Set just after the end of World War II and told through letters and telegrams, this posthumously-published novel opens with London writer Juliet Ashton. She had gained popularity during wartime with her humorous newspaper column written under the name Izzy Bickerstaff but, is now searching for a new subject on which she can base a book. Inspiration strikes when she received a letter from Dawsey Adams, a pig farmer living in Guernsey. Dawsey had come to own a book by Charles Lamb, once belonging to Juliet. Though his letter is a simple request that Juliet might help him find more books by the same author, Juliet is intrigued by his brief mention of a literary society (and a potato peel pie) that was formed on the island during the German occupation. Thinking she may have found the topic of her new book, Juliet begins a correspondence with Dawsey and other members of the society. As the letters progress, the story unfolds of how reading, sharing, and friendship saw these islanders through the hardships of occupation and what became of the society’s resourceful founder, Elizabeth McKenna.
With strong, likeable characters, a moving plot, and a bit of romance, this novel is a pleasure.
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Tags: 20th century, authors, book clubs, Channel Islands, concentration camps, England, epistolary fiction, friendship, German occupation, Guernsey, letters, London, World War II
Both a companion story and a kind of prequel to 2008’s Graceling, Fire tells the story of Fire, a young woman who is half human and half monster and lives beyond the seven kingdoms in a land called the Dells. Monsters are what the Dellians call a certain version of regular creatures: mice, raptors, bears, horses, fish and bugs, and even people. They are unnaturally colored in bright, eye-catching hues and have the ability to ensnare the minds of regular beings with their beauty, allowing the monsters to then control or kill those who fall under their spells. Fire shares both the hypnotic beauty and the psychic talents of these monsters, but unlike most monster animals and her own natural father, she is determined not to abuse her power over others.
She has lived most of her life secluded from all but Brocker (a kind of adoptive father to her), Brocker’s son, Archer, and those in their employ. This is both for Fire’s own safety and to keep her unnatural beauty from influencing others. When war threatens the kingdom in the form of two rival lords seeking the crown, Fire becomes an important part of the attempt to keep young King Nash on the throne as well as in unraveling the
mystery behind a group of foggy-headed spies and assassins whose target is decidedly unclear.
With characters and a world every bit as interesting and complex as in Graceling, Kristin Cashore reaffirms her writing talent with this, her second novel.
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Tags: archery, love, mind control, monsters, music, politics, prequel, psychic powers, quest, relationships, royalty, series, supernatural, war
“When you’re eighteen years old and you shoot somebody in a public place at two in the morning, of course you expect some attention. Especially when it’s the person I shot, and especially when you’re found right there on the scene with that person at your feet, gasping away in a pool of blood that seeps around your shoes. Still, I find it really embarrassing.”
So begins John C. Ford’s debut novel which quickly backtracks from the opening scene of blood and guns to the start of it all: when Christopher Newell started a janitorial job the summer before heading off to college. But not just any janitorial position. Christopher, with his daydreams of being a spy, thinks working part-time in the local morgue might give him some insight into forensic pathology. Soon he realizes that something isn’t quite right about how a recent death of ex-con Mitch Blaylock is being handled. Why is the sheriff watching the autopsy? Why does the medical examiner have $15,000 in cash in his doctor’s bag? And how is Blacklock’s death ruled a suicide when his corpse has five bullet wounds? Christopher joins forces with Tina, a brash young reporter for the local newspaper, to unearth the truth. A well-written novel with strong characters and a good sense of humor.
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Tags: blackmail, bribery, conspiracy, crime, criminal investigation, family, journalists, Michigan, murder, photography, reporters
Reviewed by the Snack and Chat Book Discussion Group
This series is awesome! Double Awesome! Triple Awesome! It’s a good way to learn about Greek Mythology. People who like Harry Potter will like this. Half-Blood Hill, the camp where the kids who are the kids of the gods go, is like Hogwarts. Also, people who like explosions will like this book. People who don’t like violence, or Greek Myths, or reading will not like this book. Our favorite parts were in Book Five, The Last Olympian. The battle in that book is the best battle ever. This series is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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Tags: action, adventure, Fantasy, greek mythology, monsters, Percy Jackson