How to Build a Dinosaur (The New Science of Reverse Evolution)

Author: Jack Horner & James Gorman
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
While a brilliant man, Horner's books always seem very dry to me. One of the main inspirations for the lead paleontologist character in Jurassic Park, Horner has been studying dinosaurs for decades. In this he recounts how interwoven his work has become with other fields since the book and film solidly brought to mind the possibility of genetically engineering a dinosaur. Along with geneticists, molecular biologists, and the like, he examines the processes behind gene therapy and engineering not only to dinosaurs, but also how such work can impact our species as well. Although we could not come up with a T-rex directly now with the state of things, there are some who could give attributes of the carnivore to its modern day relatives - chickens. Hence the title, giving new rise to the dinosaurs from manipulation of their descendants. But, like I said, he writes in a very dry manner, which may I think put off persons who do not already have some knowledge of the subject. Interesting at times, but it may be too heavy handed for armchair scientists looking for a good read.

 

Back in the Game: A Stardust, TX Novel

Author: Lori Wilde
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
This is a new series about the Carlyle Sisters. The sisters are all adopted & well loved, but each has their own issues that have prevented them finding true love until one sister stumbles upon a hope chest that grants wishes.  This is about the first,  but not eldest sister, Breeanne.  Add a little angst, history, humor, and baseball and you have a fun summer read.  Enjoy!

 

No Strings Attached: A Razor Bay Bradshaw Brothers Novel

Author: Susan Andersen
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
This is a story in a series about brothers that are reuniting and finding out about each other while falling in love with their soul mates.  This is about a newly found brother meeting up with his step brothers only to find out a woman he stayed with during his vacation is one of their best friends.  A little mystery and minor challenges makes this an easy, fun summer read.  Enjoy!

 

A Midsummers Night Romp: A Matchmaker in Wonderland Romance

Author: Katie MacAlister
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
No dragons, vampires, or heavy sci fi; just humans and campy humor. From the author of the Importance of Being Alice is book two about brother #2.  This story takes place at the family castle while the original characters are away. Revenge, laughs, and love make for a great summer read.  Enjoy!

The Book Stops Here

Author: Kate Carlisle
Stars: 2.5
Review by: BNbook
Some of the characters were very strange.

Blood Magic (book 3 of the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy)

Author: Nora Roberts
Stars: 3
Review by: Brenda714
While I enjoy this author, the theme is kind of "been there, done that" with 3 good witches and 1 evil power/witch as central characters. Roberts is good at weaving the spell to keep you reading. It's a relaxing read.

 

Shadow Spell (book 2 of the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy)

Author: Nora Roberts
Stars: 3
Review by: Brenda714
While I enjoy this author, the theme is kind of "been there, done that" with 3 good witches and 1 evil power/witch as central characters. Roberts is good at weaving the spell to keep you reading. It's a relaxing read.

 

A Spool of Blue Thread

Author: Anne Tyler
Stars: 2
Review by: Lisa McD
This book disappointed me - I had been on the wait list for months, so I think that had raised my hopes of how good a read this would be. Well drawn characters who unfortunately are given nowhere to go. Weak storyline. It's a quiet read, and I would have been happier to have spent my time reading something else.

 

The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins
Stars: 3
Review by: Lisa McD

Similar to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl in its telling of a mystery story from multiple unreliable points of view, so if you read that and liked it, this could be considered a lighter weight member of that genre. The writing is fairly simple, the story contains just enough twists & turns to make it compelling. A quick read, and I did predict the villain correctly.

The Unsung Hero

Author: Suzanne Brockman
Stars: 4
Review by: farmette
Decided to take a break from Tom Clancy...grabbed 2 books from authors I have read in the past to catch up.. Suzanne's Unsung Hero is actually Tom P's uncle..Tom P. was home on sick leave from a serious helo crash...discovered his Uncle had a WWII OS secret, his high school love was divorced, still hot, and still loved him, AND a terrorist thought dead showed up in his tiny Massachusetts seaside town at the Home Depot buying bomb supplies...!!!...good read...bad guys...good guys and sex....now going back to her first book in this series.. not sure if real men read romantic suspense, but this one does.

Dark Witch (book 1 of the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy)

Author: Nora Roberts
Stars: 3
Review by: Brenda714
While I enjoy this author, the theme is kind of "been there, done that" with 3 good witches and 1 evil power/witch as central characters. Roberts is good at weaving the spell to keep you reading. It's a relaxing read.

 

The Spectator Bird

Author: Wallace Stegner
Stars: 4
Review by: BookDancer
Sad, but poignant tale of an aging man's coming to terms with his life's passages.  Beautifully rendered meditation on growing old, marriage, loyalty, love and loss.

 

The Martian

Author: Andy Weir
Stars: 4
Review by: BookDancer
Very enjoyable read, but must confess that I had to skim some of the more technical details, otherwise I'd still be reading. An outer space version of the Tom Hanks movie, Cast Away, and just as suspenseful. In fact, look for the film version of this book in November!

The Canterbury Sisters

Author: Kin Wright
Stars: 5
Review by: Smudge
Retracing the steps of Chaucer's pilgrims, the women pilgrims tell stories about themselves.  Although the ending was predictable, the book was well written and fun to read.

 

Dracula (a Marvel trade paperback)

Author: Roy Thomas & Dick Giordano
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
I have been reading and re reading Dracula for over 25 years so perhaps I went into this with a bit of a slant. This is a trade consisting of several individual comics published over a period of decades as due to censorship regulations the series was left incomplete for years. That is quite impressive, sticking to a finish, but I could still for the life of me not like this. Really, all it was was just Stoker's text with pictures. Which were not very good, as the count looked far too much like Dabney Coleman to be threatening to me. Just not the best of collections, but in all likelihood some of that was due to shrinking a comic down to a smaller source. As so much of the book was written in the form of letters and journals, a lot of the lettering was in delicate script akin to handwriting. Very, very delicate, that did not do very well being shrunk to the smaller page. I am not sure if it was that the copy I read was bound so off that it was hard to read the text along the inner page, or just that it was so scribbly. The text blocks were often of a pink or purple as well as the actual writing, so the latter just blended in.

 

10 Million Aliens: A Journey Through the Entire Animal Kingdom

Author: Simon Barnes
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
An account of the speciation and evolution of several groups and specific species. Nowhere near 10 million actually, as the author tends to focus on the odd and eclectic. (Beetles really do comprise 25% of species though.) His writing style does fit that, being rather zippy and all, but with so much to cover he says very little of substance. Even less so granted the text size, so large to be almost distracting. The book should've had a normal font size and been at least 100 pages longer to get a more general coverage.

