Murder Past Due

Murder Past Due. Miranda James. 2010. 294 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

First sentence: A hurricane slammed through my kitchen this morning, and his name was Justin.

Premise/plot: Murder Past Due is the first in the A Cat In The Stacks mystery series. Charlie is a librarian who works as an archivist in the university's rare books collection. He's lucky: he gets to bring his cat, Diesel to work. In fact, Diesel almost always goes everywhere with him. He inherited his house from his aunt, and he runs a boarding house. Justin is one of his boarders.

Soon after the novel opens, readers learn that a best selling mystery/thriller writer is returning. Charlie went to school with him--both high school and college--and the two weren't exactly friends. Far from it. It seems EVERYONE in town has a past with Godfrey Priest--for better or worse.

My thoughts: I loved this one. I did. I loved meeting Charlie and Diesel. I enjoyed the setting--a small university town. I liked the unpacking of the mystery--following the clues. Charlie may be an amateur when it comes to detecting, but, he's good at research. I was a bit surprised at who committed the murder. And that's not a bad thing.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Fierce

Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything. Aly Raisman. 2017. 368 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I'm sitting on the floor of the airy warm-up gym in the Rio Olympic Arena and fiddling with the fraying white rug beneath my feet, grateful for a distraction.

Premise/plot: Fierce is an autobiography by Olympic gymnast, Aly Raisman. She won medals in London and Rio. She also appeared on Dancing with the Stars.

My thoughts: I love, love, love, LOVE watching gymnastics. It is easier to follow the sport during Olympic years because that is when they broadcast it on TV. But in a perfect world where EVERY sport I cared about was aired on TV and all the sports I didn't care about weren't, I'd watch gymnastics each and every season. I have read quite a few biographies now. This one was very good. She's honest and open about her life--the good, the not so good. She has a lot to say to young girls--really, to women of ALL ages. Her voice should be heard.


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore. Kelly Jones. 2017. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: We were at home when my father's solicitor arrived.

Premise/plot: Murder, Magic, and What We Wore is a delightful historical mystery set in Regency England. The heroine, Annis Whitworth, is being raised by her aunt Cassia. Soon after the novel opens, the two learn that her father is dead; he's died leaving them destitute. But something about her father's death troubles Annis. She believes her father was a spy, and that her father was murdered because of what he knew. Ever-practical Cassia is doing damage-control, how can two women support themselves and avoid debtor's prison? Annis is more daring; her idea of damage-control is broader. How can I solve my father's murder and enter into my nation's service as a spy?

Annis' greatest asset may be her newly discovered magical talent. Using her newfound glamour, she opens a dress shop in a country village--all with the good help of a new Irish maid, Millie. But can her dressmaking alone save the two women?! How can she prove her worth to the war office?

My thoughts: I love historical fiction. I do. The setting of this one is one of my favorites. Reading this one made me want to reread some Georgette Heyer. I enjoyed the relationship between Annis and her maid, Millie. These are two feisty young women--brave, resilient, determined. These two lean on one another and are stronger for it. Cassia was more of a mystery to me. It was harder for me to connect with who she was and her character/personality. Yet there was a potential for greatness hidden there. The novel has whimsical, magical elements. But it is also packed with mystery, danger, and action. Overall, I thought the world-building was good. It's also a relevant read. A few of the characters in this one could join the #metoo movement.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

A Century of Books

A Century of Books
Host: Stuck in a Book and The Captive Reader  About the challenge
Dates: They're aiming for a year; I'm aiming for a year plus a little wiggle room; let's say 18 mos.
My century: 1918-2017

