Murder Tightly Knit by Vannetta Chapman

 

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published December 6th 2014 by HarperCollins Publishing

more details...

ASIN

B00IWW52H4   

From Goodreads:

"In a town where Amish and Englisch mingle every day, a grisly murder leads to mutual suspicion. Can Amber and Hannah find the killer before fear unravels the community . . . or he strikes again?

Even before she heard of Owen Esch’s death, Hannah Troyer knew something was amiss at The Cat’s Meow yarn shop. The store has been closing at odd times, the ever-dependable Mary isn’t always at her post . . . and an Englisch man h as been seen loitering around back.

Now, as leaves of brown, gold, and orange blanket Middlebury, Indiana, Owen lies dead on the Pumpkinvine Trail. The only clues to the murderer’s identity point in two very different directions—one of them leading right to The Cat’s Meow.

The police call in a federal investigator, but Hannah and Village manager Amber Bowman are in no mood to wait for them to figure out what they already know—that no one from the Amish Village could have killed Owen Esch.

Amber and Hannah will need to work quickly to solve the murder mystery and bring harmony back to the Amish community."    

My thoughts: Even though my first love in reading is a good mystery, in the last few years I have become very enamored of Amish fiction. Mix the two together and you have a winner! One of the best writers of this genre is Vannetta Chapman. She does both equally well.


One mark of a good mystery writer is the inclusion of several viable suspects and Chapman is quite adept at this. Of her six mysteries I have read, all of them have enough red herrings and suspects to keep the reader guessing. Isn't this the fun of reading a whodunit?


Murder Tightly Knit is the second book in the series. Readers do not need to have read the first, although I would recommend it as it was a solid read. Either book can stand alone. A very enjoyable read earning the 4**** rating from me.


Vannetta Chapman is the author of numerous works of Christian fiction featuring members of the Amish community. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com or blog with her at http://vannettachapman.wordpress.com/. She can also be found at http://www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks...

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by HarperCollins/NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Wild Dark Flowers: a Novel of Rutherford Park by Elizabeth Cooke

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication: July 1st 2014 by Berkley Trade

more details...

ISBN: 0425262596 (ISBN13: 9780425262597)

From Goodreads:

"When May came that year in Rutherford, it was more beautiful than anyone could ever remember. More beautiful, and more terrible…

From inside their sprawling estate of Rutherford Park, the Cavendish family had a privileged perspective of the world. On the first morning in May, 1915, with a splendid view that reached across the gardens to the Vale of York, nothing seemed lovelier or less threatening. And yet…

At the risk of undoing the Cavendish name with scandal, William and Octavia Cavendish have been living a lie, maintaining a marriage out of duty rather than passion. But when their son Harry joins the Royal Flying Corps in France, the Cavendish family are forced to face the unavoidable truths about themselves, the society in which they thrive, and the secrets they can no longer bear.

In the wake of a terrible war, the emotional shifts between a husband and a wife, a wife and her lover, and a mother and her children, will shake the very foundation of the Cavendish family, and change the uniquely vulnerable lives of all who reside at Rutherford Park."


My Thoughts:   

The Wild Dark Flowers: A Novel of Rutherford Park has been compared to Downton Abbey. This is an excellent comparison as Rutherford is set during the same interesting historical timeframe and is an in-depth look at life on a large English estate during WW1. With  rich  lush descriptions, a mesmerizing sense of place, The Wild Dark Flowers had me hooked from page 1.  Not just an intriguing character study but an eye opening social commentary on the changing times.

 War is a great leveler: it affected everyone  whether upstairs or downstairs, everyone has their story.
Cooke did a fabulous job of bringing her numerous characters to life and giving them a unique voice.

I loved the surprise ending and can't wait for the next book in the series Very enjoyable read. 4****

Even though this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Elizabeth Cooke is a Goodreads author and can be found on her page. She can also be found on her webpage and on Facebook.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by The Penguin Group/Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Far Side of the Sky by Daniel Kalla

Hardcover, 464 pages Published June 5th 2012 by Tom Doherty Associates (first published September 20th 2011)
ISBN: 0765332337 (ISBN13: 9780765332332)
edition language: English


From the publisher:

November 9, 1938—Kristallnacht—the Nazis unleash a night of terror for Jews all across Germany. Meanwhile, the Japanese Imperial Army rampages through China and tightens its stranglehold on Shanghai, a city that becomes the last haven for thousands of desperate European Jews.

Dr. Franz Adler, a renowned surgeon, is swept up in the wave of anti-Semitic violence and flees to Shanghai with his daughter. At a refugee hospital, Franz meets an enigmatic nurse, Soon Yi “Sunny” Mah. The chemistry between them is intense and immediate, but Sunny’s life is shattered when a drunken Japanese sailor murders her father.
The danger escalates for Shanghai’s Jews as the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. Facing starvation and disease, Franz struggles to keep the refugee hospital open and protect his family from a terrible fate.

The Far Side of the Sky focuses on a short but extraordinary period of Chinese, Japanese, and Jewish history when cultures converged and heroic sacrifices were part of the everyday quest for survival.

My thoughts: This has to be one of the best WWII stories I have read in quite a while. The author, Daniel Kalla, drew me in immediately with the dramatic events of Kristallnacht and the introduction of the main characters. Honestly, I think my heart rate sped up with fear for the fate of Franz, his sister-in-law Esther and his daughter, Hannah, as Jews were being pulled from their homes by the Nazis and murdered for no reason.

As the danger ramps up, Franz and his family frantically try to find a way out of Vienna. It seems every country had slammed their borders shut to emigrating Jews. Securing exit visas for himself, Esther and Hannah, the Adlers find themselves on the way to Shanghai, the only option left open to them. Obviously, they were heartbroken to leave their beloved city of Vienna but safety and survival had to be their first concern.

Shanghai was not to be confused with Shangri-la; once there, as refugees, the Adlers found it difficult to deal with shortages, horrid living conditions and the necessity to make a living. But, they hadn't reckoned on meeting Nazis half way around the world right in their new home or the threat of Japanese occupation  and the horrors of war encroaching right on their doorstep.

Kalla brings the characters to life so vividly, I felt like I was there with them. Shanghai is almost another character in the book, the sense of place is so well done, I thought I could feel the atmosphere of a world at war with numerous cultures living side by side trying to survive in the best way possible.

This is not just a story of survival and horrors under difficult situations but also a tender story of  courage, love, family and the goodness that can be found in the least unexpected of human hearts along with a theme of underlying hope.

 Having read numerous books on WWII with locations mainly in Europe, I was amazed to read that so many Jews along with Nazis ended up in Shanghai. I love the way Kalla took real life events and places and wove such a complex, rich story around them. The inclusion of several other plot lines and minor characters kept me captivated. Even though the book is 460 pages, I could not put it down. The pages just flew by as I was totally engaged the entire time. I loved it! 5*****

About the author: Born, raised, and still residing in Vancouver, Kalla spends his days (and sometimes nights) working as an ER Physician in an urban teaching hospital.

The idea for his first medical thriller, PANDEMIC, sprang from his clinical experience in facing the SARS crisis of 2003. He has written five science thrillers and or medical mysteries, delving into themes and topics as diverse as superbugs, drug addiction, prions, DNA evidence, pandemics and patient abuse. Kalla's sixth book, OF FLESH AND BLOOD, is a medical epic that features a world renowned hospital and two medical families who share a century of love, loss and healing. His books have been translated into eleven languages, and two have been optioned for feature films.

Daniel received his MD from the University of British Columbia. He is married and the proud father of two girls in a home predominated by the XX chromosome (even his beloved Labrador retriever, Lola, is female.)

