Book 3

Hunters Moon- A hunting trip goes bad, really bad.


This is the first Dana Stabenow book I read and I almost didn’t read anymore of her books, don’t get me wrong I loved the book but the pain and agony Kate Shugak goes though in this book hurt my heart but also made me love this strong woman and there are not enough strong female characters in literature today. She is a Native Alaskan, an Aleut, living in a fictional national park in Alaska, a former investigator for the Anchorage District Attorney's office, an incident during which she is badly injured on the job causes her to quit and return home to live on her own with her best friend Mutt; a wolf-dog. Throughout the series she embraces her heritage but also struggles with it. She’s made tough choices and is true to herself.

I suggest starting at the beginning when at all possible, the characters in this series are fascinating, funny, interesting, simple, complex and worth reading about.



A Cold Day for Murder (1992)

A Fatal Thaw (1992)

Dead in the Water (1993)

A Cold-blooded Business (1994)

Play With Fire (1995)

Blood Will Tell (1996)

Breakup (1997)

Killing Grounds (1998)

Hunter's Moon (1999)

Midnight Come Again (2000)

The Singing of the Dead (2001)

A Fine and Bitter Snow (2002)

A Grave Denied (2003)

A Taint in the Blood (2004)

A Deeper Sleep (2007)

Whisper to the Blood (February, 2009)

A Night Too Dark (February 2010)

Though Not Dead (February 2011)

Up next Book 2

January 9 2011


Secret of the Old Clock- the first mystery I ever read, The Secret of the Old Clock is also the first volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. It was first published in April, 1930. Nancy Drew is an eighteen-year-old recent high school graduate and and her father, Carson Drew, is well-known criminal defense lawyer in River Heights. Her mother has died and her father and Hannah Gruen, the housekeeper basically raise her.

I mostly read the original books from the 30’s and some from the 50’s. I love her friends Bess and George and her BF the cute college boy, Ned. Love that she has a brain and guts, she was no dumb blonde! The teenage sleuth is the perfect read for young girls. I have not read the updated versions but will admit to playing several of the Nancy Drew computer games which are set in “modern times”.

It was because of "Nancy Drew" that I have a great love of mystery books, she was a great start to a long history of amazing books and authors...Dana Stabenow, Diane Mott Davidson, Sue Henry, Marcia Muller, Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, Carolyn Hart...just to mention a few.

The list below is the next 49 books in the series, they may seem a bit campy but give them a try!

The Hidden Staircase

The Bungalow Mystery

The Mystery at Lilac Inn

The Secret at Shadow Ranch

The Secret of Red Gate Farm

The Clue in the Diary

Nancy’s Mysterious Letter

The Sign of the Twisted Candles

The Password to Larkspur Lane

The Clue of the Broken Locket

The Message in the Hollow Oak

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm

The Whispering Statue

The Haunted Bridge

The Clue of the Tapping Heels

The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk

The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion

The Quest of the Missing Map

The Clue in the Jewel Box

The Secret in the Old Attic

The Clue in the Crumbling Wall

The Mystery of the Tolling Bell

The Clue in the Old Album

The Ghost of Blackwood Hall

The Clue of the Leaning Chimney

The Secret of the Wooden Lady

The Clue of the Black Keys

The Mystery at the Ski Jump

The Clue of the Velvet Mask

The Ringmaster’s Secret

The Scarlet Slipper Mystery

The Witch Tree Symbol

The Hidden Window Mystery

The Haunted Showboat

The Secret of the Golden Pavilion

The Clue in the Old Stagecoach

The Mystery of the Fire Dragon

The Clue of the Dancing Puppet

The Moonstone Castle Mystery

The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes

The Phantom of Pine Hill

The Mystery of the 99 Steps

The Clue in the Crossword Cipher

The Spider Sapphire Mystery

The Invisible Intruder

The Mysterious Mannequin

The Crooked Banister

The Secret of Mirror Bay

The Double Jinx Mystery

Friends!

I am so blessed!

even on a day/night like today when I wasn't feeling quite myself, just a tiny bit depressed; my friends drew it out of me with laughter and togetherness and to think it was all over the internet!

First Book, First Lady

January 2, 2011

I promised myself I would blog more, I figure if I blog about books I love other things to blog about will flow...hey, that's just the way my brain works....

First Lady- I simply adore Susan Elizabeth Phillips! This was the first book of hers that I read and I was hooked. I love the characters and how they relate to one another, how they learn to trust, how they learn to love. I love the resilient Cornelia Lynchfield Case aka Nealy aka Nell Kelly. On her journey she meets Mat Jorik and his charges; the sulky teenager Lucy and baby Butt. The best thing about this wonderful author is she wrote another book, FANCY PANTS. All about Dallie Beaudine, Francesca Day and Teddy. Teddy grows up and meets Lucy in CALL ME IRRESISTABLE, which comes out in a few weeks, oh yeah there’s also Meg, child of Fleur Savagar and Jake Koranda, see the books GLITTER and WHAT I DID FOR LOVE! I could go on, but you really need to read her books!

here's a list of more of her books

NATURAL BORN CHARMER
MATCH ME IF YOU CAN
AIN’T SHE SWEET?
BREATHING ROOM
THIS HEART OF MINE
JUST IMAGINE
LADY BE GOOD
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM
NOBODY'S BABY BUT MINE
KISS AN ANGEL
HEAVEN, TEXAS
IT HAD TO BE YOU
HONEY MOON
HOT SHOT
FANCY PANTS

new year, new beginnings

it is now officially 2011....

time to look forward to new adventures!

remember this is just the beginning, who knows what will happen next!! i'm ready, so let's get started!!

Holidays

Christmas is over, well the main day is done, we are now into the 3rd day of Christmas and French Hens! The end of this week will find us waiting for the New Year, 2011, to begin.

I don't normally make resolutions, I do try and set goals. Ok, just semantics but the word resolutions is contains the word resolute, "marked by firm determination", and I'm not so sure my "goals" are marked by firm anything!!

I have decided and yes, since I'm blogging on it again I have to do it, starting next week I am going to blog about a book a week!

Thanksgiving

There are 2 pieces of literature that come to mind when I think about Thanksgiving...I thought I'd share them

We Gather Together



We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;

He chastens and hastens his will to make known;

The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,

Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.



Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;

So from the beginning the fight we were winning;

Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!



We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,

And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.

Let thy congregation escape tribulation;

Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Amen

--Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn

(A translation by Theodore Baker: 1851-1934)

 
 
"A Boy's Thanksgiving Day"
 
 
Over the river, and through the wood,

To Grandfather's house we go;

The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh

through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river, and through the wood—

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes and bites the nose

As over the ground we go.

Over the river, and through the wood,

To have a first-rate play.

Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding",

Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river, and through the wood

Trot fast, my dapple-gray!

Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound,

For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood—

And straight through the barnyard gate,

We seem to go extremely slow,

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river, and through the wood—

Now Grandmother's cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie



by Lydia Maria Child