The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

This is titled "An Autobiography..." but it is a work of fiction. Each chapter is preceded by quotations taken from the newspapers, songs, magazines, etc. that were published during that particular time in Mrs. Tom Thumb's life. It's an interesting way to ground the book in real history. Of course Mrs. Tom Thumb, Mercy Lavinia "Vinnie" Warren Bump Stratton, was a real person so the story follows the general chronology of her life. But the details are fictional.

Melanie Benjamin has chosen to portray Vinnie as larger than life, craving adventure, a little cold-hearted, a lifelong virgin, a fearless and take-charge little person. Vinnie leaves home at the tender age of 17 and goes from adventure to adventure.

Vinnie's feelings about sex color all of her relationships with people and I was interested in how delicately Melanie Benjamin constructed the background experiences to form this fictional Vinnie's opinions about men and babies and marriage.

Did I like the book? Hm. Well, I found it very interesting. I was captivated by Vinnie even as I pitied her. The book only follows her into her 40s--now I'm interested to know what she did during her post-touring years. It was an engaging book, full of tragedies that were made easier to read about because of Vinnie's gift for picking herself up and moving on again. Was her life really this way? I don't know. I hope not. There wasn't much happiness for Vinnie.

So did I like it? Well, I liked the book but didn't like the story. Does that make sense? I felt bad for Vinnie's distance from all the important people in her life--her husband, her family. I didn't exactly like Vinnie. She was rather cold-hearted and superior. But I didn't exactly dislike her either. Was it a good read? Definitely. It was well written, clean, interesting, and full of period details that I really liked.

One critical note: I am always sensitive to how Mormons are treated in fiction. Melanie Benjamin may have done her research on Mr. Barnum and the Tom Thumb family, but she did not do her research on Mormon women. She let her personal prejudices write those scenes. Having descended from one of those intrepid Mormon women, I found her dismissal of them as meek doormats disappointing.

But that, however, was a very small part in a book written about a little person's very big life.

Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin by Nancy Atherton

This is one of the many Aunt Dimity books--I'm not sure the number. But there are plenty and they are all very nice. I liked the first one the very best.

This one was about Miss Beacham, a retired legal secretary recently passed on, and the search for her heir. It preached the idea that friends can be more family than family is. If you see what I mean. Lori (our main character and sleuth) meets Miss Beacham in the course of her (Lori's) volunteer work in the hospital and the two feel an immediate connection. When Miss Beacham dies, she entrusts Lori with the search for her missing. heir.

It was a cute book, uplifting and sweet. It was very sweet. Lori's life is just right--she has adorable and good children (they are welcome everywhere), a jewel of a nanny (who also cooks and cleans, when necessary), the perfect (high powered lawyer) husband, a fat bank account, a worthy list of volunteer commitments, a cozy house, a bunch of friends (many with just the right connections), a talent for sleuthing, and a connection with the afterworld (here's where Aunt Dimity comes in). Could life get any better than this?

It was a pleasant fluffy read. I guess I shouldn't complain that it was a little too "just so". I'm a girl who likes happy endings. But dare I say that I like them to be realistically happy? In any case, there is a place in every library for the mindless feel-good books...and this is one of them.

After the Armistice Ball by Catriona McPherson

This book takes place in Scotland at the end of the first world war. Many husbands, fathers, brothers and friends are dead and money is tight for nearly everyone, but life is just starting to get back to normal and celebrations are in order--the war is over. Our story opens at the Armistice Ball given by the wealthy Daisy and Silas Esslemont.

Our main character is Dandelion (Dandy) Gilver, a 30-something mother of two. Married to the boring Hugh, Dandy is smart, genuine and good. She is surprised by her friend Daisy's request that she investigate the theft of some diamonds that guest Lena Duffy says were stolen at Daisy's ball. Lena is being very troublesome.

What starts out as being an investigation into a spot of possible fraud ends up being the unraveling of an ugly murder and the shattering of at least one family who had attended that Armistice Ball.

I liked this book a lot. I especially liked Dandy Gilver, who I found totally human and believable. Her approach to solving this little puzzle, though, was more thinking than doing and I found that rather unusual. She and her detecting partner did do some interviewing of witnesses and snooping around, but the large part of their "investigating" was just talking about what they had learned and thinking about it, trying to put it into some sort of order. I'm not sure that approach logically led the reader to the conclusion that Dandy and Alec reached, but it didn't bother me a whole lot. I followed their thinking even if I thought they were taking some leaps.

I liked the glimpse into Scottish country life. I liked the dialogue. I liked all the characters I met (except the murderer and I enjoyed disliking that one). I didn't like the ending. It was a little more vague than I like. I guess I like my solutions all spelled out. This ending was complete, but I felt left with a few lingering questions. I hate those lingering questions. :)

It was a fun book and I look forward to reading more Dandy Gilver mysteries.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

This review was written by Isaiah, age 13.

This book is a fictional story about a true time in history. It takes place in Germany during World War II. It tells a story of something that might have happened during that time period. The main characters of the book are Annemarie Johansen and her Jewish friend Ellen. The Germans are starting to take all the Jews away to concentration camps, so Annemarie and her family want to help Ellen and her family get away to Sweden until the war is over. Will they succeed?

I think this book is a good book and I would be happy to read it again. It is an exciting story that tells a lot about history. I highly recommend this to readers of any age.

Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home by Harry Kemelman

This is the third Rabbi Small mystery I've read. I've liked them all.

In this mystery, Moose Carter--son of Rabbi Small's carpenter--is found suffocated in an abandoned house. Temple politics again threaten Rabbi Small's employment there. An African American is accused of murder simply because he's a stranger in town. A drug ring is broken up.

The Rabbi Small books are a very interesting look into Judaism and the workings of a Jewish temple. I sometimes find David Small's scholarly approach to all problems tiresome. I, like his wife, sometimes wish he would just compromise and be a little warmer. But, his logic always carries the day when it comes to the mysteries that he unravels. And his grateful congregation always comes around to extending his employment contract once again.

They're engaging mysteries set among an interesting group of people. I like them. Oh, no bad language or sexual situations either. Just bad guys and murder. :)

Dreams of Stardust by Lynn Kurland

Another time traveling love story by Lynn Kurland. This one's a de Piaget family tale, if that means anything to you.

Amanda de Piaget, our Medieval damsel, is wealthy and sought after--but only for her money. She loves her family but fears she'll never find someone to love her for herself.

Jake Kilchurn is wealthy and handsome and lonely too. You know what happens next.

He gets catapulted to Amanda's world and they both keep secrets from each other, fall in love and try to hide it, etc etc. No surprises here. I did like the little mystery that awaited Jake when he temporarily returned to the 21st century. That was unexpected.

I liked the whole book. I have to be in the mood to read Lynn Kurland's romances, but when I am, I enjoy them. Her books are pretty much all the same story played out by different members of a couple of large extended families. I appreciate that they are very clean. I get tired of the breathtaking beauty of all the ladies and the amazing good looks of all the men. And I would NEVER want to stay in Medieval Britain for anyone. Nope. An entertaining book,though. I look forward to the next one that I read!

Talk of the Town by Lisa Wingate

This was a cute, feel-good book. I wasn't expecting a love story element, but there was one of those too. A bonus. :)

It's about a big city girl who visits small-town Texas in the course of her job and rediscovers herself and her values.

It's Christian fiction in the best way--with the principles well-integrated into the story and no heavy-handedness. The characters observe, experience, soul search, learn and alter. My favorite kind of book, actually.

From a cynical point of view, one might complain that the ending is just a bit too perfect. But I like happy endings, so I won't be making that complaint.

I liked how the narration in the book came from two different characters and how both of those characters made some personal discoveries over the course of the story. I enjoyed the age variation between the two--one was a new widow (whose reflections on her mourning I found touching), one an unmarried, hard-working 30-something.

Every story, I maintain, could not be possible without a miscommunication. I've perhaps said this before in book reviews. It is almost universally true. There is no conflict that is unconnected to miscommunication. But when those miscommunications are contrived or illogical (like The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen, which drove me nutty) the story feels frustrating and kicks the reader right out of belonging to it. This story wasn't like this. I felt drawn in almost from the beginning.

I liked being able to find myself in some of the introspective ideas that the main characters mulled over. I liked the little romance that one of our narrators had. I liked the town of Daily. I was glad that the idealism of the sweet little country singer was left intact. I appreciated the ideas of redemption and change that were illustrated in a few of the secondary characters. I liked that it was squeaky clean.

It was a sweet book that I really enjoyed.