WWW Wednesdays (October 10th)

To play along just answer the following three (3) questions…

*What are you currently reading?

*What did you recently finish reading?

*What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to you post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I’m still reading this. I’m surprised. Usually when I’m this into a story I would have been done long ago. I’m reading everything slowly at the moment though. I’m sure it will pick back up soon.

The Lost Chalice by Vernon Silver

This could be interesting but I don’t think I’ve gotten far enough in to truly be involved with the story yet. We shall see.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

Black Count by Tom Reiss

This is very interesting. I didn’t know about this guy at all. For those who are interested in French history or are fans of Dumas.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Looking for Przybylski by K. C. Frederick

It’s a book I got for review so I’d like to get going on that soon.

Euclid's Window Review

Euclid’s Window by Leonard Mlodinow

(from the book jacket)

Through Euclid’s Window Leonard Mlodinow brilliantly and delightfully leads us on a journey through five revolutions in geometry, from the Greek concept of parallel lines to the latest notions of hyperspace.  Here is an altogether new, refreshing, alternative history of math revealing how simple questions anyone might ask about space – in the living room or in some other galaxy – have been the hidden engine of the highest achievements in science and technology.

Mlodinow reveals how geometry’s first revolution began with a “little” scheme hatched by Pythagoras: the invention of a system of abstract rules that could model the universe.  That modest idea was the basis of scientific civilization.  Nut further advance was halted when the Western mind nodded off into the Dark Ages.  Finally in the fourteenth century an obscure bishop in France invented the graph and heralded the next revolution: the marriage of geometry and number.  Then, while intrepid mariners were sailing back and forth across the Atlantic to the New World, a fifteen-year-old genius realized that, like the earth’s surface, space could be curved.  Could parallel lines really meet?  Could the angles of a triangle really add up to more – or less – than 180 degrees?  The curved-space revolution reinvented both mathematics and physics; it also set the stage for a patent office clerk named Einstein to add time to the dimensions of space.  His great geometric revolution ushered in the modern era of physics.

Today we are in the midst of a new revolution.  At Caltech, Princeton, and universities around the world, scientists are recognizing that all the varied and wondrous forces of nature can be understood through geometry – a weird new geometry.  It is a thrilling math of extra, twisted dimensions, in which space and time, matter and energy, are all intertwined and revealed as consequences of a deep underlying structure of the universe.

Mlodinow tackles what some people would think would be a dry topic and manages to infuse some wit into it.  You can tell that he really loves his topic and wants the reader to as well.  He explains the math and gives you examples to help you understand.  And they are very helpful (although I must say that his examples using his sons start to get a little annoying after a while.)  He explains the beginnings of geometry and how it progressed and reasons why it was, at times, held back due to politics and religion and other things (which puts a lot of history in the book that you normally wouldn’t think of as having anything to do with math.)  It starts out with things I learned in school, like the Pythagorean Theorem and coordinates on a x/y graph and other things I recognized and then moved on to more complex things like string theory which I had no prior knowledge of.  I started out fine and could follow well enough but as the book went on and the theories got more complex I had a harder and harder time keeping up and often had to reread a passage to understand it (and sometimes never totally did.)  It is obviously a book for a particular audience and is not for everyone but if you are interested enough to pick up the book in the first place I don’t think you will be disappointed.  It is well written and Mlodinow knows his stuff and his love of the topic comes through and infects the reader.

The Narwhal Review

The Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Fred Bruemmer

(from the book jacket)

The narwhal is an ivory-tusked whale that lives in the High Arctic.  Unlike its popular cousin, the beluga, the narwhal is largely unknown, yet its story is one of the most fascinating in the natural world.

The fictional unicorn owes its existence to the elusive narwhal.  All the so-called unicorn horns in museums and palaces throughout the world are, in fact, narwhal tusks.  This whale’s remote habitat enabled the narwhal-unicorn connection to become one of the best-kept trade secrets of all time.  For centuries, it was in the best interests of narwhal hunters and traders to maintain the unicorn legend – the ten-foot-long “unicorn horn” was worth ten times its weight in gold.

