It's Raining It's Pouring.....and finished another...

It's been raining off and on since yesterday afternoon. Our plants and lawns are looking swell. What a great day for sleeping. Just off a mid shift and ready to wander upstairs and read myself to sleep with nice calm On What Grounds Cleo Coyle. It was my purse book and I decided it would make a great bedside book instead. Tried to make Nightseer, Laurell K Hamilton's debut novel, my next purse book, but it was too paranormal intense, especially for a mid shift. Verbage anyway. So, I set it aside and will try The Venus Fix M.J. Rose. Smoother dialogue that fits better with a late night read.

I finished Kill the Messenger Tami Hoag this morning on the way home from work. I think this is the best of her books that I have read. Very well written characters and a surprise in the whodunnit/s. Just wonderful. I will have a difficult time with a follow up for my car book, but have decided to try Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl:The Arctic Incident.

Two More Down, Gazillion More to Go (like that's a bad thing)

I finished Sweet and Deadly Charlaine Harris last night on shift and started On What Grounds Cleo Coyle pretty much immediately. Kind of like chain reading.....I finished Murder of a Pink Elephant Denise Swanson this morning, thanks to my reason for being able to celebrate Mother's Day. Got home a little after midnight and had to read to wind down from my swing shift, so didn't really get to sleep until 1am. Wake up from sweet patootie Lady K at a little before 6am, so I read since she really didn't want me to go back to sleep. And DH was getting his sleep-in he treasures on weekends. Our neighbors were (I guess) celebrating the completion of their bricked up supports on their back porch. They were hootin' and hollerin' when I got home and DH said he heard them until he finally got to sleep at 1:30 or so. I reminded him of the earplugs I keep in my nightstand drawer (clean unused ones!!) as well as the fact that there are two other spare rooms in the house and the basement. He said he didn't think of that. If he hadn't been sleeping in, I'd have got out the lawn mower when I woke at 6am and started it up. I'd have left it right on their side of the garden, too. I reckon I am a little pissy like that.
I haven't started a new bedside book as yet. I may bring in some from my order of books I received from my buddy, Pamala, Our Lady of the Books. After a few cozies, I am ready for something a little gritty.

Something to be Said for Early Mornin' Wake-Up...

So DH woke early for work, I woke early cuz he woke early....he got ready for work and I got to read for an hour or so in latest bedside book Murder of a Pink Elephant Denise Swanson. I finished Bump in the Night various authors and was just glad I finished. The first story by JD Robb was passable, but I always like catching up with Eve and Roarke and the gang. The last story, by Mary Kay McComas, was the best of the lot. A woman rediscovers her invisible friend from childhood. It is a very funny and warm story. The other two were mooshy romance and I am not partial to mooshy romance, especially when they are purported to be paranormal. They were vaguely that. Anyway, it's over and done and I can move on to the delightful Murder of a Pink Elephant. I just love Denise Swanson.
I also finished The Laughing Corpse Laurell K Hamilton, my last purse book, and started Sweet and Deadly Charlaine Harris. Another of my absolutely favorite authors and this is book is a very good example of her art.
I am on tape 4, side 1 Kill the Messenger Tami Hoag in the car. When I am not on my way to and from work, I don't get much time to listen to my car books, so going slowly on this one. It's a very good story.
I am about to go upstairs and sort through some books to send out to my sister and some friends and take to Goodwill. Clear the shelves as it were. I have a box of books from my enabler, Pamala. Thanks Pamala!

I Love Those Reading Kind of Nights

I am ploughing through The Laughing Corpse Laurell K Hamilton thanks to a very quiet night. I have a bag full on standby in the car. I paid a visit to my favorite little bookstore, The Bookmark, today and found six. Including one, Blindsighted Karin Slaughter, for the Medical Mystery Challenge.

I finished Vineyard Prey Philip R Craig in the car last night on the way home. I tried to start and enjoy Locked Rooms Laurie R King, but could not for the life of me get into it. Not sure if it's the narrator or I am simply tired of the series. I packed up those two audiobooks to send back to RecordedBooks and started Kill the Messenger Tami Hoag, narrated by Scott Brick.

I hope to get through a couple of books in the next couple of days. I tend to when on mids. Some of it is the drive to and from work, some of it is when I am trying to wind down for sleep or wake up from my nap in prep for work.

