Monday Mailbox - Sept 26th - Personal deliveries

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.  Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Created by Marcia at The Printed Page, Mailbox Monday, now has its own blog. Hosting duties are being rotated every month.  September, is the month for hosting by Amused at Amused by Books. Be sure to stop by and say howdy.

Since we knew we were going to be gone for much of September and a chunk of October, I deliberately refrained from accepting too many review requests, and confined myself to e-galleys through Net Galley.  However, last week, I had the chance to meet-up with Caite of A Lovely Shore Breeze.  We met in my small town library, where I gave her the grand tour (how grand can a whole 936 square feet get?) and then adjuourned across the street to our local general store cum cafe (AKA "The Gig") so she could partake of an honest to gosh whoopie pie.

While we chatted away about the merits of cheese steak sandwiches (with or without mayo), e-readers, lighthouses, fog, tour groups, ugly Americans overseas, etc etc., we chanced upon the topic of one of our mutually favorite authors Louise Penny.  I allowed as how I was panting to get my hands on the newest one, but just had not had a chance yet.  I was planning to break down and buy it for my Nook, and have it on order for our library.  She allowed as how she had the audio copy IN HER CAR!!!!! (can you see me drooling already?????)  and that she'd finished it, and that she was not an overall fan of audio, so she couldn't see herself ever listening to it again, and WOULD I LIKE TO HAVE IT???  Now since the Gig Store is right next door to the Post Office where I get my mail, I think this counts as the Mailbox delivery of all time!  I didn't even have to grovel--although I was prepared to offer up something close to the equivalent of my first-born for this treat.  What a lovely lovely gift and what a lovely lovely treat to be able to meet a fellow blogger in person.  Caite my dear, my reciprocal grab-bag is open...just let me know what strikes your fancy (first borns are excluded) and it will be on the way.   And, dear readers,  if you haven't yet visited Caite's blog....get over there---her photography is drop dead gorgeous, and the reviews aren't half-bad either.

I realize this isn't saying too much about this book, but since I know I'll be listening to it very soon, and I don't expect from reviews so far that I will be anything but thrilled about it, I'm sure you'll be able to hang on until then.  It's Louise Penny, it's Armand Gamage, it's Three Pines. What else is there to say?
Here's the Marketing blurb:

Penny has been compared to Agatha Christie [but] it sells her short. Her characters are too rich, her grasp of nuance and human psychology too firm...." --Booklist (starred review)
“Hearts are broken,” Lillian Dyson carefully underlined in a book. “Sweet relationships are dead.”
But now Lillian herself is dead. Found among the bleeding hearts and lilacs of Clara Morrow's garden in Three Pines, shattering the celebrations of Clara's solo show at the famed Musée in Montreal. Chief Inspector Gamache, the head of homicide at the Sûreté du Québec, is called to the tiny Quebec village and there he finds the art world gathered, and with it a world of shading and nuance, a world of shadow and light.  Where nothing is as it seems.  Behind every smile there lurks a sneer. Inside every sweet relationship there hides a broken heart.  And even when facts are slowly exposed, it is no longer clear to Gamache and his team if what they've found is the truth, or simply a trick of the light.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Children of the Street

Kwei Quartey

Now the other book that arrived in my e-galley mailbox is another one by Kwei Quartey in the Inspector Darko Dawson Mystery series.  I've reviewed the first one "Wife of the Gods" and have been anxiously awaiting this next one in the series.  Darko Dawson is a delightful character, and I enjoyed getting to know something about the culture and people of Ghana that Quartey describes so well.

Here's the publisher's blurb on this one:

In the slums of Accra, Ghana’s fast-moving, cosmopolitan capital, teenagers are turning up dead. Inspector Darko Dawson has seen many crimes, but this latest string of murders—in which all the young victims bear a chilling signature—is the most unsettling of his career. Are these heinous acts a form of ritual killing or the work of a lone, cold-blooded monster? With time running out, Dawson embarks on a harrowing journey through the city’s underbelly and confronts the brutal world of the urban poor, where street children are forced to fight for their very survival—and a cunning killer seems just out of reach.
Kwei Quartey was raised in Ghana by an African American mother and a Ghanaian father, both of whom were university lecturers. Dr. Kwei Quartey practices medicine in Southern California, rising early in the morning to write before going to work. He is currently writing his next novel.

  It's going to be a great autumn reading and listening to these two.  What was in your mailbox this week?

Review--Code Word: Geronimo....Super-heroes in graphic format

Author:Captain Dale Dye (USMC, ret.) and Julia Dye Ph.D.
Afterward: John M. Del Vecchio
Publisher IDW Publishing,
Format:  e-galley 90 pages, Graphic format
Year of publication: 2011
Subject: American SEAL team raid and capture of Osama bin Laden
Setting: Abbottabad Afghanistan
Genre: Graphic novel
Source: electronic from publisher via NetGalley

Here's The Marketing Copy: 

The leader of SEAL Team 6 uttered, "Geronimo," and the world let out a sigh of relief. The symbol of ultimate evil was no more. Code Word: Geronimo is the amazing, moment-by-moment story of the clandestine raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Told by military insider and Hollywood consultant, Captain Dale Dye (USMC, Ret.), with Dr. Julia Dye, Ph.D., this historic tribute details the bravery and valor of SEAL Team 6 as it descends into a foreign land and achieves the near impossible.

The graphic format of this publication does not work at all on my NOOK.  None of the illustrations transferred to the device, although I was able to read it and see the pictures clearly using Adobe Digital Editions on my laptop--which also shows the color very clearly.  The Afterword, obviously a straight text file, comes through just fine on the NOOK.  The book was not available in a Kindle edition through Net Galley, so I can't comment on that, although I notice that Amazon is marketing the kindle edition.

E-reader issues aside, the graphic format works well for this story, but I kept having to step back from my military background and relationships and remind myself that it was precisely that - a comic book telling the story of a brave adventure.  The only cataloging data I found has it designated as a graphic.  It's not intended to be an historical reporting, but was obviously written as a patriotic salute to a very brave group of warriors. That said, I suspect that parts will be difficult to grasp for someone without a military jargon grounding, but it's probably ok for a generation used to playing action video games.  The authors are very spare with their 'word-balloons' and that tendency keeps the reader's eye moving right along.

For me, the most interesting part of the work is the Afterward "Perspectives" by John M. DelVecchio, a noted author of fictional works about Vietnam, giving us a short but insightful history of Geronimo the person, and Geronimo as the choice for naming the operation.  It also gives us a short bio of Osama bin Laden with a time line of Al Quaeda activities, and finally presents the reader with a description of Navy SEALS - their organization and the rigorous training program an applicant must pass before earning that coveted trident patch.

We are assured that no real names of American participants have been revealed, but must take it on faith that no other secrets have been inadvertently displayed. The author's quote buried in the Afterward "Due to entirely appropriate security concerns, there is some creative license in our script." would have been much better inserted at the beginning of the book.   I found DelVecchio's  Afterward quite informative until the end when in the closing section "Perspective-Lessons Learned; Unfinished Business; Closure" we are given the oft-repeated mantra of look what happened in Korea, look what happened in Vietnam, if we don't stay in Afghanistan and clean up this mess, the world is doomed.  (italics my interpretation - not intended as a quote of Del Vecchio's actual words.) The tone, while patriotic, is a bit jingoistic for my taste. This turned what could have been a reasonably accessible story of an episode in American history into a politicized lecture that spoiled the overall effect for me.  It must be assumed that the authors agree or they wouldn't (or shouldn't) have allowed that section to close their work.

I'm not seeing it as a best seller, but I do see this as the unfortunate(?) beginning of a wave of this kind of publication.  Will it be the coming way to teach history?  Who knows?  If it presents facts to a generation more accustomed to the sound bite format to capture information than it's probably better than a totally uninformed public, but I for one hope that our accomplishments as Americans, and the analysis of that history does not totally depend on Hollywood screenwriters to be promulgated.