In stunning photographs and an intriguing text, Fred Bruemmer explores the unicorn myth and natural history of the narwhal.  Interesting information about migration patterns, physiology, hunting methods, predators, breeding and young reveal the narwhal’s world for the first time in book form.  The author’s own experiences with scientists studying the narwhal and with Inuit of Greenland and Canada who hunt it add a personal note to this story of one of the world’s most mysterious creatures.

The narwhal is rare in much of its range.  It is hoped that this beautiful book will help make people aware of this marvelous whale and efforts to protect it in its High Artic home.

There is a lot of information here, and it is interesting, unfortunately most of it isn’t about narwhals.  At least not live narwhals.  There is a lot told about the myth of unicorns and why so many people wanted unicorn horns and were willing to spend so much money to get them.  And there is a lot about how the narwhal tusks were sold as unicorn horns and how they ended up all over the place.  There is a lot about the Inuit and how they hunt narwhals.  But about live swimming narwhals?  Not so much.  There are some great pictures.  (Once again many of them not of narwhals.)  I learned a lot in this book just not about what I thought I would.  So if you are not interested in the use of unicorn horn in medicine, or the history of the narwhal hunt, or the trade route of the tusks then don’t bother with this one.

The Friday 56 (October 5th)

Rules:


*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it to Freda's Voice.
*Add your (url) post to Linky on Freda’s post


The book is Black Count by Tom Reiss. It is about the father of the author Alexandre Dumas and it turns out he was a very interesting guy and the inspiration for many things in Dumas’ books.


Life in the French capital was complicated for a young mulatto aristocrat, and, as Thomas-Alexandre would shortly discover, he was alone neither in his unlikely fortune nor in the risks that increasingly accompanied it.

Theme Thursday (Kid)

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one Thursday to the next. Hosted by Reading Between Pages.


Anyone can participate in it.

The rules are simple:

•A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
•Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
•Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
•It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word) Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”


This week’s theme is – KID (child, toddler, baby, boy etc.)


A terrible event had befallen their younger daughter, Louise, a toddler of thirteen months.

- Black Count by Tom Reiss

WWW Wednesdays (October 3rd)

To play along just answer the following three (3) questions…

*What are you currently reading?

*What did you recently finish reading?

*What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to you post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

Black Count by Tom Reiss

It is about the father of Alexandre Dumas who was his inspiration for many of his stories.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I just started this one so I can’t say much but even in the first few pages it is showing promise.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Mourner by Richard Stark

Violence, crime and the double cross. What’s not to like?

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Lost Chalice by Vernon Silver

I’m still trying to finish up my non-fiction non-memoir reading challenge so if it isn’t this one it will be another non-fiction one.

Law of Superheroes Review

The Law of Superheroes by James Daily, J.D. and Ryan Davidson, J.D.

James Daily and Ryan Davidson are attorneys and comic enthusiasts and they explain what the hypothetical legal ramifications of many comic book issues.  You’ll learn if life in prison for an immortal would be cruel and unusual punishment or if a superhero would be able to get his stuff back from the heirs if he happens to come back from the grave.

These are real attorneys citing real cases and talking about real law things.  So even though we are talking about Spider-Man and Superman and a bunch of other imaginary people you learn a lot about the law.  I’m not saying that you can pass the bar exam after reading this but you will definitely know stuff you didn’t know before you read it.  (Unless you are an attorney yourself.)  There are words like pursuant and other legal words but the book is not hard to understand.  Many times the law will be quoted which could be hard to understand but then you are given an example of what it would look like in the real world (well, kind of) to help it make sense.  There were only a couple of times when a term was used and then not explained so it takes you a minute but eventually you can work it out for yourself.  It’s fun for anyone who likes comics and you get a good overview of law from copyright to immigration from criminal procedure to rights of privacy and everything in between.  I found it all very interesting and would not have picked up a law book if it weren’t for the unique approach.

