Book Review: Winter Hearts

 

Sme stories stay with you past your closing the final page. Christina Hamlett's latest book, Winter Hearts, is that kind of a read. I've continued  thinking about the characters, the choices made long ago, and a rekindling of same. 

Ellie Lipton's first love was a student from Russia,despite it being in the Cold War when most Americans feared and disliked Russians.  They met in a university classroom, and love bloomed quickly. After  Ellie's parents refused to allow her to marry Dimitri, Ellie moved on, marrying a wealthy, influential man but she never forgot her first love. Decades later, Dimitri, now a well known playwright, comes to America to present his newest play. He contacts Ellie, now a widow of three years. 

Their relationship is rekindled. Finding that she still loves Dimitri, but knowing they come from different worlds leaves Ellie confused but still in love. She has a choice to make, despite a recent new relationship. 

Winter Hearts gives a glimpse into mature love and the problems it can bring. For these two people, memories and the long ago choices made are countered with the choices of today's world for mature love. 

You might classify the book as Women's Fiction or Romance, or perhaps both. Whichever, it is a page turner for sure. I read it in two days because each new chapter beckoned to keep reading to find out what happens next to these two people who have never stopped loving one another but have obstacles to overcome. 

Purchase Winter Hearts from any major bookseller. 

Book Review: A Little Revenge in Robin Hood's Bay

 

First, let me apologize for my long absence. I was very ill for the past five months, in and out of the hospital and Rehab. I hope to continue writing my blog two or three times a week. But, on to the review.

A Little Revenge in Robin Hood's Bay is Book 7 in the cozy mystery series by Christina Hamlett. The main characters, Rocky and Jon, are busy planning their upcoming wedding. Rocky's friend, Audrey has asked her to be Maid of Honor at her own wedding. No two weddings could be further apart in the planning. Rocky's future mother-in-law has taken on the task of planning an elegant wedding for her son, Jon, and Rocky which leaves Rocly free to help her friend plan her wedding. 

At the same time, her close friend, Cybbie, has fallen in love once again with a man she has only seen once. Cybbie tends to fall in love with every man she encounters. Just as she meets the newest man of her dreams, a policewoman asks him, Professor Vance, if the bookkeeper for the bands he manages is Sierra Clifford, then announces she is dead.  

Cybbie asks Rocky to accompany her to a village in England on the North Sea called Robin Hood's Bay. Professor Vance, Chad, has invited her to come for a weekend so they can get to know one another better. Rocky perks up at the thought of going where the murder of Sierra Clifford happened. Somehow, she cannot resist becoming part of a murder investigation. 

She moves back and forth between trying to figure out the murder and her duties as Audrey's Maid of Honor and being with Jon as much as possible, as well as placating Cybbie when Chad turns out to be a different person than she'd made up in her mind. The pace is fast and furious with Rocky attempting to handle several things at once. The murder in Robin Hood's Bay ranks at the top of her To-Do List. 

Ms Hamlett treats us to snappy language and another good story in this cozy mystery--a mystery where there is no violence, is set in a small town, with an amateur sleuth. A Little Revenge  in Robin Hood's Bay gives us all of this. Book 7 of the series doesn't disappoint. It can be purchased through Amazon for your Kindle or as a paperback as well as other online book retailers. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Book Review: The Queen's Cook

 I recently read The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar, Historical Fiction that pulled me in quickly. Not only historical but biblical, as well. The bible brings us many wonderful tales. Ms Afshar has brought the Book of Esther alive in a fictionalized version of the well-known story from the Old Testament.

In the book, we see Roxannah, the daughter of a Persian Lord who has fallen on hard times, grow from a young girl to a young woman who works and thrives in the kitchens of Queen Esther despite the spiteful antics of the other cooks.

Her friend, Adin, is Jewish and a court physician who helps her get a job as an assistant cook when he sees the poverty her family lives in. They see one another daily, and their relationship grows, although neither wants the other to know their feelings.

The king, guided by his prime minister, sends out an edict that all Jews are to be killed on February 28. Queen Esther risks her own life by asking the king to change the order, that the Jews should at least be allowed to defend themselves. The horrible day leaves many lives changed forever. 

Roxannah worships the gods of the Persian people of that time, but her growing relationship with Adin opens her heart to the God he worships. We follow them as they uncover a plot to kill the king's other favorite wife, who is Esther's enemy, as they relate their knowledge to Queen Esther, and she rewards their loyalty. 

The book follows the story of Esther in the bible quite well, adding these two fictionalized characters. We see the culture of the times clearly, and also note that the jealousies, hatred, and tender hearts are much the same as today's people. We learn of the procedures of life at court from the king down to the lowliest servant. I found the descriptions of some of the foods made in Esther's kitchen most intriguing, as well as the interplay of the assistant cooks who made the girl's life miserable. 

The writing is excellent, and the pages turn faster and faster as you get into the story. Credit a fine author for that. Christian Historical Fiction at its best. A four star read.

Book Review: Ann of Sunflower Lane

 Ann of Sunflower Lane by Julie A. Sellers is a YA book geared toward girls in the mid-teens. This senior citizen thoroughly enjoyed the story of a young girl who ends up on a Kansas farm in 1989 when a court in Denver decrees that her grandparents should take temporary custody, Her father travels around the country with small bands, neglecting his duty as a single parent. 

Ann Alwyn goes to live with her maternal grandparents whom she has never known. Ann's mother died when she was born leaving her to be raised by an often-absent father and an older step-sister. She knows very little about her mother and even less about her grandparents. 

