A Crafty Killing

Title: A Crafty Killing

Author: Lorraine Bartlett [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Lorna Barrett [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka L. L. Bartlett [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Mystery

Series: Victoria Square Mystery, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780425239858

Length:

Obtained: Personal copy.  I'm not sure now where I got it, but I'm guessing paperbackswap.com

Why this book?:

I've wanted to read this series for ages, but I actually picked up and started reading this book out of literally boxes of books (I've been moving them from one floor of the house to another) on a whim.

Comments:

What took me so long?  I was hooked from the moment I started.  I liked the main character, Katie.  I liked the set-up.  I liked seeing the major overhaul that Katie was starting both at the Artisan's Alley and the whole Victoria Square.  I liked that the characters weren't all you saw from first impressions (and that was true for multiple characters).  In other words, there were many likes.  I did suspect the murderer, but that doesn't bother me as long as it's not too obvious. 

Overall this is just a great cozy mystery.  The kind that gives the subgenre its name.  I look forward to reading more of the series.  I know I have a couple more to catch up on.

The Giving Quilt

Title: The Giving Quilt

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini

Publisher: Dutton

Series: Elm Creek Quilts, Bk 20

ISBN: 9780525953609

Length: 357 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

This is the book my grandma's book club was/is doing.  Despite the fact that it's the 20th book in a series I haven't read, and it isn't my usual sort of book, it is fiction.  And I didn't read the last pick, so I needed to read this one.

Comments:

Set during the week after Thanksgiving, this is a timely novel.  It is one I was reluctant to try, though.  I worried it would be boring.  It isn't a mystery, or fantasy, or romance.  It isn't historical.  It isn't non-fiction.  So what was the point?  But I started it anyway, and found myself pleasantly surprised.

The characters and their individual stories are interesting.  In general they are characters I believe aren't in the bulk of the series, so jumping in wasn't such a big deal.  And it really felt like a series of short stories, patched together by a common thread (pun semi-intended).  Each character has her own story, and you get the resolution to each character's personal story - at least partially influenced by the relationships made and lessons learned during Quiltsgiving - in the last chapter.  I do love a nice neat ending. 

We'll skip Sylvia as she's part of the overall Elm Creek series, and her section is more of an overview than her story anyway.  So the characters in the spotlight are:

• Pauline, a 911 operator, wife, mother, and former (due to much conflict and infighting) treasurer of another very prestigious quilters' guild; 
• Linnea, a librarian, wife, and sister, whose life and family has been hit hard by economic trials (her husband lost his job, her sister's job is in a shaky place, and her library is at risk of closing); 
• Michaela, a college student and cheerleader, with aspirations of coaching, but roadblocks that have cropped up along the way;
• Jocelyn, teacher, widow, mother - she's been learning to keep living without her husband, but the unfairness of the world around her isn't helping any;
• Karen, wife and mother - she works in a quilt shop, but only after she was rejected as a teacher for the very same Elm Creek Quilters that are hosting Quiltsgiving - And the quilt shop is in jeopardy.  

My grandmother insisted I at least read Linnea's part of the story, but I actually found it the least moving.  Perhaps because I couldn't stop comparing her library with the one I work at and her job - especially in regards to her creativeness, inspiration, and resourcefulness - with my own.

Anyway, maybe I should read more of the series.  Or even more of the Women's Fiction genre as a whole.  After all, I'm always saying how the characters are the most important part, and this was all about the characters.

Bring on the kids books...

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert (library copy)

This is a great book for fall, and it really inspires imagination.  On each page you're searching the leaves and such for the man, or chicken, or geese, or fish referred to in the story.  Not like hide-and-seek but like searching for shapes in the clouds.

The Very Best Pumpkin by Mark Kimball Moulton; Illustrated by Karen Hillard Good (library copy)

Peter cares for the pumpkins as they grow, including one lone pumpkin that turns into the very best.  Who knew caring for a pumpkin could lead to a great friendship?  The illustrations are lovely and the story is sweet.

Rattlesnake Dance by Jim Arnosky (library copy)

I was checking this in, peeked inside for a line or two, and decided I liked the rhythm of it.  It's fun and kinda makes you want to dance (kid fashion).  There's a song, complete with (written) music, to go with it.  Unfortunately, I've managed to forget how to read music over the years.  I'm sure you can find it online, but this computer doesn't have volume, so ::shrug::

Soup for One by Ethan Long (library copy)

I've read this one over and over.  My niece loves it.  She can count with it as one by one, more bugs join the crowd in the bowl of soup.  I think it's fun to read, especially as the first bug gets more and more upset.  The illustrations look like they've been done on Photoshop, with interesting textures and patterns throughout.  I'll be recommending this at work.

Halloween Crafts by Fay Robinson (library copy)

This should have been on one of the Halloween Children's book posts, but In had misplaced it at the time.  In any case, my niece positively LOVED this book.  She kept bringing it to me to read, even though it's not really the reading sort.  We did variations on the necklace idea and the bat sock puppets.  There are several others I think we could have done given time.  It's apparently part of a series called "Fun Holiday Crafts Kids Can Do!"  I'll definitely be looking for other books in the series.

Light on the reading...

Since the last post, I've read:

Sealed with a Kill by Lucy Lawrence (library copy) - I enjoyed it, not as much as the 1st 2 books, but still.  And this series has lead to more, if you continue to read into my post...

Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier - I liked this one better than the last few Leslie Meier books I read, so I'm happy.  Hoping the next book is as enjoyable.

Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck - Kind of had a slow start with this one, but it picked up part way in.  I'll have to see where the series goes from here.

So I haven't been reading as much.  It's mostly the usual ... life.  But I noticed part of it was because of books.  Sounds like a contradiction - but it isn't.

I've mentioned before that after reading Monica Ferris's Needlecraft Mysteries I took a crochet class.  Well now that I've read Lucy Lawrence (Jenn McKinlay)'s Decoupage Mysteries, I've been trying (it's more difficult than I thought) to do decoupage.  My sister and I have been been practicing and working on little projects together for the past 4 weeks.

    I did something similar to this - different color scheme - for my ma's birthday gift.  My sister became interested when I brought my finished project over to show her.  

Anyway, this is good because it means we're spending more time together.  But it also contributes to my decline in time spent reading.   So do your books influence your life, beyond the time spent actually reading them? (or the physical space they consume)?

Update:

My first decoupage project.  It hasn't been hung on the wall yet.