Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie

Dead Man's Folly is another mystery featuring the infamous Hercule Poirot but what makes this book different is that a murder has not been committed...yet. Adriane Oliver, the crime novelist, has been asked to help create a murder mystery game and calls Poirot to come assist her as she believes that a real crime is about to be committed. She gives Poirot little to go on though as all of her suspicions are based on a "feeling" that something is off. And then a murder does happen and of course Poirot is there to investigate.

This book had all of the elements that make up a classic Christie novel in my opinion. There were plenty of characters (or suspects if you like) which kept me looking at the list of characters in the front of the book from time to time. Of course there was the whodunnit element that kept me guessing throughout the novel. And the clues that don't seem to mean anything until the end of the novel when everything begins to add up. I found myself caught up as always in the mystery that Christie was creating even though this wasn't my favorite one that I've read. She just has a knack for keeping me in the dark until the end and I never am able to figure out the mystery on my own. That being said, this wasn't my favorite novel but I'm having a hard time figuring out why. I guess that it comes down to the fact that And Then There Were None still is my all time favorite novel by Agatha Christie (so far).

All in all though, it was a good read and one that I would recommend :)

In other Agatha Christie related news, I've joined the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge. Kerrie told me about it and of course I couldn't not join. She is planning on reading all of Christie's books (which has always been a personal goal of mine) but she is trying to read them in order. I can't say that I care if I read them in order or not but I did happen to grab a new Christie book from the library and it turns out that it is the very 1st book featuring Herule Poirot. So that will work out nicely as I begin this challenge...I am already counting the books that I've read by this author and reviewed on here already for this challenge. I may reread And Then There Were None at some point but that is because I enjoyed it so much.

That's it out of me for today...I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday!!

Fall Into Reading 2009

I absolutely cannot resist joining this challenge even if I probably shouldn't. All that is required is that I come up with a reading list and then read, read, read. I've decided to make my list HELP me with finishing up a few of the challenges that I've got going on. It might work and it may not so we'll have to see. And I am limiting it to ten as I don't want to overdo it :P

My list will begin with:

• The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie ( this one is just to continue my goal of reading ALL of the books written by this author)
• Rogue by Rachel Vincent- for the 2nds challenge
• The Lost Sister by Megan Kelley Hall- YA challenge, 2nds, and RIP challenge (and I am currently reading this so it had to go on the list)
• The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins- RIP challenge and another one that I am currently working on
• A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Behl- TBR challenge
• A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters- 1st in a series challenge and because Nymeth put me in the mood to read a good mystery
• The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry- RIP challenge
• Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb- to continue on with my favorite series
• The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gillman- a reread from a long time ago
• Aunt Dimity and the Duke by Nancy Atherton- 2nds challenge and so I have a cozy mystery on my list

There you have it folks...now wish me luck on finishing all of these. I may change the books that I read but probably not the categories, so in other words I will definitely read a cozy, books for my ongoing challenges, etc. I'm looking forward to this and to seeing what everyone else is reading (and adding to the TBR list of course)!

Sunday Musings

How about another post of random book related (and non-related) things for Sunday? Sound like a plan...good!

First of all, ignore my currently reading sidebar that said I was reading Bone Crossed. I'm not. I mean I want to be but I put it there thinking that I was going to read it next and then wasn't feeling it. So I picked up Wicked Lovely instead and just polished that book off last night. I am still reading The Woman in White and really like it so far. Not sure what I'm going to pick up next to read along with the Wilkie Collins book. I'll have to let you know.

I had my ultrasound this week and am happy to announce that I'm having a boy. I was going to wait and share the news with my review of Belly Laughs but I'm not patient enough. We are all very excited and everything looks good so far.

I didn't participate much in BBAW even though I intended to. Life just gets in the way sometimes. Luckily enough for me I have had a very quiet Sunday and have been able to visit all of your blogs and catch up on some posts. I tried to leave comments as well but you know how that goes. Just by taking a day of blog hopping, I am feeling very reading-inspired and have been adding to my TBR list like crazy. Seriously, I just love reading reviews and finding more books that I would like to read.

