Reviews

Jenn Reads: The Turncoat

/ Jenn / Leave a comment

All I have to say first is: Oh my.

I needed a hot shower after reading this book.

If you’ve followed my reviews, you’ll know I typically don’t read bodice busting, Fabio-inspired books. My fare tends to include classics, mysteries, literary fiction, and chick lit. Not historical romance.

The Turncoat by Donna Thorland was a gift from my two cats (yeah, yeah) for my birthday. I had picked it out at Barnes and Noble based on the cover and synopsis on the back jacket. It did allude to some smut, but I thought, “Ehh- it’s a large paperback. It can’t be that bad.”

I chose this book for my turn for my girlfriend’s book club, thinking that it would be a lighter read and easy enough for everyone to get through in the allotted time. I warned them that there would be some smut.

I didn’t realize how much smut.

Now, I’m no prude, and wasn’t offended by the sex that was in this book or the quantity of sex. It wasn’t gratuitous and made sense in the context of the story.

And that’s all I’m saying about the smut.

The Turncoat opens with Quaker Kate Grey hosting a British general and his entourage during the American Revolution. There is an instant connection between Kate

The Turncoat by Donna Thorland

and Peter Tremayne (of course). Kate’s father, Arthur, is on his way with supplies for the rebel army and she hopes to stall Peter so the British do not catch up with him. With Kate is her “Aunt”, a woman she has never met before. Tremayne ends up pilfering a letter Arthur Grey had written that would give away secrets, military strategy, etc. In an effort to retrieve the letter, Kate ends up alone with Peter in her bedroom. She does not get the letter back.

After Peter leaves, Kate and her “Aunt” end up fleeing the Grey house and traveling to see General Washington with news. Turns out “Auntie” is a spy for the rebel army. Kate decides to join Aunt Angela as a spy for the rebels and is placed in Philadelphia close to British General Howe.

There is a lot to this story besides the romance between Kate and Peter. One of the reasons I was drawn to this book was that it takes place during the American Revolution, and historical fiction in the last ten years has largely been ignored. The book, while being about a Quaker spy, is also about the British invasion of Fort Mercer in 1777, the occupation of Philadelphia, and John Andre.

Thorland packs a lot into 400 pages and overall I think you get a good idea of what went on during this period of the American Revolution. A couple of her facts are incorrect- like the number of Jaguers that are killed/wounded/captured during the assault on Fort Mercer, but it’s not enough to distract from the story.

The Turncoat was engrossing, but at about 300 pages, I was ready for the story to end. The last hundred pages could have been made into a sequel, as they deal with the turning of Benedict Arnold, and hint at the future capture and hanging (history spoiler!) of John Andre. Thorland is making this a trilogy, but not with the same characters.

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (would have been 4, but it got long)

I’m looking forward to the next one!

See you in the stacks,

Jenn

Jenn Reads: Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe

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You’re probably thinking to yourself, “Wow! This is an oldie!” And yes, I suppose

Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

at this point, Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg could be considered a modern classic. This was a July pick for the girlfriend’s book club I run outside of the library.

Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe tells the joint stories of Mrs. Threadgood and Evelyn in the 1980’s and Idgie and her friend Ruth starting in the 1920’s. There is a good deal of time jumping in this book, so pay close attention to who is telling what, when.

Evelyn is a middle-aged housewife who raised two grown children and waits on her working husband hand and foot. Every Sunday they take a visit to the nursing home to visit her husband’s mother. One Sunday she is sitting eating a candy bar (a common occurrence in this book) and an elderly lady sits down and starts talking to her. Mrs. Threadgood, a former resident of Whistle Stop, Alabama, tells Evelyn the story of her family and friends.

Idgie and Ruth open a diner called Fried Green Tomatoes, the only restaurant in the entire train town (population is less than 250) and are the care-takers of the homeless, the refugees, the workers, the despondent, and the African-American population. The “n” word does appear a lot in this book, just as a warning, but it is important to remember the time and place this storyline is set in. Ruth and Idgie are women ahead of their time, colorblind, independent, and accepting.

There are too many stories for me to list here, but you can expect murders, spousal abuse, racial issues, sexuality issues, the KKK, and much more. There were a couple of things that stood out to me however. First, it is never too late to change your life. Evelyn is deeply unhappy with her current state- she is unfulfilled in every aspect of her life. Through Mrs. Threadgood’s stories, companionship, and friendship, Evelyn learns she is not just a housewife, she’s a woman.

Second, the power of friendship. If you want to believe that Ruth and Idgie are just good friends (which they are not), you can see how important it is to have someone to have your back, stand up for you, support you, and be there when the going gets rough. Oftentimes family disappoints and abandons you, and friends become family.

If you read my posts, you know I listen to many books on audio. This book I actually read! I enjoyed it and thought it was an appropriate book not only for the time of year, but for our book club as well. Books that celebrate friendship and women are perfect picks for book clubs made up of girlfriends! I recommend reading this book and then watching the movie, which is pretty close to the book.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

See you in the stacks,

Jenn 🙂

Linda Reads: You’re The One By Robin Kaye

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This is book two in Robin Kaye’s Bad Boys of Red Hook series.  They do not have to be read in order.  Book one is Back To You and is available at the Cheshire Library.  The series concentrates on three men who bounced around the foster care system until a New York cop took them under his wing.

You’re The One centers around Logan Blaise, the manager of a successful Napa Valley winery.  He’s engaged to the winery’s owner’s daughter and living the high life.  When his foster father becomes ill, Logan heads back to New York to temporarily oversee his father’s restaurant, the Crow’s Nest.  No sooner does he arrive, the chef has a family emergency and has to quit.

Skye Maxwell comes from a famous restaurant family in San Francisco.  She has four brothers who were gifted with their own restaurants on their 30th birthday.  Being an exceptional chef, all Skye has ever wanted was a kitchen/restaurant of her own and she expects to receive her own restaurant on her 30th birthday.   Instead, she is promoted to Business Manager of all the family restaurants.   Devastated,  she very quietly and secretly disappears.  She heads to New York City, hoping  to find a job as a chef on her own merits, not on her family’s reputation.   She ends up in Brooklyn and stumbles upon the chef wanted sign in the Crow’s Nest’s window.

Right away there is an attraction between Logan and Skye – a love/hate attraction.  Both characters have to overcome formidable obstacles in their pursuit of love, happiness, independence, and acceptance.  Both have families interfering with their journey, both have self-doubts to overcome, but neither one can deny the incredible chemistry that exists between them.

Ms. Kaye writes a heartwarming, believable story set in the wonderful backdrop of Brooklyn and San Francisco.  It is warm, funny and very entertaining.  Secondary characters add another interesting layer to a very well-written story.

Linda reads : The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs

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New York Times Bestselling Author Susan Wiggs has written more than 40 novels and she has another winner with The Apple Orchard.  This is the first book in a new series.

The reader is introduced to the world of an auction house provenance specialist.  This is a person who finds lost heirlooms – jewelry, china, pottery, artwork – authenticates it, and returns it to its rightful owner or auctions it for the owner.  It is a fascinating line of work and the character of Tess Delaney adds her own family history to this intriguing novel.

Tess knows nothing about her father, and her mother was pretty much absent in her life.  She was raised by a grandmother who died when Tess was in her teens.  She enjoys the process of researching a family’s history in order to track down the heirlooms because she has no family history of her own.   Her life in San Francisco is going well, with a big promotion in the works and lots of friends.  But things turn upside down when banker Domenic Rossi comes calling to tell her a grandfather she never knew she had is in a coma and that his will has named her to receive half of his estate, with the other half going to a sister she didn’t know she had.  Tess takes a leave of absence to visit the estate – Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard located in the Sonoma Valley town of Archangel.

The story takes place in present day, but the reader is taken back to World War II and the occupation of Denmark through flashbacks to learn about Tess’s grandfather and, ultimately, the father Tess never knew.  Tess’s half sister is a wonderful cook and each of the book’s ten parts starts with a recipe that incorporates apples, wine, or a dish from the region.  The orchard is in danger of foreclosure and Tess is uncomfortable with her new found family and the situation and is determined to return to her job.  But she didn’t count on falling in love with the estate, new family, the lifestyle and the banker.  She learns to enjoy the simple pleasures of food and family, nature, and all the new experiences she has encountered.  She finally learns that she indeed has a family history that is rich in tradition, loyalty, and love.

This is an insightful family drama that is well-written.  Ms. Wiggs does an outstanding job of intertwining the present and the past.  The reader is immersed in beautiful settings with lush descriptions and vivid details.  The characters are complex, captivating and vibrant.  It’s a very enjoyable book about love and family with fascinating historic details and beautiful romances.

Sharon Reads: Dean Koontz’s Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages

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Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages

Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages by Dean Koontz is a book that readers from elementary school ages through adults can understand and enjoy, with beautiful illustrations and a story that feels very real. Isaac Bodkins was a magical toy-maker who creates toys that can come to life in order to help children trough difficult times. He calls his creations Oddkins. However, Isaac has passed away sooner than expected, and before he could train the next toy-maker. The race is now on to see whether a good or evil magic toy-maker will wield the power. A team of Isaac’s Oddkins are on the move to find the toy shop of Isaac’s chosen heir, while evil toys from the hidden sub-basement try to stop them from reaching their goal before the evil toy-maker can purchased Isaac’s toy shop.

Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages might be Koontz’s first book intended for more than just adult readers, but you would never know it from the read. Living toys are a new idea, but Koontz instilled a new life to the idea, with strong personalities for each of the living toys. I loved the idea that the toys are intended to help children facing special difficulties, although I wished all children could have one rather than just the ones with the ‘potential for greatness’, since I think everyone has that potential. However, that would make for one busy magic toy-maker! The Oddkins that face the action, both good and bad, have quirks and personalities that often made me smile or shudder, depending. The good Oddkin’s quest for Colleen Shannon’s shop, Isaac’s nephew’s search for the truth, and an ex-con in search for more ways to inflict pain intersect with the evil Oddkins intent on securing their future and the success of the dark toy-maker. There are epic battles, internal debates, and characters that will take hold of your heart. What else do you need?

I recommend Oddkins: A Fable for All Ages for adults that are fans of Koontz works as well as adults, teens, and the middle grade set. On a scale of one to five, I would give Oddkins a full five stars. There is a combination of fast passed action with enough introspection and personal discovery to keep readers of all ages and all genre preferences entertained and turning the pages.

(This review was originally published on Sharon the Librarian.)