The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths - this time Ruth Galloway becomes involved in the discovery of six bodies buried near the sea. It looks like murder. Were they Germans trying to invade in WWII? This is my favorite so far of the series. I'm getting quite caught up in the character's lives.
3.5 stars
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The Swan Gondola by Timothy Shaffert - set in Omaha during the 1898 World's Fair, this is the story of a doomed love. A little too much mysticism for me and the author seemed to be trying a strange link to the Oz story. I actually put this down halfway through and almost didn't pick it up again.
2 stars
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A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert - a fictionalized account of the years Rose Wilder Lane spent revising and editing the Little House on the Prairie books for her mother. The author used Rose's journals and letters as her inspiration. It's also a story of the depression years.
3 stars
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The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman - an 8 year old makes a wish and her life is changed forever. Years later she's struck by lightning and her life takes another turn. A quite different book. Some sex.
3 stars
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The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North - Harry is a time traveler of a different sort, he lives the same life over and over and remembers his past lives. He gets a message from the future that the world is ending and must spend many of his lives figuring out what's going on.
5 stars
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Bone Deep by Randy Wayne White - Doc Ford is asked by a friend to track down some Indian artifacts perhaps being sold in Florida. Of course it's not as simple as that.
3 stars
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Destroyer Angel by Nevada Barr - the 17th Anna Pidgeon novel. It's been four years since the last and imo worth the wait. Anna is on vacation with her paraplegic friend and her daughter. With them are a designer of outdoor equipment and her daughter. While Anna is canoeing, armed men burst into camp and take the women hostage. It's up to Anna to save them.
4 stars
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The Crypt Thief by Mark Pryor - the second Hugo Marston book. He's the security chief at the American embassy in Paris. When and American tourist is killed in a cemetery, Hugo is called to investigate. Lots of action. Some language.
4 stars
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
April 13-19. 2014
The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths - once again Ruth Galloway finds herself involved in a decades old murder investigation. And now someone is threatening her life. Pretty exciting at the end and with a twist. I'm getting involved in the two main characters lives now and will try to read the 3rd in the series soon.
3 stars
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The Fiddler in the Subway by Gene Weingarten - a collection of articles written by a journalist for the Washington Post. It was interesting to see how sometimes his idea for an article took a completely different turn when he started investigating it. I had to skip the chapter about parents who accidentally left their children in hot cars.
3 stars
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Immoral by Brian Freeman - this was quite a twisty tale of two missing girls. Lots of surprises. However, the clinical and detailed sex scenes and other descriptions of personal details really were unnecessary and distracting. I had hoped this would be the start of a new series for me but I won't be continuing.
3 stars for the story
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Mistletoe Murder by Leslie Meier - the first (1991) in a long series of cozy mysteries featuring Lucy Stone. While working at Country Cousins, Lucy finds her boss dead in his car. Quite a lot of home life besides the mystery part but that's what makes it a cozy. I'll be reading more of these to offset my heavier reading.
3 stars
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Eleven Doctors, Eleven Stories by Eoin Colfer - actually, each story is written by a different author. The doctor is Doctor Who and each story is about all the different Doctors, starting with the first. Some were better than others and I enjoyed the ones about 9, 10, and 11 the best because those are the Doctors I know. Although this isn't advertised as a YA book, all the authors are YA.
3 stars
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Follow Her Home by Steph Cha - this author never met a metaphor she didn't like. At first I was drawn in by the mystery but the ending left me confused and irritated. I'm surprised this was published in book form - it read much more like a free ebook.
1 star
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The Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill - the 5th in the Simon Serrailler series, it takes some time before Simon makes an appearance. Prostitutes are being murdered and then other women go missing. Again quite a bit of family life going on.
3 stars
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The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss - a fantasy that takes forever to tell and then of course is part of a trilogy or more. Took me awhile to get through this as I kept putting it down. There seems to be a lot of nothing happening and then there will be a little action. And yet I will probably read the second book because I want to know how much more nothing there will be before we know what's going on. I'm wondering if the author knows since the third book was supposed to be published this year but it will be 2015 instead.
2 stars
3 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fiddler in the Subway by Gene Weingarten - a collection of articles written by a journalist for the Washington Post. It was interesting to see how sometimes his idea for an article took a completely different turn when he started investigating it. I had to skip the chapter about parents who accidentally left their children in hot cars.
3 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Immoral by Brian Freeman - this was quite a twisty tale of two missing girls. Lots of surprises. However, the clinical and detailed sex scenes and other descriptions of personal details really were unnecessary and distracting. I had hoped this would be the start of a new series for me but I won't be continuing.
3 stars for the story
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mistletoe Murder by Leslie Meier - the first (1991) in a long series of cozy mysteries featuring Lucy Stone. While working at Country Cousins, Lucy finds her boss dead in his car. Quite a lot of home life besides the mystery part but that's what makes it a cozy. I'll be reading more of these to offset my heavier reading.
3 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eleven Doctors, Eleven Stories by Eoin Colfer - actually, each story is written by a different author. The doctor is Doctor Who and each story is about all the different Doctors, starting with the first. Some were better than others and I enjoyed the ones about 9, 10, and 11 the best because those are the Doctors I know. Although this isn't advertised as a YA book, all the authors are YA.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Her Home by Steph Cha - this author never met a metaphor she didn't like. At first I was drawn in by the mystery but the ending left me confused and irritated. I'm surprised this was published in book form - it read much more like a free ebook.
1 star
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill - the 5th in the Simon Serrailler series, it takes some time before Simon makes an appearance. Prostitutes are being murdered and then other women go missing. Again quite a bit of family life going on.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss - a fantasy that takes forever to tell and then of course is part of a trilogy or more. Took me awhile to get through this as I kept putting it down. There seems to be a lot of nothing happening and then there will be a little action. And yet I will probably read the second book because I want to know how much more nothing there will be before we know what's going on. I'm wondering if the author knows since the third book was supposed to be published this year but it will be 2015 instead.
2 stars
Saturday, April 12, 2014
April 6 - 12, 2014
Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb - an Eve Dallas story. Bodies are found concealed in the wall of a building being demolished. This book was a little longer than normal and didn't seem quite as intense. It also seemed to be much more foul mouthed than previous books. There are of course the obligatory sex scenes that are easily skipped. I read these for the character development but I think the author is getting tired, this is the 38th in the series, and she also writes as Nora Roberts.
2 stars
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The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis - the beginning of a new series, published in 1998. Detective sergeant Wesley Peterson has transferred from London to Tradmouth and finds himself investigating a murder on his first day. As an amateur archaeologist, he's also interested in a dig his friend in doing in town where two bodies are found. I liked the characters and I'll continue the series.
3 stars
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Precious Thing by Colette McBeth - a news reporter is called to a missing person story and finds that is her best friend. Just when you think you know what's going on there's another twist. Just the kind of book I like.
5 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi - Boy runs from her abusive father and marries a man with a young daughter. When she has her own daughter she discovers her husband is a black man passing for white. The blurbs made this sound like the retelling of a fairy tale but I didn't really get that. I felt this book could have been so much more. Didn't really get it and really disliked the end.
2 stars
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The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill - another Simon Serailler novel. A gunman is killing young women who are either recently married or about to be. There's also a family crisis which is given at least as much time as the mystery.
3 stars
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52 Steps to Murder by Steve Demaree - a cozy mystery featuring two older, out of shape detectives. Lots of time going over and over the suspects but I was still surprised at the end. Not especially well written but because of the humor I gave it
3 stars
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Angel Fire by Lisa Unger - writer Lydia Strong is dreading the anniversary of her mother's murder when she begins to suspect there is a serial killer at work where she is now living. Lots of anguish and unrequited love. Didn't really care about the characters in this one.
2 stars
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The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin - the life of a widowed book seller is changed drastically when a baby is left in his store. Each chapter begins with a synopsis of a short story. Some language. I loved the way this was written.
5 stars
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The Armada Boy by Kate Ellis - a Wesley Peterson book that once again connects a murder in the present with bodies found at archeological digs. I was quite surprised at the outcome.
3 stars
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The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg - a woman's suicide is found to be murder. Many viewpoints and all mixed together instead of having a chapter to themselves. I was surprised by the murderer but there were too many competing storylines in this one.
2 stars
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Elaine's Circle:A Teacher, A Student, and One Unforgettable Year by Bob Katz - read this book after seeing it on a friend's blog. A true story of a boy with cancer and how his 4th grade class rallies around him due to the influence of their teacher. I didn't really care for the writing but liked the story.
3 stars
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America Through the Lens: Photographers Who Changed the Nation by Martin W. Sandler - another book found on a friend's blog. This is a YA book about different photographers who took photos of the country or of social ills. Interesting, and I think I'll do some more reading about some of them.
3 stars
2 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis - the beginning of a new series, published in 1998. Detective sergeant Wesley Peterson has transferred from London to Tradmouth and finds himself investigating a murder on his first day. As an amateur archaeologist, he's also interested in a dig his friend in doing in town where two bodies are found. I liked the characters and I'll continue the series.
3 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Precious Thing by Colette McBeth - a news reporter is called to a missing person story and finds that is her best friend. Just when you think you know what's going on there's another twist. Just the kind of book I like.
5 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi - Boy runs from her abusive father and marries a man with a young daughter. When she has her own daughter she discovers her husband is a black man passing for white. The blurbs made this sound like the retelling of a fairy tale but I didn't really get that. I felt this book could have been so much more. Didn't really get it and really disliked the end.
2 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill - another Simon Serailler novel. A gunman is killing young women who are either recently married or about to be. There's also a family crisis which is given at least as much time as the mystery.
3 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
52 Steps to Murder by Steve Demaree - a cozy mystery featuring two older, out of shape detectives. Lots of time going over and over the suspects but I was still surprised at the end. Not especially well written but because of the humor I gave it
3 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angel Fire by Lisa Unger - writer Lydia Strong is dreading the anniversary of her mother's murder when she begins to suspect there is a serial killer at work where she is now living. Lots of anguish and unrequited love. Didn't really care about the characters in this one.
2 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin - the life of a widowed book seller is changed drastically when a baby is left in his store. Each chapter begins with a synopsis of a short story. Some language. I loved the way this was written.
5 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Armada Boy by Kate Ellis - a Wesley Peterson book that once again connects a murder in the present with bodies found at archeological digs. I was quite surprised at the outcome.
3 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg - a woman's suicide is found to be murder. Many viewpoints and all mixed together instead of having a chapter to themselves. I was surprised by the murderer but there were too many competing storylines in this one.
2 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elaine's Circle:A Teacher, A Student, and One Unforgettable Year by Bob Katz - read this book after seeing it on a friend's blog. A true story of a boy with cancer and how his 4th grade class rallies around him due to the influence of their teacher. I didn't really care for the writing but liked the story.
3 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
America Through the Lens: Photographers Who Changed the Nation by Martin W. Sandler - another book found on a friend's blog. This is a YA book about different photographers who took photos of the country or of social ills. Interesting, and I think I'll do some more reading about some of them.
3 stars
Saturday, April 5, 2014
March 30 - April 5, 2014
Missing You by Harlan Coben - a police detective see the profile of her ex-fiancee on an online dating sight and then becomes caught up in a missing persons case that seems to be connected. She's also still looking into the murder of her father 18 years earlier. I was surprised by the final twist.
4 stars
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Oak Harbor by Peggy Christine Darst - an Images of America book, it's a pictorial look at the history of Oak Harbor, my home town. Mostly just captions under photographs, somewhat repetitious, but I enjoyed reading it. There might be one about your home town.
3 stars
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What's So Funny: My Hilarious Life by Tim Conway - I didn't find this as funny as I had hoped. Tim says it himself, he's more of a performance artist than a comedian. I did like the nice things he had to say about his parents and home town. I wonder if his first wife, the mother of his six children, would tell a different story.
2 stars
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e.e. cummings: a life by Susan Cheever - I didn't know much about Cummings before reading this book. I didn't really enjoy the author's writing, it was somewhat repetitious.
2 stars
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Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill - the third in the Simon Serrailler series. Since beginning this series I've learned that the author doesn't consider them mysteries so much as character studies. That makes the fact that some cases are not resolved more palatable. It also makes the series rather dark and sometimes Simon is not very sympathetic. I'm still continuing with the series for now.
3 stars
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Tough Without a Gun: The Life and Extraordinary Life of Humphrey Bogart by Stefan Kanfer - a fairly straight forward look at the actor. This is how I like biographies - start at the beginning and go straight through. The author does like to throw in big words once in awhile and uses the last chapter to give us his opinion on the current movie culture.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Savage Girl by Jean Zimmerman - a girl supposedly raised by wolves is "rescued" by a wealthy family and brought to New York. A series of grisly murders seem to follow her and the eldest son, who is telling the story, suspects the girl or himself.
4 stars
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By Its Cover by Donna Leon - a Commissario Brunetti mystery. Books have been vandalized and stolen from one of Venice's libraries. I always like the way Brunetti calmly goes about solving the mysteries while working in a corrupt political climate. I also enjoy the glimpses of his home life.
4 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Judgement of Caesar by Steven Saylor - Gordianus the Finder finds himself in Alexandria at the beginning of the Alexandrian War. His son is accused of the attempted murder of Caesar and/or Cleopatra. I always enjoy these imagined historical meetings.
3 stars
4 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oak Harbor by Peggy Christine Darst - an Images of America book, it's a pictorial look at the history of Oak Harbor, my home town. Mostly just captions under photographs, somewhat repetitious, but I enjoyed reading it. There might be one about your home town.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What's So Funny: My Hilarious Life by Tim Conway - I didn't find this as funny as I had hoped. Tim says it himself, he's more of a performance artist than a comedian. I did like the nice things he had to say about his parents and home town. I wonder if his first wife, the mother of his six children, would tell a different story.
2 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e.e. cummings: a life by Susan Cheever - I didn't know much about Cummings before reading this book. I didn't really enjoy the author's writing, it was somewhat repetitious.
2 stars
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill - the third in the Simon Serrailler series. Since beginning this series I've learned that the author doesn't consider them mysteries so much as character studies. That makes the fact that some cases are not resolved more palatable. It also makes the series rather dark and sometimes Simon is not very sympathetic. I'm still continuing with the series for now.
3 stars
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tough Without a Gun: The Life and Extraordinary Life of Humphrey Bogart by Stefan Kanfer - a fairly straight forward look at the actor. This is how I like biographies - start at the beginning and go straight through. The author does like to throw in big words once in awhile and uses the last chapter to give us his opinion on the current movie culture.
3 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Savage Girl by Jean Zimmerman - a girl supposedly raised by wolves is "rescued" by a wealthy family and brought to New York. A series of grisly murders seem to follow her and the eldest son, who is telling the story, suspects the girl or himself.
4 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Its Cover by Donna Leon - a Commissario Brunetti mystery. Books have been vandalized and stolen from one of Venice's libraries. I always like the way Brunetti calmly goes about solving the mysteries while working in a corrupt political climate. I also enjoy the glimpses of his home life.
4 stars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Judgement of Caesar by Steven Saylor - Gordianus the Finder finds himself in Alexandria at the beginning of the Alexandrian War. His son is accused of the attempted murder of Caesar and/or Cleopatra. I always enjoy these imagined historical meetings.
3 stars
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