The Martha Odyssey by Bonny Gable

 

Reviewed by Rita

Recently, I had the opportunity to read The Martha Odyssey by Bonny Gable for the Radio Bristol Book Club. From the very first paragraph, I found myself captivated by the narrative, which is set against the beautiful backdrop of Abingdon, Virginia, circa 1915. The story unfolds through the perspective of the young and somewhat awkward Beatrice Earle Damron, known as Bea, as she embarks on her journey at Martha Washington College for the first time. Bea has traveled to Abingdon from Clintwood, Virginia, where her father has reluctantly permitted her to attend one year of college before returning to their family farm.

While nervous about being away from home, Bea is excited to further her musical education in hopes of finding a more fascinating life outside of her Appalachian hometown. Bea has played piano from a very young age and is looking forward to the opportunities that a Martha College education will afford.

Upon getting her room assignment, Bea meets her next door neighbor, Ruby Pearl Atkins. Ruby is a drama student from Galax, Virginia with big dreams of her own, and enough spunk and confidence for her and Bea. This will come in handy throughout Bea's time at Martha College. I immediately related to Ruby and her charming over eagerness to befriend Bea and become her cheerleader from day one.

All incoming freshmen are assigned an upperclassman "mother" to guide them through their first year. Bea is paired with Varina Armstrong who is from an affluent Abingdon family and not thrilled being assigned to a "mountain girl" from Dickenson County. I could sense right away that there was going to be tension and drama between the two young ladies and I was not disappointed.

One the first day of class, there is a recital where Bea surprises every one with her performance of Chopin's "Fantaisie-Impromptu" without sheet music. It is soon all over campus that Bea can play circles around Varina. Varina does not take this very well, especially since it has been announced that there will be a competition at the end of the semester where a full scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland will be awarded. This sets up a rivalry between Bea and Varina that plays out throughout the semester.

I enjoyed the layers of suspense and mystery that was so prevalent in the story. There are social society initiations that explore the ghostly aspects of Martha College and Sinking Spring Cemetery. I don't want to give too much away, but some of the students may have used these rituals to torment their foes.

Another important character is a striking Native American blacksmith named Jonah, whom Bea encounters at a nearby stable during a stroll on a chilly Saturday morning. Visiting the stable becomes a regular distraction from the drama of the highly competitive atmosphere at the school. Initially visiting to spend time with the horses and ease her feelings of being homesick, but soon it is more than just the horses that draws her there. I really enjoyed watching these characters grow to trust one another. I also enjoyed the interactions between Bea and the horses which always gave her a sense of home.

There was so much to love about this book. From the well-developed characters to the immersive descriptions of the area, I felt transported to the world of Beatrice Earle Damron. This is by far my favorite book I have read this year. I look forward to more from this debut author.

Halloween Cupcake Murder

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Kensington Book Publishers is one of my favorite publishers.  It’s a family owned business, working on its third generation, and they publish a wide variety of books—including cozy mysteries.  For the last several years, they have been publishing holiday themed books with three novellas by three different authors.  I’ve found it’s a very good way to sample authors I don’t know and to be delighted by a new story from authors I do know. All the stories are standalones; no previous knowledge of a series is needed.

Halloween Cupcake Murder features Carlene O’Connor, Liz Ireland, and Carol J. Perry.  Since I love Perry’s Witch City Mysteries, picking this one up was a no-brainer. Her entry in the collection is “A Triple Layer Halloween Murder” and has Salem TV station manager and scryer Lee Barrett on the trail of a baker who disappears just before Halloween.  Aided by her beau, police detective Pete Mondello and her amazingly gifted cat O’Ryan, Lee tries to figure out just what has happened to the missing man.  The story was, as usual, well constructed, but the real appeal for me is the cast.  I like Lee a lot, in part because she actually does her job unlike some cozy heroines who can just take off at the drop of a hat; and I enjoy the peek behind the scenes at a tv station.  I also really like her aunt, Ibby, who is a reference librarian and I absolutely adore O’Ryan.  This story alone made the book worth buying for me.

I had been curious about Liz Ireland after reading reviews from Lesa Holstine’s blog, lesasbookcritiques.com.  Lesa is a retired librarian whose opinions I respect and when she said Liz Ireland’s Mrs. Claus books were a lot of fun, I took notice.  Yes, the heroine is that Mrs. Claus, married to the one and only Nicholas Claus and they live in Santaland. April was actually an innkeeper in Oregon before being swept off her feet by a man in a red suit, and now she has to adjust to elves, talking reindeer, and sentient snowmen.  I thought it sounded a bit daft, to be honest, but Lesa’s review made me want to take a look.  Having a novella seemed just the ticket.  After all, if I didn’t like it, there wasn’t too much to wade through.