I've read a few posts on blogging burnout which leads me to my next random topic: mood reading. Seriously, the best way that I have found is to take a step back and make sure I am reading what I want to be reading. I've quit accepting review books (personal choice) as I'm just too moody of a reader. And while I still have a pile that I'm working on, I'm liking the lack of commitments to what I want to read next. Which is why the library and I get along so well :) I can pick up whatever I'm currently in the mood for at the library and then take them back when I realize that now I don't feel like reading those books anymore. LOL! Seriously though, if you are feeling a bit burnout then I recommend taking a few steps back. It helps!

I've added some new blogs to my google reader but sadly I still haven't quite adjusted to the google reader. Really, it is just me but I tend to forget to check it. I just haven't made the switch from reading your posts on your actual blogs to reading them in the reader. I'll get there.

So about a month ago, Suko was kind enough to award me with the Zombie Chicken Award. I'm really, really bad about these type of things but I am going to finally say thank you for it as well as pass it on. The award says:

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken-- excellence, grace, and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all."

This is quite funny (who comes up with this stuff) but I am honored that she decided to share it with me. I HATE sharing these as I always end up skipping someone that deserves it but apparently I have to give it a shot...or risk the wrath and stuff like that. How about I give this award to:

• Jackie at Literary Escapism
• Ladytink
• Naida
• Laughing Stars at Stark Raving Bibliophile (new to me blog)
• and of course, right back at Suko from Suko's Notebook

You can find all of these blogs in my sidebar as apparently I'm too lazy busy to link up to them. And how about if I risk the wrath and nominate every single blog in my sidebar. I love all of your blogs. I'm off to go figure out which books are due at the libray tomorrow and maybe request a few more as I'm feeling a bit book crazy. What would I do without the library and your blogs to fuel my addiction?

P.S.- I hate Blogger's spacing issues! Seriously...

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

In this debut novel, Gillian Flynn brings the reader a fast-paced, intense read that kept me captivated. Camille Preaker is a second rate journalist who has returned to her hometown in order to report on the murders of two young girls. The police have little to go on and Camille finds herself drawn into the investigation. But Camille has demons of her own that she is going to have to face while she tries to break this story open.

I'm going to start off with the fact that I cannot believe that this is the author's first novel. It was such an intense read but it was SO good. Camille is an interesting main character, strong at points and weak at others, and such a different personality. Half of the book I was focused on trying to figure her out, what made her tick, and why she made the choices that she was making. I found myself caring about what happened to her without even realizing it. Flynn creates such a dark atmosphere to the story where you know bad things are happening but you have to wait and see what they are. The characters are all well thought out and the story flows along with ease even as it takes the reader into its' depths. The ending of the story was the only part of the story that didn't quite live up to my expectations but looking back now I'm thinking that it was better than I initially thought. All in all, this was a great read and a great way to begin the R.I.P. IV challenge.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 or really good!

P.S.- Readers should be warned that this is a dark read at times. Maybe it is the pregnancy hormones (I've been feeling out of whack lately) but I really felt for the main character but didn't always like the decisions that she made. Plus, cutting is involved which is a difficult topic. Personally, I will be picking up this author's second book sooner rather than later but I felt the need to give you a heads up...just in case and all that :)

Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark by Donna Lea Simpson

Give a brief summary of the book:

Lady Anne goes to help her friend who believes that there are werewolves near the estate where she now lives with her new husband. While there, Anne meets the Marquess of Darkefell, who seems to have secrets of his own, as well as finding herself in the midst of a mystery. And could there really be a werewolf hunting in the countryside?

Likes?

I loved Lady Anne Addison's character. She was a strong woman who wasn't afraid to be herself. I also really enjoyed the historical setting of this mystery and found myself drawn into the story at once. The author succeeds in creating a slightly creepy atmosphere with hints of possibility towards the supernatural. The mystery itself would probably be considered a cozy mystery but it was a good one that kept me guessing.

Dislikes?

That is easy...the ending of the story. In fact, I about threw the book after I finished with it. I HATE when authors leave endings open and I am not expecting them to. But then I found out that this is the first book in a series and that there will definitely be a 2nd book. Well, that was another story and helped me to tolerate the ending with a bit more ease than I originally did. (Note: I do not seem to mind open endings if I am prepared for them or if someone warns me ahead of time...I'm kinda goofy like that)

Additional Thoughts?

