February Book Report

Eleven books read this month which includes two of the ones I bought at the Friends of the Library Book Sale last fall. I am so guilty of reading the books I check out of the library first and putting off until later the books I actually own!

Here is my February list of books in the order read:

Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance - recommended by my son, Douglas. "A memoir of a family and culture in crisis."

Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick - Historical Romance

The Amateur Marriage  by Anne Tyler - three generations of mis-matched marriages and their consequences.

The Truest Pleasure by Robert Morgan - one of my truest pleasures, reading books set in North Carolina after the Civil War. Morgan's writing is eloquent. Ties with the next five books as my favorites this month.

Deborah Crombie is my new favorite crime fiction novelist. I love her mystery series set in the United Kingdom and featuring Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. The five I read this month are:

Now You May Weep - A cooking weekend in Scotland for Gemma and her friend. Enjoyed the background history of whiskey distillary.

Necessary As Blood - Features London's East End and the changes brought by Muslim immigrants.

No Mark Upon Her - Olympic rowing contender trying to make a come back found dead in Thames River.

The Sound Of Broken Glass - Crystal Palace locale of South London.

To Dwell In Darkness - Bombing in train station of London borough.

Nutshell by Ian McEwan - Usually a favorite author but I didn't care for this latest book of his as much. Told by an 8-month fetus whose mother and uncle contrive to murder its father.

Cakewalk by Rita Mae Brown - One of her Runnymede books. Set at end of WWI. Cute, clever, small town petty rivalries. I still like her Sister Jane series the best.

March reading is going to begin with some more of Deborah Crombie's books including her latest.