Ever onward Library A to Z

The two latest books are A Twist in the Tale by Jeffrey Archer and In a Pickle by Jerry Apps. The Jeffrey Archer book is a bunch of short stories each of which has an unexpected ending, a twist in the tale. Fun to read although I'm not apt to read a book of short stories, but Jeffrey Archer is a highly respected mystery writer so I thought I'd give it a go. Not disappointed. Jerry Apps' book, In a Pickle, is entertaining and is rather unusual in it's use of cucumber farming as it's main theme. It's set in the year 1955 in a small Wisconsin farming town that is highly dependent on its pickle crops. This was the end of the era of small family farms that were passed down from generation to generation, where towns were identified by the small one room schoolhouses the children went to, and families could depend on their livelihood to support them. The story is simply told by Mr. Apps that includes a lot of information about what one could expect to find on a farm and in a small town at this time. I enjoyed the book and found out things I was not aware of that happened back in that era.   

Oh, the Library!

Just finished reading The Extra Man by Jonathan Ames. The story was one I wasn't expecting from the title. The main character Louis Ives is conflicted about his sexuality except for the fact that he loves to dress up in women's clothes. The first chapter gives the book an hilarious beginning and from there one wants to learn more. It goes through all his conflicts including his moving from New Jersey to an apartment in New York City with an older man. The man becomes his mentor and is rather eccentric. Louis above all wants to be thought of as a gentleman and strives mightily to do so and hopes his roommate will help him. It's a fun, sad and unusual book.

Ah the As still...

Latest book is BLUE WATER by A. Manette Ansay. She wrote Vinegar Hill which was an Oprah Winfrey choice to read. Blue Water is a story of redemption. A couple decide to live on a sail boat and travel around the world after losing their only child to a drunk driver. They are conflicted because the drunk driver was an acquaintance. They decide to sail to get away from it all. Their experiences while sailing down the east coast to the Caribbean bring them awareness of themselves and what to do about the rest of their lives. Excellent story, recommended reading...!!!!

Further along the As in the library...

Does one ever get out of the library? I'm still in the first aisle in the As, but I'm traveling to the Bs. The Bs are getting closer. The last book I read was THE HEADMASTER RITUAL by Taylor Antrim. Pleasant surprise. It's a story with two parallel lines about the headmaster's son and the new teacher. They are both stories of coming of age with all the usual angst that goes along with it. Had some fun with the reading and some unusual surprise near the end. Go read it!!

Hey, I'm still in the As at the library!

I've skipped over a couple of books I didn't think were worth my time or anybody's to write about. And it seems that it's been a couple of months since I came to my blog. I finished reading several books not from the library and could address them later. The latest book I read from the library was Coyote Cowgirl by Kim Antieau. It's an unusual and rather fantastic story about a young woman who is given charge of a "ruby-studded" scepter and crystal skull that are used in a ceremony twice a year. Of course the first ceremony was during the Day of the Dead. These two pieces figure in the story line and the young woman's destiny. It's a fun book to read, but not extremely well-written, which bothered me at times. I mean she talks to the skull and he gives her cooking lessons, which make her a hit at an isolated restaurant in the Southwest. How the principles move between Mexico and Arizona so easily is also a wonder. It's  fun and not very heavy reading, but certainly worth one's time. 

Again with Library A to Z

The next two books from the shelves are THE LOCH by Steven Alten and FINAL THEORY by Mark Alpert. Both books deal with science and science theory. The Loch is the story of a scientist who searches for the unusual in the depths of the ocean. He has a catastrophic event happen in the Sargasso Sea that causes him to lose credibility in the eyes of the scientific world. He heads to Scotland the place of his birth to help his father who has been charged with murder. In the process he gets involved in the mystery of the Loch Ness monster. Interesting theories and lots of sightings documented by various people to lend to the mystery. Suspenseful and scary at times, lots of gory happenings. Final Theory tells the story of a professor who had at one time been a protege of a physicist who had been associated with Albert Einstein. After the physicist is tortured and left for dead he whispers a clue before dying. The FBI and the torturer begin a deadly chase for the knowledge that this young professor has been given. It is supposed to lead the Theory of Everything and if it gets into the wrong hands could end the world. Lots of suspense and lots of blood. It's a page turner! Hard one to put down.

More of the Library from A to Z again

Here I am again with 3 books read. I'll start with Jeffrey Archer's FALSE IMPRESSION. It's a really good thriller about the theft of a Van Gogh painting from an estate in England. The owner of the painting is slain by an unbelievably evil hired assassin just when the painting is about to be shipped to its buyer in New York. There is lots of intrigue and eventually a love story. We all know the love story is imminent but it's fun to find out how the two eventually connect. This is the second novel I've read by Jeffrey Archer and he does not disappoint.


Second book was SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THEM by Uwem Akpan. I was surprised to find it was a book of short stories. I usually avoid short story volumes, but since I brought it home without looking at the contents I decided to go on because it was an Oprah Winfrey recommendation. Funny thing, I avoided this book at the bookstore just for that reason. I find her "books" can be rather intense and since I read late at night before going to bed it's hard to sleep if I wind up thinking about them. I didn't finish all the stories I must admit, but I think it's a book worth reading especially regarding what is happening in Africa at the moment. All the stories are told from a child's point of view and are excruciatingly horrifying in some circumstances. 


I did bring home a light and airy book called DEEP DISH by Mary Kay Andrews. This story centers around two local Southern chefs who find themselves competing for a chance to be a Cooking Channel star. All they go through to accomplish this end is fun reading. If you like to cook and are familiar with the Food Network, the Cooking Channel and any other cooking show on TV you'll enjoy the book.