Art in the Blood by Bonnie MacBird

Art in the Blood:  A Sherlock Holmes Adventure
                                   by Bonnie MacBird. A Collins Crime Club imprint, 2015.
                                   (HarperCollins Publishers).


In his mid-thirties, Holmes is depressed and using cocaine. Watson is married, but Mary has been called away, so when Watson must aid Sherlock, he responds quickly. They soon take on an unexpected case of a missing child, son of a beautiful French singer and the very English Earl of Pellingham . The Earl collects art and a priceless sculpture is missing and rumoured on its way to his collection. Are the boy and the statue connected? What about other missing boys in the Earl's silk mills? Visiting Paris and finding his French detective rival, taking on the identity of a wheelchair bound art expert with Mycroft's research, and facing the appeal of the gorgeous Frenchwoman, Sherlock searches for clues into the mystery and its ultimate solution.




It's London. It's Holmes and Watson together again to solve another crime. In the capable hands of Bonnie MacBird, the two continue to keep the baddies of the world under control.  Although few have done Holmes-a-likes as well as Laurie King in her inspired Mary Russell series, do try this title and lose yourself in the adventure! Hopefully, this will be as successful a new series for MacBird.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware. Scout Press, an imprint
                                   of Simon & Schuster, 2015. Adult fiction (mystery).


In this debut novel, a "hen party" (English term for pre-wedding bash) is planned for a remote English estate to celebrate popular girl Clare's upcoming marriage. Six people are invited, but few know each other. (The set-up is straight out of Agatha Christie!) Main character Nora Shaw, a writer, has not kept up with Clare in the preceding ten years, and really doesn't think they were ever close, but agrees to go. As Nora narrates, chapters begin to alternate from the main story to Nora in a hospital, obviously after a huge trauma has taken place. Someone is dead. As readers piece together what has happened, they learn that Clare's fiancé James is Nora's old boyfriend! Nora herself must face her own past in order to live past the woods. If you liked The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl and want another British thriller, try this one.

Ornaments of Death by Jane K. Cleland

Ornaments of Death by Jane K. Cleland.

                          Minotaur Books, 2015.

                          Adult fiction (mystery).

                                      

This, the tenth book in the Josie Prescott mystery series, takes readers to snowy Rocky Point, New Hampshire just in time for holiday happenings. Antique dealer Josie Prescott has plenty of friends, but when Ian Bennington, a long lost and recently discovered cousin, arrives in town, she is pleased. His daughter, Becca, is doing marine life research nearby. Alas, as always in Josie's life, murder soon follows, and Josie is on the trail to find two miniature paintings that could be worth millions as well as Becca!

Cleland is keen on descriptions of people and settings. Readers can easily visualize the characters and places and will enjoy Christmastime in New England. Details about antiques are interesting and do not overwhelm the action. The plot moves along swiftly and keeps up the mystery until the end.

Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg

  Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg. Scout Press, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, 2015. Adult Fiction.


A joyous wedding. Families coming together. And, yet, it all slips away in the light of a terrible tragedy. The community reels, the families struggle to cope in different ways. Yet, life goes on. 


The beautifully written tale weaves together many viewpoints with each chapter narrated by one of the people. Details pile up upon each other, revealing the story. The characters are so well drawn that you will swear you have met some of them.  The plot is pushed forward strictly by what has happened and its aftermath. Readers will soon be wrapped up in these lives and will keep reading to see what happens to them. Bill Clegg has made a fiction debut that will stay with you long after the last page is finished.

George by Alex Gino

George. By Alex Gino. Scholastic Press, 2015. Children's fiction chapter book.

Sometimes when you read a book, it heightens your awareness. George is a children's book that will heighten your awareness. You may not have a transgender person in your family or your classroom, but this book makes you think and probably understand a bit more of human differences and just how hard it is to move through the world for some students.

George is a fourth grader, born a boy, but George knows deep inside that she is a girl. She hides girl (not girlie!) magazines to examine the clothes and make-up. She plays video games with her older brother. She cringes inside when her mom tells her that she will always love her as a son, even when George is an old man. At school, she hates going into the boys' bathroom. She thinks her whole life is a big lie.

When the class reads Charlotte's Web, George is touched by the spider's story. George wants to have the part of Charlotte when the class performs for parents and students. But, girls are to be cast as Charlotte, and boys as Templeton and Wilbur. George seems to be locked out until Kelly, a true friend who is learning what George has told no one else, helps him find a way to communicate his longings.

Adults are generally caring, but clueless, for much of the book. George's mother finally admits that therapy might be good for George and for her. The teen brother talks openly with George. Kelly and her quirky father are accepting. Even the school principal tells George that her office is open.

Is the book about sex? No. Is it about gender? Yes. Is it reflective of the diverse world today? Definitely. Is it well written? Absolutely. Should teachers and librarians read it? Yes. We owe it to all of our students to help them be their best selves, whoever that may be.

