should i buy Raj, the Bookstore Tiger [Paperback] reviews

Raj the marmalade cat has always been beloved by his owner, Felicity, and enjoys parading around Felicity's bookstore. Raj thinks he is a tiger, and relishes the attention from the children who frequent story time sessions until the arrival of a rival cat, Snowball. Snowball is a snooty cat with a mean streak, and plants doubts in Raj's mind as to his claims of being a tiger. Raj turns despondent and sad, causing Felicity to worry about him. The story eventually takes an interesting turn with a special intervention by Felicity. It is a cute story about a cat that learns to embrace its inner `tiger'. The charming illustrations and engaging text make this a fun book for young children. This is a perfect story for beginning readers or to be read aloud. It takes place in a perfect bookstore. Let's hope these bookstores don't all go the way of the dinosaur!
Raj, a beautiful, golden cat, lives in the attic with Felicity Fotheringham, the owner of the bookstore beneath their living space. He likes his life. He goes from chores to sunning himself in the glorious light of the sun in the front window of the shop. He is a happy cat but he thinks he is a TIGER!
During afternoon story time, Raj is at his happiest, greeting the children, and being equally attended to, and adored by them. To them, he is a little TIGER! Didn't he look like one, after all?
One day, his heavenly existence is shattered by the entrance of a new cat, with a nasty disposition. Felicity has invited her manager's cat, Snowball, to spend his days at the bookstore. He has not been getting along at home, with their other pet, a Labrador puppy dog.
Snowball is a bit of a bully. Raj, who always thought of himself as the bookstore tiger, is totally intimidated by Snowball, who heaves insults at him, and so Raj remains hidden during story hours and during the night he hides under a pillow. He no longer believes he is a tiger because of the things that Snowball said to him.
One night, Felicity reads a poem to Raj and that restores his confidence. He no longer runs from Snowball. He doesn't follow his orders either. When a video of a real tiger is viewed at the bookstore, Snowball runs away in fear but Raj believes in himself and struts around. Snowball tries once again to tell Raj he is not a tiger but Raj, instead, tells Snowball that there are tigers in books that look like him too. Soon they both do the chores together and become friends, each one feeling as important as the other. Now they are both tigers!
The tender illustrations add to the books enjoyment. The colorful, upbeat cover, invites you in to read. I invite all children to enter the bookstore and stay awhile. You will be glad you did. It is such a great feeling when you feel your best self. It's a fill you up happy state called high self-esteem. But there is nothing worse when it all of a sudden plummets. And why did it plummet? WHAM - you got knocked down by a put down. This is what happens in one of my new favorites Raj the Bookstore Tiger. Another cat named Snowball takes over his turf by using put-downs and bully behavior.

As an elementary school counselor, I see this happen in school ALL the time. A student arrives in the morning all cheery and ready to learn and then I see them at their last recess looking absolutely broken. Whoa. What happened? A lot of times it's negative comments or mean words they received at one point during their day from another student. Just like Raj they feel withdrawn and a bit hopeless... like they want to disappear. Any power they once felt they had - poof - it disappeared. Enter one of my favorite words - EMPOWER. Raj teaches kids to stand up for themselves, don't believe in the put-downs, and guard your self-esteem. You have the POWER to not allow your self-esteem to plummet in the first place. I get excited teaching kids this stuff!

