Louise Penny's Still Life:

 

Still Life: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (A Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery

by Louise Penny

A Coming of Age of a Different Sort

 

Five Stars!

A wonderful story, full of accuracy and poignancy! Drew's excellent writing shines through in this, his first novel that is not a mystery story. He bravely dives into the complexity of coming of age in dire circumstances, and finishing the growth to adulthood in learning the reality of parent care with Alzheimer's twisting ways. I look forward to more wide-reaching novels from him.

Lessons in Chemistry

 

This novel reads like a well researched, highly entertaining, informative and encouraging biography. The author has composed an accurate, engrossing tale of women's struggles in attaining professional status within the scientific community. I am so pleased to have learned of this book. I was riveted to the unfolding story. Five stars to Bonnie Garmus!

THE WRONG GIRL: Jane Ryland Book 2: by Hank Phillippi Ryan

 Never a disappointing read ... Hank's THE WRONG GIRL has a plethora of characters that, while disparate in the beginning are brought together skillfully in the end. This is another of her books that deals openly with real social concerns and has value as both a well written mystery and relevant, current wake-up call for public responsibility in improved funding for wards of the state. This is a must read for undergrads considering a career in social work.

The Other Woman

 

Hank Phillippi Ryan begins a five book series featuring investigative reporter Jane Ryland with this mystery involving politics, deception and murder(s). With Boston and surrounding Massachusetts areas as the primary setting, her characters quickly develop as believable and memorable. Hank's own experiences in television reporting and investigations support her readers' ability to follow the ins and outs of political campaigning and police procedures.  I'm looking forward to following these characters through this series. 

A mysterious old quilt tells a story

 

THE FORGOTTEN SEAMSTRESS is a heartbreaking story that reaches across the centuries to be told, waiting for just the right person to hear it. Liz Trenow has a shelf full of accomplished works that mystery readers will no doubt want to read in succession, though all appear to be stand alone titles in their own right. Quilters, embroiderers, and needle workers of all sorts will enjoy the fabrics and designs addressed in small part through out this engaging story. I heartily give this book and author five stars, and look forward to reading more of her books.

THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

Meredith shares her story with clarity and honesty, taking the reader through the various events that led up to and followed her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. I share those similar events in my own life, and admire her eloquence and simplicity in choosing the words and tone that help the reader understand the seriousness of this sometimes invisible condition. I recommend this story to family and friends of newly diagnosed people with MS, as all can benefit from a stronger understanding.

Read more about this local author at her bio page at Amazon.

Award Winning Massachusetts Author

https://www.amazon.com/House-Guest-Hank-Phillippi-Ryan-ebook/dp/B09XL6QYYS?ref_=ast_author_mpb

HANK Phillippi Ryan is a familiar name to many Massachusetts families. From her Amazon Author page:

"Her work has resulted in new laws, people sent to prison, homes removed from foreclosure, and millions of dollars in refunds and restitution for victims and consumers. She's been a radio reporter, a legislative aide in the United States Senate and an editorial assistant at Rolling Stone Magazine, working with Hunter S. Thompson, Richard Avedon and Richard Goodwin.

Hank is a founding teacher at Mystery Writers of America University and served as 2013 president of national Sisters in Crime. She blogs at Jungle Red Writers and Career Authors. She is a co-host at FIRST CHAPTER FUN and a founder and co-host of THE BACK ROOM, and the host of A Mighty Mystery on A Mighty Blaze."

HOUSE GUEST is the first book I've read in a year or so that held my interest from start to finish. As I'm reading slower these days, it did take me a few days to reach the end on my new Kindle. But her characters, her settings and her plot twists kept me reaching for her story in every free moment. As one reviewer labeled it, it is "unputdownable."

 

Back to the Books!

 Stephen Puleo is a Boston-based author whose books have been celebrated in many local school districts and 'town-wide' reads for several years now. He has been a guest author at our local library, and will be returning this Spring to talk about his latest historical piece, VOYAGE OF MERCY.

This book tells the story of the compassionate response of the United States to the great famine in Ireland mid-nineteenth century. As with all his books, Puleo tells the story from the individuals' point of view ... the ship captain who talked the government into freeing ships from war duty (the Mexican War) to  a humanitarian purpose ... the Irish priest who visited and provided as best he could for his sick parishioners, bringing food and warmth and faith door to door at his own expense ... the British leaders who struggled with balancing the great need of the Irish,their own consciences and the public will of their consituents ... and the host cities on the east coast of North America who received, with varying sentiments, the starving ill immigrants who flooded their streets.

As Dickens might have observed once again, it was "the best of times, the worst of times." People on this side of the ocean reaching out to help those 'across the pond' who needed both food and encouragement. People on that side of the ocean willing to see the beggars flee their continent to come to ours. It is a story of humanity ... the good and the bad ... the rich and the poor and the middle folk trying to make the best of what could be.

Stephen Puleo's writings never fail to inspire the best in us, and acknowledge the weaknesses that accompany humanity. Once again, I give his writing five stars. 

JANUARY 1 2022 ~ A NEW PAGE

     This blog will now host a new-again venture, on a new page. You will find a link at the top of the right margin to the new page, titled STARTING OVER AGAIN, and I invite you to take a look. I will try to update it once or twice a week for the first few weeks, and later as needed. Thanks for your patience. 

Oh ~ and with the retail shop's closure, I may have more time now to continue reviewing books!

SATURDAY NIGHT DEAD by F.H.Belfus-Bennett

I met the author, F.H.Belfus Bennett, at the New England Author Expo in Danvers, Massachusetts during the summer of 2018, and happily exchanged my book for hers. In this first novel, she has written a compelling story set in the neighborhoods of Boston, Cambridge, Allston and Brighton. The characters are of a wide assortment of ethnic backgrounds and their families and friends interact in a believable way.  Socioeconomic disparity in the urban setting is accurately described; the villain (poor young Eastern European man) murders the victims (wealthy privileged college students) for a paying  sponsor (southern gentleman from a childhood of emotional abuse.) Drugs play a significant role in the evil of this novel.  The authorities carry out their investigation with credible diligence and attentiont to detail. The book is well planned, written, edited and proofed which makes it an enjoyable read. The author shows promise!

TWO MORE MYSTERIES FROM DR. JANSON

Dr. Paul Janson has again created believable characters with depth and personalities that are memorable. With these characters, he has created two distinctly different murder mysteries. The first, titled THE MANUSCRIPT, introduces the characters gradually, bringing them together in unusual circumstances, and following them on a trail filled with suspenseful twists and turns.  What does a locomotive, a privatized prison, and a course in writing query letters have to do with nuclear terrorism? (And, to pique your interest, can an old drawbridge ever be jumped?)  Frank and Joan wil grow into their friendship gradually, and will exit this first book safely enough to reappear, surprisingly, in its sequel, ADVANCED DIRECTIVE.  I enjoyed both titles, and highly recommend that you purchase both!

In the sequel, Advanced Directive, Dr. Janson writes of the dilemma an out-of-pratice-nurse-suddenly-needing-work faces when the first job she can secure is in a nursing home, where the care is not what she is used to practicing in hospital settings. Joan, of the first book, is not the nurse in question, nor does she appear until the story of April's new position is well underway ... in fact, her entrance into April's story is like a warm, welcoming recognition for the reader. Before reacquainting with Joan and Frank, the reader is introduced to April's recently-dead husband's family; the link that joins these three main characters is an elderly aunt who resides at the home. The excitement picks up when the elderly aunt's unexpectedly sudden demise catches Frank's attention, and brings him into contact with distant relatives of his own ... relatives who chose a career path on the other side of the law ... relatives who somewhat tolerate Frank's defection to the uniformed side of the law. And once again, Dr. Janson's clever twists and turns unite  other family units with the potential of additional stories ahead... 

Murder Undone, a collection of short stories by Paul Janson, MD

Murder Undone

Dr. Janson has collected some earlier writings he had compiled during his long practice of emergency physician, and they are not limited to medical settings.

Each one is a different setting, with new characters and unique dilemmas, but all have, as Paul tells in his book description, something in common.

Dr. Janson's writing is fluid, intelligent and engaging. His characters 'come to life' within a mere paragraph, and the story progresses smoothly.

It is always a pleasure to read his books, and to review them and recommend them for my readers' choices ahead.

Scroll down a few posts to read more revies of Dr. Janson's books.

New Book Review: The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump

Full disclaimer: I am a true blue liberal democrat and was dismayed when the unqualified candidate received the Republican nomination in 2016, and was appalled when he proceeded to the White House.  My husband, an unenrolled independent voter, was also distressed by the election, but died unexpectedly a month later, on Christmas morning.

In the past twenty months I've struggled with a complicated grief, following the loss of my best friend and husband of 46 years ... and tried to ignore the demise of our political system. When I saw a video of an interview with the editor of this book and the co-author of Trump's Art of the Deal, I was intrigued and ordered a (used) copy from Amazon.

Clearly, the video was not a balanced view ... both Dr. Bandy Lee (editor of The Danagerous Case of Donald Trump) and Tony Schwartz (Trump's co-author) were both expressing their awareness and concern with Trump's mental status. His many verbal gaffes were discussed, and his recent firings of many intelligence officers was distressing enough to lend credibility to their positions of disdain.

Dr. Lee's collection of more than two dozen essays contributed by psychiatrists, psychologists and a linguist expert (Noam Chomsky) is somewhat repetitive and a considerable admonishment of Trump's continuing presence in the White House.  Dr. Lee had organize a "Duty to Warn" conference at Yale, where many of these observations were discussed among this group of colleagues. The book addresses the conundrum of trying to weigh this Duty to Warn against the Goldwater Rule, which states that psychiatrists have a professional standard that prohibits 'assessing' public figures whom they have not personally met with and evaluated. The Duty to Warn is another professional standard that mandates that psychiatrists act to prevent a dangerous patient's behaviors himself, others, or the public at large.

The general concensus of these essays clearly points toward activation of the 25th Amendment of the Constitution, which gives Congress the power to remove a president's powers if he is shown to be incompetent. This would meet the responsibility of the psychiatriac community's Duty to Warn. And would remove teh nuclear codes from Donald Trump.

People who consider themselves activists will glean a lot of verbiage and relevant data in the essays to assist 'We the People' in any organized efforts toward impeachment, and I highly recommend this book for that reason.

To those still convinced that Trump is on the right path, aligning himself with dictators, autocrats and tyrannists, and withdrawing America's alliance with other world powers that are more democratic, I must apologize for my true blue liberal position. I defend your right to state your opinion, and ask that you respect my right to defend mine.

Sorry I've been having difficulty with the blog

An abberent widget has been blocking my access ... I'm trying to work with Google to resolve it. Stay tuned: I've many books read recently that I plan to review here...

Paul Janson, MD, Author of Medical Mysteries!

5.0 out of 5 starsMal Practice: A New Story, with New Lead Character

ByAuthor TCPon May 25, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition
Paul Janson's new book, his first novel, introduces a new protagonist
 about whom readers will no doubt want to read more. Joe Nelson,
 a coal miner turned pediatrician (the hard way, with years of study 
and family encouragement) has a calm, easy-going personality,
 a beautiful, equally-talented wife (also an emergency 
room doctor)and a practice in the small town he wants to serve ... the 
small town where he grew up ... the small town where almost
 everyone is related to almost everyone, 
and secrets kept are deep.

Dr. Nelson is accused of malpractice, The local police and local lawyers
 and local court and local jury are all looking into his life, his 
possible ineptitude and his character. With everything on the table 
and little else to lose, Joe begins his own investigation into the death
 of his patient, as Joe alone knows of his own innocence.

Joe's ongoing romantic involvement with his soon to be ex-wife puzzles some and intrigues the reader. 
Other characters develop as Joe's investigation begins; some are those who stand to lose both money 
and credibility should his investigating expose their motives, and some are those who see and appreciate
 Joe's capacity for putting the puzzle pieces together. Joe himself is then a target for those might have a 
motive and a means of having killed his young patient three years ago, and a recipient of benevolent
 assets and support from those who want him to succeed in exposing the guilty.

Family, relationships, community, enmity, greed and murder are all key elements of this engaging novel.
 Just enough medical detail is shared to keep the reader grounded in the story. I strongly recommend it 
to all readers of mysteries, and all readers of medical murder. And it is my fervent wish, as a reader, to 
know more of what will happen in the lives of these main characters. I see series potential.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Such a treasure, so reasonably priced!

By Terry on June 26, 2016

I'm enjoying Paul Janson's sequel, WITH A LITTLE MORE PRACTICE. Without having to read through
 repetitious flashbacks as many sequels would require, the characters' personalities as developed in the first novel, 
MALPRACTICE, are easily recognizable and the action begins fairly quickly. This author took the time to visit 
the scenes he chose for his novel, and describes them well enough that the reader has a clear image of the 
setting. The action moves along at a good, unhurried but forward pace and the reader is engaged in the
 dilemma the characters face. I would recommend this for adult readers as the content makes reference
 to some adult issues, though the author does not use unnecessary gratuitous sex or violence in his writing ... 
and I am grateful for that - a good story, written by a good writer. Definitely five stars!

More Months Have Passed, Moment by Moment

It's hard to admit how long I have let this blog lie unattended, but the truth is in the dated posts. One might think my life had slowed down considerably, with little to write of here on this page. Truth be told, much has been happening.

