Archive for February, 2010

Looking for Some Leads

I’ve been thinking lately about some folks I’d like to interview for Buried Under Books, authors but also some other folks like agents and publicists.  It might also be nice to interview some people that have nothing to do with the book world except that they are readers—that’s practically a must or they wouldn’t even [...]

February 28, 2010   Posted in: Tales of a Bookseller  One Comment

Review: The Reader

The Reader
Bernhard Schlink
Vintage Books, 2008
ISBN 0307473465
Mass Market Paperback

When 15-year-old Michael Berg discovers an older woman willing to become his lover, he thinks he’s the student. Yet, intimacy with Hanna comes with one condition–he’s got to read to her first.
Michael never thought much about this odd form of foreplay until years later when Hanna’s on trial [...]

February 26, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Full Reviews  No Comments

Road Weary

Annie and I left Richmond Monday morning, heading for Florida, a little for vacation but mostly so Annie can check out a couple of areas of the state she wants to move to this summer.  We drove through a whole state’s worth of rain (North Carolina) on the first leg and arrived in Savannah not [...]

February 25, 2010   Posted in: Tales of a Bookseller  One Comment

Review: Margarita Nights

Margarita Nights
Phyllis Smallman
McArthur & Company
ISBN 1552786994
Trade Paperback
Some women just pick the wrong guy to fall in love with.  Sherri Travis is one.  She loves Jimmy Travis.  I’m not sure why.  He is a golf pro from a better social class than Sherri, and he tends to get into all kinds of trouble.  Money trouble.  Woman [...]

February 24, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Full Reviews  No Comments

Sisters in Crime in Richmond?

Not so many years ago, fictional female characters were frequently the victims of graphic sadism and women writers were treated as less than equal to their male counterparts throughout the mystery field.  They were rarely nominated for awards and their books weren’t being reviewed at a percentage rate comparable to their participation in the field.
Sisters [...]

February 23, 2010   Posted in: Tales of a Bookseller  No Comments

Teeny Reviews X 3

The Telltale Turtle
Joyce & Jim Lavene
Midnight Ink, 2008
ISBN 0738712264
Trade Paperback
Pet psychic Mary Catherine is a widow with panache and a successful radio show.  Then, one day, she hears the thoughts of an animal in distress and discovers a turtle with the body of his murdered owner.  Unfortunately, turtles don’t have a good grasp on communication [...]

February 22, 2010  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Teeny Reviews  No Comments

Indies Rock!

I love being an independent business owner.  Obviously, I wish we hadn’t had to close the storefront, that this economy hadn’t been messing with so many of us the last couple of years, but I’m glad my daughter Annie and I took the plunge, the leap of faith.
Being an indy has made me so much [...]

February 21, 2010   Posted in: Tales of a Bookseller  2 Comments

Review: The Sound of Building Coffins

The Sound of Building Coffins
Louis Maistros
Toby Press, 2009
ISBN 1592642551
Hardcover
I first read the first 5000 words of “The Sound of Building Coffins” as part of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards in 2008.  If I had the rest of the book, I would have finished reading right then.  As it was, those first chapters haunted me. I [...]

February 20, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Full Reviews  No Comments

Review: The Heretic’s Daughter

The Heretic’s Daughter
Kathleen Kent
Back Bay Books, 2009
ISBN 031602449X
Trade Paperback
For me there are numerous mysteries of life, most of which involve how we humans treat other humans (and animals). My list includes but is not limited to:
Inhumane treatment of American Indians;
Slavery;
and
The Salem witch trials.
How could our ancestors have made major advances in so many different improvements [...]

February 18, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Full Reviews  No Comments

When Learning Sort of Sneaks Up on You

Returning guest blogger, Kathleen Delaney, talks about what she learns from books.

Last night I watched Julie and Julia. Again. The first time I watched it with an eight year old and a six year old. I got more out of it last night.
I’ve been a Julia Child fan for years. I guess that’s why I [...]

February 16, 2010   Posted in: Guest Blogs  One Comment