Something else I liked about this story is how Snowball and Raj didn't remain enemies but they became friends. It didn't end with Snowball being condemned as the bully and Raj as the hero. It made them equal and showed the possibility of healing a situation even when a major hurt has been caused. Stories that bring characters together are ones I relish reading to kids. A charming book, warmly illustrated, about bullies, friendship, and the power of the stories we tell ourselves. A very positive message for kids (and adults), in a lovely bookstore setting. Raj the marmalade cat has always been beloved by his owner, Felicity, and enjoys parading around Felicity's bookstore. Raj thinks he is a tiger, and relishes the attention from the children who frequent story time sessions until the arrival of a rival cat, Snowball. Snowball is a snooty cat with a mean streak, and plants doubts in Raj's mind as to his claims of being a tiger. Raj turns despondent and sad, causing Felicity to worry about him. The story eventually takes an interesting turn with a special intervention by Felicity. It is a cute story about a cat that learns to embrace its inner `tiger'. The charming illustrations and engaging text make this a fun book for young children. This is a perfect story for beginning readers or to be read aloud. It takes place in a perfect bookstore. Let's hope these bookstores don't all go the way of the dinosaur!
Raj, a beautiful, golden cat, lives in the attic with Felicity Fotheringham, the owner of the bookstore beneath their living space. He likes his life. He goes from chores to sunning himself in the glorious light of the sun in the front window of the shop. He is a happy cat but he thinks he is a TIGER!
During afternoon story time, Raj is at his happiest, greeting the children, and being equally attended to, and adored by them. To them, he is a little TIGER! Didn't he look like one, after all?
One day, his heavenly existence is shattered by the entrance of a new cat, with a nasty disposition. Felicity has invited her manager's cat, Snowball, to spend his days at the bookstore. He has not been getting along at home, with their other pet, a Labrador puppy dog.
Snowball is a bit of a bully. Raj, who always thought of himself as the bookstore tiger, is totally intimidated by Snowball, who heaves insults at him, and so Raj remains hidden during story hours and during the night he hides under a pillow. He no longer believes he is a tiger because of the things that Snowball said to him.
One night, Felicity reads a poem to Raj and that restores his confidence. He no longer runs from Snowball. He doesn't follow his orders either. When a video of a real tiger is viewed at the bookstore, Snowball runs away in fear but Raj believes in himself and struts around. Snowball tries once again to tell Raj he is not a tiger but Raj, instead, tells Snowball that there are tigers in books that look like him too. Soon they both do the chores together and become friends, each one feeling as important as the other. Now they are both tigers!
The tender illustrations add to the books enjoyment. The colorful, upbeat cover, invites you in to read. I invite all children to enter the bookstore and stay awhile. You will be glad you did. This was a cute, fun book, but nothing really stood out about it. The illustrations are warm and soft, and sometimes funny - perfect for the target age group. I liked that the Indian names were just part of the story, not calling attention to "diversity" but accepting another culture as just part of life. The message was a tiny bit preachy, but I've seen much worse and, sadly, it's a message that still needs to be taught. I think this is the first Picnic Basket book I've reviewed that really fit with the age group it is intended for. It's a good length for reading aloud, but not too long to intimidate early independent readers. It is such a great feeling when you feel your best self. It's a fill you up happy state called high self-esteem. But there is nothing worse when it all of a sudden plummets. And why did it plummet? WHAM - you got knocked down by a put down. This is what happens in one of my new favorites Raj the Bookstore Tiger. Another cat named Snowball takes over his turf by using put-downs and bully behavior.

As an elementary school counselor, I see this happen in school ALL the time. A student arrives in the morning all cheery and ready to learn and then I see them at their last recess looking absolutely broken. Whoa. What happened? A lot of times it's negative comments or mean words they received at one point during their day from another student. Just like Raj they feel withdrawn and a bit hopeless... like they want to disappear. Any power they once felt they had - poof - it disappeared. Enter one of my favorite words - EMPOWER. Raj teaches kids to stand up for themselves, don't believe in the put-downs, and guard your self-esteem. You have the POWER to not allow your self-esteem to plummet in the first place. I get excited teaching kids this stuff!

Something else I liked about this story is how Snowball and Raj didn't remain enemies but they became friends. It didn't end with Snowball being condemned as the bully and Raj as the hero. It made them equal and showed the possibility of healing a situation even when a major hurt has been caused. Stories that bring characters together are ones I relish reading to kids.

should i buy Mind Over Murder reviews

Clara Quinn has recently returned from New York to her hometown of Finn's Harbor, Maine. She is reluctantly helping her close friend and cousin Stephanie Quinn Dowd with her bookstore. When you walk through the door, it's obvious "The Raven's Nest" isn't an ordinary bookstore. There is a stuffed raven perched on a light fixture, a life-sized figure of a fortune teller with her crystal ball, and colored crystals hanging from the ceiling. While the store does carry occult books, it also sells cookbooks, craft books, and classic literature. However, many of the town's residents, especially Ana Jordan, the vocal owner of a neighboring shop, focus only on the occult and want the store to be closed down. Clara, who has psychic abilities she tries to ignore, can't shake the feeling of dread she feels each time she goes into the store's backroom. The sense of foreboding Clara has been feeling is proven correct when Ana is found dead in the bookstore's storeroom, apparently killed by a bust of Edgar Allan Poe that had been sculpted by Stephanie's assistant Molly.

