Finished THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

 

This was totally engrossing and read quickly.  Horrible things happen.  Wonderful things happen.  Love Cora's strength.

I am now about to go back to Alexander Hamilton and read some more of it.

Finished THE DEVIL COLONY and the bonus short story at the back of the book.

This book started slower than the other books I have read by Rollins; that is because it started with some science that was pertinent.  His books are a combination of science (all kinds--archeology prominent in this as well as nano technology), history, military strategy and technology, and a powerful imagination.  Once I was past the opening science, it blossomed into the non-stop action I am used to.  I went to bed Friday night at 2:00 a.m. and got up at 2:30 to finish the book before I could sleep.  Mark of a good book.

I then read The Skeleton Key that was in the back of the previous book.  This starred Seichan who had to rescue an enemy's son from a cult in the catacombs of Paris in order to save her own life.  A very satisfying story and it was fun to let this interesting character take the reins of her own adventure.



I have now started The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.  I first saw the author on one of the late shows we watch--either Trevor Noah or Stephen Colbert--talking about the book he wrote after this one.  I got on Amazon immediately to order this one.  It starts with Cora's grandmother's journey in the slave ship to the new world and the constant times she was sold off.  We follow her mother Mable's struggles on the plantation her mother ended up on and now Cora has been orphaned at 11 and knows no one on the property willing to take care of her.

Finished WIFE OF MOON

When I woke up at 1:30 this morning, I knew I'd have to finish the book if I were going to get back to sleep. I had read the climax and had only the last chapter to read, but I just needed those loose ends tied up. This, to me, is the mark of a good book--not good for my sleep, but great as a book.

I have now barely started The Devil Colony, Sigma Force #7.  It looks like I'll be staying in some of the same location I've just been solving a mystery in (the Arapaho reservation) in that this is at least starting  Native American history.)  It will, of course, turn into a high technological, scientific, and anthropological fast moving adventure (judging from my experience with this series.)

Finished NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Again I stayed up late to finish this--mark of a good novel.  I had guessed who the perpetrator was, but I had discarded that possibility several times--mainly because there was a bit of information missing, but without that, wouldn't we guess all of them?  Exciting with a really tense ending.  The heroine seemed a wimp sometimes, but definitely not all the time.

I have now started the 10th book in Margaret Coel's Wind River Reservation series, Wife of Moon.  The book starts with a murder of a young woman in 1907 during a photo shoot of Arapaho life.  The photos are now being exhibited at the St. Francis Mission Museum on the reservation...

Finished DEATH AND THE MAIDEN

I really like P. N. Elrod.  I read all of the Vampire Files (at least all I could find) and thought I'd try this series.  This is the second in the Jonathan Barrett series.  Whereas the first series was set in '30s gangster Chicago, this is set during the Revolution on Long Island.  The pace is leisurely, the story is relatively gentle and humorous until the end which is surprising and exciting.  Loved it.

I am now reading No Place Like Home by Mary Higgins Clark.  I know, I am going to run out of her books all too soon.  In this our heroine accidently shot and killed her mother when she was ten years old.  Now, twenty-five years later, her new husband has bought that house as a birthday surprise for her.  The notoriety of the house immediately crashes in on them.

Finished THE HOUSE OF UNEXPECTED SISTERS

As usual more than one mystery is solved by Mma. Ramotswe as well as some personal problems.  I had misgivings about one of her problem solutions, but all worked out and the relaxing time I spent in Botswana with her is always welcome.

I have now started Death and the Maiden by P.N. Elrod.  Life is not easy for a newly made vampire living with his family, especially since it is early in the American Revolution and Hessian soldiers are commandeering residents' homes, property, crops and livestock.

Finished BLOOD COMMUNION

This was the closest to the horror designation of all of the Anne Rice novels I have read (which is most of them).  But those parts were understandable in a "wait until the gruesome wears off" way.  She also experiments with the placing of traditional novel elements, that is, the climax comes only a little after the middle of the book and the remainder is resolution which further develops environment, atmosphere, and characters.  Since this is what I love about Rice, I did not mind at all and stayed up late last night to finish the book.

I have now started The House of Unexpected Sisters, another #1 Ladies' Detective Agency book.  It opens with discussions about the importance of belongings and the different ways of looking at buying new things.  As usual it is gentle with Mma. Ramotswe's philosophy making it the perfect book to follow two such "edge of the seat" books as I have just finished.