Library Lovers discussion

I'm so happy to have all of you here reading and reviewing.

Sorry I haven't been here in so long!

I am reading:
The Great Alone
Under the Lilacs
From the Earth to the Moon
AND
It -- Finally getting to this one! & just taking my time ;)

Hey I'm Alive, Helen Klaben with Beth Day
4 solid stars

This was a short, sweet, uplifting read about Helen Klaben's experience surviving a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness. She and her pilot, Ralph Flores, survived for 49 days despite some nasty-sounding injuries, temps close to 50 degrees below zero, and no survival supplies of any kind. I saw the movie version years ago but the book was completely different, largely because of the religious themes. Helen used this experience to completely rethink her relationship to life. At Ralph's urging she read his Bible all the way through while they were waiting for rescue and allowed it to change her thinking. She and Ralph Flores should stand as a model of the kind of cooperation and mutual support it takes to get through a tough situation like this. The fact that they never got ugly about their religious differences astounds me -- it was the elephant in the room all through their ordeal. The movie adaptation had Ed Asher and Sally Struthers snarling at each other; in reality, Helen and Ralph grew a lot from knowing each other and nobody ever screamed, as much as they might have liked to. Nice story with a super happy ending.

The Cat Who Saw Red – Lillian Jackson Braun – 3***
This is book four in a delightful cozy mystery series starring newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese - Koko and Yum Yum. This is an entertaining series with a very likeable main character who is appropriately nosy, given his journalism background. His relationship with his cats is nicely portrayed without being overly saccharine.
LINK to my review

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The Ides of March – Thornton Wilder – 2**
In this work of historical fiction, Wilder uses a combination of letters, diary entries and official documents to tell the story of the last year of Julius Caesar’s life. Now, I appreciate Wilder’s writing, and there were times in the book that I was completely engaged in the story. I was fascinated to read of the intrigue and espionage, the role of Cleopatra, etc. But on the whole … well I think I had more “fun” translating Cicero’s oration against Cataline when I studied Latin in high school (and I hated that).
LINK to my review

Sid Vicious: No One is Innocent, Alan Parker
3 stars

Yes, another biography of Simon Beverly, aka John Ritchie, aha Sid Vicious. This was a good read. The author took me back through the old familiar story and added more pieces I haven't read about elsewhere. I feel more sure than ever of what happened in Room 100 at the Chelsea Hotel, but less sure of what happened in the apartment where Sid died. I feel sure, though, that some of his informants had a great deal to hide, so probably there is far more out there to learn...

The Search for Joyful – Benedict and Nancy Freedman – 4****
A sequel to the popular Mrs Mike , this work of historical fiction is set primarily during World War II, and follows the career of a young Cree woman – Kathy (a/k/a/ Oh-Be-Joyful’s Daughter) – as she becomes an Army nurse and finds love and her place in the world. The authors are not First Nation people, and there’s little information about how they came to write this story. I’m skeptical about the truth of what they write, and still I’m drawn into the novel. I really liked Kathy Forquet as a heroine. It’s an inspiring and hopeful story.
LINK to my review

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Christmas Camp – Karen Schaler – 3***
As I read this, I kept thinking it was remarkably like a Hallmark TV movie I had seen last week. No matter, really. The movies are still fun to watch, and the schmaltzy Christmas romance books are fun to read.
LINK to my review

Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War
Mark Harris
5/5 stars
This is the amazing true life story of some of the greatest Hollywood film directors who were asked to film events during WWII and produce training films for the soldiers while putting aside their careers. John Ford, George Steven, John Huston, William Wyler and Frank Capra were the ones asked to give up their Hollywood jobs to work with the government. A few stayed to make instructional films to train soldiers; others accompanied troops to war torn regions putting their lives in danger while filming. This was a page turner for me from the beginning to the end!

