Wrap Up of the 2024 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge Author Edition

I missed a couple of letters but just ran out of steam in the past few months. I wanted to spend more time on creating collages and needlepoint. It was hard to give myself permission to not complete the challenge. However, I gave myself that grace in a few reading challenges including this one. Below are links to the reviews that I posted.

A:  PK Adams, The Merchant's Tale

B:  Steve Berry, The Atlas Maneuver

C.  Matt Caplan, Open Borders

D:  Rebecca D'Harlingue, The Map Colorist

E:  John Elcik, Ancestry Standazrds for Data Integrity 

F:  Joanne Fluke, Pink Lemonade Cake Murder

G:  Gary Gerlacker, The Last Patient of the Night

H:  Julia Hutt, Japanese Fans

I:  

J:  

K:  Angie Kim, Happiness Falls

L:  Jess Lourey, Knee High by the Fourth of July

M:  Alex Michaelides, The Silent Patient

N:  Harini Nagendra, A Nest of Vipers

O:  Gregg Olson, The Amish Wife

P:  Alan Scott Pate, Japanese Dolls

Q:  Mandy Quigley, Public Anchovy #1

R:  Jennifer Ryan, The Kitchen Front

S:  Peter Swanson, The Kind Worth Saving

T:  Kate Thompson, The Wartime Book Club

U:  

V:  Jody Vorra, The Sins of the Fathers

W:  Eric Weintraub, South of Sepharad

X: 

Y:  Gene Luen Yang, Lunar New Year Love Story

Z:  

Favorite Book:  The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides 

Second Favorite Book:  Happiness Falls by Angie Kim 

Least Favorite Book:  The Sins of the Fathers by Jody Vorra 

Pink Lemonade Cake Murder

Last month I was looking for a book title with a holiday theme for the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge. I read several books for the challenge in August but didn't get around to this one. It would have qualified for the challenge as a an August holiday because August 20 is National Lemonade Day!  

The publisher's summary:

The Tri-County Summer Solstice Celebration has come to town, and even among local artisans, athletes, and marching bands, Hannah attracts fans of her own while serving lip-smacking pink lemonade desserts. But the mood sours when a body turns up, leading revelers to wonder if the festivities mark both the longest day of the year and the deadliest . . . 

A retired professional MLB player has met a terrifying end—and, considering the rumors swirling about his past, the list of suspects could fill a small stadium. Among them could soon be Delores, Hannah’s mother, who publicly held a grudge against the victim after he infamously dunked her in the tank at a previous county fair. With her mother’s innocence on the line, a life-changing announcement at The Cookie Jar, and a plethora of desserts to bake, Hannah can’t afford to strike out as she begins a dangerous investigation into the ruthless killer who’s truly in a league of their own . . .

I was disappointed that the murder did not occur until page 100. The first 100 pages were about Hannah and her sister Andrea making and decorating cakes and cookies. It was mouthwatering to read about baking with pink lemonade, especially since there were recipes at the end of each chapter. Because I concentrated on studying thise recipes, the flow of the mystery was slow. I was also disappointed that each of the recipes used cake mixes. In all of the other books of the series the author had recipes made from scratch. However, I am aware that there are other bakers who prefer to use cake mixes.

Regarding the resolution of the mystery, there wasn't much plot action. Hannah’s aha moments in solving the crime always happened while she was drinking coffee. The reveal of the whodunnit was a surprise but the whydunnit was odd, i.e., girls riding on top of a car. In fact, I wasn't sure if this was really the reason for the murder and had to go back to the beginning and reread a few chapters. 

This installment of the series is not the strongest and I am rating it 3 out of 5 stars.

Red Sky Mourning

Red Sky Mourning is the first book that I have read by Jack Carr. It is the 7th book in his Terminal List series and it was fantastic. The main character, Navy Seal sniper James Reece, races to dismantle a conspiracy that has forced the U. S. to her knees. 

