Review: Best American Short Stories 2010 ed. by Richard Russo

I'm a little behind on my Best American reading. I request these books every year for Christmas (I used to buy them for myself, but it's gotten a bit expensive...but they make great Christmas gifts!), and I received this one for Christmas in 2010. I have 2010 and 2011 sitting on the TBR shelves. I've FINALLY cracked open the first of three 2010 volumes (I also collect the Mystery Stories and Non-Required Reading books). I finished this one last night, and, as usual, it was fantastic!

There were only a couple of stories in this volume that I felt would not have been MY picks for "best" short stories of the year. Jim Shepard's "The Netherlands Lives with Water" and Charles Baxter's "The Cousins" didn't capture me. I think Jim Shepard is much, much smarter than I am, because I didn't understand much of his story. Of course, it was set 25 years in the future, and dealt with the rising sea levels that were threatening to overwhelm the Netherlands, but I felt like I was missing something reading this one. And that I find unfortunate, because I have Shepard's Like You'd Understand, Anyway sitting on the TBR shelves.

If you can only catch a couple of these stories, however, or if you are looking for something to dip your toes into for Short Story Monday, I HIGHLY recommend Jennifer Egan's "Safari" (the hype about Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad seems justified, if this story is anything to go by). Also, I really loved Tea' Obreht's "The Laugh" and Wells Tower's "Raw Water." In fact, if you read only one story in the collection, let it be "Raw Water." Both "The Laugh" and "Raw Water" shared an ominous sense of foreboding, foreshadowing of the best (or worst) kind. I love it when I can tell from the beginning of the story that something terrible is going to happen. In "The Laugh," that terrible thing is tangible, explored, overt. In "Raw Water," Tower dances around the terrible thing, and that makes it all the more horrifying. Gave me chills, honestly.

The rest of the stories were perfectly serviceable, but nothing to write home about. Usually, I give this collection a five, but I'm giving this incarnation four out of five Whatevers. Maybe it was me (I read quite a few of the stories while I was sick, and am having trouble recalling the details of many of them), maybe the collection is suffering from the demise of the printed word, with print magazines falling by the wayside in swaths, or maybe I don't recognize great literature when it smacks me in the face. But this collection was more uneven than I remember others being. Still highly recommended as my favorite source of short stories, but with a slight reservation this year.

2012-14

Review: The Game by Laurie R. King

I Mooched this book a few years ago. It's the next in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series that I've been making my way through for the last few months. And it was a doozy.

In this installment, Holmes and Russell are asked to investigate the disappearance of a British border spy in India named Kimball O'Hara - the basis for Kipling's novel Kim. O'Hara hasn't been heard from in quite some time, which is not unusual for a spy in the wilds of India, but some other events have come about which have given the British government (and hence Mycroft) pause. Holmes and Russell head off to British-occupied India to see if they can uncover a trace of O'Hara's whereabouts. On the way, they meet some interesting Americans, who might also be Communist spies. Once in India, Holmes and Russell split up, with Russell visiting a maharaja in a northern Indian state, trying to pick up some word of Kimball O'Hara. But the maharaja seems a bit...unbalanced. Will Russell escape with her life? Will the two find Kimball O'Hara? What is the maharaja up to, anyway?

I really enjoyed this one. I've been craving some fiction set during the British colonial period in India. For some reason, I find this particular time and place in history extremely romantic (think A Little Princess). This story takes place a bit late in the colonial period (1924 - India achieved independence in 1947, I believe), but it still had that flavor that I was looking for. As usual, Russell and Holmes get into and out of some sticky situations, are chased by bad guys, and get their man in the end. Five out of five Whatevers. Love this series!

2012-13

Review: Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber

I've spent years compiling a reading list composed of all kinds of things: classics that I feel I should read because they're classics; more intellectual, literary reads; all kinds of books recommended by magazines, other bloggers, websites, etc. But when it comes down to it, those more serious or intellectual or literary reads don't really do it for me. I like the junk food, the quick, light reads that don't take too much brain power: cozy mysteries, romances, lighter YA. Sure, sometimes I like my mysteries on the more challenging side (like the Mary Russell series by Laurie King), and I do like reading classics, too, and, yes, sometimes I'm even in the mood for a more serious work of modern LITERATURE. But for pure escapist, enjoyable reading? Give me a potboiler every time.