Clara and Stephanie are very different, but both likeable characters, good friends, and make a good team. I like the way the book is structured to tell part of the story from Clara's point of view and part from Stephanie's. This provides a better understanding of the feelings of both characters and insights into their friendship that wouldn't be possible with only one narrator.

There are many would-be suspects in the book, which keeps the reader guessing. I like the small-town setting of the book, which is contrasted to some of Clara's descriptions of her life in New York. While there isn't much doubt that Molly must be innocent of Ana's murder, she isn't the most likeable character, especially when she sulks and lies to Stephanie, the one person that is really standing behind her innocence. Although Molly gets some leeway due to her youth, her behavior doesn't make her the most sympathetic character.

I also like the way the author sets up Stephanie and Clara's involvement in the investigation, as well as Clara using the psychic gifts that she tries to deny. Since Molly is outspoken in her dislike of Ana, she becomes local police chief Dan Petersen's top suspect. When Dan doesn't seem to be doing much investigating, Stephanie convinces Clara that they are Molly's only hope. However, they soon discover they don't know the first thing about conducting a proper murder investigation. Since they aren't getting anywhere with their questions, Clara feels she has no choice but to use her psychic gift they call "The Quinn Sense". There is a big build-up throughout the book about Clara's gift of reading people's hidden thoughts and getting momentary glimpses into the future. It ends up a huge disappointment to the characters and the reader that when Clara finally agrees to use her gifts when talking to possible suspects, it doesn't do much good! The two young women desperately resort to a lame plan to set a trap for the murderer. I'm not sure which is more unbelievable, the plan itself or the fact it works, although not in the way the two cousins intended.

The small-town Maine setting of the book will appeal to fans of Ellery Adams' Books by the Bay series. While it doesn't have as many details about being a psychic, readers who enjoy Victoria Laurie may also want to give "Mind Over Murder" a try. The addition of more scenes with Clara using "The Quinn Sense" would add excitement to this promising new series. However, it is definitely worthy of 3 1/2 - 4 stars.

This review was originally written for the "Season for Romance" E-Zine. The book was provided to mI went to the store with a list of three books on it, all cozies. This was not one of them but cozy? bookstore? Touch of the paranormal? I couldn't resist!

Just wanted to read a couple of chapters. Finished within 24 hours of purchase so yeah, I guess you could say I liked it. Lots of good guys, lots of bad guys, sometimes they were the same. Love the relationship between the cousins and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

This is another great debut! Having ignored her psychic ability for so long, Clara is put to the test when her cousin's employee becomes the prime suspect in a recent murder. Sensing that she is innocent, Clara agrees to help Stephanie close the book on this killer. What a great read. This was a well-crafted tale that I could not put down, not even for a minute. The running conversation between the two cousins entertained me as they devise scenarios to catch a killer with surprising results. With a likeable cast, a small-town feel and a good mystery plot, I hope the doors stays open for this delightfully charming debut series.

MIND OVER MURDER is the first book in a new cozy mystery series set in the small coastal town of Finn's Harbor, Maine. Stephanie Quinn Dowd owns the local bookstore. Her cousin Clara Quinn has just moved back to town after living in New York City for many years. Stephanie convinces Clara to help out in the bookstore while she's getting reestablished in Finn's Harbor.

The peace and quiet of small town life that Clara was hoping for is very short lived. Ana Jordon, the shop owner next door, is found murdered in The Raven's Nest Bookstore's storeroom. Ana was a spiteful person with many enemies, but the prime suspect in the case is Molly, a longtime employee of the bookstore. Ana hated The Raven's Nest for selling occult books, and she wanted the store shut down. The day before the murder, there were many witnessess to a heated exchange between Molly and Ana, so the police and townspeople are pointing the finger at Molly.

