Book Club

[DukeBlueNan]

Just finished The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard. Excellent book, my reading buddies!

[smoky22]

@dawg lover  I'm anxious to hear your review of My Italian Bulldozer. 

I stopped reading China Bayles several books ago.  For some reason I didn't find them interesting anymore.  Did they get better again?  I preferred her Darling Dahlia series when she started that.  I don't think there's been a new one in a while.

[kitty45]

@sunala I removed it also.  I love Liane Moriaty's books but I haven't heard any thing good about this one.

[kitty45]

@Colinka Started Idaho last night

[sunala]

I just now finished The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian. I really enjoyed it, and was in suspense until the very end.

Not sure what I'll read next. I've got quite a selection on my Kindle so it's time to make a decision. Happy reading!

[dawg lover]

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@smoky22 wrote:

@dawg lover  I'm anxious to hear your review of My Italian Bulldozer. 

I stopped reading China Bayles several books ago.  For some reason I didn't find them interesting anymore.  Did they get better again?  I preferred her Darling Dahlia series when she started that.  I don't think there's been a new one in a while.

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Hi @smoky22!  I liked "MY ITALIAN BULLDOZER" very much.  Like you, I usually prefer Alexander McCall Smith's series books to his stand-alone books, but this one was good.  It was cute and funny and touching in places.  The premise of the book is an author with writer's block, who has recently been dumped by his girlfriend, comes to Tuscany to recover.  Due to a comic mix-up, there is no rental car for him at the airport.  The only means of transport available to him is a bulldozer!  So, he sets off to explore Tuscany slowly, on the back of a bulldozer.  Along the way, he meets colorful characters and has adventures and a bit of romance.  I enjoyed it.  Another wonderful stand-alone book of his is "TRAINS AND LOVERS", which came out a few years ago.  

I haven't ever read the Darling Dahlias books, but I still enjoy Susan Witting Albert's China Bayles' series.  They're not my favorite series ever, but I still like them.  I am half-way through her current one, and it is good.

I am going to the library today to pick up the new Ann Cleeves book in the Shetland series, "COLD EARTH."  Also looking forward to new books out in May from some authors we enjoy:  "THE CHALK PIT" by Elly Griffiths and "SIDNEY CHAMBERS AND THE PERSISTANCE OF LOVE" (Grantchester) by James Runcie.  Robert Crais will have a new book out in December, called "THE WANTED."

[Gardli]

I, too, have enjoyed Nancy Pickard's books.  She hasn't written any new ones in several years.  Does anyone know anything about her?

[smoky22]

@dawg lover  thanks for the review on The Italian Bulldozer.  It sounds charming.  I've requested that my library get this in the e-format, but so far they haven't.

The Darling Dahlias is a very, very cozy series.  Ms. Albert does a nice job with the small town characters (set in Alabama in the 1930's).

I'm really looking forward to The Chalk Pit.  And I didn't know there was a new Sidney Chambers coming out.  Thanks for mentioning it.  And of course, Elvis!!!

[appm]

Just read "The Nowhere Man" by Greg Hurwitz.  It's the second book about "Orphan X" - hope there is more coming.  Really enjoyed both.

[number one queen]

I have just finished BEHIND HER EYES, by Sarah Pinborough, wow what a WTF ending! The writing is so good it keeps you on a roller coaster. I haven't seen people's reviews here so will not say anything, but am sure looking forward to reading some of them. I am still reading some other blogs about this book.