Review: I Love You Like a Tomato

I Love You Like a Tomato by Marie Giordano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting book. The narrator, Chi Chi, tells us about her childhood and adolescence, starting with her earliest memories of life in Italy and then immigrating to St. Paul Minnesota with her brother, mother, and grandmother. Her memories are both clear and hazy, at the same time. As is true of all children many of the things she hears and sees are misconstrued or misunderstood. In addition she has a vivid imagination. Born at the end of WWII, Chi Chi is raised by women. Her father, an American soldier, is absent, and when Chi Chi is told he has died, she cherishes his wooden leg. Her family is poor and it takes them a very long time to acclimate both to Minnesotan winters and the new American culture. I liked this book although it was also at times, quite depressing. The writer is also a poet, and her prose leaves a lot of space for the reader to fill in. I did find myself wishing for a little less "work" sometimes; I'm not sure that I always made the intended inference!


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Review: Boar Island

Boar Island by Nevada Barr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While Anna Pigeon, obviously, is part of the story, she is not the focus of this installment. A friend of hers, Heath, has decided to spend some time on Boar's Head Island in Acadia National Park where Anna is temporarily assigned. Heath's high school daughter has recently been the victim of an attempted sexual assault and is currently being cyber-bullied and cyber-stalked. At the same time, one of the park rangers discovers she has an identical twin sister whose husband has physically abused her. The two sisters decide to get revenge. The two situations eventually get tangled up together, and Anna's presence puts her in danger. I didn't like this book as much as others in the series. The plot felt a bit too contrived, and the motivations of most the characters seemed a bit farfetched.

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Review: Pennies On a Dead Woman's Eyes

Pennies On a Dead Woman's Eyes by Marcia Muller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's been quite a while since I'd read anything from this series, but it didn't take me long to re-orient myself. It did take me longer to read than I expected; I couldn't concentrate very long. That was due a lot more to personal circumstances than any fault of the book. I did find the plot a bit slow-moving, but the ending was a surprise to me.

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Review: The Calling

The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I almost abandoned this book. I had a hard time liking the lead character Hazel Micaleff, and the plot was pretty dark. However, I eventually got to the point where I wanted to know how Hazel made out, personally and professionally. The plot was almost too dark for me, too. I would say that the author did an excellent job setting the atmosphere for the plot, and a good job helping the reader understand the motivations of Simon, the "villain" of the book. I got interested enough in Hazel as a character by the end that I will probably look for book #2 - just not right away.

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Review: Presumption of Guilt

Presumption of Guilt by Archer Mayor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a solid entry into the series. I like the characters, and I especially like the way Willy Kunkle has finally found a way to let some softness into his life through Sammie and his daughter. I also like the way the characters have been able to face some devastating challenges and lived through them, scars and all. I also enjoy the series because it's set not far from where I live, and although I don't live in Brattleboro, I recognize it. This book revolves around the discovery of a skeleton buried in the concrete floor of a warehouse that's being torn down at the now-shut Yankee nuclear plant. This discovery sets off a chain of events dating back 30 years to when the plant was built. One of Willy's informants is central to uncovering information that leads to the murderer. This book has less graphic violence in it than some of the others, which was also pleasant. Good story!

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Knitting Mojo is Back

I have finished several projects in the past month, after a slow summer.  Here they are:

1.  This is Mindy.

I originally knit a year or so ago, in a lovely purple varigated alpaca.  I washed it, and accidentally felted it. It had been by go-to sweater all last winter so I decided to make another one.  It took me 6 months, and unfortunately, during that 6 months I decided to lose 40 pounds.  Unfortunate because it's WAY too big now.  I'm not sure whether I'll frog the sweater or find someone to give it to.

2. These are Garter Rib Socks - a go-to pattern for me.

3.  Next up is a Medio Cowl by my favorite designer Laura Nelkin.

4.  And finally is another cowl by Laura Nelkin, the All-Ways Cowl.

I've started another sweater, Breezeway by Karen Hipksy. And I will probably do another All-Ways cowl or two for gifts.  We'll see.

Review: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While not my favorite in the series, I still enjoyed this outing with Flavia de Luce. She's returned from Canada to what is a very disappointing welcome: her father is in the hospital with pneumonia, and with the exception of Dogger, no one seems very thrilled to see her. She discovers a dead body while undertaking an errand for the vicar's wife, and of course, sets immediately to trying to figure out who the victim is and why the death has occurred. I enjoyed Flavia's excursions with Gladys, but there wasn't enough interaction with other characters. Flavia was a bit too introspective for me in this novel. She needs to play off characters more directly for the reader to experience her true "Flavia-ness".

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Review: The Body on the Beach

The Body on the Beach by Simon Brett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This started off slow, and I found it hard to like Carole, at least at first. However, by the end of the book, I liked her better. Carole is a retired Home Office administrator with very definite ideas on how a retired older woman should act, dress, and live. She has a new neighbor, Jude, who defies all of Carole's ideas of proper behavior, and in spite of her prejudices, she gradually comes to think of Jude as a friend. The two get acquainted and Carole's "properness" wears off as the two of them decide to investigate a possible murder. Carole has seen a dead body on the beach, but when the police can't find it, they write her off as a hysterical woman. The two women successfully figure out who the body is, where it is, and why it was on the beach. I will probably look for book #2 in the series at some point.

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Review: All Summer Long

All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A new-to-me author. I really enjoyed this story. Olivia Ritchie is a very successful New York City interior decorator married to a retired history professor. She's fallen on some tough financial times she hasn't shared with her husband. They've just "downsized" to a beach house in Charleston, SC Low Country, and Olivia is desperately trying to figure out how she will adjust to a new way of life and manage to find clients to rebuild her failing business. Over the course of the summer, Olivia and her husband experience the life of the 1% as guests of client/friends Bob and Maritza on a private Caribbean island, and later in Mallorca on Bob's yacht. And over this summer, both couples discover new aspects of their respective relationships and come to value each other in different ways. I liked Frank's characters, and appreciated the general mood of the plot, despite a bit of overwrought drama.

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Review: Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener

Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very funny addition to the series. Agatha discovers that her idol has clay feet, and decides to stop seeing him as a potential romantic partner -- just as he decides that perhaps he's attracted to her. And of course, they manage to solve a murder.

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Review: A Great Reckoning

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of her best! And definitely at the top of my list of books read this year. Not only is the plot well developed and perfectly resolved, but Penny has done a masterful job of completing the long story arcs that have infused the eleven previous novels. In addition we discover why Three Pines has disappeared from maps and what the three pines in the center of town represent. I hope that there are more books to come, but if not, this one would serve as an immensely satisfying conclusion.

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Review: Murder with Macaroni and Cheese

Murder with Macaroni and Cheese by A.L. Herbert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second in a series of books featuring restaurant owner and unofficial sleuth Mahalia Watkins and her "out there" cousin Wavonne. It's high school reunion time and Halia is catering her own reunion where she reconnects with classmates who were at the top of the social pyramid in high school. One of the women ends up dead, and although the police are inclined to think it was an accident, Halia thinks differently. Wavonne provides a great deal of humor (think Stephanie Plum's sidekick Lula, on steroids), and the food descriptions (and recipes) are hunger-inducing. A fun read!

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Review: The Cavendon Luck: A Novel

The Cavendon Luck: A Novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm not sure why I brought this one home from the library other than I'd read the first two books in the series. The story of the interwined Ingham and Swann families continues, this time focused on World War II. Just as with book 2, this read more like a summary, and moved very quickly over a 6 year period. At one point I had to stop and remind myself who was who -- so many characters. I think my answer to why I read it was that I had really liked the first book, and I had connected with the main characters. Now, not so much.

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Review: Breaking Silence

Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Linda Castillo's series features Kate Burkholder as chief of police of a small Ohio town where there is a large Amish presence. Burkholder herself grew up Amish, but left the sect in her late teens as the result of a devastating trauma. However, she still has Amish family nearby and she continues to struggle with her past decisions. In this outing, a family is traumatized when the parents and an uncle die in a farm's manure pit. At the same time, hate crimes against the Amish are escalating from serious mischief to injury and death. Is the farm accident really an accident, and if not, is it related to the hate crimes? This is a gritty and compelling read, and I couldn't put it down!

