August 29th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday.  It's time for another Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, my teasers will be coming from Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover.

This is the first book in a new series.  The main character owns a literary themed cocktail lounge.  The book was a lot of fun.  

Here's how it begins:

I rested my blowtorch on the bar. “I need tonight to go off without a hitch.”

Meanwhile, at 56% into the ARC I read, we find this:

"Reece?" There was an urgency in her voice.  "Is everything alright? What's going on?"

Just two short and sweet teasers this week.

I really enjoyed this one.  It won't be out until September 9th, but you don't have to wait that long for my review, which will be up on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, let's move on to the Book Blogger Hop for the week, shall we?  This week's question is:

Do you believe the education system needs to change its approach to teaching reading and literature to students? 

Considering how poor literacy is, something needs to change.  But I'm not sure what they are trying now, so I'm not sure how it would be fixed.  How's that for a non-answer?

Have a great weekend.  Enjoy the extra day off for those here in the states.

August 22nd's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday, and this week's Friday Post.  I'll be linking  up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, I'll be pulling quotes from For Duck's Sake by Donna Andrews.

This is book 37 in the Meg Langslow series.  Yep, a long running series and one I've been reading almost from the start.

Speaking of starting, here's how this book begins:

"This is the life," Iris Rafferty exclaimed, taking a long pull on her glass.

Nice relaxing beginning to a mystery, right?  As you can see, we are into the plot by page 56:

"Things didn't get bad until the day after the game. They tried to frame Billy."
"Frame him how?"

My review will be up on Tuesday, so I hope you'll come back to see what I thought.

Let's close things off with a look at this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

 Have you ever read a book with a character with the same name as you? 

As a matter of fact, I have.  The first time it happened, it was an accident, which can happen when you have a fairly common name.  But there have been several times authors have put me in a book.  I always enjoy seeing my fictional alter ego pop up.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend.

August 15th's Friday Post

It's been a while since I did one of those, so it's time for another Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teasers for the first three will be coming from Fatal Sign-Off by Sarah E. Burr.

This is the third book in her Book Blogger Mysteries.  And the book starts us right off with the book theme:

“As far as murders go, this one was pretty clever.” Joanie Nix turned her worn copy of He Didn’t See It Coming over in her hands as she shared her thoughts on our latest book club selection. “Did any of you figure it out before the big reveal?” She glanced around our circle with her wide gray eyes.

Meanwhile, at 56% into the book, the main characters are investigating a real murder.  So that leads to this exchange.

“I say we check the place out and go from there,” I suggested. “If we come in sounding too scripted, Remi might think something’s up.”
“Improv. My favorite.” Strider rolled his eyes at his own sarcasm.

The book doesn't come out until August 26th, but I'll have my review up this coming Tuesday, so I hope you'll come back to see what I thought.  (Okay, so I loved it, but come back to find out why.)

Let's close things out with the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

Do you visit and share books in Little Free Libraries in your area? 

I did for a couple of months, leaving behind some of my excess books.  But I stopped doing it.  I really need to start again.  Thanks for the nudge.

Have a great weekend!

June 13th's Friday Post

Happy Friday the 13th!  Let's celebrate with a Friday Post.  I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teaser for the first three will be coming from Thrown for a Scoop by Dana Mentink.

This is book four in her Shake Shop Mysteries.  And here's how it begins:

Trinidad Jones delivered two bowls of freshly churned ice cream to a patio table, mint chip for Quinn Logan, the man she’d been failing to marry for six months, and French vanilla for his brother Doug.

Yum!  I mean, who doesn't love ice cream, right?

But at 56% into the story, we find something a little more mysterious:

Trinidad’s mind was fixed firmly on the conversation she’d overheard. You’re a welcher. And you’re gonna do what’s right. Who was a welcher and what were they supposed to do?

I finished this one late last week and enjoyed it.  I'll be reviewing it on Tuesday, so I hope you'll come back then to see my thoughts.

Meanwhile, let's slip over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

Do you set a monthly budget for books? If yes, what amount? Have you ever exceeded your limit?

If you pay attention to my Sunday/Monday posts, you'll see I don't really set a budget.  Considering all the books I have around here that I haven't read yet, I probably should, but I haven't done that yet.

Have a great weekend!

June 6th's Friday Post

Time for another Friday Post.  As always, I am linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week, my quotes will be coming from Throne of Threats by Sarah E. Burr.

