Summer Dreams, Ripped at the Seams . . .

At the beginning of the summer, I was having visions of sunny afternoons spent reading on the porch swing, and relaxing get-away weekends of camping, fishing and reading. So, I purchased seven books with which to fill those long, lazy hours. Yea . . . not so much!

We have only found time for one camping trip so far, and the addition of a full-time job pretty much ended the afternoon plans.  So here it is, nearly Labor Day, and only 2 1/2 books marked off my list. 

Book #1 was Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman (review here).  Excellent start!

Book #2 was Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews

While this book doesn't rate quite as high as #1, it was still a good summer read.   There were times that the heroine's legal troubles seemed a bit contrived, and the ending was predictable . . . after that it sounds a little silly to say how much I enjoyed it -- but I did.  

Book #3 is The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg.  Dave and I are reading this one together and both enjoying it so far.  

On the up side, driving to work every day allows more time for listening to audio books, so I've "read" three this summer:


Trunk Music by Michael Connelly - I assumed it would be good because Connelly wrote wrote it.  I was not disappointed.


The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright -

The shepherd, an elderly, mysterious, learned man, escapes the buzzing restlessness of the city to live in the backwoods neighborhood of Mutton Hollow in the Ozark hills. There he encounters Jim Lane, Grant Matthews, Sammy, Young Matt, and other residents of the village, and gradually learns to find a peace about the losses he has borne and has yet to bear. Through the shepherd and those around him, Wright assembles here a gentle and utterly masterful commentary on strength and weakness, failure and success, tranquility and turmoil, and punishment and absolution. This tale of life in the Ozarks continues to draw thousands of devotees to outdoor performances in Branson, Missouri, where visitors can also see the cabin where the real Old Matt and Aunt Mollie lived.

No need to review a classic.  Beautiful story and now I've added visiting the site in Branson to my Bucket List.

And my favorite, Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah.  Amazing story!  As in Ladies' Night, there were moments that I felt the hardships were contrived to create more drama, but over all a unique and engrossing story.  Highly recommended!

I'm obviously not going to make it through my summer reading list before summer ends, but there's nothing wrong with a "Summer read" in the Fall.

Reviews in Brief

Here are some short-and-possibly-sweet reviews of recent reads.  All but the Evanovich have been in audio form.

The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly - I'm working my way through the entire Mickey Haller series.  Talented author, suspenseful courtroom drama and a hero you'll love.

The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly - Same series - same review

Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly - Same author - stand-alone novel - same review.  Are you catching on?  Michael Connelly can write!

Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich - I give.  I have enough years invested in the Stephanie Plum series that I'll continue to read them in the hope that she (the author or the protagonist) will eventually move on, but I'm not wasting another minute on this shabby remake of the original.  Actually have about 30 pages left on this one and don't care if I ever read them.

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane - Another reliably awesome author.  This wasn't my favorite of his, but still way above the average.

A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth - I'm not a big biography reader, but this was fun.  I fell in love with Kristin on West Wing and now seek out anything she's in.  She narrates the audiobook herself and that made it even more fun - especially the parts she sings.  







If you have any questions or want further info on any of my recent reads, just ask.

The Fifth Witness/The Reversal by Michael Connelly

Mickey Haller has fallen on tough times.  He expands his business into foreclosure defense, only to see one of his clients accused of killing the banker she blames for trying to take away her home.

Mickey puts his team into high gear to exonerate Lisa Trammel, even though the evidence and his own suspicions tell him his client is guilty.  Soon after he learns that the victim had black market dealings of his own, Haller is assaulted, too--and he's certain he's on the right trail.

Despite the danger and uncertainty, Haller mounts the best defense of his career in a trial where the last surprise comes after the verdict is in.  Connelly proves again why he "may very well be the best novelist working in the United States today".

Longtime defense attorney Mickey Haller is recruited to change stripes and prosecute the high-profile retrial of a brutal child murder. After 24 years in prison, convicted killer Jason Jessup has been exonerated by new DNA evidence. Haller is convinced Jessup is guilty, and he takes the case on the condition that he gets to choose his investigator, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch.

Together, Bosch and Haller set off on a case fraught with political and personal danger. Opposing them is Jessup, now out on bail, a defense attorney who excels at manipulating the media, and a runaway eyewitness reluctant to testify after so many years.

With the odds and the evidence against them, Bosch and Haller must nail a sadistic killer once and for all. If Bosch is sure of anything, it is that Jason Jessup plans to kill again.

Word to the wise - don't read two books from the same series simultaneously.  Very confusing!  Dave and I read The Reversal during various roadtrips, and I listened to the audio of The Fifth Witness during a trip on my own.  The two only overlapped for a short time, but the storylines got twisted in my head like a kitten and a ball of yarn.

In spite of my confusion, they were both great stories. I'm blowing the whistle and putting the Prolific Author Rule into affect.  Michael Connelly is a fabulous author, both of these series (The Lincoln Lawyer series featuring Michael Haller, and the Harry Bosch series) are strong.  It's top-knotch mystery/thriller reading.  Go do it.