2026 In Review ... 60 Days In

March 1st already, people! Can you believe it? Personally, I can't. Especially since there's still a ton of snow on the ground here (and it was flurrying earlier today. 🙄) Let's see what's been going on so far this year...

In the world of reading, I have stopped reading TWO books already. This is a lot for me. I *maybe* stop reading one book per year, if that. 

I'm sure these are great books, but just not for me and not now. I read maybe 50 pages of each and decided that was enough. They're both pretty heavy topics (Nazis and Columbine) and honestly, they're a bit too close to present day reality. I think I've come to the point in my life where I want to read books that make me laugh and smile, for the most part. (A perk of aging!?!)

The weather's been ridiculous. I feel like we're paying for the last few winters when we didn't get much snow at all. There's only one "person" in this house that enjoys the snow. Here's a hint: he has four legs.

Now if only we could teach him to use the snowblower vs. project managing his father.

I will say it looks beautiful on the trees, though.

What else? I'm loving Spindrift sparkling water. I've tried to wean myself off of soda (and I've been successful for the most part) but still need something flavored that isn't caffeinated (if I drink a Diet Coke or an iced tea at lunch I'm up until 2AM 👎). I tried seltzer but it's a bit "harsh" for me (for lack of a better term.) Then I found Spindrift sparkling water. No caffeine. No fake sugar and very little added sugar. I love the Berry Belli-no, the Island Punch, and the Cosnopolitan. Highly recommend!

We just finished watching THE most hilarious series- How to Get to Heaven from Belfast on Netflix. If you loved Derry Girls, you'll love this new series by the same creator/writer, Lisa McGee. Trust me. There are some familiar faces from Derry Girls in the series, but it's altogether a different type of story. The main thing that connects them is the humor. The religious humor is some of the best. Go watch it. Now!

Is it Spring yet? 😆

Early 90's Teenage Angst vs. Mid 2020's Political Angst

It's really no contest. 

I'll take crazy fashion/crazy hair mixed with some rich kid teenage angst in the early 90's ANY DAY over present-day political angst.

So yes, I'm re-re-watching Beverly Hills 90210. 

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This photo is from the Spring Dance episode in Season 1 and it's so angsty. Both Kelly and Brenda like the same dress but once realizing that's the case, they both renounce it until... you guessed it, they each go back and buy it and then proceed to discover this only when they're getting ready to leave for the dance. Kelly says it's going to look like they planned on going as the Bobbsey Twins. Moments later, Jim Walsh (Brenda's father) comes in with his camera to take a photo and proclaims, "You look just like the Bobbsey Twins!"

This is only one moment of many Kelly/Brenda angsty exchanges. 

Yup, I still choose this over today's political lunacy.

Nothing to do with angst, but did you know that certain episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 aren't available for streaming? This in general is due to music rights. Take "Wildfire", Season 2, Episode 8 for example:

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Apparently, Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" is a tightly guarded piece of music, as I had to watch a random YouTube recording of this episode. Honestly, it's one of my favorites. Kelly, Brenda, Donna & Emily Valentine (!) perform the song in the "Hello Day" talent show at West Beverly High. They were going to perform a spoof on Addicted to Love (Addicted to Clothes) but thought they'd do something more meaningful. 😏

Silly, but yes, I am still choosing this over the news/current events.

The best part of the show? Brenda and Dylan's relationship. SO MUCH teenage angst. SO MUCH drama. SO MUCH ooey gooey teenage love. SO MUCH heartbreak. The big audience drama was whose team were you on- Brenda and Dylan or Kelly and Dylan? Team Brenda and Dylan all the way. (You can imagine my chagrin when Dylan told Kelly they were soulmates. Pfft.)

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The Halloween party episode! Brenda and Dylan as Bonnie and Clyde. How fitting- they were trouble in their own way just like Bonnie and Clyde.

Still choosing early 90's fantasy land.

What are you doing to maintain your sanity in today's world?

It's Me...Hi...I'm the Problem, It's Me

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I don't consider myself a Swiftie, but Taylor's lyric rings true for this blog. 

I'm the problem. It's Me. 

I wrote ONE stinking post last year. ONE. Was I so busy that I had absolutely zero time to write more? No. The answer is no.

I was "busy" being nosy on Instagram, getting a look into "celebrities" lives. Well, that problem is solved. I deleted my IG account. Buh bye.

