View From Monday

On Mondays, I join J. Kaye’s Book Blog in looking back at what I’ve read over the last week and forward at what I plan to read in the next one.

Although I spent a lot of time reading from last Monday through Thursday, I didn’t get more books than usual finished.  Next week will be even lighter.

Looking back

I’ve been listening to

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. At 21 hours long, I could have finished 2 other audiobooks in that time!  Very compelling, interesting reading.  When I started, I had to have time in large chunks to be able to follow the story, but once I was into it, I can handle interruptions as well as I usually can, allowing me to finish.

My on-paper reading this week started with my Book Club L Book,

Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell. It was a great romp through Shakespeare’s work as well as the lore about Shakespeare’s life and the grand question of who actually wrote the plays.  As with any big adventure, some suspension of disbelief was necessary, but there was one question I couldn’t get past.

After that, I snuck in

Finger Lickin’ Fifteen (Stephanie Plum, #15) by Janet Evanovich.  This was very typical of the books of this series.  On the one hand, I read it quickly and enjoyed it, but when I was done, I had a “haven’t I been here before?” feeling.  It was kind of like eating junk food.  Fun while it lasts, but not really satisfying.

I then got going (just barely) with my next book for Book Club M, The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy.  I’m not far in yet, so I don’t have much of an opinion. I need to have it read by next Monday, we are discussing it then.

Looking forward

Coming up once I finish that, I have  The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand and then  One Scream Away by Kate Brady, both for blog tours coming up soon.  On audio, I have the next Yellow Rose mystery, Pushing Up Bluebonnets by Leanne Sweeney, loaded up (from NetLibrary) on my MP3 player, although there are other options lurking there as well.   This week is very busy with (reading incompatible) family stuff (of the fun variety), so I don’t know how much reading of any sort I’ll get done.  That’s OK, I’ll still be having fun.