Tag Archives: Books

A Murder of Crows – David Rotenberg – Blog Tour

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murder of crowsDecker Roberts is back, and he always knows when you’re telling the truth.

David Rotenberg first introduced Decker Roberts and his unique gifts in the critically acclaimed thriller The Placebo Effect. Since Decker’s last run-in with the NSA, he’s been trying to remain off the radar, searching for his estranged son, Seth. Decker’s synaesthetic abilities, once a lucrative gift, are increasingly becoming a liability.

When a vicious attack wipes out the best and brightest of America’s young minds, devastating the country’s future, Decker is forced to step out of the shadows and help track down the killer. And as the hunt brings him in contact with other people of “his kind,” Decker begins to realize that there may be depths to his gifts that he had never even imagined.

Meanwhile, several parties are secretly tracking the progress of Decker’s son, trying to determine if Seth has the same powerful gift as his father. Decker is determined to go to any lengths to find his son, but along the way he will have to face down enemies, both old and new, as well as struggle with whether Seth even wants to be found.

David Rotenberg’s thrilling sequel to The Placebo Effect is full of suspense and will challenge what you think you know about people who have special “gifts.” From rural Africa to downtown Toronto, the paths of Rotenberg’s colourful characters intertwine as they move toward a conclusion that none of them can see coming. – Publisher’s Website

Decker is one frantic father.  When looking for his son, he’s in the middle of something else horrific that happens.  Can he get out of it, no.  In this second installment, Decker meets some other “special” people who have some of the same gifts he has, finds more about who and what his gifts entail.

I dove into this book as soon as I received it.  I wanted to know more about Decker, his friends – if they wanted to harm him or help him.  Right now, that is still up for debate, but in this second installment of the Junction Chronicles, I’m as deeply into it as I ever was before.  I for one want a happy ending, but with things going as they are, I am not sure.  The book ends at that pivotal point in the book where you all will go nooooooooo!! and wanting to know what happens.

We will have to wait until book three, probably next year to finally find out what exactly does happen with Decker, his son, and everyone else in the cast of characters of this nail-biting thriller/mystery.  I can’t wait!  Maybe I can bribe the publisher or the author for a peek…we shall see ha!

David’s Website – Goodreads - David’s Acting Website - Reading Group Guide - Placebo Effect Review - Q and A with David

 

The Poisoned Pawn – Peggy Blair – BLOG TOUR

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blair_poisonedpawn_pbWhen Cuban Inspector Ricardo Ramirez is dispatched to Canada and told to bring home a priest found in possession of child pornography depicting Cuban children, he knows his job will be hard enough. But it gets worse once he’s in Ottawa, and women in Havana start dropping dead from a mysterious toxin. Worried about his family, powerless to help pathologist Hector Apiro, and faced with the threat of a Canadian travel advisory that could shut down Cuban tourism, Ramirez tries focus on his mission. As he does, he untangles a web of deceit and depravity that extends all the way from the corridors of power in Ottawa to those of the Vatican, and uncovers a cold-blooded killer.

The Poisoned Pawn is the gripping, fast-paced sequel to the award-winning, critically acclaimed mystery The Beggar’s Opera. Evoking the crumbling beauty of Old Havana and featuring Inspector Ramirez, a man haunted by the victims of his unsolved cases, it’s perfect for fans of Donna Leon and Martin Cruz Smith who love exotic settings and unforgettable characters.  - Publisher’s Website

I really have to say, Peggy is getting better and better with her 2nd book in the Inspector Ramirez series.  She has penned a book that has everything tucked away in a concise and entertaining series.  Even though this book is set mostly in Canada, Inspector Ramirez’s mind is as clear as ever, even with the sub-zero temperatures.  He has more things up his sleeve during this investigation that I would have thought of, but he does it with class and grace.

Do not underestimate him!  I want the next book to come out already! My earlier review of Peggy’s first book is located here, so go and take a look.  Also, the Begger’s Opera is now available in the U.S., so if you live there, go and get yourself a copy and get ready to immerse yourself in Cuban Culture, and Mystery Writing at it’s finest.

Much Thanks to Peggy and Penguin Canada for allowing me to take part in the blog tour again.  Always looking forward to great new emerging Canadian Talent! I’m so happy to be able to bring this to you along with many, many more that I have loved.  So, go and get both books in the series if you haven’t read them, and the first in the U.S. and are new to Peggy’s work.  I can attest that you will not be disappointed in the least !

If you are looking for other view points on this book and her first, the blog tour isn’t finished yet.  You can go to these blogs and see what they had to say about Peggy’s newest work.

