Terry's Traffic Light Delights

This book delighted me … from beginning to end. In 1946, on the campus of Wilton College in western Pennsylvania a major in Home Economics was all the rage for women and the Practice House was one of the toughest requirements in the program.

The Practice House was run by Martha Gaines, a widow with a dour temperament and the long-held belief that there is only one way to do things. This is especially true regarding her rules for raising the “practice babies” that entered the lives of these women during their turn in the Practice House. Henry House was one of these babies and this is his story.

The reading of The Irresistible Henry House is equal part a study in human relationships and a blast to the past. Live through the 1950s and 60s with Henry as he grows up and then comes of age working for Disney Studios and experimenting with drugs and free love. This is one of those books that I didn’t want to end. Every page was a charming, nostalgic, and poignant trip through our own histories. This is a story that can’t possibly be true, but yet …

This book surprised me. This does not happen very often. The reason for my surprise is that the more I read, the more I discovered that I didn't really know what the book was about. The layers upon which St. John Mandel builds are subtly placed and each fresh revelation creates a truly captivating story.

What you know from the start is that there is an investigation in place and that the focus of the investigation is on Anton Waker and his cousin Aria, but you have no idea what crime they are being sought for and you don't find out for a major portion of the book. Then you know that Anton has finally been able to marry his fiancée (after two cancellations by the bride) and the story proceeds with their honeymoon. But not really. The story really begins with Anton's family business (they are a bunch of crooks) and much, much more. But you won’t find out more about the plot from me ... you will love the process of discovering what is really going on for yourself ... and I think you will enjoy being introduced to a new writer of merit. (And you can meet her at this year’s Birthday Bash on May 8.)

This new series by Estep immediately drew me into a world of elemental assassins, vampires, magic, giants, dwarves, and loads of villains. Most elementals are able to create and harness one of the four major elements -- ice, stone, air, and fire -- and some minor elements like metal, water, and electricity and you will meet lots of them in this universe. The star of this series is Gin Blanco, the Spider, a paid assassin and a stone and ice elemental. She doesn’t use her magic much in her job because she doesn’t usually need it to complete her assignments, a matter of great pride for her. She was trained by Fletcher Lane, the owner of the Pork Pit, and the man who took her in off the streets when she was 13 after her family was brutally murdered. Gin is a great character with an extensive back story, with more to be revealed in future installments. This series starter takes off with an assignment gone bad and Gin in the middle of a very complicated set up and determined to avenge the murder of her mentor. I also love Estep’s Bigtime series featuring a hilarious cast of superheros that even Publishers Weekly couldn’t resist. -- tlg

This book embarrassed me! I read it on a plane to New York City and I could not stop the tears from running down my face every 10 pages or so. I just hope the passengers on the seats next to me were paying as little attention to me as I was to them!

CeeCee Honeycutt grew up in a dysfunctional family in a small town in Ohio with a psychotic mother and an absent, alcoholic father until she was 12 years old and her mother is killed (I am not telling any secrets here … you know this by the second sentence.) When her great-aunt Tootie shows up to take her home with her to Savannah, Georgia, CeeCee knows her life will never be the same … and much of that is a good thing, except that she doesn’t realize it at the time.
CeeCee arrives at Tootie’s gracious home in Savannah and is immediately swept into a world of southern grace and style … one that seems to be populated exclusively by eccentric women. Small bits of southern wisdom and down-to-earth traditions sprinkle this story of CeeCee’s journey from a lost childhood to a wonderful new life surrounded by her new southern family. Hoffman’s sensitive treatment of dealing with grief and living life on one’s own terms was inspired and inspirational. Like some of the life lessons learned from these engaging women, this book is a gem.

The third entry in this mind-altering, horrific series about serial killer Gretchen Lowell and her pursuer/codependent rival, Archie Sheriden begins with Gretchen on the loose ... again. Archie is in self-imposed exile in the psych ward of a local hospital. The city of Portland is outlandishly entranced with their local killer, a phenomenon that reporter Susan Ward wants to document in a book. Archie's partner, Henry Sobol has been supporting Archie by visiting him three times a week and encouraging him to get back in the "game." Gretchen and Archie have a deal. She won't start killing again as long as Archie doesn't commit suicide, an all too possible outcome of their shared personal history. And this is how it begins. And then the bodies and macabre mind games start. The stakes seem to be getting higher as Gretchen's previous patterns are being compromised. Cain has done it again. She has kept us glued to the pages with her well-formed characters and compelling story line. Despite the gruesomeness, we just can't turn away. And I believe this trend will continue for as long as Chelsea Cain's warped imagination lasts. Limited quantities of signed books are available now. -- tlg

The fifth entry in my favorite vampire series finds Anna with a hot boyfriend (an underwear model!!), her friend Culebra in trouble, her animosities constantly brought to the surface by deposed Chief of Police Williams, and vampire killers loose in San Diego. All of this is (almost) typical in Anna's world since she became a vampire a short time ago. Added to this, there is a new cream on the market that seems to be making young beauties out of middle aged women (sign me up!) ... and then they start dying. Anna Strong is simply one of the best characters I have read and Jeanne Stein keeps the action humming as she leads us through Anna's adaptation to her new life and the challenges she faces, supernatural and otherwise. Join me in counting the days until the next entry in this series. -- tlg