Over the Counter #228

What books caught my eye this week as they crossed over the library counter and under my scanner? Travel this week, both near and far....

First up is The Fishing Fleet: Husband Hunting in the Raj by Anne De Courcy.

From the publisher, Weidenfeld and Nicholson :

"The untold stories of the young women who went out to India during the Raj in search of husbands.
 

From the late 19th century, when the Raj was at its height, many of Britain's best and brightest young men went out to India to work as administrators, soldiers and businessmen. With the advent of steam travel and the opening of the Suez Canal, countless young women, suffering at the lack of eligible men in Britain, followed in their wake. This amorphous band was composed of daughters returning after their English education, girls invited to stay with married sisters or friends, and yet others whose declared or undeclared goal was simply to find a husband. They were known as the Fishing Fleet, and this book is their story, hitherto untold.

For these young women, often away from home for the first time, one thing they could be sure of was a rollicking good time. By the early twentieth century, a hectic social scene was in place, with dances, parties, amateur theatricals, picnics, tennis tournaments, cinemas, gymkhanas with perhaps a tiger shoot and a glittering dinner at a raja's palace thrown in. And, with men outnumbering women by roughly four to one, romances were conducted at alarming speed and marriages were frequent. But after the honeymoon life often changed dramatically: whisked off to a remote outpost with few other Europeans for company and where constant vigilance was required to guard against disease, they found it a far cry from the social whirlwind of their first arrival.

Anne de Courcy's sparkling narrative is enriched by a wealth of first-hand sources - unpublished memoirs, letters, diaries and photographs - which bring this forgotten era vividly to life."

Next up was Travels with Lizbeth: Three Years on the Road and on the Streets by Lars Eighner.

From the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin:

"When Travels with Lizbeth was first published in 1993, it was proclaimed an instant classic. Lars Eighner’s account of his descent into homelessness and his adventures on the streets has moved, charmed, and amused generations of readers. As Lars wrote, “When I began writing this account I was living under a shower curtain in a stand of bamboo in a public park. I did not undertake to write about homelessness, but wrote what I knew, as an artist paints a still life, not because he is especially fond of fruit, but because the subject is readily at hand.” 

Containing the widely anthologized essay “On Dumpster Diving,” Travels with Lizbeth is a beautifully written account of one man's experience of homelessness, a story of physical survival, and the triumph of the artistic spirit in the face of enormous adversity. In his unique voice—dry, disciplined, poignant, comic—Eighner celebrates the companionship of his dog, Lizbeth, and recounts their ongoing struggle to survive on the streets of Austin, Texas, and hitchhiking along the highways to Southern California and back."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)

The Dead Will Tell - Linda Castillo

The Dead Will Tell is the sixth entry in Linda Castillo's series featuring Kate Burkholder.

Burkholder was born into the Amish community that surrounds the town of Painters Mill, but chose to leave. She's now the Police Chief of that community. Her background makes her invaluable when dealing with the Amish community. Her calm manner and determination to solve cases make her an ideal cop.

When a man is found hanging in his barn, it looks like a case of suicide. But a clue left at the scene says murder. When another death happens on the heels of the first, Kate finds the common ground between the two deaths. It's the past that connects them. Thirty five years ago, an Amish father and his four children were killed in their home and the wife and mother was never found. What has stirred this up after all that time? Has the mother returned after all these years? Who wants revenge?

Kate is an likable, engaging character. Castillo includes an ongoing personal storyline for Kate, bringing some romance to her books. Kate has now moved into with Agent John Tomasetti. Tomasetti has his own troubles - the man responsible for killing his wife and child has just been freed from prison. And he's having trouble accepting that. I'm not as enamoured of him as Kate is. And I still don't get why Kate only calls him by his last name?!

The whodunit is nicely played - not overly hard to solve, but still enjoyable. And Castillo includes a nice little twist. Procedural details aren't overly employed, instead Castillo moves things along with deductions and action. Although I must admit, the killer and their impetus is more than a little twisted. Castillo's premise and use of the Amish community and their way of life is interesting and different enough to separate it from other series. An easy read for the porch, not earth shattering, but entertaining.

Fans of Iris Johansen would enjoy this series. Read an excerpt of The Dead Will Tell. You can find Linda Castillo on Facebook.

Giveaway - Echopraxia - Peter Watts

I've got a great giveaway today for science fiction fans! Echopraxia is the latest from author Peter Watts. Thanks to the generosity of Tor Books, I have a copy up for grabs!

From the publisher:

"Prepare for a different kind of singularity in Peter Watts' Echopraxia, the follow-up to the Hugo-nominated novel Blindsight

It's the eve of the twenty-second century: a world where the dearly departed send postcards back from Heaven and evangelicals make scientific breakthroughs by speaking in tongues; where genetically engineered vampires solve problems intractable to baseline humans and soldiers come with zombie switches that shut off self-awareness during combat. And it’s all under surveillance by an alien presence that refuses to show itself.

Daniel Bruks is a living fossil: a field biologist in a world where biology has turned computational, a cat's-paw used by terrorists to kill thousands. Taking refuge in the Oregon desert, he’s turned his back on a humanity that shatters into strange new subspecies with every heartbeat. But he awakens one night to find himself at the center of a storm that will turn all of history inside-out.

Now he’s trapped on a ship bound for the center of the solar system. To his left is a grief-stricken soldier, obsessed by whispered messages from a dead son. To his right is a pilot who hasn’t yet found the man she's sworn to kill on sight. A vampire and its entourage of zombie bodyguards lurk in the shadows behind. And dead ahead, a handful of rapture-stricken monks takes them all to a meeting with something they will only call “The Angels of the Asteroids.”

Their pilgrimage brings Dan Bruks, the fossil man, face-to-face with the biggest evolutionary breakpoint since the origin of thought itself."

"Peter Watts is a former marine biologist and the Hugo and Nebula nominated author of novels such as Starfish, Maelstrom and Behemoth, and numerous short stories. He has been called "a hard science fiction writer through and through and one of the very best alive" by The Globe and Mail and whose work the New York Times called "seriously paranoid."

If this sounds like a book you'd like to own, simply leave a comment to be entered into a random draw. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends Sept 13/14.

Sweetland - Michael Crummey

I think Michael Crummey's writing is simply brilliant. His latest book, Sweetland, is newly released. Knowing I would become immersed in Crummey's storytelling, I saved it to devour on a week off.

Oh, where to start? I simply don't think I have the words to do this book justice.

Moses Sweetland has lived on Sweetland Island, Newfoundland for his entire sixty nine years - as did his father and many generations before that. There were a few trips off island for work, but this is home. Until the government decides that the community needs to be 'resettled'. (This is very real - both past and present)  The offer is generous and all of the residents accept the package - except Moses Sweetland. But the government's offer stipulates that everyone must agree and sign before the offer goes through. The first half of the book introduces us to Moses and the other residents of the village. Crummey's residents are unique and unforgettable - from the woman who has not set foot outside her house in forty years to the barber who hasn't cut anyone's hair in almost that long and more. Moses's young nephew Jesse was particularly moving. But it was the character of Moses that grabbed me and simply wouldn't let me go.

Moses's crusty exterior and brusque manner disguise his emotions and 'softer side.' His self sufficiency and work ethic reminded me so much of the hardworking older generations in my life. Taciturn men (and women) who 'just got on with it'.

Crummey tells his story with bits and pieces of the past explained and explored in separate chapters. From these, we are privy to the events that have shaped Moses's life. Sweetland is divided into two parts. Crummey caught me totally unawares with the final pages of the first part - I felt like I had taken a punch to the stomach. I had to go back and reread just to make sure I had it right. This was not what I wanted to have happen! I had become totally invested and immersed in Moses's world and tangibly felt his loss and pain.

Does Moses take the offer? As this is in the flyleaf, it's not a spoiler. Yes, he does. But does he leave the island? No. And that's the second half of the book. Moses and the land he loves. Alone.

Crummey has described his setting so vividly. Crummey himself is Newfoundland born and bred and his voice captures the tone and timbre of a land and it's people. I felt like I was walking along with Moses as he heads up to the mash, down to his stage and up to the keep. The land and rocks, the ocean and the weather are all characters in the book as well. Much more so in the second half as Moses battles the elements, his memories and the thought that he might be going mad. As much as I loved the first half of the book, it was the second half that had me in tears.

I stayed up very, very late to finish this book. My house was still, the night was still. I headed outside after turning the last page. I live in a rural area and my neighbours are a ways away. I sat and looked at the stars and I thought of Moses alone on his island. Sweetland is the kind of book that will stay with me for a long, long time. A life lived. The strength and resilience of the human spirit. Those that go about getting things done without fanfare. The battle between past and present. The land and people that make up Canada.

Sweetland is such an amazing read - highly, highly recommended. Read an excerpt of Sweetland. You can find Michael Crummey on Twitter.

Winner - The Fever - Megan Abbott

And the randomly chosen, lucky winner of a copy of The Fever by Megan Abbott, courtesy of Little, Brown and Company is:

Tessa!

Congratulations! I've contacted you by email for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours. After that time a new winner will be chosen. Keep your eye on the sidebar for other great giveaways!

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover #19

- You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover - Which is very true.

But you can like one cover version better than another...

 

US/Canada cover

UK Cover

  I was hunting down cover art for my review of Tom Rob Smith's latest book, The Farm, and came across the Canadian/US cover on the left and the UK cover on the right. Both are good, but I'm going with the UK cover this week. The starkness just grabbed me a little more and made me wonder about this bleak building. Either way, I thought it was a really good read, although online it has very mixed reviews. Which cover do you prefer? Have you read, or do you plan to read The Farm?

 

You Can't Judge A Book By Cover is a regular Saturday feature on A Bookworm's World. 

Film on Friday #19 - Grigris

This is what I love about Film Movement - the opportunity to watch critically acclaimed films that I would not have discovered on my own. This week's entry is a 2013 Cannes Film Selection - Grisgris, from Chad director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun.

Grigris loves to dance, despite having a disabled leg. He works with his stepfather, but earns extra money dancing at the local club. It is at the club that he meets and falls in love with Mimi, a prostitute. When his stepfather falls ill, Grigris needs to earn extra money to pay the hospital. And so he turns to a local criminal for a job. Despite his good intentions, Grigris runs afoul of this man and he and Mimi are in grave danger....

I was fascinated to read how Souleymane Démé ended up playing the part of Grisgris. Haroun saw Démé dancing in his country of Burkina Faso and hired him for his film. While an accomplished dancer this is Démé's first film role. Mimi is played by Anaïs Monory and this is her film debut as well. I though both actors did a great job. I was absolutely astounded by Démé's dance moves - he is an amazing dancer. But Haroun does not make the film about Grigris's disability, instead it is about controlling your destiny. Our hearts and hopes are with Grigris and Mimi as they struggle to find a life for themselves. And isn't that what any of us wants?

I loved the setting - seeing a country I knew nothing about - from both a city and a rural point of view. The soundtrack was fitting, from both the club music to the background sounds. There are parts of this film that are difficult to watch - there is some violence, but the level of poverty is just as difficult to watch. But there is joy as well - I think my favourite part is the village and the women who live there. There are a few slow scenes where the camera could have moved on fifteen seconds earlier, but I really enjoyed this film.

As always, there is a short included. This time it's a monochromatic animated film called Feral, an Academy Award Nominee. The story is a familiar one - a feral child found in the woods.

Chad/2013/French & Arabic with English subtitles / 101 min

Over the Counter #227

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? This week is for the cat lovers in the crowd...

First up is How to Make Your Cat an Internet Celebrity by Patricia Carlin with photography by Dustin Fenstermacher.

From the publisher, Quirk Books:

"The Internet offers an unprecedented opportunity for cats to become superstar “personalities” with revenue-generating multimedia brands—but only if you know how to cash in. With How to Make Your Cat an Internet Celebrity, readers can unlock the secrets of grooming your kitty for success, creating a terrific viral video, managing your cat’s burgeoning stardom, and much more. Packed with practical tips and helpful diagrams, this indispensable resource shows how ordinary housecats can follow in the venerable pawprints of the Internet’s brightest stars."


And when you're done the photo session....Dancing With Cats - 15th Anniversary by Burton Silver and Heather Busch may appeal to your and your feline friend.

From the publisher, Chronicle Books:

"The cult classic is back! This petite 15th anniversary hardcover reissue keeps all the original mystery and magic of cat dancing delightfully intact. Perpetually ahead of its time, Dancing with Cats presents scores of delightful and inspiring photographs of people and cats engaging in their favorite dance routines as well as moving testimonies of the personal transformations brought about through this uniquely joyous form of human-animal connection. Dancing with Cats will have a new generation of cat lovers (and their cats) jumping for joy—and cutting a rug—in no time."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)

Making Math Fun With DK Canada!

I can't believe that summer is almost over. When I was young, summer seemed to last a long time. The older I get though, the faster time flies. But the timing of back to school doesn't change - Labour Day heralds the end of summer for kids in Canada.

 

DK Canada has some great book ideas for your back to school youngster in their

Making Math Fun Boutique! (There's some great titles for the older crowd as well)

 

I have a very special guest blogger today - Six year old Max, who is headed to Grade One, is the reviewer today! (With a little help from his Mom!) Max is reviewing Math Made Easy Expanded Edition Grade One today. 

"I like math so I wanted this book. When I opened it there was a whole page of real gold stars. Mom would give them to me when I finished a page. There were lots of easy things like connect the dots, or looking at pictures and counting. It got harder as I did more of them. I tried to get three stars everyday."

"(Note from Mom- I thought it was funny when Max picked out this book but it is a great book. Since Max is going into Grade 1 it's helpful for me to know what he'll be working on and the star stickers were a great incentive. The pages/activities were all different but close together. Activities were repeated later in the book at a more challenging level showing progress. I found he often jumped all over the book to things he liked. We limited it to 3 pages a day so he didn't get bored of it - after all it is still summer!)"

From the publisher:

"Refreshed with a new look, this bestselling workbook series is tailored specifically to the needs of Canadian children from ages 5-11. Each workbook forms part of a complete home-study program designed to make math fun and exciting as well as to help children practice essential math skills so that they can reach their full potential in school. Each book includes detailed parents notes and helpful hints to assist parents with the learning process. Each title now includes an extra 44-page practice section! Features gold reward stars."

Thank you so much Max (and Mom) for your review! Have a great time in Grade One - and I have a feeling math isn't going to be too hard for you at all!

And check out Max's review of a leveled reader from the DK Reader's Boutique.

DK Readers Boutique

 

"DK’s bestselling DK Readers are a multi-level reading program that allows beginning readers to progress from easy to follow stories with simple sentences to more sophisticated storylines and vocabulary. From science and nature to history and great Canadian subject matter like the polar bear crisis in Churchill, Manitoba and the dinosaur discoveries of Red Deer River Valley to adventures with Pokémon, Star Wars and the Marvel superheroes, there is something for readers of all levels here." And for a limited time, you can buy two and get one free from the DK Readers Boutique

 

My young friend, six year old Max, is the blogger today (with a little help from Mom). Max really likes Lego and Star Wars and has chosen to review Return of the Jedi Level 3 today.

"I love everything Lego.  I liked this book because all the people in it look like the Star Wars people but were Lego.  There was even a gross picture of Senator Palpatine.  It is a story about the Han Solo and the Rebels trying to fight Darth Vader and not let him stop the Rebellion.  I like the picture of the Death Star that looked really cool." 

"(Note from Mom- although often Max can do many of the level 3 reading alone books he found this one to be more challenging with the larger words. It was one we decided to read together.  Interestingly he helped me with pronouncing the character names which I struggled with)"

Max (and Mom) -  thank you so much for your review - it sounds like a great book!

Giveaway - The Ultra Thin Man - Patrick Swenson

I've got a copy of the newly released book The UltraThin Man by Patrick Swenson to giveaway today, thanks to the generosity of Tor Books.

