My Reading Journal 2016: April 2016

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Audiobook
#12 in the Maisie Dobbs series
English author
Originally published March 2016
Review: Not my favorite in this wonderful series. It fell a bit flat. Maisie is tasked with transporting an important person out of pre-WWII Munich. The suspense felt muffled and restrained. I look forward to the next one.

Audiobook
US author
Originally published in 2016
Review: An absolutely charming story. I strongly recommend the audio version because the narrator is delightful. This is the story of a young woman tasked with care and management of a writer with a deadline and her very unusual, brilliant, complicated son. I just loved the characters! They include: The harried author with a complex child and an even more complex life history, the beloved, charming, exasperating, talented man who pops in and out randomly, the patient, loving narrator, and the kind, insightful gentleman who oversees all and comes in for the crisis. A memorable read! I want to meet Frank!

Audiobook
#10 in the Stephanie Plum series
US author
Originally published in 2004
Review: Another fun romp with Stephanie Plum and her band of merry cohorts: Italian Stallion Joe Morelli, James Bondish Ranger, Lula the hooker turned file clerk and bounty hunting muscle, along with Sally, the cross dressing bus driver and wedding planner. Yes, it is quite a group, and of course there is Stephanie's family who are a hoot. The best part of this series is that it makes me laugh out loud!

Audiobook
Historical Fiction
US author
Originally published in 2012
Review: A very good piece of historical fiction about Charlotte (Charley) Parkhurst, a well-known stagecoach driver. The story conveys the difficulties which led to the gender deception in the first place, and the difficulties maintaining it over a lifetime. The story immediately called to mind "Pope Joan" and "The Last Report From Little No Horse", both about women in the same position. Very good read!