The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway

Bee Ridgeway’s debut The River of No Return is an interesting tale of time travel, intrigue and a dash of romance. Nick, Davenant, aka Lord Nicholas Falcott, Marquees of Blackdown, learns that people have the ability time travel as he leaps from 1813 to 2003 as a French soldier is about to kill him on a battlefield. Introduced to the Guild he is set up for a comfortable life in the 20^th century. But after 10 years he is called back to England to do what he was told is impossible, travel back to his hometime. But it is not to be a mere visit, he has a mission to track down the splinter group, the Ofan, and beat them to the mysterious Talisman, which may hold the key to the future.

Now this may sound a bit cliché and Ridgeway does make use of some themes and concepts that are a bit worn, however, there are number of things that make tis a rather interesting story. First, is the innate ability of people to time travel without making use of any outside device. Some of the concepts relating to the time travel ability remind me of Hiro Nakamura from the TV show Heroes. Also, Ridgeway creates what is called the Pale, a point in the future that no one seems to be able to travel to or from. This point is also moving inexorable and inexplicable backwards in time.

The style is delightfully simplistic, especially when compared to many debut authors, and makes the 450 pages go by smoothly. She does get caught up at some points in the romance aspect of the story and in having the characters debating the various aspects of time traveling. The only point of the book I was a bit disappointed in was the lack of overarching resolution. Many of the plot lines came to a conclusion but the Pale and the actions of a few other characters still remain a mystery, indicating that perhaps Ridgway intends a series.

There's a New Genre in Town!

 

A new book trend has begun with the rise of e-books. Books which used to cost a fortune to publish can now be distributed inexpensively as e-books. This allows first time authors to publish  novels that have been disregarded by publishing companies. The e-book trend has opened a new niche for new adult fiction.  New adult fiction is high adrenaline, full of action, emotion  and offers more mature themes. This genre still offers a coming of age story, a bit of romance but there is not necessarily a happy-ever-after ending.  This genre has caught on quickly and has made bookstores and publishing companies stop and take notice. Since many of these titles are hitting the NY Times best seller lists and/or USA Today's Best Seller Lists and selling 500,000 copies while being self-published; book stores and publishers are realizing they need to make room on their shelves for it. If you'd like to see what the buzz is all about try one of these titles. Perhaps you already have....

Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan
An electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl's fragile grasp of hope.

Beautiful Disaster: A Novel by Jamie McGuire
This is new adult fiction at its best. This is not a young adult book. It is a heartwarming, heartbreaking, beautifully written story of love that is not always sweet or gentle.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
This intense and intriguing debut novel delves into the psychological difficulties of two teens who fall in love.

Flat Out Love by Jessica Parker
A fresh new quirky read that takes readers through love’s growing pains with wit, sharp insights, and a discernible heat and heartbeat.

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
Much more than a survivor story this novel takes two different people, strands them on an island where they must learn to survive.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive--this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
A rich, intense and brilliantly imagined story of a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl and a whisper of miraculous second chances.

On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
A brilliantly written novel which is hot, fun, sexy and a little dark.

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
Under attack by an upperclassman and her cronies, Claire Danvers, a young college freshman, moves into off campus housing with a group of teens that clue her in on the realities of life - and unlife - in Morganville.

The Language of Flowers

For the past several months I have read debut novels almost exclusively. As many of you might know, debut novels can be exhausting. I’m not saying they can’t also be good (or very, very good), but writers tend to pour everything into a first novel. However, some debuts, such as Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, can read more like a seasoned 4^th or 5^th novel. Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s debut, The Language of Flowers, is another example of a debut novel that transcends the habit of overreaching and offers up a very well-written story.

In the book, we are introduced to Victoria Jones. Victoria is a perpetual ward of the state. She has been through foster home after foster home because of her behavior and other contributing factors. At the age of nine, one year before the state will deem her “unadoptable” and destined for group homes if she is returned again, Victoria is placed with Elizabeth. Suddenly, a girl who has never felt loved, wanted, or worthy of anything, is placed with a woman who offers her the promise of adoption and family.
Elizabeth changes Victoria’s life by listening to her and expecting things of her. The arrival of Victoria causes Elizabeth to want to reconnect with her estranged sister, Catherine, so she can share the joy of her new daughter. In an attempt to make contact with her sister, Elizabeth teaches Victoria the lost art of communicating through flowers. The two work tirelessly to create the perfect messages for Catherine. In the midst of this, Victoria’s insecurities and mistrust get the better of her because she feels threatened by the idea of having to share Elizabeth. Victoria loses several things through the course of the story, but the language of flowers becomes her saving grace.

Diffenbaugh’s novel was published in 2011. Unlike most books that decline in popularity over time, The Language of Flowers is still not readily available on our shelves. If you want to read it, which I highly recommend, place yourself on the holds list. The wait will be worth it.

ASTER: Patience

Thank You Clara Barton!

Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross on this day in 1881.  When she was ten-years-old, her brother fell off the roof and was badly injured.  She took over as his nurse and cared for him for two years.  In 1839 she became a teacher and in 1954 she worked at the US Patent Office in Washington D. C.  In 1861, war was breaking out and she nursed wounded soldiers that had been attacked by Confederate sympathizers.  After reading the reports after the Battle of Bull Run, she realized the Army had not provided for wounded soldiers.  So, she began to ride along in ambulances and provided aid and comfort to the wounded on the front lines.  After the war, she visited Switzerland and learned about the International Red Cross.  When she returned to the states,  she pressed the government to create a national branch of the Red Cross.  The American Red Cross was officially incorporated on this day, with Clara Barton as its president. 

"I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them."
Clara Barton

Try some of the following books and re-open your eyes to the sacrifice and dedication of those in the nursing profession.  Or find some nurses that you hope you'll never encounter--in a hospital or a dark alley.

Never Change by Elizabeth Berg
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards--see the movie too.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldan
Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by Mohammed Hanif
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway--see the movie too.
The World According to Garp by John Irving--see the movie too.
The Bungalow by Sarah Jio
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey--see the movie too.
Misery by Stephen King--see the movie too.
An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough
Atonement by Ian McEwan--see the movie too.
Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon
The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon
We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses...by Elizabeth M. Norman
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje--see the movie too.
Winter in Madrid by C. J. Sansom
The Pain Nurse by Jon Talton
A Question of Honor by Charles Todd
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Some other TV shows and movies:

China Beach
E. R.
HawthoRNe
M.A.S.H.
Nurse Jackie
Paradise Road
Pearl Harbor
Scrubs

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

Yes, I know Abraham Lincoln is getting all the attention right now, what with the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the National Lincoln Exhibit, Bill O’Reilly’s bestselling book Killing Lincoln, and the award-winning film Lincoln. Whew, that’s a whole lot of Lincoln, but if you’re at all interested in the lives—and deaths—of some of our other presidents, I’ve got the perfect book for you: Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. Destiny of the Republic deals specifically with our 20th president, Ohio-native James A. Garfield, chronicling his meteoric rise as a scholar, a military leader, and a politician. Garfield admired men with intellect and drive, men who didn’t let obstacles stop them from achieving their goals, and if anyone could be held as an example of such a man, it was Garfield himself. Frankly, as brilliant as Garfield was, I don't believe there was anything he couldn't accomplish. However, it was Garfield’s unexpected—and unwanted, I might add—winning of the presidency that ultimately led to his death at the hands of deranged assassin Charles Guiteau mere months after Garfield took office. Destiny of the Republic presents Garfield’s story in a fascinating and briskly paced narrative that will keep you turning the pages, and all the players in this presidential drama, from Dr. D. W. Bliss to Alexander Graham Bell, are given their due. If you love history or reading about the presidents, you'll really love Destiny of the Republic. I believe you'll come away with a deeper appreciation for Garfield. At the very least, you'll learn something, and that's never a bad thing.

Sacré Blue: A Comedy d’Art

Those that are enthusiasts of art may know how important the color blue was to so many different movements, both in general and for individual artists. Moore takes this idea and adds his usual amazing combination of reverence and hilarity. But the book is not merely a collection of stories about art, but takes on the air of a murder mystery around the death of Van Gogh. There is the suspicious Colorman, known by no other name. The artists that use his blue will frequently forget large stretches of time and end up with paintings they could never remember actually painting. As the story goes on the plot becomes more and more complex as we find more and more artists succumbing to the effect of the Colorman.

While the writing is solid and the research impeccable, the feature that makes this novel simply amazing is Moore’s inclusion of the very art that he discusses. Each chapter is peppered with reproductions of people and scenes mentioned. For example, when Toulouse-Lautrec mentions the redheaded washerwoman he became obsessed with, we see the very painting a page later. This could have seemed gimmicky in other circumstances, but with how rich the descriptions are in Bleu, the images of these masterpieces lend an extra dimension to the story.

Even if you are not a fan of art and just prefer a well told story, this is an excellent read. For those that cringe when writers take liberties with facts, hopefully the humor and excellent writing will sway you. And of course those that enjoy art, humor or any of Moore’s books will find this an enjoyable read. In all, I would definitely recommend this book to most everyone.

May's In the Queue

Red Sparrow: A Novel

by Jason Matthews

This debut novel brings a return to classic spy fiction. Prepare for an intense descent into the criminal espionage world which includes carnal passion, brutality as well as a surprising touch with recipes at the end of each chapter. If you enjoy blood thirsty spy novels and like suspense you will love this novel.

 

Long Live the King

by Fay Weldon

Fay Weldon continues her magnificent trilogy that began with The Habits of the House. Brilliantly written she shows the rituals established upstairs and the gossip that happens beneath them. This is a must read for  Downton Abbey fans.

 

American Gun: A History of the US in Ten Firearms

by Chris Kyle and William Doyle

Chris Kyle is a fallen hero and the author of American Sniper. In his new book he illustrates how ten legendary guns changed US History. This novel is not only filled with fantastic characters but also adventure, bravery, invention and sacrifice.

 

 

 

What is Magical Realism?

Magical realism is a genre of literature where magical elements are a natural part in an otherwise mundane, everyday setting.  Some examples are:  Like Water for Chocolate, Beloved, Practical Magic, Chocolat, and almost anything by Salman Rushdie and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  Authors from around the world use magical realism but those from Latin America are the most prolific.

Try some of the following world-renowned books and authors:

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Canada)--made into an Oscar-nominated film.
Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella (Canada)--the movie Field of Dreams is based on this book.
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende (Chile)--made into a 1993 movie.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia)--the master.
Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Great Britain)--made into a 2000 film.
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie (Great Britain)
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (India)
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (Japan)
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Mexico)--made into a  2000 movie.
The Old Gringo by Carlos Fuentes (Mexico)
Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie (Washington State)
Tracks by Louise Erdrich (Minnesota)
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer (Washington DC)--made into 2006 film.
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (New York)--made into 1999 movie.
The Green Mile by Stephen King (Maine)--made into 2000 film.
Beloved by Toni Morrison (Ohio)--made into 1998 movie.
Mama Day by Gloria Naylor (New York)
The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols (New Mexico)--film directed by Robert Redford.

How about some newer titles: 

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (North Carolina)
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (California)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Massachusetts)
Swamplandia by Karen Russell (Florida)--Pulitzer Prize nominee.



 Some other movies:

Amelie
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Being John Malkovitch
Big Fish
City of Angels
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
It's a Wonderful Life
Pan's Labyrinth

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

Recession. Encrypted texts. Google. Unique Typography. Where am I going with this? Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into when I picked up this book. I know the reception has been fantastic, but sometimes books come out with a bang and fizzle up like a firecracker. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore wasn’t really a bang, but it was very smooth. This is one of those easy reads that keeps you going, but without any whiplash or withdrawal symptoms.

Clay Jannon is our bookstore clerk and hero. Due to the recession, Web designer Clay takes an overnight clerk position at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore. The store carries very little new inventory, but has a huge collection of archaic, encrypted books that Clay refers to as The Waybacklist. The Waybacklist draws some very strange visitors who borrow rather than buy these books. Clay begins to create a digital model of the store complete with data visualization of the order of books that each visitor or member of the bookstore checks out. This is where the fun begins. At almost the same time, Clay becomes involved with Kat—Google employee and fanatic. Between the two of them, a rich friend who creates digital breasts, and a roommate with mean special effects skills, a very old secret struggles to come to light.

The book is a great mix of technology, code breaking, memorable characters, and mystery. I would very highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a light and entertaining read. A debut novel not entirely overwrought with attempt. Nice work, Robin Sloan.

P.S. As promised, the cover does glow in the dark!