I was "busy" scrolling Facebook- reading restaurant reviews, monitoring my small town's FB page for drama over trash & recycling, and so, yeah. Really "busy." 

I was "busy" watching cult/real-life drama documentaries- from The Program to The Vow. Extremely uplifting topics (NOT).

Will I do better this year? I hope so. I seem to have run out of depressing documentaries to watch. My IG account is disabled. It's Facebook that's the main time suck, although based on the crap they're surfacing in my feed, they might be pushing me out the door.

In the words of Aerosmith, "Same old story, same old song & dance"...

Now that we have that out of the way... 

• We're expecting a "big" snowstorm here in New England- 6-10". I hope everyone has their bread, milk, and eggs! I've agreed to get a lesson on the snowblower, so at the ripe old age of (almost) 53, I could run it if I had to. (But only if I really had to.)

• I cleaned out the spare bedroom closet. I may have a blanket/duvet/quilt addiction. I'd completely forgotten about some of the bed linens that were in there. I'm satisfied with blanket and cover on my bed, so I'm hoping I can put a stop to any near-term purchases in that realm.

• We did make some good recipes over the past year or so (I say "we" but really, I was the idea person and John executed). Here are a few:
• Goat Cheese Prosciutto Quiche
  
• Pepper Jelly Chicken Wings
  
• Easy Cherry Crisp
  
• Fancy Nancy Chicken Salad (Chicken Salad Chick Copycat)

• I went on a fabulous trip with my Mom- a river cruise on the Danube! Loved Budapest. Loved the people we met on the cruise. Had good food, good drink, and got to see parts of the world that I might not have otherwise had the opportunity to.

• We (again with the "we" 😉) re-did our main bathroom! It was a HUGE project and John orchestrated it all- doing some himself, working with contractors, and then dealing with my obsessing over which of the three shower curtains I bought would work. We make a good team! That deserves its own post- stay tuned!

Have a great long weekend!

We Interrupt This Lull in Blogging to Say, "Happy New Year!"

 

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Happy 2024! (A Mary Engelbreit illustration ☝always makes an occasion happy!)

Our New Year's Eve was fairly laid back, as John's been sick. We did appetizers- fancy cheese & fancy crackers, French bread, veggies and dill dip, Mongolian meatballs, and crab & artichoke dip. The last two recipes were "new to us," and they were honestly very good!

We normally eat on the coffee table, but with a four-legged nudge in the mix, we had to cobble together some end tables that were a bit higher and sort of out of his reach. 

A co-worker mentioned the TV series Six Feet Under as being good, so we started that over the weekend and watched a few episodes yesterday afternoon. It's been a while since we've found a show that makes us both laugh out loud!

I wasn't sure I could make it to midnight, but we both did and per our usual tradition, we toasted the new year with the flutes from our wedding. 

Murray was very confused as to why we were up so late, but he made it, too.

And then today we had the pleasure of going to urgent care- turns out John has strep throat. What a way to start the new year! (But, as we've learned, it could be much worse and the old adage applies, i.e., this too shall pass.)

Cheers to 2024! 🍷

January/February Entertainment Review: TV Series, Movie & Books

 Here's the lowdown on what I watched and read in January/February 2022:

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TV Series: Search Party on HBOMax

John and I watched all five seasons over the course of a month or so, although I honestly lost track of exactly how long it took us to watch. He had already watched season one and I happened to be sitting with him while he was watching a season two episode and he said he thought I'd like it. He offered to re-watch season one and off we went.

I really have to say that the first two seasons and probably the third were GREAT. I really enjoyed the four main characters and how each brought a different facet to their friendship. Meredith Hagner (the blond on the left in the above image) is the airheaded actress and pulls it off magnificently. But the star of the show? The one who made me LOL? John Early who plays Elliott (the one in the yellow suit and sunglasses in the above image.) I mean, roll on the floor, laugh your ass off. 

However, when seasons four and five came along, even Elliott's amazing sense of humor couldn't save the show. Classic example of "jumped the shark." Let's just say that I did not invest all that time to have the series end in a zombie apocalypse (::major eyeroll::) I am not a zombie person to begin with, but this just totally went off the rails. 

So, feel free to watch seasons one-three and then find something else!

If you watched it, what did you think?