April Book Journal Entries

We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle - Celia Rivenbark, BOT, omigod snort laugh funny!!! I emailed her with my thanks for writing as she does and she emailed me a response!

Aunt Dimity and the Duke - Nancy Atherton, HB, A wonderful cozy series and good book even though Aunt Dimity really wasn't in this one much

Dead Beat - Jim Butcher, pbk, #7 in the Harry Dresden series. My first and definitely not the last

Hidden Prey - John Sandford, BOT, I think this series has run it's course for me

Reunion in Death - JD Robb, pbk, Don't mess with Eve Dallas, what a humdinger series

The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires - Katie MacAlister, pbk, Whoo-heee, what a ride!!!

Acts of Violets - Kate Collins, pbk, good series, especially the flower shop premises

What the Dead Know - Laura Lippman, BOCD, WOW!!! Thanks to Sarah Stewart Taylor for recommending this book!!!

5 books and 3 audiobooks this month, makes 37 for the year.

1 May and I Forgot My Book Journal ta Home....

I was going to post my April books this morning, but left my book journal on my nightstand in my 'rush' to get to work.

I am on tape 3 of 4, side 1 Vineyard Prey Philip R Craig in the car, pretty interesting story.
Still no significant reading in purse book The Laughing Corpse Laurell K Hamilton. This is one of those that you remember the saying, Never judge a book by its cover.....the female on the cover with her head tilted back in what looks to be rapture does not convey the substance within. It is a gooooood book and I really wish I could get back to it.
I am well into the second story in bedside book Bump in the Night various authors.

Yesterday, I bought (& hid from myself) two of the books for the Medical Thriller Mystery Challenge. I had to hide them because I really would like to read them before the 1 Jun start date of the challenge. I have so many in Mt Git'R'Read, so it's 'easy' to set them aside. I do plan to read Nightseer Laurell K Hamilton's debut novel. I picked that up as well. I had a 15% coupon that was about to expire! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. I think that's going to be the next purse book. My bedside book is going to have to change up to I, Mona Lisa Jeanne Kalogridis, as it is a Big Ol Book challenge on one of my favorite message boards on Weight Watchers. We post Tues and Fridays and I am already behind the power curve. It started today...I forgot....

Saturday Night and I Ain't Got lalalalalala....

April is quickly getting away from me and it has been diddley for reading according to my book journal. I'll post that on 1 May...ish.
I did manage to finish one more when I finished What the Dead Know Laura Lippman, BOCD, the other day. I had the characters figured out, but that didn't keep me from totally enjoying the listen. I looked forward to driving in the car, even if it was getting to work, just so I could listen some more. I have No Good Deeds, By a Spider's Thread, and To the Power of Three on my wishlist on RecordedBooks.
I tried listening to Just a Corpse at Midnight Janwillem Van De Wettering as a follow up audiobook, but could not get into it and life is too short. So decided on Vineyard Prey Philip R Craig. I am on tape 1 of 4, side 2 and likely won't get back to it until I go back to work on Monday.
I am almost looking forward to getting back to my routine. This four day break has tired my aithe out. Spent Thursday getting the rooms ready for painting on Friday and Saturday and now we have to put everything back and DH plans on doing the faucets in the master sinks tomorrow. That means I have to clear underneath said sinks so that he can get to the fittings.
I will get up in the morning, DH sleeping in to stay rested for his NFL Draft weekend and I will clear under the sinks. After I make my coffee. I have good priorities. I really don't plan on doing much besides getting laundry put away and clearing under the sinks tomorrow. And taking Lady K to the park. With a book for me. I am reading The Laughing Corpse Laurell K Hamilton as the purse book still. I doubt it will make the April log. Be the first entry in May.

It's Raining It's Pouring....

It's been raining here since midnight last night. It's a nice steady rain, but it's also coooooold rain. The temp keeps dropping and NOAA is saying raining turning to snow possible tonight. Gotta say, though, it makes for excellent reading in bed. I finished Acts of Violets Kate Collins as my bedside book. This is a pretty good series with a new to me premise for the amateur sleuth. She owns a flower shop called Bloomers. Love that name. This is the second of the series I've read and not necessarily in order. Not sure that it's necessary.
Think I will go paranormal next with Bump in the Night various authors.

