I Sang You Down from the Stars, Obit for Sharon Kay Penman, Nora Roberts Defends Cast of Brazen Virtue, Amanda Gorman's Titles Spark Million Printings, Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart, The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon, Glimpsed by G.F. Miller, The Conjurer by Luanne G Smith, A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout

Greetings, friends and bibliophiles!

January is almost over, and like everyone else I'm spending a lot of time trying to get an appointment for the COVID 19 vaccine, which is still in short supply. I've been frustrated by the lack of help for the immune compromised, but at the same time, I am glad to know that health care workers and the elderly are being vaccinated in record numbers. Meanwhile, I've purchased a new Kindle Paperwhite e-reader, which I've downloaded a bunch of interesting titles onto for times when I need a fast read and a break from some of the more hefty and meaty paper books that are in my TBR stack on my bookcart and in my bed (I do a lot of reading in bed). It's not as easy to navigate as my old Kindle Fire, but it is lightweight and small, and it holds battery power for weeks, vs hours on the Kindle Fire. Anyway, I've got lots of reviews and interesting tidbits to share.

This Shelf Awareness book review is so well written, it makes me want to read what sounds like a gorgeous children's book about mothers and their babies.

Children's Review: I Sang You Down from the Stars

A young Indigenous woman joyously awaits the birth of her child in this celebration of family and tradition by Cree and Trinidadian writer Tasha Spillett-Sumner (Surviving the City), accompanied by dazzling illustrations by Tlingit artist Michaela Goade (We Are Water Protectors http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47248444).

"I loved you before I met you," the mother says. "Before I held you in my arms,/ I sang you down from the stars." From among sprays of leaves and berries, readers see her gazing up past the silhouettes of mighty evergreens into an amethyst sky at sunset, longing for a child. The swirling white plume of a falling star's trail mingles with chimney smoke from her nearby home. Following the sweeps of stardust, she finds a white eagle feather in a strawberry patch, "the first gift in a bundle/ that will be yours." After becoming pregnant, she continues to gather items to add to the baby's bundle, including soft green fronds of cedar and sage, a river stone ("so that you always/ remember you belong to this place") and a lilac and seafoam star quilt she hand-stitches.

After the birth, the mother sees stars reflected in her daughter's eyes as stardust flows through her hair and swirls around the carefully selected items in the baby's bundle. During a celebration of family and friends--most of whom share her brown skin tone while a few appear white--she realizes the baby is like a bundle filled with love and hope for the future. In the heartwarming final spread, she cradles the baby under a deep violet, star-speckled sky and recounts again how she sang her down from the stars.

While the assembling of medicine bundles is practiced primarily by Indigenous cultures, Spillet-Sumner's tender free-verse tribute to the joy of welcoming a new baby should resonate with any caregiver who has excitedly awaited a child's arrival. Her spare, uplifting lines sing with gratitude, reverence and elation. Goade's ethereal watercolor and mixed-media illustrations soar across the page, overflowing with gorgeous touches like the mother's ever-present silky-coated dog. The stardust swooshes recur, sometimes framing insets that show traditional dances, sacred images from the natural world and allusions to both Cree and Tlingit stories. I Sang You Down from the Stars will make a beautiful gift for an expecting family as well as a read-aloud to assure children they are loved. --Jaclyn Fulwood youth services manager at Main Branch, Dayton Metro Library

 I can't think of more than a few people who haven't read Penman's Sunne In Splendour, which was a beautiful historical romantic novel that I really enjoyed when I was in college. I'm so sad that Penman is gone from this world, but she leaves behind a brilliant legacy of historical novels that made history interesting for a lot of people. RIP.

Obituary Note: Sharon Kay Penman

 

Sharon Kay Penman, the historical fiction author best known for her

Plantagenet Series, died last Friday at the age of 75.

 

Penman wrote her first novel while she was still a student. Entitled The

Sunne in Splendour, it focused on Richard III and the War of the Roses.

The manuscript, however, was stolen from her car, and Penman could not

bring herself to rewrite the book for years. Eventually, while working

full-time as a tax attorney, Penman did rewrite it, and The Sunne in

Splendour was finally published in 1982.

 

After that, she quit her job to write full time, publishing the Welsh

trilogy (Here Be Dragons; Falls the Shadow; The Reckoning), about

Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, grandson of Llewelyn the Great, and then the

Plantagenet Series, about King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. That

series began with When Christ and His Saints Sleep, and the second book

in the series, Time and Chance, became her first New York Times

bestselling novel. While she initially envisioned the Plantagenet series

as a trilogy, she continued the story with two more novels focused on

Richard the Lionheart, the son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

 

Penman also wrote a series of historical mysteries featuring Justin de

Quincy, a fictional character who works for Eleanor of Aquitaine. The

first of these books, The Queens Man, was a finalist for the Edgar Award

for Best First Mystery. Her last novel was Beyond the Sea, published in

2020.

 

BRAVA! Nora Roberts Defends Casting Choice for Brazen Virtue

Nora Roberts "isn't interested in what Internet critics have to say," especially about the decision to cast Alyssa Milano http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47256630 as the lead character in an upcoming Netflix film adaptation of Brazen Virtue. Entertainment Weekly reported that "not all of Roberts's fans were happy with the news, with many taking to the author's Facebook page to protest Milano's casting because of the actress' openly liberal views on social media. The comments got so out of hand that Roberts was compelled to respond to the backlash personally."

"I'm delighted Ms. Milano's been cast in the adaptation of Brazen Virtue for Netflix," Roberts said. "To say I was stunned and appalled by some of the comments regarding the announcement on my Facebook page is a wild understatement. I spoke my piece, posted it publicly, and stand by it and Ms. Milano. To those who state they'll never read my work again due to differing political viewpoints and opinions, or because a talented, experienced actor will play a role, I can only say that's their choice. I believe Ms. Milano and I will survive it."

Monika Mitchell (Virgin River, The Knight Before Christmas) will direct the project from a screenplay by Suzette Couture, Donald Martin and Edithe Swensen.

"I'm a liberal Democrat. Always have been, always will be," Roberts posted on Facebook http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47256631. "And as one, I've always believed everyone has a right to their political beliefs, and has a right to express their opinions. But I don't have to tolerate insults and ugliness on my page.... Others have used outright slurs against an actress, while claiming she should keep her opinions to herself.

"Some will never read me again because Milano will headline this adaption. One reader stated she intended to BURN all my books in her collection for this choice of actress. Think about that. Burning books.

Get a visual? I sure do. Another claims she can only support 'like-minded' artists. Really? I only imagine the books, songs, movies I'd have missed if I felt this way and refused to read, watch, listen to those who contributed to or performed them who hold different political viewpoints from my own.... Watch the movie when it comes out, or don't. But lobbing nastiness at an actress or threatening me doesn't do anything but illustrate your own limitations."

Gorman's epic poem for the inauguration was so beautiful to hear, read by the author, that I am not surprised that many people are lining up to get a printed copy of her work. 

Early Demand for Amanda Gorman's Titles Sparks Million-Copy First Printings

To meet the overwhelming early demand for upcoming books by Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47258396, her publisher will print one million copies of each, CNN reported. The titles have already hit bestseller lists as pre-orders.

"Our goal has been to publish and release the The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country as soon as possible," said Shanta Newlin, executive director of publicity and corporate communications at Penguin Young Readers. "We initially set a publication date of April 27 and today announced a new and improved date of March 16."

A special edition version of the Inaugural poem, with a foreword by Oprah Winfrey, is also set for a March 16 release. Gorman's other upcoming title, Change Sings: A Children's Anthem, will be published September 21 as previously scheduled.

Gorman also made headlines this week: she signed with IMG Models, and was invited by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to recite an original poem before Super Bowl LV on February 7. That poem will highlight three individuals the NFL is honoring "who served as leaders in their respective communities during the global pandemic."

Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart is the 6th book in the Kopp Sisters series that I've read and enjoyed, for the most part. This volume sees the sisters separated by the "Great War" WW1, as each has a role to play in crushing the German advance. Here's the blurb: Split apart by the war effort, the indomitable Kopp sisters take on saboteurs and spies and stand up to the Army brass as they face the possibility that their life back home will never be the same.

The U.S. has finally entered World War I. Constance, the oldest of the Kopp sisters, is doing intelligence work on the home front for the Bureau of Investigation while youngest sister and aspiring actress, Fleurette, travels across the country entertaining troops with song and dance. Meanwhile, at an undisclosed location in France, Norma oversees her thwarted pigeon project for the Army Signal Corps. When her roommate, a nurse at the American field hospital, is accused of stealing essential medical supplies, the intrepid Norma is on the case to find the true culprit.

Determined to maintain their sometimes-scratchy family bonds across the miles, the far-flung sisters try to keep each other in their lives. But the world has irrevocably changed—when will the sisters be together again?

Told through letters, Dear Miss Kopp weaves the stories of real-life women a century ago, proving once again that “any novel that features the Kopp sisters is going to be a riotous, unforgettable adventure” 

Though I enjoy these novels, Constance is the real reason that I read them, because Norma is a mean and controlling bully and Fleurette is a conceited, vain, selfish and often stupid young woman whose life revolves around trying to get on stage so she can show off and have people admire her. Yech. But our stalwart Constance is still smart and has a great sense of humor, and keeps the sisters close with letters and common sense advice. Stewart's prose is just as stalwart as Constance, and her plots march along in double-time. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone who has read any of the other Kopp sisters novels.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a fun and flirty radio romance in the proud tradition of what used to be called "Chick Lit" but is now called "Women's Fiction." Here's the blurb: Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon's sparkling romantic comedy debut.
 
Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. 
 
When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts.  
 
As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

My husband Jim worked in radio for over 20 years, as a board operator and producer, so I know a little something about radio broadcasters and producers, though Public radio is different in that it gets money from listeners more than advertisers, or it used to anyway. Still, I could tell that the author had worked in radio by her descriptions of the sleazy program director (Most PDs are scumbags, especially the men, and all of them were men when my husband worked in radio) and the board of directors, which in public radio must take the place of the General Manager, who has the final say over what does and doesn't go on air. That said, the whole fake relationship thing was a bit over the top, and everyone's reaction to it a little too dramatic as well. And I loathe the romance novel trope of the tiny (must be 5'3" or under) adorable, waif of a woman who is drooled over by the male protagonist, (who is always tall, muscular and devastatingly handsome), because of course tiny child-like women are universally sexy and pursued by men, who apparently are all slightly pedophillic in their desires. Blech. Usually the young woman is blonde, and has to do some gymnastics to even get a kiss from the guy, and she's always got a 'fragile' and optimistic heart (which is also childlike). This nauseating misogyny has got to stop! Please, romance novelists, give us a middle aged woman who is at least 5'6" or taller and weighs more than a child, who is a brunette and isn't at all babyish in her desires or actions! Anyway, I did enjoy the book until the unsurprising ending, and Solomon's prose and plot were both slick and fast-moving. I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to anyone who has ever worked in radio in Seattle, or any other major market. 

Glimpsed by G.F. Miller is a YA ebook that I wasn't sure I was going to like,which turned out to be a lot more fun than expected. Miller's prose was sharp and smart, and her plot whizzed along on skates. Here's the blurb: Perfect for fans of Geekerella and Jenn Bennett, this charming, sparkly rom-com follows a wish-granting teen forced to question if she’s really doing good—and if she has the power to make her own dreams come true.

Charity is a fairy godmother. She doesn’t wear a poofy dress or go around waving a wand, but she does make sure the deepest desires of the student population at Jack London High School come true. And she knows what they want even better than they do because she can glimpse their perfect futures.

But when Charity fulfills a glimpse that gets Vindhya crowned homecoming queen, it ends in disaster. Suddenly, every wish Charity has ever granted is called into question. Has she really been helping people? Where do these glimpses come from, anyway? What if she’s not getting the whole picture?

Making this existential crisis way worse is Noah—the adorkable and (in Charity’s opinion) diabolical ex of one of her past clients—who blames her for sabotaging his prom plans and claims her interventions are doing more harm than good. He demands that she stop granting wishes and help him get his girl back. At first, Charity has no choice but to play along. But soon, Noah becomes an unexpected ally in getting to the bottom of the glimpses. Before long, Charity dares to call him her friend…and even starts to wish he were something more. But can the fairy godmother ever get the happily ever after?

There were a few laugh out loud moments in this sparkly book, and I enjoyed the budding relationship between the Trekkie (Star Trek fan) and the popular Cheerleader Charity who, though she's a fairy godmother, doesn't seem to realize that she's also a trendsetter at her high school. I also liked that Charity's grandmother, who is also a fairy godmother, played a large role in her life, especially as a mentor. I find it hard to believe that her mother, however, didn't seem to care enough about her daughter to stick around and actually raise her...why would you have a child if you were uncaring enough to leave her alone all the time? At any rate, I'd give this fun rom-com YA book an A, and recommend it to anyone looking for an unusual read.

The Conjurer by Luanne G. Smith is the final book in her Vine Witch trilogy, bring to light the story of the Jinn (Genie) Sidra, the third of the group that were imprisoned together at the start of the trilogy, who helped each other escape the hangman's noose. Smith's prose is dense and delicious, kind of like a mincemeat pie, with many layers of flavor, so though it's a short novel, it takes time to read it and give each paragraph your full attention. The plot is equally twisty, but fascinating, and I was glad to see all the loose ends being tied up. Here's the blurb:

A beguiling novel of revenge, deliverance, and a powerful sisterhood of magic by the Washington Post bestselling author of The Vine Witch and The Glamourist.

Sidra didn’t murder her husband. Yet even a jinni can’t wish away a wrongful imprisonment. Determined to prove her innocence, she returns to her adopted home—a French village renowned for its perfume witches—with her friends Elena and Yvette by her side. Here is where Sidra’s true destiny awaits, but danger also lurks in the village’s narrow lanes.

On her trail is Jamra, another jinni, who’s after more than revenge for the murder of his brother. He also seeks vengeance for the indignities inflicted on jinn by mortals over the centuries. When he learns of an ancient relic capable of unleashing chaos on the world, and that the weapon is in the hands of his murderous sister-in-law, he vows to destroy Sidra to get it.

Relying on a sisterhood of magic, a mysteriously faithful dog, and a second-rate sorcerer, Sidra defends herself using the village’s greatest asset: its perfume. It’s as beguiling a lure as it is a formidable shield. But is it enough for Sidra to protect herself and those she loves from powers yet to be released?

There's plenty of action and adventure in this novel, and a lot of information on sacred objects of desert dwellers from the Middle East. There's also some good information on the different forms that magic can take, from witches to fairies to the Jinn, and how they can all work together to defy evil-doers. The descriptions of French perfumeries was divine, and made me want to visit France just for the fragrances...and I've not felt that way since reading one of MJ Rose's books on the subject of perfumers and their trade. All in all, this was a satisfying way to end what was a riveting series of books. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who has read the other two books in this series.

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L Armentrout is the second book in this series, and a robust follow up to From Blood and Ash. Armentrout's prose is succulent and rich, while her plots rarely flag. I am most enthralled by her characters, however, as I can't put the book down until I find out what happens to them in the next chapter, and the next, etc. Here's the blurb:Is Love Stronger Than Vengeance?

A Betrayal…
Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice….
Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret…
But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.  

Poppy is nothing if not resilient, but I could hardly fathom how she managed to keep her sanity when "The Dark One" revealed himself to her and her entire worldview is turned upside down. She manages to work with him and with the Wolven, and is finally able to get a grip on how hard they must strive to not only regain Casteel's brother but also Poppy's brother, who has become a vampyr. Though it's a huge novel, I became so invested in the story that I read it right through in 24 hours. I can hardly wait for the third book, The Crown of Gilded Bones, which isn't out until April, unfortunately. Still, it's worth the wait. This book reminded me of early Sara Maas or Anne Bishop and Cassandra Clare. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who read the first book in the series...you won't be disappointed, believe me.

Quotes of the Day, COVID 19 Memorial, Melinda Gates Donates to Carol Shields Prize, Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman, RIP Mira Furlan, South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Weber, My Sister's Song by Gail Carriger, Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout, and Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

Good Day to you all, on this third week of January, not long after the POTUS Biden/Vice President Harris Inauguration. What a relief and a joy it is to have sane leadership in the White House. I was also delighted by the young poet who read her poem, The Hill We Climb, on the 20th and showed us that a bright future is ahead of us.

Meanwhile, I have a lot of Quotes of the Day and 5 reviews, as well as a touching tribute by JMS to one of the stars of Babylon 5, Mira Furlan, who died on January 20 of an undisclosed ailment. Rest among the stars beyond the rim, dear lady, and thank you. 

Quotation of the Day

'Indies Keeping Their Bright Light Shining'

"Despite all the loss, uncertainty, and fear, there's still good news. During challenging times, we rise up together and collectively reaffirm our values. Many bookstores have had a successful year, and many more are reporting they had the best holiday in history....

"Whether or not sales were up, down, or flat, independent bookstores worked tirelessly to keep their bright light shining at a time when it feels like we need them more than ever--and I don't say that lightly. We always need bookstores, but in a year when we were confined to our homes, disinformation flared, Amazon deprioritized books, and our country desperately needed to read about antiracism, bookstores were there for us as an unwavering refuge in the storm.

"I'd like to say thank you to booksellers and everyone in the industry who reinvented their work again and again. Each book we bought felt like one more brick laid on the path to a better world."

--Carrie Obry, executive director of the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, in a letter to members http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47123776

 Right now it's very difficult to get a vaccination, because so many people are vying for appointments. And meanwhile, more people die of COVID 19 because selfish people don't want to wear a mask in public. I am glad that the new administration paused in their celebration to honor those we've lost to this heinous virus.

Covid-19 Memorial: Inkwood Books

As President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris honored the 400,000 people in the U.S. who have lost their lives to the pandemic with a national Covid-19 memorial last night, Inkwood Books http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47153729, Haddonfield, N.J., posted on Facebook: "Our lights are on tonight http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47153730 to remember and honor the six customers we lost to Covid-19, our Inkwood friends who lost loved ones, and all those around the world who are mourning."

 This is an awesome use of a quarter of a million dollars, especially for women of color whose voices need to be heard.

Melinda Gates Donates $250,000 to the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction

Melinda Gates is donating $250,000 http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47153766 to help underwrite the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47153767, which was launched last February and named in honor of the late, renowned Canadian author, O, The Oprah Magazine reported. The C$150,000 (about US$118,300) award celebrates excellence in fiction by women writers in the U.S. or Canada. The first winner and four nominees will be announced in 2023. Gates made the donation through her investment and incubation company, Pivotal Ventures.

"Throughout history, women have been writing profound groundbreaking books," Gates said. "Yet often they earn less, are reviewed less frequently, and are overlooked for awards. The Carol Shields Prize is an exciting step toward a future where books by women get the attention and prestige they deserve."

Susan Swan, co-founder of the Carol Shields Prize, noted: "We are creating an activist foundation where women writers empower other women writers. Our mentorship programs for emerging women writers from all backgrounds and gender identities are critical to shifting cultural attitudes. Emerging women writers are the young trees in the forest and older writers like myself are here in part to help them grow."

Gates added: "Through all my travels around the world, whether in a Northern Indian village or a remote part of Tanzania, women tell me, 'Nobody's ever asked me my story before, they've never asked me about my life.' By listening to their stories, and saying their names we were telling them: your lives are important. That's why what the Carol Shields Prize will be doing is essential."

The Paris Library is on my wishlist for books to buy in February. I totally agree that bookstores are essential, and I hope that there will be many indie bookstores left when the pandemic is over.

Quotation of the Day

'I Need These Bookstores Like I Need Air'

"Here in Paris, independent bookstores like Shakespeare & Co. and the Red Wheelbarrow http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47188364 are community centers that bring people together to celebrate life and the written word. I need these bookstores like I need air. For several years, I led a writing workshop in the upstairs library of Shakespeare & Co. It was an incredible experience to begin class as the bells of Notre Dame chimed. Recently, I became an investor in the Red Wheelbarrow. It is my favorite bookshop. The owner, Penelope Fletcher, tells the best stories and recommends just the right book at just the right time. Walking into her bookshop feels like coming home.

"I wrote this novel as a love letter to libraries, to bookstores, and to book people. In these difficult days, we need the sanctuaries of bookshops and libraries more than ever."--Janet Skeslien Charles, whose novel The Paris Library (Atria Books) is the #1 Indie Next List pick for February, in a q&a with Bookselling This Week http://www.shelfawareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47188366

 This young millennial speaks for not just her generation, but for the generations to come. I loved her poem and her spirit. Lovely.

Media and Movies

Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman on the Late Late Show

Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47188431 shared "some behind-the-scenes moments and her own political plans with a clearly enchanted James Corden" when she appeared on the Late Late Show virtually Wednesday night, Deadline reported. After reciting her poem during the Inauguration ceremony, Gorman "was widely celebrated for both the poem's profound message and her graceful recitation. When she tells Corden she was happy to be 'a small part' of the moment, the host disagrees: 'For me, you were the pivotal moment.' "

Gorman talked about how she was selected for the honor: "Dr. Biden, now first lady, saw a poem I recited at the Library of Congress. Turns out I ended up being her first choice for inaugural poet; I'm 22 and I've overcome a speech impediment--like, who would want me onstage? Then they called me and offered me the opportunity, and I danced around in my socks like a crazy person."

Recalling what she was thinking and feeling during the event, she said, "I'm cold. I know Biden is right behind me, so how does my hair look? My nose is sniffling, don't trip, don't mess up. And you kind of just have to let all that go and be a vessel for the poem; Barack Obama is standing next to me being like, 'You made us proud, you did a great job' in his characteristic voice. I didn't want to leave, and then Secret Service was like, 'No, really, you've got to go.' "

 This was heartbreaking news for me, as a long time Babylon 5 fan, to see Mira Furlan gone beyond the rim so soon. May she rest among the stars. Here's a tribute to her from the show's creator, JMS.

RIP Mira Furlan, Actress from Babylon 5https://nerdbot.com/2021/01/21/mira-furlan-star-of-babylon-5-and-lost-has passed-away/?fbclid=IwAR3uTwQO5pamiXnGjf8-qTQA1ac7FnIJnp8Ru4Axz9QgOJ3UOU9o3NoXrYg

“When Mira Furlan came to audition for Babylon 5, her home country of Yugoslavia was in turmoil and shattering into two separate countries. During our first meeting, we spoke about her work and her life, and I learned that she had been part of a touring theater group that continued to cross borders of the disintegrating country despite receiving death threats from both sides in the civil war.

I expressed my admiration for her courage, but she shrugged and waved it off. “What’s the worst that could have happened? Yes, they could have killed me. So what? Art should have no borders.”

Very few people knew that side of Mira: the fiery, fearless side that fought ceaselessly for her art. She brought all of those traits to Delenn, and in turn I tried to write speeches for her that would allow her to comment on what was happening to her homeland without calling it out by name. I guess I must have done it correctly because one day during the Minbari Civil War arc, she appeared in my office door, a cup of tea in one hand, in full makeup but wearing a pull-over robe from wardrobe, and said, “So, how long did you live in Yugoslavia?”

Her husband, Goran, has always been the rock of her life. He was and is a gentleman, quick to laughter, an accomplished director and as much an artist as Mira, which made them the ideal couple. I’ve rarely seen two people so utterly meant for each other.

I remember the first time Mira appeared at a convention with me and some of the other cast. She didn’t quite understand what it was all about, but gamely did her part. When the audience question period came along, a fan held up his hand and said to Mira, whose Yugoslavian accent was much stronger in the beginning than it became with time, “Say ‘moose and squirrel.’”

She had no idea what this meant, but she said “Moose and Squirrel” and the room erupted in one of the longest sustained laughs I’ve ever seen at a convention. We explained it later, but really, all that mattered to her was that the audience had been happy.

We’ve known for some time now that Mira’s health was failing…I’m not sure that this is the right time or place to discuss the sheer randomness of what happened…and have all been dreading this day. We kept hoping that she would improve. In a group email sent to the cast a while back, I heard that she might be improving.

Then came the call from Peter Jurasik. “I wanted you to know that Goran’s bringing Mira home,” he said. “Do you mean, he’s bringing her home as in she’s better now, or is he bringing her home as in he’s bringing her home?”

“He’s bringing her home, Joe,” Peter said, and I could hear the catch in his voice as he said it.

And as a family, we held our counsel, and began the long wait, which has now ended.

Mira was a good and kind woman, a stunningly talented performer, and a friend to everyone in the cast and crew of Babylon 5, and we are all devastated by the news. The cast members with whom she was especially close since the show’s end will need room to process this moment, so please be gentle if they are unresponsive for a time. We have been down this road too often, and it only gets harder.

If you are a fan of Mira’s work, fire up those special moments when she shook the heavens, and relive the art she brought to her work. For any actor, that is the best tribute possible: for the work to endure. As much as this is a time to grieve, it is also a time to celebrate her life and her courage.

All of our thoughts tonight will be on the memories she left behind, the dazzling light of her performances, the breadth of her talent, and the heart and love she shared with Goran, and with all of you.”
Joe Straczynski, creator, Babylon 5

 

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Weber is a delightful novel reminiscent of MJ Rose's work or Sarah Addison Allen's lovely magical books. Though it got off to a slow start, it picked up speed after the first 20 pages and from then on I couldn't put it down. Here's the blurb: Heather Webber's South of the Buttonwood Tree is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town Southern charm.

Blue Bishop has a knack for finding lost things. While growing up in charming small-town Buttonwood, Alabama, she’s happened across lost wallets, jewelry, pets, her wandering neighbor, and sometimes, trouble. No one is more surprised than Blue, however, when she comes across an abandoned newborn baby in the woods, just south of a very special buttonwood tree.

Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton is at a crossroads. She has always tried so hard to do the right thing, but her own mother would disown her if she ever learned half of Sarah Grace’s secrets.

The unexpected discovery of the newborn baby girl will alter Blue’s and Sarah Grace’s lives forever. Both women must fight for what they truly want in life and for who they love. In doing so, they uncover long-held secrets that reveal exactly who they really are—and what they’re willing to sacrifice in the name of family.

I was not surprised that (SPOILER) Sarah Grace and Blue ended up being sisters, but I was surprised at how bitter and cruel some of the older generation of women were to the protagonists, and how difficult it was for them to stop being so mean and controlling. Seriously, where are all the therapists when you need them? At any rate, the prose was intricate and the plot gained momentum and then careened along like a child on a new bicycle to a satisfying HEA ending. I'd give this book an A, and recommend it to anyone who likes MJ Rose, Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen's works.

My Sister's Song by Gail Carriger is a short story that only connects slightly to her parasolverse novels, but it's a delight just the same, as a standalone work. Here's the blurb: The warrior Mithra must repel a Roman legion alone and armed only with one very tasty weapon.

New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger presents a funny historical fantasy short story about a woman warrior set in ancient Roman times.

The Romans are marching! To protect her lands and her tribe, Mithra comes up with a sticky solution to an impossible problem. 
This charming short story is full of archaeological research, historical tips, and how one woman can face up against insurmountable odds, ideal for fans of Jane Yolen or Mercedes Lackey. If you want more strong women fighting hard for their family in a historical setting try Gail’s Custard Protocol series.

This is a quick read at 4000 words (about 9 printed pages) available in print form in Sword & Sorceress XVII (1998 edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley) and was Carriger’s first professional sale. 

Though it is a SPOILER, I have to say that the historical solution to getting rid of unwanted incursions of soldiers by poisoning them with honey gotten from poisoned plant pollen is sheer genius. The prose is on point and the story itself moves along rapidly, leaving the reader wanting more. I'd give it an A, and recommend it for GC fans who want a bit of something fun and distracting outside of her Soulless and Finishing School series.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata is a bizarre and somehow compelling look into the life of an autistic young woman who finds her place in society, only to be constantly harried by her family and society to conform to what they believe to be a better life. Here's the blurb: The English-language debut of one of Japan’s most talented contemporary writers, selling over 650,000 copies there, Convenience Store Woman is the heartwarming and surprising story of thirty-six-year-old Tokyo resident Keiko Furukura. Keiko has never fit in, neither in her family, nor in school, but when at the age of eighteen she begins working at the Hiiromachi branch of “Smile Mart,” she finds peace and purpose in her life. In the store, unlike anywhere else, she understands the rules of social interaction—many are laid out line by line in the store’s manual—and she does her best to copy the dress, mannerisms, and speech of her colleagues, playing the part of a “normal” person excellently, more or less. Managers come and go, but Keiko stays at the store for eighteen years. It’s almost hard to tell where the store ends and she begins. Keiko is very happy, but the people close to her, from her family to her coworkers, increasingly pressure her to find a husband, and to start a proper career, prompting her to take desperate action…A brilliant depiction of an unusual psyche and a world hidden from view, Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.

