January readings

I'm going to update with my January reads, since January has been and gone.



Not my Father's Son by Alan Cumming.
I don't read a lot of biography, this one appealed to me because of a blurb on Goodreads.com.  It was readable and had moments of great wit.  I do wonder if everyone has daddy issues.  Being a fan of PBS and Masterpiece Mysteries I gave it a go.  4 stars.

Hushabye by Celina Grace was probably one of only a few books I gave 5 stars to in January.  Great mystery with intense real feeling characters.  Scared the bejesus out of me a couple times, and I couldn't quit reading through the night.

So the is Christmas by Josh Lanyon, can I say that if anyone writes comfort fiction she's the one.  Josh's books are always among my favorites.  Gay fic with a side of mystery and if Adrien English isn't my favorite character in this genre, I don't know who would be.  5 stars cause there wasn't anything I didn't love in the story.

The Only Witness by Pamela Beason. This was a fun read, being a big fan of Koko the signing gorilla this took a similar character and created a mystery.  I loved the detective trying to explain that his witness was a gorilla.  Good stuff.  Good humor.  Well and unexpectedly written.  4 and a half stars.

In Praise of Bees by Kristin Gleeson.  Okay if you don't read anything else on my January list, read this. Because it is an amazing historical novel.  The sense of time and place is just so in your face, it all rings true. Middle ages just aren't what you think. The main character just becomes so much a part of life.  Definitely one of those books I hoped would not end.  5 big red stars.

Last Writes by Sheila Lowe.  Forensic handwriting analysis, come on what's not to love.  Good story, good mystery.  three and a half stars

The Dry by Jane Harper.  Secrets and lies and a great detective.  The sense of drought of place is so incredibly well done.  A fine mystery, certainly not what was expected from the beginning.  I like that. four and a half stars.

Ripper by Isabel Allende.  I started out really not liking anything about this book, and it trapped me. Computer folks solving or helping to solve the mystery.  There's nothing to add that hasn't been said about Allende's writing, it's as brilliant as it's said to be.   I ended up giving it 5 stars.