Novels Now

Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo. Illustrated by Mike Lowery. Translated by Tara Chase

Pages: 265 pages
Ages: 8+
First Published: (2007 in Norway) English Translation Jan. 2010
Publisher: Aladdin
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

It was May, and once the sun had shone for a while on Japan, Russia, and Sweden, it came up over Oslo - The very small capital city of a very small country called Norway.

Typically when I see a kids’ book with words such as “fart” in the title I don’t give them a second glance. However, this book is written by one of my favourite thriller authors and the simple fact that he had written a children’s a book was enough to make me *have* to read the book, never mind what it was called or what it was about.

Surprisingly, though the book is about an invention of farting powder, there is not a great deal of “toilet humour” to be found. Perhaps it’s cultural, or it gets lost in translation, but the humour comes from different directions. I thought this was a delightful, funny, well-written story.

Nilly is new in the neighbourhood, he is very tiny for his age. He meets neighbours Lisa on one side and Doctor Proctor on the other. Dr. Proctor lets them in on his latest invention which is a Farting Powder. When no real use for the powder can be found they decide to sell it as a novelty item to kids, but twin bullies Truls and Trym want theirs for free so Nilly gives them an extra shot in their powder which sends them flying up into a tree. Dr. Proctor has an industrial strength version of the powder which he thinks belongs safely in the hands of NASA to be used for rocketless space travel. But then someone steals the industrial strength powder for evil purposes.

The story is full of excitement and adventure. Nilly finds himself in extreme situations from being sent to jail to being eaten by a boa constrictor called Anna Conda. The story also has a wonderful cultural appeal to it as well with plenty of inside jokes on Norway’s size and not-so-famous status in the world. It’s quite amazing that Nesbo, who writes such stunning adult thrillers, has the ability to write such a fun, whimsical children’s story as well. He certainly is a talented writer. I highly recommend this. It will appeal to both boys and girls, but I’d certainly add this to any Books for Boys list. A hilarious romp. It would be great to see Nesbo come out with another children’s book in the future. (Just as long as it doesn’t interfere with his thrillers’ schedule

Where The Love of God Hangs Out
By Amy Bloom
Completed February 1, 2010

For readers unfamiliar with Amy Bloom, her latest selection of short stories, Where The God of Love Hangs Out, would be a good start into this talented writer’s world. Stories in this collection showed the wide range of love - family love, friendship, forbidden affairs and lust. Bloom explores it all, hiding from nothing, exposing her readers to the many types of love that exist in this world.

Several of the stories in this book are interwoven, giving readers a peak into certain characters’ journeys. This is especially true of Lionel and Julias, whose stories comprised a good portion of the collection. Julia was Lionel’s stepmom, and the two shared a love that ranged from motherly to intimate to aloof. Other stories stood alone - short tales that packed a mighty punch - such as the last story (my favorite ) that explored the friendship between a father and his son’s wife.

No matter which story you read, Bloom’s prose will sweep you away. She works magic with every sentence. Her characters are realistic and engaging, and their love for their spouses, lovers, family members or friends represented all types of love. My only word of caution would be to those who don’t like to read about sex: some of the scenes are graphic and could be a turn off to some readers. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories in Where The God of Love Hangs Out - and look forward to reading more stories by Amy Bloom. ( )

Skin by Mo Hayder
Jack Caffery Thriller, #4

Pages: 380 pages
First Published: 2009 UK (Jan. 2010 US, Apr. 2010 Can)
Publisher: Harper Collins
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

Human skin is an organ.

Reason for Reading: Next in the series and Mo Hayder is my favourite author in the world! (at the moment)

Summary: A suicide is found and everything points to case closed, though the ex-husband does show concern that things don’t seem right. When another suicide with the same MO shows up Jack Caffery asks to be put on the case as he has found some connections between the two. At the same time celebrity rich girl, Misty Kitson, has simply vanished and police diver Flea Marley has been called in to search a few lakes and a quarry. Flea and Jack do not work together in this novel, they are off on their own this time. Jack’s case takes him to a very strange human being and a sick prolific serial killer while Flea is hit out of the blue by a family problem that she must deal with and it is something that will change her life forever.

Comments: First off the mystery story was quite good, it did lack Hayder’s trademark gruesomeness and weirdness which I’ve come to expect but still a strange enough case to be worthy of Hayder’s talent. Flea’s story, however, is the one that gets the reader’s blood thumping. Not exactly a mystery as we learn the facts as quickly as Flea does but more pure thriller. What Hayder has done in this book is examine her main characters personalities and moral boundaries. From earlier books we know what Jack is capable of, but he has shown determinedly to prove himself the better man he knows he can be. Flea we’ve only seen from one side, this novel tests her boundaries and between them both Mo Hayder has created two very unique main character detectives for a police procedural series. Are they likable? “Can” they be likable? What does it say about the reader if he does like them? Personally, I did not like Jack the first time I met him in “Birdman” but I grew to like him quite quickly. At this time I do still like both Flea and Jack but with caveats and I must see what the next book brings before I make any final decisions. But whether I like them or not as persons, I love them as the unique, distinct detective team in Hayder’s twisted thrillers with plots that no one else could write.

Kinky thought it was interesting how different parts of the country had their own lore. Where she came from, some people believed that if a man didn’t shave on a Sunday he’d never get a toothache, but if you had a toothache or a gumboil, then carrying the two jawbones of a haddock in your pocket was a sure cure. Out on the west coast, they swore you should never ask a question of a dog, for it it gives you an answer you will surely die. - from An Irish Country Girl, page 64 -

Kinky Kincaid has lived in the northern Irish village of Ballybucklebo for more than 40 years, working as a housekeeper for two harried doctors. Readers of Patrick Taylor’s Irish Country series know little about her childhood and where she grew up … until now. Kinky reminisces about when she was a young girl named Maureen O’Hanlon – first telling the neighborhood children about the Saint Stephen’s Day ghost’s initial appearance in the southern county of Cork; and later (as she makes Christmas dinner for the doctors) Kinky recalls her memories of the years growing up from a child into womanhood in that same county.

An Irish Country Girl is not just a coming of age story, but a look deep beneath the lore and magic of Ireland. The novel centers around the belief in fairies, spirits and the mystical Banshee whose eerie wail on a snowy night foretells of a death. Blessed with “the sight” (passed down from her mother), the young Maureen wants to understand her future. She is a dreamer, a determined girl who wants an education to become a teacher as well as a romantic match with the man she grows to love.

Patrick Taylor brings to life a small farming community and its eccentric people, and reveals the life of a young girl growing up in the 1920s in Ireland. Readers unable to stretch their imaginations may find it difficult to fully immerse themselves in this realm of magical realism. But, I found the novel a fun and entertaining read. Taylor’s narrative strength is in telling the story through his characters’ eyes. At times I felt as though I was sitting rapt in front of a gifted Irish storyteller, waiting for the expected ending to a tale of intrigue.

Taylor has written a light, engrossing novel about storytellers, magic, and Irish lore. He describes the Irish countryside with  its rolling green hills and dales, its flocks of sheep, and the unexpected and sudden shifts in weather; then inserts his quirky characters and the “little people” who populate the spaces beneath the blackthorn trees, thereby creating a story which entertains and delights the imagination.

If you have not yet read Taylor’s previous books in the series, no worries. This novel can stand on its own. Taylor even includes a helpful glossary of Irish terms and phrases, as well as some of Kinky Kincaid’s fabulous recipes at the end of the book.

Recommended to those readers interested in Irish lore and magic, as well as readers who enjoy novels of small town life.

The Mayo Clinic Diet isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Using clinically tested techniques, it puts you in charge of reshaping your lifestyle by adopting healthy new habits and breaking unhealthy old ones. – from The Mayo Clinic Diet, Introduction -

I don’t diet. Ever. I hate the idea of measuring out portions, following rigid guidelines, and being limited to a specific number of calories per day. I also know all the statistics that show that diets don’t work over the long haul.

So, I was very happy to see that The Mayo Clinic Diet is not like other diets out there. The weight experts at the Mayo Clinic have put together a book which is not only colorful and easy to read, but makes losing weight more about lifestyle changes than about hard and fast dieting.

The book is separated into three distinct parts.

The first section is a two-week “jump start” program that requires little preparation but claims to help you lose 6-10 pounds in two weeks. Essentially it sets you up to add five healthy habits (including things like eating breakfast every morning, adding whole grains to your diet and eating healthy fats), getting rid of five unhealthy habits (such as not watching television while you eat and not eating in restaurants), and adopting five bonus habits (things like writing down your goals and keeping an activity log).

The second section is a healthy lifestyle section which is focused on the long-term lifestyle changes which will help you maintain your weight (or continue to lose at a slower rate). Things I liked about this part of the book included visual representations of food servings (so you don’t need to measure out serving sizes), and a list of calorie burning activities to add to your life.

The final section of the book covers things like determining YOUR healthy weight, understanding nutrition and weight control, and barriers to weight loss (including motivational issues). There are some simple recipes and menus included in this last section as well, as well as a great section on adapting recipes for healthier eating.

All sections include colorful, simple diagrams or photos, and easy to understand language. The book has an accompanying journal to track your progress and activity.

Readers who have struggled with weight loss, or who don’t want just another fad diet, will most likely find information in The Mayo Clinic Diet which will appeal to them. Some may find it almost too simplistic, but I see that as more of a strength of the book than a weakness.

“Good race,” someone says.

“Thank you,” I say, because it was a good race. It wasn’t fast – the scoreboard referee writes my time on the board as two minutes and thirty-six seconds, exactly two minutes slower than the leading time – but it was a good race. Really good. I see Lydia’s mom. She smiles at me. I look around. No Lydia. It doesn’t matter. After this race I am sure I will be able to make the Paralympic team, sure I can keep training and trying and getting back up until I actually get that uniform[...]

- from Just Don’t Fall, page 194 -

Josh Sundquist was only nine years old when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma – a rare type of cancer which typically attacks the bone. In Josh’s case, he was given only a 50% chance of survival. He underwent a year of chemotherapy, spending most of that time in a hospital, and eventually lost his left leg to the disease. But he survived.

Just Don’t Fall is Josh’s story beginning shortly before his cancer diagnosis up to the 2006 Olympics. It is an inspirational story – not because Josh survived cancer and a leg amputation, but because of who he is as a person and how he got there. Raised in a conservative, Christian home and home schooled until his freshman year of high school, Josh Sundquist was surrounded by parents and siblings who loved him and a community who stepped up and gave their support when the Sundquist family needed it. Even still, the challenges were huge – financial, emotional, and physical. Josh’s mother, Linda, later was diagnosed with an incurable form of Lymphoma and his brother Matt struggled to find his own place in the world after growing up in the shadow of Josh’s cancer. Josh struggled to feel accepted by his peers as he grew from small boy into young man. Despite these challenges, Josh Sundquist had a dream. He had always imagined himself as a well known athlete, and becoming a ski racer on the Paralympic Team was the goal he set his sights on. In 2006 he skied for the United States Paralympic Team in Turino, Italy – an amazing accomplishment and a testament to courage, heart and perseverance.

I read Just Don’t Fall over a few short days and found myself completely charmed by the honest, heartfelt prose of a kid who overcame the odds to follow his dream. Josh Sundquist is funny, endearing, and genuine. In his memoir, he captures the innocent voice of his childhood which then evolves into the awkwardness of adolescence and finally into the insight of a mature young man. Just Don’t Fall is not only a story about how an individual overcame obstacles to become an accomplished athlete…it is about a family and a community, and the impact on them all with the devastating diagnosis of cancer. It is also a story of faith and doubt, and how one comes to terms with the fears and traumas of life while still believing in a larger purpose.

Josh Sundquist writes from the heart, and in doing so he pulls his readers deeply into his life. You will find yourself laughing, crying and eventually celebrating his accomplishments.

Recommended reading for those who enjoy well-written, touching memoirs with a message.

Listen to a guest Vlog by the author here on Caribousmom