Second half of 2017's reading

I posted my first half of 2017's reading here. Now, I'll try and talk a bit about the rest of the books.

A real stand-out of the last six months of the year is Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. How many times have I read this? 3, 4, 5? It never dims. It is always interesting and is so beautifully written. This book is about how one young girl changes her life, and the lives of two older people. If you've never read it, you really owe it to yourself to give it a try. It is a wonderful, wonderful story.

I remember where I sat in the library when I first picked up this book. I remember the way the book looked. Green with no cover. No kidding.

The whole Anne Shirley series is available on kindle for peanuts.

A recent book that was a real favorite is Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. He may rival Alexander McCall Smith in how prolific he is! You can read about MM all over the internet, so if you are interested in the plot, you can do a search. I knew nothing when I began, and am so glad. I loved every page of this completely unique book. 'Nuff said.

I really like a new series by Triss Stein set in Brooklyn, featuring an historian, Erica Donato. She is not a usual 'cozy' amateur sleuth. Yes, trouble does seem to follow her around, but so far she hasn't been a damsel in distress. She's intelligent with way too much on her plate - a teenage daughter, a job, a dissertation she must write, and all the cases she gets involved in because of her historian knowledge. She brings Brooklyn history alive just as Cleo Coyle does all of New York City in her Coffeehouse series (I also read two more in her series, and enjoyed them, as always). I so love a sense of place. Really a great series. I read three of them in 2017, and the last one this year. The way it ended could have meant the end of the series, but we'll see.

The Perfect Summer - England 1911, Just Before the Storm by Juliet Nicolson was a perfect book. I may have mentioned sometime that I always wished I could have had a college course that studied all facets of one year - art, literature, politics, home life. This book does that. She did a beautiful job of bringing that year, that time alive to me. In addition to the things I mentioned, the reader also learns about royalty, fashion, sport. I cannot praise this enough. Nonfiction.

I read two more in the Alan Grant series by Josephine Tey, including what many think is her best, The Daughter of Time. She was such a good writer. I'm quite sure it is Cath who really got me interested in these books. Go to her blog and search for JT if you'd like to read some really good book reports.

I wrote about a Phyllida Law book here, and have now read another, How Many Camels Are There in Holland? Dementia, ma and me. I think she is a wonderful writer. Her personality comes right through every sentence, and her honestly and humor make her books a joy to read even though there is sadness in them. You may know her as the actress, also mother to Emma and Sophie Thompson. I hope she continues to write such charming little books. I know there is a new one, and I'm off to buy it now. There's a wonderful recent article about her here.

I'm really liking the Inspector Richardson series by Basil Thomson. It makes me wonder how many other older writers I've never heard of. I don't love all of them that I read, but this series is very good.

The 18th(!!) in Alexander McCall's No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, The House Of Unexpected Sisters may just be the best one yet. How does this man do it? He keeps the characters alive and fresh, and makes the reader, at least this one, wanting more. I also read the latest Isabel Dalhousie, A Distant View of Everything, which I liked.

I read more Brendan DuBois, and just have the latest in the Lewis Cole series to read. I'm such a fan of these books.

I read more Bobby Owen books by ER Punshon. As much as I do like these books when I am reading them, afterwards I can't remember any details. They are slow and quiet and lull me to sleep, but the plots are lost to me. Read a couple more Michael Gilbert's which I like even better, but again seem to have trouble remembering the stories.

Reading A Maigret Christmas and Other Stories reminded me I really do want to read more Simenon books.

I reread three books this year which pleases me - A Rumpole Christmas, Anne of Green Gables, and Miss Read's Battles at Thrush Green.

After having traveled the world last year in my reading, 2017 didn't find me much further than England and Scotland, with an occasional foray into the US, and one each into Canada, France, and Denmark.

So, I guess that's it. I do miss my long book reports with photos and links, and hope to get back to them someday. Maybe this year?