Well, I did not meet my fitness goal, and I haven‘t put any books on the board for my total goal. Whomp whomp.

But I know the goals are attainable for me, so I‘ll keep on keepin on! 👍

Point total - 36

#bookfitnesschallenge update:

I‘ve found it really tough to get my miles in this week, so I‘ll have to fit quite a few in today if I am to meet my goal ... 30.25/40

Only 9.75 miles to do in the next 12 hours!

This morning I checked out the little library, and Ted checked on their water supply.

I am in a complete state of bliss surrounded by my lovely gifts! Thank you so much, dear Litsy friends @cobwebmoth and @Chrissyreadit ! This was just wonderful! ❤️❤️❤️ (gushing emails to follow 😊)

Oh my goodness! @Chrissyreadit !!!! 😱😱😱❤️❤️❤️

@Chrissyreadit Your #selfcareswap package is on its way!

In 2 weeks, Hannah has to be able to fit in the custom Regency gown ordered for her mother‘s book launch party. The situation will require a strict diet and - horrors! - going to fitness classes at Heavenly Bodies, a new gym. Hannah must investigate when she finds a body in the jacuzzi, and 4 of the detectives are off the case due to “personal involvement” with the victim. Including Mike and Bill!

(Another one that is ok, not one of my favorites)

Time to get these potatoes off the couch! (Well, 1 out of the 3, anyway)
I signed up and made my goals for the #bookfitnesschallenge !

2 books per week
40 miles per week

Join in @wanderinglynn ‘s book and health challenge! Head over to her page for more info - it begins May 10th!

I‘m excited to get started! 😄

@wanderinglynn has set up a #bookfitnesschallenge !

Books ✔️
Getting in more exercise ✔️
Prizes! ✔️

Sounds like fun! 😄

I am so excited to read this!

All the non-thriller, cozy type mysteries I have read end with Christie & Heyer in the 70s, and don‘t start again until around 1990. This is a culinary cozy from 1983! There are even recipes, printed on the insides of the covers!

Have I mentioned I‘m excited?! 😄

1. Maine - made me want to move there!
2. Roasted tomatoes, sautéed halloumi and pita
3. Sitting out in the early morning (before the heat!) with a book and coffee
4. Citrus simple syrup with sparkling water
5. Shade - I wear it at every opportunity!
6. Under my patio umbrella ⛱
Thanks for the tag @Chrissyreadit !

While we took the Tedster on his walk this morning, (Bell says walks are for silly boy dogs, not cool teenagers), I stopped and added a few books to little libraries in our neighborhood.

I never thought to check the directory to see where others may be nearby, so I did that today. Only 1 of the 4 I‘m aware of are in the directory. Is there another directory out there?

https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap

I loved the portrayal of the bulldozer type American patriarch and his family. Hyperbolically hilarious.

Wilde‘s wit is certainly present in this one, but I didn‘t find it as enjoyably absurd as Importance of Being Earnest (against which all things are measured.) The plot turned surprisingly sappy, and reminded me of The Abbot Ghost by Alcott.

I am looking forward to seeing the Margaret O‘Brien film, though it appears to lack verisimilitude. 😆

Getting through Roughing It was ... uh, rough. I love Mark Twain‘s humor and wit - but wow the overt and repeated racism was too much for this memoir to be enjoyable. There was quite a bit of material I skimmed - Tall tales, involved anecdotes of dubious worth, etc.

It did, however, have redeeming points, such as:
A firsthand account of the stagecoach from St. Joe to the Nevada Territory
The Pony Express
Hawaii (Sandwich Islands) 150 years ago

The series is really getting into its stride. The characters are fun, and though I‘m not a fiber fanatic, these are fun to listen to!

Kath and the Posse (including her ghostly friend, Geneva) investigate the murder of an unlamented victim during a town historical festival. Was she killed because of her embezzlement? Will the Spivey twins help or hinder? Where did Angela disappear to? Will Kath end up with Joe or “Clod” Dunbar? (Hopefully Joe 😄)

Of the Hannah mysteries, this one is ok, not one of my favorites.

Newlyweds Lisa and Herb look forward to a family reunion with their new families. The surprise reappearance of Herb‘s long lost uncle, Gus, is a happy - and painful - event. Unfortunately, Gus‘ resurfacing revives the past, and those old memories can result in murder.

Mike promises to investigate WITH Hannah 🙄, and Norman becomes 007 going undercover in Atlantic City. 😄

I enjoyed the further development of the characters, but the plot was rather sad.

Star crossed lovers and a double murder or a murder-suicide? Kath and the kooky “Posse” investigate...

There is also a description of yummy treats, and a few recipes are available as supplementary materials using a code word on the publisher‘s website.

I‘ve gotten very behind on reviews for all the books I‘ve listened to lately.

It‘s time for a Review Round-up! Yeehah!

Wow. Just wow. Thrilling, mysterious, entrancing, I loved it!

Just when you think you know what is going on, the atmosphere changes, the “facts” aren‘t what they seem, and with, Linda you are caught in a terrifying cat and mouse game, protecting the little heir Philippe from the deadly designs of an unseen enemy.

If you have never read a Mary Stewart, this one would be a great one to start with! Thank you so much for sending it @LeahBergen ! 😊

1. Golden age & cozy mysteries; Travel, especially humorous
2. See number 1. 😊
3. Horror, Drama fiction, Sad non-fiction
4. See number 1. 😊 I think “Murder on a Mystery Tour” would make a great movie.
5. I couldn‘t think of any 🤔
6. Penhallow - a country house murder mystery, but I absolutely hated it
7. Thanks for the tag @Chrissyreadit ! ❤️

For those wondering how Ross came to be in the later books, this one is where we meet Ross (né Bartonovich) Barton…

Hollywood comes to Lake Eden. An independent film, directed by a famous bad boy director, and produced by Hannah‘s college friend, Ross, is using the tiny Minnesota town as a backdrop. The movie plot includes a suicide, but in real life, it‘s murder.

Of course, hearing the recipes made me hungry for cheesecake, so I made some. ?

I look at my bookshelves of thrift store finds, bargain bin rescues, and treasured gifts from Littens, and think - #LuckyYou !

#LiteraryLuck

I listened to this one because I loved the Highland Bookshop mysteries by this author. Kath, a fiber preservationist, inherits a yarn/weaving shop from her grandmother. While settling her Granny‘s affairs, she finds there are quite a few secrets in the small Tennessee town, and her Granny held quite a few of her own. The story was a bit slow, but I liked it enough to continue the series. Plus, there is a melodramatic friendly ghost 😄

I enjoyed the first in the series, but I loved this one! A castle hotel in Scotland, a storm that takes out the power, and a cadre of crime writers. Great characters and atmosphere. DCI St. Just‘s personal story develops as well. On to the third!

#spellmarchwithbooktitles #LiteraryLuck

I enjoyed this introduction to Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just of Cambridge, in which he is investigating murder on the estate of a famous writer of cozy mysteries. I definitely did not unravel the solution, and looking back, I don‘t know if I had all the clues to enable me to solve it... But, I liked it all the same.

I don‘t think anyone could top Calvin and Hobbes in their ability to turn even the most sedate #games into delightful romps of wrestling and name-calling 😄
#LiteraryLuck

#butterflies #LiteraryLuck

When I think of #goldspines , I go prehistoric...

My nephew loves this book! Bedtime is so much more fun reading about how dinos get ready for bed. 🦖

#LiteraryLuck

Fannie Flagg‘s books never jumped out at me as something I would like to read, that is until I figured out than she is none other than Fannie of Match Game fame. NYT Bestselling Novelist or star of the Match Game, which is the bigger achievement? (Obviously the latter)
Her biggest achievement may actually be that she became an author at all - Fannie has dyslexia. She pushed past discouragement and did what she loved.
#disabilityreads #LiteraryLuck

A Penguin Classics #rainbowstack (of sorts) #LiteraryLuck

I love to #turnbacktime and indulge in a Golden Age murder mystery or a witty Regency romance. #LiteraryLuck

I am always on the lookout for these Penguin #greenreads. So far, I only have one, and it isn‘t in great shape, but my collection has started! The back also says “Not for sale in the U.S.A. or Canada”, which makes it even more of prize. 😄

#LiteraryLuck

A bit late for #internationalwomensday , but it is never too late to read these terrific women writers‘ books.

Donna Andrews
Dame Agatha
Jane Austen
Lilian Jackson Braun
Georgette Heyer
Joan Hess

#LiteraryLuck

It is so exciting when I can check off one of the “1000 Places to See Before You Die” locations. I never seem to consult the book *before* I travel, so I feel very lucky indeed when I happen to visit one. One of these was in picturesque #Ireland - Adare Manor and Village. A magical place, where my mom and I shared afternoon tea in a bay window, looking out on a misty green landscape. One my favorite memories. ❤️
#LiteraryLuck

Wodehouse certainly threw in a lot of #uniquecharacternames !
#LiteraryLuck

Honey and Trixie ❤️ #bestbookfriendship #LiteraryLuck

I enjoyed the reread of this Christie classic! It has been so many years that I didn‘t remember much of the plot. Poirot shows that he is neither “gaga” nor “past his prime”, while Hastings is gallantly romantic and hopelessly befuddled, as usual.

Thank you so much for this lovely copy @Kappadeemom !

This is now on my to-do list! I‘ve never been to Iowa, and I live in Missouri. 😆

Combining yesterday & today, this is my #SundaySelfie with one of my favorite of the Hollywood #royalty .

This book was a birthday gift from my mom, and it is gorgeous! It is a scrapbook, a memoir, and a cookbook in one, with lovely photos, letters, notes and other keepsakes reproduced on the pages. The recipes are beautifully laid out and sound delicious. Nonna Te‘s Curry and Mozzarella in Carrozza are on my to-make list. 😊

#LiteraryLuck

#Lessonsfromdrsuess #LiteraryLuck

Every shelf of every bookshelf in our house is populated with gems I would someday like to read. (Except for most of the books on the shelf below - those are Chris‘)
This shelf in particular has quite a few. 😍 #tbrshelfie #LiteraryLuck

1. My brother & sister‘s exploits. One time, my sister was telling my brother to bite down on her finger. “It‘s ok, I‘m wearing dentist gloves.” She didn‘t have to tell him twice... 😆 Poor girl thought dentists wore latex gloves to protect from patient bites. 😂
2. 2 younger
3. Dec 2016, when I was sitting with my Bells after one of her knee surgeries. I joined #Sherlocked with @jpmcwisemorgan 😊
4. ABC Murders
5. Anyone!
#wondrouswednesday

On #loveyourpet day, Bell was having emergency surgery on her tummy and a splenectomy. She came through just fine, like the tough girl she is, and we can‘t wait to have her back home. Teddy and I (and daddy, of course) miss her terribly.

He‘s a dastardly pirate, really not a good guy ... but my #lovehate has to be Tim Curry, err Long John Silver. 😆

After adjusting to the new narrator (she did a great job; I highly recommend these on audio!), I thoroughly enjoyed this!

I love the setting, the characters, and Ms. Macrae‘s delightful way with words. I listened to it twice, as I adored hanging out in Inversgail and wasn‘t ready to leave!

I find it especially gratifying that I have augmented my vocabulary with words like “numpty” “pernickety” and “bampot.” Anxiously awaiting book 3!

A Christmas-time mystery that isn‘t very Christmas-y, this is one of the Hannah Swenson stories that is not sequential. Taking place in the past, shortly after the passing of her father, we learn how Hannah came to have the Cookie Jar. That aspect is interesting for longtime readers, but the story itself (also a story within a story) is rather a downer. I don‘t think this is one I will revisit.

I moved right on to listening to Book 2 in the series, and the narrator is different than one who read the first book. I‘m sure I will get used to it, but it is initially discordant. Almost like I have to re-meet all the characters. Sigh.

I really enjoyed this one! A classic cozy mystery!

Four women start new careers as booksellers & tea shop owners in a small town in Scotland. As they are learning the ropes from the previous owners (before they move to sunny Portugal), a murder occurs. The tale of why the woman was murdered, and whether she was even the intended victim, is woven throughout the story of Janet, Tallie, Christine, and Summer making a new life in their new home.

I was expecting a light cozy murder mystery in Maine, but this was a much deeper story. Decades old family secrets are unearthed, facilitated by reappearance of the long missing Black Widow diamond necklace.

It is a very personal story, more about the details of the family than a typical murder mystery.

A classic “Cat Who”, and quite possibly one of the best. If you are considering dipping into the series, try this one! It is far along in the series, one of the last books I believe, but the series is still easy to follow and no less enjoyable when read out of order.