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Progress Report

I've been on a mission this summer to get into better shape.  So far, so good.  I'm down 32 pounds since June 1st!  People have definitely noticed, but it wasn't until this week that I realized just how much progress I've made.  I had noticed that I was constantly hitching up my formerly snug fitting size 3x capris, and that I was swimming in several 3x tops I'd purchased this past spring.  But when the weather started to feel fall-like, I tried on my size 30 jeans.  So large on me that my belly and hips couldn't hang on to them.  So I tried on an old pair of size 26 jeans that I'd tucked away in a corner of my closet.  They too were too roomy.  I could wear them in a pinch, but let's just say that I slipped them off easily without unbuttoning and unzipping.  When I got the most recent Lands End catalog, I fell in love with a winter coat, and started to think about buying a new one for this winter.  I pulled out my winter coat (purchased at least 5 year ago --no one can say I don't get my money's worth!) and tried it on.  Way too big!  So I ordered myself the coat in 24WP.  It arrived, and it was too big for me.  So Tuesday, a friend and I headed to the mall so I could return/exchange the coat at Sears instead of mailing it back.  They didn't have the coat available, but I tried on several other coats there to check the sizes out.  I ended up ordering the coat from the catalog in a 20!  (It's a swing coat, so it's roomy).  I also tried on jeans and came home with 2 pair in a 24.  They fit about as perfectly as regular length jeans can fit on a 5 ft 1" woman --- in other words I need to cut off about 4inches and then hem,so that they are the right length - 26.5 inches.  If all goes well, they will be too big by late winter, but that's perfectly fine with me.

So how am I doing it?  Exercise and counting calories. I go to water aerobics 3x each week.  It's a 40 minute class, and I make sure I work hard while I'm there.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, weather permitting, I take a brisk walk - at least 2 miles in length.  I also walk on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on our doings.  Occasionally I walk both days.  If the weather's uncooperative, I walk in front of my computer accompanied by a 2 mile walking video.  Today I walked 2.8 miles and according to MapMyWalk, I set a very fast for me pace - 18.22 minutes per mile.  I was pushing hard today, my usual pace is about 21 min per mile.  When I started walking I was averaging 28 min per mile.  Another little sign that I am in better shape include walking up 2.5 flights of stairs after my pool classes without being winded, or even breathing hard.  Last weekend I did a 2.2 mile walk that took me up a very steep and longish hill.  At the start of the summer, I had to stop numerous times to make it to the top.  This time, I was breathing a bit hard when I made it to the top of the hill, but that's it.    I am limiting my calories to 1500 per day and my carbs to about 120, and most days I actually eat a little less.  I don't feel too deprived, most of the time, and I have really learned to recognize hunger vs appetite. We eat out about once a week, and I've even gone out to lunch quite frequently this summer with friends.  I just really try to choose wisely from the menu, and/or plan ahead.  If I know I'm eating out, I will save my bread carbs for that meal instead of having a piece of wholegrain bread at breakfast.  But I do occasionally have a beer or cocktail, or even dessert (but never both!!)

My attitude has changed too. I am actually spending time thinking about new places to walk and, gasp! I've even started toying with the idea that maybe, just maybe, a hike up Mt. Monadnock might eventually be doable.  This weekend I'm hoping to take a short walk uphill to watch hawk migrations --- it's about a mile, up an 8% incline.  I said to a friend the other day, that I think I became a walker this summer despite myself.

So, that's an up-to-date progress report.  Stay tuned!

Review: Peshwari Nans: Beyond the bucket list

Peshwari Nans: Beyond the bucket list by Stephen Haughan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! Two 80-something sister embark on an epic road trip from London to India in a vintage car, driving almost 8000 miles. Along the way they find themselves making friends with Hell's Angels, an aging Polish Lothario, the Russian army, the Chinese authorities, and a host of others. The sisters become internet sensations and cultural icons without even trying. It's really funny too, and the author does a terrific job of creating sympathetic characters, placing them in improbable situations, and making it all seem plausible. I can just picture Esther and Minnie enjoying their tea alongside the Autobahn and along a mountain road in Tibet. And the episode with the Tibetan monks is priceless! I can even see this as a terrific movie starring the likes of Maggie Smith and Judi Densch!

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Review: The Risk of Darkness: A Simon Serrailler Mystery

The Risk of Darkness: A Simon Serrailler Mystery by Susan Hill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this installment, DCI Serrailler finally gets closure on a case that's haunted him. He also closes a door on a romantic relationship, and makes a decision about his future. My only complaint about this series is that the books end rather abruptly with unanswered questions. I realize that's probably a technique the author's using to keep the reader hooked on the series, but it feels a bit clumsy. Serrailler is complicated, and an interesting enough on his own character; that should be enough to hook a reader into reading more.