Review: Theodora : Actress, Empress and Whore by Stella Duffy

Author: Stella Duffy
Publisher Format: e-galley ; 352 pgs
Year of publication
Subject: early life of Theodora, wife of Emperor Justinian
Setting: Constantinople, Antioch, Syrian dessert, Alexandria
Genre: historical fiction/biography
Source: Net Galley

A fascinating read.  I knew very little about any of the politics or personages of this period of history (6th century Byzantium).  While I knew about the schism between the Eastern (Constantinople) and Western (Rome) branches of Catholicism, and the reason for the rift, this well-written novel brought the vibrance of the era to life.  Framing the story around the life of Theodora, the daughter of an animal trainer who was "given" to a eunuch master to train on the stage at the age of 5, we follow her tortuous life from acrobat, to poetic declaimer, to that of a highly prized prostitute when she reached the age of 13.

We learn of laws that forbade women who had performed on the stage to marry, although many were highly coveted as courtesans, mistresses or concubines.  Theodora herself, became the mistress of a regional governor in one of the north Africa provinces of the empire; then after being "dumped", she began a journey back to her home (Constantinople).  Along the way, she experiences a religious conversion in the desert, and is eventually recruited and sent back as the emissary of one of the battling religious factions.

The exciting page turning continues as she eventually meets and marries Justinian (only after the law was changed to allow the repentant former actress to do so) and becomes the adored and adoring Empress upon his ascending the throne.  It was a fascinating read, giving us glimpses of lives we'd only heard about.  I understand HBO is going to make this a series, but I'd not wait for that.  Pub date is Sept 27, 2011, and I'll be lined up to get a permanent copy for my library.  It's colorful, well-written, and keeps the reader up late to see what happens next.

Duffy indicates that she is writing fiction, and makes no claims for the historical accuracy of the story, but her research is evident and the basics are factual enough that it makes an exceptional introduction to the period.  She also gives us an excellent bibliography for future reading.  I'm going to be sure to take a look at several of them.  It's definitely a time-frame I want to learn more about.

Many thanks to Penguin Publishing for making this review copy available through Net Galley.

Guest Review - - Escape by Barbara Delinsky

Author: Barbara Delinsky
Publisher/Format: Doubleday(2011),Hardcover, 320 pages
Genre: Fiction
Subject: love and life in the fast lane
Source: Review copy from publisher


If this doesn’t sound like Tutu, it’s her occasional book reviewer/borrower. Becky works at our town library and is a very competent writer/reviewer/retired journalist who loves to pick through my pile of new arrivals. And I love to have her help. I hope you enjoy her delightful review of this fun book. I'm certainly going to keep it on my TBR list.

Happy September! As in “Happy Kids Back to School, Happy Vacation Visitors have Gone, Happy Partner’s back at work, and Happy new Fall books are all out at once! Not so happy Border’s is gone, days are becoming shorter, and it’s almost time for winter clothes!" If you’re a consummate reader of everything and you’re a woman of a certain age, you probably know Barbara Delinsky well. You may even like her. Her books fall into two categories: strictly “chick lit” involving only a gorgeous heroine and a hunk of an available man, and slightly deeper plots involving a gorgeous heroine, a hunk of a man, and maybe some conflict besides the romance. Escape skirts between the two categories. Gorgeous hunk is a husband, and, as I expected, he’s a handsome, charming attorney married to an auburn-tressed beauty who’s herself an attorney. They share a Manhattan condo, love each other deeply (if only late at night since they’re both work-a-holics), and life is marred only by the occasional yen for a child.

Since the title gives it away, I’ll tell you: she plans an escape to think things over. And here’s this author’s strength. The escape takes her to a picturesque New England village, a charming B & B, an encounter with a long-ago swain, and an appealing center where animals are given a second chance at life. So although you know how it’s going to end, the details and the action keep you reading without forcing you to stay up until it’s finished because the suspense is just too much to bear.

Delinsky’s details are accurate, picturesque, and comprehensive. And even if you only read these books as “fillers” between your great literary perusals, you can count on a Barbara Delinsky hardback to distract you for a few hours with an enjoyable story. This is true to her form, and it was the perfect September escape when the kids have gone, the company has deserted Maine for warmer climes, and the sky is clear blue, the birds are singing, and you have all winter for the serious stuff.

The Sunday Salon: More Old Books

While the real reason we are here in Central California this week was to attend the 50th reunion of Downey HS in Modesto (and I can assure you a good time was had by all), we have also been spending quite a bit of time helping family members sort through treasures and memories from now deceased parents and step-parents.  There are two storage units where stuff has been stashed for almost 30 years, and we are going through a lot of stuff (and a lot of dust).  Much has gone (or will go shortly) to the dump, and this afternoon we will be sorting through boxes and boxes of old pictures and letters to make sure everyone in the family -kids and grandkids--gets a good pile of memories.  However, tomorrow the real work will take place as we go through some antique chests (there's one we know came over from the Azores in the late 1800's), and many many boxes labeled BOOKS! 

Of course, everyone said "OH TUTU...you're the book lady" .... and couldn't understand why I groaned.  Our suitcases were absolutely stuffed coming out, so there will be some real decision making to happen tomorrow. 

But...........speaking of books, I did finish Theodora a couple days ago.  The publisher has requested that we hold all reviews until nearer the Sept 27 pub date, so stay tuned....It's a great one!

I have to finish my re-read of Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen for our book group on Wednesday, so I may not be up on the loop too much before then.  In the meantime, I hope you all have as much fun this Sunday as I'm having.

Reading on a Plane

The person who invented the e-reader is on my short list for canonization, and the daughter who gave me my NOOK for christmas is right up there at the top of the list.  There is absolutely nothing like it for people like me who used to agonize for hours over which books to take on a trip, only to decide about half-way through that none of my choices held my interest.  Yesterday on a very loooonnnnnnnnnnnnng trip from Maine to California (Mr. Tutu and I both swear that it took longer to taxi to the gate at O'hare than it took to fly from Portland to Chicago), I finished over 1/2 a very long historical novel Theodora - and probably will finish it today as we drive around visiting various friends and relatives who won't be able to make the big reunion on Sunday.  E-readers--lightweight, easy to turn pages, and full of books (mine has almost 300 on there right now) are perfect for sitting, squashed in the middle seat (I did have two very polite seat mates, both of whom were reading real paper books), and losing oneself back in the Byzantine empire.

And no....I'm not getting any kick back for advertising from Barnes and Noble (I should be so lucky that they'd give me one of the new Nooks to test for them).  Any e-reader would probably make me just as happy.  I just happen to own the original NOOK, and love it!

Off to try to adjust to the time change!

Winging Away!

Every once in awhile, Mr & Mrs Tutu take leave of their senses and depart the peaceful shores of the Weskeag River to visit other parts of this wonderful world.  This week we're zooming west to attend Mr. Tutu's 50th high school reunion in central California.  While we're there, we'll be visiting with a host of friends and family, soaking up some sunshine, and I suspect battling a wee bit of traffic.

Tutu has loaded up her NOOK with lots of wonderful books to read.  Many thanks to NetGalley for providing publishers a way to make their ARCs available in the e-format.  At the rates airlines are charging for baggage these days, no way could I afford to take more than one book with me and that one book is  Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen.  I read this two years ago, but our local book club (which meets 12 hours after I get home next week) is reading this one as part of a series we're doing on women's cultures in different countries.  More on that series next week.  I remember it as a fascinating read the 1st time, and I'm looking forward to a re-read.  And I'm VERY thankful that Ms. Yoshimoto's prose is quite sparse.  The tiny little book is less than 200 pages, and fits nicely into my purse.

I've also loaded a few audio books on my MP3 for those times (particularly on the plane) when I want to close my eyes and ignore my seat mates (Mr. Tutu excepted of course.)  I have a few reviews waiting to be posted, and plan to finish another two while I'm gone.

