Carol's Notebook – Page 215

A Well-Timed Murder by Tracee de Hahn

March 30, 2018March 29, 2018 by Carol7 Comments

This is the second in the series featuring Agnes Lüthi, but I didn't read the first and felt like this one worked quite well on its own. I do think reading #1 first would give you more insight into Agnes and what she's been though. It took me a while to connect with her, and I think if I had read the first, I would have already been invested in her when I started this one. Agnes feels like a real person, calm and intelligent, juggling work and life. She's a widow with two children and while I usually prefer my detectives to not have children, unless the children are adults with their own lives, I didn't find it too distracting here. Agnes is asked to investigate the death of a well-known watchmaker, Guy Chavanon. His death has been ruled an accident, a result of contact with peanuts, which he's allergic. Of course, it's not a simple accident and we find that...

The Horse’s Arse by Laura Gascoigne

March 29, 2018March 28, 2018 by Carol6 Comments

I admit I love a little art thrown in with my crime. I couldn't pass up this story with its combo of art, fraud, kidnapping, and even murder. I actually enjoyed this one. It took a little while to sort everything out, but it was a fun read. I've got an excerpt to give you a taste. Read an excerpt from The Horse's Arse: The story so far: Daniel Colvin, a junior reporter on the art newspaper Marquette, has uncovered evidence of a dodgy deal between the international art dealer Bernard Orlovsky and the UK’s State Gallery, but just as his revelations are going to press he is knocked off his bike by a hit-and-run driver. Back home from hospital with a leg in plaster, he finds his flat has been raided. DC Yasmin Desai from the Met’s Art & Antiques Squad had warned him Orlovsky was dangerous, but he hadn’t listened… Daniel knew there was something wrong from the light, or the absence...

My Favorite . . . High School Experience

March 28, 2018 by Carol8 Comments

My Favorite.. is a weekly meme hosted by Maureen’s Books. In this meme we share every week something we love with each other. Because let’s face it.. The world can be a dark place and it’s time to share something positive. For more info: My Favorite Meme. I know everyone will be surprised that I was a nerd in high school, before it was even a tiny bit cool, before the Big Bang Theory and the board game renaissance. I was also a band geek, but being in band was definitely my favorite high school experience. Most of my friends were there. In marching season, we were a "competition band" and probably a little stuck up, but we worked hard and sounded good, at least that's how I remember it. We performed at football games, obviously, even though I'm not sure that any of us actually cared about the games, and went to local shows. We also went to San Antonio...

Readers’ Workouts – 3/27

March 27, 2018 by Carol4 Comments

I made my steps again this week. I took the dog for a walk yesterday - it was sunny and nice. Today it's raining. :( This week's activities: Tuesday - Yoga Thursday - Yoga Monday - Yoga I also did my push ups most nights. I need to get to the gym this week, but I'm not sure when. I have to play three evenings, and Saturday and Sunday we have dinner plans. Maybe Friday? Yes, I could in theory go in the morning before work, but that's not going to happen. Maybe Friday or Saturday afternoon. Dinners: Tuesday - Chicken Lo Mein (takeout) Wednesday - Baked rigatoni Thursday - Gnocchi with marinara (Restaurant) Friday - City chicken, rice Saturday - Pizza (delivery) Sunday - Burgers and fries Monday - Chicken pot pie Goals for March Gym – 4 times (current: 2) Pilates – 12 times (I ended up not doing Pilates this month. I'm doing yoga instead.) Yoga – 1 (current: 9) :) 62 pts in the #MarchUP Challenge (Current: 69) :) Meal ideas for next week: "Skinny" eggplant parmesan...

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

March 22, 2018March 22, 2018 by Carol11 Comments

A Wrinkle in Time was a re-read for me, but I read it first back when I was like 10 or so and remembered absolutely nothing about it. I've been seeing the commercials for the new Disney movie too, but they're not really a good representation of the book. Meg is a smart kid, but has trouble fitting in at school. Everyone thinks Charles Wallace, her little brother is dumb, but really he knows so much more than anyone. Calvin is a popular kid in school who never feels like he fits in, but he fakes "normal" well enough. The three of them go on a mission to save Meg's dad, a scientist who went missing, with the help of a trio of beings, Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who, and Mrs Which. This is a middle school book that deals with physics and religion, belief and identity, but it does so lightly. It's a fantasy/sci-fi story and the three kids have been thrust into...

My Favorite . . . Hobby Next To Reading

March 21, 2018March 21, 2018 by Carol12 Comments

My Favorite.. is a weekly meme hosted by Maureen’s Books. In this meme we share every week something we love with each other. Because let’s face it.. The world can be a dark place and it’s time to share something positive. For more info: My Favorite Meme. At first I thought I don't really have any hobbies aside from reading. I enjoy playing the piano, but I get paid for that occasionally, so I'm not sure if it counts as a hobby. And then there's blogging. Does that count as a hobby? Probably, but I connect it to reading, so it's not a favorite separate hobby. I don't think I would have any other type of blog. My favorite non-reading hobby is probably playing board games and card games. We get together with friends about once a week and play games for a few hours. Last weekend it was Viticultre. We also play games as a family, or with my mom when we...