Finished AMERICAN LEGENDS: THE LIFE OF JIMMY STEWART

 

As I have said before about this series, the book is just facts.  Lots of pictures...no heart.  OK for reference I suppose....

I have now started Paper Money by Ken Follett.  It starts with an introduction by the author explaining that it was written early in his career and did not receive great reviews then, but he thinks it is one of the best of his unsuccessful books.  I am far enough into it to already be intrigued.

Finished 1001 DARK NIGHTS, ALL HALLOWS EVE

 

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This is a very short book--an afternoon's read.  Having said that, it was a tight little mystery set on Hallowe'en in Salam, Mass (perfect setting) with helpful spirits and some action.  I enjoyed it.

I have now started American Legends: The Life of Jimmy Stewart.  I bought several books in this series at once from Amazon, not realizing how short they were.  However, now that I have them...  And they will help me catch up with my Goodreads challenge.

Left JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL at p 160 and started a KREWE OF HUNTERS novella

 

I left this book at p 260 because I came to a really good stopping place and I am behind on my book reading challenge on Goodreads.  This book goes on for another 800 pages!  It is still interesting and has become more fun.  In the last few pages I read we were just introduced to Jonathan Strange.  That introduction was rather funny...

I have now started 1001 Dark Nights, All Hallows Eve.  The premise is that an avid reader has figured out how to entered stories she enjoys and has entered 1001 Nights as Sheherazade.  The first story she tells is this book.  Goodreads tells me I have already read this, but I have no memory of it.  I remember the book with these characters and location that came before it, so I am reading it again.

Finished THE BADASS LIBRARIANS OF TIMBUKTU

 

This moved slowly at first, but, in the long run I appreciated it since it gave me the history I needed to understand what was happening.  About halfway through, it gets pretty exciting, though the front cover pretty well gives away the end.  But the problems encountered and how they were solved (or not solved) was very interesting.

I am now going back to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.  This time back I find that the print is not too small for my poor eyes, since I have gotten new glasses and I see better.  Hurray!

Finished THE EYE OF GOD

 

Another fast moving science fiction/ thriller/ adventure by James Rollins.  This one explores possibilities of quantum physics and dark matter that, of course, went right over my head.  I am quite used to Rollins' scientific references doing that, but I understand enough to appreciate the danger hanging over the world's head and how close they came to not solving the mystery.  This book killed more than most of these, I think, or maybe just more people I'd come to care for.  Deaths of villains are often very satisfying.  Part of what I love about these books is their ability to expand my mind to encompass things I'd never thought of, but mostly I just love sitting on the edge of my seat and being unable to sleep until I finish them...please don't ask me why.

So from one fast-moving book to another that promises to be similarly exciting, but this one is the non-fiction recounting of one man's gathering of ancient religious and secular texts from crumbling in storage areas of homes and archives to restore them, but mostly to protect them from Al Qaeda.  A huge heist from under the military's noses.  Needless to say, I am looking forward to starting The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu.

Finished COMING OF THE STORM

You probably do know that the exploration and colonization process in America met with resistance from the native peoples.  This is the story of that process from the native peoples' point of view, set in Florida with the invasion of De Soto.  Exciting and terrifying.  I love this series and every book seems to get better.

I have now started The Eye of God, Sigma Force #9, by James Rollins.  These are technological, scientific, and espionage thrillers that look really long when I start them and always wind up ending way too soon.  I love the permanent characters and most of the peripheral characters including the villains who are definitely proper villains.  I am looking forward to this.

Finished THE LOOK OF LOVE

 

I found this interesting and exciting even though I have never been able to understand the attraction to spas--maybe because they use air scents that interfere with my breathing.  But the murder is only a harbinger of the evil that lies below the surface....  I liked Piper Donovan, an unlikely detective spurred on by her curiosity unafraid of consequences.

I have now started Coming of the Storm, book 1 of Contact: The Battle for America,  by W Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear.  I have loved these books as they explore the lives of native Americans from all over this country before their lives were interrupted by conquerors from another continent.  I therefore begin this series with some trepidation.  Though not the first Europeans to arrive  (earlier ones did themselves in), this starts with De Soto showing up in what is now Tampa Bay (just north of Venice where I have a mobile home, so familiar surroundings.)