Monday, Monday

Half way on our Zodiac Trip

Well the house is quiet again. We had a nice visit from our daughter Jennifer last week. I posted one photo from our Zodiac outing as we tried to find whales in the Straits of Georgia. Saw a few humpbacks and lots of seals. It was a nice outing.

Where did they go this time, Bonnie?

We kept busy during the week. Went out most days and out to dinner a couple of times. 

On the whole, the puppies were much better this time. Only barking once or twice a day. I think Clyde nipped at Jenn once (she must have surprised him. 😎) What Clyde is actually saying in the above video is 'Hi there. I'm so pleased to see you again.'

After dinner at Atlas. Excellent meal!

We played Sequence and Whist and other games in the evening, a relaxing way to finish off the day. All in all it was a nice visit with Jenn. Hopefully it'll be a longer trip next time.

So, how about a reading update to start off the last week of August. School starts soon for those who go, that is.

New Books

Only one new book since my last update. Found this while Jenn and Jo and I were checking out 2nd Page Books.

1. Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem (1994).

"Gumshoe Conrad Metcalf has problems—there's a rabbit in his waiting room and a trigger-happy kangaroo on his tail. Near-future Oakland is a brave new world where evolved animals are members of society, the police monitor citizens by their karma levels, and mind-numbing drugs such as Forgettol and Acceptol are all the rage.

Metcalf has been shadowing Celeste, the wife of an affluent doctor. Perhaps he's falling a little in love with her at the same time. When the doctor turns up dead, our amiable investigator finds himself caught in a crossfire between the boys from the Inquisitor's Office and gangsters who operate out of the back room of a bar called the Fickle Muse.

Mixing elements of sci-fi, noir, and mystery, this clever first novel from the author of Motherless Brooklyn is a wry, funny, and satiric look at all that the future may hold."

Just Finished

(I've completed two more books since my last update; one a graphic novel)

1. The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson (1975).

"I find I'm reading more graphic novels of late. We wander by Books4Brains in Comox or The Laughing Oyster, in Courtenay and I drift over to their selection of graphic novels and find one that seems interesting. Yesterday it was The Girl Who Owned a City: The Graphic Novel by O.T. Nelson.

Sort of a simple premise. Plague has turned all adults into dust, leaving children behind. this is set in Illinois. Young girl, Lisa Nelson, is trying to survive and protect her younger brother, Todd, from gangs of teens. She comes up with the idea of forming her own militia of neighborhood kids. They take over the local high school (secretly) and turn it into her city.

Typical sort of plot; troubles with other gangs, friction within their own group. But presented logically and in an entertaining story. Great artwork, bright coloring, and interesting story with positive ending. (3.0 stars)"

2. Ha'penny by Jo Walton (Small Change #2).

"Ha'penny is the 2nd book in Jo Walton's  Small Change trilogy. I have yet to read the first book (have to get it first). It doesn't seem to have hurt my enjoyment of this story by not having read the first.

It's set in a dystopian future where Nazi Germany seems to have won the war, or at least negotiated a peace with England (they refer to the Farthing Peace). The English government work with Germany. The story focuses on two characters, actress Viola Larkin, a member of a titled family, who is just rehearsing for a new play, a gender crossing version of Hamlet & Inspector Carmichael, a police inspector investigating a failed bombing, one of the victims being a lead actress in the same play.

Carmichael also seems to be gay, a fact that is being used as sort of blackmail against him within the police. Carmichael and his Sgt, Royston, investigate the failed bombing (two people were killed in the process of trying to build a bomb). Viola is forced into the plot to kill Hitler and the PM of England while they attend the opening of the play in London.

The story alternates between Carmichael and Viola, showing each person's Point of View and what they are doing. The story is interesting and well-crafted and presents this new world very well. There is nice tension and it's just an interesting concept. Viola moves from being against the plot due her apolitical attitude and Carmichael hopes to be able to retire from the police after this case and move out of England (maybe to Canada or NZ). I do enjoy these dystopian, alternate universes if they are presented well and Ha'penny manages to do it. I have the 2nd book and will have to get the first. (3.5 stars)"

Currently Reading

(started one new book since my last update)

1. The Face-Changers by Thomas Perry (Jane Whitefield #4).

"The courageous and ingenious Jane Whitefield has worked as a "guide" for over a decade, helping people in danger disappear. Now she has promised her new husband, Dr. Carey McKinnon, that she will never work again. But then Carey's mentor, a famous plastic surgeon, seeks him out, desperate and pursued, wounded and wanted for murder. Carey asks Jane to perform her dangerous magic one last time. But as Jane tries to save her husband's friend, she uncovers the perverse activities of the Face Changers: Using Jane Whitefield's name, reputation and techniques, they are destroying human lives rather than saving them."

Women Authors Whose Work I'm Enjoying - Kay Hooper

Kay Hooper

It's been six weeks since I last visited this topic. My bad. Time flies as they say. Kay Hooper is an author I've only briefly explored thus far. She was born in California in 1957 and writes romance and mysteries among others. I've been exploring her Bishop Files / Special Crime Unit series, 2 so far). They are basically thrillers with psychological, mental power elements. I still have 4 more of her books awaiting my attention. I'll look at them for you.

1. Chill of Fear (Bishop #8 / Fear #2).

"FBI agent Quentin Hayes always knew he had an unusual talent, even before he was recruited by Noah Bishop for the controversial Special Crimes Unit. But, as gifted as he is, for twenty years he’s been haunted by a heartbreaking unsolved murder that took place at The Lodge, a secluded Victorian-era resort in Tennessee. Now he’s returned one final time, determined to put the mystery to rest.

Diana Brisco has come there hoping to unlock the mystery of her troubled past. Instead, she is assailed by nightmares and the vision of a child who vanished from The Lodge years ago. And an FBI agent is trying to convince her that she isn’t crazy but that she has a rare gift, a gift that could catch a killer.

Quentin knows that this is his last chance to solve a case that has become a dangerous obsession. But can he persuade Diana to help him, knowing what it could cost her? For something cold and dark and pure evil is stalking the grounds of The Lodge. Something Diana may not survive. Something Quentin never felt before: the chill of fear."

2. Hostage (Bishop #14 / Haven #2).

"Haven operative Luther Brinkman has been sent into the wilderness of the Appalachian Mountains to locate escaped bank robber Cole Jacoby—an assignment that leaves Brinkman severely injured, alone, and with no way to convey his location to Haven.

Luckily, Agent Callie Davis of the FBI’s Special Crimes Unit is already closing in. But when she finds the wounded Brinkman, the rescue mission is far from over. What neither Luther nor Callie knows is that their quarry is more than an escaped felon.

In hunting him, they will find themselves being hunted by him—deep in the unfamiliar wilds of Tennessee—and will discover the worst monster either of them has ever known."

3. A Deadly Web (Bishop #2).

"John Brodie is a Guardian, a member of a secret network devoted to protecting the psychics in his charge from a ruthless—and virtually invisible—enemy.

Tasha Solomon is unaware of the Guardians’ existence—until the night the gifted psychic suffers a shocking and violent attack and Brodie saves her life.

Tough and resilient, Tasha isn’t used to depending on anyone. But the assault has left her vulnerable. Tasha doesn’t know who wants her dead, or why, or when he will strike again. Now, she is forced to trust that Brodie can guide her through a tangled web of danger and deception toward a safe harbor—one she fears is more elusive with each dark and endless night."

4. Haunted (Bishop #15 / Haven #3).

"Trinity Nichols left a high-stress job for a quiet, small-town life in Sociable, Georgia. But a string of missing women in the area has left the town on edge. And then, a man is found dead right in town. There is nothing remotely ordinary about how he died, or about the prime suspect--a terrified young woman. Soon, Trinity's investigation will yield much more than she bargained for.

A group of strangers has descended on Sociable, some with abilities Trinity finds hard to believe, and agendas she refuses to trust. For some reason, they know a lot more than they should about the strange events in town. And what's happening in Sociable is growing stranger by the minute."

Worth checking out if you like those kinds of stories. The complete listing of Hooper's books can be found at this link. Enjoy your week. Read a few good books.