The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo

  The Art of Crash Landing: A Novel by Melissa DeCarlo.
Harper, 2015. Adult Fiction.


Although Mattie Wallace has grown up in Florida, she finds herself going to her mother's hometown of Gandy, Oklahoma after her mother, an alcoholic who left home after high school, dies. It seems that she has an inheritance from the maternal grandmother she never knew and a world of things to learn about her family and herself. Pregnant and broke, Mattie leaves her sick stepfather, the only father she has ever known, and makes the trip alone. While Mattie meets many people who knew her mother, no one seems to know why the young woman left town thirty-five years ago. It's up to Mattie to make some money (through a job at the local library), keep herself and the baby safe, and to find answers so she will not turn into her unhappy mother. Who knows all the secrets and who will help Mattie discover the past?


Smart mouthed, funny, and impulsive, Mattie is not the role model you'd want a daughter to be, but she will win your heart and make you root for her survival. If your past is a world of hurts, can your future be any different?  In this debut novel, East Texas writer and former Oklahoma resident DeCarlo, has a spunky heroine in the most unimaginable and wacky situations. Who  else has two dogs both named Winston?

Cooking as Fast as I Can by Cat Cora

  Cooking as Fast as I Can: A Chef's Story of Family, Food, and Forgiveness by Cat Cora. Simon and Schuster, 2015. Adult Nonfiction.


In one of the most honest and straight forward memoirs I have ever read, celebrity chef Cat Cora describes growing up in Mississippi, sexual abuse she experienced as a child, and what it was like to be lesbian in the deep South. Her adopted family's Greek heritage and her growing up Southern both influenced her cooking. Cooking was a solace and brought her challenges and happiness and became her life's work. Now married and a mother to four boys, Cat Cora describes her work, her mentors,  and her becoming the first female Iron Chef. Her positive attitude, love for family and food, and survival in hot kitchen all over the world combine in this fascinating story.

The Storm of the Century by Al Roker

 The Storm of the Century: Tragedy, Heroism Survival, and the Epic True Story of America's Deadliest Natural Disaster: The Great Gulf Hurricane of 1900.  William Morrow, 2015.  Adult Nonfiction.


Although it is hard to read a book about the great Galveston storm of 1900 without thinking about the excellent title by Erik Larson, Al Roker does an interesting job of mining new stories and presenting the story from his own perspective.  Although the book has no footnotes, it does present a bibliography. Roker has mined the oral histories collected by Collins in 2004 for authentic voices of some of  the community's African American residents. Roker's passion for weather: how it works, how it is reported, how can be predicted, etc. comes together with the history to determine who knew about the storm in 1900 and how residents were not prepared or given notice about the coming storm.  He does a good job of telling about another weatherman, Isaac Cline and his brother, Joseph, and how the storm impacted their lives and careers. The book does not end with the storm itself, but goes on to tell of the aftermath: 10,000 or more lost, $20 million in damages, and the building of the Galveston seawall which was said to rival the building of the ancient Wonders of the World.  Included in the people who rushed to the island were  nurse  and founder of the Red Cross, Clara Barton, and Annie Laurie (Winifred Black), a reported sent by Hearst newspapers to cover the story. Neither had ever seen such devastation and they helped improvise a national rescue relief effort on a huge scale and helped bring new ideas about equality for women. Even after a hundred years, the numbers, the hubris, the miles and the stories exceed our expectations and imaginations and are hard to believe.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt

 Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. Young Adult fiction.




From the very first page, readers know as well as Jack and his parents that Joseph has had problems. When Joseph comes to live as a foster child in the cold Maine winter, the family is changed forever. Innocent Jack tells the story, noting every time Joseph smiled as he seems to adjust to life in their home. But, Joseph has a child, a tiny baby daughter that he longs to see, and a father, who has been abusive and is out for money. Joseph has a record of abusing substances, of violence, and of not following the rules. Will Jack follow Joseph?




This is a tale of love: a family's love, a father's love, the love of teachers who take extra steps to make sure students have a chance, and the special love of parents who want to give their children a chance at better lives.  Told in a straight forward manner, this book will touch your heart, break it, and give you hope for the future. Gary D. Schmidt, an award winning author, has written another book that will stay with you long after the last page is turned.

Bill O'Reilly and the Last Days series

  Hitler's Last Days: The Death of the Nazi Regime and the World's Most Notorious Dictator. Bill O'Reilly. Henry Holt and Company, 2015.


While this book is aimed at teens, it is filled with photographs and information that will satisfy any reader who is curious about the last six months of World War II. The book jacket says that it is adapted from Killing Patton by the same author. Chronologically arranged, chapters are short and read quickly. Most interesting are the photos of key players and the information on what happened to each. While students can read about the war in other places, they may wonder exactly what happened to the main figures after the war and O'Reilly answers those questions. Part of a series including Jesus, Kennedy, and Lincoln, the book is for those who are keen about learning more about each person.


