Nowhere Bookshop, RIP Terrance Dicks and Dorothea Benton Frank, My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell, A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, Reticence by Gail Carriger and Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

Though I wasn't a huge fan of her books, (I found them ridiculously overhyped and not as funny as most people did), I do love reading Jenny Lawsons Bloggess blog, which is much more amusing than her books, and allows people to get some insight into her life, living with mental illness. At any rate, I was chuffed to read that she's opening a bookstore/bar in her home town, Nowhere Bookshop, and I sincerely wish her the best of luck and success.

Author/Blogger Jenny Lawson to Open Bookstore/Bar in San Antonio

Author and blogger Jenny Lawson has signed a lease for a combination bookstore and bar http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41704366 in San Antonio, Tex., that will be called Nowhere Bookshop, reported SA Current.

Lawson, aka The Bloggess http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41704367, is the author of You Are Here: An Owner's Manual for Dangerous Minds (Flatiron), Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir (Berkley) and Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things (Flatiron). She tweeted on Saturday, "Big, terrifying news. Today I'm signing the lease for my bookstore bar. I want to vomit and cry all at the same time. Get ready for Nowhere Bookshop, San Antonio."Lawson added that the space needs work, including a new floor, so Nowhere Bookshop won't open for a while.

Anyone who loves Doctor Who, especially the classic Doctors, knows the huge impact of writer Terrance Dicks. I was so sad to read of his passing. RIP.

Obituary Note: Terrance Dicks

Terrance Dicks http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41730789, children's author and writer of numerous Doctor Who novels and episodes, died August 29. He was 84. The Guardian reported that Dicks "had a long association with the BBC's longest-running sci-fi show," writing episodes from the late 1960s until the early 1980s. He also served as its script editor from 1968 to 1974.

Chris Chibnall, the program's current producer and showrunner, paid tribute to "one of the greatest contributors to Doctor Who's history, on-screen and off... As the most prolific and brilliant adapter of Doctor Who stories into Target novels, he was responsible for a range of books that taught a generation of children, myself included, how pleasurable and accessible and thrilling reading could be. Doctor Who was lucky to have his talents. He will always be a legend of the show."

In the 1970s and 80s Dicks wrote children's fiction, as well as more than 50 Doctor Who spin-off novels between 1974 and 2007, including The Sarah Jane Adventures. His other books include The Pyramid Incident and The Transylvanian Incident from Picadilly Press' The Unexplained series.

Author Jenny Colgan, who writes Doctor Who books under the name J.T. Colgan, said that Dicks's novelizations were "always the best.... Like many children's authors he was wildly undervalued--despite being a key ingredient in a lifelong love of reading, particularly among boys, he received almost no official recognition whatsoever. He claimed to be no stylist but his short chapters, clear sentences and ability to get to the point extremely quickly influenced a generation of writers."

His agent, Hilary Delamere told the Bookseller http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41730790>:

"Not only was Terrance Dicks admired and respected by all his Dr. Who fan-base but Brenda Gardner, who published him first at WH Allen and then on her Piccadilly Press list for over 30 years, said he was an editor's dream author--delivering his well-written manuscripts on time, always open to editorial suggestions and felt that the author/editor relationship was always strengthened by alternating who paid for lunch!"

Albert De Petrillo, publishing director, BBC Books, described him as "a legend, and a major influence not only as script editor for the show, but also as a novelist."

Author Neil Gaiman tweeted http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41730791: "I remember reading his and Malcolm Hulke's book The Making of Doctor Who when I was 11 or 12, and deciding then that I would one day write an episode of Doctor Who, because they had shown me how. RIP Terrance Dicks."

Another great author passed recently, the Geechee Girl herself, Dorothea Benton Frank. I read more than a few of her books, and always found them entertaining and soothing, because they were comfortable and easy to figure out, plot wise. RIP DBF.

Obituary Note: Dorothea Benton Frank

Dorothea Benton Frank http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41732797, author of 20 novels set in South Carolina's Lowcountry, died September 2. She was 67 and had had "a brief but intense battle with myelodysplastic syndrome, or MDS, a type of cancer similar to leukemia," the Post and Courier reported.

Her novels, always commercially successful, "spin yarns about family love and conflict, friends who leave and return, impressive matriarchs--almost always set in the sands of South Carolina barrier islands," the paper wrote. "These are, literally, beach reads." Frank's most recent book, Queen Bee, was published in May by Morrow. Other titles included Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms, Pawley's Island and Folly Beach.

Frank also "cultivated a public persona, promoted the Charleston area, hosted expansive events for her readers and made public appearances at book events. For years, she co-hosted the Post and Courier Book & Author Luncheon. Her fans could be content simply reading her novels, but they often had opportunities to immerse themselves in a Dottie Frank Lowcountry experience."

Carrie Feron, Frank's editor at William Morrow, who worked on her last 15 books, told the Post and Courier: "She was a big part of my life. She was vibrant and fun and fearless. She was a great collaborator." At annual copy editing sessions at Frank's South Carolina home (she also had a home in Montclair, N.J.), "she made me fall in love with a little island off the coast of South Carolina," Feron added. "It's such a special place, and she was so generous about it."

Cassandra King, author and wife of the late Pat Conroy, called Frank "a force of nature" with "such a big heart," the paper wrote. She recalled how much Conroy liked Frank, saying they "were so funny together. She called him Fat Boy and he called her the Dotted One."

On Facebook, Hub City Writers Project Spartanburg, S.C., wrote in part http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz41732799: "It is fitting that her last book was titled Queen Bee, because that's what Dottie was. And we know how lucky we were to welcome her for the past seven years when, on schedule (but maybe a few minutes late), she would whoosh into town to entertain her unflagging fans who came out by the hundreds from as far away as Kentucky to see their beloved friend, Dottie. For that was her gift. Whether someone tagged along to see Dottie for the first time or if a regular attending for the seventh year in a row, everyone--and I mean everyone--considered Dottie Frank a friend.

"She was also a very savvy writer who wrote richly appealing books that she promoted shrewdly and tirelessly. Her messages were subtle but she was fierce in her defense of causes she felt keenly: domestic violence and environmental advocacy, among others. She was talented, hardworking and an absolute joy to be around."

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell is this month's book from my library book group. I've read this and two other books by Durrell when I was a child more than 40 years ago, so I only had a vague memory of the prose and plot of this funny and fascinating work of non fiction. However, there is a show that is "inspired" by this book on PBS called "The Durrells in Corfu" that basically took the bones/premise of the book and then just went crazy with it, leaving behind a lot of funny and wonderful Greek characters and making many of the family members into romantic figures, while relegating the author himself to a secondary role, when he's the protagonist of the book and all their family antics are filtered through his budding naturalist's lens. Durrell's prose is rich, detailed and often florid to the nth degree. When I was young, I loved purple, florid prose because I felt that authors should be as drunk on words and wordcraft as I was. Now, decades later, it seems a bit excessive. Here's the blurb: The inspiration for The Durrells in Corfu, a Masterpiece production on public television: A naturalist’s account of his childhood on the exotic Greek island.

When the Durrells could no longer endure the gray English climate, they did what any sensible family would do: sold their house and relocated to the sun-soaked island of Corfu.
As they settled into their new home, hilarious mishaps ensued as a ten-year-old Gerald Durrell pursued his interest in natural history and explored the island’s fauna. Soon, toads and tortoises, bats and butterflies—as well as scorpions, geckos, ladybugs, praying mantises, octopuses, pigeons, and gulls—became a common sight in the Durrell villa.
Uproarious tales of the island’s animals and Durrell’s fond reflections on his family bring this delightful memoir to life. Capturing the joyous chaos of growing up in an unconventional household, My Family and Other Animals will transport you to a place you won’t want to leave.

Unfortunately, the overstuffed sentences became tedious after awhile, but that didn't prevent me from laughing uproariously at the hilarious mishaps of the family Durrell. I'd give this book an A, and recommend it to anyone who loves nature and all manner of flora and fauna, including reptiles and insects. 

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is a beautifully crafted retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in alternate worlds, our modern one and the kingdom of Emberfall. Our heroine is a young woman, Harper, disabled by Cerebral Palsy who works to help her brother commit crimes to keep the mob from killing her mother, who is dying of cancer, and her brother, Josh, who is trying to deal with their loser fathers loan repayments (the father, of course, fled, leaving behind his children to handle a situation that would be deadly for an adult). The prose is stellar, full of wonderfully-crafted scenes that make the plot move so fast it's almost a blur. This is the kind of book you start reading and then discover that you haven't put it down in 8 hours and are nearly finished being engrossed by the gripping story. Here's the blurb: Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

SPOILER: I think it's fascinating that the beast isn't some Disney-esque lion-like creature, but instead is a dragon with razor sharp claws, teeth and scales who kills every living thing he encounters. It's also interesting that Harper doesn't break the curse, in the end, it's a half brother who sacrifices himself for the sake of the kingdom. I also loved that Harper didn't let her disability stop her from being fierce and smart and helping others whenever she could. Seriously deserving of an A, I'd recommend this wonderful book to anyone who has ever loved Beauty and the Beast, the original fairytale, and those who enjoy well done urban fantasy.

