South of Sepharad

Thanks to the Early Reviewer's Club at Librarything I was able to obtain an advanced review copy of South of Sepharad. The book is scheduled to be published on February 20, 2024 and it is a historical fiction account of the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492. 

The publisher's summary:  

GRANADA, SPAIN, 1492. Vidal ha-Rofeh is a Jewish physician devoted to his faith, his family, and his patients. When Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand conquer Granada they sign the Alhambra Decree, an edict ordering all Jews convert to Catholicism or depart Spain in three months' time under penalty of death.

Against his wife's belief that converting is safer than exile, Vidal insists they flee. Unwillingly leaving behind their oldest daughter with her Catholic husband, Vidal's family joins a caravan of 200 Jews journeying to start their lives anew across the sea in Fez. On the caravan, Vidal struggles to balance his physician duties of caring for the sick while struggling to mend strained relationships with his family. At the same time, his daughter back home finds herself exposed to the Spanish Inquisition living as a converso in a Christian empire.

Presenting readers with a painful but important part of Jewish history, South of Sepharad is a heroic, heart-breaking story of a father who holds tightly to his faith, his family, and his integrity all while confronting the grief of the past and the harsh realities of forced exile.

When I saw this debut novel as an Early Reviewer's choice, I knew I needed to read it. The book covers a part of history that I don't know much about and the setting provided many important details concerning life during this time period. The reader learns about the details of Jewish life and culture including the rituals of Shabbat as well as the restrictions placed upon them. The fragrance of the Granada lemon groves, it's grand architecture and foods are frequently mentioned also.

I learned alot about the history surrounding the Alhambra Decree, commonly called the Edict of Expulsion, including how it was enacted, communicated, and enforced. I thought it was odd that a notice about the edict was nailed to synagogue doors but how else would the notice be communicated in the 1490s? I was shocked that the Jews were only given three months to leave. That's not alot of time to plan. The rabbi organized the departure of approximately 200 families and they left Granada within a month. Their caravan walked slowly to the port city of Malaga where they hoped to get a boat that would take them to the African coast.

As far as the characters are concerned, I felt that Vidal was a weak man. He put his job before his family. While his principles ended up saving his family it was disheartening to always read that he would give his time and money to his patients even though his family was adversely affected by it. His wife should have been in charge. However, Vidal's actions were a tool that helped to explain the difficulty that the Jews had to deal with. As the time for departure approached, Vidal's interactions with his patients explained many of the circumstances that the Jews found themselves in. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to historical fiction fans. 5 out of 5 stars.

Her Every Fear

I selected Peter Swanson's 2017 thriller for the Calendar of Crime Challenge. It was published in the month of January and meets the publication month criteria of the challenge. As is usual for a Peter Swanson novel, this one was a fantastic read.

The publisher's summary:  

Growing up, Kate Priddy was always a bit neurotic, experiencing momentary bouts of anxiety that exploded into full blown panic attacks after an ex-boyfriend kidnapped her and nearly ended her life. When Corbin Dell, a distant cousin in Boston, suggests the two temporarily swap apartments, Kate, an art student in London, agrees, hoping that time away in a new place will help her overcome the recent wreckage of her life.

But soon after her arrival at Corbin’s grand apartment on Beacon Hill, Kate makes a shocking discovery: his next-door neighbor, a young woman named Audrey Marshall, has been murdered. When the police question her about Corbin, a shaken Kate has few answers, and many questions of her own—curiosity that intensifies when she meets Alan Cherney, a handsome, quiet tenant who lives across the courtyard, in the apartment facing Audrey’s. Alan saw Corbin surreptitiously come and go from Audrey’s place, yet he’s denied knowing her. Then, Kate runs into a tearful man claiming to be the dead woman’s old boyfriend, who insists Corbin did the deed the night that he left for London.

