Book Report for January, February, and March 2020

YIKES!  April is halfway over, and I forgot to post about what I read during the first three months of this year - please tell me you haven't been holding your breath waiting for this ... though I guess if you have, well ... RIP?

Anyway, I did think about it last week but then likely got mired in my own brain and just forgot until today.   So since there is no time like the present, here is what I read and what I thought about it.

A Killer Christmas Party, by Nicole Ellis - This book was one that got much better as it progressed.   I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous books in the series, since events and characters were referred to from time to time and they were clearly from previous stories.

I also had a hard time keeping track of some of the characters, which I also think would have been easier if I had read previous installments. 

So whereas in the end it was interesting enough to finish, it wasn't a favorite.

Winter Street, by Elin Hilderbrand - This was a pretty good read, and well-written.  It starts with Kelley Quinn, the owner of the Winter Street Inn on Nantucket Island, walking in on his current wife kissing the guy who has always played Santa Claus at the Inn's holiday party two days before Christmas.  As it turns out, the two of them have been having an affair for years.  So when Mitzi leaves Kelley for George/Santa, he starts to spiral downwards.  He's already been having problems paying the bills, and didn't need the extra stress.

Kelley also has four adult children - three with his first wife, one with Mitzi - who are all having their own issues.  Two of the adult children live at the Inn, the oldest son lives in Manhattan but shows up distraught after his wife takes their kids to see her parents when she learns he has done something illegal, and the youngest is in the Marines in Afghanistan, and hasn't been heard from for a few days.

As everyone gathers, each with their own issues, things develop, things change, and they realize how important family is.  In some ways the book is corny, but mostly it's not.  And the part where they all have a silent prayer for the son in the Marines at their Christmas dinner was really poignant.  Not a bad read at holiday time.

A Nantucket Christmas, by Nancy Thayer - This book is fine if you read it as a fairy tale of what happened to the dog introduced right at the beginning.  And also if you enjoy reading about Christmas decorations and imagining what Nantucket must look like at Christmastime.  For those reasons, I gave it one star.

But otherwise, nope.

Vanishing Fleece : Adventures in American Wool, by Clara Parkes.  I enjoyed this book quite a bit.  Clara Parkes is a good writer, and though she has a wonderful "punny" sense of humor, it's clear that she enjoys her subjects but also is serious about them.

When she has a chance to take an entire bale from the shearing of a flock of sheep, she can't turn down the offer.  This is her chance to learn how not just the sheep-to-yarn process works, but how the wool industry works in America.

Reading this, I gained a whole new respect for those involved in even the smallest part of the entire process, and mourned the fact that so many of the mills and supporting industries have shut down and/or moved overseas.  By dividing her bale, we are able to get a true sense of how different places handle processing and dyeing, and even how independent dyers obtain and work to create the unique skeins of yarn so in demand right now.

There is A LOT of information here, but it is presented in a way that even non-experts can understand.  You begin to feel that you know some of the individuals that help Clara on her quest, and I at least finished the book being very grateful that they all do what they do.  And being even more fond of sheep.

I won this book from an Instagram giveaway from Liverpool Yarns, but all opinions are mine.

Long Bright River, by Liz Moore - I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and I'm glad I had a chance to read it.

The book tells the story of two sisters - Kacey and Michaela ("Mick") Kirkpatrick, who grew up in the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia.  Kacey lives on the streets as a drug addict and prostitute, and Mick is a police officer.  When the story opens, Mick and her new partner are called to a scene where a woman has overdosed.  All the way there, Mick worries that it is Kacey.  It is not - at least not this time - but Mick also thinks something other than just an overdose is in play.

We travel through the girls' lives growing up when they were best friends, having been raised by their no-nonsense grandmother.  Each of them has their own issues to deal with, but as Mick is the narrator, you learn her version of things.  She was a shy outlier, always brought into the group by her younger, more outgoing sister.  When Kacey's behavior changes, they basically become strangers.

