July books

Honestly, couldn't I have found a few minutes each month to write about that month's books, instead of zooming through like this in between making bread and doing desk work, and last night in between episodes of the new GBBO!

July - 6

33. Dead Broke in Jarrett Creek - book three in the Samuel Craddock series
by Terry Shames
mystery 2014
Kindle
library book
finished 7/31/18
American writer/American setting

32. The Last Death of Jack Harbin - book two in the Samuel Craddock series
by Terry Shames
mystery 2014
Kindle 
library book
finished 7/24/18
American writer/American setting

31. A Killing at Cotton Hill - book one in the Samuel Craddock series
by Terry Shames
mystery 2013
Kindle
library book
finished 7/19/18
American writer/American setting

Boy, did I ever love this book, and the others I've read so far in the series. Samuel is an ex-policeman in Texas who keeps some cows and goes to visit them each day. He loves where he lives, and truly cares about the townspeople. They care for him as well, and often call on him for help instead of the often-drunk or hungover new chief of police. Here is a little video of the author (try and ignore the music!).



30. Murder at the Brightwell - book one in the Amory Ames series
by Ashley Weaver
mystery 2014
Kindle
finished 7/13/18
American writer/English setting

What a great and promising beginning of a series! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the setting, the time period, and fully intend to go on and on reading the adventures of Amory Ames, a really delightful character. This is another series written now and set in the 1930s, a time period I enjoy spending time in.

29. Heart Spring Mountain
by Robin MacArthur
fiction 2018
print
finished 7/6/18
American writer/American setting

Not only did I really, really like this book, but I will always remember it as the heat spell book I read sitting in the living room in front of a fan for hours! I've written about Robin MacArthur's book of short stories here, and her first novel is equally good. She has an amazing eye for the realities of life that aren't always visible in rural Vermont (or any other rural area of this country, I would guess). This is a wonderful book, and she is a terrific author. I can't praise her enough, and Heart Spring Mountain really deserves a long post of its own.

28. Nigel
My family and other dogs
by Monty Don
nonfiction 2016
print
finished 7/1/18
English writer/English setting

This is the year that Monty Don has come into our lives. Britbox began offering the English television program Gardeners' World. It is one of the best shows I've ever seen. Monty Don is the warm, calm, reassuring, enthusiastic, humble host. I bought two of his books, follow him on Instagram, and am also watching some other shows he has done via Netflix. Wonderful how we can get these programs over here now! Nigel is his aging Golden Retriever. He and a younger Golden, Nell are the real stars of Gardeners' World. Don writes about the other dogs in his life, telling him a bit about his own life in the bargain. Really wonderful. I loved it.