Sunday, December 31, 2017

Review: The Girl in the Photo

The Girl in the Photo The Girl in the Photo by Gaspar González
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a Kindle Single edition of a story by Gaspar González about his brother who was killed in Vietnam before Gaspar was born. Inspired by a photo of his brother from a high school dance, González searched for friends and family to give him some history of the brother he never met and to honor him for his service.

Loved this story of reconnecting with the past!

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Review: Book Club Babies

Book Club Babies Book Club Babies by Ashton Lee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Cherry Cola Book Club reconvenes one final time in Ashton Lee’s Book Club Babies. It’s winter in Cherico, Mississippi and three club members are about to have babies. Led by librarian Maura Beth McShay, the club and the town come together to help out the three ladies, and particularly for Periwinkle Place who delivered prematurely. The overall message of the book is that family is sometimes the ones you surround yourself with. This short read is another cozy conundrum about small-town life in the south.

This was a cute and entertaining book and a nice respite from some of the heavy books I generally read. This is not a book of substance and is predictable and kitschy. It is worth the read if you're looking for something a bit mindless and a bit cozy. I enjoyed the series but at times the dialogue is a bit juvenile and at other times it is what is expected of the sixth edition of a series. I have seen Lee's writing progress over the series and have enjoyed the characters. I did enjoy the books enough to continue following Lee and see what he comes out with next.

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Review: A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry

A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry by Charles Dickens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the classic tale brought to life on Audibles by Tim Curry. Curry was the perfect person to read this book. He brought a bit of humor to the story with the different voices he used for each character. It was the perfect book to end our holiday season on a long ride home.

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Friday, December 29, 2017

Review: Queen of the Cookbooks

Queen of the Cookbooks Queen of the Cookbooks by Ashton Lee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Cherry Cola Book Club gathers again in Ashton Lee's fifth novel Queen of the Cookbooks. Maura Beth Mayhew is the local librarian in the small southern town of Cherico, Mississippi. The new state of the art library is due to open on July 4th, during a city-wide celebration and cooking challenge on the library grounds. A couple of out of town entrants get heated during the competition causing a food fight in the middle of the celebration. Meanwhile, Maura Beth is dealing with a local church who is trying to get her fired for having unsavory books in her stacks. It seems like things never change in Cherico but one thing you can count on is the help from friends and family. The message that shines through is one of tolerance and understanding, and the love of family and friends can weather any storm.

Another enjoyable read about this little southern town. I am enjoying the series and see Lee's writing mature with each new book in the series.

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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Review: Christmas: A Biography

Christmas: A Biography Christmas: A Biography by Judith Flanders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is exactly what it says it is, a biography of Christmas and all things related. The history begins from the time of Christ, analyzing the "reason for the season" and from there, progresses through time on how the holiday has progressed. It follows the religious and political aspects, as well as traditions, food, drinks, celebrations, songs, entertainment from around the world. Flanders even covers the scary side of evil elves and characters such as Krampus.

This is truly the go-to book about the holiday season and is thorough yet entertaining.

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Sunday, December 24, 2017

Review: Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870 - 1920

Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870 - 1920 Dear Santa: Children's Christmas Letters and Wish Lists, 1870 - 1920 by Chronicle Books
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a sweet collection of children's letters to Santa from 1870 through 1920. A lot of the letters are from poor kids just wishing for something in their stockings or a small gift. Some even wish for Santa to give their toys to the poor kids around the world. This was especially evident during World War I years. Mostly they are just charming letters from kids all over the world.

One nice feature of this book is that the author included explanations of some now defunct toys and dolls, as well as commenting on life during each decade to give the reader a holistic view of the social situation of that era.

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Saturday, December 23, 2017

Review: The Christmas Train

The Christmas Train The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Christmas Train is a short cute story about Tom, a journalist, taking an Amtrak train across country to meet up with his current girlfriend to spend the Christmas holidays skiing in Tahoe. Tom is still reeling from a previous breakup and a hard life as a journalist covering wartorn countries and risking himself for an award-winning story. His idea is to take the train to write a fluff piece on his way to meet his girl. He meets a cast of strange characters, gets in the middle of a string of thefts, an impromptu marriage, a chance encounter with the woman who broke his heart and an avalanche that no one may live through.

This was a quick read that had a little of everything: mystery, romance, Christmas feel-good stories and a reminder that Christmas and life, in general, is what you make of it and that family is sometimes the people that you choose to be with.

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Friday, December 22, 2017

Review: Southern Crucible: The Making of an American Region, Combined Volume

Southern Crucible: The Making of an American Region, Combined Volume Southern Crucible: The Making of an American Region, Combined Volume by William Link
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Southern Crucible covers the complete history of the southern US from pre-Revolution time through the early 2000s. It is fairly detailed but does gloss over some events such as the Trail of Tears. This book mostly concentrates on the racial divide that has been ongoing in the south since its founding.

This book was used as a text for my History of the Southern United States college course. I thought was the perfect book for this course. Our instructor had us read the last chapter first, to discuss where we are today, then start from the beginning to see how the South has evolved over time.

