What to Read? … What to Read?

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Fall is upon us and what does that mean? Copious amounts of tea and or coffee, sweaters to feel cozy in and on cold blustery days when you have nothing to do a good light read. Why not try Heart and Soul written by Maeve Binchy.

Clara Casey has more than enough on her plate. Her daughters Adi and Linda were no problem during the usually turbulent teens. Now Adi is always fighting for or against something: the environment or the whale or battery farming; while Linda lurches from one unsatisfactory relationship to the next. As if this wasn’t enough, Clara, a senior cardiac specialist, has a new job to cope with and now her ex-husband wants something from her…

Declan is looking forward to joining the clinic – but what should have been a straightforward six-month posting brings him far more than he expected. Then there’s Father Brian Flynn, whose life is turned upside down when his reputation is threatened. And the beautiful, cheerful nurse Fiona, who can’t leave her troubled past behind…

For Ania, meeting Clara Casey is a miracle. She never intended to leave Poland – but perhaps a new job in a new country will mend her broken heart?

As I am not normally a fan I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Binchy has once again given us a story filled with warmth, compassion and humor that we have all grown to expect from this talented author. She has weaved a story of family, friends, patients and even staff from a heart clinic with in a community that is caught between traditional and present day Ireland. If you are a fan of Binchy, love chic lit and love a good story teller then this is the one for you. If you are not a fan, run far away from anything remotely girly and can’t stand a good story then I suggest you go turn on the T.V. otherwise go and get a copy and enjoy.

Happy Reading

Sarah

Thank you Amazon for the picture

“The number of people behind the police barricade on the abutment had increased tenfold. On the other side of the canal there were several cars, four of which belonged to the police, and a white-painted ambulance with red crosses on the back doors.”

Murder, mystery, what a wonderful way to spend a weekend; O.K. maybe not doing those things but how about reading about them.  Try Roseanna written by Per Wahloo and Maj Sjowall. This book is being rereleased on September 30, 2008.

The masterful first novel in the Martin Beck series of mysteries by the internationally renowned crime writing duo Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, finds Beck hunting for the murderer of a lonely traveler.

On a July afternoon, a young woman’s body is dredged from Sweden’s beautiful Lake Vattern. With no clues Beck begins an investigation not only to uncover a murderer but also to discover who the victim was. Three months later, all Beck knows is that her name was Roseanna and that she could have been strangled by any one of eighty-five people on a cruise. As the melancholic Beck narrows the list of suspects, he is drawn increasingly to the enigma of the victim, a free-spirited traveler with a penchant for casual sex, and to the psychopathology of a murderer with a distinctive–indeed, terrifying–sense of propriety.

This is a wonderful book; the plot is consistent, however due to translation some things are a little awkward and may make you stop, other than that they have done an awesome job of creating Martin Beck and I look forward to reading more.

Happy Reading

Sarah

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“This is my job, and you don’t go into it—or, if you do, you don’t last—without some natural affinity for its priorities and demands. What I am telling you, before you begin my story is this—two things: I crave truth. And I lie.”

As the weekend creeps in on us why not spend it with good company. May I suggest In the Woods written by Tana French.

Irish author French expertly walks the line between police procedural and psychological thriller in her debut. When Katy Devlin, a 12-year-old girl from Knocknaree, a Dublin suburb, is found murdered at a local archeological dig, Det. Rob Ryan and his partner, Cassie Maddox, must probe deep into the victim’s troubled family history. There are chilling similarities between the Devlin murder and the disappearance 20 years before of two children from the same neighborhood who were Ryan’s best friends. Only Maddox knows Ryan was involved in the 1984 case.

French sure knows how to grab your attention what with politics; flawed heroes; murder and repressed traumas. This book has a lot to offer. This is a book worth looking into, so take a day all to yourself lock everything up curl up on the couch and read the weekend away.

Happy Reading

Sarah

Thank you Amazon for the picture

“The little road (they always called it ‘the lane’) snaked one way and then another, so that you couldn’t see anything ahead of you. They had to keep the dog on the lead and stay close to the hedges in case a car ‘came out of nowhere’. Jessica was the eldest so she was the one who always got to hold the dog’s lead. She spent a lot of her time training the dog, ‘Heel!’ and ‘Sit!’ and ‘Come!’ Their mother said she wished Jessica was as obedient as the dog. Jessica was always the one who was in charge. Their mother said to Joanna, ‘It’s all right to have a mind of your own, you know. You should stick up for yourself, think for yourself,’ but Joanna didn’t want to think for herself.”

We all ask the same question at some point in our lives; when will there be good news? And it is no exception in Kate Atkinson’s book When Will There Be Good News?

In a quiet corner of rural Devon, six-year-old Joanna Mason witnesses an appalling crime. Thirty years later the man convicted of the crime, Andrew Decker, is released from prison.

In Edinburgh, sixteen-year-old Reggie, wise beyond her years, works as a nanny for a G.P. But Dr. Hunter has gone missing and Reggie seems to be the only person who is worried.

Across town, Detective Chief Inspector Louise Monroe is also looking for a missing person, David Needler, unaware that hurtling towards her is an old friend–Jackson Brodie–himself on a journey that is about to be fatally interrupted.

Well look whose back private investigator Jackson Brodie. How exciting is this? I picked up the book and couldn’t put it down. Atkinson has given us a book with plots that twist and turn, her characters are believable and she has kept up the promise of a good read. Grab a copy today and start reading.

Happy Reading

Sarah

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“Elizabeth took tight control of a rush of emotion; even though this news had been long expected, deep down she had not believed she would ever hear those words. She took a moment to absorb them, then said, “There’s nothing much to say, is there, Cecil? Nothing at all, actually, and anyway, what would be the point? I’m not a hypocrite, I’m not going to pretend I mourn my sister’s death.””

I spent a wonderful night curled up under a blanket devouring my newest purchase, Being Elizabeth written by Barbara Taylor Bradford.

At age twenty-five, Elizabeth Deravenel finds herself in a position few women her age could image: the head of Deravenels, a business empire that spans the globe. It’s a company whose reach is wide and whose secrets are deep. Deravenels has roots that go far back in her family’s history, and she knows the price that many had to pay to see it reach the success it is today. And Elizabeth is the youngest executive in the company she now leads. Surrounded by rumors and disloyalty, she knows that there are many people who would give anything to take down the company–and her with it. With her enemies circling, she finds herself at a crossroad of choices involving her mind, her heart, and her destiny. As scandal surrounds the one man she’s ever loved, Elizabeth discovers how the next move she makes could have deadly and final consequences.

Uh oh…A one dimensional character, a plot with no twists and turns; this is unlike Bradford. Unfortunately this one is a miss for me, however don’t give up hope, while we are waiting for her next book to come out why not try one of her previous ones. Better luck next time.

Happy Reading

Sarah

Thank you Amazon for the picture

“Back home in Colorado, Thibault can’t seem to get the photo-and the woman in it-out of his mind. Believing that she somehow holds the key to his destiny, he sets out on a journey across the country to find her, never expecting the strong but vulnerable woman he encounters in Hampton, North Carolina-Elizabeth, a divorced mother with a young son-to be the girl he’s been waiting his whole life to meet.”

Can you believe that September is almost over? I can’t, I mean it was just yesterday (I’m sure it was) that I changed my calendar. Oh well speaking of Calendars mark September 30, 2008 it’s the release date of The Lucky One written by Nicholas Sparks.

 In his 14th book, bestselling author Nicholas Sparks tells the unforgettable story of a man whose brushes with death lead him to the love of his life.

Is there really such thing as a lucky charm? The hero of Nicholas Sparks’s new novel believes he’s found one in the form of a photograph of a smiling woman he’s never met, but who he comes to believe holds the key to his destiny. The chain of events that leads to him possessing the photograph and finding the woman pictured in it is the stuff of love stories only a master such as Sparks can write.

Doesn’t this look interesting? I hope it’s as good as it looks and even if it’s not at least I can say I read it. Don’t forget to mark it down and I will see you at the book store.

Happy Reading

Sarah

Thank you Amazon for the picture

“The snow came down so thickly, it formed fragile snowballs in the air that tumbled and melted as soon as they landed on the horses lined up along the dock. It was four in the morning and the place was coming alive and Captain Samson had never seen the dock in such a bustle. The cargo was flying out of the ship, literally; the cranes strained in their efforts to get the bales out as quickly as possible. The ship stank of the disinfectant already, stank of the stuff. Every man who came on board was so drenched in it that it dribbled out of his boots. But that wasn’t enough; some of them had squelched aboard with big, heavy spray cans that spat an acid-pink fog over everything.”

I spent a good 2 hours searching the shelves at a bookstore and I hit jack pot. I found Terry Pratchett’s newest book Nation which just appeared on the shelves September 9, 2008.

Alone on a desert island — everything and everyone he knows and loves has been washed away in a storm — Mau is the last surviving member of his nation. He’s completely alone — or so he thinks until he finds the ghost girl. She has no toes, wears strange lacy trousers like the grandfather bird, and gives him a stick that can make fire.
Daphne, sole survivor of the wreck of the Sweet Judy, almost immediately regrets trying to shoot the native boy. Thank goodness the powder was wet and the gun only produced a spark. She’s certain her father, distant cousin of the Royal family, will come and rescue her but it seems, for now, that all she has for company is the boy and the foul-mouthed ship’s parrot, until other survivors arrive to take refuge on the island. Together, Mau and Daphne discover some remarkable things (including how to milk a pig, and why spitting in beer is a good thing), and start to forge a new nation.

What no disc world?! I’m shocked, but pleasantly surprised, highly amused and generally thrilled with this new book. This is Pratchett at his finest. If you are a fan or non-fan you will enjoy this book. Warning some pigs may find this book downright scary. Go find it, read it, LOVE IT!

Happy Reading

Sarah

Thank you Amazon for the picture

“At half past ten on that Saturday morning, Commander Adam Dalgliesh and Emma Lavenham had an appointment to meet her father. To meet a future father-in-law for the first time, especially with the purpose of informing him that one is shortly to marry his daughter, is seldom an enterprise undertaken without some misgivings.”

What makes a great mystery writer? Do you have to be paranoid? Maybe you see a potential murder everywhere you go. Well whatever the qualifications are I don’t have them. The biggest mystery that I will ever solve is; where did my car keys go? I think I will leave the big mystery solving to professionals like P.D. James who just so happens to be releasing her new book The Private Patient on November 18, 2008.

Cheverell Manor is a lovely old house in deepest Dorset, now a private clinic belonging to the famous plastic surgeon George Chandler-Powell. When investigative journalist Rhoda Gradwyn arrived there one late autumn afternoon, scheduled to have a disfiguring and long-standing facial scar removed, she had every expectation of a successful operation and a pleasant week recuperating.

Two days later she was dead, the victim of murder.

To Commander Adam Dalgliesh, who with his team is called in to investigate the case, the mystery at first seems absolute. Few things about it make sense. Yet as the detectives begin probing the lives and backgrounds of those connected with the dead woman—the surgeon, members of the manor staff, close acquaintances—suspects multiply all too rapidly. New confusions arise, including strange historical overtones of madness and a lynching 350 years in the past. Then there is a second murder, and Dalgliesh finds himself confronted by issues even more challenging than innocence or guilt.

P. D. James has gained an enviable reputation for creating detective stories of uncommon depth and intricacy, combined with the sort of humanity and perceptiveness found only in the finest novelists. The Private Patient ranks among her very best.

If you want great reading don’t hesitate to pick up a novel by James, she has a great gift for this genre her plots are deep and full of twists and turns right up until the very end. Her characters are both charming and believable; it’s hard to put one of her books down once you have started.

Happy Reading

Sarah

Thank you Amazon for the picture

“In the dim light Richard could plainly see the tattooed scales covering the right side of the man’s face. Without the leather shoulder plates and breastplates that the commander usually wore, or even a shirt, Richard could see that the pattern of scales ran down over his shoulder and covered part of his chest as well. The tattoo made him look reptilian. Among themselves, Richard and Johnrock referred to the commander as “Snake-face.” The name fit in more ways than one.”

Those of us who love books have one problem; do I get it now or wait for it to come out in paperback? Well I can’t solve that problem for you I have a hard enough time with that one on my own. So for those of you who love paperback mark September 30, 2008 on your calendar. That is the day the Confessor written by Terry Goodkind comes out in paperback. This is the last book in his Sword of Truth series. But do not fret he has written a prequel to this series.

Descending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves…and has lost.
Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history.
When next the sun rises, the world will be forever changed.

I have not read a Terry Goodkind book that has not been entertaining, well written, with a plot and characters that just draw you in. This is worth getting a copy either in hard cover or paperback. If you haven’t read this series then I would suggest you start with Wizard’s First Rule. If you are already a fan check out his website for a sneak peek at his 1 hour T.V. series based on Legend of the Seeker.

Happy Reading

Sarah

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We all saw The Spiderwick Chronicles; we read the books, why because they were a quick and fun read, now A Giant Problem (Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles) has just hit bookshelves.

Nick and Laurie have a giant problem and it’s a lot bigger than they originally thought. When Taloa sent them off to find her sisters, they discovered a single fire breathing giant, but as it turns out, that one giant is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. According to NoSeeum Jack, the blind giant killer who helped Nick, Laurie, and Jared dispatch the original giant, there are hundreds, possibly even thousands of giants underneath the surface waiting to wake up. And since Taloa refuses to give any assistance until her sisters are located, the kids turn to a kingdom of merfolk for help. As is the way of the fey, the merfolk send the kids on a quest–to find a sea creature they’d never seen–before they’ll even consider helping. They then capture Julian and leave him stranded on a distant sand bar that’s too far for him to swim to shore from. He’ll drown if they’re not back from the quest by high tide. Between Julian’s hysterical girlfriend, Noseeum’s ruthless hunting of the giants, and trying to figure out the quest, the kids have their hands full. But even more so when they find a creature the mermaids have never seen. Still, the mermaids refuse to help stating that what the giants are about to do is part of a natural cycle.

Holly Black is keeping us entertained with her newest addition and like the rest of her books; this one is just as good, yet another great example of a book great for sharing. Go hit your local book store and get your copy so you can continue the adventures.

Happy Reading

Sarah