What I Read in November 2016 Part IV. . .

What I Read in November 2016 Part IV. . .

Ashes by Laurie Halse Anderson--Young Adult Historical Fiction

This thrilling conclusion to the Seeds of America series has Isabel and Curzon on the run together again. They're still searching for Isabel's sister Ruth. They've battled illness, banditti, Redcoats , gators and snakes and now they're closer than ever. However, the British control Charleston and a sympathetic woman urged Isabel to look at Riverbend first. What Isabel finds there is beyond anything she could have imagined. She struggles to accept the situation and with Curzon's glib tongue and a new friend named Aberdeen, the friends are off on another journey- north to Rhode Island to freedom. The British and Continental troops are on the march, soon to meet in Virginia. The travelers have a choice- keep going north without money or food or follow the army where there will be other self-liberated people and jobs. Isabel and Curzon are still sharply divided over their opinions over which side to support. When the battle is over, freedom will come, but will it come for Isabel, Curzon and their people?

This is an outstanding piece of historical fiction and a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. At first it seems as if one situation will be resolved very quickly, but I underestimated the power of Laurie Halse Anderson's storytelling. Isabel goes on another type of journey- a journey of discovery and growth. Her character growth is outstanding. I even teared up at one point. I stayed up until almost 2 am to see where this story was headed. It was left a bit open-ended, leaving me to wonder what's next for Isabel and anyone else who survives. If I have a critique, it's that there is way too much about camp life. I've never been interested in military history so I skimmed a lot of the military details and the domestic details. I found the messages a little too heavy handed for my personal taste as an adult, but I think younger readers will like it. The messages are very timely right now.

I liked how the summary of the first book was included in the plot as Isabel relates it to another character. I also really liked learning about her family traditions.

The romance finally progresses. As readers of Forge know, Curzon is in love with Isabel. Her feelings become pretty clear in this novel even though she doesn't acknowledge them. I wondered whether Isabel and Curzon would get together and if they would survive that long.

There are a couple of new characters here. Aberdeen is a slightly less angsty male Isabel. He's a bit hot-headed but knows how to reign it in when he needs to. He believes in freedom and believes in promises one army offers, much like Curzon. Curzon is more idealistic than Aberdeen though. There's also a lovely elderly enslaved couple- Mr. Walter and Miz Serafina. They're funny, sweet, kind and loving. I would be honored to have them as surrogate grandparents. The new female character is a great one. She's a bit sassy, stubborn and also very sweet. I love her relationship with animals, especially the donkey.

I can't recommend this trilogy enough, especially this conclusion. The issue of sexual abuse of slaves isn't glossed over but it's not spelled out graphically either. If the reader is aware enough, they will pick up on it but the characters just say the overseer means harm to one character. There is some battle violence too. I would label this book as more young-adult or for more mature children ages 12+. Adults can read and love this too.

Winter Cottage by Carol Ryrie Brink--Middle Grades Historical Fiction

The family is down and out in the winter of 1932. While on the way to horrible Aunt Amy's in Minneapolis, the car breaks down and the Sparkes family are forced to stop in the snowy woods on Wisconsin. They find an empty summer cottage and move in to spend the winter. Pops is sure his ship will come in soon and he'll be able to leave rent at the end of the winter. Thirteen-year-old Minty isn't so sure. She's the practical one of the family while her father, a poet, and sister "Eggs" are dreamers. When Minty finds a picture of the girl who lives in the house in the summer, Marcia Vincent, it becomes all the more important to her to pay Marcia back.

This is a sweet little story. It shows some of the realities of the Depression in a gentle kid-friendly manner. It could seem a little dark to adults since Pops is a dreamer and unable to support his family, but it's not meant to be. I could really relate to Minty. I'm the rational sibling in my family. I couldn't put the book down for worrying how Pops would come up with the money and whether the Vincents found them. I skipped ahead to the end but found it a little confusing without having read the middle! Part of the ending was a bit of a surprise but the rest wasn't really. It's a typical children's book of this period. The story makes camping in the winter woods without technology or newspapers sound like fun. If I hadn't already been craving pancakes, I would be now after reading this book. I want Pops' secret recipe for gollwhollickers! I love diner pancakes the size of a dinner plate. I've never seen a whale before but it sounds really good.

The story features a visit to an Indian reservation. There's some typical stereotypical content of the period "squaw", "brave" and "heathen" (this from the nuns at the mission). A "heathen" Indian dance scene is portrayed from the point-of-view of a child who is having a great time. It didn't come across as terribly bad and it did acknowledge that the Indians were there and had their own culture. The scene is as much fun as the scenes in the cabin.

Fans of classic children's literature will enjoy this one and reading it with a young child.


The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes--Middle Grades Historical Fantasy

Amy and Clarissa are almost-7-year-old best friends living in Washington, DC. They love to draw and listen to stories about a horrid old witch. Amy decides the witch has been bad enough and needs to be "banquished" to a glass hill where nothing grows. If the witch is good, she can come down for Halloween - one night only. Old witch is kept in line by Malachai, the spelling bee and letters from Amy. Then Amy feels old witch might be lonely and sends a little witch girl and a little witch cat. The little witch, Hannah, is fascinated by Amy and Clarissa and worried by her Gammer's mean thoughts. A lonely Hannah is soon joined by witchie baby and a teenie witchy cat. The witch family complete, it's up to old witch to teach the children what witches are supposed to act like, but nothing seems to go her way. When Amy finds herself in the witch world, she discovers what havoc she has created!

This is a cute story geared towards 6-9 year olds. Adults have to suspend disbelief quite a bit in order to really enjoy the story. It's very silly but fun. I really liked the plot and had a hard time putting it down. I wanted to know if the old witch would keep her promise and what would happen to Hannah. I liked the world of the glass hill and the strange witch world. The witch school was especially delightful. It was all very well drawn out and the rules defined by Amy/the author.

I wasn't crazy about Amy. She's bossy and a bit bloodthirsty. Actually she reminded me of my niece who is the same age! Clarissa doesn't have much personality. She's more simple and uncomplicated than Amy. It's really Amy calling the shots. I liked the witch family despite old witch's tendency towards evil. It gave her some color and depth rather than reforming her right away. Hannah is sweet. I liked her better than Amy and Clarissa.

I will recommend someone read this book to my nieces, if they sit still long enough to listen. They're just around Amy and Clarissa's age and a bit older so I think they are young enough to fully accept the magic and enjoy the book.

What I Read in November 2016 Part III. . .

What I Read in November 2016 Part III. . .

The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett-- (Historical) Mystery/Detective Fiction

Retired Private Detective Nick Charles just wants to enjoy Christmas with his lovely wife Nora and their dog Asta in New York City. Charles can't relax and enjoy the season however, because he gets drawn into a mystery surrounding eccentric inventor Claude Wynant. It seems he's gone missing and his daughter, Dorothy, is looking for him, as is everyone else. When Wynant's secretary Julia is murdered, he becomes the chief suspect, but is still nowhere to be found. Wynant's ex-wife, daughter and lawyer all want Nick to come out of retirement to solve the mystery. Even the police put their faith in Nick. Will he take the case? Can he keep the crazy Wynant-Jorgensen family from killing each other and adding more murders to his plate?

This is my first foray into true detective fiction. I have seen the movies based on the book and loved them. There's nothing like a classic screwball comedy from the 30s. Nick and Nora are delightful and Asta is adorable. The basic plot outline of the movie follows the book fairly closely for a time before it departs. In the book there is also a lengthy and unnecessary passage on cannibalism that I felt compelled to skip over. The plot details of the book are a little darker than the movie. It's not gory but it involves child abuse (the child in question is 20 years old but hints at something that happened in her childhood), a dysfunctional family, adultery, alcohol, drugs and of course murder. Where the movie focuses more on Nick and Nora and is mostly a comedy with a mystery, the book is strictly a mystery with some comedy thrown in. There are some ethnic and racial slurs tossed around, giving way the fact the book was written decades ago rather than a recent historical fiction novel. That and the copious amounts of drinking the characters do. This book is set just before Prohibition ended but not even the cops seem to care.

It was hard to get used to the first-person narration from Nick's point-of-view. I usually read female point-of-view mysteries. For someone so involved in the case, Nick is rather hard boiled and matter of fact. He jokes around and makes some fabulously funny jokes but I felt a little detached from the action. He also solves the case randomly and quickly! I never guessed who did it and stayed up too late reading to find out-and I've seen the movie more than once!

I have mixed feelings about Nick and Nora here. They seem to be a well-matched couple. He doesn't take anything seriously and is fond of joking with his wife, like in this scene about her Christmas gift:
“I'll give you your Christmas present now if you'll give me mine."
I shook my head. "At breakfast."
"But it's Christmas now."
"Breakfast."
"Whatever you're giving me," she said, "I hope I don't like it."
"You'll have to keep them anyway, because the man at the Aquarium said he positively wouldn't take them back. He said they'd already bitten the tails off the...”

They trade quips but not as many as in the movie though I recognized some of the dialogue from the movie, which was taken from the book. Nick isn't quite a ladies' man but he's attractive enough to attract attention and clearly has a past. Nora seems to accept this without question. I can't tell if she is secure in Nick's love for her, doesn't care or is prepared to look the other way. She actually flirts a bit too and attracts her own admirers so I guess they are equal. She doesn't have a lot to do in the book. They're not detecting partners. She doesn't always wait around for him to come home and has a bit of sass so I guess she's OK for a woman of her time in a novel written by a man.

The only other character I liked a lot in the book was Asta. Here Asta is a female Schnauzer and not a male Wire Fox Terrier and she doesn't have a whole lot of action but is cute. Nick clearly loves his dog which is so nice to see. The criminals, Studsy and Morelli, provide some of the comic relief in the book. Studsy is especially funny.

I had a little bit of sympathy for Macaulay, the frazzles lawyer wondering what his client had done and where he was. I even had sympathy for Julia Wolf, who didn't exactly deserve to be murdered. The revelations about her made me feel less sorry for her.

The Wynant-Jorgensens are all nuts. Dorothy is insecure, whiny and crazy. I feel bad for her coming from a crazy family but not enough to like her. Her mother, Mimi Jorgensen, is downright sociopathic. Gilbert's hobbies are unusual to say the least and I'm not quite sure what to make of him, but he is one strange kid. Claude doesn't sound like much of a prize either. He hasn't spent any time with his family and then takes off without notifying anyone in the family. Jorgensen seems an odd match for Mimi because he's quiet and cold, not to mention everything else that goes on around the family.

Though this is different from the movie, it's worth a read, minus the part about cannibalism. I enjoyed it and now I want to see the movies again. (After the Thin Man is my favorite).


Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym-- Historical Fiction/Classic

The quiet village of North Oxford is populated by widows and spinsters and is close to the University where there are dons and co-eds a plenty to give the old gossips something to talk about. Miss Doggett, the aunt of one such don, is the village's moral police. She keeps strict tabs on her companion, Miss Morrow, a woman of a certain age. When the new curate comes to stay, Miss Doggett naturally assumes that Miss Morrow, plain and boring, will not be a threat to the young man. Miss Morrow finds she enjoys his company but why would a man ever think twice about her? Romance is for young and pretty girls like Anthea Cleveland, Miss Dogget's great niece. Anthea's father, an aging don, thinks romance may be for him as well. It all plays out in the village, the British Museum in London, tea rooms and trains. This is a very BBCish sort of story. Fans of Cranford or BBC period dramas will probably enjoy this one.

The story took a long time to get into. Too many characters were introduced in the first chapter and most of them didn't reappear for a very long time, if at all. The plot picks up about halfway through and then I had to see how it all turned out. It is funny in places, especially in one scene that is reminiscent of Mr. Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth, but it's very bittersweet. Characters reflect on morality and mortality; some have their hearts broken while others discover their true place. Some of the attitudes expressed in the story are very dated. Some of the older characters behave like it's still 1900 and expect everyone else to live up to the same strict moral code. Miss Doggett is on the lookout for an advantageous match for her great-niece and Miss Morrow is rather Fanny Price-ish. She has a bit more spunk in her that comes out once in awhile and I liked her witty banter with the curate. Older characters have a lax attitude towards adultery, some are prepared to wink at it, while some propose to ignore it. The one thing I was mostly bothered by was a scene where a young lady is kissed by a young gentlemen she's only just met! That wasn't even the first time it happened and not one character had a problem with it. Also, an middle-aged don falls in love with a student and the age difference isn't the problem.

I didn't find any of the characters completely likeable. I found Miss Doggett incredibly nosy, selfish and domineering but she wasn't half as bad as old Mrs. Killigrew and her son who spy on people and use what they learn to fuel the gossip hotline and stick their noses in where they don't belong. They are very nasty, unpleasant people. I had some sympathy for Miss Morrow. She is somewhat likeable, especially in the middle of the novel. She has a sense of humor which I liked. Anthea is likeable enough for a young woman absorbed in her own affairs. The other young woman appearing in the story, Barbara Bird, is a bizarre nitwit. She may be intelligent but she lacks common sense.

This book was never published in the author's lifetime and the introductory blurb on the dust jacket indicates she was just honing her skills. I may give a later novel a chance and see if I like it more than this one.

What I Read in October 2016 Part II. . .

What I Read in October 2016 Part II. . .

