One of the reasons I've cut back my blogging time is because I am having more trouble with my leg. New wounds opening. Lots of pain. Doctors rescheduling and relocating procedures to ensure that I spend most of my day getting shaken to bits on the Dial-a-Ride bus. If it sounds like I'm a bit down, I am. But I won't stay that way. (Too boring!)
I'm not about to give anyone a complete list of things I'm grumpy about, but the icing on the cake came a few minutes ago when I tried to respond to comments here on the blog. Every once in awhile, Blogger seems to delight in making its users rip out their hair. At least I seem to have found a way past its shenanigans. When it wouldn't let me reply to comments on the browser I prefer (Firefox), I simply switched to Chrome and didn't have a single problem. (Probably because Chrome and Blogger are both Google products.) I learned the wisdom of having more than one browser available on my computer from working on The Poisoned Pen Bookstore's Pinterest boards.
Anyway, I am in no mood to sit here for a couple of hours putting together a link round-up, so I'll catch you up on what I've been reading instead. Short reviews, with links to the books' synopses on Amazon US if you want to read them.
What I've Been Reading
464 pages
Rating: A+
My Thoughts: Holly Gibney is one of my favorite characters, and it's been a joy to watch her grow and develop. This is the story of an investigation carried out by a hypochrondriac in the time of Covid (Holly). King knows how to create villains that you love to hate, and it was easy for me to root for Holly as she slowly pieced together the clues it took to bring those killers down.
Moreover, I loved the last line; it gave me Holly Hope that there will be more from her.
363 pages
Rating: B
My Thoughts: When Trudi Adamson's husband is killed in a car accident, she soon learns that she's basically been sleepwalking through her life for years. It was mind-boggling to me how clueless she was to everything going on around her. Trudi has a steep learning curve, and as she learns who she can trust, I wondered just how much I could trust her.
This was a good story, well told. I would've liked it better if I hadn't had such a strong reaction to Trudi and her blissful oblivion to the world around her.
289 pages
Rating: C+
My Thoughts: A visit with Bruno is always a pleasure, but this entry in a favorite series of mine felt decidedly lackluster. Moving on from the atrocities of World War II, cryptocurrency, climate change, disaster preparedness? Check, check, check, and check. There's a question mark about Bruno's future as well, but the most telling factor in the book was the one dinner scene-- someone else did almost all the cooking!
This may be lackluster, but I'll be eager to read the next installment in Bruno's story.
272 pages
Rating: A+
My Thoughts: I was in the perfect mood for this book. It was filled with twists that I didn't see coming and characters that came to life with each turn of the page. A woman afraid of heights who commits suicide by jumping off a balcony... A wife who begins to think her husband is a serial killer... The only person that wife can turn to for help... I lapped it all up. The only thing that didn't quite set well with me was the appearance of P.I. Henry Kimball as a sort of deus ex machina at the end. But I certainly do enjoy the way Peter Swanson's mind works!
320 pages
Rating: A
My Thoughts: I rapidly fell under Lorraine Henry's (Aunty Lo's) spell. Records clerk in the basement of the local police station, everyone who works with her goes out of their way to remind her she's an outsider.
Aunty Lo identifies strongly with the Maori and any other marginalized person, and when the police don't seem overly concerned about the disappearances of two Maori children, Aunty Lo finds herself teaming up with Justin Hayes, a police officer from the city to find them.
Even though one of the bad guys wasn't a surprise, I loved the setting, I loved Aunty Lo, and I'm definitely looking for more from Tom Baragwanath.
Rating: A+
My Thoughts: Written in 1955, I found Amberwell suited my mood perfectly for a charming and delightful (I know-- I don't use those words often) tale of a wealthy, eccentric family in their Scottish country house from the 1920s to the end of World War II.
There's another book continuing with the characters, but I'm not sure I'll follow up with it. Sometimes the glow of the original is enough for me. Make sense?
400 pages
Rating: B+
My Thoughts: "The Cartographers is a work of fiction, but its inspiration is rooted in truth. This story is for anyone who's ever opened a map and gotten lost in it." Well, I've loved maps since I was a small child, and I can still get lost in one. As a child, I always wanted at least one road map every time my accompanying grownups would stop at a gas station. (The pleasure of sitting in the backseat and being the first one to unfold it!)
I loved all the information about cartography, but... as the real identity of each character was revealed, I wasn't surprised, and I really didn't buy into the "reality" of a little town called Agloe.
I feel a bit guilty about these short reviews, but I hope you enjoy them anyway. Have you read any of these books? Which ones? Did you have the same reactions to them as I did? Inquiring minds would love to know!
It's time to get this leg up. Enjoy your weekend!
First your leg and then your browser! How annoying! I'm absolutely not surprised you're feeling grumpy, Cathy, and I don't blame you for not putting together a bunch of links this time. It looks like you've some good books there, though (the Walker, the Hill, the Swanson, the King), and that's a good thing, anyway. Hope you get some leg relief soon!
ReplyDeleteSo do I. I've had to spend most of my time in bed. Yuck.
DeleteI have enjoyed your blog for a long time. Your weekly roundup is a great time..so many interesting things, and I love when you sneak a comment in..but I always wondered how long it must take to find all those links!
ReplyDeleteI, for one, love love reviews and ideas for new books to grab so I was completely happy with this!
Do whatever is easiest and take care of your leg
I love seeing pics of your environment. Bookshelves, bird bath, decorating and holiday baking. Whoops! I'm ok without the baking 🙂
It's so good to hear from you, DeeDee! And that two hours is just for putting together the post. It doesn't take into account how long it takes me to find the links themselves (but I can lay in bed to do that).
DeleteI use Chrome as my "go-to" browser and have never had a problem with it. As you say, that might very well have something to do with who its parent is. Interestingly, I see that we have some of the same books on our to-be-read list. Moreover, I read 'The English Assassin' back in 2017 and enjoyed it enough to give it four of five stars. I hope you are enjoying it, too, and that it is offering you some distraction from your physical problems. Take care!
ReplyDeleteActually, I should probably remove The English Assassin from my sidebar. I've been concentrating on Kindle books exclusively.
DeleteI am sorry to hear about your leg and browser issues. Please know that your fans are rooting for you. Do as little or as much as you feel like. I, too, have, a thing for Holly and started "Holly," but got put off by the immediate jump into a kidnapping/imprisonment situation and stopped. Just not my thing...at least for the moment.
ReplyDelete"A Talent for Murder" sounds like what I need now. Thank you!
I know what you mean about a book not being right for the moment. One of the victims was my favorite character outside of Holly herself, and although the subject matter did bother me, I knew that King would make the bad guys pay, and I had to "see" that happen.
DeleteI'm sorry you're having more leg troubles. That is no fun. Hang in there! And I hope it gets better soon. Now I'm off to write down the titles of those books you've been reading ,because they all sound really good...and like ones I would enjoy, too. Wishing you a relaxing weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lark. I spent most of the weekend in bed because that's where my leg complained and misbehaved the least.
DeleteOh, geez, how awful about your leg and the limitations and pain it inflicts on you Hope you get some pain relief and that your situation improves. Thank you for the reviews you posted -- and as for your loyal blog readers, we surely can wait until you feel better and your leg is improving. And if we need to read more book reviews and links, we can revisit prior blog posts, Friday links and "Best of the Year" section for book ideas and just because the reviews are so well-written. Be well!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kathy. I treasure you and all my readers.
DeleteI just hope your health improves soon;
ReplyDeleteRight now it's my mood that needs improvement.
DeletePerhaps the right books would help. Right now I'm eating everything and wishing for some funny books; may be time to get Peggy Rothschild's third book featuring dogs.
ReplyDeleteI just started a new book that's really captured my interest, so as soon as I'm done here, I'm off to bed & book.
DeleteOh, I'd love to know what that book is; any diversion is good.
ReplyDeleteWeyward
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