 

King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon

Author: Ray Morton
Stars: 4
Review by: MandyApgar
A wonderfully illustrated account of Skull Island's giant gorilla from his conception to the Peter Jackson film. Chapters are given on the original King Kong, Son of Kong, the 76 version and its sequel, King Kong vs Godzilla and its spinoffs, aborted properties, merchandising, and ending with a brief account of the casting and production of the WETA version. The largest chapter is on the 76 remake, and it is a bit too laudatory in its praise. For a film that is mostly derided by the movie community today he is quite keen on emphasizing its good points, and those of Jackson's (despite the latter not even having been released as of that time). That did irritate me a bit, but the photos provided, and the respect the author gave the subject, made things better.

 

American Gothic

Author: Steven Biel
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
Pretty much everyone knows it - a pair of farmers, pitchfork and all, standing stoically in front of their residence. The book goes into the painting's conception and construction by artist Grant Wood (he originally intended the couple to be father and daughter, with his sister modeling the lady and Grant's dentist brandishing the pitchfork) and its legacy. Subject to numerous spoofs, conspiracies, and even threats, the painting has been through quite a lot before finding its current settled state at the Art Institute of Chicago. The book had a good premise but it went about things wrong and often harped on the same subject - Grant's sexuality, certain obscure details of the painting's construction, making a mess of its various interpretations. For being such a short book it did not offer much that was objective and concrete.

 

Leonardo and the Last Supper

Author: Ross King
Stars: 3
Review by: MandyApgar
A chronicle of what is the world's most famous fresco (it is NOT a painting) with a biography of its artist told as a backdrop. Written by the respected art historian Ross King (Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, etc.) the history is accurate and told with authority. Also examining the piece's legacy and conservation efforts, it goes a great deal into semi recent controversies regarding the role of Mary Magdalene and others. Examining period records and Da Vinci's own papers, he shows what the artist meant (and it sure wasn't the Magdalene) even down to why certain colors were chosen. On the whole I would've liked it more, but it does go into Da Vinci's life a lot and I am not a fan of his personality or the way he went about doing the fresco. For anyone looking to learn about period techniques or the Magdalene controversy it would be better.

 

Miracle at Augusta

Author: James Patterson & Peter de Jonge
Stars: 3
Review by: SummerShandy
Nice light summer read.

 

Big Little Lies

Author: Liane Moriarty
Stars: 5
Review by: Patti K.
Brilliant!  Love her books ~ love her style of writing.  Great read!

Martin Short I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy

Author: Martin Short with David Kamp
Stars: 5
Review by: Shapoppa
This was a complete (auto)biography for me. Martin Short goes into great detail about his life, from the early years when he lost special family members, and how he started in show business and rose to fame. He tells the reader how he created his characters, about his successes and failures, and the friendships he has made along the way. Throughout the entire book you learn of the special love affair he had with his wife and how much she meant to him on his journey. There is a special chapter, The Nine Categories, found on page 124, in which he breaks down his life's objectives as if they were college courses he had to complete and maintain in order to achieve success. He uses them to track his relationships, finances, career, etc. It's quite interesting. I don't agree with his politics, he dispersed his opinions throughout the book, but it wasn't enough to compel me to stop reading. He has his opinions and I have mine. Despite his personal losses, he lives the life of a celebrity that one can only imagine a celebrity would live. His hard work has given him some good fortune in life.

 

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Author: Karen Joy Fowler
Stars: 2.5
Review by: mysterylover
Somewhat of a comparison and effects of/between humans and animals. How each may interact with one another  Liked it some.

The Pink Suit

Author: Nicole Mary Kelby
Stars: 4
Review by: Ada
Takes place during the Kennedy presidency.  Part fiction, part fact.  Be sure to read the acknowledgments.  I don't always.

The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins
Stars: 5
Review by: Jeanette
I enjoyed this book immensely.  At first I thought it was a weird idea and wondered where it would go.  Once I got into the story and the characters I did not want to put it down.

I Shouldn't Be Telling You This

Author: Kate White
Stars: 4
Review by: KrissyReads
I am motivated and inspired after reading this career advice book by Kate White, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine.  White provides useful tips that relate mostly to young women just beginning their journey into the working world.  She is quirky and relatable while expressing her tried-and-true advice.  I enjoyed the easy to read magazine-style chapters which made the amount of advice less overwhelming to take in.  Topics include how to dress to succeed, the importance of taking time every day to generate ideas, how to deal with difficult bosses and gossiping coworkers, and finally how to enjoy your eventual success.  My only criticism is that the book sometimes focuses on scenarios specific to the publishing industry, which I could not always relate to.  Would definitely recommend to women interested in reinventing their workplace image or just searching for some career inspiration!

 

14th Deadly Sin

Author: James Patterson
Stars: 3
Review by: queenbee
James Patterson books are a formula written series, predictable and safe, but I do love the three pages chapters to read while waiting for appointments and just before shutting off the bedside lamp. I love a mystery and the strong women in the murder club rarely disappoint so I keep reading them even though I know there are so many books and not enough hours to read.

 

Cruise Confidential

Author: Brian Bruns
Stars: 5
Review by: MandyApgar
Very good if you have spent any time in a customer service related industry. After he found himself nearly broke and newly divorced at 25, Bruns became a traveler, heading all over. Shortly he met a girl who turned his head so far around she yanked him onto another ocean. When his Transylvanian girlfriend, Bianca, gets assigned to a prestigious cruise he figures "why not" and despite no American ever having stayed the full 8 months term ever in the history of the line he signs up. Eclectic roommates engaging in drunken binges and sex become the norm for him, getting assigned to bunking with one character after another. Most of which find his being American very entertaining. Often having to improvise to please prickly clientele, he manages to survive the full 8 months and then some despite his and Bianca's relationship struggles and the fact that nobody on board cannot understand him that his native state of Iowa is not in reality Idaho.

In the end he is able to employ his fancy art history degree into a job on board, much to his own shock, and rides off into an early leave on another ship. Very good for the day to day and behind the scenes sort of things, and his outlook is remarkable in the face of all the idiocy he endures. One can really tell he worked in the service industry before, enduring idiots with a smile and then turning around to cuss like a sailor.

 

Snickers from the Front Pew: Confessions of Two Preacher's Kids

Author: Todd and Jedd Hafer
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
This had its moments. The title says it all - a book written by two of a smallish town pastor's sons consisting of recollections of their life growing up in the church. If you have any sort of shared experience you can really understand some of these things, despite their childhood (and the memories) mostly being in the late 60s. A lot of experiences are timeless - old ladies visiting that will never leave, church trips and special events, squabbling factions within, a man dressed as a pirate breaking in and stealing office supplies. OK, so perhaps the last one is not a common experience. But quite a few are, which is the book's strength, and its weakness. For me at least, another person could easily like this more. Their humor is for the most part very folksy and Erma Bombeck / Kids say the darndest things, and I just don't find that very funny. If you think the Andy Griffith show is funny you might like this more. The titles are inventive The Night Todd caught on fire for the Lord, for example, and the writing very fluid, but it wasn't in my style to be more enjoyable.

The Gardener of Versailles

Author: Alain Baraton
Stars: 1
Review by: MandyApgar
Chief gardener of the palace since 1982, one would hope Baraton would be a bit more insightful about his subject. Working his way up from the ranks (originally being trained by a semi-rebellious master who seemed glued to his beret) he has seen a lot of the various departments and institutions involved in making the garden a functional, self sustaining part of Versailles. A complement to the palace instead of just part, and when he goes into his day to day routine things are pretty good. Problem being, he doesn't do that very much. The book begins with his recollections of a massive storm that toppled many ancient and beloved trees, but his memories seem to be more about himself than the task at hand. Just would not stop going on about certain things in his life. Yes, this is a memoir. But when it is on the gardener of freaking Versailles we would hope to find more about the actual garden (no color photos, save the jacket) and less of his improvised history. (The Wall Street Journal remarked on that too, I googled his name and their review came up.) He takes a very lyrical attitude towards interpreting certain events, with some persons being given thoughts he is oh so sure they had, and in other cases is dismissive about things that are not relevant to him. Like he waxed on fluidly attributing a near mystic aura to his own ghost sighting, but another one reported by two ladies was ridiculed. Not very appealing on any front and rather pretentious at times.

 

Shirley Jones

Author: Shirley Jones with Wendy Leigh
Stars: 3
Review by: Shapoppa
Wow - way more intimate information about Jones than I or anyone needed to know. I used to think of her as someone with class, but not after reading this. At some point an editor should have stepped in and said, "Whoa! Wait a minute here. Let's not necessarily tell-all and instead leave some things up to the imagination."

Godiva

Author: Nicole Galland
Stars: 4
Review by: Smudge
An interesting retelling and revision of the legend.

Dark Rooms

Author: Lili Anolik
Stars: 3
Review by: libraryaimee
A page turning mystery/thriller, but I found the conclusion to be anti-climatic.

Wrecked

Author: Carol Higgins Clark
Stars: 3
Review by: queenbee
I picked this book because I thought it was Mary Higgins Clark, but when I looked closer at home I realized this was her daughter's mystery series. I actually listened to this one on my commute to work this week. The drive goes faster when I have something other than the radio to listen to. This was a light easy mystery, in the same vein as an Angela Lansbury Murder She Wrote, but still entertaining.

 

Four Friends

Author: Robyn Carr
Stars: 4
Review by: Judy
Great beach book with very interesting relationships.

 

Cane and Abe

Author: James Grippando
Stars: 4
Review by: Ann Mc
Abe Beckman, the assistant DA, is in the middle of a murder investigation of women that were left in a sugar cane plantation.  An old flame, Tyla, is killed and he becomes the main suspect.

 

Dead Over Heels

Author: Charlaine Harris
Stars: 2
Review by: jamBob
I enjoyed the Aurora Teagarden Mystery on Hallmark Mystery Channel so I thought I would read one of her books. Perhaps this was not the best choice. A  body falls from the sky after being dumped out of a plane into the back yard of our heroine. Characters were not engaging. But the Hallmark movie of this heroine was very good.

Red Storm Rising

Author: Tom Clancy
Stars: 2.5
Review by: farmette
Speaking of character development, or the lack there of..I chose Clancy to follow Jack Ryan...JR was NOT in this book..!!..way too much technical/war stuff...did enjoy the almost sidebar on the weather man rescue of the Iceland woman and their love .. going to continue with Clancy for at least one more book.

Hunt for Red October

Author: Tom Clancy
Stars: 3.5
Review by: farmette
Continuing my program of reading favorite authors from their first book..Lee Child was easy..Balducci was a little more of a challenge.. JD Robb was more of a challenge, but VERY worth it.. Stuart Woods was an even longer challenge, but still VERY worth it...now looking at Tom Clancy..Red October was good, but too much on technical subs and airplanes..my interest is following character development not technical...more after next book..

Congratulations to...

... our Week #2 Prize Winners:

• Ali M
• MandyApgar

Progress So Far...

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Just Jennifer

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (Scout Press)

Leonora (Lee to those from her past, Nora now) is a borderline reclusive crime writer who is hiding from things in her past that she doesn’t want to remember or be reminded of.  She is very surprised when she is contacted to attend a hen party for someone from ten years ago, her best friend from high school; Nora is very wary about attending the party, a weekend in a remote part of England in the cottage that belongs to Clare’s new, possibly self-proclaimed BFF, Flo.  Nora reluctantly agrees to attend the party with her now closest friend, Nina, but things feel wrong from the start, especially after Nora learns that Clare is marrying James, Nora’s former boyfriend, the one who broke Nora’s heart and caused the rift between Clare and Nora.  Nora knows she should leave the remote cottage with no phone service and return to her quiet life, but before she can, the weekend takes a terrible turn and her past catches up with her and nearly destroys her present and future.  Nora is a very reserved, introspective character, but as the secrets she holds close are slowly revealed, a chain of events is set off that may cause her to lose everything.  Filled with quiet tension, this plot slowly sneaks up on you until there is no escape.

The Hand That Feeds You by A.J. Rich (Scribner)

Morgan Prager is finishing her thesis on victim psychology and has her apartment full with her new fiancé Bennett and several dogs Morgan has rescued.  She is horrified one day when she returns home to find Bennett dead, mauled to death, it appears, by her dogs.  As Morgan tries to grieve for her fiancé and reconcile that her dogs may have had something to do with his death, she tries to contact Bennett’s parents only to learn that he wasn’t who he said he was and doesn’t seem to exist.  As she digs further, she finds that everything he has told her was a lie and that he was lying to more than one woman making Morgan feel she is the stereotypical victim.  As she seeks out the truth about the man she thought she knew so well, she finds herself fighting not only for her dogs’ lives but for her own.  Written by two authors, the narrative shifts, sometimes a little uneasily, between the theory of sociopaths and victimology and the death of Bennett and Morgan’s love of rescue dogs.  Even with that, Morgan’s story is compelling, the mystery well-plotted and the rescue dogs’ fates handled humanly.  

Cathedral

Author: Nelson DeMille
Stars: 4
Review by: BigDa
Overblown, but keeps one's interest.  The IRA and St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The Alex Crow

Author: Andrew Smith
Stars: 5
Review by: Libraryaimee
This is a YA book by my new favorite author.  I didn't think he could ever top his last book, Grasshopper Jungle, but he did!  This is hysterically funny and supremely disturbing...loved it!

 

The Precious One

Author: Marisa de los Santos
Stars: 4
Review by: Ada
I almost gave up on this book.  So glad I didn't.  It turned out to be very good.

Tim Conway: What's So Funny? My Hilarious Life

Author: Tim Conway with Jane Scovell
Stars: 4
Review by: Shapoppa
I like biographies even though I know, especially when it comes to celebrity bios, that truths can be stretched just a bit, because who really remembers events and moments in one's life in such great detail - all the way down to the verbatim quotes? Still, I've always been curious and fascinated about how celebrities come from obscurity to achieve fame. Tim Conway achieved it by having honest comedic talent, taking chances, and having a bit of a mischievous streak in him to get away with the laughs that he gave us. It's an enjoyable read into the life of this very funny man, both on and off the screen. I particularly liked the chapter entitled All Roads Lead to Carol in which he gives an honest take about his talent. Fans will also love to read about his friendships with Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman. The only thing missing from this book was more pictures of the funny characters he portrayed on the Carol Burnett Show.

 

Garment of Shadows

Author: Laurie R. King
Stars: 4
Review by: Chris L.
Great historical fiction. Strong female lead with Sherlock Holmes as second fiddle. Set in Morocco; lots of action and intriguing plot.

Yes Please

Author: Amy Poehler
Stars: 3
Review by: Catdob
Funny, although some parts were uninteresting

Clutter Free

Author: Kathi Lipp
Stars: 4
Review by: LZ99
Nothing amazingly new and earth shattering here, but lots of helpful and practical reminders, as well as some challenges to think of why we keep clutter. Quick and fun read that has already inspired me to start de-cluttering my place!

 

A Spool of Blue Thread

Author: Anne Tyler
Stars: 3
Review by: queenbee
This book was okay. I didn't have any preconceived notions about it, I just randomly picked it out. Okay family drama, reminded me of the Netflix original series Bloodlines with Kyle Chandler about the black sheep son who comes home with lots of drama. I'm guessing this is not Ms. Tyler's best. She has been quite a prolific and popular writer so I may read another of her books in the future.

 

Three Wishes

Author: Liane Moriarty
Stars: 4
Review by: Patti K
Interesting writing style; fun book.

Bookerfly

from: Judy

Just as good as the book

Into the Savage Country

Author: Shannon Burke
Stars: 4
Review by: Ali M
This is a nice quick read that tells an interesting story of trappers in 1820s western United States. Easy to read and paints a vivid picture of the wild west with just a smattering of romance for good measure. Good weekend read!

The Future of Us

Author: Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Stars: 3
Review by: Shapoppa
A worker from Barnes & Noble in Syracuse, NY recommended this book to my 6th grade daughter. I wanted to read it before my daughter did because it seems lately, that I don't necessarily agree with what some people think are appropriate books for her age level. I'm glad I read it because it isn't a book I'd want her to read right now. Although the premise was interesting - two high school neighbors log on to America Online for the first time from a CD-Rom one received in the mail and find that they've entered a portal into their future through Facebook, which hasn't been invented yet in their lifetime. Although the premise seems interesting, I found it to be one of those books where the teens are wise beyond their years with a predictable ending. However, for a teen, the ending will most likely be satisfying. It contains some sexual innuendo that I found to be inappropriate for my 6th grader which is why she can hold off on this book for a while.

 

Innocent Blood

Author: P.D. James
Stars: 4
Review by: Jennifer O.
Good storytelling.  There wasn't any graphic violence or sex, so it would be appropriate for a young adult.

 

Hissing Cousins: The Untold Story of Eleanor Roosevelt & Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Author: Marc Peyser & Timothy Dwyer
Stars: 3
Review by: MandyApgar
Incredible in its beginning chapters, sagging at the end, this recounts the decades long war of words and gestures between the two infamous cousins. Alice was the daughter of the indomitable Theodore, whose first wife (named Alice) and mother died almost immediately after the birth of his first daughter. Launched into grief, TR spent little time in his daughter's early life until he remarried and his new wife, Edith, insisted on taking in the young girl. But her personality was already set - awed and afraid by her father into a sense of flippancy. Alice spent many of her early years with her cousin Anna, known as Eleanor, the daughter of her father's n'er do well alcoholic brother. Eleanor's childhood was infamously awful, and she too became drawn to her "big bear" of an uncle who wanted nothing more for her than to swallow up her problems in one of his giant hugs. That is, until Franklin came around. 

As a teenager, Alice was a charming debutante, The Princess as she was known to the world's press, basking in the adoration she gleaned off her father and from her enjoyment at tormenting the White House press with her wild lifestyle. Sending her charming 6th cousin Franklin to ask Eleanor to dance at a family party was little more than a lark, but when it later turned into marriage Eleanor still seemed to many the eternal doormat. It wasn't until Franklin's political ambitions began to ape her father's (and compete with those of her brother and husband) that the remarks became more public and cutting. FDR's ascendancy to the presidency has often been credited to being blessed with a wife who came into her own just as he nearly snapped, and the book is yet another account of that. Finding her life's work in good works, Eleanor became a force of her own. Alice was a more behind the scenes political manipulator, charming officials at her parties. The two clashed frequently on parenting, politics, anything really (provided there was a reporter near enough to quote Alice, which she usually made sure there was) but after FDR's passing the acidity began to leave the relationship. Family tragedy and loss once again bound the two women together (although without TR and FDR the book lost a strong drive and in the final portions wasn't nearly as well written or animated) in their final years. Eleanor passed in the sixties, her funeral attended to by a mass of dignitaries despite the fact that she had repeatedly insisted that all would forget her once she was gone. Alice, impish to the end, died at home in 1980. Her final act was to stick out her tongue.

