WRLC August 2008 Book Reviews

Twenty wishes | Sizzle and burn | My sister, my love
August's Quick Flick's - list of weekly additions to the collection

Featured Book

Twenty wishes / Debbie Macomber

Debbie Macomber returns to Seattle's fictional Blossom Street (where she set "A Good Yarn") for a hopeful tale of four widows who meet at Anne Marie Roche's bookstore. At thirty-eight, Anne Marie's life is not what she'd expected - she's childless, a recent widow and alone. She owns a successful bookstore, but despite her accomplishments, there's a feeling of emptiness.

On Valentine's Day, Ann Marie arranges a get together with several other widows - Barbie Foster, the mother of twin boys, who lost both her husband and her father in a fatal plane crash; Barbie's mother, Lillie Higgins, a society matron; and Elise Beaumont, a retired librarian who'd reconnected with her husband after thirty years apart, only to lose him again after three.

They start making a list of things to do that will make them feel better, which develops into the "Twenty Wishes" of the title - a list of twenty life changing wishes, things they had always wanted to do but never did. Anne Marie's list starts with "Find one good thing about life", and includes learning how to knit and doing some good for someone else.

Lillie and Barbie set about accomplishing the items on their lists with enthusiasm, but Anne Marie is slower to start. A Lunch Buddy program at a local school introduces her to Ellen, a shy eight-year-old, who needs a friend, and into a relationship that becomes far more important to her than she ever imagined.

A charming story about life, love and making wishes come true.

Sizzle and burn / Jayne Ann Krentz

Paranormal romantic thriller Sizzle and Burn is the third book in Krentz's Arcane Society series. Psychic Raine Tallentyre is sorting out her Aunt's estate following her death. Her Aunt Vella, also a psychic, and known as the town's witch, had told her years ago to keep her talents a secret. Now that Aunt Vella has died, Raine has resigned herself to a lonely life, for telling other people about her abilities soon has them turning away from her.

Whilst cleaning out her Aunt's house, Raine's abilities lead her to a horrifying discovery: a young woman, bound and terrified, in the basement. The victim has survived, but the culprit, identified as the serial murderer known as the Bonfire Killer, is still on the loose, and soon turns his attentions towards Raine.

To complicate matters Raine's name has also come forward in an investigation that Jones & Jones, a private detective agency for the Arcane Society is running. The Arcane Society is an organisation dedicated to finding and helping psychics, doing paranormal research, and keeping their existence and abilities secret. Raine's Aunt had kept her hidden from the Society, after they destroyed the work and laboratory of Raine's father, who was working on a forbidden formula to enhance paranormal talents. Now another scientist, also working in that area, has gone missing and Zack Jones has come looking for Raine to see if her family background can shed any light on the mystery.

A wide range of ideas and storylines are worked together in this novel, but in the end they all seem to get perfunctory treatment and the solving of the serial killings is almost an afterthought.

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Joyce Carol Oates / My sister, my love

Joyce Carol Oates latest novel is presented in the format of a first person narrative by Skyler Rampike, the only surviving child of an "infamous" American family. A decade ago the Rampikes were destroyed by the murder of Skyler's six-year-old ice-skating champion sister, Bliss, in the upper-middle-class family's home in suburban New Jersey, and the media scrutiny that followed.

Part investigation into the unsolved murder; part elegy for the lost Bliss and for Skyler's own lost childhood; and part corrosively funny expose of the pretensions of upper-middle-class American surburbia, the captivating novel explores with unexpected sympathy and subtlety the intimate lives of those who dwell in Tabloid Hell.

Skyler's parents Betsey and Bix are presented as determined, upwardly mobile strivers, who attempt to use their children to further their aims. When Skyler proves unable, following injury, to become a gymnastics star, Bliss (with her name changed from Edna Louise) is groomed to become an ice-skating prodigy. Skyler is pushed into the background, and becomes an observer for future events.

The author acknowledges at the start of the book that she has based it on "a notorious American "true crime mystery" of the late twentieth century" - the case of JonBenet Ramsey, but doesn't intend it to be in any way a literal depiction of that event. Rather, it is a savage look at the pretensions of the nouveau riche and the industry that can spring up around tragedy, and an exploration of the life of Skyler.

August's Quick Flick's

4 August 2008

Under My Skin by Alison Jameson. Quick flick: Hope and Larry marry on a whim. They are twenty-two and crazy for each other. What Larry doesn't know is that behind her bohemian spirit and off-beat humour, Hope hides a secret. What Hope doesn't know is that secrets tear people apart.
The Feather And The Stone by Patricia Shaw. Quick flick: Tragically orphaned at sea, cast adrift in an alien land, Sibell Delahunty applies for the post of secretary-companion to Charlotte Hamilton and undertakes the arduous journey to Black Wattle Station in the Northern Territory. The rigours of an isolated cattle station come as a shock to the gently brought-up English girl, who is viewed with suspicion by Charlotte's sons.
The Olive Sisters by Amanda Hampson. Quick flick: When Adrienne Bennett's marketing company goes down, her affluent lifestyle and her sense of identity are lost too. She retreats to Duffy's Creek and the abandoned olive grove once owned by her Italian immigrant grandparents. Once there, she finds herself on an unexpected journey of discovery with surprising results.
Time Like No Other by Audrey Howard. Quick flick: Set in the woolen mills of Halifax in the 1850s, Audrey Howard's enthralling new novel tells the story of a young widow's love for two very different brothers.
The Timer Game by Susan Arnout Smith. Quick flick: CSI detective Grace Descanso gets a call to work a routine crime scent, but 2 hours and 3 dead bodies later, Grace is the one under investigation. When her 5 year-old daughter is snatched, Grace is thrown into a nightmare world of timed riddles which much be solved within 24 hours if she wants to see Katie again.
The Calling by Jane R. Goodall. Quick flick: Jane Goodall's popular leading lady, Briony Williams, is now a detective with the Chelsea CID. In the fierce English summer of 1976 the Punk movement is on the rise and chaos is the catchcry down in its heartland. Things take a darker turn when a new group Sudden Deff show up and she is drawn into a fatal game with a set of adversaries who always seem two steps ahead.
Season Of The Witch by Natasha Mostert. Quick flick: Gabriel Blackstone has an unusual talent. A computer hacker by trade, he is also able to enter the minds of others. But he uses his gift only reluctantly - until he is contacted by an ex-lover who begs him to find her step-son, last seen months earlier in the company of two sisters. And so Gabriel visits Monk House, a place where time seems to stand still, and where the rooms are dominated by the coded symbol of a cross and circle.
Absolution by Caro Ramsay. Quick flick: A woman lies mummified in a hospital in Glasgow after acid has been thrown in her face. The woman is mute and nameless. PC Alan McAlpine is put on protection duty outside. He calls the woman Anna, and as they learn to communicate through tiny finger movements, he cannot help but become emotionally - and obsessively - involved. Twenty years later, and back at the same station, the now DCI McAlpine has been drafted in to head up a murder inquiry. Two women are already dead at the hands of a man the press call the Crucifixion Killer. McAlpine, at the peak of a distinguished twenty-two-year career, is confident he'll solve the murders - until consequences of Anna's unsolved case emerge.
The Promised Land by David Hewson. Quick flick: Bierce was a happily married cop with a bright future. Then on one sunny day in July his wife and their young son were savagely beaten to death. Bierce was convicted of their murders. Languishing on Death Row twenty-three years later, he still has no memory of the incident. Unexpectedly, inexplicably released just seconds before his execution, he teams up with the beautiful, feisty, half-Chinese Alice Loong, who guides him through the confusing new world of the twenty-first century.
Corsair by Tim Severin. Quick flick: In 1677, on a late summer's evening two ships lurk off the coast of southwest Ireland. They are Barbary corsairs from North Africa, slave catchers. As soon as it is dark, their landing parties row ashore to raid a small fishing village - on the hunt for fresh prey ...In the village, seventeen-year-old Hector Lynch wakes to the sound of a pistol shot. Moments later he and his sister Elizabeth are taken prisoner. From then on Hector's life plunges into a turbulent and lawless world that is full of surprises.

11 August 200

Santa Fe Dead by Stuart Woods. Quick flick: When last we encountered Ed Eagle, he had been the target of a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by his wife, Barbara, the ultimate black widow. But when Barbara escapes from police custody, Ed knows that not only will his life be in danger but also the life of his new girlfriend, and, of course, of any rich man unlucky enough to be lured into Barbara's web.
The Grave Tattoo by Val Mcdermid. Quick flick: When torrential summer rains uncover a bizarrely tattooed body on a Lake District hillside, old wives' tales also come swirling to the surface. For centuries, Lakelanders have whispered that Fletcher Christian staged the massacre on Pitcairn so that he could return home. And there, he told his story to an old friend and schoolmate, William Wordsworth, who turned it into a long narrative poem - a poem that remained hidden lest it expose Wordsworth to the gallows for harbouring a fugitive.
Under Orders by Dick Francis. Quick flick: Sadly, death at the races is not uncommon. However, three in one afternoon was sufficiently unusual to raise more than an eyebrow. It's the third death that really troubles former champion jump-jockey Sid Halley. He knows the perils of racing all too well - but in his day, jockeys didn't usually reach the finishing line with three .38 rounds in the chest.
Rescue Me: A Unique Approach to Diet and Exercise for Weight Loss by Judith Kennedy. Quick flick: A must have book for any family member or individual with a weight problem. The book includes: the flavour diet, healthy trim kids, baby boomers, lower back pain, keeping it off.
Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson. Quick flick:Twenty-seven-year-old Kristi Bentz is lucky to be alive. Not many people her age have nearly died twice at the hands of a serial killer, and lived to tell about it. Her dad, New Orleans detective Rick Bentz, wants Kristi to stay in New Orleans and out of danger. But if anything, Kristias experiences have made her even more fascinated by the mind of the serial killer. She hasnat given up her dream of being a true-crime writer and now she just may get her chance. Four girls have disappeared at All Saints College in less than two years.
The Lightstep by John Dickinson. Quick flick: There was once no greater advocate for revolution than Michel Wery. No voice spoke louder, was more impassioned, on the need for a new order, for an end to disparity and injustice - not just in France but throughout the continent. Strange, then, that such a man should find himself in the employ of the Prince Bishop of Erzberg, as scout and spymaster for a regime at absolute odds with his ideals.
The Other by David Guterson. Quick flick: John William Barry has inherited the pedigree and wealth of two of Seattle's elite families Neil Countryman is blue-collar Irish. Nevertheless, when the two boys meet in 1972 at age sixteen, they're brought together by what they have in common: a fierce intensity and a love of the outdoors that takes them, together and often, into Washington's remote backcountry, where they must rely on their wits and each other to survive.
It's Not Rocket Science: and Other Irritating Modern Cliches by Clive Whichelow. Quick flick: It's Not Rocket Science sifts through all aspects of modern life to find the most prevalent, ubiquitous and downright irritating cliches of our age. This high-octane, caffeine-fuelled, dictionary of cliches highlights the freshly-hackneyed phrases we're being subjected to 24/7.So how good is that? And what's not to like?
Grief Encounters by Stuart Pawson. Quick flick: Magdalena is a woman from DI Charlie Priest's past, who comes very much to the forefront of his present when her lifeless, broken and battered body is found. The one identifying feature is the tattoo on her buttock Property of the Pope. But who is this Pope and did he want to make Magdalena his possession even in death?
Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave. Quick flick: Tate is a private investigator, but he's barely coping with life. He's at the cemetery exhuming a body for an investigation, but across the cemetery lake is buried his dead daughter, whose death was the beginning of many losses. As the machinery digging up the grave in front of him shakes the ground, something floats to the surface of the lake. It looks like a human form, followed by several others. What dark secrets is Tate uncovering - and can he keep a grip on his own life to get to the person responsible?

18 August 2008

Beading With Charms: Beautiful Jewelry, Simple Techniques by Katherine Duncan-Aimone. Quick flick: From a reconstructed vintage necklace that incorporates family heirlooms to a locket collar with trinkets and ribbon, these projects are literally charm-filled. This latest entry in the popular Beading with series goes way beyond the familiar charm bracelet it features unique pieces that are fresh, fashionable, fabulous, and fun.
The Outlander by Gil Adamson. Quick flick: In 1903 a mysterious young woman flees alone across the West, one heart-pounding step ahead of the law. At nineteen, Mary Boulton has just become a widow--and her husband's killer. As bloodhounds track her frantic race toward the mountains, she is tormented by mad visions and by the knowledge that her two ruthless brothers-in-law are in pursuit, determined to avenge their younger brother's death. Responding to little more than the primitive fight for life, the widow retreats ever deeper into the wilderness--and into the wilds of her own mind--encountering an unforgettable cast of eccentrics along the way.
A Corner Of A Foreign Field: The Illustrated Poetry Of The First World War. Quick flick: Some of the most beautiful poetry ever written has come from the horror of the trenches. Represented here are poems dashed off in the awfulness of the battlefield, as well as those honed with the terrible benefit of hindsight.
Silent Thunder by Iris Johansen. Quick flick: Brilliant marine architect Hannah Bryson has been given the job of a lifetime. A U.S. maritime museum has just acquired the decommissioned Soviet submarine Silent Thunder for public exhibition. It's Hannah's job to make sure that every single inch of the legendary nuclear attack sub is safe for the thousands of visitors anticipated. Enlisting the aid of her brother, Connor, they examine the enormous vessel and delve into its long---and lethal---history. But is it really a trap? In the course of their investigation, Connor discovers a mysterious message behind one of the ship's panels. But before he can figure out what it means, there's a deadly assault on Silent Thunder.
Becoming Holyfield: A Fighter's Journey by Evander Holyfield. Quick flick: History's only four-time world heavyweight boxing champion and one of America's most admired and beloved athletes reveals the dramatic story of his rise from poverty to the very pinnacle of the toughest sport on earth. Barely able to make it into the heavyweight division and almost always the smaller fighter in the ring, Holyfield spent his professional career proving the naysayers wrong.
Waiting For Daisy: The True Story of One Couple's Quest to Have a Baby by Peggy Orenstein. Quick flick: Buffeted by one jaw-dropping obstacle after another, Orenstein seeks answers both medical and spiritual, all the while trying to save a marriage threatened by cycles, appointments, procedures, and disappointments. Her journey takes her around America and as far as East Asia - on the way she visits an ex-boyfriend who now has fifteen children encounters 'parasite singles' in Tokyo, women who are rejecting marriage and motherhood in favour of shopping sprees and foreign travel and shares stories with survivors of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.
How To Store Your Garden Produce: The Key to Self-sufficiency by Piers Warren. Quick flick: The modern guide to storing and preserving your garden produce, enabling you to eat home-grown goodness all year round. The easy to use reference section provides applicable storage and preservation techniques for the majority of plant produce grown commonly in gardens and allotments.
Moving Forward: Taking the Lead in Your Life by Dave Pelzer. Quick flick: Moving Forward is for anyone wanting to move forward and change their life, no matter what their past may have held. Dave Pelzer, author of the internationally bestselling memoirs A Child Called It, The Lost Boy and A Man Called Dave, teaches readers how to harness the strength of surviving past negative experiences and use that empowerment to live their lives according to their own values.
Bravest: How Some of Australia's Greatest War Heroes Won Their Medals by Robert Macklin. Quick flick: The Victoria Cross is the highest award for valour that can be won by an Australian just 96 Australians have been awarded the VC in conflicts from the Boer War to the Vietnam War. And only fourteen Australians have been awarded the George Cross, the ultimate medal for heroism away from active combat, since its inception in 1940. But what is it that makes these remarkable soldiers risk everything in defence of their country and their mates?
Saving Tax On Your Investment Property by Noel Whittaker. Quick flick: The must-have guide for property owners and investors who want to maximise their gains and refine their investment strategy.

25 August 2008

Swimming With Crocodiles: An Australian Adventure by Will Chaffey. Quick flick: Trekking through a harsh and seductive landscape, the author's expedition turned into a life-and-death struggle when the boat they expected to collect them at King Cascade never arrived. Stranded in the wildest of places and running out of supplies, Will was transformed in ways he could never have anticipated.
When Friendship Hurts: How to Deal with Friends Who Betray, Abandon or Wound You by Jan Yager. Quick flick: For everyone who has ever wondered about friends who hurt or reject them, this authoritative book provides invaluable insights and on-target advice on taking actions to understand and effectively deal with problematical friendships.
Five Drops Of Blood: Murder in the Cat Protection Society by Paul Wilson Quick flick: In March 1998, four directors of the Cat Protection Society of Queensland drove to their chairperson's house to discuss crucial items on the agenda. They heard the strained barking of a security dog and the howls of sixteen hungry cats. A terrible smell hit them as they climbed out of their car - it led to the decomposing body of Dr Kathleen Marshall. This book details the subsequent trial and imprisonment of palmist and spiritualist Andrew Fitzherbert. His conviction, based solely on DNA evidence, was a first in Australia and only the third in the world.
Dark Summit: The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season by Nick Heil. Quick flick: The worst season was ten years before, when a freak storm hit the mountain, inspiring John Krakauer's classic Into Thin Air. But in 2006 the weather was perfect - the disaster was not a storm but the industry that climbing Everest has become, with too many inexperienced climbers taking insufficient precautions.
Fantasy Cross Stitch: 60 Spell-Binding Designs by Lesley Teare. Quick flick: Enter a world filled with intoxicating sorceresses, fairytale dragons, mythical unicorns and beautiful butterfly fairies, all intricately recreated in cross stitch.
Toddler Cafe: Fast Recipes and Fun Ways to Feed Even the Pickiest Eater by Jennifer Carden. Quick flick: Toddler Cafe presents over 50 imaginative recipes that are perfect for children aged 2 to 6 (though they are sure to appeal to older children and even adults). Including recipes focusing on veggies, pasta and rice, beans, proteins, sandwiches, and fruit (plus some tasty snacks!), the emphasis is on real ingredients and having a good time eating them.
The Grin Of The Dark by Ramsey Campbell. Quick flick: A former professor offers film critic Simon the chance of a lifetime--to write a book on one of the greatest long-lost comedians of the silent-film era, Tubby Thackeray. Simon is determined to find out the truth behind the jolly fat man's disappearance from film--and from the world. Tubby's work carries the unmistakable stamp of the macabre. People literally laughed themselves to death during his performances. Soon, wherever Simon goes, laughter--and a clown's wide, threatening grin--follow.
One Of Those Malibu Nights by Elizabeth Adler. Quick flick: It was just one of those Malibu nights, dark as a velvet shroud but when Private Investigator to the stars, Mac Reilly, hears the sound of a woman's scream over the crashing waves, his low-key beach-bum lifestyle is changed forever. A beautiful, distraught woman wearing only a black lace negligee stands in the doorway of a fabulous beach house. In her hand, a gun, and it's pointed directly at him. Mac escapes her bullet, but barely. Who is that woman?
Ralph's Children by Hilary Norman. Quick flick: Some children play, from early years, with instincts far from pure. Some play their games with the souls of killers. And then they grow up...At Challow Hall Children's Home, the group of four - abandoned, abused, neglected - had been drawn to each other early on, bonded by their shared experience. When they first start acting out parts from Lord of the Flies, it's an innocent, childish game. But then one of their teachers joins in - a woman in a position of responsibility and trust - and the game gradually takes on a more sinister edge.
Blazing Saddles: The Cruel and Unusual History of the Tour De France by Matt Rendell. Quick flick: Few sporting contests have roused such blind passions and filthy suspicions as the Tour de France. From Lance Armstrong's incredible comeback from cancer, to Tom Simpson's death on the slopes of Mont Ventoux, the Tour has been the stage for some of sport's most monumental triumphs and the scene of some of its darkest hours.