Book Reviews

 Here are a few things I've been reading recently.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey, Adult Fiction, 2012

The Snow Child is the best book I've read in a while. Instantly, the prose and story drew me in and held me until the end.  I wasn't alone in my enjoyment, as the book was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. There have been an opera and a play based on the book.

The book was inspired by the fairy tale of the Snow Maiden, in which an elderly, childless couple creates a snow girl who comes to life. In The Snow Child, we find Jack and Mable homesteading in Alaska in the 1920s. They left Pennsylvania after the stillbirth of their child to start over far away from everyone.

One evening, they build a snow girl, and soon thereafter, a mysterious girl shows up. She appears and disappears unpredictably, and others don't believe she is real. I was compelled to keep reading to understand the mystery and mystique surrounding the girl, and her effects on Jack and Mabel. So, I won't give away any more about what ensues, so you can discover it for yourself.

The Alaska frontier is a harsh place and acts as a character in the story. The book does a good job of exploring the subtleties of relationships, including the difficulties. Even when there were problems between Jack and Mabel, you know that they still have a deep love for each other. I liked that.

While reading the book, I could feel the cold and see the landscape that was being described. The author grew up and still lives in Alaska, and that is evident. I recommend this book, but be forewarned, there are many scenes of hunting and gutting animals. But these were very much the reality of the time. However, those are easy enough to skip over if you want.

From Cradle to Grave by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2025

I finally did it! I read all of the Royal Spyness* books when I finished #19, From Cradle to Grave. And I can say that until the next one comes out in November 2026. I don't think I've ever read all the books in a series this long before. I usually read a couple and then move on. I liked following the story arc of the main characters across books, so I may do it again. 

In this book, we find Georgie at home in Eynsleigh with her infant son, husband, and servants. Then her dreaded sister-in-law, Fig, hires a nanny for the baby. Both Fig and the Nanny show up, and no one is happy. In the meantime, Georgie hears about 4 recent deaths among young, rich men and thinks there is a connection, and she sets out to prove the hunch she is feeling. 

I thought this book was okay, but not as good as some of the other ones. But when you have 19 books in a series, there is bound to be some variability. I had a hard time believing that Georgie could see a connection among the victims, but once I accepted it, I was okay as she went about gathering clues.  And as always, in the end, all is well.

* The Royal Spyness books follow Georgie, 35th in line to the British Throne, in the 1930s, as she stumbles onto murder after murder. There are castles, rich people, royalty, and many class restrictions that surround the stories. Despite being royalty, Georgie has no money, which causes a set of problems all its own. The stories are in historically accurate settings, and humorous relief is provided by her inept maid, Queenie.

The Teacher of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri, Children's historical fiction (elementary and middle grades), 2025

I found this book very interesting. It takes place during World War II in Iran when it was occupied by British and Soviet forces. They were trying to prevent Germany from accessing Iranian oil. I hadn't heard of Iran's role in World War II, so this was all new information for me. Even though Iran declared itself neutral, the occupation brought about many of the same effects as the countries that were actively involved. 

The story features the children, Babak and his little sister, Sana. Their mother died years ago, and their father died recently from the effects of a bomb. Babak makes a promise that they will stay together even as they are sent to live with different people.

 Babak's father was a teacher among the Nomads and carried a blackboard on his back as he traveled for his teachings. His son saves it and also carries it on his back as he and his sister travel about. After leaving their "homes", they try to hook up with the Nomads who are doing a seasonal move, and Babak is hoping to be the teacher his father was. Things don't go as planned, and the siblings meet many people and dangers as they try to survive. All along the way, the blackboard helps them communicate with others and eventually helps bring about a happy ending. 

I thought the story was a bit forced (though it is a kids' book), but the history, language, and customs that are major parts of the book are well done. The Teacher of Nomad Land has won several accolades, including the 2025 National Book Award and Amazon's #1 Children's Book of 2025.

The Lions' Run by Sara Pennypacker, Children's historical fiction (elementary and middle grades), 2026

I seem to have an accidental theme to my recent books. This is another story about a young boy and a girl during WWII.  The Lion's Run takes place in 1944 in a small French village that is occupied by the Nazis. Lucas, an orphan, is timid and small and is teased by others. One day, he rescues a litter of kittens from being drowned and takes them to an abandoned barn. Here, he meets Alice, who is hiding her racing horse from the Nazis and hopes to relocate him to America with a complicated plan. Gradually, Lucas gains confidence and becomes part of the resistance as he delivers messages along with his produce deliveries. He and Alice become friends and bond over time.

The story is complex and skillfully builds to an exciting resolution. It gives real insights into the cruel Nazi occupation and the quiet resistance. Also, featured was a new-to-me thing that happened with the Nazis at that time. They had baby factories. A Nazi soldier would get a local blond, blue-eyed girl pregnant. She would then be sent to a home where she would get excellent care, but no freedoms. At six weeks of age, the babies would be taken from the girls to be raised by a German family.

The Lions' Run was a compelling read, and I highly recommend it.

Until next time...

Better Late than Never

 Better late than never is a phrase I often use when I have been procrastinating, but I've been thinking about it recently and wondering if that's always true.

Hopefully, I didn't plant the broccoli too late.

This week, I finally planted broccoli. I was late on this task, as evidenced by the fact that it took me several stores before I could find any plants. I found myself saying, "Well, better late than never." Is that true? Will we get any broccoli before it gets too hot and the cabbage butterfly worms devour the plants? This is very much a wait-and-see exercise to see what the weather will be like over the next couple of months. Here's hoping for the best.

Then we were doing some much-needed cleanup in our garages, including a winter's worth of dust and debris. I should have been wearing a mask for this task, but I didn't think about it until I started coughing. By this point, I could have put on a mask, but I was done with the sweeping. Would a mask have helped at this point? Maybe, but I think in this case, maybe it wasn't better late than never. It was more of "shutting the door after the cow was already out of the barn."

Sarah, on one of the mornings I spent with her.

In another instance, I had finally arranged to meet with Sarah and her mother after not seeing them for a few years. Sarah is a special needs young adult whom I used to buddy with at church. COVID changed all of that. I think this is the perfect example of better late than never. However, I decided I should also invite another friend of Sarah and her mother. I've been meaning to call this friend and meet up for a couple of years, but I've been putting it off. Turns out she lives in Michigan now. Procrastination this time does not lead to a better late than never situation. Never say never, but I will probably not see this friend again. 

What did I conclude from this reflection on the idea of better late than never? I'm not sure, except that procrastination is usually not your friend. 😦

Mother's Day

   Happy Mother's Day! 

I come from a long line of mothers.

My mother, Betty, and I. I was about three, and she was pregnant with my sister, her fourth child. I didn't have a care in the world, but she looks very tired. I think she was. 

My mother with my grandmother, Donnie. My grandmother was very proud
since my mother was the first in her family to graduate from high school. 

My paternal grandmother, Yula, with 17 grandkids. There were 6 more to come.
(I'm next to the boy with the bowtie.)

My great-grandmother, Anna Estella, on my paternal grandmother's side.
In other words, this is the mother of the person above.

This is my paternal great-grandmother, Lavenia Jane
In other words, this is my paternal grandfather's mother.

This is my great, great-grandmother, Anna Elizabeth,
mother of Anna Estella.

There. Do you have all of that straight? Don't worry. I'm not sure if I got it all correct myself. What I do know is that each generation along the way has made me who I am, and for that, I am thankful.

So, as you remember those who came before you, Happy Mother's Day!

Until next time...

Catch Up with This and That

The irises are in bloom now.

 Well, I did it! I made it to the end of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge without hating the whole thing. I have done the A-Z challenge seven times over the last eleven years and have found it a struggle to post six days a week, as required. Actually, nothing is required. It's not like I won't eat or something if I miss a day, but I am stubborn and like to finish what I start. 

The next obvious question is: why do I keep doing the challenge if it stresses me out so much?  Because with the desperation of coming up with six posts a week comes some of my more creative postings. Much of the time, I don't feel like I have anything to talk about, and the A-Z forces me to think outside the box of my routine life. 

This year, I revisited posts from the past. That made the task much easier, and it also made things interesting for me as I read through past posts. Thanks to all of you who read along with me.

Now, it's back to the everyday, and I'm drawing blanks again. Also, it seems that I didn't take many pictures in April to jog my memory, but here are a few.

Last weekend, we went to West Virginia for a memorial service for my cousin. We also visited three different cemeteries where my parents and grandparents are buried. In one of the cemeteries, we were trying to locate the unmarked grave of my found-grandfather. (It's a long DNA story.)
Also, at this cemetery was this Lewis family marker. They were early settlers of the Northwest Territory, and it was interesting to see something tangible that I had only read about in history books. 

Ward continues to work on puzzles. This one, called Literary Dogs and was quite interesting with its whimsy pieces. (Enlarge the picture if you want to see the details.) As it turns out, the puzzle was based on a 40-foot mural in a library that was only about an hour from us.

So we had to go visit it. It was hard to get a picture because it was so long, but it was a really fun mural.

And speaking of Ward, he had a birthday yesterday.
 Note: He is not quite 100 years old yet. 😀

This bluebird has been flying into our living room window many times a day. He then goes to the gutter to keep watch. Apparently, he is trying to defend his territory from his reflection. Some sources this could go on for weeks. 

We recently visited the Brighton Dam Azalea Garden. We try to go each spring when the 22,000 azaleas are in bloom. However, we kept up our trend of being about a week late for peak blooms, but it was still pretty. It is a popular place for photo shoots, and we saw several. If you look closely, you can see one here.

And true to form, Ward was just as interested in the structure of the dam as he was in the flowers.

That's all I've got for now.

Until next time...

Book Reviews

 Blogger, in all of its wisdom, republished this post. This is old news. :)

A few things I've been reading lately.

The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2023

The Proof of the Pudding is #17 in the Royal Spyness series.* I have decided to read this series through to the end. That is atypical for me. I usually read one or two books in a series and then move on to something else. I actually see the benefits now of reading all of the series, and in order as you get to watch the characters and their stories develop.

In this adventure, Georgie attends a neighbor's dinner party after which several people get sick, and someone actually dies. Who got sick and who didn't seems very random. Per usual, real people appear in the stories as minor characters. This time, Agatha Christie is one of the guests at the party and helps solve the mystery. I found that a lot of fun. At the end of the book, a pregnant Georgie gives birth to her first child. 

This was a predictable, but enjoyable installment to this series.

We Three Queens by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2024

This is #18 in the Royal Spyness mystery series.*

In this story, we find Georgie and her husband, Darcy, with their baby, James Albert, at home in the Ensleigh Estate. They end up with her brother and family, the King's secret lover staying with them, along with a Hollywood film crew using the mansion for filming. There are disappearances and eventually a murder. 

This was an okay, typical installment to the series. I felt there was too much time spent on the missing child star (it was very obvious what happened) and not much build-up to support the ending. However, I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's always fun to catch up with Georgie and her crew.

* The Royal Spyness books follow Georgie, 35th in line to the British Throne, in the 1930s, as she stumbles onto murder after murder. There are castles, rich people, royalty, and many class restrictions that surround the stories. Despite being royalty, Georgie has no money, which causes a set of problems all its own. The stories are in historically accurate settings, and humorous relief is provided by her inept maid, Queenie.

These books are as much about the characters and settings as the mysteries, and I reach for one of them while I am waiting on a hold or looking for a familiar comfort read.

