Murder in a Basket (an India Hayes Mystery) by Amanda Flower

Publisher: Five Star (February 8 2012) 
Source: Author
Formats Available: Hardcover
Format Read: ARC

Synopsis from Goodreads: College librarian India Hayes thought the worst thing about the Stripling Founders’ Festival was her pink gingham pioneer dress until she discovered the body of a free-spirited basket weaver on the festival grounds. The basket weaver leaves behind an angry blacksmith husband, a confused adopted son, greedy siblings, a dysfunctional artists’ co-op, and a labradoodle with a two-million-dollar trust in his name. Despite the wrath of her college’s provost and protests by handsome police detective Rick Mains, India finds herself playing sleuth as well as foster-owner to the two-million-dollar dog. With her own eccentric family commenting from the sidelines and her Irish-centric landlady as volunteer sidekick, India must discover the truth before she has a permanent canine houseguest or ends up the next victim in the basket weaver’s murder.

My thoughts: Lately I’ve been craving lighter reads. I am rapidly becoming a fan of the cozy mystery. They are light enough to have the entertainment value that one craves from chick lit, yet they engage the mind as you try to determine who the culprit is.

As the second India Hayes book there were a few references made to the first one. Since I hadn’t read it I had to infer certain things, but I don’t think that affected my overall enjoyment of this installment. I do want to go back and read it.

India Hayes is a quirky yet lovable character. She’s working as a librarian but really would like to be an artist. Like many of our favorite sleuths, India finds herself in some rather precarious positions. Based on the title, you knew who was going to be the victim. Flower manages to weave a fantastic tale around the back story of all of the players. Only two of which India knows prior to the murder.

In addition to India there are several other characters that you could almost consider her sidekicks which make the story that much more humorous. My favorite of course is her landlady who helps her investigate the “case”.

If you are looking for a new cozy author to investigate, give Amanda Flower a try.

© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Book Review: Murder in a Basket by Amanda Flower is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh

Publisher: Harper Collins (May 2011, first published Jan 2004) 
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours
Formats Available: Hardcover, Kindle, Paperback, Audio
Format Read: Paperback

My thoughts: Mrs. Kimble explores the relationships that three women have with one man, Ken Kimble. Ken is a man who wears several different “hats” throughout the story and while he is a very prominent character in the book, the story really isn’t about him.

As the title would indicate the story is about Mrs. Kimble, or to be more specific the three Mrs. Kimbles. Each of the Mrs. Kimbles is different as can be. Birdie married young and stays home with her children, Joan was a career woman who was taking time to reassess her life, and Dinah, the young trophy wife who may or may not have been suffering from a bit of hero worship.

Haigh has the ability to make you love and hate them all at the same time. As the story evolves we learn more about each of them. Their personalities shine through in how they handle the news that their husband isn’t who they thought he was.

Mrs. Kimble is Jennifer Haigh’s debut novel initially published in 2004. Since then she has published several other works. This was my first time reading her, but it will not be the last. I really enjoyed the way she developed the characters throughout the story.

You’ve got to love it when an author makes you experience a wide range of emotion while reading their work. Especially when the character is frustrating you to no end, but you continue rooting for them to come through.

You can find Jennifer on the web:

Jennifer Haigh’s Website; Jennifer Haigh on Facebook

© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Book Review: Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

Right now at Teresa’s Reading Corner, there isn’t any benefit to me if you click through to my blog,  other than I get the satisfaction of seeing that “hit”. (yes, I’m a nerd that way, I love to see them). Other bloggers have enough of a following that they can earn money on those hits through advertising.  Either way, I think this is a neat little tool. It’s called the “next button”. You drag it into your toolbar and you can visit the blogs in your reader. This is great for those posts that only publish a partial feed.

So, if you are interested in giving it a try:

1. Go into your reader and click on the settings button.
2. Go into Reader settings.
3. Click on the “Goodies” tab
4. Go to the section that says “Put Reader in a bookmark” it will ask you to drag the “next bookmark” into your bookmarks bar.

