New Fiction for March!

 

Bohjalian, Chris  The Jackal’s Mistress

Bowen, Rhys  Silent as the Grave (Molly Murphy)

Broadbent, Carissa Slaying the Vampire Conqueror (Crowns of Nyaxia)

Brown, Sandra  Blood Moon

Callahan Henry, Patti  The Story She Left Behind

Cavanagh, Steve Witness 8

Clare, Cassandra  The Ragpicker King

Coble, Colleen  Ambush

Cosimano, Elle  Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

Dodd, Christina  Girl, Anonymous

El-Mohtar, Amal  The River Has Roots

French, Nicci  The Last Days of Kira Mullan

Gerritsen, Tess The Summer Guests (Martini Club)

Gilmore, Laurie The Strawberry Patch Pancake House (Dream Harbor)

Henderson, Alice  The Vanishing Kind (Alex Carter)

Hunter, Georgia  One Good Thing

Jones, Sandie I Would Die for You

Jones, Stephen Graham The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

Mallery, Susan Beach Vibes

McConaghy, Charlotte Wild Dark Shore

Meier, Leslie  Bridal Shower Murder (Lucy Stone)

Morrissey, Hannah  The Unlucky Ones (Black Harbor)

Oakley, Colleen Jane and Dan at the End of the World

Pandian, Gigi  The Library Game (Secret Staircase Mystery)

Patterson, James The Writer

Peterson, Tracie   A Constant Love

Raybourn, Deanna  Kills Well with Others

Rendon, Marcie R. Broken Fields (Cash Blackbear Mystery)

Rose, Karen  Dead Man’s List

Rosenberg, Joel C.l  The Beijing Betrayal

Russell, Karen The Antidote

Santopolo, Jill The Love We Found

Scalzi, John  When the Moon Hits Your Eye

Score, Lucy  The Story of My Life

Shigematsu, Kiyoshi  The Blanket Cats

Steel, Danielle  Far From Home

Turtledove, Harry  Twice as Dead

Willig, Lauren  The Girl from Greenwich Street:  A Novel of Hamilton, Burr, and America’s First Murder Trial

Nevermore: Boom! Talking About the Sixties; Fire Weather; If I’d Killed Him When I Met Him

 

Nevermore 2-11-25

Reported by Rita

Boom!: Talking About the Sixties: What Happened, How it Shaped Today, Lessons for Tomorrow by Tom Brokaw

The author of the best-selling The Greatest Generation redefines the tumultuous and history-making decade of the 1960s, a decade that saw the rise of the rebellious children of the greatest generation, to reveal how American social, political, economic, and cultural institutions were transformed by an era of dramatic change and upheaval.

Wonderfully written, the stories tied together beautifully. Powerful.     –NH     5 stars

Fire Weather: a True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant

The best-selling author of The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival describes the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire disaster that drove 88,000 people from their homes instantly and how this is a shocking preview of a hotter, flammable world.

Valliant is a tremendous writer. This book was very interesting, easy to follow, and highly relevant.     –VC      5 stars

 

If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him : An Elizabeth Macpherson Novel by Sharyn McCrumb

In the eighth Elizabeth MacPherson novel, the Southern sleuth with the Scottish ancestry acts as official investigator for her brother's Virginia law firm and tests her skills solving two sensational murders and a third crime unsolved for a century.

Delightful, light, and funny.    –DC      4 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned

The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci

Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 by R. A. Scotti

This is Happiness by Niall Williams

The French Winemaker's Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner

This Motherless Land by Nikki May

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

Wolf Hall: a Novel by Hilary Mantel

Dawn by Elie Wiesel

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin

 

New Books

The Farmer's Wife: My Life in Days by Helen Rebanks

Sweet Vidalia: a Novel by Lisa Sandlin

Eerie Legends: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Creepy Creatures, the Paranormal, and Folklore from Around the World by Ricardo Diseno

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Cryptids are hot!  It seems that creatures and critters are showing up everywhere, not just in the deep woods.  There’s even a children’s board book series about some young versions, and I am sorry I didn’t snap up that copy of Mothman Baby when I saw it at the store. I was later informed that there are books featuring Yeti Baby, Bigfoot Baby, Nessie Baby, and more. 

I have become more intrigued by cryptids of late due to seeing so many images of them, mostly locally.  When this book came in, the illustrations reminded me of some of the artwork I’ve seen at HollerHouse, both in use of color and technique, so of course I had to check it out.

