Nothing to Lose

I think this is the 2nd Jack Reacher novel I have read. The author is Lee Child and the book is called "Nothing to Lose". This series of books is like a cross between James Bond and MacGyver. I have mixed feelings about this hero, however. He is very resourceful and clever. No situation, no matter how dire, seems to rattle him. He can be ruthless and yet sticks to the code of ethics and rules that he has set out for himself (the fight scenes are detailed and coldly executed). Yet, like James Bond, Jack Reacher seems to expect to sleep with every woman he ends up working with. This seems at odds with the rest of his practical, purposeful self. This tendency makes him so much less worthy of any respect in my book. Thankfully, in this book, the 1-2 pages of such scenes are easily skipped (totally unnecessary to the plot) and are never mentioned again. Other than some violence against the bad guys, the rest of the book is a clean read.

I enjoy the fact that the author keeps Jack, the hero, a mystery in some respects. I like the imaginative plots, the creative ingenuity of the protagonist (and the author) as this character seems to find himself in the middle of trouble time and again without ever looking for it. Each situation is more impossible, but Jack always prevails with lots of street smarts, advanced reasoning skills, much daring and a little luck. Very entertaining!

The Woods

I like a good mystery. This book, "The Woods" by Harlan Coben, had all the right stuff; good plot, suspense, good characterization and the book was not full of sex, graphic violence and language that modern suspense novels seem to include these days. I like a believable story about mystery and murder, but you don't need to detail every gory detail for me! The sleuth in this book is Paul Copeland, a widower with a 6 year old daughter, and the county prosecutor of Essex, NJ. He is methodical in his pursuit of justice and leaves no stone unturned to pursue the truth. A good guy that doesn't hesitate to use a little old fashioned intimidation with the bad guys when needed. I really liked that I could enjoy the story and not have to skip over any raunchy parts. Good writing and a great twist at the end makes this book a satisfying read. I'll be reading Mr. Coben's work again.

Folk Mittens & Knitting little luxuries

As is often the case, when I get interested in a subject, I read every book I can get my hands on that is related. This winter I have been learning how to take my knitting abilities beyond scarves and the knit stitch. As such I have had a steady stream of knitting books coming in and out of the house from my library. A few that have really caught my eye:

"Folk Mittens" by Marcia Lewandowski. This book features traditional folk patterns for mittens from all around the world including Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Asia and more. There are instructions for making a lined mitten and everything from the most simple solid color mittens to the most complex mittens using all the colors of the rainbow. If you have ever seen a Scandinavian sweater with all the complex snowflakes and stars, you can get an idea of what this book can teach you do with a mitten. I am hoping to give one of these patterns a try, if only I could make up my mind which pattern to try!


"Knitting little luxuries" by Louisa Harding. The pictures in this book are gorgeous and beautifully laid out. My librarian Melissa said that just looking at this book made her want to learn to knit! These are simple projects that are presented so appealingly that you might think the projects are complicated and beyond a beginner's skill. The book's presentation is what I would call Modern Victorian and the projects are divided into, "Eclectic and Quirky", "Textured and Modern", "Pretty and Feminine", and "Traditional and Folk". Every pattern has an updated modern feel. There are patterns for handbags, little neck scarves, gloves and mittens, lots of adorable hats, and more. The book includes a chapter on yarn information and a chapter on techniques, stitches and terms. This is one rare how-to book that I would consider purchasing. It would be a great source for gifts for all the females in your life.

The Apprenticeship of Doctor Laverty

I don't even remember where I came across the mention of this book, "The Apprenticeship of Doctor Laverty" by Patrick Taylor, but I am so pleased to have discovered it! This book is like a cross between Maeve Binchy and James Herriot, two of my favorite authors. The setting is in Northern Ireland in the 1960's. It is the story of a young doctor apprenticing for the first time with the brilliant yet eccentric Dr. O'Reilly, who has a busy practice in a small village by the sea.

The book is well-written with wonderful descriptions of the country-side and hilarious mannerisms and antics of the locals. Dr. O'Reilly uses all manner of un-orthodox methods to treat his patients, but at the end of the day, has their health and well-being as his first priority. Young Dr. Laverty learns many lessons about life and the reality of treating patients as he practices medicine for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already made plans to read the second in the series. I highly recommend this book!

Remember to Forget & Leaving November

From time to time I really do find a great book just browsing the shelves at my local library. "Remember to Forget" and "Leaving November" by Deborah Raney were two wonderful discoveries. I am not a big fan of contemporary Christian novels. Unfortunately I find that there is a lack of really good writing out there. Just because a novel has a Christian label on it, does not by any means ensure a well-written and researched book. In fact, I find that most of these kind of novels lack depth or realistic emotions.

These two books by Raney were a delight. Good stories about real people with past sins and mistakes who endeavor to work through their "issues" and start over. The setting is the small town of Clayburn, KS that becomes a haven for the main characters. The author did a great job of setting the scene and using descriptive details that made it easy to picture the characters and setting and become engaged in the storyline. A consistent thread of the gospel's transforming power is woven through the books without being "preachy" or seeming to be a required add-on. A good story, not edge of your seat, but heartwarming without being sickly sweet. These stories include a predictable love story, but one that focuses more on the character's personal growth and the very real challenges that exist when two sinners try to build a relationship. Next time I am in the mood for a good old fashioned love story I will track down another of Ms. Raney's books. The third in this series is due out soon.

Check out the author's blog at http://deborahraney.blogspot.com.

Zoia's Gold

A book I recently finished was "Zoia's Gold" by Philip Sington. The story backdrop in this book was unique and interesting. It follows the story of a Russian artist and mysteries surrounding her death and unusual art. An intriguing look into early 21st century Russia and the effects of the Bolshevik revolution, the lives displaced, the brutality and cruelty of war and the destruction of a culture. I found the history behind the story more interesting than the story itself. The author does a good job of letting the reader get a glimpse into those turbulent times and begin to ponder the motivations behind the upheaval. Frankly I found that Zoia, the main character, leaves much to be desired. She is very amoral, cold, sexually manipulative and seems spoiled and petulant. The story begins with her death and slowly we see the unraveling of her sad tale. Somehow, the author did not make me sympathetic to this character, despite the tragedies of her life. The other main character is a modern day art dealer who becomes obsessed with researching Zoia's life and art. His own life is a mess and he begins to project his problems into Zoia's life and gets a little messed up in the head by the end. This story seems to stretch this a little farther than what is realistic and in the end I am impatient with him as well.

This book is not top on my list of books to read and remember, however I still enjoyed reading about this period in history, and found it refreshing at least because of it's unique story style. Interestingly, Zoia was a real life artist. It's well-written, somewhat coarse (some really unnecessary sexuality) and tedious at times, not a book to read if you are depressed, but a book that I walked away from with new thoughts and perspectives on the Russian revolution. So that makes it worth my time.

The Private Patient

One of the first books I read this year is "The Private Patient" by PD James. I loved the authors superb use of description and language. It was a classic English mystery with lots of details, good character development and good old-fashioned suspense. Other than a few questionable moral conclusions, this is a "clean" read. The book is full of great passages like this:

"No doubt in the city centre the "Winterfest" was being appropriately celebrated by the official municipal decorations, but in this less privileged highway the individual and uncoordinated efforts of the local shopkeepers and cafe owners, the rain-soaked lanterns and faded bunting, the swinging lights blinking from red to green to yellow, and the occasional meanly decorated Christmas tree seemed less a celebration than a desperate defence against despair. The faces of the shoppers seen through the rain-besmirched side windows of the car had the melting insubstantial look of disintegrating wraiths" (pg. 210).

I love writing like this! It is a treat to read such mastery of language, and the clever use of just the right word at the right moment to produce the perfect mental picture in your mind. The plot was interesting, full of investigative details, but not overly suspenseful or stressful. The ending was not completely surprising (but sometimes endings that are, make me feel as though I have been manipulated and tricked by the author), but the ending was not predictable either. I did not like the bleeding through of the author's own biases and prejudices. I prefer a book that does not reveal the authors particular views on society and morality (unless it is very subtle). At times the storyline seemed a thin excuse for the author to trail off on a particular view, but thankfully this did not happen often. For instance, there is the token gay couple---completely unnecessary to the plot, and the "religious" person is predictably pathetic. The main character has thrown out religion altogether. This is a common trend in British novels.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. I have great respect for PD James' incredible mastery of language. It is a rare treat and one that very few authors today possess. The author is currently 88 years of age and this book was published in 2008. She has written 19 previous books and lives in London and Oxford.

I will be reading PD James' work again!