Carol's Notebook – Page 159

Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge Wrap-up

January 8, 2020January 8, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge ended Monday. Here's what I read: Books Finished: Lord James Harrington and the Christmas Mystery by Lynn FlorkiewiczThe Christmas Egg by Mary KellyAn Ale of Two Cities by Sarah FoxThe Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories edited by Martin EdwardsA Rumpole Christmas by John MortimerThe Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys BowenMerry Murder by C. S. McDonald Novellas Finished: Christmas at the Chateau by Lorraine WilsonGrievance in Gingerbread Alley by Leighann DobbsCadaver on Candy Cane Lane by Leighann DobbsThe Ghost of Christmas Past by Angie FoxThe Christmas Pact by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward I really enjoy holiday reading, especially Christmas. My favorite was probably The Twelve Clues of Christmas. I didn't watch any Christmas movies this year though, which seems a little sad. I should have at least pulled out A Muppet Christmas Carol. Thanks, Michelle, for hosting. I had fun as always....

Malice at the Palace by Rhys Bowen

January 7, 2020January 6, 2020 by Carol4 Comments

I've been on a bit of a Royal Spyness kick lately. They're light and easy to follow when I'm doing other things. Georgie is delightful as always. This time around, Georgie is staying at Kensington Palace and showing Princess Marina around London. She is the fiancee of the King's sons, George. And then a dead body shows up in the courtyard, a woman who had plenty of lovers including George himself. Georgie gets roped into helping the detective due to her position, but also does a fair amount of investigating on her own. The mystery was fine with a few suspects and some red herrings. Malice at the Palace touches on the plight of unwed mothers at the time, too. The characters are really the highlight. Georgie is fun and caring and smart. She's a bit naive, but I'm not sure how, given the behavior and talk of her mother and her best friend, both of whom are far from innocent....

Fit Readers – 1/7

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

It's time to get back into some kind of shape. Lose weight, get back to the gym or workout at home, eat better. Hmmm, seems like I have the same goals every year. So it's time for some accountability. In theory, I'll post my goal progress and any highlights here once a week or so. FitReaders is hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog and That’s What I’m Talking About. The hashtag is #FitReaders. Goals for 2020: Lose 12 poundsGet back to being able to run 3-5 milesEat more plant-based, whole-food meals - probably will do this more intentionally next month. With Amber home it's not the easiest thing to do. Goals for January (starting today 1/7): 8,000 steps, 5 days per weekExercise at least 30 minutes, 5 days per weekKeep a food log - wishing I had chosen something better than French toast sticks and pop for breakfast this morning. Drink 6 glasses of water a day, 7 days a week...

Bout of Books 27

January 6, 2020January 13, 2020 by CarolNo Comments

Bout of Books 27 starts today! Here’s the info: The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, Twitter chats, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 27 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. FROM THE BOUT OF BOOKS TEAM I’ll be keeping progress here. Challenges will generally be on twitter (@carolsnotebook). I’m hoping to also keep up with the photo-a-day on Instagram. I’m at @carolsnotebook. Monday: Listened to 4 hrs 38 mins of Crowned and Dangerous by Rhys Bowen Tuesday: Listened to 4 hrs 56 mins of Crowned and Dangerous. Wednesday: Listened to the last 23 mins of Crowned and Dangerous. Listened to 3 hrs 56 mins of Why We Can't Sleep by Ada Calhoun. Thursday: Listened to...

Sunday Salon – 1/5

January 5, 2020January 5, 2020 by Carol7 Comments

Thanks to Deb at Readerbuzz for hosting The Sunday Salon. Stop over there or at the Facebook Group to participate. Week’s Highlight: I hope everyone had a Happy New Years! We stayed home and played board games with friends. We went to an escape room on Thursday with Amber and one of her friends. This is the second time we've done one of EscapeWorks rooms. This one was a follow-up to the last room; the culprit in the last one was the murder victim this time around. It was a murder mystery type room. We knew who the suspects were but the puzzles helped figure out who they all were, where they came from, what weapons they had and eventually who killed Bugsy. A lot of fun! Reading: I finished my 2019 reading with a few light mysteries. The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys BowenMerry Murder by C. S. McDonaldHeirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen My first book of 2020 was a fun cozy mystery set in Cleveland. Sheila at...

Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien

January 4, 2020January 4, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

Lana Lee is working at the noodle shop's stand at the Night Market when the pleasant summer evening is disrupted by an explosion of one of the food trucks. The owner of the truck is killed in the explosion. His wife suffered some minor burns, but the police are suspicious that she may have something to do with the bomb, possibly for the insurance money. Lana and her roommate Megan decide to investigate, in part because Lana's curious, but the wife is one of her mom's friends and her mom is upset. It seems like most of the Asian community in Cleveland know each other and/or have mutual acquaintances, which makes gathering information easier, but trying to do it without attracting notice difficult. I've been reading this series in order and enjoying it. Lana's relationships with her family is great. They love each other, but that doesn't mean they always get along. And Lana's aunt is in town, adding a whole nother...