The Motley Reader

  I finished this book about a week ago. And I am at a loss for words. I don't even know where to begin to describe this book to you, let alone share my thoughts. But I'll give it a try. I'll start with the description: Great Britain circa 1985: time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in Wordsworth poems, militant Baconians roam freely spreading the gospel that Bacon not Shakespeare, penned those immortal works. And forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. This is all business as usual for brainy, bookish (and heat-packing) Thursday Next, a renowned Special Operative in literary detection-that is until someone begins murdering characters from works of literature. When this madman plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Bronte's novel Thursday faces the challenge of her career. Aided and abetted by charact...

  Mrs. Alva Webster the most scandalous widow on two continents, has returned home to New York. Shunned by the society elite-including her parents-Alva has lost her reputation but gained her independence. Ignoring the whispers and gossip printed about her in the newspapers, Alva is determined to build a new life by restoring a crumbling Hyde Park mansion, rumors of hauntings be damned. Alva has her own haunted past, she has no place for ghosts in her future. And she especially has no place in her life or an eccentric genius who's taken an interest in her new home...and her.    Professor Samuel Moore, a pioneer in electric lighting and member of a nationally adored family of scientists, is enchanted by the mysterious mansion and its beautiful owner. When spooky sightings halt Alva's plans for a new start, she turns to Sam's scientific services. As Sam and Alva explore the house's history, they uncover dark truths long buried by a high society family, some of which were n...

  Around the world in 80 Days is written by Jules Verne was my summer classic pick for this year. For those who don’t know, many years ago after reading Pride and Prejudice one summer, I decided every summer I was going to read a classic literature book. Since then I’ve read through most of Jane Austin. I’ve also read, Poe, Alcott, Shelly, Dickens, Bronte, Fitzgerald, and many others. Now this book may not seem like your ordinary classic. But a few years ago during my librarian days, we did a month long reading challenge. The goal was to read as many books as possible in a month. I was competing against my students so took the opportunity to read books I had always wanted to when I as that age.  That’s when I read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and it became one of my favorites. I’m not sure if it was that most of the story took place under water or if it was just that it was so far ahead of its time. But I was completely taken in by the adventures of the Nautilus and Captain Ne...

  The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton is a historical fiction novel set in 1935. Cleeton also wrote When We Left Cuba and Next Year in Havana.  She is from Florida with a family of Cuban immigrants who lived through the Cuban Revolution. Here's the back copy: In 1935, three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida keys. For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler's legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget he economic depression gripping the nation. But one person's  paradise can be another's prison, and Key West native Helen Berner yearns to escape. After the Cuban Revolution of 1933 leaves Mirta Perez's family in a precarious position, she agrees to an arranged marriage with a  notorious American. Following her wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the keys on her honeymoon. While she can't deny the growing attraction to her new husband, his illicit business...

  So, thanks to dog sitting for the weekend, and staying up waaaaay too late, I have already finished the first book on my summer reading stack. South of the Buttonwood Tree is the second book I've read by Heather Weber. The first one I read was Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe.  Here is the background of the story-Blue Bishop has a knack for finding lost things. While growing up in charming small-town Buttonwood, Alabama, she's happened across lost wallets, jewelry, pets, her wandering neighbor, and sometimes, trouble. No one is more surprised than Blue, however when she comes across an abandoned newborn baby in the woods, just south of a very special buttonwood tree. Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton is at a crossroads. She has always tried so hard to do the right thing, but her own mother would disown her if she ever learned half of Sarah Grace's secrets. the unexpected discovery of the newborn baby girl will alter blue's and Sarah Grace's lives forever. Both women mus...

  Well, it's that time again. Time for the summer reading stack picture. These seven books are most likely just the beginning of my summer reading, but hey...gotta start somewhere. Below are individual pictures of each book and a brief description and the reason it landed on my summer reading stack. One thing you will notice about these books, is most of them are backlist titles. Meaning, they are not new, recent, or on the best sellers list. If you know me and my reading habits, you will know that I do not read best sellers, when they are currently best sellers. I do not get drawn in by hype, especially for books. I usually wait a while before I will read a best seller, and then I only read it if it is a story I'm interested in, NOT because it was a best seller and everyone raved about it. Any woo. Here's the individual titles. South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Weber. You may not recognize the author's name but if you remember my posts from last year, Ms. Weber...

  Finished The Bookman’s Tale a few days ago. This is the second book I’ve read by Charlie Lovett and I enjoyed this as much as the first. Quick summary: Peter Byerly is an antique book dealer mourning the death of his wife. He travels to their cottage in the English countryside in an attempt to escape his fryer. While there he cannot keep himself from indulging in his passion for rare books. While browsing he finds a watercolor picture of a woman with a resemblance to his wife tucked into a book about forgery. The watercolor is over a hundred years old. His desperate search for the origin of the painting leads him deeper into the world of antique books than he has ever been. The result is the possible finding of the “holy grail” of books. But is it real or a very convincing forgery? The search for the truth will not only lead him to the answers to that question but it will also help him to let go of the past and move forward into his future. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you ...

  What a fun read this was! Quick summary-after her mother died a woman finds one of Elvis’ Stutz Blackhawk cars in their shed. Cory knew her mother had been a back up singer for Elvis and that she was born seven months after her mother arrived back home and married her high school sweetheart but was never given any other details. She decides to take the car back to Graceland following the same route her mother took when she left. Along the way Cory not only discovers who her biological father is but also about the extraordinary year her mother spent living in Graceland and nicknamed Honey by the King himself. This book is told in two different time periods as the author takes the reader on this journey of discovery. Along the way you get a glimpse of what it was like to live with Elvis during his last year alive. I enjoyed this book on many levels. It was easy to read. The author incorporated historical fact about Elvis in way that made you wonder what was factual and what was fic...

  Did you know that the queen of mysteries was once part of a mystery herself? Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days. Not much is known about what actually happened during those 11 days but author Marie Benedict explores one possibility in this newest historical fiction The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. This is my third book by this author. When I heard it was coming out I got on the list right away at the library. I actually was the first to check it out. As with all of Benedict’s books it was easy to read, a good length that didn’t take too much time and it was thoroughly researched. I was not disappointed. Benedict is an expert at bringing to light the little known stories of women in history like Hedy Lamar, Mileva Einstein and others I haven’t read yet. While The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is not necessarily an unknown story Benedict felt it was a story that needed to be told. I am glad she decided it was a story that should be told. Although I sort of knew how it would turn out...

  Oh my goodness! I so excited to tell you about this book. First, let me say I picked this book up more than two years ago at a used bookstore in my favorite beach town of Ocean City New Jersey. Shout out to Bookateria! Even though I’ve had it this long I also believe that the book chooses when it should be read. So I set it aside and waited. Well, that time has finally come. Now on to my thoughts. It started out ok enough. A little mysterious. Some character choices that make you go “hmmmm I wonder how that’s going to play out.” If you are unfamiliar with the story here’s a blurb- “reclusive writer Vida Winter famous for her twelve enchanting stories had spent decades penning a series of alternate lives for herself. Now old and ailing, she is ready to reveal the truth about her extraordinary life and the violent and tragic past she had kept secret....” Sounds pretty interesting right? Well, half way through I wanted to chuck the book across the room. The main character, the biogr...