The publisher's summary:

A storm is on the horizon. America’s days are numbered. A Chinese submarine has gone rogue and is navigating towards the continental United States, putting its nuclear missiles within striking distance of the West Coast. A rising Silicon Valley tech mogul with unknown allegiances is at the forefront of a revolution in quantum computing and Artificial Intelligence. A politician controlled by a foreign power is a breath away from the Oval Office.

Three seemingly disconnected events are on a collision course to ignite a power grab unlike anything the world has ever seen. The country’s only hope is a quantum computer that has gone dark, retreating to the deepest levels of the internet, learning at a rate inconceivable at her inception. But during her time in hiding, she has done more than learn. She has become a weapon. She is now positioned to act as either the country’s greatest savior or its worst enemy. She is known as “Alice” and her only connection to the outside world is to a former Navy SEAL sniper named James Reece who has left the violence of his past life behind.

I enjoyed this novel but believe it could have been at least 100 pages shorter than it's 560 pages. There were 100 pages in the first half of the story that centered on Reece's relationships with other characters. I think it was not necessary as it didn't affect the plot much. That said, if I had read the first 6 books in the series I might have a different opinion. The writing was thrilling enough for me to determine that I need to read the entire series.

James Reece is a sympathetic character. He is not as macho as other spy thriller characters which makes him seem more human. Of course, the examples of that human essence are in those 100 pages I complained about earlier. Maybe I just don't know what I am talking about here! The plot concerning China's desire to steal information from the U.S. government could have been taken off the front pages of the newspapers. Their uncaring attitude toward their citizens is on display as they plot and execute a plan to destroy one of their submarines. Again, this is another idea that could have come from the front pages of the media. The author has certainly created suspense from painting a picture of China that is realistic in western minds. 

Red Sky Mourning is a realistic portrait of how a war between the U.S. and China could unfold. The author shows us that a conventional war will never be fought again among the superpowers. Cybercrime is the future. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Sins of our Fathers

The Sins of Our Fathers: Spies of Atlantis is the first novel in the Forbidden Hymns series. It waas published in May 2024. The story takes us to the legendary island of Atlantis when it is at the pinnacle of its glory. I received a free ARC from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review.

The publisher's summary:

Serellia and Dilala, devoted cultists of the goddess of war, navigate a treacherous web of conspiracy and deceit in their quest to thwart a notorious Minoan spy. Follow Barekbaal, a Canaanite merchant, as he strives to carve out a simple existence for himself and his crew, only to find himself ensnared in the machinations of foreign powers and ancient deities.

But amidst the chaos and turmoil, one young man, Marko, struggles to find his place in a world where the sins of the past cast long shadows over the present. As he seeks to honor his mother and follow in the footsteps of his father, Marko finds himself drawn into a destiny that is as mysterious as it is inevitable—a destiny bound by a song that echoes through the ages, known as the Forbidden Hymn.

The story takes place in 1258 BC in Atlantis. Even though Atlantis is a fictional island that was often written about by Plato, it is something that we all seem to know enough about. That said, within the Atlantean territory of Evaemon lays its capital, the port city of Hakon Evae. It is here that plots are formed, there is a feeling of an impending uprising and people are chafing at the confines and choices that were made for them by their predecessors.

It was difficult to learn the terminology. The book is advertised as both fantasy and historical fiction, a genre combination that I have never heard of. I am still wondering whether the combination works. In fact, I am confused. There were too many characters to get to know and too many deities to learn. I got bogged down from the start of the story. While there is an index of characters at the back of the book, it's not something you want to keep referring to when you are reading. 

Fantasy stories are not my forte. Every once in awhile I read fantasy and can usually figure out the action. Sins of the Fathers overwhelmed me with it's extensive world building. I just didn't care for the book.

Ogi: A History of the Japanese Fan

Ogi, A History of the Japanese Fan is an over-sized picture book on Japanese fans. It comes inside an impressive gold binder. Per Wikipedia, Ogi (扇) is a "folding fan thought to have originated in Japan in the 7th century, initially made of thin strips of bamboo or cypress threaded together. Fans were not only a practical way to keep cool, but also used to communicate important information and were status symbols in the samurai and upper classes." To me it's a coffee table book, but one with information for buyers of these gorgeous fans.

