February 9, 2021 AIN'T THAT A SHAME

Why are there so many people IN THIS WORLD who believe that THE RULES DON'T APPLY TO THEM. I really can't understand this behavior--THAT I SEE ALL THE TIME. This narcissistic outlook--about how the world should work to BENEFIT THEM. These are the people who believe they DESERVE more than other people. WHY? Because they believe that they are ENTITLED FOR SOME REASON. These are the people who don't follow the "Usual Rules" because THE RULES do NOT benefit them. EVEN if the rules benefit society and  social norms. AND they feel NO SENSE OF SHAME ABOUT IT EITHER. BECAUSE They are SPECIAL PEOPLE who deserve SPECIAL PRIVILEDGES. And I'm talking about ADULTS RIGHT NOW. Adults with children who will grow up WITH A SENSE OF SELF-IMPORTANCE AND ENTITLEMENT TOO. They will lack EMPATHY because they will also BELIEVE THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT THEM.  UGH--sorry for this much needed rant. Chief Inspector Gamache faces a few of these idiots in Louise Penny's new installment of the Gamache series All The Devils Are Here. What's exciting about this new book is that it takes place in Paris instead of the usual Three Pines. Although I missed the regular characters, it was fun to be in Paris for a bit. As the novel unfolds, Armand and his wife Reine-Marie are in Paris visiting  family. Their son Daniel and his family have lived in Paris for many years, and Annie and Jean-Guy have recently relocated for his new job. Unfortunately, their holiday is interrupted when Armand's billionaire god-father Stephen Horowitz is deliberately run over and almost killed. Thankfully, Gamache, and his former second-in-command from the Surete du Quebec, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, are there to investigate. What did Horowitz know or discover that made him a target? After a second man is killed  in Horowitz's apartment, it is obvious that the danger is closer than they think and that other members of the Gamache could be the next target. Find out what Horowitz discovered and the secret that stood between Daniel and Gamache  for so many years when you read this suspenseful, mystery for yourself. Penny really has a way of making the reader feel part of the story here with the sights, sounds, and smells of Paris on every page. I enjoyed this 450 page--5 miler--very much, but I'm also glad that the family will return to Three Pines for the next book in the series. 

February 7, 2021 SEXY EYES

 You know how some people get tummy tucks? 

 Well--I'm thinking I need an eye lid tuck?  Seriously. 

What  the HELL happened to my EYE LIDS?? It's a real surgery you know--it's officially called Blepharoplasty or an Upper Eye Lift AND I'm pretty sure I need one. There is so much skin on my eyelids-- that I LITERALLY have to pull my lid down to my chin just to get my eyeliner on. OK--I can handle that BUT by lunch time--BECAUSE I HAVE AN EXTRA EYELID NOW--it has smudged all over my lids and I look like I've been in a fist fight. I can't handle this crap. What am I supposed to do--carry eyeliner around in my back pocket and fix it all day?? So--I've started investigating the surgery. It's been around for a long time AND insurance will pay for it IF IT IS TO IMPROVE VISION LOSS. So--MAYBE  that's REALLY why I can't see. WHO KNEW? FYI-- This procedure is actually one of the most popular forms of plastic surgery in the United States. There are some  side effects I'd have to consider-- bruising--swelling-- double vision BUT what the HELL. My eyes look BRUISED AND SWOLLEN  EVERY DAY. And if I had some temporary DOUBLE VISION--isn't that better than  DOUBLE EYELIDS.  HUM.................While I'm pondering this IMPORTANT decision I'll  tell you about a great book I just finished called Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. In this beautifully written novel, O'Farrell literally takes a small snippet from Shakespeare's life and uses it as a springboard to write a novel completely different from anything she has written before. Set in England in 1580, a young Latin tutor falls in love with Agnes Hathaway. Although their love is forbidden, the two eventually marry and live adjacent to the groom's family. The Latin tutor ( whom we assume is Shakespeare-although his name is never mentioned) feels inadequate around his family who want him to continue working in the family glove business. After a bout with depression, Shakespeare moves to London while Agnes stays behind to raise their children--two daughters and a son named  Hamnet. While in London, Shakespeare finds his niche acting and writing plays.   The second half of the book focuses on the Black Plague, the tragic death of Hamnet, and the effect his death has on his whole family. This is a story about marriage, sacrifice, grief, and how Shakespeare took that grief and created his longest play Hamlet. I especially loved the ending, but you'll have to read it for yourself to find out what happens. This is a powerful novel that I really enjoyed. Great character development and interesting read. It's about 320 pages or a 4 mile run that you will really enjoy. 

January 30, 2021 THE BEST IS YET TO COME

HUGE milestone yesterday. Not for me--but for my

 BETTER HALF. He retired--AFTER 39 YEARS. He

was  a prosecutor. That's how we met. Way back in the olden days--WHEN I WAS ALL THAT. Yup, I was 22 years old when I started working as a clerk at the courthouse. It was a State job--a big deal BACK IN THE DAY. I can still remember the first time we met.  Where did the time go?  It went by in the blink of an eye--that's for sure. So my husband was interviewed for the paper the other day--I guess he was a BIG WIG--and he said the most touching thing. The interviewer asked him what the highlight of his career was --and he ACTUALLY SAID--I met my wife working here. We've been married for 27 years and have 3 kids. What a thoughtful, kind thing to say right?  Who knew I was a highlight?  Like I said--HE'S MY MUCH BETTER HALF.  I wish some of it would rub off on me but I guess I can't ask for miracles.  While I'm happy for his well deserved retirement, I'll still be shlepping to work for a few more years.  HUM--maybe he'll learn to cook AND take over the grocery shopping??  Probably not, but a girl can dream. Ellie Mack, one of the characters in Lisa Jewell's thriller Then She Was Gone was a bit of a dreamer too before she disappeared in 2005. 

As the story unfolds, Ellie is a fifteen year old girl living in England with her family. She's got a great life, a doting mother and father and an older sister and brother. Everything is perfect.  One day she leaves her house to go to the library and disappears. Although the police look into the disappearance, they eventually classify Ellie as a runaway. The story then moves on to 2015. It's been 10 years since Ellie disappeared. Her parents, Laurel and Paul,  have since divorced and her grief stricken mother is still struggling to put her life back together. One day out of the blue, Laurel gets a call from the police. They have found bones in the woods and a back pack that belonged to Ellie. At least the family has closure and can finally bury her body but they  still don't know what happened to Ellie. While at a diner one afternoon,  Laurel meets Floyd Dunn. The two begin dating and Laurel meet his young daughter, Poppy, who bares a strong resemblance to her missing daughter. Don't want to say much more so you'll have to read the book to find out What happened to Ellie? This is a real page turner with many twists and turns. It actually reminded me in a way of The Lovely Bones. It's about 380 pages or a 4 mile run that you will have a hard time putting down. 

January 24, 2021 HIGH MAINTENANCE WOMAN

 Celebrated my birthday last week.  YUP--Another year--Another wrinkle. I'm not complaining --It's great

to be alive but with age comes certain consequences. I've NEVER been ONE OF THOSE high maintenance  women UNTIL NOW. Age demands it. I used to color and high lite my hair for fun-NOW I HAVE TO COLOR AND HIGH LITE MY HAIR OR GO GRAY. And I have to do it every 5-6 weeks. And what happened to my eyebrows?? They've thinned out-- I EVEN HAVE A FEW GRAY ONES in the mix. Don't want to pluck them though or I'll have GIANT GAPS and that would look really weird. So I've had to invest in eyebrow PENCILS or look like a freak without eyebrows. Something strange has also happened to my GUMS. Age Recession is what I'm calling it. Can't eat a thing without food getting stuck everywhere. It's so embarrassing. I almost hate to eat in public--but when I do-- I have to mumble without moving my lips until I can get to a mirror to examine the damage--USUALLY A giant piece of spinach WEDGED between my front teeth.  UGH. Didn't know I had nose hair until recently either. I've actually had to start trimming it or risk swallowing it. SO WEIRD. I'm just putting it out there RIGHT NOW--I draw the line at electric face shavers and ear trimmers. Even I know when to call it a day. I'm sure the main character, Grace Bradley, of Kate Morton's lovely novel The House at Riverton can definitely relate to my problems. As the novel begins, It's 1999 and Grace Bradley is a 98 year old woman living in a nursing home in  England who has kept a secret for 75 years. While working as a servant for an aristocrat family named the Hartfords at Riverton in 1924,  she witnessed the death of a famous poet. Grace's devotion to the Hartford family kept her silent on the matter, but the event changed her life forever. One day a young director visits Grace at the nursing home asking questions about Riverton. She is interested in making a film about Riverton and the events of 1924 and knows that Grace once lived on the property.  She questions Grace about the Hartford family and offers to take Grace back to Riverton which is now a museum. After the director's visit, Grace finds herself thinking back on her life and the events that shaped it. The reader is taken back in time then as the story is told in flashbacks. Grace as a young servant and later as a lady in waiting for Hannah after she marries. This historical novel encompasses World War I, including the devastation and sacrifices made because of the war. It is also about aristocratic privilege, and the Edwardian values of the time period. This is an unforgettable story about sacrifice, passion, love and suspense with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the bitter end. Morton is a lovely writer  whose book has been compared to Downton Abbey. It's about 475 pages or a 6 mile run that you will never forget. 

January 18, 2021 I BEG YOUR PARDON

 Pardon Me?? In my world that is synonymous with excuse me BUT not in TRUMPVILLE.  Yup--Trump

and his cronies are putting a  WHOLE new spin on the Catholic practice--- of selling INDULGENCES. SERIOUSLY--Back in the Middle Ages-- the Catholic Church actually sold  INDULGENCES OR PARDONS to absolve people of their sins and keep them out of purgatory after they died. Hey--it was a good way to make money that ended up getting THE CHURCH IN A HEAP OF TROUBLE. Well--The good times never end.  It's 500 years later and Trump and his pals are selling INDULGENCES again. AND--At a time when Trump's PARDON POWER should be limited BECAUSE HE'S IS BEING IMPEACHED--AGAIN. Shaking my head---GONNA GIVE MYSELF BRAIN DAMAGE IF I'M NOT CAREFUL.  Next thing you know--Trump will find a way to PARDON HIMSELF. I'm not even kidding. Even though I know that a president CAN NOT legally pardon himself--Trump doesn't care about laws. He still thinks he's ABOVE THE LAW. Time for the tyrant to go. 48 more hours...........Speaking of the law--I stumbled on this book the other day that I could not put down. It was  the 20th anniversary edition of William Kent Krueger's Iron Lake. This is the first of the Cork O'Connor mystery series that includes 18 books. Iron Lake is set in a small town in Aurora, Minnesota, and  borders a Native American Reservation and Casino. Cork O'Connor is part Anishinaabe Indian and Irish. Although he has many friend in the tribe, he is considered an outsider. He was the sheriff for many years until an unfortunate run-in between whites and Native Americans ended in two deaths. After losing his job and family, Cork struggles to find meaning in his life until he finds himself at the scene of a crime --a judge has been brutally murdered and a young boy is missing.  Even though he is no longer the sheriff, Cork takes it upon himself to navigate the slippery slope between two very different cultures to bridge the gap and solve the crime. Krueger is a great writer whose characters are well-developed. In addition, the setting is almost another character as Krueger brings the Minnesota winter to life. I really enjoyed learning about Minnesota and the Native American culture while reading this book too and  will definitely read the whole series. This suspenseful, interesting page turner is about 320 pages or a 3.5 mile run that I literally could not put down.  

January 9, 2021 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT

 It's been a LONG FOUR YEARS.  I can still VIVIDLY recall the morning I woke up to CBS radio announcing TRUMP was  our new president. I was BEYOND SHOCKED. I felt like the character in Ray Bradbury's short story "A Sound of Thunder" who returns from the past after killing a butterfly and.... read it for yourself and you'll immediately get where I'm coming from.  Anyways--we've had to ENDURE  a HELL of a lot  over the last four years. A president who has made us the laughing stock of the world. A president who lies--cheats--HELL he'd sell one of his kids to the DEVIL if it helped him get reelected.  WHY? BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY.  The events on 1/6/21 have made it abundantly clear BEYOND a shadow of a doubt--I sincerely hope--HE NEEDS TO GO. He has done enough damage to the United States. He never wanted to be PRESIDENT--he wanted to be a DICTATOR. If Trump took the office seriously---he would NEVER have provoked an insurrection during the certification process at the Capital Building. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT HE DID ON TWITTER. He should have been BANNED a long time ago. TWITTER is a company. They are NOT the government. Constitutional rights don't apply here. TWITTER can ban whomever the company deems UNFIT to have an account. I could have saved us all a lot of trouble. I'VE BEEN SHAKING MY HEAD IN DISGUST FOR FOUR LONG YEARS. TRUMP is only about TRUMP and YES--HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNFIT FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT AND HE'S ALSO UNFIT MENTALLY.  10 more days............If you're anything like me, then you're starting to get those winter blues. What better way to combat those than with a little help from Tina Turner and her new book Happiness Becomes You. Yes, I'm talking about Tina Turner--the singer, dancer, actress and eight time Grammy winner. Turner's new book--this is her third--is a guide to changing your life for the better.  Turner has had to overcome many hardships in life--poverty--abuse--adversity-- to name a few. In this book, Turner uses the lessons and wisdom she's gained  to show the reader that change is possible with spiritual strength.  Turner became interested in Buddhism in 1973 and has used the principles to help meet many challenges and she wants the reader to know that they can too. Turner's ultimate goal is to help the reader find purpose and joy in living by purging  negative obstacles for an inner peace. Her courage, strength and attitude continue to inspire me. This little gem is a quick read--200 pages--with lovely inspirational quotes that will turn your frown upside down. Give it a try. 

January 1, 2021 IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND

 Happy New Year. So glad it's 2021. Although 2020 was a tough year, I learned many  lessons. All I really need is a good pair of running shoes, yoga, books, paint, cocktail hour, health, family and friends. LIFE IS GOOD. It's really that simple. Looking back over the year--I read 55 books and reviewed 46. I've been everywhere--Germany, Italy, Aleppo, England, Malaysia, California,  New York--even on a cattle drive in the Old West. Good times. Without further ado-- I'd like to announce my favorite books of 2020:    

1) Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo--reviewed 6/29/20--blog title-I Wonder Why

2) Deacon King Kong by James McBride--reviewed 6/31/20--blog title-Behind the Mask

3) The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri--reviewed 2/7/20--blog title-Why Can't We Be Friends

4) Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield--reviewed 3/1/20--blog title-Just Breathe

5) Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane--reviewed 3/21/20--blog title-Suspicious Minds

6) Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry--reviewed 4/27/20--blog title-Rhinestone Cowboy

7) The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo--reviewed 10/30/20--blog title-That's What Friends are For

8) The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton--reviewed 5/19/20--blog title-Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

9) Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid--reviewed 6/10/20--blog title-Old Time Rock & Roll

10) The Huntress by Kate Quinn--reviewed 1/29/20--blog title-For the First Time

Looking forward to another great year. Happy Reading

--The Belle of the Book