Feb 25 -  The Literary Word
Feb 26 -  Curled Up with a Good Book and a Cup of Tea
Feb 28 -  Just a Lil Lost
March 4 -  A Bookworm’s World
March 5 -  Serendipitous Readings  – That’s Here !
March 6 –  Literary Treats
March 7 - Thrifty Momma ’s Brainfood 

Excerpt – Peggy on Twitter – Peggy’s Website - Goodreads - Facebook – Peggy’s Blog - My review of The Beggar’s Opera – Q&A w. Peggy

The Mystery of Mercy Close – Marian Keyes

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marian keyesI employ this thing called The Shovel List.’
‘A shovel . . . ?’
‘No. A Shovel List. It’s more of a conceptual thing. It’s a list of all the people and things I hate so much that I want to hit them in the face with a shovel.’

Meet Helen – youngest of the Walsh sisters and a law unto herself. She’s easily bored, has an inability to filter her thoughts and was fired from every job she ever had before she found her true calling as a private investigator. But times are tough for PIs and Helen’s had no choice but to take on the search for AWOL boyband has-been Wayne Diffney – The Wacky One.

It’s not all bad this game of Where’s Wayne. It may have brought her charming crook of an ex Jay Parker back into her life, but it’s giving her an excuse to avoid the usual Walsh family dramas and the intense looks from her gorgeous boyfriend Artie that make her heart beat wildly with lust and panic in equal measure. But most of all it’s an excellent distraction from the huge swarm of black vultures gathering over her head. If she hides out in her target’s empty house on Mercy Close for long enough maybe they’ll go away . . .

But as Helen begins to unravel the mysteries secreted on Mercy Close she discovers a kindred spirit in a man unwilling to be found. Could someone be telling her to look a little closer to home . . . ? – Publishers Website

I’m divided on this particular book, for a few reasons.  The earlier books(s) I have read by Marian have been really fun reads.  This one I wasn’t so keen on.  I didn’t enjoy Helen’s demeanor, it was too hyper, too much double guessing herself.  In other terms too fidigety.  She second guesses everything or just about everything she does as a private investigator – what she has done for years.  The background on the book is well thought out, it’s just her main character or that could be the reason she is the way she is because of the plot lines in the book, but this wasn’t a great book for me.  I have thought about it probably more than I needed to and waited as long as I could without giving a scathing review about something that didn’t mesh with what I remember from her other novels, I just didn’t like this one as much as the earlier books I have read by Marian.

I do have to say though, she has a rocking twitter account!  I noticed that she has locked herself out more than once because of her tweeting….too much, too fast LOL

Marian’s Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads

 

Wylde on Health – Bryce Wylde

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wylde on healthThe value of living healthily is indisputable, but what exactly can we do in our daily lives to be our healthiest self?  In his new book, Bryce Wylde sets out to answer that question. He sorts out the confusing terminology used to describe natural medicine and leads us through a process of discovery about our own real state of health by showing how state-of-the-art self-testing now permits us to properly assess where we’re vulnerable and where we’re not.

Whether you are worried about a vitamin deficiency or wonder if you’re lacking the “feel good” brain hormone serotonin — or even if you just want to ensure you’re not wasting your money on supplements — you’ll learn what simple steps to take to test yourself. Wylde surveys and individually rates an array of present-day natural remedies from a no-nonsense, evidence-based perspective.

He takes us on a guided tour of today’s hottest health trends, highlighting what is good and steering us away from what is dubious (or outright snake oil). Underlying Wylde’s ratings is the very latest research — and he makes it clear that in the face of the astronomical rise in disease and the ubiquity of nutrient-devoid foods, we have no choice but to supplement our diets with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants if we want to live to our fullest potential.

Finally, Wylde on Health explores how we will increasingly use the strategic supplementation he recommends to redress genetic predispositions — the future of preventative health care. – Publishers Website

This book should be in every person’s home – no matter if you are a traditional type person, who, is one of those by the book type people and trust your medical doctor’s advice, and, for those who are looking for something more – to compliment what advice you receive from your doctor – To receive a complete picture so to speak.

I would recommend that you talk with your caregiver with this book.  Some things may not be recommended for whatever reason, because some of these options could have interactions with any sort of traditional medical treatments.  But, as long as you have your caregiver in the know with what you are doing, I don’t see a problem.  I intend to incorporate some of the tips and recommendations, as well as doing some extra things that I am already doing, with my caregiver.

The only thing I didn’t like about the book is all the QR codes.  Not that I don’t think that anyone would not use them, some may not have access to a smart phone with a scanner to be able to use or use the codes to be effective.  I will be posting links below for you to use on your regular computer.  It is impeccably researched, and detailed throughout the book. I like that about these type of books, you can never have too much information which in my opinion is great.

