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Thru My Looking Glass

2/27/2015

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"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
                          Robert Frost

As a very young child I realized that I related to poetry.  Reading it, writing it, learning from it always made me think about things I might never have touched upon. One of my favorite poets, Robert Frost, seemed to know so much about how I felt about the world.  "The Road Not Taken" kept me thinking for years.  Was he happy with his choice?  It seems he was, but then again in it he writes..."I shall be telling this with a SIGH!"  Hmmm...a regretful sigh or a sigh of contentment?  One day I realized that nothing says that I can't change paths and meander down another road, and then another.

I have always believed that change helps keep us vital.  I certainly didn't want to change my husband or children, so I decided to experiment a bit career wise. In my twenties I needed freedom to be with my children when they needed me.  I became a book reviewer and a public speaker, and the challenge of standing in front of auditoriums crowded with people kept my blood flowing.  In my thirties I decided to try the business world and became public relations director for a non profit organization.  Unlike Deborah Rodriquez in her memoir  Margarita Wednesdays: Making a New Life by the Mexican Sea, I never had to leave a career because of someone else's desires or a fear for safety, but facing up to one's own shortcomings can be disheartening.  It took about a year for me to admit that smoke filled meeting rooms and expense account lunches did not make me happy.

Teaching young people to enjoy the beauty of the written word was what I knew would make me happy. Of course my degree was in education, speech and drama, so I needed to quickly add English to my certificate. I never tired of teaching high school English, but after ten years I somehow felt another need for change.  I formed and coached a debate team for ten very happy years and  was surrounded with bright young people who each and every day showed me that we have nothing to worry about in generations to come. Once again, however, I felt it was time for a change.

That brings me to Madderly Review and my latest experience.  I love reading and writing and decided to put it together and see what happens.  I have been in contact with some amazing people through this adventure.  I have met authors who are even more interesting than their characters, reviewers who love books as much as I do and readers who keep me on my toes.  I have also started reading books that I never would have read before and find I really enjoy them. David Ellis is one of those authors who piqued my interest, and I usually read his books.  This being said, the subject matter of Wet & Wild would have turned me away.  A ten year old pet store assistant and a bunch of super powered animals aren't my usual go to characters.  Luckily, the new me gave it a try and found it interesting and fun to read.

My suggestion for the week is to change it up a bit.  If a new job is not in your future, try a new genre in reading. Who knows, you might find a whole new library section to call your own.

Happy Reading,

- Beverly
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Margarita Wednesdays: Making a New Life by the Mexican Sea by Deborah Rodriguez

2/27/2015

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Genre: Memoir
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Deborah Rodriguez has lived a life that most women live vicariously in novels. Her first non-fiction book,  Kabul Beauty School, describes the adventures she found in establishing a beauty school. She changed the lives of many women in Kabul, giving them jobs and a role model.  Unfortunately, the kind husband she married became a quasi-warlord with questionable values.  She was forced to leave the beauty shop and cafe she owned and loved when faced with the threatened kidnapping of her son.

Her next memoir, Margarita Wednesdays: Making a New Life by the Mexican Sea, starts off where Kabul Beauty School left off.  She flees Afghanistan in 2007 and lands in California.  She is nervous and feels as though she doesn't belong.  She reluctantly goes for therapy to deal with her PTSD, but she finds the "homework," (“I want you to go into the fields at night and sit with the glowworms.”) just strengthens her distrust of therapists.

After conversations with her gardener and a cruise to Mexico, Ms. Rodriquez decides to find her old self by relocating there.  It is interesting watching her go through the trials and tribulations of acclimating to totally different surroundings. She does make friends and starts another business. Reading about her starting yet another life is inspirational, and her humorous style of writing makes this a fun book to read.  I did not read her first book, but I am going to put it on my list. It might be better to start with that one, but I do believe that she is an author to be read.

- Beverly


Publisher - Gallery Books; Reprint edition 
Date of Publication - June 10, 2014 
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Wet & Wild by David Ellis

2/27/2015

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Genre: Humor
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We can all relate to looking at a pet, be it dog, cat, hamster or even a goldfish, and wondering if it was actually trying to communicate with us.  Are they smarter than we think? Do they have something to teach us?  Brian, the protagonist of this humorous novel, first realizes he can communicate with animals when he is six.  His dad brings home a goldfish in a plastic bag that was left on a bus seat, and it keeps total eye contact with Brian for five minutes. What follows is a relationship that ands with Brian releasing the fish in the wild.  At twelve Brian saves a woman from a pack of dogs by "speaking" in a tone and frequency that they can hear and understand.  He is a child who most definitely can communicate with animals.

Meanwhile, Wet and Wild is a pet shop in North London. The animals who reside there get into mishaps and become known in the town. There is a cat who manipulates minds, a terrier who can climb walls and ceilings and a chameleon who loves to dance. The shop owner, Roderick, has issues of his own, and when Brian begins working as his assistant things became even more interesting. Each chapter kept my interest, and each animal's unique talent makes this an interesting, if weird, book to read.

I do not usually reach for fantasy novels, but this one caught my attention.  It is quite humorous in parts, but when the reader buys into Brian's communication with the animals, things get more than a little troubling.  I believe that if you decide to read Wet & Wild you will get a few laughs and an interesting read, but you will never look at your (or your neighbor's) pet in the same way again.

- Beverly


Publisher - Austin Macauley Publishers
Date of Publication - July 29, 2014
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Thru My Looking Glass

2/20/2015

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"A book is a dream that you hold in your hand."
–Neil Gaiman

I have always had a difficult time figuring out the psychology behind bullying.  I assume that much like when dealing with bigotry, the insecure person builds himself/herself up on the back of a person he/she perceives as weaker.  As a teacher I found out first hand just how devastating the results can be.  Especially during teenage years, the importance of acceptance can not be overstated.  The victims are often crushed beyond repair when faced with constant bullying.  They too often turn to suicide. Those who brave it through those years can have scars that won't heal.

In Follow The Leader (a DS Allie Shenton Novel), author Mel Sherratt starts the book with an example of bullying and continues by showing us problems that can result when playing with a person's psyche. The book is about a detective and a serial killer and will definitely get you thinking.  I hope that any mom or dad who reads this book will be alerted to the importance of teaching their child kindness in every aspect of his/her life.

Speaking of children, Deceptive Measures (a Rachel Scott Adventure Book 4) by
Traci Hohenstein (a MADDERLY REVIEW featured author) finds Rachel still searching for her daughter who was kidnapped several years previously.  This book does a good job tying up things that have been introduced in the previous three of the series.  I think this is probably the last we see of Rachel Scott, but hopefully Hohenstein will have some new characters to catch our interest.  I will keep my eye out and let you know what is coming up in the near future.

Meanwhile, the weather gods decided to descend upon Florida today.  We have been experiencing cool and sunny days over the past month, while much of the country has been suffering.  I never take that for granted and worry about all those I care about in the "frozen tundra" which has taken over everywhere else, but today I am cold.  Our wind chill has us in the thirties and forties, and most Floridians don't have the wardrobe to deal with it.  The positive note to all this for me is time to stay home, under a blanket and read.  Books are always my silver lining.  I hope they are helping to keep you warm too.

Happy Reading,

Beverly
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Follow the Leader (a DS Allie Shenton Novel) by Mel Sherratt

2/20/2015

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Genre: Mystery
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We spend most mysteries trying to figure out who did it, but Follow The Leader gives us that information early in the book. We spend most serial killer books hating the unknown killer because all we know of him are the crimes he continues to commit. In Follow the Leader we understand the killer from the beginning of the book.  We don't agree with his solution, but we understand his pain.

As a teacher, one of the most difficult things that I dealt with was bullying.  The victim was always in such obvious pain that I wondered how the bully could sleep at night.  I realized something that the group of bullying kids were too young to understand...there are always consequences to one's actions.

 Detective Allie Shenton  works diligently to catch the killer. It is fun getting to know her and those around her as they put the pieces together.  I have not read the first book in this series and am enjoying learning about her various relationships.  She is haunted by her sister Karen, who was raped and beaten years ago.  She is now unable to communicate and living an institutionalized life while Allie seeks her attacker.

Many authors have a difficult time juggling different voices, but Sherratt is a natural in that style of writing.  She also does back flash writing well, as I never felt lost as I read through the book.  This is a book based on dark subject matter, but she does it well and helps the reader understand that all actions have consequences.

This book took me in from the first chapter describing a bullying experience and kept my interest until the end.  As long as you go into it understanding the subject matter, you are in for an interesting read.

- Beverly


Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - February 10, 2015
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Deceptive Measures (a Rachel Scott Adventure Book 4) by Traci Hohenstein

2/20/2015

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Genre: Mystery
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When Rachel Scott's daughter, Mallory, was kidnapped six years ago, she was two years old.  Vowing to find her, Rachel began a search that led to her profession as a missing-persons investigator.  We have followed Rachel through four books in her quest to find Mallory.  In books one through three she solved other cases along with the help of retired detective, Red, and other people that she met through her searches.  Mallory was always forefront in her mind though, and book four is basically about her.

Rachel receives an anonymous tip that Mallory is alive.  The woman's shaky voice tells her that the child is living with a family in Atlanta.  While Rachel travels to Atlanta, her colleague Stacy investigates a child-adoption ring that might have a connection to Mallory's disappearance. Stacy soon disappears, and the search takes on twists that make Rachel's hunt as difficult as it has ever been.

The book is a good one but not my favorite of the series.  The characters that I love are all part of the hunt.  Boyfriend Mike continues to help Rachel, and their relationship always helps soften her character.  I am glad she is wrapping up her search for Mallory here though, because I believe the story-line is getting a bit stale. I am a fan of Hohenstein's writing and am glad that she tied things up for us.  I am hoping she comes up with another character as strong and likable as Rachel Scott and am looking forward to meeting him/her in the near future.

If you have read the first three books in the series, this is a must.  If not, I highly recommend starting at book one before you get to Deceptive Measures, but don't miss the series.

- Beverly


Publisher - Thomas & Mercer
Date of Publication - February 24, 2015
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Thru My Looking Glass

2/13/2015

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“So many books, so little time.”
― Frank Zappa

I must admit that I have had a great deal of fun catching up on my reading for this blog.  When you take into account that reading is one of my favorite pastimes, imagine my glee at having to tell Arthur that the laundry (or dishes or cleaning) will have to wait because I am "working," as I sit there with book in lap.  It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Speaking of tough jobs, J. D. Robb brings police detective Eve back for the 40th time  in
Obsession in Death.  I love that Eve and hubby Roarke still keep us interested after so many peeks into their lives.  This one makes me think about love, obsession and emotions that just can't be quantified.  The villain in this book kills people that he/she thinks wronged Eve. "A true and loyal friend" will balance the scales of justice while ridding the world of those who do not treat Eve with the respect she deserves.  Obviously no one wants a love so obsessed as to take a life without any remorse, but how many people long for a love that puts them on an unshakeable pedestal?

I decided long ago that pedestals are way too shaky for me. Too much pressure to be perfect for anyone.  Personally, I don't put anyone on a pedestal either.  I love Arthur and my kids (and all of their faults) with every bit of my heart, and I would find perfection way too boring.

Speaking of boring, I admit that there are times that I just don't finish a book.  I read a great deal and don't want to waste my time on a book that can't hold my interest.  That being said, I think that I sometimes miss good books because I give up too soon.  I did not give up on Andy Siegel's newest book, Cookie's Case, because even though the prologue and first chapter were troubling, I decided that the Tug Wyler series might build itself into an enjoyable read.  The book had its moments, and I am hoping that Siegel gets a better handle on portraying women in time for book three.  I am willing to give him another try because some of his characters did give me a chuckle.

I will close this week with wishes for a very loving and happy Valentine's Day for all madderly review readers, because pedestals or not, we all need a little love in our lives.

Happy reading,

Beverly

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Obsession in Death by J. D. Robb

2/13/2015

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Genre: Thriller
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It is difficult to imagine that an author can continue to write about the same protagonists book after book and keep the reader wanting more.  As in all of Robb's books, the ending leaves us waiting for the next beginning.  Eve and Roarke are a great team in work and in play, and the characters that have been built around them in the last 39 (yep, 39) books have become a part of their family. Those of us lucky enough to know Eve are well aware that this top cop will never let anything or anybody harm those she considers her family.

The prologue of this book pulled me in immediately.  Chapter one finds Eve standing over her victim, an attorney she never particularly cared for, and reading the note written on the headboard above the body.  This time it is even more personal for Eve...the note is written to Eve. The murderer calls himself/herself Eve’s “true friend," and vows to honor her and  "balance the scales" of justice in her favor. The murderer will kill anyone she sees as dishonoring Eve, even those who are closest to her.  It is interesting seeing how love can turn into obsession and how Eve and company try to solve this case.

I love that even in her fortieth adventure Eve is revealing more layers of herself.  Nora Roberts, a romance writer who writes under the J.D. Robb pseudonym, proves time and again that she can help the reader truly know a character by the subtle things that go on around him/her.  In this book Eve's younger years are shown a bit more, and they certainly weren't  always pretty, but they do help paint a picture of a character we have learned to love.

If you have read and enjoyed this series before, I promise that this new one will not disappoint.  If you have never read any of these books, you are definitely in for a treat!

- Beverly


Publisher - Putnam Adult
Date of Publication - February 10, 2015
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Cookie's Case (The Tug Wyler Mysteries Book 2) by Andy Siegel

2/13/2015

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Genre: Mystery
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I am not sure how to describe or review this book.  I found the preface annoying.  Even the most pompous of doctors would not leave a patient in such obvious distress to prove his superiority.  Chapter one was equally irritating and somewhat demeaning to Cookie (and women in general) as we watch her deal with her medical condition.  While reading about women paying for things by a sex act isn't unusual, this hit a particularly low point.

This being said, once we meet Tug Wyler, a personal injury attorney, the story improves a bit.  He is handling two cases in this book (second in a series) and the quirky characters that surround him definitely liven the plot.  Tug is quite quirky himself, and sometimes the story gets a little muddy for me.  I guess  I was expecting more of a mystery then it turned out to be. It is entertaining though.  Author Siegel is definitely trying to build a character that will last through a several book series, and there is potential here.  He needs to tighten up his writing a bit and stop going for the easy laugh.  "Then Cookie crumbled" and the like just doesn't do it for me.

If I rated books by stars (which I don't) then this would waiver between 2 1/2 and 3 stars. People tend to like to read about malpractice and lawyers who go the extra mile for their patients, and Tug surely does.  I do believe that there is an audience for Tug and assume Siegel will tighten up his writing, strengthen his female characters and continue the series.  I might try the next book to check on my prediction.

- Beverly


Publisher - MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Date of Publication - February 10, 2015
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Thru My Looking Glass

2/7/2015

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“Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.”
― Gustave Flaubert

Well the wedding is over, and my niece was a beautiful bride.  The weather was South Florida perfect and made the choice of a beach wedding the right choice.  Olivia, the flower girl (my adorable grand daughter) threw  beautiful red Rose petals on the sand, and Vincent, the ring bearer (the bride's gorgeous twenty month old son) was carried down the aisle by nephew Jonathan (the bride's equally gorgeous brother). How nice that my family could all come together again to celebrate the good things in our lives.

Of course things got a little crazy when my son Michael tried to get back to Manhattan in the middle of Monday's wild storm.  Delayed flights, cancelled flights and changed flights made him miserable, but he ultimately landed in West Chester's airport instead of his original JFK destination. He had a schedule filled with patients Tuesday and could not wait out the storm in sunny Florida. Meanwhile, I spent the day and night pacing the floor until he texted me (at 1:30 AM ) that he was home. Nope...a mother never stops worrying.

I tell you all this to explain why I have written no review this week.  I have not had the time to read a book this week, so yes Gustave Flaubert, I do read in order to live, but sometimes living gets in the way of the book.  Thanks to reviewers Judith Zerulik and Aidan Williams you will still have book reviews to read if you go on to our guest reviews page, and I promise to write reviews for next week's MADDERLY REVIEW.

I am having trouble selecting which books to read because my stack keeps getting higher and higher.  I want to read some of my very favorite authors right now, but since their books are not coming out for several months, I can't review them for you.  I vowed to only read the books that I can review at this time, so my favorite authors' books sit teasingly on my Kindle.  I guess that is actually a good thing, because it forces me to read lesser known authors and I have found several that I love.

So off I go, ebook in hand, to a comfy seat.  I have a lot of reading to catch up on.

Happy Reading

Beverly
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