Monday's Review: Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies by Nancy Naigle

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for my review

Genre: Romance/Mystery

Page Count: 290

List Price:  $12.95 Paperback

                $ 4.99  Digital Copy (Amazon only)

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Caveat:  This book is a sequel to Out of Focus and is better if read in order.  

I have been hooked on Nancy Naigle's Adams Grove series of novels since the first book, Sweet Tea and Secrets.  Her current entry to the series, Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies is perhaps my favorite one of the bunch. As the first  three books in the Adam's Grove series, Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies is a love story with a mystery throw in, a genre which Nancy Naigle is a master at.  

As Pecan Pie opens, photographer Kasey Phillips is living on her farm outside of Adams Grove.  She is still a photographer, still raising her son, and still best friends with the local Sheriff, when Country superstar Cody Tuggle calls to ask if he and "the boys" can stay at her place for a few days during a break in their current tour.  Once there, he and Kasey rekindle the feelings that were unresolved at the end of Out of Focus, while Kasey was traveling with Cody to work on a book of photographs about his tour. While there, someone murders Cody's agent and makes sure that the evidence points directly to Cody.  Cody heads home to Oklahoma to sort things out, taking Kasey and her son Jake with him.  

I have read all four of the Adams Groves novels, and while I liked them all, I think my favorite so far is Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies.  What makes this my favorite is a couple of things.  First, it brings back two of my favorite main characters from the second book, Kasey and Cody.  Secondly, in this book, as in the first Kasey and Cody book, the balance between the mystery story line and the romance story line was perfect.  This is a skill that Nancy Naigle has perfected as the Adams Grove series has progressed.  

As with the other books from Adams Grove, this story was also peppered with an excellent cast of supporting characters.  Nancy is a master at developing characters, giving them personality traits and behaviors that make them very real, and at integrating them into the story in a way that makes them integral to the story.  I became especially fond of Cody's mother, Denise. I also really like the way that Nancy takes supporting characters from her books and makes them the main characters in further editions in the series.  I can think of several characters in this book that I would like to see that happen to.  

All in all, I would class this book as another enjoyable read from Nancy Naigle and a must read for those who love the combination of romance and light mystery.  If you haven't yet read any of the Adam's Grove novels, I would recommend them all.  I hope that Nancy Naigle has many more Adams Grove books up here sleeve.  I know she has a least one more, Mint Julep and Justice, which I will be reading soon and reviewing.  

Monday's Review: Quiet Dell by Jayne Ann Phillips

A copy of this book was provided by the Publisher through Netgalley in Exchange for my Review

Genre: True Crime

Page Count: 465

List Price:  Hardback - $28.00

                Paperback -  $14.00

                Digital - $14.99 (B&N), $11.99 (Amazon)

Publication Date: October 15, 2013

Publisher: Schribner

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Quiet Dell is a novel based on a series of actual murders committed in the 1930s by a man calling himself Harry Powers.  He does this by preying on widows who are writing to him via the Lonely Hearts Club, looking for someone to talk to and a bit of companionship.  In the blurb at the beginning Jayne Anne Phillips states that in her youth she was driven by the scene of the murders and the impression that left has haunted her, eventually compelling her to write this novel.

Not being familiar with the work of Jayne Anne Phillips, (this is the first novel by the author that I have read) I was not sure what to expect.  The hook for me, then, was that the basis of this book was a real crime.   Since reading In Cold Blood in high school, I have been fascinated by real crime stories, whether they be fictional representations or non-fiction accounts.  In the case of Quiet Dell, the first few chapters definitely lived up to my expectations.  This section of the book depicts the story of Ana Eicher, a widow with three children, who has no skills and no way to make a living now that her husband has died.  The author describes the current life of Ana and her children with heart-breaking clarity and emotion.  I was definitely immersed in their story quickly.

In fact, I would give a 4 star rating to the beginning of the book, all the way to the part where the murders are discovered.  At this point, the author introduces her first fictional characters, a female journalist by the name of Emily Thornhill and a photographer by the name of Eric Lindstrom, who are covering the story for the Chicago Tribune. This is where the books falls apart for me.  It's not that Emily and Eric are not solid characters.  I actually liked the way that the author used Emily's compulsion to find out the truth about Harry Powers as a catalyst to take the reader through the investigation of his life.  It is Emily's romantic involvement with banker William O'Malley that I felt was not only unnecessary to the story, but actually a distraction from the investigation into the murders that should have made up the rest of the book.  For me this error was compounded by two other items that author chose to include in the latter part of the book.  These were the use of the youngest Eicher child, Anabelle, as a "supernatural" character (Think Susie in The Lovely Bones), and the inclusion of the "orphan" story.  Neither of these devices did anything to enhance the basic story line, in my opinion.

To sum it up, I copy a quote that I saw on  Amazon which is purported to be from People Magazine.  It says, "Think In Cold Blood meets The Lovely Bones, but sexier."  To me, that sums it up pretty well. Unfortunately, I would have liked a bit more of the In Cold Blood part and a lot less of the The Lovely Bones and sexy parts.

As I said above, I am not familiar with Jayne Anne Phillips other work, but I have heard that this is not her usual fare.  For that reason, and the fact that parts of this book were very well written, I plan to try one of the author's other books in the future. 

Friday's Review: A Christmas Daughter By Kathleen Valentine

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for my review

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Page Count: 160

List Price: Paperback - $12.00

                  Digital - $2.99

Publication Date: December 21, 2013

Publisher: Parlez-Moi Press

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I read my first Kathleen Valentine book, Homemade Pie and Sausage/Killing Julie Morris in October 2011 and quickly followed it up with Ghosts of a Beach Town in Winter and The Mermaid's Tale. Since that time, Kathleen's books have become some of my favorites, with The Mermaid's Tale being listed in my all time top ten.  Her books and stories continue to delight me, and her newest one, The Christmas Daughter: A Mariendstadt Story is no exception.  But don't let the title fool you....although parts of this story take place around Christmas time, and Christmas definitely plays a roll in the story, this is not just a Christmas story.  It is a story that can be enjoyed at any time, and should not be missed. 

Boone Wild left Marienstadt many years ago, but now that his father is dead, he returns home to help his mother sort things out and decides to stay and restore the family business to its former glory. Once the business is up and running, and during a New Year's Eve party at the Wilde Tavern, he receives a phone call from an old girlfriend who he hasn't seen in 13 years.  She drops two bombshells; they have a twelve year old daughter named Charity, and Charity needs a place to live now that her mother is dying.  Boone drops everything to rush to pick up Charity and bring her back to live in Marienstadt.  

This story was a delight from start to finish.  As always, Kathleen's characters are wonderfully developed and easy to get involved with.  In no time I found myself rooting for Boone and his new daughter, hoping that Boone could bring Charity out of her shell, and that Charity could help Boone settle down.  I fell in love with the entire Wilde family, not only Boone and Charity, but also Sister John Paul and his mother, Winnie.  By the end of the book, I found myself wishing that the Wilde's were my family and that I lived in Marienstadt. While this story was mainly about them, there were several minor characters in the story that caught my interest and that I am hoping play a bigger role in other Marienstadt stories.  

Yes, this story is not the first of Kathleen's Marienstadt stories.  That said, reading the others is not a prerequisite to reading this story.  Although I own the rest of the books in the series, (The Whiskey Bottle in the Wall, Volumes 1, 2, and 3)  I have yet to be able to read them.  However, that did not slow me down one bit while reading this story, nor did I feel lost by not reading the other stories.  In fact, I was very pleased with the way that Kathleen was able to make The Christmas Daughter a story that was complete by itself, while still making me feel that there is much more to learn about the Wilde family and all of the other inhabitants of Marienstadt.

My conclusion is that Marienstadt is a magical place that I would like to spend more time in.  The people are friendly and multi-faceted, the area is steeped in tradition, and the values of the inhabitants are the type that appeal to me.  I was actually delighted with the Pennsylvania Dutch background of the area and inhabitants and how similar it was to my Midwest German upbringing.  I am eagerly looking forward to reading the rest of Kathleen's stories about this wonderful town and its people. 

Wednesday's Reveiw: Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review

Genre: Historical Fiction

Page Count: 336

List Price: $26.00 Hardback

               $11.99 Digital Edition

Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Publisher : Gallery Books

My Ratings: 3.75 out of 4 stars

Contrary to what the title might indicate, this book is not a fictional account of the life of Edgar Allen Poe's wife.  Instead author Lynn Cullen presents us with a story narrated by American Poet Francis Osgood regarding the complex relationship between herself, Poe, his wife, Virginia.   Although most of Cullen's book is pure fiction, she begins with a few kernels of truth.  Francis Osgood did meet her husband Charles in the manner included in the book.  He did leave her to fend for herself in NY with their children.  Francis Osgood did have a relationship of sorts with Poe, they did spend time together and correspond with each other.  Poe's wife, Virginia, was sickly and did help foster the relationship between her husband and Osgood.  In fact, biographers say that Virginia Poe actually helped to foster the relationship as she felt that Osgood was a good influence on the unstable Poe.  Most everything else in Cullen's story is pure fiction, which she uses to tell a great story about one of the most interesting figures in American writing.  

I really enjoyed the way that Cullen took a historical relationship that was not ordinary to begin with, and made it into a complex interaction between three people who lived unconventional lives.  Through the character of Francis Osgood we get a glimpse of how life was for women writers in the the mid 19th century.  A time when women were still trying to be taken seriously in the field of prose.   Cullen's Poe is a man at war with himself and his various demons.  Given Poe's reputation and his writing, this Poe is entirely believable.  Even the sickly Virginia Poe gets to be more than just a "behind the scenes" character.  I also enjoyed the cameo appearances by other historical figures such as John Astor, Louisa May Allcott, and Walt Whitman and the little historical tidbits that she included such as the origin of the graham cracker.   

When all was said and done, though, the thing that I liked the most about this book was the way that Lynn Cullen used Edgar Allen Poe and his life to craft a very Poe-like story.  As the story progresses I began to suspect that something else was going on besides just the historical recounting of the possible relationship between these three people.  Just like a Poe story this book takes a bit of a dark turn, which kept me engaged and came to a satisfying conclusion. 

Yes, I was drawn to this book by the title and the idea that it would focus on the life of Poe and his wife, I found, though, that I really enjoyed the story as presented, as well as appreciating the amount of research Cullen did in order to be able to insert the historical kernels that were in the story.  So if you are looking for an interesting take on the story of  Poe, Virginia, and Osgood,  one with a bit of a fanciful twist, this is the book for you.  If you are looking for a serious biography about Poe or his wife, I would skip it.   

Welcome to 2014

Welcome to 2014.  The last two months of 2013 were a blur for me.  Although I was reading, I was not able to get online to blog or review for the most part.  I apologize for that.  What I was doing was spending a lot of time with my family during the various birthdays and holidays that occurred.  To make matters worse, getting flowing in 2014 has been a struggle, too.  I find that I am in a slump of sorts.  Although I have been reading, and have finished several books, I have not been able to focus on reviewing.  I have been mainly spending my time organizing my reading for 2014 which is now mostly complete.  SO - what is in store for 2014?

Back to Reviewing - My return to reviewing will begin with reviews of the 7 books that I finished in 2013 during the months of November and December.  My goal for 2014 is to post three reviews a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

2014 Challenges
Number of Books
I accomplished my 2013 goal of reading 75 books, in fact, I completed 82 (See the 2013 Book List tab).  I upped my goal for 2014 to 85 books, but am hoping to read 100...I have never reached that goal yet, coming the closest with 98 books read in 2011.

Clearing my TBR  (2014 Highlight Challenge)
Along with reading new books for review, this year I want to concentrate of clearing my TBR.  I think I have 889 books that I own and have never read, and a number of books that I have wanted to read for 5 years or more.  Three of my groups are hosting TBR reduction challenges this year with the LOST (Longest On Shelf To-Read) Challenge, the Mount TBR Challenge, the Moving Mountains Challenge, and the From The Stacks Challenge.  The books on some of these challenges overlap, but some of them have very specific rules and do not.  This will be my 2014 Highlight Challenge, much the same way that Short Stories were my 2013 Highlight.  Reviews for these books will be posted on Wednesdays.

Short Stories - Once again I will be reading a short story a week during 2014 and will post the list and ratings on the 2014 Short story tab.

Other Challenges - Other challenges I have slated for 2014 include some Royalty History based challenges, Challenges where books are recommended by other users, genre challenges, monthly designated letter challenge, monthly key word challenge, and of course, the regular slew of monthly, seasonal, and bi-monthly challenges that the various groups come up with.  You may see me write about them as the year progresses.

Hope you are all having a great beginning to 2014 with lots of reading enjoyment!

Tuesday's Review: Hell Gate by Elizabeth Massie

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review

Genre: Horror

Page Count: 251

List Price:  Paperback $16.99

                Digital $4.99

Publication Date: August 30, 2013

Publisher: DarkFuse

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In her novel Hell Gate, Elizabeth Massie tells a riveting story that defies the boundaries in many ways.  In fact, it took me a while to decide what genre to list for it.  The fact that it is set in 1909 on Coney Island might make it Historical Fiction. The murders and police investigation might indicate a Mystery or Police Procedural.  The fact that the main character has "the sight" brings in an element of the Paranormal genre.  In the end, it was the overall feeling of a good Horror story that won out, though.  

With respect to her depection of Coney Island in the early 1900s,  Massie certainly did her research.   Her descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes, made me feel like I was really there experiencing the thrills and chills of the area.   I also enjoyed the flashbacks of Suzanne's early life with her mother and her life in the boarding school.  She was able to describe Suzanne's feelings of confusion perfectly and use them to help illustrate the recurring theme of societies fear of the unusual.  This theme was also illustrated with the treatment Suzanne received from the police as she helped with their investigation, and the treatment that Citie received when he tried to spend time with Suzanne.  Other than its usefulness in this way, I felt that the mystery part of the story was the weakest.  This is the only place where the story faltered for me, and I was disappointed that there wasn't more to it.

The best part of the story overall, though, was the horror story line.  I thought that Massie's characterization of  the girls in the boarding school was fantastic.  I thought she did an excellent job of  weaving the undercurrent of horror and evil through this story.  It both scared and disturbed me, which is what I expect from a good horror story line.   The icing on the cake for this story was the way she lead the reader to the eventual conclusion.  Her use of subterfuge and slight of hand were wonderful and the unexpected ending left me feeling pleasantly surprised.  

I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who likes a good horror story with a historical undertone. It was definitely well worth the read. 

Tuesday's Review: Unseen by Karen Slaughter

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my review. 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Page Count: 400
List Price: Hardcover - $27.00
               Digital Edition - $10.99

Publication Date: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Delacorte Press

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

What could be better than a series of thrillers written by an author with the last name Slaughter.  When I first came across her Grant County series, I was amazed at how apropos the authors name was.  As that series unfolded, Karin Slaughter solidified herself as one of my favorite thriller authors.  You know the kind, the ones whose next book you eagerly await, and whose books you know you will read without hesitation.  You just know that they are going to deliver a top notch product and that they will not disappoint you.  As I read each book in the Grant County series I fell more and more in love with Slaughter's characters and writing.  I was hugely disappointed, then, to find out that the series was coming to an end.  I should have known that the author wouldn't leave me hanging.  In fact, Slaughter was astute enough to realize that a small Georgia town would not be able to sustain the level of crime necessary to support an ongoing series.  What she did to overcome this problem, is begin a new series with a change of venue and a more appropriate organization as the focal point.  Enter Will Trent, an investigator for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation centered in Atlanta.  The switch to Atlanta allowed for a venue more acceptable for the level and type of crime needed to keep the series viable.  The focus on the GBI allowed for future changes in location, keeping the series from stagnating.  What was even more amazing about these changes is, after establishing her new central character, she seamlessly combined the new series with the Grant County series, making this fan happier than ever.  

 Unseen is listed as the 7th book in Karin Slaughter's Will Trent mystery/thriller series, although it is actually the latest in the series of books that combines both the Grant County characters and the Atlanta characters. 

As the book begins, we find Will working on an undercover assignment in Macon, Georgia. Interestingly enough, Macon just happens to be where our old friend Lena Adams has settled after she left Grant County. Things begin to heat up as Will and Lena's paths cross.  As any fan of the series knows, if Lena is involved, there is bound to be plenty of trouble.  This book is no different in that respect, and as the story continues, Will and Lena's seemingly unrelated story lines merge, though not necessarily in the way that I expected.  Slaughter is a master in the use of twist and turns in the plot of her stories, and many of her books contain those "Ah Ha," moments that make a good mystery so much fun to read.  Her stories are action packed, and although there is violence and evil, as all good thrillers must have, it is not over the top or gratuitous, just the right level of both to make the story believable.  

One of the things that I have come to love the most about Slaughter's books are her characters.  Slaughter's characters are all undeniably human with all the complexity that suggests.  In fact, reading this book was like going home for a visit and getting caught up with family and friends.  You know they are going to make you laugh, or shake you head in wonder when they make a decision that doesn't seem to make sense.  I found myself, once again, being amazed by their actions, yelling at them when I could see they were making the wrong decision, crying with them, celebrating with them, and in the end, feeling like they haven't changed a bit.  Will is still a troubled soul, Sara is still too nice, Lena is still clueless about what really matters, Faith is still trying to hold them all together, and Amanda was still the ball buster I have come to count on. I was glad that Angie did not make an appearance in this book, but I am willing to bet that she is not far away and will make her presence known in an upcoming book.  

If you are a fan of the mystery - suspense - thriller genre, I cannot recommend these books highly enough.  As series go, both the Grant County books and the Atlanta books are top notch, and as mystery/thrillers go, they are among my favorites.   If you are a fan of Karin Slaughter and have read the other books in her series, then I am probably preaching to the choir.  If you have not, I recommend that you start with the Grant County books to get the background of the characters from that series, and continue with the Will Trent books, where Slaughter really comes in to her own.    

Thursday's Review: Forgive Me Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

A copy of this book was provided by the Publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a review

Publisher: Little, Brown and Co. 

Publication Date: August 13, 2013

List Price: Print - $18.00

               Digital - $9.99 - $8.99

Genre: Young Adult

Length: 278 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. 

I have to admit, my first thought when I finished this book was, "hmmm, that was interesting."  In fact, I wasn't really sure what I was going to rate it, much less how I was going to review it.  The one thing that I knew was that it was different from any other book I have ever read.  In the two weeks since I finished the book, it hasn't gotten any easier to define my feelings, except to say that this was a book of contrasts for me.  It was filled with moments of clarity and confusion, profound quotes and wasted words, important insights and trite excuses and a jumbled mass of Leonard's present and past.  

