Recently, I have been lamenting the loss of my reading mojo... my last three books have been a bit of a struggle... not that they were bad (well, one of them I didn't enjoy at all)... but it just seemed as if I could not get into a rhythm... lacking that "joy of reading" feeling where you feel compelled to pick the book up at any free moment...
So I was looking for a book to get me back on track. The no-brainer decision was the third novel in Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, Morality For Beautiful Girls.
I feel somewhat sheepish that I have been so sucked into these books. I hesitated for a long time to even pick up the first book since I had a preconceived notion that the series was just cheesy chick-lit (not that there's anything wrong with that). So while they are not the most masculine reading choices out there as I have said over and over, the books are totally charming. Not serious literati... but nice to curl up with a book that keeps you turning the pages and, more often than not, puts a smile on your face.
And a quick read is definitely what I needed to re-jump my reading. I could the books are like a bag of potato chips, but that sounds bad... so let's say it's like opening up a box of multi-grain snacks.
Since it usually takes awhile for a series to get off the ground, I sensed with MfBG that McCall Smith (and his publisher) realized this was going to be a successful series. Precious Ramotswe is still our spunky protagonist... but the story expands with her relationship with Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni put on the ropes (with, of course the prospect that it will all work out in future books)... and we learn more about the agency's ambitious secretary Mma Makutsi. I know this means absolutely nothing to those who haven't read the books... but I had to say a little something!
So, with 3 of the 7 books currently in the series (as of this writing) under my belt, I just have to fight the temptation to eat the rest of them up! McCall Smith has a couple of other series going... so I might have to give those a try.
I have already finished another book... so the next book-related post may not be too far off... it is certainly nice to have a book back-log again!
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