Small Batch Bookin'

Whoa! As usual, I'm backed up on books, so I'm going to do this in pieces, just to move things along! I think I got too caught up in Self-Stitched September!

The Bad Book Affair by Ian Sansom: I do like these Mobile Library Mysteries, but if you're going to read them, start at the beginning!

Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell: Maybe it's just too much of a stretch for me to identify with an aspiring actress in Hollywood, but this book never drew me in. Completely flat.

The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace: This was a little gem. Read an excerpt here.

Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden: I picked this up because it's set in Ireland, but it wasn't a winner for me.

Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon: This book completely escaped my notice when it came out more than a year ago, but a blurb about the paperback release in June caught my eye. At first I was concerned, because it's one of those books with a few stories going on at once. That can be confusing and a bit too much like work, but it's done well in this book. It wasn't what I expected, but I really liked it.

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff: It's a sentimental piece of fluff, but it's an enjoyable, sentimental piece of fluff.

Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten: I would have never chosen this on my own, but it was on the short list of selections for my library's mystery book club, so I gave it a try. I found it dull and lifeless and extremely slow. My recommendation? They should pass on this one.

The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain: Predictable, but engaging.

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham: This Grisham dude just has to get his hands into everything, doesn't he? Novels weren't enough. He had to get into non-fiction and short stories and now young adult fiction. Geesh. Well, I figured I'd like it, and I did. It's a little Great Brain and a little Encyclopedia Brown, updated for the new millenium.


Ape House by Sara Gruen: When I heard Sara Gruen had a new book coming out, I was thrilled. Then I heard it was about apes, I was...less than thrilled. I've just never had a positive reaction to primates and always found them sort of creepy. The one exception is Koko the gorilla, but I can't think about her without thinking about her kitten, and we all know that didn't end well, so I try not to think about Koko at all unless I feel like having a good cry. That said, this book is a PR dream for primates. It made me understand them better and want to know more about them. Another good job by Sara Gruen.