The quilt shop has grown in size and now has an established following of quilters and friends who come in sometimes to shop, and sometimes to share ... they share stories, accomplishments, wishes and thoughts. Each one brings a new element to my life as a shop owner and sometimes writer, and each one is dear to me. Rick is my steadfast better half, and his contributions to the shop's existence is evident not only in the shelves that he's built but in the more organized space that improved traffic flow and display-staging; without his participation it would be no more than a hodgepodge of unsorted paper files, bolts of fabric piled one on top of another hiding their individual beauty, and lost thoughts meant to be shared.

MS - if that is what it is - and most say it is - MS continues to wrest little chinks out of my cognitive abilities. What became evident five years ago as a loss of short term memory and proper nouns (read that: people's name) has blossomed into a true cognitive impairment causing loss of sense of direction, sense of scent, sense of sound direction, awareness of time parameters, and ability to make thoughtful decisions.

Yet I continue to believe that I will be able to continue to write Helen and Henry's mystery series of the quilt shop and toy shop's future ... and I continue to believe that customers will take advantage of the local accessibility of beautiful fabrics and threads and notions we can stock. I know in my heart that Rick is seen and recognized now as the creative wood artist that he is, and the dependable community member that he has always been.

We have the summer long Row by Row™ shop hop approaching in a few weeks, and at the end of the summer, we  have two major events ahead; our own Humble Beginnings Adventure at the end of September, and more importantly, our son Rob and Heather's wedding mid-October.

That our local quilt guild moved their annual show from spring to the end of September and our local melanoma fundraising 5k run/walk moved its schedule to the same weekend, both causing a conflict with the inaugural Humble Beginnings plans, has somehow not phased me. 'If we have it, they will come,' to paraphrase a movie title. Rick is confident. The other small-shop owners are confident, and so I will remain positive and be prepared despite the obstacles placed in our path. But I will hold back a bit on the optimism ... our daughter Trish would tell me that's a defense mechanism, but perhaps less taxing on my emotions than outright anxiety over failure would be.

My quilt shop is meant to be my happy place ... if it makes enough money to pay for its existence, I am content. I no longer see it as a source for increased income to replace that portion of my retirement lost through my early departure from the classrooms ... Once we thought we would have had enough to pay the bills and do some traveling,.. but when MS cut that planned 'extra money' out of my pension, and the quilt shop expenses began to outreach its income, it had to become our 'instead of traveling we can be happy here at home' plan ... and it has.

It is always delightful when a new customer finds us online and comes to visit the shop ... most all enter and immediately smell the scent of Rick's woodworking, and see his beautiful plaques and the strong shelves that display an abundance of colorful fabrics. When they move through the rooms and find the little treasures here and there, tucked between the shelves or in the cubbies that once were dressing rooms in this former dress shop (where yes, I did buy the going away dress for my wedding forty-six years ago) their exclamations of surprise and appreciation warm our souls and cheer our spirits.

And when our 'regulars' arrive to share a photo of their projects, or look for 'just the right color' to finish one, their smiles are met by our own, and the thank yous and your welcomes overlap comfortably.

Helen and Henry are still perched on their bench watching over the shop and us, holding out to us the promise that we will still be here enjoying this happy place when we, too, reach the sixtieth anniversary of our wedding as we turn eighty, proud and self-sufficient shop owners that we are becoming.

As for reviewing books (the original goal of this  particular blog )... I am challenged by the lesions in my brain which now are contributing to atrophy and some existent black holes, but have recently realized that although I cannot retain enough content in reading adult books, I can again enjoy reading and sharing children's books. While my reviewing vocabulary may be shrinking with those brain cells, it can only become easier for children to understand my take on the books that they can enjoy reading. And I will then set a new course for reading and reviewing, and may then find a new audience. Helen and Henry will be satisfied with that.

Meanwhile, I am back to publishing earlier writings of mine; here is a new collection of essays related to health:

Click here to find this book at Amazon,
or come into the shop
to buy a copy and save the shipping!

Thanks for stopping by!

