Recent Reads

Winter.

Prime reading time.

Well, actually any season is prime reading time, but winter is especially good.

I've been busy...

Lots stacked up to read.

Several stacks read and ready to report on.

Today I'll start with my all new-to-me author stack....

"Belong To Me"  by Marisa de los Santos was a book I grabbed quickly at a rummage sale just because I liked the cover---a whole line of brightly colored Wellies.  After reading the book, I'm still not really sure how those Wellies fit in.....  Anyway.  Cornelia and Teo Brown move to the suburbs.  Enter neighbor Piper, typical Queen of Suburbia, and fellow new residents, Lake, and her brilliantly gifted son, Dev.  The ladies start to become acquainted, some easily, some not so much.  Lives start changing in mighty big ways with one huge surprise thrown in along the way.  Not the best book I've ever read, for sure not the worst.  Well written.  I have another de los Santos book in my waiting stack{s}...we'll see...maybe I just don't have quite the feel for Marisa yet?

"Stealing With Style"  was a fun, light mystery involving one of my favorite things---antiques.  Of course these were diamond brooches and silver urns---a far cry from the vintage ironstone and buttons I play with---but still all rather entertaining.  I'd read a write-up about this book and had it on my "To Look For" list for several years...  I was ever so happy to find it on the sale shelf in a used book shop and it was a delight to read.  The author, Emyl Jenkins, is an antiques appraiser and has written several books on the subject along with a syndicated column.  This was her first novel.  Another book has since been added to the Sterling Glass series and I will be looking for it.....

"Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English"  by Natasha Solomons.  Another debut novel.  Jack and Sadie Rosenblum, German Jews, arrive as refugees in England in 1937.  All Jack wants to do is become English.  Very  English.  All Sadie wants to do is remember the old ways.  Jack pretty much succeeds in his quest except for one thing...membership in a golf club.  There is only one hitch.  No club will admit him because he is Jewish.  Finally, Jack decides he will have to build his own golf course.   Jack and Sadie move to the country where the colorful locals call them the "Rose-in-Blooms".  Throw in the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, golf pro Bobby Jones and the fabled Dorset Woolly Pig and you've got quite a story.  Through the entire book, I kept finding myself wanting to cheer for Jack and give Sadie a great big hug.  This was by far, the best book I have read in ages.  At the end, I read late into the night, propped up on pillows in bed, grinning from ear to ear.  Definitely a keeper that I will read again.  Highly recommended.

"Dear James"  by Jon Hassler covers a lot of ground from small town northern Minnesota, to Ireland, to Italy, all in the life of Miss Agatha McGee.  Agatha spent her entire life teaching at St. Isidore's Elementary in Staggerford, Minnesota.  She taught almost everyone in town and everyone knows her.  Now the school has closed and Agatha is at loose ends.  Sylvester Juba starts suggesting they marry...not a welcome idea.  Agatha leaves for a pilgrimage to see the Pope and finds happiness with former acquaintance, pen-pal and nemesis, Father James O'Hannon.  Lots a detailed writing and humor.  I'll give it three stars and will read the other books in the Staggerford series if I come across them.

"The Hunger Moon"  by Suzanne Matson.  Yet another debut novel.  Each chapter alternates being told by one of the three main characters {all women} except for one short chapter near the end told by a man.  Every person is hiding secrets.  Every person is having major life changes.  Somehow, they all end up meshed together.  I'm giving this book only two stars.  There was some good reading here, but the main character, Renata, has a young son and she goes into great detail and depth about nursing her baby.  Over.  And over.  And over again.  After awhile, it felt like the book was a continual journal on nursing baby Charlie.  I kept thinking "Oh no!  Not again!"

So, that is the stack.

A pretty wide variety.

One extra special book.

What's go your attention these days?

Comments

[Bobbi]

You've been busy! I'm glad I'm not the only one who picks up a book because it has a pretty cover:) When I looked at your photo up there, the first thing I thought was, "oh that book in the middle must be wonderful!" and from your description, I'm going to have to read it!

I've been reading a biography of Catherine the Great - very enthralling!