I love this reading challenge that is hosted by Joy at Thoughts of Joy. When I first thought about participating, I headed to one of my favorite book sites Fantastic Fiction. From this site I was able to find many authors that had written series of books which I had never heard of. One of the authors was Susan Wittig Albert who wrote the China Bayles mystery series. This particular series has brought me many months of some wonderful reading (which is what has taken me so long to move on to my next book in this challenge and missed my post for April). I would never have heard about this author if it had not been for my participation in the First in a Series reading challenge. So many thanks Joy for challenging me to read new and different books! I loved participating in her Non Fiction Five Challenge 2007 from last year and plan on participating in the Non Fiction Five Challenge 2008!!
Another series of books I would never have heard of if it weren’t for this challenge is the Maisie Dobbs series byJacqueline Winspear. Although this book was not on my original list, I had heard about it somewhere (I wish I could remember where) through this challenge.
Book: Maisie Dobbs
Rating: 4.5/5
I was rather hesitant at first to begin reading this book. I have never been drawn to books where the characters are from ‘merry old England’. Especially mysteries. However, Maisie Dobbs captured me from the first page. I read the book in two days. I could not put it down. I loved this book!
Jacqueline Winspear doesn’t spend a lot of time with descriptive details about the setting of the story but gets right to the heart and soul of her characters. This is what I enjoyed the most about this book. There are times when I enjoy getting lost in descriptive details about a country or a particular setting in a novel, however, I am not that drawn to ‘old world’ England and therefore was thankful that Jacqueline spent more time in creating her characters rather than their surroundings.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series Birds of a Feather. I’m off to the library on Monday to check it out!!
Sorry everyone, due to my being frugal (somewhat - because I just bought the new Walt Disney biography…with a 40% off Borders coupon of course) I borrowed Maisie Dobbs from the library so there will be no book giveaway on this one (frown).
Currently Reading:
Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler
The Elevator by Angela Hunt (a book I won last August from Cee Cee over at Book Splurge)
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4 Comments
I’m so glad you are enjoying the challenge! I will be reading Thyme of Death SOON, at least I hope so. It’s listed for another challenge, so I will have to read it.
Sometimes it’s difficult to read what I want, when I want, because I am at the mercy of the library. If a book comes in, that’s what I read.
As for Maisie Dobbs, I didn’t think I was going to care for that series either, but what a very pleasant surprise! I’ve only read the first two, but look forward to the third. You’ll probably pass me up if you do like you did with China Bayles.
Maybe putting a book or two inbetween will help you not “OD” on her. 
I will have to look for that series I don’t think I have seen it before
I’m sending you some of my kids so I can have more time to read!
How interesting. I don’t know if I would like this book or not, but I’m not sure I have ever noticed if I prefer the authro to more fully describe the setting or the characters. I will have to think about that more!