I don't seem to be posting on here very much of late. My apologies. Life has not been all that fun of late and I find myself sort of just going through the motions. Jo isn't reacting all that well to her chemo, although she's feeling somewhat better this past few days. The house is quiet without our puppies. I do miss them both. But life has to go on, doesn't it. I'll take a look at my last post and then provide an update on what I've been reading, am currently reading and also list some of my newest purchases. So let's go.
Completed Books
Since my last update, I've completed a mix of novels, novellas and graphic novels. I'll provide reviews of the top six.
"I always enjoy dropping into the world of Commissario Brunetti of the Venice Police Department. It's warm and comforting, filled with great characters, interesting scenery, usually interesting sounding food and oh yeah, a nice mystery. Suffer the Little Children by Donna Leon is the 21st book in the series and the 14th I've enjoyed. I've not read in any particular order and it doesn't really matter. Of course, I sometimes drop in on Brunetti's family when the children, Chiara and Raffi are younger that in the previous book, but it's ok. They're still wonderful people to visit with.
So, in this story, a pediatrist and his wife are invaded by the Carabinieri, the Italian federal police. This happens while the couple and their young child are in bed. Doctor Pedrolli, not realizing they are police rushes to defend his family, knocks down one of the police and is clubbed by them in return. Brunetti is brought into the case by his Sgt, Viannelli, who reports from the hospital about the attack. Pedrolli is unconscious and under guard. Their baby has been taken by the Carabinieri.
It turns out that the Carabinieri have conducted a number of raids around Italy. They are investigating a group that sells babies to families who are childless. Brunetti's boss, Patta, is upset because it appears they did not advise the Questura (Venice police) that they were operating on their turf. He wants Brunetti to look into this situation... sort of on the quiet.
Along with this investigation, Viannelli is also working a case involving illegal billing by pharmacists and doctors who are operating with the city's computer system, making fake appointments, etc. Of course, Signorina Elletra, Patta's secretary and regular confidante and assistant to Brunetti and Viannelli assists. She is a woman of many talents.
These are the basic cases. It's all fascinating and complex. Brunetti and Elletra will make a visit to a fertility clinic in Verona, pretending to be a childless couple looking for help, with fake records provided by her sister. Brunetti spends time with his family, but is distracted by both cases. But we still get to spend time with them, sharing their conversations, meals and just listening to the interactions between Paola and Brunetti. She is always a source of logic and a great sounding board... and in this case, a source of information.
I found this particular story quite depressing, especially the conclusion. As in most cases, the resolution is somewhat up in the air but still satisfying, even if quite sad. Donna Leon is always a great writer. She tells an interesting, well-crafted tale and I always enjoy wandering into the Brunetti's lives. (4.0 stars)"
"Paper Girls, Volume 2 is the second in the Paper Girls series by Brian K. Vaughan. It contains Chapters 6 - 10 of this entertaining YA / Sci Fi / Time Travel graphic novel series.
How to describe it??? So much going on. 4 paper girls from Cleveland OH have been dropped through a time portal of some sort and moved from 1988 to 2016. Unfortunately, one of them has disappeared in this shift in time and the 3 others, Erin, Mac and Tiffany now are trying to find KJ in this Cleveland of the future. Strangely enough (because nothing else is strange and wonderful in this series) they meet up with future future Erin, now a 30 year old reporter. Added to this strangeness, also dropping into the future is a clone of Erin.. Yup
So the girls enlist the help of future Erin to find KJ. She reluctantly agrees. They have brought some sort of 'apple' device with them that they managed to acquire in the previous volume. It leads them to an abandoned mall where the group meets clone Erin. Now there is a lot of other things going on too. The adults from the past (alien or time travelers?) have arrived to try and get the girls and they are wreaking havoc on 2016 Cleveland. Clone Erin seems to have brought some creatures along with her and they are causing damage also.
In the mall, they find KJ's field hockey stick and it says not to trust the other Erin.. but which one!!! And to enter the 4th folding of time.. Got it all?
It's a fascinating story, on steroids. The girls are independent, feisty. The interaction between original Erin and her future self is neat, even down to the touches where they both make the same movements. 2016 has pop culture references that surprise the girls. They see Hillary Clinton for President signs and are thrilled that a woman will be President.. (I couldn't bear to tell them)
It's an entertaining story filled with action and just keeps your attention. There are six volumes and I've ordered #3 to keep on with the story. I've also watched the 1st episode of the TV series, which encompasses Vol 1 and now can watch the next one.. So exciting. (4.0 stars)"
"Y: The Last Man, Vol. 2: Cycles is the 2nd volume of the Last Man on Earth graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra. Set in 2002, it follows Yorick, the last surviving male on the planet... well, also his monkey, Ampersand as he and a small group of women, an agent of a secretive organization, Agent 355 and a scientist, Dr. Allison Mann, as they try to travel across the US to get Dr. Mann's files from Los Angeles. The US government wants these files to try and prevent the extinction of the human race. They are chased by a group of women, following the Amazon tradition that includes Yorick's sister, Hero and an Israeli strike group, that wants Yorick for their own purposes.
In this segment, they arrive at Marrisville, OH, where they are helped by a community of women (of course, every community is just women, coz there aren't any men left... *sigh*. Yes I can be redundant at times). The women have managed to get the electricity on and seem to be living quite peacefully, which seems kind of unique in this devastated world. They discover that Yorick is a man but seem willing to protect him and there are even flashes of emotional and physical contact between Yorick and one of the women, Sonia.
But relentlessly on their trail are the Amazons and there will be a confrontation in Marrisville. Oh, if you want to add to the mix, another young woman makes an appearance. She is desperately trying to get west as well, something about a Soyuz crash landing that might take place. But nobody is listening to her, thinking she's just disturbed. Is she?
So lots going on in this entertaining, Sci-Fi graphic novel series. Fantastic artwork Pia Guerra and Jose Marazan and just a thrilling, fascinating story. Oh, here are some facts provided at the beginning of the story....
"The gendercide instantaneously exterminated 48% of the global population (it's supposed to be 2002) or approximately 2.9 billion men, 495 of the Fortune 500 CEDs are now dead, as are 99% of the world's landowners.
In the US alone, more than 95% of all commercial pilots, truck drivers, and ship captains died.... as did 92% of all violent felons. Internationally, 99% of all mechanics, electricians, and construction workers are now deceased... though 51% of the planet's agricultural labor force is still alive.
14 nations, including Spain and Germany, have women soldiers who have served in ground combat units. None of the US nearly 200,o00 female troops have ever participated in ground combat. Australia, Norway and Sweden are the only countries that have woman serving on board submarines...."
And it does go on.. but interesting, eh? Accurate? Well, it's a comic book series, but still... Check it out. 4.0 stars"
"The Cat Who... books by American author Lilian Jackson Braun were a pleasant discovery for me. I've enjoyed the adventures of reporter Qwilleran and his now two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum very much. The fifth book in the series, The Cat Who Played Brahms was no exception.
Things are going a bit off the rails at the Daily Fluxion, the newspaper where Qwilleran is the food critic. He's noticed that his favorite hangout, where all the reporters go, has now received an upgrade and the modern flair is rubbing him the wrong way. And his lady friend, Rosemary, has just informed him that their landlord has decided to sell the apartment building where they all have lived quite happily.
With all these distractions, Qwilleran, his twitchy moustache and his two Siamese companions, decide to take up an offer by old family friend, Aunt Fanny, to spend the summer at her cottage up north in Mooseville. She resides in a huge old Victorian mansion in the neighboring town of Pickaxe. (Yup)
So packing up his few belongings, handing a leave of absence to his editor pal, Archie, away they head, cats yowling all the way... Qwill likes the location and after adjusting to the new environment, he begins to explore and gradually his moustache begins twitching (it's got a life of its own that moustache) and he notices that the locals are friendly, but reticent to talk much about the goings on. Qwill thinks he has roped a body on a fishing excursion. His cabin seems to have been broken into. He hears noises on the roof. His gold watch and gold pen (a gift from Rosemary) disappear and he thinks maybe Aunt Fanny's handyman might have stolen them.
An ex-cop who lives down the beach is found murdered. When Rosemary shows up for a visit (much to Koko's chagrin... he might like the competition for Qwill's attentions), the two begin their own investigation. So there's a modicum of the plot for you.
Wherever Qwill and his cats go, they always find a mystery or two. I haven't mentioned Koko's contributions to solving the mystery, that's half the fun of reading the story. The characters are all interesting. There are a couple of young ladies that have piqued Qwill's interest. And the mystery moves along at a nice reasonable pace and is solved quite satisfactorily. The only question is what will Qwill's next step? Where will we find him in Book 6? I have purposely avoided checking the synopsis of the next book, The Cat Who Played Post Office, but I may take a peek. (4.0 stars)"
"Let's see. Mix in a smidgeon of Lord of the Flies, add a teaspoon of zombielike adults and throw in a dystopian London and you've kind of got a feel for The Enemy the 1st book in the Enemy series of 7 books by English author Charlie Higson. It's a gritty, sometimes gruesome, sometimes violent story of a group of children; young teens and younger kids, trying to survive a devastated London.
Something happened and it's not clear what (Yet, anyway) but the adults (it seems everyone over 15 or 16) either died or became zombielike creatures who hunt throughout the city of London. They are hungry. Now how far has this disaster spread? Well, the story is set in London.. so far.. so we're not sure. The center of the story focuses on a group who have been living in a Waitrose grocery store complex on Holloway Road in London. They are led by Arran, a young man and Maxie, a young woman. As their food supplies start dwindling, they must forage further afield to try and get food and other essentials for survival. To do this they must try and avoid wandering bands of adults (Moms and Dads) who basically want to kill and eat them.
There is another group of teens living nearby, led by Blue and Whitney. They seem to have had their own fights but so far have refused to work as a team.
Tragedy is always around the corner. An Arran led forage mission results in an attack in a swimming pool, resulting in some of the group of kids being killed. Another, Small Sam, is captured by another gang of adults and kept in a sack.
There is so much that is going on. A young teen, Jester, shows up. He says he's part of another group, living in safety at Buckingham Palace and has been sent out to try and join up with any other kids. The main part of the story will be the journey of Arran's and Blue's groups through London to Buckingham Palace to try and set up a bigger, safer community. Wil the Buckingham Palace group be what Jester says it is? Time will tell.
The story moves between characters, from Arran, to Maxie, to Small Sam, who has his own adventures trying to escape from various adult groups. They will meet other kids. There will be tragedies in their struggle to survive. Like George RR Martin, Charlie Higson isn't afraid to get rid of characters to whom you might become attached. Once the story is introduced, it just gets better and better. It's somewhat relentless at times but Higson does take the time to let you get to know the various characters, to see them grow and hear their thoughts and feelings.
It's a fascinating story and it ends with you wanting to find out more. What about the kids at the Tower of London? What about the kids at the Museum of Natural History? How will all the kids out in London begin to interact? And what about the adult man in the St George t-shirt who seems to be gathering adults to create his own army? It's all fascinating, with lots of action and just an entertaining, scary at times, well-crafted and well - written dystopian story. I hope #2 is just as good. (4.5 stars)"
"The Empress of Salt and Fortune, the 1st book in the Singing Hills Cycle, by Nghi Vo is one of those perfect books that draws you in and leaves you feeling so many emotions. It's a short story, only 120 pages, but it's wonderful.
Chih is a cleric from the Singing Hills monastery. Accompanied by their talking hoopoe bird, Almost Brilliant, they have been tasked to visit the ruins at Lake Scarlet, upon the death of the Empress of Salt and Fortune, In-Yo. Chih's task is to write a history of the Empress. They meet In-Yo's loyal servant, Rabbit, who will allow Chih to write an account of items left at the palace and to create a history of In-Yo's time at Lake Scarlet.
In-Yo was presented to the Emperor of the time as a peace offering from the people of the Northern regions. She was eventually sent in exile to Lake Scarlet accompanied by Rabbit, who became her friend and confidante.
As Chih goes through the various rooms of this palace, they record various artifacts that are discovered. That's how each chapter commences.
"Cup. Polished mahogany inlaid with silver. A silver spider is inlaid into the bottom of the cup.....'
From that starting point, Chih basically gets the history of the item and how it relates to the lives of Rabbit and In-Yo during their exile. It seems simple and I know I'm not giving it the justice it deserves. Each story provides Chih a better understanding of In-Yo, how she gradually gains the power to take over the Empire of Anh and create her own dynasty.
Rabbit is an interesting character. Her story is deeply intertwined with that of In-Yo and when Chih finally understands how closely Rabbit's story relates to In-Yo's the discovery makes for one of those 'Omigod' kind of revelations that push this story over the edge for me. The more I got into the story, the more I grew closer to the main characters of Chih and Rabbit. The peripheral characters; especially Almost Brilliant and the two fortune tellers, Sukai and Mai, just add to the richness of this story.
How Nghi Vo is able to pack so much quality and richness into such a relatively short novella is truly amazing. I loved the story, loved the characters and now have to see what Chih will do in the 2nd book, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain. I can find no fault with this story. (5.0 stars)"
The other completed books were:
a. Empire by Clifford D. Simak (Sci Fi / 1951) 2.5 stars
b. The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Stephanie Williams. based on the novel by Maggie Stiefvater ((YA / 2025) 3.5 stars
c. Wycliffe and the Redhead by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #21 / 1997). Jo and I have been enjoying watching the old TV series based on these books. 3.5 stars
d. An Outbreak of Witchcraft: A Graphic Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Deborah Noyes (Non Fiction / 2024) 3.0 stars
e. Sleeping Planet by William R. Burkett, Jr (Sci Fi / 1965) 3.5 stars
f. Young Doctor Kildare by Max Brand (Medical drama / 1941) 3.0 stars
Currently Reading
I'll just add the books I've started since my last post on July 25th. I've got a few long term books on the go as well.
"It's late autumn in Edinburgh and late autumn in the career of Detective Inspector John Rebus. As he tries to tie up some loose ends before retirement, a murder case intrudes. A dissident Russian poet has been found dead in what looks like a mugging gone wrong. By apparent coincidence, a high-level delegation of Russian businessmen is in town - and everyone is determined that the case should be closed quickly and clinically. But the further they dig, the more Rebus and DS Siobhan Clarke become convinced that they are dealing with something more than a random attack - especially after a particularly nasty second killing. Meanwhile, a brutal and premeditated assault on a local gangster sees Rebus in the frame. Has the Inspector taken a step too far in tying up those loose ends? Only a few days shy of the end to his long, inglorious career, will Rebus even make it that far?"
"Sci Fi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail Gray Cris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is.
And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good."
Included are entries that refer to her own writing, and those that are relevant to the raw material of her work, and, finally, comments on the books she was reading. The first entry included here is dated 1918 and the last, three weeks before her death in 1941. Between these points of time unfolds the private world—the anguish, the triumph, the creative vision—of one of the great writers of the twentieth century."
Through narrative and comic panels, Hendrix chronicles Lewis and Tolkien’s near-idyllic childhoods, then moves on to both men’s horrific tour of the trenches of World War I to their first meeting at Oxford in 1929, and then the foreshadowing, action, and aftermath of World War II. He reveals the shared story of their friendship, in all its ups and downs, that gave them confidence to venture beyond academic concerns (fantasy wasn’t considered suitable for adult reading, but the domain of children), shaped major story/theme ideas, and shifted their ideas about the potential of mythology and faith.
The Mythmakers also shows the camaraderie and the importance of the social/literary circle of friends called the Inklings, and how the friendship of these two great men fell apart and came together again. Hendrix concludes describing how the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien had re-enchanted the 20th century, after two World Wars. In writing aimed at scholars, adults, and young people, these two tweedy academics altered the course of storytelling and embraced the concept that fantasy writing for an adult audience was an accepted form of literature."
On Oct 25th, after just three weeks of the bombardment of Gaza, Omar El Akkad put out a tweet: “One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.” This tweet was viewed over 10 million times.
One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This chronicles the deep fracture which has occurred for Black, brown, indigenous Americans, as well as the upcoming generation, many of whom had clung to a thread of faith in western ideals, in the idea that their countries, or the countries of their adoption, actually attempted to live up to the values they espouse.
This book is a reckoning with what it means to live in the west, and what it means to live in a world run by a small group of countries—America, the UK, France and Germany. It will be The Fire Next Time for a generation that understands we’re undergoing a shift in the so-called ‘rules-based order,’ a generation that understands the west can no longer be trusted to police and guide the world, or its own cities and campuses. It draws on intimate details of Omar’s own story as an emigrant who grew up believing in the western project, who was catapulted into journalism by the rupture of 9/11.
This book is his heartsick breakup letter with the west. It is a breakup we are watching all over the U.S., on college campuses, on city streets, and the consequences of this rupture will be felt by all of us. His book is for all the people who want something better than what the west has served up. This is the book for our time."
“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”
In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.
There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.
But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…"
Local girl-turned-general manager June Porter Hudson has guided the Avallon skillfully through the first pangs of war. The Gilfoyles, the hotel’s aristocratic owners, have trained her well. But when the family heir makes a secret deal with the State Department to fill the hotel with captured Axis diplomats, June must persuade her staff—many of whom have sons and husbands heading to the front lines—to offer luxury to Nazis. With a smile.
Meanwhile FBI Agent Tucker Minnick, whose coal tattoo hints at an Appalachian past, presses his ears to the hotel’s walls, listening for the diplomats’ secrets. He has one of his own, which is how he knows that June’s balancing act can have dangerous consequences: the sweetwater beneath the hotel can threaten as well as heal.
June has never met a guest she couldn’t delight, but the diplomats are different. Without firing a single shot, they have brought the war directly to her. As clashing loyalties crack the Avallon’s polished veneer, June must calculate the true cost of luxury."