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Forge in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie

Hardcover

Published by MacMillan (first published September 19th 2011)

more details...

ISBN: 023075063X (ISBN13: 9780230750630)

edition language: English

series: Kincaid & James #14

characters: Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, Sergeant Gemma James

setting: London, England(United Kingdom)

DCI Rebecca Meredith, 12 year veteran in the London Met Police is contemplating taking a leave from the force to pursue her passion for rowing, not just as an off duty activity but for potential Olympic qualification. If she does take this leave, she will also leave unfinished business at the Met; a fact that leaves her very angry and undecided. She does not want to be just fobbed off with no justice done. The way Crombie set up her frame of mind almost gave me goosebumps at the suspense. I was hooked immediately wondering what it was all about.

We last see "Becca" at day's end, taking out her boat. The next time we see her, a search and rescue team has just found her dead body in the river.  And so the fun begins! Is it just an unfortunate accident or could it possibly be homicide?

Detective Superintendent, Duncan Kincaid, is called in on the case. He is just about to take paternity leave in a few days so that his wife, Gemma, can come back to work at the Met. But still, this case intrigues him as Becca is an elite rower, an Olympic contender and senior officer in the Met. The press will have a field day as the case is sure to attract a lot of attention. When the investigation turns up some nasty skeletons in the Met's closet, Kincaid is told by his boss that it would be "convenient" that the ex-husband is the murderer. He certainly has a viable motive, but . . .

This doesn't set well with Kincaide as he is an honorable and ethical man, not one to take the easy way out. He wants to see justice done no matter what the fallout. I loved the way Crombie imbued Kincaid with so many admirable and strong characteristics.

Even though Gemma is on family leave, she is helping a  Met co-worker sift through information on another matter that may have ties to Duncan's case. This was one of the most exciting plot lines for me. I couldn't wait to see how it all panned out.

Although No Mark Upon Her is the 14th in the series, it can easily stand-alone. There are enough inferences in the story for the reader to have a feel for the history of Duncan's and Gemma's relationship. I loved the whole package, the perfectly paced plotting, the way Crombie filled in bits and pieces of the characters' lives to give the reader a complete picture of their pasts as well as their personalities. All the red herrings  made this an exceptionally satisfying read and Crombie neatly ties up all the ends. Even the  peripheral characters were fascinating and had their own stories.  I'd liken Crombie's writing to that of  P.D. James, Elizabeth George or even  Louise Penny; all master storytellers that really know how to captivate their audience. 4.5****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided byMacMillan /LT in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review & Giveaway: Murder Buys a T Shirt by Christy Fifield

Mass Market Paperback

Published 2012 by Berkley Publishing Group

ISBN: 0425246663 (ISBN13: 9780425246665)

series: A Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery #1

From the publisher:

Glory Martine has inherited her uncle's Florida souvenir shop, one stuffed with collectibles, mementos of times gone by--and ghosts--who, like her customers, refuse to let go of the past. But things take an even more unexpected turn when a local football hero dies far too suddenly and suspiciously. Now, Glory has to uncover the truth before someone makes her history...

My thoughts: A new series draws me in like a magnet and this one sounded really good, especially the Florida setting. Meeting new characters  is always fun! Who knows? They might become very dear friends in the future.

When items keep arranging themselves in Southern Treasures, a small shop Glory inherited from her Uncle Louis, she assumes it is her parrot, Bluebeard, who is wreaking all the havoc. After the local football hero is killed in a car crash, Bluebeard goes on a tear, insisting it was not an accident. Bluebeard has never talked like this before. Why now?  Why does he sound just like Uncle Louis? Huh? Psychic parrot? Haunted bird?  Even the police assume it is nothing but an accident. There is no evidence to suspect foul play but Glory and her friend, Karen, start to take Bluebeard seriously. They think Bluebeard is channelling Glory's late Uncle Louis. They set out to investigate and prove it was really a homicide.

