This week was a slower reading week. I finished up a few short stories. I moved on to reading Lee Child’s Personal. This one didn’t grip me the way most Jack Reacher stories do. This doesn’t mean it’s not a great thriller but I wasn’t as invested in this one as I am in a lot of them. Maybe because Jack was out of his element and in London rather than the US? Maybe because he had someone to take care of (although doesn’t he always?), I don’t know. I can see that this might set a few things up for some tension later in the series. We’ll see how it plays out. If you like the Reacher books, of course it’s a must read. It just didn’t bring me along as fast as some of the others.
Next I read Laurien Berenson’s Death of a Dog Whisperer. I’m a huge Melanie Travis fan and like all of the others this was fun. I appreciated the nods to the average dog owner and the struggles they have. I missed the gossip and personal conflicts of the dog show world. I would have liked more of that. Peg was also less involved in this one. I always enjoy Peg as Melanie’s foil. I didn’t find the arguments that Melanie had with Sam convincing. Readers who enjoy cozies and like dogs or just pets in general really do need to read the Melanie Trais books. This might not be the best of the lot, but they’re still a great romp in the park (especially if you go with your favorite poodle).
Finally I got around to Matt Stone’s 12 Paleo Myths. I’ve read a lot of Matt Stone. Some of his books are better than others. In one of my past incarnations, I was an acupuncturist and diet fascinates me. I was also a big fan of Paleo until discovering Health at Every Size and deciding I needed to stop eating by the standards others set. Matt says much the same thing but I think he goes about it much more assertively than I do. This book doesn’t take on Paleo thinking rather it’s a cautionary book for those who think they should make that lifestyle work even when their bodies are saying otherwise. I learned a few things from this book and that’s always plus. And quite honestly, I wish I could get away with being as snarky as Matt is in his books.