This is the fifth book in her Court of Mysteries series, set in a fanciful kingdom.  But yes, it is still a mystery series.  I mean, this is me we're talking about.  There's also a strong romance, as you can see from the opening.

“Do you think we’re making a mistake?”
The glint in Perry’s lavender eyes revealed he was suppressing a wry smile. “What, by getting married?”

Meanwhile, at 56% into this ebook, we find this quote:

“I’m still not a fan of this idea of you riding out to meet a criminal.”

I've finished this book, and it was good.  I'll have a review up on Thursday next week, so I hope you'll come back to see what I thought of it.

Meanwhile, let's take a look at this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

How do you strike a balance between providing enough information to pique readers' interest without giving away too many spoilers in your reviews?

It's been a bit of a trial and error process over the decades I've been doing this.  When I'm working on my teaser, I give just enough to give the reader some idea what the plot is about without revealing too much.  I try super hard to not go past the first third of the book, but even less if I can avoid it.  There have been times my teaser was just about the first chapter.  Then, I try to talk in general terms about pacing and character development.  I'll mention liking how some things played out, but not saying what they were.  Hopefully, it's general enough that it will make sense to the potential reader without spoiling it as they are reading it.  It's a very fine line.  And yes, I am keeping some of my go to phrases and what they mean a secret.  Otherwise, you'll have things spoiled for you when reading one of my reviews.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend!

May 30th's Friday Post

The weekend's almost here!  But first, time for this week's Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday Post
Book Blogger Hop

My teasers this week are coming from Home is Where the Murder Is by Rosalie Spielman.

This is the second book in a series about a retired Army vet who has returned to her hometown in Idaho.  And here's how the book begins:

I could hear the footfalls of my pursuers growing louder. I verified with a quick glance over my shoulder, my heart surging painfully when I saw how much closer they had gotten.
And they were gaining.

That worked to hook me.  I had to know what was going on when I read that.

Meanwhile, at 56% into the ebook, we find this:

"I swear, Tessa. I am a changed man," Nick said, reaching for my hand.

Can Nick be trusted?  I'll leave it for you to find out.

I finished this book about a week ago and really enjoyed it.  I hope you'll come back for my full review on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, let's close things out with this week's Book Blogger Hop:

Have you ever wondered why a passionate book blogger might suddenly stop posting or delete their blog without notice?

I read mysteries.  Of course, I'm intrigued and wondering about something like that.  But I figure they had something come up in their real life.  For those who pay to have their site hosted somewhere, they might not want to pay the fees for something they can't keep up with.  As to suddenly stopping, real life can unexpectedly get in the way of what is essentially a hobby.  It probably wasn't a planned break.  Or the blog is the last thing on their minds, depending on what else is going on.

But yes, I always wonder.

I'm curious what others will say about this one.

Have a great weekend!

May 23rd's Friday Post

It's Friday.  And it's a long weekend here in the States.  But before we start the relaxing, it's time for this week's Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, I'll be using quotes from There's No Murder Like Show Murder by M. S. Greene.

This is the first in a series set backstage in a theater.  Here's how it begins:

“Stop! Please! I can barely breathe!”

That will catch your attention as the first line of a book, right?

Meanwhile, at 56% into the ebook, we find this quote:

Hilly meowed behind me as I opened my car door, and I turned in her direction. She glanced back and padded along the theater’s rear wall. There was a light coming from inside Arthur’s office.
Just like the night Kurt was killed.

I finished the book earlier this week and really enjoyed it.  I'll be reviewing it Thursday next week, so I hope you'll come back to read more about it.

Meanwhile, let's skip over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

A songwriter composes a song about your love for books. What would the song's title be?

"Here's a Clue, He Likes Mysteries."

Okay, so I'm bad at titles.  But I do love puns, and there's a good one in there.  (Because, you know, there is no such thing as a bad pun.)

That's it for me.  Have a good weekend, especially if you get some extra time off.

May 16th's Friday Post

It's Friday, so time for another Friday Post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teaser for the first three will be coming from What Comes Around by Annette Dashofy.

This is book thirteen in the Zoe Chambers series.  It was fantastic!  I'll admit the teasers don't do it justice, but here's how the book begins:

Lyle Abercrombie followed the aroma of fresh coffee down the staircase of his home, through the living room, and into the kitchen.

As I said, not super exciting.  Especially for a non-coffee drinker like me.

The mystery has started in earnest by page 56, where we find this exchange between two cops:

"When we get back to the station-"
Abby finished his sentence. "I'll dig deeper."

