October Reading Wrap-Up

 

This little guy and his relatives scurry across my deck daily.  Often their cheeks are stuffed full as they prepare their store for winter. I can't believe we are at the end of October already!  

This month I read 6 books, which is less than usual for me.  That's what taking a ten day road trip and  reading practically nothing will do for you.  We had a great trip and I don't regret my lack of reading.  The people, the sights and the experience were much more important.  

Here's the breakdown:

Cozy Mystery: 4

Classic: 1

Nonfiction: 1

Cozy Mystery:

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax #1) by Dorothy Gilman - Mrs. Pollifax, a widow with grown children, is feeling useless.  The thing she has always wanted to do is become a spy.  Of course, one doesn't just walk into CIA Headquarters and become a spy.  However, in a case of being in the right place at the right time, Mrs. Pollifax is drafted into the CIA as a courier.  All she has to do is go into a bookstore on a certain day at a certain time and say a certain thing.  The rest of the time, she is to explore Mexico City to her heart's content.  As often happens, things don't go smoothly and Mrs. Pollifax is taken captive.  This was such a fun read!  You just have to love Mrs. Pollifax and her no-nonsense way of behaving.  

'Twas the Knife Before Christmas (Christmas Tree Farm #2) by Jacqueline Frost -  Holly White is looking forward to her second Christmas back home in Mistletoe, Maine.  Christmas is a big deal in Mistletoe and especially at her parents' Christmas Tree Farm.  The Farm hosts all kinds of fun events leading up to the big day.  To get the Christmas season underway, the town hosts a Tree Lighting Ceremony at the downtown square.  Holly and her friends are attending and all is going well until a man is found dead near the big tree.  To make matters worse, the dead man was her best friend Caroline's date last night.  She was the last one to see him alive and is the prime suspect.  Holly knows her friend didn't commit the murder, but will she be able to convince Sheriff Gray before it is too late?  This one will get you in the Christmas spirit.  It is full of Christmas activities, Christmas treats and cozy Christmas decor.  Oh, the characters are great and so is the mystery.

Unleashed (Kate Turner, DVM #2) by Eileen Brady - Kate Turner is settling in to her new life filling in at the small veterinary hospital in Oak Falls, NY.  She enjoys caring for the animals, making house calls and working with the staff.  But, when a client, Claire Birnham, is found dead from an apparent suicide Kate becomes quite unsettled.  The police seem to be ruling her death a suicide, but Kate can't let it go.  She is convinced Claire was murdered.  As she begins asking questions, she discovers that Claire had some secrets.  Will the truth come out before Kate sticks her nose where it doesn't belong?  My favorite thing about this series is following Kate on her rounds.  The animals' antics are often hilarious and I always learn something new.  

The Cider Shop Rules (Cider Shop Mystery #3) by Julie Anne Lindsey - The Fall season is ramping up in Blossom Valley as the town gets ready for its annual events.  When Mr. Potter, the owner of Potter's Pumpkin Patch, is murdered, some of the festival spirit is lost.  It is difficult to imagine who could have done this.  Mr. Potter was well liked by most people.  However, Winnie did notice that he had been having a heated discussion with someone before he came out to help her with her order.  Could that person have murdered him?  This is one of my favorite series.  The story is heartwarming, the characters are great, and the mystery was a good one.  Not to mention, it is full of all things fall - apple cider, apple treats, pumpkins and corn mazes. What more could you ask for?

Classic:

The Gentlewoman's Choice by George MacDonald -   Hester Raymount is a young woman who desires to serve God by serving the poor.  Unfortunately doing so is not as easy as it would seem.  Some look down upon her for spending time with the poor, while others feel she is putting her life in danger by exposing herself to smallpox and other illnesses.  When her wayward older brother disappears and her younger brother is ill, Hester is called on to show compassion to those nearest to her.  George MacDonald's writing is not always easy to read.  It can be wordy and he tends to sermonize, but his way of seeing the world sticks with you.

Nonfiction:

Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty -  Following the seasons, Dara McAnulty chronicles a year in his life.  He is a young man, fourteen years old, who lives with his mum, dad, brother and sister in Northern Ireland.  Dara is also autistic.  His diary tells of his family life, the time he spends in nature, and the way he processes the world. I really enjoyed this one.  His writing is beautiful and he has such an eye for things in nature.  I also loved hearing about his life with his family.

Other things around the blog:

I participated in the Around the Blogosphere Tag.

We hiked at Horsetooth Mountain in Fort Collins, Co. and I shared pictures.

That's it for me this month.  I hope you all have a blessed November!

~ Gretchen

I am linking up with The Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight. 

I'm also linking up with The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb @ Readerbuzz.