10 Books of Summer | Book Chatter

Before She Disappeared
By Lisa Gardner
Dutton, 9781524745042, January 19, 2021, 400pp.

The Short of It:

So far, Gardner has not disappointed me. Loved the amateur detective in this one.

The Rest of It:

Frankie Elkin is just an ordinary woman who chooses to find the missing people others have forgotten. She asks the questions that others don’t and because she has no personal ties or even a steady job to hold her down, she can blend into the scenery and find the clues that everyone else seems to miss.

I really enjoyed Before She Disappeared. Frankie is one of those perfectly flawed characters. As a recovering alcoholic, she is constantly aware of her weaknesses which makes her so likable and easy to relate to. In this installment, because apparently this is Book #1 in the Elkin series, Frankie looks for a young girl who has gone missing. Her family has been holding onto hope for over a year but no new leads have been found. Frankie gets herself a bar job, yep, as a recovering alcoholic it’s what she knows, works out a deal for housing which includes a very hostile feline roommate, and digs into the case.

The pacing is really good and I found myself reaching for my Kindle every chance I had. That’s the sign of a good read. I’ve lost count but this was read for 10 Books of Summer.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Sunday Matters

We’ve all mentioned how fast the year is going but it’s very difficult for me to believe that it’s July 4th and Independence Day is in full swing. Our town’s firework’s show will happen. The parades will happen. People everywhere will be celebrating with friends and family and then there’s that pesky Delta variant. I am still wearing my mask indoors if there are people near me, even with being fully vaccinated. Since we have to travel this summer I am being cautious.

One thing we for sure celebrate on the 4th is The Otter Pup’s birthday!! She was a rescue so we picked a date based on her estimated age at adoption and July 4th it is! She is ELEVEN today!

chloe-blanket

Right Now:

Trying to get this family up so we can get some breakfast.

This Week:

Most of this week will be spent organizing and planning since my son leaves soon. When he got here, he put all his stuff in the garage so now he needs to decide what goes to Kansas and what stays. He is taking some of my daughter’s things too like her guitar. Maybe some heavy coats. We never had a need for them before! The house that AmeriCorps is putting him in is fully furnished and pretty much brand new.

Reading:

Still reading Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner for 10 Books of Summer.

Watching:

We are watching whatever suits our fancy these days. A little bit of this and that. I am excited for some shows to return like American Horry Story and yes, The Walking Dead although the premier will air on August 22nd while I am in Colorado for a layover.

Grateful for:

My Adobe Scan app. I have used this app countless times while dealing with all this school paperwork, as well as the paperwork for my daughter’s job. It’s amazingly easy to use, you can encrypt the file if it’s something confidential and it takes excellent scans of whatever you have in front of you. Phone apps can be handy plus it’s free.
I am glad that many of the city’s “cooling centers” are open again this summer for people to use. Last year with COVID, many folks without AC had to tough it out and for the elderly and those without housing, it was a really serious issue.

I really do not know where we will end up in a few years. I always figured we would be where the kids end up but they may not be headed to the same spot! I just cannot take these hot summers anymore. It’s not even a physical thing. I am just mentally over it.

I picture myself by a body of water. Probably lakeside. I love the ocean too but do not love sand. Where would you live if you could live anywhere?

Chatting with friends about books and life…