Book Chat - CLOSED by original moderator discussion

We'd like to know what you are reading; Because others of us might want to read it as well please include in your review:

Author
Title
Rating
Synopsis
Why you liked/disliked the book

Starting my October/Halloween reads with this one,a few more waiting in line.

Exit West – Mohsin Hamid – 4.5****
What an inventive and interesting way of telling a tale that examines issues of immigration, war, and love. Hamid uses a framework of a political unrest, where outsiders are quickly blamed for all that goes wrong. It’s uncomfortably recognizable and plausible, but also has a mystical / ethereal quality.
LINK to my review

Educated: A Memoir – Tara Westover – 5*****
In this memoir, Westover recalls her childhood and personal journey to become an educated, independent woman. It’s amazing that Westover survived some of the episodes she relates; it’s a testament to her inner strength and determination that she managed to prosper. Her story is fascinating, compelling and inspiring, but there are scenes that left me shaking my head or cringing in fear.
LINK to my review

A Shameful Murder, Cora Harrison

★ ★ ★ 1/2

#119

During the unrest of 1923 Cork, Ireland; Reverend Mother Aquinas walks out the gates of the Abbey and comes upon what she first believes to be a mermaid in silver satin but turns out to be the body of a local young woman who had gone missing during the local Merchant's Ball. At the same time another local girl goes missing and neither victim is quite who they appear to be.

Together w/ Police Sargent Patrick Cashman, Dr. Sher, & her cousin Reverend Mother puts together the puzzle pieces to solve the mystery of the two young women.

I found the book very interesting, the description of the Republicans and the prejudice against them, the poverty, the laws of property & inheritance in regards to women

I found that the quotes at the beginning of each chapter by Thomas Aquinas, were a sharp contrast in comparison to the good will & charitable acts of Reverend Mother Aquinas.

There were enough clues for me to figure most of the mystery out!

The Trouble With Goats And Sheep – Joanna Cannon – 3.5***
What an interesting and inventive way to structure this mystery / coming of age novel. Cannon tells the story in dual timeframes (Summer 1976 and December 1967), and with multiple points of view. But in addition to the mystery Cannon gives the reader a coming-of-age story. I loved Grace and Tilly. The girls learn valuable lessons about friendship, responsibility and not being quick to judge.
LINK to my review

by Harry Turtledove
3 stars

from my library's catalog: Publius Quinctilius Varus, a Roman politician, is summoned by the Emperor, Augustus Caesar. Given three legions and sent to the Roman frontier east of the Rhine, his mission is to subdue the barbarous German tribes where others have failed and to bring their land fully under Rome's control. Arminius, a prince of the Cherusci, is playing a deadly game.


my thoughts: The content was interesting and Turtledove's battle descriptions were excellent. His descriptions stayed true to the time period, so parts were graphic. But, he definitely kept you on the seat of your pants during the battle scene. The rest of the story, though, was long and drawn out. Turtledove also had a habit of repeating himself again and again and again and again.... If the repeated parts were edited out, and he had stuck to a brief storyline, I would have loved this book.

Over the Edge – Michael Ghiglieri & Thomas Myers – 2.5**
The subtitle is all the summary anyone needs: Gripping accounts of all known fatal mishaps in the most famous of the World’s Seven Natural Wonders. The chapters are divided by cause: falls from the rim, falls within the canyon, environment (i.e. dehydration), etc. They have a pretty engaging style when they are recounting a specific scenario, but they tend to get preachy about the causes of most of these fatalities. Mostly it’s boring. My husband’s account of his raft trip is much better (read full review).
LINK to my review

Black and Blue – Anna Quindlen – 3***
The abused wife of a New York City detective flees with their son to a new life in a new state with new identities. Quindlen gives the reader a reasonably suspenseful story arc, but I had some problems believing in the characters. I was interested in how it would play out, but I won’t remember this book for long.
LINK to my review

The Cider House Rules – John Irving – 4****
I love Irving’s writing, and don’t know why this one languished on my TBR for so long. What I really like about the novel is how the characters are portrayed. The reader gets a clear idea of how Dr Larch came to his decision. The reader also clearly understands why Homer makes a different decision, how he struggles to love this man who is like a father to him, once he makes that decision. And the reader watches the painful separation that all parents face when they send their offspring out into the world to make their own way. How a parent’s hopes and dreams may not always be embraced by that child.
LINK to my review

Rich People Problems, Kevin Kwan

★ ★ ★

#120

They're Back: Rich Ugly, and Obnoxious As Ever...