The Christmas Scrapbook – Philip Gulley – 3***
This little novella is book 5.5 in the Harmony series featuring Quaker minister Sam Gardner, his wife Barbara, and the Friends of the Harmony meeting house. I love the gentle stories of one man’s efforts to make a difference in his community. The results of his efforts are predictably hilarious. But also impart a lesson about faith, tolerance, love and the spirit of Christmas.
LINK to my review

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A Deal to Die For – Josie Belle – 2.5**
Book two in the Good Buy Girls cozy mystery series has Maggie opening a new resale shop in her Virginia community. This has all the elements of a successful cozy series, but the juvenile rivalry between Maggie and her nemesis Summer, just irritates me no end, and lowers the rating by half a star. Otherwise a fast, fun read.
LINK to my review

Two Little Girls in Blue – Mary Higgins Clark – 3***
This is a fast-paced thriller with a building sense of suspense. The reader is always in on the crime, knowing the identity of the kidnappers and even the “secretive” Pied Piper long before the characters catch on. But the changing points of view, keeps the novel moving forward and helps maintain that sense of suspense.
LINK to my review

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A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius – Dave Eggers – 1*
A huge disappointment. I’d read another book by Eggers and enjoyed it. It’s clear that Eggers is intelligent. Obviously, the circumstances that resulted in his guardianship of his baby brother were tragic, and every older sibling’s nightmare. But I found Eggers self-absorbed, immature, irresponsible and totally lacking in any insight. The most entertaining part was the preface, copyright and acknowledgements.
LINK to my review

Cowboy Charm School
Margaret Brownley
3/5 stars
Kate Denver is about to be married to long time beau Frank when Texas Ranger Brett Tucker storms the wedding to arrest Frank. Unfortunately, it is all a mistake. Frank is no criminal but it sets into motion in Kate’s mind about whether she and Frank should get married and it doesn’t help that the handsome Brett Tucker is hanging around the town looking for the real criminal Frank Foster. Typical romance novel but sweet.

Book Concierge wrote: "

Two Little Girls in Blue
– Mary Higgins Clark – 3***
This is a fast-paced thriller with a building sense of suspense. The reader is always in on the..."

Book Concierge wrote: "

Two Little Girls in Blue
– Mary Higgins Clark – 3***
This is a fast-paced thriller with a building sense of suspense. The reader is always in on the..."

I like Eggers but I did not care for this book either.

Patient Zero and the Making of the AIDS Epidemic by Richard McKay got a reluctant 3 stars from me. I'm glad I read it overall -- it was billed as a biography of Gaetan Dugas, the much-maligned flight attendant who supposedly brought AIDS to the USA and personally killed a zillion people deliberately with unprotected sex -- but before we got there we were expected to slog through, I crap you negative, a stultifying 44-page introduction packed with pseudoscientific scholarspeak and then 300 more pages of the author's inept introduction to epidemiologic methodolgy, couched in terms that confused me most of the time. He was trying to show us the holes in Randy Shilts's interpretations of CDC data in his And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic, but I feel he could have done it in less than half the space.

So we finally got to Gaetan himself and sure enough, he was nothing like the bogeyman Shilts made him into. He sounds like the kind of person I would want as my best friend. Reading about his life, illness and death from the point of view of his loving family, co-workers and 8 million friends answered many of my questions and reminded me all over again of the terrible losses the world has suffered because of this terrifying virus. The author's own biases come through clearly, but the whole point of this book is to clear away the biases and scare talk and he does a good job of it.

Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell – 3.5***
Oh, the teenage angst of young adulthood! Been there, done that … don’t want to relive it. And yet, I found myself really engaged in this story. There were times when I thought Rowell had thrown too many wrenches into the mix. Still, Rowell kept the story moving forward, and gave us a heroine to root for.
LINK to my review

Delicious! – Ruth Reichl – 3.5***
I’ve read several of Reichl’s memoirs and really enjoyed them. Now she’s taken a turn at writing a novel. This is part romance, part coming-of-age, part mystery. I enjoyed the story and was caught up in the intrigue. Reichl really shines when she is writing about food. I can practically taste the cheeses, smell the spices, and feel the warmth of steam rising from a simmering pot. All-in-all, I found it enjoyable and entertaining. A great beach read.
LINK to my review

Book Concierge wrote: "

Delicious!
– Ruth Reichl – 3.5***
I’ve read several of Reichl’s memoirs and really enjoyed them. Now she’s taken a turn at writing a novel. This is part romance,..."

I like both Reichl and Rowell. Nice selections!

Jell-O Girls: A Family History
Allie Rowbottom
4/5 stars
Jell-O was invented prior to 1899 and Rowbottom’s great-great-great uncle bought the patent and manufactured it. The book details her family’s lives living in privilege and how the so called “Jell-O” curse affected their lives. The book also details the history of Jell-O over the years and touches on the story of a group of girls from LeRoy, New York, who came down with a Tourette-like syndrome which was blamed on the manufacture of the product in the area. Interesting!

Julie wrote: "
Jell-O Girls: A Family History
Allie Rowbottom
4/5 stars
Jell-O was invented prior to 1899 and Rowbottom’s grea..."

I'm glad to hear there is a whole book about this. Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads talks about how the invention of ready-made gelatin was a bigger labor-saver than the vacuum cleaner. Before it came along women spent hours and hours in the kitchen boiling calves' feet, straining the gluey results through layers of cheesecloth and canning the stuff they strained out of the mess.

Fishface wrote: "Julie wrote: "
Jell-O Girls: A Family History
Allie Rowbottom
4/5 stars
Jell-O was invented prior to 1899 and Ro..."

What a great fact! I can't imagine boiling calves feet to make gelatin. Sounds like a huge mess!

It sounds totally disgusting to me. Totally.

Love Potion Number 10 – Betsy Woodman – 3***
Book two in the Jana Bibi Adventures series. Jana and Mr Ganguly’s fame grows, making him the target of a bird-napping plot. Woodman populates the fictional hill town with an array of colorful characters, and really gives one a flavor of the 1960s culture of India. Just charming.
LINK to my review

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Eats, Shoots & Leaves – Lynne Truss – 4****
Well this was the perfect work for me to satisfy a challenge to read a “geek-reed” book. There were more than a few moments when I felt Truss was channeling the good Sisters at Ursuline Academy who first tried to drum those rules into my head. Truss writes with a delightfully irreverent style, and yet still conveys the seriousness of her purpose. It was a fast, enjoyable read, and I think I learned (or re-learned) a few things.
LINK to my review

Book Concierge wrote: "Eats, Shoots & Leaves – Lynne Truss – 4****
Well this was the perfect work for me to satisfy a challenge to read a “geek-reed” book. There were more than a few moments when I felt Truss was channeling the good Sisters at Ursuline Academy who first tried to drum those rules into my head. Truss writes with a delightfully irreverent style, and yet still conveys the seriousness of her purpose. It was a fast, enjoyable read, and I think I learned (or re-learned) a few things."

I adored this book.

The Grand Sophy
Georgette Heyer
4/5 stars
This is the classic 1950 story from the romance writer Georgette Heyer. Set in 1816, Sophy’s father, the diplomat is traveling so she is sent to stay with relatives with whom she barely knows and vice–a-versa. During her time there she manages to upend all of their lives for the better with all her schemes and finds love herself.

The Dog Who Knew Too Much – Spencer Quinn – 3.5***
Book four in the Chet and Bernie mystery series. I find looking at the mystery and the events that unfold through Chet’s eyes simply delightful and fun. Quinn has managed to give him a personality that befits a dog. He’s easily distracted by food or squirrels, given to taking things too literally (still looking for that wild goose they’re supposed to be chasing), loyal to a fault, and courageous.
LINK to my review

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Christmas At Little Beach Street Bakery – Jenny Cogan – 3***
This is a fun chick-lit romance with some over-the-top coincidences and new-adult drama. Not much of a spoiler to say that it all works out with a fairytale HEA ending. I didn’t realize it was a series when I picked it up, and I don’t really feel that I was missing all that much for not having begun with book one. Have to say I really appreciated the recipes at the end – especially the hot chocolate!
LINK to my review

Rat Scabies and the Holy Grail: Can a Punk Rock Legend Find What Monty Python Couldn't?, Christopher Dawes
3 solid stars

What a loopy story this was! The true tale of how Rat Scabies, punk rock drummer formerly with The Damned, moved in across the street from the author and unexpectedly took him on a real, live Grail quest. The author describes how Ratty's box of books on the subject led them from pillar to post looking for something that it turned out not a few, but hundreds of other people were looking for too. What we really find out about as the quest proceeds is a very strange subset of humanity -- and we gwt a look at many of the more interesting corners of France. A really intriguing travel book full of odd characters and interesting places.

I always like to read a few children's books every year- here are a couple that were so sweet.

Alma and How She Got Her Name
Juana Martinez-Neal
5/5 stars
Sweet picture book with wonderful drawings about a young girl who’s name will be a reminder of her family and their stories.


Elmore
Holly Hobbie
4/5 stars
This is a wonderful picture book about making friends when it is hard to make friends. Great drawings!

Other Voices, Other Rooms – Truman Capote – 3.5***
Capote’s debut novel is a semiautobiographical coming-of-age story. It’s a classic Southern Gothic novel, full of ghosts, haints, superstitions, secrets and closed off rooms. Joel is isolated not only by the remote location, but by the lack of connection with these people. He is confused and cautious, and his loneliness and despair are palpable. Capote’s writing is wonderfully atmospheric. Still, at times, much like Joel, I felt lost in unfamiliar surroundings.
LINK to my review

A House That Once Was
By Julie Fogliano
5/5 stars
This is a lovely picture book about children exploring an abandoned house and imagining what had happened there. Wonderful writing and illustrations


We Don't Eat Our Classmates
Ryan T Higgins
3.5/5 stars
Penelope is a dinosaur, who is starting to go to school with a class full of humans. Unfortunately, she likes to eat humans but an incident with the school fish turns her attitude around and she learns how to make friends


The Midas Box
by G.P. Taylor
3.5/5 stars
Mariah Mundi is sent away from home to work in The Prince Regent, a hotel. His job is to assist the magician in the magic show. Unfortunately, the previous assistants have all disappeared and it takes Mariah and Sacha, a co-worker to find out what happened in this sinister and magical tale.

Girl at the End of the World: My Escape from Fundamentalism in Search of Faith with a Future
Elizabeth Esther
4/5 stars
This is the true story of Elizabeth Esther who grew up in a very physically and mentally punishing religious cult and the efforts she took to try and remove herself from their influence. Very compelling!

Murder Most Mysterious, H.L. Adam
3 solid stars

All the cases in this book were real head-scratchers and made for good reading. The crazy typos -- someone inserted a capital H in place of almost every "li," as in "light" or "police," throughout the text, among other repeat errors - - hardly slowed me down because the cases were so interesting. Is there a copy editor in the house?

Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas
Mark Kurlansky
4/5 stars
Kurlansky noted for his non-fiction writing doesn’t disappoint in this book on the history and science of milk. Never boring, he makes the topic of milk extremely interesting from its very beginnings up until today. The studies they did on homogenized milk before allowing the public to drink it were interesting and I learned that the yogurt I thought I was eating is actually a cheese product. There are recipes scattered throughout the book and the older ones are quite shocking, making me feel happy I was not born several centuries ago. Highly recommended!

It Takes Two: Our Story
4 stars



If you like the show Property Brothers you will like this memoir by the twin brothers who star in the show. They are energetic, hard-working, positive, and if they want something they go after it. They are as clean cut as they appear in the show although sometimes their halo gets a little bent. As you might expect, they have some sibling rivalry going on, although they think of it more as a friendly competition. The book is written the way you might expect them to speak- they take turns talking but often interrupt each other. My favorite part of the book was towards the end when they go behind the scenes of their show. Oh, and the pictures. There are tons of pictures. When you pick this book up it seems lengthy, but it is actually a quick read because their are so many pictures. I liked that fact that they are interspersed throughout the book instead of all bunched together in the middle.

Carnegie’s Maid – Marie Benedict – 3***
Irish immigrant Clara Kelly comes to America in hopes of finding employment so that she can send money home to her impoverished family. She winds up as a lady’s maid in the Carnegie family’s Pittsburgh mansion. I was intrigued by the story and quickly caught up in the tale of this intelligent, resourceful, determined and diligent young lady. I did think it was somewhat repetitious, but still enjoyed this historical fiction that takes a few facts and weaves a compelling story to help explain them.
LINK to my review

The Hamilton Affair – Elizabeth Cobbs – 4****
Cobbs is an historian, who also occasionally writes a work of historical fiction. The story unfolds in alternating perspectives: Alexander and Eliza each get a turn at relating events. In this way we get some insight into each character’s background, guiding principles, joys, sorrows and desires. While Cobbs’ sympathies were clearly with Hamilton, she did not shy away from pointing out his faults. I really appreciated how she developed Eliza’s strong character. I was interested and engaged from beginning to end.
LINK to my review

Duel with the Devil: The True Story of How Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Teamed Up to Take on America's First Sensational Murder Mystery, by Paul Collins
4 stars!

Speaking of Alexander Hamilton, this is a remarkable true story of the 1799 murder case he tried with his political foe, Aaron Burr, in the days when New York City was so small that everyone on the jury knew someone involved in the case. This was also the very first fully-documented murder in the newborn country, and the first one ever to lead to the publication of a complete courtroom transcript. Filled with details of the dramatic ups and downs in the lives of the central characters. This was a wildly controversial case and it managed to get me hot under the collar, 220 years after everything was said and done. Beautifully written and highly recommended.

The Sex Killers, Norman Lucas
4 stars!

A real page-turner, full of cases new to me. Even the chapters on old, familiar cases offered a lot of new information. Every chapter ends with a bit of psychoanalytic wisdom on why the killer did what he did and whether he was mentally ill. I liked this one so much I immediately ordered another book by the same author.

Big Little Lies
Liane Moriarty
4/5 stars
A young, single woman with a child comes to a new town to rebuild her life but things go awry from day one. Her child is accused of hurting a girl in class and the school becomes divided with those on her side and those against her. Did he do it? It was compelling till the very end. I had seen the mini-series previous to reading this and thought that they did a great job in staying within the story line of this book.

All My Sons
Arthur Miller
4/5 stars
Based on a true story, this Miller play relates the tale of a manufacturer of plane parts who knowingly sent defective plane parts to be used in the WWII which resulted in pilots dying, his partner being sent to jail and the effects of that action on his family. Well-written and compelling!

Carrying Albert Home – Homer Hickam – 3***
Subtitle: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator. I loved listening to the stories my father, mother, aunts and uncles would tell of “the old days” and adventures they had had. So, I was predisposed to like this tale of the author’s parents and a great adventure they embarked upon without any plan other than to “carry Albert home.” I found it fun and enjoyable, but gosh, Elsie got on my nerves.
LINK to my review

Elsie or not Elsie, this sounds like a must-read book.

Winter Solstice – Rosamunde Pilcher – 3***
Five very different people, ranging in age from teen-aged to mid-sixties, converge on a Scottish cottage just before Christmas. The novel changes perspective with each chapter so the reader gets to know the characters slowly, learning what is important to each as they go about their lives. It’s a charmingly told story, and I grew to love these characters. It reminds me of Maeve Binchy’s books. This is the first book by Pilcher that I’ve read; it won’t be the last.
LINK to my review

Becoming by Michelle Obama
5 stars


I was pleasantly surprised that this book was not political. When she does express her opinion about politics it is very brief. This is more about her thoughts about how people and events in her childhood formed who she is, her love for her husband and children and career and balancing all of these things while being very much in the public eye. The one thing that struck me is that she is not always as confident as she seems but does a lot of soul searching and fights to overcome her insecurities. She is a very positive person and looks for the good in everything and everyone and if you were expecting any complaining in the book you wont find very much.

How the García Girls Lost Their Accents – Julia Álvarez – 4****
The García family flees the Dominican Republic for the United States amid political unrest. This is a wonderfully entertaining look at the immigrant experience and the strong family ties that see these sisters (and their parents) through a tumultuous adolescence and young adulthood. The use of multiple narrators and non-linear time line, however, made for an uneven reading experience. But I looked on it as indicative of the immigrant experience: looking back fondly on the home left behind, while facing the future bravely and with enthusiasm.
LINK to my review

October Sky
Homer Hickam
5/5 stars
This was a wonderful book on the early life of Homer Hickman, living in a coal town along with the stress of that, while he and his friends were being inspired by the space race and wanting to be a part of it. He did eventually become a NASA engineer but not without the help of his friends and the town that supported him.

They Came to Baghdad – Agatha Christie – 4****
Recently out of a job, Victoria Jones decides to follow the young man she just met to Baghdad and new opportunities. She’s a plucky heroine, able to think quickly, adapt to new situations, and spin a believable yarn (okay, she’s a talented liar). All this serves her well when she stumbles into the middle of a major international spy ring. A fun romp of an adventure.
LINK to my review

Julie wrote: "
October Sky
Homer Hickam
5/5 stars
This was a wonderful book on the early life of Homer Hickman, living in a coal town along with the s..."

The movie was pretty good too.

Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Julie wrote: "
October Sky
Homer Hickam
5/5 stars
This was a wonderful book on the early life of Homer Hickman, living in a coal town al..."

I enjoyed the movie which I had seen when it first came out- I am going to do a re-watch when I get it from the library.

The Best American Crime Reporting 2008, Jonathan Kellerman, ed.
3 stars

Another great read from this book, the second I've come across in this series. All the stories are well-written page-turners. One thing I noticed in this book was that not all the crime cases were about crimes; at least two chapters asked whether any crime had been committed at all, and one situation -- no, come to think of it, make that two of them -- were clearly not crimes depending on which side of the case you were standing on. Well worth your time.

Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering by Joanna Gaines
5 stars



I saw this book in the store but was unable to take a peek inside as it is wrapped in plastic. It looks like a good quality book with lots of pictures. I was able to get the e-book from the library, but think holding the actual book would be more satisfying. That said, if you are a fan of Fixer Upper you will at least enjoy reading the book even if you dont try the recipes. Most recipes are prefaced with Joanna writing something about why she likes this recipe or some little story about it. As you might expect, as the mother of 5, most of these recipes are simple and have simple ingredients. The instructions are written so that even if you are a beginner cook you should be able to easily figure the directions out. This would be a great shower gift for a bride-to-be.

For Everything a Season – Philip Gulley – 4****
Subtitle: Simple Musings on Living Well. This is a collection of essays written by Philip Gulley, a Quaker minister. He waxes poetic on gardening, birth stories, the advantages of front porches and stone patios, and a child’s joy in exploring the woods, among other topics. There is a nostalgia to his descriptions that just brings a smile to my face (and to my heart). Gulley can get a little preachy at times, but that’s to be expected, given his ministry. There’s still plenty of room for humor. It was the perfect comfort read at this time of my life.
LINK to my review

Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence


Have you ever finished a book and felt like you are leaving an old friend? If you are truly a book lover you have done this many times, I'm sure. The author takes this a step further by writing letters to books. As a librarian she has had to discard many books and has also purged her own shelves and fantasizes about purging others. In this book she writes letters to those books. Sounds strange? Well, it is a little, but also hilarious! Witty, sassy, and a little irreverent (read that as a liberal sprinkling of the F word) and you will be smiling and nodding your head through a big portion of this book.