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| Clever mailbox, seen while canvassing recently |
Below are the first lines of the books I finished reading in September. I’ve had less time this month for book-reading, partly due to the crossroads mentioned in the first lines of Book 1 in my list. It seems fitting that four of the five books this month are rather dark. That reminds me, I still haven’t put up any Halloween decorations. Maybe next week.
Book 1
Foreword
America is at a crossroads. A country that once stood as the global symbol of democracy has been teetering on the brink of authoritarianism.
Book 2
Siobhán O’Sullivan hurried through lush green fields, adjusting every so often for the bumps and dips of the terrain, imagining that from high above, Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, must look like an ocean of green, rendering her a mere speck at sea.
Book 3
One day, when he was naughty, Mr. Bunnsy looked over the hedge into Farmer Fred’s field and saw it was full of fresh green lettuces. Mr. Bunnsy, however, was not full of lettuces. This did not seem fair. – From Mr. Bunnsy Has an Adventure
Book 4
Catalpa Tree
Catalpa speciosa
A catalpa can give two brown girls in western Kansas a green umbrella from the sun.
Book 5
The Girl in the Mirror
Mary Jekyll stared down at her mother’s coffin.
The titles and authors revealed:
Book 1
Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America
By Heather Cox Richardson
304 pages • first pub 2023
Book 2
Murder in an Irish Village (Irish Village Mystery #1)
By Carlene O'Connor
334 pages • first pub 2016.
I guess this qualifies as a cozy mystery, although some details were a bit gruesome. Thank goodness there was a pronunciation guide for the names, and a glossary in the front of the book for Irish expressions used. But still, I struggled with the names. I liked the characters. For some bizarre reason, the acknowledgements were at the beginning of the book. I probably will not read more in the series, at least not soon.
Book 3
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld #28)
Terry Pratchett
256 pages • first pub 2001
YA lit. My husband and kids LOVE LOVE LOVE all books by Terry Pratchett. I have not been able to tolerate the ones for adults, but seem to like some of Pratchett’s YA lit. Even the children’s lit is quite dark. This one takes place mostly underground. Pratchett is definitely a clever writer.
Book 4
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
Aimee Nezhukumatathil with Fumi Nakamura (Illustrator)
184 pages • first pub 2020
Second time reading it, this time for book club. Thoughtful and delightful. Not all sweetness and light (perhaps only recipe books should be such), but definitely more uplifting than the other 4 books I read this month.
Book 5
The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter
(The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club #1)
By Theodora Goss
402 pages • first pub 2017.
A wild story reworking the fates of female characters from various horror/dystopian stories of the 19th century and early 20th century. I was a little bit out of my element, since the earlier stories are not in my favorite genre.
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Okay, reader, whatcha got? What’s on your reading shelf right now?
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| Creepy door decoration, seen while canvassing recently |