Well, I found “Mrs. Claus and the Candy Corn Caper” was as delightful as promised.  In this adventure, Santaland is experiencing its first Halloween thanks to April. While the elves are trying to get the hang of candy corn, build a haunted ice castle, and put on a baking competition, elf Wink Jollyflake is found murdered in his employer’s bakery. It’s all a puzzle, including the murder weapon, but April Claus will figure it out!  And I am definitely reading more in this series.

“The Halloween Cupcake Murder” by Carlene O’Connor uses her Home to Ireland series as her basis.  Ex-New Yorker Tara Meehan has moved to Ireland and is opening an architectural salvage shop. Uncle Johnny sends her to Val Sharkey’s curiosity shop to pick up some Halloween decorations.  She finds some interesting items, but later Val turns up dead, his face smeared with a possibly poisoned cupcake.  Then someone turns up with a cupcake for Tara…. 

For me, this last one was the weakest story, even though I had read and liked the first book in the series.  The ending seemed rushed. I also suspect it suffered a bit by comparison, because I liked the other two so much.

There are other collections, including The Irish Milkshake Murder and The Christmas Cocoa Murders. Authors in the collections vary.

Nevermore: Wounds, We'll Prescribe You Another Cat, My Friends

 

Nevermore 9-23-25 

Reported by Rita

 

Wounds: A Novel by Sara Blaedel

When a body is discovered in an abandoned building, Denmark police investigators Liam Stark and Dea Torp are called to the scene to investigate. They learn that the victim has several shallow wounds all over his body that were inflicted over the span of several weeks.

With a pile of open cases, including two missing teenage girls, Liam and Dea are staggering under the weight of their already heavy case load. Tension in town heats up when two more bodies are discovered with the same shallow wounds as the first victim, and their suspect list has dried up. Liam and Dea come to the alarming conclusion that they have another serial killer on their hands. And it’s only a matter of time before they strike again.

As the investigation continues, Liam and Dea worry that the missing teens might be connected to the murders. As the clock ticks down, they have to uncover who is killing these victims and if they can bring the girls home before they’re next under the killer’s knife.

I found it convoluted with lots of repetition. I prefer Jo Nesbo.      - NH       3 stars

 

We'll Prescribe You Another Cat (We'll Prescribe You a Cat, #2) by Syou Ishida

It’s time to revisit the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul.

Though it’s a mysteriously located clinic with an uncertain address, it can always be found by those who need it. And the clinic has proven time after time that a prescribed cat has the power to heal the emotional wounds of its patients. This charming sequel introduces a new lovable cast of healing cats, from Kotetsu, a four-month-old Bengal who unleashes his boundless energy by demolishing bed linens and curtains, to tenacious and curious Shasha, who doesn’t let her small size stop her from anything, and the most lovable yet lazy cat Ms. Michiko, who is as soft and comforting as mochi.

This is so well-written. It was sweet and fun. I really enjoyed it.    -MS      4 stars

 

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.

This is the best book I've read all year! It's a fantastic story, absolutely incredible.       -MH     5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned:

 

Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Gutter Medicine: Twenty-six Years as a Firefighter Paramedic by Roger Huder

Yes, My Darling Daughter by Margaret Leroy

The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay

10% Happier by Dan Harris

Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization by Bill McKibben

The Girl with Ice in Her Veins by Karin Smirnoff

 

New Books:

 

The Incredible Kindness of Paper by Evelyn Skye

The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks

The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream

No Ordinary Bird: Drug Smuggling, a Plane Crash, and a Daughter's Quest for the Truth by Artis Henderson

All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation by Elizabeth Gilbert

Creepy Cat by Cotton Valent

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

I love cats and I like creepy (not horror) so this title was a natural for me. A young woman named Flora moves into an old mansion with a supernatural vibe.  She soon discovers it’s occupied by big white marshmallow of a cat who can shapeshift and who likes to play tricks.  That’s pretty much the setup.  There’s no real storyline to it, though other characters are introduced, such as Oscar, a former schoolmate who has a crush on Flora.  His attempts to flirt with her are constantly undermined by Creepy cat.

Each page is sort of a vignette, a joke with a visual punchline usually provided by Creepy Cat. I’ll admit there are some I don’t get.  This is a manga style graphic novel, and while I have read a few manga I’m not a regular consumer.  I tend to get a little confused: I understand about reading back to front but the dialog always throws me—I read the last part of a sentence first.  I’m also a bit hampered because I’ve found volume 2 of the series but not volume 1 so I’m a little hazy on the backstory. (There are four volumes total.)  I do understand that Flora needs to keep Creepy Cat a secret, or else an organization dedicated to investigating Mysterious Animal Sightings might take him away.

What I’m not hazy on is how much I love this little book.  For me, the art is a cross between Charles Addams and Tim Burton: Flora reminds me of Wednesday.  All the human-ish characters tend to be thin and pale while Creepy Cat and friends are pudgy round creatures with never-changing smiles.  I am besotted.  Those faces!  That maddeningly adorable way they cheerfully cause chaos! They enlarge and fly and split into numerous little cats and do all sorts of strange and enchanting things. I may not understand all that’s going on but I do know one thing:

 I want my own copies of these books. 

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Kathy Valance’s father told her she had the Sadim touch.  That’s Midas spelled backwards.  He meant that everything she touched went bad and some days Kathy believes he might be right. She had thought things were looking up.  She’d finally found a job she loved and one she was good at—or had been good at until tonight.  As an employee for Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences (S.C.Y.T.H.E.), her job is to collect souls of the newly deceased and send them on their way before they turn into ghosts.  The problem is that while she has a body lying on a kitchen floor, the essence of that body is nowhere to be found. 

This is a problem. A big problem.

When she finally tracks him down in a meadow, she finds an angry teenager named Connor who refuses to leave.  He also insists he was murdered.

Murder victims are not Kathy’s department.  She’s Natural Causes.  And if she can’t get Connor to move on, she’ll lose her job, the one thing she feels good about in her life. So she has to find out if Connor was murdered and by who, and she has to do it before he turns into a ghost and is stuck here permanently.

Oh, and Kathy was in the process of divorcing Simon, the husband she really loved because she can’t talk about her job AND because she’s afraid of losing him. As the comedian says, “It makes sense if you don’t think about it.”

She’s also pregnant by Simon.  Her life can’t possibly get more messed up.

Oh, yes it can.

I found this to be one funny and delightful romp.  It as if Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan took a job as a soul collector.  Kathy’s observations are a delight—a teen’s wispy mustache is “the male equivalent of a training bra”—and I loved all the characters I was supposed to love.  Kathy is a funny, compassionate, and open-hearted.  Simon is no GQ model but he adores Kathy and is willing to do anything for her.  Kathy’s friend Jo is funny, sarcastic, and resourceful.  And Connor—Connor is a surly teen, angry at being dead, but underneath it all he’s a sweet kid and a literal lost soul.

There is a second book coming out in a few months, and I’ll be looking forward to it.

Nevermore Book List for 9-16-25

 

 

Books Mentioned:

 

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy

Amelia Storm Series by Mary Stone

Fighting Angel by Pearl S. Buck

Clear Springs by Bobbie Ann Mason

Journey from Darkness by Gareth Crocker, Llewellyn Crocker

The Fourth Horseman by Randy Lee Eickhoff

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Chemistry and Other Stories by Ron Rash

Ye Olde Cat Memes: The Original Book of Cat Humor by Eulalie Osgood Grover

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney

The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan

Now You See It by Carol J. Perry

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Newlywed Lee Barrett is taking on yet another new job at WICH-TV, Salem’s aptly-lettered local TV station. This time she is “Historical Documentary Chief Executive,” working on features that deal with the town’s storied past. Of course, this is in addition to all her other jobs at the station, but at least she’s getting a chance to be in front of the camera again. A new museum dedicated to New England history will be opening soon, so Lee is covering the final renovations and installations for their first exhibit, “Seafaring New England.” There will be some dazzling exhibits, including some very rare and near priceless items: Chinese porcelain, jewels from India, and more.

Lee’s new husband, Detective Pete Mondello, is also taking an interest in the exhibit but not for the same reasons: a delivery man who was bringing in items for the exhibition is found murdered in a pile of leaves.  Oddly, nothing seems to have been taken. But then Lee’s psychic senses begin to show her images and she soon finds herself reporting on more than ships and cargo.

