as a way of interpreting society. This is a writer who truly has craftsmanship. Every description has been refined until perfect. Even the weather becomes a character through DePoy's skillful writing. This isn't your usual detective series; it's literary and compelling all at the same time.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

2008-02-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

After the James Frye fiasco, I'm typically finding myself reading memoirs with caution. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, is one of these such memoirs that may be considered as far fetched as Million Little Pieces or Augusten Burroughs’s Running with Scissors. The story begins when the narrator is riding in a taxi and sees her homeless mom digging through a dumpster in a dangerous side of town. It’s not more than two pages later that the reader is transported back to Jeanette’s childhood, when at three years old she finds herself on fire. Even the most reluctant reader will find this book impossible to put down, living through Jeannette tumultuous childhood as she experiences a free spirited life on the road with her eccentric parents. The story is told so objectively, that the reader can make up their own mind on how damaging sheer neglect can be. If this memoir has little embellishment, it is a true testament how human beings have an inherent desire to survive. This is a great book club book, so pick some up for your group today. Or, if you find yourself book-club-less, the library has one that meets the last Thursday of every month at 7pm. February’s selection is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Stop by and grab a copy today.

Eat, Pray, Love By Elizabet Gilbert

2008-02-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

When I placed my library hold on Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, I could not believe how long the list was to get the book. Reading the synopsis, I thought it would be a book that I would enjoy, a spiritual travel log with one of my favorite countries being among one of the places visited. But apparently, as I were to later find out, the book was supported by Oprah Winfrey, which led to it's huge success. But it was a good book in its own right, about a woman on a quest to find herself after her painful divorce. As she visits three countries--Italy, India and Indonesia, she is able to heal and learn some interesting things at the same time. I really enjoyed this book, and if you are willing to wait for a copy, you can get one through your local library.

Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn

2008-02-06T15:32:00.000-08:00

Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn is the second book in the Julia Grey series. Lady Julia is heading home with her two brothers Plum and Lysander (plus Lysander's new wife) for a family Christmas on the March country estate. But she's in for a surprise because her father has invited family members, neighbors, and the target of Julia's affection: Nicholas Brisbane, who just happens to bring his fiance. Every one of Raybourn's characters is a stand out, whether supporting or lead, they are fascinating and full of mystery. Even the family home, a former abbey, has a personality. The March family is well known for its eccentricities, but murder is something even they can't overlook, and when a young cousin confesses, Julia decides to find out the truth, no matter who gets hurt. The electricity between Julia and Brisbane arcs across each page, and the sibling rivalry among the March children is insightful and often hilarious. This Victorian romance/mystery is filled with lots of period detail and sparkling dialogue. Raybourn ends with a new home for Julia, and this series has a new home on my list of favorites.

The Star Machine by Jeanine Basinger

2008-01-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

The Star Machine by Jeanine Basinger tells the story of how Hollywood movie studios produced stars from the 1930s through the 1950s by running them through a machine of sorts. Stars were assigned a type: star, character, or supporting, and then placed in movies that fit their type. Names were changed, teeth capped, hair cut, bodies shaped, biographies written, articles planted in the papers, and stars were born. I cannot gush enough about this book. Basinger fills it with over 200 photos of the stars that capture the era with their soft lighting and fabulous fashions. She picks specific stars and follows their journey through the star machine to show how it succeeded and how it just as often failed. She also uses stories of stars who broke the mold and made the machine unnecessary. The book feels decadent, like a box of good chocolate or fluffy slippers. But the way Basinger talks about movies is anything but fluffy. She's the chair of film studies at Wesleyan University, and reading the way she describes films, I would absolutely pay money to hear her teach a class on the subject. She gives even the flimsy, frothy comedies of the 1930s depth by discussing how a character is developed before they even walk onscreen. This is a book that demands a class or TV special filled with clips. I discovered stars I'd never heard of and fell back in love with long time favorites. My too see list has expanded exponentially.Two small notes: Johnny Depp's singing was dubbed in CryBaby, but he's proven he can sing since in Sweeney Todd. And, why the hatred toward Abbot and Costello? They are two of my family's favorites! Those points aside, if you are a fan of old movies, this is a must read. Charmingly written with insight and witty asides, Basinger's love for film shines on every page.

The Heroines by Eileen Favorite

2008-01-23T11:17:00.001-08:00

The Heroines by Eileen Favorite is the story of 13-year-old Penny Entwistle whose mother Anne-Marie runs an unusual bed and breakfast: heroines from classic literature come there to recharge their batteries and rest. The heroines have been a part of Penny's life as long as she can remember, and keeping them a secret is starting to wear on her relationship with her mother. When a heroine named Deirdre shows up with her hero following her, the lies to protect them get Penny in deep trouble. First a warning: this book is NOT the chick-lit the back and cover would lead you to believe. Second, it's a frustrating read. Favorite's premise is fascinating and would have made a terrific book (and possible series) had she focused on the heroines and their interactions with Penny and Anne-Marie. Instead the book takes a very dark turn when Penny is institutionalized, and Anne-Marie does nothing to save her daughter. Anne-Marie is frustratingly passive throughout the story; she seems more like the pothead than her daughter with her inability to deal with situations constructively. Penny, like most confused early adolescent girls, pushes her mother away while craving her attention, and Anne-Marie seems incapable of taking care of anyone but her heroines. The time in the mental institution is an odd interlude and goes nowhere. Several interesting characters are introduced and then dropped. A police officer believing Anne-Marie and then making the trouble all go away seems too convenient and while I can suspend my disbelief about the heroines visiting the inn, the neat resolution is beyond credibility. The secret behind Penny's father is no secret and is told an another oddly placed segue way. The last chapter skips forward fifty years and leaves more questions unanswered than resolved. Penny seems to assume her mother's role of secret passivity. A dissatisfying ending. If Favorite had split up these major issues into separate books: Penny in the asylum, Anne-Marie's romance, etc. I would have read and probably enjoyed this as a series. Instead too much story is packed into a slim volume with frustrating results.

Vulture View

2008-01-19T08:14:00.000-08:00

When I see books like Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre, it gives me hope that the mothers of the world are out there writing and publishing up a storm. Only a mother could understand the need for a picture book that answers probably the most common question a kid asks in the car---"Gross!!! What is that bird eating?!!?" Although the narrative is funny (a cute little ditty about how vultures only like to eat things that REEK), the pictures are even better, handling a pretty disgusting topic with a wee bit of class. So, if your looking for something a little different to read to your curious and rambunctious child, come to the library and page through Vulture View. It might not win any popularity contests with the parents, but it is definitely most interesting to your kid.

The Beats

2008-01-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I am a fan of the Beat writers, and have read nearly every book by and about them. So, I was happy to hear that a new illustrated book would be released in late 2007. Mike Evans's book, The Beats: From Kerouac to Kesey, an illustrated Journey Through the Beat Generation, is definitely true to its title. Made up of mostly pictures, the text is broken down into manageable chapters and little bits of information. I was able to finish the whole book in one afternoon, which is impressive considering what a chaotic household I live in. Even though much of what was covered in the book was pretty general and well known, it had some beautiful and haunting pictures that were interesting to look at for the casual reader and for geeks like me who read it cover to cover. Once you've ordered this book and are feeling motivated about our literary history, make sure to stop by our writer's club at the library on Monday night at 5:30pm. We'd love to have you, whether you write like Kerouac or not.

Other People's Love Letters by Bill Shapiro

2008-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

Other People's Love Letters by Bill Shapiro is a fascinating peek into love: its beginnings and endings, and the twisted path between. Shapiro, whose website has many more of these letters, asked his friends and exs for old love letters. They, in turn, asked others giving Shapiro a huge range of letters to choose from in making this book. From sweet text messages, to post divorce rants, these letters are enjoyable and insightful. It's amazing how similar letters written in the first throes of love are: you're amazing; I can't live without you. But Shapiro tried to pick letters that said something deeper and love and the human condition. It's not a book you want to read in one sitting; reading too many back to back makes them lose their potency. But taken in small doses, it's a great way to remember how good love feels in the beginning and how sweet it can be after many years. Some of my favorite letters were the ones written by married couples several years in. Shapiro includes a short epilogue with brief stories about some of the couples who wrote the letters. Reading these made the letters even more powerful, especially the one from a husband serving in Vietnam in 1969. A great read, perfect as a Valentine's Day gift; give it with your own love letter!

Little Face by Sophie Hannah

2008-01-10T11:15:00.001-08:00

Little Face by Sophie Hannah has an intriguing premise. Alice Fancourt calls the police in a panic; she insists that her newborn daughter Florence has been kidnapped and a different child put in her place. Her husband David insists that the baby is Florence, but her mother-in-law Vivienne, the family doyenne, isn't so sure. Det. Simon Waterhouse sees no evidence of kidnapping, but he feels drawn to Alice and wants to believe her strange story. Hannah's pacing and dialogue is excellent, and as we start to see the horrors taking place in the Fancourt family home, the tension level ratchets up considerably. David's first wife was murdered, and Alice can't help but wonder if she's next. Vivienne holds her son in her iron grip, and Alice is expected to fall just as neatly in line. The first two thirds of this book was fantastic, but then Hannah pulls the rug out from under the reader. An author walks a delicate line when using a narrator to deceive the reader. Some have pulled it off with aplomb: Agatha Christie and Louis Bayard come to mind. Unfortunately, Hannah isn't talented enough to succeed in her ploy, and after reading, I felt manipulated and used, much like poor Det. Waterhouse. Skip this book; don't waste your time.

Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon

2008-01-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

Speaks the Nightbird by Robert McCammon is a shockingly good historical thriller. In 1699 in colonial Carolina, judicial clerk Matthew Corbett travels along with his guardian and magistrate Isaac Woodward to the small village of Fount Royal to investigate the case of a witch. Rachel Howarth, a young widow of Portugese descent, has been blamed for murders, crop failures, and a rash of fires in the town, and everyone is looking forward to seeing her burn at the stake. But Matthew has questions about the enigmatic beauty, and the more he digs into the town's secrets, the more his life is in danger. I read the review of The Queen of Bedlam in Publisher's Weekly and saw that it was a sequel to this book, so I ordered it. I was intimidated at first by its 700+ pages, but once I cracked it open, it was nearly impossible to put it down. McCammon carefully lays the foundation for the suspense, so that when it starts to build, each page feels like another stick thrown on Rachel's pyre. McCammon doesn't make her innocence or guilt immediately obvious, so as Matthew falls for her despite the testimony about her midnight indiscretions with imps and Satan himself, fear is palpable. But where McCammon really shines is in creating the suffocatingly claustrophobic atmosphere of this isolated community. Everywhere villagers are calling for Rachel's death, and with each of Matthew's questions, they start to raise accusations about him as well. The book feels hopeless, and yet as long as Matthew believes in Rachel, there is hope. The dialogue is vibrant, especially the exchanges between Matthew and Bidwell. There are multiple forces at work, and McCammon does a terrific job of making them work together to make a piece of classic horror literature. Nearly every page made me catch my breath in horror, fear, or surprise. It's a book I'll be recommending to everyone for the next few months. I've already reserved The Queen of Bedlam in which Matthew returns!

T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton

2007-12-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

T is For Trespass by Sue Grafton is the newest book in the Kinsey Millhone series. Kinsey is investigating a suspicious car accident and delivering eviction notices when she's asked to look into the background of Solana Rojas who has applied to be a caregiver for Kinsey's elderly neighbor Gus. Kinsey doesn't notice anything unusual and gives Solana the A-OK, unknowingly committing Gus to a living hell, because Solana is not who she claims to be. Grafton tries a new trick from her authorial bag by switching narration between her usual 1st person Kinsey and 3rd person Solana. Kinsey doesn't investigate mysteries that are going to change the world, but she does help make the world around her a better place. I love Kinsey: her love of olive loaf lunchmeat, peanut butter & pickle sandwiches, her need for small spaces and solitude, her attachment to Henry, William and Rosie. Kinsey, now in her twentieth appearance has become an old friend, and Grafton continues to write thrilling, taut suspenseful stories filled with rich characters and moral dilemmas. Solana's systematic abuse of Gus is horrific to behold, and I couldn't put the book down as I waited for Kinsey to come to his rescue. Solana recognizes a kindred spirit in Kinsey, but where she is dark, Kinsey is light, and each are frighteningly good at what they do. Kinsey is so honest about her hang-ups and flaws that it's hard to believe that she isn't real. Another pitch perfect entry in this series guaranteed to satisfy mystery lovers everywhere.

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

2007-12-26T16:12:00.000-08:00

I love novels that spotlight women's friendships, and Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik was definitely one of those type of books. The story begins when five women meet one snowy evening and decide to form a book club. What begins as a club, turns into a friendship that lasts for decades, with each chapter written from a different character's perspective. As an added bonus, the chapters begin with the book selected for their club that month, giving some great ideas for those who want to form a club of their own. The Lena library's book club meets the last Thursday of the month at 7pm. Stop by and meet the real life angry housewives of your city!

A History of Logging

2007-12-26T16:11:00.001-08:00

I have to admit, I am not a local. I grew up in Milwaukee, and moved to progressively smaller cities as I got progressively older. So, having been here for nearly five years now I figure I should read up about the local history. And, I was really amazed at how much history there is to our little county! A History of Logging In Oconto County by Della Rucker was a standout in my mind as to one of the most intriguing books in our local history collection at the library. I learned why Oconto county has so many mills and how the village of Lena got it's name. I learned that the Great Peshtigo Fire was the biggest forest fire ever recorded in North American history. I learned that Peshtigo was once part of Oconto county AND most importantly I learned why most of the houses in Oconto have roofs made of tin. Are you intrigued? Do you want to know more? Stop by Lena's library, because we have a great collection of local history books. You might learn something new about the very place you live every day!

Neil Gaiman Audio Collection

2007-12-26T16:09:00.000-08:00

I began to read Neil Gaiman when I collected his Sandman series. But since then, he has become an extremely prolific author for both children and adults. However, I had never read any of his children's stories. I had this in mind when I picked up a copy of The Neil Gaiman Audio Collection. The collection contained a few of his short stories for children, some poetry and even an interview that his daughter conducted as a bonus on the CD. The stories were dark and cute, much like Lemony Snicket or Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School. My favorite was the "The Wolves in the Walls", but the entire CD was really good and worth the hour investment of your time. You can order a copy of this at the library, and listen to it in the car on the way home!