A Couple More Books: Killer Gourmet and Little Pretty Things

I'm being lazy lately combining a couple of books I've read per post. So, I just finished reading Little Pretty Things by Lori Rader-Day and loved it! Before that I read Killer Gourmet by G.A. McKevett. Loved it too.

Both of these books are mysteries and such fun to read. Both were well written, intriguing, and both kept me guessing who dun it till the end. 

I'd never read either of these writers' books before and just loved them. Killer Gourmet is book 20 in McKevett's Savannah Reid series. I'm sure I missed a few things not reading book 1 (through 19) first but it didn't take away from this particular story at all.

Do you like reading mystery novels?

Little Pretty Things

Killer Gourmet (A Savannah Reid Mystery Book 20)

A Couple of Books: Darned If You Do and Trust

I finished reading a couple of books in the past week:

• Darned If You Do by Monica Ferris
• Trust by Pamela Kelley

I really enjoyed both of these books and wanted to share a little about each of them with you.

Darned If You Do is a cozy mystery, which I've been reading more of. These books are fun and keep me guessing till the end. There isn't much blood and guts to speak of. The characters are front and center to the story making these books fun to read. This one is from the Needlecraft Mystery series so needlework of all kinds was mentioned and I must admit I glossed over one intricate knitting discussion. I never do that but I don't knit. Don't want to knit. Don't want to even read about knitting evidently.

Darned if You Do (A Needlecraft Mystery)

Then there was Trust by Pamela Kelley. This book is book 1 in the Waverly Beach Mystery series and I enjoyed reading it. It's a quick read that's well written and kept me guessing till the end. I liked the cooking throughout the book and must say those ribs sound heavenly!

TRUST (Waverly Beach Mystery Series Book 1)

 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale is one of those books you get sucked into and live in till you turn the last page. And a day or two beyond.

Mostly set in Europe during World War II, The Nightingale covers the life of a small family and how they individually dealt with the horrors of the war. This book has romance, adventure, suspense, and above all is highly engaging and readable.

To keep things interesting, there are a few chapters set in modern day where you aren't sure who is narrating. And that's a good thing. It keeps you guessing till the very end.

The Nightingale

Book Read:  The Nightingale
Author:  Kristin Hannah

Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight

Wow, wow, wow! I loved Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight. In this suspenseful novel, the author brings characters to life that the reader can care about even though they are all flawed to the max. Maybe that's why you care; they all could either use a break or a good slap up side the head.

It's compared to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn more than once and if you liked that one, you'll love this one.

Where They Found Her: A Novel

Book Read:  Where They Found Her
Author:  Kimberly McCreight

Endangered by C.J. Box

Last night I finished reading C. J. Box's novel Endangered, and I was sad to turn that last page. I've read several of his books and liked some better than others. 

This Joe Pickett novel (he's a fish and game warden in Wyoming) was one of his better ones. The build up to the who-dun-it was good but not obvious and the ending very satisfying.

Book Read:  Endangered

Author:  C.J. Box

Finders Keepers by Stephen King

Okay, I have to confess that lately I'm a big Stephen King fan. I first read Carrie, way back when it was first published and it scared the crap out of me. I didn't pick up another of his books till maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Since, I've read quite a few of King's tomes and love them!

Finders Keepers is a winner! This is the follow up to Mr. Mercedes. So, if you haven't read it, read it first then read this. In fact I'm kind of jealous if you haven't since reading these two books back to back would be even better than how I read them. Months a part.

So, if you love good storytelling and great writing, here you go.  

Book Read:  Finders Keepers
Author:  Stephen King

Born with Teeth by Kate Mulgrew

Oh man, oh man! I loved this book! I was somewhat familiar with Kate Mulgrew, the actress, but until I read her memoir Born with Teeth, I didn't realize what all she had been in including movies, TV shows, and more. I think the only thing I've seen her in consistently is Orange Is the New Black. She plays Red, the cook. And very well, as you know if you've seen it.

This book was so well written, funny, sad, and plain old powerful. She really bared her soul and shared things that only a true daredevil would do. 

Read it. I tell you, read it.

And yes, she was born with teeth!

Born with Teeth: A Memoir

Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance

I've read J.A. Jance's novels in the past but it's been a few years. I picked up Cold Betrayal recently and just loved this book. Her characterization and description and narrative make for a book you can escape into. 

Since I now live in Arizona, her books are easier to relate to, and this one was particularly good since it was set more in northern Arizona, rather than southern. The northern part is much nicer than the desert, if you ask me, though I do live in the yucky desert part.

This novel also had an interesting couple of story lines going:  polygamy and family betrayals. Good stuff!



Cold Betrayal: An Ali Reynolds Novel (Ali Reynolds Series)

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

I found out about Celeste Ng's (pronounced 'ing') debut novel Everything I Never Told You on a book list earlier this year. I'm glad I read it. This novel tells the story from several characters' points of view:  a man, the husband and father; a woman, the wife and mother; and the three children. 

t's surprising how well Ng wove this together and made each sympathetic when we got around to reading their individual point of view. 

I want to write books like this one when I grow up.

Everything I Never Told You: A Novel

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

I love Erik Larson's historical nonfiction books. I finished reading Dead Wake the other day, and it was one of his better ones. 

One thing I really enjoyed was the way Larson delved into the people's lives during this tragedy. For example, President Woodrow Wilson was depressed and then courting a woman he would later marry... that is, he was distracted. 

The British government didn't provide military escorts for the large luxury ocean liner when it entered the channel between Ireland and England. 

So many things happened that could have eliminated or reduced this tragedy.

I don't remember reading about this bit of history before and found it fascinating.


Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

If you haven't read Paula Hawkin's debut novel The Girl on the Train, do it! This mystery novel kept me guessing till the end. 

Rachel Watson is a drunk, a fact that causes her memory to be less than stellar. When Megan, a local woman, goes missing, Rachel gets involved because she watches the woman and her husband from the train each day. The fact that Megan lives a few doors away from Rachel's former home, the home she shared with her ex-husband, complicates matters.

Read it and see if you can figure out what the girl on the train saw.

The Girl on the Train

Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland

I read Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland and savored this novel about art, World War II, and love. If you've read any of Vreeland's other novels, you know she gets into the art world like none other. And her writing is beautiful, to boot!

Lisette's List: A Novel

The Italian Wife by Ann Hood

I'd heard of Ann Hood but had never read her books till now. I enjoyed The Italian Wife, especially at first. As this novel progressed through the generations, I was more ambivalent toward the characters. Some were more interesting than others, just like real people, I guess.

An Italian Wife

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

I just finished reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and I loved it!

This novel jumps around with a scene from the climax as the first chapter. Interspersed throughout the book are quotes from characters being interviewed by a reporter after the big event. This process gives lots of great foreshadowing plus hints at what the heck is going to happen.

The book was so well written and even seemed simple at times, but of course Liane Moriarty knew exactly what she was doing with this tactic. I am definitely going to be reading the rest of her books.

Set in Australia, this book felt as universal to me in dealing with how students and parents worldwide probably act. Read it! I'm pretty sure you'll love it.


Big Little Lies

After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson

Well, I finally finished After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson this evening. I have actually been reading a lot but mostly nonfiction books that I don't always add to this blog. I liked this book but because I was reading other stuff, I didn't always read this novel every day and thus I didn't keep with the story like I like to.

After the War Is Over: A Novel

I'd recommend it though if you enjoy historical novels. It was well researched and well written. The author also wrote Somewhere in France, which was a prequel to this novel. 

Book Read:  After the War is Over
Author:  Jennifer Robson

All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner

I have read several of Jennifer Weiner's novels and have loved each one. All Fall Down was no exception.

This book was a little different from her other novels though. The subject:  addiction. The main character, Allison Weiss, is a wife, mother, blogger, and all round busy gal. When she hurt her back, she continued taking pain killers and for two years progressively abused Oxycodone, Vicodan and Percocet until she was putting her daughter in danger. 

I personally don't know much about addiction, but this story rang true in the way Allison was in denial, abused the drugs progressively until she couldn't not take them, and the reluctance she experienced in thinking she needed help. And then accepting it when she was finally forced to go to rehab.

Read and love it!


All Fall Down: A Novel

Book Read:  All Fall Down
Author:  Jennifer Weiner