Cheli's concentrating on mysteries and histories in 2016 Part II

In 2016 I'm hoping to progress through the Roaring 20's and the Stock market crash in 1929 and the start of FDR's presidency, however Calvin Coolidge sort of held me captive for several months so now I'm just hoping to get through Herbert Hoover.

My VOWS for 2016 were:

VOW#1: I will try my very hardest to refrain from requesting any ER or ARC books unless they fit into my series reads.

UPDATE: I've requested more than 40 ER/ARCs so I haven't done very well here.

VOW #2: I will make a strong effort to remain current on my reviews. This one I definitely need to work harder on.

UPDATE: I'm usually running behind - so not very good here either.

VOW #3: I will make a concentrated effort to read more books off my shelves (real or virtual) and reduce the purchase of new books. In 2015 I read over 100 books off my own shelves (74%) while only acquiring 66 - a positive decrease from my shelf.

UPDATE: Here I've done better - 79% of the books that I've read were either on my shelf at the beginning of the year or were ER/ARCs.




So this is my plan for 2016!

Challenge Book# 76


This was a well-written book that tells of the summer of 1961 in a small town where 3 deaths affected a great many people.

First we have a small boy who was hit by a train, second a homeless man dying under the railroad trestle and last a young girl murdered, found also near the railroad tracks.

Frank Drum the main character was a friend of the young boy, found the homeless man, and was the brother of the murdered girl. The troubles that he suffered that summer trying to understanding what had happened is beautifully chronicled and carries the reader onward to a satisfying conclusion.

TITLE: Ordinary Grace ★★★★ by William Kent Krueger
DATE READ: Sept 22 - Sept 26
NO. OF PAGES: 300
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: Nook

Happy new thread, Cheli! I'm glad to see that you enjoyed Ordinary Grace.

Also a happy new thread from me Cheli.

Challenge Book# 77


Maggie Hope is back in London and working at the SOE where new female recruits seem to be disappearing. She is also waiting for her half-sister Elise to be rescued from Nazi Germany.

MI6 recruits her to help with tracking and stopping the "Blackout Beast" who is copying Jack the Ripper's murders - the victims are the missing SOE agents.

Maggie's intelligence and determination carry through the book reacquainting us with old friends and old enemies.

I love the way that Maggie is drawn into different areas of the war effort through this series but in this one, it's the first time I didn't understand the title.

TITLE: The Queen's Accomplice ★★★½ by Susan Elia MacNeal
Series/ Progress: Maggie Hope 6/6
DATE READ: Sept 12 - October 1
NO. OF PAGES: 368
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

>2 cyderry: That's one I intend to eventually read. I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but it's on my radar.

>5 cyderry: I picked up my ILL copy of that one from the library yesterday so I'm hoping to get to it very soon. Our director at work loves this series and I've reminded her that the new one is out.

Challenge Book# 78


Mallory is weeks away from marrying Keith when her future Grandmother-in-law, Sybil, passes away and at the same time she receives a batch of photos showing her fiancée cheating on her with his assistant. Calling off the wedding and going into "hiding" she is finally rescued by her sister, Rachel, and when they discover that Sybil left her home to Mallory instead of her grandson, things start to take an unusual turn.

Finding a dead body on the lawn, trying to cancel all the wedding arrangements or give them away, Mallory has to find a way to get her life back on track as well as help her sister find her own path.

I loved the characters, they were great to meet or love to hate (Keith and his mother), Just wish Sybil could have stayed around - she sounded like a nifty lady.

Looking forward to the next one!

TITLE: Engaged in Death ★★★½ by Stephanie Blackmoore
Series/ Progress: Wedding Planner Mystery 1/1
DATE READ: October 2 - October 3
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Hi Cheli! Happy new thread! I have Ordinary Grace on my TBR stack. I love the Cork O'Connor mystery series that Krueger writes.

Happy new thread, Cheli. The topper photo is very autumnal.

I really thought I'd do some catching up this week.

Last Monday I had surgery on my knee again to repair some cartilage and scar tissue issues so i've been a bit incapacitated. Then Tim had chest pains Saturday night and I had to call 911 to have him taken to the hospital. Finally got home 4AM minus one husband who was still in ICU and then Tim's brother called 7AM to find out what was going on. Happily, the doctors say there was no heart attack but he's got Doctor appts. this week to try to figure out what's going on. You'd think that waiting rooms would be a great place to catch up on your reading, wish I could say I did.

Oh my. Glad it wasn't a heart attack, but wow, that's rough.

Oh yikes... no, I wouldn't find waiting rooms great for catching up on reading if only because I'd be nervous waiting to hear what was happening. I'm glad it wasn't a heart attack and hope you find what happened soon.

It's Definitely hard to read when anxiously waiting in a hospital waiting room! I'm glad it wasn't a heart attack, but sorry for your scare and I hope the doctor appointments are helpful. Also, I hope you are recovering well from your knee surgery, Cheli!

Pleased to see that the diagnosis on your husband was not as bad as feared. Hopefully he will come through the appointments fine.

That's rough, Cheli. I hope everything turns out ok.

Challenge Book# 79


Having just visited the coast of Maine, I really enjoyed reading this cozy set in Haven Harbor. Angie's curiosity gets the better of her when she sees a stranger at the docks and follows him in town. When she realizes that he is a friend of one of Needlepointers, Dave, she questions who he is.

The story centers around the stranger who suffers from PTSD and lives a solitary life on King Island where he watches over a threatened species of seabirds. When he is discovered murdered and it turns out that he had recently changed his will to leave his half of the island to Dave, Angie sets out to find the murderer who sees Dave as a threat as well.

Loved the story, the characters and the writing. Looking forward to the next visit to the Haven Harbor.

TITLE: Dangling by a Thread ★★★½ by Lea Wait
Series/ Progress: Mainely Needlepoint Mystery 4/4
DATE READ: October 3 - October 5
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

Challenge Book# 80


Perfect timing for the Halloween season - Ellison goes looking for her wayward daughter and instead a murder finds her. Because the victim whispers her name before dying, Ellison feels a need to find the murderer.

Why was Brooks Harney killed? Was it related to his surprise wife Stormy or a drug deal gone bad, or was he in he wrong place at the wrong time? Ellison has to figure out he reason to solve the murder and keep both her "gentlemen friends" from errors that could prove deadly,

I absolutely adore this series, not only does it take back in time but the characters are funny and full of life. Can't for the next one!

TITLE: Send in the Clowns ★★★★ by Julie Mulhern
Series/ Progress: Country Club Murders 4/4
DATE READ: October 4 - October 12
NO. OF PAGES: 246
Type of Book e-book
SOURCE: NetGalley

>2 cyderry: This is one of my favorite books read this year! Good luck with your goals. I fail miserably with reading books I have. I love libraries, and there are three great ones near us. I currently have twelve library books on my table in the living room.

I hope all is well with you,and Tim. Take good care my special friend!

>19 Whisper1: I read Ordinary Grace because of your review. We read it for my ladies group book club and everyone loved it.

I think that the reason my shelves are so full is because I love to be able to just reach out and grab the book I want rather than wait for the library to have it available or be rushed to read it when I have it checked out. That's not to say that I don't use the library, but usually I have the books at home. I admit I am a book hoarder but I try to restrain myself and lately I have tried to stick with e-books or audios. I was surprised when I finished cataloging my books and shelving them, how many real books I still had to read. The TBRS are currently sitting on 9 shelves totaling 139, while my audiobooks number 123 and my two e-readers hold 297. I am not running out of reading material anytime soon and yet I still ask for the new books that come out.

As for Tim and I, I think he has finally recovered from the "heart attack" scare and is trying to get back to normal and my knee is slowing recovering from the surgery. I just need to take it easy on the steps.

For you, my friend, I certainly hope that you are finally on the road to recovery. When we both get on that track, we need to get together again.

Stay warm, know that you are loved.

Challenge Book# 81


The mysterious Scottish Laird is at again and has Eliza Cynster abducted from her sister's engagement party at her brother's home. Realizing that she is in the same predicament that her sister had faced, Eliza, trying to stay calm, endeavors to formulate a plan to seek help.

When the carriage is slowed by narrowness of the road, Eliza sees a familiar face and cries out even though her words can't be heard. The other rider continues on and reflects on what the saw and realizes that the frightened woman was Eliza Cynster. Carefully backtracking, Sir Jeremy Carling devises a plan to rescue and return Eliza to her family, but the captors have other ideas and their pursuit is constant and unrelenting.

I enjoyed the story and the romance evolution, the Cynster always are a great story

TITLE: In Pursuit of Eliza Cynster ★★★½ by Stephanie Laurens
Series/ Progress: Cynster Sisters 2/3
DATE READ: October 4 - October 12
NO. OF PAGES: 448
Type of Book Audiobook
SOURCE: Public Library

I'm terribly behind on my reviews so I'm going to write short, quick ones.

Challenge Book# 82

Silence of the Lamps by Karen Rose Smith
A Caprice De Luca Mystery 5/6
October 11 - October 12

This is such a fun series with a mixture of a large family that supports each other, a heroine who works hard at her staging business but also takes in shelter animals, and manages to solve a murder here and there. Love how the antiques were worked into this cozy!

Challenge Book# 83

Paradise Lost by John Milton
September 9 - October 22

I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting myself into, but this telling of the creation and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise was entertaining even though the writing was a bit different from what I am used to.
I found it amusing that according to Milton Sin and Death were the offspring of Satan and that Chaos' consort is Night with Confusion and Discord along for the ride.

The manner of using words as names for creatures was very inventive.
Rarely, do I like Classics this old, but this one worked for me.

>22 cyderry: I'm trying to determine what lamps would say if they could talk.

Wishing all my friends a Happy Thanksgiving!

Challenge Book# 84

Crepe Factor by Laura Childs
Scrapbooking Mystery 14/14
October 3 - October 26

I love the books by Laura Childs and this one is always fun especially when it is set and released just before Halloween.

Carmela always seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and this tale is no different when she and Ava are around when first Martin Lash has a vicious argument with Quigg Brevard and then appears a little later murdered by a chef's fork. Quigg prevails upon Carmela to find out what happened since he appears as the prime suspect.

She and Ava dig into the background of the victim and eventually are placed into a dangerous situation that leads to the proper solution.
Great Story!

Challenge Book# 85

Freezer I'll Shoot by Victoria Hamilton
October 15 - October 31

Jaymie is trying to get the family cabin repaired in time for a get together but plumbing problems aren't the only issues that keep popping up in her backyard on Heartbreak Island.
Her boyfriend's family are in town and are causing disruptions with Jaymie's family but the murder on the island seems to be a bigger issue.

Trying to keep everyone calm while writing her first vintage cookbook newspaper column keeps not just Jaymie but the reader guessing unil the end.

recipes and fun galore.

>26 cyderry: LOL, both formats have their charm ;-)

Challenge Book# 86

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
Tommy and Tuppence 1/5
November 2 - November 6

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie - both Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot but had never read her Tommy and Tuppence series.

Even though this series is set back in the earlier part of the 20th century, it was still entertaining and the characters were totally what you expect from Dame Agatha Christie.

I am glad that I finally started this classic series and look forward to getting to know these characters as well as Christie's others.

Challenge Book# 87

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
November 6 - November 14

I've tried reading other books by this author and didn't like them. Thought it was worth a try for a different series as well as it being a book for book club.
No better results - I didn't like the writing style - choppy and seemingly flying around with no direction or plot. The characters didn't interest me - they were whiny and self-centered. I gave it 68 pages and 8 days of my reading and finally said no more.

Challenge Book# 88

The Great Gatsby ★★½ by F. Scott Fitzgerald

November 15 - November 18

I had heard so much hype about how great this book was, and to be honest I was thoroughly disappointed.
I don't have a good track record with Classic literature and this one wasn't any better IMHO.
The characters were too 2 dimensional ad the story really didn't go anywhere. I figured out what was going to happen long before the end and the ending was to say the least, anti-climatic.

Challenge Book# 89

The Murder of a Queen Bee (A Henny Penny Farmette Mystery) by Meera Lester
Henny Penny Farmette Mystery 2/2
November 14 - November 27

This is a funny cozy series with a retired policewoman as the main character who still gets caught up in police work while trying to keep her little farm running smoothly.
There are nice little tidbits about farm life and beekeeping especially that make this a light-hearted cozy mystery to sit back and enjoy.

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

>34 PaulCranswick: What a wonderful thought - if only.

Looking forward to your continued company in 2017.
Happy New Year, Cheli

I was extremely busy at the end of the year and so my reviews are short and "sweet"


Boar Island 12/1/16
Anna Pigeon's newest assignment is Acadia National Park and I was particularly interested to read this because I have visited this park in the last few years. I love the story bringing cyber-bullying to the forefront as well as bringing back some of Anna's friends. The inventiveness of the property on Boar Island really brought the story together showing the difficulties facing a paraplegic in a mobile world. Hope Anna will be back at work in a new locale soon!



League of Dragons 12/8/16

This was the final installment of the adventures of Captain Laurence and his celestial Dragon, Temeraire. It is sad to think that Temeraire is no longer fighting against the injustices aimed at the dragons in this alternative Napoleonic history. The battles told and the friendships forged make one wonder why that aren't such magnificent creatures in our world. Ah, but books can bring so much to life!

I thank the author Naomi Novik for this wonderful series, and wish her success with her future writings - I will be checking them out!


The Lonely Teddy Bear 12/10/16

I was very excited to read this book because I am a true Teddy Bear lover, however, I was very disappointed by the story. Teddy Bears are cute and cuddly and bring out a warm and fuzzy feelings just by holding them but turning this Teddy Bear into a depraved character was horrible. The story had no rhyme or reason for this other than his attachment to the little girl that had owned him. I really hated the story.

High Kicks, Hot Chocolate, and Homicides 12/13/16

50ish dancers Mary Louise, Gini, Janice, Tina, and Pat call themselves the Happy Hoofers and they have danced in various locales around the world but are terribly excited to be asked to dance with the Rockettes in their Christmas show. When the organizer is murdered just when heir rehearsals are starting, Mary Louise gets angled up in the investigation which could end in a serious misstep.

This was light and fun and perfect book to get ready for the holidays.



Fudging the Books 12/26/16

Hard to believe that a Book store specializing in Cookbooks would thrive but if you attach an eatery and hold special themed events, why not!

Pirate Week in Crystal Cove has many themed events but the Cookbook Nook is doing Chocolate. We've all heard of dying for Chocolate but the publisher is found murdered and the main suspect is the Chocolate Cookbook author.

Pirate Week antics can bring out some hidden clues. Totally fun.



Ripe for Murder 12/28/16

Joyeaux Winery and Martinelli Vineyards have been approached to join a joint venture related to a Wine Train tour in the Wine Country so Penny and her aunt head to Napa Valley and check into a posh resort where they are wined and dined to perfection, except that one of the other potential investors ends up dead on the railroad tracks.

This book brought back such wonderful memories of trips I've had to Napa and riding on the Wine Train. Great addition to this new series! The Characters are developing and I can almost taste the wine!

Entangled: A Fredrickson Winery Novel 12/31/16

Billie Fredrickson inherits her uncle's vineyard in Napa Valley and along with it comes some gruesome memories from her childhood. But the setting and the change in her life are finally welcomed along with a touch of romance.

I found this series when I was looking for wine related mysteries for my category challenge. It's a winner. Characters that have room to grow and a beautiful setting.



The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae 12/31/16

Finally, after 2 aborted kidnappings, the Earl of Glencrae has his "victim". He has been forced to ruin the reputation of one of Cecelia Cynster's daughters because his mother holds a grudge against her. Angelica has been abducted by he Earl himself and after explaining his reasons, she agrees to go with him willingly and help him thwart his mother. Of course, they fall in love but the storytelling was Laurens at her best.

Finally, my reviews are completed for 2016 and I can move on to 2017.

I will be posting a recap of my reads for 2016 shortly.

>39 cyderry: Now I want hot chocolate! I deserve some as a treat from shoveling all that snow.