Stuff and Nonsense

New blog address

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 20:59:00 +0000

Somehow my blog template became corrupted, so I've switched to a new url:
http://mbstuffandnonsense.blogspot.com,
which will go live on Thursday.

If you follow my blog, please remember to change your links.

Marlyn

Pets Rule

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 11:00:00 +0000

A guest post by Annie Knox.

In our house, we occasionally joke that the cats need to get jobs and start earning their kibble. But the truth of the matter is that they already earn their keep every day. They make us laugh, they ease our stress, and they provide unconditional affection.

Am I giving the cats too much credit? I don’t think so.

There’s a growing body of scientific research demonstrating the amazing emotional benefits of having companion animals in our lives. Dogs are working with prisoners, the elderly, the chronically ill, veterans and students—all people living with considerable stress—and studies indicate that those dogs make a difference in the lives they touch. Cats, too, are providing comfort to people with depression and anxiety disorders, helping them cope with their emotions.

Our cats have definitely made a contribution to our happiness. When my husband was recovering from major surgery, Squeak-a-doodle provided the best kind of physical therapy. Together, my husband and Squeaky would make laps around the house, stopping at the end of each circuit for a quick petting session. Iphy, our old girl, has lost her hearing; she spends her evenings moving from lap to lap and gazing up at our faces with a look of complete contentment. You can’t help but feel loved when she’s staring at you!

The real stress relief champion in our house is Todd. Todd was a stray for at least a year before he joined us. One day, he wandered up on our porch with a big wound on his neck. We got him fixed up at the vet and planned to find him a new home, but he walked into our house, peed all over the basket of cat toys, jumped on our bed, rolled onto his back, and fell asleep. Clearly, he was already home.

Todd teaches us the art of relaxation every day. He conks out on his back, belly bared to the world, front paws tucked beneath his chin. He loves to have his belly scratched, and will roll over for a scritching without any real regard for the position of his body (he’s fallen of the couch more than once). When he snuggles, it’s a full contact snuggle. He’ll inch his way up your body until he’s nose-to-nose with you. And he loves everyone who walks through the front door. Our cuddle ninja, our snuggle pirate, our nap hero . . . he’s a living testament to the joy of loving with abandon.

Our pets enrich our lives in so many ways. That’s one reason I had such a great time writing about Izzy McHale’s dorky pug-bulldog mix Packer and her regal Norwegian forest cat Jinx. Throughout Paws for Murder, this dynamic duo contribute comfort, clues, and welcome comic relief. Throw in Rena Hamilton’s kleptomaniacal ferret Val, and you’ve got yourself a menagerie of fun.

I hope you get a chance to cuddle up with Packer, Jinx, and Val, and I hope they provide you with a fraction of the joy our real furry friends have to offer!

While Annie Knox does not commit--or solve--murders in real life, her love of animals is 100% real. She's also passionately devoted to 80s music, Asian horror films, and reality TV. Annie, her husband, and their spoiled cats (Todd, Iphy, and Squeak-a-doodle) make their home in a small town in north Texas, just blocks from the town’s courthouse square.

Favorite Fiction of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 11:00:00 +0000

This is the last group of my favorite books that were published in 2013 (except for one that was published earlier that had to be included because I loved it SO much). Once again, they're posted alphabetically by author.

A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert (Persevero Press hardcover, 1 September 2013).

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Beth Croy Barker (Pamela Dorman hardcover, 1 August 2013).

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (Ballantine hardcover, 30 April 2013).

Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman (Pamela Dorman hardcover, 28 May, 2013).

Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield (Harlequin MIRA trade paperback, 26 February 2013).

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park (Skyscape e-book, 11 September 2012).*

Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline (St. Martin's Press hardcover, 9 April 2013).

Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope (HarperCollins hardcover, 29 October, 2013).

Top Mystery/Suspense of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 11:00:00 +0000

(Listed alphabetically by author.)

The World Beneath (Joe Tesla #1) by Rebecca Cantrell (Amazon Digital Services e-book, 5 December 2013).*

The Sound of Broken Glass (Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James #15) by Deborah Crombie (William Morrow hardcover, 19 February 2013).