It's a dog's life ... shared., August 5, 2015 By Author TCP "Author Terry Crawford Palardy" (Massachusetts) This review is from: Rumplepimple (The Adventures of Rumplepimple Book 1) (Kindle Edition) How often have you thought to yourself "I could write a book about that (dog, cat, kid, person, place, food, etc.)  Why don't you? Suzanne has entertained us with local columns in newspapers and magazines, and now she is sharing her dog stories. They are wonderful reads and will charm dog lovers and children alike. Here's my review of her first in a series: Rumplepimple is certainly living a dog's life. This charming fellow is a wire fox terrier who adores his two moms and endures his big sister, Chicken the cat. He discovers new talents which earn him tasty treats (though sometimes are unrecognizedd by the moms.) Having a "failure to communicate" with his two loves is his one challenge in life. But language aside, his strong emotional response to those in need is made evident in the story's climactic event. Rumplepimple comes through in a crisis with gentlemanly diplomacy, knowing when to strike the right pose and rescue the day! Of course, he is a dog and can't be held to human superhero standards, and so he does what a dog does now and then. In his own way, his behavior is still teaching others right from wrong. This is a delightful story for read-to ages and as enticing to beginning readers. It would also make a great elementary read, providing a discussion starting story of different perspective and social cues. Buy it for the dog lovers in your life, for the new readers in your life, and for yourself. As they say in the gentlemanly commercial, "I know you're going to love it~"

Looking Back, and Looking Ahead

This blog began four years ago as a place where I could record my reviews of others' books ... primarily, other independently-published authors whose books might otherwise not be reviewed for publication.

Of course, I was an independently-published author at the time, and earnestly seeking recognition of my own stories. When I joined the Facebook community of authors, I had the opportunity to read and review others, and they in turn sometimes read and reviewed my work.

In the second and third year of this blog, my reviewing began showing the benefit of continued practice, and I was proud to share the reviews I'd written.

In re-reading those early years of reviews, I am amazed that I have forgotten many of the stories themselves, and while it pleases me to read the reviews I was able to write, it humbles me to admit that I doubt I could do the same today.

As consistently as I deny the prognosis of MS, I have to recognize the damage that is happening to my cognitive skills. It is challenging now for me to sit and read a book with any cogent assimilation to the characters or setting. I seldom read for more than half an hour in a session, as I lose track of what I'd read in the first portion of that span of time by the time I am reading the second. I read and re-read things that I need to remember, and often try to jot down notes here on the computer to help me remember what it is I've read.

Those notes are not the polished reviews you'll read on earlier pages of this blog. They are simply notes ... reminders for myself, or responses to my friends in email-style conversation. Sometimes, the synapses are firing late at night, when the house is quiet, the television off and the others asleep ... I love my "others" ... my husband and my son, my friends on Facebook ... and I love my quiet time, when I can think and try to remember, and write what I might one day forget.

My recent year of postings here has a different focus, a different content. That's because I'm unable to read book after book as I used to do. I'm reading, but slowly, more consciously than fluently.

If you're looking for some good reviews of good books, I invite you to find the menu of dates in the right column, and choose some from the earlier years of this blog. I've read some great books of independent authors, and though I don't remember many of them now as I once did, it is pleasant to re-read my reviews of them, and try to remember more of the stories themselves.

I still have at least one more book to finish - maybe two - in my new mystery series. When I began Helen and Henry's story, I thought I might get four or five books written about their love. That may have been overly-ambitious, as I've been unable to finish, in the past year, their second book. Life has a way of going on, whether a task is finished or not. I've been pretty consumed by starting my own quilt and fabric shop these past eighteen months ... it's a different context for my life ... different setting, different characters, different energies.

I am doing what I can still do well ... which is to say I am still teaching, but in a hands-on way ... with more about creativity and less about skill-sets. Rick and I both participate in a montly "mind mapping" group where we sit with other independent artists and brainstorm, critique and celebrate our goals and accomplishments. It helps keep each of us on track with what we plan to accomplish in our various endeavors. It gives us a sense of community, and a sense of belonging, and of value. It has helped me cope with the loss of the teaching community.

Thanks for stopping by today and reading this ramble. It may be a while before I'm back here with another book to share.  It's not that I'm not writing ... as I said, the context has changed, and so the site has changed.

You can read more of my 'new' life at my newer blog. You'll find it at
http://AtQuiltersQuarters.blogspot.com.  There are several different pages at that blog ... some are my quilt journals, some are my shop's offerings, one is about my new hobby of rescuing vintage sewing machines ... it's a picture of a new me.

Legends of the Lake, by Philip Nork

Philip Nork has captured the nostalgic memories we all wish we could share. A multi-generational cabin maintained for generations in one family, with stories that become family legends. The good, the bad and the forlorn all make appearances in this story, told with perspective, compassion and empathy in the wings. 

Philip Nork explores what many recognize as the American Dream, and does so with a sense of history, realism and truth. I would recommend his writings to history buffs, family accountants and wage earners past and present who struggled and continue to struggle to acquire the best for those they love. Love is a central theme in his writings, and Nork's stories resonate with its power.

Nork has many other books published, and a list of them can be seen at Goodreads here.  You can also find them at Amazon here. Check them out - you won't be disappointed.