"Letters" Lead To "Murder"!

 So I finished "The Noel Letters" by Richard Paul Evas the Monday before Thanksgiving.  Honestly, I wasn't impressed with this one.  Not that it was boring; it wasn't.  But I'm  not putting it on my favorite list.  A young woman, Noel Post, goes home to reconcile with her dying father, only she arrives too late.  Suddenly, she has to decide whether to return to her life or stay and take over her father's bookstore; it's actually a simple decision, as she was laid off from her previous job as an editor.  Her relationship with her father could be described as strained, at best.  Noel blames Robert, her father, for her mother leaving (and ultimately dying in a car crash).  The truth will eventually come to light with the anonymously written "Noel Letters" and some harsh insight from one of Noel's father's employees.   Of course, Evans includes romance.  Noel forms a relationship with a single father and his daughter.  Whether or not it will last is something I will not spoil. 

I was looking forward to reading "The Christmas Shoes" by Donna Van Liere this year, but was unable to procure a copy.  I did, however, get my hands on a Christmas mystery, "A Christmas Carol Murder," written by Heather Redmond.  

London, December 1835: Charles and Kate are out with friends and family for a chilly night of caroling and good cheer.  But their blood truly runs cold when their singing is interrupted by a body plumeting from an upper window of a house.  They soon learnt the dead man at their feet, his neck strangely wriapped in chains, is Jacob Harley, the business partner of the resident of the house, an unpleasnt codger who owns a counting house, one Emmanuel Screws.  Ever the journalist, Charles dedicates himself to discovering who's behind the diabolical defenestration.  But before he can investigate further, Harley's corpse is stolen.   Following that, Charles in visited in his quarters by what appears to be Harley's ghost--or is it merely Charles's overwrought imagination?  He continues to suspect Emmanuel, the same penurious penny pincher who denied his father a lown yers ago, but Kate insists the old man is too weak to heave a body out a window.  Their mutual affection and admiration can accommodate a difference of opinion, but matters are complicated by the unexpected arrivial of an infant orphn.  Charles must find the child a home while solving a murder, to ensure that the next one in chains is the guilty party...

I've read a few chapters already, and it's pretty good.  It will most likely be the last book I read in 2020, and I'm looking forward to finishing this "journey" in time for the New Year!

More "Love" Is On The Horizon

 I finished reading Mary Higgins Clark's "Loves Music, Loves To Dance" Wednesday afternoon.  I wasn't impressed.  There wasn't a whole lot of action until close to the end.  I can't say I hated any of the characters.  I can honestly say that this is another book I'm glad to be done with.  I ws looking forward to reading "The Noel Letters" by Richard Paul Evans (my favorite author!), but it hasn't been released yet, so I will read something else in the meantime.  I found, among my stack of romance novels, one that I have yet to read, "Escape To Love' by Alice Wootson.It's one of the Arabesque Romance books released by BET (Black Entertainment Television).   Angela Baring will never forget the night she witnessed her boss' murder--or the handsome detective who hid out with her until she could enter the witness protection program.  Those days and nights spent with Trent Stewart were some of the sweetest of Angela's life.  When Trent tracks her down two years later, it's clear that their feelings for each other are stronger than ever.  But before they can revel in their passion, Angela's life is threatened again.  Now Trent will have to put everything on the line for the woman he vows to protect and cherish forever. I'm sure it will be a great "journey" and a wonderful "Escape!"

Ballad, Music, Dance: 2 Books, 1 Theme

 I finished reading "The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes" by Suzanne Collins Wednesday afternoon.  Not as thrilling as the original "Hunger Games" trilogy, but I would still be interested in seeing a film adaptation.  I enjoyed the romance between Coriolanus Snow (President Snow in the original trilogy) and Lucy Gray, but was left wondering what became of their romance.  However, I remember Snow having a granddaughter in the 2nd book, "Catching Fire," so I assume Snow married and had children with Lucy Gray.  I did find it interesting that Lucy Gray was credited with writing "The Hanging Tree." It was one of the songs sung in the orginal trilogy, as well as the films.  Some of the characters had names that I found very interesting.  Sejanus Plinth, who was a friend of Snow (Coryo, as they called him), and Strabo, Sejanus' father, were two of my favorites.  I will say that the 10th Hunger Games, still in the process of working out the kinks in the system, were nowhere near as exciting as the 74th and 75th games as drescribed in the first two books of the original "Hunger Games" trilogy.  That being said, I hope to see the movie adaptation on the big screen in the near future.  While holding my breath, I might as well continue with my euphonic theme by reading "Loves Music, Loves To Dance" by Mary Higgins Clark.  After college, best friends Erin Kelley and Darcy Scott move to New York to pursue eciting careers--Erin as a jewelry designer, Darcy as a decorator.  On a lark, Darcy persuades Erin to help their TV producer friend research the kinds of people who place personals in trendy magazines.  It seems like innocent fun...until Erin desappears.  Erins' body is found on an abandoned Manhattan pier--wearing a high-heeled dancing slipper.  Soon after, startling comuniques from the killer reveal that Erin is not his first victim--and next on his list is Darcy.  This isn't the first book of Clark's that I have read.  Years ago, I read her yuletide collaboration with her daughter Carol, "Deck The Halls."  I'm looking forward to re-acquainting myself with Clark during this "Journey Through A Book!"

From "Spider" To "Songbirds & Snakes!" Oh, My!

I finished James Patterson's "Along Came A Spider" yesterday afternoon.  It wasn't horrible, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I did Patterson's "The Quickie."  I kept trying to relate the title to the story and vice versa.  I did, however, like the fictionalized account of the Lindbergh baby's kidnapping, which played a crucial part in the story and its main villain.  I didn't hate it, but I'm glad to be done with it.  I honestly can't wait to begin reading the next book on my list, "The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes!" It's by Suzanne Collins, and is a prequel to the "Hunger Games" trilogy, which I blogged about when I read the books several years ago.  The original trilogy: 1. "The Hunger Games," 2. "Catching Fire," & 3. "Mockingjay," got made into blockbuster movies.  I'm hoping the same will be true of "Ballad."
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games.  In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the games.  The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.  The odds are against him.  He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low.  Their fates are now completely intertwined--every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin.  Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death.  Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute...and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
Snow was not presented int he best light in the original trilogy or the movies.  Perhaps this prequel will present him in a better light or reveal why he ended up being the way he was.  Here's hoping I enjoy this "journey" better than my previous one!

"Along Came A Spider" After A "Season Of Passion"

I took advantage of the Corona quarantine to do some Sunday afternoon reading.  I finished Danielle Steel's "Season Of Passion" this afternoon.  Honestly, it wasn't one of my favorites.  Katie cheated on Tom, not that he would have known it after being brain damaged due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. She never even divorced him before moving on.  And the way she handled Tom's relationship with their son, Tygue, didn't sit well with me either.   All in all, I'm glad to be done with this book, and I can't wait to begin "Along Came A Spider" by James Patterson, which I will be reading with my friend Marsha Chapman as we start our own mini reading circle. "Along Came A Spider" begins with the double kidnapping of the daughter of a famous Hollywood actress and the young son of the Secretary of the Treasury.  And that's onlhy the beginning!  Gary Soneji is a murderous serial kidnapper who wants to commit the crime of the century.  Alex Cross is the brilliant homicide detective pitted against him.  Jezzie Flanagan is the fumale supervisor of the Secret Service who completes one of the most unusual suspense triangles in any thriller you have ever read.  It won't be my first time reading a James Patterson book.  I previously read, and blogged about, "The Quickie," which I really enjoyed.  I am also aware that several, if not all, of the books featuring Alex Cross have been made into movies.  Both Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry have taken on the role of the "brilliant homicide detective."  Maybe it's time for me to check out those movies a little more closely!  In the meantime, I am eager to take a literary "journey" with Alex Cross for the very first time!

My Time In The "Sun" Prepares Me For A "Season of Passion"

I finished reading "The Sun Is Also A Star" by Nicola Yoon about 2 weeks ago.  It was OK, but highly unrealistic.  Also, there were too many side stories from minor characters.  I enjoyed Yoon's debut novel, "Everything, Everything" much better.  That being said, I'm eager to continue reading "Season of Passion" by Danielle Steel.  Kate is only eighteen when she meets Tom Harper, one of America’s biggest pro-football stars. They share an idyllic and glamorous first love. But the bullet that suddenly ends Tom’s career also ends their life together. A failed suicide attempt will leave him mentally and physically disabled forever. Kate will be left alone, heartbroken, and pregnant with their son. Soon she will have another chance at love, but it will mean learning to let go of the past and learning to trust again. I'm already 10 chapters in, but it's kind of "meh."  I'm hoping it gets better....

In Need of Some "Sun" After "Skipping Christmas"

I managed to finish "Skipping Christmas" by John Grisham during a road trip to see my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law, and their newborn baby girl on the final Saturday (12/28/2019) of last year.  The story  was cute and ended well.  There were no really detestable characters, and the plot flowed smoothly.  (Though the idea of actually skipping Christmas is one of my biggest nightmares.  I love Christmas!)  That being said, my first book of 2020 is "The Sun Is Also A Star" by Nicola Yoon.  I enjoyed both the novel and movie adaptation of her first book "Everything, Everything," and the theatrical version of "The Sun Is Also A Star" was cute.  Can two young people fall in love in a single day?  That's the basic premise of the story.  Daniel & Natasha have only a single day to forge a relationship before she is deported from America to Jamaica.  A lot can happen in a few hours.  It's taken me a while to get a good start reading Yoon's second novel, because my first weekend of 2020 was spent attending MAGFEST, a convention devoted mainly to video games. Less than a week into the new year, and I'm already busier than a bee!  But I will find time to take an occasional "Journey Through A Book" from time to time! 

Reading Lists (In Case You Missed Something)

2018
1. Michael Vey: The Final Spark by Richard Paul Evans
2. The Broken Road by Richard Paul Evans
3. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
4. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
5. The Quickie by James Patterson
6. The Forgotten Road by Richard Paul Evans
7. Coast Road by Barbara Delinsky
8. My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Frederik Backman
9. Room by Emma Donoghue (Note: Too difficult to read.  Didn't finish)
10. The Noel Stranger by Richard Paul Evans
11. Tied Up In Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh

2019
1. The 5 Lessons A Millionaire Taught Me About Life & Wealth by Richard Paul Evans
2. The Road Home by Richard Paul Evans
3. Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
4. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
5. Noel Street by Richard Paul Evans
6. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham