Finished!

Yesterday marked the finish line in the project I’d been working on for essentially six months.

I think I’ve mentioned here before that I was working on copying my reviews to a blog because of the changes happening at Epinions.  I’ve got 2290 review up there as of today, so as you can imagine, it was a mammoth project.

But I did it.  Day in and day out, I kept posting reviews.  And day in and day out, I kept making progress.  It was frustrating at times, but I just kept right on working.

I actually have been putting reviews in draft on my blog in advance of when they would post.  And I got so far ahead that I finished drafting on July 1st.  But the last review didn’t actually go live until yesterday.  So now I feel like the project is really, finally, truly finished.

Of course, now I will be posting new reviews there and at Epinions.  Honestly, I don’t know how much longer Epinions can continue with how low hits are getting.  But we shall see and hopefully it will improve as things go along.  But in the mean time, I’ve already executed my exit strategy if things go wrong.  All my work is not lost, although I would like to back it up in Word.  Yes, that means going through them all again, but no time pressure this time.  Plus, I can do 100 a day or just one if I so desire.  That part will be very nice.

You can’t imagine how excited I was when I got the last one done.  Heck, I was late to ultimate that night because I was so close and just wanted to finish.

And already I’m wondering just how I got that all done since I haven’t had a chance to work on my blog much since then.  I think it was the driving need to get them posted coupled with just needing a break now, but it’s funny to think I managed to get this all done at one point and now can’t find the time even a week later.

So come check them out at Carstairs Considers.

I'm Still Here

It’s looking like I’ve abandoned this blog again, hasn’t it?  I promise, that’s not the case.  I’ve just been really busy doing not much of anything news worthy.

Honestly, I have been devoting almost all my free time to getting my reviews from Epinions posted at Carstairs Considers.  Even limiting it to 10 or 11 a day is time consuming.  It doesn’t help that I’m starting with the oldest ones, which need a little editing.  Plus I have to recreate The Bottom Line and make them into Haikus.  That’s a lot of work right there.

Have I mentioned how happy I’ll be when that’s all over and done with?

Other then that, life goes on.  Commuting to Burbank still.  Running once or twice a week plus playing ultimate Frisbee.  Sunday, I played some disc golf instead of ultimate, which was a nice change of pace.  Plus I enjoyed hanging out with those friends which I don’t see nearly enough.

Yep, that’s pretty much my life right now.  Just a thrill a minute.

It's Been a Week

Okay, I know it's really only Tuesday, but I'm talking about the last week in general.

Work - Yes, I am still working.  And it's the week before the audit, which means there is lots of work to do to get everything ready.  I haven't been working overtime, but I've been working hard the entire time I'm there.

Epinions - Things are still erupting over there, too.  It's taken them this long to get us our money from December, such as it was.  And they haven't backed down on their stance that reviews over 5 years old will no longer earn money.

Meanwhile, Blogger still hasn't let me back into the review blog I set up.  I was going to start a blog over at Word Press, but I haven't had a chance to do that.  Guess I can wait another day or two mainly since I will be so busy.  But I really want to get going on posting stuff somewhere and off Epinions.  I'm taking my old content down if they don't reverse their stance.

Heck, I'm so disgusted right now, I may take stuff down anyway.  After all, this was a slap in the face.  And I have a very steady revenge rater there right now.  Plus someone called my integrity into question because I reviewed a friend's book over there.  Yeah, thanks.  I don't need that.  I need to become a book (and other things) blogger.

I've got to admit, my attitude hasn't been helped by the fact that I can't seem to sleep at night.  I woke up at 4:30 this morning and never did get back to sleep.  Hopefully tonight will be better.

But it all got better when I was talking to my family tonight.  My niece was still up, and hearing her say, "I love you, Uncle Mark" brought a huge smile to my face and pretty much put everything in perspective.

It was probably a good thing I couldn't do any review copying this weekend anyway.  I finally got my Christmas decorations down and put away and I got my chapter for a fan fiction group project finished.  Once I start the copying, I have a feeling I will be doing that pretty much full time.

Fun Times at Epinions

Well, the last few days have certainly been fun at Epinions.  And they’ve shown why socialism will never work as well.

For months, they’ve been telling us that they were going to change how the money they pay us, called Income Share or IS, is distributed.  It was going to reward active reviewers.  They were also going to change payment methods over to Paypal, a move I was not remotely interested in but I have no choice since I want to still keep getting paid.

So the money was pushed through last week, but there were bugs and other issues with it.  But people were seeing a wild swing in money.  Some were talking about the best IS they’d ever seen.  Others were talking about wild drops.

And that’s when people started to notice that there was a cut off date beyond which their reviews didn’t earn them any money.  When staff confirmed that yesterday, that’s when things really started to get exciting.

Seems they’d determined that only reviews written in the last five years deserve IS.  Doesn’t matter how many hits you get or how much your review brings in – it is now dead unless you wrote it in the last 5 years.

Now, I can see how some reviews wouldn’t really be relevant any more past that date.  But most of mine still are.  A movie, book, or CD doesn’t really change from one year to the next.  Furthermore, some of my reviews on rare items still get big hits and bigger IS.  Yes, I’m one of those very upset by the change.

Fortunately, the multitude of posts seem to be heard.  They are discussing what will happen going forward.  However, I am taking no chances.  I’m setting up a reviewing blog and becoming an Amazon affiliate.  Hopefully, I can add a bit more to my reviewing income if not supplement what I will lose as my Epinions review start to expire.  And yes, I will be taking them down as they expire.  If I want to post something for free, I can do that at Amazon.

Of course, if Epinions reverses itself, I’ll keep my reviews up there.  But I am creating this review blog regardless since the work involved in transferring them all will only get worse as the reviews pile up.

Now I’ll need to build a readership for that blog, something I’ve never quite managed here.  Hopefully, I can do that, or all this work will be for nothing.

I’ve actually started on the blog.  I’m calling it Carstairs Considers….  Unfortunately, I didn’t come up with the name, but I love it.  Thanks to Holly for suggesting it.

So what does this say about socialism and capitalism?  Well, those of us who were doing well and stand to lose much are taking down content or threatening to take down content if Epinions doesn’t reverse itself.  Those who don’t have as many reviews and were helped by this change are praising it.  And yes, some of those upset by the change are liberals who have no problems taking from the rich to give to the poor via taxes until it is their income that is affected.  Obviously, I’m in the group that will take down reviews that have “expired” if Epinions doesn’t reverse itself.  Why should I let them earn money to give to someone other than me?  That very idea makes no sense at all.  However, I’m still going to post reviews there and earn money until they expire.  Why not?  By the time they expire, I’ll already have them on my blog, so it will be no problem to delete them and move on.

Really, this reminds me of the attitude I felt from Amazon a few years back when they changed their review rankings.  It became all about “What have you done for me lately?”  That’s what Epinions is saying, too.  They want fresh content.  They’ve made that clear in other areas recently as well.  The newest review is on the top no matter what it is rated, which means some of my reviews are buried.  And don’t even get me started on the search engine and lack of listings for reviews.  That’s really frustrating.

Still, I’m hoping that Epinions sees the light and works out another way to distribute IS.  The thought of taking down all my hard work makes me sad.  But there is no way I’m letting them have it for free.

What I Read in December

And here's the list of books I read in December.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

DISNEYLAND THROUGH THE DECADES by Jeff Kurtti - 3

I was expecting this book to be filled with vintage pictures of the park, but most of the pictures were from the past 5 years or so.  I did find the behind the scenes essays interesting, however.

THE TWELVE CLUES OF CHRISTMAS by Rhys Bowen - 5

Lady Georgie is looking to escape her family castle and lands herself a position helping with a Christmas house party.  But amidst the old fashioned Christmas, she finds the members of the village dying off one by one.  Is there a pattern to the deaths, or are they the tragic accidents they appear to be?  I made a connection early on that Georgie missed, but once she made it the book took off and never quite let go.  I really enjoyed this one.

PETER AND THE SWORD OF MERCY by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson - 5

The authors take their Peter Pan prequels to the era we know best as Peter much team up with Wendy to save Molly, George, and all of England from a new threat still after the star stuff.  If you've enjoyed the others in the YA series, you'll certainly enjoy this one.  The multiple plots actually seemed to compliment each other, and I always had a hard time putting the book down.

NAUGHTY: NINE TALES OF CHRISTMAS CRIME by Steve Hockensmith - 5

All nine of these short stories have been previous released, but I got a kick out of them because I hadn't read them before.  From a murder at the North Pole to a suspicious mall Santa and a murderous fruitcake, this one has it all.  Some humor and light crime - what could be more perfect at Christmas?

MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE by Dorothy Gilman - 4

Mrs. Pollifax and her husband Cyrus are hours away from a vacation to Thailand when Bishop shows up asking if they could possibly make one small detour for the CIA.  Of course, things go wildly wrong when Cyrus is kidnapped and Mrs. Pollifax has to hunt for him with a man she doesn't trust.  The plot to this one is a little different.  The scenes with Bishop and Carstairs drive it more than Mrs. Pollifax's action does.  As a result, it's not as good as the classic books in the series, but it's still fun.

TALES OF A SIXTH GRADE MUPPET by Kirk Scroggs - 4

Danvers hates his life, especially since no one appreciates his attempts to create stunts that his idol, Gonzo, would love.  But one morning Danvers wakes up as a Muppet.  What is happening?  And how will his life change?  I found the book to be a very fast read, the large number of pictures certainly helped.  Yet, I also found it quite funny.  Any fan of the Muppets will enjoy it, down to the elementary school target audience.

THE MYSTERY AT MEAD'S MOUNTAIN by Kathryn Kenny - 4

Trixie and her friends are spending the week between Christmas and New Year's at a ski lodge in Vermont.  But when they are greeted by an ominous warning, it appears there is more happening here than meets the eye.  The plot is great with some twists I didn't expect - at least the first time I read it.  The characters are their true selves as well.  The pacing of the book could be better, but it's still one of the better of the later books.

My October Reads

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

 RUNNING RANSOM ROAD by Craig Danloff - 5
Caleb Daniloff opens up about his life as an alcoholic as he travels to the cities he used to live in to run marathons. The book mixes the past and the present to weave a compelling and emotionally captivating story. I really got caught up in his story and enjoyed every page of it. And as a running, I certainly identified with the descriptions of the races.

KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES by Shannon Messenger - 5
Sophie Foster discovers that she is not really human but part of another entire world that co-exists within ours. And just like that, she is whisked away to a world she doesn't know and tries to learn about it. But she also finds a danger and a potential conspiracy. Can she fit in and still find out what is really happening? I was pulled into this book and really enjoyed it from start to finish. I can't wait for the next one.

POSTER ART OF THE MAGIC KINGDOM by Daniel Handke and Vanessa Hunt - 5
As you'd expect, this is a collection of the poster art from the Magic Kingdom parks over the world and over the decade from the founding of Disneyland up to some of the recent posters in California Adventure. As a fan of the posters, I loved looking at them and am thrilled to have this book.

THE MARK OF ATHENA by Rick Riordan - 3
The seven demigods from Camp Half-Blood and New Rome set off on their journey to Rome to face down the rising ancient powers. With several side quests calling to them, will they be able to survive until they reach Rome? While all these books have been formulaic, this was one very bad in that regard. I was bored until we actually reached Rome, where things really picked up.

THE CHOCOLATE MOOSE MOTIVE by JoAnna Carl - 4
When Lee meets Sissy Smith, she begins to wonder about the rumors that this young woman killer her husband a few months back. When Sissy comes under suspicion of a new death, Lee jumps in to figure out what is happening. The characters are always enjoyable, although I miss the supporting cast we used to see. Still the plot is strong and keeps the pages turning.

My May Reads

Here are the books I read in May.  Links will take you to my full review at Epinions.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

THE COUNCIL OF MIRRORS by Michael Buckley - 5

The conclusion to the Sisters Grimm series finds Sabrina and Daphne leading the good guys in a fight to take out The Master once and for all.  Can they succeed?  The book is dark at times, but we are fighting a war here.  Fans of the series will certainly enjoy seeing how it ends, although if you aren't familiar with the series, start at the beginning.

FUN HOUSE by Chris Grabenstein - 4

A reality competition has come to Sea Haven, and Ceepak and Danny have gotten caught up in the action when the sudden star of the show is caught with steroids.  But when the bodies turn up, they have to dig deep to find the killer.  As always, I loved spending time in this resort town and with the cops, who continue to develop as a characters.  The book is filled with foul language, which reminds me why I don't watch the shows that were being spoofed here.

MURDER ON MONDAY by Ann Purser - 1

Lois Meads has taken on some cleaning jobs in a neighboring village to help her family financially.  But when a murder disrupts the village, her clients become suspects.  Will she pick up clues to help find the killer?  Despite (or because of) some flaws, I liked Lois.  However, the plot started slowly and never really gained speed.  I was glad to be finished with this one.

11TH HOUR by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro - 4

The Women's Murder Club only takes on two cases this time around.  First, there are the skulls found in an actor's garden.  Then there's the man killing drug dealers.  I was actually surprised to find that the ladies worked together to solve one of these cases, which hasn't happened for a while.  In the end, it's a Patterson book, but it was fun.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS by J. K. Rowling - 4.5

I finally got around to rereading the second in the series.  I love the characters and overall story, but these books sure do start slowly.  Fortunately, she manages to work in most of the seemingly random things later in the book this time around.

My March Reads

Here's what I read in March.  All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).  Links take you to my full review at Epinions.

THE FALL OF THE LOUSE OF USHER by Lisa Lideks and Mara Lideks - 4
A fun ebook that finds three sisters banning together when one of them is accused of killing the husband who had just left her. The book was quite humorous and the plot was fun.

CINNAMON ROLL MURDER by Joanne Fluke - 3
When the piano player of a jazz band is killed, Hannah springs into action to find his killer.  Meanwhile, she's also looking for a way to stop Hannah from marrying Dr. Bev.  The characters were great as always, and the mystery was fun.  But the Norman/Dr. Bev story was unrealistic.  I'm hoping, however, that it is leading to the end of the Hannah/Norman/Mike love triangle.

THE SECRET OF THE UNSEEN TREASURE by Kathryn Kenny - 4.5
Trixie is determined to help neighbor Mrs. Elliot when someone seems determined to ruin her flower business.  Despite the lack of Di and Dan acting abnormal, I find this summer mystery to be lots of fun.

$10,000 IN SMALL UNMARKED PUZZLES by Parnell Hall - 4
Cora is asked to make the drop for a blackmail payment.  But instead of an empty dumpster, she finds a dead body seconds before the police show up.  As always the story is very funny, but it also had the usual too quick wrap up.

HUSH NOW, DON'T YOU CRY by Rhys Bowen - 4
Molly and Daniel are off on their honeymoon, but their dream trip to Newport turns bad when Daniel gets sick and the family of the estate where they are staying shows up.  And that's before the body appears.  I always enjoy spending time with Molly, and sickness certainly softened Daniel.  But I felt the climax to the mystery was weak.

TRAIL OF THE SPELLMANS by Lisa Lutz - 5
The Spellman clan is highered for several different survelience cases.  Meanwhile, the mom is taking random classes every evening and David and Rae aren't speaking.  Will the family survive the latest round of craziness.  As always, I laughed my way through the book and had a hard time putting it down.  Fans will not be disappointed.

ROYAL PAINS: SICK RICH by D. P. Lyle - 4
4th of July is right around the corner, and between the health festival, the big costume party, and the designer drugs, the HankMed gang is very busy.  As fun visit with these great characters, and I enjoyed the emphasis on crime over medicine.  However, I really hated season 1 Evan returning.

SPY SCHOOL by Stuart Gibbs - 5
Ben is delighted when the CIA asks him to join an elite spy school.  But when his life is endangered within hours of arriving on campus, he begins to rethink things.  Can he stay alive long enough to find out who wants to kill him?  Yes, the book is aimed at kids, but I had a blast reading it.  The story moved quickly with some good twists, and I really liked Ben.

My January Reads

Here are the books I read in January.  Links will take you to my full review at Epinions.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

HOW TO PARTY WITH A KILLER VAMPIRE by Penny Warner - 4

Presley Parker is hosting a vampire party in a graveyard to celebrate the completion of filming on a vampire spoof movie.  But when a body appears the morning of the party, she begins to wonder if there is a connection between the victim and one of her guests.  I like Parker and find these books fun.

THE MYSTERY OF THE UNINVITED GUEST by Kathryn Kenny - 5

One of two rereads of old favorites this month.  Trixie's cousin is in town for a visit, but Trixie is distracted by the wheelchair that appears and disappears along Glen Road.  Meanwhile, a woman no one knows is trying to get invited to the wedding of Jim's cousin.  While one sub-plot falls flat, I enjoy this great mystery that uses all the characters well and actually keeps them in character.  A great start to the second half of the series.

WELL-OFFED IN VERMONTby Amy Patricia Meade - 4

Stella and Nick Buckley have traded in life in New York City for a small town in Vermont.  But when they arrive at their new home, they find a dead man in their well.  Since they can't move in until the murder is solved, they dig in to catch the killer themselves.  I enjoyed this debut, especially the main characters.  Unfortunately, I felt the momentum in the beginning was slowed down by back story that could have been slipped in better later.

MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE HONG KONGBUDDHA by Dorothy Gilman - 4

It'd been too long since I had visited this old friend.  In this book, the newly remarried Mrs. Pollifax sets off to Hong Kong to find out why one of Carstairs' informants has started sending him bogus information.  Naturally, she is quickly in over her head.  The formula is intact, although the finale of the book is very dark for the series (though not for a spy novel) and a bit rushed.

THE FUTURE DOOR by Jason Lethcoe - 3

The second in a kid's mystery series that combines steampunk and Sherlock Holmes.  Griffin and his uncle have raced home to see what has happened to his parents only to almost be killed as soon as they've arrived.  Why?  The answer lies back in London and may lead to the end of the world as we know it.  I was enjoy this book despite some over writing until I hit the climax which was a cheap way to end things.  Not a bad book, but a disappointing finish.

MR. MONK ON PATROL by Lee Goldberg - 5

Monk and Natalie are off to Summit, New Jersey, to help new police chief Randy Disher gain a handle on the string of burglaries plaguing the normally quiet town.  This book is an absolute treat for fans of the TV show and Lee's novels based on them because of what he does with the characters.

My December Reads

I missed two books I read in November, so I'll start with those.  The rest were read in December.  Not as many mysteries as normal, but some good books.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

THE KINGDOM KEEPERS: POWER PLAY by Ridley Pearson - 5

The Kingdom Keepers have had a breather since the leaders of the Overtakers were arrested.  But a plot to free them finds our heroes in danger and making some shocking discoveries.  Those discoveries really helped make this book feel fresh and exciting and not just enough retread of a familiar plot.

FORMULA FOR MURDER by Diana Orgain - 4

New mom and new PI Kate Connelly is in a hit and run, and witnesses identify the car as belonging to someone from the French consulate.  The consulate denies it, but it leads to a case for Kate when she sees a reporter leaving and the reporter turns up dead two days later.  Was she working on a story on the French consulate that lead to her death?  I love the characters, and the story was interesting.  It did bog down a little in the middle, but it picked up again for a fun finish.

THE ANIMATED MAN: A LIFE OF WALT DISNEY by J. Michael Barrier - 4

I found this to be an interesting and balance biography of Walt Disney.  The author played media critic a bit too much, which bothered me, but in the end I walked away with a clearer picture of a true American success story.

THE END by David LaRochelle - 5

A fun picture book take on fairytales, this one starts at "Happily ever after" and works back to "Once Upon a Time."  Along the way, we get some surprises and laughs.  Highly recommended.

HIDDEN MICKEY by Nancy Temple Rodrigue, David W. Smith - 2

While on a MouseQuest at Disneyland, Adam and Lance find what they think is Walt Disney's diary.   A clue in it leads them on a quest through his life with a possible big prize at the end.  This book is an example of everything that can go wrong with self-publishing.  There are too many data dumps, the action is slow at times, and the characters are flat and unlikable.  I'm enough of a Disney geek to enjoy parts of it, but it needed a good editor before it saw the light of day.

KILLER ROUTINE by Alan Orloff - 3

Channing Hayes' is trying to help his almost sister-in-law begin a solo stand up comic career while he recovers from the accident that took his fiancee.  On the night of her big break, she vanishes.  Why?  Can Channing find her?  The characters were enjoyable, especially Channing, but the plot was a series of events with no real detective work involved.

IN SERVICE TO THE MOUSE by Jack Lindquist - 4

The memories of the man who rose from head of advertising for Disneyland in 1955 to become its first president in the late 80's and early 90's.  As a Disnerd, I loved this inside look at the park's history, although the writing style could have been a little better.

PETER AND THE SECRET OF RUNDOON by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry - 5

The final chapter in their Peter Pan prequel trilogy is the best one yet.  Just be sure you read the other two first because you'll pretty much be lost by everything that is happening here.

My November Reads

And now we are up to date with November.


All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

NO PLACE LIKE HOLMES by Jason Lethcoe - 4
A kid's mystery that focuses on Sherlock Holmes' lesser known neighbor who might finally get his big change when he nephew comes over from America for the summer.  I found some of the characters stuff predictable, but overall I enjoyed this fresh take on the Holmes universe.

THROWN OUT: STORIES FROM EXETER by Jennie Coughlin - 4
Four short stories set in a small, college town in Massachusetts that focus on the characters who live there.  I really enjoyed meeting them and look forward to getting to know them better in the novels she is also setting there.  NOTE: I was sent this book in exchange for my honest review.

THE CHOCOLATE CASTLE CLUE by JoAnna Carl - 5
Lee Woodyard finds herself in another case when a reunion of her aunt's old high school singing group leads to a murder.  As always, I love these characters and the plot moves forward very quickly.  The definition of a light but fun mystery.

THE LAST MUSKETEER by Stuart Gibbs - 4
Greg Rich finds himself sucked back through time to early 1600's Paris where he must unite teenage musketeers to save his parents.  A kids book that combines elements of fantasy with historical fiction, I enjoyed it, although I did find the set up a bit too long.

THE ALBUQUERQUE TURKEY by John Vorhaus - 4
Conman Radar Hoverlander isn't sure if he can trust his dad, who has walked into his life after over 20 years and saying he desperately needs money to pay off a man in Vegas.  Once again, this is a wild ride that seems a bit too complicated and leaves the reader in a dark a bit much in the name of twists.  Still, it was a fun ride

My October Reads

And here are October's books.


All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain - 4
A fun trip down the Mississippi with Huck Finn and run away slave Jim.  It's very episodic in nature, but still a fun read.

HEAT RISES by Richard Castle - 5
The third Nikki Heat book finds Nikki investigating the case of a priest found murdered in a bondage club.  I found the tie ins with the TV show to be the funniest so far and the mystery was quite good.  Yes, the book is still overwritten at times, but this was the best in the series so far.

A CASE OF HOMETOWN BLUES by W. S. Gager - 4
Reporter Mitch Malone goes home to against his better judgment, and that night his high school crush is killed. Why?  And might it tie in to other tragedies from his past?  The plot is compelling, although a bit uneven at times.  Still, another good read.  Again, I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

NERDS 3: THE CHEERLEADERS OF DOOM by Michael Buckley - 4
Matilda is ordered undercover to find out who is robbing other dimensions and stop them before the space time continuum collapses.  The problem?  She has to become the thing she hates - a cheerleader.  A fun sci-fi/spy book for kids that was weaken by a climax that felt too abrupt.

NAUGHTY IN NICE by Rhys Bowen - 4
Lady Georgiana manages to get invited to winter in the French Riviera in exchange for finding a snuff box stolen from the queen.  But then another robbery and a murder complicate matters.  As is usual with the series, the plot took forever to get going, but once it did, it proved to be lots of fun.

DOG ON IT by Spencer Quinn - 4
Chet and Bernie attempt to track down a girl that has been kidnapped.  Unless she ran away.  What makes this series unique is that it is told from the point of view of Chet, a dog.  That was mostly cute, although occasionally it fell flat.  The plot could have used some rearranging as well, but overall I enjoyed it.

My September Reads

I am months behind on reporting what I have read, so I am going to catch up now.  First, up is September.


All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE by J. K. Rowling - 4
Now that the last movie is out, I decided to reread the series.  (Still haven't made it to year two, however).  A slow start but still magical even if have read it before.

PIPSQUEAK by Brian M. Wiprud - 2
Taxidermist Grant Carson thinks he's found a great piece of his childhood - a squirrel puppet from an old TV show.  But within moments of finding it, it is stolen and he finds a dead body.  The book is a wild ride, but the plot was too far fetched to be believable much of the time.  It was supposed to be funny, but it really wasn't.  And the characters were mostly flat.  I did care by the end, but this isn't an author I'll go back to.