Seabird by Michelle Kadarusman, Children's historical fiction-middle grades, 2025

This is a fictionalized account of Raden Adjeng Kartini, who was an activist for the education of girls and women in Indonesia.  There is a national holiday in her honor.

Kartini's family was one of wealth and status. Her father was the local Regent. We meet her in 1892 when she is 12 years old. Following old traditions, she has been banished to her home until a marriage is arranged. For the first year, she is locked in her room. After that, she is allowed to move around the family compound, but not beyond its walls. 

Unlike her older sister, she was allowed to go to school until she was 12. Here she makes a best friend, Lesty, a Dutch girl whose father is on assignment in Java. When Lesty moves back to Amsterdam, they become pen pals, and each learns about the other's world and shares their different perspectives. Through this, they both come to understand the plight of women and the poor, as well as the difficulties of colonization.

Kartini wants the same privileges as her brothers and eventually convinces her father to give her a chance. From an empowered speech she gives, a movement is started for better opportunities for women. 

I wanted to know more about her adult life, but sadly, Kartini died at age 25. Much has been written about her, and a book of her letters has been published. The author tried to be as true to the known facts about Kartini in this book.

I have woefully condensed this fascinating story. I recommend you check it out on your own. 

Your Actual Life May Vary by Linda Lenhoff, Adult fiction, 2025

The premise of this book caught my attention right away. Patty, a 31-year-old graduate teaching assistant, is dissatisfied with her job and must be out of her apartment in a week. She attends a sales seminar about a new planned community in Northern California and decides that this is the place for her to start over. (She lives in Southern California. 

Also, she thinks she has seen a little boy tied to a doghouse in her neighborhood. After multiple failed attempts of getting any action from authorities, she grabs the little boy, along with her belongings, and heads north.

Patty is always looking over her shoulder since she has kidnapped the boy. In addition, she has no parenting experience and has many self-doubts about what she is doing with the boy. The child is non-verbal, so he provides no information about his previous life, including his name. She picks the name Troy for him. He also has a self-soothing practice of biting his hand until it bleeds.

She slowly establishes herself in the community and forms friendships with the owners of the hardware store where she works, her daycare provider, a waitress, and a children's librarian. Some of these people and their children have their own set of issues that they are working through.

The bad guys of the story are the company that is promoting the new town. They have built an amusement park and a new library with hazardous materials that eventually cause serious problems. 

I found the book interesting and kept reading to figure out how Patty and Troy were going to find their way. However, I grew tired of all the imagined conversations Patty had in her head. They served the purpose of exploring Patty's self-doubts well, but I think they were overdone. Eventually, I started to just skim them instead of reading them.

While the story wraps up with some happy endings, I was dissatisfied because other parts of the story were left unsolved. Maybe the author is hoping for a sequel?

Tyger by SF Said, Children's fiction (middle grades), 2022

Tyger won the British Book Award for Children's Fiction, along with several other awards. It was a bestseller, has been lauded by many, and has study guides available. If you want to know more than the brief summary I give here, just Google the book. There has been much written about it.

Tyger, a fantasy, takes place in a dystopian London with slavery and evil lords, who are especially cruel to any darker-skinned people.  A young Muslim boy, Adam, discovers a wounded mythical tiger in an abandoned warehouse and realizes it needs help getting back to infinity, or it will die on earth. Adam joins a girl named Sadie, and they work together to help Tyger.  

The Tyger guides them through different doors, heightening their senses to perceive things others can't. Eventually, there is a satisfactory conclusion to the story. (BTW, I'm often vague here because I don't want to give too much away, because when I read, I don't want to know much about the story.)

The story has a lot of cruelty as well as a tender relationship between the Tyger and the children. And there are plenty of heart-pumping action scenes. While this is not usually the type of book I enjoy, I did like this one, and I understand why it has gotten all the accolades that it has. 

Until next time...