The book consists primarily of 112 pages photos of fans, with small paragraph descriptions interspersed, throughout the book. The authors, from the British Museum, have divided the fans into fifteen eras, from 10,000 BCE to the present. They have then organized fans into three categories: traditional Japanese fans, Japanese export fans and advertising, commemorative and contemporary fans. Each of these categories contain fans from their inception in 10,000 BCE to the present. Basically, Ogi is a museum book for an exhibition of fans in Britain. It has outstanding photos and I love to peruse its pages for relaxation.

Art lovers will enjoy this book. 5 out of 5 stars.

Knee High by the Fourth of July

This book is my selection for the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge. I needed a book about 4th of July and was lucky to find this one. The book is the third in a series of holiday themed stories. It was published in 2007. 

The publisher's summary:

What's so wrong with admiring from a distance? Mira's quirky puppy love for Chief Wenonga, a well-muscled fiberglass statue in her Minnesota small town, might be a safer love pursuit than online dating. But when the 23-foot Chief goes missing from his cement base, Mira's not the only citizen to be crushed. The town of Battle Lake is celebrating their statue's 25th anniversary and no amount of blue, sugar-soaked popcorn balls at Wenonga Days can uplift their gloomy mood. 

But when Mira runs into a dead body, the town has more pressing issues. Mira's second biggest crush, organic gardening god and dead ringer for Brad Pitt-Johnny Leeson-has disappeared. Her luck with men is running out, and a killer might be moving in. With something of her own to hide, Mira hopes she can avoid the police long enough to track down the object of her mega-crush-but is Mira trailing a statue-thief, a kidnapper, or a murderer?

 

This was an OK novel. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. It's more of a three stars out of five book. The main character Mira is funny and super smart. However, I didn't think her desire to participate in online dating was a good decision. It can be dangerous. Yes, I am placing my values on a character. While the online dating provided a few suspects to the murder, it didn't connect with me as well as if all of the suspects were from Battle Lake.

I am pretty picky about the cozy mysteries that I read. I only read a few cozy authors consistently and, perhaps, author Lourey is just one of them that I don't want to continue reading. I hate to bash a book when the genre, or rather sub-genre, is not my cup of tea. 

As I stated above, this book is part of a series. The characters are the same throughout the series so we can expect to read more about Mira's exploits. If you enjoyed this book, please let me know your thoughts.

Apologies for the formatting. I couldn't fix it without tearing my hair out.

Happiness Falls

Happiness Falls was published last month on May 7, 2024. It is a contemporary fiction story concerning one family's struggle to care for a severely disabled child while searching for their missing husband and father.

The publisher's summary:

We didn’t call the police right away.” Those are the electric first words of this extraordinary novel about a biracial Korean American family in Virginia whose lives are upended when their beloved father and husband goes missing.

Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical twenty-year-old daughter, has an explanation for everything—which is why she isn’t initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene don’t return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia’s brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tight-knit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak.

What follows is both a ticking-clock investigation into the whereabouts of a father and an emotionally rich portrait of a family whose most personal secrets just may be at the heart of his disappearance. Full of shocking twists and fascinating questions of love, language, and human connection, Happiness Falls is a mystery, a family drama, and a novel of profound philosophical inquiry. With all the powerful storytelling she brought to her award-winning debut, Miracle Creek, Angie Kim turns the missing-person story into something wholly original, creating an indelible tale of a family who must go to remarkable lengths to truly understand one another.

The story opened as a monologue from Mia. I expected that the monologue would stop but it continued throughout the book. It was a little hard to get used to but I adjusted to it and I believe that it made the book a fast read. I was expecting that the father's disappearance would be solved, either as a murder or for him to return to the family. The police handled the official investigation but the family had their own investigation through communicating with Eugene. His severe disabilities prevented him from speaking but as information about the father's disappearance was learned, it gave the family new ways of searching for him themselves. They also found out who he had been texting and emailing as well as what documents he had stored on his laptop. All the information led back to something that only Eugene could tell them, if only he could speak. 

