How We Became Human / New and Selected Poems: 1975 - 2001 --by Joy Harjo

Poetry

272 pages

5 Stars

I've read several of her poems in various magazines; this is the first collection I've read. I will read more. 

Her poetry is beautiful, honest, accessible, and will blow your socks off!  Her poetry will open insights into a world just enough different from what we're used to and become mind expanding. I found it a great introduction to a poet I knew more about than knew her poetry.

We are so fortunate, as a country, to have her as our Poet Laureate.

Poems in a Foreign Language --by Thomas Hubbard

Poetry

40 pages

5 Stars

This is a small, hand-stitched book by a gentle man. Mr. Hubbard is of mixed blood, and identifies as Native. His poems are from a Native perspective and deserve to be ranked up there with other, more well-known Native poets such as Joy Harjo and N. Scott Momaday. 

The Only Language I Speak is Foreign really spoke to me. And answered some of my childhood questions.  But my favorite one, at least for now, that will change as I reread the book, is Raining again (A Seattle Poem).

This book is available through Foothill Publishing at: http://foothillspublishing.com/2014/id95.htm and is truly worth the cost in money and more importantly in the time to read and reread. It belongs on the shelf of every lover of honest poetry.

When We Believed in Mermaids: A Novel --by Barbara O'Neal

fiction / literary

348 pages / 1612 KB

4 Stars

I read this book a couple of weeks ago, and couldn't put it down. She gets 5 stars for the story, 3 stars for the editing. Had it been edited, 5 stars would have been awarded. So, the bad news first: I was totally tossed out of the story half a dozen or so times with the phrase, "Me and Josie..., me and...." Perhaps Ms. O'Neal is from the UK? I understand that is common grammar there, but not here. At least it's common in their tv shows.

Second, the good news: As I said above, I had a hard time putting it down. I loved the story (when not being thrown out), I could relate to the people involved, I maybe didn't like them all, but I could see them. They were human. I very much enjoyed O'Neal's writing style, or voice. It's what I would call relaxed and accessible. Hence my frustration at being tossed out now and then.

If you want a thriller, or a bodice ripper, this isn't your cup of tea. Kit and her mother have lived for 15 years with the knowledge that Josie, Kit's older sister, is dead. And then they see her on a news clip from New Zealand. Anyone can look like her sister, but no one else would have the scar in exactly the same place, with the same shape. 

Much of this story is told in memory of happier days from the POVs of both sisters. And the mystery of why Kit became an MD, and Josie a drug addict. I found the ending quite satisfactory and on that, I'll say no more.

Do I recommend the book? Yes.

Drowning with Others --by Linda Keir

fiction / literary

379 pages / 3758 KB

3 Star

I wasn't going to review this book, because I didn't read all of it. The 3 star rating is the best I could do as "neutral"

I found the premise of the book fascinating, but about the time I was at the 40% mark, I realized there wasn't a single character in the book I cared about. I didn't relate to any, I didn't like any, and I didn't dislike any. I put the book down. Then I kind of wondered if the guy had been killed, and if so, by whom or in fact had died by suicide or accident, so I picked it up again, and did something I so seldom do I can't remember the last time I did it—I skipped to the end, read it, and answered my question. 

I found out how the guy died. 

In all honesty, I tend to read more genre books than literary, so perhaps if you are an aficionado of literary books, please, discount this review. But if you are more fond of genre books then give it a tad more weight.

The Vine Witch --by Luanne G. Smith

Fiction / Fairy Tale

263 pages / 4051 KB

5+ Stars

How would you like to be suddenly turned into a toad and spend the next seven years of your life eating things that fly while avoiding the local swamp fox? Uh, not. Elena didn't particularly like it, either, and when she managed to break the curse, only because she was able to maintain a wee part of her training during the transformation, she wants to know who did it to her, and seek her revenge.

A vine witch, she is adept at producing good wines. Being gone for so long, her "grandmother" could not keep the vinyard producing the proper wines, and sold it, but was allowed to remain as chief cook and bottle washer. When Elena returns, a man who believes in science, not magic, own the winery and she must convince him there is a place for both, or he will lose his investment.

This book is fun, from page one to page last. Hard to believe it's a debut novel. Her world is marvelous, and believable. I suggest starting it early and reading it straight through. If you have young children who demand attention and food now and then—send them to Grandma's for the day. This is a one sit read, and it's awful when it must be put down for any reason at all.

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South –by Michael W. Twitty

Nonfiction / Memoir

464 pages 

5 Stars

I have long followed Mr. Twitty on his blog, Afroculinaria, and when his book came out, I ordered it. Alas, I thought I'd ordered a hard copy, and that it was a recipe book with stories. I ordered a Kindle version and it's stories with a few recipes. Now, I have to order the hard copy ;-)

This book is an honest story about Twitty's search for family. He is one of the fortunate ones-- he could actually trace his back. So many descendants of the enslaved can only go back so far, because their identity was stolen, as well as their freedom. But they still cooked, and using the tools available, the foods available, they kept and passed down their heritage.

This book is also an excellent history about the enslaved in our country. And there are a few recipes. It is honest, accessible, and a terrific read. 

Inheriting Edith: A Novel --by Zoe Fishman

Fiction

299 pages / 880 KB

5 Stars

I read this book while in the throes of a move half a continent away. I both wanted, and needed, escape with laughs. This book delivered. Yes, there were areas where it was a tad difficult to suspend my disbelief, but not enough to really quibble over. 

For me, one of the greatest messages in this book was Hope. Hope that, as I age, there will be a Maggie for me. I think most of us fear dementia, especially those of us who live alone. 

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who wants a fun read and enjoyable characters to read about before turning the light off at night. 

Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears --ed. by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Fiction / Retold fairy tales

436 pages / 5003 KB

4 Stars

This is a collection of fairy tales retold, put in modern times, or from a different point of view. The contributors are all excellent writers, and most if not all, are probably on your favorite's list from Neil Gaiman to Joyce Carol Oates to Tanith Lee. 

Of the 20 or so stories, I enjoyed all but three, and those may have just caught me in a mood. Some were outright funny. And some were like meeting an old friend after a long absence.

To be honest, fairy tales have never been my favorite story, and I can't tell you why, because I don't really know. Every so often, I buy a book in a genre that isn't my favorite, but the author is, and I always learn something, and often enjoy the book. I did enjoy most of this book. I laughed in some places, and cried in a couple. Mostly I just enjoyed the story.

If you're a fan of fairy tales, by all means, buy this. The writing, of course, is superb.

Styx & Stoned (The Grim Reality Series Book 2) --Boone Brux

Fiction / Urban Fantasy

638 pages / 1587 KB

4 Stars

I so loved the first book, and I would have totally loved this one if someone had edited it. The number of minor grammatical errors were enough to continuously throw me out of the story. Fortunately, I could get back into it, and still enjoy it. But she only gets 4 stars instead of 5.

Our heroine is offered an all-expenses-paid trip to Vegas. Well, of course, there's a catch. And oh, what a marvelous catch it is. We meet new characters I hope continue into the next books. Her porter (he transports the souls to their ultimate destination) is the original grumpy old man. And the demons and angels she meets are wonderful. Oh, and the part-time job she's offered sounds pretty good – Ferryman on the River Styx. Time is different over there. What seems like hours on the River is actually only seconds in our mundane world. She could be home with her kids more, get her housework done, and still make a chest full of money. Daily. What's not to like?

I will order Book 3 soon but must finish packing first, otherwise, I'll sit and read, and not be ready when the movers arrive in September. Yep, these books go on my shelf next to the Moonlight Dragon books and the Reaper's Inc books. Fun reads, all.

To Catch Her Death (The Grim Reality Series Book 1) --by Boone Brux

Fiction / Urban Fantasy

223 pages / 1415 KB

5 Stars

This was a fun book. I got books one and two at the same time, and read them back to back. I am in the process of packing to move 1,000 miles, and I needed escape. Boy Howdy! Did I get it. And lots of laughs. And I needed those laughs.

To Catch Her Death is, I assume, an introduction to the main characters which I surely hope show up in the other books. I love the beginning. A young widow, depressed, finally coming out of it and gets caught up in an attempted robbery and homicide. I mean, what would you do? I'd go to the murdered, and check to see if he's still alive, even if some hunka hunka told me not to touch him. I'd touch him (how else does one ascertain if the fallen still lives?) Normal, right? Except the newly deceased's soul attached to her. Ewwwwww.... Welcome to her new normal. 

If you're a fan of Angela Roquet's Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc series and or Tricia Owens and her Moonlight Dragon books, I think you'll love these books, and having them sharing your bookshelf .

The Home Front: Collected Stories by Margaret Craven

Fiction 

359 pages

5 Stars

One of my all-time favorite books is I Heard the Owl Call My Name. I have now read all four of her books, and they are all full of delight. 

These short stories start off in a small-town, on a single street, and are about the people who live on that street. They are in chronological order as they were written and published, giving us a unique insight into small town America starting in the 1940s. A special treat is the short story which was the impetus to I Heard the Owl Call My Name.

These are marvelous bedtime stories. No nightmares will ensue. Each story is its own, though many, especially in the beginning, are connected. Stories I will read again. 

I heartily recommend this book. For that matter, I heartily recommend her other three books. One of America's truly great writers right along with Willa Cather!

Storm Cursed (A Mercy Thompson Novel, Book 11) --Patricia Briggs

Fiction / Urban Fantasy

368 pages / 1538 KB

5 Stars

Had my book arrived in the morning, this would have been a one-sit, one-day read. Alas, it arrived in the late afternoon, so it two sits and two days.  Aaaah, two days of Mercy and the gang.

The body count rises, some you'll know, some you'll be surprised at if you've followed the series. And if you aren't a follower of the series, I recommend you start at the beginning, although I think you could pick up anyplace in the series and not be confused, it's just that there is backstory that will make it more interesting, I think, if you understand it.

In the last book, Mercy loudly declared that the Columbian Basin pack would defend the tri-cities from all evil, and they are now called upon to do that. Favorite witch Elizaveta makes a return, as do Marsilia, Stefan, and Wulfe--our favorite vampires--to some new and rather startling situations. 

If you're a fan of Mercy, quit reading the reviews and read the book!

Intersections --by Mark Fleisher

Nonfiction / Poetry

148 pages

5 stars

This is a collection of poems about the intersections of life; everyday things from toothbrushes in an otherwise empty clam shell to the Viet Nam war to the last poem, a most beautiful poem to his one true love, Merle.

Fleisher is a consummate tour guide, whether through a flea market in Havana Cuba, a Vietnamese restaurant in Washington DC, or along the road to love. This is a book to keep by your side of the bed and read/reread often. Intersections will safely guide you through life's wonders. 

How to Build a Dinosaur: Extinction Doesn't Have to be Forever --Jack Horner & James Gorman

Nonfiction / Science 

256 pages

5 stars

I would be lying if I said I found this a page turner. I didn't. But it was fascinating. Perhaps due to the fact I would read a bit, put it down and cogitate what I had read. 

Although I don't think I'd care to visit, let alone live in, Jurassic Park, I find the idea of reverse engineering a chicken to a dino for dinner absolutely fascinating. 

As other reviewers have noted, the first part of the book was more about paleontology than embryology. While I don't think a background in science is necessary to read and enjoy this book, I do think a wee bit is a help. The book is written so a lay person can understand it without getting a headache.

If you're interested in the world we inhabit, this is a book to read. And reverse engineering a chicken to a dino will add to our knowledge both in general terms and perhaps more importantly in medical terms.

Death in the English Countryside (Murder on Location Book 1) –by Sara Rosett

Fiction / Cozy

420 pages

4 Stars

I was hooked from page one. In fact, I read it in one sitting. Yes, there were a few of places where the wrong word was used (auto-correct?), and a contradiction or two, but those only tossed me out of the story for a couple of seconds and have been commented on in other reviews.

I liked the fact that our heroine, Kate, didn't go all macho, and try to do all the sleuthing herself. She called the cops when she had information, she and Alex did find her boss's car and that led the police to find his body. The romance aspect was fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed Kate and Alex and look forward to reading more of their adventures.

Geographies of Light --Poems by Lisa Suhair Majaj

Nonfiction / poetry

150 pages

5 Stars

Lisa Suhair Majaj has just become one of my favorite poets. Poems need to be read slowly, savored, perhaps chewed, swallowed, digested. I had to force myself not to read this book in one or two sittings. I  had to know what came next.

