In 1982 the Commodore 64 computer was introduced, Ronald Reagan survived being shot, the Falkland War started and ended, Michael Jackson released, Thriller, Canada repatriated its Constitution, and the first compact disc was sold in Germany. And that’s not all. In 1982 I blossomed from a naive fourteen-year-old trying to fit in with the cool kids to something much more: a naive eyeliner-wearing, fifteen-year-old trying to fit in with the cool kids. So writes Jian Ghomeshi in this, his first book, 1982. It is a memoir told across intertwined stories of the songs and musical moments that changed his life. Obsessed with David Bowie ("I wanted to be Bowie,” he recalls), the adolescent Ghomeshi embarks on a Nick Hornbyesque journey to make music the centre of his life. Acceptance meant being cool, and being cool meant being Bowie. And being Bowie meant pointy black boots, eyeliner, and hair gel. Add to that the essential all-black wardrobe and you have two very confused Iranian parents, busy themselves with gaining acceptance in Canada against the backdrop of the revolution in Iran.
It is a bittersweet, heartfelt book that recalls awkward moments such as Ghomeshi’s performance as the “Ivory” in a school production of Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney’s Ebony and Ivory; a stakeout where Rush was rehearsing for its world tour; and a memorable day at the Police picnic of 1982. Music is the jumping-off place for Ghomeshi to discuss young love, young heartache, conformity, and the nature of cool. At the same time, 1982 is an entertaining cultural history of a crazy era of glam, glitter, and gender-bending fads and fashions. And it is definitely the first rock memoir by a Persian-Canadian new waver.
I started reading this book a little over a week ago, but with Christmas and this sinus cold I can't seem to shake, I haven't had much time to finish reading it, well, until today.
I'm an 80's kid. I remember the fashion, the television and the music. Some things were great, music and movies (some) but the fashion...let's forget about that please. Reading Jian Ghomeshi's memoir brought back a few memories. Although I'm a tad younger than the author, I can relate. In 1982, I was 9, my family had just moved to a different country, I was learning a different language and trying to fit in with the other kids. I felt like an outsider but the one thing that was universal was music. Duran Duran, ruled the radio waves, with some Talk Talk and let's not forget U2, Madonna and Michael Jackson. We could probably all agree that the best thing that came out of that decade was the music.
I don't like rating memoirs because how can you really give someone's memories a rate out of five, let's just say that I had a blast (of the past) reading Jian Ghomeshi's 1982.
1982 by Jian Ghomeshi () Memoir; Published: Viking (2012); New Release; New Author; Canadian Author; Library; Books 2012 (58);
Saul Indian Horse is dying. Tucked away in a hospice high above the clash and clang of a big city, he embarks on a marvellous journey of imagination back through the life he led as a northern Ojibway, with all its sorrows and joys. With compassion and insight, author Richard Wagamese traces through his fictional characters the decline of a culture and a cultural way. For Saul, taken forcibly from the land and his family when he's sent to residential school, salvation comes for a while through his incredible gifts as a hockey player. But in the harsh realities of 1960s Canada, he battles obdurate racism and the spirit-destroying effects of cultural alienation and displacement. Indian Horse unfolds against the bleak loveliness of northern Ontario, all rock, marsh, bog and cedar. Wagamese writes with a spare beauty, penetrating the heart of a remarkable Ojibway man.
I love this book! Like the blurb says it deals with the harsh realities of the 1960s Canada, the racism, cultural alienation. What we learn in school does not cover this, yes we knew they took children from their parents. Tried to take their beliefs from them, tried to take their spirit, and in many cases their innocence and our schools don't teach us this. This book gave me some insight, on how bad it really was. I know alot of people don't want to talk about this, many deem this to be still very sensitive, but it needs to be done. It was wrong, very wrong. I want to thank Mr Wagamese for letting me experience it with his beautiful words.
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese (5/5) Fiction; Published: Douglas & McIntyre (2012); New Author; New Release; Favorite Read 2012; Canada Reads; Canada Reads 2013; Library; Books 2012 (57);
Darla Pettistone may have inherited her great aunt Dee’s Brooklyn bookstore, but it’s the store’s mascot—an oversized black cat named Hamlet—who acts like he owns the place. And when someone turns up dead, Hamlet smells something rotten in Brooklyn…
As the owner of Pettistone’s Fine Books, Darla is settling nicely into her new life, even reaching an uneasy truce with Hamlet. Unfortunately, when she needs to hire a new clerk, the finicky feline decides to lend a paw to the hiring process. He chases away applicants who don’t meet his approval, finally settling on an unlikely candidate: Robert, a book-loving Goth kid who has a secret only Hamlet knows.