Perhaps it is easiest to start with an overview of the story. It is Leonard Peacock's birthday, and for his birthday he has decided to kill his former best friend, Asher Beal, and then himself.  Before he can do that, though, he has a present to give to the 4 people that he considers the most important in his life.  Sounds straightforward, doesn't it?  But nothing about this book is straightforward.  Not the writing style that Quick uses, not the motivations of the characters, and certainly not the mind of Leonard Peacock.  To say that Leonard is damaged goods is an understatement.  From the beginning it is apparent that he is one of those kids in high school that just don't fit in anywhere, but the why is a lot less clear.  As Leonard tells his story, we are given a lot of the events in his life that led to this point.  What we don't get much of is the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters that lead to these events. 

One of the most interesting things about this book was the writing style that Matthew Quick used to tell the story.  The basic events of the story are told by Leonard in narrative form.  As such, this part of the book does not give much insight into what the characters are thinking or feeling.  We are treated to the inner workings of Leonard's mind, though, in the form of footnotes to the narrative.  These are mostly the rambling of Leonard's inner mind and, as such, they have a more conversational and intimate tone.  It is here that we get more of a feel for Leonard's emotional well being and state of mind.  Then there are the letters.  They appeared out of nowhere, leaving me confused as to their purpose at first.  In the end, I was left wondering whether all these contrasting story devices and the confusion that are their result are a the mark of an author who has lost control of his story, or the result of a genius who is using them to illustrate the contrasts and confusion of the character that is Leonard Peacock.  It would be easy to dismiss them as the former, but that would be doing the book a disservice, I think.  In the end, I found that using the various devices worked for a couple of reasons.  First, I thought they worked to show the different facets of Leonard's character.   Secondly, they allowed me to feel some of the confusion that Leonard's life had become and the conflicting emotions he had about himself. 

What I found most disturbing about the book, was the lack of awareness of any of the adults in Leonard's life.  In fact, of all of the adults that we encounter in the story, only one seems to have any idea that things in Leonard's life are about to spin out of control.  The rest of the adults, from Leonard's absentee mother on down through the school administrators and teachers, seem determined to let Leonard down.  The ones that are not incredibly self-absorbed, seem bent on pretending that everything is normal and either there is nothing to worry about, or if there is, there is nothing they can do about it.  Admittedly, the story is being told from the viewpoint of a student, who is likely to see the adults as shallow and self-absorbed.  Even so, I felt that there was an important lesson for adults here. 

Bottom line, this is not a book for everyone, that is for sure.  As a reader, though, I found that it elicited strong feelings and for that reason I am giving it 4 stars.  Some readers may find the jumble of story telling devices confusing, or Leonard's attitude either too whiny, to wrapped up in excuses, or just not realistic.   I found that those items were the ones that made me think and ultimately to question what I was reading. Given the subject of this book, I think that is an important outcome.  My one caveat is that I was left feeling that this book could be either a positive influence on a teenager, or a negative one, depending on the reader.  I actually told one friend I was not sure how I would feel about my sons read it if they were a teenagers, but I could certainly see it starting some good discussions.   My advice as a parent is to look at the book yourself, and then determine if it is right for your teenager.   

.  

Thursday's Review: Margot by Jillian Cantor

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for a review. 

Publisher: Riverview Trade

Publication Date: September 3, 2013

List Price:  Print - $16.00

                Digital Edition - $9.99 (Kindle US $7.99)

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Another in the list of books about WWII and its aftermath, Margot by Jillian Cantor puts forth the supposition, what if Anne Frank's older sister had survived the war?  The author herself says that she got the idea while reading The Diary of Anne Frank for the second time.  She began to wonder, what of the other sister, Margot?  Did she keep a diary, too?  What was she like?  Apparently, after doing some research, she found that not much information exists about Anne's less famous sister.  This opened the door for a fictional story about surviving the holocaust with Margot as the central character.

It is 1959. and the movie The Diary of Anne Frank has just hit the theaters in the US.  Margie Franklin is living a quiet life in Philadelphia and working for a law firm.    But Margie is really Margot Frank, the older sister of Anne, who was able to survive the holocaust.  She eventually makes her way to America where she changes her identity, re-inventing herself as a Gentile.  Once her father publishes Anne's Diary and it is made into a movie, her new life starts to unravel, bit by bit.  

Once I picked up Margot, I found it very hard to put down.  The story alternated between the story of Margie, the girl hiding in America, and Margot, the girl hiding in the annex in Amsterdam.  I was amazed at what a great job the author did presenting the two sides of the main character.  I was particularly impressed with the way she was able to craft a believable story of what Margot could have been like while still staying true to the words of Anne's diary.  On the other hand, Margie's life in America was all fiction, but incredibly well told and highly believable.  I could really put myself in the place of a person in her situation, her survivor's guilt, the elements of PTSD inherent in her situation, the ever prevalent fear that someone would discover the truth about her, and the constant inner struggle to not lose sight of who she was.  Through the author's words I was transported into Margie's mind in the best way.  

What really sold this book for me, though, was the fact that it was more than just a "what if" book about Margot Frank.  To me, it was really an exploration of the after effects of the holocaust on Jewish Americans. Some, like Margie, immigrated to America and re-invented themselves to create a distance between their new lives and their old ones.  Others, like Bryta, came to America looking for a better life, only to find themselves taken advantage of.  Then there were the American Jews, like Joshua, who were removed from the worst of the war and lived a relatively unscathed life, which brought on its own brand of survivor's guilt. Through the exploration of all of these characters, the author was able to craft a story that should not be missed.  

This was definitely a 5 star book for me and will be on my highly recommended list for quite a while.  I have yet to come across a book that deals with these issues in such a readable and believable fashion.  

  

Tuesday's Review: The Children of Henry VII by John Guy

A copy of this book has been provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a review. 

Publisher: Oxford Press

Publication Date:  April 25, 2013

List Price:  Print: $27.95

                Digital $24.99 (Kindle US Price is $13.99)

Genre: Non-fiction History

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

So much has been written to date about the Tudor Dynasty that you might wonder why an established historian like John Guy would spend the time to write about them.  Given the numerous volumes, both fictional and non-fiction, that have been devoted to Henry, his wives, and their offspring, the Tudors as a family are still a fascinating lot who draw readers to their story.  Even those of us who have read extensively about them over the years are always looking for some new fact or tidbit.  Some new twist to their story, which you must admit, is like a modern day soap opera.  And at the heart of all of the family drama is Henry VII, the man who would stop at nothing to keep his dynasty alive, who would use any means possible to change wives in his search for an heir to the throne, who had four living children, but no two from the same mother.  What lover of family drama wouldn't be drawn to this dynasty?  