Nick & Rachel are happily married & living in New York, far away from his mother, when they get a call (or several) telling Nick to go back to Singapore as his Ah Mah (grandmother) is dying and they need to reconcile.

Eddie (Nick's a.h. cousin) is lording over everyone as he believes that he is the heir & favorite grandson of the hour.

Charlie proposes to Astrid in a remote Scottish castle w/ the secret help of Ah Ma, all hell breaks loose as Charlie's ex-wife leaks a video of Astrid & Charlie to the Singapore news & Astrid's soon-to-be ex decides to hold the divorce proceedings for ransom.

Colette has married an English Peer, but she hasn't changed & her step-mother, Kitty Poon (former porn-star) decides to get revenge by coming to Nick's rescue in a most unusual manner, thereby evening out the field

Life as usual....

I liked this more than the previous book, but not as much as the first one... a satisfying & neat conclusion.

The Rules of Murder, Julianna Deering

★ ★

#121

Drew & his childhood friend Nick, (the butler's son) arrive home for a house party... Drew finds his mother's alleged lover in his room & proceeds to cause a ruckus by kicking the man out. Drew's step-father requests that the man, be allowed to remain as he is a business partner, to which Drew relents... only to later find the man murdered in the Greenhouse.

Previous to the man's murder the chemical engineer of the company is found dead in his laboratory and the company secretary allegedly takes himself off to the Canadian offices. Then after the party, Drew's mother is found murdered (possible suicide), and days later Drew's step-father is also murdered.

Bearer bonds go missing, a secret passage is located in the offices, the past murder in the Canadian offices rears its ugly head again... people are just not whom they seem.

During all of these goings on, Drew falls in love w/ his step-father's niece who has come from America w/ two friends to tour the Continent....

I liked the plot, the story line, & the characters; however, the book needed to be 1/2 the length & I still abhor the religious dogma contained therein, one would think that the main character Drew Farthering was a minister rather than a detective.

The Rules of Murder, Julianna Deering

★ ★

#121

Drew & his childhood friend Nick, (the butler's son) arrive home for a house party... Drew finds his mother's alleged lover in his room & proceeds to cause a ruckus by kicking the man out. Drew's step-father requests that the man, be allowed to remain as he is a business partner, to which Drew relents... only to later find the man murdered in the Greenhouse.

Previous to the man's murder the chemical engineer of the company is found dead in his laboratory and the company secretary allegedly takes himself off to the Canadian offices. Then after the party, Drew's mother is found murdered (possible suicide), and days later Drew's step-father is also murdered.

Bearer bonds go missing, a secret passage is located in the offices, the past murder in the Canadian offices rears its ugly head again... people are just not whom they seem.

During all of these goings on, Drew falls in love w/ his step-father's niece who has come from America w/ two friends to tour the Continent....

I liked the plot, the story line, & the characters; however, the book needed to be 1/2 the length & I still abhor the religious dogma contained therein, one would think that the main character Drew Farthering was a minister rather than a detective.

The Handsome Man’s Deluxe Cafe – Alexander McCall Smith– 3***
Book # 15 in the popular No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series has the ladies investigating a case of amnesia. In the meantime, Mma Grace Makutsi has decided to open a new restaurant. I love this series. The cases the agency works on are less important in this series than the relationships between the characters. I feel like I’m spending time with old friends when I open one of these books and become immersed in their lives. They are my reading comfort food.
LINK to my review

Redcoat
Bernard Cornwell
****
I’ve always been a history buff and especially enjoy reading historical fiction about the American Revolution so this book engaged me from the start.

The story is based around a young British soldier, the taking of Philadelphia, the conflict within a prosperous family and the divide between the Loyalists and those who seek liberty. Loads of suspense and skirmishes with enemies.

