2014 October Reading Challenge

[Ann]

For the months of September through November the Salt Lake County Library System runs a One County One Book program. This year’s title is Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. For those of you who haven’t had a chance to read it yet, this month’s challenge is to read it, or if it isn’t quite your thing, try a coming of age story, or a good old mystery, or something set in the 1960’s.

[Debbie]

I thought it was going to take the form of a memoir, but as I read further, I found that Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos also was a mystery. Who put the bullet in the Japanese rifle? And who is killing off all the little old ladies in Norvelt?

A delightful read which I picked up only because of my goal of reading all the Newbery winners. I'm glad I did!

So I've met the October challenge.

[Ann]

I just finished The Naturals, a great teen mystery/suspense book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. While the main character, Cassie, is connected to the FBI by a training school she's attending she isn't supposed to get involved in any active cases, but then she winds up drawing the attention of a serial killer and things get pretty intense.

Anyone else have a favorite mystery they'd like to recommend for this month's challenge?

[Debbie]

Last year I read The Summer of Dead Toys by Antonio Hill. Excellent mystery.

[Debbie]

Debbie wrote: "Last year I read The Summer of Dead Toys by Antonio Hill. Excellent mystery." And right now I'm reading The Man Who Knew Too Much by G.K. Chesterton. While I was surprised that this was NOT a book on which a movie of the same name was based, still this is a series of mystery short stories. Also recommended.

[Jackie]

I finished "Ordinary Grace", and highly recommend it for those who love a good coming-of-age mystery.

[Debbie]

I have finished a second book that counts better as mystery than did the other book I read. A series of short stories by G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Knew Too Much was a delightful read. I picked it up because I thought it may be a story that was the basis for the the movie of the same name. While that wasn't true, the stories themselves were a delight. What I liked the most was that once the solution to each mystery, I could look back over the story and see that, if I'd pieced the clues together properly, I could have solved the mystery myself. Each clue was there.

[Ann]

Right now I'm listening to The Mark of the Dragonfly, by Jaleigh Johnson. While it is definitely falls firmly in a the science fiction, fantasy camp it is a young adult novel and definitely has some aspects of the coming of age story, but isn't that an underlying them for most teen literature?

Piper, the main character, has been living on her own since her father died, but when she rescues a girl named Anna from the scrap fields after a meteor storm she finds herself responsible for someone else's safety. Soon they are being chased by a mysterious man while Piper tries to return Anna to her home. Definitely a fun book to read or listen to.

[Carolyn]

I just finished Ordinary Grace. I really enjoyed it! It reminded me of a few other books of the same genre that I also enjoyed. Another good choice of books for the One book, One County!

[Jennifer]

Carolyn wrote: "I just finished Ordinary Grace. I really enjoyed it! It reminded me of a few other books of the same genre that I also enjoyed. Another good choice of books for the One book, One County!"

I'm so glad you like it! The author will be at the Viridian tomorrow night. It should be great!

[Britt, Book Habitue]

I just read A Boy Called Duct Tape, which was a fun treasure hunt with coming-of-age aspects. I really enjoyed it.
(It's intended to be a middle grade, though parents of younger readers should be aware of the discussions of a girl's body being "hot" and girls being flattered when boys stare at them. Also a walk through a cannabis field.)

[Ann]

I just finished Clair Poulson's latest mystery Falling about a former soldier turned private investigator/helicopter pilot in Moab, Utah. Whlie returning a bunch of workmen from a remote oil rig they spot a body in the middle of the dessert, which appears to have fallen from the sky, quite literally in this case. Corbin thinks he can just hand off the murder to the local sheriff, but winds up getting pulled into the case and aiding in the ensuing investigation.

I enjoyed the fast pacing and twists and turns, while Corbin and the sheriff tried to piece together who was responsible for the murder and ensuing crimes that crop up related to the case-- definitely a fun, quick moving mystery.

[Becky]

I've already read, "Ordinary Grace", which I really liked, so I also read a mystery, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which was great.

[Jenny]

I read Ordinary Grace and really enjoyed it. I also read Towards Zero.

[Ann]

Britt is our prize drawing winner for October's reading challenge.

[Jenny]

Congrats, Britt!

[Jackie]

Congrats, Britt.
I just realized I never picked up my prize for September :OS

[Debbie]

Coongrats, Britt!

[Britt, Book Habitue]

Hey that's me! Thanks!