Walking on Sunshine

Operation Sheba - Misty Evans

2012-01-29T23:03:00.000-06:00

I am on a quest to read only books that I already own this year. That includes what is on my Kindle. So no new purchases in 2012 of books. Will it help my financial situation? Probably not. Will it hurt it? Nah. So I guess since it won't hurt my already precarious situation, it is a good idea. Right? Right!

After finishing O Little Town by Don Reid, I searched through my Kindle for the next read. I have pretty much given up paper books. This isn't some sort of e-readers are better statement. It just works better for my lifestyle. I always have my phone, kindle or computer nearby, so getting to my current read is very easy. I do miss paper books every now and then, they make better bubble bath companions. But since I take a bubble bath only once every few years or so, that isn't a huge selling point.

Back to my story...I am easily distracted this evening.

So I was looking for the next book. I am quite fond of randomness, but in an organized way. I really didn't want to choose my next book, I wanted it chosen for me (random). But at the same time, how does this occur? Where will the next book come from? For me, it was the next O book in my Kindle. Ta-da! Operation Sheba!

Like most of the books on my Kindle, I got Operation Sheba for free. I have noticed that series writers tend to offer the first book in a series for free. Kind of a try it before you buy it sort of thing. Or, here's the first pack of cigarettes, let's see if she'll come back for more?!!?? (Oh my, did I just infer that reading is highly addictive, emotionally charged habit?) Operation Sheba is the first in the Super Agents series.

Abigail Quinn is happy. She has moved on from her past life and her past love, her past tragedy even. She has a new life, a new love, even a new name. But what happens when the past just won't let her go? Enter Conrad, her dearly departed lover. If he is so dearly departed, why is he standing over her bed? Once more, Conrad embroils Abigail....no...Julia...in his plans and schemes. But this time, everything is at stake.

I really enjoyed this book. It was nice seeing a female character who didn't simper and defer to the big burly men in her life. Abby/Julia is a force to be reckoned with, even when everything seems to be falling apart. She's a good kick-ass girl character, though Misty Evans managed to make her that way without throwing it in the reader's face. A fun and engrossing read. I've already added the next book in the series to my wish list. However, I won't be picking it up this year, remember my promise! But if you want to buy it for me...

Date Completed: 1/27/12 Format: Kindle Pages: 322 pages Rating: 3/5
Will I read more of this author? Most likely.

O Little Town - Don Reid

2012-01-29T22:36:00.001-06:00

During the Christmas season, I like to read Christmas-y books to keep me in a celebratory mood. The scenery, the snow, the joy, all add a little more Christmas to my life. 2011 was no different. The last book I read during the Christmas season ended up being my first book completed in 2012, O Little Town by Don Reid. If you are a fan of classic country music, you may recognize the name Don Reid. He is a member of the legendary group, The Statler Brothers. I didn't realize that he was the author when I picked up this selection for free on my Kindle. Once I did, I was a bit surprised, I didn't know that he had started a second career as an author. I have to say, he does a pretty darn good job at writing!

Usually my Christmas reads are romances, and quite frequently, they are steamy. What says Christmas more than getting stuck in a lodge in the snow with the sexy innkeeper? And yes, I did read a book with just that plot this season. But O Little Town was different. Honestly, the Christmas part of the book was just happenstance. This story could have been at any time of the year. So, what I am saying is, you could pick it up in June and the book would still hold as much interest as it did for me in December.

O Little Town is actually two stories in one. The main story is about a few families in a small town in the 50s. A secret is about to bust out that is going to change all of their lives. A chance indiscretion, and people will be forever linked. But there is another story going on at the same time. Through the vivid memories of one of the characters, an even seedier secret is replaying itself.

Most books are fairly easy to classify: romance, mystery, paranormal, etc. But this book is just a story. It's about a town, it's about people, it's really about life. You will see yourself in some of these characters, you will see your friends and family and neighbors. There is nothing special about any of the characters or the story. For the most part, stories like this one play out every day across America. What is special is the way that Don Reid has crafted his characters and his plot. He has taken a simple town, normal people and events and turned them into a beautiful read. Don't expect a lot of action and adventure, but do expect a well-written tale about you and me.

Date Completed: 1/6/12 Format: Kindle Pages: 309 Rating: 4/5
Will I read more of this author? Yes!

Happy Secretary's Day!!!!

2011-04-27T08:48:00.001-05:00

I'm not much for political correctness, and I am a little old-fashioned. I am a Secretary, not an Administrative Assistant nor Administrative Professional. In fact, if you catch my boss talking about us, we are "the girls," and that's just fine with me too.

Whatever you want to call them, chances are there is a person in your life that makes things go smoother, greases the wheels of life so to speak. Maybe it's the receptionist at the doctor's office or your personal assistant. Most of us come in contact with at least one person a day who has the role of assisting someone else. And frankly, not a lot would get done without them. I may be a little biased, but I am well aware of how much we all rely on others to help us shine.

Thank those people in your life who make it all work right today!

Extreme Couponing

2011-04-17T22:18:00.001-05:00

I just watched a new show on TLC called Extreme Couponing. These people make saving money into an art, a competition, their life's work. Imagine devoting 15 hours a week to couponing. By that I mean sorting coupons and sale flyers, online deals and creating a database, then a master list which matches your store's layout.

I love to save, don't get me wrong. In fact, I saved 22% at the grocery store yesterday by matching the ad to my coupons. But these people were buying 45 cans of ravioli, and stock-piling diapers for children they don't yet have. It's fascinating to watch, but not something I could do. I don't have the time to take up a new obsession, and I could never be that organized.

But it does help me realize that I could do a little better on my own saving and mini-stock-piling. Wish me luck!

McCormick Spice Kit

2011-04-08T18:16:00.001-05:00

Hubby found this at the store today. Tiny containers of spices with a recipe on the back....beats the heck out of buying all the full sized bottles and watching them eventually lose flavor. More details later on how it comes out....he's going to season the beef with this and add to spaghetti sauce....yum!

The Governator

2011-04-06T21:54:00.000-05:00

From the realm of awesomeness comes the news that Arnold Scwarzenegger plans to venture back onto the movie screens of this fine nation. The actor-turned governor-turned actor plans to make the movie The Governator. WTF?

A comic book, an animated series, and eventually a 3D movie starring The Governator himself. Can life be sweeter? But hey, there could be some success in this venture, Stan Lee has been linked to the comic book series, and I hear he knows a thing or two about comic books!

TransAmerica Trail

2011-03-28T22:36:00.000-05:00

Most of us are concerned with our health. We want to exercise, but we really don't want to exercise. If you're like me, motivation is a factor -- or the lack of motivation. It took a long time for me to get in this lovely round shape, and it's going to take a long time to slim down to a slightly less round shape. But that's not good enough for me. I would prefer that a time or two on the bike brings me back to...oh, who am I kidding...I've never been in the kind of shape that makes me want to prance naked in front of a mirror.

So where was I? Oh yeah, motivation. I like a reason to do things. A goal. And the government is helping me out with that. They have this awesome site where you can log your exercise and it moves you across the TransAmerica trail mile by mile. Are you a walker? A runner? A cycler? Just type up your miles and away you go across the country! They even have a new picture for each entry - your very own scenic view down the trail. And, you can set weekly goals & have the website remind you if you haven't met them.

Best of all, you can have virtual partners - challenge each other and mark your progress against theirs. I invite you all to become a partner with me on my trail-ride. Don't worry, I won't be too far ahead, I am only about 7 miles in so far. Just look up User ID kcvt64864 at http://exercise.lbl.gov/user/userHome.html. Hope to see you on the trail!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T21:05:00.000-05:00

Hello out in blog-land! In honor of the holiday (I am a proud Irish-American married to Irish-American), I thought I would share some random Irish and St. Patty's Day facts that I gleaned from the web today!

There really aren't any snakes in Ireland. No, St. Patrick did not lead them out as the story goes. It turns out the waters surrounding the island are too cold for the little guys to migrate to Ireland!
With 500,000 attendants, the Dublin parade today was the largest of 120 celebrations in Ireland.
The color originally associated with St. Patrick was blue. Good thing I wore both green AND blue today to keep from getting pinched!
The Irish are descended from great Celtic and Viking warriors and invaderss.
The Irish have observed this day as a holiday for over 1,000 years.
St. Patrick's day was first publicly celebrated in the U.S. in Ireland.
The NYC St. Patty's Day parade was first marched in 1762.
St. Patrick was not actually born in Ireland. Born in Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland at age 16.
Although it is rare, the four-leafed clover is not a one-in-a-million, more like one-in-ten-thousand.
St. Patrick was not formally canonized as a saint by the pope. The church did not officially canonize anyone until 993, and Patrick died around 461. At that time, local Churches affirmed that a person could be celebrated as a saint, which is what happened with Patrick.

Madame Tussaud winner!

2011-02-27T19:48:00.000-06:00

First of all, let me apologize for my tardiness in selecting a winner for the contest. It seems that having a 3 month old, working full time, and having something that resembles a clean home have sucked the free time away. Free time I used to use for computing (ie blogging, Facebook, Yahoo Groups). At this point, I'm not quite sure where this leaves the future of this blog. I enjoy it, but I don't feel that I can give it the time that should be devoted to it. However, we are getting new phones soon, so maybe that will give me the opportunity for some mobile blogging. We'll see.

Now for the good stuff! Jillian has been chosen by random.org to be the winner of this grand contest. Girl, I have to say that I was a wee bit worried at first when your celebrity was Justin Bieber! But you have good reasoning behind it. And I can't blame you for wanting to see your son immortalized. My little girl has become the end-all beat-all of our lives. So Jillian, if you could email me your address, I will forward it to the author so that you can get your nifty gifts!

Thanks for playing and reading everyone! I hope to be back soon, but I don't want to blog unless I can post something of quality. So, some soul-searching is needed!

Susan

Super Winner!!

2011-02-09T22:25:00.000-06:00

Well, apparently my AMC giveaway was just not a people pleaser. Or, maybe I just wasn't spending enough time on the blog, so people forgot that I was here! Either way, I had one whole entry for the AMC gift card. I should be sad, but my BFF Shaunesay won, so how sad can I be to be sending her to the movies! So, Shaunie, I hope you and Mr. Shaunie have fun at the movies -- not that $15 will take care of movies & food for both of you! But maybe he can toss in a $20 to pay for himself!!! Congrats, sweety!

By the way, if you haven't visited Shaunie's Happy Place recently, mosy on over there! She always has awesome reviews and fun giveaways!

Guest Blogger - Michelle Moran, author of Madame Tussaud, A Novel of the French Revolution

2011-02-03T13:01:00.000-06:00

The lovely and talented Michelle Moran has loaned her talents to Walking on Sunshine for today. Enjoy!

MADAME TUSSAUD: The Woman

When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what was she like in the flesh?

Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18th century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just a few sous a passerby might attend the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.

But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy, and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position. Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.

Visit MichelleMoran.com

Check out Michelle's blog at michellemoran.blogspot.com

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran - CONTEST!!

2011-01-31T23:15:00.000-06:00

I have been enamored with Madame Tussaud since I was lucky enough to visit the wax museum bearing her name in London. The sculptures are so very beautiful and life-like. I would love to return again one day to see all of the new ones and re-visit some of the old ones. (The electrocution exhibit was a site to behold!)

Our friend Michelle Moran has now written a novel about the very talented Mme. Tussaud. You remember Michelle from Cleopatra's Daughter. She's brought Mme. Tussaud back to life in her latest historical novel. Michelle has combined Mme. Tussaud's art with the intrigue of the French Revolution. I am so stoked, an uncorrected proof has arrived for me today!

But you, darling bloggers, get something MUCH better. Michelle is offering one lucky reader an autographed hardcover of her latest novel as well as a darling pair of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings. (Color me jealous!) Exhibit A (aforementioned darling earrings):

In order to enter, you must comment to this post 2 things. 1) What celebrity would you like to see sculpted out of wax and why? (Note, I did not say encased in wax, that is an entirely different story!) 2) What non-celebrity person that you know (mom, dad, bff, teacher, etc.) do you believe is worthy of having their likeness created in wax and why?

Michelle and her publishers are kind enough to ship anywhere, so you world-wide readers are welcome to enter as well. I will choose a winner randomly on 2/23/11.

Best of all, Michelle will be guest-posting later in the week to tell you all about Madame Tussaud! Good luck everyone!

2011-01-24T06:27:00.001-06:00

Thought for the day: Keeping house is like threading beads on a string with no knot at the end.

Giveaway Alert!!

2011-01-23T22:51:00.000-06:00

My awesome friend Shaunie is giving away Your Big Break by Johanna Edwards! The main character in the book makes her living breaking up with people for others. Sounds odd, interesting, and perhaps fun to do on a bad day! Follow this link to enter -- she even has extra chances if you follow her or are a member of bookcrossing! I sort of wish you luck, though I really want to win for myself.

Re-Gift Round-Up

2011-01-22T21:55:00.000-06:00

Now that we are all winding down from Christmas, chances are you are staring at a gift that you have absolutely no use for. You don't even have a car, what on earth will you do with that gift certificate to the car wash? And how many candles do you need? Of course, there's the ever-present fruitcake to consider as well. What to do with these things? Re-Gift, of course! After all, that's where you got the sweater back that you gave to Aunt Kathy last year. And then there's the Christmas throw that you're pretty sure you saw on your sister's couch just last week. And, the ever-present fruitcake once more!

Now these Re-Gifts can get you something you might actually want. The salesmen at my work gave me a $15 AMC movie theater gift card. I am the mother of a 2 month old, a trip to the movies is not likely to be in my future for a while. So I want to re-gift it to one of you lucky readers. In order to enter the contest, all you need to do tell me your Re-Gift story. Did you pass something on? Were you the recipient of the used gift? I wanna know about it! It can be a funny story, a disgusting story, or even a frugal tip on the best way to re-gift. You have until 1/31/11 to post your story. After that, a winner will be chosen via Random.org.

Movie Review: Easy A

2011-01-07T21:48:00.000-06:00

I love Emma Stone. I just thought I would get that out there from the start. I love her. Yeah, I'm straight and she's way too young for me anyway. But she has got a knack for starring in awesome movies. Both Zombieland and Easy A are two fantabulous examples.

Easy A is the story of high school student Olive who does a little favor for a friend. You see, he's gay and in high school. That means he's tortured. She pretends that she had sex with him, and gains a reputation because of it. Actually, Olive gains two reputations. Reputation #1: The geeks, nerds and dweebs of the school have learned that they can pay her to not have sex with them to raise their rating in the school. Reputation #2: People now obviously think Olive is a slut, a tramp, a skank, a ho. This causes a few complications in her life, as one can imagine.

This was a fun movie to watch -- not necessarily a family film, but probably good for teens and up. The dialogue was fantastic. Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson turn in terrific performances as Olive's parents. They are freakin' hilarious!! They are irreverent but loving, and every scene they are in is a joy. I give this a 5/5, and will be buying it for sure!

Book Review: No Room at the Inn by Linda Randall Wisdom

2011-01-04T18:24:00.000-06:00

I just love the Christmas season. To keep me in the spirit I try to read just Christmas-y books in December. And usually Christmas books are romances. And my mom sent me LOADS of Harlequins a few years back, so every now and then one of them migrates to the top of the Reading Stack. And that is how I found myself reading No Room at the Inn at the end of the month. Despite usually liking meatier books, I'm game for a fluffy little read every now and again. Please don't think that I look down on romances. A book is a book is a book. I can't read romances all the time, but I can't read Stephen King all the time either. And my non-fiction reads equal about 1 per year. But enough about that...on to the book!

Once a year the town of Mistletoe, Vermont appears out of the snowy night for people who need it. Mistletoe is only found by people who need it. For the town serves as a reminder of what Christmas was, and what it can be. And every now and then, it brings together two hearts that need one another. This year, it's Santee and Quinn. As different as can be, how can they be feeling the stirrings of passion? At least, that is what young ad executive Quinn is thinking. Though she's dating a man in New York, he just doesn't do it for her. And somehow, complete stranger Santee does -- in a VERY big way. Santee, the rugged cop from California, doesn't question what is going on between himself and the beguiling Quinn. He just wants her, regardless of whether or not it makes sense. In his mind, it's the magic of Christmas. But Quinn needs to know if the magic of Christmas can take them beyond Mistletoe into the real world.

This was a pretty good little yarn. The cover was misleading, though -- as was the series the book was a part of. The cover shows a couple in front of a Christmas tree, and she is VERY pregnant. Uh, there's nothing like that in the book?!? And the series? Babies & Bachelors. OK, I found a bachelor, but no baby. I just don't understand why they had to cram this book into a series where it just didn't belong. As for the book itself, I found the main characters fairly well drawn, but I wasn't in love with them. But the town & townspeople, they were wonderful. If Quinn and Santee had more depth, I could have adored this book. As it was, I have to give it a 3/5 - average story, great Christmas-y scene.

A Merry & Happy Christmas to All!

2010-12-30T22:16:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I know that it's after Christmas, but I am still in the spirited mood. From Halloween right through my hubby's birthday on 1/3, I am in a happy jolly mood - not necessarily a Christmas mood, just happy go-lucky. And truly, it is from my birthday, 10/8, all the way through Valentine's Day or maybe even St. Patty's Day. So I guess you could say that for at least 5 months of the year I am happy -- the rest of the year I'm all 'meh'. But, I would like to share some of my Christmas-y celebrations with y'all - mainly because they center around a cute little one month old!

Rental Review: How to Train Your Dragon

2010-12-21T20:48:00.000-06:00

Thanks to some savvy shopping on Amazon.com, I ended up with $5 in Digital Download Credits for use with Amazon Video-On-Demand. If you haven't used this program, check it out! Ours is hooked up with our Tivo, but you can just as easily watch the movies on your laptop. Despite being a total tech-geek, I still don't like watching movies on a computer, so I prefer the watching on our family TV.

With the cash burning a hole in our virtual pocket, hubby and I checked out the selection for something tasty to watch. Amazon offers the option to rent or buy your movie choice. We could choose from top rentals like Inception or The A-Team, holiday films like Elf or White Christmas, or even our favorite TV episodes such as Glee or The Walking Dead! So many choices, but we ended up going with How to Train Your Dragon.

First of all, how cute is that dragon? That alone makes it worth watching, right? The premise of this DreamWorks animated feature is that Hiccup, a young Viking boy, discovers there is more to dragons than it seems. Sure, every single building in their village has had to be rebuilt - numerous times - because of the dragons. And yeah, their livestock is constantly being taken by the dragons. But who is to say there isn't something more to their story?

I loved, loved, loved this movie! It's sweet and funny plus heartwarming to boot. Hiccup and his new-found dragon friend Toothless manage to build a relationship despite their animosity and fear of each other. In the process, Hiccup learns more about dragons than any other Viking beforehand. But will his fellow Vikings listen before it's too late?

My rating: 4.5/5

Literally....

2010-12-18T22:05:00.000-06:00

*ALERT* This is a venting post, if you just don't care, feel free to go about your business.

It drives me a little nuts and yet leaves me bitterly amused when people use the word 'literally' as though it meant 'figuratively' instead. For instance, I was watching Big Bang Theory the other day. A not-very-bright guy commented that he hadn't been to a comic book store in literally a million years. Another one of the characters made a smart-eleck comment about it, which made me think about how the word is mis-used.

I was watching The Ellen Degeneres Show recently. Bethenny Frankel was talking about the stress of the holidays and how it can make us feel. She stated that it can make you feel like literally biting someone's head off. The image that it brought to mind was quite off-putting, let me tell you --- and more than a little gory!

Before you think that I am judging too quickly, everyone has their thoughts, yada-yada, I would like to admit that I, too, have been found guilty of literally using the word literally in the wrong context. I told my hubby the other day that I was literally starving to death. Now seriously? Was I starving to death? Nah, I was just a bit hungry, could have used a snack. And that was not the first (nor will it be the last) time for me. I am not literally going crazy, nor will I literally kill someone if they cross me on the wrong day. But, I have made both claims quite liberally (I do have a bit of an Irish temper.).

So henceforth (call it my December 18th resolution, if you will), I intend to remove a bit of the false literalness from the world, or at least my world. I'm a smart girl. I know that literal and figurative do not have the same meaning. Using the wrong word just spreads ignorance and makes me look stupid to someone (usually just myself!). Although 'Be the change you want to see in the world.' was probably meant for loftier goals, I am applying it to this little grammar quirk today and hopefully for always. Won't you join me? Together we can literally make a difference to the English language!

She's Here!