"What did I hope to accomplish with this silliness? To prove that Kevin Stanley's death wasn't an accident? Based on the word of a parrot? Or a ghost? Was I out of my mind?"

Actually, I was kind of wondering the same thing. As much of a cozy fan as I am, I am not thrilled when the protagonist does totally foolish things while investigating what doesn't even seem like a real crime. There was way too much time being spent on one "suspect" which made the first third of the book seem to drag a  little. I've never really been a fan of talking animals or ones that appear to be able to rationalize.  Even in cozies, there is a limit to  what is tolerable to me. It's a matter of taste; anyone else may very well love it!

Once we got past all that, I do have to say the ending was pretty good. Also on the plus side, the characters were appealing and their relationships were believable. I'm just chalking this one  up to debut novel kinks. 3***

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Due to the ever so generous Berkley, I am able to offer a giveaway of one copy of this book. Open to US only with the deadline to enter being March 22nd at 5 PM (est). Bonus entries are as follows:

 +4 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.

+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win Murder Buys a T Shirt in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

Review & Giveaway: The Icon Thief by Alec Nevala-Lee

Mass Market Paperbound, 416 pages

Published by Signet Book

more details...ISBN: 0451236203 (ISBN13: 9780451236203)

edition language: English

From the publisher:
A controversial masterpiece resurfaces in Budapest. A ballerina's headless corpse is found beneath the boardwalk at Brighton Beach. And New York's Russian mafia is about to collide with the equally ruthless art world...

 Maddy Blume, an ambitious young art buyer for a Manhattan hedge fund, is desperate to find a priceless painting by Marcel Duchamp, one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. A gruesome cold case thrusts the FBI into a search for the same painting, with its enigmatic image of a headless nude. And an insidious secret society is intent on reclaiming the painting for reasons of its own-and by any means necessary.

My thoughts: Complex, intriguing read with a myriad of characters within a 3 plotline structure.  I definitely had to keep my wits about me with this one; I needed a score card to keep all the players straight in my own head.

Disappearing and reappearing artwork, Russian mafiyeh, a dead ballerina, art hedge fund, international crime investigator and secret societies are all involved in and around the sale of Etant Donné, a very controversial painting by Marcel DuChamp, a twentieth  century painter who was himself a bit of a mystery. For a debut novel the author sure managed to keep all these balls in the air while providing one heck of an intriguing and exciting story.

Any reader could safely assume that members of the Russian Mafiyeh would be brutal thugs but you'd think people in the art world would be sociable, kind types. No so here as some of these characters are anything but. Ruthless is one description that comes to mind. Their passion for art and the art world knows no boundaries; theft, murder, betrayal and backstabbing are the order of the day. No one is what they seem on the surface. Be prepared for a monumental twist at the end. For thriller or conspiracy fans, this should be high on your list. 4****

Alec Nevala-Lee is a Goodreads author and he can also be found here.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by NAL Signet in exchange for my honest
opinion.

Thanks for Nal Signet's generosity,two copie of the book are available for giveaway. Open to US only with the deadline to enter being March 6th at 5 PM (est).

To enter please leave your e mail address in a comment. If no e mail address, I will assume you do not want to be part of the giveaway.

Bonus entries are as follows:

+4 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.

+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win The Icon Thief in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Review & Giveaway: Cake on a Hot Tin Roof by Jacklyn Brady

Paperback, 297 pages

Expected publication: February 7th 2012 by Berkley .

ISBN: 0425246221 (ISBN13: 9780425246221)

series: A Piece of Cake Mystery #2

From the publisher:

Pastry chef Rita Lucero's Mardi Gras party turns funereal when one of her guests is found dead after a public fight with her uncle-leaving Rita no choice but to find the real killer and clear her uncle's name...

I loved the first book, Sheetcake of Desire  (see review here) and jumped on the chance to review this one and am so glad I did. In the first book we meet Rita Lucero as she is trying to get her husband, Phillipe, to sign divorce papers. Unfortunately, he is found dead before that happens. Rita, now his main heir, inherited his New Orleans bakery, Zydeco, and his mother wants Rita to carry on managing the bakery. That's after she clears her name of murder, of course!

Fast forward 6 months and Rita is buried in orders for Mardi Gras cakes.  Before moving to New Orleans Rita had no idea the importance of Mardi Gras but she's learning. The last thing she needs is to co-host a Mardi Gras party for hundreds of guests with her mother-in-law, Miss Frankie. Rita concedes and agrees to be at the the country club and play nice with the Krewe of Musterion. Along with all the work backed up and promises to her mother-in-law, Rita gets a surprise visit from her Aunt Yolanda and her Uncle Nestor. Sheeesh, what more could happen?

Plenty!

Rita's Uncle Nestor finds himself in a tight spot. He's been accused of murdering local celeb, Big Daddy Boudreaux just because Big Daddy and Uncle Nestor got into a very public punching match at the party Rita and Miss Frankie hosted.  Uncle Nestor never even met Big Daddy until that evening. A public argument doesn't mean he could possibly have killed Big Daddy, does it? Who else would have wanted to put Big Daddy of of commission?

As much as Uncle Nestor annoys Rita with his over protective manner, she can't just stand by and see Uncle Nestor railroaded into a murder rap. There must be someone else out there who had the opportunity and a real motive. Turns out the list of people who had it in for Big Daddy is longer than the list of people who didn't. Not going to be easy for Rita to prove her uncle innocent. She's only going to nose around a little bit even though her co-worker warns her to be very careful.

" Of course.  I had no intention of putting myself in danger; I'd just ask a few questions. That's all.
     Goes to show how wrong  a person can be."

Uh, huh . . . famous last words!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley  in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jacklyn Brady, author of Cake on a Hot Tin Roof can be found at her website.

Thanks for Berkley's generosity, one copy of the book is available for giveaway. Open to US only with the deadline to enter being February 23th at 5 PM (est).

To enter please leave your e mail address in a comment. If no e mail address, I will assume you do not want to be part of the giveaway.

Bonus entries are as follows:

+4 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.

+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win Cake on a Hot Tin Roof in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

Mini review: Well-Offed in Vermont by Amy Patricia Meade

Paperback, 240 pages

Published November 8th 2011 by Midnight Ink (first published November 1st 2011)

more details...

ISBN: 0738725900 (ISBN13: 9780738725901)

edition language: English

series: Pret’ Near Perfect Mystery #1

 A fun read with two new house buyers, Stella and Nick Buckley, who just want to move into their new home. Unfortunately, a dead body was found in their well and the police tell them they can't move in until the case is solved. Sheesh! Now what?

It's leaf-peeping season and tourists are over running the bucolic little Vermont town. Nary a motel room is to be found, so when the offer of a hunting camp is made, they grab it. At least they'll have shelter; that's about it though, as there is no running water, no bathroom and no electricity. How does one inflate the blow-up bed without electricity?

 Hah! That was a good scene. I could just picture Stella and Nick holding onto the newly inflated bed that's perched on top of their Smart car.

Oh, yeah, they drive a Smart car - in Vermont! Where big pickup trucks and four wheel drive is the order of the day. Silly flatlanders!

Since they can't move into their new home, they try their best to find out who the real killer is and  putting themselves into some dangerous spots along the way. For these former Manhattanites, getting accustomed to terse New Englanders and life in a small town where everyone knows your business, can be challenging.

Humorous dialogue and some great characterizations made this a charming read. 

Did I like it?

Ayup!

Disclosure: I bought it (kindle deal of the day $1.99 02/04/12)

 

Review & Giveaway: The Look of Love by Mary Jane Clark

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published January 17th 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published December 27th 2011)

more details...

ISBN: 0061995568 (ISBN13: 9780061995569)

series: Wedding Cake Mystery #2

From the publisher:

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published January 17th 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published December 27th 2011)  

ISBN: 0061995568 (ISBN13: 9780061995569)

series: Wedding Cake Mystery #2

From the publisher:

Piper Donovan accepts when the owner of Elysium, an exclusive spa and plastic surgery center, offers her an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to create a dazzling and unique wedding cake. The job also gives Piper the time and distance she needs to sort out her feelings for handsome FBI agent Jack Lombardi.

The ultra-luxurious spa caters to the rich and famous in need of a little "refreshing"--a nip here, a tuck there, a little Botox, a little detox. Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, Elysium seems picture-perfect: the grounds, the staff, even the guests. But no sooner does Piper arrive than a guest is brutally murdered in one of the private bungalows. Someone, it seems, wants to make sure Elysium's beautiful director, Jillian Abernathy, never gets to walk down the aisle. Piper soon discovers that beneath the glamorous surface of this idyllic oasis lies an ugly truth--and a cold-blooded plan for murder.

My Thoughts: Wooooooo, plenty of action right from the get-go; just the way I like it!

A luxury spa and plastic surgery center should be a place where beauty and pampering reigns, not two brutal  murders, grudges, jealousy, unhappiness, a little hanky-panky and resentment but those are some of the things Piper finds at Elysium. Besides, a dead body practically the minute she arrives.

The beautiful Jill Abernathy must have some real enemies out there. First, her maid in a case of mistaken identity is bumped off and only after a few days another body appears. Who could have it in for Jill to commit such heinous crimes?

This was a real fun cozy to read; the pages just seemed to turn themselves.  That's how caught up in the story I was. No dry spots here at all!  I couldn't wait to see "whodunnit."

There are several things I look for in a cozy and this one hit all the high notes:

•  the characters were introduced in a methodical manner. As a reader, I got a good feel for who they really were and what made them tick. You either liked them or hated them; no wishy washy characters here. They were all well developed.
• a cohesive, well laid out plot with enough clues and motives to keep me guessing. There were quite a few jealous, insecure, fearful and/or resentful characters who fit the bill and their motives were very credible. 
• growth in the main character if this is a series. This is the second one in the Wedding Cake Mystery series. I think it is even better than the first.
• interesting location: The bride wants a pumpkin bread as her wedding cake and since her sister is a nun at a local convent, Piper visits to get help with baking the cake.

 NB: this convent is based on Monastery of the Angels in Los Angeles and if you would like the recipe or to read more please visit here.  

The Look of Love  could easily be read as a stand-alone. There's enough back story to feel caught up and to get a real feel for who Piper is as a character. I'm looking forward to the next one! 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Harper Collins  in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks for Harper Collins's generosity, one copy of the book is available for giveaway.   Open to US only with the deadline to enter being February 16th at 5 PM (est).

To enter please leave your e mail address in a comment. If no e mail address, I will assume you do not want to be part of the giveaway.

 Bonus entries are as follows:

.
+1 for being a follower, old or new on GFC . .OR

+3 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.

+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win the Look of Love in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

 Good luck!

Review: All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

Paperback, 320 pages

Published December 20th 2011 by William Morrow Paperbacks

ISBN: 0062081608 (ISBN13: 9780062081605)

Set in 1930's Shanghai, this is the story of Feng, second daughter in a middle class, socially ambitious family. Through a quirk of fate, Feng is married off to her older sister's fiancé. Feng felt betrayed by her family and this feeling turned her from a naive, amiable teenaged girl into a bitter and resentful young woman obsessed with revenge for what was "done" to her. Such a drama queen!

After making her own life and that of those around her miserable, she then decides to put on a happy face, outwardly at least, and be more sociable. This is not from maturing or trying to be a decent human being; it was more to spite her mother-in-law and to get her own way.

