New Books in July!

 

Here are some of the titles we're looking forward to in July!

 

Berenson, Laurien  Peg and Rose Stir Up Trouble

Billingham, Mark The Last Dance

Black, Lisa  What Harms You

Blanchard, Alice  The Shadow Girls

Burke, James Flags on the Bayou

Castillo, Linda  An Evil Heart

Coble, Colleen  Break of Day

Downing, Samantha  A Twisted Love Story

Fluke, Joanne Pink Lemonade Cake Murder

Freeman, Brian  Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Defiance

George, Nina  The Little Village of Book Lovers

Graham, Heather Secrets in the Dark

Kepler, Lars The Spider

Koontz, Dean  After Death

Koryta, Michael  An Honest Man

Lapena, Shari  Everyone Here Is Lying

McManus, Karen  One of Us Is Back

Montclair, Allison  The Lady from Burma

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia  Silver Nitrate

Patterson, James  Circle of Death (The Shadow)

Patterson, James Obsessed

Peterson, Tracie  Finding Us

Quinn, Spencer  Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge

Rosenfelt, David  Flop Dead Gorgeous

Russo, Richard  Somebody’s Fool

Silva, Daniel  The Collector

Tapper, Jake  All the Demons Are Here

Thor, Brad  Dead Fall

Tremblay, Paul  The Beast You Are

Whitehead, Colson  Crook Manifesto

Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky

With people hitting the road for vacations, we thought we would re-run this review of Heads in Beds, which offers insights into the hospitality industry.  As always, Nancy's reviews are both informative and entertaining!

Reviewed by Nancy

Do you stay in hotels? Whether the answer is that you visit hotels constantly, or that you only find yourself in a hotel every few years, you might want to have a look at Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky.

A veteran of the hospitality industry, Mr. Tomsky has written a memoir of disgruntled customers, outrageous circumstances, unreasonable managers and head spinning advice as to how to successfully negotiate the hotel landscape.

Mr. Thomsky, who has worked in luxury hotels in New Orleans and New York, provides the answers to many questions that have long been swirling around in my head.

For example: When you stay in a hotel, is your room likely to be scrutinized by hotel employees when you are not present? Oh, yes, definitely!

When you arrive at your newly assigned room and the room card works once, but then refuses to work again, is this just an accident or is something sinister afoot? Oh, Baby! It’s no accident, believe me. Review in your mind the interaction you had with the desk clerk. Was it pleasant? Were you nice? Was the clerk nice? Or did said clerk seem to be in a malevolent mood?

Do the valet parking employees abuse your car when out of your sight? Well, I’ve always liked to park my own car anyway.

Are the drinking glasses in the room cleaned properly? Is it really okay to use them? Our author suggests that you use the plastic glasses instead of the glass glasses. (There is a good reason for this.)

If you book your room on the internet will you be likely to get one of the desirable rooms in the hotel or will you end up next to the ice machine or the elevator?  Well, do you enjoy the convenience of being near the ice machine or the elevator? Then go ahead and use the internet.

Is it wise to tip the desk clerk upon check-in? You bet!

Become a savvy traveler able to impress and awe desk clerks and bellhops the world over.  Get the best deals, the best service and the best rooms. And always, always remember: those desk clerks and bell hops might not make very much money; they might not enjoy prestigious occupations; they likely work really terrible hours; AND they have the power to make your hotel visit nice or miserable.

With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

How far would you go to escape a threat to your family? If a nefarious someone knew where you lived, where you went to the gym, even what you wore to a casual lunch with friends? If that same person—who might be called a stalker at this point—began sending you letters drawn with sickly sweet fruit scented markers? If things were oh-so-slightly rearranged in your house and your sheets suddenly smelled like unfamiliar cologne?

Actor Meribel Mills uprooted herself and her twelve-year-old daughter Honor from Los Angeles to move to Atlanta. She accepted a role filming in Georgia and left a budding romance and all her friends behind. Long gone are her younger years when she convincingly played 16-year-old Didi, a smaller breakout role on one of those iconic teenage shows. Now Meribel is pushing forty, or at least that is what IMDB and her fans believe.

Honor does not do well with surprises or change, but she is adapting to Atlanta. She might even be making a friend or two in their Midtown condo building. Honor is autistic, but usually well enough regulated due to Meribel’s strict enforcement of diet, exercise, and routines. Making new friends in a new place is hard enough for anyone on the cusp of adolescence, and sometimes harder for someone on the spectrum.

Even though Meribel and Honor have moved across the country to escape the stalker they call Marker Man, the letters and packages keep coming. Most significantly, not all of them are postmarked L.A. anymore. Marker Man is traveling eastward. Closer and closer to Atlanta and their newfound pocket of safety.

The story is told from several points of view—Meribel’s is primary, but other characters also have voices which reveal facts still unknown to Meribel. Honor’s voice is very important, so earnest and truthful, even as she conceals things from her mother since she is almost a teenager. New neighbor Cooper plays a part, as does Cam, Meribel’s recent romantic interest who she left behind in L.A. Even Marker Man tells the story from his point of view, and you can imagine how warped and obsessed it is.

As with every Joshilyn Jackson novel, not everything is as it first appears, and she does a lovely job of peeling back layers and revealing things in a way that builds tension as danger ensues. Jackson’s characters are well developed and usually give me strong feelings, whether that makes me identify with them or makes me want to shout “Bad person alert!” and protect the good people in the story.

Jackson has written several other books and I have loved (and probably reviewed) them all. Can I wait another year for her next one? I recommend books all day. Who else do you think I should be reading?

Death of a Bookseller by Bernard Farmer

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

First published in the 1950s, this reissue of a “British Crime Classic” may not be everyone’s cup of tea.  Sgt. Jack Wigan becomes friends with Michael Fisk, who buys, sells, and collects rare books.  He encourages Wigan to take up the hobby, which he does. To his surprise, he finds it an intriguing hobby.  Then he is called to Fisk’s house in an official capacity:  his friend has been murdered. To make matters worse, it appears that Fisk was attempting to summon a demon at the time of his death, which is repugnant to the religious Wigan.  Still, he is determined to find out who—or what—murdered his friend.

I am a sucker for a classic British mystery and I wasn’t familiar with the author, so I decided to give this one a try.  The preface warns that there are some attitudes and sentiments that modern audiences might find offensive, but that the editor chose to leave such things as they were to more accurately reflect the times.  I agree with that sentiment as I like to see how things really were, not a modern sanitized version.

I was fascinated by the descriptions of the book trade among the poorer elements: mostly men whose find of a valuable book might feed them for more than a day or two or get shelter for the night. These were people who had to be able to determine at a glance if a book would bring a shilling or a penny, and might have to scrap to get it before someone else snatched it up. They not only have to know condition and edition, but what genres are selling. At this time, it seemed buyers were mostly Americans who were snapping up titles left and right, sometimes to the dismay of the British.

The book does a wonderful job of conveying a sense of time and place, as well as the excitement of book collecting.  Some reviewers found the book a bit slow but I liked the pacing because I enjoyed the setting. 

Interestingly enough, Farmer was a book collector himself and liked to use books and bookselling in his novels. This has made them particularly collectible among those who like books about books, which I think fitting.

Nevermore: Our Missing Hearts, Summer I Turned Pretty, Micro, More!

 

Reported by Rita

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng is a dystopian coming of age novel about a 12 year old boy named Bird trying to unravel the mystery of his missing mother, a Chinese American poet who left when he was nine during a time of great civil conflict. In his quest to find her, he revisits the folktales his mother shared with him using a network of underground libraries. Our reader wasn’t impressed, calling it cumbersome and redundant. NH

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han was a surprisingly enjoyable read according to our reader.  This young adult novel is the first of a series that follows Belly, who lives for summer and time spent at the beach house, and with her crushes Jeremiah and Conrad. Our reader picked it up as a beach read and later found out her nieces love the series so it made for a nice connection between them. In spite of being described as “agonizing and cringe worthy” at times, it was an enjoyable book. HM

Micro by Michael Crichton was described by our reader as Jurassic Park meets Honey I Shrunk the Kids. This sci-fi thriller follows a group of graduate students working for a mysterious biotech company in Hawaii who find themselves shrunk to “micro” size. They must find a way to return to normal before it’s too late while navigating a strange new world where every bug is an enemy and even a blade of grass is a giant obstacle. Our reader really enjoyed the book and said it also includes lots of interesting bug and plant information. AC

R.E.A.D.S. audio made the discussion this week with one reader recommending a short story that is part of the NPR Classic Driveway Moments available through R.E.A.D.S. or the Libby app. “Hitching a Ride with Junior McGee” is a 21-minute audio tale of two people traveling cross-country to attend a bluegrass festival. It was described as a fun and interesting listen. PP

Also Mentioned:

Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory

Dave Barry Turns 50 by Dave Barry

Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller

I’m Just Saying: A Guide to Maintaining Civil Discourse in an Increasingly Divided World by Milan Kordestani

The Dollmaker by Harriette Simson Arnow

Ripper by Isabel Allende

Long Shadows by David Baldacci

Why Am I Like This: The Science Behind Your Weirdest Thoughts and Habits by Jen Martin

Time Remembered by Miss Read

The Hidden Message in Water by Masaru Emoto

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

The Thorns Remain by JJA Harwood

The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

Three Pines/Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny

New Books:

Hillsville Remembered: Public Memory, Historical Silence, and Appalachia’s Most Notorious Shoot-Out by Travis A. Rountree

The Questions That Matter Most: Reading, Writing, and the Exercise of Freedom by Jane Smiley

The Summer of 1876: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Legends in the Season that Defined the American West by Chris Wimmer

The Paris Deception by Bryn Turnbull

The Old Lion: A Novel of Theodore Roosevelt by Jeff Shaara

Subpar Parks: America’s Most Extraordinary National Parks & Their Least Impressed Visitors by Amber Share

Reviewed by Kristin

The title expresses it well. Unbelievably, some tourists are not impressed by the Grand Canyon. One star review here: “A hole. A very, very large hole.” Well, if that doesn’t impress you, buddy, I’m not sure what will. Amber Share covers dozens of funny and underwhelming reviews about locations in the United States National Park Service (NPS). It’s surprising how many people complain about the lack of WiFi and cell signal when they are in the middle of nature.

The NPS was established over a century ago in 1916 and became responsible for the management of federal lands already being protected under the presidential leadership of President Woodrow Wilson. Since that time, the NPS has grown to include more than 420 parks, recreation areas, seashores, rivers, and much more. The land mass included is over 84 million acres. These areas are of enormous national and cultural significance. Wouldn’t you think that most people appreciate that? Not everyone. Not even close.

Denali National Park in Alaska was established in 1980. The mountain lending its name to the park had a previous name: Mount McKinley (no thanks to President William McKinley, who never visited) but the peak was officially returned to its Native name by the state of Alaska in 1975 before the formation of the park. The park encompasses six million acres with an abundance of flora and fauna, but one reviewer tagged it a “barren wasteland of tundra.” Takes all kinds, I guess.

Moving on to warmer climes, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park features the very volcanoes which formed the Hawaiian islands. Beautiful and rare plants fill the park, as well as sea turtles and many bird species. Unfortunately, one reviewer was extremely upset by the fact that they “didn’t even get to touch lava.” Ouch.

In my home state of Indiana, Hoosiers are pretty much impressed by anything that interrupts the monotony of cornfields. Okay, that might be a personal opinion, but as a teenager I was always excited to go to the kettle hole lakes dotting the landscape of northern Indiana, formed by glaciers about 14,000 years ago. Going all the way up to Lake Michigan to Indiana Dunes (established as a national park in 2019) was even better. Being in the heartland of the U.S., crashing waves and rolling dunes felt like the ocean. One recent visitor to the new park had the rather negative comment that the “dunes are not that high.”

Author Share expresses her love for the parks, as well as her love of art. She makes a career as an artist and illustrator, and was inspired by these subpar reviews to make funny social media posts including her artwork. Fortunately, the project caught the attention of other national park fans, as well as rangers and other employees of the parks. This online project turned into this book, currently available on Tennessee READS as an ebook.

The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Jess Metcalfe has always enjoyed her quiet little life. Never one to make changes just for the sake of variety, she simply loves her job at the local library and loves living with her grandmother Mimi. However, suddenly both her grandmother and her job are gone, and Jess feels shattered into pieces. Even her best friend Hannah has her own new life with a new husband 11,000 miles away in New Zealand. Without Mimi, her job, or Hannah, Jess feels she has nothing left in Bourton-on-the-Marsh.

In a very uncharacteristic and abrupt course of action, Jess decides to sell Mimi’s house and buy a cottage in the English countryside. She had chanced upon the cottage by accident one day while just driving in order to clear her head. Before she knows it, Jess is the owner of the cottage that comes complete with bats in the attic, a cranky but attractive male neighbor, and an old red phone box at the edge of her property.

Tiny village life being what it is, everyone in Middlemas has opinions on what Jess should do with the phone box. Drawing upon her former job experience (and Mimi’s huge collection of books) she decides to open a lending library. A little one. Perhaps the littlest one. Tiny, but with a huge heart. Soon the entire community is borrowing and returning Mimi’s books that are so dear to Jess.

This is a feel good story with no big surprises. A little attraction/romance ensues, but I didn’t find that the slightest bit surprising. The cover is attractive, and I would love to have a little library just like it in my front yard (or maybe in my living room!) I especially enjoyed the parts of this book where the community members are drawn together by the books, and even find new meaning in their lives.

Poppy Alexander’s author bio says she wrote her first book when she was five, spent many intervening years studying classical music, then returned to a writing career. Her other novels have a holiday theme and are titled 25 Days ‘til Christmas and The 12 Days of Christmas.

Nevermore: Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, Anywhere You Run, The Covenant of Water, Four Thousand Weeks

Reported by Andrew 

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

This novel about a single mother and novelist who is mistaken for a hitman-for hire has been making its rounds through the library staff and Nevermore readers for a little while now, but is still one of the most frequently talked-about book series. Our reader loved the mystery and humor found throughout the book, and is excited to continue reading the other books in the series: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, and in 2024, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice. PP

Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris

A story of two sisters on the run, each with their own demons. Set in the South in 1960s Mississippi, these two black women try to escape their past, one on the run from the law, the other running from the segregation prevalent in the South during those times. Our reader appreciated the accuracy in which this time period is represented in the book, and was intrigued reading about the tough choices these two women had to make. WH

 

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

Set in South India from 1900 to 1977, this story follows the lives of three generations of a family, starting with a twelve-year-old girl’s arranged marriage to a forty-year-old man she has never met before. This book was on Oprah’s Book Club list. –DC 

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

This book is for people who feel like there is never enough time in the day, and that life is constantly throwing them an endless list of chores, to-do projects, and work. This book draws on the historical concepts of time-management, and how these ideas have changed over the years. Our reader enjoyed the ideas presented in this book, finding them humorous and insightful, and even changing some of the ways she views time-management. -HM

Also mentioned:

Tastes like War: A Memoir by Grace M. Cho

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

The Wisdom of Morrie: Living and Aging Creatively and Joyfully by Morrie Schwartz

The Kentucky Trace: A Novel of the American Revolution by Harriette Simpson Arnow

To Die Beautiful by Buzzy Jackson

Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory

The Art of Making Memories: How to Create and Remember Happy Moments by Meik Wiking

As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man’s Escape from a Siberian Labor Camp and His 3-Year Trek to Freedom by Josef M. Bauer

The Dutch Wife by Ellen Keith

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

The residents of Coopers Chase, a retirement village in England, are distressed to hear that the owner and developer is planning to expand by taking out a graveyard and former nunnery.  They intend to protest the matter, but when the developer’s top lieutenant is found murdered, the police become involved. Motives abound, but the members of the Thursday Murder Club think they may be able to puzzle out the solution.

That sounds pretty fluffy, right? Jessica Fletcher meets the Golden Girls. In one sense, you would be right, but the depth of characterization and the complex plot lifts this story into a different level.  I prefer my fiction to be character driven and this book has vivid characters aplenty.  There’s Elizabeth, with her rather mysterious past—is she a former secret agent?—and her cool, analytical façade but who loves fiercely; Joyce, who seems the most stereotypical of the group, baking and writing in her diary, but who has sharp insights; Red Ron, a former rabble rouser who is still ready to lead a protest even if he has to do it from his walker; Ibrahim, a retired psychologist who stays awake nights re-reading old case files, remembering the ones he couldn’t save. There are too many other important characters to list here, including the police officers, but each one is memorable and distinctive.

As the story progresses, there are more mysteries to be solved; some are not crimes, per se, but interesting all the same. I will admit that near the end there are some “info dumps” in which the author tells us about things all in one go rather than carefully doling out clues.  As a rule, I dislike this tactic a lot but in this book I didn’t mind. The answers are all tied up in character so that when all is revealed, it makes perfect sense.

I also liked that there’s a certain amount of realism in the book. Some struggle with new technology. Some embrace it. They are aware of their limitations but aren’t defined by them. The relationships between characters are complex and layered.  They are all very much individuals, and mostly people I would like to know. Some of the solutions to the mysteries were emotional for me as well, but to say more would get into spoiler territory.

The stories unfold from the viewpoints of several different characters, which I found a little confusing at first but quickly adjusted as I figured out who was who.  I really like that the author believes in showing rather than telling, and soon these characters felt like old friends.

There are two more books in this series so far, and I am very much looking forward to continuing the journey with characters I have grown to love and care about.

Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen

Reviewed by Kristin

The Catch is getting interesting. On the Bachelor-esque reality show, only four women are left in the competition, and one man who must choose between them. As their turbulent flight touches down on remote Otter Island in the Pacific Northwest, the contestants’ emotions run the gamut from bored and disillusioned to hopeful and excited.

Jeremy Blackstone is “The Catch”, although none of the women seems particularly motivated by him as a prize for winning the competition. What’s more important is that Jeremy is the co-founder of Glamstapix, a social media platform that focuses on, umm, glamorous pictures. Obviously. For most of the women, winning a competition connected to that prestigious social media platform is much more important than catching a boyfriend/fiancé/husband/whatever.

The Final Four:

Texas beauty queen Lilah-Mae Adams considers herself a Christian influencer determined to make a difference with the visibility she is gaining during this all too naughty competition.

Fashion vlogger Amanda Parker is perky and cute, not to mention very aware of how online perceptions can make you or break you.

Vanessa Voorhees is an auto show model, and seems to get clicks and likes without even trying.

Human Resources Specialist Renee Irons is perhaps the most down to earth of the four, or maybe she is just tired of all the fake relationships modeled by this television production.

Once the plane touches down on Otter Island, Lilah-Mae, Amanda, Vanessa, and Renee are taken to a quaint little bed and breakfast owned by Margaret Davies. Maggie has been here for decades and knows the island well; you might even say that she’s the heart of the community. Maggie definitely has the inside scoop on the mysteries on the island. For example, who is Patricia? And why does she want to cuddle?

This darkly hilarious tale had me laughing out loud and eager to see what was behind the next stand of trees on the island. Author Samantha Allen is definitely critiquing modern media culture, but she does it in a way that takes the reader along for the joyride. The reality show plotline was ridiculous, but framed the stereotypical characters perfectly in what was scripted to be a last-woman-standing scenario where just one would finally capture the heart of The Catch: Jeremy.

Nevermore: Collected Regrets of Clover; Gathering Moss; Cowboys of the Americas; Four Thousand Weeks

 

Reported by Garry

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer. Clover Brooks has long felt a stronger connection with the dying than with those who are full of life. As a death doula, Clover has made it her life-path to help those who need her services to pass over with grace and dignity. In doing so, she has recorded the final sentiments of many of her clients, split into three categories: Confessions, Advice, and Regrets. But…Clover has also closed herself off to life itself. At the behest of one of her clients, Clover goes on a road-trip to track down a long-lost love, and ends up finding not only herself, but life and all its possibilities. This book is full of very well written realistic characters, is brimming with heart and humanity, and comes highly recommended by our reader. KM

Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer. By the author of Braiding Sweetgrass, this beautifully written mixture of personal insights and scientific information speaks about the interconnectedness life around us, with mosses being the “glue” that binds the web together. Kimmerer is a scientist, teacher, and writer of Native American heritage, and in this series of essays Kimmerer explains the biology of mosses (there are more than 20,000 species!) and reflects on what these fascinating, ancient organisms can teach us about resiliency, tenacity, and our own existence. AH

Cowboys of the Americas: The Realities of Life as a Cowboy by Richard W. Slatta. Many of us grew up watching Gunsmoke and other western based movies and shows, but how realistic were those depictions? Not very! This book, lavishly illustrated and impeccably researched, lays to rest a lot of the mythology about the hard-working men and women who we call “cowboys”. Ranging from the Iberian Peninsula to the prairies of Saskatchewan, cowboys have been working with horses and cattle since the Spaniards brought both species over from the Old World, and it is hard, dangerous, definitely not glamorous work. Our reader says that this is a fun book to read, and is full of information about the lives of these hard working men and women. CD

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. Our time on this planet is limited, and 4000 weeks works out to just shy of 80 years. What are you going to do with your time? This book by British author Burkeman offers readers advice on how to best use their extremely limited time – don’t strive for perfection; accept that our time is short and that (in the big scheme of things), we have very little control over what happens to us. Let go and be in the moment with those around you. Do what matters and is meaningful to you, and let the rest go. Our reader found this book so uplifting that she purchased a copy to pass on to her son, and recommends it to everyone. DC

Also Mentioned:

Why Am I Like This?: The Science Behind Your Weirdest Thoughts and Habits by Dr. Jen Martin

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

The Middle of Somewhere: An Artist Explores the Nature of Virginia by Suzanne Stryk

To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings by John O’Donohue

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E. B. Hudspeth

 Summertide by Charlotte E. English

Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky

The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto

Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood

Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

A Madman's Will: John Randolph, Four Hundred Slaves, and the Mirage of Freedom by Gregory May

Murder Under a Red Moon by Harini Nagendra

The Ghost Goes to the Dogs: A Haunted Bookshop Mystery by Cleo Coyle

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Language of Flowers

 

Reviews by Jeanne

Growing up, I adored Agatha Christie’s mysteries, especially the ones with Miss Marple as the sleuth. However, I found myself frequently mystified by some of the clues—specifically, Miss Marple’s recognition of meaning in flowers sent as messages.  How were people supposed to know all that? As an adult, I found books on the flower languages and became intrigued.  The Victorians were the ones who really popularized the idea, and Miss Marple having grown up in that era would of course be knowledgeable about it so it all made more sense to me.  Here are a few books the library holds on the topic:

The Floral Birthday Book by Bernard F. Carter says that it is based on an old book Carter found in “an almost derelict cottage in Cornwall.”  The book had illustrations of flowers, one for each day, and a verse or anecdote accompanying.   Charmed, watercolorist Carter had the book restored as much as possible but ended up more or less recreating it himself by painting all the plants mentioned. Naturally, the first thing most people do with such a book is to look up birthdays of family and friends to see the listing! I chose October 28, which has Purple Columbine as the flower.  It means “Resolution” and the quotation is from Shakespeare. In the back is a list of all the plants (not all are flowers) with the scientific name, the meaning, and the date associated with the plant.  The true standout of this book, though, is the illustrations.  While not large at three per page, they are exquisitely detailed.  This one is great fun to browse!

More modern and in some ways more informative is The Secret Language of Flowers:  Rediscovering Traditional Meanings by Shane Connolly, photography by Jan Baldwin. This book is in sections by meanings such as “Expectations, birth & beginnings” to “Remembrance, regrets & farewells.” The text gives some excellent background on the chosen plant or flower, historical use, and meaning as well as what some mean in combination.  The pictures are lovely but sometimes are of bouquets rather than the individual flower. There aren’t as many plants listed as in the previous book, but I relished the text with the more detailed information. At the back, there is a listing of plants with the meaning, but perhaps even more important, there is a listing of meanings with the plant names.

Flowers, the Angels’ Alphabet:  The Language and Poetry of Flowers by Susan Loy features beautiful portraits of flowers with their meanings and a history.  There’s also a brief description of where the flowers grow.  These illustrations are just wonderful; I could see these framed on a wall.  These take up just about a third of the book, while the rest is devoted to meanings with the associated flower or plant, and then the reverse, the plant followed by a meaning.  With this one, complex meanings are given and it should be noted that a flower can have different meanings.  I could totally see sending messages this way, especially if you wanted to insult someone under the guise of giving them a seemingly lovely bouquet.   I have a couple of people I would like to send a scarlet geranium to, all the while having plausible deniability because there’s more than one meaning. On the positive side, I will cherish my zinnias all the more now, because they mean thoughts of absent friends.

By the way, some meanings have changed in modern day possibly due to commerce. After all, it’s better to market yellow roses as being symbols of friendship than infidelity or jealousy!

I’m ready to revisit some of those Miss Marple stories now, and with these books by my side I think I stand a better chance of cracking the case! 

 

(PS There is a charming little mystery series by Beverly Allen, The Bridal Bouquet Shop Mysteries, in which the heroine makes up bouquets using the language of flowers, which I enjoyed thoroughly. The first title is Bloom and Doom.)

Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

 

Reviewed by Kristin

As a former actor and an audiobook narrator, Sewanee Chester has hit her stride. She began in romance as many narrators do, using the pseudonym Sarah Westholme. She moved into mainstream fiction under her own name and built a solid career. She is even in the running for a few awards. It may not have been her original aspiration, but it’s a good job and Sewanee has connections throughout the industry.

The flexibility of recording her work on her own schedule allows Sewanee to spend time with her precious grandmother “Blah Blah”. Even the employees at Blah’s assisted living facility call her by the name long ago bestowed upon her by her granddaughter. Blah is living the high life with other former movie stars and hopefuls. Sewanee loves being able to drop in for happy hour and cherishes every moment she can spend with her beloved Blah in such a supportive atmosphere.

When Sewanee meets a charming Irishman in a bar just as her longtime bestie Adaku is called away for a high stakes Hollywood meeting, she decides to live a little. Never mind the happily ever afters promised by those long ago romance novels she once narrated; one drink, one meal, one night is enough.

Sewanee finds herself drawn back into the world of romance novel narration when famed romance author June French passes away and leaves a challenge for Sewanee (or Sarah Westholme, that is) and Brock McNight to dually narrate her last book. Sarah and Brock can do their own chapters in the solitude of their respective studios, never meeting or even knowing each other’s real names. Brock has the deep sexy voice to really rev the engines of all his female readers, and he keeps his true identity a secret. How could Sewanee resist?

The somewhat predictable romantic tension between Sewanee/Sarah and Brock is there—but done well—as they begin to get to know one other via emails and then texts and then voice messages.

I listen to many audiobooks while driving, and I have to say that listening to a novel about narrating audiobooks was a lot of fun. Julia Whelan is actually an award-winning narrator of over 500 titles, and (obviously) she reads her own works as well. She has much insight into the world of publishing audiobooks and that makes this particular book very enjoyable.

Sewanee is such a likeable character, as well as many others in her world. Blah Blah is an absolute delight, as well as having the potential to break a reader’s heart as she begins to have trouble with her memory failing. I can still hear her calling out, “Dollface!” as Sewanee walks in the door (on good days, at least.)

Whelan has written one other novel so far: My Oxford Year. It’s available on Tennessee READS and also from other libraries in our consortium.