REVIEW: Five Go Adventuring Again

Five Go Adventuring Again
Author: Enid Blyton

The five come together again at the Christmas holidays. Julian, Dick, Anne and George (don't call her Georgina!) and of course Timothy the dog all gather at Kirran Cottage. But not everything is going to be fun and games. Three of the kids need tutoring to improve their grades, so a tutor is hired. Even with lessons taking up some of their time each day, they still manage to find adventure and a mystery to solve! There is a thief sneaking about....and the 5 need to find the culprit!

I can see why this series is such a classic. I kept reading references to the Famous Five stories in books by British authors so decided it was time for me to read the series! I'm glad I did! These are children's stories and a bit dated, but very enjoyable tales! There are 21 books in the series, published from 1942 through 1963. Then there are eight short stories added in 1995. Five Go Adventuring Again is the second book in the series. I still have a lot of reading to do! :)

I think George is my favorite character. She hates to be called Georgina and has a bit of a temper. She absolutely loves her dog, Timothy. And woe to the person that dislikes her dog! :)

I can see why kids have loved these books for decades! I wish I had had such fun adventures in my own childhood!

Moving on to the next book -- Five Run Away Together!

REVIEW: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun

Jim Qwilleran's life took a bit of an unexpected detour....divorce, alcoholism....but he's getting things back on track. He takes a job as a feature writer with a newspaper, the Daily Fluxion. Although in the past he was a prize winning reporter, he starts out a bit humbly at his new job -- writing features on local artists. His publisher wants him to smooth some ruffled feathers. The paper's art critic has published some scathing, sarcastic commentary on the work of many local artists. Jim doesn't realize how cutthroat the art world can be until a local gallery owner turns up dead. He finds himself covering his art beat, while working in some sleuthing into the darkness lurking behind the local art culture.

This book is the start to this popular series. There are 29 books in this series, plus a couple short story collections. The first three books were written in the 60's when working at a large daily newspaper meant huge rooms filled with typewriters, hanging out at the press club, etc. As a former reporter and editor, it made me smile. Jim Qwilleran is thrown into writing features on art when he knows nothing about art at all. This might seem unrealistic to some....but not to me. On my first day as a newspaper reporter when I was fresh out of college, I was thrown into covering city and county commission meetings. I had to research things like property tax and appraisals, elections and other important topics that I knew absolutely nothing about. I was thrown right into the fire on day one and had to figure it out. Totally normal.....you have to fake it til you make it. Call and ask questions, check facts multiple times, look foolish on occasion to make sure a story is on target.....reading about Jim trying to swim through his confusion about art, eccentric artists and local shows made me smile. I never had to work in a large room filled with typewriters....we had computers. But, when I first started as a journalist at a small rural daily paper, we had to print our stories, send the trimmed copy through a wax machine and layout the pages by hand. I had to take and print my own photographs in "the dungeon''....the dank and horrid darkroom on the bottom floor of an ancient building. Reading this book made me a bit nostalgic for my own "old days.'' :)

The first three books in this series were written in the 60s. Then Lilian Jackson Braun picked it up again in the late 80s....that's when I discovered this series. I got to book 8 before life interrupted and I lost track of the series. I'm going to revisit the books I read way back then.....and then read my way through the stories I missed! :) Lots of reading to do! I'm looking forward to revisiting the interesting reporter whose mustache tingles when a story is going to break and his two siamese cat companions! 

REVIEW; The Hidden Staircase

The Hidden Staircase
Author: Carolyn Keene

The Hidden Staircase is the 2nd book in the Nancy Drew series. First published in 1930, the book still remains in print today, although edited and updated from the original just a bit. I am revisiting a lot of favorite children's books at the moment, because a summer cold is totally kicking my butt. I found several Nancy Drew audio books on my library's digital site.....perfect! The audio versions are about 3 hours long on average. Perfect listening time for someone who is stuck indoors coughing and feeling pretty miserable.

I worried that I might find these childhood favorites dated or juvenile, but I'm actually quite entertained! The audiobook I  listened to (Penguin Random House) was narrated by Laura Linney. She does a great job reading! She reads the story at a nice pace and has a pleasant, easily understandable voice. The production quality is top notch....at suspenseful moments there are cheesy music stabs and sound effects. It was a fun listening experience!

In this second book, Nancy is investigating two mysteries.....ghostly activities at a local mansion and threats made to her father, Carson Drew. It develops into quite the interesting mystery!

The mysteries in the Nancy Drew series are not all that complex and the plot gets cheesy at times....but the stories are targeted at children and the first few books were written almost 90 years ago. They had a bit of an edit in the 1960s to remove some outdated stereotypes and to add in more action, but other than that the character and her adventures are as originally written. There is a reason these stories are classics. There might be some cheesy moments, but Nancy solves some interesting cases. She is intelligent, self-reliant and interesting as a main character. The books are a bit more outdated now than they were when I read them as a child, but the stories are still interesting and enjoyable. I can see the books being fun supplemental reading in a classroom or homeschool setting. There could be some fun writing prompts for students such as how could Nancy be aided in her sleuthing if she had access to modern technology (cell phone, computer for research, etc), what are some things Nancy does/says that are outdated and what would she say and do if she was a teen today?

The books are totally appropriate for middle grade students. There are some mild threats of violence and suspenseful moments, but nothing is ever graphic, gory or scary.

Moving on to the next book! Totally enjoying re-reading these classic favorites!

REVIEW: They Kill

They Kill
Author: Tim Waggoner

Jeffrey Sowell is dead. Or at least he was dead. Now he's mysteriously alive again....a year after the car accident that killed him. A year after his funeral. A strange man named Corliss resurrects Jeffrey and sends him back to the town where he lived, worked, loved. But this time, he returns as an agent of death. Everything he touches crumbles and dies. Corliss soon visits other people in town, creating monsters. People are consumed by their vices.....sex, technology, alcohol.....  Jeffrey's sister Sierra sees the destruction and horror....and her long-dead brother. Can love stop the horror?

Wow....this book has some truly horrific moments. This is not for the faint hearted....from graphic gore to really, really, really (add some more reallys please) icky sex, it's got just about every vice covered. I couldn't stop reading! I had to know how the story ended.....and the ending gave me the cold shivers. I normally steer away from gorefests....but for this story, it worked. There was a purpose to the gore. Awesome story!

This book is definitely not for the kiddos. Pretty adult stuff. It is not traumatizingly graphic, but does have some pretty warped stuff going on (like a woman's vagina that can eat people).

This is the first book by Tim Waggoner that I've read. I'm definitely going to be reading more. This book seriously creeped me out -- loved it! I have to read more by this man!

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Flame Tree Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Peach Clobbered

Peach Clobbered
Author: Anna Gerard

Nina Fleet is putting her life back together following her very public divorce from a philandering golf pro. Leaving Atlanta behind, she heads to Cymbaline, GA to start fresh. She loves her historic Queen Anne house but zoning issues have delayed her B&B dreams. Her peace is further disturbed when a relative of the former owner of the house shows up at the door threatening legal action, and a group of six displaced nuns are dropped on her doorstep. Just when Nina thinks things couldn't possibly get more strange, an unpopular resident of Cymbaline is killed and she find herself sucked into doing a bit of amateur sleuthing. So much for life in a small town being quiet and uneventful!!

Peach Clobbered is the first book in the new Georgia B&B cozy mystery series. I will definitely be reading more of this series! Nina (pronounced Nine-ah) is a spunky and funny main character. The side characters -- especially the nuns -- are a hoot and very, very entertaining. The mystery is interesting with plenty of suspects and twists. Great start to a new cozy series! And, a quick, easy read.