A Cup Full of Midnight Review

A Cup Full of Midnight by Jaden Terrell

(from the book jacket)

At thirty-six, private detective Jared McKean is coming to terms with his unjust dismissal from the Nashville Murder Squad and an unwanted divorce from a woman he still loves. Jared is a natural horseman and horse rescuer whose son has Down Syndrome, whose best friend is dying of AIDS, and whose teenaged nephew, Josh, has fallen under the influence of a dangerous fringe of goth subculture. When the fringe group's leader - a mind-manipulating sociopath who considers himself a vampire - is found butchered and posed across a pentagram, Josh is the number one suspect. Jared will need all his skills as a private investigator and former homicide detective to match wits with the most terrifying killer he has ever seen. When he learns that Josh is next on the killer's list, Jared will risk his reputation, his family, and his life in a desperate attempt to save the boy he loves like a son.

This is rather gory and dark.  The original murder is truly gruesome and described in some detail.  So if you don’t want to hear about entrails this is not for you.  The story is filled with suspects that all had good reason to want the murdered man dead and figuring out which one of them got to him first keeps the reader guessing.  Jared, the detective, is an interesting figure that has many things going on in his life besides the murder so you get a nice picture of who he is as a whole and not just a one dimensional cop.  You even get a good picture of the murdered man even though you never actually get to meet him.  The only character I didn’t really understand was the maybe new girlfriend.  She seemed shoved in somehow and I can only hope it is setting something up for future books because she seemed out of place here.  There are a lot of themes running through this book; love, loss, hate, loyalty, betrayal, vengeance.  It even looks at evil in men and the intricate workings of the mind and how it can be manipulated and twisted.  And they are all worked in well.  The story moves quickly but I wouldn’t call it light reading.  It is a hard edged mystery and can get pretty grim at times.  Don’t read this if you are depressed.  But if you want something more than a cozy mystery this will do the trick.

Ranchero Vocabulary

Ranchero by Rick Gavin

Miscegenation: marriage or cohabitation between a man and woman of different races, especially, in the U.S., between a black and a white person

Lyceum: an institution for popular education providing discussions, lectures, concerts, etc.

Atavistic: of, pertaining to, or characterized by atavism; reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type.

Etude: a musical composition, usually instrumental, intended mainly for the practice of some point of technique.

Muriatic: (not in scientific use) of or derived from muriatic acid.

Endomorph: a mineral enclosed within another mineral

Meg Review

Meg by Steve Alten

(from the book jacket)

On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean’s deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with the largest and most ferocious predator in the history of the animal kingdom.  The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor is haunted by what he’s sure he saw but still can’t prove exists – Carcharodon megalodon, the massive mother of the great white shark.  The average prehistoric Meg weighs in at twenty tons and could tear apart a Tyrannosaurus rex in seconds.

Written off as a crackpot suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Taylor refuses to forget the depths that nearly cost him his life.  With a Ph. D. in paleontology under his belt, Taylor spends years theorizing, lecturing, and writing about the possibility that Meg still feeds at the deepest levels of the sea.  But it takes an old friend in need to get him to return to the water, and a hotshot female submarine pilot to dare him back into a high-tech miniature sub.

Diving deeper than he ever has before, Taylor will face terror like he’s never imagined, and what he finds could turn the tides bloody red until the end of time.

Meg is exactly what you are expecting it to be.  A highly improbable plot where a megalodon has survived and is now terrorizing the oceans.  You have all the usual characters: the save the shark crew, the kill the shark crew, the expert no one listens to until it’s too late.  There aren’t too many surprises.  You are not going to be blown away by the great writing or intricate plotting.  But if you are picking up the book in the first place I don’t really think that’s what you’re looking for.  It was what I was in the mood for at the time so I enjoyed reading it.  It has the appropriate amount of people getting eaten, bloody scenes, people getting in each other’s way and good plans going wrong along with some mayhem and things exploding.  There were even some shark facts thrown in.  And a few people who you honestly didn’t know if they would get eaten or not.  Good stuff.  If you like that sort of thing.

Bookin' Giveaways

Bookin' With Bingo is having a bunch of giveaway (as usual).  You should head on over and check them out.

For The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich go here.  Ends July 22nd.

For An Unsuitable Bride by Jane Feathers go here.  Ends July 29th.

For Murder for Choir by Joelle Charbonneau go here.  Ends July 29th.

For Bloodline by James Rollins go here.  Ends July 29th.

For Eat the City by Robin Schulman go here.  Ends July 31st.

For Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams go here.  Ends July 31st.

For Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot go here.  Ends July 31st.

For an audio copy of The Nightmare by Lars Kepler go here.  Ends July 31st.

All giveaway end at 6PM EST on the date mentioned.  All giveaways are open to the US only, no PO boxes.

And as always there is a list of giveaways you can check here.

The Friday 56 (July 13th)

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it to Freda's Voice.
*Add your (url) post to Linky on Freda’s post

The book is Culinary Reactions by Simon Quellen Field. It is about the science behind cooking. There are even chemical diagrams in here. I understand some of it though.


To round out the flavor palate, it’s good to excite the sweet sensors and the sour sensors on the tongue as well. (I’ll let someone else devise a good-tasting recipe that also excites the two bitter sensors – I’d just as soon avoid those myself.)

WWW Wednesdays (July 11th)

To play along just answer the following three (3) questions…


*What are you currently reading?
*What did you recently finish reading?
*What do you think you’ll read next?


Leave a link to you post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.



What are you currently reading?

Euclid’s Window by Leonard Mlodinow
It’s all about geometry. Not for everyone but so far it is very readable and doesn’t have too many numbers.


Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Fred Bruemmer
So far this has been equal parts about unicorn myths and narwhals.



What did you recently finish reading?

A Cup Full of Midnight by Jaden Terrell
A murder mystery that got pretty dark and was kind of gruesome at times. If you’re okay with that it is a good book.



What do you think you’ll read next?

Culinary Reactions by Simon Quellen Field
I just picked it up from the library and it looks pretty interesting. Besides I’m kind of behind on my non-fiction reading challenge and need to get going on that.

Last Unicorn Movie vs. Book

The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle

The Last Unicorn with Alan Arkin and Jeff Bridges

A unicorn comes to believe that she is the last unicorn in the world and sets out to see if she can find any others.

In broad strokes the story in the movie and the book are the same.

The unicorn sets out on a journey to find other unicorns.  She meets up with Schmendrick the magician and Molly Grue and heads toward King Haggard’s castle to solve the mystery of the missing unicorns.  But the book is deeper somehow.  It is also infinitely sadder.  Schmendrick is a bit of a clown in the movie, when his tricks go wrong it’s funny but in the book he is not a character that can be laughed at, he is to be pitied.  There is a dark gloomy feeling to the entire book that doesn’t completely come across in the movie and I think it loses something.  As with most book to movie conversions parts were cut for the movie.  There is a whole cursed town in the book that doesn’t show up in the movie.  There are a few other things that don’t show up too but mostly things that the story could work around, it still works without them.  The cut that really makes a difference is the time table.  Things happen more quickly in the movie.  The slow loss of hope, the creeping despair is lost in the movie and it fails to have the same impact.  The movie was okay but the book was great.  

Knight in History Review

The Knight in History by Frances Gies

(from the back of the book)

For six centuries the medieval knight dominated the battlefields and stirred the imagination of the Western world. Born out of the chaos of the early Middle Ages, the armored, mounted warrior revolutionized warfare and became the keystone of the new political structure of feudalism. Alarmed by his excesses, the Church first attempted to tame him, then enlisted him in its own enterprises – above all, the First Crusade of 1095. The Church’s efforts to Christianize the knight gave him a status sought even by kings and princes, and he was celebrated by the troubadours, trouveres, and their successors, including the fabricators of the legend of King Arthur and the Round Table.

In the end, the knight was anachronistically stranded in the age of gunpowder and the national state, but memory of him proved durable. In a long “Indian summer,” which stretched into modern times, knighthood was revived and recalled with affectionate myopia – its faults forgotten, its virtues exaggerated. Here, at last, is the real picture of knighthood.


This is obviously very well researched. And it is equally obvious that Gies knows what he is talking about. The knight is a very broad topic and spans over a long period of time and over many countries and cultures. So the information is pretty dense. Gies looks into the beginnings of knighthood and how the institution changed over time. He shows how the equipment, funding and even function changed and how they turned to poetry and song and ended up fighting for the church. It is impossible, of course, to pull the knight out of the history that he took part in and also impossible to go in-depth into all of that history but Gies strikes a pretty good balance. There were times when a lot of names were mentioned that didn't get much of an introduction and a history buff would probably have no trouble with that but some of the names ended up meaning nothing to me. But he also takes a close look at a couple of particular knights that gives the reader a better idea of the life of a knight more than an overview could do. It isn't the most readable history book I've ever read but that doesn't mean it wasn't interesting. You just have to have a true, and I would say, slightly more than casual interest to make it worth your time.

Castle in the Air Review

Castle in the Air by Donald Westlake

(from the book jacket)

A castle is about to be dismantled and flown to Paris where it will be reassembled for an international exhibit of architectural styles.  But a deposed South American dictator has hidden his entire fortune of cash, stocks, and jewelry inside twelve stones of the castle.  Lida Perez, a sexy and fiery revolutionary who wants to get her hands on the loot to further her political cause, enlists the aid of British master-criminal Eustace Dench to mastermind the heist.

When Dench assembles his working gang of thieves, they turn out to be the Who’s Who of Europe’s Most Wanted List – Sir Mortimer Maxwell, doddering but dangerous, peppery Rosa Palermo, sly Jean LeFraque, and Vito Palone, who is whisked from his peaceful retirement in jail to join the biggest, most elaborate heist the world has ever known.

This book is written in a way that makes it sound as if the narrator is talking to you, like he is telling you the story.  I think the casual tone and laid back way that things are said add to the humor of the situation.  I also think that it is one of the reasons that the book is so easy and quick to read.  Westlake has a knack for a good comic crime.  And he makes watching this international group of thieves stealing a castle a lot of fun.  The humor does get almost slap stick at times with all the people falling into canals and no one understanding anyone else because they all speak different languages, but it is also witty.  The actual crime is not the end of the story here.  You get to see it planned and then perpetrated but then you get to see after the crime where everything starts to fall apart.  It’s fun to watch the group breakup and reform and morph along the way as you follow the money and try to figure out you is going to get what by the time everything is said and done.  It’s an entertaining and quick story for anyone who likes a little fun with their crime.

WWW Wednesdays (July 4th)

To play along just answer the following three (3) questions...

*What are you currently reading?

*What did you recently finish reading?

*What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

A lot of ‘80’s pop culture references.  I get most of them but I don’t know if anyone younger than me will remember all this stuff.  Although I think gamers will like this book.

What did you recently finish reading?

Dolphin People by Torsten Krol

A very interesting book.  And slightly odd.  I think I liked it. 

What do you think you’ll read next?

A Cup Full of Midnight by Jaden Terrell

I got it from the Early Reviewers from Librarything and I’m trying to keep on top of the reviews I have to write so I want to get started on it soon.

What's Your Opinion on Giveaways?

Pretty Opinionated is giving away some really cool stuff.  I'd get over there and check it out if I were you.

For a $25 Bath and Body Works gift card go here.  Open to US residents 18+.  Ends July 11th.

For a Kindle Fire ($200 Amazon gift card) go here. Open internationally.  Ends July 13th.

For an autographed copy of The Light Tamer by Devyn Dawson and a $50 Amazon gift card go here.  Open to the US only for those 13+.  Ends July 24th.

For a $100 Amazon gift card and a set of autographed books by Olivia Hardin plus some jewelry go here.  The gift card and ebooks are open internationally but the books and the jewelry are open to the US only.  Ends July 30th.

