Summer Day Twelve: Shelve

This is what I have been reading since the first day of summer.  I will give a VERY brief blurb, and I will admit, I kind of got hung up on boarding school stories somehow.  I often just go with the 'suggested for you' list and get in a rut.  I also read The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, set in a boarding school.  It is the first of a series and I liked it well enough to read the next one.  I don't want to screw up the plot by laying it out, it's one of those you should just read.

7 Souls by Barnabus Miller and Jordan Orlando
Spoiled girl is killed, you get to follow along as she finds out why.  Skippable

Bent Road by Lori Roy
Facing your past and overcoming grief.  Good

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Boarding School!  Wicca, teen love, angst and a mystery.  Skippable

Chimney Sweepers Boy by Barbara Vine
Mystery, obsession, lies, obsession.  Good

Dead Strange by Matt Lamy
Attempts to explain the truth behind 50 world-famous mysteries.  I am currently reading it to the kids, each section is 7-9 pages long, middle school level, but fun.

Detective Inspector Huss  by Helene Tursten
Another hang-up of mine: Police procedural or other type mystery set in another country.  This time, Sweden.  Introduces the title character and puts you in her story, first of a series in which I hope the character is fleshed out a bit more.  Looking forward to reading more of these. Good.

Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum
Norway!  First book of a series following Inspector Sejer.  Good.  I looked at the first chapter of the second book(it's on hold) and it does not seem to have the same cadence as ths first.  I am hoping the series overall is as good as the first.  Good.

Highest Tide by Jim Lynch
coming of age story, giant squid, and a summer that changes a life.  Good.

Informationist by Taylor Stevens
First in the Vanessa Micheal Munroe series.
I did not like it...it was overdone.  That being said, if you WANTED a Bond-type read with a female lead, here you go.  I had hoped to find a new series to keep me busy a while.  If you want a  'surprise' kick-ass female protagonist, stick with Lisbeth Salander.

Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron
This reads like a movie script, it's fast-paced and is a great summer read.  Crazy woman, murder investigation, pregnant woman, lots of suspense and it's perfect for an afternoon read when your brain is like a kid at bedtime and just wants a story.  Okay

New Girl by Paige Harbison
Boarding school! Teen love, mystery!  Okay.

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Riley Giff
I seriously loved this one, just read it. Short. Good.


Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cormier
This is a very fast read and frankly, scared me.  The story starts at the first of summer following a 13 year old boy who is a bit shy, a little left-out-much like most kids feel at times.  There is a murder in his neighborhood and when the adults in the story get involved...it shows an investigation from a very different side than my usual reads.  Good.

Snatched by Karin Slaughter
This is a police procedural novella, about an hour to read.  Fast, exciting, gives a little glimpse into Will and Faith and their work lives.  She has a whole series about the 2 characters, working for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and I really like them.  It's a great series, I started reading it because a character in the Sookie Stackhouse series is called Karin Slaughter and it caught my eye.  My only complaint with the plot-it is NOT 45 minutes from the AL border to the Atlanta airport.
Also very good are the Taylor Jackson novels set in Nashville and written by J.T. Ellison, I am on the waiting list for the next one now!

Start of Everything by Emily Winslow
I have not started this one yet, it's next!  Here is the blurb:
 In this stunning psychological thriller for readers of Tana French, Kate Atkinson, and Donna Tartt, Emily Winslow has crafted a literary prism told through the eyes of her many intricately drawn characters. Masterly and mesmerizing, The Start of Everything will captivate until the very last page.  Sounds promising.




I just want to add that I have found, read and returned all of these books for free using my Nook and my library card.  Did not even have to put on pants!  For someone like myself, who gorges and discards when it comes to fiction, this is indeed the perfect set-up.  I imagine my $100 Nook has paid for itself several times over in saved gas and possible late fees.  Plus, I can watch Netflix on it while I walk on the treadmill.  I venture to say, it's the best invention since the camera.