When I was in my teens, I happened upon a book about one of Henry's six wives and that started a love affair with not only the Tudors, but the history of Royalty in general.  Their lives were so different from mine, I was fascinated by the pageantry, the political intrigues, and the family dynamics that were prevalent in their stories.  I learned early on to enjoy the fictional accounts of their lives, but to rely on the non-fiction accounts for perspective.  In that respect I am always looking for a good non-fiction book on Royalty to add to my collection, or to recommend to those looking for good books on the subject.

 John Guy's latest, The Children of Henry VIII, is a well written book covering the struggle of Henry VIII to procure an heir for the Tudor throne.  At just 258 pages it is a relatively quick read on the subject.  In addition, it presents the essential information in a way that is uncomplicated and easy to follow.  For those reasons, this would be an excellent book for anyone just beginning to read about the Tudors.  For those of us that are well versed in the subject, though, there is little new information.  I did, however, like the fact that this book contained a complete section on Henry Fitzroy, and did not just focus on the legitimate offspring.  I was also fascinated by the author's suggestion that Henry had a rare blood condition that may have been the root of his inability to father more than one living child by any one woman.  I had never heard this theory before and wish the author would have gone into a bit more depth on the subject.

In fact, my biggest disappointment with this book overall was the lack of depth in general.  At times it seemed to me that the author was just skimming the surface of the subject, while I was looking for more detailed information on the children and their lives.  In fact, I felt the beginning of the book was more about Henry himself than the children's early lives.  The good news is that the lack of depth coupled with John Guy's extremely readable writing style makes this an excellent  book on Henry and his children for someone who is just starting to explore the Tudors.

On the other hand, if you are like me and love all things Tudor, or never tire of reading about them, there is a bit of the new and different in this books that makes it worth the read. 

Thursday's Review: Little Island by Katharine Britton

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for a review. 

Publisher:  Berkeley, sold through Penguin USA, LLC

Publication Date: September 3, 2013

List Price:  $ 15.00 Print             

                $  7.99 - 9.99 Digital Copy

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Family Drama

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Joy Little's life is changing.  Her only child has just left for college, but instead of going with him on dorm move-in weekend, she is headed to her childhood home, Little Island, to attend her grandmother's memorial service.  Although she loved her grandmother, spending the weekend on the Island with her parents and her twin siblings, Roger and Tamar, is not something she is looking forward to.   Given their family history, family get-togethers for the Little family are tumultuous at best and Joy just does not know if she is up for the challenge.  

Although basically Contemporary Fiction, Little Island falls into a class of books that I call "family drama" books.  You know the type, books where we get a glimpse of a family that is struggling due to a past or present crisis.  For me, enjoyment of books of this type hinge two things; how well the author handles the family's various crises, and how the author builds the characters and their relationships.   I am happy to say, Katharine Britton did a great job of both in this book.  

The characters in this book spoke to me right off the bat.  The oldest sister, Joy, is going through empty nest syndrome, exhibiting feelings I am very familiar with since I have two sons in college.  As the oldest sibling, then as a mom, her whole life has been about taking care of people.  What is she supposed to do now?  On the flip side, her sister Tamar is the youngest, and the one they "almost lost".  As such, the other family members have danced around her all of her life.  Now she finds herself as a wife and the mother of twins with no idea how to put anyone else first.  Finally there is Roger, the one that was always in trouble, the cause of the families biggest crisis, a crisis that still defines them, and the one thing that has always defined his life.  I though that the author did a wonderful job of developing these and other characters in the book, giving them the right mix of traits to allow me to empathize with them at times, and want to smack them at others., but always hoping they were able to break past the roles that defined them.   Thus it was the characters in the book, especially the Little siblings, which allowed a predictable story line to become unpredictable.

\

Another thing that I liked about the book was the way the author told the family's story.  While the bulk of the story took place during the weekend of the memorial service, part of it flashed back to 20 years prior, the time surrounding the crisis that defined the family.  In addition,  different chapters focused on the thoughts and feelings of different family members, giving each of them a chance to "tell their side of the story" so to speak.  It was a method of telling the story that really worked for me.  

Almost exactly two years ago, I read Katharine Britton's first book, Her Sister's Shadow, which I also rated 4 stars.  As with that book, I enjoyed this book's interplay between the family members.  What set this book apart and elevated it to that next level, for me, were the characters.  I am glad to see that Katharine Britton has not lost her touch with story telling, and that her characters have even more personality than before.  I would highly recommend this book to those who like books centered around families and drama.  

Tuesday's Review: The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a review 

Publisher: Ballantine Books, sold in the US by Random House

Publication Date: May 14, 2013

List Price: $15.00 Trade
Genre: Historical Fiction/ Alternate History
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

There were several things that drew me to Laura Andersen's book The Boleyn King.  First and foremost I love reading about historical figures, especially when it is about Royalty.   I cut my teeth on books written by Jean Plaidy, Norah Lofts, and the like and recently moved on to some of the greats like Sharon Kl Penman, C. W. Gortner and Elizabeth Chadwick.  Like many readers in this category, I have read numerous books about the Tudors, both fiction and non-fiction.  As a result, a book that poses the question..."What if Anne Boleyn had given birth to a son who lived, and who eventually grew up to be King" certainly caught my interest.  I think that most of us who have read extensively about the Tudor Dynasty have wondered just that same thing at one time or another.  

In the first book of her Boleyn King trilogy, Laura Andersen introduces us to William Tudor, son of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, younger brother or Elizabeth, and the newly crowned King Henry IX of England.  As William's 18th birthday approaches, he is preparing to take over the running of the kingdom from his Uncle George Boleyn, who has been serving as Regent and head of William's government.  Add to this the usual political intrigue that always seems to surround the Tudor court, or most Royal courts for that matter, a mystery that needs solving, wars that need attending to, and a love triangle and you have all of the elements of a top notch story. 

In spite of it's obvious departure from the facts, I am happy to say that the overall representation of the people and events in  this story is true to the nature of the times.    She certainly did her homework, and her depiction of such historical figures such as Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth Tudor, Mary Tudor, George Boleyn, and others such as the Percys and Robert Dudley, are spot on.  Her ability to stay true to their natures while including just the right amount of embellishment was fantastic.  In fact, she did such a good job with her portrayal of Elizabeth that she, rather than William, became my favorite character in the book.  

