Bite the Biscuit by Linda O. Johnston

Synopsis from Goodreads: 
Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician, has become known for offering healthy and popular dog treats at the clinic where she works. When the local bakery's owner moves away, Carrie jumps at the chance to convert it into the Barkery, a shop to make and sell her canine delights.

But Myra Ethman, co-owner of another pet product store, hates the new competition. At the Barkery's opening party, she badmouths Carrie's homemade dog biscuits, insisting she'll find a way to shut the place down. So when Myra is found dead with a Barkery biscuit beside her, Carrie must prove she didn't do it before she's collared for murder.

My Review:
If you're looking for a light cozy mystery then this book should meet your needs. The bakery environment gives it a cozy touch, but I would have been happy with more baking scenes. (In the author's bio she does mention that she doesn't cook very much and this shows in her novel.) Laura Childs is a mystery author who does a really good job making you salivate while reading. I wonder if she is a foodie? 

The main character was average. I didn't love her and I didn't hate her. I liked the pet element, but again, it could have been a bit more. Maybe give the main character two dogs instead of one and describe the interaction between the two animals. Pets can create a lot of humor that way. 

The writing style was very descriptive. Sometimes to the point of walking you through the entire day which wasn't always necessary. I've caught myself doing this while writing. After seeing it as a reader, I'll have to try to avoid that! As far as the mystery goes, the author does a pretty good job throwing suspicion around. This is a good read when you have stressful stuff going on. It doesn't require a ton of brain power and it's not emotional. Just a fun mystery.

Author Tidbit: Linda O. Johnston also volunteers at Pet Orphans of Southern California.

The Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw Vol. 1 by Kurt Busiek & Benjamin Dewey

Goodreads Synopsis:
The debut collection of the hit epic-fantasy series. When the wizards of the Autumnlands reach through time to bring back a legendary hero, they don't get the savior they expected. But in a shattered, besieged city, he's their only hope of survival—and possibly their entire world's, as well.

My Review:
Volume 1 was awesome. The storyline, written by Kurt Busiek, is intriguing, even more so the characters. And the artwork, by Benjamin Dewey, is powerful. Color and motion drive the story forward visually and the plot will leave you wanting to read the next one. I'll keep the review short since you'd probably rather see artwork from the book. There are currently 2 trade paperback volumes available. I'll have to buy the second one soon.

Kurt Busiek's other work: Astro City, Avengers, Conan & more

If you fall in love with the artwork, you can see more of Benjamin Dewey's work in the "Tragedy Series" and "I Was the Cat."

The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman

Goodreads Synopsis:
Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island boardwalk freak show that thrills the masses. An exceptional swimmer, Coralie appears as the Mermaid in her father’s “museum,” alongside performers like the Wolfman, the Butterfly Girl, and a one-hundred-year-old turtle. One night Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees in the woods off the Hudson River.

The dashing photographer is Eddie Cohen, a Russian immigrant who has run away from his father’s Lower East Side Orthodox community and his job as a tailor’s apprentice. When Eddie photographs the devastation on the streets of New York following the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the suspicious mystery behind a young woman’s disappearance and ignites the heart of Coralie.

My Review:
This is a uniquely told love story. In fact, the characters don't even officially begin to interact until halfway through the book. The author uses the first half of the book to establish the temperaments, back stories and current states of her two main characters, Coralie and Eddie. As you read, you're able to watch two very different people from two very different places slowly make their way to each other. And once that meeting happens there is nothing that can change their course together.

As always, Alice Hoffman tells a seamless story. With elements of history and fairy tale, she creates another lyrically beautiful novel that shows all the facets of love, even the dark ones. And she throws in a bit of mystery too. Hoffman also gives us an educational perspective on the New York scene around 1911 and the working condition of factory workers. You'll walk away with a better understanding of that time and place and you'll feel like her characters are your friends. I will always recommend Alice Hoffman. For further reading, try her collection of short stories, "Blackbird House."

The Author

Author Tidbit: The movie, Practical Magic, was based on her novel (same title). After being treated for breast cancer, she started the Hoffman Breast Center at Mount Auburn Hospital.

Favorite Quote: "There was sorrow in the seams of his clothes, but he was used to death. It seemed that life was a bolt of cloth to him, and he was there to fold it and set it in a drawer. He said the prayers over the open grave, then, after being paid, quickly went on to his next appointment. I shoveled the dirt onto the coffin, as was the custom of our people, while the gravediggers looked on, arms folded across their chests. In our faith we are instructed to bury our own, and in doing so grant them that last favor."

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Goodreads Synopsis:
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last - inexorably - into evil.

My Review:
Well, I guess this is kind of a mixed bag for me. Let's start with some positive first. Donna Tartt's writing style is sharp, lush and beautifully bitter. You could settle down into it like a warm, dark blanket. And the way she describes the emotional & physical states of her characters is incredibly perceptive. In fact, if you were a fan of Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" you'll hear echoes of his talent for human psychology in Tartt's writing. Even the premise is similar as she goes into impressive detail over how her characters react/suffer after killing a close friend in their group. The focus of the book isn't the murder itself but what it does to the people who have committed it.

Some things that I wasn't as crazy about were that I had no emotional attachment to any of the characters, especially the narrator. When I come across books like this it takes an extra push of energy to finish them. But that's probably my shortcoming. While I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters, I was still entranced by them and wanted to find out how they would progress through the novel. The second thing I was a bit disappointed with was how small of a role their Greek professor played. When you read the synopsis and then start the book, you're under the impression that Julian is going to influence his students more directly. You expect him to be this sinister element, but he really doesn't show up very often. I feel like he could have had more of a presence, but maybe the author wanted the students to be held responsible for their moral deterioration. The worst of the characters (and the most captivating) is somewhat redeemed at the end, but overall the novel never loses the dark cloud hanging over it. 

After going online to find photos for this review, I found quite a following for the book. There are some beautiful photo montages, hopeful cast picks for a movie that has yet to be made, and fan fiction (not surprising in the least). 

The Author

Favorite Quotes:

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Mafatu was afraid of the sea. It had taken his mother when he was a baby, and it seemed to him that the sea gods sought vengeance at having been cheated of Mafatu. So, though he was the son of the Great Chief of Hikueru, a race of Polynesians who worshipped courage, and he was named Stout Heart, he feared and avoided tha sea, till everyone branded him a coward. When he could no longer bear their taunts and jibes, he determined to conquer that fear or be conquered-- so he went off in his canoe, alone except for his little dog and pet albatross. A storm gave him his first challenge. Then days on a desert island found him resourceful beyond his own expectation. This is the story of how his courage grew and how he finally returned home. This is a legend. It happened many years ago, but even today the people of Hikueru sing this story and tell it over their evening fires.

My review:
This book was recommended by a friend of mine (and fellow bookworm) so I gave it a shot. Written for young readers, this story can easily be enjoyed by adults as well. Armstrong Sperry writes in a wonderfully descriptive and knowledgable voice that quickly brings Mafatu's surroundings to life. Originally published in 1940, Sperry's vocabulary and tone have that old-fashioned feel that's oddly comforting when you settle into the story. And Mafatu's tale is one that anyone can relate to. Filled with fear, he thinks himself a failure for not being brave like his people. As he sets out to prove himself, the one thing that keeps him moving forward with courage is the thought of making his father proud. As a character, Mafatu is so endearing that you catch yourself cheering him on as he overcomes each obstacle put before him. The fact that his two constant companions are a seagull and a dog makes it an even more endearing.

The copy I read was the hardcover edition illustrated by the author himself.  His artwork has a very distinct look that is simple but emotive. I am absolutely in love with the way he uses lines to shade and highlight. If you can get a copy of this edition, I'd recommend it. You'll be dedicating as much time to the drawings as you do the words.

Sperry sums up his book best when accepting the Newbery Medal for this title, "I had been afraid that perhaps in Call It Courage, the concept of spiritual courage might be too adult for children, but the reception of this book has reaffirmed a belief I have long held: that children have imagination enough to grasp any idea, and respond to it, if it is put to them honestly and without a patronizing pat on the head."
"Call It Courage" was filmed for television in 1973 and later made into a musical play in 2010.

The Author

Author Tidbit: Sperry's love of the ocean was inspired by his great-grandfather who was a brave sea captain.