Coming Soon to a Bookstore Near You...

As I have had the pleasure of reviewing books for Random House for about a year and a half now, I was lucky enough to read a couple of books that have yet to be released. The first one, set to be released on February 28th by Random House Canada, is written by a Canadian author. Web of Angels by Lilian Nattel was a book that kept me interested from the moment I read the back to see what I was getting myself into.

Instead of writing my own little summary of what this book is about, I borrowed the one that Random House used (that had me convinced this would be good from the moment I read it.)

"On the surface of things, Sharon Lewis is a lot like any other happily married mother of 3: she is the beating heart of a house full of kids, cooking and chaos, the one who always knows the after-school practice schedule, where her husband put the car keys and who needs a little extra TLC. Her kids and husband think she's a little spooky, actually, the way she can anticipate the tensions of any situation--and maybe they love her all the more for the extra care she gives them.

Life is definitely good until the morning Heather Edwards, a pregnant teenaged friend of the family, kills herself. The reverberations of that act, and the ugly secrets that sparked it, prove deeply unsettling to the whole family, and stir up Sharon's own troubling secret: she has DID, or dissociative identity disorder. And the multiples inside the woman the world knows as Sharon seem to know what happened to Heather, and what may be happening to Heather's surviving sister. Will Sharon's need to protect the innocent cause her to finally come clean about her true nature with her family and friends, and not just in the anonymous chat rooms on the web where she's connected to others like herself? Will a woman with DID be able to persuade her quiet and respectable community that evil things can happen even in the nicest homes?"

DID is something that we have heard and learned more about in recent years, so I thought it was great that Nattel decided to use this as her subject matter. I found it absolutely fascinating to read about and I could not wait to figure out where the book was going. I absolutely loved it and had a really hard time putting it down. I ABSOLUTELY recommend this book, but it is not for the weak of heart. The subject matter can be a bit intense in parts and sensitive readers should probably steer clear. I hope you love this book as much as I did!

Check out these links to learn more about the author and her book (she has a lot of extras on her website):

http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307402097
http://liliannattel.com/
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Web-Of-Angels-Lilian-Nattel/9780307402097-item.html?ikwid=web+of+angels&ikwsec=Home

The next book is by an author most people have at least heard of: Philip Pullman. He has written a new book that is set to come out May 8th, again published by Random House Canada, and it is entitled Two Crafty Criminals! And how they were captured by the Daring Detectives of the New Cut Gang. Again, I have included the synopsis from Random House so you can get an idea of what this one is about.

"Benny Kaminsky and Thunderbolt Dobney lead a rag-tag gang of neighborhood rowdies. Their territory is the New Cut on London's South Bank—a place bristling with swindlers, bookies, pickpockets, and the occasional policeman. And their aim is to solve crimes.

When counterfeit coins start showing up in their neighborhood, Thunderbolt fears his own father may be behind the crime. But his friends devise a way to trap the real culprit. Then the gang takes on the case of some stolen silver. They have just two clues—a blob of wax, and an unusually long match. But even this slippery thief is unmasked by the determined kids of the New Cut.

Filled with silly sleuthing, improbable disguises, crazy ruses, and merry mayhem, these stories are action-packed romps from one of the best storytellers ever—Philip Pullman."

This book is not as serious as His Dark Materials, and it is fun fun fun! What kid doesn't love a book (two stories) about a gang of child detectives?!?!?! It was much different from his other work I have read, but he is still a great writer. Some really goofy and silly stuff happens in these two stories and the characters have some tough issues to deal with. If you know a child in the 9-12 age range (or an adult of any age who loves kids books) then you should definitely get them to read this when it is released!

To find out more about Two Crafty Criminals! or Philip Pullman:

http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375870293
http://www.philip-pullman.com/
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Two-Crafty-Criminals-How-They-Philip-Pullman/9780375870293-item.html?ikwid=two+crafty+criminals+pullman&ikwsec=Books

As always, thank you for reading! I hope to continue to bring you books that have yet to be released so you can add them to your list and get them as soon as they come out! Happy Reading!

Flapper Frenzy

If you know me at all, you know that last year I became obsessed with Flappers. I think it is an interesting time, I love hearing about the fashion and music, and the book would not be true without gangsters, of course.

My newest Flapper read was Bright Young Things by Anna Godberson. This book is about Cordelia, Astrid, and Letty. Cordelia and Letty are best friends who run away to New York for reasons which get in the way of their friendship. Cordelia finds herself living a whole new life, Letty discovers that becoming famous is harder than it looks, and Astrid finds herself with a new friend from a small town. Full of drama, excitement, and death, this book was SO MUCH FUN, and lived up to my Flapper expectations.

Be sure to check this book out, as well as Beautiful Days, the second book in the series. Also, check out the authors website for more information! Enjoy my Flapper Friends!

 

http://www.bytseries.com/byt/

3 Great Reads

Delicious and Suspicious by Riley Adams

As I’m sure it is clear by now, I am obsessed with reading cozy mysteries. I find them funny, amusing, and the characters are usually pretty interesting. This book was no different.

Set in Memphis, this is a story of the Taylor family who run Aunt Pat’s Bar-B-Que. When a Cooking Channel scout is found dead in her hotel room, there is a long list of suspects for the police to sift through, as Rebecca Adrian stepped on many people’s toes before she met her death. With the suspicion looming over her restaurant, Lulu starts investigating on her own so that life in the usually bustling barbeque restaurant can get back to normal.

This story was so much fun and was definitely representative of the stereotypical south. Good food, great characters, and trying to figure out who “dunnit”, it was a read that just ate up my time until the very last page. All that talk about food had my stomach rumbling on more than one occasion! And for those so inclined, there are some recipes for this good southern food in the back of the book. Go on down to Aunt Pats, where the conversation is free and the food is worth every penny!

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/riley-adams/delicious-and-suspicious.htm

Tell it to the Trees by Anita Rau Badami

Tell it to the Trees, published by Random House Canada, introduces us to the Dharma family, an Indian family living in northern Canada. The beginning of the story tells the reader that a woman who had been renting from the Dharma family was found frozen to death outside the house, how she end up there a mystery. The story is divided into sections, each one focusing on certain characters and the story is told from their point of view. Reading the story constructed this way makes it easier to get inside the heads of the characters and also makes it easier to see the bigger picture. Can YOU figure out what happened to Anu?

This book was NOTHING like what I was expecting it to be when I read the dust jacket.  Having said that, I really really enjoyed it. From the beginning I was completely sucked in and could not put it down. I liked that it was from different characters point of view, although it would have been nice to see what Vikram had to say. I figured out part of the way through how Anu died, but I was curious to find out how it had been carried out and who all was involved. I found it scary how much Varsha was turning out to be like her father and her possession of people was kind of creepy. I loved Akka, but it bothered me that she just sat by and said nothing while all of this stuff was going on in her house.

I definitely recommend this book. It gives insight into the Indian culture and it also makes you realize that you never know what is going on behind closed doors! Let me know if you read this!!!

Check out this book on the Random House website:

http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780676978933

Eve by Anna Carey

Another one of my obsessions is teen post-apocalyptic novels. So far with this genre, I have not been disappointed. They have all been different enough to keep me interested and make me want to keep reading. Eve was no exception.

Eve is a student at an all-girls school, where they are taught to work hard, excel at your talent, and fear men and boys. All the girls are being prepared to go on to the next level, four years at another school where they will basically become a master of their interest (sound familiar?) When Eve finds out where the girls will really be going when they graduate, she manages to escape with the help of one of her teachers. Eve is a special girl and the King has big plans for her. Now that she’s on the run, everyone is looking for her. Will she make it to Califia, a safe camp for those who are against the Kings wishes and plans?

I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was exciting, interesting, and there were some truly pull-on-your-heartstrings moments. Of course there is a love story, which may make some people roll their eyes, but it is interesting to watch it unfold when Eve has been trained to fear men. This book is the first in a trilogy and the second book, Once, is set to be released in July 2012.

I hope you will check out these 3 books and let me know what you think!  As always, thank you for reading my blog!

Catching Up!!!

Hello all!  I am so sorry I have been AWOL lately. Life has been really hectic!  I have been reading, but not as much as usual, although I do have a few books to post for today!  Hopefully now I will be back on track!

Woof! Writers on Dogs edited by Lee Montgomery

This book is a bunch of short stories that are written by professional authors who also happen to be dog owners. I am not usually a fan of short stories, which my friend Jay can attest to, but I absolutely love animal stories. I really enjoyed this book because it is well-written and even though I am not a dog lover, it was easy for me to fall into the stories being told. There were, of course, some really sad stories as our beloved pets cannot live forever, but there are also great stories of friendship and companionship. They are all very different from one another, and there was only one story that I skipped over because I just could not get into it.  I recommend this book if you are a dog lover or love animal stories in general!!!

Christmas With Anne and Other Stories by L.M. Montgomery

In the spirit of Christmas, I thought I would write about a Christmas book. Another book of short stories, this compilation was put together by a fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery's who came across some unknown short stories that had never been published. They are tales of tradition and the spirit of Christmas. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of these stories and it was really interesting to have an idea of how people used to celebrate Christmas and what it used to mean before it became a materialistic holiday. If you would like to go back to earlier times and the joy of Christmas, you should definitely read this book!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This book was only released a few months ago by the wonderful author who wrote the Chaos Walking Trilogy for young adults (of which I have read the first one and it was fantastic!) This book was inspired by another writer, Siobhan Dowd, and is his interpretation of her idea.

