August Books

 The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- Sometimes after reading a couple of thriller/mysteries dealing with murders, you need something light and uncomplicated. This first book in the Cape Cod Creamery series talks a lot about ice cream, one of my favorite foods. After Dawn's wedding is called off, she takes her mom with her to Cape Cod where her impulsive mother, Marnie, decides to buy a filthy, run-down ice cream shop. Pretty cute story! 

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox -- It's Sophie's sweet 16 birthday party, and her dad and stepmom are hosting it at their huge house known to the locals as the haunted house. This follows the perspectives of Sophie's mom and stepmom, the nanny, and her best friend. Pretty good. 

Retreat by Krysten Ritter -- When Liz is hired to oversee the installation of a painting in Mexico, she is grateful for the week away where she can take a break from the con jobs that have her a bit worried. When she gets there, she decides for just one week she can be the owner - they resemble each other enough. Therefore, Liz becomes the ultra-wealthy Isabelle. What could go wrong? 

The Lake Escape by Jamie Day -- Three friends met at their lake houses when they were kids. Now that they are adults, they return each summer for two weeks - and they bring along their families. This year marks 30 years since a young lady disappeared. This happened before and the local lore is that the lake takes them. Will the pattern repeat? 

The Secret to Happiness by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- This is the second book in the Cape Cod Creamery series which I started earlier this month. Callie visits Cape Cod to live with her Aunt Marnie and cousin Dawn for a few weeks. I really liked the reminder of looking for the good in every day, and how we can rewire our thoughts and outlooks on life. Chapter 21 had some meaningful things to me: good reminders about God being with us in the scary places and times, Him not leaving us alone, and how He is completely faithful. The "confident peace" we can have because we can rest our minds on His presence. That chapter also challenged us about fear and its consequences. This was actually quite a light-reading book, but Callie had some deep-seated fears that were impacting her life, and a friend was helping her through this. 

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline -- Not too long after Julia's husband is killed, she decides to go to Italy because she inherited a villa. This book had a bit too much astrology for my tastes, but it was OK. I prefer some of her other books. 

Don't Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine -- Only one of the Constantine sisters wrote this book (Lynne)....they use this name (Liv) as a pseudonym.  Anyway, Annabelle starts having these disturbing, vivid dreams and aspects of her dreams keep coming true so much that she tries to alter her days so that such and such won't happen. When she goes on a work trip with a new client, she tells him about this aspect of her life, and finds a willing listener who takes her seriously.  Pretty good story...fast read. 

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell -- After her father Paddy dies, Ash's mom receives a lovely condolence card and gift from Nick. She gradually gets to messaging him and he comes to visit. While he's charming and kind, Ash is suspicious. Meanwhile Martha is wondering why her husband Alistair keeps disappearing for days on his business trips. And Tara, too, wonders about Jonathan's work schedule. Pretty good. 

She Didn't See it Coming by Shari Lapena -- Sam is called at work when his wife is late picking up their daughter from daycare. He goes home and her purse, cell phone, and car are still in their condo, but where is Bryden? 

Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner -- This book features Frankie Elkin, the lady who looks for lost people. She's in other books by this author.  This book had a different twist in that she was asked to locate a missing Afghan refugee. The book alternates between Frankie's search and the refugee, Sabera's, story. Fun bit is Frankie's pet-sitting gig with Petunia, an iguana; Marge, the ball python; and the baby pythons...yay. 

Love on a Whim by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- the last of the Cape Cod Creamery series. In this book Dawn's best friend, Brynn, comes to stay with them after she makes a rash decision and needs to think through things. While there she helps at the Creamery and also helps the Dixon family prepare for Linc's daughter's wedding. Linc's ex-wife is in charge and keeps changing things; that makes it all so challenging. 

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones -- Nicole lives in California where she advocates for seals, and is shocked when a lady comes to visit asking to interview her about her life in England. She often thought that her past would catch up with her, but is unprepared for it finally happening. Back then she was friends with Ben, the lead singer of a rock group.

