NYPD Red 6--#83 finished

 This is the next in the series of an elite NYPD investigators called Red that take on the cases in NY City for the rich & famous.  There are 2 partners that have known each other a long time--she is finally coming out of a marriage/relationship--husband has disappeared and he is in a good relationship but still has feelings from years ago 1 month with partner while she was on a break.  This is really the driving story behind the story.  An internet/tv famous lady marries guy with thought was big money but actually his mom has the big money and she hates the internet/tv famous lady.  Internet/tv famous lady is kidnapped right after her wedding, they find out it is one of her stalkers that has done it but cannot locate them.  Twist at end is she basically encouraged him and then killed him.  She will go to jail I guess.  Also the rich guy mom is killed.  Not a bad story just a quick read.  There is a 2nd shorter story as a bonus, a little tougher read--kids killed, innocent guy kidnapped by upset parents, etc.  Same in that a quick read.

There are like 22 WL for the book so I went ahead and just posted it, probably mail off this morning.  It is a mass market book of popular series, kind of need to just keep these moving.

The Dutch Wife--#82 finished

 I am not really sure why I picked this one to read.  I wasn't looking for a holocaust book and a sort of overall depressing book.  A Dutch couple are arrested in WWII and sent to concentration camps.  The wife is selected but sort of joined up for brothel duty and while there one of the Nazi commanders falls for her. The book writes from her perspective, then his and then to a younger 20 something man caught up in Argentina's Dirty War.  Interesting to see the different concerns and also how they are connected.  I liked the book a different perspective on the war and the people.

I have posted it on PBS, I think there were already 4 or 5 copies in system so probably not going anywhere anytime soon.

Palace of Treason--#81 finished

 This is the 2nd in trilogy, first book was The Red Sparrow.  A girl that becomes a Russian spy and then becomes a spy for the US.  I had seen the movie first but think I had the first book too but didn't read until after seeing the movie. Sort of interesting, a modern day spy story and this 2nd book continues this.  Talks about Putin and Russia and some inner workings--seems realistic at least to me.  The Red Sparrow in the 2nd book continues to move up the ranks in Russia but with lots of other things going on.  A good read but does get bogged down at times and was easy to lose interest.  Glad I got through it and will try to get a copy of the 3rd book to finish the series.

There are 6 WL for the book in PBS but no hurry to mail off at this point.  Not really a keeper series but I like that the book includes recipes at the end of each chapter.

License to Deal--#80 finished

 A sportswriter basically follows around a fairly newer sports agent and his team in 2004-2005 time frame.  Interesting with the names of players--lots of minor leaguers that basically get cups of coffee or maybe not even that.  Good read about some of the nuts & bolts of being an agent.  The agent Matt Sosnick had already made a lot of money & sounds like also came from family of money, he got out of his business life & switched to being an agent.  While at this point it didn't sound like his agency was making much money, it seemed to be about laying the groundwork for the future.  His biggest name player was Dontrelle Willis coming off his rookie of the year & helping the Marlins to their World Series title.  Was fun looking up the different players mentioned.  I kept from checking out agent until after the book was over--sounds like no longer an agent and had marital problems that might have forced him out of being an agent--hope all is well for him. 

I had already posted it & it was the only copy in PBS system & got requested today so will get it mailed off in the next few days.

The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity--#79 finished

 This is one of several books the author Matthew Kelly has written that is basically trying to inspire Catholics in their faith.  This one is more directed at Christians in general that just Catholics.  The answer to the title is basically that everyone can become holy.  We can do simple to much larger holy acts every day throughout the day and if everyone is going this imagine what our world would become.  A real general feel good type book, mostly trying to inspire those good works or thoughts.  For my first Matthew Kelly book it was okay, just seems like a lot was not said in this book but I guess just wanted to focus on positive.

This book was given to me so will be either given back or passed along.  Plenty of copies on PBS so no reason to add another if do end up with it.

Demi-Gods--#78 finished

 This is the story of a broken family back in the 1950s.  The dad of two young daughters and a younger son, leaves the family and mom starts dating one of dad's coworkers, himself with two young sons.  The sons also spend time with their mom in San Diego area of CA.  The daughter's mom is on a small island in Canada near Vancouver I guess.  The mom's life is falling apart & she is drinking too much and really pays no attention to her daughters.  The boyfriend is not always there either--with work and everything.  The story starts in the '50s goes into the '60s and then finishes in modern day.  The 2 older ones got married and the younger sort of have a relationship thing going on.  I don't know, didn't really like the book much and not worth trying to dredge up the memories.

There are 3 WL for this book on PBS so I will post it & get it mailed off in the next few days.

Teaching the Cat to Sit--#77 finished

 This is one of those books you read that you really have to question when the Catholic church is going to figure out their LGBTQ problem.  This is a memoir of a lady with a wife and together they adopt a child, a young toddler boy.  The boy goes to pre-school at their local Catholic church but is told by the priest that the boy cannot go to school there.  They pull him out but when happens to another that makes the news, these parents come out and put their names to the story.  The author bounces between growing up & really not know who she was and eventually coming to the point that she is gay in college.  She grew up in a very Catholic family and still loves her Catholic faith but obviously has a hard time with Catholicism not accepting her.  She is part of a loving couple with a young boy--these are exactly the people that should be in our church but instead they are turned away in rather demeaning fashion.  It makes me sad and I also realize the Catholic church has to change & get this right or in 75, 100 years there might not be a Catholic church that anyone pays attention to.

This one is a keeper for me.  I almost don't want to pass it out afraid I won't get it back.

The Household Spirit--#76 finished

 Just a weird sort of book but I remember the other book by this author as being sort of strange too but I think this one has it beat on the strangeness rating.  On a highway outside of small northern town in upper NY state there are 2 houses that sit next to each other.  A guy is in one and he could be described as strange or maybe just really shy--was married but after 1 kid came along was divorced when the girl was still young.  He has worked at same job at the GE plant for years and is now in his early 50s.  He never really was friendly with the neighbors--seems like each sort of ignored the other.  A grandpa and a granddaughter lived next door--the daughter and grandma were killed in a car accident and the girls father is an unknown.  The shy guy and the granddaughter are the main characters--their lives are basically forced upon each other and together they sort of help each other out.  Guy's daughter gets back into picture at end too.  Interesting read but just the amount of strange makes it hard to recommend.

I have posted it on PBS & is the only copy  so might get moved at some point.

Too Much and Never Enough--#75 finished

This is the book by Donald Trump's niece, daughter of his older brother Freddy who died back in the 1990--maybe '80s.  While she does have an axe to grind with the family and it is pretty evident throughout the book, she does also have a PhD in psychology and has interesting perspective on the family dynamics in the Trump family.  This book came out before the election as part of the wave of books basically saying do not re-elect this person.  Books from insiders in the White House, family, reporters, experts in areas--just amazing so many voters overlooked or just didn't look and still voted for him.  It is a sad commentary on our country.  It is a shorter book but does have a lot of information.  Will have to checkup & see if she ever gets more out of the estate--family basically played games & screwed her & her brother when the grandfather died.

I have posted it on PBS & was the only copy & has already been requested so I will be mailing it out probably over the weekend.