Arlene’s Comments (group member since Aug 14, 2009)

Arlene’s comments from the Challenge: 50 Books group.

The Virgin's Lover 496pp. 1/2/14
Beautiful Day AUDIO 416pp. 1/4/14
Scarlet 484pp. 1/8/14
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon AUDIO 256pp. 1/8/14
If Hooks Could Kill 316pp. 1/12/14
Turkey Flambe 429pp. 1/14/14
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy AUDIO 336pp. 1/18/14
Mourning Gloria 304pp. 1/24/14
The Giving Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel AUDIO 336pp. 1/25/14
Three Good Things: A Novel 256pp. 1/27/14
The Heist: A Novel AUDIO 320pp. 1/30/14
TOTAL for January: 3949 pages, 11 books (5 Audio)

Total for 2013: 101 books (11 audio) 31,764 pages

January: 8 books; 2113 pages

February: 6 books, 2086 pages

Total for March: 4 books, 2088pp

Total for April: 5 books, 1774 pages

Total for May: 9 books, 3774 pages

Total for June: 5 books, 1224 pages

Total for July: 12 books, pages 3530

Total for August: 10 books, 3061 pages

Total for September: 11 books, 2908 pages

Total for October: 6 books, 1866 pages

Total for November: 11 books, 4167 pages

Total for December: 13 books, 3173 pages

#15 The Last Best Hope-304pp. Mar. 3
#16-17 O'Hurley Born
The first two books in the O'Hurley saga which follows two of the triplets who were born to the show-business O'Hurleys.
The Last Honest Woman tells the story of Abigail O'Hurley Rockwell who has authorized a biography of her deceased race-car driver husband. Dylan Crosby got more than he anticipated when he arrived at her farm. He expected a socialite with a mink coat and instead got a girl in jeans, mucking out a horses stall in the barn.

Dance to the Piper is about the next triplet, Maddy O'Hurley who is a star on Broadway. She meets Reed Valentine whose record company is acting as the money for her next Broadway show. They have nothing else in common.

Nora Roberts delivers again with stories that have enough romance along with a good story.
#18 Inheritance-860pp. Mar. 18
** spoiler alert ** The last book in the Inheritance cycle sees Eragon and Saphira thrust into the role as leaders of the Varden in their fight against Galbatorix. They were brought into the fight reluctantly but they are the last, best hope against the evil king hoping to restore peace and justice to Alagaësia?
#19 Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal-444pp. Mar.21
Biff is a likable fellow. He hangs out with Jesus and as children they are friends with Mary. Biff and Jesus go on a trek to find the three Magi to see if they know what Jesus really should be doing. The story fills in the blanks between the trip to the temple at age 12 and the start of the ministry at around 30. Well, it could have happened.

total for February: 6 books, 2086 pages

#12 Sheer Folly-304pp. Feb.16
#13 Plain Perfect-305pp. Feb.18
Lillian runs away from her boyfriend and life in Texas and goes to live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They are Amish but she was raised by her (mostly) single mother out in the "English" world. Her mother had left her home farm before Lillian was born. She wants to find peace and in the process she meets the handsome widower Samuel and his son David.
#14 Heart and Soul-576pp. Feb.24
I love this book that follows a number of different characters who interact at a new heart clinic. It takes place in the same neighborhood as a number of Maeve Binchy's books.

I love any series by Anne McCaffrey , she wrote the Dragon Riders of Pern series, the Freedom series and the Powerlines series as well as several others. I also love Alexander McCall Smith especially The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he flew through Denver (I work at the airport).
As a child I read over 50 Bobbsey Twins books and I have many other series that I have read.

#11 Black Ship-304pp.-Feb.12
It is 1925 and Daisy's husband inherits a house from his great uncle. They discover that their new neighbors are wine merchants. One rainy morning the maid finds a body hidden in the bushes. Who is the stranger? How are the neighbors involved? Why did the son take the train to the north? How are they involved with the illegal exportation of wine to America when prohibition is in effect? I love this period piece. It is interesting to see how the "upper crust" lived back in.

#10 Hounds Abound-304pp.-Feb.9
Our heroine, Lauren, is the director of a no-kill animal shelter. She is introduced to a nearby shelter that takes in older animals and those who are harder to adopt. Bella, the director of that shelter is going through a nasty divorce and one night Lauren is called over and finds the ex-husband dead in the parking lot. She starts investigating because she doesn't believe that Bella did it and she is afraid that the shelter will be closed if Bella is arrested.

#9 A Killer Read-294pp. - Feb.4
At the first meeting of the "Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society" a stranger walks in and then leaves after making a phone call. Then when they are leaving they find out the he has been shot to death in his car which is parked in front. The mystery deepens when a manuscript starts showing up in Lizzie's mailbox in the middle of the night. Top that with a little bit of romance and you have a nice read.

Total for September: 6 books; 2724 pages

Total for August: 4 books; 1347 pages

Total for January: 8 books; 2113 pages

#8 Button Holed-264pp.-Jan.31
A murder in a button shop! I liked reading this cozy mystery and learning a little bit about buttons. The characters were interesting and the plot was good.

#7 Mind Your Own Beeswax-292pp.-Jan. 26
In the continuing saga of beekeeper and grocery store owner, our heroine Story Fischer teaches a class in dipping candles. She doesn't recognize one of the last two women that show up late for the class. The next morning she finds out that the stranger was a classmate who has just been let out of prison and she is missing. Then Story is chasing a swarm of her bees when she stumbles across a body of a local woman. Bodies and Bees with a little bit of romance thrown in make a cute mystery and quick read.

#6 Bone Appetit-352pp.- Jan.21
Sarah Booth is taking a short vacation with her best friend. They go to a spa which is connected to a cooking school and start relaxing and enjoying themselves. They soon get caught up in a corporate beauty contest and cook-off. When one of the contestants is found murdered they get caught up in the mystery too. Some vacation!
A fun read.

#5. Grace Interrupted - 278pp - Jan.15
Grace is the curator of a magnificent estate that is allowing a group of Civil War reinactors to use part of the grounds for a week. We soon get drawn into a mystery when one of the candidates for "general" is murdered. There is a connection to members of the estate's staff and an old murder that was never solved. I enjoyed this read.

#4. Bitter Harvest - 304pp - Jan. 9
Meg has just survived her first year as an apple farmer when she finds a 200 year old sampler crumpled in a closet. She is trying to discover who the girl was who stitched it. She is also trying to figure out who is behind a series of happenings in town. She is also trying to figure out how she feels about Seth, the man she has met in her new town.

#3. The Chocolate Pirate Plot - 256pp - Jan. 7
Lee and Joe live in a lakeside community in Wisconsin. One evening whild they are out on their boat a group of pirates comes aboard and after doing some tricks and jigs they disappear over the side into the evening. They are drawn into a mystery when a distraut young woman says that her friend has dived into the lake and disappeared, then while looking for him the body of another young man is discovered. The story involves movie stars, yaghts and chocolate. A fun story.

#2. To Catch a Leaf- 336pp - Jan. 4
When Abby finds a kitty with a broken leg, she takes her to the vet. When she arrives at her flower shop she discovers her friend Grace is caught up in a murder. In the meantime, Abby must deal with her fiance's mother trying to throw her a shower and her mother with her art projects.
A quick reading cozy mystery.