Super simple, right? You now have the ability to read through the blogs in your google reader and actually visit them! How cool is that?

It looks like you can subscribe straight from your toolbar as well.

© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Notes from the Corner… Cool feature in Google Reader is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

TRC: In looking at your blog, you appear to be a very eclectic reader. Do you have a favorite genre?

Emma: As you can see, yes I’m interested in many things, but I’m becoming more and attracted by Historical Fiction. I’ve always been fascinated by the Middle Ages, so medieval historical novels are really fun for me, as long as I can see that the writer did a great job at background homework before setting to write

TRC: Ooh, I like Historical Fiction as well. I haven’t really read anything about the Middle Ages though. You listen to a lot of audio books.

Emma: Actually, I have only listened to 16 this past year (in comparison, I read 83), so I could do better.

TRC: Really, it was only 16? That is still quite an accomplishment. Have you always been a fan of audio books? What prompted you to pick up your first one?

No, I have not always been a fan, for too many years, I only considered to be a book a volume I could hold in my hands. But then, I started begin much more active at my rock painting (http://rocksbyemmanuelle.com), and I realized I could actually use this time both for painting and devouring more books! I started with audiobooks on CDs, then on Playaways, and now I listen to them through my ipod touch.
I also listen to audiobooks while I do house chores: cooking, ironing, washing the dishes (much more fun then than pushing on a button for a machine to wash them for you!)

TRC: I couldn’t agree more! What are your five favorite books and why?

Emma: My most favorite book ever, the only one I reread at least 4 times, is Le rêve [the dream], by Emile Zola. It’s a tough book, but I love its ambiance, and Zola descriptions are great in there.

In 2011, my favorite was clearly 1Q84. I love Murakami, I enjoy his characters, and the way he deals with memories and suspense was excellent, I thought, though I have noticed that readers either love or hate this book.

As for audiobooks, my favorite non-fiction this year is Atlantic, by and read by Simon Winchester: a very smart history of the Atlantic ocean, extremely well organized, and Winchester is a fantastic reader as well.

My favorite fiction audiobook for 2011 is Before I Go To Sleep, a great psychological thriller, read by the amazing Orlagh Cassidy. She’s my favorite female narrator.
My favorite male narrator is John Lee. One of my favorite is Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. John Lee is great in that book at imitating accents from all kinds of nationalities. I like that type of huge epic books (also Wolf Hall, The Historian). And I was happily surprised to discover that John Lee was the narrator of books by SJ Parris: Heresy, and Prophecy, great books mixing  historical novels and thrillers. – I have not yet reviewed them.

TRC: Do you have a favorite place to listen/read?

Emma: My favorite place to read is on my couch, with a fluffy cushion on my lap where I put the book.
My favorite place to listen to audiobooks is while I paint, in my “art studio”, that is, the basement of my house.

TRC: Is there a book on your bookshelf that people would be surprised to learn about?

Emma: hmm, I have to say I don’t have that many books, the ones I have are mostly religious books. For instance, of the 100 or so books I read/listened to this past year, I own only 4. I do believe in Public Libraries, my economic resources are very limited, and I reread very few books, so why would I buy them?
Maybe people would be surprised then to find out my name on the cover of one book? yes, I published a book myself! It’s a collection of short daily meditations on light, for every day of the Winter season. see here.

TRC: Okay, here are a few… anything else you’d like to add?

This past year, I have discovered that some books were better as audiobooks, and some better on paper. For instance, several people I talked to did not like at  all The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, but I thought it was so lively on audiobook. It may have been indeed more difficult to follow on paper. A big disappointment this year for me was The Night Circus. Very confusing on audiobook, I could not go back and check the dates of the events, for instance. It may have worked better on paper.

Also, if you are not sure where to begin, some bloggers and events can give you great ideas.
There’s of course Teresa’s Audiobook Challenge, and I’m delighted to be doing it for my 2nd year. Have you signed up yet?She even has new extra features this year!
I enjoy very much Audiobook week organized by Jen @ Devourer of Books in June.
And the top is The Audiobook Jukebox, where you can even request audiobooks to review!

Thanks Teresa for interviewing me, and again I’m thrilled to be on for the great Audiobook Challenge you host.
By the way, I also host a Reading Challenge, about books published when you were born and after.

TRC: Thank you so much for agreeing to be featured and for being such an active participant in the Audio Book Challenge. If you want to learn more about Emma make sure to check out her reviews in the monthly linky as well as hopping over to her blog. She recently posted her recap of 2011, it’s definitely worth a read!

If you are interested in being a featured participant, fill out the google form on the 2012 Audio Book Challenge sign up page!

© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Audio Book Challenge Feature- Challenger Spotlight: Words and Peace is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

Lunatics by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel

Publisher: Penguin (January 10, 2012) 
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio
Format Read: ARC

Synopsis from Goodreads: One of them is a bestselling Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist. The other is a winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Together, they form the League of Comic Justice, battling evildoers in the name of . . . Okay, we made that line up. What they do form is a writing team of pure comic genius, and they will have you laughing like idiots.

Philip Horkman is a happy man-the owner of a pet store called The Wine Shop, and on Sundays a referee for kids’ soccer. Jeffrey Peckerman is the sole sane person in a world filled with goddamned jerks and morons, and he’s having a really bad day. The two of them are about to collide in a swiftly escalating series of events that will send them running for their lives, pursued by the police, soldiers, terrorists, subversives, bears, and a man dressed as Chuck E. Cheese.

Where that all takes them you can’t begin to guess, but the literary journey there is a masterpiece of inspiration and mayhem. But what else would you expect from the League of Comic Justice?

A funny story… I was told that this book was laugh out loud funny and I needed to read it. While it does seem like a bit of a departure from what I usually read I thought I’d give it a try. One of my goals for the last several years has been to step outside of my comfort zone a bit more and try new things. With this in mind, I had this book sitting on the table with a couple of others that I was thinking about starting.

My husband picked up the book and the next thing I know, he’s fully immersed in the story and laughing hysterically. It’s at this point I asked him if he’d be willing to review it for me. Being the fantastic husband he is, he agreed.

Please welcome my first guest reviewer, M.

M’s thoughts:

I will start by telling you that unless you believe the United States should invade Canada in order to stop the black market import of low flow toilets from the Great White North to suburban America, you may find this book too odd to handle. On the other hand, if you do get that very oblique reference to Dave Barry’s column in The Miami Herald 20 some years ago you yourself are likely too odd to handle, though that is between you and your significant other. Or for those less fortunate, your insignificant other. In any case, it is between you and whomever it is you are hoping will handle you.

As for the book Lunatics, I suppose the whole purpose of this exercise is to tell a bit about it, and the publisher and authors no doubt hope, gratuitously rain praise upon it thereby increasing sales, making them all wealthier and leaving me wondering what I’m doing handing out my time to them instead of spending it on more personally lucrative pursuits such as forensic plumbing or operating a wine shop that sells pets.

So on with the free publicity that will no doubt raise Mr. Barry’s and Mr. Zweibel to the level of guys who have really made it as writers. After all, that Pulitzer Prize, Emmy and bestseller nonsense has done nothing for them in comparison to what a few hundred words from an unknown guy in Colorado will do for their careers.

Okay, so really this time, about the book. If you have not at least smiled to this point in my little missive, this book is probably not for you. While I required two weeks to fully recover from the injuries I sustained from the rib-cracking force of my laughter, those without a penchant for the odd will simply not enjoy this book. All in all a fine work of comedic writing, though at times the Peckerman character’s over-use of f-bombs did get tedious and detract from the otherwise brilliant use of the positively insane to create gut-ripping laughter. The Book also manages some fairly sharp social and political commentary along the way though I am not sure I liked it as much as Barry’s call to invade Canada to stop the influx of illegal toilets to the USA.

Don’t come whining to me (or my wife whose blog I am a guest on) when you require surgery to repair the parts of your gut you bust laughing. If you tend to like the stuff Teresa does this one might be too odd for your tastes.  Of course, if you, like Teresa, have an odd man in your life and find this review amusing then the book is probably worth your time to read.  Personally I am just hoping Dave Barry reads this and sends me a personal thank you.  A check for my time would also not be rejected.

© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Book Review: Lunatics by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

A Promise of Safekeeping by Lisa Dale

Publisher: Berkley Trade (January 2012) 
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle
Format Read: Paperback

Synopsis from Goodreads: Nine years ago, Lauren Matthews prosecuted the case of a lifetime. But her error in judgment sent an innocent man to prison. Now Arlen Fieldstone has finally been released, and Lauren has only one thing on her mind: asking forgiveness. How can she make up for nine years of his life? To get to Arlen, Lauren must first get through Arlen’s best friend, Will Farris, who hasn’t forgiven her for destroying Arlen’s life.
In the steaming summer streets of Richmond, Virginia, three people’s lives collide. Lauren needs forgiveness. Arlen needs hope. And Will? He needs something too, something that no one can know—especially not Lauren…

My thoughts: When I picked up A Promise of Safekeeping I felt like the stars aligned. It’s not often that I can pick up a review book around the time it is releasing AND have it fit my mood perfectly. This was the case when I began reading this book.

I selected A Promise of Safekeeping because I was genuinely intrigued by the premise. Lauren struck me as a very strong character who strives to be the best that she can be, both in her job and as a human being. I was interested to see how the author, Lisa Dale would handle Lauren’s pursuit for forgiveness.

As Arlen’s best friend and support system, Will did a great deal to try to protect him. Acting as gatekeeper for Arlen we got to know Lauren and Will a bit better. It was fairly obvious from the beginning that Will and Lauren were going to have a storyline of their own. Dale was able to develop their story while still maintaining a balance telling the story of Arlen’s adjustment to the outside world.

Overall I enjoyed the story and feel like it developed at a steady pace. The story was real. The characters were flawed, their relationships messy. They made some questionable choices and had some really sweet moments. I do have one tiny complaint about A Promise of Safekeeping. I was disappointed in the ending. I felt that it wrapped up a little bit too quickly and neatly. I would have liked her to leave it a bit rougher, it would have felt more believable to me. Perhaps I just wanted a bit more?

About Lisa Dale:

Admittedly, A Promise of Safekeeping was my first Lisa Dale novel. I’ve since learned that Lisa has three other books to her credit which I plan to check out soon!

She can also be found on the web at: lisadalebooks.com

© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Book Review: A Promise of Safekeeping by Lisa Dale is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

Happy New Year! Welcome to the 2012 Audio Book Challenge. If I haven’t stopped by your blog to say hello yet, don’t fret. I’m slowly working my way through the list.

How are things going so far? Do you have a plan of attack or just taking things as they go? I’m on pace to finish my first audio book of 2012 later this week.

You can also look for a spotlight post on one of my favorite Audio Book Publishers and a feature about one of our participants. If you are interested in being featured, see the google form on the official Challenge Page.

Here it is, Link up your reviews or share your thoughts in the comments in order to be included in something special later this month!

© 2012, Teresa. All rights reserved.

2012 Audio Book Challenge: January Link Up is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

This weeks offering is The Greater Journey.

From two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough comes the inspiring, enthralling—and until now, untold—story of the American painters, writers, sculptors, and doctors who journeyed to Paris between 1830 and 1900, ambitious to excel in their work, fell in love with the city, and changed America with what they achieved. Narrated by Edward Herrmann (Gilmore Girls), THE GREATER JOURNEY audiobook tells this sweeping, fascinating story with power and intimacy, bringing us into the lives of remarkable men and women.

