A Weekend Update

 

No, not that one, I'm afraid. This is just my normal weekly reading update, fortunately or unfortunately... (Yeah, I know, poor taste, eh). So let's go with a reading update, next books in line and some new books.

Just Finished

I've finished 4 books since my last reading update, three of them graphic novels.

1. Heartstopper, Volume Three by Alice Oseman (2020).

"I think I've said this before but, if I have or haven't, Heartstopper: Volume Three by Alice Oseman isn't my normal reading fare. I'm no longer a teenager, not gay, yada yada, but I have to say that it's an easy series to delve into and get hooked on. So there you go.

The first to Volumes dealt mainly with the budding relationship between Nick and Charlie, two teenage high school students. Charlie had previously come out as gay and spent a year at his school being harassed by other students. Coming to terms with it, he then found out he had a crush on a boy, Nick, who was a year older and a year higher in the school. Nick slowly discovers that he is bi and he also falls for Charlie. The first two volumes deal with this. In Volume three, we go on an end of year school trip to Paris.

We continue to follow the growing relationship between Nick and Charlie, whether they should come out to their friends (some people, including parents and family already know). As well we learn about some of Charlie's personal / mental struggles, the stresses in his life and how he tried to deal with them; self-harming, not eating, and Nicks efforts to discuss with Charlie and help him. The story also delves into relationships of their friends, letting them grow as characters (even amongst teachers...).

It's an excellent story, a look into the lives of these students and their relationships. I can't say I can relate to it; I think my teenage life was a bit more sheltered, or just different, I guess. But Alice Oseman presents the story in an engaging fashion. We see the characters' humanity, their emotions, their day-to-day actions with their friends and classmates.  I may have to find Vol 4 at my local... (4.5 stars)" (Ed Note: I did get Vol 4)

2. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher (Harry Dresden #4 / 2002).

"Over the past 20 or so years, I've enjoyed a few series that are set in the faerie, supernatural worlds, or more appropriately, set in the normal world, but peopled with vampires, faeries, weres, etc. You can see this in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake and also her Merri Gentry books, Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse and Midnight, Texas books, or Mike Carey's Felix Castor series... to name a few. I've enjoyed them all. Added to this list is Jim Butcher 's Harry Dresden series. Of course this list isn't all inclusive, just provides some ideas. Butcher has written 15+ books in the Dresden Files series. 

So far I've read 4 books in the series, not in any particular order (although I am trying to rectify that). Summer Knight is the 4th book in the series and the 5th that I've enjoyed. As I look through those books, I seem to grab one every three or four years. I will say it doesn't seem to matter how much time it takes between books as when I pick up a Dresden book, I find myself right back into his world and just enjoying the characters, the world Butcher has created and the story itself.

Let's see. In this story, we find the Wizard's Council in a battle with the vampires, due to an incident in a previous story in which Harry played a key role. Harry is struggling with the loss of his fiancé, who has been touched by the vamps and is now away, trying to sort her life out. The Wizard's council is being attacked by vamps and they want Harry. Part of the council is in favor of giving Harry up, but if he takes on a mission for them and succeeds, Harry will be freed from this obligation.

Harry is hired by the Winter Queen to find out who murdered her right hand man, the Summer Knight and she will free him from a debt he owes her. Harry reluctantly agrees and this is the basis of this story. With help from my favorite character Lt Murphy of a special police squad that investigates supernatural  happenings and a group of Alphas (young werewolves), Harry tries to straighten out his life and stop a war between the two branches of the faerie world, the Winter Sidhe and the Summer Sidhe.

Let's just say that the story is a complex, entertaining, action-filled story with just 'neat' stuff going on all the time. Harry and his friends travel between our world and the faerie world as he tries to solve the mystery, battle with all sorts of beings, especially a ghoul of a hit-person, literally a ghoul, and just so on and so on. Pure entertainment and a fantastic, entertaining fantasy. (4.5 stars)"

3. Space Boy, Omnibus Vol. 2 by Stephen McCranie (Bks 4 - 6).

"I used to read comic books all the time as a young kid. I find myself drawn back to the new form of graphic novels; the stories are so great and the art work is also excellent. Space Boy Omnibus Volume 2 is the 2nd Omnibus collection of this series. It features Books 4 - 6 in the series.

This collection continues to advance Amy's story. In Omnibus 1, Amy and her family have to move from the space station where she grew up when her father's job was cancelled. After a 30 year journey back to Earth, she begins her new life in Kokomo City. In this 2nd Omnibus, Amy now has new friends and is adjusting to school life. A strange new friend is Oliver, a mysterious blonde boy who is in her classes. Slowly, he warms up to Amy (I mean who wouldn't as she's a wonderful character, filled with joy at her new experiences.)

We learn more about her new friends too, their relationships and the difficulties in them. We still don't know much about Oliver (is that his name?) and as Amy gets closer to him, her life is threatened by some mysterious organization that seems to control Oliver's life. 

So there is great artwork (even if Amy doesn't have feet.. 😀), the characters getting richer all the time, and this hidden mystery. Teen angst, friendships, school life, neat technology, all form a rich part of this excellent YA graphic novel. But who the heck is Oliver!!!! (4.5 stars)"

4. The Girl and the Galdurian by Tim Probert (Lightfall #1 / 2020).

"Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian is the first of two books in the Lightfall series by Tim Probert. What a wonderful story, with a great little girl and a fantastic adventure partner.

Bea lives with her adopted grandfather, the Pig Wizard, in Irpa. He runs the Salty Pig's Tonics and Tinctures and Bea helps by gathering herbs and spices. One day while searching for herbs, she climbs a tree and the branch breaks. While hanging from a branch, along comes Cadwaller (Cad), a member of the Galdurians. He catches Bea when she falls and the two head back to Grandfather's house. Cad hopes Grandpa can translate some Galdurian papers. It seems that Cad might be the last of the Galdurians.

Also intermingled throughout the story are a shadowy group who are on the march someplace. 😨

When they arrive back at Grandpa's place, they find him missing and that he left a note. He's gone someplace, he tells Bea to stay home but if she follows, to be safe and finally to protect the jar. Oh yes, Bea carries around a jar that glows. It seems that at some point the light went out on Irpa.... I think.

So Bea and Cad and cat Nimm decide to find Grandpa and thus begins a great adventure. We will see fantastic characters, have exciting adventures and learn more about Bea and Cad. The artwork in this graphic is just wonderful, bright colors, interesting characters and grand vistas... plus scary shadowy 'villains'? Bea and Cad are opposing personalities that work so well together. Bea is cautious, thoughtful, afraid her actions might have consequences. Cad is positive, always charges ahead and loves adventure. They rub off on each other and make a great team. (In some ways they made me think of the Monk and Robot of Becky Chambers fantasy duology.) I can't wait to read Book 2... I guess I'll be heading down to the book store soon. Your kids and you will love this story. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton (Kinsey Milhone #21 / 2009).

"This title is from Diamond Dagger winner Sue Grafton - Kinsey Millhone's latest compelling case. In 1960s Santa Teresa, California, a child is kidnapped and never returned...When the case is reopened after twenty years, a man - Michael Sutton - contacts private detective Kinsey Millhone for help. He claims to have recalled a strange and disturbing memory which just might provide the key to the mystery. He may have stumbled across the kidnappers burying Mary Claire Fitzhugh's body...But Michael's account is indistinct - he was only six years old at the time of the kidnapping; and even members of his family try to discredit his evidence. But Kinsey is certain there is something vital within Michael's recollections. And even when what is eventually unearthed isn't what anyone expected, she can't quite let go of the case. As Kinsey gradually brings to light the stories of the protagonists involved in the tragedy, from Country Club parents to their free-living, hippy children, the truth finally begins to emerge. And while stepping back into the past, Kinsey discovers more about her own history too..."

2. Dust by Hugh Howey (Silo #3 / 2013). I've just begun watching the TV series based on these books. It looks pretty good so far.

"In a time when secrets and lies were the foundations of life, someone has discovered the truth. And they are going to tell.

Jules knows what her predecessors created. She knows they are the reason life has to be lived in this way.

And she won't stand for it.

But Jules no longer has supporters. And there is far more to fear than the toxic world beyond her walls.

A poison is growing from within Silo 18.

One that cannot be stopped.

Unless Silo 1 step in."

3. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (2020).

"In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times  bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives. Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people… In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.  Great for summer reading or anytime! Clap When You Land is a   Today   show pick for “25 children’s books your kids and teens won’t be able to put down this summer!" Plus don't miss Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X and With the Fire on High!"

New Books

1. The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln (2023).

"In her family, Shenanigan Swift has always been synonymous with mischief. As Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude always says, "She can't help her name." When a family reunion suddenly turns into a murder mystery, Shenanigan is determined to catch the perpetrator. A celebration of words and individuality, this remarkable debut is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic.

shenanigan, noun
1. Tomfoolery, skulduggery, mischief of all varieties
2. A devious trick for an underhanded purpose

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred family dictionary. They are given a name and a definition, one it's assumed they will grow up to match. Unfortunately, Shenanigan Swift doesn't much like being told what to do.

Troublemaker and mischief enthusiast Shenanigan rattles around the grand old Swift house rehearsing Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude's funeral with her older sisters Phenomena and Felicity, plotting future crimes, and wondering whether she is herself by choice or design. When the Family Reunion floods the house with people, Shenanigan is excited to meet her rogue's gallery of relatives--until one of them gives Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs. Shenanigan had planned to spend the reunion hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile's hidden treasure. But more murders and an awful lot of suspects--from newcomers Daisy and Atrocious to beloved Uncle Maelstrom--keep complicating Shenanigans plans.

With some help from her sisters and their newly befriended cousin Erf, can Shenanigan catch the killer? And in a world where definitions are so important, how will she define herself?"

2. Heartstoppers, Volume 4 by Alice Oseman (2021).

"Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but now they’re officially boyfriends. Charlie’s beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.

Nick’s been feeling the same, but he’s got a lot on his mind – not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.

As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means."

3. Six Ostriches by Philipp Schott (Dr. Bannerman #2 / 2023).

"It’s springtime in rural Manitoba, and the snow has finally left the exotic animal farm when an ostrich finds and swallows a shiny object. (Because this is what ostriches do.) Cue veterinarian and amateur sleuth Dr. Peter Bannerman, who surgically removes the object, which looks like an ancient Viking artifact. Soon after, people around are horrified by a series of animal mutilations. This sets Peter, and his talented sniffer dog, Pippin, on the hunt for answers. Peter begins to suspect a link between the Viking artifact, the mutilations, and a shadowy group of white supremacists on the internet.

Before long Peter and Pippin are in over their heads, and the only way for them to get out alive will be to unmask the mastermind before they end up among their victims."

4. The Evangelist by Saul Dunn (The Cabal #3 / 1979).

"When the lustful giant Pinball answers a want ad for a star pilot, he gets more adventure than he bargained for. In the process of joining the Intergalactic Space Agency and seeing the Universe, Pinball encounters a force even more formidable than himself The mighty Evangelist, whose quest for ultimate power leads The Cabal on a terrifying tour of heaven, hell and all points in between!"

Women Authors Whose Work I've Enjoyed - Evelyn Piper

Evelyn Piper, born Merriam Modell, was an American author who lived from 1908 - 1994. She was the author of short stories and novels. I first heard of her work when I watched an excellent thriller, Bunny Lake is Missing. I'd watched the movie a few times before I realized it was based on a book. Since then I've read two of Piper's novels, both of which were turned into movies. Bunny Lake starred Carol Lynley and The Nanny starred Bette Davis. My reviews of both books are below.

1. Bunny Lake is Missing (1957).

"I've seen the movie a few times, always an entertaining, tense story. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Bunny Lake is Missing was originally a book, written by Evelyn Piper (pseudonym for Merriam Modell) and published in 1957. The edition that I found was from publisher The Feminist Press for its second instalment of the Women Write Pulp series; also included books by Dorothy Hughes, Faith Baldwin, etc.

As mentioned above, I have always enjoyed the movie; its darkness, manic quality, etc. The book starts off right with the same tone and never lets up throughout the course of the story. Blanche Lake, a single mom, is picking up her daughter, Bunny, from her first day at a pre-school in New York. She waits with the other mothers and with a sickening feeling discovers that Bunny isn't with the other young children, the 3-year old class. This begins a whirlwind search for her young daughter. She struggles to find any clue that Bunny was ever there, do the police believer her? Did she even have a daughter? Where is the evidence that Bunny was registered at the school? Where is the evidence in Blanche's apartment that she has a daughter?

As well, who is Eddie and why is his mother so worried that maybe he might have something to do with the 'disappearance'? And to where has he disappeared?

Blanche's search becomes more and more desperate as she struggles to find clues and to persuade anyone that Bunny exists.

I'll leave it there. It's a frenetic, fascinating story and different enough from the movie to provide quite a different perspective from the one that Otto Preminger brought to bear in the movie. I'll have to check out more pulp fiction from women writers and try to find a copy of Piper's The Nanny. (4 stars)"

2. The Nanny (1964).

"I'd previously read Bunny Lake is Missing by Evelyn Piper. I discovered this book, The Nanny  (yes I know I could have just googled it), when checking out movies by Better Davis. The movie sounded creepy and so I thought I should try the book as I'd quite enjoyed Bunny Lake, both as a book and a movie. This book ended up being quite excellent.

The Nanny is packed with tension and action and it comes at you from all sides. 8-year old Joey Fane has spent two years at a mental hospital. He was sent there after the death of his younger brother, Ralphie, a tragic accident. Joey's mother, Virgie, is under a thrall of the Nanny and is very nervous about Joey coming home. She blames herself for the tragedy and feels she might let Joey down. Bill Fane, the father, is in a relationship with his secretary but wants to try again and agrees with the hospital that Nanny should be sent away as Joey is terrified of her. Her old boss, Aunt Pen, agrees to take the Nanny back. Even she seems to be under a thrall of the Nanny. 

There is so much to take in in this relatively short horror story. The Nanny's resentment of being taken away from her latest child, mother Virgie Fane, by the return of Joey will result in her to commit dangerous, but subtle acts as she tries to regain control in the family. Joey is a strong, brave boy fighting against her control, and also against those who believe the Nanny; that being Aunt Pen and Doctor Medman. Aunt Pen is a fascinating character, controlled by the Nanny from childhood, with a severe heart condition, but her efforts at the end are heroic. The Dr.'s daughter, Bobbie, who is a psychopath, provides many interesting, scary twists and turns. The Doctor's feelings towards his daughter color his feelings toward Joey. The other major character is Virgie, desperately dependent, almost childlike towards the Nanny, but one who changes as the story progresses.

I don't want to ruin the ultimate plot, suffice it to say that it is creepy, at times down right scary and filled with tension and moments where you will be shouting at the book, to 'hurry up', stop wasting time!! Very impressed with this. (4.5 stars)"

The complete listing of Piper's works can be found at this link. Enjoy.