A CASE OF ACCIDENTAL INTERSECTION by W. S. Gager - 4
Reporter Mitch Malone's day off ends abruptly when he stumbles on a fatal accident.  But the pieces don't add up, and Mitch soon begins to suspect that it wasn't an accident but murder.  It took a while for me to warm up to Mitch, but I loved the supporting players right away, and the plot was very interesting.  Note: I was sent this book in exchange for my honest review.

WHERE YOUR DADDY? by Sue Ann Jaffarian - 4
The third in the Holidays from Hell e short story series finds Zelda visiting her not so lovable grandfather in hopes of finding out where her dad currently is living.  It has the usual mix of humor and more tender moments, although the humor didn't quite work for me here.

QUICKSTEP TO MURDER by Ella Barrick - 4
Stacy Graysin is the prime suspect when her professional and business partner/former fiancee is found dead in their ballroom dance studio.  I really enjoyed this new cozy series debut and look forward to finding out what happens to Stacy next.

JOANNE FLUKE'S LAKE EDEN COOKBOOK by Joanne Fluke - 5
Yes, mostly recipes, but there are a few scenes with the characters from the series that are fun.  All the recipes from the early books plus some new ones to enjoy.

Fall Into Reading 2011

Is it already time for fall to start?  Can't believe it, especially since it's 100 degrees out today.  But the calendar says it is, and Callapidder Days is ready for people to sign up for her Fall Into Reading 2011 challenge, so let's get to it.

As always, I'm going to start off with books from previous challenges I still haven't read.

Fall 2010 Unread Book:
Dog On It by Spencer Quinn

Spring 2011 Unread Books:
Formula for Murder by Diana Orgain
Killer Routine by Alan Orloff
The Albuquerque Turkey by John Vorhaus

I'm very tempted to just leave the list there and make sure I got through those, but I'm not going to do that (although I do want to make it through these books).  I'm trying not to get too carried away with the rest of my list, but I have a feeling that won't happen.

Fall also coincides with a reviewing challenge I host every year at Epinions, the website where I write reviews, so you'll see some Disney titles in the list.  (Here's my profile page on Epinions.  As you can see, I review lots of stuff other than books.)

Other books I want to read this Fall:
Quickstep to Murder by Ella Barrick (about half way through this one right now)
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Naught in Nice by Rhys Bowen
Heat Rises by Richard Castle
NERDS: The Cheerleader of Doom by Michael Buckley
Darkwing Duck: F.O.W.L. Disposition
The Last Muskiteer by Stuart Gibbs
Kingdom Keepers IV: Power Play by Ridley Pearson
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
The Chocolate Castle Clue by JoAnna Carl
A Case of Hometown Blues by W. S. Gager
In Service to the Mouse by Jack Lindquist
The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier
Hidden Mickey by Nancy Temple Rodrigue and David W. Smith
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowlings (a reread)

I do reserve the right to add a couple more titles to this list once I get home and look at my shelves.  I know there is something I planned to include that I'm forgetting.

Which is very scary.  I was going to cut down on the number of books I included in the challenge so I could finish my list for a change.  Instead, I've got 20 listed.  Okay, one is a comic book, so that I can read in an hour.  But the kid's books on here are relatively long and will still take some time to read and enjoy.

Looks like I've got my work cut out for me.

Books Read in August

I completely forgot to post this earlier this week, and then I never got back here to post it.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

YOU'RE NEXT by Gregg Hurwitz - 4

Mike Wingate grew up in foster care, not even knowing his real last name.  But as an adult he's going to need to figure out his past quickly because someone is out to kill him for it.  What secret does his family hold?  I felt this thriller was pretty slow getting going, but once it did, it was another roller coaster ride of action.

PAMPERED TO DEATH by Laura Levine - 5

Jaine Austen is off to a spa thanks to neighbor Lance.  Only when she gets there, she learns it's really a fat farm.  When another of the guests gets murdered just before Jaine is going to escape, she decides to find the killer so she can grab some real food.  This is another funny adventure for Jaine, and I laughed my way through it from start to finish.

THE REAL MACAW by Donna Andrews - 4

With four month old twins, Meg is finding life unpredictable and crazy.  And that's before her father and grandfather show up with a bunch of animals rescued from the local shelter.  When their "get away" driver is found killed, Meg keeps finding more information that leads to some shocking discoveries.  I found the plot of this book very interesting, and I can't wait to see how it plays out in further volumes.  The usual cast of characters are present, but they don't provide the laughs they used to.  They are still amusing, and fun to be around, which will keep fans of the series happy.

DEATH ON TOUR by Janice Hamrick - 2.5

No one is too upset with the tour group busy body is found dead on the groups first day in Egypt.  But Jocelyn soon begins to suspect that the death wasn't an accident.  As the trip continues, strange things seem to happen wherever they go.  What's going on?  I enjoyed the tour parts of the book, although they did seem to slow the book down.  That's not necessarily a bad thing because it is painfully obvious what is happening very early on.  Add to that characters that aren't always likeable, and you've got something that could have been fun but winds up only average.

A BAD DAY'S WORK by Nora McFarland - 5

TV shooter Lilly Hawkins gets the scoop of the year, footage of a murder scene.  But when she returns to the station her tape is blank.  She thinks it is just bad luck until someone starts threatening her to get that tape.  What has she stumbled into?  The plot of this book is a little thin, but the action more than makes up for it.  I also really liked how the characters developed over the course of the novel.  I am very anxious to read the next book in what looks to be a great series.

What I Read in July

Even if you take out the picture books and comic strip collections in this list, I still had a very good month.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

THE BOOK OF ELSEWHERE: THE SHADOWS by Jacquline West - 4
Olive Dunwoody and her parents have moved into a new house, but soon Olive begins to suspect that something out of the ordinary is happening.  In fact, she's pretty sure the pictures are moving.  What's going on?  I wasn't prepared for a supernatural book when I picked it up, but I still enjoyed this story aimed at tweens.

MY SPACE: BABY BLUES SCRAPBOOK #24 by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott - 5
The MacPhersons never fail to make me laugh, and this comic strip collection is no exception.

DARKWING DUCK: CRISIS ON INFINITE DARKWINGS - 5
This fun second new adventure finds Negaduck trying to destroy Darkwing Duck by bringing in all the Darkwings from every universe and brainwashing them for evil.  Very clever and lots of fun.

ATTACK OF THE DERANGED MUTANT KILLER MONSTER SNOW GOONS by Bill Watterson - 5
More laughs with this classic comic strip.  There's a reason it's a family favorite.

MR. MONK ON THE COUCH by Lee Goldberg - 5
While Natalie tries to figure out the identity of a John Doe who died of natural causes, Monk investigates a string of murders that have the most unual common element - a couch.  Another fun book with friends old and new that includes some good twists and laughs.

PULL MY PAW by Sue Ann Jaffarian - 5
The Bowen family faces a tense Mother's Day when family traditions come into question and one of the sisters tries to paw off an unwanted dog.  Humor and heart felt moments in this e-short story and leaves you ready for the next chapter.

ROYAL PAINS: FIRST, DO NO HARM by D. P. Lyle - 4
Hank is trying to figure out why a bride to be is having spells where she doesn't know who she is, spells that leave her with holes in her memory.  Meanwhile, a new health drink seems to have dire consequences.  I enjoyed the story, although the portrayal of Evan bothered me.  Still, a fun tie in.

SHOULD I SHARE MY ICE CREAM by Mo Willems - 5
Poor Gerald has a dilemma when he thinks maybe he should share his ice cream with best friend Piggy.  Will he make the right decision?  A bit of humor and some good, organic lessons about sharing (and indecision) make this another winner from Mo Willems.

THE FINAL DETAIL by Harlan Coben - 4
Myron returns to New York from an unannounced vacation when he finds out that business partner has been accused of murdering one of their clients.  But she didn't really do it, did she?  Outside of one scene I really didn't care for, I found this book to be a very good mystery with great characters.  I have a feeling I'll be reading more.

ELI by Bill Peet - 5
The story of an aging lion that is ashamed after saving a vulture from being killed.  But might that act of kindness save his life?  Bill Peet's pictures are great, and the story is fun if fairly predictable.

BURN NOTICE: THE BAD BEAT by Tod Goldberg - 4
What Sam and Michael think is a simple job of helping out a guy hounded by loan sharks becomes much more complex when they find Russian mobsters are also after the guy.  While the climax felt weak, overall the book was still good.

What I Read - June 2011 Edition

So here's something I want to get back to, posting these lists on my blog.

I can't quite remember where I left off in June and picked up in July, but this is pretty close.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

TO THE MANOR DEAD by Sebastian Stuart - 2
When Janet is offered a chance to sell a large estate, she's thrilled until she finds the woman she is deal with dead and meets the victim's weird relatives. The plot was okay, but almost all the characters made my skin crawl. The main character was only alright. The family of suspects were actually rather creepy. I have a feeling the author was going for funny, but it missed the mark for me.

PERCY JACKSON: THE LAST OLYMPIAN by Rick Riordan - 5
The climax finds Percy and his friend making a last stand against the Titans. Can they save Olympus? The book was incredible. It was almost no stop action, and I had a hard time putting it down. Lots of great pay offs for the characters as well. A worth end to the series.

10TH ANNIVERSARY by James Patterson - 3
The women of the Women's Murder Club are taking on three new cases in this book. It was typical Patterson, fun and fast paced but almost immediately forgettable.

THE RABBIT DIED by Sue Ann Jaffarian - 5
The first in a series of Kindle short stories, this one introduces us to a dysfunctional family. It was funny and sad at various points - a very good read.

PSYCH: MIND ALTERING MURDER by William Rabkin - 5
While Shawn immerses himself in a virtual reality game thinking it holds the clue to find the man who created it, Gus takes a "grown up" job up in San Francisco. But is this the end of their partnership or will murder follow Gus north? I loved it. The characters were very well developed, there were some laughs, and the plot was great.

DARKWING DUCK: THE DUCK KNIGHT RETURNS - 4
I loved this TV show, and now I've discovered they are doing comic books based on it. Lots of fun for those who remember the character.

SECRETS OF HARMONY GROVE by Mindy Starns Clark - 4
Sienna is shocked to learn that she is being investigated by the Feds. Then her boyfriend is killed at the bed and breakfast she owns in Amish country, and her life unravels even further. As always, the author pulled me in from the very beginning and wove an intricate tale. I felt like the pacing was a bit off and times, but overall I enjoyed it.

What's On My Nightstand March 2011 Edition

How can we be on the fourth Tuesday of March already?  Yikes!  Anyway, that means it is time for What's on Your Nightstand.

This month, I want to talk about a book I actually finished last week.  The Baker Street Letters by Michael Robertson is the first in a series about two brothers who are renting the office space that is what used to be 221B Baker Street.  One of the conditions of their lease is that they answer the letters addressed to Sherlock Holmes.  But one of those letters catched Nigel's eye.  Seems someone is writing a letter asking for something back that she sent in 20 years before.  Only Nigel doesn't think the original author is writing the letter.

When he takes off for Los Angeles to follow up on these letters, his brother Reggie takes off after him.  But Reggie always seems to be two steps behind Nigel.  Then the body shows up, and the police think Nigel is the killer.  What has Sherlock Holmes gotten them into?

The book is fast paced.  In fact, it starts out a little too fast paced.  I had a hard time connecting to the characters since we were just thrust into the story.  But it wasn't too long before things were explained and I could figure out backstory.

I really liked the characters from the beginning, and continued to like them the entire way through the book.

A few times, I had the next plot point figured out before Reggie, but there were several twists that took me by surprise, as did the ending.

I've ordered the next in the series and am really looking forward to seeing what happens next to these characters.

What I Read in February

And here's what I read in February that I didn't already post about.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET by Pseudonymous Bosch - 3
This kid's mystery finds Cass and Max-Ernest trying to find out what happened to the previous owner of a collection of vials known as the Symphony of Smells. Little do they know the dangerous world they are about to enter. This book had it's fun moments, and the story was good. But the choice to narrate it by someone who keeps warning us about how horrid the story is grew old early and actually left me a little disappointed when the danger took so long to appear.

WORLD'S GREATEST SLEUTHS! by Steve Hockensmith - 5
Cowboys Old Red and Big Red are summoned to the World's Fair in Chicago to compete in a competition to discover who is the best detective in the world now that Sherlock Holmes has vanished. But the stakes are raised when someone involved in the competition turns up dead the second morning. Can Old Red figure out why the murder took place? I always enjoy spending time around these brothers in the 1890's, and this book was no exception. The story is strong as are the characters. Another fun read.

HOW TO SURVIVE A KILLER SEANCE by Penny Warner - 4
Presley's latest big shindig is a seance at the Winchester Mystery House, a chance for inventor Jonathan Ellington to show off his new 4D technology. Things are going well until the projection of Sarah Winchester starts to accuse Jonathan of infidelity. When the bodies start piling up, Presley has to figure out how the killer is. You could not ask for a better setting and set up for this book, and I felt the story took full advantage of that. Unfortunately, the climax felt rushed, but it did tie up all the lose threads from the plot.

GHOST IN THE POLKA DOTE BIKINI by Sue Ann Jaffarian - 5
Emma Whitecastle is trying to enjoy a romantic Thanksgiving weekend with her boyfriend on Catalina, but the trip is interrupted when she keeps seeing the ghost of a woman who disappeared in the 60's. Can Emma find out what really happened to the woman? It was great to see these characters again, and I enjoyed the humor in the book. Yet it reaches a more serious ending, which I found appropriate.

My January Reads

So, I'm behind on posting my books read.  Here's what I read in January.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

OLD WORLD MURDER by Kathleen Ernst - 3
Chloe Ellefson is taking over as the collections curator at the living history site Old World Wisconsin in the early 1980's. Her first day on the job, a woman comes in and demands an artifact she has donated back. When Chloe can't find it for her, the woman leaves only to die in a car crash. Chloe feels she must find it to find out what it was so important. Why did the woman care about it? I loved the setting, and the mystery was pretty interesting. However, I had a hard time liking many of the characters. The men were overbearing at best and many were jerks. Chloe herself could be a jerk at times, too.

MR. MONK ON THE ROAD by Lee Goldberg - 4
A mostly content Monk decides to share his newfound view of life with his brother Ambrose by kidnapping him and taking him to see the world from a motor home. With Natalie along as navigator, this unlikely trio set out. Will Ambrose appreciate the gesture? Will they have a murder free vacation? As always, the characters in these books are wonderful, and the development will please any fan of the show. Unfortunately, the mystery felt tacked on, even for a franchise where the mystery was often secondary. Still, I enjoyed this road trip.

THE PIGEON WANTS A PUPPY by Mo Willems - 5
Yes, a picture book makes my list. It's a hoot, and if you have or know young kids, take a look at this one because you'll probably wind up getting it for them.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly - 4
Lawyer Mickey Haller works out of his Lincoln town car. He's landed a high profile case of a man who is accused of trying to rape and kill a woman. Things seem too easy, but as the case progressed, Mickey worries that there is much more at stake than he first realized. Is he correct? This legal thriller isn't my normal choice, but I enjoyed it. I did find the courtroom scenes slowed things down (I know, I'm complaining about that in a legal thriller).