Emmy Winners, Renovated Harvard Coop, Raccoon River Press in Iowa, Netflix Acquires Roald Dahl's Works, All The Light We Cannot See comes to Netflix, Joie Des Livres in Seabrook, Wash, Rise and Shine Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick, Becoming Mrs Lewis by Patti Callahan and Girl One by Sara Flannery Murphy

Hello Bookish friends! This is my last post of September, as we start working our way into cool and lush October, which is a great month to cuddle up near the fireplace in a cozy chair with a blanket, a cup of tea and a good book or three!

The Emmy's were a subdued affair this year, but I was glad to see some programs that were based on books bring home trophies.

Primetime Emmy Winners by the Book

At last night's Emmy Awards https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49750603 celebration, book-related winners were in short supply, though The Queen's Gambit managed to pick up a pair of trophies. Bookish Emmys in major categories went to:

The Queen's Gambit, based on the novel by Walter Tevis: Outstanding limited or anthology series; Scott Frank (director for a limited or anthology series or movie)

Halston, adapted from the book Simply Halston by Steven Gaines: Ewan McGregor (lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie)

Hamilton, inspired by Ron Chernow's biography Alexander Hamilton: Outstanding variety special (pre-recorded)

When I was getting my master's degree in Cambridge, Mass, I used to shop at the Harvard Coop all the time. It was a great store with a variety of stuff, including books and records, of course, but also soaps and candies.I wish that I could see what it looks like now, after the renovation.

Grand Re-opening for the Harvard Coop

The Harvard Cooperative Society celebrated the grand re-opening of its newly renovated Harvard Coop Bookstore https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49751719, Cambridge, Mass., on September 9 with a ribbon-cutting, followed by a weekend of games, prizes, live music and author events.

Located in Harvard Square, the Coop is the official campus store for Harvard University and is managed by Barnes & Noble College.

Planning the renovation of the historic bookstore began more than a year ago, and despite the disruptions presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, construction was completed within eight months. B&N College partnered with the Coop on the $6 million renovation, which is designed to provide a better, more exciting customer shopping experience and includes new flooring, lighting, retail fixtures and a community event space, as well as new heating and air conditioning systems and a new elevator.

The three-story, 28,550-square-foot building was built in 1924 in the Colonial Revival style and now features a wide selection of Harvard-branded apparel and merchandise as well as textbooks, trade books and school supplies. Founded in 1882 in a student dorm in Harvard Yard, the Coop is one of the oldest and largest college bookstores in the U.S.

This sounds like such a cool bookstore, with a brewpub sponsoring a free book group! Truly awesome, and hopefully a raging success.

Raccoon River Press, Des Moines, Iowa, Debuts as Online Store

Raccoon River , a planned independent bookstore and small press, has debuted as an online bookseller, the Des Moines Register reported https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49778918. The bookstore carries new titles in a variety of genres, and owner Jena Best hopes eventually to open a bricks-and-mortar location in West Des Moines. She also plans to start publishing the work of local writers, and submissions are currently open to authors, poets and photographers.

Best, who officially launched Raccoon River Press on April 5, left her previous career as a biologist on June 1. With Raccoon River's publishing efforts, she hopes to highlight the work of local and regional authors who are sometimes overlooked by the "big publishing houses on the coasts," and give those stories the recognition they deserve.

Best hosted a number of pop-up shops at breweries and taprooms around Des Moines this summer, and she partnered with the Firetrucker Brewery in Ankeny to create a free book club. The first meeting will be held at the taproom on October 7, with participants reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune.

She told the Register that her plans for Raccoon River Press were inspired by her favorite independent bookstore, San Francisco's City Lights Bookstore.

 This has been all over the news, and as a fan of Dahl's books, most of which I read when I was a kid and a preteen, I'm really excited to see what Netflix produces in terms of series and movies from RD's books.

Netflix Acquires Roald Dahl Story Company

Netflix has acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49781534, "giving it access to the full catalogue of works from the famed British author," Deadline reported, adding that the deal "extends a relationship between the two companies that began in 2018 with an initial pact that gave the streamer access to 16 titles for animation adaptations."

Netflix said it was exploring the creation of projects based on Dahl properties across animated and live action films and TV, publishing, games, immersive experiences, live theater and consumer products.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos wrote in a blog post: "There is a moment in James and the Giant Peach when the Ladybird says: 'We are now about to visit the most marvelous places and see the most wonderful things!' The Centipede replies, 'there is no knowing what we shall see!' Netflix and the Roald Dahl Story Company share a deep love of storytelling and a growing, global fan base. Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to write multiple new chapters of these beloved stories, delighting children and adults around the world for generations to come."

More great content on the way from Netflix!

TV: All the Light We Cannot See; The Business

Netflix has given a series order to All the Light We Cannot See https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49810202, a four-part limited series adaptation of Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Deadline reported that Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy "has been developing the project for a couple of years through his company 21 Laps Entertainment at the streamer, where he has an overall deal." Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is writing the adaptation, and Levy is directing all four episodes.

Levy and the producers have launched "a worldwide casting search for the lead role of teenage Marie-Laure, and actresses who are blind or low vision are especially encouraged to apply," Deadline noted. Levy, Dan Levine and Josh Barry of 21 Laps Entertainment will be executive producers on the series. Knight will also serve as an executive producer. Joe Strechay (See) is an associate producer, blindness and accessibility consultant.

Producer Matthew James Wilkinson (Yesterday) is teaming up with Poldark and Endeavour exec producer Tom Mullens on a TV adaptation of The Business https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49810203 by Iain Banks.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to adapt Iain Banks' wickedly satirical The Business for television," Mullens and Wilkinson said. "As relevant today as when it was first published, we look forward to honouring Iain's work with a powerful, entertaining thriller."

 I have a friend who lives in Seabrook, and I am excited for them and for everyone else in the community, that there's this great bookstore with all kinds of books and tea and other supplies available to them.

Joie Des Livres Building Community in Seabrook, Wash

Joie Des Livres, a nearly three-year-old independent bookstore with new titles for all ages, is weathering the pandemic and helping build community in the beach town of Seabrook, Wash., the Seattle Times reported https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49810166.

Owners Kathy and Dan Ardourel opened the store with their daughter Kristin Ardourel, who manages the bookstore day-to-day. The trio had no prior experience in bookselling; to help learn the ropes they consulted with the owners of several independent bookstores in the area as well as the book buyer for Costco, Pennie Clark Ianniciello, who retired earlier this year.