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Review: Truly Madly Guilty

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book irritated me. It's the story of 3 couples whose lives intersect. One couple hosts a barbecue where a traumatic event occurs, and the plot of the book revolves around this event. The story starts several months after the barbecue and alternates between this time, the day of the barbecue, and just before the barbecue. I was annoyed because the actual event isn't revealed until over 200 pages into the book, and while it was definitely a scary and significant occurrence, it was also a tad anticlimatic. I also didn't really like any of the characters. I like Moriarty's earlier books better.

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Review: A Highland Christmas

A Highland Christmas by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is more of a novella than a full-fledged book, but it was a heart-warming read. It's always fun to visit with Hamish MacBeth and the inhabitants of Lochdubh.

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Review: The Last Woman Standing: A Novel

The Last Woman Standing: A Novel by Thelma Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always forget that the days of the wild West weren't all that long ago, compared with east coast history. I enjoyed this fictionalized account of Tombstone, AZ and the gunfight at the OK Corral. I am not super familiar with the history/mythology surrounding the people and events so I can't vouch for accuracy. It was definitely interesting to have the story told from a woman's perspective.

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Review: Timebound

Timebound by Rysa Walker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting adventure aimed at the middle school/young adult set. Kate discovers that she has inherited a gift from her grandmother - the ability to travel through time with the help of a special medallion. Because of this, her grandmother who also has this gift, needs her help to try and stop a group of people from changing history. This is the first book in the series, so much of the book was spent in developing characters and their backstories. The "action" part of the book started almost three-quarters of the way through, and of course, because it's a series, the problem isn't solved. I did get a little confused with all the time line convolutions, but overall, if I were still teaching, I'd share this book with my students.

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Review: Death of an Addict

Death of an Addict by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hamish MacBeth is at it once again. This time his instincts lead him into a huge undercover drug operation and he finds himself in love with his undercover partner, DCI Olivia Chater. Their investigation take them to Amsterdam where Hamish of course, finds a way to get himself involved with a winsome prostitute. This is a very funny installment in the series!

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Review: The Green Mill Murder

The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another good entry in the series. Phryne Fisher is a great character, forward-thinking, adventurous, intelligent, and blessed with beauty and wealth. I love her approach to life --- practical, yet romantic , and not afraid to take on anything. Good story lines, albeit improbable ones, and sly humor.

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Review: Introducing Agatha Raisin The Quiche of Death/The Vicious Vet

Introducing Agatha Raisin The Quiche of Death/The Vicious Vet by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in the lengthy Agatha Raisin series. Agatha is in her 50's and after selling her public relations firm, she moves to a small cottage in the Cotswolds where she attempts to fit into village life. Agatha has very few social skills and a somewhat abrasive personality, and in the first book, The Quiche of Death, she almost torpedoes her hopes of joining village society when she passes off a storebought quiche as one of her own in a cooking competition. When the judge dies after eating piece of it, she's sure she's doomed. However, with the help of the vicar's wife she begins to redeem herself, and she manages to make friends with the detective investigating the untimely death as she "helps" him solve it. The second book sees Agatha honing her detective skills as well as developing an uneasy relationship with the bachelor next door as they investigate the death of a disliked veterinarian. These are light, easy, and humorous books, and I plan to continue reading the series.

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Review: Aunt Dimity and the Buried Treasure

Aunt Dimity and the Buried Treasure by Nancy Atherton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A lovely cozy read as are all the Aunty Dimity books. No murder, no sex, no great drama or trauma. Just a good story and slice of life in an English village.

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Review: The Girls in the Garden

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked everything about this book except the ending. I thought it was rushed and a let down. Pip and her sister Grace have just moved with their mother to a small community centered around a communal park. Their father is in a psychiatric hospital after he attempted to burn their former home down and the family is dealing with the aftereffects of that. Grace seems to make new friends quickly leaving Pip feeling lonely and abandoned. Grace quickly finds her first boyfriend, and at 13, she's drawn into all the drama of adolescence. After a neighborhood party, Grace is attacked. The attack is similar to one that occurred many years earlier where a young girl died, which puts the entire community on edge. A lot of the story is told from Pip's perspective and through her letters to her father, and the book is divided into a timeline --- the discovery of Grace's body, before the attack, and then an after section, ending with an epilogue. As the investigation into the attack unfolds, all sorts of neighborhood secrets are uncovered, with many potential threads revealed that might explain both the previous murder and the current situation. But, as mentioned earlier, the explanation is somewhat of a letdown.

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Review: State of Wonder

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am not sure how to rate and review this book. I didn't love it, but it was an absorbing read, and at times an uncomfortable read. Patchett's writing made the Amazonian jungle a real presence and almost a character in the book. I can't say that I liked any of the characters however, and I didn't 'get' the relationship between Marina and Mr. Fox. Why was she calling her lover Mr. Fox? And in reality, would a drug company allow a researcher so much independence and leeway in making progress reports? However, the questions raised - how much should a "first worlder" interfere with the lives of the Amazonian tribes? Where are the boundaries between research and business? Should the reproductive lives of first world women be extended? --were all compelling. The ending was a surprise, and I was left wondering about what happens next.

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Review: The Aloha Quilt

The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this entry into the Elm Creek Quilt series. It's been a while since I'd read something in the series, but it didn't take long to remember the back stories, and I was grateful that the author didn't do too much rehashing -- just enough to jog my memory. And if you hadn't read the series, I think you could still enjoy the book. I especially liked the description of Hawaiian quilting. I am not a quilter, (I knit!) but I appreciate the craft, art, and creativity involved. A good cozy read for a summer afternoon.

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Review: Gunpowder Green

Gunpowder Green by Laura Childs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second in a series of cozy mysteries set in Charleston, South Carolina. The protagonist is Theodosia Browning who owns a teashop and investigates mysterious deaths. The plot is a bit thin, but the characters are likable, and there are tasty-sounding recipes included. Good, light, escape reading.

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Review: Death of a Scriptwriter

Death of a Scriptwriter by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyable as always. It was kind of nice to see Hamish much less dependent on Priscilla in this outing.

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Review: The Cavendon Women

The Cavendon Women by Barbara Taylor Bradford
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Book in the series carries on the stories of the Ingrahams and Swanns through the 1920's. There was little suspense, rather a continuation of previously established storylines, and the predictable resolutions of some of those storylines. There was little new character development, and no surprises.

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Review: The Matchmaker

The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Elin Hilderbrand at her best --- if a tad cheesy. I liked all the characters I was supposed to like, and disliked the ones I was supposed to dislike. Her main character, Dabney, is definitely the strongest Nantucket cheerleader I've met in Hilderbrand's books. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, despite the predictability. Quintessential beach read for sure.

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Review: Boys in the Trees: A Memoir

Boys in the Trees: A Memoir by Carly Simon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I grew up in the 60's and early 70's so I am extremely familiar with the music of Carly Simon and James Taylor, yet I really knew very little about either of them. So I didn't know what to expect out of this memoir when I picked it up at my library. I did not expect the overwhelming sense of sadness. Simon's memoir starts with her childhood, and it's clear that her father's depression, her mother's infidelity, and her own sexual abuse deeply scarred her. It also laid the groundwork for her struggles as an adult to find a sense of self-worth. I was also unaware of Taylor's heavy drug use (I lived a pretty sheltered life!) so it's not surprising that their marriage ended. I liked her honesty and her ability to recount unhappy and unflattering episodes in her life. There's a lot of unhappiness behind the "storybook" portrayals of celebrities and their relationships. I also liked how she described the origins of her songs and lyrics. I'd forgotten how deeply the songs are entrenched in the songtrack of my life! All in all, an interesting read.

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Review: The Royal Wulff Murders

The Royal Wulff Murders by Keith McCafferty
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Sean Stranahan, painter, angler, and erstwhile private investigator, finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation when he meets a singer in a small Montana bar.
She hires him to find a particular fish and eventually, to find her brother. Sean discovers much more than he bargained for, including almost losing his life twice. Despite the fact that I am neither an angler nor even an outdoorsperson, I did appreciate the details about trout fishing and Montana's rivers. I also liked the characters, especially Sheriff Martha Ettinger, Harold Little Feather, and the protagonist. Like C.J. Box, the author is passionate about the environment, and I liked the way the plot revolved around the trout fishery and whirling disease. It was cleverly plotted too. However, I did find the pace of the book somewhat slow, and I had hard time reading more than one chapter at a time instead of chunks at a time, which is why I only gave it two stars.

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Still Feeling Trying - and Succeeding

I posted earlier that I was making a determined effort to walk, and to generally get more exercise into my life with the goal of feeling healthier.  My efforts began in earnest after a doctor's visit on June 1st.

Since June 1st I've lost 23 pounds, and 2 inches around my waist.  I have been successful in limiting my calories to around 1500 per day, I've been keeping my carb count where I should be (120-130 g per day), and I've been exercising.  I was worried about the 4 week pool closure, but I took up walking, and have worked up to walking 2 miles at a time several times per week.  Now that the pool re-opened this week, I plan to go to water aerobics 3x per week and walk at least twice a week.  I'm really aiming to get at least 150 min of heart-healthy exercise each week, and so far, I'm achieving that most weeks.

I do feel better, although I'm still working on building my stamina.  I can do hills more easily, but I still prefer to avoid them.  And I still feel pretty drained when I return from my walks.  We have just entered an extremely hot and humid spell of weather, and I just couldn't face the soupy air this morning.  I went out on my deck at 5:30am, before the sun even had risen, and the air was so thick I found it hard to breath.  So instead of heading out for a walk, I headed to Youtube and found an aerobic walking video.  I moved some of the office furniture out of the way and did the video instead.  If I can find some time later, I might head up to the pool too, to do some aerobics on my own.

Review: My Brilliant Friend

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I just could not finish this book. I have way too many more books on my TBR shelf that I do want to read. I didn't connect to the narrator or to Lila, nor did I really see a plot line. Not sure what all the fuss is about. It's disappointing when highly recommended books, or books that many people rave about just don't jive with me. And I have a tough time giving up on a book, but when I am spending my reading time wondering how many more pages till the chapter ends, or worse, stopping a reading session in the middle of a chapter because it's just not holding my attention, AND I've read 2/3 of it, it's time to throw in the towel.

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Review: Me Before You

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book much more than I expected too! It's a romance with a twist, and it certainly challenged me in terms of a big decision made by one of the protagonists. I found the characters quite likable, and while I didn't like how the book ended, it wouldn't have been so successful if it had ended the way most people (myself included) might have wanted. I haven't yet seen the movie based on the book so I don't know if the movie ended in the same manner. I think that I will look for other books by this author.

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Review: Cavendon Hall

Cavendon Hall by Barbara Taylor Bradford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've always enjoyed Barbara Taylor Bradford's books, and this one is no exception. Cavendon Hall in Yorkshire, is the home of two families: the "upstairs" Ingrahams and the "downstairs" Swanns. The two families have been intertwined for over 150 years, each family keeping the others' secrets. In fact the two families have a common oath "Loyalty Binds" which is taken by all members of the two families. The plot in this first book of a series centers on the years just before and just after World War I, and in particular tells the story of Lady Daphne Ingraham and the terrible secret that she carries. Many characters are introduced - Daphne's siblings, her suitor, her parents, and Walter, Alicia, Charlotte, and Cecilie Swann. It's an idyllic existence until a terrible event changes Daphne's life. I liked the families, even if it's all a little too perfect. Of course, since this is the beginning of a "sweeping family saga" many threads are woven into the story upon which succeeding books will elaborate. At times the story felt forced and rushed, but I did really enjoy it.

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Review: Death of a Dentist

Death of a Dentist by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this installment! Hamish has a toothache which leads him in desperation to a hated dentist - who happens to be dead when Hamish arrives. As usual, Hamish solves the crime despite the obstacles his supervisor throws in his path, and as usual, Hamish allows another detective to take credit for the solution. As Hamish says, he's a thoroughly unambitious man. He knows himself well and understands that he's where he wants to be.

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Review: Folly: A British murder mystery set in the Cotswolds

Folly: A British murder mystery set in the Cotswolds by Stella Cameron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Alex Duggins has returned to her home village after the disaster of her marriage and a breakdown. She's the new owner of the pub where her mother has worked for years and she's kept the former owners on as managers. On her way to the pub one morning she discovers the body of a murdered man in the woods. The tragedy sets off a chain of events which eventually results in a long-held village secret being uncovered, putting several people at serious risk.

I liked the book but felt that it was a bit too rushed in the story telling. It was hard to feel very connected to most of the characters and the plot needed to be fleshed out a bit more. But it did keep my attention, and I thought the author did a good job creating the setting.

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Review: Bay of Sighs

Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The only reason this book wasn't abandoned is that it was all I had while I was on a short trip. It was easily one of the most boring books I've read. It's book #2 in its series, and the entire plot can be summed up as "A mermaid, a seer, and a lycan (werewolf) team up with a time traveler, a wizard, and an immortal to find the second missing star before an evil witch finds it or kills them." The rest of the book is a summary of book #1 and pages of "romance novel" sex.

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Review: The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is absolutely charming (no pun intended!) Arthur Pepper is a man of habit and routine, waking at the same time, eating his toast and tea at the same time, watering his fern daily, and mourning the death of his wife of 40 years. On the first anniversary of her death, he decides it's time to clean out her clothing. As he's sorting through her clothes, he discovers a heavy gold charm bracelet hidden inside her boots. He's never seen it before and it sets him wondering about it. He discovers a phone number engraved on one of the charms which he decides to call. The person on the other end is in India, and as the result of a very surprising conversation, Arthur's life is completely changed. He proceeds to investigate the origin of each of the unique charms on the bracelet and with each charm, he discovers hidden depths -- of his wife, but even more surprisingly within himself.

Arthur is a completely lovely character, and the courage he shows in changing his life is a good lesson for all. I loved this book! I wish I could give it 6 stars!

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Review: Circling the Sun

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This historical novel featured Beryl Markham and traced her early life in what is now Kenya through 2 marriages, to her historic cross-Atlantic flight in 1936. I had read Markham's memoir a while ago, but that focused more on her career as a pilot, while this focused more on her struggles to find happiness and a feeling of belonging. Paula McLain appears to have really connected with Markham and presents her in a very loving manner.

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Review: Bridge to Haven

Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Abra Matthews is abandoned under a bridge as an infant in the tiny town of Haven. She's rescued by the town's minister and he and wife foster her until she's 5 years old. But when her mother dies, her father realizes he's unable to raise her. He gives her to another family in town. Abra feels abandoned, unwanted, and unloved for the rest of her childhood, and when she's 16, a smooth-talking Adonis sweeps her off her feet. She runs away with him to Los Angeles, where she quickly learns what a horrible mistake she's made. She ends up falling into the hands of a successful Hollywood agent who molds her into "Lena Scott", his vision. Abra soon risks losing herself into his creation, and she begins to rebel. I think that my enjoyment of this novel was dimmed by the heavy-handed Christian evangelizing. The symbolism was overwrought, and while I did like Pastor Zeke, I found his son Joshua too good to be true. I think the author's message would be more effective if the reader wasn't constantly hit over the head with it.

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Feeling Accomplished

1.  Last Sunday I had an afternoon all by myself as my husband was driving a busload of campers home from NH to southeastern MA.  The weather wasn't conducive to outside activities so I plunked myself down on the sofa, found a episode of Vera on Acorn TV, and opened up a kit for a knitted bracelet which I had received on Friday.  I haven't knitted jewelry before, thinking I wouldn't like it.  Boy was I wrong.

Here's the finished piece which took me one episode of Vera, and a very early episode of Inspector Morse.  It's called Texo Cuff, by my favorite knitting designer, Laura Nelkin.

2.  On Monday, I embarked on a personal walking challenge.  I met a friend and we walked a 2 mile path through the woods on our town's Rails to Trails.  It is a very level trail which made it do-able for me.  I had to stop twice, briefly to catch my breath, but I made it.  It took us almost an hour.  I was drenched in sweat, however, when we finished.  I had to jump into the shower the minute I got home!  But I was very pleased with myself.    And then, on Wednesday, I walked the same route by myself.  I stopped once very briefly. The rest of Wed. was busy, and by the time I went to bed, I had put  10,084 steps on my Garmin.  The first time I hit 10,000 steps!   On Saturday, I walked the trail a third time, stopping only for a couple of photos, and I completed the walk in 45 minutes.   Today, I walked from my house to the end of the road and back, just over a mile round trip.  The challenge for the walk however was a longish, and steep uphill on the outbound trip, and a less steep, but longer incline on the return.  I made it to the top of the hill both times though without stopping, and I logged 27 intensity minutes on my Garmin which meant that I was exercising above my heart rate target for a good part of the walk.

3.  I have managed to keep my food intake down to about 1500 calories daily, all week.  And I haven't felt deprived or starving to death.  In fact the last 2 nights, after logging in all my food, I'd discovered I actually hadn't eaten enough!  Last night, I still had 743 calories available.   That's probably why I had felt hungry.  I ended up eating ONE serving of whole grain cereal with almond milk, using up 270 of those calories, and bringing my calorie total for the day up to just under 1100 calories.    I have a very long way to go, though, before I can move that balance scale weight another notch to the left.  Baby steps.


A few photos from the trail: