JULY READS

[rapa]

"RABBIT RABBIT RABBIT"
SIS BOOM BAH! Almost The Fourth!!!!!

I'm enjoying a seductively funny, sharp novel by Emma Straub, MODERN LOVERS. The cover well describes this as a satisfying book about neighbors and nosiness, ambition and pleasure, the excitement of youth, the shock of middle age, and the fact that our passions--be they food, or friendship, or music--never go away, they just evolve and grow along with us. Good read!!!!

What do you have going?

[Joanne]

I requested Lilac Girls from my library, probably two or more weeks ago.  The waiting list was quite long, and still is , but at least I'm on it.  

I picked up Redemption Road yesterday.  

Am currently reading "In the Sweet By and By" by Todd Johnson.  An interesting, but undeniably sad book.

Have to get started on the selection for my f2f book group for August..."A Tree Grows in Brooklyn".  Read it many years ago, but can't think of anything that I remember about it.  It is roughly 500 pages long.  Should be a challenge.  

[Mandy Muffin]

I can't resist trekking books.  Based on the success of "Wild," Andra Watkins tells the tale of her hike on the Natchez Trace National Trail, a 444 mile stretch between Nashville, TN and Natchez MS.  ""Not Without My Father" tells of her taking on the challenge at age 44 and starting the mid-life bulge and blahs. She takes along her aging father to shuttle her, who is fat as a balloon, full of bad habits and waiting for death to take him away.  It is a trip of salvation for both or them. Good read so far.  

 

[Ioruach]

A couple days ago I finished Goodby to the Dead by Brian Freeman, one of my favorite thriller writers. The author’s comments at the end prior to the usual “Acknowledgments” pages included an invitation to e-mail him about the book and that all who wrote him would receive a personal response. I had not contacted an author in response to a book for several years, so I took him up on the offer.  I simply told him that I very much enjoyed his book, that I was deeply affected by a particular passage late in the story, and that I belonged to a book group on the internet called Bookoholics and would be recommending Goodby to the Dead in my comments to the group.  A couple days later I did receive a reply telling me that he appreciated my comments and even said something about the passage that I mentioned.

So, in keeping with my message to Author Freeman, I hereby recommend Goodby to the Dead to  each of you in the group and do think that you would very much enjoy it.

I am now about half way through Widowmaker by Pail Doiron but can rate it only mediocre.

[Carolyn Tewell]

Jumping in for a moment. Mamasan home from 2 days in Hospital and very weak/frail. She goes to Brother in Laws tomorrow. I will have weekend free as DH is camping.

I read GOODBYE... ~Brian Freeman and liked a lot.

My latest read and no way could be Audiobook. "The Verdict" by Nick Stone. What a legal mystery!!! No wonder they call him Britain's John Grisham!!! Loved it...my new favorite for 2016!

[rapa]

Can relate, Carolyn! Have started reading Emily Griffin's FIRST COMES LOVE. Good summer read so far. Hope to finish before due date as no renewal on this best seller.

[Mandy Muffin]

Reading Sandra Brown's "The Alibi" right now. All kinds of politics and illicit relationships in Charleston, SC.  Love the old South and the conflict of traditions and reality. 

[Carci]

 Finished 2 Loon Lake mysteries by a new author, Victoria Houston...  Dead Hot Shot and Dead Deceiver.  These are set in the Northern Wisconsin woods where I am currently residing so they held a special interest for me.  Somewhat reminiscent of a Joe Pike type of novel, they have a lady sheriff and a retired dentist working together to solve a local murder.  Good character development and a few unusual characters thrown in for humor and interest.  I enjoyed them both.

I am now plodding through Boys in the Boat, a non-fiction about the 1936 Olympics.  I am somewhat enjoying it but there is a lot of history that gets a bit boring at times.  I am learning a lot about conditions here during the depression and that is interesting.  This book is up for discussion in September at a new F2F book club I joined so I'm trying to stick it out... but knowing that they won the Gold medal in Berlin kind of spoils the ending for me...  lol

[Mandy Muffin]

I liked "Boys in the Boat."  My college had a crew team and I learned a lot about shells and competition at that time.  I actually rowed a shell a time or two in intramural races. Great story of American grit and determination.