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DEATH ON THE NILE by Agatha Christie

6/16/2021

An oldie, but a goodie. I read this many years ago and have watched the movie and enjoyed it very much. I just finished reading it again because the book club I'm of which I'm a member, decided to read it as our classic mystery this month.

I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan, so I would recommend most of her works. The character, Hercule Poirot is by far my favorite. He uses his "little gray cells" to logically put together the clues and guides us to a satisfying closure for each of his cases. Although he is on vacation in Death on the Nile, a series of murders and a robbery plead for his expertise.

The other characters in this novel are rich and complex. Agatha, who also loved to travel to exotic places, gives us wonderful descriptions of Egypt along the Nile and of the cities visited from the river ship on which the characters travelled. She also gives u specific descriptions of each character's looks, clothing, and even the quirks they have (such as a particular smile) that sets each apart.

This novel was first published in 1937 and is still being read by so many. It shows that no matter what era in which we are born, emotions such as jealousy, envy, lust, and love are the same. I give this novel a 5 out of 5, and recommend it highly to all.

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THE GUERNSEY LITERARY & POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows

5/30/2021

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Boy that title's a mouthful isn't it? It may sound strange to you at first, however, it's a very fitting title, which you'll discover early in the book.

This fictional novel is based on the true story of the German occupation of the Island of Guernsey which is a British Island that is very close to the coast of Normandy, France. During World War II, the Germans captured it in hopes of making it a base from which they could launch aircraft to attack England.

This story begins during the post war period with our protagonist, Juliet Ashton who is a writer living in London. She receives a letter from a gentleman on the island who purchased a book by Charles Lamb in which her name was written. Since they have a low supply of books on the island, he was hoping she could help him find more books for him written by Lamb. She honored his request and they soon became "pen pals".

In his correspondence, he tells her much about what happened on Guernsey during the occupation and about how the Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society came to be. This peaks her curiosity so much so that she begs her editor to let her write a book about it. Soon she begins a correspondence with other members of the society to obtain first hand accounts of their experiences and to learn more about one of its members who disappeared.

If you've seen the movie on Netflix, as much as you enjoyed it, it does venture rather far from the novel for my taste. I actually saw the movie before I read the book and I enjoyed it very much. However, the story in the book is much different. It has the same basic premise but the relationships and story line is not the same.

I loved this novel and I think you will too. I became just as intrigued by the letters Juliet received as she did. There was so much I didn't know about this little island or the occupation by the Germans. It's not something I learned in history class. American history probably didn't see this as something significant for us to study.

I give this one a five in my 1-5 system. I think the reader will enjoy the characters and learn a lot in the process.

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THE GLITTERING COURT SERIES by Richelle Mead

5/24/2021

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Every now and then, I visit the YA section of my local library to see what the teens and young adults are reading. Although not so young anymore, I do like to read YA fantasy at times. Then I sometimes run across a really good fictional series that isn't based in fantasy although the bookstore lists it as such. Thus my find in The Glittering Court series.

Richelle Mead is very famous for her paranormal series such as her Vampire Academy and Bloodline Series. Of course, I'm not really into vampires, so imagine my surprise when I came upon The Glittering Court. A story about three young ladies who come from different backgrounds and for varying reasons decide to be trained in the Glittering Court to become sophisticated ladies to win the hearts of gentlemen moving to the New World.

Adelaide is a countess who is running from an arranged marriage. She overhears a conversation in which Cedric Thorn from the Court, describes what it and offers for the maid to join them. The promise she hears that she could meet a man and be able to choose the one she falls in love with makes the temptation irresistible. She poses as the maid (who doesn't want to do it and wants to go home to her family). She sends the maid on her way and meets the carriage to a new life.

Mira is a refugee and this is the one chance she has to find a husband so she can take care of her family. Her dark skin makes her a rarity and could bring the Court a fine price.

Tamsin, the laundress, sees this as a great opportunity to leave her servant life behind and to care for someone she loves. Tamsin is very determined to be the best so she can fetch the best price from a future husband.

These three women share a room at the mansion. Adelaide rarely studies or practices, but is always best in her classes, because she's already learned it all. This creates tension between her and Tamsin, who is doing well, but wants to be the best. Mira finds herself playing peacemaker most of the time.

