Happy Sunday! Continuing with our Golden Age mystery writers, this month's Crime Spree Bookology choice is Josephine Tey. I've had The Daughter of Time sitting in my stacks for quite a while and look forward to reading it now. Tey is the creator of Inspector Alan Grant series and also wrote plays under the pseudonym of Gordon Daviot. There are a number of ways to complete the Crime Spree bookology challenge, including but not limited to: Spell out the author's name - one book per letter from the title on the cover. Read one or more books written by the author. Read a book written in the country or time period of the author. Learn more about Josephine Tey through a Crime Readers Guide to the Classics and Decades After Her Death, Mystery Still Surrounds Crime Novelist Josephine Tey. A to Z and Back again - Our letter and word of the week are J and Justice Link to book week 9 Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

I finished the 4th book in Carlos Ruiz Zafon's the Cemetery of Lost Books, The Labyrinth of Spirits which was really good. Although it can stand alone, there was so much cross over with the other characters and I'd forgotten so much, I felt like I was missing out on something. I read the first book, pretty sure I finished the 2nd, but don't remember the third, so may have to go back and read the whole series from start to finish. I was about two thirds through the book thinking the Cemetery of Lost books was only going to rate a fleeting appearance at the beginning when it became part of the story. So much happened in this story, it could have been made into two books. It was such a complicated web, I feel like I should reread the whole series all over again from start to finish in order to absorb it all and appreciate it.

Congratulations. And now you make me want to try again. Moving it up in the pile.

Funny, because I was going to start Stars Beyond, but couldn't remember anything about Stars Uncharted even though I read it last year. I thought I'd reread it, but looked through the story, said oh yeah, that's what is was about. Not reading it again. Maybe next year.

Awesome, glad you enjoyed it. The next one is just as good.

I'm currently halfway through the fourth book in Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s Cemetery of Lost Books series with Labyrinth of the Spirits, a historical fiction story set in Barcelona in 1959 which is really good. "Nine-year-old Alicia lost her parents during the Spanish Civil War when the Nacionales (the fascists) savagely bombed Barcelona in 1938. Twenty years later, she still carries the emotional and physical scars of that violent and terrifying time. Weary of her work as investigator for Spain’s secret police in Madrid, a job she has held for more than a decade, the twenty-nine-year old plans to move on. At the insistence of her boss, Leandro Montalvo, she remains to solve one last case: the mysterious disappearance of Spain’s Minister of Culture, Mauricio Valls. With her partner, the intimidating policeman Juan Manuel Vargas, Alicia discovers a possible clue—a rare book by the author Victor Mataix hidden in Valls’ office in his Madrid mansion. Valls was the director of the notorious Montjuic Prison in Barcelona during World War II where several writers were imprisoned, including David Martín and Victor Mataix. Traveling to Barcelona on the trail of these writers, Alicia and Vargas meet with several booksellers, including Juan Sempere, who knew her parents. As Alicia and Vargas come closer to finding Valls, they uncover a tangled web of kidnappings and murders tied to the Franco regime, whose corruption is more widespread and horrifying than anyone imagined. Alicia’s courageous and uncompromising search for the truth puts her life in peril. Only with the help of a circle of devoted friends will she emerge from the dark labyrinths of Barcelona and its history into the light of the future." Saturday night we watched A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood with Tom Hanks about Fred Rogers and his affects on a hard hitting reporter sent to write a story about him. Thought provoking movie about feelings, not bottling them away, compassion, making up, and grief. Hanks did an excellent job of playing Rogers and Matthew Rhys as the tough reporter who learned to deal with his feelings. There was a moment in the movie, a full minute of silence, which was quite profound.

Link to week 9 - please continue conversation in new thread

Happy Sunday! This month we’re waving goodbye to February and winter in my neck of the woods, and saying hello to March and the beginning of spring. We are also celebrating Women's History Month and women who were vital to history. And speaking of history, our Crime Spree hostesses Sandy and Amy are taking us back to the Golden Age era this month. Take it away, ladies: If you find yourself spending the weekend in your curmudgeonly uncle’s manor and he ends up murdered, you’re probably in a Golden Age mystery. Luckily, you’re innocent of the crime if you’re young, beautiful, and in love. But if you happen to be a ne'er-do-well that recently been cut out of the will then… This website is fantastic for exploring even more authors. Who are some of your favorite Golden Age authors? Authors to explore: · Agatha Christie’s website is a fun place to lose an hour · GK Chesterton · EC Bentley · Dorothy Sayers · Margery Allingham · Edmund Crispin · Georgette Heyer · Patricia Wentworth (sidenote from Amy: Skip the first book and start here.) · J. Jefferson Farjeon · Josephine Tey Challenge: Evade Scotland Yard by choosing a new to you Golden Age author to read. Thank you, ladies. Juan and I are trying to stay out of sight of the gents at Scotland Yard as we follow in the footsteps of the queens and gentlemen of the Golden Age. Which brings me to our A to Z and back again -- Our letter and word of the week are I and Informer. Have fun investigating! Link to book week 8 Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

