BOOK REVIEW: A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch

Victorian gentleman Charles Lenox recently assisted Scotland Yard in solving the Isabel Lewes case; a simple case the Yard should have easily solved despite their appalling lack of imagination. Now, on a bitterly cold late afternoon, all Lenox wants to do is sit in his library and enjoy the bliss of a warm fire. So when he receives an urgent message from Lady Jan Grey, his closest friend and next door neighbour, he ventures forth to brave the cold, despite his inadequate boots.

Lady Grey’s former servant, Prue Smith, has apparently committed suicide-by-poisoning at the home of her new employer George Barnard, the current director of the Royal Mint. At her request, Lenox visits the crime scene and is quickly convinced that Prue’s death is murder, despite assurances from the Yard and Barnard that it is suicide. Thomas McConnell, a surgeon and close associate of Lenox, determines the cause of death to be a rare poison called bella indigo (beautiful blue). The Yard does not welcome Lenox’s assistance which leaves him little access to the Barnard household, forcing him to investigate discreetly and utilize the services of Graham, his butler and friend. It is not until a second death occurs that Lenox begins to piece together the puzzling crime.

A Beautiful Blue Death is Charles Finch’s delightful debut novel. The pairing of Lenox and Graham brings to mind the famous pairing of Lord Peter Wimsey and his valet Bunter. Like Wimsey and Bunter, Lenox and Graham share more than a purely professional relationship. Despite the friendship and amity they feel for each other, the barriers of class keep them separated. “This matter of asking Graham for help on a case was part of that unusual bond – a result of trust in Graham as a man, first of all, and in his competence too. In the end, each man relied on their deep mutual loyalty, which would be hard for anyone to test.”

What elevates A Beautiful Blue Death from just another historical mystery is the relationships Lenox has with the people around him; with Lady Jane, his brother Edmund and Graham. While the central mystery is fascinating, what captivates readers is the exploration Lenox’s relationship with Lady Jane and the window it provides into the life of a gentleman of leisure. Their habit of taking their daily tea illustrates the depth of their relationship, unusual for a time when the intersection of men and women’s lives was quite minimal. It is the man these relationships illuminate which will draw readers to future volumes about Charles Lenox.


ISBN10: 0312359772
ISBN13: 9780312359775

Hardcover
320 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Publication Date: June 26, 2007
Author Website: www.charles-finch.com


tags: books book reviews mystery Charles Finch Charles Lenox debut novel

Just over two weeks left in the Hidden Treasures Contest!

Welcome to anyone arriving here via the BookClubs.ca BooksBuzz!

Have you picked out a book (or books) to read and review as part of the Hidden Treasures contest? If not, what are you waiting for? There are so many great prizes on offer, courtesy of some great publishing houses and authors. There's even a prize just for Canadian reviewers (you must be a resident of Canada to qualify)!

In case you're wondering, you don't have to pick a book from the reading list. You can read anything you deem a "hidden treasure," that is, any book which has never appeared on a bestseller list and is published by a royalty-paying publisher. So hit your local independent bookstore, the library or even a used bookstore. Enter early and often and get the word out on some overlooked gems.

For anyone who missed my original post, Susan at West of Mars is having another contest and this time, as well as helping to promote it, I'm giving everyone lots of notice. This summer's theme is Hidden Treasures of fiction; books or authors who have never gotten near the Best-seller list (any of them) but who you think deserve to be. So review your own books, your best friend, or that weird guy around the corner who happened to write a brilliant book (even if you cross the street when you see him coming) or that deserving author you've been keeping secret. Our hope is that this contest will help promote middle-list authors who are often overlooked in favour of the blockbuster novels and hopefully boost the authors' sales.

The contest runs from July 15 - August 15, so pick up a hidden treasure, savour it and then share it with the world.

Here are the rules:

1. Find a book that's a Hidden Treasure. That means a book that hasn't made it to a best-seller list anywhere that you can find. A suggested reading list is available at WestofMars.com. Feel free to find your own treasure, though.
2. The book MUST be from a royalty-paying publisher. If in doubt, ask Susan.
3. Read it.
4. Post a review somewhere on the Internet between July 15 and August 15 (some popular locations for the last contest were reviewers' websites or blogs, Gather.com, and/or BookCrossing.com).
5. Sign the Mr. Linky at West of Mars. Include the permalink for your review.
6. Yes, you can use a Hidden Treasure book that fulfills another contest or reading challenge.
7. Yes, you can review more than one book.
8. If, for some reason, you don't want to win a prize, let Susan know.
9. If you have suggestions for the Hidden Treasures Suggested Reading List, or a prize to offer the winners, drop Susan an e-mail at susan at westofmars dot com.
10. Prizes will be awarded August 20. Winners will be contacted and winning list will be posted no later than 22 August; be sure to have a way for us to contact you.

BOOK REVIEW: The Keep by Jennifer Egan

Twenty years after the tragic event which ended their childhood friendship, Danny has been summoned to a Gothic castle under renovation by his cousin Howie. Once subjected to abuse for his “geekiness,” Howie has made a fortune in bond trading and retired in style, with his retinue, to a crumbling castle somewhere in Eastern Europe which he plans to remake into a luxurious hotel.

Danny is eager to leave New York where his peripheral involvement with the mob is causing trouble, even if it means confronting uncomfortable family history and dealing with uncertain cellular service. Despite early promise, Danny has failed to establish himself in any career, instead making a study of power and knowing instinctively if wireless services are available purely by a crawling of his skin.

After he arrives, Danny learns that the castle has another resident, the last remaining member of the von Ausblinker family, the original owners. Danny sees a beautiful young woman in the keep’s windows, although the eccentric Baroness barricaded within is at least 90. She’s determined to outlast Howie (as she has numerous attempts in the past to oust her from her home) and Howie is resolved to remove her to gain access the dungeon’s secrets below the keep.

