Today In History

21st February, 1965: African American leader Malcolm X was assassinated while delivering a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City.

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Today In History

20th February, 1986: It was announced that a tunnel channel would be built by France and Britain. This underground travel path is referred to as the “Chunnel”. Since 1994, the Channel Tunnel has been used for the passing of trains, cars, and buses, which cross under the English Channel in less than a half hour.

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Devil May Ride

I been waiting to read the second book of A Ghost Duster Mystery series since I read the first book, Remains of the Dead, last year. Yep, it's one of those series...at least for me, that is.

The heroine of the series, Sadie, has a special gift. She has to ability to see and talk to ghosts. And in her line of business it comes in handy, she's crime scene cleaner, when ghosts/spirits aren't quite ready to cross over she helps them out.

Here's the blurb for Devil May Ride:

Sadie Novak is blessed with the gift of second sight. More of a curse, really, since she's the owner of a crime scene cleanup company and can't get through a job without the ghost of a murder victim popping in for a chat.

Sadie and her sexy partner, Zack, find themselves knee-deep in trouble on their latest job when they stumble over evidence of a cult ritual in an abandoned meth lab, and Sadie comes face-to-face with an evil spirit unlike any she's seen before. And it's no coincidence that a depleted hoard of stolen cash turns up at her next crime scene just in time to convince a gang of meth-deprived motorcyclists that Sadie made off with their money.

With a hell-raising band of bikers hot on her heels, Sadie has to act fast. She knows the threats are all connected, but how? It's a shock to discover that everything is linked to her own family - a secret so dark it makes gossiping with ghosts look like child's play.

What is a girl to do when she has a gang of bikers, an evil ghost, and satanic cult after her? Rely on her family and friends for help. And that exactly what happens. That's one of the thing I enjoy in this series, she doesn't work alone, she has a number of willing helpers.

Like the first book, this one is fast paced. The storyline moves along quickly without having those awkward moments - as if you are missing something. We get more information on Sadie's brother Brian and the possible reasons for his suicide. We also learn about her uncle Gary, who everyone believed to be schizophrenic. We're also introduced to a new character her aunt Lynn, I'm hoping to see more of her. Like in the previous book there's a very emotional ending with a special ghost crossing over. Good thing I had the tissues close by, it was a definite tear jerker.

My only complaint, is that I now have to wait until December for the next book of the series.

Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts (4.5/5) Contemporary Mystery; Paranormal: Ghost/Psychic; Published: Obsidian (12/08); Series: # 2, A Ghost Dusters Mystery; 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (24); 2009 Support Your Local Library (19);

Today In History

19th February, 1959: Britain, Turkey and Greece sign joint agreement giving Cyprus independence.

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Fireside

Fireside is the latest novel in the Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs. In this book we see Bo Crutcher again, he was in the previous book, Snowfall at Willow Lake.

Here's the blurb:

Baseball hopeful Bo Crutcher is about to get his shot at the majors. That is, until life throws him a curve ball. When AJ, the son he's never met, lands on his doorstep, Bo's life becomes a whole new ball game. He needs help—fast.

Enter Kimberly van Dorn. Hired to smooth Bo's rough exterior for the media, she expects the kind of shallow pro athlete she's used to handling. But Bo is willing to sacrifice everything for his vulnerable son. Kim can train him to hit a home run with the press, but over a breathtaking winter on frozen Willow Lake, she realizes he has far more to teach her about the game of life…and putting love first.

In Fireside he gets an opportunity that he never thought he would get, to play Major league baseball. But at the same time, he gets a frantic call from the mother of his son, and it may just be life changing. For the first time in twelve yea rs he'll have a chance to spend time with son. But he knows next to nothing on raising children.

Kimberly van Dorn, left LA after a rocky relationship with a pro athlete. Not only did the jerk breakup with her, he also fired her. She comes to Willow Lake for some much needed TLC, and her mothers kind support.

Kimberly and Bo soon find that they can help each other. Bo needs help with his imagine, and to get media savvy. And Kimberly wants to get back on her feet. Along the way she helps Bo connect with his son, and loses her heart to both Bo and AJ.

I found myself glued to the couch. I was engrossed. It was fast paced and entertaining. The characters (as usual) were interesting and familiar. It's great to see some of the characters from the previous books. And the newly introduced characters weren't too shabby either. I liked Kim. Her wanting, her needing a change but also her willingness to help Bo not only with his media training but also with his son, spoke volumes in my opinion. Bo grew from a self centered bachelor to caring single father. But the scene stealer of the book was AJ, he was such a courageous boy and it showed with everything he did.

Fireside by Susan Wiggs (4/5) Romance; Published: Mira (2/09); Series: # 5, Lakeshore Chronicles; 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (23); 2009 Support Your Local Library (18); 2009 Pub Challenge (4);

Today In History

18th February, 1930: Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh located a new planet while in the observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, and named it after the Greek god of the underworld, Pluto. Just recently, 2006, Pluto was downgraded to a dwarf planet.

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Kids' Picks

It's the third Tuesday of the month and it's time for Kids' Picks, which is hosted by 5 Minutes for Books.

This month, the Sophster is devouring the Olivia Kidney series by Ellen Potter. According to her it's her second favourite series - after Harry Potter, of course. Olivia has the ability to speak to ghosts. Which can be very funny and scary at times, so says the Sophster. Her dad is a handy man who is klumsy, which the Sophster finds hilarious. I know for listening to her giggle while she reads. I love the sound of her having so much fun reading. The books if the series are: Olivia Kidney, Oliva Kidney Stops for No One and Olivia Kidney and the Secret Beneath the City.

Master K, on the other hand has been enjoying all different types of books. Well, not all that different. He loves Spiderman, Power Rangers, Transformers and Stars Wars. So far we've read together: Luke Skywalker's Amazing Story by Simon Beecroft, Transformers: The Decepticons Invade! by Olivia London, Spiderman: Battle Against Doc Ock by Jennifer Frantz and Power Rangers: Great Adventures by Simon Beecroft.

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Camilla

I read Evelina last month, and this month's selection was Camilla - a selection for the 18th & 19th Century Women Writers' Reading Challenge. I've had this book on my nightstand for a couple of weeks. I tried several times, but the length of the book kept me from starting it. It's a big book, the total pages are 956. Yikes. And because of its length I'm also reading it for the Chunkster Challenge.

Here's the synopsis of the book (taken from Barnes & Noble):

First published in 1796, Camilla deals with the matrimonial concerns of a group of young people - Camilla Tyrold and her sisters, the daughters of a country parson, and their cousin Indiana Lynmere - and, in particular, with the love affair between Camilla herself and her eligible suitor, Edgar Mandlebert. The path of true love, however, is strewn with intrigue, contretemps and misunderstanding.. "An enormously popular eighteenth-century novel, Camilla is touched at many points by the advancing spirit of romanticism. As in Evelina, Fanny Burney weaves into her novel strands of light and dark, comic episodes and Gothic shudders, and creates a pattern of social and moral dilemmas which emphasize and illuminate the gap between generations.

It took me a while to get into this novel, I found that it started off a little slow but it gained my full attention after the first hundred pages. Like the synopsis says it's the story of Camilla, her sisters and her cousin Indiana and their pursuit of matrimony. I enjoyed the way the author described the events and the way each individual girl took in that experience.

Like any other novel, I had my favourite characters. I enjoyed Camilla but my favourite was Eugenia - Camilla's younger sister. Her character, she was intelligent and soft spoken but also a reliance on her own thoughts and ideals, and not being persuaded too easily was so different in comparison to Indiana and even Camilla. But she also easily taken by an unscrupulous character, which didn't demean the story at all for me, but added to the whole storyline.

Camilla and Edgar's choice to take other people's advice and not to listen to their own feelings left me a little cold, but I do understand the reason for them to do so. The people, were to them their confident and mentors, and what would be their reason on giving bad advice. It seems that their relationship revolved around a series of misunderstandings.

I came to the conclusion of two things. First, the book should have been called Eugenia, she really was the one character that shone. Secondly, the novel was very long, and personally I didn't think that much of the goings-on were needed.

Camilla by Frances Burney (4/5) Classic Literature; Published: 1796; 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (22); 2009 Support Your Local Library (17); 18th & 19th Century Women Writers' Reading Challenge (2); Chunkster Challenge (1);

Today In History

17th February, 1986: The National Critics Book Circle Award was given to Anne Tyler. The award was given for her novel, The Accidental Tourist.

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Today In History

16th February, 2005: The National Hockey League officially cancelled its 2004-2005 season today after salary negotiations failed between the players and clubs.

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The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion

I'm on a roll with the paranormal mystery and I can't seem to stop. Not that I'm complaining...I just wonder how long it will last?

Here's the blurb for The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion by Alice Kimberley:

Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure didn't believe in ghosts - until she met the ghost of hard-boiled 1940s private investigator Jack Shepard. And when Pen's friend and mailman, Seymour Tarnish, gets into deep trouble, Pen not only believes in her ghost - she also thinks he can help...

An elderly lady of leisure has been found dead on posh Larchment Avenue, her will recently - and suspiciously - revised to name Seymour as heir of her mansion. Just as eyes turn to him as the murdered - and Seymour gets busy settling into his ritzy digs - the mansion's ghosts begin plaguing him. So he hires a team of parapsychologists to exorcise all the spirits from the Quindicott - and that includes Jack. Pen must act fast, because losing Jack scares Pen more than rattling chains and cold spots...

So far all the book of the Haunted Bookshop series have been fun to read, and I think it's what keeps me coming back to more. I love the main characters and their banter. And I also enjoy their friendship and the way they need to be together.

I also enjoy the secondary characters. Seymour Tarnish for instance is one of my favorites and I was happy to see him take a "lead" role in this mystery, even if he was a "person of interest". But when he brings in the people to exorcise the ghosts he had me worried...well not overly much...you cannot have Haunted Bookshop without a ghost.

The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion by Alice Kimberly (3.5/5) Contemporary Mystery; Paranormal: Ghosts; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (1/2009); 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (21); 2009 Support Your Local Library (16); 2009 Pub Challenge (3);

Today In History

15th February, 1965: It was proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II of England that the Maple Leaf would become Canada’s new national flag symbol. This new Canadian national flag had been raised on this day above Parliament Hill in Ottawa, which is the Capital of Canada.

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