"The beautiful quiet of my childhood had been interrupted forever, and like most people I did not notice its absence until it was too late. I learned to talk,eat chatter, and most seductive of all, found that I loved to be the center of attention. At the time I could sense the trap that Ma had laid for Sister but it was only now that I could see how delicious and irresistable it was. That Sister could have been no othr creature than the one Ma had created, for who could resist the lure of so much adulation?"

At this point, I began to feel sorry for her husband, Xiong Fa. He seemed to be a decent sort even though to save face he had been pushed into marrying Feng by his overbearing mother who kept reminding him of his duty to produce a male heir.

Eventually, her guilt at one of her most heinous actions begins to haunt her. It didn't seem to change her behavior too much and I still found it difficult to like her character. All of her unhappiness was of her own doing as she managed to alienate all around her.

Overall, an okay read, just not a stellar one, mainly due to Feng's unlikeability and the feeling that most of the supporting characters felt like nebulous beings; they were there but not fully fleshed out.

On a positive note, I did like the location, the time frame, Jepson's descriptions of the culture with it's sense of duty in a patriarchal society. Although the Japanese occupation in Shanghai was glossed over, the timeframe when the communists under Mao were in power was interesting. I think I liked the historical aspect at the end of the book the best.

At the back of the book are some discussion questions and suggestions for further reading.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by William Morrow through LT's early reviewer's

 program in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Crossley ID Guide Eastern Birds by

Hardcover, 544 pages

Published February 21st 2011 by Princeton University Press

more details... ISBN: 0691147787 (ISBN13: 9780691147789)

edition language: English

From the publisher:

This stunningly illustrated book from acclaimed birder and photographer Richard Crossley revolutionizes birding by providing the first real-life approach to identification. Whether you are a beginner, expert, or anywhere in between, The Crossley ID Guide will vastly improve your ability to identify birds.

Unlike other guides, which provide isolated individual photographs or illustrations, this is the first book to feature large, lifelike scenes for each species. These scenes--640 in all--are composed from more than 10,000 of the author's images showing birds in a wide range of views--near and far, from different angles, in various plumages and behaviors, including flight, and in the habitat in which they live. These beautiful compositions show how a bird's appearance changes with distance, and give equal emphasis to characteristics experts use to identify birds: size, structure and shape, behavior, probability, and color. This is the first book to convey all of these features visually--in a single image--and to reinforce them with accurate, concise text. Each scene provides a wealth of detailed visual information that invites and rewards careful study, but the most important identification features can be grasped instantly by anyone.

My Thoughts: Obviously, a weighty book of this size (8" x 10" x 1 3/4") is not meant to be stuck in your backpack or pocket while out bird watching but it's to be savored at home in a comfy spot.

The Crossley ID guide contains a wealth of info in the introductory pages telling you all you need to know in interpreting the data. I liked the way the cover and first few pages break the guide down into categories and sub-categories such as: waterbirds; swimming, flying and walking. Game birds, raptors and songbirds are several more categories. There are almost 200 pages alone on songbirds. Just gorgeous photos!

 Covering eastern North America and Canada, the book contains some 640 color plates showing the birds in lifelike scenes in their natural habitat, from close ups to far views. It's the way we see birds in nature. Below each plate, are the common names, scientific names of the species and th 4 letter abbreviations used commonly in bird guides. Also included is the average length of the bird.

Although there is a map with every plate showing the habitat of that particular bird, the back cover page shows a large map of the areas covered in the entire guide complete with color key. An extensive index is also included at the end of the guide.

My only quibble, and that's just me, is that I found the print to be quite small. Be sure to have your reading glasses handy. I found the book to be a lot easier to use than The National Audubon Field Guide for North American Birds that we currently use. What a wonderful gift this would make for beginner birders or for those very experienced. It is not only informative but truly a feast for the eyes.

For an interactive website you can visit here.



Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by PT Reviewer rewards  in exchange for my honest opinion.