Hello again, fellow readers! I know that audiobooks can be a polarizing topic but let me tell you, if it wasn’t for being able to listen while working up crochet patterns in the evenings and on the weekends, I’d be going slightly insane by this point.
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (Lord Peter Wimsey #4) by Dorothy L. Sayers- No one quite knew what time ninety-year old General Fentiman had died but that detail figured in a half million pound inheritance. Lord Peter Wimsey will need all his wits about him as he tries to unravel the mysteries of the lack of a poppy on the old man’s outer coat, how the club’s telephone was repaired without a repairman and how the old man’s knees swung freely when the rest of him was rigid with rigor mortis. His friend’s future is on the line – this is one case that he can’t get wrong.
~ I thoroughly enjoy these murder mysteries set in the 1930s. Peter and his butler and right hand man, Bunter are just my favorite. We can’t leave out Peter’s friend, Parker, either though. This one was different, as so much of the story occured inside the gentleman’s club- the Bellona- and the deceased was a (rather crochety) respected war hero. The twists and turns often left me wondering what- if any- significance there was to the latest revealed fact. Highly recommend!
Babylon’s Ark: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo by Lawrence Anthony- During the Iraqi war, the only thing that conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of was the Baghdad zoo that was located in the midst of the crossfire. When he arrives, he learns that combat and looting have killed almost all of the animals in the zoo, but not all. Along with the help of American soldiers and Iraqis, Anthony sets about improving the lives of the animals and turning the bombed-out zoo into a peaceful park.
~I picked this up from Brown Paper Packages Bookmail on Instagram, as it seemed interesting. It was a well written chronicle of Anthony’s time trying to get into Baghdad, saving the lives of the animals in the zoo and any other animals that he could from around the city. It was a potent reminder of how terribly animals can be treated but how, with a little initiative of some good people, things can be changed and improved. Definitely recommend this if you enjoy real-life accounts. It did have some pretty upsetting details of the state some animals were in.
The Davinci Code by Dan Brown – Robert Langdon, symbiologist, is woken in the middle of the night while visiting London to come investigate a crime scene. The curator of the Louvre was murdered inside the museum and the clues that he left are baffling.
~Whatever caused me to decide to read this, I’m not sure. But I did. The mystery-chase-intrigue was what kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed that part a lot, as well as the characters being really well written. For those reasons I could give this five stars.
But, as most probably already know, this is a pretty sacrilegious book. I’m not catholic, but even I found a lot of this… well, maybe not offensive but on that path.
Aside from that, I shy away from reading books that devote time to describing physical bodies and… the like. How it started out was a bit, uhm, much, but minimal enough that I kept reading. But it only increased as the story continued. All in all, I can see why Brown keeps getting published but also why this series in particular is such a controversial topic.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Harry Potter #1) by J.K. Rowling -Harry’s aunt and uncle immediately confiscate an intriguing envelope from a place called Hogwarts. But that one isn’t the only letter to try and reach Harry – although he’s never even heard of Hogwarts before. He’s given a shock when a giant named Rubeus Hagrid arrives and tells Harry that not only is he a wizard, but that he’s been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
~I honestly never thought I’d read this series. But, well, we watched the movies over the winter and I was intrigued enough to request the audio book from the library (loving hoopla). How Harry is treated by his aunt and uncle reminds me of the book “A Child Called It’. I liked seeing Harry enter the new fantastical world of magic and how he dealt with the fame that he didn’t know he had. I adore Ron and the Weasleys so much. I wish I’d been as faithful as a student as Hermione is. As a cautious recommendation: obviously this book (and series) deals in magic, so if you’re comfortable with that, I can definitely recommend it. Otherwise, skip over this one! It’s a fun read with a main character who is starting this new adventure/life, but who remains kind and humble.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) by J.K. Rowling- His summer with the Dursley’s has been absolutely miserable and Harry is eagerly looking forward to returning to Hogwarts for his second year. But just as summer break is ending, a strange creature shows up and warns Harry not to return to school or disaster will strike. The creature was correct- Harry’s school year is full of horrors and danger, the most awful thing being that students are getting turned to stone. It could be Draco Malfoy, Hagrid, or even Harry Potter himself!
~The Dursleys really are terrible people. I just need to start with that. They were bad in the first book, but in this one? Geesh. I was glad to see Harry standing up for himself a bit -even if it wasn’t in the best way possible… Anyway, the things that Harry, Hermione and Ron go through are terrifying. Hagrid has a special place in my heart now.
Currently Reading:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Around the World in Seventy-Two Days by Nellie Bly
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
My goal of reading more classics this year hasn’t gone too well… although Sayer’s books do fit that bill I suppose… But I do want to dive into a Dickens or the like in March.
What are you reading lately? Do you have a book/genre that you’re looking forward to reading?
~Laura
the start of a good life 
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