Books I won't Read

I thought it might be interesting to list some of the books I won't read and why. Generally I have a very open mind and am willing to try most things. But I also have a very active imagination. When I read the Lord of the Rings Triology I dreamed about walking and talking trees for weeks. I found Mary Shelley's Frankenstein too scary to read late at night. And don't get me started on vampires or Ted Dekker.

So, some of the things I don't read are anything violent or with graphic language. Generally I don't read true crime. I don't read anything about or involving child abuse, it just makes me angry.

And I also don't read a lot of romance. As a single, christian female it brings up thoughts and feelings that I have no outlet for and seems more trouble than it's worth so generally I avoid most romances. Although a romance with a good murder in it seems to balance out the emotions!

So are there any types or styles of books you won't read?

The Grilling Season by Diane Mott Davidson

Goldy Schultz is a caterer who has a knack of finding bodes and then getting embroiled in the catching of the killer.

I read the Diane Mott Davidson’s books at lunch times when I was already eating. If I read it at any other time of day I always want a snack while I read. The plot always involves a catering gig and Goldy spends as much time cooking in the book as she does solving the mystery. The descriptions of the dishes are always appetizing and the recipes are even included in the book. I’ve never tried one as they are mostly gourmet type and out of my league as a cook, but a real foodie would have fun replicating the menus I’m sure.

The theme of the Grilling Season is revenge. The murder happens early on in the book and the rest of the story is about how Goldy works out who the killer is. The back story is just as interesting as Goldy deals with an abusive ex-husband, a teen age son and her new second husband. You can read this as a stand alone as there is enough background in it but if you can find the earlier books in the series I would encourage you to read those first. The Grilling Season is highly recommended.

Coming Up...

As you can tell from the list at the side I'm not reviewing every single book I read. So if you want to know what I think of a book that I haven't reviewed, feel free to leave a comment.

The last two books are ones I wouldn't necessarily recommend but were interestingfor me to read. Deadlocked was about a sort of female Indiana Jones who goes into Afghanistan to retrieve some priceless artifacts and gets captured, runs amok of the bad guys and is rescued by a tall, dark stranger who becomes, of course, the love of her life. It's a good summer beach read.

Host was completely different. A thriller about a scientist involved in cryogenics (freezing of people to be brought to life in the future) and aritifcial life forms and the very scary combining of the two. It was scary but definitely not to everyone's taste.

Coming up will be reviews on the Grilling Season. If you like the Food Network and mysteries you will love this series about a caterer/sleuth and the trouble she gets into. For something compltely different, I'm reading Spook. This is a non fiction book where the scientist is exploring the afterlife and doing it in a very humorous way. It proves to be an interesting read although again, perhaps not to everyone's taste. And I'm reading the Book of Negroes. I'm finding this award winning book a bit difficult to get through mostly because of the descriptions of the treatment of the black slaves but I will finish it eventually and review it.

So that's what's coming up.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

Silent in the Grave is a debut novel by Deanna Raybourn. It’s a mystery set in Victorian England. The main character is Julia Grey. Her husband Edward has just been murdered and she sets off to find out who did it. Of course, being in Victorian England there are many cultural taboos to overcome and her handsome side kick, Nicholas Brisbane brings a touch of romance to the story.

I was a little surprised to find out that Deanna Raybourn is a 6th generation Texan. It seems like she might have been better suited for writing about America at the turn of the century. However she has done a beautiful job on the Victorian atmosphere. The heroine is constantly kicking against the pricks of society and shows a modern bent in her thinking and actions. It’s fun and horrifying to imagine what life was like for women back then.

The mystery is good, the ending is surprising and I’m looking forward to reading the second in the series, Silent on the Moor. If you enjoy Victorian mystery/love stories you will enjoy this series; go to your library and get started on it.