I finished reading “The Prisoner of Zenda”. It was an entertaining piece of fluff and I liked the sentimental ending.
Finished Eviction, which is a pretty depressing look at life in the poor lane. Not many people escape that vicious cycle. A very sobering read.
I’m on to The Fisherman, by John Langan.
Zipped through The Light In the Hallway by K.R. Shann, a collection of short stories by a local author. It was okay, though not very original, and I was a bit turned off by the cartoonish illustrations. Still, you go, local girl! You’re trying, at least, and I don’t create anything.
Started on Extreme Makeover by Dan Wells. A novel about cloning and the end of the world.
My book club was rather divided about Hedgehog. I was in the thumbs-down contingent.
I just finished **The Locked Room **by Maj Sjowall, and i thought it was one of the best mysteries I have read in a while. It was a bit dated with mentions of Vietnam War demonstrations in Stockholm and the possible visit of GOVERNOR Ronald Reagan to Sweden. It was first published in 1973, so…
Ancient history according to my 20 year old 
Just finished Conan Doyle’s 1887 A Study in Scarlet, and enjoyed it. I’d forgotten a lot of the Salt Lake City/early Mormon theocracy backstory.
Now skimming a lifetime collection of Mary Todd Lincoln’s letters. She was a very complicated woman. I’m coming to believe that she made a big difference in helping her husband reach the White House, but that she was much more of a hindrance than a help during their four years there. Despite his many frustrations with her, though, at a time when he could least afford it, he never stopped loving her.
Good series. Author keeps promising another book in the series, but alas, nothing…
There is supposedly a prequel coming out which is really two novellas combined.
I’m a sociologist who thinks obsessively about social class and read rather a lot of French theorists in grad school. That may have colored my perception a bit.
Two of the long stories are rarely adapted for other media: A Study in Scarlet, and The Valley of Fear.
One reason is that the two are potentially insulting towards the Mormons and the labor movement, respectively; but I think more significant, they have such lengthy backstories, making Sherlock into almost a framing device.
Finished ‘Foucault’s Pendulum’. Rather underwhelmed by it, in the end. Lots of compelling bits, but I was expecting it to feel more, I don’t know what, exactly. More gripping, maybe.
Scott Lynch apparently suffers from debilitating depression. Between the second and third books, I think his long-term relationship fell apart, and he fell apart emotionally at the same time. The third book makes Locke Lamora a little too creepy-clingy for my tastes, I think a reflection of Lynch’s emotional struggles. But I still love his writing.
I finished Wall of Storms. The author sets up a “medieval” Chinese fantasy society, complete with hardcore patriarchy and reliance of ancient sages, but then gives the protagonists unapologetically modern mindsets about feminism and science. I had to adjust myself to not let that break my suspension of disbelief (which shouldn’t be the biggest problem, there are massive intelligent scaled narwhals swimming around ferchrissakes), but once I accepted the idea that a person steeped in this society could be a feminist engineer, I loved the book.
Finished The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. Very good, a classic, but again, I like Dumas a lot to begin with.
Next, it’s back to John Grisham with Sycamore Row, his 2013 sequel to his first novel, A Time to Kill.
Finished Dan Well’s Extreme Makeover. I thought it was a nicely done end-of-the-world novel (complete with headings at the beginning of each chapter saying how many days left until the end). Most apocalyptic novels focus on the before and after, but this one goes step-by-step through the disaster, which I must admit was a little tedious at times. I was getting ready to be annoyed at the apparent ending, but then got something I didn’t expect which pleased me much more. Also, I nearly added a star at Goodreads just for a couple of pop culture references that brought me joy. 
Earlier this week I finished the new P.D. James short story collection, The Mistletoe Murders. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads mainly because I was so tickled to be reading new-to-me material from her. 
Also, the stories were very good!
I have a ridiculous number of samples on my Kindle, several of which beckoned, but after a two-month break I decided to return to the Joe Dillard series (from Scott Pratt): I’m a few chapters into #6, Blood Money. Despite occasional instances of sloppy editing, a vaguely annoying main character, and stories that are nothing spectacular, I can’t seem to stop reading this series. Legal dramas are so totally My Thing! I decided to finally stop fighting it: there are two more Dillard books (so far), and I’ll most likely read those when I’m done with this one.
My Goodreads review of Sycamore Row starts, “Grisham’s writing style remains enjoyable, and it was interesting to revisit this protagonist, but…”
I’ll be interested in your take.
Would you all be interested in sharing Goodreads profiles? I know a lot of us enjoy the place and each other’s input there…
This is me, should anyone be interested Kris
That’s a good idea. Sometimes I can’t remember who’s who here vs. over there…
I’m Dung Beetle all over, friends with mostly you guys plus Stephen King.
Great idea! Here I am.
I loved The Laughing Policeman, but haven’t read any of their other books. I’ll have to see if the library can get me some.
This is Me!
I finished Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger earlier this week. It’s a novella set in her steampunk England of vampires and werewolves. I’m hoping to see more of her characters from this short.
I also finished The Brothers Cabal by Jonathon L Howard today. I liked it MUCH better than Fear Institute but still not quite as much as the first one. I had the twist worked out fairly early and the ending felt incredibly anti climatic. But as usual I adore our brothers and the entomopter pilots were fabulous too.
I started The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud today. Looks like a fairly fast read and since I work with children, the complaints on Goodreads about the 11 year old hero being obnoxious isn’t going to faze me. ALL 11 year olds are obnoxious. 