Just as the reader succumbs to The Keep, Jennifer Egan adds another layer. Danny and Howie’s story is narrated by Ray, a convict imprisoned for an unspecified crime, who is developing the story as part of a creative-writing workshop. When challenged, Ray insists that he is merely relating a story passed on to him by another man.

Everyone in The Keep is imprisoned in some manner, whether in jail, the physical keep, the grip of addiction or in a struggle for power. Egan uses every trick to convey the feelings of unease and paranoia which imprisonment can bring, all while suggesting imagination may provide the only escape. While at times her manipulations have the elegance of a battering ram, overall Egan manages to create a labyrinthine novel sure to leave readers questioning what prisons contain their life.


ISBN10: 1400079748
ISBN13: 9781400079742

Trade Paperback
272 pages
Publisher: Anchor Books
Publication Date: July 10, 2007
Author Website: www.jenniferegan.com
Book Website: www.StayattheKeep.com



tags: books book reviews mystery Jennifer Egan

BOOK REVIEW: Favorite Socks by Ann Budd and Anne Merrow

Socks have long been a popular item for knitters to make. Portable and requiring relatively small amounts of yarn, they can be as complicated or as simple as a knitter desires. For many knitters, they are the perfect way to try out a new technique while make something inherently useful, and ensure that loved ones’ feet are kept warm.

From the second issue of Interweave Knits, sock patterns have been an integral part of the popular magazine. Ann Budd and Anne Merrow have combed the archives and selected seventeen of their favourite designs for inclusion in Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave. From Meida’s Socks, Estonian-inspired lace socks by Nancy Bush (1997), to the Waving Lace Socks, a popular design by Evelyn A. Clark featured on the book’s cover (2004), there is sure to be an old favourite for everyone.

Patterns have also been pulled from sister publications PieceWork and Spin•Off, presenting knitters with patterns they may never have seen before. To round out the collection, six new patterns have been included, designed by Ann Budd.

Many of the original issues of Interweave Knits have gone out of print and Favorite Socks ensures these patterns are accessible for a new generation of knitters. Besides providing many classic patterns, this collection also includes a helpful tutorial on knitting socks on two circular needles, instructions for making resoleable socks and both toe-up and top-down instructions.

Published with a hardcover and a spiral binding so the book opens flat, Favorite Socks is sure to win pride-of-place in many knitters’ libraries. Patterns range from the basic Retro Rib Socks suitable for beginning knitters (Winter 2004 issue) to the elegant Anniversary Socks in a cashmere/silk blend (PieceWork, Sept/Oct 2003) or the Eesti Trail Hiking Socks in colourwork (Winter 1997) for knitters who seek more of a challenge.

A Knitalong (KAL) has already popped up for Favorite Socks and is open to anyone who wishes to join. As the organizers state: “This is the place to share your photos, suggestions for yarn substitutions or variations, or any other creative ideas related to the patterns from the book.”

Here's a complete list of all the sock patterns from Favorite Socks (in reverse order of publication), courtesy of the Knitalong site:
1. Elegant Ribbed Stockings - a new pattern by Ann Budd
2. Lace Cuff Anklets - a new pattern by Ann Budd
3. Undulating Rib Socks - a new pattern by Ann Budd
4. Diagonal Cross-Rib Socks - a new pattern by Ann Budd
5. Mock Wave Cable Socks - a new pattern by Ann Budd
6. Flame Wave Socks - a new pattern by Ann Budd
7. Embossed Leaves Socks, Interweave Knits Winter 2005, by Mona Schmidt
8. Cable Rib Socks, Interweave Knits Summer 2005, by Erica Alexander
9. Padded Footlets, Interweave Knits Summer 2005, by Mary Snyder
10. Go With the Flow Socks, Interweave Knits Spring 2005, by Evelyn A. Clark
11. Retro Rib Socks, Interweave Knits Winter 2004, by Evelyn A. Clark
12. Waving Lace Socks, Interweave Knits Spring 2004, by Evelyn A. Clark
13. Eastern European Footlets, Interweave Knits Winter 2003, by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts
14. Uptown Boot Socks, Interweave Knits Winter 2003, by Jennifer Appleby
15. Anniversary Socks, PieceWork Sept/Oct 2003, by Nancy Bush
16. Merino Lace Socks, Interweave Knits Summer 2003, by Anne Woodbury
17. Hidden Passion Socks, Interweave Knits Summer 2002, by Jaya Srikrishnan
18. Austrian Socks, Interweave Knits Winter 2000, by Candace Eisner Strick
19. Priscilla's Dream Socks, Interweave Knits Fall 2000, by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts
20. Up-Down Spiral Sox, Interweave Knits Summer 2000, by Sandy Cushman
21. Two-Yarn Resoleable Socks, Spin-Off Summer 2000, by Wayne Pfeffer
22. Ilga's Socks, Interweave Knits Spring 2001, by Nancy Bush
23. Ute Socks, Interweave Knits Fall 1999, by Nancy Bush
24. Eesti Trail Hiking Socks, Interweave Knits Winter 1997, by Nancy Bush
25. Meida's Socks, Interweave Knits Spring 1997, by Nancy Bush

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.


ISBN10: 1596680326
ISBN13: 9781596680326

Hardcover
128 Pages
Publisher: Interweave Press
Publication Date: April 1, 2007
Pattern Errata: Corrections to Favorite Socks


tags: books book reviews knitting socks Interweave Press Ann Budd Anne Merrow

BOOK REVIEW: The Cruel Stars of the Night by Kjell Eriksson

Laura Hindersten’s father has gone missing and, while he may have just took off without telling her (though tyrannical, he is exceptionally eccentric), she is convinced something horrible has happened to him. The members of the Uppsala Violent Crime Division are certain the professor - an expert on the Renaissance poet Petrarch - will turn up, much more concerned with the murders of several elderly men in the region and how that may affect the upcoming visit by Queen Silvia, scheduled to arrive in a few days to open the new Academic Hospital.

