What are You Reading / Reviews - September 2016

[Leah]

September is upon us! Let us know what you plan to read, what you did and didn't like, review a few books!

[Terris]

Reading now:
Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
The Big Sleep by Ramond Chandler
Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs (audiobook)

[Book Concierge]

Latte Trouble – Cleo Coyle – 3***
Book three in the Coffee House series is fast, entertaining, and enjoyable. I figured out the culprit way before Clare (or the police), but it was still fun watching them work through the clues. As always, Coyle includes some interesting tidbits about coffee, which I liked (even though these segues detracted from the plot).
Full Review HERE

[Marti]

I'm slowly working my way through Deep South by Paul Theroux on the recommendation of my cousin. She is the family historian and our family has deep southern roots, not always in a good way! She had me take note of certain counties where she has found family in the past.

I may intersperse a light story or two just to keep sane, but I am not going to participate in any challenges that keep me from Deep South. It's quite a tome!

[Beverly]

Where I Lost Her by T. Greenwood
5 stars

I have never read anything by T. Greenwood and was very pleasantly surprised with this book. Although I had a few issues with believing everything along the way, it was easy to suspend my questions because I was so intent on finding out what happened. I really enjoyed the way this book was written. The reader knows right up front that something has happened to Tess and Jack to stress their marriage and it has something to do with a child. But we get just little bits of this back story as we progress through what is happening to them currently. They have gone to visit friends and one evening after they run out of alcohol, Tess makes a run to the local liquor store to replenish their supply. On the way home, as she struggles to keep the broken liquor bottle from spilling all over the car so is suddenly confronted with a young girl standing in the middle of the road. Although she attempts to help her, the injured girl darts back into the forest and disappears. Tess reports the incident but the local police have no missing child reports, Tess had been drinking and her past comes back to haunt her. They end up believing that Tess made the whole thing up. Now it's up to her to prove them wrong. This was a great, compelling read!

[Book Concierge]

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen – Lucy Knisley – 3***
This is a delightful graphic memoir. Knisley is the daughter of a chef, and has had a close relationship with food since early childhood. She enjoys experiencing new tastes, textures, and smells, and considers food not just as sustenance but a central enjoyment in her life.
Full Review HERE

[Beverly]

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
3 stars

This was interesting historical fiction that was based on the real life of Beryl Markham. Beryl's parents moved her to Kenya when she was a child but then her mother left her with her father and Beryl ended up raising herself for the most part. She spends considerable time with a young Kipsigis boy and ends up as a head-strong young woman who loves nature and understands the wilder side of African life. She first becomes an expert horse trainer and because she's working mostly in a male dominated career, she ends up in a string of relationships--most of which end badly. Her enduring love interest is safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton who is also involved with Karen Blixen (who as Isak Dinesen wrote Out of Africa). Through Denys she also develops a passionate love of flying, also mostly the realm of males in the early twentieth century. A look at the life of an independent woman who despite the odds and her roller coaster life, makes a mark for herself in history.

[Beverly]

Six Scary Stories edited by Stephen King
4 stars

This was a quick, fun read. My husband and I spent a lot of time on the bike this weekend and I easily read these 6 short stories. All 6 were chosen by Stephen King out of many that were submitted. According to Mr. King he was pleasantly surprised that he was presented with a number of really good manuscripts that were fun to read and kept his interest. My favorite by far was Wild Swimming by Elodie Harper (I think Mr. King may have considered that one his favorite as well) but all 6 caught my interest and made me feel just a little creeped out.

[Leah]

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
369 pages

★★★★

Me Before You has become a very popular book, made even more popular by the movie that came out this year. Which meant I’ve avoided it like the plague and stuck to what I read most – some obscure non-fiction book. As most people who know my reading style can attest to, I’m just not a big fiction reader. And honestly, if I’m reading fiction I’m often staying away from the super popular (unless it‘s an author I seriously like). So as much as I’ve heard of this book, I never thought to really read it, until alas I was bombarded with people telling me to give it a chance and heck, I had to read it for a book club anyway.

And, I liked it. Way more than I thought I would. Honestly, I had seen more of what the book was about based off movie trailer than anything else. I fell in love with the characters and the story line. There was a very serious tone in places, something I didn’t expect. The underlying subject matter is something I have been interested in for years – I did a 25 page paper on it in high school. I won’t say it was a favorite and the waterworks never showed up, like everyone told me they would. The problem with having too many people rave about a book is that my expectations are higher than most books can deliver. This book almost delivered all that rave while I read it, but not quite enough for a 5 star.

[Book Concierge]

Grace Interrupted – Julie Hyzy – 3***
Book number two in the Manor House Mysteries has Marshfield Manor grounds overrun by a group of Civil War re-enactors. When one of them is found stabbed, the Manor’s gardener, Jack Embers, is a suspect. Grace jumps in to clear Jack’s name. I like Grace, but seriously, does Grace really have to get embroiled in this mess? Well, it wouldn’t be a cozy without an amateur sleuth. The character I like the best, is the irascible assistant, Frances. What a hoot she is.
Full Review HERE

[Melissa]

Changes by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files, #12)
4 ★

Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover—until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.
Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it—against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry's not fighting to save the world...
He's fighting to save his child.

My Thoughts

Changes is a perfect title for this book. There are so many. Dresden finds out that he's a dad and must save his child from the Red Court. I loved the setting in Mexico and the history. Everyone is back for this one, including Butters, Queen Mab and Harry's godmother. Lea surprises me a bit is this one. She's funny and actually helpful. There are a few moments throughout the book that made me gasp and Dresden makes a decision that really upset me. How could he! Dresden loses so much in this book that you can't help but feel sorry for him. The ending is a shocker and will probably send most people running out to buy the next book. Good thing I already own it! I'm really looking forward to seeing where Dresden goes from here.

[James]

Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie, compiler & tr., The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library [1988] 361 pages

A collection of source materials on Pythagoras and Pythagoreanism in English translation. The translations are rather old; this is an augmented reprint of a book first published in 1920. It includes the Lives of Pythagoras written by Iamblicus, Porphyry, and Diogenes Laertius,and various fragments and testimonia from later Pythagoreans and neo-Pythagoreans, Plato and Aristotle, and the Church Fathers. There is some material on his mathematical and physical discoveries, but most of the material is on his religious and ethical ideas. Today, these seem like platitudes, but since Pythagoreanism was the main influence on Platonism and neo-platonism, and that was the major influence on Christian theology, the ideas may have been more original in their context. Much of what is attributed to Pythagoras is obscure and probably symbolic; the interpretations here are interesting but not necessarily what he had in mind. For example, he put a major emphasis on not eating or even coming in contact with beans. The interpretations here range from "don't eat anything which causes flatulence", which seems rather trivial for a major religious taboo, to "don't vote for Democrats", which is certainly good advice but probably not what he meant either.

[Terris]

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, 5*****s
LOVED this one!!! By the title, I thought it was going to be an Indian story, but it was not. It was about a 13-year-old girl finding her way through difficulties in her life, with many interesting characters along the way (her grandparents being two of the main ones -- they are a hoot!). It is light, funny, sad, sweet, and overall a very nice read. Recommended for Grades 6-9 -- I would recommend it for all ages!

[Beverly]

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
4 stars

What a lovely story. A tale of two elderly Britons, Axl and Beatrice (or Princess as he calls her) man and wife, who have been devoted to each other all their their married lives...at least as far as they can remember. The breath of the dragon, Querig, has raised a mist that causes everyone to forget their past and so they are unsure. They believe they remember that their son lives in another small town some ways from them and decide to go to visit. Despite their advanced years they embark on a journey where a number of strangers will join them for parts of their trip; a Saxon warrior who intends to slay Querig, a youth who bears a strange wound and a knight who was a friend of King Arthur. As they roam the countryside growing ever closer to rejoining their son, they also grow ever closer to understanding each other and the years of love that they have shared. An epic adventure that retains a misty, magical atmosphere throughout.

[Terris]

Beverly wrote: "
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
4 stars

What a lovely story. A tale of two elderly Britons, Axl and Beatrice (or Princess as he calls her) man and wife, wh..."

I'm so glad to see your review and happy that you liked this book! I have read two books by this author & loved them. This book is on my list but I think it is so different from his other books that it got some poor reviews, so I wasn't sure if I still wanted to read it or not. But your review reassures me that I should still read it -- Thanks!!

[Book Concierge]

Terris wrote: "
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, 5*****s
LOVED this one!!! By the title, I thought it was going to be an Indian story, but it was not. It was about a 13-year-old gi..."

I think I should read this.

[Book Concierge]

The Mirror Crack’d From Side To Side – Agatha Christie – 3.5***
Miss Marple is showing her age but she’s really not so frail as people think, and she can still out-detect the most experienced Scotland Yard inspector. Christie really kept me guessing on this one. There are plenty of suspects, and lots of red herrings. Miss Marple is at her best in using her knowledge of human behavior and deducing the truth.
Full Review HERE

[Book Concierge]

Sept 11 - Currently Reading

TEXT: Death by Darjeeling / Laura Childs
AUDIO in the car: The Geography of Genius / Eric Weiner
Portable AUDIO: The Art of Racing in the Rain / Garth Stein

[Terris]

Book Concierge wrote: "Terris wrote: "
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, 5*****s
LOVED this one!!! By the title, I thought it was going to be an Indian story, but it was not. It was about a..."

I think you should -- I didn't even describe it very well, so I hope you'll like it better than you even expect! ;)

[Terris]

Book Concierge wrote: "Sept 11 - Currently Reading

TEXT: Death by Darjeeling / Laura Childs
AUDIO in the car: [book:The G..."

I loved "The Art of Racing in the Rain"!

[Terris]

Currently reading:

Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari and really liking it a lot!!


In Times Like These by Nathan Van Coops, not too far into it but liking this time-travel book so far!


The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, my first Chandler "Philip Marlowe" book!


The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck, I just love the way Steinbeck puts words together, so I expect to like this one a lot!

[James]

Edward Conze, Buddhism: It's Essence and Development [1951] 212 pages

My experience of Buddhism is limited to having had for a few weeks a roommate who prayed to a gohonzon for money . . . but I don't think Leroy was a good example of any religion. I am always a bit discouraged when I see people only reading books which they know in advance will reinforce their existing opinions, and often say that the point of reading is to challenge your own beliefs. The past few months, I have been following my own advice, reading about some systems which are uncongenial to my basic worldview -- the Pythagoreans, Parmenides, Karl Jasper, nineteenth century German Idealism . . . and this book on Buddhism. Since I have never understood how people can believe in Christianity, which is the religion I was brought up in, I assumed I woud find Buddhism even more incomprehensible, but perhaps due to having read these other books first, this made a certain amount of sense, if you accept the idealist premises. I don't, so I'm not likey to be converted any time soon, but the book was worthwhile for understanding a major belief system.

Conze, described as a major Buddhist scholar in the blurb, has given a good summary account of the doctrines, in a historical context, explaining the differences and developments of the major schools; at least I now know what is meant when a see a reference to Theravadins, Mahayani, or Zen and how they differ. I assume the author is himself Buddhist, or at least sympathatic, but his descriptions seem fairly objective and do not favor one version over another (except for an obvious dislike of Leroy's sect, the Nicheren, which he calls "militaristic" and considers more a variety of Shintoism than Buddhism.) In fact, Buddhism is not an exclusive religion, but a type of doctrine which can be superimposed on other religions, so that many of the Buddhist schools include much of Hinduism, Daoism, or other religions. This explains why Buddhism can be seen as having no God, or as having entire pantheons.

Conze is also objective in admitting some faults of Buddhism; while he emphasizes its tolerance and writes that "It goes without saying that there would be little room in Buddhism for religious persecution -- for Crusades, or Inquisitions. If the buddha were insulted, a Buddhist would see little reason to torture or kill the person who 'insulted' him. . . . It would appear incongruous to a Buddhist to convince someone of the superior quality of his great benevolence by burning him alive," he admits a couple of pages later, "In their desire to express disapproval of Christianity, many authors have painted the record of Buddhism too white, and it will be necessary to admit that on occasion the Buddhists were capable of behaviour which we usually regard as Christian." As an example, he points out that ". . . the success of the [Yellow Church in Tibet] was due to the military support of the Mongols, who, during the 17th century, frequently devastated the monasteries of the rival Red sects, and who throughout supported the Dalai Lama, the head of the Yellow Church." He gives other examples, but most of them seem to me rather creditable to the Buddhists since they involved resistance to the colonial powers.

Eventually, I will want to read some of the primary sources or "scriptures" but for now this book gave me some idea of what Buddhism is about.

[Beverly]

Terris wrote: "Beverly wrote: "
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
4 stars

What a lovely story. A tale of two elderly Britons, Axl and Beatrice (or Princess as he calls her) ..."

You are very welcome and I hope you feel the same about it. It was so different from Never Let Me Go (which is the only other book of his that I've read) but the tone of this book was just so wonderful. It just constantly put me in the mind of knights of old and their adventures.

[Beverly]

All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
4 stars

I have surprised myself 3 or 4 times this year by grudgingly reading a "war" novel and then finding that I really liked it. All Quiet on the Western Front is definitely one of these. The book tells the story of a group of young German men who were all classmates and joined, with naive enthusiasm, the German Army during World War I. The viewpoint is all from one of these young men, Paul Baumer. Although, like any war, the book is overwhelmingly sad and horrifying, there is still a constant vivid ribbon of dedication and brotherhood among these boys that makes you feel like you know them and that affects the reader deeply. A quick read with a powerful message because the nationality of the combatants and the time frame of the battle can be forgotten...these young men who fight for us and each other could be anyone's son, father or husband.

[Book Concierge]

¡Ask a Mexican! – Gustavo Arellano – 2**
“¡Ask a Mexican!” is the title of Arellano’s regular column in the OC Weekly, in which he tries to answer questions on the culture of America’s rapidly growing minority. This is a collection of those columns. Like most such satirical / humorous columns, they are best taken once a week. Reading all of them at once was a bit much. I was bored by much of it and didn’t find it very funny, though I did like the descriptions of food.
Full Review HERE

[Terris]

Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari, 4****s
I really enjoyed this book about romance and dating in today's world. I haven't dated in many years so had no idea what today's young people are through with all the technology and many different expectations than I went through. I also enjoy Aziz as a comedian, so I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[Terris]

Beverly wrote: "All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
4 stars

I have surprised myself 3 or 4 times this year by grudgingly reading a "war" novel and t..."

I loved this book too! And I only read it this year! I wish I had read it earlier in my life. I felt like I learned a lot from it.

[Terris]

Beverly wrote: "Terris wrote: "Beverly wrote: "
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
4 stars

What a lovely story. A tale of two elderly Britons, Axl and Beatrice (or Princess as..."

Yes, I read Never Let Me Go and Remains of the Day (which I highly recommend!). I know this one is different from the others, but from what you describe, I think I'd really like it -- thanks!

[Beverly]

Dance of the Winnebagos by Ann Charles
2 stars

This was a freebie that I thought might be a quick, fun read. It would have been a fairly quick read if I could have gotten into it and really enjoyed it. Claire, our protagonist, is checking up on her grandfather and his cronies who are staying in an RV camp. She ends up with a job helping Ruby (the RV camps owner and operator) with general handy work. Ruby is in danger of losing the camp grounds and is trying to decide whether or not she is going to sell the mines that she owns to pay off her other debts. To help out, Ruby's nephew, Mac, has also come to help with the decision regarding the sale of the mines. He and Claire are immediately an irritant and sexually drawn to one another. Early on the reader finds out that someone in the town is searching for something in the mines that they are willing to kill for. The story line was ok and it could have been cute if it weren't for the continuous off color comments by Claire's grandfather and his friends, the unending variety of cutesy cartoon characters that Claire had on her t-shirts and the author trying to impress us with the number of song lyrics that she is obviously well acquainted with. Oh and did I mention that Claire and Mac alternated every 5 minutes or so with either being on each other's last nerve or dying to fling themselves into the nearest spot big enough to have sex in? I really thought that some of the background the author came up with detailing what had happened in the past was interesting and the story could have been pretty decent but I couldn't make myself care about any of these characters and only finished the book because it satisfied the last piece of a challenge.

[Book Concierge]

For Your Love – Beverly Jenkins – 3***
This is the sixth book in the Blessings series, which follows the residents of Henry Adams, Kansas, a small town originally founded by freed slaves. I liked that things don’t always go smoothly, but that – for the most part – the characters react realistically. And then there’s Astrid Wiggins; she is a caricature, so evil and unreasonable in her hatred and vindictiveness that she’s totally unbelievable. On the whole, however, it was an enjoyable, quick read. It reminded me of both the Miss Julia series by Ann B Ross, and the Harmony series by Philip Gulley.
Full Review HERE

[Book Concierge]

The Art of Racing In the Rain – Garth Stein – 5***** and a ❤
The story could be maudlin but it isn’t. Enzo is a philosophical narrator, and also a fair one. (Though he does have a thing for the zebra demon.) There are moments of laugh-out-loud humor, sing-out-loud joy, and sigh-out-loud sadness. I listened to the CD for this re-reading. The audio is performed perfectly by Christopher Evan Welch. Have a hankie ready for the last few chapters.
Full Review HERE

[Beverly]

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
5 stars

I loved this book in spite of the fact that it's yet another book about World War II and the horrible things that happened at that time. This is the story of 2 French sisters, Viann and Isabelle. When war breaks out, Isabelle is living with her father in Paris and Viann is suddenly alone with her daughter in the country after her husband is sent off to fight in the French army. Isabelle's father decides to send her to help her older sister cope with whatever happens as the war progresses. None of the 3 have any idea how the war will test them, change them and totally alter their family relationships. I thought this was an amazing story. I was so wrapped up in the lives of these incredibly brave people that I could barely listen quickly enough. I don't want to give anything away regarding the story but I will say that I was in tears by the end of it. Polly Stone was the reader and I think she did an incredible job. I would highly recommend this.

[Lela]

Currently reading The Business by Martina Cole.
I'd be breezing through it if I could but heavy books hurt my hands so I can only get through about 50 pages at a time.

[Book Concierge]

The Geography of Genius – Eric Weiner – 3***
The subtitle is all the synopsis you need: A Search for the World’s Most Creative Places, from Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley. Weiner explores the culture of various cities and eras that resulted in an environment that fostered genius. It’s an interesting book, but not a particularly compelling one, and there were times when I just zoned out. Still, I learned a little about a variety of subjects.
Full Review HERE

[Beverly]

Yarn Over Murder by Maggie Sefton
1 star

We read this for one of my current book discussion groups and it really just didn't even warrant a discussion except maybe why was a "yarn over" never mentioned in the Yarn Over Murder? This is #12 in a series and is the first book of the series that I've read so I don't want to discredit them all but this book just was not what I had hoped for. In my opinion, there were way too many specifically named characters which made it difficult to keep everyone straight. The amount of time that the knitting shop and/or knitting at all was minimal, although I will say that several of the ladies involved raised alpacas, for their wool. The majority of the book centered on a run away wild fire that was threatening the ranches in the community and a murder that occurred during the community's reaction to the fire. Just really not my cup of tea.

[Beverly]

Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis
40 pages

I reviewed this for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I was ready to love this book because I thought the cover was so cute but I just didn't. I thought the color palette, which was added digitally, was harsh and I just couldn't get into the strange drawings and words. In the author's and illustrator's defense, that probably makes it a great book for kids. I just didn't care for it.

[Beverly]

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers
5 stars

I reviewed this for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I really loved this book, it was so visually satisfying. The illustrations are done in simple lines and the story is also very direct and clear. It's the hand lettered backgrounds that were so wonderful and I'm not sure that my descriptions will do them justice. The child telling the story is talking about how wonderful books are and how they can take you on so many wonderful adventures. When the child is shown in a boat on the sea, the waves are all rendered in quotes from various books relating to sea faring adventures. Where she quotes Alice in Wonderland, the flow of words making up the ground has a hole in it where the child is climbing out, as if from her fall into Wonderland. It's a wonderful book.

[Beverly]

Cloth Lullaby by Amy Novesky
5 stars

I reviewed this for the Mock Caldecott Awards. Based on the life of Louise Josephine Bourgeois who learned to weave at a very young age. I loved the illustrations and the color palette. I would recommend this for older children since there are a number of French words. Also, be warned, Ms. Bourgeois was "into" spiders since her weaving always reminded her of their beautiful webs and there are many spiders pictured.

[Beverly]

Coyote Moon by Maria Gianferrari
4 stars

I reviewed this for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book. The nighttime colors are lovely and soft and the daytime images are much more crisp and detailed. The book basically tells the story of a mother coyote who must feed her family and goes out hunting. To me it seemed to be a very accurate portrayal of that mission.

[Book Concierge]

Sept 18 – currently reading

TEXT – The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir by Domingo Martinez
AUDIO in the car – The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
Portable AUDIO – The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman

[Book Concierge]

Death by Darjeeling – Laura Childs – 3***
This is a good cozy mystery. I like how Childs took time to build the relationships among the tea shop’s employees, and other characters. There are plenty of suspects, and a couple of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. I’ll keep reading this series.
Full Review HERE

[James]

Chigozie Obioma, The Fishermen [2015] 297 pages


I read this for a Goodreads discussion group (The Constant Reader) so I will just give an edited version of what I wrote for that discussion. It is the story of an Igbo family with six children in the mostly Yoruba city of Akure and the conflicts resulting from an encounter with a "prophet"/"madman" named Abula.

I think that African, and particularly Nigerian, literature is among the most interesting in the world today. In addition to Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichie, realistic Igbo authors, there is also the more symbolic Yoruba poet and playwright Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize. His childhood autobiography Ake, and his essay The Open Sore of a Continent about the fraudulent election which was actually won by Abiola and the subsequent Abacha dictatorship both came to mind as I was reading this.

I loved the book. Much like Naguib Mahfouz' The Cairo Trilogy, one of my favorite books, this novel uses a realistic family history as an allegory of their country's history. I picked up from the beginning that Abula was intended on one level as a representation of British colonial rule, as was made explicit later in the book by Obemba in reference to Achebe's Things Fall Apart. The fear and consequent violence between Ikenne and Boja is a good analogy to the violence between the Hausa and the Yoruba and Igbo. Britain's divide and rule policy set these ethnic and religious groups against each other very deliberately, and the fraudulent census that gave power to the conservative, rural Northern Moslems rather than the Yoruba , the largest grouping and the one that had been most active in the anticolonial struggle, set the stage for the subsequent struggles.

One thing mentioned in the discussion group was that the destruction of the traditional religion and its replacement by a veneer of superficial Christianity led to the destruction of morality and the prevalence of a magical and superstitious outlook; this is the theme of one of Chinua Achebe's other novels, No Longer at Ease about Okonkwe's grandson at the time of independence. This may be one reason why Nigeria is known for its corruption at all levels.

Turning to the literal level, I think that the prophecies were self fulfilling. The belief in prophets is one of the most evil things I can imagine -- Soyinka satirizes it in the hilarious Brother Jero plays -- but hardly peculiar to Nigeria.

A novel definitely worth reading; it's the author's first novel so he may be worth watching in the future.

[Beverly]

Best Boy by Eli Gottlieb
4 stars

I was totally surprised by this book. I have to admit I don't even remember why I picked it up to read but I'm so glad that I did. This audio was performed by Bronson Pinchot who did an amazing job. I believe this is the second audio of his that I've listened to and he's right up there with my "favorites". Todd Aaron is a fifty something resident of Payton Living Center. He was sent to Payton when he was eleven and has been there ever since. He knows the routines, he takes his medicine, he does his jobs...he just wants to always be "the best boy" that his mother loved. Todd has one wish, he wants to go home but the one time he spent time with his brother and his wife and children, things did not go well and so his brother keeps putting him off. When a new worker is hired at Payton, Todd has an immediate dislike for him. He tries to tell his brother that he needs to come home to get away from this man who has a look like his father used to before hitting him. Finally, Todd just decides to take off on his own and hike home which is quite a distance. I loved that this entire story is told from Todd's viewpoint. He is labeled "high functioning" and so the story line is easy to follow but his naivety shows through in many ways that are very touching. A great listen.