Another place where the author was perfectly on the mark was in the way she depicted the Tudor Court.  Here again we see her research manifest itself in the inclusion of political intrigues and court machinations that were so prevalent at the time.  Here again, she did a masterful job of blending the truth with a fiction in such a way that the end result came off as totally believable.  In fact,she did such a good job here that even my reading friends that are sticklers for truth in historical fiction ended up liking the book.   as for me, I was transported to the court of Henry IX, and did not want to leave. 

As I said above, this is the first book of a trilogy, the second of which is being released today . I, for one, am certainly excited as I did not want this book to end when it did.  It was one of those books where I just wanted a few more pages, a bit more time with the characters.  If you are a fan of historical fiction, royal courts, the Tudors, and especially Elizabeth I, I would strongly recommend reading this book.  It will be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. 

Blog Tour: A Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer

Stops on the Tour

November 1st    My Home of Books

November 2nd  A Book Addict's Musings

November 3rd  Melina's Book Blog

November 6th  My Recent Favorite Books

November 7th   Griperangs Bookmarks

November 8th  The Book Bag

Review

Publisher: Ballantine Books through Random House
Publication Date: October 29, 2013

List Price:  $18.00 Hardback

                $ 7.99  Digital Edition

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Chick-Lit

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 This book was provided by the author in exchange for a review. 

The Season is upon us.  No, I don't mean the Christmas season, I am talking about the "holiday book season".  You know, that time of year when authors entice us with stories stories built on and around Thanksgiving and, especially, Christmas.  This trend seems to be especially prevalent in the Chick-Lit genre.  Many of my reading friends look forward to this time of year when they can count on their favorite authors to put out new holiday stories that they can immerse themselves in.  It is a tradition that, for some readers, is as important in marking the holidays as decorating the tree and singing carols.  As the slew of Christmas books come out to celebrate the season, it can be hard sometimes to decided which ones to read and which ones to skip.  I have read, and reviewed several lately that are worthy of the Christmas read.  For me, the best of the bunch so far is A Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer.  

A Nantucket Christmas takes place, as you can guess, on Nantucket Island.  Retired nurse Nicole and her new husband, Sebastian are two people who met later in life and fell in love.  Their Christmas plans include a visit from Sebastian's adult daughter, Kennedy, her husband, and their three-year old son Maddox.  To call Kennedy and adult, though, is using the term loosely.  Kennedy is spoiled, rich, self-centered, and, to top it all off, 8 months pregnant.  You can probably guess that combination is not one that bodes well for a festive, fun Christmas, especially since Kennedy views her step-mother as an interloper.  

Thus the stage is set for this "slice of life" story about the forging of new family bonds.   The biggest problem with "slice of life" stories is that they can be both lacking in conflict and somewhat formulaic. Especially in one that has only 145 pages.   In the case of this story, though, there was plenty of conflict to go around between  Kennedy and her step-mother and Sebastian and his ex-wife too name a few. And while the story was a bit formulaic, I felt the writing was good enough to overcome that aspect.  Besides, most of the reason we read these stories is because we know where they are going and we like where that is, right? 

In addition, this book was filled with interesting characters.  First and foremost, there was Kennedy.  Some may say that no adult woman, especially one with a child, could be so self involved.  To me that was the fun of her character.  I could safely dislike her, roll my eyes at her when she was at her worst, and yet, I could also sympathize with her a bit.  Nicole was also a great character and I loved the way that the author used her to highlight both the stress inherent in the season, and the stress inherent in the situation.  I also liked Maddox and particularly enjoyed his three-year-old antics.  Perhaps my favorite, though, was Snix/Pooh, the dog.  While by no means a major character, I enjoyed reading about his life and seeing things through his eyes.  

 Since so many of the Christmas stories out there center around romances (which I enjoy), I found the focus on the family in this book to be a welcome change.  In addition, at just 145 pages it was a quick read and I would recommend it for those of us who like the holiday story genre.  

Tuesday's Review: Accidents Happen by Louise Millar

A copy of this book was provided through Netgalley in exchange for a review. 

Publication date:  June 25, 2013

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestier Books

List Price:  $15.00 Paperback

                  $ 10.00 Digital Copy

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The first thing I noticed about Louise Millar's book Accidents Happen was this was going to be one of those books where things were not what they seemed.  As the story progressed, that feeling was reinforced time and again.  Interestingly, though, even with the feeling getting stronger and stronger, I was never quite able to put my finger on exactly what was wrong.  

Kate Parker is a single mother who has seen more than her share of tragedy.  She lost her parents to an auto accident on her wedding day, her husband was murdered, and her house has been broken into at least once.  That is enough to make anyone look over their shoulder, but for Kate it drives her to extremes.  She begins to keep track of statistics on accidents in her head, pulling them out and mentally reciting them over and over until she feels in control again. In addition, she becomes convinced that she is not safe in her own home.  Both behaviors leave her young son, Jack, frustrated and afraid, and her in-laws convinced that she has lost touch with reality.  

There were several things that I really liked about this book.  First of all, the story line was interesting on several levels. I can only imagine what devices I would use to cope if I had so many tragedies befall my life in such a short time.  In addition, even though I tried to figure out what was going on, I could only place my finger on the whose, not the whys.  If an author can do that to me, I am usually sold.  And, although it had nothing to do with the story, I especially liked the author's choice to include the information about Frano Selak, dubbed "the world's luckiest man."  Little tidbits like that, that give insight into the author's thought process when writing a book, really peak my interest. 

The characters in the book were spot on, too.  Kate had just the right amount of dysfunction contrasted with her will to improve.  My feelings for her alternated between cheering her on in her recovery and wanting to slap her for backsliding or being stupid about something.  I'm pretty sure that is the gamut of emotions that I would have if I knew someone in real life like her.  The supporting characters were also true to what I would expect, especially her in-laws who are trapped between worry for Jack and exasperation at her antics, and her sister-in-law who feels trapped by circumstances, bewildered at the loss of her friend, and ultimately caught in the middle of the family drama.  

This is the first of Louise Millar's books that I have read, so I did not have any preconceived ideas of what to expect or where the story might lead.  In addition, this allowed me not to be disappointed in the similarities between this book and her other one, as some reviewers have been.  What I found here was a compelling story with real characters, and although the ending did seem a bit formulaic, it fit the story well.  

Thursday's Review: The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy

This book was provided by the author in exchange for a review. 

Publisher: Broadway Books, sold by Random House

Publication Date: January 24, 2012

List Price:  $23.00 Hardcover

                  $13.99 Paperback

                  $ 7.99 Digital Edition

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I seem to be stuck in a pattern of reading books about WWII lately. Partly this is due the the fact that books about the war seem to be the current trend in historical fiction, but it is also due to the fact that there happen to be a lot of excellent books out there right now that deal with the war.  I, myself, have read  and reviewed several of them lately, like Chris Bohjalian's A Light in the Ruins and Nancy Kricorian's All the Light There Was.  The best of this list so far, though, is The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy. 

The Baker's Daughter is really a story within a story.  In the set-up story Reba Allen, a writer for a local magazine in El Paso, Texas, is assigned to write a fluff piece about the Christmas customs of the various cultures that make up the melting pot that is El Paso.  In pursuit of this, she decides to interview Elsie Schmidt, a German immigrant and owner of Elsie's German Bakerie.  Thus the reader is introduced to the second story of the book, that of Elsie Schmidt and her family during the waning years of the Second World War.  It is the similarities and contrasts between the two stories that pulls this book together as a cohesive whole. 

Although both stories are well told and interesting, the story of Elsie and her family was by far my favorite of the two stories.  I was captivated by both the character of Elsie and her story from the page that they were introduced all the way to their end.  I especially liked reading a story from the perspective of a typical German family during the war.  I though the author did an excellent job of using Elsie, her family, and those around them to show that there were Germans of all types during the war.  Like everyone else, they had their good and their bad,, were confused and conflicted, and missed the normalcy of their everyday lives.  It was their utter humanness that drew me into the story and kept me going.  I also loved the way that the author used the stories of Reba and her fiancee Riki to echo the themes of confused emotions and conflicted ideals that we saw in Elsie's story.  Perhaps this quote sums it up the best, "No one is good or bad by birth or nation or religion.  Inside, we are all masters and slaves, rich and poor, perfect and flawed." 

To say that this book was beautifully written is an understatement.  Sarah McCoy is a master at telling a story with beautiful prose and wonderful emotion.  Her descriptions were so well done that I could actually smell the baking bread, taste the rolls hot from the oven, and feel the cold of the snow.  In addition, I could feel the emotions of fear, happiness, despair, and longing that she described. In addition, the inclusion of the letters from and to the characters really helped to highlight the personal aspects of the story.   This book truly encompasses the best in historical fiction, taking you into the lives and times of the characters and settings and making you feel like you are right there with them.  

As you can tell, I loved this book.  The only thing that I saw as a drawback was the size of the font.  I know, that is a weird thing to comment on, but the font in this book was so small that I found it really hard to read unless I was in bright light.  The letters, especially, were hard to read at times.  In this case, a cursive font was used to make the letters seem more real, which is actually a plus, but again, the font was so small that it was hard to make out some of the cursive writing.  At any rate, this was the only thing that marred my otherwise perfect experience with this book, and I am probably making it sound more important than it was. 

I have seen and looked at Sarah McCoy's other book, The Time it Snowed in Puerto Rico, but have never quite decided to read it.  After reading The Baker's Daughter, though, I am excited to read it.  I believe that Sarah is going to become one of my favorite authors in no time.  I highly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, especially those interested in reading about every day lives during WWII.  

Thursday's Review: All the Light There Was by Nancy Kricorian

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for a review. 

Publisher: Houghton Mifflen Harcourt

Publication Date: March 12, 2013

List Price: $24.00 Hardcover

                  $ 2.99  Digital Edition 

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

It seems that the newest trend in Historical Fiction is novels about WWII.  There have been a number of books on this subject lately, and a lot of them are very good.  Nancy Kricorian's novel All the Light There Was is one of those books.  The story is narrated by Maral, and teenage Armenian girl living in Paris at the time that the Nazi's invade France and the Occupation of Paris begins.  Through Maral's eyes we see what it is like to have lived in Paris during the war.  Her character allows us to experience the fears and deprivations of living through a war torn country.  

I loved the way that Nancy tells the story of Maral, her family, and her friends in such a wonderfully personal way.  Along with giving me a really good picture of what life was like in occupied Paris, it allowed me to really become familiar with the characters in the book.  This personal way of telling the story reminded me a lot of the writing of Chris Bohjalian, who is one of my favorite authors.  Like Chris, Nancy is able to tell a story in such a way that you really feel that it is happening right there in front of you to people that you know and love.  

What sets Nancy's book apart from many of the others books currently out there that deal with life during WWII is the fact that Maral and her family are Armenian and not French.  This fact adds a dimension to the book that other stories do not have.  This is most evident in the way that her parents and the elders of the community relate this war and the actions of the Germans to the earlier Armenian Genocide that forced them to seek refuge in France in the first place.  I thought that intertwining these two historical events was an excellent move that gave this story a bit more depth than it might have had otherwise.   Along with the story of WWII, you got a bit of history about the Armenian Genocide, and you got a glimpse of life in a traditional Armenian family.  Three for the price of one, so to speak. 

My only disappointment in the story occurred toward the end.  There was a part of the story there where I could pretty much guess what the outcome was going to be, but the narrative took its time getting there.  As a result, I thought the story could have ended a bit earlier, or alternately, jumped over some of the last bit.  

The true measure of a book, though, to me is whether it entices me to learn more about the era or events presented and/or entices me to seek out more of the author's books.  In the case of All the Light There Was, it has done both.  I am really excited that Nancy has written two other books and will be adding them to my "to read" list.  In addition, I am curious about Armenian families and the Armenian Genocide and will be looking for more on that subject as well.  

Tuesday's Review: Square of Revenge by Pieter Aspe

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a review. 

Publisher: Pegasus Books

Publication Date:  June 1, 2013

List Price:  $24.95 Hardback

                   $14.95 Digital

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

The Square of Revenge is the first novel in the Van In mystery series by Dutch author Pieter Aspe.  Since I was not familiar with the author, I looked him up to see what other books he had written, there was a long list, most of them not in English. This leads me to believe that he is an established author trying to break into the US market.  

The premise for the book sounds intriguing.  A wealthy jeweler has his store broken into.  Instead of stealing anything the burglars dissolve his entire inventory in aqua regia, a substance that supposedly can melt even gold.  In addition, they leave behind a scrap of paper upon which is written four words in the situated in the form of a square.  Why would the burglars vandalize the shop, but not take anything?  What is the significance, if any, of the square of words. To Detective Van In and DA Hannelore Martens this crime seems to be very personal.  

When I decided to try The Square of Revenge, I wasn't sure what I would find.  From the synopsis, I thought this might be a "conspiracy mystery" book, similar to those of Dan Brown, Steve Berry, and Brad Meltzer, of which I am a big fan.  If not that, I was hoping for a good nordic noir mystery, based on the name of the author and the language that this book was originally released in.  In reality, though, this book did not fit into either of those categories.  It was more of a standard detective mystery in the style of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot books, or Nelson DeMille's John Corey series.   As such it was a good story with engaging characters and an interesting mystery.  For a number of the characters in the story I was not sure what their role was or why they were relevant until closer to the end.  I like this about mysteries as it keeps me guessing and that keeps me engaged.  I was a bit disappointed, though, that some of the connections hinted at in the beginning of the book were never really addressed, though.  In addition, there were several devices in the story that I felt the author could have given a bigger role, but which I cannot enumerate without giving things away.  It was unfortunate that some of these items were ones that I was most interested in at the beginning, they had such promise but turned out to be nothing, really.

I would still recommend this book for mystery buffs, but just be aware that it is a straight up mystery.  It is neither big on the suspense, nor would I call it a thriller.  As a mystery, though, it is an enjoyable and good read.  I intend to seek out other books in the series if I can find them in English.  I am interested to see how Van In and DA Martens progress and to learn more about their back stories. 

Thursday's Review: Glass House 51 by John Hampel

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my review

Publication Date: January 28th, 2013

Publisher: Bzff Books

List Price: $19.95 Print 

                  $ 3.99 Digital

Genre: Science Fiction Thriller

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 Recently I stumbled across John Hampel's book Glass House 51.  The premise for this story centers around Alphabank, the largest financial institution in the U.S.  The powers that be at Alphabank have picked two of their employees, Richard (no last name) and Cristin Darrow to be bait in their quest to draw out Norman Dunne, a reclusive computer genius who is a former employee, and a suspect in a series of murders of young women.  

What unfolds is a captivating story about power, greed, and control in the same vent as the classics dystopian novels like 1984 and Brave New World.  In fact, the publishing blurb for the book states, "Glass House 51 is humbly dedicated to George Orwell and Aldous Huxley,,,,,,They saw it coming; they saw it first; they warned us.  We learned nothing."  In fact, the story that John Hampel weaves in this book is a first rate story that combines all of the best elements of the classic Big Brother stories of the past.  Reading the book was like reading 1984, Brave New World, Animal House, and Fahrenheit 451 all rolled into one, with the addition of an exciting thriller threading through the story.  I loved the way that the author referred to these books throughout the story, but I also loved the way that he updated the themes presented in the classics to make this book relevant to the current times.  The addition of a thriller story line only added to the suspense in the book and really kept me turning the pages.  

The main characters in the story were also masterfully done.  I love books where the characters continually surprise me, and that happened in this books in many ways.  At times I would think that I had a character figured out, only to have them do an about-face.  This propensity to change and challenge my thinking of the characters really kept me interested to see what was going to happen next.  I loved the way it also blurred the lines between the good and bad guys, and kept me on my toes trying to figure out who were going to be the eventual heroes.  

Unfortunately, this book has not gotten a lot of either press or exposure, which is really sad.  It is a top-notch story with  well developed characters that deal with important issues for our times.  Is the story entirely plausible....probably not, but it has a lot to say to us about the information intensive age that we live in and lessons that it would be better to learn through fiction than through real life. Since neither of my sons were required to read 1984 OR Brave New World, I am going to direct them towards this book and hope that is sparks some great discussions among us.  

Blog Tour: Starry Night by Debbie Macomber

C

Book Tour Schedule for "Starry Night" by Debbie Macomber

October 1st -  My Home of Books
October 2nd - A Book Addict's Musings
October 3rd - Creative Madness Mama
October 4th - Griperang's Bookmarks
October 5th - Jax's Book Magic
October 6th - Tidbits of Experience
October 7th - My Recent favorite books
October 8th - The Book Bag
October 9th - Deco My Heart Reviews
October 10th - Mary - Andering Creatively
October 10th - Mary-andering Among the Pages

REVIEW:  

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date:  October 8, 2013

List Price:  $18.00 Hardback

                      $ 7.99 Digital Edition

Genre: Romance

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. 

Believe it or not, Starry Night is the first Debbie Macomber book I have read.  I enjoy light romances, often interspersing  them between my historicals, mysteries, and thrillers.  Add to that the advent of the Christmas season, when I get in the mood to read lighter stories that center around Christmas, and the opportunity to participate in the blog tour for this book seemed like a natural.  

Starry Night is the story of  Carrie Slayton, a society reporter for the Chicago Sun Times, who longs to be able to report on more serious stories.  Her boss challenges her to find and interview reclusive author Finn Dalton,  with the promise of being able to write any stories she wants if she can get the coveted interview.  As a result, Carrie heads out for the wilds of Alaska in search of Finn.  What she finds, changes her life and perspectives dramatically. 

Starry Night is your typical romance book, complete with a smart, self sufficient female protagonist and the reluctant male love interest.  As you can probably guess, when Carrie and Finn meet, sparks fly, and not always the good kind.  The fact that this book is a typical romance has both good and bad sides to it.  The story of Carrie and Finn was thoroughly enjoyable and a nice break from the mystery/thrillers that I have been reading,  Here is a story where the characters are who they are supposed to be.  There is no subterfuge, and you can trust them.  Their actions are what they appear to be, and their motives follow the expected path.  I have heard good things about Debbie Macomber's books, and I can see why.  She has a smooth, easy writing style, her characters are easy to become invested in, and her settings are interesting.  Alternately, though, it is so typical, that if you are looking for something a bit different in the genre you will not find it here.  Luckily for me, I was looking for the typical.  

Aside from the fact that this book is typical in every respect, my biggest caveat about the book is that Christmas was really insignificant to the story.  The fact that part of the story takes place over the holidays is the only thing that allows this story to be classed as a Chrismas story at all.  The good news here is that Christmas plays such a small part that you could read the story anytime of the year and not be slapped in the face with a lot of Christmas talk.  The only other  caveat I had about the story was that I wished that more of the story took place in Alaska.  I love the less ordinary settings, and would loved to have had more of that part of the book. 

The bottom line here, though, is that I enjoyed this book enough for it to entice me to read more by Debbie Macomber.  I know a lot of her other books are a series, and I look forward to fitting them in between my other reading.  Many thanks to my friend Melissa for including me in this blog tour and introducing me to Debbie Macomber.