 Kennedy's Last Days: The Assassination That Defined a Generation. Bill O'Reilly. Henry Holt and Company, 2013.


Students are often advised to write about what they know. In this title, Bill O'Reilly includes his own connections to the times of the 1960's and his background as a history teacher.  It strengthens the book immeasurably to know that he is more than his television persona and political views. Graphical pages tell the books and music and trivia of the times. Color photos of the Kennedy family are included as well as the 1961 inaugural address that moved so many young adults to volunteer and to serve their country. Of course, the Kennedy family story and the aftermath of the assassination are major topics, but O'Reilly includes the story of Oswald's family and what happened to them, too. Arranged the same way as the Hitler book, this one is much stronger. It is based on the earlier adult book, Killing Kennedy by the author.

Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

  Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore. Broadway Books, 2015. Penguin Random House, 2014.  Adult Fiction.

Looking for a summer mystery? Follow everywoman Mabel Dagmar to college where she meets her roommate, Genevra Winslow. The two really seem like water and vinegar, but  Ev invites May to her wealthy family’s summer retreat, Winloch. May leaps at the chance to be away from her working class family and to experience adventure. Every cabin has a quaint name and the family welcomes May warmly. But, why do the houses have such good locks? And , is all as calm as they would have May believe? One of the aunts sets May on a quest to discover past secrets. May even thinks she is in love with Ev’s brother, Galway. But, how did the Winslows make all that money? Who is protecting whom? If you liked Gone Girl and Unbecoming, both novels filled with suspense and unreliable narrators, you will love Bittersweet. It’s a good book to put in your tote bag for the pool or beach this summer!

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Thanks to Blogging for Books from whom I receive the book in exchange for a review.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club

 The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club  by Phillip Hoose. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015. Middle grade nonfiction.




Phillip Hoose has done it again! In his award winning Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, he brought forward a person and time in history to shed new light on one person's fight for equality and justice. In this new title, Hoose shines a light on Knud Pedersen and his brother, Danish boys who became involved in secret sabotage to slow and thwart German operations during World War II. The brothers and their friends decided that if the adults were not going to fight for their country, they would. But, as boys with only bicycles, with curfews of their own, and with limited funds, what could they do? Actually, their exploits and eventual imprisonment make a truly inspiring tale.


On a trip to Denmark in 2000, Hoose discovered snippets about Pedersen and the Churchill Club. He contacted Pedersen about working on a book, but a contract was underway with someone else. Years later, Hoose tried again. This time, Pedersen not only talked with Hoose, but worked to make this nonfiction book a reality. While it reads like an adventure tale, the book is filled with photographs, drawings, newspaper headlines, and comics that show what life was like during the war and the effect the boys had on it. Hoose does a masterful job of sprinkling just enough text boxes to explain difficult topics that may need more explanation. He tells, at the end, what happened to each of these heroic boys. A selected bibliography illuminates other works that avid history buffs will want to consult.

Wonder at the Edge of the World by Nicole Helget

  Wonder at the Edge of the World by Nicole Helget. Little, Brown         and Company, 2015. Middle grade Children's book.

What else can you say about this rip-roaring adventure except that it is a whale of a tale?  Hallelujah (Lu) Wonder, a feisty girl who lives in Tolerone, Kansas inherits the hidden treasures of her scientist father. With her friend, the slave boy Eustace, and his ever present dog, Fob, she defies the wicked Captain Greeney and heads to Antarctica with one of the most wondrous and dangerous treasures. Whales, sharks, ships, storms, and strange new people all play roles in Lu's challenges.

A story about longing for a home that cannot be (back in New Bedford, Massachusetts), a parent she cannot have (the dead father she adored), and trying to fit in and cope with changing times (a bossy older sister and a mother who has seemingly withdrawn from life; abolitionists and lynchings),  this story touches on survival, friendship, and other huge themes for such a small girl. That Lu wins us over and takes us on her own quest is a huge testament to the powerful storytelling abilities of Nicole Helget. This one will be great as an audiobook on a long car trip or just as a read-a-loud for a class of smart youngsters.

The Nightingale: A Novel by Kristin Hannah

 The Nightingale: A Novel by Kristin Hannah.
                              St. Martin's Press, 2015.  Adult Fiction.


As the Germans invade France, two sisters become involved in activities far from those they had known or expected. Vianne's husband leaves to fight. When the German soldiers come, she and her daughter must allow a German officer to board with them. Her heart is with the Jewish children whose parents are taken away. Isabelle, younger and more rebellious, joins the resistance fighters to help downed RAF pilots escape the country. Both are changed forever and find strength that they never knew they possessed.


