Dust

Dust is the most recent mystery by Martha Grimes featuring her Scotland Yard Detective Richard Jury. I've been steadily reading my way through this series from the beginning (The Man With a Load of Mischief) and am sad that I've reached the end. Grimes has done an excellent job of developing her main characters, Jury and his eccentric sidekick Melrose Plant, along with a plethora of other colorful recurring characters. In this installment Jury is still reeling from being outsmarted by a psychopath he meets in The Old Wine Shades and is somewhat desperate to solve this latest mystery. It turns out his nemesis from the previous novel is able to lend him a hand. All in all, Grimes waves a complicated and challenging mystery that kept me guessing almost until the end. Now I'll have to wait impatiently for the next in the series like all of her other fans who followed this series for years.

Between The Tides

Between The Tides was a delightful read by Patti Callahan Henry about looking back on our past experiences as children and learning to accept and understand them from an adult perspective. Well, maybe I'm making it sound deeper than it really is. Catherine Leary returns to the home she knew for her first 12 years to scatter her father's ashes and discovers how the past that has shaped her adult life was not really as she remembered or perceived. She deals with the guilt from her childhood and in the process of forgiving herself finds the courage to find real love as and adult. I definitely recommend it.

Winter Study

Winter Study is Nevada Barr's 14th installment in the Anna Pigeon mystery series. It's been three years since her last novel. As always Barr really delivers on this mystery. Park Ranger Anna manages to escape near death not once but 3 times. January finds Anna back on Isle Royal, the site of one of her earlier adventures (A Superior Death). In winter the park is closed to the public and the site of a prestigious wolf study. It takes the book a while to get going. (I believe it was after page 100 before the first body shows up.) Once it starts moving it's not stop adrenaline until the end. I did not figure out the mystery until Anna spelled it out for me and it came as a surprise. The ending is a little different also and fizzles out a little. Certainly, not the best book in the series and by all means don't begin with this one if you haven't already read some others. I just wish these mysteries would come a little faster.

Christmas Letters

Christmas Letters is written by Debbie Macomber. She usually puts out a different Christmas book each year. I think this one is from a few years back. It was light reading following the last novel I read. I needed something light. The story is upbeat and has a predictable ending but a nice read overall.

Careless in Red

Careless in Red is the latest book by Elizabeth George. I think everyone who enjoyed her Thomas Lynley series anticipated this being another installment. However, this is far from the case. That aside it was a brilliant and well written mystery. Lynley and his partner Barbara Havers have only peripheral roles in this novel. Other characters are developed to such an extent you have to wonder if the author is starting a new series. At least one of the story lines in the book have so little to do with the actual murder investigation it could have been left out entirely without much notice. Because of these details the author leaves you guessing until nearly the end. I myself didn't figure out who the murderer was until page 563 and that was pretty much when all the pieces fell into place. I admit that I have missed Lynley somewhat but have survived by reading about Richard Jury, Martha Grimes Scotland Yard Detective. The one I really missed though was Havers. She is the most down-to-earth character I've ever read about and I can relate so well to her if not her life. I hope that the author is not going to abandon these well-loved characters.

Thorn in My Heart

Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs was recommended to me by the good folks at Amazon based on my love for the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. The story is set in the 17oo's of Lowland Scotland. It follows the story from the Bible of Jacob stealing his brother's birthright and fleeing to his uncle's home to find a wife. His uncle tricks him into marrying the older sister first in exchange for working for him for free. Of course nothing goes as planned for poor Jacob or our hero Jamie either and the story ventures a little from the original Bible story. The novel is filled with historically accurate details, language and descriptions of Scottish customs. The real story here is not of Jamie and his love for the younger sister, Rose (Rachel in the Bible) but of the older sister, Leana. It is Leana's pain I felt as the pages wound down and she turned to God with her sorrow of loving a man who did not love her in return. Although the story wore on in the beginning with its predictable story line in the end it was an enjoyable title. I will be glad to move onto something more compelling, however, and I'm not sure how quick I will be to pick up another book in this series.

