Thoughts from an Evil Overlord

Book Beginnings & Friday 56 4/17

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 01:33:00 +0000

On Fridays I participate in two memes that give a little taste of what a book will be when it is read. I like to use a book I haven't started, often an ARC I've accepted for review. I find it gets me excited to read the book. A couple of weeks ago I showcased Richard Montanari's The Doll Maker. The general consensus in the comments was that it would be a creepy read. It definitely didn't disappoint in that arena, or in the solving of the mystery. MY REVIEW went up yesterday if you want to find out more.

This week I am featuring The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan. From the title and book cover I am expecting a cute, light book about a bakery/baker or cafe.
Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillon at Rose City Reader. "Prologue: April 1964 Imagine your perfect home: a gamekeeper’s lodge or rambling farmhouse, the walls wreathed in wisteria, brick warmed by the sun. Picture the garden: bees drunk on the nectar of hollyhocks, the air shimmering with summer. An apple tree rustles and drops early fruit." [Sounds like the perfect home to me. I'm probably correct in my first impression.]

Freda @ Freda's Voice is our host for the Friday 56, where participants are asked to turn to page 56 or 56%. on an e-reader, and share a few sentences. "Karen shakes her head, recalling the concrete of her urban school playground, the shards of glass glinting on the tarmac, the fetid litter bins, the graffiti on the walls.

A playground where she learned to trade herself for cigarettes, and use the cigarettes to stave off hunger." [Now I'm a little depressed. I enjoy reading books about people overcoming odds, but I wasn't expecting that to be the theme of this book. Hopefully it's just one little piece of the story.]

Take some time to visit Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice to read some other book snippets and maybe find something new to read.

Afraid of Clowns? You'll Be Creeped Out by The Doll Maker!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 03:30:00 +0000

The Doll Maker

by Richard Montanari

Genre: Police Thriller

Pages: 496

Publisher: Mulholland Books

Source: publisher via NetGalley

Richard Montanari’s The Doll Maker is the eighth book in the Byrne and Balzano police detective series. I have not read any other books in the series, but I liked it so much that I am going to go back to the first novel, The Rosary Girls, and start now.

The story starts out with a very creepy situation: “He knew the moment she walked in. It wasn’t the way she was dressed—he had been fooled by this more often than he had been right, and he had been right many times—it was, instead, the way her heels fell on the old hardwood floor, the weight of her stride, the way he knew she’d put a thousand sad stories to bed.” Upon reading this, I was hopeful that we were looking at a man seeing a woman with whom he might fall in love, wanting to heal her after all her sad stories. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The eerie book cover was the first clue to the oddness of something or someone in this novel.

Philadelphia's famous "Roundhouse" Police Headquarters.
http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Philadelphia_Police_Department

Around Philadelphia, children are being murdered and posed in specific situations. At each crime scene a porcelain doll is found, designed to look exactly like the victim of the previous murder. An invitation is also found, indicating the date of the next murder. It is up to long-time partners Jessica Byrne and Kevin Balzano to figure out what this killer is trying to tell the people of Philadelphia. Their investigation takes them all over the city, to specialty collectible shops, a hardware store, a long-abandoned home, and college campuses. In fact, the city of Philadelphia is almost a main character itself. I have only visited the City of Brotherly love once, but felt I was there and could see the different neighborhoods as Byrne and Balzano hit the sidewalks to talk to neighbors and follow several red herrings.

Again, I truly enjoyed The Doll Maker, even staying up until 3:00 one night to try and finish. I was unsuccessful, but sat down with my coffee the next morning and didn’t stop reading until I was done. Many thanks to Mulholland Books, who gave me an advance electronic copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - From his web site.

Richard was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the scion of a traditional Italian-American family, which means he learned two things very early in life. One: ravioli tastes much better than baby formula. Two: if you don't get to the table on time, there is no ravioli.
After an undistinguished academic career, Richard traveled Europe extensively, living in London for a time, where he sold clothing in Chelsea, and foreign language encyclopedias door-to-door in Hampstead Heath. Needless to say, he hawked a few more ties than tomes, but neither job paid enough to keep him in beer and Skittles.

So, abandoning his dream (that being to become the next Bryan Ferry), he returned to the States and joined his family's construction firm. Five years and a hundred smashed thumbs later, he decided that writing might be a better job.
After working as a freelance writer for years, during which time he was published in more than two hundred publications -- including The Chicago Tribune, The Detroit Free Press, The Seattle Times, and many others -- Richard wrote three pages of what was to become the first chapter of Deviant Way. He was immediately signed to a New York agency.
When he finished the book, Michael Korda signed him to a two-book deal at Simon & Schuster. In 1996 Deviant Way won the OLMA for Best First Mystery.

To Binge or Not to Binge?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 06:30:00 +0000

I am retired on a disability, although I am not yet 50. Years of chemotherapy have kept me alive, but crippled my body in a variety of ways, making teaching middle school untenable. I love to craft, cross-stitch, scrapbook, but shaky hands and poor vision have left that by the wayside. So I read, watch TV, and try to get out of the house several times a week. Being alone all day, I have the TV on for company in the background of whatever else I am doing. There is always a Law & Order on somewhere!

For “new” first-run shows I love my DVR and on Demand because I can watch what I want when I want. If I’m awake at 3:00 AM, I can laugh with The Goldbergs or New Girl and then try to sleep again. TV shows have changed in the last couple of years with everyone DVR-ing and binge watching. There are more shows that tell a story over an entire season, like House of Cards or Game of Thrones. This trend started with the paid cable channels, and has spread to the regular networks, as trends seem to do.

Some people, like my parents or I, DVR almost everything they watch. This sets you up for bingeing, if you are so inclined. I like to watch episodic shows like Criminal Minds and Blue Bloods each week, but save the long story lines of Broadchurch or Mad Men for a binge. My mom complains that my father can no longer follow these long story lines from week to week, and keeps asking her questions during the show. “Save them up and binge it!” is my reply. Of course, being of a certain age, changing habits is difficult, although they love a binge if they get the DVD from the library.

I just binged Bosch on Amazon and it was great! It is based on Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch police detective series, most of which I have read.They did a great job of bringing the characters to life and sticking with the storyline. It’s been picked up for another season, which I eagerly anticipate.

Do you binge with your DVR, or just Netflix and Amazon? Do you binge at all? I highly recommend it for wet, yucky days. For me it’s easy, because I am the only one watching the TV and don’t have to share DVR space with a husband or children. But I know there’s always the problem of someone deleting your shows, or wanting to DVR something at the same time as you.

This post is for the 2015 Discussion Challenge hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight. I know it’s supposed to be about blogging or books, but many book bloggers also write about movies and TV, so I thought it fit.

10 Thoughtful Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 02:00:00 +0000

The Broke and the Bookish hosts Top Ten Tuesday, a fun list meme. This week's theme is Inspirational Quotes from Books. I actually have an old-fashioned card file box of quotes that I made for a college project 20 years ago. Some are by authors, but I don't have the book or article where it was originally written. So I did some looking for a variety of types of quotes from books I've read.

“It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon.”

― Sarah Addison Allen, First Frost
I can just imagine the beautiful scene, plus it sounds so yummy. I adore a good cobbler!

fashionsunrise.com

“When asked "What do we need to learn this for?" any high-school teacher can confidently answer that, regardless of the subject, the knowledge will come in handy once the student hits middle age and starts working crossword puzzles in order to stave off the terrible loneliness.”
― David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day
As someone who does at least one crossword a day, I must say, "How true!"

“Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Looking at the racism and hate crimes still happening today, I find this extremely timely.

“Laughter is poison to fear.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Love GOT, so I've got to include a quote from one of the books!

“Whoever is happy will make others happy.”
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne is amazing in that she is mostly upbeat throughout her diary and has such inspirational things to say for such a young girl.

“Afterward I tried to find something to explain what had happened—was it cloudy, were the stars out? But the night was ordinary. It usually is, I think, when your life changes. Most people aren’t doing anything special when the carefully placed pieces of their life break apart.”

pixabay.com

― Carole Radziwill, What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love

Carole is referring to learning the news that her best friend has died in a plane crash.

“It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
I can't stand it when someone is determined to make an event or item awful for themself and others.

“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.”

― Rudyard Kipling, The Collected Works
I learned this truth from my middle school students who always told me how much they enjoyed my storytelling, making the historical characters come to life by asking them to think about motivation and feelings.

“Do you remember me telling you we are practicing non-verbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes," said Harry stiffly.
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to call me "sir" Professor."
The words had escaped him before he knew what he was saying.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I included this just because it seems so out of character for Harry.

http://galeri.uludagsozluk.com/r/soytar%C4%B1-726716/

“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.”
― William Shakespeare, As You Like It

Enough said.

It's Monday! What are you reading? 4/13

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 03:00:00 +0000

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. I find it a great way to reflect on what I've read the past week, so I can update all of my challenges and plan my reading and reviewing week ahead.Sheila is on hiatus right now, but I am still doing my posts.

BOOKS READ THIS WEEK
The Prime Minister's Secret Agent by Susan Elia MacNeil
The Andy Cohen Diaries: a deep look at a shallow year by Andy Cohen
The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki

REVIEWS POSTED THIS WEEK - Liked them both.
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
Betrayed by Lisa Scottoline

CURRENTLY READING
Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman (Tess Monaghan Mystery #1)

THE EVER-GROWING PILE
The Alchemist's Daughter by Mary Lawrence (Bianca Goddard Mystery #1)
I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
The Rosary Girls by Richard Montanari (Byrnes & Balzano Police Mystery #1)

Ever Been Betrayed?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 06:00:00 +0000

Betrayed

by Lisa Scottoline

Genre: Legal Mystery

Pages: 352

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Source: local library

Add to your Goodreads

For those familiar with Lisa Scottoline's Rosato and Associates series, the new Rosato & Dinunzio acknowledges Mary Dinunzio becoming a partner in the law firm and also gives Bennie Rosato a backseat to the adventure and crime solving. So it's basically a continuation, which for those who don't like change is perfect, same thing, different name. Mary was the star of the first book in the series, Accused; with Betrayed she's a supporting player to best friend and legal associate Judy Carrier.

Judy has a lot on her plate. She's maid of honor helping to plan Mary's wedding, she's feeling frustrated in the relationship with her live-in boyfriend, and she's just learned that her very close aunt has been diagnosed with breast cancer. To top it off, her mom, with whom she has an awkward relationship, has shown up for the duration of Aunt Barb's treatment and recovery. Mary has little time for work, and her cases are beginning to suffer.

When Aunt Barb's friend and caregiver, Iris, disappears, it's all Judy can do to keep her head on. Barb can't focus on her health needing to know what happen to Iris. Judy's investigation takes her into the precarious world of undocumented workers. No one will help her and the police don't think there's a problem until a priest helping these workers is murdered and Judy's car is blown up.

In addition to the mystery there is the cancer story line, the awkwardness with Mom, and the possibility of Mary jeopardizing her job, which can be a lot to keep up with. Of all these, I think the mother story line could have waited until another book. It wasn't necessary to the plot of the mystery, which is the first reason someone would pick up this book. I also found Mary somewhat manic in keeping up with everything (Who wouldn't be?) but foolish in not taking a leave from work or having her cases reassigned. Instead she keeps it all private and her boss just thinks she's dropping the ball.

http://scottoline.com

The next book, Corrupted, comes out in October and I am looking forward to it. These books are always reliable legal thrillers with some humor and I always learn something. I definitely recommend Betrayed or any of the Rosato mysteries. If you haven't read any, you don't need to start with the first, but as always, it's nice to get the character's back stories.

