✰✰✰✰ In the third installment of the series, medieval surgeon Hugh de Singleton has not one, but two puzzles to solve. First, Master John Wyclif's treasured collection of scholarly books has been stolen. It's up to Hugh to unravel a trail of deceit and solve a murder in order to see that the books are returned to their rightful owners.
Second, Hugh is on a quest to find a wife. With little experience in the ways of winning a young maiden's hand, Hugh sets out to court the young lady who caught his attention in the second chronicle, A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel. The object of his affections, Kate Caxton, is witty, intelligent, and comely. She attracts more than her share of attention and has no shortage of suitors from which to choose. Will Hugh be able to win over the beautiful Kate or has he met his match in the form of Sir Simon Trillowe? Only time will tell as we follow Hugh on this adventures in Oxford.
The Bottom Line: The third book in the series is a quick and enjoyable weekend read. This chronicle features fewer surgeries than the first two books and more emphasis is placed on Hugh's exploration of faith. However, there are still plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing. Highly entertaining and recommended for fans of medieval mysteries. Also, recommended for fans of Christian fiction. A glossary of medieval words and a map of Oxford are included.
Details: A Trail of Ink: The third chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon by Mel Starr. Paperback published by Monarch Books in 2010. 224 p. ISBN: 978-1-85424-974-6 Note: I received a complimentary copy from Kregel Publications in exchange for a review. This was made possible by the Early Reviewer program at LibraryThing.
✰✰✰½ Welcome to America in the not too distant future. It's a very different place from the world power we take for granted today. It's a world where artificial limbs and an energy shortage are the norm. The main mode of transportation is now walking or biking. Cars are a rarity as are steak dinners and coffee.
Bridget, the biology grad student, has come to Gower, Colorado to study a pond full of frogs that are reproducing normally, another rarity in this world of the future. As she sets up camp she quickly gets caught up in the town's antics. Land owner Stacey Elder's son, Cole, quickly latches onto Bridget as he considers which religion to declare. The only 'doctor' in town is the veterinarian, Dr. Glaspie, who is also the school principal. There's also a mountain man and Darla, the town's resident wacko.
As Bridget settles in to study another pond of mutant frogs, things start to get interesting. This book has a little bit of everything from puppy love to adultery. Meanwhile, the residents must always be on the look out for Special Forces agents lest they say the wrong thing and suddenly disappear.
The Bottom Line: Don't let the title turn you off from this absorbing quick read. Phillips has created a kind of post-apocalyptic world for the reader to contemplate. This book will stay with you for a while as you consider global warming and a very different kind of world where China is the superpower instead of the United States of America. Phillips' quirky characters were my favorite part of the book. Recommended for adults who enjoy science fiction; the book includes some strong language.
I received this novel from Concord Free Press in exchange for a donation. Concord Free Press is different from other publishers. They give away free copies of new books. I've been trying to get one of the free novels offered by Concord for over a year. I was lucky to get one of the 2,500 copies of "Rut" available. At the time of this posting a few copies are still available on their website. While the book is free, they ask that you donate to a charity and pass the book along so that the giving can continue. What a great idea! As for doing my part I donated $30 to the Dubuque Regional Humane Society and have passed my copy along to a friend. If you are interested in the program, check them out on their website: Concord Free Press
Details: Rut: a novel by Scott Phillips. Paperback published by Concord Free Press in 2010. 233 p. ISBN: 978-0-9817824-4-7
✰✰✰✰½ Fans of supernatural horror will enjoy this excellent coming-of-age story. A Columbia University graduate student (we never learn his name) arrives in New York City with visions of getting his M.A. in English and enjoying the city's jazz scene. Upon learning that jazz legend Pork Pie Hat is still alive and performing at a nearby club, the narrator slips into the bar for a life changing experience. Hat's music is mesmerizing and the student becomes intent on finding out all he can about the old musician. However, when Hat agrees to a rare interview on Halloween night, the narrator gets more than he bargained for.
Hat shares his horrific tale as he downs a bottle of gin. While the story seems too fantastic to believe, the narrator can't help but to wonder about it for years to come. Indeed, Hat's coming-of-age story about the horrors he and a close friend witnessed as kids on
another Halloween night out in a forbidden area known as The Backs will leave you wondering too. Were the horrors created in Hat's mind or something he experienced at the hands of others?
The Bottom Line: Peter Straub's Pork Pie Hat took me back to my own grad school days. The story is realistically written; I felt like I was sitting in the bar listening to Hat play as I read this book. It's an excellent weekend read if you are in the mood for a classic, supernatural, horror tale. Jill Bauman's black & white illustrations enhance this eerie tale. Read it around Halloween for best effect. Highly recommended for fans of horror.
Details: Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub. Hardcover published by Cemetery Dance Publications in 2010. 175 p. ISBN: 978-1-58767-232-3 Note: This spooky tale first appeared in the anthology October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween.
✰✰✰✰½ If you're looking for real food on the cheap, the word on the street is..."ask a cop." Sgt. Haynes is neither a chef nor a restaurant critic; he's a cop who simply tells it like it is.
The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats is fun all around. The restaurants mentioned in the book are organized "into five sections corresponding to the five areas of the Chicago Police Department." Each section includes extras like cop talk, detours, and streetwise sidebars. There are even a few recipes sprinkled throughout; you can bet that I'll be making the bacon candy in the near future.
Each restaurant entry includes an address, phone number, website (if available), type of cuisine, and a description. Additionally, the book includes an index and your very own police discount with $34.00 in coupons for some restaurants mentioned in the book. Finally, I especially loved the "mug shots" included in the "About the Authors" page...nice touch guys.
The Bottom Line: Part restaurant guide, part tour guide, and 100% fun; this book is easy to read and filled with anecdotes. I found the tongue-in-cheek format and witty banter between Sgt. Haynes and co-author Christopher Garlington to be highly entertaining. It's almost like Sgt. Haynes is giving readers a personal tour of the restaurants on his beat. The only thing that would have made the guide better would be a few photos. Also, the white print on black background used for the Streetwise sections was a little difficult to read. Highly recommended for both Chicagoans and tourists interested in finding the places with good, cheap food in Chicago. This would make a great birthday or Father's Day gift. Note: As an armchair traveler, I did not have the chance to visit all of these restaurants; nonetheless, it's simply an enjoyable read.
P.S. - I, for one, do hope the authors pursue writing The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Sweets.
Details: The Beat Cop's Guide to Chicago Eats by Sgt. David J. Haynes & Christopher Garlington. Paperback published by Lake Claremont Press in 2011. 150 p. ISBN: 978-189312172-0 Note: I received a complimentary Advance Reader's Edition from Lake Claremont Press in exchange for a review. This was made possible by the Early Reviewer program at LibraryThing.
For more fun, visit the website: The Beat Cop's Guide. Looking for extra fun? Check out their show on BlogTalkRadio.
✰✰✰½ The author of the My Weird School books introduces us to a new action-packed adventure featuring the McDonald twins, Coke and Pepsi. The brilliant twins are part of a select group of kids known as Young American Geniuses (YAGs for short). As part of the government program called The Genius Files (TGF), the country's smartest kids have been tapped to solve the world's problems. The secret assignments offer excitement, danger, travel, and the promise of a million dollars for each twin when they turn 21...provided they survive.
When Coke and Pepsi's wacky parents decide to take a family road trip from California to Washington D.C. in a rented RV, things really start to get interesting. In between visiting quirky tourist attractions, being chased by evil bowler hat dudes, and almost being killed by their health teacher, the twins must complete their first mission. With guidance from their mentors, Mya and Bones, and twins eventually face a showdown with Dr. Herman Warsaw, the creator of TGF.
Follow the McDonald family as they travel across the United States stopping along the way to visit a museum dedicated to Pez, the Singing Sand Dunes, the SPAM museum, and two large balls of twine. Will the twins be successful on their first mission? Only time will tell as they continue to run from the bowler dudes, face many obstacles, and escape death more than once.
