Frank Sinatra in a Blender--#81 finished

This is a St Louis book by a St Louis author.  It was published in 2012 but reads as a sort of detective novel from maybe mid 1990s.  Frank Sinatra is the name of the detective/private investigator's small dog.  There is a bank robbery and a lot of money is stolen and seems like every bad guy in St Louis is after the guy with the money and everyone that touches the money thinks about jumping out of town with it and disappearing.  Lots of bad guys and bad things happening.  Maybe a little too bad for what I see St Louis as but then again what do I know.  Other than none of the characters are really likeable, it was a good quick read.

There is 1 WL for this book but since a St Louis book will probably hold onto at this point.

In Harm's Way--#80 finished

This is the last in a series by Ridley Pearson of a sheriff in Sun Valley, Idaho.  A sheriff in a rich person vacation place with also the locals and a sort of underclass as well.  I remember liking the first 3 in series and this one was just okay.  Wanted to get it finished so I can take to my mom who has the other 3--not sure if she is reading them or not.  Sheriff and his sort of girlfriend are main characters but a nice supporting cast that gives an idea of the area.  Didn't really like the ending with a sort of mystery person being the killer but oh well.  Book was published 2010 so not worried about giving out a sort of mystery spoiler--lol.

There are copies in PBS system but as above, giving this one to my mom at this point.  If get back maybe post or maybe donate away.

Sunrise on the Reaping--#79 finished

This is the next in the Hunger Games series.  This falls between Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes--about how President Snow grew up & some of his cunning that helped him rise to power.  This is the 50th Hunger Games, the one Haymitch wins.  The twist this time is that 4 kids--2 boys & 2 girls--from each district are competing. Haymitch wasn't even selected, the boy that was ran & was shot & killed.  Haymitch's girlfriend went to help the boy's mother & tried to keep her from being beaten and Haymitch went to protect girlfriend and for that reason he was chosen.  Interesting in that later Katniss wasn't selected either--she volunteered for her sister Prim.  Kind of fun in that the seeds of revolt were there already and Haymitch was a part of it too inside the games.  Surprised he won but with his winning he paid a high price when he returned to District 12.  A good read that continues the story.  I think I heard there are more books planned for time after Katniss & Peeta but will have to see.

This is one I borrowed from one of my daughters so will be returning it to her.

Everything But Money--#78 finished

This is a paperback I picked up on vacation just about a month ago.  I needed a book to read at a waiting room on a doctor visit and since fits in my jeans back pocket, I grabbed it.  Not sure what I was expecting from this book, written in 1967 with several additional printings.  I hadn't heard of the author but from his writeup was a teacher & later a comedian so figured why not.  I had a hard time getting into the book, figured he grew up in depression era New York, large Jewish family in a small walkup.  Some funny and interesting things about his life growing up but too much just older humor.  Then later in book creeped into parents not doing good job in raising kids and finally a bitch about everything else.  A widely popular book when published but just not for me I guess.

I have posted it on PBS, there was already 1 copy but figure it could get requested or maybe be an add on to another request at some point.  It is small at least so easier to fit on my shelf.

The Score--#77 finished

The rest of the title: How the Quest for Sex Has Shaped the Modern Man.  Author had a newspaper column about the science of sex for at least 10 years and then wrote this book.  A lot of information about animal and evolution of sexual practices in animals and people.  A funny class she attended about how to pickup women and get them in bed is talked about throughout the book as well.  Interesting and good read that was fun at times and other times maybe a little too in the weeds with the reproduction of fish in at least 20 different ways--probably more than that, just a guess on my part.  

There are no copies in PBS system so might post there or might see if any friends would be interested.  PBS has slowed way down so have enough credits for now so no hurry to add to my PBS bookshelf either.

The Eighth Day--#76 finished

This is a book that I have had on the shelf for a quite a few years.  I am not sure where I picked it up at but it has a water stain on about the last 50 pages and usually I avoid those books.  I had it on a stack of books that I hadn't read but also couldn't mail out on PBS & it sat there & sat there.  Finally I dug those books out & gave away a couple and kept some like this one to read.  Then with vacation coming up figured it was time to pull it out, if I decided to read outside during vacation, then this book would be good.  It is about an artist that also does a little private investigating on the side.  He is basically broke with only a few hours a week job at a small art house.  He gets an offer from a businessman instead of the local lawyers that usually use his services and he decides the money is too good and gets wrapped up in an international investigation and a killing spree by his client.  He figures it out midway through but only a couple more names of people he found are alive.  He is off to Turkey & the area of the Kurds to find one & let them know the bad people are after them.  This book takes a long time to get going and not really sure it ever got exciting enough to be a good adventure read.  It is an older book published in 2002 so with technology as it is, it is just a different time.  Not a bad read but nothing special either.

Since has the water stain cannot post on PBS.  The author John Case is actually a nom de plume for a husband and wife team Jim & Carolyn Hogan--Carolyn has passed away but she also autographed the book.  Even still it will probably be a give away book, probably donate to the library for them to sell.

Counting the Cost--#75 finished

I had never watched a show of the Duggar Family with their 19 kids.  I had heard about it so kind of knew some of the story.  This is a book by one of the older daughters Jill Duggar.  She sort of broke away from the family once she was married & started having kids herself.  She was also one that was abused by her older brother too.  In her book she even mentions that her family was cult like, I was surprised that she wrote that because that is really the feeling I got in reading about this family.  It was cult like probably worse before it got on TV, at least once on TV the kids & family had the means to see other things and I think helped at least some of them break away.  The dad was the leader of this troop and wanted to continue as leader even after kids got married, while at the same time screwing the kids over with the money earned while the show was being televised.  A really kind of scary situation, and sorry that he or them wrapped themselves in God and the Bible to help maintain this control.

There are 25 WL for this book on PBS so I will probably post at some point & mail off, no reason to keep this one.

Murdered Midas--#74 finished

This is my first August finished book by the way, was late in getting that Chelsea Handler book logged in.  The rest of the title: A Millionaire, His Gold Mine, and a Strange Death on an Island Paradise.  This is about the life of Harry Oakes, he grew up on Maine but traveled the world in search of gold.  He struck it rich in Canada and was smart enough and able to get investors to get enough capital to maintain control of the mine & it's output rather than sell it off early on.  He was not a very social person and became obsessed with his money once the mine was operating where he didn't have to be there.  He moved to Miami to avoid Canadian taxes & then to the Bahamas for the same reason.  Because he was so rich he also had home in London where because part of the British empire, he became known in high sets & became Sir Harry Oakes.  I think it was at age 63 he was murdered in his home in the Bahamas, this was during WWII & also where the resigned King of England was now governor.  A not very well liked son in law became the suspect and a shoddy investigation pinned it on him.  After a trial showing how shoddy the investigation was, the son-in-law got off and the daughter stayed with him.  Lots of really good detail and information about something I hadn't heard anything about before reading this book.

There are no copies on PBS but at this point will save as a keeper for now.  Maybe look to hand off to friends if they are interested.

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang--#73 finished

This was the next Chelsea Handler book, published in 2010.  I am not sure why I have kept ordering her books, they are funny enough but not sure enough to have like 6 books by her.  I didn't watch her show on E but I guess her funny free living life hooked me into reading her books.  This one seems a little forced, more practical jokes instead of crazy observations.  A lot with her boyfriend a TV executive, not sure how long he stays in the picture--for all I know they maybe married for a bunch of years right now.  Needed a sort of mindless entertainment book and this one was it.

There are plenty of copies already on PBS so not posting it.