A Lesson In Propriety by Jen Turano -- First in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series; it's not terrible, but a DNF for me after about 90 pages. It has nearly 350 pages, and I just didn't find it all that interesting and wanted to start something new. 

Let the Dead Speak by Jane Casey -- In between new library books that I had on hold, I'm still reading about Maeve Kerrigan and her team as they solve crimes in London. This one starts with Chloe arriving home and finding blood everywhere, but her mom is missing. Maeve, Josh, and the team try to piece together where Kate could be (or where her body is if she's been killed.) 

Jenny Cooper Has a Secret by Joy Fielding -- While 76 year old Linda Davidson is visiting her best friend Carol in a memory care home, an older lady calls her over. She introduces herself as Jenny Cooper and tells Linda that she has a secret: she has killed people. Linda isn't sure whether or not to believe someone in a memory care home, but during subsequent visits to see Carol, she also talks with Jenny to hear more of her story. 

The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose -- Sarah and Bob are at odds: Sarah wants to divorce him for cheating on her, and Bob is trying to reconcile. You get to read both of their perspectives, and also the sheriff and a few other characters. A pretty fast read. Although this is listed as one of her standalone novels in the front of the book,  I realized  later that this is a sequel to another book which I now have on hold. 

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans -- This book features 70-something Sybil and letters and emails to and from friends, authors, and so forth. Through emails, Sybil becomes friends with a customer service rep at a DNA website; she corresponds with a troubled teen; she writes to her best friend who is also her ex-sister in law. It sounds a bit complicated to keep straight perhaps (and I did flip back pages a few times to remind myself of something), but it was a really cute book which I greatly enjoyed reading on this pretty afternoon - unseasonably cool with low humidity -  in late August! 

July Books

 The Kill by Jane Casey -- The library doesn't have the book just before this one in the Maeve Kerrigan series, but I followed most everything fine in this story dealing with police officers being targeted for killing. Maeve and her partner Derwent work together to figure things out. 

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers -- Jenna and Nic have something in common. Both of their sisters went missing from the same region a few years back. Jenna contacts Nic about pooling their resources and seeing if they can find anything new about what happened to Jules and Kasey.  

The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz -- Abby goes to a tiny island off Mexico's coast in search of answers. She is curious about the final days of her fiancée Eszter who died of anaphylaxis.  She meets a few expats and enjoys the company of those who knew Eszter. 

No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally -- Brooke is celebrating her acceptance to Yale with her best friend Jena when she's confronted by Brandon, the brother of a former friend who died. On the way home from the party, Brooke and Jena are nearly run down by a Bronco and Brooke thinks Brandon is trying to kill her. This was a mean-girl thriller, and not my favorite, but OK. 

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin -- Lenni and Margot meet in a hospital in Glasgow, both are life-limited aka terminal. The two meet by chance, but form a friendship in the art therapy room. When Lenni realizes she's 17 to Margot's 83, she has an idea to paint and write about their combined 100 years. 

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman -- This book featuring Mrs. Blossom seems to be a spinoff from a long-running series featuring private investigator Tess Monaghan. Though I've read a handful of other books from this author, it seems I have not read that particular series. Anyway, Mrs. Blossom aka Muriel is headed to Paris for a weeks-long stay before taking a river cruise with her friend Elinor. She meets a charming man on the flight who gives her a promise that they'll meet up one day when they are both back in the States. But then something happens that makes this impossible, and, well, this was a pretty cute book. I rather liked Mrs. Blossom as the main character, and may look for other books with her in them. 

The Nature of Disappearing Kimi Cunningham Grant -- When her former best friend Janessa disappears during a vanlife social media journey, Emlyn is contacted by Tyler, and that brings back a host of memories. I like the idea of HOPE mentioned in this book, and found the description of Tyler's ability to feel no pain and have loads of energy while taking a prescription pill (oxy) of interest. 

The Sisters of Summit Avenue by Lynn Cullen -- Told from the perspectives of sisters June and Ruth as well as their mother Dorothy, this book explores envy and favor amongst siblings. 

Girl A by Abigail Dean -- Alexandra and her siblings were brought up in an unusual household. At one point her father chained them into their beds at night, but later Lex somehow escaped. In this book, she revisits memories of living with her family interspersed with the present where she meets up with her siblings - how are they doing these days? How is SHE?

The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg --  Instead of gathering to discuss books, these friends meet up and "confess" to things that they've done. Also it follows the stories of Iris and Maddy as well as the homeless man John who comes to town. An easy, fast read. 

All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett -- Anna has always wanted to live in London, and has the perfect opportunity during her junior year of college. Until her mother - who suffers from complications of diabetes - gets really sick and Anna decides not to go. A few years later, she gets her chance, and as a tutor, she meets some very rich families. When one family takes her under their wings, Anna is living the good life, hanging out with rich peers, and really, really wants to fit in. (Who doesn't?)  Enjoyed this one! 

After the Fire by Jane Casey -- Maeve Kerrigan and her team are working on a case involving a fire that killed a well-known MP. What was he doing at the Murchison place to begin with? And was he the target of this suspicious fire? 

Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs -- Mairin Patricia O'Hara is a hard-working, fun-loving teenager until her mom decides to send her to a school that is more like a prison. There she meets Angela, Odessa, Kay, Janice, Helen, and others who become friends - some more bent on escaping than others. A good story! 

Once More from the Top by Emily Layden -- Dylan Read is a superstar singer whose best friend Kelsey disappeared fifteen years ago. When Kelsey's body is found, Dylan reflects on her past and her rise to fame. 

The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers -- After Maddie's father dies, her mom drops her off at her great-aunt Etta's place in Bright Leaf, North Carolina. Aunt Etta makes gowns and dresses for the wealthy and merely rich wives of those who own Bright Leaf Tobacco. When Maddie accidentally learns disturbing facts about tobacco as related to premature babies, she is torn on what to do. This book is part of an Alamance Reads program as the local libraries have multiple copies, and I decided to check it out. Pretty good story. 

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson -- Thom and Wendy have a huge secret, and this book starts out with Wendy contemplating Thom's murder. Then it goes backwards in time to see how they got to that place. Fast read, but not my favorite of this author. 

Writers and Liars by Carol Goodman -- A group of writers are invited to an island in Greece fifteen years after they met there before. I would appreciate this book better if I knew more about Greek mythology, I'm sure. 

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5 years today, DAFR -- not forgotten

Itchy Boots Season 8 UK Break: England, Wales, and Scotland

 In my last post about Itchy Boots, I announced a short break while she was on a book tour in the UK. She did indeed do a small series about her ride there. I found it delightful! I often read books based in the UK so it was exciting to see these areas from Noraly's perspective. Even though she is Dutch and has traveled to multiple countries all over the world, she had never explored the UK. While this wasn't a vast exploration of everything, she did show us some interesting sights.

June 15, 21, 22, 25, and 29 we watched episodes that took us to England and Wales.

Noraly experienced her first Sunday roast, left her book in a few places (like in Oxford, at a few free book markets, inside red telephone booths turned free libraries), signed copies of her book in bookstores; took us to the white cliffs of Dover; road around with Charley Boorman; exclaimed over the beauty and cuteness of the English countryside and the Cotswolds,  The bike she's using (a more-modern and powerful Yamaha than Frankie) was stolen and thankfully recovered in Wales.  Weird fact: her bikes had never been stolen in all the seasons before (that we know of), but they have been stolen twice this season, once in Iraq and once in Wales.

July 2, 9, 13, 16, 19 (2 episodes), and 26 we saw a bit more of England and several places in Scotland

Noraly showed us Bristol where she studied for a time while getting her Master's degree, and there she did a short Banksy street-art tour. She found a working telephone in one of those red booths, and got change from a local lady so she could call her friends. The call was expensive, but she was happy to get the chance to call. She went on to Devon and Dartmoor which were lovely!  She showed us a bit of the Lake District and then was off to Scotland. She got a new drone in Glasgow, and then went to the Highlands where we saw lovely landscapes and she stayed overnight at castles. She went to the Isle of Skye, saw a pine marten, looked at Loch Ness and saw beautiful fields of flowers. I like that she bought a stuffed Highland cow at one of the shops as I rarely see her buy souvenirs. 

She told us at the end that she had traveled 3,400 miles in about 3 weeks. She did book signings and spoke at a motorcycle rally.  Now she's going to reunite with her motorcycle and should be back on her YouTube channel in a week or two. 

Super fun fact: my long-time blogger/Facebook friend Sarah lives in Edinburgh, and she knew about Itchy Boots from posts I shared on Facebook a few years ago. She went to her book signing and met Noraly!  She first posted about it on her Facebook page, and then mentioned it on her blog.  

June Books

 The Heights by Louise Candlish -- Ellen is a mother bent on revenge after her son, Lucas, is paired with the troublemaker Kieran. Ellen blames Kieran for her son's failing grades, his use of drugs, their frailer connection, so much!  And when something terrible happens to her son, she has plans on how to make things right. 

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall -- Kate is eager to leave as she and her husband split. She decides to check out a small inn in the north of England where her parents stayed for their honeymoon. There she meets Audrey, the 91 year old owner and eventually the two share their stories. Audrey's goes back to World War II where she had a dear Jewish friend, Ilse. 

Penitence by Kristin Koval -- When a thirteen year old girl is charged with killing her brother, their father David calls on the local attorney Martine to help. Martine is over seventy and this sort of criminal defense isn't her specialty so she asks her son Julian for help. Julian was the long-time boyfriend of Angie, mom to Nora (the one charged) and Nico (the one killed) so it's all complicated (as was that sentence, no doubt.) 

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay -- Five families come together for a parents weekend dinner, but the college students (their children) that they went to see don't show up. What gives? FBI agent Sarah Keller is in the Bay Area, and helps look for these missing students. 

At War With Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House by H.R. McMaster -- I was looking for books to keep on hand over the holiday weekend (Memorial Day) and saw this in the new books area. It took me a while to start it, but once I did, I read it within a few days. It was an interesting look at this general's time working with Trump during his first term. He said if you are inclined to hate Trump, you will find the book pro-Trump; and if you love Trump, you will find this anti-Trump (something along those lines.) I think that's a fair assessment. He spoke highly of many things, but was candid about many character issues with this president. I do wonder what he thinks of how things are going in Trump's second term. I feel this term has fewer people close to Trump who will speak truth to power as I fear Trump has only put "yes" men and women in place. 

Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner -- Several Americans meet on ship as they travel to England. Four of them - two sibling sets - were invited to meet Jane Austen's brother. At age 91, he is hoping to share some of Jane's personal effects with great admirers of his sister.  Louisa May Alcott is also on board, and she takes charge to direct a play. Pretty cute story. 

The Eights by Joanna Miller -- Four young women are among the first ladies admitted to Oxford in 1920.  Their neighboring rooms are along Corridor 8, and they - Marianna, Beatrice. Ottoline, and Dora - become good friends.  Nice book! 

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas -- Cute book about Haidie and Boots who were put into an orphan house by their older brother Cheet after their mom died. The two manage to escape with the help of Sarah, who was supposed to be a nun, but wanted to marry the laundry boy instead. They make their way west to look for their Pa who went off to make a fortune for the family, but never came back. An enjoyable, easy read. 

The Cardinal by Alison Weir -- A few years ago, I read her books about the wives of King Henry VIII and this cardinal, Thomas Wolsey played a big role in a couple of those stories. This book focused on his life serving King Henry.

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall -- A quick suspense read... Theo, short for Theodora, is meeting her fiancée's family for the first time, and it's not a super-fun time for either Theo or Connor's family. Theo has been anonymously warned to stay away from Connor, and she keeps having flashbacks to her early childhood. 

I Seek a Kind Person by Julian Borger -- subtitled, "My Father, Seven Children and the Adverts that Helped Them Escape the Holocaust."  After his father's death by suicide, the author researched more of his story, and found out his father was a Viennese Jew who was brought to England after his grandfather advertised for "a kind person" to accept this 11 year old boy. The author saw the ad and decided to locate other children from these ads and tell their stories. 

Ward D by Freida McFadden -- Amy is a medical student doing her rotation on the psychiatric unit. She would do just about anything to avoid an overnight stay in Ward D, but duty calls so she's there. She comes face to face with a childhood best friend Jade and her former boyfriend Cameron (I'll let you guess if either of those are patients or fellow medical students.) A fast read and suspenseful! 

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant -- Cooper and his 8 year old daughter Finch have been living in a secluded cabin ever since he fled to his friend Jake's place when his daughter was an infant. They are only ever bothered by a Scripture-quoting, spying oddball called Scotland. Actually Finch loves Scotland so only Cooper is bothered by his neighbor. A really cute story if you like this sort of thing. I enjoyed the book.

The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker -- The reader is introduced to Jane O. through the voice of her psychiatrist Dr. Henry Byrd, but the book alternates between Dr. Byrd's narrative, and journal entries or letters that Jane wrote to her infant son. She wanted to record her story somewhat for her son to read in the future. Jane has a curious case of remembering things and Dr. Byrd is helping her deal with some hallucinations and/or dissociative fugue states. 

Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger -- Three parts to this story. The first focuses on Lila, the chief editor, reluctant mom, and one who grew up poor, yet made quite the name for herself. The middle section focuses on Grace, the third daughter of Lila who looks like her father, but is quite like her mom. Zelda, Lila's mom, who was sectioned when Lila was so small she has no memories of her mom is the subject of the third part. Did her mom really die while locked away or did she run away to escape her abusive husband? If she ran away, why did she leave her three children behind?  Pretty good story. 

May Books

 The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler -- Sienna returns home and finds a murder investigation has recently been reopened. She was dressed like the young lady who was killed, and often wondered if she were the intended target. 

The Librarians of Lisbon by Suzanne Nelson -- I thought about not finishing this book when I had read a third of it. It was OK, but I was having trouble keeping up with all the people. Then I decided to keep reading for a while longer and finished the book that night. Bea and Selene are best friends from Boston who travel to neutral Portugal during World War II. There they get involved in spying for the Allied side. Pretty good. 

Sweet Vidalia by Lisa Sandlin -- After Eliza's husband dies and she's left in a precarious financial situation, she is advised to rent out her house and live with one of her children. But Eliza doesn't want to live with her grown children and decides to take a course at the local business school and live at a place with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. Yep, it's the Sweet Vidalia for her. There and at her school she meets some interesting characters and makes new friends. Pretty cute story. 

Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor -- I saw somewhere that this was the first in the Franklin Warren series. As such, Detective Warren has recently moved to a small town in Vermont where he's put to work investigating the death of an ornery ol' cuss, Hugh Weber. Was this a suicide or murder? 

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney -- Grady is an author who wants to celebrate his success with his wife, but as she drives home from the fish-and-chips shop, she stops for a person lying in the road. Then Abby disappears. About a year later, Grady's agent sent him off to a remote isle called Amberly where he meets some of the twenty-five residents and thinks he sees his missing wife.

The Names by Florence Knapp -- Cora is going to register her son's birth and hates the fact that her little boy will be yet another Gordon. She dreams of naming him Julian while her daughter Maia loves the name Bear. This book imagines what happens if Cora defies her husband and follows her heart or does as her daughter suggests. It also takes into account Cora following the demands of her controlling husband. Three scenarios viewed from years apart. An interesting and somewhat unique book! 

The Book for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick -- Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy bond over a book by Betty Friedman so they refer to themselves as "the Bettys." The ladies meet for book club and other times, and share life experiences and struggles and successes. 

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen -- Last month I mentioned reading book 2 in the Martini Club series so I wanted to read the first book so I'd know more about these characters. This one focuses on Maggie living in Maine, raising her chickens, but a woman is killed and left on her property. This book explores Maggie's past as she worked for the Agency. Pretty good. 

The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens -- Louisa's twin brother is thought to have burned the abbey, yet she's convinced she knew the moment he had died. Much to the chagrin of her proper aunt and uncle, not to mention the local law enforcement officers, she's determined to find out the truth. 

The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish -- Jamie is a commuter on a river boat, and when his pal Kip doesn't show up, he assumes Kip is skipping work again after a party weekend. This book flashes back to when Clare and Jamie get to know Kip and his girlfriend Melia. 

The Other Woman by Jane Green -- Ellie lost her mom when she was young, and is so excited about gaining a new family when she and Dan marry. Soon she realizes her doting mother in law is a bit much and her husband can hardly say no to his mom. 

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper -- Tildy is cleaning a closet in the library when she discovers a secret room with two stunning dollhouses. In her search to learn more about the creator of these dollhouses, she travels to New Hampshire. The alternate storyline shares the story of Cora as she works in Paris and later England during World War I. 

The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak -- Billy is a fourteen year old in 1987, in danger of repeating ninth grade, but with a desire to create video games on his Commodore 64. These were early days for families having their own personal computers, and a rather cute book. I like that the main characters are 14 which is Zach's age as of a couple weeks ago, plus the year 1987 is meaningful to me. And oddly enough this is the 87th book I've read this year. 

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben -- Sami is a former police officer now investigating for an attorney. Years ago he fled Spain when a lady he met appeared dead and he had woken up with a knife in his hand. Years later he is teaching a criminology class when this lady, Anna, shows up in his class. She flees, and he follows. 

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff -- Did you know the Nazis opened a department store in Paris - the Lévitan - for prisoners to sort items they stole from Jewish families? There prisoners made piles of items to be shipped to Germany and many to be sold to German occupiers in France. This book has alternative stories of Louise and Helaine and their ties to this place. 

The Last Days of Kira Mullan by Nicci French -- If you thought the bulk of these 400+ pages featured Kira Mullan, you'd be wrong. Instead Nancy North is moving to a new flat with her partner. There she meets the other tenants in this residence, and unfortunately her partner, Felix, tells everyone about her recent stay in the mental hospital. When Nancy runs into Kira on what would later be known as her last day, she is convinced that Kira did not die by suicide, but was murdered. But no one takes her seriously. Instead they say she's paranoid and going mad again - and needs to be sectioned (seems this is the English term for being committed to a mental hospital) against her will!  Why will no one look into Kira's death? 

Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- The first book in a new series: National Park Summers, this story is about Coop who is a high school biology teacher who does seasonal work with the park service. Meanwhile Kate is after the one-in-a-million photograph of the grizzly bear called 399. A nice escape to the Grand Tetons and its stunning scenery, dangers, and a rumor of a poacher! 

Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark -- Kate is meeting a former employee Gus way too early in the morning when an explosion at the business kills Gus and knocks out Kate. Her sister Hannah wonders why Kate was meeting Gus. Did they start the fire in order to hurt Kate and Hannah's father?

Itchy Boots Season 8: Iran to the UAE

 Here are some notes from this season's adventures which so far have been in the Middle East

See this link for notes from the beginning of Season 8

January 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29

We watched episodes 26-32 which took place in Iran and Iraq

Noraly was given the wrong stamp so she wasn't able to get out of Iran right away. Mohammed helped guide her for hours sorting things, and she even stayed with him and his mom overnight. She explored with Mohammed who showed her where Sadaam had hidden at one point from the Americans. (eps. 28) I enjoyed the tour of Baghdad with Aya, a lady who does tours and advertises her business on Instagram. It was interesting seeing Babylon, Saddam's palace, holy sites and Ali's shrine. I enjoyed her visit to Ur, seeing the ziggurats and seeing her interact with lots of nice people. In episode 32 Abu Haider sang to her and she met Marsh Arabs who live where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet. 

February 2, 5, 10, 12, 16, 19, 24, 26, 

We watched episodes 33-40 which took place in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 

Noraly was able to get Frankie fixed, and I greatly enjoyed her ride in the wadi in Saudi Arabia. It was unlike anything I imagined that country looked like! She met Sandra and Fiona who have their own social media channel, we saw lovely rocky mountains and a volcano in the desert. I love the sweet groups of men and women who helped carry luggage, fed her in the rough terrain, and kids popping their heads out of the cars (see eps. 39).  

March 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30

We watched episodes 41-49  which took place in Saudi Arabia 

There was a mirrored building and Nabatean tombs, and she met a Scottish lady walking with a local guide and two camels, Juicy and Lula. That lady is walking north to south in the country.  She showed us a coral house along the Red Sea and yellow grasshoppers near Medina. She saw a car on fire and had her own mechanical issues, but had very nice people helping her. 

April 2, 6, 10, 13, 16, 20, 25, 29, 30

We watched episodes 50-58 which took place in Saudi Arabia and Yemen 

Noraly flew into Yemen - a part where the Houthis were not getting bombed. She couldn't have her own motor bike there, but borrowed a variety of Chinese bikes from locals. She had a  required guide, tried khat, and showed us mud-brick skyscrapers. The men often had daggers and guns and she had to wear an abaya while riding her bike in certain places.  Much of her time in Yemen was actually riding on an island named Socotra. There we saw caves, nice pools and dragon blood trees.

May 4, 8, 11, 16, 20, 24, 25

We watched episodes 59-65 which took place in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates

In Socotra, she went on a boat and saw lots of dolphins. She also met a man, who often lives in a cave, catching fish with his hands!  She flew back to Saudi Arabia where she rode through a beautiful wadi, did some climbing, and heard yelling monkeys. She tried camel meat, rode through some of the Empty Quarter showing us a narrow "hidden" canyon and pigeon houses. She took us through parts of Riyadh where she lamented the traffic and watched Captain America at a super-fancy cinema. She watched the movie while waiting a couple of hours for the sky bridge to open at 4 PM.   She went to Dubai where she announced a break on the channel as the first leg had ended. She's going to the UK as part of her book tour. Her book was published this year in English in the US, UK, and Australia. Based on what she said, I think she'll do a mini-series of some sort during this break. 

Last year at this time, she had had her accident in Africa and was recovering back home.

April Books

 The Last Girl by Jane Casey -- I hadn't read much in the Maeve Kerrigan series in a few months so I ordered this one from the library. Maeve is investigating the murder of a mother and daughter. Another daughter was spared as she was swimming, and the father/husband was merely knocked unconscious. Maeve and the team work to figure out who killed Vita and Laura, and why.

Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass -- Shelby and Mack are best friends enduring a horrible time after an event fifteen months prior when Shelby was locked into a freezer and left to die and Mack's husband disappeared. Meanwhile Shelby continues her job at The Oleander, a senior center made up of a loveable group. Shelby understandably deals with stress related to her ordeal, and Mack just wants to know what happened to Leo. Was he the one who locked Shelby into the freezer? A pretty good story. 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins -- I remember this book was super-popular years ago, but I never read it then. Rachel takes the same train every day, and gets to know the people living along the route - by watching them from her seat on the train. There is one couple she dubs Jess and Jason, a good looking couple, that she imagines she knows. In real life Megan and Scott have some underlying issues.

After Life by Gayle Forman -- Amber arrives at home only to find things are different. How much has changed since she left for school this morning. When her mom gets home, her mom screams. It's only about then that Amber finds out she died in a hit and run accident while riding her bike home from school seven years ago. Her dad, an atheist, calls it a miracle and suddenly believes in all that religious stuff (Ok, maybe not all of it), but her mom treats her like she's not happy to see her. 

Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks -- The author travels to an island in Tasmania and reflects on the death and grief associated with the sudden loss of her husband, author Tony Horwitz, who died while on a book tour in Washington, D.C. in May 2019. I remember being stunned at this news as I thoroughly enjoyed Tony's books. He wrote a couple about times he was in the South, and this book tour covered one such book which I read not long after he died. I cried through parts of this book as I imagined her grief and remembered my own (today, April 8, is 2.5 years after all).  This book is short enough that you could read it in a single afternoon such as I did today, a lovely sunny day around 58 degrees (after having been close to 90 just a few days ago.)  

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister -- The book starts with Cam feeding her daughter and getting ready for her first day back at work after maternity leave. For some reason, she can't get in contact with her husband Luke. Later when there is news of a hostage situation, she is stunned to find out that her sunny, fun-loving husband is involved. 

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak -- Mallory is a recovering addict who lands a job as a nanny. Teddy is a darling five year old who loves to draw during quiet time. Yet his imaginary friend, Anya, often makes appearances in his pictures. Not a big deal except Anya has him draw some disturbing things: like her getting strangled. Pretty good story and I like that we can see Teddy's pictures throughout the book. 

Break To You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young, and Michelle Knowlden -- When Adriana is sent to juvenile detention she was able to keep her journal. One day she accidentally leaves it in the library, and when she goes back, she locates it alphabetically in the fiction section. She realizes someone read her journal and replied to her thoughts!  She's so upset with this mysterious J, and  decides to respond to this person. A bit far-fetched perhaps, but an interesting look at juvie from female and male perspectives. 

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen -- I was already into this book before I realized it was part of a series - The Martini Club, of all things - but I kept on reading. Susan is part of the Conover family now, and she and her husband Ethan and their daughter Zoe make the trek to Maine in order to spread the ashes of Ethan's father. Zoe was seen swimming with a local girl, and when she doesn't come home in the evening, Susan calls the police to report her daughter missing. Jo, the chief of the police, along with the Martini Club, made up of retired operatives, seek to find clues about Zoe. When the pond is searched and bones are found, the community has another mystery on its hands!

The Other People by C.B. Everett -- Ten strangers wake up in a home and have no idea how they got there. There are familiar elements - they have their own clothes and their first meal features everyone's ideal food and drink. A lady appears and tells them they have to solve a mystery of sorts and then she gets shot. People keep dying, and everyone is suspicious...it's quite a bizarre book! 

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha -- An Indian family goes to a private island in Scotland to celebrate their parents' anniversary and the sale of their father's company. Aseem and his non-Indian wife Zoe want to finally leave the family home in Delhi, Myra wants a huge payout to save her pet project, and Aisha - well, she brings along yet another surprise boyfriend. This book makes you question your loyalty to family. Pretty good. 

The Stranger You Know by Jane Casey -- another in the Maeve Kerrigan series; The team is investigating some women's deaths and take a closer look at one of their own, Maeve's partner on the police force, Josh Derwent! 

Tea With Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn -- This first of the Suitcase Sisters series features Lily and Fern, long-time best friends, now in their thirties. The ladies are gifted with a trip to Kenya...how fun. A good reminder to me on page 195 about being able to rest and trust God and His timing. 

As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark -- Delaney is a court reporter covering the trial of Betsy Grant who is accused of murdering her husband, a doctor with early-onset Alzheimer's. She's convinced the prosecution has the wrong person though the evidence certainly points to Betsy as the killer. 

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger -- Adele is a single mom raising two teeangers. When her son Blake shows her a contest on one of his favorite online games, she decides to enter. The one million dollar prize would certainly help put the kids through college, and she is fit and believes she can do it. Meanwhile Maverick and his Extreme team set things up for this experience, but the locals aren't all happy with them being on their island.

Run Away by Harlan Coben -- Simon is looking for his daughter Paige who left home after she changed so much while in college. Meanwhile Elena is a private investigator looking for someone, and Ash and DeeDee are going around murdering folks. Wild.