I got this book at my town library and it fulfills requirements for 3 of my challenges: Snagged at the Library, Women Authors, and Cloak & Dagger.

Book Beginnings & Friday 56 4/10

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 02:30:00 +0000

On Fridays I participate in two memes that give a little taste of what a book will be when it is read. I like to use a book I haven't started, often an ARC I've accepted for review. I find it gets me excited to read the book. This week I am featuring The Alchemist's Daughter by Mary Lawrence, which is going to be the first book in a new historical mystery series. I got it from NetGalley and it will be released April 28, so be looking for a review in the future.

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillon at Rose City Reader.
"London, March 1543 Imagine a time when the good king’s ship the Mary Rose moors within sight of His Majesty’s Whitehall residence, its four masts reaching skyward like trees sprouting on the river Thames. Her sails are furled, waiting for the sun and wind to call them open. But it is night, and plying the waters beneath the galleon floats a humble wherry steered by one not of the stuff of man but of something else." [What a beautiful vision! I know the king mentioned is Henry VIII. I hope the book isn't just about him, but is just set in that time. I've had enough of Henry lately.]

The Friday 56 is from Freda's Voice. Select a quote from page 56 or 56% of your e-reader.
"Bianca glanced about anxiously. A coil of rope nearly as high as her shoulders was her only chance of staying hidden. She crouched behind it and worried the rats might start to hiss and the sound would give her away. She lowered her head at an unnatural angle, trying to hide. Her neck cramped, but she would not leave without her traps, nor could she chance Wynders spying her." [Here's our heroine. She seems pretty spunky, her only fear of the rats is that they will give her away!]
Please visit Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice to get a taste of some other great books.

What is found Under the Egg?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 03:30:00 +0000

Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
Genre: middle grades mystery
Pages: 256
Publisher: Dial
Source: town library

Under the Egg, the debut middle grades mystery by Laura Marx Fitzgerald, is a delightful story for any age. 13-year-old Theo, a very self-sufficient girl who has a lot on her plate now that her grandfather has died. Living in a crumbling old Greenwich Village townhouse, Theo is now responsible for her eccentric mother who lives in a world of mathematical theorem and delicious tea. When Theo accidentally discovers a hidden painting and begins researching it, she opens her lonely, burdened world to a host of people, including a librarian, a coffee shop owner, an art historian, and most importantly a girl her own age.

It may seem unbelievable for two middle school girls to research a lost work by Raphael, but these are not ordinary young ladies. Theo was raised by her artist grandfather, visiting all of the great NY museums and learning more about art than most adults. Her friend Bodhi is the daughter of celebrity entertainers, often left on her own with a household of caregivers and assistants. World-savvy and self-educated in many areas, Bodhi's grasp of the power of the Internet brings them many leads in their search for the provenance of what appears to be a Madonna and Child by Raphael.
Populated with interesting characters from grumpy to nurturing, Under the Egg is a great story of people working together and opening their hearts to others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A life long reader, Laura studied art history at Harvard and Cambridge Universities. Her favorite books as a child were Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game and From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which just happen to be two of my favorites. She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two children.

On Being a Follower

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 03:30:00 +0000

In an effort to write more discussion posts, I am participating in the 2015 Discussion Challenge hosted by It Starts at Midnight and Feed Your Fiction Addiction. This will actually be my only true challenge this year, as the others were all things I do anyway. This one will push me outside of my usual habits.

I've been wanting to discuss followers. Currently I am following 37 blogs. Some I also follow on Twitter. That's it. No Pinterest, Facebook, or StumbleUpon for me. I don't need to see the same idea in six different places. So how do I personally decide whether or not to follow a blog? Some things are cut and dried, others are more ambiguous.

Can I actually read it? I mean visually. I recently visited a blog that had a small, darkish green, scrolly font on a black background. I enlarged it to read and it was interesting, but I won't go back because it was too difficult to read even enlarged.

Does the blogger write more than just reviews? I only follow one blog that is just reviews, because often it introduces me to books I haven't heard about, but that's it. I want to know more about the blogger personally, or have something to relate to from a meme or discussion post.

The same goes for blogs that are all memes. While they are more fun to read than reviews, it tells me the blogger has difficulty with original ideas.

Does the blogger read some books that are similar to my taste? I visit a lot of blogs through memes and with many I have no reading tastes in common. I will still visit them and comment for the meme, but they aren't ones I'll follow. Sometimes for a giveaway or meme one is required to follow the host. I'm not a fan of that.

Now, why don't I use more social media than Twitter and my blog? Easy, I don't want people from my book world in my FB or Pinterest world. I know I could set up separate accounts, but why? It's a lot of work to provide interesting, different content on all these platforms. I'm not looking for more followers or page hits, since I'm not about making money or beating out other blogs for more followers. I get enough ARCs with my current traffic. I know there are bloggers who follow every blog they visit more than a couple of times, and that boost is always appreciated, but I just couldn't keep up with my feed and which blogs I actually wanted to read and those that I only followed to be nice.

Do you follow every blog you visit? Do you follow the same person on different social media sites?
This post is part of the 2015 Discussion Challenge hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight.

10 Character Check In

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 02:30:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun list meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is Characters With Whom You'd Like to Check In. You can check out the other participants and find some great books to add to your list.

Before we begin, I have a BIG QUESTION: I use Blogger and Chrome is my browser. Does anyone else have trouble posting comments to Blogger blogs under these conditions? About every 5 blogs I get a "Whoops!" message telling me to clear my browser history. I looked on the help message boards and found no info. If you have a Blogger blog and haven't seen me around lately, this is why.

Dr. Laszlo Kreizler from The Alienist by Caleb Carr - A pioneer of forensics, Dr. Kreiger deals with the most difficult cases of the NYPD under Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt. I'd love to see how his department developed and how other investigators came to understand his methods.

Lady Georgiana Rannoch from Rhys Bowen's Royal Spyness mysteries - Georgie has had a difficult life with no fortune, yet being in line to the throne of England. I'd like to see if she has found a way of earning money that is socially acceptable, and if she has married her fiance, Darcy?

Kitty Logan from Ceceilia Ahern's 100 Names - Has her rediscovered love of writing continued? Has she really found a mature, true love?

Cole Matthews from Ben Mikaelsen's Touching Spirit Bear - Cole enters the reader's world in courtroom, having beaten another boy nearly to death. Assigned a chance to rehabilitate himself through Circle Justice, Cole has learned many things about himself and the world by the end of the book. I'd like to visit him 10 years later and see if the impact was lasting.

Nancy Drew - Don't you just want to know if she ever married her boyfriend Ned?

Skeeter from Kathryn Stockett's The Help - When last seen, Skeeter was moving to New York to work for a publisher and set the world on fire with her writing.

Flavia deLuce - Did her older sisters ever give up on verbally tormenting her? Did she decide to stay in Canada when she finished school, or did she return to England?

Victoria Jones from The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh - Victoria has had so many troubles in her young life, but the book ended on a positive note. I would like to see how her relationships developed as she learns to allow people to love her.

Pippi Longstocking - Did her father ever return home? Did Social Services find out she was living alone with a monkey and a horse?

Milo from Greenglass House by Kate Milford - Milo is such an interesting boy, I would love to meet him as a man and see how his quirks have developed and if he has any new interests.

It's Monday! What are you Reading? 4/6

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 10:07:00 +0000

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey.** I find it a great way to reflect on what I've read the past week, so I can update all of my challenges and plan my reading and reviewing week ahead.

BIG QUESTION: I use Blogger and Chrome is my browser. Does anyone else have trouble posting comments to Blogger blogs under these conditions? About every 5 blogs I get a "Whoops!" message telling me to clear my browser history. I looked on the help message boards and found no info. If you have a Blogger blog and haven't seen me around lately, this is why.

READ THIS WEEK
Bird's Eye View by Elinor Florence
Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
A Night Like This by Julia Quinn
The Doll Maker by Richard Montanari
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

REVIEWS POSTED
Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley
Bird's Eye View by Elinor Florence

CURRENTLY READING
The Andy Cohen Diaries: a deep look at a shallow year by Andy Cohen

NEW ARRIVALS/PLAN TO READ
The Alchemist's Daughter by Mary Lawrence (Bianca Goddard Mystery #1)
The Prime Minister's Secret Agent by Susan Elia MacNeil
Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman
The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki

**Due to a personal tragedy in Sheila's family, there is no linky this week. Please visit others in the comments or on my blog roll.

Get a Bird's Eye View on WWII

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 04 Apr 2015 03:00:00 +0000

Before we had Google Earth and other satellite images to spy on our neighbors, what did a country do during a war to get information about the enemy's plans? It's something I hadn't thought of, but Bird's Eye View, by first-time author Elinor Florence, explains aerial photographic interpretation during WWII very simply, through the eyes of a young Canadian woman who joins the British RAF to do her part during the war.

Rose has grown up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada. While she loves her family and town, she longs to see the world, as do many people raised in small towns. When Canada enters WWII, she finds a way: join the British Royal Air Force. Canada won't accept women in their Air Force, but if she pays her own way to Britain she can join up and help the war effort, feeding her patriotic need to be involved. During the Atlantic crossing, Rose gets her first taste of the danger into which she is heading, as the ship on which she is traveling begins lurching back and forth in order to evade the enemy. "I had a funny feeling in the soles of my feet as I imagined a German submarine below the ship, aiming a torpedo at our massive hull. It was the first time that I. Rose Marie Jolliffe, was in personal danger from the enemy. It would take some getting used to."

http://www.thetrainedeye.co.uk/location/

Arriving in Britain, Rose's abilities have her assigned to Medmenham Air Force Base as an aerial photography interpreter. Having taken over the enormous Danesfield House estate, the RAF had quick, agile airplanes with their best pilots flying across the English Channel to photograph French cities and countryside.

The film was rushed back to base, developed and given to the interpreters, who pored over the photos for hours, comparing changes since previous photos, looking for possible armories, convoys, or other signs of militarization. In the months leading up to D-Day they developed over fifty thousand photographs a day, one million in May alone!

Although I am a lover of historical fiction, WWII has not been one of my big time periods. I learned so much from this book, and it was presented in an easy to follow manner, without too many technical details, but enough that I understood. It wasn't just about the photographic interpreters, either. Medmenham was a huge air force base with bombers and supply planes taking off all the time. The interpreters get to know some of the pilots and are just as affected by the battle casualties as the airmen.

http://www.nouse.co.uk/2012/06/20/the-unsuspected-spies/

Rose finds the work exhilarating, and she is very good at it. The interpreters also analyze photos during and after battles, like the bombing of Hamburg. "I lined up the first pair of photographs under my stereoscope and bent my head. As they came into focus, I felt my body lift and soar above a picture of destruction unlike anything I had every seen. Although these photographs had been taken long before dawn, the glare from the inferno below created an effect of daylight."

Danger, romance, history and adventure are all wrapped up in a well-written story about a sympathetic character who experiences extreme personal growth. If you enjoy The Bletchley Circle, Island at War, or The Imitation Game, you will love Bird's Eye View. Many thanks to Tara from Book Babe for recommending this book to me and to Elinor for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR - From Elinor's web site.

