Before we say goodbye --book 4 of 5 of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold books by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

 Publisher: Hanover Square Press; November 14, 2023

Language: English

Hardcover: 240 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1335009111

5 Stars

 

To be honest, I hesitated on reading this one. I’d read the first three, and I wasn’t sure Kawaguchi could come up with 4 more different stories. I should have known better. Like the previous books, these four stories are charming, heartwarming, and great fun. He has a ‘formula’ for his books, they all, so far at least, have four stories and are in small format (roughly 6.5” x 8.5”), the books are easy to hold while reading in bed, and are just fun! Some of the characters have appeared in earlier stories, and it’s like meeting an old friend by chance again.

 

One of the great things, to me at least, is you do not have to read the books in order. I read the second one first and had no problem reading number one later. Just buy these little books, they are great fun. Honest. Trust me.

 

 To read my reviews on earlier books:

https://lenoragood.blogspot.com/search?q=Toshikazu+Kawaguchi

The Little Sparrow Murders --by Seishi Yokomizo

 Publisher: Pushkin Vertigo (September 3, 2014

Language: English

Paperback: 320 pages

ISBN-13-1782278870

4 Stars

 

This book was a fun who-done-it read. The book takes place in a small village in Japan c. 1955. Thirty years prior, there were some murders in the village that were never solved and Kosuke Kindaichi a detective on vacation, is asked by a friend of his to spend it in the village and see what he can make of it. And more deaths occur in the time he is there. As a mystery it’s pretty good, but as a read about the life in a small village, it’s marvelous. And how the police interview people where manners and ‘caste’ are important in the extreme. Definitely not according to the police procedurals one American/European tv.

 

I’m not sure who did the translation into English. But I found several places where the pronouns were not consistent, and a few other little things that threw me out of the story for just a second or two, but throwing me out of the story didn’t help. 

 

I think this could be called a ‘Japanese cozy’ type murder mystery. It was my bedtime read. No graphic drawn out described in detail murders, hence, no nightmares. If you like Agatha Christie type murder mystery books, try this one. There are Japanese words here and there, but they are explained by context. Just be patient with the translator. 

 

All of It, So Far --poetry by Anita May

 Zeitgeist Press

ISBN: 978-1-940572-54-3

Orders and other information at: www.Zeitgeist-Press.com

85 pages

5 Stars

 

From the first poem, What is the It? which begins, “Some people do it in rhythm, / others do it in rhyme.” to the end of the book, I was hooked. I used it as a bedtime read, what I read before turning out the light. No nightmares riding my skull those nights. 

 

The book has many photo throughout, but it is the words I was most interested in. Invisible Forces closes with this couplet, “I pray I have done all I can for your success, / I am capable of only very simple magic.” Haven’t we all prayed for those we love, sad we only had a very simple magic and needed the help of a Divine?

 

Normally, I will find a couple of poems in a book that I really like, but there are several in this book. Especially Permission to Fail. “Make a way / by going / begin /not knowing /” begins this poem, it ends, “venture / into the unknown / be wrong / honest / imperfect / you have / permission to fail/” I think this poem should be taught in every school. We all need to fail so we can grow. 

 

The final poem is short and contains a great deal of balance, Esse, “And / our lives / were filled /with / Joy / ...Our Sorrow / ...and / balanced / in / reality”

 

This book will happily reside in my bookcase for years, and often taken out and read.

Talking Leaves Scrapbook, poems --by Vivian Mary Carroll

 Publisher: Casa Urraca Press (June 11, 2024)

Paperback: 108 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1956375169

Native American Poetry, Poetry by Women

5 Stars

 

Beginning with the first poem, I was captivated. She gives us a “Haibun for Buffaloes Beneath a Crescent Moon”—a short one paragraph prose poem followed by a haiku. The best history I’ve read of the taking of land by the dominant caste. 

 

Carroll’s poetry covers a lot of territory, and several of the roads, the trips, have also been made by me, and I love reading what she saw, what she wrote of things we both saw, but differently. She saw far more than I. And wrote beautifully about them. 