The store carries some 7,500 books along with tote bags, board games, tea, art supplies, candles and other nonbook items. Genre fiction and children's fiction do well, and the store's customers have helped shape the inventory since Joie Des Livres opened. Based on customer feedback, the store's nonfiction section, particularly memoirs and local history, has grown significantly. Kristin Ardourel noted that as a cookbook lover, the store had a "decent selection" of them to begin with, and that section has continued to grow.

Joie Des Livres had not yet started hosting events before the Covid-19 pandemic began. Once life returns to normal, Ardourel wants to host author readings, writing workshops, book clubs and more. Throughout the pandemic, she added, "everybody's really rallied around us, and all of the stores here in Seabrook." 

Rise and Shine Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick is a romantic comedy novel that was just recently made into a Hallmark Channel TV movie, which I missed out on watching, unfortunately, because I found out about it too late. I read this as an ebook on my Kindle, and I thought the prose was fine, but the plot had some dips here and there which slowed things down a bit. Here's the blurb:
Benedict Stone has settled into a complacent and predictable routine. Business at his jewelry shop has dried up; his marriage is on the rocks. His life is in desperate need of a jump start—and then a surprise arrives at his door in the form of his audacious teenage niece, Gemma. Reckless and stubborn, she invites herself into Benedict’s world and turns his orderly life upside down. But she might just be exactly what he needs to get his life back on track.

Filled with colorful characters and irresistible charm, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone is a luminous reminder of the unbreakable bonds of family, and shows that having someone to embrace life with is always better than standing on your own.

The characters are predictably odd and while I gather that their eccentricities are supposed to be charming, I found Benedict to be ridiculous and stupid, Gemma to be rude and cruel and selfish, and Benedict's wife to be something of a spineless b*tch. So they all seemed more annoying and insecure to a high degree, rather than charming. To be honest, I kept expecting some big revelation out of Gemma as to why she ran away from home and lied to her uncle...like she was pregnant or had some dreadful disease. But no, it was just childish petulance because her father was getting remarried and his girlfriend was pregnant and Gemma couldn't handle having a sibling who might take some attention away from her! I really only thought that kind of behavior only happened with children under the age of 12. Gemma does slightly redeem herself by helping Benedict find his passion for innovative jewelry making, which is good, but other than that, she seemed to be there only as a cautionary tale for Benedict, so that he could see that having children wasn't what it was cracked up to be. BTW, Benedict's sexist attempts to force his wife to have children at any cost, just so he could prove himself to be a better father to them than he was to his sh*tty, selfish brother is INSANE. Get some therapy, dude. There are a million better reasons to have children, and using them to assuage your guilt isn't one of them. I'd give this eye-roller of a book a C+, and only recommend it to people who have a high tolerance for spineless and selfish characters.

Becoming Mrs Lewis by Patti Callahan is a fictionalization of the real life of Joy Davidman, who eventually married famed author CS Lewis and then died of cancer a few years later (Lewis raised her two sons from a previous marriage to adulthood). This is one of those novels that, though based on real people and events, is so richly detailed and engrossing that you find yourself amazed that such fascinating individuals walked the earth. I read this wonderful book on my Kindle, and I really wish that I'd gotten a hard copy of it, because I cherished the elegant prose and riveting plot so much that I wanted to be able to go back into it to refer to one quote or another. Here's the blurb:
Meet the brilliant writer, fiercely independent mother, and passionate woman who captured the heart of C.S. Lewis and inspired the books that still enchant and change us today.

When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford professor and the beloved writer of The Chronicles of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters.

Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, found a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy.

In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had.

At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.

“Becoming Mrs. Lewis deftly explores the life and work of Joy Davidman, a bold and brilliant woman who is long overdue her time in the spotlight. Carefully researched. Beautifully written. Deeply romantic. Fiercely intelligent. It is both a meditation on marriage and a whopping grand adventure. Touching, tender, and triumphant, this is a love story for the ages.” —Ariel Lawhon, New York Times bestselling author

I completely agree with Ariel Lawhorn, this was a touching and poignant book that I really couldn't put down, though I'd read the story in a couple of books by Lewis himself, about his late in life love of Joy and her boys. Though I knew the story, this book tugged hard at my heartstrings. I'd imagine it was because this was how I met my husband of 24 years, only he was not reticent at all about beginning an affair with me (I was single and he was the divorcee). We wrote letters to one another for three weeks before we ever laid eyes on one another in person. I believe that building a friendship first, as Joy and Jack did (and as I and my husband did) makes for a more stable and secure love relationship later on. I also reveled in the exquisite prose and the female POV of the book, because I realized how hard it was for Joy to escape her abusive husband and  move "across the pond" with her sons to live in another country with Jack and his brother. I also understood Joy's deep need for self expression through writing, especially poetry. I've always felt that poetry was, and is, the hardest form of writing. At any rate, this book deserves nothing less than an A+, and a recommendation to anyone interested in women and writing, and in the intersection of poetry/prose and religion. 

Girl One by Sara Flannery Murphy is a social science fiction novel that reminded me of The Andromeda Strain mixed with The Handmaid's Tale and Zenna Henderson's The People tales. Though the novel takes place in the 70s, initially, and 20 years later in the 90s, I found many of the themes of "science gone awry" and deeply ingrained misogyny destroying women/girls, to be quite timely in light of recent events like the unconstitutional abortion ban in the state of Texas. The bold and stalwart prose moves along the often thriller-esque plot on greased wheels. Here's the blurb: Orphan Black meets Margaret Atwood in this twisty supernatural thriller about female power and the bonds of sisterhood

Josephine Morrow is Girl One, the first of nine Miracle Babies conceived without male DNA on an experimental commune known as the Homestead. The Girls were raised in the shadow of controversy—plagued by zealots calling them aberrations and their mothers demons—until a devastating fire at the Homestead claimed the lives of three people, leaving the survivors to scatter across the United States.

Years later, upon learning that her mother has gone missing, Josie sets off on a desperate road trip, tracking down the only people who might help: her estranged sisters. Tracing clues her mother left behind, Josie joins forces with two of the Girls, and they journey back through their past, uncovering secrets about their origins and unlocking devastating abilities they never knew they had.

Girl One combines the provocative imagination of Naomi Alderman’s The Power with the propulsive, cinematic storytelling of a Marvel movie. In her electrifying, wildly entertaining new novel, Sara Flannery Murphy delivers a rousing tale of love, ambition, power, and the extraordinary bonds of sisterhood.

Though they're trying to stay out of the genre ghetto by calling this book a thriller, it veers sharply into science fiction once the cloned young women start using their amazing "powers" to get themselves out of one horrific encounter with murderous religious rapists after another. As we all know, men are deeply afraid of women who don't need them and who have agency in the world, and power over their own bodies and reproductive cycles. There's nothing more dangerous than a superfluous, powerless man who feels impotent in society. (Witness the hatred of AOC, a congresswoman who has had a target on her back ever since she was elected to office. The mainly old white men who surround her in the halls of government would have her killed tomorrow if they thought they could get away with it.) Hence the daring of this book to posit "what if" parthenogenesis, ie making a baby without male sperm, were not only possible, but successfully done 9 times in the 70s at the beginnings of the women's movement? What would happen to those mothers and their daughters once they decided to break away from the narcissistic scientist who helped them? I found the plot engrossing and the characters fascinating,and I would definitely give this book an A-, and recommend it to any woman or girl overt the age of 12 who wants to take a look at what feminism and sisterhood can do if we work together. 

 

The Girl and the Goddess on TV, Bookstore Pandemic Recovery, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile Movie, Maisie Dobbs Mysteries Come to TV, ARCs for Sale, The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin, The Library of the Dead by TL Huchu, The Confectioner's Guild by Claire Luana, and the Starless Girl by Liz Delton

I can't believe that the third week of September is over, and that we're coming up on October and the cool temps of fall already! Time is whooshing by on a gale-force wind! Here's some tasty tidbits and four reviews...grab a cuppa tea or coffee and enjoy!

This sounds fantastic! I really want to see it when it premiers!

TV: The Girl and the Goddess

Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) will produce a series adaptation of Nikita Gill's The Girl and the Goddess https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49689144 with Boat Rocker Studios. Deadline reported that Headey, whose Peephole Productions has a first-look deal with the American Rust and Invasion producer, will exec produce alongside Gill, Peephole Productions' Tina Thor and Boat Rocker's Katie O'Connell Marsh and Nick Nantell.

"We're thrilled to be working with Lena and Peephole Productions to bring Nikita's beautiful story to the screen," said O'Connell Marsh. "We know that global audiences will be as captivated by the powerful and original storytelling as we are."

Headey added: "I've long been in love with Nikita's words, The Girl and the Goddess is a tale that just begs to be seen and celebrated. I'm so excited that we now get to tell this story."

Gill commented: "I'm delighted to be working with Lena, Peephole and Boat Rocker to bring my deeply personal tale The Girl and the Goddess to life. They're an absolute dream team."

Too many bookstores have closed due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and though some survived by using online sales of books and puzzles, others managed through the support of their communities to restoring indie bookstores to their rightful place. It's important now that brick and mortar stores are opening up and starting to see increased traffic and sales that people remember that if we don't shop at real bookstores they will cease to exist.

Bookstore Recovery From Pandemic

"As booksellers continue to recover from the financial and emotional cost of the pandemic, publishers must commit to supporting bookshops https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49717237 and 'reframe the conversation' around recovery," BA Conference delegates were told during an event featuring Halls and American Booksellers Association CEO Allison Hill, who appeared virtually at the event, the Bookseller reported.

"We have to be careful to talk about this recovery in a nuanced way. We don't want publishers to say 'oh, it's fine,' " said Halls. "We need them to keep paying attention and keep coming back with decent terms on the high street sector, the bricks and mortar sector. Otherwise, without that attention, they will just turn away again, and we can't have that." Hill noted that the Covid-19 crisis had put American indies "in a vulnerable position right away" and the lockdowns had "exposed some of the cracks" that were already apparent in the indie scene. "What was critical during the pandemic is still critical--ongoing commitment [by publishers] to putting their money where their mouth is in supporting the bookstores long term, and recognising the value they bring to the ecosystem."

 I used to read this book to my son when he was little, and I am thrilled that it's being made into a movie.

Movies: Lyle, Lyle Crocodile

Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians) will co-star opposite Javier Bardem and Winslow Fegley in Lyle, Lyle Crocodile https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49717274 for Sony Pictures, Deadline reported. Will Speck and Josh Gordon are directing a script being adapted by Will Davies. The film is based on the classic children's book by Bernard Waber. The film will be released November 18, 2022.

Speck & Gordon produce alongside Hutch Parker, with Dan Wilson executive producing for Hutch Parker Entertainment and Kevin K. Vafi for Speck & Gordon. Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning songwriting team (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen), are writing original songs for the movie and also executive producing. Brittany Morrissey is overseeing the project for the studio.

 

I am a long time fan of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries, especially the early ones where Maisie used her semi-psychic intuition to help her solve crimes. In the more recent editions of the series, she uses no intuition at all, and it's like it never existed, which is sad. But Maisie is still a smart and fascinating character, a nurse with compassion and loyalty and determination who, with the help of her sidekick Billy, manages to always do the right thing and save the day/solve the crime. I am really looking forward to this TV series, and I hope that they don't tart up our sensible heroine to make her some kind of Downton Abbey glamorous toff.

TV: Maisie Dobbs Series

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton's HiddenLight Productions "has its eyes on a new scripted project" based on Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49719523 of novels, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which noted that HiddenLight has acquired the film and TV rights to the series of 16 books as its "inaugural fiction option."

Speaking recently at the Royal Television Society's Cambridge Convention via video link, Hillary Clinton said: "One of our favorite books that Chelsea and I have shared over many years is a book about a character called Maisie Dobbs, which is a series about a World War I field nurse who turns into a detective, and we just optioned it. It's an international bestseller by Jacqueline Winspear, and we love the character. It goes from World War I to the Spanish Civil War to World War II. She comes of age in a time of great social upheaval."

I remember back when I was writing professional reviews, how I found too many of my fellow reviewers breaking ranks (and in some cases, policies that they'd signed off on to not sell their ARCs) and selling their ARCs on Ebay or Craigslist. It really bothered me at the time, because I would never do such a thing, though I felt strongly that reviewers should be paid more than a pittance for their work/reviews, which often took many hours to produce. I finally gave up on reviewing self published books, because the amount of time and effort that I was putting into creating the review wasn't reflected in the amount I was paid (and I discovered that the review services were being paid hundreds of dollars for these reviews that they did nothing to generate, while I was paid anywhere from 50-75 per review, which just unfair at best). So I gather things haven't gotten better since I stopped doing professional reviews about 12 years ago. Robert Gray of Shelf Awareness reports on the business of selling ARCS (advance reader copies) for a profit.

Robert Gray: What Is an ARC Worth?

My desktop is full. My bookshelves are full. My e-reader is virtually full (just kidding). I've been fending off ARCs for three decades. It's one of life's little (and sometimes great) pleasures. One thing I've never considered doing, however, is selling an ARC.

In addition to moral and/or ethical reasons for this decision, I must confess that generally when I've finished with an ARC, even one that might be considered valuable somewhere, my copy is in no condition for the market, online or otherwise. As evidence of my long criminal record regarding mistreatment of advance reader's copies to the point of devaluation, I would submit Exhibit A: a 1994 signed and slipcased ARC of Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernares. More on this later.

I guess it's safe to say that my perception of ARCs does not have anything to do with their retail value, though it wasn't a shock when I read the Wall Street Journal's piece ("Stephen King, J.K. Rowling and Others Whose 'Not-for-Sale' Books Are Fetching Thousands last month reporting that an ARC of Sally Rooney's now mega-bestselling novel Beautiful World, Where Are You had sold on eBay for $79.99 (with tote bag), while another advance copy went for about $200 earlier this summer. An ARC of Jonathan Franzen's forthcoming Crossroads was recently listed on eBay for $165.

ARCs "can draw a bidding frenzy, especially inside the literary world," WSJ noted. "One publicist described Rooney's galleys, along with Ottessa Moshfegh's, as 'almost like trading cards' among junior publishing employees. Early, unfinished versions of classic novels have long been collectible, with some fetching astronomical prices. This is especially true for early-20th-century books, when advance copies were rare and tended to be made with higher-quality materials. They can also provide a window into a canonical author's process--highlighting revisions made between drafts, say--and may include handwritten corrections."

Among the examples listed were an uncorrected advance copy of John Steinbeck's Cannery Row ($35,000); an early version of Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea ($28,000); an uncorrected proof of Stephen King's Carrie ($3,000), and, just last May, an uncorrected version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that sold for over $29,000.

"FSG policy does not condone any reselling of advance reader copies," said Sarita Varma, director of publicity for Farrar, Straus and Giroux, which publishes Rooney's and Franzen's books in the U.S. "Each copy clearly indicates that it is not for resale."

David Levithan, publisher and editorial director at Scholastic, observed: "This has always been a conundrum with ARCs. At BookExpo, or the American Library Association Conference, you would see people literally picking up every single galley they could find and getting them signed. Authors used to joke, 'Should I make this out to eBay?' because they didn't want a name, they only wanted a signature."

Social media has upped the ante. In addition to critics galley-bragging on Instagram and authors sharing images of their friends' books on Twitter, WSJ noted that "there are online communities built around ARC-trading and galley-swapping, especially on the resale site Depop. Users will post ARCs and galley wish lists, alongside the books they have to offer in exchange."

It's an international game. Regarding that legal gray area the words "not for sale" printed on an ARC fall into, the Guardian wrote that "publishers remain their legal owners. This means that technically, a publishing house could recall an ARC at any time--but this is largely unheard of. And since proofs of big releases have only recently become such a hot commodity, publishers have not traditionally had to police ARC sales stringently--and have generally been willing to turn a blind eye to a small number of proofs being sold in charity shops."

I'm an innocent. Many of the ARCs that have passed through my hands over 30 years as a bookseller and then editor experienced the same fate as my precious copy of Corelli's Mandolin. It was sent to me at the bookstore by Pantheon, along with a promotional letter from the late, great Sonny Mehta ("Every now and then I pick up a novel that provides a shock of recognition...."). I'm sure I was on that particular mailing list because a couple of years before, I'd been one of the indie booksellers nationwide evangelically handselling Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient (literally the ARC that changed my life ).

In 1994, my Corelli's Mandolin ARC was consumed in the best possible way: marginal notes, underlinings, dog-eared pages, broken spine. Devalued, as it were. And yet, it has a place of honor on my bookshelves. Still tucked inside it is a promotional bookmark Pantheon sent out at the time, with Corelli's on one side and The English Patient on the other. That's a link I do value, all these years later.

Priceless, you might say.--Robert Gray,contributing editor

The Nature of  Witches by Rachel Griffin is a fantasy novel that could be considered a YA romance, at a stretch. This is one of those books that gets a ton of good ink before it debuts, and it was recommended to me more than a few times, as I like YA fantasy/magic stories with a strong female protagonist. While I'm aware the young woman, Clara, at the heart of this story is somewhere in her late teens/early 20s, she comes off as terribly immature and spineless, as well as somewhat b*tchy a couple of times throughout the novel. So much as I tried to like Clara, halfway through the book I wanted to shake her and say "For heaven's sake, you have all this power, just learn to use it and quit whining already! Stop with the guilty conscience over things/people/situations you have no control over!"  Here's the blurb: In a world where witches control the climate and are losing control as the weather grows more erratic, a once-in-a-generation witch with the magic of all seasons is the only one who can save earth from destruction. But as her power grows, it targets and kills those closest to her, and when she falls in love with her training partner, she's forced to choose between her power, her love, and saving the earth.

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, but now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic; the storms, more destructive. All hope lies with Clara, a once-in-a-generation Everwitch whose magic is tied to every season.

In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It's wild and volatile, and the price of her magic—losing the ones she loves—is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.

In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she's the only one who can make a difference.

In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she's terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.

In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves...before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

I did like Sang, who was calm, and I liked her familiar cat, and the exploration of climate change that requires the help of everyone, witches and non-talented people, to resolve the terrible effect it's having on the weather and the earth. And I enjoyed the HEA. The prose was skillful and lush, while the plot moved along at tornado-like speed. I felt as if the author was building on a love of astrology/tarot and Harry Potter-style magics to build a fairly realistic world that was engrossing without being too fable/folklore-ish. I'd give this book a B+, and recommend it to anyone who likes coming of age witch stories that involve real world problems.

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu is a gothic and sumptuous novel with riveting post apocalyptic world-building and strong characters that will keep readers turning pages all night long. Here's the blurb: Sixth Sense meets Stranger Things in T. L. Huchu's The Library of the Dead, a sharp contemporary fantasy following a precocious and cynical teen as she explores the shadowy magical underside of modern Edinburgh.

Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker – and they sure do love to talk. Now she speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to those they left behind. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children – leaving them husks, empty of joy and strength. It’s on Ropa’s patch, so she feels honor-bound to investigate. But what she learns will rock her world.

Ropa will dice with death as she calls on Zimbabwean magic and Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. And although underground Edinburgh hides a wealth of dark secrets, she also discovers an occult library, a magical mentor and some unexpected allies.

Yet as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted? 

This is one of those books that might go unnoticed, which would be a shame due to the strong protagonist and rigorous prose that, along with a plot that never lets up on the thrills and chills and mystery, never allowing the reader to turn away or stop reading "just one more chapter" until the end. There are some fascinating insights into the "travelers" or "Rom" people, and their fight for the survival of their culture in a world that treats the poor and POC as disposable. Though there seemed to be too much put on Ropa's shoulders, having to care for her handicapped grandmother and her little sister (and their rickety caravan) I appreciated her toughness and her compassionate heart, especially in an environment where kindness is a liability. I honestly didn't want the book to end. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys the BBC's "Ghosts" series or any other program where someone has the ability to talk to the dead, and finds them as annoying in death as they were in life. 

The Confectioner's Guild by Claire Luana was a bargain e-book that I didn't expect to enjoy much, and was shocked to discover that I loved it. It was the perfect mix of YA fantasy, mystery, romance and delicious world building that keeps me up reading long past my bedtime. Here's the blurb:

A magic cupcake. A culinary killer. The perfect recipe for murder.

Wren knew her sweet treats could work wonders, but she never knew they could work magic. She barely has time to wrap her head around the stunning revelation when the head of the prestigious Confectioner’s Guild falls down dead before her. Poisoned by her cupcake.

Now facing murder charges in a magical world she doesn’t understand, Wren must discover who framed her or face the headsman’s axe. With the help of a handsome inspector and several new friends, Wren just might manage to learn the ropes, master her new powers, and find out who framed her. But when their search for clues leads to a deep-rooted conspiracy that goes all the way to the top, she realizes that the guild master isn’t the only one at risk of death by chocolate.

If Wren can’t bring the powerful culprit to justice, she and her friends will meet a bittersweet end.

The Confectioner’s Guild is a delicious YA fantasy mystery. If you like spunky chefs and twisty mysteries with a drizzle of romance, then you’ll love Claire Luana’s scrumptious tale that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The prose was as delicious as the confections that Wren makes, and the plot swooped in and grabbed ahold of me and never let go. I normally enjoy YA female protagonists with spunk and charm, and Wren delivered on both counts. I was so sad that this book ended, yet the HEA was sublime, so I couldn't be too upset about it. Wren is a smart protagonist that reminded me of Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series, only less of snob. I'd give this ebook an A, and recommend it to anyone who likes beautiful fantasy world-building that is so well outlined that you want to go there and see it for yourself.

The Starless Girl by Liz Delton is another YA fantasy that has the Narnia-esque trope of a "regular" girl who falls through a door to another world, one full of magic and danger. There was an Asian theme to this ebook that I enjoyed, and I loved the separation of "light" and "dark" magic as being not inherently good or bad in and of themselves. Here's the blurb: I thought I was just a normal girl living a normal life. Until the day my mother dies and everything changes.

My normal shifts, and nothing makes sense anymore.
Suddenly I’m seeing this glowing light in everything around me. I can’t explain it. It’s just…there. But when a dog made of darkness chases me, I somehow end up in a different world.

A world of magic.

Now I need to learn how to survive in this world, how to use my light to protect myself and those around me.

But when more creatures made of darkness start appearing, I’m caught in the middle of a war that has been raging within the realm for decades. Mysterious forces are tearing this world apart, and no matter how hard I try to convince myself that this is not my fight…
I just can’t walk away.

The prose was muscular and clean, while the plot marched along at a swift and sure pace. I enjoyed the young protagonist, who really grew up throughout the book, and developed a "found" family within her fellow students in this new world and school that she's destined to become a part of. I could "see" in my mind's eye all the battles and the training and the monsters and spirits that make up our heroine's world, and though she comes to understand that her mother was a denizen of this magical realm, she maintains her sense of self and her own moral code, even when she's between a rock and a hard place. I'd give this delightful book an A, and recommend it to anyone who likes fish out of water stories, or tales of wonderful worlds that you can enter from a door in the cupboard or in the woods.

 

Third Place Books Adds Brewery, Iowa's Books and Bakery Launches Fundraiser, NBF Honors Nancy Pearl, The Most Reluctant Convert Movie, POTUS and VP Visit Bookstore, The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel, The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson and An Irish Hostage by Charles Todd

It's been a busy week, but this week looks to be even more so, with my son returning from Canada and my library book group meeting tomorrow. Meanwhile, though I have been delving into many of the books on my TBR (and I've sent three of them back to Amazon because, after 100 pages, they were just uninspiring and dull, and I couldn't waste more time on poorly written work) I also took the time to watch season 6 (the final season) of Lucifer, with the magnificent Tom Ellis in the title role. The last two episodes were so emotional, I went through a box of tissues crying like a baby! I also watched a movie with Jennifer Lopez and Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman (and the delightful Camryn Manheim!) called An Unfinished Life...spoiler, this felt like an unfinished script in a lackluster movie that wasted all that acting talent. Anyway, here are some tidbits and reviews. Read on, fellow book lovers!

My husband is a huge beer afficionado, and since I am a big fan of books, this sounds like a way I might lure him into a bookstore visit! 

Seattle's Third Place Books Adding Chuck's Hop Shop 

Chuck's Hop Shop, a "longtime beer lovers' destination from former Barbecue Smith owner Chuck Shin will open its third location, at Third Place Books https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49655127 in Seward Park in Seattle, Eater News reported, noting that during the past decade, Chuck's has developed a strong following in Greenwood and the Central District and will now take over the space vacated by Raconteur, which had a restaurant, downstairs bar and some outdoor seating.

"We're incredibly pleased https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49655128 to announce that we're opening our 3rd place inside the Seward Park @thirdplacebooks!" Chuck's posted on Instagram. "We are thrilled to partner with them and create a truly unique experience. This location will feature an espresso bar, a TBD restaurant concept, an expansive and well curated tap list, and the same great family focused environment you've come to love! Plus a whole lot more once we get the doors open! We're just in the beginning stages, but we just couldn't keep this secret any longer!"

Third Place Books noted: "We could not be more excited!!! For those of you who don't know Chuck's--it is an amazing place and will be the perfect complement to the bookstore--a true community gathering space. We couldn't have asked for a better partner for our Seward Park location. More updates coming soon!"

This sounds like another great idea for a bookstore, especially for those among us with a sweet tooth! My dad would have loved this place, as he never met a pastry or doughnut that he didn't like (his favorite was bearclaws and apple fritters, though). 

Iowa's Books and Bakery Launches Fundraiser to Open Storefront

Books and Bakery https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49656260, the online and pop-up bookstore in Carroll, Iowa, has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to raise $12,000 to open a bricks-and-mortar location. The money raised will "allow us to update and install new flooring, purchase new shelves and fixtures, update lighting, get our signs, help us with the first month's rent, and of course it'll allow us to have the best selection of book and book related inventory we can find," owner McKenzie Crawford wrote.

Books and Bakery sells new and used books, notebooks, journals, literary candles, book-related shirts, mugs, literary pens and more.

Crawford's younger brother, Alex, who is autistic and nonverbal and graduated from high school this year, has worked closely with Crawford, making "this one-woman operation turned into a lovely family business. Alex works hard to ensure our new business is always accommodating for those who need extra supports and assistance. With that, his goals and dreams had also warped, changed, and grew."

Crawford recounted her path to bookselling: "When I was a little girl, I often dreamt of one day running a bookstore. As I grew, that dream expanded, warped, and altered. As a teenager, I went vegan and my bookstore dream turned into wanting to run a bookstore and café or bakery combination. I was often told to get my head out of the clouds, as that dream is too far fetched. However, here we are. Making my dreams a reality and bringing bookstore magic to Carroll areas and beyond. Our online store has been busy and shipping orders all around the United States. We are ready for our next adventure as a new bookstore (one day bakery as well) in downtown Carroll, Iowa."

I've met and spoken to the great Nancy Pearl several times, and she's the maven of Seattle's literary scene. She even had her own action figure (with shushing action!) that could be purchased at the great Archie McPhee store (yes, I do own one, and it comes with it's own tiny stack of books, lol). Any awards that come her way are well-deserved, IMO.

National Book Foundation Honoring Nancy Pearl

Nancy Pearl, the former librarian and "energetic champion for readers across the country," is the 2021 recipient of the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49656274 "for her expansive service to readers and the literary community."

Presented by the National Book Foundation, the award honors "an individual for a lifetime of achievement in expanding the audience for books and reading." Pearl will receive the award from the Washington Post's Ron Charles at the 72nd National Book Awards ceremony on November 17.

The foundation noted that "for nearly four decades, Pearl worked in the public library systems in Detroit, Tulsa, and lastly, Seattle, where she was the executive director of the Washington Center for the Book. From the creation of the pioneering One Book, One City program to her commitment to promoting books and authors, Pearl is an energetic champion for readers across the country."

"Libraries are an empowering force in the United States, and are vital to our communities," said David Steinberger, chair of the NBF's board of directors. "The work that librarians do to ensure free and open access to our shared culture is unparalleled, and Nancy Pearl's lifetime of service is a reinforcement that libraries are of the utmost importance for all. We are honored to recognize her contributions, and we are grateful for her passionate advocacy to connect readers with books."

NBF executive director Ruth Dickey commented: "Nancy Pearl's energetic commitment to spreading the joy of books has truly helped build our national culture of reading. For decades, Nancy has worked closely with libraries, literacy organizations and community groups, in the U.S. and abroad, to share her infectious love of books with individual readers and entire communities. We are delighted to celebrate her long career of important work keeping literature at the center of conversations."

I love CS Lewis, whose Narnia books were a delight to read, even without realizing that they were Christian allegory (until my friend Rosemarie Larson explained it to me) until after I'd read them. I also read some of his other non fiction works, and I found his prose very appealing and sincere. I look forward to seeing this movie when it debuts.

Movie: The Most Reluctant Convert

A trailer has been released for The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis https://www.shelfawareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49657435, a new film tracking the life of the Chronicles Of Narnia author. Deadline reported that on November 3, venues in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, Miami Beach, San Francisco and more will screen the film for a one night engagement.

Directed by Norman Stone, the film stars Max McLean, Nicholas Ralph and Eddie Ray Martin as Lewis at various stages of his life. The story "follows the author as he battles with himself and ultimately finds faith," Deadline wrote. Also appearing are Tom Glenister as J. R. R. Tolkien, David Shields as Hugo Dyson, and Hubert Barton as Owen Barfield. The project is based on the U.S. play Lewis on Stage: The Most Reluctant Convert, adapted by and starring Max McLean, which was primarily based on Lewis's memoir Surprised By Joy.

 I agree with Mr Graham, that it is wonderful to have a president and VP who enjoy reading books! Our previous president, Trump, wasn't a reader, and it showed.

Image of the Day: The Vice President and a President

Kamala Harris (l.) went shopping at Politics and Prose https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49688081 in Washington, D.C., yesterday. She stopped by with her sister, Maya, and their husbands, Doug Emhoff and Tony West, to pick out a range of books and chat with customers. Bradley Graham, co-owner and president of the American Booksellers Association, (r.) commented, "So great having a vice president who loves to read and visit independent bookstores!"

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel is a historical fiction novel with a romantic subplot that manages to not intrude upon the important work of the novel's main plot about a woman who helps Jewish people survive in the forest wilderness while hiding from the Nazis during WWII. I found the prose to be precise and yet full enough to keep the plot rolling along like a tank toward a satisfying ending. Here's the blurb:
The New York Times bestselling author of the “heart-stopping tale of survival and heroism” (People) The Book of Lost Names returns with an evocative coming-of-age World War II story about a young woman who uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis—until a secret from her past threatens everything.

After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.

Inspired by incredible true stories of survival against staggering odds, and suffused with the journey-from-the-wilderness elements that made Where the Crawdads Sing a worldwide phenomenon, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author whose writing has been hailed as “sweeping and magnificent.”

Yona is a wonderful protagonist, kind and compassionate, yet tough and smart in the ways of the forest and able to survive anything that nature throws at her. Still, her innocence and gullibility rankled a bit after she had been cheated on by her first love, who conveniently dies...it was also rather convenient that her Nazi father was insane and was shot and killed after trying to force her to join him in his ruthless and cruel life. Still, this novel was engrossing and reads fairly fast, so you can get through it in a day. I'd give it a B, and recommend it to anyone who is curious about WWII survivors and woodcraft.

The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson was a nice combination of beach read and romance with a literary twist and a small town vibe. The prose was spritely and crisp, and the plot moved along gracefully if not mysteriously. Here's the blurb: June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way.
 
Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother.

Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer's feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won't believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way.

To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she's determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too.

While I appreciate that there are shy people in this world, and library work often calls to introverts,  it isn't until page 131 that June the protagonist shows any spine at all, and even then, she's still a wilting weepy wallflower, which can be very annoying in a protagonist who is supposed to be working to save the library she works at. She finally "grows a pair" on page 272, nearing the end of the book, but by then readers may have become so exasperated with her character that they've put down the book in frustration (and I wouldn't blame them one bit). Though the book does come to a satisfying conclusion, and June finally grows up and moves beyond her grief (I find people who grieve their parents so deeply for decades to be a bit strange, even mentally ill). So I'd give this bizarre little tale a B, and recommend it to anyone who is interested in small town English life.

An Irish Hostage by Charles Todd is the 12th book in the Bess Crawford mystery series, written by mother and son team Charles and the late Caroline Todd (RIP). I've read all the Bess books, and loved them, as nursing "Sister" Bess is a wonderful protagonist, wise and compassionate and brilliant. Here's the blurb:

In the uneasy peace following World War I, nurse Bess Crawford runs into trouble and treachery in Ireland—in this twelfth book in the New York Times bestselling mystery series.

The Great War is over—but in Ireland, in the wake of the bloody 1916 Easter Rising, anyone who served in France is now considered a traitor, including nurse Eileen Flynn and former soldier Michael Sullivan, who only want to be married in the small, isolated village where she grew up. Even her grandmother is against it, and Eileen’s only protection is her cousin Terrence who was a hero of the Rising and is still being hunted by the British. 

Bess Crawford had promised to be there for the wedding. And in spite of the danger to her, she keeps that promise—only to be met with the shocking news that the groom has vanished. Eileen begs for her help, but how can Bess hope to find him when she doesn’t know the country, the people, or where to put her trust? Time is running out, for Michael and for Bess herself, and soon her own life is on the line. With only an Irish outlaw and a man being hunted for murder on her side, how can she possibly save herself, much less stop a killer? 

This book had the Todds usual fine prose and swift plot, but there was so much anger and tension and crude/cruel behavior on the part of the Irish characters that I was stunned by the bias shown by the authors toward Britain and noxious British imperialism. It seemed that the Irish couldn't help being murderously (and the authors seemed to think needlessly) angry and cruel, while the English characters were seen as being blameless and kind, and of course not responsible for Great Britain's heinous treatment of the Irish people for centuries. I felt that was a bit too pat, to cast the Irish in black hats and the British in white, when the latter were very far from blameless. Still, the novel provides an interesting window into the "Irish question" following WWI. I'd give this novel a B-, and recommend it to those who want to read a mystery about Ireland following the Easter Uprising.

 

 

Quote of the Day by Kate DiCamillo, RIP Stephen Vizinczey, The Second Mrs Astor by Shana Abe, Murder at Half Moon Gate, Murder at Kensington Palace and Murder at Queen's Landing by Andrea Penrose

Welcome to September, the gateway to fall, and hopefully cooler temps! I have been binge watching shows on Netflix and Apple+ and Amazon, with some forays into Disney+ and Hulu, while simultaneously gathering a huge new TBR of 30 books that I need to read posthaste! Still, with asthma and allergies and Crohns all giving me fits these past couple of weeks, I've had a rough time staying focused on reading, with the exception of a mystery series I've been reading on my Kindle Paperwhite. But hopefully things will get better by the end of the week, and next week I will be hosting my library book group via Zoom, in style. Here's a couple of tidbits and some reviews.

I totally empathize with Kate here, because I feel the same way!

Kate DiCamillo: 'Booksellers Help Us Find Our Way Home'

"When I am asked to define myself, the first word that pops into my head is 'reader.' I am first and foremost a reader. And to go into an independent bookstore and find myself among books and other readers--I feel like I have come home. Thank you--to everyone who puts a book into a reader's hands. It's an act of connection, love. It matters. It helps us all to find our way home."--Kate DiCamillo, author.

RIP to this amazing author...I remember reading part of In Praise of Older Women when I was 11 years old, and I really didn't understand it at all, but I felt very grown up trying to read it anyway. My mother persuaded me to take it back to the library and try again when I was older. I never did get around to it, which I regret now.

Obituary Note: Stephen Vizinczey

Hungarian-Canadian novelist and critic Stephen Vizinczey https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz49623516, who "was a distinguished member of the diaspora that fled Hungary after the revolution of 1956" and, as the author of In Praise of Older Women (1965), "also belonged to the select band of writers who invent a book title that becomes familiar to millions who will never read the book," died August 18, the Guardian reported. He was 88.

Vizinczey's life and work "were informed by his first two and a half decades in Hungary, which left him fearless and ready to take on all comers," the Guardian wrote. After his escape, he arrived in Canada with "no more than 50 words of English and no money, but gradually picked up the language and found backers for a new magazine in Montreal, Exchange, featuring unpublished Canadian writers, among them the young Leonard Cohen." When the magazine folded, he moved to Toronto and eventually married Gloria Harron, a program organizer at the CBC, with whom he went to London in 1966 to promote his first novel, In Praise of Older Women.

"It became a key book of the '60s, a bestseller in France, and a Penguin Modern Classic in 2010," the Guardian wrote. Vizinczey produced two more novels, An Innocent Millionaire (1983) and If Only (2016), "meticulously working to make them as perfect as possible, writing and rewriting over five decades.... No one wrote more keenly about the mean abuse of power or the cruelty of the rich. To these are here added fantastical elements in the spirit of Swift and Mark Twain."

Vizinczey also wrote regularly for the Times in the late '60s and early '70s, and later for the Sunday Telegraph. His reviews and essays are gathered in two collections, The Rules of Chaos (1969) and Truth and Lies in Literature (1986), which "are both timeless and very much of their time," the Guardian noted, adding that he "measured all modern writing--and his own--against what he called 'the Company of the Dead,' who never failed to inspire him.... He spent his last years revisiting the Company, watching French films of the '50s, keeping watch over the slowly failing Gloria and blogging with new, young readers about the masterpieces he never tired of: King Lear, The Idiot, Candide. Above all, he never ceased to grieve over what he saw as the infantilization and hypersensitivity of the modern world."

 

The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe is a highly anticipated historical romance novel that is flush with all the gloriously luxurious prose that Abe is known for. I've read everything that this exemplary author has written, and though most of it was paranormal fantasy romance, Abe managed to switch genres with a deftness and ease that is remarkable. Here's the blurb: Jack Astor was American royalty, the richest man in the world, and Fifth Avenue scion of the Gilded Age. Madeleine Force was a beautiful teenaged debutante suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into fame simply for falling in love with a famous man nearly three decades her senior.

From their scandalous courtship to their catastrophic honeymoon aboard the Titanic—a tragedy that made them the most famous couple of their time—their love story is brought to life in this sweeping work of historical fiction by New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Shana Abé. Perfect for fans of Fiona Davis and Melanie Benjamin.

Madeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob “Jack” Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack’s mother was the Mrs. Astor, American royalty and New York’s most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious—a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference, and the scandal of Jack’s recent divorce, Madeleine falls headlong into love—and becomes the press’s favorite target.

On their extended honeymoon in Egypt, the newlyweds finally find a measure of peace from photographers and journalists. Madeleine feels truly alive for the first time—and is happily pregnant. The couple plans to return home in the spring of 1912, aboard an opulent new ocean liner. When the ship hits an iceberg close to midnight on April 14th, there is no immediate panic. The swift, state-of-the-art RMS Titanic seems unsinkable. As Jack helps Madeleine into a lifeboat, he assures her that he’ll see her soon in New York. Four months later, at the Astors’ Fifth Avenue mansion, a widowed Madeleine gives birth to their son. In the wake of the disaster, the press has elevated her to the status of virtuous, tragic heroine. But Madeleine’s most important decision still lies ahead: whether to accept the role assigned to her, or carve out her own remarkable path.
 
“A touching, compelling, and haunting love story that will delight fans of historical fiction and enthrall those of us for whom the Titanic will always fascinate.” –Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of When We Were Young and Brave 

I was so thrilled to finally get a copy of this wonderful novel that I wasn't as upset as I could have been that they sent me two copies of the book in error. (BTW, if you want a copy for free, email me at archer34@aol.com with your name and address and I will have my extra copy sent to you via book rate postal service...USA readers only, please). I tried to read it slowly, to savor it's rich paragraphs, but, as with most delicious things, it was over far too soon. I loved the characters and the details of life as a rich person at the turn of the 20th century, as well as details of the "unsinkable" Titanic and the aftermath of the demise of the ship and most of it's passengers. The only small niggle that I had with the book is that we never find out what happened to Madeline and baby Jack after his birth. What she does with her life, what he grows up to be, etc. I was so engrossed in their story that I assumed we'd find out in the end, but the end was just the birth of the baby and nothing more. Still, I felt this marvelous novel deserves an A, and I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in the famed Astor family, in late in life romance, and the Titanic disaster.

Murder at Half Moon Gate, Murder at Kensington Palace and Murder at Queen's Landing by Andrea Penrose are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th mysteries in the Wrexford and Sloane series of historical romance/mystery novels. I read the first in this series in one sitting, because it was so engrossing, with fantastic prose and a whip-smart, cracking plot, that I couldn't put my Kindle down for hours on end. So I wasn't surprised that the next book in the series, Murder at Half Moon Gate, was equally engrossing, with more great banter and serious sleuthing on the part of the main protagonists, Lord Wrexford (a sort of Sherlock Holmes of the aristocracy) and Charlotte Sloane, later to be known as Lady Charlotte, who, along with their street urchin wards and a host of fascinating side characters, take on one gruesome murder after another and eventually foil the bad guys with but moments to spare! Here's the blurbs: 

Half Moon Gate: When the eminent scientist Lord Wrexford discovers the body of a gifted inventor in a dark London alley, he promptly alerts the authorities. But Wrexford soon finds himself drawn into the murder investigation when the inventor’s widow tells him that the crime was no random robbery. Her husband’s designs for a new steam-powered engine went missing the night of his death. The plans could be worth a fortune . . .and very dangerous in the wrong hands.
 
Joining Wrexford in his investigation is Charlotte Sloane, who publishes scathing political cartoons under the pseudonym A. J. Quill. Her extensive network of informants is critical for her work—and for tracking down the occasional killer. The suspects include ambitious assistants, greedy investors, and even the inventor’s widow. And when another victim falls, Wrexford and Sloane know they are on the trail of a cunning and deadly foe.

Kensington Palace: Though Charlotte Sloane’s secret identity as the controversial cartoonist A.J. Quill is safe with the Earl of Wrexford, she’s ill prepared for the rippling effects sharing the truth about her background has cast over their relationship. She thought a bit of space might improve the situation. But when her cousin is murdered and his twin brother is accused of the gruesome crime, Charlotte immediately turns to Wrexford for help in proving the young man’s innocence. Though she finds the brooding scientist just as enigmatic and intense as ever, their partnership is now marked by an unfamiliar tension that seems to complicate every encounter.
 
Despite this newfound complexity, Wrexford and Charlotte are determined to track down the real killer. Their investigation leads them on a dangerous chase through Mayfair’s glittering ballrooms and opulent drawing rooms, where gossip and rumors swirl to confuse the facts. The more Charlotte and Wrexford try to unknot the truth, the more tangled it becomes. But they must solve the case soon, before the killer’s madness seizes another victim.  

Queen's Landing: When Lady Cordelia, a brilliant mathematician, and her brother, Lord Woodbridge, disappear from London, rumors swirl concerning fraudulent bank loans and a secret consortium engaged in an illicit—and highly profitable—trading scheme that threatens the entire British economy. The incriminating evidence mounts, but for Charlotte and Wrexford, it’s a question of loyalty and friendship. And so they begin a new investigation to clear the siblings’ names, uncover their whereabouts, and unravel the truth behind the whispers.
 
As they delve into the murky world of banking and international arbitrage, Charlotte and Wrexford also struggle to navigate their increasingly complex feelings for each other. But the clock is ticking—a cunning mastermind has emerged . . . along with some unexpected allies—and Charlotte and Wrexford must race to prevent disasters both economic and personal as they are forced into a dangerous match of wits in an attempt to beat the enemy at his own game.

I fell in love with grumpy but logical Wrexford and artistic and independent but insecure Charlotte and their "weasels" (street urchin wards) during the first book, and I felt very invested in the outcomes of their inquiries, because the danger they face together always seems so real that I'm not sure the whole cast will make it to the next book in the series (number 5 comes out a couple of months from now). Victorian London was a dangerous place,apparently, and full of evildoers both common and noble. The whole tense love story was drawn out a bit too long, but considering the era, I suppose it was about right for the protagonists to fear what a relationship could do to both their careers and their households. Still, I am so glad that I found this series, which is similar to Deanna Raybourne's "Veronica Speedwell" mysteries and Jacqueline Winspear's "Maisie Dobbs" mysteries that have strong female protagonists fighting against rigidly sexist roles forced on women by society while carving out decent lives and roles for themselves. I'd give this whole series a strong A, and recommend it to anyone who is interested in the above mentioned sleuths and their work-arounds of the roles that women are expected to play in society.