And Hamlet can’t seem to stay out of trouble. One of the bookstore’s regular customers, a man who is renovating a local brownstone, claims he’s seen Hamlet prowling the neighborhood. When the man’s business partner is found dead, Darla discovers that Hamlet may have been the only witness to what could be murder. With the crafty cat’s help, she wonders if they just might be able to pounce on a killer...
My favorite fictional cat is back! I'm a proud owner of a black cat, Boo. The author's description of Hamlet both physically and personality wise is like describing Boo. Well, except for pulling out books...
Like the previous book of the series, Double Booked for Death, Hamlet is on the prowl for a murderer with a little help from his human, Darla, the owner of Pettistone's Fine Books. They also had some help from the usual gang, Jake, Professor and the newest member of their "family", Robert, a teenage ex goth book lover who has a soft spot for Hamlet. I was completely surprised on who the murderer was, but the author tied up everything very well. I hate when that doesn't happen. I loved seeing Hamlet bond with both Robert and Darla, in his own stubborn cat way. Cat owners will understand.
A Novel Way to Die by Ali Brandon (3.5/5) Mystery; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (11/2012); Series: # 2, A Black Cat Bookshop Mystery; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (56);
No one thought much of the stranger who stopped by the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers meeting. But when he's killed just moments later, Lizzie Turner finds herself in the midst of a dangerous murder mystery...
Reading specialist and mystery book lover Lizzie Turner was excited for the first meeting of the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society hosted in Molly Mathews's old Southern mansion. But she didn't expect the gathering to become the scene of an actual murder. A stranger has been shot -- and nobody knows who the victim is, or how Molly's antique gun came to be used as the murder weapon.
As the plot becomes all too real, the police chief -- Lizzie's former high school crush -- steps in to investigate. Then Lizzie begins finding mysterious manuscripts chapters in her mailbox, and Molly surfaces as the next name on the killer's list...
I'm on a roll...another mystery and another first book of a series, Ashton Corners Book Club mystery series, by Erika Chase.
I enjoyed the premise of the story, a mystery book club investigating their own case, or least what they thought as their own. And that escalates to something more. Plus you add several interesting characters, the possibility of one or two romances, a hunky Chief of police, a puppy and two cats, I'm in heaven. Ok, not quite, but it was a good read. I'm looking forward to read the next book in the series.
A Killer Read by Erika Chase (3/5) Mystery; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (3/2012); Series: # 1, Ashton Corners Book Club; New Author; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (55);
Winter is big business in small-town Snowflake, Vermont. Tourists arrive to hit the ski slopes--and what could be more satisfying after a chilly day of carving powder than a steaming bowl of soup?
When Lucky Jamieson inherits her parents' soup shop, By the Spoonful, she realizes it's time to take stock of her life. Should she sell her parents' house or move in herself? Does she really want to run a restaurant business? And what about her grandfather Jack, who seems to be showing signs of Alzheimer's?
But her life decisions are moved to the back burner after an icy blonde tourist is found frozen to death behind the soup shop. And Lucky is bowled over when her soup chef, Sage DuBois, is led out of the kitchen by the police. As suspicion and speculations snowball, Lucky decides that the only way to save her employee and her business is to find out herself who iced the tourist--and landed her chef in the soup...
I'm on a roll... Another mystery, another first book of a cosy series and another pretty decent read. A great way to spend a weekend, I say.
Lucky comes back to her hometown to run her parents business after their sudden death. I have a soft spot for this type of character, I love the way they feel somewhat guilty that they didn't spend enough time with their loved ones while alive that they need to move back home and take over the family business. Yes, I'm a sap.... Ok, I'm not too bad. I loved the way she took care of her grandfather, she was concerned about the possibility that he has Alzheimer's. Plus taking care of a business, an old crush and her chef being accused of murder, she has a lot on her plate. But she manages to do everything including solve a murder and free Sage, said chef. I guess that's the beauty of these small cosy mysteries, fast paced and super characters, I just wished there was a little more humor. Not the slap stick type, just the humorous characters that lighten-up the story. There were a couple moments but I wanted a little bit more.
A Spoonful of Murder by Connie Archer (3/5) Mystery; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (8/2012); Series: # 1, Soup Lover's Mystery; New Author; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (54);
Rita Jewel has a dream job selling fabulous clothes and accessories to the socialites of San Francisco at Dolce's Boutique. But when a pair of heels becomes a clue in a murder, Rita finds herself engaged in a high-end crime of fashion...
Society maven MarySue Jensen has old San Francisco money and an eye for style. That's why she must have those handmade silver stilettos special ordered from Dulce's by their top fashionista, Rita Jewel. She'd die before she wore anything less at the biggest charity event of the season. That same night, MarySue Jensen's cold, lifeless body is found in Golden Gate Park...tragically barefoot.
What kind of remorseless, fashion-conscious maniac would swipe a pair of handcrafted stilettos from a corpse? With her boss a prime suspect, Rita Jewel -- and unnervingly sexy detective Jack Wall -- must track down a killer. But before Rita engages in such a dangerous game, she has one nagging question...What does one wear to solve a crime?
Another good mystery for me.
I loved that this story is set in San Francisco, one of my favorite cities. I'm not a huge fashion follower, I'm what people call comfortable. I love my jeans and tees! But I enjoyed how these characters are fashionista willing to do and get everything they think is fashion. The main character, Rita, I'm not sure about just yet, I'll have to read more of the series. The mystery itself had me guessing, one chapter was one person, next chapter was someone different and I was completely surprised on who it was.
Shoe Done It by Grace Carroll (3/5) Mystery; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (10/2011); Series: # 1, An Accessories Mystery; New Author; Library; Books 2012 (53)
The First Slice is Magic....
When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LeFaye bakes pie. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flaky crust. But her pies aren't just delicious, they're also having magical effects on the people who eat them -- and the public is hungry for more.
The Second is Murder...
Having discovered her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae makes her own wish come true by opening The Charmed Pie Shoppe. But with her old nemesis Loralyn Gaynor making trouble, and her old crush Hugh Dylan making nice, she has more than pie on her plate. And when Loralyn's fiance is found dead -- killed with Ella Mae's rolling pin -- it'll take all her sweet magic to clear her name.
I'm in a mystery type of mood. I want them short, and sweet, and if there's a little spice added to it, even better.
Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams, was just that. It was a fast paced story, the characters were super interesting (especially the LaFaye sister's - Ella's aunts and mother), the mystery itself was well written. And it did have a little added spice. There's a slim possibility that Ella and Hugh may have a future, but I would like to see Ella resolve her marriage and trust issues first. I would loved to see Loralyn get more of a punishment for the way she treated Ella, but I'm hoping that the author will do so in upcoming books.
Can't wait for more! I may just try out a pie recipe too...
Pies and Prejudice by Ellery James (3.5/5) Mystery; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (7/2012); Series: # 1, Charmed Pie Shoppe; New Author; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (52);
Once a month on Monday night, eight students gather in Lillian's restaurant for a cooking class. Among them is Claire, a young woman coming to terms with her new identity as a mother; Tom, a lawyer whose life has been overturned by loss; Antonia, an Italian kitchen designer adapting to life in America; and Carl and Helen a long-married couple whose union contains surprises the rest of the class would never suspect.The students have come to learn the art behind Lillian's soulful dishes, but it soon becomes clear that each seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. One by one they are transformed by the aromas, flavors, and textures of what they create, including a white-on-white cake that prompts wistful reflections on the sweet fragility of love, and a garlic and red sauce that seems to spark one romance but end another. Over time, the paths of the students mingle and intertwine, and the essence of Lillian's cooking expands beyond the restaurant and into the secret corners of their lives, with results that are often unexpected, and always delicious.
What a wonderful little gem of a book! I loved almost everything about the book. My only complaint was that the it was too short. At the end of the book, I was upset that there wasn't more. How dare the author leave me hanging? All kidding aside, it was one of those books that nurtures your soul. Loved it! Loved it!
I enjoyed the way that each character had their own chapters, which gave their individual story without making it seem overly done. I also enjoyed that each character had their own emotional breakthrough recipe. And each of those "recipes" made the ending where they're all intertwined more special and believable. Where it also made me want more. I didn't want those stories to end. It felt like they were just beginning.