When she reaches out to her cousin, he proclaims his innocence and calms her nerves . . . until she comes across disturbing objects hidden in the apartment—and accidently learns that Corbin is not where he says he is. Could Corbin be a killer? And what about Alan? Kate finds herself drawn to this appealing man who seems so sincere, yet she isn’t sure. Jetlagged and emotionally unstable, her imagination full of dark images caused by the terror of her past, Kate can barely trust herself . . . So how could she take the chance on a stranger she’s just met?

Yet the danger Kate imagines isn’t nearly as twisted and deadly as what’s about to happen. When her every fear becomes very real. And much, much closer than she thinks. 

I was able to figure out early on the identity of the whodunnit. The why and how were not so easy to determine. In fact, the reason that the perpetrator of the crimes acted as he did was pretty chilling. It was what made this psychological thriller so scary. Any woman who lives alone is going to be afraid not only for Kate but for themselves as well. This book will make you second guess every odd sound you hear in your home. I believe that the "her" in the title "Her Every Fear" includes the reader.  

The story has a jaw dropping plot that turns into an awful tale of horror. Fans of psychological mysteries will love it. The plot becomes more and more scary and disturbing as the story unravels and it kept me sitting on the edge of my seat. It also made me get up out of bed and check my door multiple times during the night that I finished reading the book. I can say so much more about why this book is good but basically it scared me to death.

5 out of 5 stars.

Cool Japan Guide

I picked up this graphic novel guide to Japan last month because I will be traveling there in March. It is, as the title suggests, very cool. When you first open the book you are introduced to our guides, Abby Denton and her husband Matt. In each chapter they offer some Japanese words that would be helpful to know, as well as information on hotels, food, Japan apps, festivals, night spots, touristy places, other travel resources and they explain the bath and toilet differences between Japan and the U. S. Unless you see a sign that says "western toilet," you will either get a squatting toilet or a fancy one that cleans and dries too. As the book's back blurb states, this is the first travel guide to be written from a cartoonist's perspective. 

The book looks like a children's comic, but it isn't that at all. I found it easy to read and insightful.  Because of the comic strip format, I will most likely remember many of the tips that are shared inside its pages. Another reason that I liked the large format for the comic strips is that my middle aged eyesight needs bigger drawings and dialogue boxes in order to read comfortably.  I have often picked up the book to dream about what I can do during my travels. The answers to my ongoing questions about my trip are easily found within its pages and I just love this guidebook.

5 out of 5 stars.

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Salt House Place

Salt House Place is the debut novel of Jamie Lee Sogn. It is advertised as a twisty thriller about the allure of the past and the danger of the truth as a young woman dives headlong into a cult. 

The publisher's summary:

In the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest, three best friends spend a day at the lake…but only two come home. Ten years later, Delia Albio is tormented by the mystery of what happened to fifteen-year-old Zee on the lake that day. When she receives an email from Cara, the remaining friend in the trio, she can’t resist the pull of the “life-changing” news in the message. Delia, hopeful for answers, travels home to see her old friend. Cara is gone by the time she gets there, setting off another mystery. When Delia hears about the women’s empowerment group that Cara joined, she sets out for the group’s retreat property on the Oregon coast to find her. Delia feels this could be her chance to reconnect with Cara and reckon with that fateful day at the lake. Instead, Delia uncovers a possessive group with a dark agenda. As their leadership closes in, Delia hurtles ever closer to the truth―if only she can survive a cult that will protect its secrets at any cost.

 I had a hard time becoming interested in the story. It just didn't grip me as I expected it would. We read about main character Delia's everyday habits and exchanges with her family but none of it had any bearing on the plot. The story picked up 50 pages into the story which is my DNF cut-off point. At this point in the story Dee is investigating the Artemis cult that Cara had joined. It is a new age cult that reminded me of scientology. My interest in the story waxed and waned throughout my read. I continued to read because I was interested in finding the answer to the fundamental question of why Zee died and how did Cara end up in a cult.  I got those answers but the book did not satisfy me.

While the book has received some good reviews it was not my cup of tea. I would recommend passing this one by. No rating.

The Amish Wife

The Amish Wife was published on January 1, 2024 and I bought a copy for the Calendar of Crime Challenge. It is not fiction as I had originally thought but rather is a true crime story. In this book author Gregg Olsen solves a crime that took place among the Amish in 1977. After 2 or 3 pages I recognized the plot. A movie had been made about this crime in 2019, The Amish Serial Killer. After reading 100 pages I decided to watch the movie again because it was fantastic. Lo and behold our author Gregg Olsen is one of the narrators of the show. In the book at hand, Olsen reveals the conspiracy that kept this crime a secret for forty-five years.

The publisher's summary:

Pregnant wife and mother Ida Stutzman perished during a barn fire in an Ohio Amish community. The coroner’s report stated that she died of natural causes. Ida’s husband, Eli, was never considered a suspect. When Eli eventually rejected the faith and took his son Danny with him, murder followed. The dubious circumstances of the tragic blaze were willfully ignored and Eli’s shifting narratives were disregarded. Could Eli’s subsequent cross-country journey of death, including that of his own son, have been prevented if just one person came forward with what they knew about the real Eli Stutzman? These questions haunted Gregg Olsen and Ida’s brother Daniel Gingerich for decades. At Daniel’s urging, Olsen now returns to Amish Country and to Eli’s crimes first exposed in Olsen’s Abandoned Prayers, one of which has remained a mystery until now. With the help of aging witnesses and shocking long-buried letters, Olsen finally uncovers the disturbing truth about Ida’s murder.

I enjoyed the first half of the book but became bored in later chapters. The reason for the conspiracy of silence was already given by this point in the story,  although the author gave more details about it throughout the book. The movie I watched addressed this reason so it was not news for me. I did not read Olsen’s first book about the murder so I cannot say whether or not he has given updated information in this book. 

The title is misleading in that we don't read about Ida. It's about her husband, his friends and local law enforcement. We see all three covering up what they know about Ida’s death. It would be nice to have more information about her. Even the movie wasn't completely about her. It was about the death of her son Danny, the so-called little boy blue in the press. As a true crime story the death of Ida and Danny is a compelling one. I am not sure The Amish Wife is the best retelling of their story.

3 out of 5 stars.

The Importance of Sons

Last year I read another book by Keira Morgan, The Importance of Pawns, and loved it. I resolved to read every other book she has written and The Importance of Sons became my newest novel of hers. It is the author's second book in the Chronicles of Valois series. Sons is about Duchess Anne, the young ruler of Brittany who was forced by her family into a bitter choice: marry the French king or lose her duchy. Anne is surrounded by enemies but she eventually learns how to navigate the treacherous French court and secure her place as queen. When her first child is born, Charles-Orland, Countess Louise d’Angoulême resents both Anne and the baby. Louise, with ambitions for her own son, challenges the queen's position and manipulates the king's decisions. They frequently clash as they compete for power and control. This story is based on the life of Duchess Anne of Brittany. The author brings us a riveting tale about the dangerous rivalry between these two strong women.

The story began slowly because many characters were introduced all at once. I had a hard time keeping them straight. I felt the Louise was the more likable character at first. Anne was painted as a frivolous girl but as the book delved further into her life story, she became a compelling character. While she enjoyed spending money, Anne had a difficult life. She was forced to leave her first husband, before receiving an annulment from the Pope, and marry someone she did not know, the king of France, when she was just fifteen-years-old. She was definitely manipulated by everyone at the French court but she learned how to make a life of her own. I then began to view Louise as a villain. Certainly, their sons were competing to be the king of France, but Louise harbored a lot of hate in her heart. Anne never did so I felt she was the most likable. By the time she was 20 Anne had given birth 5 times. Can you imagine that? History tells us which son captured the throne but I will not be a spoiler. Even if you already know, reading about the maneuvering between these two ladies will be enjoyable for you to read about.

3 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.

Oath and Honor

I don't typically read political books. Liz Cheney's memoir Oath and Honor is an exception. It is a gripping first-hand account of the January 6th, 2021 insurrection from inside the halls of Congress. While I am familiar with her efforts on behalf of the January 6 Congressional Committee, I wondered whether there would be any new information in the book.

The publisher's summary:

In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump and many around him, including certain other elected Republican officials, intentionally breached their oath to the Constitution: they ignored the rulings of dozens of courts, plotted to overturn a lawful election, and provoked a violent attack on our Capitol.   Liz Cheney, one of the few Republican officials to take a stand against these efforts, witnessed the attack first-hand, and then helped lead the Congressional Select Committee investigation into how it happened. In Oath and Honor, she tells the story of this perilous moment in our history, those who helped Trump spread the stolen election lie, those whose actions preserved our constitutional framework, and the risks we still face.

 

I should say up front for transparency's sake that I do not like Donald Trump. Never have, never will. This book is quite insightful on what happened in Washington DC both before, during and after January 6. While I kept myself up to date on news stories during this time period, the author has given new information about what happened on that day inside the congressional chambers. I will not be a spoiler here. Aside from these tidbits most of the information was not new to me. I followed the House January 6 Committee work diligently. However, the book will be a great reference for future generations of Americans who will not have lived through this part of our history.

3 out of 5 stars.

The Clock Reading Challenge

This morning I first learned about the Clock Reading Challenge and would love to participate. The challenge was started by Jo Linsdell in 2021 and she continues to host the challenge. The goal is to read books with the numbers one to twelve in their titles.

The Challenge Rules

1)     The officially hashtag for the event: #ClockReadingChallenge

2)     Read 12 books in 12 months, each with a number from one to twelve in the title to make up a clock face.

3)     If you'd like to plan out the books you want to read for the challenge in advance here's a template you can use for your TBR:

The idea is for your clock to look like this:  

4)     To sign up just post a comment in the challenge post. 

The Vintage Village Bake Off

I first learned about this book from a blog review that I read last year. As a fan of the Great British Bakeoff, I had to read this cozy novel which is based on the competition. It did not disappoint. The story opens with the main character, Robert Parkin, living with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook. Robert keeps himself busy by taking care of  his chickens and goats. While he has never been a lady's man, the local ladies still vie for his company. It soon becomes clear, though, that Robert’s victoria sponge cake is the lure. They want the recipe. Robert can bake anything but his real masterpieces are his scones. He soon comes to the attention of the local media. Reporters ask him which county makes the best cream tea: Devon or Cornwall? Friends set up a competition for Robert and one other lady to settle the debate. Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse for them to visit Millbrook. As the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, he bakes up a storm.

While I expected Robert to be the main character, I think his sister Hattie also played a big role too. The first half of the story was mainly about her. She is a realistic character, being a widow of an emotionally abusive man. When she realizes that she is not doing something she wants to do because of internal thoughts she received in the past from her husband, Hattie begins to reject these ideas. It is not easy for her. Sometimes she can do it but other times she succumbs to the training she received from the husband. Both of her siblings, though, are submissive to others too. Something must have happened in childhood for them to have these traits.

Reading about the baking kept me interested in the story. Who doesn't love scones, cakes and cookies? However, while the baking is going on, the characters move the plot forward. This is not a cozy mystery so the plot was basically character development and more specifically, their relationships with the opposite sex. 

This is a cute story that cozy fans will love. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Blue Monsoon

The Blue Monsoon is the second book in the Mumbai Blue crime thriller series. In this installment of the series Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput has to find a serial killer who leaves his victims spreadeagle and castrated at the entrance to Hindu temples with their faces cut beyond recognition. Drawn into their flesh are symbols of a tantra cult. He also must deal with friction within the caste system. His own associate will not investigate premises that are owned by lower castes. While the victims are from different castes so are the suspects and none of them want to be associated with each other. A video of the first murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer and millions of people had viewed it before her social media accounts were suspended. The desecration of this body at a Hindu place of worship puts the city on edge and divides Arnav’s priorities: stopping a fanatic from killing again and caring for his wife who’s struggling through a challenging pregnancy. If you’ve read the first book in the series, The Blue Bar, you will remember that Arnav Singh Rajput married his wife Tara, after she became paralyzed.

