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1Carol420
✔ 12//18 -★
Group Reads
✔End Game by David Baldacci - 12/10/18 - 4.5★
✔Typhoon Fury by Clive Cussler - 12/20/18 - 4★
✔A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay - 12/31/18 - 4.5★
Blind Date With A Book
✔Circle of Influence by Annette Dashofy - 12/2/18 - 5★
Others
✔No One Gets Out Alive by Adam Nevill - 12/1/18 - 3.5★
✔Long Road To Mercy by David Baldacci - 12/1/18 - 4.5★
✔A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo - 12/6/18 - 5★
✔Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin - 12/7/18 - 4.5★
✔The Museum of Dr. Moses by Joyce Carol Oats - 12/19/18 - 2★
✔The Night Market by Jonathan Moore - 12/20/18 - 3★
✔The House on Foster Hill by Jamie Jo Wright - 12/15/18 - 4.5★
✔The Reckoning by John Grisham - 12/13/18 - 3★
✔The Other Wife by Michael Robotham - 12/12/18 - 4★
✔Past Tense by Lee Child - 12/22/18 - 5★
✔The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett - 12/26/18 - 3★
✔Hunting Annabelle by Wendy Heard - 12/30/18 - 3.5★
2dustydigger
Dusty's TBR for December
Michael Chabon - The Yiddish Policemen's Union
Becky Chambers - A Closed and Common Orbit ✔
Laura Ann Gilman - Pack of Lies ✔
Amanda Stevens - The Sinner ✔
Sjowall & Wahloo - The Locked Room ✔
Jonathan Stroud - The Creeping Shadow ✔
Patricia Wentworth - The Grey Mask ✔
Timothy Zahn - Judgment at Proteus
Michael Chabon - The Yiddish Policemen's Union
Becky Chambers - A Closed and Common Orbit ✔
Laura Ann Gilman - Pack of Lies ✔
Amanda Stevens - The Sinner ✔
Sjowall & Wahloo - The Locked Room ✔
Jonathan Stroud - The Creeping Shadow ✔
Patricia Wentworth - The Grey Mask ✔
Timothy Zahn - Judgment at Proteus
3Carol420
Long Road To Mercy by David Baldacci
Atlee Pine series Book #1
4.5 ★
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Catch a tiger by its toe.
It's seared into Atlee Pine's memory: the kidnapper's chilling rhyme as he chose between six-year-old Atlee and her twin sister, Mercy. Mercy was taken. Atlee was spared. She never saw Mercy again.
Three decades after that terrifying night, Atlee Pine works for the FBI. She's the lone agent assigned to the Shattered Rock, Arizona resident agency, which is responsible for protecting the Grand Canyon. So when one of the Grand Canyon's mules is found stabbed to death at the bottom of the canyon-and its rider missing-Pine is called in to investigate. It soon seems clear the lost tourist had something more clandestine than sightseeing in mind. But just as Pine begins to put together clues pointing to a terrifying plot, she's abruptly called off the case. If she disobeys direct orders by continuing to search for the missing man, it will mean the end of her career. But unless Pine keeps working the case and discovers the truth, it could spell the very end of democracy in America as we know it.
I have yet to find a series by this author that didn’t make me want to read more. David Baldacci’s new characters of Atlee Pine and her secretary, Carol Blum are going to be a force to contend with if future books are anything like this one. Atlee is a woman that the bad guys want to think twice about messing with. The only thing that I found a little difficult to make sense of was the past story line in the beginning and the rest of the book in the present since one had absolutely nothing to do with the other. Give this one a try if you liked any of Baldacci’s past series.
4Carol420
Circle of Influence by Annette Dashofy
Zoe Chambers series Book #1
5 ★
Zoe Chambers, paramedic and deputy coroner in rural Pennsylvania’s tight-knit Vance Township, has been privy to a number of local secrets over the years, some of them her own. But secrets become explosive when a dead body is found in the Township Board President’s abandoned car. As a January blizzard rages, Zoe and Police Chief Pete Adams launch a desperate search for the killer, even if it means uncovering secrets that could not only destroy Zoe and Pete, but also those closest to them.
Vance Township, Pennsylvania is small town America. Everyone knows everything about everybody or at least they think they do. So when the first body shows up no one can come up with a good motive other than the the well liked family man is dead. The second body is a little easier to come up with a motive...everyone hated him so there were lots of suspects. It's not a cozy but it's not your everyday murder mystery either. It's just a good who-done-it that will keep you guessing to the very last word.
5LibraryCin
Attachments / Rainbow Rowell
4 stars
Lincoln is 28-years old and lives at home with his mom; he sometimes plays D&D on Saturdays with a group of friends. He took an IT job that he doesn’t like, and there’s really not much to do. He works the night shift (till midnight) and his main purpose is to read emails that have been flagged as going against company policy. It’s 1999 and the company (a newspaper) was late bringing email to the workplace. As Jennifer’s and Beth’s emails back and forth are constantly being flagged, Lincoln develops an interest in their conversations and neglects to bother warning them. He then falls for Beth…
I really enjoyed this! Almost all the characters were likable. I’m glad it ended the way it did. I’m more of an 80’s child, but many of the 90s references were fun, too! The only thing was that it seemed more like chatting or texting (with how short some of the emails were) rather than emails, but that’s a little thing.
4 stars
Lincoln is 28-years old and lives at home with his mom; he sometimes plays D&D on Saturdays with a group of friends. He took an IT job that he doesn’t like, and there’s really not much to do. He works the night shift (till midnight) and his main purpose is to read emails that have been flagged as going against company policy. It’s 1999 and the company (a newspaper) was late bringing email to the workplace. As Jennifer’s and Beth’s emails back and forth are constantly being flagged, Lincoln develops an interest in their conversations and neglects to bother warning them. He then falls for Beth…
I really enjoyed this! Almost all the characters were likable. I’m glad it ended the way it did. I’m more of an 80’s child, but many of the 90s references were fun, too! The only thing was that it seemed more like chatting or texting (with how short some of the emails were) rather than emails, but that’s a little thing.
6Carol420
A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo
Kate Burkholder series Book #10
5 ★
When a historic barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first, it looks like an accident, but when the body of eighteen-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside—burned alive—Kate suspects murder. Who would want a well-liked, hardworking young Amish man dead? Kate delves into the investigation only to find herself stonewalled by the community to which she once belonged. Is their silence a result of the Amish tenet of separation? Or is this peaceful and deeply religious community conspiring to hide a truth no one wants to talk about? Kate doubles down only to discover a plethora of secrets and a chilling series of crimes that shatters everything she thought she knew about her Amish roots—and herself.
This is a wonderful series. The characters are real...the situations are believable...and the solutions always come out on the side if the good guys. Even though this is a series with 10 books already to it's credit...each book actually reads well as a standalone since the author explains any references she may make to past events. The series also gives some insight to the Amish and their simple way of life without being preachy or religious. Easy reading and very enjoyable.
7Carol420
Saints of The Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin
John Rebus series Book #19
4.5★
Rebus is back on the force, albeit with a demotion and a chip on his shoulder. He is investigating a car accident when news arrives that a case from 30 years ago is being reopened. Rebus's team from those days is suspected of helping a murderer escape justice to further their own ends.
Malcolm Fox, in what will be his last case as an internal affairs cop, is tasked with finding out the truth. Past and present are about to collide in shocking and murderous fashion. What does Rebus have to hide? And whose side is he really on? His colleagues back then called themselves "The Saints," and swore a bond on something called the Shadow Bible. But times have changed and the crimes of the past may not stay hidden much longer -- and may also play a role in the present, as Scotland gears up for a referendum on independence. Allegiances are being formed, enemies made, and huge questions asked. Who are the saints and who the sinners? And can the one ever become the other?
The good guys are never all good and the bad guys are never all bad. This takes the reader back to Rebus's rookie days when he belonged to a group of cops that were known as "The Saints" and they swore allegiance on something called the Shadow Bible. From there the story goes back and forth from the past to the present. The book starts slowly and takes some time to get warmed up. It's in the days when there was little forensic science so DNA wasn't a big factor in solving a case. Readers can see how John Rebus developed into the case-solver that he is today while struggling to be a part of the team. Another good read.
8LibraryCin
The Red Chamber / Pauline A. Chen
3.5 stars
This is a retelling of a Chinese classic book, but pared down. Chen took out some of the characters and storylines and cut down the text substantially (from, I think, over 1000 pages).
It’s the early 18th century. Daiyu is left an orphan and must travel to live with the rest of her family. Her grandmother never forgave Daiyu’s mother for leaving. Daiyu meets her cousins and it doesn’t take long to fall in love with one of them, Baoyu, but she doesn’t have a hope of becoming betrothed to him, although he has also fallen for her. She becomes good friends with Baochai. In other storylines, there is someone getting out of a murder charge; there are concubines and affairs.
I thought this was good, although it took some time to try to sort out all the characters, with the Chinese names, and I was listening to the audio, so I couldn’t really check back for clarification. So, that took some time. Not that I can really compare it to the original (apparently, the ending was lost), but I thought Chen did a really good job of telling the story that she did. I also like the way she ended it.
3.5 stars
This is a retelling of a Chinese classic book, but pared down. Chen took out some of the characters and storylines and cut down the text substantially (from, I think, over 1000 pages).
It’s the early 18th century. Daiyu is left an orphan and must travel to live with the rest of her family. Her grandmother never forgave Daiyu’s mother for leaving. Daiyu meets her cousins and it doesn’t take long to fall in love with one of them, Baoyu, but she doesn’t have a hope of becoming betrothed to him, although he has also fallen for her. She becomes good friends with Baochai. In other storylines, there is someone getting out of a murder charge; there are concubines and affairs.
I thought this was good, although it took some time to try to sort out all the characters, with the Chinese names, and I was listening to the audio, so I couldn’t really check back for clarification. So, that took some time. Not that I can really compare it to the original (apparently, the ending was lost), but I thought Chen did a really good job of telling the story that she did. I also like the way she ended it.
9LibraryCin
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen / Susan Gregg Gilmore
3.5 stars
Catherine Grace is the preacher’s daughter in a small town in Georgia in the 1960s and 70s. Her mother died when she was only six, so there’s just her, her sister, Martha Ann, and their father, the town preacher. All her life she’s known she wants out of the town; unlike many others, she does not want to stay and be a farmer’s wife. She plans to leave as soon as she turns 18.
I enjoyed this. There was more God in it than I expected. Growing up in a small town (unless it’s different in the South), I didn’t find that much talk of “the Lord” in casual conversation as there was in this book/town. I have mixed feelings about the ending. Some of it, I liked, but some of it seemed to tie up a bit too nicely in a bow. Overall, though, it was fairly enjoyable.
3.5 stars
Catherine Grace is the preacher’s daughter in a small town in Georgia in the 1960s and 70s. Her mother died when she was only six, so there’s just her, her sister, Martha Ann, and their father, the town preacher. All her life she’s known she wants out of the town; unlike many others, she does not want to stay and be a farmer’s wife. She plans to leave as soon as she turns 18.
I enjoyed this. There was more God in it than I expected. Growing up in a small town (unless it’s different in the South), I didn’t find that much talk of “the Lord” in casual conversation as there was in this book/town. I have mixed feelings about the ending. Some of it, I liked, but some of it seemed to tie up a bit too nicely in a bow. Overall, though, it was fairly enjoyable.
10JulieLill
The House on Foster Hill
Jaime Jo Wright
4/5 stars
Two women related but born decades apart find themselves involved in a mystery that connects the two of them. This is fascinating tale about love, loss and intrigue. Fast read! Mystery
Jaime Jo Wright
4/5 stars
Two women related but born decades apart find themselves involved in a mystery that connects the two of them. This is fascinating tale about love, loss and intrigue. Fast read! Mystery
11LibraryCin
Delia's Shadow / Jaime Lee Moyer
4.25 stars
Delia has been in New York for three years, but has returned to San Francisco, along with a ghost (her “shadow” of the title) who prodded her to return. But, Delia can’t figure out what exactly the ghost wants. Delia returns to her best friend, Sophie (who is almost like a sister, as Sophie and her mother took Delia in after her parents died (either in an earthquake or a fire, both are often referred to, but I can’t recall which killed her parents) in the early 20th century).
Sophie is engaged to police officer Jack, who works with Gabe. They are working on a serial killer case that seems to have links to a 30 year old case that Gabe’s father worked on when he was a police officer. Unfortunately, Gabe and Jack get the sense that their loved ones are also in danger…
I really liked this! There was some supernatural (the ghosts), some horror, some mystery, some romance, and all set in 1915, so a historical setting. What’s not to like!? As I was reading, I kept thinking – oh, I hope there a sequel, I’d love to read more about these characters, so I was happy to find out, when I finished, that there are currently two more books in the series.
4.25 stars
Delia has been in New York for three years, but has returned to San Francisco, along with a ghost (her “shadow” of the title) who prodded her to return. But, Delia can’t figure out what exactly the ghost wants. Delia returns to her best friend, Sophie (who is almost like a sister, as Sophie and her mother took Delia in after her parents died (either in an earthquake or a fire, both are often referred to, but I can’t recall which killed her parents) in the early 20th century).
Sophie is engaged to police officer Jack, who works with Gabe. They are working on a serial killer case that seems to have links to a 30 year old case that Gabe’s father worked on when he was a police officer. Unfortunately, Gabe and Jack get the sense that their loved ones are also in danger…
I really liked this! There was some supernatural (the ghosts), some horror, some mystery, some romance, and all set in 1915, so a historical setting. What’s not to like!? As I was reading, I kept thinking – oh, I hope there a sequel, I’d love to read more about these characters, so I was happy to find out, when I finished, that there are currently two more books in the series.
12JulieLill
Shadow Weaver
MarcyKate Connolly
4/5 stars
This YA story revolves around Emmeline, a young girl who has a special gift of making shadows. She is also magically connected to Dar, her shadow companion. The noble family is determined to rid these special children of their gifts and so Emmeline and Dar leave their home. On their travels they find out that there are other children with special gifts that are also in hiding. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in this YA series. The sequel to this book is coming out in 2019 and is called Comet Rising.
MarcyKate Connolly
4/5 stars
This YA story revolves around Emmeline, a young girl who has a special gift of making shadows. She is also magically connected to Dar, her shadow companion. The noble family is determined to rid these special children of their gifts and so Emmeline and Dar leave their home. On their travels they find out that there are other children with special gifts that are also in hiding. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in this YA series. The sequel to this book is coming out in 2019 and is called Comet Rising.
13Carol420
End Game by David Baldacci
Will Robie series Book #5
4.5 ★
Will Robie and Jessica Reel are two of the most lethal people alive. They're the ones the government calls in when the utmost secrecy is required to take out those who plot violence and mass destruction against the United States. And through every mission, one man has always had their backs: their handler, code-named Blue Man. But now, Blue Man is missing.
Last seen in rural Colorado, Blue Man had taken a rare vacation to go fly fishing in his hometown when he disappeared off the grid. With no communications since, the team can't help but fear the worst. Sent to investigate, Robie and Reel arrive in the small town of Grand to discover that it has its own share of problems. A stagnant local economy and a woefully understaffed police force have made this small community a magnet for crime, drugs, and a growing number of militant fringe groups. But lying in wait in Grand is an even more insidious and sweeping threat, one that may shake the very core of America. And when Robie and Reel find themselves up against an adversary with superior firepower and a home-court advantage, they'll be lucky if they make it out alive, with or without Blue Man.
David Baldacci is a master when it comes to this kind of thriller. The story has all the excitement and twists you expect plus some issues beginning to be resolved for our two stars...Will and Jessica. Also learning more about Blue Man's backstory simply added to the intrigue. All of David Baldacci's series are outstanding. The only problem I have with them is that he gets you into the characters...makes you love them...then cuts the series off at 4 to 5 books.
14LibraryCin
And the Band Played On / Christopher Ward
4 stars
Jock Hume was a young violinist, playing in the band on the Titanic – the band that famously played bravely on, as the ship sank. Jock, along with the rest of the band, died that night. The author of the book is a descendant of Jock and is looking not only at the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, but is looking closely at Jock’s life and volatile relationship with his musician/violinist and violin-maker father. Ward also looks at, in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, the woman that Jock left pregnant, Mary, whom he intended to marry. The baby that resulted, Johnann (later called Jackie), is the author’s mother.
I really liked this. The first half of the book was more focused on both Jock and the aftermath of the Titanic. There was also some look (I think for comparison purposes) at millionaire John Jacob Astor and his subsequent recovery and his body’s trip home. The second half really did focus on Jock’s family; his father did not like Mary and there were “squabbles” (to put it mildly) and legal battles. I love reading more about the Titanic and I also love biographies, so this worked really well for me. There are plenty of nice photos included, as well. I read the paperback, which had a few updates that didn’t get into the hardcover edition.
4 stars
Jock Hume was a young violinist, playing in the band on the Titanic – the band that famously played bravely on, as the ship sank. Jock, along with the rest of the band, died that night. The author of the book is a descendant of Jock and is looking not only at the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, but is looking closely at Jock’s life and volatile relationship with his musician/violinist and violin-maker father. Ward also looks at, in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, the woman that Jock left pregnant, Mary, whom he intended to marry. The baby that resulted, Johnann (later called Jackie), is the author’s mother.
I really liked this. The first half of the book was more focused on both Jock and the aftermath of the Titanic. There was also some look (I think for comparison purposes) at millionaire John Jacob Astor and his subsequent recovery and his body’s trip home. The second half really did focus on Jock’s family; his father did not like Mary and there were “squabbles” (to put it mildly) and legal battles. I love reading more about the Titanic and I also love biographies, so this worked really well for me. There are plenty of nice photos included, as well. I read the paperback, which had a few updates that didn’t get into the hardcover edition.
15LibraryCin
Are You My Mother? / Alison Bechdel
2.5 stars
Alison Bechdel’s first graphic novel, “Fun Home”, looked at her growing up and her relationship with her dad. This one was meant to look at her relationship with her mom.
This was not only an analysis of the author’s relationship with her mother, but an analysis of her therapy. Or, that’s what it felt like, anyway. There were plenty of references to Virginia Wolff and a psychoanalyist, Donald Winnicott, as well as quotes. In fact, most of the book felt more like that than looking back at her relationship with her mother, though there was some of that. For that reason, I wasn’t a fan, though I remember really liking her “Fun Home”, so I was disappointed in this one.
2.5 stars
Alison Bechdel’s first graphic novel, “Fun Home”, looked at her growing up and her relationship with her dad. This one was meant to look at her relationship with her mom.
This was not only an analysis of the author’s relationship with her mother, but an analysis of her therapy. Or, that’s what it felt like, anyway. There were plenty of references to Virginia Wolff and a psychoanalyist, Donald Winnicott, as well as quotes. In fact, most of the book felt more like that than looking back at her relationship with her mother, though there was some of that. For that reason, I wasn’t a fan, though I remember really liking her “Fun Home”, so I was disappointed in this one.
16Carol420
The Other Wife by Michael Robotham
4★
Childhood sweethearts William and Mary have been married for sixty years. William is a celebrated surgeon, Mary a devoted wife. Both have a strong sense of right and wrong. This is what their son, Joe O'Loughlin, has always believed. But when Joe is summoned to the hospital with news that his father has been brutally attacked, his world is turned upside down. Who is the strange woman crying at William's bedside, covered in his blood - a friend, a mistress, a fantasist or a killer? Against the advice of the police, Joe launches his own investigation. As he learns more, he discovers sides to his father he never knew - and is forcibly reminded that the truth comes at a price.
Michael Robotham is a writer with a great deal of talent for telling a story. His books have such inventive plots and memorable characters. His character of Joe O’Laughlin, is a clinical psychologist who struggles with Parkinson’s and the death of his wife. He reminds me a great deal of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch. Joe learns some unpleasant truths about his parents when a woman he knows nothing about enters the picture claiming to have been married to his father. The only problem I had with the story was the ending seemed to have little to do with the way the story began. Still a very good, 4 star worthy, read.
17LibraryCin
We Were Liars / E. Lockhart
3.5 stars
Cadence and her (mostly rich) friends spend every summer on an island owned by Cadence’s grandfather. When Cadence is 15, something happened that she can’t remember. She and her mother skip going to the island the following summer, but when they return the next year, she tries so hard to remember, and her friends have been told that it’s better if she remembers on her own.
I didn’t like any of the characters, and didn’t feel badly for them. (Possible, though vague, I think)They did it to themselves! Stupid teenagers! I did feel badly for the dogs, though. The story itself was good, and it’s one where, after the twist, it is tempting to start over again to see if you can pick out any of the clues. I listened to the audio, and it was fine.
3.5 stars
Cadence and her (mostly rich) friends spend every summer on an island owned by Cadence’s grandfather. When Cadence is 15, something happened that she can’t remember. She and her mother skip going to the island the following summer, but when they return the next year, she tries so hard to remember, and her friends have been told that it’s better if she remembers on her own.
I didn’t like any of the characters, and didn’t feel badly for them. (Possible, though vague, I think)
18LibraryCin
The Light Over London / Julia Kelly
4 stars
There are two parallel stories in this one. Cara works for an antiques dealer and, while looking through someone’s estate, she discovers an old diary hidden away; she is given permission to take it and try to find out to whom it belonged. It attracted her attention because there was a photo of a young woman in an RAF uniform, and Cara’s grandmother had also been part of the Royal Air Force during the war. In fact, Cara’s grandmother won’t talk about the war, and Cara desperately wants to hear about it.
In the diary, Louise lives in a small town and her mother expects her to marry a nice boy, Gary, who has gone to war. When she meets the charming Paul at a dance, she falls hard for him, but due to a fallout at home, she leaves and joins the army, where she ends up being one of the very few “Ack-Ack Girls” or “Gunner Girls”, helping with anti-aircraft guns.
I really liked this. Initially, I liked both stories equally well, but as it continued, I did prefer Louise’s story. There were some twists at the end, though I did figure out one of Cara’s Gran’s twists. The Ack-Ack Girls were a part of WWII that I didn’t know anything about, so it was interesting to read about.
4 stars
There are two parallel stories in this one. Cara works for an antiques dealer and, while looking through someone’s estate, she discovers an old diary hidden away; she is given permission to take it and try to find out to whom it belonged. It attracted her attention because there was a photo of a young woman in an RAF uniform, and Cara’s grandmother had also been part of the Royal Air Force during the war. In fact, Cara’s grandmother won’t talk about the war, and Cara desperately wants to hear about it.
In the diary, Louise lives in a small town and her mother expects her to marry a nice boy, Gary, who has gone to war. When she meets the charming Paul at a dance, she falls hard for him, but due to a fallout at home, she leaves and joins the army, where she ends up being one of the very few “Ack-Ack Girls” or “Gunner Girls”, helping with anti-aircraft guns.
I really liked this. Initially, I liked both stories equally well, but as it continued, I did prefer Louise’s story. There were some twists at the end, though I did figure out one of Cara’s Gran’s twists. The Ack-Ack Girls were a part of WWII that I didn’t know anything about, so it was interesting to read about.
19JulieLill
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
by J.D. Vance
4/5 stars
This was a very interesting and thoughtful look back at the author’s life growing up in Kentucky and Ohio and how it affected him and the lives of his family and friends. It opened a perspective on a way of life that was different from how I was raised.
by J.D. Vance
4/5 stars
This was a very interesting and thoughtful look back at the author’s life growing up in Kentucky and Ohio and how it affected him and the lives of his family and friends. It opened a perspective on a way of life that was different from how I was raised.
20BookConcierge
Sutton – J R Moehringer
Book on CD narrated by Dylan Baker
3***
Everyone knows the Willie Sutton quote; asked why he robbed banks, Sutton purportedly said, “That’s where the money was.” Of course, this was later questioned, but it has remained part of the Sutton lore. In this historical fiction novel, Moehringer tries to explain why Willie robbed all those banks. In a brief author’s note Moehringer relates that after spending half his life in prison, Sutton was released from Attica on Christmas Eve 1969. He spent the entire day with a reporter and a photographer, retracing the steps of his personal history through the boroughs of New York City. The resulting article, however, was curiously sparse in detail. Moehringer writes: “Sadly, Sutton and the reporter and the photographer are all gone, so what happened among them that Christmas, and what happened to Sutton during the preceding sixty-eight years, is anyone’s guess. This book is my guess. But it’s also my wish.”
I wanted to like this. I remember the hoopla when Sutton was released in 1969, and I’ve always been fascinated by true crime works. I knew this was a novel, however, I expected something along the lines of other novels I’ve read that are “fictionalized biographies.”
The trouble I had here was Moehringer’s chosen device. Following Sutton, the reporter and the photographer throughout Christmas day 1969, and then having Sutton recall one event after another from his past. It just didn’t work for me. I would be involved in the past and then yanked to the back seat of the car while Willie’s scarfing down donuts provided by the photographer. I also didn’t like the author’s choice to call his characters not by name, but by their roles in Sutton’s life: Photographer, Reporter, Left Cop, Right Cop, etc. It annoyed me.
On the plus side, I really liked the sections where we were living in Sutton’s past. Moehringer brought the 1920s and 1930s to life in his descriptions and scenes on the streets of Brooklyn, or in the prison cells in which Sutton was held.
Dylan Baker does a credible job of narrating the audiobook. It’s difficult to follow at times because of the constant moving back and forth in time. The text version using different fonts to give the reader a clue, but the person listening to the audio version doesn’t get any such clue. That’s not the narrator’s fault, it’s the author’s.
21BookConcierge
Blind Descent – Nevada Barr
3***
Book six in the mystery series starring U.S. Park Ranger Anna Pigeon takes Anna to New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns, where one of her friends, and an avid caver, has been seriously injured while exploring a new (and not open to the public) cave system. Frieda has a serious head injury and is mostly unconscious, but she has asked for Anna. So, Anna swallows her claustrophobia to come to her friend’s aid. In a brief moment of lucidity, Frieda tells Anna that it was not an accident.
Much of the action in this book takes place in the confined spaces underground, and Barr spends a lot of time setting up the mystery and going into excruciating detail on the difficulties of exploring such a cave. I felt a little claustrophobic myself a few times.
I like Anna; she’s mentally and physically strong, intelligent, independent, and fiercely determined. Barr includes issues of corporate greed and environmental concerns, while extolling the majestic beauty of pristine caves, and praising the dedication of scientists and volunteers who try to map newly discovered underground treasures.
This is a totally satisfying mystery in a series with a strong female lead.
22LibraryCin
Watching Edie / Camilla Way
4 stars
Heather and Edie were friends when they were 16, but there was some kind of falling out. They are now in their 30s. Edie long-since moved away and is now pregnant and on her own. After Edie has her baby, she is unable to function, and Heather shows up to take care of them. But once Edie comes to her senses, she can’t get past what happened when they were younger and asks Heather to leave. But Heather doesn’t want to go…
The story is told in alternating chapters between Edie in her 30s and Heather at 16, so the reader hears the story from both characters’ perspectives and as things happen at each age. I thought this was very suspenseful; it kept me wanting to read to find out what had happened when they were 16, plus what was going on in “current” day and how things were going to turn out. I did prefer Edie’s viewpoint, but I think it really made a difference for the suspense to get into Heather’s head, as well. I was almost going to “up” my rating just a touch near the end, but the end, itself, was a little too open-ended for me. Some things were tied up, but not everything.
4 stars
Heather and Edie were friends when they were 16, but there was some kind of falling out. They are now in their 30s. Edie long-since moved away and is now pregnant and on her own. After Edie has her baby, she is unable to function, and Heather shows up to take care of them. But once Edie comes to her senses, she can’t get past what happened when they were younger and asks Heather to leave. But Heather doesn’t want to go…
The story is told in alternating chapters between Edie in her 30s and Heather at 16, so the reader hears the story from both characters’ perspectives and as things happen at each age. I thought this was very suspenseful; it kept me wanting to read to find out what had happened when they were 16, plus what was going on in “current” day and how things were going to turn out. I did prefer Edie’s viewpoint, but I think it really made a difference for the suspense to get into Heather’s head, as well. I was almost going to “up” my rating just a touch near the end, but the end, itself, was a little too open-ended for me. Some things were tied up, but not everything.
23Carol420
The house on Foster Hill by Jamie Jo Wright
4.5★
Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious death fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather's Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house's dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide.
A century earlier, the house on Foster Hill holds nothing but painful memories for Ivy Thorpe. When an unidentified woman is found dead on the property, Ivy is compelled to discover her identity. Ivy's search leads her into dangerous waters and, even as she works together with a man from her past, can she unravel the mystery before any other lives--including her own--are lost?
It's a creepy story about a creepy house with a less than desirable history. Kaine buys the house sight unseen...after all it was her grandfather's. Maybe she should have asked why he nor any other member of the family never set foot in it. I believe one of the reasons I liked the book so much was that it was not only scary but it also had elements of reality attached to the present and the past parts of the story. I did think that Kaine was rather blindly foolish in her refusal to leave the house and in believing she could confront the evil thing that shared her rooms. If you like ghost stories...this is diffidently for you.
24LibraryCin
The Empty Chair / Jeffrey Deaver
3 stars
Two teenage girls have been kidnapped just after a boy was murdered in a small town. It’s not long before they know who they are looking for.
Sorry, not much of a summary. I listened to the audio, the abridged audio. Only because it was the only option for this book from the library. I often have a harder time listening to a male narrator, even if they are good. The narrator was Joe Mantegna (from Criminal Minds), but it was easy to lose focus. Of course, abridged doesn’t help, either. I paid attention to enough to get the gist of what was happening, so the plot was fine. Overall, I’m rating it ok, but it likely would have been better to read it myself and if it was unabridged.
3 stars
Two teenage girls have been kidnapped just after a boy was murdered in a small town. It’s not long before they know who they are looking for.
Sorry, not much of a summary. I listened to the audio, the abridged audio. Only because it was the only option for this book from the library. I often have a harder time listening to a male narrator, even if they are good. The narrator was Joe Mantegna (from Criminal Minds), but it was easy to lose focus. Of course, abridged doesn’t help, either. I paid attention to enough to get the gist of what was happening, so the plot was fine. Overall, I’m rating it ok, but it likely would have been better to read it myself and if it was unabridged.
25BookConcierge
There There – Tommy Orange
Audiobook performed by Darrell Dennis, Shawn Taylor-Corbett, Alma Cuervo and Kyla Garcia.
4****
In his debut novel, Orange explores the world of today’s Urban Indian; people who may be registered with a tribe in Oklahoma or New Mexico, while living in Oakland California. These are people who struggle with the issues of the urban poor, while also trying to work against stereotype, and still connect with and celebrate their native culture.
Orange tells the story through the lives of a dozen different characters, all of whom are going to attend the Big Oakland Powwow. Some struggle with substance abuse and/or alcoholism. Others have issues of abandonment. Some have embraced their heritage despite little or no support from family. Others have turned from a culture they feel has failed them. Their lives are interwoven by coincidence, thin threads of DNA, circumstance, proximity and/or their shared desire to attend the powwow. They are in turn angry, desolate, hopeful, joyous, loving, confused, determined, generous or mean.
I did feel somewhat confused by the work, mostly due to the many characters and the constantly shifting point of view. Still, Orange’s voice is unique and powerful. And I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
The audiobook is performed by four talented voice artists: Darrell Dennis, Shawn Taylor-Corbett, Alma Cuervo, and Kayla Garcia. I don’t really know which performer handled which chapters, other than matching the narrator’s gender to the character’s voice. Despite the stellar job done by all of them, I think I may have enjoyed this more had I read the text rather than listened to the audio.
26Carol420
Typhoon Fury by Clive Cussler & Boyd Morrison
Oregon Files Series Book #12
4 ★
Hired to search for a collection of paintings worth half a billion dollars, Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon soon find themselves in much deeper waters. The vicious leader of a Filipino insurgency is not only using them to finance his attacks, he has stumbled upon one of the most lethal secrets of World War II: a Japanese-developed drug, designed, but never used, to turn soldiers into super-warriors. To stop him, the Oregon must not only take on the rebel commander, but a South African mercenary intent on getting his own hands on the drug, a massive swarm of torpedo drones targeting the U.S. Navy, an approaching megastorm, and, just possibly, a war that could envelop the entire Asian continent.
Love this series. The technology that the Oregon carries never fails to amaze and the highly capable crew is up to any challenge or catastrophe presented to them. It's constant action from start to finish so be prepared.
27JulieLill
Hollywood Heyday: 75 Candid Interviews with Golden Age Legends
David Fantle
3/5 stars
Fantle and Johnson have interviewed stars, producers and directors for the last 40 years. This book recalls the interviews of the famous including Charlton Heston, Fred Astaire, Robert Wagner, Esther Williams, Ernest Borgnine and Tippi Hendren to name a few. This was an interesting look back on Hollywood at its peak and its descent through the eyes of the major players themselves.
David Fantle
3/5 stars
Fantle and Johnson have interviewed stars, producers and directors for the last 40 years. This book recalls the interviews of the famous including Charlton Heston, Fred Astaire, Robert Wagner, Esther Williams, Ernest Borgnine and Tippi Hendren to name a few. This was an interesting look back on Hollywood at its peak and its descent through the eyes of the major players themselves.
28LibraryCin
Elephant Company / Vicki Constantine Croke
4 stars
Jim (“Billy”) Williams went to live in the jungle in Burma in the 1920s and had such a connection with the elephants there, he stayed for decades. He was English and working for a teak logging company that used elephants as labour. Williams brought a kinder way of working with the animals, a way that seemed to work better for everyone – the company and the elephants alike.
The subtitle of the book talks about WWII, but that was only about the last 1/3 of the book, and not my main interest in the book, though it was a pretty amazing story in itself! I loved learning about the elephants and reading about the incredible things they do. Billy, himself, I found interesting, as well, and loved that he was in favour of training the elephants with positive reinforcement. Hard enough to read of the working animals (not there by their own choice), but Billy’s way with them made it better. He also opened “hospitals” for the elephants. The book had photos interspersed, and the notes at the end were actually really interesting – there were quite a few good tidbits and stories added in there.
4 stars
Jim (“Billy”) Williams went to live in the jungle in Burma in the 1920s and had such a connection with the elephants there, he stayed for decades. He was English and working for a teak logging company that used elephants as labour. Williams brought a kinder way of working with the animals, a way that seemed to work better for everyone – the company and the elephants alike.
The subtitle of the book talks about WWII, but that was only about the last 1/3 of the book, and not my main interest in the book, though it was a pretty amazing story in itself! I loved learning about the elephants and reading about the incredible things they do. Billy, himself, I found interesting, as well, and loved that he was in favour of training the elephants with positive reinforcement. Hard enough to read of the working animals (not there by their own choice), but Billy’s way with them made it better. He also opened “hospitals” for the elephants. The book had photos interspersed, and the notes at the end were actually really interesting – there were quite a few good tidbits and stories added in there.
29Carol420
Past Tense by Lee Child
Jack Reacher series Book #23
5★
Jack Reacher hits the pavement and sticks out his thumb. He plans to follow the sun on an epic trip across America, from Maine to California. He doesn’t get far. On a country road deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been: the town where his father was born. He thinks, What’s one extra day? He takes the detour.
At the same moment, in the same isolated area, a car breaks down. Two young Canadians had been on their way to New York City to sell a treasure. Now they’re stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. The owners seem almost too friendly. It’s a strange place, but it’s all there is. The next morning, in the city clerk’s office, Reacher asks about the old family home. He’s told no one named Reacher ever lived in town. He’s always known his father left and never returned, but now Reacher wonders, Was he ever there in the first place? As Reacher explores his father’s life, and as the Canadians face lethal dangers, strands of different stories begin to merge. Then Reacher makes a shocking discovery: The present can be tough, but the past can be tense . . . and deadly.
Those of us that loved the first twelve or so Reacher books will be happy to see that Lee Child has returned our hero to his original personality and flair. There are two plot lines in this story that are beautifully brought together in the end in an unexpected explosive conclusion. Plenty of Reacher action and justice to satisfy every fan of this series.
30LibraryCin
Stones on a Grave / Kathy Kacer
3.5 stars
This is part of a series where each book focuses on a different girl. The seven girls that are the focus were all orphans in the early 1960s when the orphanage they lived in burnt down. They are old enough that they are sent away with just a bit of information about who they are.
In this one, 18-year old Sara is given enough information to discover that she came from Germany, and her mother was Jewish. She has a bit more information including a couple of place names and the name of a doctor who helped her get to Canada. With some money she’s made working a part-time job, and a little bit given to her from the headmistress of the orphanage, Sara heads to Germany to try to find out more about her past and, hopefully, her parents.
I liked this. I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read in the series so far. This one spent more time in Ontario before Sara leaves for Germany than the other books did before the other girls left. I particularly liked a couple of the secondary characters who helped Sara in Germany. The info about the Holocaust is kept fairly simple, though. I would have liked a little bit more there, but it is meant for a younger audience.
3.5 stars
This is part of a series where each book focuses on a different girl. The seven girls that are the focus were all orphans in the early 1960s when the orphanage they lived in burnt down. They are old enough that they are sent away with just a bit of information about who they are.
In this one, 18-year old Sara is given enough information to discover that she came from Germany, and her mother was Jewish. She has a bit more information including a couple of place names and the name of a doctor who helped her get to Canada. With some money she’s made working a part-time job, and a little bit given to her from the headmistress of the orphanage, Sara heads to Germany to try to find out more about her past and, hopefully, her parents.
I liked this. I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read in the series so far. This one spent more time in Ontario before Sara leaves for Germany than the other books did before the other girls left. I particularly liked a couple of the secondary characters who helped Sara in Germany. The info about the Holocaust is kept fairly simple, though. I would have liked a little bit more there, but it is meant for a younger audience.
31Carol420
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
4★
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
Ada, Susan, and Jamie are wonderful characters. You can almost feel Ada's pain from the very beginning. The mother could have had the child's foot repaired but never did. I didn't feel that the author went into enough detail for the reader to understand why the mother character was so horrible. The book did have a good closing and the lesson of self acceptance was adequately brought out.
32Carol420
The Museum of Dr. Moses by Joyce Carol Oates
2★
In "The Man Who Fought Roland LaStarza" a woman's world is upended when she learns the brutal truth about a family friend's death--and what her father is capable of. Meanwhile, a businessman desperate to find his missing two-year-old grandson in "Suicide Watch" must determine whether the horrifying tale his junkie son tells him about the boy's whereabouts is a confession or a sick test.
In "Valentine, July Heat Wave" a man prepares a gruesome surprise for the wife determined to leave him. And the children of a BTK-style serial killer struggle to decode the patterns behind their father's seemingly random bad acts, as well as their own, in "Bad Habits". In these and other stories, Joyce Carol Oates explores with bloodcurdling insight the ties that bind - or worse.
I believe the marketing people for this book had entirely different definitions for the words "Mystery" and "Suspense" than I do. I found very little of either in any of these stories. The kindest thing I can say for these offerings is that the author took a different approach in her writing and produced some very good investigations into character study. The 2 stars I gave the book in no way reflects on the author's abilities...heaven forbid that I would dare to give literary advise to an author that has successfully produced over 60 plus books...it merely reflects how the the book as a whole appealed to me. If you are looking for mystery and suspense though you won't find much of it here.
33BookConcierge
The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared – Jonas Jonasson
Audible Audio read by Steven Crossley.
3.5***
From the book jacket: After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he’s still in good health, and one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn’t interested (and he’d like a bit more control over his alcohol consumption). So he decides to escape, embarking on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey.
My reactions:
Well, this was a fun romp of an adventure. Allan’s talent is going with the flow, something he’s perfected in a life full of unlikely meetings, and even less likely coincidences. He’s always been able to use his wits, and stay calm, no matter what he’s faced with, and – obviously – has survived quite well with this technique.
Allan and the people (and elephant) he picks up along the way, manage to have quite the adventure. But it hardly compares to Allan’s life story which is slowly revealed in flashback chapters interspersed throughout the book. He’s helped developed the atom bomb, been friends with world leaders, loved, laughed, and LIVED.
This book reminded me of Forest Gump (a book I haven’t read, though I’ve seen the movie). All in all it was an enjoyable parable that tickled my funny bone more than once.
Steven Crossley does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. He has a matter-of-fact delivery that eases the listener into the story and really helps with suspending disbelief (especially in some of the more outlandish escapades).
34BookConcierge
A Spoonful of Murder – Connie Archer
3***
Lucky Jamieson inherits her parents’ restaurant, By the Spoonful, which is popular with both locals and the winter tourists who come for the skiing in Snowflake Vermont. The eatery’s chef does wonders with soup and the business seems to be thriving … until a woman is found frozen behind the soup shop, and chef Sage DuBois is arrested for her murder!
This has all the elements of a successful cozy mystery series: amateur sleuth, lots of mouth-watering dishes mentioned, a colorful cast of characters to help (or hinder) Lucky’s attempts to investigate, and a potential love interest. I particularly liked the way Lucky went about ferreting out information, although she did take some unnecessary chances. But it wouldn’t be a cozy mystery without our heroine in some danger.
I’d be willing to read more of this series. I might even be willing to try one (or more) of the soup recipes.
35BookConcierge
The Namesake – Jhumpa Lahiri
Digital audiobook performed by Sarita Choudhury.
5*****
The novel follows the Ganguli family over three decades, beginning when Ashoke and Ashima’s marriage is first arranged in Calcutta. They settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts where Ashoke is studying engineering, have two children, buy a house and live their lives: Indians with American children.
This is the type of literary fiction I adore. Lahiri writes with such eloquence and grace, letting the reader learn about this family much as she would do when meeting new acquaintances who become friends over decades. Their story tackles issues of the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, differences (and conflicts) between generations, and personal identity.
While their parents find a community of other Bengalis with which to associate and celebrate life’s milestones, their children – son Gogol and his younger sister Sonia – are clearly Americans. And yet, Gogol still struggles with identity. First there is his odd name, then there are the lunches his mother packs for him, and the holidays they celebrate (or do not). While his parents cling to the traditions of their upbringing, Gogol wants only to fit in – to have a Christmas tree, and eat peanut butter, hamburgers and French fries. On trips back to India to see family and friends, Gogol feels lost; he does not clearly understand or speak the language, is unfamiliar with the city, cannot fathom why his family stays with relative after relative rather than getting a hotel room or renting an apartment of their own for the duration. In some respects, he is an immigrant in both countries.
Towards the end of the novel Gogol reflects on his and his parents’ lives: He wonders how his parents had done it, leaving their respective families behind, seeing them so seldom, dwelling unconnected, in a perpetual state of expectation, of longing. … He had spent years maintaining distance from his origins; his parents, in bridging that distance as best they could.
And he comes to a sort of conclusion: These events have formed Gogol, shaped him, determined who he is. They were things for which it was impossible to prepare but which one spent a lifetime looking back at, trying to accept, interpret, comprehend. Things that should never have happened, that seemed out of place and wrong, these were what prevailed, what endured, in the end.
Sarita Choudhury does a marvelous job narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace that still allows the reader to absorb the complexities of the writing. Still, I am glad that I also have a text copy. Lahiri’s writing is the kind that I want to pore over, to read and read again.
36Andrew-theQM
>3 Carol420: Should get this from the library on 6th March! 😂
37Carol420
The Night Market by Jonathan Moore
3★
It’s late Thursday and Inspector Ross Carver is at a crime scene: a dead man covered in an unknown substance that’s eating through his skin. Suddenly, six FBI agents burst in and haul Carver outside and into a disinfectant trailer, where he’s shocked unconscious. On Sunday he wakes up in his own bed, his neighbor Mia—who he’s barely spoken to—by his side. He can’t remember the past three days. Mia says police officers brought him home and told her he’d been poisoned. Carver can’t disprove her, but his gut says to keep her close.
It is partially mystery, partially science fiction, with a futuristic conspiracy theme that produces horrifying implications. The best I can say is that it was an entertaining read with likable characters that you can really care about, but the plot was very weird. I'm still not entirely sure what happened.
38Carol420
>36 Andrew-theQM: Hope you enjoy it. It's classic Baldacci fare.
39JulieLill
Foot Steps in the Snow
by Charles Lachman
5/5 stars
Fascinating true life tale about Maria Ridulph, a 7 year old girl from Sycamore, Illinois who went missing and was later found murdered in 1957 and the trial of John Tessier (aka John McCullough) who was the last to have seen her. The trial took place 55 years after her death. Lachman does a wonderful job relating the case and the trial.
by Charles Lachman
5/5 stars
Fascinating true life tale about Maria Ridulph, a 7 year old girl from Sycamore, Illinois who went missing and was later found murdered in 1957 and the trial of John Tessier (aka John McCullough) who was the last to have seen her. The trial took place 55 years after her death. Lachman does a wonderful job relating the case and the trial.
40Carol420
The Liar In The Library by Simon Brett
Fethering Mystery Series Book #18
3★
Having been booked to give a talk at Fethering Library, successful author Burton St Clair invites his old friend Jude to come along. Although they haven?t met for twenty years, Jude is not surprised to find that St Clair hasn?t changed, with his towering ego and somewhat shaky relationship with the truth. What Jude hadn?t been suspecting however was that the evening would end in sudden, violent death.
More worrying, from Jude?s point of view, is the fact that the investigating police officers seem to be convinced that she herself was responsible for the crime. With the evidence stacking up against her, Jude enlists the help of her neighbour Carole not just to solve the murder but to prevent herself from being arrested for committing it.
The mystery part of the story was good but the characters were bland and flat. Most of them went out of their way to be annoying. I found that I had to really work to finish it. To be fair to the book I have to admit that I'm not a cozy mystery fan.
41LibraryCin
The Great Typo Hunt / Jeff Deck, Benjamin D. Henson
4 stars
Jeff, an editor, decided that he would do some travelling around the US in 2008, in order to find and fix (whether subversively himself, or by asking) typos/errors on signs. He brought along friends with him as he made his way around the perimeter of the US for almost three months. He was armed with his Typo Correction Kit that he assembled himself and found that while some people were receptive to making the changes, others weren’t. In fact, by the time he got home again, he discovered that he was in some trouble for fixing one of the signs himself!
I really enjoyed this! There was some humour – I loved the “elixir of correction” (so as not to use a brand name) that he carried with him. There is an appendix at the end explaining some of the common errors. Jeff had a blog he kept going throughout his travels, but I’m sad to see that it no longer exists. There are some photos included interspersed throughout the book – photos of some before and after errors.
4 stars
Jeff, an editor, decided that he would do some travelling around the US in 2008, in order to find and fix (whether subversively himself, or by asking) typos/errors on signs. He brought along friends with him as he made his way around the perimeter of the US for almost three months. He was armed with his Typo Correction Kit that he assembled himself and found that while some people were receptive to making the changes, others weren’t. In fact, by the time he got home again, he discovered that he was in some trouble for fixing one of the signs himself!
I really enjoyed this! There was some humour – I loved the “elixir of correction” (so as not to use a brand name) that he carried with him. There is an appendix at the end explaining some of the common errors. Jeff had a blog he kept going throughout his travels, but I’m sad to see that it no longer exists. There are some photos included interspersed throughout the book – photos of some before and after errors.
42LibraryCin
The Woman Who Smashed Codes / Jason Fagone
3.5 stars
Elizabeth and William Friedman met while learning to decode messages. They both went on to various jobs where they were decrypting messages, but Elizabeth’s work seems to have been forgotten. They were part of the beginning of cryptography. Elizabeth did some decoding during WWI, during prohibition in the 1920s, and during WWII.
This was good. It was interesting to learn about the history of cryptology and even more interesting that a woman was at the forefront of it! I listened to the audio, and while the narrator was fine, and mostly I was kept interested, my mind did wander occasionally. I think that’s why I sometimes forgot who was who and why I kept my rating down just a bit from the 4 stars I’d like to give! I would recommend this be read in print, though, as there is plenty I think I would have liked to have seen on a page rather than heard read out to me. Apparently, there was an “enhancement” to the audio that should come with the audio, but not via my library (though I have had one other book in the past from the library that came with a pdf I could (and did) download to look at graphs and charts).
3.5 stars
Elizabeth and William Friedman met while learning to decode messages. They both went on to various jobs where they were decrypting messages, but Elizabeth’s work seems to have been forgotten. They were part of the beginning of cryptography. Elizabeth did some decoding during WWI, during prohibition in the 1920s, and during WWII.
This was good. It was interesting to learn about the history of cryptology and even more interesting that a woman was at the forefront of it! I listened to the audio, and while the narrator was fine, and mostly I was kept interested, my mind did wander occasionally. I think that’s why I sometimes forgot who was who and why I kept my rating down just a bit from the 4 stars I’d like to give! I would recommend this be read in print, though, as there is plenty I think I would have liked to have seen on a page rather than heard read out to me. Apparently, there was an “enhancement” to the audio that should come with the audio, but not via my library (though I have had one other book in the past from the library that came with a pdf I could (and did) download to look at graphs and charts).
43LibraryCin
The Snow Queen / Mercedes Lackey
3.5 stars
Aleksia is the “Snow Queen” or “Ice Fairy”, one in a long line of snow queens – she took over for someone else in the position. This also makes her one of the Godmothers of the kingdoms. As she goes about her usual business, she discovers that someone seems to be impersonating her to do terrible things. She must find out who is doing this and put a stop to it.
This actually had a few different storylines, which made it a bit confusing for me at the start. I enjoyed the second half much more after one of the storylines wrapped up (Aleksia’s “usual business”) and the other two storylines (including searching for the imposter) joined up.
3.5 stars
Aleksia is the “Snow Queen” or “Ice Fairy”, one in a long line of snow queens – she took over for someone else in the position. This also makes her one of the Godmothers of the kingdoms. As she goes about her usual business, she discovers that someone seems to be impersonating her to do terrible things. She must find out who is doing this and put a stop to it.
This actually had a few different storylines, which made it a bit confusing for me at the start. I enjoyed the second half much more after one of the storylines wrapped up (Aleksia’s “usual business”) and the other two storylines (including searching for the imposter) joined up.
44threadnsong
Oath of Gold by Elizabeth Moon
5 ***** and a heart
Oath of Gold is the climactic final volume of the epic that Judith Tarr, author of The Hound and the Falcon, calls "the first work of high heroic fantasy I've seen that has taken the work of Tolkien, assimilated it totally and deeply and absolutely, and produced something altogether new and yet incontestably based on the master.
Wow! What a fantastic book and the end to the first series. I can see now, having read the more recent books first, how they all fit into the world that she built when Paks was the main character. Again, there are instances where the geography takes a little bit of gliding over (I've always had to refer to maps in books) but her later books contain more complete maps so those helped me orient the events of this book.
Paks is recovering from a terrible set of experiences in the second book with the help of Master Oakhollow. He plays a very central role in her healing though he eases back in the character cast as Paks gains her strength. The relationship between her and Duke Phelan is much more fully explained, as is the tragedy that befell Tammarion and their children all those years ago. The military expeditions and fighting are, as can be expected with Elizabeth Moon, spot on; what fell apart for me was the reliance on invoking the names of dieties over and over again. "Gird's Grace" was used over and over again as a form of Deux ex Machina that seemed to be more of a way to move the action forward when little else would. But the set-up for future adventures by the additional characters, though unplanned 20 years ago, was all there, as was a fantastic series of books that were complete in themselves.
5 ***** and a heart
Oath of Gold is the climactic final volume of the epic that Judith Tarr, author of The Hound and the Falcon, calls "the first work of high heroic fantasy I've seen that has taken the work of Tolkien, assimilated it totally and deeply and absolutely, and produced something altogether new and yet incontestably based on the master.
Wow! What a fantastic book and the end to the first series. I can see now, having read the more recent books first, how they all fit into the world that she built when Paks was the main character. Again, there are instances where the geography takes a little bit of gliding over (I've always had to refer to maps in books) but her later books contain more complete maps so those helped me orient the events of this book.
Paks is recovering from a terrible set of experiences in the second book with the help of Master Oakhollow. He plays a very central role in her healing though he eases back in the character cast as Paks gains her strength. The relationship between her and Duke Phelan is much more fully explained, as is the tragedy that befell Tammarion and their children all those years ago. The military expeditions and fighting are, as can be expected with Elizabeth Moon, spot on; what fell apart for me was the reliance on invoking the names of dieties over and over again. "Gird's Grace" was used over and over again as a form of Deux ex Machina that seemed to be more of a way to move the action forward when little else would. But the set-up for future adventures by the additional characters, though unplanned 20 years ago, was all there, as was a fantastic series of books that were complete in themselves.
45threadnsong
All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou
4 ****
In 1962 the poet, musician, and performer Maya Angelou claimed another piece of her identity by moving to Ghana, joining a community of "Revolutionist Returnees" inspired by the promise of pan-Africanism. All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes is her lyrical and acutely perceptive exploration of what it means to be an African-American on the mother continent, where color no longer matters but where American-ness keeps asserting itself in ways both puzzling and heartbreaking.
What an honest account of her travels back to Africa and her struggles to make her way in her new homeland. She recounts the challenge of learning the new languages, customs, and rules, both among the Ghanaian people and the ex-pats who were many of her first contacts there.
The accident that changes her and her son's life is described in intense detail as taking both a physical and emotional toll on them. And it took me a while to realize she was talking about Malcolm X coming to Ghana when she begins that portion of her story but what an incredible event in her stay there! Ms. Angelou rubs shoulders with leaders of all layers of society, including royalty, and her incorporating these events in her life and her travels is told with humor, poignancy, and the observation of an outsider. And her poetry of language is, as always, fantastic.
4 ****
In 1962 the poet, musician, and performer Maya Angelou claimed another piece of her identity by moving to Ghana, joining a community of "Revolutionist Returnees" inspired by the promise of pan-Africanism. All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes is her lyrical and acutely perceptive exploration of what it means to be an African-American on the mother continent, where color no longer matters but where American-ness keeps asserting itself in ways both puzzling and heartbreaking.
What an honest account of her travels back to Africa and her struggles to make her way in her new homeland. She recounts the challenge of learning the new languages, customs, and rules, both among the Ghanaian people and the ex-pats who were many of her first contacts there.
The accident that changes her and her son's life is described in intense detail as taking both a physical and emotional toll on them. And it took me a while to realize she was talking about Malcolm X coming to Ghana when she begins that portion of her story but what an incredible event in her stay there! Ms. Angelou rubs shoulders with leaders of all layers of society, including royalty, and her incorporating these events in her life and her travels is told with humor, poignancy, and the observation of an outsider. And her poetry of language is, as always, fantastic.
46threadnsong
Black Heart, Ivory Bones ed. by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
3***
As in their previous critically acclaimed volumes of reconsidered fairy tales, award-winning editors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling have gathered together remarkable stories that illuminate the more sinister, sensual, and sophisticated aspects of the tales we cherished in childhood; the fables of witches and princes and lost children that we once imagined we knew. Black Heart, Ivory Bones showcases twenty beguiling tales for the child-that-was and the adult-that-is, penned by twenty of the most creative artists in contemporary American literature. Here dissected are the darker anatomies of the timeless, seemingly simple stories we have long loved. Here wonder and truth have serious bite.
A good collection of re-telling fairy tales, although they stick with the theme of the dark side of fairy tales. Not a lot of happy endings; the first story is a re-telling of "Rapunzel" and it is perhaps the lightest. And "The Cats of San Martino" was also a good tale of self-realization. "You, Little Match Girl" takes on the dark theme of Anderson that one would expect and it is in the modern time, and "And Still She Sleeps" is an intriguing re-telling of "Sleeping Beauty."
I definitely could have done without the tragedy of "Bear It Away," though. Too many overtones in that story though that may have been the intention. The styles are very, very different, including poetry mixed with prose/short stories. They are not uneven in ability, just in, maybe, re-telling or view of the story itself. And while showcasing different authors was good, the styles of the authors was a bit uneven, hence the 3 stars.
3***
As in their previous critically acclaimed volumes of reconsidered fairy tales, award-winning editors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling have gathered together remarkable stories that illuminate the more sinister, sensual, and sophisticated aspects of the tales we cherished in childhood; the fables of witches and princes and lost children that we once imagined we knew. Black Heart, Ivory Bones showcases twenty beguiling tales for the child-that-was and the adult-that-is, penned by twenty of the most creative artists in contemporary American literature. Here dissected are the darker anatomies of the timeless, seemingly simple stories we have long loved. Here wonder and truth have serious bite.
A good collection of re-telling fairy tales, although they stick with the theme of the dark side of fairy tales. Not a lot of happy endings; the first story is a re-telling of "Rapunzel" and it is perhaps the lightest. And "The Cats of San Martino" was also a good tale of self-realization. "You, Little Match Girl" takes on the dark theme of Anderson that one would expect and it is in the modern time, and "And Still She Sleeps" is an intriguing re-telling of "Sleeping Beauty."
I definitely could have done without the tragedy of "Bear It Away," though. Too many overtones in that story though that may have been the intention. The styles are very, very different, including poetry mixed with prose/short stories. They are not uneven in ability, just in, maybe, re-telling or view of the story itself. And while showcasing different authors was good, the styles of the authors was a bit uneven, hence the 3 stars.
47Carol420
A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay
4.5★
A man is troubled by odd sounds for which there is no rational explanation.
College professor Paul Davis is a normal guy with a normal life. Until, driving along a deserted road late one night, he surprises a murderer disposing of a couple of bodies. That’s when Paul’s "normal" existence is turned upside down. After nearly losing his own life in that encounter, he finds himself battling PTSD, depression, and severe problems at work. His wife, Charlotte, desperate to cheer him up, brings home a vintage typewriter—complete with ink ribbons and heavy round keys—to encourage him to get started on that novel he’s always intended to write. However, the typewriter itself is a problem. Paul swears it’s possessed and types by itself at night. But only Paul can hear the noise coming from downstairs; Charlotte doesn’t hear a thing. And she worries he’s going off the rails.
Paul believes the typewriter is somehow connected to the murderer he discovered nearly a year ago. The killer had made his victims type apologies to him before ending their lives. Has another sick twist of fate entwined his life with the killer—could this be the same machine? Increasingly tormented but determined to discover the truth and confront his nightmare, Paul begins investigating the deaths himself. But that may not be the best thing to do. Maybe Paul should just take the typewriter back to where his wife found it. Maybe he should stop asking questions and simply walk away while he can.
I have read everything to date that Linwood Barclay has written...and while I can say that some were better than others....however I have to say that I have never read a bad, or even mediocre book that he has written. This story features a cast of characters that each had a motive, an opportunity, and a good reason to be suspected of the crime. The burning question throughout was had a crime even been committed? The reader will change their mind a dozen times before the conclusion. Just a word of warning...be prepare to be blindsided by an ending you will never see coming.
48threadnsong
The Court of the Stone Children by Eleanor Cameron
5***** and a heart
Nina first met Dominique the day she discovered the San Francisco museum with the carved stone children standing in the courtyard. But who and what is Dominique, this strange and beautiful girl? Nina slowly discovers that the answer lies in the past, in the time of Napoleon, when Dominique lived in the French chateau that is now the museum.
One of those books I read and re-read, or at least started a lot of times. I was familiar with the first part, and I probably put it down when the list of characters grew larger and larger. I know I read it through once because I remember having an "ah-ha!" moment when a key painting is explained; I would not have made the connection with the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon's traits as a despot when I was a child.
It starts with a young-ish girl, Nina, (aged 12? 14?) who has moved from her nature-infused life in the Sierra Nevada to the hills and apartments of San Francisco and is struggling to find herself. A set of school popular girls let her know she's not welcome in their group, and it's with the help of another misfit, Gil, that she discovers a fictional French Museum. Gil has an interest in Time and while their friendship is not a central part of the story, the idea of Time certainly is. Nina has a "Museum Feeling" that becomes quite acute in her new museum home, and it's here she meets Domi.
Dominique is the daughter of the former owner of the Chateau that is now the museum who was once a confidante of Napoleon. In the courtyard of this museum is an arrangement of 6 stones statues, all children of the artist Chrysostome. It is also in this courtyard that Domi makes herself known to Nina through a token that Domi shares with the caretaker of the museum. (Any wonder that I was puzzled by all of this when I was 11??) Also as part of the museum is a two-volume journal kept by Odile, one of the daughters of Chrysostome, that holds the key to a two-hundred-year-old mystery.
So again, giving my eleven-year-old self a break here, there are lots of different threads in this tiny little book. I had half-remembered that the stone children came alive until something was fixed at the end (they don't), and I have always remembered the phrase "that funny way cat's whiskers have" when a person is scratching under a cat's chin. But any other details about this book had completely slipped my mind, so even though it's a re-read for me (another 2018 challenge), it was completely new.
5***** and a heart
Nina first met Dominique the day she discovered the San Francisco museum with the carved stone children standing in the courtyard. But who and what is Dominique, this strange and beautiful girl? Nina slowly discovers that the answer lies in the past, in the time of Napoleon, when Dominique lived in the French chateau that is now the museum.
One of those books I read and re-read, or at least started a lot of times. I was familiar with the first part, and I probably put it down when the list of characters grew larger and larger. I know I read it through once because I remember having an "ah-ha!" moment when a key painting is explained; I would not have made the connection with the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon's traits as a despot when I was a child.
It starts with a young-ish girl, Nina, (aged 12? 14?) who has moved from her nature-infused life in the Sierra Nevada to the hills and apartments of San Francisco and is struggling to find herself. A set of school popular girls let her know she's not welcome in their group, and it's with the help of another misfit, Gil, that she discovers a fictional French Museum. Gil has an interest in Time and while their friendship is not a central part of the story, the idea of Time certainly is. Nina has a "Museum Feeling" that becomes quite acute in her new museum home, and it's here she meets Domi.
Dominique is the daughter of the former owner of the Chateau that is now the museum who was once a confidante of Napoleon. In the courtyard of this museum is an arrangement of 6 stones statues, all children of the artist Chrysostome. It is also in this courtyard that Domi makes herself known to Nina through a token that Domi shares with the caretaker of the museum. (Any wonder that I was puzzled by all of this when I was 11??) Also as part of the museum is a two-volume journal kept by Odile, one of the daughters of Chrysostome, that holds the key to a two-hundred-year-old mystery.
So again, giving my eleven-year-old self a break here, there are lots of different threads in this tiny little book. I had half-remembered that the stone children came alive until something was fixed at the end (they don't), and I have always remembered the phrase "that funny way cat's whiskers have" when a person is scratching under a cat's chin. But any other details about this book had completely slipped my mind, so even though it's a re-read for me (another 2018 challenge), it was completely new.
49threadnsong
First Feminists: British Women Writers 1578-1799 edited by Moira Ferguson
4****
An amazing look into women's writing starting from 1578 up through and slightly past Mary Wollstonecraft. The amount of citations are large, and Moira Ferguson has done an amazing job of keeping the language as original as possible while still maintaining readability.
Some of these authors were recognized in their lifetimes, some wrote in the evenings when the workload was done (and we are lucky to have their work), many are obscured by history or are mentioned as footnotes to other writers. But a common theme for all of them is the necessity of educating women to the same level of men, an even-ness of the workload between men and women, and a longing to be taken seriously as writers. Most of the work here are essays, though there are some letters and poems. The most famous of the authors are the Ladies of Llangollen and Mary Wollstonecraft, but all these writers' works should be remembered and re-told, and this is the forum available to do so in the here and now.
And on a personal note, when I updated this as a "read" book, I saw that I started it in 2010 (and I know I was reading it in the mid-90's so 2010 was a re-start). It has been quite an accomplishment to read it all the way through, and I am grateful to my friends on LT who have provided a forum for me to post the bits of the individual essays so that these women writers could live into an age they could not have dreamed existed. What's more, many of their struggles are still relevant today (sadly).
4****
An amazing look into women's writing starting from 1578 up through and slightly past Mary Wollstonecraft. The amount of citations are large, and Moira Ferguson has done an amazing job of keeping the language as original as possible while still maintaining readability.
Some of these authors were recognized in their lifetimes, some wrote in the evenings when the workload was done (and we are lucky to have their work), many are obscured by history or are mentioned as footnotes to other writers. But a common theme for all of them is the necessity of educating women to the same level of men, an even-ness of the workload between men and women, and a longing to be taken seriously as writers. Most of the work here are essays, though there are some letters and poems. The most famous of the authors are the Ladies of Llangollen and Mary Wollstonecraft, but all these writers' works should be remembered and re-told, and this is the forum available to do so in the here and now.
And on a personal note, when I updated this as a "read" book, I saw that I started it in 2010 (and I know I was reading it in the mid-90's so 2010 was a re-start). It has been quite an accomplishment to read it all the way through, and I am grateful to my friends on LT who have provided a forum for me to post the bits of the individual essays so that these women writers could live into an age they could not have dreamed existed. What's more, many of their struggles are still relevant today (sadly).
50Carol420
Hunting Annabelle by Wendy Heard
3.5★
Sean Suh is done with killing. After serving three years in a psychiatric prison, he’s determined to stay away from temptation. But he can’t resist Annabelle—beautiful, confident, incandescent Annabelle—who alone can see past the monster to the man inside. The man he’s desperately trying to be. Then Annabelle disappears. Sean is sure she’s been kidnapped—he witnessed her being taken firsthand—but the police are convinced that Sean himself is at the center of this crime. And he must admit, his illness has caused him to “lose time” before. What if there’s more to what happened than he’s able to remember?
Though haunted by the fear that it might be better for Annabelle if he never finds her, Sean can’t bring himself to let go of her without a fight. To save her, he’ll have to do more than confront his own demons… He’ll have to let them loose.
A low-rent amusement park.... a mystery girl... a worried mom...a man accused but is he guilty or innocent? this one has all the elements necessary to make a dark,and chilling mystery. If you like twisted, physiological tales then this is diffidently what you are looking for.
51JulieLill
All Aunt Hagar’s Children
By Edward P. Jones
3.5/5 stars
Jones relates the stories and the eye opening experiences of African Americans through short stories taking place chiefly in Washington D.C. during the 20th Century. Tapestry, the last story is particularly well written about a young woman’ who makes tapestries, then marries and is taken from her country home to the big city to live with her new husband. Jones has won multiple awards for his writing and many have appeared in the New Yorker.
By Edward P. Jones
3.5/5 stars
Jones relates the stories and the eye opening experiences of African Americans through short stories taking place chiefly in Washington D.C. during the 20th Century. Tapestry, the last story is particularly well written about a young woman’ who makes tapestries, then marries and is taken from her country home to the big city to live with her new husband. Jones has won multiple awards for his writing and many have appeared in the New Yorker.
52threadnsong
The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn
5*****
The Road to Jonestown is the definitive account of Jim Jones and the tragic events at Jonestown, the largest murder suicide in American history. Based on newly released documents and new interviews with survivors, some of whom had never spoken publicly before, it answers the question, How could so many people not only die for Jim Jones but kill for him, too?
It's a tough subject to read about, especially since I remember there was a time when we were first learning about the horror that was Jonestown. Jeff Guinn has done a terrific job tracking down primary sources (i.e., interviews with some of the survivors) as well as listening to the tapes of the preaching Jones did. He structures the events of the book, starting with Jones' mother and father, as what led to the eventuality of the mass suicide in 1978.
And yes, I did read the ending first. I started it in mid-November of this year, just before the 30th anniversary, and when an anniversary-documentary came on TV I was able to understand much more about it after reading parts of this book. But to the ending -- it is horrible. And accurate. And the people mentioned as having acted during the murder/suicide are brought to greater detail when reading the book from start to finish, but their inclusion as characters at that tragic end clued me into whom to watch.
Guinn also references multiple times who everyone is who took part in Jones' mission or church or the murder/suicide, anticipating that this is the sort of book that one would pick up and put down after a time. I did put it down for a week or so a couple of times, although I read the last 200 pages through in about 2 days. It's extremely well-written and very gripping, in spite of the subject matter. Or perhaps because of the 30 years of wondering how and why?
5*****
The Road to Jonestown is the definitive account of Jim Jones and the tragic events at Jonestown, the largest murder suicide in American history. Based on newly released documents and new interviews with survivors, some of whom had never spoken publicly before, it answers the question, How could so many people not only die for Jim Jones but kill for him, too?
It's a tough subject to read about, especially since I remember there was a time when we were first learning about the horror that was Jonestown. Jeff Guinn has done a terrific job tracking down primary sources (i.e., interviews with some of the survivors) as well as listening to the tapes of the preaching Jones did. He structures the events of the book, starting with Jones' mother and father, as what led to the eventuality of the mass suicide in 1978.
And yes, I did read the ending first. I started it in mid-November of this year, just before the 30th anniversary, and when an anniversary-documentary came on TV I was able to understand much more about it after reading parts of this book. But to the ending -- it is horrible. And accurate. And the people mentioned as having acted during the murder/suicide are brought to greater detail when reading the book from start to finish, but their inclusion as characters at that tragic end clued me into whom to watch.
Guinn also references multiple times who everyone is who took part in Jones' mission or church or the murder/suicide, anticipating that this is the sort of book that one would pick up and put down after a time. I did put it down for a week or so a couple of times, although I read the last 200 pages through in about 2 days. It's extremely well-written and very gripping, in spite of the subject matter. Or perhaps because of the 30 years of wondering how and why?
53LibraryCin
The Suspect / Fiona Barton
4 stars
Kate is a reporter and her son, Jake, has been in Phuket, Thailand for a couple of years. Kate and her husband rarely hear from him. Meanwhile, two teenage girls have gone missing in Bangkok and Kate wants the story, so goes to talk to the mothers of the girls to see what she can find out before heading to Thailand to see what she can learn there.
I really liked this. It’s one that kept me wanting to read, to find out what happened! It’s the third in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. I’ve read the 2nd and 3rd books now, and want to go back and read the first. I did find the personal story of the detective good, and I bet there is more background on that, as well. The common factor in the books appears to mainly be Kate, but the detective is there, as well.
4 stars
Kate is a reporter and her son, Jake, has been in Phuket, Thailand for a couple of years. Kate and her husband rarely hear from him. Meanwhile, two teenage girls have gone missing in Bangkok and Kate wants the story, so goes to talk to the mothers of the girls to see what she can find out before heading to Thailand to see what she can learn there.
I really liked this. It’s one that kept me wanting to read, to find out what happened! It’s the third in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. I’ve read the 2nd and 3rd books now, and want to go back and read the first. I did find the personal story of the detective good, and I bet there is more background on that, as well. The common factor in the books appears to mainly be Kate, but the detective is there, as well.
54Andrew-theQM
>53 LibraryCin: I really enjoyed the first two Fiona Barton books, and I can’t wait to read this one.
55LibraryCin
>54 Andrew-theQM: I haven't yet read the first one! The second one was chosen for my f2f book club sometime in 2018, and at that point, I wanted to go back and read the first. This one came up on Netgalley, though, so I went for it!
57Sergeirocks
I've never heard of Fiona Barton. Looks like someone I should check out...
58Andrew-theQM
>57 Sergeirocks: I think you’d enjoy them Sergei.