July Reads

[Lip Service]

Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit and all that 

July is here, the height of summer reading.

Feel free to comment on your latest reads

[Carci]

Mandy... thanx for your input... I really miss the daily chatter we used to have on this site...  I am currently reading The Associate by Grisham, one that I missed when it came out.  It is typical Grisham...  a fairly good read.

I have Me Before You waiting on top of my TBR pile...

[Carci]

Lynn...  Years ago there was a movie called "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" with Jane Fonda and someone else...  we saw it at a preview before it was released and thought it was the worst movie we had ever seen!!!  It won 1 Oscar and was nominated for 8 more in 1970!!!  That was the year I stopped believing in critical acclaim.

Me Before You reminded me of that movie...  what a letdown!  I had such high hopes all through the book and the ending was possibly the worst ending in the history of books!  DO NOT READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET DEPRESSED!  I couldn't even cry at the end because I was so mad at the premise!  I see JoJo Moyes has another book out... I'll be skipping it...

[Ioruach]

Yesterday I finished Catch Me, a police thriller featuring Detective DD Warren, by Lisa Gardner. It was pretty decent but I skimmed a lot. Easy Summer reading, though.

This morning I started A Wanted Man by Lee Child. Looks to be more easy Summer reading.

[Mandy Muffin]

I have read a number of the Gardner books with DD Warren in them and enjoyed the stories.  Right now I am in the middle of a book that I purchased on the cheap from Amazon with some credits I got.  It just struck my eye, involving old Florida, Gypsies and Tarot cards. "Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail" by Sheila Marie Palmer  has me hooked, as a lot of the references are familiar to a current resident and constants visitor to Florida's west coast for the past 50 years. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008864WOS/?tag=mh0b-20&hvadid=4961961...

[rapa]

Has anyone read the new C. J. Box book SHOTS FIRED: stories from Joe Pickett country? It's in at the library for me along with THE MATCHMAKER. Am going to have to carve out more reading time!

[Carci]

I have it on reserve but had to freeze the request since we are out of town right now...  Maybe it will be waiting for me when I get back...   :)

[Ioruach]

About a week ago I read A Wanted Man by Lee Child. Very readable; a typical Jack Reacher thriller. I followed that with The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. Excellent, as I expected.

I was also delighted to hear that Louise Penny is scheduled to speak at one of my local libraries, this one in Prior Lake, Minnesota on August 30.  I certainly plan on being there.

[rapa]

Finished THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY and loved it! The author doesn't force feed you, allowing the reader to help fill the story. Would love to sit down and chat with someone else who read this book.

Have now started reading Anthony Doerr's ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE. The book tells the stories of a young blind French girl and a young German orphaned boy before and during WWII and how their lives converge. Will have to read quickly as I also have the new C J Box's SHOTS FIRED, Elin Hilderbtand's THE MATCHMAKER and ALL FALL DOWN by Weiner waiting at the library. Now to find the time to enjoy the feast!

[Ioruach]

Doerr's book received very good reviews in our local paper recently. I'll need to check it out.

Glad you enjoyed The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.

[Mandy Muffin]

Just finished, "Until Proven Guilty," by J A Jance.  I love walking the streets of Seattle with this quirky detective. He doesn't own a car!  It reminds me of the many enjoyable business trips I took to this great city by the sound.   This time he is chasing a child killer when he runs into a femme fatale, who will rock his world. 

I am reading the 20th edition of the Scarpetta series, "The Bone Bed."  Cornwell drags out here host of characters who have progressed over the years.  I have read most of the books in the series.  In this case the Boston based forensic scientist is chasing down dinosaurs in Alberta, Canada.  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bone-bed-patricia-cornwell/1110... I expect Pete Marino and Lucy will be up to their usual selves. 

[Carci]

I finished Shots Fired by CJ Box...  I don't usually read short stories because so many of them leave me wanting.... but I have to say that all the stories in this book were very worthwhile.  I recommend it to all the Joe Picket fans in this group altho he was only featured in a few of the 10 stories...

I am 1/2 way through Spandau Phoenix by Greg Iles.  I always love a good WWII novel and this one does not disappoint. The book reminds me of a good Robert Ludlum with lots of action and twists.  DH is reading Black Cross, the follow-up to Spandau and I will read it next...

Any other WWII books recommendations are appreciated...  :)

[Mandy Muffin]

From my list of books to made into movies next year, I am reading "Every Secret Thing" by Laura Lippman.  Set in Baltimore, the theme is "good little girl/bad little girl," as two girls steal a baby from it's crib and the baby dies.  The plot will entail unraveling the truth, piece by piece.  This book has won most of the major awards for a crime novel.  http://www.amazon.com/Every-Secret-Thing-Laura-Lippman-ebook/dp/B00...