Gilded Age on HBOMax

This will be quick as we didn't even make it through the first episode.

Julian Fellowes, who created Downton Abbey, also created this series. I thought, "Brilliant! I loved Downton, so I'll love the Gilded Age." And you can't go wrong with Christine Baranski!

Major snooze-a-palooza! Way too slow. 

If you watched it and enjoyed it, I'd be interested to hear what specifically you liked about it.

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Movie: The Tender Bar on Amazon Prime

So many things to love about this movie. A lot of it was shot on the North Shore of Massachusetts/Cape Ann, which is where I live and work, so it was fun recognizing landmarks in scenes. It took place in the 70's/80's- my era. Ben Affleck. Already has a "real" Boston accent, so no need for a cringe-worthy fake accent. Lastly- a well written "slice of life" story. 

Watch it- you'll thank me.

If you watched it, what did you think?

Books: Here is a book that I've read since the beginning of the year and rated an A+, A or A-.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Description: Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her suicidal mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her.

Rating: A. While this isn't exactly "light" reading, it's an extremely well written story about real life issues. I was empathetic to the characters and when Gifty wanted her mother to get out of bed so so much, I could feel that longing. The only reason I didn't give it an A+, was the somewhat random interjections of biomedical jargon- almost like an excerpt from a science textbook.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? 

What good books have you read lately?

December Entertainment Review: TV Series, Movie & Books

Here's the lowdown on what I watched and read in December 2021:

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TV Series: Goliath on Amazon Prime

John has been watching this over the past few years (it started in 2016) and I just happened to catch part of an episode from the last season while sitting with him. I was intrigued. A loudmouth brash blonde lawyer paired with freakish Billy Bob Thornton- why not?

I started at the beginning (there are four seasons total). I REALLY loved the first season. It was funny, heartbreaking, and totally drew me in. I couldn't wait for the second season...

You don't want to touch the second season with a ten-foot pole. I watched one episode and thought it was strange. I mentioned it to John and he immediately said, "Yeah, you'll probably want to just skip the second season COMPLETELY." Say what??? I didn't give up that easily and watched the second episode and said nope. Too.freaking.weird. (Crossed a line weird, if you catch my drift.)

Onward and upward. I watched the third season and was underwhelmed. It wasn't nearly as odd as the second season (although it had its moments), but every episode was set in the same place with little variety. It bored me.

Next? The fourth season was TERRIFIC. The storyline was fascinating (big pharma) and Nina Ariandas (who plays the loudmouth brash blonde lawyer Patty) was fabulous. She really makes the show, in my opinion. While Billy Bob Thornton is an accomplished actor, Ariandas is amazing. 

Unfortunately, that was the last season and (allegedly) there will be no more. If you haven't seen it, I recommend seasons 1, 3 (just be prepared for dullsville, but you need to see it to be in the loop on the progression of the relationship storylines), and 4.

If you watched it, what did you think?

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Movie: Being the Ricardos on Amazon Prime

As mentioned above, I loved Nina Ariandas and her portrayal of Patty in Goliath. I was interested in what else she was in, so Google told me she played Vivian Vance (Ethel Mertz) in this Amazon Prime original movie. On top of that (before I dumped Twitter), Mandy Matney (host of the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, which you need to check out) tweeted that it was a fabulous movie. SOLD!

John and I watched it on New Year's Eve. It was a really good movie and very interesting. It chronicled a week in the production of the I Love Lucy TV show- the week where it's exposed that Lucille Ball "checked the box" (the Communist party box) on a voter registration form from years ago and the drama that ensued. (It also touched on Lucille being pregnant on TV and how the network bigwigs couldn't POSSIBLY allow a pregnant woman on TV. "Our viewers will question how she got pregnant!") There are also flashbacks throughout the movie to show how Lucy & Desi met, etc...

I had a hard time with Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball, but Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz was terrific as were Ariandas as Vance and JK Simmons (also in Goliath) as William Frawley. 

Very entertaining; I'd recommend it.

If you watched it, what did you think?

Books: New Year, new blog resolutions. I'm going to switch up my book reviews. It's sometimes taxing to keep up with my reading and writing started to feel like a "chore." Thus, I will only share books that I rate A+, A or A- (we'll see how much that narrows the field!)

Here are some of the books I didn't previously review, but read recently (most likely read in December but potentially November) that I think are worth reading:

Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

Description: Two years into the Second World War, and German U-boats are frequently disrupting the United Kingdom’s supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front launches a new cooking contest – and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host. For young widow Audrey winning the competition could be a chance to pay off her husband’s debts and keep a roof over her children’s heads. However, her estranged sister, Gwendoline, is equally set on success even if her own kitchen maid, Nell, is competing against her. And then there is Zelda, a trained London-trained chef desperate to succeed in a male-dominated profession - and harboring a secret that will change everything...

Loved, loved, loved this book- A+! If you read one book that I recommended, this should be the one (OK- maybe there were a few more really good ones...) Wonderful story-telling, drama, likeable characters, you name it- read this historical fiction book!

Matt Haig books

Completely unintended, but I read two Matt Haig books within a week or so of each other. The Comfort Book is exactly what it says it is. A book of reflections/quotes to bring calmness and comfort in this crazy world. My new favorite quote came from this book-

Don't absorb criticism from people you wouldn't ask for advice

::mic drop::

I immediately put this into play in my life. While it's not always easy to remember, it's so so true.

The Midnight Library is a bird of a different feather. Let's see if I can find a description of the book that covers it all. Nope. Here's a teaser: Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

It's a fantasy book (not my usual genre by any means) but I did really enjoy it. As a librarian, as someone who's made mistakes, as a fiction reader, and as a human. It's a truly interesting story.

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

Description: Blindsided by her mother's sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she's been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey's fight to fulfil her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink.

I could gush over this book all.day.long. What does it for me is the setting/references to Cambridge. I grew up around Boston and went to high school in Cambridge, so I knew the places Casey went to and talked about it was like a trip down memory lane. (Even if you didn't grow up/live in Boston/Cambridge, you'll still love this story- trust me!)

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? 

What good books have you read lately?

6:45PM? Feel like it's 10PM!

The end of daylight savings time. Blah. 

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Oh good- it's not just me. 😏

Other than feeling like it's hours later than it really is, let's see what else is going on around here.

• It's been "warm" for November in New England (in the 50's!), so John and I were able to get out yesterday and take a walk on a local rail trail. We walked to the Merrimack River and sat on a bench and just took in the scenery. It was beautiful.

• I've gone to Pilates three weeks in a row, which for me is good! The class is early Monday evening, which can sometimes be tough. Mondays are always crazy at work, but I've made it a priority to go.

• John and I always have trouble finding a TV series that we're both interested in watching. I found this list of the 18 best Netflix Original Series and we made a list of seven that we were interested in trying. When we sat down last night to actually watch, we determined that two I wasn't really that interested in, one was totally hokey, and one was meh. So, yeah- we'll give the others a shot, but it's back to the drawing board. (Suggestions? Throw them out!)

• I've tracked all my meals on WW (Weight Watchers) for the past week and did it sporadically prior to that. The scale shows it's working. 

• The six month anniversary of my Dad's passing is coming up this week. Some days it seems like it happened yesterday and some days it seems like it's been longer. Grief is weird.

Since it's only 6:45 🙄, I'll try to catch up on some book reviews- plenty of time!

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #49: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Aluo

Summary: The book is about race in the contemporary United States, each chapter titled after a question. Oluo makes the argument that America's political, economic and social systems are systematically/institutionally racist. The book provides advice for readers when discussing race-related subjects, such as how to avoid acting defensive or getting off-topic. Statistics are used to support the book's arguments. Oluo also describes her upbringing and experience living in Seattle, Washington. She was raised by a white single mother and became a single mother herself to two mixed-race sons at a young age.

Rating: A-. I found this book to be informative and definitely worth a read. (Admittedly, I am very behind on reviews and I read this one a while ago, so my in-depth impressions have gone out of my mind...lol. This will be applicable for the next set of reviews, as well. 😀)

Book #50: The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey

Summary: Bombay’s first female lawyer, Perveen Mistry, is compelled to bring justice to the family of a murdered female Parsi student just as Bombay’s streets erupt in riots to protest British colonial rule. Sujata Massey is back with this third installment of the series set in 1920s Bombay.

Rating: A-. I've really enjoyed this series. I love that Perveen is blazing a trail as Bombay's first female lawyer and breaking down barriers. The time period and setting are fascinating.

Book #51: Who Moved My Goat Cheese by Lynn Cahoon

Summary: Angie Turner is back in her hometown of River Vista, Idaho, ready to open her own farm-to-table restaurant. Together with her friend and business partner Felicia, Angie is lining up vendors from local farmer’s markets to Old Man Moss’s goat dairy farm. Not everyone in the Boise suburb is keen on having a fancy new eatery in town. But the cantankerous Moss takes a shine to Angie, as does his kid goat Precious. When Angie hears the shocking news that Moss has been killed, she jumps in to mind the man's livestock—and help solve him murder. Now with her grand opening just days away, Angie has grave reservations about her new neighbors. But one thing's for sure, Angie's not about to let some killer get her goat.

Rating: A-. This was a fun/light cozy mystery and I will definitely be reading the next one in the series.

Book #52: What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

Summary: When a county initiative in the Piedmont of North Carolina forces the students at a mostly black public school on the east side to move across town to a nearly all-white high school on the west, the community rises in outrage. For two students, quiet and aloof Gee and headstrong Noelle, these divisions will extend far beyond their schooling. As their paths collide and overlap over the course of thirty years, their two seemingly disconnected families begin to form deeply knotted, messy ties that shape the trajectory of their lives. On one side of the school integration debate is Jade, Gee's steely, single, black mother, grieving for her murdered partner, and determined for her son to have the best chance at a better life. On the other, is Noelle's enterprising mother, Lacey May, who refuses to see her half-Latina daughters as anything but white. The choices these mothers make will resound for years to come. And twenty years later, when Lacey's daughters return home to visit her in hospital, they're forced to confront the ways their parents' decisions continue to affect the life they live and the people they love.

Rating: B+. The premise was good and I liked it, but I wish I'd liked it more.

Book #53: Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia

Summary: Harlem, 1926. Young Black women like Louise Lloyd are ending up dead. Following a harrowing kidnapping ordeal when she was in her teens, Louise is doing everything she can to maintain a normal life. She’s succeeding, too. She spends her days working at Maggie’s Café and her nights at the Zodiac, Harlem’s hottest speakeasy. Louise’s friends, especially her girlfriend, Rosa Maria Moreno, might say she’s running from her past and the notoriety that still stalks her, but don’t tell her that. When a girl turns up dead in front of the café, Louise is forced to confront something she’s been trying to ignore—two other local Black girls have been murdered in the past few weeks. After an altercation with a police officer gets her arrested, Louise is given an ultimatum: She can either help solve the case or wind up in a jail cell. Louise has no choice but to investigate and soon finds herself toe-to-toe with a murderous mastermind hell-bent on taking more lives, maybe even her own....

Rating: B+. A decent start for this new series. This is a period in history that I've always been interested in, so hoping the series continues.

What the Heck(s)?

I drafted this post quite some time ago (as in at least three YEARS ago). Yes, you read that correctly, but I'm making a concerted effort to post any & all drafts (hey- they were a good idea for a post at one time!)

I was going to sing the praises of the TV show, The Middle.

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Well, in the time that's passed since I started the post, the show went downhill. Went down the crapper. Jumped the shark. (And if you don't know the origin of that last phrase- check out the Wikipedia entry. Very interesting.)

I'm trying not to let the last season and a half (or so) of crap ruin the first six to seven seasons because they were good. Real good.

To be honest, I've had a tumultuous relationship with the show since the very beginning. A few people recommended that I watch it- my boss, John's coworker. So, I decided to give it a try.

I didn't like it.

I didn't think it was funny.

I just thought it was weird.

Some time went by and I was feeling generous (and maybe desperate for TV shows to watch), so I decided to give it a second try. I stuck with it and it grew on me.

I liked it. Then I LOVED it!

In 2016, for my birthday, John got me the first five seasons on DVD.

We binge watched them together and really enjoyed them.

So much so that I laughed so hard during one episode that I peed my pants!

The episode is The Safe. It's from Season 4.

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It's physical comedy- in trying to open the safe, Brick & Sue catapult it through the bedroom wall into the room next door leaving a gaping hole in the wall. (Which comes up throughout the rest of the series.) I don't know why, but every time I watch this episode, I laugh hysterically.

I've thought about going back and giving the last season and a half another shot, but it's not high on my list. I felt like the ending was a Three's Company episode on steroids. (If that makes any sense.) Too MUCH slapdash comedy and too much "oh, person A is the secret admirer but episode after episode, something happens to make it seem like person B is the secret admirer." I can only take so much of that and I felt like it was coloring my opinion of the series.

Have you watched The Middle? If yes, what is your favorite episode? What did you think of the last few seasons?

Before I get to the book reviews, I feel like the next book in line deserves to be promoted to the "main post." It's the third A+ book of the year for me so far, but if I could (which I can!), I'd give it an A++.

Book #34: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Summary: 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

Rating: A++. This is 600+ pages of GREATNESS. When I first got it from the library, I thought- ugh- 600+ pages? There will have to be a point in this book where it will hit a lull or I'll wish it was ending. NOPE. The premise of this book is captivating and each female character is amazing in her own right. (Power to the women!) If you read any book this year, I recommend reading this. 

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #35: Cruising Attitude by Heather Poole

Summary: Real-life flight attendant Heather Poole has written an insider’s account of life and work in the not-always-friendly skies. Cruising Attitude is a Coffee, Tea, or Me? for the 21st century, as the author parlays her fifteen years of flight experience into a delightful account of crazy airline passengers and crew drama, of overcrowded crashpads in “Crew Gardens” Queens and finding love at 35,000 feet. Poole not only shares great stories, but also explains the ins and outs of flying, as seen from the flight attendant’s jump seat.

Rating: B-. I saw a snippet in Parade magazine about this title, so thought I'd give it a shot. It was meh. Some of the inner workings of being employed by an airline were interesting, but I found the memoir part just OK. (I really need to drop the memoirs...)

Book #36: A Death of No Importance by Mariah Fredericks

Summary: The woman no one sees, but who witnesses everything, is the ideal person to solve a murder... Invisible until she's needed, Jane Prescott has perfected the art of serving as a lady’s maid to Manhattan's elite. Jane takes up a position with the Benchley family – a family of ‘new money’– who cause outrage when their daughter Charlotte becomes engaged to notorious playboy Norrie, the son of the eminent Newsome family. When Norrie Newsome is found murdered at a party, Jane realises she is uniquely positioned to solve the crime with her access behind the scenes of high society. Many people held grudges against Norrie, and Jane knows that amongst both the upper classes and the city's underbelly, morals can become cheap in the wrong hands. As scandal and violence simmer beneath the surface of New York, can Jane solve the mystery that threatens to result in more deaths?

Rating: B. This is the first in Fredericks' Jane Prescott series. Set in NYC in 1910, this seems like it will be a good series. (I'm a sucker for a historical mystery). 

Book #37: Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan Boyer

Summary: Liz Talbot thinks she’s seen another ghost when she meets Calista McQueen. She’s the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe. Born precisely fifty years after the ill-fated star, Calista’s life has eerily mirrored the late starlet’s—and she fears the looming anniversary of Marilyn’s death will also be hers. Before Liz can open a case file, Calista’s life coach is executed. Suspicious characters swarm around Calista like mosquitoes on a sultry lowcountry evening: her certifiable mother, a fake aunt, her control-freak psychoanalyst, a private yoga instructor, her peculiar housekeeper, and an obsessed ex-husband. Liz digs in to find a motive for murder, but she’s besieged with distractions. Her ex has marriage and babies on his mind. Her too-sexy partner engages in a campaign of repeat seduction. Mamma needs help with Daddy’s devotion to bad habits. And a gang of wild hogs is running loose on Stella Maris. With the heat index approaching triple digits, Liz races to uncover a diabolical murder plot in time to save not only Calista’s life, but also her own.

Rating: B. This is the second in the Liz Talbot "Lowcountry" mystery series. The first one was a tad odd, but I thought I'd give the second one a shot. The whole Marilyn Monroe doppelganger theme was a step further down the weird path. If you like kooky, this series is for you.

Book #38: Black Widows by Cate Quinn

Summary: Blake Nelson moved into a hidden stretch of land - a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah - where he lived with his three wives:

• Rachel, the chief wife, obedient and doting to a fault.
• Tina, the other wife, who's everything Rachel isn't.
• And Emily, the youngest wife, who knows almost nothing else.

When their husband is found dead under the desert sun, the questions pile up. What are these women to each other now that their husband is dead? Will the police uncover the secrets each woman has spent her life hiding? And is one of them capable of murder...?

