"The Undomestic Goddess" by Sophie Kinsella

"Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She's made a mistake so huge, it'll wreck any chance of a partnership. Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she's mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they've hired a lawyer - and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can't sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@ &# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope - and finds love - is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake. But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does...will she want it back?"


I've read a few of Kinsella's books, two of the Shopaholic series, and two of the stand-alones. I like her well enough, and had a weekend where I just needed some "light" reading - nothing supernatural, nothing too deep. Fluff, if you must call it that. Anyway, this book had been lingering in my TBR pile for a while, and seemed to be the perfect thing for such a mood.

It's a cute book. Believable? Not hardly! Samantha is a likable character, though, and I really felt for her. I thought some of the other characters could have used a bit more work, though, especially Trish and Eddie Geiger, the couple who hire her. They are what we'd term nouveau riche, having sold their garbage business a few years back. However, it's clear that they don't really know what to do with all that money, especially Trish. I found myself wanting her to start a business or do something to give herself the feeling of self-worth she had when she was just a working stiff. Also, Samantha's mother was a bit too flat, the stereotypical "strong business woman" who has "sacrificed" everything for her career and doesn't want to be embarasses by her children. Sigh.

But it was a story that I found myself relating to (no, I didn't lose a company millions of dollars!) Once upon a time, the Bookbabe was a cubicle rat, and worked in an office doing data entry and customer service. She thought it was a "real" job, and earned a pretty good paycheck. But she was miserable. In the end, she had begun working at a used book store part time, and she discovered her "real" job - working around books and the people who love to read them. She, too, had to overcome her worries about money and status, but in the end, it was all totally worth it. And I think that's why I liked Samantha's story so much - it really resonated with me. Sometimes you have to throw aside society's (and family's) expectations for your life and take control yourself. And you have to be brave enough to do what you want, trusting that the money and all that will work out for the best.

Got a spare weekend coming up? Need some inspiration if you're thinking about making that major life change? Pick up "The Undomestic Goddess", a good cuppa tea, and enjoy.

"Guards of Haven" by Simon R. Green

This is the second omnibus collecting what would be books 4, 5 and 6 of the Hawk and Fisher series. Again, I really like Green and think he writes a good book, and this work is no different.

In "Wolf in the Fold", the team must root out the spy Fenris. However, doing so will be difficult, as Hawk and Fisher must go undercover as Quality (think upper-class). It involves quite a bit of fancy dress-up, not to mention a good deal of acting on their parts, as they head out to MacNeil Tower; there intel suggest that Fenris is holed up in the Tower. The Guards will be able to get in as distant relatives of the family; the MacNeil has recently died and his son Jamie is ascending to the position. Several other family members arrive, and soon there's all sorts of mayhem in the mansion, as it becomes apparent that Fenris is posing as a member of the family and there's an old family secret that has gotten loose, one that's starting to kill people in the Tower. Hawk and Fisher do what they do best - solve the mystery. A nice touch to this story is a small scene with Razor Eddie in a bar. Yes, that Razor Eddie of the Nightside fame, once again confirming my suspicions that Haven is London.

"Guard Against Dishonor" was an interesting read, as it marks the first time that Hawk and Fisher are split up. There's been a disastrous mission involving a drug lord, a new street drug, a pocket dimension, and the subsequent collapse of a tenement building, killing hundreds of innocent citizens. Hawk and Fisher must take the separate details while trying to lay low after the debacle. Of course, laying low isn't really in their vocabulary, not to mention there are people plotting against them, planning on them taking the fall for even bigger problems. It was a bit odd to read their separate adventures, but I also liked seeing them believe in each other, no matter what they were told by those around them. And, of course, they have to find the real culprits and clear their names.

Finally we have "The Bones of Haven", perhaps the best of the bunch. There's a lot going on in this short work (although not quite as short as normal, think this one did have a bit more than 200 pages or so). We have an extended cast of characters, including the SWAT team (Special Wizardry and Tactics team). There are several different but related events going on as well, and we get some different characters viewpoints, too. This is more several-streams-at-once style writing, and it works. All the action is building up to something horrible, something that will wipe Haven off the face of the map if not stopped. I found myself trying to read faster and faster, worried that this truly would be the end of Hawk and Fisher. My only complaint is that the ending felt, well, rather anti-climactic. It was too neatly wrapped up, almost unbelievably so, especially after that much nail-biting. Oh well, so Green had a slight misstep. Overall, still a great read.

I'm sure I haven't seen the last of Hawk and Fisher, but I don't think there are any other stories starring them right now. Green got busy with the Nightside and such; perhaps he'll return to Haven some day.

Paranormal Activity

Yes, it's a new movie, and yes, this blog is still about books, but I wanted to use it to illustrate the power of word of mouth. "Paranormal Activity" is a little film that's starting to get some big buzz. It was shot for almost nothing and has no big names. I guess Spielberg or someone heard about it and helped redo the ending, saying that was the only thing that needed some work. Anyway, I don't know if there wasn't enough money for a huge ad campaign or if they went this route to see what would happen, but there have been a few ads out there showing a test audience watching the film. You see a few people jump, some gasps, a scream, etc, while there are a few clips on the movie screen. Then the title comes up and says something along the lines of "demand it!" - meaning call your local movie house and tell them to get that sucker in there.

Well, whatever they're doing and however it started, it looks like it's working. Why? Because word of mouth is probably still one of the top five ways to market something. Proven fact! Especially for "small" things, like independent films, music, arts, etc, and yes, books. A good example in the book category would be "The Shack", a Christian fiction work that seemed to suddenly explode on the scene. In reality, there was a slow but steady buildup, and what we heard across the desk here at the library was that "someone" had recommended it to our patron, time and time again. Granted a lot of those people knew the "someone" from church, but still - it proves a point. Word of mouth works.

This brings me to my thought for today: If you find a book that you really like, one you just can't stop thinking about, one that you really believe in - GO TELL SOMEONE. Write a blog. Tell people in your local community, whether that's a church, a book club, a gym, whatever. Better yet, go to your local library or book store and ask if they have a "recommended" section, then ask if you can recommend this work (we have several patron-recommended titles on display here!) Just be sure to talk about the book and why you like it. In addition to telling people all about it, Google the author and see if you can let him/her know how much you liked it, too. Believe me when I tell you that author's need that feedback, especially if they're not a "big" name yet. Even I like to hear back on here that someone's read a post and liked it! LOL!

OK, you've all got your homework assignments. Now go out there and talk about books!

Out Today, 10/5/09

Hmmm.... looking over my list, there's not really a whole lot to look forward today. Oh well, not every week can be a banner week for books, huh?

"The Professional" by Robert B. Parker. This is book #38 - yeah, thirty-eight, in Parker's popular Spenser series. I have yet to read Parker, but my husband is a faithful follower of all his series. According to hubby dearest (and quite a lot of our library patrons), Parker writes a great book - easy to read, good characters, cool plots. You don't have to read them in order, but hubby says that it helps, as Spenser is written as a "real" person, aging, losing friends, gaining new ones, etc.

"Christmas List" by Richard Paul Evans. Oh goodie, let the holiday books begin! Look, if you follow this blog at all, you know I am not a fan of the "holiday read". There's usually not enough content in these things to merit the asking price of the book. Find it at a library near you if you really want to read it, but save your money for other, non-holiday, titles.

"Evidence" by Jonathan Kellerman. Yep, another series, this time Alex Delaware. Again, I haven't read anything by Kellerman but the guy is insanely popular with the library patrons. I have heard from several of said readers that you do need to read these things in order, so if you're not already following this series, go back and start at the beginning. Plus you might be able to get a better deal on this title by the time you get around to it!

"Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel" by Jeannette Walls. This one sounds very interesting, as I've never heard the "true-life novel" claim before. It's a fictionalized account of Walls' grandmother (or possibly her great-grandmother - it's early and my memory is fuzzy). Walls wrote "The Glass Castle", which has often been a book club selection, and has gained a good following. Have to keep an eye on sales of this one, see where it goes.

"New Moon: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion" by Mark Cotta Vaz. Yeah, not something I'd ordinarily bother mentioning, but I bet it's going to have some awesome pics of Taylor Lautner. Yummy! Probably get it in the library and won't be able to keep up with demand!

"A Touch of Dead: The Complete Stories)" by Charlaine Harris. This is supposed to be a complete collection of all the short stories that relate to Harris's Southern Vampire series. I'm sure most of them will be about Sookie and the vamps, but don't forget - there are other characters in the books. Maybe there's a little gem starring Jason? Or maybe an Eric scene that we know nothing about! Sad thing is I've probably read most of them already...

