July 2020 Books I read

It is so sad that I have not been able to get a book from the library since March. I am making my way through my stockpile of books here at the house.  Ryan approves because many of them are going to be sent away and it does clear space (for more books!!) for the future. I have purchased some books online and by phone (my local used book store delivers!!) and borrowed some books from friends.

Persuasion by Jane Austin It has taken me three months to get through this book. I pick it up and put it down to read other things...constantly. It never really gripped me, but I finally finished the thing. 

Sweet Water Ranch by Geoffrey Norman mystery set in Florida Panhandle similar style to the Travis McGee novels from John D MacDonald, I liked it enough to try and find more of these

Alki Point by Henry Walton Fun murder mystery by someone who used to live in West Seattle, now lives in Minnesota. 

Drunken Forest by Gerald Durrell I really enjoyed this story of a trip to South America by Gerald Durrell collecting animals for UK Zoos. It was the 1950's so suspend your environmental concerns a bit and enjoy what it was like in the 50's 

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton In the same vein as Gone Girl or You. A scorned girlfriend becomes a stalker and vows to get her man back. Lots of twists and the hook for me, she is a flight attendant (the better to stalk her pilot ex) 

The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen a young Jewish girl is swept back in time and experiences the Holocaust. And she knows what is happening. It helps her understand her grandparents and others who did actually live through it. Very good

Friend Request by Laura Marshall thriller about a woman who gets a friend request from a high school friend who committed suicide (or was she murdered?) years ago....right at the eve of the high school reunion. it was okay

The Film Club by David Gilmour book about a father and son. The father lets his son drop out of high school, only if he will watch movies with him 3 times a week. So it is about their relationship and the things he tries to teach him through movies. I enjoyed it. 

River of Darkness by Rennie Airth UK murder mystery set in a 1920's post WWI era. (Diane and John check these out if you have not read them already) 

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy I enjoyed this one about a heavy girl who decides to enter a beauty pageant. I will have to watch the movie now. 

Defying Hitler by Sebastian Haffner a memoir about living in Germany when the Nazis came to power. How what came before (the first world war) shaped the psyche of the German people where they were ripe for change in any form. 

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann Fun to reread this one again. I still enjoy it. 

Love and Death Among the Cheetahs by Rhys Bowen a fun mystery in the Royal Spyness series. They go to Africa for this one.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Stories for Late at Night collection of short stories from the Alfred Hitchcock magazine very good

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (audiobook) Good to revisit this with BLM on my mind. 

Searching for John Hughes by Jason Diamond memoir of an author struggling to write a book and his obsession with John Hughes movies. 

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware It was okay,  A group of school friends are brought back together to face the lies that they told years ago. 

Garbology by Edward Humes Our biggest export is trash? Americans produce more trash than any other country in the world. A very interesting look at our consumerism from the end result. 

First Cases Volume 2 Edited by Robert J. Randisi short stories introducing many classic detectives from Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr to Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott. Many of my favorites, so I enjoyed very much.