I’m just back from a short vacation trip to northern Indiana and southern Michigan. I don’t know about you, but I seldom read much on vacation. I spend time with family or friends, and enjoy talking with them, rather than reading. Now that I’m back, I’m reading several books. I bought a juvenile novel that is terrific so far. The Lost Books: The Scroll of Kings is the first in a new series by Sarah Prineas. How could I resist a series about an apprentice librarian?
Here’s the editorial summary.
“In this lively middle grade fantasy, the start to a new series, an apprentice librarian discovers the true hazards of his chosen profession when he steals his deceased master’s identity and takes up the position of royal librarian, despite his lacking age, experience, and proper qualifications. Even so, 15-year-old Alex is determined to prove his abilities, and to discover just why the libraries are kept under lock and key and his fellow librarians are all elderly, secretive, and dying mysteriously. When he learns that certain books are actually alive, malicious, and fatal to the unwary reader, he enlists the aid of his new queen, Kenneret, and her headstrong, dyslexic brother, Charleren, to stop this plague of murderous manuscripts before the kingdom falls to an unexpected threat. Alex and his new allies experience a delightful level of conflict and chemistry in a setting ripe for future exploration.”
And, here’s the bookstore where I bought it. It’s Forever Books in St. Joseph, Michigan.
So, what are you reading this week? Let us know what you’re reading or listening to, please.
Michael Chabon, POPS: Fatherhood in Pieces. A short, fast read. The centerpiece is his story about taking his extremely fashion conscious 13 year old son to Paris Men's Fashion Week. Very interesting.
If you reviewed this one I guess I missed it: the latest collection of stories edited by Martin Edwards, FOREIGN BODIES. It's similar to his other British Library collections, only this is entirely stories translated from foreign languages.
Anton Chekhov, A NIGHT IN THE CEMETERY and Other Stories.
Jodi Taylor, A TRAIL THROUGH TIME: The Chronicles of St. Mary's.
It's a busy and hot week, so I'm not getting as much reading done as last week, plus we're going away to Connecticut for a couple of days away with cousins tomorrow.
I got through a few books since it’s been too hot to do much outside.
BRIEF CASES by Jim Butcher. Even though I’d read a few of the stories before I enjoyed it. My favorite stories were the Bigfoot Irwin ones.
I didn’t enjoy MURDER WITH CINNAMON SCONES by Karen Rose Smith as much as I did the first book in the series.
I also read DEATH AND A POT OF CHOWDER by Cornelia Kidd, the first book in a new mystery series set in Maine.
I shipped 85+/- books back from ALA in New Orleans. (Mind you, I hadn't finished all the ARCs from ALA Midwinter. ) I know it's only July but I have found the best book of 2018: Virgil Wander, by Leif Enger. He spoke at two author events at the conference. The book will be published October 2. It is wonderful! [Small town, northern Minnesota; Jon Hassler w/o Catholicism, Anne Tyler w/o dysfunction; Garrison Keillor w/o self-awareness.]
An upcoming cozy for you, Lesa: a new Hoagy mystery by David Handler, The Man Who Couldn't Miss. It was fun!
I'm nearly finished with The Word is Murder, by Anthony Horowitz. (It's an ARC but publication was mid-June.)
Not sure what will come to the top of the pile next . . .
No, I didn't read that Martin Edwards collection, Jeff, so you didn't miss my comments. Michael Chabon's book sounds interesting, though. Enjoy your getaway!
I haven't gotten any further in Jim Butcher's book, Sandy, so I haven't read the Bigfoot stories yet. Good to know you enjoyed them!
I finished WIDOW'S WREATH by Cynthia Riggs. It was a departure from her usual plots with a Mafia type storyline but I enjoyed it.
I liked LIGHTHOUSE BEACH by Shelley Noble as well. It was a runaway bride situation with four friends.
I also finished THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS by Amy Meyerson. I figured it out farly early on but I enjoyed Miranda's scavenger hunt with lines from books very much.
Now I am reading THE SPOOK IN THE STACKS by Eva Gates.
It's been too hot to do much other than hide in the air conditioning and reading!
Oh, my gosh, Nann! 85+! Well, those should last you for a few months! I already read the Hoagy mystery. Okay, but not my favorite. I'll have to watch for the Leif Enger.
Sandy, I just finished reading Karen Rose Smith first book. I had planned on reading her second book. After you wrote that it was not as good as her first one, sorry to read that. I will read a sample of the book and go from there.
I only finished one book this week.
Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes by Karen Rose Smith.
I am reading:
Sons of Sparta by Jeffrey Siger
Bitter Bones ( book 3) by N C Lewis
Books are exciting.
📕📘📕📘☕️
Good reading weather, isn't it, Sharon. I have The Bookshop of Yesterdays on my TBR pile.
I just finished a terrific cozy mystery by Vicki Delany involving the proprietor of a Sherlock Holmes bookshop: Elementary She Read. Good plotting and humorous characters.
In When Life Gives You Lululemons, a sequel to Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, Emily is now a married celebrity image consultant who is suddenly losing business to younger rivals. Her friend Miriam, previously a high-powered attorney, has adjusted to life in the suburbs as a mom. They join forces to help Karolina, a former supermodel, whose husband has suddenly accused her of being a drug addict, blocking access to her cherished stepson. It's an all-out war of revenge, and Emily's former boss Miranda Priestley (I always picture Meryl Streep) even plays a role. Chick lit for sure, but I had fun reading it.