My review will be up on Tuesday.  I hope you'll come back to see my full thoughts.

Meanwhile, let's switch over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

What are some of your favorite books to re-read?

I don't do that much rereading.  I want to, but there are so many new books calling my name.  Among those I have reread and enjoyed over the years (some of which are calling for me to reread them) are:

Trixie Belden (especially book 3, The Gatehouse Mystery)
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Mrs. Pollifax Series (did reread The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax last month and enjoyed it)
The Bronze Bow
The Witch of Blackbird Pond

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend!

May 9th's Friday Post

Welcome to this week's Friday post.  I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week, my teasers from the first three will be coming from Bait and Swiss by Korina Moss.

This is the recently released sixth entry in her Cheese Shop Mystery series.  I've already finished it, and I enjoyed it.

These books opens with a description of cheese, and this book is no exception.  Willa is talking to two of her employees for the first line:

"Raclette. It's an Alpine cow's milk cheese that's been popular since the Middle Ages."

Okay, not the most gripping beginning, but it does play into the theme well.

However, page 56 gives us a great quote:

"Shh!" He shushed me harshly. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

What's going on there?  I'll leave it for you to read and find out.

As I already said, I enjoyed this book.  I hope you'll come back on Tuesday to read my full review.

Meanwhile, let's switch over to this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

Have you ever looked at the young adult book section in a modern bookstore and felt out of touch or old? 

I can't say that I have.  I skipped over the young adult section when I was that age, and I have paid little attention to it now.  I do pay a little more attention to middle grade, but those don't make me feel out of touch or old.

That's it for me.  Hope you have a great weekend.

May 2nd's Friday Post

Welcome to the first Friday of May.  Time to end the week with a Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teasers for the first three this week will be coming from A Killing Way by J.R. Sanders.

This is the fourth in a series about a PI in 1930's Hollywood.  Here's how the book begins:

Hollywood's always been a place where art imitates life and, more often than not, the other way around. The shooting of Ty Jones by Leo Rust was a primo example of the latter.

Yes, that shooting does play a large part of the mystery.  How it does will make sense when you read the book.

But for now, let's jump to page 56.  There, we find the follow exchange between Nate Ross, the main character, and a police detective:

"But I thought I'd better talk to Rust himself and see if I believed any of that. That's all I came here for."
Queenan nodded, chewing on all of this. "Okay. But you should have tipped me the minute Chipman's name came up. That's a definite connection to my case."
"Maybe so. But I figured if I put him and Rust together in this thing, I could possibly hand you two for one."
That got me the dog eye. "That's what you planned to do, was it?"

I enjoyed this one.  My full review will be up on Tuesday, so I hope you'll come back for it.

Meanwhile, let's wind down with the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

What's your typical process for writing a book review, from reading the book to publishing the review on your blog?

I typically don't take notes while I'm reading.  But I try to write the review within a couple of days of finishing the book so everything is still fresh in my mind.  I then sit down and write the review.  The next day, I read through it again trying to clarify anything that needs it and catch any errors.  (Yes, I do look for them.)  Then I'll schedule it to run on my blog.

But this is why I am trying to finish books at least a week before I intend them to run.  That way the review part isn't rushed.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend!

Good Friday's Friday Post

I'm back with another Friday Post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, I'll be pulling quotes from A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge.

This is the third book in her An American in Paris Mysteries, which are set in 1950 Paris.  The main character just happens to be the neighbor and friend of Julia Child.  Which gives us the opening quote:

"It's the easiest thing you'll ever make," Julia assured me gaily. "Just plop it all in a pot and let it cook."

Nothing too mysterious, or fashion related, in that line, I'll admit.  But it isn't too long before we jump into both.  Which is why we find this quote on page 56:

This morning, I begged off going to the market with her before my first appointment because I wanted to retrieve my winter coat from the police.

Confused?  It makes sense in context, but I'll leave it for you to figure out.

The book doesn't officially come out until April 29th, but I enjoyed an ARC and my review will be up on Thursday.  I hope you'll come back then to see what I thought.

But let's switch gears and take a look at this week's Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

Do you know the Night Song in the Jungle?

Sorry, never heard of it.

Have a great weekend!

April 11th's Friday Post

Welcome to this week's Friday Post.  I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week's quotes will come from The Library Game by Gigi Pandian.