From the publisher:

"In the twenty-second century, a future in which mortaline wire controls the weather on the settled planets and entire refugee camps drowse in drug-induced slumber, no one—alive or dead, human or alien—is quite what they seem. When terrorists manage to crash Coral, the moon, into its home planet of Ribon, forcing evacuation, it’s up to Dave Crowell and Alan Brindos, contract detectives for the Network Intelligence Organization, to solve a case of interplanetary consequences. Crowell’ and Brindos’s investigation plunges them neck-deep into a conspiracy much more dangerous than anything they could have imagined.

The two detectives soon find themselves separated, chasing opposite leads: Brindos has to hunt down the massive Helkunn alien Terl Plenko, shadow leader of the terrorist Movement of Worlds. Crowell, meanwhile, runs into something far more sinister—an elaborate frame job that puts our heroes on the hook for treason.

In this novel from Patrick Swenson, Crowell and Brindos are forced to fight through the intrigue to discover the depths of an interstellar conspiracy. And to answer the all-important question: Who, and what, is the Ultra Thin Man?"

"Patrick is a writer, publisher, editor, and teacher. His first novel is entitled The Ultra Thin Man, forthcoming from Tor in 2014. He has sold stories to the anthology Like Water for Quarks, and magazines such as Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine, Figment, and others."

If you'd like to win a copy of this debut novel, simply leave a comment to be entered into a random draw. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends Sept. 13/14

The Farm - Tom Rob Smith

Tom Rob Smith is the award winning author of the Child 44 trilogy, but an author I hadn't read until now. His newest release is The Farm.

Daniel's parents,Tilde and Chris, for personal and financial reasons, have decided to move from England to Sweden - Tilde's birth country. They buy a small farm in an isolated community and look forward to a bucolic retirement.Daniel keeps meaning to visit, but for his own reasons, keeps putting it off, believing his parents are happily pursuing their dream.

But when his father calls saying his Mum isn't well and has in fact has been hospitalized, he is shaken. Then his Mum calls, saying she has fled Sweden - and Chris - and is on her way to see him in England. She is cryptic, saying she will only reveal what has been going on in when she gets there. But, he must believe her.....his father is dangerous and her life is in danger....If he doesn't believe her, he is no longer her son.

What a great premise! Smith slowly lets Tilde tell her carefully documented story, complete with her proof. The reader is inexorably caught up in Tilde's slowly built case. But Daniel is torn - this is not the father he knows. Could his mother be mistaken? The reader is never sure of what is the truth - Tilde's 'evidence' seems quite plausible, but her manic paranoia makes her an unreliable narrator.

I really enjoy this style of book - not knowing who is telling the truth, trying to find the thread of what has truly happened in the narrative. I thought Smith did a fabulous job with this.

It was only after I finished the book and was reading more about Tom Rob Smith, that I discovered that the inspiration for The Farm was his from his own life. (Spoiler if you click through). In fact, this book is a mirror of that situation - underlining why I thought the writing was so compelling. While Smith's personal situation was resolved much quicker, the fictional tale had me wondering until the final pages what was real and what would happen.

I really enjoyed The Farm - read an excerpt. I thought the book trailer was excellent as well.... You can keep up with Tom Rob Smith on Facebook and on Twitter.

 

Giveaway Winners!

And the randomly chosen lucky winner of a copy of Someone Else's Skin by Sarah Hilary, courtesy of Penguin Books is: Sue F.

And the winner of a copy of... The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi, courtesy of Harper Collins is: KAS

Congratulations! I've contacted you by email for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours. . Keep your eye on the sidebar for other great giveaways!

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover #18

- You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover - Which is very true.

But you can like one cover version better than another...

Canadian/US cover

UK cover

I was hunting down cover art for my review of Linwood Barclay's latest book, No Safe House and came across the Canadian/US cover on the left and the UK cover on the right. Both are good, but I'm going with the North American cover this week - The colour just grabbed me a little more and I think the red is quite effective at saying 'danger'! Either way it's a really good read! Which cover do you prefer? Have you read or do you plan to read No Safe House?

You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover is a regular Saturday feature on A Bookworm's World.

Tea Beyond

Now, it's very rare that I post anything but book related posts. But honestly, I don't think I ever sit down to read without a cup of tea! So when Tea Beyond offered me the opportunity to try a couple of their products, in exchange for an honest review, I agreed.

The package arrived safely, well packed (with recyclable materials) I was excited to see what the Clear Glass Butterfly Teapot with Tea Cosy  would look like! It's a delicate glass teapot, with a beautiful pink glass butterfly on the lid, said to represent 'change to a better life.' The handle has a non slip grip with raised glass knobbies. There's a design around the bottom that designer Jane London has added to represent tea drops. The spout is non drip and the entire thing is top rack dishwasher safe. Myself, I would prefer to hand wash it. Glass just seems that much more delicate than clay or porcelain.

Now, what you see on the inside is really clever glass infuser - no mesh at all, just barely there slits in the glass. It's a really pretty teapot, nice to look and it would feel 'special' to make yourself a 'cuppa' in this pot. It holds about 24oz. For this tea granny, just enough for me alone!

It wasn't until I went to fold up the box to recycle it, that I noticed the sticker on the bottom with some information and pictures. I think it would have been much wiser to include this information on a paper insert inside the teapot itself or at least in the box.  The bottom of the box isn't where I would look for info.

So you've made your tea - how to keep it warm? This particular unit comes with a glass bottomed warmer with a metal plate on top to set the pot on. There are holes to allow ventilation. The candle was included. This is a very pretty way to keep the tea warm and adds to the overall 'ceremonial' feel. However the instructions for this were also slapped on a sticker on the bottom.

What you see in the pot is one of  the 12-Pack Fab Flowering Blooms Tea that was also offered for review. Okay, these blew me away! Flowering tea was new to me. They are absolutely amazing. And it's so much fun to sit and watch them unfurl! More tea was consumed simply to watch them bloom! (Advertising says 10 brews can be made from one bulb - I think that would be a bit of stretch - the last pot would be very weak) 'Silver needle green tea' surrounds a flower (carnation, lily etc. - chosen for their Chinese medicinal properties), they're sewn together, dried and vacuum sealed. Now, I like tea a lot, but am by no means an aficionado, so I asked a friend what they thought. "It's a delicate flavour, light tasting and lightly flavoured." However, the labelling on some of the packets was so tiny, it was only possible to identify it by the picture. But this time, there is a lovely instruction book included IN the box - much better.  Now, being an inveterate reader, I read everything included in the shipment. These products are made in China and unfortunately the translation/syntax/spelling is very clumsy in spots.... "helps relief depression"..."helps eliminate bad odors in your month" (I have to believe they were going for mouth) This detracts from the professionalism of the product.

These products are stamped with AKA - Ashley Koff Approved. Having no idea who this was I searched and found she is a 'celebrity' registered dietitian who has appeared on Dr. Oz  amongst other things. "The Ashley Koff Approved (AKA) Personal Shopper is a tool you can easily create a shopping list of better quality products with because - as every qualitarian knows - better quality means better health."

For me, the teapot was lovely and will make having a cup of tea feel 'special' and is just nice to look at. The infuser is great - I will be using it for loose leaf tea. The blooming teas are amazing, but not something I would regularly consume. Thank you to Tea Beyond for the review products.

Over the Counter #226

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? It was the covers that caught my eye this week and had me taking a second look.

First up was I See You Made An Effort: Compliments, Indignities, and Survival Stories from the Edge of 50 by Annabelle Gurwitch.

From the publisher, Blue Rider Press:

"Actress and humorist Annabelle Gurwitch returns with I See You Made an Effort, a book of essays so wickedly funny it may make you forget your last birthday. Not one to shy away from the grisly realities of middle age, the “slyly subversive” (O, The Oprah Magazine) Gurwitch confronts the various indignities faced by femmes d’un certain age with candor, wit, and a healthy dose of hilarious self-deprecation.

Whether falling in lust at the Genius bar, navigating the extensive—and treacherously expensive—anti aging offerings at a department-store beauty counter, coping with the assisted suicide of her best friend, negotiating the ins and outs of acceptable behavior with her teenage kid, or the thudding financial reality of the “never-tirement” generation that leads her to petty theft, Gurwitch’s essays prove her a remarkably astute writer in her prime (in so many ways). Is this the beginning of the Eileen Fisher years? Where does one conduct an affair with a younger man? Is 50 the new 40? Or is 50 still just…50?

Scorchingly honest, surreally and riotously funny, I See You Made an Effort is the ultimate coming-of-middle-age story and a must-read for women of all ages. Reading glasses not included."

Next up was Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons and Dragons and the People Who Play It by David M. Ewalt.

From the publisher, Scribner:

"A fascinating and personal look at Dungeons & Dragons that “tracks D&D’s turbulent rice, fall, and survival, from its heyday in the 1980s…to the twenty-first century” (The Wall Street Journal).

Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture, and 2014 marks the intriguing role-playing phenomenon’s 40th anniversary. Released decades before the Internet and social media, Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures and is still revered by more than 30 million fans. Now, the authoritative history and magic of the game are revealed by an award-winning journalist and lifelong D&D player.

In Of Dice and Men, David Ewalt describes the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the game’s origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides to its apotheosis as father of the modern video-game industry. As he chronicles the surprising history of the game’s origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&D’s lasting impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences, “writing about the world of fantasy role-playing junkies with intelligence, dexterity, and even wisdom” (Ken Jennings). An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular (and widely misunderstood) form of collaborative entertainment.

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)

Giveaway - The Mathematician's Shiva - Stuart Rojstaczer

I've got a copy of Stuart Rojstaczer's debut novel, The Mathematican's Shiva to giveaway today, courtesy of the generosity of Penguin Books.

From the publisher:

"A comic, bittersweet tale of family evocative of The Yiddish Policemen's Union and Everything Is Illuminated.

Alexander "Sasha" Karnokovitch and his family would like to mourn the passing of his mother, Rachela, with modesty and dignity. But Rachela, a famous Polish émigré mathematician and professor at the University of Wisconsin, is rumored to have solved the million-dollar, Navier-Stokes Millennium Prize problem. Rumor also has it that she spitefully took the solution to her grave. To Sasha's chagrin, a ragtag group of socially challenged mathematicians arrives in Madison and crashes the shiva, vowing to do whatever it takes to find the solution--even if it means prying up the floorboards for Rachela's notes.

Written by a Ph.D. geophysicist, this hilarious and multi-layered debut novel brims with colorful characters and brilliantly captures humanity's drive not just to survive, but to solve the impossible.When the greatest female mathematician in history passes away, her son, Alexander “Sasha” Karnokovitch, just wants to mourn his mother in peace. But rumor has it the notoriously eccentric Polish émigré has solved one of the most difficult problems in all of mathematics, and has spitefully taken the solution to her grave. As a ragtag group of mathematicians from around the world descends upon Rachela’s shiva, determined to find the proof or solve it for themselves—even if it means prying up the floorboards for notes or desperately scrutinizing the mutterings of her African Grey parrot—Sasha must come to terms with his mother’s outsized influence on his life.

Spanning decades and continents, from a crowded living room in Madison, Wisconsin, to the windswept beach on the Barents Sea where a young Rachela had her first mathematical breakthrough, The Mathematician’s Shiva is an unexpectedly moving and uproariously funny novel that captures humanity’s drive not just to survive, but to achieve the impossible." A hugely entertaining debut - Publishers Weekly" Read an excerpt of The Mathematician's Shiva.

The Mathematician's Shiva releases on Sept 2/14. If this sounds like a book you'd like to read, simply leave a comment to be entered. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. Ends Sept 6/14

After I'm Gone - Laura Lippman

I'm a long time Laura Lippman fan. My favourites are the Tess Monaghan novels, but Lippman's last few books have been stand alones. The latest is After I'm Gone.

Sandy is a retired Baltimore cop, currently on contract with the BPD as a consultant, handling cold cases. When searching his files for the next case to handle, a picture of dancer Juliet Romeo falls out. and the next case is chosen.

Juliet was the girlfriend of Felix Brewer in 1976. She was found dead ten years later and her murder was never solved. Felix also had a wife named Bambi and three daughters. When the feds decided Felix was going to prison for fraud, he decided he couldn't do the time - and disappeared. He left behind the two women and three girls, all who never knew where he went or what happened to him. Twenty six years later Sandy re-opens the case.

Lippman's story flips from past to present and from the viewpoint of each of the women throughout the years. We're there at the beginning, meet the girls as they have grown, the women as they have aged and are with Sandy every step of the way as he explores the present, trying to find answers in the past. Although no one is very forthcoming.

Lippman has created a rich story. The characters are very real, their emotions and actions tangible. Although I wondered 'whodunit', I was just as intrigued by the lives of these women and how Felix, even when absent, affected each of their paths. The secrets, lies, loves and hopes of each character was very well portrayed and explored. But the character I enjoyed the most by far was Sandy. He too has a rich back story that fleshed out his character. He's not a super sleuth solving everything with clever (and impossible) deductions, but is instead a very human, fallible man determined to find answers. I liked his voice and his way of thinking.

I was pretty sure where the story was headed (and was quite happy about the journey there) when Lippman threw in one last twist, just to keep readers on their toes. Lippman herself lives in the Baltimore area which adds greatly to her settings and descriptions.

When I finished the last pages of the book, I stopped and wondered about someone 'disappearing'. Is it possible? Are they ever successful at staying gone? And then I read the author's notes and discovered that the novel uses the true case of Julius Salsbury as inspiration. Read an excerpt of After I'm Gone.

Devoted Laura Lippman fans will enjoy Crow's cameo (and Tess's too). By the final pages, I was thinking to myself that Sandy is a character I'd like to see more of.  I may just get my wish - Lippman's next book, Hush, is due out in February 2015.

See what others on the TLC book tour thought - full schedule can be found here.

"Since her debut in 1997, Laura Lippman has been heralded for her thoughtful, timely crime novels set in her beloved hometown of Baltimore. She is the author of twenty works of fiction, including eleven Tess Monaghan mysteries. She lives in Baltimore, New Orleans, and New York City with her family." You can keep up with Laura Lippman on Facebook and on Twitter.

Linwood Barclay - No Safe House

Linwood Barclay's latest novel, No Safe House, has been sitting on my kitchen table looking at me for over a week now. I resisted - knowing that I had some vacation time coming and I would binge read it until I literally couldn't keep my eyes open. I did - and it was worth it!

Barclay usually writes one off suspense novels, but this latest is a follow up to 2008's No Time For Goodbye.

Barclay grabs the reader from the get go with a prologue that just sets the breakneck pace for the rest of the book. You'd think that after what Terry, Cynthia and their daughter Grace went through seven years ago, life would leave them in peace.

"I don't know where I got the idea that once you've come through a very dark time, after you've confronted the worst possible demons and defeated, them, that everything's going to be just fine."

Uh-uh, it's not... When Grace goes along with a bad idea her sketchy date has to take a Porsche out for a joyride, it starts a domino effect that plunges the family into yet another nightmare.

Barclay cuts the narrative between Terry and others with their own agenda. It did take me bit to figure out that there was more than one group - these chapters are initially quite cryptic. I do enjoy this style of storytelling, but have to hold myself back from flipping ahead 'just to see'.

Barclay's plot is quite inventive - I had no idea where things were going to. The little click when things start to fit together is quite satisfying, but there are many, many pieces to Barclay's puzzle and just as many twists and turns. I did think that the one of the plot devices was a bit far fetched, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all.

The writing shoots straight from the hip -  there no unnecessary descriptions or involved self explorations, just fast paced dialogue and action. Barclay does the 'regular guy thrown into a crazy situation' story extremely well.

No Safe House was excellent escapist reading. See for yourself - read an excerpt or see the book trailer below.

...And one last thing - you might want to think twice about who has a key and the alarm code to your house - the neighbour, the dog walker, the babysitter, the cleaning lady....

You can keep up with Linwood Barclay on Facebook and on Twitter. Canadian peeps - this just hit number one on the Globe and Mail's bestseller list this week.

Winner - Sisters of Treason - Elizabeth Fremantle

And the randomly chosen winner of a copy of Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle, courtsy of Simon and Schuster is:

Heather!

Congratulations! I've contacted you by email for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours, after that time a new winner will be chosen. Keep your eye on the sidebar for other great giveaways!