Archie has a little brother now. The Cat Distribution System delivered Eddie to us last summer at the cottage, just about 5 years after it brought us Archie. They’ve settled in to life together, but Archie still wishes he got a veto. (Eddie is a lot.)
Welp, the world is continuing to be crazy, but it’s all much more tolerable when days are getting longer and the sky is bright. So, what did I read in April? Let’s take a wander through the list.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. This is the sequel to The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. It starts from the perspective that the narrator (Pippa, the “good girl”) had gotten way too emotionally involved to the point of being self-destructive in the last case, so that she’s resolved to never dig into another mystery. When her close friend’s brother goes missing, she’s torn about whether to get involved. Since I didn’t remember that angle of the story at all, it took me a beat to go with it here - and since her dilemma lasts no time at all before she dives in, it hardly mattered. It’s been almost three years since I read the first; I might have enjoyed this sequel more if I had been fresher on it.
Sociopath by Patric Gagne. A compelling memoir by a woman whose own diagnosis of sociopathy helps her understand herself, her differences, and what she distinctly has to offer the world. Fascinating.
Winterhawk: A Story of Hazards and Dreams by Bob Erickson. This coming-of-age novel focuses on a 15 year old boy nicknamed Kleek, who is trying to figure out how girlfriends, guy friends and, especially, golf all fit together in his fairly sheltered world. Except his older brother has been conscripted to Vietnam, exciting political leaders are being assassinated, race riots are brewing, and a fascinating young woman (aka Winterhawk) has just been “banished” by her parents to Kleek’s sleepy town to keep her away from her Black boyfriend. It’s engaging and well-crafted, leagues of quality above many self-published novels.The nickname angle didn’t really work for me but the story certainly did. [We met Bob and his lovely wife on a river cruise. The novel came up in conversation at one point, so of course I wanted to read it. He warned me that people told him it’s boring. It absolutely is not.]
The Long Game by Rachel Reid. Oooooooo, Shane and Ilya’s story continues after Heated Rivalry. I am here for it!
The Love Haters by Katherine Center. I found the main character’s back story – body image issues, emotional health, self-confidence etc. – really moving, and it gave this enjoyable rom com more heft than they often have.
Honey Bee Mine by Sarah T. Dubb. This romance on the other hand was light as air – but also enjoyable.
