It is a balmy 16 degrees outside, but I am cozy inside sipping a cup of Vanilla Chai and thinking about my favorite reads of 2021. I read a lot of good books in 2021, so it was difficult to narrow the list down. They are listed in the order I read them.
A Circle of Quiet (Crosswicks Journals #1). Madeleine L'Engle. Seabury Press (1971). 246 pages. Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir.
First Line: "We are four generations under one roof this summer, from infant Charlotte to almost-ninety Great-grandmother."
Summary: These writings are taken from the author's journals about the early days of her marriage when her children were little. She and her family lived year round at Crosswicks, a big old New England farmhouse. It is about daily life, the author's struggle to fit in time to write, trying to balance the work of a mother and homemaker with attempting to get a book published, and the people who make up the community. It includes reflections on motherhood, writing, the state of the world, and God.
My thoughts: This was my second attempt at reading this book. The first time I tried to read it, I just wasn't in the right frame of mind and couldn't get into it. I decided to give it another try and am so glad I did. It has become one of my favorites reads of 2021.
In these pages we meet the author, who is best know for her book A Wrinkle in Time. We also meet her husband, Hugh Franklin, an actor and their children. Things are not told in a linear fashion like a story would be, rather we get glimpses into their lives combined with reflections on various things. Sometimes quotidian details are included, other times lofty thoughts.
Although this was published in the early 1970's, the actual journals were written in the 1960's. Many of the things she was concerned about are still concerns today and have become even more prevalent. I found it really interesting to get inside a mind living during the 1960's and to see what her concerns were, what she thought about. Of course, I always love all the details of daily life, so journals appeal to me.
There are three more books in the Crosswicks Journals series and I am eager to read them.
Quotes:
"'But what about the mystery writers? They don't make any response to the problems of the world in their stories.' And I cried, 'Oh, but they do!' and cited some of my favorite writers, Josephine Tey, John Dickson Carr, Dorothy Sayers - I could go on and on - and said, 'Think about them. Their mysteries may be nothing but exciting stories on the surface, but there's a definite moral response to the world in every single one of the really good ones."
"The more limited our language is, the more limited we are; the more limited the literature we give to our children, the more limited their capacity to respond, and therefore, in their turn to create. The more our vocabulary is controlled, the less we will be able to think for ourselves. We do think in words, and the fewer words we know, the more restricted our thoughts. As our vocabulary expands, so does our power to think. Try to comprehend an abstract idea without words: we may be able to imagine a turkey dinner. But try something more complicated; try to ask questions, to look for meaning: without words we don't get very far. If we limit and distort language, we limit and distort personality."
Anxious People. Fredrik Backman. Simon & Schuster (2020). 341 pages. Genre: Fiction, Contemporary.
First Lines: "A bank robbery. A hostage drama. A stairwell full of police officers on their way to storm an apartment. It was easy to get to this point, much easier than you might think. All it took was one single really bad idea."
Summary: On the day before New Year's Eve, eight people attend an apartment viewing. That same morning, a person who has reached a place of desperation, decides to rob a bank. When that doesn't quite go as expected, the bank robber flees to the first available building which happens to be the apartment building holding the viewing. Since the apartment holding the viewing is the only one that is easily accessible, the bank robber bursts in waving a pistol. The situation has gone from being a robbery to a hostage crisis.
My thoughts: This is the second book by Fredrik Backman that I have read. His books leave me with mixed feelings. So I'm going to start by telling you what I liked about this book:
*Backman is a talented writer.
*This is a unique story told in a unique way.
*Humor - there was one point near the beginning of the story when I was laughing so hard, it was a few minutes before I could keep reading.
*Bringing many of the ills of society or difficulties of the modern age to light in a humorous way.
*Quirky characters - Backman excels in seeing the quirkiness in all of us and extracting that into interesting characters.
*Themes of love, friendship, grief, mistakes, forgiveness, second chances and hope.
*The story ends on a positive note.
Things that cause me to have mixed feelings:
*The dark tone of the book, especially in the early part. It gave me a feeling similar to the movie Fargo. Dark and quirky, unsettled. This did lift as the story went on.
*Many references to suicide and suicidal thoughts.
*The obnoxiousness and choices made by some of the characters - the author does mention several times, "This is a story about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots.". I had to keep that in mind when I was getting annoyed by some of the characters.
This is not a story for everyone. But, if you like quirky characters in a unique setting you might want to give this one a try.
Quotes:
"Because that was a parent's job: to provide shoulders. Shoulders for your children to sit on when they're little so they can see the world, then stand on when they get older so they can reach the clouds, and sometimes lean against whenever they stumble and feel unsure. They trust us, which is a crushing responsibility, because they haven't yet realized that we don't actually know what we're doing."
"The fact that she didn't phrase her questions as 'Is this some kind of joke' but went straight for 'Are you a joke?' perhaps says a lot about the younger generation's lack of respect for older bank robbers."
"She told herself that way why you should always be nice to other people, even idiots, because you never know how heavy their burden is."
"The truth of course is that if people really were as happy as they look on the Internet, they wouldn't spend so much damn time on the Internet, because no one who's having a really good day spends half of it taking pictures of themselves."
A Palette for Murder (Murder, She Wrote #7). Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain. Signet (1996). 304 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.
First Lines: "'Why does it matter?' 'It matters because good writing always matters,' I said, allowing an involuntary sigh of frustration to escape my lips. "
Summary: After a difficult struggle with her latest manuscript and the challenge of teaching a class for young aspiring writers, Jessica is ready for a vacation. Her publisher, Vaughan Buckley, and his wife have invited her to spend time with them in the Hamptons. Jessica plans to spend the time reading, relaxing, enjoy the views and taking an art class. The Hamptons is filled with artists and art galleries, so it seems like the perfect place to take an art class. Jessica is a little embarrassed about her abilities as an artist and doesn't want anyone to notice her, so she dresses in a disguise when she attends the class. The instruction includes drawing the naked human form of both a male and a female. Unfortunately, the female model collapses while posing for the class. She seems to have had a heart attack. This seems odd to Jessica considering she is a young woman. Word gets out quickly that the famous mystery writer was attending the class where the model died. And to top it off, someone stole her drawing of the nude male model and has sold it to the local newspaper. Since she was in the room when the model died, she wants to find out more about her. Who was she? Why was she modeling? Where is her family? As she begins to ask questions, she finds that not many people are willing to answer. There seems to be more to the story of this model's death. Did she die of natural causes or is something more sinister going on?
My thoughts: It is always fun to accompany Jessica on her travels. This time they take her to the Hamptons, the playground of the rich and famous in the summer months. I have heard of this area, but know very little about it. Here is what Google says:
The Hamptons, on eastern Long Island's South Fork, is a string of seaside communities known as a summer destination for affluent New York City residents. It’s marked by long stretches of beach and an interior of farmland, towns and villages with 18th-century shingle buildings and estates hidden behind tall boxwood hedges. East Hampton is home to high-end restaurants, bars and designer boutiques.
It sounds like a beautiful place. Unfortunately for Jessica, her vacation doesn't end up being a relaxing time. However, Vaughn and his wife, Olga keep her busy with dinners at many of the restaurants in the area. One of the things I always appreciate about Jessica is her ability to mingle with people from every walk of life. She is not overly impressed with fame or fortune, but can carry on an interesting conversation with anyone. Also, she is not afraid to say no when she needs some time to herself.
The mystery contained an interesting look at the art world, including the difficulty of becoming known in the field, fraud, greed and manipulation. This was a case where the death seemed straight forward. The coroner confirmed that the model died of a heart attack. That should be the end of the story. However, something just seemed off to Jessica, so she started to ask questions. She also got in touch with the Chief of Police and worked with him on the case. And in the end, it was the police who solved the mystery with Jessica not far behind.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and a great addition to the series.
Murder with Orange Pekoe Tea (Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery #7). Karen Rose Smith. Kensington Publishing (2021). 352 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.
First Line: "The wail of sirens blared."
Summary: Daisy Swanson is serving tea and treats at a fundraiser for a local homeless shelter. Not everyone in town is as supportive of the new homeless shelter as Daisy is. There have been some heated discussions. So it is not a big surprise when a group of protesters show up to the fundraiser. What is surprising is the anger and forcefulness of the group.
While serving tea at the fundraiser, Daisy met Piper, a young woman who had used the services of a fertility clinic. Several couples' hopes were dashed when the clinic had a mechanical problem that caused the loss of many frozen eggs and embryos. Piper and her husband were one of those couples. Hiram Herschberger, a local lawyer, is defending the clinic. It just so happens that Hiram also represented a young Amish man named Eli, who is in the crowd of protesters. When Hiram is found dead a few days later, there are plenty of suspects to investigate.
My thoughts: The author is not afraid to include some controversial topics in these mysteries. This time Daisy is right in the middle of a fundraiser for a homeless shelter. The shelter has divided the residents of the town. There are some who are strongly against it. In addition to that is the situation at the fertility clinic. Daisy can often see both sides of an issue which makes her a good protagonist. The setting of this series is in Willow Creek, Pa in the Susquehanna Valley which is a region populated by many Amish. The characters often cross paths with the Amish community, which adds another layer of interest.
All of the secondary characters in this series are well developed. This time, the focus was mostly on Daisy and Jonas. Their relationship continues to grow at just the right pace, which is very slowly. We also see a lot of Daisy's daughter, Jazzi. This is her last year of high school and she is looking into colleges. Daisy is already anticipating how much she will miss her next year.
Hiram Herschberger is a lawyer who is willing to take cases others wouldn't touch. This often means putting morals aside in order to make a buck. He has clearly made some enemies. A detective on the case has finally realized that Daisy is in a good position to hear people talk and asks her to let him know if she hears anything. As Daisy talks to people, she learns more about the types of cases Hiram took on. She does pick up a clue here and there, but it didn't feel like there were many solid clues. But, it all makes sense in the end.
I continue to enjoy catching up with Daisy and her friends and family in Willow Creek. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Dead Fall (Quantico Files #2). Nancy Mehl. Bethany House (2021). 336 pages. Genre: Suspense, Christian Fiction.
First Line: "John Davis turned up the collar of his jacket as he swiftly walked away from the shrill voices bleeding through from the hotel banquet hall behind him."
Summary: The FBI's elite Behavioral Analysis Unit is called in to investigate one of the strangest cases they have ever dealt with. The case involves the death of one of the cofounders of the BAU. What makes it so strange is that his body was found in a locked room with no signs of forced entry. As the unit begins its investigation, they find it difficult to create a profile of the killer. Before long, another murder is committed. Now that they know they are dealing with a serial killer it should be easier to create a profile. Except they keep running into roadblocks. When they realize members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit are being targeted, the pressure is on to stop the killer before one of their own becomes a victim.
My thoughts: This is a thrilling, fast-paced story that kept me guessing until the end. As in the first book in the Quantico Files series, Alex (Alexandra) Donovon is our main character. She is joined by Logan Hart and the famous Kaely Quinn from another series. The suspect they are trying to profile is diabolical and crafty and has devised an intricate plan to achieve his goal.
When reading a book like this I often think about those men and woman who do these jobs every day. I imagine it would be difficult to have to face such evil on a daily basis. So, I really appreciated the author showing us that side of things in one of the characters.
"Those in law enforcement pay a heavy price when they constantly look into the dark minds of evil."
"As a Christian, he knew where true evil came from, but that knowledge didn't banish the images that burned in his mind. The ones that showed up in his nightmares."
Several of the characters deal with the effects of their jobs and that feels realistic. I enjoyed the friendship that blossomed between Alex and Kaely. As the two of them work together, they realize they have a lot in common. Kaely's difficult past offers her special insight into Alex's struggles and Alex appreciates the encouragement and support.
As this series takes place at Quantico, it was interesting to learn more about the training base there, including the dormitories and Hogan's Alley.
While you could read this as a stand-alone, you would miss out on a lot of character development. I recommend starting with the first book in the Kaely Quinn, Profiler series, Mind Games. I am looking forward to the third book in this page-turning series.
As You Like It. William Shakespeare. First Published (1599). Genre: Classic, Play.
First Line: Orlando: "As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion: bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well: and there begins my sadness."
Summary: Duke Senior has been banished by his younger brother, Frederick. Duke Senior's daughter, Rosalind, stayed with her cousin at her uncle's court. Duke Frederick hosts a wrestling match between his wrestler, who never loses, and a young man named Orlando. Rosalind and Celia are there to witness the match. This time the Duke's wrestler doesn't win, but is bested by Orlando. Rosalind becomes favorably disposed towards Orlando, which angers her uncle to the point that he banishes her from his court.
Rosalind and Celia take to the forest in disguise. Rosalind as a man and Celia as his brother. They soon learn that Orlando has also taken to the forest after escaping the evil designs of his brother, Oliver. As Rosalind and Celia encounter Orlando, Rosalind uses her disguise to test Orlando's affections for her.
My thoughts: This was a fun read! I found this easier to read and understand than some of the other Shakespeare I have read. It was easy to keep the characters straight - even when one was dressed as someone else. I think this would be a good place to start if you are new to Shakespeare.
Quotes:
"Do you not know I am a woman? When I think, I must speak."
"I could find in my heart to disgrace my man's apparel and to cry like a woman; but I must comfort the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat."
"All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages."
Jacques: "By my troth. I was seeking for a fool when I found you."
Orlando: "He is drowned in the brook: look but in, and you shall see him."
Jacques: "There I shall see mine own figure."
Orlando: "Which I take to be either a fool or a cipher."
The Dark Vineyard (Bruno, Chief of Police #2). Martin Walker. Knopf Publishing (2010). 303 pages. Genre: Mystery.
First Line: "The distant howl of the siren atop the mairie broke the stillness of the French summer night."
Summary: Bruno is called to the scene of a fire at a research station for genetically modified crops on the outskirts of town. The fire chief smells gasoline, which tells him the fire was no accident. Bruno is aware of a group of fervent environmentalists in the area and immediately suspects them. However, things get more complicated when an American businessman is looking to buy property in the area. He is a winemaker who sees opportunity in St. Denis. Would he have reason to set the fire? Then there is the young woman who works at the wine shop who is newly arrived from Canada. She seems to know a lot about grapes and winemaking. Bruno has many things to sort through before he gets to the bottom of this mystery.
My thoughts: The best part of this series is the location. The beauty of the French countryside comes across on every page. Not to mention the delicious food that is described in enough detail to make your mouth water. One of the highlights is when Bruno invites a small group of friends to his home for dinner. Each course is described in mouth-watering detail along with some information for those of us who aren't French and need a bit of explanation about the more obscure items on the menu.
The reader also gets a look into a vendange - a grape picking party. The owner of the vineyard invites the entire town to come and help pick grapes and then feeds them a delicious lunch. I learned quite a bit about this process.
There is a lot to like about Bruno, too. He is an excellent police officer, but more importantly, he cares deeply about the people in his little commune of St. Denis. He is always a friend first, even when he is dealing with a criminal. That is not to say that he lets anyone get away with anything, he just treats them with kindness and respect. This often causes confusion in some of his colleagues. They can't understand why he would go to the trouble. That is just the kind of guy Bruno is.
The mystery is complicated and gets more complicated before it is all sorted out. The mayor and the Police Nationale get involved and each is looking out for their own interests. Bruno likes to do things by the book, so he is a good mediator when things get out of control.
This was an enjoyable read, with interesting characters set in a beautiful location.
Quotes:
"Bruno would love to be as calm and self-confident as he had taught himself to seem, and to be even a fraction as wise and patient as he sought to appear."
"'If we were in California I would not be working in a vineyard,' Bruno said. 'Unless a friend asked me to help. And then I would follow his rules, or hers, for cutting the grapes. Here, I follow Joe's rules. So should we all.'"