O is for Outlaw

I believe that O is for Outlaw may be Sue Grafton's best Kinsey Millhone novel yet. In this installment we find out a little more about Kinsey's past and her first, brief marriage. The mystery is enthralling until the end. Of course, Kinsey finds herself as always in mortal peril but she survives to sleuth another day.

The Old Wine Shades

Oh how I love a good Martha Grimes, Richard Jury mystery. This installment was no exception as I breezed right through it as I could hardly put it down. The Old Wine Shades takes a different tack to Jury's traditional murder mysteries. Jury is on suspension resulting from actions in the previous novel. He is told a hardly believable story by a stranger in a bar and gets caught up by his on curiosity in the investigation. All is not as it appears, however, and Jury finds himself in a position to defend himself. Frustrating, though, Grimes leaves the situation unresolved. Of course, we know who did the deed, but Jury is unable to prove it and the novel ends. What?!? How can she (the author) do this to us. It was bad enough when Jury was shot at the end of one of her novels and left to die. Now we are left wondering if this case will ever be resolved. Well, I am still behind on this series so I guess I'll find the next installment so that I can find the answer.

A Bride Most Begrudging

I read Deeanne Gist's A Bride Most Begrudging this week. I breezed through it rather quickly. Normally I do not consider myself a big fan of historical fiction especially romance. When I do enjoy historical fiction I prefer that of the Colonial American time period. Although the romance of this novel followed a very predictable course the story was quite interesting. This book is listed as Christian fiction, however not of the "in the face" kind that turns so many people off. The characters faith plays a central role in their lives but is not the focus of the story. The focus of the story is Cassandra, a young English Lady, kidnapped and sold as a "tobacco bride" to a farmer in 1600's Virginia. Of course they resist falling in love and of course they inevitably do anyway. A good story and I will enjoy discovering more from this author.

Home to Harmony

I read Home to Harmony by Phillip Gulley. This is one of those bargain books my mother picked up and loaned me. Someone told her it was like the Jan Karon books but it isn't. It is about life in a small town but it is told more like a collection of humorous stories than an actual story. It has described as Keller-style writing and it is. It is humorous but uplifting but a little too simple for my taste. I did not find myself wanting to know more about the characters when I finished. I probably will not read anymore in this series. But if you were looking for a quick, light book this certainly fits the bill.

The Note

I finished The Note by Angela Hunt. This is the first book I've read by this author and I'm not encouraged to read more. The subject of the book was promising. After a plane crashes killing all aboard a note is found sealed in a plastic bag with a message of forgiveness from a father to his child. The heroine of our story, a news columnist, searches for the rightful recipient and along the way examines her own life. I didn't think the storyline was well-developed. I found the style and layout of the book challenging. The revelation at the end when our heroine realizes she is the one who needs to find forgiveness is offered in a shallow way without much detail. Other characters in the book are explored but then we are left wondering about them. I can't recommend this book at this time.

The Solomon Sisters Wise Up

The Solomon Sisters Wise Up by Melissa Senate was one of those short, humorous books I've noticed lately. It is about 3 sisters whose lives all take a turn at the same time and they end up sharing a bedroom in their father's apartment. While their clueless father goes about planning his wedding to his "child bride" the sisters reestablish their relationships with each other and pick up the pieces of their lives. I enjoyed the storyline. It was written in first-person which I particularly enjoy with each sister telling her story a chapter at a time. I have to say though that it had too many swear words and taking the Lord's name in vain for my taste. Why is this necessary? The author resides in New York where the book takes place. Do all people in New York speak this way? Do they not notice that the rest of the country does not use these offensive words in everyday speech? Last year I read Julia and Julia, also written by a New Yorker and it was almost impossible to read because of the language. For the same reason I had to stop watching the Sopranos. Maybe I'm a little old-fashioned but I did not see how this added to the story. In fact I think it subtracted from the quality of the story and I'm not going to be able to recommend it.

8 Sandpiper Way

The eighth installment of Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, 8 Sandpiper Way, was quite enjoyable. Each book is a unique story but with plenty of updates on the lives of all the Cedar Cove residents. The books are good for light reading. This story involves Pastor Dave and his wife Emily who up until now had only been on the fringes of the Cedar Cove stories. We also meet some new characters and uncover a mystery that I hope will be solved in the next novel. The book also seems to be leading up to Macomber's new novel A Cedar Cove Christmas which is due out next month.

The Grave Maurice

All of Martha Grimes novels in her Richard Jury series are named after pubs in England. That explains the odd names for the books but doesn't quite explain the odd names England has for its pubs. My latest read is The Grave Maurice. This is the 18th in the series and it got very poor reviews. It does take a very different approach then her usual books. Primarily, it is not a murder mystery as there is no murder to solve. There is an abduction which more or less solves itself. And people do die in this book but there is no need, really, for a detective to do any investigating to solve any mysteries. I think it is a necessary read if you are following the series but the book hardly stands on its own. There are a lot of interesting non-related events involving side-kick Melrose Plant but they are not part of the central story. The central story is somewhat hard to identify, however. Basically, the book flounders. It almost makes you wonder if someone else wrote it.

N is for Noose

Well, I breezed through Sue Grafton's N is for Noose. I've been steadily making my way through this series. I can't comment on this novel. If you are a fan of this series then you've probably read it anyway. If you haven't read it then unless you want to go back and start a A is for Alibi then there really is no reason to read this one. It was a typical story involving murder and mayhem in the life of PI Kinsey Millhone. (Why does she always end up with her life in jeopardy?) I'll be glad to start my next book.

Keeper of the Keys

Keeper of the Keys is a fairly new novel by Peri O'Shaughnessy who is best know for her murder-mystery series featuring attorney Nina Reilly. This mystery is unconnected to the Reilly series. It was a very compelling story and I enjoyed it. I felt however, like the ending fell flat. There was a lot of suspense propelling the story along. The ending, however, in my opinion just fizzled out. The reader is first led to believe that the character, Ray, has somehow murdered his wife and hidden any evidence. As the story goes along the reader gets to know Ray a little better and (gasp!) starts to like him and feel a little sorry for him. "Did he kill his wife? Or did she just walk out and not call even her parents for a week?" There is a lot of undercurrents in the book between all the characters and it does tie up nicely in the end without leaving unanswered questions. The next Nina Reilly novel is due out late this year. Show No Fear will take us back in time to Nina's first murder case. I will probably wait for it to show up in paperback.

The Spirit of Covington

This week I finished The Spirit of Covington by Joan Medlicott. This is the fourth installment of the Ladies of Covington series. (Have I been reading a lot of series lately, or what?) I love this series. I read the first one a number of years ago. The story is about 3 ladies in their late 60's & 70's widowed and alone who move in together in the small town of Covington and basically begin another life. They've all experienced heartache but they have so much life and love left to give. In this book their beloved farmhouse burns to the ground and while they are rebuilding they discover how much they need one another and the simple life they've built. Along the way we've met many other characters in this small North Carolina community. I grew up in a small town myself so I can relate to so much of this series. I have the next installment on my bookshelf waiting for me. The reading is light but refreshing and inspirational. I've read several books in a row that I would prefer to as 'light'. They provide sufficient entertainment but do not challenge the reader cognitively. It's time to delve into a more series mystery next.

Dakota Born

I finished the first book of the Dakota Trilogy by Debbie Macomber, Dakota Born. This book was first published a number of years ago and it does not have the same polish as Macomber's later novels. My favorite series by this author is the Cedar Cove Series. Dakota Born has a typical formula. The heroine, Lindsay, moves to the remote town of Buffalo Valley, North Dakota. She meets a man and they spend the entire book trying not to fall in love. The ending is predictable. That is not to say that it was not enjoyable. I will probably read through the rest of the trilogy. The story introduces a lot of characters and leaves you wondering how their lives turn out. Another series I've enjoyed by Debbie Macomber is the Blossom Street series.

gods in Alabama

I finished gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson. Although it was short, it was a surprisingly good read. It is a first novel by this author and came filled with praise by other authors. It is hard to describe the genre of this story. It is partly a Going Home tale, part mystery, part comedy. Being from Alabama myself I am very sensitive to stories about the Deep South. Often the people here are misrepresented. But Jackson did a good job capturing the spirit of the small rural town (fictional) society. I love the opening line of this book: "There are Gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus." I really enjoyed this story and will pass it on to others.

I had only one small problem with the book and it has worried me until I must talk about it here. Usually I overlook small editorial type errors but this was too much. The heroine, Arlene, is at her former home in the small town of Possett, Alabama. She gets out her boyfriend's laptop and logs on to the Internet to do a little research. Just like that. Is the author expecting us to believe that her Aunt and Uncle (who raised her) have wireless Internet way out in the sticks of Lower Alabama? It seems unlikely. But if you can overlook this small infraction, it is a great story.

The Winding Ways Quilt

I finished the Winding Ways Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. This is #12 in the Elm Creek Quilts Series. It is a light, short read. It was just what I needed - upbeat and refreshing. I've enjoyed this series immensely. It has made me want to learn to quilt, actually. Chiaverini has done a good job finding original ideas to continue the series without growing stagnant. This latest novel gives us a lot of background on some of the original characters which was previously unknown. It may be predictable sweet with a satisfying ending but sometimes it nice to have that without too much complication.

Stone Heart

I finished Stone Heart by Luanne Rice. When I purchased this book it looked like a new book by Rice but in fact within a few pages I realized I had already read it. I think it is a re-publish. It is clear from the reading that this is one of Rice's earlier works. Her writing style has evolved a lot since this novel. The novel addresses domestic abuse and is set in Connecticut like many of her novels. I thought it somewhat splotchy - the plot not as well developed as it could have been. Their is a lot of character development for the main character but the secondary characters are left somewhat one dimensional. The conclusion is also a little sketchy only implying the details which you long to read. If you plan to read every book Rice has written then certainly you shouldn't miss this one. But she has written so many other much better books. Among them I recommend: Dream Country, Dance with Me, Summer's Child and Beach Girls.

The Magician's Assistant

I just finished a delightful book, The Magician's Assitant by Ann Patchett. I'm not sure where I got this one. I found it on my bookshelf and it seemed to interesting. I started reading it waiting it in carline on Thursday afternoon. I finished it this afternoon. It is a compelling story of love and loss. Well, you can read the reviews yourself at the link above. The general plot though is of a woman discovering, after the death of her spouse, that he had a whole past life she never knew about. In this past and the family she discovers a way to handle her grief and move on with her life. It was a page turner. If I hadn't had to work all weekend I probably could of read it in one day. It reminded me pleasantly of The Time Traveler's Wife. The beginning was very depressing, I must warn you. But I couldn't put it down and the book does end happily if not very satisfactorily. (I didn't want it to end.)

Why I Read

When I have time I am going to go back and review a few more of the books I've read this year and maybe re post the book review posts from my other blog. Mostly, I am going to do this so I can save these posts for myself.

I have people all the time upon discovering the number of books I read in a year who seem shocked. They mutter things like, "I don't have time to read." Or, "I haven't finished a book in ten years that didn't rhyme." What I have to say to this is: You make time for what you want to make time for. In other words Reading is my Hobby. Some people collect things, play the piano, scrapbook (endlessly), play bunco, do crafts or (gasp!) exercise. I read. Last year I read over 70 books. The circumstances were unusual. For about 15 months I accepted a job where I spent most of my time sitting endlessly with little to do. I read a lot. This year like the years before last I will probably read around 50. Averaging about 1 book/week. Some books take less, a few take more.

I started writing down in list form the books I read in 2001 because my mom was doing it. I find this archiving very helpful in remembering what I've read and in looking for ideas of new things to read. But in the beginning I got a little obsessed with the listing. You see, I was noticing how much I read and then being the extreme 'A' type personality I am it became a contest to see how much I could read in a year. So the next year (2002) I didn't write any of the books down. By the beginning of 2003 I realized the usefulness of a list and began again only this time without numbering them. When I started blogging I found it very useful to record the books I was reading on my blog. Now I list the books I've read at a website called Goodreads.

I buy a lot of books and I save very few of them. I just don't have the room. I loan them out and give them away. I trade some on a website called Bookins. I try not to buy Hardcovers except from my favorite authors. I do borrow from the library but with my schedule and the location of our library it is not as convenient. My favorite book site is of course Amazon.com and I have been purchasing books from them since 1998. I know this because they have been kind enough to save all of my ordering history (another useful tool). I am a big fan of this website. Although, currently I am trying not to spend too much money on books I still use the site quite a lot. Nothing quite matches going into the book store and browsing (oh how wonderful they smell!) but most of the time I find a book I want to buy and I order it (it is cheaper that way).

So back to my hobby. When do I have time to read? I read every evening before bed. I read every day during my lunch break. (Did I mention that I have a full-time job?) I read while waiting. (While waiting at the doctor's office, for people to show anytime I'm meeting people, while waiting in carline, while waiting anywhere). I always have my book with me. Sometimes if a book is really good I might read instead of sleeping. I used to read for 30 minutes before going into work in the morning but circumstances have changed that.

I read because I enjoy it. I read for my personal entertainment. I do not read to improve my education or for enlightenment. I dislike reading non-fiction. If a book does not keep my attention in the first 100 pages I am not opposed to putting it down and starting another. I do not read books where the central plot is a love story (i.e. trashy romances with women half-clothed embracing hunks on the cover). I do not read horror stories as a general rule although I have read half a dozen of Stephen King's earlier books. I do not read science fiction (although I read a lot of these in my youth). I love legal thrillers and British murder mysteries and thrillers. A few years ago I got a hold of a list of the 100 best book or some such nonsense and shocked at the few books on the list I read I went back and read about 15 more of these. And I did find some surprises but also I reaffirmed my belief that I should read what I enjoy and not what some numchuck has decided should be on a 'best' list.

My favorite authors include: John Grisham, Nevada Barr, James Rollings, Lincoln Child, Maeve Binchy, Steve Martini, Douglas Preston, Matthew Reilly, David Baldacci, Elizabeth Berg, Michael Crichton.. well they just go on and on. I would be hard pressed to name my favorite book of all time but my favorite series is The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon.

M is for Malice

I finished M is for Malice by Sue Grafton. I'm working my way through this alphabet mysery series featuring PI Kinsey Millhone. I first read Q is for Quarry, another loan from my mother and then began at A is for Alibi. (As with most series it is best to start at the beginning.) These mysteries have gotten better as the letters progress. The stories are told in first person, a format I particularly enjoy. The books are a lighter read than the Richard Jury mysteries I last wrote about. I finished this one in only a few days.

The Blue Last

I've been reading my way through the Martha Grimes, Richard Jury Mysteries. I had not been a big mystery reader until a few years ago. I first read through all of the Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George. I often swap books back in forth with my mother and she gave me Winds of Change and I enjoyed it immensley but like any series it referred to events in previous books which I didn't understand. So off I went to start at the beginning. I'm up to #17, The Blue Last. (Although, I skipped #16 and need to go back before moving on.) The Blue Last tackles a mystery 55 years old brought back to the present with the recovery of bones from a London bomb site from WWII. Like many of Grimes mysteries although the mystery was solved at the end of the book many things were left dangling. In fact, I turned the last page with shock to realize the author had left me hanging (or lying on the ground in a pool of blood you might say). A trick I'm sure to entice her readers to eagerly anticipate the next novel and purchase it in hardaback. Of course, I am still not up to the present offerings so I could go right out and by the next book. But I'll wait a few days. I truely enjoy these Richard Jury mysteries. And although both Jury and Lynley (Elizabeth George) are Scotland Yard detectives the characters share little else in common. I would recommend anyone who hasn't yet delved into these books to go back and start at the beginning with The Man with a Load of Mischief. And in case you might wonder about the unusual titles, all of the novels are named for a pub that somehow figures into the story.

Edge of Winter

I finished Edge of Winter by Luanne Rice last week. This was a good 'beach read' and I did enjoy reading it while at the beach. I've read most of Luanne Rice's books. Some I've loved others have just been okay. Edge of Winter falls somewhere in the middle. Many of Rice's books take place on the East Coast - this one in Rhode Island. It's a light read with only a minimum of romance and a happy ending. If you aren't yet a fan of Rice I would recommend Firefly Beach or Safe Harbour to start.

First Post

I've been out of the blogging realm for several months now and not very active in the last year. I decided to abandon my old blog and try something new. I wanted to blog about the books I'm reading. I also thought about blogging about my diet but who wants to read about that? So here it is with no apologies. What I am reading and have read with constant ramblings.

Previous Book Blog Posts

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Books
I just finished reading Milk Glass Moon by Adriana Trigiani. This is the third book in the Big Stone Gap series. It was an interesting and quick read but not very satisfying. The book jumps forward in time months or years at a time with no warning. It's a lot like a photo album in the lives of the characters. You get the highlights but not the real meat of their story.I also read The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. Kidd is perhaps better known for The Secret Life of Bees (which I have not read). It is a wonderful story of a middle-aged woman trying to re-identify herself after her child has left home. Perhaps, she doesn't cope with these mid-life changes as you or I would but I believe she makes the right choices in the end.I'm still working my way through the Richard Jury Mysteries by Martha Grimes and have just finished The Case has Altered. This book was enjoyable, however, I realized after a few pages I had skipped the previous book. You really must read these in order to understand the evolution of the characters lives.I am averaging about a book a week this year which is a lot slower than last year. I have a lot of books on my shelf to read. Even though I am not blogging much anymore I will try to still do these book updates about once a month or so.Happy St Patrick's DayI enjoyed Clan of the Cave Bear so much last year that I read its sequel Valley of Horses by Jean M Auel. Although, not as good as the first one (it would be difficult to achieve that level of epic again) it was certainly a satisfying read.My one disappointment in the last month was The Collectors by David Baldacci. Baldacci used to be one of the authors I bought new in hardback but no longer. His recent efforts are just not worth that extra money. The Collectors is a sequel of sorts to The Camel Club and it is your typical government conspiracy type novel. The characters are entertaining but not very genuine.


Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Book Update
It looks like I am not reading near as much this year as I did in 2007. I think I read over 80 books last year. Mostly, the change is because of my change in job. I used to spend the better part of an hour each morning before work eating breakfast in my car and reading. I also spent a lot of time reading at my old job. Now I am much busier and do not have that hour in the morning. I miss it and I miss reading as much.I picked up the new John Grisham book, The Appeal last week and read it. You can read my other posts about Grisham books here and here. Because I have read every other book he has written I am glad I read this one, in the interest of completeness. But if you haven't read his other books, or you aren't a big fan, you might as well skip this one. Certainly, low on the list of his efforts. Another legal thriller of sorts which are his genre afterall. But enough is enough. Write something else, please. He has proven he can write other novels and I wish he would.The other books I've read recently do not seem worth commenting on with the exception of Northern Lights by Nora Roberts. Although Nora Roberts is probably best know for her romances she certainly knows how to spin other tales. This one was unique to me because it took place in Alaska. There's a little romance and there is a murder mystery which will keep you guessing until the end. It was very enjoyable.