 

I don't know that I would call Keiko unforgettable or a great protagonist, since she caves to pressure and brings a disgusting and manipulative, lazy homeless man into her own apartment so that it will look like she is having a relationship, when in reality he treats her poorly and is only there to use her for his own benefit. Why she doesn't get rid of this creep I don't know, he's horrible. She finally realizes that she is only going to be happy working in the convenience store anyway, so the story comes full circle, and I would hope she tells everyone in her family and friend circle to go jump off a bridge and keep their noses out of her business. It's particularly frustrating to read about a character who obviously is a high functioning autistic person (probably has Aspergers) but, due to Japans loathing of anyone with a disability, the author never says why Keiko is so different from everyone else. Wake up, Japan! There is no shame in being disabled! I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a unique protagonist story.

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout is a fantasy novel that I read as an ebook. The prose was rich and riveting and the plot sturdy and swift. This book reminded me a lot of the works of Sarah Maas and Veronica Roth. Here's the blurb:

Captivating and action-packed, From Blood and Ash is a sexy, addictive, and unexpected fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas

A Maiden…

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty…

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom…

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

Poppy is a kick butt heroine who survives so many setbacks that it's amazing she is not insane by the end of this first book of the series. I liked that she never gave up or gave in, and was full of fire even when things were at their darkest. I also like that Poppy doesn't let Hawke's betrayal and revelations turn her away from wanting to help people and find the truth. I have to give this astonishing work an A, and recommend it to those who like female-lead epic fantasy. 

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han was the third book in her YA series, made into Netflix movies that are actually as good as, if not better than the books. I found the prose in this book to be simplified enough that it read as a middle grade novel for young tweens and early teenagers, rather than the full YA book treatment for older teens and young adults in their 20s. I felt the plot was simplistic as well, and became full of boring tropes by the third chapter. Here's the blurb: Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

Honestly, this was like reading the vapid journal of a popular cheerleader from high school, whose main concerns are clothes, going out with boyfriends and giggling with friends/sisters. Stuff that most young women can't relate to, because many teenagers weren't popular or conformative during high school, and its those characters, with their differences and quirks and far from perfect home lives that are interesting to read about. The nerds grow up to create great things, while the pretty popular people tend to stay home and marry and have babies in their hometowns...boring! The protagonist is a controlling b*tch who has a huge meltdown when she doesn't get into the college of her choice, so then she has to go to one of the colleges that do admit her, and you'd think the world was going to end! Ridiculous! Lara Jean was just so superficial, selfish and vapid that I couldn't stand her, and I had trouble getting through this book. I'd give it a C, and only recommend it to those who want to know what the pretty and perfect girls from high school live like. Warning, it's not very exciting, it's actually a dull, stereotypical existence. 

 

The Sorcerer's Apprentice Musical, S&S Cancels A Senator's Book, The Sparrow Comes to TV, Review of Made in China, The Library Book by Susan Orlean, Space Junk by Sara L Hudson, The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith, and Proceed with Caution by Sandra Alex

Hi Bibliophiles! This marks the 750th post in my book blog, and after 16 years, I could not be prouder of it and of myself for sticking with it this long, sharing reviews with anyone who stops by. 

Meanwhile, I've been reading more ebooks than ever, probably because I've been offered low cost or free ebooks each week through book publisher's email newsletters. Unfortunately, about half of them turn out to be so poorly written that they're unreadable, and I have to abandon them after the first 20-40 pages. Still, the ones I'm able to continue to read generally make it worthwhile to download ebooks at all. So, onward with the tidbits for the second week of January.

I love musicals, and I am really looking forward to streaming this one online, though I don't know if I will be able to afford it.

On Stage Online: The Sorcerer's Apprentice Musical

The world premiere of The Sorcerer's Apprentice http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz46981448 musical, a "gender-swapped twist on the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe poem" that had been scheduled for in-person performances at London's Southwark Playhouse beginning January 9, "will now be streamed due to the pandemic and continued lockdown," Playbill reported. The pay-per-view stream will be available January 26 to February 14.

Directed by Charlotte Westenra, the production features Olivier nominee Nicola Blackman (Destry Rides Again), Dawn Hope (Follies), Mary Moore, Marc Pickering (Seussical), Yazdan Qafouri (The Band), and Olivier winner David Thaxton (Passion) with Tom Bales, Ryan Pidgen, Vicki Lee Taylor, and Kayleigh Thadani.

"The latest national lockdown leaves us with a show ready to perform which we are unable to share with live audiences," producer James Seabright said. "I have been inspired by the determination and resolve of our cast, creative team to make this possible whilst maintaining the highest safety standards for everyone on and off stage."

I laud Simon and Schuster for their efforts in crushing the debut of a book by this fascist, white supremicist Senator, who should be thrown out of his government role and into jail, in my opinion. Hawley's a scumbag.

 

Simon & Schuster Cancels Senator Josh Hawley's Upcoming Book

 

Simon & Schuster has canceled Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley's upcoming book, The Tyranny of Big Tech, which was scheduled to be released in June. A leader in the Senate of efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election despite no evidence of  fraud--continuing even after the insurrection--Hawley has also been accused of helping to incite the mob that stormed the Capitol building Wednesday. Among other things, before the attack, he waved, gave thumbs up signals and raised his fist in solidarity with the crowd that was gathering.