Don't forget the Jeffrey Archer audio giveaway---we need more entrants to pick a winner.

Have a wonderful week - I sure plan to.  Many thanks to our neighbors taking care of the homefront, and all the volunteers at my library who let us get away for this once in a lifetime event.

Review: When Will there be Good News by Kate Atkinson

Author: Kate Atkinson
Publisher/Format: Little Brown and Company, 1st edition E book, 314 pages
BBC America, Audiobook, 10 discs, 11 hours, 51 min
Narrator: Steven Crossley
Year of publication: 2008
Subject: kidnapping, deceipt, cold case
Setting: Scotland
Series: Jackson Brodie mysteries 
Genre: private detective mystery
Source: Public library downloads, Barnes & Noble Nook

Jackson Brodie is a detective I really root for.  He seems to run into more bad luck than any other of his ilk, and seems to have terrible luck with women, even when his heart is in the right place.  Kate Atkinson somehow manages to make us fall in love with him, even as she skips blithely back and forth, hither and yon among three or four stories.   This technique can be very disconcerting to first time readers of the series, but this is #3, and I'm finally getting used to the style.  I'm sure the story would not be nearly as exciting or attention holding were she to tell each thread more linearly, but it takes some getting used to.

This style is not particularly well suited to audio, unless you have the time to sit down with pencil and notepad to take a lot of notes so you can keep up with everyone.  I read this one both in print and audio.  I've learned by now to get into all the threads (about the first 30-40% of the book) and THEN I can pick it up in audio while I'm working out.  If I don't get a good grip on who is who (often requiring some flipping back and forth) I'm not able to enjoy Steven Crossley's wonderful narration.

In this adventure, we meet some old friends - Detective Inspector Louise Monroe, Julia Land, and Jackson's ex-wife Josie, and are introduced to a 16 year old detective in training Reggie Chase.  Reggie works as a home helper (don't say "Nanny"!) for Dr. Joanna Hunter, who suddenly goes off on a mysterious trip to visit an aging auntie.   Brodie, still haunted by the deaths of his sister, brother and father, is  married now to an art curator named Tessa, who has gone off to a conference in the US for most of the book.  While she'd gone, Jackson goes on a quest to determine whether he is the parent of Julia's son.  Along the way tho, he becomes unwittingly (isn't this how he always gets involved?) embroiled in the case of the missing doctor who was herself  involved in a brutal mass slaying in her childhood, the search for a recently released felon who seems to have assumed another identity, and another series of daydreams (reciprocal at least) about a romantic relationship with Louise.  Of course, he's trying NOT to get involved in any of this because he's recuperating from a near fatal train crash while traveling back to Covent Garden.

The plot is complicated, convoluted, and at times confusing.  I've finished it, but as with previous books in the series, I'm still not sure I understand everything that happened or why.  I have the fourth one on the nightstand, but I'm going to let it sit for awhile.  I love this series, and may want to go back and re-read one or two before I tackle #4.

If you like really well-plotted, intricate mysteries, with quirky, snippy, and quintessentially British characters, and enjoy a very dry and biting sense of humor, these are for you.  They're not for light reading, but they are for those times when you want to lose yourself in a good book.  And if you like sensitive, intelligent men not afraid to bend the rules, Jackson Brodie is the hero for you.

Review: Doc by Mary

Author: Mary Doria Russell
Publisher/Format: Random House audio 12 discs; 16 1/2 hrs
Narrator: Mark Bramhall
Year of publication: 2011
Subject: John Henry "Doc" Holliday
Setting: Dodge City Kansas
Genre: Fictional biography
Source: Public library download

I've never been a big fan of "Shoot 'em ups" but I grew up during the era of westerns on TV, watching Bat Masterson, Wyatt and Morgan Earp, and Doc Holliday in weekly episodes.  I knew they were actual historic figures, but never had much need to figure out the who, why, when, where of each of their claims to fame.  But when I kept seeing very positive reviews and conversations about this book from people who usually don't lead me to poor books, I decided to take a look at this one.

Even if you don't think you'd like westerns, even if you don't like biographies, try this one.  Mary Doria Russell, and narrator Mark Bramhall have given us a very fresh, unadorned look at Doc, his lady friend Kate, the Earp brothers, and the bustling, smelly, muddy, smoked filled saloons and bawdy houses of Dodge City.  Her research into the symptoms and effects of tuberculosis and her descriptions of the hard life of cattle rustling, early dental procedures,  and law enforcement in "the wild west" give us a picture we didn't get on TV.  Mark Bramhall's ability to give us a distinct voice for each character, a coquettish European accent for Kate, a guttural German for the Augustinian priest, a gentle Georgian drawl for Doc, Irish brogues for several of the women, and western twangs for the Earps was incredibly powerful and kept me riveted for the full  sixteen hours.

Doc's long slow losing battle with TB was something I had been vaguely aware of, but the personalities of each of the others was new and interesting.  It was an eye-opener for those of us steeped in whatever version of the shoot-out at the OK Corral we have inherited. Russell has done a wonderful job in setting the record back onto a more historically accurate track in a very enjoyable read along the way.

Can You Believe it? Tutu's Reading Romance! And loving it!

Author: Jennifer Crusie
Publisher/Format: Brilliance Audio, 12 hours, 448 page equivalent
Year of publication: 2011
Genre: chick-lit, romance
Source: public library download

I don't normally read pure romance, but a dear dear friend whom I'm going to visit next week in California, insisted that I would LOVE Jennifer Crusie and MUST read her.  When I saw one of her books available on the library download, I decided I had nothing to lose and would listen for a few hours, and then at least be able to tell her I'd tried it.  I did try it, and I kept reading and reading, and loved it.  I could not stop this one, and was inventing all kinds of reasons to sit down and listen to the audio.

Essentially it's a romantic comedy featuring two delightful people who are tired of their friends telling them what or what not to do, and who are therefore determined not to allow themselves to build anykind of romantic relationship.  The harder they try to stay apart, the harder they fall.  Throw in two ex-lovers who are trying hard to break them up, but whose attempts make it even worse, and you have the ingredients for a great farce.  It's simply delightful.  Well-written, well plotted, and the characters are very like people we all know.  It was a delightful read, and I'll certainly be looking for more by Jennifer Crusie whenever I want a feel good read with some meat to it.

Sometimes it pays to listen to our friends.

An old friend in a new format!

Often I'm asked how I get so many new books to review. Where do I find them?  The answer is a simple one.  I subscribe to a daily newsletter called Shelf Awareness.  I've enjoyed getting a chance to see new books as they come out, read interviews with authors, and keep up on what's happening in the industry.

This publication that booksellers, librarians and bloggers turn to for news on the book industry is now publishing a version for book lovers! Shelf Awareness: Enlightenment for Readers is a FREE emailed newsletter with reviews on the 25 best books publishing each week along with author interviews, book excerpts, giveaways and more. Right now they’re running a contest for new subscribers. Check out the button on the sidebar to sign up for the new publication and to be entered for a chance to win a great book!

I know you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Audio Book Review: One Summer by David Baldacci

Author: David Baldacci
Publisher/ Format: 7 discs; 8 hours, 337 page equivalent
Narrator: Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy. 
Year of publication: 2011
Subject: love and loss 
Setting:Ohio and South Carolina
Genre: romance
Source: review copy from Hachette Audio


One Summer is a complete departure from David Baldacci's normal political thriller, action adventures.  It is a romance, some would call it chick-lit, but it is every bit as well written as his other stuff.   It was a pleasant summer read, and fit right in with my cozy summer reading theme.

Essentially, it's the story of a terminally ill man whose wife is killed on Christmas eve.  His children are ripped from his deathbed by his mother-in-law who sells the family home to pay for his care, and he is left to die alone.  Then a miraculous recovery and an unexpected inheritance allow him the chance to reunite his family, rebuild his relationships with his children, and find a new friendship that has definite romantic possibilities.  The family interactons are realistic even if the plot is a bit far-fetched.  I suppose every summer romance has to have a happy ending, even if we are left to imagine the future of many of the characters.  The positive possibilities for each were there.