I finished Jemisin's Fifth Season and all I can say is oh my goodness. This book hits all the feels and blew my mind. Be prepared to be thrown into the world without a whole lot of explanation and be immersed. Fair warning, dark subjects such a child abuse so if can't handle that particular subject, avoid it. The second person point of view is very well done and isn't off putting and pulls you into the story just as much as the third person point of view. Yes the story ends but doesn't end, so have to the read the second book. That's all I can say without going into spoilers.

Finally chose my F book and I guess you could say the the third time the charm, although I have picked up this book to read numerous times but couldn’t get past the first page. N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season. Started it Saturday and found myself intrigued. Yes this is the one with chapters written in 2nd person narration for one character. I finished Super Powered Year Three by Drew Hayes. This one was packed with lots of fights, both sanctioned, and one huge non sanctioned that could of gotten the college kids thrown out of the Hero Certification school. The rest of the kids are fine tuning their skills and Vince is being watched due to his being kidnapped by George in the last book. Chad and Angela’s relationship is highlighted quite a bit and he moves into the Dorm with Mary, Alice, Vince, and Ron/Hershel. Lots of twists, humor, and team building. Nick has returned, living off campus and attending regular classes while trying to recover his memories and looks like he may be involved in a long con. A rival family’s son from Vegas is out to destroy Nick by any means. Enemies combine to attack not only Nick, but the Super Powers and rather than sit out the fight safely in lock down, they choose to protect the normal staff and kids on campus. Looking forward to reading Super Powered Year four. My brother was right. These will be well worth re reading again.

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Happy Sunday, my lovelies! In my web wanderings, I was drawn into an article about artist Rockwell Kent and his quest for solitude and inspiration in Wilderness, Solitude, and Creativity: Artist and Philosopher Rockwell Kent’s Century-Old Meditations on Art and Life During Seven Months on a Small Alaskan Island, which lead to Musings on Art: Rockwell Kent - A Champion of Peace, which lead to Kent's illustrated Moby Dick. Makes me want to read the Moby Dick, or The Whale illustrated version now as well as Kent's book, Wilderness, his journal about his time in Alaska. Rabbit trails as so much fun. Another interesting article about Author Joanne Harris turns down US book deal over censoring of ‘f-bomb’, particularly because it was pertinent to the story. Which lead of course to her blog and her response about sensitivity readers the publishing houses have begun to employ. In her blog post On Sensitivity readers, weakness, and staying alive, Harris makes a good point. "Books all have shelf lives, just as we do, and Dickens’ work has survived in spite of his anti-Semitism, not because of it. The work of many others has not. Books are for readers, and if an author loses touch with their readers - either by clinging to outdated tropes, or using outdated vocabulary, or having an outdated style – then their books will cease to be published, and they will be forgotten. It happens all the time. What one generation loves and admires may be rejected by the next." But that doesn't mean they need to be banned or changed. It's all in the context. Free books, who doesn't love them. Lots of books are entering the public domain this year such as Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, Milne's Winnie the Pooh, Franz Kafka's The Castle, and many others. Moving on to movies about books, check out the Netflix Book Club, if not to join, but to see what books are being adapted for Netflix. While we are on the subject of books to movies, Lee Child's Jack Reacher first book was adapted for a series on Amazon Prime. I watched the first episode and had to close my eyes during the prison fight, but otherwise I think Alan Ritchson is a great choice for Reacher. Do you have certain reading choices when it comes to narrators? Years ago, I only read books written in third person narration and refused to read any written in first person. Until I came across a writer who usually wrote in third and had switched to first, captured my attention, pulled me into the story without confusing me and sold me on first person narration. Since then I've found some really good books from writers who do first person very well. The ones who don't, forget about it. You know the ones I mean. I went back to school in my late forties to finish my Bachelor's Degree and during a literature class, imagine my surprise when I had to read a book written in second person narration. Yes, it was weird, but once I got into the story, was able to accept the narrator and keep going. Since then, I'll stumble across another written partially or totally in second person and give it a go. Of course, we're back to whether it's well done or not and does it pull you in. I'm currently reading such a book which has mixed narration, both 2nd and 3rd and finding myself enjoying it. All this to say, which style narration do you enjoy? Have you ever tried Second Person narration stories? For our writers, have you ever tried writing a story in second person? Give it a try Here's my attempt for our A to Z and Back again for E. And speaking of which: A to Z and Back Again - Our letter and work of the week are H and Harried. Did you know that today is Hoodie Hoo day? So go outside at noon and wave your hands and yell Hoodie Hoo and chase away your winter blues. Go ahead, I dare you. Link to Book Week 7 Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

Really! I was thinking along the lines of books or something like that. Cute!

May as well tell me, or not. I’m not falling down that particular rabbit hole. Lol!

Whoops! Thanks for letting me know. It's all fixed now.

No, I haven't. What is the word of interest???

Hugs. I'm so sorry sweetie. Let yourself grieve and let go of the rudder if you have too. When my mom died years ago, my hubby asked later why it seemed we didn't get much done for several months afterwards. I explained the only way I could. I direct our little ship and I let go of the rudder, let myself float through the fog until we came out into the light. Things will be a little foggy for a while, so give yourself time.

The third time is the charm. I finished Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear. It was a philosophical and psychological space opera. I have a book hangover so all I can say is it was excellent, thrilling, made you think, and was mind boggling all at the same time. Will review it a bit later. Not sure yet what I’m going to read next.

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Happy Sunday! I'm declaring this week Valentine's Week as we continue with our romance theme for the month. I'm combining it with our 52 Books Bingo category "She Did What?" which bumps it up into a lot of different genres including literary, suspense, thriller, psychological, or maybe young adult. What do you think of when someone says 'She did what?" Said yes, or no? Ran away, started her own business, blasted into outer space, or stole something from someone? 9 Books Similar to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 20 Best Romantic Suspense Novels Unlikely Romances Literary Romance Novels, 20 Love Stories for Every Reader 11 Fictional Female Scientists Who'd Rule the Lab 12 Books That Prove Women Outlaws Are Even Cooler than Women Heroes Could be anything! Even a book title. A to Z and Back Again - Our letter and word of the week are G and Gadfly Happy Galentine's Day! Link to Book Week 6 Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

My son has aspergers and engages everyone in conversations and in a case like that, he would probably ask the person's name. He likes to be polite and address them by name. It may be awkward, but I've gotten used to events like that. Sounds like you handled it well.

AW! So sweet!

Waving hello. James started his first online English College course which for some reason is taking up a lot of all our time as he's still not quit there with executive function and needs me to help organize him. Fun though, getting to hear all about annotating, speed reading, and writing essays. Taking a few things away that are useful for reading life. I finally read my first Masie Dobb’s, #8 in A Lesson in Secrets. It was pretty good and she did a good bit of running around the country during the course of her investigation. All of which seemed to be red herrings, distracting her from the real murderer who was a surprise. Several times I though I knew but really didn’t. Will probably dip back into the series at some point. J.D. Robb’s Abandoned in Death arrived yesterday and I of course sucked it down in no time. I think the whole cast made an appearance and were involved, so was really good. Couldn’t help comparing her to Masie Dobb’s as it was a police procedural as well and the differences between the two.

Currently reading Super Powereds Year Two by Drew Hayes and enjoying the heck out of it. "Despite having their secret revealed, the residents of Melbrook Hall return to Lander University for another year in the Hero Certification Program. Good thing the focus of this year is teamwork, because with their origins known they’ll have to lean on each other more than ever. Now finally sophomores, their curriculum expands, allowing them to train in the majors that Heroes specialize in. The new classes will test their minds, bodies, and determination in ways never anticipated. In a year filled with the unveiling of secrets, unexpected entanglements, and, of course, super-powered battles, who will be left standing is anyone’s guess. Because if all that weren’t enough, more light is being shed on last year’s kidnapping attempt, and the results point at something far bigger than mere rogue educators. Something that isn’t even close to being over with." I’m trying to decide between two standalone books which are Smoke in Mirrors by Krentz or Garden of Lies by her alter ego Quick. I think I’ll start with Garden of Lies. A to Z and Back Again - Earnest

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