I am on CD8 of 9 What the Dead Know Laura Lippman in the car. Just a completely engrossing character study. I can't get over how much I look forward to getting in the car alone so that I can listen to more of these people's lives.

I can only hope to get some reading in my purse book at some point. I still have three to choose from. I actually read a page in The Laughing Corpse Laurell K Hamilton. I was waiting for glorious caffeine fix from DazBog coffee shop. Must have my Turtle foo-foo coffee from time to time. Nectah of da gods.....

Sunday Sunday Sunday!!!!!

I finished Last of the Red-Hot Vampires Katie MacAlister yesterday. What a fuh-hun ride that was! I will be looking for the rest of the series. I picked out two books yesterday to replace, just didn't know which I would start first and I picked two in case I finished the chosen first and needed to chain-read if I had time. I picked Judgement of the Grave Sarah Stewart Taylor and The Venus Fix M.J. Rose. That last one had me looking for the first in the series for the Medical Mystery Challenge I joined. Today I started second guessing myself and gave myself a third choice (you know, just in case) and felt The Laughing Corpse Laurell K Hamilton calling out to me from the shelf. So, I think I have my next three purse books lined up.

I am on CD 6 of 9 What the Dead Know Laura Lippman in the car and a bit more than halfway through bedside book Acts of Violets Kate Collins. The Lippman book surprised me how much I am intrigued by it. I don't like comparing authors, but she does remind me of Jodi Picoult in her character studies and engrossing attention to detail. Dare I say I am enthralled?

Gettin' Some Readin' Done

Heck of a four day break. Back to work tomorrow and maybe some more reading in. I definitely get in more time with What the Dead Know Laura Lippman BOCD in the car. On CD3 of that one. It is way more than just a mystery. There is a ton of back story to go through and it irritated me at first, but this is my first Lippman book, so I endeavored. Besides the fact that Sarah Stewart Taylor recommended it on her blog and I luh-huv her books. I am glad I stuck with the story as it is getting intriguing.
I was able to get in a crapload (technical term) of reading yesterday while DH had his procedure done at the hospital. DH came through the procedure just fine and I am about halfway through purse book Last of the Red Hot Vampires Katie MacAlister. Very much EF-EWE-EHN FUN. Katie had me at Red Hot Vampire.....
And a lot of reading in bedside book Acts of Violets Kate Collins due to my 4 year old coming in with requests a couple of times before midnight. Then once I got her settled for the last time, I couldn't go back to sleep right away (mom aggravation), so I read a couple of chapters. It's a nice cozy, a bit funny and I love the concept of the amateur detective owns a flower shop and loves it. She's having a fling with the owner of the bar a couple of doors down. He is, of course, a hottie. She is a bit insecure and, though I can identify with her, it is still a bit irritating. Letting it flow over me and going for the rest of the story. I love her best friend and roomate, Nikki. Could get a crush on Marco, the hottie hunky bar owner-slash-PI.

And....another one finished!!

I just now finished Dead Beat Jim Butcher, while sweating (I so do not 'glow' as a delicate flower should) on the recumbent bike at 4:00am-ish. I will now begin Last of the Red Hot Vampires Katie MacAlister. Something lighter than what the last few have been. Hot guy on the cover, too. That won't suck. And you don't even have to pardon the pun.
I found some goodies inside the front cover of LRHV, too. A signed by the author bookplate and some other items that are escaping my blonde memory.

Finished one...

I just now finished Hidden Prey John Sandford in the car on the way in to work tonight. It was a realistic ending in that there were loosed ends that would likely never get resolved and that is just the way it is in the 'real world'. Not always happy with everything tied up prettily in a nice bow. Sometimes I need that, this time I was happy with the ending.
I believe I will start Laura Lippman What the Dead Know at the recommendation from one of my favorite authors, Sarah Stewart Taylor off of her blog site. I have one or two of Laura Lippman's books on Mt Git'r'Read, but haven't actually read one. This one is narrated by Linda Emond.
I think tonight might another book finished too. My purse book is nearing the end and it will hopefully be a quiet night so I can read and maybe add one more the book journal for the month. I have less than a hundred pages in both purse book Dead Beat Jim Butcher and bedside book Reunion in Death JD Robb.

And, hey, here's a good place to shop for books, Author Author is a shop in ColoradoSprings and does a great mail order. I placed my order yesterday and it freakin' arrived TODAY! I received Katie MacAlister The Last of the Red Hot Vampires, Even Vampires Get the Blues and a used copy of Ghost Hunter Jayne Castle, which is a pen name for Jayne Ann Krantz.

Quality Reading Time...

Very good reading time this evening. Nothing going on in the lab, so I was able to put a nice dent in my purse book Dead Beat Jim Butcher. I read a bit in bedside book Reunion in Death JD Robb last night and then again when I took my nap to get over being so sleepy. It doesn't seem to be in the cards to get a lot of quality sleep several hours in a row. Something is conspiring against me, I think. I mostly want to make sure I don't get sick and I am tired of feeling tired. No fun.

Would Just Love to Win the Lottery.....

Would just love to win the lottery and indulge my love of book buying and reading. I would, of course, have to have a room filled with bookshelves for all of my books. Have a super comfy chair and good lamp. I would read before and after my workout sessions with my personal trainer, let's call him Sven, who would come get me and make me get on the treadmill, elliptical, bike, balance ball, etc and lift weights and work this fluff off my bawd. Not too much to ask is it????

I am moving right along in Hidden Prey John Sandford in the car. I am on tape 6 of 10, side 2. It ebbs and flows in being interesting or not so much. I will finish it as I have been in a tendency of late to get impatient with a book that is not really too intriguing and move on. The book hasn't pissed me off yet, with character/s or plot or inane dialogue, so I will keep going. It just isn't as good as his earlier ....... Prey series. Richard Ferrone as the narrator is a big plus in finishing the book, too. What a great way to drive to and from work in the dark with his gravelly voice telling me a story.

I still haven't had the time to get back to Mr Dresden and company in my purse book Dead Beat Jim Butcher. That one I am totally diggin' and want to find the time to read.

Spent some time with Eve and Roarke (Reunion in Death) last night just before sleep hit. Made for nice and interesting dreams, gotta tell ya. I think I am on chapter 7 or 8 now.

Back to Work...and Back to Books

Even though it means going to work an extra day...making for a seven day work week and most of those are 10 hour days for the schedule....I silver-lininged it as I was able to get back to Hidden Prey John Sandford on the way in. Got up extra early like a regular day shift to get my dad up and on the road back to Nebraska. I made my fat butt (and the rest of my fluffy self) get down to the building's gym and work out for an hour. Feel better for it, even a little smug. Watched some Buffy the Vampire Slayer and listened to tunes.
It was excellent having my dad here this weekend. He actually stayed longer than normal this time. He loves Lady K to pieces and he sure can make her toe the line. We watched a lot of movies and ate good food in moderate amounts. It was cold and snowy or cold and rainy, so we didn't get to get out and walk like I'd wanted. Next time.
So now I am on tape 4 of 10, side 2 Hidden Prey John Sandford in the car. It is a good story, but I remembered how tired I was getting of the series a while back. Life is too short and all that schtuff...but I will finish this one and move on.
I read for a chapter last night in bedside book Reunion in Death JD Robb. That is a series that I never tire of. Or at least, not yet. I love the relationships as much as I enjoy the puzzles they solve and the sci-fi of it all.
I hope to get in some reading in my purse book Dead Beat Jim Butcher. I am really enjoying this one, too.

Off to a meeting. Must get one more mug'o'foo-foo coffee and then lotsa water.

Happy Easter Sunday

So what did the Easter Bunny (EB) bring to you this morning? I was hoping for books, but received a bag of Ritazza's Jamaican coffee. That'll work too. It's brewing as I type.
As the Mommie, I am on Easter Bunny duty this morning. I was entrusted by EB to get up honkin' early and put out the Hello Kitty basket he likes to use each year, filled with a bear in a bunny suit from the Post Office, purple bunny ears, three DVDs (Max and Ruby Easter, recently released Charlotte's Web, and Vol 5 of NickJr Favorites), two shirts, one dress, Lindt chocolate bunny and a teenytiny bucket of Japanese Hello Kitty brand chocolate covered pretzel sticks. Also found a couple of additions to the Cars character collection we have going, Buzz Lightyear as a car and Woody the Cowboy as a car. I have started a sort of Pez dispenser collection for Lady K, too. She now has an Easter chick in the basket. Next to the basket is a Dora the Explorer ball and bat kit and plate with a thank you note from EB for the snack of lettuce leaves we left last night.