Anna Gerard is a pen name for author Diane Stuckart, who also writes as Ali Brandon and Alexa Smart. She writes several cozy series including the Black Cat Bookshop (as Ali Brandon) and Tarot Cats (as Diane Stuckart). I haven't read either of those series yet...but definitely will since I enjoyed this cute B&B themed cozy!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew Mysteries)

The Secret of the Old Clock
Author: Carolyn Keene

Although Trixie Belden was my favorite teen sleuth, I also enjoyed Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys mysteries growing up. I think I liked Trixie better as she was closer to my age and more of a tom boy/country girl like I was. I devoured books from all three series as fast as I could get my hands on them, so the differences in characters didn't hamper my enjoyment of the mysteries.

I am making an effort to re-visit favorite series and authors. I've been re-reading the Trixie Belden books...so finally came calling at the Drew home as well. I did a bit of research on the series before starting the first book. Just like the Trixie series, Nancy Drew was written by various ghostwriters all under the pen-name Carolyn Keene. The first authors were paid $125 per book and were required to relinquish all claims to the books.  The original four Nancy Drew books were first published in 1930 (actually written by Mildred Wirt Benson), but were re-written and updated in 1959 by Harriet Adams. I have never read the original version of this story, but have a copy of the re-worked book. With a bit of research, I learned what changes were made. The character was softened up a little and outdated stereotypes were removed (opinions about nouveau riche were removed, upper class views were toned down, bad depictions of "lower class" were removed, etc). Some changes were more fundamental -- more action and suspense was added into the plot, and the housekeeper was depicted as a valued member of the family rather than treated like a servant as in the original work. I think these changes kept the books in circulation through the decades, rather than them fading as the plots grew severely outdated (and even a bit offensive).

I listened to an unabridged audio book version of this story (Penguin Random House audio 2002). Narrated by Laura Linney, the audio is just over 3 hours long. Linney gives a great performance as usual. I always enjoy her narrations! The audio book also adds in some music and sound effects at suspenseful moments. :) Very enjoyable listening experience! I have hearing loss but was still able to hear and understand the entire book. I enjoyed listening to Nancy's case unfold as she searched for a missing will. Even though the book is short, the mystery is not rushed. There is plenty of action and interesting twists and turns. Great story! I enjoyed this re-visit just as much as I enjoyed reading Nancy's first mystery as a young teen back in the early 1980s.

I'm glad they re-wrote and updated these books. I don't think I would have liked Nancy if she was portrayed as an upper class, privileged snoot. I have 20+ matching hardback copies of this series on my keeper shelf that I found at a thriftshop for $1 per book. Best purchase ever! My copies are the older versions with no slipcover, 1950s artwork on the front, and the traditional yellow spine with a small picture of Nancy. I hope to find more to round out my collection. There are 35 books in the original series with 43 more added from 1959-1985. Then there are several more modern spin-off series as well. Lots of reading to do! I'm so curious to find out if the newer books are as good as the originals!

Revisiting this story also makes me want to find episodes of the old 1970s television show! I wonder if it is available online somewhere??

On to the next book -- The Hidden Staircase!

REVIEW: Independence!

Independence!
Wagons West #1
Author: Dana Ross Fuller

As part of my quest to re-read my favorite series, I decided to jump back into Dana Fuller Ross' Wagons West books! I first read this series when I was about 14 years old. I loved it as a teenager! There are 24 books in the series. Back when I started reading, there were only about 12...so the last half will be new to me! :)

Independence! starts the journey west. The wagon train forms at Long Island, NY for the first long leg of the journey. They will travel west to Independence, MO, where some of the travelers will leave the train and others will continue on towards Oregon. At Independence, they will re-stock supplies and take on a new wagon master. Russia and England both want the Oregon Territory....so agents from both nations have signed on to sabotage the trip in an effort to prevent settlement in Oregon. Along the way they face challenges, take on new wagons, and learn to survive.

All in all, I enjoyed re-visiting this story. I'm just as obsessed with the pioneer era and Old West as I was way back in the '80s.  As an adult re-visiting this book, I found some of the plot to be too melodramatic or romanticized and the characters a bit too stereotype. I wanted more realistic action and a lot less romance. One of the main female characters acts spoiled and jealous for nearly the entire book, but still manages to catch her man. *eye roll* I do see why my 14-year old self loved this book. But, as a 50 year old, I found the plot a bit too simple and centered around the ridiculous romance angles. I wanted more pioneer and less pouty lips.