Listen to a sample:

I have three copies of the audio book up for grabs. US addresses only please. Good Luck!
Winners will be randomly using Rafflecopter. They will then be notified via email and given the opportunity to respond with their shipping information. If for some reason I don’t hear back from a winner within 48 hours of notification, a new winner will be randomly selected.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

© 2011, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Audio Book Giveaway: The Greater Journey is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

The Magic Room by Jeffrey Zaslow

Publisher: Penguin (December 27 2011) 
Source: Publisher via Blogher
Formats Available: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio
Format Read: ARC

Synopsis from Goodreads: You may not have heard of Fowler, Michigan, much less Becker’s Bridal. But for the thousands of women who have stepped inside, Becker’s is the site of some of the most important moments of their lives-moments that speak to us all. Housed in a former bank, the boutique owners transformed the vault into a “magic room,” with soft church lighting, a circular pedestal, and mirrors that make lifelong dreams come true.

Illuminating the poignant aspects of a woman’s journey to the altar, The Magic Room tells the stories of memorable women on the brink of commitment. Run by the same family for years, Becker’s has witnessed transformations in how America views the institution of marriage; some of the shop’s clientele are becoming stepmothers, or starting married life for a second time. In The Girls from Ames, beloved author Jeffrey Zaslow used friendships to explore the emotional lives of women. In The Magic Room, he turns his perceptive eye to weddings and weaves together secrets, memories and family tales to explore the hopes and dreams we have for our daughters.

My thoughts:  I signed on to review The Magic Room because I was feeling nostalgic about my own wedding that took place nearly five years ago. I recalled the giddiness that I felt when I called my parents to tell them I’d gotten engaged. I thought about what it was like to head into the bridal shop with my mom and sister. That feeling I got when I knew that the dress I’d tried on was “the one”.

These were the stories that I was anticipating when I picked up The Magic Room.  I was looking for the romance and magic that surrounds planning the wedding, sharing the love you have with your significant other to the world. The conversations that transpire between a father and daughter as they prepare for the big day. I was looking for more emotion.

This is not to say that the book was completely without emotion. Zaslow told some great stories about the strength and perseverance of the various brides, of what they went through to get to the altar, but even then, I guess I was looking for a bit more.

The Magic Room is as much about the Becker’s and their bridal shop as it is about the brides that it highlights. I can appreciate the trials and tribulations of a small business in a small town, especially one that is so specialized. That just wasn’t what I was looking for when I picked up The Magic Room.

Zaslow was a new to me author. I remember reading rave reviews of The Girls From Ames and adding it to my TBR list (it’s still there). In time I may still give it a try even though The Magic Room fell short for me.

As a participant in the BlogHer Book Club, I am compensated for this review, but all opinions expressed are my own.

© 2011, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Book Review: The Magic Room by Jeffrey Zaslow is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

Publisher: Plume (December 27 2011) 
Source: Publisher
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle, Audio
Format Read: ARC

Synopsis from Goodreads: In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war.

A timeless story of enduring passion, The Bungalow chronicles Anne’s determination to discover the truth about the twin losses-of life, and of love-that have haunted her for seventy years.

My thoughts: After my initial introduction to Sarah Jio through her debut novel, The Violets of March I knew this was an author I’d be following. When I learned that her second novel would be coming out earlier than expected I was absolutely thrilled for her and eager to read it as she is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors.

I dove into The Bungalow the evening it arrived on my doorstep and was immediately enchanted. One of the things that I love about Sarah’s books in general is that they are full of heart and filled with characters that you can identify with. While The Bungalow is primarily set in the summer of 1942, the thoughts and emotions that Anne Calloway is experiencing are those that women of any time period can identify with.

There are a number of themes in The Bungalow and none of them really overpower the others. The Bungalow is a fantastic story about a young woman finding herself in an unexpected place. It is an old fashioned love story from beginning to end. It explores the strength in women and in their friendships. It is an escape to a place that I’ve never been, but is described so perfectly that I can picture it. Most importantly, it is a reminder of how lucky I am to have what I do at home.

Jio started out strong in The Violets of March, came out even stronger with The Bungalow. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next year when her third novel is set to be released.

You can find Sarah Jio on the web at:

www.sarahjio.com
Facebook: 
Twitter:

Watch the fantastic trailer for The Bungalow

© 2011, Teresa. All rights reserved.

Book Review: The Bungalow by Sarah Jio is a post from: Teresa's Reading Corner Reproduction of this content is not allowed without prior consent.