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Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Goodreads Years in Review

Really Cool to Check Out!

Collages of the book covers,

longest and shortest,

most popular and least popular on Goodreads

2019 171/100 Challenge

Favorites: The Body Keeper (Frasier) Ascension (Dixen) Where'd You Go Bernadette? (Semple) Where the Crawdads Sing (Owens) Widowmaker (Doiron) Letters to the Lost (Kemmerer) The Line Between Us (Lee) I am Pilgrim (Hayes

2011 only 5 books recorded, lol

157. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Book ONE of TWO

Listened on Libby/TPPL

narrated by Christie Moreau
Unabridged audio (10:45)
2020
384 pgs.
YA Mystery
Finished 12/29/2020
Goodreads rating: 4.15 - 8651 ratings
My rating: 3
Setting: Huge gothic mansion and estate in Texas

First line/s: "When I was a kid, my mom constantly invented games."

My comments: I'm not sure what I expected from this, perhaps something in the line of The Westing Game, but that's not what it was. Lots and lots of characters, (yes, like the Westing Game) made it confusing at times, a huge Gothic house that was really hard to imagine, and the girl put into a situation that, even at the end of this part of the story, was impossible to believe. Making her the heiress and not his four brilliant grandsons....ever? Sure. Give me a break! Reading the next installment will be difficult if this first one isn't reread just prior - there are so many people and bits of information that should probably be remembered in order to move forward in good faith - I hope there's a good summarization somewhere on the internet, lol!

Goodreads synopsis: A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why--or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch--and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes.
Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

156. Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost

#1 Christmas Tree Farm mystery

listened on Audible - free

narrated by Allyson Ryan

Unabridged audio (8:16)
2017

311 pgs.
Adult Cozy Mystery
Finished 12/22/2020
Goodreads rating: 4.02 - 2253 ratings
My rating: 2 (Just not a cozy mystery fan)
Setting: Contemporary small town Maine

First line/s: " 'I have two cups of Santa's cinnamon tea, one spicy apple cider, and a peppermint twist hot cocoa,' I said, setting the mugs on the table surrounded by rosy-cheeked women wearing matching holiday sweaters."

My comments: Deceiving title, only one murder. There's a reason I don't read cozy mysteries. Only ready this because it's set in Maine. This was so sugary sweet, silly, and stupid. Stereotypical everything, a Hallmark movie extraordinaire in print. How can a whole town's worth of people fit in one living room a dozen times? Ridiculous!

Goodreads synopsis: When Holly White's fiance cancels their Christmas Eve wedding with less than two weeks to go, Holly heads home with a broken heart. Lucky for her, home in historic Mistletoe, Maine is magical during Christmastime--exactly what the doctor prescribed. Except her plan to drown her troubles in peppermints and snickerdoodles is upended when local grouch and president of the Mistletoe Historical Society Margaret Fenwick is bludgeoned and left in the sleigh display at Reindeer Games, Holly's family tree farm.

When the murder weapon is revealed as one of the wooden stakes used to identify trees on the farm, Sheriff Evan Grey turns to Holly's father, Bud, and the Reindeer Games staff. And it doesn't help that Bud and the reindeer keeper were each seen arguing with Margaret just before her death. But Holly knows her father, and is determined to exonerate him.The jingle bells are ringing, the clock is ticking, and if Holly doesn't watch out, she'll end up on Santa's naughty list in Twelve Slays of Christmas, Jacqueline Frost's jolly series debut.

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Movie - The Postcard Killings

Pandemic Movies Seen at Home That Should Have Been on the BIG SCREEN

(1:44)

3/13/20 Limited and Streaming

Viewed date at home on Sunday, 12/20/20 via HULU

IMBd: 5.7/10

RT Critic: 24 Audience: 37

Critic's Consensus:

Cag: 4 Liked it a lot, even though it was gritty and sad

Directed by Danis Tanovic

Good Films Collective, K. JAM Media

Based on the book by Paterson

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

My comments: Set in London, Stockholm, and Helsinki with brief encounters in Hamburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris....very grizzly piece which left me feeling a little bereft, but which took my mind away from my own troubles for a bit. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is great...

RT/ IMDb Summary: A New York detective investigates the death of his daughter, who was murdered while on her honeymoon in London, the victim of an apparent serial killer.

Friday, December 18, 2020

155. It's a Wonderful Wife by Camille Pagan

listened on Audible - free

narrated by Amy McFadden

Unabridged audio (1:56)
2020
100 pgs.
Adult Christmas novella
Finished 12/18/2020
Goodreads rating: 3.50 - 562 ratings
My rating: 4

My comments: What a horrible title, I almost didn't read it because of that! It's quite a fun story despite the lousy title. Perfect length, enjoyed it a lot.