I have found that most of Cornwell’s books are in a series and was disappointed that this was not. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and have already gone and gotten another.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe – Fannie Flagg – 5*****
This is actually the third time I’ve read this book and I love just as much now as I did the first time. Flagg does a marvelous job of developing these characters, and the reader feels the love between them. I was hooked from the beginning and engaged throughout.
LINK to my review

by Shelley Tanaka
4 stars
10/20/2018

from my library's catalog: Seventeen-year-old Jack Thayer explores the Titanic and forms a brief friendship with another passenger before experiencing the wreck of the giant ocean liner.

my thoughts: I did not realize this was a children's book when I put it in my audiobook cart to check out. It moved quickly, but gave a decent amount of information about the events from the perspective of a first class passenger and a radio operator. The story shared enough information to describe the tragedy, but without being traumatic for younger readers. The author also provided more background information after the story was over. Even I learned a few new things from this book.

by Alex Heard
4 stars
10/20/2018

from my library's catalog: A saga of race and retribution in the deep South that says as much about Mississippi today as it does about the mysteries of the past.

my thoughts: This was a very well-researched text. Almost too well-researched. The author didn't know what to leave out. But the core of the information was interesting, even though it was upsetting. Heard did an excellent job of trying to remain unbiased as his research into the McGee tragedy continued. What kept this from being a five-star book for me was simply my personal preference for non-fiction to be told in a linear fashion. Heard jumped around too much in his storytelling (he followed his research path) for my personal taste.

by Douglas Clegg
3 stars
10/20/2018

from my library's catalog: Harrow is haunted, they say. The mansion is a place of tragedy and nightmares, evil and insanity. First it was a madman's fortress; then it became a school. Now it lies empty. An obsessed woman named Ivy Martin wants to bring the house back to life. And Jack Fleetwood, a ghost hunter, wants to find out what lurks within Harrow. Together they assemble the people who they believe can pierce the mansion's shadows. A group of strangers, with varying motives and abilities, gather at the house called Harrow in the Hudson Valley to reach another world that exists within the house. A world of wonders ... A world of desires ... A world of nightmares.

my thoughts: The story had a slow buildup, but the cast of characters was very interesting. It took forever to get to the point of the haunting tale. Then everything happened so fast, I'm not sure I completely understood the point of the whole story. But the characters kept my attention. I'll try another one in the series.

50% Off Murder – Josie Belle – 3***
A typical cozy mystery where the lead amateur sleuth just cannot keep her nose out of police business, despite specific warnings to steer clear. There are plenty of suspects, including Maggie’s old high-school nemesis. I thought this was a bit formulaic, but maybe I’ve been reading too many cozies lately. The old rivalry with Summer Phillips irritated me no end; they’re 40 years old for heaven’s sake and they are STILL hashing out high school drama?! I figured out the culprit long before Maggie or Sheriff Sam Collins caught on. Still it was a fun, fast read and if another book in the series fits a challenge task, I’ll read it.
LINK to my review

Starting NINE LIVES by Wendi Corsi Staub as one of my Halloween reads. Also starting THE ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY .I've been wanting to rad this one for abt 10 yrs, so it is time.My other Halloween reads were duds for me and I gave up. So NINE LIVES is last effort at a Halloween read. I live near Lilydale which is featured in this book and I am familiar with the house on the cover.Lovely place and I love to visit it and read abt it.Kavalier and Clay seems to be another WWII/Nazi Germany subject.This year for some reason,I have read many books with Nazi Germany themes and it is not intentional.

Before We Were Yours – Lisa Wingate – 3.5***
This historical novel is based on a shameful episode in Tennessee history, when babies were sold for profit and powerful people looked the other way. I was engaged and interested from the beginning, but … Of the two time lines I much preferred the historical story arc set in Depression-era Tennessee. I did not care for the contemporary story arc featuring Avery and her uncertain / conflicting love interests. Most of the characters seemed to come straight from central casting. Still, our F2F book group had a lively discussion.
LINK to my review

The Monster of Florence – Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi – 3.5***
In the early 1980s the residents of Tuscany were terrorized by a serial killer every bit as brutal as Jack the Ripper. Known as the Monster of Florence, the psychopath was never caught. Preston and Spezi put their journalism skills to the test, and for their troubles, became the focus of criminal investigation themselves. There are some elements of the book that rival the best true-crime books, but in the end I was left feeling ‘meh.’
LINK to my review

I, Robot – Isaac Asimov – 4****
I’ve never been a great fan of science fiction but this book has been on my tbr for ages. The thread that weaves the chapters together is Susan Calvin, PhD – a specialist in “Robopsychology.” As the narrator relates Dr Calvin’s fifty years of experiences in the field, the reader gets a sense of the slippery slope humanity has embarked on by relying more and more on these highly intelligent machines. It’s fascinating, frightening, thrilling and thought-provoking.
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------


Orhan’s Inheritance – Aline Ohanesian – 3.5***
The novel moves back and forth between 1990s and the last days of the Ottoman empire. There are not a lot of fiction books about World War I (as compared to WW II), and only a small number that deal with the Armenian genocide. So, this is an interesting and informative subject on which to focus. What people had to do to survive and how the trauma affected them forms the basis for a compelling story. It made me wonder when, or whether, one can ever let go of past wrongs. Must hate and rancor pass from generation to generation because one’s grandfather hurt the other’s grandfather?
LINK to my review

Mennonite In a Little Black Dress – Rhoda Janzen – 3***
The subtitle is: A Memoir Of Going Home. I’m not sure what I was expecting. One the one hand, Janzen is able to look at her life and the choices she made honestly and without (much) regret. She seems to genuinely like and cherish her family, and I really loved the relationship she had with her mother. On the other hand, I’m not so sure Janzen was truly over her husband’s having left for a guy he met on Gay.com. I enjoyed much of it and found her sense of humor about her own situation refreshing, but I didn’t love it.
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------


Dark of the Moon – John Sanders – 3.5***
Book One in a new series featuring Virgil Flowers of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; he only works “the hard stuff.” Sandford crafts a tight plot with several twists and turns, plenty of suspects, a little love interest, and a skilled, likeable lead detective. I like the way Flowers pieces together the puzzle. He’s deliberate and cautious, but aggressive when questioning a reluctant witness. He’s an astute observer and is careful when drawing conclusions. It certainly kept me guessing right up to the reveal.
LINK to my review

by Ellis Peters
11/2/2018
3 stars
from my library's catalog: Shortly after he inherits the powerful position of Lord of Eaton, 10-year-old Richard Ludel disappears from Shrewsbury Abbey, where he had been a student. Did he run away or was he kidnapped? Brother Cadfael suspects the hermit of Eyton Forest, a mysterious man rumored to have holy powers, knows the answer.

my thoughts: This was a decent mystery novel. I liked the characters and the story itself was fine. What kept it from a higher rating for me was the anti-climactic ending. It kind of just fizzled out when the murderer was revealed. Even Cadfael kind of went, "Oh well." Loved the historical elements so I will definitely continue the series.

The Question of the Dead Mistress, E.J. Copperman

★ ★ ★ ★


#122

Samuel Hoenig, has Asperger's Syndrome; he runs a detective agency that answers questions.

He employs Mrs. Janet Washburn as his assistant, who helps him work within the framework of "normal" society, by giving him non-verbal clues on how to deal with his clients, by helping him research, and interview prospective/current clients.

A woman comes in and wants the question: "Is my husband cheating on me w/ his dead ex-girlfriend?" Which leads to her husband's murder, the investigation into the death of the former girlfriend, and the death of the woman's first husband.

The side story is about how Samuel comes to accept a relationship which his now present father who had abandoned him & his mother when Samuel was 4 years old, as well as dealing w/ Samuel's emotional make-up or lack thereof.

I liked this book better than the previous one in the series, as it wasn't as far-fetched and convoluted. It was better written and the story was easier to follow.

The Fleur de Sel Murders, Jean-Luc Bannalec

★ ★ ★ ★

#123

Commissaire Georges Dupin has recently heard from a friend & investigative reporter, Lilou Breval, that there is something strange going on in the White Land of Le Sel (the natural salt harvesting pools) and it has to do w/ mysterious blue barrels that should not be in the salt marshes...

While investigating, le Commissaire is shot and then locked into a tin hut at the marshes... causing an uncomfortable interaction w/ Sylvaine Rose, the inspector whose territory the Breton Salt Pools are in. Georges is paired w/ Sylvaine against both of their wishes as part of an ongoing rivalry between their bosses.

At low tide the body of Lilou is discovered, she had been murdered and her laptop stolen... Lilou had been interviewing several main players in the Salt business; independent paludiers (salt marsh workers), co-op paludiers, and the new high-profile salt conglomerate; all with much to lose should their salt be found to be contaminated.

This was a very interesting subject and story, but it was boring in many places which of course caused me to skip paragraphs at a time... so I had to knock off 1 ★

I do believe, I'll go back and read others in the series.

The Great Alone – Kristin Hannah – 2.5**
Ernt Allbright is a damaged man; a former Vietnam POW he is prone to fits of anger and depression. So, moving his family to a remote homestead in Alaska is clearly a sign that things are going to go badly. I was engaged and interested in the story from the beginning, but … I quickly grew tired of Cora’s constant excuses for her sorry husband. She seemed to never take seriously the signs that he was a danger to her … and to their child! On the plus side, I really did enjoy the depictions of the majestic natural beauty of Alaska. I liked the self-sufficiency of many of the characters, and particularly liked the strong women of the community. In general, however, the things I liked couldn’t make up for what I didn’t like, so this gets a below average rating.
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------


Buried In Bargains – Josie Belle – 3***
Book 3 in the Good Buy Girls Mystery series, has all the elements of a successful cozy mystery series: a group of friends who serve as amateur sleuths, a villainous temptress “mean girl” who is the bane of their existence, a handsome sheriff with a definite interest in widowed Maggie, and a lovely small community with a high murder rate. I identified the culprit the first time said culprit made an appearance in the book. But it was still fun to watch everyone else catch up.
LINK to my review

Die Trying – Lee Child – 3.5***
Gosh but these books are addictive! Reacher is former military police, and now is roaming about taking odd jobs. He’s certainly got his hands full this time. I like that in this book, Holly Johnson is a strong female …. She may be on crutches, but she is far from helpless. Implausible though it may be, Child gives the reader a fast-paced thriller full of action and intrigue.
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------


Yellow Crocus – Laila Ibrahim – 3.5***
Good historical fiction set in 1837 to 1860 Virgnia. The novel explores the ways in which family bonds are formed regardless of biological connection. I loved Mattie. She’s a strong woman who works hard and smart, watching and learning skills that will help her and her family find their way to freedom someday. I did not like Lisbeth too much for most of the book, but once she was forced to confront her assumptions she showed strength of character.
LINK to my review

by Elizabeth Peters
re-read 11/10/2018
3 stars

from my library's catalog: Thirty-one-year-old Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody has not only inherited her father's fortune, but she is also blessed with his strong will as well. Now she's headed for Cairo, accompanied by a girl with a tarnished past, to indulge her passion for Egyptology. Little did she know that murder and a homicidal mummy lay in wait for her.

my thoughts (haven't changed): It's books like this that make me really glad that I do not read books in order. I had already fallen in love with this series and the characters before I read this first book. It took a lot of time for Peters to develop the plotline and story in this book, but she moves more quickly in later episodes. I gave this 3 stars for the potential and the series I know it turns into later.

Anne of Ingleside – L. M. Montgomery – 2.5**
This is the sixth book in the series that follows the irrepressible Anne Shirley as she grows from a young orphan to adulthood. This book focuses on Anne and Gilbert’s six children, who seem to all share their mother’s gift of imagination and tendency toward fantasy. But, I read the earlier books in the series for Anne, and she wasn’t as prevalent in this episode. I’m not sure I’ll continue reading the series at all.
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------


Heidi – Johanna Spyri – 4.5****
This classic of children’s literature tells the story of Heidi, a young orphan girl who lives with her gruff grandfather up on a Swiss mountain. It’s a wonderful story about a child who has lost much but relishes all that she has. She’s intelligent, open-minded, kind-hearted and has a great generosity of spirit.
LINK to my review

The Devil Went Down to Austin – Rick Riordan – 3***
Book # 4 in the Tres Navarre series has Tres going to Austin to confront his older brother Garrett, when he learns that Garnet has mortgaged the family ranch for a start-up venture and is four months behind on payments. What he finds is a tangled financial mess and it only gets worse when Garrett's friend and business partner is found shot, with Garrett nearby and Garrett's gun the likely murder weapon. Fast paced, intricate plotting, great characters. I figured it out just one step ahead of the reveal. I sure wish Riordan would come back to writing adult mysteries, though I understand why he continues to focus on that immensely popular (and lucrative) Percy Jackson series.
LINK to my review

Kilgallen, Lee Israel

★ ★

#124

I watch the reruns of "What's My Line?" all the time... I enjoy Dorothy Kilgallen, so I really wanted to read more about her, especially to find out why she might have allegedly committed suicide in the midst of her biggest story of her life; but this book was difficult reading.

The print was small, and for a paperback, it had too many pages, & too much minutiae about her life in society..

So the book bored me, it lost me 1/4 through; but I did read most of the end which recounted her murder... But even that was filled w/ redundancies.

There was a whole lot of collusion going on there, she was found dead very early in the morning (before breakfast) and her family & staff seemed to have covered it up... Reports state she died/was found around noon?

But the most important fact was that she was murdered while investigating the murder of JFK.... and the FBI & CIA had a huge dossier on her...

I wish the book had been easier to read, but the writing was to leave no small stone unturned and all them stones began to drag heavily on me too early on.

#125

Great Food Fast, Martha Stewart

★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Well, this book made me both happy & hungry... So many simple & great ideas for meals.

The font is easy to read, the header gives a brief explanation of the dish, the title is in bold, beneath is the serving size/prep & total time, the ingredients in a smaller font (I need new glasses) are on the left & the preparation steps on the right; the recipes are clearly written and easy to follow; the pictures are appetizing (not that ugly yellow-red-orange-brownish of most cookbook photos); the instruction steps are numbered; there are notes at the end; supplemental recipes for sauces etc.; and the pages are not cluttered.

Everything so bright & clean looking, nothing fancy-schmancy, artsy, or skimpy portions.

The book is broken down into: Contents; Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter w/ the recipe names by courses( Soups/Salads, Mains, Pastas, & Desserts); Introduction (blessedly short); Recipes; Basics; & Reference

Recipes included but not limited to:

Spring: Hot & sour soup; Potato-Leek soup; Crisp goat cheese salad; Buttermilk baked chicken; Thai-style steak salad; lamb chops w/ mint-pepper sauce; Pan fried shrimp w/ Thai green curry sauce; Linguine w/ sausage & peppers; Farfalle w/ salmon, mint & peas; carrot cumin slaw; Parmesan steak fries; Strawberry shortcakes; & Lemon custard cakes

Summer: Creamy corn soup; Shrimp gazpacho; Favorite turkey burger; Vietnamese steak sandwiches; Pork quesadillas; Lentil-walnut burgers; Rum glazed shrimp & mango; past w/ pesto, prosciutto& peas; Rigatoni w/ goat cheese; Corn fritters; Grilled sweet potatoes w/ scallions; Summer snowballs; & Blueberry crumb cake

Fall: Coconut shrimp soup; Shredded beet & carrot salad; Roasted Cornish hens w/ grapes (?); Parmesan stuffed chicken breasts; Rye crusted pork medallions; Lamb chops w/ yogurt sauce; & Roast salmon w/ lentils; Tomato & olive penne; Red cabbage w/ apples; Orzo & snap pea salad; Buttermilk mashed potatoes; Grilled chocolate sandwiches; & Cappuccino parfaits

Winter: Lentil soup; Mango/Hearts of Palm salad w/ Lime vinaigrette; Garlic roasted chicken breasts; Chili rubbed skirt steak; Crispy apricot pork chops; Mushroom tart; Sole w/ butter sauce; baked ravioli; Lemon-thyme green beans; Baby broccoli w/ orange sauce; & Cranberry upside-down cake

Basics: Vinaigrettes, Rubs; Herbs sauces; Eggs & chicken basics; Grains/pastas

Reference: Nutritional values; Acknowledgements; Credits; & Index

Although I certainly do not need nor want another cookbook: This one is a keeper!

#126

Extraordinary Education of Nichols Benedict, Trenton Lee Stewart

★ ★

The book had an interesting premise: orphan, shipped from orphanage to orphanage, deals with bullies, few friends, too intelligent for his own good, challenge to headmaster, & the treasure....

It was 400+ pages, so it was long & tedious with too much minutiae, and of course an author attempting to be overly clever.

I figured out what the treasure was early on, but became easily bored through-out.

But now I can say I attempted to read this series!

Hallowe’en Party – Agatha Christie – 3***
A girl is found drowned in a bucket intended for apple-bobbing during a Halloween Party. Who could have murdered her? I love Hercule Poirot, although he can sometimes be insufferably smug and “superior.” I love the way he puzzles out a problem, sees the clues in seemingly inconsequential events and facts, and puts the whole together to reveal the culprit.
LINK to my review

The Groucho Phile, Groucho Marx

★ ★

#127

Although I loved the Marx brothers, their movies, and "You Bet Your Life".... I wasn't thrilled with this book.

Not only was much of it redundant, but it was very confusing to read. There were many photos, but the captions were not usually with the photo but on another page & not all were numbered to correspond with the matching photo.

The writing was split into two columns w/ numbers at the beginning of each subject (?), but with different (non-sequential) numbers of the quotes on the same pages... It made no sense.

The Introduction & prologue were long & didn't make much sense as to why they were there... and the fact that Groucho actually had to get permission to quote himself & conversations he had w/ other people, from his other books & from the movie companies was strange.

I liked the photos, but could not tolerate the text... It wasn't in sequence, more like a random compilation of memories.

I'll say that the brothers were talented and funny, but still the book made no sense to me.

Speaking From Among the Bones – Alan Bradley – 3***
Book five in the series starring eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, amateur chemist and amateur sleuth. I love Flavia. She’s an intrepid explorer, pedaling about Bishop’s Lacey on her trusty bicycle, Gladys, and doing experiments in her laboratory. She is smart, independent, curious and determined.
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------


The Iced Princess – Christine Husom – 1*
Well this is just all over the place. It seemed to me that Husom was trying too hard to confuse and confound the investigators (and the reader) in order to have a mystery plot with some twists and turns. Nothing seemed to work for me. This is the second in the Snow Globe Shop mystery series, but the first one I’ve read. I don’t think I’ll read another.
LINK to my review

I knew this would not be a Pulitzer Prize winner,but this was lame.I looked forward to the Bromance of Biden/Obama in this one. In the first few chapters, Biden whines and pines for the loss of Obama in his life, jealous and envious of Obama's new life.As if they broke up and he still does not understand why. Once Obama comes back into Biden;'s life he is nothing but sarcastic toward him,even angry-ish. Biden's dialogue "sounds" like him as you read,even his mannerisms come through. That was refreshing. Obama comes across as stiff, aloof and even sounds like a Mickey Spillane character at times. They romp thru drug infested neighborhoods and sleazy motels looking for any tips on the death of Biden's friend Finn.Finn is the train engineer that took Biden to Wash DC everyday. Finn is found dead on the tracks with drugs in his pockets. I hoped I would like this just for the Bromance aspect,but even that was asking too much. The cover of the book is the best part! If this is any indication of the author's writing,I won't be reading anymore.The author even states he wrote other "malarky" and I agree this book was total malarky. Campy it may be.Maybe it will be a collector's item some day.
Now starting OF HUMAN BONDAGE by Somerset Maugham

Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck – 5***** and a ❤
Steinbeck’s novella is taken from an incident in his own background. His emotional closeness to the story is evident in this tragedy. This is the third or fourth time I’ve read it; second time listening to the audio. Steinbeck’s genius here is to write a spare story that still tells volumes about the human condition. It is a story of friendship, loyalty, and love.
LINK to my review

The Incredible Journey – Sheila Burnford – 4****
Three beloved family pets – a young Labrador, an aged bull terrier, and a Siamese cat – head home across 300 miles of wooded and mostly uninhabited territory in Ontario, Canada. I saw the original Disney movie when I was a child and read the book at about that same time. I’m glad I revisited it now. It’s a wonderful tale of adventure, friendship, loyalty, teamwork, and kindness.
LINK to my review

The Ruins – Scott B Smith – 3***
I read Smith’s earlier novel A Simple Plan , which was a great novel full of psychological nuance, family drama and several twists and turns. I didn’t see the same level of writing with this book. On the plus side, the action moves fairly quickly, though it does start off slowly. On the other hand, this group of young “adults” is almost uniformly unlikeable.
LINK to my review

Wake Up Little Susie, Ed Gorman

★ ★ ★ ★

#128

I really liked this book, but I'm not sure why:

It was easy to read; I liked most of the characters; it seemed realistic & down-to-earth; no gratuitous or graphic violence; the main character (Sam McCain) was real for me and a pretty good/honest guy.

It is a historical mystery centered around the new Ford Edsel; which I did not know came in so many interesting color combinations...

Oh, so the storyline: Susan married her Doctor-lover who turned out to be a wife beater (the kind who knows how to make sure the damage doesn't show). She worked at the Ford dealership and was well liked around town, except for the someone who crushed her skull & dumped her body in the trunk of one of the new Edsels.

Sam McCain works for the Judge who was once the top of society (she's a mean old one but is in the position to make sure justice is served).

Both the Judge & McCain are continually being thwarted by the Sheriff (big, mean, & dumb-as-a-rock) who owes his job to his family taking over the town.

There is the gal McCain pines for, but she pines for her doctor and there is Nancy who loves Sam and is a very good friend...

I liked the book & will read the sequel (which actually was written before this one)

Groucho Marx and Other Short Stories and Tall Tales, Julius (Groucho) Marx

★ ★ ★ ★

#129

Many of the stories are repeats from the Groucho Phile.

The ones I like the best were the ones about his brothers, vaudeville, and "You Bet Your Life" (which I actually remember watching).

Julius Marx (Groucho) actually wrote a newspaper column of which there were portions of in this book and were interesting to read as well. He aspired to be a writer, but aside from his newspaper column was not as successful as he was on stage.

This is an interesting compilation of his writings.

Listening Woman – Tony Hillerman – 3***
Book three in the Joe Leaphorn mystery series begins with Listening Woman trying to perform a cleansing / healing ritual for Hosteen Tso, an old man who refuses to divulge all he knows. I like Leaphorn; he’s smart, determined, physically and mentally strong, quick to respond to a threat but also deliberate and cautious. It took me quite a while to get into this one, but once Leaphorn was caught up in the chase, I was fully engaged.
LINK to my review

Still reading and enjoying this one,but had to buy a copy because I ran out of renewals at the library. Now, a book I ordered at the library,The Tattooist of Auschwitz came in and I am reading that now. .I never read 2 books at same time! Usually the popular books of the moment take awhile to come in,this one came in right away.It is new for the lirbrary and I think I am the first to read it!

Before We Were Yours-by Lisa Wingate 4*
Wonderful novel based around the true story of Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children’s Home scandal in Memphis, that ended in 1951.

The fictional account tells the story of Rill Foss and her four siblings who eak out a living with their parents in a river camp. When their mother and father leave them to go to a hospital to give birth to another child, the police raid the camp and take the children to the home. The story tells of their physical, mental and emotional abuse while at the home and the facade that was portrayed to the public. The children were sold to the highest bidder and many disappeared.

Rill Foss ultimately finds her way back to her sisters and the truth comes out about who she is and where she came from.

The Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart – 4****
Book number one in a children’s middle-grade series. I can certainly see the appeal for middle-grade readers. There are issues common to all children (and adults) here – what makes us afraid, bullying, learning to get along, and tolerance for other people’s differences. It’s a fun adventure story of friendship and courage.
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------



Mrs Jeffries On the Trail – Emily Brightwell – 3***
Book Six in the Victorian Mystery series has the team investigating the murder of a flower seller. It’s a fun cozy mystery series that I’ll keep reading.

Sutton – J R Moehringer – 3***
Moehringer tries to bring infamous bank robber Willie Sutton to life in this work of historical fiction. The technique he used to frame the story doesn’t quite work for me. There were scenes that were completely engaging and interesting, and other that just fell flat. I really wanted to like it, but my final reaction is a wishy-washy ‘meh.’
LINK to my review

--------- * * * * * * * * --------



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. 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. This is a totally satisfying mystery in a series with a strong female lead.
LINK to my review