The Needle in the Blood

Finished September 1
The Needle in the Blood by Sarah Bower

I picked up this book from the sale table at the bookstore because of the tag line "A powerful tale of sex, lies, and embroidery." I mean, how could I resist!
This is a historical romance set in the late 11th century beginning with the invasion of England by William of Normandy in 1066. Glytha is a young woman, originally from Wales, widowed and then a lay sisters in a nunnery, most recently lady in waiting to King Harold's mistress Edith Swan Neck.
When William's brother Odo takes it in his head to commission an embroidery chronicling the conquest, he gets his sister Agatha, now Sister Jean-Baptiste, to manage the project. One of her first tasks is finding embroiderers of sufficient skill to do the project and this search leads her to Glytha. Glytha has been forced to work she never would have envisioned herself doing, merely to survive, but she hesitates at working for the Normans until she discovers that it is Odo's project. Since she knows Odo is the king's brother and she knows he was present at Harold's death, she thinks she might have a chance of revenge if she joins the project.
However neither Odo nor Glytha could have predicted the sparks that fly between them, and how this attraction will affect both their lives. The two gradually reveal themselves and their histories to each other, growing in trust.
There is lots of sex and lies and the tag line suggests, and a fair bit of embroidery too. The embroidery in question here is what is now known as the Bayeux Tapestry. The interpretations of the tapestry and its imagery are both Bower's invention and drawn from historical research. While some of the characters, like William, Odo, and the Lanfranc are real historical figures, many are fictional. This is a tale of intrigue and politics, love and jealousy and an entertaining read.

Desperately Seeking Paradise

Finished August 27
Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim by Ziauddin Sardar

This memoir chronicles Sardar's journey to find his path as a Muslim, exploring different paths and the history behind them as he examines his own beliefs. It begins when he is a university student and continues through to 2004 when the book was first published. As he explores he also explains the different belief paths, where they came from, who espouses them now, and why he accepts or rejects them.
I learned a lot about Islam, about beliefs and histories, and about what Sardar sees as issues for today's Muslims. An eye-opening read.

The Life List

Finished August 23
The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

This novel is set in Chicago. Brett Bohlinger has grown up in a privileged family, her mother running a multi-million dollar cosmetics company. Her mother has recently died and Brett is hit hard by the loss. She fully expects to take over as head of the company, but it turns out that her mother had other things in mind.
Back when she was fourteen, Brett has made one of the lists that many of us have made listing all the things she hoped to do in her life: things like have children, learn languages, go places, etc. Brett had long forgotten this list, but her mother had found it back then and saved it and now expects Brett to fulfill the goals on this list as a condition to her inheritance. Brett is stunned. She feels her goals have changed radically, but her mother has left her more than just the list. There are messages for every goal she completes, and it turns out that her mother knew her even better than she guessed.
This is a feel good book despite the fact that it starts with a major loss, and I would call it a coming of age book even though Brett is in her 30s. Sometimes we need to be reminded of our hopes and dreams, because we have got off course somewhere along the way. Women, particularly, have a tendency to please others at the expense of our own needs, and sometimes lose the confidence we had when we are young to try new things and take risks. This book reminds us that sometimes we need to take those risks if we want the reward of happiness or just greater self knowledge.

Bedlam

Finished August 22
Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre

I picked this up when I saw it in a bookstore as I'd really enjoyed his A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil a few years ago. Since that was a mystery, I'd assumed this was too, and I suppose it is in a sense, but really it is much more science fiction.
Ross Baker works as a scientist developing medical technology for the large corporation Neurosphere at their Stirling offices. He works hard, but doesn't feel appreciated, and his work drive has put a strain on his relationship with his girlfriend Carol. This particular Monday, he is feeling down in the dumps, and when he overhears a conversation that tells him his girlfriend is pregnant, he feels even worse. Why would they know before him, and what does that mean for his relationship? He decides to accept an invitation from a fellow scientist to be a test candidate for a new scanner to get out of his office.
But when he emerges from the scanner, he finds himself apparently in a video game, one he eventually recognizes as a favourite from his youth, Starfire. As he struggles to find a way, he gradually learns more about this place where he is trapped. When he is asked his name, his mind reverts to that young boy, and he gives his childhood gamer name, Bedlam.
With his emotions reaching back to his life with Carol, he follows any trail he can to find his way through various video game worlds, hoping to find an escape.
As this book progressed I was drawn into it more and more, and the ethical message that Brookmyre embeds here is one that doesn't seem that futuristic. Rooting for Ross, I found myself in a pageturner that I had trouble putting down. Very different from the other book of his I've read, this book is just as good if not better. A new favourite.

Monday or Tuesday

Finished August 18
Monday or Tuesday: Eight Stories by Virginia Woolf

This small collection of stories was first published in 1921, but count among her most early stories. They are unconnected to each other, and each shows a different aspect of her imagination. She deals with gender, nature, and the meanderings of our inner thoughts. A nice collection

Arlene Sardine

Finished August 16
Arlene Sardine by Chris Raschka

This book was also mentioned in a discussion discussing on creepy picture books. I found it startling, but not creepy. Arlene is a brisling, born in a fjord, and has a dream of becoming a sardine. So that is the quest she goes on. Gets herself caught in a net, killed and processed into a sardine can. Not sure I'd read it to younger kids, due to the whole death thing. It still seems to think of Arlene being aware of things later in the process. Not in a bad way though. Definitely a different subject for a picture book.
The pictures are simple, but nicely done, and the play of words works well.

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

Finished August 16
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

Once upon a time, there was an orphan boy, found floating in a basket in a sea, with a raven perched on the edge, with his eyes pecked out. After a short stint in the orphanage he is adopted be a master thief who trains him, and sets him to work stealing. Treated badly, Peter is always trying to find a way out of his life, but his lack of sight impairs him.
One night he meets a man who seems to be able to read his mind, and whose carriage boasts a wealth of locks, something Peter finds intriguing. As his interest grows, he finds himself drawn to this man, and soon enough Peter finds something to steal that will change his life. He takes a mystery box, that, when it is opened later, seems to contain eggs, but the contents of these eggs can only be described as fantastic. Once he tries a pair of the eyes hidden in the eggs, Peter is off on a wild set of adventures that bring him a good friend, travels over the ocean and desert, and perhaps even the truth about his own past.
A wonderful adventure tale, with lots of action and suspense, and a character who longs to belong somewhere.