The Scarlet Gospels

Author: Clive Barker
Stars: 5
Review by: Marianne S.
A fine return to the Hellraiser world; the best Barker has written in years.

Haunted America

Author: Beth Scott & Michael Norman
Stars: 5
Review by: MandyApgar
Along with Ramsland's "Ghost," this is only one of 2 books I think are good enough to recommend to others after nearly 30 years of personal study and experience. Norman and the late Ms. Scott (who passed in the final stages of production) spent years combing each state and the Canadian provinces for allegedly true paranormal encounters, and they recount those tales with a respect very often not found in such books. Instead of being portrayed as ill educated, hillbilly, drunk, or what have you, the persons involved are treated with the utmost respect and care. A lively writing style covers a wide variety of hauntings: from the historic era to recent times, many of which carry several witnesses. There is still a "do you believe?" attitude towards the tales but that is needed as so much is unknown in each event. From the country's most prolific serial killer (a woman nonetheless) in New Orleans, various founding fathers and statesmen, patriots and pirates, Hawaiian royalty, even our own home grown Jersey Devil have a place here. The largest section covers Wisconsin, on a haunting some 20 odd years ago concerning a young family whose dream house turned into a proverbial nightmare. At the time I first bought this book I was attending school with an individual who as it turned out not only lived on the same street at the time, but knew the family. Monica said that the book's recount of the haunting was the most accurate she had ever read. Very highly recommended if you are so inclined to look at it. The authors' other works, Historic Haunted America and Haunted Heartland are not nearly as good.

In These Times: Living in Britain through Napoleon's Wars

Author: Jenny Uglow
Stars: 3
Review by: MandyApgar
This was really good on up to about the last 100 or so pages and then it jumped the shark. Funny thing is, it wasn't really about Napoleon until then. The main thrust of the book is spent on the daily life and activities of average British citizens of various classes and backgrounds during the period. Yes, Napoleon was happily carving up Europe for his incompetent stooge of a family then, but it was barely even a backdrop. We got a "Daily life in Napoleonic era England" instead. Which was nice. The chapters were mostly brief and succinct, yet carried lots of detail and information. Lots of different subjects were gone into. When Napoleon finally did make his presence really concrete in the book towards the end it seemed like the author lost her focus. Splitting her attentions between the wars and the prior gist, she starts to ramble off topic within each chapter instead of being as concise as before.

 

I, Elizabeth

Author: Rosalind Miles
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
I have a list of things that can turn me off of a book almost immediately. A review headlined with a term such as "gutsy" for historical fiction is one of them. Although I am not the biggest fan of the genre, I have read it several times before, mostly books having to deal with the Tudors.  This might have been a lot better if it didn't turn into a bodice ripper. Pretty much everyone with 2 brain cells knows what happened - Anne Boleyn, executed for not giving Henry VIII a son, leaves a bright and impressionable daughter Elizabeth who grows under her father's increasingly bulky and homicidal shadow. That is pretty much the first "book," of which this is divided into 5, all "written" by Elizabeth late in life. The first of my two main problems with this appeared pretty quickly in that one, and in the second - concerning Elizabeth's unstable position at court during the reigns of her siblings. 

Problem A - yes, this is fiction, but certain things invented or mess around are harped on quite a bit to the point of irritation and if one knows much of the Queen's life they are aware of the opposite. Like the cases of her 2nd and 3rd stepmothers - Anne of Cleves and her kinswoman Catherine Howard. The latter is portrayed as being dear to the child, kind and indulgent to all others. Which, in all respect to the dead, she was not, and her life story became an impressive chunk of Elizabeth's decision to never marry. Anne of Cleves is constantly put down for her clothes, lack of redeeming qualities, and body habits. Problem being she was not only a great inspiration to Elizabeth (especially in granting her a lifelong love of art and needlecraft) but her sister Mary as well. Those qualities are merely tossed aside into other figures. And then there is the Robin problem. Our dearest Robin, Elizabeth's distant relative and (in all likelihood) great love of many years. Robert Dudley that is. I'd give you a physical description except the author had a tendency of not getting his hair color accurate from one lyrical description to the next so I say forget it. When the Queen is grown and Dudley is her Master of the Horse (an official duty / title) the book turns into an overly ornate bodice ripper as she and the horse of many colors pine after each other for several hundred pages. The actual consummation of the relationship (which may or may not have happened) is, frankly, creepy. As is Elizabeth's tendency in later books to wax philosophical about male attentions in certain particular ways. I doubt the bloody Armada was given as much ink as that heaving bodice of hers. What good the book does, it does very well - showing the character of the Queen, and various period details.

 

KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps

Author: Nikolaus Wachsmann
Stars: 4
Review by: MandyApgar
This is the sort of thing that one cannot, or more so should not, really say that they enjoyed. Both families on my mother's side were forced to flee Europe due to Hitler so granted that and subsequent history it has not been the easiest thing for me to stomach.

 

Let's face it, people can be evil. Totally and completely evil with no redemptive qualities at all, and those were the kinds of people in charge of these places. One thing the book does very well is detail the history and operations of the camps - how they came to be, what they were before, and how they were run. One has to be methodical doing that and the author is just such that. Although events worldwide do play a backdrop this is the rarest of war era books - the kind that is actually about the subject and not the war itself. Details on daily life, escape hazards, and the grisly background of how the execution chambers came to be and were operated were all covered quite well all on up to the liberation. My only fault with the book is that it seemed to me that, when discussing the most delicate matters, the author became almost too clinical and dry. As a way to distance readers perhaps, but it was fairly obvious that even he almost didn't want to deal with the matter.

The Odds

Author: Kathleen George
Stars: 5
Review by: Ali M
This book is quite a page turner. The author weaves the lives of multiple characters together very well. I only wish there was a sequel to this great book.

 

The Books of Eva: Boundary

Author: Heather Terrell
Stars: 4
Review by: SummerShandy
This is the second book in a YA series set in a post-apocalypse frozen world.  The teen heroine has successfully completed the testing required to train for the leadership of her family's sect, but questions the settlement's truths.  Religious and political topics are in play. There's also a nice twist on technology.

 

 

The Bones of Paris

Author: Laurie R King
Stars: 3
Review by: Chris L.
Post WWI Paris mystery. Slow beginning, but picks up speed and leads to a satisfying conclusion.

 

Waking the Dead: A Cafferty & Quinn Novel

Author: Heather Graham
Stars: 3.5
Review by: Saraswati
I accidentally read the book that followed this one, The Dead Played On, just prior to the start of the program and was surprised to find out I missed this one.  There were some not-so-surprises because of that, but other things now make sense.  C & Q are on the hunt for a painting that may be cursed. The side bar to this is the history about "the year without a summer" and the Shelly-Byron connection.  Enjoy.

The Immortal Who Loved Me: An Argeneau Novel

Author: Lynsay Sands
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
This book brings together Basil Argeneau and Sherry Carne.  It also highlights some newer, younger characters and their talents.  It's an easy summer read since it follows the normal Argeneau format, but it did bring an end to a long standing story line...or did it???

Born of Defiance: The League Nemesis Rising

Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Stars: 3
Review by: Saraswati
This is my first book of the summer.  It was nice to have a League book that was about a support character.  It was an easy read since it follows the normal League format.  I got the feeling that this book is leading up to a grand finale of sorts.  I can't wait to see what's next.

 

Susannah's Garden

Author: Debbie Macomber
Stars: 4
Review by: Ada
Her usual good read--romance, mystery, etc.

 

Miracle at Augusta

Author: James Patterson
Stars: 3
Review by: Ann Mc
Easy read about a golfer on the senior tour.

 

The Secrets of the Midwives

Author: Sally Hepworth
Stars: 5
Review by: Ada
Loved it.  Read it in one day.  About current day midwives.

 

The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins
Stars: 2
Review by: Sandy
A violent mystery told through the eyes of three characters.  Finally got my interest at page 260 (of 323). Not the page-turner I expected, but fine for a summer excursion.

 

To Fudge or Not to Fudge

Author: Nancy CoCo
Stars: 3
Review by: JamBob
Cute little summer confection cozy mystery using the historic Mackinaw Island as the locale. Allie owns a summer B&B where she is a fudg-ista who owns a dog named Marshmallow and together they discover and solve mysteries. The book includes Fudge recipes so beware these stories have a caloric content!

Almost Famous Women

Author: Megan Mayhew Bergman
Stars: 4
Review by: Smudge
Fact woven with fiction, the stories are mostly told from a third person.  The stories are not what I had expected, but nonetheless a very good book.

 

Bookerlfy

from AnnMarie:

Congratulations to...

... our Week # 1 Prize Winners:

• Cheryl Lynn
• Kim H.

Progress So Far...

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Nightwoods

Author: Charles Frazier
Stars: 3
Review by: Ali M
Nightwoods was a difficult book to get into. It left me with questions unanswered and a less than final conclusion. A bit of a disappointment from the author who brought us Cold Mountain.

 

The Pink Suit

Author: N.M. Kelby
Stars: 5
Review by: Ali M
The Pink Suit is a great book that intertwines historical events and shows a different side of things. Written with vivid details, this book does not disappoint.

 

I Am the Messenger

Author: Markus Zusak
Stars: 4
Review by: Pam
I thoroughly enjoyed this book; until the end.  I read the last few pages several times and didn't understand the ending.  Hopefully someone in the book club will read it and explain it to me at the wrap party!

 

From Amazon: "Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.

 

That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?"

 

The Look of Love

Author: Mary Jane Clark
Stars: 3
Review by: Bobbi
A fast, light-hearted mystery.    Entertaining.

Shakespeare's London on Five Groats a Day

Author: Richard Tames
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
Firstly - the title tells you nothing. Nowhere is there an examination on how to tour the city of that period on said amount. What this is more so is an examination of the period sights of London as told from a native perspective. And it also isn't just during the time of Shakespeare, a lot before and after is discussed. But very little on him. I am not entirely sure why I didn't care for it, other than that the writing style was a bit dull.

 

Food: A Love Story

Author: Jim Gaffigan
Stars: 1
Review by: MandyApgar
Holy mother of God this was dull. The book was written by a comedian (and best seller through his former book, Dad is Fat) with the goal of examining his love of food - especially compared to the lifestyle of his slimmer, trendier wife. He accomplishes the triple threat of not only being unfunny, but also dull and irritating at the same time. A few moments, yes, but mostly things along the line of ranting how much he hates fish and then saying things along the lines of "boy they taste bad, when have you had a fish that was good, when I was performing stand up (which he brings up. A. Lot.) in X city people ate fish..." It was mostly observational, but when the person observing things is a bit touched then it isn't very funny. Plus he will frequently provide photos of himself and his family that are grainy enough to be Polaroids from the FDR administration.

 

 

All the Light We Cannot See

Author: Anthony Doerr
Stars: 5
Review by: Bookwormmuncher
A must read!

 

At the Water's Edge

Author: Sara Gruen
Stars: 3
Review by: Barb
I thought this an easy read, but the story, although interesting, seemed a bit weak to me. I could almost tell what was going to happen. Not as good as Water for Elephants.

 

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Author: Maria Semple
Stars: 3.5
Review by: mysterylover
I did enjoy the book, but for me the set up took a while.

The Great Zoo of China

Author: Matthew Reilly
Stars: 3
Review by: Marianne S.
Another fast paced thriller from this author. Be sure to check your brain at the door before entering this zoo -- it's much more fun to read this mindlessly.

 

This Book is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All

Author: Marilyn Johnson
Stars: 4
Review by: Marianne S.
This was a wonderful start to my summer reading! Going beyond the stereotype of the cardigan-wearing "shush"er, the author looks at the full spectrum of the modern librarian in all her (or his) pink-haired, tattooed glory.

 

Guy Wolff: Master Potter in the Garden

Author: Suzanne Staubach
Stars: 3
Review by: MandyApgar
A large, highly illustrated, account of the life, career and influences of potter / folk artist Guy Wolff. I knew nothing of the fellow before I read this. Born to artistically inclined parents, he apprenticed with a master before starting on his own in the 70s. When his children came in a decade things got to be a struggle, and by then he had to be more inventive to hook customers and passers by. Specializing in horticultural pots based on antique designs, he managed eventually to get several high profile clients (the Monticello estate, Steve Jobs, Martha Stewart, etc.) and it was the latter especially who really set him as the "in" pottery artist. His studio is in Connecticut now, and he also trains potters in guilds in various countries as a way to help make struggling artists more sufficient. I liked it for its examinations into folk culture and self sufficiency, but it does become a bit too much once his career is established. The fact that the last chapter is entitled "Mud Man, poet of flowerpots" pretty much says that you are in artsy yuppie territory.

 

British Gardens in Time: The Greatest Garden Makers from Capability Brown to Christopher Lloyd

Author: Katie Campbell
Stars: 2
Review by: MandyApgar
Judging from the jacket explanation I was expecting more of, well, British gardens in time. A history in other words, something going into trends and styles over periods with also a horticultural analysis of the types of plants preferred and why. That was the first part of the book and that was fair. The last 3/4 plus is a compendium of various estate gardens and sadly there the book becomes more of "this is how rich people live" type text instead of anything really relating. More so Downton Abbey examinations of the families instead of the gardens, and it became quite tiresome by the end. The book does however have very lovely illustrations and photos as a benefit.

 

Maine Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities, and Other Offbeat Stuff

Author: Tim Sample & Steve Blither
Stars: 4
Review by: MandyApgar
The title more or less says it all. Odd tourist traps, persons of "local color," and infamous history from Maine. This is not as "Weird NJ" type weird in that the things are actually quite main line and not as dark as that series of books tend to be, so it is accessible to more readers, but the draw down is that the photos provided tend to be a bit grainy.

 

Weird Things Customers Say In Bookstores

Author: Jennifer Campbell & Greg McLeod
Stars: 4
Review by: MandyApgar
A compendium of the really stupid and inane things customers have said in bookstores, culled mostly from submissions to an ongoing blog written by the author. Many inquiries as to if Anne Frank wrote a sequel to her diary, folks wanting to know if its OK to let their kids climb the shelves, bringing in food and conducting personal business, demanding books that do not even exist, etc. A lovely look into today's idiocy that leaves one wondering that if these are the people that actually read how daft are the ones who don't?

 

Just Jennifer

Those Girls by Chevy Stevens (St. Martin’s Press, July 2015)

In her second stand-alone thriller, author Chevy Stevens tells the story of Dani, Courtney and Jess Campbell as they try to leave their past behind them, a past that will always be with them.  Growing up with on a remote Canadian farm with their abusive, alcoholic father, the Campbell sisters always looked out for each other and waited for the day when they could be free of their father forever.  But that day arrives in a way that forces the girls to flee and create new identities.  On their way to new lives, they must endure even more, but are eventually free to grow up and live their lives quietly.  Jess , now Jamie, has a teenaged daughter of her own, a daughter who wants to know more about her past and the past of her mother and aunts and begins her own search, a search that takes the Campbell sisters back to a time and place none of them wants to remember, a time that someone else hasn’t forgotten, someone who isn’t willing to let it go.  Evil and innocence are juxtaposed in this gut-wrenching story, the desperation and hope of the sisters tangible as they try to make their way to a world where they can not only be safe, but can truly feel free as anger and fear turn to love and forgiveness. 

Just Jennifer

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (Pamela Dorman, July)

Eva Thorvald is an extreme chef: a seat at one of her $1,000 a plate pop-up dinner parties is highly coveted and sought after with a lottery and waiting list of possibly decades.  Eva’s particular---and often peculiar---style was shaped by an almost Dickensian upbringing: her mother left her when she was an infant, her father dying just a few short months later.  Eva was raised, unknowingly for most of her life, by her uncle and aunt as their own child.  Her birth father, Lars, a chef, and her mother Cindy, a sommelier, gave Eva an extremely gifted palate, one she has refined over the years.  Eva’s story is told, effectively, through vignettes of those she encountered during her life, especially through her younger years, but never from Eva herself, creating a distance from her and in her.  Eva appears to have few ties with anyone beyond a select few and even her business, pop-up dinners, carefully planned and orchestrated years in advance, have no permanency.  The narrative leads to a final chapter that is a culmination of Eva’s life works, of all the parts of her life, but ends with the same heartbreaking detachment with which Eva has lived her life.  The upper Midwest setting, its sensibilities and dialects are authentic and colorful, giving Eva a solid community in which to grow up and a community, the family she chooses, in which to life her life.

Just Jennifer

Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich (Putnam, July)

For generations Burroughs men have owned and ruled the Northern Georgia mountains known as Bull Mountain with their own style of justice and an economy built on moonshine, marijuana and meth.  The youngest son of the sole surviving brother, Clayton, has chosen to live in the valley in the shadow of the mountain as the sheriff, having come to an uneasy truce with his eldest, cruelest brother.  An affable stranger arrives in town and tells Clayton he has a plan that will allow his brother to get out of the business without retribution or consequence.  Clayton believes FBI agent Simon Holly and his motivations and agrees to approach his brother.  What is touched off, however, shakes Clayton Burroughs to the core, in his gut knowing that he has set off something from which there will be no return, in which there can be no winners, only losers that pay with their lives.  A new voice in Southern gothic noir, Panowich draws readers in and lulls them into a false sense of comfort with his descriptions of the fog filled, loamy mountain and then blindsides the reader with unexpected venom and violence, from which there is no looking away.  Fathers and sons, brothers and uncles, the relationships are not easy and comfortable and the women these men possess, and in Clayton’s case love, must rise to the challenge or lose everything in the process.  In the end, all there is is family, but it is the family we choose that shapes who we are and how we love.  

Just Jennifer

Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day by Tara O’Brady

Tara O’Brady , an Ontario blogger chef with Indian roots brings her own special flavors and sensibilities to good, basic foods that are simple enough to prepare for your family for a busy weeknight meal, but special enough for an elegant dinner party and everything in between.  Tara writes her recipes in a chatty, friendly style, in her Simple Sandwich Brad recipe she says “If everything’s looking swell, give the mixture a good stir…” (though she doesn’t indicate what “swell” might look like) but she also gives careful instructions for new bread kneaders.  A Savory Steel-Cut Oats recipe offers a new take the typically sweet breakfast staple.  Lunch offerings include wraps with lettuce of collards in place of a typically bready outside.  Soups, Starters and Snacks would all be equally at home as a light lunch or supper, or the start of something more substantial. Using seasonal produce she offers recipes for Pickled Strawberry Preserves, tomato gazpacho or ricotta with peas.  Though the recipes have a vegetarian leaning, there are a few judiciously chosen recipes that include beef, chicken or fish.  More vegetables and sides and a “Sweets, Treats and Sips” chapter with whole wheat peanut butter cookies and a Rhubarb Raspberry Rye crumble, offering an unusual twist on tried and true standards.  Master recipes for things such as nut milks, ghee and a pie crust round out this cookbook which is elegant in appearance but oh so approachable in tone and recipes. 

Just Jennifer

Run You Down by Julia Dahl (Minotaur, June 2015)

In the sequel to Invisible City, Julia Dahl’s protagonist, New York City newspaper reporter Rebekah Roberts once again covers a story that brings her face to face with the Jewish heritage, only this time it may bring her face to face with the mother who abandoned her as an infant twenty-three years ago.  Rebekah is asked to look into the death of a young Hasidic mother whose death was ruled a suicide.  Pessie’s husband is certain she would never have killed herself and asks Rebekah for her help as she is able to straddle both worlds with her ever increasing knowledge of her heritage and another foot firmly planted in the secular world.  As Rebekah begins to chase down some leads, she learns she has a young uncles Sam, who may be able to lead Rebekah to her mother, but who may also be the key to Pessie’s death and other violence against the Hassidic in upstate New York.

Told in alternating chapters readers will learn of Rebekah’s mother Aviva Kagan’s decision to leave her Jewish life in Brooklyn to follow a boy to Florida and of her decisions and reasons to leave Rebekah with her father and essentially disappear.  Aviva’s story is full of heartbreak, but sets the groundwork for what is to come as Rebekah learns how hard it is to free yourself, not only from personal demons, but from the demons passed down through your family.  Tightly plotted and written in a way that sheds light on the customs and a way of life that may not be familiar to all, in an easy, natural way.  Rebekah struggles with wanting to meet her mother and learn why she left as Rebekah struggles with her own life; even with the gaps in her maternal history, Rebekah has a good sense of self and seems well-grounded.  A complicated mystery with a startling conclusion adds to this well written story of family identity and religious identity as well as the importance of remaining true to self. 

Just Jennifer

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay (William Morrow, June 2015)

Is fourteen year old Marjorie Barrett mentally ill, possessed or just a spoiled teenager manipulating her family?  At first, Marjorie’s parents, her father recently unemployed, think she is acting out and the suspect her of being mentally ill.  As her father turns back to his Catholic faith, he becomes convinced that Marjorie is possessed and that an exorcism is their only salvation.  A reality show, The Possession, offers the Massachusetts family a large sum of money for the privilege of following Marjorie, her younger sister Meredith and their parents.  Fifteen years later, Meredith is sharing the family’s story with a journalist who is going to write the family story, but Meredith’s recollections differ a bit from what was documented in the television show and recalls one important detail that was left out of the show, one detail that changes how everything is viewed, tilting reality on its side, making the reader uncertain what is real and what is drama.  Each member of the Barrett family is carefully portrayed and the older Meredith may be the most cunning of all.  A hard novel to characterize, Tremblay’s latest novel delves into the supernatural, psychological thriller and even a little social commentary, but when you come right down to it is an old-fashioned, deliciously creepy horror novel.

Just Jennifer

Let Me Die in His Footsteps by Lori Roy (Dutton, June 2, 2015)

This book may just be Edgar-Award-Winner Lori Roy’s break-out novel as she tells the story of two families in mid-20^th century Kentucky, two families that are forever bound by the evil between them.  On a girl’s 15^th half-birthday, it is said that if she looks into a well at the stroke of midnight, she will see the face of the many she will marry.  Annie Holleran dares to look into the well that belongs to the Baines, a family the Hollerans have stayed away from for two decades since Joseph Carl Baines was hanged for a crime against a Holleran, a crime some doubt he committed.  Told between the two years (1936 and 1952) Annie’s mother Sarah narrates the story of her childhood and Annie’s Aunt Juna and Annie tells her story in 1952 as she awaits the lavender harvest on her family’s farm, and the possible return of Juna, something which may cause a confluence of events which will irrevocably change the lives of the Hollerans and reveal secrets meant to be kept.  A new voice in Southern literary fiction, Roy reveals Annie’s family history layer by layer, pulling back at times, creating a delicate tension that will hold readers’ attention and leave them yearning for more.

Just Jennifer

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume (Knopf, June 2, 2015)

Blume’s latest adult novel frames a young girl’s story with an almost foot-note in twentieth-century New Jersey history, three plans coming from or going to Newark Airport crash in Elizabeth during 58 days the winter of 1951-1952.  Fifteen-year-old Miri Ammerman, her family and friends are unsure how to react to the crashes, what is fact and what is hysteria manufactured through fear: aliens, communism among other fears.  Blume deftly mixes fact and fiction using historically accurate details as she intermingles real live victims (Truman’s secretary of war) with fictional characters such as the one who Miri’s best friend is certain one of the victims has taken up her mind and body allowing her to excel at dancing.  IN addition to her worries and fears dealing with the plane crashes (one of which Miri witnessed firsthand).  Miri also deals with her single mother, her grandmother with whom they live, an uncle, a journalist who provides inspiration for Miri, and an Irish boyfriend who is an orphan.  Filled with Blume’s usual tropes, this book feels like a welcome visit from a long lost friend.

Just Jennifer

What Doesn’t Kill Her by Carla Norton (Minotaur, June 2015)

In a surprising sequel, kidnapping victim Reeve (formerly Reggie) LeClaire is stunned to learn her captor, Daryl Wayne Flint, has escaped from Olshaker Psychiatric Hospital where he has been locked up in the forensic unit.  Reeve thought she had put her four years of captivity behind her and has concentrated on being a typical normal college student for the past seven years, but must now face her worse nightmare: Flint is on the loose and may be coming for her.  After Reeve learns that Flint’s psychiatrist was murdered, the person whom she predicted Flint would seek out, she begins to get feelings in the form of flashbacks that she is certain will lead her to Flint.  Teaming up with retired FBI agent Milo Bender who first worked on Reeve’s case, Reeve revisits the Washington town from where she was kidnapped, knowing deep inside she is the only one who can find Flint and stop him before he kidnaps another young girl.  Suspenseful with many twists and turns, Norton cleverly creates a plot allowing her to spend more time exploring Reeve, portraying Reeve as an even stronger woman than in the first novel that featured her The Edge of Normal as she tried to help another kidnapping victim.  Either book would be a welcome stand alone, but read together provide a portrait of an extremely smart and strong woman and her unwillingness to become a victim, no matter the circumstances and no matter how easy it would be to do nothing, protected by friends and family, even if it meant looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life.