A Walk Along the Wall

Finished December 20

A Walk Along the Wall: A Journey Along Hadrian's Wall by Hunter Davies

This book recounts Davies experience walking the length of Hadrian's Wall from east to west over the course of several months, and was first published in 1974. Davies talks about his own observations and experiences along his journey, but also gives us history, not only of the wall, its significance and construction, but also other history that relates to the areas he traverses. He talks to a lot of people along the way, some enthusiasts of the wall, some indifferent, and some antagonistic to its existence and popularity. 

He discusses the unknowns of its history as well, and when things aren't clear offers up the differing theories around each issue. 

I learned some things about the history of this area of Britain and the Roman occupation, about the daily life of the people during that time, and about the religious life of the soldiers, who were drawn from all over the Roman Empire. Very interesting.

2014 Postal Challenge

I as so glad to see this challenge again. Didn't make my goal last year, but got more than halfway there. I am sitting at seven right now.

What is the Challenge?

The key is to read and review books with a postal theme. These can be non-fiction on the subject of letter writing, collections of real letters, or epistolary fiction of any era. Be creative! Review each one and link back to the challenge -- there will be quarterly roundup posts for you to link reviews and posts to as you create them.

The challenge runs from January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2014.  You can sign up ANY TIME throughout the year.

Any books chosen can overlap with any other challenge, and rereads are allowed. Just remember to review them somewhere online in order for them to count toward the challenge. Lists don't have to be made in advance, though feel free to share your choices and inspire other readers if you wish! I always think that making lists is half the fun :)

How do I join in?
There are a few ways to participate in this challenge. 

Postcard Level:   Read and review 4 books with a postal theme.

Snail Mail Level:   Read and review 8 books with a postal theme.

Parcel Post Level: Read and review 12 books with a postal theme.

Air Mail Express Level:   Read and review 12 books with a postal theme AND commit to sending more old fashioned letters this year. At least 12 pieces of mail (or more!), and you can share numbers or even images of your mail art in the quarterly roundups.

Anyone who completes the challenge at any level will have their names thrown into a draw to win some letter-related goodies at the end of the year. In addition, if you complete the Air Mail Express Level, you'll get a chance to win a lifetime membership to (and some goodies from) the Letter Writers Alliance!

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ME

I'm going for the Air Mail Express level. I will be trying to do more letters this year, but didn't find that it worked for me in 2013 in terms of reporting on this. So, to help me do this, I bought Postcards from Penguin, a lovely boxed collection of 100 Penguin book cover as postcards. If you'd like one, let me know and I'll get your address from you. Also let me know if you have a favorite book, your interests or hobbies and I'll try to find a card that fits you. Let's see if I can get all 100 sent!

Stella Bain

Finished December 19
Stella Bain by Anita Shreve, read by Hope Davis

This novel follows a woman from the time she awakes in a field hospital in northern France in early 1916. She was found wearing a British nurse's aide uniform, but has an American accent. She has no personal memory and has difficulty coming up with a name for herself, but feels that Stella Bain is right. She does know that she can drive an ambulance, and as she recovers, she is put to use as both nurse's aide and ambulance driver. When someone mentions the admiralty it strikes a chord with her and she is driven by the certainty that somehow the admiralty holds the key to recovering her memory. As she makes her way to London, she loses her way and is found by a woman in a residential square in London. The woman, Lily, takes her in and Lily and her husband Dr. August Bridge, nurse her through illness and the doctor, once learning of her plight, is fascinated and does everything he can to help her recover her memory.
In the second part of this novel, Stella has recovered her memory and her identity and knows the reason she came to France and the reason she must return home to America. As she fights to regain her family, and find a new life for herself, she is also drawn back to England and those she cares for there.
With themes of love, memory, loss, and forgiveness, this novel has a strong protagonist with a unique story that resonates.

Love Overdue

Finished December 17
Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi

Picked up this light romance for the library theme and thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in a small town in Kansas, DJ (Dorothy Jarrow) arrives to be the new librarian in charge at the local library. She has 4 employees, one of whom has been in charge up until now and won't give up her leadership position without a fight.
Eight years ago, on her twenty-first birthday, DJ did something reckless and had an incredible experience with a man that she has never forgotten. What are the odds that he turns out to be her landlady's divorced son? Thank goodness he doesn't seem to recognize her.
Nice characters, nice plot, and some good lines. One of my favorites is "...and a teen book collection so woefully out of date that the only vampire novel available was by Bram Stoker." Several co-workers liked the line too. The chapters are not consecutively numbered as is normal, but instead have gradually increasing Dewey Decimal Classification numbers each related to the chapter's content, which was a neat touch.
And everyone needs a good romance now and then.

Through the Evil Days

Finished December 15
Through the Evil Days by Julie Spencer-Fleming

Once again, Spencer-Fleming writes a novel I can't put down. And it was a perfect snowy day to read this mystery which occurs during a terrible snow and ice storm in upstate New York.
An eight-year-old girl, recent recipient of a kidney donation, is abducted from the foster home she is living in, with an attempt to cover up the evidence with a fire.
Russ and Clare are supposed to be on their honeymoon, trying out a remote cabin with an eye to buying it. Russ has some ice-fishing in mind, and both have a lot on their minds.
With the abduction news coming after the two are away, weather stymies their return to Millers Kill, and threatens their lives.
There is much drama here, with a little girl's life in the balance and a large drug operation at the center.
A side story between the two young Millers Kill police officers Hadley and Kevin also moves forward in an interesting way.
A well-done installation in one of my favourite mystery series.

The Shade of the Moon

Finished December 13
The Shade of the Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer

This is the fourth book in the series that began with Life As We Knew It. So far I've liked the first two the best. This one has the speaking character move to Miranda's younger brother Jon, and it picks up a few months after Jon, his stepmother Lisa and stepbrother Gabe have entered the enclave Sexton using the slips provided by Alex. Miranda, Laura and Alex are all living in the town outside the enclave White Birch which provides labour to the enclave. The social structure is disturbing, with the clavers, as they are called engaged in widespread abuse of the labourers, known as grubs. As "slips", Jon and Lisa live in the enclave on shaky ground and constantly have to pass tests for loyalty. When Lisa gets the opportunity, she tries to arrange to have Miranda assigned as a domestic labourer to her own household. But unrest between the communities leads to an outburst that has significant impact on the family.
Jon matures significantly in this book, becoming aware of his own spoiled nature and the unfair way he has treated others. But I really didn't feel connected to the characters in this book as I did to the first two books.

Never Go Back

Finished December 9
Never Go Back by Lee Child, read by Dick Hill

Another wonderful episode in the life of Jack Reacher. Reacher was intrigued with a voice on the phone when he called his old unit, the 110th MP, for help from South Dakota. The CO of the 110th is a woman, Susan Turner, and Reacher decided he wanted to meet her to see if the woman was as intriguing as her voice. But when he reaches his destination in Virginia he finds that Turner isn't there, and the acting CO is not a friendly man towards Reacher at all. In fact, he has some back news for Reacher, one personal and one with possible criminal charges. And when Reacher encounters some threatening men at the motel the army books him into, he begins to ask why. Why the threats, why the charges now after 16 years, and why the personal news after so many years. And why was Susan Turner not in command of her unit, and where was she instead.
As usual Reacher brain is always one step ahead, thinking clearly and looking for motives, and he begins to plot his strategy. From backwoods family threats to a suburban California neighbourhood, the trail Reacher follows doggedly leads him to answers with bigger repercussions than he imagined.
Amazing, as usual.

Eloise

Finished December 8
Eloise by Judy Finnigan

This first novel is written by a woman with a passion for books, Judy of the famous Richard & Judy. Taking place in the vacation destination of Talland Bay in Cornwall, the main character here, Cathy, has watched her close friend lose Eloise lose her struggle against cancer, and now feels that Eloise is trying to send her a message tasking her with protecting Eloise's two young daughters. But Cathy's psychiatrist husband Chris worries that she is relapsing into another breakdown, and even Cathy isn't sure that she isn't imagining some of what she is feeling. Eloise's widowed husband seems more focused on the money side of Eloise's death than the emotional side, but is that just the path his grief is taking. Eloise's mother supports Cathy's concerns one minute and accuses her of besmirching Eloise's memory the next. This is a tale of intuition, friendship, and hidden sorrows. I found the plot idea interesting, but found the characters interactions too forced, with sudden about turns particularly from Cathy's husband Chris who was loving one minute and nasty the next. I found the book didn't flow, with the writing repetitive in spots and stilted in others.

The Walker on the Cape

Finished December 7
The Walker on the Cape by Mike Martin

This is the first in a new series featuring Sergeant Winston Windflower of the RCMP, stationed in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Windflower is a native Cree who grew up on a remote reserve in northern Alberta. He has had several postings with increasing responsibility and has a good relationship with his staff, but not so good with the Inspector he reports to. Windflower is also in the early stages of a relationship with a local Newfoundland woman.
The case here is one that seems straightforward on the surface, but concerns emerge gradually. A local man, Elias Martin went out for his daily walk and never returned, his body found out on the path later. Seemingly a simple case of an older man, a widower, dead of a heart attack. But the autopsy causes concern, and Windflower begins an investigation. With his Inspector wanting him to close down the case quickly, Windflower is forced to move quickly to gather the evidence and track down those responsible. With interesting characters, and a story that leads beyond the small village of Grand Bank, this is an interesting introduction to a new mystery series.

The Whirlpool

Finished December 3
The Whirlpool by Jane Urquhart

This is a novel with many layers, complex and slow. The novel takes place in the summer of 1889.
Patrick works for the government in Ottawa, but has been having issues and has come to stay with his aunt and uncle in Niagara Falls. He is also a published poet and his interest in nature has him wandering in the forest, staring at the river, and interested in a woman he sees on his forest wanderings.
Fleda is the woman in the forest. Fleda's husband David McDougal is fascinated by the War of 1812 and even confesses to Patrick that he married Fleda because of her resemblance to Laura Secord. Fleda is not happen in the town and begins to live in a tent in a forest clearing, and David plans a house for the same location.When Fleda begins to realize that Patrick is watching her, she is both unnerved and flattered and wants to increase the connection with him, but her need has an outcome she didn't envision.
In town, Maud is the widow of the undertaker, still in charge of the funeral home despite her husband's death. Maud keeps a cupboard of the belongings of the floaters, the drowned people from the river and its famous falls. Maud has a young son, seemingly autistic whose behaviour connects these characters, and opens them to new experiences and ways of looking at things.
This is a novel that examines how we respond to how others view us. And how that response changes their perception of us further.