Reticence by Gail Carriger is the fourth and final book in the Custard Protocol series, and the last we will see of the Soulless and Finishing School characters. With that in mind, Carriger pulls out all the stops for this volume, and we've got Kitsune, floating cities and lots of droll wit from the likes of the crew of the Spotted Custard, as well as Sophronia, Alexia and all the other characters from the previous books. Reading this book is like sitting down to a sumptuous tea after a long and dry day without food or libations. The prose is delicious, as with all of Carriger's novels, and the plot marches along appropriately.  Here's the blurb: Bookish and proper Percival Tunstell finds himself out of his depth when floating cities, spirited plumbing, and soggy biscuits collide in this delightful conclusion to NYT bestselling author Gail Carriger's Custard Protocol series.
Percival Tunstell loves that his sister and her best friend are building themselves a family of misfits aboard their airship, the Spotted Custard. Of course, he'd never admit that he belongs among them. He's always been on the outside - dispassionate, aloof, and hatless. But accidental spies, a trip to Japan, and one smart and beautiful doctor may have him renegotiating his whole philosophy on life.
Except hats. He's done with hats. Thank you very much.
I did my best to read slowly and savor this final volume, but try as I might, I still came to the end and cried, because these characters have become like family, and I will miss them all (even Tasherit, the lioness shifter, whom I never liked due to her harassment of Prim.I also find her asking Prim to "keep" her like a pet creepy, and the way that she licks her beloved, even in human form, also gives me the willies.)  Still, I loved the new Doctor Arsenic and her relationship with Percy, and I was thrilled that Rue finally had her baby, a girl, and that all is well aboard their airship. This book gets a well deserved A, and a recommendation to all the Carriger fans far and wide. It's worth every penny of the hardback price. 

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes was supposed to be a fun literary romance for those of us who aren't in their 20s and perky and blonde. Not labeled a frivolous beach read or a 'chick lit' novel, it sounded right up my alley, because it was supposedly about a smart gal who wanted to reinvent herself and ends up falling for her lodger, a down-and-out baseball player who is, of course, hot. Unfortunately, though it started out promising, the protagonist, Evvie (pronounced to sound like Chevy), is clearly not as bright as advertised, and I was furious at her cowardice nearly all the way through the book. Though it's OBVIOUS that her doctor husband was a narcissistic abusive asshat, who dies fortuitously in a car accident, Evvie considers herself to blame for his death and calls herself a 'monster' internally. She's frustratingly cowed and cringing throughout most of the book. It's not until page 258 that a minor character finally tells her that what she has experienced is severe emotional (and physical) abuse. And finally on page 260, we see Evvie grow a spine and tell her horrible mother NO, for a change, and from there on pages 263 and 270, Evvie finally listens to her therapist and others and moves on with her life, like she should have in the first 2/3rds of the novel. Here's the blurb: From the host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast comes a heartfelt debut about the unlikely relationship between a young woman who’s lost her husband and a major league pitcher who’s lost his game.
In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash. Everyone in town, even her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and Evvie doesn’t correct them.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Dean Tenney, former Major League pitcher and Andy’s childhood best friend, is wrestling with what miserable athletes living out their worst nightmares call the “yips”: he can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why. As the media storm heats up, an invitation from Andy to stay in Maine seems like the perfect chance to hit the reset button on Dean’s future.
When he moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, the two make a deal: Dean won’t ask about Evvie’s late husband, and Evvie won’t ask about Dean’s baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken—and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more. To move forward, Evvie and Dean will have to reckon with their pasts—the friendships they’ve damaged, the secrets they’ve kept—but in life, as in baseball, there’s always a chance—up until the last out.
A joyful, hilarious, and hope-filled debut, Evvie Drake Starts Over will have you cheering for the two most unlikely comebacks of the year—and will leave you wanting more from Linda Holmes 

I vehemently disagree with that last paragraph, as this is not a joyful or hilarious novel at all. It does get hopeful toward the end, but for the most part, it's a head-scratcher that will leave you asking repeatedly WHY...like why doesn't Evvie tell her best guy friend, whom she tells everything, about her jerk of a husband, or his insurance policy? Why doesn't she want to spend the scumbucket dead husband's money? (he's not here to harm her anymore, and its only small recompense for all she went through with him). Why not tell her ex husband's parents the truth? Why not tell anyone the truth? It's pure cowardice on her part, when guys like that need to be "outed" for their crimes. He could easily have abused other women, and they're keeping silent because they think they're the only ones who were harassed. Evvie is just allowing the abuser the final word, and I think that's wrong. Just giving money, through a third party, to domestic violence shelters isn't enough. I think that the authors jobs with NPR allowed her access to getting this book published, because I fail to see how it would be lionized otherwise. The prose is okay, and the plot mediocre with an inevitable HEA. I'd give it a C+, and only recommend it to those who don't mind glaring plot holes and a cowardly female protagonist.