It's Monday! What are you reading? 7/9/2018

Hosted by: Book Date

This week I joined the 12th Annual Canadian Book Challenge.  We saw the new Jurassic World movie on Tuesday (I mostly liked it, but they hit quite a bit on the sad emotional stuff, and I didn't have quite enough raptor action, and I have mixed feelings about the ending).
I enjoyed the 4th of July parade Wednesday (despite the fact that it never really has floats anymore), but I did not enjoy the fireworks that have been turning the dogs into nervous and high-strung wrecks.

This week I finished reading:

Better Off Read (Bookmobile Mystery, Bk 1) by Nora Page - [My post] I had series doubts about this one for the first half.  But it looked adorable, and others seemed to enjoy it.  Thankfully, it picked up in the second half.

A is for Alibi (Kinsey Millhone, Bk 1) by Sue Grafton - [My post] Pretty enjoyable.  I look forward to continuing the series.

I'm currently reading:

In audio (on CD), I've been listening to Moby Dick by Herman Melville (read by Paul Boehmer).  Most recently, Ishmael has gone to select the vessel that he and Queequeg will be whaling on.  I actually do not not much about this story, despite it being a classic; though I'm still early on, everything in the story is new to me.

I started in print, From the Charred Remains (Lucy Campion Mystery, Bk 2) by Susanna Calkins.  I haven't gotten any further than last week because I was finishing some other books.


Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig - I've just barely started this, but the book discussion it is for is Tuesday.  Fortunately, I've taken Monday off so I should be able to focus on finishing it.

Up next:

Other books I have through the library (and may or may not get to) include:

No Cure for the Dead (Florence Nightingale Mystery, Bk 1) by Christine Trent
How to Fall in Love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush by Emmy Abrahamson
Eye of the Shoal : a Fish-watcher's Guide to Life, the Ocean and Everything by Helen Scales
Mary Flora Bell : The Horrific True Story Behind an Innocent Girl Serial Killer by Nancy A. Veysey and Ryan Becker
The Scroll of Kings (Lost Books, Bk 1) by Sarah Prineas

 

A is for Alibi

Title: A is for Alibi 

Author: Sue Grafton

Series: Kinsey Millhone, Bk 1

ISBN: 9781429901345

Obtained: Library ebook copy

Comments:

It took me awhile to finish this not because of the story, which I found interesting and enjoyed, but because of the format.  Until the day I finished it, I was pretty much only reading it when I could cram it in on the desk at work, which has been very busy lately.

Anyway, I did find myself noting some very small parts that were dated (primarily, the lack of cell phones meant Kinsey's job traveling from place to place left her using answering services and scrambling to keep up with any calls or clues she received in her investigation).  But overall the story seemed to age pretty well.

I has issue with the dog scenes.  I can't go into too much detail, but apparently Kinsey doesn't care for dogs - or at least large ones - and that bothered me.  The sex scenes startled me with their presence, but they were pretty brief, presumably because the main focus of these books isn't romance.

I look forward to starting B is for Burglar.  Perhaps that will be my next ebook, or perhaps I will wait for things to calm down.

It's Monday! What are you reading? 7/1/2018

Hosted by: Book Date

This week I finished reading:

Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash by Shia Su - I've posted my thoughts here (Zero Waste), but basically some was interesting and potentially useful and some is not currently likely.

The King of Bones and Ashes (Witches of New Orleans, Bk 1) by J. D. Horn - I was interested in the second book, and of course I have to read a series in order.  I suspect this is a necessity in this instance because there are a lot of characters to familiarize oneself with.  I've posted my thoughts here (King of Bones and Ashes), but I have mixed feelings.

A Murder at Rosamund's Gate (Lucy Campion Mystery, Bk 1) by Susanna Calkins - This was a re-read.  Still enjoyed, although the past 5 years have slightly changed my reaction.  My newest post is here (Murder at Rosamund's Gate Re-read) and my original is here (Murder at Rosamund's Gate).

I'm currently reading:


In ebook format, I've been reading A is for Alibi (A Kinsey Millhone Novel, Bk 1) by Sue Grafton.  I think I've made less progress this week than last.  I'm at about midway through this, and I'm going to have to just set down my print books and pick up my phone or Kindle, because otherwise this isn't happening.

In print, I've been reading Better Off Read (Bookmobile Mystery, Bk 1) by Nora Page.  I did get a little further, but then I left my book at home one workday (hence The King of Bones and Ashes) and in my car overnight another evening (hence the re-read of The Murder at Rosamund's Gate).

In audio (on CD), I've been listening to Moby Dick by Herman Melville.  Apparently I wanted to continue the sea theme that I started with Master and Commander.  Some parts are interesting or amusing, some parts I have to strain to keep focused or I miss chunks.  And some parts I think I need to pull my print copy (never read) off the shelf and check on what they actually said.  I'm currently in a sermon of "Jonah and the Great Fish" being given by some whaling sailor with a very different perspective than any I've heard before.

I started in print, From the Charred Remains (Lucy Campion Mystery, Bk 2) by Susanna Calkins.  Lucy has come across another murder (this time of a foreign man), but now she is in new circumstances, and several aspects of her life are in flux.

Up next:


It was my turn to select the book for one of my discussion groups.  After gathering the input of my fellow group members, I decided on Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig.  Now the discussion is approaching in a week and I haven't read it yet.


Other books I have through the library (and may or may not get to) include:

The Grey Bastards (Lot Lands, Bk 1) by Jonathan French
No Cure for the Dead (Florence Nightingale Mystery, Bk 1) by Christine Trent
How to Fall in Love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush by Emmy Abrahamson

It's Monday! What are you reading? 6/25/2018

Hosted by: Book Date

This week I finished:

The Hills Have Spies (Family Spies, Bk 1) by Mercedes Lackey - I've posted about this here.  Basically, it was a quick read that I enjoyed.  I look forward to more of Valdemar, this family, and Mercedes Lackey books in general.

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal - My post.  I enjoyed this, though I definitely enjoyed her Glamourist Histories series better.

Master and Commander (Aubrey/Maturin, Bk 1) by Patrick O'Brian and narrated by Simon Vance - I'll be posting on this later.  While there isn't much in the way of a plot (I agree, as this has been stated in several reviews I read), I enjoyed the characters and the atmosphere.  I intend to continue listening to this series.

I'm currently reading:


In ebook format, I've been reading A is for Alibi (A Kinsey Millhone Novel, Bk 1) by Sue Grafton.  This is my first time reading these, and I figure it is about time to start since the series is as done as it will be.  I'm still enjoying this one, but I haven't made much progress with it this past week.

In print, I've been reading (off and on) Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash by Shia Su. I haven't read any further this past week, as I've been focused on some of my other library books.

Also in print, I've started Better Off Read (Bookmobile Mystery, Bk 1) by Nora Page.  I've been slower about getting into it, but the mystery part has started, so hopefully it will pick up a little.

 

Up next:

In downloadable audio, I hope to get back into Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain and narrated by Käthe Mazur (which I had started some time ago and have left lingering lately).

I will be starting Moby Dick by Herman Melville and narrated by Paul Boehmer in book-on-CD format.  This is a monster of a book, but I've never read it and need to, so...

It's Monday! What are you reading? 6/18/2018

Hosted by: Book Date

This week I finished:

 Night of the Living Deed (A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery, Bk 1) by E.J. Copperman and The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables, Bk 1) by K.C. Tansley, both in print.

I've been meaning to read Night of the Living Deed (personal copy) for quite some time.  I read an enjoyed the first in E.J. Copperman's Asperger's Mystery series, The Question of the Missing Head in 2015, and I read the first two Double Feature Mysteries published under his Jeffrey Cohen name several years ago.  In any case, I enjoyed Night of the Living Deed, but I did have to put it down frequently as life took over.

I must have met this K.C. Tansley at some point - I had a bookmark for The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts - but I don't remember when.  I finally followed up and requested the title through Interlibrary Loan.  Once I started it, I zipped through the story.  It does have a bit of a cliffhanger, though the immediate issue is resolved.  Now I am waiting to read the second book in the series, The Girl Who Saved Ghosts.

Yesterday, I read Wicked and the Wallflower (The Bareknuckle Bastards, Bk 1) by Sarah MacLean, also in print. I managed to purchase a copy a little early after hearing Sarah MacLean speak.  I haven't read much romance lately, so I was looking forward to this.  I enjoyed the story, I look forward to more of the series, and to more romance over all.  This is definitely a genre I need more when things go crazy IRL.

I'm currently reading:


In ebook format, I've been reading A is for Alibi (A Kinsey Millhone Novel, Bk 1) by Sue Grafton.  This is my first time reading these, and I figure it is about time to start since the series is as done as it will be.  So far I'm enjoying the book, both for the actual story, and while catching the tidbits that date this book (originally published in the early 80s).

I've been listening (on CD) to Master and Commander (Aubrey-Maturin, Bk 1) by Patrick O'Brian and narrated by Simon Vance.  I was listening to an interview with Simon Vance, and this series came up.  He mentioned that it is OOP, with the official estate version being narrated by someone else.  However, he added that the version he narrated is potentially available at libraries.  I immediately looked into this and found this first book at my local library.  So far I am enjoying it.  Though much of the nautical terminology and description goes way over my head, I'm particularly finding the characters and their interactions with each other enjoyable.

In print, I've been reading (off and on) Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash by Shia Su.  I've rather gotten stuck in the recipes (for housecleaning and toiletry products), so I'm going to need to just push through.  Conservation/Environmentalism is a subject I'm generally interested in and would like to apply to my life, but perhaps I'm not quite on board enough to actually live the life demonstrated in this book.  We'll see how the second half goes.

Up next:

The Hills Have Spies (Family Spies, Bk 1) by Mercedes Lackey