Despite the wacky weather in certain parts of the country (I’m looking at my Utah friends who are having temps in the mid-eighties), this Monday finds Seattle moving firmly into fall, which means we’re finally starting to get some rain and the grass is getting green again. An odd thing to hear if you don’t live in the Pacific Northwest because in most other places grass is starting to turn brown, but because we don’t get much snow or a hard freeze our vegetation stays green almost all year round.
On to books and reading! Recently, I’ve not had much luck with books that swept me away. If you remember several weeks ago, I was beginning the much talked about City on Fire. After setting it down and reading several other books in between I finally finished it. To those of you who know me, this is not an endorsement. A review may or may not be coming, depending on whether I can muster the energy to talk about it. Still, I’m undeterred and approaching this week with excitement about these upcoming releases.
The Lake House: I’ve read all of Kate Morton’s books and enjoyed them. She has a way of drawing you in, creating mysteries and then tying them up neatly at the end. I like ambiguity when it’s done properly but sometimes I want a book that wraps up the finish.
After Alice: I remember reading Maguire’s first book, Wicked, and thinking it was such a clever premise to take an established fairy tale and look at it from the unpopular character’s point of view. Apparently, he’s gone on to write numerous books about Oz and other fairytales giving them new appeal by writing from a fresh perspective. I hadn’t read any of them but when I saw this one, about Alice from Alice in Wonderland I was intrigued. We’ll see…
Has this Monday brought fall where you are? Regardless of the weather, what are you looking forward to this week–bookishly and otherwise?
I loved Seattle when I visited there last year! It is cooling off here in the midwest but still quite enjoyable. I just started reading Did You Ever Have A Family by Bill Clegg and hoping it isn’t depressing! Then on to Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl. Finished one and read another mystery this weekend for R.I.P X and finished 3 blog posts. Looking forward to a productive week at work and in reading! Thank goodness for the reading which helps me cope with my office job!! 😉
My gosh, you are on a reading and writing tear! Good for you! The Clegg book is sad but not depressing, if that makes sense. The writing is wonderful- I think you’ll like it.
It does make sense and I’m anxious to see exactly what you mean! 🙂
Oooh – I so want you to write a review of City on Fire! I’m planning to start it tomorrow…we’ll see how it goes. I am a sucker for an NYC book, so I have a little hope, but expectations have definitely been tempered.
And – I need to read Wicked…I saw the Broadway play and it was pretty awesome, but have been meaning to get to the book.
I love NYC books almost as much as I love fiction about books/bookstores/libraries but…yeah, this didn’t convey that to me.
I’m excited for your review of After Alice. I’ve read all of Maguire’s Wicked series and several of his other fairy tale “amendments” and enjoyed them. If you like After Alice, I’ll be adding it to my list.
Starting tonight, I’ll keep you posted!
I added After Alice to my wishlist the other day. Looking forward to seeing more reviews on it. Maguire has been a mixed bag for me. Love the Oz books, but I wasn’t crazy about Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister.