100 People Who Made History by Ben Gilliland

100 People Who Made History features people who helped shape the world. They come from many different walks of life and includes explorers, inventors, leaders, artists, and much more.

I loved this book! It's filled with so many fascinating people. There were many that I recognized: Marco Polo, Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison, Aristotle, Joan of Arc, Walt Disney, and Elvis Presley, to name a few. Even though these names were familiar I didn't know everything the book had to say about them. There were also many people that I didn't recognize: Dmitri Mendeleev (created the first version of the Periodic Table), Cai Lun (invented paper), Mary Seacole (pioneering nurse), Saladin (Muslim leader who retook the Holy Land), David Ogilvy (the father of modern advertising). I found each and every one of them interesting.

The book is divided into categories: Daring Discoverers, Inspirational Inventors, Thoughtful Thinkers, Leading Leaders, and Clued-up Creatives. The author presented the information in a couple of different formats. Some people took up one page, some 2 pages, while others were condensed so that several appeared on one page.

One of my favourite parts if the "All About Me" section, which features year of birth and death, nationality, interesting factoid (claim to fame), and a brief summary. I liked it because it gave me a brief snapshot of the person before I read more about them. This was particularly helpful for those I was unfamiliar with. I would have liked it if the author included this information for each of the figures in the book. Unfortunately, that didn't happened.

The other two parts that I enjoyed were "He couldn't have done it without...", which showed the person's forefathers and their contributions, and "He paved the way for...", which showed those who came after him in his field. These people benefitted from the work that had already been done. I liked these two sections because it gave me some perspective on the person's work and put it into context.

I also liked that the book contained some more modern figures like, Jobs and Wozniak, Zuckerberg, and Nelson Mandela. Having said that, I enjoyed reading about all of the figures in the book, both historical and more contemporary.

Two pages at the back of the book are dedicated to more people who have made contributions, but didn't quite make the top 100 list. These include: Noah Webster, Sacajawea, Helen Keller, Tommy Douglas, Gloria Steinem, Terry Fox, and many others.

The book also includes a table of contents, a glossary, and an index.

Highly recommended. It's written for younger readers (7-12 year olds), but older readers might also enjoyed this one provided they don't need a lot of information on each person.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit DK's website.

I'd like to thank Chris at DK Canada for this review copy.

100 People Who Made History by Ben Gulliland, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2012. ISBN 9780756690038(Hardcover), 128p.

The Incredible Pop-Up Body Book by Richard Walker

The Incredible Pop-Up Body Book features a full-size pop-up poster of the human body. It also covers a variety of subjects all dealing with the human body.

I like this book. Besides the poster, the book tackles a few interesting topics: the cells, the heart, respiration, digestion (appropriately called "From Taste to Waste"), reproduction, seeing and hearing, bones and muscles, and disease defenses. All of these are beautifully illustrated and annotated with labels and side bars.

The back of the book features a full-size pop-up body poster. Several of the items "pop-up" when the poster is unfolded. These include:
• rib cage with the lungs, heart, and diaphragm underneath
• moveable arms that reveal bones
• moveable lower leg that shows muscular details and flips up to reveal bones
• foldable intestines that reveal kidneys and pelvic bones, arteries, and veins

The poster itself is well labelled and contains lots of additional information about the body and the featured parts. It's relatively pretty well made with heavy-weight poster stock and should last quite a long time providing that extra care is taken when folding and unfolding the sections.

The back of the poster is loaded with additional information on the main body systems: respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, muscular, and skeletal.

Although I enjoyed the book, I admit I was a little disappointed with it. Instead of one large pop-up, I expected (and probably would have preferred) several smaller ones. While the poster is amazing, it is a little hard, actually make that impossible, to unfold it while sitting in a chair reading. It's just too large and unwieldy. You actually have to put the book on a large hard surface (a table or the floor) to unfold the poster. Additionally, I think it might be too cumbersome for younger readers and or those who are refolding-challenged. I still think it's pretty cool, though.

The book has an adequate table of contents, a pretty good glossary, and an extensive index for a book this size.

Recommended. All and all there's a lot of information packed into this relatively short book.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit DK's website.

I'd like to thank Chris at DK Canada for this review copy.

The Incredible Pop-Up Body Book by Richard Walker, Dorling Kindersley (DK), ©2011. ISBN 9780756686963(Hardcover), 28p.

The Descent by Alma Katsu

The Descent is the third and final installment of The Taker trilogy. In this episode, through a series of nightmares Lanore learns that Jonathan. the love of her life, is being held captive by the Queen of the Underworld. If she's going to save him, she's going to need Adair's help. The problem is that she's been on the run from him for hundreds of years. Their last encounter was 4 years ago and even though he's really dangerous, she has to find him. As it turns out, Adair has retreated to an mysterious island and when Lanore finds him she learns that his help comes at a cost. (Would Adair have it any other way?)

I don't read much fantasy, but for some reason this series has been captivating. I've enjoyed it immensely. I just couldn't wait to find out what happened to Lanore, Jonathan and Adair in this "epic story of love and loss, magic and destiny".

This book was an extremely fitting end to the trilogy. However, it was my least favourite of the three. Like the previous books, the story jumps back and forth between the present and the past, giving the reader even more insight into the characters' pasts. While I enjoyed the story, I wasn't particularly enamored by the nightmare sequences that Lanore had about Jonathan. In general, I'm not a fan of dreams as a way to get information across in a story.

I liked the characters in this book, but Adair seemed really different. I guess he was supposed to a "changed man" after spending years repenting in seclusion for his past sins. He seemed to have been tamed to the point where he was almost unrecognizable and didn't really seem to be doing much on the island except moping and waiting. I really liked the dangerous, passionate character in the previous books. I wanted him to unleash his famous fury. Oh, well.

I found a couple of quotes that I liked from the book. They are:

Sometimes a weed turns into a beautiful flower or a helpful herb but you'll never know if you pull it too soon. (page 227)

Only a fool would underestimate the power of lust. Kingdoms have been won and lost, men and beasts have battled to the death over it. (page 227)

I read and really enjoyed the first two books in the series. Here are the links to my reviews on The Taker and The Reckoning. 

Recommended. If this series is new to you, start at the beginning. I don't think it makes much sense to read this one before the first two.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Alma Katsu's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster for this review copy.

The Descent by Alma Katsu, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) ©2014. ISBN 9781451651829(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 331p.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

In The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, the de Luce family is gathered together at railway station for Harriet's homecoming. That's when a tall stranger approaches Flavia with a message for her father. She hasn't a clue what it means, but it all gets more mysterious when that man is hit by a train shortly after talking to her. In her usual style, Flavia follows a series of clues and uncovers secrets that have been long buried in her family's history.

I loved this book. It was so nice to go back to Buckshaw, the de Luce family manor, and catch up with Flavia and her family. At long last, we find out what happened to Harriet, Flavia's mother, who disappeared when Flavia was just a baby. The story was more amazing that I could have imagined.

Flavia was precocious as ever, but perhaps a little subdued, like she wasn't quite herself. She is getting older now, as she reminds us that she's almost 12, so that might be it. She always appeared older than her age suggested, but in this book that was magnified. It seemed to me that she did less sleuthing in this one and at one point I thought she gave up a little too easily when met with an obstacle. Her relationship with Gladys, her bike, had me giggling as per usual. If you are not familiar with Gladys, she doesn't have any lines, but she a character nevertheless, at least in Flavia's mind.

Flavia always has a wonderful way of saying things, especially for someone her age. Sometimes she's laugh-out-loud funny; other times, profoundly insightful. There are lots of gems in each of the books. Because the whole mood of the book seemed a little more sombre and I'm sort of in that frame of mind, I choose to highlight two dealing with grief and death:

The problem with bereavement...was learning when to put on and when to take off the various masks that one was required to wear...(page 70).

Death is a bore. It is even harder on the survivors than on the deceased, who at least don't have to worry about when to sit and when to stand, or when to permit a pale smile and when to glance tragically away (page 70).

I could have easily picked another half dozen without much effort, but I'm going to leave it there.

The ending was terrific, yet shocking. With new characters and a hint at a new setting for Flavia, the next book is sure to be exciting. I can't wait.

I have read and LOVED all of the books in the series so far. For my thoughts on each them, go to my Reviews by Author page and scroll down to Bradley, Alan.

While a few of the others in the series can be read out of order, I don't necessarily think that's true about this one. Some background information on family dynamics would definitely be helpful. If this series is new to you, start at the beginning. They are fairly quick reads and you won't regret it.

Highly recommended. It was announced some time ago that 4 additional books have been added to this series. YAY! I hope to read as many as Bradley can write. Also, there's also a series of TV movies planned. Another YAY!

For more information about this book, please visit RandomHouse's website.

For more information about the author and his other books in this series, please visit the Flavia de Luce website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley, Delacorte Press (Random House), ©2014. ISBN 9780385344050(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 314p.

The Seventh Victim by Mary Burton

In The Seventh Victim, the Seattle Strangler killed 6 women 7 years ago. One other woman, Lara, survived the attack and moved back to Austin, where she trying to get on with her life. That is, until the police show up with devastating news. The Strangler is back and he's in Austin.

I really enjoyed this psychological mystery. I liked that it was written from different points-of-view and ended up being quite the page turner. I also liked that each chapter was preceded with the date and time. It's such a small thing, but it really helped me with the timeline.

The book is billed as romantic suspense. Had I known that from the start, I may not have picked it up at all. That's really not my thing. Luckily, the romantic part was kept to a minimum. In fact, the sexual tension that did exist between a couple of the characters wasn't needed at all, in my opinion, and mostly felt gratuitous.

The characters were really good. I especially liked Texas Ranger James Beck and Lara, the seventh victim. However, I didn't think she was all that bright in wandering around on her own at night with a serial killer around, especially since he got to her once already. However, I loved that Lara was a photographer because of my own interest in photography. Her obsession with photographing crime scenes, though, was morbid, but to each his own.

The ending contains a nice twist, but was a bit predictable. Perhaps I've been watching too many Criminals Minds type shows on TV.

Recommended. This is the first book I read by this author, but it probably won't be the last. I'd most likely read another book of hers providing I can find one that is more suspenseful and less romantic. ;)

For more information about this book, please visit the Kensington Books website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Mary Burton's website.

Thanks to those nice people from Kensington Books for this review copy.

The Seventh Victim by Mary Burton, Kensington Books, ©2013. ISBN 9781420125054(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 362p.

Lucky Stiff by Annelise Ryan

In Lucky Stiff, Mattie Winston, nurse turned deputy coroner, is at the scene of fire where a body has been found. It turns out the victim was a paraplegic who had just won the lottery. Together with Detective Steve Hurley, Maggie is convinced that the guy was killed for his winnings. After awhile, though, they aren't so sure. With lots of suspects to investigate, Mattie must use her forensic skills to find the killer before he strikes again.

I enjoyed this book. However, it didn't start out that way. In fact, I almost put the book down on page 2, when I came across the phrase "pocket rocket" to describe a part of the male anatomy. Uggg... Really? After putting the book down for a few minutes, I figured I'd give it a chance despite that unfortunate choice of wording. I'm really glad I did because the book as a whole was well written and I ended up really enjoying it.

The book is part of a series (#4), but it doesn't really read like one. There are hints of a past between Mattie and Hurley, but not so much that I felt like I was missing something.

Besides it being well written, there was lots I liked about the book. It was informative about police work and the work of the Medical Examiner. I found it all interesting. Ryan introduces all of the characters quite well. This was especially important to me because I hadn't read the previous books in the series. I also liked that the ending wasn't all sunshine and roses. It's probably a setup for the next book in the series, but I still liked it. Not every story/event/life has a happy ending, right?

My one small complaint was that perhaps there was a little too much lusting going on between Mattie and Hurley. However, that sexual tension actually added something to the story. I'm amazed that I'm even saying that; I don't say it often!! Now that I think about it, there was one other thing that I didn't like. Mattie seemed much too smart to believe that she could win really big at the casino.

Annelise Ryan is the pseudonym of Beth Amos.

Highly Recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Kensington Books website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Beth Amos's website.

Thanks to those nice people from Kensington Books for this review copy.

Lucky Stiff by Annelise Ryan, Kensington Books, ©2013. ISBN 9780758275761(Mass Market), 366p.

The Widows of Braxton County by Jess McConkey

In The Widows of Braxton County, Kate marries Joe Krause and moves to the family farm in Iowa. It's not like she pictured or hoped it would be. For one thing, she didn't know that Joe's mother, Trudy, would be living with them. It didn't help that Trudy didn't like Kate at all. Eventually, she learns of a long kept secret in the Krause family about a death long ago that still has the town gossiping.

I really enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. I really liked the story format. It jumps back and forth between the past (1890) and the present (2012). I thought this was a perfect way to present these two part to the story that were in many ways quite similar. The author was able to reveal little bits and pieces in each, which made it all the more suspenseful.

The problems I had were mainly with Kate. She said she wanted her own life and get away from her grandmother. However, she also said she couldn't wait for her husband to take care of her. That didn't sound right to me, not when it was supposed to be 2012. Also, I wanted to give Kate a shake at her reaction after suffering mental and physical abuse at the hands of Joe. She said it was all her fault for approaching him at the wrong time. *big sigh* Again, that sounds like someone who's terribly naïve or someone who's from a previous time period where women had fewer options.

On the plus side, I really liked Will from the hardware store, and the neighbour, Rose. Both of them were good strong characters. I also liked Hannah, the first widow, from 1890.

The suspense about long kept secret was really good. However, I want there to be more to it. I felt a bit underwhelmed by it all. It wasn't that I didn't like the ending it was just that I wanted something more. It did, however, keep me interested and rapidly turning pages until the very end.

Jess McConkey is also known as Shirley Damsgaard.

This edition of the book contains a P.S. section, which features an article about the author, the story behind the book, a reading group guide, and information on her other books. It's well worth the read.

This is the first book I've read from McConkey. I do, however, have a few of her mysteries on my to-be-read shelf. I had no idea McConkey and Damsgaard were the same person.

Recommended.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Jess McConkey's website or Shirley Damsgaard's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Widows of Braxton County by Jess McConkey, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062188267(Trade paperback), 358p.

Buried in Buttercream by G.A. McKevett

In Buried in Buttercream, P.I Savannah Reid is all set to marry Dirk Coulter. When Madeline Aberson, the wedding planner, turns up dead, though, the wedding is put on hold so that Savannah and Dirk can solve the mystery.

I thought this book was just okay. Luckily, it was a quick and all in all pretty fun to read. I was really in the mood for something that wouldn't take much effort on my part; this one fit the bill. However, there were many times I wished that I had read the previous book or books in the series. I definitely needed some back story to know what was going on, especially when it came to previous events. It serves me right trying to jump into a series, at #17, no less. Oh, well. I mostly enjoyed it nevertheless.

The whole southern "thing" was cute at first, but got a little annoying after awhile. Maybe I was just getting annoyed that I felt left out. Also, because I hadn't read any of the books, I had a hard time caring about the characters' predicament, especially Savannah's previous brush with death and postponing the wedding again.

One thing I couldn't believe was that Savannah had her whole family visiting (and living with her) for the wedding. Yet, when the wedding was postponed, they didn't go home. If that wasn't bad enough, they were so lazy and ungrateful. She should have sent them packing. I know I would have.

Recommended for cozy lovers. However, I think those who have read the previous books will enjoy this one more.

G.A. McKevett is a pseudonym of Sonja Massie.

For more information about this book, please visit the Kensington Books website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit Sonja Massie's website.

Thanks to those nice people from Kensington Books for this review copy.

Buried in Buttercream by G.A. McKevett, Kensington Books, ©2012. ISBN 9780758238139(Mass Market), 298p.

A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb

In A Half Forgotten Song, 14-year old Dimity "Mitzy" Hatcher has been raised by her wild and aloof mother. She's lonely and is desperate to belong. When Charles Aubrey, a famous artist and his family visit the area for the summer, Mitzy befriends his daughters. As Aubrey becomes interested in drawing Mitzy, she becomes obsessed with him. Many years later, Zach descends upon the village in search of information about the artist and a particular drawing that has caught his interest. As he searches for answers, he uncovers long buried secrets of those long ago summers.

I adored this book! Webb is definitely one of my favourite authors and I think this is my favourite book of hers to date. The descriptions of the works of art as well as the setting of the story were fantastic. I loved it all.

Like Webb's other books, this one alternates between the past and the present. In the past, Mitzy is a young girl; in the present Dimity is an old, reclusive woman. I really felt sorry for Mitzy as a child, but it's her life in her later years that had me in tears a number of times. This alone kept me glued to the pages. I had to know what happened to this woman in her life that left her so isolated and alone as she got older. The story was more incredible than I ever could have imagined. It definitely took a teenage crush and an obsession to a whole new level.

The story is very relatable, at least for women. I think most teenage girls have at least one intense crush in their adolescence. Thankfully, very few of them (us) take it to this level.

The ending and its implications were haunting. It still gives me shivers to think about it.

This edition of the book includes a PS section, which features notes about the author, a Q&A, the story behind the book, a Reading Group Guide, suggested further reading, and other books by Webb. I love these additions to books and always find them worth a read.

I've also read two other books by Webb: The Legacy and The Unseen. I loved them both.

Highly recommended. I can't say enough good things about this book. I'm definitely looking forward to her next book, The Misbegotten.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb, HarperCollins, ©2013. ISBN 9780062234520(Uncorrected Proof), 469p.

The Original 1982 by Lori Carson

In The Original 1982, Lisa, a 24-year old waitress and wannabe singer, makes a life-altering decision. Years later she wonders what her life would have been like if she had chosen differently. Her journey takes her back to the original 1982 as well as an alternate one.

I was a bit disappointed in this book. I love the concept of this novel, but I didn't love the execution or the writing. Because the writing was a bit choppy, it took me awhile to get used to it. Also, I didn't love that both "years" weren't given equal billing. At first, Carson spent a lot of time exploring the alternate one, while the original 1982 was just left with a sentence or two. Of course, there were exceptions throughout the book and by the end she abandoned the alternate one all together. It just felt lopsided and I couldn't always tell what was going on. I think there were a few times where she didn't give enough clues to tell which "year" she was talking about.

The novel is written in the first person and is directed to her daughter, Minnow. That all fine and good until she gets to the sex parts where she leaves very little to the imagination. When you consider she's talking to her daughter (at times quite young), that's just icky. It could be just me, but I don't think any child wants to know how much sex or what kind of sex his/her parents engaged in.

Having said all of that, the story does contain some touching moments that were quite good. I don't have children and have never had to make the decision that Lisa did. However, I do know a few people who were in a similar position and this book made me see a side of their circumstances that I hadn't considered. In that way, I guess it opened my eyes a little and for that I'm grateful.

Because of Lisa's choices in her life, this book might not be for everyone.

I'm sorry, but I won't be recommending this book.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

For more about the author, please visit Lori Carson's blog.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Original 1982 by Lori Carson, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062245298(Trade paperback), 228p.

The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter

In The Death Sculptor, a murderer leaves behind a bizarre calling card near the body of prosecutor, Derek Nicholson. The police know that the killer is trying to communicate with them, but it's not readily apparent what the message is. The police are stumped when another body turns up, with an equally disturbing calling card, and they can't find any connection to the first victim. Detective Robert Hunter, together with his partner Garcia and investigator Alice Beaumont, must decipher the message and stop the Death Sculptor.

I loved this book!!! It's creepy and seriously twisted. It's pretty scary to think that Carter was able to come up with something so disturbed. It's definitely not for the squeamish or the faint of heart. The details get quite gory, but fortunately these aren't the main focus. The psychological side to the story is the main attraction. While it's seems tamer on the surface, it can sometimes be just as terrifying as the violence.

There's lots to love about Detective Robert Hunter, the main character. He seems to possess a set of traits perfect for this type of work. He approaches the investigation by trying to get into the mind of the killer and does a lot of analysing. He's a loner, who seems to do little else other than work. He also enjoys a good whiskey, but doesn't drown his sorrows.

Even though it's the 4th book in the Robert Hunter series, it didn't read like part of a series and can be read as a standalone book.

I've read one other book by Carter, One by One. I loved it!!

The author's background is interesting and varied. He started off working for the District Attorney in Michigan on the Criminal Psychology team. Then spent numerous years in LA as a rock band musician before becoming a writer full time.

Highly recommended. I love Carter's work and I hope to read many more of his books.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's UK website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Chris Carter's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster UK for this review copy.

The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter, Simon & Schuster ©2012. ISBN 9780857203007(Hardcover), 496p.

The Doctor and the Diva by Adrienne McDonnell

In The Doctor and the Diva, Erika von Kessler, an opera singer and her husband, Peter, are struggling to have a baby. They consult Doctor Ravell, a Harvard-educated obstetrician, who is renowned for helping couples conceive. However, by this time, Erika is convinced that it's hopeless and she's desperate to go to Italy to pursue her operatic career. This story of love affairs, desires, and decisions, take the reader to various locals: Boston, South America, and Italy.

I loved this debut novel, which is based on a true story of the author's ancestor. It's so beautifully told with fantastic characters and wonderfully inviting locals. I loved that it was told from the various characters' viewpoints. The historical aspects were especially intriguing. McDonnell was able to convey details about the time period (early 1900s) that made me feel like I was actually there. The details and descriptions of Trinidad, Venezuela, and Italy were stunning.

The story itself was fascinating. I found it extremely interesting to read about fertility treatments at the time. I didn't realize that couples had options back then. I also loved reading about Erika's career and all of the details about the operas. I adore opera; too bad I can't listen and read at the same time because I have a number of CDs that would be perfect background music for this book.

I loved the characters, too. In some respect, I shouldn't have been able to relate to them. I don't have children and haven't had to make the agonizing decision between them and a career. But, somehow I did. I didn't always agree with their decisions, but I was able to understand why they made them. Thankfully, none of this stopped me from thoroughly enjoying this story.

One part I couldn't figure out was why Doctor Ravell failed to contact Erika for long periods of time, when he obviously had strong feelings for her.

Because of the subject matter, this book might not be for everyone.

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin's website.

For more information about the author, please visit Adrienne McDonnell's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Penguin for this review copy.

The Doctor and the Diva by Adrienne McDonnell, Viking (Penguin), ©2010. ISBN 9780670021888(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 422p.

The Ophelia Cut by John Lescroart

In The Ophelia Cut, Moses McGuire becomes the prime suspect when his daughter's ex-boyfriend, Rick Jessup, is found dead. McGuire's brother-in-law, Dismas Hardy, is hired to defend him. Hardy is worried that McGuire, who's recently started drinking again, will spill his guts about a long kept secret that could destroy the lives of many people. His job is to keep him sober as well as out of jail. As overwhelming evidence stacks up against his client, Hardy has to come up with some clever manoeuvrings to plant the seed of doubt in the minds of the jury.

I loved this book! Even though this is #14 in the series and I hadn't read the others, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. I'm sure there were references that fans of the series understood, but they weren't so obvious that I felt left out. I liked that the author kept eluding to a big event in the past that I knew nothing about. There was lots of mystery surrounding it. I don't know if this was covered in another book, but it didn't bother me to have sketchy details about it.

I loved all of the characters. My favourites were McGuire and, especially Hardy. I loved the way he handled things in and out of court. I'm thrilled that there are many more books featuring him.

I thought I saw a big twist coming at the end. One that would have thrown the motive, the integrity of some of the more innocent characters, and well, everything actually, out the window. However, the author didn't end it that way. That's not to say that the author didn't throw in some juicy twists at the end, because he did and it was a great ending. I was just a little disappointed that it wrapped up so neatly when it could have been extremely messy.

My one small complaint deals with the way the story was told. The story format added tons of suspense and mystery to the story, but with the different story lines and time frames, it was a little confusing as to who knew what when with regards to the crimes. That was a huge deal when it came to motive, opportunity, and such, so I was trying to pay close attention. I'm thinking it was my fault, though, rather than the fault of the author. I was interrupted a number of times while reading and perhaps that left me a bit distracted.

I'm surprised that this author has written 20+ books because his name isn't familiar to me. I'll definitely be looking for more of his work. Because of his huge back list, I won't have to look far.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit Simon & Schuster's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Simon & Schuster Canada and Atria Galley Alley for this review copy.

The Ophelia Cut by John Lescroart, Atria (Simon & Schuster) ©2013. ISBN 9781476709154(Hardcover), 418p.

Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu

In Aunty Lee's Delights, Rosie Lee, whom everyone calls "Aunty Lee", has recently lost her husband. Instead of becoming another widow who plays mah-jongg and goes shopping, she decides to open a restaurant, Auntie Lee's Delights. When a body is found in a tourist area and one of her dinner guests fails to show up one night, Auntie Lee dons her amateur sleuth hat and springs into action to get to the bottom of things.

I really enjoyed this book. However, I didn't quite love Aunty Lee in the beginning. I couldn't get a handle on her or the other characters. However, about halfway through it all clicked for me. After that I couldn't get enough of them and the book ended too soon.

The mystery was set in Singapore, which was something new for me. It was what originally peaked my interesting in the book. The story really gave me a taste of what the country was like. It's especially wonderful that the author is from Singapore. That way I knew I'd likely be immersed in the real Singapore.

The book was billed as "witty", however, I didn't know if that was going to translate well across cultures. Humour is hard to pinpoint sometimes. What's funny to some people isn't funny to others. Add in different cultures and it could have come across as dull or anything but funny. Thankfully, this wasn't the case. It wasn't always laugh-out-loud funny, but it did have some rather amusing parts, mostly due to its wonderful cast of characters.

Speaking of characters, I especially loved this eclectic group. There was the odd pairing of Lee's stepson and his wife, a gay couple (their togetherness is still illegal in Singapore), and an older Australian couple, whose trip may not be as it seems. Then, of course, there's Aunty Lee herself, who has tons of smarts and more spunk than someone half her age.

I'm particularly fond of the following quote from the book:

...people ought to go through the ideas they carried around in their heads as regularly as they turned out their store cupboards. ... Aunty Lee believed everything inside a head or cupboard could affect everything else in it by going bad or just taking up more space than it was worth. (page 229)

Recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

Aunty Lee's Delights, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062227157(Uncorrected Proof), 260p.

Endgame by Frank Brady

In Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall -- from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness, author Frank Brady takes the reader inside the world of chess genius, Bobby Fischer.

I really enjoyed this book. Of course, I knew the name Bobby Fischer, but knew very little about him. I also didn't know that much about chess. I know the pieces and their moves (mostly). However, I knew nothing about strategy, the world of chess, the other players, and the competitions. I should have realized that it was ultra-competitive, but even that was new to me. Because of all of that, the book was extremely enlightening. I still don't really know how to play chess, though, but I didn't expect to.

By reading this book, I think I have a better understanding of the Fischer and his life. Chess played a major part of his life, but he had an on-again, off-again relationship with religion, excelled at many different sports, and was a voracious reader.

As for the chess portions of the book, Brady goes through the major points of some of Fischer's most famous games, at a level that's easy to understand for those who aren't grandmasters. Like I said above, even though I'm not that familiar with the game, I found of Brady's explanations quite easy to follow and exceptionally fascinating.

There were hints that Fischer possibly suffered from some type of mental illness, possibly even more than one type. He was temperamental, grew restless easily, hated the media attention, yet wanted everyone to recognize him. He was also an absolute genius. I think, as a whole, Fischer probably was misunderstood by the general public and the media.

Besides chess, Fischer is also known for his anger and outbursts at the Russians and Jews. There's a lot that was presented that I can forgive, tolerate and even understand. His anti-Semitic tirades, however, I cannot. Unforgiveable. Period. I wish the author had addressed Fischer's reasons for these strong views or his need to lash out. Saying that Fischer thought the Russians were cheating doesn't justify it. For me, Fischer's reasons are still a mystery.

I wished the author would have just written a straight-up biography rather than try to address or dispute some of what the other sources said about Fischer. Because of the disputative asides, the book felt a little biased and defensive at times.

Highly recommended. I think it would be helpful to have at least a rudimentary understanding of the game and a little interest in it, but there's no need to be an expert. Those who enjoy reading about celebrities or biographies might also enjoy this one.

For more information about this book, please visit the RandomHouse website.

Endgame by Frank Brady, Crown Publishers (Random House), ©2011. ISBN 9780307463906(Uncorrected Proof), 384p, includes notes and bibliography.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

In The Cuckoo's Calling, Cormoran Strike is a private investigator. Things aren't going well for him at the moment. He's living in his office because of a recent breakup with his girlfriend, and creditors are chomping at the bit for payment. Then, John Bristow walks into his office. Bristow's sister, a famous supermodel, had reportedly committed suicide months before, but John refuses to believe it. He wants Strike to look into it and prove the police wrong.

I can't tell you how much I loved this book. It really was superb! While the story was pretty amazing, it was the characters in this one that kept me interested until the very end.

Rowling created two absolutely brilliant main characters: Cormoran and Robin. First of all, there was Cormoran Strike: great name, great character!! A wounded veteran of the war in Afghanistan, Strike was too proud to tell people he was living in his office, yet he wasn't in a position to change it. In many ways, I felt sorry for him. That's no way for anyone to live. At times it doesn't look like he's going to succeed, yet somehow he makes the best of his situation and does. He's definitely not like any other private detective I've read about.

Robin Ellacott was the other main character. She was supposed to be a temporary secretary, one that Strike couldn't afford, but she was brilliant, falling in step with Strike like they'd been working together for years. She was awesome!

As I said the story was wonderful, too. The mystery is intricate, but not so much that it's hard to follow along. Also, the reader also gets to see a different side of the rich and famous, not just the glitz and glamour.

I have mixed feelings about knowing beforehand this was written by J.K. Rowling. On one hand, I read and adored her other adult book The Casual Vacancy, so I was betting that I was going to love this one, too. However, that may have left me biased. On the other hand, if I hadn't known that the writer was Rowling, I probably wouldn't have picked it up and would have missed an outstanding book.

Highly recommended. I hope she writes many more books.

For more information about this book or to browse inside, please visit Hachette's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at Hachette Book Group Canada for this review copy.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), Mulholland Books (Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group) ©2013. ISBN 9780316206846(Hardcover), 455p.

The Butterfly Sister by Amy Gail Hansen

In The Butterfly Sister, Ruby Rousseau is haunted by her college years. When a suitcase belonging to a former classmate, Beth, shows up on Ruby's doorstep, Ruby is taken aback. It turns out that Beth is missing and Ruby, despite many reservations, is drawn into the mystery and back to Tarble, her old college where the ghosts of her past await.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I absolutely adored the first half of the book and didn't want to put it down. However, halfway through the book something changed. It's almost like the author had a great idea for the beginning of the story, but didn't carry it through or didn't know how to end it. The second half was a major disappointment. One the bright side, if you can call it that, is that I didn't see those twists or ending coming.

I really liked Ruby. I admired her bravery in returning to a place that had so many bad memories for her. I'm not sure I would have done it. I was fascinated by her tendency (and frame of mind) to be drawn to books by women authors who committed suicide. I didn't realize that so many famous ones had taken their own lives. It's quite amazing actually.

I also loved Professor Barnard, at first. Her advice and guidance were awesome. I was so hoping that she'd become a ally of Ruby's and help her solve the mystery. There was one part that I didn't find at all believable. Apparently, Ruby and Professor Barnard had met before. The fact that Ruby didn't remember her didn't ring true. Even that little tidbit might be considered a spoiler to some, so I won't say more on the subject.

There were a few passages in the book that I made note of:

They say time heals all wounds. but I beg to differ. It seems time only deepens the scars.(page 96)

Anger isn't such a bad thing.... It moves obstacles. Nothing would happen without anger. It's a catalyst for change. (page 174)

There were a few more, but they didn't make sense out of context and I don't want to quote whole pages.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous and while I loved the title, I didn't quite understand the references to it in the book.

This edition of the book contains a section at the back that has information about the author and the book as well as a Q&A with the author and questions for a reading group. I always find these sections enlightening. It's definitely worth reading.

I'm not sure that I'd recommend this book. If the author writes another book, I might give it a try based solely on how much I enjoyed the first half of the book.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at HarperCollins for this review copy.

The Butterfly Sister by Amy Gail Hansen, William Morrow (HarperCollins), ©2013. ISBN 9780062234629(Trade paperback), 298p.

Ten Lords A-Leaping by C.C. Benison

In Ten Lords A-Leaping, Tom Christmas, his daughter Miranda and the vicarage housekeeper, Mrs. Prowse are visiting Eggescombe Park, an English Country House. Tom has come to skydrive for charity, along with the Leaping Lords. Things don't go as planned when a rough landing and a faulty chute leave the jumpers shaken. That's not the end of it, though. Little does Tom know that before he leaves Eggescombe Park, he'll have to catch a killer.

I really loved this book, the 3rd in the Father Christmas Mystery series. Personally, I think it's the best one in the series so far. Written in the style of a traditional British cozy mystery, this book is a wonderful read with solid likable characters.

One of my favourite part of the book is the vicarage housekeeper's letters to her mother. Mrs. Madrun Prowse periodically writes updates to her mother to keep her informed as to what is happening at the vicarage or in this case at Eggescombe Park. For the reader, the letters provide a nice recap of the mystery, as well as some new information that Madrun picks up or overhears, including bits of juicy gossip. The letters are written in a conversational style, just as she would talk. She's hilarious.

Father Christmas is one of my favourite characters in cozy mysteries. What I love the most is his way of getting to the bottom of things, which doesn't entail traditional investigating. He mostly does it by asking the right questions, noticing things that others miss, and putting it all together before drawing conclusions. In this story, we get to see how vulnerable he is, both physically and emotionally. Even though he's a man of the cloth, he's not invincible, nor is he a saint.

Jane Bee, the housemaid, from the Her Majesty Investigates series, also by C.C. Bension, is a major character in this story. She's Lady Kirkbride now. I've only read one of those books (so far), but I just love her. I was ecstatic to see her in her new role and hope to encounter her again. The next book, maybe? Two other characters that I really liked were Roberto Sica, the artist, who sculpted in the nude, and Maximilian, the fanciful young boy, who kept Tom Christmas's daughter, Miranda entertained during their visit.

Despite the family tree (which I appreciated very much) and cast of characters that the author provided at the beginning of the book, I still got some characters and family relationships mixed up. Part of it was the titles, Lord this and Lady that. I didn't know that earls, viscounts, and marquesses (among others I'm sure) were all addressed as Lord. Of course, there's a similar list for females with titles, who are addressed as Lady. Anyway, I think I had it straightened out by the end of the book.

Here are my reviews for the first two books in the series: Twelve Drummers Drumming and Eleven Piper's Piping. I loved them both. I also read Death at Buckingham Palace before I started blogging. You can read what I thought of it over at Bookcrossing.

With regards to the reading order in this series, I think it's probably best to start with the first one. It's a great series and you won't be disappointed. Besides, this story contains quite a few references to other "cases". If you're not bothered by that, though, there's nothing wrong with starting with this one. As I said before, I think it's the best one to date. You could always go back and read the others.

I still have a few older books by Benison on my to-be-read shelf. I really have to dig them out.

Highly recommended. I can't wait for the next book, which should feature Tom Christmas and the Nine Ladies.

C.C. Benison is the pseudonym of Doug Whiteway. He lives in my hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

For more information about this book and the author, please visit the RandomHouse website.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit C.C. Benison's website.

I'd like to thank the author, C.C. Benison, who generously sent me a copy for review.

Ten Lords A-Leaping by C.C. Benison, Delacorte Press (Random House), ©2013. ISBN 9780385344470(Advance Uncorrected Proof), 491p.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

In The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, Sookie Poole is looking forward to relaxing after having married off the last of her daughters. She gets a huge surprise when she stumbles upon a secret that her overbearing mother has been keeping for 50+ years. It sends her into a tailspin and she's not sure of anything anymore. As she searches for the truth, Sookie learns more about a woman named Fritzi, who in the 1940s ran an All-Girl Filling Station.

I really enjoyed this book. It was laugh-out-loud funny at times, while being heartfelt and touching at other times. Flagg is a fantastic story teller. I love how she uses Fritzi's war-time letters to get story points across. The story spans two time frames and locations: near present day Alabama and the 1940s, state-side WWII. A wonderful way to get this story across. It's not my favourite Flagg books, but it was still terrific.

The title and cover of the book are a bit of a misnomer. The book is more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), than about the filling station. That's not too much of a spoiler, is it? Anyway, I loved all of this information. I hadn't heard of the WASP, so it was all new to me. Flagg's work is fiction, but it was still interesting to learn about these amazing women.

As for characters, I really liked Fritzi, but Sookie was a little annoying. However, she did experience quite a few shocks, so maybe I can forgive her. I did want to give her a little slap, though, so she'd snap out of it. I didn't find Lenore, Sookie's mother, terribly overbearing, but Sookie certainly thought so. I really wanted Sookie to stand up to her.

Flagg included a couple of nice twists near the end that kept me guessing as how it was all going to end. Well done!

I've also read two other books by Flagg, both of which I adored: I Still Dream About You and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which I read before I started blogging. I have a few of her books in my to-be-read pile, which I hope to get to sooner rather than later.

Highly recommended. I think those who enjoy reading books about strong, independent women would really like this book. I'll definitely book looking for more of Flagg's books to read. She's fabulous.

For more information about this book, please visit the RandomHouse website.

For more information about the author and her other books, please visit the Fannie Flagg's website.

I'd like to thank those nice people at RandomHouse for this review copy.

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg, Random House, ©2013. ISBN 9781400065943(Hardcover), 347p.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

In The Rosie Project, Don Tillman, a genetics professor, is in search of a wife. He constructs a 14-page questionnaire to help him in his selection and weed out those who are undesirable. His Wife Project, isn't going all that great, until Rosie, who definitely wouldn't make the cut, walks into his life and changes him in ways he couldn't imagine.

I really enjoyed this wonderful debut novel. It's such a lighthearted, cute book with an exceptional quirky fun main character. At times, the story was laugh-out-loud funny. However, it wasn't always in your face. My favourite thing about the book was the subtle humour. There were a few times that I didn't get the "joke" until I had read a few sentences past it.  

Another thing that I liked about the book was that most, if not all, of the major characters experienced some personal growth over the course of the story. Don was the one I was cheering for the most, but the others also changed in positive ways.

From the first page of the book, the reader knows that Don Tillman is quirky and not like most other people. While it doesn't exactly pinpoint Don's condition, I think it's implied or hinted at that Don has Aspberger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. Don has some of the same characteristics of Dr. Sheldon Cooper from the TV show, The Big Bang Theory. I absolutely love Sheldon, so it was terrific to read about a character like him. Their shared characteristics make them who they are; sometimes annoying, but always loveable.

The book is written from Don's perspective, which really is ideal for this story. It gives the reader insight as to what he's thinking and why he does what he does. In some ways, I could relate to him. For instance, lately I've been creating a number of small projects to tackle within the next year. I'm going to have to start giving them names. ;)

Even though I really enjoyed this book, at times it felt a little superficial. I don't think I fully connected with Don or Rosie because of that. While I loved Don, I thought Rosie was kind of abrasive. I didn't much care for Gene, Don's friend and confidant, but Gene's wife, Claudia, was okay. Don asked both of these people for advice on his Wife Project a number of times. Considering their marriage arrangement, I thought that was funny.

If you loved this book and want to read about another character with autism, Lisa Genova's Love Anthony (my review) is an exceptional book. It's very different from this one, but it can give you some insight into the mind of a very special little boy.

I could probably write a lot more about this book, but I think it's best if you just go read it.

Highly recommended.

For more information about this book, please visit the HarperCollins website.

I purchased this book at Costco.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, HarperCollins, ©2013. ISBN 9781443422666(Trade paperback), 324p.