After finishing How to be Champion on August 19, once again, I borrowed another book from my parents. This time, Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman. I started this on August 20 and finished it 9 days later on August 29th. Quick read!
Anne Hillerman is the daughter of author Tony Hillerman, and apparently picked up her series where her father's left off carrying on with two of his characters, Leaphorn and Chee.
This is another cop series - this time with Navajo Nation police along with the FBI. This is the first in the series, and I'll definitely read more.
This book is centered around Bernadette Manuelito, a police officer with the Navajo Nation police, and she is an eye witness to a shooting of a fellow officer. The book follows Bernadette and her police officer husband investigate the case of their fellow officer's shooting. This book is infused with traditional policework and investigation, but also with cultural sites and rituals belonging to the Navajo Nation.
One of the places mentioned throughout the book is a town called Shiprock. As a kid, one summer we camped throughout the Southwest - into Monument Valley, the 4 Corners, Durango, Farmington, Mesa Verde, and even passed through Shiprock, New Mexico. I always like it when I have a real-life reference to places mentioned in books - it enables me to really see and feel the book.
This was an entertaining, suspenseful, good read. If you like serial books with strong characters, and cops, give this a read.
After finishing The Crossing by Michael Connelly, I started How to be Champion by Sarah Millican. I started this on July 7 and finished it on August 19. This little comedic gem is courtesy of the finished book pile at my parents' house. There are all kinds of super random books in the perma-pile at their house.
My step-mother, Sally, mentioned that this was pretty funny, and seeing how I had just finished my other book, and was book-less on this trip, I decided that this looked like the most interesting book in the pile at that time, so gave it a go. I hadn't heard of her prior to picking up this book.
This book took a little longer to read than I thought it would, but it was really funny. Sarah Millican is a comedian. She's really funny. She cusses a lot in her book, and doesn't shy away from talking about gross things (poop, periods). At times, I found myself laughing out loud from what she wrote - it was usually about pooping / farting. This is more than just a comedy book - it's kind of an autobiography and a self-help book all in one. With each chapter, Milican gives us tips on how to be "Champion". What, exactly, is Champion - you'll have to read the book, but you can also watch this little snippet.
If you can make sense of British vocabulary, like to laugh, are ok with raunchy humor, aren't afraid of empowered women, and could use a little self-help, you'll probably like this book.
