The Mighty Queens of Freeville

The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson
Memoir

Amy Dickinson is the advice columnist who took over from Ann Landers. This is her story.

Amy is a strong woman surrounded by strong women. When dumped by her husband, Amy had to be strong as she had a young baby. What was she to do? She went back home to her small up-state New York hometown of Freeville and got the love and support of her family. Surprisingly, a family full of women. Divorce is like a contagious disease in her family. Amy's father walked out on her mum, forcing her mother to raise her alone. There are only a few males in the family.

This is the story of Amy's failures and successes. She has had many jobs and has been in London, Washington, D.C. and Chicago. But home is where her heart is and she has continued to maintain a house in Freeville. She returns on weekends and for the summer, sometimes driving ten hours to get there. Her family all lives within a 10 house radius.

The book depicts the growing up of Amy's daughter, Emily until she leaves for college. Amy recounts her trials and tribulations with a great sense of humour. From moving with a giant orange tabby to teaching Sunday school and making peanut Jesuses, The stories are insightful and downright funny.

First Line: "One December day in the mid 1980s, I looked out the front window of my mother's house and watched my soon-to-be husband walking up the road."

The Mighty Queens of Freeville at Chapters
Rating:

(4.0/5)

I am My Father's Son

I am My Father's Son by Dan Hill
Autobiography

Dan Hill is a well-known Canadian songwriter and performer. This is his story.

Dan grew up in suburban Toronto in the 1960s. His father, Dr. Hill was the first Ontario Human Rights Commissioner. He was black and his wife was white. Racism in Canada was not as 'up front and in your face' as the United States but was still widespread. It was more a 'sneaky' type of racism that Dan encountered, including teachers who didn't like him because of his colour.

Dr. Hill was larger than life and having experienced racism was the perfect choice for commissioner. Dr. Hill was bombastic and extremely ambitious. His expectations were very high especially for his first born son. Dan had to excel in school. Although his grades were good, Dan's interests and personality ran contrary to his father's.

The tension and unrest in the Hill household was constant during Dan's teens. Dan loved music and writing songs was in his blood. His father let him know incessantly what a disappointment he was. His father was mean and constantly critical. Dan, however, has his father's ambition and strove to achieve success in the music industry and gain his father's approval finally. Dan's successes and setbacks are chronicled. His mistakes and his highlights are boldly stated.

This story tells about both Dan's life and Dr. Hill's life. It is a very well-written story about the relationship between father and son. It is also a tale of forgiveness. This book makes the reader look at their own relationship with their parents questioning what impact their parents had and what impact they have on their own children

On a personal note, my brother was friends with Dan during high school. As an older sister I did not pay too much attention to his friends. Shame on me! The details of the neighbourhood brought back a lot of memories.

First Line: "Not that this is anything to brag about, but I may well have been the only teenager in the history of the Western world punished for not masturbating"

I am My Father's Son at Chapters
Rating:

(4.0/5)

Angels Flight by Michael Connelly

Angels Flight by Michael Connelly
Mystery

Harry Bosch is back on at it when he's called in to a double homicide at Angels Flight. Except this case needs to be handled with extra care. The victim is Howard Elias, a lawyer who made it his life's missions to sue the LAPD and was in the middle of a case where he claimed that the LAPD tortured an innocent man and framed him for a murder.

Both IAD and the FBI are called in for this case, bringing characters back from previous Bosch novels. While working round the clock to solve this crime, Bosch also has to deal with problems in his personal life and his wife becomes distant.

I thought this novel was the best so far in the Bosch series. There are so many pieces that need to be fit together for Bosch to solve this case, yet he has enough personality to keep the reader interested and rooting for him. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

First Line: "The word sounded alien in his mouth, as if spoken by someone else."

Rating:

(4/5)

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
History

This is the story of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. Winchester gives background as to what preliminary versions of dictionaries were like and how writers before this time didn't have anything to refer to to check the right usage of the word they were using.

Then Winchester gets into the compilation of the OED and specifically how Professor Murray from Oxford was the one to spearhead the project, even though it took him about 40 years of his life and continued on after his death. We also learn about Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran who quite literally goes crazy and eventually shoots and kills someone, thinking that he was trying to do something bad to him. This lands Dr. Minor in a mental institution in England. One of the few things he finds pleasure in is reading, so when there is a call out for people to help find quotations of word in books, Dr. Minor is up to the challenge. He becomes one of the most helpful contributors to the OED.

I found this book was quite hit and miss for me. There were portions of it that were very interesting and other parts that weren't interesting at all. Murray and Minor's stories kept me interested, but some of the history behind everything bored me. If you're interested in the history of literature, you would enjoy this book!

First Line: "In Victorian London, even in a place as louche and notoriously crime-ridden as Lambeth Marshe, the sound of gunshots was a rare event indeed."

Rating:

(3.5/5)

A Respectable Trade

A Respectable Trade by Philippa Gregory
Historical Fiction

The year is 1787 and the place is Bristol, England. Josiah Cole is a very ambitious growing slave trader. He has 3 ships which he sails to Africa for slaves which are then sold in the West Indies to the plantation owners for sugar and rum. Josiah wants more. More money and acceptance into the top elite merchant association. To do this he arranges a marraige to a penniless aristocrat, Frances

Frances is at first, resident in a small house adjoining the warehouse. She is required to teach some slaves brought home. She is to make them into British valets and house maids. Sarah, Josiah's sister is critical of her and seems to find fault with her every action and especially her spending.

Mehuru is one of the slaves that has been brought back to Bristol. He was a priest from the noble and civilized country of Yoruba in Africa. He wants his freedom but later finds he also wants Frances. But in this day that is utterly impossible.

The book describes the stench and pollution of the Bristol harbour at this time. Frances is caught between trying to be a lady and feeling compassion for the slaves. She has absolutely no backbone and that is where the book falls down. The reader gets so mad at Frances to finally stand up for herself.

First Line: "Mehuru woke at dawn with the air cool on his outstretched body."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

Four to Score

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
Mystery

Stephanie Plum is hot on the trail of a waitress(Maxine) who skipped bail for stealing her boyfriend's car. Maxine is out for revenge and sets up a treasure hunt for Stephanie and her ex to follow. Stephanie can't solve the clues and enlists the help of a transvestite musician. Also looking for Maxine is Stephanie's enemy, the woman she caught her husband with.

Stephanie is always good for a chuckle. There is murder and mayhem aplenty. I especially loved the scene where she and Ranger go to pick up an elderly bond skipper and Stephanie gets plastered with egg. Way too funny!!

First Line: "Living in Trenton in July is like living inside a big pizza oven."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

Eyes of Prey

Eyes of Prey by John Sandford
Mystery

Lucas Davenport is a Minneapolis cop who is burned out. He has lost his family and had a very bad close-out to a murder investigation. He is severely depressed. He is assigned to a particularly gruesome case. Will he survive this one?

Stephanie Bekker was brutally killed and her eyes cut out. The most viable suspect, her husband, has an airtight alibi. Her killer is a scarred emotional cold person.

A couple of days later the manager of a small theater is killed in a very similar fashion. The most likely suspect again has a very good alibi. Her killer this time is actually is a beauty, a strikingly handsome emotional man.

The only break in the case is that Stephanie was killed basically in front of her lover. He however, cleans up thoroughly and leaves. He does contact the police later on and give them clues to go on. Who is he??

The two killers have to tie up the loose ends and more murders ensue. I loved the reveal at the end.

This is the first of the Prey books and a good start to the series.

First Line: "Carlo Druze was a stone killer."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

Husbands

Husbands by Adele Parks
Chick-lit

Belinda secretly married Steve when they were both very young and living in Scotland. She left him in the middle of a Elvis Tribute competition. Years later, Belinda now Bella, is married to the wealthy Phillip. The big catch is she never got a divorce. Why should she? What are the chances she will meet up with him in London. The moment to tell Philip her big secret never comes and she would get herself into a big mess.

Bella is one of those people who never seem to be able to settle whether at a job or anything. She doesn't have a job and has no clue what she wants to do. Even though she loves to spend Philip's money and takes very good care of herself she is also very generous with her friends, Laura and Amelia. Amelia's husband has just been killed and Laura is recovering from a bitter divorce.

Everything gets turned upside down when Laura meets a new boyfriend who turns out to be Steve. What now? Of course, the secret must be kept. But Bella and Philip end up accompanying Steve and Laura to Las Vegas as part of a Elvis competition. Are Bella and Steve still in love? What about poor Philip and Laura?

This was like a modern fairy tale romance

First Line: "OK?"

Rating:

(3.5/5)

Pobby and Dingan by Ben Rice

Pobby and Dingan by Ben Rice
Young Adult

The Williamson family lives in a town that is run by opal mines. Rex Williamson volunteers to take his daughter Kellyanne's invisible friends to the mine with him so she can go to school. But unfortunately, he forgets to bring them back and Kellyanne is worried sick.

Kellyanne's health deteriorates when Pobby and Dingan cannot be found. Kellyanne's brother, Ashmol, comes up with a plan to help find Pobby and Dingan. This includes getting the entire town to search for Pobby and Dingan!

This was a cute book, although it is a little sad.

First Line: "Kellyanne opened the car door and crawled into my bedroom."

Rating:

(4/5)

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
Mystery/Thriller/Chick Lit

Stephanie Plum is at it again, pretending to be a bounty hunter. Her latest case is to find Maxine, who skipped out on bail after stealing her boyfriend's car. Stephanie soon learns that her arch enemy, the woman who she caught having sex with her ex-husband, is also trying to find Maxine. Stephanie soon learns that Maxine is leaving clues for her boyfriend in a sort of treasure hunt. Not being very good at puzzles, Stephanie enlists the help of a cross-dresser Sally Sweet. Of course, Grandma Mazur, Lula, Ranger, and Joe Morelli are always around to help or make fun of Stephanie in her quest to take down Maxine.

As expected, this book was a lot of fun and had me laughing in certain parts. I was happy to finally see Stephanie and Joe get together, although I wish he would commit! They are obviously meant to be together. I'm sure there's more to come in the books ahead!

First Line: "Living in Trenton in July is like living in a big pizza oven."

Rating:

(4/5)