July already!

Summertime!

Have no idea where 2013 has gone so far!

Reading, family activities, and sorting out "stuff" to clear out two houses has kept me somewhat busy.  The past two years I found it pretty hard to read 50 or 52 books, but so far this year I've read almost 40! Right now I'm hooked on Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley series.

Hope everyone's found a new blog reader now that Google Reader's closing.  I've moved to Bloglovin, which seems to work fine.

Hope to get back to blogging soon!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving Day

Turkey, anyone?  Aren't these cute? Wish I'd thought of this!

John and his Mom made Turkey Cake Pops

and they made Turkey Cookies too!

Dessert Table

More Desserts

And Even More!

Pink Perfection Camellias - the first of the season!

Book 50 - 52 Books in 52 Weeks

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

Alexander McCall Smith

2012

Could anything be more delightful than a new Alexander McCall Smith?  Oh, my! And this time, who should appear, but Clovis Andersen himself?!  The author of that great book, "The Principles of Private Detection" is here in person!

"Precious Ramotswe is haunted by a repeated dream of a tall stranger who waits for her beneath an acacia tree.  Odd as this is, she's too busy to worry about it.  The best apprentice at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors is in trouble with the law and stuck with the worst lawyer in Gaborone.  Grace Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are building the house of their dreams, but their builder is not on the up and up.  Most shockingly, Mma Potokwane, defender of Botswana's downtrodden, has been dismissed from her post as matron at the orphan farm.  Can the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency help restore the beloved matron to her rightful position?"

Book 49 - 52 Books in 52 Weeks

The Half-Stitched Amish 

Quilting Club

Wanda E. Brunstetter

2012

"Join the club of unlikely quilters who show up for Amish widow Emma Yoder's quilting classes.  A troubled young woman, a struggling couple, a widower, a rough and tough biker, and a preacher's wife make up the mismatched lot.  But as their problems begin to bind them together like the scraps of fabric stitched together in a quilt, they learn to open up and lend a helping hand.  Is this what God had in mind to heal hurting hearts and create beauty from fragments?"

I've read another similar book, except it was about a knitting group. It's an interesting plot for bringing in the stories of a disparate group.

Books 51-54, 52 Books in 52 Weeks

Completing the Challenge

I am so happy I ran across this "52 Books in 52 Weeks" challenge! For several years I've been keeping track of titles read and aiming for at least fifty books per year.  In childhood I read much more  but adulthood brings other tasks, as we all know, so reading sometimes gets put on a back burner. Now retired, I have more time to read - if only I didn't while away so much time online!

I haven't decided whether I'll continue posting my books in 2013, but will definitely continue reading and keeping track. I might take up some of the other challenges with specific books, or I might challenge myself to read the books here at home that I've bought over the years, then pass them on to our local Friends of the Library for their book sales.

At any rate, here are the last four (for me - the first one I read was the latest of the series!) of the Women's Murder Club by James Patterson.  I hope he'll continue with this series - really fun reads! I didn't read them in order since a friend had loaned me the latest one. Then hooked, I requested the others through our online library catalog and read them as I obtained them. Each one is complete so they don't need to be read in order as long as you can keep what's going on in the friends' personal lives straight.

One of the club members dies in this story - very sad!

' Lieutenant Lindsay Boxer and her friends ... battle for her life on two fronts: before a judge and jury as her trial (for excessive force, police misconduct, & wrongful death) comes to a climax, and facing unknown adversaries who will do anything to keep her from the truth about the killings -- including killing again."

A new member of the Women's Murder Club and more killings!

More killings, more exciting events, and a new love interest for one of the friends!

Book 48 - 52 Books in 52 Weeks

Any Approaching Enemy

A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars

Jay Worrall

2006

Another exciting episode featuring Charles Edgemont, who was raised to the rank of captain for gallantry under fire in the first book, Sails on the Horizon.  

"Now married and in command of the twenty-eight gun frigate Louisa, the young captain sails toward a day of destiny - for himself and for England."

This book has it all - exciting naval battle scenes, tension between the captain and his First Lieutenant, some love interest, a visit with Sir William and Lady Hamilton in Naples, and, of course, Admiral Horatio Nelson!  Charles' Quaker wife, Penny, even manages to spend some time aboard the Louisa!

If you enjoy reading about this historical period, during the rise of Napoleon, you'll enjoy these two books.  Sadly, a third in the series has yet to appear.  We can only hope for one!

Book 47, 52 Books in 52 Weeks

Dorchester Terrace

A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel

by Anne Perry

2012

"Thomas Pitt is now the powerful head of Britain's Special Branch. Rumors have reached him of a plot to blow up connections on the rail line on which Austrian duke Alois Habsburg is to travel to visit his royal English kin.  Meanwhile in London, an Italian woman who was a revolutionary spy is terrified that as she sinks into dementia she may divulge secrets that can kill.  And a Croatian woman, married to a British power broker, hoards her own mysteries.  Pitt suspects that these women could tell him things he desperately needs to know.  But as the hours tick by, the only woman he can count on is his wife, Charlotte."

Really interesting to see Thomas promoted to head up the Special Branch, especially in this, his first important "case"!  They keep referring back to the situation leading to his promotion, which must be in the previous book, "Treason at Lisson Grove". Will have to find it so I'll know what happened!  This one was especially interesting in that it is now 1896 - telephones are used, and there are hints of the turmoil that will lead to World War I. 

Books 45-46, 52 Books in 52 Weeks

More of James Patterson's

Women's Murder Club!

Detective Lindsay Boxer chases a jewel thief, a murderous movie star, and a killer with a vendetta against women and children - the most exciting Women's Murder Club novel ever --- so it says on the book flap!  Could be right, but so far I've enjoyed all of them!

Detective Lindsay Boxer finally gets married, but a missing newborn and a series of violent attacks push the Women's Murder Club back to full throttle before the wedding gifts are even unwrapped.

Now I just need to find those I haven't yet read:  3, 4, 5, 7 & 8! I love a good series!

Books 42-44 52 Books in 52 Weeks

The Women's Murder Club

James Patterson

After reading the latest, The 11th Hour, and enjoying it so much, I had to try to find the first 10 in this exciting mystery series!

Here's the introduction to the series from Patterson's website:

Women's Murder Club

Lindsay Boxer, Cindy Thomas, Claire Washburn and Jill Bernhardt, the stars of 1st to Die and 2nd Chance, are the founding members of the Women's Murder Club. Later, in 4th of July, Yuki Castellano joins the Club. Together, they solve crimes in their home city of San Francisco, and often meet up to talk about clues and life over Mexican food and drinks at Susie's.

All I've read so far are told from Lindsay Boxer's point-of-view.

A serial killer is stalking and murdering newlyweds on their honeymoon. San Francisco Homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer takes the case and along the way meets three other women–a lawyer, a reporter, and the city medical examiner. Joining forces to solve this gruesome crime, the Women's Murder Club is born.

When family members of San Francisco cops are found dead, Detective Lindsay Boxer, Medical examiner Claire Washburn, reporter Cindy Thomas and Assistant D.A. Jill Bernhardt are faced with a tough case. As the killer looks for his next victim, the women must quickly track him down before he kills again.

The first batch I got from the public library didn't include Bks. 3-5, so I've had to skip to number 6. 

Someone opens fire on unsuspecting pedestrians and one of the Women's Murder Club is caught in the middle. As she struggles for her life, the others must work fast to track down the madman. In another part of the city, somebody is targeting children and their nannies. As the kidnappers await their ransom, Lindsay and company are faced with finding the mastermind before more children are harmed.

In this one, Yuki, not Jill, is the Assistant D.A.. Can hardly wait to get 3-5 so I can find out what happened to Jill!