As the title indicates, the book is about more than just cryptids.  Entries include the Betty and Barney Hill UFO Abduction, Slender Man, the Enfield Poltergeist, and the Catacombs of Paris.  Each topic has its own section accompanied by eye-catching illustrations and, in some cases, a story or poem.  I admit I was disappointed that the Flatwoods Monster wasn’t included, but there were still plenty of interesting and informative entries.  Naturally, I read the ones I was most intrigued by first, then moved on to some of the others.

The text describing each entry is somewhat brief, so there aren’t a lot of details.  I do like that the author sometimes offers explanations or a debunking (that classic photo of Nessie, now widely accepted as a hoax, for example) and the interesting assortment of topics, some of which I’d never heard of before.  “The Island of the Dolls” is one such:  located near Mexico City, there hundreds of dolls in various conditions are on display, many hanging from trees.

Accompanying the informational text is a usually short, somewhat creepy vignette about the entry.  Personally, I didn’t find that this added a lot; I would have preferred more information rather than fiction, but that’s just me.

The artwork is striking.  While not to everyone’s taste, I enjoyed the vibrant and a bit off-the-wall take on some of the stories.

While this might not be the first place I’d go to learn about a particular creature or place, it’s certainly an enjoyable browsing book. 

Rock Painting for Beginners: A Complete Guide to Techniques and Supplies with 50 Original Designs to Inspire You by Christine Rechl

Reviewed by Jeanne

Remember when everyone was painting rocks and leaving them in public spaces for others to find?  While the craze may have slowed down, it was still a fun thing to do, and a small rock is nowhere as intimidating to many folks as a big white canvas.  I even painted a few in a group project. While I wasn’t satisfied with the finished product, I did enjoy the painting itself and even went out and bought a bucket of rocks and some paint to do some at home.

Needless to say, that didn’t happen, but every time I see that bucket of rocks, I think I should really do something about them.  I thought this book might just jump start the process.

Author Rechl is all for fun, but she also sees rock painting as a serious business- though not in the monetary sense, as she is in favor of giving the rocks as personal gifts.  She discusses the best place to find rocks (not at the rock yard where I got mine) and how to evaluate the ones you find.  She likes the process of finding rocks and being inspired by them, seeing the potential in their size, texture, and shape.  She suggests using sandpaper if the rock has some rough patches and putting down an undercoat.  

Nearly a third of the book is devoted to selecting the right paints and tools, and offering tips on using the various kinds.  There are acrylic paints, acrylic inks, glass paints, color blockers and so on, not to mention brushes, pens, and even special dotting tools. It could be a bit overwhelming but Rechl has wonderful photographs to illustrate each concept.  Also, while discussing each part, she shows a technique using the specific material or tool. 

She points out things such as if you want to put the stones outside, be sure and use waterproof paint/ink—and that not all that claim to be waterproof really are.  Non-toxic is something else to keep in mind no matter where you plan to leave your rocks. 

Finally, there are step by step instructions on creating different types of designs, whether you’re doing abstract designs, monster faces, comments, or cute animals.  There are also templates for those among us ungifted in drawing our own figures.

What I liked most was seeing some pretty abstract designs, spirals, dots, stripes, etc. that would be easy to do and yet looked very nice indeed. 

Now if all that paint I bought hasn’t dried up yet, I’ll be set!

Nevermore: Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here, Alarm of the Black Cat, Noel Letters

 

Reported by Rita

Everyone Who is Gone is Here: the United States, Central America, and the Lives in Between by Jonathan Blitzer

An epic, heartbreaking, and deeply reported history of the disastrous humanitarian crisis at the southern border that tells the story of the migrants forced to risk everything and the policymakers determining their fate.

Well-researched. It is a good book about a horrible situation.    – DC     5 stars

 

The Alarm of the Black Cat by Dolores Hitchens aka D. B. Olsen

This classic mystery features a family feud, feline intervention, and the spirited septuagenarian sleuth from The Cat Saw Murder.

I didn’t care for it.      – WJ     2 stars

 

The Noel Letters: From the Noel Collection by Richard Paul Evans

The best-selling series by the award-winning author of The Christmas Box explores themes of faith, love, and redemption during an illuminating holiday season.

I thought this was a fun book. I really enjoyed the quotes from famous writers at the beginning of each chapter.     – WJ       5 stars

 

 

Other Books Mentioned

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

Lincoln: a Novel by Gore Vidal

In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face-to-Face with the Idea of an Afterlife by Sebastian Junger

Murder in Georgetown by Margaret Truman

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

Blink: the Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

New Books

Before We Forget Kindness: a Novel by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Invisible Kitties: a Feline Study of Fluid Mechanics or the Spurious Incidents of the Cats in the Night-Time by Yu Yoyo

A Walk in the Park: the True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko

Burning Water by Mercedes Lackey

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

It started with cattle mutilations.  Then the attacks began targeting people, often leaving bloody and shocking crime scenes. Detective Mark Valdez begins to wonder if the perpetrators are members of some strange cult, Satanic or otherwise.  With no solid leads in sight, he asks to call in someone he knows who might be able to give the police some insight into what’s going on.

Diana Tregarde’s day job is romance novelist, but she’s also a practicing witch and an investigator of supernatural events.  She catches the next flight to Dallas, but even Diana isn’t prepared for what she and Mark may be facing.

Most people know Lackey as the author of the long running Valdemar series, but she’s also the author of several others. Burning Water is the first in a nifty urban fantasy series which came out in the late 80s/early 90s which is about the time I first read this book. While shifting books on my shelves I came across the first three books and realized I hadn’t finished reading the series, so I decided to re-read the first one to see if it held up before tackling the other two.

I found I really enjoyed it the second time around.  There are a few minor things that are dated but none of that affected my enjoyment.  There are a some graphic scenes but those aren’t drawn out and are connected to the ultimate solution.  I also liked the information about folklore and other belief systems. Some reviewers have said Diana is just too perfect, or that the book is too talky. There are sections in which the characters discuss religion and philosophy, but I found it interesting and not preachy.  As to Diana’s goodness, I’m good with it—yes, pun intended. 

I liked the pacing.  While there were times I wanted the characters to be quicker on the uptake, there was a reason for that—and I suspect the author was using that device to ratchet up the tension a bit, letting the reader know what was going on in a way that the main characters couldn’t. When it all comes together, the story moves rapidly to a satisfying conclusion.

Although Lackey just wrote three novels in the series, she has done a few novellas that are available as ebooks.  I may take a look after I finish the others.

Books in the series are:

1.       Burning Water

2.      Children of the Night

3.      Jinx High

Secret Gardens: Creating Romantic Retreats by Alan Toogood

 

Secret Gardens:  Creating Romantic Retreats by Alan Toogood

Reviewed by Jeanne

When I was checking the schedule for the bookblog, I realized that our Friday blog would fall on Valentine’s Day.  A look at the draft blogs didn’t reveal anything that seemed even vaguely related, so I set out to find something that would 1) be appropriate and 2) be something I could read quickly enough to write a review. My first thought involved books on chocolate or cake making but after stepping on my scales I thought it prudent to avoid anything involving food.

Fortunately I came across the book Secret Gardens:  Creating Romantic Retreats by Alan Toogood which looked very promising, even if my house is where plants come to die.  Toogood is a British author, so the gardens in question tend to be formal and complex, so I didn’t think there would be any pressure.  I’d just take one look and think, “Nope, no way I can do that.”

While that did turn out to be true overall, I found myself enjoying the book more than I thought I would.  There is a lot of text and explanation, but Toogood writes well.  He discusses the history of some aspects of gardens such as enclosures—walls and fences, certainly, but also when fashions changed, some of the large estates used “ha-has” (a sunken fence or ditch) to keep animals from wandering off.  Trimmed hedges, arbors, and other such features rose and fell in popularity as society changed and great estates became smaller.

At this point, I started thinking about all the British fiction and period films I’ve seen, realizing what some of the outdoor features really meant. It’s been a tradition to build small, secluded spaces where people could have some privacy and/or peace, but I’d never thought of it as other than a motion picture set for a specific scene. Visions of Pemberly and Beatrix Potter’s farm house danced in my head with a new understanding of the landscaping.

The book does discuss setting up your own such places, utilizing features that already exist and then enhancing them. While not really suited for a small backyard, the book is also about creating an ambiance, a feeling of being in an enchanted place no matter how small. I liked that idea a lot.

Ambitious gardeners would get some good ideas from this book, even if some of the plants may not translate well to our area. Selecting a focal point for the garden, be it a water feature or statue, is the place to start and then build your garden from there.  He offers suggestions (a sundial, perhaps?) but wants to the reader to make the garden a personal space.

Even better, the copy of the book I took from the shelf was a donation in memory of Ida Stone Jones, and one of the people for whom the Jones Center for Creative Arts, Technology and Workforce Development was named.

Nevermore: Framed, I Think We’ve Been Here Before, Teller of Small Fortunes

Nevermore 1-14-25

Reported by Rita

Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham

Exposes 10 harrowing tales of innocent Americans unjustly found guilty and convicted of crimes they didn't commit, shedding light on the flaws within the legal system that led to their imprisonment and the relentless battles for exoneration that ensued.

It’s a good book about a horrible subject. It was eye-opening.      – NH     5 stars

 

I Think We've Been Here Before by Suzy Krause

As a cosmic blast threatens humanity's extinction, Marlen and Hilda Jorgensen confront Marlen's terminal illness and family mysteries through prophetic art on their Saskatchewan farm, striving to cherish their remaining moments amid chaos, denial, and hope.

A compelling story that features well-developed characters.     – CW     4 stars

 

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

A wandering fortune teller finds an unexpected family in this warm and wonderful debut fantasy, perfect for readers of Travis Baldree and Sangu Mandanna.

I thought this was great fun. Nutty and light.      – WJ      4 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty

Killers of the Flower Moon: the Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson

Telltale Hearts: a Public Health Doctor, His Patients, and the Power of Story by Dean-David Schillinger

Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Murder in Georgetown by Margaret Truman

Better Small Talk: Talk to Anyone, Avoid Awkwardness, Generate Deep Conversations, and Make Real Friends by Patrick King

Black Cake: a Novel by Charmaine Wilkerson

Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin

Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes

The Alarm of the Black Cat by Dolores Hitchens

New Books

Obitchuary: the Big Hot Book of Death by Spencer Henry

Connie: a Memoir by Connie Chung

Gone Away by Hazel Holt

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Mrs. Sheila Malory is a literary scholar specializing in 19^th century authors who lives in the English village of Taviscombe.  She’s also a widow with a son at college and a myriad number of community tasks from taking pensioners to appointments to baking cakes for fundraisers.  When an old friend who has been living in America shows up with a stylish new fiancée, Sheila tries to withhold judgment but everyone else is firmly of the opinion that Lee Montgomery is only marrying Charles for his money.

Mrs. Malory’s resolution to keep out of it is tested when a frantic Charles calls from America, saying that he’s unable to reach Lee in England.  He wants Mrs. Malory to find her and let him know that she’s all right.  But Sheila is unable to locate Lee, and soon begins to wonder if there’s been foul play.

This is the first of the Mrs. Malory books, but it’s so well written and the characters so familiar that it doesn’t seem like a first in series book.  I consider it a fair play mystery, and I loved the English setting, the bits about books (I now want to read something by Charlotte Yonge), and having a sensible, down to earth, middle aged sleuth who doesn’t jump to conclusions or cause scenes.

I’ve read several other books in the series and enjoyed them all.  While some things do change for the characters, this isn’t a series that has to be read in order. Also, while these were written from 1998-2014, they don’t feel particularly dated, except that people don’t carry mobile phones or constantly check computers. I find it a pleasant change.

If you are a fan of the classic British mysteries, such as Agatha Christie or Josephine Tey, by all means give Hazel Holt a try.  I will certainly be reading the rest in the series.

Note:  The book also appeared under the title Mrs. Malory Investigates.

The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

 

Wenna left home nearly a decade ago, running away from her family’s legacy and the stifling home life ruled over by her father.  Now her youngest sister Nora has written to her, asking her to come back to the family home in West Virginia because her father is dying.  Wenna is needed for the rites which will ensure that the family and the compact will continue.

For generations, so they’ve been told, the Haddesley family has tended the bog and in return, the bog has nourished them and provided the eldest son with a wife after the patriarch dies.  There are rituals to be performed as part of the Haddesleys’ side of the bargain before the wife arrives.

But no wife comes.  The five siblings—Charlie, the eldest son and reluctant heir; Eda the eldest daughter who sees herself as the guardian of the family and its heritage ; Wenna, the middle child who once found the courage to leave; Nora, the youngest daughter who collects injured creatures and cares for them; and Percy, the youngest child who would like to be the heir— are suddenly in uncharted waters, unsure what to do. How do you fix a compact forged thousands of years ago?

Told in alternating chapters from each of the siblings’ points of view, The Bog Wife is a sort of Appalachian gothic, set in a crumbling house where time has stood still.  There’s a sense of claustrophobia, scented with decay; the hand me down clothes, decades out of fashion, old copies of the National Enquirer with lurid stories of celebrities and garish photos showing a life that might as well be taking place on another planet, the odd cans of soup and gathered food that form their meals, and above all, the family secrets.

I picked this up because the reviews all alluded to the Appalachian setting and to the folkloric elements.  I was also in the mood for an atmospheric book, and this one certainly delivered. This is one of those books that raises as many questions as it answers, but that’s part of the enjoyment for me, coming up with my own answers—or not.  The characters are all sympathetic in their own ways; I liked them all and so wanted happy endings for all of them—or at least what I would consider happy.  I’m not sure the Haddesleys would agree with my versions.  There are so many layers in this book.  I found myself re-reading sections, trying to suss out some of the meanings.

This may not be a book for everyone, but if gothic family sagas with supernatural touches and folkloric are a genre you enjoy, then give The Bog Wife a try. Better yet, find a friend to read it at the same time.  You’ll have a lot to talk about.

Nevermore: 57 Bus, Why Dinosaurs Matter, Christmas Carol

 

Nevermore 12-17-24

Reported by Rita

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

It tells the true story of an agender teen who was set on fire by another teen while riding a bus in Oakland, a crime that focuses on the concepts of race, class, gender, crime, and punishment.

The book was informative, and the characters were well-researched.      – NH      5 stars

 

Why Dinosaurs Matter by Kenneth Lacovara

A paleontologist examines the importance of the way dinosaurs lived and may have died, the meaning of fossils, the nature of deep time, and humans' place in the world as the earth moves into an uncertain environmental future.

Enthralling. It is very detailed and filled with surprising facts. I listened to the audiobook twice!       - DC       5 stars

 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This classic Christmas story is about an elderly miser who, with the help of some ghostly visitors, discovers the true meaning of the holiday.

I loved it! I especially enjoyed the dialogue.      – WJ       5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

Lovely  One by Ketanji Brown Jackson

Campbell's Rambles by Patty L. Fletcher

The Best American Travel Writing 2017 by Lauren Collins

Nutshell by Ian McEwan

Good Morning, Monster by Catherine Gildiner

Colony One Mars by Gerald M. Kilby

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson

I Think I was Murdered by Colleen Coble

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C. M. Waggoner

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley

The Martha Odyssey by Bonny Gable

Cultivating Humanity by Martha Craven Nussbaum

New Books

The English Chemist by Jessica Mills

A Northern Light in Provence by Elizabeth Birkelund

How to Kill an Asteroid by Robin George Andrews

We Will be Jaguars by Nemonte Nenquimo

New Books in February!

 

Armstrong, Kelley  Cold as Hell (Haven’s Rock)

Bailey, Tessa  Dream Girl Drama

Beaton, M.C.  Death of a Smuggler (Hamish)

Benedict, Marie  The Queens of Crime

Berry, Steve  The Medici Return (Cotton Malone)

Black, Lisa  Not Who We Expected

Box, C.J.  Battle Mountain  (Joe Pickett)

Eskens, Allen  The Quiet Librarian

Farnsworth, Christopher Robert B. Parker’s Buried Secrets (Jesse Stone)

Fawcett, Heather  Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales

Greaney, Mark Midnight Black (Gray Man)

Holmes, Linda  Back After This

Hurwitz, Gregg  Nemesis (Orphan X)

Ivey, Eowyn  Black Woods, Blue Sky

Jenoff, Pam  Last Twilight in Paris

Kellerman, Jonathan  Open Season

Kelly, Julia  The Dressmakers of London

Klune, TJ  The Bones Beneath My Skin

Larsen, Ward  Dark Vector

Lawson, Mike  Untouchable  (Joe DeMarco)

Lipman, Elinor  Every Tom, Dick & Harry

Marshall, Kate Alice  Killing Cold

McAllister, Gillian Famous Last Words

Montimore, Margarita  The Dollhouse Academy

Moyes, Jojo  We All Live Here

Nesbo, Jo Blood Ties

O’Connor, Carlene  Murder in an Irish Garden

Patterson, James  Paranoia  (Michael Bennett)

Robb, J.D. Bonded in Death

Sittenfeld, Curtis  Show Don’t Tell: Stories

Tyler, Anne  Three Days in June

 

Nonfiction:

Black, Riley  When the Earth Was Green

Fagan, Kevin  The Lost and the Found: A True Story of Homelessness, Found Family, and Second Chances

Gates, Bill Source Code:  My Beginnings

Gillon, Steven M.  Presidents at War:  How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK Through Reagan and Bush

Kross, Ethan  Shift: Managing Your Emotions so They Don’t Manage You

O’Meara, Mallory  Daughter of Daring:  The Trick-Riding, Train-Leaping, Road-Racing Life of Helen Gibson, Hollywood’s First Stuntwoman

Zimmer, Carl  Air-Borne:  The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe