Category Archives: Big Stone Gap

The Monday Book: THE BOOK OF SPECULATION by Erika Swindler

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bookThis book came into the bookstore, and its cover attracted me. (Yes, I know about that saying you can’t judge a book by its cover; it’s a lie. People go to special marketing schools just so you can.)

I’m not the biggest fan of surprise endings – let’s start with the ending, shall we – but this one had a great twist. I’m also not a big fan of time-hopping books, but this one moved between the eighteenth and twenty-first century with some smooth maneuvers.

I am a big fan of well-developed characters, which this book has in spades. Even the minor players get major development.

The basic plot is some families have been hanging around each other for a few centuries, working the carnival circuit, and some of them keep dying the same way. It all comes down to a very old curse, some very new secrets revealed, and a cast of quirky misfits.

I’d call this something between a mystery and a family saga. It’s too gentle for a thriller (Gott sei dank) and too mysterious for general fiction. Now might be a good time to say, if you’re afraid of water, you won’t like this book. I’m a certified lifeguard, and parts of it made me queasy. (Also, let me just say now, don’t try any of that stuff at the lake.)

The writing doesn’t get in the way of the story; this is character-driven well-plotted book that would be enjoyable anywhere, except the beach. Trust me; don’t read it at the beach. Your bathtub is safe.

Two hands up, waving not drowning.

Isabella has a few Things to Say

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isabellaWell h’lo there! I’m Isabella. I came from a large family of cats – fourteen or so of us – that got dispersed because Dad died and Mom was kinda fed up with the whole thing.

I’m spayed and I keep my sleeping area neat as a pin. I’m so glad to finally have one of my own to keep! Used to share with three of my sisters, and they were always sticking their feet in my eyes.

I wear a tuxedo all the time, but I’m not stuck up or dressy or anything. My foster mom here says the tuxedo is right for me ’cause I’m not very feminine. Or maybe she said feline. She says I run around so much, I’m like a lightning bug on cocaine.

I’m really good at catching lightning bugs. And flies. And dust beams. Foster Dad says I’m their tiny dancer ’cause I do the most graceful pir- piroue – flips. He says I’m more fun to watch than television.

At night when things slow down I like to wait until Mom’s asleep and then sneak down and get between her shoulder and her chin. It’s my favorite place to sleep. When she wakes up and finds me there she laughs. She says no one would ever believe I could hold still long enough to sleep.

isabellaMom asked me what I wanted in a forever home, and I’ve given it a lot of thought between runs. I want a place where it’s okay to climb up on things. I LOVE being queen of the cat castle in the mystery room here at the bookstore! It would be fun to have another cat or two around, and I don’t mind if there’s dogs. It would be nice to have some older kids to play with, but I’m not gonna get dressed up in a bonnet, ‘kay? I play; I don’t get played with. And NOBODY puts Bella in a stroller!

Other than that I don’t much mind what kind of home it is, so long as it’s forever and the people are nice and don’t expect me to ride around on their shoulders. Laps are cool; shoulders and getting carried, not so much. Why ride when you can run?

So maybe you’re looking for a good mouser inside (I’d be lonely in a barn) or a friendly cat to play with who isn’t gonna be all co-dependent and everything. That would be ME!

Come by the bookstore. Ask for Isabella. See ya!adoptables 036