March was a month full of fun reading to counteract work stress. Out of the ten books I finished, only one was a lackluster read. Of course, finally getting a library card is adding to my TBR mountain--five of my completed books came from the library. (Please don't ask how many I have checked out right now LOL!)
The lone disappointment was The #1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. I really wanted to like this book--the entire series wins raves and great reviews, but it just wasn't my style. I may read some of the others eventually from the library, but they won't rate using PBS points.
My annual re-read of The Hobbit took place in March. Surprisingly, perhaps because I had just seen a documentary on JRR Tolkien, I realized--for the first time--the writing style was much more juvenile than his trilogy. If I were to classify this novel today, it would be juvenile fiction--great juvenile fiction, but juvenile just the same. I'm not following it soon with The Lord of the Rings, primarily because I'm busy putting together the world for TGAN and her setting needs to be as unique as possible.
Patricia Sprinkle's series excited me--I read both Who Invited the Dead Man? and Who Left that Body in the Rain? and now I'm hungry for more; these were library copies, but I want to collect them. Just Desserts by G A McKevett is a new series I found thru PBS that I am collecting. Both Sprinkle and McKevett write of normal looking Southern women who may be polite but can kick a** when necessary and who have brains despite the fact they were brought up to be ornamental. As a member of that same generation of Southern belles, I really relate to standing up for what is right and doing it with a smile while you offer coffee, sweet tea, or a whuppin!
Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss was an okay read. I found it at the library and since it seemed to be a first effort, I checked it out before using PBS points. I'm glad I did. Although I'll read more by Ms. Bliss, they aren't "keeper" material for me.
On the other hand, Death of a Musketeer by Sara D'Almeda went straight from the library list to the "gotta have in hardcover" list! I've always loved the Musketeers and this series premise is phenomenal! I can just see many of my favorite Musketeers thru the years (Michael York, John Malkovich, Jeremy Irons, Keifer Sutherland, et. al.) portray their roles in this story. Lovers of swashbuckling adventure will almost swoon at the love for the characters that shines thru as Ms. D'Almeda creates her story lines.
Charlaine Harris' first novel, Sweet and Deadly, is also worth collecting. I had already read and loved Grave Sight so I expected something paranormal yet fun and I got it!
Crewel World, Monica Ferris' first novel in a series was so good, I jumped at the chance to get an anthology edition of her first three Betsy Devonshire novels when I went to Half Price Books. The other two in that anthology may have to wait a bit since I'm trying to participate in a couple of group reads in April.
Finally, I read The Iron Lance by Stephen Lawhead. I truly enjoy his works--this is the first of a trilogy set during the Celtic Crusades. I have the other two volumes and hope to fit them into April somehow.
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