1918
Dream Life for Children. Mattie K. Foster. 1918. 178 pages. [Source: Read online]
My Antonia. Willa Cather. 1918. 336 pages. [Source: LIBRARY]
1919
1920
1921
1922
The Velveteen Rabbit. Margery Williams. Illustrated by William Nicholson. 1922/2014. Random House. 48 pages. [Source: Review copy]
1923
Emily of New Moon. L.M. Montgomery. 1923. Bantam. 352 pages. [Source: Bought]
1924
So Big. Edna Ferber. 1924/2005. Kessinger Publishing. 376 pages. [Source: Library] 
1925
1926
Surprise Stories. Marjorie Hardy.  Illustrated by Lucille Enders and Matilda Breuer.  1926/1929. Wheeler Publishing Company. 124 pages. [Source: Bought]
1927
1928
Millions of Cats. Wanda Gag. 1928. Penguin. 40 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
1929
The Man in the Queue (Inspector Alan Grant #1) Josephine Tey. 1929. 255 pages. [Source: Bought]
1930
1931
Angus and the Cat. Marjorie Flack. 1931. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]
The Conqueror by Georgette Heyer. 1931/2008. Sourcebooks. 469 pages. [Source: Review copy]
1932
1933
Thirteen at Dinner. Agatha Christie. 1933. 228 pages. [Source: Bought]
1934
The Boomerang Clue. Agatha Christie. 1934. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]
1935
1936
Roller Skates. Ruth Sawyer. 1936. 186 pages. [Source: Bought]
1937
Vintage Murder. Ngaio Marsh. 1937. 256 pages. [Source: Bought]
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944

Rabbit Hill. Robert Lawson. 1944. 127 pages. [Source: Library]
The Hundred Dresses. Eleanor Estes. Illustrated by Louis Slobodkin. 1944/2004. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 96 pages. [Source: Library]
1945
Strawberry Girl. Lois Lenski. 1945. 208 pages. [Source: Bought]1946
1947
Uneasy Terms. (Slim Callaghan #7) Peter Cheyney. 1947. 240 pages. [Source: Bought]
1948
1949
The Conquering Family. Thomas B. Costain. 1949. 291 pages. [Source: Library]
A Wreath for Rivera (Roderick Alleyn #15) Ngaio Marsh. 1949. 336 pages. [Source: Bought]
1950
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) C.S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes. 1950. 186 pages. [Source: Bought]
1951
The Daughter of Time. Josephine Tey. 1951/1995. Simon & Schuster. 208 pages. [Source: Bought]
The Magnificent Century (The Plantagenets #2). Thomas B. Costain. 1951. 324 pages. [Source: Library]
1952

East of Eden. John Steinbeck. 1952. 601 pages. [Source: Bought]1953
1954
1955
1956
A Tender Victory. Taylor Caldwell. 1956. 374 pages. [Source: Bought]
Thin Ice. Jerrold Beim. Illustrated by Louis Darling. 1956. 46 pages. [Source: Bought]
1957
1958
Singing in the Shrouds. Ngaio Marsh. 1958. 240 pages. [Source: Bought]
A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You. Joan Walsh Anglund. 1958/2017. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]
1959
1960
1961
1962
Mary Poppins ABC Board Book. P.L. Travers. Illustrated by Mary Shepard. 1962/2018. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 26 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Who's a Pest? Crosby Newell Bonsall. 1962. Harper & Row. 64 pages. [Source: Bought]
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
McBroom's Ghost. Sid Fleischman. Illustrated by Robert Frankenberg. 1971. 48 pages. [Source: Bought]
1972
McBroom's Zoo. Sid Fleischman. Illustrated by Kurt Werth. 1972. 40 pages. [Source: Bought]
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Barbara Robinson. 1972. HarperCollins. 128 pages. [Source: Bought]
1973
1974
The Widow of Windsor. Jean Plaidy. 1974. 318 pages. [Source: Bought]
The Gorilla Did It. Barbara Shook Hazen. Illustrated by Ray Cruz. 1974. 32 pages. [Source: Childhood copy]
1975
Too Many Lollipops. Robert M. Quackenbush. 1975. 32 pages. [Source: Book from my childhood]
1976
1977
1978
Find A Stranger, Say Goodbye. Lois Lowry. 1978/2018. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
1979
1980
1981
The Man Who Cooked For Himself. Phyllis Krasilovsky. Illustrated by Mamoru Funai. 1981. Parents Magazine Press. 42 pages. [Source: Bought]
1982

Zucchini. Barbara Dana. 1982. 160 pages. [Source: Childhood Copy]
The Day They Came To Arrest The Book. Nat Hentoff. 1982. 176 pages. [Source: Book I bought]
1983
Just Go To Bed. Mercer Mayer. 1983. 24 pages. [Source: Bought]
1984
Amanda. (Sunfire #1) Candice Ransom. 1984. Scholastic. 368 pages. [Source: Library book sale]

