March 2018

30 Second Mysteries Vol. II

A Spinner Book

By Eric Conley, Jeanette Miller, Bob Moog

30 Second Mysteries Vol. II was just as enjoyable as the first book by Bob Moog.  It’s a Spinner Book and can be played as a game.  The book is divided into sections that correspond with the spinner at the back. We read it straight through as a shared reading.  The mysteries cover a wide range of topics.  If we had experience with the topic, we were able to guess most of the solutions.  We probably never would have been able to answer the mysteries that were out of our range of experience.  We’re wondering how much our grandson would be able to guess and how much he would like it.  For two senior citizens, it was a fun read.

The Trespasser: Dublin Murder Series #6 

By Tana French

Narrated by Hilda Fay

I loved The Trespasserby Tana French.  It was the second book I’ve read in the Dublin’s Murder Squad series, although not the second in the series.  Antoinette Conway and Stephen Moran’s partnership is tested as they investigate the murder of Aislinn Murray, a person Antoinette knows from somewhere in her past.  The Trespasseris a great mystery with lots of suspense, but not a lot of needless violence. The narration by Hilda Fay was fantastic.  Her Irish brogue and spunky attitude added a lot to the story.  Definitely a good listen and/or read!

Me: Stories of My Life

By Katharine Hepburn

I enjoyed reading Me: Stories of My Life by Katharine Hepburn.  It was definitely a walk into the past.  She wrote about unfamiliar actors and movies I hadn’t seen, but that didn’t really matter. Her descriptions of the people and the movies were clear and interesting.  She gave a real glimpse into the glamor of the early 1900 movie scene. Hepburn also provided a window into a time and lifestyle that does not really exist any more.  Lots of photos are included and Hepburn’s writing style is informal and chatty.  I liked the book a lot more than I had originally imagined.  It would be of interest to movie aficionados, but was also interesting to one who is not.  I thought it was a good read.

Little Fires Everywhere

By Celeste NG

Narrated by Jennifer Lim

I really enjoyed listening to Little Fires Everywhereby Celeste Ng.  The story was engaging and the narration by Jennifer Lim was great.  The bonds between mothers and daughters were explored in a variety of relationships: traditional, single parenting, surrogacy, adoption, and abortion.  Reading the book brought some deep feelings to the surface for me and probably would for many women. Without giving away any spoilers, the fires were both literal and metaphorical.  It was definitely a good listen and would also be a good read. 

Kira-Kira

By Cynthia Kadohata

Kira-Kirais a sweet, but sad story of two Japanese sisters and their family.  Kira-Kira has dual meanings for the sisters,  both glittering and anything beautiful.  Life is anything but kira-kira for Lynn and Katie, but they search for it anyway.  I love the description of a game they played, looking for anything that they could see within a small square of grass. This young adult novel is a treasure for any reader.  It’s a sad, but good read.

Lives of the Musicians

Written by Kathleen Krull

Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt

Lives of the Musicians: Good times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thoughtwas an interesting, quick read.  Kathleen Krull wrote short, humorous chapters about different classical musicians.  The illustrations by Kathryn Hewitt added a lot to the stories.  This was another unknown gem, picked up at a library book sale. Definitely a good read!