Books, Books, and More Books

It has been a crazy time lately. I haven't been posting so much lately. Instead I've been traveling, stripping wallpaper, and READING. I've got several to fill you in on. I'm heading off on more travel, so I'm sure I'll have more books soon!

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Socieity

Author: Trenton Lee Stewart

This was a crazy cute little book! I totally enjoyed it. It is a childrens book, along the lines of a Roald Dahl book. In fact I LOVED it. As you know, I love some childrens reading - so innocent and fun. In this book, Mr. Benedict is a really smart narcolepctic man who believes that the world is in danger. Who would be better people to save the world than a small group of children!?!?!? Through a series of tests he develops a team, and they infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened (LIVE). Reynie, Sticky, Katie, and Constance kept my attention, and brought me some laughs during their adventures! I highly reccomend for those who enjoy some child-like fun, or for those whose children love to read.

Title: Suite Francais

Author: Irene Nemirovsky

We read this novel for our Book People club last month. The backstory is that Nemirovsky was a Russian immigrant living in Paris at the beginning of WWII. She was a published author, a mother, a wife, and a Jew. Her goal was to write a book much like a piece of music, with several movements that drew together to form a cohesive work. She completed two novellas before being taken to Auschwietz by the Germans.

The book was set during her time - it told the stories of a number of different French families during WWII. The first dealt with the invasion of Paris and the escape and later return of her countrymen. The second novella dealt with the occupation, primarily through the eyes of the thos living in rural villages. The books were quite well written despite never having gone through the official editorial-author cycle. It was a good book, and I was more drawn into it considering the things that were going on in Nemirovsky's life and how well she captured what we now know as WWII. I would have enjoyed seeing how the novellas drew together in the end.

Title: Christine Falls
Author: Benjamin Black

I had looked at this book a while back while at the large chain book-box. I hadn't picked it up because my pile of "to read" was pretty large at the time. Later, Laura from Lorelei Books reccomended it to me, and I have to say, it was a good reccomendation. Apparently Black is one of the new 'It' boys of mystery - in the genre of crime noir. This novel was set in1950's Dublin, as told by a pathologist with a love of whiskey. It starts out with a crazy night in which he drunkenly stumbles into the morgue and finds his brother in law writing on a chart. The next morning the body in question has disappeared! Eventually Quirke finds himself wondering what is going on - and he is pulled into a cross-continental muck of questions that has the reader guessing and involves a lot more than just the brother in law and Ms. Christine Falls. Personally, there were a few twists at the end that I didn't pick up on beforehand.

Book: The Schooling of Claybrid Catts

Author: Janis Owens

This text was the June book for my other book club. It goes through the life of one Claton "Claybird" Catts, starting with the day of his fathers death. Poor Claybird is the youngest of three children, living in a rural town on the Gulf Coast. He is also cursed with being the dumb son with 'geniuses' for older siblings. Somehow Claybird makes it past his father's death at the age of 12, and life goes on. Eventually the black sheep Uncle Gabe comes back to the family, and the dysfunctia comes out full force! At this point they figure out he is dyslexic, and he really comes out of his shell. Eventually the world falls apart and the schooling becomes a metaphore for Claybird growing up and learning to deal with and love his family during those ever so difficult teen years. I really enjoyed this book - as did everyone else in the book club. In fact, it is the only book we've all Enjoyed thus far. A definite thumbs up on this one.

Title: The Novice's Tale

Title: The Servant's Tale

Author: Margaret Frazer

These are the first two mysteries in the Sister Frivesse series written by Frazer. Sister Frivesse is a Benedictine nun living in 1430's England. She leads a quiet life, sheltered in the cloister. Mysteriously enough, Frivesse also happens to be the granddaughter of famed author Geofrey Chaucer! The title of each mystery refers to a character from the Canterbury Tales. In the Novice's tale the aunt of the convent's novice falls ill while visiting, and a couple of mysterious deaths follow. Of course, the aunt wants to remove the novice while all Thomasine wants to do is stay in the convent. The crowner comes to town and Frivesse solves the mystery before he does! The Servant's tale deals with the mysterious death of a local peasant and drunk. His wife is a servent St. Frideswide's convent. Once again the death's start piling up without any good resolution. Sister Frevisse comes to the rescue and saves the day! An all together enjoyable series suggested by my cousin Abby and my Auntie Barbara.