Her Book Self

Foxy Anders is a former beauty queen, former wife to a football player, and former all around success. Down on her luck she ventures to Washington D.C. to open an antique store, run a boarding house and try to bridge the ever widening gap between her and her teenage goth daughter Amanda. Though the book bears the title Foxy's Tale I felt that Amanda definitely stole the show! It is through her eyes (and her sardonic blog "Amanda's Life in Hell") that Foxy's selfish tendencies are unveiled, and through Amanda's perspective that the reader becomes better acquainted with Foxy's eccentric boarders: shoe addict and amateur chef Knot Knudsen (pronounce the K's) and the elderly foreigner Myron Standlish who might just be stocking his refrigerator with blood.

As Foxy struggles to get her business off the ground she's saved by Knot's eye for antiques but she's also tempted to rationalize blowing her profits on "business" vacations and a new wardrobe. Meanwhile, Amanda gets sidetracked out of her disdain for Foxy by the entrance of Nick - a boy at school who's harboring some nasty secrets. Mother and daughter have never seen eye to eye but when the supernatural enters the picture, they just may find a way to pull together against a much scarier common foe.

I really enjoyed this novel and loved that it contained the same elements of quirky characters, funny plot, and engaging dialog that I saw in Cantwell's other work Take the Monkeys and Run. Though I would have preferred a more solid ending, I liked the story arc and I'm excited to see where Cantwell and Gschwandtner take the series in future entries.

It's been a while since I called a featured title a KinDEAL and since I love the portmanteau (Kindle + Deal = KinDEAL), I'm definitely giving that label to Foxy's Tale as the Amazon eBook is just $0.99  At that price I can only hope that more readers will take advantage of trying out this super cute series!

I know I've lamented my lack of travel experience on this blog before but I've also stated that I love books for their passport nature.  It's exciting to me to visit new places and travel the world without going farther than my local library and one of my recent journeys took me on a trip across the Atlantic to a locale I've long dreamed of visiting in real life. 

Cole Baker is a spunky American graduate with a passion for her family's past.  In studying her ancestry she discovers a link to a Scottish clan with a strange history.  Unable to sate her curiosity where myth and legends cross with reality she hops a plane overseas determined to find her family's roots. 

Rowan MacLaoch is the modern day laird of the clan linked to the bizarre story of ancient star-crossed lovers that Cole uncovers.  Curses should be a thing of fairy tales but Rowan's people have a hard time shaking the superstitions they have lived with for centuries.  Cole finds herself drawn to the secretive Scotsman but as a veteran of the RAF, Rowan lives with scars and shadows of his own past even on top of the legends of his clan. 

The Legend of Lady MacLaoch was a delightful journey through the past and present castles and highlands of Scotland.  From the sights and sounds of lush gardens to the intricate tastes of Scottish whiskeys, author Becky Banks paints masterful scenery that leaps from the page in stunning details.  Cole is a heroine to cheer for with equal parts smarts and sass and Rowan walks a delicious line between brooding heartthrob and renaissance man.  From start to finish, the book was hard to put down and it seamlessly blends action, mystery, and romance with just a dash of magical realism.  Not since Diana Gabaldon's Outlander has a book left me with such a desire to see Scotland for myself, but The Legend of Lady MacLaoch is certainly cheaper than plane tickets and makes for an excellent literary journey.

I'm pleased to be part of author Becky Banks' Legendary Blog Tour promoting this book.  Check out my previous post for my interview with Becky Banks and a chance to win a paperback copy of The Legend of Lady MacLaoch (leave a comment on this review for an extra entry into the giveaway!)

And of course I'm still trying to pinpoint what it is about Scotland that has me so enamored.  The kilts?  The accents?  The highlands?  The whiskey?  Maybe it's all of the above.  Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts about the book (or Scotland) below!

