The RAHM Report for 9/25/17

Three weeks until baby #3 is due! I turned in the final manuscript for my own book this week and then went on a big reading spree over the weekend. Here are the results.

Finished Reading: 

• MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood by Gordon Korman
  The books in this series are all very similar to each other, so reading them all in succession did end up feeling a bit tedious. I liked the introduction of a celebrity into the mix in this book, but the sporting events, use of disguises, and other supposedly funny elements had been used in previous books and didn't seem as clever the second time around. 
• Something Fishy at MacDonald Hall by Gordon Korman
  This is the last MacDonald Hall book, and the series went out on a high note. This was the quickest read for me since the first book. Published in 1995, this title is technically too new to count for the Old School Kidlit Reading Challenge, since it wasn't published in the decade of my birth or before, but I decided to include it in my review of the whole series, which I will post later this week. 
• The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon
  I read the revised 1959 edition this week, after reading the 1927 edition last week. I made a whole list of differences that I think will make for a very interesting blog post. It will be posted sometime in October. 

• Still Life by Louise Penny
  This was a really great read - the exact kind of book I've been looking for. My full 5-star review is on Goodreads.
• To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton
  The mystery was a little far-fetched, but otherwise I like this series and want to read more. My review is on Goodreads. 
• Death Overdue by Allison Brook
  This was an ARC from NetGalley, which I requested because of the library setting. Mostly, I enjoyed it, and I definitely want to read the next book. My thoughts are on Goodreads and NetGalley. 
• Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson
  I finally just made myself sit down and read to the end of this book in one sitting. It was not as funny as Life Among the Savages and the fact that it is 300 pages but divided into only four chapters made it feel like it took forever. There are little moments and snippets I'm sure I'll refer back to, but this sequel felt more stressful, as Jackson deals with her kids' bad behavior, than funny, as the first book was when it focused more on her own flaws and fumblings

Currently Reading:

 

• The Minnow Leads to Treasure by Philippa Pearce
  So far, this book is a cross between Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome and Quicksand Pond by Janet Taylor Lisle (2017). I'm a little less than 100 pages into it, but it moves quickly. It's definitely a much more interesting treasure hunt than the one I just read in that Hardy Boys book! 
• The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
  This is our current lunchtime read-aloud. The chapters are a bit longer than they were in Winnie-the-Pooh, but every time I consider that the book might be too complicated for my little listeners, they comment on something from the story and encourage me to stick with it. I know this won't be the only time we read these books, so I'm just enjoying seeing them get to know the characters and talk about what they do take away from each little story. More on that in my Reading With... post for September, to be published later this week. 
• W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton
  I have been rationing my Sue Grafton books because I really don't want to be waiting around for the last one to be published. I decided I could stand to start W now that Y is out, but there are a surprising number of negative Goodreads reviews, so I'm a little nervous that it's going to be terrible. I also found V is for Vengeance underwhelming so the thought of another disappointing book does not thrill me. But I'm not going to not read it, so I guess now is as good a time as any. 
• If Not For You by Debbie Macomber
  I borrowed the Kindle edition of this romance novel from the library weeks ago but only started reading it when I got the notice from the library on Saturday that it would be expiring in three days. It's a very sweet story with believable characters and just enough of a dramatic plot (there is a car accident involved) to keep it from becoming boring. I'll probably finish this one today. 
• Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver
  My husband and I watched the movie based on this book over the weekend, so now I have to go back and read it. It's not the happiest story, but I like the writing style and I'm zipping quickly and eagerly through each chapter.

I'll be linking up today with Unleashing Readers/Teach Mentor Texts and Book Date for It's Monday! What Are You Reading?