Psst. Can I interest you in a good book to read? I am a librarian, after all. 😊 In addition to writing this blog, I write book reviews our CIDL website as well; about one a month, give or take. You’ll find our “staff recommendation” for books right underneath where my blog is located, on the Adult Services page. I share that space with my librarian co-workers at CIDL.
To date, I’ve written three reviews that have appeared on the website. The Scent Keepers, by Erica Bauermeister, is the story of Emmeline, a young girl with an amazing gift of smell. Raised on a remote island, alone with her father, she is forced to fend for herself when he
dies suddenly. I enjoyed this coming-of-age story and wished I could actually smell all the great olfactory delights being described.
I next reviewed The Flight Attendant, by Christ Bohjalian. It tells the story of Cassie, a flight attendant who drinks too much and then one day wakes up to a dead man in her bed, his throat slit wide open. Panic stricken, she flees the Dubai hotel room, not even sure she didn’t murder the man herself. Mayhem ensues as she runs from the killer and tries to prove her innocence.
If The Flight Attendant sounds familiar to you, you may have recently watched the series made from the book on HBO Max. I enjoyed the book, but the TV series is even better. They made changes, but stayed true to the spirit of Bohjalian’s book. They took his one book and turned it into an 8-episode series, so they definitely added characters and storylines. It stars Kaley Cuoco of The Big Bang Theory fame, and she is really good as Cassie. I was excited to read there will definitely be a season 2 of the series, which was certainly hinted at with the cliff-hanger ending.
My third book review is Murder in G Major, written by Alexia Gordon. Of the cozy mystery genre, this is the story of Gethsemane Brown, a world-class, classical musician from Texas, who finds herself unexpectedly working at a private boys’ school in a small town in Scotland. Turns out the cottage she’s living in is haunted by a curmudgeonly ghost who would like her help in solving the murder of his beloved wife, a crime for which he was accused before his own untimely death. Ms. Brown is a fun, spunky character and the ghost, Eamon, is a hoot. This was the first book in the series, and I hope to listen to more of the audiobooks.
I’ve recently submitted my fourth book review which will be up on our website shortly. The book, City of Thieves, came very highly recommended to me by my daughter’s boyfriend, Greg, who said it was now in his “top five favorite books of all time.” I was able to download the audiobook via our library’s Overdrive service and promptly dove in. It was a great listen; it’s a great book.
I’m going to give you a sneak preview and share that review with you here and now. Just a little cross-promotion for our Staff Recommendations that I hope you’ll indulge me in.
City of Thieves By David Benioff Published June 1, 2008
“But mostly he talked about one week in 1942, the first week of the year, the week he met my grandmother, made his best friend, and killed two Germans.”
And what a powerful week it was. A week that, in a nutshell, is the story of City of Thieves: A Novel by David Benioff. Lev and Vika Beniov are a retired couple, Russian immigrants, living on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Their grandson comes for a visit, seeking the story behind the family legend that his grandfather had killed two German soldiers before he was 18 years old. And so, they sit and talk, Lev and his grandson, and the truth of that life-changing week comes out.
Lev is 17 years old and living on his own in the family apartment in Leningrad. His father is long dead, and his mom and sister have evacuated to the country for their safety. World War II is raging on and the Germans have surrounded Leningrad, intending to starve, bomb and burn the citizens of Leningrad out.
It’s New Year’s Eve, and Lev is on the roof with three friends when they see a German paratrooper floating down in to their neighborhood. Based on the limpness of the man’s body, they assume he’s already dead and run down to the streets to locate his body, hoping to salvage anything of value they might find on him.
Gloves, a scarf, goggles, a flask of liquor, a wallet filled with deutsche marks. They each take something, and Lev straps the dead man’s knife around one of his own skinny ankles. They’re passing the flask around when a car of Russian soldiers comes around the corner, and the four friends run for home. They’re out past curfew, and if caught, might be shot dead on the spot.
Lev’s three friends escape safely, but he’s caught after stopping to help his friend, Vera, who slips on a slippery patch of ice. Amazingly, they don’t execute him, but take him to the prison and throw him in a cell, because he’s, “A good one for the colonel.”
It’s in this dank jail cell that he meets Kolya, the man who will become his best friend. Kolya is a character, a handsome young solder charged with desertion. He’s also a talker and story teller, one who seldom shuts up. He, too, is spared execution when he and Lev are taken together to see the local army colonel.
The looter and the deserter. That’s how the colonel refers to Lev and Kolya. After a quick interrogation, the colonel tasks them with a strange but simple request: bring back a dozen eggs. His daughter is getting married on Friday and the eggs are needed for her wedding cake.
