Category Archives: Book Reviews

Reviews of Books

by

Beyond the Sky and the Earth: A Journey into Bhutan by Jamie Zeppa

I read this book for my One Drink Minimum Book Club.  We have a round the world theme this month and this was the book selected.  I really haven’t digested it fully but I will say there were definite positives and negatives.  On the positive side, the author excelled at giving us a sense of place.  I really came away with a feeling for Bhutan and the way the people lived.  She also revealed political issues that I was not aware of within Bhutan and managed to “educate” without the reader feeling as thought they were being lectured or reading a book for school.  Being a teacher, I enjoyed the detail about the school system she was teaching in and was surprised with some of the details she revealed.

On the negative side, the author comes across as really self absorbed, which is sort of odd for a Buddhist (she converted during her time in Bhutan).   I think it was supposed to seem self reflective, but that was not what I took away from it. She makes some …interesting decisions and although she is living there and others point out “home truths” to her she seems to hold this idealized/idolized version on Bhutan.  I kept trying to remind myself that she was only 22 at the beginning of this journey and that youthfulness probably was the part of her voice that seemed self absorbed and impulsive to me.

On the whole, I am glad that I read it and I did enjoy learning about Bhutan.  If the topic of Bhutan or teaching abroad interests you, this is a worthwhile read.

by

Steamed to Death by Peg Cochran

 

Just finished Steamed to Death last night, the second in the Gourmet De-lite Mystery series.  I did enjoy this book, but the first one Allergic to Death is my favorite of the two.  I like the slow progress in the romance between GiGi and Detective Mertz (I hope Declan is just a distraction).  Detective Mertz really won me over this book as a love interest – there is a scene with a kitten that just did it for me.  The other characters are interesting and provided red herrings in solving the murders (plural).  There was one clue that was a little heavy handed and I solved the mystery right at that point, but it did not spoil the book for me.  It wasn’t that far from the end anyway.

Light, fun mystery with cooking and animals and small town life mixed all together.

by

Witch Way to Murder by Shirley Damsgaard & Artistic License by Katie Fforde

Another night of difficulty sleeping and so I read two more books off of my TBR list.  Witch Way to Murder by Shirley Damsgaard, which is the October read for the Cozy Mystery Corner book club on Goodreads.  This book was so much better than I expected!  I can’t wait to read more.  Often paranormal cozies are too cutesy for me but this was not at all. In fact, the paranormal elements were almost downplayed to highlight believable characters and a well crafted mystery that involves a very current issue, methamphetamine production.  I liked the protagonist, Ophelia.  Despite her cool, reserved persona I really connected with her.  She reminds me slightly of Miss Zukas from the Jo Dereske series, which I also love.  I will definitely be reading more of this series.

 

My second book was Artistic License by Katie Fforde. I should say from the outset that I always love Katie Fforde’s books.  I find it very easy to immerse myself in the world she creates for her characters and this book was no exception.  Thea Orville is a young woman who was unlucky in love and her career and became a landlady for a boarding house for students.  She meets an almost equally unlucky artist and decides to make some changes in her life, to become “unstuck” from the disappointing life she was living.  There are numerous twists and turns and more than one love interest and a charming young boy looking for a mother. Katie Fforde always writes about relationships and the effects people and their decisions have on others and their lives.  Her books celebrate how messy life can be and yet always there is  always this thread of hopefulness that makes them lovely and charming to read.  I recommend this book and any others by Katie Fforde.

by

Panic Button by Kylie Logan

This is the third book in the Button Box Mystery series by Kylie Logan.  I read and enjoyed the first book in the series when it was the selection of the month for my Cozy Mystery Club on Goodreads.  I picked up the second one on my own and was somewhat disappointed as it was very focused on the theme, button collecting, which is not really an interest of mine.  I am very glad that I gave, Panic Button, the third in the series a try, it is the best so far!

 

The protagonist, Josie, is asked to appraise a “cursed” button charm string and the curse does seem to follow it as the owner is killed.  There is more than one mystery going on, the murder and also the “curse” of the charm string.  Several possible villains are suggested as Josie does her sleuthing with her sidekick, Stan. I did figure out the piece behind the charm string prior to the reveal in the book, but it did not lessen my enjoyment of the book.  I found the book well written and paced with enjoyable characters.  I particularly like the relationship developing slowly between Josie and Nev, it seems very realistic, not overly rushed or part of some convoluted love triangle.  Josie’s ex is still in the picture, but just as someone she is concerned about not a romantic interest.

 

Fun, fast cozy mystery read, this is definitely the best in the series so far.

by

Insomnia Mystery Reading Fest

I  Really couldn’t sleep last night and so I finished a stack of mysteries due back at the library anyway.  The first was Murder in House by Veronica Heley.  I am reading this out of order, having read the rest of the series a while ago, my library just didn’t have this one and now they do. 🙂 I love the character of Ellie Quick; she is complex, likable, intelligent and brave, all packaged in the body of a middle aged woman.  Initially, when I began this series I thought of it as a cozy but I would say that it definitely progressed to more of a soft-boiled and this book in particular certainly has dark themes and events.  The plot was complex but what really drives Veronica Heley’s books are the characters. They have complicated, messy relationships, just like real life. The prime example is Ellie and her daughter Diana, which was prominent in this book.  Because the series is so character driven, I would strongly recommend reading it in order (even though I didn’t), as relationships change and develop over time.  If you enjoy cozies with a darker feel or soft boiled mysteries, this is a great series, driven by a great protagonist.

Moving on to the next book, The Burglar in the Rye.  from the wonderful mystery writer,Lawrence Block.  This is another series I read as I came across the books in the library, not necessarily in order.   I have really enjoyed this series and when I came across this one in the library, I didn’t remember the title so I picked it up, but after reading a couple pages I realized that I had indeed read it before.  Disappointing, I thought I had a new Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery to enjoy.  Anyone who has not tried this series definitely should, Bernie is a funny, irreverent protagonist and the cast of recurring characters only adds to the fun.  A quote from the book illustrates Bernie’s thought patterns:  “But old habits die hard, and I’ve never been able to look at something of great value without trying to  figure a way to rescue it from its rightful owner.”

Bernie is a burglar, but with a good sense of right and wrong and loyalty to friends, that makes him a lovable rascal type of character.  He also happens to own a bookshop, so people who like to read books about other bibliophiles have that to look forward to in this series.  His best friend and drinking companion is a lesbian, who owns a pet grooming business.  All in all eclectic, well drawn characters and excellent mysteries with humor drive this wonderful series.

Moving on to M.C. Beaton’s, Agatha Raisin and the Day the Floods Came.  Agatha finds herself bereft when James  and Charles both abandon her,but she acquires a new “partner in crime” in the form of a new neighbor to help with the sleuthing.  This book focused on Agatha working with her new neighbor to solve a murder.  There are red herrings to follow and Agatha gets chastised by…just about everyone for her antics in crime solving.  The mystery  is well done and solved very satisfactorily.  Agatha’s personal life is still a shambles, very much in Agatha Raisin fashion.  I’ve begun to give up hope that she will ever find stability with a partner she loves, but I will keep reading to see if she does.  Charming, cozy mystery series that includes elements of comfortable village life and a more worldly view.  Agatha is really an incomparable character.  She brings much of her grief upon herself, at the same time you can’t help but feel for her as she fumbles through life.  Anyone who has offended someone unintentionally or had their life upset repeatedly can certainly relate to her.  In the end, she is intelligent and well meaning and certainly a capable sleuth.

by

Thinking of You by Jill Mansell

 

I was on Twitter the other night and Jill Mansell tweeted about Thinking of You being available for $1.99 on Kindle so I picked it up.  I have read several of Jill Mansell’s works and enjoyed them and this one does not disappoint.  The character of Ginny was easy for me to relate to, a divorced mother whose daughter had left for university, separating them for the first time.  I loved the relationship between Ginny and Jem, mother and daughter and best friends.

