Books I read in June 2012

A lot of June was spent in a car and I can't read in a car because I get carsick.  Sad, but true.  We did listen to some audio books and in the month I read:

A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch***

Adam and I like to watch Masterpiece Theater on PBS and this reminded me of something that would be in Masterpiece Mystery.  It was a murder mystery set in London in 1865.  A gentleman, Charles Lenox, solves mysteries as a diversion to his gentlemanly lifestyle of leisure.  In this book there's been a murder and to help his friend, he gets involved.  The book has a gentle pace with lots of charm and Victorian politeness.  It isn't riveting but I liked it because I'm an Anglophile.

I couldn't find an image that looked like the book I read but I was charmed by this one.

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster ***

I think this book is intended for young adults (I saw it on a list for girls and got it from the library for Emma to read because I'm under the delusion she'll read what I recommend).  I picked it up and read it though.  It was delightful.  (Maybe everyone else read it when they were younger and I'm just slow?)  It's entirely letters written by a college girl who is an orphan.  She has an unknown benefactor that is a trustee at the orphanage where she grew up.  He is paying for her to attend college and wants to get letters from her.  I'm always impressed with writing like this.  It seems like it would be hard to convey an entire story through one sided letters but this book does it.  Read it.  Get your teenage daughter to read it.  (Maybe you'll have more luck than I do.)