This is the fourth book in her Secret Staircase series.  Here's how it begins:

Tempest Raj was late.
A former stage performer who relied on split-second timing, Tempest didn't do late.

Meanwhile, over on page 56, we find:

"So Lucas is playing a joke," said Sanjay, "and he roped me into it?"
"That's what the police said," Ivy said.

Is that what's going on?  You'll have to read the book to find out.

I actually finished this one about a week ago, and my review will be up next week on Thursday.  I hope you'll come back then to see what I thought.

Meanwhile, let's finish things off with this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question for the week is:

How many days does it usually take you to finish reading a book?

I usually say three days.  Most of my books are around 300 pages, so that's a book every three days if I read 100 pages a day.  However, I don't always read 100 pages a day on the weekends.  It helps that I use my breaks and lunch time to read on work days, so that's most of my reading time those days.  With a little slower reading on the weekends, I actually finish two books most weeks.  Which I guess makes it three and a half days per book.

Have a great weekend!

April 4th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday!  Once again, this week, that means it is time for a Friday Post, where I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, this week, I will be pulling from Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chien

This is the fifth in her Noodle Shop Mysteries.  I actually finished it over the weekend, and I really enjoyed it.

Here's how the book begins:

"I am not going to wear a qi-pao to Donna Feng's party, Mother!"

No, this isn't the motive for murder.  But is it any surprise if I tell you that the party ends with murder?  This is one of my murder mysteries after all.

Meanwhile, on page 56, we get this cryptic conversation:

Megan was home and greeted me with a somber smile.  "How'd it go?"  She was sprawled on the couch flipped through a fashion magazine.
Kikko wiggled her tail at my arrival and got off the couch to greet me.
"Not well," I told her. "You're never going to believe what I'm about to tell you."

What secrets are about to be revealed?  I'll leave it for you to find out.

I really enjoyed this book.  I hope you'll come back next Thursday to read my full review.

Meanwhile, let's look at this week's Book Blogger Hop.  And the question is:

Who is your favorite "hobbit" from J. R. R. Toliken's Middle-Earth books?

Ah, but you're assuming I really know the hobbits.  The last time I read The Hobbit was 25 years ago.  I never made it through Lord of the Rings, and I haven't seen the movies since they were in the theater.  Sorry, I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you.

That's it for today.  Have a great weekend!

March 28th's Friday Post

Time for another Friday Post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week, I'm pulling quotes from Ranch Dressing by Diane Vallere.

This is the fifteenth book in her Samantha Kidd series.  Diane is no stranger to my Friday posts or my blog in general.  She's written 42 mysteries, and I have now read them all.  Not as big an accomplishment as having written all of them, but I'm still very satisfied at the moment.

But let's talk about this book.  As you've probably guessed, Samantha is off to a dude ranch (or a guest ranch, if you prefer), which is definitely outside her wheelhouse.  Which gives us this great opening:

“I need to borrow some clothes,” I said. “Jeans,” I added then tacked on “Wranglers,” for further clarification. I finished with “please” to properly convey my desperation.

I was smiling by the time I finished that paragraph.

Normally, for the Friday 56, I'm trying to find something that captures a plot twist or teaser of some kind.  But this time, I've got a nice descriptive passage for you.

Loncar leaned back against the side of the building. He kicked his feet out in front of him and looked at the deep purple-blue night sky dotted with hundreds of stars. I shifted my attention from Loncar to the sky and, for the first time since we’d arrived, stopped to take in the beauty of the surrounding land. The light came from the moon, and it was full enough to make visible the tree line, the fence, and a family of deer that grazed about a hundred feet away. I pointed to the deer, Loncar nodded, and we sat there, allowing our murder-case recap to lapse into silence while we admired the beauty of the great outdoors.
After a minute or so, one of the deer turned and fled. The others followed. I watched their silhouettes disappear into the darkness, and moments later, there was no sign that they’d been there.

As expected, I enjoyed this book.  (I mean, I wouldn't read this many books by an author I didn't enjoy her.)  My full review will be up Thursday next week.

Let's switch over to the Book Blogger Hop.  This week has a hot question:

Do you judge an author's works based on their political stances?

I try not to, unless they infuse the book with their politics to the point that it overwhelms the novel.  However, it's been very hard to keep that true over the last six months or so.  Some of what I've seen authors posting on social media has been pretty nasty.  I can name three authors who said, essentially, "If you didn't vote my way, stop reading my books."  Two of them were authors I have read and reviewed for years.

