Skip to main content

Me at the Moment and Mysteries L & M



I’m about to start a new book for my management class. (Each semester we have to read a book and review it for the class. I read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg last semester and I liked it. She didn’t say anything groundbreaking, but I appreciated that she appreciated how much support and help she has from her spouse and how every woman won’t have that in their lives.) The book I’m about to read is Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen. I’m reading it not because I have any problem getting stuff done. I get tons of stuff done. (You’ve heard the saying, if you need something done, give it to a busy person.) But I do sometimes have problem with the stress part. I have a feeling it’s not going to tell me anything new. But maybe I’ll be wrong.
 
So, here I am. Working full-time (a children’s librarian), trying to look for a part-time gig to help with some college expenses, reviewing (children’s) books on a trial basis for a journal, taking management classes (which involves lots of reading [this semester is all about legal issues, ugh] and even traveling to Albany next month to lobby the state for more money), missing my son at college immensely, worrying that I’m not paying enough attention to the son at home (I know he’d disagree, but that’s beside the point), working on an “audience development” project for the Long Island Youth Orchestra, trying to keep track of my younger son's schedule (nine concerts and counting this school year), and just dying to dig into my reading list. It’s seven pages long and growing and I have a large pile of books at home that are singing a siren song to me (see the list at left).

But this is a book blog that I refuse to abandon. I will be writing more often about children’s books – I can repurpose items I post here for my library’s website and for the website I help created for Nassau County Children’s Services Division. It’s a good plan. 

Let’s continue now, though, with mysteries. 

20. Rosamond Lupton
Lupton has written two mysteries that have a thriller factor. Sister was outstanding. I think I didn’t like Afterwards as much mostly because of the the setting, the lack of a real mystery, and the ending. I guess that's all of it. But I recommend Sister to everyone. It’s a true page-turner. (London and vicinity)

21. Stuart MacBride
I’ve read Cold Granite, the first book in the Logan McRae series, and intend to read the rest. The series is everything I love in a nutshell: Scottish police procedural. And Logan seems to be an intriguing character – not the boss, as many of series feature – but rather an officer trying to fit in. He's not well-liked and often pushed to the side. But his keen mind keeps him in the middle of things. If I didn’t have too many books in that dratted pile at home, I’d take out Dying Light right now. (Aberdeen)

22. Henning Mankell
Sigh. I can't do anything but sigh over Mankell. Everyone loves his books. I’ve read one or two in the Kurt Wallander series and have watched some of the Kenneth Branagh episodes on PBS, but I just don’t know if I’ll live long enough to read these. (Sweden)

23. Denise Mina
Mina has written three trilogies, each involving three different protagonists/mystery solvers. I read Garnethill, Exile and Resolution – the series featuring Maureen Sullivan, who’s not a cop or a newspaper reporter or even a detective. But she does get herself in to sticky situations. I’ve also read Field of Blood and The Dead Hour, but not yet Slip of the Knife. The mystery solver here is a journalist and she’s adept at getting involved where she doesn’t belong. When people come in asking for mysteries, I ask if they like “gritty” books and if they do, I recommend Denise Mina (or Gillian Flynn). (Glasgow)

So, that’s it for now. Come February, we’ll have a slew of children’s books to talk about.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harry vs. Septimus

Sometimes, I like the Septimus Heap series more than the Harry Potter series. There I said it. It’s a secret I’ve kept from all but my kids for a long time. Don’t get me wrong: I’m wild about Harry. I’ve knitted Harry Potter bookmarks (in Gryffindor colors, naturally). I’ve thrown at least two Harry Potter-themed birthday parties, complete with a sorting hat I made. I’ve stood at line overnight at Barnes and Noble waiting for the next book to come out three times. I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire  in one day. But, often, I like Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap books ( Magyk , Flyte , Physik , Queste , Syren , and the just published Darke ) more. And I’m not entirely sure why. My current theory is that the Septimus Heap books are better written and, while also highly derivative, much more charming. The characters are human (muggles, even) and fraught with faults. Also, the Harry Potter books are, rightly so, about Harry. Everything is from Harry’s perspective. Sadly, we don...
1 comment
Read more

“I Am Number Four,” by Pittacus Lore

I really wanted to read I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore after I read a review of it a few months ago. I remember the reviewer saying that the author’s name is obviously a pseudonym, then just filed the title away. (I actually have a “book book” – a little book in which I write titles of books I want to read, organized by author. My kids tease me about my book book, but when you’re a motherboard with limited RAM, you need to write things down.) More recently I heard that it’s already been made into a “major motion picture” (due out in February!), so I knew I had to read it soon. And it was OK. The idea – aliens living among us, waiting to get strong enough to go back to rescue their home planet from horrible monsters who now might be coming to conquer Earth – was rather interesting. But the book was just OK. I liked it enough to keep reading it, but probably not enough to bother with the sequels. It’s certainly not as good as Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy, which is also...
1 comment
Read more

"The Story of Arthur Truluv" by Elizabeth Berg

I have a confession to make: You know that book Wonder by R.J. Palacio about the boy with facial deformities who attends public school for the first time and it's difficult for everyone involved, but in the end everyone's heart grows at least four sizes and we all feel good? I didn't love it. It's OK. And the movie was probably OK too. But as far as plot, character development, the style of the writing... I thought it was just OK. That's how I feel about The Story of Arthur Truluv , which is really all the things the various blurbs about the book says it is -- heartwarming, moving and sweet. You may even cry a little. But, unfortunately, it's like a much-watered-down version of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Which is a far better book.   Arthur is too good. And Maddy's story is somewhat unbelievable (Why is she bullied? How does she get into the situation she gets into?) and too cliche (goth teen going to art school?). Lucille...
Post a Comment
Read more