Career journalist Elinor Florence grew up on a Saskatchewan grain farm, a former World War Two training airfield near North Battleford. She earned her English degree at the University of Saskatchewan, and studied journalism at Carleton University. She launched her career at her hometown newspaper, followed by the Western Producer in Saskatoon, the Red Deer Advocate, the Winnipeg Sun and the Vancouver Province. Weary of city life, Elinor and her husband moved their young family to the mountain resort town of Invermere, British Columbia. For the next eight years, she was a regular writer for Reader’s Digest. She returned to her newspaper roots when she purchased a fledgling local newspaper, the Columbia Valley Pioneer, and turned it into an award-winning community staple. Elinor sold the newspaper in 2010 to pursue her lifelong goal of writing fiction. Her first historical novel Bird’s Eye View was published by Dundurn Press of Toronto in October 2014. Married with three grown daughters, Elinor loves village life, historical research, and old houses.

Book Beginnings & Friday 56 4/3

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 01:26:00 +0000

Last week I used Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley for the Friday memes. The two bits I shared seemed like the book might have ghosts or maybe a stalker following people in the woods. Now that I have read the book, I can tell you that there is a mystery, but no ghosts. Perhaps a bit of a stalker, but I'm not going to give anything away. I would classify Creature Comforts as a humorous romantic mystery. My full review was posted a few days ago.

This week I am using The Doll Maker by Richard Montanari, which is the eighth book in a series about 2 detectives. I got it from Mulholland Books via NetGalley. Very creepy cover to start off with, don't you think?
Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader. This is the first paragraph. "He knew the moment she walked in. It wasn’t the way she was dressed—he had been fooled by this more often than he had been right, and he had been right many times—it was, instead, the way her heels fell on the old hardwood floor, the weight of her stride, the way he knew she’d put a thousand sad stories to bed." [Sounds like someone has found their one true love to me.]

Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice. This quote is from 56% of the book. "For a long moment, the woman said nothing. Jessica reached down, felt for a pulse. She found one. ‘Miss Emmaline.’ No response. Standing this close to the woman, Jessica noticed that the scent of lavender perfume had an undernote, something she had not noticed before. She glanced at the teacup on the table. She picked it up, sniffed it. There, beneath the aroma of tea leaves, was something else, something earthen and organic, something that smelled like… Mushrooms. The blond girl had brought her the tea." [OOH! Sounds like Jessica thinks Miss Emmaline was poisoned by a blond girl!]

Now I'm really excited to read The Doll Maker. I hope I can tell you more about it next week.
For more great teasers visit Book Beginnings at Rose City Reader and Friday 56 at Freda's Voice.

Lots of Fun With Creature Comforts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Creature Comforts

by Trisha Ashley

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Pages: 418

Publisher: Avon

Source: publisher via NetGalley

From the Publisher
Fall in back in love with life in this gripping read about fate and second chances. Izzy has broken off her engagement to her feckless fiancée Kieran and returned to her childhood home – the sleepy village of Halfhidden. She soon realizes that life in the village is anything but peaceful – for one thing she’s living with her mad aunt Debo and her pack of dogs, and for another, Izzy has a lot of unanswered questions.When she was a teenager, Izzy was involved in a terrible accident, involving various inhabitants of Halfhidden. As she sets out to discover what actually happened on the night of the accident, she realizes that her painful past is actually standing in the way of her future happiness. So when a handsome stranger comes to Halfhidden will she let love back into her life?

My Take

Returning to her childhood home, world traveler Izzy has set several tasks for herself. First, set up her online clothing design business, which she has been preparing to do for years. Second, organize her Aunt Debo's animal rescue, which has almost drained Debo's finances completely. Finally, learn the truth about what really happened the night of the tragic car accident that took a friend's life. Izzy does not even remember getting in the car, or why she might have been driving, especially since she was unlicensed and scared of driving. She has never been able to speak with the two others who survived the crash, and at the time family and friends didn't talk about it because they thought it would be too upsetting. These are the diverse ingredients for a fun, quirky read that is part mystery and part romance. With interesting characters and a look into English village life, I read this in one day, and look forward to more by Trisha Ashley.

About the Author-From Goodreads

Trisha Ashley is now a full-time novelist, but she has been known to work for stained glass makers and/or plumbers. She likes to paint, eat, drink, and read literary biographies. Her previous hobbies included getting divorced and packing to move. She claims to have once actually eaten Bronte burgers at the Branwell café, but her publisher declines to verify this. She lives in North Wales.

Photo Credits: All images of Waddington, Lancashire were taken by Brian Dugdale on Pictures of England.com Since Halfhidden is fictional, I chose Waddington to represent it.

March Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 00:40:00 +0000

I don't usually do a monthly wrap up, but I see them on other blogs, and I always do one mentally, so since Kathryn at Book Date has decided to host a gathering of all the monthly wrap ups I thought I'd join in. I've included a link to those that I reviewed on the blog.

In general this has been a good month. MUCH less snow than February, at least I can get to the mailbox now! My nephews put out my deck furniture, so I all ready for the first semi-warm day. I'll sit out and read all bundled up if I have to. I finally gave up on my AppleTV and got a Roku. It is so awesome! That AppleTV was constantly freezing in the middle of shows. I also got a new computer when the old one just stopped one day. It was only 4 years old and I had taken good care of it as far as updates and such. I ended the month spending the weekend with my niece and doggy nephew while my sister and BIL took the twin boys back to Philly for the new term. We watched Mockingjay, ate junk, and played on our devices. Cooper was a very good boy, sleeping on the pillow right next to my head.

Total books read this month: 15

2015 Reading Challenge

Elizabeth has
read 43 books toward her goal of 110 books.

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43 of 110 (39%)

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From the Library - 11 - Only 12 more this year to meet my goal of 50, for the Snagged @ the Library Challenge. Almost everything I read is from the library, so no worries in meeting that goal.

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Sandpiper Island by Donna Kaufmann

The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women's Literary Society by Amy Hill Hearth

A Murder at Rosamund's Gate by Susanna Calkins
The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson
Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin
Amherst by William Nicholson
Love, Lucy by April Lindner

Ebooks
Creature Comforts by Tricia Ashley (NetGalley)

The Shepherdess of Siena by Linda Lafferty (NetGalley)
Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen (library)

ARC Bird's Eye View by Elinor Florence

Meeting Challenges for the Month

Cloak & Dagger - 5

Historical Fiction - 7

Women Authors - 12 (I've met the top goal of Wonder Woman by reading more than 20 books by female authors this year.)