If you read Fredrik Backman's Us Against Them, the sequel to Beartown, prepare to have your gut wrenched. Backman is one of my favorite authors. I find his writing beautiful and insightful, his characters multifaceted and always evolving, and his plots original. But I had a hard time with this one about a small town focused on their hockey teams, trying to recover from the disastrous events of the previous book and the potential loss of all they care about. It is a slow starter, with too much exposition. Much of the book is violent and depressing. But in the end, it was worth the agony. A real stunner that I admired more than loved.
My antidote was Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams. Latest in the Book Retreat Mystery series, this is comfort food for me. I love the setting of the small village of Storyton and Jane Steward's Storyton Hall, where Jane lives with her young twins and holds special events for bibliophiles. Unbeknownst to most, she and her staff also guard a secret library with priceless literary delights that need protection. This time around, a skeleton is found when the foundation is being laid for the resort's new luxury spa, as well as a very ragged book that turns out to be the catalyst for more mayhem.
Limelight by Amy Poeppel is a terrifically fun read about a family that moves from suburban Dallas to NYC for the husband's job. Allison, the wife, loses her job as a substitute teacher and accidentally finds herself the personal assistant to an 18-year-old pop superstar (think Justin Bieber) who wants to renege on his contract to star in a Broadway musical based on the Charlie Chaplin film, "Limelight." At the same time, the parents and three children in this family are trying to decide whether to stick with the frenetic NYC lifestyle or opt for another move to the suburbs. All of the characters are sharply drawn and evolve as the story progresses. Highly enjoyable.
Since it's July, it was fun to read As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles, the latest in Leslie Budewitz's Food Lovers' Village Mystery series. This superior cozy features Erin, manger of a Montana small-town mercantile store who dabbles in helping to solve murders (of course). I always look forward to spending time with these interesting characters, and this one ends with Erin's wedding, although not the primary focus of the story. I look forward to more.
Lesa congratulations on the David Thompson award. It is well deserved. Janet Rudolph posted it this morning with a lovely picture of you.
I am visiting in southern California and find the same problem you have with reading but I am enjoying By Invitation Only based on your review and recommendation. Listening to Man Overboard by J A Jance.
I've been enjoying the museum mysteries that I had not read before and finished up the last one yesterday. The series' thoughtfulness about history has made me think more about Philadelphia's history and the city's role in the early days of the nation. I was sad to see this article in the Times about the likely closing of the Philadelphia History Museum:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/us/philadelphia-history-museum-close.html
That book sounds like a ton of fun. I may have to get a copy of it myself.
I'm currently working on Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien. Didn't get much reading in yesterday, but I'm hoping to make some progress in it today.
And congrats on the well deserved David Thompson award!
First thank you Netteanne for sharing about the David Thompson award that Lesa won. I wouldn’t have known if you had written about it here.
Lesa, I just looked up Janet Rudolph to read about the award you won.
Congratulations to you. I am so happy and thrilled for you. Couldn’t have happened to a better person.
Lesa, Congratulations on the David Thompson award! You must be thrilled.
Thank you, Netteanne, for posting about the award. I'll have the announcement on the blog tomorrow. I was so surprised. Vacations are better for the people we're with than reading, aren't they?
Thank you, Charlotte. I'm sharing the press release tomorrow. You'll all have read it by then, but that's okay. Enjoy that Jeffrey Siger book!
Elizabeth, I like that series by Vicki Delany. Fun, isn't it?
Margie, I'm a little behind in both mystery series mentioned, but I'm not at all surprised about he wedding in Leslie Budewitz' book. It seems there are a lot of weddings this year in mystery fiction. I just finished one that comes out in September, and it, too, had a wedding.
I love your book commentaries.
Oh, that is sad, Trisha. Like you, I love history, and hate to see that.
Mark, The book is fun, so far. Thank you for the congratulations!
Sharon, Thank you. I am thrilled! Shocked, really.
Congratulations, Lesa. Well deserved.
Congratulations, Lesa!
Short list today, due to the holiday.
Sometimes you NEED a Laugh volume 1; a collection of jokes you've probably seen before in emails that get sent around.
The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams; an average sci fi novel.
Hill House by Blair Howard; PI Harry Starke finds a mystery involving a haunted hotel, a puzzle box and Jack The Ripper.
The comments from Louise Penny and Craig Johnson (and others) about the award were fantastic.
Thank you, Jeff. Craig Johnson's comment made me tear up. I love it when an author thinks I get it.
I like the sound of Sometimes You NEED a laugh, Glen. Thank you! It was such an honor to win this award.
From The Rap Sheet:
http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-cheerleader-for-crime-fiction.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRapSheet+%28The+Rap+Sheet%29
Thank you, Gram. I hadn't seen that. The Rap Sheet!
Have to share this!
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-portuguese-libraries-are-infested-batsand-they-it-way-180969276/
Finished Gun Love, which I loved.
Still Reading:
Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley
In My Hands By Steven A. Curley ( I was reading this in the waiting room, my doctor saw it and recommended two more books!
Started:
Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth By Sheila O'Connor- engaging read