Throughout the book, Mick is trying to locate Kacey, as she has not heard from her recently.  Through this search, we learn the girls' and the families' histories, as well as meeting people currently in their lives.

This was a really good book, not just because I knew the locations mentioned, but because it was good at making you feel for the characters, whether or not you thought they would turn out well in the end.  It was also about the stories that families tell themselves as much out of love as out of protection from the truth.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, by Frederik Backman - I enjoyed this book, admittedly not nearly as much as I liked A Man Called Ove.  But nonetheless, this was a good read.

The story centers on Elsa, who is getting ready to turn eight years old, just about to get a new half-brother, and whose grandmother has just died.  Her grandmother told her that she had a job for her, which was to deliver letters to several people.  At first, Elsa is really puzzled; but as time goes on, she comes to realize that her grandmother was an extremely complex person, much more than just Elsa's best friend. 

Told largely in the framework of the fairy tale world that Elsa and her grandmother inhabited, we learn along with Elsa that her grandmother was a trailblazer, and is still protecting Elsa even though she is gone from the earth.

Akin, by Emma Donoghue - Noah Selvaggio is a retired professor whose wife has died, living a comfortable existence on the Upper West Side of New York City.  As the book opens, he is getting ready for his trip to Nice, the place of his birth, and where he has not returned since his mother sent him to New York in World War II.  She had stayed behind to care for her elderly father, a renowned French photographer.  Noah has some photographs that his late sister gave him that were with their mother's effects, and one of the things he wants to do on this trip is to try and figure out where/what/who they about.

Right before he is ready to leave, he gets a call from Child Services - a great-nephew that he has never met, who is the son of his nephew who died from a drug overdose, needs a temporary placement.  He was living with his other grandmother, who has recently died, and the boy's mother is in prison.  They have been unable to contact any other family, and the case worker is trying to keep the boy from ending up in the foster child system if at all possible.

After a series of hurried legal proceedings, Noah and the great-nephew, Michael, set off on the trip to France.  During their time there, Noah begins to wonder just what his mother's role was in staying behind, and also learns that maybe everything he believed about is late nephew was not quite as it seemed.  He goes through almost every type of high and low emotion one can have, while also trying to connect with and keep up with Michael. 

By the end of the book, Noah has an entirely different sense of himself, his family, and the choices that people make during the course of their lives.  I thought this was a good read.

Still Here : The Madcap, Nervy, Singular Life of Elaine Stritch, by Alexandra Jacobs - I received this book as a Christmas gift, and couldn't wait to sit down and read it.  I was a fan of Elaine Stritch mostly through exposure to her in some musicals by Stephen Sondheim, and then from interviews I'd read.  When she was cast in the TV show "30 Rock" as the mother of Jack Donaghy's character (played by Alec Baldwin), I thought it was just perfect. 

There is no denying that along with her talent and desire to be noticed, Stritch could be seen as demanding and even rude.  For the most part, she did not suffer fools gladly (I can relate to this.)  But I was fascinated to find out more about her, from her upper-middle-class upbringing in Detroit, to her failures in Hollywood, to the men she was involved with (Gig Young and Ben Gazzara, to name two.  Gig Young and Ben Gazzara???).  This book talks about her insecurities as well as her talents.  She could be mercurial, but if she was your friend, you knew she was on your side.

And she was really funny, sometimes for all the wrong reasons. 

I enjoy reading biographies of entertainers who weren't just the flavor of the day.  This gave me an insight into how Elaine Stritch became successful, even when she wasn't a glamour girl or an ingenue.  I enjoyed this book quite a bit.

Meet Me in Malmo, by Torquil MacLeod - A British journalist from a small regional paper travels to Sweden to interview his former college roommate who is now a well-known film director.  The journalist is hoping that this coup will get his boss off his back, and maybe even give him some national exposure and a shot at something better.

He arrives in Sweden, and the next day when he goes to the former roommate's apartment for the interview, he finds his wife - and the star of most of his movies - has been murdered.

