We're suppose to leave to go camping until Monday later this afternoon. My to-do list is a few miles long. I sent my husband off to swimming lessons with the girls intending to knock a few things off said list without interruptions. Instead, I finished a book without interruptions. I regret nothing. 

This is one of the better introductory novels I've read in a long time. Normally first books in a series don't get anything better than three stars from me. I tend to take two or three books to decide if I think a series is going to be worth the time. This book seems to be a rare exception. I know after the first novel, I'm absolutely going to be continuing on with this series and these characters. 

For starters there's Cleopatra. I'm developing a pretty huge girl crush on her lately. This Cleopatra is bold, cunning, and smarter than everyone in the room. She knows exactly what she has to do to get what she wants and she's not afraid to step on anyone to get it. I realize things don't really work out for her in the end. For the moment, I'm rolling with this Cleopatra. You'd be foolish not to.

Then there's this mystery surrounding stolen coin. Stolen coin doesn't seem like such a big deal on the surface. Once you get into all of the things this coin in particular means to the kingdom of Egypt, you understand why getting it back is such a big deal. Nothing is quite what it seems but everything is related. It's complicated without being confusing. Something I personally haven't seemed to master. 

Finally there's Stabenow herself. I've only read one other Stabenow work about China and the Silk Road. At the end I found myself less than impressed. I've never read any of her popular Kate Shugak series. After this, I'm tempted to start tomorrow. Stabenow is quick and to the point. There's a mystery. There's danger. There's intrigue. The amazing part is she manages to handle everything in less than 300 pages. Stabenow seems to know just how much detail the reader needs and exactly when to cut it off. Nothing is drawn out. Not once was I left muttering "Did I really need to know that?" Short and to the point. Again, not something I've figured out how to accomplish on my own. 

Personal kudos to me for knocking out a review in a record time. I suppose that means I can move on to my to-do list. Or I can map out my next BL-opoly roll. Or I can stand in front of my bookshelves and wonder which books are going to accompany me camping. 

Dates read 6/25/2020 - 6/30/2020

Book 43/75

Let's mourn only for our losses. And never for the things we haven't lost quite yet. We already have an entire language that would be dead if you were.

Let's make it last.

This just might be one of my favorite final lines (Fine. Technically two lines.) in any book every. So good. Ugh. Lyndsay Faye is rapidly climbing my list of must-read authors. 

Everything about this book was just. so. good. The characters were brilliant, complicated, hot messes. The interwoven story lines about the struggles of the Paragon Hotel residents and Nobody's time with the Mafia kept me on my toes. More than once I had to force myself to only read two chapters so I wouldn't get lost in this book. I actually had places to be this week. 

And then there was that end. I've gotten pretty good at predicting how things are going to end. Wow was I wrong. I did not see that end coming. 

Read 6/14/2020-6/24-2020

Book 41/75

"We go through our lives, so many of us, as fractions of ourselves, with all the other puzzle pieces buried where no on can see them. But there's the paradox and do forgive me for flights metaphorical - we're all of us fractured jigsaws, but we're also the entire picture no matter how far away we walk from what's hidden." 

This book is a hard read. Not because it's not well written or because the characters aren't lively, emotional human beings. It's hard because it's too relevant. The book takes place in 1921. However, the way people of colored are being treated by the world around them? It doesn't seem all that historical. 

I like the Monk series more than the Pitt series. However, Perry's constantly coincidences are starting to get a little obnoxious. In the Pitt series it's how Emily and Charlotte always seem to find themselves at the party of a suspect before they even know Thomas is investigated said suspect. In the Monk novels, it's how Hester always finds that final piece of the puzzle because of one of her clients. Even over 100 years ago, you can't convince me London was that small. I would believe you if you tried to argue that Perry is the ultimate believer in the Kevin Bacon theory. 

Once again, I find myself completely immersed in the courtroom drama. Rathborne is really the star of these books.

Dates read 6/13/2020-6/14/2020

Book 38/75