Just Finished
Since my last entry, I finished 4 books. It made my January summary a bit better than it looked. The four books are listed below.
"Wings of Fire is the 2nd book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series by Charles Todd. The series is set after WWI and Rutledge is an Inspector in Scotland Yard. He served as a military policeman during the War and returned damaged, not knowing who he was. Somewhat cured, he has returned to work but still is 'haunted' by the voice of Hamish, a Scottish soldier whose death Rutledge bears some responsibility for. Hamish is his conscience and adviser or just a troublesome irritant at times.
Rutledge is sent to Cornwall by his supervisor to investigate two apparent suicides and another 'accidental' death, all from one well-known family. His supervisor in effect wants Rutledge out of his hair, as he investigates a serial killer in London. The request for an investigation comes from Rachel, another family member who feels that the deaths might not have been suicides. One of the deaths is of a famed poetess, one who affected Rutledge during his wartime service.
It's an interesting story, kind of wanders around as Rutledge begins to look into the facts of the deaths. It's a small community, where everyone knows everyone and many of the people in the town don't really want an investigation. We begin to find out the history of the family and of other deaths that occurred in the past. It's an interesting investigation peopled with interesting characters, from Rachel to Sadie, the old woman who seems to have a second sense. At times it seems pointless for Rutledge to continue investigating the deaths but as the story progresses, it grows in interest and tension. The final chapters are tense and exciting. I wondered at first where the story might go but was ultimately quite satisfied with the outcome. I hope the next books continue to grow in plot and interest. (4 stars)"
"I've read many books by John le Carré. He's one of the great spy masters when it comes to story telling. Our Kind of Traitor is one of his more recent stories, published originally in 2010. I enjoyed the story but I think in many ways it was style over substance.
Perry and Gail a young English couple decide to take a vacation in Antigua. There they meet a group of Russians led by Dima who attaches himself to the couple.
It turns out that Dima is a member of a powerful Russian gangster (Vory) organization; their money launderer, and he wants to defect, along with his family to England. He indicates he has much to offer the UK in return.
Perry and Gail are interrogated by Luke, Yvonne, Ollie and their boss Hector back in London. Hector comes up with a plan to help Dima and his family defect. Dima is attending meetings in Paris and Bern to authorize fund transfer within the organization and feels he will be killed afterwards.
The rest of the story is the attempt by this group to help the family get back to England.
le Carre has a unique story telling style. The first half of the story is basically told via the interrogation of Perry and Gail, but in the second half there is much more action as we travel to Paris and then onwards to Switzerland. All in all it's a well told story, with interesting characters. The ending was somewhat disappointing but different. It was nice to try a le Carré story again. (4 stars)"
"Of the three books by Andrew Pyper I've read so far, The Guardians is my favourite. The Guardians are Trev, Randy, Carl and Ben, four young men who grow up in the town of Grimshaw. The Guardians is the name of their local hockey team and all four play on it.
The town of Grimshaw has a secret as well. Across the street from Ben is the Thurman house, an empty haunted house. It is the crux of this story.
Their music teacher disappears; the boys see things in the house. Are they related? Is the Coach involved?
The story is told in the past and the present by Trev. Suffering from Parkinson's disease, he starts to dictate a diary of the events of the past and at the same time he is returning to Grimshaw to attend the funeral of Ben, the self-appointed watcher of the Thurman house.
The story moves along nicely, both in the past and present and it is tensely, eerily described. What is in the Thurman House? What does it want?
Well worth reading, a creepy, interesting story with an exciting, satisfying ending. (4 stars)"
"What a wonderful story The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is. I've had it on my book shelf for a year or so and added it to my 12+ 4 reading challenge on the recommendation of a Goodread's friend.
It was so nice to read an uplifting, joyous story such as this. It's a story of growing up, discovering friendship and love and it leaves you feeling very positive and happy. (well, there were a few tears shed at the end but only because it was a positive ending.)
Young Mary Lennox is growing up in India. Her mother abandons her to the care of an Indian governess; she never really wanted a child. Mary becomes a loner, a temperamental, selfish young girl. When her parents die due to a cholera epidemic, she is sent to England to live with an uncle who resides at his estate in Misselthwaite Manor. Her uncle is basically a hermit who has never recovered from the death of his wife. He wants nothing to do with Mary, heading off to Europe and other places as soon as she arrives. Mary is once again alone but she slowly begins to make 'actual' friends, firstly her maid, Martha, a young Yorkshire lass, then a robin, etc. She then discovers the entrance to a locked garden; her uncle had closed it down when his wife died. It was her favorite and she died when a branch fell on her. Mary also discovers another resident in the manor, who turns out to be her cousin, Colin.
Without ruining the story by telling you anymore, suffice it to say that the two develop a close relationship and learn about friendship and love as they grow. The link with the garden, their development as the garden grows and multiplies, is most interesting. The story is full of wonderful characters; not the least Mary and Colin but also Martha, Martha's brother Dickon, their mother and even the old gardener, Ben.
I was so pleased to read this story, to read a perfect little story that left me feeling positive and happy at the end. Everyone should read! Thanks for adding to my challenge list, Alissa. (5 stars)"
January Reading Summary Stats
I'm satisfied with my first month's stats. I'm not counting two big books that I've not yet finished but I've read 800 pages amongst both. I'm sure I'll have them finished in February.. Hoping so anyway. So onwards to my January Summary. I'm basically following my format from last year. My Goodread's challenge is to read 110 books; I've reduced it from my 120 planned total from 2017.
General Info
Books Read - 9
Pages Read - 2550
Pages Breakdown
< 250 4
250 - 350 2
351 - 450 3
> 450
Ratings
5 - star 1
4 - star 5
3 - star 3
2 - star
Gender
Female 2
Male 7
Genres
Fiction 2
Mystery 5
SciFi 2
Non-Fic
Classics
Top 3 Books
1. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (5 stars)
2. Cakes and Ale - W. Somerset Maugham (4 stars)
3. The Guardians - Andrew Pyper (4 stars)
2018 Reading Challenges
12 + 4 Challenge (3 completed)
1. The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon (4 stars)
2. Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham (4 stars)
3. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (5 stars)
New Series
4. Banquets of the Black Widowers by Isaac Asimov (Black Widowers #4) (3 stars)
5. Mrs. Pargeter's Package by Simon Brett (Mrs. Pargeter #3) (3 stars)
Ongoing Series
6. Wings of Fire by Charles Todd (Inspector Rutledge #2) (4 stars)
Decades Challenge
7. Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré (Decades Challenge - 2010) (4 stars)
Canadian Content
8. The Pyx by John Buell (3 stars)
9. The Guardians by Andrew Pyper (4 stars)
Currently Reading
1. Adam Bede by George Eliot (Decades Challenge - Pre-1900s)
2. Order in Chaos by Jack Whyte (Ongoing Series - Templars #3)
3. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (New Series - Philip Marlowe #1)
4. The Sourdough Wars by Julie Smith (Ongoing Series - Rebecca Schwarz #2)
Next Books on Deck
There you go. I'm looking forward to February. Have a great month.
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