If you haven't read this book yet, what are you waiting for...You won't regret it!
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister (5/5) General Fiction; Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons (2009); New Author; Favorite Read 2012; Library; Books 2012 (51);
Bliss, Texas, is gearing up for its annual Winter Wonderland festival, but when a mysterious Scrooge ends the merriment with murder,it'll take more than a ghost from Christmas past to set things right.
Designing a holiday fashion show set in the town's most prominent historic mansion seems like a job tailor-made for dress-maker Harlow Jane Cassidy. But with the mansion's restoration still in progress and threatening weather on the horizon, she's feeling on pins and needles more than reveling in holiday cheer.
Having volunteered to play Santa in this year's festival, Dan Lee Chrisson is ready to move on after his divorce -- until Bliss becomes his final resting place. Discovering his body puts Harlow at the scene of the crime. She'll need plenty of help from friends and even her late great-grandmother's spirited sleuthing if she's to have a ghost of a chance of catching a killer who's just jumped to the top of the naughty list...
I've read my first Christmas themed book of the year. When I got this book at the library, I didn't realize it was, Melissa Bourbon is just one of those authors I automatically pick up without glassing at the blurb.
Harlow has her plate full. Not only is she helping organize Winter Wonderland fashion show, she also in charge of sewing the clothes, Christmas decorations class, making the new Santa outfit, a newsletter, and also figuring out who wanted Dan Lee Chrisson dead.
But she isn't alone, she has her usual friends and family about to help with her tasks. I loved that the author had Harlow tell Will about her gift and how all the branches of the Cassidy's have their own individual gifts. And it was not surprising that he took it well, love Will, but there is always that doubt that he would not accept it and leave.
The solving of Dan Lee's murder was interesting. I loved that he was more complex than it was originally known. I love how everything in that little town is interconnected. I admit I couldn't figure out who killed him, but by the time the book was over it made sense.
The only problem I have now is that I have to wait until July for the next book of the series. Argh..
Deadly Patterns by Melissa Bourbon (4.5/5) Paranormal Mystery: Ghost; Published: Signet (10/2012); Series: # 3, Magical Dressmaking Mystery; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (50);
Skilled in passion, artful in deception, and driven by betrayal, she is the glittering center of the royal court–but the most desired woman of Renaissance France will draw the wrath of a dangerous adversary. Paris, 1575. The consort of some of Europe’s most influential men, Gabrielle Cheney is determined to secure her future by winning the heart of Henry, the Huguenot king of Navarre. As his mistress, Gabrielle hopes she might one day become the power behind the French throne. But her plans are jeopardized by Captain Nicolas Rémy, a devoted warrior whose love Gabrielle desires–and fears–above all. She will also incur the malevolence of the Dark Queen, Catherine de’ Medici, whose spies and witch-hunters are legion, and who will summon the black arts to maintain her authority. With the lives of those she loves in peril, Gabrielle must rebel against her queen to fulfill a glorious destiny she has sacrificed everything to gain.
Alive with vivid period detail and characters as vibrant as they are memorable, The Courtesan is a sweeping historical tale of dangerous intrigues, deep treachery, and one woman’s unshakable resolve to honor her heart.
I finished reading this book last week, and I've been having a hard time putting my thoughts down. I found the book well written, the story flowed well, I loved the introduction of a few new characters who I think we may see more in future books. It was great to see Renard, Ariane and Miri. It was even nice to see Simon as well, but I'm not too sure about his character, he's confused and angry and I'm curious on what the author will do to redeem him. But The Courtesan is Gabrielle and Remy's story. Which I don't quite agree, it was Gabrielle's story, Remy had more of a secondary role in it in my opinion. Gabrielle was the one who was struggling with what her heart said and what she had promised herself. Should she follow Remy or should she become the mistress of an imprisoned king.
I guess it just wasn't what I was expecting. I still enjoyed it, but it just wasn't as good as the first book, The Dark Queen. I'm hoping that the next book of the series, The Silver Rose, will be better.
The Courtesan by Susan Carroll (3/5) Historical Fiction; Published: Ballantine Books (2005);
Series: # 2, The Dark Queen; Library; Books 2012 (49);
Enjoy her wedding shower…or receive a cold dunking?
