2015 Snagged @ The Library Challenge discussion

Just finished The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer. Great conspiracy thriller! The hero works at the National Archives and is a member of the Culper Ring. The plot will keep you guessing. Great book!

Went on a reading binge this weekend, finished 3 books. First was a nonfiction, "The Astronaut Wives Club" by Lily Koppel which I enjoyed very much. There is a lot written about the astronauts themselves, but not so much about their wives. This was a very interesting book about an interesting time in our country's history, the race to get a man on the moon. If you are at all interested in the space race, I highly recommend this book. The second was "All the Single Ladies", the newest Low-Country story by Dorothea Benton Frank. The low-country area of the Carolinas and Georgia is one of my favorite places. There is great food (lots of descriptions of food in this book, I stayed hungry the entire time I was reading it!), lovely beaches and friendly people. I look forward to reading Ms. Frank's newest every summer for my annual trip to the low-country. The third book was "The Canterbury Sisters" by Kim Wright. I had read Ms. Wright's last book, "The Unexpected Waltz" and liked it very much. This book was very different but also very engaging story about a grown daughter who takes her Mom's ashes to scatter them during a walking tour along the Canterbury Trail. It's a story about Che and her Mom's relationship (which we learn about in flashbacks) and her relationships with the "sisters" in her Broads Abroad tour group. Great read. This morning I started reading the latest Kathy Reichs. Will let you know how that goes.

Finished "Speaking in Bones" by Kathy Reichs this morning. I used to love this series and occasionally, I still love it, I guess that is why I keep reading it. When I first started reading the Temperance Brennan series, it was fresh and new and I loved the characters. What I don't like is the character's stupidity. Temperance is a forensic anthropologist, she is not FBI or DEA or CIA or ATF or even local police, and she doesn't carry a gun. Yet she continues to go off in a snit and gets herself into situations where she needs to be rescued by one of the above. Because she feels that Ryan or Skinny, or whatever police force she is working with at the time is not moving fast enough for her, she can't take the time for them to get evidence or a warrant, she goes off half cocked, confronts the killer or kidnapper or whatever and gets herself in a situation where she needs to be rescued. To add insult to injury, in the last book, Ryan, her on-again, off-again lover, asked her to marry him. In this episode, he is pressing her a little for an answer. She tells him, "..your overprotectiveness implies that I can't take care of myself. That I can't handle difficult situations on my own....I need my autonomy. I need to know I can rely on myself." Really?? Does anyone else see the irony in this statement. In every book she does need to be rescued by Ryan or someone else, if he's not available!!! In fact, she needs a keeper. There are many things to like about this character, this is not one of them. She is smart and she is really good at her job and many times, she figures out things or sees things that the cops don't. She also has great friends and family and colleague characters which make the books more interesting. But right now, I don't want to read any more of this series (okay, I'm sure I'll change my mind). Wow, that's my rant for today! And before I forget, the story itself was interesting. It involved a defrocked catholic priest with a small church in the mountains of N. Carolina and exorcism, multiple personality, and murder, of course!

This week I finished listening to Blood Vines by Erica Spindler. I really like her suspense, and wish that more of her books were available in audio. I've recently made some changes in my life and maybe I'll have a bit more time to use my eyes to read vs. my ears,and if that's the case I'll be sure to check the library for some print Spindler.

I finished listening to the Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand. She's an author I really like, but I don't think this was one of her better books. I've started listening to The Gamble by Kristen Ashley, but again while my friends seems to enjoy her, I'm not quite yet convinced she's for me.

Sandi wrote: "I finished listening to the Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand. She's an author I really like, but I don't think this was one of her better books. I've started listening to The Gamble by Kristen Ashley, ..."

I'm sorry to hear that, as I have Rumor on my nightstand to read next. The last 2 I read of her's, Beautiful Day and Winter Street were not that great. I was hoping this one would be better!

Just finished Swope's Ridge by Ace Collins. It's the first book I've read by him that was a disappointment. It's one of his early works--only his second novel. He tried to combine a courtroom thriller with a spy thriller with a historical conspiracy thriller. Just too many pieces for one book. So I don't recommend this one. I recommend skipping this one and reading The Yellow Packard instead. It's fabulous!

Finished reading "Kiss Me" by Susan Mallery. Usual enjoyable visit to Fool's Gold.

Finished reading "The Silence That Speaks", the newest Forensic Instincts Novel by Andrea Kane. I really like this series. The mysteries are interesting and I like the recurring characters and their relationships with each other. Enjoyable read.

BJ wrote: "Finished reading "Kiss Me" by Susan Mallery. Usual enjoyable visit to Fool's Gold."

I'm very curious! How are you able to read so many books so quickly? Are you a speed reader? Are you "reading" the audio version? I'm kinda jealous! :-)

Just finished "The Rumor" by Elin Hilderbrand. I didn't love this novel, but I didn't hate it either. It was interesting enough that it kept me reading. It was about friendship, and marriage, and infidelity. I thought it was much better than "Beautiful Day" which I did not like at all.

Angel wrote: "BJ wrote: "Finished reading "Kiss Me" by Susan Mallery. Usual enjoyable visit to Fool's Gold."

I'm very curious! How are you able to read so many books so quickly? Are you a speed reader? Are ..."

No, not a speed reader, but I don't have any children, and I have an odd work schedule. I work 2-5 in the afternoon and then 7-midnight doing medical transcription. So I read a lot in the mornings and then I'm never able to go right to sleep after I finish work at midnight, so I usually read for an hour or 2 then. I also usually spend a lot of time reading on the weekends. I've always been a big reader, usually at least 2-4 books per week, sometimes more. No audio!

I did something I never do. I walked into the library and picked up the first book I saw. It was As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley. I had no idea it was #7 in the series. I'd never heard of the series. OH MY GOODNESS! What a discovery! Can't wait to go to book #1 and start at the beginning! If you haven't met Flavia de Luce, you're missing out! You can read my review of the book for more info.

Finished reading "The Forgotten" by Heather Graham, the newest in the Krewe of Hunters series. This one was set in and around Miami, the Cuban and Haitian communities and a dolphin facility. The chemistry between the two main characters was good. The main female, Lara, was a secondary character in "The Silenced", the last one in this series. In this one, there are "Zombies" and that's all I'm going to say about that!

Just finished Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. My new favorite of his works! Loved it.

Just finished a quick read of The Reversal by Michael Connelly. Riveting.

Added in the graphic novel Y: The Last Man, Vol. 4: Safeword by Brian K Vaughn today--start to finish. Wasn't my favorite in the series--skipped over some parts.

Sat down with the next installment Y: The Last Man, Vol. 5: Ring of Truth by Brian K Vaughn today. It was better than the last one, but still some stuff I didn't care for.

Today, I finished reading "The Idea of Love" by Patti Callahan Henry. Set in one of my favorite settings, the Low Country of South Carolina. The book was slow to get into, partly because I couldn't decide how I felt about the main female character, Ella. I waffled between not liking her, feeling sorry for her and wanting to smack her and tell her to pull up her big girl panties and get on with her life! In the end, I liked her more and enjoyed the story.

Finished Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle. I LOVE this series! I don't know how I missed it when I was a kid, but I sure am enjoying catching up now!

Angel wrote: "Finished Many Waters by Madeleine L'Engle. I LOVE this series! I don't know how I missed it when I was a kid, but I sure am enjoying catching up now!"

I missed this one too. It sounds like I'm going to have to put this author on my TBR list, which just keeps getting longer and longer!

Finished Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar. Not my favorite of the plays I've read so far, but I'm sure having fun with this particular bucket list item!

Finished The Gamble and A Good Rogue is Hard to Find---LOVED them both :) Also earlier this month I also read Hard to Hold on To

Today I finished "In the Company of Others" by Jan Karon. Its been a few years since I read the last of the Mitford series and the first of the Father Tim books. I loved the Mitford series. Part of the charm of the Mitford series was Mitford itself and all it's eccentric inhabitants. This is a little less so, although still interesting, there were large chunks of reading a journal from the 1800s and sitting around the lodge. Still, worth a read.

Early this morning, finished "Last One Home" by Debbie Macomber. I'm finding I'm enjoying more books about relationships, rather than romance lately. This one has a romance which was my least favorite part of the storyline, but it is also about sisters and repairing an estranged relationship and it was about domestic abuse and recovery from it. Quick read and I enjoyed the story.

I finished The Gamble by Kristin Ashley. I get that a lot of people are thrilled by her for whatever reason. I am not sure. I will eventually read another!

I finished the whirlwind ride that is Empire's End: A Novel of the Apostle Paul by Jerry B Jenkins. Man, that guy can spin a yarn! What a great book!

Finished reading "Long Upon the Land" by Margaret Maron, the latest in her Deborah Knott series. It wasn't the best in the series by far, but I enjoyed the peek into the past, as we learned a little more about Deborah's mother, how she met Kezzie and how they got together.

I finished listening to To Die For by Linda Howard. It was a fun quick listen. It's book 1 of 2 in a series, and unfortunately I can't find the second book in audio at the library. It's times like that that make me wish I still had my audible account!

Finished Nemesis by Catherine Coulter. Another installment in the FBI series. This time, Savich and Sherlock are on 2 separate cases. Sherlock is at JFK Airport, on her way home from New York when she stops a terrorist with a grenade which involves her in a bomb threat at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Meanwhile Savich and Agent Griffin Hammersmith are in a small town tracking a killer who is using others as his murder weapons. These cases involve terrorists and Wiccans and just plain bad guys. Enjoyable and fast read.

Last one for this month, I guess. Finished The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark. This author used to be one of my favorite authors, I would devour her books as soon as they came out, but this is the first one I have read in a few years. Somehow, I just don't enjoy them as much anymore. This one was okay, I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. The plot did not hurtle down the mountain like a freight train on speed, nor did it plod slowly along. It was another story about a man who took other peoples money to invest it for their retirement, but what he was really doing was investing it for himself. When he is about to be caught, he picks up, fakes his own death and goes to live on a tropical island. This pretty much takes place all before the book starts. The book is really about what happens to those who are left. It was just an average read.

BJ so funny you said what you did about Mary Higgins Clark. Like you I used to devour her stuff. Now I eventually download the audio and when I'm feeling the need to do a mystery/suspense I consider her, but am not as quick to get to her as I used to be. Yesterday I finished Friction by Sandra Brown. I still really like Brown, but have again taken to listening to her vs. reading.

BJ so funny you said what you did about Mary Higgins Clark. Like you I used to devour her stuff. Now I eventually download the audio and when I'm feeling the need to do a mystery/suspense I consider her, but am not as quick to get to her as I used to be. Yesterday I finished Friction by Sandra Brown. I still really like Brown, but have again taken to listening to her vs. reading.

Sandi wrote: "BJ so funny you said what you did about Mary Higgins Clark. Like you I used to devour her stuff. Now I eventually download the audio and when I'm feeling the need to do a mystery/suspense I consi..."

Do you listen rather than read because you don't have to pay as close attention or because you can do other things while you are listening as opposed to reading a physical book? I've only ever done a couple of audio books and that was while I was on a trip and had some long driving to do, which was great.

BJ, I listen because I have a long commute to and from work, and I decided that I was tired of hearing the same music over and over again! I also listen because as you said sometimes I don't feel like I need to pay as much attention, and yet I still get the story. I also listen to some things I would never probably read like Hunger Games.

Sandi wrote: "BJ, I listen because I have a long commute to and from work, and I decided that I was tired of hearing the same music over and over again! I also listen because as you said sometimes I don't feel ..."

Thanks Sandi, I think I need to pick a couple of books to "read" on audio and see how that works for me.