The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith

 

Just a quick note on this one - this is the 8th in the Cormoran Strike series and I loved every second of it.  The detectives are working on several cases at once (wish I had taken notes to keep all the names straight, actually!), but focused on identifying a mutilated body found in the vault of a silver shop specializing in Masonic silver pieces. And trying NOT to focus on their feelings for each other, as they have been doing through most of this series, so nothing new there.  Well, except for the ending!!  If you thought #7 was a cliff hanger, just you wait!!

I really enjoy this series.  The writing is sharp and witty, the cases always go in several circles that wind up in places you never see coming, and the characters are well fleshed out, different, and have their own side plots.  I have not yet watched the TV show, called Strike, but might trick my husband into watching it now that White Collar is off Netflix.  Ugh.

And, yes, I know who the author really is and I think she is an amazing story teller.  The end.

The Velveteen Daughter by Laurel Davis Huber

 

What a FIND of a story!!!  My book club was lucky enough to have Ms. Huber come to our meeting to discuss her book, and she was just as fascinating as the book she published through She Writes Press eight years ago.  This is important because she decided not to go with a big name publishing house, but picked one that gave her more autonomy, and more money for the work she put into this book!  Bravo!

So, historical fiction?  Fictionalized History?  Fictional Biography?  Yes, that was what the author called it.  This is the story of Pamela Bianco.  Ever heard of her?  None of us had and what a travesty that was.  Now we know.  Not only was Pamela a brilliant artist, child prodigy and a mother herself, but her own mother was Margery Williams Bianco.  An author of children's books.  Most famously, as you have probably already gathered from the title, she wrote The Velveteen Rabbit.

And the way Huber weaves the themes from TVR into Pamela's life is amazing.  The chapters are short (on purpose), they also weave in and out of timelines (so pay attention!), and they alternate between Pamela and Margery.  We learn about the dynamic between Pamela and her father, between the two women, and how Pamela obsessed over her childhood love.  Pamela's bouts with depression and her time at Four Winds for treatment of same are also a part of her life.  The famous people they associated with and were related to add glamor to the story, set in 1920's and beyond NYC.  And we learn about her art, her paintings and drawings and pressings.  We learn about the books SHE published and illustrated.  And we learn about a mother's love, a father's pride, an artist's mind, and life in the early 20th century.  An amazing amount of research went into this novel.  Huber said it took her 10 years to finish it and there were several iterations!  Be sure to read the author's notes at the end.  Good thing for us is, she is working on another story.  We offered to be her focus group readers!!

Highly recommend ordering this through your local bookstore, or mine (Park Road Books and Troubadour Booksellers).  

The Book of Thorns by Hester Fox

 

Look at that luscious cover!  Look, it is historical fiction set in France during the battle of Waterloo!  This is going to be fascinating!

However, this was a miss for me.  I am so sad.

The back of the book promises the struggle toward reunion of two sisters who have lost each other and barely remember the other exists.   I thought I'd be reading of two parallel lives and the somewhat witchy magic they each have with flowers.  I looked forward to how and when they would find each other, especially in those times - how strong must their bond be!

But.  This ended up being a secondary plot to our main character Cornelia's life and loves.  She does escape her disinterested Uncle who only wants to marry her off, only to be thrown into a war camp for her ability with local herbs for healing.  She falls in love twice, at the same time, and they all love each other.  (I was not prepared for that!)  She gets into serious trouble when her "affinity" for flowers is seen in a spectacular way.  There was a lot of back and forthing between the sisters' current lives, but it was not enough for me.  

So this brings up lots of questions about the back of the book that I plan to discuss in a separate blogpost.  It is not often I find a book that tricks me with its hook.  But it does happen.  Has it happened to you?  And is there anything we can do about it without all kinds of spoilers?  Stay tuned.  I might just be stirring the pot about reading and how we choose what we read....

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

 

Hilarious.  Homey.  Honest.  I loved every second of this book about books, and about a small Southern town where everyone knows everyone's business, politics, loves and especially hates!

Lula Dean is that busybody who thinks she is always right, and when she decides to focus on the books in the library that are "not proper" for kids to read, she stirs the town pot.  She puts her own Wholesome little free library in her front yard, and doesn't notice when a young activist switches out the books wrapped in her dust jackets with all those very same banned books.  When neighbors begin taking and reading these books, hilarity ensues.  Written reminiscent of Jan Karon's Mitford series in style, each chapter moves to a different resident to show us how they are affected by the goings on of their neighbors.  Bringing up ancestors who owned slaves, a young boy who thinks his mama is dying (she's not), the town "it" girl who stayed to raise a family and makes a stand, the local boy turned movie star who comes home to confront his redneck brother, the local respected businessman who the postman knows is a collector of specific historical items, and more, Miller hits us where our hearts and beliefs are with this commentary on censorship, burying our past vs celebrating our progress, and how reading can change everything.

I also listened to Miller's book The Change and found it thought provoking as well - a story of the powers, physical and mystical, of women who are comfortable in their own skin.  That was a far fetched murder mystery - I liked the tone and the characters of Lula Dean better!  

Prize Women by Caroline Lea

 

This one has been on my stack for a while.  Someone gave it to me; was it you, Anne?  Anyway, I was told this would be interesting.  And that was very true!!

As is this story!  Well, based on true events, that is.  The Will of an arguably eccentric rich man in Toronto in 1926 leaves his monetary fortune to the woman who bears the most children in the 10 years after his death.

WHAT?!?!

Let's step back for a minute.  The birth control pill was not approved for widespread use until 1960.  Women were pretty much considered their husbands' property until, well, debatable.  Let's just say there was not much choice about whether they "wanted" more children in those days.  Big families were common.  

Enter this last Will and Testament.  Of course, the media went crazy as the time drew near to pick a winner.  And the moral questions surrounding this abounded.  Women having children JUST to win the money?  How terrible!  But, the truth was, these women would have had these children anyway, right??  Hmmmm.  Who wanted the money really?  The women?  Or the men who it would legally belong to?

Add a friendship that is born from need, grows for years as two women help each other raise their children, and end up competing for the prize.  Tension is tight as their feelings for each other grow in a time when that type of relationship is not accepted, and then the friendship implodes.  Both women need this money in order to feed their kids.  Who should win?  What if a baby dies at two weeks or, or is stillborn??  Does that child count?  Do children born out of wedlock count?  

I did some historical digging after finishing this story and the reality of it is fascinating and sickening.  This was not the only section of his will that was controversial - he was apparently a great jokester in life and his Will continued this legacy.  I could not put this one down.  It is sad to read of the poverty, the desperation, and the spousal abuse.  There is a hopeful ending, if you will, so do not despair!  A great read about a true event.  Thank you to whomever it was who gave me this book!  I did enjoy it.

Strangers in Time by David Baldacci

I picked this book for my book club.  I love Baldacci's Memory Man series, The Camel Club, Atlee Pine, Absolute Power, etc etc etc.  So, I thought, YES!  Let's read a Thriller!!  Here is his new one!

The Joke was on me.

This is straight up Historical Fiction, about WWII.  Yes, my clubbers laughed at me because as much as I love Historical Fiction, I am notorious for NOT wanting to read ANY more books about WWII.  This is one reason I loved The Women so much because it was about a time in history not many authors care to write about (The Vietnam War).

So for the first few chapters, I was distracted.  This is not a typical Baldacci.  If I had picked this up not knowing the author, I would never have guessed this to be his work.  The tone is not at all his voice; the sentences are prim, short, and actually more like a woman's work!  However, once I got past all of these preconceived notions and just read the story - wow.  I was quickly invested in the characters:  14 year old Charlie Matters, 15 year old Molly Wakefield, and a widower and bookseller, Ignatius Oliver.  Especially Charlie - a little thief with a big heart.  How they all meet, where they all are in their lives and during the London Blitz, what their futures could possibly hold - as well as all the interesting tidbits I learned about life (and death) during this specific time of the war - really held my attention.  This is a relatively easy read, but the subject matter is still WAR.  This is a great Found Family story.  Lots of subplots as each character has their own baggage/secrets.  The ending, particularly with the story of Molly's dad, was a bit contrived, but the Ending ending was near to perfect.  If you like WWII stories, add this one to your list!  But it is thrilling for very different reasons than your typical Baldacci.  You have been warned!!

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

 

This story will not be for everyone.  There is a bit of science fiction, a bit of fantasy (or not??), and a lot of questions about what you believe.  But what I really loved here was the ZINGERS!!  Haig has a great sense of humor, and so many of these short chapters ended with one, and I loved it.  Very unexpected.  

I listened to this one, and the British performer who gave us Grace Winters was very good.  Stiff upper lip and all.  I loved that the main character is a 72 year old woman.  The format is unusual and gives a nice little twist at the end.  You do have the mystery of what happened to Grace's friend, why was she left a house in Ibiza, and who the heck is Alberto Rivas?  But this is much more than a standard murder mystery.  Grace brings her own losses with her to Ibiza, and discovers a Truth so amazing that you have to experience to believe it.  A good story about taking chances, especially at the latter stage of life, and being brave enough to go for a new beginning.  There is a lot going on here, the side plots definitely keep you interested - lots of music references, island life, regrets and family drama.  I do think it could have been edited down a bit in some places.  But I will never look at a red bike the same way again!! Or, a bluebird either!