I "ear-read" this one thanks to a review copy from Hachette Audio.  It's a favorite format for me.  I've listened to several other Baldacci books in audio that also had Ron McLarty as the narrator.  He has a clear voice, and terrific inflection, but I found it disconcerting to have this voice who is usually relating white-knuckle suspense to be telling a story of love lost and found.  I also disliked the music.  I'm not sure why audio book producers feel they have to make 'productions' out of book readings.  A good narrator should be able to give us the story.  I don't need background music to set the tone or scene in a printed book, and I find it distracting in an audio book.  I want the author's words to set the tone, not some heart-string pulling music (if I closed my eyes at one point, I'd have expected to open them to see angels descending with harps!)

All in all though, it's a fun read, a heart-warmer, and one that is sure to please readers who like happy endings.

Many thanks to Hachette for the opportunity to review it.

Review: The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson

Author: CS Richardson
Publisher Format: Doubleday (2007), Hardcover, 119 pages
Subject: facing death
Genre: Novella
Source: public library

This is an exquisite little book. It is difficult to classify it.  Certainly it's fiction. It's a love story, it's a story of grieving, of fear, of loss, of death.  But it's a story of celebrating life, of empowering each other by letting go, of suffering loss and experiencing growth.

Layered onto the life story however is a very very clever play on words and letters. The cover flap describes the basics:

Ambrose Zephyr is a contented man. He shares a book-laden Victorian house with his loving wife, Zipper. He owns two suits, one of which he was married in. He is a courageous eater, save brussels sprouts. His knowledge of wine is vague and best defined as Napa, good; Australian, better; French, better still. Kir royale is his drink of occasion. For an Englishman he makes a poor cup of tea. He believes women are quantifiably wiser than men, and would never give Zipper the slightest reason to mistrust him or question his love. Zipper simply describes Ambrose as the only man she has ever loved. Without adjustment.

 When Ambrose is told by his doctor that he has only thirty days to live, he and Zipper set out on an alphabetical journey to fulfill Ambrose's many childhood dreams of the alphabet being spelled out in places vice objects.  Ambrose's alphabet wasn't "A is for apple, B is for bear",  his was "A is for Amsterdam, B is for Berlin" and so on.   The frantic and frenetic race to see all his beloved dreams is written so crisply, in such elegant, reduced text, that the reader is able to read the 119 pages in one sitting.  You put this down and realize that you have practically been holding your breath until the end.  It's a book to be shared by lovers, a book to read again, and a beautiful expression of lives well lived.

Do yourself a favor - - get a copy, grab a cup of tea and curl up.  You won't regret it.

A second chance for Jeffrey Archer

Wow!  How lucky can we get?  MacMillan audio saw the review last week for Jeffrey Archer's latest one, and offered to give me an audio version to review.  They are also giving us a copy for a giveaway.  So....If you really wanted to read this one, and you didn't win, here's your chance.  I'm going to make this one vey easy.  One comment, one chance per customer.  BUT....I'm not going to give it away until I get 20 comments.  So mention this one on your blog and encourage people to come over here.  If you do post it on your blog (and mention that there's no giveaway until we reach the magic number) then I'll give you an extra entry...you won't have to do a thing.

If you've never tried an audio book before, this would be a very good one to start with, and just to prove it, there's a substantial sample here on the Only Time will Tell page It's a great read, and I can't wait to get my copy to listen to the story and see if there was anything I missed first time around.  The best part of audio books is that you don't have to turn the pages....they just keep going for you.  You can get lost in a book very easily and not want to turn it off.

Remember - one comment, include an email address, no PO Boxes, and be sure to give me the link to your blog post. Good luck.

Book Review: A Night Too Dark by Dana Stabenow

Author: Dana Stabenow
Publisher Format: St. Martin's Minotaur (2010), 322 pages
Subject: gold mining
Setting: Alaska
Series: Kate Shugak Novels
Genre: women private detectives, murder mystery
Source: public library

 Now here's a series I'm really going to get into.  One of our patrons donated this book to the library, and shoved it at me (she knows me well) saying " YOU MUST READ THIS."  Now who am I to make a patron unhappy?  She was right.  It's a page turner, with a great plot, a wonderful protagonist in Kate Shugak, a private investigator who works along side the tribal and government law enforcement authorities in the Alaskan wilderness.

This is evidently the 17th in the series, but I didn't feel I need much back fill to enjoy the story.  The plot revolves around a greedy mining company wanting to dig gold from a pristine and ecologically endangered mine.  I thought the author did an excellent job balancing what could have become a political diatribe and instead offered a fair explanation of the issues.  These were certainly debated enough to cause murder and mayhem, missing and mis-identified bodies, and offer Kate the chance to once again help put together the clues she and others piece together from the wilderness.  There's just enough question mark left at the end (no spoilers here!) to make readers look forward to the next in the series.

There is certainly enough to this character and the gorgeous setting to make me definitely seek out at least a few of the earlier ones.  If you like rugged settings, strong women, and well plotted murder mystery, these just may be for you. 

Summer wrap- up

Since many of the books I read this summer were for my own reading pleasure, and not formal reviews, I haven't done individual posts on several of them.  There are some however, that merit a mention with my comments and what's to like or dislike:


Sizzlin' Sixteen - Janet Evanovich.  I chuckled when I read #15 in this series, but almost forgot why I had stopped reading them several years ago.  This one made me remember and swear off Stephanie Plum for the rest of my life.  Evanovich is a good writer.  She just needs to find something new, refreshing, and with a totally different premise.

To Kill a Mockingbird - This classic was chosen by our Book Club at the library for it's July discussion.  I hadn't read it in 50 years since it came out.  I thought I remembered it, but found there was so much I'd forgotten, or never keyed on when I was younger.  It is a true classic, and if you haven't read it, drop everything and do so.  It was required reading when I was in high school, and in my opinion, should still be required, but those of us who read it as the Civil Rights movement was just starting will find a surprising depth of insight from being able to look back.

August Heat by Andrea Camilleri.  The 10th in the Inspector Montalbano detective series, this was the perfect book to read in August.  The scorching searing heat of Siciliy in the summer is something I've experienced first hand (twice!) and although Sicily is a spectacular vacation venue, I'm not going to plan my next trip in the summer months.  Montalbano locates a beautiful seaside villa for a friend coming down from northern Italy, only to have the family discover that there are some serious defects in the building (like a dead body to begin with).  His girlfriend Livia, as usual, becomes upset and goes home.  Montalbano battles the heat, tries to solve the mystery of why the house is as it is (it's hard to describe the mysterious happenings without spoiling the story) and in the end detects the true culprit.  His sidekick, Catarella provides just the right touch of comic relief to make the book not only a good who dunnit, but an enjoyable and amusing read.  This series continues to get better, so if you haven't tried any of them, next time you're browsing the shelves, pull one out and settle in for a few hours.  I don't think you'll regret it.

All in all, it was a successful restful summer.  I wallowed in a few great page turners, enjoyed the summer breezes while listening to some awesome audios and stitching my blue heron.  In fact, I'll be giving you a progress report on my stitching project later this fall.  For now, the leaves are already turning, and it's time to turn to some heavy duty catching up on ARCs sent for reviews.  I'm still planning to continue reading in some of the new series I discovered this summer, so as long as the eyes and ears hold out, and the NOOK stays charged, I'll be offering up more of my two cents.

Monday Mailbox - September 5th

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.  Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Created by Marcia at The Printed Page, Mailbox Monday, now has its own blog. Hosting duties are being rotated every month.  Now that we're into September, is the month for hosting by Amused at Amused by Books. Be sure to stop by and say howdy.

Only one this week-- a contest win  from First Reads, but one that certainly has a big appeal to me:

The Goodreads blurb says:

Twenty-five-year-old Julie Jacobs is heartbroken over the death of her beloved Aunt Rose. But the shock goes even deeper when she learns that the woman who has been like a mother to her has left her entire estate to Julie’s twin sister. The only thing Julie receives is a key—one carried by her mother on the day she herself died—to a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy.
   
This key sends Julie on a journey that will change her life forever—a journey into the troubled past of her ancestor Giulietta Tolomei. In 1340, still reeling from the slaughter of her parents, Giulietta was smuggled into Siena, where she met a young man named Romeo. Their ill-fated love turned medieval Siena upside-down and went on to inspire generations of poets and artists, the story reaching its pinnacle in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. (more)
   

Sienna is one of my favorite cities in Europe, absolutely elegant in its architecture, ambiance, and refusal to move too far out of a medieval setting.  I can't afford to go back there right now, so I'm really looking forward to day-dreaming about my wonderful visits there in the past, while I read this one.

Many thanks to Goodreads and the First Read Program for picking me to win it.

Two New Winners - How Cool is That?

Author:Barbara Delinsky
Publisher Format:Doubleday (2011), Edition: First Edition, Hardcover, 320 pages Setting: New York
Genre: fiction
Source: ARC from publisher

 Well...Random.org has really done a great job this time.  The two names chosen as winners of Barbara Delinsky's newest fiction were new winners here at Tutu's Two Cents.  We welcome both of them and hope they come back often.


To refresh everybody about this one, here is Doubleday's synopsis:

Emily Aulenbach is thirty, a lawyer married to a lawyer, working in Manhattan. An idealist, she had once dreamed of representing victims of corporate abuse, but she spends her days in a cubicle talking on the phone with vic­tims of tainted bottled water—and she is on the bottler’s side.

And it isn’t only work. It’s her sister, her friends, even her husband, Tim, with whom she doesn’t connect the way she used to. She doesn’t connect to much in her life, period, with the exception of three things—her computer, her BlackBerry, and her watch.

Acting on impulse, Emily leaves work early one day, goes home, packs her bag, and takes off. Groping toward the future, uncharacteristically following her gut rather than her mind, she heads north toward a New Hampshire town tucked between mountains. She knows this town. During her college years, she spent a watershed summer here. Painful as it is to return, she knows that if she is to right her life, she has to start here.

I don't usually read too many pure 'chick lit' books, and I haven't read any of Delinksy's work in several years.  It's not something I'd want to have a steady diet of, and perhaps it's because I've been reading "lite" all summer that I found this one wasn't quite as developed as I would have preferred, but it was certainly entertaining enough and I know will be enjoyed by our winners:

Jasmyn

and

Ellie Lewis

Congratulations to both of them. I've sent their emails and they have until Wednesday nite to get back to me.

If you missed out on this, you can have another chance at some of my favorite blogs who are also featuring giveaways of this one:

Bookin' with Bingo - deadline Sept 6th
Just Another New Blog - deadline Sept 7th

Weekend Cooking - Christmas Cookies? Already?

The World's Greatest Christmas Cookies

A collection of cookie recipes,  decorating ideas, and inspirational thoughts from the contributors.

Publisher/ Format: Barbour Publishing Company, e galley 160 pages

Year of publication: 2011

Subject: Christmas Cookies

Genre: Recipe compilation

Source: Net Galley

Net Galley has offered several cookbooks for review recently, and since Christmas Cookies are a special weakness for me, I was delighted to be able to take a look at this one.  I had best state up front that I collect cookie cookbooks, and over my forty plus years of marriage and moving around the world, I've been through an extensive assortment of recipes.  But by now, I've settled on about two dozen all time favorites that I know I can count on to be fun to make, easy to store, and (most of all) well received by all who stop by to share holiday cheer, or to whom I send them as gifts every year.

So even though I'm pretty settled on my list, I'm also always looking for something new, delicious, and relatively easy to make.  (I gave up trying to be Martha Stewart a long time ago).  I would not buy this one for myself since I have most of the recipes that appeal to me already in my files.  But I definitely would consider this one as a gift for someone who is just embarking on setting up housekeeping, a young parent who wants some easy to make recipes to make with children, or someone who is not a cookbook collector but who loves cookies.

The format is excellent - each recipe is easy to read, colorfully typeset, the pictures are crisp, clear and yummy, and none of them threaten to overwhelm the baker with complications.  I especially like the "Sweet tips" sprinkled throughout the book.  Several of them were new to me (such as placing a slice of apple in a container of cookies that are beginning to get a bit dry---I've done that for brown sugar but never thought about it for cookies!)

The recipe for Potato Chip Cookies looks like a busy Mom's dream - crushed chips, a can of sweetened condensed milk, coconut and peanut butter.  Mixed up and dropped on a greased cookie sheet, these can be done in about 15 minutes start to finish!

Bar cookies are another favorite of mine, and living up here in cranberry bog heaven, those Cranberry Paradise bars look really yummy.  We also grow a lot of rhubarb up here, and the Rhubarb Squares looks like a good recipe to use up that last bag of frozen rhubarb to make more room in the freezer!

There are a few drawbacks to this one.  Cookbooks, by their nature, are meant to be browsed. There is no Table of Contents - although that may be simply a function of the egalley - I hope one appears in the finished product.  There's a great index, but I shouldn't have to go to the back of the book to browse.  AND....................about 25% (I didn't do an exact count) of the recipes don't have pictures.  Sorry Barbour publishing, but cookies need to have pictures.  It's the picture that grabs a cook.  I don't have the vaguest idea of what the "Italian Christmas Cookies" are supposed to look like.  The ingredients and instructions don't sound like ANYTHING any of my Italian relatives every made for Christmas, and I certainly don't think I've ever seen a recipe like them in any of my numerous Italian cookbooks.  So that one for me would be destined to remain a mystery forever - I'd never even consider it.  And that may be a shame.

Over all, this is one to consider if you like cookies, or are looking for a good not too expensive addition to your cookbook collection, or for a nice gift.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and Net Galley for making it available.

For other Weekend Cooking, take a look at our Host: Beth Fish Reads.  There's always a great range of yummy reviews, recipes, and all things foodie to whet your appetite. 

Audio Reviews: The Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson

Author: Kate Atkinson
Publisher/Format: BBC Audio America, 10 discs-11 hours, 312 page equivalent
Year of publication: 2008
Narrator: Susan Jameson
Subject: Three different crimes separated by years
Setting: Cambridge,England
Series: Jackson Brodie Mysteries
Genre: mystery- detective fiction
Source: public library


Author: Kate Atkinson
Publisher/Format: BBC Audio America, 12 discs-14 hours, 448 page equivalent
Year of publication: 2006
Narrator: Steven Crossley
Subject: seemingly random unrelated incidents of murder
Setting: Edinburgh Scotland
Series: Jackson Brodie Mysteries
Genre: mystery- detective fiction
Source: public library


This series has a lot to like about it.  I had just gotten the 4th in the series Started Early Took My Dog for our library, and was intrigued by the jacket blurb.  I really dislike starting a series in the middle, so I hunted down the 1st two to see if they might be worthy of including in our collection.  Since I needed some audios to get me through a couple of cooking/sewing projects this summer, these two really met the challenge.  They are intricately plotted, but somewhat hard to follow in the beginning.  In both volumes, Atkinson weaves together a series of seemingly unrelated characters and murders that leave the reader asking "where is this going?" until about half-way through each book.  The head scratching is well worth the wait however because not only do the stories mesh together, along the way we meet a cast of wonderfully eccentric and engaging characters who hold our interest and pull us toward their personal conclusions.

In Case Histories, Jackson becomes involved in a cold case of a missing toddler, another of a dead teenager, and an ax murder.  I don't want to spoil the delicious way Atkinson pulls Brodie through all of these with their reluctant witnesses, missing evidence, etc. so I won't reveal too much more about the story line or characters.  I especially like her borderline risquè sense of humor, her tartly funny remarks emerging from the most unusual characters, and Jackson's seemingly lackluster enthusiasm for some of the rigors of the cases.

In One Good Turn, we see Jackson continuing a relation that was only a glint in the first book, as he follows (somewhat begrudgingly?) his now lady friend to Edinburgh so she can participate in an acting festival.  He whiles away the time that she is in rehearsals by blundering onto a dead body, and then spends the rest of the book walking a tightrope between wanting to be totalling uninvolved in solving the crime, (he's on vacation after all!) and in wanting to take over the investigation completely.  His prickly personality and on-again/off-again motivation makes for a true page turner and some uproarious chuckles.  Again, the reader has to pay attention to be sure not to miss any of the many many clues Atkinson strews throughout, but that concentration is well worth the effort in the end.

Normally, I really enjoy audios, but I'm daring to say these are better read in print at first, unless you have exceptional powers of remembering who is who.  The audios done by BBC America were spot on, and easy to listen to, but I think being able to flip back and forth would be a definite advantage to the first time reader of either of these.  Susan  Jameson and Steven Crossly did a first rate job of bringing these doty characters to life so if you like audio, do give them a try, but maybe with a dog-earred paperback next to you for easy referral.   I don't necessarily see that they have to be read in order either, so my advice is to find any of the four in the series, grab a chair and settle back for a great and fun detective story.

PS...I think I'm going to be adding at least one more of these to our collection at the library.

Mailbox Monday - August 29th

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.  Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Created by Marcia at The Printed Page, Mailbox Monday, now has its own blog. Hosting duties are being rotated every month.  August is the month for hosting by Staci of Life in the Thumb.  She's not only hosting, but she's got some great giveaways going, so stop on over there after you're done here.

This week, I got some really exciting books:
From Simon and Schuster, I received an ARC:

 A Thousand Lives, the untold story of Faith, Deception, and survival at Jonestown by Julia Scheeres

In 1954, a pastor named Jim Jones opened a church in Indianapolis called Peoples Temple Full Gospel Church. He was a charismatic preacher with idealistic beliefs, and he quickly filled his pews with an audience eager to hear his sermons on social justice. After Jones moved his church to Northern California in 1965, he became a major player in Northern California politics; he provided vital support in electing friendly political candidates to office, and they in turn offered him a protective shield that kept stories of abuse and fraud out of the papers. Even as Jones's behavior became erratic and his message more ominous, his followers found it increasingly difficult to pull away from the church. By the time Jones relocated the Peoples Temple a final time to a remote jungle in Guyana and the U.S. Government decided to investigate allegations of abuse and false imprisonment in Jonestown, it was too late.

A Thousand Lives is the story of Jonestown as it has never been told before. New York Times bestselling author Julia Scheeres drew from thousands of recently declassified FBI documents and audiotapes, as well as rare videos and interviews, to piece together an unprecedented and compelling history of the doomed camp, focusing on the people who lived there.

The people who built Jonestown wanted to forge a better life for themselves and their children. They sought to create a truly egalitarian society. In South America, however, they found themselves trapped in Jonestown and cut off from the outside world as their leader goaded them toward committing "revolutionary suicide" and deprived them of food, sleep, and hope. Yet even as Jones resorted to lies and psychological warfare, Jonestown residents fought for their community, struggling to maintain their gardens, their school, their families, and their grip on reality.

Then DownEast Books, our own world class publishing house here in Maine sent me another two of their latest.  They have really been putting out some awesome books lately, and I'm truly honored to get advanced copies of these two:

Port City black & white - Gerry Boyle

A Brandon Blake Mystery

Brandon Blake, the tough and resourceful kid from the Portland waterfront, has made it. He’s been hired by the Portland Police Department, partly as payback for stopping a vicious cop killer in Port City Shakedown. But the newest rookie on the night shift isn’t pulling any punches. And when a drug-addled mom can’t find her baby, Blake—
whose mother left him and was killed when he was a toddler— comes down on her hard. Except the baby really is gone. Was he stolen and sold? Traded for drugs? Blake and his partner, the take-no-crap triathloner Kat, join the rest of the force as they search for the missing child. They are up against city gangs, working families who think the
city is going to hell, and the media—pressing the police to find the child, dead or alive, blaming Blake for setting off a chain of events that includes suicides, home invasions, and demonstrations in the city’s streets.
Meanwhile, Blake’s girlfriend, aspiring writer Mia, sees Brandon drifting into the world of cops and crime and leaving her behind. He doesn’t fit in with her hip friends and is particularly uncomfortable around her best friend Lily, a trust-funder, and Lily’s partner, the handsome Winston from Barbados, who runs a trendy Old Port restaurant.
Brandon’s relentless search for the child brings a load of trouble down on him, threatens his career, his life, his relationship. Will he end up alone on his old cabin cruiser Bay Witch? Or worse?

Maine's Most Scenic Roads

25 Routes off the Beaten Path

by  John Gibson

Tucked away among Maine’s blue highways are stretches of road that are beautiful, and a joy to discover. In this fully updated edition of Maine’s Most Scenic Roads there are trips that are close by, or just far enough away to fit whatever kind of escape you’re looking for.

Maine’s Most Scenic Roads offers a selection of the best drives in all areas of the state, including loop routes, as well as point-to-point. Each can also be worked into a larger itinerary. Thorough directions and easy-to-follow maps ensure that the reader can relax and enjoy the view.

 I'm definitely going to put this one on the guest room night stand!

Winners and a Review : Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

Author: Jeffrey Archer
Publisher/Format: ARC bound galley St Martin's Press 400 pgs
Year of publication: 2011
Subject: Class struggles, family secrets
Setting: England 1920-1939
Series: The Clifton Chronicles
Genre: historical fiction; family saga
Source: Review copy from publisher

The three lucky people listed below are in for a treat.  I haven't read Jeffrey Archer for years, and now I wonder why.  This new series featuring Harry Clifton, son of a dockworker (or is he the son of an upper crust owner of a huge shipping line?), and his climb through the British public school system is going to be a delight if this first one of five is any indication.  Make no mistake, this is not a Pulitzer, but it is good, solid storytelling, with bold characters, a world wide setting, and a story that has enough twists, turns, and sneaky heart-stoppers to definitely merit the label "page turner."

The story involves Harry, as he grows from an angelic choirboy into an intelligent, hardworking young man faced with the difficult choice of going to Oxford upon graduation from the US equivalent of high school, or joining the armed forces as Britain enters the war against Hitler.  His romance with the sister of his best friend, together with some of the aforementioned story twists makes his choice even more difficult.  Harry's mother, a hard-working widow, who takes a series of back-breaking jobs to help with Harry's expenses, is harboring a secret about Harry's parentage.  This secret, if revealed could destroy lives, and Archer skillfully weaves his story around it.

My only problem with the book was the absolutely sucker punch ending.  I was left gasping, yelling "Don't do that to me!!."  I will be among thousands lined up to get my hands on the second book in the series to find out what happens next.  The Clifton Chronicles promises to keep us all enthralled for several years to come.

So without further ado, here are the lucky winners:

Eva

 Sheila K

&

Barbara

They've been sent an email notifying them and have until Wednesday August 31st to get me their mailing addresses or we'll have to pick another winner.

If you didn't win, there's still time to enter the giveaway at Peeking between The Pages.  The deadline there is Sept 10th.  Good Luck.

More on Abandoning a Book

Last weekend, I published some thoughts about "The Borrower", an audio book I had abandoned.  That non-review generated quite a few very well-expressed comments from all of my friends in blog-land.  So rather than bury my reactions and additions in the comments section, I thought it appropriate to continue the discussion here.

Normally, I truly enjoy audio books but I recognize that the narrator can make or break the audio version.  I'm always careful in my reviews to note whether or not I 'read' the book in print or audio format.  Often I listen to a book AND read the book.  My right/left brain finds it easy to go back and forth, and I find I am able to continue reading when my eyes and hands are otherwise occupied.

In this particular case, I was sent this book IN AUDIO FORMAT by the publisher with the specific expectation I would review it AS AN AUDIO.  The Early Reviewer Program of LibraryThing is a wonderful program that puts books in various formats (print, ebook, and audio) into the hands of serious readers and asks only that a review be written in exchange.  In fact, they did not necessarily expect a blog post, but I always post my reviews on LibraryThing and on the blog.  Because I couldn't finish it, I felt obligated to write something saying that this was the case and to explain why I couldn't get through the book. I specifically said it wasn't a review. Even when I finish and review a book I don't care for, I try to say what it is that turned me off, because I recognize that each of us has different expectations, preferences, and values that will color our perception of anything we read.

That said, many of your comments have made me open to taking a look at the work in print format to see if I have a different take.  If the book is supposed to be the reminiscences of an older librarian looking back on a very inappropriate behavior, then those of you who noted that made a very valid case for the audio being a dud.  The narrator absolutely sounded like a 12 year old, and I think that's what gave me such a negative feeling.  I never would have gotten a mature look-back from that voice.

So I'm willing to give it another look, but I think I'm going to have to let some time elapse before I will want to try to re-evaluate given my negative feelings at present.  I did give the book to our children's librarian, who also likes audio books, and asked her to have a go.  I did not give her any indication of how I felt, nor has she read the blog.  It will be interesting to see if she has the same take. 

So thanks for a good discussion, and by the way...I do think in many instances that author does have some say about who will or will not narrate.  Even if they don't, shame on a publisher for not considering the appropriateness of a voice for a narration.  It's a shame to spoil a good book by having the wrong person reading it.  Emily Bauer's reading is clear and well inflected, but, if I hear those who read the print version correctly, her voice is the wrong voice for the story.  And that is a disservice to the author and the readers. 

Narration aside, I found the plot to be one that didn't draw me in either, and felt that by listening to at least 1/2 the book, the plot should have grabbed me by then.  I'll reserve judgement and let you know if that feeling changes on a later re-read.

Lastly, I will say that there are books that have taken me two or even three tries before they 'clicked' with me.  Three of my best all time life-time reads are in that category:  Olive Kitteridge, Cutting for Stone, and Cloud Atlas all took me three reads, and a group book discussion (either online or at the local library) before I fell in love with them.   I listened to and read each of them, and they remain among my favorites to this day.  So there's hope for Miss Makkai.  I'll let you know.  In the meantime, keep those comments coming in.  You make blogging fun.

Mailbox Monday - Aug 22nd

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.  Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Created by Marcia at The Printed Page, Mailbox Monday, now has its own blog. Hosting duties are being rotated every month.  August is the month for hosting by Staci of Life in the Thumb.  She's not only hosting, but she's got some great giveaways going, so stop on over there after you're done here.

Two weeks ago I entered a Facebook contest sponsored by Picador Books.  I sent an email as instructed, 24 hours later a reply came saying "You Won!"  and one week later Michael Cunningham's book By Nightfall arrived at my front door.  I've never read anything by this author, but the publishing blurb is certainly tempting me:

 Peter and Rebecca Harris: mid-forties denizens of Manhattan’s SoHo, nearing the apogee of committed careers in the arts—he a dealer, she an editor. With a spacious loft, a college-age daughter in Boston, and lively friends, they are admirable, enviable contemporary urbanites with every reason, it seems, to be happy. Then Rebecca’s much younger look-alike brother, Ethan (known in thefamily as Mizzy, “the mistake”), shows up for a visit. A beautiful, beguiling twenty-three-year-old with a history of drug problems, Mizzy is wayward, at loose ends, looking for direction. And in his presence, Peter finds himself questioning his artists, their work, his career—the entire world he has so carefully constructed.

Like his legendary, Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, The Hours, Michael Cunningham’s masterly new novel is a heartbreaking look at the way we live now. Full of shocks and aftershocks, it makes us think and feel deeply about the uses and meaning of beauty and the place of love in our lives.

Has anybody read this author?  What do you think?  Help me out here by voting in the box on the sidebar.  My readers have a pretty good feel for what appeals to me, so here's your chance to chime in!  And you can certainly enhance your vote with a comment too.  Happy Monday!

Abandoned Book - The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai

Abandoned Book The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai

Normally, I'd never post a review for a book I haven't finished. However, this one is so far beyond belief that I cannot bring myself to listen any further. I received an audio copy of this from the Early Reviewers program, so I really tried and tried and tried to listen to the whole thing.  Normally I really enjoy audio books, and had been looking forward to this one.

Well...here's what the publisher wants us to get excited about:

Lucy Hull, a young children’s librarian in Hannibal, Missouri, is unsure where her life is headed. That becomes more than a figure of speech when her favorite patron, ten-year-old Ian Drake, runs away from home and Lucy finds herself in the surprise role of chauffeur.

The precocious Ian is addicted to reading, but needs Lucy’s help to smuggle books past his overbearing mother, who has enrolled Ian in weekly anti-gay classes with celebrity Pastor Bob. Lucy stumbles into a moral dilemma when she finds Ian camped out in the library after hours with a knapsack of provisions and an escape plan.

The odd pair embarks on a crazy road trip from Missouri to Vermont, with ferrets, an inconvenient boyfriend, and dubious family history thrown in their path. But who is actually running away? And from what?

I disliked both main characters--I found them cardboard, stereotypical, and just plain unbelievable. If I were the President of Holyoke College, I'd be disavowing any knowledge of Lucy the librarian as a graduate. A college graduate? Really? My 4th grade granddaughter has more common sense and brains than this one! This girl (and she's a girl -- a stunted, stilted non-adult) is vapid and locked in a dreamworld.

The child Ian is a manipulative brat,  and his mother is certainly an obnoxious, moronic religious fanatic, but.............that is no reason to glorify his running away and Lucy's kidnapping him and letting a 10 year old run her life. Can you say arrested development?   Trying to sugar coat this exercise in juvenile delinquency in a cocoon of children's stories that are more suitable to pre-schoolers than a 10 year old and a mid-20 year old, only adds insult to the reader's already bruised intelligence.  I simply could not continue with this one.  I finished 4 of 8 discs, but it was just too painful to read more.

I suppose if you're into fantasy you might like this one, and maybe someday I'll be able to bring myself to finish it, but for now, the pragmatic math major adult in me just couldn't finish this one.

Not Quite a Cozy - Review of Artistic License by Julie Hyzy

Author: Julie Hyzy
Publisher/ Format: Smashwords edition, NOOK, 623 pages
Year of publication: 2010
Setting: Chicago
Genre: cozy mystery with romance
Source: Barnes & Noble Nook download


I had been led to believe that Julie Hyzy was a cozy mystery writer, so I wasn't expecting the well written romance blossoming within the rather sophisticated cozy setting that Artistic License presented me.  I got this from one of Barnes and Nobles' free book offers and figured I'd see if Hyzy was an author I wanted to pursue.  She is. 

She starts us right off with Annie Callahan, the protagonist, crying her eyes out because she's just discovered she's pregnant.  Obviously, since her divorce from the baby's father is about to be finalized, she is anything but happy.  Life goes downhill from there.  At 623 pages, this one is much longer than your average cozy, but my interest was cemented so well at the beginning, that I never wanted to put the book down.  I was thrilled that I had this on my NOOK, because toting around a 600+ pager would not have been very convenient.  As it was, I read several hundred pages at the beach, another 200 hundred while chaperoning the g-babe's wild spree through "bracelet day" at the fair, and finished it up that night.

I loved the characters.  Annie, a mural artist, is trying so hard to be self-sufficient, but hasn't quite learned yet how to follow through on resolutions of independence.  The villains are realistic enough to avoid being stereotypes, the lackless husband and his dum-dum buddy are perfectly scripted to be hateful, and the romantic lead Sam is one of those tender-hearted men any woman would love to have in her household.  And then there's Annie's Uncle Lou,  retired journalist, who can provide just enough private eye expertise to help out.

Without spoilers, the plot involves a Durer drawing stolen from the Chicago Museum of Art, a crooked attorney, bratty kids, and an unwitting Annie caught in the mess.  It's a delightful story with a plot that moves forward nicely, and a different setting (Chicago) for me.  I'm definitely going to be reading more of Julie Hyzy's books.  Her style is perfect for me.  I've already downloaded another on my NOOK for later this year.

Audio Book Review: Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons

Author: Anne Rivers Siddons
Publisher/Format: Hachette Audio approx 9 hrs
Year of publication: 2011
Subject: Love lost and found
Setting:North Carolina mountains, Atlanta and environs
Genre: southern fiction
Source: Hachette Audio

Anne Rivers Siddons is one of my favorite authors.  Her writing is some of the best in southern fiction today.  Audio is one of my favorite formats for fiction, so when Hachette Audio offered me the chance to review this one in audio, I jumped at it.

The story took a while to develop.  Reminiscent of some of her others, and of Pat Conroy's southern angst, Siddons defines her characters by their relationships to family, and by their adherence to that ancient Southern code of manners, high society, and propriety.  We see our protagonist, Thayer Wentworth, as she struggles with tom-boy-ism to thwart her mother's attempts to turn her into the Southern Belle she (mom) never had the chance to be. And although it took awhile to get going, along the way we watch as Thayer finds her first love at summer camp, is betrayed by people she trusts, endures loneliness upon leaving home, and ultimately finds love in the arms of a charming Irishman.

Now here's the only part I personally had trouble with.  If you're into Irish mythology and poetry, you will love this book. If dark handsome studs wallowing in magic spells is your cuppa tea, you will love this book.  The rest of us have to suspend our disbelief a bit and continue on.  In the end, Siddons gives us an exceptionally well-written character study with an ending that had two different paths she could have taken.  Some will like the way it ends, others I'm sure would have preferred the second option.  Either way, it's a good solid romance that will add to the author's stature.

Kate Reading does an outstanding job narrating.  Hachette has another winner on its hands.
Thanks to Mitch at Hachette for the chance to review it.

Back to School --- Time for a great giveaway!

Now that the wee ones are returning to school, many readers hope to find a bit of breathing time to settle down with a good book and enjoy the "piece of quiet".  Just in time for that quiet week coming up sooner than you think we have two copies of the newest Barbara Delinsky novel: "Escape" thanks to Liz at Doubleday/Random House.

Publishers Weekly states it perfectly,

"Delinsky nails it in her trademark latest, a captivating and moving story about a woman who's had enough of her life and wants a fresh start. . . . "

Emily Aulenbach is thirty, a lawyer working in Manhattan. She had once dreamed of representing victims of corporate abuse, but she spends her days talking on the phone with vic­tims of tainted bottled water. And it isn’t only work. It’s her sister, her friends, even her husband. She doesn’t connect to much in her life, period.

Emily leaves work early one day, packs her bag, and takes off. She heads north toward a New Hampshire town. During her college years, she spent a summer here. Painful as it is to return, she knows that if she is to right her life, she has to start here.

Sounds Great doesn't it, so let's get this one out there for a September read. Rules are the usual:

• two copies available,
• US mailing addresses only (no PO Boxes)
• Deadline to enter : September 1st

To enter:

• Leave me a comment  saying whether you've read anything else by Barbara Delinksy (if you haven't -you should!
• Fill out the form.

Just that easy.  Good luck, and stay tuned for my review.

Cozy Time: More Miss Julia

Author: Ann B. Ross
Publisher Format: Recorded Books, 10 hrs
Narrator: Cynthia Darlow
Year of publication: 2005
Subject: southern manners, marriage, beauty pageants
Setting: Abbotsville, NC
Series: Miss Julia
Genre: southern fiction, humor
Source: Net Library download

Well, Miss Julia has gone and done it this time! She and her long-time friend, mentor/attorney Sam Murdoch have eloped to a marriage mill in Tennessee and honeymooned at Dollywood. Shortly after their return to town, but after they'd already hired carpenters who had demolished half Miss J's house to fit it out so everyone (Julia and Sam, Hazel Mae and little Lloyd) could live under one roof, they discover that the "reverend" who officiated at the nuptials may not in fact have been a rev at all, and their marriage may not be legal.

Naturally Miss Julia's southern sense of properness and morality is totally in chaos; she banishes Sam to a separate bedroom, refuses to go through with another ceremony (that would announce to the world that they'd been living in sin!!!!) and sends Sam off to "fix it."  At the same time, Hazel Marie decides to hostess a beauty pageant, Julia's best friend wants to throw her a wedding reception, and poor Miss Julia just can't seem to handle it.  As usual, Ann B. Ross does a wonderful job of keeping us guessing about the outcome of all these challenges and manages to give us some tension, some concern, and plenty of humor as the various characters work through life.

These are fun stories.  Miss Julia has just the right amount of ditziness and brains to make them believable and Hazel Mae adds the perfect foil of fun loving devil-may-care to counter Miss Julia's prissiness. Think Golden Girls with Betty White as Miss Julia and a young Rue McClanahan as Hazel Mae.  I'm not sure I could take these as a steady diet, but they are certainly well done - - especially in audio.

Recorded books has done a wonderful job with the various accents in these and I have no trouble following who is speaking or narrating with the excellent narration of Cynthia Darrow.  Her ability to present different voices is exceptional and well suited to this story.

Mailbox Monday - August 15th

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.  Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Created by Marcia at The Printed Page, Mailbox Monday, now has its own blog. Hosting duties are being rotated every month.  August is the month for hosting by Staci of Life in the Thumb.  She's not only hosting, but she's got some great giveaways going, so stop on over there after you're done here.

This week brought two books I got from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.  One was a book from June which finally arrived, the other from the July list which just closed over last weekend.  The book arrived within 48 hours of my being notified.  Both are absolutely going onto the sooner rather than later pile.

Train of Small Mercies
by David Rowell

In haunting and crystalline prose, The Train of Small Mercies follows six characters' intrepid search for hope among the debris of an American tragedy.

In New York, a young black porter struggles through his first day on the job-a staggering assignment aboard Robert F. Kennedy's funeral train. In Pennsylvania, a woman creates a tangle of lies to sneak away from her disapproving husband and pay her respects to the slain senator, dragging her child with her. In Maryland, a wounded young soldier awaits a newspaper interview that his parents hope will restore his damaged self-esteem. And in Washington, an Irish nanny in town to interview with the Kennedy family must reconcile the lost opportunity and the chance to start her life anew.

In this stunning debut, David Rowell depicts disparate lives united by an extraordinary commemoration, irrevocably changed as Kennedy's funeral train makes its solemn journey from New York to Washington.

About the Author
David Rowell is an editor at The Washington Post Magazine and has taught literary journalism at American University in Washington, D.C. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. This is his first novel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then I received an advanced copy of The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai.  This one is an audio book, one of my favorite formats.

Lucy Hull, a young children’s librarian in Hannibal, Missouri, is unsure where her life is headed. That becomes more than a figure of speech when her favorite patron, ten-year-old Ian Drake, runs away from home and Lucy finds herself in the surprise role of chauffeur.

The precocious Ian is addicted to reading, but needs Lucy’s help to smuggle books past his overbearing mother, who has enrolled Ian in weekly anti-gay classes with celebrity Pastor Bob. Lucy stumbles into a moral dilemma when she finds Ian camped out in the library after hours with a knapsack of provisions and an escape plan.

The odd pair embarks on a crazy road trip from Missouri to Vermont, with ferrets, an inconvenient boyfriend, and dubious family history thrown in their path. But who is actually running away? And from what?

It was a great week.  What came in your mailbox this week?