Sunday, April 29, 2018

Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders

Title: Lincoln in the Bardo
Author: George Saunders
Borrowed from Worcester County MD Public Library Kindle Edition
Started 4/24/2028
Finished: 4/29/2018

Book club books, loved it. 

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Forty Lashes LessOne, by Elmore Leonard

  • Title:  Forty Lashes Less One
  • Author:  Elmore Leonard
  • Borrowed from Hoopla Digital via Worcester County Public Library, MD, Audiobook
  • Started: 4/23/2018
  • Finished: 4/25/2018
This was an outstanding western, maybe the best I've read from Leonard yet.  Funny, brutal, entertaining -- exactly what you expect from a Leonard novel.  

Monday, April 23, 2018

Hounded, by David Rosenfelt

  • Title:  Hounded
  • Author:  David Rosenfelt
  • Borrowed from Hoopla Digital via Worcester County Public Library, MD, Audiobook
  • Started: 4/21/2018
  • Finished: 4/23/2018
I've grudgingly admitted that I enjoy these Andy Carpenter books, even if I'm embarrassed to do so. Gover Gardner's narration of Rosenfelt's novels is great entertainment -- I typically laugh out loud more than once per each book.

I'm also a dog lover.  But if there is one complaint for me in these books it is that they are so breed focused, specifically on Golden Retrievers.  I don't dislike Goldens, and Rosenfelt clearly thinks they are the greatest breed around.  He created a fun and funny series so I'll let him be wrong about this.

Hounds, any and all Hounds, are clearly the best breed of dog available.  In fact, mixed Hound breeds are far superior too all other breeds and most humans.

So if there was one book I was looking forward to more than any in this series it was this one, Hounded, which featured a Basset Hound on the cover.

The Hound doesn't feature very prominently in the story, which was a bit of a disappointment.  Rosenfelt no doubt is still too caught up in Golden's to write about Hounds.  But it is a start.

This one took a somewhat predictable path towards complete loving family (no family is complete without marriage and a kid, in the entertainment world).  While I don't agree with that sentiment, I also don't mind the story arc. 

One thing I will say about these books, similar to the barbs that used to be thrown at the TV show Murder She Wrote (Cabot Cove Maine must be the murder capital of the world) -- it doesn't pay to be Carpenter's friend.  They've all now either been shot, put on trial for murder, or had a family member/close friend put on trial.


Friday, April 20, 2018

The Law at Randado, by Elmore Leonard

  • Title:  The Law at Randado
  • Author:  Elmore Leonard
  • Borrowed from Hoopla Digital via Worcester County MD Public Library Audiobook
  • Started: 4/15/2018
  • Finished: 4/19/2018

Enjoyable, early, Elmore Leonard western.

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Unleashed, by David Rosenfelt

Title: Unleashed
Author: David Rosenfelt
Borrowed from Hoopla Digital via Worcester County MD Public Library Audiobook
Started: 4/12/2018
Finished: 4/14/2018

Sigh -- I can't quit these books, stupid and cute though they may be. Constantly enjoyable, I'm through fighting it. 

Friday, April 13, 2018

LaBrava, by Elmore Leonard

Title: LaBrava
Author: Elmore Leonard
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 4/1/2018
Finished: 4/13/2018

Very enjoyable. 

Devices and Desires, by P.D. James

  • Title:  Devices and Desires
  • Author:  P.D. James
  • Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
  • Started: 4/2/2018
  • Finished: 4/12/2018
This was a long one, listening to it for a couple of weeks after getting the recommendation from a WSJ write up.  Enjoyed it overall, but didn't love it.  A nice way to pass the time on my commute or while doing chores...

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Leader of the Pack, by David Rosenfelt

  • Title:  Leader of the Pack
  • Author:  David Rosenfelt
  • Borrowed from Hoopla Digital via Worcester County MD Public Library Audiobook
  • Started: 3/28/2018
  • Finished: 4/1/2018
This wasn't my favorite of these Andy Carpenter novels, but as I've said many times before I find myself laughing out loud as I listed to these commuting to & from the office...

The Blessing Way, by Tony Hillerman

  • Title:  The Blessing Way
  • Author:  Tony Hillerman
  • Borrowed from DC Public Library (Kindle Edition)
  • Started:  3/25/2018
  • Finished: 3/30/2018
My first Hillerman novel, and the first in this series.  Decent book.