Carol's Notebook – Page 425

Thursday’s Tale: Verde Prato

May 30, 2013 by Carol1 Comment

"Verde Prato" is an Italian tale, written by Giambattista Basile in his 1634 work, Il Pentamerone, which also includes "Penta with Maimed Hands." Il Pentamerone is a collection of 50 stories, told within a frame story of a deceitful queen who has demanded that her husband tell her stories, and he in turn hired a group of ten female storytellers who each tell five stories over five days. "Verde Prato" is the second story of the second day. A woman has three daughters. The older two have no luck at all but the youngest, Nella, is as usual lovely and talented and more or less perfect. She is having a secret affair with a handsome prince who lives many miles away. The two lovers build a glass tunnel that runs under the ground—from the prince’s castle into the princess’s bedroom, so that they might "joy together" without the mom's knowing it. Every night the prince runs through the tunnel naked to spend time...

Audiobook Review: Blessed Are Those Who Thirst by Anne Holt

May 29, 2013June 17, 2013 by Carol3 Comments

Title: Blessed Are Those Who Thirst (Hanne Wilhelmsen #2) Author: Anne Holt Translator: Anne Bruce Reader: Kate Reading Category: Mystery- Police Procedural Audio published: May 1, 2013 by Blackstone Audio (First published 1993) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon | IndieBound | Book Depository It is only the beginning of May but in Oslo a brutal heat wave has coincided with an alarming increase in violent crime. In the latest instance, police investigator Hanne Wilhelmsen is sent to a macabre crime scene on the outskirts of town. An abandoned shed is covered in blood. On one wall an eight-digit number is written in blood. There is no body—nor any sign of a victim. Is it a kid’s prank or foul play? Is it even human blood? As more bloody numbers are found in isolated locations throughout Oslo, Hanne’s colleague Håkon Sand makes a startling discovery: the digits correspond to the filing numbers of foreign immigrants. All are female, all are missing. Is there a serial killer on the loose in Oslo?...

Audiobook Review: Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace by Marion Chesney

May 28, 2013May 29, 2013 by Carol1 Comment

Title: Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace (The Poor Relations #3) Author: Marion Chesney Reader: Davina Porter Category: Romance- Historical Audio Published: June 1, 2012 by AudioGo (First published 1993) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon Lucy Budley, one of the indigent gentlefolk who pooled their resources to create the Poor Relation Hotel, is prompted by her co-proprietors to travel to Delacourt Castle in Warwickshire. Once there, they plan, she will pretend to be a distant relative and relieve the dotty old Marquess of Peterhouse of enough trinkets to support herself back in London. The plot is foiled, however, when the old Marquess dies and is replaced by his sharp-witted and darkly handsome nephew. Exposed as a liar, the widow Budley tells all and begs his forgiveness, only to discover that the new Marquess may have plans for her; he needs a wife to keep both prying neighbors and ambitious London mothers at bay. In Mrs. Budley Falls from Grace by Marion Chesney, the proprietors of The Poor Relation hotel are,...

Performer or Bystander

May 26, 2013May 28, 2013 by Carol5 Comments

Do you consider yourself the outgoing performer or the appreciative bystander? Why? I consider myself the appreciative bystander. I'm not one to get up on stage but I love watching others perform in plays or musicals or even sports activities. I will clap and cheer and love every minute of it. However, I've been playing the organ at church on Sundays lately, definitely performing, but it's still a behind-the-scenes performance. The congregation hears the music but, for the most, doesn't see me since the organist is partly hidden by a wall. I play the piano for the choir anthems, but it's also rather tucked away. I'm not out there on the stage, and that's fine with me. What about you? Performer or bystander?...

Snapshot Saturday: Pirates Game

May 25, 2013May 24, 2013 by Carol8 Comments

I'm a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Yes, we haven't had a winning season since I was in high school, but there's hope this year. I love to go to the games, and last weekend I got to sit in the best seats I've ever had. I got to tag along with my husband and some of his folks from work and our seats were right behind home base and the tickets include all the food. It was an awesome evening! Saturday Snapshot is now hosted by Melinda at West Metro Mommy....

Review: Clockwork Mafia by Seleste deLaney

May 24, 2013June 17, 2013 by Carol6 Comments

Title: Clockwork Mafia (Badlands #2) Author: Seleste deLaney Category: Romance- Steampunk Published: April 29, 2013 by Carina Press Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon Inventor Henrietta Mason is retiring from airships and adventuring to return home to Philadelphia. Determined to erase all trails leading to her late father's duplicity, she dismantles his lab and removes all records of the Badlands gold. While in the city, she can't resist the lure of a charity gala but winds up regretting the whole experience. Well, everything except a heart-racing dance with a certain U.S. Marshal. His career and vengeance on the line, Carson Alexander must prove a connection between Senator Mason and the mafia. He lucked out happening across Mason's strikingly beautiful daughter, only to have her slip through his fingers. On a desperate hunt to track her down, he never expects his search to take him into the brutal Badlands. With a mechanically enhanced enforcer after them, only Carson knows the extent of the danger they face. He'll have to...