Police Inspector Ann Lindell suspects there may be links the murders and the missing Professor, a hunch born out by evidence presented by a colleague of the Professor. As the body count and public anxiety increases, the pressure on Lindell and the rest of the team to determine if the deaths are the work of a serial killer.

The Cruel Stars of the Night, sequel to Kjell Eriksson’s critically acclaimed debut The Princess of Burundi, once again features the Uppsala Violent Crime Division and Police Inspector Ann Lindell. Police procedurals are standard mystery fare, yet Eriksson takes this well-worn formula and crafts something extraordinary. His character-drive mysteries feature an ensemble “cast” and the personality and motivation of each member of the Uppsala Violent Crime Division is fleshed out in tandem with the details of the case. Eriksson’s police men and women are very human, each with their own way of balancing work and home. Lindell, a single parent raising a young son, wonders if she is a “good” parent while coping with loss and loneliness.

This is not an action-filled thriller. Eriksson lets the tension build slowly, playing out the psychological clues like an expert angler – ensuring his audience is hooked before ratcheting up the tension. Readers may be able to takes breaks from Eriksson’s work in the early chapters; however, once the pieces begin to fall together, The Cruel Stars of the Night becomes impossible to put down.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.


ISBN10: 0312366671
ISBN13: 9780312366674

Hardcover
320 Pages
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Publication Date: May 1, 2007


tags: books book reviews mystery Kjell Eriksson Anne Lindell Ebba Segerberg

BOOK REVIEW: Volk's Game by Brent Ghelfi

Honed by years of fighting in the war in Chechnya and months of torture which resulted in the loss of his foot, Alexei Volkovoy has become a legendary figure in Russia’s black market. At his side is the enigmatic and exotic Valya, his lover and body-guard. Her beauty and slight frame hide a dangerous ferocity which equals Volk’s, forged through years of abuse. Together they navigate the dangers of a lawless Russia, shifting allegiances and an underworld where nothing is as it seems.

Volk owes allegiance to two equally deadly masters: Maxim, a psychotic Azeri kingpin, and “the General,” a military commander. Both have commissioned Volk to steal a long-lost painting from a hidden room within the Hermitage Museum - the luminous Leda and the Swan by Leonardo Da Vinci. Unfortunately for Volk, his masters aren’t the only ones seeking Leda and it will take more than luck to get out with his life – and the painting.

Volk’s Game is the debut thriller from Brent Ghelfi, whose extensive travel is evident in the compelling portrait he paints of life in modern-day Moscow and St. Petersburg. Against this backdrop, Ghelfi positions his modern-day Robin Hood, a “wolf” (the meaning of Volk’s name in Russian) who shares his ill-gotten gains with military widows and amputees less fortunate than himself. The weekly visits of “mercy” he makes, and the flashbacks to the six months spent in captivity in Chechnya, are the only windows Ghelfi provides into his character, yet they provide insight into this troubled anti-hero.

A gangster with scruples, Volk knows that the distinctions he makes (he doesn’t trade in children) mean little within the broader picture: “contemplating the sad truth that I use children in the same ways he [Gromov] does. My reasons may be different, and pictures and petty crimes might not be as horrible as forced prostitution and slavery, but the price of wasted lives is unchanged no matter what they are used to purchase.” As exciting a ride as the central mystery is in Volk’s Game, the part which makes the book impossible to put down is the inner battle Volk fights daily between his natural violence and his hidden compassion. He flips on a dime, one moment exacting horrific retribution on an enemy and the next he spirits away the neglected baby of a drug-addled prostitute, determined she’ll have a better life.

Through everything Ghelfi throws into this merciless ride, Volk is still shown with to possess human weaknesses. He may possess a super-human ability to battle through pain but he is still affected by his love for Valya and his scruples – weaknesses which can ultimately be used against him in the race for the Leda.

Inevitably, readers may wonder if Ghelfi means Volk to be a mirror for the current state of Russia, portraying the two sides of a country attempting to adjust to the aftermath of decades of war, corruption and poverty. An open and “compassionate” country to visitors willing to leave behind their money, the violence against her citizens and those who “cross” politicians is the stuff of legends.


ISBN10: 0805082549
ISBN13: 9780805082548

Hardcover
320 Pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Publication Date: June 12, 2007
Book Website: volksgame.com


tags: books book reviews mystery Brent Ghelfi Alexei Volkovoy debut novel

Hidden Treasures Contest Reminder

I'm off to the cottage for a few days - relaxing with good friends and reading, my two favourite activities. I'm taking along a few "hidden treasures" to read and post for the West of Mars contest. What I'm reading will remain a surprise until I post the reviews, so instead of telling you what I'll be reading I'm going to ask the question of you - my faithful readers. Have you picked out a book (or books) to read and review as part of the Hidden Treasures contest? If not, what are you waiting for? There are so many great prizes on offer, courtesy of some great publishing houses and authors. There's even a prize just for Canadian reviewers (you must be a resident of Canada to qualify)!

In case you're wondering, you don't have to pick a book from the reading list. You can read anything you deem a "hidden treasure," that is, any book which has never appeared on a bestseller list and is published by a royalty-paying publisher. So hit your local independent bookstore, the library or even a used bookstore. Enter early and often and get the word out on some overlooked gems.

The contest runs from July 15 - August 15, so pick up a hidden treasure, savour it and then share it with the world.