It's something I've been struggling with a lot more in the past six months than in my entire previous 25 years of reviewing.  Which saddens me since this can be such a great way to form bridges and connections that can lead to understanding, common ground, and solutions.  But it is becoming increasingly hard to view this as an escape and hobby to build community.

And on that somber note, I'm out of here for the day.  Have a great weekend!

March 14th's Friday Post

Look at this, two weeks in a row!  Time for another Friday Post.  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My quotes for the first three will be coming from Homicide in the Indian Hills by Erica Ruth Neubauer.

This is the sixth book featuring Jane Wunderly.  The time is 1927, and, obviously, she is traveling to India.  She has really managed to get around in this series, thanks in part to her new husband who works for the Crown.

Here's how this book begins:

It was a good thing that I wasn't afraid of heights, only enclosed spaces, since the steam train we were on was clacking up an incredibly narrow track along the side of a mountain.

As someone with a fear of heights, this one does hit home.  Usually, I'm in okay in a train or something like that, on a track.  But it can still be hard, depending on what the track is like.  I might have to sit on the other side from the drop off, for example.

Meanwhile, on page 56, we find this:

"You're looking for Savithri Kumari?" The voice was British and cultured, and I turned slowly to find that Lady Goshen was its owner.
I could feel my face flush with pink. I had no quick answer as to why I was looking for her husband's mistress.

I finished this book earlier on Thursday, and enjoyed it.  My review will be up on Wednesday next week ahead of it's release day of March 25th.  I hope you'll come back to read what I thought.

Meanwhile, let's look at this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

Do you only feature reviews on your blog?

Well, considering I'm doing this post, the answer is no.  I do have this and my Sunday/Monday Posts, which aren't reviews.  My Weekly TV Thoughts on Saturdays aren't official reviews, but they are kind of mini reviews in a stream of consciousness sort of way.  Outside of those posts, I do just feature reviews.  I don't do spotlights or interviews.  Of course, I do review things other than books, which helps me provide something every day.

That wraps things up.  Have a great weekend!

March 7th's Friday Post

Well, it's been a few weeks since I did a Friday Post.  Let's fix that today, shall we?  I'll be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, I'm sharing quotes from Shattered Sight by Liz Milliron.

This is the first in a new series featuring a cop in Niagara Falls, New York.  I will admit, the first line isn't exactly grabbing.

I stood in front of my open closet and shuffled through my tie selection. “Amy, have you seen my red tie?” I called to my wife.

As an accountant, I completely sympathize with what we find at 56% into the book:

After a moment, he spoke. “Are you going to send those to the accountants?”

I flipped a page. “Eventually. I want to look at them first. See if anything pops.”

Of course, it didn’t. The columns of numbers stayed columns of numbers. Money in, money out. I checked my watch—quarter to five.

There are days tracking down what you need to find feels like that, even if you are trained.

I enjoyed this book.  I'm working on my review, now, which will be up next Thursday ahead of the book's release on the 18th.

But for now, let's finish this off with the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

What fantasy or Sci-fi should be part of the literary canon?

I haven't read much, but one that stands out to me is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  They are such rich books even as an adult.  But they are probably already semi part of it anyway, right?

That's it for today.  Have a great weekend!

January 24th's Friday Post

Welcome to this week's Friday Post!  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the third three, I will be pulling quotes from Fatal Reunion by Annette Dashofy.

This is book 11 in her Zoe Chambers series.  Obviously, it's a series I love since I've made it to book 11.  And the opening of this one pulled me in.

Ten years with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police hadn't prepared Pete Adams for this.  Even the additional ten years as police chief in rural Vance Township hadn't done the trick.

Meanwhile, on page 56, we find this exchange.

Trailing Lauren inside, Zoe caught her arm. "Wait. You might be able to help me with something."
"Now you want my help?" Lauren pressed her fingers to her chest in mock surprise. "What's in it for me?"
"Maybe the biggest news story in decades."

This really was another fabulous entry in the series.  I'll be reviewing it next week, so keep an eye on the blog to read my full review.  (What day that happens is currently pending, but either Monday or Tuesday.)

Now, let's take a look at the Book Blogger Hop for the week.  The question is:

 What books do you look to for inspiration at the start of the year or to motivate you to make positive changes in your life? 

I don't tend to read inspirational or self-help books, so I don't have an answer.  I'm pretty much all mystery all the time, as I'm sure you've figured out.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend!

January 17th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday!  Time for this week's Friday post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

This week, my teasers for the first three are coming from Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge.

This is the first in a series that features Phyllida Bright, the (fictional) housekeeper for Agatha Christie, solving crimes in 1930's England.

The book jumps right into the mystery:

Phyllida Bright had seen her share of boding during the Great War, so when she discovered the dead man sprawled on the floor, it didn't even occur to her to scream.

See what I mean?

Meanwhile, on page 56 of my hardcover copy, we find Phyllida wrestling with a common issue that all book lovers have.

If there was talk about doing a motion picture with M. Poirot, Phyllida fervently hoped that would not happen. She feared absolutely no one would be able to portray the elegant Belgian in the way she saw him in her mind. She'd have to avoid seeing the film if it was ever made.

Nothing has changed in the last 90 years, right?  Okay, I'll admit, I have seen plenty of adaptations, many of which I have enjoyed.  But there are a few books or series I wouldn't want to see because they are too special to me.  (Hmm, maybe that would be a good future Book Blogger Hop question.  Off to submit it.)

Anyway, I enjoyed this book.  Look for my review coming up on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, let's close things off with this week's Book Blogger Hop.  The question is:

Have you participated in Sheila's FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR?

I don't think I'd heard of it before, so no.  And, honestly, that's always a little tough for me.  I wouldn't know until the last couple of days what the book I'm actually reading on January 1st would turn out to be.  Not to mention, I count books in the year I review them (I know, I know), so the first book I'm counting for the year would be different from the one I was actually reading.  Make sense?  (As far as reading challenges, etc. go, I figure it averages out across years.  It's about three books each year that I wind up counting in the next.)  And I'm usually in the middle of a book anyway, when the year turns.

That's it for me.  Have a great weekend!

January 10th's Friday Post

Welcome to Friday and this week's Friday Post.  As usual, I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

For the first three, I will be featuring quotes from Welcome Home to Murder by Rosalie Spielman.

This is the first in a series that has been on my radar for a while.  The main character has just retired from the Army, which makes her a little older than the main characters I usually read about.  Overall, I enjoyed the book.

It has a bit of humor, as you can tell from how it opens:

"I don't imagine a raccoon would turn down peanut butter, but do you really think his little hands could open the jar?"

Yes, it took me a couple of times to get that line straight in my head when I read it, but when I did, I laughed.

Meanwhile, at 56% into the book, we find this:

I smiled and waved at Aunt Edna as I got ready to pull out onto Route 8. She waved back, erratically, so I paused to look down the street.

"Oh wow, look at that."

"Holy…is that normal?" Nick gaped.

What are they seeing?  I'll let you discover that by picking up the book.

I'm aiming to have my review up on Thursday.  Of course, I have to write the review first.  Minor detail, right?

For today, however, let's finish things off with this week's Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

January is National Hobby Month. Do you have any pastimes or interests other than reading that go well with your love of books and literature?

Reviewing?  Honestly, that's about it.  I try to be active as well, and I rarely listen to audiobooks while I'm running or anything like that.  And I can't watch TV while reading.  

That's it for me.  Hope you have a great weekend.

January 3rd's Friday Post

Welcome to the first Friday of 2025.  I'm going to kick things off with a Friday Post.  I will be linking up to:

Book Beginnings
First Line Friday
Friday 56
Book Blogger Hop

My teaser for the first three will be coming from Rivers and Creaks by Marc Jedel.

This book actually came out back in late 2023, but I'm just now getting to it.  And the book begins like this:

“Here are all the keys to your new castle,” Juliet chirped, sounding ridiculously happy, like she was getting away with something.

Is she getting away with something?

Meanwhile, 56% into the book, we find this:

Before she could launch into another boring story about people I could care less about, I followed up. “I heard you and Katie got into an argument on Wednesday evening.”
Sophia came to an abrupt halt and glared at me. “You some sort of curmudgeonly busybody?”
I resented that description.

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me.  But I'll talk more about that when I post my review next week, most likely on Thursday.  Of course, I have to actually write the review first.

Meanwhile, let's wrap things up with the Book Blogger Hop.  This week's question is:

It's 2025; are you looking forward to any highly anticipated book releases or reading events in January or the following months?

I'm not sure any of the books I'm looking forward to would be considered high profile.  But the highest profile release of 2025 I'm looking forward to is Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz, which comes out in February.

That's it for me this week.  Hope you have a great first weekend of 2025.