Monday Mini-Reviews

 At the end of October I am speaking at a library conference at our local AEA, sharing new book releases.  Last week I started looking over the new books that have arrived this fall and realized that even though I'm always reading, I need to read some middle grade stuff, too, so I have more to share.

So, my reading of adult books has really taken a nose-dive.  Add in to that the fact that it's cross country season and I haven't really been churning through a many books as I'd like.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon was one of my favorite reads in September.  It was able to keep my attention when I felt like I really couldn't focus on anything and was simply a lot of fun.

Lana Rubicon is stuck staying with her daughter and granddaughter as she undergoes treatment for cancer.  She's not at all happy about giving up her high-powered job or lavish LA lifestyle to recover in a small, sleepy coastal town.  When Jack, her granddaughter comes across a dead body - and is considered a suspect for a while, Lana decides to engage with life again - and solve the mystery herself. 

This one is just the right amount of fun and suspense with a little bit of a message thrown in.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll has been all over the place. Last fall I read The Stranger Beside Me by Anne Rule which is a nonfiction account of her relationship with Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer that Rule worked with at a call center. I liked that book a lot - although it was certainly creepy.  This book is fiction but also about Ted Bundy, although the author doesn't reveal much about the killer, instead focusing on the victims and their lives.  I liked this one, but after hearing such rave reviews - and having a hard time concentrating or finding time to read- it didn't rate as high for me as I wanted it to.  Still, though this one is good and I liked the different women's voices and narrators. If I had had more time to sit and read I could have easily been sucked in and read it in just a couple sittings.

I'm back to reading some more middle grade books for a while now  I'm still reading some adult stuff - but I'm picking shorter books so I still feel like I'm getting things done.