DD - Dazzling David - A Lost and Found Afghan

 

Finished 4/23/2024

Here's the second afghan I found that was almost finished!

I like the pattern I created, too:

     Cast on perhaps 160 sc

     Row 1:  1 Triple Crochet in each, ch 1 turn

     Row 2:  1 Single Crochet in each.   About 8 from the end, add in new color yarn to finish row.  This won't really show when the afghan is finished.  End with chain 3.

     Row 3: (Color # 2) 1 tc in each

     Row 4:   1 sc in each

          Do this twice, ending as above

     Row 7-8-9-10-11-12 (new color)  repeat above for a total of three rows triple crochet, then start again.

Cacophonic Christine Afghan

 Yes, Cacophonic is really a word, coming from my FAVORITE word:  CACOPHONY!

While I was making 10-round squares for Razzle Dazzle, I kept on making enough for a second afghan.  This is it!

10-found squares with no unifying border color.

Will probably have no outer border, either.

Bubbly Beatrice Afghan

 

8 rows base

Row 9:  SUMAC (Dk. Charcoal) Lion Brand Pound of Love

Row 10:  ???

Just started crocheting 8-rounds of yarn to finish up some small skeins, can do this so mindlessly!

36. Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

listened on Audible
357 pgs.

2021
Adult contemporary romance
Finished 4/13/2024
Goodreads rating: 3.71
My rating: 5
Setting: Contemporary Toronto

My comments: One word: delightful.  Want to giggle and be thoroughly entertained?  In a reading slump?  This is the book to read.  Set in contemporary Toronto, this romantic comedy packs humor, family love and strife, and the love of cooking and baking into one very enjoyable story.  A huge plus for me was being able to peek into the culture and foods of the Indian Muslim community.  Note:  no actual gratuitous "steam", but the author does what she needs to get her point across....

Goodreads synopsis:   Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall--with hopes that Reena will marry him.

But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.

As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine— secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved.

Reading Stacks - Annotations of Next Books to Read

Last updated 4/13/24

Young Rich Widows (8:45)  

     4 Mafia widows lives after the airplane crash of their husbands

A Girl From Nowhere (12:24) Kindle Unlimited

     "Life in the wasteland is a constant struggle.  No one knows it better than Taimin.  Crippled, and with only hi indomitable aunt to protect him, Taimin must learn to survive in a world schorched by two suns and frequented by raiders...."

Trust No One #1 Devlin & Falco (12:46)  Kindle Unlimited

     "It's the worst possible time for Det. Kerrii Devlin to be involved in an all-consuming double-homicide case.  She's locked in a bitter struggle with her ex-husband and teenage daughter, and her reckless new partner is anything by trustworthy...."

The Hike (10:28)

     "Burned-out, Liz plans a vacation with her three best friends, persuading them to spend four night camping in the stunning mountains of Norway.  But as they stride farther from civilization, it become clear that the women are not the only ones looking to lose themselves in the mountains..."

Throwaway Jane: A Karen Pantelli Novel (Scott William Carter) (10:13)

     "Former FBI agent Karen Pantelli lives by a simple philosophy, never, ever care.  Three years after a tragic mistake ends her once-stellar career, she drifts from one dead-end job to another, quickly moving on when she finds herself getting too attached.  A new city.  A new life..."

Homecoming - Kate Morton (17:38)

     "Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959.  At the end of a scorching hot day, a local deliveryman makes a terrible discovery.  A police investigation is called, and the small town of Tambilla become embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia..."

Parting the Veil (12:49)

     "When Eliza Sullivan inherits an estate from a recently deceased aunt, she leaves behind a grievous and guild-ridden past in New Orleans for rural England and a fresh start.  Eliza arrives at her new home and finds herself falling for the mysterious lord of Havenwood, Malcolm Winfield..."

The Last Runaway - Tracy Chevalier (9:51)

     Underground Railroad

Fall from Grace - Tim Weaver (15:18)

     "When Leonard Franks and his wife, Ellie, leave London for their dream retirement in the seclusion of Dartmoor, everything seems perfect.  But then their new life is shattered..."

The Singing Trees:: A Novel (14:33)  2021 - 4.23

     "A young artist forges a path of self-discover in an enriching novel about forgibing the past and embracing second chances...Maine, 1969.  AFter losing her parents in a car accident, aspiring artist Analisa Mancuso lives with ther grandmother and their large Italian family in the stifling factory town of Payton Mills.....(I think she moves to Portland)"

The Victory Garden - Rhys Bowen (10:19)

     "As the Great War continues to take its toll, 21-year-old Emily Bryce is determined to congtribute to the war effort.  She is convinced by a cheeky and handsome Australian pilot that she can do more, and it is not long before she falls in love with thim and accepts his proposal of marriage..."

Light Chaser (5ish hours - started already, but just a bit)

     "Amahle is a Light Chaser - one of a number of explorers who travel the universe alone (except for their onboard II), trading trinkets for life stories.  But when she listens to the stories, she hears the same voice talking directly to her from different time and on different worlds..."

The Lying Club (10:38)

      "At an elite private school nestled in the Colorado mountains, Natalie, an office assistant, dreams of having a life like the school moms she deals with every day...."

Origami Man - FitzSimmons (9:45) Kindle Unlimited

     "Former Marine, brilliant hacker, and wanted fugitive Gibson Vaughn is off the grid in the Caymans.  Until the ice-cold assassin Tinsley draws him out of the shadows.  Complying with the man who murdered his father and left Gibson for dead?  In the war against terror, never say never..."

KIDS
The Lost Library (4:12)

Royal Conundrum (6:02)

Puppets of Spelhorst (1:39)

All the Small Wonderful Things (4:49)

The Midnight Children (9:39)

The Birchbark House (5:26)

The Beatryce Prophecy (4:16)

Roasted Chick Peas

“If you're craving something salty and crunchy, roasted beans are a much better option than chips thanks to their combo of protein and fiber, says Jessica Levinson, RD, the author of the 52-Week Meal Planner: The Complete Guide to Planning Menus, Groceries, Recipes, and More.

Make it: Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, then toss them with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever spice you want. Roast at 400° F for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then eat. One batch makes three servings.

Per serving: 160 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 17 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 292 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein

33. The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

#2 Haven's Rock/Casey Duncan

listened on Libby - borrowed from the library
339 pgs.

copyright 2024
Adult Mystery series
Finished 4/11/24
Goodreads rating: 4.21
My rating: 4
Setting: Contemporary Yukon, Canada

My comments:  Casey is pregnant, but of course there are possible complications.  Only a small number of new residents have arrived at Haven's Rock, but this is the first time ever that children have been included - two brothers, 10 and 13.  The whole story is about the kidnapping of the 10-year old (who seems to be as smart and savvy as Casey.  Sometimes I think that Casey's more of a mind-reader than smart and savvy?  Perhaps I need to think of Casey as a savant, since her doctor/sister, April, certainly is.  At least in the investigative way, thinking through all possible scenarios, because how else could she come up with exactly what happened each time something very weird happens?)  It was a pretty decent story, although the woods are described as not really being very big and I'm having a tough time picturing it, erasing the previous book's setting out of my mind.  There's something really weird going on in the mining village that butts their property (seems REALLY strange that it's so close, since Casey & Dalton worked so hard to be in the middle of nowhere, in proximity with no one,.  I'm pretty sure the focus of the next book with be what's going on in that mining village, but I'll have to wait for the next book....which is a whole year away!

Goodreads synopsis:  Haven’s Rock is a well-hidden town surrounded by forest. And it’s supposed to be, being that it’s a refuge for those who need to disappear. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton already feel at home in their new town, which reminds them of where they first met in Rockton. And while they know how to navigate the woods and its various dangers, other residents don’t. Which is why people aren't allowed to wander off alone.

When Max, the town’s youngest resident—taught to track animals by Eric—fears a bear is stalking a hiking party, alarms are raised. Even stranger, the ten-year-old swears the bear had human eyes. Casey and Eric know the dangers a bear can present, so they’re taking it seriously. But odd occurrences are happening all around them, and when a dead body turns up, they’re not sure what they’re up against.

32. Home Fire by Kamala Shamsie

listened on Chirp
276 pgs.

2017
Adult realistic fiction
Finished 4/10/24
Goodreads rating: 4.03
My rating: 4
Setting: contemporary Massachusetts, London, Syria

My comments: I started this once, ages ago, but restarted from the beginning in one of my trying-to-fall-asleep sessions.  And it didn't go in any sort of direction that I thought it would.  This is a story that makes you think.  And tremble.  Terrorism.  Families.  Religious beliefs, and religious fanatics.  Patriotism.  Governments.  This is a tragic story, but what I'm sure is very, very real to thousands of people in our world.  I keep going back to thoughts about religious beliefs.  I look at what's going on in America right now, the huge differences between conservatism and liberalism.  Just like the hug differences between Hasidic Jews, reformed, and cultural Jews, and the vast differences between ultra religious Muslims and more liberal Muslims..... Political beliefs and religious beliefs all lumped together.  REALLY tough story, hard to rate.  I usually like stories that flip-flop between points-of-view and though I did not particularly care for it in this case, but to see all the different sides is definitely the best way for this story to be told.  

Goodreads synopsis:  Isma is free. After years of watching out for her younger siblings in the wake of their mother’s death, she’s accepted an invitation from a mentor in America that allows her to resume a dream long deferred. But she can’t stop worrying about Aneeka, her beautiful, headstrong sister back in London, or their brother, Parvaiz, who’s disappeared in pursuit of his own dream, to prove himself to the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. When he resurfaces half a globe away, Isma’s worst fears are confirmed.

Then Eamonn enters the sisters’ lives. Son of a powerful political figure, he has his own birthright to live up to—or defy. Is he to be a chance at love? The means of Parvaiz’s salvation? Suddenly, two families’ fates are inextricably, devastatingly entwined, in this searing novel that asks: What sacrifices will we make in the name of love?

The suspenseful and heartbreaking story of an immigrant family driven to pit love against loyalty, with devastating consequences.

31. The House on the Water by Margo Hunt

A Novella

listened on Audible
82 pgs.  (2:47)

2020
Adult Mystery/Thriller
Finished 4/8/24
Goodreads rating: 3.51
My rating: 4
Setting: contemporary beachfront rental home, Florida

My comments:  There were lots of twists and turns in this entertaining story, although none were particularly surprising.  An easy, enjoyable listen.

Goodreads synopsis:  From the author of Buried Deep comes a brand-new thriller about a summer vacation turned deadly and a group of friends trapped together until they can determine who among them is capable of murder.

Every year, Caroline Reed takes a trip with her best friend, Esme Lamont. They’re usually accompanied by their spouses - but this year, everything’s changed.

Esme has just gone through a bitter divorce, and Caroline is wondering if her own marriage is reaching its breaking point as she and her husband, John, cope with the discovery that their 19-year-old son has been abusing drugs. Still, the inseparable duo books a weeklong stay at a beach-front home in Shoreham, Florida, inviting Esme’s brother, Nick, and his new husband, Ford, in hopes that the additional guests will help lighten the mood.

After a blissful first night in the vacation home, tragedy strikes, and one of the houseguests is found dead. While it’s assumed at first to be a horrific accident, it quickly becomes clear that there’s something more sinister at play, and over the course of this fast-paced, deeply chilling novella, the potential motives of each guest are revealed - until a shocking conclusion is reached.

TV Series - Furies (French)

In French, with subtitles

Watched on Netflix
Season 1
Number of Episodes: 8
Length of Episode: 45 min.
IMBd: 6.2/10
RT Critic's Consensus: n/a
RT Audience Score: no ratings
cag: 4.5

Premiered: 3/1/2024 (US)

Note:  VERY violent 

My comments:  This kept me totally engrossed all day Sunday, despite its violence and having to read subtitles.  Twists, turns, surprises, love triangle....what's not to like?  I didn't enjoy the huge amount of violence, but the relationships and story were great!

Storyline from IMBd: A dive into Paris's criminal underworld, where Lyna meets the enigmatic and brutal Furie, the boss of this hazardous environment.

Storyline from IMBd:  Seeking to avenge her father's death, a young woman becomes entangled in the web of the Fury, peacekeeper of the Paris criminal underworld.

30. None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

listened on Libby
380 pgs.

2023
Adult psychological "thriller"
Finished 4/3/24
Goodreads rating: 4.15
My rating: 2....barely
Setting: contemporary London

My comments: Nope.  Not for me.  Do you want to be sad, depressed, and bored for over ten hours of your life?  Then this is the book for you!  Slow and repetitive with barely any surprises that you couldn't figure out were coming.. this is a very popular "thriller." that just didn't do it for me.  I did enjoy the setting of contemporary London, though.....

Goodreads synopsis:  Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

Artsy Ann Afghan

Finished 4/2/2024

OMG, I've actually hit double letters!

Trying to update and complete projects, I discovered a number of afghans I started a year or two ago...almost finished them, then put them aside.

Two were of this triple crochet variety.

Triple crocheted rows with a row of single crochet between them, in sereis of 1 - 2 - 3 triple crochets.

The edges were really straight.

When I changed colors, I did it at the end of a single crochet row - added on new color for 2 stitches, then dropped old color to end.  Blended in really well and didn't even show.

TV Shows - 3 Body Problem

Watched on Netflix
Season 1
Number of Episodes: 8
Length of Episode: 45-60 minutes each
IMBd: 7.7/10
RT Critic's Consensus: 78%
RT Audience Score: 80%
cag: 6

Premiered: 3/21/24 on Netflix

Characters: Five scientist/physicist friends, all brilliant, all very close.  The Chinese/English cop/bodyguard, The original Chinese young adult from the 60's Cultural revolution is followed from young girls and the beginning of all the trauma throughout the entire series.

My comments:  Absolutely awesome SciFi.  Top notch entertainment.  Comes from a book of the same name, written by a Chinese writer, set in China.  This television version switched the contemporary scenes to London, but kept a diverse set of characters and the 1960s parts still set in China.  Incredible cast, the relationships between the five main characters (spoiler:  only three are left "alive" at the end of season 1) seem real.  LOTS of characters, great sets, super well done.

Storyline from IMBd: Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

Y - The Yellowstone Afghan

7 "original type" granny rows (every row a different color)

8th row is SOFT TAUPE

X is for Xander - The Xander Afghan

Named this after one of my sweet little boys in Kindergarten.

12 rows of different solid & verigated yarns

Will probably put on a 13th row of a unifying color

Started in early March, 2024