The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

December 23, 2024

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

Before the city of Troy fell, the invading Greek army destroyed the cities on the Trojan plain, killing the men and boys and taking the girls and women as slaves. The wife of a high ranking noble, Briseis was given to the warrior Achilles as a war prize. Achilles treats her kindly if indifferently, but his close friend and charioteer Patroclus becomes a friend to Briseis.

The story of the Trojan War is usually told by the men who were the victors: Odysseus, Achilles, Agamemmon, Menelaus. Rarely are the voices of the losing side heard, and almost never the women. This is the first book in Barker's trilogy about the women and girls who were the real victims, forced into slavery or prostitution by the conquering Greeks. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction and mythology. Also recommended are The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati.

Ruins believed to be part of ancient Troy

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

December 21, 2024

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

Lucas lives a happy life. He lives alone, works from home, enjoys pizza and a glass of good red wine, and plays video games. His secret to happiness: just say no. When other people want you to do something, either politely refuse or just ignore them. He has no interest in changing his life, and it's a great system until someone in his apartment complex discards an old skillet next to the garbage dumpster, and then the trouble begins.

A short story by the author of A Man Called Ove, filled with Backman's signature humorous view of the human race. Enjoyable.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

And yes, pad thai should have peanuts in it.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

December 20, 2024

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Megan Chase lives on a pig farm in the Louisiana Bayou with her mother, stepfather and half-brother. She is an outcast but her best friend Robbie, another outcast, has always been there for her. On her 16th birthday, like a miracle, the quarterback of the football team asks her to lunch, only for Megan to become the victim of a vicious prank. Things only get worse when she arrives home to find that a changeling has taken the place of her half-brother who has been spirited off to the land of Faery. Megan is determined to go after him and bring him back, whatever the cost.

First book in the Iron Fey series. These faeries and elves aren't the Disney variety, more like the Eoin Colfer type (see the Artemis Fowl series). Many well known characters such as Puck and Oberon, and Grimalkin the faery cat is a great character. There are some fun and creative parts, like the road back to Faery through a dance club in Detroit. Many of the settings in the Iron King section have strong overtones of The Lord of the Rings. Note to fey folk: if you know that iron can kill you, maybe it's not the best idea to go into a land made of iron. Will appeal to readers of YA fantasy/romantasy.

The land of Faery

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

December 19, 2024

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

The four middle-aged supposedly retired assassins from Killers of a Certain Age are back for another adventure. The son of the target of their first kill is methodically tracking down and killing the people responsible for his father's death. It's up to the four assassins to take him out before he finds them. But how will they find him, and how does he know where they are?

The Golden Girls meets Charlie's Angels. Despite being in their 60s, the four female assassins are still evolving and growing. They are smart, sassy and sexy. I do like the recommendations for using common household items as killing or torture tools. Also, I would like Taverner if Billie is finished with him. A worthy sequel to the first book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Venice

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson

December 15, 2024

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson

A collection of stories from librarians and booksellers about the magic of reading and making books available. One of the best stories is from a Charlotte, NC, bookstore owner who brings her rescue Corgi to the bookstore with her every day and the dog is so well-known at the city newspaper does a story about her (several stories feature dogs or cats). Another is the bookseller who tells people it's okay to not finish a book that they are struggling with. There are stories about librarians surviving hurricanes, the 2008 recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommended for anyone who loves books, libraries, bookstores, and reading.

Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley

December 14, 2024

Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley

It's the holiday season in Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, and against her better judgment, Delilah O'Leary, proprietor of the town's gourmet pizzeria, is catering a swanky holiday party. It's a pretty standard party: obnoxious party goers, drunken arguments, guest sneaking around near the bedroom, drama. The next day, Delilah witnesses an angry confrontation between the party's host and an unknown older woman, right before a dead body is found in the middle of the snow sculpture competition.

Fourth installment in the Deep Dish mystery series. Typical cozy where the bad guys get caught, the good guys prevail, and it all works out in the end. Recipes at the back. Recommended for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a food theme.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Who doesn't love a deep dish pizza?

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

December 11, 2024

The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

Cecily Alcantara and her family have been living in Malaya under Japanese occupation. Before that, it was the British occupation. They manage to stay under the radar, until Cecily's son Abel disappears along with a number of other teenage boys. Cecily believes this is her fault - for years before the war, she was an informant for the Japanese, believing that they would restore Asia to Asian rule, and now she considers this to be her punishment.

A different perspective on World War II, set in Malaya (now Malaysia) and told from the perspectives of the residents of a suburb of Kuala Lumpur. There are many layers to the story and the plot started to drag about halfway through. I started skimming until the last 50 pages when the threads of the story come together. Will appeal to readers who enjoyed The Shadow of the Banyan or When the Elephants Dance, which I thought were much better books.

A Malayan town under Japanese occupation

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

December 11, 2024

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

In the not too distant future, musician Rainy lives with his wife Lark in a remote town in the upper peninsula of Michigan on the shore of Lake Superior. Lark owns a bookstore in an age where people no longer read - for many people, it's a struggle to survive. Rainy and Lark rent out a room in their house to travelers, offering them a bed and meals and whatever else they may need, until they are ready to move on. When one of these travelers brings trouble with him, Rainy flees in his boat on Lake Superior, running from a mysterious man who believes that Rainy knows where to find a cache of stolen drugs.

