Winner: Mahu by Neil Plakcy

Thanks for visiting me during Detective Week hosted by Jen's Book Thoughts. When the tour stopped here, I offered a free copy of any Mahu mystery written by Neil Plakcy. We have a winner through random draw.

Congratulations to

Elizabeth from Musings of An All Purpose Monkey

If you're a mystery fan and love the islands, I encourage you to read any of the Mahu books. There are four to choose from. Elizabeth selected the first book in the series: Mahu.

If you didn't win, I hope you'll join me for my current giveaway: an autographed copy of the new mystery, Farm Fresh Murder, courtesy of author Paige Shelton. Visit my book review for contest information and enter by May 8.

Mahalo to everyone who took part in Detective Week. 

Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton: Book Review and Giveaway

Farm Fresh Murder
By Paige Shelton

Berkley Publishing/Penguin Group, 2010
292 pages

Rob's Rating: 4/5

Reading Challenge: 2010 Cozy Mystery Challenge





When I find myself cooking with one hand and holding a book in the other, I know I'm reading something good. That's been my experience this week with Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton.

This mystery marks the debut of a new amateur sleuth to delight farmers' market enthusiasts everywhere.

Who killed the peach vendor? 

Becca wants to know. Twice divorced, this mid-30's knockout wants to solve the crime before it damages business at Baily's Farmers' Market. She has a personal interest in the market too since her twin sister Allison is the manager.

When Becca isn't solving crimes, she grows strawberries and pumpkins on her South Carolina farm and then makes jams and preserves to sell. Joining her at the market are a lot of colorful vendors among the produce, art and bake stands. Could one of them be a murderer? Some are connected in ways Becca never knew before and a shared secret has boiled over leaving a lot of pulp to mash through.

Abner is identified as the chief suspect. This older guy grows fantastic wildflowers for the market. Abner found the body and had threatened the victim earlier. Becca is sure of his innocence but Abner is withholding information that could clear his name. Why?

Becca's sleuth power is the pectin needed to extract the facts, preserve the market, and create a thick confection of fun.

While I'm waiting for Becca's next adventure, I plan to use her recipes from the book and make jam. There's also a Lemon Meringue Pie recipe that looks to die for.

Win An Autographed Copy of Farm Fresh Murder

Courtesy of Author Paige Shelton 

Update: Contest Ended Midnight May 8. 
Winner is Molly at My Cozy Book Nook.

Visit Paige Shelton's Facebook page, website and blog.

FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy to review.

Wuthering Heights, Chapters 4-9

"Its power is absolutely Titanic: from the first page to the last it reads like the intellectual throes of a giant...one of the most unpleasant books ever written...we stand in amaze at the almost incredible fact that it was written by a slim country girl who could have passed in the crowd as an insignificant person..." (a review of Wuthering Heights written by George Barnett Smith, Poets and Novelists, 1875).

Welcome to week three of the Wuthering Heights read-along hosted by Jill at Fizzy Thoughts. This is the second week I've been with the group and my first time ever reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

It took me awhile to figure out how people are related. Housekeeper Nelly Dean gave the family history at Lockwood's request. 

Young Catherine who lives at Wuthering Heights is the daughter of the woman Heathcliff grew up with. Her name was Catherine too (wow, confusing!) and her brother was Hindley. And to complete the family drama, Hareton, the young man at Wuthering Heights, is Hindley's son.

Catherine could have married Heathcliff, her soul mate, but opted for another guy instead. Okay, so why is her daughter living with Heathcliff? And Harton is the son of the man who mistreated Heathcliff. Why is he at Wuthering Heights too? I guess I have to read further.

Heathcliff's childhood was rocky. He was an orphan living in poverty who was brought to live with Catherine and Hindley by their father. When he first arrived, Heathcliff was referred to as "it." That could give any kid a complex. The Master came to love Heathcliff more than his son. Heathcliff's status changed again when the Master died and the son (Hindley) took charge. Hindley reduced Heathcliff's role to that of a servant.

I felt sorry for Heathcliff but a comment from the Housekeeper made me think otherwise, "He complained so seldom...I really thought him not vindictive...I was deceived completely..."

Do you think Catherine haunts Wuthering Heights or does Lockwood have an active imagination?

Joining me on this read-along are the following friends:

Literate Housewife

Vivienne( Serendipidy)

Messy Karen

Victoria

Jenny (Take Me Away)

Ti (Book Chatter)

Lisa – Lit And Life

Dar@ Peeking Between the Pages

J.C. Montgomery (The Biblio Blogazine)

Whitney

JoAnn (Lakeside Musing)

Gentle Reader (Shelf Life)

Amy at New Century Reading

Geri at One More Foggy Notion

Jill at Fizzy Thoughts

Opening quote from the Barnes and Noble Classics Edition of Wuthering Heights.

Mailbox Monday: A Bodybuilder, Pie and Africa

My new books this week have one thing in common: they didn't come from publishers. One book will be used for a reading challenge, another is a signed first edition by a new author and the third one is a British travel essay.

First up is Gorilla Suit by Bob Paris which I'll use for the GLBT challenge. Bob is an intelligent and thought provoking man. He's now a civil rights advocate and had a successful career as a world champion bodybuilder. I had the pleasure of training at the same gym with Bob in Tacoma years ago. As hard as he trained, his pecs never looked like mine. Okay, reality check; mine never looked like his. I've always admired the guy and am excited to read the story about his life in bodybuilding. (Ordered through Alibris)

Thanks to a friend on Paperback Swap, I received Pies and Prejudice by Stuart Maconie as a belated birthday gift. He's a British author and this promises a rollicking good time through England's North Country.

I recently joined the First Edition Club at Book Passage in the Bay Area. Each month they select a book from a new author and send a signed copy to me (for a fee). I like the fact that I never know what to expect. 

For April (and National Poetry Month) I received Eddie Signwriter by South African poet Adam Schwartzman. Set in West Africa and Paris, Mary Benham at Book Passage writes that, "this story of a young artist's search for identity is written in lyrical, evocative prose which captures the cadences of the language and brings to life the African people and landscape."

What word held your attention more: bodybuilder, pie or Africa?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Mahu Vice: Book Review and Contest for DATW Tour

A warm Aloha to those joining me for the Detectives Around The World tour. When Jen's Book Thoughts announced the event, I jumped at the opportunity to write about my favorite Hawaii homicide detective, Kimo Kanapa'aka.

Kimo is a regular guy who happens to be gay. His character defies the stereotypes many have of gay men. Kimo can throw a punch and take one too. He lives his life openly on the police force and wants to be known as good cop rather than a good "gay" officer.

There are four books in the Mahu series and all are set on the island of Oahu. They offer not only a compelling mystery but also capture the culture of the islands and the lifestyle I love so well. Some day I hope Kimo "island hops" over to Kauai where I live to solve a crime.

"Mahu is a Hawaiian word for gay, often used in a derogatory way, but I've reclaimed it," writes author Neil Plakcy. "In my stories and novels, readers meet strong, handsome, confident gay men who embrace their sexuality."

Free Book To A Lucky Winner: Enter Here and complete the on-line form for a chance to win a new copy of the Mahu book of your choice. Choose either Mahu, Mahu Surfer, Mahu Fire or Mahu Vice. Winner will be announced on April 25. If you live outside the USA or Canada, you must have your own book review site to enter.

Mahu Vice Book Review: Kimo is taking risks with multiple partners after his break-up with fire inspector (and closeted) Mike Riccardi. Both men have hurt each other but there is still fire between them. It takes an arson and murder of a young Chinese man to reunite these men professionally. Will they be able to solve the crime that may threaten Kimo's career? There's still a lot of tension and heat between these two men that must be worked out on the side. 

Plakcy skillfully creates a realistic who-done-it with action and romance. I wasn't sure what I wanted more; to solve the mystery or to see if these two men worked things out in bed. As with each Mahu mystery, Plakcy doesn't disappoint and delivers a page turner under the hot Hawaiian sun with local cultural and surf added. It's a great escape to Hawaii.

Rob's Rating: 5/5 and I can't wait for the next book.

Meet Author Neil Plakcy: Assistant Professor of English at Broward College in South Florida. Neil is a member of Sisters in Crime, vice president of the Florida chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and a contributor to gay anthologies. His Mahu Fire won the Hawaii Five-O award for best police procedural, presented by Left Coast Crime, and was a finalist for the 2008 Lambda Literary Award for best gay mystery.

Author's Website: Mahu Books. Neil is also on Facebook and Twitter.

Location, Location! Jen asked us to include something about the book's setting. In Mahu Vice, Kimo finds his mom demonstrating for Native Hawaiian rights. There's a lot of history on this subject that many don't know about. Honolulu is home to the only Royal Palace in the United States. It's named Iolani and is a must see when you're in the islands. The monarchy was overthrown by the United States in 1893 and the Queen imprisoned in the palace. President Clinton issued a formal apology to the Native Hawaiian people on the 100th anniversary of the overthrow. Native Hawaiian rights remain a sensitive and important issue in the islands (and may play a role in the next Mahu book scheduled for release later in 2010).

This post also qualifies for the 2010 GLBT Reading Challenge.

FTC Note: I purchased by copy of Mahu Vice at Borders in Lihue, Kauai.

Mahu Vice by Neil Plakcy, Alyson Books, Copyright 2009, 279 pages, ISBN 978-1-59350-111-0.

Wuthering Heights, Chapters 1-3

My friends think I'm into classic literature when they see Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte on the coffee table. But then I have to confess to them that it's my first time with the book. Yes, I'm a novice "Height-er."

In my 50 plus years I've managed to avoid Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. On the surface this, "most original tale of thwarted desire and heartbreak in the English language," never appealed to me.

Jill at Fizzy Thoughts is hosting a read-along for the book and inspired me to give it a try. My task is to read three chapters each week and write a report on Wednesdays. The read-along began last week so I'm already behind. I plan another post in the next week to catch up.

The text I'm using is Barnes and Noble Classics with an introduction by Daphne Merkin. It has footnotes for every chapter and a translation of the Yorkshire dialect spoken by some of the characters.

Chapters One to Three: My Summary and View

Guess who's coming to dinner? To Heathcliff's dismay it's his new tenant, Lockwood (and our narrator).  To make matters worse, Lockwood cannot return to his home some four miles away due to snow. (This is 1801 and there's no GPS to guide him back).

Heathcliff would rather turn him loose on the Yorkshire moors to fend for himself. Instead he reluctantly gives Lockwood a room at Wuthering Heights but strange things happen. After reading a 25 year old diary in his room belonging to Catherine Earnshaw, a ghost appears in the night and Lockwood's screams wake up the house. 

Heathcliff barges in and when Lockwood announces the ghost's name as Catherine Linton (how many Catherine's are there?) it stirs up strong emotions and grief in Heathcliff that Lockwood cannot explain. (I think there's a good story here).

It hasn't been a fun evening for Lockwood. He can't figure out how people are related to each other at Wuthering Heights and they aren't very interested in helping him. Plus, he suffered a dog attack.

There's a young lady who is Heathcliff's daughter-in-law and a young man named Hareton Earnshaw (same last name as the person who owned the diary). Rounding out the "happy" household" is an older man named Joseph.

The diary sheds some light on Heathcliff as a young man. Sounds like he didn't fit in. I'm not surprised considering his dark and gloomy demeanor.

Have you ever started Wuthering Heights and stopped? I'm wondering if I'm really going to like the book.

Book Review: Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin

When Steve Martin made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live, his dad published a negative review of the performance. Their difficult relationship is one of many personal disclosures that Steve shares in his book, Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life.

What first impressed me about the book was the writing. It's concise which is not easy to accomplish considering the time span over three decades. Steve writes about, "someone he used to know." A young boy who grew up to be a successful stand-up comedian.

At age ten, Steve landed what I would have considered a dream job in my youth. He worked at Disneyland selling guidebooks and then performing magic tricks. By age twenty-one, Steve was writing for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on television. It took 16 performances on The Tonight Show to finally be a hit. What paid off was perseverance and always trying to be better than the last show. 

Steve observed others, studied artists like Jack Benny, practiced, practiced, practiced, performed throughout the country and looked for ways to be unique. His idea to drop the punch line and let an audience decide what's funny helped to create a unique style of comedy.

The book captures the time period from the 1950's through 1970's. Since I came of age during these years, it brought back memories to me. 

Steve writes with humor and offers personal insights to his life including difficult times. There are also photos scattered among the pages.

This is a great read for those interested in show business or just starting out in any career. He shows that success comes from not only a strong belief in self but also through hard work perfecting what you do best.

Steve was "born standing up," and has brought laughter to all of us.

What's your favorite Steve Martin moment?

Rob's Rating: 5/5

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin. Scribner. Copyright 2007.

FTC: This was the March selection for my library book discussion group. I purchased my copy several years ago and just read for the first time.

Winner: The Girl Who Chased The Moon

Angela from Library Girl Reads is the winner of The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen.

Thanks to everyone who entered my contest and for leaving such nice comments. 

I have two other book giveaways coming up in April. Be sure to follow my blog for details.

Sunday Salon: Detectives, Challenges and some Classics

My reviews this week include Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (our March pick for my library book discussion group).

Jen's Book Thoughts is hosting Detectives Around The World Week starting today. I'll be participating on April 16 with my review of Mahu Vice by Neil Plakcy. It's going to be a good week for mystery fans so check out all the reviews and special events planned by Jen.

Whenever I'm on the way to the beach, I always stop at Hanapepe Library where there's a free outdoor bookshelf. I love a good book find. This week I picked up a first edition of Cheaper By The Dozen printed in 1948. With the old books I'm discovering, I plan to join the Dogeared Reading Challenge for "worn out, and beat up books." It's hosted by DogEar Diary.

Normally I only read one book at a time but currently have two going. 

The first is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (did you know she was only in her 20's when the book was written?). If it goes well over the next few days, I plan to join a read along for the novel hosted by Jill at Fizzy Thoughts.

The other book I'm reading is Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. I love the writing but the pace has been slow. Maybe it's me?

Finally, don't forget that my contest ends Sunday night, April 11, for a new copy of The Girl Who Chased The Moon.

Wishing all of you Aloha from across the Pacific.

The Girl Who Chased The Moon: My Review and Giveaway

I first fell in love with the book's cover and then the writing. Just show me a full moon against a beautiful starlit sky and you have my attention. The woman in the red dress isn't bad either.

There are secrets in the small town of Mullaby, North Carolina and some unexplained happenings; wallpaper that magically changes its pattern, a giant of a man who reaches into his empty clothes dryer whenever he walks by, a family that never leaves their home at night, a strange light that appears every evening in the woods, and the "sweet sense" that baking gives to some of the characters.

It takes the arrival in town of a seventeen year old girl to stir things up. Emily has no idea why her mother never told her about Mullaby. Now that her mother has died, Emily comes to live with the grandfather she never knew about and discovers the past her mother never talked about.

Not all of the secrets have a magical feel. Some are the scars from youth or past hurts that the writer, Sarah Addison Allen, skillfully uncovers in her characters. There are serious topics dealt with like teenage self-mutilation that are in sharp contrast to the lighter tone of the book. Sometimes the story felt like it had a home in the young adult genre too.

My favorite characters are Julia who bakes wonderful cakes (so real I could almost taste them) and Sawyer who has a sweet sense about Julia and her baking. Julia has a lot of issues to deal with, personal and romantic, and I enjoyed seeing her navigate through them.

With some magic, a touch of romance, and thoughts of homemade cakes, The Girl Who Chased The Moon had the right ingredients for a sweet tasting read.

Rob's Rating: 4/5

The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. Copyright 2010. Bantam. ISBN: 9780553807219

FTC: I purchased my copy at Barnes and Noble.

I'm giving away a new copy of The Girl Who Chased The Moon to a lucky reader. Maybe it will be you?

To enter my drawing please leave a comment on this review no later than 9pm, Sunday, April 11, 2010, and include your email address if it's not visible on your profile. 

If you live outside the USA or Canada, you must have a book blog to participate.