THERE IS A SEASON by Joan Chittister

★★★★★

GENRE: religious reflection
DATE READ: February 28 - February 28
NO. OF PAGES: 118
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, my bookshelves

 The Book of Ecclesiastes "invites us to see life as a mosaic made up of small pieces of human experience common to us all"  and there in lies the beauty of this book.  We as the reader are taken through the compartments of time - birth, death, loss, gain, love, hate, war, peace, sowing, reaping, and all that heaven holds for us. But do we ever really look at how we treat Time?

Time in our society is very often treated the same as money - being saved and counted, we even "invest"  and spend our time.
 
But this book reminds that we must look deeper into what we see.  For instance, the signs of the zodiac are all compared to a  fragment of ourselves - Ram for Aries is a reminder that just as with Abraham finding a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac we must make sacrifices, Taurus the bull shows us we must set aside the "golden calfs" that we worship, Gemini the twins identifies a manner of seeing the personal inner self as well as the personal relationships that we are a part of.  Each of the zodiacal signs can find a non-pagan equivalent.  

"Before we face the world, we must first face ourselves"
But are we capable of looking that deep or are we afraid?  Fear governs are reactions whether we see it or not.  We fear a loss of status so we say nothing, we fear a loss of comfort, so we mindlessly turn away from effort that might risk greater accomplishments.  We fear criticism but we must reach inside our selves and give birth to a courage that we alone can muster.

Loss teaches us that we need to learn the lesson of how to begin again, learning how to be wrong,  teach our children to learn not shame and guilt and anger from losing but pride and goodness and resolve to try again. We also need to find the true lesson of love because "anything that degrades or demeans or destroys a person in any way is not love, no matter how loudly proclaimed."

"Love is about regal respect, royal reverence and total support. It needs to be taught rather than made the victim of a hormonal roulette."  How has our socieety today changed the definition of love? "Love resides in the santification of friendship" and yet how many marriages are based on friendship, how many can say my spouse is my best friend? The word 'friend' in our society has become so warped by social networks and texting  do we really have BFFs?

The book continues  on, reaching out and grabbing your soul because the words, that are almost poetry, explain what your thought processes and feelings are unable  to express.  When I started I thought this would be a book for those of the Christian faith, but the farther I went the more I realized that everyone would benefit from these words.

And so all purposes under heaven tells us that "in life we become that which we could not have been without our own particular recipe of cleansing pain and perfect joy in proper proportions."

My apologies for so many quotes, the author just said it so much better than I ever could.

All I can say is WOW!

Thanks Tina for recommending this book.  I'm keeping my copy too.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

  ★★★
GENRE: Fiction
SUBJECT: racism, prejudice, generational disputes
Setting: England
CHARACTERS: Ernest Pettigrew, Roger Pettigrew, Jasmine Ali
DATE READ: February 15 - February 26
NO. OF PAGES: 357
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, Audio stockpile

PLOT:....................................................3.00
CHARACTERIZATION:......................3.00
TOPICS:................................................3.00
STYLE:..................................................3.00
ORIGINALITY:......................................2.50
ADDICTIVENESS:...............................2.50
OWNERSHIP:.......................................2.50
THRESHOLD QUALITY:....................2.50
Average........................................................................2.75


This book has been reviewed numerous times so I will refrain from repeating the scenario.  I will just giving my humble viewpoint.

I didn't like it, didn't not like it.  It was mediocre as far as I was concerned.  The same old story of an older person with self-centered children(child) and changing his whole outlook without any explainable reason.  I couldn't get into the main character and I just wanted so many times to tell him to get over when he had issues with his son who acted the same way as he did.

TOP TEN TUESDAY

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is looking at Top Ten Authors That I'd Put On My Auto-Buy List (basically an auto-buy list is no questions asked (you love this author so much that no matter what they wrote next you'd buy regardless of genre or subject matter). TTT is a meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish.

See here's my list of authors that I just love!

  1. Bertrice Small - yes, I will read any of the romance books written by this author - She's probably the only romance writer that I read religiously.

  2. Laurie R. King - love the Mary Russell series but also enjoy her Kate Martinelli books as well.

  3. Louise Penny - ahhh...Armand Gauche....need I say more.

  4. Gail Fraser - give me a Lumby tale and I'm on it!

  5. Julie Hyzy - Ollie is one of my all-time favorites!

  6. Laura Childs - three series that just keep me happy!

  7. Kate Morton - just found her and want everything she writes!

  8. Stephanie Laurens - love the romances that she writes

  9. Richard Castle - just because I love the TV series!

10. David McCollough - Maybe not every book, but I love his histories!

So what authors are you sure to read?

Death of a Kitchen Diva by Lee Hollis

  ★★★★

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: newspaper rivalries
CHARACTERS: Hayley Powell, Karen Applebaum, Lex Bansfield, Sal Moretti
DATE READ: February 18 - February 20
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, Nook stockpile

PLOT:...............................................................4.50
CHARACTERIZATION:..................................4.00
TOPICS:...........................................................4.00
STYLE:.............................................................4.00
ORIGINALITY:..................................................3.50
ADDICTIVENESS:.........................................3.50
OWNERSHIP:.................................................4.00
THRESHOLD QUALITY:................................4.00
Average.........................................................................................3.94

How many times have we, in real life, been put in a position where we are competing with another person and it is someone that we really don't like?  Well, that's what happens here. Haley Powell, to make a few extra dollars agrees to write the food and recipe column at the newspaper where she works.  Her former friend, Karen Applebaum, writes a similar column for the competing newspaper.  So of course, they are at each other's throats especially when Karen steals Hayley's clam chowder recipe.  Who else would the police think killed Karen with poisoned clam chowder but Hayley.

This was a fun little cozy mystery with LOL scenes like food fights, unique police interrogations, great characters, and yummy recipes including alcoholic beverages!

I look forward to the next one.

Getting Away Is Deadly by Sara Rosett

 ★★★★
GENRE: Cozy Mystery SUBJECT: terrorism, Setting: Washington, DC CHARACTERS: Ellie Avery, Mitch Avery, Hayley Avery DATE READ: February 11 - February 17 NO. OF PAGES: 230 Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, Nook stockpile
PLOT:....................................................4.50 CHARACTERIZATION:.......................4.00 TOPICS:................................................4.00 STYLE:..................................................4.00 ORIGINALITY:.......................................3.50 ADDICTIVENESS:...............................3.50 OWNERSHIP:.......................................4.00 THRESHOLD QUALITY:......................4.00 Average..........................................................................3.94 The story in this installment of the Mom Zone mysteries has Ellie and her friend Abby following their husbands to Washington DC for a vacation.  The guys are in for some special training and the wives are  setup with days of sightseeing. Ellie also agrees to help her sister-in-law get in good with a prospective boss.  There's where they get into trouble which sends them trapsing all over the Nation's Capitol while "helping" the police try to stop the bad guys on their path of destruction. The story was very entertaining and the characters are lots of fun.

TOP TEN TUESDAY

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is looking at our favorite characters in whatever genre you choose. TTT is a meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish.

I'm a huge fan of mysteries, so I chose that genre.  I'm not sure that I'll be able to hold my favorite characters to 10 but I'm going to give it a shot. (Of course I came up with 12 and had to cut it back.)

Anyway!  Looking forward to seeing who you mention!


1. Mary Russell (from the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Laurie R. King) is probably my favorite character because as a woman she is intelligent, self-sufficient, and unafraid to stand up to the males that surround her.

2. Armand Gamache of the Three Pines Mysteries by Louise Penny is the kind of man I would love to think actually protects the world from the evils that are there.  He is passionately in love with his wife, Reine-Marie, as well as constantly endeavoring to improve the men and women that work with him.

3. Theodosia Browning from Laura Childs' Tea Shop mysteries - Theodosia and her cohorts at the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, SC  are constantly coming up with delicious sounding events and recipes  while working to make their friends and family safer.

4.Olivia Parras  from Julie Hyzy's White House  chef series is spunky and friendly while thoroughly professional, determined always to make things (food) as perfect as possible while keeping an eye out for the bad guys that may have danger on their minds.

5. Maisie Dobbs - (Jacqueline Winspear's character) who can't love Maisie - constantly trying to help those around her as well as improving herself.

6. Guido Brunetti  - (Donna Leon's Venetian Commissario of Police) maybe it's the Italian background or maybe it's the atmosphere of his home - Guido reminds me of home.

7. Suzanne Dietz of Laura Childs' Cackleberry Club - here is a woman who has been widowed at a young age and yet manages to pick herself up and start over again along with he support of her friends.  She has innovative ideas to grow her own business while still helping her community and friends.

8. Hester Monk from Anne Perry's Monk series - what an inspiration Hester can be - a nurse in the Crimean War (when women didn't do those things) and now back in England helping others who are ill as well as her husband find the bad guys.  Here is a woman who doesn't stand on ceremony but does what has to get done.

9. Goldy Schulz - Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy series is just plain fun.  Goldy always manages to get into some kind of hot water (her hubbie's a cop so he gets her out)  while still coming up with delicious recipes for her catered affairs. YUMMY!

10.Clare Cosi - Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse series manager - manages okay juggling two men in her life as well as the coffeehouse.  Just plain fun!

Those are my top ten,  what about you.

MAILBOX MONDAY



Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week(s) and explore great book blogs.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at Hooked by A Book (formerly The Printed Page) and is on tour for the month of February at UnabridgedChick.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Well, I was away from home last week, so of course, my mailbox was stuffed with all the letters, advertisements, junk mail from an entire week, but lucky for me there was one book sent to me.

I entered a giveaway on Avery Aames website and won my choice of books from her Cheese series.  Since I already owned The Long Quiche Goodbye and Lost and Fondue, it seemed logical for me to choose  Clobbered by Camembert.  Avery was kind enough to sign the book for me as well.  Looking forward to a cheesy spring!

What showed up in your mailbox?

The Johnstown Flood by David McCollough

 ★★★★
GENRE: History
SUBJECT: Disaster at Johnstown
Setting: Johnstown PA
DATE READ: February 9 - February 16
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, audio stockpile

PLOT:...............................................4.50
CHARACTERIZATION:..................3.50
TOPICS:...........................................4.00
STYLE:.............................................4.25
ORIGINALITY:..................................3.75
ADDICTIVENESS:.........................3.50
OWNERSHIP:.................................3.50
THRESHOLD QUALITY:................3.75
Average.........................................................................3.84


Near Johnstown PA there was a earth and wood dam which had been built to augment the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, a resort spot favored by members Andrew Carnegie, Andrew Mellon, and other tycoons of the 19th century.  However, the construction was poorly  executed, maintaince was not ongoing so that conditions deteriorated and later alterations severely jeopardized the strucure.  Then in spring of 1889, the Johnstown area was hit with more rain than normal, the dam which had started to leak, broke and the town and residents were swept  away.

One would think that would be the story and nothing further, but Mr. McCollough manages to take the dry historical facts and with interviews from actual witnesses, weaves a story that captivates the reader.

I listened to an audio version narrated by Edward Hermann - this was the perfect match of voice and tale.  Together Mr McCollough and Mr. Hermann could probably turn training manuals into must reads!

Deadly Decisons by Kathy Reichs

  ★★★

GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: biker gangs, innocent bystanders
Setting: Canada
CHARACTERS: Temperance Brennan
DATE READ: February 15 - February 15
NO. OF PAGES: 384
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, audio stockpile

PLOT:........................................3.00
CHARACTERIZATION:............3.00
TOPICS:.....................................3.00
STYLE:.......................................3.00
ORIGINALITY:............................3.00
ADDICTIVENESS:....................3.00
OWNERSHIP:............................3.00
THRESHOLD QUALITY:...........3.00
Average.............................................................3.00

Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist, is summoned back to Quebec because of a biker war which has resulted in several fatalities which only Tempe can identify.  When a young bystander becomes a casualty as well, Tempe delves into the biker world to end the madness.

The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

  ★★★½

GENRE: Fiction
SUBJECT: survival, morality, shipwreck
Setting: Atlantic Ocean
CHARACTERS: Grace Winter, Ursula Grant, Hannah West, John Hardie
DATE READ: February 11 - February 14
NO. OF PAGES: 278
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, audio stockpile

PLOT:....................................4.50
CHARACTERIZATION:.........3.50
TOPICS:.................................3.50
STYLE:...................................4.00
ORIGINALITY:........................3.50
ADDICTIVENESS:.................3.50
OWNERSHIP:.........................3.50
THRESHOLD QUALITY:........3.25
Average.................................................3.66

In this story several years after the sinking of the Titanic, an explosion rocks a luxury liner and before its sinking, several lifeboats are launched.  However, just as with the Titantic there is not enough space for all the passengers.  The reader is thrown into a lifeboat with Grace Winter and 37 other passengers and one member of the crew and warned that time to get away from the sinking ship is vital.  Grace watches as the ship sinks, not knowing whether another lifeboat has rescued her bridegroom or not.

Fast forward to a court room where Grace and 2 others are on trial for murder.  Startled the reader wonders what happened and they are treated to the recollections of the weeks that Grace spent in that lifeboat and the events  that occurred prior to the rescue.

Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs

 ★★★¾

GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: blizzard, snowmobiling, jealousy
Setting: Kindred, Minnesota
CHARACTERS: Suzanne Dietz, Sam Hazelet, Sheriff Doogie, Toni, Petra
DATE READ: February 7 - February 11
NO. OF PAGES: 279
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   ARC received from Author

PLOT:............................................4.50
CHARACTERIZATION:................3.00
TOPICS:........................................3.50
STYLE:..........................................4.00
ORIGINALITY:................................3.00
ADDICTIVENESS:.......................3.50
OWNERSHIP:................................3.50
THRESHOLD QUALITY:..............4.00
Average...........................................................3.63

The newest of the Cackleberry Club mysteries grabs the reader immediately with the murder  by decapitation of the town Bank President while snowmobiling. (It's not as gruesome as it sounds.)  But since most the town is not happy with the manner they were treated by the deceased, there are loads of suspects for Suzanne to look at which gets her into loads of trouble and others with her.

With mountains of snow and loads of good food described (including recipes - yum!) it isn't hard to imagine the events depicted.

Loads of fun and perfect read for a snow filled season!

Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik

★★★½

GENRE: Fantasy, YA
SUBJECT: diplomatic mission, slavery, Incan empire
Setting: Pacific Ocean, South America
CHARACTERS: Will Laurence, Temeraire, John Granby, Iskierka, Demane, Hammond
DATE READ: February 6 - February 10
NO. OF PAGES: 255
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   No, Public Library

PLOT:..........................................3.50
CHARACTERIZATION:..............3.50
TOPICS:......................................3.50
STYLE:........................................3.50
ORIGINALITY:..............................3.50
ADDICTIVENESS:.....................3.50
OWNERSHIP:.............................3.25
THRESHOLD QUALITY:............3.50
Average.................................................................3.47


The latest in the Temeraire Dragon series has brought Laurence and his Celestial dragon back to the British Aerial Corps so that they can attempt to win the support of the Incan empire in South America away from Napoleon.

Their adventure is fraught with dangers and difficulties as well as jealousies among the dragons but the character development and revelations carry the reader on to the new world with an entertaining style.

Can't wait for the next book!

Staying Home Is a Killer by Sara Rosett

 ★★★¼
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: Smuggling, artifacts
Setting: Oregon
CHARACTERS: Ellie Avery, Mitch Avery, Penny Follette, Clarissa Bedford
DATE READ: February 3 - February 7
NO. OF PAGES: 255
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, Nook stockpile

PLOT:.............................................3.00
CHARACTERIZATION:.................3.00
TOPICS:.........................................3.50
STYLE:...........................................3.00
ORIGINALITY:.................................3.50
ADDICTIVENESS:........................3.00
OWNERSHIP:.................................3.00
THRESHOLD QUALITY:................3.50
Average................................................................3.19


The second in the Mom Zone mysteries was definitely fun with a few wacky scenes that help Ellie Avery solve the murder of one of the military wives and shut down a smuggling ring.  No major brain power needed but still entertaining.

Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger

★★★¾

GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: Indian casinos, blackmail
Setting: Minnesota
CHARACTERS: Cork O'Connor
DATE READ: January 31 - February 3
NO. OF PAGES: 360
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, Nook stockpile

PLOT:................................................3.50
CHARACTERIZATION:...................4.00
TOPICS:............................................3.75
STYLE:..............................................3.50
ORIGINALITY:...................................3.75
ADDICTIVENESS:...........................3.50
OWNERSHIP:...................................3.75
THRESHOLD QUALITY:..................3.75
Average..................................................................3.69

This first mystery in the Cork O'Connor mystery series introduces the reader not only to an interesting "detective" in the main character (an ex-sheriff, with a failing marriage) who doesn't mind trying to do the job he is no longer being paid to do, but also an environment and cultural background of the Native Americans of a small town in Minnesota.

Because Cork is half-Irish and half-Anishinaabe Indian he can get more information from the tribal members than the sheriff so when a high placed official apparently commits suicide and an Indian teen goes missing, Cork decides to investigate himself and the story that is told is entertaining as well as riveting.

The writing has the reader on the edge of their seat all the while picturing the beautiful nature that is used as the backdrop.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week(s) and explore great book blogs.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at Hooked by A Book (formerly The Printed Page) and is on tour for the month of February at UnabridgedChick.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I hadn't picked up the mail for a few days, and when I opened the mailbox it was stuffed!  At the bottom was an envelope from Laura Childs with her new book

SWEET TEA REVENGE

I had this one on my list for 2013 for the "You make Me Feel Brand New" Category.  It's publication date is March 5th, so it looks like a February read for me!  Thanks, Laura!

The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny

  ★★★¾

GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: Three Pine Mystery
Setting: Quebec Canada
CHARACTERS: Armand Gamache, Jean Guy Beauvoir, monks
DATE READ: January 26 - January 31
NO. OF PAGES: 373
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?:   Yes, audio stockpile

PLOT:.........................................4.00
CHARACTERIZATION:.................3.50
TOPICS:.....................................3.50
STYLE:.......................................3.75
ORIGINALITY:.............................3.50
ADDICTIVENESS:........................3.50
OWNERSHIP:.............................3.50
THRESHOLD QUALITY:...............4.00
Average...........................................................3.66

Again, Inspector Gamache is investigating a murder outside of Three Pines.  But this time the murder of the prior at the monastery at St. Gilbert entre les loupes   sends Gamache into seclusion where limitations are placed on his staff as well as the monks who live there.  The abbot releases the monks from their vow of silence so that they may answer the  questions that revolve around the murder.  The monks have become known to the outside world by their recording of Gregorian chants but they remain hidden away otherwise.

Gamache not only learns of the details of monastic life, but something of himself and the Sûreté du Québec.  The details are so cleverly woven through it, the reader has no choice but to sit down and take the ride.