Jean's Jottings

May 8, 2008: CHARLAINE HARRIS! OK, ok. I’ve been reading lots of Charlaine Harris mysteries in the last week. I got there via Casey Daniels. How?

Well, in the April 23 posting, I mention a new load of paranormal books that came in. I tried two books by Casey Daniels, Don of the Dead, and the sequel, The Chick and the Dead. The main character is Pepper Martin, a young lady whose rich family loses their reputation and money when dad is sent to jail. She gets a job leading tours of an old cemetery in Cleveland. When she trips and hits her head on a mobster’s headstone, she suddenly is able to see ghosts…and the mobster wants her help finding his murderer.

Reading the Daniels books reminded me of Sookie Stackhouse, the main character of Ms. Harris’s Southern Vampire series. I read Book One some time ago but none of you all has been trading any new copies in…grumble, grumble. So I broke down and special ordered the first couple of books in that series and also the first few in the Aurora Teagarden mysteries. Man-o-man! I love her writing! She has a way with character names. She writes character-driven books with nicely intricate plots. And I like an author who can throw words around that I occasionally have to look up. When was the last time you read the word “mufti”? I’m gonna Google it right now.

Wikipedia defines it (for the use Ms. Harris’s character makes of it) as “refers to ordinary clothes, especially when worn by one who normally wears, or has long worn, a military or other uniform. Mufti Day, or civvies day is an event at certain schools in which students are permitted to wear ordinary clothing, instead of the usual school uniform; It is also occasionally found in business environments.” Thank you, Wikipedia!

So-I’m reading books that some of you lent me and other books that some of you suggested to me.

I’m going to be working on the gardens at the Clarendon store. Any suggestions? I’d like to see some nasturtiums, hollyhocks and that purple bean vine that Gloria used to grow near the front door.

March 4, 2008: Harry Potter and Vampires. It’s Tuesday and I left off by writing I was about to enter a Harry Potter jag. It started last weekend with a string of vampire and werewolf movies on TV. I followed that with a Harry Potter movie on Sunday, pizza and the fifth H. P. movie on Monday night and then I started book seven this morning. I don’t know why I didn’t read it last July. Maybe because it’s just SO BIG! I have to lay it on a pillow on my lap because my hands just can’t take the strain. I’m at least an eighth of the way through and it is really, really good. Draws you in from the get-go. So, don’t tell me what happens, I’ve got a teenager for that kind of trick! Two thumbs up for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007).

March 3, 2008: My Busy Reading Weekend. Some gems to share…

In Sci Fi, I read Storm Front (Book 1 of the Dresden Files series) by Jim Butcher (2000). Remember, I like to read sci-fi in addition to romance and mystery. It was his debut novel and well worth the time to read. Harry Dresden is a wizard who lives in Chicago, performs wizardly tasks for money, and occasionally works with the police department. It was very much like reading Laurell K. Hamilton without the steamy sex.

In Romance, I finished a Kasey Michaels book, The Kissing Game (2003), last week and liked it so much I jumped into two more. I am almost finished with both of them and she holds up well. I would describe her books I've read so far as Regency romances with witty dialogue. Speaking of witty dialogue and Regency romances, if you haven’t tried Julia Quinn’s books, you are denying yourself a treat! I have really enjoyed every one I’ve read so far. The latest one I finished is The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever (2007).

Out of the Blue-I came across a book while shelving new intakes and took it home to read. Faces of Evil, by Lois Gibson and Deanie Mills (2005) is a real crime book that tells the tale of Lois Gibson’s journey to become a forensic artist. I was riveted. This is not normally my type of book. I was fascinated by her fight to break through into a new career, recover from her own crime, and her interviews with victims of crimes. Very empowering!

That’s all for now. I’m off on a Harry Potter binge…

Sorry about the tiny font guys! I changed computers and browsers. Let me try again.

February 26, 2008, part 2:  I was feeling the love of old favorites, so I followed up with this gem- from sci-fi writer Anne McCaffrey, Three Women (1990) is a collection of three romance stories-a genre which I didn’t know she ever wrote in until my mother gave me a copy several years ago.  Ring of Fear involves murder and romance on the show horse circuit in the swinging 60’s.  The Mark of Merlin comes with a newly orphaned heroine and her German Shepherd (Merlin), a scarred soldier, an unsolved murder, and the smuggling of treasures from WW2 Europe.  The Kilternan Legacy is set in Ireland in more modern times. Our intrepid heroine is divorced with two teenagers when she inherits property in Ireland. Can she balance nosey teens, a nosey ex, and nosey neighbors…and still find love? You betcha!  

February 26, 2008, part 2:  I was feeling the love of old favorites, so I followed up with this gem- from sci-fi writer Anne McCaffrey, Three Women (1990) is a collection of three romance stories-a genre which I didn’t know she ever wrote in until my mother gave me a copy several years ago.  Ring of Fear involves murder and romance on the show horse circuit in the swinging 60’s.  The Mark of Merlin comes with a newly orphaned heroine and her German Shepherd (Merlin), a scarred soldier, an unsolved murder, and the smuggling of treasures from WW2 Europe.  The Kilternan Legacy is set in Ireland in more modern times. Our intrepid heroine is divorced with two teenagers when she inherits property in Ireland. Can she balance nosey teens, a nosey ex, and nosey neighbors…and still find love? You betcha!  

February 26, 2008: Stuff I’ve read lately… last week I re-read some favorites. I was chasing a question about time-travel romances and so I went back and read my absolute favorite of the genre-Son of the Morning, by Linda Howard (1997). The plot involves a quiet, private sector medieval researcher (all you bookworms should recognize yourselves in Grace St. John) who witnesses the murder of her husband and brother, barely escaping with her own life. Since her boss was behind the killings, she sets out to find out what part of her research is so valuable that it led to the ruthless killings. So in this story you’ve got the petite sheltered woman who needs to learn street smarts, a heroine who can’t afford to fall apart and grieve because the bad guys will get her, history of the Knights Templar, the history of Scotland during the time of Robert the Bruce, time travel, and a dreamy and lonely hero. La-de-da. My knees grow weak!

I also reread Jude Devereaux’s A Knight in Shining Armor (1987). In that tale, a woman whose heart is breaking starts to fall apart in an empty church, only to find her sorrow is so strong it brings the hero to her from the past. Less plausible than the formula for time travel used in Son of the Morning, but I enjoyed it anyway because the history is strong, the man is (again) dreamy, the heroine learns to be plucky, and the happy ending left me feeling the glow! I found the writing about how a person reacts when suddenly dumped 400 years in the future to be believable and humorous. Note: we have several copies in the Clarendon store.

More on what I read as a follow-up to these two books later!

February 25, 2008: Greetings! I’m glad you joined me. I specialize in the Romance and the Mystery/Suspense sections of the stores. I also love reading Sci-Fi, which is John’s arena. My goal is to share with you short reviews, highlight authors, tell you about gems, and to ask you questions. I hope you enjoy the ride...