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Monday, February 6, 2023

One book read and an ice storm - sigh!


Hello to all my book friends!  How are you this Monday?  I'm doing well and so, so happy that the ice event that Central Texas 'enjoyed' last week is over and done with.  OK, we've had ice events each of the last three years and I am ready for them to go away and not come back.  Maybe once every 10 years or so.  That's about how often Central Texas sees snow that is actually pretty and sort of deep, etc.  Ice is not fun at all.  Power outages and all those things are not fun.

I really shouldn't complain because our area fared much better than the Austin area.  We had friends and family sending us picture after picture of the damaged trees with limbs all over the ground and fallen on cars and power lines.  Power outages in Austin are still continuing and hopefully will be solved in a day or so.  Our daughter had to stay at her hospital for 'only' 3 days this time.  The big 2021 winter storm had her there for 5 or 6 days as I remember - until my husband could get his big pick-up through the snow and ice to get her home.  It also wasn't as cold this time, just below freezing, but the moisture made lots of ice and tree limbs just could not take it.  The picture above is one that my brother-in-law sent us from his neighborhood in Austin.  We will hope spring is coming soon - March, please!

Our house renovations are almost finished.  Yay!  So, so happy.  Just a few little things to finish up.

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In the reading area, I have finished one book and enjoyed it.  It is The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb and the Austin Mystery Book Group will be discussing it tomorrow evening.  I just sent my thoughts to Gayle so she could share them with the group.  This book is about a Black classical violinist, Ray, who grows up in North Carolina and is incredibly gifted.  His mother wants him to stop wasting his time and go to work so he can help out with the bills.  His grandmother loves the fact that he plays the violin and tells him the story of her father who also played a 'fiddle'.  As Ray gets older, his grandmother gives him her father's 'fiddle' and amazingly changes Ray's life completely.  There's lots of story here - the violin is stolen and held for ransom - Ray discovers a lot about his family and their history - there are crimes of all kinds depicted.  The author, Brendan Slocumb, is a music educator and violinist himself and this debut was a good one.  His next book is out in April, Symphony of Secrets, and I hope to read it as well.  Have you read this one?  I think it ought to come with a soundtrack - lots of wonderful classical pieces mentioned.

Currently, I'm reading C.J. Tudor's new book, The Drift, and liking it, but Deborah Crombie's new book, A Killing of Innocents, comes out tomorrow and I have it ordered.  May have to read two books at once!!  What have you been reading lately???     

32 comments:

  1. That ice storm was so crazy! I'm glad you weren't affected by it too much. Here's hoping spring comes soonly. :D

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    1. It was crazy and, yes, spring soon please!

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  2. Wow, I don't think I knew Texas got weather like that! Love the sound of The Violin Conspiracy, will look that up. I've just finished Book 6 in Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeion series, Blind Descent, gosh what a ride!

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    1. Cath, Texas does get weather like that, but honestly, I think it used to be worse. My grandmothers had tales about blizzards and awful weather that doesn't seem to happen so much these days. Glad The Violin Conspiracy sounds good to you and Blind Descent is one of my favorite Nevada Barr books. It's the one set at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, right? I've been to those caverns, but not in a way that Anna 'visits' - ha!

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  3. Ugh. I feel for those folks in Austin (and the Hill Country). So sad to see how many trees are damaged in these storms.

    Glad to hear that your remodeling is almost FINISHED!! Whoohoo!

    I'm almost finished with Crombie's The Bitter Feast and can't wait to read her new one. I'll have to wait my turn though. My mom order a copy and she'll read it first. So happy she and I enjoy the same books! :)

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    1. Les, I guess your friends that live closer to New Braunfels had some tree damage? Not surprised. Austin is still dealing with power things. Yes, it's nice that you and your mother can enjoy some of the same series. Can't wait to start this new book. You'll have to let us know what you and Andi think. ;-)

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  4. Hope Spring will arrive soon! Too much ice is definitely not fun.

    I've a library copy of Tudor's A Sliver of Darkness and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

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    1. Thanks for the good wishes, Melody. I had noticed that A Sliver of Darkness had been published, but since it is short stories I didn't rush to get it. Somehow, I don't usually love short stories as much - probably because they are too short. LOL

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  5. Dramatic photo! I remember driving to St. Louis to visit my daughter who was a college student there and being amazed at the fall out of an ice storm the day before. Both beautiful and terrible. I hope you get an early spring! Thanks for sharing about The Violin Conspiracy. It sounds good. I'm thinking maybe on audio for me. At the moment I'm about to start a romcom by Abby Jimenez The Friend Zone. I needed something different between mysteries.
    Mary @Bookfan

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    1. Yes, that photo is just a representation of what a lot of Austin looked like. As you say, beautiful and terrible. I hope you do try The Violin Conspiracy. It's a different sort of mystery. Enjoy your romcom, Mary!

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  6. That photo says it all. All that weight from ice. Wow!

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    1. I know. As Mary said above, both beautiful and terrible.

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  7. I apparently missed knowing about all the ice a little north of us. We never got a single freeze. I'm sorry that you and others in Central Texas and North Texas suffered.

    I'm glad your renovations are almost finished, Kay.

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    1. I bet ice is very rare in your area, Deb. Hurricanes - not so rare, right? I just hope this is all that 2023 has in store for us in the 'ice' category.

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  8. Kay so glad to hear you guys missed out on any damage from the winter storm. You are right, what is going on? The last three years have been crazy! We lost two trees and branches from others but luckily no damage and best of all we had power the whole time. Thank goodness! Love your review of The Violin Conspiracy. I don't think I'd heard of that before but sounds like a rich story. Hope you are having a great week!

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    1. Iliana, glad you guys fared better this time. And didn't lose power. Seems lots of people in Austin were affected dramatically. You should check out The Violin Conspiracy. It was definitely different.

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  9. I'll be interested in seeing what you think of The Drift. I've got Crombie's newest in my hot little hands and am trying to exercise some restraint-- which isn't as difficult as it might have been since I've really been enjoying Val McDermid's Out of Bounds. McDermid's DCI Karen Pirie is a character I rank right up there with Vera Stanhope and Ruth Galloway.

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    1. I have several of McDermid's books in that series but I haven't read them yet. Will keep your comparisons in mind as I love Vera and Ruth. Ah, The Drift - I'm going to have to think about what to say without spoilers - am at the 70% mark on my Kindle.

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  10. I am sorry that Austin had such bad weather, but that photo of the ice on the trees is amazing. Happy to hear that your renovations are almost done.

    I had not heard of The Violin Conspiracy until just recently. I will put on a list of books to look for.

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    1. Tracy, I hope you will check out The Violin Conspiracy. It's quite interesting.

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  11. Whoa that photo of the trees looks bad. Sorry about the ice! But I'm glad your renovations are almost done -- our renovations here are almost done too! Yay! And I listened to the audio of The Violin Conspiracy and liked it. It kept my interest with the mystery and competition and all. Have a great week.

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    1. Susan, so glad your house is coming along too and I'm assuming you are unpacking, etc. A big job, but has to be done, right? Good to hear that you like The Violin Conspiracy. I thought it was quite different and also very good.

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  12. Wow, your ice storms sound crazy! I'm glad we don't have to deal with that here. I've been freezing, though, over the last couple months so I'm ready for a *little* bit of warmth. It was in the 60s the other day and that was perfect.

    So excited that your renovations are almost done. Yay!

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    1. The wind is blowing like crazy today and making it feel much colder. As I said, so ready for a nice spring.

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  13. The photograph is amazing!!! This is what I keep hearing. More weird and unexpected weather - it seems everywhere.

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    1. I do know that Texas weather seems to come in cycles. The Panhandle region used to have large amounts of snow and often a blizzard as well. This was probably 50-75 years ago. My grandparents talked about it and my parents did too. Then not so much. And now more extreme weather again.

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  14. We have had strong winds the last few days and it's playing havoc with my allergies. Are the renovations complete? I bet it will be a relief! I am glad you are enjoying your reading. The Violin Conspiracy sounds fun. I hope you have a great week, Kay!

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    1. Yes, wind is awful to enhance allergy times. Renovations are so close - so close to being finished. I do think you would like The Violin Conspiracy.

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  15. I was thinking of you during that ice event...so much damage! I've been seeing a lot of praise for The Violin Conspiracy and am glad to know you enjoyed it, too. A sound track to go with the book is a great idea. The end of your remodel is in sight at last... how wonderful!

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    1. Yes, we're so delighted that our house is almost, almost finished. Now if we can stop thinking of additional possibilities to add - ha! I think you might like The Violin Conspiracy, JoAnn. And, yes, that ice thing - bring on the spring is what I say!

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  16. Wow, what a sight! I hope by now everyone has made it out ok.

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    1. It was mostly a tree damage thing that very much contributed to power outages. Thankfully, the cold was not super extreme, just below freezing, but it was just enough...

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