All in all, I'm glad that I was given the chance to read this book and I will be picking up the 2nd book when it comes out...hmm...I should check on that. The author has a strong main character to base the series off of and I will be looking forward to more of Lady Anne Addison!

P.S.- My apologies to the author for taking so long to get this review posted. It truly was a good book :)

Library Loot- The R.I.P. Inspired Post

I LOVE this time of year...it just naturally puts me in the mood for reading :) And after joining the R.I.P. IV challenge, I just can't seem to stop checking out reads for the challenge. If you haven't joined in on the fun then you really should consider giving it a try. I've been adding to my TBR list like crazy and the challenge just started. So I've got a bunch of R.I.P. inspired reads to share with you today:

The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton- This challenge is the perfect excuse for me to dip into this series again.

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast- I found this one as I was perusing other participants' lists and realized that it has been on my TBR list for awhile now. It sounds really good too!

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson- This book looks absolutely, positively spooky! I'm so excited to read it but a bit nervous too :)

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr- I've checked this one out before and haven't had the chance to get to it yet but I will this time...I think.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry- Have you seen the reviews on this one?? It sounds sooo good and of course I snatched it up when I saw it on the shelves.

I was in seventh heaven when I got home from the library with all of these the other day. If you've read any of these or have another suggestion for a good gothic read then please share! In other reading news I am currently in the midst of two books: Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn which is going quite quickly and The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I'm just dipping into The Woman in White slowly but it pulling me in already. I can already tell that this is the perfect read for this time of year :) Happy Fall!

A Double Review Post

As you all have heard (and maybe quite frequently) I am completely behind in book reviews. It doesn't bother me too much but I do want to attempt to catch up at some point before the year is over. It probably won't happen but at least I can try which is why you are getting two for one today :)
The first book that I am going to review is Deadly Night by Heather Graham and is the 1st book in her Flynn brothers trilogy. Graham was a new to me author that I found scanning the web and I picked this book out of the many she has written using Fantastic Fiction (I love that website!). Deadly Night introduces us to the three Flynn brothers with Aiden being the main focus of the story. Basically, the brothers learn that they have inherited a plantation in New Orleans from an unknown family member. While trying to figure out what to do with the historical house, Aiden finds out that there are mysterious things going on with the house and meets Kendall who is a fortune-teller. The two get involved in the mystery surrounding the house and the story goes from there. My thoughts on this one are going to be short and sweet as it has been awhile since I read it. I liked it (but didn't love it) and was interested enough to want to continue on with the trilogy and read more of this author's books. I liked the supernatural aspects that were included throughout the story and felt that it made it less like a typical romantic suspense novel. It didn't always flow well for me but it was a suspenseful page turner and I ended up enjoying it.

The 2nd book that I am reviewing is Deadly Harvest by Heather Graham and is the second book in the Flynn brothers trilogy. In Deadly Harvest, Jeremy (another Flynn brother) is trying to help his good friend find his missing wife with the help of a possible pyschic named Rowenna. This was the perfect read for me right now as it was set in the fall and talked about the cooler weather and the leaves changing. Plus, it had the scary legend of the Harvest Man who was thought to be a killer coming back to life again and again. I also liked that it was set in Salem so there were references to the witch trials and other historical aspects of that area. The story for me had a really great set-up and an interesting mystery to go along with it. Unfortunately at times it seemed like it needed a good editor and didn't always flow as well as I would have liked. That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy because I really did. Once again though, I just didn't love it although I wanted to :)

All in all, these were both good reads that were page turners for me. I'm looking forward to picking up the 3rd book, Deadly Gift, from the library at some point. And I will be reading more of this author's books in the future.

R.I.P. IV - A Challenge

I've been in the mood lately for the creepy, atmospheric novels that draw you in and don't let go. So I was more than happy to see that Carl is once again hosting the RIP challenge as it is the perfect way to greet fall and the change of weather. There are multiple ways to participate in this challenge but the main things are
1. To have fun and
2. To add to your reading lists :)
which I already have been as I've been pouring over everyone else's lists. I'm so excited now that I cannot wait to begin and plan to read as many books as I can!
Needless to say I'm signing up for Peril the 1st which requires the reader to read 4 books from any subgenre including suspense, gothic, horror, and more... I don't even have to make up a list which is always a good thing when I am concerned for challenges but I have made a reading pool to use to help me out. I'm a bit overly excited though which means I have a notebook page filled with options so I'm not going to share all of my reading pool with you...just a select few. Here are some of the books I'll be choosing from:

• The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• The Sister by Poppy Adams
• The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton
• The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
• The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
• Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
• The Last Sister by Megan Kelley Hall

There are so many books that I want to get to...plus, I cannot wait to see what everyone else reads! My library checkouts are going to be out of the roof but I'm already one happy camper :) If you have any suggestions of other books I should check out (especially a good gothic novel or ghost story) then feel free to leave it in the comment section.

Library Loot- August 26th edition

After weeks of being good at the library, I just went on a huge splurge and picked up a bunch of new reads. I've been in the mood for the chilly and the creepy, gothic reads that begin to fit this time of year. So I'm sure that it is no suprise that I was thrilled to see the RIP challenge is back (which I will be posting about later today). I picked all of these up before I even realized that this challenge was coming near which is why I'm excited to see that some of these fit right in. Don't be suprised to see the next few months filled with books fitting this genre as it is exactly what I am in the mood for lately. Plus, with the rainy dark weather that has been going on the past day and 1/2...well, who could resist?? The challenge hasn't even started yet and I'm already dying to put a bunch of books on hold (eep!). I'm so excited that it isn't even funny! And it looks like my library checkouts are about to get out of control again :)





Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn- Found this one while I was browsing at the library and I couldn't resist that cover.





I'm Watching You by Karen Rose- I've been hearing a lot about this author after reading reviews of her books on a fellow blogger's blog. It sure sounds like a good thriller with some romance thrown in.





The Sorrows of an American by Siri Hustvedt- I picked this one up solely based on the feeling that I had heard good things about it...not for sure but it does sound really good.





The Sister by Poppy Adams- This sounds SO good and will fit perfectly in with the RIP challenge.







Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn- This author's newest book has been all over the blogsphere and I decided to give this one a try first.






The Ghost and the Dead Deb by Alice Kimberly- 2nd in the cozy mystery series featuring PI Jack Shepard. I enjoyed the first book a lot so I'm looking forward to this one.








City of Bones by Cassandra Clare- Another book filled with everything that goes bump in the night or so I've heard. I'm looking forward to this one as everyone seems to enjoy this series!







Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy- This will probably be my only pregnancy read but it is one that I've been meaning to read since I was pregnant with my daughter.





If you have any book suggestions for me (especially a good ghost story) please share! And I love to hear your thoughts on any of these if you've read them.

Book and Blog Randomness

This post is probably going to go in all directions so I thought I should give you a word of warning :) First of all, I realized I hadn't shared any summer pics with all of you so here are two of my favorites.

I've been a bit behind the times and finally yesterday started up my own google reader. It is a slow process for me as now I've got to subscribe to all of my favorite blogs and I'm not always clear on if I'm doing it right. We'll see I guess...I do have a question though: how do I comment on the posts that I read? Or can I not do that and does that mean I have to go back to whomever's blog just to leave a comment? And I really want to figure out how to comment as that is the whole point when I read a post that I enjoy. Any tips or info you can give me on google reader will be appreciated!

Oh yeah, I'm also becoming a follower to all of your blogs through friend connect (which may or may not be the same thing). Haven't quite figured that one out yet either but I'll get there when I have a bit more time on my hands. I'm still not joining Twitter as I just don't have that much time in between my children and work. Which brings me to my next point:

I'm pregnant again ;) Crazy, I know. And I'm not exactly sure how to prepare for having three children. It may be chaos. I've been holding off on sharing the news for awhile but as I am into my 4th month (17 weeks to be exact), I thought I would share and let you all know the good news. I'm going to be one busy lady!!!

In more book news, I'm currently reading The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson. I'm going to admit to not having strong feelings towards it either way yet but I think that is due to the fact that I LOVED The Goose Girl so much that no book is going to be able to compare right now. I am interested in the story but it just hasn't pulled me in yet.

So that's it out me for today. I'll be working on visiting your blogs and hopefully subscribing to them in the process ;)