A Book Review

Tears of Pearl
By Tasha Alexander

Series: Lady Emily Mystery Book 4
Genre: Suspense, Historical
Pages: 306
Rating: ****

  Tears of Pearl is a beautifully written book.  It is centered around Lady Emily and her husband Colin, in 1892.  The couple are on their honeymoon in Constantinople.  In classic mystery style it all starts on the Orient Express.  The mystery surrounds an Englishman working for the British Embassy and the death of a young woman in the Sultan's harem.  What's not to love about that.  The imigary is rich and the scenes are vivid.  It is a fast paced book.  But like the others, I kept a dictionary on hand!  Tasha Alexander does not skimp on words.
   If you have read a Lady Emily mystery you will not be disappointed with Tears of Pearl.  She is still breaking the rules of propriety.  Marraige has not tamed her love of adventure.  Old friends will join the adventure and new ones are introduced.  This book digs deep into Lady Emily, revealing fears that have not been seen before.  In the end she finds herself in grave danger. 
   Tasha Alexander is a wonderful writer.  The writing is elegant and fits the age and the characters beautifully.  The witty banter between Lady Emily and Colin is exciting and sexually charged.  The characters are not only believable, but become favorites. 

    This is the third book in the series, centered around Lady Emily, that I have read.  I still need to read the first book.  This series can be read out of order, but that may spoil some of the mystery.  For instance, I know some of the events that take place in book one, but I do not know who is guilty of murder.  Too much of the plot is not given away, to spoil reading book one.

   I highly recommend this book.  It is lush, vibarant, and sexy.

A Book Review

A Drunkard's Path
By Clare O'Donohue

Series:  A Someday Quilts Mystery Book #2
Pages:  259
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: ****

   Clare O' Donohue combines two of my favorite things:  quilts and murder.  Not real murder, the fictional kind that takes place in a small New York town.  This is the second book in the Someday Quilt Mystery Series and the second book in the series I have read.  As usual I am not reading them in order.  Thankfully, it seems I can still read book 1 without knowing whodunit.

   A Drunkard's Path, centers around a group of artist and quilters.  The main characters are a close knit quilters of different ages.  This group breaks the image of sweet little old ladies sitting around sewing and baking cookies.  They actually remind me of several ladies in my Quilt guild.  Beyond breaking preconceived notions about quilters, the book also explains the process of quilting.  A newbie to the quilt world will not be left in the dark about terminology or technique.

   Clare weaves a rich tale.  As I read, I could see Archers Rest and the quilt shop.  It is fast paced and an easy read.  At the same time the writing is smart.  She doesn't talk down to the reader or pretend to be hard boiled.  Like most mysteries I read, I was clueless.  I wasn't totally surprised by the ending, I just had someone else pegged!  But that's the way I like it.  I get disappointed if I figure it out before the sleuth. 

   I Love cozies. A  Drunkard's Path is a great mystery.  Check it out today.
 And yes, it is also the name of a quilt block.

    -Caren                                                                                  

Banned Book Week

Celebrate the First Amendment Read a Banned Book!

OK the book I am currently reading is not a banned book,  and I plan on finishing it before I read anything new.  But in light of this being Banned Book Week, I wanted to share some of my favorite banned books.  Some of these I read in high school...because they were banned.  Truly, if you want to get a kid to read tell them they can't!

Favorite Banned Books, in no order:

*The Color Purple -Yes it is a tragic tale, but it has a great ending.  It is beautifully written.
* Freedom Writers Diary- This is just a really great book.
*The Good Earth- I pick this book out from a deck of cards!  It was such a vivid book, I could not put it down.  Then when I finished I started researching who Pearl Buck was.  I'm not sure why they challenged this book.
*Grapes of Wrath- Epic.
*Harry Potter-  Oh come on. This series is responsible for getting millions of kids to read.
*Of Mice and Men- I cried.  Tragic tale.  Rich storytelling at it's best.
*To Kill a Mockingbird- A southern classic.  I fell in love with the family. 
*A Wrinkle in Time- Talk about an imagination!

This is only a short list.  Most banned books were banned because a small group of people had their feather's ruffled.  To celebrate banned book week I think I will read good 'ole Shel Silverstein to my kids tonight!

Happy Reading,
Caren

Good Afternoon World...

I don't know about you, but I love a trip to the library.  I have a stack of new choices sitting by my chair.  I have wondered how most people pick books.  Do they have a list of favorite authors they carry with them?  Do they hit the new release table? 

I don't do either.  I go row by row looking at the titles and genre labels.  ( I love the yellow tags) I know that's a terrible way to pick a book.  If I see one that interests me I pull it down, look at the cover, and then make a very snap decision.  Sometimes I will actually read the dust jacket, but not usually. 

So it is no surprise that I go home with a stack of 7-10 books.  Which I have no hope in finishing in the 3 week time allotted by the library.  Therefore, when I start a book, it has one maybe two chapters to keep me interested.  Otherwise I lay in the stack to be returned.  There are too many good books out there to get stuck in a bad book!  Sadly, I end up taking books back I didn't have time to read.  Everyone  knows you must get new books instead of rechecking out the unread books!  ;)

Current list of books to read:
1.  Murder with Peacocks
2.  Garden of Secrets Past
3.  Body Lines
4.  Tears of Pearl

This is the smallest my stack has been in weeks.  I might actually get to read all of them!

Happy Reading
Caren