A Friday Book Update and Women Authors...

Well, here we go, another weekend, the first in July. What will the Blue Jays do this weekend? Fall back down the standings or sweep Tampa Bay? I'm hoping the latter, of course, but they do flatter to deceive at times. Just can't get any momentum, well forward momentum anyway. They have some young superstars who are so exciting, but the bull pen keeps letting them down these days; good one day, bad the next. *sigh*... Well, it's better than talking about the weather all the time, right? Speaking of which, it was so nice and cool last night, a nice breeze and overnight temps below 20℃. More of the same for the next couple of weeks too.

So, as we lead into the weekend, I'll update a few new books. Two of them I forgot to add to my bookshelves, so didn't give you the synopses when I got them back in early June. Last night when Jo and I went for our walk around the neighborhood, I checked out a Little Free Library down the street and found a book I've been interested in reading. It was mentioned in an article I discussed here previously about a columnists favorite horror stories. Well, lo and behold if there wasn't a copy of one in this Library. So I'll provide the synopses of the new books and then continue with my look at Women authors whose books I've been enjoying.

New Books

1. Bad Debts by Peter Temple (Jack Irish #1). Jo introduced me to the Australian TV series that was based on this mystery series. We both loved it, cheeky and humorous but still a fantastic mystery series.

"A phone message from ex-client Danny McKillop doesn’t ring any bells for Jack Irish. Life is hard enough without having to dredge up old problems: His beloved football team continues to lose, the odds on his latest plunge at the track seem far too long, and he’s still cooking for one. When Danny turns up dead, Jack is forced to take a walk back into the dark and dangerous past.

With suspenseful prose and black humor, Peter Temple builds an unforgettable character in Jack Irish and brings the reader on a journey that is as intelligent as it is exciting."

2. Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley (The Rook #2). I haven't read the 1st book yet. Once again it was a TV series that Jo and loved, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, and tense and so good.

"In this spirited sequel, The Rook returns to clinch an alliance between deadly rivals and avert epic—and slimy—supernatural war.

When secret organizations are forced to merge after years of enmity and bloodshed, only one person has the fearsome powers—and the bureaucratic finesse—to get the job done. Facing her greatest challenge yet, Rook Myfanwy Thomas must broker a deal between two bitter adversaries:

The Checquy—the centuries-old covert British organization that protects society from supernatural
threats, and… The Grafters—a centuries-old supernatural threat.

But as bizarre attacks sweep London, threatening to sabotage negotiations, old hatreds flare. Surrounded by spies, only the Rook and two women, who absolutely hate each other, can seek out the culprits before they trigger a devastating otherworldly war."

3. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (2000). Just scanning the book, it's a fascinating format, more scrapbook than traditional novel. It'll be interesting to see how it reads.

"Years ago, when House of Leaves was first being passed around, it was nothing more than a badly bundled heap of paper, parts of which would occasionally surface on the Internet. No one could have anticipated the small but devoted following this terrifying story would soon command. Starting with an odd assortment of marginalized youth—musicians, tattoo artists, programmers, strippers, environmentalists, and adrenaline junkies—the book eventually made its way into the hands of older generations, who not only found themselves in those strangely arranged pages but also discovered a way back into the lives of their estranged children.

Now, for the first time, this astonishing novel is made available in book form, complete with the original colored words, vertical footnotes, and newly added second and third appendices.

The story remains unchanged, focusing on a young family that moves into a small home on Ash Tree Lane where they discover something is terribly wrong: their house is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.

Of course, neither Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Will Navidson nor his companion Karen Green was prepared to face the consequences of that impossibility, until the day their two little children wandered off and their voices eerily began to return another story—of creature darkness, of an ever-growing abyss behind a closet door, and of that unholy growl which soon enough would tear through their walls and consume all their dreams."

Women Authors I've Enjoyed - Susanna Clarke

Susanna Clarke

Susanna Mary Clarke is an English author born in Nottingham in 1951. Since 2004 she has published two novels and one collection of short stories. She is probably best known for her fantastical novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It took me awhile to finally try this novel and it was a bit of a slow starter for me, but as I got into it more, it drew me into the story more and more. I have yet to try her other books but will check them out.

1. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (2004).

Synopsis: "The year is 1806, England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation's past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains, the reclusive Mr. Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country.

Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange.

Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine."

My Review: "I was unsure whether to give this three or four stars. The story was very interesting and flowed nicely. I felt at times that it didn't have to be so long. The plot was interesting, but the ending somewhat of a let down; only somewhat, as the story was resolved satisfactorily. It was interesting and different and worth reading. The characters were well crafted and in some cases quite menacing. The magic was quite intriguing and I liked both Strange and Norrell, for different reasons as they are quite different characters. I think my favorite characters were Childermass, Arabella Strange and Flora Greysteels.. as well as Mr. Segundus.. Worth reading and making the effort. (3 stars)"

The complete listing of Susanna Clarke's books can be found at this link. Have a great weekend. Stay safe. 😷