Review: Secret Sisters

Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Madeline Chase has inherited her grandmother's hotel chain which includes an old inn on a small island off the coast of Washington. Raised by her grandmother after her parents' deaths, Madeline had spent some time on the island with her grandmother, but after being brutally assaulted as a young teen, she and her grandmother had abandoned the inn. Now Madeline has headed back the inn to decide what to do with it. When the inn's caretaker is murdered, Madeline brings in Jack Rayner, the head of her hotel's security team. Secrets are uncovered, and more lives are endangered as Madeline and Jack get to the truth behind what really happened on the island so many years ago. Of course, since this is a romance, sparks fly between the two. This was a predictable, but fun read.

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Review: The Muralist

The Muralist by B.A. Shapiro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alizee Benoit, orphaned at an early age, is an abstract painter in New York City in 1939, working under the auspices of the WPA. She rebels against being forced to paint in the approved representational manner and as a result of a chance meeting with Eleanor Roosevelt, she is allowed to create an abstract mural to hang in a public library. She is close friends with other abstract artists - Jackson Pollock, Mike Rothko, Lee Krasner, and others-- and she gets closely involved with a communist organization in an attempt to get her Jewish French family visas. Her life comes crashing down around her as the result of her group's attempts to discredit the Assistant Secretary of State who is actively working to bar granting visas to Jewish refugees. At the same time, Alizee's mental illness brings her to an emotional collapse. She is voluntarily committed to a sanitorium; however, two days later she checks herself out and disappears.

In 2015, Alizee's great niece Dani discovers some mysterious abstract pictures taped behind some purported pictures by Rothko and Pollock. They remind her strongly of two pictures by her great aunt that she has inherited. Alizee was never located, so no one knows what happened to her. They mystery has always intrigued Dani who tries to trace her aunt, as she also tries to prove that the mysterious pictures were her aunt's work.

The story is told by the two main characters, Dani and Alizee, each speaking from their individual present. While the overall story is tragic, the resolution was quite satisfying.

Knowing nothing of abstract art and therefore not at all able to appreciate it, I found the book quite interesting as Alizee and the other artists attempted to explain what their art was trying to express. The book also highlighted the plight of Jewish refugees attempting to emigrate to the US from 1939 and the early years of the war. The official position of the US on Jewish immigration was tragic as was the anti-Semitic stance of much of the media and vocal public. It's hard not to draw parallels to today's anti-Muslim attitudes.




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Review: Death of a Macho Man

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

I thoroughly enjoyed this Hamish MacBeth installment. Inspector Blair is still trying to get rid of Hamish, and he's really enjoying the fact that Hamish has been ordered off a murder investigation in his village. Of course that doesn't stop Hamish from doing some investigating of his own. And Hamish's disregard of orders puts his job on the line bigtime.

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Review: Home by Nightfall

Home by Nightfall by Charles Finch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just when Charles Lenox is sure the new detective agency is finally thriving, two events threaten its financial strength. First, Scotland Yard has hired his rival's agency to locate a missing German concert pianist, and then three clients have jumped ship because of a leak in the his agency. Lenox has little time to dwell on either event however. His brother Edmund is grieving over the sudden loss of his wife Molly so Charles heads to Lenox House in Sussex to try to cheer him up. While there, some mysterious burglaries and a vicious attack capture his attention Lenox ends up splitting his time between Sussex and London in an attempt to solve both problems.

This was a great read. Edmund took on a greater role in the unfolding of the story which was convoluted enough to keep me guessing.

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Review: Beautiful Day

Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As always, Elin Hilderbrand makes me want to live on Nantucket! It's the weekend of Jenna Carmichael's dream wedding, and as it true of most weddings, crisis after crisis appears to threaten her "Beautiful Day." While the main narrator is Margot, the bride's sister, the main character in the book is actually Beth Carmichael, the bride's deceased mother. As she was dying of cancer, Beth created a notebook for Jenna which planned, down to the last detail, Jenna's wedding to as a yet unknown bridegroom. Jenna and Margot have followed the Notebook's instructions almost to the letter.

I enjoyed this book, and it was a fast "beach" read or, should I say "sitting on the deck in the sun" read. Not one of Hilderbrand's best, but quite pleasant.

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Review: Knitlandia: A Knitter Sees the World

Knitlandia: A Knitter Sees the World by Clara Parkes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a collection of essays by Clara Parkes, knitter and yarn expert extraordinaire. This essays are reflections upon a series of trips she has taken that have had a great impact on her career and her course in life. As I read each essay, I found myself thinking that it was the best one in the book, only to read the next one and have the same reaction. There were a lot of moments of "That's it exactly!" or "I want to meet her!" as I was reading. Her writing style is conversational and gently humorous, and she has gift for making places and experiences come alive. I especially enjoyed her essays on Edinburgh and Rhinebeck, as these are two places I've been more than once.

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Review: The Woman in Blue

The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ruth is contacted by Hilary Simpson, an old friend from her university days. Hilary, now a vicar, has received threatening letters from writer angry with the existence of female priests. Hilary is attending a religious conference in the small town of Walsingham, home of Catholic and Anglican shrines. Ruth suggests that Hilary share the letters with the police, especially because the writer makes reference to Walsingham and because a young woman has just been murdered there. When one of the other female priests attending the conference is murdered, the letters take on even greater significance.

In this book, the focus is not on Ruth, and although information she discovers is important to solving the crime, she is relatively uninvolved in the investigation, at least compared to other installments in the series. Harry Nelson is the character focus, and he discovers not only the murderer, but some unsettling truths about himself and his relationships with both Ruth and his wife Michelle. As always, I was fully engrossed in the book from the get-go.

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Review: The Other Woman

The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jane Ryland has lost her job as a TV anchorwoman as the result of a criminal trial gone wrong. She reluctantly accepts a job as a newspaper reporter where she's given a 6 month trial. She's relegated to puff pieces until the wife of a senatorial candidate contacts her and asks her to investigate her husband. Jane risks her new job, and her life, as she uncovers a web of political intrigue that brings her back into the orbit of Jake Brogan, a homicide detective with whom she had a brief relationship.

I found the book a little slow, until a couple of plot twists captured my attention. The last part of the book were gripping, and satisfying.

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Off the Needle

I just finished Las Cruces, a warm-weather sweater from the genius designer, Laura Nelkin.  I used Noro Taiyo Sport which is a blend of cotton, silk, wool, and nylon and of course, I purchased the yarn at Webs.  (I got the yarn on sale too!).

I really like the way the sweater turned out.  The design is part of Laura's Novus collection, and I plan on making other sweaters in the collection.

Review: The Girls of Mischief Bay

The Girls of Mischief Bay by Susan Mallery
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a quick easy read and came complete with expected endings, although not all endings were necessarily happy ones. They were all satisfying endings however.

Pam, Shannon, and Nicole meet through exercise class at Nicole's Pilates studio. Pam is a happily married wife of over 30 years with grown children. She is beginning to struggle with the idea of aging and is a bit restless with the routine of her life. Shannon is almost 40, a successful CFO, and still single. She is wondering if she's made the right choices in her life. Nicole has been married for a few years, but is struggling to support her family now that her husband suddenly quit his job to pursue a screenwriter's job. All three women have become fast friends, and it's their friendship that carries them through their next major life events.

I liked all three characters, but probably connected most with Pam. The author portrayed her quite realistically. This book is intended to be the first of a series of books centered in Mischief Bay, a small coastal California town just south of LA. I also liked the book because I recognized many places described in the setting. I will look for the next book in the series .

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Review: Death At Victoria Dock

Death At Victoria Dock by Kerry Greenwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another very enjoyable entry in the Miss Fisher series.

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Adventures with Garmin

Okay, so anybody that knows me, knows that I am VERY obese (I hate that word.  I like fat better!)  They also know that I hate sweating and that exercising is very far down my list of things I enjoy doing. For years, I've tried to get into the exercise habit, and for a number of years I was fairly successful in establishing a regular routine of water aerobics and strength training.  And then I had a severe case of pneumonia and shortly after that, rheumatoid arthritis joined my life journey.  It took about 6 months before the doctors figured out what I had --- and during that time, I was so fatigued and in so much pain that it took absolutely everything I had to get through a day of teaching.  There was no way that I could manage even the simplest cardio workout.  And then of course, once you're out of the habit . . . .

Needless to say, that this past fall I started going back to water aerobics class, trying to make it at least twice a week, and feeling great when I made it to the third class each week.  But it wasn't enough.

When I went to my endocrinologist last week my A1C had increased by .7 pts, not good.  I came home and ordered a Garmin Vivosmart HR.  I can use it in the water which is why I chose that and not a Fitbit.    I received it on Saturday, and started wearing it almost immediately.  It's depressing when you can't meet the first step goal it sets, nor did I meet the next day's goal either which had dropped by 1000 steps.  However, on Monday I made my goal!  Half of the steps I needed for the day were from my water aerobics workout.  Tuesday, the goal was increased, but there was no class.  Despite the fact that I forced myself to take a  brisk 15 minute walk (that just about killed me!), I didn't make my goal.  So, yesterday the goal was reset once again.  I went to class, and by the end of the day, had met and exceeded the daily goal by about 200 steps.  Today is a no class day.  I've done a 15 minute walk and I've climbed a set of stairs 5 times.  That goal is 10 sets per day.  Since I live in a one floor living space house, the only stairs are those to the basement,  and those from the back yard to a 2nd story deck.   So I've done the deck stairs 3 times today, and the cellar stairs twice.

I find myself taking the long way around my house.  It's 47 steps from the kitchen area to the master bathroom!  So I've been bypassing the guest bathroom.  I am volunteering to go the mailbox rather than letting my husband bring the mail in  (71 steps one way).  I know that I am in a honeymoon period right now, but I am appalled at how little I move.

I am, at least for now, motivated by challenging myself.  I only worry that in a few weeks, the pool will be closed for 4 weeks, and I don't have another swim option.  I really dislike walking too since I'm surrounded by busy, hilly roads with crumbly pavement on the edges and narrow or nonexistent shoulders.  Guess I'll be climbing those stairs nonstop!

Review: Only Time Will Tell

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I think this will be one of those books that I might like better once I've read the entire series. The story of Harry Clifton is told from several different points of view, and because of this, I found a lot of it too repetitious. The groundwork for the saga is being laid, but I think it was overkill. Harry is the son of Maisie Clifton, a widow of a WW1 soldier and dockworker. But is he her husband's son or is he the son of a wealthy shipping magnate? Harry earns a scholarship to a prestigious school where he becomes the best friend of his possible half-brother, and as their lives intertwine complications arise. Obviously the family saga will play out over Harry's life; this novel covered Harry's first 20 years. I did not get sufficiently attached to the story to be waiting anxiously for the next volume to be published. I will probably read it if I run across it in the library, but I probably won't remember to look for it.

Update: I read this book the first time in December 2011. My original review still stands, although I changed my rating from 2 stars to 3 this time around. I liked it better the second time around. I don't think I ever read the books that came after it. Apparently the latest volume in the saga has been published since it was on the new books display at my library. I decided to start at the beginning.

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Review: Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894

Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894 by Daniel James Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don't know why I'm drawn to books about disasters, natural and human-caused. Part of my fascination with them are the individual stories of heroism that are always a part of the events. It's also the stories of the lessons we've learned as a result.

During the summer of 1894 the upper midwest was experiencing drought and extreme heat. When that was combined with poor forest management, conditions were ideal for catastrophic fires. That's exactly what happened. The town of Hinckley and a huge area around the town was destroyed by the massive firestorm. The author was motivated to investigate this fire and its circumstances because his grandfather was one of the survivors.

This book describes the event in great detail, and at times the details were hard to read. The author did a good job of explaining the science behind fire behavior, and the relationship between fire and meteorologic conditions. It was a compelling read too. I wanted to know how the individuals he researched fared.


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Review: That Old Flame of Mine

That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Stella Griffin has taken a temporary job as fire chief in Sweet Pepper, Tennessee, a small town known for its jalepeno peppers. Her assignment is to revive and reestablish the town's volunteer fire department. She hasn't been there long before a new friend dies mysteriously in a house fire. As she investigates she also discovers that her grandfather, previously unknown to her, is the main power in the small town. Stella also discovers that she's living in a haunted cabin.
This is obviously meant as a light-hearted, even humorous series, but I felt it was trying too hard -- too many ingredients in the stew of a plot.

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Review: Just One Damned Thing After Another

Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Dr. Madeleine Maxwell is recruited to join the St. Mary's Institute, an organization dedicated to historical research, she has no idea what the organization really does nor what she will be doing. When she decides to sign on, she finds out. Historical research is done first hand with very primary resources: the institute has time machines which travel back to whichever period is being researched. Her travels take her to World War I France, medieval London, and numerous other times and places. No time and place is more significant however, than the Cretaceous Period where the St. Mary's historians face a problem that is destined to have significant impact on history's timeline. St. Mary's staff is an eclectic and memorable collection of historians, scientists, and IT specialists, and there may be some staff members who are working against the institute. This is a very funny book, and it reminds me of Jasper FForde's Thursday Next series in some ways. It's the first in a series that I intend to continue reading.

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Review: Death of a Charming Man

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

Poor Hamish! He just can't seem to catch a break. Now that he's engaged to Priscilla, she's set out to make something of him. And since the superintendent's wife is intent on becoming Priscilla's best friend, Hamish gets caught in the middle. This is another lighthearted investigation which revolves around the disappearance of lady's man who has moved into the village of Drim, one of the places on Hamish's beat. His move to the village has stirred up the women, and upset their husbands. Hamish is convinced that he's been murdered although there is little evidence to support his intuition.
Once again, MC Beaton provides some good cozy reading.

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Review: No Shred of Evidence

No Shred of Evidence by Charles Todd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rutledge is sent to Cornwall to investigate the death of a young man. It's alleged that 4 young women attempted to drown him, and Rutledge is stymied in his investigation by a complete lack of evidence. During the course of his investigation, Rutledge discovers the existence of a mysterious young woman who had spent time in the small village but has since left. She may be connected to the murder, but no one claims to know her. Rutledge also becomes re-acquainted with Kate Gordon, cousin of his former fiancee Jeanne, when he's shocked to discover she's one of the four woman accused of killing the young man.

Rutledge is much less troubled by his past, and by the voice of Hamish, and he seems much more able to cope with the stress of being reminded of his history. It seems like a natural development. It was also refreshing to have him supported by his new boss instead of having to deal with his former supervisor.

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Review: A Cast of Falcons: A Birder Murder Mystery

A Cast of Falcons: A Birder Murder Mystery by Steve Burrows
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A scientist, Philip Wayland, has been murdered in a particularly gruesome manner on a public path through a private research facility owned by a wealthy Emirate prince. Wayland was a former employee at the research facility but left it to pursue similar and competitive research at the local university. Is there a connection? Dominic Jejeune's fugitive brother Damian observes a man falling to his death in northern Scotland and sends him an oblique message. Dominic agrees to hide his brother for a short time at his home, but is severely disturbed by the subterfuge. Is it interfering with his ability to do his job? And does Damian have anything to do with the smuggling of gyrfalcons or with the gyrfalcons owned by the prince? This is a rather convoluted plot, and I didn't find it as gripping as earlier books in the series. There are almost too many undercurrents in the relationships between Jejeune and his brother, his girlfriend, and his co-workers, and among his co-workers. However, I stuck with the book and was eventually satisfied.

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Review: The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places from Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley

The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places from Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley by Eric Weiner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Why do some places and times produce more geniuses than other times? Is there a set of requirements that must be in place in order to produce genius? Eric Weiner wanted to find out, so he visited seven places where genius flourished: Athens, Florence, Hangzhou, Edinburgh, Calcutta, Vienna, and Silicon Valley. In each place, Weiner interviewed local historians, philosophers, entrepreneurs, artists, and other experts in a variety of fields about what genius looks like, and why their locale supported genius. He discovered that genius appeared most often in urban settings where there was an intersection of uncertainty, chaos, money, education, and new cultures through immigration.

The writing was humorous, and full of interesting trivia. I found the chapters on Athens, Florence, and Edinburgh particularly interesting because I've traveled to those places, and as a social studies/history teacher I've taught about many of the cultures that created the places he visited.

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Review: Cherry Ames, Student Nurse

Cherry Ames, Student Nurse by Helen Wells
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ok, so once in a while I revert back to childhood. This should actually count as 4 books --- the book from Amazon contained 4 Cherry Ames books -- Student Nurse, Senior Nurse, Army Nurse, and Chief Nurse. These were written in the 1940's and definitely reflect the culture of those years, but there is still something fun about the stories, simplistic though they may be. I read these as a preteen and like 1000's of other girls, thought about nursing as a career as a result. They are definitely unrealistic about the demands of a nursing career, as well as the ability of one person to hold as many different nursing jobs as Cherry does and do each job as well as she does, but they do a good job of exposing the different types of nursing available at the time. It might be interesting for someone to re-write the series to reflect the nursing possibilities of the 21st century and especially to include male nurses!

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Review: We're All Damaged

We're All Damaged by Matthew Norman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was a Kindle First Reads choice. Andy Carter is devastated when his wife decides to divorce him. He runs away to NYC but is forced to return to his hometown of Omaha, NE a year later when his grandfather goes into hospice. Andy is a wreck, and he's done a good job of destroying his job and his relationships with his friends and family. His time in Omaha becomes a time of coming to terms with his losses and figuring out how to begin again. Andy's story is sometimes humorous, often depressing, but ultimately hopeful. I didn't really connect with the book, but I think that was more a generational and maybe gender disconnect than a problem with the writing.

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Review: Forever and a Day

Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Steamy romance #3. I think I've got my fill of this genre for a while. Good escape reading.

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Review: At Last

At Last by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another quick steamy romance novel. Pure escapism.

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Review: Murder On The Ballarat Train

Murder On The Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Phrynne Fisher books are a quick, very enjoyable read. This is #3 in the series. Phrynne and her companion Dottie are traveling to Ballarat by train, when they and the other first class passengers are chloroformed in their sleep. Phrynne manages to get windows open in time to save all but one passenger who has gone missing. The missing traveler is found murdered by the side of the tracks, and of course, Phrynne is on the case.

I love the characters and the attention to details about 1920's culture. The plots are not very involved, but there's an air of fun about the books that I enjoy as much as I enjoy the PBS series based on the books.

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Review: Death of a Travelling Man

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

The Hamish MacBeth series is such a pleasure to read and this installment in the series was no exception. Hamish is annoyed that one of the perks with his promotion is the arrival of his constable, a housecleaning fiend who is disinfecting and polishing everything in sight. All the cleaning is disturbing Hamish's lifestyle. The second annoyance is the arrival of a "traveler" and his girlfriend who have parked their gaudy old bus in the manse backyard. Hamish is sure that he's up to no good, but he can't find any proof. With the arrival of the traveler, things in town start going wrong - money is stolen, morphine is stolen, and the minister loses his faith. And then, the traveler is murdered. Of course, Hamish manages to solve the crime in his usual unorthodox way. This is a quick, cozy read and as usual, filled with humor.

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Review: The Washingtons: George and Martha, "Join'd by Friendship, Crown'd by Love"

The Washingtons: George and Martha, "Join'd by Friendship, Crown'd by Love" by Flora Fraser
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a well-researched book about the relationship between George and Martha Washington. The author relies on a lot of primary source material - letters between George and Martha, and letters about them from family, friends, and colleagues. I didn't gain any new insights or have any revelations, and in fact, it felt a lot like reading a textbook. I stuck with it, hoping to find some clues to solving a family mystery. Supposedly my mother's family is connected to the Parke-Custis family, and we were told that "You're related to Martha Washington's children." So far my research hasn't turned up any links. That's the main reason I read the book.

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Review: Lucky in Love

Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first of 3 stories set in Lucky Harbor, WA. Molly Quinn, ER nurse, has a reputation for being the "good" girl in her family and for helping others, and she's tired of it. When "Mysterious Cute Guy" shows up in town she decides to practice being a "bad" girl. This is a very predictable and enjoyable romance novel, a little heavy on the "mind-blowing sex" scenes, but otherwise a good escape read. Since novels 2 & 3 are included in the volume that I picked up in the library, I'll probably read the others.

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Review: Journey to Munich

Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

In this Maisie Dobbs installment, she has returned to England, still mourning the loss of her husband. She reluctantly accepts a job from British intelligence impersonating the daughter of a industrialist/inventor who has been imprisoned in Hitler's Germany in Dachau. Her mission is to bring her "father" home. While in Munich, Maisie is also attempting to contact Elaine Otterborne who has abandoned her husband and infant son, in order to persuade her to return home. But Elaine has a completely different agenda.

This book was only okay, and may have been written to get Maisie back into the private investigations business. Or perhaps the author has gotten tired of the character? At any rate, the plot didn't excite me and I felt like Maisie spent way too much in introspection, and not enough time actually interacting with other people. I suppose though that might make sense since she still is in mourning. At any rate, I found the book less than gripping.

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Review: Off The Grid

Off The Grid by C.J. Box
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great story! Nate Romanowski has been approached by a shadow government operation to spy on a potential terrorist group operating in Wyoming's Red Desert. In exchange for his services, all federal charges will be dropped. Joe Pickett gets involved when Gov. Rulon asks him ostensibly to track a rogue grizzly, but in reality, spy on Nate. In the meantime Sheridan Pickett's roommate persuades her to join a group of college volunteers working on a secret project also in the Red Desert. Needless to say, the lives of all of them are jeopardized as the reality of what's happening in the desert is revealed. The scary thing about this book is the fact that the scenario laid out is very realistic!

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Review: Deliver Her: A Novel

Deliver Her: A Novel by Patricia Perry Donovan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this book from the April KindleFirst offerings. It's the kind of book I probably wouldn't have picked up at my library, but I liked it more than I expected to.

Alex Carmody is 16, deep in grief over the death of her best friend in a car accident. Her mother Meg is worried sick about her. Alex has taken up with a poor choice of friends, has been fired from her job, is skipping school, and may be involved with drugs. She refuses to go to counseling and appears to hate her mother. Meg's marriage is on the rocks too. Her husband wants a divorce and he refuses to see that his daughter has a problem. At her wits' end, Meg secretly arranges for Alex to be transported to a private school in NH where she can get the help she needs. On the way to the school, there is a serious accident and Alex goes missing.

The story is presented from both Meg's and Alex's points of view. Alex's character was pretty believable, while Meg's was a little less so. The plot was interesting enough to keep me up past midnight to finish it, though I thought the ending was a bit too neatly wrapped up.

All in all, a decent KindleFirst read!

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Knitting with Nelkin Designs

As you can tell, I really like Laura Nelkin's knitting designs.  Here are three projects I've knit since January that are her designs.


I finally finished this:

It's the Crucero Shawl from Laura Nelkin, knit in Anzula Breeze in aqua. I LOVE her patterns.  I started this in January and finally finished it Friday night.  It's in the blocking process right now.  This shawl was tricky for me --- it starts in the center with a circular cast-on which gave me no end of trouble.  And then for some reason, I couldn't get the hang of the pattern which was full of yarn overs and dropped stitches.  I love knitting with beads but they slowed me down --especially the placed beads in the last sections.  Finally, the beaded crocheted edging had me at a snail's pace.  Crochet and I are not friends.    But I really love this!

I knit these Traversus socks in February, also a Laura Nelkin design.  These are from Opal 4-fach and I mostly knit them on the beach in Punta Cana, DR.

And for fun, I knit these  Artichoke French Mitts in January, yet another Laura Nelkin design!  I used some yarn I'd had in my stash forever - Artful Yarns Shakespeare.

Finally, I am swatching for another of her designs - Las Cruces sweater from her Novus Collection.  I'm using Noro Taiyo Sport for this.  Here's the swatch that's drying.

And here's the yarn I will be using.

I have at least 3 other Nelkin designs in my knitting queue, so stay tuned!

Review: Death of a Glutton

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

Hamish MacBeth never fails to entertain, nor to solve the crime with minimal effort! Checkmates, a matchmaking service, has booked rooms for a group of potential matches in Priscilla's hotel. The co-owner of the agency manages to offend and irritate the entire group by her gluttony and disgusting table manners. When she is discovered dead, with an apple stuffed into her mouth, all the clients are suspects. In his inimitable way, Hamish quietly solves the crime much to the horror of his nemesis DCI Blair.

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Review: At the Edge of the Orchard

At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book, much of it dark, but eventually redeemed by hope. James Goodenough and his family emigrates from Connecticut to northwestern Ohio in hopes of a better life in the 1840's. However, his marriage is unstable, and he and his wife establish a hardscrabble farm in the Black Swamp, a very difficult and inhospitable place. James hankers after the apple orchards of his father's farm and attempts to establish his own orchard of Golden Pippins, sweet eating apples. His wife Sadie is addicted to the apple jack she makes from "spitters" and she is jealous of the time, energy, and love her husband spends on his sweet apples. Their life is hard, and though she bears 10 children, she loses most of them to swamp fever. She looks forward only to the visits of John Chapman who brings her husband apple seeds and sapling, and brings her the coveted apple jack. Their story comes to a horrific end, but their son Robert escapes and heads west. He winds up in California, and finds a calling working as a seed collector for an English nursery. He is weighed down by his family history but eventually finds redemption.
This book is peopled with real characters - John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed), William Lobb, and others. Tracy Chevalier brings the time period (1840s & 1850's) to life, and also manages to evoke the wonder of nature through the redwood and sequoia trees that Robert falls in love in.

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Review: Flying Too High

Flying Too High by Kerry Greenwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am enjoying this series which has been turned into a PBS show from Australian tv. The tv show is very true to the books.

Private investigator Phrynne Fisher is attempting to prove that Bill McNaughton is innocent of killing his abusive father. She is also involved in helping to recover a kidnapped child. While the plots are fairly basic, I love the details about the time period (1920's). The author creates a believable setting with her descriptions of clothing, furnishing, transportation, and culture. There is also a lot of humor in the books, and her characters are very likable. Bring on #3!

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Review: Blood Orange

Blood Orange by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

China is drawn into a missing person investigation when her bed and breakfast tenant disappears, turns up several days later, and then is involved in a horrific traffic accident. Meanwhile Ruby's sister Ramona has fallen in love with the missing person's husband, Ruby has visions of a mysterious door that China needs to avoid, and McQuaid is off on a mysterious job that had China thinking he may be having an affair.

I enjoyed this installment more than the last couple of books in the series. I think it's because for a change, China was on her home turf, and there was more involvement of all the characters.

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Review: Bittersweet

Bittersweet by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Not one of my favorite China Bayles books. Sam, married to China's mother Leatha, has been hospitalized just before Thanksgiving. Despite this, Thanksgiving dinner at the ranch is still on. Leatha and Sam had been planning to open their ranch up as a resort for birders' but Sam's uncertain prognosis is jeopardizing their plans. A young woman, Sue Ellen, has come to help Leatha, but she disappears after confiding to China that her soon-to-be ex husband is involved in some criminal activity.

The book describes the game ranching industry in Texas, and the plot involves the smuggling of animals onto some ranches, and the multimillion dollar breeding of game animals. China is involved of course in putting the pieces together that result in justice being done, but the ending of the novel is abrupt and unsatisfying.

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Review: Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles

Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles by A.L. Herbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! Halia Watkins owns "Sweet Tea", an upscale soul food restaurant in Prince George's County, MD. One evening, she and her cousin Wavonne discover the body of Marcus Rand in her restaurant with one of her cast iron skillets next to it. Rand is an investor in the restaurant, as well as someone involved in less than above board business deals. Halia panics, and she and Wavonne move the body out into an alley. Halia goes about her daily business, waiting nervously for the discovery of the body which doesn't happen. She eventually goes back to the alley only to discover that the body is gone. Halia proceeds, with the help of Wavonne, to investigate what happened.

This is a cozy and humorous story with great characters and food descriptions that make you hungry. Wavonne is a terrific character who reminded me a bit of Lula from the "Stephanie Plum" series - a larger than life, dramatic personality with attitude. I am looking forward to the publication of the second book in this new series.

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Review: Stone Cold

Stone Cold by C.J. Box
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just when I was thinking that perhaps it was time for Joe Pickett to retire, this book comes along. In this installment, Gov. Rulon sends Joe up north to Medicine Wheel on a "black ops" reconnaissance mission. Ostensibly Joe is going to deliver some ring necked pheasants for restocking, and help the incumbent game warden, Jim Latta, with some public relations work. In reality he's supposed to snoop around and find out all he can about a mysterious wealthy landowner named Wolf Templeton. Templeton has become the biggest landowner and power in the county, but the Feds are certain he's up to criminal activity. Joe is working with FBI agent Coons and he's told not to get involved with anything, report, and return. Of course, Joe can't not meddle. This was fast-paced, and there were a few surprising twists. I really enjoyed this one.

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Review: The Cuckoo's Calling

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that grows on you. I had a hard time getting into it. Cormoran Strike, ex-military police, is now a private investigator. He lost a leg in Afghanistan, and is now trying to make ends meet, living in his office eating Pot Noodles and sleeping on a camp bed. His new client, John Bristow, claims that his supermodel sister Lula Landry, did not commit suicide despite the police investigation concluding that she did. Strike is asked to prove that her death was in fact a murder. The other main character is Robin, a secretary sent by the temp agency, who is secretly thrilled to be working for a private investigator. I had a hard time warming up to Strike. His characterization as a down and out loser was almost too strong. My opinion eventually changed, and I was definitely surprised by the twisty ending.

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Review: Brooklyn

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit this is one of the few times that I saw the movie before reading the book. In fact, I wasn't aware there was a book until I saw the movie. I LOVED the movie, and I LOVED the book. It's also one of the few times that the movie was as good as the book.

Eilis Lacey emigrates to the US in the early 1950's from her small village in Ireland where there is little work or opportunity. She has the help of Father Flood, a Catholic priest who has arranged for her to live in an Irish boarding house and had found her a job in a department store. He also arranges for her to go to night school where she studies bookkeeping and accounting. Eilis is at first extremely homesick but when she meets an Italian boy named Tony, she gradually adapts to American life. They begin to court, and he asks her to marry him. However, tragedy at home in Ireland strikes, and Eilis must make some difficult choices.

The writing is spare, but beautiful, and the author creates compelling characters. He also creates a definite atmosphere which mixes reality with compassion and charm. I applaud the screen adaptation of the book for capturing the same atmosphere.

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Review: Knit Two

Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This continues the story of the knitting group that gathered at Walker and Daughter. Georgia Walker has died, and this book picks up several years later. Each of the people introduced in the previous novel are dealing with their grief in their individual ways, but few have "moved on", including Georgia's daughter Dakota. It took me a while to reconnect with the characters, and at a few points I wanted to shake a few of them into their senses. It was an okay read.


Updated: Another book I've re-read without remembering I'd already read it. Liked it a bit better than the first time, though once again, it took a long time to reconnect with characters. Too many characters reflecting on the past, and not enough moving forward.

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