library book show and tell

I had not been to the library in quite some time. Life got busy and there were already unread books on my bookshelf simply waiting to be opened. Then, on a grey and rainy morning, my husband suggested that we browse the stacks. It was a thrill to be back in the library, surrounded by so many exciting reads. My intention was to search for some non-fiction books, since my 20/20 reading goal for the year has been a little lopsided so far. (I have already read more than 20 fiction books but am falling further behind on my non-fiction reads.) In the end, I found myself distracted by all sorts of mystery novels, but there was one non-fiction book added to the pile. It is time for a library book show and tell, complete with mini reviews of each.

Happiness Included, Christmas Mittens Murder, and The Body In The Library. There was one non-fiction book that made it into the pile, which was Happiness Included by Eve Plumb. I am such a huge fan of The Brady Bunch and grew up on the show (the original, the spin-offs, the television movies, the cartoon, the music...all of it). It was a really interesting read and I appreciated her perspective on both her professional and personal life. She seems like a really interesting and creative person. I loved learning more about her shift into art - and enjoyed looking up some of her pieces after finishing the book. Her Film Noir collection was especially powerful. Next was the Christmas Mittens Murder, which featured short stories by three different authors. Even though it is September, my mind is always partially in December. I will read something Christmas themed at any time of the year and the Christmas Mittens Murder was simply too tempting to leave on the shelf. Out of the three short stories, the first was the best, in my opinion. Unfortunately, the other two were not favourites. Something just didn't click for me. I liked the idea of the mitten themed mysteries, but overall, the execution fell a little flat. Then it was The Body in the Library from Agatha Christie. This was a fast read, mostly because I could not put it down. It was a real page turner with lots of action and intrigue. I finished the book quickly and made the decision to read more Agatha Christie books this spooky season.

Candy Corn Murder, Christmas Carol Murder, and The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher. There were so many cozy mystery novels on the library shelves. So. Many. I tried to resist them, but was powerless, and checked out three. The first was the Candy Corn Murder from Leslie Meier, which is well suited to the fall season. It was wonderfully themed. Something I really love about Leslie Meier books in general is that she isn't afraid to weave social issues into the stories. This particular book touched on women's rights and abusers who are protected because of their power. It is meaningful that the book highlighted the fact that abusers are often charming and beloved public figures, appearing to be generous and kind, all while harming those closest to them. Candy Corn Murder is easily her best. The next was another from Leslie Meier, the Christmas Carol Murder. This is one that I read several years back, but couldn't recall whodunnit. So, it was added to the pile. It was such a page turner. It had a strong message about community and greed, but also managed to humanize even the most unlikeable characters. The last book in this library show and tell was a Murder, She Wrote novel, The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher. I love reading Murder, She Wrote books, because Jessica Fletcher is one of the best television characters of all time. This particular story was about a house that is rumoured to be haunted. Of course, there is a murder to solve and a ghost to make sense of. I especially love Murder, She Wrote books that are set in Cabot Cove, so this was an enjoyable read with enough action to keep me interested. 

This content is from the-creationofbeauty.blogspot.com. If it is posted elsewhere, it has been stolen.

Have you visited the library lately? What kind of books do you like to check out when you are able to visit?