 

“Cherokee Sevens” is a whole new form to this reviewer. There are seven stanzas, each stanza has seven syllables, each syllable has its own line. A native version of a haiku? 

 

“Spacious Skies” gives us a glimpse of ‘rainy Puyallup’ and the Washington State Fair, and her trip to the Pacific Ocean. I love her descriptions of places I’ve visited often through the years. Her poems take us all over different times and places with a marvelously unique voice of a member of the Cherokee Nation.  

 

A beautiful book not to be missed. It belongs by your bed, or wherever you read. It belongs on your bookshelf. It belongs in your hands as you read and re-read the poems.

Buddha's Cat, poems --by Wayne Lee

 ASIN: B0D6V9SP7Z

Publisher: independently published (June 11, 2024

Paperback: 51 pages

Poetry, Literary Fiction

5 Stars

 

I loved reading this book so much I’ve read it 3 times. There isn’t a poem in this book that will not twist your emotion with humor—or tears. The first poem, Buddha’s Cat, is one such poem. Actually, it’s one of the best explanations of the philosophy of Buddhism I’ve read. I’ve long thought that if reincarnation is true, I want to come back as a spoiled lap cat. Buddha’s Cat showed me where I was wrong—I should want to come back as a bird or a mouse.

 

The poem about the beach dog is wonderful. How this dog lives, and the respect he earns is laugh out loud delightful. If you like cats and dogs, if you’ve ever been owned by one or more, read Buddha’s Cat. Most poems are short, with just a couple being longer. All the poems are worth the read. Honest. Trust me.

LOKA (Book 2 of Allowy Era) --by D. B. Divya

 ASIN: BOBP8B53YN

Publisher: 47North (August 13, 2024

Language: English

File Size: 5238 KB

Print length: 366 pages

Genetic Engineering/Hard Science Fiction

5 Stars

 

I all but inhaled Meru, Book 1, and had pre-ordered Loka before finishing Meru. Give you an idea how much I liked it. I also forgot about it, so I was very surprised when I received a notice that Loka had been delivered. And it wasn’t even my birthday!

 

Divya is one of the best world builders I’ve ever read. And I absolutely love well done worlds. In Meru, we followed Akshaya’s parents. In Loka we follow Akshaya, who was genetically engineered by her mother to live and thrive on Meru. Of course, Akshaya had no say in it, and after living on the Spaceship Loka for all of her young life, she and her mother go to Earth for a while.

 

Akshaya and her heart sibling make the trip together, and have a great adventure. Akshaya wants to be genetically changed so she can live and thrive on Earth. Earth is what she read about, dreamed about, but as she comes of age, she gives much serious thought to her life, where does she really belong? In the end, she makes the adult decision, even though it is very painful, having to chose between Meru and Earth. But, this is fiction, and I am fairly certain Ms. Divya is a bit of a romantic.

 

One of the best coming of age books I’ve read in a long time. 

Murder Undeniable (Book 1 of 4) --by Anita Waller

 ASIN: B09C6LYW2T

Publisher: Bloodhound Books (December 10, 2018)

Language: English

File size: 5307 KB

Print Length: 248 pages

Contemporary British Fiction/Amateur Sleuth Mysteries)

 

All Kat wanted was to become Bishop for her church. Until she met Leon. Now she is both a Bishop and happily married to the man of her dreams, Leon. Leon is a very successful businessman, and owns a series of drug stores. And then, one morning, Kat is with Leon, and they discover two bodies in the alley behind the main pharmacy of Leon’s. One is very dead, the other not quite.

 

Kat checks on the young lady who is in the hospital, as a concerned person, plus as a good Christian. The young lady is called Mouse. They become good friends, and bring in Mouse’s grandmother, and as a trio, they solve the murder and attempted murder, and go into business together as Kat and Mouse, PIs, for at least 3 more books. 

 

Maybe consider this a love child between Midsommer Murders and Vera. A great cozy, but there is a tad more violence than usual, though considerably less than is usual in our murder mysteries. Good wit, acerbic wit, and likable cops. I liked it well enough I just bought books 2, 3, &4!