The novel is primarily about how to deal with a family member who has severe disabilities. Providing accommodations for such a child is a 24/7 reality for every family member. If their own lives need to be put on hold in order to provide these accommodations, then the lives are placed on hold. With the Parkson family, however, the parents made sure that their three other children were not forgotten.  The reader learns that learning and interpretation of language can aid in understanding. Eugene has undergone several therapies to help him communicate but the one that has been most successful was one that the missing father withheld from the family.  Eugene is the key to finding their father.

Was the father located?  I will not be a spoiler here and hope that you will read the book to find out for yourself.  Happiness Falls was a fantastic read and I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Merchant's Tale

P. K. Adams is one of my favorite authors. When I recently discovered that she had published a new book this past November, I couldn't wait to get a copy.  It did not disappoint. In this novel she has returned to the Polish and Russian setting that I love. The book was co-authored with C. P. Lesley.

The publisher's summary:

Karl Scharping, a twenty-eight-year-old merchant from Danzig, has one thing on his mind—the beautiful bride awaiting him in Moscow. A careless leap from his horse derails his plans, confining him to a monastery near the White Sea. Hobbling to the window on crutches, Karl looks out on a vast expanse of water glistening in the dawn light and gasps at the sight of an English merchantman at anchor in the bay. He has no idea how much trouble that ship carries in its wake.

When Richard Chancellor departs his native London to serve the interests of his Tudor king by locating a new passage to the spice-rich Orient, he does not expect to wind up in Muscovy—ruled by Tsar Ivan IV, known as “the Terrible,” and his Romanov in-laws. The Russians welcome Chancellor and his sailors to the Kremlin, although the foreigners’ unfamiliar language poses problems and accidents delay their journey south. Then they reach Moscow, and their problems really begin.

This was an enjoyable read. I loved the Russian court setting as well as memories of Poland that were foremost in Karl and Pyotr's minds. The reader gets to see Tsar Ivan as a young ruler, long before he became Ivan the Terrible. Here "Terrible" means that he was a great ruler. Russian prince Mikhail's home was also prominent as Selina worked there as a teacher for his children. It was an opulent castle so different from Pyotr and Selina's humble home. The customs of the English traders was another part of the setting. They had different clothing and different trading practices than the Russians. However, the harsh Russian weather was the backdrop of most of the story. 

Karl was a sympathetic character until he arrived in Moscow. His rigid personality became apparent in his dealings with his intended bride, Selina, as well as with the Russian court. He was not likable in this setting. Selina was an eighteen-year-old girl with romantic notions of marriage, especially after meeting Englishman Charles Anderson. Charles wooed Selina with poetry and frequently expressed his love for her. Karl had no idea how to do this and Selina did not want to marry him. Her brother arranged marriage to his buddy Karl and Selina tried to talk herself into marrying Karl. Pyotr was also a sympathetic character in the beginning of the story. As the plot moved to Moscow as the setting of the Englishmen meeting Ivan, it was obvious that Pyotr's talent as an interpreter was revealed as somewhat lacking. His biggest challenge here was a lack of confidence in himself. I loved the close relationship Selina had with her employer Vasilissa, Mikhail's wife. Vasilissa behaved as a friend rather than a boss and she was Selina's only female friend.

There is an air of mystery toward the end of the story when Charles died. It was determined that he was murdered and Mikhail did an investigation but came up with nothing. He thought Pyotr might be the killer but there was no proof. Selina, though, traps the killer into exposing himself when she questions the men when they are together. Selina is an incredibly strong person. For most of the story we are told that she is a submissive woman. We get that from Pyotr and Karl's conversations but they have not seen her in several years. What a surprise when they arrive in Moscow!