For the Immortal Voyage Book Tour where you can win a Kindle, books, a necklace and some swag go here.  Open to the US and Canada for those 18+.  Ends August 6th.

Trollhunter Review

Trollhunter

With Otto Jespersen

Three students think they are making a documentary about a bear poacher only to find that he is not hunting bears, but trolls.



I’m not a fan of movies that use the ‘found footage’ format. Where you have supposedly real footage shot by an amateur or film crew or something. And this is one of those. So you have all the odd camera movements and shots of the ground and bad sound quality that comes with that. It can also be a bit boring at times and is very slow to get started. I do like the story though. It is a fun concept and it is interesting to hear the troll facts (about the different kinds, how to kill them, how to contain them etc.) and the characters are pretty good too. And I like how they did the trolls themselves and that you got to see the trolls in more than just a blurry spot as the camera flashes by. There is some action as they run for their lives and fight trolls and some tense moments as you wonder if they will survive but there is a lot of footage of the forest and footage of interviews with people so it does slow down a lot at times. I liked it but I wouldn’t say it was great. And definitely not for someone who wants a non-stop action sort of movie.

Whiplash River Review

Whiplash River by Lou Berney

(from the back of the book)

Having left his life of crime behind, former getaway driver Charles “Shake” Bouchon has finally realzed the dream of owning his own restaurant in Belize. To do so, unfortunately, he’s had to go deep in debt to a murderous local drug lord named Baby Jesus.  And then when Shake thwarts an attempted hit on an elderly customer named Quinn, things go from bad to worse.

Next thing Shake knows, his restaurant’s gone up in flames and he’s on the run from Baby Jesus, two freelance assassins, and a beautiful but ferocious FBI agent.  Out of options, Shake has to turn for help to the mysterious Quinn.  Suddenly Shake’s up to his neck in a dangerous score that he’ll never pull off unless he can convince an even more dangerous ex-girlfriend to join him.

I liked Whiplash River.  It was fast and funny.  It was part thriller, part action and part heist book.  The characters were quirky and interesting while still being believable.  Berney manages to take some familiar elements; the slightly bumbling would be sidekick, the woman cop out to prove something, the ex-con trying to go good, the heist that keeps spinning further and further out of control and keep them from being derivative, cliché and stale.  It has a good pace and enough action and surprises that there are no slow spots and it keeps your attention right to the end.  It all comes together for a book that is enjoyable to read without much thinking involved.  But I don’t know how much will stick with me.  A month from now I’ll remember I liked the book and would read another by Berney but I don’t think I’ll be able to tell you the plot.  But it was fun while it lasted.

Age of Miracles Review

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker


(from the publisher)
On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, twelve-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. Amidst this altered environment, Julia also faces a new kind of transformation – growing up. Coping with the normal disasters of everyday life (the loss of friends, struggles in her parents’ marriage, and the anguish of first love) she grapples to find her way on a changing world.


This is a book about a natural disaster. But it is a rather slow disaster. The slowing Earth wreaks havoc with nature and causes all sorts of problems but there is no yelling and running. There is nothing to escape from. It is the kind of thing you can't even see. So people have time to think and ponder instead of just react. You see how they respond when their world slowly starts to fall apart around them, when there is no enemy to fight, when there is not even an explanation for what is happening. As the natural world starts to change society changes with it. As people try to make sense of it and the government tries to hold things together you can see people turn on some and come together with others, and how the stress illuminates and exacerbates problems that were already there along with creating new ones. And all of these things are seen through the eyes of a girl who is just trying to grow up. So the book ends up being about the disaster, about the lives and relationships of the people and about how society, government and individuals deal with a crisis, with a little coming-of-age thrown in. Since the story is told from the perspective of the girl that the narrator was it has a specific focus. To her the immediate consequences with friends and family are more important than the bigger picture so that is more of what we see. It is very easy to read so the story, although it has a leisurely pace, goes quickly. The end does leave you wondering. But not in a bad, the author didn't finish the book way. I can't even tell you exactly what I liked about this book. I just found it very enjoyable to read.

