October Book Report

Eleven books to report upon for the month of October:

An Echo Of Murder is Anne Perry's 23rd William Monk mystery. I still enjoy the series but I'm beginning to see how formulaic they are.

The Way Of All Fish is the second in Martha Grimes publishing world crime spoofs. I love her 'conscientious hit men'.

Revolution is another YA book by Jennifer Donnelly, and was one of my favorite reads this month. This book may be aimed at a younger audience, but it is smart and interesting enough for older readers. A very good novel about love, loss and the power of music.

The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio is about flower thieves trying to obtain the last surviving specimen of a certain camellia. It is told over time from WWII to 2000 using alternate story lines. This is a first time read for me by this author.

Walking In Circles Before Lying Down by Merrill Markoe is a cute little story about a woman who talks to her dog and can hear dogs talk back and the advice she gets from them. Some good advice cached in humor and a love for dogs. (Passed on to my son Doug .... because.)

Crow Lake by Mary Lawson is another of my favorite reads this month. Set in far North Ontario where heartbreak and hardships mirror the landscape. The tale of four siblings who try to stay together after their parents die in an auto accident. This is a slow, gorgeous story that unfolds over a period of twenty years.

The Little French Bistro by Nina George. If you remember how much I loved her first book, The Little Paris Bookshop, you won't be surprised that this was my very favorite read this month. I absolutely adore the way this author can write about love and personal fulfillment. I just hope she keeps writing these Little French books.

Murder In The Bowery is the 20th Gaslight Mystery by Victoria Thompson. Frank, Sarah, Gino and Maeve again work together to solve the murders of a young socialite and a newsboy both found strangled in the Bowery area of New York City. I like these mysteries set in the 1890's.

Rise and Shine Benedict Stone is Phaedra Patrick's second book and another of my favorite reads this month. Similar in feel to her first book, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, but I liked this one slightly better - perhaps because of the setting, Yorkshire Moors, and Benedict's occupation, jewelry maker. I liked that the chapter headings described gemstones and their properties. For instance Moonstone: Release, Empathy, Intuition. Emerald: Equilibrium, Patience, Honesty. Or, my birthstone, Citrine: Warming, Generosity, Uplifting. 

Z by Therese Anne Fowler is a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald. I started by being a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels and then became interested in his wife, Zelda Sayre after reading Zelda: A Biography by Nancy Milford back in the 80's. Zelda was a writer and artist in her own right, but was always overshadowed by her husband.

The thin little book at the bottom is One Small Photo by Becky Faber. It is a collection of poems and one short story that relate to military service, war, and the after effects of service. Bud and Becky have known each other ever since she married his best friend many years ago. The book includes Bud in her Thanks and Acknowledgements and was given to us by the author.