The setting was the weather. The story takes place during the monsoon season and the rain is mentioned on almost every page. I never knew much about monsoons but have learned that they are rain showers where the flood waters can reach up to a person's knees. It is impossible to remain dry when you walk from a car to inside a building and the characters' clothes stayed damp all day with mud splattered all over them. Of course, this makes keeping a crime scene dry near impossible. However, Arnav and his fellow inspectors had no problems reading the crime scenes. The monsoon atmosphere takes the reader to Mumbai in July and I could almost feel my arthritis kicking in when I read about the characters always being damp from coming inside from the rain.

I love the main character Arnav. He seems to be a realistic guy. Arnav's relationship with his wife and daughter resemble families we all know. While he has a good relationship with both, he feels the usual aggravation from them that all couples must deal with. Arnav makes mistakes but doesn't become angry when they happen and he always admits making mistakes when he is called on the carpet. When he gets caught speaking white lies, he always admits doing so and you think that these admissions will result in a change in the plot. Instead, after the admission of guilt, Arnav takes the plot somewhere else.  I also love that he chose an outspoken woman as his wife. Tara continues to push all his buttons even though she is totally dependent on him for care and support.

Mystery lovers who have not read the series yet should begin with the first book, The Blue Bar.  I was just as good as this one and I highly recommend it.  5 out of 5 stars. 

Manner of Death

Manner of Death is another fast paced medical thriller from Robin Cook. While it is the 14th book in his series featuring husband and wife team Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton, Cook has written 40 novels to date. In this installment of the series Jack and Laurie must resolve a series of homicides that have been cleverly staged as suicides.

The publisher's summary:  

After Dr. Jack Stapleton’s near-death confrontation with a medical serial killer, his wife, NYC Chief Medical Examiner Laurie Montgomery, is carrying the load both at work and at home. When Laurie insists that Dr. Ryan Sullivan—an underperforming senior pathology resident who is spending his required month at the medical examiner's office but who truly detests doing forensic autopsies—assist her on a suicide autopsy in hopes of stimulating his interest in the field, the last thing she expects is to be unwittingly drawn into a major conspiracy that puts her own life in jeopardy. 

Desperate to avoid performing as many forensic autopsies as possible, Dr. Ryan Sullivan offers to participate in a research project on a series of suicides put together by one of the medical legal investigators. These suicides, like the case Ryan analyzes with Laurie, hint at some bothersome questions about their "manner of death." Although the project was more of a ruse than a serious study, Ryan surprises himself by immediately uncovering unexpected shared commonalities. Most astonishing of all, Ryan's inquiries eventually put him and Laurie at risk by leading to a nefarious cancer diagnostics company that promotes the very latest, groundbreaking cancer screening technology in a shockingly self-serving and fraudulent fashion.

This is a fast paced suspense thriller. While it is part of a series featuring Montgomery and Stapleton, it can be read as a standalone novel. Information from prior novels in the series has been skillfully written into the back story. Ryan Sullivan is a new character for the series. He is unlikable and, at first, seems to be the villain. He is not. Laurie takes him under her wing to force him to take his pathology internship seriously. Ryan cannot bear the graphic nature of performing an autopsy. He finds a way to get out of doing them by offering to study suspicious deaths that he feels were not due to suicide. During this study he finds his footing and begins to take the internship seriously. Here is where the thriller takes off. Fans of Robin Cook will probably like what he has done at the end of the story concerning Montgomery and Stapleton. I think it is the right step. While I do not want to spoil it for anyone who is going to read Manner of Death, note that something new is on the horizon for the series. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Happy New Year!

 

I read 137 books last year and now that I am retired, I wonder what my reading stats will be in 2024.  I plan on traveling a lot this year so I might be reading less. We shall see. I am wishing everyone seasons readings in the new year. Happy New Year!