The story is about Conor who lives with his mom and she is very sick. He has to look after himself, and he doesn't mind, but he keeps having an awful nightmare that haunts him in his sleep. One night a monster visits and Conor is told he was called by Conor and he is going to tell him three tales and Conor has to tell him a tale when he is done. The purpose of the monster being there is for him to help heal, but who is he helping heal and why? This is an incredibly written book that is very heartfelt and true. It deals with the effects of grief and how we can move on after a loss. I think this is a great book for any young adult who has experienced loss because it shows them it is okay to go through grief and to feel the things they feel. I hope everyone will give this story a try and let me know what you think!

I hope you have enjoyed my quick reviews for today! I am still trying to figure out how to add pictures so the text is broken up some. Thank you, as always, for reading my blog and I would love to hear any and all feedback you may have!  Please let your friends know about my blog and ask them to "follow" me too!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Darkfever

I apologize to the men who have been reading this, it just happens to be that I have been reading more "feminine" books lately (they have been no-brainer ones, which is what I need during my crazy school!!!) So this next book, Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning, is actually a romance book. I don't read romance books, it's not my thing, but this is a book that a customer RAVED to me about a few months ago and she had me convinced, so I bought it.

The story is about a Georgian girl, Mac, who gets a call that her sister (who was going to school in Ireland) has been killed. Mac discovers she had received a frantic message from her sister on the day she died, but did not get it until a few weeks later. Not satisfied with the work the police were doing (they closed the case as they could not find any leads), Mac heads to Ireland herself. Enter the Seelie, Unseelie, and Jericho Barrons. Mac's world is turned upside down when she realizes she is not who she thought she was (neither was her sister) and there are things that exist in the world that she thought only existed in books.

This book, which I apologize is the first book in another series lol, was so great! It was well written, all the fantastic elements were completely believable, and I think that Mac, in some ways, is easy to relate to. She's just a "normal" girl who fell into the dark side of life. And my favourite part of this book is that it did not feel like a romance book at all (big sigh of relief!!!) Darkfever is the first in a series of 5 books so far, book 5 having been released in hardcover in January and paperback in August.

I think anyone who is into fantasy would really enjoy this book.  I am going to say that female readers would probably enjoy it more, but hey, if you are an open minded man, I challenge you to give it a try!  And PLEASE let me know if you do! lol

Check out Darkfever on the Random House website! Enjoy my fellow readers!

http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780440240983

The Long Quiche Goodbye

Okay, so I said in the beginning that I am going to review different kinds of books, not the same thing over and over. However, I just finished another cozy mystery and I loved it, so I had to include it!  It is The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames and it is the first in the Cheese Shop Mystery.

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780425235522,00.html?The_Long_Quiche_Goodbye_Avery_Aames

http://www.averyaames.com/index.html
In this book we meet Charlotte who is a part owner of the Fromagerie Bessette, a cheese shop. She runs it with her cousin, Matthew, who has twin daughters and the four of them share a house. The night of the grand re-opening of the shop, there is a murder right outside and Charlotte's grandmother is the number one suspect. Charlotte is urged by her friends to investigate herself, as the chief does not seem to be getting any closer to finding out who the real killer is. Will she be able to find out the truth before her grandmother is sent to jail and loses the election for mayor to Kristine?

I absolutely LOVE the characters in this book! And one of my favourites is Rags, Charlotte's cat.  He goes everywhere with her and she treats him the way I treat my cats: like a baby. The relationships between different characters are really great, there is a bit of humour, and I think everyone wishes they had a grandma like Charlotte's! I think this will definitely be a new favourite series of mine and I cannot wait to read more! There are only 3 books so far in this series: The Long Quiche Goodbye, Lost and Fondue, and Clobbered With Camembert (due to be released in February). Enjoy, my fellow book lovers!  And don't forget to tell me what you think!

Coffeehouse Mysteries - Book 1-5

For the last little while, I have been absolutely OBSESSED with mystery books, particularly those considered "cozy" mysteries. I figured since most people only review the first book in a series, I would review the first 5 of this new favourite of mine. On one of my trips to the library, I came across a book entitled "On What Grounds" by Cleo Coyle. I picked it up, was loving the cover art, and read the back. Amazing.  It sounded absolutely amazing. I have now read the first 5 books in the series, which probably tells you that I enjoy them. Although, that would be an understatement because I LOVE them!

