June 2010 Wrap Up

With June ending, here's a look at the books I read and reviewed this month. Click on the title to read my review:

1. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

3. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

4. Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell

5. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Absolutely Loved: Stieg Larsson books

Just Okay: none -- this was a strong month

What did you read in June?

Review -- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

by Alan Bradley

Random House, 2010

416 pages

*I bought this from the local bookstore.

Summary: Flavia de Luce is an 11 year old girl and aspiring chemist who stumbles upon a dead body in the garden of her English home in the 1950s. With the help of the local townspeople, she learns the identity of the dead man and begins looking for his killer.

Review: It is so easy to fall in love with Flavia, who is such a wonderful and vivid character. She is smart, mature, and wise beyond her years as she determines who committed murder. Yet, she can also be immature, petty, and silly when she is around her father and 2 sisters. The author does a fantastic job of describing Flavia's little world as she races around on Gladys (her bicycle) trying to determine who killed the man in the garden. The mystery itself was a little disappointing and I found myself easily guessing who the murder was. At times, the book had a hard time keeping my interest. In the end, I found it an entertaining and satisfactory read. Rating: *** out of 5

Have you read and review this as well? If so, leave a link to your review in the comments section!

3 W Wednesdays -- 5/26

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? I am about halfway through The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley.

What have you recently finished reading? Last night I finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Last week I read (and recently reviewed) The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard. I also just finished Never Let You Go by Erin Healy (review to come).

What are you reading next? I have to start Shanghai Girls by Lisa See next for a book club meeting in June.

What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 5/24

This meme is host by Book Journey.

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend.

This week I am hoping to finish The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (taking a little longer to read than I anticipated) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (which I started over the weekend and I am completely engrossed in).

Last week, I finished Never Let You Go by Erin Healy and The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard (both reviews to be posted this week). I also reviewed two YA novels last week: Paper Towns by John Green and My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (click on the title to read my review).

What are you reading?

3 W Wednesdays -- 5/19

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? Right now, I am reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (very cute and fun) and Never Let You Go by Erin Healy (really creepy and intense so far).

What have you recently finished reading? I recently finished The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard (review to come) and Paper Towns by John Green (click on title to read my review).

What are you reading next? Well, I need to read Shanghai Girls by Lisa See for book club and I am also hoping to crack open The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.

What are you reading?

3 W Wednesdays -- 5/12

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? I am about 50 pages into Paper Towns by John Green (which has just gotten really, really good). I also just started The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (on Chapter 2).

What have you recently finished reading? I just finished The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (both reviews coming soon).

What are you reading next? I just received a copy of Never Let You Go by Erin Healy. I am really looking forward to reading it next.