In addition to running her flower shop, planning her wedding, and juggling two mothers who both want to host an elaborate bridal shower, Abby Knight is facing another complication. Her ditzy cousin Jillian asks her and her longtime beau, Marco, a private detective, to find a woman who’s gone missing from the exclusive beach house belonging to Jillian’s in-laws, the Osbornes. The missing woman is also the fiancée of Pryce Osborne, a wet noodle with a big bank account who dumped Abby just before their wedding several years ago. Merely being anywhere near Pryce makes Abby’s insecurities grow like kudzu….
Then a woman’s drowned body surfaces, and Pryce becomes a prime suspect in her death. Unless Abby and Marco can get a killer to come clean, their bridal shower will turn into a complete washout...and Pryce will be exchanging a sunny beach for a prison cell.
I know I'm going to sound like a broken record but I love this author and her Flower Shop series. I know when I read a Kate Collins book I will be entertained. I love her subtle humor and the banter that the main character has with her cousin Jillian, gets me every time. And Marco, isn't so bad either, who wouldn't want an ex-Ranger for a fiance... I read this book in one afternoon. It was a perfect read for a snowy Sunday afternoon.
This book had it all. The regular characters who are just like old friends, the new characters that were interesting and some hilarious in a very unique way; Abby and her usual nosiness, her crazy conversations with Jillian; quality time with Marco; two mysteries to solve; all this and also the planning of her bridal shower. This time around there was also a small journal entry by Abby at the beginning of each chapter. It was a nice touch.
If you haven't read this series yet, what are you waiting for? If you love cosy mysteries you will love the Flower Shop mystery.
Nightshade on Elm Street by Kate Collins (4.5/5) Contemporary Mystery; Published: Obsidian Mystery (11/2012); Series: # 13, Flower Shop; New Release; Library; Books (48);
Sonnet Romano's life is almost perfect. She has the ideal career, the ideal boyfriend, and has just been offered a prestigious fellowship. There's nothing more a woman wants—except maybe a baby…brother?
When Sonnet finds out her mother is unexpectedly expecting, and that the pregnancy is high risk, she puts everything on hold—the job, the fellowship, the boyfriend—and heads home to Avalon. Once her mom is out of danger, Sonnet intends to pick up her life where she left off.
But when her mother receives a devastating diagnosis, Sonnet must decide what really matters in life, even if that means staying in Avalon and taking a job that forces her to work alongside her biggest, and maybe her sweetest, mistake—award-winning filmmaker Zach Alger. So Sonnet embarks on a summer of laughter and tears, of old dreams and new possibilities, and of finding the home of her heart.
Susan Wiggs is one of those authors that I know I will enjoy her novels, regardless of it being a historical or a contemporary setting. You can say she is one of my feel good authors. Reading her books will always put a smile on my face.
And this one did not disappoint. It had the ups and downs of real relationships, and I loved the way that Sonnet, Nina, and Zach handled their ups and downs. I found Nina's story to be poignant and beautiful, and it had me in tears several times. Sonnet and Zach's love has been one of stories I've been waiting for a while, loved them as teens in previous books and I was very curious on how the author would get them together. Loved it!
Return to Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs (4/5) General Fiction; Published: Harlequin MIRA (8/2012); Series: # 9, Lakeshore Chronicles; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (47);
It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few drinks, complained about their boss, maybe hooked up with someone for the night. Until something went terribly wrong. At first it was just a friction in the air. The noise intensified. The crowd seemed oppressive. Some sharp words were exchanged, some pushing and shoving.
Then the madness descended. And after twelve minutes of chaos and violence, eighty people lay dead.
Eve Dallas is trying to sort out the inexplicable events. Surviving witnesses talk about seeing things - monsters and swarms of bees. They describe sudden, overwhelming feelings of fear and rage and paranoia. When forensics makes its report, the mass delusions make more sense: it appears the bar patrons were exposed to a cocktail of chemicals and illegal drugs that could drive people into temporary insanity - if not kill them outright.
But that doesn't explain who would unleash such horror - or why. Eve's husband, Roarke, happens to own the bar, yet he's convinced the attack wasn't directed at him. It's bigger than that. And if Eve can't figure it out fast, it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. Because it's airborne...
I've been meaning to read this book since it came out, but as usual anything written by Nora Roberts/JD Robb the hold list is outrageous. But I finally got my turn, and I admit it was quicker than I thought. Bonus for me, I guess...
I found the story more fast paced than usual. I enjoyed that, it made it a quick read, which was fine by me. That doesn't mean that anything within the story was lacking, the usual gang was there, the tender moments and the quick ass ones were there as usual. I believe that the author is slowly making Eve more vulnerable and more "human" towards the living. The search for the person responsible for the gassing had me second guessing my initial gut feeling, but it was a definite roller coaster ride. I truly enjoyed this book.
Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb (4/5) Futuristic Romantic Suspense; Published: Putnam (9/2012); Series: # 35, Eve Dallas; New Release; Library; Books 2012 (46);
No outsiders are ever admitted to the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, hidden deep in the wilderness of Quebec, where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer. They grow vegetables, they tend chickens, they make chocolate. And they sing. Ironically, for a community that has taken a vow of silence, the monks have become world-famous for their glorious voices, raised in ancient chants whose effect on both singer and listener is so profound it is known as “the beautiful mystery.”
But when the renowned choir director is murdered, the lock on the monastery’s massive wooden door is drawn back to admit Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir of the Sûreté du Québec. There they discover disquiet beneath the silence, discord in the apparent harmony. One of the brothers, in this life of prayer and contemplation, has been contemplating murder. As the peace of the monastery crumbles, Gamache is forced to confront some of his own demons, as well as those roaming the remote corridors. Before finding the killer, before restoring peace, the Chief must first consider the divine, the human, and the cracks in between.
I was enthralled with the story, I loved that the author took us into a highly secretive and unknown world. I loved the way the monastery and the monks were described, the surroundings of the monastery were beautifully written, at times breathtakingly so. The mystery itself brought me to the edge of my chair of few times, second guessing myself with the possible culprits.
I know when I read a Louise Penny book there will be plenty of twists and turns, but I never thought I would see this one, I'm sorry that it ended the way it did, but I can see why the author chose to do it. But wow...I never thought that it would happen. I felt terrible for Gamache. I wonder what can happen next...
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny (4.5/5) Mystery; Published: Minotaur Books (8/2012); Series: # 8, Armand Gamache; Library; Books 2012 (45);
From Brittany’s misty shores to the decadent splendor of Paris’s royal court, one woman must fulfill her destiny–while facing the treacherous designs of Catherine de Medici, the dark queen.
She is Ariane, the Lady of Faire Isle, one of the Cheney sisters, renowned for their mystical skills and for keeping the isle secure and prosperous. But this is a time when women of ability are deemed sorceresses, when Renaissance France is torn by ruthless political intrigues, and all are held in thrall to the sinister ambitions of Queen Catherine de Medici. Then a wounded stranger arrives on Faire Isle, bearing a secret the Dark Queen will do everything in her power to possess. The only person Ariane can turn to is the comte de Renard, a nobleman with fiery determination and a past as mysterious as his own unusual gifts.
Riveting, vibrant, and breathtaking, The Dark Queen follows Ariane and Renard as they risk everything to prevent the fulfillment of a dreadful prophecy–even if they must tempt fate and their own passions.
Do you have an author that you've heard amazing things about but never got around to reading him or her? Well, Susan Carroll, is that author. And what you may ask made me break down and finally read her. Easy answer, sheer boredom. Yep, that's right, boredom. I haven't read a really good historical series in ages, and I'm a sucker for historical series. I find only one book is too little, I want more...
Anyway, back to the book. The Dark Queen is the first book of The Dark Queen series. It's the love story between Ariane and Renard, set during 1572, a very dark time, not only for the so called heretics but also the citizens of France because of Catherine di Medici. Although I realize that the book is a work of fiction, I enjoyed that the author maintained a certain historical significance, but she also took some liberties, and that did not bother me at all. I was more interested on what was going on with Ariane, Renard and her sisters.
Ariane takes her role as the Lady of Faire Isle seriously, she wants to protect her sisters, her island and her customs. Renard wants to protect Ariane from the outside world, but she does not want his help, she's strong and independent and does not need help. And here is where the magic ring comes in. I really love the way the story revolves around the ring, ok, maybe revolves is too strong of a word, but it has a very strong presence within the story. I love the mystical aspects of it. Plus, you add disturbed witch-hunters and the book was in full form. I absolutely loved this book.
I cannot wait to get the second book of the series, The Courtesan.
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll (4.5/5) Historical Fiction; Published: Ballantine Books (3/2005); Series: # 1, The Dark Queen; New Author; Library; Books 2012 (44);
In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.
Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.
After the last book, I was a bit hesitant about trying something new...but I was pleasantly surprised about this one. I loved everything about it. Both the contemporary setting and the post WWII story in the book. I loved Emily her need to find the truth about the red velvet diary, was it truth or fiction. Emily also needed the time to heel her heart and put her life back together. I was taken by the beauty of Bainbridge Island, and the way Emily loved it. I loved Aunt Bee, she was an amazing woman. I wish I had an aunt Bee!
My only complaint was that the story ended to soon. I wanted more. It felt like it didn't have the closure that it should have had.
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio (4.5/5) General Fiction; Published: Plume (2012); New Author; Library; Books 2012 (43);
Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy, especially since a freak accident took her husband much too soon. Content in a quiet life with friends and family, the young widow has no desire to marry again. But when Hugo, Lord Trentham, scoops her up in his arms after a fall, she feels a sensation that both shocks and emboldens her.
Hugo never intends to kiss Lady Muir, and frankly, he judges her to be a spoiled, frivolous—if beautiful—aristocrat. He is a gentleman in name only: a soldier whose bravery earned him a title; a merchant’s son who inherited his wealth. He is happiest when working the land, but duty and title now demand that he finds a wife. He doesn't wish to court Lady Muir, nor have any role in the society games her kind thrives upon. Yet Hugo has never craved a woman more; Gwen’s guileless manner, infectious laugh, and lovely face have ruined him for any other woman. He wants her, but will she have him?
The hard, dour ex-military officer who so gently carried Gwen to safety is a man who needs a lesson in winning a woman’s heart. Despite her cautious nature, Gwen cannot ignore the attraction. As their two vastly different worlds come together, both will be challenged in unforeseen ways. But through courtship and seduction, Gwen soon finds that with each kiss, and with every caress, she cannot resist Hugo’s devotion, his desire, his love, and the promise of forever.
This is the first book of the The Survivors' Club Series by Mary Balogh, the series is about seven survivors of the Napoleonic Wars, six men and one woman. I tend to enjoy the authors stories, some more than others, but she a definite must read for me. I've been meaning to read this for a while now, but the I was at the bottom of the hold list at the library. Well, my turn finally came....
It was nice to see Gwen in this book. I enjoyed her in previous books and was always curious about her. Hugo is a military man, the only survivor of a bloody battle, he lives like a hermit, but he loves his family, both the blood relations and the men and woman of the Survivors' Club. This book had all the qualities of a great story, but it wasn't, at least for me. I found some of the characters to be interesting enough, but found the main characters to be borderline boring. It was too bland for me. It needed some spicing up, more chemistry, more romance. I just couldn't see those two together....
Ah well...maybe the next book will be better. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
The Proposal by Mary Balogh (2.5/5) Published: Delacourt Press (6/2012); Series: # 1, The Survivors' Club; Library; Books 2012 (42)
On his first day at Turner King, David Stewart quickly realizes that the world of international PR (affectionately, perhaps ironically, known as "the dark side") is a far cry from his previous job on Parliament Hill. For one, he missed the office memo on the all-black dress code; for another, there are enough acronyms and jargon to make his head spin. Before he even has time to find the washroom, David is assigned a major project: devise a campaign to revitalize North America's interest in the space program - maybe even show NASA's pollsters that watching a shuttle launch is more appealing than going out for lunch with friends. The pressure is on, and before long, David finds himself suggesting the most out-of-this-world idea imaginable: a Citizen Astronaut lottery that would send one Canadian and one American to the International Space Station. Suddenly, David's vaulted into an odyssey of his own, navigating the corporate politics of a big PR agency; wading through the murky but always hilarious waters of Canada-U.S. relations; and trying to hold on to his new job while still doing the right thing.
Terry Fallis has quickly become one of my favourite authors. I have read all three of his books and all of them have had a quirky humour plus a satirical quality that I absolutely love. You also have to love a book that the first sentence is "Welcome to the dark side."
