February 2015 Book Report

By Rebecca M. Hale: How to Wash a Cat (2010)

                                    Nine Lives Last Forever (2010)

This is a delightful new series. Very breezy and light hearted. A woman inherits an antique store in San Francisco from her late uncle and relocates to the apartment above the store. Along with her cats Rupert and Isabella, she finds clues from her uncle about hidden treasures dealing with the Gold Rush period when San Francisco was new.

I love early California history, and there is plenty of it mixed in with the shenanigans that go on. These are the first two books in the series. I have the third one on my shelf to read next, and I think there are a couple more after that. Love it!

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

China to Me (1944) by Emily Hahn

Fascinating autobiography. Ms. Hahn was a reporter living in Japan-occupied Hong Kong during WWII. Great writing and very interesting story. I would really like to read more of her books if I can find them. This book doesn’t really have an ending, as she managed to get out of Hong Kong with her daughter before the actual end of the war. Her husband remained behind in a concentration camp.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The Hell-Cat and the King (1977) by Barbara Cartland

Usual love story, but I always enjoy them. And there is some early Brit history in this as well. Ms. Cartland always did her research. Princess Zenka is promised to the King of Karanya by Queen Victoria. Zenka doesn’t like the arrangement, but you do NOT disobey the Queen!

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Seven for a Secret (1992) by Victoria Holt

 I’ve read a LOT of Holt. They are usually so melodramatic I tend to lose interest and skip to the end. This one was different. It was one of the much later ones she wrote. Maybe she had gotten tired of melodrama. At any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and read it to the end and decided to keep it in my library. Frederica is penniless, but able to be tutored with the local rich girl. She falls in love with the older brother, but he has a dark secret. Then there are the odd spinster sisters. What is their secret?

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Suds in Your Eye (1942) by Mary Lasswell

OMG!! What a fun read! And great illustrations. This was the first of a series of books about 3 older ladies that decide to live together to save money. And these ladies were a REAL HOOT! They are what *I* aspire to be when I’m old(er). They come up with some real clever schemes to pinch those pennies while still being able to buy their beloved beer. And they REALLY love their beer!! I MUST find more of these books!