Other than that, it is a fabulous book, filled with some amazing insight and information, once again to talk to your caregiver about.  I cannot stress this enough.  I have been in traditional healthcare, and know of medication reactions and alternative remedies, so please make sure the natural health choices won’t interfere with your current traditional medicine plan.  I know I will be referring to this book for many years to come, unless there is a newer version, then I will refer to that.

Bryce’s Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads

DK Canada’s Start Something NEW !! – Classic Knits – More than 100 Beautiful Projects

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Classic KnitsAn all-in-one guide to knitting for just about anything and everything knitters want to make, Classic Knits covers equipment, techniques, stitch patterns, and includes more than twenty designs for cute things to craft and warm things to wear.

Whether it’s a new earflap hat or bright, cozy socks, Classic Knits will be the knitting “recipe book” crafters keep on their shelves for years to come. – Publishers Website

Whether you are a new to knitting person, or one that has been around a few balls of wool, you will absolutely love this book! From the more than 100 projects from something small as a pillow, or a toy for your little wee ones, this book really does have it all.

It also includes techniques for those of you that aren’t up to date on those stitches that give you those absolutely fabulous garments that you see people wearing or showcasing in their homes that you swear were designer.

Whether you like to knit your own unique clothing or home accessories, learning a new design, stitch, or upping your game to get those ooh’s and ahhh’s Classic Knitting is for you.

I know for a fact that I will probably have this book until the day I die, and then it will be handed down to my daughters.  I can see the fighting now !! Have a sneak peek below.

 

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Right now the Start Something New Boutique is all on sale, so go and check out so many more books that will have you mastering something in no time! Just click on the image below and start dreaming !

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The Painted Girls – Cathy Marie Buchanan

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painted girls cover cdnParis, 1878. Following their father’s sudden death, the Van Goethem sisters find their lives upended. Without his wages, and with the small amount their laundress mother earns disappearing into the absinthe bottle, eviction from their lodgings seems imminent. With few options for work, Marie is dispatched to the Paris Opera, where for a scant seventeen francs a week, she will be trained to enter the famous Ballet. Her older sister, Antoinette, finds work as an extra in a stage adaptation of Émile Zola’s naturalist masterpiece L’Assommoir. Marie throws herself into dance and is soon modelling in the studio of Edgar Degas, where her image will forever be immortalized as Little Dancer Aged 14. Meanwhile, Antoinette, derailed by her love for the dangerous Émile Abadie, must choose between honest labour and the more profitable avenues open to a young woman of the Parisian demimonde. Set at a moment of profound artistic, cultural and societal change, The Painted Girls is a tale of two remarkable sisters rendered uniquely vulnerable to the darker impulses of “civilized society.” In the end, each will come to realize that her salvation—her survival, even—lies with the other. – Publishers Website

LOVE, LOVE LOVE !!! I guess I can’t just say that, now can I?  Cathy has taken a subject she has just come across and developed a seductive, evocative historical fiction masterpiece in her newest book!!  Even if you haven’t taken ballet as a girl like I Cathy and myself have, you are still drawn into the gruelling training, the blood and sweat that is left in the practice rooms or on the stage during performances.  The attention to detail is impeccable, the emotions stirring your own as you flip or in my case devoured page by page, then realizing that you have read it in one sitting thinking what in the world just happened.  Yes, I have gushed about her earlier book The Day The Falls Stood Still, BUT! (yep, there’s that one again) You will absolutely love this one in a whole new way.  Grab that glass of absinthe, get comfy in your favorite reading place, and prepare to become enraptured in the trials and tribulations of the Van Goethem sisters as they traipse, dance and leap across the Paris Theatre Stage .  As they walk through their poor existence as best they can.  One thing I can’t help thinking about…what has happened to them in the next 20 years of their lives…Cathy does give you a small glimpse into the future at the end of the book, but do they fade into the background at the same speed they came to the foreground?  Is there something else in the background waiting in the wings? Only I can speculate or dream as they did.

This book for sure will have the Giller Judges enthralled if it is nominated this year for Canada’s Literary Prize for sure! Please Giller Gods, Make it Be !!

If you are on the USA side of the Border, it is published by Riverhead Books.  And if it is any sign of the publicity that it is receiving on both sides of the border, it will be a massive best-seller for sure !!

Reading Guide – Facebook - Twitter - Cathy’s Website - Browse Inside The Painted Girls - Q and A with Cathy

 

The Headmaster’s Wager – Vincent Lam

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From Giller Prize winner, internationally acclaimed, and bestselling author Vincent Lam comes a superbly crafted, highly suspenseful, and deeply affecting novel set against the turmoil of the Vietnam War.

Percival Chen is the headmaster of the most respected English school in Saigon. He is also a bon vivant, a compulsive gambler and an incorrigible womanizer. He is well accustomed to bribing a forever-changing list of government officials in order to maintain the elite status of the Chen Academy. He is fiercely proud of his Chinese heritage, and quick to spot the business opportunities rife in a divided country.