For reason I thought the main character/narrator was the same character as his previous books, The Best Laid Plans and The High Road. But it wasn't, I went back and checked. He seemed so familiar, but I think that's the beauty the author's characters, they seem real, they could anyone that you meet in everyday life. Although David Stewart was an amazing character the scene stealer was Landon Percival. She was quite the character. Strong, independent, good humoured and tough as nails. It wasn't all hilarity, there were moments that had me tearing up, especially the ones that involved his family. That emotional roller-coaster that is cancer to a family was there, the author maneuvered it beautifully.
Can't wait for more!
Up and Down by Terry Fallis (4.5/5) General Fiction; Published: McClelland & Stewart (2012); New Release; Canadian Author; Library; Books 2012 (41);
A lush, seductive novel of the legendary beauty whose face “launched a thousand ships”.
Daughter of a god, wife of a king, prize of antiquity’s bloodiest war, Helen of Troy has inspired artists for millennia. Now Margaret George, the highly acclaimed bestselling historical novelist, has turned her intelligent, perceptive eye to the myth that is Helen of Troy.
Margaret George breathes new life into the great Homeric tale by having Helen narrate her own story. Through her eyes and in her voice, we experience the young Helen’s discovery of her divine origin and her terrifying beauty. While hardly more than a girl, Helen married the remote Spartan king Menelaus and bore him a daughter. By the age of twenty, the world’s most beautiful woman was resigned to a passionless marriage—until she encountered the handsome Trojan prince Paris. And once the lovers flee to Troy, war, murder, and tragedy become inevitable.
In Helen of Troy, Margaret George has captured a timeless legend in a mesmerizing tale of a woman whose life was destined to create strife—and destroy civilizations.
I've been a fan of Margaret George since I read Mary Queen of Scotland and The Isles. I then inhaled The Memoir of Cleopatra and The Autobiography of Henry VIII. But I haven't kept up with all her books, so when I saw Helen of Troy on the suggestion shelf at the library I knew I had to give the author a try again.
Like many people I knew of the tale and I even read The Iliad by Homer, but I've always been curious about it. What about Helen? And in this book gave me a glimpse on what could have happened. The author made Helen real, at first a child trying to figure out why she was kept secluded and wearing a veil, as a young woman being married off to a suitable warrior and then falling in love for the first time with a younger man, who took her away and finally gave her what she always wanted: freedom.
Like all other of the author's books this one is large in length but it was so well written that I did not notice it. It flowed beautifully. I was taken back to a time where everything revolved around the gods and wars. It was amazing.
If you're curious about the Greek Mythology tale, Helen of Troy, you can find a short version of it at Wikipedia, here.
Helen of Troy by Margaret George (5/5) Historical Fiction; Greek Mythology; Published: Viking (2006); Favourite Read 2012; Library; Books 2012 (40);
“Hearts are broken,” Lillian Dyson carefully underlined in a book. “Sweet relationships are dead.”
But now Lillian herself is dead. Found among the bleeding hearts and lilacs of Clara Morrow's garden in Three Pines, shattering the celebrations of Clara's solo show at the famed Musée in Montreal. Chief Inspector Gamache, the head of homicide at the Sûreté du Québec, is called to the tiny Quebec village and there he finds the art world gathered, and with it a world of shading and nuance, a world of shadow and light. Where nothing is as it seems. Behind every smile there lurks a sneer. Inside every sweet relationship there hides a broken heart. And even when facts are slowly exposed, it is no longer clear to Gamache and his team if what they've found is the truth, or simply a trick of the light.
I'm a huge fan of Louise Penny's Armand Gamache series, I love the way she writes, her characters are amazing, and the stories are always full of little twists and turns. And A Trick of the Light was exactly what I was expecting.
Clara Morrow is finally living her dream, her first solo show at the Musee d'Art in Montreal. With all the excitement Clara cannot truly enjoy her night, her nerves are wrecking havoc. The next morning a body of a woman is found in Clara's garden. She's surprised to discover it's Lillian Dyson, her childhood friend. Here enters Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team, to investigate the murder.
I found this book more than just about finding the killer, it was also about forgiving and letting of harsh feelings that may end up corrupting yourself. And those little twists and turns were there along the way. It was a definite page turner and one of those books that I couldn't put down.
Loved it!
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (5/5) Mystery; Published: Minotaur Books (8/2011); Series: #7, Armand Gamache; Canadian Author; Favourite Reads 2012; Library; Books 2012 (39);