My Favorites This Month

Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin

Bird's Eye View by Elinor Florence
The Shepherdess of Siena by Linda Lafferty

Meh-Wish I Hadn't Bothered

Amherst by William Nicholson

The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson

Incoming

The Color of Secrets by Lindsay Ashford

The Dollmaker by Richard Montanari

The Alchemist's Daughter by Mary Lawrence

Madame President by Nicole Wallace

10 Recent Additions TBR

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 02:30:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly activity hosted by The Broke & The Bookish. They have a list of topics for the next month if you would like to join in. This week's topic is Ten Recent Additions to My TBR.

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg I heard about this at A Kernel of Nonsense. Alicia reads tons of magical fantasy, which I don't, but this trilogy, and the cover of the book, really appealed to me, so I'm giving it a try.

Bird's Eye View by Elinore Florence Tara from Book Babe recommended this to me because she knows I love historical fiction. It's about women working with the RAF during WWII, spying from the sky. I love these "stories no one told" type of books.

The Mapmaker's Daughter by Laurel Corona Another historical fiction I read about on several blogs. As a lover of history and geography, this one really grabbed me.

Fear of Dying by Erica Jong I saw this on NetGalley and was very excited to read this book playing off the title of her most famous book, Fear of Flying, published in 1973 at the height of the women's movement. Fear of Dying doesn't come out until September, giving those who never read this seminal novel an opportunity to read it first, although the books aren't linked except by author and title.

The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughn For some reason I've been on a food-related book kick lately, and this was available on NetGalley.

Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman This is the first book in the Tess Monaghan detective series, which was made into a television show a few years ago. I've read 2 books in the series and liked them, but I want to go back and start from the beginning.

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline I have read all of her Rosato & Associates books, and this stand-alone psychological murder thriller really appeals to me.

The next three are authors I read whenever they have a new book out. Some people consider them women's fiction, and there's always a romance, but these authors research the careers or mysteries in their books and I always learn a little something. I find them great summer reads.

Garden of Lies by Amanda Quick is a Victorian-era historical mystery.

The Liar by Nora Roberts With a murder and a husband who takes off leaving the heroine in debt, this looks to be a little bit of a thriller.

Blueprints by Barbara Delinsky Her books are a little meatier than the other two. She's a fellow New Englander, so I always support my peeps!

It's Monday, What are you reading? 3/30

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 02:38:00 +0000

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. I find it a great way to reflect on what I've read the past week, so I can update all of my challenges and plan my reading and reviewing week ahead.

BLOGGIESTA RECAP
I'm so glad I participated in Bloggiesta last week. I learned so much and got many ideas for improving my blog, which you will see over time. You can read about the whole experience on my WRAP UP POST. The event was organized by Suey from It's All About Books, with support from many bloggers hosting Twitter chats, and mini-challenges.

READ THIS WEEK
The Shepherdess of Siena by Linda Lafferty
Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley
Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen (#8 Royal Spyness Mysteries)
Amherst: a novel by William Nicholson

REVIEWS POSTED
The Shepherdess of Siena by Linda Lafferty
Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin
Love, Lucy by April Lindner

CURRENTLY READING
Bird's Eye View by Elinor Florence

NEW TO READ
The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki
The Color of Secrets by Lindsay Ashford
The Doll Maker by Richard Montanari (#8 Byrne and Balzano Mysteries)

Bloggiesta Wrap Up

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 03:30:00 +0000

I learned so much this week during the Bloggiesta activities, and a lot of that was just from visiting other participants. Before the event began I made a list of what I wanted to get done.

My Good Intentions-Let's see what actually happens!

2 mini challenges -Read them all.

Listened to 2 podcasts.
Set up a Trello account to organize review posts.

add customized Goodreads widget to sidebar NOPE
learn to make pretty block quotes NOPE
comment on other Bloggiesta participants blogs - Visited more than 70 participants, decided to follow some, got ideas of things to add to my list.
Twitter chat - I just don't get how these work. I always feel like a lurker! - Learned about twubs.com for organizing Tweets during a chat. It worked so well! I participated instead of lurking and did 3 chats.

What I Actually Did - Things Not On the Original List

Backed up the blog & the template - and I even understand the difference!
Changed the message with the Comments
Made templates for my regular memes and book reviews so I can just plop in the content.
The big one: Made the switch from Blogger to Word Press and got my own URL!! Be watching for the transition. I did this with a very reasonably priced package of services I bought from Creative Whim. Ashley has been great to work with, and many of us greatly appreciated her comments during the Twitter Chats.

So I did many things and learned a lot, but most weren't on my original list. Looking at it, it was too specific, since I didn't know what the challenges would be when I wrote it.
Thank you so much to Suey from It's All About Books for the amazing work she did organizing this week of blog growth. Now I have a new blog to learn and snaz up, as well as decide when to actually make the switch.

A Legend Brought to Life: The Shepherdess of Siena

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 16:50:00 +0000

The Shepherdess of a Siena
by Linda Lafferty

Genre: historical fiction

Pages: 596

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Source: publisher via NetGalley

In 1581, a 14 year old orphaned shepherdess named Virginia Tacci rode a horse in the Siena palio, a no holds barred race through the streets of Siena, Italy. No woman did this again until Rosanna Bonelli in 1957, and she fell, unable to complete the race. An Italian palio is a matter of pride for the towns and neighborhoods who enter horses under their banner.

Virginia's horsemanship, strength, and beauty has been lauded in poetry and tales handed down by the Sienese ever since. At a time when women were not allowed to ride at all, how did a poor, skinny, dirty villainessa a capture the hearts of her city so strongly?
Linda Lafferty has taken the legend and brought it to life in The Shepherdess of Siena. With little information available about Virginia herself, Lafferty has meticulously researched the history of Tuscany, the organization of Renaissance society and the traditions of the palio.

Over several years and multiple visits to Tuscany, she has taken facts and legend to create an interesting and exciting story of what could have been.
I found the story line believable, and learned so much about society in Renaissance Italy from this book. It is highly recommended to lovers of historical fiction as well as those who enjoy a good adventure.
I received The Shepherdess of Siena as an e-book from the publisher in exchange for an honest interview.

About Linda Lafferty (from Goodreads)
The daughter of a naval commander, Linda Lafferty attended fourteen different schools growing up, ultimately graduating from the University of Colorado with a master's degree and a PhD in education. Her peripatetic childhood nourished a lifelong love of travel, and she studied abroad in England, France, Mexico, and Spain. Her uncle introduced her to the sport of polo when she was just ten years old, and she enjoys playing to this day. She also competed on the Lancaster University Riding Team in England in stadium jumping, cross country, and dressage. A veteran school educator, she is the author of The Bloodletter's Daughter and The Drowning Guard. She lives in Colorado.

Book Beginnings & Friday 56: Creature Comforts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 02:53:00 +0000

Today I am linking up with Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and Freda's Voice for Page 56. Follow the links for the lists of participants to read what's out there. It's like a bunch of book teasers, so you'll get a lot to add to the ever-growing TBR.

Before I give you this week's quotes, I wanted to refer people to my review of Ian Rankin's Knots & Crosses, which I used two weeks ago with the creepy quotes, in case you wanted to see how it turned out.

The book I am using this week is Creature Comforts by British author Trisha Ashley. The blurb promises that it's "gripping" but it's chick-lit, so I don't know how gripping it will really be. It was just released in February, and I am looking forward to a fun read.

Book Beginning
That evening, Baz Salcombe’s old Range Rover, which was mainly used by his teenage son, Harry, and his friends, passed through the stone gateposts of the Sweetwell estate and paused briefly in the blackest of shadows by the turn to the Lodge, before pursuing an unsteady course up the dark, tree-lined tunnel of the drive. [HMM...Seems like the driver may have been drinking.]

Page 56
Some startled creature went crashing away in the undergrowth and I said suddenly, ‘Sometimes lately I feel I’m being watched when I’m in the woods. I never used to have that feeling.’ ‘Do you think you’re being watched?’ ‘Not really and there’s never anyone there, so I’m sure I’m imagining it. But maybe Howling Hetty’s expanding her territory, or … other ghosts.’ I shivered and he took my hand in his. [Maybe this will be "gripping" if there's a stalker or ghost!]

I am enjoying using these 2 memes with books I haven't read. It makes me think about them differently than just reading the blurb. Plus, it has a cute cover that would catch my eye in a store. Now I am all excited to read Creature Comforts. I'll probably have an update, or even a review next week.

Friday Hops 3/27

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:00:00 +0000

One way to meet more bloggers is by participating in a meme or blog hop. I like these two because they ask bloggers to respond to a prompt, giving us a little something interesting to think about. The first today is the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by the Coffee Addicted Writer.
This week's topic: Which books have you read in the past month that still have you thinking back to the story line and the characters?

I don't think I'm going to respond, because the 2 books that have stuck with me have done so for negative reasons.

The other Friday hop is the Feature & Follow hosted by both Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Here's what they want to know.
Have you ever been to BEA? If not, what's stopping you? If you have, what was your best experience there? - Suggested by The Paperback Princess.

I've never been to BEA because I just got back into blogging in the last 6 months and when I stopped blogging 5 years ago they hadn't started the Book Blogging part of their Expo.

Not very exciting responses this week. Hopefully next week I'll have more to say, or it will at least be funny!

You Might Just Love, Lucy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Love, Lucy

by April Lindner

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 304

Publisher: Poppy (imprint of Hachette)
Source: local library

Buy from Amazon

Add to your Goodreads

After reading about this book on several blogs, I chose to read it based on the blurb which stated that Lucy falls in love with everything about Florence, Italy. I visited Italy a few years ago, and it was my favorite city also, so I thought I'd take a little walk down memory lane, and I'll share a few of my photos, too. The beauty of Tuscany, Florence specifically, is everywhere in the first half of the book, as Jesse shows Lucy the hidden wonders of the city.

Lucy's story is more than just a romantic journey. At the high school-college crossroads of life, she has big decisions to make about the path to her future. Her overbearing father is demanding a "safe" major in business, something Lucy doesn't like or have the innate skills to help her succeed. He's also demanded that she completely give up her joyful creative outlet, acting, telling her she may be moderately talented but that it was an unsure business.

Lucy loves her college experience: having roommates, going to parties, and walking around the beautiful campus, but is wracked with uncertainty about acting, classes, and love. Should she date the cute boy she has met, or stay loyal to Jesse, although they are having difficulty communicating long distance? Like any good romance there is a happy ending, but it is the journey there that is important.

View from top of the Duomo.

I did not care for Lucy's father who called her acting a "moderate talent" but that wasn't the only reason. He came across as a totally cold bully, with Lucy's mother sneaking things so as not to upset him and Lucy talking about respecting and loving him, but she never mentions anything pleasant from her childhood. The spineless mother bothered me even more as a woman. Many of the other characters came across as one-dimensional to me as well, including Lucy's roommates, who each seemed to be a stereotype, and Jesse's friend Nello. However, I find that is often the case with YA.

Lucy met a cute boy. These are the guys I met.

Another thing that bothered me was how sex was handled by the author. The writing was excellent, no steamy, drawn out love scenes, but it was Lucy's attitude toward sex that seemed strange and not in character. The sex was kind of just there, like holding hands or kissing, and the story would have been fine without it at all, or Lucy putting more thought into it. She is off on an exciting adventure and meets a fun, cute boy who shares her artistic interests. She has never had a boyfriend and little experience with kissing, yet after a couple of days of holding hands and no kissing, she has sex with him. No mental pros/cons, no thinking about probably never seeing him again and the only indication she thinks about disease or pregnancy is checking to see if Jesse has a condom, but is too shy to say the word. I question how realistic that might be for her as a person, or what message it gives to younger readers of the YA genre. That sound kind of prudish, and I don't mean it to be.

I'm not a big YA reader, unless a book appeals to me on another level, as this one did with the trip to Italy. However, I did recommend Love, Lucy to my niece who is getting ready for her own crossroads to college.

All Tied Up in Knots & Crosses

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Knots & Crosses, published in 1987, is the first book Ian Rankin published and it is so well-written it could just as well be his 25th. Originally intended as a stand alone novel, Knots & Crosses launched the highly successful Inspector John Rebus mystery series. Like many heroes of the crime genre, Rebus. is a tortured soul who smokes and drinks too much. Divorced, he is only able to see his twelve year old daughter once a week. Rebus has recently received some strange notes with small things included, such as a string of knots, and a cross made of matchsticks. He thinks nothing of this, considering the letters cranks, even though the letters are delivered to his door and not through the mail. As for the crime element, young girls the age of Rebus' daughter are being abducted and found dead a day later, with no signs of sexual assault.

There are too many ways to hit you with spoilers, so that is all I'm writing about the plot.
The city of Edinburgh in all its dark and damp plays a huge part in the story. Described in raw, yet affectionate detail readers tour Edinburgh's highs and (mostly) lows. Each character has a favorite pub in their neighborhood, and important landmarks and city buildings and the routes taken throughout the city to get to these places made this reader feel as if I were getting a little tour.

Central Library-important location in the story.

Besides Rebus there is Gill, the female press liaison, Jim Stevens, a disenchanted reporter, and Rebus' brother, who has troubles of his own. Readers follow these people together and on their own, to a frightening, harrowing conclusion, revealing Rebus' demons, uncovering his brother's secret, and opening the reporter's eyes to a world with a brighter future.
Although this is a series, it surely isn't cozy, but it's not a detailed police procedural either. It's more of a character-driven mystery. The characters were interesting without belaboring their quirks and demons, the descriptions of Edinburgh and Scottish life were interesting and the mysteries of the letters and the missing girls very engaging. I will definitely read more John Rebus mysteries.
I checked this book out from my town library and it fulfills two of my challenges, Snagged @ the Library and Cloak & Dagger.

Top Ten Tuesday: Childhood Favs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 10:29:00 +0000

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is Books from Your Youth to (Possibly) Revisit. I was very lucky to be a middle school and upper elementary and was able to use some in my classroom and recommend those I loved to students. It was great to see a new generation fall in love with my favorites. These are all books that I owned at one time, and some I still do. The only reason I got rid of any of them was if it fell apart. Some I re-read every couple of years.

The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder I learned so much from these books. I wish they were more popular today.

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh I desperately wanted to be Harriet. Eloise had the Plaza, but Harriet had the whole city.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare I received this for my twelfth birthday from family friends who knew nothing about children and probably asked a clerk what they should buy since they knew I loved to read. They hit a home run with this choice! I was so excited to discover that this was a book I would be using for English when I taught sixth grade.

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli A real departure from my more traditional girl favorites, this book was awarded the 1950 Newbery medal and was my first exposure to the middle ages. Set in London and a monastery during the plague, it is about a crippled boy trying to be reunited with his father who is off fighting the Scots. I bought it for 10 cents at a yard sale when I was 10 because I liked the cover and saw the Newbery seal. I still pick books by their covers!

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Even as a child, my cynical seIf found Anne's romanticism goofy, but I was also mature enough to understand that before coming to Green Gables she was a very lonely girl who read a lot. Her new home seemed so beautiful that I still want to visit Prince Edward Island. I've only gotten as far as Nova Scotia.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin One of the best, most complex who-dunnits I've ever read, and really funny too. When we were developing the sixth grade mystery unit I suggested this one and students ended up loving it. Even adults have trouble figuring what's going on.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott I had to read everything she wrote over and over. I wanted to be Jo, and thought Amy was a brat.

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume Every girl coming of age in the 1970s read this one.

Henry Reed, Inc. by Keith Robertson Written in the late 1950s, the 5-book Henry Reed series about a high school boy always made me laugh. 'Although these are all novels, there are sketch illustrations at the beginning of chapter that are drawn by Robert McCloskey, who famously wrote and illustrated the Caldecott-winning Make Way for Ducklings.

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg Her books are great because they're about kids, but she treats them like adults.

From this list it is easy to see how my love of historical fiction, mysteries and chick-lit developed. Did you read any of these as a kid?

Visit The Broke and the Bookish to see everyone's lists. If you have a young person in your life you can make a list of books that keep being mentioned and have some great gifts for the future.

It's Monday, What are you reading? 3/23

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 18:34:00 +0000

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. I find it a great way to reflect on what I've read the past week, so I can update all of my challenges and plan my reading and reviewing week ahead.

READ THIS WEEK- reviews coming soon.
The Last Wife of Henry VIII by Carolly Erickson
Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin
Love, Lucy by April Lindner

REVIEWS POSTED
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (library) by Agatha Christie
A Murder at Rosamund's Gate (library) by Susanna Calkins

CURRENTLY READING
Amherst: a novel by William Nicholson (library)

NEW TO READ
The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore (Simon & Schuster)
Bird's Eye View by Elinor Florence (Dundurn)
Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley (Harper Collins UK, Avon)
The Shepherdess of Siena by Linda Lafferty (Lake Union Publishing)

Bloggiesta starts today! It's a week-long festival of blog improvement, both content and visual. You can still participate if you haven't signed up, so check out the activities that are scheduled.