Middle Sister's Mid-month Review

 Hello, Gentle Readers. It's the deepest, hottest part of the summer in the desert, which means I try to find books that help me escape the record temperatures and drought. 

Murder in the Cookbook Nook by Ellery Adams I thought the name was a little precious, but the premise seemed promising, although it's a common theme in the genre right now: murder on a reality show. This is the second or third of the these Murder on a Reality Show Set I've read the past year or so. I hate reality TV shoes, so murder on the set? Yup, I can enjoy that. In this book, a popular cooking reality show hosted by a social media superstar comes to film at Storyton Hall. Storyton Hall is the most idyllic and yet unrealistic resort you've ever heard of. The series is called the Book Retreat mystery series, and Storyton Hall is a resort for book lovers. Every room has been named after an author; there are books everywhere, and cosy nooks and crannies for book lovers to relax and indulge their literary tastes while indulging in typical resort amenities such as a spa, a word class restaurant, and different outdoor activities. Since the idea of a vacation spent reading one book after the other while someone else cooks and cleans for me sounds heavenly, I was all on board for this. But despite sounding like my idea of a perfect vacation, the book was just a little too precious. The characters, the setting, the history of Storyton Hall--it's all so perfect. Everyone is beautiful and kind, they all love each other like a family, they are all dedicated to preserving Storyton Hall and its mysterious past and the apparent millions of dollars in antiques and goodness knows what other hidden glories. The hall has a full crime lab (who the heck would fill in a health document to go stay at resort?) where they can do in-house blood analysis.  I'm not kidding you. They do full background checks and complete guest profiles on everyone who stays there. I have nothing to hide, but how invasive is that? I sure hope Miraval, where I had a mini spa vacation, didn't operate like this behind the scenes. (This could be tied to the hall's history, but I never got a good sense of what that was as the description was very cryptic and short and left with more questions than were answered; this series doesn't seem to be friendly to readers who don't start at book 1). By the way, tampering at the murder scene to get a blood sample to analyze should have incensed the sheriff and gotten Jane and her crew in trouble. But, ahh, it's Perfectland where they can do what they want, have apparently millions of dollars to maintain the hotel and the lab, and pr relentlessly into people's background; so unrealistic. I mean, part of the appeal of mysteries is that the amateur detective has to use their wits to figure it out, when they have large gaping holes in the information they have access to. There were some poorly explained or unexplainable incidents: how did Sinclair know that Jane had an urgent message on her cell phone in Chapter 11? A trained tracking dog will not get confused by multiple scents; that's the whole point of using a tracking dog (also in Chapter 11).  I started mentally pleading for someone to lose their patience (like the sheriff for their meddling), or be rude, at least less perfect. Even Jane's 11-year-old twin sons are perfect--they clean up, they help out, they immediately agree to go quietly read (instead of play?), they listen to all the adults around them. Has the author ever met 11-year-old boys? I liked the book, despite the saccharine perfectness of it all, because it's (dare I say it?) perfect for summer reading--non-taxing, nonviolent, always sunny. But I am not sure I'd read any other entires inthe series because there's no grounding in reality. The reader is supposed to be able to be the main character, through whose eyes we experience the story. Jane is too perfect, her life too perfect, the ability to get what she wants done instantly because she has a full staff and a full crime lab and a perfect boyfriend and perfect children and---I couldn't identify with her at all. I simultaneously liked it and disliked it. Part of the dissatisfaction with it stems from the advanced reader's copy I read from Net Galley (it was published in April)-- there almost 100 typos and missing words (I read it on my Kindle, so yes, I know exactly how many notes I kept for publisher on all of these). I sure hope they were all corrected before the book went to press. A summertime escape that sadly, ultimately, didn't satisfy me. 

Middle Sister's May Reads

Somehow, May get past me, but I found time to read some great books from different genres--mystery, autobiography, nature, children's fiction. Because all books are good! It was a very good month to read.

A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough I have had a huge crush on David Attenborough for decades, so I really wanted to read his autobiography. Then, when I saw it listed on my library's audiobook list, and it was read by the author---! Well, that settled it. I loved the way the chapters were set up--each begins with information on the date and therefore how many of his years had passed, and the amount of wild space left. How depressing to realize how quickly the amount of wild land has diminished, within just one person's lifespan. The changes that have happened to various locales that Mr. Attenborough has visited and documented in his amazing career had me nearly in tears for the whole first third of the book. While he is cautiously hopeful in the last chapters, when he reports on measures we must take right now to stop the trend to wholesale destruction of our lovely blue home, I am less so. Please read this book. PLEASE. We all should, and we all should immediately set to work to reverse some of the horrible damage we have done to our planet and the living creatures with whom we share it.  Amazing read, highly recommended, one of the best books I've ever read.

Death of a Ghost by M. C. Beaton Hamish Macbeth is on the trail of a ghost in this 2017 entry in the popular series. Except that instead of a ghost, he finds a dead body--naturally--and has to solve it in his usual low key style while not attracting undue attention to himself. I wasn't disappointed in the mystery, but my heart was breaking over Sonsie, who needs to be reunited with Hamish. And while I was happy to see Elspeth back in the picture as Hamish's romantic liaison, I was not happy with the turn Inspector Blair's character has taken. Bumbling, jealous of and therefore harboring a slight hatred for Hamish is one thing; become a murderous villain is another. I didn't enjoy this trip to Scotland nearly as much as the other Hamish mysteries.

Greenglass House  by Kate Milford The first in a YA series about remote hotel that caters to smuggler, Greenglass House is exactly the kind of book I loved as a tween (and as middle-aged person, too). The book is written from the perspective of Milo, who is just starting to experience a longing to find out who his biological parents were. I loved Milo's parents, and I loved how supportive and understanding of him they were. All kids feel like outsiders, like they are different, and Milo's emotions will be recognized by everyone. It's Christmas at the inn, normally a very slow time, and when several people show up, one right after the other, during a snowstorm, it becomes clear to Milo that they weren't just seeking shelter, but something else. Milo and his friend Meddy are determined to find whatever it is they all seek, first. I loved this book, and yes, the surprise ending took me by surprise, too. It's well written, with well developed characters, a great premise, and a superb atmosphere. I want to visit Greenglass House. Highly recommended for tweens and all lovers of good books, no matter their age