Novels Now

Colleen Gleason
353 pages

The Bleeding Dusk is the third book in The Gardella Vampire Chronicles. I have enjoyed this series so much that I have actually delayed reading them. I am so not ready for this series to end but I just bought the last book in the series, As Shadows Fade, this past weekend. Now I am not sure I will be able to wait any longer. It is total comfort and escapism for me. Historical Fiction…Vampire Fiction…perfect fusion.
In this installment we find Victoria still in Rome. She is in mourning for her beloved Aunt Eustacia as well as her husband. She must step into her aunt’s role as the leader of the Venators and lead them on in their quest to fight the evil vampires. She barely has time to adjust to her new role and recover from her recent losses when sinister events begin swirling during Rome’s Carnivale.

This is pure fun for me and even though I am not normally a big fan of the romance genre, I love this series. Victoria, Max and Sebastian continue to be likable characters for me as well as Wayren and the rest of the Venator family. I hope to have time to devour the last two books in the series next week. I am dying to know who Victoria chooses. I know who I’d choose.(5/5)

Kirk Curnutt
329 pages

What had being the parent of a murdered child taught her? Nothing-nothing except the inexhaustiblility of her own anger, anger at constantly being reminded of what she’d lived through, what she’d always be living through, and most of all anger at the presumption that she should be over it, that she should have proved that life goes on, if not for her sake then for the sake of those around her. That was never the hard part, Sis thought. Life went on anyway, whether you wanted it to or not. The hard part was being left behind to breathe out the ghost of the one who’d gone on. - Breathing Out the Ghost, pg 49

A young boy named A.J. St. Claire has gone missing and his father, Colin, is on a self-destructive trek up and down the interstate searching for his son.

Robert Heim is a private investigator who has become too involved. So involved that he has lost his investigator’s license and is near losing his family. Still, he lays it all on the line one final time to help rescue Colin from the inevitable train wreck that is coming.

Sis Pruitt is the pillar of her family. She’s a farmer’s wife and mother of two small children. She also lost her daughter to a murderer several years ago. She heads up a support group for the parents of murdered children and she sits with others who are dealing with loss even at great cost to herself emotionally. She has tried to help others and move on but her grief remains raw

These three paths converge in a small town in Indiana. Another young boy is missing and his disappearance sparks a cascade of events that opens old wounds and leaves them all grappling with emotions and struggling for answers.

Breathing Out the Ghost is not a light or easy read. It’s a complex story that deals some very dark issues: the death of a child, missing children, grief, anger, mental illness, suicide, drug abuse, sexual perversion, marital problems, and abandonment. It deals with them in a very frank way and it doesn’t pull any punches.

However, Kirk Curnutt’s writing is clear and beautiful. Colin’s desperation to do something in the face of the loss of his son is palpable. Heim’s inability to prevent himself from jumping in to the fire with Colin again, even in the face of what it could cost him, is both admirable and frustrating. Sis Pruitt’s struggle over the loss of her daughter and to keep her memory alive, even so many years later, is heart-wrenching.

An added bonus of this book for me is that I am very familiar with several areas where the story takes place and I could envision them as I read.

This is a dark and emotional story and it’s never a comfortable read but I highly recommend it. (4.5/5)

James Howard Kunstler
317 pages

I picked up World Made by Hand because I saw it mentioned somewhere (can’t remember where, sorry) and it sounded interesting. I was vaguely aware that it involves some social commentary but I didn’t want to get involved in it too much and risk learning so much that I spoiled the book for myself. The main reason it grabbed my interest is because it’s post-apocalyptic/speculative fiction.

In a former life Robert Earle was a software developer. Then one summer life changed. Bombs hit L.A. and Washington D.C., the electricity only comes on sporadically. Oil, gas and other supplies are unavailable. Epidemic illness sweeps the country, millions die and the population is drastically reduced. Trade and news from overseas becomes non-existent. It’s difficult to find out what’s going on in the next town, never mind the next state. The weather has also gone gone wacky either from environmental causes or from the bombs. No one is sure which.

Throw in a strange religious sect and a group of thugs who choose to live in a trailer park outside of town rather than work cooperatively with the townspeople and you have an interesting story.

I didn’t think that this book was heavy-handed. I noticed a lot of common sense stuff like:

1. Oil is a finite resource.
2. If bombs went off near large metropolis, people living nearby would be devastated
3. It’s a good idea to have the skills necessary to take care of your family. Gardening, baking, canning.
4. Epidemics can still happen even in this modern age of medicine.

I liked this book okay. Not as much as I thought I would but I still enjoyed reading it. There was a really weird section involving the religious sect that left me scratching my head. I just didn’t understand what was going on. Still, there are some interesting thoughts on how different segments of society might react to a lack of judicial system, limited supplies etc. that are worth pondering.

Think The Road by Cormac McCarthy only lighter and with a little of the Little House on the Prairie pioneering spirit thrown in and you have an idea of who would enjoy this book. (3/5)

Note: There are spoilers in this review for Rises the Night.

The lair of the Queen of the Vampires was tucked away in the snowy mountain range of Muntii Fagaras. The only reason Maximilian Pesaro had been able to find the hideaway was because of the two bite marks on his neck. Permanent ones left by Lilith herself.

The Bleeding Dusk continues the adventures of Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacey just a few months after the conclusion of Rises the Night. Things have changed for the Venators in Rome. Because Eustacia had been sacrificed to stop Nedes from activating Akvan’s Obelisk, Victoria became the Illa Gardella. Still reeling from the loss of her aunt, she stayed in Rome to be at the Consilium with the other Venators instead of immediately returning to London.

Max was also grieving. He had to do the unthinkable in order to destroy the Obelisk, and it was killing him inside. But Lilith’s promise of releasing him from her thrall was the one thing keeping him going. Until he met with her. She indeed said she would release him, but there was a price.

Now there are other things stalking the streets of Rome besides Vampires. And everyone is in a race to find the keys to the legendary “Door of Alchemy”. Behind it are secrets left by the Alchemist Palombara, and vampires and demons alike are trying gain access. It’s up to Victoria and the rest of the Venators to stop them.

I enjoyed the first two books in this series….a lot. But Colleen Gleason kicked it up a notch with The Bleeding Dusk. The weary little love triangle has now gotten even bigger. It’s more like a square, with Victoria dead set in the center!! And no matter whether you happen to favor Sebastian or Max, it’s apparent in this book that things are about to change rather drastically for everyone.

At the heart of this book is the notion of sacrifice. Not only Victoria, but both Max and Sebastian. And they are called to sacrifice something that is very near to their hearts and personal to them. How they handle it just makes the storyline grow stronger with each page turned. Colleen throws in a couple of curves with this book (like I expected any less!) and in the end, I think this might be the best book yet. The characters are evolving rather quickly, and although my tolerance for Victoria and her short-sightedness and quick-to-jump-to-conclusion way about her is starting to grate on me, I do understand where she is coming from. But the evolution of both Max and Sebastian is where the strength in The Bleeding Dusk lays. The foundation that was laid in the first two books takes on a whole different meaning now. And I can not wait to find out what happens. It will be a bittersweet day for me when this series has ended. But the end is near. I can feel it coming and I already have When Twilight Burns ready to go! If you have read the first two books, then you MUST read The Bleeding Dusk. Honestly, the series just gets better and better. And if you haven’t read any of the Gardella books, I would completely recommend them. A Fantastic story for anyone that loves Vampires, but especially Buffy The Vampire Slayer! 4.5/5

A Tale of Lifelong Friendship

Tully and Katie. Katie and Tully. The two girls met in the summer of 1974, when they were both in 8th grade. Katie was from a normal, middle-class family. She wore glasses and braces and was basically a nobody at school. Her mom was constantly trying to get in her business and help her to make friends…to no avail. That is, until Tallulah Rose Hart, better known as Tully, moved into the house across the street. Tully was beautiful, destined to be the most popular girl in school….so cool and confident. But looks can be deceiving because Tully was as insecure as they come. She was living with Cloud, the mother who had abandoned her twice before. The mother that was more interested in demonstrations and pot than her own daughter. Tully was always on edge, just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

But one night, Katie and Tully started talking. From that moment, they were inseparable. Until Cloud once again took off, and Tully had to go back and live with her grandmother. But a best friend is a best friend, and even distance couldn’t keep them apart.

As the years went by, the girls went to college and studied journalism. Tully wanted to be a star. The next national anchorwoman. And Katie. She really just wanted to find love. Through careers and life changes, the two women stayed friends. Best Friends Forever. Or one could hope.

When I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but think I had read it before. Then it hit me. I saw the movie: Beaches. Ok….so it wasn’t exactly the same, but the theme was there. Although the writing was pleasant, the storyline is a tired one. One that has been done MANY times before.

And the characters of Kate and Tully. Very black and white…in a world that is many shades of gray. Tully was selfish and self-centered. Thinking of her career and her career only. Even when she knew she was in love, she didn’t think twice about throwing it away for her job. It didn’t even make her think twice about stabbing her best friend in the back for ratings (good intentions aside, she had to know she was wrong). And Kate was just the opposite. She had a very good job, but didn’t think twice about giving it up when she found a man to complete her. In today’s world, women really can have both, and it kind of frustrates me when I read books like this.

For all of this, I didn’t hate this book. I’ve just read it all before. It didn’t stop me from reading it, and even being sad at the end (if you’ve seen Beaches, I’m sure you see where this is going). But in the words of Randy Jackson from American Idol, “Dude. It just didn’t do it for me”.

3/5

Two women were standing on high places, shielding their eyes from the blazing sun with their hands, peering into the distance in search of messengers from the battlefield. Each knew that her life depended on the outcome of the battle; but their lives depended on opposite results. -From The Triumph of Deborah, page 1-

The Triumph of Deborah opens with the war between the Canaanites and Israelites. Set in ancient Israel during the historical period of the Judges, the novel is a fictional re-working of the life of Deborah, a powerful prophetess and judge of Israel. According to biblical history, the war between Canaan and Israel lasted forty years. Etzioni-Halevy centers her novel towards the end of this time period.

Following the defeat of Canaan, Barak - a powerful man who leads Deborah’s army - takes as prisoner the beautiful, cold-hearted Asherah, the daughter of the Canann King Jabin. He also provides shelter for Asherah’s half sister (and King Jabin’s illegitimate daughter) Nogah who becomes a maid in Barak’s home. Barak is portrayed as a misogynistic man who seeks carnal pleasure with many women including Deborah, Asherah and Nogah. Interspersed in the romantic plot of the novel is the politics, history and culture of 11th and 12th century Israel.

Etzioni-Halevy has done her research and it shows. She aptly describes the agricultural lifestyle of the times, and introduces the prickly and complex leadership which made up the political structure of this theocracy. The battle scenes and aftermath are vivid and well-written. The central female characters demonstrate simultaneously the lack of women’s rights and the strength and power they managed to wield in a world dominated by men. Women of this time period aspired not only to leadership, but sought to find their own voice through literacy…and the novel’s most convincing moments are those which bring the women characters to life.

Etzioni-Halevy falls short, however, when she seeks to show the reader the intimate relationships between these women and Barak. At times the language feels stilted, awkward and contrived, especially during the love scenes.

Neither her mother nor her father nor Uriel had enlightened her about the pain slicing through her with the rupture of her barrier, receding as the heat unleashed itself in her, seeking an as yet unknown summit, mounting it, erupting into fire and a call of love for him, bringing forth the breaking of his own peak. -from The Triumph of Deborah, page 175-

In fairness to the author, I must admit that the historical romance genre is not one I typically read or enjoy and so when the novel veered in this direction I found it off-putting. What Etzioni-Halevy does best is to create scene and historical context for her characters. and it was this part of the book which piqued my interest.

Readers who prefer biblical fiction and historical romance will most likely enjoy this novel. I am grateful to the author for sending me a copy of her book to review.

Written for Young Adults, but Just as Engaging for Adults

The year is 1925 in small town Tennessee. The school year is winding down and the children are excited about having a laid back summer. However, when it comes to the towns peoples attention that the science teacher, J. T. Scopes taught Darwin’s theory of evolution in class, he is arrested and the children realize it won’t be the same summer they planned after all.

The title Ringside is quite accurate, as the town turns into a virtual circus for the trail with nationwide publicity: reporters, lawyers, scientists, religious leaders, and tourists.

The only drugstore in town orders in all kinds of monkey memorabilia to sell and even rents a real monkey to sell the items. Many of the towns people also cash in by setting up tables outside the courthouse to sell food and all kinds of things.

Some of the friendships in town became strained because of the differing point of views. In the end, some friends were able to come to terms with their differences and even see their friend’s point of view but a few could not.

Bryant tells the story from the town’s people’s and reporter’s point of view, each narrating in turn. By writing it this way, we really get to know the town and all it’s people, both it’s children and adults with differing point of view.

She writes in fresh lyrical prose. This small and fast paced book really packs a punch. Both children and adults will learn more about the real life Scopes trial while being thoroughly entertained at the same time.

I loved this book and highly recommend it!

5/5

“I ask for nothing but a kiss,” he said, his voice still calm and low, but his eyes dimmed. “Mouth to mouth. You might hold your stake between us if it would make you feel more as ease, Venator.”

“Perhaps I would slam it into your heart and send you to Hell, then,” Victoria replied, her voice easier, more normal. [pg 76]

The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason
Signet Eclipse, 2008
Fantasy (Paranormal Romance); 346 pgs

From the Publisher:

To gain access to the secrets of a legendary alchemist, Rome’s vampires have allied themselves with creatures as evil and bloodthirsty as they are. The new leader of the city’s vampire hunters-Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy-reluctantly turns to the enigmatic Sebastian Vioget for help, just as Maximilian Pesaro arrives to aid his fellow slayers, no matter what the sacrifice. Desire puts her at the mercy of Sebastian, while loyalty binds her to Max, but she does not know if she can trust either. Especially when a seductive vampire begins luring her into the shadows . . .

The Bleeding Dusk, the third book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, is probably my favorite in the series so far. It is dark and thrilling. Victoria continues to grow as a character, coming into her own. With each book, the reader learns more about Maximillion Pesaro and Sebastian Vioget, two complicated and very different men whose histories are somehow intertwined.

It was good to see the return of a few favorites from the first novel, The Rest Falls Away, characters I had not realized I had missed until running into them again in The Bleeding Dusk. Melly, Victoria’s mother, and her two friends provide a bit of comic relief in an otherwise dark and suspense filled novel that literally kept me all night as I raced to the end to find out what would happen next.

The only downside is that I do not yet have my copy of the final book in the series, When Twilight Burns. Oh, how I wish I did! And yet, in a way, I am glad I don’t. I am not sure I am ready to see this series come to an end.

Rating: Rating: (Very Good)

You can learn more about the author and her series at her website and on her blog, For All the World to See.

Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson

I believe Anne fans have been somewhat leery of this book. To attempt to write the before story, based on the small tidbits of her past that Anne let slip, was a huge undertaking for Wilson. People who love Anne would want the story to be true to LM Montgomery’s unique character. When I heard Wilson speak last month, she said her task was to write the story that would have allowed Anne to become the girl she was: full of spirit, still optimistic despite having been an orphan and yet, essentially an indentured slave to families who agreed to take her in, the Thomas’ and the Hammonds. Wilson has succeeded beyond my wildest hopes.

I’ve heard that as long as a child has one person they can count on, who loves them, in the first few years of life, they will have a base for future relationships. Anne gets this in the form of Eliza, the sixteen year old daughter of Mrs Thomas. Eliza also told her the fantastic stories of princesses and knights and fairy tales that would sustain Anne in her wild imagination. Although Eliza leaves to get married when Anne is about four, she laid the foundation for the wonderful Anne we know and love.

I had to set rules for when I could read this book, because I was thrown in the depths of emotion as Anne is hurt and let down time and time again, and to be found sobbing in the car at a soccer game would draw too much attention. I think it was so emotional because you know where she will end up, in the loving home of Matthew and Marilla, but getting there, when there were opportunities for Anne to have a loving home along the way that kept getting thwarted, was a mix of emotion. Sad that Anne was hurt, but knowing that it had to happen to get her to PEI. Characters for the most part weren’t purposefully mean to her, life was pretty tough on them as well, like Mr Thomas and Mrs Hammond. And everywhere she went, peripheral people were drawn to the spindly, homely child with the bright red hair and so many freckles with the wild imagination and huge words. They managed to give Anne small doses of love and concern that she latched onto and held in her bosom heart. In the debate over nature/nurture, nature wins out for Anne, as her intelligence and optimism and love of beauty were inherited from her loving parents and could not be stomped out by the life she led.

Wilson included information that Montgomery let slip - the carpet bag, Anne’s fascination of puffed sleeves, and Katie Maurice. It all fit together perfectly for me, and my heart broke the whole time, waiting for Anne to get the train to Bright River, and finally get picked up by Matthew Cuthbert, whose name can also burst me spontaneously into tears. The style is not Montgomery but it was very readable and I wasn’t expecting the same writing as Montgomery. Wilson has provided Anne lovers with a new book to make us love Anne, and Matthew and Marilla, even more.

5/5

443 pages

The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason
The Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Book 3

Pages: 346
First Published: Feb. 2008
Genre: paranormal romance, historical fiction
Rating: 3.5/5

First sentence:

The lair of the Queen of the Vampires was tucked away in the snowy mountain range of Muntii Fagaras.

Comments: As the third book in the series it is difficult to summarize the plot without spoilers so I will keep it brief. Victoria (and the rest of the gang) are on the trail of a demon who has evil plans and Beauregard has also become more of a threat making Sebastian torn between his loyalties.

Honestly, I found this entry in the series quite a bit slower than the first two. The pacing of the first half was slow and the romance was a bit much for me. Victoria’s swaying between yearning and anger does become tiresome after a while. Plus, with all the romance we were rewarded with only one, rather lame, sex scene.