Ann is about to turn 16 and a Junior in high school when she comes to the farm for a short visit, or so she hopes. Her grandfather is a kind man who tries to make her comfortable. Grandma is a bit bristly and hard to please, full of rules. The biggest and hardest rule to follow is 'no boys.' 

Grandpa gives Ann a copy of Anne of Green Gables, one of her mother's books that had been saved. Ann falls in love with everything about this other Anne, the one with an 'e' and quotes the books frequently. She meets two teens on the next farm. Corrie is a year younger than Ann and also a devotee to the Anne of Green Gables books. She and Ann become 'bosom friends.' Her brother, Cameron is a year older than Ann, and she does all she can to avoid him, fearing her grandmother's wrath. 

The book follows a year in Ann's life in Kansas, where she expected to stay only a few weeks. Her father becomes more and more distant, and Ann finds that talk about her mother's marriage is discouraged. She feels desperate to learn more about her mother but also fears the truth. Over the course of the year, Ann learns the meaning of family and friendship and a way of life she'd never encountered before. 

Julie A. Sellers has woven a good story of a troubled teen whose life moves from a big city to a small farming community in Kansas. She has captured the rural Kansas area with almost poetic descriptions, as well as the people of the area. We watch Ann mature through the year as she becomes close to her grandpa and learns to understand her grandma. 

The characters are well-developed. Ann's constant references to the other Anne, the girl in Anne of Green Gables, contrast nicely to the many adages Grandma uses. Grandma is not unkind, but she is also not openly loving, and we find out why later in the book. Grandpa is the kind of grandfather every child would love. His kindly manner softens Grandma's strictness. Other characters in the farming community add to the story, as well.

Young teens today may not be familiar with the Anne of Green Gables books. Being exposed to the many references to them in this book should pique their interest. Those who have already read the Green Gables series of books will enjoy the relation of the two girls named Ann(e) in this story. This is a book that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. 

In her debut novel, Julie A. Sellers has penned a winner. Find the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or by googling the title to find other bookstores where you can order. 

Book Review: A Little Drama in Dunster

Book Three in Christina Hamlett's cozy mystery series is titled A Little Drama in Dunster. Each of the books is set somewhere in the UK and delivers a wonderful picture of the area as well as an entertaining tale. 

Dunster is a medieval village where Rochelle Reid and her boyfriend, Jon Tapping, go to see an original play in which a former neighbor will appear. To their dismay, Munsey has only one line in the amateur drama. Rochelle goes to Dunster first, and then Jon joins her a short time later. Before he arrives, a local woman is killed by a falling chandelier on the stage of the theater. Late at night when it is closed. Accident? Murder?

Will the play go on? The local police detective thinks not, but Rose, the director, sweet talks him into allowing Opening Night to happen. The lead in the play cannot remember his lines and gets booted, much to the chagrin of his wife. Rochelle's old neighbor, who has learned all the parts as an understudy, moves from a one-liner to the star. 

Add the murdered woman's single, timid daughter, a former soldeir with PTSD, and a variety of shop keepers whom Rochelle meets, and the search for a killer is on. Rochelle, Jon, and his friend, Ian, all get involved. Revenge becomes its own player as they try to figure out the how, why, and who of the crime.

Rochelle and Jon's relationship is a part of the story, as well. Does he want to marry her? Will he propose? Will he understand her involvement in the mystery that arouses interest from nearly everyone in Dunster? 

In this third book of the series, we are treated to a look at a typical English village along with a bit of history of the area. We meet a large cast of characters, not only those in the play but the ones who inhabit the village, Rochelle's co-workers and friends in London. 

The author, Christina Hamlett, is herself a former actress, theater director, and playwright. Who better to write about an amateur theater? Learn more about this talented woman by visiting her website at www.authorhamlett.com. I've heard via the grapevine that she is working on Book 4, with another alliterative title. Find her books at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. They are reasonably priced, and the three books in the series would make a lovely gift for someone who enjoys cozy mysteries. Book One is titled A Little Larceny in Linmouth and Book Two is A Little Scandal in St. Andrews.

 

Book Review: The Garden of Evening Mists

 

Today, I have a book review for you written by Kate Reynolds, author of Ernestine, a fine historical fiction novel. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng sounds like a great read. Let's see what Ms Reynolds has to say about the book

The Garden of Evening Mists, by Tan Twan Eng, is one of those books that likely will haunt a reader in the wee, small hours of the morning. For one thing, it’s beautifully written, featuring clear-eyed, understated prose and an engrossing story that casts light on a time and place few westerners really know. (Well, this westerner didn’t know much about either the time or the place.) For another, the theme – memory – with all its wistful sweetness and thorns, reminds us that time flees too quickly for all of us. This is a story of looking back, of understanding and coming to terms with the past.

The place is Malaya in 1951. Yun Ling Teoh is a judge retiring from her years on the bench in Kuala Lumpur. She has served on the War Crimes Tribunal, exacting justice for atrocities committed in the years when the Japanese occupied Malaya. But the judge is hardly a disinterested party. She, along with her beloved sister, had been prisoners in one of those same cruel Japanese prison camps. Judge Teoh is deeply scarred, physically and emotionally. She survived the camps. Her sister did not.

The reader learns that Judge Teoh has been diagnosed with aphasia, which will soon bring about a loss of ability to express herself or understand words. She will lose her memories as well. 

The judge decides to compose her memoirs in her former home in the Cameron Highlands near the Majuba Tea Estate. It is in this account of Judge Teo’s life that a reader is introduced to her former mentor, Aritomo, a Japanese master gardener and artist. Some years back, Judge Teoh had asked this man to create a garden in honor of her dead sister, despite memories of the cruelty she suffered in prison. The judge writes of how she had to swallow her hatred of the Japanese to ask her former enemy for help. But Aritomo is, after all, an accomplished gardener, and what better way to remember Judge Teoh’s sister than to create a lovely garden that will live forever? After all, “Gardens were created to approximate the idea of a paradise in the afterlife.”

