Merry Month of May

Preparation for the summer reading program (Get a Clue @ the Library; our packets are just too cute this year!) have pre-empted the recording of my May reading list but with a few minutes to spare, I hope to remedy the situation.

Sweet & Deadly by Charlaine Harris was one of those titles I picked up because of the cover--bee buzzing around the lower portion (see previous post about my new found obsession). Big mistake! Not a single, solitary bee in the book! What was the cover editor thinking? But, it made me pick up the book & it was a decent read (how is that for a resounding endorsement?) Actually, I liked it better than a lot of books & Harris' mysteries have entertained me in the past. Plot was different, especially the motive, and the time frame was a change from many books I've read of late. If it hadn't been for the deceptive bee cover, I'd have liked it more.

Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton was also a departure for me but gee, it was a book about a bookmobile. How often does that happen? And I enjoyed it for the library aspects--same arguments in Africa as we have here in Kansas--as well for the portrayal of the effect of books on individuals: those who drank up the knowledge vs. those who feared it. The ending wasn't a total surprise but parts of the book were predictable. Still, I suggest it for its topic alone.

Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos was as captivating as it was the first time I read it. Rarely do I read a book a second time when I pick it for the book discussion group but with this one I did--almost with trepidation since I was afraid I wouldn't like it as much. But I fell in love with the characters (again), the poetic writing, and watched The Philadelphia Story in its entirety because of it. And why can't they make movies like that any more? The snappy dialogue alone was worth watching--Cary Grant just sweetened the pot.

The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Samson was a total farce--and another book dealing with librarians (this one in Ireland) Some of the colloquialisms might distract from the story (notice I didn't say plot) if one isn't familiar with Irish/English dialects but I daresay one would easily get the gist of the meaning. When you're in the mood for a light-hearted, easy read, pick it up.

Messenger of Truth is another entry in the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Definitely darker than Samson's but lots of meaty descriptions of 1930's London and the effects of the worldwide economic depression of the time upon the people. Parts reminded me of the movie Cinderella Man, the utter desolation facing families who struggled to put food on the table. One of the best series I've read of late.

As always, I drift towards mysteries, which makes this summer's reading program so much fun! And I'm already ahead, thanks to my Memorial Day weekend reading (guess that rain was good for something after all).