While I have been known to get caught up in a series, most of the time I like a lot of variety when tackling my to-read list. Here are a few books I’ve enjoyed lately, and they run the gamut from crime thriller to non-fiction parenting help.
If you want…
{one} a boring book rut-buster: Trust No One by Paul Cleave. This fast-paced thriller is told through the eyes of a famous crime writer who has been diagnosed with early onset alzheimer’s. Soon the lines blur between what is reality and what is fiction, and he starts to confess to crimes like the ones described in his best-sellers. This was a fun read with lots of plot twists and turns.
{two} an excuse to re-read the Lisbeth Salander trilogy: The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz. Lagercrantz picks up where Steig Larsson left off, continuing the Milleneum trilogy starring Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. If you liked the trilogy, I think it’s worth a read; however, I thought it fell a little flat compared to the original series. While the story itself kept me entertained, I didn’t feel the same connection to the characters as I did in Larsson’s series.
{three} history, love, and a little magic: The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler. Simon, a librarian, receives an old book in the mail one day that is a log from a traveling carnival. At first he’s not sure why such a book would be of interest to him, but as he reads it he learns that the “mermaids” described in the log book are relatives of his mother. She also was a “mermaid” famous for holding her breath underwater in a carnival, and Simon learns that she drowned on the same day as the other women described in the book. That day is quickly approaching, and Simon worries about his sister, who is also a part of a traveling carnival, and has been acting very strangely lately. This book really did have a little bit of everything, and I found it to be a good book for escaping. I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would, but I did enjoy reading it.
{four} some practical advice on getting your picky child(ren) to eat: French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billon. I’ve mentioned before that around the time Jona turned one, he went from eating everything in sight to protesting just about everything we put in front of him. I’m always looking for ways to get him excited about (or at least open to) trying new things and also getting a wider variety of healthy foods in his diet. I found this book to be not only helpful, but also enjoyable to read. I’ve been trying to implement some of Le Billon’s strategies and have even had a few successes (like soup! he tried soup the other day!).
{five} a quick, but well-written read: Someone Else’s Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson. Shandi, the single mom to a 3-year-old genius Natty, has enough on her plate already, but her life becomes even more complicated after they both survive a hold up at a gas station. Their survival is thanks to William Ashe, who risks his own life to save Shandi, Natty, and the others. Shandi feels a connection to William, but learns that his life is just as complicated, if not more, than her own. I liked this book and was once again impressed with Jackson’s writing. I’ve only read one other novel by Joshilyn Jackson, A Grown Up Kind of Pretty, which I loved. This one I didn’t love quite as much, but I look forward to reading more from her.
Have you read anything good lately?
From the archives:
- 4 years ago: wearing plaid and red cords, talking about resolutions.
- 1 year ago: wearing navy and plaid with a leather cuff bracelet.