He devotedly ignores all news of the fighting that swirls around him, choosing instead to read the faces of his opponents at high-stakes mahjong tables. But when his only son gets in trouble with the Vietnamese authorities, Percival faces the limits of his connections and wealth and is forced to send him away. In the loneliness that follows, Percival finds solace in Jacqueline, a beautiful woman of mixed French and Vietnamese heritage, and Laing Jai, a son born to them on the eve of the Tet offensive.

Percival’s new-found happiness is precarious, and as the complexities of war encroach further and further into his world, he must confront the tragedy of all he has refused to see. Blessed with intriguingly flawed characters moving through a richly drawn historical and physical landscape, The Headmaster’s Wageris a riveting story of love, betrayal and sacrifice. – Publishers Website

I really liked this book ! Percival isn’t only a man who has a business, he also bribes officials and almost always has a solution to everything…Until his son causes trouble and he has to send him away to China so he doesn’t end up in prison.  His son is everything to him, he will do anything for him and his school.  When the loneliness from missing his son becomes too severe, he takes up with a young woman when gambling at one of the houses he goes to .  Later on, she becomes pregnant, and the desire to leave the country in war as well as all of the chaos is even more urgent.

Percival was an interesting man – his past marriage to his son’s mother, the bribes and people he is connected to,  especially his right hand man Mak gives him the solutions he needs until he misses his son so much that it is nearly impossible to have him return to Vietnam from China.  What won’t he do to survive? Who will he bribe next? Will he become bankrupt before he can leave the country, or worse dead?

I really loved Vincent’s narrative.  Although Percival is a man of many things, the one of the many things he loves are his son and his mistresses son, whom he was told it was his son, well, you will just have to read the book to find out. I don’t like giving spoilers !  There are times where it is all fun and games, periods of tumultuous fighting with his own family, and closest friends, but also within himself.  He wages a constant battle of doing right from wrong, and weighing them against the better good.  Does he do these things to get ahead? Of course.  Would he do anything to save his son who was exiled, absolutely.  Is it all about him, most of the time.  Does he have remorse? Of course he does.  And, I’m sure he would change things differently if he could go back in time.  That’s the thing with life, you can’t go back and change anything.  Did he learn from his lessons, yes.  Did he change? I’ll let you decide.

There were obviously good times had in the book as well, all combined into this novel it is about sacrifice, love, war, and greed.  I am sure that Vincent will be back soon with another novel of even more importance even if it is fiction.  He won the Giller Prize in 2006 for Blood-Letting and Miraculous Cures.  He was nominated for the Giller yet again this year, but only made it on the long list.  He was also nominated for the Governor Generals Awards.

Vincent’s Website - Twitter - Facebook  - Browse Inside

Touch – Alexi Zentner

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NOMINEE 2011 – Scotiabank Giller Prize

Touch begins with Stephen, an Anglican priest, returning from Vancouver to the northern BC town of Sawgamet where he grew up, just in time for his mother’s death. Sawgamet was founded by Stephen’s grandfather Jeannot, when he heard a voice in the woods calling his name and his dog, Flaireur, refused to take another step. Back then, as Stephen remembers it from the stories passed down to him, men were giants, or even gods, striving to tame the land. The world of Sawgamet was enchanted, alive with qallupilluit and ijirait, sea-witches and shape-shifters; Jeannot saw caribou covered with gold dust and found gold nuggets the size of boulders. Sometimes winter refused to end, and blizzards buried the whole town in snow for months at a time. Sawgamet was a place where Jeannot had to kill a man twice and then carry the bones around with him, bound in cloth, to make sure he stayed dead.

Years later, with his mother on her deathbed, Stephen tries to piece together the past from myths and stories and memories that he’s not sure he can trust. And not everything is magical: if life in Jeannot’s Sawgamet was richer and brighter than it seems for Stephen now, it was also harder and more brutal, with both fire and ice claiming too many lives before their time. Jeannot never knew his son, Pierre, Stephen’s father, who was himself maimed in a logging accident; Stephen’s childhood was marked by tragic loss, and a lasting pain he must now confront as he considers how to pass Jeannot’s stories on to his own daughters.

A chronicle of the birth of a town and the passing of a way of being in the world, Touch is unique, compelling and full of marvels. But this book captures the most personal moments in life as well as the most dramatic ones – Alexi Zentner conveys three generations of a family’s intimate emotional experience in language that pierces the heart. This beautiful and moving novel is a great story told by a natural storyteller, and to read Touch is to enter an enthralling world that you’ll never want to leave. - Publishers Website

Believe the book’s description.  Touch is one of those books where the writing is fantastic, the story baffling, you can’t really believe what you are reading – fact or fiction, but as you read page after page, it entices you, envelopes you as if you are a person living in this town.  The realization is like being in another world, except you are right there where you are reading it, being brought into another world.  The legends, the stories – real or fabricated makes you feel like you are listening to them from your own grandparent or other family member – your eyes all widened, the look of shock or even mischievous thoughts crossing your mind wondering if it really was weird or just made up. Thoughts of making the story even more out of this world.  Yes, it does happen.

Then as you are caught up in the story telling, it reminds you of other thoughts and feelings possibly of your own mortality, other family members that have passed away, the warmness of their hugs, the food they made, the stories they told.  The stories passed on from earlier generations are as wild as they were when you first heard them.  It’s about a family, much like yours or even mine – the ties that bind, the secrets kept, the hard work, shocking revelations, the things they regret and are telling you to finally let them go.

Truly a novel that needs to be read to be believed.  It has recently been long-listed for the IMPAC Dublin Awards a few days ago, along with the other previous nominations including the Giller Prize.

If you haven’t already picked up this gem, now is the time to see what I have talked about.

Goodreads – Alexi’s Website – Alexi on Twitter – Alexi on Facebook

Listen to Alexi Zentner’s Touch from Dreamscape Media on Vimeo.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Warfare – DK Publishing

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We Make War That We May Live In Peace – Aristotle

The most wide-ranging and visually arresting history of wars and warfare ever published, War: Definitive Visual Guide documents every major war or significant period of conflict in over 5,000 years of human history.

A must-have reference gift for military enthusiasts and general readers alike, no other book about warfare contains such a diverse selection of imagery including contemporary paintings and photographs, objects and artifacts, and specially commissioned artworks, maps, and diagrams.

War: Definitive Visual Guide includes a comprehensive directory of every major war, thematic spreads examining broader topics within the history of warfare, from the role of mercenaries, communications, and the treatment of wounded soldiers, and personal accounts and objects from soldiers and civilians that bring to life the human experience of battle.

From the earliest known Wars in Sumeria and Ancient Egypt War to the occupation of Iraq, War: Definitive Visual Guide combines a coherent and compelling spread-by-spread historical narrative with a wealth of supporting features to recount the epic 5,000-year story of warfare and combat through the ages.

This is the ultimate war book.  From the Bronze Age to  present day, which includes every major war, the aspects of war, witnesses to war, as well as the hardware used through the centuries.  There are full colour photographs and artwork that portrayed major battles that changed the world.

Talks about how wars were fought in the ancient world before to Christ to present-day.  Weapons from each period – ancient, medieval, modern – how they have changed as well as the tactics have, as well as categories of weapons had me turning the pages oohing and aweing.

it also talks about the mercenaries, what they fight for, and how long they have been around…Did you know they have been around for thousands of years?  It talks about the french religious wars, the chinese civil war where the communists and the nationalists lost to the communists, and the remaining nationalists retreated to Taiwan to take China’s seat on the United Nations.

As the parent of a boy, I have to say this is one of Nick’s favorite.  He had taken it to school and had it there for a week to read during reading time.  All of his friends were intrigued to see what he was reading.

** This was previously published as War: The Definitive Visual Guide**

DK Canada

World War II – The Events And Their Impact On Real People – R.G. Grant

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“Visually stunning…readers young and old will gain understanding of their world today by perusing this engrossing history”. –VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)

Beginning with the complex political and social circumstances that led to World War II, this volume comprehensively discusses the decisions made, battles fought, lives affected, and subsequent results of the war that defined the twentieth century. It includes first-hand testimony of young soldiers who remember the front lines, as well as the wives, parents, and children left stateside.

Fifty million people lost their lives during the bloodiest and most extraordinary conflict of the twentieth century.  What was it like to experience – and survive – Such a remarkable time in history?

This incredible book combines spectacular images with dramatic eyewitness accounts by the people who were actually there: the courageous soldiers fighting on land, at sea, and in the air, and the civilians at home telling stories of fear, courage, and hope.- Publishers Website - Back Cover

I cannot fathom being in the middle of any sort of armed conflict – war, famine, the sound of guns and bombs overhead as people on the ground are running for their lives as the buildings around them are exploding.  From a quiet neighborhood to a downtown city street.  You don’t know when or where it will hit – hearing the air raid sirens going off and you are praying that it wont hit your neighborhood or anyone else’s for that matter.

War is a dirty, messy business.  For those who have lived through World War II, we have those stories now in this book with revealing footage in the attached DVD to bring you these stories.  There are also maps, charts, and timelines that provide instant information on the course of events.

Although this book is intended for children between the ages of 10 to 17, in my opinion, it is a valuable resource for all ages depending on their depth of interpretation, and of course whether parents think it is an appropriate subject to be talking about.

So on this remembrance day, please take a moment out of your day and thank the men and women that fought for our country to keep it safe, the many, many lives that were taken from our families and friends and give them thanks.

 
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The Secret Keeper – Kate Morton

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From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Distant Hours, The Forgotten Garden, and The House at Riverton, a spellbinding new novel filled with mystery, thievery, murder, and enduring love.

During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.

Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world. – Publishers Website

Wow, just Wow!  I have always enjoyed Kate’s work, but this one has to be the very best yet.  I was hooked from the first chapter. She held me along until the last few chapters until all was revealed, I fell dumbfounded, shocked, shaking my head.  Kate is a very skillful storyteller that If I haven’t read any of her earlier work this would be the book to start from.  I am literally speechless!  And trust me that doesn’t happen often lol

Such a wonderful story about life, love, sacrifice, and the one skeleton in a closet that has sat patiently for so long.  The only one person who knows about it is on their deathbed, wanting to share, but is afraid of the consequences – her family, friends, old friends from the past.  This one will keep you in suspense right until the end and still will have you saying to yourself I didn’t even see it coming…

Wow, Wow, Wow…

Goodreads - Kate’s Website - Facebook - Browse Inside

 

The Red Pole of Macau – Ian Hamilton

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In The Red Pole of Macau, Ava’s half-brother Michael is desperate to pull out of a multi-million-dollar real estate deal in the territory of Macau. The developers are threatening to halt construction unless Michael and his business partner put up another $80 million; the bank is looking for repayment on their loan; and her father is prepared to sell everything to protect his first-born son.

When Ava enlists Uncle for help, she discovers his health is failing and is forced to turn to a former client, the cunning and seductive May Ling Wong. As Ava follows the money trail, she finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into Hong Kong’s dark and deadly world of organized crime.

Will Ava protect her family’s future? Or will this job lead to a violent end . . . – Publishers Website

Fangirl Moment when this arrived in the mail !! The fourth installment of Ian Hamilton’s Ava Lee Series ! I admit, I was engrossed in another book when this one arrived, but it was literally starting me down from the living room table, I had to put down the other book, until this one was read cover to cover, in the middle of reading I’m sending my thoughts to Ava with things like “Get That Sucker!” as well as other expletives that I can’t divulge here.  Tee hee!

I absolutely LOVE Ian’s collection so far, and wont give up on reading them until the last one has been shed, the plots revealed, and Ava has ridden the world of evil and people who are trying – yes, trying to take something away from people who a) don’t deserve it, or b) are being greedy!

I found out something quite interesting (at least to me) Some have commented on Goodreads that the constant name dropping of fashion brands, and of course her Starbucks Via in the books have turned people off the books.  But, when I was at Word on the Street in Toronto, I found out by the publicist that in fact in the Asian culture, that is what they do, they go by designer names, etc.  It is just their culture.  No more no less.   And I realize that here in Canada or anywhere else that sounds a bit much or irritating, but Ian has toned it down so to speak.  You won’t hear as much of it in the books, but you do see some of it.

So, now that I’m done gushing about Ian and his Ava, go and get the books all right?!?  They are FANTASTIC!  Ava comes out with a new book in February, so get caught up would you !!

Browse inside - Ian on Twitter - Ian on Facebook - Goodreads - Ian’s Website

I really wish there were some book trailers for Ava, She would kick some serious ass in them !

The Midwife Of Hope River – Patricia Harman

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Midwife Patience Murphy has a gift: a talent for escorting mothers through the challenges of bringing children into the world. Working in the hardscrabble conditions of Appalachia during the Depression, Patience takes the jobs that no one else wants, helping those most in need—and least likely to pay. She knows a successful midwifery practice must be built on a foundation of openness and trust—but the secrets Patience is keeping are far too intimate and fragile for her to ever let anyone in.

Honest, moving, and beautifully detailed, Patricia Harman’s The Midwife of Hope River rings with authenticity as Patience faces nearly insurmountable difficulties. From the dangerous mines of West Virginia to the terrifying attentions of the Ku Klux Klan, Patience must strive to bring new light and life into an otherwise hard world. – Publishers Website

I really enjoyed this book, until that is the end of it came and I felt like the main character did something that was completely out of character at least I thought it was out of character for her to do.

She has survived so many difficulties, overcome so many obstacles in her life, then to continue a relationship with one of the other characters in the book that they didn’t even really discuss; they just continued on with it, how it should progress, they didn’t discuss their feelings about one another, it just seemed as though the author needed to (in my opinion) end the book and didn’t have any other things to share about the couple.