Anyone who has come from Loss, either personally, or whose ancestors came from Loss, needs to read this book. Though it is by a Palestinian-American, and about Palestine, I think it is accessible, relatable to anyone. Native-Americans will surely be able to relate, possibly Japanese-Americans, Jewish-Americans, and those who are not hyphenated-Americans at all.

These poems will bring memories from the past you never knew you had.  They will give you permission to cry, permission to laugh, permission to heal where you didn't know you were hurt. You will not only see the light, but also revel in the light, and therefore spread the light wherever you go.

Thank you, Ms. Majaj for sharing your truth and sharing your light.

Crime and Poetry (A Magical Bookshop Mystery Book 1) –by Amanda Flower

Fiction /  Cozy 

364 pages / 1746

3 Stars

Other reviewers have mentioned the lack of a good proofread, so I'll ignore that. As to the story, I'm sorry, but it just didn't grab me. I'm a fan of things magical but found it mostly lacking here. With all the great poems out there that could have been used, I found the Dickenson ones overdone. One hint, maybe two, and then go to other poets for further ones.

I think my main issue is that I just couldn't 'see' any of the characters or the village or the river. I finished the book, mainly because I was some curious about who done it, and why. While I didn't really like any of the characters, I didn't really dislike any, though I thought the protagonist is a bit of a twit. I think a good editor could have tightened it up and made a more interesting read.

For a rainy afternoon when nothing is on the telly, it's an okay book. 

Imposter: A World War Two Mystery (Toby Whitby Book 2) --by Eileen Enwright Hodgetts

Fiction / historical

271 pages / 937 KB

5 Stars

Having read and enjoyed the first book, Air Raid, of this two-book series, I immediately purchased Imposter. It was every bit as much fun.

Toby Whitby, the young solicitor who is almost blind without his glasses, finds himself embroiled in another mystery that began during the war and ends in his present, 1952.

He is passionately in love with Carol, the woman he met in book one, but she seems to have distanced herself, but won't tell him what's going on. In the meantime a body of a man washes up on the shore, badly treated by the sea, and his hands have been removed, so no fingerprint identification can be made. 

Miss Clark, the secretary thinks she knows him from and goes to the morgue to identify him. She is fairly certain he is, or was, the young Lieutenant who saved her life during the war, except said gentleman is alive, albeit not well as he's suffering from shell shock, in the home of his mother.

In the meantime, a young mother comes into the office and desires to sue the same young man for child support as they had a one-night stand and nine months later their son was born. 

She ends up kidnapped and placed on a barge to be sold to white slavers. Miss Clark meets the Lieutenant who wasn't. His grandfather meets the boy who might be his great-grandson. And the Duke of Wales makes an appearance. It's all great fun, and I truly hope that although there are two books in this series, a third one will be coming soon.

Paralysis (Dr. Fox Marshal Thriller) --by Jeff D. Copeland

Fiction / Thriller 

461 pages / 1906 KB

5 Stars

Truth to tell, I am in awe of Mr. Copeland's intellect, and the fact this is his debut novel. It did not read like a debut novel, though a few unanswered questions remained at the end.

Paralysis is a fast-paced novel, at times I felt I was on a roller coaster and considered taking Dramamine. I would love to see his original timeline. There are no chapters; each segment (all fairly short) is identified with a time and location. It worked. Except I would have liked a pause now and then to stop and smell the roses. Hell, just to breathe!

Obviously, Copeland has a background in science, and his use of science and viruses seemed good to me. I do not have such a background, but it seemed pretty logical, and he never lost me. 

If you like thrillers complete with car chases on a windy cliff road, a little romance, and travel up the Amazon Basin looking for a "lost tribe" of warriors, and corporate espionage, this is the book for you. Heartily recommend it.

Ambush (Sydney Rose Parnell Book 3) --Barbara Nickless

Fiction / Thriller

356 pages / 2579 KB

5 Stars

I absolutely love the Sydney Rose stories. I've already pre-ordered Book #4. So, maybe my review is some biased? Proceed at will.

