A Snowflake in My Hand by Samantha Mooney

Review by McGuffyAnn M. (nightprose)

Samantha Mooney penned a book based on her time working at New York City’s Animal Medical Center. This book focuses on several cats under their care at that time. Samantha takes us into the clinic and behind the scenes. Each cat has its own story, with lessons to teach the people around them.

Samantha shares stories of some of the patients under the clinic’s care. There is Oliver, a cat who has a seagull as a friend. Chico is a cat who somehow manages to get stuck on top of the clinic elevator.

A very poignant story involves Denton, a 9 year old cat. He and his owner, Mrs. Berkley had been diagnosed the same month as having cancer. After surgery, the cancer persisted, necessitating chemotherapy. The treatment proves unsuccessful, and Denton passes away. Within weeks, Mrs. Berkley also does. The bond between the two was deep.

Samantha is struggling with the loss of her own father. It takes a tiny black fur ball of a cat to break through Samantha’s grief. With the example and open heart of Fledermaus, this little cat, Samantha begins to open herself up to love once again. It is not easy, but animals have a way of touching our souls when humans cannot.

This is a definite must-read book for all cat lovers. It is written with sincere and honest compassion. The lessons here are of life, love, relationships and ultimately death. The author celebrates life while respecting death.

The Case of the Terrified Typist (A Perry Mason Mystery)

by Erle Stanley Gardner

Review by Matt (Buffalo Savage)

A sharp mind with the speed of light, a cloud of flim-flim and a hearty “Objection.” Perry Mason. “Incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial!” With his faithful helping companions Della and Paul, the daring and resourceful attorney for the common guy, led the fight for law and order in the middle part of the twentieth century. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear.

If you recognize the reference, you’re of age enough to like Perry Mason novels. If you don’t, read them anyway for the fast-paced narrative and the good guys winning.

Della and Perry hire a temp from an agency to type briefs. An agitated woman appears in the office and types “like a house afire.” But she disappears even before collecting her pay. Perry and Company are nonplussed as they find that another office in their building – diamond importer – has been ransacked and that in their office  stuck under a the temp typist’s desk is a wad of gum with two diamonds. Perry is hired by a large diamond company to defend one of its employees in the local office, who has been  accused of killing the smuggler who snuck the gems into the country but whose corpse has never been found. With a client that’s economical with the truth Mason doesn’t know how to proceed.

Featuring many twists and turns, this puzzler will satisfy both fans of the Mason stories and readers wondering which Mason novel would be representative of the 80-some book canon.

Heart Search  (Heartmates #10) by Robin D. Owens

Review by Cynthia F.  (frazerc)

Good read, but it’s hard to categorize:  science fiction romance, paranormal, or ???.  It takes place on Celta, 400 years after the first colonists arrived.  Celta is fascinating place.  It was founded by people with Wiccan beliefs and the rudiments of psychic abilities.  It has not been kind to the new settlers and their imported animals and plants.  Long term survival is still in doubt but animals and people have been developing steadily stronger psychic powers to help with the fight.

Our hero is Laev.  He’s wealthy and powerful but has been kicked around by fate.  We first met him as a 13 year old in Heart Duel where he inadvertently injures the hero’s mother, almost leading to her death and the death of her heartmate.  Then at 17 he finds his heartmate but is mistaken in which of the group of girls she is.  A selfish but beautiful girl convinces him that she is the one and uses that to trick him into marriage.  She dies some years later and he eventually finds out that she was selling off or otherwise getting rid of family heirlooms – a subtle way to punish him and his family.  He was so damaged by her that he doesn’t want to marry, he doesn’t even want to date! But while his true heartmate remains unknown she is still out there…

Our heroine is Camellia.  She knows Laev is her heartmate.  She doesn’t want him.  She doesn’t want any man, her abusive family and weak brother having taught her that men take, destroy, and betray anyone and everything they touch.  Her father and uncle are truly awful – you want them dead or marooned on a miserable island from the time they walk onto the page.

The fam cats are wonderful!  Brazos belongs to Laev and Mica belongs to Camellia – or the other way around in their opinion.  Brazos and Mica plan to make themselves – and their humans – one big happy family, no matter what.  Not an easy job with two so badly wounded humans…

Some fascinating threads have been laid down.  The son of Cratag and Signet Marigold [Heart Change] is apparently the reincarnation of Tab Holly [Heart Duel], complete with at least some of Tab’s memories.  As the four year old says ‘Maybe there’s a reason I remember…’  It’s also interesting to note that the fams are growing steadily more powerful.  New characters have been teased and there are still unresolved threads from the previous books.

This series contains close connections between books, I recommend reading them in order.

Celta’s HeartMates Books

#1  Heart Mate

#2  Heart Thief

#3  Heart Duel

#4  Heart Choice

#5  Heart Quest

#6  Heart Dance

#7  Heart Fate

#8  Heart Change

#9  Heart Journey

#10 Heart Search

By The King’s Design by Christine Trent

Review by Kelsey O.

(This book was also released under the title The Prince’s Pavilion)

FIRST LINE: “Remember what I told you, brothers. Leave the machines, but shoot the masters.”

Annabelle Stirling, a young craftswoman, finds herself marching towards London in hopes of finding aid from the Prince Regent after her draper shop is destroyed by the Luddites who had help from her now ex-fiancé Clive and her weak-minded brother, Wesley. With no help offered she is befriended by the architect, John Nash and encouraged to open up shop in London. Her brother slinks back into her life and because he is family, she allows him to work in her shop again.

