Happy October, bibliophiles! Today is my mother's 83rd birthday (Happy birthday to the best and most hard working mom ever!) and my 23rd wedding anniversary to my husband Jim! Who would have thought opposites like us would have made it this far?! I've been celebrating with phone calls to mom, root beer gelato (dairy free of course) and lots of books. I also figured it wouldn't hurt to update my blog today, and then I can get back to reading and watching this fun Australian romance series called "McLeod's Daughters" that has me hooked on all the soapy goodness of each episode (I'm watching it on Amazon Prime).
I'm going to change it up and review the books first, and then have the tidbits come after.
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick, and it's gotten a ton of good ink since Reese gave it the nod. I was expecting great things from the book, then, and was surprised at how difficult it was to get into. However, even after it became more engaging as the plot sped up, I still found myself being frustrated by Lakshimi, the protagonist, being so responsible for all her crappy irresponsible relatives and friends and even sh*tty ex-husbands. She gives them all money, takes care of them and cleans up their messes, all of which eventually bankrupts her and ruins her career aspirations. And none of them thanks her for it, they're all selfish shallow fools and terrible people. I do not understand why she chose to bear everyone's burdens and never give a second thought to herself. It was horrifyingly sexist and lead her to have to move and take her nasty, selfish sister with her. Anyway, here's the blurb: Vivid and compelling in its portrait of one woman’s struggle for
fulfillment in a society pivoting between the traditional and the
modern, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel.
Escaping
from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way
alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the
most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women
of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can
never reveal her own.
Known for her original designs and sage
advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who
could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream
of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted
by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a
high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had.
Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is
threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up
those that surround her as she does.
Again, I found the story to be not at all modern, more third world horrific, especially when it comes to women being the ones expected to sacrifice everything for others and not seek anything for themselves. Women's only value is seen as sexual, or as mothers bringing sons into the world for their husbands, or as the person who supports and heals/helps everyone around them. There is no place in this society for a woman to have her own business, her own money, and to live a life independent of family members who parasite off of them. Women cannot live for themselves, but can only sacrifice for others, which is so wrong and misogynistic on many levels. I think we are supposed to see this as a good thing, as Lakshimi triumphing in all those caretaking roles, against all odds, and carrying the burdens of everyone on her back. I found that disheartening and disgusting, and I found the ending sad. The prose was good, not great, but it got the job done in moving the story along the meandering plot. I'd give this book a B-, and recommend it to those who like stories of India in the 1950s.
Fable by Adrienne Young was a fascinating YA novel that has what passes for pirates and magical sea creatures in a fierce coming of age tale that was captivating and moved rapidly along with slick prose on a windy plot. Here's the blurb: Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to
profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family
while trying to survive in a world built for men.
As the
daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only
home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years
since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving
storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island
filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to
herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother
taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting
off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place
beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young
trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to
her father.
But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his
trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable
soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to
survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if
they're going to stay alive. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue and adventure.
This is not a book for those looking for a soft and sweet magical seafaring romance. It's brutal and cruel and vast, with a take no prisoners and kill whomever you don't trust theme. Fable's father is much like a piratical mafia don, and he doesn't really have any time for Fable, who reminds him of his "weakness" in loving her mother. And everyone is out to kill Fable right from the first page to the last. She spends most of her time trying to dodge assassins and murdering thugs and just about everyone else, while also trying to make enough money to improve her life and have a career/ship of her own. She takes two steps forward and three back, however, and even those who seem like allies really don't have her back, and are only helping her on orders of the ships captain, who has a crush on her. The fact that the ending is a cliffhanger (SPOILER) and she is kidnapped by one of the bad guys (A rival ships captain who has employed the man who helped raise her as a child) leads me to believe that the second book in this series will show us even more violence and pain, as I am sure Fable will be forced into something horrific before she's rescued by the crew of the Marigold. I found this to be a very readable, if grim book that deserves no less than a B+, and a recommendation for those who like their pirate stories full of violence and adventure and unsavory people.
Sword and Pen by Rachel Cain is the final book in the "Great Library" series. I've read the rest of the series, and though I enjoyed the characters and some of the world building, I found the story arcs to be a bit slow and the war and fall out to sometimes be too grim and tedious. Here's the blurb: With the future of the Great Library in doubt, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone must decide if it's worth saving in this thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.
The
corrupt leadership of the Great Library has fallen. But with the
Archivist plotting his return to power, and the Library under siege from
outside empires and kingdoms, its future is uncertain. Jess Brightwell
and his friends must come together as never before, to forge a new
future for the Great Library...or see everything it stood for crumble.
As one reviewer wrote, it's "dark, riveting, grab you by the throat storytelling." I'd agree with most of that, especially if you realize that the hands gripping your throat are bruising and painful and hard to shake off. Author Rachel Caine is dying, and on hospice in the final stage of her life, and in honor of that, I felt compelled to read this book and a couple of her other works as a supportive gesture that she requested on Facebook. Though all but one of the original characters/students introduced at the beginning of this series survives (Jess's brother dies, but he was never a scholar), I still felt let down at the end, because so much had been lost in the war, so much infrastructure and so many books and people had perished for the greed and power of one man, that it was sickening. As a meditation on the high cost of war, it was spot on, but if evil politics and people aren't your thing, give this series a pass. If you do like that kind of intrigue, I highly recommend the Great Library series, which gets a well deserved A from me.
Sadly, many bookstores (and regular stores, and restaurants, etc) have had to permanently close their doors due to the COVID 19 pandemic which, as of this writing, has killed almost 210,000 people in America alone, and infected 7 million Americans. One of the all time greatest bookstores in California, Vroman's, is struggling to keep the lights on, and is seeking support of customers far and wide. Please, if you can afford to do so, order a book or something book related from Vroman's today.
Bookselling News
Vroman's Seeks Customer Support to Survive
Sales at Vroman's Bookstore http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz45772291, Pasadena, Calif., are down 40% this year, "a level which cannot sustain our business," chairman Joel Sheldon wrote in a letter to customers quoted in Pasadena Now. "The next few months will determine the future of Vroman's. Vroman's also owns Book Soup <http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz45772293> in West Hollywood.
"As you can imagine, the past few months have been the most difficult in Vroman's 126-year history," Sheldon wrote. "We survived the advent of national brick and mortar competitors over the years and the development of online behemoths. But like virtually every retailer in the last six months--large and small--we are struggling as never before."
He continued: "It is critical now that our sales volumes return to much higher levels for us to stay open. Up until now, I have resisted asking for community support--it's a very humbling experience. But it is now time."
Sheldon suggested customers shop for books and gifts at Vroman's, encourage others to do the same, and shop early in the season--October and November rather than December--and early in the day--on weekday mornings rather than busier weekday afternoons and weekends
Already one Vroman's fan has created a GoFundMe campaign http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz45772294, aiming to raise $100,000 to help the store. Marianne Polonsky, who said she was happy to hand over administration of the campaign to Vroman's, wrote in part that Vroman's "has always been part of our community, spanning three centuries and two millennia. It has brought joy and discoveries to generations of Pasadenans and Angelenos. Vroman's was there for me when I needed a book, or advice and recommendations on a topic as a student. It was there for me on rainy days when I needed to take my toddler to a dry welcoming place, letting me read to her for hours sitting on the big stuffed bear or on those little chairs she adored so much. It has brought us Story Hour with Mr Steve, free conferences with fascinating authors, and a place to look for that unique holiday or birthday gift for the friend who has everything. Vroman's is our heart and we need to keep it beating. It has survived the internet craze but the virus may ring its death knoll if we don't rise to save it. It's our turn to help Vroman's. Please give as you can so we can keep The Bookstore for generations to come and at least another century."
Meanwhile, while other businesses falter, Amazon is raking it in during the pandemic, and they're planning on having that orgy of online buying, Prime Day, take place next week.
Amazon's Rescheduled Prime Day Set for Mid-October
Amazon's Prime Day http://www.shelfawareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz45809101 has been scheduled for October 13-14. The annual shopping promotion, usually held in July, was postponed this year because of increased demands Covid-19 put on the company's warehouses due to a surge in panic-buying.