2010-12-17T12:01:00.000-06:00

Our little Mira Josephine is here!!! She arrived November 24th at 12:49 am, just the day I was hoping for. It was the day before Thanksgiving, at they even let us go home early on Thanksgiving instead of staying at the hospital for the entire holiday. Mira weighed in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces, 19 inches long.

She had some trouble eating and gaining weight at first. Within a week and a half, she had already lost a pound. Since she started so small, that was quite a bit!! So, we had to start supplementing with formula. Honestly, some days she does more formula than breast milk. But, she is healthy and gained back all of her weight by her 2 week visit.

We're still learning what it takes to keep her happy, but we're trying. I'm actually on a quest to get Mira on a schedule now. Granted, she is only 3 weeks old, but I think I will be a little more sane if her life (and mine) are a little more scheduled! I hope to have her sleeping through the night by the time I go back to work in mid-January.

Friday Fill-Ins

2010-11-12T07:20:00.004-06:00

FRIDAY FILL-INS

1. When pigs fly you should not walk below them.

2. I'm hungry again, seriously?!

3. Call me when I'm not trying to sleep.

4. I may never get a full night's sleep again if you know what I mean.

5. The most entertaining person in my life is my hubby because he knows just how to make me laugh.

6. First Mel Gibson goes bat-crap crazy (imo) who's next?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to picking up a camera case, tomorrow my plans include hanging with Shaunie & hubby and Sunday, I want to get caught up on cleaning!

Long Time Gone

2010-11-11T18:57:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the 7 month vacation, but I have a good reason or two. It has been a crazy crazy year. We moved in July, which took a lot of our time both before and after. Plus we have been busy and tired and busy some more preparing for the birth of our daughter!!!! We our due December 1st and couldn't be more thrilled. OK, I'll be honest, at 37 weeks pregnant sore and achy, I could be a little more thrilled right now. But everything will be worthwhile as soon as that little girl has joined us.

I'm going to try to be with y'all a little more, but time is a premium.

Audiobook Review: Never Cross a Vampire by Stuart Kaminsky

2010-04-19T19:44:00.000-05:00

Obviously I am still behind on blogging. I haven't been here in nearly a month, and I listened to this book over two months ago. Things have been super-busy for us, and one day I might just tell you why!

Bela Lugosi has just received a dead bat - in a coffin - with a stake through it's heart. Private Investigator Toby Peters has been hired to find out who is the threat to the famous vampire. While following the leads in a group of wannabe vampires, another case falls into Toby's lap. William Faulkner has been accused of killing a movie agent, and everyone swears that he did it - except for Faulkner.
This is the busiest Peters has been in his entire career! Chasing vampires on one end of town, grilling the "grieving widow" on another end of town, Toby doesn't know where to turn next. Not to mention the fact that vampires keep attacking him everywhere he goes. No, seriously. People dressed as vampires are coming out of the woodwork to try to end Toby's investigation -- but which one?
This was a pretty good detective story set in the early 40s. Toby Peters is a typical gumshoe, down on his luck and his cash. The reader, Tom Parker, brings Toby to life, making him sound just like a P.I. should.

My rating: 4/5

Book Review: California Demon by Julie Kenner (Random Reading Challenge Book 3)

2010-03-21T19:04:00.001-05:00

Ooh! Look at me - 2 blog posts in one day! How did we all get to be so lucky? I'm still pretty much two months behind, as I finished California Demon on 1/24!

California Demon is the second in the series of The Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom. Kate Connor is that mom. Balancing a teenage daughter, an active toddler, a husband running for office - and oh, yeah, killing demons that happen to invade her California town! Not to mention the secret part. Didn't I mention that? Only Kate's best friend, her former trainer and her guide (kinda like a Watcher) know her secret. So it's not like she can encourage her husband to pick up the toddler because she is busy tailing a demon!!!

A demon is targetting the kids at Kate's daughter's school. Kids are acting strangely - even for teenagers. And there's a new teacher who seems to be taking an overt interest in these same kids. Now it's Kate's job to find out if he's friend or foe - before it's too late!

I love this series. I was a huge Buffy fan, and these books make me feel like Buffy grew up and is living in the suburbs. My rating: 3/5

This is my third book in the Random Reading Challenge, only nine more to go!