Stars So Sweet by Tara Dairman--Middle Grades Contemporary

Gladys is nervous about starting middle school. With Charissa and Parm there with her, Gladys feels she can handle anything - until school starts; the friends are separated, the school newspaper editor seems to have it out for Gladys and every club wants her help for a fundraising bake sale. This is on top of pressure from her parents to join a club, regular school work and her restaurant reviews. Then her editor, Fiona, has a major proposition for her and the stakes get a lot higher. With her friends by her side and help from her Aunt Lydia, Gladys comes up with a plan to solve that problem. If only navigating middle school was as easy. Finally, she has a big decision to make that could change her future.

This final volume in the series revolves around an atypical girl with very modern problems. Kids today are so crazy busy and Gladys has the extra responsibility of writing her anonymous restaurant reviews. I wasn't thrilled with the middle school plot- is middle school EVER fun for anyone? I really liked the bake sale creativity -finally Gladys makes something I eat and am into. The biggest complaint I have about the whole series is the clueless adults. Adults are not that stupid, despite what kids may think. Fiona has to be the most idiotic adult and her cluelessness is rather unrealistic.

Though I didn't like the middle school plot, I liked the character development. Gladys is not the only one to have gone through a long journey in the last 6 months. She's mature beyond her years but she's also mellowed and become a bit more tween-like now she has friends. Parm finally gets her day. She grows a little bit by the end of the book. She's my favorite character because I identify with her eating habits, however, what kid doesn't love ice cream and cookies?! What is WRONG with her?! Charissa has come the farthest since the first book. She's always been self-confident around other kids but now she's nicer about it. Her vibrant personality is an asset in winning true friends who can't help but love her for her enthusiasm. I wasn't surprised at the identity of the person she LIKES but felt what happened was more realistic than just about anything else she's done.

Gladys's friend Sandy has a subplot of his own. Since this involves eating gross foods it wasn't appealing to me but I think boys will like the book because of it. Boys are weird. He adds a lot of humor to the story. He's immature but he's a boy and acts like a a normal 11 year old boy.

Her parents remain clueless as usual. I liked what happened with them at the end though. They are weird but mean well.

The only new major character here is Aunt Lydia. Her constant infusion of French words and puns on Gladys's name got on my nerves. I also didn't like how Gladys took on the role of adult but I can see why this would appeal to middle schoolers.


I enjoyed this series and I can't wait to share it with my nieces and nephews when they're older. One niece is interested in cooking/baking, the other and her little brother are picky eaters so I know this book will appeal to the three older kids.

Looking for Me by Betsy Rosenthal--Middle Grades Historical Fiction

This is a cute novel in verse about a girl from a large family trying to find her own voice. The story is cute, funny and bittersweet in places. The story is set against the backdrop of the Depression and the Depression is present but not a huge deal. Edith also has to deal with a bit of anti-Semitism.

I liked Edith. She was smart, funny and fiercely loyal to her family but I didn't like how accepting she was of her role as the "little mother." Slowly she finds her own identity separate from her siblings. Her father really annoyed me with his sternness and attitude towards his children and of course, having all those children. My sympathies are with his wife.

My favorite part of the book was the family photos in the back and knowing what happened to them all after the story ends.

This is a nice read for 9-11 year olds or independent readers. It's a little lacking in depth for adult readers.

What I Read in September 2016 Part IV. . .

What I Read in September 2016 Part IV. . .

Islands in the Sky by Tanith Lee--Middle Grades Historical Fantasy

Hope is a maid in a grand London home. She's been scolded, abused and forgotten by her employers and the staff. She's been continually told to get her head out of the clouds and stop dreaming. Hope, however, can't help it. Long ago her mother told her stories and taught her to dream. When a mysterious couple come to the house and cause chaos, a lady named Cassandra tells Hope some strange things about imagination and hope. She believes Hope, the little maid, could be someone important. The next day, Cassandra's sister Miranda comes to apologize for the chaos her family caused and leave a gift for Apollo Rivers, the son of the house. When Apollo's new kite from Cassandra gets stuck in a tree, only Hope can climb high enough to get it. She finds herself lifted up and borne away to a strange land with a floating ship in the sky, dwarves, gremlins, genies, winged horses and other magical creatures. At first she's content to enjoy the amazing world of islands in the sky, but she discovers a problem she is expected to solve. How can a little girl solve a big problem? With a little imagination and help from unexpected quarters, of course.

This is a cute fantasy story for independent readers old enough to read a book without pictures, so probably 10-12 and up. The world building is based on Voyage of the Basset so at first I was a little lost and confused. The story isn't quite long enough to delve into the characters and their backstories but it's not necessary to the overall plot. The message is a little heavy handed but I loved the emphasis on believing -"believing is seeing" is the moral of the story. It teaches kids to hang on to their imagination as long as possible and believe anything is possible.

At first I didn't think Apollo should be punished for the way he was brought up. Then, as his story got going, I found it more interesting than Hope's story up to that point and wanted to know what would happen to him. I like his character transformation but the epilogue is probably not accurate for the Victorian era.

I was enchanted by Cassandra and her husband, who add some much needed humor to the beginning of the story. I wanted to know more about them, but can't get my hands on Voyage of the Basset right now. I felt sad for them that they grew up and only have adventures in their dreams. What kind of message does THAT send to kids? Why can't adults get to fairyland too? That was my only real complaint with the book, that and it lacked pictures.

My nieces will LOVE this book as soon as they're old enough for it. I hope they'll read it in a few years and remember the message.


One Pair of Hands by Monica Dickens--Memoir

Monica is a 1930s socialite who got kicked out of drama school for refusing to wear the school hat. With nothing to do but go out every night, she's bored and wants something to do. She gets the great idea to become a cook, having taken a class on French cuisine. When she lands her first job as a cook-general, she discovers that taking one class is not the same as being a chef. She chronicles her disastrous escapades over the 18 months she spent as a cook/maid in London and the countryside. She even spent time as a cook in a country house, complete with snooty servants.

This memoir is a hoot. Monica's cooking skills are just so bad! She handles her failures well, using humor to make the situation seem a little less awful than it was. I couldn't put it down until I found out how long she stayed at her job and what happened during that time. I did find it repetitive at times-one spectacular failure after another, but her failures are so funny and charming that I couldn't help but become engrossed in her adventures. She had a few successes as well but those were glossed over, of course, in favor of the failures. This is a must read for anyone who has had an awful job or anyone who has repeatedly cooked for other people. Fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey will also enjoy this look at life downstairs, and enjoy the country house scene.

What I Read in August 2016 Part IV . . .

What I Read in August 2016 Part IV. . .

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper--Middle Grades Historical Fiction

Stella likes the night. She likes to creep outside and practice writing by the light of the moon and the stars. It's her big secret. She doesn't like to write- it doesn't come easily to her. She finds it difficult to put on paper the words in her head. Late one night when she's supposed to be sleeping, Stella and her little brother accidentally discover a Klu Klux Klan meeting near her home. What's worse, Stella fears she recognized the leader's horse by his fancy saddle and Stella knows the man is a prominent member of the community. What can they do to stay safe? Her community is ready and willing to take a stand and make a change.

This book is best described as Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry light. It is aimed at a younger age group and teaches gentle lessons about overcoming obstacles. The plot is pretty good. I had a tough time putting it down because I kept waiting for some action. There isn't a lot of action. This book is kind of slow moving like the south in summer. The story picks up more after the first few chapters. I liked how the close-knit community came together to support each other. I also especially appreciated that not all the white people in town are racist and mean and that Stella finds out that people are more complicated than they seem. I liked learning about Stella's Mama's folk remedies and what people did for entertainment.

I was appalled and found it hard to believe that grown men would literally take candy from a child and physically assault a child! I'm not sure that was based on any true incidents but I suppose it could happen. There's another scene in the book that completely shocked me and made me really mad. I also found that scene a bit unbelievable.

The main character Stella is not only African American living in rural North Carolina in the 1930s, she also seems to have a learning difference. She was the last in her class to learn to read and slow to learn to write as well. She's still slow to write but works hard to overcome her problem. It doesn't help that she doesn't have access to a library or current textbooks. She does discover that she enjoys writing about what she thinks and I admire her for working hard and trying to do something that doesn't come easily. Her friend Tony is crazy to do what he does at night but I liked him and how he was proactive in changing his life.

I liked this book and I think my older niece will when she's a little older. Adults may prefer the classic Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry but tweens will like this more gentle story to introduce them to segregation, hatred and prejudice and teach them good lessons.


Blood Secret by Kathryn Lasky--Young Adult Historical Fiction/Contemporary Fiction

At the age of five, Jerry learned to swallow her words. By the age of eight, she stopped speaking totally when her hippie mother disappeared. The Catholic Charities homes Jerry has been shuttled off to think she'll have closure if she believes her mother is dead. She just has to pray for her mother's soul. Jerry isn't so sure. At 14, Jerry has not healed or found closure. She is sent to live with her great-great aunt Constanza, a 94-year-old New Mexico native who bakes the most delicious bread. Aunt Constanza has some unusual superstitions and customs, Jerry, who has been Catholic her whole life like Aunt Costanza, has never seen before. When sent on an errand to the basement, Jerry finds an old trunk with family artifacts, including a bit of blood-stained lace. When she picks up the lace, she finds herself in a strange dream-like world, learning long-hidden family secrets. The silence has been stretched out for generations and it's up to Jerry whether she will have the courage to speak.

This book didn't quite meet my expectations. I thought at first it would be a dual narrative with most of the story set during the Spanish Inquisition. Most of the book is about Jerry with brief stories about people from the past over generations-people who were affected by the Spanish Inquisition and the silence that came from that. I found it incredibly hard to believe that in all Constanza's 94 years she never once met a Jew or learned anything about the Jewish religion and religious practices. Certain things she did definitely would have been a dead giveaway for anyone familiar with Judaism. Even without the blurb on the dust jacket, I would have known there was some Jewish influence somewhere. I also felt a little annoyed by Costanza's uncomfortableness with Jerry's revelations. She's a very old woman who was raised a certain way but over 94 years you would think she would have a)looked in the trunk before and b)have more of an open mind. Granted, I am not sure I would want to know either.

I couldn't relate to Jerry or any of the other characters. It was hard to get to know her ancestors because they didn't appear on page for very long, probably because this is a YA novel so it's short. The subject would probably work better as an adult novel giving readers more time to spend with each of the characters, learning about them and their families. It's not hard to feel sorry for them or react to what happens, I just didn't really relate to any of them. The ancestor I liked best was Zayana. Her strength and wisdom were amazing in the face of adversity. She was brave, daring and incredibly strong. I could see her influence on later generations.

The one thing that kept me reading way longer than I should have is the subject of Jerry's mother. What happened to her? Will Jerry ever see her mother again? When Jerry's secret is revealed, it was a bit of a let down. I was expecting more about what happened. I don't really get a sense of closure from the brief glimpse into Jerry's memory. It seems Jerry's mother comes from a long line of "crazy" women, but in at least one case, "crazy" stemmed from post-traumatic stress. Why was Jeraldine crazy? What happened after 1910? Why was her daughter crazy and what really went on in Millie's mind?

This book is written for teen readers and is pretty graphic. The author doesn't spare words in her description of the Inquisition. I knew a little bit about it but wasn't quite prepared for just how horrific it was. Luis's story is the most disturbing of them all. I just don't even understand how that much evil and hatred can exist in this world.

I think this book is probably geared towards school curriculum. It certainly warrants discussion and comparisons with the Holocaust and even what is happening now. I think adults who want to know about the Inquisition would be better off finding another book to read.

There isn't a romance in this story but there is a hint of a sex scene (between adults) in the first chapter. It's shown through 5-year-old Jerry's eyes and she doesn't understand what she's seeing or why her mother jokingly refers to her as a peeping Tom. It was obvious to me, as an adult, what was going on and especially later when Jerry remembers her mom had a "thing" about men.

What I Read in August 2016 Part III . . .

What I Read in August 2016 Part III . . .

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan--Women's Fiction

Two years after moving to Mount Polbearne, things are finally going well for Polly. She and Huckle (and of course, Neil) have moved into the lighthouse (so it needs major work, it's still charming and it's hers!), she's managing the two bakeries and business is booming since Mrs. Manse retired. Then, in one fell swoop, everything that could go horribly wrong does! Tarnie's widow Selina returns and befriends Polly. Polly wants to be friends but how can she with the terrible secret hanging over her head? Hucke's brother, Dubose, arrives from America, shirking his duties, which will have repercussions for Huckle. Then, Mrs. Manse dies suddenly, leaving nothing to Polly. Her sister Janet, the executor, sends her "businessman" son Malcolm to manage the bakeries. Malcolm can't tell the difference between fine, hand-crafted artisan bread and plastic-wrapped sandwich loaves and furthermore, he doesn't care! He's all about the bottom line and wants to turn Polly's beloved bakery into a factory. If that weren't bad enough, Patrick, the vet, is on Polly's case to release Neil into the wild. When tragedy happens, Polly realizes it's time to let go. How can she possibly move on after this series of devastating blows?

Jenny Colgan's books are "chick lit" done right. There's small town charm, humor, pathos and a sweet romance. (Anything more than kissing is implied or happens off page with brief mentions of characters having sex ). I really enjoyed revisiting Mount Polbearne and the characters. The setting is amazing and being a New Englander, the setting wasn't entirely exotic but I loved the causeway and the lighthouse and the homey feeling of Mount Polbearne. It reminded me a bit of how Cape Cod must have been before the canal and the Kennedys. What stands out about the town is again, when something terrible happens, they all band together. Even Polly and Hucke are now considered locals and form part of the community. Neil, the puffin, is like a little ambassador for the village. The descriptions are so rich and detailed I can feel like I'm right there.

