I wish I had never read this book so I could read it again for the first time. This is such a lovely book. I hope they make it into a movie or a limited TV series so I could see the kids on the Island and that Cerulean Sea. Ideally, I'd love to see this book made into a Kdrama, I know it would be wonderful because Kdramas are slow and languid in their storytelling and so visually pleasing.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Friday, July 21, 2023
Have You Been Getting Your Steps In?
I've been working on meeting or exceeding 10,000 steps per day. A while back I lost my Fitbit so I've been using my phone to track my steps, and since I put my phone down often during the day, I have to make a concerted effort to get all the steps in before going to bed. Of course, if I'm out running or walking I do love to listen to audiobooks to keep me going.
I came across Red Queen because I was looking for a fantasy book that was available as an audiobook from my public library. I enjoyed it, it's very similar, plotwise to more than a couple other fantasy YA books. I did enjoy it enough that I want to know what happens next and am continuing the series. If you like fantasy told from a female lead POV, give this series a try and see what you think!
3.5 stars
Thursday, July 20, 2023
The Eden Test- A Thriller and a Few Botanical Garden Pics
Monday, July 5, 2021
#COYER SEASONS SUMMER POST! And Tango Trouble Review!!
"In the dead of winter, when the town of Cliff Haven seems practically frozen . . .
. . . Tango classes may be the key to heating things up.
It's been months since the mishap at the theater, and Ellie is still reeling.
Between exercising her magic and coming to terms with another family member disappearing from her life, Ellie wants nothing more than things to get back to normal.
Whatever that is.
When she comes across a body and a man standing over it holding a knife, the case looks pretty open and shut.
Until it doesn't.
With so many suspects, will Ellie be able to solve the crime? Or will a murderer go free?
Join Ellie, Penelope, Xander, and the whole Cliff Haven gang in the fourth book of the Magical Mane Mystery series."
It’s time to celebrate Summer!
"Reminder on how it works….
COYER – Clean Out Your E-Reads – was initially about reading free (or nearly free) e-books and writing reviews for them. We’re going back to that as the basis, with some seasonal twists.
At the end of each season, reviews entered in the review linky will be eligible for a $5 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. On the last Thursday of each season (except December, where we’ll finish out the year), Michelle will randomly select and announce the winner for the season and share the sign-up for the next season (including a reminder of the rules). This means that all reviews for the season must be in the linky by 12 noon EST on the last Wednesday of the month. Any reviews entered after 12 noon EST will go towards the next season. But keep following the current rules for the remainder of the month.
Each season brings a new challenge so if you didn’t participate in Winter but want to Join Spring you are welcome to do that. You do not have to participate in all seasons, you can pick and choose which seasons you want to join."
Sunday, May 23, 2021
#TheSundayPost for May 23rd! What's Going On?
I'm not feeling this cover, it's a little too action movie starring Steven Sagal -esque! I have every confidence that the book is better than the cover!
Saturday, May 15, 2021
#TheSundayPost My Belated Mother's Day!
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Let's Hope This Warm Up Is Here To Stay! Plus! NEW Cozy Series Book- Farm to Trouble!
Prolific cozy mystery writer Amanda Flower is out with a new series. I was drawn to this series by the fresh look of the cover and the fun title. I'm excited to say this is the book of the month for June's Cozy Mystery Book Club. I am reading it early because this is when I was able to borrow it from my library!
Sunday, February 21, 2021
#Romance Review and a Recommendation
This month's selection for a book club I belong to was A Totally Awkward Love Story by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison. It's a story told from Hannah and Sam's point of view in which they have just finished secondary school. It takes place over the summer while they are waiting for the results of their admissions tests for university. In the book Hannah and Sam keep running into each other, being attracted to each other, and then something gets in the way, and they miss their opportunity. The book has parties and trips and shopping and eating--honestly, reading about the vacations in France, Greece, and the group of friends going to a festival during COVID-19 made me a little jealous. However, listening to the book definitely didn't make me miss being 18. The book is filled with many miscommunications and drunken decisions, which seem to be right on point for that time of life between the very end of childhood and the official start of adulthood.
And now the recommendation. I was looking for a way to use fewer giant plastic bottles of Laundry Soap and Dishwasher detergent. I decided it was worth it to give Dropps a try. I've been super impressed. The boxes the pods come in can be composted and the pods work as good as name brand stuff in the washing machine and the dishwasher pods are super good. I've stopped having to rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. This link has a referral discount: Dropps if you want to check it out. It's a subscription service but it's very flexible on the timing of orders, and it's so nice to reduce some of the plastic bottles our house goes through each month.
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Reading My Way Through July - I'm on a Mission
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I listened to this book via audible. The reader is the same reader who does all the Sookie Stackhouse books. I had some trouble remembering I wasn't listening to a Charlaine Harris novel, it wasn't just the voice but also many of the characteristics that Charli the MC has in this book. Lots of similarities in her personality, backstory, and place in the magical world.
I started this book and it did not grab me so I set it back down for a few months and then finally picked it back up.
If you like magic mysteries, you may very well enjoy this series. For me, it didn't hold my interest and I was easily distracted.
Will I continue this series? Not likely.
View all my reviews
Friday, April 10, 2020
What in Tarnation?
I'm not too worried. A- plenty of other things to worry about and B- Chicagoland forecasts changed every hour on the hour so who knows!
Today was blustery and I was kind of slow, but I was able to run 4.5 miles and for that I am happy.
I took a picture at a local nursery here-
And then yesterday I took a photo from our front yard.
Weeds you say? Ah pshaw, I say they are flowers I don't have to maintain. Plus according to The Guardian:
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Looking for Summer Reads? Try some Urban Fantasy
The Witch With No Name by Kim Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I started reading this book when it first came out and then I put it down for a few years, Why? It's the last book in Kim Harrison's Hollows Series and I wasn't ready to be done forever with Rachel, Ivy, Jenks and Al.
I thoroughly enjoyed the series. Back around book 7, I met Kim Harrison at a book signing. She is a lovely person. It's always nice when the writer whose work you look forward to reading is also pleasant and happy to answer questions about her stories.
I'm not 100% clear on the vampire resolution, like what will happen when Ivy dies her first death. Will there be some sort of vampire daisy chain? I'm not going to over think this, because I have to say I don't care as much about the vampires as I do the demons. The demon situation was resolved very satisfactorily.
I was disappointed on the fast forward that occurs in final chapters, I was really hoping to see Rachel and Trent marry and raising the kiddos (with Quen) shortly after the climax of the book. Ending with Rachel finally feeling like a full member of society would have been icing on the cake. Rachel says she is OK without a marriage, but I think we know better. Also Rachel's mom would love for her daughter to get married. 😊 Maybe Kim will do a short story follow up with a wedding, or maybe she has done one already and I don't know!
Having so many great books sitting in my TBR pile, and on my Audible wish list, I rarely re-read anything. However, The Witch With No Name did have me feeling surprisingly nostalgic and I want to go back to the beginning and read Dead Witch Walking now that I know how the story ends.
View all my reviews
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On the writing front, tomorrow starts the #1000wordsofsummer challenge. You can click to join the challenge if you like to write! I'm excited because yesterday I figured out what to do with the date I accidentally sent my protagonist on with one of her co-workers. It's going to be awkward!
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Let's have a refresher on the Rules of the Road Shall We? And also a recipe for pie.
All because some drivers insist on turning in front or behind me when I'm in the crosswalk with the right of way! You, driver, are not supposed to be turning right or left while I'm in the roadway.
Me trying to live. You, driver, not paying attention or looking both ways before making a right turn. Look both ways ! Lucky for me, I didn't get hit by a car recently; because I assume if I don't make eye contact with the driver turning right, then it's not safe for me to cross.
Also while I am ranting into the wind here, if you have a dog, put it on a leash. Dogs like to chase me. I run slow and that makes me very catchable.
And now a recipe for pie...
Pie actually seems fairly complicated to make in my opinion, so I googled easiest pie to make and this post was at the top of the list. If you are game, here are some super easy pies you can make!
Easy Pie Recipes