Stephanie is convinced that Molly is innocent, and she wants Clara to prove it with a little help from her special "gift." Clara has what the family calls the "Quinn Sense," which is like a strong sixth sense, complete with voices in her mind. Unfortunately for Clara, her gift has always been very unreliable, and she's tried for a long time to shut it out. Though Clara doesn't want to get involved in amateur sleuthing, especially if it means using her gift, she just can't say no her cousin's plea for help.

There was much that I liked about this book. Clara and Stephanie work in a quaint Edgar Allen Poe-themed bookstore. The story is set in a picturesque coastal town in Maine. The Quinn Sense! I adore cozy mysteries with a touch of the paranormal, and I really liked the sixth sense approach, though it doesn't overwhelm the story. Another high point was Clara and Stephanie's relationship. They are cousins and lifelong best friends. I loved the dynamic between them. There's even a budding romance between Clara and the town's most sought after single guy.

MIND OVER MURDER is an enjoyable start to The Raven's Nest Bookstore series. It was well-written with plenty of possible suspects that kept me guessing. I think my only complaint is the way the Quinn cousins trapped the killer at the very end. It was a bit too simple. Yeah, it worked, but it was just too easy! I was expecting something different. Still, I loved the book and devoured it in a few hours. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.From the delightful cover, to the well drawn characters and book store setting, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. What a nice start to a cozy new series. Looking forward to reading more about Clara and her "Quinn Sense" in the next installment! People...do NOT buy this book...I wish I hadn't ! What a waste of $7....I feel like l should demand my money back from the author or publisher. Where to start with what is wrong with this book ? I can not name one redeeming thing about it. Perhaps....well, I like the name of the bookstore. Too bad the characters were SO poorly written !! As others have said...the protagonist was spineless and wishy-washy, her cousin "Steffie" was a narcissistic brat who must hate her husband to treat him so poorly, and the way the bookstore is run ? Who the hell runs a business like that ? As someone else wrote...the constant "Quinn Sense" references made me want to vomit....PLEASE...WE GET IT ALREADY !! I wonder about the reviewers who gave it 5 stars....REALLY ?? If I could give it NO stars I would...but Amazon won't let you do that. I will not waste my precious time reading anything more in this series, or by this author. Perhaps she needs some writing classes ?? I wonder too...how the hell did this even get published ? Ok, now that I've vented...I feel better :D
I must confess. I picked up this book when I was the Edgar Allen Poe bust and the ravens on the cover. I love Edgar Allen Poe. Stephanie, the main owner of the store Raven's Nest, is also a lover of Edgar Allen Poe. That was my initial reason for buying it. And I desperately needed a mystery to read. I must admit, I was a little bit sad that the author didn't bring a lot of Poe into the story like I thought she would. In the first few chapters, we get Clara's observations of seeing a lot of stuffed ravens placed throughout book shelves. And the murder weapon was the Edgar Allen Poe bust. But other than that, there's no references to his work or Stephanie's love of him.

Our two cousins, Stephanie and Clara have such a great relationship. I do feel the author really worked on it and can't help but feel that she might have a cousin who she thinks of as her best friend. It was very realistic. Clara just moved back to her hometown after living in New York. She is a very guarded character and right away I noticed that she has trust issues, which led me to believe while I was reading this, that some guy broke her heart betrayed her trust. To add to her vulnerability, Clara has inherited "The Quinn Sense," a family paranormal gift that allows her to get into people's heads. Unfortunately for her, she has done so well as blocking it out to be noraml, that when she needs it the most, it tends to let her down.

Our next cousin, Stephanie is quite the woman. Owner of the Raven's Nest and married with children, she's practically doing two full time jobs. There are times that I feel like she is a "trapped" woman when she talks about her husband and how he might not understand. It put a bit of a damper on things at times and I felt like it wasn't entirely justified. For instance, she doesn't want to let her husband know that she and Clara are taking the case into their own hands and trying to figure out who the real killer is. Understandably, most husbands don't want their spouses in danger, but the author seemed to imply that George was controlling? Maybe. I feel like the author didn't give enough on the marriage and led to a bit of confusion.