"Death's Mistress" by Karen Chance. This is the second book in Chance's Dorina Basarab series, a very nice complementary line to her Cassandra Palmer series. I wasn't too sure about it at first - always a crap shoot when you take a peripheral character and give them more page time. Luckily, I was very happy with the first book ("Midnight's Daughter") and I'm anxious to read this one.

I'm not going to worry about the non-fiction dropping today, mostly because none of it jumps out as being necessary, and also because I don't have much time today. Gotta run - lots to get done!

"Crimson Orgry" by Austin Williams

"Grindhouse director Sheldon Meyer has been cultivating an obsession. He has just one hellish week to shoot CRIMSON ORGY, seventy-six minutes of mayhem destined to become the world's most notorious cult movie... and just maybe the first true "snuff film" ever made. Struggling to cope with a reluctant starlet, a booze-ravaged leading man, a backwoods cop bent on revenge, a mutinous crew, a devastating hurricane, and his own inner demons, Meyer relentlessly pursues a vision of unrivaled box office horror. He gets what he's after, but at a price no one could imagine."

Yes, the title totally sounds like it should be erotica, but it's not. This was a pretty decent little book about an independent studio filming their first horror movie. Stupendous Pictures is basically director Sheldon Meyer and producer Gene Hoffman; their studio is a "grindhouse", known for making lots of films for very little money (grinding them out, so to speak). It was a very real phenomenon back in the 60's and most of the work was marketed as "nature films" to get around the censors. They were nudie pictures, pure and simple, and they made such studios famous (or infamous as the case may be) - and they made them a good bit of money for very little investment.

Along comes Herschell Gordon Lewis, one of the famous grindhouse directors, with a new movie called "Blood Feast". Yes, there was nudity - but there was also a lot of blood. It's considered by many to be one of the first "horror" films, and once it hit big, others jumped on the bandwagon. Such as our gentlemen at the fictitious Stupendous Pictures. They've hired a small cast and crew and hauled everyone to the remote Hillsboro Beach in Florida to film "Crimson Orgy". Hoffman is hoping to make big money, while it's not entirely clear what Meyer hopes to accomplish. It's obvious that the director is trying to exorcise some demons through this work, but no one is entirely certain why or how.

The cast consists of just a few players. Vance Cogburn, a bartender/actor/drunk, is playing "Frank Butler", the male lead. Opposite him is Barbara Cheston, a nude model, as "Kelly Dunhill", a reporter who will break the serial killer story wide open. Jerry Cooke is cast as the psycho killer "Ace Spade" and quickly begins demanding that everyone call him "Ace", claiming that he's using "the method" made famous by big-name actors. Julie Baylor, a Weeki Wachee Mermaid, has been cast as "Betty/victim #2"; Meyer wanted her because she can hold her breath for almost two minutes at a time, which means she'll be able to "play dead" for the camera and make it believable. There's the crew, Cliff the Grip, Juan and Ricky, who all have small parts to play in the events surrounding the movie-making.

Things don't get off to a good start, as Deputy Sonny Platt demands speaking lines in return for the use of his squad car for a scene. This means last minute re-writes for Meyer, and when it comes to film, the car isn't available. Meyer is livid, but Hoffman tells him they don't have much time and to forget about it. Barbara isn't sure what she's doing, as she's never acted before, just posed. Even stranger is that she doesn't have a full copy of the script; Meyer is giving her one scene at a time. When her co-star Vance learns of this, he becomes suspicious that all is not as it seems. Thrown in to this mix are a hurricane headed straight for Hillsboro Beach, a tragic accident that occurs away from the set, and Sherry, the barmaid at the Angler's Rest (and Sonny's girlfriend), and the tension mounts. Just what kind of movie is Meyer shooting? Can Hoffman keep his director in line? Will the hurricane wipe them out?

The book starts with a small section about the filming of "Crimson Orgy", just as if it were a real film. The big question is this: Is Meyer trying to film the first real "snuff film"? Or does it just seem that way? Some of the book works and some doesn't. I did think the author captured some of the feeling of a small movie production, especially one on a small budget. I really liked the way he worked in the real Herschell Gordon Lewis and his movie "Blood Feast"; I've read quite a bit about the grindhouses, and this all rings true in Williams' book. However, where I felt the author could use some work was in character development. There are a few key scenes where you start to get to know the characters a bit, most of them occurring between Meyer and Barbara. But for the danger that's obviously building up as you near the end of the piece, there's just not enough emotional involvement to really impact you when you get to the end.

Overall, not a bad first effort, and definitely one to pick up if you like those old grindhouse movies of the 60's.

"Swords of Haven" by Simon R. Green

"They're lovers. They're partners. They're cops. They're the battle-scarred crime busters of a never-ending urban war. Hawk rules the streets by battle-axe. Fisher cracks down on outlaws with sword and dagger. Their merciless beat is the sinister city misnamed Haven: a dark and violent town overrun with spell casters, demons, and thieves - a place where money will buy anything...except justice."

I've been reading Green for a while now, mostly his Nightside series starring John Taylor. One of the people responsible for our Collection & Development contacted me and asked if I knew anything about this series, and I said no, but go ahead and get put it in the system if you can since his other works go out well. "Swords of Haven" is a compilation of the first three Hawk and Fisher novels: "Hawk and Fisher", "Winner Take All", and "The God Killer".

As is typical of Green, the pieces aren't terribly long, all under 200 pages. The writing is straight-forward and pretty much what you'd expect from him - a world that sort of resembles ours (although I think this is supposed to be some time ago, maybe the Middle Ages?) populated by sorcerers and other beastly things. Hawk and Fisher are described as no-nonsense crime fighters and their reputations proceed them; no one is willing to go up against them, least of all the Guards themselves. They are the only two Guards on the force who can't be bought, which makes them the only honest Guards as well.

I won't waste time describing each novel here; if you've read Green, you'll like them. If you haven't read Green, this would be a good way to give him a try. What I will tell you is that I believe Haven is a predecessor of London. Why? Well, there are things mentioned in this book that are also in his Nightside series. For example, Hawk and Fisher are typically assigned to the Northside of Haven, which is the most corrupt part of the city. Northside? Nightside? You see where I'm going with this... and when I read about Hawk and Fisher having to report to the Street of Gods, I was pretty sure of the connection. Yes, that Street of Gods, the very same from the Nightside. I'm not entirely sure if Haven is supposed to be London in the Middle Ages but I think so. If not, it's definitely an alternate universe of London/the Nightside. It's nice to see Green connect his series in this manner; he's done the same with Secret Histories series, too.

Green is an excellent author, no matter who or where he's writing about. Definitely check this out, and soon.

The best for last

Well, another month has come and gone, and The Bookbabe hasn't been nearly as prolific here as she'd hoped to be. However, it's nice to see that two authors have now commented on reviews I've done - good to get feedback, even better to know there are people reading this! (other than my sis and Indy friend, who snark at me often to get busy!)

I believe some of the best books are now in stores, having hit the shelves yesterday. Or perhaps I should say most-hyped, or long-awaited, or however you want to word it. I know one that I've been anxious to read is on the list! So, without further ado, let's get to it, shall we?

Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom. Albom returns to his roots, so to speak, in this non-fiction piece. He's asked by a rabbi to deliver the man's eulogy, something Albom isn't completely comfortable with. I know that there are fans out there that will read pretty much anything he writes, and since he's not one to crank them out every year, I have a feeling this will do well. The only work of his I read was "The Five People You Meet in Heaven", and it was OK. My hubby really enjoyed it, but I'd just read "White Apples" by Jonathan Carroll, which I think covers the same theme in a much more interesting way.

Rough Country by John Sandford. Another in the Virgil Flowers series. Can't say much about them except the hubby loves them, along with the other Sandford series. I know there's always a pretty good reserve list when they first hit the library!

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. Heard of "The Time Traveler's Wife"? If you hadn't already read the book, you probably got interested when they did the movie. This is the same author. I wasn't all that interested in TTTW but this one has me curious, as it's about ghosts, much more the sort of thing I would be likely to pick up. Only problem is that I haven't seen any stellar reviews of it - most are along the lines of a C+ or so, saying it's "disappointing". Guess it depends on what you like, huh? Then again, it's always hard to live up to a blockbuster...

Dawnbreaker by Jocelynn Drake. YES! This is the one, people, the one I've been waiting for! It's the third book in her Dark Days series, and I cannot wait to see what direction she takes with the story. I loved the first two books (read reviews on this blog), and I'm just totally stoked about this entry. Even better is that I have learned she's working on the fifth book, which means Mira's story is far from over!

And thus endeth September. I'll try to do better in October, both with the news and with the reviews. Keep on reading!