Books update
#83, My Favorite Thief by Karen Monk. Charlotte Kent comes from very rough beginnings but has put all that behind her and now runs a home for thieves and prostitutes looking to change their lives. But she learns that she can't run from her past. Meanwhile, Lord Bryden is learning the same thing. When Charlotte stumbles upon a masked Bryden apparently robbing their hostess, her instincts are to protect him. Follow swiftly by a decision, borne of necessity, to blackmail him. Bryden is carrying his own secrets but when he discovers why Charlotte felt she must act, he knows why he must do the same. Charlotte, whom we met in earlier novels, has grown into a competent adult despite her infirmity and she makes a good foil for Bryden. Bryden is no longer what he appears to be but then neither is anyone else. This was a terrific romance. 4 stars.
#84, Fruits Basket #23 by Natsuki Takaya. Takaya ended the series on a high note with all the Sohmas able to go on and live their lives. It was lovely to see Tohru and Kyo end up together and though I felt that the drawings suffered a little at this point, it was often difficult to tell the characters apart, it was a truly wonderful series. 4 stars.
#85
#86, The Second Chair by John Lescroart. This story got off to such a slow start that it was only into the 2nd third of the book that I understood the title. Amy Wu believes her client is guilty and is convinced that 8 years in juvenile lockup is better than life in prison without parole. Her client can't bring himself to admit guilt for what he didn't do. Her boss, Dismas Hardy, ends up taking on the role of Second Chair because he needs to feel again and this case seems to be the one that will launch him back into the land of the living. It's a convoluted story that makes sense in the end but in other ways not really. Once I got into the 2nd third, the book got interesting but I should have read the series in order. 3 stars
#87, Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson. As this series veers to the more serious, it gets better and better. She introduces a lot of loose ends. I loved how she handled the Wyndhams. Picking up only a few days after the end of the prior book, she has to deal with the aftermath of Antonia's death. If she harbors guilt, it's nothing compared with the Wyndhams. We see more of BabyJon and he is, apparently, more than he appears to be. As for Laura, I think we can safely say that I wouldn't want to face her in any fair fight or any fight at all. She isn't the Devil's daughter in name only. 4 stars
#88, Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux. This book just wowed me. It was the right book at the right time. Jocelyn Minton was having a miserable childhood until Miss Edi came into her life. It was like being released from prison and Jocelyn blossomed. When she passed on, she left Jocelyn Edilean Manor, the home in the town that her family founded. She also told Jocelyn that the perfect man for her, Ramsey McDowell, lived in that town. And Miss Edi was never wrong. But Miss Edi hadn't counted on Luke, the gardener, Ramsey's cousin. Neither had Joce. There are a lot of mysteries uncovered here and I'm certain that things were too contrived. But I couldn't put it down, I relished the happy ending, and I wanted more. 5 stars
#89, The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. I enjoyed this book but also found it confusing. I never got the fact that Peter was older than Gregor. In fact, I thought that Gregor was much older than either Peter or Lucinda. Gregor is described as a young man, Peter as a youth. I also felt that a missing prince would have caused such a stir that Poke would have figured it out. Peter was three at the time of his disappearance. I liked Lucinda, who wasn't beaten down by her circumstances, and who did present herself like a Lady, albeit one with a sharp tongue.
There were a lot of interesting subtexts in this story. The relationship with Beryl and Aunt, the relationship of Coxley to Lucinda's parents. But none were explored in detail. In fact, I'm not altogether certain why Coxley killed Lucinda's parents. It was a good first book and she writes well. I found the story compelling enough to keep reading but there were too many things that didn't make solid sense to me. 3 stars
#84, Fruits Basket #23 by Natsuki Takaya. Takaya ended the series on a high note with all the Sohmas able to go on and live their lives. It was lovely to see Tohru and Kyo end up together and though I felt that the drawings suffered a little at this point, it was often difficult to tell the characters apart, it was a truly wonderful series. 4 stars.
#85
- Chicken Said "Cluck!" by Judyann Ackerman Grant and Sue Truesdell This is a very clever book for newly minted readers. When Earl and Pearl decide to grown pumpkins, Chicken seems to always be in the way. At least until the grasshoppers come and Chicken seems to save the day. 4 stars
- The Curious Garden by Pete Brown This was a really adorable book about a little boy, a city, a railroad with no trains and the garden that just wouldn't be kept from sprouting new life. As Liam cares for the garden, the garden turns around and cares for the land and the people. It's a lovely story. 5 stars
- The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes The 2009 Caldecott award book is beautifully drawn with a story whose cadence is taken from an old nursery rhyme. The black, white and yellow scratchboard etchings are detailed and appealing and the repetitive nature of the story will appeal to toddlers. 4 stars
- Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace This is the final book in the Little trilogy. In this adventure, little Oink wants nothing more than to clean his room but to be a good little piggy, he has to make a mess. Very cute. Any little one will be amused. 4 stars
- How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz This 2009 Caldecott honor book is a stunning testimony to the ability of the imagination to transform misery into beauty. Based on the author's own life being a refugee from Poland in the Soviet Union, his father brings home a map one day instead of bread. They went to bed without dinner but when the map is unfurled, Shulevitz is invited into a whole new world. 4 stars
- A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet This is a stunningly illustrated book that introduces children to poet William Carlos Williams. It's one of those special picture books that probably makes more sense to children way past the picture book stage. The collage illustrations (and I'm not really describing the illustrations accurately) are fascinating. It was definitely deserving of a Caldecott Honor. 4 stars
- A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marlee Frazee Another totally adorable Caldecott Honor book. James and Eamon are spending the week with their grandparents and attending nature camp but they end up making their own fun. The pictures are great and the story is hilarious. And there are directions for making your own penguin. What more do you need? 4 stars
#86, The Second Chair by John Lescroart. This story got off to such a slow start that it was only into the 2nd third of the book that I understood the title. Amy Wu believes her client is guilty and is convinced that 8 years in juvenile lockup is better than life in prison without parole. Her client can't bring himself to admit guilt for what he didn't do. Her boss, Dismas Hardy, ends up taking on the role of Second Chair because he needs to feel again and this case seems to be the one that will launch him back into the land of the living. It's a convoluted story that makes sense in the end but in other ways not really. Once I got into the 2nd third, the book got interesting but I should have read the series in order. 3 stars
#87, Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson. As this series veers to the more serious, it gets better and better. She introduces a lot of loose ends. I loved how she handled the Wyndhams. Picking up only a few days after the end of the prior book, she has to deal with the aftermath of Antonia's death. If she harbors guilt, it's nothing compared with the Wyndhams. We see more of BabyJon and he is, apparently, more than he appears to be. As for Laura, I think we can safely say that I wouldn't want to face her in any fair fight or any fight at all. She isn't the Devil's daughter in name only. 4 stars
#88, Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux. This book just wowed me. It was the right book at the right time. Jocelyn Minton was having a miserable childhood until Miss Edi came into her life. It was like being released from prison and Jocelyn blossomed. When she passed on, she left Jocelyn Edilean Manor, the home in the town that her family founded. She also told Jocelyn that the perfect man for her, Ramsey McDowell, lived in that town. And Miss Edi was never wrong. But Miss Edi hadn't counted on Luke, the gardener, Ramsey's cousin. Neither had Joce. There are a lot of mysteries uncovered here and I'm certain that things were too contrived. But I couldn't put it down, I relished the happy ending, and I wanted more. 5 stars
#89, The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. I enjoyed this book but also found it confusing. I never got the fact that Peter was older than Gregor. In fact, I thought that Gregor was much older than either Peter or Lucinda. Gregor is described as a young man, Peter as a youth. I also felt that a missing prince would have caused such a stir that Poke would have figured it out. Peter was three at the time of his disappearance. I liked Lucinda, who wasn't beaten down by her circumstances, and who did present herself like a Lady, albeit one with a sharp tongue.
There were a lot of interesting subtexts in this story. The relationship with Beryl and Aunt, the relationship of Coxley to Lucinda's parents. But none were explored in detail. In fact, I'm not altogether certain why Coxley killed Lucinda's parents. It was a good first book and she writes well. I found the story compelling enough to keep reading but there were too many things that didn't make solid sense to me. 3 stars