Each novel focuses on the lives, loves, and secrets of each of these young women starting with Adelaide. She learns much about being humble and about the lives others less fortunate than she have to endure. She even feels guilty about taking the place of someone who really needed the money. Adelaide also finds real love in the strangest place.

Book 2, Midnight Jewel focuses on Mira. The life she led, the cost of leaving her country during a time of rebellion, and the secret she keeps of a past love. Book 3, The Emerald Sea gives us a peak into Tamsin's family life, her secrets, and needs.

The genuinely unique thing about this series is how it ties things together. We see behavior from Mira and Tamsin in the first book that is never explained and leaves us wondering what they're up to or what they're hiding. Then, Book 2 takes us deeper into what makes Mira "tick" and what she's hiding. AND, you guessed it, Book 3 does the same for Tamsin.

I would highly recommend this series for teens as it teaches a lot of life lessons in prose. I truly think any age group from teens to senior citizens can relate to and enjoy the heartaches, triumphs and true to life lessons these novels project.

I give this series a five out of five rating. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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SOME CHOOSE DARKNESS by Charlie Donlea

5/20/2021

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I was going to wait awhile to post a recommendation for this novel, but I just finished reading it today and just had to share my thoughts with you.

This is not the first novel I've read by Charlie Donlea. A couple of years ago, I read his first novel Summit Lake and was very impressed by his story and writing style. It was an excellent first novel and would be well worth your while to read it. As I read Some Choose Darkness, I can see how he has honed his craft into a splendid blend of mysterious webs that keep the reader guessing and surprised. To my utter delight, I've also realized this is the first in a series and I am very anxious to continue to read about Rory Moore and Lane Phillips's adventures.

Some Choose Darkness is woven in a way that takes you in and out of the past to discover how Rory Moore became who she is today. Although she went to law school and passed the bar on the first try, she prefers not to practice law, but to assist the Chicago Police with cold cases. Rory's reputation for solving the unsolvable is extraordinary. Her relationship with Lane Phillips, the only man she truly trusts, is not only personal but professional. Lane left the FBI to develop an algorithm which assists in determining patterns of victimization that point to serial killers. Together they have created an organization to bring these killers to justice and bring some sense of closure for the families.

Although Lane plays a huge role in this novel, it is mostly about Rory and the discoveries she makes about her own life through a wild set of circumstances. After her father passes away, she is stuck taking the parole hearing case of a serial killer. Everyone knows he's the one they called "The Thief" who strangled five women in the late 1970's. However, he's only convicted of killing his wife who disappeared in 1979. The police at the time said there was no evidence to convict him of the other killings.

I loved the twists and turns in this novel. They kept me turning the page and wanting more. The fact that Rory is autistic and has obsessive-compulsive disorder, makes her an intriguing character. It also gives the reader some perspective on how persons like Rory cope with their everyday lives.

If you love a good mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this one's for you. Using a 1-5 (5 being "Loved It") system, I give this book a five rating. It was easy to read and keep up with the characters, even with all the switching from past to present and back. It satisfied my need to help solve the mystery and as I always say, if I want more once I'm finished reading, that's a great book ---in my opinion. Hope you choose to read Some Choose Darkness. You won't regret it.

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EDUCATED by Tara Westover

5/15/2021

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This is my first post and I've decided to start with a memoir. I'm a member of my neighborhood book club and this was the selection for last month. I rarely read memoirs, but I finally got around to enjoying Educated by Tara Westover.

By that, I mean this novel was very difficult for me in the beginning. I found myself wanting to put it down many times due partially to the frustration I felt with Tara as she seemed to "flip-flop" every time she made some progress. The other reason I wanted to put it down had to do with how slow it seemed to be in the first half of the book.

However, since it was a book club reading, I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. Although it was tough to see Tara regress and punish herself for things which were out of her control, her perseverance in handling her family and becoming educated was admirable. This memoir shows us the importance of education, and how it can change our lives and set us free.

Based on a five star system, I would give Educated a four. It was well-written and anything that gets me emotionally involved, rates as a good read for me.

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DEATH ON THE NILE by Agatha Christie

THE GUERNSEY LITERARY & POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows

THE GLITTERING COURT SERIES by Richelle Mead

SOME CHOOSE DARKNESS by Charlie Donlea

EDUCATED by Tara Westover

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