Thursday, December 26, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 92nd Book

92. "I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas (Half-Moon Hollow, #2.6) by Molly Harper (Audio Book)

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 93rd and 94th Book

93. "Werewolf in Alaska" ( Wild About You #5)  by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Audiobook)

94. "Duck the Halls" ( Meg Langslow #16) by Donna Andrews (Hardback)

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Friday, December 6, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 91st Book

91. "How to Flirt With a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf #1)" by Molly Harper (Audio-book)

Friday, November 29, 2013

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 82nd and 83rd Books

82. "Kitty Kitty Bang Bang" by Sparkle Abbey (e-Book)

83. "A Cookbook Conspiracy (A Bibliophile Mystery)" by Kate Carlisle (Hardback)

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 80th and 81st Books

80. "Kneading to Die (A Gourmet Pet Food Mystery #1)" by Liz Mugavero (Paperback)

81. "The Undead In My Bed (Includes: Midnight Liaisons #1.5, Dark Ones #10.5, Half Moon Hollow #2.5)        by Jessica Sims, Katie MacAlister, and Molly Harper (Audio book)

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 72nd and 73rd Books

72. "The Cat, The Mill, and The Murder" by Leann Sweeney (Paperback)

73. "O Jerusalem" by Laurie R King (Audiobook)

Friday, October 4, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 67th to 71st Books

67. "Night Myst" by Yasmine Galenorn (Paperback)

68. "Tarnished and Torn" by Juliet Blackwell (Paperback)

69. "The Diva Frosts a Cupcake" by Krista Davis (Paperback)

70."Is it Just Me?" by Miranda Hart (Paperback)

71. "Trouble in the Tarot" by Kari Lee Townsend (Paperback)

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 62nd and 63rd Books

62. "Patchwork Narrative" by Tyler Yoder (eBook)

63. "Isabel Spellman's Guide to Ettequette: What is Wrong with You People" by Isabel Spellman (aka Lisa Lutz) (eBook)

Friday, August 23, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 59th Book

59. "The Hen of the Baskervilles" by Donna Andrews (Hard Back)

Reading (Or Listening) Challenge 60th and 61st Books

60. "The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires" by Molly Harper (Audio book)

61. "Undead and Unsure" by Mary Janice Davidson (Hard Back)

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 57th Book

57. "Fifth Grave Past the Light" (Charley Davidson #5) by Darynda Jones  (Audio Book)

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Reading (or Listening) Challenge 55th and 56th Books

55. "The Last Word (The Spellmans #6) by Lisa Lutz (Audio Book)

56. "The Private Wife of Sherlock Holmes" by Carole Nelson Douglas (e-Book)

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 47th and 48th Book

47. "Dead, White and Blue" by Carolyn Hart (Hardback)

48. "Bad Monkey" by Carl Hiaason (Audio Book)

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 42nd and 43rd Book

42. "Werewolf in Denver" by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Audiobook)

43. "Undead and Underwater" by Mary Janice Davidson (Paperback)

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 40th and 41st Book

40. "Dead Ever After" by Charlaine Harris (Audiobook)

41. "Inferno" by Dan Brown (Hardback)

I must say here that I really enjoyed these books, in spite of all the truly negative comments made by people who have read them before I did. It's comparable to all the bad reviews that Janet Evanovich has been getting on the most recent Stephanie Plum books! Come on people!  Janet has a formula for her writing and I LOVE IT! The Stephanie Plum books are mind candy. One reads them for the shear joy of reading funny stories about a "Jersey Girl".  I am also amazed at all the vitriol written in some of the reviews I have read for Charlaine's Sookie Stackhouse! I don't watch "True Blood" (I don't watch much television at all) so I cannot get on board with all the folks who watch the show, but there is one thing I do know...I wasn't very happy when Eric and Sookie became a couple. Apparently, there are so many people upset with Charlaine for the way she treated their break-up. All I can say is "whatever" Then we come to Dan Brown; to be honest, I have been seeing more bad reviews for "The Lost Symbol" than for "Inferno", but then again, "Inferno" was released recently. Again, I like the way Dan Brown writes. His short chapters, non-stop action and all the history and art and symbolism are what attracts me to his writing. I have enjoyed all his books, some more than others, but as in the case of Janet Evanovich and Charlaine Harris, I will continue to buy their books and I am pretty sure I will enjoy each one.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 28th - 39th Book

28. "A Witch Before Dying" by Heather Blake (Paperback)

29. "Cat Tricks" by Sophie Kelly (Paperback)

30. "Peril in Paperback" by Kate Carlisle (Paperback)

31. "The Cat, The Wife and The Weapon" by Leann Sweeny (Paperback)

32. "A Letter of Mary" by :aurie R. King (Audiobook)

33. "Deadlocked" by Charlaine Harris (Audiobook)

34. "Veiled Revenge" by Ellen Byerrum (Paperback)

35. "Haunted Moon" by Yasmine Galenorn (Audiobook)

36. "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riodan (Hardback)

37. "Time Thief" by Katie MacAllister (Paperback)

38. "The Moor" by Laurie R. King (Audiobook)

39. "Real Vampires Know Hips Happen" by Gerry Bartlet

Friday, April 5, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 23rd - 27th Book

23. "Hotel Hex" by Linda Wisdom (e-Book)

I began my reading journey down the paranormal path a few years ago. Prior to that shift in my reading tastes, you would find the novels of Mary Higgins-Clark or John Grisham or Marcia Mueller on my "read" or "reading" or "to read" list. You'd be hard-pressed to find any of those authors on my recent bookshelf. It seems that with few exceptions, the books I choose to read now are about witches or vampires or werewolves or a combination of the three. Just look at the list of books I've read for this challenge so far! But...I digress...Linda Wisdom's "Hex" series is about a group of witches who "screwed up" in witch school and are living out their punishment over the years...hundreds of years. The story behind "Hotel Hex" centers around Jazz Tremaine, her vampire boyfriend and her "pets"; a pair of fuzzy,teeth-bearing bunnie slippers named Fluff and Puff. Linda's books are usually light reading, but this one gets a little darker by pulling on some of the darker, more evil, black magic ~ so I would pick up her earlier books (in paperback form) and start with "50 Ways to Hex Your Lover" first and get to know all the witches and their magical specialties.


24. "Werewolf in Seattle" by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Audio Book)

This series began with "Werewolf in Manhattan" and is a fun, romantic series in which the love interests are undeniably attracted to each other from the start, but something always gets in the way. In the first book, the werewolf falls in love with a human - in the second, the brother of the werewolf in book number one (who is dead-set against human-were coupling even though his brother paved the way) also falls in love with a human. In the third book (Seattle) the werewolf falls for a female werewolf, but she is a half-breed: were father and human mother, which is unacceptable to most packs. It has the twists and turns of a steamy romance novel, including the descriptive sex scenes, but it and the others in the series are fun reads. The thread that ties them all together are the characters and the families or packs. In every book, there is some mention of the main characters from other books. Either from previous books, or future books not yet written. Personally, I like when that happens.


25."Elvis and the Blue Christmas Murder" by Peggy Webb (Hardcover)

This series is what my friend Kathe would call "mind candy". The titles are fun, the characters quirky and the pets tell part of the story. This is the fifth book in the "Southern Cousins" series. The series home is in Tupelo Mississippi (although some stories are set in other venues depending on the book). There is lots of southern cooking (and recipes), romance, hi jinks and hilarity and a basset hound named "Elvis" who is "The King" reincarnated as a dog. Elvis communicates with his human family by howling out some of Elvis Presley's most famous and favorite songs and ballads. If you love southern hospitality and and Elvis Presley, you will be in hog heaven with a peanut butter and banana sandwich.


26. "Bewitched, Bothered and Biscotti" by Bailey Cates (Paperback)

This is the second book in the "Magical Bakery" Mystery series. As the title suggests, this is a novel in which the main characters are witches. They call their coven "The Spellbook Club". Most of the non-magical people in their lives know that they practice the craft, but no one else in Savannah, Georgia knows what really goes on at the bakery. Theses ladies practice all types of magic, but use their "hedgewitchery" skills while baking the goodies for the Honeybee Bakery.
We are drawn into the world of Katie Lightfoot, a novice yet powerful witch. The stories center more around Katie's coming of age in witchcraft, but the characters and story lines are so well-drawn and woven together. Again, there is a little romance and a love triangle, but just as we'll see how Katie's magical training fairs, so we will follow her love-life.


27. "Shadow Rising" by Yasmin Galenorn (Audio Book)

This is the 12th book in the "Otherworld" series. If you have been following my book journey through this blog, you will no doubt know of my fascination/love of this series and the author Yasmin Galenorn.

In this work, the vampire sister, Menolley is our main character and we watch as she matures and grows, just as her sisters do, through the trials and tribulations of defending both Earth and Otherword against Shadow Wing and his army of demons and destroyers. LOVE!

Chameleon Washing Hands

Just taking a break from the Book Challenge to watch a cute video...
Best chameleon Video Washing Hands

Monday, March 11, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 15th - 22nd Book

15. "What The Cat Saw" by Carolyn Hart (Hardcover)

I believe that Carolyn Hart is one of the top mystery writers of our time. It doesn't matter if you read her "Death on Demand" series or her "Henri O" series or her "Bailey Ruth" series - she will NOT disappoint. Her latest, "What The Cat Saw" is more suspense and mystery than any attempt to hop on the "talking animals" band wagon. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE those books! I've been reading them for a long time...from Lillian Jackson Braun's "KoKo" and "Yum Yum" to Carole Nelson Douglas' "Midnight Louie" to "Rudy", the yorkiepoo rescue who can "talk" to his mistress Ellie Engleman in Judi McCoy's "dog Walker" mysteries.But, the ability of Nela (the lead character in this new work) to read the thoughts of "Jugs" the cat is so strategically placed in this novel, allows the plot to flow. I will read ANYTHING written by Ms. Hart...anything.


16. "Fashion Faux Paw" by Judi McCoy (Paperback)

Once again, Ellie Engleman gets herself hip-deep in solving yet another murder, much to the chagrin of her NYPD Police Officer boyfriend, Sam. This time, the book is set during Fashion Week in NYC. A new design house is sponsoring a contest to choose the next designer to be added to their house. The deal is that each contestant design 3 outfits. The catch is that the final outfit must also have doggie couture that matches each model's canine companion. Naturally, Ellie is in charge of the models dogs during the week. Fashionistas and murder go hand in glove (if you will...). If you like dogs, haute couture and murder with a clever plot and "talking" dogs, this is the book for you!


17. "Dead Reckoning" by Charlaine Harris (Audio Book)

I am continuing along with my listening to the Sookie Stackhouse aka Southern Vampire mysteries. This doesn't mean that I'm rushing out to buy HBO's "True Blood" series DVDs, but I am enjoying this series. I love Sookie! I am finding that I am reading or listening to more and more "paranormal" stories. I guess that after confessing that I have placed over 900 books on my "read" shelf on the  Goodreads site, I've been ready for a bit of a change. This was the 11th book in the series, which is ending with the publication of the 13th book in May of this year (oh boo whore!). I already have purchased and downloaded #12 "Deadlocked" from Audible.com. I am waiting to read if #13 will be released in audio format as well, or just in hardcover and e-reader....


18. "The Bookcase" by Nelson DeMille (Audio Book)

I love DeMille's character, John Cory and have listened to all of DeMille's John Cory books that have been written so far, so I could not pass up the chance to listen to this short story set back when John was still working for the NYPD and not the Feds. This was a nice change from the usual fare. Sarcastic and typically "New York", the  story was everything I expect from Mr. DeMille. I have a love-hate relationship with this character, but that won't stop me from reading and listening every time he is the main character.


19. "A Touch of Dead" by Charlaine Harris (Audio Book)

This is a collection of Sookie Stackhouse short stories. A bit of fun to fill in the gaps in the Southern Vampire mysteries. Delightful. :-)


20. "Murder on the House" by Juliette Blackwell (Paperback)

Juliet Blackwell is the author of many series: the first I read were the books in the "Art Lovers" mysteries. Then I picked up the "Witchcraft" mysteries and have read all of those that have been published so far, so when I heard that she would write the "Haunted Home Renovations" mysteries, I was already on board before the first, "If Walls Could Talk" was even published.

Mel Turner is running Turner Construction for her Dad, who hasn't been able to take much of an interest in the company since Mel's mother passed away. Not only did she inherit her father's love of construction, she coupled that with her own love of restoration and recently realized that she also has her mother's ability to communicate with the departed. As the Library Journal has already stated "...theses books are cleverly plotted...Blackwell's series has plenty of ghosts and supernatural happenings to keep readers entertained." Let me tell you that THIS reader is very entertained!


21. "11th Hour" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Hardcover)

I like some of James Patterson's work - I have read a few of his stand-alones, but if you haven't figured it out by now, I love to read or listen to a series. I never "got into" his Alex Cross books (although they are very popular) but I have read every single one from "The Women's Murder Club" series. It seems that whenever I start one of these books, I. Can. Not. Put. It. Down.  These women are growing and we are following them through their lives. I enjoy how we get a glimpse of every one's life but still have our attention focused on one or two of the women at a time...and everything is woven together beautifully...seamlessly... I cannot wait for number 12...


22. "Shaded Vision" by Yasmine Galenorn (Audio Book)

The 11th book in the Otherworld series continues the story from Delilah's point of view. There is love and passion and weddings and promises as well as death and magic and mayhem and all of the other things that I have come to expect from Ms. Galenorn. She keeps writing, Cassandra Campbell keeps reading and I keep listening...

Monday, February 18, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Book

11. "So Pretty it Hurts" by Kate White (Hardback)

After a few years, Ms. White wrote another Baily Weggins mystery. I'm so glad she did! I'm not a fashionista, a fan of gossip magazines or tabloids, but the books in Kate White's Baily Weggins series are fun - well-written fun! Bailey finds herself (once again) having trouble in her love-life (I do believe that she is the commitment-phobe) and runs off on another adventure to put space between her and her emotions. Great plot-line with nods to the publishing and entertainment industries. Good read.


12. "Blood Wyne" by Yasmine Galenorn (Audio Book)

The 9th installment in the Otherworld Series picks up the plot-line from Menoly (the Vampire's) point of view. I love that we get to see the other characters through the eyes and life of each one of the sisters one book at a time. I've sang the praises of Ms. Galenorn before and will continue to do so. I love the story, the paranormal aspects and the reader (Cassandra Campbell).I got so into the book that when it finished, I jumped right in and started listening to he next in the series...which leads me to...


13. "Courting Darkness" by Yasmine Galenorn (Audio Book)

In the 10th book, Camille (the oldest sister, Moon Witch and High Priestess of the Moon Mother) takes over and we experience the story through her eyes and senses. Everything moves so seamlessly between the tales of each sister. I am amazed at the way the books flows so beautifully; it is magic. The books have their dark sides, but there are glimmers of hope; bright spots. It never gets so dark that the light won't shine through and yet, the lightness gives way to the dark reminding the readers and listeners that there is still danger on the horizon. All I know is that I really enjoy the whole lot of them and I am in it for the long haul. This is a GREAT ride!


14. "The Cinderella Pact" by Sarah Strohmeyer (Paperback)

I started reading Sarah Strohmeyer's novels back when she was writing her Bubbles Yablonsky series. At the time, I lived in the Allentown, PA area (18 years ago).This series (Bubbles) was set in he surrounding community of Bethlehem, PA. I knew all of the places that she wrote about in the books! Bubbles is also of Polish/Eastern European descent and so am I. The characters and settings remind me so much of my home and my childhood, I mean I knew some of the characters! The names were different, but they are the same people! I LOVED BUBBLES! I was so very disappointed when Ms. Strohmeyer stopped writing about Bubbles and her exploits, but that did not deter me from reading some of her other books; stand alone novels written in the same warm and friendly style. From "The Sleeping Beauty Proposal" to "Sweet Love" to "The Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives"...I finally reached into the book shelf in my home, dusted off my copy of "The Cinderella Pact" and sat back for an enjoyable journey. It turns out, much to my surprise and delight,  that Bubbles makes a cameo appearance in this book. Magic. A sweet cupcake of a read that became a Lifetime made for TV movie...

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 10th Book

10. "Dial C for Chihuahua" by Waverly Curtis Hardcover

Waverly Curtis is two people; Waverly Fitzgerald and Curt Colbert. This is their first book. In a word...cute. I dove into it with enthusiasm.  I purchased it because the title made me giggle (you would be surprised how any books I purchase and read as a result of the title tickling my fancy!). It slowed quite a bit in the middle, but since I ALWAYS finish a book that I start, I read along until it sped up again and in the end, I found that I enjoyed it. I am reserving final judgement until I read the second in the series, "Chihuahua Confidential".

In this series, we have a talking chihuahua, a divorcee who is trying to get back on her feet after leaving a cheating husband, several unusual characters and a new love interest...possibly.  Another thing that this book series has in it's favor is that the authors are donating a portion of all book sales to the ASPCA (a charity that I also support). I know that is not a typical reason one keeps purchasing books, but if I find the stories cute, they make me smile, and is for a good cause, then that is good enough reason for me.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 8th and 9th Books

8. "Doom with a View" by Victoria Laurie Paperback

I started reading Victoria Laurie's books a few years ago when I picked up the first in her first Ghost Hunter Mystery Series, "What's a Ghoul to Do?". It was so different and so interesting, that when I found that she also writes The Psychic Eye Mysteries, I dove right in with the first one, "Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye" and have been devouring her books ever since.

"Doom with a View" is the seventh one in the Psychic Eye series. Abby has come a long way, both in her professional life as a psychic and in her romantic life with her FBI boyfriend Dutch Rivers. In this story, she and her best friend, Candice Fusco (a private investigator), work with the FBI to find the missing children of US Senators and Representatives. Not only do they have to deal with skeptical FBI agents, but with a deranged serial killer.

Ms. Laurie IS a professional psychic who also is an author. I believe that she is a genuine psychic, but that is not what makes to books so good. She is a great writer who gets you hooked in the story early and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

I am sure that before this challenge is done, I will have read several more of Victoria Laurie's books and enjoyed them all (and I don't need a psychic to tell me that!).


9. "Notorious Nineteen" by Janet Evanovich Audio Book (and Hardback)

I keep reading reviews lately in which individuals really trash Ms. Evanovich's books calling them "more of the same" or "please make Stephanie Plum grow up and get a life" and other words to that affect. I. DON'T. CARE! I LOVE her books. I will continue to read them and listen to them. I will wait with excitement for each new installment. I will purchase the "Plum Books" and the "Wicked Books" and the other books with her name on them. Her books make me laugh out loud. They make me smile.

This book contains all the essentials; Cars blowing up, FTA 's with interesting back-stories, rocket launchers, bad guys, senior citizens, Morelli and Bob, Ranger, Lula and Connie and of course Stephanie.

Keep writing Ms. Evanovich. I will continue to read and listen until you run out of numbers.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 6th and 7th Books

6. "Etched in Silver" by Yasmine Galenorn e-Book (e-Novella)

This is another back-story for Ms. Galenorn's Otherworld Series. This time, we are taken back to the past in Camille's story-line and shown a little bit of not only her past in Y'Elestrial but the story of how she met her Alpha lover, Trillian. Again, because I have been listening to the other books in the Otherworld series, this was a treat to learn a little more about two of the characters. I enjoy mysteries, romances and erotica. This series brings them all together. Ms. Galenorn as been criticized by some for the amount of sex in her books, but I find it appropriate to the plot and her characters. I love this series. I thoroughly enjoy everything about it and am extremely grateful that there are many more to read; it is like catching up with old friends.


7. "A Monstrous Regiment of Women" by Laurie R. King Audio Book

WOW! I am surprised that it has taken me so many years to "find" this author! There are just some books that you don't want to end, because you have to wait to read the next in the series. Laurie King's books (as well as Elizabeth George, Sue Grafton, Charlaine Harris, etc) are those books. This is the second in her series about the apprentice to Sherlock Holmes. Yes...Ms. King takes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's sleuth, brings him into the 20th Century and gives him an apprentice...and it is MAGIC! This is the second book in the series. The first is "The Bee Keeper's Apprentice". There we meet Mary Russell, 15 years old, both parents killed in an automobile accident in California, and forced to live in the family home in Sussex with a spinster aunt who controls the family fortune until Mary comes of age (when she turns 21). In Mary's attempt to stay as far away from the aunt in question, she comes upon a bee keeper at the next farm who turns out to be none other than a retired Sherlock Holmes! He takes her under his wing as an apprentice and the rest is a flight of fantasy that combines the familiar characters and places in the Sherlock Holmes books with the new characters and story lines. I enjoy listening to these books. I am married to a Brit and I love to hear him talk - what a great accent! Listening to these books is the same; a wonderful narrator with a British accent. If I tried to write about the plots and turns and twists in this book, I would be blogging for the next week; suffice to say that if you are looking for a historically accurate, British mystery with a great pair of protagonists...start with the first book and keep going.

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 5th Book

5. "Bruja Brouhaha" by Rochelle Staab Paperback

This is the second of Ms. Staab's books that I have read. She writes about different "religions" and psychiatry through her main characters Liz Cooper (psychiatrist) and Nick Garfiled (professor of religious studies). I picked up the first one purely because I liked the title "Who Do Voodoo?" I enjoyed it so much that I did not hesitate to purchase the next. This time, instead of getting a peek at voodoo, we are allowed to learn a little about Santeria. I find myself eager to learn about all types of worship and religion and I love me a good mystery, so this was a win-win for me. The story started out at a good pace, slowed a little near the middle, but then tied everything together neatly at the finish. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next one!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 4th Book

4. "Ice Shards" by Yasmin Galenorn e-Book (e-Novella)

I have read some of Ms. Galenorn's work, in paperback, in the form of her Chintz 'n China series as well as another (too short, in my opinion) series when she was writing as "India Ink". Lately, I have been listening to Ms. Galenorn's Otherworld series on my mp3 player. I enjoy her writing style and plots. The Otherworld series of books are intriguing and satisfy my imagination. I find the whole supernatural genre to be fabulous reading and have added more books dealing with witches, vampires, demons, dragons, werewolves, shifters, etc. to my "read" list and to the "to be read" list.

"Ice Shards" tells the background story of one of the characters (Iris, the house sprite) in the Otherworld series. Since I have been listening to the other books in this series, reading one (especially on my i-Phone) was a new experience for me. As I read, I could still hear the narrator (Cassandra Campbell) voice. The only difference I noted is the Otherworld books use one of the three D'Artigo sisters as the "narrator" if you will, starting with Camile (moon witch), Delila (were-tabby/were-panther) and Menoly (vampire). The books include all the characters, but the individual sister's story drives the action in each book. It was a nice change to hear the story through one of the other characters. After reading this one, I am hoping that Ms. Galenorn takes the time to write other novellas that focus on one or more of the other characters from Otherworld.

This story was a good, quick read, but I am wondering how much I would have enjoyed it if I had not started listening to the others in this series. As it stands, I read this story out of sequence; but not far enough out that I couldn't follow the plot line. I have finished up through book #8, but this story really happens between books #10 and #11. Guess I'll just have to listen to numbers 9 and 10 to catch up!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge 3rd Book

3. "Clobbered by Camembert" by Avery Aames  Paperback

This is the third book in The Cheese Shop Mysteries. I found this author's books at the blog "Mystery Lovers' Kitchen". I am a big fan of Cleo Coyle's Coffee Shop Series and of Krista Davis' Domestic Diva Series. I learned that both of these ladies not only share recipes in their books, but at this blog as well. One day while I was checking out the blog, I noticed the cover for one of Avery's (a.k.a. Daryl Gerber) and decided to purchase it and check it out. It was the first one, "The Long Quiche Goodbye". I'm so very glad I did. The plots, characters and description of different cheeses are wonderfully rich and satisfying. I am looking forward to the next one in the series.


Friday, January 4, 2013

Book Reading (or Listening) Challenge (The Beginning)

I love books! I love to read! So...I joined a book challenge "Read A Latte". I am going to read as many books as I can this year from January 1 to December 31, 2013 and post reviews or at least the titles of the books here on my blog.

Here goes:

1. "File M for Murder" by Miranda James   Paperback

I really enjoy cozy mysteries, especially cozy mysteries with animals. This one has a cat; a Maine Coon named Diesel. The other characters are human, and that's cool too. The main human, Charlie Harris, is a librarian who inherited his Aunt's house and has moved in after his wife passed away. This is the third book in the series and I have enjoyed each in turn. The stories are well thought out, have engaging plots and showcase Diesel who gets his name from the sound of his purr. We meet people from Charlie's work, his boarders, his children and old and new friends. All in all, a good read.

2. "Dead in the Family" by Charlaine Harris   Audio Book

This is the 10th book in Ms Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series. I like Sookie. I like reading about vampires and werewolves and shape shifters and fairies and witches and telepaths. Many people have panned this book as not having any "new" things happen. I happened to like it as much as I like the other books in the series. I listen to books while I exercise, either on the stationary bike or while I take my daily walk. I guess I just like to be read to. I feel like I "know" the characters in a series especially if I've invested so much time to read, or listen to, all the books, so I just want to get to the end...to see what happens next.

Two down...Seventy-three to go...
Keep checking back to see my progress and maybe pick up one or two to read or listen to yourself.