And that's why I love Heather Webber's Lucy Valentine series. It's not what you would call intellectually challenging, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. I'm on my second book in the series, and it was much like the first: a little bit of romance, a little bit of cozy mystery, a little bit of the supernatural, and a really fast read for me. I read this second book in a day, much like the first one. That NEVER happens for me.

In this book, Lucy Valentine, a woman with a gift for finding lost objects which she has parlayed into a job reuniting lost loves for her family's matchmaking business, is settling into her slot in the family business. Her relationship with Sean Donahue is progressing slowly, but that's Lucy's fault. She's worried that the family love curse will destroy any relationship with Sean that she is able to build. But she wants to move faster. Meanwhile, she and best friend Marisol are trying to figure out if their other best friend, Em, has a cheating fiance', Lucy is tracking the whereabouts of a long lost love for a work assignment, and tracking a missing mother of two in order to help out the police.

It's another fast-moving episode in the life of Lucy Valentine and I couldn't read it fast enough. Five out of five Whatevers for what it is: an easy read that is hard to put down. Recommended for folks who enjoyed the first novel, fans of cozy mysteries, and romance with a tinge of the supernatural. This isn't a novel that will win any literary awards, but it took my mind off of life and made me happy for a day, and that's really all I ask out of my reading choices.

2012-12

The Mammoth Hunters by Jean M. Auel

I Mooched this copy of the book, several years ago. It's the third in the Earth's Children series. And it was another winner.

In this installment, Ayla and Jondalar travel the land searching for the Others, specifcally the Mamutoi, or Mammoth Hunters. They eventually come upon an encampment, the Lion Camp. The Others live in an earthlodge, which helps them weather the harsh winters, close to the glacier. Eventually, the Mamutoi decide to adopt Ayla. Jondalar refuses to be adopted, but remains in the earthlodge to be close to Ayla. There, Ayla meets a dark man, Ranec, and is forced to choose between him and Jondalar. Whom will she choose? Will Jondalar stay with the Mamutoi, or return to his family? Will Ayla charm her way into the hearts of all the Mamutoi, or will the Others force her out?

This was another stellar episode of Ayla's saga. I couldn't put the book down, reading it at every opportunity. I spent much of the July 4th holiday with my nose buried in the book, and I finally got a chance to finish it last night. Four and a half out of five Whatevers. The historic details are so interesting, and it seems like Auel has really done a lot of research. Recommended for those who like historic fiction, as well as for those who are already in the midst of the series (like myself).

2012-11

Review: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt ed. by Larry King

This book was a gift from a local attorney whose daughter used to work at our office. He passed out copies to all of the attorneys in our office, and what a gift! This book was WONDERFUL. It is one of the few books that I really think everyone should read. I finished it last night, completing it in a couple of weeks, which is quite an accomplishment for me, especially when talking about a non-fiction read.

One of the things I've learned in my years as a criminal defense attorney (and teacher) is how little the average citizen understands about the Constitutional rights we all share. The requirement of proof beyond a reasonable doubt is often considered one of those rights, but it does not actually exist anywhere in our Constitution. The essays in this collection highlight the need for the average joe to really understand that standard of proof, and to apply the mandate in every criminal case. The Casey Anthony trial, and the media circus that attended it, are a fine example of the rush to judgment that most people experience when they hear of someone accused of a heinous crime. The law, ironically enough, requires us to do the opposite: presume the accused innocent, unless the government proves BEYOND and TO THE EXCLUSION of EVERY reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty. That is a high bar, but not many folks understand just how high. And the reason behind that is that a person's liberty (and, in Florida, sometimes his life) is at stake.

This book is a celebration of our criminal justice system in all its glory. The book is divided up into several sections. The first section is titled "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" and features attorneys, judges, and other players in the criminal justice system discussing the venerable standard of proof in criminal cases. The second section, "Equal Justice," is harder to pinpoint. I'd say the overarching theme is that all people are entitled to the same presumptions, regardless of their position. The third section, entitled "Quest for Truth," diverges a bit from the criminal justice system to explore more about the civil court system. This section was a bit boring for me, as I have never practiced civil law (and have no desire to do so). I'll admit that this section is where things got a bit muddy for me. I thought the whole book was about the criminal justice system, but this section was where it started to feel like Larry King just contacted a bunch of lawyers, said "reasonable doubt," and had them write an essay about whatever came to mind. The fourth section, called "Media and the Justice System," is exactly what it sounds like: an exploration of how the media can affect the outcome of a trial, especially in high-profile trials (like my Casey Anthony example, above) or trials of the rich and famous (OJ, Robert Blake, etc.) The fifth section, "Protect Victims," was geared primarily toward prosecutors, but I slogged through it. Sometimes it's a good idea to try to understand what makes the other side tick... The next section was called "Punishment in America" and focused on what comes after the trial - the punishment aspect. There were some interesting essays by those who were already convicted, as well as essays by those who call for reform of the punishment system to focus more on rehabilitation. The next section is "A Matter of Life and Death" - essays arguing for and against the death penalty. And finally, "What I Believe" - personal final thoughts for the book.

As I said, I LOVED this book, for the most part. It had its ups and downs, but overall I highly recommend it. I would give this book a five out of five Whatevers. I quoted so many passages to Facebook while I was reading. I also intend to go back to the first few essays to steal some ideas for my jury selections. It was a phenomenal reflection on the rights we all take too often for granted.

2012-10

Review: Justice Hall by Laurie R. King

I believe I Mooched this book, because it's a former library book, and not from any library I've ever been to. I've read the first five books in the series already, and it was time for number six!

In this installment, Holmes and Mary have just returned home to Sussex from the events in The Moor (the events of which took place two books ago, since the last book took place in Palestine, within the timeline of events in the first book in the series...got that?). They receive a knock on the door and who should stand there but Ali Hazr...although dressed as a slightly out of date English gentleman. Holmes and Russell come to find out that the men they knew in Palestine as Mahmoud and Ali Hazr, are actually cousins Alistair and Marsh Hughenfort, from one of England's premier families. Marsh's elder brother and young nephew have both died, leaving him the heir to the Hughenfort dukedom, which suits Marsh not at all, as he would much rather be cruising the Palestinian desert than entertaining royals. Ali is seeking the help of Holmes and Russell to find a way to get Marsh out of the dukedom.

So Holmes and Russell travel to Justice Hall, ancient seat of the Hughenfort family. They begin to investigate the death of Marsh's young nephew Gabriel, who would have been the heir had he lived. He was killed in action in World War I...or was he? As the pair look deeper into what happened to Gabriel Hughenfort, they find a potential plot to knock off the would-be heirs, to clear the way for...who?

I really liked this book, because it brought back some much-beloved characters in Marsh and Alistair (Mahmoud and Ali) and introduced some new favorites, as well (Iris Sutherland). I loved the setting; Justice Hall herself was a great character. This book, more than any of the others, really brought out the character of the Roaring Twenties that we are mostly familiar with. Flappers, women wearing pants and flying planes, an Egypt/King Tut themed party...so many great 1920's elements. But the book also managed to tie in the sadness and destruction still being felt after the end of WWI, especially through the journals and story of Gabriel Hughenfort.

Four and a half out of five Whatevers. One of the best in the series. Recommended, as usual, for Holmes lovers, for those looking for a wonderful portrayal of strong women in the early 20th century, for people who just want a darn good mystery (although I figured it out - or maybe guessed it - early on).

2012-9

Review: Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

This book was sent to me through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. I'm about two years behind in my review books, and MAN do I wish I'd gotten to this one sooner. So cute!

The book is a paranormal mystery/romance. Lucy Valentine is the black sheep of her family. Her father's side of the family can see auras, and her father has made tons of money with a matchmaking service (secretly) based on that ability. Lucy, however, had her ability to see auras converted by an electric shock at the age of 14. She can now only find lost items - not people, not pets, just things. She's bopped around aimlessly from job to job until her father's heart attack forces her to take over the matchmaking business.

Her first new client provides the mystery: when she shakes his hand, she gets a vision of a dead body, wearing the engagement ring he never got back from his first disastrous love. She teams with the handsome private investigator-in-training upstairs from her father's business to discover where the body is, who it is, and what happened.

Most of the book was pretty predictable, from the whodunnit to the various romances floating around, but I liked it anyway. It was a light read, what I would call "fluff," but it was also fast-paced and held my attention. And that's what everyone needs once in a while. Having just come off the Read-a-Thon, where I read the same long historical fiction the whole time, this was the perfect palate cleanser. I've already bought the second and third books in the series (one real book and one for Kindle), and I look forward to more adventures with Lucy, Sean, and the gang. Four out of five Whatevers...a point off for a couple of seriously grating grammatical errors that really set my teeth on edge (but I was reading an ARC, so I hope those were fixed before the book went to press). If you like romance or cozy mysteries or light paranormal, pick this one up. I was so glad I did.

2012-8