The Merchant's Tale is an entertaining story and historical fiction fans will love it. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Kind Worth Saving

The Kind Worth Saving is another fabulous thriller from Peter Swanson. Published in 2023, the novel follows the devious plots of Joan Grieve Whalen to get rid of, rather to kill, anyone she does not like.

It all began the summer of Joan's sophomore year in high school when her family spent a month by the beach in Maine. After a new friend, Duane, tries to force her into making out she flees back to the safety of the Windward Resort where both are staying. Bored by her parent's activities Joan visits the hotel's library the next night looking for something to read. There she meets Richard Seddon, a fellow student at Dartford-Middleham High School. They never before crossed paths though. Richard was a loner who was the subject of much ridicule while Joan was a popular gymnast.

The two strike up a long conversation wherein Joan talks about a jerk she met the previous evening. Richard already knew about it because he shared a room at the hotel with Duane, who was his cousin. He told her that Duane said she had slept with him. Continuing, Richard said he would like to kill Duane because he was a bad person. Possibly a rapist. He spent the next hour talking about ways to do it. Feeling that he was joking, Joan made suggestions in jest.

Fast forward twenty years and Joan turns up at private inves­tigator Henry Kimball’s office asking him to investigate her realtor husband whom she believes is cheating. Joan makes him feel ill at ease. The sight of her stirs up a chilling memory. He knew Joan in his previous life as a high school English teacher at Dartford-Middleham High School, when he was at the center of a tragedy. What should be a simple investigation of infidelity becomes much more complicated when Kimball finds two bodies in an uninhabited suburban home with a for sale sign out front. Suddenly it feels like the past is repeating itself, and Henry must go back to one of the worst days of his life to uncover the truth. He wonders whether Joan knew anything about that day, something she’s hidden all these years. Henry is determined to find out, enlisting help from his old nemesis Lily Kintner.

The Kind Worth Saving is a sequel to The Kind Worth Killing, which I did not read. I understand that the relationship between Henry and Lily is explained in the earlier book. It didn't seem to make any difference though because the current story doesn't involve Lily that much, at least not until the final third of the book.

The chapters alternate between multiple points of view and always ended with more and more questions concerning what happened between the characters in the past. This was what made the book suspenseful. I hated for each chapter to end but as the next chapter began I was immediately drawn into it as the continuation of a different character's story was so gripping.

All of the characters had grudges and obsessions from the past that were slowly revealed. Henry instinctively feels that he should stay away from Joan but he doesn't. Henry wants to follow through on his doubts about Joan to whatever end it takes him. It is the first time in his life that he follows anything through. He has had jobs as a teacher, policeman and a private detective. Each time he had conflict in those jobs he quit the jobs.

Richard Seddon does not have much contact with Joan but thinks about her every day. They have a special bond, though, from what they shared at the Windward Resort. Joan is the villain. On the surface she is the perfect housewife who falls victim to her husband's infidelity. However, deep down her uncontrollable anger gets her into trouble over and over.

The Kind Worth Saving was a pleasurable read. Mystery lovers will want to read it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Lunar New Year Love Story

I adore Gene Lien Yang's graphic novels. They are always comical and light reading even is the topic is serious. His novels are also clean reading, no sex or foul language. I was not aware of his newest title until last week and immediately bought a copy. It is fantastic! This one is about a couple who cannot get it together during their senior year of high school. There are a few magical creatures as characters as befitting a Chinese story.

The publisher's summary:  

She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love.

Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed—no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love.

But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?

Yang gives us realistic characters. Valentina, or Val, grew up with just one parent, her father. When she finds out the he lied about her mother' death she stops speaking with him for almost a year. Val's best friend Bernice is also raised by a single parent, her mother. Bernice cannot stand to be without a boyfriend and within 24 hours of a break up she finds a new love. We all knew someone like that when we were growing up. Val is the complete opposite. The boys in the story are typical Chinese Americans while their parents live a very Chinese life in the U.  S. 

Another reason I enjoy Yang's novels is that they are the same length as a traditional novel. Lunar is approximately 350 pages. This allows him to create fully formed characters and an extensive plot. The relationships among the kids in the story revolve around lion dancing. They are all taking a class on how to dance under a lion costume, as you would normally see at the Chinese new year and other special occasions. Val's relationships with two boys generally take place while they are sharing a costume to dance under. Val cannot decide which boy she really loves. A magical dragon has given her one year to find true love. If she fails then she must give the dragon her heart and foreswear future love interests. Val believes that her family will always be unlucky in love and is not sure that she can find true love.

The illustrations by Leuyen Pham are gorgeous. She has used primarily a red and pink color pallet to fit with Val's love of Valentine's Day. There are some panels colored in blues and greens but all the colors are bright as I like them. Her character's faces illuminate their emotions so when there is no dialogue in a panel strip, the reader knows how the characters are feeling. 

Lunar New Year Love Story is the perfect Valentine's Day story. It would make a great gift for both kids and adults who like comics.  I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Silent Patient

I selected The Silent Patient for the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge this month. It was published in February 2019 and qualifies for the challenge based on the February publication month. The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller about a woman’s act of violence against her husband and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

The publisher's summary:

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....

The Silent Patient is awesome!  I did not see the ending coming and was totally surprised. Totally! The book was so well written that it's hard to believe that it's a debut novel. This book definitely had me sitting on the edge of my seat looking forward to finding out why Alicia killed her husband. I assumed that there was some domestic violence but I was wrong. I knew the reason that Alicia stopped talking was going to be a good one and so I read fast in order to finish the story in one sitting. Oh my, it was so good.

The author, Alex Michaelides, created some amazing characters. Alicia seemed sympathetic even though she shot her husband five times. She and Theo were both main characters. I liked Theo alot because he bent over backwards to help his patient. His boss gave him just six weeks to get her talking. With hospital finances being threadbare, the Grove faced being shut down. The boss hoped that if Alicia got better, the press about it would help keep the place open. The family members for both Gabriel and Alicia all hated her passionately. I knew there were good reasons for this and couldn't wait to find out why.

I can't think of any other book where I had to read fast in order to find out the who, what, when, where, how and why. The Silent Patient is an amazing read. Check it out if you haven't already. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Last Patient of the Night

Last Patient of the Night is the debut novel of Gary Gerlacher and the beginning of his medical thriller series featuring AJ Docker. Docker is an emergency room physician who treats Tracy Palmer for a broken wrist in the morning. She is dropped off in the evening and is dead. Tracy was Docker's last patient on his shift.

The publisher's summary:

The death of a nameless young woman in his emergency room spurs physician AJ Docker to seek answers. Together with his policeman friend and a police dog, he sets out on a quest for justice for his lost patient, but he discovers more questions than answers as he delves into the criminal world. 

Last Patient of the Night is an action packed thriller interspersed with lighthearted stories from the emergency room, featuring a cast of interesting characters. 

Gary Gerlacher’s experience as an emergency physician lends authenticity to the ER culture. His debut novel is the first in the AJ Docker series, and will leave you turning pages late into the night.

The back cover blurb states that this book is a mystery but with alot of information on working in an emergency room (ER). This is 100% accurate. It seemed to me that the author wrote a book on the ER and then tried to throw in a murder. The ER setting was more prominent than the mystery. While the setting provided was interesting, the book is supposed to be a medical thriller. However, it falls short of the thriller category description. The author is an ER physician himself which is why he has numerous anecdotes about the ER. I can understand the desire to put everything you know about a setting into a novel but Gerlacher should have pulled back.

While Tracy Palmer was dead on arrival at the ER, she was never mentioned again. Another woman by the name of Jenny Smithton seems to have taken her place. There was no mention that they were the same person but I figured it out from their character descriptions. Another odd part of the book is that it begins with Docker performing a tracheotomy on a ski slope. I thought it would be connected to the plot but it wasn't. I am assuming Gerlacher was introducing the reader to his main character.

