"I don't know what I believe about death anymore. For a long time, I could see the logic of your beliefs even though I clung to the idea of God like a child with a teddy bear. But I don't know how to face death like that.
So I have a plan. If I die and if there IS life after death, I'm so coming back to haunt you. I mean full-on 'our house was built on an Indian burial ground' type of haunting."
-from one of Natalie's posthumous letters to Luke
Wow! This one had me fooled at the beginning but turned out to be a real PAGE-TURNER! It has been a while since I had a whole afternoon to sit and read and this was the perfect book for such a day.
The story begins with Luke Richardson and his children returning home from final services for his wife, Natalie, who has died of cancer. Soon after, he begins mysteriously receiving letters from Natalie, in her own handwriting. My first impression was "far-fetched" and "schmaltzy." My curiosity kept me going, thank goodness, because when oldest son Will finds some of his mother's personal papers, it becomes apparent that Natalie had a secret past. The more Luke tries to trace the clues, the more puzzling her history becomes. Just when the reader thinks she knows what's going on, the plot takes another turn.
It was an interesting coincidence that Munchausen syndrome by proxy has a part in the novel and was also a theme in the "Law and Order: SVU" I watched on the same day. What a strange mental illness!
I definitely rate When I'm Gone a 5 for sheer entertainment. Ms. Bleeker devised a very clever and intricate plot. I'll certainly look for another by her.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Tips for Living by Renee Shafransky
"Here's a tip, kiddo. A tip for living. This world is rough, and it's going to keep throwing things at you. Don't let them break your heart."
-advice from Nathan Glasser to daughter, Nora
I read this novel while on a cruise, a good choice! Nothing too cerebral, just a good murder mystery. I will rate it a 4.
Nora Glasser is a columnist for the Pequod Courier. Her feature is called "Tips for Living." The setting is Pequod, NY; Nora calls it a "summer place" for many. In fact her ex-husband and renowned artist, Hugh Walker, has recently moved there with his second wife, much to Nora's consternation. When Hugh and Helene Walker are brutally murdered in their home, suspicion turns to Nora as the one with motive. More evidence appears and, in fact, Nora begins to suspect herself. It turns out she has a history of somnambulism. (Know what that means? If not, read the novel or Google it.)
Foreshadowing and some twists and turns equal a page turner. Some romance plus elderly Russian immigrant Aunt Lada's wit and wisdom make an entertaining read. Quotes from Lada are given in Russian and then translated to English: "How well you live makes a difference. Not how long" or "Don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you."
I was surprised at the revelation of the killer and how it was discovered but you'll get no spoilers from me!
-advice from Nathan Glasser to daughter, Nora
I read this novel while on a cruise, a good choice! Nothing too cerebral, just a good murder mystery. I will rate it a 4.
Nora Glasser is a columnist for the Pequod Courier. Her feature is called "Tips for Living." The setting is Pequod, NY; Nora calls it a "summer place" for many. In fact her ex-husband and renowned artist, Hugh Walker, has recently moved there with his second wife, much to Nora's consternation. When Hugh and Helene Walker are brutally murdered in their home, suspicion turns to Nora as the one with motive. More evidence appears and, in fact, Nora begins to suspect herself. It turns out she has a history of somnambulism. (Know what that means? If not, read the novel or Google it.)
Foreshadowing and some twists and turns equal a page turner. Some romance plus elderly Russian immigrant Aunt Lada's wit and wisdom make an entertaining read. Quotes from Lada are given in Russian and then translated to English: "How well you live makes a difference. Not how long" or "Don't trouble trouble till trouble troubles you."
I was surprised at the revelation of the killer and how it was discovered but you'll get no spoilers from me!
The Silver Music Box by Mina Baites
"In times of need, the voices of our ancestors remind us who we are, and we must find worthwhile activities to bring us light in the darkness."
-Rabbi Spitzer, from the novel
The novel reminded me of two others I've read recently---The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet
Sky---similar settings during WWII and involving rescue of those endangered by the Nazi regime, particularly Jews. I thought it was an excellent historical fiction; it rates a 5 from me.
This multigenerational story begins with Johann Blumenthal, a master silversmith and jeweler who joins the military to fight for the fatherland in WWI. He tries to convince his beloved wife, Clara, that he is doing it for her future and that of their son, Paul. In his parting, Johann gives young Paul a lovingly created silver music box with a personal inscription. One could predict that the silver music box would drive the plot and it surely did.
The Silver Music Box is a holocaust story but not quite as intense as some I've read. To be sure, the author describes despicable events leading up to the imprisonment and extermination of Jews but doesn't go quite that far. She details the mistreatment of the Jewish townspeople depriving many of their professions and businesses and the threats, beatings and countless humiliations---enough to boggle the mind of the reader as to how these events came about and to touch the heart in a profound way.
I did not realize that during this time period many Jews relocated to Cape Town, RSA. Ironic that in escaping the evils of Nazism, they observed apartheid, a whole other example of man's inhumanity to man.
Well-written with a gripping plot and poignant theme, the novel is definitely a page-turner!
-Rabbi Spitzer, from the novel
The novel reminded me of two others I've read recently---The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet
Sky---similar settings during WWII and involving rescue of those endangered by the Nazi regime, particularly Jews. I thought it was an excellent historical fiction; it rates a 5 from me.
This multigenerational story begins with Johann Blumenthal, a master silversmith and jeweler who joins the military to fight for the fatherland in WWI. He tries to convince his beloved wife, Clara, that he is doing it for her future and that of their son, Paul. In his parting, Johann gives young Paul a lovingly created silver music box with a personal inscription. One could predict that the silver music box would drive the plot and it surely did.
The Silver Music Box is a holocaust story but not quite as intense as some I've read. To be sure, the author describes despicable events leading up to the imprisonment and extermination of Jews but doesn't go quite that far. She details the mistreatment of the Jewish townspeople depriving many of their professions and businesses and the threats, beatings and countless humiliations---enough to boggle the mind of the reader as to how these events came about and to touch the heart in a profound way.
I did not realize that during this time period many Jews relocated to Cape Town, RSA. Ironic that in escaping the evils of Nazism, they observed apartheid, a whole other example of man's inhumanity to man.
Well-written with a gripping plot and poignant theme, the novel is definitely a page-turner!
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
1225 Christmas Tree Lane by Debbie Macomber
"Their mother was being far too congenial. In fact, she was ruining everything. Bailey had hoped it would be just the four of them. If her parents could be together, remember Christmases past and enjoy each other's company, then maybe they'd finally figure things out...."
-Beth and Sophie's musings, from the novel
This was the last of the three short Christmas novels I picked up at the library a couple of weeks ago. To my knowledge I have never read anything by this author but I have seen a few Christmas movies based on her writing on the Hallmark channel. Many of her stories are set in fictional Cedar Cove, Washington state, I believe. In a letter to the reader, Macomber says this is the last of the Cedar Cove series. (c2011)
There are SO many characters in this novel, you feel like you know a little about everyone in town by the end. The author even includes 2 1/2 pages of "who's who" in Cedar Cove at the beginning, a good thing for those of us new to the series.
The plot might remind you of "The Parent Trap" as 2 sisters connive to get their divorced parents together again at Christmas. Beth Morehouse, divorced from Kent, owns a Christmas tree farm and is an animal rescuer and dog trainer. She has recently been given 10 lab-mix puppies to find homes for and I'll be doggoned (pun intended) if she doesn't manage to do it during the course of the book! In the process, the reader meets many of the townspeople who just happen to be in the market for a puppy.
I enjoyed the fact that the Morehouse family loved the classic movie "It's a Wonderful Life." That same movie was mentioned in one or both of the other two Christmas novels I read. My husband and I had seen the movie and a stage play recently so it was interestingly coincidental.
From what I have experienced of Macomber's stories, they all have happy endings. This one is no different. That makes for a pretty predictable plot. With the romance involved, it is what my husband would call "chick lit." I found it very light reading, a little sappy and not terribly memorable. But I will rate it a 3 since it was quick and pleasant holiday fare. The book jacket says "What would the holidays be without a new Christmas story from Debbie Macomber?" What, indeed!
-Beth and Sophie's musings, from the novel
This was the last of the three short Christmas novels I picked up at the library a couple of weeks ago. To my knowledge I have never read anything by this author but I have seen a few Christmas movies based on her writing on the Hallmark channel. Many of her stories are set in fictional Cedar Cove, Washington state, I believe. In a letter to the reader, Macomber says this is the last of the Cedar Cove series. (c2011)
There are SO many characters in this novel, you feel like you know a little about everyone in town by the end. The author even includes 2 1/2 pages of "who's who" in Cedar Cove at the beginning, a good thing for those of us new to the series.
The plot might remind you of "The Parent Trap" as 2 sisters connive to get their divorced parents together again at Christmas. Beth Morehouse, divorced from Kent, owns a Christmas tree farm and is an animal rescuer and dog trainer. She has recently been given 10 lab-mix puppies to find homes for and I'll be doggoned (pun intended) if she doesn't manage to do it during the course of the book! In the process, the reader meets many of the townspeople who just happen to be in the market for a puppy.
I enjoyed the fact that the Morehouse family loved the classic movie "It's a Wonderful Life." That same movie was mentioned in one or both of the other two Christmas novels I read. My husband and I had seen the movie and a stage play recently so it was interestingly coincidental.
From what I have experienced of Macomber's stories, they all have happy endings. This one is no different. That makes for a pretty predictable plot. With the romance involved, it is what my husband would call "chick lit." I found it very light reading, a little sappy and not terribly memorable. But I will rate it a 3 since it was quick and pleasant holiday fare. The book jacket says "What would the holidays be without a new Christmas story from Debbie Macomber?" What, indeed!
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