The snow continues to melt. Our afternoon out to check out a house for sale has ended as the house was purchased on the weekend. Not sure what we'll do now. I had a brief visit to the doc this morning to check out some bumps on my face. I have had skin cancer before. She burned them all off with liquid nitrogen. That's my excitement for today. Jo is currently relaxing and the puppies are asleep with me in the Den.
I've completed two more books in January. That makes five now, on a bit slower pace than usual. I'll provide my reviews and also the synopses of the next books I've started. Then if I've received any new books, I'll provide the synopses of those as well. Onward!
Just Finished
"Tehanu is the 4th book in the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin and the 2nd book by Le Guin I've enjoyed this year. This story is a continuation of #2, The Tombs of Atuan and follows Tenar, who Ged had rescued from Atuan. Tenar (she does have other names in this story; as names are very important) now lives in Gont. Ged had dropped her off with his mentor, Ogion, but after living and training with him, Tenar (now Goha) moved to another part of the island, married a farmer and raised children.
Her husband passed away and her children both grew up and moved away. Tenar adopts a young girl, Therru, who had been abused and had her face burned by her 'parents'. Tenar and her friends try to save Therru and help her adjust to what had befallen her. Quite early, Tenar hears that Ogion is dying and wants Tenar to come and see him before he passes away.
This is kind of where the story begins. Tenar goes to Ogion, helps bury him (some conflict with local Wizards, especially one who really seems to resent her and another local witch, Moss. So begins a new life for Tenar as she and Therru stay at Ogion's house and build a new life there.
One more complication arrives in the form of Ged. He is brought to the island by the dragon Kalessin. In the 3rd story, The Farthest Shore, Ged goes to the dark lands, saves the King of Earthsea and in doing so, loses his powers. He arrives a broken, almost dying man and Tenar takes him in to restore him.
It's a slow build, as all of these events take place, and it's a very thoughtful story. But slowly, the story builds in tension as the Wizard in the castle of Re Albi takes action against Tenar (spells involved) and the man who abused Therru also makes an appearance. For a relatively short fantasy novel, there is so much going on, on and below the surface. Have I mentioned Therru yet? What role will she play in the final pages? Well, now you have to read it.
I've enjoyed this series so very much. I've rated each highly. This could easily have been rated 5.. I'm not sure if I have a reason why not? Maybe it was resolved too quickly, even if it was also satisfying. Quite a different story as the others have focused on Ged, while he is very peripheral to this story. Read the series. It's excellent. (4.5 stars)"
"I'm not sure where I first heard of Murder and the First Lady by Elliott Roosevelt. I quite often decide to check out books that I see listed in the back of others that I'm reading. At any rate, when I saw this listed (wherever) I looked up Elliot Roosevelt and discovered he was the son of FDR and Eleanor and had written 20 mysteries featuring his mother. I've enjoyed historical mysteries featuring real people, a case in point Nicola Upson's series featuring mystery writer Josephine Tey. So needless to say, I decided to check out this series. At least this first book, originally published in 1984.
So Europe is on the brink of war and FDR is busy seeing how America will act should war take place. (This is a minor thread in this mystery). Eleanor Roosevelt has employed a young English girl, Pamela, as her secretary. While Eleanor is away at a play in New York, Pamela is arrested by the DC police for the murder of a New Jersey Congressman's son, Philip Garber. Garber was also employed in the WH and was found murdered by cyanide in Pamela's DC apartment. It appears that the cyanide was administered in a drink mixed by Pamela.
Eleanor gets involved in the case because she can't believe this wonderful young lady could have committed murder. Meeting surreptitiously with the Police Lt handling the case, one Lt Kennelly, she discovers that Pamela and Philip are also suspected of robbing the safe of their previous employer in England and absconding with high valued jewels from the Crittendens. As Eleanor and Kennelly begin to investigate the murder, a Scotland yard Inspector arrives from England to provide assistance with the case. So the three begin to investigate, involving visiting some of the seedier locales in DC. It seems that Philip had a gambling problem and owed money to quite a few club owners in the area.
So there you go, that's the gist of the mystery. Eleanor works to prove Pamela's innocence, all the while, supporting her husband in his work. Their conversations about the case are always interesting, their interactions and affection for each other add to the story. Added to the mix, is the FBI director, one J. Edgar Hoover, at first trying to help out the New Jersey congressman but also beginning to be won over by Eleanor's enthusiasm and genuine concern for the well-being of Pamela.
It's an entertaining, light bit of mystery fun, well-written and with a satisfying conclusion. I tweaked to the twist at the end, but not until the very end. The historical references, the introduction of historical people of the period add to the entertainment of the story. I've got #2, The Hyde Park Murder, on order. (4.0 stars)"
Currently Reading
(The next books in my 12 + 4 Challenge and my Series Challenge)
"A magical place across a creek provides sanctuary for two young people in flight from the banality of their daily lives, until their paradise turns into a hell on Earth that threatens to destroy them."
"In The Geese of Death, DeKok takes on Igor Stablinsky, a man accused of bludgeoning a wealthy old man and his wife. To DeKok’s unfailing eye the killing urge is visibly present in the suspect during questioning, but did he commit this particular crime?
All signs point to one of the few remaining estates in Holland. The answer lies within a strange family, suspicions of incest, deadly geese and a horrifying mansion. Baantjer’s perceptive style brings to light the essences of his characters, touching his audience with subtle wit and irony."
In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.
Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naïve new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows." Sound neat?
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