For anyone who may have missed my original notice, I'll repeat the rules below:

1. Find a book that's a Hidden Treasure. That means a book that hasn't made it to a best-seller list anywhere that you can find. A suggested reading list is available at WestofMars.com. Feel free to find your own treasure, though.
2. The book MUST be from a royalty-paying publisher. If in doubt, ask Susan.
3. Read it.
4. Post a review somewhere on the Internet between July 15 and August 15 (some popular locations for the last contest were reviewers' websites or blogs, Gather.com, and/or BookCrossing.com).
5. Sign the Mr. Linky at West of Mars. Include the permalink for your review.
6. Yes, you can use a Hidden Treasure book that fulfills another contest or reading challenge.
7. Yes, you can review more than one book.
8. If, for some reason, you don't want to win a prize, let Susan know.
9. If you have suggestions for the Hidden Treasures Suggested Reading List, or a prize to offer the winners, drop Susan an e-mail at susan at westofmars dot com.
10. Prizes will be awarded August 20. Winners will be contacted and winning list will be posted no later than 22 August; be sure to have a way for us to contact you.

BOOK REVIEW: Out of Character by Vanessa Craft

Journalist Emma Gordon lives a staid, unremarkable life, most of which is spent within books. Haunted by the memory of her mother’s abandonment and struggling with her father Jack’s impending marriage, Emma seeks refuge with her favourite fictional characters avoiding a reality she can’t handle. Jack is convinced Emma is wasting her time at Oxygen magazine and is dismayed at her lack of ambition.

Seeking something she hasn’t been able to define, Emma finds herself volunteering to go undercover in one of London’s top gentlemen’s clubs surprising even herself. Completely out of her depth in this glittering world of sex, power and facades, Emma struggles to find her feet and the angle for her story while trying to create an alter-ego who can succeed where shy Emma can not. Drawn into the unreality of life at Platinum, the lines between Emma’s role as an undercover journalist and the increasingly fascinating life of a top earning stripper begin to blur until the night that Jack finds her mid-dance and they must finally deal with their past.

Out of Character, the debut novel from lifestyle journalist Vanessa Craft, germinated from a visit Craft made to one of London’s top gentlemen’s clubs to visit a friend who was dancing. She inadvertently spotted a colleague at the tip rail and from that glimpse came the moment of dénouement when Jack spots Emma on stage and a novel where Craft could explore the idea of two worlds colliding and its impact on ego and identity.

In Emma Gordon, Craft has created a fascinating heroine. Readers will be mesmerized by the journey Emma undergoes from a tourist of her own life to the birth of Phoenix, her seductive alter ego. Finding her place within the glittering world of Platinum is a struggle for Emma, who has spent years being an invisible observer of life. Her first night dancing stage ends with her heel caught in her dress and catapulting head first into a customer’s lap. Emma embodies the awkward, self-conscious child found inside everyone and readers will quickly empathize with her and glory in her new found confidence.

While Craft never explicitly questions the role of identity in maintaining a connection to reality, this is an underlying theme within Out of Character. Emma has lived without a strong link to the world since her mother’s sudden departure, with Jack providing his skewed perspective where money and power are the only goal worth pursuing. It is unsurprising then that her identity has been so easy to walk away from. Emma’s whole life has been about creating alternate realities and adopting the persona of Phoenix is incredibly seductive. Phoenix is powerful and confident in her own sexuality and attractiveness, and provides a certainty which Emma has never possessed and always wanted.

Out of Character is a difficult novel to put down. This reviewer approached the book with doubts, uncertain how it could be about empowerment when dealing with exotic dancers. Craft doesn’t directly approach issues of feminism, choosing instead to frame it within Emma’s personal journey. While readers will find few obvious answers, the questions raised will continue to engage readers and it is anticipated that Out of Character will provoke fascinating book group debates.


View the book's trailer here.


ISBN10: 1552638235
ISBN13: 9781552638231

Trade Paperback
288 Pages
Publisher: Key Porter Books
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Author Website: www.vanessacraft.com


tags: books book reviews Vanessa Craft debut novel

BOOK REVIEW: Petropolis by Anya Ulinich

Sasha Goldberg, a mixed-race Russian Jew, lives with her mother in Asbestos 2, once a Stalinist model town but now only a place from which to escape. Lubov, Sasha’s domineering mother, is determined that despite the mediocrity of their surroundings her daughter will have all the benefits of a bourgeois upbringing. Too pudgy for ballet and with no musical gifts, Sasha’s only talent is for art and so she undertakes art lessons in a damp apartment block basement. There she discovers passion, falling in love with an art-school drop-out who lives in a concrete pipe in the dump outside town. Their brief romance leads to pregnancy and outrage from Lubov.

Determined that her daughter will still have a chance at success, Lubov takes baby Nadia as her own and sends Sasha off to art school in Moscow. Sasha is not at home at the art school, for her mother cheated and sent in the drop-out’s art work and claimed it was the work of Sasha. In a bid to escape and find the father who left her behind, Sasha signs up as a mail-order bride and lands in Arizona as the teenage bride of an old-fashioned Russian. Each step Sasha takes to carve a new life for herself leads to increasingly absurd realities and Sasha’s journey becomes a surreal modern-day Odyssey, as she seeks her father and ultimately herself.

Petropolis is the debut novel of Anya Ulinich and readers may be forgiven for the belief that much of this novel is autobiographical. Like Sasha, Anya emigrated from Russia to the United States when she was 17, learned English from watching TV and attended art school. The assumption that this is merely a memoir masquerading as a novel does Ulinich’s writing a great disservice, not only because Petropolis is a biting satire of the coming-of-age novel as a genre but also because she writes black, screwball comedy so incredibly well, especially when one remembers she is writing in her second language.

Petropolis, while certainly containing a great deal of immigrant humour, quickly moves beyond the stereotypical into parody and farce. Ulinich pushes readers beyond their comfort zone but never sinks into Borat-style humour. The extreme situations are designed to throw startling light on the hopelessness of life in Siberia and the overwhelming desperation Sasha feels to escape. Coming-of-age in this situation is not a journey of self-discovery, rather a desperate attempt to find a way to merely exist, outside the servitude to poverty’s daily grind.