Dystopian fiction set in the near future. Confusing at first, it was hard to know what direction the story was going. Rainy may be searching for his dead wife or he may be searching for an elusive poet. There are a number of references to Don Quixote, a dreamer on a quest. Wonderful characters, even the evil ones, and poetic language as well as poetic justice. Fans of the novels of Peter Heller will enjoy Enger's dystopian story.

Lake Superior of the Michigan coast on a calm day

Guilt and Ginataan by Mia Manansala

December 8, 2024

Guilt and Ginataan by Mia Manansala

It's time for the annual corn festival in Shady Palms, Illinois, and the owners of the Brew-ha Cafe are gearing up for the opening weekend. Known for the second biggest corn maze in the state, the festival draws crowds from all over the Midwest. After their booth sells out early, Lila, Adena and Elena decide to have a contest to see who can finish the corn maze first, but the fun comes to an abrupt end when they discover a body near the center of the maze.

A new mystery featuring the residents of Shady Palms. The aunties and Lola Flor don't appear in this story as much as in previous stories in the series, although there are still recipes at the end. Lila and Jae's sweet relationship continues to grow. Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries, especially those featuring food.

An example of ginataan, a sweet or savory Filipino dish cooked in coconut milk

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

December 7, 2024

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

In 1939, Odile Souchet lands her dream job, at the American Library in Paris, where she finds the place she is meant to be and the friends she has been seeking. But the city is on the brink of war and when the Nazis occupy Paris, the staff at the American Library is determined to remain open and fight the Nazis with the power of books. Forty years later in a small town in Montana, a teenage girl strikes up a friendship with her reclusive neighbor, a French widow.

Another book that makes me proud to be a librarian. The novel has a dual timeline, one set during World War II and the other in 1980s Montana. Personally I found the World War II sections more interesting, since the 1980s parts have a lot of teenaged angst. Based on fact, the story honors the librarians who worked to protect the staff, the patrons and their collection. The American Library still exists today. Librarians are bad-ass - never forget it. My favorite quote: "the Nazis shot a librarian? That's like shooting a doctor!"

Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction set in France.

The original American Library in Paris

Those Opulent Days by Jacquie Pham

December 2, 2024

Those Opulent Days by Jacquie Pham

Four school friends from wealthy families met at an exclusive French boarding school in Vietnam. Three are Vietnamese, one is French. When they were in school, they snuck out one night to visit a fortune teller who predicted that one of them would end up dead at a young age. As adults, they live aimless dissipated lives of wealth and privilege. Then the fortune teller's prediction comes true, and one is found dead - is one of the others the killer?

Full cast audio recording told from several POVs. Although it is a mystery on the surface, the story is more about the racial and class tension that existed in the 1920s in Vietnam (aka French Indochina, aka Ah Nam). I knew very little about this time and place in history, so I learned something, which is one of the reasons that I read historical fiction. Strong contrasts between the lives of employers and servants, rich and poor, French and Vietnamese. There are many trigger subjects, including drugs, alcoholism, sexual abuse, murder (a lot of murders), violence against women, addiction, and hopelessness and depression. Sensitive readers should be aware that the story is quite intense at times. Recommended for readers who want to learn about lesser known history, especially the dark side of history.

A mansion in Saigon from the 1920s

Lazarus Man by Richard Price

November 30, 2024

Lazarus Man by Richard Price

When a five story apartment building in Harlem collapses, there are a lot of questions: how did this happen? Why did it happen? Who is missing? How will this affect the survivors? And mainly, how did a man survive being buried in the rubble for two days, yet escape with minimal injuries, and how will it change his life?

Price writes literary fiction and I have read some of his previous books such as Clockers and Lush Life. Based on reviews, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy his latest book, since some readers complained about the slowness of the story and the POVs of multiple characters. A lot of readers seemed to be expecting suspense or an action story, but that's not what Price writes. Once I started reading, I read over half the book in a single day (it's really remarkable how much you can read during the commercials while watching an NFL game). Characters are imperfect, thoughtful, and well-developed. Will appeal to readers of literary fiction, especially Colson Whitehead's Harlem novels or James McBride's fiction.

Brownstones in Harlem

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

 November 25, 2024

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

Tao is a traveling fortune teller, roaming the countryside in her wagon with her mule Laohu. She tells what she refers to as small fortunes: what day will the cow have her calf, what day is the best to go fishing, who will the barmaid go to the dance with. Once she told a "large" fortune that had dire consequences, and someone she loved ended up dying. Since then, Tao has vowed to tell only small harmless fortunes. But when two mercenaries and later a baker end up joining her on her travels for their own reasons, Tao learns that family and home can be whatever you choose them to be.

A sweet and heartwarming cozy fantasy in the same vein as Legends and Lattes, or The Spellshop, although I thought both of those novels had more developed characters and stronger plotlines. Leong's novel is like a palette cleanser when you need a break from heavier fantasy fiction or genres. Recommended for readers of fantasy, cozy mysteries, or romantasy.

Tea leaf fortune telling, Tao's favorite method of fortune telling

Babylonia by Costanza Casati

November 22, 2024

Babylonia by Costanza Casati

Semiramis is an orphan from an Assyrian village when the king's half-brother plucks her from obscurity and chooses her to be his wife. She travels with him to the capitol city and is soon swept up in court intrigue and national politic, and she has to fight to stay one step ahead of her enemies.

I loved Casati's novel Clytemnestra so I was stoked to read her new book. While I found the story of Semiramis to be fascinating, I didn't love it quite as much as her previous book. Readers of historical fiction will enjoy learning about a lesser known but still powerful queen.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Statue of Semiramis