Announcing the new dates, Amazon attempted to frame Prime Day as a boost for small businesses--at least those with a direct connection to the online retailer--that were hit hard by the novel coronavirus. "Amazon is increasing its commitment to small business selling partners by designing Prime Day to support them with our biggest small business promotion yet," the company said, adding that it would spend "more than $100 million on new promotional activities to help small businesses around the world increase their sales and reach new customers. This has been a challenging year for many small businesses, and selling in Amazon's stores has enabled hundreds of thousands of smaller companies to sustain and even grow their sales despite the Covid-19 crisis and beyond."
Jeff Wilke, Amazon CEO of worldwide consumer, commented: "In the midst of an unprecedented year, we're committed to making this the most successful Prime Day ever for our small businesses and excited for Prime members worldwide to discover new ways to support local entrepreneurs and save big on everything they need and love."
Powells is hanging in there, thank heavens, and they've named a new CEO, which is a good sign that they plan on hanging around for awhile.
Powell's Books Names New CEO
Powell's Books http://www.shelfawareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz45809065, Portland, Ore., has hired as its new CEO Patrick Bassett http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz45809066, a "veteran business consultant" who has been working as an adviser to Powell's for several months, the Oregonian reported. A Portland native and graduate of the University of Oregon, Bassett was a finance executive and business consultant in Boston beginning in 2010, then moved back to Oregon last year.
Bassett told the newspaper that Powell's must accept that it will be dealing with the pandemic indefinitely. "I don't think we're in crisis anymore," he explained. "I think this is the new normal, the new reality. We're going to be in this environment for an extended period of time. So if we're managing it like we're in a crisis, we're going to exhaust ourselves and burn out."
After shutting its stores in March, Powell's has fully reopened only one location--in Beaverton. The flagship store downtown opened partially and the Southeast Hawthorne store is closed. In July, Powell's permanently closed its store at Portland's airport.
Powell's owner Emily Powell, who had been CEO and continues as president, said she hopes to have all three stores open in time for the holiday season, but with many safety limitations. "I don't know when we're coming out of it," she said. "I don't exactly know how. We're going to feel our way through the trees and find our way out."
One of the store's priorities is focusing on improving its long-popular website, which is all the more important as an increasing amount of books sales are made online during the pandemic. "If we don't have a compelling website, we won't exist in five more years," Powell said. "That's just the reality of the world we live in."
Below is a book review of a book that I've been wanting to read since I first heard about it. It sounds fascinating.
Book Review: Fortune Favors the Dead
Willowjean Parker (who goes by Will) ran away from home at 15 to join the circus. She's working on the side, a security job at a construction site--the kind of job women get to do now that "the men who'd usually have taken them were overseas hoping for a shot at Hitler"--when she first meets Lillian Pentecost, the famous lady detective. A few clever deductions and a little knife-throwing skill later, and she finds herself in Ms. Pentecost's employ, apprentice to the aging lady detective. Stephen Spotswood's first novel, Fortune Favors the Dead, sparkles with the wit and personality of this bold, unconventional heroine. Will may revere her boss, but readers know that it's the intrepid younger woman who stars.
In Will's delightful first-person telling, peppered with vernacular asides, the two women initially clash in a violent midnight action sequence worthy of the kind of pulp novel Will so loves. She now relates this and other stories from a distance of some years, confiding in her readers the difficulties of choosing what to include. The major case she highlights is that of the Collins family: the patriarch dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, matriarch bludgeoned with a crystal ball following a seance--in a locked room--leaving twins
Randolph and Rebecca to tease and manipulate their hired detectives, Ms. Pentecost and Will. The twins' godfather is now acting CEO of Collins Steelworks; his loyalties are unclear. And the medium and "spiritual advisor" whose crystal ball became a murder weapon is another wild card: she seems to have unusual power to intimidate Ms. Pentecost, which unnerves Will entirely.
This mystery plot has all the twists and surprises a fan of the genre could ask for, but it is Will's distinctive, captivating voice and background--from difficult childhood to the circus to lady detective--that is Spotswood's real triumph. Fortune Favors the Dead resets classic noir elements (smoky nightclubs, femmes fatale, unexplained midnight gunshots) in 1940s New York City as experienced by women who like women and men who like men, as Will discreetly frequents a slightly different kind of nightclub, and no one is precisely who they seem. Ms. Pentecost's expertise and no-nonsense attitude are appealing and entertaining, but gutsy Will, with her snappy, slangy narrative style, ultimately wins readers' hearts and carries the day. --Julia Kastner librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz45849412
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