[Beverly]

Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger
4 stars

I have been aware of the Cork O'Connor series for years since Mr. Krueger comes to Magna Cum Murder every year and I own several of the books, yet I have never read one. I did read his stand alone novel and enjoyed it very much. But, thanks to my mystery book club discussion group, I have now remedied that and am so happy that I did. This was a great mystery, it kept my reading to all hours and I was immensely surprised at the resolution. There were parts of the book that I had figured out and it was playing out pretty much like I thought until he slid a zinger in there. My only problem is that this is book number 3 and I hadn't read the first two of the series. I don't like to read out of order but I didn't feel totally lost...so maybe it's OK. I'll get the first 2 read to catch up. I love the setting for this in the boundary waters of northern Minnesota. The reader is given wonderful background information regarding the Anishinaabe Indians (Cork has Anishinaabe heritage) and their traditions. This particular mystery starts our with an explosion at a lumber mill where a night watchman is killed. Someone calling themselves the Eco-Warrior claims they are responsible. But there is more than just ecological resentment festering in this small town and soon it will be difficult to sort out who is out to get what. A great page turner.

[Book Concierge]

The Girl in the Green Raincoat – Laura Lippman – 4****
In a plot reminiscent of Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Baltimore PI Tess Monaghan is bed-bound and bored, so she takes to watching the people in the park across the way. When she notices a woman in a green raincoat, and then the woman’s “disappearance,” her curiosity gets the better of her, and Tess gets her boyfriend, BFF, and assistant to help her find the truth. The plot moved quickly, there were several twists and turns that kept me guessing, and the reveal was a surprise.
Full Review HERE

[Book Concierge]

Beverly wrote: "
Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger
4 stars..."

I really need to read something by Krueger!

[Beverly]

Book Concierge wrote: "Beverly wrote: "
Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger
4 stars..."

I really need to read something by Krueger!"

I second that. I would suggest something from this series. I liked his standalone (and he has another one of those just out) but I really enjoyed this mystery.

[Book Concierge]

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend – Katarina Bivald – 3***
Sara Lindqvist arrives in Broken Wheel IA to visit her pan pal Amy Harris. But Amy has died and the town’s residents invite Sara to stay on in Amy’s house, because that’s what Amy would want. At a loss, Sara decides to open a book shop with Amy’s books, and begins to change how the citizens feel about books, reading themselves and others. A sweet (if simplistic) fairy-tale story with a happy ending.
Full Review HERE

[Beverly]

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
3 stars

Henry Denton is a high school student who has an amazingly convoluted life. He's gay and is regularly abducted by aliens, his father left the family years ago, his grandmother is suffering from dementia, his brother has just dropped out of college and is soon going to be a father and his boyfriend hung himself. With all of this going on his biggest problem is trying to decide whether he's going to save the world or not. He's not sure it's worthwhile for anyone to continue living in such a screwed up environment. Then he meets a new guy at school, one who has his own demons to deal with, and he starts to repair his relationship with his best friend. Maybe if he can just learn to stand up for himself, maybe he can actually punch that button when the time comes.

[Beverly]

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
4 stars

It took me awhile to get into this audio. The reader did a great job but I just wasn't being drawn into the story at first. Believe me, that changed as I was practically in tears by the end of the performance. David is a 12 year old boy who has recently lost his mother. As you would expect, he is having a difficult time adjusting to this huge change and it doesn't help when his father starts dating again, then marries Rose and tells David he's going to have a new sibling. Rose wants to be accepted and does her best to include David. They have all moved into her home and she gives him the room at the top of the house where all the books are, since she knows David loves to read. David discovers that a 14 year old boy who was related to Rose and his 7 year old cousin disappeared years ago and the books belonged to him. As time passes, he just cannot feel close to either Rose or his new brother Georgie. Through a strange set of circumstances, David finds his way into another world where werewolves and an odd little crooked man are equally dangerous to him. A woodsman helps him along but telling him that the king of the country has a Book of Lost Things and should be able to help David find his way home. After many exhaustive and dangerous adventures getting to the castle, David discovers that the most difficult battle yet is left to fight before he can possibly be reunited with his family. I had a hard time realizing that this book was considered YA because it seemed so bloody and horror filled but then I thought about the Brothers Grimm and thought; well they are a lot alike. Anyway, I really did like the ending and I would recommend this book to teens and any adult who still enjoys reading YA fiction.