WWW Wednesdays (April 25th)

To play along just answer the following three (3) questions...

*What are you currently reading?

*What did you recently finish reading?

*What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of ShouldBe Reading.

What are you currently reading?

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

I’m beginning to wonder if I read too many kid’s books.

Sweet Invention by Michael Krondl

It’s the history of dessert.  I haven’t gotten very far.  I got distracted by Peter Pan.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

Sad and sweet.  Dark but hopeful. Good characters.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Child Thief by Brom

It’s inspired by Peter Pan and the reason I picked up Peter Pan in the first place.

Hush Money Review

Hush Money by Robert B. Parker

(from the book jacket)

When Robinson Nevins, the son of Hawk’s boyhood mentor, is denied tenure at the University, Hawk asks Spenser to investigate.  It appears the denial is tied to the suicide of a young gay activist, Prentice Lamont.  While intimations of an affair between Lamont and Nevins have fed the campus rumor mill, no one is willing to talk, and as Spenser digs deeper he is nearly drowned in a multicultural swamp of politics: black, gay, academic, and feminist.

At the same time, Spenser’s inamorata, Susan, asks him to come to the aid of an old college friend, K.C. Roth, the victim of a stalker.  Spenser solves the problem a bit too effectively, and K.C., unwilling to settle for the normal parameters of the professional-client relationship, becomes smitten with him, going so far as to attempt to lure him from Susan.  When Spenser, ever chivalrous, kindly rejects her advances, K.C. turns the tables and begins to stalk him.

Then the case of Robinson Nevins turns deadly.  It is, Spenser discovers, only the tip of the iceberg in a great conspiracy to keep America white, male, and straight.  Spenser must call upon his every resource, including friends on both sides of the law, to stay alive.

I think the reasons I liked this book are the same reasons I like Spenser books in general.  Spenser and Hawk are great characters.  They are tough guys without being stupid; they are smart guys without being annoying.  And their friendship comes through as real and believable.  You can tell by the way they talk to each other that they have known each other for a long time.  And the book is written with a lot of wit.  So it’s fun to read.  It deals with issues like prejudice and racism without reading like an after school special or a sermon and without belittling the problem.  And since I tend to get annoyed when books preach at me, I appreciated that.  The plot line about Nevins was more interesting to me than the other one but both were fine.  But I was more interested in the people than in either of them.  If you like detective/PI novels and haven’t read any Spenser, you should.  If not this one than another.  They are easy to get hooked on.

Bless Their Hearts Mom Giveaways

Bless Their Hearts Mom is giving stuff away!  Run over there and check it out.

For These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen go here.  Open until April 17th to the US and Canada.

For The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark go here.  Open until April 22nd to the US and Canada.

For The 5 Love Languages of Children by Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell go here.  Open until April 24th to the US and Canada.

For The Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch go here.  Open until April 25th to the US and Canada.

For the Top Shelf giveaway (you get to pick one book from a nice list) go here.  Open until April 30th to the US and Canada.

The Planets Review

The Planets by Dava Sobel

(from the book jacket)

The Sun’s family of planets becomes a familiar place in this guided tour of other worlds.  Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the lens of popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history.  Whether revealing what lies behind Venus’s cocoon of acid clouds of capturing firsthand the excitement at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when pictures from Cassini at Saturn are beamed to Earth, this intimate account is filled with fascination, beauty, and surprise.

There is a chapter for each planet (Pluto, the sun, and the moon have chapters too) and each chapter takes a different approach.  In most you get some of the same facts like the rotation speed and atmospheric composition and such so you do get some text book like information but there is more to it than that.  Venus is about beauty and includes poetry, Mars is told in the voice of a fragment found on Earth, Saturn talks about the music of the spheres, and Jupiter explores the astrology of the planet.  It is a rather brief introduction to each planet and does not go in-depth very much but the unique approach makes it less a study of the science of the planets and makes it a stargazer’s wondering look at the universe.  It is meant to teach you something but also to show you the wonder, imagination and glory of the planets.