Book: Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Series: Anne of Green Gables

Book Order: Anne of Green Gables* (1), Anne of Avonlea* (2), Anne of the Island (3), Anne of Windy Poplars (4), Anne's House of Dreams (5), Anne of Ingleside (6), Rainbow Valley (7), Rilla of Ingleside (8) 
* indicates a book I have read

Anne of Avonlea is the continuation of the story begun in Anne of Green Gables of L.M. Montgomery's indomitable heroine Anne Shirley.  Grown up from the first novel, Anne begins book two as a school teacher in Avonlea on Prince Edward Island.  Many of characters from Anne of Green Gables return in the sequel - Marilla Cuthbert, Diana Barry, Gilbert Blythe, Rachel Lynde - but Anne also makes many new acquaintances and her students and neighbors provide some fresh drama to the story. 

I love this series, but I did feel that this book wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first.  There was something enchanting in book one about discovering Green Gables and Avonlea through Anne's innocent eyes, and this book felt a bit more - for lack of a better word - ordinary.  There were definitely memorable moments and fun points to the story but it's hard to say that any of them were as brilliant as Anne's antics in the series opener.  The first book was the story of a young girl and this one is clearly the story of a young woman.  Anne has matured and so the book lacks some of her youthful humor and fanciful imagination.  Still, it is the characters and the picturesque scenery that make this book a heartwarming read as well as Montgomery's slowly unfolding love story between Gilbert and Anne. 

For any readers who complain about the irksome trend in popular fiction of eye-roll-inducing love at first sight, I give you a quote revealing a different perspective:

"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps... perhaps love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath."

~ Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery

Even if I may not have loved this book as much as the first in the series, this quote melted me.  The more I read of the Anne of Green Gables series, the more I realize that the beauty of Montgomery's saga is not just in the individual works, but in the sweeping narrative as a whole.  I still wish I had read these books at a younger age, but even discovering them as an adult, they are charming, lovely works and I look forward to the next six in the series.

I've been reviewing a wealth of fantasy lately so I'm pleased to jump genres again and spotlight an action thriller.

Shouldering responsibility for the death of a witness, Travis Mays walks away from police work and settles into the scenic mountains of Idaho accepting a job as a criminology professor. Content with teaching and learning to kayak with the help of a lovely instructor, Jessie White Eagle from the local Nez Perce tribe, Travis has no desire to return to the life of an investigator. However, when trouble strikes Jessie's family and a deadly sniper seems to have targeted Travis and his loved ones, Travis may have no choice but to confront his past and a killer set on Revenge.

Action packed from the very beginning, Mark Young builds layers of suspense and subterfuge into his story and he does a fabulous job weaving great characters into this fast-paced thriller. Travis was an original lead hero and Jessie was far from a sniveling damsel in distress stereotype. I am always impressed when the female lead can hold her own and Jessie was as interesting and complex a character as Travis. The supporting characters were also well drawn and the identity of the killer was as unpredictable as the next victim.

Along with realistic characters and an intricate mystery, Young excels at painting a scenic and varied setting for the story. From whitewater rapids in Idaho, to gritty California city streets, and capturing the culture clash of tradition and modernity among the Nez Perce people; details bring the narrative fully to life. Reminiscent of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series or Tony Hillerman's Jim Chee books - Revenge, the first Travis Mays novel, is a solid work that promises great things for future mysteries by Mark Young.

This post also marks a return to Indie in Summer - my tribute to small press and independent writers - but I have to say that if you didn't know Revenge was an independent work, you would be hard pressed to believe the claim that author Mark Young has not yet been scouted by a big name publisher.  The book was definitely on par with bestsellers in the genre and at just $0.99 for the Kindle eBook it's a bargain not to be missed!

Stay tuned this week for my interview with author Mark Young!

Emily Castles is finally coming to accept the death of her beloved dog Jessie. Knowing that it's time to stop mourning, she decides to attend a party thrown by some of her neighbors. She expected music, drinks, food, and circus performers... but not murder.

Three Sisters was a great summer read. Even in the short story format, author Helen Smith (Alison Wonderland) manages to pack in surprises and plot twists, creating a story that is fully engaging from start to finish. The characters are creative and multi-dimensional and I loved the unique personalities and talents of all the party guests. As a wallflower turned super-sleuth, Emily Castles was a wonderful protagonist and I'm eager to read more of her adventures.

As Indie in Summer continues this week, I'm pleased to feature a book I read recently that is not only one of my new favorite independent works, but is one of the most fun mystery novels I've read in years.  At $2.99* for the Kindle eBook, I was hooked by the title and price tag alone, but a great bargain is just one of many things this fabulous work has going for it!

Barbara Marr is an average wife, mother, and movie aficionado, but when her husband moves out her solid foundation is shaken. A sleepless night leads to observing the abandoned house in her neighborhood, and when a moving truck arrives at the suspicious house in the middle of the night - followed by monkeys populating her backyard the next day - Barb is determined to figure out what's going on. Her amateur sleuthing soon turns up a grisly scene, and talk of the mafia is buzzing around her block. Barb could be suffering from an overactive imagination, but she's not ready to give up easily. Add in a police officer who looks like Brad Pitt, Barb's private investigator ex-boyfriend, and her walk-out husband who keeps walking back in and the mysteries pile up as high as the laughter.

Take the Monkeys and Run is a smart and witty book that is as charming as it is suspenseful. The plot twists and turns are delightfully unpredictable and layered with a great blend of intrigue and comedy. Barbara Marr was a freshly unique protagonist, too. She is an everyday woman yet there is nothing vanilla about her character or her life. Facing extraordinary circumstances, she summons both courage and brain power while demonstrating the strength of her heart as well as her sense of humor.

Karen Cantwell excels at creating a fun and engaging novel with this work. The characters were well-developed, the story well-told, and even though the plot wraps up nicely, I left the book eager for more. Cantwell is definitely an author to keep an eye on and if her future works are as entertaining as Take the Monkeys and Run, a long and successful writing career is surely in her future!

I love books that cross genres and this one was a great blend of comedy, mystery, family, and cozy romance.  It's a book that will appeal to a wide range of audiences and if you're looking for a great eBook bargain or a starter to indie fiction - Take the Monkeys and Run is a great recommendation.  Along with seeking out more Barbara Marr stories in the future, I'm pleased to announce my interview with Karen Cantwell that will be appearing later this week!

*I bought the Kindle copy for $2.99 but it looks like it's currently on Amazon for $0.99 - Go buy it!!

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery is a book that for me falls firmly in the category of "how did I go through my childhood without having read this?"  (Also falling under that header are Treasure Island, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Little Women, and numerous works by Frances Hodgson Burnett.)  I had seen the miniseries and its sequel so I was familiar with the story, but it took me past the age of thirty to actually dive into the text of this classic.

The story follows orphan heroine Anne (with an "e"!) Shirley who comes to live with aging siblings Marila and Matthew Cuthbert.  The precocious young girl is a wealth of imagination and her vibrant spirit breathes new life into her adoptive family's world.  L. M. Montgomery's descriptions of Prince Edward Island are wonderfully detailed, but it is the neighbors and townspeople that really make Anne's tale so charming.  From town busybody Rachael Lynde to Anne's bosom friend Diana Barry, the cast is unique and entirely lovable.  I was especially drawn into the relationship between Anne and Gilbert Blythe.  From the television series, I knew love was in their future, but their early interactions, in which animosity and competition grow slowly into admiration and friendship, contained a sweet childish innocence that made me all the more appreciative of their relationship to come.

I also found myself reflecting a lot on Anne's character.  She has a tendency to allow her daydreaming to carry her thoughts away, often in the middle of everyday chores and conversations.  In real life, I think a person like this would probably drive me crazy.  With so many tangents and seemingly irrelevant comments, I picture that I would be fed up with Anne after only a short conversation with her.  However, in text, I loved every minute of her vivid imaginings and troublesome antics.  Her creative naming of the ordinary things around her as well as her romantic spirit were lovely to read in a storybook character, and I know I was left wanting to incorporate a bit more of Anne's dreamy outlook in my own everyday perspective.   Herein lies the true beauty of this book.  Even those of us who have little in common with Prince Edward Island's fictional past can still savor the spark of color that a boisterous little redhead can impart on the world around her.