I hope all of you that celebrate had a good Thanksgiving! I sure did. I was even able to get a little bit of reading done. In the month of November I read 10 books. Here's the breakdown:
Mystery: 2
Cozy Mystery: 2
Romantic Suspense: 2
Christmas: 1
Middle Grade Fiction: 1
Non-fiction: 1
Historical Fiction: 1
Mystery:
Death at Greenway by Lori Rader Day - A historical mystery taking place at the country home of Agatha M. C. Christie Mallowan and her husband. A good mystery with memorable characters.
The Dark Vineyard (Bruno, Chief of Police #2) by Martin Walker
Bruno investigates a fire at a research station for genetically modified crops. Review coming soon.
Cozy Mystery:
Power Play (Capital Intrigue #3). Rachel Dylan. Bethany House (2021). 320 pages. Genre: Romantic Suspense, Christian Fiction.
First Lines: "It's going to be a long night. Vivian Steele checked her glossy pink lipstick one final time before exiting the ladies' room and entering into the shark tank - otherwise known as a diplomatic dinner in the Washington, DC, area."
Summary: Viv works in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the State Department. This work keeps her mostly behind a desk looking over policy. Occasionally, she will be called on to assist in an operation by observing to make sure all the legal bases are covered. Her boss has insisted she attend the annual summer dinner event attended by diplomats from around the world. She feels like she doesn't belong. However, there are a few people she knows, so she begins to make the rounds. Shortly after beginning a conversation, a shriek sounds behind her. As she looks for the source of the shriek, she see a man hovered over Egyptian Ambassador Zidan. Unfortunately, he is dead. As the emergency personnel are attempting to remove him from the scene, the emcee encourages everyone to return to their seats.
After dessert Viv makes her way to speak to Penelope King, US ambassador to Belgium. Viv notices that she looks unwell. Within minutes she collapses. What is going on? Are the incidents related? Is someone trying to take out the ambassadors one by one? These are all questions that need to be answered. Viv is assigned to a team that will be investigating. She is paired with Jacob Cruz, a man she doesn't know, but ran into at the dinner. He is a supervisory special agent of diplomatic security. And he doesn't like lawyers. The two of them get off to a rocky start. However, they are both professional enough to put their opinions aside and work together to figure out who is targeting the ambassadors.
My thoughts: This is the third book in the Capital Intrigue series. I have enjoyed this look into a way of life I know very little about.
Viv is a policy lawyer, which means she hasn't spent any time in front of a judge. She is not used to defending criminals, but she is very skilled in the law. She mostly looks over documents to make sure they are legally sound. Except for that one operation she was asked to join that had her at the scene of a prisoner exchange between the US and Egypt. Her role was to observe and make sure that everything was done by the book. What she didn't realize at the time was that there could be eyes on her that weren't friendly. There was an aspect of the story that was frustrating me that involved Viv and her ignorance about possible danger. But, as I kept reading I realized the author did a great job of using this situation to help the reader understand that Viv was not trained as a field agent and wasn't used to looking for danger. At one point Jacob has to set her straight:
"They wouldn't think twice about killing someone as an act of revenge. Their whole purpose is to inflict pain. These aren't political dissidents. This isn't diplomacy, like you're used to dealing with. They're straight-up bad guys. Understand?"
When Viv is having a hard time understanding, he says:
"That's because you see the light in people, not the darkness. I specialize in seeing the darkness and fighting it."
That felt very realistic and caused me to realize that there are people out there who "specialize in the darkness and fighting it". I am very thankful for those people.
The characters of Viv and Jacob are deep characters. They are multi-layered and complex. Of course, all of this depth happens rather quickly, but the author only had 300 pages to work with.
The faith aspect was realistic also. The characters called on their faith in times of trouble, when they were afraid, or as a means to encourage someone.
This was a fast-paced, enjoyable read. Unfortunately, this is the final book in this series. But, I will keep my eyes open to see what Rachel Dylan does next.
Plantation Shudders (Cajun Country Mysteries #1). Ellen Byron. Crooked Lane Books (2015). 282 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.
First Line: "Maggie flew down southern Louisiana's River Road in the red '64 Falcon convertible that she'd inherited from her late grandfather."
Summary: Maggie Crozat's family owns a Louisiana plantation that they have turned into a bed-and-breakfast. End of summer is a busy time as guests flock to the area for the local food festival. The rooms are full with a variety of guests from an elderly newlywed couple to a family with young children. Unfortunately, things do not get off to a good start when the elderly couple drop dead within minutes of one another. One appears to have died of unnatural causes.
Pelican Chief of Police, Rufas Durand, holds a grudge against the Crozat family claiming they put a curse on his family. The Durands and Crozats have had a rivalry going for years. The Crozat Plantation can't take bad publicity right now, so Maggie determines to investigate the murder on her own. Fortunately, there is a new detective on the force who isn't so unkind and Maggie works with him to find the killer.
My thoughts: This series has been on my TBR for quite a while. After reading several positive reviews for the most recent book in the series, I figured I better get started. I am so glad I did.
Immediately I was drawn into the setting, which is unfamiliar to me. The series takes place in Louisiana, right in the heart of Cajun Country. The plantations, the bayous and the southern manners were foreign to me and I enjoyed experiencing them through the pages of this book.
I will admit that it took me a bit to warm up to Maggie. Initially, she seemed a little over the top. But, as the story went on I appreciated the way her grandmother or parents reigned her in. And it really didn't take much reigning, just a simple reminder and Maggie would calm down. By the end, I appreciated Maggie's loyalty to her family and friends that sometimes caused her anger to flare.
There is a great cast of characters here. Topping the list is Maggie's grand-mere Crozat, 'Gran for short. She is a hoot. The rest of the family, consisting of her mom, dad and cousin, Lia are people I wouldn't mind spending time with. The Chief of Police is a real piece of work and so is his fiancee. Fortunately, his cousin, Bo Durand, the newest addition to the police force, treats everyone fairly regardless of the family they belong to. I hope to see more of all of them in future books.
The crime had several suspects, but no one really stood out. Maggie just kept digging until things finally made sense. She really did work with Bo. Anytime she uncovered something she would contact him immediately. I was glad the two of them solved the mystery and explained it to the reader, because I didn't have a clue.
One small quibble I had with the book was the use of some crude language and over-the-top scenes. Fortunately, this was not excessive and will not keep me from reading future books. Overall I really enjoyed this book and am eager to visit the Crozat family again.
Backlash (Capital Intrigue #2). Rachel Dylan. Bethany House (2020). 320 pages. Genre: Romantic Suspense, Christian Fiction.
First Line: "The incessant knocking on her condo door made Layla Karam grumble as she threw off the covers."
Summary: Layla Karam loves her job as a CIA Analyst. Her strength lies in being able to scour data and find connections. However, her bosses at the CIA have been pushing hard to get her in the field. She recently took part in a DEA operation in Honduras involving the brutal and dangerous Mejia cartel. The operation was successful, but now members of the team, including Layla, are being targeted.
Complicating matters further, an internal investigation against Layla is opened. Her boss has no reason to suspect her of anything and is not being told what the inquiry is about. To top it off, Layla is assigned a security detail involving her ex-boyfriend, private investigator Hunter McCoy. As difficult as it is, Layla has to put her trust in this man. Under constant threat from the brutal cartel, the two of them must work together to discover how the cartel knows who was involved in the operation.
My thoughts: It has been several months since I read the first book in this series, so I had forgotten some of the information about the characters. Once I got up to speed, this was a real page turner.
Layla is truly in a situation where she doesn't know who to trust. As a reader, I felt the same way. She was putting her trust in people I didn't think she should. Layla is a very capable woman. She was hired as a CIA Middle East specialist. Her father was Lebanese, she has a degree in Arab studies and is fluent in Arabic. However, all of these things make her highly sought after to work in the field. She has agreed to be involved in cases on a temporary basis, but would prefer to be back at a desk analyzing complex information.
Hunter was in law enforcement, but is now working as a private investigator. The history that he shares with Layla is complicated. The story she tells is that Hunter cheated on her and that ended their relationship. The truth is much more complicated. While Hunter is very capable as a security detail, Layla has been well-trained by the CIA. He finds it intimidating when Layla ends up being the one to save him from a bullet. This felt realistic and I appreciated the way the two of them put aside their feelings to accomplish their goal.
There are several mysteries going on in this story. The first involves the cartel targeting the team that worked in Honduras. This mystery is complex as the pool of suspects is large and most of them are trained agents. There were several twists and turns that I didn't expect and left me feeling even more on edge. Next is the investigation opened against Layla. Are they related? The third involves a secondary character, Izzy. She was previously in law enforcement and was attacked by her sergeant. When he is found dead, Izzy becomes a suspect. The combination of these mysteries really kept the pages turning.
I enjoy reading books where the author has experience in a particular field and uses those experiences to write fiction. This is one of those books. Rachel Dylan is of Lebanese decent and has a degree in Middle Eastern studies. She also works as a lawyer in the corporate world. This brought authenticity to the story.
I enjoyed Backlash and am looking forward to reading more from Rachel Dylan.
The London House. Katherine Reay. Harper Muse (2021). 368 pages. Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction.
First Lines of Prologue: "17 October 1941. Caro hugged Martine, whispering close to her ear. 'I won't be back. It's too dangerous.'"
Summary: Caroline Payne is finally feeling some peace. She has found work she loves to do and is getting settled in Boston. When she receives a call from an old college friend, Mat Hammond, she is surprised, but agrees to meet him for coffee. Mat is a journalist trying to make a name for himself. On the side, he does genealogical research. A family has hired him to find out what happened to their relative. In the course of his research, he came across Caroline's great-aunt, Caroline Waite. He has uncovered a long-held secret: Caroline's great-aunt betrayed her country and family to escape with a German lover during WWII. This is the type of story that will garner attention. Mat has written an article about what he has uncovered and believes it will be accepted by a major news publication.
Caroline can't believe this is true. She has been told that her great-aunt died of Polio as a child. Mat has proof that she was alive as an adult. Caroline is determined to find answers and asks Mat for a little time to try to find them before he submits his article. Her family still owns a home in London which they refer to as "The London House". She and Mat travel to London to scour letters and diaries left by her grandmother and great-aunt. Will they be able to discover the truth before the article deadline?
My thoughts: What an amazing story this is! Katherine Reay is a talented author who has woven fact and fiction to create a story that is hard to put down.
Part of the story takes place in present day and involves Caroline. As the story unfolds, we learn about her family's complicated past and the way it has shaped her. Because of circumstances in their lives, both of her parents retreated into themselves when Caroline was young. She was distanced from both of her siblings for various reasons. These things left her feeling alone, unloved and like a failure. However, Caroline has made a life for herself and is doing the best she can. Combined with this is her previous relationship with Mat. They were close friends in college, but then lost touch. Caroline is not even sure what happened, which makes the fact that he has contacted her more confusing.
The other part of the story takes place in the days leading up to WWII and is told through letters and diaries. Caroline's grandmother, Margaret, had a twin sister named Caroline, but they called her Caro. Caroline was told she died of Polio as a child. As Mat and Caroline scour the letters and diaries to try to find out what really happened to Caro, they come to know and love Margaret and Caro. In the late 1930's, Caro left London for Paris where she worked for Elsa Schiaparelli in her famous dress shop. I loved learning about this business and the culture surrounding it. Also interesting was the way Caro picked up the beliefs and ideas of the culture she was living in. Unfortunately, they were in opposition to the beliefs and ideas of her family still living in London. The created a wedge between them. Caro rarely returned home because of the conflict. The author did a great job of showing how the distractions of the fashion world blinded people to what was really going on in the world. Also how people's beliefs divided them.
"In World War Two, no one can deny there was a real mix and mess of loyalties. It must have felt like the world was ending and life would never be the same. What's more, the enemy was sometimes within your own home."
The parallels to our present circumstances were striking. While all of this seems heavy, there is a thread of hope running through the story. There are themes of love, confession, forgiveness, truth, family and how the past defines us. Best of all, it is a story of reconciliation that leaves the reader with a sense of hope for the future.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter #1). J. K. Rowling. Arthur A. Levine Books (1997). 309 pages. Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy.
First Line: "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."
Summary: After his parents were killed in a car crash, Harry went to live with his aunt, uncle and cousin. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley didn't approve of his parents' 'kind of people', so they try their best to ignore Harry. They do feed him, but mostly he stays under the stairs. One day Harry receives a letter that changes his life. He has been accepted into Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
When Harry arrives at Hogwart's, he finds that many teachers and children know who he is. He has only recently discovered the truth about his parents and how they really died. They were killed by the evil Voldemort, who also tried to kill Harry and left him with a scar. This made him a legend in the world of wizards and witches. Nobody knows what happened to Voldemort. As Harry traverses his first year at Hogwart's, he discovers there is still evil at work.
My thoughts: Harry Potter is a very relatable character. When living with the Dursely's he is neglected and unappreciated, but he realizes there is not a lot he can do about it so tries to make the best of it. When he finally gets to Hogwart's he has to stand on his own two feet. Even though he is a legend, he is not given special treatment. He is expected to follow the same rules as everyone else. But, at times he chooses not the follow the rules and there are consequences. I appreciated that Harry was always willing to accept those consequences. There were a couple of other characters who were always trying to get away with something and felt entitled. They were definitely unlikeable.
This was a great story with themes of good vs. evil, overcoming obstacles, kindness, things are not always what they seem, and found family.
I decided to read this thinking I had never read it before. But when I went to enter it into Goodreads, I saw that I had read it in 2014. Some of it was familiar, but it felt like I was reading it for the first time. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and I am looking forward to reading more in the series.
A Christmas in the Alps. Melody Carlson. Revell (2021). 176 pages. Genre: Christmas Fiction, Christian Fiction.
First Lines: "Simone Winthrop knew all about loss. But as she sorted through her dead grandmother's cluttered house, she experienced an unexpected wave of hopefulness."
Summary: Simone Winthrop's grandmother was like a mother to her. Grandma Betty raised her, after Simone's mother left. Now, Grandma Betty is gone and Simone is left sorting through her things. Her best friend, Andrea, is helping her with the process. When Andrea uncovers an unopened letter addressed to Simone from her Great-grandmother, Simone is curious. After reading the letter she is even more curious and a bit stunned. The letter was written a couple of years ago and somehow got lost in the shuffle. Great-grandmamma Winthrop wrote to tell Simone she left a treasure in France and would like Simone to have it. At first Simone is doubtful. Would something valuable still be around after all these years? Andrea convinces her that she will never know unless she attempts to locate it. There are many obstacles in her way, but Simone is determined to find the treasure.
My thoughts: Isn't that cover gorgeous! This is a sweet story about courage and family with some well developed characters set in a beautiful location.
Simone has had a lot of loss in her life. Since her grandmother died, she has found herself at a crossroads. She is not sure who she is and where she belongs. She knew she had relatives in France, but she has never met any of them and could not even tell you their names. Combined with her fear of flying, she has many excuses for not going to France. However, this seems to have been her Great-grandmamma's dying wish. And that means a lot to Simone. I am always impressed with the depth of character Melody Carlson can accomplish in a novella. Simone grows and changes throughout the course of this story in some significant ways.
There is some romance in the story as well. However, it is not the focus of the story, but just adds a bit of joy. The bulk of the story involves solving the mystery of the treasure. The first hurdle is getting to France and the second, larger hurdle, is discovering who Simone's relatives are. Once that is accomplished, the next hurdle becomes getting through the barriers that those relatives seem to be putting between themselves and Simone. Obviously, in real life things don't go as smoothly as they do in fiction and you have to keep that in mind while reading this story. The author only has a limited number of pages to accomplish this and it might seem a bit too neat and tidy. If you can let that go, you'll enjoy the story.
As an added bonus, the reader gets to learn something about the watch and clock making business. It was fascinating to learn about and consider some of the obstacles that type of business has today. This small company was owned by a local and employed many members of the community. It had been around for many years and represented many generations. If it were to go away, it would change the landscape of the small French town of Avre. Knowing all of this created a fuller picture of the setting. There is a lot to like about this novella and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