Evil in All Its Disguises (Lily Moore #3) by Hilary Davidson (Forge hardcover, 5 March 2013).

The Burning Air by Erin Kelly (Pamela Dorman Books hardcover, 21 February 2013).

The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood (Penguin trade paperback, 30 July 2013).

Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman (Ballantine hardcover, 15 January 2013).

The Girl Next Door (Carter Ross #3) by Brad Parks (Minotaur hardcover, 13 March 2013).

(Ballantine hardcover, 15 January 2013).

Watching the Dark (An Inspector Banks Novel) by Peter Robinson (William Morrow hardcover, 8 January 2013).

(William Morrow hardcover, 8 January 2013).

The Wrong Girl (Jane Ryland #2) by Hank Philippi Ryan (Forge hardcover, 10 September 2013).

The Accused (Rosato & Associates #12) by Lisa Scottoline (St. Martin's Press hardcover, 20 October 2013).

*Review to come.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 09:00:00 +0000

Teen Tuesday - Top 10 of '13

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Here are my favorite books published in 2013, listed alphabetically by author, because there's no way I could rank them in order of preference.

Don't Look Now (Persefone Trilogy #2) by Michelle Gagnon (HarperCollins hardcover, 27 August 2013).

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry (Henry Holt and Co. hardcover, 11 June 2013).

Hero (The Woodcutter Sisters #2) by Alethea Kontis (HMH Books for Young Readers hardcover, 1 October 2013).

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (HMH Books for Young Readers hardcover, 2 April 2013).

Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young (Simon Pulse hardcover, 27 August 2013).

Kenning Magic by Lizzie Ross (Saguaro Books, 6 March 2013).

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (St. Martin's Griffin hardcover, 10 September 2013).

This Song will Save Your Life by Leila Sales (Farrar, Straus and Giroux hardcover, 17 September 2013).

Star Cursed (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #2) by Jessica Spotswood (Putnam Juvenile hardcover, 18 June 2013).

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (Disney-Hyperion hardcover, 10 September 2013).

Cozy Monday - Top 11 of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I planned to be on hiatus until next week, but managed to get my "Top" lists for 2013 finished earlier than expected, so I thought I'd share them this week.

These are my favorites of the cozies I read over the past 12 months, listed alphabetically by author (clicking on titles will link to my reviews).

The Christie Curse (Book Collector Mystery #1) by Victoria Abbott (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 5 March 2013).

Poisoned Prose (Books by the Bay #5) by Ellery Adams (Berkley Prime Crime mass market,1 October 2013).

A Fête Worse Than Death (Hemlock Falls Mystery #18) by Claudia Bishop (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 5 March 2013).

A Cookbook Conspiracy (Bibliophile Mystery #7) by Kate Carlisle (Obsidian hardcover, 4 June 2013).

Buried in a Bog (Cork County Mystery #1) by Sheila Connolly (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 5 February 2013).

The Thrill of the Haunt (Haunted Guesthouse Mystery #5) by E.J. Copperman (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 5 November 2013).

Yarn to Go (Yarn Retreat Mystery #1) by Betty Hechtman (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 2 July 2013).

Cloche and Dagger (Hat Shop Mystery #1) by Jenn McKinlay (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 6 August 2013).

The Body in the Piazza (A Faith Fairchild Mystery) by Katherine Hall Page (William Morrow hardcover, 30 April 2013).

Gluten for Punishment (Baker's Treat Mystery #1) by Nancy J. Parra (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 7 May 2013).

Skeleton in the Family (Family Skeleton Mystery #1) by Leigh Perry (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 3 September 2013).

Luke 2:8-14

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Peanuts Comic Strip, December 22, 2013 on GoComics.com

Happy holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Since my group blog, Crime Fiction Collective, is taking a break until January 6, I decided I would, too.


Image credit: subbotina / 123RF Stock Photo

Merry Christmas! Stuff and Nonsense will return on January 6, 2014 with a guest post by mystery author Annie Knox.

The Book Thieves

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 19:38:00 +0000

The Sayers Swindle (Book Collectors Mystery #2) by Victoria Abbott.

It feels as though I've been waiting forever for this book, the first book in the series, The Christie Curse, was released only eight months ago.

Jordan Bingham is still working for Vera Van Alst, finding and purchasing rare mystery books for the elderly woman's library.

Vera's complete set of Dorothy Sayers novels has been stolen, and accidentally purchased and sold by Jordan's friend, rare book dealer Karen Smith. Unfortunately, a serious blow to the head has caused Karen's memory to be erratic, and not only can she not remember the buyer, she was never an efficient record-keeper.

Thanks to the uncles who raised her, Jordan knows a bit about covert investigations, but her continual encounters with police officer Tyler Dekker are worrisome.

I adore Jordan, and even though I love my profession, I would be thrilled to have her job. I whizzed through this book in a day, and am now anxious for book three in the series.

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy of this book.

Teen Tuesday - Christmas Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 19:13:00 +0000

Here are some of my favorites, most of which you may not be familiar with:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Penguin Classics paperback).

This is the most traditional on my list, but I sitll love the opening Christmas scene, when the four sisters are trying to have a "normal" holiday while their father is off at war, is still one of my favorites.

The Haunted Tea-Cosy by Edward Gorey (HMH hardcover).

Edward Gorey's take (subtitled A Dispirited and Distasteful Diversion for Christmas) on Dickens' A Christmas Carol, will be enjoyed by fans of Lemony Snicket, as well as those who already love Gorey.

Dave Cooks the Christmas Turkey by Stuart McLean (Viking Canada hardcover).

Even if you aren't familiar with The Vinyl Cafe, a weekly programme on CBC Radio, you'll laugh yourself silly at this story of Dave, the blunderful record store owner who offers to cook the Christmas bird while his wife Morley and their two children volunteer at the local food bank.

Flat-out Love by Jessica Park (Skyscape e-book).

I loved this charming story about Julie Seagle, a young woman who moves to Boston to go to university, but finds that the apartment she (thought she) rented through Craigslist does not exist. Her mother contacts her own roommate from college, who invites Julie to stay with them until she finds a place.

The family is welcoming, but Julie finds something not-quite-right about them, and is determined to figure out what it is. Matt is an expectedly geeky MIT student with few social skills, 13-year-old Celeste carries around a life-sized cardboard cut-out photo of her eldest brother Finn, who is apparently travelling around the world, and parents Erin and Roger spend most of their time at their university offices.

The story of Julie's first Christmas on her own is why it's on this list.

Holiday gifts for the mystery reader or writer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

If you're a reader of this blog, chances are you know somebody who's going to get you a book you've already read for Christmas. Print the following list, and give it to that person.

A chocolate pistol,

typewriter bookends,

British mystery knowledge cards,

The Ex kitchen knife set ,

a bloody bath mat,

and a shower curtain to go with it.

There are many, many gifts to be found for people like us. Tell your friends to try sites like Think Geek, Cafe Press, The Literary Gift Company, or just google "gifts for mystery book lovers". Many places will ship in time for Christmas until December 20th. And if they're really running late, tell them you'll be happy with a gift card from your local bookstore.

Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel! Buon Natale! Feliz Navidad!

All About Jane

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I've been very neglectful of this blog in the past few weeks, as I've been busy making Christmas presents, but I thought I'd share a few gift ideas for things that your Janeite friends might not already have. As a Janeite myself, I'd be thrilled to receive any of these.

Pride and Prejudice Soy Candle + Goat's Milk Soap

Pride and Prejudice Trivia Game

500-piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Pride and Prejudice Paper Dolls

iPhone cases

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

My apologies for not publishing Teen Tuesday for the past couple of weeks. I've been trying to get some Christmas presents made, and it's taking up a lot of time!

In the spirit of the season, here are some gift recommendations for teens who like to read.

The American Library Association's online shop has some cool stuff:

A bracelet featuring titles of banned books (The Adventures of Captain Underpants, King & King, Annie on My Mind, To Kill A Mockingbird, In the Night Kitchen, Athletic Shorts, and Blubber).

READ Renew Return Water Bottle made of lightweight aluminum, with an attached carabiner.

The HBO store has hundreds of gifts for the Game of Thrones or True Blood lover:

Stuffed Direwolf pups, as well as copies of all the books in the series so far, including two graphic novel compilations.

Merlotte's aprons and t-shirts, the original novels by Charlaine Harris, and comic book collections.

The Literary Gift Company has gifts for readers and writers, such as bookrests and writer's guides.

At Penguin's online gift shop, you can find t-shirts, book bags, and also many, many stocking stuffers.

If you have any other wonderful and original ideas, please share them in the comments!

Visiting Vienna + A Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

City of Lost Dreams by Magnus Flyte (Penguin trade paperback, 26 November 2013).

Musicologist Sarah Weston has headed to Vienna in search of a cure for her student and friend Pollina Rutherford, who is dying of a rare illness. She's hoping to convince a brilliant, but eccentric Viennese doctor to take on Pollina's case. Meanwhile, the dwarf Nico Pertusato is on a similar quest in London, except that he is searching for an alchemical answer from artifacts in various museums.

As Pollina gets sicker and weaker, her friends become more and more desperate to find a treatment for her. But not only do both Sarah and Nico continue to be thwarted in their search, they somehow manage to not only follow wild geese, but get into trouble at every turn.

City of Lost Dreams is an intriguing sequel to City of Dark Magic (2012). Many of the core characters return: Sarah, Nico, Prince Max, Pollina and her caretakers, and even Sarah's former Boston roommate Alessandro, now studying medicine in Vienna. Although there isn't as much time-shifting as in the first book, City of Lost Dreams makes up for it with bloodthirsty nobles, espionage, sorcery, humor, and yes, a certain amount of sex and bawdiness.

For a 355-page book it's a remarkably quick read, mostly because it's impossible to put down once begun. Although a sequel is not even hinted at, the possibility is certainly there. Here's hoping.

Now, just for fun:

The Penguin Group has very kindly offered a copy of CITY OF LOST DREAMS to one of my readers. Please comment on this post, and make sure you include your contact information. Entries from the US only, please.

FTC full disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher for the review copy of this book.

Welcome Betty Hechtman!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 11:00:00 +0000

When I started writing, I began noticing everything with the idea that someday I might want to include it in something. I was only a kid at the time and the noticing had to do with checking out a loaf shaped rural mail box and spending a long time looking at an irrigation ditch that had a tiny waterfall just the right size for a couple of fairies to play in. I used those two details in the first story I ever wrote when I was eleven.

It’s a lot of years later and the habit has stuck.

My crochet mystery series takes place in the area of Southern California where I live, so you I pay careful attention to everything, starting with my own backyard (which happens also to be my character Molly Pink’s). So every morning when I look out through my kitchen windows, I take in the exact color of the sky. Is it the deep cloudless blue when it’s very dry and the air feels like silk? Or is that lumpy sort of angry gray that means rain? I look at the clouds and decide if they are thick mounds that remind me of whipped cream that’s been beaten almost to the point of turning into butter or if they are mere wisps that seem to have been smeared across the sky.

When I checked the flower beds this morning, the dirt was black and still damp from the rain we had a few days ago. With the colder weather, the carnations have come back to life and have a few brightly colored spicy scented blooms. Beyond, the orange trees are covered with two kinds of fruit. There are a few of the very ripe oranges left that are so sweet and juicy just waiting to be eaten. The rest are the new crop, more green than pale orange and hard to the touch.

I frequently go walking in the Santa Monica mountains and have set scenes in my books up there. It affects the way I experience the walk. I look and smell and feel everything as if I’m going to write about it. How to find the right words to describe the sandy colored rocky outcroppings. Or the way the air smells of wild sage and a bushy tree whose shiny green leaves have a pungent fragrance . Or the way a red tailed hawk, almost eye level with me, rides the wind. Or the way the search helicopter flew along the side of the mountains looking for someone and later landed not far away from me, sending out a rush of turbulent air and rocks.

The locale of my yarn retreat series is the Monterey Peninsula which is either in Northern California or on the Central Coast depending on who you talk to. Personally, I consider it Northern California. Cadbury by the Sea is the fictitious town where the books take place and is really Pacific Grove with a little Carmel thrown in. It is such distinctive area, I want to capture all that makes it special and put it into the books. So, when I go up there, I really look at the Monterey cypress trees and the way the wind gives the foliage a unique horizontal shape. I notice that the air around the real version of the hotel and conference center where the retreats are held always smells of wood smoke, but then it’s is always fireplace weather there.

I spend time walking along the beach and note how it goes from white silky sand to piles of jagged rocks with danger signs posted nearby. As the waves roll in, I look at the color of the water which is really sea foam green like the crayon.

When it comes to the yarn part, I focus on the way crochet and knitting make me feel. How my hook moving through some yarn takes me to a calm place and I am unbothered by the bumps and jiggles of the plane I’m on as it goes through choppy air.

It’s not just scenery and stitches that I pay close attention to. People, too. I’ll let you in on a secret. I use a lot of the people from my gym as characters. While the rest of the class is zoned out doing aerobics, I’m watching the women in the mirror. I look for what is distinctive about them and then make up my own backstory. One woman comes to mind. There was something about her placid expression and choice of exercise clothes that struck me. Most of the other women wear some kind of stretchy stuff, but she had on regular long shorts, a well worn tee shirt and instead of the high tech sports shoes most of the group had, she wore old white Keds. I imagined her as one of those salt of the earth sort of people. The kind who’d helped out at PTA bake sales and chaperoned Girl Scout trips. Her hair had some gray streaks and my version of her had her kids grown. But what if her husband had left her and was marrying someone else? What would that feel like from the inside. And suppose her kids are torn between going to the wedding and siding with her.. It went on from there. The funny part is, I have no idea if any of it could be true or even what her name is. And I’ll never find out because she stopped coming to the gym, but she has become a continuing character in my books.

Thanks to writing nothing just goes by me unnoticed. The color of the sky when there is a forest fire, the way moon looks so big when it is close to the horizon, the fragrance and taste of tea with rose petals mixed in, and on and on. You could say I that I truly do stop and smell the roses and then stick it in a book..

Betty Hechtman writes two national best selling mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime. Her Crochet series features Molly Pink and the Tarzana Hookers, who get tangled up in murderers and yarn. For Better or Worsted, the eighth in the Crochet Series is her November release. If Hooks Could Kill, the seventh in the series, also just came out in a paperback edition. Yarn to Go is the first book in the Yarn Retreat Series which follows Casey Feldstein, a dessert chef, who puts on a knitting retreat at a slightly sinister hotel and conference center on the Monterey Peninsula. All the books include recipes and patterns. In addition she has written a middle grade mystery Blue Schwartz and Nefertiti’s Necklace that will be re-released as an e-book in December. For more information or to read excerpts go to www.BettyHechtman.com. Betty blogs on www.Killerhobbies.blogspot.com on Fridays. Connect with Betty on Facebook and Twitter.

Visit me at CFC!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 16:19:00 +0000

I'm over at Crime Fiction Collective today, with a review of The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood.

Please drop by!

Surviving Fairyland

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:00:00 +0000

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker (Pamela Dorman hardcover, 1 August 2013).

The heft of this book made me put off reading it for a few months, but I finally picked it up last week, and I'm so glad I did.

It's the story of Ph.D. candidate Nora Fischer, whose dissertation on John Donne has become bogged down by lack of enthusiasm (on her part). Her adviser has more or less dumped her, and her boyfriend has completely dumped her.

In an effort to get her mind off her troubles, Nora goes away for the weekend, to a friend's wedding. Going for a solitary morning hike, she stumbles upon a huge estate, owned by a beautiful woman named Ilissa, who invites her to a party that evening. Ilissa gives her a "makeover" and Nora finds herself transformed from a boring doctoral student into a beautiful socialite who charms everyone she meets.

But the glamorous life eventually turns into the pit of despair, Nora realizes that she must escape in order to survive, and discovers that it will be harder to return to her real life than she ever imagined.

This book completely drew me in, and although it's too long to be read in one sitting, I hardly put it down for a couple of days. She's a pretty realistic 21st Century woman, who's been raised to believe she can "have it all" and discovering how difficult that really is to achieve.

Fans of Deborah Harkness' All Souls books, and City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte, will love this book!'

FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to The Penguin Group for the Advance Reading Copy.

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 11:00:00 +0000

It's 35 days till Christmas; do you know what books your teen wants?

Here are ten possibilities for those who just have to own the latest book in their favorite series:

Horde (Razorland Trilogy #3) by Ann Aguirre (Feiwel & Friends hardcover, 29 October 2013).

Altered (Crewel World #2) by Gennifer Albin (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux hardcover, 29 October 2013).

Daylighters (Morganville Vampires #15) by Rachel Caine (NAL hardcover, 5 November 2013).

Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School #2) by Gail Carriger (Little, Brown hardcover, 5 November 2013).

The Trap (The Hunt Trilogy #3) by Andrew Fukuda (St. Martin's Griffin hardcover, 5 November 2013).

Firebrand (Elemental #2) by Antony John (Dial hardcover, 14 November 2013).

Contagion (Toxic City #3) by Tm Lebbon (Pyr hardcover, 5 November 2013).

Champion (Legend Trilogy #3) by Marie Lu (Putnam Juvenile hardcover, 5 November 2013).

Revelations (The Elysium Chronicles #2) by J.A. Souders (Tor Teen, 5 November 2013).

In the Age of Love and Chocolate (Birthright Trilogy #3) by Gabrielle Zevin (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux hardcover, 29 October 2013).

Image credit: dodi31 / 123RF Stock Photo

Visit me at CFC!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:57:00 +0000

I'm over at Crime Fiction Collective today, with a review of Lisa Scottoline's latest book. Please drop by!

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 23:59:00 +0000

Publishers Weekly has released their "Best Children's Books" list for 2013. The fiction list includes both children's and young adult literature, but my list below only includes the teen fiction titles. (Listed alphabetically by author.)

Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal (Candlewick Press hardcover, 8 October 2013).
The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky (Candlewick Press hardcover, 6 August 2013).
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (Candlewick Press hardcover, 12 February 2013).
Reality Boy by A.S. King (Little, Brown hardcover, 22 October 2013).
Hostage Three by Nick Lake (Bloomsbury hardcover, 12 November 2013).
Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal (Knopf hardcover, 11 June 2013).
Sex & Violence by Carrie Mesrobian (Carolrhoda Lab hardcover, 1 October 2013).
The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle (Amulet hardcover, 1 August 2013).
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick ( Little, Brown hardcover, 13 August 2013).
Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff (Putnam hardcover, 3 October 2013).
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (St. Martin's Griffin hardcover, 26 February, 2013).
The War Within These Walls by Aline Sax (Eerdmans hardcover, 1 October 2013).
Midwinter Blood by Marcus Sedgwick (Roaring Brook hardcover, 5 February 2013).
Winger by Andrew Smith (Simon & Schuster hardcover, 14 May 2013).
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (Hyperion hardcover, 10 September 2013).
The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr (Little, Brown hardcover, 7 May 2013).

Lest We Forget

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Princess Patricia of Connaught, the original Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry designed and made their regimental flag, known as the Ric-a-Dam-Doo (reportedly from the Gaelic for "cloth of your mother").

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the regiment, the current Colonel-in-Chief, the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson commissioned the following song, written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. The song is performed by Homefire (the wives of the Princess Patricia’s Regiment) and features two principal singers, Edmonton-based Brittany Hancock and Angela Larson.

The Princess Pat's Infantry is based in my hometown of Edmonton, Alberta.

11/11/13 : Apologies, it seems the video won't play. Here's a link to the original article on the CBC blog:
http://m.music.cbc.ca/blogs/2013/11/New-Remembrance-Day-song-Bryan-Adamss-Ric-a-dam-doo-performed-by-Canadian-soldiers-wives

Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Skin by Donna Jo Napoli (Skyscape hardcover, 6 August 2013).

Sixteen-year-old Giuseppina (Sep) wakes up on the first day of school and is startled when she looks in the mirror to see that her lips are completely white. She can't get an appointment with her doctor until Thursday afternoon, so she has to wait three whole days.

Her mother suggests she wear lipstick until then, which her friends notice, because she never wears makeup. Still it's better than having them see her lips as they really are. She manages to forget about it during the interesting classes like biology, but she runs to the bathroom after class to make sure the lipstick hasn't worn off. In boring English class, all she can think about is her lips.

Then, at lunch, football jock Joshua Winer says he hopes to see her at the party on Saturday, and she's shocked. She was good friends with him back in fifth grade, but since then he became one of the popular crowd and she didn't.

Dr. Ratner doesn't know what could be affecting her, but he takes a bunch of blood tests and suggests a number of possibilities. Although he assures her that whatever it is, it's not fatal, she doesn't like the look in his eyes and begins to imagine all kinds of serious illnesses.She eventually decides to begin a relationship with Joshua before she turns into a freak.

Having gone through something similar when I was sixteen, I empathized with Sep's situation. Her social reactions, such as withdrawing from her friends and isolating herself are credible, as are her emotional ones like depression and irritability.

Sep's acceptance of her illness, which turns out to be vitiligo, happens rather quickly, but that can be attributed to her supportive and understanding family and friends.

Since Napoli usually writes fantasy, I was expecting the cause of Sep's "condition" to be magical, but it wasn't until I finished the book (in one afternoon!) that I recalled this, so obviously it wasn't an issue once I got into the story.

FTC Full Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library.

Visit me at CFC!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 17:17:00 +0000

I'm over at Crime Fiction Collective today, with a review of Hilary Davidson's latest Lily Moore novel.

Please drop by!

Ghosts and witches and magic, oh, my!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 10:00:00 +0000

In celebration of All Hallows' Eve, I'm reviewing two books with paranormal themes. Enjoy!

Charms and Chocolate Chips (Magical Bakery #3) by Bailey Cates (Obsidian mass market, 5 November 2013).

Katie Lightfoot is settling nicely into life in Savannah. She's made some friends (especially the members of her "book club"), is volunteering at a local conservation non-profit, and her relationship with firefighter Declan McCarthy is progressing nicely. She's concentrating on developing her craft (both as a baker and as a witch), and hoping not to stumble over any more dead bodies.

Unfortunately, the latter wish doesn't come true. She arrives at the offices of Georgia Wild for her volunteer shift and finds her friend Wren in shock after discovering another volunteer sprawled across her desk, obviously dead, probably murdered.

Katie feels compelled to investigate the killing, not only because of her association with Georgia Wild, but also because she senses that dark arts might be involved.

The third installment in this series lives up to the standards of the first two. We learn much more about Katie's history, and why she's still a novice witch. As always, there are detailed (and tempting) descriptions of food and cooking, and recipes for some of Katie's concoctions are included.

The Thrill of the Haunt (Haunted Guesthouse #5) by E.J. Copperman (Berkley Prime Crime mass market, 5 November 2012).

Alison Kerby's guesthouse is doing quite well, despite the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy, thanks to her agreement with the tour company whose clients want to stay in a haunted house. Her hopes that she won't have to make use of her P.I. license are dashed when a homeless man is killed soon after asking her to help him get rid of the ghosts that are haunting him. A longtime nemesis of hers insists that Alison investigate the man's death, because obviously it resulted from Alison's declining his request.

Meanwhile, a strange woman checks into the guesthouse just to ask Alison to prove her husband is cheating on her. Another guest wants to rid the house of evil ghostly spirits, and Alison has a tough time convincing her that her ghosts aren't evil, and she doesn't want them exorcised.

At the same time, she's renovating the game room, raising her daughter, and trying to establish her budding relationship with her childhood friend Josh. Yes, Alison is feeling a little overwhelmed, and she finds herself taking her frustrations out on resident ghosts Maxie and Paul.

Once again, E.J. Copperman has concocted an absorbing story of the normal, abnormal and paranormal, laced with humor and charm.

FTC full disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher for review copies of the books.