Have You Read A Good Book Lately?

    I added a page, Betsy's Book Bag, to list the books I read each month.  I can't remember by title, cover or blurb if I have read something or not, so I have been keeping a list so I don't check out the same books. On the up side, I can always find something to read since I don't remember! I have some memory/reading problems from the effects of depression on my brain, and the remaining effects from a concussion I had last year so I have to read a book all at once.  I can not read a few chapters, pick it up the next day and begin where I left off because I won't remember the plot or the characters.  I wasn't always this way.  I have been an avid reader for oh, 54 years or so and never used to have this problem. That I need to read a book cover to cover in one sitting isn't a bad problem, and I have the time usually, but I wish I could remember more. But enough about that....life is constantly changing, isn't it? 

     I intended to post this the last day of September to talk about the best books I read for the month. Life kind of got in the way but here goes. In September  I read 13 books, mostly cozy mysteries but also a couple of novels, biography or two, and an information book.  

      The cozy mysteries were all good.  When you pick up a cozy you know what you are getting, for the most part.  No graphic language, gore or sex, just a fun mystery. My favorite cozy website keeps me on top of new titles being released each month.  Here is the link  http://www.cozy-mystery.com/Cozy-Mysteries-New-Releases.html

      Best book of the Bunch?  I am going to say The Little Way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, a Small Town, and the Secret of a Good Life written by Ruthie's brother, Rod Dreher.  What I learned, more like was reminded, is that being a part of a community is important.  That "community" can be a small town, a neighborhood, family, a group of friends, a church family, coworkers, whatever.  We need each other. (feel free to start singing that Barbra Streisand song "People Who Need People"...because I have been humming it every time I think of this book.)  Here is a link to a better description of the book than I can write...  http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Way-Ruthie-Leming/dp/1455521914

       Love/Hate Award goes to The Butler: A Witness To History  I am glad I read it. I am even happier that I checked it out of the library and did not pay $18.00 for it.  I loved the story, I just adored Helene and Eugene Allen, and Wil Haygood? He is a phenomenal author. I imagine if I had googled the Washington Post story Mr. Haygood wrote about Mr. Allen I would have been just as satisfied as reading the book.  In fact, since only the first slender portion of the book is about Mr. Allen's story maybe it IS the newspaper article.  The rest includes a few pages of photos, and info about the movie.  NOT what I expected.  I thought this would be a book full of stories about Mr. Allen's experiences serving 8 presidents.  Not so. 

     Surprised I Liked It So Much Award goes to Nowhere But Home. I almost gave it "Best book of the Bunch."  A really good story about a young woman who's mother named her Queen Elizabeth.  This is how terrible, and erratic, my memory is. LOL! I wanted to recommend this book to someone else after I read it and had turned it in to the library. (I worked in a library for 20 years. Please support your library before they go away)  When I texted a librarian to see if he could help me come up with the title I could remember a lot of info--especially for me to remember--that it involved a dysfunctional family, a young woman who loses job after job as a chef, ends up back in the home town she never wanted to see again living with her sister and nephew. I remembered she becomes the person who cooks the last meal for inmates on death row. I could remember the title consisted of three words and a girl standing on a ladder was on the cover, but did I remember the main character's name was Queen Elizabeth (and no, not THAT Queen Elizabeth)???  Nooo, that completely slipped my mind!!

      Friendship Bread, and it's sequel, The Avalon Ladies Scrapbook Society.  I enjoyed these so much I hope there is a 3rd book coming next year.  As in life, everything is not happy, but a very good story and characters that I really liked.  I wanted them to be real and I wanted to join them at the tea shop.
      What have you been reading?