Happy Sunday! We are going to continue with the romantic suspense theme and align our bookology spelling challenge with the crime spree authors, highlighting one of the authors Sandy and Amy mention at the beginning of the month. Decided to mix things up after I discovered the Book on Books Bookology wasn't working for me with two failures in a row. The Trial-and-error method told me to move on to something more fun and hence the birth of Crime Spree Bookology. We get three for one this month with Jayne Ann Krentz, who encompasses three different worlds writing contemporary romantic suspense, as well as historical romantic suspense under the pseudonym of Amanda Quick, and futuristic paranormal suspense under her real name, Jayne Castle. Some of her series encompass all three genres and some are standalones. Krentz is a prolific writer and has written many books under 7 different pens names over the years from the 80's to the present. I've read quite a few and all are very entertaining. There are several 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 of the author. Read a book by an author like Jayne Ann Krentz Learn more about Krentz through A Conversation With Jayne Ann Krentz, and How I lost control of my Jayne Castle World. A to Z and Back Again - Our letter and word of the week are F and Foiled. Happy Trails! Link to Book Week 5 Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

Praying.. Hugs!

I am so proud of myself. I'll admit it, I'm a bookaholic and made it through January without out buying any new books. Nor did I read any ebooks. I read only physical books have had on the shelves, forever and a day it seems like, for the month of January. May not seem like that big of a deal, but given that last year I forsake physical books in favor of ebooks, it is. I have absolutely no desire to read ebooks at the moment. Let's see how long that lasts. Right now I'm concentrating on reading all the wonderful physical books and enjoying myself. All Shall Be Well (#2 Kincaid and Duncan) - Deborah Crombie (Police Procedural, 268) Three Body Problem - Cixin Liu (Science Fiction, 416) Ghostbusters 1 and 2 novelization - Richard Mueller/Ed Naha (Audiobook) Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - Michael Chabon (Historical Fiction, 1930's, 684) Devlin Diary #2 Clair Duncan - Christie Phillips (HF murder mystery, 1672/2008, 427) Wolf Hall #1 WH Trilogy - Hilary Mantel (HF, 1500's, 604) Eternal - Lisa Scottoline (HF Italy, 1937-57, 465) Made to Kill - Adam Christopher (Science fiction, 1965, 234) Super Powered Year One - Drew Hayes (Science Fiction, 730) The top two I enjoyed the most are Wolf Hall and Super Powered Year One. I completed nine books which according to Goodreads is 3847 pages. Four science fiction, four historical fiction, and one police procedural. Six were dusty books of which two were repeat authors. One new release and one new to me author sent to me by a friend. Plus one audiobook which was James choice. And I managed to review each one as soon as I finished reading. Not too shabby.

Arg! I think I'm going to give up on the Book on Book Bookology and switch it to align with Crime Spree. I have a feeling the rest of the books are going to be along the same lines. The first book was a dnf. Now Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum is a bust. I loved Name of the Rose. Unfortunately with FP, I'm hate to admit it, but I just don't understand it and I tried. Half the words they are using, I would need to be a walking dictionary / encyclopedia / math and science wiz to do so. And maybe not even then would I understand. I flipped through the book after reading the first few chapters and it's just more of the same. So giving up.

Both are quite good! Thank you for the great links!

I have a few of Duncan's buried somewhere. Will have to dig them out. Added the first book to my wishlist. Thanks! All very interesting books. I remember when my dad retired, suddenly mom couldn't do anything right because now dad had a better way to do it. It took time but after a while, he took up some new hobbies that didn't involve mom. 😁 I'll have to check it out. I liked the Brother Cadfael series.

Awesome! Maybe the David Bowie 100 isn't for you and need to move onto a different list? Hugs! Hope things get better for you. I really need to read the first book. I have on eshelves. Love the cover of The Shivering Sands! I have a few gothic romances hiding around here somewhere. Will have to dig them out.

Oh my goodness, I would love to have a reading nook like that! Lovely review!

Finished Year one in Drew Hayes Super Powereds, a ya science fiction series. Think of this as a light hearted Harry Potter. Easy to read since it was originally published as an online book to be read chapter by chapter. There are just enough clues and mystery to intrigue you enough to keep reading. The characters, both kids and adults, are engaging, devious, distrustful, and wary enough of each other that it keeps them from forming attachments until they gain each others trust. Yet, still each one of them has something to hide. Makes for an interesting read and enough so to go on to the second book. The series was given to me by my brother with fits the Selected by a Friend category with Bingo. Started my sip read of nonfiction read of A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders, which is a mini version of his MFA class on Russian Short Stories. About to begin Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco who is our Book on Book choice for February.

Link to week 5 - please continue conversation in new thread

Welcome to February's month of love as we celebrate Creative Romance Month as well as an Affair to Remember month and National Weddings month. And lest we forget, February 4th is Thank a Mailman Day. Did you remember to send those letters you wrote? A to Z and Back Again - Our letter and word of the week are E and Earnest Speaking of earnest and romance, our Crime Spree hostesses Sandy and Amy have a challenge for you to partake in. Take it away, ladies: Few things go together better than crime and romance. Actually, there are hundreds of things that go together better, but few things are as exciting to read as Romantic Suspense. These novels are equally balanced with the romance playing as bit a part as the mystery/suspense elements. Are you a fan? Authors to explore: For a gothic feel check out: Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart If you like modern heroes/heroines escaping likely murder, then check out: Nora Robert/JD Robb, Laura Griffin, Marie Force For a sweet Christian take on Romantic Suspense: Terri Blackstock and Dee Henderson Suspense? Romance? Werewolves/Vampires/Ghosts? We got that too! Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Jayne Ann Krentz Challenge: Bat your eyes at your favorite getaway driver and read a book featuring someone in love and in danger. Thank you ladies! Batting my eyes earnestly at Juan, my oh so hunky getaway driver, as we drive hastily away from some serious risky business we found ourselves part of. Happy trails, mi amors! **************** Link to Book week four Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

Can't think of any at the moment. But did want to thank you for the introduction to Merphy Napier. Enjoying the heck out of her videos!

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Did a bit of internet searching and I think you need to look for Demons or The Possessed which I think is the same book. There are a few online guides out there.

That does sound interesting. I haven't read anything by Dostoevsky yet so this may be a good one to start. Love your meme! What non fiction books are you dipping into? Oh, Katheryn Howard would be a great follow up to Wolf Hall. Something to think about.... What did you think? Me too! Thanks for the great review. Added it to my wishlist. Nope, I haven't read it and don't plan too. I hate horror but like some of his psychological fiction books, so will stick with those. Sounds like an interesting book and that is a great coincidence. @karen1Thank you for all the wonderful links. In regards to Seanan McGuire, I'm in love with October Daye and haven't reach much of her other books. Read book one of Wayward Children and that was enough. Too Icky I guess. I do have Indexing in my stacks so we'll see how that turns out.

Gave up on The Great Passage as well as Wayfarers. Decided this year that if I'm not enjoying, I can give up, and move on to something else. Placing it in my life is to short, not for me category. Read several chapters of ebook Great Passage and felt like eternity and when checked how much had finished, expecting to see 75% and only seeing 35%, decided enough was enough. Wayfarers is a continue of Passage and it's been a couple years since read Passage, so was completely lost as Wayfarers didn't give much explanation, expecting one to know what had happened. Don't want to read Passage again so gave up. On to Umberto Eco's Faucault's Pendulum and YA Fantasy Super Powereds Year 1 by Drew Hayes. This is book one out of four and my brother sent me the 4 book series which are super chunky. "Knowledge is power. That would be the motto of Lander University, had it not been snatched up and used to death by others long before the school was founded. For while Lander offers a full range of courses to nearly all students, it also offers a small number of specialty classes to a very select few. Lander is home to the Hero Certification Program, a curriculum designed to develop student with superhuman capabilities, commonly known as Supers, into official Heroes. Five of this year’s freshmen are extra special. They have a secret aside from their abilities, one that they must guard from even their classmates. Because for every one person in the world with abilities they can control, there are three who lack such skill. These lesser super beings, Powereds as they are called, have always been treated as burdens and second class citizens. Though there has been ample research in the area, no one has ever succeeded in turning a Powered into a regular human, let alone a Super. That is, until now…"

Still reading alphabetically and it’s so much fun. Takes all the guess work out of it, makes decision easy and helping me read all those dusty books on my shelves. Started to include alphabet by author. Finished Lisa Scottoline’s Eternals, a romantic triangle between three best friends, set in Italy during WWII, with Mussolini's treatment of Italian Jews. Good but could have been better. Also a new to me author Adam Christopher’s robot noir story Made to Kill. Unique. Alphabet by author read. Review is up on Goodreads. Started my alphabet by author read for the letter B – Alexandra Bracken in a science fiction time traveling story Wayfarers. Next up my F book – Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco who is also our February highlighted author and book. Getting an early start. And G for Great passages is still in progress as I’ve been avoiding my ipad lately. LOL!

Week 4 is live - please continue conversation in new thread

Happy Sunday! Today is National Handwriting Day Which coincidently goes hand in hand (pun intended) with those letters we could have written in week 2. Yes, I know, I didn't either. But I have been having fun writing A to Z and back again stories, all by hand, and currently working on the letter K. How about you? Ready to give it a try yet? A to Z and Back Again - our letter and word of the week is D - Deduction Time for a round of literary birthdays and notes to tempt and amaze you: Jan 23: French author Stendhal, American poet Louis Zukofsky, and West Indies poet Derek Walcott Jan 24: American novelist Edith Wharton , English dramatist William Congreve, British novelist and zoologist Desmond Norris Jan 25: Scottish poet Robert Burns, English poet William Somerset Maugham, and English novelist Virginia Woolf Jan 26: American author and activist Angela Davis, and American Mary Mapes Dodge Jan 27: English author Lewis Carroll, and English novelist D.M. Thomas Jan 28: American author and activist Julius Lester, and French author Colette Jan 29: American political author Thomas Paine, Russian playwright Anton Chekov and French novelist and Nobel Prize winner Romain Rolland Finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Awards Mystery Writers of America Announces 2022 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominations Screen grabbers: mysteries adapted for film Nick Cave on Creativity, the Myth of Originality, and How to Find Your Voice And Just Like That...Carrie Bradshaw's Library Card is a Must-Have Accessory Have fun following rabbit trails! Link to book week three Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

Eventually when my buying ban is over, I'll probably get them.

I finished Wolf Hall which was not a book to speed through. I read it in small sips during breakfast, often times staying a little bit longer at the table to stay with the story for just a few minutes more. I was reminded today why I should have taken the time to annotate. James is taking online English composition class and we were watching videos on annotation which made so much sense I was kicking myself. The story was so complex and while reading there were phrases and images that struck me or quotes I wanted to save of Cromwell’s wit, reactions of his family, his thoughts pebbled throughout from childhood to adulthood and I only copied a couple at the beginning. Things like: ‘quick as a needle, she darts at him.’ “He will never tell the cardinal about Mary Boleyn, though the impulse will arise. Wolsey might laugh, he might be scandalized. He has to muggle him the content, without the context.” Lesson learned. I enjoyed my front row seat into the life and times of Thomas Cromwell, his interactions with both friend and foe, and all the machinations with the court. I’m sure I’ll reread it again in the years to come. Also finished another dusty book, plus my D book – Devlin Diary – which was also historical fiction. Started Miura’s Great Passage and I guess I’m going to continue exploring the past for some time to come with Lisa Scottoline’s newest Eternal set in the 1930’s and WWII. I like this reading of my dusty and new books alphabetically – limits my choices down to a select few. Although pretty sure rebellion, either that or withdrawal, will kick in and I'll dive into some romances or urban fantasy books soon.

I finished my dusty C book - Michael Chabon’s Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay which was an amazingly complex character study of two young Jewish men from the 1930’s to 1950’s dealing with war, life, love, family, loss, plus the comic book industry and bosses who took advantage of them. About 75% through Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel: Henry has married Anne and she’s been crowned queen, given him a baby girl, and still Katherine refuses to accept the dissolution of the marriage. Enjoying all the machinations of Cromwell and the court. Already dove into my fourth and dusty D book, a historical fiction novel The Devlin Diary, which is set in two time frames – London in 1672 and Cambridge in 2008. It is the 2nd book in the Claire Donovan duo by Christi Phillips, author of Rossetti Letter which was excellent. Devlin Diary is almost as good. We watched The Eternals which was pretty good and opened the door to more Marvel movies.

Week 3 is live - please continue conversation in new thread

Happy Sunday! Today is Appreciate a Dragon Day, created by Donita K. Paul, author of the Dragonspell Chronicles back in 2004 as a way to celebrate our favorite dragons in books and television. Great series by the way, which I enjoyed and has since disappeared into the book jungle in my son's room. Combine dragons, beasts and other fantastical or scary creatures that characters may encounter in outer space with our first 52 books bingo category - Space Operas and what do you have? Scary and/or thrilling, entertaining stories set in outer space, alternative worlds, and other planets. I came across Barnes and Nobles 55 Essential Space Operas from the Last 70 Years and took a trip down memory lane as I've read quite a few of these books over the years and still have them in my personal library. From Harrison and Heinlein, Niven and Asimov to Weber and Donaldson to Scalzi and Chambers. I currently have a few on the nightstand I haven't read such as Corey's Leviathan Wakes to Vinge's Snow Queen. They are in the queue for this year. 11 of the best sci-fi books that transport you to another world reminds me to move Robinson's Red Mars as well as Ursula Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness up in the queue as well. Both dusty books have been calling to me to read sooner than later. And don't forget Star Wars which my son loves to read, as well as Star Trek novelizations. A to Z and Back Again - our letter and word of the week is C - Conundrum. Have fun exploring the outer regions of space! Link to book week two Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

Clock ticking Traffic in the distance bubbling pot of water for mashed potatoes Sizzle of lamb chops cooking on the stove Refrigerator humming Gracie meowing Keyboard High pitched ring from tinnitus

I didn't understand deductibles until I got a job with USAA as a insurance customer service rep eons again and went through all the training for auto and home insurance. It's one of those things I discovered people don't think about until something happens, no matter how I explained it at the time of issuance.