The Bottom Line: Packed with action, The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable is an exciting read for kids in middle school. The book is filled with interesting sidebars, ciphers, trivia, and directions for mapping out the twins' trip online. It's great fun for everyone. Enthusiastically recommended for readers, especially boys, interested in adventure and action. The adventure is sure to continue in the next book.
Details: The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman. The ARC paperback edition was published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2011. 304 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-182764-8
Note: I received a complimentary Advance Reader's Edition from HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for a review. This was made possible by the Early Reviewer program at LibraryThing.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Love is certainly in the air. Can't you feel it? There are flowers, romantic cards, and candy hearts everywhere you look. While it is undeniably the most romantic day of the year, it's also Library Lovers' Month.
Did you know that these days libraries are doing more with less? As the demands for library services have grown, many libraries are faced with smaller budgets. February is the month set aside to increase not only your awareness of what the library has to offer you, but also how you can help your library. That's right; you can make a difference.
There are many ways you can get involved. Let's explore a few options:
- Volunteer your time or expertise.
- Donate money (every little bit helps).
- Sign up for a program.
- Ask about honoring a friend or loved one with a book memorial.
- Join the Friends of the Library.
- Help with fundraising events.
- Donate used books for your library's used book sale.
- Become a literacy tutor.
- Offer to present a program in your area of expertise.
- Write a letter to the editor and express your concerns about the state of library funding.
- Write letters to your legislators telling them how much the library means to you.
- Attend a library board meeting.
- Drop in and simply say "thank you."
Valentine's Day is simply the perfect day to show your appreciation of your favorite library or librarian. Whether your favorite library is an academic, school, public, or private library, stop by today and celebrate Library Lovers' Month. Supporting your library ensures future generations that libraries are here to stay.
For more information about supporting libraries, check out these sites: Friends and Foundations of California Libraries & Friends of Libraries U.S.A.
✰✰✰½ Liss MacCrimmon is back with more Scottish fun in this mystery featuring a house party murder theme. In this installment it just so happens that the Scottish Heritage Appreciation Society (SHAS) has booked The Spruces hotel for it's annual event, The Burns Night Supper. Liss' new responsibility to act as a liaison between SHAS and the hotel seems simple enough at first. However, when a pricey brooch goes missing and a major snowstorm hits the town of Mootookalook, Maine, things start to heat up. Just when it seems that things couldn't get any worse, the owner of the missing brooch meets with an unexplained death.
With everyone trapped inside the hotel, Liss and her friends must track down the killer before someone else gets hurt, or worse...killed. Author Kaitlyn Dunnett does a fine job of teasing the reader with plenty of twists and turns in this charming whodunit; there's even a little bit of romance in the air.
The Bottom Line: The Corpse Wore Tartan is the fourth installment of the Liss MacCrimmon Scottish Mysteries series. While some mystery fans like to read the books in order, one can easily pick up this book and not feel lost; Dunnett includes plenty of background information to bring the reader up-to-date. While the pacing of this story could have been improved (the beginning was a bit slow and the ending a bit fast), this installment is nonetheless a delightful, weekend read. Fans of cozy mysteries will adore Liss and all her comrades. Enthusiastically recommended for mystery lovers and those who love all things Scottish.
Details: The Corpse Wore Tartan by Kaitlyn Dunnett. Hardcover published by Kensington Books in 2010. 304 p. ISBN: 978-0-7582-3879-5 Note: I received a complimentary copy from Kensington Books in exchange for a review. This was made possible by the Early Reviewer program at LibraryThing.
✰✰✰✰ In the third installment of the series, medieval surgeon Hugh de Singleton has not one, but two puzzles to solve. First, Master John Wyclif's treasured collection of scholarly books has been stolen. It's up to Hugh to unravel a trail of deceit and solve a murder in order to see that the books are returned to their rightful owners.