In creating a Japanese garden, Judge Teoh must face her hatred of all things Japanese and her own dark memories. Her relationship with Aritomo, the master gardener, takes unexpected turns throughout the novel.

The story weaves back and forth in time between the years she spent with Aritomo in his garden and the present when she knows her own life is ending. In unlocking the past, Judge Teoh faces her own frailties and the terrible failures in her past. 

I found the time switches confusing at times, and my own unfamiliarity with Malaya made it hard to connect with the geography. But when The Garden of Evening Mists wanders back and forth in time, slowing peeling back the layers to Judge Teoh’s life and secrets, I am spellbound. Read it for the elegant language or read it for the history or read it for insight into Eastern culture. But do read it.

Book Review: Down Riverton Road

 

Down Riverton Road is Betty J. Crow's second novel. I would list it under women's fiction. You'll find romance, mystery, and the supernatural in this story of Olivia Rustin, a divorced artist from St. Louis who seeks a new start. She moves to a small town outside of Austin, Texas in the scenic Hill Country.

A realtor guides her to a cottage to rent on the outskirts of a ranch. A perfect spot for Olivia to pursue her dream of selling her paintings. She meets Alex Carleton, who owns the ranch and her cottage. They have a strong attraction but Livvy doesn't want a relationship after her first bad marriage. Her home is broken into, and she is visited by a supernatural spirit. She learns that there is a mystery in this small community of Cypress, Texas. Alec's brother, Wade, and Ashlegih, a woman who was their friend have both disappeared. Wade's fiance, Blair, is left wondering and fearing what has happened.

The ghost leads Livvy to a journal that gives clues to the mystery. She is determined to solve it even though someone is watching and stalking her. Her attraction to Alec grows stronger as she settles in to life in her new home, paints, and meets others. 

Livvy's journey to find out what happened to Wade and Ashliegh takes many twists and turns, as does her romance with Alec. I don't want to give more of the plot for fear of telling too much, but I can tell you that Down Riverton Road will keep you interested.

I would give this novel five stars. It is well written and held my interest from start to finish. In fact, I found myself wanting to get back to the book soon after I had read one section, eager to start reading again. Definitely a sign of a good book. 

There is a fine sense of place, good descriptions, and realistic dialogue throughout. Some books drag a bit in spots. Down Riverton Road does not. It keeps a good pace from start to finish. The story is about love, family, and friends. 

You can find it at Amazon in Kindle and paperback form for $4.99 and $10.99. 

Betty J. Crow has published two novels and three books of short stories. She lives and writes in Oklahoma.

Book Review: A Little Scandal in St. Andrews

 

I've been away this week enjoying a lovely vacation in Scotland. Not there in person but through Christina Hamlett's newest book titled A Little Scandal in St. Andrews. You may remember a book review here on Book 1 of this  cozy mystery series about an amateur sleuth in the UK. 

In Book 1, A Little Larceny in Lynmouth, we met Rochelle Reid, known to friends as Rocky. She lands in the small seaside village of Lynmouth after losing her job in London. The old house turned into flats that she moves into turns out to be the scene of a murder. In this first book, Rocky solves the case and finds a boyfriend at the same time. 

In her newest book, author, Christina Hamlett (also a many times guest blogger here) takes us on a delightful romp during a championship golf tournament at St. Andrews in Scotland. Rocky and her boyfriend, Jon Tapping, stay in Rusacks Hotel, historied and famed. 

Rocky has her old job back and a flat in London and Jon in her life. All is well. Then, she is asked by company execs, including Clive, a friend from Lynmouth who is with M15, to go to St. Andrews and keep an eye on a list of people they give her. Besides being what she considers a paid vacation, they enlist Jon to go along and arrange for him to be a caddy to Kevin Chan, one of the tournament golfers. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty!

Rocky is to reperesent her company, which is a sponsor of the tournament. She has her list of people to engage and watch. A Saudi prince and his wife, six golfers from various countries, one of them an Italian playboy, an American woman who heads a pharmaceutical company, and a wealthy American couple who look more like an elderly man and his granddaughter. 

The hotel's Assistant Manager for Guest Relations easily becomes a confidant and keeps Rocky informed of many happenings within the hotel guests. She also meets a sleazy appearing photographer who is there to capture the elite clientele on film. 

Before long, there is a murder and priceless jewels that disappear. True to her nature, Rocky starts investigating with Jon's help. Jon, whom she thought was a fishmonger when she met him in Lynmouth, but actually the son of a titled couple, is a willing accomplice. He checks things from his position as caddy, and Rocky concentrates on the hotel guests.

There are twists and turns, a bit of romance, and the murder and theft finally solved. I must admit that I had not figured out who had committed murder, and I had only a mild suspicion regarding the jewel theft. Thus, I kept turning pages to find out who and what and how. 

Besides the delightful story, I felt as if I had stayed at the famous Rusacks Hotel myself. The descriptions were vivid but not overdone. Cozy mysteries bring us a tale without horror, violence, and avid sexual scenes. Instead, A Little Scandal in St. Andrews offers a dual mystery, some humor, and a little romance. As an added treat, the first pages of Book 3, A Little Drama in Dunster is included at the end of Book 2. Rocky's fans will want to read about her next adventure.

You can purchase the book at Amazon in Kindle and paperback forms. $3.99 for the Kindle version and $16.90 for the paperback. 