Halfway through, the pace does pick up and the danger and intrigue take over the plot. It was at this point I felt the book more worthy of the first two installments. And if there is anything Colleen Gleason can do: it is to deliver a totally unexpected and devastating ending. The last several chapters I just couldn’t read fast enough. I wanted to turn the pages faster than I could read them which made the book a worthwhile read and of course, I must now read the next installment which will be published next month, August, (I believe) to find out what happens next.

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz

I first heard of this big ole book when bookfool mentioned it, then kookiejar loved it. It’s big in size (531 pages) and ambition. Toltz covers a lot of material here, and I’ll try to summarize a bit.

Jasper Dean is writing his family’s colourful history in Australia, focusing on his father Martin and uncle Terry. It’s about philosophy, fathers and sons, loneliness, hypocrisy, the media, and criminals, among other things, and it is told in a very funny manner. The one liners are thrown out in rapid succession at times. Martin’s part in the story is told in his point of view, and at times I had trouble keeping Jasper and Martin’s voices separate, but that is part of the story, how similar the two are, and when does the son become the father?

It is set in Australia, but not in a way that is stereotypical, i.e. no kangaroos or koalas, but modern life, and the outlaw history is commented on with all the criminal activity that Terry undertakes. The story starts in the outback, and scenes in front of the Sydney Opera House and activity of the parliament in Canberra are mentioned too, so we are certainly in Australia. The cynicism of the characters leads to their comedic lines and reminded me of Oscar Wilde’s type of commentary, or the absurdity of some of John Irving’s novels. Sometimes I had trouble reconciling the humorous lines with the situations and attitudes of the characters, but I kept reading. It was as if I wasn’t quite getting the tone of the novel. I also didn’t connect with the characters enough to race through the book. However, by two thirds of the way through, some great twists of plot started happening that I did not see coming and the book engaged me in other ways.

This book is getting great reviews at Amazon.com and has some great qualities. I didn’t love it enough to gush, but I did enjoy it by parts. (ha, A Fraction of the Whole book!) It was pretty funny by times, but also tragic, and some terrible things happen. The plot plodded along for a while, but then started twisting and twirling around in ways that made me want to keep going. There was a lot of philosophizing going on by Jasper and Martin, which is where a lot of the comedy was, but it went on a bit too much for me at times. So it’s a mixed review from me, but I think there are lots of readers who will love it.

Edit: July 29, this book has been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize

Losing It - And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time by Valerie Bertinelli

Pages: 273
First Published: Feb, 2008
Genre: autobiography, memoir
Rating: 2/5

Reason for Reading: I enjoyed watching One Day at a Time as a child and always though Valerie was beautiful. Needing to loose weight myself, I though her weight loss story might be inspiring.

First sentence:

Some people measure depression by the medication they take or the number of times per week they see a therapist.

Comments: This is more of a memoir than an autobiography. While it does go chronologically Valerie only tells bits and pieces of her life. Running throughout the book she talks about her poor body image even as a skinny teenager, though she didn’t start dieting until she started gaining weight at a much older age. I was very disappointed in this book.

Valerie’s acting career is skimmed over mercilessly. One Day at a Time gets a brief discussion, Touched by an Angel gets even less page time and her many made-for-TV movies are only mentioned by name. Most of the book is spent talking about Eddie Van Halen’s various drug and alcohol problems along with his volatile relationships with the various lead singers of the group. Valerie talks of how this affected her and her family but there is so much of it that it became boring especially since I have absolutely zero interest in this rock group to begin with.

Valerie’s weight loss and Jenny Craig experience was relegated to the last two chapters and very quickly told from the first phone call to the final results. I was hoping this book would be an inspiring weight loss story, instead I found her words made it sound so easy and fast and simple to lose weight. “Hey, just call Jenny!” … yeah, right.

I will give her credit for being candid in this memoir. She didn’t skip over the ugly parts and talks about her own drug use and adultery. I was surprised with the profanity in the book, though. This probably won’t bother most people but there was more than I was comfortable with. I do not like swearing in narratives and I guess I just didn’t expect Valerie to be the type to cuss so much.

If you want to read the story of a woman who survived a rock star marriage and an alcoholic and drug abuser husband then you will probably enjoy this book. But if you are looking for the story of Valerie’s acting career or looking for weight loss inspiration this is not the book for you.

“For years, people imagined they saw canals dug into the planet’s surface. They called these canals proof of life. They worried what intelligent life on Mars might mean to us earthlings, to our safety. But, it was nothing. An optical illusion a cosmic misprint. There’s no life. There’s nothing.” -From Springtime on Mars, page 112-

Susan Woodring’s wonderful book of short stories is a joy to read. They are linked in theme - women growing older and looking back on their lives; loss and hope; the idea of gravity keeping our feet on the ground; searching for meaning somewhere between science and God. All Woodring’s stories take place among ordinary people and families - but they are at the same time people who are extraordinary without realizing it. They could be any one of us. And that perhaps is where these stories gain their power.

Woodring writes with an eye on the small details of life and explores the every day push and pull of relationships. There is sadness mingled in her characters’ lives, but also a twinkle of hope and meaning. I especially liked her female characters - women who still were looking for their dreams.

I believe: love deep, give marshmallows and other treats to children, and sleep as long and often as you can, but wake early, eat breakfast. I’m sixty-eight years old; I’m not going backward. -From Morning Again, page 27-

Woodring has had her short stories published in a number of literary magazines and anthologies. She is also the author of the novel The Traveling Disease. This collection was published by a small press: Press 53. If you only read one collection of short stories this year, I would recommend this one. Beautifully crafted with a deep sense of American life and what it means to be human, Springtime on Mars will captivate you.

My thanks to Susan Woodring for sending me a signed copy of her book.

Highly recommended.

Resistance
By Owen Sheers
Completed June 27, 2008

I think poets make great novelists. Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood, even Shel Silverstein all embrace a stunningly descriptive way of writing that makes their stories and characters just flow through your mind. Like his poetic counterparts, Owen Sheers used this lyrical style in his debut novel Resistance.

Resistance is an alternate history – what if the German army invaded England during World War II? In this book, Sarah Lewis woke one morning to find her husband missing. In fact, all of the men in her Welsh valley had disappeared with no note, explanation or forewarning. Another wife, Maggie, discovered a pamphlet in her barn that led them to a grave conclusion: their husbands and sons left to join the Resistance.

Then, things become more precarious when a German patrol arrived in their valley, led by Captain Albrecht Wolfram, an Oxford-trained medieval scholar who became an unlikely soldier when Germany went to war. Settled into an abandoned house, the German soldiers collectively decided to stay in this isolated area because they felt the end of the war was near. As a fierce winter dug its teeth into the valley, the men helped the women maintain their farms. While their assistance was accepted reluctantly at first, the soldiers and women formed bonds as they fought against the devastating winter.

Two forces, however, threatened their delicate coexistence. If the Gestapo discovered these women whose husbands were Resistance fighters, the women would be executed (and more than likely the German soldiers would be court marshaled and killed too). If the British Resistance discovered that the women were “collaborating” with the German soldiers, their countrymen would kill them all. Isolation could be maintained easily during the winter. But when spring arrived, the sheep had to be brought to market, cows needed mates and goods needed to be exchanged. Spring, a time of new beginnings, created an unavoidable compromise in the fate of these characters.

The story is loosely based on the existence of a real Resistance group that Britain formed during World War II. Sheers also researched life on Welsh farms during this time, resulting in an engaging historical novel (despite the alternate history). Admittedly, I found some issues with the advancement of the plot, but overall, Resistance was a compelling story with fully developed characters, vivid descriptions of Wales and heart-breaking accounts of the effect of war on men and women. If you like World War II fiction or alternate histories, then I highly recommend Resistance to you. ( )

Ritual by Mo Hayder Third in the Jack Caffrey series Pages: 410 First Published: Sept. 2008 (Canada) Genre: thriller, mystery Rating: 4.5/5 First sentence:

Just after lunch on a Tuesday in May and nine feet under water in Bristol’s’floating harbour’, police diver Sergeant ‘Flea’ Marley closed her glovedfingers round a human hand.

Comments: A severed human hand has been found in the harbour and Jack Caffrey is assigned to the incident. Thinking the hand has come off a suicide body he thinks nothing special of the case until he is told that the had was removed while the person was still alive. The case takes a new turn when the matching hand is found buried under the entrance of a nearby restaurant. In Mo Hayder’s typical style she starts off slowly building the tension to an almost impossible to handle frenzy. Hayder fans are going to find more of what they’ve come to expect from the Queen of Psychological Thrillers. This one is not quite so gruesome as the others but when the time comes Hayder knows how to pour on the gore and doesn’t disappoint. Ritual takes you on a wild ride through severed body parts, diving accidents, torture, ritual mutilation, African muti (magic medicine) and a sadistic killer. This book also takes the Caffrey character in a new direction. While he is still haunted by his past he is no longer obsessed with it as in the previous two books in this series. Caffrey’s character develops and we’re also introduced to a new character ‘Flea’ Marley, a woman with her own personal demons who I hope we will continue to see as a recurring characters. I highly recommend this book and the whole series. Now I just have one more of her books to read and I certainly hope she will have a new one out for us in 2009.

Looking For Salvation at the Dairy Queen
By Susan Gregg Gilmore
Completed May 24, 2008

Looking for a light but entertaining poolside read this summer? If so, then I would recommend Susan Gregg Gilmore’s debut novel, Looking For Salvation at the Dairy Queen.

It’s the story of Catherine Grace Cline, the preacher’s daughter, of Ringgold, Ga. Catherine Grace had been planning her departure from her one stoplight town as long as she could remember. The first part of the book explored her childhood, including the loss of her mother, her befriending of the town “floozy”, the trials and tribulations of being the preacher’s kid, and all creatures big and small in this sleepy Georgia town. The last half of the book was about Catherine Grace’s exodus to Atlanta and eventual return to Ringgold because of a family tragedy. Was big city life all Catherine Grace hoped it to be? Or did she decide that small-town life was perfect after all? I won’t tell you Catherine Grace’s decision, but I think you may have fun reading her journey of self-discovery – with Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen as her therapy.

Personally, I related to Catherine Grace. I fled to more “metropolitan” cities – Macon and Atlanta – to attend college and was bewitched by the allure of these Southern cities. I stayed in Georgia for eight years and loved every minute of it. But the reality of aging parents 500 miles away wielded its ugly head, and I made the decision to move home. I am glad I did. There is, after all, no place like home.

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen is the quintessential Southern book. Gilmore’s writing style was fun and approachable but serious when it needed to be. If you like reading about Southern towns, characters and culture, then this is the book for you. I look forward to reading more from this promising new Southern writer. ( ) 

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

Pages: 363
Finished: Mar. 18, 2008
First Published: Feb. 2008
Genre: fiction
Rating: 4/5

First Sentence:

The day I returned to Templeton steeped in disgrace, the fifty-foot corpse of a monster surfaced in Lake Glimmerglass.

Reason for Reading: I received this book from the HarperCollins Canada “Reading Group”. It sounded interesting and Stephen King has written a blurb for the back so I thought I couldn’t go wrong with a recommendation from Uncle Steve.

Comments: I don’t know what I expected from this book but it certainly wasn’t what I expected. (Does that make sense?) It is tough to give a plot outline on this as the story is revealed slowly throughout the course of the book and I won’t give anything away. It is also a very unusual story. On the surface, it is the story of a young woman, Willie, who comes home to her small town, which her family has lived in for generations. In fact, they founded it and it is named after the founding family, the Temples. After arriving, she finds out that her mother has lied to her about her father, he is not an unknown hippie from her mother’s flower power days but is instead a member of the town, someone she knows. This sets Willie to researching the town’s family tree to find out who her father really is.

Chapters alternate with Willie’s point of view and personages from the past. This is really a story of a town and secrets that lay buried in everyone’s past. I really became caught up in Willie’s search and I loved the generational story of a town. But there is also a small supernatural element hiding behind the normalcy. Yes, there is a monster. There is also a ghost and another paranormal activity is revealed also.

This is a very unusual tale, of which I don’t think I’ve ever read the like. The story telling is masterfully and purposefully written. It gripped me from the opening pages to the very satisfying conclusion. Lauren Groff is an author I’ll be watching.

Valentines by Ted Kooser
Poetry
2008 University of Nebraska Press
Finished on 4/1/08
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)

For Valentine’s Day 1986, Ted Kooser wrote “Pocket Poem” and sent the tender, thoughtful composition to fifty women friends, starting an annual tradition that would persist for the next twenty-one years. Printed on postcards, the poems were mailed to a list of recipients that eventually grew to more than 2,500 women all over the United States. Valentines collects Kooser’s twenty-two years of Valentine’s Day Poems, complemented with illustrations by Robert Hanna and a new poem appearing for the first time.

Kooser’s Valentine poems encompass all the facets of the holiday: the traditional hearts and candy, the brilliance and purity of love, the quiet beauty of friendship, and the bittersweetness of longing. Some of the poems use the word valentine, others do not, but there is never any doubt as to the purpose of Kooser’s creations.

Ted Kooser knows my husband’s boss and stopped by the office one day to sign copies of his book for the employees. Two years ago, Rod wrote a poem for me for Valentine’s Day. This year he surprised me with a signed copy of Kooser’s book! Here are a couple of my favorites:

The Bluet

Of all the flowers, the bluet has
the sweetest name, two syllables
that form on the lips, then fall
with a tiny, raindrop splash
into a suddenly bluer morning.

I offer you mornings like that,
fragrant with tiny blue blossoms–
each with four petals, each with a star
at its heart. I would give you whole fields
of wild perfume if only

you could be mine, if you were not–
like the foolish bluet (also called
innocence) — always holding your face
to the fickle, careless, fly-by kiss
of the Clouded Sulpher Butterfly.

and

Splitting An Order

I like to watch an old man cutting a sandwich in half,
maybe an ordinary cold roast beef on whole wheat bread,
no pickles or onion, keeping his shaky hands steady
by placing his forearms firm on the edge of the table
and using both hands, the left to hold the sandwich in place,
and the right to cut it surely, corner to corner,
observing his progress through glasses that moments before
he wiped with his napkin, and then to see him lift half
onto the extra plate that he had asked the server to bring,
and then to slowly unroll her napkin and places her spoon,
her knife and her fork in their proper places,
then smoothes the starched white napkin over her knees
and meets his eyes and holds out both old hands to him.

This is a small collection that can easily be read in one sitting. I enjoyed some, but not all of the poems. I’ve read a few of Kooser’s collections and there’s usually just one or two poems that speak to me. Maybe I’m just not a big fan of poetry. I want to appreciate each and every one, but so many leave me wondering what the heck they were supposed to mean!

So, maybe I didn’t love this book. But I love the idea that my husband wanted to give it to me for Valentine’s Day. And, the funny thing is that Kooser came to my work for a book signing right around the same time he went to my husband’s office. I missed the signing, but a couple of days before Valentine’s Day, I picked up a copy and started to buy it for Rod, but then put it back, thinking he’d probably prefer a book about Winston Churchill. Wouldn’t that have been a hoot if we’d both given each other the same autographed book? I can just imagine the look on both of our faces as the first gift was unwrapped!

Oh, one final comment. In addition to Kooser’s poetry, the book is filled with wonderful line drawings by Robert Hanna. Check them out, if you get a chance.

Israel as a whole was an archaeological mother lode, but the area around Jerusalem was particularly rich, and particularly complex. Home to some of the holiest sites in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, it was rich with history and rife with conflict. -From The Secret Scroll, page 31-

Josh Cohan, an American archaeologist on sabbatical in Israel discovers a centuries old scroll possibly authored by Jesus. After reporting his find to the Israeli Antiquities Authority, a number of strange happenings occur which soon indicate Josh’s life and the lives of those around him are in peril. Josh joins a team of archaeologists in translating the ancient scroll before it can be stolen by a fanatical religious sect called The Guardians. Along the way, Josh uncovers a special healing gift within himself as well as romance.

The Secret Scroll is author Ronald Cutler’s first novel. Set amid the history of Israel and full of historical references to Christianity and the Palestinian conflict, it is evident that Cutler did his research. The story idea is an intriguing one: the discovery of a relic which could change the way the world views Christianity.

Despite these strengths, the novel stumbles on several levels including cliche characters, too much telling rather than showing the action, lack of tension and a disappointing predictability. The Secret Scroll is a religious suspense-thriller which lacks the suspense. Josh and his love interest, the beautiful Danielle, fail to engage the reader on much more than a superficial level; and there is almost no development of their relationship, so that when the inevitable love scene occurs, it misses its mark.

Ronald Cutler was an award winning radio personality for much of his career before penning The Secret Scroll (released in early February 2008 through Beaufort Books). He has a website dedicated to the novel which includes author background, as well as additional information about the book.

I am appreciative to the publisher for sending me a copy of The Secret Scroll for review. Unfortunately, it is not a book I can recommend. Rated 2/5.

The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason

I’m up to date in this series, but now I can’t wait for the next one. This third book in the series continues after the big battle in the last book. Victoria, Max and Sebastian are all around and fighting vampires, but more importantly, their attractions to each other. I don’t want to say too much, because I could be giving things away from the second book, but they are still in Rome, and the story is continuing fighting vampire leaders Lilith and Beauregard. This is a fun book, lots of vampire lore, and heaving bosoms. The plot races along, actually only covering a few days, but fast and furious. Victoria has the same stubborn streak she accuses Max and Sebastian of having, but she seems to be recognizing her attractions to each of them and realizing her power and intelligence.

A very cool part of this book was the acknowledgements including booklogged, bookfool and carl. How cool was that? I thought the books were a trilogy, but they most certainly are continuing, because this book ended at a point that I really want to know what is going to happen next. These books are a nice diversion, nothing too heavy but lots of escapism, romance and adventure.

And finally, my question is: are you a Max or Sebastian fan?