Sunday, June 20, 2010

Crochet Mysteries

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Hooked on Murder – Betty Hechtman

When I was at the library a few weeks ago I found a new mystery series! These are all about a group of women who have a crochet club that meets in a bookstore outside of LA.

I was intriqued because so many stories are set around women who knit and it was exciting to find one about crochet!

Since the books didn’t have numbers on them or anything I randomly selected one to check out.  When I got home I went to enter it into Goodreads and discovered that I’d picked the 4th, and currently last, one.   Not wanting to start at the end, I reserved the 1st one at the library!

This is the 1st of the series and it introduces the characters and the setting. 

The story felt more “chick-lit” with a side dish of murder.  The mystery and the detective work didn’t seem central to the story.  I did enjoy getting to know the characters and the story though.  I’m looking forward to reading the others!

100_Reading_Challenge    library-rc

Don’t Panic!

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The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams

Don’t panic, but I read a science fiction novel.  And liked it. 

A few weeks ago a friend posted on twitter “Happy Geek & Towel Day”.  Geek day I got, but towels????  What was that about?  I googled it and discovered that it was a reference to this book – apparently a towel was the most important thing a hitchhiker could bring.  I mentioned that I’d never read this book and he, and all his friends, we aghast.  So I decided to give it a try. 

I definitely enjoyed this book and I’ll probably read the others in the series, but I’m probably not going to become a big sci-fi fan!

Adams has a definite sense of humor and there were many parts of the story that made me laugh out loud!  Other parts made me think – mice really in control?  Things not as they immediately seem?  hmm…. 

I liked that the book had strong ties to reality which made it easier for me to understand, but there were a few parts that were totally over my head!

100_Reading_Challenge    library-rc

Monday, June 14, 2010

Termination Dust

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Termination Dust – Sue Henry

This is actually the 2nd Sue Henry Alaska mystery, I got a bit out of order! 

This book started out with the death of Klondike Gold Rusher in the depths of winter.  A modern day canoeist found his journal and soon after several people were murdered and what unfolded was a compelling mystery intertwining historical and current events! 

100_Reading_Challenge  library-rc

Thorny Behaviors

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Solving Thorny Behavior Problems – Caltha Crowe

This is the 1st professional book I have read so far this year and I read it as a part of our Teachers as Readers group at school.  It’s Responsive Classroom book and highlights many strategies teachers can use to help kids behave. 

I agree with the theory behind the book that kids need to be taught how to act and the book outlines several strategies that teachers can use to react in appropriate ways to misbehavior. 

One of the many things I liked about this book is that it has very concrete ideas that you can use instantly!

100_Reading_Challenge

2nd Challenge Completed!

YAY!  I have finished the Twenty Ten Challenge!!!!  :-)

twentyten_sml

  Here’s what I read with links to my reviews:


Young Adult
1.  Viola in Reel Life – Adriana Trigiani  See my review here.
2.  Green Witch – Alice Hoffman   See my review here.


T.B.R.
1. Blessings – Anna Quindlen See my review here.
2. Family Tree – Barbara Delinsky See my review here.


Shiny & New
Buying “adult” books is a rare treat for me, no idea what books I’ll buy new this year.

I read this one in my Kindle App, it kinda counts….
1. Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States – Pete Jordan   See my review here.

But then I had to buy this one for book club, it’s more legit: 

1a. Those Who Save Us – Jenna Blum   See my review here
2.  In Beauty May She Walk – Leslie Mass  See my review here.


Bad Blogger’s
1. Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures of a Wannabe Princess – Jerramy Fine   See Lesley’s Review Here    See my review here
2. Stealing Buddha’s Dinner – Bich Minh Nguyn   See Lesley’s Review Here  See my review here.


Charity
I’m stretching this one a bit and picking books for this category that I purchased at a small family owned used book store – not exactly “charity” but every little bit helps these great stores stay in business.
1. The Friday Night Knitting Club – Kate Jacobs See my Review here
2. Daisy Fay and The Miracle Man – Fannie Flagg  See my review here.


New in 2010
1.  Secrets of Eden – Chris Bohjalian  See my review
2. Encore, Valentine – Adriana Trigiani  See My Review Here

Older Than You
1.  The Moving Finger – Agatha Christie See my review here

2.  Death on the Nile – Agatha Christie   See my review here 

Win! Win!
I will fill in these books with books I am reading for the 100+ book challenge.
1.  Mourn Not Your Dead – Debbie Crombie  See my review here
2.  Valley of the Dolls – Jacqueline Susann See my review here 

Who Are You Again?
1. The Dive From Claussen’s Pier – Ann Packer  See my review here.
2. A Year in the Maine Woods – Bernd Heinrich  See my review here

Up to You!
My topic for this one is: Single Women.  As a perpetually single gal I HATE it when books start out with a strong single female character but then ends “happily ever after” with her getting married – I want to read more about women who are single and live “happily ever after” by deciding that single is a ok.  These books are little like Chuck Norris – I don’t find them, they find me – so I’ll fill these in as I find them this year. 
1. Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen - Susan Gregg Gilmore - see my review here
2. A Northern Light – Jennifer Donnelly See my review here

Back to Maine

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A Year in the Maine Woods – Bernd Heinrich

This is another book I found in my quest to find books about Maine before my trip last summer.  Unfortunately, this book wasn’t in the library so I ended up buying the Kindle version and reading it on my phone.   This wasn’t the best book for the Kindle App because it wasn’t as compelling and hard to read in small spurts. 

Bernd is a naturalist and university professor and he decides to take a year and spend it living in his cabin deep in the north woods of Maine!  From his description and the names of the towns I think his cabin was fairly close to Andover and the South Arm Campground I fell in love with last summer!

It was fun reading about his adventures and the fine detail with which he studied miniscule things like beetles and ravens!  He approached every living thing with curiosity and zeal to understand!

This was a fun read and reminded me a lot of Thoreau’s The Maine Woods.

100_Reading_Challenge   twentyten_sml

Valley of the Dolls

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Valley of the Dolls – Jacqueline Susann

My book club read this in May and it’s one of those that I never would have read if it wasn’t for book club! 

I mostly enjoyed this book.   I found it slow to get started and then it got interesting in the middle when they were taking drugs and sleeping together and all that stuff, but the last 100 pages or so I just wanted it to be done!  

I never read “romance” novels, I’m not that into the whole bodice-ripper-trashy novels scene, this book appealed to me most because of the historical aspect. 

I also realized that this book can satifsy one of  my two remaining categories in the Twenty Ten challenge!  It can fit into both the “Win Win” category and the “Who are you again?”, so I chose to put it in the “Win Win”.

100_Reading_Challenge    twentyten_sml