While Petropolis, is mainly a commentary on the immigrant experience, it also presents an unique look at mother-daughter relationships. Ulinich seems to be addressing a fundamental question “what affect will extreme poverty and a wish for a better future for your child have on the parent-child relationship?” Lubov is desperate for her daughter to escape life in Asbestos 2 and the decisions she makes appear hard and without consideration for Sasha’s dreams. As Sasha grows through her experiences, she is able to develop some understanding of her mother’s motivation and this gradual melting of the ice between them is one of the truly heart-wrenching aspects of the novel.

Ulinich prevents her novel devolving into slapstick by maintaining Sasha’s fundamental humanity at the centre of her novel. Sasha, like many immigrants, is a survivor and her ability to maintain hope, no matter what life throws at her, is what makes her such a mesmerizing heroine. Readers will soon find themselves deeply enamored of Sasha, for her dry wit, unique perspective on all things American and her huge heart.

Note: I have offered this book as a prize in the Hidden Treasures review contest. To learn more about the contest (which begins on July 15), click here. Enter early and often - there are a lot of great prizes from a number of publishers.


ISBN10: 0670038199
ISBN13: 9780670038190

Hardcover
336 Pages
Publisher: Viking USA
Publication Date: February 20, 2007


tags: books book reviews Anya Ulinich debut novel

BOOK REVIEW: The Brambles by Eliza Minot

Arthur Bramble, widowed patriarch of the Bramble clan, is moving east to live with his daughter Margaret during the final stages of cancer. As he moves into the final stages of his life, his three children face crisis in their own. Margaret, stay-at-home mother of three, seems adrift in her own life, drawn by its currents rather than any purpose of her own design. Max has quite his job as an independent film producer but still leaves each new wife and baby each morning as if going to the office. Edie, newly single, barely manages to cope with her eating disorder and the drive west to pick up her father. As each Bramble faces Arthur’s death, secrets will be uncovered and lives remade during one unforgettable summer.

The Brambles, Eliza Minot’s second novel, is the story about the moment of change in a life. Each of the Bramble children’s lives is in some way on hold. Whether it is due to the death of their mother or external forces, each has become mired and unable to move forward. Margaret has given up her New York City job and has devoted her life to raising her children, losing her individual identity and become a reflection of her children and their needs. As her husband Brian says to her: “Face it…you’ve been thrown into neutral.” Max has quit his job and has hidden the fact from his wife for three weeks, frozen by the new responsibilities of both father and husband. Edie has become obsessed with food, using it to hide from her growing depression and sense of purposelessness.

Arthur’s death is the plot device Minot uses to pull the disparate stories of Margaret, Max and Edie together, providing the intersection of their spheres. Rather than being the catalyst for self-discovery or create a moment of family unity, Arthur’s last journey merely sheds light on the isolation and disorder on each sibling’s life.

The Brambles contains little action and really is a collection of the mundane moments present in anyone’s life. Minot takes these inconsequential moments and through her magical prose creates a touching narrative on three troubled inner lives.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.


ISBN10: 1400077524
ISBN13: 9781400077526

Trade Paperback
256 Pages
Publisher: Vintage Contemporaries
Publication Date: June 12, 2007


tags: books book reviews Eliza Minot

BOOK REVIEW: The Knitter's Guide to Yarn Cocktails by Anastasia Blaes and Kelly Wilson

Taking their inspiration from the cocktail set, Anastasia Blaes and Kelly Wilson have created a knitting book aimed at the new generation of knitters. Each project in The Knitter’s Guide to Yarn Cocktails: 30 Technique-Expanding Recipes for Tasty Little Projects is inspired by a popular cocktail and focuses on a specific skill, allowing knitters to learn skills incrementally. Eventually these “ingredients” may be mixed together, enabling knitters to undertake the more advanced projects in the book. While a few of the projects are suitable for beginning knitters, the majority are for intermediate or experienced knitters.

The book is laid out following the cocktail motif. The first chapter “Ingredients” covers knitting basics: knitting tools, terminology, yarn and knitting abbreviations. The following chapters group projects by drink category such as “classic cocktails” (textured knitting), “martini drinks” (cables) and “garnish with a twist” (edgings). While the cocktail motif is initially amusing, the novelty wears off and knitters may find it all a bit too cute. One helpful item is the ice cube illustration included in some patterns, standing for “refresh”. This icon indicates that techniques used in the pattern are referenced earlier in Yarn Cocktails and helpfully, the authors have include the page reference for the technique.

Most of the patterns here are geared to the younger knitter, with the majority of patterns being for accessories rather than clothing. Clothing patterns include five tops (of the camisole persuasion), two skirts, boxers, knickers and a lace vest.

The final chapter includes recipes for all the drinks referenced in the book, although this reviewer would not recommend drinking and knitting as it can lead to a great deal of day after ripping.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.


ISBN10: 1592533191
ISBN13: 9781592533190

Spiral Bound, Softcover
160 Pages
Publisher: Quarry Books
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Author Websites: anastasiaknits.com and kellywilsondesigns.com


tags: books book reviews knitting Anastasia Blaes Kelly Wilson

BOOK REVIEW: Imagine Harry by Kate Klise

Little Rabbit’s best friend Harry is very special. They play in the snow, swim in the summer months and watch out for each other. Little Rabbit is always looking out for Harry’s interests, ensuring his mother brings Harry a glass of lemonade and his share of the cookies – and make sure she doesn’t sit on him. Little Rabbit’s other friends call his best friend “Imagine Harry” but that’s only because they can’t see him.

When it’s time for Little Rabbit to start school, his mother tells him Harry can go with him but only if he sits quietly and is very good. As Little Rabbit becomes more involved with school life and his new friends, Harry slips into the background until the day it is revealed that he has “moved away.”

Sisters Kate and M. Sarah Klise’s newest collaboration, Imagine Harry, is a poignant story of friendship, whether real or imagined. The beauty of this simple tale is the understanding with which Little Rabbit’s mother treats Harry. There is no condescension, only the same acceptance shown to his “real” friends.

Many children have a period of their life shared with imaginary friends and Imagine Harry is a respectful way to help young ones understand that such friendships fade with time. At the beginning, Sarah’s soft illustrations contain empty spaces symbolizing Harry and, as the story progresses, the empty spaces become smaller.

Young children will find much to identify with in this gentle story. Starting school, and the need to make new friends, can be a scary experience for many children. Imagine Harry may help make this transition an easier one for families.

Read the review at Armchair Interviews.


ISBN10: 0152057048
ISBN13: 9780152057046

Hardcover
32 Pages
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication Date: June 1, 2007


tags: books children's book reviews picture book Kate Klise M. Sarah Klise

Fall 2007 Titles - McArthur & Company

McArthur & Company is a Canadian-owned and operated publisher and distributor of Canadian and international fiction and non-fiction for adults and children. In addition to its own titles, McArthur & Company distributes Orion Publishing Group and Hodder Headline books in Canada, two great British publishers.


Gollancz
* The Da-Da-De-Da-Da Code by Robert Rankin (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Fade by Chris Wooding (Hardcover, December 2007)
* Nova Swing by M. John Harrison (Trade Paperback, January 2008)
* Jack of Ravens by Mark Chadbourn (Trade Paperback, February 2008)


Hodder & Stoughton
* First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde (Hardcover, July 2007)
* Dark Flight by Lin Anderson (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Green is the New Black by Tamsin Blanchard (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* The Bad Quarto by Jill Paton Walsh (Trade Paperback, November 2007)


Hodder Headline
* The Man who was Thursday: a Nightmare by G.K. Chesterton (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Reading in Bed by Sue Gee (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Something Borrowed by Paul Magrs (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Roaring of the Labyrinth by Clio Gray (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Foolish Mortals by Jennifer Johnston (Hardcover, October 2007)
* I Did a Bad Thing by Linda Green (Trade Paperback, December 2007)
* The Ingenious Edgar Jones by Elizabeth Garner (Hardcover, January 2008)


McArthur & Company
* The Perfect Summer: Dancing in the Shadow of 1911 by Juliet Nicolson (Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* Wind Tales: a Novel by Anne DeGrace (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Rain Dogs and Love Cats by Andrew Holmes (Sceptre, Hardcover, September 2007)
* My Mother’s Lovers by Christopher Hope (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* Fault Lines by Nancy Huston (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Diplomatic Corpse by Anne Marshall Zwack (John Murray, Trade Paperback, September 2007)


Orion
* Vienna by Eva Menasse (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* Touché: a French Woman’s take on the English by Agnès Catherine Poirier (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* The Last Days of Newgate by Andrew Pepper (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* A Hidden Life by Adèle Geras (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Welcome to the Working Week by Paul Vlitos (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Maggie’s Tree: a Novel by Julie Walters (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* Sepulchre by Kate Mosse (Hardcover, November 2007)
* Tiggy by Miss Read (Hardcover, December 2007)
* Jumping the Cracks by Victoria Blake (Hardcover, January 2008)
* The Making of Mia by Ilana Fox (Hardcover, February 2008)
* Bitter Chocolate by Lesley Lokko (Hardcover, February 2008)


tags: books reading fall books 2007 publishing McArthur & Company Gollancz Hodder & Stoughton Hodder Headline Orion Publishing Group Sceptre

Fall 2007 Titles - Publishers Group Canada

Publishers Group Canada represents over 130 independent publishers including Carroll & Graf, Grove Atlantic and Canongate Books.

Black Cat
* Turpentine by Spring Warren (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* The Cry of the Dove by Fadia Faqir (Trade Paperback, October 2007)

Carroll & Graf
* I Never Saw Paris: a novel of the afterlife by Harry I. Freund (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Selfish and Perverse: a novel by Bob Smith (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Forgotten Gospels: early, lost, and historical writings on the life and teachings of Jesus by Tim Newton (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* A Dead Man in Tangier by Michael Pearce (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Capote in Kansas: a ghost story by Kim Powers (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Beneath the Metropolis: the secret lives of cities by Alex Marshall (Trade Paperback, November 2007)

Grove Atlantic
* Ancestor Stones: a Novel by Aminatta Forna (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* Berlin: a Novel by Pierre Frei (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama by Thomas Laird (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* Lost Paradise: a Novel by Cees Nooteboom (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Moist: a Novel by Mark Haskell Smith (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* The Bible: a Biography, Books that Shook the World by Karen Armstrong (Hardcover, November 2007)

Seven Stories Press
* Goodbye, Mr. Socialism by Antonio Negri and Raf Scelsi (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* The tongue’s blood does not run dry: Algerian stories by Assia Djebar (Trade Paperback, November 2007)
* The Contenders: Hillary, John, Al, Dennis, Barack, et al. by Laura Flanders, Richard Goldstein, Dean Kuipers, James Ridgeway, Eli Sanders and Dan Savage (Trade Paperback, November 2007)

Picks from other publishers distributed by Publishers Group Canada
* Time Out 1000 Books to Change Your Life edited by Jonathan Derbyshire (Time Out, Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* Gone and Back Again by Jonathan Scott Fuqua (Soft Skull Press, Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* A Covenant of Salt by Martine Desjardines (Talonbooks, Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* Falling: a novel by Olivia Liberty (Atlantic Books, Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* Waterbaby by Cris Mazza (Soft Skull Press, Hardcover, September 2007)
* Gold by Dan Rhodes (Canongate, Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* Confessions of a Sugar Mommy by Emma Tennant (Gibson Square Books, Hardcover, September 2007)
* When to Walk by Rebecca Gowers (Canongate, Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* Racing the Dark by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Agate Bolden, Hardcover, October 2007)
* Jack Kerouac’s American Journey: the real life odyssey of “On the Road” by Paul Maher, Jr. (Thunder’s Mouth Press, Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* Ciao Bella: Lolita in Italy by Helena Frith Powell (Gibson Square Books, Trade Paperback, November 2007)
* Leaving Brooklyn by Lynne Sharon Schwartz (Hawthorne Books, Trade Paperback, November 2007)
* Shame in the Blood: a novel by Tetsuo Miura (Shoemaker & Hoard, Hardcover, December 2007)


tags: books reading fall books 2007 publishing Black Cat Carroll & Graf Grove Atlantic Seven Stories Press Soft Skull Press Talonbooks Canongate Gibson Square Books Agate Bolden Thunder’s Mouth Press Hawthorne Books Shoemaker & Hoard

Fall 2007 Titles - Perseus Book Group

The Perseus Book Group was "founded with the belief that insightful books of quality are both necessary and desirable. That an innovative model is possible, where the power of the group supports editorial freedom, creative energy, and quality publishing. That authors, readers, booksellers -- and books -- matter."

Their imprints include a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles for adults and children. They distribute the imprints: Basic Books, Da Capo Press, PublicAffairs, Running Press, Basic Civitas, Counterpoint, Vanguard Press, and Westview Press

The following are my picks from Counterpoint and Da Capo Press:

Counterpoint
* A Man of No Moon: a Novel by Jenny McPhee (Hardcover, September 2007)
* An Absolute Gentleman: a Novel by R.M. Kinder (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* Shelley and the Maiden: the death of Fanny Wollstonecraft by Janet Todd (Hardcover, October 2007)
* The Opposition Leader’s Husband: a Novel by Deborah Schupack (Hardcover, January 2008)
* Swallow the Ocean: a Memoir by Laura Flynn (Hardcover, February 2008)


Da Capo Press
* The Great Arab Conquests: how the spread of Islam changed the world we live in by Hugh Kennedy (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Archimedes Codex: how a medieval prayer book is revealing the true genius of antiquity’s greatest scientist by Reviel Netz and William Noel (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Book of Martyrdom and Artifice: First Journals and Poems: 1937 - 1952 by Allen Ginsberg, edited by Juanita Lieberman-Plimpton and Bill Morgan (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* The Strange Case of Hellish Nell: the true story of Helen Duncan and the witch trial of World War II by Nina Shandler (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants: a Memoir by Jaed Coffin (Hardcover, February 2008)

tags: books reading fall books 2007 publishing Basic Books Da Capo Press PublicAffairs Running Press Basic Civitas Counterpoint Vanguard Press Westview Press Perseus Book Group

Fall 2007 Titles - Raincoast Books

Raincoast Books is a Canadian publisher and distributor producing a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles for adults and children. They distribute many well-known imprints in Canada including: Bloomsbury UK, Harcourt, & Hesperus Press, as well as many others. A full list is available on their website.

The following are my picks from their upcoming lineup:

Alma Books
* Boy by James Hanley (Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* Men in Space by Tom McCarthy (Hardcover, September 2007)

Bloomsbury UK
* How to Talk about Book You Haven’t Read by Pierre Bayard (Hardcover, November 2007)
* Playing with Grownups by Sophie Dahl (Hardcover, November 2007)
* Blank Gaze by José Luis Peixoto (Hardcover, December 2007)
* The Journal of Dora Damage by Belinda Starling (Trade Paperback, December 2007)


Bloomsbury USA
* The Monster Hunter’s Handbook: the ultimate guide to saving mankind from vampires, zombies, hellhounds and other mythical beasts by Ibrahim S. Amin (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Indian Clerk: a Novel by David Leavitt (Hardcover, September 2007)


Harcourt, Inc.
* Aaronsohn’s Maps: the untold story of the man who might have created peace in the Middle East by Patricia Goldstone (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Work Shirts for Madmen: a Novel by George Singleton (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Theory of Clouds: a Novel by Stéphane Audeguy (Hardcover, October 2007)
* The Far Traveler: voyages of a Viking woman by Nancy Marie Brown (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Blood Matters: a journey along the genetic frontier by Masha Gessen (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Inside by Kenneth J. Harvey (Hardcover, October 2007)
* The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Season of Betrayal by Margaret Lowrie Robertson (Trade Paperback, October 2007)
* Classics for Pleasure by Michael Dirda (Hardcover, November 2007)
* Turning Back the Clock: hot wars and media populism by Umberto Eco (Hardcover, November 2007)
* Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog: the quirky history and lost art of diagramming sentences by Kitty Burns Florey (Trade Paperback, November 2007)
* The Blue Door: a Mystery by David Fulmer (Hardcover, January 2008)
* The Lost Luggage Porter by Andrew Martin (Trade Paperback, January 2008)
* Saturday’s Child by Ray Banks (Hardcover, February 2008)
* This Human Season by Louise Dean (Trade Paperback, February 2008)
* The Konkans by Tony D’Souza (Hardcover, February 2008)
* The Dead of Summer by Camilla Way (Hardcover, February 2008)
* A Short History of the American Stomach by Frederick Kaufman (Hardcover, February 2008)
* The Executor: a comedy of letters by Michael Kruger (Hardcover, February 2008)
* Lady of the Snakes: a Novel by Rachel Pastan (Hardcover, February 2008)

Hesperus Press
* The Club of Queer Trades by G.K. Chesterton (Trade Paperback, July 2007)
* The Gipsy’s Baby by Rosamond Lehmann (Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* Hyde Park Gate News: the Stephen family newspaper by Virginia Woolf (Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* The Scortas’ Sun by Laurent Gaudé (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* The Turn by Luigi Pirandello (Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* The Corsican Brothers by Alexandre Dumas (Trade Paperback, November 2007)


* Kitchen Playdates: easy ideas for entertaining that include the kids by Lauren Bank Deen (Chronicle Books, Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* The Guerilla Art Kit: everything you need to put your message out into the world by Keri Smith (Princeton Architectural Press, Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* The Game of Cards by Adolf Schroder (Pushkin Press, Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* The Angry Years: a literary chronicle by Colin Wilson (Robson Books, Hardcover, August 2007)
* Red Princess: a revolutionary life by Sofka Zinovieff (Granta Books, Trade Paperback, August 2007)
* You Can Save the Planet: a day in the life of your carbon footprint by Rich Hough and the Guardian (A & C Black, Trade Paperback, September 2007)
* The Bible: Genesis, Exodus, the Song of Solomon illustrated by Marc Chagall (Chronicle Books, Hardcover, October 2007)
* Water is Key: a better future for Africa by Gil Garcetti (Princeton Architectural Press, Hardcover, October 2007)
* Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the secret trade in nuclear weapons by Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark (Walker & Company, Hardcover, October 2007)
* The Crimes of Dr. Watson: an interactive Sherlock Holmes mystery by John H. Watson, M.D. (Quirk Books, Hardcover, October 2007)
* India Arriving: how this economic powerhouse is redefining global business by Rafiq Dossani (AMACOM, Hardcover, November 2007)


tags: books reading fall books 2007 publishing Alma Books Bloomsbury UK Bloomsbury USA Harcourt, Inc. Hesperus Press Princeton Architectural Press Pushkin Press Granta Books Chronicle Books Walker & Company Quirk Books Raincoast Books

Summer Contest - Hidden Treasures of Fiction

Susan at West of Mars is having another contest and this time I'm giving all of you lots of notice. This summer's theme is Hidden Treasures of fiction; books or authors who have never gotten near the Best-seller list (any of them) but who you think deserve to be. So review your own books, your best friend, or that weird guy around the corner who happened to write a brilliant book (even if you cross the street when you see him coming) or that deserving author you've been keeping secret. Our hope is that this contest will help promote middle-list authors who are often overlooked in favour of the blockbuster novels and hopefully boost the authors' sales.

The rules are simple:
1. Find a book that's a Hidden Treasure. That means a book that hasn't made it to a best-seller list anywhere that you can find. A suggested reading list is available at WestofMars.com. Feel free to find your own treasure, though.
2. The book MUST be from a royalty-paying publisher. If in doubt, ask Susan.
3. Read it.
4. Post a review somewhere on the Internet between July 15 and August 15 (some popular locations for the last contest were reviewers' websites or blogs, Gather.com, and/or BookCrossing.com).
5. Sign the Mr. Linky at West of Mars. Include the permalink for your review.
6. Yes, you can use a Hidden Treasure book that fulfills another contest or reading challenge.
7. Yes, you can review more than one book.
8. If, for some reason, you don't want to win a prize, let Susan know.
9. If you have suggestions for the Hidden Treasures Suggested Reading List, or a prize to offer the winners, drop Susan an e-mail at susan at westofmars dot com.
10. Prizes will be awarded August 20. Winners will be contacted and winning list will be posted no later than 22 August; be sure to have a way for us to contact you.

Pretty simple right? So spend the next month deciding on your book(s) and I look forward to reading your reviews.

Fall 2007 Titles - Random House of Canada

Over the next week or two I will be posting reflections on BookExpo Canada, as well as my picks from the various publishers' Fall 2007 lines. I came home from BEC with several bags of these catalogues (with the resulting sore shoulders) and more arrive on my doorstep each day. To start off the post-BEC recap, today I am highlighting my picks of Random House of Canada's Fall lines. As always, these picks are provided with the proviso that these are my top picks and being left off this list in no way reflects on the merits of a particular title.

Bond Street Books
* Gifted by Nikita Lalwani (Hardcover, September 2007)
* My Father’s Country: the Story of a German Family by Wibke Bruhns (Hardcover, January 2008)


Crown
* The Witch’s Trinity: a Novel by Erika Mailman (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Charm City: a Walk through Baltimore by Madison Smartt Bell (Hardcover, November 2007)

Doubleday Canada
* Conceit: a Novel by Mary Novik (Hardcover, August 2007)
* The Assassin’s Song by M.G. Vassanji (Hardcover, August 2007)
* An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action in the Twenty-First Century by James Orbinski, M.D. (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Not in the Flesh by Ruth Rendell (Hardcover, November 2007)


Knopf Canada
* Cloud of Bone by Bernice Morgan (Hardcover, August 2007)
* Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Fire in the Blood by Irène Némirovsky (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Other Colors by Orhan Pamuk (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Cheating at Canasta: Short Stories by William Trevor (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Turtle Valley by Gail Anderson-Dargatz (Hardcover, September 2007)
* Clean: an Unsanitized History of Washing our Bodies by Katherine Ashenburg (Hardcover, October 2007)
* Kennedy’s Brain by Henning Mankell (Hardcover, October 2007)


Random House Canada
* Tomorrow by Graham Swift (Hardcover, August 2007)
* The Culprits by Robert Hough (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Geography of Hope: a Tour of the World we Need by Chris Turner (Hardcover, October 2007)


Shaye Areheart Books
* The Long Walk Home: a Novel by Will North (Hardcover, August 2007)
* Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: the Diary of Dang Thuy Tram translated by Andrew X. Pham (Hardcover, September 2007)
* The Kingdom of Bones: a Novel by Stephen Gallagher (Hardcover, October 2007)


Vintage Canada
* Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Trade Paperback, September 2007) - Adichie was recently awarded the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction for this novel.


tags: books reading fall books 2007 publishing Bond Street Books Doubleday Canada Crown Knopf Canada Random House Canada Vintage Canada Shaye Areheart Books