One would think our narrator is lucky to marry Maxim de Winter.  She marries above her station, no longer needs to remain as a paid companion to that gossipy rich American woman, and  is now the mistress of the famous Manderley estate. Sure, Mr. de Winter seems a little sad and lonely, but who can blame him?  He lost his wife, Rebecca, in an unfortunate boating accident less than a year ago.  However, it seems to be a little more than that.  It’s as if the bright, beautiful, intelligent Rebecca hasn’t left Manderley after all.  Her things are still in every room.  Her bedroom remains the same as the day she died.  And all the servants seem to be comparing our poor heroine to their former mistress, especially the creepy Mrs. Danvers.

Rebecca is a page-turner, so make sure you pick it up when you know you have the time to devote yourself to this book.  You won’t want to do anything else.

NASCAR mechanic Alex Barnaby seems to always find trouble and often NASCAR driver Sam Hooker is in the middle of it.  A man has gone missing and it’s up to Alex and Sam to find him.  In their quest they encounter Petro Voodoo, severed body parts, a high-speed boat chase in the Everglades, and Sam’s overbearing mother.

According to a June 2010 USA Today article, the Evanovich duo (Janet & Alex) always envisioned the Alex Barnaby series as a graphic novel; however, the timing was not right.  Because of this, the first two books were released as traditional novels.  A graphic novel fits this story well and I look forward to future installments!  As I said in my review for Motor Mouth, “The humor is mindless but extremely funny.” ~Enjoy!~

Just a random assortment of the phrases that reside in my head? No! These are all some of the more common items one might encounter on a ‘Hundred’–the long-distance walking event where participants walk 100 miles in 48 hours. It’s an annual thing for members of the British-based Long Distance Walkers’ Association, and several hundred walkers do it every year, rain or shine, uphill and down, day and night (and another day and night, for many). It’s not a race or competition, although some surely compete against themselves for a certain time. The idea, simply, is to finish, to have done it.

Julie Welch, a sports writer and journalist in London, has done it, as she recounts in her book Out On Your Feet: The Hallucinatory World of Hundred-Mile Walking. It’s a very entertaining read, and Welch is as admiring of the other walkers she writes about as she is self-deprecating when talking about herself. She needn’t be, though, as she’s no slouch in the active sense, running a more-than-decent marathon or two, and she has a lot of determination and perseverance. And wit! There are a lot of funny moments in the book, due to the writer’s style and sense of humor, in addition to the odd situations one encounters on a Hundred and in the world of long-distance walking. She also spends a good portion of the book recounting the history of the sport and organization, and the pioneers of distance walking as well as women in sport in the UK.

A pretty quick, entertaining and insightful read.

I’ve never read Elizabeth Lowell before.  I was heading out on a 4 day road trip and I wanted something to listen to.  A friend suggested Elizabeth Lowell, so I grabbed the first book on cd I found on the shelf.

And off I went – into the high stakes world of Western Art and Art Auctions.   Jill Breck is a white water river guide, who was raised in the west in a family full of strong women.   When her great aunt dies in a mysterious fire, Jill inherits all that’s left of the family ranch – including 12 mysterious paintings.

Paintings she remembers seeing once in childhood – but was told never to ask about or talk about again.  Paintings that have been hidden her whole life.  Paintings that  just might be the works of one of the most famous Western artists who ever lived.   But someone wants those paintings to never see the light of day.  And they want Jill dead too!   Jill calls in a favor and turns to St. Kilda Consulting for help.

Zach Balfour is a “consultant” at St. Kilda Consulting.  His areas of expertise cover the art world, art auctions, information analysis, fire arms and muscle cars.  Acting as a “bullet catcher” is not his favorite assignment – but he’s more than qualified for the job.

I don’t know which was better – Lowell’s writing or Monda’s performance.  But together they were magic.   And since this book is #4 in the Lowell’s series featuring St. Kilda Consulting, I have more new books on my list of must reads!

Blue Smoke & Murder is available in print, large print, and on-disc at ICPL.

*Author Trivia:  Elizabeth Lowell is the pseudonym of Ann Maxwell. Maxwell writes Science Fiction under her own name,  co-writes Crime and Suspense novels with her husband Evan under the name A.E. Maxwell;  and writes Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance under the name Elizabeth Lowell.

Mix in a talentless, out-of-control singer of the Britney ilk, and the actress who serves as her body double  for the paparazzi, when the singer’s passed out drunk or otherwise wasted (it’s pretty steady work).  The actress is the smart, funny attractive character Hiassen always includes among the slimeballs, tho it’s usually a guy.  There’s also a paparazzi, into whose ear Charlie Sheen once peed, who kidnaps the actress, thinking she’s the singer.  He wants a series of photos, since she’ll be a hot commodity once she dies, which he figures will be any day now.

Hiaasen delivers his usual over-the-top fun in his first adult novel since 2006′s Nature Girl.

In Discovering Welsh Gardens, author Stephen Anderton gathers together twenty gardens in Wales.  He includes everything from large manor and castle gardens to small countryside ones; there is also a chapter about the National Botanic Garden of Wales.  In general the Welsh landscape is more rugged than much of garden-rich England, but that has not prevented the creation of remarkable gardens there.  The book is full of wonderful photographs by Charles Hawes, ranging from close-ups of particular plants to mountain vistas that show how some gardens merge into the natural landscapes beyond.  Most of these gardens appear to be photographed in spring or summer, but those with autumn colors or a blanket of snow entice as well.

This is a lovely book about all types of gardens, from serious and formal to the more casual and comfortable.  It can be inspiration for those staying at home in Iowa, or a guide book for those lucky enough to travel to Wales.  At the back of the book is a more complete list of Welsh gardens, arranged by region and keyed to a map.  Some of the gardens are private but occasionally are open to the public. Contact information and website addresses are provided.

Alan Wake’s story is its greatest strength. Alan stumbles upon pages of a manuscript that he doesn’t remember writing, and the written words are coming true. Each page foreshadows events that are about to happen. Alan slowly learns the nature of the “Dark Presence,” which has taken over the town and kidnapped Alice, and what it intends to do with Alan himself.

The game play revolves around a clever light and dark mechanic. Enemies, called “The Taken,” are cloaked in darkness, and are invulnerable until they are bathed in light. Using the 360′s left trigger, Alan shines his flashlight (doubling as the targeting reticule) while firing his gun with the right. Alan’s flashlight slowly loses power leading to white-knuckle sequences of dodging thrown axes and running for your life while it recharges.

Alan Wake is a solid game from beginning to end. Its game play and story are phenomenal, and graphics and voice acting don’t disappoint. This game is a perfect example of what the medium is capable of—Absorbing, interactive storytelling.

Wilhelmina is first generation Chinese-American.  She is single, living on her own, and on her way to becoming an accomplished surgeon in New York City.  She’s also a mostly-in-the-closet lesbian.  A fact only a few friends know.

Wil is also the daughter and granddaughter of very traditional Chinese immigrants.  Her grandfather is a Professor and respected elder in the Chinese community of Flushing, NY.  Her long widowed mother is a beautician who lives with and cares for her parents, and is determined to find Wil a husband.

Rather than come out to her family, Wil plays the role of the good daughter, dutifully attending the weekly social mixers at the Chinese social club where her mother introduces her to a variety of appropriate suitors each week.

All seems to be going along well, until the evening Wil’s mother shows up on her door step in tears and with luggage.  She has been banished by her father.  Turns out Ma is pregnant.  And unwed.  And 48.  She has no intention of naming or marrying the father of her baby.  Ma is determined to set up house with Wil and won’t discuss the baby at all.

Then Wil meets Vivian, a beautiful Chinese ballet dancer who pursues Wil openly.  They being dating in secret – both because of Wil’s family and because Vivian’s father just happens to be Wil’s boss.

The more entrenched Ma becomes in her apartment the more Wil realizes she has to do something.  She has to help her mother find someone to marry, so both her mother and grandfather can save face, and so Wil can get her own life back.

Crafts long ignored continue to experience revivals and Embroidery for Little Miss Crafty: Projects and Patterns to Create and Embellish fits the bill perfectly for children (and adults) wanting to get started.  Simple patterns, great photos and diagrams, clear instructions for both stitches and projects! A real strength is the easy-to-trace templates and instructions for transferring the patterns to fabric. The patterns and projects are quite trendy, but in the best possible way. The content is solid while the book’s design will attract readers. Helen Dardik’s written a winner for a needlecraft that’s making a comeback. The publisher, Walter Foster, totes this as the first in a series, but provides no indication of what we can look forward to next.

In addition, check out Dardik’s website, One Lucky Helen, and blog, orange you lucky! are fun spots for all sorts of inspiration.