Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier

by Carol2 Comments
Candy Corn Murder is the first Lucy Stone I've read, even though it's #22 in the series. The cover is just too cute to pass up. That being said, maybe if I had read earlier ones in the series, I would have enjoyed this one more. The author spent a lot of time introducing the characters and getting us involved in the town life. As this was my first time in Tinker's Cove I appreciated it, but I feel like if you had read the others, you might be thinking "get a move on." Of course, I can't tell which are recurring characters and which are new to the series, so maybe it was all necessary. The murder itself and the solution was interesting, as was the reason a certain somebody was against the Halloween festival. I liked seeing Lucy hunt down the clues and put it altogether, but it was a bit rushed. My main problem, though, was I didn't really like...
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Readers’ Workouts – 10/20

by Carol1 Comment
Here are my steps for the week. I didn't do very well.   Here's my current plan, give or take My week: Tuesday - 60 mins on the recumbent bike Wednesday – Arm and shoulder workout Friday - 1 1/4 mile walk Monday - Gunnar Peterson's Core Secrets Ab Assault 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 The Quick by Lauren Owen and started Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton. How was your week? Readers’ Workouts is hosted by Joy at Joy’s Book Blog. Thanks!...
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The Quick by Lauren Owen

by Carol3 Comments
The Quick was this year's RIP read-along, co-hosted by The Estella Society and Amanda at Fig and Thistle. I listened to the audio version and to be honest, I found it a bit boring. It was slow and atmospheric, but even the "exciting" parts didn't really grab my attention. I was kept waiting for something to happen and then when it did, it was rather anti-climactic. Here are the discussion questions and my comments. 1. What genre (or genres) would you say THE QUICK falls into? What genre or author influences do you see in this book? I think it's a mix between historical fiction and horror. There have been so many vampires over the years, but I think these fall more along the lines of Dracula and Anne Rice's set, although not nearly as sexy as hers. They are definitely monsters. 2. Emily Richter figures into many of the book’s most pivotal early scenes. How much do you think she knows or doesn’t know about James...
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Finish Line – 24-hr Read-a-thon

by Carol1 Comment
I happened to wake up, so thought I'd fill the end of event survey out quickly. Forgive my spelling. 1 Which hour was most daunting for you? I went to bed around hour 18. 2 Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? I think next year I should have more short romances and maybe a graphic novel or two. 3 Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No 4 What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? For me, everything worked well. I enjoyed it. 5 How many books did you read? I finished 3 books and 3 shorter stories 6 What were the names of the books you read? The Quick by Lauren Owen Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier Morning in the Burned House by Margaret Atwood "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe "The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allan Poe "Gingerbread Kisses" by Beate Boeker 7 Which...
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Mid-point of the 24-hour Read-a-thon

by CarolNo Comments
So, we're halfway through the read-a-thon. Here's my mid-point update. Time spent listening to audios - 1 hr, 40 mins Time spent reading - 2 hr, 55 mins Books finished (both of which I had started previously) - The Quick by Lauren Owen and Candy Corn Murder by Leslie Meier Mini-challenges completed - Halloween Preparation and Cover Escape Mid-Event Survey: 1 What are you reading right now? "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe 2 How many books have you read so far? The end of two 3 What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? I'm not really sure. 4 Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? I knew I'd go out for lunch and had to practice the organ some this afternoon, so it wasn't a big deal. I haven't had any unexpected interruptions. 5 What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? Nothing really....
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24 Hour Readathon

by Carol4 Comments
It's Read-a-thon time! It's Read-a-thon time! I'm getting a bit of a slow start this morning, but I played Euchre a little bit later than I wanted to last night and when my alarm went off I ignore it and slept for another two hours. About me: 1 What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Eastern Ohio. Today's a bit cold by sunny. 2 Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I don't know. Part of the problem is I don't really have a plan, just choosing books/stories willy-nilly. 3 Which snack are you most looking forward to? Pizza for dinner. We've been on a bit of a diet and haven't had pizza for a while. But did you know it's also National Pasta Day, which may mean spaghetti for lunch. 4 Tell us a little something about yourself! I'm 40. I read mostly mysteries, with the occasional romance or fantasy. I have a wonderful husband and daughter...
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