The plot kept me engaged but at the same time annoyed me. I like a good happily ever after and I was a bit nervous to read this one but the lure of baked goods drew me in. I loved watching Polly bake. The author does an amazing job of filling Polly with passion and enthusiasm for baking. Polly has finally branched out a bit into pastries, which is good because I actually don't like artisan bread and DO prefer "plastic" sandwich bread (Wonder Bread-yummm!). Though Polly's true passion is for bread. This story is a little less happily ever after and more realistic than I would have preferred for the characters but at the same time, it did keep me reading. I wondered how Polly would overcome all those obstacles and what would happen. The ending is heartwarming and just lovely. It may bring tears to the eyes of some readers.

Neil is hands down my favorite character. I love charming animal companions and he's no exception. While I understand and agree with Patrick, it is tough to think about letting Neil go. He's such an integral part of the town and he's Polly and Huckle's child. What happens to him in this novel will have any animal lover gasping in shock and rooting against the odds. The author's note says Neil has a Twitter account but I've not looked at it yet.

I really wanted to like Polly because I did like her in the first book. However, I just really found her annoying. She was so whiny and never stood up for herself. I would have lost my temper more than once. I understand how she feels, failing once, and ashamed of failure, anxious to not fail again. I related to her determination to be independent but I felt she was being stupid at times. I would have made difference choices but that's OK because it's part of her character development. Huckle kind of annoyed me too. While Polly was all "woe is me", at least he was proactive in changing his life, though I felt he wasn't quite supportive enough of Polly. Huckle really felt bad for Polly and all she was going through but he never really voiced his feelings out loud. It was too hard. They didn't really communicate well about anything.

I wasn't crazy about Selina at first either. I did feel sorry she lost her husband but I think she lost him long before he died. She's trying to expel her demons the wrong way. Her character growth is good. She's trying to come to terms with Tarnie's death. I kept wondering how she would react to Polly's secret and how she would find out. I wasn't a big fan of how that played out.

I feel as Polly did towards Malcolm, however, Polly didn't handle things well with him. I felt a tiny bit sorry for him, especially at the end. Only a tiny bit though.

As I'm writing this, I am about to begin another sentence about another character who annoyed me so I'll just say the supporting characters were not my favorite but Kerensa and Reuben add some comic relief.

This book is meant to stand alone but I think readers should read the two books in order and I hope we get to catch up with Polly, Huckle and Mount Polbearne again.


Crowned and Dangerous by Rhys Bowen--Historical Cozy Mystery

As Georgie and Darcy are about to elope to Greta Green (so Darcy can make an honest woman of her when they finally have some alone time), they run into some major obstacles. First, a major snowstorm bars their way and then Darcy reads some shocking news in the paper : his father, Lord Kilhenny is accused of murdering the American who purchased his estate. Darcy sends Georgie back to Kensington and heads off to Ireland to be with his father. When he feels that it is inevitable his father will be hanged, he tries to push Georgie away so she won’t be tainted by scandal. Fortunately, Georgie is made of sterner stuff and she barges in on her fiancé’s family troubles. It’s a good thing because two minds are better than one when it comes to solving crimes. Darcy, Georgie and their friend Princess Alexandra Zamanska soon get to work to clear Lord Kilhennys name.

The plot of this book is pretty good. It’s not great though. I figured out the American man’s secret pretty quickly though I did not know which of the suspects did it and why. There was a big surprise at the end I didn’t quite see coming. The mystery was left a little bit unfinished. It lacked some of that adrenaline rush or excitement that comes when Georgie investigates alone. I just loved the literary references to Pride and Prejudice, of course, Darcy’s namesake. There are others as well that made me smile. I’m not sure how I feel about Darcy’s actions at the end. I hope it all works out for them.
The real stand out of this book is the excellent character development. Georgie has really come into her own. I feared a star-crossed lovers plot but she is determined to be the heroine of her love story and lead her own life the way she wants. Queenie haters will be happy she is absent from most of the story. I missed her comic relief. She is also growing and changing like Georgie. Even Binky’s character is developing. Fig is still Fig though.

The new characters include Darcy’s father, Lord Kilhenny, making an appearance at last. Darcy fears his father’s temper and crotchety nature will take a dislike to Georgie if they meet under these circumstances. He doesn’t know his father very well and it’s a shame. Zou Zou sizes him up right away and even Georgie know his bark is worse than his bite. His development was a bit much at the end. I’m not sure I buy that interesting development. I just loved batty Aunt Oona and Uncle Dooley. They’re classic British eccentric characters but also warm, welcoming and a lot of fun. The last new major character is Zou Zou, Princess Alexandra Zamanska. I didn’t really like her for the same reasons Georgie doesn’t. She’s the kind of person you want to hate but can’t because she chooses to ignore any negativity. The one other character in this book is Mr. Roach’s manservant. He seems weasely to me. Typical bad guy character but did he have it in him to kill his employer? Read the book to find out.

What I Read in August 2016 Part II . . .

What I Read in August 2016 Part II . . .

Dolls Of Hope by Shirley Parenteau--Middle Grades Historical Fiction

Chiyo Tamura is a farmer's daughter from the hills of Japan. She's incensed that an old man wants to marry her beloved older sister and her parents won't do anything to stop it. When Chiyo meets her potential future brother-in-law, she is surprised by his kindness. She is ashamed of her feelings and vows to bring honor to her family. That's not so easy to do when her brother-in-law sends her far away to school in Tsuchiura, where wealthy girls who are daughters of important men go. She's told to model herself after Hoshi Miyamoto, a famous general's daughter, but after only a few minutes at the school, Chiyo knows that won't be easy. When Chiyo learns about the friendship dolls being sent from American school children to Japanese schools, she is eager to see them and welcome them. A trip to Tokyo to welcome the dolls brings unexpected surprises- and consequences. Chiyo longs to be the traditional, humble Japanese girl her family wants her to be but how can she stand by and watch something she loves be destroyed? Japan is changing and maybe Chiyo has to change too.

I really enjoyed this story. While I know a lot about Japan and Japanese culture, this time period is new to me. I was surprised at how behind the rest of the world Japan was and how they were already mobilizing for war- to expand their territory and conquer weaker nations. The central theme of the story is change. The 1920s represent a period of change for women and for Japan. Women were entering public roles and becoming more independent and free, just as Japan was becoming more modern. I liked the juxtaposition of the American vs. Japanese cultures and how both Lexie and Chiyo represent a new generation of women struggling to find their role in a changing society, perhaps rebelling against traditional gender roles.

Sweet little Chiyo captured my heart just as she captures the nation in the story. Her devotion to Emily Grace and her love for the doll really resonated with me. As a doll collector, I understood her fierce need to protect her beloved Emily Grace. I liked following Emily Grace's journey after she left Lexie but it isn't necessary to have read Ship of Dolls first. I also really liked Chiyo's friend Hana and how she helps Chiyo. The one character I could have done without is Hoshi. Her plot is the typical mean girl story. She turns out to be complete psycho which was a surprise, instead of the two girls becoming friends in the end, which saves the book from being too overly cloying for an adult reader.

I think this story would be best enjoyed by girls 8-12 and doll lovers around the world.

Sweet Home Alaska by Carole Estby Dagg--Middle Grades Historical Fiction

Terpsichore (Terp-sick-oh-ree) Johnson is devastated to learn her best friend's family is going to settle in Matanuska Colony Alaska- part of a New Deal plan where families will learn to become self-reliant farmers. Terpsichore vows to do anything she can to make sure her family goes too. When her plans go awry, she finds herself stuck in the middle of nowhere living in a tent with her parents, precocious twin sisters and baby brother. The only kid she knows is an annoying boy with a cat-scaring dog and an obsession with bugs. She thought it would be a fun adventure like Little House in the Big Woods and Farmer Boy, her two favorite books. The first day of school brings torment but also a new friend and a plan to get herself recognized for a special talent. As she falls in love with Alaska, she fears her mother will vote to return to Madison, Wisconsin and civilization (and a strict grandmother). Terpsichore plans a special surprise that will be sure to win over her mother. As the only unmusical Johnson, she has to find a way to use her gifts and make a new home for herself and become known as a kid who did something special.

This story is a cute homage to Laura Ingalls Wilder's novels. I think Terpsicore will really appreciate The Long Winter once it's published! Living in the Alaskan wilderness and learning to manage the land is very similar to what the Ingalls family experienced living on the prairie in South Dakota. However, the Johnsons and fellow colonists do have some resources the Ingalls family didn't have but that only makes the story more exciting, not less. I had a hard time putting down the book. I couldn't wait to find out what Terpsichore would do next and of course if they would stay. The story is chock full of period details including how to use a wood stove, how to cook strange foods in tasty ways, how to wash diapers (no disposable diapers yet in 1934-35), pop culture (the school puts on a Wizard of Oz musical play several years before the Judy Garland classic) and of course, farming. I expected the farming details to be boring but I liked what Terpsichore figured out how to do. Her special project was very sweet and I found it fascinating. I think the real life Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder would be proud.

Terpsichore is a great character. She's a normal kid who believes in her ability to do anything she puts her mind to and works at. She feels overshadowed by her precocious and talented twin sisters (eight year old Shirley Temple wannabes) and feels undervalued by most adults. I like how she comes up with practical solutions and how she learned the value of true friendship. Her struggles her very real and what happens isn't too much of a fantasy. It felt plausible but maybe not all for one kid. I also liked her friends Gloria, the girly girl drama queen and Mendel, the nerdy scientist. Gloria reminded me a lot of Ruthie in the Kit stories (American Girl).

I found Terpsichore's sisters a little annoying. Their double Shirley Temple twin act was way over the top cutesy. I did like their character development though and how the sisters came to rely on one another and help each other out. The only character I didn't really like was Mrs. Johnson. At first her calling her husband Mr. Johnson creeped me out, thinking she would be a subservient housewife but that turned out not to be the case. She actually plays a large role in the family and has the final say in whether they stay or go. She comes across as really snobby at first, looking at the fellow colonists as backwoods bumpkins and even dismissing her husband's farming background as primitive and uncivilized. Like Ma Ingalls, she feels a church and a school make for a civilized town. I felt like her husband should say to her "Would you rather starve to death in civilization or have food and fresh air for your family here in the wilderness?" Her character development is a bit abrupt and I felt needed a little more slow growth.

I really enjoyed this novel and I think readers old enough to read without pictures on up to adult will enjoy this book. It would make a good read aloud for younger kids as well. The only thing sensitive readers might have a problem with is the brief mention of the deaths of two children. Other than that, there's no violence (except for mentions of hunting), no bad language, no bratty children- just good fun.


Remarkable Women of Rhode Island by Frank L. Grzyb--Non-Fiction 

This book contains brief biographies of notable women with Rhode Island ties, from Weetamoo, Anne Hutchinson and Mary Dyer all the way to Viola Davis, an Emmy winning actress; and Elizabeth Beisel, three-time Olympian and silver medal-winning swimmer. Being the archivist for the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame and a women's historian, I was aware of nearly every single one of these women. There weren't any surprises, just some obscure omissions and some notable ones too. What about Lucy Truman Aldrich and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller for the most notable? There are several others I can think of. The biographical profiles are concise and easy to read, however they sometimes contain superfluous information. I don't care about Doris Duke's relationships; tell me more about her achievements.

The book An ornament and honor to their sex: New England women from Valley Forge to Fenway Park by Jane Lancaster goes more in depth.

What I Read in August 2016 Part I . . .

What I Read in August 2016 Part I . . .

No Wind of Blame by Georgette Heyer--Historical Mystery

It's no secret that Wally Carter married Ermyntrude for her money and in the last two years since their marriage, his deplorable behavior has gotten worse. Ermyntrude wishes he would not see, let alone lend money to, his friend Harold White and Wally wishes Ermyntrude had not invited an impoverished Russian - excuse me- Georgian, prince to stay. Ermyntrude's daughter Vicky has returned home from school, ready to play any role at a moment's notice and eager to take in the drama between her mother and step-father. Wally's niece Mary just tries to keep the peace. When another scandal threatens to brew, Ermyntrude flat out refuses to allow her family to be tainted by any sort of sordid scandal. Her resulting drama leads everyone to wish she would just divorce Wally. Luckily for all involved, except for Wally, someone thankfully shoots the man dead. Who could have done it? The local police are perplexed until London sends Inspector Hemingway to do the job properly. He has any number of suspects with good enough motives, but which one actually pulled the trigger? Was it the step-daughter protecting her mother? The prince, who wants to marry Ermyntrude? The lovesick, hot tempered farmer in love with Ermyntrude? The new person threatening to cause a scandal or someone else entirely?!

This book kept me up way way too late to see how it all concluded. The first half of the novel drags a bit. It takes way too long for the murder to happen. I was wishing Wally dead not long after I began the novel. The story picks up more when Hemingway arrives on the scene. Even though the first half was slow, I compiled a list of at least 6 suspects before the murder even happened! I kept flip-flopping between two or three suspects until the big clue was revealed but even then I wasn't so sure. The who and how seemed obvious until it wasn't. Red herrings abound! I was not surprised by who. The motive was a little different from what I suspected and the how was clever. The one big thing that really really bothered me in this novel was the dated attitude towards men who cheat on their wives, and men who father children with women who are not their wives. Outdated attitudes don't usually bother me so much but it was part of the plot and mentioned offhand so it was difficult to ignore. The situation was never confronted or resolved, which made me sad.

I really didn't like any of the principal characters. Wally was a dreadful little man who deserved to be left high and dry by his wife but not necessarily killed. The women in this novel are especially tiresome. For someone who wrote about such strong female characters in the 19th century, her 20th century characters are not quite as appealing. I absolutely could not stand Ermyntrude. She used to be on stage and it shows. Her new stage is domestic and her role is pure drama queen. She has hysterics at the drop of a hat and seems to relish being the center of attention for it. If everyone just ignored her, she'd stop. Some of her drama is deserved but some is brought on by her own willingness to be an enabler and also in her refusal to do something about her problem while she can. She is socially conscious and a social climber. She knows what she has to do to fit in but she doesn't know she'll never fit in with the gentry. They don't accept her -just her money. She's a figure of fun to them. Vicki isn't much better. She changes personality as often as she changes clothes. She's silly and immature. She does have a good heart and truly loves her mother and wants her mother to be happy. I liked her for that anyway. Her constant bickering with Hugh got on my nerves, and as a long-time fan of Heyer's Regencies, I knew where that was going.

The secondary characters aren't much better. The neighbors are superficially kind but secretly prejudiced and a bit cruel. I did love the God-controlled neighbor but confess to enjoying her in the same way her neighbors do- as a figure of fun. Hugh is nice enough on his own but with Vicki he becomes tiresome. Mr. Steele is too hot-tempered and too transparent about his feelings. I was confused by the doctor but not entirely surprised.

The only characters I actually liked were Mary and Hemingway. Mary is a bit of a Mary Sue but I can relate to her calm presence of mind and lack of drama. Hemingway is a great character. He's sarcastic, funny and clever. He gets all the good one-liners. Hannysede makes a brief cameo here as well. The two of them feed off each other and are quite amusing.

This is one of Heyer's better mysteries and I want to keep reading the Hemingway series.


Heroines of Mercy Street: The Real Nurses of the Civil War by Pamela D. Toler--Non-Fiction

This is a brief look into the lives of the real women who served as nurses during the Civil War. The mastermind behind the idea of female nurses was Florence Nightingale in the Crimea, a decade earlier. Dorothea Dix, best known for prison reform, followed up on Nightingale's triumph in the Crimea during the Civil War. Nurses were supposed to spinsters or widows over 30, plain and upright. No frills and hoopskirts were allowed. The Confederate states did not have an organized system of female nurses owing to the tradition of "true womanhood" where women did not work outside the home. What they did have, however, were visitors, like the character Emma Green in the series, who informally visits the boys and helps make them more comfortable.

It surprised me to learn that the real life Mary Phinney Von Olnhausen was over 40 when she was sent to Mansion House and by the end of the war, she was almost 50. Her husband died from complications following surgery- not lingering for long and she had been living on the prairie in Illinois helping family. There was no real life budding romance with Dr. Foster, in fact there doesn't seem to have been a Dr. Foster at all. After less than two years at Mansion House, she moved to North Carolina to work at a new hospital there and then a less attractive location in North Carolina. She went on to become a nurse during the Franco-Prussian War in Germany.

What is true is that Mary Von Olnhausen and other female nurses were looked down on by the male doctors. The real life Dr. Summers doubted a lady would withstand the conditions and do the job necessary but Mary made him change his mind. What is also true is that Mary fought corruption and the seward was a constant foe. Sewards and cooks found they could sell prime foodstuffs on the black market and line their own pockets rather than help the soldiers recover with nourishing food. This was a battle Mary never seemed to win.

On the partly true side, there was a nurse named Anne Reading, and she did have at least one drunken episode. I will have to read Mary's diary and see if they were really antagonists. They did not work together long.

This book describes the nursing duties of famous women like Clara Barton, Louisa May Alcott (Nurse Tribulation Periwinkle in Hospital Sketches) and those whose names remain unknown to most Americans. There were several different nursing groups at that time and women used their roles as reformers and community leaders to make a difference.

This book is short and brief. There are some gory descriptions of hospital life that were tough to read. The book left me wanting to know more about the individual women, especially Mary, the main character in Mercy Street. It isn't necessary to have seen the series to read this book. It's a good overview but not quite in-depth enough for me. I would have also liked to see some unpublished sources used, if there are any. I will have to make that a subject for exploration at a future date.

What I Read in February 2016 Part I

What I Read in February 2016 Part I . . . 

Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay (Cupcake Bakery Mystery #1)--Cozy Mystery

Mel Cooper and Anglie DeLaura have been best friends since middle school. They recently left their traditional jobs to open Fairy Tale Cupcakes, the cupcake bakery of their dreams with their best friend Tate Harper as an investor. The trio have been happy as friends sharing a passion for old movies and junk food. Now things are about to change because Tate is marrying star fashion designer Stevens and Christie wants Mel and Angie to make the cupcakes. Christie turns out to be a bridezilla but Mel realizes this could be a golden opportunity to bring in more business for the shop. Fairy Tale Cupcake's biggest rival, Olivia Puckett is none too pleased and would do anything to put Fairy Tale Cupcakes out of business. Would she stoop to murder? When Christie is found dead with one of Mel's exclusive cupcakes in her hand, the police suspect Mel murdered Christie in a fit of passion because Mel loves Tate. Mel knows nothing could be farther from the truth but no one seems to believe her, not even Angie's hunky older brother, Joe DeLaura, an assistant at the DA's office. Only Angie and Tate believe in Mel and the ladies set out to clear Mel's name and find out who the real killer is.

This is a cute, fluffy mystery. It is similar in tone to Jenn McKinlay's Hat Shop mysteries but the characters have a little more depth. The plot was pretty typical of a cozy mystery. I didn't find it super engaging that I HAD to stay up all night. I thought I knew who the murderer was anyway but I was surprised by the direction the story took. I found it hard to believe the police would zero in on Mel and not look at other suspects. I also thought Mel and Angie were kind of stupid to confront suspected murderers. Mel also makes a stupid mistake that almost leads to another murder.

I especially liked the relationship between Mel, Angie and Tate. It was nice to read about friends who are just friends and a guy who isn't gay being friends with a woman. I strongly identify with Mel and what she went through in Junior High. I wish I had had an Angie in my life. I really felt a lot more sympathetic towards Mel because of it. Mel is kind of stupid at times, which is typical for a cozy mystery heroine but I admire her and Angie for having the guts to live their dream. I also love the characters because I love old movies. I really liked Tate. He seems very genuine and kind. I don't know how intelligent he is to want to marry Christie!

The secondary characters are all crazy, except for Joe. Joe is tall, dark, handsome and a very good prosecutor but like Tate, he lacks common sense where women are concerned. I'm not sure I really like him. Scottsdale, Arizona must be breeding crazy people because Angie's whole family and Mel's mom are too outrageous to be believed and the villain/s is/are also totally insane. I found those characters hard to take because they didn't seem realistic.

There are four cupcake recipes in the back of the book. They sound wonderful and I was so happy to see so many different cupcakes. I'd like to read more of the series as a fun diversion in the next few weeks.


A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer--Historical Mystery

P.C. Ichabod Glass discovers the body of the wealthy Ernest Fletcher lying over his desk with his head bashed in with a blunt instrument. Who did it, when, what/where is the murder weapon are the questions Inspector Hannasyde must answer. In order to do his job he has to put up with Ichabod's moralizing and a bunch of suspects who aren't telling the truth. Was it the heir in need of money? A lovely lady who wanted her IOU's back or her husband seeking revenge? What about her sister, a crime novelist, plotting out a new book? Could it be the man Fletcher hired to make shady business deals on his behalf or someone else known to the police?

This is my 4th Georgette Heyer contemporary (1930s) mystery I've read and the best one so far. I couldn't put it down until I was done. I just could not figure out who did it. I had a guess early on and another guess fleetingly crossed my mind but was dismissed because I just couldn't think it through. I did get it once the biggest clue was planted towards the end so I wasn't entirely surprised by the reveal. The writing is much better than in other mysteries but not as high quality as her Regencies. I especially liked the dialogue between Hannysmede and Hemingway but most especially when Neville Fletcher was around annoying the Scripture-quoting Glass with counter quotes. The one big thing I didn't like was in the beginning there were lots of Anti-Semitic comments about a character. I get that people thought that way but there could have been other ways for her to describe a character without using the word Jewish in front of the adjectives.

The characters are more likable than in previous Heyer mysteries I've read and more memorable. My favorite character is Neville, Ernie Fletcher's nephew. Neville reminded me of a P.G. Wodehouse character like Bertie Wooster. Neville acts like he's not very bright and cares for nothing. He uses his brain more than he wants to admit and has a good heart. I love how he was able to put his brain to good use to enter into a sort of verbal sparring match with the Bible-quoting Glass. I also really liked Sally, the crime novelist. Like Neville she pretends she doesn't care about anything but her novels but she actually cares quite a lot for her sister and tries all she can to help. Hannasyde and Hemingway were also fun characters. I liked Hannasyde's patience and intelligence but I liked him best when he was complaining about Ichabod with Hemingway. The two of them pair well together. I've met Hemingway before but he wasn't very memorable and I suspect I won't remember him again if I read another mystery. I liked Glass at first because he was a comical figure but the more moralizing he did the less I liked him, especially when he moralized over his superiors. My least favorite character was Helen. She was just TOO TOO stupid. I wanted to slap her. Her husband John wasn't much better.

This was a fun, light mystery. Thank you to Georgette Heyer and her husband, Ronald Rougier for coming up with an engaging mystery and fun characters.

What I Read in November 2015 Part II

What I Read in November 2015 Part II ...

Amberwell by D.E. Stevenson-- Historical Fiction

Amberwell, an estate on the west coast of Scotland, has been in the Ayerton family for several generations passing from father to son in an unbroken line. Each generation follows the last in the tradition of updating the estate so that it has become larger and more beautiful over the years. In the late 1920s five young Ayertons inhabit the nursery at Amberwell raised by Nannie. The first Mrs. Ayerton having died after giving birth to two boys and the second have no interest in her three daughters. There's Roger, the heir, who loves Amberwell with all his heart; Tom, who wants to join the navy; Cynthia, beautiful and shallow who knows how to please; Nell, sensitive and shy and Anne, the free spirited baby of the family. As they grow they are influenced to make decisions based on their feelings about the estate. One by one they leave the nest until one is left behind to care lovingly for the home they all love. When the world is plunged into the darkness of war, Amberwell becomes a beacon for the Ayerton children.

I liked this book well enough. It took a very long time to get into. I put it down for a month and didn't miss it. When I got back to it, I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened to the missing sibling. It seemed kind of strange that the reader isn't clued in on what happened. The story ends up being told from Nell's limited point of view. You have to read the entire book and remember characters from the beginning to discover what happened to that sibling. I also wanted to know how the boys fared during the war. I was a little surprised by what happened. The writing is decent and the story is very light. There's a racist phrase that pops up now and again and a very minor amount of wartime violence mentioned.

The characters are largely unmemorable and I don't love them or really care about them too much now I finished the story. There are some loose threads that will pick up in Summerhills but my library doesn't have that one and I don't really care. I did sympathize with Nell about her love for her home and I liked her for her goodness but she was rather a Mary Sue sort of character. Roger seemed a decent chap until tragedy got in the way, Tom is a good man and good brother and though his character development is told rather than shown, I liked it. Cynthia doesn't get much page time as an adult and remains as shallow as her personality. Amberwell is the real star of the book.

Angel Cake by P.G. Wodehouse-- Historical Fiction/romance

Cyril Fotheringay-Phipps, aka "Barmy," is not known for his brains. He's toiling away as a clerk in a hotel in Maine when he inherits a fortune from his late grandfather. Barmy's boss wants him to buy a hotel in Ohio but when Barmy reveals the modest amount of his inheritance, he's tossed out on his ear. He meets up with Mervyn Potter, a Hollywood star turned Broadway actor and habitual drunk, and follows Mervyn to New York. Mervyn convinces Cyril that Broadway is where it's at and soon Cyril is being talked into funding a Broadway show by the show's producers. He's about to run away when he spies the beautiful secretary, "Dinty" Moore, the woman a fortune teller told him he'd marry. He fell in love at first sight during an earlier encounter in which he nearly burned her head off and doesn't want to lose her again. Poor Cyril finds himself in over his head with the temperamental Broadway types. When Mervyn goes on the wagon, the show is doomed. How Cyril gets out of this fix is filled with Wodehouse characteristic hijinks and hilarity.

As usual, the story takes a little while to get going. By the last third, I had a hard time putting it down. I had to know how poor Cyril got himself out of the fix he was in. The plot doesn't have a completely grand over-the-top screwball moment but there are two hilarious scenes of the type Wodehouse was known for. The romance is a little silly and didn't appeal to me much. It was mostly one-sided and was mostly secondary to the Broadway plot.

I didn't find the characters engaging or engaging. The men are either idiots (Barmy and Mervyn) or unscrupulous and rude. Barmy is sweet. He's a member of the Drones Club and it seems to be a requirement not to have any brains. He's aware that he's not bright, hence his nickname, but he's sweet and caring. He finally finds his voice towards the end. Mervyn is a horrible person. When he's drunk he goes on the most wild escapades, dragging poor Barmy along with him. He's so egotistical and stupid that he pins the blame on poor Barmy. I cringed at just about every scene Mervyn was in. The Broadway producers are portrayed as tough talking, money grubbing, egotistical, rude and stupid. None of them are appealing in any way. It's the women who shine in this book. Dinty seems like a sweet girl but she can be tough when she wants to be. I liked her a lot. Fanny is tough but not very likable. She seems to enjoy getting one up on her husband more than the idea of helping people.

This isn't Wodehouse's best but it's a pleasant, light story to pass the time. It's just what I needed.