Maybe it is me being in this modern world and all, I’m not sure.

Overall, it was a gorgeous book, written with a sense of the time period – the ’30′s. It had genuine parts of what it was like to be a midwife back in the day.   I was quite enthralled with it.

I just thought the ending of the novel could have been written better than it was.  I hope to read more from Patricia in the future.

Reading Guide – Patricia’s Website – Browse Inside – Goodreads – Facebook – Twitter

 

The Printmaker’s Daughter – Katherine Govier

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Recounting the story of her life, Oei plunges us into the colorful world of nineteenth-century Edo, in which courtesans rub shoulders with poets, warriors consort with actors, and the arts flourish in an unprecedented moment of creative upheaval. Oei and Hokusai live among writers, novelists, tattoo artists, and prostitutes, evading the spies of the repressive shogunate as they work on Hokusai’s countless paintings and prints. Wielding her brush, rejecting domesticity in favor of dedication to the arts, Oei defies all expectations of womanhood—all but one. A dutiful daughter to the last, she will obey the will of her eccentric father, the man who created her and who, ultimately, will rob her of her place in history.

Vivid, daring, and unforgettable, The Printmaker’s Daughter shines fresh light on art, loyalty, and the tender and indelible bond between a father and daughter.

A lost voice of old Japan reclaims her rightful place in history in this breathtaking work of imagination and scholarship from award-winning and internationally acclaimed author Katherine Govier. In the evocative tale of 19th century Tokyo, The Printmaker’s Daughter  delivers an enthralling tale of one of the world’s great unknown artists: Oei, the mysterious daughter of master printmaker Hokusai, painter of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. In a novel that will resonate with readers of Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, Lisa See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and David Mitchell’s The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, the sights and sensations of an exotic, bygone era form the richly captivating backdrop for an intimate, finely wrought story of daughterhood and duty, art and authorship, the immortality of creation and the anonymity of history. – Publishers Website

I was very enthralled with this book.  A daughter who takes over her fathers painting when he gets too old to be able to do it.  She has spent her whole life studying beside him, going from place to place in object poverty, providing himself and his family the little money he can make under Communist China.  The threat of death, starvation, and shunning from the Government itself sits on their shoulders everyday while printing ‘approved’ books, and paintings; all the while painting ‘non-approved’ pieces for more money, but a much greater chance of being caught and their small livelihood obliterated with a jail sentence or worse.  As the daughter grows up in this time, she meets a friend of her fathers; really a prostitute who will figure into her whole life – from being able to apply makeup, to other womanly secrets.  They are linked for their lifetimes, in good times and bad.  It was the sad story of a woman who is attempting to eek out an existence where it is heavily controlled by the Government.  If they shun you, you are finished.  Love for family, survival, relationships on the brink of collapse, poverty, and self-sufficiency all had me engrossed along with the gracefulness of the geisha’s in the brothels who hone their craft for decades until long past their expiry date.

On  a side note - In CANADA it is entitled The Ghost Brush.  Catherine is also a Canadian!

Katherine’s Site – Twitter – Goodreads – Facebook – Browse Inside

 

Forgotten – Catherine McKenzie

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Congratulations to Catherine!!, who just this week had this book published in the USA.   This is a re-posting of the review I had done for it’s Canadian Release. It is available through William Morrow in the USA.

When everyone thinks you’re dead, how do you start your life over again?

Emma Tupper, a young lawyer with a bright future, sets out on a journey after her mother’s death: to Africa, a place her mother always wanted to visit. But her mother’s dying gift has unexpected consequences. Emma falls ill during the trip and is just recovering when a massive earthquake hits, turning her one-month vacation into a six-month ordeal.

When Emma returns home, she’s shocked to find that her friends and colleagues believed she was dead, that her apartment has been rented to a stranger and that her life has gone on without her. Can Emma pick up where she left off? Should she? As Emma struggles to recreate her old life, everyone around her thinks she should change – her job, her relationships, and even herself. But does she really want to sacrifice everything she’s working so hard to gain? – Publishers Website

I really truly believe that this is Catherine’s best novel yet !  It had a soul that you couldn’t walk away from, that one thing that keeps you reading page after page, until the last one wanting there to be more in the story.  What would you do if this happened to you?!?  Would you scream and cry or pick up where you left off to start your life all over again or would you just throw in the towel and say to hell with it? Myself, since I have started over again when my marriage failed so miserably I didn’t really have a choice to just sit and cry, I had to get up and prove to people I was the person that I was saying I was, and not the one other people were portraying me to be.  So, I can identify with Emma, know what she was going through in a sense.  Your whole world is somewhat turned upside down.  You, yourself are the only one that can turn it back upright; and fight for what you believe in.  Even if that means falling in love with the one person who you didn’t think possible. My reviews of Catherine’s other books can be found here by clicking the links – Arranged – SPIN.  Here are 2 Q and A’s I have also done with Catherine – Q and A #1 – Q and A #2

Catherine’s Website – Browse Inside – Twitter – Facebook – US Publisher – William Morrow

Guilt by Degrees – Marcia Clark

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Someone has been watching D.A. Rachel Knight—someone who’s Rachel’s equal in brains, but with more malicious intentions. It began when a near-impossible case fell into Rachel’s lap, the suspectless homicide of a homeless man. In the face of courthouse backbiting and a gauzy web of clues, Rachel is determined to deliver justice.