Detective Anita Sundstrom has been assigned to interview the journalist, as she is fluent in English more so than her colleagues.  She and the journalist (Ewan) start to develop somewhat of a relationship, though she is hesitant to let her guard down.  As suspects come and go, she begins to worry that perhaps Ewan was somehow involved.

There are a lot of things happening in this story, and plenty of "he/she's the one" moments, but the possibilities keep disappearing, and pretty soon it's hard to decide who is telling the truth, who is corrupt, and who killed the director's wife. 

I liked the descriptions of the town of Malmo, and observations about Sweden and Swedish people, and the beginning of the story, which is why I gave this 3 stars.  I was not all that impressed with the ending, as I feel that it seemed hurried and somewhat contrived.

The Wonder, by Emma Donoghue - Lib Wright, an English nurse who served with Florence Nightingale in Crimea, travels to rural England to care for a young girl, Anna O'Donnell, who has survived for four months on no food, and only a few teaspoons of water every day.  The story takes place in 1859.  What is causing the girl's condition?  Is it a medical anomaly, or a miracle?  Tourists have been coming to the child's family home, seeing her as a gift from God who can help them get their prayers answered as well.

Lib arrives having already decided that the whole thing is a fraud, and with her predetermined feelings about the Irish people in general.  Believing them to be lazy, stupid, shiftless, and cheaters who are way too involved in the Catholic religion.  Upon arrival, she is suspicious of everyone, thinking they are all involved in the scam of the "miracle."  She and a local nun are tasked with watching over the girl 24/7. 

The problem is, Lib is unable to determine what is happening.  The girl does refuse food, but she continues to live and her religious beliefs seem strong.  Even worse, she keeps reciting "The Dorothy prayer" which keeps Lib's suspicions stronger than ever.

Only when Lib meets a jounalist at her lodgings and the journalist meets Anna, does Lib begin to actually see what is happening, and what might be the answer to the whole thing.  Only then does she see what is actually happening to Anna, and what her options might be.  Only then does she take action.  And "The Dorothy prayer" - turns out to be Anna saying, "Lord we adore thee."

This is a book about how preconceived notions can be blinding and dangerous.  Only when Lib is willing to actually look at the situation, and see everyone's roles and actions - including her own - does it become clear what she needs to do.

Sometimes I Lie, by Alice Feeney - This is an extremely readable book.  And one of the creepiest ones I've ever read. 

Amber Reynolds is in a coma.  She doesn't remember what happened.  She thinks her husband is having an affair.  And most importantly, she admits that she lies sometimes.

As the story is recreated, we see how Amber's uneasy childhood may have accounted for a lot of her behavior.  We learn that her sister was always the favored child, and that right before the accident that placed her in the hospital in a coma, she was in danger of losing her job and was sabotaging her boss.

But is any of it true?  Is Amber telling the truth?  What really did/has happened, and who is the person responsible?  I'm still not sure I know after reading the book ...

The Mauritius Command, by Patrick O'Brian - This was another book read aloud by my husband.

Jack Aubrey is leading a quiet life as a husband and father of two girls (which is incredibly disappointing to him), when during a visit from his friend and colleague Stephen Maturin, he finds that he has been given a ship to command as a Commodore.  Soon the two men are on their way to help claim Mauritius from the French on behalf of England.

The voyage has several ups and downs, some very disturbing descriptions of injuries obtained in battles, but some interesting characters along the way.  There are also some amusing expressions said by a few of the main characters that had both of us cracking up.

By the end of the book, the long voyage is over, mission accomplished, and Jack learns that back home in England, his wife has given birth to a son (PRAISE THE LORD).  My favorite part here is that Stephen is clearly puzzled as to why having a son is better than having daughters.

Another interesting, detailed, descriptive tale in this series.

A Royal Pain, by Rhys Bowen - Lady Georgiana is considering a trip to London, since she is growing bored with her brother and sister-in-law in Scotland.  But she needs to figure something out.  The she finds out that her money-making scheme - opening up and preparing closed houses before the London season opens - gives her both a job and an excuse.  However, she is soon summoned by the Queen for assistance.  The Princess of Bavaria is coming to stay for two weeks and the Queen is hoping that the presence of a young, beautiful, vivacious girl will distract the Prince of Wales from that "awful Simpson woman."  She wants the Princess to stay with Lady Georgiana, so she has a chance to be around some younger, more lively people.

After Georgiana manages to find a "staff" for her own London house, the Princess arrives.  Georgiana finds her pleasant, if not puzzling, and some strange and tragic things begin to happen after her arrival.  It's up to Georgiana to not just try and pair her up with the Prince, but find out what happened that caused a couple of deaths.

With the Wallis Simpson aspect, the rise of Hitler, and the influence of Communists, there's a lot happening in this book.  But it's a highly enjoyable read, and gives you a feel for the time period.

Murder by the Book, by Lauren Elliott - When Addison Greyborne moves to the small coastal New England town where her great-aunt left her an estate, it's a chance to leave sad memories in Boston, but also open her own shop, dealing with old/rare books and interesting curios.  But trouble finds her on the very first day the shop opens, and soon a lot of people in the town are blaming her for a rash of crimes, including murder.

This was an interesting cozy mystery.  It had interest to me since part of what Addie is interested in is books and their backgrounds.  The problems she had and that seemed to follow her around were ones that you knew had to somehow involve her and her past, even if they seemed to be unrelated to one another.  And there were enough "moving parts" so to speak, to keep my interest.

This one veered very close to new-woman-in-town-falls-for-hunky-cop, but at least in this installment, that was only where it seemed to be headed, not where it ended up.  But I would not be at all surprised if in the next book that just happened from the get go.  We'll see.

But this particular one had a lot in it that I liked.

Devoted Ladies, by Molly Keane -  I tried, I really did but it's just not doing it for me.  The people are awful and there aren't enough amusing bon mots to read more.

A Pure Clear Light, by Madeleine St. John - Simon and Flora Beaufort have been married for a while, and have three lovely children.  In this book, Simon finds himself having an affair with a young accoutant he meets through a mutual friend while Flora and the children are in France for the summer holidays. 

Upon their return, the affair continues, but what worries Simon the most is that Flora seems to be leaning towards going to church regularly.  She was raised Roman Catholic, which Simon finds appalling, but converted to the Anglican church when they were married.  And they only got married in a church to appease their parents, and have since lived a completely secular life.

Throughout the book, Simon comes across as a controlling, self-centered heel.  His needs, wants, and opinions are what he thinks should count above all else.  He wants Flora to stop going to church and is really upset when the children start going with her.  He wants to keep the affair going, and is annoyed when the young accountant seems to be drifting away, living her life with her friends.  He is, in a word, a douchebag.

Flora seems to sense that something is off, but cannot put her finger on it.  She finds that going back to church fills her with a feeling that there is something other in the world, not just her life and her worries.  One of her friends spots Simon and his girlfriend in a cafe, and though the woman's husband says yes, of course Simon is cheating, no one wants to tell Flora. 

The book goes back and forth, though it mainly spends time presenting the story from Simon's point of view.  But St. John is clearly doing this on purpose, to show us not just how self-centered Simon is, but how his wife and family are only important to him at *his* convenience. 

The story is interesting, and well-written, with some true sardonic wit that will make you chuckle to yourself when reading it.  St. John is able to present the characters without making any of them perfect, but while also letting you appreciate their feelings and inner thoughts.

*****

For the past few weeks, I have lost my reading mojo, but fortunately I started a new book this week and it has grabbed my attention enough that I feel like it's returning!  Which is a good thing, not only because I do love to read, but also because I've been knitting so much that my right elbow had been starting to bother me ...

What have you read lately that you did or did not like?