My one big problem with this book, unfortunately, I dont' even know how to explain. As I've mentioned, Clara has this "Quinn Sense" and she hates it. I get it. But I don't need to hear the "woe is me" ever single time Stephanie brings it up, or when Clara can sense it coming. It may be the phrasing, because almost every time, the author chose the phrase "And there it was" or "the dreaded words" or something along that line. I am probably just-nit picking, but it really irked me every time I read it.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Mystery with a bit of paranormal set in a cozy town on the Maine coast, will leave you craving for more in this series. And if you're like me, will definitely want to get a couple of lobster rolls to enjoy. This could have been a great little book. Ok, the premise - small town gal returns home after 10 years in New York and helps out her BFF/Cousin in the cousin's book store, is old hat, but it's still possible to make it new and interesting. Unfortunately, the main characters are dull, boring, wimpy and not very likeable. Supposedly, Clara (returnee from NY) has the "Quinn Gift", which is psychic abilities. Of course, she's avoided using this "gift" for years. But now that there's a murder, the bookstore owning cousin keeps yipping at Clara to use the "Quinn Gift" to solve the murder. Very annoying - I almost started a drinking game where I'd have a sip of wine every time the cuz started in again about the "Quinn Gift". Good thing I didn't or I'd be horribly hung over.

The only interesting character is Roberta, the man-eating cougar who takes over the stationary shop next to the bookstore. She actually seemed like a real person.

The plot is predictable and you can see the murderer coming from a mile away.

Like I said, this COULD have been an interesting read. As it was, I had to force myself to finish the book. I won't be pursuing this series.

should i buy FabJob Guide to Become a Bookstore Owner reviews

Author Grace Jasmine has spent the past 15 years working directly with bookstore owners and publishers. To write this book, she picked the brains of who is who in the bookselling industry. The experts who share insider advice in this powerful how-to guide include Oren J. Teicher, Chief Operating Officer of the American Booksellers Association, Suzanne Brooks, President of the Canadian Booksellers Association, plus a dozen other book industry professionals and bookstore owners. This reads like an adaptation of boilerplate content for a generic start-your-own business or imageine-your-future guide. It's part of a series on various dream-business topics, so that's probably exactly what it is. There are useful resources mentioned, but it's not specific and detailed enough, and you'll need to find the free listservs for bookstore owners and lurk there to learn the nitty gritty. What's the minimum square footage for a successful used bookstore, for instance? Instead, it includes too much commonsense info such as a "tip" telling you that you can find the copyright date of a book on the back of one of the title page. Geez! Anybody interested in books would know that. And makeup as a suggested sideline product in a bookstore?! Still, if you're just starting to do serious research into this business, it's the least expensive and most readily available book available as of this writing 9/2005. The best ones are either out of print, so hard to find and pricey, and the ones from the bookseller trade associations would be better to buy only after you know the realities of how costly it is and profitable it isn't to start any kind of bookstore. They're expensive. Go to one of the annual Book Expos and start your research there when you're really serious. (This book doesn't mention that invaluable resource, other than vague recommendations to attend trade shows.) My guess is that the author knows her stuff but was hamstrung by the publisher's constrained format requirements. I have been thinking about opening a bookstore for years and I really enjoyed this book. The information was very important to me in my process of getting started. The book covers not only the basics (which I definitely needed) but gave me a lot of industry information that I was having trouble finding. I liked the quotes from booksellers. It looks like the author really did a lot of research to put this together. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about opening a bookstore! It has been my dream to open up a bookstore for years. So, I decided to research it. I purchased this book and my copy is marked up completely. It contains my notes, sticky papers and more. It gave me valuable research that I feel would have taken me at least a year to obtain on my own. In addition, alot of her research is research you cannot get on-line. The reason is because it includes interviews she conducted with bookstore owners asking about their experiences of being a store owner, resources, ideas and more. It is crystal clear to me that a great deal of time and research went into putting this book together. As an author myself, I personally know how time consuming research can be in writing a book. So, Trust me, this book will be worth every penny! A decent overview of the independent bookstore business. The book provides plenty of checklists, general rules of thumb, business plan information, issues and challenges. The book itself is relatively basic, and I wish it dove into more specifics on the details of the business itself. Many of the checklists and advice are good for ANY business - but I was hoping for more bookstore specific information and checklists. If you are thinking of getting in the business and have limited business and bookstore exerience, this might be a good reference. i'm still hangin with what i have planning before which is open a bookstore. about this book, it's really suitable for those who have cash in hand to become a bookstore owner, for those who just plan you better generate your cash first before go through this book. If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to assist you with opening up your own bookstore, then this is the book for you! Being a first time business owner, I had no idea of where to begin. I struggle for over two months just trying to do the research to get started. Then I came upon this book and within hours of reading it, I had a clear road map to start my own business. Now I'm not saying it made things easier. There is still a lot of hard work that goes into opening your own business. But it does make the initial starting point clearer. It has been my dream to open up a bookstore for years. So, I decided to research it. I purchased this book and my copy is marked up completely. It contains my notes, sticky papers and more. It gave me valuable research that I feel would have taken me at least a year to obtain on my own. In addition, alot of her research is research you cannot get on-line. The reason is because it includes interviews she conducted with bookstore owners asking about their experiences of being a store owner, resources, ideas and more. It is crystal clear to me that a great deal of time and research went into putting this book together. As an author myself, I personally know how time consuming research can be in writing a book. So, Trust me, this book will be worth every penny! I have been thinking about opening a bookstore for years and I really enjoyed this book. The information was very important to me in my process of getting started. The book covers not only the basics (which I definitely needed) but gave me a lot of industry information that I was having trouble finding. I liked the quotes from booksellers. It looks like the author really did a lot of research to put this together. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about opening a bookstore!

should i buy A Novel Bookstore [Paperback] reviews

The founding of a unique Paris bookstore triggers jealousies and threats in Cossé's intriguing follow-up to The Corner of the Veil (1999). Former comic-book seller Ivan "Van" Georg and stylish Francesca Aldo-Valbelli team to establish the Good Novel, a bookshop that will stock only masterpieces in fiction, which are selected by a secret committee of writers. At first, the warm welcome of the bookstore results in soaring sales. Then attacks in the press, the opening of rival bookstores, and attempts against the lives of committee members by persons unknown sour the atmosphere for the Good Novel's community of readers and writers. Cossé poignantly depicts characters who have turned to literature for solace against the pain in their lives, creates ongoing speculation as to the shadowy first-person narrator, and furnishes sly commentary about gatekeeping in the literary world. Though purists may be disappointed with the solution to the mystery, there's plenty of food for thought.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

*Starred Review* Ivan and Francesca’s idea of bliss is a bookshop selling only the finest literature: time-honored treasures as well as overlooked masterpieces, little gems, and innovative new publications. Their dream becomes reality when they open their own shop, The Good Novel, in a fine but unpretentious Paris arrondissement. Their inventory is comprised of recommendations from eight respected authors, an anonymous committee who submit lists of their 600 favorite books. With quiet fanfare, the store opens and immediately achieves great success. Notice is then taken by the mainstream press: Who are these elitists, and how dare they tell everyone what to read? Mayhem ensues. The blogosphere erupts; the Internet roils. Erstwhile competitors spring up overnight, pandering to pedestrian tastes and trumpeting their pseudoegalitarian ideals. Ivan and Francesca stoically try to take it in stride until three of their nominating committee members fall victim to near-fatal accidents. Enveloping this diabolical mystery in a delicate love story, Cossé crafts a luscious paean to bibliophilia, gracefully translated from the French by Anderson. Wry, sly, and coyly seditious, Cossé’s piquant satire is a subtly wrought manifesto against blatant consumer manipulation and media malfeasance. --Carol Haggas Probably every lover of literary fiction has had a fantasy about creating or finding the ideal bookstore, and the main characters in this novel by Laurence Cosse have created just such a bookstore. Ivan (Van) Georg, who manages a shop called The Good Novel, and Francesca Aldo-Valbelli, the heiress who is supporting it financially, have committed themselves to a shop which is not "an ordinary bookstore...[and] our customers [are not] ordinary customers." A committee of eight writers representing different styles of novels selects the books for the shop, each member having a pen name so that no one, not even other committee members, knows their identities, and the book owners stock the shop with these "good" books. With a choice Parisian location near the famed Odeon Theatre, the shop opens to customers in August. The shop is mobbed from the outset. By Christmas, the shop is a huge success.

