Flowers and bee

Flowers and bee

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The Art of the Re-Read part 1

I met a library land big-wig a few weeks ago. I had the pleasure of eating dinner with her. And I was thrilled to bits, when I heard her say she likes to re-read books! So do I!

Why you might ask?

Depends on the situation. Sometimes it is because there is nothing else around that suites your fancy. Maybe you are trying to remember a certain passage, plot line or fascinating character? Or perhaps they are your version of book "comfort food". They have a good story. You like the characters -they make you laugh. It is written well. And it reminds you as you read them, that in the chaos of a bad week in your own life, that it will be okay, and everything will be alright in the end.

More on this topic later...

The Blossom Street series

In this series of books, author Debbie Macomber manages to take simple stories about the intersecting lives of women and bring life, enthusiasm and warmth to some great characters. It sounds like it should be easy - but it is never easy creating characters that in the end the reader wants to chat and visit with -long after the story is over.

Her first book, The Shop on Blossom Street, starts with Lidia who is the owner of A Good Yarn knit shop. Lidia is trying to keep her newly opened store running. She is trying to set up a series of classes to bring more people into the store. Her students have had varied lives. Jacqueline is a bored older woman who is convinced her husband is cheating on her. Carol is happily married but is trying to start a family but with only painful results. And Alix is the younger one who has been reared by the school of hard knocks, and whose tough outer shell protects a creative woman inside.

The next book is entitled A Good Yarn. Lidia has started a relationship - but she is scared it will end like all the others. Her new batch of students are: Elise, an retired, older divorced woman who is not so pleased to have her ex-husband come into her ordered life; Bethanne is a mother with teenagers, who is going through the fallout of a divorce; and Courtney, a teenager, has just moved to the area to stay with her grandmother who has signed her up for the class.

Will Lidia make a success of the shop? Will the others meet their goals, and deal with the surprises - both good and bad - that happen in their lives? Macomber does deal with their disappointments and set backs. That is one of her talents in making these characters seems real. They could be the gal down the street or your mother's best friend. She also brings a nice inter generational theme to most of the stories. It continues to give you the feeling that you could be a part of this group of women. Macomber manages to combine their lives and twisting story lines to provide satisfying good reads. Try them. But I warn you - they might give you a craving to knit!

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

The Perfect Kiss

Characters either grab you or they don't. Plots either intrigue you or disappoint you. People may say that genre books are the same story again over and over. They aren't really. There are little differences in the writing, in the character, in the settings that blend together and make a book a bit more magical than you may have originally thought.

Anne Gracie's The Perfect Kiss is one of those books that surprises. Grace is set on having an adventure. She finally has inherited the money, worn down her relatives' objections and is planning to travel to Egypt. But first she is going to do a favor for a timid friend. Grace is going to help Melly on her journey to meet her fiance. Grace will be disguised as her chaperone and keep an eye on her. But Dominic Wolfe is not what he seems either. He may have inherited the title, but grew up overseas since his mother was separated from his father. He doesn't seem that interested in a previously arranged married. But he does notice the sassy chaperone who keeps trying to organize the disheveled household. Who is this woman who keeps trying to set things right? And why do the villagers think she is the harbinger of prosperity for the estate?

Grace is just trying to get things settled so she can leave on her trip, but Dominic keeps questioning her efforts and it is getting rather hard for her to keep from taking charge of the household. As she gets to know him, she realizes she needs to leave because she is in love with him. And she can't hurt Melly's chances for a marriage.

And that is where things get a little different. A bit of the Far East, a pinch of quirky characters, and a pair of lead characters that don't want to be ordinary. Come join in the experience. A fun and frothy read.

Death Dines In

Death Dines In, edited by Claudia Bishop and Dean James, is a collection of mystery short stories. Short stories are excellent for giving the reader a taste of an author's style or a glimpse of their latest main character. This anthology happens to focus on food. Each story takes that into consideration. And yes, there are a lot of people keeling over at the table - so this might not be the book that you read at lunch time.

Some highlights - Elixabeth Fowell's story of Alice Roosevelt Longworth's detecting and meddling at an elegant dinner party. (Too bad this is not a series.) Claudia Bishop's tale of a bad dinner at the Inn with the slightly eccentric Dr. and Mrs. Mackenzie. Carole Nelson Douglas' story of how Midnight Louie (the cat) dealt with a dangerous gourmet dinner. An introduction - (for me) of Rhys Bowen's Molly Murphy character, an Irish immigrant who hasn't been in America that long. And Parnell Hall's Puzzle Lady who really doesn't want to give a speech at the luncheon but combines it with solving a murder instead.

A great collection of stories - some a bit creepier than others. It makes one consider the phrase "watch what you eat" in a whole new way. A fun read.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Summer and the Reading is Easy - Part 1

He is a chef. She is a chef. He cooks Italian - continuing the family tradition. She trained in France and is ready to accomplish her dream of opening her own bistro. Anthony's restaurant is a staple of their Brooklyn neighborhood. Who is this French upstart anyway? Vivi thinks he's arrogant, and his flavors are off. Who is he to tell her how to cook? She's come to America to make a new life for herself. It may sound at first, like a superficial story, but Deirdre Martin's writing skill and style makes her book Just A Taste, go down nice and easy.

Anthony is pleased to have met a fellow chef who shares his passion for food. He's a widower and his large well meaning family is trying to get his life in order for him. He disagrees with Vivi on her recipes, but understands her drive to get her own place open. Vivi thinks he is handsome, but really has to concentrate on opening her restaurant and getting her chief investor - her half-sister to come through with the promised money. But when they get together - whether it be to complete in a cooking contest, or to compare contractors - sparks happen.

Martin does a great job making these characters seem as if they are part of your family. Her secondary characters grow and change in the story and the secondary storyline about teaching Anthony's little nephew how to cook is great. Vivi and Anthony are not "perfect" and that makes them and their situation more enjoyable and believable. Nice and frothy. A great summer read. Enjoy.