One of the sisters looks back and tells the story from 1995 Oregon. Chapters lead with the place and time. Every so often, readers are brought back to Oregon. Frankly, these glimpses are helpful in that they break the pace of the horrible things happening during the war. Leading toward a reunion of wartime participants at the conclusion, the book tells about the lack of food, electricity, and other essentials and the growth of the courageous women and men and children who tried to survive and make their lives and country better.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

 Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson.

                                Adult nonfiction.

Since Erik Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts was one of my neighborhood  book group’s favorite books, I was eager to read Dead Wake. Larson writes nonfiction that pulls readers in and with so many details that readers think they  are there . He teaches history without pain and fuss!  Dead Wake builds like the drama it is. Larson’s extensive research provides names and details about many of the ship’s passengers. One chapter tells exactly what life in a submarine was like. Readers see the grieving President Woodrow Wilson as he finds a new love and woos Edith. While the United States learns of German attacks across the Atlantic, it does not actually enter the war until two years after the attack on the Lusitania. The sinking of the huge ship carrying so many American, so many families and children, and, yes, so many munitions definitely changed the course of the war and America’s role in it. Larson tells human interest details as well as the details of troops, the British Admiralty, and German submarine movements. Especially interesting are the final pages of extensive bibliography references and citations. While he admits that he is a writer, not an expert on World War I history, Larson’s focused expertise serves him well in this suspenseful and dramatic account about which so many Americans know very little.

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Many thanks to  Blogging for Books from whom I received this book in exchange for reviewing it.

Stillwater by Nicole Helget

    Stillwater by Nicole Helget.
                                          Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. Adult Fiction.

 
  Clement and Angel are born as twins, but live very different lives. Clement, a sickly boy, grows up in the local orphanage. Angel, the girl baby, is adopted by one of the wealthiest couples in Stillwater. Life for neither is easy.

  In this historical fiction, the mid 1800’s in the Minnesota area come alive through the adventures of  characters including a trapper, a nun, a Native American woman, and the twin children.  Rich with history, detail, heartbreak, humor, survival, and longings for love, the journeys of these early settlers grabs readers and brings us along for the unforgettable ride.

  The sentences are finely crafted, if sometimes quite lengthy. The research she must have done on trapping, medical care, and  clothing paid off richly in the believable details. The voices of the different characters ring true in the ways that she portrays their dialogs.  The book is laugh-out-loud funny in several places. I particularly enjoyed the running joke about Texas being annexed and the trappers not knowing the meaning of "annexed", but thinking it sounded both interesting and terrible!

  Five years of living with these characters may seem like a long time, but one reading is much too short.  Hopefully, Ms. Helget will continue writing! Check out her previous award winning works, The Turtle Catcher and a memoir, The Summer of Ordinary Ways.

Mastering Pasta: The Art and Practice of Handmade Pasta, Gnocchi, and Risotto by Marc Vetri with David Joachim

  Mastering Pasta: The Art and Practice of Handmade Pasta, Gnocchi, and Risotto by Marc Vetri with David Joachim. 2015. Ten Speed Press. Adult nonfiction.

I confess that I have always wanted to make homemade pasta. The thought of plump little pillows of ravioli stuffed with my own combinations has always been balanced by the thought of flour all over the kitchen, hard-to-clean rollers, and tough dough. Just the title of Mastering Pasta may be just the counterbalance to push me over the edge to really try making pasta. In 261 pages filled with colorful photographs and straightforward words, the authors help both experienced and novice home cooks begin and perfect pasta dishes.  

Of course, I turned first to the chapter on ravioli and stuffed pasta. From the dough to the fillings to the cheeses, Vetri discussed pasta making. What a relief to learn that I don’t need fancy equipment at all! But, oh,oh, the first recipe calls for ricotta impastata cheese. What on earth is that? Helpfully, the author gives a page number to a definition. He mentions his favorite brand and even how to make this yourself. Clearly written instructions make this sound not so daunting after all.

Chapters include  information about hand-formed pasta, gnocchi, stocks and sauces,  baked sheet pasta, and lots about flavor, ingredients, and authentic Italian ways to do things.  It’s interesting reading. Several sequences of smaller photographs show process and procedure. Large full-color illustrations show dishes ready to eat.

Are there recipes I’ll never make? Certainly! Porcini pasta with snail and porcini ragu is not at the top of my list. Bluefoot mushroom risotto with castelmagno cheese sounds beyond both my capabilities and the limits of my local grocery. But, are there recipes I can dream about? Oh, yes, and making a great egg yolk dough is among them!

Basically this book has something for all cooks. On page 6, it states, “The only true path to the quest of mastering  pasta is to continue making it.” With these recipes, my shopping list, and this book, I’m ready to start the learning curve. Or maybe just take a trip to Italy and taste the REAL thing? Either way, I’m happy!

Many thanks to Blogging for Books. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

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