Saturday Stuff -- 7/18

This week has been a good week for reading. I was able to post three reviews: The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies, Need by Carrie Jones, and Mr and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Sharon Lathan . I also started the Stephanie Plum series and am currently reading the third book. Speaking about the Plum series, I am wondering if bloggers review every book they read. I tend to stay away from reviewing series that I have already started before I began blogging less than a year ago. Series such as Anita Blake or Sookie Stackhouse in which I have read every book, I shy away from reviewing. I think my reasoning is that I would hate to spoil the earlier books for a reader who has just started them. What about you? Do you review every book that you read? I also finished The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow, which is the Barney's Online Book Club Selection for July 2009. The group will be discussing the book on July 27th and all are invited to join us. Author Sally Koslow will be stopping by throughout the day to say hello and discuss her new novel. I am really looking forward to this -- Sally's novel was absolutely wonderful and should make for an interesting discussion.
Last night I started A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick and after a slow start I am engrossed in the novel. For those who haven't come across this novel it is about a rich man who advertises for a wife and gets more than he bargins for.

How was your week of reading? What are you reading this Saturday?

Review -- The Welsh Girl

The Welsh Girl
by Peter Ho Davies
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007
352 pages
Library Book Club July 2009 Selection

Summary: The Welsh Girl tells the story of Esther, a seventeen year old barmaid who is living in a small town in Wales and Karsten, a German soldier who is a prisoner in the POW camp outside of town.

Review: The Welsh Girl is a well written, detailed, descriptive character driven novel. Peter Ho Davies' writing style is very visual, the descriptions of setting and people fill the reader's imagination. The characters are so well written -- every character walks, talks and breathes as if standing next to you. With all that said, this was not my kind of read. The plot meanders along and nothing really happens until the last 100 pages or so. The two main characters don't speak to each other until half way through the book. It was difficult for me to read this book, instead of enjoying the ride I was too preoccupied with where it was going and when we were going to get there. Rating: *** out of 5.

Friday Finds -- 6/26

For my Friday Finds this week, I am featuring my book club's selections for July and August.

At our July meeting, we will be discussing The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davis. The Welsh Girl takes place in Wales at the end of World War II and is the story of a young Welsh woman who falls in love with a German soldier stationed at a POW camp on the outskirts of town.
Our August selection is No One You Know by Michelle Richmond. No One You Know is a mystery about two sisters, one of them murdered and the other seeking the answers to her sister's death 20 years later.

What did you find this week? (Want to play along? Go to Should Be Reading.)