I'm going to stick with the series to the end though. Back in the early '80s, I read through all the books that were published at that time. But then I got busy with high school, followed by college....and I just didn't have time for much fiction reading. I lost track of the series until now. So, my goal is to read through the entire series....I have to know who makes it to Oregon and the other territories in the end! :) There are some spin-off books as well that I will read if I can find them.

I'm going to give this a 4/5 rating mostly for nostalgia. The book is an entertaining read, but the plot is very cliche. The characters are very sterotypical...and the romance is cheesy. Entertaining -- yep. Great book? Not really. It's pretty much like a pioneer soap opera.

I got lucky and my local library had the first book in audio (Brilliance Audio) on their digital site. I enjoyed listening to the story as I worked in my garden. :) Narrated by Phil Gigante, the audio is almost 11 hours long. Gigante has a nice voice and gave a great performance. I have hearing loss, but was easily able to hear and understand the entire audio book. Unfortunately, the library only has the first book. I have books 2 and 3 in paperback. After that, I will have to hunt the titles up and read as I can. Might take me awhile to get through all 24...but I'm determined! :)

On to the next book -- Nebraska! :)

REVIEW: Teen Titans - Raven

Teen Titans - Raven
Author: Kami Garcia
Artist: Gabriel Picolo

My husband is a big time comics fan and has been for 40+ years. He has a rather extensive collection and knows the background story and facts about almost every character. DC, Marvel, Indy.....he's read them all. I enjoy comics, too. But I'm definitely playing catch up when it comes to my knowledge base. I wasn't allowed to read comic books (unless they featured Disney characters) as a child. My mother didn't approve of them. Fifteen years ago when I married my husband, suddenly I was surrounded by thousands of comic books....and I'm enjoying the experience!

Raven. Before I read this eGalley, I had never read anything about this member of the Teen Titans. Or any of the Teen Titans, to be honest. I read my copy of this book and then talked to my husband about the character. My only experience with the Teen Titans prior to this is the rather silly television cartoon. I'm glad I read this graphic novel. It changed my opinion of the Teen Titans. I'm anxious to read more!

Not sure what more knowledgeable Teen Titans fans will think of this book. As a newcomer to Teen Titans and Raven, I loved it! Not going to fall into discussions of continuity, character development, etc etc....because I knew nothing about Raven before reading this book. For me, the story was engaging. I like the character. And the story kept my full attention from beginning to end.

The basics: Raven Roth is 17 when her foster mother is killed in a car accident. Sent to live with her foster mom's sister, Raven has lost her memory. She doesn't remember who she is...she doesn't remember her foster mom...she doesn't even remember what food or candy she likes. She just knows something is wrong. Loud noise bothers her. And she can sense the emotions and thoughts of everyone around her. Traversing high school is very very very difficult when the very thoughts of the other students are a constant bombardment. Add in the visions, nightmares and feelings of dread, and Raven feels like she is going crazy. Who is she? Why can she do the things she does? As she slowly discovers the truth and learns to control her "gifts,'' she realizes there is a lot more to her powers than hearing thoughts.

I love the artwork in this book! Even in the unfinished pages of a digital galley copy, I could tell the art is just outstanding! It makes the story pop and conveys the emotions of a confused, lost teenage girl who doesn't understand what is happening to her.

I enjoyed watching this character develop from a scared teenage girl into a much stronger, determined fledgling super through the course of this story. She learns what family is....learns lessons on trusting people and betrayal....and discovers that she has more strength, intelligence and potential than she ever dreamed. Lovely origin story!

I am very much enjoying these updated tales about DC teenage superheroes. I recently read another new YA graphic novel about Catwoman that gave some new dimensions to the character. I liked this new look at Raven even more!

I'm glad I read this book! The art is outstanding....the plot line is awesome! I have officially changed my opinion of the Teen Titans now that I've read a serious story about one of them. I look forward to learning more about the other members of the team, and reading more about Raven.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from DC Entertainment via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond

In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond
Author: John Zada

Tales of a giant North American ape-like creature have been told for hundreds of years. Native peoples, explorers, pioneers, travelers, hunters, farmers, fisherman, campers, vacationing families....there are many legends and stories of this elusive giant cryptid creature. There are many names as well....Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Skunk Ape, Wild Man, and more.  Here in Western NC, the local legend calls the creature Knobby. Does Bigfoot exist? No clue. But I have an open mind and this book caught my eye. Author John Zada travelled to British Columbia, Canada to talk to area residents and to see if he could catch a glimpse of the creature himself. He talked to all sorts of people scientists, experts, members of the First Nations, hunters, trappers, farmers and gathered up tales about the Sasquatch.

I enjoyed reading this book. Zada talks about British Columbia, the forest, wildlife, the local people, and all of the stories. He weaves a rich narrative that ends up not being just about a legendary creature, but more about the rich culture, people and beautiful landscape that keeps the legend alive.

I'm pretty much still a skeptic that Bigfoot is an actual creature. Some sort of factual evidence (scientifically verifiable evidence not things like blurry video and bad concrete casts of footprints) would have been discovered by now, even with the remote and densely forested areas where the creatures reportedly hang out. But....I could be wrong. Up until a few years ago, most people thought giant squid were just tales told by superstitious sailors....until an actual dead giant squid was found.  It was a real creature all along...not just a myth. So while I tend to be skeptical....in the event of provable fact, I would immediately change my mind. I feel the same way about any mythical creature or entity....ghosts, demons, mermaids, Mokele-Mbembe....so many tales of really awesome creatures. If giant squid were proven to be real, maybe some....or even just one....of the legendary creatures people tell stories about might also be real. And that would be awesome!

Very enjoyable read! Zada is a very talented story teller!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Grove Atlantic via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Whisper Network

Whisper Network
Author: Chandler Baker

Sloane, Ardie, Grace, and Rosalita....these four women have had enough. They are tired of cover-ups, lies, whispered rumors about ill treatment that nobody is brave enough to report, sick of corporate mistreatment of professional women....just sick of it all. The final straw? The CEO of the company they work for unexpectedly dies....and Ames Garrett -- a real wanker -- is next in line for the job. The work place is about to get a lot worse for every woman in the company. So they take matters into their own hands....but their actions will have dire consequences.

While the story line seemed a bit contrived and melodramatic in places, I couldn't stop reading. Whisper Network is like a very dark, demented version of the movie 9-5.  I wonder how many women have endured situations like this book depicts? The story is suspenseful and definitely kept my attention throughout....but it also made me feel strangely uncomfortable. How many times in my career did I know a male supervisor or co-worker was acting inappropriately...but said nothing about it? Multiple times. How many times did I stay silent when I should have spoken up? As a supervisor, how many times did I hear gossip and not check up on it? And how many times was I a victim of this sort of misconduct but didn't tell anyone? Multiple times on all counts. What would have happened if I had spoken up? Most likely -- nothing. Or, I might have been reprimanded for speaking out of turn and causing problems....or opened myself up for retaliation. So, although I did find the plot to be a bit soap-opera melodramatic in places, it did make me think.

Interesting read. While it isn't the usual sort of book I read....it was refreshing to get out of my comfort zone and try something different. This story is not entertaining....but emotional, hard-hitting and uncomfortable. Most women in the working world have dealt with similar situations and been forced through fear, peer pressure or career threats to remain silent. And men who don't behave badly are forced to remain silent or not defend their female co-workers for the same reasons.

I think it's time to clean up the corporate workplace. Not sure I would want to see it done the way these ladies did it....but I do hope the day is coming where good people are victimized and wankers get away with it.

Aren't we all getting sick of that scenario?

**I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book from Flatiron Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**