Dracula's New TV Adaptation, They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Kinokuniya Merger, Because of Winn Dixie on Stage,The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay, The Light Over London by Julia Kelly, Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass,The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall

Good day to all book lovers on this cloudy Amazon Prime Day! I find it ironic that that the huge online retailer, which started out as a book seller, now offers no discounts at all on physical books on their biggest sales day of the year. After all that we've spent over the years on Amazon, both from me as a bibliophile and my family for nearly everything else, I figure YOU OWE ME, Jeff Bezos! LOL, just kidding....sort of.

Sherlock and Doctor Who writers/creators/showrunners Moffat and Gatiss have decided to produce a Dracula mini series, which is exciting news for those of us who enjoy well told vampire stories. 

TV: Dracula

BBC One revealed a photo of actor Claes Bang (The Square, The Girl in the Spider's Web) from the new Dracula http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41199666 miniseries, which it is co-producing with Netflix. Entertainment Weekly reported that the project, "a new take on Bram Stoker's classic character," is from Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, who will write and executive produce. Dracula will make its debut on Netflix outside of the U.K. and Ireland.

Additional cast members were also announced, including Lyndsey Marshal, Chanel Cresswell, Matthew Beard, Lydia West, Paul Brennen, Sarah Niles, Sofia Oxenham, John McCrea, Phil Dunster and Millicent Wong. They join John Heffernan, Joanna Scanlan, Dolly Wells, Lujza Richter, Sacha Dhawan, Jonathan Aris, Morfydd Clark, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Catherine Schell, Youssef Kerkour, and Clive Russell.

"I am thrilled to be taking on the role of Dracula, especially when the script is in the hands of the incredible talents of Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and the team responsible for Sherlock," Bang said. "I'm so excited that I get to dig in to this iconic and super-interesting character. Yes he's evil, but there's also so much more to him, he's charismatic, intelligent, witty and sexy. I realise that there's a lot to live up to with all the amazing people that have played him over the years, but I feel so privileged to be taking on this incredible character." 

This sounds like a beautifully written graphic novel memoir, and I laud George Takei for working so hard to put this story into the limelight right now, when so many Mexican families are being incarcerated and separated from their children in camps at the border of the US. This is a shameful part of American history that is being repeated right now, and though we currently have more media outlets to show us what is happening, all of us seem powerless to do anything to stop it, other than being outraged at the racist Trump administration.

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott and Harmony Becker (Top Shelf Productions, $19.99, 9781603094504)

Best known as Sulu on Star Trek: The Original Series, George Takei spent several years of his childhood in two Japanese-American internment camps during World War II: the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas and Tule Lake Segregation Center in California. Takei's experiences previously inspired the Broadway musical Allegiance, and now his graphic memoir brings renewed focus and attention to the lives and experiences of the 120,000 Japanese-Americans relocated during WW II.

Recommended for young and adult readers alike, including fans of Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference, Farewell to Manzanar and Snow Falling on Cedars.

This is an exciting merger, and I hope it will mean good things for Kinokuniya, which is one of my favorite bookstores in the International District of Seattle.

Kinokuniya U.S. Merges with NBC Stationery & Gifts

Effective June 1, Kinokuniya Book Stores of America http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41223846 has merged with NBC Stationery & Gifts, which operates seven Mai Do http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41223847 stationery shops in the U.S. The two companies are now doing business as Kinokuniya America and NBC America, respectively. Kinokuniya America has inherited all rights and obligations of NBC America.

According to Kinokuniya, the merger provides an "opportunity to enhance the vibrant atmosphere of its stores. NBC America has been providing highly designed stationery and gifts gathered from every corner of Japan and America, and could potentially increase Kinokuniya America's ties with popular Japanese companies and brands. In-store events related to the surrounding communities will be held regularly as well, in continued efforts to attract local customers."

Masashi Takai, chairman and president of parent company Kinokuniya Company Ltd., said that as a result of the merger, the number of stores directly managed by Kinokuniya America has increased from 12 to 19, while the number of Kinokuniya Book Stores in other countries has increased from 29 to 36 stores.

I loved this book and the movie made from it, so now I'm thrilled to see that there is musical stage adaptation.

On Stage: Because of Winn Dixie

The musical adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's novel Because of Winn Dixie http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41255161 "has leaped off the page and come to life at the Goodspeed http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41255162 in East Haddam, Conn., now playing through September 1," Playbill reported in featuring a highlights video. The production is directed by John Rando, with music from Tony winner Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and lyrics and book by Tony nominee Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde).

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay is one of those "bookstores changing women's lives" stories that I am usually eager to read and enjoy. Unfortunately, one of my hard and fast rules for enjoying any book is that there has to be a character that I identify with, who I find to be a good/honorable person (not that this person needs to be perfect, they just need to be endearing and not reprehensible and stupid) who learns and grows throughout the novel. Our protagonist here is Madeline, who is a high powered attorney and a real piece of work. She inherits her aunts house and much beloved community bookstore, and instead of being gracious about it, her main concern is how fast she can sell both buildings so that she can buy more prestigious antiques. Blech. The two women who currently run the bookstore are Janet, who is snide and bitchy when she really has no right to be (she was recently divorced because she cheated on her husband, and is somehow surprised that her adult children want nothing to do with her), Claire, who is distant from her family and has a really nasty teenage daughter who apparently drinks behind her mothers back and (SPOILER) decides to destroy the bookstore with friends by urinating on the books and vandalizing the interior of the shop so badly that it is a wonder the place is still standing. For this, the girls father is only concerned with keeping her out of jail so that she won't have a record and can proceed with her life as if nothing has happened! Seriously crappy parenting there, where they don't want her to be responsible for her actions, when she should spend time in jail, and she definitely should name the others who took a baseball bat to the valuable letters that gave the bookstore its name, that will never be replaced. But none of this happens, and because she is a minor by a couple of months (!) she basically gets off scot free, which is shameful. Here's the blurb:

One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline’s heart toward her once-treasured aunt—and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.
While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and within the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than the acerbic Janet, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and its loyal clientele, finding a renewed purpose within its walls.
When Madeline’s professional life falls apart, and a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. Has she been too quick to dismiss her aunt’s beloved shop? And even if she has, the women’s best combined efforts may be too little, too late.

As noted previously, I didn't really like any of these women, so I found the book difficult to get into, but after the first 60 pages things began to move along. The prose was workmanlike and the plot easy to follow, with the inevitable HEA ending. What I found most odd about the book, however, was the authors use of religion that suddenly found it's way into the three main character's lives through Bible quotes left to them by Aunt Maddie in letters after her death. Readers don't find out about this until page 230 or so, when the book is winding down to its conclusion. Suddenly, it's all talk of how God figures in their lives, which is weird at best, and an unwelcome interruption at worst.Therefore I have to downgrade this novel from a B to a C, and only recommend it to those who like religious redemption stories with female protagonists.

The Light Over London by Julia Kelly (any relation to author Martha Hall Kelly of Lilac Girls and Lost Roses fame?) is yet another WWII historical romance novel, this time revolving around the women who worked in the ATS dept shooting down enemy aircraft with big "ack-ack guns" on the roofs of  London during the Blitz. AS is often the case, the book goes back and forth from a modern day protagonist, Cara, who finds a WWII diary of Louise Keene, who takes the alternating chapters to tell her story. Here's the blurb: Reminiscent of Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls and Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, this sweeping, entrancing story is a must-read for fans of remarkable women rising to challenges they could never have predicted.

It’s always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques dealer is perfect. While clearing out an estate, she pries open an old tin that holds the relics of a lost relationship: among the treasures, a World War II-era diary and a photograph of a young woman in uniform. Eager to find the author of the hauntingly beautiful, unfinished diary, Cara digs into this soldier’s life, but soon realizes she may not have been ready for the stark reality of wartime London she finds within the pages.

In 1941, nineteen-year-old Louise Keene’s life had been decided for her—she’ll wait at home in her Cornish village until her wealthy suitor returns from war to ask for her hand. But when Louise unexpectedly meets Flight Lieutenant Paul Bolton, a dashing RAF pilot stationed at a local base, everything changes. And changes again when Paul’s unit is deployed without warning.

Desperate for a larger life, Louise joins the women’s branch of the British Army in the anti-aircraft gun unit as a Gunner Girl. As bombs fall on London, she and the other Gunner Girls relish in their duties to be exact in their calculations, and quick in their identification of enemy planes during air raids. The only thing that gets Louise through those dark, bullet-filled nights is knowing she and Paul will be together when the war is over. But when a bundle of her letters to him are returned unanswered, she learns that wartime romance can have a much darker side.

Though the prose was engaging and delved deep into the history of gunner girls, an area of women's history that has largely been passed by, I found that the plot dragged and snagged on various historical minutia. Louise seems to have the requisite horrible parent, as do all British characters, and Cara is also rather wimpy, until later in the book, when she finally grows a spine. So, while I enjoyed some of the story, I felt the characters were a bit too stereotypical for my tastes. I'd give this book a B-, and recommend it to those who enjoy Martha Hall Kelly's books, with a caveat that Julia Kelly's characters aren't as strong.

Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass is a cozy cat mystery of the type that my mother adores, because she's a huge fan of kitty cats and certain types of dogs, and she likes gentle mysteries to soothe her before she goes to sleep each night. This particular paperback involved a book mobile and a stray cat named Eddie, so I decided to preview it before I send a copy to my mom. Here's the blurb: With the help of her rescue cat, Eddie, librarian Minnie Hamilton is driving a bookmobile based in the resort town of Chilson, Michigan. But she’d better keep both hands on the wheel, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Eddie followed Minnie home one day, and now she can’t seem to shake the furry little shadow. But in spite of her efforts to contain her new pal, the tabby sneaks out and trails her all the way to the bookmobile on its maiden voyage. Before she knows it, her slinky stowaway becomes her cat co-pilot!

Minnie and Eddie’s first day visiting readers around the county seems to pass without trouble—until Eddie darts outside at the last stop and leads her to the body of a local man who’s reached his final chapter.

Initially, Minnie is ready to let the police handle this case, but Eddie seems to smell a rat. Together, they’ll work to find the killer—because a good librarian always knows when justice is overdue.
This was one of those books I like to think of as a "beach read" or palate cleanser between other more meaty texts. The prose is light and fun, the plot brisk and the characters funny, offbeat and generally cute. My only problem was that Minnie, as is the case with many cozy mystery protagonists, is more than a soft touch, she's nearly spineless and gives in to all the pushy people and bullies around her who want her to do things for them, often dangerous things, while they can't seem to muster the courage to help her at all. She needs to learn to say no, but of course she doesn't, otherwise we wouldn't have her get into trouble in the book. Still, I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to cat lovers and cozy mystery fans everywhere.

The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall (who is, apparently, a guy) was recommended to me by a steampunk fantasy author whose work I enjoy, and who also has fans that enjoy Sherlock Holmes mysteries and all the modern permutations thereof. I don't know why, then, that I was surprised that the prose was 19th century Conan Doyle style, complete with long, drawn out sentences and odd word usage. The first 100 pages were difficult to read, as I had to acclimate myself to the dense, hyperbolic prose of the era. Still, once I got over the tufted velvet ottoman of each paragraph, the novel really began to steam ahead and become enjoyable. Here's the blurb: In this charming, witty, and weird fantasy novel, Alexis Hall pays homage to Sherlock Holmes with a new twist on those renowned characters.

Upon returning to the city of Khelathra-Ven after five years fighting a war in another universe, Captain John Wyndham finds himself looking for somewhere to live, and expediency forces him to take lodgings at 221b Martyrs Walk. His new housemate is Ms. Shaharazad Haas, a consulting sorceress of mercurial temperament and dark reputation.
When Ms. Haas is enlisted to solve a case of blackmail against one of her former lovers, Miss Eirene Viola, Captain Wyndham is drawn into a mystery that leads him from the salons of the literary set to the drowned back-alleys of Ven and even to a prison cell in lost Carcosa. Along the way he is beset by criminals, menaced by pirates, molested by vampires, almost devoured by mad gods, and called upon to punch a shark.

But the further the companions go in pursuit of the elusive blackmailer, the more impossible the case appears. Then again, in Khelathra-Ven reality is flexible, and the impossible is Ms. Haas' stock-in-trade.

So Captain John, our Dr Watson stand in, and Shaharazad Haas, our female avocado Sherlock Holmes, go about wreaking havoc and wielding magic wherever they go in this dystopian science fictional Great Britain. I didn't really like Haas, who had all of Sherlock's vices and none of his charm, but prim and prissy Captain/Watson was a hoot, and the rolicking plot kept me glued to the last 80 pages until the wee hours. The tedious prose style might keep me from reading another book in this series, however, as I felt it took me too long to decipher it. Therefore I'm giving this short novel a B+ and recommending it to Holmes and Watson fans who like a lot of magic and dystopian dimensions in their mysteries, and who don't mind the old fashioned prose.