What I read in August

It's amazing to realize that at the beginning of August I was still in Michigan on vacation and that now it seems like we've been back in "the real world" forever.  Now that we are back to driving to and from school and other activities we are listening to books on CD more again (plus what we listened to on the way home from Michigan) and (surprise, surprise) I actually read a few books--some even after school started.  Perhaps I need structure in my life to make me read.

1.  From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler (E.L. Konigsburg)--We listened to this in the car during our return trip from Michigan.  It took several hours (days?) to convince The Girl to listen, but once she found out one of the main characters shares her name she decided to listen.  The story follows a twelve year old girl and her 9 year old brother (coincidence?) when they decide to run  away from home and camp out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It is set in the 1960's, so it doesn't seem possible now...but their adventures are still fun.
2.  Harry Potter 3 Again, listened to in the car--it is now "burned" into my car's hard drive so we can listen over and over and over and over....
3.  In the Nick of Time (Deborah Truscott)  Sequel to a free book...I decided since it was $2.99 and I was on vacation, why not?  It was entertaining--about a woman and her husband who accidentally time travel and, of course, save the world, and so on and so forth.  Worth the $2.99 since I was on vacation...maybe wouldn't have been worth it otherwise.
4.  Shadow of Death (Debbie Viguie) Book #9 in the Psalm 23 Mystery series.  If you follow the series, you'll have to read it...Not up to the standard of her first couple books in the series, still entertaining because I want to know what will happen next.  The author says the next book will be out next month, in time for Halloween, so we'll see...
5.  Never coming Back (Tim Weaver) Surprisingly good--I think I saw it in the Sunday magazine or Reader's Digest--turns out it is the 3rd (4th?) book in a series about a detective--well written, interesting. A couple of predictable plot twists, but some unexpected moments, too.  I'm looking forward to finding copies of the earlier and next books in the series.
6.  The Hundred Year House (Rebecca Makkai) Again, came from some "read this book list".  It was ok..interesting to read because it was written in three sections--one present day, one 1950's, one 1930's.  The sections built on each other, but were arranged in the book backwards--so I had the urge to re-read each previous section after the last, to make it all fit better in my head, but I didn't like the characters enough to really do it.
7.  The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin)  One of my favorite books as a kid--found it on CD and made the kids listen to it with me...and they loved it!  Part mystery, part soap opera--entertaining book.

We also started the newest 39 Clues (well, the newest on CD), but we aren't done yet because we've had one car in the shop, so we have been carpooling...and what's his name doesn't like to listen to books in the car.  (Sorry, Mr. Ranch/IM, we have to find you a new name that works...)