Ginny suffers seriously with “empty nest syndrome” compounded by another loss and we follow her through a series of upheavals, new relationships, and betrayals.  Meanwhile, Jem gets herself involved in an inadvisable romance away at college and we follow mother and daughter’s separate misadventures.  Lovely, light chick lit with a well drawn cast of characters that you could meet around your own neighborhood.  A fun read, a plot that stretches belief in places, but it is chick lit after all.  Fans of light romantic reads will enjoy this.

by

Mrs. Pargeter’s Point of Honour by Simon Brett

 

Just finished another in the Mrs. Pargeter’s series, the sixth and final book to my knowledge.  In this outing, Mrs. Pargeter is trying to do a favor for the widow of one of her deceased husband’s friends…return all the artwork he had “acquired” during his career to the rightful owners.  We follow Mrs. Pargeter and her loyal band of ex-associates of her husband, Hedgeclipper Clinton, Truffler Mason, Gary the driver and some new additions.  In this book, we also meet a DI Wilkinson, who spent most of his less than illustrious crime fighting career trailing along in Mr. Pargeter and crew’s wake.

The story takes twists and turns and more than one villain is uncovered along the way.  Mrs. Pargeter weathers it all, maintaining herself as a lady despite the company she keeps.  The book is humorous in places, Mrs. Pargeter’s steadfast refusal to acknowledge that her husband was a criminal, and thrilling in others, the hiccups in the well laid plans.  I have enjoyed this series immensely both as a humorous cozy and as a social satire.

by

After the Armistice Ball by Catriona McPherson

 

Just finished this delightful mystery.  I really am surprised at how much I enjoyed it!  I am not usually a fan of the time period, the 1920s.  I don’t exactly know why, but I am assuming it was due to enforced readings of The Great Gatsby and The Fountainhead when I was younger, both books from that period.  I know I am in the minority, but I hated both of them.

Dandy Gilver is a great character, fun and interesting to read.   The dialogue and the characterizations seem very accurate for the time period.  Without checking the copyright date, you might think it was written in that time and I loved that about this book. The crime had plenty of twists and turns to make for a good mystery read.  Dandy stumbles her way through the mystery.  She is not an intellectual sleuth in the likes of Holmes, rather she relies on intuition, character judgement, and help from various sources.  The mystery is solved in the end, however there is a little minor cliffhanger that may or may not be resolved in later books.

I will read more in the series and am curious to see if Dandy’s husband, Hugh, becomes more of an important character or not.  Highly recommended!

by

Arsenic and Old Cake by Jacklyn Brady

  This is the third book in the A Piece of Cake Mystery series.  I have to say it was not my favorite.   I really enjoyed the first two and while the character Rita Lucero remains true to form, I found that some of the plot elements seemed forced.  Rita goes “undercover” with Gabriel to do a little investigatory favor for a friend.  During the course of the investigation a murder occurs and things take off from there.  We meet another whole cast of characters, residents of a B & B that Rita and Gabriel stay at for the investigation.

There is also a plot line about  problems on the bakery front, this involves the other recurring characters, Miss Frankie, Ox and Edie.  Given the economy currently, the problems the luxury bakery are experiencing are very realistic and made  the book feel very current.   I just found Rita’s involvement in the mystery this time really far fetched and I also wasn’t thrilled that we seem to be heading to another love triangle.

I have enjoyed the series so far and so I will read the next book when it comes out.  I really like the character of Rita and the setting of the New Orleans bakery.

 

by

Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick

I read this for my One Drink Minimum Book Club.  I would not have picked this on my own to read but I am so glad that I did.  North Korea is in the news a great deal, but I will admit to being pretty ignorant about it other than in broad generalities.  Barbara Demick painstakingly reveals the horrors of life in North Korea through interviews with people who escaped to the south.  The book is extremely well written and detailed in descriptions.  I will say that it is not a light or uplifting read.  At points, it is unbelievably depressing.  Reading about what the escapees and indeed most citizens of North Korea endure makes it hard to believe that it is real.  You almost get the sense you are reading some dystopian novel.  The casual treatment of family members dying of starvation and illness, a kindergarten class whittling down from 50 to 15 due to starvation and disease, and a mother saying at one point “everyone who was going to die already had” and then you remind yourself this is real, happening now, in your lifetime and that  realization is like a slap in the face.

Highly recommended for readers of non-fiction, people interested in events occurring in Korea, and even people who read dystopian literature.