Book Review: Poetry Collection

I spent a good portion of my afternoon yesterday reading Tom Mach's latest book of poetry, titled Poetry Collection. Mach is an author and poet who lives and writes in Lawrence, KS. He has written historical novels as well as five books of poetry.

This newest volume includes a few of his poems from the first four poetry books he published as well as many new ones. You'll find several types of poems including sonnets, haiku, rhymed verse, free verse, lyrics, odes and more. Definitely a variety.

He has no overall theme, as the title of the book might indicate. There is a thread of Christianity running through this collection, as well as humor, sadness, and history. Many of his poems reflect nature and love. Even an occasional surprise.

There is a simplicity to his work, no deep metaphorical poetry. Many people say they do not like poetry because they can't understand what the poet is talking about. You'll not have that problem with Mach's poems. 

A few of the poems I particularly liked are A Beethoven Symphony, Another Sunrise, and Hush of Winter. Selecting titles for poems can be as important as the poem itself, and this poet does a good job with naming his poems.

The cover of this new book is quite nice, as are the covers on his previous books. His poetry books are The Uni Verse, The Museum Muse, So Runs the Water, AMERICA! and this newest one, Poetry Collection. 

Mach has won awards for his historical novels and some of his poetry. He writes from the heat and who could ask for more from a poet? 

You can purchase Poetry Collection by Tom Mach at Amazon. Kindle or paperback version. 

 

A Little Larceny in Lynmouth--Book Review

 Christina Hamlett has been a Guest Blogger here several times, giving us some good advice regarding writing. She is the author of 44 books, 264 stage plays, former actress, and 'squillions' of articles on the craft of writing. And more! Her most recent book, A Little Larceny in Lynmouth, was published in mid-May of this year. It's Book 1 in a cozy mystery series. 

We've probably all heard the term 'cozy mystery' but do you know the actual meaning? It's not telling us this is a book that you can get comfy cozy in your favorite chair and enjoy reading. A cozy mystery is  'crime fiction where sex, violence, and cursing are kept to a minimum, and often happens offstage' leaving much to the imagination.' That's the official description, but yes, you can get comfy cozy and enjoy reading it, too. One of the cozy mystery writers we all know was Agatha Christie, author of the Miss Marple series. The Nancy Drew series also fits the genre.

A Little Larceny in Lynmouth takes place in the village of Lynmouth on the Devon coast of England. Rochelle Reid, also known by the nickname of 'Rocky,' has lost her job at an import firm in London. Needing a change of scenery and new employment, she lands in Lynmouth. She finds accommodation in a large home that has been turned into small flats for several people. Three days after Rocky arrives, her landlady, Mrs. Gladfelte, dies after eating chocolates laced with poison. Sergeant Mallory, an inept policeman is to head the investigation.

Meanwhile, Rochelle, or Rocky, regales the reader with her conception of each of the renters in Mrs. Galdfelte's large house. A retired man who is a widower, a woman madly in love with her married boss, another woman who is dating a very important man who works for an MP, a man whose occupation is to model, but only his hands. There is a good-looking man who Rocky is attracted to except for one thing--he is a fishmonger, learning the trade from his uncle. 

Rochelle finds a part time job in a small shop that sells antiques and what-nots. When she is at the house where she lives, she continues to get to know her housemates through casual meetings, and the nightly gathering in the living room for sherry and discussion of the murder, for murder it must be for who would knowingly eat poisoned chocolates? 

Rochelle frequents a local pub and becomes friends with the bartender. She confides in him as she can't reveal her suspicions to any of the people in the house. 

As in all good mysteries, new bits and pieces pop up related to the murder and about the people who live in the house. Red herrings and a bit of romance keep the reader turning pages. We are kept hanging until all is resolved, and Rocky's life takes another turn, as well. 

And yes, she becomes attracted to the handsome fishmonger, even though she fights the whole idea. The supporting cast of characters becomes more and more interesting as time goes on, while Rocky is trying her best to figure out the how and why of the murder they are all suspected of--by each other. Besides all that is going on in Lynmouth, Rocky's past employment problems catch up with her.

Finally, we learn what happened to poor Mrs. Gladfelte and more about the tenants in her house.

A Little Larceny in Lynmouth fits the description of a cozy mystery. There is a crime, and sex, violence, and cursing are kept to a minimum. Ms. Hamlett also offers a bit of romance and a good splash of humor from Rocky as she narrates the story.  I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to Book 2 in the series after reading the initial chapters included at the back of Book 1. 

You can order A Little Larceny in Lynmouth on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, either for your Kindle or as a paperback.

Book Review--Under the Golden Sun

 

I haven't posted a book review for quite some time. I read a book that I thoroughly enjoyed recently so will share my thoughts on it with you. Jenny Ashcroft is the author of Under The Golden Sun, a historical novel set in 1941 in both England and Australia. Ms. Ashcroft has a degree in history from Oxford University in the UK, and she has traveled and lived in both Australia and Asia, places where she sets her historical fiction novels. I picked up this newest novel while browsing the New Books shelves at my library. I recognized her name as being the author of a book I had read earlier and enjoyed. That book, Meet Me in Bombay, is set in India.

Under The Golden Sun tells the story of Rose Hamilton. London is under siege by Germany in 1941. Rose had been a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force but was unfairly discharged following a dreadful personal loss. She moves to Devon, works as a secretary, and keeps up with an on again, off again relationship with her American journalist fiance. 

Rose is at loose ends, hoping to contribute to the war effort in some way, when she answers a newspaper advertisement asking for someone to act as a companion to an orphaned child to Australia. 

Rose is immediately attracted to four-year-old Walter Lucknow, who is shy, creative, and also kind. He has been living in seclusion with a great aunt, who insists the boy must be returned to his mother's family in Austalia.

Against all pleas of her family and fiance, Rose leaves for Australia on a ship which must brave traveling through wartime waters of the Atlantic. Once in the Pacific, they are out of danger but still have a long way to go. Woman and child bond during that time.

Arriving in Brisbane, Rose and Walter, who has become very precious to her after four months together on the ship, are met by a taxi driver who says he is to take her to the Lucknow family. The trip is two hours in a driving rain, but when they arrive, there is no welcome. No one answers the door, even though Rose knows someone is inside. Forced to take cover for the night in a barn, Rose fears the worst for Walter. 

The rest of the story involves the Lucknow family--matriarch Lauren, Esme, and Max, her children. Esme is a disgruntled, abandoned wife to an absent husband. Max is a wounded pilot who bears scars inside and outside his body. The little boy, Walter, is the son of Max and Esme's brother's wife who had an affair with an Aborigne worker on the huge Lucknow ranch. Walter is not related to any of them by blood, but Max and Esme feel an obligation to care for him as they loved his mother, who was their brother's widow.

Lauren is the one who holds out longest to Walter's charms, but even she comes to love the child. The Great-Aunt who Walter lived with in London is the older sister of Lauren, and it comes to be known that she has made Walter the heir to the thousands of acres the Lucknows live and work on. 

Rose learns to love the land and loses her heart to Max, becomes close friends with Esme and even Lauren, eventually. Letters take months to get from England to Austalia, so Rose communicates with family and fiance via telegram wires. She tries to break her engagement to Xander, but he never receives her letter. 

The story covers a year's time, during which Rose grows closer and closer to Walter, and pines for Max, afraid to tell him how she feels. This is a family saga that dips and sways as events occur, the war draws ever closer, and Rose feels she's finally found a home. Still, she is torn between returning to England and staying with Walter in Austalia. 

There is much more to Rose's story, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone who reads the book. 

The book kept me reading at times when I should have been doing something else. Beautifully written, it held my attention from start to finish. 

Blurbs on the back cover were glowing. A few follow:

"A story of love in its various forms, with the powerful pull of promises made, trust broken, and well-kept secrets." Glynnis Peters, author

""An unforgettable book. I loved every page!" Kaaren White, author

"A seeping love story with a huge heart. Gorgeously written and utterly absorbing." Emma Rous, author

"An epic story of hope and heartbreak, exquisitely written." Iona Grey, author

Find the book on Amazon or in your favorite bookstore or library.

Book Review--While You Were Out

I'm not generally a reader of chick-lit, but I recently read a novel of this genre and thoroughly enjoyed it. While You Were Out by Christina Hamlett and Jamie Dare earned 5 stars from me by the time I'd finished reading. 

Mystery, romance, and humor are all rolled into one delicious journey following Henny Tinker in modern day London. Having lost her job at a large bookstore, Henny is hired by Geoffrey Bond, whose business is art acquisitions. Henny, from a middle class family, is awed to have been asked to be Geoffrey's executive assistant. She narrates the story, and we see the place where she works and the people in the building through her eyes. We're also treated to her thoughts about her new boss and the crush she has on him that keeps building despite her reservations about his many absences, his liking of period costumes, and an antique clock that keeps time perfectly but backwards. 

Henny's crush grows along with her suspicions that her handsome hunk of a boss may be a time traveler and he might be dealing with art fraud, too. She pokes and prods these suspicions while falling more and more for him. 

Henny lives with her parents. Her mother is a terrible cook but bound to fill her family's stomachs with her concoctions. Henny has a comeback for each piece of advice her mother offers. She and her dad get along well, love to watch movies on tv together. Dad is wont to back out of a room when a conversation becomes a bit uncomfortable. Add  exotic Aunt Henny, for whom Henny was named, and Noah, a strange cousin who comes to stay, and a friend who is overseas, but always in touch, and Henny's life is filled with enough to make any young woman question her life. 

Henny leads us through her investigation of Geoffrey's business deals while she organizes his office and attends various social functions with him, dressed to the nines in the clothes he has selected for her, sometimes period costumes and sometimes exquisite evening dresses. Her observations are filled with wit and humor, pathos and concern. Hamlett and Dare, the authors, keep the reader guessing and include enough twists and turns to make this book a page turner. 

This experienced writing duo has come up with a delightful read that found me rooting for Henny, wondering about Geoffrey and his good friend, Dobby Trowbridge, and warming to the characters in Henny's middle class family. The humor throughout the book in Henny's observations brought chuckles and smiles. Humor is not easy to write, and this book accomplishes it with a flare. 

Chick-lit books are usually aimed at the younger generation, but this senior citizen found it a good read, and you probably will, too. Find it on Amazon.

 

A Tale of Love, Honor and Intrigue Semi-finalist for Award

 

                                          Kate Reynolds

Early last January, I posted a book review on Ernestine by Kate Reynolds. I loved the book so much that I ordered two copies to give to friends. I learned yesterday that Kate Reynolds' book has placed in the semi-finals in the annual BookLife Prize Awards. Ms Reynolds says she was told there were over 900 entries. She must be floating on a cloud to receive this kind of recognition for her first published novel, which was published independently. Judges are people from Publisher's Weekly and BookLife. 

For those of you who missed reading the book earlier, I am repeating my review. Check it our on Amazon and order the Kindle Edition or paperback. Only 2.99 for the Kindle edition and 16.95 for the paperback. KindleUnlimited was free and may still be. 

My earlier review:

Historical fiction brings the reader into another time period and can also tell a special story. Ernestine is Kate Reynolds's debut novel, but she is no amateur when it comes to crafting a fascinating story that draws readers quickly and holds them right up to the end using beautiful and descriptive prose.

When only a child in the early 1500s, Ernestine learned how to cheat at betting games and became a fine bunco artist at her father's tutelage. Once a young woman, she marries the man she loves, helps him run an inn in France, and is happy being nothing more than a loving wife. When Sebastian dies, she flees with documents he and his brother had hidden, documents that could be world-changing. 

Ernestine takes the vows of a Clarissa nun and finds her way to an abbey in Spain near Granada. She knows she is being followed by a man who wants the documents she carried away. Hoping for safety in the abbey, she hides the documents but finds one problem after another amongst the 90 nuns. The Abbess is a kindly woman whose greatest love is caring for the olive groves the abbey owns. Keeping the accounts book is beyond her, and when she learns that Ernestine can work with figures, she begs the new nun to take over the Accounts Book. Reluctant to do so because of a problem with an account book in her past that might have led to her husband's death Ernestine demurs but is finally persuaded. 

Add to the story a priest who plays a betting game with Mother Faviola every week, always winning, a young novitiate who is hopelessly in love with a young man, a festival and parade, which the Abbey has always won but is suddenly in peril, and Ernestine mixed up in all of it, and you have a very fine novel.

Taking place at the time of the Great Trials, or Inquisition, we see the effect on the everyday world of those whose vocation was often riddled with fear. 

The supporting characters in the novel are realistic and also of interest to the reader. In particular, Luz, the oldest nun who is blind, draws Ernestine's story from her as they work together in the cellary bit by bit and relates many of her own. As they work with the abbey's foodstuffs in a series of caves, Luz tells Ernestine the Spanish term 'pundonor' which means 'point of honor' and is an integral part of Ernestine's story.

I enjoyed learning more about this period in history where no nun or priest was protected from the Inquisition. I found the nuns' language of the fans fascinating as well as the beauty of the Alhambra surrounding the nuns who toiled in the olive groves and merely subsisted rather than thrived. 

This is a many-faceted tale that has much more than what I have written here. Peel the many layers as you read. Find it on Amazon with both a Kindle edition and a paperback. I look forward to reading more novels by Kate Reynolds.

Emily's House-A Book Review

I have long admired the poetry of Emily Dickinson. When I saw that there was a new novel based on her life, I reserved it at my local library. The author, Amy Belding Brown, based her fiction story on facts, adding things she thought might have happened or some she would have liked to be true.

We see Emily and her family members through the eyes of an Irish maid, Margaret Maher, who actually did work for the Dickinson family for 30 years. The book is as much Maggie's story as Emily's. Maggie, so named by the family who refused to call her Margaret, had a roller coaster relationship with Emily, mostly because the poet was reclusive and of a different nature than most. One minute she was Maggie's close friend, and the next she berated the maid and hurt her deeply many times. 

Even so, we see the relationship of maid and employer slowly evolve into a deep friendship. Emily lived with her parents and her older sister in a house named Homestead. Her brother was married by the time Maggie came to work for the family. He and his family lived nearby and were frequent visitors to the house.

Maggie's sister and her family live nearby in Kelly Square, a place where the residents are all Irish, most of them immigrants. Her two brothers are in California mining for gold. Maggie longs to join them, but continues to stay in Amherst, Massachusetts near her sister and working for the Dickinson family. 

Patrick Quinn is a love interest for Maggie. Her long on and off relationship with him is not factual, more the imagination of the author. Still, he lends something to the story. It was a bit difficult at times to decide what was fact and what was fiction. The author clarifies much of this in an addition at the end of the novel.

Emily is the family baker, tends her garden with love and care, and writes her poems on scraps of paper. As reclusive as she is, she shares much of her thinking with Maggie, who at first considers her quite strange but comes to view her as 'Emily being Emily.' 

The book gives an excellent  picture of life in the late nineteenth century for both the privileged and the Irish immigrants of the time. 

The prose flows well. I found the book hard to put down at times as I followed the lives of the individuals in Emily's family and Maggie and her own family. I also reacted emotionally in several parts of the story. Reading this book made me want to look up some of Emily Dickinson's poetry again.

It is obvious that the author did a great deal of research. There are many biographies and other books about Emily Dickinson, but I would put "Emily's House" high on the list. 

 

One Book, Three Authors

 

I recently finished reading a very interesting book. All the Ways We Said Good-bye used the Ritz Hotel in Paris as the focal point in telling the story of three women of different periods of time. Aurelie de Courcelles' story centers on WWI. That of her daughter, Daisy, takes place during the Nazi occupation of WWII. Babs Langford's part in the book happens in 1964. The three women are all related in some way, two by family and one by default. 

The story is rich in characters and background of both world wars. The Ritz Hotel is home to Aurelie's mother, Daisy's grandmother, and is always a place of refuge for the women. Babs Langford, who lives in England and was widowed a year earlier receives a letter from an American asking her to help him find out what happened to the de Courcelles family talisman, why it ended up in the hands of the Germans and why his own father was left with a dark cloud over his head because of it. The American lawyer, Drew Bowdoin, is on a quest and he seeks Babs' help. She agrees to meet him at the Ritz in Paris to satisfy her own longing to find the woman, known as La Fleur, who stole her husband's heart. Babs doesn't tell Drew her real motive for helping him.

The chase begins and we are treated to bits and pieces of each woman's story in the proceeding chapters until the puzzle comes together at last. All this with the palatial Ritz Hotel as its own character.

I enjoyed the story, but I was also fascinated by how the book was written. There are three authors--Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. Each wrote the chapters detailing one of the three women protagonists. They did it seamlessly. The stories intertwined magically and beautifully. Had I not seen the three names as authors, I would never have thought that more than one person had written this entertaining book. 

What would it take for two or three authors to write a book together? It's been done before, of course, but I think there must be a real chemistry between the people to start with. Each one of the three authors has written several books on her own. I've written before about the mother-son writing team known as Charles Todd. 

Perhaps these writing teams look at producing a book together as an interesting challenge. And fun. And profitable. Each one might gain more readers for her individual books. If I'd read one of the authors previously, this might make me check out the individual books of the other two. 

For you writers, how do you feel about writing a novel with another writer? Or with two more writers? There would need to be some ground rules and definitely some rapport between the writers. 

If you're looking for an interesting read, give this one a try, not only for the story but for the way in which it was written. 

Book Review: Writing as a Path to Healing

 

In reference to The Write Spot:  Writing as a Path to Healing, author, Elizabeth Beechwood, said“The contributing writers delve into the pain of their past, reveal their vulnerabilities, and share the lessons they’ve learned with all of us. Their courage is written on every page of this collection.” 

After reading my contributor’s copy of editor, Marlene Cullen’s newest anthology, I am in full agreement with Ms. Beechwood. Especially the last sentence regarding courage written on every page. It is not easy to write about traumatic events, but twenty-one people have done so and were willing to share stories and poems with readers.

The writers come from various walks of life and offer readers a look into difficult times they experienced at some point. These writers all used writing as a step on their path to healing and to offer support to others. Some who write about troubled parts of their life are not willing to share what they write with others. We are fortunate that the writers in Ms. Cullen's anthology are willing to do so. 

Each writer added a writing prompt that fits with their story or poem, a short bio, and an answer to this question posed by the editor:  What scares you about writing? I found their answers interesting, revealing, and comforting.

A Resources section is a second part of the book. Those several pages were of interest to me as a writer, but anyone wanting to write about a difficult time in their life would benefit from reading this section. The sections include Freewrites, Self-Care when Writing about Difficult Situations, Seven Calming Techniques, and a group of Activities to Recharge and Refresh. 

The final section is titled Recommended Books—ones the editor found helpful on her own ‘healing journey.’ 

This is a book that I know I will read more than once, parts of it or the entire anthology. People who are on their own ‘healing journey’ or know someone who is will find this book of great interest and a guide to how writing can be real assistance—perhaps enough to spur their own writing. 

The book is the sixth in a series and can be purchased at Amazon. 

A Book Review--A Unique Travel Memoir

  

I first learned about author Carole Bumpus when she was a Guest Blogger on Kathy Pooler's blog. Carole was promoting her latest book which is a travel memoir filled with family stories and foods of the northern regions of France. I was intrigued for two reasons. I am half French in heritage, and I have traveled that region in the past. Maybe reason number three is that I enjoy learning about ethnic foods, and tasting them and cooking them. 

I ordered "Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table" which is actually Book 2. Book 1 is the same format but centered on the southern part of France. I love family stories, and this book is chock full of them. 

Carole, an American, is guided through a three-week tour of regions like Brittany, Normandy, Auvergne, and the Loire Valley by a French friend named of Josianne. It is through Josianne that Carole is able to visit everyday homes of the French people to hear about their traditions and family stories, especially memories of what life was like during WWII when they were under German occupancy. Even though both WWI and WWII happened many years earlier, they still influence these families.

On a few nights, they stayed in B&Bs and even a castle, all of which were filled with local color and more good food. Otherwise, the two women were guests in the homes of Josianne's friends and family.

The author is treated to numerous delightful meals, many of which stemmed from peasant foods, called 'cuisine pauvre' in French. She and Josianne also ate some meals in restaurants in small villages that served excellent meals allowing for interviews with the chefs.

One reason Carole and Josianne set out on the trip was to trace the places where Josianne's mother had lived, to learn about her family heritage which was a bit of a mystery, and to visit her gravesite. Marcelle had been a mother to Josianne but a friend to Carole. Her story is woven through many of the stories of the people Josianne introduces to Carole.

The author has the ability to bring you with her into the homes she visited. I felt as if I were meeting these same people and hearing their family stories first-hand. I longed to taste the foods described.

There is a section of recipes if you'd care to try your hand at some French peasant cooking. 

The book received the Silver Medal Europe for Best Regional Non-Fiction, 2020 IPPY Awards. 

For those who have traveled to France and those who have not, this culinary adventure would be of interest. Many of the family stories stayed with me days after I finished reading the book. Foodies will revel in the descriptions of the meals. If you're looking for something entertaining and informative, give this book a try. Find it at Amazon or by doing a search on the title and author. It is a large size paperback. 

Note:  Carole made recordings and took copious notes with the help of Josianne interpreting for the people they visited. She used much of the information to write a novel based on Marcelle's life. Her book is titled "A Cup of Redemption." 

Opulence--Kansas--A Book Review

I read a new YA book this week.  OPULENCE--KANSAS--by Julie Stielstra. The story pulled me in immediately, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to Katie Myrdal, the 15-year-old girl who lives in a 19th-floor condo on Chicago's Gold Coast with her parents.

Katie's world turns upside down and spins round and round when her father is found dead in his Porsche. Words like suicide, fraud, investigation drift through the condo. At the funeral, Katie meets her Uncle Len and his wife, Maggie. They invite Katie to spend the summer with them on their farm outside Opulence, Kansas. She hardly knew these relatives existed but she grabs at the chance to get away from the situation and her distant mother.

Katie finds herself under the wide skies of the prairie in central Kansas. She lives with the loss and disappointment in her father brimming at the surface every day. Katie meets Travis Gibbs, a boy whose own recent loss is as bad or perhaps worse than her own. Their relationship has its ups and downs but remains steady.

Katie spends her summer getting to know and love Len and Maggie, learning to enjoy the Kansas prairie, taking myriad photos with her camera, and learning new skills. Opulence holds secrets and new-found knowledge she will need when it is time to go home.

Julie Stielstra has written a captivating story for young people and this adult. Her characters feel like real people, the descriptions of the land almost poetic, and she has created a story readers will enjoy.

The book particularly appealed to me because I grew up in the Chicago suburban area, so the names of the towns outside the city were quite familiar. Add the fact that I, too, moved to Kansas and grew to love its wide skies and prairie grasses just like Katie, and it scored with me again.

YA, or Young Adult, books are one step below adult books. They deal with the problems of teens but in a grown-up manner. There are many fine stories classified as YA. They usually are shorter and cost less than adult books. Consider buying this book as a gift for a teen or to read for yourself.

Purchase it at any of these places:  Meadowlark Books (the publisher) $10; Amazon (released June 23rd)$10; The Raven BookStore in Lawrence $11.94, Watermark Books in Wichita $9.95

A Book Review--The Rent Collector

Every now and then, we run across a book that lingers in our minds for a long time, even finds a slot in our memory bank forever. The Rent Collector by Camron Wright (2012) is one of those books for me. I selected it for my Book Club to read on the recommendation of one of my sisters-in-law. Had I just seen the title in the long list of books for inter-library loans from our state library, I would probably have passed right by. If so, it would have been my loss.

Camron Wright was so moved by a documentary film his son had made about people who lived in the largest waste dump in Cambodia that he felt the need to write a book. He features a young couple who lived with their toddler son in a makeshift shack in the dump, scavenging recyclables from the giant heaps of trash. The author has written fiction based on a true story. Exactly how much of each there is, I don't know, but I had the feeling that there was more fact than fiction in this extraordinary story.

Sang Ly and her husband, Ki live a life few of us can even imagine. She cares for their chronically ill child while he spends his days among the huge stacks of rubbish, looking for something to sell so they can eat and buy medicine for their son, Nisay. An old woman collects their rent for their awful home each month and that of their neighbors, whose plight is no better than theirs. The woman is crabby and sometimes mean. No one likes her. Many fear her. Her past is an unknown and she is bent on keeping it that way.

As daily life goes on, Sang Ly and Sopeap, the rent collector, strike up a relationship, not a friendship. This relationship grows slowly. Eventually, Sang Ly asks Sopeap to teach her to read. Once an educator before the cruel Kmer Rouge regime came into power, the old woman agrees.

She is a fierce teacher, however, but Sang Ly persists, and the relationship slowly develops into something close to friendship. 

Sang Ly searches constantly for a cure for her sick son, visiting doctors and, finally, a Healer in her home village. 

Sopeap lives with a tragic story from her past, keeping it locked inside for decades. She teaches Sang Ly how to read but also how to love literature and what it means. For those of us who love reading, this part is very appealing and satisfying.

The story is both heartwrenching and heartwarming. It is beautifully written with myriad quotes that have been cited in many places since the writing of this book. I wanted to use a few of the quotes at my Book Club yesterday, so I googled to find three or four. One entry had 67 quotes from the book. Imagine having that many that were worth repeating? 

The story is one of hope, also redemption and that of a mother's love. As I said, it is not one I will forget. Read it, and you will most likely be recommending it to others. 

Book Review--The Real Education of TJ Crowley

TJ Crowley may go to school every day but his real education takes place in a garage talking to a man whom he never expected to converse with, let alone grow to like. TJ, in the seventh grade, faces myriad choices amidst confusion and fear as well as anger.

Grant Overstake's second YA novel, The Real Education of TJ Crowley, is set in the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement in Wichita, Kansas. The summer of 1968 just prior to entering 7th grade leaves TJ Crowley spinning like a top. His dad deserts the family and his older brother joins the Army, then is shipped to Vietnam. His mother spends her days housebound relying on cigarettes and liquor.

The author invites the reader on a train ride of problems that TJ encounters and worries he has, as well as choices he must make. At times, I cheered TJ on, then feared for him, and sometimes felt disappointed in a choice he made. I had no problem in turning the page and continuing reading this intriguing story of a turbulent time in our country that resonates even today.

Fiery-tempered TJ narrates the story. It doesn't take long to relate to the character and what he is experiencing. The author has created a fine cast of secondary characters who all influence TJ's life in some way. Emotions run on high throughout the book.

Timothy Hayes, PhD, Clinical Psychologist offered praise for the book. He said, "This intense young adult novel presents numerous racial stereotypes and then shatters them."
I would agree wholeheartedly with his assessment.

Adults would benefit from reading this novel as well as the young people it was written for. It's a story that could be used in schools to promote discussion on the racial problems our country still faces today. The author does not tip-toe around what the desegregation problems were like in the late '60's. He is honest in his presentation, no sugar coating.

I give The Real Education of TJ Crowley 5 stars and urge anyone who has a middle school or early high school student in their family to purchase this exciting new novel by Grant Overstake. It's historical fiction at its best and a good story. Gift it to the young person but also read it yourself.

The book release date is today, November 5, 2018. You can order it at Watermark Books and Cafe , at Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.

On tomorrow's blog, I will post an interview with the author.