Goodreads synopsis: In this charming and heartwarming retelling of Frank Capra’s classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Camille Pagán, best-selling author of This Won’t End Well and I’m Fine and Neither Are You, introduces us to Bailey, a dutiful yet sharp-witted 30-something who finds herself on the verge of a nervous breakdown as Christmas Eve approaches. As if it wasn’t enough that Bailey’s husband has just cheated on her, the family business she’s been running since her parents died, which employs most of her small town, is about to go under. But even as she’s questioning whether her life has any meaning, Bailey bumps into a handsome stranger who claims to know her - and through a series of strange events, sheds new light on what it means to make a difference in this messy, wonderful world.

Thursday, December 17, 2020

154. Christmas at Copper Mountain by Jane Porter

listened on Audible, free

narrated by Loretta Rawlins

Unabridged audio (4:00)
2013
152 pgs.
Contemporary Holiday Romance
Finished 12/17/2020
Goodreads rating: 3.95 - 2439 ratings
My rating: 3.5
Setting: Contemporary Wyoming/Montana (can't remember which)

First Line/s: "Harley Diekerhoff looked up from peeling potatoes to glance out the kitchen window."

My comments: A Hallmark movie-type novella, more or less, except with a little bit of steam near the end. Bittersweet for sure.

Goodreads synopsis: Since the loss of her family in a plane crash, Harley Diekerhoff has led a quiet life and keeps to herself. Taking the temporary job at the Copper Mountain Ranch as widower Brock Sheenan’s housekeeper seems perfect for her. But her calm cocoon is invaded with the arrival of Brock’s pre-teen twins, Mack and Molly who’ve never experienced a proper Christmas and before she knows it, Harley’s determined to make their holiday perfect.
Annoyed at first by Harley’s interference, Brock is secretly pleased she’s changed Mack and Molly’s world. It doesn’t hurt that he finds Harley incredibly attractive, fierce, smart and passionate. It’s also an added bonus that she’s not afraid to challenge him and get his blood heated! But when sparks fly and the attractions sizzles between them, Harley’s not so sure she can handle something permanent with this dark, taciturn cowboy who doesn’t know how to let her in. But Brock is determined to hold on to her and praying for a Christmas miracle…

153. Fake Date by Monica Murphy

listened - free Audible

narrated by Savannah Peachwood (can't do voices!!) and James McAdams

Unabridged audio (9:46)

2019
358 pgs.
Contemporary Romance
Finished 12/17/2020
Goodreads rating: 3.72 - 144 ratings
My rating: 1 Crappy

Setting: Contemporary Monterey, CA (with a trip to San Francisco)

First line/s: "Sometimes I marvel at the way my job choices have sent me down."

My comments: There was absolutely nothing to like about this book. The female reader read everyone's speaking parts horribly except for the protagonist. She added nuances to the speech that changed the peoples' personalities. Everything was stupid, the way everyone acted and reacted, the bevy of friends, and all their "advice," and even the (nonexistent) amount of time that she spent "taking care of" her little sister, which se was always complaining about.

Goodreads synopsis: Working at Bliss, Sarah Harrison deals with all sorts of—interesting clientele. Yet no one sparks her interest more than Jared Gaines, the ultra-rich, ultra-sexy businessman who frequents her shop, buying delicate little “gifts” for the women in his life.

But one day, Jared sends her a gift from Bliss. Then another—and another. So when Sarah walks into his office demanding to know why he can't stop sending her gifts, he makes her an offer she somehow can’t refuse: be his fake girlfriend for the weekend while attending his brother’s engagement party.
Next thing Sarah knows, she’s in San Francisco, pretending to be in love with Jared. Not that it’s a hardship. Once you get the man away from the office, he’s much more relaxed. Sweet. Funny. Even…thoughtful? Oh, and sexier than ever, of course.
Their pretend relationship feels very real, very quickly. Soon Sarah’s in over her head. Could what she and Jared share turn into something real? Or is it all actually…fake?

Monday, December 14, 2020

Recipe - Christmas Crack

1 cup brown sugar

2 sticks butter

Saltine crackers (48 singles?)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

optional: chopped pecans

Melt together brown sugar and butter and let boil for 3 minutes (don't stir once it starts to boil).

Line a large sheet pan with tin foil. Spray with oil. OR use parchment paper.

Lay saltines, salt side up, side by side, on tin foil.

Spread toffee evenly over top of saltines.

Bake at 350 for 5 - 8 min.

Immediately pour chocolate chips over top, let melt, then spread evenly.

Top with chopped pecans for an even crunchier bark.

Let cool in fridge for an hour before cutting (or breaking) into piecesl

Sunday, December 13, 2020

152. Agent 355 by Marie Benedict

listened on Audible

narrated by Emily Rankin

Unabridged audio (2:07)
2020
85 pgs. estimated
Adult Historical Fiction (American Revolution)
Finished 12/13/2020
Goodreads rating: 3.67 - 3251 ratings
My rating: 3.5

What I posted on Goodreads:

My comments: An historical fiction based on the possibility of real facts. Using details gleaned from many sources, it is know that there was a female spy during the revolution that helped catch Benedict Arnold before his traitorous actions were too debilitating for America. This story is the author's imagining of what could have actually happened. Interesting, much more so after hearing the author's afterward, the details about the real possible people involved.

Goodreads synopsis: From Marie Benedict, best-selling author of The Only Woman in the Room and Lady Clementine, comes a captivating work of historical fiction about a young female spy who may have changed the course of American History.
The tide is turning against the colonists in the Revolutionary War, and 18-year-old Elizabeth Morris cannot sit by idly. Quietly disdainful of her Tory parents, who drag her along to society events and welcome a British soldier into their home during their occupation of New York City, Elizabeth decides to take matters into her own hands. She realizes that, as a young woman, no one around her believes that she can comprehend the profound implications of being a nation at war - she is, effectively, invisible. And she can use this invisibility to her advantage. Her unique access to British society leads her to a role with General George Washington's own network of spies: the Culper Ring.
Based on true events, Agent 355 combines adventure, romance, and espionage to bring to life this little-known story of a hero who risked her life to fight for freedom against all odds.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Recipe - Ground Turkey & Ramen Vegetable Tomato Soup

1 lb. ground turkey (or leftover meat of any sort)

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 pkg. ramen noodles

1 1/2 seasoning from packet

1 1/2 t. sugar

3/4 t. pepper

46-oz. V-8 juice

1 16-oz pkg. frozen mixed vegetables (I use my own assortment, no lima beans!)

(canned green beans and canned or frozen corn)

Scramble-cook ground turkey, add all but noodles. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.

Break up noodles into small pieces and add. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer, until noodles are cooked.

Makes 6 servings: Freezes well.

151. Evil Eye - Madhuri Shekar

Listened on Audible - freebie/Audible Original
narrated by many readers
Unabridged audio (1:38)
2019
doesn't say, will count 80 pgs.
Adult CRF Epistolary US & India
Finished 12/12/20
Goodreads rating: 4.06 - 4810 ratings
My rating: 4
Setting: Phone conversations & voicemails between a daughter of Indian background living in LA and her parents in India

What I posted on Goodreads: same as below

My comments: Spoke theater, the whole thing is telephone conversations and voicemails between a mother, a daughter, the father, and the boyfriend. It gets creepy. Creepy fun. I quite liked it.

Goodreads synopsis: Pallavi is an aspiring writer living in California. Her mother, Usha, is thousands of miles away in Delhi - and obsessed with finding her daughter a husband.

In Madhuri Shekar’s ingenious Evil Eye, hilarious back-and-forth via phone and social media takes a shocking, supernatural twist when Pallavi meets the perfect man - leading to a climactic showdown that will leave listeners on the edges of their seats.

(from another reader) this was a chilling and captivating story that I couldn't get enough of. Told through a series of telephone conversations and voicemails, a mother living in Delhi becomes increasingly concerned when her independent and career driven Indian -American daughter begins to be involved with a new man. Although Usha wants nothing more than her daughter, Pallvai to marry, an uneasy feeling begins to grow. Except everyone else thinks Usha is going crazy.

Friday, December 11, 2020

150. Snow Day by Julie Lipson

Audible Original, Acted with background noises
Unabridged audio (1:11)
2020
100 pgs.?
Adult CRF Holiday
Finished 12/11/20
Goodreads rating: 3.60 - 452 ratings
My rating: 2
Setting: train from Florence to Paris

My comments: This was a spoken performance that took place on a Christmas Eve train ride from Florence through Italy towards Paris. When the train encounters a blizzard it has to stop because it cannot continue, and two people whe have just met explore and get to know each other a little better. I think there was supposed to be charisma between the two characters, but I just didn't feel it. It was very short, so it didn't waste much of my time.

Goodreads synopsis: What makes for a wonderful life? On a crowded Christmas train from Milan to Paris, Amy, an American headed to meet her fiancé, and Martjin, a Finn headed anywhere but home, meet cute. But when their train gets delayed in an Italian Alps hill town due to a snow storm, they, along with a passel of fellow stranded passengers, find comfort and joy in a cozy inn, run by a wise Italian man who forces them to look at the holiday and each other in a whole new light.

149. Eight Winter Nights by Liz Maverick

free Audible
narrated by Eva Kaminsky and Jason Clarke
Unabridged audio (2:55)
2020 Audible Originals
approx. 100 pgs.
Adult Hanukkah RomCom
Finished 12/11/20
Goodreads rating: 3.51 - 406 ratings
My rating: 4
Setting: contemporary NYC in December

What I posted on Goodreads: This is a great length for a romance, less than three hours. Refreshing holiday story about Hanukkah and a group of Jewish friends in NYC. Sort of a strange premise, but an easy holiday listen.

My comments: This is the perfect length for a romance, -they should rarely ever be longer - not too much breaking up, getting back together, misunderstanding repeat. That's not to say that I thought the story was great...though it was definitely different and easy to listen to. Hanukkah instead of Christmas. A group of Jewish friends in New York City. Refreshingly not steamy.

Goodreads synopsis:

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Friday, December 18, 2020

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Monday, December 14, 2020

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Friday, December 11, 2020

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