On What Grounds - Book 1

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780425192139,00.html?On_What_Grounds_Cleo_Coyle
The first book in the series introduces the reader to all the main players. Claire is the manager of the Village Blend, a coffeehouse in Greenwich Village in good old New York City. Because of this, the reader gets all kinds of information about how to properly grind coffee and make latte's, etc. I am personally not a coffee drinker, but it does not matter.  I love the little rants she goes off on about how people don't do things the "proper way". In this story, Claire finds the body of one of her workers at the bottom of the basement stairs in the coffeehouse. Determined to find out what has happened to one of her staff, she does not leave the job to the police, but decides to do some of her own detective work.
I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this book and the relationships they have.  I love witty, sarcastic, quick-thinking conversation and that is how Coyle writes. I love the setting, the process of the detective work, and it is not straight-forward as to who the killer is.


Through the Grinder - Book 2

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780425197141,00.html?Through_the_Grinder_Cleo_Coyle

In the second book, females who frequent the Village Blend or who are a part of Claire's life start dying. They are considered to be suicides, but Claire is not convinced. She realizes they are all connected and is determined to prove that these women are not killing themselves. When her daughter becomes an intended victim, Claire goes into protective mode and works even harder to find out who is behind these murders.
I loved the second book as much as the first. The nice thing about these stories is they do not take place back to back, making them seem a bit more realistic. There are usually a few months at least between the books and in each one you get to know Claire, Madame, Matteo, Joy, and Mike more than the last.

Latte Trouble - Book 3

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780425204450,00.html?Latte_Trouble_Cleo_Coyle

 The third installment of the Coffeehouse Mystery series is once again close to home for Claire. While holding an event during Fashion Week at the Blend, two men are poisoned, one of them dying in the coffeehouse. One of Claire's baristas is arrested for the murder and hauled off to jail. Although Matteo does not believe in Tucker's innocence, Claire knows he would not have tried to kill anyone and sets off on what Matteo calls her "Nancy Drew" train. Things between Matteo and Claire have started to shift a bit and it makes you wonder if they will one day reunite.
Oh how I love Tucker! He is so funny and vibrant, but we see a whole other side of him after he has been arrested and thrown into jail. Coyle certainly writes in a way in which you cannot help but feel extreme sympathy for the poor guy and your heart reaches out to him. I was actually able to figure out a bit before it was revealed who the killer was. But just because I knew who, did not mean I knew why the murder had taken place. Read it to find out!

Murder Most Frothy - Book 4

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780425211137,00.html?Murder_Most_Frothy_Cleo_Coyle

This book takes us to the Hamptons. That right there tells you it will be full of crazy people, lots of booze and parties, and downright ridiculousness. Claire is helping a friend with the coffee portion of his new restaurant, and is spending the summer in the Hamptons. A murder takes places at the house of the restaurant owner and one of Claire's staff is killed. She does not believe he was the intended target, but rather that her friend was the one the killer meant to shoot and thought he/she shot. Claire is on the case and this time brings Madame into it with her, making Matteo angry.
This book is, like I said, full of ridiculousness.  Haha.  But in a good way! When I think of the Hamptons, I shake my head and that's what this book makes me do.  The characters made me laugh, it is unclear who is behind the mess of things that is going on, and you wonder if this will be the book in which Claire finds herself in a situation she will not recover from (considering some of the things that have happened to her in the past.)

Decaffeinated Corpse - Book 5

http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780425216385,00.html?Decaffeinated_Corpse_Cleo_Coyle

I just finished this book about an hour ago and it did not disappoint. In his travels, Matteo came across something that most buyers/sellers in the coffee world would kill for: naturally decaffeinated coffee beans. The Village Blend has exclusive rights to the sale of the coffee, but everything needs to remain hush hush until the launch at the Beekman Hotel. Before that, though, an attempt to murder the grower has been made and neither Ric (the grower) or Matteo will fill Claire in on what is going on. They do not want to involve the police, so she starts digging herself. Before the end, people will die, Matteo and Claire may find themselves involved in a case of fraud, and Matteo will be taken away by the cops.
This story did not disappoint, as I'm not sure Coyle is capable of disappointment. We start to see a shift in some relationships (which made me jump up and down), and yet again, Madame is involved in solving the mystery. I love these characters more and more with every book and I hope you will try them and let me know what you think!  If you are a fan of cozy mystery you will definitely like these because, let's face it, just because you have published a book does not mean you can write.  Cleo Coyle can write!  She is good at conversation, she is good at character development, and of course, with all aspects of the mystery and solving it. Give it a try and let me know!  Maybe you will find yourself to be a Coffeehouse Mystery lover too!