But success has come at a price. Large numbers of new customers have ordered pop novels, then failed to pick them up, leaving the shop to pay for them. Nasty comments appear on their internet forum, and a seemingly organized attack is mounted in the press, with accusations of elitism taking up whole pages, At one point the shop is described as a "totalitarian undertaking," an attempt by a small group of elite to control the reading done by the public. Fascist accusations result. Ugly posters are plastered all over town, and demands are made that the shop's financial backer be unmasked. Lawsuits are initiated.

Eventually, three attempts to murder members of the secret selection committee, described in the opening pages of the novel, involve the police. Throughout the attacks, both physical and in print, the author raises questions of who benefits from the destruction of one small bookstore and its people. Resentful owners of other bookstores? A general public insulted by the shop's cultural snobbery? Publishers of new novels which have not "made the cut" for inclusion at the shop? A cabal of disaffected authors whose books are not carried by the shop? Soon the attacks begin to take their toll.

A combination of mystery, fantasy, philosophical analysis, and economic treatise on the book industry, A Novel Bookstore raises interesting questions within a unique story. The novel does have its problems, however. A love story involving manager Van and Anis, a wispy and only vaguely attentive young woman, is unsatisfying, and the mystery is not well integrated. The attempts at murder described in the beginning of the novel gain little attention for most of the novel as the ins and outs of book shop business and publishing dominate the "action." In fact, some of the most interesting sections of the novel are those related to the decisions of what books to include on the shelves. Though the novel is obviously fiction, some readers will feel that the plot line and its consequences lack enough realism to provide the reader with significant new understandings of the real "book world." Mary Whipple I loved the concept of this book, but in the end found it a little dull to read. And without a working knowledge of French novels, so many of the references blew right past me. I'm sure that if you were familiar with all of the book titles and authors they reference, it was a richer read (I did like it when I recognized something, and found it an interesting comment on the definition of "good"). But the suspense part of the story wasn't that well constructed -- a villain who pretty much comes out of nowhere? And it wasn't that hard to figure out who the narrator was, though I suspect that was supposed to be a surprise. And the love story was not very satisfying. In summary: I felt like this book was trying to be too many things at once, and only succeeded at one of those things (taking a stand for the idea that some art/literature is just better than other art/literature - there is no need to celebrate all of it equally; popularity is not an effective guide to "good;" promotion often goes to the marginal; commercial interests can kill good art and those who support it). These are important ideas, and the book did a great job at constructing a way to present them. Unfortunately for me as a reader, it succeeded at making the intellectual theme work, but left the more emotional themes to be less well-developed.

Do you stand reading in bookstores until you realize you are now late, and the book is half done? Do you find yourself scanning friends' bookshelves surreptitiously, while nodding at small talk? Do you think some books are better than others? If so, you will probably enjoy this book as much as I did. However, if you think there is no such thing as a "great book" or are a publisher or mega-chain bookstore owner, you probably won't.

Although this book contains within it a mystery, a couple of love stories, and a bit of otherworldly Chagallishness, mostly it is about people who love books. The catch is that these people don't love just any books, they love good books. Often today's culture celebrates diversity by saying everything is equally good. The consumer should decide for his or her self. Differences in quality are minimized, hidden, or ignored for fear of the e-word: elitism.

A Novel Bookstore explores this concept in the world of book publishing, selling, and reviewing. Fed up with the mediocrity and sameness of the mega-bookstores, and even many smaller ones, Ivan and Francesca decide to open the ideal bookstore: one which carries only "good" novels. We are led through their entire planning process. Novels or all fiction? Just classics or also newly released? Only new copies or also used? And above all, who will decide? The bookstore opens with a flourish and attracts both serious readers and the attention of those who stand to lose if some books are deemed better than others.

I found the beginning of the book delightful: a celebration of literature wrapped in a fun mystery-love story. But somewhere in the last third, I began to feel as though the author had lost her way. A narrative voice appears from nowhere and is a distraction, the mystery comes bogged down and is never resolved, and the theme of discernment in literature turns to an inditement of large publishers, booksellers, critics, and book prize judges in general. But despite a less than optimal ending, I found the book fun to read and a reminder that it is okay to say, "This is a good book, and this one is not."