Barefoot Season

From Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  Susan Mallery
Barefoot Season
Susan Mallery has started a new series set on fictional Blackberry Island. The first is Barefoot Season which is followed by Three sisters. The location is the only thread of continuity which makes these books perfect summer reads since they can be read in order or as stand alones. Barefoot Season revolves around the complicated parent-child relationship and how the effects can be felt among childhood friendships. Michelle and Carly were the best of friends until Carly’s mother ran off with Michelle’s father. Now Michelle is a returning veteran and in order to run the inn that is Michelle’s inheritance, the friends must iron out the hiccups in their relationships.

In Three Sisters, we return to Blackberry Island but on this visit, three unconnected women must resolve issues separate from each other. The newest homeowner on Blackberry Island is running from a wedding, while the homeowners on either side have their own emotional disasters to unravel and surmount. Deanna Phillips, with her OCD disorder and mental anguish leftover from her mother, fears her husband is on the verge of an affair while Boston King, an artist, cannot seem to accept the loss of her son. Boston endlessly renders her son’s image in all sorts of mediums. These three women, brought together because they live next door to each other, bond and with that bonding, manage to provide the impetus for each of them to resolve their issues. Both were entertaining reads and a little bit more because of the strength embedded in the female characters.

 

Give me everything you have : on being stalked

From Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  James Lasdun
Give me everything you have : on being stalked
I just finished reading a suspenseful, frighteningly true story. Give me everything you have : on being stalked by James Lasdun is an English professor’s memoir, of sorts. He was attempting to mentor a potential author who misread his laudatory comments and assumed, incorrectly, that he was romantically interested in her. Being a published writer himself, the student attacked his honorability with accusations of plagiarism and sexual misconduct. She avowed that the professor stole her work and with the help of unknown persons, published it to acclaim. With the advent of social media, it was quite easy for the student to further persecute her professor. She managed to hijack different forums where the professor was a presence and subvert his postings. This hijacking of the professor’s postings, in addition to causing stress, managed to tinge his professional dealings with a hint of shadiness. A scary read since it is all too easy to imagine this scenario being played out endlessly all over the world, sometimes with dire consequences. Stalking is a very serious issue on both sides of the coin, the stalker’s and the victim’s.

Dying on the Job: murder and mayhem in the American workplace

From Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  Ronald D. Brown
Dying on the Job: murder and mayhem in the American workplace
Dying on the Job is not a read for the faint of heart. It discusses the rise in workplace violence and explores some of the possible reasons for this increase. The spike is attributed, in part, to the economic downturn, the scarcity of employment opportunities, the threat of losing the employment, etc. Due to the scarcity of employment and the increase in debt,  debtors’ prisons  are being revived in some states. The author, in addition, investigates the difference that gender plays in how much force and how quickly that force is deployed against coworkers and employers. Women, it turns out, are much quicker on the trigger but they carry less weaponry into the workplace. Men, if they decide upon an act of violence in the workplace, come armed to the teeth. They usually bear several arms, some knives and extra ammunition. This book was an eye-opener. As a somewhat informed person, I was aware of workplace violence but somehow only on the periphery. Reading this tome made me more cognizant of the fact that violence can occur anywhere and at any time.

Murder past due

From Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  Miranda  James
Murder past due
I love books and cats and not necessarily in that order so when I discovered a new author who combines my two loves, I was in heaven. Miranda James has a “Cat in the Stacks mystery” series which features an archivist/public librarian named Charlie Harris who is accompanied almost everywhere by his Maine Coon cat, Diesel. Diesel warbles, chirps, meows and manages to communicate quite easily with his owner. Charlie solves the mystery while Diesel provides sympathy and/or emotional support to Charlie and others. So far there are four titles in the series and they are, as follows: Murder past due, Classified as Murder, File M for murder, and Out of circulation. I can’t wait for the next Cat in the stacks mystery to appear on my bedside table.

Book, Line and Sinker

From  Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  Jenn McKinlay
Book, Line and Sinker
Jenn McKinlay has a new series gracing the library shelves. A fast-paced, humorous mystery featuring a small-town library director and her Crafternoon friends. Her closest friend, however, is the Children’s Librarian, Beth Stanley. The first in the series is Books Can be Deceiving followed by Due or Die. The third title in the series is Book, Line and Sinker and as one can surmise it has to do with water and pirates, to be specific, who sail oceans blue and bury their pirate booty. Lindsey Norris is not as gung-ho as some of her fellow citizens about the pirate map but she does take advantage of the adventuresome spirit infusing the town and arranges a book display. When the Tourism Director is found murdered at the treasure site, Lindsey rolls up her sleeves and places herself in the middle of the action, regardless of the danger.

