OK, it’s time to fess-up.

You know all of those books you see in my library stack photos? I don’t really read all of them. In fact, I rarely get through 2-3, but what I love to do (and always have) is sit down with the stack and spend time perusing and “getting to know” them. I do this for a couple of reasons. The first is to determine if it’s a book I want to add to my “to-be-read-at-some-future-date” list, and perhaps even purchase for my e-reader should a deal come up on Bookbub. And the second is to get an idea of the book’s appeal for any future readers’ advisory interactions. Either way, I usually spend 10-15 minutes per book reading the book description, checking out the author’s bio, reading a few pages or the first chapter to get the tone of the book, and, if I’m not going to read the book, I’ll read the ending. (I know! :-0 ) Also, I often do a quick check of Goodreads reviews to get a general overview from readers. When I worked at the library, this was how I often spent my lunch and breaks, a method my co-worker appropriately called “book-snacking.”

So you can stop being impressed.

And with that in mind, here are my last three stacks of books I checked out of the Salem Public Library with comments on a few of the titles.

Cluttered Mess to Organized Success – I’m always searching for new ways to tame clutter and this is an interesting entry into the topic mainly because, in addition to practical advice, it offers lots of lists and labels for personalized use. If you are serious about decluttering, I recommend this as a purchase.

Soul Survivor by G. M. Ford is the latest in the series featuring one of my favorite detectives, Leo Waterman. It was good but Leo suffered horribly and it was tough to read so I ended up skimming most of it. However, I hope I’m not right in thinking it could be the end of the series.

Fiona Davis’ The Masterpiece is a historical novel based on the revitalization of Grand Central Station and I hear it’s terrific. I love these kinds of historical novels based on real events or people. The Hazards of Good Fortune by Seth Greenland is being hailed as the next Bonfire of the Vanities, only with a bit of a kinder heart. It’s long but I hear very compelling. There There by Tommy Orange, a novel about urban Native Americans, is destined for the best of 2019 lists and book groups will be clamoring for this.

In this stack is a book called Fatal Throne, a teen book a friend recommended saying it was an easy-to-read and interesting novel about Henry VIII told from the perspective of each of his wives. Smothered is another aimed at older teens that a well-read acquaintance said was worth reading. And Food Pharmacy is yet another entry into the topic of trying to tame my stomach woes.

Betty Rosenberg, an expert on book genres, said: “Never apologize for your reading tastes.” [By the way, if I were ever to get a tattoo, it would be this quote.] So I offer this stack and assume you will not judge me on one particular title in the pile–yes, that’s right, I’m finally going gray, hence, the handbook on silver hair. 😉

Lapena’s An Unwanted Guest is one I want to read as I enjoyed her first domestic suspense novel, The Couple Next Door.  After reading a few essays in David Sedaris’ Calypso, I want to finish but a friend recommends this is best listened to as it’s narrated by the author.

Advice for Future Corpses is by the Portland author, Sallie Tisdale, and while it could be a bit of a difficult read, promises to be an interesting look at how to handle our deaths. It appears to be a good readalike to the excellent look by Caitlin Doughty on how other cultures handle their dead, From Here to Eternity.

The other two books that very much appeal to me are Lands of Lost Borders by Kate Harris, a true adventure story of biking the Silk Road, and Phantom Tree by Nicole Cornick, featuring time travel in the 1500’s and present day.

And last but not least, I loved The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Karen White & Lauren Willig, a novel set on the Lusitania (click on the title to see my review) so I now want to read Erik Larson’s Dead Wake, the true history of the ship’s sinking.

I hope this helps alleviate your envy at my perceived skill to read all of these books, although you are welcome to marvel at my ability in knowing what books to put on hold.

[Note: Remember clicking on a bold title will take you either to the general entry on GoodReads or to my review.]

Sometimes I feel like I’m always trying to catch up on my reading reports and today is no exception. In my defense, we have been going somewhere every week this summer, trying various ways of traveling, which plays havoc with my computer time.

So anyhoo, here are titles I’ve recently read, the September LibraryReads list, and a photo of my latest topping stack of library books.

Recent Reads

Oregonian Karen Thompson Walker’s The Dreamers isn’t due to be published until January 2019, but add this to your list of discussion-worthy titles for book groups. It’s pensive atmosphere, various moral dilemmas, and the topic of dreaming will have everyone talking for hours. If you haven’t read Thompson’s first book, Age of Miracles, give it a try while waiting.

If you’re looking for a twisty psychological suspense with two of the most unreliable narrators you’ll ever run across, try Hank Phillippi Ryan’s Trust Me. It has been compared to the often mentioned Gone Girl but this stands alone in its intensity. In my review, I mention it took all of my willpower not to read ahead. And Ryan also writes a mystery series but Trust Me is a “stand-alone” and will be available in late August.

Another terrific crime novel is Tahoe Skydrop by Todd Borg, the 16th title in the Owen McKenna series set in my favorite place for vacationing, Lake Tahoe. Even if you’ve never been you’ll enjoy the escapades of Owen and his wonder dog, Spot. And as usual, if you haven’t read them, start with the first, although they can be read out of order since the relationships never seem to change.

Library Reads

Here is a link to the favorite titles due to be published in September as selected by librarians. While I haven’t read any of them, I can report what colleagues are saying about a few of the titles.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been popular with those who like a very twisty literary mystery. Think the movie “Groundhog Day” with a gothic tone.

T. M. Logan’s Lies has been receiving tons of advance praise for it’s breakneck pace and sheer WTF twists. It’s been on my list for a while and I need to get busy and read it.

A librarian friend raved about The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle, saying it had “charm.”

I love Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brody literary mystery series but have never gotten around to reading her other novels; however, her latest, Transcription, is receiving kudos from other librarians. If you liked her earlier novel, Life After Life, watch for this in September.

Recent Toppling Library Stack

Naturally, as it tends to happen, many of my library holds came in at the same time. Now lest you think I’m going to read all of these, chances are most will be perused and placed on a “future-reading” list. That being said, I immediately started reading the latest Marcia Muller mystery featuring Sharon McCone as she one of my favorites.

And Finally…

There is a Twitter feed called “Fake Library Statistics,” and while most are tongue-in-cheek, some really ring true, like this one:

“Librarians when someone announces cake in the break room.”

No one wants to sit inside during such nice weather (yes, I think 90 degrees is wonderful) so I’ve been spending hours outside reading. And it’s been glorious. But right now it’s 101 degrees on our back deck and much cooler at my computer so it’s time to get caught up on various reading matters.

LibraryReads for August

The list for August is here and has a few books of note.

Vox by Christina Dalcher is receiving rave reviews from fellow librarians, many saying if you like Handmaid’s Tale, you’ll like this. Trust me, though, it’s very disturbing.

Louise Candlish’s Our House is a “wowzer” of a book with a “gasp-worthy” ending. For me, it dragged a little in the middle but for the most part, it’s a heck of a psychological twister.

Rust and Stardust is a novel based on the true story of the kidnapping of a young girl that “inspired” Nabokov to write Lolita, but there is also a nonfiction account of the kidnapping being published in September titled The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman. Both are compelling and if I were to recommend which to read, I would say read both and in whatever order you prefer. Me, I prefer to read the fictionalized version first, then see how close it was to the actual incident.

Early readers have said Meet Me at the Museum is a very uplifting novel, and sometimes we just want something “nice,” right? Might be a good palate cleanser after reading Vox and Rust and Stardust.

My Recent Reading

I’ve been reading some terrific titles over the last few days. They are:

Field of Bones by J. A. Jance. This is the 18th entry in the Joanna Brady series set in SE Arizona, and while I still prefer the J. P. Beaumont mysteries, Jance has truly hit her stride with Brady’s character. I haven’t reviewed it yet but if you’re a fan, watch for it in late August.

Those of you know me are probably aware of how much I love a good celebrity memoir and I was looking forward to Todd Fisher’s “tell-all” about his life with mother Debbie Reynolds and sister Carrie Fisher, My Girls. I didn’t expect a whole lot but I was completely engrossed. Check out my complete review on Goodreads.

Linwood Barclay is a master at taking a seemingly impossible to solve domestic incident and wrapping everything up with a big bow. A Noise Downstairs was a bit of a departure but it was every bit as compelling as his previous books. This comes out in August.

One of the most entertaining books I’ve read and perused is Charles Phoenix’s Addicted to Americana. Doesn’t the cover just scream, “You’re in for a good time!”? 

Latest Library Stack

It was so high I had to split it into two photographs. I’m excited about A Life Less Throwaway and Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage. I’ll expand on both in future posts. In the meantime, I am working on a post listing my favorite books of 2018 (so far).

Stay cool and happy reading! 

Over on Facebook, I was challenged to post the covers of seven of my favorite books from years past. Well, I’m sure by now you know I’m a bit of an over-achiever, plus, really, I don’t know how anyone could expect me to be able to limit my favorite books to a certain number, so I rebelled and chose ten. Here is a collage of what I posted over the past ten days.

Coming soon: My favorite books (so far) of 2018.

Vacay Reading

Well, this is embarrassing. Here I boasted about all of the books I was planning on reading during my vacation, and guess what, I only read one of the listed books. I’m offering no excuses except I was distracted by that beautiful lake and the aggravation of the roar of the generators from nearby campers (why don’t people just stay home if they feel the need to sit inside and watch movies on a beautiful day?).

For months I put off reading Chris Bohjalian’s Flight Attendant but after hearing a few friends whose opinions I respect say it was soooo good, I started it and couldn’t put it down. It definitely has more of a slow-burn pace, almost literary in its style, but it had a heck of an ending.

Last year I loved Matt Goldman’s entry into his Nils “Shap” Shapiro series set in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Gone to Dust, and anxiously awaited his next book, Broken Ice and it didn’t disappoint. My only minor quibble was that the ending had a few too many loose ends that were tied a little too quickly, but I adore the character of Shap and the author’s at times wry writing. Those who like Sue Grafton’s style, take note.

Tahoe Hijack by Todd Borg was the only book I read from my touted list and as usual, it was fun returning to the world of Owen McKenna and his “largeness,” Spot the Harlequin Great Dane. My only issue was when the author inserted a dead body into my favorite Tahoe location, Tallac Historical Site.

However, next up on my list is the new Linwood Barclay, A Noise Downstairs, so stay tuned.

LibraryReads 

Just before I left, the July LibraryReads list was posted, so here is a link to the list. All are worth checking out, especially the new Ann Tyler, The Clock Dance; A. J. Pearce’s Dear Mrs. Bird (friends say this is a wonderful and “feel-good” read); and the deliciously creepy Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage. If you like a compelling fairy tale retelling, try Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik and her earlier book, Uprooted.

Latest Library Stack

Happy summer reading! 

Have you ever noticed how the art design of book covers seems to follow a certain style for a while? One time it was rain boots on women’s fiction, another time it was just women’s legs on “chick lit,” or another time it might have been a certain bright color or graphic. Here is a very interesting article on the latest literary novel trend.

Are you drawn to this kind of design?

For the record, I loved The Immortalists and Fates and Furies, and now because the other books have the same types of covers, I might be tempted to read a few more on the list.

For years, whenever I mentioned going on vacation the first question wasn’t “Where are you going?” but “What books are you taking?” Of course, it may be that since we usually go to the same place every year (South Lake Tahoe), the one who asked probably felt like it was a redundant question. So since I’ve already told you where we are going (not that you asked), here are the books I plan on reading while lazing in the campsite or on the (we hope) sunny beach.

I mentioned Glass Ocean in my Sandy Covers blog and this trip will be perfect timing to read it. In the same post, I also mentioned Linwood Barclay’s A Noise Downstairs, along with Karin Slaughter’s Pieces of Her (and no, that title doesn’t refer to a dismembered body although it wouldn’t surprise me with Slaughter).

The Dreamers is by a Portland, Oregon, author and I’m anxious to read as I loved her first book, Age of Miracles.

An Anonymous Girl by Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks is due to be published in early 2019, and since I loved The Wife Between Us, I’m looking forward to this new psychological thriller.

Another thriller by an author I like is I Know You Know by Gilly Macmillan. Her earlier book, What She Knew, was terrific.

And I figure since we’ll be camping in the wilderness, it’s good to have Bear Grylls around, and no, he won’t be camping with us, but at least we’ll have his new book, How To Stay Alive–OK, so we will be only 3 miles from a grocery store and 1 mile from the nearest ice cream shop, but one never knows; there could be a forest fire or landslide that keeps us away from the brownie sundaes!

E-Reading

But wait, there’s more! I also have a “priority” collection on my Kindle and the following are also in the queue.

When we make our yearly trek to South Lake Tahoe, one of my “go-to” authors is Todd Borg who writes a terrific series set in the same area featuring Owen McKenna, a retired San Francisco detective, and his faithful companion, Spot, a Harlequin great dane. This year I am on the ninth book, Tahoe Hijack. If you want to try these, start with the first title, Tahoe Deathfall.

I also love G.M. Ford and I was excited to see a digital galley of his next book, Soul Survivor, available for download from NetGalley. This is the 11th in the Leo Waterman series set in Seattle but start with the first, Who In Hell is Wanda Fuca?

Both of these series fall into the “manly men doing manly things yet also sensitive who treat their women as equals” trope and are good bets for fans of J. A. Jance and even Sue Grafton.

Others on my list include Woman 99 by Greer Macallister. Her first book, The Magician’s Lie, is one of my favorite twisty literary mysteries, and I also enjoyed Girl in Disguise, the fictionalized story of Pinkerton’s first woman detective.

Last year I read Nora Roberts’ first entry in her new paranormal fantasy series, Year One, and while I’m not a big fan of dystopian novels with weird stuff going on, it kept my interest. The next book is available for me to pre-read, Of Blood and Bone, so I may give it a try.

Iain Reid’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things, was a terrific twisty mind-bender of a book, which wasn’t for everyone but I thought it was very cleverly constructed. I hear his next book, Foe, may be even better.

And I just received the stunningly compiled book, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die by James Mustich, and it appears to be a “must” for occasional perusing. Be sure to purchase a copy when it comes out in October.

So will I get them all read? Somehow I doubt it as my usual total for a two-week trip is six books, but who knows. Stay tuned…

You know, my intention for posting my library check out piles was to post the photo without words. But guess what. I can’t do it. And it’s not fair to you, right? I’m sure you want to know which books might tantalize and which are brought home because they jumped off the shelf and into my arms. So to be fair, this my library haul from yesterday with words.

I had Oregon Beaches: A Traveler’s Companion on hold and if you are a coast traveler, it appears to be the perfect book to keep in your car. I haven’t delved into it so can’t tell you much more but I’m sure GoodReads can. I will say the description of “400 miles of coastline” makes it sound daunting, and while on a summer weekend it can feel like 600 miles, the mileage on highway 101 is 337 from the northern tip of the coast to Brookings. It’s still a long slog if you try to do it in a day, so don’t if you can help it.

Tiffany Haddish has added her name to the growing list of new celebrity memoirs told in the form of essays (with varying degrees of success). She is a funny woman so I’ll see if I read The Last Black Unicorn cover to cover or skip around. And like many of these kinds of memoirs, they are usually best “read” in audio as long as narrated by the author.

Jillian Medoff’s This Could Hurt was met with raves when it was published and from what I hear is also good if one works in a Human Resources department.

I don’t know much about the rest of the titles (84K, The Little Clan, Girls Burn Brighter) as they are the book that jumped off the shelf and into my arms, but they all are intriguing.

Now it’s back to packing for our camping trip. I’m almost to the most important part of the planning and that is selecting my books to be read while sitting in the campsite and on the beach. That post will arrive soon.

When I used to empty the library bookdrop, finding a returned book with sand between the Brodart jacket protector and the book cover would always cause a bit of frustration. It wasn’t because it was a pain in the a$$ to remove the cover and shake out the sand, but more the realization the book had been somewhere I wasn’t at the moment, because in my world there’s nothing better than settling down in a low-slung beach chair (I’m too old for beach towels) on a beautiful day and pulling out an eagerly awaited book or bringing it up on an e-reader. The plot may be as substantial as a soft serve ice cream cone on a 100-degree day and have the same amount of empty calories, but we know there’s nothing wrong with that.  So load up your tote with books or download the following titles on your e-reader and don’t forget the snacks, hat, and sunscreen, and head out to the sunshine, even if it’s just in your backyard.

Beach-Worthy Titles

“Beach Reading” is such a popular topic that I created a list of “beachy” titles on GoodReads (it’s here). And yes, summer reading can be whatever you want it to be (maybe even “Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace, a book not one single patron I know of has ever finished), but books with bright and colorful jackets that scream “take me somewhere fun!” are most likely to land in my tote, and having an actual beach on the cover adds to the appeal. So here are a few of my recent favorites. (Note: I realize many of these aren’t yet published, which is why I gave an alternate title which is readily available.)

Late Bloomers’ Club by Lousie Miller (July) is a wonderful feel-good story of self-discovery (even after the age of 40) and also try the companion book, City Baker’s Guide to Country Living. Both have appealing and likable people along with scrumptious food descriptions.

A similar happy read is Miriam Parker’s The Shortest Way Home (July), an engaging story about “following your bliss” set in the Napa wine country of California. I had an ear-to-ear grin when I finished it.

Every June I eagerly await Elin Hilderbrand’s newest title in the “Nantucket” series, and while they tend to run the gamut from wonderful to “meh,” the newest, The Perfect Couple (late June), was almost, well, perfect. One of my earlier favorites is The Blue Bistro.

Wendy Francis’ The Summer Sail was a quick and breezy read, and while it didn’t add anything new to the topic of female relationships, I enjoyed the cruise ship and Bermuda settings.

After reading Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams, you may find yourself peering at Google Earth to find the east coast island that was the inspiration for the setting of this book. If you can’t wait for the publication date of July, try one of her other books such as Cocoa Beach or Secret Life of Violet Grant. I’m also anxious to read Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White, but it’s a bit of a wait until the publication date of September.

Next up for my beach reading pleasure is California Summer by the prolific Anita Hughes who has written a slew of novels set near water. This book features the appealing setting of Montecito, the exclusive community near Santa Barbara, California.

Did you know there is a new Liane Moriarty book being released? That’s the good news. The bad news is Nine Perfect Strangers doesn’t arrive until November. However, if you are anxious to read a new Moriarty title, try her sister Nicola’s newest book, Those Other Women.

Chillier Reads

If books fraught with female family and friendship dynamics aren’t your thing, perhaps a book that will give you thrills is more up your alley. Don’t worry, there are plenty of those to choose from, too.

One of my “go-to” authors for a taut plot is Linwood Barclay (and he’s also good for those who like Harlan Coben) whose next book, A Noise Downstairs (July), has been receiving raves from librarians. I’m anxious to read it but am trying to hold off until we are on our camping trip. If you’ve never read any of his domestic suspense thrillers, try one of my favorites, Never Look Away.

Not only is Anthony Horowitz an esteemed adult and children’s books author, he also has a long list of TV writing credits (he wrote for the series Foyle’s War). His earlier mystery, The Magpie Murders, was a twisty take on the locked room and country house themes and is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie. His latest book, The Word is Murder, is more of a linear mystery but with the added twist of adding himself as the main investigator.

David Bell has been around for a while but has always flown under the radar. I remember patrons would always enjoy his psychological suspense books and Bring Her Home is definitely a barn-burner. His next book, Somebody’s Daughter, is due in July.

The Last Time I Lied by new-ish author Riley Sager is more of a serial-killer type thriller and librarian pals have been raving about it. It is a sequel of sorts to Final Girls but I understand it’s not necessary to read it first. This author’s books appear to be good “readalikes” for those who like Karin Slaughter and maybe even Stephen King.

And speaking of Karin Slaughter, her next book, Pieces of Her, a stand-alone thriller, is due in August.

I hope those reading my blog found a few of these titles enticing enough to add to your summer reading list, but if your thing is to read more literary type stuff like Infinite Jest, please let me know so I can boast that I know someone who actually finished it.

P.S. If readers find this post a little too fluffy and think “beach-reading” is a silly and meaningless term, here is a fairly elitist thoughtful opinion I found while looking for suitable images.

Note new book by Oregon’s Chuck Palahniuk. Here is an interesting but sad story about how he is close to broke due to fraud by his accountant.

Coming soon: Beach Books!