Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion
Monthly "Reads"
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LizH's good August!
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Wow, Liz, you sure tackled the Steve Hamiltons. I love his titles, especially Winter of the Wolf Moon. I think I got about as far as you did, slowly. I intend to finish the series eventually.Good month!
THE HUNTING WIND wasn't one of my favorites in the series either, but NORTH OF NOWHERE is one of my favorites in the series. I still have my paperback copy of it as Hamilton signed it for me with a smart aleck comment about the Avalanche.
Liz (and Carol): My rankings for the later Steve Hamilton books are very strong, you have some seriously good reading ahead! Liz: sorry if I influenced you with my opinion of The Hunting Wind. I think the lack of enthusiasm for me was partly there was less Leon, no Vinnie and I didn't connect with the Randy character or the others.
Melodie: How fun! I would love to meet Steve Hamilton someday!
Melodie wrote: "NORTH OF NOWHERE is one of my favorites in the series. I still have my paperback copy of it as Hamilton signed it for me with a smart aleck comment about the Avalanche. "
Carol, I have a bad habit of wanting to consume all books written in a series, that is a new to me author. Ann, thanks for the encouragement of the later books. You didnt influence my opinion! The last 2 didn't have much of Leon, and no Vinnie, and I really like them! Will take a short break and dive back in mid-month.
Nice month, Liz. As to reading multiple books in a series in a short time period, I've found I enjoy them more when I let at least a month or so pass between books. Following a new series, there's a year or more between books, so some of the things the author reminds us of can seem overbearing when we read one book after another.
Very true, Dan! Some authors do more repeating than others. I am back-filling several series at once so I can stagger them and avoid burn- out. I don't mind the catch- up moments generally but if reading back to back it can seem terribly redundant.
Jim Butcher has Harry Dresden add an aside here and there, "Mister is my cat." Sue Grafton and Susan Wittig Albertson almost have a boilerplate chapter of explanation. I am thinking Sara Paretsky doesn't offer much except "My neighbor downstairs likes to...." It's more annoying on an audio when skimming isn't an option.
Daniel wrote: " I've found I enjoy them more when I let at least a month or so pass between books. Following a new series, there's a year or more between books, so some of the things the author reminds us of can seem overbearing when we read one book after another. "
I read one book after another with Kelli Stanley's Miranda Corbie series because I loved Miranda so much in the first book. By the end of the second book I still loved Miranda, but I was very tired of 1930's San Francisco. I should add that I didn't RIO. I read the second book before the first. I am still a UOOOR.
By the way, Liz - just how quick is a 1,785 mile trip to Wyoming? Doesn't sound quick for the journey part! LizH wrote: "More reads this month, maybe because I was on a quick 1785 mile trip to Wyoming and back. Maybe because my kids went back to college, LOL!!43. UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand 4/5 Love how this auth..."
Ha ha Ann!! We drove 6 to North Platte, Nebraska, with a stop for lunch, then another 6,5 to Casper the next day with the time change. Have us enough time to get settled, have a beverage and then meet up with th family :) We had so so much fun at the reception it made up for the drive and back home. The bad news was my daughter who was a bridesmaid broke her leg 10 days before the wedding, but also a family friend of ours also broke her hand in three places and the mother of the bride broke her ankle the night before the rehearsal dinner! Definitely the walking wounded at this wedding, but it was a blast!!!the next day.
LizH wrote: "Ha ha Ann!! We drove 6 to North Platte, Nebraska, with a stop for lunch, then another 6,5 to Casper the next day with the time change. Have us enough time to get settled, have a beverage and then m..."Ah, North Platte, NE. The place in the middle of no-place! LOL Do like Casper, tho. I forgot to ask you if the wind was blowing like crazy!
Great month for you Liz! I need to get back to the Hamilton books. I accidentally read a few out of order :(
Susie, shame shame on the reading out of order, lol!! Melodie, wind wasn't noticeably bad, here in KC and closer to Emporia where my daughter, it's always windy
LizH wrote: "Susie, shame shame on the reading out of order, lol!! Melodie, wind wasn't noticeably bad, here in KC and closer to Emporia where my daughter, it's always windy"I know Liz...I'm a bad girl :) Need to stray from cozies and catch up with Hamilton.
I think you should wash your hands out with soap.
Barry wrote: "I think you should wash your hands out with soap."I did it Barry...and I feel much better now :)
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Jane's book. I loved all her books I've read of her's. haven't read that one yet but I think I have it to be read.
DJ, me too! It was the first in a series so I was really looking forward to it, but just wasn't for me.
43. UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand 4/5 Love how this author brings history to life. Amazing story about how much the human spirit can endure and then the mental capacity to deal with the torture during and after. Well done by making the characters come to life.
44. BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP by S.J. Watson 3/5 Sort of a Fifty First Dates in book form, without the humor. A woman can't remember anything, and then loses what she learns throughout the day when she goes to sleep each night. A compelling read, but the inconsistencies drove me crazy! So could have used a better editor. As the plot developed and we learn what happened to her and how, it became more implausible. Still not a bad read.
45. JUST ONE KISS by Susan Mallory 4/5 Good to be back with the characters from Fool's Gold. Got away from this series because I thought they we all becoming too similar. This one was one of the better ones. But as usual, typical romance, guy and girl reunited 10 years after high school. Guy came back because he couldn't resist her, girl never got over her crush. He can't commit because he has a dangerous job and past, she will always love him.
46. A COLD DAY IN PARADISE by Steve Hamilton 4/5 Thrilled with the beginning of this series. Can't wait to get to the rest! Quick paced, fully developed characters, great mystery, very good suspense! Private investigator, ex-cop deals with psycho who models himself after freaky guy who shot him and killed his partner.
47.WINTER OF THE WOLF MOON by Steve Hamilton 2nd in the series, keeps the tension with plot twists. Really beginning to like Prudell. Like how Alex isn't a private investigator, and yet is. On to book 3.
48. THE GOOD WOMAN by Jane Porter 2/5 Was super disappointed in this one. Was recommended by a friend so I tried hard to like it, but the only character I liked was the guy who the main character had an affair with. He at least had not only a backbone, but some pride as well! Story about sisters who get together, but they all have some sort of marital problems, including the mc who is neglected. So she wanders. Drivel. :(
49. THE HUNTING WIND by Steve Hamilton 3/5 Not my favorite...not sure why I didn't like this one. Could have been influenced by other reviews, could have been the pacing. McKnight tries to help an old baseball buddy but of course there are several twists and turns.
50. TWO OF A KIND by Susan Mallory Another installment, good installment, but not one of my favorites...good twist with adding the kid, yet the denial was disturbing. How can u believe you are not capable of emotion if a child enters the picture?
51. NORTH OF NOWHERE by Steve Hamilton 3/5 Another one that wasn't my favorite, getting a but tired of the I'm-not-a-PI-but-I-keep-getting-involved-with-weird-bad-guys. Will continue with the series, but maybe I need a break.