We decorated eggs yesterday afternoon. Kept the dye damage fairly well under control. Gave up on the little wire holders pretty soon and ended up using the fingers for the most part. If the weather holds, we'll hide them in the yard. It sort of snowed last night and not sure how warm it's going to get today. I did fill three Hello Kitty eggs with some $$ of various degrees and they are hidden in plain sight in the family room.

I hope JB is feeling better today. His stomach has been acting funky the last few days. He's been able to do stuff like go to work and drive down to Sedalia yesterday. He eats okay, just not as much. He's been testing out beer and wine as well. He was off work for a day on Thursday. Laying (lying?) in bed all day and night. Thankfully, he doesn't get sick as often once he had his tonsils out and his deviated septum fixed. He is not a fun sick person.

My dad is here. He wasn't sure he'd be up to going to the usual places for the holiday. Too many reminders of his wife's passing in late November. So he asked if he could come out. Absolutely. Lady K loves him to pieces and he is the best guest and nicest Dad in the world.
We will have standing ribeye roast off the grill, asparagus, and mashed Yukon Gold potatoes for dinner. Likely eat fairly early and have a mellow day. Dad will go back to Nebraska tomorrow and JB and I both have to go to work. I am not on shift until Tuesday, but have to go in for a mandatory meeting tomorrow. At least I get paid, but now will be working seven days in a row and that makes for a looong week, especially when some of those days are 10 hours long.

Lady K is up. She at least waited until 0530 before seeing what EB brought. = ) Glad I am an early bird....

And, hey, this is theoretically a Daily Read kind of blog, so...
I haven't been able to read too much in the last couple of days what with having company and Easter prep and all. I am on tape 4 of 10, side 2 Hidden Prey John Sandford in the car, several chapters into Reunion in Death JD Robb as bedside book, and a little over halfway through Dead Beat Jim Butcher as my purse book. I won't get back the car book or the purse book until tomorrow as the work week begins again. sigh.....

Another Book Down....

I finished Aunt Dimity and the Duke Nancy Atherton yesterday after waking from my prep for mids nap. This is such a good series, cozy or otherwise. Aunt Dimity makes only teeny tiny 'appearances' in this one.
Still not sure what I will start next as my bedside book. I am halfway through Dead Beat Jim Butcher thanks to a quiet shift and it being a good book and all.

etsy.com

What an addicting site!! If you like to shop that is. All hand created everything! I highly recommend this site, for what that's worth....

back to etsy...

Well, Hey! It's Almost Daily Now!!!

This is two days in a row!!! I finished the snort-laugh funny We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle Celia Rivenbark on the way in to work this afternoon. I will be getting this and Bless Your Heart, Tramp and sending them to Deb, my sister-in-law. I know she, of all people, will appreciate the humor. Even after living in Minnesota( lo, these many years) the hillbilly won't have rubbed off her. I'm only hillbilly by marriage and I totally fer shure got the humor.
Now will be listening to yummo Richard Ferrone narrate John Sandford's Hidden Prey.
I have about 60 pages left to read in bedside book Aunt Dimity and the Duke Nancy Atherton, so that should be finished tomorrow. I get the lovely process of choosing my next book. I do have American Gods Neil Gaiman out and bookmarked. Hmmmm, maybe. I just had three light books going at once, now it could be three darker books going as I have Dead Beat Jim Butcher in the purse. Not sure I can do three dark at the same time. We'll see.

Cruisin' Right Along

I am so glad to find the time to read. I am almost a third of the way through Dead Beat Jim Butcher as purse book. I am going to have to get the first one of the series, Storm Front, and read it soon. I am kind of starting in the middle of the series. I will likely read for a bit before sleep when I get home in bedside book Aunt Dimity and the Duke Nancy Atherton. This is such a sweet 'cozy' series. I am on tape 4 of 5, side 2 We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle Celia Rivenbark. I emailed her the other day, thanking her for making me snort laugh on the way in to work that morning. She emailed me back almost immediately. Very cool! Love her website http://www.celiarivenbark.com/

Time to pack up and wander my aith home to bed and book.