AJ Docker is a smart ass character. He is arrogant and gets away with plenty of shinnanagans. He is our amateur sleuth. I have never before read a book where a man was an amateur sleuth and it was awkward for me. Also, amateur sleuth mysteries tend to follow a particular cozy mystery formula. Last Patient of the Night does not do this. In addition, while Docker was performing his investigation he killed 3 men on three separate days. The two officers that were in charge of the official investigation were aware and never arrested or charged him. This just isn't realistic. 

This book had many problems and the more I think about them the more disappointed I am. I am rating it 1 out of 5 stars.

Open Borders

Open Borders the Science and Ethics of Immigration was written by Bryan Caplan, an economics professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. In his first graphic novel, he makes a bold case for unrestricted immigration providing the reader with plenty of information on the topic.

The publisher's summary:

American policy-makers have long been locked in a heated battle over whether, how many, and what kind of immigrants to allow to live and work in the country. Those in favor of welcoming more immigrants often cite humanitarian reasons, while those in favor of more restrictive laws argue the need to protect native citizens.

But economist Bryan Caplan adds a new, compelling perspective to the immigration debate: He argues that opening all borders could eliminate absolute poverty worldwide and usher in a booming worldwide economy―greatly benefiting humanity.

With a clear and conversational tone, exhaustive research, and vibrant illustrations by Zach Weinersmith, Open Borders makes the case for unrestricted immigration easy to follow and hard to deny.

The book was entertaining and informative. Before reading this novel I had no idea that there was an economic factor to immigration. The author writes to the layperson so you don't need to know much about economics in order to understand what he is saying. What Caplan says about the economics is that people who emigrate will get jobs and pay taxes. Their children will be well educated and contribute to society. He believes that this is a win win for everyone even if it costs you something up front when they first arrive.

Some of the author's arguments seemed preachy. In the middle of my read, I realized that he has footnotes at the back of the book for every argument that he makes. However, there is no notation on the page advising that these notes exist or where he obtained his facts.  I ended up re-reading the book in order to get his, and my own, facts straight. His data comes from good sources and his arguments for open borders are compelling. Caplan mainly argues that low-skilled immigrants should be allowed unrestricted entry into the U. S.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Waitress

OMG! This book is fantastic! I just finished reading it and had to write a review immediately. The Waitress is one of the best, if not the best, psychological thriller I have ever read. With a twisty ending, I was totally surprised when the reveal was made on the last page.

The publisher's summary:

Anne Marie’s life isn’t easy. She’s a single mom in a dead-end waitressing job with a beater car and bills to pay. Adding to the pressure, her teenage son, Dave, is out of control, and no matter what she does, Anne Marie can’t seem to get through to him.

Then, out of the blue, Dave completely changes. He’s kind, he’s thoughtful, he helps out around the house and looks after his mom. Anne Marie can’t believe her luck.

Until she discovers the reason for her son’s sudden transformation – he’s done something really awful and he’s terrified he’ll be caught. Even worse, someone out there knows about it and they’re blackmailing him.

Anne Marie is desperate to protect her son and knows she has to somehow stop the blackmailer. But how?

As she considers her choices, Anne Marie realizes she may be taking the first steps on a path that will lead her straight to the gates of hell.

How far is she willing to go to save her only child?

As I was reading, I wondered why the book title was about Anne Marie. After all, most of the story was about her son's bad choices. However, Anne Marie was spending all her time trying to fix the problems that Dave brought to her. There were so many and, one by one, she addressed them wholeheartedly. She was trying to prevent her son from becoming like his evil father. 

While there were several hit and run car accidents that Dave was involved with, what forced Dave into good behavior was the blackmailed threats left in their doorstep. These threats are what Anne Marie feels she must address in order to protect him. In this sense, the blackmail was more important to the plot than the accidents. As the story advanced it was apparent that Anne Marie was just as messed up as Dave. She believed that his behavior was inherited from his father. Anne Marie had issues of her own that Dave most likely picked up from being raised by her.

