Beautiful Creatures

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
YA Fantasy
December 2009
Grade: B-

On the surface, Ethan Wate has it all: an old Southern Lineage which makes him royalty in his small town, an ex that would happily become a current, and all the adoration that a teenage basketball star could want.

Inside, he is a mess. He still aches from the loss of his mother. The woman raising him is a vodoo witch (literally), and his father has gone awol since his mother's death. Not even his dreams are safe - he is haunted by a young woman whose face he cannot see but whose destiny he must preserve. When Lena Duchannes, niece of the town bogeyman begins attending his school (which hadn't had a new student since he was in first grade) he knows everything is about to get messier.

Lena doesn't know why she is drawn to the mortal but she definitely is. There can be no future there -- she is a caster who may very well turn dark on her 16th birthday. She could easily become a hazard to all who know her -- the last thing she needs is a human on her conscience.

But Ethan and Lena pretty quickly realize that whatever is happening is happening to both of them. Will working together help them defeat the dark?

This is a good but not great read. I felt like the authors overloaded the book too much with things it just didn't need and the end result was a fuzzy story line which fizzled rather than banged at the end. On the other hand, the idea of magical people (called Casters) who were all of one gang (werewolves, succubus and witches all together), a super natural library with a mortal librarian, seeing eye dogs that really see for their master--those were all pretty good.

Maybe not a rush to buy but a book that would make a good rainy day read.

Tea: Anything that goes well with rain!

Magic Under Glass

Jaclyn Dolamore
Grade: C-

Novels like this are strong arguments for the use of the public library. I might have spent perfectly good money had it not been for this brilliant institution.

Once upon a time, the land of Lorinar was enchanted by "trouser girls", exotic young woman from the eastern land of Tassim who danced in baggy trousers and silken slippers singing exotic songs such as "The Dragon Maidens Revenge" but that fashion has fallen out of favor. Now Nimira is reduced to singing in a penny music hall, dreaming of the days when her mother was the dancer and the money was plentiful. It seems an answer to prayer when Hollin Parry, a real life gentleman, hires her to perform with his piano playing automaton. He is convinced that the contrast between the living, breathing Nimira and the wooden prince of the piano will create a fantastic diversion for his guests.

The offer is not all it appears though. While Hollin is clearly a rich, landed gentleman it is also clear he is not in command of his own home. Miss Rashten, the head housekeeper, seems strangely more in charge than her employer. More, she has the power to forbid them both the upper levels of the house, a place that holds a strange lure for Nimira.

The job also doesn't appear as easy as it first sounded. It isn't long before Nimira discovers that two girls had been hired before her to perform with the mechanical wooden man. And that both had fled the house claiming that the automaton was haunted. When the wooden man tries to communicate with her, Nimira realizes that Hollin will never believe her without evidence, so she does what she thinks best; she communicates right back! As she and the wooden man figure a way to speak using the piano she learns he is, in fact, enchanted. And his story is a dangerous one indeed. . . .

Part Jane Eyre and part fairy tale, this book winds up thoroughly confused as to where it is going. The unique tale and location intrigue but the simplicity of the story telling and the authors inability to write a cohesive story make sure that intrigue falls flat.

In addition, the characters were difficult to grasp. Or maybe they just weren't likable. While Hollin was amiable and friendly he was also spineless and dishonest. Since he wasn't one of those sinister characters that is sugar on the outside and poison on the inside I found it very confusing. There was nothing that indicated to me why the dichotomy existed, except as it went to further the plot. That annoyed.

Nimira was odd also. While she was a better person by far than Hollin, I didn't understand her motivations. That would have been fine but she also just didn't engage my interest, which wasn't fine.

Overall, the book was flat and while the premise was interesting the execution did not live up to its promise. I would have gone with a C but it earned a minus for taking time out to do a lecture via character at the end.

Tea: Don't waste a cuppa.

Lament

Maggie Stievfater
Grade: A but grudgingly
YA Fantasy

Deidre Monaghan and James Morgan are best friend with astounding musical talents. Best in their instruments -- Deidre on harp, James on the bagpipes-- it is rare that they meet anyone who can match them in talent. When Deidre meets Luke Dillon during her usual pre-show puking session she is surprised not just by his classy and compassionate handling of a truly awkward situation but by the simple fact of meeting a new talent with whom she is unfamiliar. The two go on to play a duet, one so hauntingly lovely Deidre is for the first time ever truly pleased with what she has accomplished. But the beauty of their talent has attracted the wrong kind of attention for Deidre. It begins with an odd boy with a vicious sense of humor. It escalates with four leaf clovers surrounding her wherever she goes. It ends with a betrayal -- and the murderous attention of the Faerie Queen.

This is a turn the page quick as you can type tale. You can't wait to see what happens between Deidre and Luke as they begin that dizzying dance of first love. And I truly loved how the author portrayed it. I thought she had the awkwardness, eagerness, innocence and breathless hope of the whole experience down pat. There were no heaving bosoms or out of whack sex drives, just the gentle wonder of finding out the person you find utterly fascinating finds you fascinating right back.

I really loved these two characters. Luke is everything every teenage girl dreams of but not in an obnoxious way. Yes, he has a flaw. A huge one. But he is handsome and considerate, artistic and strong, fun but able to be serious when the need arises -- like I said, the kind of hero you sigh over.

Deidre is a good heroine. Strong and caring and smart. Talented and ambitious but not overly so.

James is a great friend. A real teenager in his habits and behaviors but above and beyond in loyalty and compassion. There is a great moment in an ice cream shop that just had my heart gooing all over him.

My only reservation will be listed in the review for Ballad, the sequel.

Tea: Earl Grey with fairy cakes. Here is a recipe link.http://www.ivillage.co.uk/food/experts/coach/articles/0,,177274_673444,00.html

The Centurions Wife

By: Janette Oke and Davis Bunn
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Grade: Writing A
Setting A
Plot A
Characterization A
Romance C/D


Alban is a Gaul but a centurion in the Roman army. A second son who was a threat to his non-warrior brother, Alban hungers for advancement in the government of occupied Judea. He knows one sure way to win it is to wed Leah, Pilate's niece. Her family has been utterly impoverished and disgraced and she now serves as maid to Procula, Pilot's wife. But occupied Judea is not a good place to be for anyone right now. The crucifixion of the Jewish spiritual leader Jesus has led to more political unrest rather than lessened it as hoped. In a land and time ruled by politicians who lived on bribes and deceptions, how can two people tossed to the bottom of the pile hope to rise again? Especially when the situation grows more and more charged with every moment.

This is a fascinating look at a portion of the occupied Roman Empire in a period of great political unrest. I had never really understood what all was happening in Jesus' time from the viewpoint of the Roman's and this gives us a look into what they were dealing with by occupying Judea. Fascinating stuff. I liked the fact that though this book has a primarily Jewish view point they do not paint the Romans as strictly villains. Both Pilate and his wife Procula come across as OK people. They are not violent, are willing to listen, are open minded as they can afford to be -- yes, they watch their backs. You would too in their position. But they aren't portrayed as monsters just because they happened to occupy a hostile land.

Alban, Linux and other Romans are also portrayed in a favorable light. Again, they are not shown to be villains but soldiers doing their duty to their own kingdom.

The "Followers of the Way" or Christians are portrayed in an interesting manner. Much of the book deals with them, with how they differ to the other Jewish communities and yet how very Jewish they themselves are. This isn't an anti-Jewish Christian group but is instead a Jewish community following a new teaching. It was VERY interesting watching them sift through the old and new to arrive at what their own beliefs are, even while everyone around them seeks to find out just how much a danger they pose.

Another aspect I found interesting was Judean politics. It is clear that the political center was the Jewish Temple and it was interesting to see how the mix of religion and politics just didn't work. The Sanhedrin were presented as a mix of both good and bad. I was glad the author took a more balanced approach, although being an inspirational it was clear who they thought was in the right.

I had only a few quibbles with the book. For a romance, we sure didn't see much of Alban and Leah falling in love. They do but it is subtle and a very small part of the plot. The other quibble is that Leah wanted to marry for love. Hearing these words come from a girl in her position just astounded me. Arranged marriages were a fact. Really. It just seemed ridiculous that this girl wanted to choose her own husband.

Overall, a great look at the history of the early Christian church with a sweet romance.

Tea: Maybe just a tiny bit of wine??

To Kiss a Frog

Elle James
Grade: C
Fantasy/Southern Romance

While visiting his uncle down in the bayou, hotshot New Orlean's lawyer Craig Thibodeaux develops a small problem: he crosses the niece of the bayous Voodoo Queen. Her response? He has till the next full moon to find a woman to love him or his curse will be upon him for life. The curse? Man by night, frog by day.

Craig quickly learns that a frog's life, especially a tiny one like him, is full of peril. He had a bit of a tumble and he can't get his hop to go right. He was almost stepped on by his uncle. A beagle nearly ate him. And this was just the first ten minutes! This is not how he wants to spend his life.

Elaine Smith has some problems of her own. Namely, walking in on her fiancee in the stairwell with the department secretary. Now she has decided to give herself a break from the office and go out to the bayou to find out what is killing some of the local animal life.

Craig's uncle quickly volunteers him to take Elaine out on the bayou in the evenings to collect her samples. And Craig finds himself drawn to practical, smart, sexy Elaine. But will this be a love that lasts? Can he woo a decent, likable woman just to break a curse? Or will it be more than that?

The romance between Craig And Elaine was a bit forced but I liked both of them as characters. They were decent people, realistic enough that you might meet them in the grocery store. The story was cute and fun. While this wasn't a book that had me begging for more it was a solid freshmen effort and I would definitely read more by this author.

Tea: Iced tea with a sprig of mint.

The Mercenary

by : Katherine Garbera
Genre: Romance
Grade: C

Ever been in a book store and been caught by a cover? That happened to me a few weeks ago. I couldn't seem to walk away from the cover to this book and finally just bought it I had never heard of the author before, so I thought maybe I had stumbled upon something really new. Upon coming home, I looked up reviews on her and believe me, a C is a banner score for her.

I'll be honest, this book probably doesn't deserve a C. The writing can be clunky, there were mistakes, there were silly conversations, lust thought -- you name it, this book probably had that problem. So why the decent grade?

Let's talk about the story first. Kirk Mann was once a military sniper but is now working for the Savage Seven, an elite team of mercenaries known for their ability to get the job down. Guarding someone like Olivia Pountuf is not normally on the agenda but she's a friend of his bosses wife and that's all the credentials she needs to push her to the top of Savage's priority list. Besides, guarding someone in South Africa, with its corrupt police departments and high crime rate isn't all a cupcake mission.

Olivia never thought she would need a body guard. Writing childrens books normally doesn't put one on a hit list. But when she witnesses something she shouldn't and then gets the goods on someone who most definitely doesn't want her to have them, her life expectancy begins to be measured in minutes rather than years. She can only be thankful that the Savage Seven are there for her. Even if her growing attraction to her body guard is rather inappropriate. . .

I loved the setting for this book. South Africa and its diamond cartel made for some interesting reading. And this book, while a pale, pale, pale image of a Brockmann almost came close to being a shadow of one. I really miss Brockmann's style of writing so it was kind of neat to have this "nowhere near as good as the original" stand-in.

There were some really bad moments though. For example: In one scene Olivia gets changed to go work out. Then she runs into Kirk, some conversation occurs ---- and Olivia gets dressed to go work out. That was the editor or proof reader not doing their job and it was a bit of a jolt. In another scene Olivia is talking about being betrayed by someone extremely close to her. Kirk's response? "Don't take it so personally." That was -- ridiculous. When you are betrayed by someone that close to you, its nothing if not personal. There were a few other ridiculous moments in the book like this that just pull you out of the story for a minute.

But I liked it. Whether there was some kind of "location porn" thing going on or whether I just clicked somehow with the authors writing, I found the book interesting and readable. In the end, that is what reading is all about.

Tea: Information from Wisegeek.com :Red tea is a popular South African beverage made from the oxidized and dried leaves of the Aspalathis linearis plant. Technically, red tea is a tisane, not a tea, since it does not contain the leaves of Camellia sinensis, the tea bush. Several South African companies produce red tea for export, since it has become popular in many other parts of the world as well; it is a common offering at tea houses and restaurants, and it can also be found in many markets.

Celestial Seasonings (oh, how I love those people!) sell several delicious red tea varieties.

Dawn of Valor

by: Lindsay McKenna
Genre: Korean War Romance
Grade: B

Rachel Mckenzie is a surgical nurse whose MASH unit sits on the very edge of the battle torn line between North and South Korea. When her unit is overrun she is taken prisoner, a fact that has the military in uproar. Bad enough to let some of their doctors get taken but to lose one of the few women they had was the equivalent of a public relations nightmare. Immediately, Chase Trayhern and his squadron are ordered to bomb the convoy the prisoners are in and create a diversion for their escape. It works beautifully accept that Chase is hit and forced to parachute to safety. It turns out not to work quite that way since he lands behind enemy lines and hits his head on the way down. Rachel finds him, does some quick first aid and the two begin a trek towards freedom -- and love.

Rachel is a mix of strength and innocence. Raised to think that "good girls don't" (typical I think for her era) and experience has taught her that pilots tend to be after only one thing. While her competence in the wild and in the surgery can't be questioned, it is clear she is very inexperienced when it comes to men and love. This sets the basis for some of the difficulties she and Chase encounter on the way to the altar.

Chase for his part loves Rachel's inexperience and naivete but struggles to come to grips with her independence at work and most especially, with her comfort at being a part of the war. Convinced women belong at home his only goal is to get her to safety and back to the states. Her goal is to reach her unit and continue to make a difference in the lives of the men fighting this war.

I was surprised that Chase didn't admire what Rachel was doing more. There was, apparently, a shortage of nurses during this war and I would have thought he would admire all Rachel had done for him and for others just by being there. On the other hand, Rachel's naivete had to be enough to try the patience of a saint (which Chase definitely wasn't). But in spite of these quibbles I really enjoyed the book. My one regret was not getting a more vivid description of Korea. Still, you get a good idea of what the battles were like for the fighting men and women.

Tea: Here is a link about a Korean Tea Ceremony http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_tea_ceremony

Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska

by: Loree Lough
Inspirational Romance
Grade: C

I feel like I am giving lots of C's but I am reading lots of average books. Not bad, not brilliant but that somewhere in between range that makes them good but not great.

The gorgeous cover to this novel captures the beauty of North Pole, Alaska and its' newest citizen Sam Sinclair. She came north to fill the position of chef in this Christmas town's leading restaurant but finds her position filled by the owners nephew -- in spite of her written contract. Not willing to go to the law, she accepts with good grace in alternate position working for Bryce Stone at his Christmas Emporium.

Bryce, for his part, is thrilled to find someone to take on the day to day running of the store. Just returned from Afghanistan with some injuries and a boat load of PTSD, he is in no mood to listen to Christmas music, munch sugar cookies and watch sparkly lights --especially in the middle of July. And smarting from a broken engagement, he is not looking for love.

But Christmas is impossible to avoid in a town devoted to celebrating it year round. And Sam is not one to let her boss's problems prevent her from finding the perfect solution to his loneliness -- and it just so happens that solution is her.

This is a sweet romance with a subtle (but very present) Christian message. The writing was good but it was a little bit less polished than I was used to. But both Bryce and Sam were enjoyable characters. The romance element was a friends to lovers style, with a very quick proposal and wedding thrown in at the end. The setting is really well drawn and makes an interesting back drop to the action. The only other romance I have read in Alaska was a Debbie Macomber short story so it was fun to "go" somewhere new. If you are looking for a light, Christmas flavored read this just might be the book for you.

Tea: Nutcracker Sweet is my favorite of all Celestial Seasonings Christmas teas.

Smitten

By: Janet Evanovich
Genre: Romance
Grade: C?

Lizabeth Kane is a single mom with a rich father and ex* who is determined to prove just how able to stand on her own two feet she is. To that end she is living in a home in need of major repairs, driving a car which actually doesn't work and looking for a job she can walk to. The nearest position is for a carpenter and even though she has never done more than hammer a nail into a wall to hold a picture she is determined to get the position.

Matt Hallahan was actually looking for a qualified professional but his business is doing well and he figures he can offer Lizzie a position and hire the kind of man he actually needs for the job. Almost right away Matt finds himself spending way more time with Lizzie than any employee should require -- and he's loving every minute of it.

Finding himself pulled into a world of neighborly flashers, kooky dogs and precocious kids Matt is soon head over heels. He can't wait to convince Lizzie that together they really can build something that will last a life time -- even if she never does learn to properly use a hammer.

This is a cute if farcical read. It reminded me in many ways of Stef Ann Holm's "Lucy Gets Her Life Back" or "Girl's Night". If you liked those two, definitely try this one.

*aside; It is a personal pet peeve of mine when woman don't want the ex to pay sufficient child support to really provide their kids with a good life style. I couldn't help but feel Lizzie should have taken at least sufficient money to provide the kids with a roof over their heads' that didn't leak.

Tea: Long Island Iced Tea would be about the only tea I can think of that would go with being a construction worker!

Son of the Morning

By: Linda Howard
Grade: B/C range
Genre: Romance

Grace St. John is happily married, sharing a duplex with her brother and husband in the mid 90's, thrilled about living her quiet, studious life. She is an expert in translating ancient languages and has brought some work home with her. One small hitch -- her lap top isn't working right so she runs next door so her wunderteen neighbor can help fix it. And returns home to a nightmare -- as she watches through a window her boss, Parish Sawyer, murders Grace's brother and husband. More, he sets it up so it looks like she did it. On the run for her life, Grace has only her briefcase and a small bit of cash to help her pull a Fugitive -- keep herself free while nailing the real killer.

And all the while the killer stalks her. Because the papers she brought home to work on were never meant to be seen by anyone but him. . . . .

It doesn't take Grace long to figure out that the papers are the clue to the whole thing. Within those papers lie legends of vast powers long forgotten and of a man who controls and guards them throughout eternity. Niall of Scotland, the Guardian, begins to haunt Graces dreams. And when the two finally meet, they must change destiny -- or be destroyed by it.

The start of this book was difficult for me. The mid-90's had already seen quite a bit of forensic work being done and I had a hard time buying that the cover up would work. You always leave a trace of yourself -- especially a conceited guy who wouldn't shave his head or wear anything but his own designer shoes. So I struggled with that a bit.

The part where Grace was becoming a tough, kick a$$ heroine was fantastic! It was great to see her being so take charge and as you get to know her, get to see her change you grow very close to the character.

The end, with Niall and the super villain and the mega power did not impress me as much. I really couldn't get into Niall's and Grace's romance or buy the whole shtick on the religion thing. Did like the special diet idea -- it made sense but the rest -- not so much.

I don't know whether to recommend or not. It's a good book -- but several steps below "Eight" by Katherine Neville.

Tea: This is a coffee book. In honor of the Minnesota setting, try Carribou Coffee.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

by: Alexander McCall Smith
genre: General fiction/mystery
Grade: A

Precious Ramotswe is a traditionally built African woman with a skill for solving mysteries. So when she comes into an inheritance, she opens the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Botswana. Of course, it is the only ladies' detective agency in Botswana . . . .

Precious is a great character, compassionate but not a door mat, hindered by her past but willing to grow and change from it, a good judge of character who also has a tolerance for others mistakes.

I liked Smith's writing style, which while simple is able to evoke strong images and relay just the right amount of information. I loved his look at Africa, the way people think and how life there is conducted. It was wonderful to read about winter being a great time to take a stroll (not so much where I am ;-), snakes getting into the engine or undercarriage of your car (very dangerous), the bush Mma. Romotswe loves, the culture of the Botswana people and their language -- it was all interesting and wonderful.

The mysteries are simple but that is what makes them fun. There is great danger in Africa -- witch doctors (of which the modern people are ashamed), gangsters, frauds -- but most of what the Ladies' Detective Agency deals with are simple frauds made by people who while dishonest are not serial killers (what a refreshing break!)

There is a gentle romance in the story which involves two good friends slowly working towards a marriage. It was subtle but its undercurrent is felt through out. I really enjoyed it because it was so refreshingly normal -- no heavy lust, no "IloveyoubutIhateyou", just a relationship that gently goes from step to step ending in love.

If you haven't given these a chance, give them a try. They are easy, quick reads.

Tea:If you can get your hands on it bush tea. If not, one of the red teas which are grown in Africa.

Gone

by: Lisa McMann
Grade: B+

This is the third book in McMann's trilogy (Wake, Fade) about teenager Janie, a young woman who has been able to read dreams all her life. In fact, it goes just a little bit deeper than that -- Janie is sucked into the dreams of anyone around her who is sleeping, whether she wants to be or not. The only thing that protects her is being separated from the sleeper by wood or a closed door of some kind.

Janie is on her first real vacation in years. Things are really looking up for her; she has graduated from high school and is spending her summer with Cabel, the boy she's in love with. But she's panicking about how she's going to survive her future when getting sucked into other people's dreams is already starting to take a physical toll. Not just that, it is a danger at every moment of her day -- like when she is water skiing and falls off, hitting her head and nearly drowning because she passes someone sleeping and is pulled into their dreams -- and out of her reality.

As if her future worries weren't enough, a call from her best friend alerts her to some BIG present concerns. Her mother is at the hospital. Racing home to deal with her nightmare parent she finds out that there is more to the issue. As Janie comes to terms with meeting someone new and important she also learns about options for her future. But are those options a solution -- or just a different form of torture?

This book really intrigued me with its possibilities. Enough so that I was surprised to learn that it is the end of the trilogy, rather than just another episode in a longer saga. Given that information I was disappointed by one aspect: why does simply everyone fear research? In Janie's shoes I would want to be tested. I would want someone working on HELPING ME, I don't think I would go quietly into the night the way she is. This is an ongoing theme recently in paranormal novels. Got a problem? For goodness sake, don't go to the authorities! When a problem is as severe as Janie's is I think I would give going to medical researchers a real good try --or two or three.

The book is well written, though, and a good sequel to Wake and Fade. If you like the others, definitely go for it.

Tea: Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time tea. Sweet dreams!

Bloody Right

by: Georgia Evans
Genre: Fantasy, light hearted
Grade: B+

Brytewoods others have managed to kill two of the four Nazi spies sent into their midst but two more remain. And one of them is formidable indeed!

This is the atmosphere Gryffyth Pendragon faces as he heads home from the war. He has done his part and given a leg for his country, forcing him off the front lines. Now at home with his dad, he mourns the opportunity lost of using his dragon strength to defeat the Nazi's. Then he becomes embroiled in the battle to free Britain's heartland from bloodsucking, secret stealing predators of the Third Reich and finds himself falling hard for a recent transplant who is more than what she seems. Their battle force featuring a couple of sexagenarians, a school teacher, a nurse and the local doctor may not look like much but they have some surprises up their sleeves that may make the undead finally simply dead.

This is another good installment in the Brytewood saga, written with gentle humor and good will. I took some points off because Gloria had planned to confront Mary early in the book and forgot all about it, which felt a bit sloppy. That mistake certainly didn't make this one less enjoyable though.

Tea: All books British always go down well with a cuppa of the Earl.

Bloody Awful

by: Georgia Evans
Genre: WWII Vampire Fiction, light hearted
Grade: A

Vampires? In Brytewood? How shocking! And how much more shocking that they are Nazi spies!

Gloria Pruit, district nurse, knows only that she stopped a rather strange man, for lack of a better word, from bombing the local "secret" munitions plant. She received no credit of course since at the time she was a werefox. Now she finds herself drawn deeper into the strange shenanigans of those fighting the bloodsucking Nazi's from overseas while she grows ever closer to Andrew, the head of the munitions plant. Can there relationship survive the revelation that she likes to go furry at the full moon? And will it even matter given what is running around Brytewood right now?

These books are great fun, they are light hearted and take themselves accordingly and I strongly recommend.

Tea: Earl Grey of course!

The Postmistress

Author: Sarah Blake
Genre: General Fiction
Grade: D

I've had a lot of good luck with World War Two tales. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Thanks, Mrs. Fairfax) and The Book Thief (Thanks, Wendy in WI)were both big hits for me. I am always on the look out for another book that can recapture the magic these two wove.

This book is a living testament to what a lovely cover and a good blurb can do for sales because let me assure you, had I known what lay between the covers, this stinker would never have left the store -- or wasted three hours of my life.

I often find myself tongue tied when deeply emotional. In this case, I was so angry and disappointed at the end of the story I found myself hard pressed to do anything but come out here, type the letter F in caps with lots of lovely exclamation points and then move on. I am taking a deep breath and trying to get over myself :-)Still, a description eludes me so here is a brief blurb from Publishers Weekly:

Weaving together the stories of three very different women loosely tied to each other, debut novelist Blake takes readers back and forth between small town America and war-torn Europe in 1940. Single, 40-year-old postmistress Iris James and young newlywed Emma Trask are both new arrivals to Franklin, Mass., on Cape Cod. While Iris and Emma go about their daily lives, they follow American reporter Frankie Bard on the radio as she delivers powerful and personal accounts from the London Blitz and elsewhere in Europe. While Trask waits for the return of her husband—a volunteer doctor stationed in England—James comes across a letter with valuable information that she chooses to hide. Blake captures two different worlds—a naïve nation in denial and, across the ocean, a continent wracked with terror—with a deft sense of character and plot, and a perfect willingness to take on big, complex questions, such as the merits of truth and truth-telling in wartime. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

This review acts as though there are three main characters but we spend the majority of our time with Frankie, a hardened reporter who is horrified by the war she sees in Europe and frustrated by her struggles to bring it "home" to the people in America. She can't understand why American's refuse to enter the war and is even more horrified by their refusal to provide asylum to all the people, especially those who are Jewish, who were displaced by the Nazi Regime. It is Frankie's struggle to come to terms with the horror and seeming randomness of war, her conviction that God doesn't exist as proven by said war, and her desire to shake America out of it's comfort zone that make up the bulk of the book. One of Frankie's struggles is what can she actually tell people? Much of what she sees won't pass the censors, the rest of it is truth but a truth that has no frame, no facts to balance it. This is the beginning of the war, when what is to come is only guessed at, when the true horrors have yet to take place.

The real problem to me was that Frankie is not a character but rather a mouth piece for the author's views, which seem trapped in a past she doesn't understand. Little thought seems given to the depression which led the world to 1940, the effect that depression had on current government policies or even the fact that the world had never seen something like the genocide happening in Europe and had no real way to expect it or deal with it. Blake's only concession to the past seemed to be the idea that we should have expected this from Germany after WWI. That surprised me. I know Winston Churchill always felt that the events following WWI, most especially the issue of reparations, caused the war but I had never heard the idea before that the seeds of the genocide actually lay in that war. I was offered no evidence to support this and frankly, don't buy it for a minute.


We see only glimpses of Iris James, a formidable postmaster for a small local office and Emma Fitch, the young wife of a doctor scarred by his past and present so badly that it threatens their very future. It is unfortunate because I would have been interested in their stories had I had more of a chance to actually read them.

In conclusion, here is a quote from the book (page 313), regarding death, that I felt actually referred to the entire tale:

The casual way that one thing led to another, slick as a rope uncoiling and roping silent into the sea, was proof positive that Death - if you could catch him-wore a smile. After all, it wasn't why? It was that's it?

I agree. That's it? How disappointing!

Tea: Don't waste a cuppa.

Haunting Beauty

By: Erin Quinn, aka Erin Grady
Genre: Paranormal romance
Grade: C

This book was lost in its own complexity. While Grady's "Echoes" and "Whispers" combined the past with the present to reveal a complex intertwining of history repeating itself this book was completely lost in the mazes Grady had handled so well previously.

Heroine Danni was stunned when the visions returned. And even more surprised when the vision is rapidly followed by the appearance of Sean, the man she had seen in the "dream". What he has to say is the largest surprise of all in a rather shocking day. . .

Danni thought she knew everything important about her past: that she was a child abandoned by her mother at Cactus Wren Preschool. And Danni had no doubts as to the cause of that abandonment; while she has managed to block out most of her memories she has never forgotten that her strange "visions" alienated foster parents and friends alike. When Sean Ballogh tells her that things are not quite what they seemed, the small comfortable world Danni has worked so hard to build spins out of control.

Sean claims Danni's remaining family has been looking for her since she first disappeared and that they need her to return to Ireland and set things right. Because things have been very, very wrong in the village of Ballyfionuir since Danni has been gone.

Danni agrees to a flight to Ireland and does go but the trip is not quite what either she or Sean had in mind.

Danni and Sean are both difficult characters to get a handle on but I think this is because of everything happening to them and around them. The book contains visions, ghosts, time travel, seers, a magic book and an evil fairy. My experience is that one or two of those things make for a good story but piling on everything in the paranormal world you can get your hands on doesn't.

The subtle air of menace that Grady/Quinn weaved into her last several books is also missing. Here the menace is very overt but also almost comical.

I looked forward to reading this one and think it could have been good if the author had not tried quite so hard. Still, I will read the next one and hope for the best.

Tea: As we all know by now, tea is very beneficial to your health but did you know hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure? Three cups a day has been found to take about five points off. Check the ingredients on your tea, many herbal teas have a main ingredient (which is what is wanted) of hibiscus. I am drinking Black Cherry Berry and Lemon Zinger right now. I am only at one cup a night but I am determined to get to three.

Kindred in Death

By: JD Robb
Genre: Futuristic Suspense
Grade: A-

I've had a huge stack of library books to get through and it has not been fun. Honestly. Most especially the last four weren't books I was anxious to read and I actually pushed myself through them. Driving me was my guilt in overhearing a librarian gripe about how people didn't understand how wasteful it was for them to request books and not pick them up because the libraries had to pay for the transpo. I have never been quite that evil but have ever since felt like I owed it to the tax payers of my fair city to read the books I got on loan from other libraries. Fortunately, the handful left are books I have really, really wanted to read.

Kindred in Death is such a book. It stars, as do all the In Deaths, Detective, now Lt. Eve Dallas. She is on vacation, enjoying the life of the idle rich with her husband Roarke when she is tagged by her boss for a special assignment. A cop's daughter has been brutally murdered and it is up to Eve and her team to catch the killer. The crime scene is especially gruesome, the victim especially sweet and innocent. The killers errors are so minute they have to work hard at every lead to unravel them. Even as the evidence piles up, all is not as it would seem. And the ending leaves you wondering who is truly responsible for the crimes a man commits? Only the man himself? Or those who formed him?

It felt great to want to turn the pages as quickly as possible, a feeling missing from my last few novels. I was excited and happy when we reached each new milestone in the case and as anxious as Eve and her team to put it to bed. The minus is for two little quibbles. I would have like to have watched the trial alluded to at the end of the book. It would have made me oh so happy to watch that particular perp put into the cage he belonged in. Yes, we know it will happen but I wanted to see it, hear the description of how he felt going in. The second part of the minus is for the overuse of the word "solid". Seriously. Way overused.

I know Nora Robert's/J.D. Robb books lack the lyrical quality of the Curtis's writing or the technical skill of many another author but this book was refreshingly fun for me. In spite of the gruesomeness of some of the activity it was still a pleasure to read something so easy. If you have been reading the series, this is a worthy addition.

And I am not kidding when I say I am so, so happy to be down to three books in my library stack. And two of them I really, really want to read.

Tea: Iced and sweet. There is a scene that will explain it all if you read it.

The Windflower

The Windflower
Author: Tom and Sharon Curtis aka Laura London
Genre: Pirate Romance, War of 1812
Grade: Liked it much more than Sunshine and Shadows

Merry Wilding is drawing rutabagas in her aunt's garden when first we meet her. Hers is a solitary life, isolated from the local villagers by an imagined superior family lineage courtesy of her aunt, and kept from her father and brother by their all important jobs in government. Merry is thrilled when her brother Carl involves her in a small way in a job which he is doing. It is all cloak and daggers, danger and adventure and is just the sort of thing to appeal to any young girl who wants to help family and country. Carl is unknowingly launching Merry into an adventure that will change the course of her very life.

It is during this evening of mayhem, however brief it is, that Merry first sets eyes on the pirate Devon. A gorgeous blond with the face of an angel he becomes her unlikely savior when her adventure goes bad. They part at the end, Merry turned to mush by a kiss, but this is a romance and of course they meet again.

They meet in the unlikeliest of ways, through a series of misunderstandings, misdirections and diabolical plannings. Merry, on board the pirate ship where Devon makes his living, is intent on not telling him who she is and what she has been up to. Devon is equally intent on getting her to talk. Love seems unlikely between two such diverse people but then, love can always be counted on to conquer all.

This book had to have been among the first ever to feature a gamma/beta hero. Devon is charming, talented and undoubtedly a skillful fighter but he is not the alpha male that the captain of the pirate vessel, Rand Morgan, is. And he is no rapist hero, an unusual aspect of a pirate in a romance novel circa 1984. He is chivalrous and casually kind and reminded me mightily of a cross between Will Turner and Jack Sparrow.

The pirates on board the vessel are definitely of the Disney variety. They quickly turn to much in the sweet hands of Merry and become her pals, some willing to risk Devon and Rand's wrath to protect her. Even when one of them seems likely to be a danger to her he quickly proves he isn't and becomes more of father/brother figure to her, engaging in mock battle with her at one point, than I believe her father and brother ever actually were.
All of them voted to risk their own lives to save a mother/child from another set of pirates. And their discipline? Far, far more democratic than anything offered by the British or American Navies. I didn't mind them being of the Disney variety and actually enjoyed quite a few of their antics. In fact, Raven and Cat were two of my very favorite people in the book. I actually searched for sequels to see if anything more had been written about these two really great secondary characters.

Rand Morgan, though not as mentioned as I would have liked (I read his scenes twice) was perhaps my favorite character in the book. He was an alpha character but in the best sense of the word. He was no bully but he had complete control of the vessel and all his property, he was a builder of men and an incredibly strong character in his own right. He reminded me of Beverly's Rothgar or Balogh's Wulfric Bedwyn.

Merry was a very sweet, naive, incompetent 18. She tried to escape three times and while everyone admired her gumption no one could speak for her competence. She did have skill, as an artist, but she was presented as a rather helpless character. If not for her male rescuers she would have died easily and would have had her pick of venues in which to do it in. This is where my love of YA really works against me because I read about so many competent under 18's that when I run into a Merry I am not impressed. I didn't dislike her but she will never be a favorite heroine.

I can see why this book is a favorite for many, though. It had to be huge breath of fresh air when first published for featuring decent, caring non-rapist men. But I will return this happily to the library tomorrow. I have read far too many great romances since 1984 to be bowled over by this one.



Tea: Did you know that at one point people of this time tried to stop drinking tea because of it's British roots? Coffee and non-black tea's were pushed as more "American".

Crashed

Author: Robin Wasserman
Genre: YA, Scifi, sequel to "Skinned"
Grade: B+

Here is a blurb from the authors website:

No one to trust... everything to lose.

Before the accident, Lia Kahn was happy.

Before the accident, Lia Kahn was loved.

Before, Lia was a lot of things: Normal. Alive. Human.

Lia no longer lives in before.

Lia is a mech: a teenager whose memories have been downloaded into a mechanical body. Dangerous to her former friends and family and not really wanted by them anyway she is currently living with other mechs at an estate in the land of the privileged. An errand has her enter the city though, the rough area where those not working in a corp town or the world of the privileged must eek out an existence in any way they can. Here Lia comes face to face with the past that belonged to three of her housemates - and the future that just might be hers if the Brotherhood of Man wins their political push against the mechs.

It is odd how the littlest things can turn you on to or off of a book. When I read the "Marked" series by the Cast's I hated the clearly anti-religious bent of the books. There is a whiff (and sometimes more than a whiff) of that here but that is not the sole purpose of these books. Here religion is used only when it comes up against something like Lia, something new and unnatural in a world that is hard to explain already. And the focus stays on Lia, her day to day struggles to come to terms with who and what she is in a world that is asking exactly that same question. I really enjoyed how all the characters have motives and histories that are revealed only a piece at a time for us and how the worlds of some people who would rather not know the other existed are hopelessly enmeshed by their past history. The action here is taut and thrilling, the characterization solid and complex. I enjoyed this one much more than the first and am looking forward to book three.

Tea: What tea will we drink in the future? Something artificial and cheap I think so reach for a cup of Lipton ;p

Sunshine and Shadows

By: Sharon and Tom Curtis
Genre: Romance
Grade: Not sure, but I didn't enjoy it. It wasn't a bad book but it just wasn't a fun one.

Most novels turn on the actions of the book. This is understandable as there has to be something going on to make you want to turn the pages. This was one of those rare books where very little seemed to be actually occurring, that the book itself takes place within the characters. Part of that is that the authors use a very poetic, almost lyrical style of writing. They are all about conveying emotion, setting and character interactions. Some might think this is like "Pride and Prejudice" but in fact P and P has a great deal of action, from the early walk home from church to the dance to the ball -- well, you get my drift. A lot happens. This one had the feel of a warm, summer day -- cozy and almost drowsy in some ways.

That is not in fact the setting, though. The book begins with Alan Wilde, a James Cameron/George Lucas sort of character, cursing his idea to film in the frigid spring weather of Wisconsin. He is even more taken aback when that filming is disrupted by a breathtaking young Amish woman attacking his monster. The scene he is filming quickly becomes farcical and many of the production crew believe the film has been wasted. Alan disagrees. Watching it that night he is struck by how the camera catches the lovely Susan and determines to have her fill the now vacant leading lady role.

Susan is embarrassed to have been taken in by a fake monster and more than a little hesitant to get involved in such a project. But Alan has an odd effect on her senses and she soon finds herself involved in secretly filming the movie. She is uneasy with the deception she is putting upon her family and friends but views it as temporary and necessary. Her brother Daniel is supportive of what she is doing and soon Susan finds herself drawn to much in the world she has always been taught to fear, most especially the man who has mesmerized her into being involved with the project to begin with.

This book was a very slow read for me. One of the disadvantages of romance is that you know the ending. That means the authors job is to really intrigue you with the road she is going to use to get there. In this case, because of how little action took place, I knew that there was only one road to get there. Susan and Alan would succumb to their desires and find a way to make his world fit into hers. I also knew that things would have to come to a head with her community - there was no way Susan was going to keep her involvement in this project hidden. She was making a movie for national release. The Amish may not go to movies but they do on occasion go to stores and restaurants and there was just no way they wouldn't stumble across the information there. She would have had more luck keeping a pregnancy secret.

And this is where I begin with what I found difficult about the book. Alan "teaches" Susan to act by telling her it is like a game of pretend. That is lovely but filming is actually not quite like that. The director decides your words, your reactions, where you stand, how you tilt your head. And you do it all in front of a rather large crew. With tons of technology around you (yes, even in the 80's we had technology. Probably bigger, more mechanical stuff than the sleek stuff they use now.) I just found it hard to stretch my disbelief that innocent Susan, who didn't recognize a stereo when she saw one, was able to react naturally around boom mikes, cameras, lights, and dozens of people. That she felt comfortable in the make up and costuming also seemed a stretch. Had Susan been rebellious against her community, the kind of person who loved to sneak into town to listen to music and watch the English at play, if she had crept into Walmart or K-mart to stare in amazement at their televisions, I might have bought it. But that she loved her community, loved their simple way of life and simply wasn't interested in the world outside of it made it impossible for me to buy into her transformation into an actress who was anything but awkward before the camera.

Alan's interest in her was on the creepy side for me. Fortunately, he questioned it himself, wondering if he had become so nasty that the only joy he could take was from the destruction of purity. He goes on to resolve this in his own mind but not really in mine. I couldn't ever quite get a handle on what he loved about Susan other than her wholesomeness and her sense of community.

I also couldn't get a handle on why Susan, who supposedly loved her community, felt so comfortable betraying it. Yes, she had some unease but she was fascinated by what she was doing too. I couldn't reconcile the Susan I was told she was with what she was doing. The two seemed like puzzle pieces which looked like they match but when you put them together they don't.

In the end this book was entirely a love story and it was one I didn't buy. It was beautifully written, the characterizations were well drawn, but the romance just didn't work for me. Since it was only a romance, that left me with a puzzling lack of satisfaction at the end of the book. Like a delicious desert which leaves you wishing you hadn't eaten it.

Tea: I have no tea in mind but here is a link to Amish recipes.http://www.amishrecipes.net/amish-recipes.php Personally, I love their fat egg noodles. Essenhaus makes some that I like to boil in chicken broth. Yummy!

Ring of Roses

Author: Lucilla Andrews
Genre: British Medical Romance
Grade: B/C range

Cathy Maitland has been in Canada for a year, visiting her mother, brother and step-father but is thrilled to return to England and get back to work at St. Martha's, London. She has only a brief stop to make in her home village to be bridesmaid for her childhood friend, Ruth. Ruth's brother Joss is bestman . There is a wonderful scene in The Godfather where Michael Corleone sees Appolina and is struck by the thunderbolt. That is what happens here when Joss and Cathy meet once again. They spend an enchanted evening, drinking, dancing and sipping chamapagne, parting only when they return to London. But when they meet up again the following morning at St. Martha's -- where Joss turns out to be Cathy's boss-- the thunder seems to have been silenced. What happens next is one of those big misunderstandings that can be solved by five minutes of conversation which never takes place. Joss and Cathy limp through the book, saving life after life and casting baleful eyes at each other. Finally, forced together on a journey where Joss must nurse Cathy back to health, they reach a truce. Then in a final climatic scene at the end all the truth spills out, the big mis is cleared and love conquers all once again.

I like childhood friends become sweetheart stories because that shared history can be a shortcut to real soul baring. Having a sense of where someone is from, sharing friends, family relationships and memories can help the couple fit together early in a way two strangers can not. But as Joss said three pages from the end "Twenty four years! Twenty four years you've had to add me up and that's what you figure? Thanks very much!" It was true. They each thought some rather nasty things about the other that made no sense in light of their shared history. Additionally, the big mis was so easily cleared with just a few light hearted sentences that it seemed silly for it to go on several hundred pages. Surely two people who had known each other for many years would have felt comfortable enough together to at least try to clarify things a bit? Not here.

In the end I did like the look at London in the late 60's, early 70's and Andrew's writing style makes for easy reading. You certainly learn a lot about nursing in England during this time period. But unless that is a subject you are dying to pursue, I wouldn't pick this one up. Short of that it just didn't have a lot to recommend it.

Tea: Did you know tea bags are a new phenomenon>?

Most of the tea you can buy in a grocery store now comes in bags. However, these bags are a recent development. They become popular after World War II, when tea was rationed in the UK. Tea giant Tetley introduced the bagged tea to the UK after rationing ended to great success. Consumers loved that each bag had the perfect amount of tea already included.
Information from:http://www.beyondgourmet.com/eight-little-known-tea-facts/

Autism's False Prophets

By: Paul Offit, MD
Grade: D-
Genre: Nonfiction, medical, vaccinations

In 1998 Andrew Wakefield, MD, published a study in the British Medical Journal "Lancet" pointing to the MMR vaccine as a possible cause for autism. His statement couldn't have been timed better -- with autism numbers rising by the year and more and more parents demanding an explanation for what was happening it was the perfect moment to create the perfect media storm. His report led to drops in vaccination rates, changes in the vaccines themselves and launched an entire repertoire of bio-medical treatments to cure thousands of children of vaccine damage.

If the world needed any more books on the issue it was one that detailed the other side of the story. Where was science on this question? What did other doctors have to say on this issue? With warm, concerned people like Robert Kennedy Jr. and Jenny McCarthy giving a voice to the concerns of the anti-vaccine crowd, where was the voice of those saying vaccines were safe and effective -- and they could prove it?

Sadly, if this book is that voice their side is destined to lose. Dr. Offit begins well. He gives us his own history of becoming a doctor, then touches briefly on some of the scarier aspects of the debate. He points out the flaws in Dr. Wakefield's study and points to other studies which show the efficacy and safety of vaccines. And then he rapidly degenerates into finger pointing, name calling and a stand on intellectual superiority.

He begins by pointing out other therapies that parents have believed in that have been proven to be untrue -- most notably facilitated communication and secretin. He tried to come across as sympathetic but I found it to be more snide, that the point seemed to be that desperate people might believe anything and therefore can not be trusted to make a single rational decision.

Offit follows this up with saying exactly his point: that actors, celebrities and congressmen all trumpeted Wakefield's cause but as Senator Waxman said (and Dr. Offit supports): "Let us let the scientists explore where the real truth may be." This is, I think, the primary message of Dr. Offits book. He seems to hold forth, as Michael Fitzpatrick does in MMR and Autism, "We need to establish the foundations of an informal contract between parents and professionals that respects both our different spheres of expertise and - most importantly - the distinctions between them. Doing the best for our children means concentrating on being parents and leaving science to the scientists, medicine to the doctors and education to the teachers." This very example showed a fundamental lack of understanding of how medicine, education and even science work on the front lines. Doctors rely on evidence presented in dialogue with patients to reach a diagnosis. Teachers expect parents to take on educational roles as they help with homework. In fact, there are thousands of books out there explaining exactly why having a child in school feels like a full time job to many moms. And science on the front lines is an often messy business because things are moved from the comfortable world of the lab to the totally unregulated world of reality. The recall of tons of cars recently points to how things can go wrong from drawing board to execution.

Offit goes on to say that our courts get science wrong. Our media gets it wrong. He pulls out cases such as silicon breast implants (which have supposedly been proven NOT to cause cancer) to prove his point. But anyone over say 10 years of age knows that often our courts and media get things right. For every medicine they have wrongly accused of causing problems there is also one they have saved us from. He carefully keeps from giving balance to his point by mentioning none of this.

The book's finger pointing is aimed at Jenny McCarthy's lack of degree, at Wakefield's rather small kick backs from a legal firm that stood to benefit from vaccine suits, that some of the people who believe vaccines are harmful are religious (Oh, horror!), the fact that Robert Kennedy only got into environmentalism because of a misdemeanor in his youth (and his law firm does civil action suits, even if he doesn't),and most importantly that parents and most civilians (even our pediatricians) can't understand vaccine science. He makes no effort to explain it to us.

Dr. Offit pointed continually to scientists as experts, forgetting the other side also had degrees, many of them from prestigious institutions. But what bothered me most was that medicine, the type of science being talked about here, is big business. And history has shown us businesses need to be watched. He felt this business should somehow be exempt from public watch dogs. Start giving medicine away for free, having it made by non for profit's and the time may come when we watch them less often. It amazes me these people have the guts to be angry that people feel this way. Do they have any idea what a cop makes? And how the heck closely we watch that poor guy? A guy who literally risks his life to do his job? And yet reading this we are to believe that the multi-billion dollar vaccine companies should be exempt from public skepticism because we couldn't possibly understand what they are doing? And that we should trust government agencies to do the over sight and not question said agencies? Sorry, that's what a free people do.

There was much to be upset with in this book but I think the primary problem lay in the philosophy that permeated it. That the public couldn't understand and that it was therefore dangerous and wrong for us to question. What saddened me is that there was much he could have spoken of that people would have understood. Like why having even small handfuls of people opt out of vaccines is dangerous to the entire program, what epidemics look like of the diseases the protect against, what numbers we are actually talking about (number possibly harmed by vaccines vs. numbers will be harmed by epidemic), etc. Rather than reassuring me that I do the right thing by getting a flu vaccine for myself and my kids annually he made me wonder if I was the dupe of good advertising by an industry bloated with money. Bummer. I could really have used some reassurance.

Tea: You know the rule, don't waste a good cuppa on anything below a C. (Though a stiff drink of the Irish might make this more palatable.)

In Storm and In Calm

By: Lucilla Andrews
Grade: IDK

Setting, 1970's Shetland, Islands: For the uninitiated, such as myself, Shetland is, according to Wikipedia, a chain of Islands off the North East Coast of Scotland. The heroine of our novel, Charlotte Anthony, is a nurse on break from St. Martha's Hospital in London. A vivacious, pretty blond with a sense of adventure she is spending part of her vacation working at a hospital in Shetland while a friend, whose job it actually is, goes to be with a sister in a remote village. Said sister is determined to give birth at home in spite of having a bad history with birthing and everyone feels she would do better with a nurse midwife on the premises. On the way To Shetland our gal meets a wonderful fellow traveler named Rod, who becomes her fast friend, and notices a fellow traveler who seems pale and wan. The two speculate as to what he could possibly be doing and what has caused him to be so pale. Charlotte watches him until through a stroke of luck she is seated next to him on the plane over to the island. It is a stroke of luck for her, as he turns out to be a very understanding neighbor, not so much for him as she splatters on him while throwing up during a bumpy landing. He turns out to be Magnus, a doctor who is also spending vacation time subbing, in this case for his brother in law (also a doctor) who is going on vacation. Expecting a quiet little Island hospital Charlotte is shocked as she works long hours dealing with every kind of emergency possible as the sea and small, surrounding islands bring them patients from all walks of life whom they must deal with in storm and in calm. As she watches Magnus, Jeannie and the other nurses and islanders about her she can't help but wonder if she will give her heart to this beautiful blue and green island and it's people. Most especially the tall, Scots doctor with his soulful eyes and skillful hands whom she finds herself more and more intrigued with as the days pass.

Lucilla Andrew's book are labeled medical romances but really aren't, imo. They are more tales of being a nurse during the 1970's in Great Britain. In this particular case, the setting of the Shetland Islands is discussed in some detail and you get a sense of the wild hills and gentle valleys bracketed always by a dangerous, mysterious sea that can turn on you at any minute. The villagers about the island are seen as something of a closed community, wary of newcomers but excited about the oil just discovered around the islands. A theme throughout the book is the question of whether the fact that the oil brings new jobs and new people will be a plus that balances out the inevitable changes to a place lost in time. Mostly, though, you get a very up close look at the type of ailments and treatments that occur in a rural UK hospital. You don't at all get a feel for the romance. Magnus and Charlotte really had only moments together while working and a handful of meetings out of work to make up their relationship. Granted, the declarations of love were made without a proposal since they planned to get to know each other better before moving to marriage. Still, it felt awkward to hear them between two people who had exchanged only a handful of kisses. Additionally, there were lots of big misunderstadings between the two regarding who was seeing who and what was happening with whom. I did like the fact that Magnus was very reserved, it struck me as being very true to his character and also to the type of person he was to portray (if that makes any sense). Most surgeons I know are reserved, most men aren't as anxious as romance heroes to spout undying love, and it added to the overall "Britishness" of him. It gave a depth and perspective to his character that would actually have been lacking had he been all chatty. As a whole, the book was an interesting reading experience but one I am glad to put behind me.

Tea: Here's a tea tidbit for you. In England you put in an extra teaspoon "for the pot". That means you add a teaspoon of leaves for each cup of water and then an extra for the pot.

Fire

By: Kristin Cashore
Grade: B+
Genre: YA Fantasy/Romance

This fantasy tale of power, romance, betrayal and deception is set in the kingdom of the Dells. Here there be dragons -- and other monster, monsters of incandescent beauty, monsters who can slither into the mind, controlling it, and mesmerize the senses, dulling them till they ignore the danger before them. Fire is one such monster --the only living human monster. She is so beautiful men and women both can not help but lust after her. So powerful she can grasp your mind and make it her own at will. Deadly. And hungry, always hungering after the flesh of other monsters.

She lives in a dangerous time for the kingdom. Memories of the former King and his adviser Cansrel, another human monster, haunt the people. Their excesses, their sadistic cruelties set the stage for the civil unrest that has King Nash now sitting uneasily on his throne. As our story begins Fire is in the woods of her own demesne, far outside the seats of power, when an accident forces her to the Queen's court. It is there that she learns just how close to the precipice of civil war the kingdom dangles. And she meets the people who will be her future -- or her end.

This is a sophomore effort for Cashore and much more smoothly written than "Graceling". Here the plot fits together effortlessly, the fantastical elements blending seamlessly with the more mundane elements of "non-magic". I love the way Cashore uses both the "magically" gifted humans and the regular humans to make up her heroes. I love fantastical creatures but dislike when those without power are shoved into the background, unable to do anything but scurry around hoping for protectors. Here the clever, the strong, and the talented all work together with the magical and gifted.

I liked the character of Fire. She wasn't a favorite heroine for me but she was honorable and compassionate and I essentially liked her. If I have a complaint with the book it is that she and Briggen and Nash and the Queen and Archer and all the good guy supporting cast are from the basic mold of "hero". There is nothing deep in their character to make them unique, no little spark that takes them from character to person. It is that tiny spark that takes a book from good to brilliant and I have high hopes that as Cashore continues to improve this will someday be coming from her.

My second minor complaint was the complex and completely unnecessary paternity games played. It is hard to explain without giving away plot points but as you read the book you will find for yourself that characters turn out to be related to unexpected people (or perhaps unnecessary people would be a better phrase?) and I wasn't sure what Cashore was doing with that. Because it stuck out to me like a sore thumb I figured she was either using it to create some sort of moral point or to show how humans could all get along if we so choose. Uhm, duh? The very thing that makes heroes human is the struggle it often is to choose right over wrong, there is nothing worse than a smug author assuring us we should choose it and gee, it's easy and for the best. Whatever. That small thread in the story didn't belong and was like an annoying flaw in your sweater. At first you barely see it, then you obsess over it so much you can't even wear the darn thing. A small mark against an otherwise solid read.

Tea: How about some coffee with this one? It just struck me as a coffee book, even though tea drinking occurred throughout. I picture Steep and Brew's "Icing on the Cake" around a good campfire.

The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade

author: Sally Gardner
genre: Historical YA fantasy
Grade: A

Note: This is the book written in the style of charging for two books for one story.
That is why I have reviewed them together.


The story begins in France, during the first hot days of the revolution. Yann Margoza is a member of a magical troupe of actors who are invited to perform at a private party for Count Kallivoski. The party is to be given at the home of the Marqui de Vileduval. Attending the party, her first ever public outing, is Sido, the young and despised daughter of the Marquis. She suffers from an unfortunate limp received in the carriage accident that killed her mother. The vain Marquis, who can hardly stand the sight of his "maimed" daughter, has built passages all along the chateau so that he never has to see the servants. Yann, waiting for the performance to start, meets Sido as he explores these passages. These simple acts -- attending a party, exploring a passage -- change the course of their young lives. Yann finds himself running from Count Kallivoski and Sido finds herself desperately trying to outwit him as the revolution rages around them both. Will the magic they both hold be sufficient to save them during these dark times?

Every once in awhile I run across a book so good I have trouble describing it. This (or these) is/are such a book. Every character is so perfectly written, the plot so expertly conceived that all I can find to describe it are words of praise. Really. I have sat on this review for two weeks trying to think how to express it and coming up with nothing. The reality is that each layer in the book leads to the next and the art of this tale is the reader discovering each twist for them self.

I can tell you the magic used in it is very light -- it contains magic and magical people but it is less about the magic than it is about the people. I liked that several prominent characters had no magic at all. The book also highlights how appearances can be deceiving but it never once tells you that -- it merely shows it through the characters and their interactions. I adored young Yann, who has a fantastic heart, and also Tetu -- a clever and wonderful father figure. Sido is not as fully drawn but we receive enough information about her to convince us that she is worthy of Yann.

The tone gives a hint of fairy tale rather than reality, though it most assuredly is ground in reality. The revolution is a thread through out the tale, bringing more than a taste of tragedy to the story but not drowning it in sorrow. I especially liked the contrast between England, which is at peace (on its own shores, anyway) and France, which is being torn apart. For me it just highlighted how a few hundred miles can make all the difference in life. I also liked how Gardner sympathized with the class struggles and rampant material inequality that lay at the root of the revolution. What happened with the guillotine, with the nobility and those that served them, was perhaps tragic but I thought it was good that cause and effect were both discussed here, rather than just the tragic occurrences of the war.

I enjoyed this story immensely and give it a strong recommend.

Tea: Earl Grey, to celebrate the rational over the emotional.

Angel's Peak

author: Robyn Carr
genre: Romance, Military Romance, Part of Virgin River Series
Grade: B+

I love military romances. That old saying about there just being something about a man in uniform? It is definitely true when it comes to books.

Angel's Peak is the 10th book (or thereabouts) in the highly popular Virgin River Series.

Here is the blurb from Amazon:

Four years ago, Air Force sweethearts Franci Duncan and Sean Riordan reached an impasse. She wanted marriage and a family. He didn't. But a chance meeting proves that the bitter breakup hasn't cooled their sizzling chemistry.

Sean has settled down in spite of himself—he's not the cocky young fighter pilot he was when Franci left, and he wants them to try again. After all, they have a history…but that's not all they share.

Franci's secret reason for walking away when Sean refused to commit is now three and a half: a redheaded cherub named Rosie who shares her daddy's emerald-green eyes. Sean is stunned—and furious with Franci for the deception.

News travels fast in Virgin River, and soon the whole town is taking sides. Rebuilding their trust could take a small miracle—and the kind of love that can move mountains.

There is a lot to like about this book, in spite of the secret baby plot. Franci and Sean are both interesting people, well written and very believable. These are almost folks you can picture running into around town. Franci's arguments for keeping the baby a secret are compelling, although in the end I felt they were still a little lame. The fact was she had her feelings hurt, she felt rejected and I got the sense that she was sparing herself the pain of having Sean reject the child or even be with the child and make her feel even more unwanted by not wanting both her and the baby. Or in other words, it was a selfish decision, made slightly less selfish by how Sean behaved at their breakup.

I really loved how Carr kept the spotlight on her main characters again. At least 3/4 of the book is about Sean and Franci, with appropriate "guest appearances" from family members and townspeople. The moments we get with Luke and Shelby, Art, Noah and Ellie, all blend in nicely with the story and "fit" with the tale being told. Part of the fun in reading a series is doing that checking in with former characters and I really liked it in this novel and felt that it was kept in a good balance with the main romance being told.

I liked Sean and Franci's romance. It didn't dwell overmuch on the bitterness of the past but showed how they blended together as a couple and as a family.

The way Virgin River, Sean's metamorphosis into perfect family man, and how the two mom's bonded all seemed a bit rose colored but this is a romance. Some rose coloring is an absolute must!

The reasons the book wasn't an A read for me are as follows:

-- I didn't like the secondary romance between Maureen and her suitor. I would have far preferred for Maureen to be able to be on her own and for at least one character to show it was OK for a woman to be without a man, that romance doesn't always have to be in the air for everyone. It's great to have a love story but does every last person around them have to have one.

-- I didn't like Maureen's love interest. Too smooth and polished.

-- I felt that the ex character didn't need to be a villain. It is OK to break up with someone because you prefer someone else. Especially when it was at the level of commitment it was at.

-- I think this has just got to be the way I am reading it because I can't imagine the author is actually doing this but the changing of Maureen's character felt a bit forced. Like we were being told that being a certain way, Maureen's way, was just wrong and she needed to become another way to be likable. It just, for lack of a better term, sat wrong with me.

I spent a lot of time on quibbles but really I enjoyed this book in the series (hey B+!) and am looking forward to the next one.

maggie b.

The Pale Assassin

by: Patricia Elliott
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Grade: Writing: A
Plotting: D
Characterization: D
Overall Grade: C-

Given all the elements that make up a book I am often breathless at how many authors can stir them up together to create a fantastic product. To me even a C book is one that shows a lot of talent. Maybe it is missing the elements that make something brilliant but given how difficult the product is to make, I am impressed by those who succeed in putting it together without getting egg on their face.

In the case of this book the writer is able to do all the basic elements of actually setting words to paper very well. She is not choppy. Does not go on and on with needless descriptions nor rely on endless adverbs or exclamation points to get her ideas across. She is not overly simplistic in presentation. She keeps a good handle on the story and doesn't meander from it or lose track of it. In short, she writes well, smoothly and interestingly. The problems come up with the story she wishes to tell.

The tales begins with Raoul Goullet, who suffered the duel humiliation of losing everything at cards to the Marquis of Chevais and then being caught cheating and sent into the street in only his under garments. He attempts to kill the Marquis later that evening and of course learns his lesson, buckles down to hard work and becomes a better man for it. Oh, don't be silly! This is naturally our villain and even though his life is spared he vows undying revenge on the Marquis and his family.

Jump ahead ten years. The Marquis dies in utter impoverishment and his children are at the mercy of their guardian. Fortunately he is very merciful but he is also elderly and sick and getting his affairs in order. To that end he fires young Eugenie's governess, engages her to Raoul Goullet (because only the reader is familiar with the family history) and sends her off to live in a convent. Her brother, Armand, is to continue on at law school until he can earn a living for himself.

As a side note, Eugenie herself is never told of the engagement and her brother makes a silent vow to see it broken. He can not like Goullet, who is known about town as La Fantome aka the Pale Assassin.

Then the revolution begins and Eugenie finds herself back in Paris. Eugenie, only fourteen years old, longs for the life she should have led -- with fancy parties, lovely dresses and handsome beaus. She chases after it with all the ardent determination of her young soul. But as the revolution grows ever more violent she finds herself forced , as the dust jacket says, " to dust off her lightly used brain and rise to the challenge of survival".

Eugenie is one of those whip lash characters who is making bad decisions one minute, heroine of every encounter the next. We never see her change or learn what enabled her to suddenly become so adept. The person credited for a great many of her skills is never even named but known simply as "her groom" (as in horses, not weddings). Really, someone who taught you to shoot, to ride without a saddle, to fight would be so distant from you he never had a name?

She is not the only character to undergo a whip lash transformation. One person, the brains behind a clandestine group of Royalists, is a genius at the start and slowly becomes a mutton head who requires endless aid of Eugenie by the end. Several people who hated Eugenie suddenly develop a conscience and aid her in her hour of need. Her loyal brother becomes enmeshed in other plans and ignores her. The list could go on but I won't bore you. Suffice it to say that few in this book maintain a consistent character. That is human nature and can definitely be made to work but the subtleties that make humans go from one step to the next must be captured and that was missing here.

The ending was also chock full of coincidences. Seriously, it was like a Disney movie with all the right people loving and trusting them and coming to their aid in just the nick of time.

On a personal note I was grossed out by the grown men who lusted after 14 year old Eugenie. It would have worked, perhaps, had she not been an internal as well as external fourteen but given her youthful behavior it grossed me out some. I am well aware things were different back in the day but one of those differences was that a 14 year old acted like a woman, not child. Take that away and you leave me with 20 to 50 year olds panting after a kid. That has name in our society and it is not a good one.

I would love to recommend this one but really can't. It just wasn't that enjoyable a book.

Tea: Don't bother warming a cup up for this one.

The Case Against Homework

Author: Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish
Genre: Nonfiction, Education
Grade: B+

This is a much needed look at the growing homework epidemic. While our children do more homework than ever before our international standings in reading, writing and math continue to slip. Why the disparity? The book shows the cold, hard research behind one of the many problems with our current educational system.

The reason it didn't get an A is what I felt wasn't examined, which is why our schools have to tackle more and more issues and subjects every year. Why are classes like art and music graded even for young children and allowed to give homework? And how much do politics hamper teachers abilities to teach? Most schools aren't run on best practice scenarios but on what is best for parents and teachers, not students.

Also not discussed is the working mother phenomena. Few books address this change. While they will all point to the past and show how test scores were better back in the day none of the books I have read have tackled the difficult and controversial issue of how having two working parents has affected children or education. I don't want to see them blast working mothers but I do think societal changes need to be addressed. It doesn't do to just blame the schools when changes in family dynamics may share part of the blame. It doesn't mean we yank jobs away from women and make them go home. It just means we need to look at what changes we may (or may not) need to make to accommodate our changing world.

Finally, I think they presented working with the school as a tad bit easier than it actually is. I knew one mom who had to go to the school board just to have a teacher reprimanded for consistently showing up to work fifteen minutes after school started. (Yes, I am dead serious. Her kids were often standing in the hall while the rest of the school had begun.) I can't imagine how big a fight she would have had had she not already been backed by existing school conduct codes.

Those quibbles aside, this book contains some really, really important information. I hope many, many parents and teachers read it.

Tea: How about a bit of tea education? This site tells you what an English tea set should like, in case you are ever disposed to own one :-) http://lifestyle.ezineseeker.com/what-is-an-english-tea-set-14fac57951.html

Beastly

by: Alex Flinn
Genre: YA Fantasy
Grade: A, viewed as a teen novel

This was a different sort of YA read for me. While most YA's deal with young adults (duh!)the ones I enjoy most transcend the age. Something about them captures the imagination and draws you into a world where the gap between yourself and the character is not felt nearly so much and you find more common ground than not. This one felt truly like a teenagey sort of book. The themes were mature and timeless, just something about it really captured "modern teen" feel in a way that Twilight and the Potter books didn't.

We begin with Kyle Kingsbury, son of a big shot network anchor. His father has taught him from an early age appearance is everything and when Kyle finds his name on the ninth grade ballot for prom prince he humbly thinks "No on could compete with my looks and my dad's cash." He is certain he will be prince and in rapid order, King.

Enter new goth girl in English class. When she disses on Kyle at school (in public no less!)he vows his superficial soul that he will avenge himself and sets a diabolical plan in motion. In true Carrie fashion, he plans to humiliate her at the big dance. But this goth chic comes with wicked powers and pretty soon Kyle finds that his looks on the exterior match the spirit on the interior -- and that means that he is perfectly Beastly.

If you don't recognize this tale by now, shame on you! Clearly this is a vastly (and wonderfully) updated version of Beauty and the Beast. Flinn expertly pulls all the threads of the story into a masterful, modern retelling. The characters all come to life in familiar yet fresh ways and the twists and turns he uses to make this French fairy tale into a modern day fantasy are well, fantastic. Many scenes, such as how the beauty character comes to live in his modern day castle, complete with utilization of the rose, really impressed me. I mean, they were simple but it would never have occurred to me to put the elements together in just that way so I could have such a true to the original result.

I liked all the characters, -- Kyle and his beauty, Magda and Will, the goth chic -- they were all well drawn and likable. My one quibble is that while the story was brilliantly retold the characters in themselves weren't. We have no empathy for the angry Kyle (well maybe a touch because of his home situation but not much) and do understand the parallel of his beast form and internal character. Will is good but very stock in the "good teacher" role. I would truly like to see an evil tutor/teacher, good housekeeper situation sometime soon. It even felt very typical to have an overweight, goth girl wind up as the witch. I wish Flinn would have used some of the creativity he reserved for the plot in his casting of characters. It could have added to the overall greatness of the work.

I mentioned in the beginning this book felt a tad teenagey. I wish I could describe it better but I think the simplicity of the Beauty and the Beast message combined with the very trendy youthfulness of the characters combined to make it feel that way. The idea that we shouldn't judge based on appearances has been around so long (like since the original fairy tale at the very least) that its message has been diluted in multiple re-tellings. I wish Flinn had perhaps tackled it in a slightly different manner (perhaps making Beauty's beauty more internal??) and brought some freshness to it. Perhaps that would have made the tale a bit more grown up.

Given the youth of Beauty (whose name I am keeping secret because she isn't a major player till about mid book) and Kyle, I also couldn't quite buy their happy ever after. This wasn't Edward and Bella's or (Romeo and Juliet's to give my dues to the original) undying love. This was a teen romance, complete with the sweetness of first love. They might make it but they have a long row ahead of them.

Overall, I have spent more time on my quibbles with this book but the fact is I like it. A lot. And think it is well worth reading. There is a movie of it coming out in June. I will probably go see it (oh, who am I kidding? I will for sure go see it!) I recommend giving it a read. It can be fun to go back to high school -- when you don't actually have to go back.

Tea: Add lots of sugar! or honey! This one is sweet.

Deeper than the Dead

by: Tami Hoag
Grade: A-
Genre: Suspense, with a touch of romance

California, 1985

School being the happy, wholesome place it is Tommy and Wendy find themselves cutting through the park on the way home trying to escape classroom bullies. The experience takes an even darker turn when as they run they trip over a body.

That small trip lands them, the bullies and teacher Anne Navarre into a whirlwind of problems. The only port in the growing storm seems to be Vince Leone, an FBI investigator who helped pioneer the technique known as profiling. As Vince works with a wary police department the killer escalates his game, seeming to remain always one step ahead of them. With clues that seem to lead nowhere and time running out, Vince finds himself fighting his own demons to outsmart a madman with the facade of an angel.

This book is Tami Hoag at her absolute best. From the moment Tommy and Wendy burst onto the scene until that last disturbing image on the ferry this book sucks you in. Every character is utilized to paint a picture of just how disturbing crime can be and how heinous crimes can affect much more than just the life of the person taken. We are with Tommy and Wendy as their innocent escape through the park and gruesome find reveal and widen the cracks in the seemingly perfect lives of the towns people. It isn't just that everyone looks at their neighbor with increased suspicion but the little cracks in family lives suddenly loom large and people who were teetering on edges find themselves falling into very deep, very dark abysses.
What's more, Hoag paints clear, concise pictures of who each character is and has you caring for far more than just the leads. We can feel for Wendy's mom, Sara, who remains very much on the periphery of the story even as her life begins to slowly disintegrate. And we can feel for Jane Thomas, as something she designed for good suddenly becomes the plaything of someone truly vile. I especially liked the character of Fran, who brought some much needed laughter to what could have been an extremely dark book. Because this is a mystery, and a lot of the fun of such a book is peeling back the layers for yourself, I don't want to get into the plot of the story too much. Rest assured, Hoag handles it superbly, spinning her story with skill and doling information out as we need it and in the manner most likely to thrill and delight.

With so much gushing you might wonder why the minus. In the end, grading is a personal thing and I am giving the minus for a personal reason: I did not like at all the May-September romance. I would rather Anne have been alone than wind up in that particular relationship. She already has an elderly, cantankerous, pain in the behind father to deal with. She has already set herself up as a caregiver for her students. I could easily see her ten, fifteen years down the road trying to care for yet another aging loved one while trying to hold a family together single handedly. The health of the person involved and the peculiar issues they were going through didn't help. That aspect of the book felt superfluous and sad, so I gave it a minus. Still, this is a small part of the story, so don't let it keep you from picking this gem up.

Tea: Anything warm and comforting. You are going to want that comfort.

The Winter Queen

author: Amanda McCabe
Genre: Harlequin Historical Romance, Elizabethan Era
Grade: C?
TBR Pile Challenge

Lady Rosamund Ramsey is a breathtaking beauty and heir to quite a fine estate. When her parents fear she has fallen prey to the wiles of a gold digger they ship her off to be a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth. It is the Christmas season, an unusually cold winter and a rather odd time to travel but off Rosamund goes as "punishment" for her "affair". As Rosamund is headed to the court she has an unusual encounter in the woods outside the castle -- a man on skates, mesmerizing in his skill. And then looking up through the gently falling snow he sees her -- a lovely, lush blond seemingly carved out of the very snow around her. Both think of the encounter as a piece of winter enchantment and it becomes etched in their memories regardless of its brevity.

Of course when Rosamund gets to the castle she meets her mystery skater -- Anton, a member of the Swedish delegation from King Eric. Anton has another reason for wanting to be there -- he is half English and has business at Queen Elizabeth's court. The beautiful Lady Rosamund is an unwanted distraction. As the revelry spins into the danger zone Anton and Rosamund skate around the many issues and mysteries at court while finding themselves inevitably drawn together. Surrounded by the lush, glorious celebrations of the holiday season can Anton and Rosamund find love amidst the many intrigues of life at court? When a presence from Rosamund's past makes itself known, will she follow her heart to happiness -- or folly?

This is a romance so of course we know the answers to such questions. The real question is, is this book worth reading? To me, maybe not so much. I struggled to stay focused on the book, finding myself thoroughly disengaged from the characters. Rosamund came across as very young to me and I couldn't help thinking that she needed many years before she would be ready for a real romance. That struck me as ironic since I have been reading a ton of YA romances with characters just her age whom I found to be perfect for the romances they were in. Here is a girl from the past, in a time when wives and mothers were in their teens, and she seems less ready for marriage than the spoiled punks ;-) of my own era. Rosamund's whip lash affections and her inability to pick up some social cues made her seem too young to be sure of her own heart.

Anton was a character from Romance Novel Central. A hardened warrior who was mush in Rosamund's little hand, blah, blah, blah you get the picture. I was disappointed in how his Swedish ancestry seemed to be portrayed as all negative, not worth dwelling on and as a result how little we got to learn of that particular culture. England has been so overdone in historicals, it would have been nice to see another country portrayed. One of the interesting things about history is that the difficulty of travel, the lack of up to the minute media made foreign cultures seem truly foreign. And yet the "foreigness" of the delegations was never addressed and there never seemed to be a cultural clash of any sort.

On the other hand, the festivities were done very well and I did get a good feel for the holiday season. The author interlaced many old Christmas songs into the text, which was fun, and I did get an impression of the kind of parties the Queen was likely to throw. Elizabeth was very much portrayed as we have seen her in other books and I was fine with that -- the book wasn't about her and this wasn't the place to get creative. Her "familiarity" was one of the few real historical markers of the book.

Overall, the book was brief and did not effectively use it's few pages to grab me. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good either. I would give it a miss unless you really enjoy this period.

Tea: Tea was actually introduced to Europe during Elizabethan times but did not reach English shores until 1657-1660. The Dutch, Russians and Portuguese all knew about it before the British. Wassail and spiced wine were the drinks of this book, maybe go with one of them. Here is a link to a wassail recipe, although I don't think it would have been one drunk back in this day.

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/212/Christmas-in-England-Wassail117252.shtml