Sydney is believable. She doesn't think of everything, though she doesn't miss much, and when she does, it's a whopper. She's a Marine (a veteran of Afghanistan), she's a railroad cop, she has the dog her dead Marine boyfriend had, Clyde, who is also a highly trained K9 Cop. She has PTSD, and she has a (living) boyfriend who is a homicide detective.

She also has something that an unknown someone wants, in the worst way, and that someone is willing to kill for it. Unfortunately, Sydney doesn't have a clue what she has. Or where to look. But she'd better figure it out before her boyfriend who has been kidnapped by the someone is killed. She'd also better figure out where he is.

She's lost too many friends, family actually, for Marines are family. They may not always like each other, but they are family. And Sydney takes it as a personal affront when they are killed.

Ms Nickless has written another fast-paced book. Not so much a railroad story as the earlier ones, but nonetheless, one I couldn't put down until I got to the end. I think one who had not read books 1. Blood on the Tracks or 2. Dead Stop will find enough back story in this one to read as a stand alone, but having read the first two, and being familiar with the characters, I'm not one hundred per cent positive.

My biggest complaint is with Ms Nickless and it's one I've mentioned before: She writes slower than I read.

Air Raid (Book #1 of 2) -- by Eileen Enwright Hodgetts

Fiction

369 pages /887 KB

5 Stars

This was great fun. The author went back and forth between the backstory of World War II England and the present of 1952. I was pretty sure I'd figured out who done it by the end, but not the why. The fun with mysteries is, you don't know for sure until the end. And I was pleasantly surprised.

Toby Whitby is a solicitor (lawyer) who, when one of his bosses is killed, inherits the case he was working on. It is anything but a slam-dunk.

The Earl's daughter was secretly married to an American during the war and had a baby girl, Celeste after the husband was killed. Celeste was kidnapped and taken to America by one of the village girls who also married an American. 

Mom never remarried and is about to become the sole heir to the Earl's estate. She must find her child, or when she dies, the estate goes to someone in Australia who will probably sell it to a land developer. Of course, she can't provide original documents, as those were lost in one of the bombing raids.

Toby goes to the estate and discusses the case with the Earl, and his daughter, and goes into town to talk to others. People involved with the case, no matter how peripherally, start showing up dead. 

Can our near-blind lawyer figure it out in time? Can he get the right family reunited? Will he find the child before he gets offed? Will the red-headed woman in the post office love him as he loves her?

I have just ordered book two, Imposter. 

This Business of Wisdom --Poems by Lauren Camp

Poetry

72 pages

5 Stars

This small book contains huge poems. Read them, one at a time, out loud to not only hear the words but to taste them, to savor them, to feel them on your tongue, in your mouth.

You will cry, you will laugh, some of these poems will strike a resonance within you that vibrates for hours. And if you're a poet, you will mourn that you did not write them.

Omaha to Ogallala --by Terry Korth Fischer

Nonfiction / Memoir

203 pages

5 stars

Disclaimer: I had the opportunity to read the ARC.

I love a good memoir, and I love a good travel story. Ms. Fischer did an excellent job of combining the two. I had the honor of traveling to parts of the country she mentions in her book, but for entirely different reasons and therefore I saw an entirely different landscape. I much prefer hers.

The Korth sisters, of varying ages, decide to take a road trip in the hopes of rekindling their childhood friendship and closeness. The youngest is adopted and wants to find her birth parents. This brings a tension to the group as they never saw her as adopted, and they don't know how to react, threatening the tenuous bond of sisterhood. The older ones never saw the younger one as anything other than 'Sister.'

This is a delightful story of sisters and nieces and cousins and a great definition as to the definition and meaning of Family, with a capital F. 

Wild Country (World of the Others, The #2) –by Anne Bishop

Fiction / Fantasy

496 pages 

5 Stars

I read fiction for one reason, and one reason only – to escape my reality for a few hours. I have one criterion for fiction – I want to be happier/feel better for having read and finished the book than when I picked it up. That said, this book met my criterion.

Rumors are circulating that this is the last book in The Others series that Ms. Bishop will write. I truly hope not. Her world of Namid is great fun to get lost in. Just not too lost, for you want to be inside during the hours of darkness when the Elders are about.

