From the Archives: A Blogging Retrospective - August 2006

[Post idea stolen borrowed inspired by Kay of Kay's Reading Life's Bookish Nostalgia and Stacy of Stacy's Books' A Look Back features. Thank you, Ladies!]

I spent less time amongst the pages of books this month than I have in the last couple of months, but my August adventures were no less worthwhile. I traveled the world and through time, ducked a few physical and magical blows, tracked down the bad guys, and breathed in the ocean air.

And so August of 2006 came to an end. After starting my book blogging career with a bang (16 posts in the later half of the previous month), I settled into what would become my average for the next couple months with 9 posts. 

I cross-posted a couple reviews I had written for the website Front Street Reviews, which is no longer in business, as well as a few from Curled Up With a Good Book, mixing it up with books of my own. The one book I won from Harper Collins First Look Program, was my first DNF of the year. The book was Haweswater by Sarah Hall, a historical fiction novel set in 1936 England. While the prologue drew me in, I was soon bored, weighed down by description, and decided it best to set the book aside. I never returned to it.

I tried out a new mystery series called Targets of Affection by RG Willems featuring a veterinary technician, that tackled the heavy topics of animal and child abuse. Although at times on the slow side, I enjoyed the novel and getting to know the characters. The relationship between Shelby, the protagonist, and her husband, as well as her dog, Spin, especially stood out for me.

The Shattered Blue Line by Patrick A. Davis was a new to me type mystery, a military thriller, set at the Air Force Academy. Murder and politics always mean high stakes, and it proves true in this case too. Continuing with the thriller theme, I read and enjoyed my first George Pelecanos' novel, The Night Gardener. I had heard a lot about Pelecanos and was eager to give his work a try. True to expectation, the novel was dark and gritty, where nothing was simply black and white. While The Shattered Blue Line was more about guilt and atonement, The Night Gardener was centered around our actions and their consequences.

Stepping a little out of my comfort zone, I agreed to read a Christian thriller novel, the first in a trilogy by Lisa T. Bergren called The Begotten, in August of 2006. The novel has some fantasy elements and was overall an entertaining read. Not enough, however, for me to go on and finish the trilogy.

Catherine Chidgey's The Strength of the Sun stands out from my August reads that month ten years ago because it was the only book that I reviewed that didn't qualify as a mystery. The past and the present, as well as the characters lives, are woven together in a story about loss, love, and human connectedness.

That August, I revisited two series I enjoyed. It was good to visit again with protagonist, Melanie Vargas, a federal prosecutor in a series by Michelle Martinez. The Finishing School is the second in the series. Melanie is a great character, and it was interesting to see how she balanced motherhood with work, especially with such a demanding job. I ended the month visiting with my favorite wizard, Harry Dresden in Proven Guilty. I always feel a bit out of breath after finishing one of Jim Butcher's novels. 

On a personal front, I discovered that month my request to change shifts at work was accepted. At the end of the month, I would move from the swing shift to the day shift, or so I hoped. My husband and I were enjoying the second season of Veronica Mars, and Parker and Riley were as playful as ever. And so concludes my August of 2016.

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think?

Do you remember what you were reading 10 years ago? 

What was the last book you read that was outside of your comfort zone?

---

© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.