A simple request, except for the fact that Leningrad is a city behind German lines, and its people are starving. Food is so scarce that family pets and pigeons are long gone, eaten for food. Book glue is boiled into something called “library candy” and eaten for the protein it provides.
But thinking the looter and deserter might be good at petty thievery, the colonel gives them 400 rubles, a curfew waiver and five days to deliver the eggs or they will be shot. And off they go.
The search for a dozen eggs will take Lev and Kolya through the city of Leningrad, where among their encounters is a narrow escape from a couple who want to add them to their cannibal food locker. And when the city proves a dead end, they leave Leningrad and go behind enemy lines.
On the run from German soldiers, traipsing through snow covered fields and forests, Lev and Kolya will fight the bitter cold and empty stomachs as they search for the eggs. And Lev will meet the woman who will one day become his wife. And yes, he kills two German soldiers.
No spoilers here, you will have to read City of Thieves to see how it all shakes out. This book came highly recommended to me and it did not disappoint. Lev is just a skinny kid forced to be a man in horrible situations that would get the best of any of us. Kolya’s non-stop banter is entertaining to the reader as well as serving as motivation that often prods Lev to keep going when all he really wants to do is give up.
City of Thieves is gripping, at times gory, but ultimately a sweet story about two young men sent on a suicidal mission to find a dozen eggs during the siege of Leningrad. Its twists and turns will keep you reading till the end. I love a book with a great ending, and I loved the ending of this book.
FYI, the name of Lev’s grandson, the one whom he’s telling the story to, is David Beniov. While author David Benioff’s name is very similar, he is on record as stating City of Thieves is purely fictional and not the story of either of his grandfathers, both of whom were born in the United States.
Availability Our library owns a print copy of this book. It’s also available as an audiobook on Overdrive/Download Destination. I borrowed the audiobook from Overdrive; read by actor, Ron Perlman, it’s a great listen.
About the Author David Benioff was born and raised in New York City in 1970. His first novel, The 25th Hour, was made into a film directed by Spike Lee. Benioff worked with writing partner, D.B. Weiss, to develop the Game of Thrones TV show. He earned three Emmys for the show on which he served as executive producer, show runner, and script writer. He is married to actress, Amanda Peet, and together they have three children.
If you get a chance to read or listen to City of Thieves, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the book. As always, feel free to email me at graib@cidlibrary.org with any and all feedback. And don’t forget to check out our Staff Recommendations when next you’re looking for a good book and unsure what to read.
PAINTED HEART INSTRUCTIONS AVAILABLE
Since this past fall, I’ve been sharing instructions for my Maker Magic program projects with you. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to do that before Valentine’s Day with my February holiday-related project. Since I missed the window for getting this craft to you in a timely manner, I’ve decided not to dedicate a full blog post to it. However, I want to make the instructions available to you if you’d like to make one anyway.
This project, what I’m calling Valentine Heart Wall hanger, is a wooden heart I painted in a whimsical, colorful manner. As I’m quick to admit, painting is not really my thing – unless it’s a room in my house. 😉 But when I saw it on Pinterest, I decided to give it a try because I thought it was so cute and would be a good Maker Magic project. And I’m happy to say I like how it turned out.
I found only the picture online, no instructions, so I had to figure it out as I crafted. As usual, when I create my sample for a Maker Magic program, I write down what I’m doing, while I’m doing it, and I base my instructions on those notes. And now, as I said, I’d like to share them with you if you’re interested.
Here is a link to my instructions for you to download and use; there is also a link to WHAT YOU’LL NEED, supply-wise, for crafting. Shoot me an email if you decide to make this project and have any questions. You could make it now for next year. Or, print and save for whenever you’re ready to craft.
STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING REVISITED (STP)
In my January 25 posting, I shared with you my recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding, an iconic British dessert I discovered on a trip to Ireland several years ago. And when I say “my” recipe, I mean the recipe I found online at Mel’s Kitchen Café, one that I love to make and eat! It’s a delicious date cake smothered in toffee goodness.
I’m happy to report that blog reader, Tracy, gave STP a try and sent me pictures as proof! Tracy told me it wasn’t hard to make and thought it was, “like, the best thing I’ve ever made.” 😊 Her words are music to my ears! I’m grateful for the positive feedback and the pictures she sent along. Thanks, Tracy! By the way, she also wondered if it would be wrong to straight-up, just drink the toffee sauce. Of course not!
Great job, Tracy!! 😊
The sun is shining. The snow is melting. Is winter behind us? Maybe. Stay tuned. This is Michigan after all.
Take care and stay safe.
Bernie, just hanging in the library. (Photo cred to our CIDL Facebook page. Thank you!)