The writing was  suspenseful and I was blown away by the ending. It was a shocker that I did not see coming. In fact, I reread the last 3 pages three times in order to confirm what I thought that I had read because it was so unexpected. 

The Waitress is a must read. 5 out of 5 stars.

Ancestry Standards for Data Integrity

I was lucky to receive an advanced review copy of this book through Librarything's Early Reviewer's Club. It was published last year and is more a booklet than a book. With just 53 pages, the author gives the reader the nuts and bolts of online geneology. 

I have been using the ancestry.com website for my own research and I am happy to say that, according to the author's tips, I covered all my bases well. This book is basically a primer on how to accurately do online geneological research. Elcik gives tips on what you should do to ensure the accuracy of your research as well as what not to do. As such, this book is a must read for anyone just starting out looking into their family tree. With the book being so short, I don't want to give details on what those tips are.  Let me just say that I wish I had this resource when I started out with my research.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Map Colorist

I recently read several positive reviews of this book on blogs that I follow and decided that I needed to read it. I wasn't disappointed. The book is fantastic. It has several features that I am always attracted to such as art, women in trades, a medieval era and a new, to me, setting in Amsterdam.

The story begins in 1660 Amsterdam which is the trading and map-printing capital of the world. Anneke van Brug is one of the colorists paid to enhance black-and-white maps for a growing number of collectors. Having been trained by her mother, Anneke's talent brings her to the attention of the Blaeu printing house where her mother has worked for many years. After several months of coloring for Blaeu, Anneke begins to color for a rich merchant, Willem de Groot, in his home. Anneke is not content to simply embellish the work of others. She longs to create maps of her own. Cartography, however, is the domain of men so she secretly borrows the notes her father made on a trip to Africa in 1642 and sets about designing a new map of Africa. Anneke hopes to convince the charismatic de Groot to use his influence to persuade Blaeu to include her map in the Atlas Maior, which will be the largest and most expensive publication of the century. However, family secrets, infidelity, and murder endanger her dream.

I loved this story! It has a ritzy setting and wonderful characters. It was fascinating to learn how maps were created in this era and how the colors of paint were made by the artists. In those days the maps were not made from pictures but detailed notes from the people who had explored the area. They needed to be surveyors in order to accomplish this. Anneke's brother Lucas had this training and she desperately wanted to be able to travel as a cartographer. As a woman, it was impossible.

Anneke was a pleasant character in the beginning. By the midway point in the book it was obvious that she could not keep her mouth shut and that this would be her downfall. It was. As the plot developed Anneke had more and more secrets to keep, but she never kept them and she brought problems both to herself and her family. She was not likable in my opinion but the author continued to show her as a victim. I thought this was a mistake.

The Map Colorist is a well researched novel and I highly recommend it. 4 out of 5 stars.

2024 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge Author Edition

I have never before participated in the Author Edition of the Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge. Next year I am going to give it a go and see how well I can finish the challenge.  I have some trepidation about participating but will do the best I can.  The challenge is to read one book that has an author whose first name, middle, or last name starts with every letter of the alphabet.  

Challenge Rules:

1)    This challenge will run from January 1, 2024 until December 31, 2024.  

2)    Participants can join anytime and do not have to post a review of the book.  

3)    Books can come from any genre. 

4)  Books can be read in any order and all formats – print – e-book – and audio – are acceptable for this challenge. 

5)    Crossovers from other challenges are allowed. 

6)    There are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z Reading Challenge.

        A – Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the authors with the book you read to the list. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find authors/books to fit.

OR

        B – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet.

7)    There is a group on Facebook for the challenge where you can share the books you have read and converse with others taking part in the challenge. Alphabet Soup – Author Edition – Challenge –  You can share your accomplishments throughout the year there. 

IMPORTANT – You must fill out a form to join the challenge before joining the Facebook Group and be sure to answer the group membership questions completely or your request for membership to the group will be declined.

The challenge host is asking everyone to sign up using Google Forms. Sign Up Here.