She’s got back-up: tenacious Detective Bailey Keller. As Rachel and Bailey stir things up, they’re shocked to uncover a connection with the vicious murder of an LAPD cop a year earlier.

Rachel suspects someone knows the truth, someone who’d kill to keep it secret. Harrowing, smart, and riotously entertaining, GUILT BY DEGREES is a thrilling ride through the world of Los Angeles courts with the unforgettable Rachel Knight. – Publishers Website

I am really liking Rachel !  In Marcia’s 2nd fiction book, Rachel is becoming more and more one of those literary characters that won’t be soon forgotten.  With her steely determination to find out who did what, when, where and make them pay has me almost cheering ( in a non fangirl squealing mess). I have to save that for a Canadian Fictional Character, sorry Marcia !!

I’m liking the action, the information Marcia effortlessly passes on as Rachel follows this case to the bitter end…literally.  Bailey her 2nd hand person, definitely gives the bad guys a run for their money.  I wonder if there are really tough female detectives like this in real life.  More than likely!

I have to say, Marcia has definitely hit the genre running and probably won’t give up the fight anytime soon.  The Mass Market comes out in March, but you can still get a hardcover more than likely.  If you liked her first book Guilt by Association, you will definitely like this one.  I’m looking forward to her next installment.

I have had a few instances where I have chatted with Marcia on twitter and on Facebook, she is really quite personable so don’t be shy and say hi.  Just be nice and respectful…

Marcia’s Website – Facebook – Twitter -

 

 

The LEGO Book – Expanded and Fully Revised – Daniel Lipkowitz

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Reveal, explore, and celebrate the fascinating LEGO® story in The LEGO® Book. From its beginnings in a carpenter’s workshop and the development of the first plastic brick, to the group’s current position as an international brand, a timeline highlights key moments in LEGO® history.

Fascinating facts on every significant LEGO® product line, theme park, video game, artwork, competition, club, collectible and more combine with images from the LEGO Group’s photo archives-many seen here for the first time-and inspiring ideas on how to make a variety of things from just a few bricks. Packaged in a beautiful slip case with cutting-edge design, this two-volume set also features Standing Small-a 96-page book celebrating the minifigure.

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Brick configuration and the Minifigure are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2009 The LEGO Group. – Publishers Website

I love this book!  From 2 to 92 and beyond, this fully revised and updated version has to be the most complete book and the history, the themes, the sets, and how everything first began over 50 years ago!

it includes the latest toy themes with a photo tour of every moment with special features, achievements which explore every aspect of the Lego World which includes Theme Parks, Star Wars, minilands, videogames, visual arts, animations and so much more.

With imaginative play as the main focus other skills such as social, and motor skills as well as the creative aspects will have you interested from the moment you receive your first set to building everything in between with our own children and grandchildren in the years and decades to come.  It has been #1 since it’s start in 1932 when the company started building wooden toys like yo-yo’s, wooden blocks and pull toys of all kinds.

Did you know:

  • An average of 18 bricks out of every million fails the most stringent tests
  • 36 BILLION Lego bricks are produced each year (68,000 each minute)
  • 6 red 8 stud bricks can be combined into 915,103,765 different ways
  • 4200 different brick shapes
  • There are 80 bricks for every person in the World

So, one other thing I have to mention…When my kids were younger it always had to be the smallest of the bricks that you would find yourself stepping on thinking that you had picked them all up…Am I right, or am I right?!?   My darling son has amassed a collection that is now been handed off to someone else.  His imagination has even gotten him into Lego League where a team of his classmates entered a school board wide competition where they had certain themes every year they had to complete and compete against other schools in the board territory.  I have to say the kids not only did wonderful with building their robots and working as a team.  Quite a few of them had the zaniest costumes/teams/ideas that I have ever seen in a Saturday competition !! It just so happened, that my son’s team won the Spirit Award for the year they competed !!

DK Canada is having a photo contest, click here to see how you can win! -  Check out the DK Canada Lego Boutique -  Download a Lego Poster – Lego Website – Lego Education Site – Lego Club Magazine (free)

Here is an inside look at The Lego Book -

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