Books: Goodreads + Faithful Place by Tana French

I just got hooked to Goodreads over the holidays (see side bar). It's a really fun way to connect with family and friends over books- a book lover's facebook. I love getting to peek at books my friends love (or didn't love so much). Books can be a highly personal- what you read says so much about your personality and interests, so looking at friends' personal book shelves almost feels like reading their journal. It's so fun! And, it's a great way to find new authors/books to read. (My glowing review should encourage you to try it out!)

Anyhow--

This year I set a personal challenge to read at least 20 books (and this list won't include any professional reading I do). I think 20 is completely doable (I'm hoping), especially with the new Kindle I got from my hubby for xmas. I'll keep you updated on what I've read/am reading.

This week I finished Tana French's Faithful Place. It was my first Kindle read- who hoo! This is the 3rd book in her Dublin (not CA) murder squad series. I've read all three. I thought I found an author that I alone adored, but apparently she's on a lot of folks' Kindle nowadays- and for a good reason. I've enjoyed reading everyone of her murder-mystery books. She follows a different murder/under cover detective as he/she slueths to find the murderer. Each detective always has a personal connection to the case in some way, so that adds a different element to her books.

Faithful Place follows an under cover detective, Frank Mackey, back to his family's home, which he's managed to successfully avoid his entire adult life. Frank's sister calls her cop brother when a suitcase is found in an abandoned building. The suitcase belongs to a girl that went missing in the 80's, a girl that Frank Mackey was dating at the time she went missing. So- the plot thickens! And, like I mentioned, French likes to add in this personal connection between the detective and the case. It definitely makes the plot more enthralling. The detectives have a lot more at stake in solving the mystery. The book is entangled with dysfunctional family drama, nostalgic childhood romance, complicated adult romance, and good ol' sleuthing.

I recommend it.

See the NY Times Book Review here.

Now I'm reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. If you know the Kindle- I started today and am at 12%- it's really interesting so far.


Read on!