1985
Here Be Dragons. Sharon Kay Penman. 1985. 704 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
1986
This Present Darkness. Frank E. Peretti. 1986. Crossway. 376 pages. [Source: Bought]
1987
Just A Mess. Mercer Mayer. 1987. 24 pages. [Source: Bought]
1988
1989
Piercing the Darkness. Frank E. Peretti. 1989. Crossway. 448 pages. [Source: Bought]
1990
1991
Bonjour, Mr. Satie. Tomie dePaola. 1991. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]
1992
Prophet. Frank E. Peretti. 1992. Crossway. 416 pages. [Source: Bought]
Missing May. Cynthia Rylant. 1992. Scholastic. 89 pages. [Source: Library]
1993
1994
The Diary of a Killer Cat. Anne Fine. Illustrated by Steve Cox. 1994. FSG. 64 pages.
1995
With an Everlasting Love. Kay Arthur. 1995. Harvest House. 144 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
1996
Family Tree. Katherine Ayres. 1996. 176 pages. [Source: Bought]
1997
Poppleton. Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Mark Teague. 1997. 56 pages. [Source: Library]
1998
Ethel and Ernest. Raymond Briggs. 1998. 104 pages. [Source: Library]
1999
Isaac's Storm. Erik Larson. 1999. 336 pages. [Source: Library] 
2000
The Case of the Climbing Cat. (The High-Rise Private Eyes #2). Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. 2000. 48 pages. [Source: Library]
2001
2002
Bubba and Beau, Best Friends. Kathi Appelt. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2002. Harcourt. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]
2003
The City of Ember. Jeanne DuPrau. 2003. 270 pages. [Source: Bought]
2004
So B. It. Sarah Weeks. 2004. 288 pages. [Source: Library]  
Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart. John Guy. 2004. 608 pages. [Source: Library]
2005
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. Jeanne Birdsall. 2005. Random House. 262 pages. [Source: Library]
2006
2007
2008
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street. Jeanne Birdsall. 2008. 308 pages. [Source: Library]
2009

Al Capone Shines My Shoes. Gennifer Choldenko. 2009. 274 pages. [Source: Review copy] Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren. 2009. Disney. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
2010
Murder Past Due. Miranda James. 2010. 294 pages. [Source: Borrowed]
2011
You Are My Cupcake. Joyce Wan. 2011. Scholastic. 14 pages. [Source: Library]
2012
Wonder. R. J. Palacio. 2012. Random House. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]
2013
Al Capone Does My Homework (Al Capone at Alcatraz #3) Gennifer Choldenko. 2013. 212 pages. [Source: Library] 
2014
The Monogram Murders. (New Hercule Poirot Mystery #1) Sophie Hannah. 2014. 325 pages. [Source: Library]
The Pigeon Needs a Bath. Mo Willems. 2014. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
2015
Mama Seeton's Whistle. Jerry Spinelli. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2015. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

The Storm of the Century. Al Roker. 2015. 320 pages. [Source: Library]
2016
Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet Caper. Mike Twohy. 2016. 32 pages. [Source: Library] 
2017
The Watcher. Nikki Grimes. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. 2017. 42 pages. [Source: Library]

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Currently Reading #1

Brief Introduction:

I thought it would be fun to share each week--at the start of the week--what I'm currently reading. It is my goal to always be *currently* reading something old, something new, something borrowed, and something true. Old and new are self-explanatory. Borrowed can mean borrowed from a person or a library. True is nonfiction.

Something Old:

Emily of New Moon. L.M. Montgomery. 1923. 339 pages. [Source: Bought]

Framley Parsonage. Anthony Trollope. 1861. 573 pages. [Source: Bought]

Something New:

Reign the Earth. (The Elementae #1) by A.C. Gaughen. 2018. Bloomsbury. 448 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Something Borrowed:

Murder Past Due (Cat In the Stacks #1) by Miranda James. 2010. 294 pages. [Source: Borrowed from Mom]

Something True:

KJV Reader's Bible. 2016. Holman Bible Publishers. 1840 pages. [Source: Gift]

Coming Events and Present Duties. J.C. Ryle. 1879. 150 pages. [Source: Bought]

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews