Happy New Year and welcome to a brand new decade. Where did the last decade go, would be the question posed by many! Shelf Life has been publishing in four decades, beginning in the Spring of 1998 and now part of the 2020’s. April will celebrate our 22nd anniversary, and time truly marches on. But our mission continues to keep bringing readers the best in books, inspiring you to seek these books out and add them to your own must-read lists.
With the colder temperatures out there, settle in and enjoy now only this issue but also the year to come!
Paul Sutter
Editor/Publisher
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*** Fiction Section ***
*** Best January Fiction ***
We Were Killers Once
by Becky Masterman
(Penguin Canada – $24.95 – 320 pages)
“It is a true page turner that will be impossible to forget.”
Rating: 5 bookmarks
Curious Toys
by Elizabeth Hand
(Mulholland-Little Brown – $34.00 – 375 pages)
“The book has all the elements of a classic mystery, working so well on many levels.”
Rating: 5 bookmarks
The Last
by Hannah Jameson
Atria – $36.00 – 342 pages
“Yes, the book is dark, and at times many seem to be facing a lost cause, but it becomes survival of the fittest, with people forging onward, possibly to something better.”
Rating: 5 bookmarks
*** Rest of January Fiction ***
The Stranger Diaries
by Elly Griffiths
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – $22.99 -336 pages)
“…the author gives us even more to cheer about with a standalone book that may be one and done.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
The Night Before
by Wendy Walker
(St. Martin’s Press – $34.00 – 320 pages)
“…your typical psychological thriller that will keep you on the proverbial edge of your seat until the last few pages.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
By the Pricking of Her Thumb
by Adam Roberts
(Gollancz – $34.99 – 262 pages)
“It makes for a most fascinating murder mystery that sometimes is over the top. It does meander into the bizarre zone but Roberts’ eloquent prose gets the book back on track more than once.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
The Bag of Tricks Affair
by Bill Pronzini
(Tor – $33.99 – 256 pages)
Reviewed by: Tori Levang
“It is an easy, entertaining read that is thoroughly absorbing and fast-paced.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
The Dutch House
by Ann Patchett
(Harper – $24.99 – 338 pages)
“The book is an epic saga that spans five decades.”
Rating: 4 1/2 bookmarks
Holy Ghost
by John Sandford
(Putnam – $39.00 – 373 pages)
“The usual Sandford style is there, with intrigue and some humour, right to the final pages.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
The Crooked Street
by Brian Freeman
(Thomas & Mercer – $22.95 – 354 pages)
“…will please all readers, taking them on an exhaustive journey for law, order, and justice.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Mrs. Everything
by Jennifer Weiner
(Atria – $24.99 – 466 pages)
“…may be one of Jennifer Weiner’s most creative and intense books.”
Rating: 3 bookmarks
The Shadow Between Us
by Carol Mason
(Lake Union Publishing – $21.99 – 247 pages)
Reviewed by: Tori Levang
“…a novel about second chances, overcoming your past, and finding and maintaining hope through major life upheaval. ”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
In His Father’s Footsteps
by Danielle Steel
(Delacorte Press- $38.99 – 323 pages)
“…Steel manages to bring a more human approach to the story, showing what happens when relationships sour, and people are taken for granted.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
League of Dragons
by Naomi Novik
(Del Rey- $37.00 – 380 pages)
Reviewed by: John M. Milner
“…manages to combine several genres together into one unforgettable story.”
Rating: 4 1/2 bookmarks
Break In Case of Emergency
by Dick Francis
(Harper Collins – $22.99 – 350 pages)
“…should be on the reading list of high schools. It is a book that resonates with a lot of teens today.”
Rating: 4 1/2 bookmarks
Twice in a Blue Moon
by Christian Lauren
(Gallery – $22.00 – 356 pages)
“…a warm and gentle story that is as much about love and trust, as never confiding anything no matter what.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Sophia Princess Among Beasts
by James Patterson with Emily Raymond
(Little Brown – $34.00 – 352 pages)
“Not his strongest effort and a bit confusing at times, it still will offer the talents of Patterson to a much different audience than he is used to.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
*** Non-Fiction Section ***
*** Best January Non-Fiction ***
The Forest City Killer
by Vanessa Brown
(ECW Press – $24.95 – 350 pages)
“It is obvious Vanessa Brown pored over countless articles, books, and talked to a variety of individuals, to make the book as authoritative as possible.”
Rating: 5 bookmarks
TV Noir: Dark Drama on the Small Screen
by Allen Glover
(Abrams – $50.00 – 260 pages)
“…this journey into the golden age of television is certainly a must-read for classic TV lovers and those who enjoyed dark and delightful drama.”
Rating: 5 bookmarks
Janis: Her Life and Music
by Holly George-Warren
(Simon & Schuster – $38.99 – 380 pages)
“If we thought we already knew a lot about Janis, there were still many layers to be uncovered.”
Rating: 5 bookmarks
**** Rest of January Non-Fiction ****
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know
by Malcolm Gladwell
(Little Brown – $36.99 – 400 pages)
“He uses psychology and insight into proving his points.”
Rating: 4 1/2 bookmarks
The Beatles in 100 Objects (Discover What Made The Fab Four Fab)
by Brian Southall
(Carlton – $39.95 – 298 pages)
“There is so much in this book that Beatles fans will be in their glory thanks to the images.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered
by Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
(Forge – $32.50 – 300 pages)
“While the title might sell some copies, the contents inside are even more reason to own the book.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
I-Minds
by Mari K. Swingle
(New Society – $29.99 – 532 pages)
“Many who deal with problems brought on with our obsession with gaming, cell phones, and social media will benefit from this book.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
The Last Stone
by Mark Bowden
(Atlantic Monthly Press – $39.95 – 352 pages
“Stories of unsolved crimes are always difficult to read…When it involves children, it often makes it even harder to accept.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Smithsonian Women Our Story
Foreward by Rebecca Boggs Roberts
(DK Books – $45.00 – 320 pages)
“This is a book for young girls and women to read to show accomplishments and to never back down or feel inferior. This is truly a book for the ages.”
Rating: 4 1/2 bookmarks
Let’s Play Two (The Legend of Mr. Cub, The Life of Ernie Banks)
by Ron Rapoport
(Hachette – $33.99 – 464 pages)
“…a baseball book at its best, honouring the man and the sport, as he became a true legend.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
The Heart of a Boy (Celebrating the Strength and Spirit of Boyhood)
by Kate T. Parker
(Workman – $28.95 – 250 pages)
“Page after page we find inspiring comments.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Shakespeare’s Library – Unlocking the Greatest Mystery in Literature
by Stuart Kells
(Counterpoint – $38.95- 336 pages)
“Those who enjoy Shakespeare will discover newly uncovered facts about the fan…”
Rating: 3 bookmarks
Rough Magic Riding the World’s Loneliest Horse Race
by Lara Prior-Palmer
(catapult – $37.50 -288 pages)
“In the pages of the book, she takes the reader on that journey in which she won bragging rights to something unique.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Hollywood’s Eve – Eve Babitz and the Secret History of L.A.
by Lili Anolik
(Scribner – $35.00 – 278 pages)
“The book becomes a who’s who of the 60’s and 70’s with so many famous people interacting with Babitz.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
Kathleen Turner on Acting (Conversations about Film, Television and Theatre)
by Kathleen Turner & Dustin Morrow
(Skyhorse – $34.99 – 390 pages)
“Anyone who is considering the acting life would be well-advised to read this book.”
Rating: 3 1/2 bookmarks
Almost Human: The Story of Julius, the Chimpanzee Caught Between Two Worlds
by Alfred Fidjestol
(Greystone – $32.95 – 236 pages)
“For those looking for a feel-good animal story, you cannot go wrong with ALMOST HUMAN.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
*** For Younger Readers ***
Talking to the Moon
by Jan L. Coates
(Red Deer Press – $12.95 – 332 pages)
“The book echoes how many pre-teens and teens feel isolated no matter what sort of upbringing they had.”
Rating: 4 bookmarks
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