The Vintage Caper by Peter Mayle

by Carol13 Comments
The Vintage Caper by Peter Mayle I think the title of this one is perfect. Vintage refers to the wines that are stolen from a hot-shot Hollywood lawyer. Sam Levitt, a former crook turned PI, is hired by his ex-girlfriend who works for the insurance company to find the bottles. The caper follows the wine's trail from Hollywood to Bordeaux and Marseille in the south of France, where Sam and his French colleague make some questionable decisions, skirting the law a little, but for the right reasons. As a mystery, it doesn't hold up too well. The plot is fairly predictable, no twists or turns to speak of. The clues are more long-shot guesses that turn out helpful. As a fun romp though, it's thoroughly enjoyable. And the sumptuous wines, delicious meals and gorgeous scenery are what truly carry the book. It really is a book for wine-lovers, not necessarily mystery-lovers. And the characters are delightful to spend some time with. I actually listened...
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“A little paranoia”

by Carol3 Comments
She'd added a few ready-made protective charms and safeties before locking it into an iron casket and hiding it in a safe behind a tromp l'oeil facade in her lead-lined basement office. Nothing wrong with a little paranoia. (pg. 21, Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass) Quotes about paranoia always make me laugh. My husband can be slightly paranoid at times, but as he points out, it's not paranoia if they really are out to get you. In his case they're not, but in the quote above, Kira definitely has reason for her concern. Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. I cheated a little this week by not making it random, but the rules are easy. Grab your current read, open to a random page, and give us two teaser sentences. Remember, no spoilers. My copy was sent to me by the publisher and the above is my honest opinion. I am an...
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Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

by Carol12 Comments
We saw Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief on Saturday. Let me say from the start that I haven't read the book. My daughter Amber(10) has the whole series and loves them though, so hopefully I'll get around to it eventually. The movie was fun. Percy is a Manhattan high-schooler who learns he is a demigod. He's the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. This revelation comes out after Zeus wrongly blames Percy for stealing his lightning bolt and threatens a war with Poseidon that will finish humanity. Percy's mother is kidnapped by Hades, brother of Zeus and Poseidon who also wants the power the lightning bolt would provide. Joined by a satyr and the butt-kicking, demigod daughter of Athena, Percy sets off on a quest to save his mom. There are several stops along the road, including Medusa's lair and the Lotus Hotel and Casino in Vegas. There are monsters to fight and gods...
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Chicxulub by T. Coraghessan Boyle

by Carol5 Comments
"Chicxulub" by T. Coraghessan Boyle I had no idea what "Chicxulub" referred to before reading this short story. As I learned, a six-mile-wide asteroid or comet slammed into the Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago, contributing to the dinosaurs' extinction and forming what is now known as the Chicxulub crater. In this amazing story, Boyle's narrator alternated between musing about meteors and describing a disaster that is occurring in the life of his family. This structure is really what made the story stand out for me. The thing that disturbs me about Chicxulub, aside from the fact that it erased the dinosaurs and wrought catastrophic and irreversible change, is the deeper implication that we, and all our works and worries and attachments, are so utterly inconsequential. The story begins with the narrator's daughter walking down a highway alone at night in the rain. Between the situation and the father's digressions on life-ending meteor impacts, the reader expects the worst. But...
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The Bug Scientists by Donna M. Jackson

by Carol3 Comments
The Bug Scientists by Donna M. Jackson Suggested reading level: Grades 3-6 If creepy, crawly things fascinate your kid, consider taking a look at this book. Amber (10) and I read it together and it was really quite interesting. We met several entomologists, bug scientists, and learned about their jobs and more about the creatures they love. Tom Turpin,whose picture is on the cover, is a professor at Purdue who tries to make bugs fun for his students and the community. He is even the ringmaster of the annual Bug Bowl, where activities include a Cricket-Spitting Contest. Valerie Cervenka uses the information bugs give her to help solve crimes in Minnestoa and Steven Kutcher directs bugs in movies, commercials and videos. We actually learned the most from the chapter on Ted Schult, a research entomologist at the Smithsonian Institution. He discusses how similar bugs and humans really are. His specialty is Attini ants, farmer ants who actually grow and tend fungus gardens. It's amazing. This...
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Game Night- Dominion: Seaside

by Carol2 Comments
Dominion: Seaside Designer: Donald X. Vaccarion Manufacturer: Rio Grande Games Year: 2009 Players 2-4 Time: 20-30 minutes Ages: 10 and up I've talked about Dominion a couple of times before, both the original and Intrigue. It's one of the games we play on a regular basis, but we've finally played the new Seaside expansion a few times. I think it's as good as the other two, although this one is a true expansion. It does not come with any treasure, victory or curse cards, so you must have one of the other editions. From Rio Grande Games: All you ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by. And someone who knows how to steer ships using stars. You finally got some of those rivers you'd wanted, and they led to the sea. These are dangerous, pirate-infested waters, and you cautiously send rat-infested ships across them, to establish lucrative trade at far-off merchant-infested ports. First, you...
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