Rating: D+. Yes, I read two books by an author named C/Kate Quinn fairly close to one another. This author should NOT be confused with the Kate Quinn I sing the praises of above. This book was just plain odd. Steer clear.

I Want Claire Foy Back As the Queen!

 

photo credit

We started watching Netflix's The Crown a few weeks ago (I know, I know...so late to that party). At first I had mixed feelings- somewhat slow & dark setting (reminded me of the movie Lincoln, which was a two-hour nap for me).

However, over time the show really grew on me. 

Claire Foy WAS the Queen.

Vanessa Kirby WAS Margaret.

Matt Smith WAS Philip.

And then? The rug was pulled out from under me. 

Season three is a completely new cast. It's like a brand new show. While we've only watched the first episode of the season, I'm not feeling it. 

I had a similar feeling when the character Linda was cut out of the TV drama Blue Bloods. Different in that no one replaced her, but that same annoyed feeling. Needless to say that I basically boycotted Blue Bloods from that point on.. (And it wasn't the show's fault, either, according to what I read. The actress that played Linda wanted to leave. So, I probably shouldn't have taken my annoyance out with her on the whole show.)

I will soldier on with The Crown, however. My sister-in-law said she felt the same but after a few more episodes it was like Claire Foy didn't even exist.

We'll see!

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #30: A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley

Summary: In the hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey, the insidiously clever and unflappable eleven-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce had asked a Gypsy woman to tell her fortune—never expecting to later stumble across the poor soul, bludgeoned almost to death in the wee hours in her own caravan. Was this an act of retribution by those convinced that the soothsayer abducted a local child years ago? Certainly Flavia understands the bliss of settling scores; revenge is a delightful pastime when one has two odious older sisters. But how could this crime be connected to the missing baby? As the red herrings pile up, Flavia must sort through clues fishy and foul to untangle dark deeds and dangerous secrets.

Rating: A. This is the third book in the Flavia de Luce series. If it's possible, I love each book in the series a bit more than the last! If you're looking for a fun series- this is it.

Book #31: Good Harbor by Anita Diamant

Summary: Good Harbor is the long stretch of Cape Ann beach where two women friends walk and talk, sharing their personal histories and learning life's lessons from each other. Kathleen Levine, a longtime resident of Gloucester, Massachusetts, is maternal and steady, a devoted children's librarian, a convert to Judaism, and mother to two grown sons. When her serene life is thrown into turmoil by a diagnosis of breast cancer at fifty-nine, painful past secrets emerge and she desperately needs a friend. Forty-two-year-old Joyce Tabachnik is a sharp-witted freelance writer who is also at a fragile point in her life. She's come to Gloucester to follow her literary aspirations, but realizes that her husband and young daughter are becoming increasingly distant. Together, Kathleen and Joyce forge a once-in-a-lifetime bond and help each other to confront scars left by old emotional wounds.

Rating: C. This was a disappointment. I've loved Diamant's books and thought I'd like this one since I live a hop, skip & a jump from the real Good Harbor beach. It didn't draw me in and I found it to be just mediocre.

Book #32: Candy Cane Murder by Joanne Fluke

Summary: This collection of holiday whodunits, featuring more than fifteen delectable recipes, includes Joanne Fluke's Candy Cane Murder, in which bakery owner Hannah Swenson, while dressed as an elf, finds murder on the agenda at Lake Eden's annual Christmas gala. 

Rating: B+. This is the tenth book in Fluke's Hannah Swenson mystery series. Maybe I liked it because it was only a novella? 🤣 It was a short, fun little story of Christmas (in June.)

Book #33: Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane

Summary: The tough neighborhood of Dorchester is no place for the innocent or the weak. A territory defined by hard heads and even harder luck, its streets are littered with the detritus of broken families, hearts, dreams. Now, one of its youngest is missing. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro don't want the case. But after pleas from the child's aunt, they open an investigation that will ultimately risk everything—their relationship, their sanity, and even their lives—to find a little girl lost.

Rating: C+. This is the fourth in Lehane's Kenzie/Gennaro mystery series. This series is somewhat more graphic/hardcore than the usual mysteries I read, but this one in particular was extremely graphic and disturbing, and not one of my favorites. (And I didn't see the movie, so I have nothing to compare it to.)