Bookplate Special – Lorna Barrett

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Book 3 in the Booktown Mystery series had Tricia Miles finding yet another dead body. That makes 3 in a year for this sleepy, quiet New Hampshire town. Normally this type of thing would probably bother me but I see it as being no different than Joanne Fluke’s mystery series featuring Hannah Swensen, who seems to find a dead body every time she walks out her front door. (These are fantastic stories as well, full of recipes too as Hannah owns a cookie shop).

Bookplate Special Cover

The victim this time is Pammy, Tricia’s college roommate and less than pleasant houseguest. Apparently Pammy was looking to come into some money by blackmailing a resident of Stoneham, who was not exactly receptive to the idea.

Tricia is spared dealing with the always difficult town sheriff, Wendy Adams, who each have a strong dislike for the other. This time, it is Captain Baker who is investigating the murder, and none too soon as Tricia has just had quite the falling out with her boyfriend and owner of the local newspaper, Russ Smith.

You get to take part in a wedding (no, not Tricia’s), and watch her sister Angelica struggle as she opens a diner while still running the Cookery bookstore. A stray cat gets rescued, and Tricia and Angelica continue to work on their normally stress-filled relationship.

All in all this was a fun story, and it certainly had its share of twists and turns. I believe I still have 4 more books in this series, but I will be picking up something different next as I work through my Accounting class, and work on two editing jobs.

What has you reading late into the night as of late?

Zombie Sheriff – Geoff Lynch

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As my Accounting for Managers class officially starts tomorrow, I am going to try to get my hands on as many short stories as I can. I do have a mystery novel I am about halfway through, but it will likely be this weekend before I can attempt to get it finished.

Zombie Sheriff Cover Image

Sheriff Ed Pool is a zombie living in Idaho. One of three zombies (two surviving) that were protected and given rights as any other normal, living citizen. Okay, the first one wasn’t protected all that well; he was burned to death (his second death) before he could even make it to his home after being granted freedom and rights. Matthew Schultz is the other surviving zombie, and is a police officer working for Sheriff Pool.

Dr. Dorn is being charged with murder, as he cut the heart out of a Doctor who fired him hours before, and threw it against the operating room wall. He confessed to Sheriff Pool, but forgot to ask for immunity from the death penalty before doing so. Trying to bribe Sheriff Pool that he could help him become more human, Dr. Dorn is doing whatever he can to stay alive.

The Sheriff’s second deputy is also a zombie, although no one knows this until they try to execute her on kidnapping charges, rip her head off in the process, and she fails to die.

All-in-all, the kind folks in this small town seem to be tired on dealing with this small population of 3 zombies. The 3 zombies do not live happily ever after here.

I did like this short story, it was a quick, fun read, but there seemed to not be a driving theme to the story, and the conclusion, as a whole. I guess I just could not find a point in writing this story at all, without there being a strong beginning (it had that), a great conflict (it kind of had that), and a resolution (it did not really have that).

There were numerous spelling errors in this story; and they appeared to increase the closer I came to the end of the story. I will definitely look up some of Mr. Lynch’s other stories, as I do feel he has a real talent. I think I am just used to having surprise-I-never-saw-that-coming type of endings with short stories.

Prince Caspian – The Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis

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One of my favorites from the Narnia series, this story had me laughing out loud, angry, and sad, all in one setting. The thing I enjoy most about C.S. Lewis and his writing is how he just puts it out there. Right there; yes, for you to see, and contemplate, and enjoy.

Prince Caspian 005

Okay, enough reminiscing.

There are some great lines in this story, as well as the others, that make me remember them long after I read them.

Chapter 3: “The worst of sleeping out of doors is that you wake up so dreadfully early.”

Prince Caspian 006

The Pevensies wanted to go back to Narnia, but they did not know what that would cost them. Prince Caspian is the rightful heir, being denied his throne by his uncle. It is a quick story, with all of the allegories you come to expect from Mr. Lewis. And I have to honestly say; Reep-a-Cheep is likely my favorite “character” out of all of them! Well, except for Aslan, of course!

Prince Caspian 007

If you have seen the movie, I have to say it is quite different from the story, but I do enjoy the movie as well. How did you feel about this installment in the Narnia series?

Prince Caspian 008

The Rocks – Frederick Morse

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This was a great period story set in 1853-1857. It concerns a young man named Olin Collins; a 14 year old orphan who has been living in the local library since his mom died when he was nine. His aunt works at the library and had no room for him at home. Olin quickly became the most important person in his small town, making money to support himself, and using the knowledge he learned from reading books to help others in his town.

The Rocks Cover Image

He managed to save enough money to buy what was believed, by the adults, to be a worthless piece of land, full of huge rocks that would cost too much money to move. Gathering up several other orphan boys who got by on their wits, he created a town, “The Rocks”, that every single adult came to rely on for income or other necessities. Using what he learned from the books in the library, he managed to break the rocks, sell them to the town mason, tap the trees for sap to sell to the grocer, and use the timber he cut to build small houses for the orphans and himself.

There is a lot to this story, and many detailed scientific experiments. This is how Olin made his money; showing the men in town things that sounded impossible, but were perfectly easy to do because of science. He would charge a fee to see the demonstration, and they would pay it.

This story also touches on real issues that were going on in the states in this pre-Civil War era. Slaves were being transported to Canada where the laws could not force them back to their owners, states were fighting each other, and no one was sure what the future would hold.

If you enjoy history stories or period novels, I think this is one you would enjoy as well. If you give it a try, let me know how you liked it!

As you may recall, I reviewed another book by Mr. Morse, called “The Scimitar and the Glory Boxes”. This was the review I sent on to him only to find out that he had recently passed away. I will be passing this review on to his Widow as I promised I would, and will be reading another of his books in the near future. You can find that first review here: https://booksandopinions.com/2014/12/24/the-scimitar-and-the-glory-boxes-frederick-morse/

 

Bookmarked For Death – Lorna Barrett

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Book 2 in The Booktown Mystery series did not disappoint! Tricia Miles is now contending with her sister, Angelica Miles, being a full-time resident in Stoneham, New Hampshire. Angelica bought “The Cookery” bookstore after the murder of Doris Gleason, the first murder Tricia found herself caught in the middle of.

http://lornabarrett.com/bookmarked-for-death/
http://lornabarrett.com/bookmarked-for-death/

Zoe Carter, National Bestselling Author and local resident, finally agrees to a book tour, her first ever. Her last stop is at “Haven’t Got A Clue”, Tricia’s mystery bookstore. When Ms. Carter ends up strangled in the bathroom after the less-than-stellar book signing, Tricia once again finds herself caught in the middle, between any number of possible suspects, and Sheriff Wendy Adams, who may very well be Tricia’s biggest enemy.

Tricia seems to have another enemy, as she gets closer to discovering who the killer is, and the killer is bound and determined to stop her, even if it means she is the next murder victim. Tricia needs to figure out how Ms. Carter’s niece is involved, as well as her faithful employee Mr. Everett, and a host of other members of this (usually) peaceful, quiet town.

This is a great read that you will get through in no time, and as an added bonus, there are several recipes included that Angelica has prepared throughout the story.

To learn more about Lorna Barrett and this series of books, be sure to visit her website here: http://lornabarrett.com/

A fun cartoon from Lorna's website! Be sure to visit it at http://lornabarrett.com
A fun cartoon from Lorna’s website! Be sure to visit it at http://lornabarrett.com

Life As I Know It Is Officially Over…

Angela5 Comments

…because after having 10 weeks off from college, and almost 2 more weeks to go, I will again have class starting as I continue working on my MBA.

Accounting. Accounting for Managers, to be exact. I could have cried when I opened the book. Not counting the index, and numerous appendixes, this book is 1145 pages long.

Accounting Book 001

So I am pretty sure that when I say I am going to have 6 long weeks of nothing but accounting, I am probably 110% correct. I like working with numbers, and I have taken enough accounting and financial classes that I am not concerned about the work load, but I am very concerned about what kind of life I am going to have outside of working full-time, homeschooling a teenager, and a Master’s level Accounting class.

Yes, “What was I thinking is running through my brain non-stop right now!” When I disappear for awhile, do not panic 🙂

Be Still My Heart – A Sequel to “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Angela10 Comments

Yes, it is true. I was amazed to learn that the sequel that Harper Lee wrote was actually the first book she had written. Her agent recommended she write a backstory to Scout, and that is how we got the wonderful “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

Harper said she had long believed her first story had been destroyed long ago, and never really gave it another thought. She was recently made aware by her lawyer that she found her first book. Ms. Harper has had a select few friends and family members read it, and they told her that she does indeed need to publish this book.

This new story is called “To Set a Watchman”, and revolves around Scout returning to Maycomb, Alabama to see her father, lawyer Atticus Finch.

I don’t know about you, but I will certainly stand in a line to get this book when it is released in July, if it is necessary.

What do you think about this long missing book?

You can read the news release on CNN here: http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/03/living/feat-harper-lee-new-book/

An Irish Country Wedding – Patrick Taylor

Angela1 Comment

Another splendid installment in the Irish Series (as I call it). We get to be witness to Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly and his marriage to Ms. Kitty O’Halloran.

An Irish Country Wedding

Berry is debating leaving this practice to pursue a specialty, as the young new Doctor is finding his way among the residents of Ballybucklebo.

We get to watch a young Doctor manipulate the small town he is taking care of; as he helps the white weasel escape the Bishop’s grasp.

And he helps another couple buy their first house, Bishop be damned.

Barry is learning there is much more to taking care of the residents, but does he let them go in order to pursue his dreams of specialty?

Patrick Taylor, M.D.
Patrick Taylor, M.D.

I hope someone besides me has read these great stories!

Inkheart – Cornelia Funke

Angela2 Comments

One of my favorite series, Inkheart wraps it all up into one: A book about books.

Inkheart Cover Image

Mo has a gift; a gift of reading the characters right out of stories. Just like he read his wife Resa right out of his life, and into this world where she is captive;she lost her voice, but is searching for her husband and daughter.

Meggie is trying to figure out the whole story of why her Mother has been gone so long, and why her father refuses to tell her anything. But there are others who already know about Mo’s gift, and need to use it to their advantage. The fact that Meggie has this gift will follow her wherever she goes.

I am trying to avoid spoilers, but if you have read this whole series, I would love to hear what you thought about it!

You cannot help but get caught up in the secondary characters in this story; they all take you right back to your favorite stories.