This is lucky number thirteen in the Witch City Mystery series, though you don’t necessarily have to read them in order. For me, part of the pleasure in these books is touching base with all the characters, who feel like old friends by now.  I adore O’Ryan, Lee’s cat who may be more than he seems; her Aunt Ibby, reference librarian and amateur sleuth who helps Lee with her research; and River North, who is a practicing witch and TV movie host who reads Tarot for Lee. You may notice that I left Pete out of the list, not because I dislike him but to be honest, I find him a rather bland character in the middle of so many interesting ones.

One thing I have always loved about this series is that I learn from it.  There’s always a look behind the scenes at a TV station, but usually there’s something else connected with the mystery.  This time there’s some fascinating background about the shipping trade viewed in part through family history of some of the characters.  The descriptions are always vivid: I could almost see some of the exhibits.  The solutions are clever and never come out of left field.

This is one of my favorite cozy series, and long may it sail!

New Fiction in October

 

Adams, Ellery  The Tattered Cover (Secret, Book, and Scone)

Albom, Mitch Twice

Andrews, Donna  Five Golden Wings (Meg Lanslow)

Armstrong, Kelley  The Haunting of Payne’s Hollow

Banville, John  Venetian Vespers

Beaton, M. C. Sugar and Spite (Agatha Raisin)

Brett, Simon Mrs. Pargeter’s Past

Briggs, Patricia  Blind Date with a Werewolf

Brunstetter, Richelle  The Amish Ballerina

Carr, Jack Cry Havoc (Tom Reece)

Child, Lee  Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories

Coben, Harlan & Reese Witherspoon  Gone Before Goodbye

Colgan, Jenny  The Secret Christmas Library

Connelly, Michael  The Proving Ground (Lincoln Lawyer)

Cornwell, Patricia  Sharp Force (Scarpetta)

DeMille, Nelson The Tin Men (Scott Brodie & Maggie Taylor)

Freeman, Brian  Photograph

Gish, Jen Bad Bad Girl

Graham, Heather The Sword of Light

Gregory, Philippa The Boleyn Traitor

Grisham, John  The Widow

Hannah, Sophie  The Last Death of the Year (Hercule Poirot)

Hannon, Irene  Out of Time

Hazelwood, Ali  Mate

Hill, Joe  King Sorrow

Hunter, Stephen  The Gun Man Jackson Swagger:  A Western

Karon, Jan  My Beloved (Mitford)

Kashiwai, Hisasi  Menu of Happiness (Kamogawa Food Detectives)

Kellerman, Jonathan & Jesse Coyote Hills (Clay Edison)

Klavan, Andrew  After That, the Dark (Cameron Winter)

Lee, Harper  The Land of Sweet Forever: Stories and Essays

Macomber, Debbie A Ferry Merry Christmas

Mackesy, Charlie  Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse, and the Storm

McFadden, Freida The Intruder

Mizushima, Margaret  Dying Cry (Timber Creek K-9)

Newman, Catherine  Wreck

Patterson, James  The Picasso Heist

Penny, Louise  The Black Wolf

Peterson, Tracie  A Moment to Love

Reich, Christopher  The Tourists

Rose, Jeneva  Dating After the End of the World

Sparks, Nicholas  Remain: A Supernatural Love Story

Stevens, Chevy The Hitchhikers

Nevermore: Fighting Words, Murder on the Orient Express: Graphic Novel, Milkweed Lands

 

Nevermore 9-9-25

Reported by Rita

 

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful that they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf -- her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.

A good look into the foster system; very well done. A beautiful story of two sisters who have no one else. Quick, easy read.     -NH     5 stars

 

Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel by Bob Al-Greene (Illustrator, Adapter), Agatha Christie

Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer.

Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again.

This beautiful, full-color graphic novel adaptation brings this favorite mystery to life--perfect for longtime fans and new readers alike.

It was fun and I loved the artwork.     -CD     5 stars

 

The Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant: Its Nature and Ecology by Eric Lee-Mäder, Beverly Duncan (Illustrations)

Delve into this fascinating appreciation of milkweed, an often-overlooked plant, and discover an amazing range of insects and organisms that depend on it as the seasons unfold, with this collaboration between a noted ecologist and an award-winning botanical illustrator. Ecologist Eric Lee-Mäde r and noted botanical artist Beverly Duncan have teamed up to create this unique exploration of the complex ecosystem that is supported by the remarkable milkweed plant, often overlooked or dismissed as a roadside weed. With stunning, up-close illustrations and engaging text, they trace every stage of the plant's changes and evolutions throughout the seasons, including germination, growth, flowering, and seed development.

An amazing book filled with lots of information and great illustrations.      -MS       5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned: 

Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony by Lee Miller

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less by Jim Vandehei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz

Doonesbury: Peace Out, Dawg! by G.B. Trudeau

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie Satow

  

New Books: 

The Illusion of Separateness by Simon Van Booy

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox

 The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney

Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves by Johnathan Walton

A History of Ghosts, Spirits, and the Supernatural

Reviewed by Jeanne

This is a DK production, so of course it’s packed with information and illustrations.  It's arranged chronologically, starting with the ancient world, antiquity to medieval, and then by centuries, ending with 1900 and beyond.  The coverage is world-wide; from Celtic mythology to Egyptian to Arabic to Mesoamerican and all points in between.  Ghosts, jinn, dybbuks, mermaids, the Wild Hunt, Ouija boards, urban legends, they’re all here in the pages of this book.  While I would be tempted to read the whole thing through, I have to confess I have skipped around a bit to read the sections I thought most intriguing. Most of the entries are fairly brief, just a page or two, but enough to give a good overview and to send readers in search of more in-depth information for those topics they find most appealing.

One section I read first deals with fairies, the “wee folk,” who appear in folklore all over the world.  There’s no set description—some are beautiful, some ugly; some have wings, some not—but they are all dangerous.  They may not be malevolent but they do live by their own rules and for those that break them, the consequences can be dire.  Of course, our images of fairies have changed over the centuries, and been influenced by literature, including Pinocchio and Peter Pan. There was also a reference to the (in)famous Cottingley Fairies of the 1920s.

The Wild Hunt also caught my eye, as I have come across many references to it over the years but many details seemed to differ.  Again, this is a concept which crosses many cultures, thought the article deals mainly with the European variants: the pack of hounds in Britain; Odin and Valkyries in Scandinavia; or the Sluda Sidhe, fairies who are out to get humans in Ireland.  A variant in Enlgand has the antlered Herne the Hunter leading the Wild Hunt. All are considered bad luck at best and downright dangerous at worst.

One I didn’t know about was the “waiting women” of Chinese folklore.  These can be ghosts or other supernatural women who die for love and wait for their beloved to either join them or else recognize them so they can be together.  Some stories have happy endings but others have the poor waiting woman forever waiting.

The later chapters deal with more modern manifestations of supernatural lore, including spiritualism (and the Fox sisters, who were famous mediums in the 1800s), ghost photography, paranormal romance novels (think Twilight), ghostly tours, paranormal investigations, and ghosts in popular culture. 

It’s a great book to browse and, wonder of wonders, it has an index so that you can look up, say, Krampus or Bloody Mary. I really enjoyed dipping into it.  While sometimes the information is a bit scant, it’s a great place to find things you want to investigate more thoroughly—or just enjoy the bits of information and move on.

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Madeline Hill (Mad) and her mom have a farm in Coalfield, Tennessee. When a man pulls up to their farm stand one day, Mad assumes he’s just a last minute customer hoping for some produce. But no, Reuben Hill (Rube) tells her that he believes they are half siblings, and that their serial monogamist father may have left a trail of other children across the country from Massachusetts to California. And, oh yeah, would she like to drive across the country with him in a rented PT Cruiser to find the others?

The elder Mr. Hill left Rube’s mother thirty years ago, and Mad’s mother twenty years ago, so it appears that he had a habit of reinventing himself. Was he a writer, a farmer, a soccer coach, or something else entirely? Like a chameleon, he appeared to change professions, wives/partners, and geography whenever he felt the need.

Mad and Rube begin a journey of self-exploration that does much more than take them across state lines. In an attempt to find the answers they seek, they discover more family while uncovering a family history they never knew.

Author Kevin Wilson is the master of crazy happenings; two of his previous characters burst into flames with strong emotions in Nothing to See Here. His humor and wit are biting as well as entertaining. I also enjoyed Now Is Not the Time to Panic where a homemade poster causes ripples of paranoia across the country.

If you’re looking for more road trip fiction, I suggest He Started It by Samantha Downing, The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, or Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler. (Okay, I admit I’m just about to read that last one, but it certainly sounds good. If you get to it before me, let me know!)

Nevermore: Beyond Summer, Blue Arabesque, The War that Saved My Life

 

Nevermore 9-2-25

Reported by Rita

Beyond Summer (Blue Sky Hill #3) by Lisa Wingate
Tam Lambert and Shasta Williams, new neighbors in a changing Dallas neighborhood called Blue Sky Hill, team up to fight a corrupt deal that could force them from their homes, but find their friendships and loyalties tested in the process.

A sweet story about friends solving life's problems together. I felt like it didn't have a real conclusion. -WJ 5 stars

Blue Arabesque: A Search for the Sublime by Patricia Hampl
The MacArthur Fellowship recipient, author of Virgin Time, describes her fascination with a Matisse painting during her post-college years, which prompted intricate meditations on the painting's symbolism as well as her own international travels.

This was my second reading of this lovely book. It's really interesting and beautiful. I love it! -DC 4 stars


The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute - she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan - and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

It was a good, quick read. Enjoyable. - PP 3 stars


Other Books Mentioned:

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution by Pyotr Kropotkin
The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
25 Real Patient Stories: A Junior Doctor's Journey through the Highs and Lows of Medicine by Monika Schneider
Where Have All the Birds Gone?: Nature in Crisis by Rebecca E. Hirsch
The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting
Refuge by Dot Jackson


New Books:

The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop, #2) by Sarah Beth Durst
American Mythology by Giano Cromley

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

In October 1949 a New York author wrote her first letter to Marks & Co., a used bookseller in London. She had seen their advertisement and, unhappy with cheap American editions of classic literature, wanted to try to purchase higher quality copies that wouldn’t break her budget. Thus began a wonderful correspondence between Helene Hanff, a struggling playwright, and Frank Doel, bookseller. 

It’s difficult to explain the appeal of this book, composed primarily of copies of letters exchanged (with a few notes from other people interspersed) but it’s one of those books whom people either adore or else find extremely dull.  Hanff’s personality shines through, a stereotypical brash New Yorker but a generous and compassionate one; Doel is more restrained, something of the stiff upper lip sort but one can see the friendship blossom.  Hanff can wax lyrical about some of the books she’s read or read about so even if I don’t know the book or passage she references I certainly feel the passion behind them.

Hanff realizes from a friend that England is still under rationing, so that staples like eggs or meat are precious commodities.  She arranges to have some gift packages sent to the employees of Marks & Co., much to their delight and gratitude.  Some of the other employees send letters as well, with admonishments not to tell Mr. Doel that they have presumed to write to his favorite customer.

I found the whole book to be a delight, and was thoroughly charmed by it—so much so that when I heard there was to be a movie, I was somewhat alarmed.  There’s a reason people were shirts proclaiming, “Don’t judge a book by its movie.” With rare exceptions, most fall far short of the book and those are preferable to the ones that totally ruin a book.

But I was happily surprised by 84, Charing Cross Road the movie.  For one thing, it was impeccably cast, with Anne Bancroft as Helene and Anthony Hopkins as Frank.  Bancroft loved the book, so her husband Mel Brooks brought the movie rights for her as a gift. Like the book, it’s not a movie for everyone—not a car chase in sight, for one thing—but it is also well loved.

I’ve gone on to read some of Hanff’s other work, including The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street which is the story of how she finally makes it to England.  I’m currently reading Q’s Legacy; it tells how she fell in love with English Literature thanks to some books by a British professor, and of another trip she took to England. This time she was watching the filming of a BBC production of 84, Charing Cross Road.

If you liked Hanff’s voice in  84, Charing Cross Road, then you’ll hear it even more clearly in her other books.  I have found them all hard to put down.

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

 

Reviewed by Kristin

It is a common theme in science fiction: Humans create robots, robots develop sentience, war happens, rogue robots decide to follow their own paths.

In this case, start a business and make noodles.

Staybehind, Sweetie, Hands, and Cayenne are HEEI – “human equivalent embodied intelligence” individuals awakening after being offline unexpectedly for a period of months. They exist in the nation-state of California, which recently liberated itself from the so-called United States. The California Constitution recognized HEEI as citizens, although their legal status can be complicated by pre-war contracts and obligations. And citizens or not, the humans often have preconceived notions when it comes to HEEI and their abilities.

It’s a good thing that Staybehind and friends make a mean noodle.

Authentic Noodle is soon operating and becoming a highly rated restaurant. The orders are pouring in and their stars on the net are going up, up, up! They are filling their order capacity in advance and becoming the hottest lunch in San Francisco. But negative reviews start coming from somewhere, and it appears that they are being attacked by someone who doesn’t like robots. But is this an actual disgruntled human or a targeted campaign from some larger power?

In this near future (2064) novella, the characters are endearing, the tension is palpable, and the noodles are yummy. Automatic Noodle – 5 stars.