Measuring the World

Finished March 20

Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Carol Brown Janeway

This novel focuses on real historical figures from the late eighteenth /early nineteenth centuries, naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, and mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss. Humboldt collaborated with another scientist, Bonpland, and spent more than five years in Central and South America, gathering plant samples, examining the fauna, following rivers to find where they met, and climbing mountains including several volcanoes. Humboldt's interest in science expanded to include meteorology, magnetism, ocean currents and astronomy. 

Gauss was a mathematician and physicist, a child prodigy who preferred a quiet life delving deeper into the science that he loved, was deeply affected by the loss of his first wife. His discoveries formed the basis for the work of other scientists as well. 

The two men, Humboldt and Gauss, did meet, but this book is a fictionalized account of both their lives, their interactions and correspondence and their scientific interests and achievements. 

Kehlmann brings the men to life, with complex personalities, individual quirks, and sometimes strange behaviour. This book has touches of humour, fantasy, and emotion. Enlightening and revealing. 

A Trace of Death

Finished March 18

A Trace of Death by Blake Pierce

This is the first novel in a series featuring Los Angeles police officer Keri Locke. Her backstory is an interesting one. She was a criminology professor when her 9-year-old daughter Evie was kidnapped in a violent daylight abduction in a park. This eventually resulted in the breakup of her marriage and the loss of her job due to self-destructive behaviour. 

The abduction was five years ago, but Keri still hopes to find her daughter. She now works in the Missing Persons unit as a detective and as the book opens, a teenage girl, Ashley, is abducted while walking home from school. Keri takes the call and goes to meet the mother even though her partner Ray thinks it might just be a case of a runaway. 

Keri's story is interspersed with Ashley's viewpoint from the situation she is in, so the reader knows some information beyond the investigators.

Keri's background story means that she is both dedicated to her work, as it is so closely related to her personal issues, but it also means that she has trouble separating her story from her cases. This means that she becomes emotionally entangled with the people she encounters, ignores orders from superior officers, and is often unprofessional in her handling of suspects and witnesses. 

I felt for Keri, but also found her behaviour to be a big red flag in terms of her job and responsibilities. 

This is a fast-moving novel with new information being introduced throughout. 

Do You Take This Man

Finished March 14

Do You Take This Man by Denise Williams

This romance starts off with one of the main characters literally running into the other one. RJ is a divorce attorney with a sideline officiating weddings. She got into the wedding thing after going viral doing an impromptu ceremony, and kind of enjoys it. Her mentor wants her to give it up and she has agreed to see through the summer bookings that are already made and then stop. 

Lear has recently moved back to Asheville after a bad breakup and a job loss. He was an event planner for a football team in California and has now taken on the role of assistant to his cousin Penny at her wedding planner business. 

He was just standing outside a venue waiting for a client when RJ runs into him. They both take offense to the other's attitude and when they find they must work together on some weddings, things get a bit hostile. Besides that feeling though, another one pops up between them and that is definite attraction. RJ is a straightforward woman and it's been a while since she's had a boyfriend so it doesn't take her long to suggest an 'enemies with benefits' arrangement.

That's when things get a bit crazy. As things get hot between them, and yes, the sex is graphically written here, they both have to fight the urge for more. 

This is a case of two strong characters, each with their past hurt affecting their expectations for relationships, afraid to be too honest with each other. But honesty is the only way forward.

I liked both characters, although I leaned towards Lear a tad as I like a truly nice guy. Williams has them both grow here, with a little help from those close to them. 

It's not a criticism, but one thing that I found interesting that although he's white and she's black, there was no real discussion of race in the novel, either as as aspect to their relationship, or in the social world they moved in. 

Adam

Finished March 13

Adam by Jennifer Ashley

This novella is the first in a series set around a small Texas community and a family who trains horses and does stunt riding. Adam left town a few years ago to work in Hollywood, but he's recently had a bad accident and has come back home to recuperate and recover. 

He is surprised to find that his high school girlfriend Bailey is also back in town and working at his family's ranch. She trains horses and is starting to do stunts herself. Adam is conflicted about the situation. He still has feelings for Bailey, but his recent accident has left him wary of the possibilities of harm that come with the job. 

As the two get reacquainted and Adam catches up on what Bailey has been doing these past few years, they grow closer and Adam finds that he might once again need her help to move forward, whether with her or not. He also has the time to get to know his brothers as adults.

This is a light and easy romance with problems resolved easier than one might expect in real life. 

Six Weeks with You

Finished March 11

Six Weeks with You by Janet Koops

This novella is the first in a series called Lost and Found Family, set in Montreal. Vicki Meyers has recently moved to Montreal from Ottawa. She's ready for a fresh start, leaving behind an emotionally abusive boyfriend and a life that didn't fit her. 

She's got a small studio apartment in an old house, a part-time job waitressing, and is just starting to volunteer at the local animals shelter. And she's finding her way back to herself, partly through her art. She's always had a skill for drawing and she spends a lot of time using her art to let her feelings out.

At the shelter, she finds herself tasked with spending time with Gunner, a dog who's been there a while, trying to socialize him to make him more adoptable, and she finds herself connecting with him. She also gets taken under the wing of an older volunteer and invited out. 

Unexpectedly finding herself interested in a young man, Vicki decides to let herself try new things, and gives Daniel a chance even though she knows it won't be long-term.

An interesting book, with a character looking for a fresh start on her life, hopeful and upbeat. 

The Swift and the Harrier

Finished March 10

The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters

I've always enjoyed Walters psychological thrillers, and I'm glad to say I enjoy her historical fiction as well. This novel is set in the 1640s in Dorsetshire and covers the period of 1642-1649 from just before the English Civil War until the beheading of King Charles I. 

The main character is the Jayne Swift, the daughter of a upper class titled family who has taken the unusual choice of training privately as a physician. While Jayne's father Sir Henry Swift is a Royalist, she has taken a neutral position where she is against the war in general and offers her services to whomever needs them. 

As the book begins, Jayne is making her way to the home of her cousin Ruth Morecott in Dorchester on a day where there is a public hanging of two Catholic priests who didn't leave England before the edict requiring them to. Buffeted by the crowds, Jayne is taken in by an older widow, Lady Alice Stickland and then escorted by Lady Alice's footman, William Harrier, to Ruth's home where she has been called to minister to the toddler son of Ruth. 

Jayne is a taller than average woman in her late twenties who has not yet married, and who is forthright in her aim to provide care to all who need it, regardless of their ability to pay her. She is particularly protective of women and children, and she is soon called on to do that in her visit to Ruth.

Walters really sets the scenes here, including two maps near the front of the book that help to visualize the setting. The scenes of the homes, the streets, and the hanging are all brought to life by the detail that Walters is so good at. 

As Jayne moves from Dorchester to her family's home at Swyre, back to Dorchester, and later on to Lyme Regis, we get a sense of the landscape both geographically and politically. She gets caught up in the war through her treatment of those injured on both sides, and finds herself having to be cautious about her own movements in order to stay safe. Through her services, she witnesses the fighting firsthand and is both horrified by the violence, and inspired by the dedication of those involved in the fighting, particularly the citizens of Lyme Regis, and the servant class who have little say in the decisions that so profoundly affect them.

When she encounters William again in the guise of a soldier, she finds that he is not all that he seems and has his own burdens that he is contending with as he fights to restore his family honour and the country that he loves. 

This is a war tale and a love story, a character novel of two very unusual people, and a snapshot of history at a particular time and place. 

At the beginning of the novel Walter defines the surnames of the title characters, as the two birds they are named for: the swift, a fast medium sized bird that can outdistance most winged predators; and the harrier, a large keen-eyed hawk which hunts by gliding low and silently over open ground. These definitions lend themselves to their namesakes well.

I really enjoyed learning more of this time period, a bit of English history less well-known to me, and seeing the characters develop over these years through their experiences. Secondary characters such as Jayne's family and the doctor who trained her are also brought to life, and we get a good picture of life for these people. 

Very enjoyable read. 

The Winter Garden

Finished March 1

The Winter Garden by Nicola Cornick

This novel has an element of the paranormal and a lot of historical content. Lucy Brown is a violinist who has suddenly reached a point where she can't play. A virus has left her with long-term muscle issues that have taken away her livelihood and her joy. After treatments, she has retreated to her aunt's property in Oxfordshire. Her aunt is away on business, but Lucy's sister Cleo, who lives nearby has made the arrangements for Lucy to stay indefinitely. 

Lucy is lost, grieving for her career and the joy it brought her, but also looking ahead to figure out how she will support herself going forward. She's put her whole life into her music and doesn't know what her skills might transfer to. 

When she arrives at Gunpowder Cottage, she is tired after a long journey and looking forward to an early night, so finding someone else at the cottage is a surprise. Finn MacIntyre is a landscape gardener and archivist and has been hired by Lucy's Verity to restore the garden to its origins, some of which might reach back to the 1600s. He is living in the cottage with his dog Geoffrey, for reasons that come to light the following day. Meanwhile Lucy moves into the newly renovated barn, where Finn was supposed to staying. 

Lucy soon finds herself having visions and sensations like she is transported to a different time and seeing the property through someone else's eyes. She even has an identity for that person. As she tries to make sense of this and think about why this is happening to her, she also begins to learn more about the property's history, specifically its connection to Robert Catesby, one of the leaders of the Gunpowder Plot. 

Finn is also going through a bad time with the recent loss of his brother Charlie, a historian who was also working on the property, and he has been immersing himself in his work both as a way to honour his brother and lose himself in the work itself. 

As the two cross paths more often and begin to discover things that enlighten the work Finn is doing, they also find answers to their own troubles. 

This is a story that draws on real history, while also creating a great contemporary plot. The interspersing of diary entries from an early time bring the elements together in an interesting way. I had a hard time putting this one down. 

Ties That Tether

Finished February 25

Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo

Azere Izoduwa is a creative director at an advertising agency in Toronto. She, her mother, and her younger sister Efe immigrated to Canada from Nigeria when she was twelve, after her father's death. They were sponsored by her father's brother, a widower with a son slightly older than her, Jacob. Before her father died, he insisted that she promise him that she would marry a man from the same tribe, Ebo, to stay true to her culture. Azere's mother keeps setting her up with eligible Ebo men, but nothing has clicked for Azere. As the book starts, she has been on yet another dinner date, and this one has definitely not gone well. When she walks out of the restaurant, a high end on in a luxury hotel, she decides that she could use a drink, and she stops at the bar. She starts a conversation with a man there, and finds herself drawn to him in a very strong way. 

Rafael Castellano is a Toronto native who has been living in New York City and is back in town for an interview. When he sees Azere and begins to talk to her, he too finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. In the heated moment, they both give in to their impulses and the two end up in Rafael's hotel room. 

A month later Azere finds herself meeting her one-night stand again, only this time as her co-worker. As the two maneuver this unexpected situation, Azere finds herself pulled between her promise to her father and her strong feelings for this man. 

I liked the way the book moved back and forth between the two main characters in voice. We could see the secrets that each was keeping from each other, secrets that drew them together, and secrets that pushed them apart. They both come from cultures that I am not that familiar with. Azere is very active in the Nigerian Canadian community, and her culture is a strong part of her identity. She eats Nigerian food, watches Nigerian movies, and listens to Nigerian music. She has been a compliant daughter, and still performs regular tasks for her mother, like mowing the lawn. 

Rafael spent his childhood summers with his grandmother in Spain, and his family still spends regular time there. As the story begins, the rest of the family is in Spain for an extended holiday. 

As the two spend time together both at work and in their personal lives, they both must make difficult decisions, and deal with a situation that brings them even closer. 

This was a different romance for me, with the additional of the cultural elements and the larger than life character of Azere's mother playing a big part in the story. Enlightening and entertaining. 

Love Lettering

Finished February 23

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

This novel is an unusual romance. The main character Meg Mackworth has built a career doing hand-lettering. She's gained a following designing custom journals for her clients. She is associated with a small independent stationery shop in Brooklyn, near where she shares an apartment with an old high school friend. Before she did planners, Meg did a lot of work around weddings and other events. 

But things are changing. Meg's roommate Sibby is planning to move out, but in truth Sibby has been pulling away from her for quite a while and Meg hasn't asked why. Meg has been invited to apply to a major stationery company to have a line of her own, but she finds herself blocked creatively. And now, as the book opens a former client has reappeared in her life to ask her a very difficult question about a very unprofessional piece of work she did more than a year before. 

Meg is embarrassed to be caught out, and yet this man Reid Sutherland is a compelling figure. He is buttoned down and formal, and yet something about him interests Meg. After he admits he hates New York City and he's a numbers guy, she gives in to an impulse and invites him to be part of a plan she has, an idea to move herself forward on the project for the opportunity that has been presented to her. 

As they spend time together, the two try to understand each other, letters and numbers, with patterns a common element. Meg tries to use the city itself to show him that New York has much to offer, not just the signs she looks for. And he tries to understand and see things through her eyes. 

This is a story that builds slowly over time and has surprises for both Meg and Reid. Meg must redefine herself and think about what she really wants to do. Reid has his own secrets, and things he is dealing with, and they have an unexpected impact on Meg's life. 

I really enjoyed this book. I've always found calligraphy interesting and enjoyed the art of lettering, so having that a focus for this book, seeing it included in the story in interesting visual ways was fun and brought another element to this book about a developing relationship. 

Such a Quiet Place

Finished February 21

Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda

This suspense novel takes place in Hollow's Edge, a college town somewhere in the northeastern United States. Harper Nash has lived in the community for several years, first with her fiance Aidan, and then after he left her, with a younger woman, Ruby Fletcher. Ruby's dad had retired and moved away and she needed a place to stay. A year and a half before this story starts, Harper's next door neighbours, Brandon and Fiona Truett were found dead in their home, victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. Since their detector was missing, foul play was suspected, and things got very tense. After a short trial, Ruby was found guilty of their murder. But her conviction has now been overturned and Ruby is back. Back in the neighbourhood and back in Harper's house. Harper isn't sure why, it isn't like her job is still there, and Harper disposed of most of her stuff after the conviction, but she isn't the type of woman to ask Ruby to leave, and so she does nothing about it.

As Ruby makes herself at home, talking to people, borrowing Harper's clothes and car, and beginning to ask questions. Questions about what other people were doing that night. When it becomes clear that others have secrets that they aren't telling about that time, things get very tense. Harper is in the middle of things and she too begins asking question. Questions about what people saw, about who they told, about what security cameras picked up and didn't pick up. And then she starts getting threatening notes, and she realizes that she must step outside her comfort zone and face the issues that underlie the tension.

This is a story of a community where everyone seems to know everyone, but they don't know anything beyond the surface. A story where Harper has already faced betrayal and lost friends. Harper is a woman who tries to not make waves, who avoids conflict, and she must act in ways she isn't entirely comfortable with to find the truth. A very interesting story of community and secrets.