Monday, February 20, 2012
Wicked Autumn by GM Malliet
This new series by GM Malliet features a retired spy who now works as a priest. When a death occurs in his parish, he puts his old skills to new use to try to solve the crime. This is the first book in the series and the characters are being introduced.
The Dog that Came in from the Cold by Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith has a way of writing that just makes me happy. His new series about an apartment building called Corduroy Mansions is delightful. I really enjoy that the characters are developed to show their strengths and weaknesses. The novel moves back and forth between several characters whose only connection may be the place they live or where they work.
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
I really enjoy Shannon Hale's books about strong female characters who are able to achieve their goals without help. The main character of this book is a simple rural farmer, not the princess she is entombed in a tower with. Dashti is faithful to her princess, making sure she remains well groomed and nourished, while dreaming of life beyond the tower. When the situation grows desperate, she manages to free them both from the tower and they set off across a devastated countryside. I enjoyed the 1st person perspective of the book.
Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett
This fun mystery series follows a mystery book shop owner in rural New Hampshire. I enjoyed the depictions of small town personalities. It's definitely a cozy read.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
An Ordinary Man
by Paul Rasesabagina
The movie Hotel Rwanda is based on experience from Paul's life. When civil war causes absolute chaos in Rwanda, Paul uses his position as a hotel manager in a luxury hotel to save over 1,000 from the genocide. Their ordeal is hallowing and he truly didn't know if they'd survive. Using his understanding of how people work, he is able to save lives several times by meeting face to face with officials.
The title invokes to be the idea that it only takes ordinary people to stand in the face of evil and make a true and lasting change.
The movie Hotel Rwanda is based on experience from Paul's life. When civil war causes absolute chaos in Rwanda, Paul uses his position as a hotel manager in a luxury hotel to save over 1,000 from the genocide. Their ordeal is hallowing and he truly didn't know if they'd survive. Using his understanding of how people work, he is able to save lives several times by meeting face to face with officials.
The title invokes to be the idea that it only takes ordinary people to stand in the face of evil and make a true and lasting change.
Wesley the Owl
by Stacey O'Brien
I really enjoyed this biography about a biologist and the barn owl she adopts. He lives with her for 19 years, a vital and important part of her life. She does a great job of explaining Wesley's personality and also letting us know how her experiences with him stack up against what scientists know about barn owls.
It was a quick, satisfying read.
I really enjoyed this biography about a biologist and the barn owl she adopts. He lives with her for 19 years, a vital and important part of her life. She does a great job of explaining Wesley's personality and also letting us know how her experiences with him stack up against what scientists know about barn owls.
It was a quick, satisfying read.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Austenland
by Shannon Hale
I really enjoy Shannon Hale as an author. We've read two of her books in my book club Goose Girl and The Book of 1,000 Days. I like her strong female characters. Austenland is a bit of a difference. The main character, Jane, struggles a lot with feelings of self worth and inadequacy.
Jane, the main character, is obsessed with Jane Austen, most importantly with the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. She's gotten to the point where she judges potential boyfriends against what Mr. Darcy would do. Her aunt dies and leaves her the gift of living out her Jane Austen fantasies for three weeks in an immersion experience. Once there, she learns that what she's been longing for might not be so satisfying after all.
I really enjoy Shannon Hale as an author. We've read two of her books in my book club Goose Girl and The Book of 1,000 Days. I like her strong female characters. Austenland is a bit of a difference. The main character, Jane, struggles a lot with feelings of self worth and inadequacy.
Jane, the main character, is obsessed with Jane Austen, most importantly with the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. She's gotten to the point where she judges potential boyfriends against what Mr. Darcy would do. Her aunt dies and leaves her the gift of living out her Jane Austen fantasies for three weeks in an immersion experience. Once there, she learns that what she's been longing for might not be so satisfying after all.
The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies
by Susan Wittig Albert
I've been enjoying the author's China Bayles series for years so when she came out with a new series of mysteries, I had to read them. The author always includes recipes in her books. In the China Bayles series, she also includes information about various herbs (China owns an herb shop). In this series, she shares household tips in addition to the recipes. This is the 2nd in the series, the first is The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree. It is set in the 1930's and is about a group of women who form a gardening club (The Dahlias) in the town of Darling, Alabama. The novel focuses on each of the women in successive chapters, developing their characters and revealing more of the plot. It's a mystery but I'd say it's a very "cozy" soft mystery. The "Naked Ladies" in the title have a dual meaning. One is the name of a flower that blooms in front of the home of one of the women in the story. The second theme has to do with two women who have moved to town who used to be burlesque dancers. I loved reading descriptions of the way the ladies dressed and the social norms of the day.
A fun read, I can't wait for the next Darling Dahlia book to be released.
I've been enjoying the author's China Bayles series for years so when she came out with a new series of mysteries, I had to read them. The author always includes recipes in her books. In the China Bayles series, she also includes information about various herbs (China owns an herb shop). In this series, she shares household tips in addition to the recipes. This is the 2nd in the series, the first is The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree. It is set in the 1930's and is about a group of women who form a gardening club (The Dahlias) in the town of Darling, Alabama. The novel focuses on each of the women in successive chapters, developing their characters and revealing more of the plot. It's a mystery but I'd say it's a very "cozy" soft mystery. The "Naked Ladies" in the title have a dual meaning. One is the name of a flower that blooms in front of the home of one of the women in the story. The second theme has to do with two women who have moved to town who used to be burlesque dancers. I loved reading descriptions of the way the ladies dressed and the social norms of the day.
A fun read, I can't wait for the next Darling Dahlia book to be released.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Litigators
by John Grisham
I've read a lot of Grisham's books and lately they've left me flat. Too much violence and evil corporations. I found The Litigators to be a great read. The book is told in a very dry humerous way. I'd be reading along and chuckling but when one of the kids asked what I was laughing about, they wouldn't be able to pick up on the humor.
The book is about three lawyers. Two are the classic ambulance chaser bottom feeding lawyers who are shameless in finding a case. They've been partners for years, with a law practice that just barely pays the bills. The other lawyer is a Harvard golden boy who is running away from his huge firm that he feels is sucking his soul out. He joins the older lawyers and soon is living an entire different kind of law, where lawyers visit funeral homes to pick up clients and chase down car wrecks to sign people up at the accident scene.
They end up being part of a class action lawsuit and soon find themselves trying a case in federal court.
Grisham uses this book to share a lot of opinions about the legal system, especially class action lawsuits, the obesity epidemic in America, and the way a lawsuit can bankrupt an honest company.
I've read a lot of Grisham's books and lately they've left me flat. Too much violence and evil corporations. I found The Litigators to be a great read. The book is told in a very dry humerous way. I'd be reading along and chuckling but when one of the kids asked what I was laughing about, they wouldn't be able to pick up on the humor.
The book is about three lawyers. Two are the classic ambulance chaser bottom feeding lawyers who are shameless in finding a case. They've been partners for years, with a law practice that just barely pays the bills. The other lawyer is a Harvard golden boy who is running away from his huge firm that he feels is sucking his soul out. He joins the older lawyers and soon is living an entire different kind of law, where lawyers visit funeral homes to pick up clients and chase down car wrecks to sign people up at the accident scene.
They end up being part of a class action lawsuit and soon find themselves trying a case in federal court.
Grisham uses this book to share a lot of opinions about the legal system, especially class action lawsuits, the obesity epidemic in America, and the way a lawsuit can bankrupt an honest company.
A Year on Ladybug Farm
by Donna Bell
A quick easy read.
This book is about three women, friends and neighbors for years. Two are divorced, one is widowed at the beginning of the book. Their children are grown, they are at retirement age and they decide to do something new with their lives. They sell their own homes and buy a run down hundred year old house in Virginia and proceed to fix it up over the course of a year. The book chronicles their development as people, the transformation of the house, and their growing friendship.
A quick easy read.
This book is about three women, friends and neighbors for years. Two are divorced, one is widowed at the beginning of the book. Their children are grown, they are at retirement age and they decide to do something new with their lives. They sell their own homes and buy a run down hundred year old house in Virginia and proceed to fix it up over the course of a year. The book chronicles their development as people, the transformation of the house, and their growing friendship.
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