Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross - this is the first in the series. Miss Julia is recently widowed and just beginning to feel out from under the thumb of her husband when she is shocked to find he's the father to a 9 year old boy. And the boy has been left with her! This book has several things I find irritating: busybody small town people, overbearing pastors, and people grabbing for money. Also, Miss Julia is a little behind the times. I don't think I'll continue the series.
2 stars
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China Dolls by Lisa See - three very different Chinese American girls meet in S.F. in 1938. They become friends and entertainers together. They all have secrets. Love and jealousy (and WWII) cause problems. I didn't find any of the girls totally sympathetic.
3 stars
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Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir by Frances Mayes - the author of Under the Tuscan Sun writes of her Southern childhood with volatile parents. It was a little hard for me to get into at first but then I got used to the style.
3 stars
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The Summer of Dead Toys by Antonio Hill - Hector Selgado is a policeman in Barcelona. Just returned from time off because of a violent episode, he's sent to do an unofficial investigation of an accident. Debut novel by an author who is a translator by profession. It seems he's been paying attention to the crime novel while he's been translating. A surprise reveal (at least for me) and then a cliffhanger that makes me very anxious for the next book. Language and some sex.
4.5 stars
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Dead Heading by Catherine Aird - a case of vandalism at two greenhouses is connected to a missing person and murder. Lots of repetition in this, by page 96 all that had happened was lots of talking about the vandalism. Total surprise who did it at the end but dulled by all the repetition. Also, not really fair to the book, but I get quite grumpy when there are lots of editing errors.
1 star
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Field of Prey by John Sandford - the killers are known from the outset, what's not known is how many they've killed and for how long. Way too many sexual remarks, which is supposed to be how cops talk. Also a totally unnecessary sex scene at the beginning when the first body is found. And too many other plot lines that don't go anywhere but just pad the story.
2 stars
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Weird Al: The Book by Nathan Rabin with Al Yankovic - not a neutral biography, more of a (comical) story of Al's career by a fan. Al provided the picture captions. It was interesting to see how Al keeps up with the times.
3 stars
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Faceoff edited by David Baldacci - several authors and their creations collaborate on a book of short stories for charity, two authors per story. Of course I enjoyed the stories more when I was familiar with the characters. Some of the authors I hadn't read so that gave me more fodder for my reading list.
3 stars
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The Little Girl Who Fought the Great Depression: Shirley Temple and 1930's America by John F. Kasson - not a biography as such. Instead, the author believes Shirley and her movies came along at just the right time to help raise spirits during the Depression. I had not realized just how popular she was during the 30's.
3 stars
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
July 13-19, 2014
The View From Pompey's Head by Hamilton Basso - written in 1954, this is a story about Anson Page, a lawyer who left Pompey's Head fifteen years ago and didn't plan on returning. He thought he had escaped the small town gossip and ancestor worship that bothered him about the Southern town. Lots of talking and going back in time. And a bit of a mystery.
4 stars
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50 Children: One Ordinary American Couple's Extraordinary Rescue Mission into the Heart of Nazi Germany by Steven Pressman - the title pretty much says it all, although I wonder about the ordinariness of the couple - they were wealthy during the 30's and had some prestige. Even though I knew the outcome, I found myself nervous as the children were leaving Germany. The author is the grandson by marriage of the couple. The afterword I found especially interesting.
4.5 stars
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The Woman Who Married a Bear by John Straley - Sitka PI Cecil Younger is asked to look into a murder that has already been solved and the accused is in prison. I didn't like any of the people in this book, most are alcoholics, including Cecil, and only finished because I had to know what happened.
1 star
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The Map Thief by Michael Blanding - the true story of E. Forbes Smiley, a respected map dealer who was at the same time stealing maps from libraries around the country. The book is also an interesting look at the history of map making.
4 stars
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Take This Man by Brando Skyhorse - abandoned by his father at age 3 and raised to believe he was Native American, the author has spent most of his life looking for a father figure.
4 stars
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Six Days of the Condor by James Grady - a CIA agent in an obscure dept. comes back from lunch to find his colleagues dead. He spends the next six days playing hide and seek from foes and friendlies. Somewhat dated because of technology. Still fairly suspenseful. Sex and violence.
3 stars
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Shopping, Seduction, and Mr. Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead - the story of Harold Selfridge who brought the first American type of dept store to London. He was brilliant at promoting his store but not very wise in his spending. A little too much detail about other characters I wasn't interested in.
3 stars
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Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman by Robert L. O'Connell - the author uses a different approach than the usual straight line biography and instead focuses on three aspects of Sherman's life: his success as a military strategist, his rapport with the men under his command, and his family. The military portion takes up the largest part of the book and it did bog down a little. Overall I enjoyed it.
3 stars
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Maids of Misfortune by M. Louisa Locke - the first in the Victorian San Francisco mysteries. Annie Fuller, a young widow, goes undercover as a maid to find out what happened to her friend, Mr. Voss. The author had me considering almost everyone as a suspect until the very end.
3 stars
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Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings by Michelle Knight - Michelle had already endured a horrific childhood when she was kidnapped by Ariel Castro. Yet she has a message of hope at the end. Read the jacket blurb before deciding if you can read this book.
3 stars
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Top Secret Twenty-one by Janet Evanovich - after the previous book I was ready for some fluff and the Stephanie Plum series usually provides it. However, I thought this was a very weak effort and the author seems more and more willing to fall back on sex talk to fill out the story. The plot was thin. The saving grace for me was the pack of killer chihuahuas. I think I might be done with this series.
2 stars
4 stars
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50 Children: One Ordinary American Couple's Extraordinary Rescue Mission into the Heart of Nazi Germany by Steven Pressman - the title pretty much says it all, although I wonder about the ordinariness of the couple - they were wealthy during the 30's and had some prestige. Even though I knew the outcome, I found myself nervous as the children were leaving Germany. The author is the grandson by marriage of the couple. The afterword I found especially interesting.
4.5 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Woman Who Married a Bear by John Straley - Sitka PI Cecil Younger is asked to look into a murder that has already been solved and the accused is in prison. I didn't like any of the people in this book, most are alcoholics, including Cecil, and only finished because I had to know what happened.
1 star
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Map Thief by Michael Blanding - the true story of E. Forbes Smiley, a respected map dealer who was at the same time stealing maps from libraries around the country. The book is also an interesting look at the history of map making.
4 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take This Man by Brando Skyhorse - abandoned by his father at age 3 and raised to believe he was Native American, the author has spent most of his life looking for a father figure.
4 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Six Days of the Condor by James Grady - a CIA agent in an obscure dept. comes back from lunch to find his colleagues dead. He spends the next six days playing hide and seek from foes and friendlies. Somewhat dated because of technology. Still fairly suspenseful. Sex and violence.
3 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shopping, Seduction, and Mr. Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead - the story of Harold Selfridge who brought the first American type of dept store to London. He was brilliant at promoting his store but not very wise in his spending. A little too much detail about other characters I wasn't interested in.
3 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman by Robert L. O'Connell - the author uses a different approach than the usual straight line biography and instead focuses on three aspects of Sherman's life: his success as a military strategist, his rapport with the men under his command, and his family. The military portion takes up the largest part of the book and it did bog down a little. Overall I enjoyed it.
3 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maids of Misfortune by M. Louisa Locke - the first in the Victorian San Francisco mysteries. Annie Fuller, a young widow, goes undercover as a maid to find out what happened to her friend, Mr. Voss. The author had me considering almost everyone as a suspect until the very end.
3 stars
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Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings by Michelle Knight - Michelle had already endured a horrific childhood when she was kidnapped by Ariel Castro. Yet she has a message of hope at the end. Read the jacket blurb before deciding if you can read this book.
3 stars
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Top Secret Twenty-one by Janet Evanovich - after the previous book I was ready for some fluff and the Stephanie Plum series usually provides it. However, I thought this was a very weak effort and the author seems more and more willing to fall back on sex talk to fill out the story. The plot was thin. The saving grace for me was the pack of killer chihuahuas. I think I might be done with this series.
2 stars
Sunday, July 13, 2014
July 6-12, 2014
C'MON! - My Story of Rock, Ruin, and Revelation by Christopher Long - shortly after the author finished his 1st book, a tell-all about his time with the band Poison, he became a Christian. This is the story leading up to that decision and how he has continued to change. I found the writing a little disjointed.
2 stars
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Vertigo 42 by Martha Grimes - Richard Jury is asked to look into a 17 year old death as a favor to a friend. This leads to another death 22 years in the past and a current death that looks rather like the old ones. Many characters from previous books are here as well as some old and new pets. Partly for old times sake
4 stars
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Four Seasons in Rome:On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the World by Anthony Doerr - the day his twins were born, the author learned he had won the Rome Prize - a writing studio in Rome, an apt., and a stipend. Six months later he and his family were living in Rome. I love the way he describes things and it really made me want to live in Rome (sometimes).
4 stars
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High Steel: The Daring Men Who Built the World's Greatest Skyline by Jim Rasenberger - Much more interesting than I expected, a little technical. I saw the author in the documentary Men at Lunch on Netflix. This book wasn't available at my library, I had to buy (!) a copy. Anyone interested in it for the price of postage, let me know. Edited to add, this book is now taken.
4 stars
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A Dead Red Cadillac by R P Dahlke - Lalla gets involved a murder when her red cadillac is used to dispose of the body. Lots of gaps in the story. You're left guessing at things the author thinks are obvious. The heroine is irritating. Once again, I'm in the minority on Goodreads.
1 star
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In the Last Analysis by Amanda Cross - this is the first Kate Fansler book, written in 1964. I found it very dated, especially police techniques and attitudes towards psychiatrists. Kate also annoyed me a lot. The series goes to 2002 but I don't think I'll read anymore.
2 stars
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Grand Ambition by Lisa Michaels - a fictionalized story of a real couple, Glen and Bessie Hyde, who tried to go down the Colorado River in 1928 on their honeymoon. The book seems slim on facts and no one actually knows what happened to them except that they didn't show up when and where they were supposed to. The story jumps back and forth in time and also includes the viewpoint of Glen's father.
3 stars
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Death on the Air and Other Stories by Ngaio Marsh - this has been on the top of my to read list for a long time. I finally got smart and requested it through inter-library loan and it came from Ma. The author is one of my all time favorites. This is a compilation of short stories and a couple of pieces about how she came up with her two main characters, Roderick Alleyn and his wife Troy.
3 stars
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A Year On Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball - three "mature" women buy a rundown house and farm together and discover they might be in over their heads. A pretty simple story but I really enjoyed it.
4 stars
2 stars
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Vertigo 42 by Martha Grimes - Richard Jury is asked to look into a 17 year old death as a favor to a friend. This leads to another death 22 years in the past and a current death that looks rather like the old ones. Many characters from previous books are here as well as some old and new pets. Partly for old times sake
4 stars
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Four Seasons in Rome:On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the World by Anthony Doerr - the day his twins were born, the author learned he had won the Rome Prize - a writing studio in Rome, an apt., and a stipend. Six months later he and his family were living in Rome. I love the way he describes things and it really made me want to live in Rome (sometimes).
4 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High Steel: The Daring Men Who Built the World's Greatest Skyline by Jim Rasenberger - Much more interesting than I expected, a little technical. I saw the author in the documentary Men at Lunch on Netflix. This book wasn't available at my library, I had to buy (!) a copy. Anyone interested in it for the price of postage, let me know. Edited to add, this book is now taken.
4 stars
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Dead Red Cadillac by R P Dahlke - Lalla gets involved a murder when her red cadillac is used to dispose of the body. Lots of gaps in the story. You're left guessing at things the author thinks are obvious. The heroine is irritating. Once again, I'm in the minority on Goodreads.
1 star
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Last Analysis by Amanda Cross - this is the first Kate Fansler book, written in 1964. I found it very dated, especially police techniques and attitudes towards psychiatrists. Kate also annoyed me a lot. The series goes to 2002 but I don't think I'll read anymore.
2 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Ambition by Lisa Michaels - a fictionalized story of a real couple, Glen and Bessie Hyde, who tried to go down the Colorado River in 1928 on their honeymoon. The book seems slim on facts and no one actually knows what happened to them except that they didn't show up when and where they were supposed to. The story jumps back and forth in time and also includes the viewpoint of Glen's father.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Death on the Air and Other Stories by Ngaio Marsh - this has been on the top of my to read list for a long time. I finally got smart and requested it through inter-library loan and it came from Ma. The author is one of my all time favorites. This is a compilation of short stories and a couple of pieces about how she came up with her two main characters, Roderick Alleyn and his wife Troy.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Year On Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball - three "mature" women buy a rundown house and farm together and discover they might be in over their heads. A pretty simple story but I really enjoyed it.
4 stars
Saturday, July 5, 2014
June 29-July 5, 2014
The Burning by Jane Casey - four women have been murdered and burned by a serial killer. But DC Maeve Kerrigan isn't convinced that the fifth victim fits the pattern. Told from three different viewpoints which is a little jarring at times. A few twists keep it interesting.
3 stars
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65 Short Stories by W. Somerset Maugham - it took quite awhile to read this (937 pgs), but I enjoyed most of the stories. Many are set in hot, sultry countries. The non-PCness is a little off putting, but probably very true to the times. I liked the Ashenden spy stories quite a lot. I really liked the author's style. I do wish the book had included the year in which they were published.
4 stars
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Victorian San Francisco Stories by M. Louisa Locke - four short stories involving the characters living at Annie Fuller's boarding house. The first explains how Annie became Miss Sybil, the clairvoyant. I especially enjoyed the historical tidbits at the end, going into detail about many events and places mentioned in the stories. This was a free Kindle book and I'll be reading the first book in the series.
3 stars
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The Sea of Storms:Lodestone Book One by Mark Whiteway - I was unable to immerse myself in the world of Kelanni, there were too many unanswered questions. Some bad guys are oppressing the population in the name of a mysterious Prophet. Some good guys are trying to stop them. Also a story element that really annoys me - jealousy and suspicion. Ends on a cliffhanger but meh. My opinion is in the minority on Goodreads. Another free kindle book.
2 stars
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All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - a blind girl and her father leave Paris with a priceless artifact as the Germans are arriving. An orphaned German boy becomes an expert at finding transmissions made by resistance fighters. Somehow the two meet in this beautifully written book. Written from different viewpoints and times but I didn't find it confusing. Most of the chapters are quite short. Some horrific war passages.
5 stars
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Book Lust by Nancy Pearl - another book with lots of book suggestions. I've put a lot of them on my to read list, in fact, I just reached my hold limit at the library. I bought this book so I could mark in it. It was fun seeing what I'd already read.
3 stars
3 stars
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65 Short Stories by W. Somerset Maugham - it took quite awhile to read this (937 pgs), but I enjoyed most of the stories. Many are set in hot, sultry countries. The non-PCness is a little off putting, but probably very true to the times. I liked the Ashenden spy stories quite a lot. I really liked the author's style. I do wish the book had included the year in which they were published.
4 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Victorian San Francisco Stories by M. Louisa Locke - four short stories involving the characters living at Annie Fuller's boarding house. The first explains how Annie became Miss Sybil, the clairvoyant. I especially enjoyed the historical tidbits at the end, going into detail about many events and places mentioned in the stories. This was a free Kindle book and I'll be reading the first book in the series.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Sea of Storms:Lodestone Book One by Mark Whiteway - I was unable to immerse myself in the world of Kelanni, there were too many unanswered questions. Some bad guys are oppressing the population in the name of a mysterious Prophet. Some good guys are trying to stop them. Also a story element that really annoys me - jealousy and suspicion. Ends on a cliffhanger but meh. My opinion is in the minority on Goodreads. Another free kindle book.
2 stars
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All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - a blind girl and her father leave Paris with a priceless artifact as the Germans are arriving. An orphaned German boy becomes an expert at finding transmissions made by resistance fighters. Somehow the two meet in this beautifully written book. Written from different viewpoints and times but I didn't find it confusing. Most of the chapters are quite short. Some horrific war passages.
5 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Book Lust by Nancy Pearl - another book with lots of book suggestions. I've put a lot of them on my to read list, in fact, I just reached my hold limit at the library. I bought this book so I could mark in it. It was fun seeing what I'd already read.
3 stars
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