Gave Up On APPETITE FOR LIFE, THE BIOGRAPHY OF JULIA CHILD

 

After reading for five days and not yet being to p 50, I gave up.  It was so boring, I kept finding distractions: card game on my phone, tv, even cleaning (which REALLY shows how bored I was.)  So I have not finished reading it and will not.  I don't do this often.

I have now started book 5 of the Outlander series, The Fiery Cross.  Jumped into this right away.  It is 1770 and stirrings are starting up of unrest in the South Carolina colony.  As Roger and Brianna set about to make their marriage official, Jamie receives orders from the governor to muster as many men as possible to serve under him for the king.

Finished DARKEST JOURNEY

 

As usual, helpful ghosts are, well, helpful, but the crime is solved in the climax when life is in danger.  I love the Missippi river boats, so I just enjoyed the ambiance of the story.  More suspects than usual, several of whom were shocked that they were suspects.  I enjoy these books.

 

Then I read another 50 pages in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.  Back from Europe, Jonathan spends the first part of the section trying to cure the king of his insanity, then turns to learning to navigate between mirrors, much to the consternation of his wife.

I have now started Appetite For Life, the biography of Julia Child.  I have not yet decided if I will finish it.  The first part is deadly dull, reading like a term paper or a thesis.  I'll give it a bit more of a chance, though.

Finished A TIN TRAIN CHRISTMAS

 

A pleasant little story, though predictable.  All of the books I have read by this author have been sweet and this was a good follow-up to James Rollins preceded by Bone Walker.  Sometimes I just need a break from all the excitement, and I can't think of much better for the purpose than Lageschulte.

I am now about to start another Heather Graham, Krewe of Hunters book, Darkest Journey.  Once again, this book will take me to to Southern Lousianna and the Mississippi, but now aboard a paddle-wheeler.  Fun.  A reminder of Fever Dream by George R.R. Martin.

Finished THE LAST ODYSSEY

 

 

Of course there will be critics that hate this because it is not true science fiction and goes too far overboard, but who cares if you can't label James Rollins' work as science fiction or fantasy (I like science, historical fantasy myself).  I think he did Homer proud and maybe ran him one better.  It was an adventure for sure.

After two very long books I turn to a short story by the author of the Growing Season books that I have been enjoying.  We met Horace Schermann at the beginning of the first book in the series at which time he was 90.  Now we go back in time to the depression when Horace is 6 and his brother Wilbur is 8.  Both boys really want a tin train they have seen in a window, but...it is the depression.