 

In a statement, Simon & Schuster said the company had made its decision "after witnessing the disturbing, deadly insurrection that took place on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.... We did not come to this decision lightly. As a publisher it will always be our mission to amplify a variety of voices and viewpoints: at the same time we take seriously our larger public responsibility as citizens, and cannot support Senator

Hawley after his role in what became a dangerous threat to our democracy

and freedom."

 

I can't believe it has been over 20 years since I read The Sparrow (and was blown away by it...such a brilliant premise and so well written!) and that now it has finally been made into a TV show. I can hardly wait to see it on the small screen. 

TV: The Sparrow

Scott Frank, co-creator, writer and director of Netflix's hit The Queen's Gambit, is developing an adaptation of Mary Doria Russell's 1996 novel The Sparrow http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/uz3642037Biz47089906 for FX, with Johan Renck (Chernobyl) directing, Deadline reported.

Frank will write all of the episodes of the limited series and exec produce with Renck, Better Call Saul executive producer Mark Johnson and AMC Studios. The Sparrow is being produced by FX Productions. Deadline noted that the novel "was previously in development at AMC back in 2014 with Michael Perry (The River) writing. Brad Pitt was also previously attached to a feature film adaptation with Plan B and Warner Bros."

 This is just heartbreaking, to know that some poor soul had to smuggle an SOS letter into some cheap Walmart decorations to get someone to notice the enslavement of political prisoners in China. Their human rights violations are heinous and ongoing. I plan on finding a copy of this book and reading it ASAP.

Book Review

Made in China: A Prisoner, an SOS Letter, and the Hidden Cost of America's Cheap Goods

Oregonian Julie Keith was decorating for Halloween in 2012 when she came across an SOS letter, written in careful English with a mix of Chinese characters, stuck inside a package of cheap decorations she'd purchased at Kmart years earlier. The letter, from Chinese political prisoner Sun Yi, sparked a series of news stories and interest in Chinese forced labor camps. Despite the international attention turned toward the "open secret" of the Chinese manufacturing world, little changed in the long run--in large part, argues journalist Amelia Pang in Made in China, because of Americans' demand for trendy products at impossibly low prices.

Pang, a journalist with ties to the religious activist group of which Sun Yi also was a member, spent three years peeling back the layers of this stranger-than-fiction story, including interviews with Sun Yi, undercover trips to China to pose as a buyer, and covertly following trucks in and out of various Chinese factories to track suppliers and producers. Made in China is a careful account of all she learned, from the establishment of the first Chinese labor camps in the 1930s to the persistence of the present-day laogai ("reform through labor") industry--which "remains the largest forced-labor system in operation today... a vast network of prisons, camps, and various extralegal detention centers." (As recently as 2016, the Laogai Research Foundation, a human rights organization focusing on these Chinese gulags, estimated that more than 1,400 of these camps and prisons existed.)

Pang's investigative journalism is global in scope, drawing on interviews with human rights activists, government watchdog groups, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and laogai prisoners, as well as extensive research in news archives and analysis of various corporate purchase orders and supply chain records. Made in China is not cumbersome, however, despite these many threads; each is necessary to understand the laogai system as a whole, and what drives it. Pang draws clear lines between each seemingly disparate piece to reveal the "darker side to China's rags-to-riches transformation--and our [Americans'] own pleasure in the cheap products we consume daily." With clarity and sensitivity, she exposes the human cost of the global demand for cut-rate products, and provides clear calls to action for individuals, corporations and governments to stem these abuses. Any reader with half a heart will be hard-pressed not to re-examine their own buying habits after reading this incredible, moving account. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm

The Library Book by Susan Orlean was the January book for my library book group. While I usually enjoy Orlean's fiction-like writing style of her non fiction books, This particular book had too many falls down the rabbit hole of research findings that made parts of it as dry and boring as a textbook. Still, Orlean's writing style managed to get back on track, so that by the ending I felt well informed and yearned for a visit to the LA Central Library just to see the odd building murals and architecture. Here's the blurb: “Everybody who loves books should check out The Library Book” (The Washington Post).

On the morning of April 28, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. The fire was disastrous: it reached two thousand degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a “delightful…reflection on the past, present, and future of libraries in America” (New York magazine) that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.

In the “exquisitely written, consistently entertaining” (The New York Times) The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries; brings each department of the library to vivid life; studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago.
Susan Orlean’s thrilling journey through the stacks reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books—and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country.

I agree with the reviewers blurbs that this is an elegantly written book that is, for the most part, entertaining, though it doesn't satisfy readers need for a tidy ending, as we never do find out if the library fire was started by Harry Peak or if it started accidently due to bad storage conditions. Still, I did like learning about library fires, library book reclamation and other odd tidbits. I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to anyone who is a bibliophile and who grew up in the sacred space that is the local library. 

Space Junk (Houston, We Have a Hottie) by Sara L Hudson was an ebook that I was able to download for free, and I did so on a whim because the title and cover were hilarious send ups of the modern romance genre, and I thought that even if this book is a stinker, it will be full of ironic use of romance cliches and tropes, and I will get a good laugh out of it. (Just to illuminate further, the cover shot is of a naked male torso with six pack abs and a picture of the phallic space shuttle held in front of the male torso's jeans fly, so the rocket is an obvious reference to his penis, as is the title 'space JUNK' with the junk referring to his genitals as well). Imagine my surprise when I discovered that despite the humorous use of cover shot and title, the writing was witty, clean and intelligent, while the plot whooshed along at Mach 3. Here's the blurb: Houston, we have a problem: Five Stars just ain’t gonna cut it for this book!!!

NASA engineer Dr. Jackie Darling Lee is a genius about many things... the male species is not one of them (despite the many cowboy romances she reads).
Then a little friendly blackmail from a co-worker has Jackie walking into a Texas saloon ready to initiate Operation Social Life.
After making friends with her waitress and helping a drunk country beauty get home safely, she thinks she’s off to a good start.

Flynn West left his family’s rich ranching life behind after discovering his girlfriend’s gold digging ways. Now he specializes in vintage muscle car restorations in his own shop in Houston.
He’s taken women off his radar, until a wild-haired blonde drags his drunk little sister through his front door.
The moment he sees those thick, black-framed glasses on that slender nose, Flynn’s captivated. Ignitions ignite, and not just from Flynn’s skills at hot-wiring cars.

But in the midst of the International Space Station being threatened and old flames reappearing, can Jackie and Flynn let go of old hang-ups long enough to reach the end of their Happily Ever After countdown? Or will it be a failure to launch?

I honestly loved Jackie and Flynn, not just because they had a payload of chemistry, but because they seemed like real people with real jobs and problems. I also enjoyed reading about a man who wasn't intimidated by a woman's doctorate and rocket scientist level genius, but instead found her brain power sexy. Such men have always seemed to be very few and far between, in my experience. My only problem with Flynn was his focus on having a lot of children. Whether he realizes it or not, having babies takes a huge toll on most women, and men wanting children as their legacy is selfish when they're not the ones whose bodies have to bear the brunt of carrying babies to term and going through the harrowing process of labor and delivery, which can be life-threatening. The fact that Jackie somehow abandons her brainpower (she should know the stats on having a number of children and surviving are not in her favor) to agree with Flynn that having a basketball team's worth of children is a great idea, doesn't really fit with the savvy character that the author has set up in the rest of the book. It's also horribly sexist to say that a woman isn't somehow complete or a real woman/wife until she pops out some heirs for her husband. Seriously, that kind of misogyny went out with hoop skirts. Still, I enjoyed most of the rest of the book, and it was a fast read. I'd give it a B+ and recommend it to romance fans who like a mostly-modern take on relationships, or those who have a thing for space and planes and astronauts.

The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith is the February pick for my library book group. I read it as an ebook because I discovered that there were a number of holds on physical copies of the book, and I had heard that it wasn't a very long text to begin with. I was right, in that this short but well written entry of Smith's into the Swedish Noire Mystery genre was a fast and fascinating read. Here's the blurb: In the Swedish criminal justice system, certain cases are considered especially strange and difficult, in Malmö, the dedicated detectives who investigate these crimes are members of an elite squad known as the Sensitive Crimes Division.

These are their stories.
The first case: the small matter of a man stabbed in the back of the knee. Who would perpetrate such a crime and why? Next: a young woman's imaginary boyfriend goes missing. But how on earth do you search for someone who doesn't exist? And in the final investigation: eerie secrets that are revealed under a full moon may not seem so supernatural in the light of day. No case is too unusual, too complicated, or too, well insignificant for this squad to solve.

The team: Ulf “the Wolf” Varg, the top dog, thoughtful and diligent; Anna Bengsdotter, who's in love with Varg's car (and possibly Varg too); Carl Holgersson, who likes nothing more than filling out paperwork; and Erik Nykvist, who is deeply committed to fly fishing.

With the help of a rather verbose local police officer, this crack team gets to the bottom of cases other detectives can't or won't bother to handle. Equal parts hilarious and heartening, The Department of Sensitive Crimes is a tour de farce from a true master. 

Where do I start to describe the funny, sad and wonderful characters that inhabit this book? Smith is a master of efficient prose that marches along a smart plot, but here he takes on the pessimistic yet kind and gentle Swedish zeitgeist with deft hands, making clear the hilarious situations without making fun of the people involved in a mean way...it is done as more of an homage. Every oddball and weirdo is given a hearing and often a shoulder to cry on. You get the feeling that this is a country that could use some antidepressants slipped into the water supply. That said, the laughter balances out the sad and often bizarre cases in a way that makes the book memorable. I'd give it an A-, and recommend it to anyone who reads dark mysteries.

Proceed With Caution by Sandra Alex was another ebook that I got for free, and I'm glad that I didn't pay anything for this amateurishly written romance. Here's the blurb: A heartbroken heartthrob. A fugitive fiance. Sparks fly when Julia flees...right into Colton.

He had me at hello. Months later, I’m fleeing the state with an engagement ring on my finger. John isn’t the one. What looks good on paper is ugly behind closed doors. My sister Liz doesn’t know about John, but she takes me in, with problems of her own. The night I help tend bar with Liz is when I meet Colton. Liz warns me about him. Says that he’s a hardened man. And he looks it, too. With his smouldering eyes and square shoulders, he’s a force to be reckoned with. But he notices me looking over my shoulder and teaches me a thing or two about men like John, and not in a way that I would expect.
Afghanistan changes a man in a way that nothing else can. Betrayal does the same. Mix the two and you get me. It’s like I wear a badge, marking my military background, and then they find out that I’m a Ford boy and suddenly I’m a piece of meat with dollar signs. But they can all drop dead, because a woman is the last thing that I want. I bounce at a bar strictly to protect my little brother. He plays in a band in this seedy joint, and I’m here to keep his nose clean in more ways than one. But then Liz brings her little sister Julia in one night to cover, and I realize that I’m not the only one with a sibling looking over their shoulder.

The main problem with this book is that it covers all the cliches and tropes of romance novels and doesn't really stray far enough from them to fully reach it's story potential. There's the tatted up hottie who is a wounded vet, and the evil psychotic ex-fiance who plans to harm the damsel in distress because he can't fathom that the woman he wants to possess doesn't want to be his slave and possession. Then there's the sweet young gal who, despite being 'tough' enough to run away from the ex, still needs protection by the tattooed hottie. And said hottie also protects his irresponsible stupid brother who makes bad life choices every chance he gets, and expects his brother to clean up after him. Sigh.

The sex scenes are graphic and focus on some weird sounds and such, but I enjoyed the swiftness of the plot and the HEA ending. Still, I would give this e-book a C+, and only recommend it to those looking for something that doesn't tax their brain much.