I’ll start this installment with what I have already read (recently) and then share with you what I’m currently reading… all have been good reads.
I started with this book – it was a Friday Freebie (I think) on Barnes & Noble’s website (for Nook readers)
It’s a mystery – fairly light reading. The main character is an unemployed former journalist who makes her way through life rowing and doing odd jobs to make ends meet. She’s kind of headed nowhere and likes it that way. She stumbles into a murder mystery when one of her rowing buddies is accused of murder, which she knows he couldn’t possibly have committed (could he?) and ends up being hired by his lawyer as a pseudo-investigator to help uncover facts which could lead to her friend’s case being dropped.
I have to admit, while I was often yawning and wishing the plot would move along more quickly, I still enjoyed the story. The characters are well written and not boilerplate – they have sass and vitality.
I enjoyed it enough that I picked up the next one in the series immediately after finishing the first – that’s one of the nice things about an e-Reader – no waiting to go to the bookstore!
This one was good as well, although not as good as the first. I’m not sure if I was just getting tired of the type of writing, or what. In this story, Tess, the main character, is still dabbling in maybe becoming a full-fledged investigator, although she is working full time now.
This story involves her “uncle” who is badly beaten and for most of the book is in a coma, a greyhound who is “rescued” from the tracks, and another murder mystery Tess investigates.
The characters weren’t as well developed, but the story was pretty good. After finishing it, though, I decided to take break from the Tess stories and pick up some other things to read. I’m sure I’ll go back and read more of them, though. They are good, light reading and perfect when I don’t want to think too hard. 😉
Moving right along…
I am also reading through this book, although it’s not a constant thing, I am reading when I’m in the mood. It’s a very interesting book and has given me some great perspective, given that I have a pre-teen daughter and I’m hoping that we’re doing the right things in terms of the building blocks in her life.
The conversations revolve around the following:
- You are more than the sum of your parts
- Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up
- Sex is great and worth the wait
- It’s OK to dream about marriage and motherhood
- Girls gone wild are a dime a dozen—dare to be virtuous
There are biblical references, but also plenty of practical advice. I’m finding nuggets of wisdom throughout.
And then, finally, I’m reading this:
It was part of another promotion on B&N and I am hooked. It is so engrossing and the main character is mysterious, wounded, powerful and captivating.
She is an “informationist” – a mercenary of sorts, who is hired by various countries, organizations and wealthy individuals to acquire information. And she does, through whatever means necessary.
However, as you follow her on her various “missions” in the opener of the book, you begin to realize that she is a wounded soul, running from memories at the same time she is completing her assignments.
She is hired by a wealthy oil magnate to try to find information related to the disappearance of his daughter four years earlier. Finding people is not what she normally does, but she takes the assignment, intrigued and challenged by the seeming dead-end trails.
She’s given one mandate from the magnate – a “keeper” of sorts who is tasked with traveling with her and keeping her safe (which she feels is unnecessary and insulting, yet unavoidable).
I’m about 150 pages in and I can’t wait to find some free time to sit down and keep reading. I want to know more about her, more about the missing girl, and see what happens with the two main characters’ relationship – how it develops and what becomes of it.
I’d strongly recommend it to anyone.
So, your turn… what are you reading these days?
Thoughts Along Life's Highway 