Tuesday, 24 December 2013

2013 Reading Summary - Monthly Breakdown (Apr - Jun)

So continuing with my thread of yesterday, this is my reading summary for April thru June 2013.

 
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April

28. Precious Blood (Gregor Demarkian #2) (Mystery) by Jane Haddam (3 stars)
29. The Fry Chronicles (Non-Fiction) by Stephen Fry (4 stars)
30. The Bridge Over the River Kwai (War) by Pierre Boulle (4 stars)
31. The Old Contemptibles (Richard Jury #11) (Mystery) by Martha Grimes (3 stars)
32. Feast of Murder (Gregor Demarkian #6) (Mystery) by Jane Haddam (3 stars)
33. The Ship (War) by C.S. Forester (5 stars)
"Excellent naval war story. Forester sets his story in the Mediterranean on HMS Artemis, a British cruiser part of a convoy of ships trying to relieve isolated Malta. Each chapter starts as an excerpt from the Capt's log with the chapter detailing the actions that make up this simple entry. Forester explores the ship, the crew as he tells his story. A simple story, but one of heroism, one battle against an Italian fleet. So well written, smoothly paced to keep the pages turning. Excellent story. I rank it up with Alistair MacLean's HMS Ulysses in great naval war stories."
34. Grave Surprise (Harper Connelly #2) (Mystery) by Charlaine Harris (4 stars)
35. Dear Old Dead (Gregor Demarkian #9) (Mystery) by Jane Haddam (3 stars)

May

36. Moonraker (James Bond #3) (Spy) by Ian Fleming (3 stars)
37. Dr. No (James Bond #6) (Spy) by Ian Fleming (4 stars)
38. 1000 Years of Annoying the French (Non-Fiction) by Stephen Clarke (3 stars)
39. Goldfinger (James Bond #7) (Spy) by Ian Fleming (3 stars)
40. Thunderball (James Bond #9) (Spy) by Ian Fleming (3 stars)
41. The Spy Who Loved Me (James Bond #10) (Spy) by Ian Fleming (4 stars)
"Definitely not your typical James Bond story; in fact, Bond is almost peripheral to the main story. It features a Canadian lass, Vivienne Michel, starts with her and ends with her. The story is more of a Mystery noir, not a spy story at all. Vivienne tells her story through flashback as she works at a motel in New York state. As the story progresses, she is placed in a terrifying situation by two thugs and then Mr Bond shows up for the finally. Excellent story, nice change for both Fleming and Bond."
42. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) (Mystery) by Alan Bradley (4 stars)

June

43. The Case of the Missing Servant (Mystery) by Tarquin Hall (3 stars)
44. The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles (Fiction) by Rosemary Sutcliffe (4 stars)
45. Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (War) by C.S. Forester (4 stars)
46. Puck of Pook's Hill (Fiction) by Rudyard Kipling (4 stars)
"A series of short stories told by various characters (a Roman Centurion, a Norman knight, a Pict, etc), all linked together by Puck, the faerie, the last of his kind in Britain. The stories are told to two children, Dan and Una, brother and sister, as they wander around their estate in Burwash, Sussex. The stories tell of Britain and ultimately are linked together by a sword with runes and also a discovery of gold. This is the first Kipling story I've read and I enjoyed very much. They flowed nicely, were interesting. I liked the characters."
47. The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (Horror) by H.P. Lovecraft (4 stars)
48. Hornblower and the Hotspur (War) by C.S. Forester (4 stars)
49. Hornblower and the Crisis (War) by C.S. Forester (3 stars)
50. Devil Bones (Mystery) by Kathy Reichs (3 stars)
51. Flying Colours (War) by C.S. Forester (4 stars)

So there you go, my April thru June reads. I think a nice mix and an opportunity to focus on some I've had on my shelf for awhile.
                                                Apr - Jun                     Total
Mystery -                                        8                             26                       
Science Fiction/ Fantasy -                                              6
Fiction -                                          2                              4
Horror -                                          1                              2
Non-Fiction -                                  2                             2
War -                                              6                              6
Spy -                                               5                              5

                                                      24                             51

Well, it's Xmas Eve. I hope everybody had a Merry Xmas and Holiday season and the very best for 2014!

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