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Sunday, December 17, 2017

Review: Aunt Sass: Christmas Stories

Aunt Sass: Christmas Stories Aunt Sass: Christmas Stories by P.L. Travers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a collection of three stories by P. L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins. Although the title mentions "Christmas Stories", this was not a collection of stories about Christmas. They were written as stories that she wrote as Christmas gifts. Christmas was briefly mentioned in a couple of the stories, but that was it.

I didn't think they were outstanding stories, but I did enjoy the second one of the heathen Chinaman named Ah Wong. He was a humorous man. I can't say this is a favorite book, but the stories were cute and what you would expect of P. L. Travers.

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Saturday, December 16, 2017

Review: Letters from Father Christmas

Letters from Father Christmas Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a charming book of letters that author J. R. R. Tolkien would send to his kids every Christmas signed by Father Christmas himself, along with his sidekick Polar Bear. These letters go from the mid-1920s to the early 1940s, in the middle of World War II. They are sweet and at times comical letters with stories about the happenings at the North Pole that year, whether it was the calamity that ensued when Polar Bear would do all kinds of crazy antics or elves that would have to fend off goblins and work to get toys done on time. Each letter came with drawings by Father Christmas depicting these scenes or just beautiful scenes of snow and lights.

It's best to read this in a physical copy (hardbound / paperbound) or on an eReader device that shows colored pictures. This is a short read that will take about an hour or so to read but it will certainly get you in a Christmas mood.

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Friday, December 15, 2017

Review: Mistletoe Murder

Mistletoe Murder Mistletoe Murder by Karen MacInerney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Winter has arrived in the little town of Buttercup, Texas and once again a killer is loose. Buttercup is the home of novice farm girl Lucy Resnick who is struggling to maintain her grandmother's farm. The town is in the throes of Christmas season when the body of Randy Stone is found dead at local favorite restaurant Rositas. Everything points to a crime of passion, with his wife Isabella being implicated for offing her cheating man. Lucy, who is a former investigative reporter, goes in search for the true killer.

I generally don't read many mysteries but I thoroughly enjoy all of Karen MacInerney's cozy mystery series. I especially enjoy her Dewberry Farm Mysteries for the Texas references and setting. I am looking forward to furthering adventures in Buttercup, Texas.

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Thursday, December 14, 2017

Review: Jacob T. Marley

Jacob T. Marley Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Marley was dead, to begin with..." The opening line to the famous Dickens classic about Ebenezer Scrooge. This story is Marley's. He was Scrooge's partner and the first spirit to contact him on that Christmas Eve night. He had a profound impression on Scrooge that helped make him into the man everyone knew as a mean old miser. He too had his story of redemption that he hoped to pass to Scrooge before it was too late; before Ebenezer too was dead. The story begins as a pre-sequel to Dickens' famed book, giving background to Marley's life, his chance encounter with his future partner and his eventual death. The book then reflects on Scrooge and follows Marley as the spirit that visits him on that fateful Christmas Eve night. The final portion of the book reveals what happens to Scrooge after the Christmas of redemption.

This is a wonderful tale that should be a companion piece to A Christmas Carol. It could easily have been written by Dickens himself, with that same Victorian voice. I actually think I like this one better than the classic. It is still a short read but is more robust with a more powerful message.

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Review: Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel

Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel by Samantha Silva
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Charles Dickens, the inimitable Boz. He was a celebrity in his own right as an author in Victorian London. He was the author of over a dozen books, one of his most famous being A Christmas Carol. Samantha Silva imagines what Dickens' life was like at the time of his writing of A Christmas Carol in the weeks leading up to Christmas in 1843. He was facing some financial difficulties due to poor sales of Martin Chuzzlewit and the pressures that his family had put on him. He had a few weeks to author a book to pull him out of his situation and regain the readership he was losing. Silva pulls Dickens into his own story, full of charming characters, a ghost to show him his past, present, and future, and the chance at redemption on Christmas day.

This was a cute, short read that brings the reader into the setting of A Christmas Carol. It is very much a work of fiction with some fact sprinkled throughout. I love historical fiction but when it becomes more fiction based "very loosely" on fact, I start to get disinterested. I was hoping for a bit more facts than was provided. The beginning grabbed me, the middle bored me a bit, but the end made up for the lull. Certainly, not my favorite Christmas read but I am glad I read it, as it caused me to do a little research into the life of Charles Dickens and the story behind the famous book. I mostly enjoyed the story of Timothy "Tiny Tim" and hope that there was a sweet boy that truly inspired that character.

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Friday, December 8, 2017

Review: Still Life

Still Life Still Life by Louise Penny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the town of Three Pines, Quebec in Canada, cherished local spinster Jane Neal is found dead in the woods, a victim of an apparent hunting accident, or is it murder? Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called in from the Sûreté du Québec to investigate along with his protege Jean Guy Beauvoir and a small cast of characters under his tutelage. The town is small so the list of potential murders is small and just like the townspeople that Jane Neal painted on her newly discovered painting, the clues to the murder may be hidden in plain sight.

This was a charming mystery, although there were a couple of characters that could be exasperating and seemed out of place. The townspeople were fun and quirky and I can see how this book has expanded into an award-winning series. These are stories I'll read between some of the heavier subjects I tend to tackle.

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