Saturday, August 30, 2008

The Dirty Duck (40)

Another Martha Grimes, this one rather an oldish one.

Good, but not my fave.

And I just realised that in The Wink we didn't really find out if Viv and the Count called off their wedding. Gah!

Friday, August 29, 2008

36, 37, 38, 39

At this rate, I might beat the number of books I read last year. Although, I've decided to stop trying for meaty books. It's just too hard (trying?!) to read classics when you keep getting interrupted!

We were on holiday this past five days and I managed to read four books.

I absolutely adore James Rollins. Unfortunately everyone seems to have discovered him at the same time I did. Everytime I walk into a used bookstore and ask for his books I hear, "Oh we just sold several this morning. I'm not sure we have any..." He's brilliant. Really. This was his first book. So good I forced Andrew to begin it the moment I finished and he too had to devour it. Very Michael Crichton-ish and very, very good. Though I'm not sure I'd watch the movie. Too scary.


I had to read this one because it's the first in the series (of the last James book I read) and I think I read somewhere that this was her first novel. Which is very interesting considering up until now I'd only read Children of Men and her Adam Dalgliesh books. And he plays a huge role in these books (albeit only as being quoted by Cordelia as having taught her dead partner everything he knew about solving mysteries.) Still, very interesting to read a book in which he figures so largely and knowing (I think) that she had yet to write a book about him.

Also, this was better than the other Cordelia book. I think there's another C book. I'll have to dig it up somewhere...

THIS Dan Brown had no religious stuff going on. Though I suppose the thought of finding life on another planet might scare some Christians, but not me. Anyway I quite like his writing style too, but it's not as good as Rollins'.


I think I say this after every Martha Grimes book I read. My favorite. And I really am going to buy all her books and (one day) read them all in order.

*happy sigh* I still have four more new (used) books from Penticton's Book Store to go read.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

32, 33, 34

Have to say this was not my favorite PD James. I read another book review on this one and I think I might agree that it's in part because it is hard to warm up to the main character. I wanted to like her but it just didn't happen.

Also, I didn't figure out the mystery before she did.

I think my mystery figuring out must be in a downward spiral. This book had me guessing right until the end too. In fact, I did something I never do...I read the last page of the book before I was even halfway through the story. Yes, that's how obsessed I was solving the mystery.




I do love these Richard Jury mysteries. Funnily enough, I read The Case Has Altered first and it makes several references to Five Bells. One of these days I shall have to collect the entire Richard Jury series and read them from beginning to end.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

28, 29, 30, 31

Time to catch up on what I've been reading...

When we first arrived in Switzerland, I started with this. Pretty stock Rendell, I'd say.


Next it was Death of an Expert Witness by PD James. Probably my favorite of the books I read while we were on our trip.

I quickly moved on to this one...
And then I ran out of books. Dave leant me Leanings by Peter Egan. Brilliant reading. Who knew motorcycle stories could be so funny? I found myself laughing out loud, quoting whole sections of the book, and I can't stop thinking about it. I only got a little into the book, so I have to steal it from Dave so I can finish it.

Home again and two weeks without a book. I picked this one up at Costco and pretty much devoured it. Today I'm hoping to drag my kids to a used bookstore in search of more by him. Just brilliant.