Untimely Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan

by Carol2 Comments
Untimely Death was my last read for R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril this year. I do enjoy this event. Thanks goes to the Estella Society for hosting this year. Untimely Death started out a little rough for me. Foreshadowing's all well and good, but phrases like  "but this year was going to be different; changes were coming. She could feel it." and, on the very next page, "And although she'd never been part of a real-life murder, that was about to change," are a bit heavy-handed, especially for what is quite clearly a cozy murder mystery. Happily it improved. There are certain settings I tend to enjoy, and behind the scene at a play is one of them. Charlotte, a talented costume, is our amateur sleuth who just so happens to be dating one of the local policemen. I liked her a lot. She just seemed like a good, nice person, who knows her job and the theater well. the other characters are well-developed, especially her assistant Aaron,...
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Thursday’s Tale: The Earl Wizard of Kildare

by Carol1 Comment
Today's ghost story is from Ireland. It was retold by St. John D. Seymour and Harry L. Neligan in True Irish Ghost Stories, 1914. You can purchase the book on Amazon. Gerald Fitzgerald the Younger, 11th Earl of Kildare, died on the November 16, 1585. (Hey - November 16 is my birthday!) His body was buried in St. Brigid's Cathedral in Kildare. He was known as "the Wizard Earl" because he was believed to practice black magic and could transform himself into a bird or animal when he choice. His supernatural powers were so notorious he had become the terror of the countryside. His wife, the Countess, had long wanted to see some proof of his skill, and had frequently begged him to transform himself before her, but he had refused to do so, stating that if he did and she became afraid, he would be taken from her and she would never see him again. Still she persisted, and at last he said agreed...
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Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton

by Carol4 Comments
Wicked Charms is silly and funny and cute. It's an adventure story/ treasure hunt, but it's all over the top. Lizzie is pretty sane, but she is surrounded by oddballs, like a young man who tends to talk like a pirate and her friend who tries out spells with varying degrees of success. We've got a very rich man who wants to become a demon incarnate - if he can quit barking. Diesel is sexy and a bit dangerous, a typical character for this kind of story, but his monkey pal is rude and a riot. There are a couple of moments of true danger for Lizzie, but she keeps her head, and - surprise- Diesel rescues her. I know the whole thing is goofy, but it made me smile, just like candy. It's a short read too, so I don't want to give too much away. There's not a lot of meat to the story, but that's the style. I actually...
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Readers’ Workouts – 10/27

by Carol2 Comments
Here are my steps for the week. I did not do so well. We had a lot going on and the cooler weather just doesn't call me outside. I need to start getting to the gym more. Here's my current plan, give or take, even if I'm not following it well. My week: Tuesday - 1 mile walk with the dog Wednesday - Total body workout Saturday - Went for a walk with my brother and his family I’m down 11 lbs from 5/19. (My goal is 20 lbs) I usually listen to a book while I'm running or walking. This week I finished Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton and started Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith. How was your week? Readers’ Workouts is hosted by Joy at Joy’s Book Blog. Thanks!...
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Thursday’s Tale: Pan (2015)

by Carol3 Comments
I know I said I was going with Irish tales, but we just saw Pan over the weekend. I had this ready to go yesterday, but apparently never got around to actually posting it. Alright, I'm going to be in the minority. I enjoyed Pan. It was a cute movie and I liked how it looked. It was kind of Cirque du Soleil/pirate fairy tale. I'm not saying it was necessarily a good movie, but it was fun. Of course, I'm not a fan of Barrie's Peter Pan; I find it a bit creepy. It's not surprising that Pan, who of course does fulfill the prophecy defeats Blackbeard, along with Tiger Lily and Hook, who is his friend here, but there were some surprising moments in the film. When Pan arrives in Neverland, all the miners and pirates break into a chorus of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and when the natives are killed they burst into colors, like the kind at those color...
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