.

.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

kay's week - 2.25.17



Happy last Saturday of February!  Shall we talk about the weather again?  Ha!  Well, in my part of the world, we went above 90 on Thursday.  I was outside scheduling some winter cleanup of our flower beds and replacement of a few plants that were in terrible shape.  After I came inside, I decided that I should have put on some sunscreen.  I was a little pink on my nose and neck.  I realized that I didn't even think about getting burned.  I know that some of you have had a new round of snow, but maybe it will quickly melt.  OK, enough about the weather.


I've been reading...

I finished three books this week, all in print, well, mostly.  My audiobook time has been a little bit limited, but I'm closing in on the finish line of my current listen.

My first read was A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell and I think it's a debut novel.  It was an advance copy and will be published on March 21st.  Stephanie is a young widow and stay-at-home mother to kindergarten-age son, Miles.  She also has a 'mommy blog' that she writes to give herself an outlet for adult conversation.  Emily and her husband, Sean, are both executives in Manhattan and have a young son, Nicky.  Even though Emily works and Stephanie does not, the mothers have become close because their sons are best friends.  They share time together while the kids play and do favors for each other as they can.  One day, Emily asks Stephanie if she minds picking up Nicky at school.  Emily will return later in the evening for her son.  Only she doesn't.  Stephanie texts and calls and hears nothing.  Sean is on a business trip and so Stephanie eventually calls him for info and she also calls the police.  And then a body is found.  Seems like a simple story, but it's not.  Who is telling the truth?  This was another in the current trend of 'domestic thrillers'.  And it was pretty good.  Told from various points of view, I was fooled more than once.  I'll be watching for what this author comes up with next.

I next did a read/listen of Deadly Descent, the first book in the Lottie Albright mystery series by Charlotte Hinger.  Lottie Albright is a historian in Western Kansas.  She is fascinated by old stories, newspapers, diaries, any family treasures that speak to a way of life in the past.  She's head of the local Historical Society, but must answer to a board of directors and deal with small town issues.  Her twin sister, Josie, is a psychologist in Eastern Kansas and she thinks Lottie is wasting her time in a small town, married to a 'dirt farmer'.  There is a murder, of course, the sister of a prominent local woman.  It turns out that the victim is the aunt of Brian Hadley, who is running for the senate.  Lottie is his local campaign manager and the solution to the murder lies in old family secrets.  And then there is another murder.  Lottie is afraid that Brian's campaign will be ruined and calls on her sister to help her sleuthing.  OK, I liked the idea of this book more than the book itself.  I am interested in 'old stories' and historical tales that relate to present-day events.  I like 'cold case' mysteries.  My problem was that I didn't like Lottie very much - found her meddling, annoying, and she was constantly crying or sobbing.  I felt bad about my reaction as this is a book published by my favorite Poisoned Pen Press.  Sigh.  Guess you can't love them all.  I know that many enjoy this series, so it was just me.  That being said, I probably won't continue to read it.

I then picked up a book that was way outside of my usual wheelhouse - in some ways.  Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel is also a debut book, one of a trilogy.  The second book, Waking Gods, will be published on April 4th.  This book was sort of sci-fi, sort of political thriller, sort of conspiracy book.  It was many things.  And it was told in interviews, diaries, documents - I love books told in 'interesting' ways.  Rose is 11 years old and is riding her new bicycle near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls into a giant pit.  Way below ground level, Rose waits until she is rescued by local firemen.  There is a turquoise light all around her and it's found that she is sitting in the palm of a giant hand - a metal hand.  Rose grows up to be a physicist and she works on a secret project - figuring out about the giant hand and also discovering if there are more body parts for what some surmise might be a giant metal creature.  Now, if this reminds you of Optimus Prime or superheroes or Star Wars - well, yes, to all of them.  I don't think I'll say much more, but I was captivated.  There are other characters that the reader bonds with, some that are nameless.  I'm very excited to read the second part of the story.  I think this would and probably will make a great movie.  Sign me up!  This would probably be really good on audio and it might be the next one I select when my husband and I travel somewhere together.  I think he'd like it too.


Personally...

I had a dental appointment this week - just a cleaning - however, I'll have to return in a couple of weeks for a filling on a tooth that has a crack.  This tooth already has a filling and I'm not terribly optimistic that it won't turn out to need a crown.  We shall see.

As I said, it's time to get the yard in shape and trimmed before all the plants start into serious spring growth.  I heard on the news this week that Texas is having an early blooming of our wildflowers due to a very mild winter and some good rains.  I know I've seen the redbud trees in bloom.  I tried to look for some bluebonnets to photograph, but I haven't seen any yet.  We are right on the cusp of spring though.  Since we've had temps in the 80's and over 90, our air conditioning is back on and it's unlikely it will be turned off until late in the year.  Such is life in Central Texas.  But the warmer weather means that the snakes will be out, the bugs will be coming, and I'm really hoping that the annoying bird does not build a nest on my front porch light again this year.  My husband thinks he's solved the problem there.  We'll see.

Since I couldn't find any wildflowers this week, I'll leave you with some of the pictures I took a couple of years ago at the Wildseed Farm in the Texas Hill Country.  Love these fields of flowers!  Have a good week!








   

48 comments:

  1. I am really looking forward to the sequel to Sleeping Giants, too! I did the audio and it was so good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to know about the audio. Can't wait to see what happens next.

      Delete
  2. Lovely pics! I love wildflowers but being so close to a city hardly ever see them in any quantities. The poor little ones that struggle to survive beside the motorways just don't have the same drama!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, this was a wildflower farm - they sell seeds to people all over the world. Our highways are very beautiful in the spring or parts of them are. They are seeded as well. We love our wildflowers here.

      Delete
  3. We've got lots of plants blooming too - this winter has been crazy!

    It does seem all of our teeth with fillings eventually need crowns, doesn't it? I hope your appointment goes well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kathy. Yes, I guess that's true about crowns. I'm not a very tolerant dental patient. I get very nervous.

      Delete
  4. I'm intrigued after reading your thoughts on A Simple Favor and Sleeping Giants. I'll have to check them out.

    And those flowers are pretty! Always makes my day seeing flowers in bloom but alas, it's such a rare sight here either due to our weather or limited lands.

    Well I hope you've a great weekend, Kay. Hope you dental appointment goes well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love our wildflowers, Melody. And we usually have some blooming from early spring until well into the fall, unless the summer is very, very dry. I will admit that my state of Texas is rich in 'unlimited land' or so it seems to us.

      Think you might like A SIMPLE FAVOR and SLEEPING GIANTS.

      Delete
  5. Sleeping Giants is completely out of my wheelhouse too...but I've heard such good things from so many people whose wheelhouses it was also out of. Kind of like Dark Matter, which I did really enjoy, so I kind of want to try this at some point.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should try it, Sarah. Like DARK MATTER, which I was surprised that I liked so much, this one was pretty intense and very interesting.

      Delete
  6. I was worried about our 80+ temps, but 90's in February! What will this summer bring?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm choosing not to think about summer, Jenclair. Really. Hoping it will not be too awful, but pretty sure we'll get really hot. I'd love it to not be one of those years where we cross 100+ on too many days.

      Delete
  7. I don't know why, but I was really surprised to see that you read Sleeping Giants. It was very good, I agree. The audio was great, if you ever want to "read" the book again. I plan to read the print edition to refresh my memory before starting the second book. Rod wants to read it, too.

    We had warm temps all week until yesterday. We had some sleet and then snow and it was 16 when we woke up this morning. Oh, well. It is still February, after all. ;)

    I'll have to keep my eye out for A Simple Favor. Sounds good!

    I've had some dental work done, too. My dentist has been pushing for me to replace my old silver fillings with the more modern material that doesn't leak mercury. I've done the lower teeth and now have to have the uppers done. 2 will need crowns, which I'm not happy about.

    On a happier note, I love those spring flowers you shared. I can't wait to see things popping up in our flower beds and I'm very thankful I don't have to worry about snakes!! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You made a good case for SLEEPING GIANTS in your review, Les. Ha! I'll keep the audio in mind for travel. You know, I don't read very much sci-fi-type books, but I love all the types of movies that I mentioned. So, it worked well for me. I hate dental work, though I really love my dentist. He's cutting back on his hours though in preparation for retirement. I told him that wasn't possible - him retiring. LOL

      I hope we have less snakes than last year. But, not sure what we will have a lot of instead. Maybe the hogs will be back. There are a lot of skunks this year. Yikes. Hope I don't meet one of those face-to-face.

      Delete
  8. Sleeping Giants sounds good, will have to look for it. We've been warm too, up in the 80's and everything is starting to bloom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should try SLEEPING GIANTS just to see what you think. I love spring and the blooming - my favorite time of year.

      Delete
  9. Beautiful photos. It feels like early spring here in VA too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think a lot of the country seems to be looking at an early spring.

      Delete
  10. Can you believe this weather? And, of course today it's back to cool. Granted, I wouldn't mind a bit more of the cold weather. I cannot believe I've been to Fredericksburg several times and have never visited the Wildflower Farm. How cool. I would love to check that out. And, all the books you mentioned sound so interesting! Oh I wish I could read faster :) Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Iliana, you definitely need to stop and see the Wildseed Farm. It's on the right as you go into Fredericksburg, between there and Stonewall. So, so pretty in the late spring.

      Delete
  11. 90s? Ick! We're having a weird Spring cold front -- it's surprisingly chilly. I'm loving it.

    The first two books you talked about both sound like ones I'd like. I've heard good things about SLEEPING GIANTS, but it's outside my reading comfort zone, too, so I don't know if I'll give it a go or not.

    Good luck at the dentist, your yard, seasonal pests, etc.!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I saw that you guys are having some cooler weather. Guess you better enjoy it, huh, because the heat is coming.

      Delete
  12. Love the pics. We had about an inch of snow overnight but it should melt tomorrow. So far, no signs of perennials peeking out of the ground :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Probably a little early for that, right? Yes, I saw that north of us had some snow.

      Delete
  13. Your photos are lovely! When I think about the Texas landscape I don't tend to think flowers but those are just stunning. And 90!! We've been in the 70s which seemed crazy but 90s is nuts! I was on board for Deadly Descent with the history mentions and it being from Poison Pen but with a sobbing lead I think I'll pass. I think it would have the same affect on me that it did on you. Have a great week and put on sunscreen!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, Katherine, you just haven't come far enough into Texas. I bet you've just seen the Houston area, right? If you come further toward Austin, you'll see the trees. I kind of hated to talk about the 'sobbing' protagonist, but it got to where I was laughing every time she broke into tears or, more often, sobs. Who sobs that much? LOL

      Delete
  14. Oooh, Sleeping Giants sounds very good. Will go and look that up.

    Wow... that's hot for March. Still very much winter here with storm after storm blowing in off the Atlantic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cath, I think you would probably like SLEEPING GIANTS. You should try it. I might like a few storms blowing in off the ocean, but alas, our storms just blow down the plains. LOL

      Delete
  15. Above 90! That wouldn't be too unusual here given the last few years, but we've still got the cooler temps. Enough to wear a sweatshirt in the mornings and evenings, anyway. Sounds like you had a good reading week even with the disappointment of Deadly Descent. I wish I could find more time to read. Sometimes I feel like it's such a fight. So much else going on. :-(

    I hope you have a good week. This next week will be my quiet week before the March storm--of company and birthday parties and just craziness. I'll be glad when it's over. Haha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wendy, enjoy your quiet week. And I do know what you mean about not having enough time to read. I had those years. Life is a little different now, but there are still weeks where I struggle to find much reading time.

      Delete
  16. Sleeping Giants was so much fun to read! I still have to start the next one which I hope to do soon. It's the kind of book you can read when life is especially busy. So exciting and fast! Can't wait to start it.

    A lot of plants are already blooming here too. :-( I am feeling very upset about it because if we do get a frost, they are all going to die. It's also unseasonably wrong but hopefully it won't be too bad.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm excited about reading the second book and I can see how it would be easy to pick up and put down.

      Hopefully, the plants will stay safe, but sometimes that's the way it goes. Not the first year this has happened.

      Delete
  17. A Simple Favor sounds fabulous! I will definitely keep watch for its release.

    Your flower photos are stunning. Even though we reached 80 this week, it will be a while before we have such colorful fields.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, those pictures were taken later in the spring a couple of years ago. That being said, I'm hearing that we should have a long wildflower season this year. Hope so!

      Delete
  18. We had unseasonably warm weather, but today it dropped about 40 degrees. Oh well, it's still winter here :)

    Your books look good. Enjoy them. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's usually how it goes, right? You're sure that winter is over and then get a little surprise. LOL

      Delete
  19. Beautiful pictures of the flowers Kay - Deadly Descent sounds interesting, I love old diaries etc. so reading about someone else who does so appeals. I hope your weather continues to brighten, I have a feeling we're in for more wind and rain *sigh*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I think that many may surprised by a bit more winter.

      Delete
  20. Kay, that's so hot for February! I know you guys have hot hot summers. My brother had heat stroke once when we were traveling through and we had to go to the emergency room. I've loved the mild winter though! Good luck with the tooth!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You definitely have to watch for the heat here and take precautions. And sometimes, heat stroke or heat exhaustion creep up on you anyway. I'm just glad I live in the time of air conditioning. LOL

      Delete
  21. WOW! What gorgeous photos, Kay! We were up to 81 degrees at the end of last week...and then back into low 30s over the weekend...wow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That wildflower farm is so beautiful. If you ever get to Frederickburg, you should stop by. So, so pretty.

      Delete
  22. I am SO excited about the sequel to Sleeping Giants! That book is definitely completely in my wheelhouse, and I loved every minute of it!

    From what I have seen online, it looks like you are not the only one seeing signs of spring already. Perennials are breaking ground throughout the nation. Not even the plants know what is happening this year. It does concern me that the summer is going to be a brutal one. We shall soon find out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm really excited about the sequel too. I'm thinking that someone must have bought the film rights to this trilogy. Surely.

      Delete
  23. I was getting pretty excited about Descent until I read what you said about Lottie. It sounds like my kind of story, but when the reader can't love the main character there's no point in reading the book. Thanks for sharing those pictures. They are so beautiful they lifted my spirits.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should try it though, Margot. It might suit you just fine. I always hate to discourage people from trying a book. LOL

      Delete
  24. A Simple Favor looks like one that fits into my life right now! Off to check it out!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that's the appeal of the 'domestic suspense' books - they seem like people you might know.

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!