Book Math

Too many books read + not enough time to write =

A photo of the stack I've read and no real reviews.

However...

although I'd definitely recommend them all, read

Daisy Jones and the Six NOW.  Also, loved 

The Alice Network and Next Year in Havana.

That is all. 

TBC

Everything from A to...Y

A is for Alibi to Y is for Yesterday

by Sue Grafton

(With Kinsey and Me thrown in for good measure)

Beginning in 1982, with the last book published in 2017, Sue Grafton created a brilliant detective and a fantastic series. Reading all of the books in a short period of time and in order truly shines a light on her genius.  She died before Z, and I will miss her. 

I Will Remember You...

If I write it down.  

Just posting the books I've read lately so I can remember what I read!

Not a ton of commentary this round.

The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear

Just received in the mail Wednesday and finished last night.

Favorite author and character.

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton

Another favorite!!  Love everything she's written.

Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich

Another great read to keep us laughing:)

The Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny

Inspector Gamache does it again.  

Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford

A classic English comedy...parts are still relevant today and parts no longer hold up, 

but still enjoyed  her prose.

The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley

Oh my heart, I love Flavia and Alan Bradley.

The Very Principled Maggie Mayfield by Kathy Cooperman

A fun story set in my hometown by a local author:)

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

Another moldy oldie...Rosemary Quiros, you would love this one!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Pure genius.  Everyone should read this book.  

Until next time...TBC

Just One More

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

I knew nothing about the history between Korea and Japan, until now.  The story of three generations of Korean immigrants in Japan, history comes alive through her amazing characters.  Most of the people I know are far removed from this sort of struggle, which continues today.  It is fascinating and humbling, and I was very sad to come to the end of this book.  Read soon!!

Doing All the Things Before Christmas

Which includes cleaning off my desk.
Here are a few for you:

Lethal White by Robert Galbraith

Love this series, and Lethal White is the best yet.  Devour this,
or start at the beginning with Cuckoo's Calling, because the characters
get better with each book.  (Also, if you haven't heard, this is J K Rowling's pen name!)



A Sue Grafton Binge

She is the reason I love detective/mysteries so much.  We will never see a "Z is for...", but we can always start over at A is for Alibi.  I did just that, reading the first seven books in less than a week.  Then I had murder and kidnapping nightmares.  (For real!) The moral of the story is:  too much of a good thing is just that.  Will be reading the rest of the alphabet more leisurely:)



The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith

A gentle reminder that good will triumph over evil, even in politics.
My favorite of all his series, Smith never disappoints.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2019 to All!!! TBC

The Readymade Thief

The Readymade Thief by Augustus Rose

 An unlikely but likable heroine betrayed by family and friends, the creepy secret society pursuing her, and Marcel Duchamp's most famous piece of art (see below) all converge in a story that will keep you riveted until the last page. 

 The Readymade Thief is completely original from start to finish, and I highly recommend it.

The artwork is The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even by Marcel Duchamp.  It is a VERY abstract sculpture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and I found it helpful to refer to a site the author recommended in his acknowledgements:

www.understandingduchamp.com

Scroll horizontally down the timeline to 1923 for an explanation and animation of the work.

CSRB

Can't Stop Reading Books.

Problem?  I think not!!

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Proof that mean girls (and boys!) are nothing new.

Murder at the Grand Raj Palace by Vaseem Khan

The newest in one of my favorite series. Love them all:)

The Wilding Sisters by Eve Chase

A fifty-year-old mystery in a haunted English manor house? 

Yes, please!

The Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Elia MacNeal

Shades of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None all wrapped up 

in a tale of WWII espionage.  What more can one want?

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Read all seven, again.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

Fantastic beach read. Or by-the-fire-in-the-fall read. Just read.

Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush

Beautiful, funny and touching.

Little Women by Louisa M. Alcott

True confession:  first time I've read the whole thing. 

150 years old and still rings true.

A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life

The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

Harry Potter meets Vampire Diaries. 

I bought the first book at the airport two weeks ago 

and finished the third last night. Don't start reading if your calendar is full.

Murder in Venice and A Christmas Case

both by L. B. Hathaway

More from the world of Posie Parker, one of my favorite fictional detectives.

The Man Who Couldn't Miss by David Handler

Hollywood Ghostwriter Stewart Hoag is back with basset hound Lulu by his side.

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

A modern Sherlock Holmes story by one terrific author.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

A beautifully told post-Civil War story of an elderly War Veteran and the ten-year-old girl he must return to her family in San Antonio after she was kidnapped by and then rescued from the Kiowas. 

A National Book Award finalist.

A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell

Will make you think twice about saying "yes" to friends.

The Mystery of Three Quarters by Sophie Hannah

The new Hercule Poirot mystery written by Hannah but sanctioned by Agatha Christie Ltd.

Long live Hercule Poirot!!

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

White picket fences do not the perfect family make.  

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan 

How one person can make a huge difference. Based on a true story of heroism in Italy during WWII. Fascinating, heartbreaking and humbling. Also, now I want to go to the Italian Alps.

About My Mother by Peggy Rowe

The mother of Mike Rowe, Peggy couldn't be anything but funny, and this book is a riot!! Self-published but promoted by Mike, the first run quickly sold out on Ebay, was picked up by a publisher and proceeded to "break" Amazon.  I believe you can still pre-order copies on B & N.

Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton

Such a bittersweet treat to read Sue Grafton's final book.  I couldn't put it off any longer, and I will miss her writing so much.  I may have to start again at A...

Until next time...TBC