Let's Read!

Here are four of the books I've read in the last month or so. I debated whether or not to include two of them because I had such mixed feelings about them, but I decided I'd include them and just explain what I see as their pros and cons. Then you can decide if they'd be something you'd enjoy or not.

The Long Masquerade by Madeleine Brent

This is my third Madeleine Brent book in as many months. It was also my least favorite of the three. It still had adventure, romance, mystery, interesting settings and great characters, but I found myself mired down in some of the details. The main character, Casey, spends a couple of years at sea, and that is where I became bogged down. Once I got through the slow part, it picked up and I enjoyed the rest. Some people might really enjoy that part. I might have if I'd been in the right mood, but it was hard for me to get through.

61 Hours by Lee Child

I confess. I love Jack Reacher and with only one exception, I've enjoyed all of Lee Child's novels about the ex-military cop who is now a loner who wanders the country with only the clothes on his back. He's tough, he isn't afraid of a fight, he stands up for the victim. He's a guy anyone would want on their side. In this book, we get to know him better emotionally than in any other book, and I enjoyed that a lot. He accidentally ends up in a town in crisis in South Dakota in the dead of winter. It's suspenseful, it's interesting and it's hard to put down. This was the least violent of the Jack Reacher books. I love Lee Child's writing. I was freezing through most of the book.

Luck of the Draw by Rachael Renee Anderson

This is one of those fun books that I get to share with my daughters. This book starts out with a roommates bet that goes wrong and then maybe right. It was fun to read, had a positive message and entertaining and believable characters. My oldest daughter read it first and then couldn't wait for me to read it so we could talk about it. It's a fun romance that actually makes you think about values and the choices people make.

The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker

It was hard for me to decide if I should include this book. I had such high hopes for it and when I started it, I was thoroughly enteretained b Elna Baker's writing. She's funny, sarcastic, and I actually laughed out loud. It tells of her life as a single LDS girl in New York. She's looking for love, trying to lose weight, and deciding how she really feels about her faith. While it felt genuine to me, there were times when it made me really uncomfortable. Part of the time I cheered for her and part of the time I wanted to send her to her room for five years to think about making better choices. I wouldn't want my daughters to read this and be warned, there is some bad language and some bad behavior included.