No time to lose : a life in pursuit of deadly viruses

From Andrea  Kalinowski
Author:  Peter Piot
No time to lose : a life in pursuit of deadly viruses
No time to lose : a life in pursuit of deadly viruses by Peter Piot is an autobiography of his life. Peter was a medical student who wanted to specialize in Infectious Diseases. A professor of his told him, “There is no future in infectious diseases. They’ve all been solved.”
I, the reader, found the idea that all Infectious Disease has been eradicated highly suspect. I believe that there are still new, undiscovered organisms out there. Peter was a tireless advocate for AIDS research, education and treatment. Many countries denied the existence of AIDS in their populace and if they did acknowledge the existence of this killer, they underestimated the numbers affected. Then, as now, it is a struggle to get people to agree on a specific course of action. He remains concerned about the sustainability of the response for the AIDS epidemic and for people living with this disease.  ”(Peter) learned that our human capacity to survive and find meaning in life is beyond imagination …”  This book was a highly informative medical biography of both Peter Piot and the AIDS epidemic.

Caveat emptor : the secret life of an American art forger

From  Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  Ken Perenyi
Caveat emptor : the secret life of an American art forger
Caveat Emptor was an intriguing behind the scenes glimpse into the life of an art forger. Ken Perenyi sort of stumbled into this life by accident. He was an uninspired student with no definitive goals in life when he met the people who would introduce him to the art world. With this introduction, Ken Perenyi found his life’s work, that of an art forger. He was able to see a painting and instinctively break it down into its parts. He mastered many English artists before switching tracks and attempting American forgeries. What an amazing, colorful life!

Immortally Yours

From Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  Angie Fox
Immortally Yours
Immortally Yours is an imaginative read. The author combines the human world and the world of the gods/goddesses more closely. In mythology, an occasional god or goddess, attracted by the antics of humans, would assume a different form to visit and/or torment humans. However, in this author’s innovative take on the situation, humans and other non-god creatures, i.e. vampires, vegetarian werewolves, are conscripted. They are pressed into service as M.A.S.H. personnel and there is no furlough. Dr. Petra Robichaud is one of those who has been pressed into service. She is a thoracic surgeon with a little something extra. She is leery of exposing herself to the gods/goddesses lest they target her. Unfortunately, due to her gift/curse, she carries the burden of fulfilling the prophecy. The prophecy foretells the ending of the war and is eagerly awaited by all those pressed into the service of the gods/goddesses. Her gift/curse enables her to save Galen, a demi-god, and he becomes part of the prophecy. Petra is faced with an impossible choice with the reading of the final part of the prophecy. Stay tuned since the author already has a teaser included at the end of this paranormal adventure.

Tales from the Tarmac

From Andrea  Kalinowski
Author:  Claudia Helena Oxee
Tales from the Tarmac
Tales from the Tarmac by Claudia Helena Oxee was, for me, a tad reminiscent of Plane Insanity by Elliott Hester. Both books talked about the behind the scenes activity in airports and aboard the aircraft. Tales from the Tarmac included anecdotal stories from a multitude whereas Plane Insanity was straight from a flight attendant’s viewpoint. There were two stories which I found particularly outrageous and both dealt with defenseless individuals. One was a mentally deficient woman who was ticketed with another adult, placed onboard an aircraft and told she was going to Disney. She was subsequently abandoned by her care-giver. The flight staff attempted to render assistance but sometime during the night, the woman vanished. The other involved an older, non-English speaking disabled passenger. Instead of being wheel chaired directly to the appropriate gate for his connecting flight, he was left in a corner and subsequently missed his connection. The author proved to be a heroine in this case by ensuring his safe arrival at a new gate with a new ticket. Both of them were quite interesting reads but I think I will stay grounded a little while longer.

Garment of Shadows

From Andrea Kalinowski
Author:  Laurie R. King
Garment of Shadows 
Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King is the further adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his wife, Mary Russell. That’s right, the great misogynist is married, and has been for a while. The latest installment occurs in Morocco where Mary Russell awakes in a strange room with blood on her hands. She slowly awakes to the realization that she is suffering from amnesia. Her native instinct for survival, leads her to safety. She is reunited with her husband and slowly her memories fall into place. However, the danger is not past, the enemies must still be discovered. She and Sherlock must uncover the true mastermind who is plotting against the safety of the British Empire. A fast, entertaining read.