"The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it." (James Bryce)

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (Betty Smith)

This book is the selection for the second meeting of the Vintage Book Club. There is so much to say about this brilliant that I will never be able to do it justice.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a partially autobiographical novel.  Smith grew up poor in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn and many of Francie's experiences were based on Smith's own life. (to be continued)

Monday, May 23, 2016

WEEKENDERS (Mary Kay Andrews)

Mary Kay Andrews never fails to produce a great story full of interesting characters and beautiful settings where you can almost smell the air and feel the breeze in your hair.  Here, Riley Griggs and her daughter, Maggy, who suffers from juvenile diabetes, are waiting for the ferry to take them to their summer home on Belle Isle, NC.  Husband Wade (I have to go back and check on this name.  I apologize if it is incorrect.) is late and fails to answer his cell phone, so they travel to the island with Riley's best friend Parrish to await Wade's arrival, discovering on arrival that their home is locked and in foreclosure.  Eventually Wade's body is discovered, leading to more and more discoveries about Riley's marriage, the family business, which Wade controlled, and some insidious family secrets.  Riley grew up summering on Belle Island as part of a wealthy and respected family, so she has a large support system, including her family and longtime friends on the island.

This is a great book for summer, with just the right blend of intrigue, local color, angst, and romance.  I enjoyed it very much.  It's interesting that Ms. Andrews returned to her mystery roots in this novel.

TUMBLEDOWN MANOR (Helen Brown)

If you like Hallmark movies or are a fan of HGTV, you'll enjoy Tumbledown Manor.  Lisa Trumperton has left her chic life in New York and her philandering husband behind to move back to her native Australia to stay with her sister Maxine.  When she discovers that her great-grandfather's dilapidated manor house is for sale, she decides to consolidate her resources and restore Trumperton Manor to some semblance of it's former glory.  Alternately hilarious and heartwarming (and sometimes both at once), Lisa's journey to independence is a delightful story.  With the aid of quirky local handymen (the Gray Army) and various new friends, including hunky Scott Green, the landscape designer, Lisa is able to transform the rundown house into a home despite various catastrophes (flood, fire, skepticism) she encounters along the way.

Lisa is a writer and a breast cancer survivor and her two grown children who have their own issues.  Daughter Portia, who lives in California, seems to be anorexic, and son Ted, who lives in Australia, is gay.  Ex-husband Jake, whose affair was discovered when Lisa accidentally discovers that her beautiful birthday flowers were actually purchased for Jake's mistress, is just a jerk.  Will Lisa accept Jake's apology?  Will her children find their own paths to happiness?  Will Lisa and Scott forma  lasting bond?  Read it and find out!  I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

MASTERS OF DECEPTION: ESCHER, DALI & THE ARTISTS OF OPTICAL ILLUSION (Al Seckel)

I have to admit that I didn't actually READ this book.  I mostly looked at the pictures, and I enjoyed every minute if it! I won't really "review" this book, but I will say that if you enjoy optical illusions or are a fan of M.C. Escher or Rob Gonsalves you should definitely consider taking a look.  Seckel has provided commentary and a wonderful selection of works by each of these astounding artists.  It's mind-boggling!

WHEN IN DOUBT, ADD BUTTER (Beth Harbison)

Gemma is a private chef and caterer, loving her career but struggling to make ends meet.  Her clients range from the bizarre to the mysterious, with demanding and utterly charming thrown in. When she starts losing clients and discovers that one of her former clients is sabatoging her catering career, Gemma is naturally worried about being able to continue her work and pay her bills. Lex, one of her favorite clients, suggests that she take on a new client and work cooking healthy food for his cousin Willa, an independently wealthy,  but grossly overweight young woman who prefers not to leave her home.  One of Gemma's most mysterious clients (there are several) turns out to be in a profession that provides Gemma with some encouragement and some much needed insight into possibilities for the future.

This is not deep reading.  You probably won't be inspired to change your life or gain new insight into business or your love life, but you will enjoy the progression of Gemma's career and relationships.  If you like good chick-lit and women's fiction, try this one.

A FATAL GRACE (Louise Penny)

C.C. de Poitiers is one of those characters that you hope will be the victim of foul play.  Recently moved to Three Pines, the beautiful Quebec village featured in Still Life, the first Armand Gamache novel, CC is a narcissistic, abusive, amoral businesswoman.  She is disliked by everyone, including her own wimpy husband, her overweight, somewhat pathetic daughter, and her photographer/lover.  CC fancies herself a guru whose reworking of a supposedly ancient philosophy called Le Bien will make her wildly successful and famous worldwide despite her abusive personality and complete lack of empathy or background.  When CC is electrocuted at a curling match, Armande Gamache is called in to investigate.  Three Pines is brimming with suspects, one of whom may actually be CC's unknown mother.  Could her husband have killed her?  What about her business rival, her lover, or any of the people that have been the target of her vindictiveness?  How, exactly, was the crime committed with no witnesses?  Louise Penny keeps her readers on their toes and on the edge of their seats.  This is a great series!

Monday, May 2, 2016

THE LITTLE SHOP OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER (Jenny Colgan)

Sigh!  I can't believe that I just finished another Jenny Colgan novel and I think I may be running out.  This one hasn't even been published in the US yet!  According to Amazon, that won't happen until September 20, 2016, but look for the American title, The Bookshop on the Corner.  I really love Amazon used books!

What do I love about this particular novel?  To start with, it's set in a lovely area of Scotland.  The heroine is a librarian, like me.  There are a lot of really nice characters.  The main character, Nina, despite her kind of mousy "librarian" personality, turns out to be a spunky, creative woman who takes a chance on not just a whole new career, but a great concept, a bookstore in a van that travels around the area meeting the reading needs of the little village of Kirrinffief and beyond.  Nina Redmond is a genius at matching readers to books and discovers that the people of rural Scotland are starved for good books.  She stocks her van with books from libraries that are closing, estate sales, and remainders, and overstocks and soon has a thriving business.  Of course, the little guest house where she is living just happens to have a hunky, brooding landlord who has been hurt in the past and is reluctant to get involved with anyone new.

This novel, like all of Jenny Colgan's, is a wonderful escape.  It's a romance, it's women's fiction, it's a great story for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the social culture of rural Scotland.  Highly recommended!

THE MOVING FINGER (Agatha Christie)

I recently realized that I have done much more watching of Agatha Christie movies than reading of her books, so one of my goals this summer to remedy that situation.  As a librarian and co-facilitator of a large mystery book club, it makes sense, doesn't it?  One thing that has surprised me is how little Poirot and Miss Marple actually appear in Christie's novels!

Jerry Burton, a pilot, has been recovering form a bad crash for months.  His doctor suggests a sojourn in the country to help complete his recovery, so he and his sister, Joanna, rent a house in Lymstock from a Emily Barton, a maiden lady overburdened by taxes and other debts.  Their relaxing vacation takes a dark turn when Jerry receives an anonymous letter composed of cut and pasted words, accusing him and his sister of lying about their sibling status.  Jerry disposes of the letter but eventually discovers that others in the seemingly quiet village have received them as well.  When Mrs. Symmington, the wife of the local lawyer is found dead, the verdict is suicide prompted by a similar anonymous letter accusing her of infidelity.  When a maid in the house is murdered a week later, the whole community is on edge, pointing fingers first to this suspect and then to that, the only agreement among the authorities being that the letter writer must be a woman and must also be responsible for the deaths of Mrs. Symmington and the maid. Could it be sweet Emily Barton, or Mrs. Dane Calthrop, the vicar's wife, or Miss Ginch, Mr. Symmington's (possibly lovesick) secretary, or perhaps Aimee Griffiths, the doctor's sister?  Could it be the Symmington's nanny, the beautiful Elsie Holland, or even neighbor Mr. Pye, the "middle aged spinster?"  What about Megan, Mrs. Symmington's directionless daughter from her first marriage?

Fortunately, Miss Marple comes to visit her old friend Mrs. Dane Calthrop at the vicarage and quickly puts together the clues with the help of Jerry's observations.  All in all, a satisfying mystery!  But what else would you expect of Agatha Christie?


SUMMER AT THE LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY (Jenny Colgan)

(Sequel to The Little Beach Street Bakery)
Poor Polly!  She is an incredibly hard worker, getting up at the crack of dawn every day to make bread in her bake shop in Polbearne, just off the coast of Cornwall.  She is also kind, honest, well-liked, and madly in love with an American honey expert and bee-keeper called Huckle.  When her landlord and bakery owner, Mrs. Manse, dies, misguided and somewhat evil nephew Malcolm decides that it would be more profitable to fire Polly and bring in packaged baked goods, so Polly is out of a job.  Burdened with the mortgage on the lighthouse where she and Huckle live, Polly desperately needs income.  She has already started over once after the failure of her graphics design business, the breakup of a 7-year relationship, and bankruptcy.  She knows she can start yet again, but her love of the little bakery that she built up from nothing and for the people of Polbearne make it difficult to consider moving. Huckle comes up with a solution that will involve much sacrifice and finger-crossing, but it could be a success.

Polly has an indomitable spirit, plus a vulnerability that makes her SO appealing. One of Colgan's greatest talents as a writer is making the reader care about her characters.  No matter how outlandish the situation (and there are some outlandish things happening here), you can't help but root for Polly.  She doesn't have a unlikable bone in her fictional body and her strength of character and devotion to her friends is unshakable.  You will laugh and you will cry, but mostly you'll just enjoy.  This is a wonderful novel for a rainy weekend, especially when you need a little reaffirmation that life and relationships really can work out over insurmountable odds.