FEBRUARY READS

[rapa]

In addition to the SUPER BOWL, Punxsutawney Phil and Valentine's Day, I hope that  February brings you lots of good reads! I'm starting off with what I anticipate to be a couple winners!  This morning I picked up at the library Sue Monk Kidd's THE INVENTION OF WINGS  and Joyce Carol Oates new release CARTHAGE.

Happy reading to you all!!!!!

[Mandy Muffin]

I am finishing up "My Notorious Life" by Kate Manning, which is an excellent Dickensian novel about the wretched living conditions for the Irish in New York, the Orphan Train, OB/GYN/midwife services (or lack thereof) and basic sex education for the masses of poor in post Civil War times.  Of course, it is pre-Margaret Sanger times also. 

Next is "The Lighthouse," a classic PD James. I have just got to have one English Detective Novel from time to time to tickle my sense of dry humor and proper British behavior, even in the midst of crime. 

[Carci]

I picked up The Invention of Wings but just couldn't get into it.  Back it goes to the library, unread.

I started The Ochardist and am almost 150 pages into it.  It is very slow moving and the characters seem very wooden to me. Also there is no dialogue in the book at all. I goes something like this: He called them and they came. He handed them the plates and they thanked him for the food.  I will keep reading for another day or two and hope to start caring what happens next.

Sycamore Row is waiting at the library for me and I'm pretty sure from the reviews here that I will like it!

[rapa]

As I mentioned, THE OCHARDIST was quite different.  No quotation marks are used.  Wooden is a good description of the characters. Talmadge was such a solitary being that I needed to find out how his life progressed. The last of the book was much better than the first part. SYCAMORE ROW will be a breath of fresh air for you, Carci!

[Carci]

We usually like the same books, rapa.  If you say the last is better than the first I may just stick with it, at least until Monday when I go to the library.  lol...   I don't hate the book, just didn't feel too sympathetic to the girls. They seemed very ungrateful for all he did for them.  I liked the very beginning and will probably finish it by Monday if I care enough to read.

[rapa]

Carci, the sisters were totally unlikeable, but think of their history. !  I was sympathetic to Talmadge who wanted so much to be part of a family.  The character I liked was the "baby."  Won't give any spoilers but you'll know who I mean. This book was so different from my usual reading that I had to see it through.  Glad I did!

[Countryphyl]

Just picked up Sycamore Row from the library. Looking forward to it.

[Beezerette]

I am reading Just One Evil Act by Elizabeth George, and I sure wish I knew Italian, because she is including so many Italian conversations between characters as they investigate the kidnapping of a British 9 year old girl, taken to Italy.

I am only 200 pages into this 700 page book, but Barbara Havers and Ins. Lynley keep me glued to the pages.  

[Carolyn Tewell]

I just finished up David Ellis ...The Last Alibi. On Audio and hated the female reader but the male reader was great. I've ordered 2 more of his books. LEGAL MYSTERIES. Now, I had never heard of the Author but I guess he co-writes from time to time with James Patterson.

Next problem...took a PLAYAWAY on my flight to Fort Lauderdale called "You're Next" by Gregg Hurwitz. Then try to listen before bed while in hotel and kept missing chapters. Did finish on flight home but was so confused because I had missed some vital clues...checked out the book and reading it this weekend to get the full understanding. I did enjoy it a lot.

Lisa Scottoline's "Don't Go" will be tried tonight. Think I may have read her stuff back in the 90's? Can't remember if I was a fan?

John Lescroart' s "The Ophellia Cut" is back up in case I bail on Lisa. I have a few older things which I will share later.

Killing Jesus...Audio...not sure if I will put in car to listen off/on or save for a longer trip?

Weather here is ugly. A bit warmer today but been below zero on-going. Worst winter I can remember since 1988 when we move here from Florida. So many errands to handle but who wants to even run around in these conditions? I'm even ordering from Drugstore.com rather than drive 4 miles? What did we do before on-line buying was so common?

[officerripley]

I also liked Hurwitz's You're Next, I think it's maybe his best (of a whole bunch of great books).  Have you read his The Survivor yet?  It's also very good and I'm looking forward to his latest, Tell No Lies.

[Carci]

I have read a couple of his stand alones.  Checking on www.fantasticfiction.co.uk I see he has a series featuring a  vigilante named Tom Rackley.  Have any of you read this series?  The premise of the first book, The Kill Clause, looks good.

I haven't read You're Next or The Survivor yet so will put them on call at the library. Thanx for the info. :)

[Countryphyl]

New author for me. Will have to check it out. Thanks.

[Ioruach]

My first completed book for this February edition may also be one that will be on my “biggest disappointment” list for 2014...well, at least somewhat of a disappointment. It was Cut to the Bone by the duo of Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson. The book is really a prequel to the entire Body Farm series.

I have very much liked the other forensic thrillers I have read in the series, specifically, Carved in Bone and Bones of Betrayal. I also liked much of this latest.  But I thought it left out a lot of the forensic stuff that largely made the other books so interesting, and the authors just did not stay on task, if you will.  They too often wandered off into unrelated matters that had nothing to with either the story line or character development.   So I found it readable, although I also found myself skipping long passages. It was just not up to the level of the earlier books.