The world of Namid is similar enough to ours to be recognizable, and different enough to at times be downright scary. The Elders/terra indigene rule the world where humans are tolerated as long as they obey the rules, which really aren't that hard. As long as they remember they are NOT the top of the food chain. It does give one pause to think on that.

If you've read the previous books, this one will re-introduce you to many of the earlier people. If you haven't read the earlier books, I recommend you read Written in Red and the others before this one. 

Humans, at least some, survived the Great Predation. Will they survive each other?

Nasty Water, Collected New Orleans Poems --by James Nolan

Poetry

93 pages

4 Stars

Mr. Nolan is a New Orleans native and put together a collection of 50 poems celebrating his 50 years of living there. Some are great fun; some made me cry. Nolan's use of words is wonderful, "Flannel shadows huddle...", "...rouge as thick as licorice/..."

I am not overly familiar with New Orleans, having only been there twice, but I have the idea this collection is a fair description of the town and its people, especially the French quarter—the fun parts and the not fun parts, discordant jazz and cheap booze, new life and old life. 

New Orleans Unleashed --by Rhonda Findley & John DeMers, phots by Vanessa S. Brown

Poetry/Photographs

70 pages

5 Stars n Barks

On a recent trip to the French Quarter, my friend and I stopped in to browse a new/used bookstore. We both like to patronize small, indy stores. Alas, I had my small dog with me (maybe he's medium, at 12 lbs?) so Sammy Brave Dog and I waited outside the store. The proprietor opened the door and began a conversation with Sammy (Chihuahua) and invited him to come in and shop. Oh, and me, the human at the other end of the leash.

As I was paying for the book I bought, she gave me this book. "I've had it for years, just waiting for someone who loves dogs like you do." Of course, the gift, and her treatment of Sammy probably tinted my glasses rose, but I enjoyed the heck out of the book.

The photography is great, the little poems of Indy's travels through New Orleans are fun, but the star of the show is the dog, Indy, who is separated from his humans and searches NOLA until he finds them, giving us quite the tour. I enthusiastically give it 5 stars for pure fun. Sammy Brave Dog gives it 5 barks!

Again Calls the Owl --by Margaret Craven

Nonfiction / autobiographical

120 pages

5 Stars

I read I Heard the Owl Call My Name when it came out and loved it. I read it in one sitting. Then I read her second novel, Walk Gently This Good Earth. I loved them both, and have read them more than once. With great delight, I recently discovered Again Calls the Owl, and read it shortly after it arrived.

This is a collection of autobiographical vignettes about Ms. Craven's life, from childhood to student at Stanford to how she became a writer, and then the writer of I Heard the Owl Call My Name. I enjoy reading about the authors whose books I like, and there were many places in this book where I laughed out loud. And a couple where the tears fell.  

If you are looking for a sequel to I Heard the Owl Call My Name, do not get this book. If you are looking for some insight into the life of the author, you're in for a treat when you read this book.

The Flying Mountain --by Christoph Ransmayr, translated by Simon Pare

Fiction / Free Verse Poem

336 pages

5 Stars

Herr Ransmayr had me with the first two words: "I died"

What? Wait a minute. If you are dead how can you write such a beautiful book? I had to keep reading and frankly found it difficult to put down. 

The story is narrated by Padraig and is about growing up with his brother, Liam, the alpha male, the father's favorite, the one who knew no fear. It tells how Liam not only got Paddy to move to his island off the coast of Ireland but got him to go on a trip he didn't want to make to Tibet to climb a mountain that flew. 

This is a story of two men who love each other, who fight, who grow, how one learns acceptance and the other learns survival. I laughed out loud in places, and I cried in places, and I truly think I am better for having read this book. It is one I will read a second time, perhaps a third.

Please, don't let the idea of it being blank or free verse, a long narrative poem, cause you not to pick it up, and read it. I guarantee you will only be aware of the form when you first pick it up. The story is gripping from the beginning, to the flashbacks to Captain Daddy and his maneuvers in the Irish mountains, to the climbing of the mountains in Tibet. Ransmayr is a master at his craft. 

Premonition (#2 of Cotton Lee Penn books) --by Tower Lowe

fiction

324 pages / 670 KB

5 Stars

Set in the 1860s and the 1970s, this book offers a slightly different look at the Civil War and the people caught up in it both as it happened, and as descendants of those same people.

This is the second of the Cotton Lee books, and as soon as I knew it was available, I had pre-ordered a copy. As it happened, I was on a road trip when it arrived in my Kindle, and imagine my surprise when I discovered Homeville VA actually exists! Alas, I did not have the time to visit, though I was fairly close. Which is probably goodness, as I'd have been on the search for Miss Cotton Lee herself.

Cotton Lee is a survivor of polio (poor thing) and lives in the South (poor thing) and was raised to be a spinster invalid (poor thing). I mean, who in their right mind would want to marry a gal who limps (poor thing)?? Fortunately for our heroine, she has ignored most of those people around her and is currently employed as a private eye for the local lawyer. He sees a very capable young lady, not a (poor thing).

The Civil War swirls around Homeville back when, and the Viet Nam war swirls around Homeville in the present when. To be honest, I may not have bought the book had I realized half was centered in the Civil War. I am, frankly, a little tired of people who are still fighting it. Rest Assured, Mz Lowe is NOT still fighting that war, and the perspective of her characters actually gave some much-needed balance to it! 

A marvelous read. Buy it, read it, enjoy it!

To read my review of Gone on Sunday, the first Cotton Lee book, go here.

The Killer Collective (#3 of Livia Lone books) --by Barry Eisler

Fiction

401 pages / 1205 KB

5 Stars

I'm never sure what to write when I review one of Barry Eisler's Livia Lone books. Thrillers are not my genre of choice, but I can't stop reading these. In fact, I'll be reading his other books soon.

Livia Lone is a Seattle Sex Crimes detective who doesn't think NO is a proper answer when she's on the hunt. When she tumbles to a hurtcore pedophile ring, when the Feds shut her investigation down, she calls on a mercenary she knows to help. He, in turn, calls his fellow merc buddies.

Mayhem ensues, also murder and other fast-moving and fun things. If you are squeamish about such things as sex trafficking, don't read this book. If you do read this book, and I hope you do, be sure to read the notes at the end.

I am delighted this is a series. The only problem with it that I can see, is I read them considerably faster than Eisler writes them.

This was an Amazon First Read. 

To see my review of the first Livia Lone book, go here. 

The Man Made of Words --N. Scott Momaday

Mix / Essays, Stories, Passages

224 pages

5 Stars

My only "complaint" was there was an end to the book. No matter how slowly I read, how I parsed the pages, I still came to the end. The saving grace is, it's my book, and I can reread it as often as I want—though there will still be an end.

This is a wonderful compilation of essays and stories and passages from the Master. We learn about his childhood, the influence of his grandparents, of the environments in which he was raised. We learn some of the Kiowa mythologies. We who read this book are blessed by the words therein, and the art that goes along with them.

Momaday is a poet, who carries that sense of rhythm and beauty into his prose. He tells of the oral culture and the book culture, and their differences. "Books are to be read; they are to be consumed and digested; they are to be turned over in the mind; they are to be taken seriously." This book is flavorful, there are textures to be chewed and savored before swallowing; there are textures that are smooth and delicate as flan. A well-balanced meal for your brain.

If I were to be sent to a desert island and allowed only 5 books for the rest of my life, this would be one of those books.

For those of you who want to know what the other books I'd take to that desert island: Errata by George Steiner (essays), Never in a Hurry by Naomi Shihab Nye (essays), Dune by Frank Herbert (novel), Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation by John Phillip Santos (memoir).

Mars and Her Children --poems by Marge Piercy

Nonfiction / Poetry

176 pages

5 Stars

This book was my introduction to Marge Piercy's work. I can hardly wait to read more of her poems. Her poetry is accessible and is guaranteed to capture your emotions and your imagination. Whether she describes "...dancers through time" or "Persimmon pudding" or "The price of the body" you will be enthralled. It deserves an honored place on your night table so you can easily reach it to read and reread.

A poetry Handbook --by Mary Oliver

Nonfiction / a prose guide to understanding and writing poetry

130 pages

5 Stars

I love Mary Oliver's poetry, so when I came across this book, I couldn't wait to read it. I frequently found myself having to go back and re-read a passage—not, I hasten to add, because it was not crystal clear the first time, but because I would get a few paragraphs on and suddenly realize she meant THAT instead of THIS and I'd go back and re-read just to be sure.

I would love to have taken a class from Ms. Oliver. Since that can never be, this book is as close as I'll ever get. If she was as approachable as her book, it would have been marvelous. 

If you are a poet or an aspiring poet, I highly recommend this book. It will give you much information without intimidating you. In fact, I think you'll find yourself reading it for the sheer pleasure of reading it, not because of a feeling of 'should read' but 'want to' read.

Death Comes for the Archbishop --by Willa Cather

Fiction / Historical

297 Pages

5 Stars

This is my second time reading about the Archbishop. The first time was several years ago, and I loved the book then. If possible, I love it more, now, for I have moved to New Mexico, and know, or know of, many of the places mentioned in her book.

Cather based her fictional Bishop, Jean Marie Latour, on the real-life Bishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, who became the first Archbishop of Santa Fe, NM. I wish I had known that earlier. A third time might be in order.

This is a gently paced and peaceful book. It shows life as it was lived in the times, including how slow and painstaking travel was. Bishop Latour was a peaceful man, who sought to understand the local Mexicans as well as the indigenous peoples. He understood the indigenous peoples were not Europeans, that they had their own histories and cultures. One of his best friends was an old Navajo.

Cather's descriptions are wonderful, both of place and of person, and though this is a slow-paced book, it is not lazy, and the story moves at a comfortable speed. She uses words to paint a gorgeous landscape with fascinating people. I have read it twice and will read it again.

Entering the World of Willa Cather's Archbishop https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/travel/26Footsteps.html

Jean Baptiste Lamy (1814-1888) http://newmexicohistory.org/people/jean-baptiste-lamy  

The Winter of the Witch (Book 3/ Winternight Trilogy) --by Katherine Arden

Fiction / Fairy Tale 

384 pages / 4479 KB

5 Stars

You have to understand something: I hate hardback books. They cost entirely too much, they weight entirely too much, and I read in bed. When/If I fall asleep, they hit my face, and they hurt. I never, ever, buy hardback books. Yet, when the offer came to pre-order The Winter of the Witch, I didn't think about it for a nanosecond, I just ordered. And I'm so glad I did. (And I did NOT fall asleep reading it!)

I had wondered how Vasya was getting along, and this book is the answer. The Winter King, Morozko, traded his freedom for captivity, Fr. Konstantin Nikonovich returns, and again, Vasya's world is turned upside down and frozen.

She faces a trial by fire, she must find and rescue Morozko, defeat Nikonovich, and rescue her family. Like the previous two books, we have villainy, magic, love, and even a bit of romance. The Tatars return, and Vasya gets a taste of battle—the excitement and the agony. 

If you have not read the first two, I strongly suggest you do so, although I do believe this book will stand alone. It will just stand better with the foundation of The Bear & the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower under it. The story ends, or does it? I do believe Ms. Arden has left the ending open for at least one more book, and perhaps a second trilogy (dare I hope?). 

If, like me, you know little to nothing of Russian fairy tales or history, not to worry. Ms. Arden is a superb storyteller and writer, and all is made clear.

Jabberosity --by Weld Champneys

Nonfiction / Poetry

121 pages

5 Stars

This book was one of the bestest Winter Gifts I received. At first, the short poems were gobbled by my eyes, and then I realized this was not calorie-free eye candy. Yes, they are short (none is over a page, many considerably shorter) and I stopped gobbling, started over, and re-read those I'd already read, and read a few each night before turning out the light.

Many thought-provoking ideas here. Many laugh out loud poems, and some cry out loud ones, too. All are beautiful. Do I have a favorite or two, ya sure, you betcha, but the beauty of this book is the ones that were my faves the first time through may not be the second or third time through. And the ones that speak to me may not speak to you, at all, and vice versa. The beauty of poetry.

Mr. Champneys has a most delightful and playful way of writing. There is something of the innocence of childhood in these poems. Even if you have avoided poetry your whole life, or since grade school when you had to memorize something you had no interest in, take a chance, pick up this book. I bet you'll buy more copies as gifts for your friends and family. It's that good. It's that fun. It's that important.