Liking her spunk, the Prince Regent (King George IV) engages her services in decorating his Pavilion. Along the way she meets Putman Boyce, a cabinetmaker who holds promise in thawing Belle’s frozen heart. But due her brother’s inability to think for himself (probably due to his opium addiction) he has now embroiled them in a treasonous plot against the future King that ends him up in jail and Belle an outcast.

Trent throws us right into the riots caused by machines taking over jobs that were done by hand. The Luddites laid siege across the countryside destroying mills and shops that had these machines in them. On top of this there are families starving because they are out of work. Trent does not shy away from describing this misery and in fact makes it hit home for Belle when she stumbles upon her childhood friend and ex-fiancé (now married to each other) in starved condition. We also read about some very interested historical characters that Trent throws in, including Jane Austen who becomes an acquaintance with Belle.

Another piece that is thrown in is the Prince Regent’s tumultuous marriage and his quest for a divorce. He has many mistresses that are all vying for attention. We see the greed and vanity that often comes with being a member of the royal family. My impression on the prince is that he was very spoiled and weak.

Love all the intrigue and I did find it an engaging read. Heavy on historical and light on romance leads this Regency story to contain a lot of information that at times could be overwhelming to follow. But as the story reaches its climax, the reader is fully vested and will not be able to stop reading.

Curses!: A F***ed-Up Fariy Tale by J.A. Kazimer

Review by Kelsey O.

FIRST LINE: Once upon a time (about nine minutes and forty-seven seconds ago) in a land far, far away (the corner of West Fairy-Second Street and Sugar Plum Lane, to be precise) stood a beautiful princess, a woman without compare in beauty or sweetness.

Cinderella has been murdered and Rumpelstiltskin, or RJ, is charmed into finding the murderer by Asia, Cindi’s stepsister. Of course RJ, who has recently lost his villain card and is cursed into doing good deeds, obliges. He also falls instantly in lust with Asia. But what will Asia think when she finds out that RJ isn’t a private investigator but an ex-villian.

After arriving in the Kingdom of Maledetto, RJ discovers that there are many suspects in Cindi’s murder, even Asia herself. Meeting many familiar and key characters, including Prince Charming, RJ finds that there is a lot amiss in the Kingdom and is caught in between many domestic disputes (and catches more than a few blows to his face). He also discovers that Asia could be the woman for him, for she is just as evil as he once was.

With a cast of characters that we have all grown up with and loved in our fairy tales but with a demented twist added, the reader is taken on a chaotic journey. At times it was too chaotic and the storyline was hard to follow but I did love the twists he put on these characters and found myself laughing out loud at times. Curses! is very adult oriented and should not be read by the young reader.

Curses is due to be released in paperback on February 28, 2012.

The Case of the Bigamous Spouse by Erle Stanley Gardner

Review by Matt (BuffaloSavage)

Pretty Gwynn Elston tells Perry Mason an odd story. Selling kid’s books, she visited the Frankline Gillett residence. Seeing the customer’s son, she was struck by the boy’s resemblance to Felting Grimes, husband of her best friend, Nell.  A snapshot of Gillett, Senior also looked like Grimes.  This concerned Gwynn since she lives with Felting and Nell Grimes. Her concern turned to suspicion when, once home, Felting started probing her with questions about her rounds and later Gwynn detected a bitter taste in the drink Felting gave her. Perry tells Gwynn what she should do to protect herself.

But stuff happens. Felting Grimes ends up with a bullet in his chest. Lt. Tragg and DA Burger line up Gwynn in their sights as the obvious perp. Perry gives his usual warning to his client to say nothing to the cops because talking never helps a suspect, but she caves when the cops lie to her, telling she can go home after she talks and they confirm the truth of her story.

In his usual tradition of creating sturdy female characters, Gardner has Nell Grimes attack Perry in a car by turning in her seat and letting him have it with high heels. Crikey, a guy could lose an eye, fer the luvva Pete. Gardner also paints Gwynn as savvy city woman, and able to take care of herself as both a hardy working woman and fender off of wolves. During the investigation Perry and Della Street visit a mountain village. Gardner stretches out a bit and builds two interesting characters, the town undertaker and the local poacher, who as a confirmed bachelor, is shy with “right pert” Della. In a couple of lines, Gardner creates a nice moment when Della feels her devotion to Perry.

This was the 65th of 86 Perry Mason novels and was released in 1961. Although Gardner handles time in his usual skillful way, one begins to feel qualms. After all these cases since the late Thirties, shouldn’t Lt. Tragg and DA Hamilton Burger trust Perry a little more when it comes his clients’ innocence? After so many well-publicized losses and humiliations, how is it Burger keeps his job? I’m not sorry I read this mystery – I’m proud to be a Gardner fan – but non-fans might spend a better six or seven hours with a better Perry Mason novel such as The Case of the Counterfeit Eye or The Case of the Shoplifter’s Shoe or The Case of the Fiery Fingers.

The Dogs Who Came to Stay by George Pitcher

Review by McGuffyAnn M. (nightprose)

This is one of my favorite dog books. I was so moved by it that I wrote the author a letter. I keep his response to my letter in the book.

Two middle aged bachelors shared a home near Princeton University, George Pitcher being a professor of philosophy at Princeton University. One day, a wild stray dog finds its way into their backyard. She is looking for a place to have and hide her puppies.

After much patience, love, and earned trust this mama dog became the regal and dignified Lupa. Her remaining pup became known as the goofy but gentle Remus, a clown of a dog.

Filled with stories of how two dogs changed the lives of two aging bachelors, the book celebrates how dogs enter our lives in just the right way, at just the right time. If we allow them to, they can even better our lives in unexpected ways. Dogs give from the heart, unconditionally.

This humorous but sensitive book has photos and drawings to compliment the stories. You will love Lupa and Remus, and George Pitcher. I have read this beautiful book several times, and will again.