Athena Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I hope you enjoy all the new books ! I own Kafka on the Shore but I haven't read it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 6, 2015 Author Share Posted August 6, 2015 I hope you enjoy all the new books ! I own Kafka on the Shore but I haven't read it yet. Thanks ! I also got Black Headed Pins - Constance & Gwyneth Little £5.80 - It`s a series I`ve wanted to try for a while, but kept putting off, `cos I couldn`t find any excerpts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 Cats in Hats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 (edited) #117 G`Day to Die - Maddy Hunter The Seniors from Iowa are off on another adventure, this time visiting Australia with Emily as the tour guide. After the brilliance of the first two Passport to Peril books, and the mehness of the third one, this fifth one is one of those ` diverting enough, and it`s nice to spend time with all the amusing Seniors, but doesn`t quite hit the spot ` books. #118 The Players Come Again - Amanda Cross Professor Kate Fansler is approached to write the biography of the wife of a famous author. It starts slowly, meanders about and doesn`t seem to be going anywhere - then all the plot points suddenly come together and you realise you`ve read an elegantly constructed novel which works on many levels and you just think WOW. Difficult to explain - but worthwhile sticking with it - the book is a meditation on secrecy. #119 Untidy Murder - Frances and Richard Lockridge Published in 1947. Illustrator Dorian is visiting the offices of a magazine about a job, when the advertising exec she had an appointment to see turns out to have just jumped out of his office window .... or was he pushed ? It looks like suicide, but when Dorian is followed home and then kidnapped, her husband Lt. Bill Weigand of the NYPD has to reinvestigate the crime scene, and work out what Dorian could`ve seen which pointed to murder. Along with friends Pam and Jerry North ( and Martini North, the cat ) , Bill has to find the murderer in order to work out who kidnapped his wife. It`s a cracking adventure, with Dorian as a capable, resourceful kidnappee, who`s far from a whiny victim. #120 Miss Zukas and the Raven`s Dance - Jo Dereske Librarian Helma Zukas takes over a cataloguing job in a cultural centre library, after the previous incumbent was found murdered. A charming series set in Washington State, the books start off as so-so, and then suck me right into the story. #121 Norway to Hide - Maddy Hunter Emily, Nana and the other Iowan Seniors take a tour of Scandinavia. Some amusing bits. #122 The Wonder Spot - Melisssa Bank The follow-up to The Girls` Guide to Hunting and Fishing and it`s fantastic. Similar in structure to the previous book ( a collection of short stories in chronological order ), the book follows the life of Sophie Applebaum from friend`s batmitzah to college and into a so-so publishing job. The language is beautiful and it`s so funny - quotes - but above all, it`s the sort of read where you feel that someone`s being brutally honest and telling you how they really feel. Author Interview from 2012 - I`m happy that she`s working on something new. I`d read anything of hers. #123 Out of Circulation - Jo Dereske Librarian Helma and artist friend Ruth go on a hiking trip into the mountains and come across a hiker, covered in blood and babbling about a dead friend. They go further up into the mountains to try to find the body and end up getting caught in a snowstorm. Hiding out in an emergency cabin with other hikers, unable to contact the outside World, it becomes apparent that one of them is a murderer.... #124 Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac - Gabrielle Zevin High-schooler Naomi wakes up in an ambulance and finds she`s lost the past four years of her life to amnesia. Trying to work out who her real friends are - and who her boyfriend is, after the boy who accompanies her to hospital turns out not to be her boyfriend after all - Naomi is forced to analyse her life and her past decisions in order to discover who she really is, or who she wants to be now. A lovely read - thanks to Gaia for the recommendation. I love this quote : At that point, we were inside the theatre, and Alice turned her attention to organizing the auditions. I probably could have left, but something kept me there. With its dingy red velvet seatsand its scuffed wooden stage, the theatre reminded me of a foreign country. It was like all of a sudden discovering that Prague or Berlin was in the middle of my high school. #125 Never Nosh a Matzo Ball - Sharon Kahn Rabbi`s widow Ruby gets embroiled in another murder. While I liked the first in the series, this one could do with a bit more character development and din`t seem to have the same drive. #126 Mystery in White - J. Jefferson Farjeon A group of strangers are stuck on a train during a snowstorm and end up in a nearby house, where it seems as if someone has only just stepped out... but they don`t return. The blizzard worsens and the group decide to stay in the abandoned house for the night. They gradually solve the mystery of the missing people and an old murder. There are ghosts, a locked room and a mysterious painting, but no tension. #127 Dutch Me Deadly - Maddy Hunter A series I stuck with `cos I loved the first two books. The series got cancelled and then picked up again with this book, set in the Netherlands. Hurray ! It`s great fun ! Emily and her group of Iowan seniors are on a Dutch holiday with a group from Maine, one of whom ends up in a canal. Dead. There`s a secret from the past which the Iowans unravel, when they`re not busy getting lost in Amsterdam`s Red Light District and mistakenly taking drugs. Excerpt #128 The Venetian Affair - Helen MacInnes American journlist Fenner is sent on assignment to Paris. At the Airport, a man collapses and Fenner`s raincoat is mistakenly switched, but he doesn`t realise until he`s checked into his hotel room. Searching the raincoat to try to find a clue to the owner, Fenner finds an envelope secreted in the lining, and is drawn into a Cold War espionage adventure. A meaty, intelligent thriller. excerpt #129 Bonnie of Evidence - Maddy Hunter Great fun. Emily organizes a trip to Scotland fro her Seniors and there`s a murder. By this point, the group from Iowa are more interested in going on the trips because they get to watch Emily try to solve a murder, and they get to participate ( some of the Seniors have brought disguises along, so they can follow suspects ). Oh, and Nana has followed up her computer and martial arts courses at the Senior Centre with a course in speed-reading... As she explains : " It`s on account of the course they was offering at the Senior Centre. Speed Readin` for Geezers. It targeted us old folks who wanna get to the bottom of our To-Be-Read piles before we die." #130 Grave Peril - Jim Butcher Chicago Wizard Harry Dresden investigates an outbreak of really scary ghosts. A bit of a downer, but there`re some nice, funny scenes of Harry/Bob-The-Skull bromance, which lift the mood. #131 Summer Knight - Jim Butcher Excellent ! This one was so good, it made me buy the next 5 in the series. It`s raining toads and someone`s out to kill Harry. Then a Faerie Queen turns up. A cracking adventure, fantastically funny - " Bite me, Faerie Fruitcake" may be the best line I`ve read all year - this book really takes the series up a notch. Excerpt #132 Final Notice - Jo Dereske Helma and Ruth pick up Helma`s Aunt Em at the Airport ; someone tries to steal her suitcase, then Aunt Em says that she stabbed someone who tried to steal her handbag - only Aunt Em is recovering from a brain condition and isn`t believed. When the same man is killed outside Helma`s apartment, Helma and Ruth have to investigate why Aunt Em is a target. #133 Black Headed Pins - Constance and Gwyneth Little Edited August 8, 2015 by Little Pixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I'm so glad you enjoyed Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac!! And the other books too of course ! You've been reading a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Wow you really have been reading a lot! I've read a few Dresden Files but I'm not a massive fan of faerie stuff so I didn't get past Summer Knight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 I'm so glad you enjoyed Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac!! And the other books too of course ! You've been reading a lot! I tend to think ` Ah,I`ll just read one more book, then I`ll do some reviews ` and end up 15 book reviews behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 Wow you really have been reading a lot! I've read a few Dresden Files but I'm not a massive fan of faerie stuff so I didn't get past Summer Knight. Ooh, I`m a Faerie Fan, so it really appealed to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 (edited) #133 Black Headed Pins - Constance and Gwyneth Little Paid companion Leigh Smith - though she`s not paid nearly enough to put up with the miser Mrs Ballinger - lives in a creepy isolated New Jersey house and has to stretch out the housekeeping to accommodate a group of Mrs Ballinger`s nieces and nephews for Christmas. Before long, one of the group is dead, only for the corpse to disappear, and reappear sitting up in a chair. Then other haunted house things happen. It`s screwball comedy rather than creepiness, with heroine Leigh making lots of sarcastic, amusing comments along the way. A clever, fun read. Black Headed Pins was written by the Little Sisters ; I`ve ordered another one of their books, Great Black Kanba ( £4.61 ). Edited August 10, 2015 by Little Pixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 Books read : 133 TBR 794 New Books Bought : 154 Total Cost : £ 457.12 Despite a book buying mini-spree, I`ve read enough that my TBR has actually gone down by 2 - huzzah ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Cats in Hats The cat on the front cover is going, "whyyyyyyyyyy?" Are you going to make one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 The cat on the front cover is going, "whyyyyyyyyyy?" Are you going to make one? I don`t think Madame needs to be any more adorable. Some of those cats look like they`re enjoying their new bonnets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 And today`s Aww, look at de kitty ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 9, 2015 Author Share Posted August 9, 2015 Hmm, have got Windows 10 now - have to get used to another version of Spider Solitaire again. *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Black Headed Pins sounds like fun, I might check out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 Black Headed Pins sounds like fun, I might check out! It`s a shame I can`t see excerpts for any of their books. Some of the Little Sisters` books have been republished by Rue Morgue Press ; I have 12-15 books from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 And today`s Aww, look at de kitty ! Cuuuuuute! I absolutely LOVE ginger cats! And black cats. And white ones. And tabbies . . . etc . . . etc . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 I tend to think ` Ah,I`ll just read one more book, then I`ll do some reviews ` and end up 15 book reviews behind. Haha, makes sense . Despite a book buying mini-spree, I`ve read enough that my TBR has actually gone down by 2 - huzzah ! Well done ! And today`s Aww, look at de kitty ! Awwwww ! Hmm, have got Windows 10 now - have to get used to another version of Spider Solitaire again. *sigh* I hope it won't be too different that you can't get used to it . Sometimes you'd wish some things stayed more the same, right? I'm glad you have fun playing the game though. I haven't played it in a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 Cuuuuuute! I absolutely LOVE ginger cats! And black cats. And white ones. And tabbies . . . etc . . . etc . . . Cats rule, dogs drool ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 Well done ! Thanks ! I hope it won't be too different that you can't get used to it . Sometimes you'd wish some things stayed more the same, right? I'm glad you have fun playing the game though. I haven't played it in a long time. Hmm, it looks like regular solitaire but says spider. In the grand scheme of things, it`s not an issue, but you do get used to things and like them. I read something about a better version of Windows 10 being available in 6 months ( I`m assuming that the bugs, etc, will be worked out by then ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 Oh ! I looked into scanning the first page of Black headed Pins, but have no idea how to do it with the new Windows software ; the printers working okay, but I`ve no idea how to access the scanner anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Eugh, I downloaded Windows 10 then uninstalled it a couple of days later - found it far too confusing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Eugh, I downloaded Windows 10 then uninstalled it a couple of days later - found it far too confusing! Really? Yikes :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Eugh, I downloaded Windows 10 then uninstalled it a couple of days later - found it far too confusing! Did you jump from 7 to 10? If so, I can understand how it would be confusing, it's very different and had I not used 8 it would have taken me much longer to get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 MY PC seems faster running 10 instead of 7 professional, so I`ll stick with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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